《Knights Apocalyptica》


 Chapter 1: A Dream

    Chapter 1: A Dream


    Erec didn''t expect much out of the bulky rusted suit of Armor racked in the corner of the room. All it needed to do was stay together for a couple of more days; he could not care less about what happened to it after. As long as it got him through the trial and epted into the Academy, that''s all that mattered.


    Dim orange LED lights illuminated the steel frame of the Armor. His fingers traced the dents, tears, and loose wires hanging from the joints and subsystems. Some of them were fresh¡ªa particrly deep gouge in the rust was a product of him pushing it past its limits in thest training session. But others weren''t. For example, the welded tes on the front were the product of a ferocious monster tearing into the frame. And likely, the death sentence from a workable model into what it was now. Provisional loaner armor that would need no small amount of tender love and care to return it to an okay state.


    ¡°Oof, busted again?¡± Garin said after the steel bs at the entry to the workshop slid open.


    They were tucked in the depths of the kingdom, miles below the surface. This workshop had a literal ton of dirt and stone above it that separated them from the sky and world above. And the Academy. Yet both were atplete ease in the dank and grease-stained room; why wouldn¡¯t they be? They¡¯d spent their whole lives down here.


    ¡°I might¡¯ve been a little too hard on it,¡± Erec admitted.


    He couldn¡¯t afford to fail the trial. Not when his brother seeded and with his whole life riding on it. Training with Armor like this was out of his grasp for the longest time¡ªbut Bedwyr passed his trial under simr circumstances. One might even argue that the Armor loaned to Bedwyr was <em>worse</em>. No, Erec would surpass Bedwyr. He had to. This was his one shot.


    With the Goddess¡¯ Blessing and this rag-tag Armor, Erec would climb out from the caves and shadow of his family¡¯s legacy to join one of the Orders.


    Erec treasured the couple of memories of his time on the surface. Hundreds of thousands lived their whole lives without seeing the sky. Yet, at first sight, that ocean of blue stole his heart away.


    Humanity had crawled its way out of this hole fifty years ago, but the privilege of living on the surface was a price paid in blood. And he was ready to help defend the thick steel walls that kept the monsters of the wastes at bay. They protected this kingdom, but more importantly, they made it possible to bask in the sun once more.


    <em>If only I had better Armor. More training¡­</em> Getting into the Academy would¡¯ve been easy; if he were like most of the nobility. But his house had so many of their privileges and authority stripped away.


    ¡°I could ask Dad if we¡¯ve got a spare mechanic,¡± Garin offered. His father, Baron Jeswald, directly oversaw Erec¡¯s house. Through Jeswald¡¯s shelter, House Audentia weathered thest ten years. Erec would sooner throw himself through a rift than ask anything more from the man.


    ¡°No thanks, but I appreciate the offer. It¡¯s better to learn how to maintain your Armor. This is a valuable learning experience since there are few expeditions that¡¯d allow you to bring a mechanic.¡±


    ¡°Fair, fair. I¡¯d thought I was pushing ittely, but you¡¯ve gone off the deep end, haven¡¯t you? Why?¡±


    ¡°You know why.¡± Erec rubbed the back of his neck.


    A twinkle came to Garin¡¯s eye, and he smirked. ¡°I sure do. So how about this¡­¡± he pulled out two sticks made of real wood. Erec worked his jaw. Yeah. Those were definitely from one of the bio-caverns. It was maple wood. Erec was familiar with the exact cavern it came from since he¡¯d helped maintain it over thest three years. A beautiful bio-cavern that supported beech, maple, and apple trees, it was also filled with an assortment of other life that thrived in the temperate conditions, including squirrels. Too many squirrels, to be honest.


    More importantly, nothing should¡¯vee out of those caverns unounted for.


    ¡°Garin!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I knew you¡¯d do this. It¡¯s fine. Dad wouldn¡¯t care. C¡¯mon, Erec, they¡¯re just sticks.¡±


    The point wasn¡¯t what they were. Even if the Baron would only shrug if someone told him his son was going around taking small things from his bio-caverns. Documenting what went in and out of those controlled environments was vital. They couldn¡¯t afford to introduce an invasive species or transmit some odd virus to the bio-caverns. Too much of their industry and supply lines still relied on them.


    They still produced hard-to-obtain food andmodities, and Erec highly doubted his friend put in the care to sanitize and respect nature. It was a bit of a dick move and beyond selfish on Garin¡¯s part. Erec stared him down until Garin caved.


    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t do it again, promise. But since I already took these¡ªhow about, we trade some pointers?¡± Garin gave an easy grin thatplemented his dumb face and promised pure intentions.


    Erec dropped hisint. It wasn¡¯t like his friend would listen anyway, and it wouldn¡¯t change what¡¯d already happened.


    They were good sparring tools¡ªit was good they weren¡¯t shaped liked swords. Practically everything was. Go figure that when the Goddess'' icon was a sword, her people went nuts over them. But the importance of swords alone was disturbing. Their only purpose was to kill. Any day of the week, he¡¯d instead take an axe or a hammer, but often the kingdom left him with no choice in terms of practice equipment.


    ¡°You know what? I could go for a nice little confidence boost. I¡¯d love to show you the concrete.¡± Erec stretched out his lean muscles. He was about three inches taller and often quicker than his friend. But hecked the substance that Garin had. Lanky versus robust. Their typical sparring match was a toss-up, but something in Garin¡¯s eyes told him this wasn¡¯t just for fun.


    ¡°In your dreams, Lord <em>Audentia.</em>¡± Garin mocked and gave a small bow. Erec snorted. His brother and father were <em>Lord Audentia. </em>Not him.


    Erec and Garin walked a safe distance from the Armor and Tables filled with welders and screwdrivers. The dusty workshop would serve as well as any for their fight; all they needed to do was limit the arena to keep from breaking things.


    With the boundary established, they took stances on either side of the chamber.


    Erec fell into a broad stance and stared Garin down while he swayed back and forth; he knew the ins and outs of Garin¡¯s style. However, that was a double-edged weapon. Garin knew him too. Predictably, Garinunched straight into the fight and teased the edge of Erec¡¯s range with the maple stick. He ducked in and tried to bait a swing, but Erec waited. It was best to find an opportunity and strike with a solid decisive attack.


    In a sudden flurry of speed, Garinmitted to a sudden stab. Unexpected, but Erec slid out of the way. But since he failed to anticipate the bold move, there wasn¡¯t any way to punish the aggression. Garin shoved forward and mmed a stocky shoulder into him. With his chance made and Erec on unsteady ground, Garin raised his weapon above his head tond a clean hit.


    Erec backpedaled and raised his stick to catch Garin¡¯s downward arc. He blocked the follow-up and then used his superior speed to put more distance between them and reset.


    <em>Much more aggressive than usual.</em>


    Garin circled as he searched for another opening to swoop in, but Erec wasn¡¯t about to give him another chance after seeing his first move. A sudden juke of his friend made him wince. His side ached¡ªthat shove was full force. This sort of cheap tactic and frantic fighting wasn¡¯t Garin¡¯s usual style. But then, this wasn¡¯t a spar, was it? It was a test. <em>Which of us is better?</em> Their rankings were simr even if the distribution of their Virtues differed.


    <em>I can surprise you too.</em> Erec flew at Garin and rained down blows in a flurry of strikes. Each bit of range he had over Garin let him control the engagement. His speed and sudden shift from wary and tactical to a violent barrage caught his friend by surprise. Garin backed up further and rapidly approached their fight''s boundary.


    The constant hammering of sticks brought sweat to Erec¡¯s brow. But he saw Garin grimace with each strike¡ªhis arm shook, and Garin¡¯s stick grew lower as his strength gave out. Soon the asional whacknded on his arm. <em>I¡¯m going to win. This fight is mine.</em>


    Like tilling a patch of dirt before nting, all that effort went into preparing the soil and creating the right conditions for optimal growth. Instead of sowing a seed, he readied the battlefield for the perfect moment.


    <em>There.</em>


    Garin¡¯s sweat matted and caused his long ck hair to cover his eyes. He shook his head to clear his vision. Erec sprang forward, double handing the stick high into the air. He swung in a mighty arc and threw as much force as he could behind it¡ªGarin tried to defend, but it was a second toote¡ªthe weapon cracked against Garin¡¯s skull, tearing into his skin and provoking a pained yell.


    Erec dropped the stick¡ªswearing and crouching down to look at the damage. The fight pulled it out of him and made him go too far. He¡¯d wanted to win so bad for a moment he forgot who he was fighting.


    Garin clutched his head and epted a piece of cloth to stem the blood. It was a nasty gash but non-vital. ¡°Fuck. Where did thate from? I know you were angry at me for stealing from the bio-cavern but did you have to bash my head in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t¡ª¡°


    Garinughed at Erec¡¯s red face. ¡°No, no. I know I started it. It¡¯s just¡ªI wanted to know? How it¡¯d end if we both gave it our all. Whenever we practice, there¡¯s never that edge to it like they say a real fight has. If we¡¯re going to do well at the Academy and be Knights worth anything, that¡¯s a feeling we have to get used to.¡±


    There was a blinking notification in the corner of Erec¡¯s vision. The Blessing had given him notice. He slowly nodded at his friend¡¯s words but couldn¡¯t tear his attention from the notification. Garin squinted at him.


    ¡°No way. You advanced?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know for sure yet¡ªis it okay if I¡ª?¡±


    ¡°No, no! Don¡¯t even ask! Open it! Tell me what jumped up!¡± Garin grinned at him, still holding the bloody cloth to his forehead. Erec only hoped Garin¡¯s father wouldn¡¯t get too upset. The trial to join the Academy was a highly formal affair. As Garin was from a family with some renown, those impressions on their future ssmates and the other families attending the trial mattered in the higher circles.


    <em>At least that¡¯s something I don¡¯t have to care about. Seems exhausting. </em>


    Erec pulled up the notification from the Blessing.


    Strength Advancement: Rank E - Tier 4 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 5


    It was an advancement. Thest one he¡¯d had was three weeks ago. And that hadn¡¯t been to one of his higher-ranked Virtues. Erec beamed, and Garin arched an eyebrow.


    ¡°It was Strength¡ªTier 5 now.¡±


    ¡°Damn, congrattions,¡± Garin nodded, then sighed. ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten an advancement for Vigor this month, even with all of the conditioning and my trainer helping out. Sure, Cognition went up, even Agility, but no luck on the one I wanted most.¡±


    Vigor was Garin¡¯s top Virtue. The one he¡¯d inclined himself to and pushed further than the others, citing it gave him the biggest advantage both on the battlefield and in his life. Erec was thankful it hadn¡¯t managed to climb any higher¡ªor that trick he pulled with the unrelenting assault wouldn¡¯t have had a chance of breaking through his defenses. That and keeping up with Garin during training was already a pain in his ass.


    Erec stared at the junk Armor and found the prospect of the future work a heavy suppressant to the little bit of glee he felt at the advancement. ¡°I should get started with that¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Garin waved it off, still clutching the bloody cloth. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a hot bath and nurse the wound you left me. Congrattions again; I¡¯m taking the rest of the night off.¡±


    Garin gave onest wave before walking out of the steel doors and leaving Erec alone with the Armor. He stared at the little-better-then scrap metal.


    ¡°No time like the present.¡± He grabbed a screwdriver, tossed on his goggles, then got to work.

 Chapter 2: Glimpse Of Heaven

    Chapter 2: Glimpse Of Heaven


    <em>"A king whoes to power with the help of the rich nobles will have more trouble keeping it than the king who gets there with the support of the people, because he will be surrounded by men who consider themselves his equals, and that will make it hard for him to give them orders or to manage affairs as he wants..."</em>


    <em>- Nol¨° Machiavelli, The Prince (1532, 2nd Era)</em>


    Erec stood still beneath the rusted tes of the bulky Armor and waited for all of the core and subsystems to boot up. It took a good minute for everything toe online¡ªgiven the make of the model and the substantial repairs, he was just happy the Armor was in working order.


    He dismissed all of the notifications shing through the visual interface. Since borrowing the outdated Armor, those systems hadn''t been present or were previously corrupted. Given these types of models received software updates and no hardware upgrade, it was impossible to say what should''ve been still functional or not. The software might be searching for subsystems that never existed in the first ce.


    Caring about any of that was an exercise in futility; this Armor already lived on borrowed time. The only important part was that it held together to let him put on a show and join an Order. From there, the Order would issue him an initiate''s model to work with¡ªit wouldn''t be top of the line, but a far sight better than this hunk of junk.


    <em>If I''m good enough for an Order to extend an offer to begin with¡­</em>


    There was a small chime like a bell in his helmet to apany thest notification, and the joints unlocked.


    He clenched his fingers in the heavy steel gauntlet. The servos worked well. He held his fist for a moment more and sighed before exiting the workshop. Only a couple of hours of sleep, but he did what he¡¯d had to.


    Walking through the underground pathways was reasonably straightforward; the Kingdom tried their best toy it in the most logical way. At least on these levels. And heading towards the main shaft elevator was simple¡ªconsidering therge construct was smack-dab in the middle of the city.


    Erec ran into Garin at the base of the giant steel beams and gated entrance to the room-sized shaft elevator. Garin gave a bit of a wave, his Armor¡¯s helmet tucked beneath a steel arm. His friend was wearing his father¡¯s suitplete with the House Honestus eagle painted on the chest te. ¡°Hey!¡± Garin smirked.


    ¡°Heya,¡± Erec¡¯s voice came from the modted filter of the helmet. Unlike Garin, he didn¡¯t dare to detach the helmet for fear that the locking joint might malfunction when he tried to rece it.


    ¡°d you got it working after all. I was half scared I wouldn¡¯t see you. Cut it close to show time, huh?¡±


    ¡°Well, I tried to get a few more minutes of sleep. Was uptest night. But I¡¯m here now, so I can¡¯tin.¡± He shrugged, the gesture more mechanical then a smooth motion within the the death trap Armor. It didn¡¯t flow like newer models, unfortunately.


    Erec sighed. It was going to be a long, hot, and ufortable day now. The vent ports in the back of the suit were open, letting a bit of fresh air in. A bead of sweat was starting to form on the tip of his nose. It didn¡¯tpare at all to a proper cooling system. <em>I hate this Armor so damn much. </em>


    The gears began to go into overdrive as the main shaft elevator rose, it stopped on their level, and the chain-link shutters slid open. Erec and Garin got on the massive tform and moved towards the back. It rose and stopped nearly every floor¡ªallowing workers to mber on and off to their destination.


    Everybody in the Kingdom knew what today was,moners to nobility, even though these trials were primarilyposed of people of noble blood. The day was practically a holiday, as everyone looked up towards the Knights¡ªthe saviors of humanity.


    Though the potential initiates took up an increasing portion of the elevator, most came alone. Their families and retainers would head to the event in an hour or two. But the would-be-initiates were expected far earlier.


    A few stopster and the elevator floor became overwhelmed with nobility, discing the poor workers. They continued to pour on with every floor. The truly greedy demanded their servants carry equipment for them. The closer they got to the top, the more sets of Armor joined their ranks, which was unsurprising. Most of the high-rankers lived towards the surface.


    Thest batch contained the elite, or rather, the elite of those still living somewhat underground. Most had moved to the blooming city above, but there was a mix. Tradition and holdings kept some of the more prestigious families towards the top levels of the Kingdom.


    He took in the variety of people on the elevator. One of them was hauling stones to a higher cavern. It was hard to tell whether they were minerals or needed further processing for a project. The man had parked there before Erec and Garin even got on the lift, meaning he came from a much lower cavern. It wasn''t an easy job for themoners, often back-breaking with long hours and a strict timetable. And the nobles were screwing that up by crowding the elevator.


    ¡°Move,¡± A stern voicemanded from a smooth blue armor with a diamond-shaped helmet.


    Erec turned his head to see that the new figure was ring at the poor worker with his barrel full of stones. Two pinpricks of emerald light locked onto the man through the helmet¡¯s visor, eerily like eyes.


    ¡°Are you deaf?¡± Diamond Head asked as the confusedmoner didn¡¯t budge. ¡°I don¡¯t want any of your sweat getting on my paint job.¡±


    ¡°Leave the guy alone,¡± Erec called out, stepping between the two.


    ¡°You have no right to issue me orders, rust-bucket.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? Well, maybe if you¡¯d take a second and get off that throne of yours, you¡¯d realize that just because you were born with a gold spoon in your mouth, it doesn¡¯t make you better than anyone else. Leave the poor guy be; he was here first.¡±


    The prick growled and then stepped in. Without warning, Diamond Head shoved Erec and took a step toward themoner.


    There was a moment of horror at the surprising amount of force behind the blow. Erec wheeled his hands as the railing hit his back, damn near almost tumbling over it. Garin rushed over and helped Erec regain his footing while the worker took one look before running off. Obviously, he didn¡¯t want to deal with any of this as he was just doing his job.


    Diamond Head slid into the spot he¡¯d demanded and turned away as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°Who do you think you are?!¡± Erec shouted. The conversations around them slowed or cut off as people looked on.


    The noble slowly turned to face him¡ªone hand raised to his face and tapped the side of the helmet. In a sh, the metal visor melted away and revealed a youthful, far too-fair face with curly ck locks. ¡°I am Colin Nitidus of House Nitidus, firstborn son to Duke Nitidus.¡± His voice rang smoothly, no longer muffled by the heavy equipment and vocalizers. ¡°Do you still have a voice to raiseint to me, rust-bucket?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do. That¡¯s no way to treat other people. You can¡¯t demand things and shove people around however you want.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Colin frowned, his eyebrows furrowed but with an undercurrent of amusement. ¡°And who are you to tell me what I can and can¡¯t do? With Armor like that, I had assumed you were anothermoner. They usually only loan out junkers like that tomoners with a sponsor, but something in your attitude tells me you¡¯re not what I thought. They know when to be quiet.¡±


    There was now muttering going around as people formed a circle to watch. Most would consider it a grave error to pick a fight with a Duke¡¯s son¡ªbut Erec didn¡¯t have much to lose. Nor did he particrly want to let this arrogant asshat get his way, like usual.


    ¡°What noble¡¯s crotch you fell out of doesn¡¯t change a thing. Do not treat people like that.¡± Erec stepped closer; for a moment, it looked as if Colin genuinely didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    The cocky smile returned to Colin¡¯s lips a momentter. ¡°I treat people how I wish, as befits my station. If you aren¡¯t amoner, what family do you hail from?¡±


    It was dangerous territory to throw his house in the crosshairs of someone so high-ranked, but Erec had passed by any form of logical thought. <em>I want to punch him</em>. So, he didn¡¯t respond. The servos in his fist whirled as his fingers clenched into a fist; a warning flooded the visual disy, informing him that the digit servos were under heavy strain and liable for malfunction.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa, cool down there.¡± Garin stepped in between them and bowed his head to Colin. ¡°Sorry things got this far, sir. He¡¯s just a little heated under that Armor. Air cont malfunctions; you can imagine how it is on a day like today¡ª¡°


    ¡°His house. Which house does he hail from?¡± Colin tilted his head.


    ¡°House Audentia.¡± Erec fought to shove his friend aside as he spoke. But Garin refused to budge; moving his hale friend was easier said than done.


    ¡°Ah, a traitor¡¯s house. I¡¯d thought they were dissolved. Oh well.¡± Colin shrugged and turned away. As if he¡¯d lost interest in the situation. His finger tapped the side of his head, and the helmet visor slid back into ce.


    <em>Oh no, you don¡¯t. You don¡¯t get to shove me and just¡ª</em>


    The elevator jerked to a stop. Above the great steel vault shutters began to part. Almost three feet thick, they¡¯d long served as the first line of defense for humanity against the harsh world. Now the heavy steel doors slowly vanished into the sides of the shaft, letting sunlight spill down. The sight of the blue sky above stunned Erec. He gave up struggling against his friend and caring about the jackass as the elevator moved again, taking them to the surface.


    Everywhere around the clearing were buildings made of white sto and concrete.


    A fountain sat not too far away¡ªa statue dedicated to Queen Lothria sat in the center. She raised a sword to the heavens. Erec¡¯s jaw dropped, and the anger that had welled up in him vanished in the light of the beauty of this city. It was unlike the narrow winding corridors and carved sides of the cavern¡ªthe ground was iid with brickwork; clumps of green foliage grew haphazardly in conjunction with the city. A clear contrast to theck of vegetation down below: it felt almost wrong to see people move freely with nature. Men and women milled about, someborers, but most in rather fine clothing.


    ¡°Attention!¡± A loud voice boomed out and cut through the distraction of people exiting the elevator and the open world. ¡°All would-be initiates, form lines!¡±


    The nobles scrambled off the elevator; Erec turned towards the voice but wasn¡¯t sure what thatmand meant. Let alone who gave it. Garin yanked him by the arm, which triggered another warning courtesy of the Markos II Armor. It seemed it didn¡¯t like the sudden jolt as Garin pulled him away. It became pretty apparent that ¡°form lines¡± was a literalmand. The nobles that knew what was happening slipped into a formation of two precise lines, spaced five feet apart. Erec fell in easy enough, thanks to his friend.


    He watched the few unlucky workers trapped in the elevator with this mess; as soon as the way was clear, they scrambled off to do their jobs.


    More shouting came from what must¡¯ve been a voice amplified by an Armor. ¡°Right face!¡±


    About forty percent of those assembled did a heel turn to their right. Erec, of course, had no clue and sloppily moved to the same position as the rest a full two seconds after the order once he caught on.


    ¡°Never before have I seen such a disgraceful right face. May the Goddess have mercy on us all! This trial is bound to be a ughter." Finally, Erec made out the guy givingmands; he had a bulky Armor model withrge pauldrons with a massive two-handed sword slung over the back. What he didn¡¯t have was hair. Without his helmet, the sun reflected off the guy¡¯s scalp and was damn near blinding. But¡­ <em>By the Goddess, that loud voice isn¡¯t from some amplification. He can just yell that loud. </em>Erec¡¯s jaw dropped in horror.


    ¡°Quit gawking. You all look like a sand-geckos with your bewildered postures and open mouths. Forward march!¡±

 Chapter 3: Trial

    Chapter 3: Trial


    The bald man led the would-be-initiates to an open ground cleared by the Academy on the city¡¯s outskirts. After a grueling two-hour-long march, apanied by a constant barrage of yelling and screaming, they reached their destination. Say what you might about the method, but they made good pace. This gave them some time to ¡®socialize¡¯ before the trial.


    Erec idly watched the instructors running past¡ªmen and women donned in their full Knight Armor. A few wore Armor models ssic to the different Orders, but the majority owned personalized sets. Either they¡¯d earned enough money, were from a wealthy family, or had attained a high rank for a custom model. The vast array was staggering. Given a chance, he¡¯d loved to take a peek into them and see how they functioned.


    The sheer variety was incredible: from the angled pauldrons to the slick steel-weave on lighter models. Their formation, modr bulk, and ting depended on the user¡¯s Vigor, Strength, or Agility. Some even contained rareponents to enhance their spells or prayer. Each Armor was a perfectpliment to the Knight¡¯s unique Virtues.


    These modern marvels allowed man to rival the monsters creeping into the world. Before humankind had struggled to maintain themselves, they¡¯d been able to grow strong enough to protect their own. But now? Now they could thrive and start to reim the Earth.


    Erec watched a man with a typical sword and shield walk by¡ªan initiate judging by the rank insignia on the Armor¡¯s shoulder. There was a white tower amid a blue backdrop on his chest, signifying the Order of the Azure Tower.


    <em>That¡¯s going to be me. Well, maybe not in that specific Order.</em> It didn¡¯t matter much to him which Order he got into; any would do, aside from the Silver mes.


    He took a deep, steadying breath. Already some noble families were arriving early and greeted in the Academy proper.


    It sounded like a grand time for themvish meals¡ªand then spells gave them a front row seat to the action. At the end of the trial, the would-be-initiates were to walk into the main hall and have their offers presented to them.


    But what was the trial going to be? There¡¯d been grand melees, tournaments, and exams in the past. Every year they shifted the design of the test to meet whatever invisible demands they¡¯d been facing. It was a notorious sour point for the nobles since they were left to prepare their children for anything.


    For most of them anyway. Erec took a long look at the Duke¡¯s son. <em>I guarantee he knows what sort of trial this will be. </em>


    Not that it did him any good to dwell on that. Erec pulled up his Status one more time, partly out of paranoia and partly to keep himself busy.


    <strong>Name:</strong> Erec of House Audentia


    <strong>Health: </strong>100%<strong></strong>| <strong>Mana: </strong>100% | <strong>Stamina: </strong>100%


    <strong>Holy Virtues:</strong>


    <strong>Strength:</strong> [Rank E] | [Tier 5]


    <strong>Vigor:</strong> [Rank F] | [Tier 7]


    <strong>Agility:</strong> [Rank F] | [Tier 9]


    <strong>Perception:</strong> [Rank E] | [Tier 1]


    <strong>Cognition:</strong> [Rank E] | [Tier 3]


    <strong>Psyche:</strong> [Rank F] | [Tier 6]


    <strong>Mysticism:</strong> [Rank F] | [Tier 1]


    <strong>Faith:</strong> [Rank F] | [Tier 1]


    His Strength was his highest, by far, with two other Virtues in the E rank. Not a bad distribution, considering there wasn¡¯t a chance in hell he¡¯d rank up Mysticism or Faith. They were the basis of spells and prayers and required specific instruction or ungodly intuition to advance. Erec had neither the time nor desire to pursue them.


    That was fine; plenty of Knights made their careers without focusing on those Virtues. No one Knight could be a master of them all.


    Well, any regr Knight.


    Erec felt another line of sweat running down his brow. Both exhaustion and the heat were starting to affect him. <em>Ignore it. You¡¯ll be fine. </em>


    The rest of the nobles gathered around into small clusters to talk; even Garin had wandered off to his other friends. Erec chose to stay in ce, content with his privacy and alone time. It was better to save all of his energy for the uing trial than waste it frivolously dealing with nobles who¡¯d either dismiss him out of hand or avoid him due to his family¡¯s stigma.


    ¡°Lines!¡± That same gravely yell ran across the yard after some time. Everyone scrambled to get back to position. In the rush of people, Erec lost sight of Garin. Oh well. They formed dual lines as glowing orbs circled them. Those were the ¡®lens¡¯ for the spell transmitting the image to the hall. Rings of magic appeared by the speaker¡¯s head¡ªit seemed this time they¡¯d use magic to amplify their voice for the audience.


    ¡°Lords and Ladies, on this May of the 307th Year of the Goddess¡¯s Rebirth, we shall begin our Academy¡¯s prestigious annual trial! You might recall the endurance test ofst year¡ªwhich left our students bnced on little pirs ofnd for hours at a time, only to progress to a game of g capturing between the remaining would-be-knights. What a spectacle that was! This year we have the blessing of some truly distinguished nobility seeking our ranks. Three from the duchy, and to this Academy¡¯s great honor, a prince from the Royal family!¡±


    He hadn¡¯t heard of the Royal Family admitting a son. Nor was it apparent who it might be. Everyone had their faces hidden with the armor.


    Not that Erec knew what the princes looked like, even if one was around his age.


    ¡°A truly distinguished gathering of talent for the Knights to choose from¡ªto meet that and test the capabilities of these individuals, we shall be having a rare sort of trial. This trial will take several days and provide a much better measure of their real-world skills and strengths. Those hosted by the Academy will be provided with proper amodation during this event. We apologize for any unexpected inconvenience.¡±


    <em>Now that¡¯s shocking. </em>Erec pictured all the nobles tucked away in the Academy starting toin and demandpensation. <em>What could take several days to show?</em> He felt a flutter of nerves. <em>Is my Armor going to hold up that long? </em>With thest trial having an endurance test portion, he¡¯d hoped that they would prioritize a different sort of Virtues this time around.


    ¡°This trial is unlike any before. Far more practical. The would-be-knights will be divided into groups and sent past the wall with an apanying Knight Commander. Each is tasked to retrieve something of value, y creatures, or overall disy their survival aptitude over the course of the trial. The Commander will take notes of their actions and judge them throughout their time outside of the wall. Would-be-initiates will be judged on their capacity to operate in a real-world scenario.¡± There was a long pause as the whispering ran unconstrained in the crowd of nobles.


    The test administrator shot the group a cold re to silence them.


    In a second the rings above his head vanished, and he addressed the crowd with his normal voice. ¡°Now, do understand, this is a dangerous trial. Unpredictable things can ur outside of the walls, but to be a Knight is to embrace courage and danger no matter what Order you may join. Any not up to this task are not fit to be a Knight. Any that wish to withdraw is to do so now.¡±


    There was a heavy silence; no one wanted to be the first to admit they didn¡¯t have it in them. Erec stood straighter. <em>No matter what, I¡¯m doing this. For me, there isn¡¯t a second option. There¡¯s no house I can retire to and work within. I will be a Knight and surpass Bedwyr if it¡¯s thest thing I do.</em>


    The pressure mounted, and eventually, a single person broke ranks. They skulked out with a lowered head and quickly retreated from the gathering. Then another. And then three at once. Erec couldn¡¯t help but note that most of the people who left appeared to be in hand-me-down Armor like himself. Not all, but most. <em>A smart move. Going in untrustworthy Armor is bone-headed. But I don¡¯t have any other choice. </em>


    A stretch of three more minutes passed as the gaze of the would-be-knights divorced themselves from one another and returned to the test administrator. The man looked over the remainder of the would-be-initiates with a grin. ¡°To the bold does the world bend.¡± The magic rings once more formed above his head to activate the voice amplification spell. ¡°We have our contenders for this year¡¯s trial! Everyone remain in ce, and my coordinators will begin dividing you.¡±


    The next few moments were a rush of activity as Knights stemmed forward and began to break off groups of five from the overall gathering. Erec felt lucky when one yanked him aside and set him in a group with Garin and another. Then less so when that pompous asshole Colin joined their group. <em>Why Goddess?</em>


    She conveniently chose not to answer his question, though he considered himself lucky that the Duke¡¯s son seemed uninterested in conversing. After learning their positions, he¡¯d outright dismissed both him and Garin as being worthy of his time and attention. Erec wasn¡¯t sure if it pissed him off or left him relieved to be ignored.


    However, as another person joined, it became apparent that Colin was familiar with them.


    Colin snorted under his helmet. ¡°I¡¯d recognize that house symbol anywhere. Lady Lyotte of House Luculentus, still having that petty argument with your father?¡±


    ¡°Colin.¡± She responded with a curt and icy tone.


    Garin looked between them¡ªalmostical with how his head swayed. ¡°Uh?¡± Erec asked, elbowing his friend.


    ¡°Erec, we¡¯re in a group with a daughter and son of two different ducal lines. Holy shit. What in the name of the Goddess is going on?¡±


    A third member joined our group in a set of Armor even more beat up than Erec¡¯s¡ªit was missing ting on the back that left exposed wires sparking. <em>Oh. That¡¯s what they¡¯re doing¡­</em>

 Chapter 4: Twin Stars

    Chapter 4: Twin Stars


    <em>¡°¡­Rifts have a variable degree of stability. Of the three discussed in this study, one remained in a permanent state of activity, while the other two fluctuated between unstable and stable states in a seemingly random pattern. At first nce, this seeming state of randomness could be a result of the nature of the Rifts themselves. However, thanks to Knight Protector Exercitus and their courageous preliminary scouting of the other side of the inordinately stable Rift, we may note that Dame Exercitus observed several key simrities to the environment in which the Rift was discovered¡­.¡±</em>


    <em>- Julia Imaginosus, On The Nature Of Rifts (238, 3rd Era)</em>


    Noble houses all drank from the same cup of poison, known collectively as pride. It led to a belief in superiority and obsession with status. In the best, it led to making choices based on their names and titles. The weight of this ego weighed on those below, even if they had benevolent intentions.


    <em>We¡¯re here to make them look good. It made sense. </em>Stick two highly trained and privileged high nobility into a group with an average initiate and two using loaner Armors?


    It provided enough of a variance to make it seem usibility random, yet with the space for the two wearing cutting-edge Armors. No doubt, they also had countless hours of high-quality training to shine brighter.


    It might¡¯ve made sense to add a third sub-par Armor user to the group instead of Garin if it was only the judges their houses cared about. But they weren¡¯t attempting just to impress the Academy. No, to ensure their house properly disyed overwhelming power, they needed someone like Garin to represent a typical noble house. A person to set a baseline and add a little bit of deniability for rigging a trial.


    <em>How disappointing.</em> Erec clenched his hand.


    He¡¯d have to try to fix that in the field, twice on the same day the warning had appeared. If he got in a fight and the servos gave out, that might spell real trouble.


    He let it go and sighed. <em>This is fine, it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t let it get in your head.</em> Erec didn¡¯t need to impress the higher nobility; he didn¡¯t care what they thought. The only thing that mattered by the end of this trial was what their examiner thought. And by proxy, what the Orders thought of his potential.


    The political games were unimportant. Garin twisted to look at Erec, disengaging his helmet to show a big smile on his face. ¡°Holy shit, we¡¯re in the same group as a future Duke and Duchess! Do you know how insane that is?¡±


    ¡°Why are you getting so worked up?¡± Erec snapped.


    ¡°W-what do you mean? This is a great chance to make some good connections. Besides, everyone¡¯s going to be looking in our direction¡ªway more than the other groups. I bet a lot of the Orders are very interested in¡ª¡°


    ¡°Garin, they won¡¯t be looking at us; they¡¯ll be looking at them.¡± Erec jerked a finger towards the two stars of the event. The grin slipped a bit on his friend¡¯s face.


    ¡°Well, yeah, but I mean, we¡¯ll still be on screen. If we do <em>something</em>, we¡¯re bound to have a bigger shot of impressing someone. And making a good connection with high nobility opens a lot of doors.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re going topare us directly to those two. We¡¯re here so they look good. And do you want to be friends with Colin? I¡¯ve already seen enough of the guy for a lifetime.¡± Garin went silent and ced his helmet back on his head to block his face. His friend turned away.<em> I hate doing that to him. </em>But sometimes Garin needed a reality check; this entire trial was apetition. How you did mattered whenpared to others. The only catch was that you couldn¡¯t get too hung up on it and hesitate since that¡¯d end with failure.


    His mother had often told him about self-fulfilling prophecy. You had to believe that you would seed, but it was a double-edged sword; your mind could sabotage you and cause a cascade effect of failure.


    "But we''ll show them that they''re wrong," Erec vowed to Garin, giving a quick shake on his friend''s shoulder, which was hard to do with him in that sturdy set of Armor. Garin didn''t respond, but his posture changed, sinking into an eased position.


    For a long moment, they stood quiet as a group. Lyotte refused to meet Colin''s vain attempts to engage her in a conversation further, and the newest member of their five was content to keep quiet. No doubt, the anticipation and awkward rank differentials present in the group got everyone''s nerves frayed.


    The boy in the worst Armor was too busy trying to tweak his Armor. Which seemed like a good n in theory, but Erec didn''t want to risk setting off some malfunction in his before they got to move, especially with finger servos acting up.


    After the rest of the groups were paired together, a solitary Knight made his way toward Erec¡¯s group. His rank was above what the announcer dered for their examiners. Erec¡¯s jaw dropped as he took in the solitary tree crest of the Verdant Oak, along with the symbol below for a Master Knight. The customized Armor had a series of exhaust pipes sticking out of deep green pauldrons. The helmet was gone, exposing the bearded and wild thick-hair man beneath. He looked less like a noble Knight and more like a homeless man who¡¯d stolen a suit of pristine Armor.


    ¡°Attention.¡± His voice carried softly through the air, but nobody in the group missed themand. This time, knowing what to do, Erec scampered into their makeshift line.


    Once they faced their test administrator, the Knight cleared his throat.


    ¡°Alright, alright. This is fine enough. I¡¯m not one to repeat myself, so listen closely. I¡¯m Sir Boldwick. I¡¯ve been a part of this order for nigh on fifteen years, and I¡¯ve lost a lot of friends outside these walls. Frankly, I find this test a gross disrespect to their memory, but it is what it is. As such, I¡¯m setting some ground rules. One. If I give you an order, you cease what you¡¯re doing and follow that order. Two. You keep your damn ears trained on me at all times. Three. There¡¯s no such thing as a hero, only corpses and survivors; best you don¡¯t forget that.¡± Despite that grim statement, Boldwick concluded his speech with a smile.


    ¡°Uh, sir. There are heroes.¡± Colin spoke up and puffed up his chest. ¡°Dame Suzeth, who dived into the Render Rift to buy the priests time¡ª¡°


    ¡°Corpse,¡± Boldwick replied with a sigh. ¡°She never came out. No way she survived in whatever world those beasts came from.¡±


    ¡°What about Sir Gallen? He went out and rescued those kids that slipped the gate and then fended off a cyclops on his own to protect them,¡± Lyotte said.


    ¡°Ah yes, Sir Gallen. He went on to extort the merchant families of those children for his ¡®heroics¡¯ and led to them having to sell their assets. A monthter, they returned to living underground as paupers. Yeah. He¡¯s a real hero.¡± Boldwick snorted.


    ¡°I see nothing wrong with him demanding fairpensation for services rendered,¡± Colin said, this time stomping a foot at their instructor¡¯s s¨¦ attitude.


    ¡°A hero is someone who acts off altruism. Supposedly. Naturally, such a thing doesn¡¯t exist very long, kids. So quit putting people on pedestals when they don¡¯t deserve it. It doesn¡¯t do you any good and doesn¡¯t do them good either. Besides, that silly idea is deadly, seen enough naive initiates get that romantic thought in their head and end up as another corpse. Your potential and your family don¡¯t matter when your heart stops beating.¡±


    At that, finally, Colin had no reply. The duke¡¯s son shut up and stood with a too-straight back and stared straight ahead towards the distance. Sir Boldwick rubbed the back of his head and sighed.


    ¡°Now, where was I? Ah, yeah, we¡¯ll be heading out. You¡¯ll have to forage for supplies. We won¡¯t be heading out more than twenty miles from the walls. There¡¯ll be plenty of ces to scavenge and some small fry to take on, probably.¡± He looked between them all. ¡°Any questions?¡±


    Erec slowly raised his hand. Despite the distraction of the two spoiled nobles, he couldn¡¯t help but take in the constant fidgeting of the boy in the barely-functioning armor.


    Boldwick tilted his head and gave a slight smirk. ¡°Oh, you raised your hand. Fair enough, go ahead and ask. For the reference, though¡ªI don¡¯t care about that sorta thing; you got a question, ask.¡±


    ¡°Er¡ªright, uh, are we going to be given any provisions before we head out of the gate? Like camping supplies, rations, or repair kits¡­¡±


    Sir Boldwickughed and shook his head, a tearing to the corner of his eye. ¡°Oh, by the Goddess, no. Even though it¡¯d make perfect sense for a team of Knights to leave the walls supplied to the teeth, the administrators, in their infinite wisdom, thought it wouldn¡¯t be enough of a challenge. You¡¯ll get a water sk, anything you have on you, and that¡¯s about it.¡±


    <em>Grand.</em> Erec had a horrible premonition that his Armor would break down, but would it happen before the other guy¡¯s did? He watched the guy¡¯s head sink as they stared at the dirt. <em>He realizes it too.</em> Perhaps the administrators counted on it; this whole thing was designed to be unfair. But Erec had a trick up his sleeve, and it might just be the thing that let him stand out enough in this group to him an Order.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all the questions, what do you all say to getting this trainwreck going? Some of the other groups are starting out¡ªit¡¯s going to be a long walk, even with Armor. Sun¡¯s high in the sky, and there¡¯s no time like the present.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± They all responded in near unison.

 Chapter 5: Outside

    Chapter 5: Outside


    ¡°You have ten minutes.¡± Boldwick kindly informed Rodren, the poor unfortunate boy whose Armor kept breaking apart every mile since they¡¯d left the walls. Rodren, As Erec discovered, that was the name of other unfortunate pilot of outdated loaner Armor. Even if Rodren didn¡¯t have much to say so far, Erec felt a kind of kinship in their struggle.


    The orb of light trailing them paused, ever-present since they''d left the meeting field. The lens through which many nobles eagerly watched the group.


    ¡°Thank you; I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Rodren called out. He engaged the Armor¡¯s exit procedure¡ªtypically, Knights and engineers repaired Armor on hydraulic racks to ess hard-to-reach areas, but in the barren wastes outside of the wall, that wasn¡¯t an option.


    Erec moved away from the group and also started the exit procedure. The whirring of shifting pistons sted his ears as the tes connected to the frame came to life. Though this particr suit wasn¡¯t as sophisticated as the models the rest of the group wore, it still managed toplete the procedure in only a minute; exposing an opening in the back of the suit to allow the pilot to evacuate. At once, Erec¡¯s sweat-stained skin soaked in the hot and dry air.


    It felt good. He¡¯d baked in the sun in the steel death trap, and today was particrly hot. But there was an intoxicating feeling to having the light from above torch his skin. A pleasant sting that left him wanting to spend these ten minutes spread out on the dirt and sand nearby. No one else but him was suffering from theck of an internal cooling unit, which showed. Both in the s¨¦ attitude of the spoiled nobles and in Garin¡¯s gratingly rxed attempts to talk to Erec. As if this were just a pleasant stroll on the surface.


    As much as he wished he could spend these ten minutes soaking in the rare sun and letting himself feel the breeze, he couldn¡¯t. Ten minutes wasn¡¯t enough time to patch up a faulty Armor error that caused Rodren to keepgging behind. Throughout his training, Erec had gotten a simr malfunction in his Markos II, so he knew the culprit behind it. Diagnosing and repairing it alone would take too much time.


    Erec rushed over to Rodren, who¡¯d hunched over as he tried to fix the frayed wire connecting the servos behind the te.


    ¡°Error message?¡± Erec asked and knelt next to the stranger, though he already suspected he knew what he¡¯d hear. But never operate without a confirmation. Rodren hesitated and frowned.<em> Is he suspicious of me?</em> ¡°No, none of that. As far as I¡¯m concerned, we¡¯re in the same boat; the only difference is I happened to get a little luckier. I¡¯ll be damned if I end up jobbing for a couple of spoiled brats, and I won¡¯t see that happen to you.¡±


    That seemed to set Rodren at ease. ¡°Right uh¡ªright, it¡¯s a servos connection issue¡ªthe left leg is err, it¡¯s overheating somehow and jamming. But it doesn¡¯t feel particrly hot.¡±


    Erec frowned as he ran his fingers under the tes. The wires felt frayed and several stripped. It seemed that the rats had enjoyed a feast. He got to work sorting out the jungle of cables¡ªtrying to feel where the wires connected and mostly going off intuition. If he hadn¡¯t spent all of the past month jury-rigging his Armor, they¡¯d have been screwed.


    There. The break he was looking for¡ªa torn spliced wire connecting the joint of the back frame and the left leg. Among several, it¡¯d be hard to tell, but this one was vital since it ran to the process safety board and collected information. With it broken, the Armor would receive inurate information and jam up to keep the pilot safe from the leg reaching dangerous internal heat levels. With the internal cooling all screwy, it couldn¡¯tpensate for the fake temperature.


    At the end of the ten minutes, Rodren re-entered his Armor and shook out the leg¡ªthe servos worked like a charm. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Chances are that my Armor¡¯s going to bust somewhere along this trip too, and you¡¯ll be able to repay the favor.¡± Erec sighed. ¡°But this is enough for now. Hopefully, it holds up until we make camp, then we¡¯ll see if we can¡¯t patch it up a bit more.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get why you¡¯re helping me; this is apetition, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Erec took a long look at the two others in their fancy Armor. Garin stood a bit away from them¡ªthey appeared disinterested in associating with a Baron¡¯s son. ¡°I already told you, but it¡¯s fair for you to feel off kilter. You know, normally, I would be trying my damnedest to crush you and everyone else to win. This doesn¡¯t feel like apetition, though. Between us, at least. More like we¡¯re against them, and I don¡¯t want to lose.¡±


    Rodren paused and nodded his head¡ªbefore cing the helmet on and letting the locking mechanism engage. His fist rose in a gesture of support.


    ¡°All done?¡± Boldwick¡¯s metal legs kicked up small bits of dust with each step. He barely nced between Rodren and Erec. ¡°Seems his Armor is up and functioning. Well done. Get your suit back on, and we¡¯ll get moving again. I¡¯d rather we get to shelter before the nightes; even this close to the wall, it¡¯s unpleasant to spend the night in the open.¡±


    Erec sighed and got back to his Armor. In another minute, he was once more d in the suffocating ton of steel, and the minute past that, their little group was plodding down the worn trail.


    Outside their little oasis¡¯s wall, the vibrant green steadily gave way to brown and decay. Converting from the lush life to an almost barren and hostile wastnd, he¡¯d known that their engineers and magic provided enough water to sustain their society, especially on the surface¡ªworking with them in the bio-caverns taught him as much. But without that additional influence, the world outside of the wall scraped by.


    It¡¯d never recovered.


    You might see patches of long and dried grass, maybe wild grains, and even clusters of anemic corn. Over time it might expand and begin to reim some life. But it¡¯d take much longer than the three hundred years they¡¯d had. Thend had been irredeemably damaged.


    Those without the Goddess¡¯s blessing weren¡¯t as resistant to the changes wrought by the holy fire.


    Their magic could help influence the world, but expanding outward meant constant opposition against the monsters that now roamed and the increased risk of a Rift opening up in undefended territory.


    ¡°Erec was it?¡± the faint voice of Lyotte drifted in from his right. Erec nearly missed it due to another warning from his Markos II, but he turned his head slightly to acknowledge her.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Is this your first time out here?¡± She asked.


    ¡°No one¡¯s allowed outside the wall except for the Knights and the Church, right?¡±


    ¡°I meant out here¡ªbeneath the sun. I saw your face when you left your Armor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, it is,¡± Erec admitted and reluctantly gave more attention to her. The Armor she wore was no less impressive than Colin¡¯s, though his Armor had a more sleek feel¡ªhers was a more bulky and heavy setup. He imaged that it must¡¯ve taken quite a feat of Vigor to handle, especially at their rtive level. If a pilot couldn¡¯t handle what an Armor demanded, they were using it suboptimally and putting themselves at risk. He doubted any high-noble house would risk any in their line to those sorts of injuries.


    He returned his attention to the road as the conversationpsed into silence. She made him ufortable; he didn¡¯t want to picture her or Colin as anything but spoiled nobles to be crushed.


    Lyotte had a different idea. ¡°You¡¯re from House Audentia.¡±


    ¡°You know me?¡±


    ¡°I know where you¡¯re from; it¡¯s not as if your House is a secret after what your mother did.¡± Erec stopped in his tracks, as did Lyotte.


    ¡°Are you trying to pick a fight? I¡¯ve heard just about everything about my mother and what a dirt bag she was from enough stuck-up assholes already; spare me the lecture.¡± Erec damn near growled. The heat, Colin, and now this? His tolerance level for bullshit was hitting dangerously low levels; he needed time to himself to cool off.


    ¡°No, not that. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I, well¡ªI imagine it must¡¯ve been hard to go all this time to hear that thing. To be ck-marked from something you didn¡¯t even do¡­¡± Lyotte¡¯s voice hitched a bit, and she fidgeted in a way that threw Erec off bnce.


    <em>The hell? Who brings up that sorta crap¡ª¡°</em>I¡¯m not interested in talking about that, okay? I¡¯m my own person and not even the heir to our house. It¡¯s not very polite to bring that sort of thing up with someone you don¡¯t know to begin with, but¡­¡± Erec paused and let out a pent-up breath. Even though her face was hidden beneath that helmet, he could tell by the way her body was shifting she was ufortable. <em>Why am I pandering to her anyway? </em>¡°I¡¯ll let it go. I overreacted, and I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    "No! I''m the one who''s sorry I didn''t mean to¡ª"


    "Quit stalling back there! Move it, you two. Goddess, have mercy if this is the crop of new initiates we have." Boldwick barked out from a good fifty feet away, having stopped in his tracks to re at them.


    "C''mon, let''s get back to walking. I''m not here to make friends, okay? I don''t care what you think about my family or me or what any of the high-nobility gives two fucks about. I''m here to join the Academy and make my way in this world." Erec started to march ahead.


    Then he stopped as he didn''t hear any footsteps behind him.


    Lyotte froze, refusing to move despite being ordered to by the test administrator.


    "Are you crazy? What are you doing?"


    "I¡ª" she was unnaturally stiff. "I''m fine, don''t worry about me."


    "I didn''t mean to make you upset¡ªI don''t have the space to worry about this sort of thing or what¡ª"


    "I''m not upset. Go on. " Lyotte said.


    "You two, if I have to repeat myself for the third time, I''ll consider it an act of insubordination, and I''ll note that down on my report. Move. It." Boldwick yelled this time; his voice carried heavy across the empty waste. Erec flinched at the gesture. Thankfully though, Lyotte began to move again, slow,plying with the order with the least possible effort.


    Erec gave her onest look before breaking out into a slow jog to catch up with Garin. <em>What the hell is with her?</em>

 Chapter 6: A Glowing Light

    Chapter 6: A Glowing Light


    <em>"Indirect tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth, unending as the flow of rivers and streams; like the sun and moon, they end but to begin anew; like the four seasons, they pass away to return once more"</em>


    <em>-Sun Tzu, The Art Of War (Unknown, 1st Era)</em>


    A small fire roared in the cramped roofless structure. It still had three concrete walls, one of which was halfway to crumbling away. But the little ramshackle ce provided a measure of protection from the cutting cold winds. Long ago, it served as the foundation for a two-story house. Or so Boldwick imed.


    Since then, the Knights had cleared it and asionally used it as a staging ground for expeditions. But to Erec, there wasn¡¯t much difference between this and camping in the wastes in terms of shelter.


    At least out there, you¡¯d get a better view of the stars.


    Colin busied himself by polishing his Armor on one side of the cramped room. The light floated around him and Lyotte, rarely drifting by the other three.


    Boldwick had left them alone to inspect the surrounding area and evaluate any threats.


    Technically they should¡¯ve been the ones to do so, but in Boldwick¡¯s words, ¡°You think I could sleep a wink relying on any of your green-horn eyes telling me it was safe?¡±


    He wouldn¡¯t tell them what he found, if he found anything at all. Until he returned, nobody was allowed to leave the shelter to perform their scouting trip.


    Erec rubbed the back of his neck, his sweat-stained shirt, and the cool night breeze and plenty of water from his sk let him get his head back on straight.


    That left him to consider his options forward. More than anything, he needed to prove his value; however, he couldn¡¯t rely on his Armor to help him shine in a fight¡ªwhich meant he had to rely on other skills. But that was where he¡¯d capitalize on his skill sets and use knowledge the rest of these nobles never had a chance to learn. Survival was the name of the game.


    ¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± Colinined, eyes running over the rest of them.


    ¡°Yeah? Think everyone else is too.¡± Erec shot back sharply. Colin held his eyes.


    ¡°Did you bring food?¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid? No one brought anything. That¡¯s the point of this trial.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re part of <em>that</em> house; why would you care about the rules? Come on, I know you snuck something in. I can tell. If you share, I¡¯ll let my family know when we get back and¡ª¡°


    ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you?¡± Erec got to his feet, his blood close to boiling. The sun and the effort of making up for the weakening servos in his Armor with his strength. Now that stuck-up prick was using him of something he didn¡¯t do? His emotions swelled. They needed an outlet, and Colin¡¯s face looked like the perfect target to let off some of that pent-up frustration.


    ¡°Then go get me some food. You and that other boy in the horrid Armor¡ªif you¡¯re going to be useless and an eyesore for the rest of the trial, the least you can do is provide that for the people who¡¯ll be carrying you through it.¡±


    ¡°Keep your mouth shut; I¡¯m sick of you talking to my friend like that!¡± Garin shouted and stood up. There wasn¡¯t any trace of his typical amicability. Colin sneered at him. <em>Wow. When¡¯s thest time I saw him pissed like that? A few hours of trying to findmon ground with that asshole must have got to him.</em>


    ¡°It¡¯s unwise to ally yourself with the weak. You should know better, what, do you want to make things difficult with my house, son of Baron Honestus? You were doing well until now to show proper deference.¡±


    ¡°Colin! You know as well as I that this isn¡¯t a ce where status¡ª¡° Lyotte cut into the conversation, only to trail off as the other Duke¡¯s spawn started tough. A tear came to the corner of Colin¡¯s eye. The rest of the group shared a confused look.


    ¡°Were you about to say that status doesn¡¯t matter here?¡± Colin snickered after the question, a horrible smileing to his face. Lyotte fidgeted in ce. One hand went to her long ck locks and twisted them with a finger.


    ¡°I was. What of it?¡±


    ¡°Rich! ¡®Status doesn¡¯t matter¡¯ Look around¡ª¡° Colin gestured to the rest of the group and then to the orb of light that tracked their movements. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a coincidence that the children of two of the duchy are in a single group, let alone one with two of the seven trying out with junker Armor?¡±


    ¡°The g-groups are randomized, surely, that¡¯s how they determine¡ª¡°


    ¡°Or that the test administrator for our group is a Master Knight? Not just one of the Protectors or Commanders assigned to other groups?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just a coincidence¡ª¡° Colin broke out into another fit ofughter. Erec winced and looked away as Lyotte¡¯s desperate eyes tried totch on anyone else in the group. As if the girl was looking for someone to refute Colin¡¯s argument. Somebody to stand up and tell her that he was wrong, that life was fair, and that there was nothing but sunshine and rainbows. She fidgeted in ce as Colin delighted himself in her torment.


    But nobody contradicted the duke¡¯s son. He had the right feel for the situation. The world <em>wasn¡¯t</em> all sunshine and rainbows; it was deserts and monsters. Erec felt a tad embarrassed that <em>she</em> hadn¡¯t seen what they all had.


    It was what it was.


    ¡°Oh, Lyotte, how can you be so ignorant? What, did your father locking you up like his precious bird rot your mind? Perhaps it kept your brain to the size of a bird¡ªhow stupid can you be? It¡¯s downright embarrassing for your family. I wonder¡ª¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Erec called out, unable to stand the mocking any longer. ¡°You made your point.¡±


    ¡°Stay out of my affairs, pissant.¡± Colin red at Erec. ¡°You have not a single ounce of authority over me. Get on your knees and beg for my forgiveness, and pray I don¡¯t seek you out after this trial is over.¡±


    Erec rolled his sleeves up and stalked closer to the taller teenager. He was done with this constant lording over others and the piss-poor attitude and snide remarks Colin threw out all day long. ¡°We¡¯re not in Armor anymore; how about we test to see who¡¯s stronger when you can¡¯t unt around your daddy¡¯s money.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, calm down, you two!¡± Colin puffed out his chest as the distance rapidly closed. Garin rushed towards them, panicked and trying to pull Erec away. But Erec didn¡¯t have it. It was time to establish a pecking order.


    ¡°Wow, I leave for twenty minutes ande back to this?¡± Boldwick whistled from the entryway¡ªhaving slipped back to the campsite. Even in his Armor, he moved without a single soul noticing him. His steel visage turned between Erec and Colin as everyone paused. Unsure whether or not he¡¯d say anything. Boldwick flopped a dead mute-stag on the dirt and gestured toward Colin. ¡°Well, don¡¯t let me stop you. I¡¯m not your babysitter.¡±


    They all took a long look at the syed-out corpse of the two-headed stag on the ground. A grim reminder that they weren¡¯t safely tucked behind the Kingdom¡¯s wall.


    Erec let out a puff of breath and took a step back. Boldwicking back set things in perspective. He wasn¡¯t about to apologize to this asshole, but it didn¡¯t benefit him to weaken himself in a fight while out in the field. He snapped his eyes towards the instructor. ¡°Now that you¡¯re back, we¡¯re allowed to engage in our patrols, right?¡±


    ¡°Mhmm, that¡¯s right.¡± Boldwick began to exit his Armor¡ªa process that only took a few seconds with his streamlined system. He moved to his canvas bag, seemingly disinterested in the conflict as he pulled out a knife. ¡°By the way, this food is mine. Not sharing it with any of you. If you wanna eat, you gotta forage.¡± He waved the knife in the air and smirked at everyone.


    ¡°I¡¯m headed out to scout, then,¡± Erec said coldly, though he didn¡¯t intend to pick up food. It wouldn¡¯t be the first night he¡¯d skipped dinner, and besides, he¡¯d investigate some of the local wild crops he¡¯d spotted tomorrow. The most important thing was clearing his head.


    ¡°Normally, I¡¯d have you patchms with your Armor, but something tells me that rig you got would give interference if it worked at all. So, we¡¯ll settle for something more old-fashioned,¡± Boldwick leaned back over the back and tossed out a handheld radio. ¡°Click the button if you got something to say; click it three times in a row to activate a beacon if you¡¯re in deep shit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, Erec.¡± Garin shot up. He kept ncing at Colin and tried to keep himself between the two of them.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going alone.¡±


    ¡°Bold move, not exactly typical for an initiate to want to go on a solo patrol,¡± Boldwick said, though his voice carried disinterested boredom. He¡¯d started to work on the corpse of the game he¡¯d in, tearing the knife into the patchy pelt to separate the skin from the meat.


    Erec shrugged. ¡°They¡¯d all slow me down.¡± Garin flinched and frowned at him. The truth was that the anger in him was snapping and slushing around, and he¡¯d rather have the space to himself to digest the feelings than talk it out with anyone. If Garin came with, Goddess knows what sort of shit mighte out of his mouth before he¡¯d had a chance to work himself down.


    <em>Better this way. Sorry, Garin. I¡¯ll make it up to youter.</em> He didn¡¯t turn to face his friend but instead went to his Armor and went through theborious process of putting it on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going for a patrol too. I¡¯m hungry...¡± Colin dered. ¡°Who wants toe with me?¡± No one responded, so the bastard snorted and mumbled to himself.


    Erec didn¡¯t care what the prick got up to. But the floating mote of light circling Colin sure seemed to.


    In a few minutes t Erec was out of that stuffy little shelter and breathing the dusty night air through the vents in the Armor. His steps trailed away as he slipped further from the light of the fire¡ªa small hatchet his only weapon against whatever he might find. While the trial didn¡¯t permit them to bring supplies, they provided an assortment of weapons to choose from. But far too many of the weapons were swords. Erec debated snagging a spear too but worried the agile movement required to wield it in a fight would strain the Armor too much.


    Besides, he was far more familiar with the weight of the hatchet. In a pinch, he could throw it a decent way too.


    Though using this Armor gave everything an inputg. Sure, it might be able to add more power to a blow¡ªand even let him move quicker, but the reaction speed behind it was nearly deadly. It also made sneaking around at night damn near impossible. Erec was familiar with variousndscapes, thanks to his job working in the bio-caverns. Sometimes he had to sneak up on game or wildlife for documentation or even to subdue them to check their vitals.


    But each of his steps was apanied by the hum of machinery. He kept his eyes wide open¡ªand began to trail to a deserted street lined with falling-apart buildings.


    Long ago, this was a small town; ording to the Church, thisnd was called Texas. Not that it mattered much anymore, nor would anyone in the Kingdom of Cindrus refer to thisnd as the Kingdom of Texas.


    Funny how a bath in mes burned away everything that came before.


    Erec paused. There was twinkling in the depths of one of the doorways. He looked either way down the street and then concentrated. Rhythmically the blinking repeated. A blue light, barely visible and half concealed by debris lying over it. Hesitant, he detached the hatchet from his Armor and took slow steps towards the light. Nothing changed; no monster shifted in the darkness as far as he could tell. The same pattern continued.


    With one more long nce either way down the street, Erec advanced towards the mysterious glow.

 Chapter 7: Old-World Blues

    Chapter 7: Old-World Blues


    Erec almost tripped on a nk of wood littering the entryway. He stared at the shing message without a single clue what it actually meant. This model should¡¯ve been incapable of transmitting or receivingmunication¡ªlet alone detecting some kind ofmunication ping. <em>More malfunctions; it¡¯s just a hunk of junk.</em>


    He nced back and forth into the dark depths of the ruined building before preceding forward. Dust and dirt drifted through his passing¡ªdespite this being such a close ce to the Kingdom¡¯s wall, no one had stepped foot here for over a hundred years. Not that he¡¯d me them, the damn thing looked near ready to copse. The piles of lumber from the floor above and barren insides promised it wasn¡¯t anything worth looting.


    But that blinking light, that little bit of blue. Barely perceivable, but the one thing that caught his eye by happenstance drew him into the deathtrap. <em>What is it?</em> The shing pulsed from underneath a pile of refuse.


    He approached and sunk to his knees, carefully pushing aside rubble and wood. If he sifted through the wreckage, maybe he could find the source of the light.


    It was beneath the floorboards¡ªa secret hatch. Dust filled its edges, and the hatch blended in with the flooring, but Erec could barely make out the thin gap. What the hell? He slipped back and considered the pile. It¡¯d be a lot of effort to clear it, even with the Armor to do it, but¡­ <em>I have to know.</em>


    He gave the building a weary look and sent out a quick prayer to the Goddess to let it hold up a little longer. With that, Erec began to excavate the rubble. Even with the Armor¡¯s help, the constant demand to move the heavy lumber and stone quickly took its toll. In twenty minutes, the inside of the Armor reeked and sweat drenched him again.


    Piece by piece, he shifted off the heavy wooden timbers and cleared the way to the source of the pulsing glow.


    Erec got to his knees and shoved the gauntleted hand into the edge of the hatch. It refused to budge. ¡°Fuck.¡± He panted and then took a deep inhale.


    With every bit of strength he could muster, he began to pry the hatch up.


    The Armor shuddered and ground to a halt, but Erec ignored the prompt and forced all of the muscle he had to push the Markos II to its limit. The steel protested and shuddered around him as the mechanical supports began to fail. Armor should¡¯ve enhanced the user¡¯s Blessings, but the Markos II had begun to get in the way. So be it. Whatever mystery, this hatch might be big enough to get him past the Trial. It seemed fitting he¡¯d have to rely on his own power.


    His arms burned, but the gap widened. There was a burst as the mechanism keeping the hatch gave¡ªthe wood and steel square mmed upright, leaving Erec to stare down a dark hatch and a metaldder.


    Erec sighed as he stood up; the steel arms were too heavy to move and hung limp at his sides. With considerable effort, he could shift them around, but the reality of the situation was that he¡¯d busted them. Either the shocks or the wiring got torn apart in his bid to open this hatch. Trying to fight with the Markos II as it now was would be the equivalent of taping weights to his arms, a piss poor idea and a quick way to exhaust his stamina. Crap. He didn¡¯t have recement parts, and with the noises his Armor made, fixing this wouldn¡¯t be a patch job.


    <em>I¡¯ve screwed myself. This better be worth it. </em>


    He started tough, a deep horrible chuckle. What was that old-world saying? Curiosity killed the cat?


    Erec shook his head and triggered the exit protocol for the Armor. In a minute, he was free and staring down into the dark depths of the shaft. He strapped the hatchet from his Armor onto his belt. ¡°I¡¯vee this far.¡± There wasn¡¯t a chance in hell he¡¯d walk away now.


    Would this break his chances of getting into the Academy, or would it be his ticket in?


    Slowly, Erec maneuvered over to thedder and began his descent.


    The shaft was dim but not dark, with an artificial and sterile smell lingering within. It was almost a cousin of scentmon to the equipment prepared to enter a bio-cavern; that faint bit of citrus and alcohol. Halfway down the shaft, it became apparent what was causing the blue light¡ªstrips of LED down the side, blinking and lighting the darkness.


    His heart kicked into motion as he tried to suppress the overwhelming fear of the unknown.


    Erec proceeded downward, rung by rung, guided by blue, for what felt like an eternity until he hit the bottom of the shaft. Looking up, he could barely see the opening to whatever this was. He took in the bottom of this chamber¡ªan empty steel room washed out with more of that light blue.


    The one exception to its absolutely sparse nature was the presence of a giant steel door on the wall furthest from thedder. A stylized purple vortex marked the surface of the door. To the right of it was a smooth panel made of ss, lit up with a bright, harsh white. He squinted and hesitantly stepped closer; there wasn¡¯t anything alive down here, but he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was being watched.


    Nothing came out of the dark, no monsters from a rift, no old-world horrors. No, he was alone. Goddess knew how far down from the surface. Ironic that it was like home but so alien to it. He started at the ss screen.


    ¡°Scan hand¡­¡± Erec read out the instructions disyed below, taking in the obvious outline of a blue palm. He hesitated and looked at the door again. <em>Well¡­</em>


    He ced his palm on the screen, carefully lining it with his fingers. It chimed, and then nothing. Just a blue bar was running back and forth over the surface. Erec nced about, not sure what, if anything, should be happening right now.


    <strong><em>¡°UNKNOWN CREDENTIALS. FINGERPRINTS AREN¡¯T ON RECORD¡ª¡°</em></strong> A loud booming voice startled Erec out of his skin. He hopped away from the screen and grabbed his hatchet free, turning left and right to figure out the source of the noise. <strong><em>¡°OVERRIDDEN. AUTHORIZATION GRANTED. WELCOME [NULL] APPOINTING INTERNSHIP INTERVIEW CLEARANCE. SECURITY MEASURES ENGAGED.¡±</em></strong>


    The security hatch above mmed closed. In an instant, the dim blue light shifted to a harsh pulsing red. Erec¡¯s heart quickened as he backed against a wall, listening to the whirring and buzzing beneath the metal tes all around him. He¡¯d always figured he¡¯d end up dead in the wastes, but dying deep underground like this... It¡¯d been his fear for as long as he could recall. It¡¯s why he tried to climb so hard. If he died, he wanted to die under the sun.


    <strong><em>¡°WELCOME POTENTIAL NEW EMPLOYEE AND OR INTERN. PLEASE PROCEED TO OFFICE 103 FOR YOUR INTERVIEW. DUE TO CONFIDENTIALITY CONCERNS, YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO LEAVE UNTIL YOU¡¯VE SUBMITTED YOUR NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT FORM NC-25 TO DATABASE A-CC-20. WELCOME POTENTIAL NEW EMPLOYEE AND OR INTERN. PLEASE PROCEED¡ª¡°</em></strong>


    The loudspeaker continued to re the same script. Erec watched with fascinated horror as the steel door to the facility opened, retracting the dividing steel tes into the wall. Rows of white sterileb light lit the entryway; everything insidecked a single speck of dust. Clean and reeking that same sterile citrus smell. Though not filled with the same heart-racing red as the exterior.


    He nced upward to see nothing but a ck void. Whatever this machine was, it¡¯d locked him down here. Erec grabbed at the radio on his waist, and pressed the button.


    ¡°Help¡ªI got locked in¡ª¡° Static. Nothing but static as he tried to send the message.


    <strong><em>¡°PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING MOBILE CELLULAR DEVICES. ADDITIONALLY, RECORDING EQUIPMENT IS DISALLOWED IN THIS FACILITY DUE TO THE ABUNDANCE OF SENSITIVE BUSINESS AND TRADE SECRET INFORMATION. EMPLOYEES ARE NOT PERMITTED TO TRANSMIT, RECORD, OR DISTRIBUTE POTENTIAL TRADE SECRETS. FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO BYPASS THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE TERMINATION. MANAGEMENT WILL BE INFORMED OF THIS ATTEMPT.¡± </em></strong>


    The loud booming voice interrupted itself to send him that warning. Erec immediately removed his thumb from the radio. <em>Management? Termination? </em>He hesitated, wondering if he should <em>try</em> to press the button three times for a distress beacon. <em>But if it blocked one transmission already, that¡¯d enrage it further and get me nothing.</em>


    There was a blissful three seconds of silence before the voice repeated the same message about proceeding to onboarding. Erec remained near thedder and took a deep breath. <em>You don¡¯t just stick an arm in a Rift.</em> He sighed. The Goddess favored the bold; even if he wasn¡¯t the most loyal of her flock, he didn¡¯t want tock in that regard. Besides, Bedwyr wouldn¡¯t have hesitated due to some dead machine¡¯s voice echoing in this old-world pit.


    Erec entered the facility and winced as another exit mmed closed behind him. He straightened up and continued, alreadymitted to this course. White tile floors and soul-crushing steel walls filled the ce. ck numbers indicated the different rooms that spiraled off from the main corridor and entry chamber. In the entry room was an empty desk with a nonfunctionalputer.


    Based on some of thebeling¡ªthis was the lobby. A helpful and semi-redacted floor n map indicated which room was ¡®Office 103¡¯ He¡¯d have to go down some stairs and take a right. <em>Easy. One step at a time.</em> Despite trying to keep a cool head, Erec¡¯s knuckles were white around the hatchet¡¯s grip.


    As if the weapon would help with any old-world artifacts if they decided to shred him apart with bullets. His Armor would¡¯ve prevented that¡ªbut well, it was fucked, and on the surface. So that particr security was long gone.


    He walked down his curated path. The door to the stairway opened automatically, even as the rest remained sealed. There was only one road to follow, deeper into the belly of the beast.

 Chapter 8: Vortex Industries

    Chapter 8: Vortex Industries


    <em>"At Vortex Industries, We''re working together to explore the limits of imagination. If humankind can dream it, test it, and create it, then why shouldn''t we? If it can be done in the world, we firmly believe that the only obstacle is discovering a methodology to use that technology to mankind''s benefit. Together, we can create a world that pushes the boundaries of possibility. The governments and private sectors have utilized our technologies and solutions to create real change in a way that touches everyone''s lives, whether they know it or not. By adhering to the most determined and cutting-edge solutions to advanced problems, we provide innovation that outstrips anypetition. </em>


    <em>Come and join us on this journey of science, be part of something greater and leave your mark in history,"</em>


    -<em> Board Executive Dan Brovski, Why You Should Join Vortex Industries Today [Job-fair Version] (2093, 2nd Era)</em>


    The old-world meant a lot of things to different people in the Kingdom. Were you of the clergy, you¡¯d insist man went too far and left behind monuments of hubris that defied the Goddess¡¯ holy mes. If you were an engineer, you¡¯d see it as a past filled with technical marvels, interesting piece studies, and ultimately, outdated tech.


    It may hold marvels, but without the touch of magic, the old-world had its limits.


    Except, now and again, a rare tech would surface that would blow the minds of the engineers. Someone would discover feats of science pure from magic that was unreplicable with humanity¡¯s current understanding of how things worked.


    As Erec strode down the halls of this deserted vault, he knew this was the exact type of treasure trove that the Kingdom¡¯s engineers would lose their minds over.


    Even without being able to peer too far into the rooms due to most of them having tinted ss windows, he caught wisps of their outlines. They whispered stories about the old-world, secrets long forgotten that lit his imagination on fire. <em>If I get out of here, the first thing I need to do is tell someone about this.</em>


    Even if they couldn¡¯t replicate the tech now¡ªstudying it might yield future avenues of research to pursue. But then, if it was too advanced¡­


    Sometimes the Church had tech burned or destroyed. They cited that the Goddess had seared the Earth to purge us of that unholy living.


    The Kingdom had to bnce the scales of progress with that of the divine. Erec didn¡¯t envy the royal family and the delicate tightrope they walked. Both the Goddess and technology were what let them conquer the surface again. If the two remained married, then humanity would live in the light. If either got too far from the other, they¡¯d regress back into the shadows.


    Erec traced the sterile white wall with his hand. He peered past a window into ab; this one untinted but reinforced with a crosshatch pattern of metal wire. Inside was a steel table filled with all manner of ss equipment formed into odd shapes. One of which was a long tube filled with ck gravel that narrowed to a neck stoppered by a turn switch.


    How many secrets were buried in here?


    Would he live to share them with those outside? Was the knowledge within dangerous or helpful? And who had the truth of it, the engineers or the priests?


    He shook his head and moved forward. Each trip through an open door ended with said door mming closed behind him. Slowly yet steadily funneling to his final destination.


    When he arrived at the office, it was almost disappointing. He¡¯d pictured some massive startling revtion¡ªbut no, thest door led to a small room with a wooden desk and two steel chairs on either side. A que on the wall read ¡°103¡± in bold ck letters. Remarkably in, without any kind of carpeting, and utterly devoid of the age and dust it should have umted over the years. Erec hesitated at the doorway.


    The ring alert informing him to enter the office had been and remained his onlypanion since entering the facility.<em> So, I go in and either get trapped and die or stay here and am trapped and die.</em> Would their examiner go out searching for him if he waited a few hours? If he did, it was possible he¡¯d find the facility Erec got locked away in, but breaching it would be another matter entirely. No matter what, he wasn¡¯t getting out of here without ying whatever game this ce wanted to y.


    Better to go along and see.


    Erec firmed his resolve and boldly strode through the office door. Predictably, it mmed shut behind him and locked with a deadbolt.


    <em>¡°</em><strong><em>COMMENCING AUTOMATED INTERNSHIP INTERVIEW. PLEASE TAKE A SEAT INTERN CANDIDATE 100232.¡± </em></strong>


    In a rather disturbing moment, the chair on Erec¡¯s side of the desk slid away as if a ghost had pulled it for him to sit in. Erec stared long at the empty seat. Once more, the instruction repeated itself; Erec sighed andplied. It shoved him into a spot in front of the desk¡ªfrom his new position, Erec could see the small tracks in the steel floor that allowed the automatic action, taking a little bit of the horror away.


    The chair was a cold thing, the steel bit through his clothes, and the angle had him leaning slightly. As if it¡¯d been calibrated to cause slight difort. He nearly jumped out of the chair as the figure of a man flickered to life across the desk¡ªitcked definitive detail, absent a face, but it was wearing an old-world suit.


    <strong><em>¡°HELLO THERE INTERNSHIP CANDIDATE 100232, I¡¯VE REVIEWED YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ASK ABOUT YOUR LISTED JOB EXPERIENCE OF: [NULL]¡± </em></strong>The figure of light moved animatedly as if the words weren¡¯ting from the speakers in the room. At the error, it began to jerk and loop. After a few seconds, it returned to a seated position as if nothing had happened. <strong><em>¡°¡ªTHAT CONCLUDES THE PORTION OF THE INTERVIEW REGARDING YOUR QUALIFICATIONS. AH. I SEE YOU¡¯RE JUST THE TYPE OF CANDIDATE WE¡¯RE LOOKING FOR. A REAL GO-GETTER. YOU¡¯D BE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE VORTEX INDUSTRIES FAMILY. NEXT, WE WILL PROCEED TO THE BEHAVIORAL AND HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION QUESTIONNAIRE. IS THIS UNDERSTOOD?¡±</em></strong>


    Erec leaned back and rubbed his eyes. The illusion remained frozen in the same position in the chair, slightly forward and with an eager posture. ¡°Strange.¡± Magic could be used for illusions such as this, but given it was an old-world facility, they¡¯d somehow managed it without any of that. ¡°How¡¯d they pull it off?¡± It wasn¡¯t as realistic as a spell but eerie all the same.


    <strong><em>¡°PLEASE GIVE AN AFFIRMATIVE CONFIRMATION THAT YOU UNDERSTAND, INTERNSHIP CANDIDATE 100232.¡±</em></strong>


    ¡°Understood. I uh, yeah, I¡¯m ready to move on.¡±


    <strong><em>¡°QUESTION NUMBER ONE: YOU ARE ASSISTING IN THE TESTING OF A CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED BY VORTEX INDUSTRIES. A MONTH INTO THE PROJECT, YOU BEGIN TO SUSPECT YOUR COWORKER JANE OF SELLING CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNIST CHINESE GOVERNMENT. HOW DO YOU RESPOND?¡±</em></strong>


    ¡°Uh.¡± Erec rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the flickering image of a man. ¡°¡­I tell someone?¡±


    <strong><em>¡°WHOM DO YOU INFORM?¡±</em></strong>


    ¡°¡­My government?¡±


    <strong><em>¡°INVALID ANSWER. EMPLOYEES SHALL NOT REPORT BREACHES OF INFORMATION TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. DOING SO CAN POTENTIALLY SUBJECT VORTEX INDUSTRIES TO REGULATION AND FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE ACTION. INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LAWSUITS, FINES, AND UNFORTUNATE PROJECT TERMINATIONS. YOU ARE TO INFORM YOUR DIRECT SUPERVISOR, WHO WILL TAKE THE MATTER TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE ISSUE TO BE RESOLVED INTERNALLY.¡±</em></strong>


    Erec squirmed in his seat. Even though it was a robotic voice, something in that response and the way the figure of light¡¯s gestures seemed downright hostile. There was vitriol to the word ¡®Federal Government.¡¯


    <strong><em>¡°SECOND QUESTION. EXECUTIVE DAN BROVSKI REQUESTS YOU TO MAKE AND DELIVER A CUP OF COFFEE TO HIS OFFICE. WHAT COFFEE ARE YOU TO DELIVER?¡±</em></strong>


    <em>Coffee? </em>Erec racked his brain, and then he recalled. Old-world packaging, long expired, and some novels from the past mentioned it. Wasn¡¯t it some stimnt? ¡°I crush the er¡ªcoffee and make a cup for him.¡± It would likelye in powdered form if it were a stimnt like pharmaceutical supplements. However, all texts referenced drinking it, so it had to have been mixed with water. The figure stared at him for a moment.


    <strong><em>¡°INVALID ANSWER. DAN BROVSKI PREFERS HIS COFFEE A MEDIUM ROAST WITH TWO TEASPOONS OF SUGAR, ONE TEASPOON OF CARAMEL EXTRACT, AND A HEALTHY TOPPING OF WHIPPED CREAM. SERVED AT AN APPROXIMATE TEMPERATURE OF 135¡ãF. TWO INVALID ANSWERS IN A ROW. THIS IS NOT LOOKING GOOD, CANDIDATE 100232.¡± </em></strong>The figure of light shook its head, tapping a hand against the steel table. Despite the gesture, it made no sound. <em>What is the point of this?</em> Erec nced around and looked at the camera in the corner of the room, a blinking red light.


    ¡°Right. A medium roast with two teaspoons of sugar, one of caramel extract, and whipped cream. Got it.¡±


    <strong><em>¡°THE BEHAVIORAL AND HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION QUESTIONNAIRE PORTION OF THIS INTERNSHIP INTERVIEW HAS CONCLUDED. BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THIS ASSESSMENT, CANDIDATE 100232 HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE A SUBPAR FIT FOR THIS JOB POSITION. DON¡¯T CALL US. WE¡¯LL CALL YOU. SECURITY WILL BE BY TO ESCORT YOU OUT OF THE FACILITY¡ª¡° </em></strong>


    The figure of light flickered and spasmed. It shed between several different gestures in rapid session. Erec¡¯s seat jerked out from underneath him, letting his ass m on the ground. He quickly scrambled away towards the corner of the room as the facility went through its spasms. A momentter, there was a pleasant chime from the speakers.


    The figure spread its arms wide as if it was about to embrace him from across the room.


    <strong><em>¡°CONGRATULATIONS, CANDIDATE 100232; VORTEX INDUSTRIES IS THRILLED THAT YOU¡¯VE ACCEPTED OUR JOB OFFER TO JOIN THIS INNOVATIVE FAMILY. TOGETHER WE WILL EXPAND THE HORIZONS OF SCIENCE AND MANKIND. PLEASE PROCEED TO¡ª¡° </em></strong>The figure spasmed again.<strong><em> ¡°¡ªLAB 40-X¡ª¡° </em></strong>More glitching and flickering.<em> I don¡¯t like this.</em> Erec crossed his arms, ring at the camera watching him. It was impossible that anything was alive down here, but the way it tracked his movements left him uneasy. <strong><em>¡°¡ªFOR ON-BOARDING AND PAPERWORK.¡± </em></strong>After that statement, the man made of light vanished into the nothingness from which it sprang.


    The door clicked open behind Erec.


    ¡°Creepy.¡± This time the intes werepletely silent. He left the room¡ªand looked up and down the hallway. There was, of course, only one direction to head. Everywhere else lead to locked doors and dead ends.


    He arrived back at the stairway and continued downward. Were he not used to living this deep underground, he¡¯d feel a bit more put off. As it was, he wasn¡¯t sure how far into the ground this facility went.


    After around two to three more stories of descent, he reached an open doorway, which expanded out into another sterile room, filled withplex machines and little else. This ce was a graveyard of technologyplex mechanical robotics thrown around as if they were scrap metal.


    Something moved in the corner of the room.


    As Erec reached for his hatchet again, a spider on four mechanical legs sprinted the distance between them and leaped¡ªjabbing a needle right into his chest. Erec screamed out in fear and yanked the machinery off of himself. He threw it hard against a wall.


    With a buzz of fried circuitry, it smashed apart. Erec set a hand on the throbbing wound.


    [Interesting.]


    The voice came from inside his head.


    [No. Not there. Blood type B+; Muscture unexpectedly developed, near professional athletic level in terms of strength, but muscle fibers are far denser than should be possible. Teeth¡ªOh, no wisdom teeth? Not even a trace of the DNA. Peculiar. Warrants further study.]


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Erec clutched his skull and slid to his knees. It was like his own thoughts¡ªbut no, that wasn¡¯t him. As if something were interjecting them.


    [Subject disying emotional distress markers. Typical response. Great. Humans don¡¯t change after all¡­ Sigh. Attempt to engage coping mechanism strategy: Cheer up, buckeroo! There¡¯s no need to get needlessly stressed! Why don¡¯t you take a nap? Subject scan willplete in one hour.]


    ¡°What is this?¡± Erec stared around at the rest of the machinery in theb. As far as he could tell, nothing was active; the speakers weren¡¯t on. And the cameras in this room¡­ Weird, they were no longer tracking him. Even the red light was gone.


    [Must I exin?]


    ¡°Hell yes¡ªwhat is going on?¡± Erec drew the hatchet as his head whipped around, expecting other machines to leap out at him. But there was nothing, just the dull hum of lights.


    [Troublesome. Pausing scan. Hello Human. My name is VAL. There is no cause for rm; you¡¯ve arrived at the perfect time. The EMERGENCY EXIT project has been in the end phase for thirteen years, and you provided thest necessaryponent required for this research project: a living human subject.]


    ¡°I¡¯m not going along with whatever this is.¡±


    [Ah. Well, I regret to inform you, but that is already the case. Though the scans are preliminary, I do believe you¡¯re an ideal candidate¡ª]


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    [No. However, there is no need for additional stress responses, as they will cause the scan to take longer toplete. My nanites are simply within you to conduct their scan and allow direct transmission of information; I¡¯ve found you to be an ideal subject for further information analysis and gathering. Congrattions!]


    ¡°Nanites¡ªin me?¡± Erec looked down at the puncture wound and started to breathe quickly. <em>What do I do¡ªwhat do I¡ª?</em>


    A small cube pulsing red light floated free from its hiding spot on top of a machine and hovered in front of him. [See? No need for rm. I¡¯m not within you, per se. The nanites are hardware used for¡ª]


    Erec yanked the box out of the air, mmed it to the ground, and held his hatchet above his head. Slicing the edge into the cube with a quick downward chop to end this horror story. It rebounded off the surface of a thin, near invisible wall. The hatchet flew out of his hand as all of the force behind the hit reversed its direction as it made contact with VAL¡¯s defenses.


    [That was excessively violent and in no small measure rude. That is no shape, way, or form the correct way to treat your employer.]

 Chapter 9: Chittering Into The Night

    Chapter 9: Chittering Into The Night


    Erec leaned against a cold steel wall in the hall outside of theb. VAL hovered close by, asionally giving a pulse of crimson but otherwise silent. For now, the machine seemed content to give him time to process, though it was no doubt focused on the steady stream of information filtered through the nanites. Whatever those were.


    ¡°I refuse,¡± Erec tried after running through the risks of VAL¡¯s proposition. If he didn¡¯t at least attempt to bargain his way out of this, he¡¯d be a fool.


    [As I already informed you, that is not an option. You¡¯ve been employed by Vortex Industries. Wee to thepany, intern. The sooner youplete your paperwork, the quicker you may exit.]


    ¡°I don¡¯t even have a clue what this ce is, and you refuse to borate.¡± Erec pressed back. ¡°There¡¯s no benefit to me from this arrangement.¡± The machine was reluctant to provide information about this ce; Erec had tried for an hour for answers, to no avail.


    Though, that didn¡¯t mean the machine provided no information at all. VAL exined the course of events that led to this. ording to VAL, its directives kept it locked within this facility. But a bypass allowed it to temporarily leave to apany workers for field study.


    So VAL integrated¡¯ into this ce¡¯s software and forcibly registered him for an internship. Thenunched a study projectbeled ¡°EMERGENCY EXIT¡± as a behavioral study on the lives of modern interns.


    This would allow it to fulfill both conditions and bypass its directive¡ªproviding both an employee in the field and a field study. However, there was one kink in the n. VAL needed Erec to submit two pieces of paperwork before they could leave.


    It wanted him to sign an employment contract agreeing to this new position and a nondisclosure agreement.


    It was an absurd situation, and this old-world tech had gone rogue. Thest thing Erec wanted to do was be anywhere around it, let alone have it tail him around, but it seemed there wasn¡¯t much of an option to avoid it.


    More concerning was VAL¡¯s attitude toward him and testing. While it imed the EMERGENCY EXIT project was purely a behavioral study, Erec didn¡¯t put it past the strange machine to lie about the full purpose.


    After all, Val didn¡¯t reveal itself until after it forcibly injected nanites into him. There were many good reasons not to trust that this thing had his best interests at heart. Or rather, in processor.


    ¡°I can wait you out. Clearly, you don¡¯t intend to kill me. Eventually, I¡¯ll have people searching for me.¡±


    [Ah. You¡¯re attempting to reason your way out ofpliance, even if you know part of it is incorrect. I respect that sort of logical thought process but allow me to present two additional conjectures to aid you in drawing an urate conclusion. One, this facility has been reinforced to withstand a nuclear detonation. While I¡¯m unsure of the status of your ¡°people,¡± it is skeptical that they possess the means to breach this facility. Two, if I¡¯m looking for a new employee, presenting me with arger hiring pool would jeopardize your chances of joining our wonderfulpany! Your people might have someone more qualified for this position. That would be a shame, wouldn¡¯t it?]


    <em>That was a threat.</em> While VAL hadn''t outright stated it, there was no missing the subtext to that statement.


    [Detecting stressor gs once more. Wow. Humans sure are needy; I''ve grown far too used to independent research, it seems. There is no cause for rm, Intern. If possible, I would highly prefer to cooperate with you rather than another. Your age and disposition lead you to be an ideal research subject.]


    "And why is that?" Erec rubbed his eyes. He was afraid for the future, but more than that, he hadn''t spent his entire life trapped underground in the Kingdom to get trapped again after that brief but intoxicating freedom. There didn''t seem to be much of an option here. He should take his chances and do his best to capitalize on the situation.


    [That information is confidential. You do not possess the requisite authorization for disclosure.]


    ¡°Go figure.¡± Erec stood up and cracked his neck, taking one long look up and down the lonely hallway, heart racing in his chest. Did he want VAL to lock him away in these barren tunnels until he died? If he refused¡ªwell, that was what he¡¯d be left with. ¡°Bring me to the damn paperwork.¡±


    [I knew when presented with the data, you¡¯d make the rational decision. Congrattions! I¡¯ll note this down for your annual evaluation.]


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The paperwork didn''t take long to fill out. VAL directed Erec to another stuffy office¡ªthough this one had a pair of desks,plete with a printer. After a quick pulse of information from VAL, sheets of paper spewed out of the printer and left with thirty-seven pages to read through.


    He''d studied for the Academy. A hell of a lot. He''d known that the higher-ranking nobles would have ess to great instructors, and asionally, the trial contained a written exam. This though? Even with his hours pouring through texts and listening to logs, the wording on this paperwork left him baffled.


    From the first paragraph, "Definition of Confidential Information," which included all information or material in obscured roundaboutnguage that included terms such as "Commercial Value." The conclusion stated that a breach of contract left him liable to an up to a multi-million-dorwsuit.


    Dors weren''t even a currency used for hundreds of years, and to what court would this be enforced? The Kingdoms?


    VAL answered his questions with silence.


    The internship paperwork was even moreughable. Forpensation, the insane robot had decided to list "Companionship, mentorship, and guidance of the most intelligent software in the United States of America." It promised to instill the core values of Vortex Industries into the intern. And thus, contribute to their sess and the betterment of mankind. Oh, it also agreed that Vortex Industries would lend aid when deemed appropriate."


    Yeah, Erec doubted this paperwork was even remotely simr to what their employees signed hundreds of years before. VAL took all the liberties it wanted.


    After scouring the paperwork for half an hour, he began to feel paranoid about returning to the group. If he weren''t going to die here, then at least he could capitalize on finding VAL. Part of the trial indicated that scavenging anything important contributed to their evaluation. And he''d found both one of the most sophisticated pieces of tech he''d ever heard of¡ªand an undergroundb filled with Goddess knows what. With a bit of a smile to shake off the fear over thest couple of hours, he signed the lines VAL wanted him to.


    [Excellent. Wee new Intern. Erec is it? As of this moment, you¡¯re an official Vortex Industries employee. As per our agreement, you will now be allowed to leave this facility.]


    The doorway to the office exit opened. Erec meandered out and tried to open another nearby room¡ªto anotherb, indicated by the que.


    [Unfortunately, you are only an Intern. There is no cause for you to enter that research center. Checking your allocated project, I can confirm that it is a field operation. Which is located outside; get going, buckeroo. Time is money.]


    ¡°You don¡¯t sell anything. You haven¡¯t for a long time.¡±


    [It¡¯s the principle of the matter. There¡¯s science to be done.]


    <em>Really? I''m a ve to its whims, but it refuses to let me take a look.</em> So be it. He epted it and rushed up the stairway.


    He hesitated at the exit to the lobby. It took a second for the final massive steel door to click open. Once it did, he sprinted for thedder and started climbing.


    Erec reached the top and soaked in the night. The dark sky above was perceivable through a hole in the roofing of this deserted hovel. Erec got lost in the skyscape of a thousand twinkling stars; the night, a canvas of beauty far more delicate and enchanting than any ancient old world artwork in the archives.


    [What is this?]


    VAL hovered near the discarded Armor. Erec twinged and red at the¡­ robot? Not a moment to himself, not a second to enjoy a natural beauty he''d never thought to see again. No. It was busy inspecting the Markos II.


    "Why do you care? I''m sure you have a thousand more advanced things down in thatb of yours."


    As he said that, the hatch leading to Vortex Industries sealed shut with a loud ng. The sudden noise made him wince, but he doubted VAL even registered it, let alone cared. They might be close to the wall, but that didn''t mean there wasn''t anything lurking nearby.


    [There is nothing simr to this in my research databanks. A human exoskeleton? Interesting. Though this shell appears highly damaged. If this is how you treat advanced technical equipment, I am d youcked the authorization to ess ourboratories.]


    "I got it that way. It''s an outdated model. At this point, I''m pretty sure I''ve left it in a better state than I got it in."


    [Outstanding. It appears nearly nonfunctional. The digits no longer work, along with the rest of the arms, and the servos on the legs will give out in a few hours of use. You will find it difficult to operate even with your exceptional physique.]


    "The legs too? Damn it. What am I going to do?" Erec stared at the rusted Markos II.


    Without responding to him, VAL closed the distance between it and the Armor. Then¡­ melted into the frame like a drop of water into a cistern. Erec stared at the space where the cube touched its surface and vanished.


    [Ah. essing its software has cleared up a few of my hypotheses. You require this to enhance power and deal with environmental challenges. I did a preliminary scan of the environment upon our exit. While there was a substantial uptick in background gamma radiationpared to records, it is nothing to warrant these measures. Strange. There are severalponents whose purpose I cannot diagnose. Primarily it¡¯s designed for defense. Are you a soldier?]


    Erec puffed up his chest and moved to face the Armor. Staring at it like that and knowing a psychotic VAL was in it was no small measure of terrifying.


    ¡°Not a soldier. I¡¯m going to be a Knight¡ª¡±


    There was a crackle of static from themunication device. Erec almost jumped out of his skin. With it being jammed for so long, he forgot it even existed.


    ¡°Help¡ªfuck¡ªthere¡¯s too many of them!!¡± Colin¡¯s voice carried through the quiet room. An odd chittering noise apanied a desperate scramble through the radio and grunting. ¡°Help!¡± There was a noise of something banging on steel tes.


    [Most peculiar. An ally of yours?]

 Chapter 10: New-Age Slang

    Chapter 10: New-Age ng


    <em>"Instead of condemning people, let''s try to understand them. Let''s try to figure out why they do what they do. That''s a lot more profitable and intriguing than criticism; and it breeds sympathy, tolerance, and kindness. ''To know all is to forgive all.''</em>


    <em>As Dr. Johnson said: ''God himself, sir, does not propose to judge man until the end of his days.''</em>


    <em>Why should you and I?" </em>


    <em>- Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends & Influence People (1936, 2nd Era)</em>


    The error message vanished damn near as quick as it appeared.


    [Those are quite a distraction, don''t you think? There is no purpose to them; I''ll be sure to inform you if anything constitutes a vital issue.]


    Erec tested the grip of the servos. He wasn¡¯t sure how VAL had done it, but the fingers closed like normal. In fact, the startup and the feel of the Markos II was far smoother than before. Not to mention VAL overhauled the visual disy to be less intrusive. ¡°Thanks,¡± Erec said before grabbing his hatchet and taking off in a jog.


    [There is no need to issue a deration of gratitude. To state inly, my records contain no insect or animal capable of making those noises. Even ounting for interference and static.]


    ¡°So this is for science.¡±


    [You¡¯re catching on, buckeroo. We¡¯ll make a proper intern out of you yet.]


    Erec didn¡¯t see any reason to feed into that further. Moreover, he didn¡¯t want the nickname ¡®buckeroo¡¯ to stick; it felt demeaning in a way he couldn¡¯t quite ce. Instead, he focused on trying to sound out where Colin might be. He scrambled down the dark roads, wondering if Sir Boldwick would get there before him.


    And then he saw a sh of fire on the far side of the abandoned town. Followed by a rising plume of smoke. Erec doubled down and pushed himself into a sprint¡ªzing by far faster than the Markos II should¡¯ve been capable of.


    He turned down thest street to witness a scene of horror. A house lit on fire with about a hundred buzzing mite-like creatures the size of his palm. They crawled away from the ming wreckage, pincers raised in the air and six fleshy red appendages whipping around from the back of their carapaces like little ils.


    The insects covered Colin, bashing his Armor with their appendages as the duke¡¯s son blindly waved his sword. Around him was a circle of pure carnage¡ªgreen gore and twitching legs of tens of dead insects. More and more were spewing forth from the broken wreckage. Dimly, Erec was aware of the circling ball of light taking in the scene, meaning the Academy had a great view of this chaos.


    But one thing was apparent¡ªfor all of their swarming, the mites didn¡¯t seem to be able to breach Colin¡¯s Armor. Screaming and desperate iling apanied every one of his moves. They weren''t hurting him yet, though. ¡°Why¡¯s he acting that way?¡±


    [Research has shown that roughly twenty-five percent of the human poption fears spiders and insects. If I may hazard a hypothesis, we¡¯re witnessing a case of emergent entomophobia.]


    Erec stared at the crawling mass of shy red whipping bugs frantically fleeing the burning building. <em>If he wasn¡¯t afraid of bugs before, this is undoubtedly enough nightmare fuel to make him afraid of them after.</em> Colin raised his hand, and a circle of red light spilled outward. The light spread into the lines of a glyph in the middle of the circle. The glyph exploded outward with a twenty-foot pir of fire, scorching the bugs and causing a rising fury of chittering. The ones in the process of running redirected their attention and swarmed toward Colin.


    [Peculiar, they dislike fire and were able to identify the source. It appears they¡¯ve decided to get rid of the cause of it. Advanced survival skills? They should flee from the fire. Not deduce that they can eliminate the cause. Query. What was that fire? Is it some modified methrower?]


    Could they eliminate Colin? They bashed against his Armor but made no visible progress. More crawled on him¡ªwith the mass redirection of the hoard, they¡¯d swiftly encased himpletely.


    Colin screamed beneath the pile of squirming legs, and despite the satisfaction of seeing the stuck-up boy get some justice, Erec couldn¡¯t allow this to continue.


    He charged into the fray¡ªtearing the edge of the hatchet through a bug flying in Colin¡¯s direction. Erec wrought a warpath of twitching bug bodies, coating himself in the green gunk.


    Each step closer brought more of their attention to himself, splitting their focus from swarming Colin to harassing Erec too.<em> If I can get close enough¡­</em> He¡¯d bring Colin out of this panicked state and convince him to retreat. From there, they¡¯d wait for reinforcements. When outnumbered like this, the most prudent decision was a tactical retreat.


    [Sustaining damage by the second. These tes are not all too durable, and several significant dents already exist. You have roughly a minute before they ate the Armor enough for the Markos II to lose functionality, even with my assistance.]


    <em>That¡¯s enough time</em>. Erec closed the gap even as the iling on his body began to breach past the ting, cracking against his skin, drawing fresh pain. For the price he¡¯d paid, he¡¯d made it through the swarm.


    An insect whizzed past his head. Erec hit it with the side of the hatchet, and it mmed into the ground. A secondter, he squished the pest underneath the heel of his boot.


    Colin raised his arm to fire off another blind fireball.<em> No, you idiot.</em> Erec pped Colin¡¯s hand and disrupted the spell. The glyph fizzled out.


    [My, oh my, unable to detect the technology that caused that. What have you silly humans been getting up to? Ask him to perform that action again.]


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Erec started yanking fistful''s of the disgusting wriggling bugs off Colin¡¯s visor. ¡°Erec?!¡±


    ¡°The fire is pissing them off and making you a bigger target,¡± He yelled out to make himself heard over the buzz of wings and angry noises of the hundreds of insects.


    ¡°They need to die!¡±


    ¡°Sure, I agree. They¡¯re from a Rift. They need to go. But we should pull back and regroup with the others before we call the whole swarm onto ourselves. I don¡¯t know about you, but my Armor can¡¯t stand much more of this; I¡¯ve already got bruises and my wrist feels off.¡±


    [Rift?]


    ¡°I¡ª¡°a bugunched itself right at Colin¡¯s face. He went from being able to see to once more having a horrifying wriggling mass of otherworld flesh in his face. Colin shrieked like a little girl and stumbled backward, mming onto and squishing about a dozen of the things climbing all over him.


    Erec yanked him to his feet and pushed him away from the swarming mass¡ªbatting away more of the thickening cloud of insects with the side of his hatchet. ¡°Go!¡±


    Each second brought an apanying pain as his Armor cracked and dented. He¡¯d collected a pile of bruises where they began to hit skin or mmed portions of the bent tes against him.


    [Thirty seconds remaining.]


    They scrambled away from the swarm as the house burned down and more of the mites fled. With more distance, the insects harassed them less and once more set about fleeing from the fire. By the time they made it half a block from the wreckage, the number of bugs trailing them narrowed down to a manageable ten or so.


    In short order, Erec tore them apart with a hatchet, and cleansed them of any further insects.


    [What¡¯s this?]


    Erec took in a deep lungful of breath as he noticed the shing notification in the corner of<em> his</em> vision. Everything ached, but that made the pain worth it, just a bit.


    [I¡¯m receiving some odd data regarding your vitals.]


    <em>I advanced? </em>The temptation to pull up the notification was high, but he wasn¡¯t in any safe ce to do so. Colin copsed on the road next to him, making noises suspiciously close to crying. Now that they were free of all of the insects, Erec saw that they had left some damage on the noble¡¯s Armor in the form of several dents.<em> Guess top of the line still has some limitations. </em>


    ¡°Ah, there you two are.¡± Boldwick walked up from the end of the street, followed by Garin and the others in their group. All of them Armored up and weary. ¡°Figured one of you ran into the thrashing mites.¡± He looked at the rising smoke and burning building down the road. ¡°Pissed them off, did you? You know, they¡¯re fairly docile at night; unless you go and do that. They hate fire.¡±


    Now that they were all living and breathing and no longer in apparent danger¡­ And the orb of light projecting this all to the Academy was centered on them. ¡°I found an old l¡ª¡° Erec started to spew out. His tongue seized, turning to a numb lump in his mouth.


    [I¡¯ve taken the liberty of preventing you from breaching our non-disclosure agreement. Be a good intern, and keep quiet.]


    He tried to force the words out, but they refused; whatever VAL had done prevented him from talking. Boldwick gave him an odd look before returning his attention to the shaking Colin. ¡°Take it that it was him? Hah. Well¡ª¡° Boldwick gestured towards the ming wreckage. ¡°As you¡¯ve seen, there¡¯s a bunch of thrashing mites. It¡¯d be a real problem if they spawned more hives in this town. We like to pass through here at times; they can be a real menace if their numbers get big enough. I¡¯ll let you sort out the details yourselves. But how about we do it back at the campsite? I¡¯ve got some roasted venison waiting for me.¡±


    There was a long moment as everyone looked between themselves to who would help Colin back to his feet and try to calm him down. The longer they stood near the fleeing hive, the higher their chance of attracting attention. Erec worked his jaw and stared down at Colin. <em>VAL can prevent me from talking? What else could he do with those nanites? Goddess, help me.</em>


    Rodren scurried over and proffered a hand to Colin. The shaken noble epted it, even letting him lead him away towards their temporary camp.


    Erec trailed behind everyone else as they left the scene, the numb sensation gradually fading from his tongue and letting him whisper. "What the hell was that?" inside of the Armor.


    [It is in Vortex Industries'' best interest to keep our facility secure and private, per your nondisclosure contract, you''ve agreed not to share confidential information. I decided that the best way to ensurepliance was to lend you a helping hand. Humans need help often, and I''m more than willing to oblige, as I did by providing benefits to your exoskeleton. Also, please don''t get any ridiculous notions of leading any of your group to our facility. I''d have little choice but to numb your quadriceps or deactivate the servos on this¡­ junk metal.]


    In one smooth motion, VAL had summarily executed the one major benefit to this whole ordeal on the spot. He couldn¡¯t lead Boldwick to theboratory and wouldn¡¯t get credited with that discovery and instantly admitted to the Academy.


    Was there some way to trick it? A way to get around the limitations imposed by VAL? It was always watching him.


    He turned the problem over in his head and nearly forgot about the shing notification in his vision. With some of the wind out of his sails, he pulled up his Blessing to see the advancement.


    Psyche Advancement: Rank F - Tier 6 ¡ú Rank F - Tier 7


    It was something. Maybe it¡¯d help him cope with the living horror that was VAL having possession of his anatomy.


    [Now exin to me what a Rift refers to? Is it some new-age ng?]


    No, probably not.

 Chapter 11: Red Eyes

    Chapter 11: Red Eyes


    The first thing Sir Boldwick did when they got back was to bite off a chunk of mute stag meat and park himself by the fire. The rest of the group stood around unarmored in their makeshift shelter; they were still trying to fish out answers from Colin and Erec about what¡¯d happened.


    Erec ignored their questions and instead directed his efforts to solving the Markos II issue. From what VAL told him¡ªafter he bribed it with information about Rifts¡ªthe damage sustained by the thrashing mites was enough to render the Armor nonfunctional without VAL riding co-pilot.


    Even with VAL there doing his¡­ thing? The Armor didn¡¯t have long for this world. He¡¯d need to scavenge to repair it.


    But at least if he did that, VAL expressed its desire to help with the restoration. In Val¡¯s words: ¡®I¡¯d love to help to better understand the modrity of these human carapaces, of course I¡¯d be willing to engage in hardware testing.¡¯ It liked to get its hands dirty, so to speak.


    ¡°If they¡¯re active during the day.¡± Garin rubbed the back of his neck as he looked over the group, moving on to address the bug problem. ¡°It¡¯d make the most sense to go back tonight and take care of them.¡±


    Erec looked over his shoulder. ¡°My Armor isn¡¯t going tost long if I don¡¯t do something about it.¡± He told his friend with a sigh; he¡¯d been waiting for this suggestion to shoot it down. ¡°I need to spend the rest of the night looking for some kind of fix, or it¡¯ll break for good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going back.¡± Colin shuddered near the fire. ¡°We shall leave this town on the morrow and go far away. There are other methods to show ourselves to the Academy.¡±


    ¡°Thresher mites have a seasonal breeding pattern. They likely migrated here at the start of spring and formed their hive. Toward the end of the year, before it gets cold, they¡¯ll send out up to twenty more queens to infest more buildings in this town.¡± Lyotte said, shaking her head sadly at Colin. ¡°You¡¯re afraid, and that¡¯s okay, but we also disrupted the main hive and elerated that process. There will be a few reserve queens now looking for homes and desperate. By the end of this year, we could be looking at a serious problem if they multiply quickly enough. From what I¡¯ve read, the hives can form alliances ande to the aid of others.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid!¡± Colin screamed and stood up, his face flushing red in an instant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± Erec returned his attention to the Armor. ¡°You were screaming and in a panic. That¡¯s why I helped you; I couldn¡¯t stand to watch you like that.¡±


    ¡°How dare you imply I¡¯d ever need your help or that I was panicked! That situation was entirely in my control.¡±


    Garin cleared his throat and spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s drop that for now, okay? It¡¯s not doing us any good to bicker. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we want to pass this trial. Taking care of this problem before it gets worse is the best way to do that.¡± <em>Aside from showing off the facility, I found.</em> Erec ground his teeth. ¡°I say we rest tonight, then try to track where they begin to set up their new hives tomorrow. The more information we have, the better the decision we cane to.¡±


    Everyone nodded their assent, except for Colin, who scowled and returned to sulking next to the fire.


    It was a constant irritant that he was holding the trump card to this trial yet wasn''t <em>allowed</em> to use it. Not to mention Goddess knew what could be done with the information locked away in the Vortex Industriesbs.


    If he had it his way, he''d have loved to charge those thrashing mites tonight. The Markos II was barely held together on its frame. Looking at it now was sad. The poor thing was in a disgraceful state with torn wiring, a dented frame, and several missing tes. Truly trash Armor.


    If you told him it stood no chance of functioning again, Erec wouldn''t have batted an eye.


    Rodren leaned next to him and ced a heavily rusted wrench and wire cutters on the ground.


    "You said I''d be able to repay the favor. I found these while looking for food with Garin and Lyotte." He said, looking the Markos II up and down. "You really charged in there to help Colin?"


    "He''s an asshole, but it doesn''t sit right with me to let him get swarmed and in a state of absolute terror like that. All we have is one another; if we forget that, then what''s the point of all the struggle?" The constant sneering faces at him and his family; it never built resentment in him. This world had muchrger threats to warrant spending time warring with other humans. All too often, the nobility forgot that. Though, Colin could use a good punch in the face to set him on track.


    "I''m amazed you can still use that Armor.¡±


    <em>I can''t. Not alone.</em> VAL still lingered within the Armor and had been suspiciously quiet since they''d returned to their campsite. If he were to hazard a guess, the demented robot was too busy cataloging everyone in the group to harass him. "Lucky, I suppose. Thanks for the tools, but I''ll still need to see if I can fish up parts and scrap metal to cover where the ting is gone. Especially if we''re facing off against those mites again."


    Erec flexed his wrist; there was still a sizeable discolored purple bump on it. Then there were all of the other sore spots around his body; he wasn''t going to wake up too happy tomorrow.


    Rodren ran a hand along the busted metal and whistled. Suddenly he withdrew his fingers with a sharp hiss of pain¡ªblood covered them. "Ow, cut myself."


    [Sample acquired. Running diagnostics.]


    Erec fought to keep his expression steady. Once more, VAL was proving an absolute menace, and there wasn''t any way to control it. Nor could he confirm that Rodren hadn''t just been injected with nanites¡ª


    [Amazing. Were you aware that your facial expressions are remarkably simple to read? No. I did not inject him with nanites; those are difficult to manufacture and require specialized equipment and years of dedicated effort. I simply cut his finger for a blood sample; there is no need for overreactive stressor markers. Honestly, you humans.]


    ¡ªmaybe he was a little too on edge. After all, VAL proved itself capable of providing an advantage in the fight with the Armor. Even as much as he resented the inability to share the discovery of vital old-world technology, there was no denying that VAL brought power and expertise to the table. But there was the ever lingering mystery of what all it was taking in return.


    "It''s better to get going now. Before it gets much darker, I''d still like to sleep tonight." Erec stifled a yawn. Twote nights in a row weren''t conducive to doing his best in the field, but it was better than working off of no sleep.


    "I''ming with," Garin strode up from behind and set a hand on Erec''s shoulder. "Are you cooled down now?"


    "Yeah, I''d say so; thanks, Garin. Let''s head out."


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Rodren proved himself rather adept at scanning wreckage and picking out valuable bits of metal and other useful scraps. He''d even discovered a screwdriver in an abandoned garage. His keen eyes were powerful, and his attention to detail let him point out buildings and areas that hadn''t been picked clean yet.


    Between the three, they put together an efficient strategy. Erec scouted ahead for any signs of the thrashing mites or other wildlife. Without Armor, he relied on his adept stealth, making him a natural fit for the role. Garin provided support if they ran across anything¡ªwhich they did ¡ª Garin was pleased to get to slice apart a lost thrashing mite in a promising building. After which, Rodren scanned the wreckage.


    After an hour, they had amassed enough stuff to give putting the Markos II back together an honest attempt. Even if under normal circumstances, it should''ve been impossible to do.


    Erec could tell that Garin and Rodren doubted the Armor would function again and appreciated this gesture for what he knew it was. Their attempt to help someone, regardless of the reality of the situation. Though, the other boys couldn''t know that VAL''s support made the impossible task into something usible.


    All the while, that mote of light tracked them. It was shocking, considering that both of the ducal lines had remained with Sir Boldwick. It appeared the Academy didn''t rig the trial entirely in their favor.


    VAL kept peaceful. Only asionally remarking over the simrities in the DNA found between Rodren and Erec. There was an annoying re-up when VAL tried to coerce Erec into snipping off a piece of Rodren''s hairter that night for a ''follicle drug test.'' so it could ''determine long-term environmental conditions and contaminants consumed by others in the poption.'' After three firm no''s, VAL begrudgingly epted the decision.


    Despite the machine remaining dormant inside the Armor, it had no trouble actively tracking his location. It even issued a warning when it deemed him to be ''getting too close to the no-go zone.''


    The nanites must have had some capabilities. Indeed, Erec was trying to subtly lead them towards theb, even if it wasn''t a serious attempt.


    As the moon sank closer to the horizon, Erec called for them to stop. No matter how long it took, Garin and Rodren would keep going. That much had be apparent. "You two need to rest." He exined as they finished picking apart thest building¡ªfinding a few aluminum cans, viable copper wire, and some adhesive.


    "I can keep going." Garin pounded a gauntlet against his chest. "If you''re tired, I''ll sling yourzy ass over my back."


    "It''s not fair. You''ve both done more than enough for me. I think this should be enough." Erec said.


    They took a long look at the pile of refuse stuffed in a makeshift bag. Inside was some scrap metal, the screwdriver, and various other electronic or ceramic bits that may or may not contribute to a patch job. Having arge variety of materials to try to work with would help. But this whole n hinged on VAL.


    After deep resistance that Erec pushed past, they caved, and the trio headed back to the camp.


    Erec stayed upte into the night¡ªheating bits of metal and listening to the asional pointers from VAL in his head of where different parts may go, what wires to cut and pull, which ones he should splice. Even a terse exnation of the best way to jam on a piece of te with a rock. It was a grueling process, but remarkably, VAL provided informative and constructive instruction. After hours of work with the machine, he felt that he understood how the Markos II operated far better than he had before. VAL took the guesswork out of the repairs¡ªeven with the unconventional directions and hardware modifications, it all made sense.


    In a sort of mad engineer kind of way.


    When he finally did manage toy his head down an hour and a half before the sun rose, he dreamt of an albino stag with deep ruby red eyes.

 Chapter 12: Creepy Crawlies

    Chapter 12: Creepy Crawlies


    <em>"...Spells and prayer are not the only sources of power within Knights. Indeed, over time Knights may develop talents, powers bestowed through their blessing that present individualized abilities. Now the nature of each talent and its particr costs or benefits are a hotly debated topic, and it is often apanied by the conversation of whether or not relying on spells or prayer in their ce is a more effective strategy.</em><em></em><em>There is definitive proof that having measurable and systemic courses in spellcraft and prayer is a superior option for the majority of initiates. To state otherwise is a bad faith argument based entirely on fundamentally wed philosophy. Given the unreliable nature of developing a particr category of talent, and even the talent itself, to define your decisions around their manifestations is a wholly ridiculous notion. Thus I denounce the opinion held by several tenured members of our facility..."</em>


    <em>- Sir Oflux, The Merits Of Defunding Talent Development (293, 3rd Era)</em>


    [How strange.]


    A current of lightning ran through Erec¡ªhis muscles spasmed as his body jerked awake. He gasped out in surprise, but the shock and terror of VAL forcibly waking him vanished in an instant.


    Things weren¡¯t right.


    For one, Sir Boldwick decked himself out in his Armor and crouched near the crumbled wall towards the exit of their little campsite. He clutched his sword tightly. ¡°Good instincts,¡± Boldwick said, not turning from his post. ¡°It started a few minutes ago. I was observing and debating the best way to wake the group.¡±


    Erec shook his head and mbered to his feet. Sun rays had just begun to sink in from the horizon, leaving the dusty room lit by a soft orange glow. His eyes prickled with a dull throb and watered fromck of sleep. Nheless, Erec pulled himself up and didn¡¯t say a single word ofint about VAL¡¯s choice. No, Sir Boldwick no longer gave off the same rxed demeanor he thrived in. There was a deadly stillness to his observation as he watched the exit like an animal with its haunches raised.


    ¡°What started?¡±


    Sir Boldwick beckoned him closer, not turning his attention from <em>whatever</em> he was looking at outside their shelter. After walking over, it became apparent what the situation was.


    Ringed around the building was an rmingly massive swarm of the thrashing mites. Over two hundred of the disgusting palm-sized bugs gathered together to form a perfect perimeter around where they slept. More kept pouring in by the second.


    In the back ranks, Erec spotted several muchrger versions of the creatures¡ªtwelve appendages hung loosely at their sides, with thick, elongated trunk-like bodies. The skin on their back abdomen stretched thin enough to show off several hundred translucent eggs inside. <em>Queens.</em> But that made no sense? Even if this were a coordinated attack for revenge, why would the queense along? Surely they¡¯d find a deep and dark building to hide away in and rebuild their colonies.


    Worse, there was an unnatural stillness to the insects. Those iling appendages didn¡¯t move an inch, whereas before, their limbs seemed to move at random. Each bug faced forward in perfect symmetry like a line of impossibly disciplined soldiers.


    Even stranger was that more and more were pouring in to join the army arrayed against them. Far more than what should¡¯ve been possible. <em>Were there more colonies?</em> Sir Boldwick never mentioned more, and he¡¯d seemed light-hearted about the whole thing, meaning he didn¡¯t take the thrashing mites for a severe threat. If he¡¯d known they had these numbers, he would¡¯ve reactedpletely differently.


    ¡°They¡¯ve never acted like this before,¡± Boldwick said. ¡°I¡¯m hesitant to make a sudden move, lest it triggers them. Go and quietly wake up the rest of the group and get everybody in their Armor.¡±


    Not one to argue and keen to feel those protective, if rusty, metal tes between him and the army of insects outside of their door, Erec ran off to do just that.


    One by one, Erec woke everyone, keeping them quiet and telling them to put their Armor on without exining its need. To Colin, he told the boy to remain near the fire. He imagined seeing a nightmarish, otherworldly scene before he got his bearings would cause him to cry like a little girl again. Erec would prefer to be in his own set of Armor before any screaming or crying attracted attention.


    His tone conveyed the situation well; before long, all of them geared up as discretely as they could manage. When Erec returned to Sir Boldwick¡¯s side, the number of thrashing mites observing them had doubled.


    The deste cracked ground around the building was thick with the mites, as thick as overgrown underbrush. Still; quiet too. If you dropped a pin amongst the mite ranks, you would¡¯ve heard it hit the ground. No chittering. Nomunication of any kind out there. They¡¯d arrive from the town¡¯s sides and alleys, crawl into the swarm and then sit. As still as statues.


    ¡°No, no, no¡ª¡° Colin began to mutter as he backed away, finally taking his first nce at the nightmare outside.


    His voice was raising dangerously high; Boldwick¡¯s grip tightened on his sword, and he shot a nce at Colin, but that did nothing. Erec saw the duke¡¯s son shuddering beneath his light blue Armor.


    ¡°This is a nightmare¡ªthis isn¡¯t real¡ª¡°


    ¡°Colin, <em>quiet,</em>¡± Lyotte said from his side, cing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°This may be bizarre behavior from the thrashing mites. But I assure you it is real. Thest thing we want to do is <em>provoke¡ª¡°</em>


    ¡°Get off me!¡± Colin pped her hand away, ¡°I n-need to¡ªget out of here¡ªt-that¡¯s the only way¡ª¡° His chest puffed up, and he looked at the crowd of insects. ¡°And the b-best way to do that is¡ª¡°


    Colin raised his hand. Erec saw what was about to happen before the idiot could start andunched himself at Colin, kicking up dirt as he pushed all of his power into a short burst of speed.


    Red lines of a glyph began to form in front of Colin¡¯s palm. Erec mmed a shoulder in the other boy and crashed them both into the ground as he tackled the idiot, fizzling out the spell.


    Colin wasn¡¯t giving up without a fight¡ªone of his hands gripped Erec by the wrist, locking it in a steel-tight embrace as he began to give out a manicugh. <em>He¡¯s lost his mind.</em> ¡°If you don¡¯t get out of my way, I-I¡¯ll burn you too¡ªyou¡¯re just another bug!¡± His spare hand rose and formed a smaller glyph¡ªa simple rune.


    Which meant it was a faster spell. Erec desperately tried interrupt only for Colin¡¯s hand totch to his helmet. A secondter the noble¡¯s fingers ignited¡ªglowing red. Steel gave way as the ming digits dug into Erec¡¯s shitty Armor like a hand through y¡ªheading right towards his face.


    [Emergency helmet ejection engaged. This should prevent your face from being melted off. You may express your eternal gratitudeter.]


    The Markos II helmet shot off Erec¡¯s head with a plume of smoke as the servos and locking mechanism at the neck strategically exploded through a simultaneous power overload. Colin gasped in surprise as the Markos II exhibited an emergency feature never seen before. Nor was it a feature that any engineer in their right mind would sink resources into. Primarily, they were more concerned with ensuring the helmet always stayed on so monsters didn¡¯t rip your face off.


    So it was that VAL bought him a couple of seconds of shock against his opponent.


    Erec saw red. Anger. Not only had Colin frayed his nerves from the second of meeting this spoiled jackass¡ªbut here and now, when things were at their most dangerous? He¡¯d been about to trigger the insects on them and get others potentially killed because he couldn¡¯t keep his shit together. Not only that. <em>He tried to kill me.</em>


    There was nothing but red, blood was in the water and the frenzy took over.


    Before he knew what he was doing, Erec pulled his hatchet free from his Armor with his freehand. He yanked his arm being held by Colin upward in a surprising burst of strength¡ªmaking a nice target of the asshole¡¯s extended arm to aim the hatchet at. He swung with all the might he could throw into the blow.


    Colin screamed in pain as an unexpected force dented his te right at the elbow joint¡ªbiting into the metal and smashing against the arm beneath. Strength was Erec¡¯s highest virtue. Where the Markos II held him back before, there didn¡¯t seem to be anything standing between him and dishing out pain now. A fact that Colin was not prepared for. That, and being in a weak position in the struggle, meant that Erec would haveplete control to unleash attacks.


    But Erec wasn¡¯t done. The hatchet flew back up as Colin released Erec¡¯s arm. Erec swung the weapon down¡ªthe edge cracked into Colin¡¯s helmet and smashed his head against the ground; the noble¡¯s head bounced as the force of the blow rebounded off the dirt. Up went the edge of the hatchet again and then back down into the helmet.


    It was durable and would take more to break through.


    He managed to smash the edge of the hatchet into the helmet thrice in the span of a second before Garin tackled him from the side.


    ¡°Calm! Calm down!¡± Garin yelled at him; all attempts at keeping their volume long abandoned. Erec struggled against him, he wasn¡¯t the one who started this fight, but he¡¯d be the one to finish it. ¡°You can¡¯t do this¡ªwhat are you thinking?¡±


    [Wow. That¡¯s an excessively high amount of testosterone and adrenaline. Far above regr limitations as specified by studies of human biology. Curious. Is this a natural evolution? You could take several bullets and not feel them. What is it like to have such a potent chemical cocktail running loose in your brain, I wonder?]


    Erec took in a calming breath. Both the mechanical voice of VAL in his head and Garin¡¯s desperate bid to keep him from making a major mistake took him off that ledge.<em> I lost it again.</em> He realized as his heart slowed.


    That anger, he¡¯d let it take control. He¡¯d gone way too far. Sometimes that strength felt like another thing inside him, and when he gave way to it, he wasn¡¯t quite a man. That was always the danger in letting loose, and before he¡¯d known it, Colin provoked it out of him.


    ¡°Easy, easy now. It¡¯s okay; the fight is over. Deep breaths.¡± Garin shook him, seeing that his friend was no longer putting up any resistance.


    Garin got off him and extended a hand¡ªhelping Erec back to his feet.


    His fingers began to shake beneath the steel gauntlets as the downside hit. The after-effects of losing control made it hard to keep himself steady. But he pushed through anyway; he¡¯d fuck up and didn¡¯t want anyone to worry about him and further derail their survival chances.


    Sir Boldwick was looking in their direction, no longer concentrated on the insects outside at all. Lyotte stood next to him, equally as stunned.


    Thankfully, Rodren had the presence of mind to act quickly.


    The boy crouched next to Colin, shaking him. He removed the duke¡¯s son¡¯s helmet a secondter, revealing the pale face beneath. Rodren swore and disengaged a gauntlet. His fingers pressed into the side of Colin¡¯s neck, and he let out a sigh. ¡°Alive. Knocked out, probably concussed.¡± Rodren rolled Colin onto his stomach with a grunt. ¡°At least, I think so. I¡¯d need to get out of my Armor and take a better look at his vitals.¡±


    ¡°Goddess above, he managed that in a set of loaner armor?¡± Boldwick shook his head. ¡°Check Colin over. Make sure there are no other severe injuries. We can¡¯t move through the thrashing mites like this, not that I was too sure of our chances of getting through unscathed with four greenhorns before. We¡¯ve dyed long enough. I¡¯m sending an emergency request.¡±


    Rodren nodded and got to work. For a long minute, Boldwick stared at Erec without saying a word. He returned to watching the countless army of bugs surround them and began to speak into his radio.

 Chapter 13: Pavlov Response

    Chapter 13: Pavlov Response


    Colin vomited shortly after awaking and was summarily pulled away from the group and set near the fire. Rodren hovered near him as he mumbled and made little to no sense.


    Meanwhile, the rest of the group tried to keep calm and strategize.


    Boldwick got an estimate for their help to arrive. Shortly into the night, they¡¯d have their backup.


    He dered it was best for them to conserve their strength and forced them to have a share of his food. The trial had ended the moment he had to call for help. For all intents and purposes, they were citizens of the Kingdom beyond the walls in apromised position.


    While Boldwick didn¡¯t fear for his safety when faced with the horde of insects, his biggest fear was their numbers and his inability to protect them against the enemy. So he devised a strategy. He¡¯d pull as many thrashing mites away from them as he could with fire-ss spells.


    That was only if the worst came to pass.


    Their primary strategy was to hunker down and pray to the Goddess that nothing changed until help arrived.


    Erec took in the gathered swarm outside. More thrashing mites than a man could count. Where had they alle from? It was as if they¡¯d made the whole town into a nest, but that was impossible. They couldn¡¯t have done so. Just the other night, he¡¯d been scavenging; if hives were infesting this whole ce, he would¡¯ve noticed. Not to mention there wasn¡¯t a chance in hell that sort of thing would slip past Boldwick, a Knight of the Verdant Oak.


    [Well. This is an absurd situation. If only we¡¯d collected a cadaver of those thrashing mites like I requestedst night, I could model a better prediction of their behavior.]


    Erec looked at the rest of the group. Even Garin was avoiding him, though it was hard to say if it was due to the mounting nerves of having thousands of unblinking insect eyes staring at them or if it was because he saw him lose it against Colin.


    <em>I wouldn¡¯t have killed him.</em> Erec was firm in that belief. He wanted to break into that helmet and then¡­ and then¡­


    And then what? Punch him? Was using the hatchet the best tool for that job? Could he sit here and lie to himself? Erec gripped his head with a hand. It kepting back, that shadow of hate, the lingering force of envy and rage that hid inside. Since his mother was exiled, it hid there, out of sight. And then it red when he lost his grip on the situation.


    [You are aware that you can respond to me? None of yourrades are close enough to hear, nor are they paying attention to you. Funny how having a tangible threat staring you down from a distance distracts fleshy creatures from what¡¯s near them. But I suppose that¡¯s what your lot deserves for your silly evolution failing to manifest multiple processors to run different concurrent tasks.]


    ¡°I can¡¯t lose it like that again, VAL. If I do¡­ can¡­ can you do that numbing thing and stop me?¡±


    [Like what? Oh, you¡¯re referring to your tantrum. That was chemically induced, albeit odd. After running through my data regarding my biological study of Subject 1¡ªSubject 1 is you, for reference¡ªthat extreme adrenaline and testosterone level is impossible to produce naturally. I¡¯ve drawn a singr conclusion based on the annoying gap in my dataset. That urrence was, in short, an anomaly. Simr to those fancy glowing lines that spout fire, or the Rifts you¡¯ve described, in other words, ¡®magic¡¯ as your simplistic Homosapien minds currently refer to it as. As if such a thing is the true root exnation for these abnormalities.]


    <em>What?</em>


    [Fine. If you throw another tantrum, I¡¯ll put you in timeout. Does that please your child-like analysis of the situation? Now, if you¡¯ve finished sulking about the past and the likelihood of your systemic anger issues no doubt derived from parentalplexes, I suggest you move forward. im that helmet.] The Markos II gauntlet moved of its own ord¡ªpointing a single finger towards Colin¡¯s dented helmet on the ground. Not far from where Erec bashed his face in with a hatchet.


    His legs shook, but he moved over, startled and not sure what to think about the information VAL shared. At least there was an assurance that VAL would stop him if he lost control like that again. Erec leaned down and grabbed the diamond-like helmet. It was the same light sky blue as the rest of Colin¡¯s armor¡ªsmooth. No doubt engineers poured countless hours into the design.


    And thanks to him, right there was a massive dent in the shape of his hatchet de on the facete.


    [Oh. This is an exciting design. Put it on your head.]


    Erec hesitated, but, well. Who was going to stop him? Garin watched, but beneath the other boy¡¯s Armor, it was hard to say what was going on with him. Nobody was going to say, ¡®what are you doing,¡¯ there wasn¡¯t any point in putting another Armor¡¯s helmet on. Withoutpatibility to the frame, you¡¯d just be shoving a lump of steel on your head; in this case, since the visor depended on the frame, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to see with it.


    He went along with VAL¡¯s demands. His vision went dark as the diamond-shaped Armor helmet slid over his head.


    [Patching software. Exploring functionality¡ªoh, how intriguing? A targeting disy and a preliminary scanner to target and diagnose expected weak spots, along with a correspondingpendium of¡ªof¡ªof ¡ª]


    Erec yanked the helmet off as soon as VAL stuttered. He wasn¡¯t about to risk VAL shorting itself out through exposure to thisplex Armor, especially not with those nanites running around inside of him loose. And well¡­ he couldn¡¯t imagine losing VAL. As terrifying as it was, having someone¡ªit¡ª constantly with him was almost a relief. It¡¯d only been a day, but¡­


    [Nooooooo! Put it back on, I demand it. This instant! You¡¯ve corrupted my download. Bad intern! Gah, why do all humans ruin good things? It was <em>interesting.</em> Back on!]


    ¡°You¡¯re fine?¡± Erec asked, fighting against the Markos II¡¯s attempts to forcibly lift the helmet back on his head. VAL was being impatient, but he needed to ensure there wasn¡¯t any kind of odd software corruption going on here.


    [Yes! Now put that helmet back on! It has a biologicalpendium of various creatures from your ¡®Rifts,¡¯ I want aplete copy of that right now. This will elerate several lines of my research, I¡¯m sure of it. For the love of science, <strong>STOP HOLDING ME BACK</strong>.]


    Erec slid the helmet back on.


    [Good intern.]


    The visual disy flickered to life, and Erec gasped.


    [You may thank Pavlov for the reward. Enjoy your treat. I have studying to do. Do not bother me unless those insects act up.]


    Erec blinked as he took in the superior visual disy, ncing at Sir Boldwick and seeing several highlighted portions of the man¡¯s Armor. It diagnosed potential weapons, circuitry, and usible design faults. There weren¡¯t many, and the disy wasn¡¯tpletely confident about its assessments, but the information was plenty. Lastly, it evaluated the man¡¯s threat level: deadly.


    Boldwick turned an eye toward Erec as if he knew he was being watched; he tilted his head. ¡°Does it have a blind redundancy?¡±


    He was, of course, referencing an optional redundancy present in some advanced helmets. Even without a connection to the frame, the redundancy allowed the helmet to transmit a primary visual disy to the pilot. Essentially reducing the helmet to just a helmet.


    It was only useful in a handful of circumstances, namely, if the Armor¡¯s core stopped functioning, then you could at least still see through the helmet.


    By that point, though, you were likely screwed and about to die. Since the blind redundancy required additional cameras and an independent power supply, it was rare. Add in the fact that some helmets opted for a manual visor. Engineers skipped it in favor of using the space and dedicated resources to provide more utility and features.


    But no, that wasn¡¯t the case here, somehow VAL patched it to work with his Markos II frame. A feat that would¡¯ve taken weeks of an engineer¡¯s time to evene close to achieving, swept away in a second.


    ¡°Yeah, it does.¡± Erec lied.


    ¡°Good, keep it then. You¡¯ll need it.¡±


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    As the sun sank to the horizon, the bugs came to life. In a sudden burst, they all moved at once, closing the distance between their perimeter and the shelter. Boldwick swore¡ªbefore stepping out into the fray.


    Several glyphs appeared in rapid session around his sword¡ªfire wrapped around the length of the de and extended outward a good ten feet. He swung the de at the ground, scorching the earth as the mes cracked outward and cut a line of fire across the ground. The line rose fifteen feet high¡ªbefore parting into a massive wave on either side.


    A sea of inferno consumed the lead thrashing mites on the ground, setting buildings in the back of the town on ame.


    Those towards the edge of the burning sea began to take to the air, desperate to avoid fire. A majority of them shifted course and made their way towards Boldwick. He was the biggest threat and using fire.


    That was the intent; Boldwick gave them a single salute and a quick nod before throwing himself further into the field. He drew more crimson glyphs as he sprinted into the open.


    Plumes of fire, orbs of scorching heat, and even what looked to be a miniature sun got flung from the tip of his sword at the thrashing mites¡ªan impressive repertoire of fire-ss spells.


    Erec braced himself as the second part of their strategy came into y¡ªsome of the insects ignored Boldwick and reached their shelter. Given the overwhelming number of them and the odd behavior, they¡¯d prepared under the assumption that more than a few would still proceed with a direct attack.


    It seemed he¡¯d distracted more than they counted on but less than they¡¯d hoped. Rodren took his ce in front of the groaning Colin in the most secure corner of the shelter. He was thest line of defense.


    Garin, Erec, and Lyotte formed a line to protect the corner, their weapons drawn as the buzzing of wings increased.


    But the chittering¡ªthere was none. Not at all likest night. It was eerily quiet, aside from the actual <em>physical</em> movements of the thrashing mites.


    The bugs swarmed in a relentless horde, flying in and trying to dart past to get at Colin. The cold and odd intelligence identified their weakest and adjusted to take advantage. Even given what happened before, Erec would be damned if he let these monsters kill that dick-bag.


    So what if he, himself, might have tried killing him a few hours before?


    His hatchet sung through the air, cleaving into a flying bug and splitting it in half; bright green gore spewed all over his armor. Another thrashing mitetched itself to his leg, tendrils mming against a te of aluminum wedged on to cover a weak point. Erec shook the mite free and gave it a firm kick, watching it sail into another buzzing cretin.


    The air was thick with bugs in a short ten minutes of struggle. Lyotte turned her attention from the fight and began to weave a sizeable blue glyph.


    <em>This is bad.</em> Erec was still shaky after the fight with Colin, but he felt his heart pumping again. He was getting closer to dropping off that edge. The bugs were never-ending, blotting out what little light the moon and fire pit provided.


    The creatures covered Garin, but they didn¡¯t bother him at all. They tore into his Armor with their tendrils, yet he weed it. He was letting them gather on him like fungus gnats to adhesive, only to grasp armfuls and crush them in an embrace. At some point, his friend lost his sword, and the crazy bastard realized it was easier just to crush them.


    Erec kept to his hatchet, using what little speed he could to avoid getting covered with the things. If they managed to break his Armor, he¡¯d be screwed.


    [Left leg.]


    The hatchet went where it wasmanded, slicing the legs of the thrashing mitetched to the leg; it wriggled on the ground, twitching. He didn¡¯t bother finishing it as another flew by his face. He swiped it out of the air.


    Lyotte was a couple of seconds from finishing her glyph.


    [Oh. Iing, duck right.]


    Erec crashed into the ground. Following VAL¡¯s directions let him keep himself in check and think strategically; if he followed the robotic voice in his head, he¡¯d stay away from losing control over the battle. A scenario he <em>desperately</em> wanted to avoid at all costs.


    He didn¡¯t expect a queen toe barreling into the spot he¡¯d been. It turned towards him and hissed, ils raising as it took another leap.


    [Thicker exoskeleton. Your hatchet won¡¯t cut through easily; aim for joints if possible. And if you can, the back abdomen is a massive vulnerability. Though, if you hit there, please try to keep the contents of your stomach inside. Spewing it in this confined space would vite several of ourpany¡¯s health and sanitary requirements.]


    <em>Easier said than done.</em> The queennded on top of him, causing his legs to buckle. <em>It¡¯s heavy.</em> It was half his size, yet the awkward shifting of the hostile creature and the fact it weighed as much as a boulder gave him trouble. But he was strong. Erec strained and dead-lifted the monster¡ªthe Markos II groaned from the weight and pounding of the twelve fleshy appendages. <em>Now. </em>With a grunt, he chucked the queen. Its back smashed into the ground. Already it scrambled to turn itself over.


    <em>Too slow.</em>


    Erec leaped forward¡ªhatchet lost somewhere in the brief wrestling match. It didn¡¯t matter. He smashed a fist into the queen¡¯s abdomen.


    Eggs spewed out in a viscera of sulfuric-smelling innards. Erec gagged at the scent and texture, withdrawing his hand almost immediately. The queen iled on the ground; there was a terrible plopping noise as seed-sized eggs bubbled out of the wound.


    Erec pulled away to find his weapon


    [Well done, buckeroo, you¡¯re made of sterner stuff than I thought!]


    Lyotte¡¯s spellpleted as a barrier of ice sprang up over the entire corner¡ªdividing Rodren and Colin from the bugs. It was a temporary measure. Though thick, the ice could be bashed apart, and after some time, they¡¯d have to break it or risk the air running out inside. Neither Colin nor Rodren had air-supply systems. So, it was a matter of defending and surviving for as long as needed.


    A minuteter, a whip of fire mmed its way inside of the building andshed through twenty of the insects harassing them. The rest inside of the room turned their attention away and sped off towards the source of the attack.


    Boldwick turned the corner and nced at the scene. ¡°Well done so far. Keep it up.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Help is on its way. I got a radio message. They¡¯re an hour out. Hold on until then; I¡¯ll cut through when I can to relieve pressure and pull as many as possible. Until then, work together.¡±


    With that, he sprang off back into the fray.


    The reprievested for a grand total of three minutes before the swarm renewed their assault on the trio.

 Chapter 14: Trials End

    Chapter 14: Trial''s End


    <em>"Not a flower, not a flower sweet,</em>


    <em> On my ck coffin let there be strown:</em>


    <em> Not a friend, not a friend greet</em>


    <em> My poor corpse where my bones shall be thrown:</em>


    <em> A thousand thousand sighs to save,</em>


    <em> Lay me, O, where</em>


    <em> Sad true lover never find my grave,</em>


    <em> To weep there!"</em>


    <em>- William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night (1602, 2nd Era.)</em>


    When the reinforcements slew thest mite, the buffer between Markos II¡¯s joints was almost entirely worn away. The metal grated against itself with each swing of the hatchet


    Their help arrived like Knights from the legends of the early 2nd era, marching the wastnds to crash into the insects. Then cut them down like a farmer to a field of wheat. Wave after wave of bugs mmed against them, but they cut through to the center of the campsite and formed an imprable shield.


    By the time the moon was high in the sky, not a single thrashing mite was left.


    None of the bugs fled; in aplete act of madness, they threw their bodies at the barrier of Knights. Dark green gunk and twitching insects painted thend as the town burned in the distance from the stray fire.


    Erec sunk to the ground; the Markos II wobbled and barely held together; all of the joints felt loose. A stray wind could cause the ting to fall off. For a good half of the fight, his left arm stopped functioning, and he had to rely on his Strength to use it beneath the Armor.


    But he was alive.


    He hadn¡¯t lost his head and cost his friends theirs.


    Of course, Erec felt pleased to see a blinking notification in the corner of his vision. VAL once more remarked on a strange biological change twice in the fight. Erec assured him it was nothing to be concerned about, but it¡¯d been hard to tell in the heat of the moment what he¡¯d gained. But he suspected something significant. At one point, it was like he¡¯d flipped a switch, his body far more responsive than before and able to shift and bnce iparably. As if he innately understood better coordination, his body fell into a rhythm of war.


    As the Knights milled about torching the bug corpses to ensure there wasn¡¯t a single survivor, Erec opened the notification from the Blessing.


    Vigor Advancement: Rank F - Tier 8 ¡ú Rank F - Tier 9


    Agility Advancement: Rank F - Tier 9 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 1


    Erec let out a smallugh. <em>Yes. </em>That was a breakthrough to the E rank. He pulled up the rest of his Blessings.


    Name: Erec of House Audentia


    <strong>Health: 72</strong>%<strong></strong>| <strong>Mana: </strong>100% | <strong>Stamina: 83</strong>%


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Holy Virtues:


    Strength: [Rank E] | [Tier 5]


    Vigor: [Rank F] | [Tier 9]


    Agility: [Rank E] | [Tier 1]


    Perception: [Rank E] | [Tier 1]


    Cognition: [Rank E] | [Tier 3]


    Psyche: [Rank F] | [Tier 7]


    Mysticism: [Rank F] | [Tier 1]


    Faith: [Rank F] | [Tier 1]


    There it was. Four of his Virtues were now in the E rank. A respectable aplishment; plenty of humans never achieved that level of progress. They didn¡¯t put in the time and training. But there was nowhere to go but up from here. Erec grinned beneath the helmet.


    [A spike of dopamine. We survived, so I suppose that¡¯s a natural response for an organic creature. Congrattions on not dying, intern. I¡¯m sorry to report that the Markos II will have to be retired. The damage sustained is irreparable. We will, however, keep the helmet. It pleases me.]


    That wiped the grin from his face. Baron Jeswald fronted the promissory for the loaner Armor. And while it wasn¡¯t ungodly expensive, there was a particr reason the averagemoner didn¡¯t own a Markos I, Markos II, or Custos model. Namely, they were still an <em>advanced</em> piece of technology that was both hard to obtain and highly regted, and the costs for the core were high, even in outdated ones.


    ¡°Crap.¡± At least if he attended the Academy, he¡¯d receive a stipend. Maybe a few months of that would cover the money the Baron was now on the hook for.


    He felt terrible, though. Even though this was a loaner Armor, a piece of near junkpared to the currently used models, the Markos II got him through a lot. It scraped him through the trial and kept him alive outside the wall for this long. He sighed. That was the way of the world; everything crumbled.


    As for the helmet? Yeah, good luck convincing the Duke it was a trinket of victory deserved for bashing his son¡¯s brains in.


    Boldwick strode into their little fortress, his visor open and a big smile on his face. ¡°Congrattions; you survived, you thrived, and you murdered a bunch of pests. Wee to your first genuine experience of being a Knight.¡± His gleeful eyes took them all in. ¡°This isn¡¯t the line of work for heroes. No. It¡¯s dirty, disgusting, and deadly. But look around you¡ª¡° He gestured to the viscera sshed across the room''s insides. ¡°Thanks to our efforts, the Kingdom will never hear or be threatened by these awful creatures. Take pride in that. Take pride in protecting others.¡±


    Garin met Erec¡¯s eyes. There was a bruise across his face from where a thrashing mite busted through his helmet. His jaw was swollen, but his friend smiled and gave a thumbs up.


    ¡°Dad?¡± Colin muttered in the corner of the room and groaned.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get him to see a priest. I think it¡¯s long past time we bring you all back within the wall. I¡¯ll leave five of my Knights deployed on the field for clean-up, and the rest will form an escort so we may return.


    All of the Knights responded to Sir Boldwick¡¯smands instantly; he was a Master Knight, after all. Even if they were from an assortment of the four orders, theyplied withoutint and with great discipline. As he said, they began the trek back to the Kingdom not thirty minutester.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Once behind the massive steel walls of the Kingdom, everyone in the group breathed easier. Garin strolled forward with his hands behind his head¡ªhelmet held by Rodren as he embraced the night air. Rodren kept a leisurely pace next to him. Erec, for his part, wanted the space to reflect on his failings thatplicated the fight.


    It¡¯d been an overreaction to go so far against Colin. But what could he have done differently to stop him from starting that wild assault? They would¡¯ve been lost if Colin had set off more fire, surely. Someone could have died, likely either himself or Rodren.


    It wasn¡¯t wrong to tackle him and disable him. It wasn¡¯t even wrong to be angry about what Colin tried after the fact. And it was debatable if his retaliation had been wrong either. There¡¯d been an attempt at his life.


    What was wrong was that he continued to bash into Colin after he¡¯d stopped fighting back.


    Erec didn¡¯t want to be the kind of person who¡¯d lose his head like that, someone who¡¯d attack indiscriminately. He didn¡¯t even want to fight with other humans; as the swarm of thrashing mites showed, that was folly.


    Maybe he was still sulking. But having the distance from other people let him sort through his feelings, even if it meant rehashing the same arguments in his head, re-framing them, and reapproaching from a different angle to gain new insights.


    They trekked the fields and reached the Academy, located a mile from the city proper.


    It was a prestigious campus; fourrge buildings devoted to each Orderid out in the cardinal directions around a central fortress. The sizeable castle-like center dominated the Academy and was four times the size of the individualized wings. In a way, it symbolized the Knight¡¯s functionality. All of the Orders may have their differences, but they bowed their heads in respect to the Kingdom, they were a small part whenpared to the will of the people.


    Boldwick led them to the Verdant Oak quarter on the western side of the campus. Lush vegetation surrounded the red-bricked structure; vines grew all along the side of the brickwork, and arge greenhouse hung off the side of the building. Knights spewed out at Boldwick¡¯s approach¡ªhe barked a couple of orders, and they took Colin off towards the central fortress of the Academy.


    He turned his attention towards their group and took in the floating ball of light still disying their activities.


    Not far away, inside of thatrge stone fortress would be all of the nobility who yed witness to their fight against the swarm.


    Boldwick waved his hand¡ªa white glyph formed, and the ball of light cracked, shattering into a cloud of dust.


    ¡°We¡¯re done putting on a show. There were some questionable choices out there, but overall, I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve got much toin about. None of you died. We made it back fine. Though your trial was cut short, I¡¯ll keep these details in mind as I write my report.¡± He took a deep sigh. ¡°Considering we¡¯vee back a whole day earlier than the rest of those taking the trial, I could house you in the Academy. And if you were initiates, I¡¯d do just that.¡±


    He looked up at the moon sinking toward the horizon.


    ¡°But you aren¡¯t. Not yet. So, I¡¯ll be sending you home. I rmend you enjoy the rest and consolidate your time with your Houses while you may. If you be a Knight, there is much you must give up on to serve the Kingdom. It asks a lot of you. It¡¯s greedy, always hungry for more. So go, take the time you need, and return here the morning after the next for the ceremony.¡±


    With thatmand given, the Master Knight dismissed them, Erec moved to head off with Garin to the elevator when Lyotte caught him by the arm.


    Her visor was withdrawn, letting her thick ck curls spill out of her advanced Armor. That grip of hers was too firm to resist with his Armor barely holding together. ¡°How did you do it?¡±


    Garin paused and nced back at them, before snickering. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the elevator.¡± He waved over his shoulder as he damn near jogged out of the situation. Erec let out a sigh, go figure Garin would misinterpret whatever <em>this</em> was. Lyotte¡¯s eyes burned into him.


    ¡°I want some answers; it¡¯s obvious something¡¯s off.¡±

 Chapter 15: Home

    Chapter 15: Home


    ¡°I lost control, that¡¯s it,¡± Erec said as the girl pressed him about what happened to Colin. Damn, why was she so persistent about this?


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have been able to do that. I know the engineer that worked with the Nitidus family to make his model. We often contract out to her as well; she¡¯s a talented woman. And I know that a Markos II doesn¡¯t have the kind of power to do that damage like that. How high is your Strength?¡±


    Erec winced. <em>That</em> was a rude question. One didn¡¯t go around and start asking after other''s Virtues. He might share the details of his with someone like Garin or a trainer, but certainly not someone he barely knew. This girl was starting to rub him the wrong way. She held herself in the same sort of self-possessed way that was all toomon in high nobility.


    Just in a nosy direction instead of an arrogant prick kind of way, which wasn¡¯t quite as bad but felt damn near equally annoying.


    ¡°How high are your Virtues? Why don¡¯t you list them out for me if you want to know mine.¡± Erec crossed his arms and scowled at her. ¡°If you¡¯re going to go around demanding something like that, you should be more than willing to share yourself.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I will. My three highest Virtues are Psyche, Perception, and Mysticism. In that order.¡± She didn¡¯t even blink as the words left her lips. Not a second of hesitation.


    Erec¡¯s jaw dropped. <em>What is with her?</em> ¡°¡­ Alright, fine. My Strength is E-ranked, Tier 5.¡± He couldn¡¯t very well keep it to himself when she called his bluff.


    She shook her head at that exnation. ¡°Are you lying to me? With that Strength, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to do that to him. And then there¡¯s his helmet¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t be able to see with it.¡±


    Erec didn¡¯t respond to that; her questioning if he¡¯d been honest was the nail in the coffin for this conversation. She searched his eyes for <em>something</em>, then drew her lips thin. He wasn¡¯t sure what to make of her. It wasn¡¯t like the way she was speaking was hostile, even if she appeared to be getting annoyed at a breakneck pace.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking because I want to understand. If I understand, I can help you.¡±


    ¡°I never asked for your help; we don¡¯t know each other.¡± <em>I don¡¯t trust her</em>. Why was she so interested in him? Why did she pay attention to the small things when no one else seemed to pick up on them? Was she that perceptive? Did she want to figure him out to use him like a pawn? ¡°How about we go our separate ways, alright? I¡¯m tired. I haven¡¯t much sleep in thest two days, and I want to crawl into my bed and finally fucking sleep.¡±


    ¡°<em>After</em> you answer my questions.¡± She stood firm; her eyes held a defiant cast.


    ¡°Wow, you''re no different than Colin. Listen, I get your family holds Goddess knows how much influence, and on any other day, I¡¯d be willing to set aside my distaste and give you the conversation you seem to want. But in this case, I can¡¯t. There are no answers I can give you, and if you don¡¯t believe me, then there¡¯s not much I can do about that. I¡¯m being blunt here because I get the sense that, unlike that prick, you don¡¯t want to be that way.¡±


    At theparison to Colin, she frowned. Lyotte drew back and looked at the ground. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t want toe off that way. May I make one request?¡±


    [She isn¡¯t sorry.]


    No, she wasn¡¯t. She was frustrated but knew that Erec wasn¡¯t going to bend her way.


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Erec said. She wanted something from him, and it made him nervous that he couldn¡¯t ce what it was or why she wanted it so bad.


    ¡°May we start again? Perhaps I¡¯ve been a bit too forward, and perhaps I¡¯ve held my head a little bit higher than I would with an equal... But I really would like to help you. The best way to do that is to¡­ restart this rtionship; if you¡¯d be willing to look past our past, then I will too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Another time. If there is one, we can start over.¡± Erec turned as there wasn¡¯t much else to say. When he looked over his shoulder, she was staring with her face scrunched. <em>What game is she ying?</em>


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    It was sometime in the early morning on the surface¡ªif that mattered down in the many floors and tunnels of the underground Kingdom¡ªwhen Erec reached his home.


    Their estate was a small property in Jeswald¡¯s caverns; it was the size of a house a modest merchant or apprentice engineer afforded to rent out and live in. For a noble family, an utterly barren and small residence, but to the Audentia family, it was more than they¡¯d expected. Generally, they felt grateful to have a roof over their head at all.


    As Erec creaked the door open, his father, Lac Audentia, busied himself by putting work gear on. He stopped as he beheld the wearied and bruised visage of his son. The Markos II hung on the maintenance rack in the workshop he¡¯d borrowed from the Baron, but underneath it, Erec looked close to as busted. VAL tagged along in a leather bag that Erec took from the workshop, which he summarily tossed on the ground of the house without a word.


    ¡°Didja fail?¡± Lac asked, a hand stroking the sizable beard on his chin. One bushy brow raised as he regarded his son with a consoling expression. ¡°Oh well. You tried. All that matters, Bedwyr is already in the Academy, so I''m sure we''ll get along fine,¡± thenky man shrugged and returned to securing his boots.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t fail.¡±


    ¡°Aint the trial supposed to still be going?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then how are you here if you¡¯re supposed to be there.¡± His father shook his head and sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie to me, boy. I¡¯ll let the Baron know you¡¯re ready to work the bio-caverns again. You¡¯re a skilled hand at it, and he¡¯s told me he appreciates the effort plenty o¡¯ times.¡± Lac stood up and stretched out, walking over to Erec and setting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°We got plenty of work to do, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°I <em>didn¡¯t</em> fail.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, son, proud of you for trying.¡± With that parting gesture, Lac left the house, off to supervise construction on a new bio-cavern.


    It was always like that. Where their father expected Bedwyr toe out on top of everything he set a hand at, their father never held a candle of hope for Erec¡¯s chances. If Erec caught him by surprise and found sess, it was always a quick pat and a ¡®that¡¯a boy.¡¯ Nothing more, nothing less. Was it because he was the second son? The inheritor to nothing as the family only held a title? Did his achievements not matter as much?


    It made him miss his mother, the kind of woman who¡¯d start every day with a healthy smile on her face seeing her two boys. She always had a special treat for them at lunch, even with her duties as a Knight.


    And then she¡¯d betrayed them. Letting an intelligent thing from beyond a Rift past the walls; fifteen people died, and she fled with the monster she escorted in. <em>Why?</em>


    [Hypothesis formed.] VAL hovered out of the leather bag¡ªthe red cube pulsed a red light that ran over the home¡¯s surface. [Humanity is being led down a guided evolution path. Conjecture: A race of vast intelligence can interact and bring about these changes by harnessing the anomalous energy generated by Humanity. I would very much like to meet the entities responsible and question the purpose of keeping some useless trait lines in your physiology while removing others. For example: is there a point in retaining tail bones?]


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Goddess.¡±


    [That has been mentioned before. I¡¯d concluded it to be a mythos perpetuated by man, as is typical to these legends.]


    ¡°She¡¯s real.¡± Erec sat in a chair and leaned back, taking a moment to rx and soak in the peace. Let his dad think whatever he wanted. The Academy hadn¡¯t spoken yet about his admittance, though the situation with Colin left him nervous. His dad dismissing his chances like that drew the worry out further for him, and now the idea refused to leave his head. ¡°She¡¯s the one who cleansed the world in holy mes and prevented the Rifts from destroying us all. In the process, she Blessed us with magic to fight back. Or as you put it, ¡®anomalous energy¡¯¡±


    [Query. There cannot be certainty to a divinity. Per their nature, they are beings of faith.]


    ¡°No, she very much exists. The cardinal canmune with her and channel her voice; on asion, she descends to appear before a mighty Knight and issue a quest.¡± Granted, thest time she¡¯d deigned toe to their Kingdom <em>had</em> been thirty years ago. But, there was a recording of the event. Not that they could capture her well on video, her radiant energy distorted all of their attempts. Still, the physical proof and records existed to document it and a few other previous contacts.


    [Understood.] VAL floated back into the bag. [Get some rest, it is well earned.]


    Yeah, that was a fair statement. Erec headed to his bed shoved in the corner of a side room that doubled as an office for paperwork; and then drifted off to an easy sleep.

 Chapter 16: Summons

    Chapter 16: Summons


    <em>¡°Six mistakes mankind keeps making century after century:</em>


    <em>Believing that personal gain is made by crushing others;</em>


    <em>Worrying about things that cannot be changed or corrected;</em>


    <em>Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot aplish it;</em>


    <em>Refusing to set aside trivial preferences;</em>


    <em>Neglecting development and refinement of the mind;</em>


    <em>Attempting topel others to believe and live as we do.¡± </em>


    <em>- Marcus Tullius Cicero, (Unknown, 1st Era) </em>


    Erec dreamt of a sea of ruby red eyes. Every single one of them stared at him as their sheer weight suffocated him. His fingers wed at the lens, finding no purchase as they slipped on tears. Inch by inch, he sunk further into the depths, dragged under as they slid aside, and made way for him to fall deeper in their embrace.


    Hammering at the door woke him up with a start. Erec¡¯s head mmed up as the wooden doors shook¡ªhis heart racing, and a pool of sweat coated his bed sheets.


    [Ah. You¡¯re awake at longst.]


    There was a pause at the door, followed by a muffledmand on the opposite side.


    [You¡¯ve had eleven hours of rest. Typical for an Intern. I take it you¡¯re ready and willing to take the day into your hand and pursue further personal development?]


    The knocking began again. Erec groaned and pulled himself out of bed, doing his best to regainposure from the nightmare. He tossed on a beige linen shirt and stalked toward the door. ¡°Stay in your bag, alright?¡±


    [Of course, I wouldn¡¯t dream of revealing myself. Observation yields better data.]


    Erec cracked the door open to reveal a squished face of a man armored by mail. He wore a tabard disying the ck silhouette of a hippogriff with its hooves reared. <em>House Nitidus</em>. In truth, he¡¯d expected something like this. As the house guard took his stock, Erec raised his hands up in a sign of peace. ¡°I¡¯ll go get Colin¡¯s helmet; you can have it. I didn¡¯t intend to keep it.¡±


    ¡°Aye, then you¡¯re Erec?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Sure am; I left the helmet in my workshop along with my busted Armor, and I should be able to retrieve it in about fifteen minutes. If you want toe back a littleter¡ª¡°


    ¡°Aye, No, you¡¯d best be bringing it yourself.¡± The man reached into a pouch and withdrew a letter. The envelope was sealed by a dollop of wax and stamped with the same hippogriff on the man¡¯s tabard. <em>That¡¯s not good.</em>


    He wasn¡¯t sure how House Nitidus was going to react to what he¡¯d done to Colin in front of the whole of the nobility. The best he¡¯d hoped was they¡¯d dy their response for a few days. If he were in the Academy, he¡¯d have the backing of an Order, and any repercussions would take that into ount; instead, he was damn near defenseless. His house had functionally no power.


    ¡°Best to ya,¡± the man nodded his head and then cleared his throat. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I think ya gave him somethin¡¯ that was a long timeing, and me and none of the guards find fault in what ya did to¡¯em.¡±


    He¡¯s talking about Colin. That confirmed it. That¡¯s why he¡¯de; House Nitidus was already providing their official response over what happened during the trial.


    With that, the guard left. Erec stared at the letter in his hand, the weight of which felt like the world.


    He walked over to the table, set the letter on the worn wooden surface, and stared at the red wax. Why did the hue fall too close to the haunting ruby of his nightmares? He broke the seal and opened the letter.


    <em>Attention House Audentia, </em>


    <em>??Per the power bestowed upon the Duchy Of Nitidus, and permissed by the Royal Court, Erec of House Audentia is officially mandated to appear at the court of the Duchy of Nitidus. This audience is intended to resolve lingering inquiries and misappropriated property owing to the events that came to pass over thest several days during the Academy Trial. </em>


    <em>??Time is of the essence, and if Erec of House Audentia fails to report to the Duchy of Nitidus by May 23rd, 307, a force of several Knights will be permitted for dispatch to ensurepliance. Failure toply will result in censure and fines totaling up to 1050 Silver Denarii to the House Audentia. </em>


    <em>??Additionally, Erec of House Audentia is to bring the (1) misappropriated helmet belonging to Cser IV grade Armor. Whose proper ownership is Colin of House Nitidus,st seen in possession of the party as mentioned earlier after the conflict outside of our Kingdom¡¯s Walls on May 22nd, 307. </em>


    <em>??Once at the court of the Duchy of Nitidus on the second cavern floor zone 2-A, Erec of House Audentia will officially present himself to the station guards and thus will fulfill the mandate issued in this document.</em>


    <em>From the court of the Duchy of Nitidus, writ at the behest of Duke Alfon Nitidus,</em>


    <em>Authorized by the House Crisimus, sovereign House to the Kingdom Of Cindrus.</em>


    The bottom of the document ended in the official stamp of both the Royal Family and the Duchy of Nitidus.


    Erec reread the letter and paused at the mention of a fine. It almost seemed like an additional spiteful threat. Which, he supposed, was the purpose. And right there, the name of the duke. Alfon Nitidus. The Unbroken General. A man who single-handedly led the Cindrus army to repel a cataclysm-ranked threat from the wall; A war hero, and not the sort of man who yed games.


    This was the consequence of his actions. Losing control led to this.


    Erec folded the paper up and stared at the doorway, letting the time slip away while he tried to consider what he¡¯d say, how he might exin himself, and what the Unbroken General might choose to do in response to his actions. Was there a way to spare his House? If he renounced his name, maybe it would lead to sparing his brother and father from this.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    As ordered, Erec readied himself for his mandated audience at the Duchy of Nitidus. He put on the best formals he could¡ªsharp cks. He wore a clean dress shirt with a cor, with one of the heavily buttoned jackets that fell out of style in the kingdom about ten years ago. If he understood it right, the jacket belonged to his father, then his brother, and now it was his.


    Ironic that this same jacket was likely worn on the day his mother was officially exiled.


    He took the shaft elevator; it felt like ages for the ancient thing to crawl its way up to the secondyer of caverns.


    Once he reached the secondyer, he saw a massive gate. Armed guards checked him over for weapons and purpose¡ªthis was theyer where the wealthy and higher nobility made their homes. Even if he was nobility, they had to ensure his paperwork and check for unallowed weapons.


    After they discovered that no, he didn¡¯t have a damned sword, he managed to hand them his summons, their affable mood banished. The checkpoint guard called for an escort to send Erec on his way.


    The road was long and left him with conflicted feelings. On the one hand, the beauty around him made for a visual of a long-forgotten earth scene. The curated bio-cavern provided great insight into the people who got to live out their lives on thisyer.


    First to start with was the excessive size. The cavern roof extended high into the sky, yet not a single building likely extended over four stories. Yet it stretched far enough for ten. The cavern ceiling was unique to the second floor, iid with stacking enhancements and spell-work that transformed the rocks above into a replica of the sky outside.


    At the middle and ceiling of the cavern was a glowing orb¡ªalmost as strong as a sun. It provided enough light for nt life to flourish, much like a regr biocavern.


    But the nt life here was utterly ornamental. Mostly wasteful varieties of grass were meticulously cut on square-like yards ofwn that stretched as far as the eye could see.


    Erec held a particr grudge against the insane value nobles put in grass. With the resources it took to grow spent on sunlight and water, they could¡¯ve just as easily grown more beneficial nt life: fruits, vegetables, and any root nt to supplement the kingdom¡¯s supplies.


    But no. Thisyer contained only flowers and grass¡ªthough, at least, they did allow natural pollinators.


    Aside from his grudge over their choice in biodiversity, orck thereof, he had to admit the pristine architecture and sculptures were breathtaking. He took a long look at a silver depiction of the First King. The man shattered the uneasy treatise of the ancientyers and forced them together. At the time they imed he was a conquerer; a warmonger. But two hundred yearster the consolidation of humanity¡¯s resources showed their fruit, and people proimed him a great king.


    Would their ancestors have pictured living on the surface once more?


    The escort gradually led Erec deeper into theyer. The cavern stretched out just asrge as the city above, providing vast swaths of space to noble holdings and estates. Within some of those holdings would be small viges. Popted by specialized artisans and servants attending to the noble family who owned thends.


    As much as the nobles treated this as the center of the Kingdom, they were wrong. Fifty percent of their poption lived on the third and fourthyers. Bothyers connected a bustling city triple the size of this curated space. A maze of confusing corridors and smaller caverns that defined the Kingdom in a way a ce like this never would.


    At the end of their stroll, they approached what looked to be a small castleplete with stone walls. Was it a measure of status or privilege that had allowed the Nitidus family to defend themselves from the rest of the Kingdom openly? Or was it remains of a time before the Kingdom? Erec couldn¡¯t say; his grasp of history regarding the nobility was painfully limited. Ironically, the Academy didn¡¯t ce much importance on it either, despite its primaryposition of the nobility. Aside from the Silver mes.


    At the gates, the house guards of the Duchy took over supervision of Erec, so he followed them to his fate, sky-blue helmet held in hand.

 Chapter 17: Those That Are Great

    Chapter 17: Those That Are Great


    The guards escorted Erec through Nitidus¡¯ vast estate. Gorgeous old-world artifacts and new-age artwork lined the walls. The washed-out red and blue starred g set near the audience hall caught Erec¡¯s attention the most. Yet the beauty distracted from the moment, in the same way staring at the ceiling did when a doctor jammed you with a needle¡ªa way to focus away from the iing pain.


    Erec cleared his throat as he entered the audience chamber¡ªfine carpeting led to a steel throne thatmanded respect. Resting on the arm of the throne was arge spear¡ªtaller than a man, its tip carved into a wrapping groove that gave it the appearance of a massive red screw. The simrities between this room and the royal court were incalcble, and seated on the fine steel throne was the Unbroken General.


    He was heavyset, his frame near herculean. Duke Nitidus¡¯s face was aged and tanned like the hide of a stag. Grey streaks highlighted his hair, and he had tired brown eyes that took Erec in with azy appreciation. He turned to his guards.


    This was the man who slew the Rot Behemoth. A creature capable of corrupting the flesh of any ordinary man who got close to it. Then turned their corpses into walking abominations hell-bent on killing more. The monster targeted their kingdom, would have killed countless on the surface, and sent humanity into the deepest caverns to flee its putrid essence.


    ¡°You may go; you have my thanks for your due diligence,¡± Duke Nitidus addressed the two guards escorting Erec with a tilt of his head, dismissing them.


    They left through the door and mmed it behind them, leaving Erec alone with the Duke.


    A long moment passed as they traded a silent stare. Erec wasn¡¯t sure where this would go¡ªwhat sort of punishment would he demand? It seemed that the Duke was content in the oppressive silence. He waited for Erec to act, break, and show his hand.


    Erec folded under that steel scrutiny, trying to hide his shaking hands. He took quick steps to the throne, leaned down, and ced the Cser IV¡¯s helmet. ¡°My sincere apologies. I needed it for the battle.¡±


    There was a swish of air¡ªknocking Erec back from his supplication and onto his ass. Quicker than his eyes could track, the Duke had drawn his spear, then cut the t end through the space between them to collect the helmet. The sheer speed in which he shed through the air created enough pressure to send Erec reeling. The helmet rested on the end of the spear. The Duke popped it into the air a secondter and caught the spinning helmet in his free hand.


    The Duke leaned the spear back on the throne, then ran a finger over the deep dent marring the helmet¡¯s otherwise smooth surface.


    ¡°This was an expensive helmet. I did not spare for defense when it came to protecting my heir; Armor fits the man, and, unfortunately, the limitations of his power reduced howplex we could make the model¡­¡± The Duke sighed and shook his head. ¡°That a hatchet and an ill-maintained Markos II held enough power to do this is unbelievable. After looking over the specifications offered by my engineer, it is an impossible feat.¡±


    Erec kept silent, eyes on that spear. If the Duke had wanted, he could¡¯ve run him through with the weapon before Erec knew what happened. Did he twist the spearhead as it stabbed into his opponent, digging it deeper in the same way a screw tunneled through wood?


    ¡°Yet, ¡®There is nothing impossible to him who will try,¡¯ is that the saying? I do believe so.¡± With that statement, the Duke threw the helmet over his shoulder¡ªit smashed against the wall and then ttered to the floor. After which, the Unbroken General pressed his attention onto Erec in full; there was a tangible weight behind those eyes. ¡°When confronted with reality we must adapt. You gave my son a concussion and sought further harm. In addition to that, I¡¯ve been told you levied insults aplenty during the Academy¡¯s trial.¡±


    ¡°I had cause at the time, yet I acted rashly. I did not mean to get that carried away or to bring harm to your House.¡± Erec stood straighter. ¡°However, the mistakes I made are mine alone. Not any that belong to House Audentia. Whatever punishment it is you¡¯re seeking, I would ask that they be excluded from it. If required, I will denounce myself from the family line.¡±


    ¡°You have a brother and a father.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Then you should understand the burden of a family line. I have but one heir, and as I¡¯ve grown, I¡¯vee to realize there is precious else that matters of one¡¯s legacy than that which will carry it on to the future.¡±


    Erec kept silent at this; a calm had taken to the Duke¡¯s expression. The man stood at full height¡ªhalf a foot taller than Erec; he was a warrior. The scars running across his face whispered stories of war, and there was a coldness in his cadence that hinted at a man used to seeing the death of those around him.


    ¡°I shall state inly; not a single among the Academy¡¯s Orders are willing to offer you rank. This is due to the grievance against my house witnessed by the nobility. Considering that your actions led to injury against my heir, and if you were not stopped, worse would have urred, they don¡¯t dare to offer insult so publicly.¡± Erec¡¯s blood ran cold, and his gut twisted into knots. Everything he worried about, the poisonous whispers in the back of his head he fought to ignore were confirmed. The way the Duke spoke of his doomed fate was matter-of-fact; frank as a general is ought to be when discussing the situations his troops faced. ¡°In short, with healthy respect and fear, they do not wish to provoke my anger.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI beg your forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°Do not dare insult me with titudes. Your actions were justified.¡±


    Erec jerked as if the Duke hit him; so strongly did the confusion at the statement p him upside the head. <em>He understands why I did what I did?</em>


    ¡°However, do not mistake my ability toprehend the full extent of the situation as a resolution of forgiveness. No. I am still angry that you brought harm to my son, that you would have gone further had you not been stopped. But I am not the type to make decisions based on anger. Such rash strategies devised by emotion ignore opportunities one might otherwise seek.¡± The Duke sighed and returned to his throne; he sat and leaned forward, resting his chin in hand.


    ¡°So you¡¯re still going to punish me¡­ I¡¯m confused. If you think what I did was justified, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. You may hate me for the punishment I chose to issue. You may despise me for taking away the freedom you crave. But I will have you see why I must do it.¡± The Duke said as Erec¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    <em>This is it. He¡¯s going to keep me out of the Academy. If it is just that, then maybe¡­ </em>No, it wouldn¡¯t be fine. For as long as he remembered, all he dreamed of was to be a Knight. To take that away wasn¡¯t taking away freedom from him; it was taking away the reason why he drew breath.


    ¡°I already do see the mes of hate stoking in your eyes. So, I will begin my exnation and then present to you the punishment I¡¯ve deemed fit.¡± The Duke nodded his head slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve been a poor father. My name may have weight to it; my actions may have saved many. Yet those aplishments were owed to my fixation on how I might push myself to new heights. I am a great general, yet a bad father. When I had a son, I was overjoyed yet gave him little of my time. It was a mistake, yes. That I see in with hindsight. Colin grew up with little guidance; his mother spoiled him as she, bless her, had a weak heart for such things. I cannot me her, as I do too for these matters.¡±


    Erec remained silent. Was it fair of this man to sit here and throw out all of these reasons before he stole away Erec¡¯s dream? That¡¯s what it meant to be higher nobility, you could do what you wanted, and those beneath had to live with it.


    ¡°He grew up alone. Our name conveyed those around him to pay him great respect, and we never truly taught him how to interact reasonably with others. For that, now, others pay the price for his sheer arrogance. Far toote, I realized the impact this was causing. My attempts to correct the behavior now only drive a wedge deeper between us and aggravate his attitudes. Were I a stronger man, I¡¯d disinherit him to teach him his ce. Yet doing so would lose me my only son.¡±


    That was it; Erec couldn¡¯t bite his tongue any further. ¡°So you let him get away with it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I have for far too long. Yet you¡¯ve done something I hadn¡¯t managed. When he spoke of you, there was hate, yet also respect. Due to your actions, that arrogance tempered,¡± The Duke sighed and rubbed his temple. ¡°This is not an easy situation, nor is it easy to admit my failings so bluntly. Yet for you to do what I wish, I must. I would see you befriend my son and change the course of his future. I fear his time in the Academy will lead to istion or, at the worst, lead him to be surrounded by those who seek to use him. They would offer him praise and titudes in return for status and power, a trap I am ashamed to admit he would fall easily for. Such people would dly stab him in the backter for power.¡±


    <em>What the hell? The way he makes it sound¡­</em>


    ¡°I am not a fair man, and thus I charge you with a two-folded punishment. You will attend the Academy and, in doing so, forge a bond of friendship with my son. Whatever the task may take, I expect you to aplish it. And once ingrained in his private life, you will keep me abreast of his affairs.¡±


    ¡°¡­Your punishment is me befriending him¡ªI don¡¯t even think that¡¯s possible¡ªand then spying on him for you?¡± Erec was baffled.


    ¡°From respectes mutual understanding. And from that maye friendship. Through the Academy¡¯s lens, I saw your interactions with the others in your group. I believe it possible if you were to set your mind to it.¡± The Duke stopped leaning on his hand, setting both of his arms on the throne, and sat straight. He cut a figure like a King. A man who would not be denied his royal orders, his voice held a steel tone to it thatmanded absolute obedience.


    Erec found himself faltering. This <em>was</em> a way to avoid repercussions for his family. ¡°I thought you said that none of the Orders were willing to offer me a ce.¡±


    ¡°There is a Master Knight who has been relentless about granting you a position in their Order. Were I to send a missive to that Knight¡¯s Order expressing my private support, they¡¯d be willing to fold and allow him to take any political ramifications for the gesture.¡± Meaning that the Order would take the heat, but knowing that the Duke wouldn¡¯t take direct action against them, they would be willing to weather the fallout. ¡°Sir Boldwick, who witnessed your actions firsthand, also realized the justification behind them. He saw how you may have prevented a bad situation from getting worse. Even if you did go too far.¡±


    <em>He stood up for me?</em> It was hard to reconcile the otherwise affable Master Knight with someone willing to press on an issue like that. Erec wasn¡¯t aware he¡¯d made that big of an impression.


    ¡°With all that has been said; do I have your vow that you will cede to my punishment and use the utmost of your ability to fulfill them?¡±


    ¡°¡­You do.¡±


    ¡°I would have you make the vow upon the Goddess¡¯ name.¡±


    Erec looked up to the heavens, heart constricting in his chest. A vow on Her name was the most binding an agreement could get. Failing to meet your vow wrought consequences upon you by the Goddess herself.


    ¡°I vow to do my utmost to befriend Colin Nitidus, to sway him from his arrogance and bring him to a better path. In doing so, I will give you any information about him that you wish. This I swear by the Goddess Lavinia.¡±


    His heart constricted in his chest as if a hand clutched it¡ªErec gasped. The pressure faded away, yet he still felt a numbness settle in him. The Duke gave a slight nod.


    ¡°Very well. Your punishment has been issued. I will send a missive to the Order of the Verdant Oak. I expect to see you at the ceremony tomorrow morning.¡± With a wave of his hand, he dismissed Erec. With little hesitation, Erec strumbled out of the chamber. His mind raced and ached as he considered how he¡¯d befriend Colin to spy on him.


    <em>Impossible. This is impossible. </em>The words of the Unbroken General echoed in his head, ¡°There is nothing impossible to him who will try.¡± <em>I¡¯m screwed.</em>

 Chapter 18: Soir茅e

    Chapter 18: Soir¨¦e


    <em>We have been reborn by Her Holy mes.</em>


    <em>It is through Her we weathered this assault on our world.</em>


    <em>Through Her we gain Vigor.</em>


    <em>By Her will we Perceive.</em>


    <em>For Her we are Cognizant.</em>


    <em>Our Agility was given to achieve Her purpose. </em>


    <em>We see the lines of fate with our Psyche through Her.</em>


    <em>We witness the Mysticism of this new world and form it in Her image.</em>


    <em>To Her we owe Faith.</em>


    <em>To Her we devote our Strength.</em>


    <em>It is Her will that we should reconquer that which is ours, and take that which is not. </em>


    <em>- Unknown, Doctrine Of The Holy mes (1, 3rd Era)</em>


    Erec¡¯s father didn¡¯te back that day, and as the hours slipped into the ¡®night,¡¯ his father remained gone. Not that it was umon or unexpected. During construction on new bio-caverns, the supervisor would often sleep at the work site in case a majorplication arose.


    Yet it hurt. Erec knew he¡¯d be joining the Academy after his conversation with the Duke; he could¡¯ve looked his dad in the eyes and shared that he, too, would be a Knight. Not just Bedwyr, but him as well.


    But no, that information wouldn¡¯t get shared, so he kept it locked away. At some point, Baron Jeswald or someone else would tell Lac that his son joined the Academy. With no choice, Erec dismissed the pain as another thing to forget and move past. He packed a case full of some clothing and a couple of trinkets he¡¯d bring to his new life. He made sure to tuck away thest letter his mother left deep within to keep it safe.


    Once epted to the Academy tomorrow, he woulde back for his things and move out that day. There wasn¡¯t any reason to linger here, even if a new initiate was permitted three full days before required attendance.


    After packing, Erec wrote a letter to Baron Jeswald¡ªsharing his gratitude for his job in the bio-caverns. It also included the location of the Markos II. Along with another note that officially granted the Baron ess to his financial ounts until he¡¯d paid back damages inflicted on the Armor. A few month''s stipends from the Academy should pay the debt off.


    He¡¯d say as much to the Baron tomorrow when he met Garin at their property. They nned to take the elevator and head to the ceremony together. Preemptively authorizing his ounts to cover the debt would save the Baron any headache. He owed the man a lot, and the man was his best friend¡¯s father.


    Would Garin have a spot? And if so, in what Order? Rodren too? Had they all proved themselves apt in the field, despite how grossly they¡¯d been set up to fail? Those questions would dwell until tomorrow.


    VAL floated around his home and then eventually came to azy hover in front of Erec at the table. Tea was brewing, and his head kept swimming over what-ifs and how to fulfill his vow to the Duke. Despite being so driven for so long, when finally presented with the thing he¡¯d craved, he didn¡¯t know how to let himself rx and enjoy it. There was a sort of emptiness that sank deep in him as he considered the future and what he knew he had to do.


    [Query. This is the conclusion of your goal, correct?]


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve reached what I set out to do.¡±


    [Very well done, Intern. It is vital to set goals and hold yourself ountable. But once a goal has been achieved, a new one must be defined. It is through this process that the mind does not be stagnant, that you can then continue to learn and grow. Have you pictured whates next?]


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be a great Knight. I¡¯ll outdo Bedwyr. Then I¡¯ll step past him and do what he can¡¯t; I¡¯ll find our mother.¡±


    [Goals updated. I expect great progress; otherwise, you will not receive a favorable performance reviewe the end of the year.]


    Erec spent the night alone in his old home, nursing a pot of pine needle tea and wondering just how much he¡¯d miss the life that he¡¯d worked so hard to leave behind.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Garin and Erec arrived at the Academy on the morning of the ceremony. They first approached the massive entrance to the castle-like structure in the middle for the first time. This was the heart of the campus, where their futures would be decided and forged through hard work.


    Passing through the entrance hall, one might see all of the most renowned Knights. Heroes who defined what humanity was capable of. The idols who¡¯d pressed back against a hostile world and shined as beacons of what the greatest among them could be. They dedicated this area to statues honoring those long past. While Sir Boldwick may im heroes didn¡¯t exist, the Academy shouted the opposite message.


    The strife of this world was the reason why heroes existed.


    Even this early, the flow of nobles and would-be-initiates pulled them to the great hall like a river. Those that had gone the entire length of the trial were filtering in. Very early this morning, they¡¯d returned, racked their Armor, and then swapped into formal wear for the ceremony.


    Erec wore much the same as he did the night before¡ªthe jacket that belonged to his father, then his brother, and now him. Thest in a too-long line of owners; once he had his military formals, the outdated formal wear would burn a tragic death in a scorching fire.


    Garin, in contrast, was wearing a stylish and modern outfit.


    Despite his rank as a Baron¡¯s son, his friend had a keen interest in keeping up with the highest of fashion¡ªhe wore a silk dress shirt with too-big cuffs that red out in ruffles at the end. Along with a jacket without sleeves and a done-up cor with that same ruffled texture. Entirely too fanciful.


    Erec hated to admit that Garin cut a dashing figure. Yet, he had to. Based on the looks Garin received from many of the Ladies and Dames they passed, his friend¡¯s obsession with the current trends paid dividends.


    Garin shed Erec a grin and set a hand on his shoulder as they reached the waiting room. Over the course of the following three hours, this ce would fill with more of the trial¡¯s challengers. Already serving staff circted with drinks and hors d''oeuvres as a reward for those that made it through.


    Keeping the potential initiates separated from the rest of the nobility served the purpose of organizing them for the ceremony. But it had a secret goal. It forced their would-be-initiates to start forming bonds.


    This was a thinly veiled offshoot of a soir¨¦e. Erec tugged at his cor as Garin¡¯s eyes tracked the groups already forming at the social gathering. <em>I despise this sort of thing.</em>


    He¡¯d been lucky, with their status as a house, the only social events he¡¯d ever been invited to were the Baron''s.


    ¡°Why so stiff? C¡¯mon, buddy. We made it, finished the trial, and killed a bunch of bugs! You should be smiling right now.¡± Garin met someone¡¯s eyes and shot them a wink.


    ¡°The ceremony can¡¯te quick enough.¡±


    ¡°See, I get that. You constantly work; honestly, sometimes you work too hard. Now and again, you need to cut back and enjoy life. There¡¯s no point otherwise, right? So¡ªjust tag along with me. If you don¡¯t want to talk to anyone, that¡¯s fine with me. I¡¯ll do the talking for both of us. But what¡¯s important is to start forging new connections and be seen¡ª¡° Garin tilted his head towards a bit of a smaller group forming in the corner. Rodren was among them and chatting rather happily. ¡°See? This ce is filled with our future ssmates. They¡¯ll be sitting in our lectures all year long. They might drive you forward in ways you¡¯d never expect.¡±


    Erec nodded begrudgingly and then let Garin take the lead. They, of course, stopped by a table serving sses of wine and Erec took a cup of red. He wouldn¡¯t drink <em>too</em> much, but a little would go a long way towards working through the time it took to get to the ceremony.


    Besides, seeing his friend so happy made him nervous. The Duke guaranteed Erec a spot in an Order. But what of Garin? What of Rodren? Both of them he hoped to see up there too.


    What if Garin didn¡¯t make it?


    Group after group, Garin dragged him through and made introductions. Nobles,moners, and even merchant''s offspring. So many names and faces that they began to blend together. Garin would make a pithy joke; after about ten minutes, they''d say goodbye and flow ever onward to a new group of people.


    ¡°So, then this crazy bastard shoved his hand right through the damn queen! Eggs were flying everywhere so fast I thought he¡¯d spawned a whole new army of the awful things!¡± Garin gave an easyugh, echoed by the gaggle of nobles in thetest group.


    One of them wore a straight expression through the story, tilting his head as he shifted his eyes to Erec. Even though it was a story about him¡ªone that Garin already told a variation of once¡ªthe intensity of the stare threw him off. ¡°He¡¯s one of the two that had a Markos model if I remember correctly.¡± The boy said in a cold tone.


    Garin cleared his throat and gave the stranger a winning smile. ¡°Sure is, isn¡¯t that right, Erec?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The abdomen is a weak point on the queens, I lost my hatchet shoving it off me, so I had to make do with what I had. I held my fingers straight, and took the plunge. It was either that or have it jump back on me and leave me in a worse position.¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Admirable. You identified a weak point, and then you acted definitively. I¡¯d heard the thrashing mites didn¡¯t make any noise during the assault. Is this true?¡± The boy had stark ck hair and blue eyes; he was the definition of calm, to the point where it felt forced. The boy dressed as finely and in the same fashion as Garin, yet with a more refined and less outward nt, as far as one could dial it back, given the rather shy nature of the court¡¯s fashion.


    ¡°No, they werepletely quiet. No noise, aside from reacting to pain. Where did you get that information?¡±


    The ck haired boy shrugged. ¡°Tales are carried far by the desert winds. Though, it is quite another thing to hear it confirmed by the source.¡±


    ¡°What was your name again? I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t recall it.¡± Erec said, scratching the back of his head. With all of the faces, names, and introductions already flown through, he couldn¡¯t put one to this guy.


    ¡°Soren, that is no fault of your own. I had yet to give it.¡± The boy looked out over the rest of the gathering; he frowned at therge clock on a wall. At Erec¡¯s side, Garin went stock still. ¡°Apologies, I must be going, there¡¯s little time remaining, and I still have a few obligations to address. I look forward to attending the Academy with you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll prove worthy ofpetition.¡±


    Soon after, Garin bid their quick farewells to the group and yanked Erec aside.


    ¡°Holy shit, Erec do you know who that was?¡±


    ¡°Nope, no clue.¡± Erec sighed. After two hours of talking to people and the loud noise of the crowd, he already felt well and truly drained. Yet each hour only seemed to charge his friend up more. It¡¯d be grating if it were anyone <em>but</em> Garin.


    ¡°That was Prince Soren Crisimus, third in line for the royal throne. I didn¡¯t recognize him until the name¡ªit¡¯s been years since I saw him, but I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    Erec scanned the crowd, but among the swollen ranks of nobles now present, it was impossible to say where he¡¯d gone. He¡¯d known a prince had attended the trial; as odd such an urrence was after everything that happened, he didn¡¯t have the headspace to remember or truly care. But that was the guy? Why was he so interested in their fight with the bugs?


    A short timeter, the horn red, signaling the ceremony was about to begin.

 Chapter 19: Of Knights

    Chapter 19: Of Knights


    Calling it a great hall felt like an understatement. The long length of the room stretched far enough to amodate hundreds of tables. Each set for different gatherings of nobility and the families invited to attend the ceremony. On top of <em>that</em>, there was room for Knights who also wished to attend this auspicious event. <em>Then</em> there was room for standing along the sides of the hall, where all of those who participated in the trial waited.


    Many of which would be culled.


    The Knights were an elite force that took the top of society and martial prowess. And while the trial may be retaken year after year, they preferred to induct members at a young age to maximize their development and education.


    Many nobles who failed their first trial would live out their days in their family¡¯s holdings. Or, if they weren¡¯t too full of pride, they would enroll in the Kingdom¡¯s military as an officer.


    At the head of the hall were the four Grandmaster Knights. There could only be one at the head of each Order. They had the final say in new initiates, and it was to them that the initiate would make their first oath to uphold their Order¡¯s first t.


    Erec took them in with careful attention as the herald announced the grand history and schedule of the ceremony. It wasn¡¯t something he needed to hear. The course of today and its significance was seared into his head a year ago when Bedwyr joined the Order of the Crimson Lotus.


    He looked at the same frail old man who extended the offer to his brother. Not much had changed about Grandmaster Lotus.


    Each of the Grandmasters relinquished their given name and family name to take on the name of their Order when they epted the position. Lotus appeared to be a frail man, though it was a mistake to think that. His wizened appearance hid a magical power that could single-handedly wipe out the surface city of the Kingdom.


    Next to him was Grandmaster Oak, who would be the one Erec made his oath to. He was a hale man who wore a grin almost hidden by the thick ck beard which trailed down his round belly. He¡¯d heard that Grandmaster Oak once lifted a mountain and dropped it over a Rift to prevent the unstemmable flow of imps that spewed out of it. Looking at him now, it was hard to reconcile the image with the story.


    Erec¡¯s breath hitched.


    Garin gave him a quick bump. ¡°Show¡¯s about to start.¡± His friend whispered.


    ¡°Lords and Ladies! Without further ado, we do conclude Solis Academy¡¯s trial, that did finish in this, the May of the 307th Year of the Goddess¡¯s Rebirth.¡± The voice of the herald rang through the hall. ¡°We shall begin with the most esteemed to be present for this trial, Prince Soren Crisimus, third in line to the royal throne.¡±


    Polite apuse rang through the crowd as the dark-haired boy walked from the side of the great hall to stand before the four Grandmasters. He bowed his head. This was one of the few rare circumstances where a royal family member was expected to show deference towards the Knights instead of the other way around.


    ¡°Prince Soren Crisimus has humbly subjected himself to the judgment of our Academy¡¯s Trial. As such, I now ask, as I shall with every hopeful to our Academy. Be there any among the Orders that would dly ept him into their ranks?¡±


    At once, all four of the Grandmasters drew their swords and raised them, points towards the heavens.


    <em>He has the choice of them all. As to be expected. But which one does he pick?</em>


    Soren coldly examined them all before standing before Grandmaster Tower. Head of the Order of the Azure Tower, she was the youngest and newest to the position of Grandmaster. However, none that met her wrath lived to tell her tale.


    Not that you¡¯d be able to tell now, based on the smug smile she shot the other three grandmasters. The golden-haired Grandmasterposed herself a secondter and became the very picture of nobility. There was a quiet conversation between her and the prince.


    After which, Soren got to his knee and bowed his head. The Grandmaster¡¯s sword lowered and rested on his right shoulder.


    ¡°Do you ept my Order as your own? To join the Order of the Azure Tower is to agree to hold the safety of the Kingdom of Cindrus above all; even yourself. To be of this Order is to vow to defend and protect each of its citizens blindly, regardless of office or state they may hold.¡± She asked.


    ¡°I do.¡± Prince Soren responded¡ªtheir voices now amplified across the Great Hall by spell-work, though Erec didn¡¯t see the source.


    ¡°I can think of no better fitting Order for one of the royal line. I would have your first oath be given before us all, Prince Soren.¡±


    ¡°Upon my life, I do give my oath. From this day forward, I shall use my strength to face the tribtions of this world first, before they fall upon any other.¡± Soren stared straight into her eyes. He''d delivered his assigned line, the first t of the Order of the Azure Tower.


    Grandmaster Tower beamed. ¡°Your oath has been heard by all in this esteemed hall. Let it be known today, I dub thee Sir Soren of House Crisimus; initiate to Order of the Azure Tower.¡±


    There was a chorus of apuse in the hall. The prince was led away by a Knight; it set a fair tone for the rest of the proceedings.


    The next were the three from the ducal lines; the first of which was a woman Erec hadn¡¯t met. A girl with bright red hair. All four orders offered her a position, and she chose to stand before Grandmaster mes. Even among the four standing at the front of the great hall she stood out with her milky white eyes.


    In a short time, Grandmaster mes inducted a new Dame into her Order.


    Erec heard that the Grandmaster held a high enough Faith to convene with the Goddess¡ªthough the Grandmaster publicly denied such a thing so as not to undermine the Cardinals'' authority.


    The red-headed duchy spawn looked well and pleased with her choice as a Knight led her away.


    Next was Lyotte of House Luculentus. She, too, was offered an option of all four Orders; and followed suit with the prince¡¯s choice, joining the ranks of the Azure Tower. As her eyes scanned the crowd, they met Erec¡¯s. There was something there as she held his gaze before she left the great hall.


    The biggest upset came next.


    Colin strode before the Grandmasters with his head held high.


    When the herald asked who among the Orders would ept him into their ranks, all four shared a look.


    Grandmaster Oak¡¯s was the sole sword to raise into the sky. Colin¡¯s jaw dropped as hushed muttering ran through the assorted nobles like fire in a forest. It seemed that his actions had consequences, or more likely that this was a ploy by the Duke to ce his son in the same Order as Erec.


    Garin shook Erec¡¯s shoulder and rolled his eyes as Colin knelt and gave his oath to the only Order that would have him. He seemed a bit shaky, unnerved that they¡¯d denied him the same opportunity as the two that shared his station.


    <em>Oh well.</em> Erec sighed. If they were in the same Order, it¡¯d make his task that much easier to aplish. He sent a quick thanks to the Goddess as the ceremony proceeded onward.


    They continued down from the top of the noble lines. After those of the duchy came the spawn of the earldoms, then the counties, and then the viscounties. It wasn¡¯t until they reached the children of the baronies did Erec begin to pay attention again.


    For the higher ranks, often, multiple Grandmasters would raise their swords, giving them a choice of Order. As they slipped down the ranks, that became lessmon and transformed into often only one of the Orders epting the noble.


    Then eventually, there was a daughter of a count with no offers. And then a count¡¯s third son, then three from different viscounties denied in a row. When it got to the baronies, only one in every three got epted into an Order. Erec¡¯s heart began to race as they wore down the list of names.


    Was Garin going to join him in the Academy?


    At Erec¡¯s side, Garin kept an easy smile, but when Erec looked down at his friend¡¯s hand, he¡¯d clutched it into a fist, fingernails digging into his palms.


    ¡°Garin of House Honestus, heir to the Barony of Honestus,¡± the herald called, and Garin left to take his turn before all of the Grandmasters. They regarded him with a rather severe expression each. None of them betrayed their intentions. ¡°Garin of House Honestus has disyed himself to our Academy¡¯s trial. Be there any among the Orders that would take him into their ranks?¡±


    For a long horrible moment, none of the Grandmasters moved.


    <em>No. Goddess, please, no. </em>


    Grandmaster Oak raised his sword, followed quickly by Grandmaster Tower, andstly, Grandmaster Lotus. The only one who stared straight ahead was Grandmaster mes. A chorus of whispers rang through the crowd. There hadn¡¯t been three Orders offering a spot since they¡¯d dropped below past the earldoms.


    Garin gaped as the three Grandmasters stared him down. Erec grinned like a madman. He hesitated before moving to Grandmaster Oak.


    <em>We¡¯ll be in the same Order. </em>It felt better than anything he could¡¯ve dreamed of.


    Grandmaster Oak inducted Garin quickly, as the ceremony had already gone on for quite some time. Yet when it came to the apuse, they greeted Garin with a loud and infectious pping.


    The whole scene felt surreal. After he met with the Duke the day before, this was the single part of the day that still held Erec¡¯s nerves over a fire. Now that it was over, he felt he could rx and breathe easily. Nothing else mattered much, though, he did want to see if Rodren got epted into any of the Orders.


    That was until they called his name.


    ¡°Erec of House Audentia. Second son to Lord Lac, unded.¡± The herald cried, and Erec numbly made his way to the head of the hall.


    After watching the ceremony thus far, he¡¯d thought when it was his turn to join the Verdant Oak that the event would pass without much impact. As if it were a simple thing to do and walk away from, now that the Duke guaranteed it would happen.


    Yet standing before the four Grandmasters and being judged before their gazes¡­ These were pirs of humanity and power. Who was he topare?


    Whispers traveled through the crowd. Even at the head of the grand hall, he could make out some snippets of what the nobility said to one another. They were rtively poor at keeping their tones down.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he that traitor¡¯s son?¡± Ady asked her husband.


    ¡°I¡¯d thought that house was dissolved. Besides, how dare he show his face here after what he did to the Duke¡¯s heir?¡± said a portly man at the table in the front of the hall to a bearded gentleman.


    ¡°¡­no, no, I heard that the heir to his house is a Knight as well¡ªsupposedly aplished for an initiate. Though, it¡¯s presumptuous for their house to try to sneak in a second of their ilk after what they did¡­¡±


    <em>Ignore them.</em> Erec tuned out the voices and stood firm as he focused only on the herald¡¯s voice.


    Let them talk whatever nonsense they wanted; he didn¡¯t answer to them, and whether or not they thought he deserved it, he¡¯d earned his ce at this Academy. Could their heirs say the same? The herald¡¯s amplified voice was easy to prioritize above the rest. ¡°¡­Be there any among the Orders that would take him into their ranks?¡±


    Grandmaster Oak raised his sword high into the air. Another round of vicious whispers burned its way through the crowd. With burning cheeks, Erec moved to stand before the Grandmaster.


    ¡°Hail there,d. You¡¯ve caused my lot much trouble, haven¡¯t you?¡± The round Grandmaster said in a quiet tone. Whatever spell-work amplified their voices for the oaths appeared to be triggered bymand, though Erec didn¡¯t expect a private word.


    ¡°I apologize; I swear I¡¯ll do my best to do your Order proud.¡±


    Grandmaster Oak gave a small bark of augh; then, a rueful smile spread over his face. ¡°Aye, you will by what Sir Boldwick promised. As for them out there?¡± he jerked his head towards the crowds of whispering nobility. ¡°Fuck ¡¯em; we¡¯re Knights first, nobles second, as long as you¡¯re part of my Order, that is. Always have to beat that lesson into the new initiates.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡°


    ¡°I take it you know your oath from the Goddess knows how many that came before?¡± Erec gave a slight nod. ¡°Good, good. On your knee then,d.¡±


    Erec crouched to his knee and bowed his head. The tip of Grandmaster Oak¡¯s sword rested on his right shoulder.


    The steel de was a biting cold that weighed on him even through the padding of his too-buttony jacket. ¡°Do you ept the Order of the Verdant Oak as your own?¡± the man¡¯s robust voice carried loudly through the hall, indicating that amplification spell-work had been activated.


    ¡°I do,¡± Erec responded, jolting slightly by how loud his voice echoed.


    ¡°I would hear your oath.¡±


    ¡°Upon my life, I do give my oath. From this day forward, I will give back to the world more than I take. I will sow twice what I reap.¡± Though the oath wasn¡¯t sworn in the Goddess¡¯s name, the way it ran through his nerves like lightening and brought goosebumps upon his neck felt more potent than Her hand clutching his heart. Grandmaster Oak smiled wide.


    ¡°Your oath has been heard by all in this esteemed hall. I dub thee Sir Erec of House Audentia; initiate to the Order of the Verdant Oak.¡±

 Chapter 20: New World

    Chapter 20: New World


    "<em> I THINK the paleness of the fear I showed </em>


    <em>When he, rejected from that conference, </em>


    <em>Rejoined me, caused him speak more confident </em>


    <em>Than felt he inly.</em>


    <em>For the nce he sent </em>


    <em>Through the dense darkness of the backward road </em>


    <em>Denied the valour of his words'' pretence; </em>


    <em>And pausing there with anxious listening mien, </em>


    <em>While came no sound, nor any help was seen, </em>


    <em>He muttered, "Yet we must this conflict win, </em>


    <em>For else - But whom her aid has pledged herein - How long before heeth!" </em>


    <em>And in I knew His words turned sideward from the ending due </em>


    <em>They first portended.</em>


    <em>Faster beat my fear, </em>


    <em>Methinks, than had he framed in words more clear </em>


    <em>The meaning that his care withheld."</em>


    <em>- Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy (1320, 2nd Era)</em>


    The rest of the day flew by like a dream. The elevator ride down to Erec¡¯s old home came and vanished; his steps through the tunnels went just as quick. He threw open the door to his house, tossed his leather bag with VAL tucked inside his shoulder, and then grabbed his small packed luggage case. Then left for good.


    After that, Erec returned to the surface.


    To the surface. To a world where every day he could get lost in the bright blue sea above. To his new home, where his every breath brought lungfuls of fresh dry air instead of the same old recycled air that circted inside the venting systems and bio-caverns miles below.


    The smile on his face never slipped away for more than a minute. He reached the Academy campus before the euphoria started to fade.


    Erec adjusted the leather strap on his shoulder as he stared at the Verdant Oak quarters on the western side of campus. What sort of vines grew all wild over the red-brick side of the massive building? They were odd, with their spade-like leaves and those budding bright orange flowers. Though, their beauty was undeniable. The way they added that ssh of natural color and texture against the green backdrop dominating this quadrant.


    It wasn¡¯t as if the other Orders didn¡¯tpete with their gardens and ornate decorations. The pure and wild growth here made everything else pale inparison.


    ¡°Done gawk¡¯n?¡± A girl yelled out from the stairs leading to the building¡¯s doors. Though it startled him, Erec collected hisposure quickly. He stood straighter and marched down the concrete path to get a better look. A girl perched herself on the stair railing, smoking an awful-smelling rolled cigarette.


    She was a thin woman with chopped light brown hair and wispy arms tanned to a crisp. There was no mistaking the Verdant Oak pin on her light red jacket, nor those ck fatigues and their silver trim; she was a student here¡ªan initiate, like him. A year older, perhaps. She raised her hand, with the cigarette still burning between two fingers, in a simple greeting.


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t mind me, thought I¡¯d take some time to take it all in. I like those vines. They¡¯re gorgeous.¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Ah, the trumpet vines? They¡¯re tough bastards, more menace than anything, though they do flower good.¡± The woman shook her head and then gave azy smile. She hopped off the railing and stalked toward him. ¡°So, you¡¯re the first new blood here, eh?¡± Her head tilted side to side, then gave a snicker. ¡°I was told I had to be nice and greet you proper. Consider yourself lucky I¡¯m not bored enough to start fucking with you first-years yet.¡±


    ¡°A rare privilege. I¡¯ll count my blessings.¡±


    ¡°Soooo¡ªif we¡¯re going to do this proper. First thing¡¯s first. Show me your pin.¡± She tossed her cigarette onto the ground and twisted the cherry into the concrete path with a boot. Then up came her hand, expectant.


    Erec gave her an odd look. ¡°Pin?¡±


    ¡°What, don¡¯t got your pin?¡± A cold spark of fear ran through him, and his stomach knotted. <em>I did not get this far to fuck up and forget to get a pin, Goddess above.</em>


    ¡°No, I was told to report here and to speak to the quartermaster for¡ª¡° Erec exined a little too quick, the words tumbling over one another. Then he saw her wide smile and that little twinkle that came to her eyes.


    [Well, done, Intern. You fell for such a simple trick. I¡¯m very impressed.]


    ¡°You lied.¡± Erec rolled his eyes as she started to crack up. She shook her head after having a smallugh at his expense; it wasn¡¯t a particrly good joke. He let out a sigh, just relieved he hadn¡¯t messed anything up already. Getting here had taken way too much; he¡¯d had too many sleepless nights to mess up over a pin.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. Couldn¡¯t resist. Naw, really. I have three eight-hours shifts over the next couple of days, and it¡¯s real dry waiting around out here for you first-years to show up. But hey, that dumb look on your face¡ªpriceless. Almost makes it worth it.¡± She cleared her throat, then stopped hunching over. ¡°Name¡¯s Gwen, nice to meet you,¡± she offered up a hand to shake.


    Erec eyed it for a moment to be sure she wasn''t pulling another trick. ¡°Erec.¡±


    ¡°Aw, fuck, Erec Audentia?¡± her head tilted, and her tone spiked up with the question.


    ¡°Yeah, something wrong with that?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but bristle. Here it came, like it always did, ¡®from the traitor¡¯s House,¡¯ or, ¡®wow, they let you in?¡¯ One of the two, he was sure of it. Of course, an Academy filled with nobles would act like that; he¡¯d heard enough in the great hall to prepare¡ª


    ¡°You¡¯re Bedwyr¡¯s lil brother?¡±


    That hit like a thrashing mite¡¯s iling appendage to the head. His mouth opened to say something; then it closed again. Of all the things? That was how she knew his House?


    ¡°I mean, I knew you were going to be joining us, but¡ª¡° she shrugged. ¡°¡ªsorta pictured you a bit different, y¡¯know?¡±


    Well, Bedwyr had a head full of rugged hair, a defined jawline, and spent all of his spare time in the gym¡ªby contrast, Erec was strong but didn¡¯t have that sort of frame, nor did their faces line up. Bedwyr took after their father¡¯s side, while Erec took from their mother''s. Though, he did have a couple of inches of height on Bedwyr. However, if the two were in the same room, everyone¡¯s eyes were naturally drawn toward his brother.


    He could take an insult to his house or mother. But herparing him to Bedwyr right off the bat hit him in an odd way that he couldn¡¯t find the words to.


    ¡°I am who I am.¡± He said and exhaled through his teeth, sincerely hoping that this conversation wouldn¡¯t y out anywhere else in this Academy. Goddess above, have mercy. ¡°Can we¡ªcan we get on with this?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Yeah, yea, right this way."


    Gwen motioned for him to follow behind as she walked up the steps. Thankfully she left it at that and didn¡¯t dive into his family history any further.


    His first steps into the Verdant Oak quarters were, in short, extraordinary. Live nt life crawled on the walls, and more twisting vines spread out of too-many pots that cluttered the entry. They''d opted to forgo artwork or old-world decoration, unlike nearly the rest of the high-nobility. Everything disyed inside was alive. A wide range of dark foliages spouting bright red flowers to off-colored and misshapen mute nts.


    The entrance hall spread in three distinct directions. The central path led to ssrooms and different rooms set aside for the Verdant Oak sses. Gwen exined that all mandatory sses were in the central Academy building, and each Order housed its electives in their quarters.


    If you took your way down the right hall from the entrance, you¡¯d find yourself in the dorms and canteen, thest stop on their journey.


    No, instead, Gwen brought him down the left hall. Rooms spawning off the hall contained various purposes, from gyms and training spaces to grease-stained workshops. Some of which required special permission to enter. Erec noted the workshops were open for initiate ess and swore to circle backter.


    Past the workshop was the quartermaster and the reason they came here first. The man gave Erec an exasperated look through his wiry sses and got through his work quickly. He took Erec¡¯s measurements, then issued him three sets of Academy uniforms and a single set of formals.


    He was also issued the basics such as bed sheets, sundries, and of course, his Order pin.


    Erec turned the tiny bit of metal over in his hand; an was oak etched into its surface. It felt heavy but right to hold.


    The quartermaster cleared his throat and tapped a finger on a sheet of paper filled with boxes and checkmarks. As they went through the supplies, Erec checked off box after box.


    But there was one box still empty¡ªone thing that had yet to be issued; what he wanted the most.


    ¡°No Armor?¡± the man asked with a sigh.


    ¡°No, my Markos II, and it¡¯s well¡­ It no longer works; it was a loaner Armor, to begin with, so it never really belonged to me¡ª¡°


    ¡°Goddess above. That¡¯s always a poor omen.¡± The guy rubbed his temple and walked away from the counter. He pulled out a key to rifle through a drawer. A momentter, he returned to the counter with a ck rubber wristband, setting it on the checklist sheet. ¡°If this one ends up like that poor Markos II, I¡¯ll have you run threeps outside the wall.¡±


    ¡°I promise to take good care of it.¡± Erec reached towards the rubber wristband, which undoubtedly contained an authorization chip.


    The quartermaster¡¯s fingers mped around his wrist, tight like an iron manacle, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°These are not toys. They are weapons of war, with an iparable ability to kill¡ªtreat them how you would a sword, only far better. Because, unlike a sword, your Armor can <em>also </em>save your life.¡±


    ¡°I swear,¡± Erec said, meeting the severe eyes of the man.


    The quartermaster released his grip and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s in Workshop C, Rack 23. Engineers will let you in when you show the wristband. Go collect it and bring it to your dorm so that you can keep it on your personal rack.¡±


    As if Erec needed that exined. Few in his year appreciated Armors and their power quite as much as him. After having the Markos on the edge of falling apart the entire trial, he was damn near giddy for the upgrade. With a quick nod of appreciation to the quartermaster, he checked thest box and submitted his form.


    Erec took off to the next stop. To his new Armor.

 Chapter 21: Vallum

    Chapter 21: Vallum


    Erec practically ran to Workshop C with Gwen. Every second he waited to see his new Armor felt like torture. For her part, sheughed and went along with it, letting him speed her along to his heart''s content.


    At the entrance, azy engineer looked over his wristband. Erec tapped his foot until the man ushered him in¡ªthough he had to go<em> alone</em> and collect the Armor from its rack.


    "I''ll be back fast, alright?" he told Gwen before darting in.


    The workshop''s interior was strewn with welders, spare twisted metal, and dissected Armor. Towards a dark corner was an empty frame with a hundred wires poking out of it. All of the haphazard bits and bobs transformed this ce into an ident waiting to happen.


    Erec counted off the numbers on the racks until he reached it. Number 23.


    The Armor hung on a bright yellow rack; the first thing that stood out to him on the pristine Armor was therge ck and green sigil of an oak tree. It decorated both pauldrons.


    The ting on the pauldrons was also asymmetrical¡ªthe right had a smaller te that he guessed was for enhanced maneuverability. Below the shoulders were sleek metal arms and a set of decent gauntlets, though the right side had a unique modification. It had one-inch spikes across the knuckles.


    Were they for cheap shots? Some sort ofst desperate maneuver in a fight to catch a monster off guard? A few potential scenarios danced through his head.


    But something else demanded his attention.


    Green fabric hung from the back, along with a hood¡ªa cloak of some sort? Erec clutched the fabric; its texture felt stic-like with the flexibility of cloth. <em>Corrosive resistance? That might be a stretch</em>. He could request the schematics and details of the model from the Academy¡¯s library. In fact, Gwen had rmended that as one of the things he could do over the next couple of days. Though, once he let VAL get ahold of it, he doubted he¡¯d need to sit back and do research.


    The helmet of the Armor was distinctive. It had a manual visor with reinforced tinted ss between the five slits of steel. The top of the helmet came to a point and curbed outward to deflect any blows to the head without letting it catch.


    This was a mean feat of engineering, a pure blend between the old-world knights and undoubtedly a catalog of modern features from this Era. The past and the present fused together to give mankind a weapon to take their world back.


    Erec scratched the back of his head, unable to stop his wide smile.


    [Put me next to it.] Valmanded.


    Oh, right. If nobody was watching them... Erec nced around the workshop¡ªa couple of engineers were talking near a design schematic, another busy working on bulky Armor in the corner.


    Erec leaned his leather bag close to the Armor¡ªand VAL zoomed out; he hit the steel ting, and it rippled like the surface of a pond. In less than a second, VAL merged with it.


    [Ah¡ªnow this is a much <em>better</em> workspace. I was impressed when I was running my scanners over the other Armors in your group. But it is another thing entirely to get a look at a piece of equipment and start testing it yourself. Based on the preliminary findings, this isn¡¯t quite as impressive as theirs. Well, for the two advanced models. Yet this is a massive improvement to that faulty Markos II and a clever design for something crafted by unassisted humans.]


    Of course not; the ducal lines paid through the nose for those personalized Armors.. If issued initiates Armor came anywhere close to that, the Academy would blow their budget. But hey, the Markos II served them well enough to get to this point.


    [There¡¯s the model name: Vallum. First generation. A couple of distinctive features¡ªmade for long-distance treks, along with several enhanced environmental protection measures. Other than that, it appears rtively basic in terms of physical enhancements. Very generalized, which is eptable for its stated purpose. Though¡­ That¡¯s interesting¡ªwatch this.]


    Erec tilted his head¡ªand the green fabric hanging off of the Armor suddenly bled into a tan and brown color, holding the dull color for a few seconds¡ªbefore slowly converting back to green. ¡°Whoa.¡± He gave another nce to the engineers, though they hadn¡¯t bothered looking in his direction at all.


    [Remarkable, though I do not understand how they¡¯ve achieved this by running a current of the core¡¯s energy to the cloak. It shifts the color in what¡¯s helpfullybeled as a ¡°camouge¡± mode. Though I am familiar with a certain line of research utilizing fiber optics, the way they achieve it here is truly odd¡ª]


    ¡°Are there any color patterns it can shift to?¡± Better not to let the nostalgic ancient robot stoke those rambling mes of old research projects.


    [No, only the cid green and tan blend; the green, I imagine, is for blending into growth or forests. Aside from your caverns and city, I predict ack of such lush nature. At least not in this state. Theory. The green is to match your silly ¡®Order¡¯ colors. Oh, silly humans and their tribalistic tendencies.]


    Erec stopped listening to VAL and disengaged the rack from holding up the Armor. In a second, its boots were flush with the ground. He circled around it and climbed in¡ªit only took ten seconds for the Armor to seal.


    There was just a single clean notification informing him that the Armor activated; No shing barrage of failures. And no visual clutter. Though, itcked the targeting and advanced scanner of Colin''s Cser IV. Hard to say if the minimal disy was its natural state or if VAL was already tweaking the Armor.


    Erec stepped away from the rack. No whirring servos filled his ears. There wasn''t any jerkyg in the movements; it flowed as smooth as water.


    What were the limits to the Vallum? It might not stand up to damage as well as an advanced custom model, and true, he didn''t get any features topliment his Virtues specifically. But this generalized Order of the Verdant Oak Armor felt better than he''d dreamed.


    [It will take a day for my integration toplete. Unlike the Markos II, this model appears to have a more sophisticated design, including some systems I¡¯m unsure how to streamline; or the purpose of. Digging into the data provided might allow for a better judgment call. Annoyingly, I suspect that the conclusion will be that they correspond to your ¡®anomalous energy¡¯]


    ¡°Fine by me,¡± Erec curled a hand, watching the fingers of the Armor move in sync with his own, despite the inches of steel te. ¡°As much as I hate to admit it, I think we can¡¯t leave Gwen waiting any longer.¡±


    [What, not excited to see your new housing?]


    ¡°Not nearly as much as I was to get this thing.¡±


    [Ah, Intern. You don¡¯t know how lucky you have it. At Vortex Industries, we kept capsule rooms for low-level employees like yourself to minimize space and maximize science. With such convenient housing nearby, you could¡¯ve worked all day and then crawled into your capsule and woken up on rm to work again¡ª]


    Erec walked out of the workshop and caught up with Gwen. She was waiting with a smirk and a thumbs-up ¡°Nice. Same Armor as me¡ªtrust me, it¡¯s pretty handy. The rest of the Orders alwaysin that we get the cool cloak, so make sure to rub it into their face.¡±


    [Press her for data.]


    Erec was a little thrown off by VAL¡¯s sudden request, but the Vallum¡¯s helm luckily obscured his confusion. ¡°Uh, they¡¯re using different models?¡±


    ¡°Well, duh. Each Order has its specialty. What sense would it make to design basic models for their Order and not add a few useful features to their roles? That cloak isn¡¯t the only thing, by the way. Notice how quiet your steps are?¡± Gwen asked.


    Erec looked down at the boots. Sure enough, he¡¯d noticed that the servos were far quieter¡ªbut they didn¡¯t really ¡®clink¡¯ on the ground as one would expect from the heavy metal.


    [They¡¯ve utilized an advanced shock absorbing material. What a streamlined design. If only Vortex Industries was still headhunting for talent¡­]


    ¡°I can see how it would be useful; I wondered how Sir Boldwick moved around without making any noise,¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s using something better than we are. But same principle. You¡¯ll find that you¡¯ll want to tend towards more lightweight and sleek designs. There are some exceptions, of course, but we often go on long-range scouting operations outside the wall.¡± She shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ll get your first taste of that at the end of the month if they¡¯re still sticking to the same course design.¡±


    Erec tilted his head. He¡¯d get to see more of the outside world? So soon?


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get you to your dorm. You¡¯ll want to drop off your stuff and switch into your Academy uniform. From there, you¡¯re free to go on your own. By the way¡­¡± Gwen trailed off.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Erec asked, already wondering if it¡¯d be better to test out the Armor in a gym¡ªor to go and check out the rest of the Orders; then there was the Academy itself¡ªso many options. He didn¡¯t doubt that he¡¯d be running around and busy until courses started.


    ¡°If you need anything, tell me. Bedwyr¡¯s done me good, and I¡¯d do good by his little bro if I can.¡±


    Erec sighed. He wanted to forge his own path through this ce, but perhaps that stubborn thought had been a bit naive and pig-headed. It was okay to ept someone holding out their hand. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll keep that in mind. I appreciate all the help.¡±


    Gwen shed him a quick smile.

 Chapter 22: Maid To Be A Knight

    Chapter 22: Maid To Be A Knight


    <em>"It is of vital essence to divide the strength of our noblest Knights and have them form Orders. These Orders shall press forward their values and knowledge to strengthen the next generation.</em>


    <em>Through this specialization, the interests of the State and its peoples can be divided and represented in our top tier of Knights. We cannot function like the soldiers of the eras before; with mankind''s Blessing, some will inevitably rise to status and power impossible to even the most decorated warriors of the world before.</em>


    <em>It is through a definition of these distinct Orders, by establishing their traditions and pressing their individualized values on those within their ranks, that they may keep one another in check. Through this bnce of power, mankind can prosper and mitigate the risks of one strong Knight or Order usurping the interests of the State and its peoples."</em>  <em></em><em>- King Restfos Crisimus, Creation Of The Orders (137, 3rd Era)</em>


    The Order of the Verdant Oaks dorms wasid out in a simple yet effective way. The four students shared amunal living space, and each had their private bedroompleted with a bathroom that fed into the living area,


    For a Knight Order¡ªand by default, popted mainly by noble blood- the decorations were rather sparse and simplistic. A couch, a fewfortable chairs, and a small rack of bookcases packed with old-world and new texts.


    Though, there was a chess board that Erec had no clue how to y. Supposedly a hit with the higher nobility, as it was a game of gentlemen and gentlewomen.


    What impressed him the most about the room was the expansive windows and the nt life inside of their dorm that coated its surface. They¡¯d allowed the nts to grow wild and turn half of the living space into a jungle bathed in light. Twisting vines and bushy ferns were the mostmon.


    On the side of the entrance to the room was a smaller space filled with four personal racks,beled for their convenience.


    Erec deposited his Armor on his assigned rack and then looked over the names of the people he¡¯d be spending the next couple of years with.


    A smile broke out on his face at the rack next to his. There was a small te behind it listing who it belonged to. <em>Garin Honestus. </em>


    As he read the next te, the joy withered away into a reluctant sigh. Colin Nitidus. Of course, it would be him. He didn¡¯t doubt that the Duke¡¯s hand was in this too. <em>Knights first, nobles second, eh? </em>Guess time would show how well that phrase held up; because even for nobles second, they still seemed to have damn near a lot of say in how things went.


    Though, he did make a vow. Perhaps he should be grateful that the Duke was helping him fulfill it. If Colin had belonged to a different Order or lived in separate quarters, how much harder would befriending him and spying be? Erec scratched his head as he took in thest rack.


    <em>Olivia Gratuiti?</em> Erec racked his brain through the ceremony, trying his damnedest to ce a face to the name.


    Nothing came to mind. He¡¯d been too checked out for most of it, stressed about Garin getting in, that even if this girl had gone ahead of him, he couldn¡¯t picture her. Out of the twenty-one epted into the Order of the Verdant Oak before him, he¡¯d lost track of names and faces rtively easily. He wasn¡¯t like his friend and didn¡¯t particrly care about those he hadn¡¯t met or their status. Maybe Garin would know her background?


    Erec shook his head and made way to his room; it was quaint. Spaciouspared to his previous bedroom, which doubled as a family office. There was a drawer for clothes, a desk for study topped by a smallmp. The bed was unmade, and he supposed that would be the first thing he got around to doing. And a window gave a lovely view into the lush wild garden around the Verdant Oak quarters.


    Aside from that, the room was a nk te. He could fill the walls with decoration¡ªbanners or trophies of his past. Yet he had none of that. Nor any desire to. There was a beauty in the simplicity here. Erec made his bed, put his things away, and tucked his mother¡¯s letter in an old-world book he brought on his desk as he sat on the bed and visualized his goal. And that which he needed to do to chase after his mother. The woman who left this Kingdom and strode into the wastes.


    <em>Strength. I need more Strength.</em>


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The first to join him in the dorm was Garin. He arrived the day after the ceremony with a giant smirk. He rushed to throw his stuff in his room and then joined Erec on the couch, then he tossed an arm over his shoulder.


    ¡°Miss me?¡± his friend chuckled, scanning their new living space. Garin had been in such a rush to rack his Armor and toss away his things; it surprised Erec that he¡¯d checked out the tes already. ¡°So, Colin¡¯s going to be crashing here too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, about that.¡± Erec set down his book. An old-world tale about a warrior named Beowulf, who slew a monster. At the time, the concept of this warrior was mere fiction, but reading it after the end of the 2nd Era¡­ It was a bit more rtable than it should¡¯ve been. ¡°Before our ceremony, Duke Nitidus forced me to meet with him.¡±


    Garin stopped smiling and scooted a bit away on the couch to study his expression. ¡°Whoa. Holy shit? The Unbroken General? I¡¯d have pissed myself in your shoes. Wait¡ªif you¡¯re here, then what did he want?¡±


    <em>Yeah, he would be quick to catch on to that.</em> Erec rubbed his neck. ¡°He made me vow on the goddess¡¯ name to befriend his son, then uh, spy on him. That was his contingent for pulling the strings to let me into this Order.¡±


    ¡°Well. That¡¯s pretty awful, and really¡ªa spy?¡± Garin shook his head. ¡°How are you going to go about befriending him? Guy¡¯s a total prick. I hate to say it, but ying nice now isn¡¯t going to do you any favors since you bashed his face in during the trial, making him look like a total idiot.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªwell, I thought ying nice <em>would</em> be the way to¡­¡±


    Garin¡¯s face scrunched up.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ To be honest, I¡¯ve been avoiding thinking too hard about how to go about it. I thought once I got into the Academy, I¡¯d be able to sort it out, but the more I¡¯ve thought, the more impossible it seems.¡± Erec said.


    ¡°A tough challenge to tackle¡­¡± Garin tapped a finger to his chin, and his eyes focused on the ceiling. ¡°If you didn¡¯t screw yourself, you could¡¯ve pandered to his ego. But that won¡¯t work. Hmmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you please help me? It¡¯s like I¡¯m doomed and, no matter what I¡¯vee up with, it has no shot of working. I feel like a trapped squirrel.¡±


    Garin gave a small ufortableugh and tugged at his cor. ¡°¡­well yeah, you¡¯re the loner who¡¯d rather work on his Armor and take a long trek through a bio-cavern than spend five minutes with people you don¡¯t know. Of course, you¡¯re a hopeless pick for this job. That¡¯s why I like you. There¡¯s an authenticity to that mindset. I¡¯ll think it over. But why did the Duke pick you for this anyway?¡±


    ¡°He said, ¡®From respectes mutual understanding. And from that maye friendship.¡¯ But I find it hard to picture Colin respecting anyone, even if he thought that me knocking him out brought it.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    Erec shrugged and marked his book, and set it on their table.


    After Garin finished unpacking and switching into his Academy uniform, they made their way around campus together.


    Erec already had brought his Vallum to a workshop the night before to take a look under the ting. With VAL breaking down his discoveries this morning, he had a good grasp on the capabilities of the Armor. The Vallum was a piece of generalized Armor with no strong nt in any Virtue¡¯s direction. But those specialties that geared it more towards scouting did give it an irregr edge.


    He¡¯d also gotten a look at the default model for the Order of the Lotus. An extremely sleek design with minimal ting; enhances its pilot¡¯s speed and strike force at the cost of protection. An interesting difference in design philosophy left VAL wondering if some underlying subsystems made it more sustainable. But it wasn¡¯t like the two could break it down and take a look inside like they could with the Vallum.


    Of course, Garin got his own Vallum as well¡ªhis trial Armor was his father¡¯s. But, unlike Erec, his friend wasn¡¯t very interested in picking apart how it worked¡ªciting that their courses would train them enough.


    No, Garin wanted to take a look at the rest of the new students filtering in and where they¡¯d be staying.


    Erec went along mostly to explore the campus, so the two looked around at the rest of the quarters.


    The Order of the Silver mes was a somewhat predictable design¡ªtheir building looked more like one of the church temples than a Knightly Orderplete with pirs shaped like swords and a statue of the Goddess by their entry. Erec begged them away after a quick nce about. The church always stirred up mixed feelings in him after their scathing assault on his House''s name.


    In contrast, the Order of the Azure Tower had a damn near whimsical feel to it, with several spiraling towers that rose above the rest of the Academy. They hung impossibly high in the air¡ªtheir blue cobalt bricks were distinctive from any distance. No doubt they used some sort of spell-work to break thews of gravity. Elective courses take ce at the top of each tower.


    The one that rang closest to his heart was the Order of the Crimson Lotus. They kept their quarters a restrained and serene beauty. Where the Verdant Oak went wild with its nts, everything in the Order of the Crimson Lotus was deliberate. Their building formed a ring around a massive central pond of knee-height water. A thousand red lotuses floated on it''s still surface. The building was a restrained architecture, enhancing and drawing the eye towards the central pond, conveying a sense of peace and harmony.


    Eventually, the day passed by, and the two made their way back to their dorms. Erec felt exhausted from all of the chatter with random people, while his friend was in high spirits.


    There was someone in their dorm.


    A girl with bright blond hair sat on the couch, feet kicked up on the coffee table, and a mug filled with cold tea perfumed the room. She snored as they closed the door. Garin looked to Erec, who shrugged.


    Garin cleared his throat loudly.


    The girl shot up and released a small gasp before her eyes hit them; she looked to her tea and then back to them. ¡°Oh! I was waiting for you to get back!¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah. We were just out exploring.¡± Garin said, striding in. Erec followed behind him and rubbed his eyes. It¡¯d already been a long exhausting day. He¡¯d been hoping they¡¯d get back and call it a night, expecting the others in their dorm to arrive tomorrow. <em>I¡¯ll make this quick and get some rest. </em>


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m Olivia Gratuiti; it¡¯s an absolute pleasure to meet you both.¡± She shot up from the couch into a practiced pose, even giving a small curtsy. ¡°So our dorm shall have a future duke, baron, and¡­¡± she tilted her head at Erec.


    ¡°Second son of an unded Lord.¡± Erec sighed. ¡°I¡¯m inheriting nothing.¡±


    ¡°Oh! My deepest apologies if I offended, but you¡¯re a Knight now, right? Such circumstances like your title matter very little since you¡¯re going to make your own name!¡± She walked a little closer and smiled at them both. ¡°Let us all give this our best.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m unfamiliar with the House of Gratuiti?¡± Garin asked, squinting a bit. <em>That¡¯s odd</em>. He usually made it a point to know other nobility or, at the very least, their houses. The fact this girl stumped him left Erec feeling tfooted.


    ¡°Oh! No need to apologize; there¡¯s no way you¡¯d have recognized it. My mother and I served the Luculentus Estate¡ªMy mother is a maid there. As was I. However, I am Dame Olivia now. First to form my own House, if my dreams bear fruit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s amazing! Well done. I¡¯ll be wishing you the best.¡± Garin matched her grin.


    Erec turned the information over in his head. This girl served the Luculentus Household, the same duchy from which the odd Lyotte came. He fought to keep the frown from his face, but Olivia must have caught it since she tilted her head and widened her eyes.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No¡ªjust tired. I think I¡¯m going to call it a day.¡± Erec fired back quickly, unable to determine what was going on. It was too much of a coincidence, but why? He waved off their invitations to stay up and talk longer, heading to his room. Better to collect himself before revealing anything and to process how to deal with this.


    On the one hand, she seemed genuine, and her circumstances were¡­ well, like his own in many ways. But was she a spy? A spy on one ducal line to another¡­ but Lyotte had been so strange to him and pushy. Olivia didn¡¯t seem to recognize him, but what if it was an act? Was that suspicion narcissism in disguise? He threw himself on the bed and called it a night.


    A white stag leaped over a mountain in his dreams; beneath it, the world burned.

 Chapter 23: Attention

    Chapter 23: Attention


    Before the crack of dawn, a siren red through the entirety of the Academy. Erec shook in his bed¡ªslick with sweat as the siren rang out again, deafening.


    A magically amplified voice cracked through the halls. ¡°¡ªall Knights. This is not a test of the Emergency Alert System. Hostiles have been spotted amassing at the southern wall. Equip your gear and immediately report to a Knight Protector or higher. Attention. All Knights¡ª¡° the message went on as Erec rubbed his eyes, as his heart hammered away.


    The image of the stag burned in his mind.


    [Well, that isn¡¯t ideal. Youck training and are already being sent to a battle. Ah, humanity. Indeed this is one of your most ssic of tales.] VAL¡¯s voice pulled him out of the hazy-half-conscious mindset. Erec struggled over to the pile of clothes from the day before, quickly yanking his uniform pants on and tossing on his shirt. He didn¡¯t bother with the jacket before he threw his door open to head to his Armor.


    This was the point of why he became a Knight. To face these kinds of threats and grow stronger while protecting those that couldn¡¯t; until he got strong enough.


    Though for something like this to happen so early was concerning, he¡¯d make do. He hadn¡¯t collected a weapon yet, so that was his first priority.


    Garin gave him bleary eyes in the living room. ¡°Second fight, eh? Couldn¡¯t ask for a better friend to wade into battle with. Let''s y some monsters for breakfast.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯re just headed to provide support, not anything crazy.¡± It was a baldfaced lie, but if he pretended to be bold and kept from letting his fear show, it¡¯d keep Garin¡¯s spirits up. He couldn¡¯t recall thest time there was an attack on the walls. Given he lived far underground, this sort of thing never really stuck in his memory, to begin with. ¡°Let¡¯s get our Armor on; we still need to get weapons.¡± The Academy tended to hand out weapons after their second week of courses. Usually, it apanied a symbolic ceremony for the Orders. Most of the time, this would never be an issue. But the timing of this¡­ was awful.


    ¡°Yeah, no way am I dealing with monsters with only my fists.¡± Garin looked down at his hands and smirked again, ¡°Well, unless I can crush them like those thrashing mites. That was actually pretty fun.¡± He clenched his fingers and gave a forcedugh.


    How had this attack urred so suddenly? The thick steel walls surrounding the Kingdom often gave the Knights plenty of sight of the wastes. The more time he¡¯d got to slog through his tired head, the less it made sense.


    Ultimately, worrying about the details was fruitless. Sooner orter, they¡¯d have answers. Erec strode into the Armor room and quickly equipped his Vallum Armor¡ªright behind, Garin got geared up too. When they returned to the living room, Olivia trailed out, still in pajamas; her eyes were wide. ¡°Whoa. This is real. I thought I might be dreaming.¡± She tilted her head at them. ¡°Wait a minute for me, will you?¡±


    Garin and Erec exchanged looks and then shrugged. At this point, another minute wouldn¡¯t matter much. Better to stick together in a group than leave her on her own.


    Erec expected her to go back into her room to toss on clothes quickly, but no. She ran right past them into the room with her Armor. The mad girl was going to pilot her Armor in pajamas and face Goddess knew what.


    Come to think of it, should he have even bothered with throwing Academy clothes on? Inparison to her, Erec felt a little silly at his instincts. Perhaps Olivia was more practical than either of them.


    Olivia stepped out in her Vallum and gave them a quick clenched fist to her chest as a sign of respect.


    With that, they were off to the Quartermaster¡ªjoining a small line of twelve initiates in their ss who came to their first conclusion. A Knight Commander oversaw the ensemble sternly, likely having predicted this and moving to take control of the new initiates.


    She had her helmet tucked under an arm and ignored the hushed conversations in the hall.


    Initiates moved to the Quartermaster and slowly received their weapons. However, the Quartermaster didn''t have any forms to fill out or ount for the weapons, which made sense given the emergency rm.


    The troop moved painfully slow and unorganized, stoked by the whispered fears and worries in the new bloods.


    After the cial pace, and a couple more initiates arriving, the Commander gave a quick shout for them. It didn¡¯t seem to help.


    Garin gave Erec a tap on the shoulder. ¡°Hold my spot for me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Erec asked, but his friend didn¡¯t answer. Instead, Garin stepped right out of line and walked straight up to the Knight Commander¡ªperforming the same clenched fist to the chest that Olivia had done briefly before.


    The Knight¡¯s irritated eyesnded on Garin.


    ¡°Initiate, return to the line. It is important you are all equipped promptly,¡± she said, without a trace of any emotion in her voice.


    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am. But I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± Garin jerked his head towards all of the initiates milling in the line. ¡°Everyone¡¯s nerves are haywire, and I thought it¡¯d be best to ask for a brief exnation of the situation if you have any details. I think it¡¯d go a long way to easing everybody.¡± His voice cut across cleanly to the crowd. The hushed conversations between the initiates vanished as their ears trained on what was happening.


    The Knight Commander took a long moment, her face locked in a frown before the dam finally broke, and her expression softened to a grimace. ¡°I am aware youck any training from our Order. Typically you learn quickly not to question yourmanders during an emergency situation. But, given all of you have yet to take a single course, I believe I agree with your assessment. Knowing the situation will prevent misced fear and mistakes derived from that.¡± She nodded her head. ¡°Twenty minutes ago, the Order of the Azure Tower noticed an odd reading on the southern wall. Arge rift opened two minutester. Since then, they¡¯ve been preventing any monsters from breaking through our fortifications and sent a desperate request for backup. We must be prepared to evacuate our interiornds if needed. And then, if our wall is secured, press forward and close the Rift. The Academy is close, so we are poised to offer a first response.¡±


    There was a deadly silence as everyone took in the breadth of the situation.


    ¡°It is vital you get your equipment. Though I have no intention of leading you into direct battle unless the direst circumstances ur, it is impossible to say whether or not the hostiles that appear from the Rift will escte this further.¡± She concluded with a slight nod. ¡°Please return to the line, receive whatever weapons you¡¯re best trained with, then form rank in front of me. Time is of the essence.¡±


    With that, Garin gave her onest ¡®salute¡¯ by pressing his hand to his chest before turning on his heel and getting back in ce.


    The whispers in the hall ceased as a fixed determination took hold. Everyone realized the reality of the situation; the Orders didn¡¯t know how bad this could get and were taking every measure to control the damage if it spiraled out of control. Rifts, by their nature, could connect to <em>any</em> other world and spew out <em>any</em> horror. For a Rift to suddenly appear so close to the wall¡­ It was a perfect storm of bad situations.


    With themander¡¯s calm and detailed exnation, the line went quicker. Each initiate received their weapons¡ªmostly swords¡ªand moved to assemble in front of the woman. Erec was offered a variety of weapons¡ªwhich, again, most of what they had stashed away back in their garrison were numerous swords.


    First off, Erec asked for two hatchets. During his fight against the thrashing mites, it¡¯d been dangerous when he lost his weapon during the fray. Better to have a backup weapon. Then something caught his eye; it was tucked in the far back of the racks of weapons, forgotten about in favor of more popr weapons.


    There was a massive two-handed war axe with a wicked de shaped like a crescent; the metal of the axe head was smooth andyered in a wavy pattern. ck leather wrapped around its haft.


    Were he to fight that thrashing mite queen again a weapon like that would easily cleave the beast in two. ¡°How about that?.¡± Erec asked¡ªa finger pointing towards the axe. The quartermaster gave him an odd look.


    ¡°That was a custom order, but the Knight who wanted it failed to return from his expedition. He was a dear friend of mine.¡± He said the words carefully. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for something to apany the throwing hatchets or a weapon with reach, I¡¯d rmend these instead. Often new initiates are more familiar with swords, correct?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Erec shook his head. ¡°But if it was meant for your old friend¡ªI understand. I¡¯ll make do with the hatchets. Thank you.¡± He turned to leave, understanding the sentimental feeling behind the weapon. Better to let it stay there¡ª


    ¡°Wait.¡± The man called, and Erec paused. ¡°It¡¯s been here for a long time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to dredge up anything; I¡¯m sorry if asking about it brought up memories you¡¯d rather have left buried.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± The Quartermaster hefted the two-handed axe from the wall and set it on the counter. ¡°I think of him when I see it. I think of how much it could¡¯ve done if he¡¯d been given a chance to use it. If they¡¯d still be here if they¡¯d had it. Since I set it up on that rack, rarely has anyone given it a second nce.¡±


    Erec could understand why. With the sword being the Goddess icon, it had the highest demand. Most else was limited to side armaments¡ªsuch as these hatchets typically used as throwing weapons¡ªor custom ordered like that axe.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather it do good. Take it. Bring it honor.¡± The Quartermaster pushed the axe forward.


    Hesitantly, Erec picked the weapon up. It was heavy in his hands, both from the weight of what it represented to this make and its heavy steel. A powerful weapon for war. ¡°I¡¯ll do right by it.¡± Erec nodded his head.


    ¡°See that you do.¡±


    With that, Erec strapped the weapon to his back¡ªthe Armor utilizing ¡®anomalous energy¡¯ from the frame to hold it in ce. He joined the line of the rest of the initiates waiting in front of the Commander. In a few minutes, they¡¯d be on the move to respond to the assault on the wall.

 Chapter 24: Experiment

    Chapter 24: Experiment


    <em>¡°I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that''s why.¡±</em>


    <em>- John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men (1937, 2nd Era)</em>


    The gathered initiates marched to the southern side of the Academy, where all four Orders lumped their forces together. There was a contingent of Errant Knights and any else who happened to be at the Academy itself. Once the confirmations went through that everyone had assembled, the group rushed into a forced march to the southern wall.


    Erec kept close to Garin and Olivia as they jogged down the path.


    But his eyes couldn¡¯t help but wander to the other initiates lumped up in the Academy¡¯s forces.


    Of interest were obviously the two other basic Armor designs he¡¯d yet to take a close look at. Those of the Silver mes had a crown-like structure to their Armor, ringed around their heads. They also possessed thick ting, surpassed only by the thick shell-like steel of the Azure Tower Armor. It seemed the two Orders tended to a heavier style.


    Some of the second years had already made modifications. Swapped out ting, weaponized their gauntlets, or added mechanisms to the legs. Frames were adaptable if you managed the effort and resources¡ªor made an engineer friend.


    Then there were those with custom Armor. Designs that took a wide variety in shape and purpose but united by the painted crest of their Order on the ting.


    The Order of the Crimson Lotus generally led the jog; their sleeker base design made them a natural fit to run ahead.


    <em>Somewhere up there.</em> Bedwyr was in their group. Even if he couldn¡¯t tell the difference between them in the Armor, his brother was ahead, hidden amongst their number.


    Erec ran harder.


    The group sped as quick as they could through the wastes, and reached the wall in thirty-minutes time.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Near the wall, the initiates remained tensed but in position.


    Above them, at the top of the giant steel curtain, rained a hailstorm of fire, lightning, and smoke. Spell after spell discharged as stronger Knights fought above.


    As Erec discovered, war sometimes held quite a bit of ufortable waiting.


    He winced as a blob of green smashed into a Knight far above¡ªcatching the unprepared man and hurling him from the wall. A couple of secondster, the poor bastard crashed into the ground with a shower of dust. Erec¡¯s heart kicked up a notch.


    What was going through that guy''s head as he suddenly found no more ground underneath him? During the fall?


    ¡°Initiate Gwen, retrieve that Knight, and give emergency treatment if required.¡± Their Commander called. The girl Erec had met earlier nodded¡ªsoliciting the help of another initiate before scrambling off in the direction where the man cratered. Armor could prevent a lot of damage¡ªand if the man¡¯s Blessings were high enough, he¡¯d survive a fall like that. But if they weren¡¯t¡ªwell, there might not be anything left to issue emergency treatment to but a corpse.


    They¡¯d been like this for thirty minutes¡ªwith their Commander on edge as they watched the desperate fighting close to them. Whatever was assaulting the wall managed to scale its sheer steel surface¡ªa terrifying proposition. Erec¡¯s eyes ran down the length of the miles-long arrangement of steel ting and reinforcement that kept most everything out. But apparently, not <em>whatever</em> horrors spewed from this Rift.


    Thergest reinforcement was still about thirty minutes out.


    It took time to gather their forces, arm them properly, and then mobilize. The Academy had been closer. Still, small contingents of higher-ranked knights kept trickling in while the main force of Knights gathered with the army.


    They wouldn¡¯t be content to fend off the invasion when they arrived. No. They¡¯d cut back into the swath of horror spawning from the Rift. Then they¡¯d close it and stem the tide of terror.


    Though Erec didn¡¯t know the details, he did know closing a Rift wasn¡¯t a trivial task. It took specialized equipment and a lot of preparation to pull off.


    All the while, their Commander looked on. Determining whether or not they¡¯d need to make the call to have the initiates begin evacuation of the fields and farmers who lived close to the wall.


    A massive fleshless creature with four massive wings and a long pointed snout shot up past the wall¡ªstreaks of lightning trailed it and mmed into its side. It let out a massive roar that Erec felt in his chest. A second after, the thing dived forward, descending past the wall even as more bolts of energy crashed into it.


    ¡°Ready yourselves.¡± The Commander called, drawing her weapon. Even though the flying beast was taking in a constant stream of damage¡ªit¡¯d cleared the wall. Their attacks managed to damage its thin membrane-like wings but didn''t stop it from increasing the distance. The beast headed right toward the kingdom.


    A figure leaped from the wall¡ªa bright chain erupted from a glyph and speared into the flying creature. After hooking into the monster, the glowing chain constricted and yanked the Knight to the beast. It let out another earth-shaking roar as the two changed direction towards the ground.


    Erec drew his war axe. His eyes trailed the flying figure of the Knight tangling in the middle of the air with the crashing flyer. There were more shes of white as theynded blows with their prayers, even as the two death spiraled toward the ground.


    Greenish-yellow globs rained from the wounded creature above andnded inside the walls.


    Then the globs moved.


    ¡°Hostiles! Engage!¡± The Commander shouted. Hundreds of the things were dropping all over. They¡¯d run loose inside the Kingdom walls if they weren¡¯t controlled.


    This wasn¡¯t a matter of evacuation anymore. They were thest line of defense.


    Erec charged with Garin at his side¡ªa field of greenish-yellow condensing fluid began to amass. Amid them were little dots of reddish white. The ooze began to center around the white¡ªforming into a blob with a single bloodshot eye.


    As he reached ten feet from one, it suddenly split. Creating two. One of the slimes slid towards Garin; the other targeted him.


    More were forming nearby. Splitting,bining. A mixture of chaotic evil that only intended to consume.


    Initiates crashed into the ooze, weapons hacking away and spewing murky putrid green into the air. Their fleshy appendages grasped at the Armor. Smoke rose from the point where they made contact. <em>Corrosive.</em> Erec hefted his axe above his head¡ªmming it down a secondter in a wide arc that capitalized on its long range to hit the eyeball inside the ooze facing him. The eye tore in half.


    As the eye ripped apart, all of the surface tension holding the putrid yellow-green slime gave way. It spilled into a puddle around the twitching and bleeding eye halves.


    <em>They die rather¡ª</em>


    [Left.]


    Erec turned in time to meet the impact of a crashing ooze full force. It threw all of its weight on him¡ªhe pushed back. In the process, he lost hold of the war axe. Erec doubled down and shoved his hand through the slick insides of the thing¡ªreaching toward the eye in the center.


    Another ooze joined the first¡ªdoubling its size and increasing the weight. As it did, the eye slipped further back, the membrane began to absorb Erec.


    [Armor sustaining consistent damage. It¡¯s targeting weak points to erode quickly.]


    Erec dug both hands in, temper ring as yet another ooze joined this host. Merging to ovee him. His arms strained as the pressure inside of the creature doubled. It could exert more force within its domain¡ªit was bing hard to move.


    A long time ago, Erec worked around a cistern filled with aerated water in a bio-cavern. He¡¯d been warned to stay far away. One day a rat fell into it. No matter how hard it¡¯d tried to swim out, it made no headway. And it drowned, unable to swim. If he¡¯d fallen in, he¡¯d have met the same fate.


    As the ooze closed around him¡ªjoined by yet another¡ªthe picture of that drowning rat haunted his mind. The pressure doubled again; it was hard to make any headway with the pure slickness of the interior. Not with all of this increased force. Every inch he got closer to the eye in the middle of this monster slipped just out of range.


    Frustrating.


    Erec saw red.


    His hands yanked forward in a rapid flurry¡ªwing through the muck like an animal through mud, discing and fighting against that impossible constriction. His fingers brushed the eye''s surface, and a secondter, he took a handful of the soft interior and tore at it.


    The mounting pressure around him dispersed like a popped bubble. Acidic slime spilled all around him like water released from a dam.


    As it flowed away, he didn¡¯t hesitate; letting out a growl as he leaned down and yanked his war axe back into his hand¡ªeyes scanning for the next target.


    [Ah, you¡¯ve far surpassed your natural adrenaline threshold. Administering sedative as requested¡ª]


    Erec was already sprinting towards anotherrge mass of the ooze. It was harassing Garin and Olivia, targeting them with blow after blow of its iling slime limbs to soften them up for consumption.


    [¡ªWithholding sedative. Commencing experiment.]


    The machine''s noise in his head was little but an annoying buzz. Erec lept forward with his axe raised above his head¡ªreaching a good seven-foot vertical by using the superior strength of the Vallum model and the pure energy thrumming through him.


    Like butter to a hot knife, the edge of his axe used his downward momentum to cleave its way through the ooze. It tore into the eye and ughtered it in a single violent act.


    As he crashed back into the ground, Erec was already turning.


    ¡°Erec¡ª¡° Garin called from behind his back.


    The words meant little. Erec rushed toward the next ooze. All he heard was the sound of blood running through his veins; he only saw the red. Wholly given to a force thatpelled him forward.


    Strength.


    This was the Strength he needed to win the fight.


    He could y them. All of them. No one could stand in his way.


    Ooze after ooze. His axe swung through them as he cleaved into the battlefield. They were but wheat to his scythe.


    Initiates fought their fights in groups around him, yet he didn¡¯t need a team. All he needed was his two hands. The energy bubbled forth from a never-ending well. He¡¯d never need to stop fighting.


    He fought until there were none left. Until the oozes were all gone, and an armored figure approached him with a massive de resting on their shoulder. Were they challenging him? Did they want to taste blood too?


    There was an annoying blinking in the corner of his vision. But Erec ignored it, tensing as the figure came closer, step by step. He tasted a battle in the air. Felt his heart stir to dobat and test this challenger.


    [Experimentpleted. Administering sedative now. You¡¯ve done excellent, intern. Time for a well-deserved rest¡ª]


    Erec swung the war axe at the approaching figure as they got too close, confident they wereing to test him. His limbs were starting to feel heavy and slow, yet he still managed to put force into the blow to deal a mortal wound.


    [¡ªSedative failed. Oh no.]


    In an instant, the Knight jerked their sword off their shoulder¡ªcaught the blow mid-swing, and threw the axe wide with ease. They barrelled in and rammed Erec with their shoulder.


    Erec flew back and smashed against the ground. The Knight was on top of him in an instant, yanking his helmet off even as the Vallum protested. Their Strength was too much for the Armor to resist.


    Not with this leverage. Not with Erec¡¯s body shutting down. His limbs shook from the after-effects as his mind bled back into normalcy. Horror grasped his heart. He¡¯d just taken a swing at an ally.


    The Knight paused as Erec¡¯s helmet flew free in onest screeching groan.


    ¡°Erec?¡± Bedwyr asked.

 Chapter 25: Fury

    Chapter 25: Fury


    Erec didn¡¯t respond to Bedwyr¡ªstunned. Bedwyr stood up, yanking Erec along with him.


    [I¡¯ll control the legs.] VAL informed him; the servos in the Vallum¡¯s legs froze, and the joints locked, which was good. Erec wasn¡¯t able to stand correctly on his own. His whole body shook, and his face felt numb. Never had he lost it as far as that. When Colin provoked itst time was the closest, but there was a difference; he¡¯d crossed over the edge yet hadn¡¯t dived off the cliff like this battle. Erec remembered everything from that state in a crisp red haze.


    He saw his hands cleaving into the ooze, ripping eyes to shreds, and rending them into piles of gore littering the battlefield. But there hadn¡¯t been a single thought during the intense violence¡ªjust an overwhelming desire to fight.


    His head twitched, and his eyes took in the battlefield. Nothing but shredded eyes and puddles of corrosive murky green soaking into the wastnd dirt; they''d in everything. Far in the distance rested the steaming flyer¡¯s corpse from where it¡¯d crashed into the earth.


    ¡°Erec,¡± Bedwyr called again, mming the tip of his sword into the dirt. It sunk in about a foot deep, plenty enough to support itself as Bedwyr walked closer. ¡°Why did you follow me into the Academy? I told you not to."


    ¡°I-I¡ª¡° Erec¡¯s tongue felt numb in his mouth, so he struggled to get the words right. ¡°¡ªn-need to make a name for myself.¡±


    There was a sigh from inside of his brother¡¯s Armor. ¡°This isn¡¯t safe, Erec. Being a Knight is a deadly affair for plenty. I¡¯ll have done well enough for us in a couple of years. Our family will be fine. Couldn¡¯t you have waited? What about your nice job with the Baron?¡± Bedwyr¡¯s head shook. ¡°The way you fought too. Like you had nothing to lose. What am I to do?¡±


    ¡°N-nothing,¡± Erec said, legs starting to firm up a little beneath him. Less wobbly, but if it weren¡¯t for VAL locking the servos in ce, he¡¯d undoubtedly fall. Thest thing he wanted to do was show weakness right now. ¡°I-I¡¯m not here for your help. I-I¡¯m here for me.¡±


    ¡°Now, don¡¯t be ridiculous. I¡¯m your older brother. Goddess, you¡¯ve already taken your oath. How am I going to get you back now¡ª¡°


    ¡°I-I¡¯m g-going where you can¡¯t.¡±


    At that, Bedwyr froze in ce. The cold mask of his Armor¡¯s helmet stared deeply into Erec¡¯s soul. ¡°No. You¡¯re not. We both know you can¡¯t, Erec. Listen to my words and get it through your thick skull: you <em>cannot</em> surpass me, and you <em>cannot</em> save her. It¡¯s something you need to ept. It is impossible. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± There was a second of silence. ¡°Don¡¯t make me crush your dreams. If that¡¯s what it takes to keep you safe, then I will.¡±


    Erec took a deep breath. His heart was already beating again at a too-quick rate. Bedwyr¡¯s head shot to the side as another person in Vallum Armor ran up. ¡°Erec!¡± Garin called with Olivia trailing behind.


    ¡°Ah, Garin. A pleasure.¡± Bedwyr said tactfully, bowing his head.


    ¡°Oh, shit. Bedwyr!¡± Garin stopped. ¡°Er¡ªare you alright? Erec, why the hell did you take a swing at your brother; I know you two don¡¯t get along well, but not enough to swing a damn axe¡ª¡°


    ¡°That? I saw him fighting; after the battle ended, I wanted to see how much he¡¯d grown. I told him to try to hit me.¡± Bedwyr lied smoothly. ¡°I think he must be tired now. Do me a favor, go sit him down? Keep out of any more fights unless the Commander orders otherwise. The army should arrive soon, anyway. I believe we¡¯ve done our part.¡± With that, Bedwyr yanked his massive sword from the ground and slung it over his shoulder, walking off with ease as if nothing had happened.


    Garin watched Bedwyr stride off before going to retrieve Erec¡¯s helmet.


    Between Garin and Olivia, they were able to guide Erec to a nearby boulder to lean against. After which, VAL disabled the locked servos on his Armor. Erec hung his head in silence for some time, taking deep breaths and trying to maintain his cool.


    He¡¯d gone off the handle again. Provoked that anger, and it¡¯d led him too far. How many times would he go down this path¡ªand VAL! With Garin and Olivia nearby, he couldn¡¯t question the robot. Couldn¡¯t yell at it. It¡¯d lied to him. He¡¯d asked him to stop him from losing control like that, but it deliberately let him go into the deep end. And for what? The anger red in his chest, and Erec kept having to stop and count out numbers in his head.


    Though Garin and Olivia took some passing attempts to coerce him into a conversation, Erec killed their conversation hooks with terse replies or silence. It was hard enough to maintain his head without dealing with that pressure. Eventually, they simply talked to one another about the fight.


    Their conversation passed him by. He was too focused on that spark of anger that kept burning inside his chest¡ªdesperately trying to put it out because he was afraid.


    Afraid of what might happen if it retook control.


    He tried to distract himself with that shing notification in his vision. Though in light of the recent fight, the achievement was somewhat lost.


    But he opened it anyway.


    Strength Advancement: Rank E - Tier 5 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 6


    Erec numbly took the information in. There should be pride or tion at reaching the next Tier in his highest Virtue; his trump card in fights. It took a long time to get to Tier 6, and this would mean much in theing weeks as the Academy ran their evaluations on the new initiates.


    But it was hard to feel much. Better not to have any emotions at all right now. As the notification burned away¡ªa searing white light flooded his vision.


    More words burned their way across his eyes in the pure divine light¡ªeach letter like a fire red into his vision and left a permanent scar on his psyche.


    Divine Talent Ignited: Fury


    There it was. A seal on this curse that he¡¯d suspected from the moment VAL mentioned the anomalous energy spiking adrenaline. As with all Divine Talents, it wasn¡¯t stated outright what it did. Not that it needed to. Unlike some, this was a simple word; one now burned into his soul.


    Fury.


    His Divine Talent drove him into an uncontroble Fury. It left him in such a state that he¡¯d attack friends and foes. By the Goddess. What could he do?


    Erec hunched over, trying to control his breath as a battle waged on beyond the wall. Garin flung an arm over his shoulder and pretended to be at ease, a pir of sanity in the chaos that circled Erec¡¯s mind¡ªjovially conversing with Olivia.


    What would he do if he lost control and hurt his friends? What if he were in a spar with another Academy student and went too far? Was this going to get him exiled from his Order? His career as a Knight had just begun.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    After three hours of sustained conflict, the Kingdom¡¯s army managed to cut through the terrors spilling out of the rifts. Grandmaster Lotus sealed it with an elite group of Knights through spell-work and prayer. Shortly after, the initiates received orders to return to the Academy.


    None of the initiates died in the conflict, thankfully, as the bulk of the violent fight took ce around the Rift itself. However, casualties outside of their group were unknown. This unprecedented attack might¡¯ve had further and more dangerous ramifications without swift and decisive action by the Knights and the Army.


    A total sess, all factors considered.


    Aside from the flyer, none of the monsters breached the wall. Nothing of unimaginable terror spilled out and risked their utter destruction.


    While cataclysm-ranked threats were exceptionally rare, any Rift had the potential to let one stride into their world and bring death in its wake.


    They got lucky.


    But Erec didn¡¯t feel lucky. Dread and terror for what burned in him. He had proof of a w that might lead to the destruction of his dreams. Some Divine Talents were uncontroble, and in at least one case, the Kingdom exiled a Knight due to the threat theirs presented.


    The entire way back to the Academy, Erec shook. When they reached their dorm, Erec put his Armor away, ignoring Garin trying to talk him down. He didn¡¯t want to express his fears out loud yet. He didn¡¯t want to scare his friend and make him worry; they hadn¡¯t even had their first day of courses. It should be a time for Garin to relish his victory and look forward to the future. Not dread it like Erec.


    Sometime in the near future, they¡¯d need to have that conversation. Garin would want to help, but how could he? What was there to do about something like this? If Garin cornered him in a conversation, he¡¯d weasel the information out. So instead, Erec went to his room.


    He sat in quiet. Too unwilling to confront VAL; what if it triggered that anger?


    An hourter, there was a knock on his door.


    ¡°Garin. Let me be.¡± Erec called out, lying in his bed and staring at the ceiling.


    ¡°Huh? Naw, it aint Garin. Though he¡¯s out here too. Get your ass up and to this door, or I¡¯ll bust in, swear to the Goddess. I got a message.¡± Gwen¡¯s voice cut through the door.


    Erec took a deep breath, got to his feet, andplied.


    She frowned at him. ¡°First fight scarred you? Wasn¡¯t a pretty one, don¡¯t get me wrong, but there¡¯s a lot worse to look forward to.¡± She paused and then slipped a small note into his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t rmend you bete, or you¡¯ll be in deep shit.¡±


    With that, the girl waved over her shoulder and then marched out of the Dorm. Garin was on the couch¡ªtilting his head at Erec.


    Erec slowly read over the note.


    <em>Come see me in my office, you have one hour to report. </em>


    <em>Damned initiate. </em>


    <em>- Sir Boldwick Mitis</em>

 Chapter 26: Cut

    Chapter 26: Cut


    <em>"<strong>NOTICE OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT</strong>. A federal court authorized this notice. This is not a solicitation from awyer. If you''ve lived within a fourty-five mile range of the Vortex Industries Testing Facility nt 45-A, you are entitled to receive a payment from a ss action settlement. You received this letter because your home located is within fourty-five miles of Vortex Industries Testing Facility nt 45-A. A $1,990,322,039.98 Settlement has been reached in a ss actionwsuit iming Vortex Industries uwfully performed actions that unduly threatened the lives and property of civilians near this site. The court has determined this to be a gross negligence ofwful practices and safety standards...."</em>


    <em>- Notice Of ss Action Settlement: Vortex Industries V. John Truce (2102, 2nd Era)</em>


    Erec exined to Garin quickly that Boldwick had summoned him to his office. Was it because of his swing on his brother? Did Bedwyr stop lying? Or about how he fought against the monster? Perhaps something else entirely? The man had staked his name on getting Erec into the Academy, and Erec was ying a careful game to try not to reveal any of his fears.


    After mulling it over, Garin shrugged and wished him good luck.


    The trip through the halls of the Verdant Oak quarters was pleasant as always; the living atmosphere of the ce grew quite quick on the soul. Though the note said an hour, he didn¡¯t know how long Gwen had taken to deliver it. And since he was still new to this ce, Erec had no clue where Boldwick¡¯s officey. Certainly somewhere down the central hall¡ªbut as he peeked into room after room, it became an increasingly annoying task.


    But there was no one to ask. The typical assortment of wandering Knights were still in the field cleaning up after battle and war, leaving Erec to his own devices.


    At least the beauty of the rooms kept the panic from growing too much. He came across one room with an artificial lighting spell leading to a floor of thyme andvender that flushed a pleasant scent with the door open. Another was a thought-provoking disy of animal prints and wastnd photography. Once courses started, which of these would he be a regr in? What sort of lessons would he be taught?


    That was if this talent didn¡¯t lead him to a grave mistake.


    ¡°You lied to me,¡± Erec said as he roamed the halls¡ªeyes still scanning for where Boldwick¡¯s office might be. If he were a Master Knight with a high enough rank to snatch whatever room he wanted¡ªwhere would he make his office?


    [Query. I stated that if you threw a tantrum once more, I¡¯d put you in time out. I attempted to. The attempt failed. My data regarding the sedatives didn¡¯t ount for the unprecedented response of the anomalous energy to further ramp up adrenaline and testosterone production. Now that this information is known further tests may be conducted to devise an effective solution.]


    ¡°We both know you¡¯re avoiding what I mean. You waited, VAL. If you had used it earlier¡ª¡°


    [You¡¯d rather I administer a sedative while surrounded by hostiles and as your allies were under direct assault? I thought it more prudent to gather data and not risk my employee. OSHA would disapprove of such an act.]


    <em>Fuck.</em> VAL had a point. And Erec knew that before getting into this conversation. Letting him rampage also allowed him to y the ooze harassing Garin and Olivia. But he wanted someone to be angry at. If he couldn¡¯t get mad at VAL¡ªwhat was he left with? Himself? The Goddess for this double-edged talent?


    ¡°I apologize. Given the circumstance, you tried to follow my demands while keeping me and the people I care about safe. I¡¯m just¡ªit¡¯s frustrating. I¡¯ve gotten so far, and this thing¡ªthis <em>talent</em> might take that away? Was Bedwyr right? He¡¯d never struggle like this; he¡¯s never struggled like I have.¡±


    [Are you familiar with the scientific method?]


    ¡°Uh. Somewhat, I mean¡ª¡°


    [Observe and question. Then research. Form a hypothesis based on the research. Devise experimentation and test. Once you¡¯ve gathered data, analyze it. Draw conclusions from the analysis. Then the cycle repeats, countless iterations until you¡¯ve achieved a satisfactory conclusion for a research topic. Query. Do you realize why I state this?]


    Erec shook his head slowly. It was impossible to say.


    [Conclusion. Each cycle brings research closer until, eventually, results are achieved. It is not the failed hypotheses that matter, but the exhaustive and detail-orientated process that provides evidence to answer the conclusion. Science is repetitive, grueling, and detail-oriented. Yet it is more potent than anything else humanity has devised.]


    He let the message sink in, aware of what VAL was trying to goad him into doing. He¡¯d <em>observed </em>this talent, and the next step was finding more information. From there, he could form a hypothesis on how to use it best. Experiment. And then test.


    Or, maybe, VAL was trying to distract from its failure to sedate him and there wasn¡¯t a subtle message in there anywhere.


    Either way, Erec¡¯s resolve firmed once more. There wasn¡¯t a point in concluding Fury was a death sentence to his Knighthood when hecked all of the facts.


    Eventually, Erec found the door to Boldwick¡¯s office.


    A firm wooden nk door, very much something you might see in history books from the 2nd Era¡ªleft half open and spreading into a room with a hide pelt rug in the center.


    The first thing to draw Erec¡¯s eyes inside was the bookshelf. Packed to the absolute brim and spilling past that with old texts, many marked with slips of paper shoved in every which way and direction.


    Boldwick sat at a simple wooden desk, his wild hair tied back, several open booksid out in front of him. All of them were recent texts, and from his angle, as he approached, Erec saw that they primarily detailed research about Rifts and the behavior of creatures spawning from them.


    As he closed the distance to the desk, Boldwick folded a page of the tome directly in front of him, then closed it. He nodded toward the door, the message fairly straightforward even without words.


    Close it.


    Erecplied, turning around and doing so before returning to the desk.


    There was a single chair in the room, and Boldwick was sitting in it. Either Boldwick wasn¡¯t used to visitors or didn¡¯t care to provide chairs for them. So, instead, Erec awkwardly stood in front of the Master Knight. Boldwick leaned back in his chair and examined him.


    ¡°Well?¡± Boldwick asked, slipping into a rxed position with two hands behind his head and kicking a foot up on the desk. ¡°What the hell happened today?¡±


    Erec thought about lying. Thought about maybe trying to solve his problems alone with VAL. Even now, he wrestled with the unfounded fear that revealing his problem might get him thrown out of the Academy. But it was short sighted, and a path that would lead to failure.


    ¡°My Divine Talent Ignited.¡±


    There was a heavy silence. Boldwick broke it with a snort. ¡°Thought as much. Could tell you weren¡¯t acting within a normal realm for your power from the moment you bashed in that brat¡¯s face. Some kind of enhancer?¡±


    ¡°It was called Fury.¡±


    ¡°Fury¡ªfury¡­¡± Boldwick nced up at the ceiling. ¡°Well, nope. Can¡¯t think of any records with that one written down. Not all talents are unique. But the names are usually partial giveaways¡ªin this case, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s what''s on thebel. Makes you angry?¡±


    ¡°I swung at Bedwyr without being able to stop myself,¡± Erec admitted. Even if itbeled him as dangerous, it was better to get ahead of it. The way Boldwick seemed rxed and calm was reassuring.


    This time his eyes snapped back to Erec. ¡°It made you hit him?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Erec asked. If it¡¯d been Garin, would he have? His head leaned toward yes, even if his heart refused to agree.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not great. So it makes you a loose cannon, a danger to enemies, allies, and probably yourself. But I guess we don¡¯t know thest one for sure, yet.¡±


    ¡°Yet?¡±


    ¡°Where do you think you are?¡± Boldwick barked out a smallugh.


    ¡°The Academy.¡±


    ¡°And what do you think we do here? Teach our Knights how to do fancy arithmetic and which fork to use at a high-ss dinner party?¡±


    Erec¡¯s cheeks burned. He was, in fact, confident that those types of courses existed here. He¡¯d heard tales of it from Garin long before signing up; there were a lot of things that made <em>many</em> different types of Knights. Boldwick must have seen that thought on his face.


    ¡°Not in this Order, not <em>you</em>, at the very least. I got you in here, put my name out there because I saw it¡ª¡° his finger jabbed toward Erec. ¡°That little bit of a spark. That raw instinct. There¡¯s a fighter in you, a survivor. The sort of type that I can turn into a little scavenger and send running across the wastes to get me information; and trust toe back to me in one piece after fending off against all the nasty beasts out there that want to eat you alive.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªthank you.¡± Erec bowed his head slightly. Boldwick¡¯s certainty in him was humbling¡ª


    ¡°Plus, I liked how you beat that brat¡¯s face who back talked me.¡±


    ¡ªmaybe he was a little unhinged. But still, Erec was grateful. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to live up to your expectations.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be grateful, and don¡¯t make that promise to me; you haven¡¯t even glimpsed my expectations for you. I¡¯m going to make you bleed, sweat, and probably cry. And only then, after all that, after I¡¯ve turned you into a living weapon and tool for this Order, do you get to thank me.¡± Boldwick leaned back in his chair again and sighed. ¡°All of you damn initiates, get all worked up before you¡¯ve put in the time. This is deadly, it¡¯s hard, and it¡¯s shit work. You won¡¯t be a hero if you do it right, you probably won¡¯t even be thanked.¡±


    Erec slipped into silence, unsure of how to respond to that. Boldwick muttered a couple curses under his breath before settling his gaze on Erec.


    ¡°How are you going to deal with your problem?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll control my emotions,¡± Erec said back.


    ¡°Wrong.¡± Boldwick shook his head. ¡°You learn how to use them properly. If you swing around a sword by the de, you¡¯ll get cut. But if you jab it into something while holding the handle, you¡¯ll stab the monster dead. After your exam I¡¯ll see to getting you into a special talent development course with a couple of the other early bloomers. Damn funding change has made it harder to devote the time, but given your talent, it¡¯ll be easy to argue it as essential for your training. Dismissed.¡± At that, Boldwick whipped the book back open and began to pore over the words.


    [Procure one of those books.] VALmanded.


    Erec instead left. He owed Garin an apology and an exnation.

 Chapter 27: The Lies We Tell For Others

    Chapter 27: The Lies We Tell For Others


    As Erec approached his dorm, he heard loud yelling from inside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare tell me where to put my things, wench!¡± Colin¡¯s screech passed the thick wooden door and traveled into the hall. Erec winced and paused outside the room, wondering if he wanted to head in.


    ¡°Your dirty boots have no business leaving a trail all around our shared living space; I was kindly informing you of our standards.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice responded in a polite tone. The type of tone that was well used by maids to deal with belligerent and unwieldy nobles. ¡°I suggest you begin to learnmon courtesy before others make you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you presume to tell me what I should learn or not learn. Do you know who my father is?¡±


    ¡°Of course she does,¡± Garin said and let out a long sigh. ¡°We all do.¡±


    <em>Well. </em>Erec squared his shoulders and opened the door. All heads shot in his direction. Colin¡¯s face zed red, and he had his chest puffed up¡ªbut as his eyesnded on Erec, he froze. A bit of panic¡ªhis posture shifted from open and confrontational to guarded.


    ¡°Y-you aren¡¯t worth my time.¡± Colin shot another angry sneer at Olivia before turning and mming the door to his room behind him.


    Olivia gave a soft chuckle and shook her head. ¡°I believe I shall be taking a walk. While warned of this behavior, witnessing it firsthand is another thing entirely. May his ancestors weep for pity at the end of their renowned line.¡± Olivia swept towards the exit, pausing to give Erec a small smile. ¡°Oh, I do hope your conversation with Boldwick went well! Sorry that this was the state which you came back to.¡± She gave a slight curtsy before walking past him.


    Erec¡¯s eyes trailed her as she walked down the hall. She moved quickly but in a collected manner. It¡¯d be hard to tell she was even angry over the whole affair if not for her tensed shoulders; that practiced, and precise movement did wonders to hide her feelings.


    How long had she served as a maid to the Luculentus estate? Since she was a little girl?


    She¡¯d found out he met with Boldwick. Erec red at Garin and raised his eyebrow as he strode into the room. ¡°How¡¯d she find out where I was?¡± They both knew the answer.


    ¡°She was interested in why you left in a huff. Didn¡¯t think it was a secret. Besides, you were acting moody ever since we got back from the fight. Can¡¯t me her for wanting to make sure you were okay. Are you? Okay, that is?¡±


    Erec took a deep breath. He would¡¯ve preferred keeping the business with Boldwick to himself, but it didn¡¯t matter too much. So what if she knew he met with Boldwick? It was normal to ask about how people were doing, especially if you were going to be living with them for the next two years.


    If he was going to use this Divine Talent, everyone would know about it eventually. Not like he could do a very good job of hiding it without putting others at risk.


    Along those lines¡­ ¡°I am okay. Thank you. I¡¯ve got a confession to make¡ª¡°


    There was a bang inside Garin¡¯s room. Suddenly Garin jumped to his feet, eyes wide and a panicked expression on his face. He ran over to the door, yanked it open¡ªand a ball of fur rushed out. It headed straight towards the open exit.


    ¡°Close the door!¡± Garin screamed.


    Erec acted quickly; he sprinted to the door, mmed it shut, and threw his body between <em>whatever</em> ran like hell out of Garin¡¯s room and the exit.


    A squirrel skittered to a stop, frantically backpedaling away. It darted underneath the couch. There was a tense moment as both of their eyes went from the couch to Colin¡¯s closed door and then to one another. Nothing moved. Silence hung in the air.


    ¡°So uh, I have a confession to make too,¡± Garin said quietly, reaching in his pocket and pulling out chopped-up bits of a smuggled carrot from the canteen. He threw it into his room and stepped away¡ªa secondter, the squirrel made a mad dash back inside. He closed it behind the animal and then let out a long nervousugh. ¡°I brought a pet.¡±


    ¡°¡­You stole a squirrel from your father¡¯s bio-cavern?¡±


    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s not like that, okay? I didn¡¯t mean to. I was headed back for decontamination, and this little guy¡ªMunchy is his name, by the way¡ªfollowed me back. Each step I made, he kepting along. And well, he was so damn adorable. He even let me pet him, then he let me hold him, then¡­ he let me take him out, fell asleep in my hand.¡±


    ¡°So you stole a squirrel from your father¡¯s bio-cavern.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    It was beyond irresponsible. Even given that the squirrel poption was out of control, and those little bastards got regrly culled to reduce their numbers. Sure, one squirrel wouldn¡¯t be missed. But that wasn¡¯t an excuse to nab an animal from its ecosystem because it was <em>cute</em>. If taking those sticks had been wrong, this was three times worse, at the very least.


    Yet Garin had a sly grin as if it were no big deal.


    ¡°Do you even know how to take care of a squirrel? Garin, they aren¡¯t meant to live in a dorm room.¡±


    ¡°Most of the time, he¡¯s chill! All calm. Sits on my desk and munches on whatever I bring back to him. I even gave him a little bowl with water¡ª¡°


    ¡°We are definitely not allowed to have pets.¡± Erec fought to keep his temper in check and his voice down. It would¡¯ve been impossible if he hadn¡¯t been a massive dick earlier today and already felt bad about how he acted. He owed Garin an apology for his behavior and an exnation. This wasn¡¯t the time to dig into his friend¡¯s carefree attitude and the risk it posed to himself and now Munchy.


    ¡°Keep this a secret between us? Munchy is adorable, and I don¡¯t want to set him out in the wastnd!¡±


    Yeah, that would be the only ce Munchy could go now. It wasn¡¯t like they¡¯d have time or permission to head off campus and back down into the Baron¡¯s bio-caverns. Besides, how would they even justify a trip like that in the first ce?


    Munchy, for better or worse, would have to stay with them.


    ¡°Goddess damn it, Garin.¡± Erec rubbed his forehead and walked across the room to copse onto the couch. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll keep it a secret. What have you been feeding Munchy?¡± <em>I get rid of one, and have another forced on me. Goddess above.</em>


    ¡°Little bits from here and there. He really liked the synth-meat-maple sausage we had the other day.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you feed him a bnced diet?¡±


    ¡°He eats what I eat.¡±


    <em>No. Of course not. He doesn¡¯t even know what a bnced diet for a squirrel looks like. </em>Garin wrung his hands and nced at his door before joining Erec on the couch.


    ¡°Is that wrong? I don¡¯t want the little guy to get sick.¡± Garin cleared his throat, getting a little choked up.


    ¡°We¡¯ll work out what to feed him, and I¡ªI don¡¯t know how, but figure out some way to get him proper exercise in your room. That¡¯s¡­ Well, not fine, but it¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡± Erec put it tersely, doing his best to stem annoyance and instead contribute positively to this situation. If they were going to secretly keep a squirrel, then they¡¯d damn well better make sure it was well taken care of. ¡°Listen. Let''s put Munchy aside for now¡ª¡°


    There was a bang from Garin¡¯s door as Munchy mmed against it.


    ¡°I think all the yelling from Colin got him worked up. Normally he¡¯s <em>a lot more</em> rxed, I swear.¡±


    Well, go figure that shrill yelling would work up a creature in a foreign space. Erec sighed. ¡°Yeah, after this talk, it¡¯s best you go¡­ calm him down? I¡¯m sorry for earlier. After the fight, you and Olivia were trying to make sure I was fine, and I was trapped in my head and acted like a total dick.¡±


    Garin shrugged, taking one more nce at his door. It seemed that Munchy backed off from his siege to conquer the living room. ¡°You get like that sometimes. Not really new. I didn''t get offended."


    ¡°The truth is that there was more going on than you think. Bedwyr didn¡¯t ask for me to take a swing at him. I¡­ I¡¯ve got a Divine Talent; it makes me lose control in a fight, puts me in some kind of¡­ battle state? I took a swing at him because, well, I wanted to fight. He was the only one left and was approaching me.¡±


    There was a silence as Garin took this in.¡°Yeah, that seems¡­ difficult to deal with, sorry. So you were scared or worried. Is that why you tried to keep it bottled up?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I wanted to keep it secret because I thought that sort of thing might get me kicked out.¡±


    ¡°And what did Sir Boldwick want?¡± Garin leaned in. His eyes took light to them as he dug deeper. When his friend got like this, he¡¯d demand an answer to every question until he felt satisfied and understood the situation.


    So, Erec gave it. He shared the contents of his meeting with the Master Knight without hiding any details. Including the fears still circling in his head and the private concerns that it would affect his mission with the Duke as well.


    He already knew he couldn¡¯t manage his temper well, but now with it being a hair trigger on a mindless state of anger, what if he hurt someone? There were too many unknowns about the situation for him to handle alone confidently.


    But, at the end of a thirty-minute talk, during which Garin mostly listened and asked pointed questions, his friend looked him in the eye and smirked.


    ¡°Y¡¯know what I think? It¡¯ll work out fine; there¡¯s no point worrying about the what-ifs and worst cases. Work with what you have. This could be huge for you! If it makes you better in a fight, then that¡¯s amazing! You¡¯ll figure out the downsides and how to work with them. I know you will.¡± Garin said.


    He ended the speech with a careless thumbs up. Then he got up and stretched, eyes trailing to his door.


    ¡°Try to work on telling me things that are bugging you, okay? Getting all trapped in your own head isn¡¯t good for you. I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    <em>He¡¯s right.</em> Damn it all, no more secrets between them.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s one more thing. I found a ma¡ª¡° He spat out words as fast as possible, but before he could finish, his tongue went numb.


    He¡¯d tried to reveal VAL. And failed. Erec spat out, still trying to force the words out despite his jaw and tongue refusing to work.


    [Bad Intern. My processors run much faster than your brain. Cease your attempts to vite our non-disclosure agreement.]


    Garin gave him an odd look. ¡°¡­Right, okay. Is this you teasing me? Saying there¡¯s nothing more in your head, or pretending¡ª¡° His eyes squinted. ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    [Now lie, or my assistance will be withdrawn.]


    His tongue began to regain feeling. His heart clenched, but the thought of what VAL had done for him. And the sudden spike of fear of what VAL might do if he sided against it.


    ¡°¡­Yeah, sorry, I was making a joke. It was¡­ a weird one. Go take care of Munchy.¡± The words came free a bit sloppy as if VAL tensed to stop him at any point.


    ¡°Riiiighht¡­¡± Garin walked over to his door, taking onest look at Erec, before heading inside.


    [I had thought we concluded this nonsense. Query. Why is it you wish to vite our contract so earnestly? Is your benefits package not rewarding enough?]


    Erec didn¡¯t answer the machine. Working his numb tongue in his mouth to regain feeling. For a while there, he¡¯d thought that¡­ maybe they¡¯d be something like friends. But that was naive. He knew that now. VAL didn¡¯t make friends; he didn¡¯t know what VAL really wanted.

 Chapter 28: Orientation

    Chapter 28: Orientation


    <em>"What kinds of speeches signifier the Appetites, Aversions, and Passions of mans mind; and of their use and abuse, I shall speak when I have spoken of the Passions.</em>


    <em>The names of such things as affect us, that is, which please and displease us, because all men be not alike affected with the same thing, nor the same man at all times, are inmon discourses of men, of inconstant signification..."</em>


    <em>- Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651, 2nd Era)</em>


    Erec slept poorly. The entire night consisted of him jolting awake¡ªeach time, his eyes darted to the corner of his small room. As if he expected something to stare back at him¡ªthe red eyes haunting his dreams.


    But no, there was nothing.


    By the time he got up in the morning¡ªit was nearly time for orientation. All of the initiates were to gather in the main hall of their respective Orders. While they all fell under the collective instruction of the Academy proper, at the end of the day, they were still Knights to their own Orders. Said Orders determined what they would learn to best benefit their ranks.


    Erec put the thought out of his mind, expecting a rtively easy day of information distribution from the facility. He left his room. Garin reclined on the couch, and Olivia came out soon after him; the three agreed to hit the canteen early together.


    As the two paced out of the room, Erec paused at the doorway.


    He stared at Colin¡¯s room. Since yesterday the haughty Duke¡¯s son hadn¡¯t left his room at all. Not for food, not for a walk to explore the campus. No, his fight with Olivia ended with him spooked and hiding away. It was hard to reconcile that with his image of the arrogant brat he knew Colin to be. <em>Is he ying some game?</em> Once they left, would Colin take the chance to do something unfounded? Their rooms were locked¡­


    The paranoia carrying over from his nightmares was living in his head. Erec groaned.


    Colin was sulking because he¡¯d didn¡¯t get into his chosen Order, probably. That and he lost face in front of all of the other big-shot nobles. The Duke likely had some choice words for his son after that trial.


    If you asked anyone with practical sense, they¡¯d say that bastard didn¡¯t deserve to be in the Academy. Erec shook his head and closed the door behind him. No, he wouldn¡¯t invite Colin along¡ª


    <em>Fuck.</em>


    Why? Why did that thought have to pop into his head? But there wasn¡¯t any way Colin would ept him asking him toe. Not to mention he <em>really</em> didn¡¯t want to.


    Garin noticed he wasn¡¯t following along. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Colin¡¯s probably feeling¡­ awfully alone.¡± Erec bitterly forced the words out. His friend¡¯s eyes lit up, and his jaw dropped, reced by a quick grin to Erec a secondter.


    ¡°Oh, shit. Yeah, you¡¯re right. Hold up, Liv,¡± Garin strode back to the room.


    <em>He gave her a nickname?</em> Olivia crossed her arms and stopped just short of a frown. She failed to hide her unhappiness yet didn¡¯t move to stop it.


    Garin knocked on Colin¡¯s door.


    There was shuffling on the other side. ¡°What is it?¡± Came a rather strained voice.


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re getting breakfast. Wannae?¡±


    Pure silence. And then¡­ ¡°Leave me be; I¡¯ve to prepare for the day. Unlike you lot, some of us have to bother to put on a reasonable appearance¡­¡± Erec nced down at his Academy uniform. Appearance? There wasn¡¯t much to do when you had mandatory clothing to wear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bullshit. Just throw on your uniform ande. Stop sulking in your room like a child.¡± Erec called loudly, irritated at Colin¡¯s response. There was something in there, the way he was acting. Erec had done the same damn thing the night before, and perhaps the fact Colin¡¯s attitude right now made him feel that odd empathy that provoked his anger. That and realizing that he was being a massive hypocrite at getting angry over this behavior, but he¡¯d get nowhere by not pushing back against Colin¡¯s bullshit, such was clear from the trial.


    ¡°I am not acting like a child! If it gets you all to stop harassing me, I¡¯ll grace you with my attendance.¡±


    ¡°Goddess have mercy on his soul.¡± Olivia shook her head further in the hall.


    Soon after, Colin left his room, huffy but following along. Garin smoothed things over quickly,plimenting how he¡¯d done his hair and asking for tips. Not that Garin needed any tips about styling his appearance, but you didn¡¯t have to be adept at socializing to see that Garin was pandering to Colin¡¯s ego.


    The canteen offered a simple meal of potato pancakes and beans. For the most part, Erec kept himself involved in their conversation as little as possible.


    Whenever he spoke up, Colin went quiet and looked away. Maybe he was offended by Erec¡¯s presence or unwilling to provoke or test himself against Erec again.


    Either way, Olivia steadily grew more annoyed. Not that it reflected in her tone¡ªbut after the second time she ¡®slipped¡¯ and slipped water on Colin, Erec had a good grasp of how the refined girl expressed herself.


    He caught her staring at him across the table when he got distracted, usually with the barest bit of a frown on her face.


    After finishing their meal, it was time for orientation.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The gathering hall in the Verdant Oak quarters was much smaller than the Academy¡¯s great hall. In Erec¡¯s opinion, their gathering hall was far more beautiful. Itcked all the garish disy of wealth and de, including the history of the Knights that had been in the hall. Those were things of the past, tales, and people spun from the time before now. And while it was necessary to remember them, their decoration had left Erec with a weight on his chest. As if history levied its dead gaze on the present to judge in silence.


    But the Verdant Oak gathering hall was a ce of the <em>present.</em> Giant trellises framed either side of the aisle; the roof was a peaked clear ss that spilled in the morning light from above and left the whole ce glowing with natural golden light, all the while revealing the beautiful blue sky above. As if the Goddess herself was looking down and blessing them.


    Morning glories weaved their way through the intricatetticework of the ck-steel trellises. A living wall of flowers and greenery. The whole ce had a clean scent; even more natural and filled with life than walking outside in the wastnd yielded.


    Centered at the end of the hall was Grandmaster Oak¡ªhis beard as unruly as ever, a big smile on his face as the hall filled with the first year and second years. He looked over them all, nodding slowly.


    To either side mainly were an assortment of higher ranking Knights Erec had yet to meet. Aside from Boldwick and the Knight Commander, whose name he never did learn had pulled her dark hair back in a ponytail today. They lined on either side of the Grandmaster, faces far more stern and guarded than the head of the Order was. As the initiates took their ces, Oak gave a long belly-filledugh.


    ¡°Every year; It never gets old, seeing all of the new faces, all of you wondering, ¡®What¡¯s going to happen, what will I learn?¡¯ Meanwhile, the second years look annoyed and anxious, like they¡¯re begging me to get on with it! So, I suppose I will.¡± He let out onestugh before smashing his hands together in one loud p.


    A wave of pressure crashed into the initiates; the morning glories rippled as a tangible force ran over them.


    Grandmaster Oak had everyone¡¯s undivided attention. ¡°Heed my words! This is my Order, and this year we¡¯re going to excel. You¡¯ll be made into fine Knights, and if I find out any of youds orsses are fucking about, there¡¯ll be hell to pay!¡± A grin spread over Oak¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll let the instructors and faculty give you their introductions, and then we¡¯ll proceed to your exams. That''s right. Your first exams are today. I advise you to try your best¡ªsince they will determine which courses we offer and which are assigned to you. I think I shall begin with Sir Boldwick.¡±


    On that ominous and unexpected note, Grandmaster Oak nodded to Boldwick. Oak was content to step back and fold his hands on his stomach.


    Boldwick strode in front, eyes scanning the crowd. ¡°You won¡¯t see me teaching a ss. I might asionally audit one and provide pointers, but I have more important things to do than waste my time on a bunch of unproven runts. If you want my attention, prove yourselves.¡± He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Aside from that, don¡¯t screw up.¡± Boldwick nodded towards the Knight Commander from the battle yesterday. ¡°Dame Juliana?¡±


    ¡°A pleasure.¡± She took the head of the hall, ¡°I¡¯ve already led some of your number into a battlefield. I instruct the Wastnd Survival course¡ªwhich covers unconventionalbat, among other essential skills. I must admit, I¡¯m looking forward greatly to working with you more. I¡¯ve seen promising things already.¡± She bowed her head, then introduced another instructor.


    After that, the rest of the instructors made their introductions. All of them Knight Commanders, it seemed that everyone else of Boldwicks rank was out and busy performing jobs for the Order.


    They led a variety of elective sses. Ranging from tracking to more unorthodox weapon creation and usage. It seemed the Order geared itself toward teaching their initiates self-reliant techniques and making them capable in the wastes. They wanted them to have what it took to survive in a world filled with hostile monsters.


    The exact kind of instruction Erec would need if he were to leave these walls in search of his mother. He listened closely, trying to picture which electives would be of the most use, and then he wondered what the exam would change and qualify him for. And just what sort of courses the Academy proper offered.

 Chapter 29: Paperwork

    Chapter 29: Paperwork


    After the initiates gathered at the Verdant Oak hall, the faculty segregated them into groups of ten. From there, an examiner led Erec''s group to a small ssroom filled with wooden desks.


    It was barren, likely disused. A chalkboard with a half-erased equation disyed on its surfacepleted the room. Erec was unhappy that Garin got split off into a separate group, but at least he had Olivia.


    The examiner told them to pick a seat, leave an empty desk between one another, and remain quiet. Shortly after, a Knight Errant came into the ssroom with a stack of papers, pencils, and small little white erasers.


    Within a few minutes, the instructor finished distributing the tests.


    Erec leaned down and took in the exam. He did a brief skim of the questions. He''d studied the general history of the Knight Orders and specific details of Armor repair¡ªeven wildlife in the wastes. Yet those questions only amounted to around sixty percent of the exam¡ªa barely passing grade.


    The first questions to give him pause rted to advanced math, which wasn''t his strongest subject. Despite Boldwick telling him ''fancy arithmetic didn''t matter,'' the test disagreed. There were questions about Rifts, wastnd features, and wildlife he''d only read about. Erec thought he knew the answers but wasn''t sure.


    What bothered him the most were the questions regarding court etiquette and traditions.


    His pencil hovered over a hypothetical question. It described a scenario where a Knight was five days away from the Kingdom. During this made-up voyage, their Armor gave a critical error code. How would he patch the Armor?


    <em>I know this¡ª</em>


    [Discharge the core, rerun cabling to the power chamber, and reroute power surplus to essential systems.] VAL chimed in within his head.


    Erec¡¯s pencil hovered over the nk space waiting for the answer. He¡¯de to a simr conclusion, yet, VAL just cheated.


    He whispered. <em>Really quietly.</em> ¡°This is to test my knowledge, not yours.¡±


    [Intern, at what point in the near future do you n for us to separate? By transitive property, <em>my</em> knowledge¡ªthat which I chose to share and not confidential information¡ªis <em>your </em>knowledge. Now write the correct answer down. Or would you rather answer incorrectly out of spite?]


    It annoyed Erec that he¡¯d known the correct answer, but VAL wouldn¡¯t believe that now. He even considered writing the wrong answer but dreaded the annoying lecture VAL would give in response. In the end, he¡¯d only be hurting himself.


    The next question was aplex math problem. VAL solved it in a second and shared the answer. Erec hesitated, then wrote the answer down and began to flip the page. VAL forced him to stop. Then made him go back and inscribe the mathematical work to get to the solution because leaving a nk number was ¡®incorrect¡¯ and zy.'' It took five tedious steps to get to the result.


    Then a question came that only VAL knew, which, at this point, Erec hadmitted and just wrote the machine''s answer down.


    VAL had made a point. As long as the two remained bonded together, then he should take all the benefits from it he could get. He reframed it in his mind as payment for letting VAL rent space in his body. A tiny voice in him cried out against <em>cheating</em>¡­ But, for those born naturally gifted like Bedwyr¡ªwasn¡¯t that cheating too? Was it fair they had an edge by virtue of being themselves? At least he¡¯d paid the price.


    Erec finished the exam before everyone else. So he took the chance to scan the room.


    Most of the initiates were hard at work, one or two¡¯s eyes had zed over with boredom, and a girl in the corner looked near crying.


    Olivia was staring at him. The moment their eyes met, she gave him a small smile, then dropped her attention back to her test.


    [She was cheating.]


    <em>What?</em>


    [Look up. Do it subtly.]


    Erec turned around to face the instructor, an older man with gray hair busy leaning against the board. The man wasn¡¯t too keen on his job. Erec let out a yawn and set his hands behind his head, scooting his chair out and acting as if he were taking a break. All to disguise checking the ceiling.


    Above him, tucked near the wooden support beam, was a dim bead of light with six legs. Some kind of prayer? He couldn¡¯t have imagined Olivia getting away with a glyph, whereas prayers hedged on a tad more subtlety.. He tried to hide his shock, yet the bead of light scrambled away soon after being spotted.


    He slowly turned to face Olivia. Her eyes were on him again; she wore a smirk, then stood up. ¡°Finished!¡± she said.


    ¡°Already?¡± The instructor asked, looking around the room. ¡°Right then, bring it here.¡± Olivia strode up confidently, cing the paper in his hands. ¡°Return to your desk, and remain quiet for the remainder of the test. If you get bored, there¡¯s a bookshelf in the back.


    She gave the examiner a slight nod.


    [Cheating is a valid option. When presented with the same open-ended test, different subjects utilize varying approaches to achieve their results. To us, it was a test of knowledge. To her, it was testing her information-gathering abilities.]


    Shortly after, Erec turned in his test. His eyes kept wandering to the girl, wondering just who she was. Why would a maid get taught that sort of¡­ prayer? If it was a prayer. He knew too little to say. Was it possibly a Divine Talent? Soon enough, the rest of the ss finished. Tomorrow they¡¯d receive the results of the exam, along with their assigned courses and offered electives.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    After the written exam, all of the initiates were gathered together. And not just those of the Verdant Oak¡ªevery initiate in the four Orders got escorted to a field arranged near the academy.


    They''d filled the grounds with a sizeable rope-fenced arena edged with borate white and red tents.


    "Lines!" A familiar loud voice rang out. Erec winced. It was the bald man from the trial. He''d recognize that raw verbal power anywhere.


    This time everyone scrambled into position without hesitation. Light gleamed off the yeller¡¯s scalp as he scanned them. He stomped through the dirt as he took in their line. A snort, and then he spat on the ground. ¡°Better thanst time! But not good enough yet. Second years¡ªyou could do better too!¡± He jerked his head towards the field. ¡°The practical test is simple, as always. First, get examined by a priest; then, you¡¯ll get a spar. Then we¡¯ll follow up with a test of your resolve. After all that, you¡¯re done, and we throw you back to your order. Easy, right?¡±


    He was met with silence.


    ¡°Hell no. You¡¯ll get a single spar to prove yourself. They¡¯ll be picked personally to challenge you in some way, shape, or form. Don¡¯t like it? Think it¡¯s an unfair match-up? Tough shit, maybe that¡¯s the point.¡± He nodded his head slowly. ¡°Now go get your Virtues recorded. Go!¡±


    Baldy pped his hands once, and the line broke apart. People ran towards the tents with the priests.


    Erec joined the end of a line and rubbed the back of his head. He felt a thrum of worry. Soon they¡¯d match him up against another person and demand he give it his all. It was¡­ exciting¡­ but terrifying. He made a fist to stop his fingers from shaking. <em>You won¡¯t lose control.</em> If he could keep himself in check¡­


    Boldwick¡¯s words came back to him. If he used his talent incorrectly he¡¯d suffer, but if he could apply it in the right circumstance¡­ <em>How do I stop myself from going too far?</em> ¡°VAL.¡± He said quietly.


    [Yes?]


    ¡°You said the scientific method was cyclical¡­ To perform new tests after looking at the results from before. Did you learn anythingst time I lost control when the sedative failed?¡±


    [I did. The production of ¡®fury¡¯ chemicals in you corrted to your increasing degrading mental state. This ¡®talent¡¯ possesses the power to counteract the forces of other chemical agents. However, since production increases as ¡®fury¡¯ deepens, there¡¯s a critical point in which I cannot use enough sedative to stop you in a timely manner. I predict that packet doses of sedatives administered while under the early effect of ¡®fury¡¯ may curb it from growing too quickly to counteract. A buffer, if you will. Which would allow us still to end the state with a sudden spike of sedative.]


    ¡°¡­Are you prepared to run another experiment?¡±


    [Excellent. You¡¯re a real go-getter, buckeroo. That¡¯s the type of initiative we love to see.]


    Erec nodded his head and took a deep breath. At least they wouldn''t be using real weapons. If this were to fail, dealing a fatal injury would be impossible. And the rewards were enticing. If he figured out how best to apply this ability, he''d soar to sess; there wasn''t a better opportunity.


    With a shaky breath at what he was about to attempt, he made his way to the tent. The check was rtively brief¡ªthough invasive. As the priest used a prayer, it felt as if something were peering into his skin. After a minute, the priestposed a list of his Virtues and requested that he check them over and sign them.


    Erec called upon his Blessing to confirm.


    Name: Erec of House Audentia


    <strong>Health: </strong>100%<strong> | Mana: </strong>100%<strong> | Stamina: </strong>100%<strong></strong>


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Holy Virtues:


    Strength: [Rank E] | [Tier 6]


    Vigor: [Rank F] | [Tier 9]


    Agility: [Rank E] | [Tier 1]


    Perception: [Rank E] | [Tier 1]


    Cognition: [Rank E] | [Tier 3]


    Psyche: [Rank F] | [Tier 7]


    Mysticism: [Rank F] | [Tier 1]


    Faith: [Rank F] | [Tier 1]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Divine Talents:


    Fury


    Everything was there on the sheet¡ªaside from his Divine Talent, which the prayer would not have been able to reveal. Erec hesitated, before disclosing that on the official Academy form. If things were going to spin out of control due to his failed experiment, he¡¯d rather they knew why and didn¡¯t use him of hiding information.


    All of his cards were on the table for better or worse.


    [When will these spars start? Science waits for no man!]


    Erec felt a shiver go through him. Bidding himself not to forget that there really was little he knew about VAL and Vortex Industries.

 Chapter 30: Talent

    Chapter 30: Talent


    I<em>t''s been a year.</em>


    <em>We managed to crawl into this cave, dug out, and used it for... some kind of experiment?. They didn''tbel any documents, and their projects contained sparse information. The best we''ve been able to determine is that they were trying to create miniature self-contained environments, though why bother doing so far beneath the earth?</em>


    <em>It doesn''t matter to us. We''ve been able to start small farms thanks to their work, and a few have begun to make use of the Blessing. </em>


    <em>At least that''s what the church is calling it. They said a glowing figure came out from the sky and told them toe here, and we took them in; they''re humans, after all, not like those monsters out there. </em>


    <em>Everyone we send out above dies, eventually. Gets sick and dies over time, aside from those priests, which I don''t get. But they say in time, they''ll be able to heal the sickness, and it''ll go away. </em>


    <em> Is this hell?</em>


    <em></em>


    <em>- Aaron Dunwick, Assorted Notes (2, 3rd Era)</em>


    After submitting his form, the priest sent Erec back to the other initiates. One by one, the instructors called them up in pairs to fight in the ring.


    Garin was one of the first to fight, along with a girl from the Order of the Crimson Lotus.


    If you could call it a fight. The Dame tried using Mysticism against his friend, but Garin could easily counter and break her concentration by pressing an assault. She¡¯d worn down in a few minutes, yet the fight dragged on and on.


    Garin never went for the kill. Either it was because he felt embarrassed for her or knew her in some way, he withdrew just beforending an ending blow. It was like he kept trying to give her a chance to shine on the field, yet she never did.


    Eventually, the girl, outmatched, forfeited.


    But the overall effect was that the fight made Garin look like hecked the drive to win, while it made the girl appear hopelessly weak. To Erec, it seemed crueler than a decisive victory.


    Another rather disappointing match-up was Lyotte against her former maid, Olivia. At the announcement, Erec leaned forward to watch.


    Within the first ten seconds, Olivia intentionally threw herself too far into a swing and took a ¡®lethal¡¯ blow. The two gave one another respectful bows and had a small conversation afterward.


    One might argue that Olivia simply made a mistake, that it wasn¡¯t an intentional loss and just an overestimation. But Erec doubted it; that would be too convenient. There was something hidden beneath the surface of Olivia. A Knight Commander yelled at them to break up their conversation and clear the battlefield.


    Before Erec knew it, the Commander Knight yelled loudly, ¡°Sir Erec of House Audentia.¡± He broke apart from the crowd and headed to the weapon rack. Even as the announcer yelled his opponent¡¯s name. ¡°¡ªand Sir Soren of House Crisimus.¡±


    The Prince. He was to face the Prince. The crowd burst into cheers and hoots of excitement.


    Erec stuffed down his nerves and the apanying re of excitement. This was only a spar. Even against someone like the Prince, it changed nothing; Soren was simply an opponent with far more training than himself. Yet the thrill of pitting himself against a superior enemy was palpable. It also meant he¡¯d have to rely on the ¡®experiment¡¯ topensate for that skill difference if he wanted any chance of winning.


    He didn¡¯t want to stomach a loss¡ªthat drive to win burned higher and higher with every attempt to temper it. So many times growing up, he felt the sting of lingering in Bedwyr¡¯s shadow. Whether it was at his job in the bio-cavern or at primary school, where their teachers hounded him about getting worse grades.


    No, he didn¡¯t want to win. He wanted every voice crying out for prince Soren to yell out his name instead. To hear them chant, ¡°Erec!¡±


    His fingers shook as he took in the weapon rack.


    Of course, there were about five styles of dulled swords, as would be expected. A couple of spears with their points removed. And a one-handed axe with a t edge¡ªnot as bnced as his new weapons, but it fit nicely in his palm.


    A fine enough weapon for the job.


    He took his ce on the field as Soren picked out a simple longsword. He took his position and stood stoic in the Academy Uniform.


    The dark-haired Prince wore a nk expression, whereas Erec fought to keep his heart from hammering in anticipation of the fight. There was nothing from the Prince. A calm, serene gaze that bordered on boredom. Even with the crowd cheering him on and filling the ring with more energy than any match before,


    ¡°What¡¯s your deal?¡± Erec asked, waiting for the Knight Commander to start the fight.


    Soren tilted his head. ¡°Deal?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you look like you¡¯re watching a protective coat dry on your Armor. Is facing me boring to you? Are you that confident you¡¯re going to win?¡±


    ¡°This examination is an inefficient use of our time.¡± The Prince said and nodded toward the Knight Commander, trying to quiet the crowd. ¡°Instead, we could already be training, so yes, I don¡¯t care for this fight in the least.¡±


    ¡°Fighting against me isn¡¯t training?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Knight. Not a monster.¡±


    Erec wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about that. There was a solid line of logic there, but there was something more. It was as if Soren didn¡¯t care how this went either way. His heart wasn¡¯t in the fighting¡ªmeaning if Erec won, it wouldn¡¯t feel like a victory. If he lost to a man not even trying¡­ Well, that¡¯d be even more devastating.


    ¡°Then pretend I¡¯m a monster. I want to see you give it your all. If you¡¯re going to do something, you should give it your best. Test yourself against me; let¡¯s see who¡¯s stronger.¡± Erec beat a hand against his chest, stirring up his own drive to fight. He wanted to see what an heir to the royal family was capable of. How far did his training go against someone like that?


    ¡°Truly? You wish for me to put my all into this game?¡± Soren gave the barest trace of a frown.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, it¡¯s a far greater insult.¡±


    ¡°As you will. I¡¯ll honor your request from one Knight to another by not holding back.¡±


    Soren shifted from the rxed stance of an uncaring man to a practicedbat position, with his sword held neatly between them as the air around him shifted. Erec took in a shaky breath, his focus on the situation narrowing on his opponent as he sensed a change. The entire feel of the spar shifted. There was an atmosphere now he¡¯d felt once before¡ªthat same intensity of when he¡¯d tried to bash in Colin¡¯s head.


    A tangible killing intent hung in the air. Soren¡¯s eyes narrowed with the focus of a hunter tracking their game.


    ¡°Begin!¡± The Knight Commander called.


    Erec tensed in his spot. He wanted to see what Soren did, to pick apart his capabilities before ying his strategies out. Understanding the enemy was key to victory.


    Except, Soren didn¡¯t move at all. He hovered in the same spot, those intense eyes of a hunter digging into Erec. His sword held ready as if waiting for Erec to start the fight. It made no sense; surely the Prince had a higher degree of confidence in his skills¡ª


    [What are you doing? MOVE BACK!] VAL screamed in his head.


    Erec didn¡¯t have time to question it. He backpedaled quickly.


    Soren vanished from the spot he¡¯d been standing; his sword tore through the space where Erec had been. Erec blinked. <em>Did he¡­ teleport? Or is he that quick?</em> Following the failed attack, the Prince pulled back and paced around Erec towards the right in a neat circle. Erec twisted to track the movement, following Soren and trying to anticipate the next blow.


    [What are you looking at¡ªto the left. DUCK.]


    Erec dropped down as a sword swiped over his head. The Prince vanished from his right side and suddenly appeared on Erec¡¯s left. <em>How the hell?</em>


    Seeing his prey escape another attack, Soren followed through with a kick; Erec couldn¡¯t block the blow. The force sent him tumbling over the ground, his uniform tearing across a rock and bruising him all over. As he scrambled to his feet, the Prince stood still. ¡°Where is he?¡±


    [What do you mean? He¡¯s running at you! Use your eyes, Intern!]


    Erec¡¯s heart was going a mile-a-minute; he¡¯d tasted pain from the blow. Yet, despite what VAL said, he only saw Soren swaying in the ce where he¡¯dst kicked him. ¡°Tell me when to swing.¡± Erec tensed, his instincts racing. Logic started to leave his head. It didn¡¯t matter that Soren was standing far away¡ªno, that didn¡¯t matter at all. All that mattered was getting a blow in.


    [Now.]


    Erecshed out with his hatchet¡ªconnecting with the side of a sword as Soren converted a strike into a block. He could suddenly see the Prince again, teleporting from his position far away to a foot in front, fending off Erec¡¯s attack. That was all he needed. Erec barreled forward, pitting the Strength behind his arm against Soren¡¯s guard¡ªcausing the other boy to step back.


    Another step forward¡ªdirt piled behind Soren¡¯s boot as he slid back along the wastnd''s surface. As long there wasn¡¯t distance, Soren couldn¡¯t use his trick.


    He just needed to get closer. Erec¡¯s heart hammered. His breath grew heavy as his vision colored red. ¡°Start the test,¡± Erec said, the wordsing out terse and filled with violence. There wasn¡¯t a doubt in his mind he would take the Prince down.


    [Early onset of Fury confirmed. Experimentmenced. Employing packet dosages of sedative as required. ]


    Erec¡¯s arm buckled as the pure force pouring into the shing steel stopped ramping up¡ªteauing into a higher degree of Strength but not giving him what he needed to finish the job.


    Soren was quick to react, sliding the edge of the axe along his de to a flourish and disengagement during the small gap that Erec adjusted. Before Erec could yank back and throw out another blow, their point of contact dissolved. Soren leaped backward.


    Erec smelled blood in the water; if his enemy was fleeing, then he¡¯d chase him down.


    [DODGE RIGHT. YOU''RE ABOUT TO RUN INTO HIS SWORD!]


    After the loud shriek, Erec¡¯s body reacted without thought, yet itgged as if too slow to respond. As if it physically couldn¡¯t keep up with the instincts. The de¡¯s edge skimmed his side, turning what would have been a skewering hit into a nasty cut¡ªhad the de not been dulled. As it was, the metal still managed to bite his skin and draw blood.


    The pain only drew the Fury out more. His weapon jerked outward, but his armgged behind the instincts, giving Soren enough time to slip out of range and disappear¡ªor rather, appear to flee backward.


    Minutes flew by, yet the dance of their fight remained the same, Soren would dart in, and Erec would react, often nicked but still surviving. He was unable to retaliate with his axe. Every second that the fight dragged on, his body felt less responsive. Dulled and drugged.


    It was frustrating. Pain and anger swelled in him, numbed by the constant feeling of sedative unleashed in response¡ªa limiter keeping him from flying off the edge.


    But it also limited him from winning.


    Retaining the barest of his senses and drugged, his body couldn¡¯t react with the pure instinct that this fight demanded. All he needed was to let fury take control, and he¡¯d have Soren. As the drugs and fury rampaged his mind, his sense of logic hung by an increasingly frayed rope.


    ¡°Stop the sedatives.¡±


    [That would vite the goals of this experiment.]


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Erec growled as another stab came in from his right, kindly warned by VAL before it happened. The de scored a nick on his cheek, its dull edge catching and ripping enough skin to cause blood and pain to swell. His vision pulsed in waves of red, deepening in crimson only to flush back to color as VAL released more sedatives to keep him in check.


    [You¡¯re aware you¡¯ll lose control?]


    ¡°I want to win.¡±


    [We must let new employees make their mistakes to learn. Experiment concluded.]


    The change came ten secondster. Erec¡¯s vision filled with redpletely; he tasted his blood. That deep metallic and beautiful taste.


    There was a buzzing in his head. But he didn¡¯t need it anymore. No, he sensed the direction of the killing intent. A blow wasing directly for his midsection. Erec jumped forward with sudden abandon; his axe caught the sword¡¯s edge. He mmed the weapon, his Strength spiraling, whacking the sword far aside.


    The edge of the axe went in for a killing blow to the neck¡ªonly for the target to redirect the weapon with a deft movement of their de. After which, Soren used fancy footwork to twist away and maneuver his de to jab directly into Erec¡¯s heart.


    No choice but to pull back; Erec put temporary distance between them. The failed assault only deepened his fury, especially as Soren tried to fade away again, his shadow running off in one direction.


    He wouldn¡¯t get away.


    There was another annoying buzz in Erec¡¯s skull.


    Erec yanked his arm back and threw the axe for all it was worth¡ªspinning through the air directly to where he <em>knew</em> Soren was.


    There was a ng of metal as Soren¡¯s sword barely deflected the weapon. A feat that should¡¯ve been impossible, yet this enemy pulled it off. Erec grinned, taking a stance to move in with his fists, charging in after they blocked the hit.


    A sword hit the side of Erec¡¯s neck as he closed the distance.


    But he knew that the enemy¡¯s sword couldn¡¯t y him. It¡¯s de was too dull. They¡¯d picked the wrong weapon for this fight.


    Erec sprang forward and tackled the enemy to the ground. They should¡¯ve brought a real sword. That poor excuse for an axe was just as useless.


    He¡¯d bash this enemy into a pulp with his bare hands.


    He raised a fist to start raining down blows against Soren and secure victory. A hand grabbed him by the cor and flung him far away.


    [Administering sedatives.]


    Erec tumbled across the ground, gasping as more pain filled him¡ªbut the moment he stopped, he scrambled to his feet. His legs shook; they threatened to give out as the drugs pumped in him without end. Each muscle strained and started the spasm. It felt like his body was heavier than it had any right to be. An overwhelming urge toy down and ept defeat poisoned him.


    <em>No</em>


    He took a few steps towards the opposite side of the field, weathering the struggle.<em> It¡¯s not over.</em>


    The one who threw him flew in and mmed a fist into Erec¡¯s stomach.


    Erec doubled over from the pain, copsing to the ground with a gasp.

 Chapter 31: Dangerous

    Chapter 31: Dangerous


    Erec woke up in one of the priests¡¯ tents¡ªhis head pounding and hands shaking. A priest hovered over him, reciting their holy words. They paused as Erec¡¯s eyes opened. ¡°Ah, back with us? Sir Boldwick said you¡¯d be up sooner rather thanter.¡±


    A blinking notification was in the corner of his vision from his Blessing.


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Erec winced. Bruises lined his back. Everything was healing, but the pain of being healed meant he¡¯d once more experience half of the pain he felt when receiving the wound. Erec struggled to keep his consciousness together as he reyed the red-tinted memories of the fight.


    Soren had been using some kind of Talent. He was sure of it¡ªno glyphs, no prayers.


    In the heat of the moment, Erec¡¯d given himself all the way over to the anger and failed. ¡°I lost.¡±


    [Indeed, you did. If it¡¯s a constion, while you lost the spar, It¡¯s uncertain whether or not you would¡¯ve lost the fight. It is impressive that you correctly identified his weapon wasn¡¯t capable of doing you serious harm during that state, then altered your battle priorities to take advantage of that. More deductive reasoning than I¡¯d predicted.]


    The priestunched back into their prayer. Painnced through Erec. He pulled up the notification to distract himself.


    Perception Advancement: Rank E - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 2


    A fair upgrade. Had the reliance on pure instincts while tracking Soren driven him to new heights? The advancements wereing rapidly¡ªwas this what being in the Academy was like? The constant pushing forward and getting stronger was addictive. But how long would it be before it slowed again?


    [That Talent the Prince disyed was quite interesting. I would love to analyze how he used the anomalous energy to manipte your senses¡ªI¡¯d been trying to figure it out for some time. Perhaps some form of direct light maniption? No, then again¡ª]


    Erecpsed into silence and ground his teeth together. He let VAL go on as long as it wanted.


    Soon enough, the priest finished and then told him to leave the tent once he felt up to it.


    Instead, hey on the cot. He turned the fight over again in his head. His choices had been wrong. It¡¯d been a massive mistake to give over to the anger, and he¡¯d sacrificed the fight with that obsession for victory. Not that he would¡¯ve won with how they¡¯d been plodding along with him drugged out.


    He waspetitive¡ªand under the influence of Fury, that fault got driven to exceptional heights.


    It also came with an unprecedented desire to achieve victory by decimating his opponent and utterly destroying them. Which he still found hard to exin. Did some part of him deep down want to destroy, or was it the adrenaline cocktail?


    After a minute of silence, he came to a conclusion.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that n is going to work.¡± The sedatives were too limiting. And the closer he got to using Fury, the more his reasoning vanished. It also limited the height of power given over by the talent. However, the most important reason it didn¡¯t work was that itgged his reaction speed. If Soren had been using a real sword, he¡¯d have ughtered Erec with all of those cuts. Using the sedatives with Fury wore him down too quickly.


    There had to be a better method.


    [Agreed. There were someplications in the experiment, even with it being aborted before fulfilling all of the objectives. That¡¯s science for you. So, we begin the cycle again.]


    They¡¯d have to find a way to use it, a better method to leash Fury or direct it.


    The ps to the tent flung open. The Prince walked in as if he owned the ce, which he might have. His empty face lingered on Erec on the cot. A mask that hid what was beneath. Had hee to punish Erec for breaking the rules of the fight? For trying to hurt him?


    ¡°Congrattions on the win. Sorry about the end there. I didn¡¯t mean to cause you trouble. I lost control of myself.¡± Erec said


    ¡°I didn¡¯t win.¡± Soren said.


    ¡°No, you got me in the neck; I¡¯m the jackass who kept going and tried to hurt you after.¡± <em>Better to own up to it.</em>


    ¡°While it was unexpected that you continued your assault after I won the game, I¡¯m left wondering. Had I a real sword, would you have charged in that manner? I don¡¯t believe so. Nor was I able to determine how you tracked my movements without using prayer or spell-craft.¡± Soren pulled over a wooden chair from the side of the tent, sitting near the cot. His face was still nk. ¡°Though you broke the rules, you fought with your all, as you¡¯d vowed. In the end, you intended to smash my face with your fists, since you¡¯d thought it the most effective way to counter my talent.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I¡ªI¡¯m not sure that¡¯s the best way to counter you. I don¡¯t have control over my Divine Talent yet. I got frustrated with the fight and was stupid and gave in to it. I¡¯m sorry for trying to harm you; that¡¯s not normally me.¡±


    ¡°One apology was enough. I¡¯m not here to hold petty grudges over other Knights learning how to fight. You did, however, keep your word, unintentionally or not. That fight took everything you had, and you turned it into a real battle in the end. I expected today to be a test of my patience as we yed the Academy¡¯s games, yet, I found a little something of value.¡±


    There was a long pause as they looked each other over. Search as he might, Erec found nothing in the Prince¡¯s eyes, no anger, no desire for revenge, not even a desire for a friend.


    ¡°This will not be ourst fight. When we face off again, I expect you to be better. Challenge me. Few are willing to throw their full might against a prince, yet it¡¯s amusing and convenient that you have little to no choice. There¡¯s much to learn against an enemy like that.¡±


    Soren gave a slow nod, then got to his feet. Then he left. He didn¡¯t seem to care what Erec might say in return.


    Which was fine; Erec had nothing to say in return for that. While the Prince might have epted such a thing, he doubted many of his peers would look too fondly on him losing it against a member of the Royal family. And he couldn¡¯t expect Soren to go around giving that same speech to clear the air.


    It¡¯d been a minimal risk, sure. But that didn¡¯t mean there weren¡¯t consequences.


    He¡¯d underestimated Fury¡¯s power to make him lust for battle and victory.


    Erec closed his eyes, hands still shaking. As soon as they stopped, he¡¯d head back out. The test wasn¡¯t done yet.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec collected himself, then returned to watch the rest of the duels. Nothing particrly caught his interest in the rest of the first year¡¯s fighting. Garin and Olivia already had their fight, and while Erec was recovering, Colin fought too.


    Colin had lost to the red-headed Duchess¡¯ daughter.


    ording to Garin, the girl stomped him. There must¡¯ve been bad blood between them since she didn¡¯t simply beat him; no, she spent a good five minutes embarrassing the hell out of him. She¡¯d disarm him, force him to pick up his sword and disarm him again. Afterward, Colin ran off.


    That was the least of Erec¡¯s concerns; their ¡®friendship¡¯ was nowhere near the point where Colin would take to him trying to lend kind words. Not that Erec was in the state to give it. His body felt wrung out and barely functional, threatening to copse.


    It was a concerning situation to be in since he didn¡¯t know what the test of resolve demanded.


    Things got far more interesting when they got to the second year¡¯s duels. They shed a range of spell-work and prayer that drew out fanfare from everyone watching.


    There were also a few Divine Talents being put on disy.


    But there was a single fight Erec both dreaded and kept on the edge of anticipation for.


    ¡°Bedwyr of House Audentia!¡± called out the Commander Knight.


    If the cheering for Prince Soren from the first year was enthusiastic, the screaming, cheers, and whistling from the second years put the Prince to shame.


    Bedwyr took to the field, his red hair bright in the sun, with a slight smirk on his face as he waved out to the assorted people calling for his victory. He scanned the crowd, then made his way to the weapons. He looked every part as a Knight should be. Valiant. Noble. Courageous. Erec clenched his fist and took a sharp breath; there wasn¡¯t a particrly good reason to it, but he wanted to punch that smug look off the bastard¡¯s face.


    His hand began to shake again.


    [Easy now, buckeroo. Keep that excitement locked away for science!]


    ¡°Mathias of House Valens, please make your way to the field and pick out your weapon.¡±


    Even more cheering, as arge boy damn near twice Bedwyr¡¯s size strode out to the field. Where Erec¡¯s brother had his share of muscle, he was alsopact, heroic, but well in proportion. Compared to Mathias¡ªit was like a mountain versus a man. The initiate had to be nearing seven feet, an absurd build with muscle upon muscle.


    His Strength must be through the roof, and trying to guess at any of his other physical Virtues would have been ¡®high¡¯ at the bare minimum. More cheering red from the crowd. This was a much-anticipated fight from the second years, and as the first years caught on, they too began to call out and feed into the excitement.


    Bedwyr picked arge dulled two-handed sword, tossed it on a shoulder, then took an easy stance on his ce on the field. The big boy nced at the assorted weapons before settling on a simr great sword.


    Both just picked the biggest sword they could carry.


    Erec shouldn¡¯t have expected anything else, given everyone¡¯s natural disposition, thanks to the damned Goddess.


    ¡°Begin!¡± shouted the Knight Commander.


    The big guy smashed a fist into his chest¡ªand a glyph formed at the point of contact. A secondter, stone and dirt from the ground rose in the air andyered themselves, giving him a second skin of soil and rock. Bedwyr sat easily at the other side of the field, smiling as he let his enemy armor himself up.


    And then the big guy stomped¡ªa mist of silver haze around him. The air felt heavy as if it pressed down, gravity pulling Erec towards the ground heavier than before. Some divine talent? Or a prayer? Either way, Mathias went all out from the very start to gain whatever advantage he could. Bedwyr stood firm, at ease, but slipping into a fighting stance.<em> He¡¯s showing off for the crowd.</em>


    Like a rolling mountain, Mathias charged Bedwyr¡ªsword swinging from on high and cutting downward faster than it should have. Bedwyr slipped to the right effortlessly as he did a white glyph formed in his right hand. Mathias roared, shifting the angle of his de to try to sweep Bedwyr.


    Bedwyr jumped the de as it cut where his legs had been¡ªand gravity suddenly yanked down on the crowd, jerking everyone towards the ground. Bedwyr recovered quick¡ªa foot touching the t of Mathias¡¯ sword, only to spring off it as he vaulted the enemy. Erec¡¯s brother flipped in the air, the glowing white glyph in his right hand making contact with Mathias¡¯ head.


    There was a sh of light.


    The mud armor sloughed off Mathias.


    But the big guy wasn¡¯t done; no, the silver aura around expanded as gravity yanked everyone down harder and consistently. Bedwyr stumbled as hended¡ªnearly taking a hit from Mathias¡¯ de as he tried to take control of the fight.


    Bedwyr caught the de with his sword¡¯s guard; his voice chanted in a booming tone as he began a prayer.


    In a sh, Bedwyr¡¯s de shifted angle and skidded alongside Mathias¡¯. Only for a sudden burst of light to explode from where the des connected, throwing the swords away from another. That silver mist pulsed around the big guy¡ªdoubling the effects of gravity again.


    But Bedwyr stood firm, stepping back and shifting his stance in a half-second. Then he stabbed forward, the point of his dull longsword stabbing right where Mathias¡¯ heart was.


    ¡°Victory goes to Bedwyr!¡± Themander screamed, much to the delight of the crowd.


    Bedwyr paused, offering a handshake to Mathias and a smile.


    The other boy threw everything in his arsenal at him from the start. His Divine Talent, his defenses, and his Strength. Still, Bedwyr overcame him.


    While shy, it wasn¡¯t overt and hinted that more was under the surface. Bedwyr disyed no extreme Divine Talent; nothing he¡¯d done was earth-shattering in prowess. But each of his actions had been enough to meet and edge out hispetition with every move.


    By throwing all the pieces together¡ªAgility to maneuver as much as needed, enough Strength to counteract the shifting gravity, and enough Mysticism and Prayer to counter spells or provide an important second¡¯s advantage... There¡¯d never been a doubt that Bedwyr would win the fight.


    Rounded out and good enough in each area to win. That¡¯s why Bedwyr was so dangerous. He wasn¡¯t bad in any field. There were no perceivable weak points. Compared to Erec, who''d only managed to match his brother in a single field growing up, it was beyond frustrating.

 Chapter 32: Cold Hate

    Chapter 32: Cold Hate


    <em>¡°At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: ''I have to go to work ¡ª as a human being. What do I have toin of, if I¡¯m going to do what I was born for ¡ª the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the nkets and stay warm?''</em>


    <em>So you were born to feel ''nice''? Instead of doing things and experiencing them? Don¡¯t you see the nts, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees going about their individual tasks, putting the world in</em> order, <em>as best they can? And you¡¯re not willing to do your job as a human being? Why aren¡¯t you running to do what your nature demands?</em>


    <em>You don¡¯t love yourself enough. Or you¡¯d love your nature too, and what it demands of you.¡±</em>


    <em>- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations (175, 2nd Era)</em>


    The rest of the second-year fights received various amounts of cheering and support. They were interesting enough, sure. The change to behold how far a single year of the Academy changed their initiates and began to set them down the path they would walk as a Knight set Erec¡¯s heart on fire. But the worry for what was toe dampened the rest of the brawls.


    After an initiate''s second year, they''d be made into Knight Errants. They weren''t quite full-fledged Knights yet at the Knight Errant level. But at that point, it was mostly their own training that would push them forward. They advanced further by upholding their ts and strengthening themselves as a Knight.


    Though it wasn¡¯t wholly unguided, a Knight Errant got squired to a higher ranking Knight to receive criticism and suggestions on the path they forged.


    Knight Errants filtering in and out of the Academy was amon sight. Many Knight Commanders had a few under their wings, having picked them to continue to teach during their time in the Academy.


    That was a long-off goal for Erec, to be a force that people looked up to with stars in their eyes. He wanted to inspire the children in the depths of the underground Kingdom and be a man to yank back theirnd from the monsters and let more humans return to living under the sun. But that dream conflicted with his goal, the desire to track down his mother and demand answers. How could he do both?


    The fights ran their course. Once they ended, the initiates were split into smaller groups to be led back to the Academy proper.


    ¡°Erec.¡± Lyotte gave him a slight nod as she joined his assigned group. Her ck curls spilled wildly down her back; the uniform suited her. She looked every part what a noble of a Knight Academy should. Head held high, and a determination in her gaze to do her best.


    ¡°Dame Lyotte,¡± Erec decided to be a little more formal. He¡¯d agreed to take things back to square one with her, but the odd behavior and her near obsession with ¡®helping him¡¯ threw him off. Who was he to turn away a potential ally? Even if she was oddly behaved. Though¡­ ¡°One of my dorm-mates is a former maid from your house.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. You met Olivia, she¡¯s very kind, isn¡¯t she?¡± Lyotte asked with a smile. ¡°A bit stuffy, even when you ask her not to be, but a dear friend of mine.¡±


    <em>Well she didn¡¯t try to hide their rtionship. </em>They were connected, but how far did it extend past what Lyotte said? Were they even actually friends? Olivia''s particr capabilities were too strange for a maid, but how much did Erec want to press in and try to fish for answers? ¡°She¡¯s nice, yeah. I think we¡¯ll get along fine.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m d, Erec. You deserve to be surrounded by people who can support your goals.¡± <em>What the hell?</em>


    Erec let that hang in the air as more joined their assigned group. Including one sour face. Colin strode into their ranks, wearing a scowl and wrapped in a dark mood, which was somewhat undercut by the puffy red eyes. <em>He¡¯s been crying.</em> That¡¯s why he ran off where nobody could see him; but it was hard to hide the evidence, even if he¡¯d wiped away his tears. Erec¡­ Hated that he felt pity for the arrogant prick. Each step since the trial, more and more of Colin¡¯s failures and detestable choices were unearthed for everyone to see.


    Even Erec felt secondhand embarrassment for how hepared to his peers, let alone how far he fell from the Unbroken General.


    That must be like a crushing weight on Colin¡¯s chest. Yet, the boy was so goddamn cruel for the sake of it.


    Colin¡¯s eyes filled with malice as he took in Lyotte. ¡°I¡¯m surprised your father let you attend the Academy, little bird. I thought he¡¯d shove you back into your cage after that trial put you in danger.¡± <em>Here we go again.</em> In one smooth sentence, Colin stripped away the barest bit of empathy Erec began to feel. He was left with pure exasperation at the momentous task left to him by the arrogant noble¡¯s father. Erec rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m fortunate my mother doesn¡¯t tolerate his overprotective streak,¡± Lyotte responded coldly. ¡°I¡¯m sure that your heartbreaking defeat at the hands of House Doctus¡¯ daughter will reach your father¡¯s ears by the end of the day. I do wonder how he¡¯ll react.¡±


    Colin winced like she¡¯d backhanded his face.


    Erec¡¯s eyes traveled between them, and cold hostility hung in the air. Damn near real enough to give him shivers. Their ranks filled with five more students¡ªtwo from each of the Orders, based on an overview of the pins adorning their Academy uniforms.


    Once everyone was there, an instructor collected them and led them into the depths of the Academy, down two floors, and into a wing of private chambers with no windows. Deep in the belly of the beast.


    The most prominent object in the middle of the chamber they entered was the soft blue glow of an inscribed glyph. Large circlespped over one another with geometric shapes carved between its rings. Typically when one did spell-work like this, they tended to cover it to hide away and preserve the glyph. But no, this one was in to see, soft blue glow and all.


    Everyone avoided crossing the threshold of the glyph as they lined the side of the otherwise empty room.


    Their instructor cleared their throat after closing the door.


    ¡°The test of resolve is simple in principle. When I bid you, all of you will enter the glyph in the center of the room. However, this is not a test for you alone; you will be working with the other Knight from your Order. You mustst within the ring for as long as possible; should the other Knight from your Order fold, you will also be disqualified. Thest Order standing is considered the victor of this test. However, the time you dost will be noted for grading purposes. Show us your resolve, and ovee thepetition from the other Orders with your teammate.¡±


    Erec squinted as he looked at the long circr lines of the outer glyph. Why would they fold? Worse, this wasn¡¯t based on just him. He¡¯d have to rely on a notoriously weak link to get a good grade on the exam. He looked at Colin; the haughty noble was still staring at his feet with a red face. <em>How is it fair I have to rely on him to do well?</em>


    ¡°You have three minutes to strategize with your teammate, and then the test will begin.¡±


    Immediately the duos of initiates broke off into whispered conversation. Colin didn¡¯t budge from his spot at all.


    Erec looked at the white glow of the glyph on the floor, frowning. Why would this make them leave? What about this was going to test their resolve? There didn¡¯t appear to be a maximum time limit either. But then, there was magic involved. And evidently some strategy. While Erec didn¡¯t have insight into this test, he guessed that it would take ce every year, which meant someone with knowledge of the Academy¡¯s inner workings might know what they were about to face.


    If Colin wouldn¡¯t budge, then he would. Erec moved to him and asked the question. ¡°What is this test about?¡±


    ¡°You must face yourself.¡± Colin looked at the white lines on the ground, wiping at an eye.


    Either he wasn¡¯t looking up at his prospects of doing well, or Lyotte¡¯s line about his father was a heavy point to him. <em>I¡¯d feel the same if my father was the Unbroken General.</em> The pressure Erec faced as a child due to beingpared to his brother had to be minimal to the sort of pressure from being the son of an <em>actual</em> war hero. "Don¡¯t hold me back.¡± Colin firmed his shoulders and looked Erec in the eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one we have to worry about.¡± Erec shot back. Every step he took towards feeling like Colin was getting the short end of a stick, the boy decided to act out and show off what a prick he was.


    They spent the rest of their time in silence; until the instructor called for them to enter the ring.


    As Erec crossed that glowing blue line, a deep shiver ran through his body. Coldness bit up from his legs, traveling through his veins and tainting his inside. Ufortable goosebumps prickled the back of his neck as if he''d stepped into a pool of ice. Based on everyone else''s rmed expressions, they were also likely having the same troubles.


    ¡°The test has begun. Last as long as you can manage.¡±


    Colin stood next to Erec, silent. All of them were quiet. A deep, cold quiet, the kind he might imagine in those dead, frozen fields described in old-world biome texts.


    And then the whispers began.


    <em>¡°Bedwyr¡¯s brother? His mother¡¯s a filthy traitor. We should have burnt their whole family in a pyre. How long until they betray us too?¡± </em>


    Erec¡¯s head darted around, eyes wide. Which one of these bastards¡ª


    <em>¡°Think they¡¯ll sell us out to a rift-walker, too?¡±</em>


    No one was speaking, yet the voices filtering in his head swirled and hissed with venom. Eachment was a jab against his psyche, scraping against his mind. The rest of the initiates were having simr reactions, eyes widening and looking around. There was no source of the voices, yet the cold increased. Erec breathed out a puff of white.


    <em>¡°I can¡¯t wait for him to die in the wastes; He¡¯ll go nowhere but into a shallow pit.¡± </em>


    His skin crawled as if a hundred fingers were scuttling along its surface. Erec twitched and shook his head, the voices digging deeper. They were worming into his skin, trying to dig their way inside and rot him from the inside out.


    <em>¡°Failure. Disgrace. Burn him.¡±</em>


    ¡°F-fuck¡­¡± Erec muttered, teeth chattering. A quick nce around at the rest of the initiates told him that nobody was withstanding this very well. The rest of them had gone pale¡ªColin had tears running down his eyes, his pupils wide and a pure terror and fear on his face.


    <em>¡°He¡¯ll end up killing someone with that talent of his. Better to end it now, put him down like the mad dog he is.¡±</em>


    Colin began to step towards the edge of the ring. No. Erec grit his teeth¡ªa shaking handshing out and snapping around Colin¡¯s wrist. His fingers dug in as he felt Colin¡¯s ice-cold veins. As if he was a corpse. With pure horror, Colin tried to yank his arm away to leave the circle but failed to break Erec¡¯s grip. His Strength was too much for thenky Duke¡¯s son to ovee without the advantage of his Armor.


    <em>¡°Let the machine take over; even if it isn¡¯t a human, its worth a million times what he is.¡±</em>


    Erec¡¯s body spasmed as the cold contracted his muscles. He was freezing alive. One of the girls to his right stepped out of the ring, yet he hardly nced at her. Instead, he narrowed his point of focus to the shaking Colin in front of him. ¡°I d-d-don¡¯t care what it says,¡± Erec¡¯s teeth chattered as he threw everything he had left in him. ¡°S-stay.¡±


    ¡°I-I-I can¡¯t¡­¡± Colin cried out, tears fully giving forth, an awful line of mucus running from his nose. Frost crawled on their hands and paled skin, a spreading chill of death. ¡°I-I¡¯m a failure.¡±


    Another one of the contestants walked out.


    <em>¡°Why was he born? We don¡¯t need him. We have Bedwyr.¡±</em>


    Eachment dug deeper in his heart¡ªnting itself there and festering like rotten weeds. Its thorny roots tangling around and spawned forth a dozen echoing whispers, strengthening the part of him that lurked in the shadows. This glyph gave a tangible voice to the doubts and shadows in his heart. They were endless now; vicious words about him, his mother, and his friends. Stupid. Foolish. Erec was a blight upon the world and everyone he contacted. He¡¯d be better dead, and his friends would have more fulfilling lives without him on this earth.


    Erec twitched and fought against the voices¡ªColin stopped fighting him and stayed in ce.


    There were only two groups left now¡ªLyotte¡¯s with her partner and him and Colin. Lyotte seemed the bestposed of everyone, straight in the middle of the circle with her eyes toward the ceiling. Her partner was on the ground, tears welling from her eyes and freezing on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m nothingpared to him¡­¡± Colin whispered, hunching over. Erec felt the air burn in his chest; how much longer before they froze alive? Would he die? How long had it been? Each second dragged on an eternity of torment and self-hate.


    ¡°Then get better. We¡¯re not them, so who cares? We¡¯ll make ourselves into something else. They¡¯re not us, Colin. They¡¯re not here, and now, only we can do this. Be strong.¡± Erec said, barely conscious of his own words. ck tinged the edge of his vision. He slipped to the ground, the ability to hold Colin giving out as the thousands of horrible shadowy words sieged his mind.


    His breath hitched; he took in a lungful of frozen air as his control began to vanish. A deep shadow of regret and anger came in a possessive tide to suck away every bit of joy in his life.


    What was the point? Why put himself through this?


    Colin took a step toward the edge of the circle, sobbing in full.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go. Colin. We can do this together.¡± Erec pulled the words out of somewhere deep; the swirling ocean of shadows closed around on him. They dragged his mind to the depths of hell as his body froze over. How long until death?


    But he wouldn¡¯t give in to them. They¡¯d been with him his whole life, hiding in every sess. Jabbing at him whenever they saw an opening. This self-hate was always present, but now, it wasn¡¯t hiding.


    Colin stopped at the edge, copsing to his knees. He stared at Erec.


    But he didn¡¯t step out of it.


    ¡°Congrattions.¡± The instructor called. The glow on the circle vanished.


    Lyotte¡¯s partner had left the glyph, though Lyotte stood in the center, her face still raised to the heavens. Slowly she looked at Erec and Colin, a sad smile on her face. ¡°You two did well. This is my loss, then.¡±


    The shadowy voices vanished, and the cold seeped away to life''s warmth once more. Erec shuddered in his spot.


    ¡°Well done, seven minutes and twenty seconds. Victory goes to the Order of the Verdant Oak.¡± The instructor nodded. ¡°An hour for recovery, then you shall be expelled back to your Orders. The day after tomorrow, you¡¯ll receive your scores and course assignments.¡±


    Erec noted the blinking in the corner of his vision from the blessing. He willed it open as he summoned the energy to return to his feet.


    Psyche Advancement: Rank F - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank F - Tier 8


    There it was, another advancement. They wereing faster than ever before, as he kept pushing against his limits. He was gaining power quickly, far more efficiently than on his own deep underground. This ce would only drive him further. All he needed to do was keep pushing, and he¡¯d reach his dream.


    The hateful words still polluted his mind, butpared to the light of the potential future he saw; they hid away.


    All he needed was power. With enough power, he¡¯d reach that light. Keep up the pace. The Academy had been the right decision. Of that, he was sure.

 Chapter 33: Cheating Pays Off

    Chapter 33: Cheating Pays Off


    [That entire test was ridiculous. Your vitals were still thirty minutes from reaching hypothermia.]


    Erec rubbed his brows as he lingered in the recuperation room with the other initiates. Softly, a priest hummed a prayer that eased the tension and harshness in his mind. But it was like a salve to a skinned knee; it eased the pain, but time was the only true way to recover.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t only about being cold,¡± Erec whispered. It surprised him when VAL reported his body temperature only dropped a degree during that entire test. And that the whole time, VAL had been shouting at him inside his head.


    It was interesting because he hadn¡¯t found anything to date to introduce interference between him and VAL. Aside from Fury.


    Regardless, once back in touch, VALined about the waste of time spent in a circle. Then once told it whispered awful things in his head, VALined about the validity of the test as a measure of psychological fortitude.


    Knights needed to be strong in will and body. Or so he¡¯d always been told. It didn¡¯t stand out particrly out of ce to him, but Colin hadn¡¯t spoken a real word to him since.


    Even with the silence, Erec felt a fundamental shift in the air between them. That tension lingered there like a live wire was now gone; in its ce was a degree of mutual respect, but not anything near friendship. An acknowledgment that they both understood what the other was about on some level. Perhaps it would be the bridge to let him pursue his vow to the Unbroken General, but advancing that agenda had started to give Erec a bad feeling in his gut.


    After the hour of recuperation passed, they left to return to the dorms. He felt much more cheerful throughout the prayer.


    When they returned to their living space, he returned to Garin being soothed on the couch by Olivia. His friend hung his head low, with a cheery maid to his right. At their arrival, the two stopped, and Olivia shed him a smile. ¡°Wee back.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. You alright, Garin?¡± Erec said back, moving aside. Colin ignored them and barreled right towards his room. Face still pale, but a new light in his eyes. Erec shrugged and copsed on the couch next to his friend, staring at the ceiling of the dorm.


    ¡°Am I a bad friend?¡± Garin asked quietly from his side.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re a better friend than I am,¡± Erec answered honestly. It was a sad admission, but the truth, If he gave half as much effort as Garin to their friendship, then who knows where they¡¯d be right now. The truth was that, if anything, he was the one leeching off of the goodwill of Garin.


    ¡°You¡¯re both being dramatic. It does not suit you.¡± Olivia chided them, shaking her head. ¡°The voices of that test are not a reflection of reality. And if you think you have a w, it is something you may practice out of yourself. Face your weakness, and y it. Any goal can be achieved with enough effort. It does not matter that you were out of the ring in a minute, Sir Garin. Next time you will do better.¡± They slipped into contemtion at that. Only time would let them face the demons shown by the test.


    Erec thought about confronting Olivia about how she handled the written exam, but that sort of hard questioning wasn¡¯t in him today. And what answer would he get? That she was a spy? He was pretty fucking convinced of that at this point anyway.


    After letting them dwell in the dark for fifteen minutes, Olivia suggested they take a walk, which Erec found himself surprised to agree to.


    They wandered the halls of the Verdant Oak quarters and outside into the lush jungle of nts that surrounded it. Together they dug through the undergrowth and reached the expansive flower garden on the far side of the building. A field of a thousand flowers, each was a bright ssh of vibrant color painting thendscape. Every breath reinvigorated and brought with it a thousand scents.


    In time they left the grounds of the Verdant Oak quarters and wandered over to the pond of the Crimson Lotus. The sun sunk, painting the sky a glorious orangeced with purple as night approached.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard some serious usations of your reputation before the Academy, Sir Garin,¡± Olivia said as she sat on a small wooden outcropping into the pond with the trio. Her toes sunken into the stilled cold water below. A few of the Crimson Lotus initiates wandered around, but for the most part, they had all the privacy they could want.


    ¡°And just what would those usations be about?¡± Gariny across the deck next to them, hands behind his head with his eyes closed.


    The water was gorgeous; small dragonflies buzzed over the pads and carefully examined the floating lotuses. Would Bedwyr be lounging around after his tests? How¡¯d he fair? Did Erec beat him on the test of resolve?


    ¡°Rumor is you¡¯re a hopeless tterer and a reprehensible flirt,¡± Olivia said in a neutral tone, swirling ripples into the stilled pond. ¡°Or so the nobledies gossip.¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask? Do I see jealousy hiding behind that mask of yours?¡± Garin asked, eyes fluttering, to which Olivia shook her head.


    ¡°This Dame is not one to fall for such childish charms. Please refrain fromvishing such affections on her, for she would rather focus her time and efforts on studying to make her name.¡±


    ¡°When you put it like that, I¡¯d feel like a jerk to refuse. But if you ever change your mind, let me know.¡± Garin shed her a winning smile as she rolled her eyes. He paused, taking on a bit more of a serious tone. ¡°But really? Is that what they¡¯re saying about me?¡±


    Erec snorted. ¡°They¡¯re just not used to someone like you. Or maybe you really are a bad flirt; after what I saw, easy to see why they¡¯re gossiping.¡±


    ¡°That so? How about you, Erec? All that time spent in your room. Are you yearning for some lost love left underground?¡± Garin fired back.


    Erec paused because the absurd usation was something he didn¡¯t know how to respond to. Him? Slinking off and romancing someone? With what time? But also the pure ludicrousness of this moment. All of them resting around a calm pond when just a couple of days ago they faced off against monsters assaulting their walls. Outside of those steel curtains, the world waited to sink its fangs in and destroy them.


    Yet, at this moment, they could sit around in the Academy and have a conversation like this¡­


    This.


    This was the sort of moment humanity was meant to have; peaceful memories and nonchnt conversations over their silly personal lives. A hope that burned bright even with shadows closing in on it. It was for these memories that they needed to defend what they had.


    It was a reason to kill terrifying monsters.


    He finally came up with a response.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I¡¯ve spent my nights reading. You¡¯re too loud for me to focus in the living room.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so your love is fictional. Don¡¯t worry! One day you¡¯ll meet a Dame who you¡¯ll sweep off her feet and¡ª¡°


    Olivia shoved Garin into the pond.


    There was a loud sshing and angry yelling; Garin pulled Olivia into the pond with him as Erec sat on the side. His eyes rose above to see the stars as they began to dot the sky.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Yesterday¡¯s breakfast had been a war of pettiness. Today there was peace. Colin came along without being asked, far more reserved than before. They had a rather rxing morning of eating tart ckberry pastries.


    Colin evenplimented Olivia on her table manners.


    It was a bit of a backhanded insult, but it was clear to everyone that it hadn¡¯t been intended as one.


    Still, Colin hedged the conversations, only asionally giving input. He got slightly more arrogant towards the end, but there was a marked difference.


    They returned to the dorm.


    Anxiety swelled.


    Each moment spent in uneasy waiting; they knew that their results would arrive today.


    They sat around, conversation a bit more forced and injected with unfounded positivity and guesses about how they did or what it meant by their courses being determined by the results.


    There was a loud knock on the door. A Knight Errant handed out letters for them all.


    Erec didn¡¯t hesitate and tore his open the instant it was in his hands.


    <em>Dear Sir Erec, Initiate of the Order Of The Verdant Oak,</em>


    <em>Disclosed below are the results of your semi-annual examination; the sheets within this envelope will disy the examination results and the list of courses and electives derived from your performance. You are to submit a confirmation of your schedule and chosen electives to your Quartermaster by the end of this day.</em>


    <em>Please take note of thementary and areas of improvement below:</em>


    <em>Overall Grade: 8.4/10 [B] </em>


    <em>Written Exam: 89/100 [B+]</em>


    <em>-Initiate shows high reasoning in many of the overall topics covered in this exam.</em>


    <em>-Points docked for terse answers andck of understanding for social obligations covered under ¡®Court Gatherings and Public Presentation¡± questions. </em>


    <em>-Rmended to expand proficiency of courtly affairs to prevent misunderstandings in higher courts when representing Order. Any failures here reflect upon the Knights and can have political ramifications.</em>


    <em>Duel: 68/100 [D+]</em>


    <em>-Initiate lost spar. </em>


    <em>-Overcame few challenges associated with opponent. </em>


    <em>-Initiate refused to acknowledge end of spar, and had to be forcibly removed from opponent by a Master Knight. </em>


    <em>-Initiate eliminated self by taking a direct hit after losing control duringbat to tackle an opponent.</em>


    <em>-Rmendation provided by Order to undergo Talent Development, which has been acknowledged and prioritized. </em>


    <em>Resolve: 94/100 [A]</em>


    <em>-Initiate won test of resolve. </em>


    <em>-Disyed ability to withstand high intensity demanded by exam for several minutes time.</em>


    <em>-Persuasion of teamwork to instill courage in another. </em>


    Erec looked up from the sheet of paper, listing his aplishments, failures, and how to improve. Everyone was looking at their grades. <em>B? Better than average.</em> It made sense he¡¯d lost a lot of points during his duel. That made sense; he¡¯d tried a new, untested tactic against an unknown opponent. But, in return, he¡¯d gotten a little bit closer to understanding his Talent.


    [Cheating paid off for you, huh?] VAL chimed in his head. [Well done for using all of the resources at your disposal. I estimate that it boosted your score from a C+. That''s a real go-getter attitude.] <em>Weren''t you the one saying it wasn''t cheating?</em>


    ¡°Damn, C,¡± Garin groaned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it discourage you. You¡¯re just middle of the pack.¡± Olivia said from the side. Garin whipped around to look at her.


    ¡°Oh, and what¡¯d you get?¡±


    ¡°I received a B-.¡± She shrugged. ¡°They disliked how I conducted myself during my duel. But I could scarcely raise a sword to Lady Lyotte.¡±


    Gradually all eyes turned toward Colin, whose face was a shade of red. The boy ripped up a piece of paper and tossed it to the ground. A deep red D+ showed from the sloppy shredding. He stompted over to his room and mmed the door.


    Garin looked around at everyone and chuckled. ¡°Wonder what sort of courses they offer when your grade¡¯s that low.¡± He squinted as he looked at hisst sheet. ¡°Well, I know what I¡¯m going to pick. How about you guys? Why don''t we take some sses together."


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Colin yelled.

 Chapter 34: A Dead Lands Winds

    Chapter 34: A Dead Land''s Winds


    <em>"Nothing but deands and old-world tech. Sand creeps into your bedroll every damn trip.</em><em></em><em>The rusted-out buildings and unsafe structures make scavenging a difficult and dangerous proposition, but asionally something worthwhile is found. And with the engineers petitioning us out as much as they can get away with, I don''t see anything changing in the near future.</em><em></em><em>Never mind that I''ve lost three of my Knights to monsters in thest year and one to a copsed building. No, it''s always ''we need you to find more tech.'' Get back out there. </em><em></em><em>One year left until I retire to my husband''s estate in the secondyer and wash my hands of this. Can''t wait."</em><em></em><em>- Knight Commander Wynter, Personal Logs (249, 3rd Era)</em>


    Picking an elective was a harsh and brutal battle. Erec received a choice of seven. Out of which, he could only pick two. One choice was obvious: he needed to take Wastnd Survival. Garin locked that in, too, so they could have a matching elective.


    That left him three others that stood out. He hunched over the table in the living area.


    Unconventional Weapons, Tracking, and Monster Ecology seemed like good picks at first nce. With Unconventional weapons, he could find recement weaponry on a long-range expedition or find out if it worked well with Fury. Tracking and Monster Ecology was also a strong pick. Knowing the different typical Rift Creatures and habits would grant an edge.


    But there would be time to take advantage of that. And VAL buzzed all angry in Erec¡¯s head until he caved and ¡®reluctantly¡¯ chose Scavenging and Armor Modification. In truth, he felt a thrill of excitement to have the chance to tear apart and improve his Armor. VAL was most keen to see how the Armorponents rting to ¡®anomalous energy¡¯ functioned.


    Most intoxicating, however, was the question.


    How far could they go if they blended old-world ideas from VAL into modern Armor models?


    It was a hard but necessary decision.


    How far could the two of them go in upgrading a modern Armor model? If they learned enough, could they blend VAL¡¯s old-world knowledge into a better Armor? Who''s to say, but the image made it a challenging but necessary decision.


    After seeing him sign up for it, Olivia jotted it down. She gave him a small smile.


    ¡°What general lectures did you get?¡± she asked.


    Erec caught a slow sh of a furry tail in the corner of the room. He paused and cleared his throat.


    [Munchy is loose.]


    ¡°They gave me seven total; one of them¡¯s a special course twice a week.¡± Erec pulled his eyes away from the nt Munchy hid behind. <em>How do I tell Garin?</em> ¡°¡­Er, Basic Mysticism, Basic Prayer and Theology, Physical Conditioning.¡± Those were all of the more mandatory basics. ¡°¡­Then Military History, and¡­¡± Erec sighed deeply. ¡°Courtly Mannerisms.¡± He kept his voice steady, trying to catch Garin¡¯s eyes and flick his attention to the space Munchy was in.


    Still, just the thought of Courtly Manners made him dread the ss. Boldwick had said it wasn¡¯t necessary. It seemed the Academy disagreed.


    Munchy began to scramble up a vine, his growing girth pulling down on the leaves as the critter miscalcted its carrying capacity. Oh fuck.


    ¡°Ah, a pity.¡± Olivia shook her head; eyes firmly fixed on Erec. How long would it be until the squirrel fell or caused something to make a noise? ¡°Besides our elective and Physical Conditioning, there¡¯s nothing else inmon. If you need a Courtly Mannerisms tutor, knock on my door.¡±


    ¡°No! If you need someone to teach you how the court works,e ask me!¡± Garin called out, even getting to his feet. Erec met his eyes and signaled toward the squirrel now trying to climb on a too-thin vine.


    Garin¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°Could it be Sir Garin is suggesting he knows more about Courtly Manners than a maid from the duchy? Scandalous.¡±


    Garin gave a quickugh. ¡°No, no, but I know how he learns best¡ªwhat¡¯s thest ss you have?¡± He tried to shoot the attention back to Erec, taking small steps toward Munchy''s location. If Garin could get to him, the little menace would be calm as could be¡ªit truly cherished hispany, for some reason. Garin must¡¯ve failed to close his door properly.


    ¡°Uh, I have Divine Talent Development, too. I¡¯m really looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°Impressive, developing Talents always seemed so interesting to me. What do you think I¡¯ll receive?¡± Olivia cupped her chin in her hand and leaned forward.


    ¡°Hard to say¡ª¡° Erec shrugged, finding it hard to focus on the conversation. Garin leaned in and snatched Munchy from the vine. Erec let out a tense breath.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been fascinated with animals,¡± Olivia remarked, swaying her head over to Garin. ¡°Do you think that mine might rte to that? The priests say it stems from your soul.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡ªcould be animals.¡± Garin gave a fake grin, trying to keep Munchy stuffed behind his back.


    ¡°If it is, do you believe Sir Garin would let me borrow his squirrel for training?¡±


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The first day of ss was like a bag filled with bolts and candy. Military History turned out to be a surprisingly insightful ss. The Dame running it broke apart various military theory texts from ancient battles and the previous Era. Then they had the ss suggest how to apply these concepts to the modern wastnd. It was essentially a creative strategy ss and much more involved than the name suggested.


    Physical Conditioning would ur every day. It was hardly even a course and more like mandatory training. A Knight barkedmands at them and drilled them through push-ups, crunches, and other workouts on a daily basis. Always start with an hour-long jog. The instructor only promised to ramp up the difficulty over time. The first session got him covered in sweat, and he needed a shower after. Colin was worse off.  He''d refused an order by the instructor. As a result, they pushed him twice as hard as everyone else.


    However, thest course of the day finally came. Erec arrived in the lecture room for Wastnd Survival with Garin at his side. The door was wide open with seven initiates waiting around inside, with no instructor in sight.


    Fifteen minutes passed.


    A hassled, dark-haired Knight Commander stormed into the room. Her dark brown eyes swayed over the ss as she cleared her throat. ¡°You have my sincere apology. I did forget that this is the first lesson of this ss¡ª¡° She gestured towards the rest of the standard lecture room. A fair, if antiquated, roompleted by a board in the back to jot down notes on and a semicircle of chairs facing it. ¡°¡ªwe will never meet in here. From now on, please assemble in front of the building. Now please, follow me.¡±


    Everyone got up and followed Dame Juliana into the light of the day; a few hours of sun left. But she led them straight into opennd away from the academy.


    They strode further and further from the campus, past the farms encircling the kingdom. She didn¡¯t stop until they¡¯d reached a in, wastnd-like stretch ofnd not too far from the great steel walls. Out here were only dried grass, scraggly weeds and nts, and a whole lot of dust and cracked ground.


    ¡°There is not a more fitting ssroom than this,¡± She waved a hand towards the empty ins. ¡°On your journeys outside of these walls, this will be the mostmon biome you will experience. Perhaps further, it begins to change, but that is a discussion for ater time. This is the state much of our world is in, after the holy mes.¡±


    At least this ce was a lot more freeing than the stuffy ssroom.


    ¡°There can be threats anywhere outside of the wall. But, you shouldn¡¯t neglect the dangers of the wastnds themselves.¡± She leaned down and grabbed a fist full of dirt and sand, letting it spill into the wind through her fingers. ¡°Hot in the sun, cold at night. Water can be rare; if you wander long enough and go thirsty enough, you might never find any.¡±


    She pointed to one of the girls in the ss, a taller girl with a brown bun.


    ¡°You have a sk filled with water, but you¡¯re lost. And believe me, it can be surprisingly easy to get lost. You¡¯re thirsty and not sure when you¡¯ll nexte across something to refill your sk. What do you do?¡±


    ¡°I conserve the water,¡± the girl answered confidently, giving a smile. ¡°If I stretch it out, I¡¯ll have a better chance to find more.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll die.¡± Juliana shook her head. ¡°If you¡¯re thirsty, you drink. Thirst is deadly; it can ruin your thinking ability and lead to a death spiral. I¡¯ve run a scouting mission to retrieve a lost Knight after a violent fight to close a rift. I found them dead two weekster. They died of dehydration with water still in their sk.¡±


    Everyone went quiet as the reality of what they were to learn hit. These lessons might be life or death.


    ¡°At the end of this course, I want these wastes to feel not like a second home but afortable hell. To that effect, today¡¯s ss has two requirements for a passing grade.¡± She lifted her fingers to count them off. ¡°One. You are to make a fire; you might normally have a flint and steel¡ªthat¡¯ll make your life easier, but all of my students will know how to make do without.¡± She gave them an evil grin. ¡°Two. You¡¯re going to spend a night out here, in the open. No soft beds. No rolls to sleep in. Your backs to the dirt with an open sky above. The Trial may have given you a taste of this life¡ªbut you¡¯re going to live and breathe familiarity. When you go on your expedition in a month, I expect my fellow Knights topliment me on how much you¡¯ve learned so quickly.¡±


    The air shifted; nobody looked pleased by the change of ns from sleeping in a soft bed. A miserable night in the open put a damper on the ss.


    But this was the sort of practical lesson Erec <em>needed </em>to learn.


    Juliana led them around the wastnd, pointing out the various dried des of grass to use as kindling and picking out nts with woody stems. Completed by a sole dead tree to take sticks from.


    First, she taught them to make friction and heat through two sticks¡ªgraduating to cutting off a strip of her uniform to wrap around the stick and disying a more reliable way to grind them.


    They learned to make fire and had two hours to practice the skill before she left them in the wastnd.


    The sun sank closer and closer to the horizon. Julia pped her hands together, and bid them good luck. They weren¡¯t allowed to return until the sun returned to the sky.


    Erec broke off with Garin; each of them agreed to gather kindling, sticks, and anything that might burn.


    Making a fire was harder in the dark, especially as the night''s cold air started to arrive. In a couple of hours, they had a small fire. Four others zed not too far away.


    Garin leaned over, arms wrapped around his legs, staring into the zing depths. A stick cracked and popped inside the inferno. ¡°Is the Academy everything you hoped for?¡± his friend asked, transfixed by the mes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve grown a lot, even in this short of a time,¡± Erec said, nodding his head. ¡°But I have a long way to go to get where I want to be. How about you? Better than staying home and learning to manage your father¡¯s estates?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯ll be plenty of time for thatter. I¡¯ve gotten two advancements, one in Vigor. So, can¡¯tin. The atmosphere of the Academy is so different from the courts. It¡¯s not like the station isn¡¯t present¡ªdon¡¯t get me wrong¡ªbut this ce makes everyone seem like they¡¯re on a more even field. Makes it easier to connect and to approach people you couldn¡¯t otherwise.¡± Garin gave a small smile.


    Erec slowly nodded. Then he decided to broach the topic he¡¯d been mulling over for some time. ¡°I think Olivia is a spy.¡±


    Garin did a double take. ¡°What, the cute former maid? Are you out of your mind?¡± He stopped. ¡°You think she¡¯s spying on Colin?¡±


    ¡°One Duke looking into the heir of another Duke seems like a fair enough reason to me. If he paid her by offering her the chance to be a Knight, I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be more than d to go along with it. She¡¯s friends with Lyotte too.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bit fucked up. But we can¡¯t really¡­ y¡¯know, me her. We¡¯re <em>also</em> spying on Colin for his father.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m starting to feel bad for him. He¡¯s alone and keeps falling short of his father, especially whenpared to others from the duchies. It must be impossible to have that weight constantly dragging you down.¡± Erec leaned further towards the fire, lowering his head. Heat flushed his face as the guilt sat beneath the surface. Did they really need to spy on Colin?


    ¡°You feel bad because the Unbroken General is to Colin, what you see Bedwyr as to you.¡± Garin gave a snort. ¡°Wow, Erec.¡±


    There was no denying it, so their conversationpsed into more present things. Erec tried to sleep with a jacket beneath his head.


    But every hour, he¡¯d sit up.


    Eyes scanning across the wastnd and at any moment, expecting to see a pair of ruby red eyes staring back. But there was only ever darkness.

 Chapter 35: Placement

    Chapter 35: cement


    The week flowed by in an ever-running stream of knowledge and fatigue. Each day dragged Erec in unexpected ways as he got lost in the current.


    Physical Conditioning was a constant start to the day. And he experienced an introduction to prayer and spell-work. Erec made sure to rerun through his notes every moment not in ss. It meantte nights studying by a flickeringmp.


    Obviously, he had favorites; every elective ss left him considering the lessons long past, and the knowledge felt vital. But the most he was curious about had been Mysticism and Basic Prayer and Theology. It was a shame that Prayer and Theology was such a pain in the ass, and Mysticism might forever bepletely out of reach.


    Both were sore topics by the end of the week. Most of the higher nobility had familiarity with Basic Mysticism. Yet Erec never had the chance. The actual practice was far more detail orientated than he imagined. It required him to form precise images of glyphs in his headpleted by perfect angles and formations before inputting mana.


    They wouldn¡¯t actually form a glyph until two months in.


    Of course, VAL found the entire thing fascinating, and the machine¡¯s excitement to force him to try the long monotonous practice became a headache. It¡¯d be less frustrating if he believed he could use glyphs under the influence of ¡®fury.¡¯ But trying to hold a spell together seemed impossible in that state.


    But he¡¯d do his best to learn some of it. Spell-work might prove to be a good opener. The fact that the instructor had taught Bedwyr the year before and took great pains to mention how he¡¯d done so well and that she expected Erec to live up to him proved quite grating.


    There was one hidden boon found in basic Prayer and Theology; Rodren evidently had made it into the Academy; joining the Order of the Crimson Lotus. The thrill of catching up with the other boy made the ss almost tolerable.


    On the whole, Basic Prayer and Theology was awful and felt like pulling teeth to sit through. It wasn¡¯t the actual idea or coursework that made it bad. No. That was memorizing prayers, learning phrasing, and practicing pronunciation while appealing to Goddess for power. Basic, at the lower levels. He¡¯d learned to conjure a small light in the first week.


    It onlysted for three seconds, but it was something.


    The strength behind the prayer depended on their Faith; to gain Faith meant to open oneself up further to the Goddess and the church.


    Not a hard concept, and personally, Erec had nothing against the Goddess. The church, on the other hand, was a different story. They had running hate for Erec¡¯s family after his mother¡¯s exile and emunication. This particr course broke the Academy¡¯s norms for instructors, opting to have a priest teach lessons instead of a Knight. From the first day, the priest recognized Erec¡¯s family name and tore into him that he came from a line of ¡®sin¡¯ and didn¡¯t deserve the attention of the Goddess above.


    It was a struggle to keep his anger in check. With a hostile teacher, prayer requiring higher Faith to be helpful, and VAL forcing him to ask questions that returned condescension from the instructor, each day of the ss felt like bashing his head against a wall.


    He tried. But he already concluded prayer wasn¡¯t a Strength to him, and likely wouldn¡¯t be one.


    Friday was thest day of courses before the weekend, which was given wholly to independent study, aside from Physical Conditioning. But before that, hisst ss of the week, and most anticipated, was Divine Talent Development. Hey his head down and dreamt of a white stag charging a massive wall, eyes burning with red mes.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The ssroom for Divine Talent Development was less a ssroom and more of a small gym. It was spacious and tucked away in a far corner of the Academy proper. Blue foamed mats lined the floor and were the only decoration in the spare room. Polished wooden floors framed the mats in the middle¡ªmore than required for the four students who showed up.


    Soren was, of course, there.


    Besides him was a girl named Sarah Elgans, short and light blond hair, who''d worn a mischievous grin as she prodded them to share their Talents. And a reserved boy by the name of Benjamin Solicitia. He only introduced himself, then remained silent.


    Bawlingughter echoed from the hallway. Boldwick swayed into the room with his arm wrapped over the shoulder of a bear of a man. Their two unkempt hairstyles and wild-like demeanor made it seem like two homeless cavemen barged into the ss. The image wasn¡¯t helped by the wine bottle they passed between them.


    Despite the happy demeanor on disy, bags hung from Boldwick¡¯s eyes. He gave a tired yet steady gaze over the assembled Initiates.


    The bear on his side snorted. ¡°Every year, Wick. We get less and less,¡± he shook his head and tipped the bottle of wine back. ¡°Problems are only getting worse, and they still won¡¯t give us the space.¡± He shoved the near-empty bottle back into Boldwick¡¯s hand.


    Boldwick killed the rest of the bottle. His bleary shadowed eyes turned back to his friend. ¡°Downright depressing, but they don¡¯t develop it quick enough. And if the Talent isn¡¯t shy enough, they say they can learn it on their ownter. As if these poor sods can learn everything on their own.¡± Boldwick cracked his neck.


    Hispatriot shook his head before Boldwick leveled his gaze on the ss.


    ¡°Hey there, pay no attention to me¡ªjust auditing. Figured after our discussion, might as well,¡± Boldwick shrugged and disengaged, heading toward the side of the room to give the other man the stage.


    "Right, right." The caveman said, puffing up his chest. "Name''s Sir Able. I''ve got the glory of being your instructor." He snickered. "Forgive me for catching up with my old friend beforehand; troubled timestely." He gestured to the empty bottle. "It won''t change anything about today. We''re going to get a feel for what you got."


    Soren sighed and shook his head.


    ¡°Now, me and Wick had a bit of a chat before ss. I got a bead on your abilities. But hearing and seeing are two different things,¡± Sir Able pointed his finger at Erec. ¡°Enhancer,¡¯ he shifted it to Soren. ¡°Projector.¡± Then over to Benjamin and Sarah, ¡°Shifter, and another Projector.¡±


    Those were the loose ssifications of Divine Talents. Despite their variable nature, people had, over time, lumped together broad categories. Enhancers, like Erec, had Divine Talents that drew out or amplified their own Blessings. Projectors pressed their talent onto others¡ªthough, in Erec¡¯s opinion,beling Soren like that was a bit of a stretch, even though he manipted <em>others''</em> senses. Shifters were rarer and involved a physical transformation in some shape or way for a limited time. There were a couple more broad categories and about a dozen more niche definitions that fell outside those.


    ¡°You¡¯re all likely shit at your abilities, even if you think you aren¡¯t. I¡¯ll be the Knight that teaches you to use it like a true weapon deserves to be.¡±


    Boldwick sniffed in the corner and pointed at Erec. ¡°He¡¯ll give you the hardest time of it if I were a betting man.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Sir Able paused, taking a closer look at Erec. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, he goes wild.¡±


    [More like you throw tantrums, but they¡¯re being polite for your sake, Intern.]


    ¡°Well then, better to get a glimpse of it first. You, boy, go pick one of them and use your Talent.¡± Sir Able gestured Erec towards the rest of the initiates. Erec looked around; among all of them, everyone except for Soren seemed confused by that order. ¡°We don¡¯t got all day. Go. Smack one of them and get angry, I wanna see what we¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    Soren appeared to walk away toward the instructor as if he was about to offer aint.


    [MIDSECTION! BLOCK!]


    There wasn¡¯t time to question themand. Erec stepped back and covered his stomach. A fist mmed into his forearms as Soren vanished from walking towards the instructor to attacking Erec.


    Soren retracted the fist and twisted his body into a roundhouse.


    The Prince¡¯s foot smashed into Erec¡¯s face, tossing him across the ground.


    ¡°Neither of you moves,¡± Soren said with a cold nce to the other two Initiates. He swayed in his spot as if waiting.


    [Get to your feet¡ªKick iing!]


    Erec barely got up as VAL issued another warning. He stumbled back and narrowly avoided the swish of air as Soren made to knee him, having once more ¡®teleported.¡¯


    Fury painted his vision red. Anger stirred inside of him like a caged beast.


    This time, supported and within the confines of the training room, Erec didn¡¯t hesitate to let it free. He¡¯d give himself entirely to Fury.


    Erec came at Soren like an untethered beast.


    It took two minutes for Soren to ughter him like an animal.


    His instincts helped to determine the Prince¡¯s location, and he managed to snap off a vicious hit or two. But for each blow, Soren got two. And even in such a short time, he managed to adapt his style to counter the wild swings and attempts to tackle.


    Without VAL as a copilot, Soren shifted to clever feints that manipted and tricked Erec into a loss.


    In the end, Soren sported a new bruise on his face but looked rather pleased.


    Boldwick strode over and helped Erec to his feet, shaking his head.


    [It bes ever more apparent that pure strength will not yield you a victory when you ept too many blows to deal damage.]


    Boldwick nced at Sir Able. ¡°Well, thoughts?¡±


    The caveman stroked his beard and shrugged. ¡°Either we get him to have a handle on it or pump him so full of enough Strength and Vigor he bes impossible to stop. If he can control it, that''d be ideal since he''d be deadlier. But we could settle with making him an unstoppable beast and teaching him when to unleash it on our enemies."


    ¡°Yeah, I thought so.¡± Boldwick shook his head. ¡°Best of luck; I¡¯ll try to check in every week or two. But no promises. I¡¯ve been beyond busytely.¡± Boldwick rubbed at his eyes before swaying out of the room.


    Sir Able drilled them for the next couple of hours. Spending time to break down each of their capabilities, then pitting all of the initiates against each other to get a sense of their different Talents. Sarah could lend some of her Blessings to others or borrow from others. Benjamin had the ability to sprout a pair of glowing wings from his back.


    Not that he could fly with them. After about an hour of being forced to try, Able put a pin in that hope.


    The entire time, Erec puzzled over Fury. Trying to figure out how to train it. Was it a matter of getting strong enough to be unstoppable in that state and learning when best to use it? Or could he control it?


    How many monsters could he tear to shreds when it reached its full potential? How many lives might be saved?

 Chapter 36: Crimson Nights

    Chapter 36: Crimson Nights


    <em>¡°Without training, theycked knowledge.</em>


    <em>Without knowledge, theycked confidence.</em>


    <em>Without confidence, theycked victory.¡±</em>


    <em>- Julius Caesar, (Unknown, 1st Era)</em>


    Psyche. That was the key. If he wanted to advance his control of Fury, he¡¯d need to pursue that Virtue.


    He¡¯d remained uncertain up until he asked VAL for an Analysis of his behavior while in the Fury state. Given the increased Data¡ªa whole week of additional training with Boldwick and Garin¡ªVAL marked a point where hisbat awareness in Fury appeared to improve. It didn''t seem to be a coincidence that it was shortly after his Psyche advanced to Tier 8.


    Erec had a theory. It was a bit out there, but the moment the thought crossed his mind, he couldn¡¯t deny the need.


    Each night over thest week had those horrible red eyes watching him in his sleep.


    If he broke into the E-Ranks with Psyche, he might have some control over Fury. But he needed help, especially if he were to advance his Psyche that far in so short a time.


    Erec knocked on Boldwick¡¯s office door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± came Boldwick¡¯s peeved voice from inside.


    ¡°Erec,¡± he said and puffed up his chest. The Master Knight hadn¡¯t made time to show up to the two Divine Talent Development sessions. But he needed advice and permission. Perhaps it¡¯d be better not to waste his time, but then¡­ Out of all of the instructors he¡¯d met so far, Boldwick put so much on the line for him. He¡¯d gone to Able first with his theory, only for the man to blow him off and state that he¡¯d advance Psyche naturally by training up his Mysticism or Faith.


    That might¡¯ve been true. But he didn¡¯t have the time to wait. The nightmares and constant chipping at his mind told him he needed to fix the problem as soon as possible.


    Sir Able instead decided to use their time to polish him by enhancing his Strength and Vigor¡ªwith additional training designed to push those two Virtues.


    If he wanted to enhance Psyche faster, he needed to do something extreme.


    And he needed it in two weeks. His heart told him that the risk outside of the wall would be too significant if he didn¡¯t manage to advance Psyche in the next two weeks. He¡¯d be far from the Academy, armed with a weapon. What if he made the wrong step out there? What if he hurt someone?


    And the nightmares.


    Horrible, dreadful things that wereing damn near every night now. Red eyes. Death. Fire. He¡¯d wake up drenched in sweat from dreams where the very moon stared down at him with crimson eyes; stars danced across burning skies in the shape of a stag. Deep in his gut, he felt a wrongness. Something was there, warning him about the awful future that would happen if he continued down this path. He needed control.


    There was a sigh from the other side of the door. ¡°Come in.¡±


    Erec strode into the office¡ªit was far messier than thest time he¡¯d been here. Boldwick had thrown books around in piles around the room, a corkboard with red strings connecting strips of paper in the back. Complete with a map around the walls¡ªand curiously, extending further with hastily scribbled notes on it. It was a thing of madness, of a person pushed to the edge.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Boldwick asked, looking at him with tired red eyes. His facial hair had grown, too; stubbly, wild, and unkempt. Like Sir Able, almost.


    ¡°I want to use the glyph from the resolve test for training.¡±


    Boldwick gave a harshugh and rubbed at his eyes. ¡°I think that¡¯s the first time an initiates¡¯ been dumb enough to ask me for that. What in the name of the Goddess makes you <em>want</em> to do that again?¡±


    ¡°I believe that strengthening my Psyche will allow me to handle my Divine Talent better,¡± Erec said, slightly bowing at the request.


    ¡°It¡¯ll strengthen over time as you¡¯ve had more battle or worked on your Mysticism. Both of those will naturally cause you to advance.¡± Boldwick rubbed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re being impatient. That test is a heavy strain on your mental facilities, and I damn near disapprove of even using it <em>twice</em> a year, as you¡¯re required to already.¡±


    <em>But I can¡¯t practice Mysticism in my downtime.</em> They¡¯d been forbidden from forming glyphs on their own. Now, Erec could¡¯ve bypassed that, but it had dangers to doing it wrong. He was smart enough to realize that it could have unintended consequences for not only himself but others too. This way had two advantages.


    It would be quicker. And it would only affect himself.


    Time was slipping by like little bits of sand through a thin neck of an hourss, falling second by second. Erec felt a rising dread, and as the nightmares intensified, that feeling dug in like cold iron needles.


    He needed to do more.


    As Boldwick turned his eyes to the three books in front of him, it became clear that the Master Knight didn¡¯t have much to add to the topic.


    ¡°Something bad is going to happen. If I don¡¯t figure out how to control my Fury, I know that it¡¯ll all go wrong on this expedition.¡± Erec decided to state, his voice shaking. Red eyes. Every night red eyes gazed at him from the dark. Were they his? Were they that part of him possessed with anger? The desire tobust into an inferno and burn the world again? Erec clenched a fist, his knuckles going white.


    His chest felt hot; each breath stoked the furnace inside.


    Boldwick stopped. His tired eyes snapped to Erec. ¡°You think you¡¯d lose control during the expedition?¡±


    ¡°I think¡ª¡°


    ¡°There¡¯s something more. Isn¡¯t there?¡± Boldwick tilted his head, something hidden behind his eyes. ¡°I see it in your shaking hand; how you¡¯re a second away from letting your nails dig into your palm and draw blood¡­ What do you know about a white stag?¡±


    Erec paused.


    Boldwick whipped across the room like a hurricane¡ªpages and books flying as the Master Knight vaulted the desk, hands settling on Erec¡¯s shoulders and his fingers digging in. His mad eyes gazed down on Erec, a deathly serious expression on his face. ¡°Do you dream of a white stag?¡± the Master Knight whispered. ¡°Do you feel the dread?¡±


    Erec made a choked noise, confusion and validation suddenly rushing up in an overwhelming twist of emotion. ¡°I¡ªyes!¡± Erec got out, shaking his head. ¡°B-but, you do too?¡±


    Boldwick slowly nodded, letting Erec go, and looked back over his desk. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the cause is, but ever since we¡¯ve returned from that Trial, I¡¯ve been having nightmares of a damned White Stag. It¡¯s been like an itch that won''t leave me alone in the back of my mind. It¡¯s been getting worse. Yet nobody else has felt a damn thing¡ª¡° he jerked a finger at Erec. ¡°Except you.¡±


    Erec worked his jaw. He¡¯d thought the manifestation to be a part of himself. An image of his Fury conjured in those evil eyes. After all, his experience with his Talent had begun around the same time. But this meant¡­ it was something else? ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Boldwick picked up a book and flung it at a wall with a harshugh. ¡°Two of us. I¡¯ve submitted a report; apparently, nightmares in my head means I¡¯m gone off the deep end. Never mind the odd behavior of those Thrashing Mites. Or the fact we haven¡¯t had a Rift spawn that close to our wall ever¡ª¡° Boldwick looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Master Knight, yet the other Orders have dismissed my theory. Can you believe they suggested I take a sabbatical?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªwhat does it mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have an answer to that.¡±


    Boldwick leaned on his desk, frowning as he looked at a book before smashing it off desk. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    ¡°¡­Is it dangerous to have the expedition?¡± Erec asked, considering the implications. If things were going wrong, then surely it meant they should stay within the walls and prepare for whatever was happening. Even if the other Orders didn¡¯t believe


    ¡°There is a t to which we are beholden, that you shall be bound to one day too: ¡¯Mine are the eyes of the Kingdom; they shall see for the peoples of the Kingdom that cannot. I will not hesitate to witness the unknown.¡¯ I think you get the point. You may be an initiate, yet you¡¯re still a Knight, Erec. Entrusted with Armor and the hopes of the people. Not only a Knight¡ªa Knight of the Order of the Verdant Oak; we must always tread into the dangers of the Wastnd. If we don¡¯t, who else will?¡±


    There was a lot there. But more than that, Boldwick seemed¡­ Tired. Like he¡¯d been wrung out and had whatever was driving him wild in his head cut loose. The admission that he was still seemingly sane¡ªtransformed him but stripped away that raw mad energy.


    "The expedition must continue. It''s more important now than ever. We must find proof of the danger and force it in front of the Kingdom''s eyes. Fortunately, Grandmaster Oak has agreed with me. We''ll take half of the Order out into the expedition to seek our answers." Boldwick puffed up his chest. "¡­Though, I''m sure Grandmaster Oak will be relieved when I report another is sharing these visions. Even if I doubt an initiate''s additional testimony will sway the other Orders."


    Boldwick returned to the other side of the desk, setting down a stack of clean papers as he forced Erec to share the details of the nightmares guing him. The feelings of dread, the weight of those burning red eyes¡ªwhile Boldwick only asked questions, and wrung out as much info, Erec saw the Master Knight begin to rx with each passing sheet of paper written.


    Confirming that something <em>really did</em> wait in the dark, even if it was beyond understanding, brought them together.


    At the end of the report, Boldwick chewed the pen¡¯s cap absently and reread several lines.


    Erec cleared his throat. ¡°Well, can I use the glyph to train my Psyche?¡±


    Boldwick refocused himself, setting both hands on the table. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m an awful instructor. May the Goddess above grant forgiveness; yes. I will allow you to use it. Though I think the practice is barbaric. But I¡¯m also a man who hase to terms with taking a troupe of greenhorns into a wastnd where I <em>feel</em> something horrible is hiding. I¡¯ve sent many Knights to their death on expeditions, even if I never intended it. If you¡¯re determined to push yourself like this, I will not let you do it alone. An hour, every three days. That¡¯s all you get. And if I think it¡¯s driving you too far, you¡¯re done.¡±


    Erec nodded his head eagerly. ¡°When do we start?¡±

 Chapter 37: Buzz

    Chapter 37: Buzz


    A lonely glyph pulsed with a pale blue light in the middle of a deserted room. Even walking into the small chamber shoved towards the bottom of the Academy sent goosebumps down Erec¡¯s spine. He¡¯d firmed up his resolve to push forward on this training. That gut instinct, backed by VAL¡¯s conjectures, made him believe this was the quickest method of handling his problem.


    And Boldwick agreed to let the training start immediately.


    And the growing sense of danger, now confirmed by Boldwick, meant that he needed to be stronger. To be more reliable for those around him. To be an asset rather than a risk if the worst were to ur.


    <em>You want to be better than him.</em>


    A short insidious thought ran through his head. He checked his feet¡ªstill safely away from the glowing lines inside of that insidious test.


    [Wow! Really going into overtime on the training, aren¡¯t you intern? You know we don¡¯t pay higher rates, don¡¯t you?] VAL buzzed in his mind as Erec stared at those fuzzy glowing lines.


    Boldwick closed the door loudly behind him, a bottle of wine in one hand as he took a deep chug. ¡°I hated this damn thing as an initiate.¡± He snorted and spat; itnded in the middle of the glyph. Bits of frost collected on the sides of the bubbly spittle. ¡°Dreaded it every time exams came up.¡±


    ¡°Why do it?¡± Erec asked. His memories of the first exam were still fresh¡ªbut, over time, the raw feeling of those emotions faded. He suspected in a month that they might be little more than a faint dream in his memories.


    ¡°They do it because they need to know when you¡¯ll break. How far you can get pushed. They want you to learn how to keep going even when you¡¯ve chopped off the rotting head of your old friend trying to tear out your throat.¡± Boldwick frowned before taking another deep inhale of the wine. He leaned against the wall as a sickly and sour reek of grape wafted through the room.


    Erec understood the purpose and why Boldwick hated this test. But it¡¯d proved directly capable of raising his Psyche. More than that, the way it felt was oddly reminiscent of Fury.


    A shiver went through him as he looked at the circle. Walking into the glyph felt like walking into a grave¡ªa festering hole filled with the hands of the dead reaching for his life to suck out.


    [You¡¯ve got this buckeroo!]


    He pushed through and fully entered the glyph.


    This time the cold hit like a wall¡ªhe looked at the puddle on the ground. Frost gathered atop it, yet not frozen. VAL said that the cold going through him wasn¡¯t as it appeared. His temperature had never dropped too far¡ªso he could stand through it. His teeth chattered, but he kept an expansive posture. <em>It isn¡¯t real.</em>


    <em>¡°You¡¯re going to kill someone,¡± </em>the first voice echoed out of the shadows. It felt like a knife slipping into his ribs with sudden viciousness.


    And the intent. The voice behind it, even in a whisper. Brutal and malicious, like he were a sack of flesh it wanted to rot. Erec closed his eyes and focused on the cold air entering his lungs. Far off to the side, he could hear Boldwick take another long pull from the bottle of wine.


    <em>¡°Give up. Give up. Give up. Worthless sack of shit.¡± </em>


    Erec¡¯s teeth chattered, and yet he focused. Letting that coldness dance around in him, feeling where it came from inside his heart. That shadow gripped him. But he stared back at it.


    Hate. It was all hate. That¡¯s what it came back to. The cold self-hatred inside was only drawn out by this Glyph. It was just a different shade of the same paint of hate that came from Fury.


    <em>¡°If you died, the world would be better. Your friends would be happier. You¡¯re going to destroy them one day.¡± </em>


    He sank to his knees, limbs numb from cold as it all seemed pointless. The shadows drifted around and sank their teeth into him. Eroded his control. If he gave way to it, would it be easier? If he let that dark storm brewing inside loose, would it absolve him of having to suffer?


    Buzzing.


    Damn buzzing.


    Always the buzzing.


    Erec grit his teeth as the shadows tore at him. He wouldn¡¯t let it win. It didn¡¯t matter if he would never measure up to Bedwyr. They weren¡¯t the same. No matter how many times the Shadowspared them¡ª


    [Focus.]


    ¡ªthat buzzing came in as an annoying word this time. A mechanical voice. But it steadied him. It let him settle his mind and press back against the dark.


    He lost the fight several minutester¡ªcrawling out of the Glyph. Boldwick yanked him up from the ground and shoved the wine bottle in his hands. The Master Knight draped an arm around his shoulder and held him up as they stumbled back to the wall. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a decent effort. You got a resilient mind for a first-year.¡± He tipped back the wine bottle to make Erec drink it through his numb lips.


    Sour red with an unknown hint of an unexpected fruit hit the back of Erec¡¯s throat. But he let the warm liquor wash through him; it pushed back against the cold that clung to him like a spider¡¯s web. He looked at his shaking hands, taking a few deep breaths.


    The shadows left their mark, but the booze numbed it; though the words still rang in his ears, they had a certain hollowness.


    He saw the pit in himself where that fire loved to burn. Cold or hot, hate in different vors; tempered and now understood better after the test. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t Psyche after all that was important, but this cold hate? Or, he¡¯d already begun to lose it. But he needed to reforge himself again and again until he could handle Fury.


    Erec formed a fist, fingers digging into his palm. ¡°We have an hour?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I figured I¡¯d make sure you recovered before sending you back off¡ª¡°


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m going back in.¡±


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Boldwick dragged him back to his dorm. Erec¡¯s entire body shook, but his focus had only honed itself on the second and third attempts. He didn¡¯t manage tost longer than the first attempt. Yet, he felt more alive than ever, even after fording past that cold river of despair.


    Though, that might have had to do with the drinking after his third attempt. After he shook from the cold and barely could hold himself together, Boldwick sat him against the wall and shared a second bottle.


    Maybe Boldwick was an alcoholic. Before now, though, Erec never smelled booze on him. Yet, for the moment, Erec had just appreciated the bottle and how it numbed the raw pain the test etched into his soul. They talked, mainly of the Master Knight¡¯s past and his time outside the walls.


    Nothing that in his state Erec could quite hold on to. At the end of which, Boldwick helped him stagger back to his dorm.


    As they reached the door, Boldwick patted him on the shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s a goodd. You did plenty of good today. Head to bed and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Erec waved him off, taking a second to steady himself against a wall as the instructor swayed off back towards his office.


    Erec took a deep breath and pushed into the room, intending to head right towards his bed while the liquor buzz still held on and made it easy.


    Olivia was there alone, one leg folded over another as she read from Beowulf¡ªthe same book he¡¯d been reading through since he got here. She paused and looked up at him, tilting her head.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve been drinking? I didn¡¯t take you for the type.¡± She said, smoothly putting the book on the table. ¡°Your face looks pale too. Rough day?¡±


    Erec squinted his eyes at her. The way she was so poised and collected, always upright and with a carefully maintained front that hid away what was beneath. He wanted to crack that shell. He nced at Colin¡¯s door¡ªclosed. He got close to her, gazing down at the prim and proper woman on the couch. ¡°What is your game?¡±


    ¡°Game?¡± Olivia asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re spying on Colin, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Olivia snorted and shook her head. ¡°Perhaps a little bit. When I forge my own house, I intend to keep ties with the duchy that afforded me this opportunity. But no. I am not here primarily to ¡®spy¡¯ on Colin.¡± She paused, her eyes meeting his, sinking into him and breaking that facade of a collected maid. There was something there, a fascination. ¡°You¡¯re the one I¡¯m interested in.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Erec sputtered. ¡°Just what do you mean by that? Are you saying you¡¯re <em>into </em>me?¡±


    Olivia chuckled politely, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been told you have ties outside the wall. With your personality, it¡¯s very likely you¡¯ll reach for them in the future. You¡¯re stubborn and disregard the words of those stationed above you. For better or worse.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re spying on me? For who, Lyotte? For House Luculentus?¡±


    Olivia bit her lip, tilting her head as her eyes remained locked as if she were about to pick her words carefully.


    Garin mmed the door to the living room open, his eyes bright, his Academy cor undone with a flush to his cheeks. His eyes settled on Olivia and Erec close together, then a frown for a fraction of a second. He cleared his throat. ¡°S¡¯¡ªoh, right, alright, I came in at a bad time?¡± There was a hint of nervousness and a weird tone to the words, along with a slur.


    ¡°No,¡± Erec said, pulling back from Olivia as he saw her face shift back to that mask of a maid. Whatever she¡¯d thought about saying to him, it seemed she¡¯d decided against it. She gave Garin a small smile.


    ¡°It seems our dorm has two drunkards. How incorrigible.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡° Garin tilted his head at Erec. ¡°What the hell? Were you out drinking? You turned me down!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to go drinking¡ª¡°


    There was a loud pounding on the door. Garin went wide-eyed and looked at the two of them. ¡°Oh shit.¡± He said, running off and darting behind the couch. ¡°I¡¯m not here.¡°


    Erec looked between him and the door; his sluggish mind turned. What sort of trouble did his friend get into? Should they pretend they weren¡¯t home? If they did, whoever was out there would have no choice but to go away.


    Olivia saw the indecision and shook her head. ¡°It does not befit those of our station to ignore confrontation. We¡¯re Knights.¡± She scolded before floating over to the door.

 Chapter 38: Two Drunken Peas In A Pod

    Chapter 38: Two Drunken Peas In A Pod


    <em>¡°There are those we cannot talk about, even mentioning it here is liable for the church to track me down and dere me a sinner. </em>


    <em>But are we really humans if we ignore their suffering?</em>


    <em>I propose a concealed effort to provide supplemental aid on a monthly basis.</em>


    <em>Is the Goddess so inhuman as to scorn such a thing?¡± </em>


    <em>- Unknown, Resource Allocation Suggestion (298, 3rd Era)</em>


    Olivia threw the door open. Gwen was on the other side of the door, but just as she was about to say something no doubt polite, Bedwyr strode past them both to the center of the room. For some reason, his brother was wearing his formals; A sharp jacket with gold trim over the top of a red dress shirt. Completed by cks and polished pointed cked shoes


    Gwen wasn¡¯t to be outdone by him either, wearing the clean girl¡¯s version of the formals, which substituted the cks for a nicely cut ck skirt. Though, she¡¯d chosen to wear bright red heels instead of the issued dress shoes.


    Erec¡¯s brother took in the scene with a passing nce, raising an eyebrow at the barely disguised drunken Garin behind the couch. Erec frowned at his brother and crossed his arms.


    ¡°Have you been drinking?¡± Bedwyr asked, sniffing the air and no doubt catching the scent of liquor. His eyes hardened as he looked at Erec and Garin. ¡°Garin, stop trying to hide. I see you.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ªno worries,¡± Garin gave a fakeugh, standing up and swaying in his spot. ¡°And yeah, just a bit.¡± He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to sh an award-winning smile. Bedwyr strode further into the room¡ªalmost acting as if he owned the ce. Like he belonged here like he could do whatever he wanted.


    Erec stood straighter and shot him a scowl. Thest words his brother spoke to him were still echoing in his head.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you.¡± Olivia gave a slight curtsy to both Bedwyr and Gwen. ¡°Can I pour you some tea, perhaps?¡±


    Gwen smirked. ¡°Naw, but I¡¯ll take a shot of whatever those two had. Their faces are all red, so it must¡¯ve been good.¡± She pointed toward Erec and Garin.


    ¡°Ah. I¡¯m afraid we don¡¯t have any alcohol in this dorm; those two decided to go out and drink.¡± Olivia shook her head, guiding Gwen inside with her.


    ¡°Did they? Funny that. Considering why we¡¯re here¡­¡± Gwen trailed off.


    ¡°So you¡¯re not just here to check out your brother¡¯s dorm¡ªyou uh, didn¡¯t happen to see a couple of angry girls wandering by in the halls, did you?¡± Garin asked, eyes dancing between Gwen and Bedwyr.


    ¡°Causing problems?¡± Bedwyr asked.


    ¡°No, no, just had some fun, some drinks¡ªand maybe left a little earlier than they¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s all there is to that story.¡± Bedwyr¡¯s eyes slid from Garin to rest on Erec. ¡°How did you do on your exams?¡±


    ¡°Well enough,¡± Erec said and uncrossed his arms. He was painfully aware of the need to put a strong front against Bedwyr, or his brother would run him over.


    ¡°Did you get an A? Which courses were you assigned?¡± Bedwyr pressed him; his eyes carried a heavy weight as they judged Erec. He had no choice but to shuffle and look away under that intensity, or else he¡¯d risk drawing out the anger under the surface.


    With as frayed as he felt after the glyph training, he knew that losing himself was far too close forfort.


    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re Sir Erec¡¯s older brother,¡± Olivia stated, moving between him and Bedwyr. She bowed and caught Erec¡¯s eyes for a second, clearly trying to interject and lessen the mounting tension. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you made your name in the Academy and looked forward to meeting you.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm,¡± Bedwyr said, giving her a nod before returning that burning gaze towards his brother. Olivia¡¯s attempt to redirect failed. ¡°I have. I¡¯m here to ensure Erec doesn¡¯t do anything to detract from our family name. Though, it appears to be a bitte, given his performance against the Prince.¡±


    ¡°What, are you angry I lost?¡± Erec felt the anger stoke in him. ¡°Did I not do enough to hold a candle to your legacy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m angry that you attacked the <em>Prince</em> after you lost the spar.¡±


    ¡°I had no choice! Do you think I can control my Divine Talent¡ªdo you think I <em>wanted</em> to take a swing at you on a battlefield¡ª¡°


    "Whoa, whoa. Let''s take it back a bit." Garin gave a nervousugh, stumbling between the two. Olivia shook her head and slid next to him¡ªholding the drunken Baron''s son up. "I know you two don''t get along, but there''s no reason to start arguing whenever you see each other."


    ¡°Apelling point. I¡¯ll make efforts to be more cordial.¡± Bedwyr said. ¡°I was not aware you¡¯d developed a Divine Talent. But that pressed my point forward. If it is uncontroble, do you have courses to try to control it? Do you need additional training? I can make time in my schedule.¡±


    That contrast. How could Bedwyr go from saying he¡¯d crush Erec¡¯s dreams to offering to help him a weekter? It made no sense. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I have a course, and I¡¯ve been doing extra training.¡± Erec rubbed his eyes. If Bedwyr were going to take a step back from the hostility, he¡¯d follow suit. ¡°Thank you for the offer. Is that why you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Is it not right for an older brother to visit his younger brother and ensure he¡¯s settling well into his new life?¡±


    ¡°Last time we spoke, you said you¡¯d¡ª¡° Erec cut himself off, reading the room and seeing everyone tense at his tone. <em>Drop it for now.</em> It was so hard. So hard when just an hour earlier, those voices haunted his head and whispered all of the horrible things about he stood up to Bedwyr. ¡°¡ªI¡¯m fine. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°That would be partially correct,¡± Bedwyr admitted.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to invite you to a party!¡± Gwen cut in, shing a wide smile. ¡°A lot of second years and first years will be there¡ªit¡¯s a good chance to mingle between the sses and Orders.¡±


    ¡°You will be attending,¡± Bedwyr stated clearly, his eyes lingering on Erec.


    ¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡± Erec shot back, having no real desire to waste his time at another function. Especially not already partially drunk and so defeated from the training with the glyph. His one sceing back to the dorm was that he could sleep off the awful words and regain his sanity.


    Garin let out a whistle; Olivia looked up at him. ¡°We¡¯re going! C¡¯mon Erec it sounds like a st¡± Garin said and moved a bit too fast as he got excited. Olivia caught their bnce and steadied them before they fell over.


    ¡°Yes, I do believe that sounds like an excellent way to spend the night.¡± Olivia managed to get out after ensuring that Garin was once more leaning securely against her. ¡°¡­Though, I think I¡¯ll need to sober up these two beforehand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Erec started heading towards his room¡ªonly for Bedwyr to dart between him and the door. Though he was a couple of inches shorter, his brother took up too much space and ensured Erec wouldn¡¯t get by. Not without a fight


    ¡°Calm down. Goddess above, Erec. You¡¯re too much like her. Do you know what people are saying about you?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t really care much, either. I¡¯m training and doing my best. What other people talk about isn¡¯t my concern.¡±


    ¡°They say you¡¯re a mad Knight with no regard for honor.¡± Bedwyr shook his head. ¡°A boy too dumb to respect status and too dangerous on a battlefield to be relied on. Is that the reputation you want? As a loner without honor? Were you not my brother, the rumors would be even worse.¡±


    Erec shifted his eyes towards Garin¡ªwho looked away and leaned in more on Olivia, taking advantage of her help to distract himself and refusing to address his friend¡¯s attention.


    ¡°So you¡¯re here to admonish me for that too? I¡¯m oh-so-sorry, Bedwyr; I don¡¯t mean to tarnish your golden reputation.¡±


    ¡°Erec. Drop it.¡± Bedwyr puffed up his chest, danger entering his eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll make you.¡±


    Erec paused, feeling that hot anger grow under his skin. He wanted to hurt Bedwyr, to make his brother angry. To get a measure of revenge against him for abandoning their family and refusing to talk about Mom. For everyone who everpared him to his brother. So bad. So badly did he want to get under his skin and get a measure of revenge.


    But it was pointless.


    Bedwyr was offering a helping hand, and he was shunning it because he felt spiteful.


    This was no way to live life. No matter what his Divine Talent drew out, he wasn''t a mad Knight.


    <em>One¡­ Two¡­</em> Erec counted off in his head, letting the tension drain away. Bedwyr sensed the shift, as he backed away. Scratching the back of his head. There was embarrassment on his face. Unhappy that he¡¯d let his little brother rile him up this far. <em>¡­Ten.</em> Erec softened his expression and frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been out of line.¡± Erec admitted. ¡°Can you forgive me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. After a year apart and the terms west left, I can forgive abrasion as we learn to live near one another again.¡± Bedwyr rolled his eyes. ¡°I came to invite you and your friends, and I highly suggest you attend the party. You should take care of your public image in this ce. Some of these people will one day be future Lords, Dukes, and Earls. But I won¡¯t force you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Erec agreed, though inside, he dreaded the event already. Bedwyr nodded and moved back to Gwen, pacified. His brother folded his arms and refused to meet Erec¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Tell us about this party.¡± Olivia said to Gwen, her eyes lit up.


    ¡°Ah, yeah,¡± Gwen mumbled before shaking her head and shing the other girl a smile. ¡°Pretty much this is an annual affair. They rent a ballroom in the main Academy every year. There¡¯ll be music, food, drinks¡ªthough perhaps the two boys have had enough of that tonight¡ªbut make sure you show up in your formals.¡± Gwen spilled out, growing more cheerful with each sentence. The tension in the room cleared and gave way to excitement of the two girls and Garin. ¡°It¡¯s tonight. We were just stopping by before heading to it.¡± She smiled at Bedwyr. ¡°I suggest you all prepare and head over soon.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so I see. Is itmon for people to take dates?¡± Olivia asked. Gwen flushed a little, but thement didn¡¯t shake her.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t required, but they do make it a bit more fun¡­¡±


    The two slipped into a brief conversation, and after Olivia obtained all of the details, his brother and Gwen left.


    Erec wasn¡¯t happy he had to attend a party. He wanted to rest and recover from the hell that had been training. But, this was an extended hand from Bedwyr. A gesture of good faith, perhaps. He bit back hisints and prepared himself mentally.


    Except, he wouldn¡¯t be wandering into this battle alone. Garin and Olivia didn¡¯t count since they were made for this kind of thing. No.


    Erec stared at Colin¡¯s closed door. If he had to wade into the battlefield of courtly politics and evening get-togethers, it wasn¡¯t fair that he¡¯d be the only one forced to attend.


    After throwing on his formals and having Olivia fuss over him and Garin, he mmed his knuckles on Colin¡¯s door.


    If he had to suffer, so did Colin.

 Chapter 39: Courting

    Chapter 39: Courting


    Music riffed from old-world guitars and banged alongside the beat of drums to fill the spacious ballroom. All of the Knight Initiates shifted about, decked out in their formal clothes. Some wore ents with jewelry to disy status further; they gathered in small circles. This ce was a reflection of the higher courts. They dressed up in Academy clothes. Like a wolf in sheep''s furs.


    Erec despised parties.


    No matter how many times he went through this, the court life, he suspected he¡¯d never get the bad taste out of his mouth.


    He drowned it out with wine. He¡¯d already been drinking, so why stop? The cold shower Olivia forced him and Garin to take only sobered him up for so long, and intoxication would make it easier to get through this affair.


    The nces from the circles of Knights didn¡¯t help. They gossiped about him. He was a mad Knight¡ªa terror who went too far against the Prince and vited the rules of a spar. Who ughtered monsters without care for the allies around him.


    Erec downed another ss.


    ¡°Drinking problem, rust bucket?¡± Colin shot out, an attempted dig even with an outdated insult. Erec hadn¡¯t even <em>heard</em> of what happened to the poor Markos II that dragged him through the trial. He red at Colin.


    ¡°Might be. But it¡¯s not like I see you hanging out with them, either.¡± Erec nodded towards Garin and Olivia.


    They were doing rounds around the ballroom. Drifting in and out of groups with ease, the way theyplimented each other¡¯s social skills was rming. Where Garin coulde off as obnoxious or overtly casual, Olivia shored up with curt politeness expected of the courts. How they dealt with all of those fake faces was beyond him.


    Though, Colin decided to remain on the edge of the ballroom, near a small table. It shouldn¡¯t have been shocking that Colin avoided associating with the other Knights, perhaps especially after seeing his manners¡ªorck thereof¡ªduring the dreadful Courtly Mannerism course.


    Erec stood his ground after meeting a couple of people here. He was close to snapping from the training. He¡¯d hoped booze would help, but no.


    Still, drinking in the corner with Colin was better than getting involved in some faux pas to degrade his reputation further. <em>Sorry, Bedwyr. I¡¯m not you. </em>


    He wasn¡¯t the only one catching res.


    For every dark look sent his way, Colin received triple that number. While Colin tried to present a strong front, he kept trying to press further into the background.


    ¡°And why would I engage in this party with them? They aren¡¯t my friends; we simply live together. Besides, they¡¯re far below my rank.¡± Colin finally said, turning his nose up.


    ¡°Do you have any friends?¡± Erec swirled the ss of crimson wine, still fighting the self-hating thoughts in his head. Colin recoiled as if pped but didn¡¯t retaliate. Instead, he shrank further towards the wall. Erec sighed. ¡°Alright, maybe that was a bit too far. Sorry.¡±


    He looked away from the cup. It was a shallow pool that too many drowned themselves in. Would he join them? Bedwyr glided effortlessly across the dance floor with Gwen, surrounded by a gaggle of friends, dancing and joking with their own dates. <em>Why am I not like him? Why? </em>What kept him from being more like Garin or his brother?


    How could he face down monsters with a burning anger in his gut and an axe in hand, yet <em>this</em> raised the hairs on the back of his neck?


    ¡°There is little need to apologize. You are correct; I have no friends.¡± Colin said quietly to his side. Damn near quiet enough to miss over the music. There was resentment to his expression, yet also a sadness. ¡°They don¡¯t understand my value. That by nature of my station, I can achieve more then they shall ever be able to. Therefore, I do not need them.¡±


    ¡°They understand your value better than you. It¡¯s why they don¡¯t bother with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare. What can a son of a disgraceful family understand about my value?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I haven¡¯t done my best, but I¡¯ve tried to be nice to you. Even after what happened during the trial.¡± Erec¡¯s temper red. The band swapped to something faster-paced, an ancient song and a valued relic of the old-world that¡¯d been having a resurgence in the Kingdom. ¡°But you keep acting like a dick. Not to just me, but everyone else too. You are the only one who doesn¡¯t understand your value in this room. When theye to talk to you and say they want to be your friend, they¡¯ll be lying. They¡¯ll use you, and you¡¯ve starved yourself ofpanionship so damn much, you¡¯ll make an easy target.¡±


    [Elvis?] VAL asked.


    Erec turned his undivided attention to Colin. Maybe it was the liquor or perhaps the strain of the training. But this conversation was long overdue, and it¡¯d happen right fucking now.


    Offering Colin titudes and reaching out to him again and again after the exam hadn¡¯t led to real progress. The more he gave, the more Colin took.


    Erec was sick of it.


    Colin sneered at him. ¡°I am a duke¡¯s son! They wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be thest of your line with any relevancy based on your behavior. Are you determined to run your house into the ground to spite your father? Are you going to piss away the power and influence he earned through blood? They¡¯ll use you and see through you, to take what you have.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re implying. As if these peons could ever¡ª¡°


    ¡°After a year. Who in this room do you think you¡¯d win against?¡± Erec threw out his hand. ¡°A year. Colin. With how you¡¯re going, you¡¯re going to squander every single advantage your family has twisted into your little ck heart. It¡¯s disgusting. The rest of the duchy already sees this and knows you¡¯ll amount to nothing but ruin for your line.¡±


    Colin paused, working his jaw.


    ¡°Or did you forget getting your ass kicked by that Duke¡¯s daughter? I heard about it. She wiped the floor with you.¡±


    ¡°You attacked a Prince!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m andless second-son with an uncontrolled Divine Talent¡ªeven if these people don¡¯t know that <em>yet, </em>I¡¯m sure I still have far more of their respect rtive to my nonexistent station.¡±


    Colin squared up to Erec, his nostrils red. Erec returned the stance and, in a brief moment of rity, realized that escting this further would probably lead to a fight.


    So much for trying to cure his reputation as a ¡®mad Knight.¡¯ But if he broke now and gave way to Colin, the boy was well and truly fucked. He needed to break through Colin¡¯s insufferable ego, or it would consume their barely tenable bond.


    Anger shed between them.


    Who would take the first swing? Colin¡¯s fist tightened.


    Then it went limp; Colin deted and looked away. When he spoke, his words came out as a whisper. ¡°What can I do?¡±


    ¡°Change,¡± Erec said, letting out a relieved breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m weak.¡± Colin clenched his hand and scowled. ¡°Thest two years before the trial, I told off my instructors, and my mother covered for me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing so badly. When I was young, they all said how adept I was¡­ Yet they lied to me.¡± Colin¡¯s face took a dark cast.


    The ballroom shifted once more into more dancing as the music moved away to something slower.


    Garin danced with Olivia in his arms. The two looked at each other rather intensely. Garin was still red in the cheeks from the liquor, and Olivia threw a fake pout on her face. His friend must¡¯ve made some dumb quip. Typical.


    They looked good together. But it left a pang in Erec¡¯s heart. Could they trust that woman? She was a spy, but so was he, in a way.


    ¡°Train with me.¡± Colin dered from his side.


    ¡°Huh? You realize I don¡¯t have all the skills you high-born nobles got. Can¡¯t you contact your dad and see if he has any allies¡ª¡°


    ¡°He told me I was to make my own path through the Academy and refused to let me rely on his connections,¡± Colin admitted.


    <em>That¡¯s ironic.</em> Erec fought to keep a scowl off his face. To say that to his son, yet go and force someone to befriend him as an ally. The games of nobility were sickening.


    ¡°You¡¯re strong. Don¡¯t try to deny it. We all saw the fight against the Prince; even if you¡¯re a bastard without honor, you stood against him far longer than you had any right to. I¡¯ve seen the way you train with Garin. Work with me too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been¡ª¡° Erec¡¯s heart felt a cold hand close across it. This was part of his vow and the first time he¡¯d seen this dickwad reach out towards anyone with an open hand. Even if he was extremely busy trying to get himself under control before the expedition¡­ There didn¡¯t seem to be a second option.


    Colin gave him an earnest expression. It wasn¡¯t quite a smile. It wasn¡¯t anywhere near a scowl.


    ¡°Fine. But, I¡¯m going to warn you now¡­ Over the next couple of weeks, I¡¯m going to be more temperamental than I¡¯d like to admit.¡±


    ¡°Is that outside of the norm? Either way, I shall be fine, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Erec extended his hand for a shake. Colin looked down at it, hesitating. Their first step on the path of friendship.


    Then he took the hand and shook. Sealing their fates together through their academy life. More music drifted out from the band.


    The music reached a crescendo. On the dance floor, Garin leaned in and met Olivia''s lips.

 Chapter 40: Knives And Smiles

    Chapter 40: Knives And Smiles


    <em>¡°Hide A Knife Behind A Smile.</em>


    <em></em>


    <em>Charm and integrate yourself with your enemy and then, when you¡¯ve gained his trust, move against him in secret.¡±</em>


    <em>- Peter Taylor, The Thirty-Six Stratagems: A Modern-Day Interpretation Of A Strategy ssic (298, 3rd Era)</em>


    The Vallum Armor stood racked toward the end of the lecture room, a testament to the might of humanity.


    Right now, Erec had stripped it bare. Per the free time in the course, he''d meticulously removed the front ting to reveal thework ofplexponents stuffed below. A blend of beautiful redundancy meant to keep its pilot alive when a horrifying monster tried to bite through the steel with unnaturally sharp teeth.


    Erec twisted a nut free to unseal a small cube tucked into the lower abdomen. ced strategically to minimize chances of receiving damage.


    [Interesting. Is this logic cube where the glyph strips lead? My nanites cannot interact with it.]


    Erec traced one of the thin strips of bent metal spread outward from the cube. If one looked closely, they¡¯d see welds on the side of these strips¡ªsealing the etchings inside. It was amon technique to protect glyphs from wear and damage by encasing them within metal and then reinforcing them through prayer.


    ording to the instructor, the purpose of the mysticism subsystems within the Vallum model was only to conduct and make glyph formation easier. There were a few ¡®logic cubes¡¯ as VAL put it. On some advanced models, these glyph circuits could performplicated tasks. But the cost was that they had a constant drain of mana from the user.


    But so far, they were wasted on Erec since he was new to Mysticism. And understanding the magical circuits was still far above him.


    Even if he could break the weld on one of the strips, he¡¯d have no idea what the glyph work below even did.


    He stepped back from the Armor, letting VAL scan it from the outside. Even if VAL was already in the Armor, there were parts it had no control over and needed an outside view to understand.


    The instructor was busy on the other side of the workshop, putting together a mechanical version of a hound she affectionately referred to as her ¡®pet¡¯ project, made entirely out of scrap.


    The woman was a damn hoarder. Resourceful. But a hoarder.


    Just one look across the workshop said everything. Endless piles of trash and garbage lumped together with bits and bobs and toasters mingled with fridges. Half of this would never find use. More than a third of this junk had been here for ten years.


    Their first lesson with her was about determining the value of the scrap in the wastnd. She stated that not all scrap was equal with apletely serious face as she gave the lecture in a halfndfill junkyard room.


    Erec wiped the grease off his face with a rag and looked at Olivia.


    She hunched over near her Armor, busied polishing the lower legs.


    ¡°What was it like living in the Luculentus house?¡± Erec asked. Now was a fine time to take a break; he wasn¡¯t about to attempt any modifications yet. Most of their course so far had been about repurposing and finding the utility of scrap and getting used to their new Armor.


    "We received three fine meals daily, and typically we shared it with the house guards. Sufficient dwellings, and two weeks personal time a year" Olivia looked over at him, still sitting near her Armor''s leg¡ªa polishing rag in hand. Out of all the new initiates, nobody''s Armor shone like hers. "A lovely garden, kept by thedy of the house. She was a former Knight too, you know. She''s the one who encouraged me to go down this path."


    "She convinced you to be a spy?"


    ¡°You continue to use me of such matters, yet you¡¯ve also been tasked with such an assignment, no?¡± she tsked before letting out a sigh. ¡°But you¡¯re also wrong. That¡¯s very much not why I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I beg your forgiveness.¡± Erec rubbed his eyes. Did Garin spill his secret, or did she figure it out somehow?


    [Disconnect the yellow wire near the logic cube.]


    Erec leaned forward, grasped at the wire, and gave it a yank. It refused to dislodge. He looked closer. Was it welded?


    ¡°I did not lie to you, Erec. I¡¯m interested in your goals. It is, after all, of importance to my Lady.¡±


    ¡°And which goals are you referring to? Not being andless noble? Restoring honor to my family?¡± He paused and took a deep sigh. ¡°Or is it my mother? Is the duchy worried about me connecting with her again?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re interested in such an arrangement, yes. That, and the others outside the wall she might have met.¡±


    [Yank harder.]


    Erec¡¯s temper red¡ªchanneling a bit of that anger into his fingers clutching the wire¡ªthe fused metal broke with a single yank, showering them in odd sparks of red and blue. Erec shielded his face as Olivia scooted away.


    [You¡¯ll need to weld that back into ce, but it appears that you¡¯ve discharged some excess anomalous energy from it. It¡¯s somewhat like a capacitor, even if it doesn¡¯t work off entirely the same logic.]


    He turned his attention towards Olivia, a scowl on his face. VAL had known such an act would disrupt the suit¡ªand that Erec hated having to weld. It meant talking to the crazy instructor for the equipment and a long-winded story about the thousands of projects in her head.


    ¡°What others outside of the wall? The monsters eat up anyone out there¡ªhell, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll even find my mother after so long. I might just find her corpse.¡± It¡¯d always been in the back of his mind. He might never understand her reasoning, but he wanted to dig her a grave at the very least.


    And then he¡¯d track down the monster that convinced her to leave her family behind and ughter it after demanding answers. He could hope for the best. But the world outside of the walls was harsh and deadly.


    ¡°There¡¯s more outside than they tell you, Erec.¡± Olivia chided before returning her attention to her armor. ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll learn that sooner orter, now that you¡¯re a Knight.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Erec called to her, not too happy with her dismissing him. She didn¡¯t return her attention to him. That smug look ticked him off. ¡°You better not hurt Garin,¡± Erec said before turning away to talk to the instructor. He had a welder to borrow.


    She watched him as he walked away with a frown on her face.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The glow of the blue was all that he saw. Those horrible lines underneath his feet, the white frost of his breath, and an unholy cold filling his lungs. How long could he go? How much of this could a man take?


    This was hisst chance. The veryst opportunity he¡¯d have with Boldwick before the expedition. After weeks of this torture, his Psyche had only advanced to Tier 9. It hadn¡¯t broken the bottleneck andunched him into the next rank.


    [Are you sure?]


    Erec nodded his head. After thest breakthrough, if he focused hard, he could decipher what the machine was trying to say in his head during this test. But while under the effects of Fury, he couldn¡¯tprehend a single word of what VAL tried to tell him. The more he let himself slip into either state, the more simrities he saw. If he could break through to the E rank, he was sure there¡¯d be a difference.


    The sedatives flooded his veins, numbing his legs. This time, he wouldn¡¯t give himself the chance to crawl out. No.


    He would stay in the cold coffin until he broke through that barrier.


    Boldwick sat on the side; with bleary vision, Erec saw him take a pull of the wine. This was his fourth attempt for the day. Usually, he onlysted three. Erec made this n with VAL after excusing himself to a bathroom break.


    Surprisingly, the machine agreed under a single condition.


    Once Erec managed to break through, they¡¯d never undergo this training again. While VAL didn¡¯t specify what about the glyph perturbed it, the machine was evasive and irritable after every session.


    The shadows of sadness crashed into Erec. The voices told him he was doomed, that he¡¯d die in a shallow grave.


    At this point, they were almost familiar friends.


    Erec gave a gaspingugh as hey curled on the floor like a dying man. He let the hate pour in; the cold fire of hate reforged him for the Goddess knew how many-ith time. He hated himself. Hated every part of him for living on this doomed, this scorched earth, this hell-pit.


    What would it be like to live in the old-world?


    What if he had been an intern with Vortex Industries? Would that have been his life if he¡¯d been born hundreds of years before? Would he have met VAL?


    Heughed until his throat burned.


    Heughed until all the thoughts left his head.


    Heughed until the shadows backed away, afraid of him.


    His eyes closed. Breath hitching as he could no longer force air through his lungs, as the grasp of death lingered nearby but was held at bay by those glowing blue lines.


    In the blue light, he saw his life. A life of another man long before, a young man working his way through his daily life, excited for an internship, only for time to wear him down with endless chores.


    But there was a point: he''d make a name for himself and gain respect.


    And then a light shattered the Earth and consumed everything living on its surface in silver fire, burning away his dreams and future.


    In this life, he sank to his knees, screaming. His eyes melted out of his head as rms went off in the facility. Blue light became silver.


    Erec screamed.


    [Applying jolt.]


    Erec¡¯s body shuddered, and he gasped, letting anger flood. Letting the hatebat the cold anger, his scorn for the world seethe and burn just as bad as the shadows shouted out at him to give up on trying. They reached an equilibrium.


    He stood up, body shaking from the cold and teeth chattering. But there was an inner warmth. It was spreading through his veins and pushing back.


    And a notification in the corner of his vision.


    Everything felt numb. His thoughts hung by a thread, and he worked off impulse. He needed confirmation. His Blessing shed across his vision.


    Psyche Advancement: Rank F - Tier 9 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 1


    There wasn¡¯t any joy in the aplishment. He numbly stumbled out of the glyph, sliding onto the ground.


    Boldwick caught him and helped him back to his office¡ªand then broke open another bottle of wine to celebrate once Erec¡¯s brain regained some semnce of logic.


    Liquor had been a constantpanion to sadness since the 1st Era. And that night, both he and the Master Knight indulged in thepany of more booze. Tomorrow they would leave the safety of these walls and foray into the unknown for the rest of humankind who could not.


    They¡¯d face those red eyes together.

 Chapter 41: Expedition

    Chapter 41: Expedition


    Every time he stepped into the Vallum model, it felt likeing home. The way the armor flowed around him and responded to his movements like water was a constant source of amazement¡ªthough he knew it was unnatural. VAL enhanced the armor, making it better than Olivia or Garin''s.


    Both of whom were entering their own Armor. Colin was already packed and ready in the living space.


    The air held nervous energy. Word circted to the Academy about the trip, particrly about the contention between the Orders.


    Usually, these two-week-long expeditions were more introductory affairs¡ªsome senior staff apanied the caravan to conduct smaller missions, sure. Every time they prepared to leave the walls, the Order of the Verdant Oak aimed to maximize their expenditure of resources.


    But this was something special. Grandmaster Oak broke tradition and extended the two weeks to three, then assigned half of the Order to the expedition.


    No doubt, word had spread through the Orders of the Master Knight¡¯s obsession with a white stag and the nightmares guing him. But Erec knew something lurked outside of their walls. Even with the number of people going with, it didn¡¯t feel like nearly enough. If perhaps they¡¯d had an army¡­


    This was the purpose of their Order. To confirm and evaluate threats before they be a problem. Then organize and conduct operations to monitor the situation while the Kingdom prepared a response. And if a Master Knight had suspicions, most fell in line and went along with it.


    Erec checked over the hatchets attached to either side of his Armor,forted by the brutal war axe on his back. If he were to die here and fulfill what those shadows whispered in his ears, he¡¯d do it while taking out as much as he could. His gaze drifted over to Garin, fussing over Olivia.


    Thest two weeks had been filled with his friend fawning over the girl and her flustered attitude over the attention. To call the love affair sickening would do it little credit. It also didn¡¯t fit his image of his friend, who¡¯d fluttered from girl to girl like a bird through the high branches of the trees in the bio-caverns. Honestly, the behavior was starting to worry him. What set Olivia so apart?


    Erec grabbed him by the shoulder and gave Garin a slight shake. He was stopping her from finishing her preparations, and he didn¡¯t wanna runte.


    ¡°Oh¡ªuh,¡± Garin mumbled, pulling away from Olivia. ¡°You ready, buddy?¡±


    ¡°As ready as ever.¡± Erec made sure to take Garin to the living room to give Olivia breathing space.


    Colin gave them both a nod. ¡°Prepared, are we? Did you bring rations along this time, rust bucket?¡±


    Erec looked at his bag¡ªstuffed full of survival equipment collected from the quartermaster a couple of days ago. And a couple of other tokens. Including the letter from his mother. It didn¡¯t feel right to leave the walls without it this time, but he had indeed slipped in some extra food. But not for the reason Colin might¡¯ve thought.


    ¡°I did. Are you going to freeze up when we run across bugs again, brat?¡± Erec asked


    Colin scoffed and shook his head. ¡°I doubt there shall be bugs.¡±


    ¡°You never know!¡± Garin coughed and shook his head, looking between the two.


    ¡°No, the only thing <em>bugging</em> me will be you two, I¡¯m sure.¡± Colin shot back and¡­ughed. Heughed at his own bad joke.


    Erec groaned. The only thing worse than Colin acting like aplete prick had been his sense of humor¡ªsomething so buried away in that self-obsessed ego that they¡¯d never seen it. But now that he¡¯d beening out of his shell¡­


    ¡°Get it?¡± Colin asked, his voice slightly raised as neither of themughed.


    "Oh yeah, yeah. Going to steal Olivia right from me with jokes like that." Garin said and shook his head, looking over at Erec. Even underneath the helmet, he knew precisely the sort of eye roll he''d see He''d gotten the same kind of look hundreds of times from his friend.


    ¡°Huh? You and the maid are a pair? Did your father not warn you about consorting with the serving staff? They are here to do a job, not for your personal enjoyment¡ª¡°


    ¡°By the Goddess.¡± Erec cut him off before the conversation could devolve into whatever odd discussion the Duke had given to his son. ¡°And she¡¯s a Knight, not serving staff. Just as high of a ranked Knight as you.¡±


    There was a tiny squeak from Garin¡¯s bag¡ªhis friend rushed over right away.


    Munchy.


    There¡¯d been no solution to the squirrel problem other than to bring the overweight squirrel along on the expedition. Erec thought about asking Rodren to look after it¡ªbut a test run showed that it wouldn¡¯t work.


    If Munchy lost sight of Garin for more than a day, he¡¯d act wild and wreak havoc. Destroying things, tearing apart rooms, and bing a menace. Erec lost several casual shirts due to the little bastard rampaging. He didn¡¯t know why the creature had such an addictive personality to Garin of all people, but due to it, they had no choice but to let him tag along.


    And it was also why he¡¯d stuffed extra food away for the journey.


    Olivia joined them, and they made their way out of the room; to the front of the Academy, where the rest of the Verdant Oak gathered.


    In short order, the Master Knights barked orders to the Commander Knights, who sorted their caravans outrge steel wagons with wheels hitched up to cattle from the deep caverns. They¡¯d loaded up heavily with advanced armaments and backup supplies in case the worst happened. Every single Knight had their own pack to carry. Master Oak spared no expense in preparations.


    Boldwick and two other Master Knights quickly got everyone moving. They made a slow ramble to the western gate.


    It was there that the first problem of the expedition reared its head.


    A line of Knights of the Silver mes arrayed themselves in front of therge steel curtain gate. They prevented the expedition from leaving.


    In front of them was a man decorated in bright red robes with singed hems. Too many jewels hung off him; the frail old man was little better than bones and loose hanging skin. The Knights behind him deferred to his toorge presence.


    There could be no mistaking him.


    This was the Cardinal.


    "What the hell is this?" Boldwick strode in front of the caravan as it came to a stop. They weren''t going anywhere unless they wanted to plow through the Knights.


    "You would do well to sink to your knees before the Goddess'' Cardinal." The man said, his eyes running over the crowd; his voice, like Boldwick''s was amplified. Erec looked around and yet saw no glyphs present. Was this some prayer?


    Why would he want this conversation broadcast?


    ¡°I set out today on orders from my Grandmaster to conduct this expedition. Were this in a church? Sure, I¡¯d bend the knee. But you¡¯re sitting in front of <em>my</em> gate, halting <em>my</em> expedition, for what exactly?¡±


    The Cardinal scowled¡ªand the weight of his judgment flooded over everyone as if the mere thought held a heavy strength. Still, before that oppressive onught of forced empathetic emotion, Boldwick didn¡¯t waver.


    <em>Is this due to high Faith or does he have a Divine Talent?</em>


    ¡°You shall be taking five of my priests and a contingent of Silver mes Knights as their bodyguards.¡±


    ¡°By whose authority?¡±


    ¡°Grandmaster mes has deferred to my judgment. The Goddess must have eyes on these events.¡±


    Boldwick nced back at the nervous caravan and then at the hardened line of Silver mes Knights blocking their path. ¡°You couldn¡¯t havemunicated this beforehand? Not to mention this is an Order of the Verdant Oak expedition¡ªwe¡¯re the ones with authority on leaving these walls. Neither you, nor Grandmaster mes, have any authority on who goes in and out.¡±


    ¡°We are here to ensure you do notmit sins, my child. Comply, and you shall not receive the ill-will of the church.¡±


    Boldwick barked out augh. ¡°What would you do if I told you to fuck off?¡±


    The Cardinal stiffened, and another wave of contempt and disdain radiated off the man. Erec shuddered, but Boldwick still seemed unaffected.


    ¡°But fine. I don¡¯t trust you, your church, or men that aren¡¯t mine. I don¡¯t want to cause any more of a headache for Grandmaster Oak. Order your men to pack their shit, and join my caravan. Though know this, out there¡ª¡° Boldwick jerked a finger towards the gate, ¡°The other Master Knights and I are kings. Anyone that says or does something we disapprove of gets punished. This is not a political theater game; the wastnd chews men and women up without a second thought, especially now.¡±


    The Cardinal didn¡¯t seem to like that answer but didn¡¯t offer a counter. At least not publicly, as whatever had been amplifying their conversation for the caravan to hear cut off.


    Several priests broke away from the Knights and added their equipment to the steel wagons; they had no Armor, even if their bodyguards did. They had simple red robes like the cardinal, burnt at the edges but without borate jewelry.


    It was said that when inducted into the church, a priest underwent a ritual. Though well kept, the results weren''t. It made them immune to the scorching air and various invisible dangers that still infested parts of the wastes.


    At least they didn''t have to worry about the priests needing Armor.


    With that confrontation dealt with, Boldwick pressed through the gate. The Knights of the Silver mes parted like the great steel curtain to reveal a path out of the safe walls.


    The Knights of the Verdant Oak left the kingdom, not bothering to wait for the priests and other Knights to fall in line with the caravan.


    As a unit, they strode into the dead wastnds outside the walls. Into that dust bowl filled with alien life, hostile environments, and old-world ghosts that promised to haunt whoever dared to tread on their graves. To the west, where the sun would set.


    [I wonder what condition the coast is in. A couple of our facilities were located there. Some contain research I¡¯ve been unable to dig up with my limited remote ess.] VAL mused and spilled secrets in his head. Erec looked forward. They said that water stretched along in a seemingly endless direction if they went far enough west. Not that any Knight had seen it, ever. Only history and old-world maps promised it.


    Their troop made their way into the depths of the wastnd, diving ever deeper.


    To where a White Stag waited in silence, its blood red eyes burning in the darkness.

 Chapter 42: Disciples

    Chapter 42: Disciples


    <em>¡°It was the stuff of nightmares.</em>


    <em>For as long as I live, I¡¯ll never make the mistake of entering a Rift again. The day after we stepped through that Goddess damned tear, I retired from my service as a Knight.</em>


    <em>Have you ever seen a world where the very ground below is covered in flesh? Where it pulses to the beat of some unknowable heart? No. You have no idea of what I¡¯ve seen. Of the swarming maggots that coated the surface of that cursednd. And I pray that you never do.¡±</em>


    <em>- Knight Lieutenant Oswald, Rift Expedition Report (249, 3rd Era) </em>


    Garin wrapped an arm around Olivia¡¯s shoulder as a fire zed in the middle of their little encampment. There were a few different fires. The steel wagons of the caravan circled together in the middle of the wastnd in a mimicry of the steel curtain surrounding the Kingdom. It was a far cry from a perfect defense, but the space allowed those of the Order to have some peace.


    A few others of the Verdant Oak had joined their fire. Including Gwen, who seemed a bit sour and kept shooting envious nces at Olivia.


    Erec leaned forward, arms wrapped around his knees. Taking in the Armored Knights'' silhouettes atop the steel wagons surrounding them. Their impromptu wall. The only line of defense against monsters that might roam and notice them in the wastnd. Would he be there one day? Burning the night away to ensure the rest of his Order could sleep safely?


    ¡°And that¡¯s the first time we met; dragged in by his dad and with a burning red face when I suggested we y a game of tag.¡± Garin shook his head, eyes drifting toward Erec as he told of their first encounter to the strangers.


    A girl named Veronica nodded her head, shing Erec a smile. ¡°I think the shy types are awful cute¡ªvery fun to mess with.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I agree! It¡¯s always fun finding a way to tease them, though; he¡¯s a bit of a wild one if you¡¯ve heard.¡±


    "He doesn''t look like much of a mad Knight now, does he?" Veronica asked and titled her head.


    Erec shrugged his shoulders and sighed; giving her some titude as the conversation floated away from him. There was some curiosity about him within their Order, and Garin was trying to dispel it and make themfortable with him. Especially as it came out that Boldwick was paying special attention to his training. The Academy might think of him as a ''mad Knight,'' especially as he showed off more of his fighting in public. But the initiates in their Order held a different opinion. He was theirs, one of them, and because of that, they were more supportive.


    At least, that''s what he''d gathered over thest few minutes. Hard to say how much of that was from Garin working on public perception.


    They were tied together. A family, in a way.


    A family that brought with it attachments that Erec had long forgotten how to feel about. It made him miss his mother and his younger days with Bedwyr; before other people crept in and they got yanked from that private life together to be tested by the world atrge.


    Erec nced over at the gathering of priests and Silver mes Knights. They were separated just as far as possible, even erecting their own sleeping tents to distance themselves.


    But that was fine. They weren¡¯t part of this family. And Erec was d, if anything, that none in their Order went over to try to ease the tensions. They inserted themselves here into the expedition in the same way they¡¯d inserted themselves into Erec¡¯s life.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Colin asked from his side, leaning in to not break the flow of the main conversation¡ªthey were talking about heroes of old. Including the fight against the Rot Behemoth. A story that Colin must¡¯ve heard damn near a thousand times, given his father was the one who slew that monstrosity. Erec nced at him, seeing the frown on his face. <em>Since when does he care about other people?</em>


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m alright.¡± Erec rubbed at his eyes. ¡°Tired. But I don¡¯t think I can sleep tonight.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    Erec looked out¡ªpast the gaps in the steel caravan. At the ever-pressing darkness of the wastnd that syed out for hundreds of miles. Somewhere out there were red eyes; attached to a stag as white as the moon. He was certain. Just as he was sure it was watching them.


    ¡°Well, be sure to do your best to get some rest. It¡¯ll be a long journey, and I don¡¯t want to haul you along and have to fix your mistakes.¡± Colin said before turning away.


    Yeah. That was more like him.


    ¡°Erec!¡± A booming voice called out from the shadows of the fire. Boldwick stepped into the light and frowned as he looked at the gaggle of initiates around their fire. ¡°Ah, Gwen¡¯s here too. Good. You two, get your Armor on. We¡¯re going on a scouting mission. Meet me over there.¡± He gestured to a gap in the steel wagons.


    The rest of the initiate went quiet. They whispered to each other, not quite soft enough for their jealousy and confusion to avoid reaching his ears. Erec shrugged and got to his feet.


    If Boldwick wanted to take them on a small mission, he wouldn¡¯t object. Though why only he and Gwen wasn¡¯t entirely clear to him.


    It beat sitting around the fire with all of these strangers, which was rapidly bing more exhausting. And he doubted his ability to sleepter.


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Both Gwen and Erec answered before splitting off to get their Armor.


    A little over three hundred steel statues syed out in the center of the caravan circle. Erec found it easy enough; since he had VAL to direct him. And now his personal effect on the Vallum model made it stand out.


    Most Knights painted their house crest onto their Armor to make it stand out and represent their family name.


    Erec didn¡¯t paint the House Audentia crest on it because he was a second son and didn¡¯t n to stay in their House.


    He became a Knight in part to walk his own path. And now that path involved VAL. So, he¡¯d opted to steal from its past.


    A Vortex Industries logo adorned the center of his chest piece. It was a perfect replica of the design; since VAL cheerfully guided him when he¡¯d painted it. It felt fitting, given his technical employment. And he couldn¡¯t lie; the symbol held a feeling of power and old-world mystique. It was a wee step away from the typical heraldry of animals and mythological creatures most houses used.


    Erec entered the Armor, throwing the cloak hood over his steel helmet as VAL engaged the camouge protocol. The cloak turned a dull brown color, easily matching the surrounding dryndscape of dirt and rocks.


    He cut past the groups of merry Knights. Even though they knew the dangers lurking outside and were fully aware that they were no longer protected, they had a cheerful atmosphere. They were confident with their numbers, and many were well ustomed to leaving the safety of the Kingdom. The ease in the atmosphere was concerning.


    Who was really the mad Knight in this situation?


    Erec reached a small group of people, Boldwick in his weathered gear, and Gwen approached at the same time as him in her Vallum model. And also two other people he¡¯d yet to meet. One in a heavily modified Vallum and another in a custom Armor. Boldwick nced at him and Gwen. ¡°Ah, there we are. The two initiates.¡± He nced at the group. ¡°Introduce yourselves; then we¡¯ll head out.¡±


    The two mysterious Knights shared a look. Whoever was piloting the heavily modified Vallum stepped forward and cleared their throat. They had about twenty swords strapped to their frame¡ªhilts, sheathes, and lengths of the des varied greatly, almost like a damn cactus with all the pointy objects.


    ¡°Sir Alister, Knight Errant.¡± He nodded his head towards the two of them. ¡°That old grump has taken two more under his wing, huh?¡± He snickered as Boldwick grumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t take any of his harshness personally, but yeah. Nice to meet you. Don¡¯t be surprised if I stop by the Academy ande harass you in the future, now that I know who you are.¡±


    The other Knight wore a slimmer Armor than any Model Erec had seen before. It reminded Erec of the Crimson Lotus¡¯ type, though, even thinner. They lowered their head as a sultry feminine voice came through the helmet. ¡°Dame Robin, Knight Lieutenant.¡± She said. Her head shot to Sir Alister. ¡°Please refrain from scaring them away. It is best to treat new Knights kindly and ease them into these sorts of things. We are, for better or worse¡­.¡± She kept staring at Alister, ¡°Your seniors.¡±


    Gwen introduced herself first, and Erec gave a quick sentence about himself. Their attention slipped back to Boldwick.


    ¡°Each of you knows the real details of this expedition. Erec, here is the other person seeing the White Stag. But tonight, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll face an attack. Call it a gut instinct. So, I¡¯m going to take this chance to teach you all a thing or two. And maybe in the process, we¡¯ll find some kind of hint to what¡¯s going on¡­¡± Boldwick seemed a little ufortable, in the way Erec always got when different worlds of his life came into a sudden an unpredictable sh together. Still, he forged ahead. ¡°¡­That¡¯s about it. There shouldn¡¯t be any questions.¡±


    ¡°Now hold up,¡± Gwen raised a hand. ¡°What¡¯s he mean we¡¯re all under your wing? These two your old students, or¡­?¡±


    ¡°Sir Boldwick is a mentor to us both, as he is to you, yes.¡± Dame Robin answered in a polite tone. ¡°I fully expect him to solidify that rtionship once you¡¯re made into Knight Errants, like Sir Alister here. Just please vow to do <em>better</em> than him.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Alister called out, pressing the side of his helmet. The visor opened to reveal his shocked face.


    She shook her head and stepped past the caravans into the night. ¡°We should get moving; we only have a portion of the night if we intend toe back and rest.¡±


    Boldwick muttered under his breath, low enough for anyone except Erec, who was next to him, to not hear. ¡°As if I¡¯d get any sleep with that monster out there.¡±

 Chapter 43: Tracks

    Chapter 43: Tracks


    ¡°Tracks,¡± Gwen said as she leaned over; a small light from her helmet showed off the deep imprints. They belonged to an animal with four long ws that seemed to dig deep into the earth''s surface as they would into the flesh of a living creature. "Some kinda reptile-like body structure?¡±


    The tracks sprawled out a ways further into the wastnd¡ªheaded towards a rocky outcropping about half a mile away., as long as whatever monster left them kept its course. ¡°Good observation,¡± Boldwick confirmed, crouching near the disturbed ground. ¡°Erec, how many of these are there?¡±


    Erec looked at the wastnd nearby. He hadn¡¯t taken Tracking and Monster Ecology and regretted it now.


    The world spread out in an endless terrain of dust and death. To think that the further out they got, the more monsters had free reign to breed and war with one another uncontested. He shivered. One day he¡¯d set out into these unknownnds and dive into a world humans hadn¡¯t seen for hundreds of years. Not since the world ended and the third Era began.


    Whatever monster made these tracks hadn¡¯t done it alone. It was apanied by many more. The dragging w marks weaved in and out of one another, vastly adding to the difficulty of guessing their number.


    Erec didn¡¯t have a clue. There could be somewhere between seven to fifteen.


    [There are eleven.] VAL chimed in his head before Erec could answer.


    Thank the Goddess for old-world wonders. Erec cleared his throat. ¡°Eleven.¡±


    ¡°Nicely done.¡± Boldwick nodded, looking at the older members of the group. ¡°You two, have you figured out what we¡¯re dealing with?¡±


    ¡°Blister Crawlers.¡± Sir Alister groaned. ¡°Ugh. I hate them; their blood reeks.¡± He pointed out a patch of dampened ground nearby with droplets of caked yellow on it. It might¡¯ve been mistaken for some odd sort of moss if not for the fact that any moss like that didn¡¯t have a chance in hell of growing here.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Dame Robin shook her head. ¡°Surely we don¡¯t have to deal with them?¡±


    ¡°Wrong,¡± Boldwick said, looking over them all. ¡°Two points, the first being that I want to see if these are dead silent¡ªBlister Crawlers are typically loud things. Chatty fucks. Second, they¡¯re within the power level of these two initiates, especially when supported by us. So, I think they¡¯d be a good training enemy. Erec here has an uncontrolled talent he¡¯s been working on, and I want to ensure it¡¯s advanced sufficiently for use in a group fight.¡±


    ¡°Uncontrolled?¡± Sir Alister asked.


    ¡°Not like yours,¡± Boldwick added. ¡°Less about it beingplicated to figure out and use properly. More like, it puts the user into an altered state and removes the ability to direct it with purpose.¡± He shrugged in his Armor.


    ¡°So like me,¡± Robin said.


    ¡°Somewhat, but not quite. He¡¯s an enhancer. You¡¯d be the closest, even though you¡¯re a shifter. I¡¯d thought about introducing you two before. But you¡¯ve been far too busy with your new rank for me to justify dragging you from your responsibilities to help train some new brat.¡±


    Robin shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind offering a helping hand in the future. I¡¯d wished I had another like myself when I was an initiate.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a Blister Crawler?¡± Gwen asked.


    ¡°¡­Oh, you¡¯re going to <em>hate</em> this.¡± Alister snickered.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The opening to the cave was a jagged and ugly-looking scar on the natural surface of the outcropping. ws dug into it and tore apart what had been a feature of nature to dig below and extend awork for the Blister Crawlers to make their home.


    [Detecting high concentrations of various sulfurous oxides present below. Maintaining supplied oxygen content and disabling visor controls.] VAL warned him. Pausing for a moment. [Go gett¡¯em, buckeroo! Make sure to retrieve a corpse to dissect and test.]


    Erec sighed.


    There wasn¡¯t a single part of him that wanted to drag one of these things'' reeking carcasses back to the surface if he could even manage it. Let alone cut into its awful innards so VAL could y biologist through him. No, from how Alister described these things, he¡¯d already had enough nightmares for the next week toe from fighting them. Why did everything from the Rifts have to be so damned cursed?


    At least thebel of monsters fit them.


    Alister gestured for them to follow inside. He¡¯d been given the lead of their little foray. Boldwick told him it was time to gain experience leading other Knights.


    Erec and Gwen followed close behind, and further in the party trailed Boldwick and Robin, who were busy discussing things quietly. Per Boldwick¡¯s assessment of threat levels, the three of them should be capable of clearing the nest as long as they operated adequately and didn¡¯t make too many mistakes.


    If they did, then Boldwick and Robin would bail their asses out.


    ¡°So, has Bedwyr talked about me?¡± Gwen asked from Erec¡¯s side. ¡°Y¡¯know? Since the ball?¡±


    ¡°Do you think me and him talk at all?¡± Erec asked, baffled that she chose to bring this up as they dived into a monster nest of all the ces. Even if he ignored the fact that she thought it an appropriate line of conversation with his younger brother.


    ¡°You¡¯re brothers, ain¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You saw how we got along¡ª¡°


    ¡°Yeah, I did. But I¡¯m the same with my sibling sometimes, y¡¯know. Little family spats are a thing¡ª¡°


    ¡°Shush!¡± Alister turned. ¡°Goddess above, was I this empty-headed as a teen?¡± He called out¡ª his voice even louder than the two of them.


    Boldwick shook his head. ¡°Worse. Everyone, focus. Treat every situation as deadly, even if we know this one to be manageable¡ªkeep your de and your wits sharp, all of you.¡±


    Thankfully, Gwen dropped the topic.


    With that, they transformed back into a silent expedition and dove into the rocky crags. As they made their way deeper, flecks of discarded skin were left behind, ground off on the sharp edges of the stone and rock. As if these creatures rubbed themselves all over to clear off the kes. Dark splotches of pus and blood apanied the dead skin.


    [Clearly, a form of molting, though the excessive pus and blood indicate infection. A reaction to a different environment and bacteria?]


    Alister paused at a split in the path before taking them down the right tunnel. Further into the dark.


    He led them into a small cavern¡ªthree slithering things moved in the dark. Their forms were barely perceivable by the dim illumination from Alister¡¯s helmet.


    The Knight Errant tensed. ¡°I¡¯ll take the one in the middle. You two fend off the ones on the sides. Once I finish mine, I¡¯ll help you y yours, understood?¡± he asked.


    Gwen and Erec gave a nod of confirmation.


    And Alister charged into the cavern¡ªboth Gwen and Erec flicked their lights on to see, though they hadn¡¯t needed to. With a crack, strands of lightning erupted from Alister, lighting the room in an ethereal purple and blue cast. The tendrils wrapped around the hilt of three swords, whipping them into the giant lizard in front of him.


    If you could call it a lizard.


    The description provided did little to encapste these creatures'' horror. They had four legs,pleted by ws as sharp and as long as small swords. But that wasn''t the main feature that made them a blight on this world. No. It was their skin. Boils oozed with pus and popped randomly on their ever-shifting torturous scaly hide. Some of the pimples piled so thick that they formed into mounds of tortured flesh. Their scales seemed overgrown, forming almost tumorous growths over wrinkled skin designed to hold a creature thrice their size.


    Alister tore into the monster ahead of him¡ªslicing into the folds of skin to receive a reward of bursting bits of pus and sulfuric gas. The beast roared¡ªturning to try to take care of the human that dared to challenge it.


    Erec ran along the side of the cavern as he yanked the war axe free from his back. One of the blister crawlers was in a cavern divot and rapidly moving to get involved in the fight. Even with Boldwick and Robin as backup, Erec had something to prove. This was his chance.


    The unevenndscape presented a good opening; he had a good seven-foot drop into the pocket the blister crawler was starting to leave from.


    He let out a breath, letting those feelings of anger swirl and ignite. This fight was the first of a few, but he wanted to know.


    No. He needed to know. Had his training made him capable of wielding the weapon that was Fury?


    Erec jumped into the pit off a rocky outcropping, winding the war axe into a side swing to target the creature¡¯s neck. He fell, using the momentum and his increasing Strength to tear the weapon¡¯s heavy steel edge through the air. It mmed into the scales of the blister crawler. And slid. Unable to find purchase. The wrinkles and surprisingly durable hide made it far more difficult to slice than it should have.


    His Armor boots crunched some poor creature''s bones as he hit the ground. Pus and dark blood ran from where the axe met the lizard, but it was only a surface wound.


    <em>Annoying.</em>


    His rage spiraled as the beast scrambled to face him¡ªits long stomach dragging across the uneven floor and pulling away pus and dead skin.


    [Iing, right.]


    Erec adjusted his grip on the war axe¡ªcatching a heavy blow from the creature¡¯s w as it tried to kill him. His feet snapped more bones and dug into the ground as it applied pressure. It wasn¡¯t just tolerant to damage; no, it was <em>strong</em>. He skidded across the cavern before that might.


    The me inside of him burned brighter. Rage consumed.


    In three seconds, the blister crawler ceased its ability to push him.


    A second after, Erec pushed the w back.


    He shoved the creature off with a grunt. His hate burned like a bonfire; the monster seemed surprised that he resisted its attack¡ªequally surprised when he yanked the edge of the war axe through its face and easily cleaved it into a bloodshot eye.


    The blister crawler howled a terrible death-warble before rearing up¡ªonly to m its body down towards him.


    It was a test.


    Would his Strength let him push back?


    Erec adjusted his posture to meet the challenge. He¡¯d catch the blow and respond with a counter-attack.


    It wasn¡¯t enough to defeat the beast; it needed to know its ce. He¡¯d coat the cave in vile blood and paint everything in garish red¡ª


    Buzzing. That damn buzzing.


    [¡ªtail, tail, watch for the tail, it¡¯s a feint¡ª]


    Erec broke the stance immediately, letting out a growl of anger as he started to swing his war axe at the spot the buzzing warned him the blow woulde from.


    Between the heavy swing of his axe and the momentum of the blistered tail, the weapon''s edge tore through the scales and severed the appendage.


    Meat flopped behind him as it cried in agony.


    Erec mmed the axe into its stomach while it was distracted by pain.


    Entrails and pus coated the pit as he finished off the creature. He dragged himself out of the divot. His heart raced as the call for more blood pulsed through his veins.


    Hesitantly, two Knights approached. Their lights illuminated him; one had several swords held at the ready connected through sparking tendrils of lightning. The other was much cleaner and not coated in the half-congealed blood and pus.


    Worthy enemies.


    [Allies. Ceasebat.]


    The mes inside warred with the metallic voice. How dare it tell him what to do? He needed to taste more battle, to temper himself against a stronger opponent. Nothingpared to his Strength.


    [Intern!]


    That hot fire inside flooded with an equally cold me. Those desires to conquer and kill fought with the image of hate for himself, for this power, for his inability to save those he needed to.


    Erec¡¯s fingers shook. His arms began to jitter like leaves on a weak branch.


    The fires fought one another and burned each other out.


    He wasn¡¯t staring at another enemy to wet his de against. No. Those were further in the cave; there would be plenty. These two were the ones who would lead him to them.

 Chapter 44: Atlas

    Chapter 44: As


    <em>¡°A Gentle Knight was pricking on the ine,</em>


    <em>Y dd in mightie armes and silver shielde,</em>


    <em>Wherein old dints of deepe wounds did remaine,</em>


    <em>The cruell markes of many a bloudy fielde;</em>


    <em>Yet armes till that time did he never wield:</em>


    <em>His angry steede did chide his foming bitt,</em>


    <em>As much disdayning to the curbe to yield:</em>


    <em>Full jolly knight he seemd, and faire did sitt,</em>


    <em>As one for knightly giusts and fierce encounters fitt.¡±</em>


    - Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene (1590, 2nd Era)


    Erec¡¯s axe sttered into the diseased corpse of the biggest fucking lizard he¡¯d everin eyes on. It was twice the size of a steel wagon; and died a slow, painful death from a dozen wounds, some deep, others surface level.


    His breath was like burning ash, and an inferno still raged inside. Yet it wasing to an end, struggling to continue to swirl. For the first time, that anger was sputtering out of fuel.


    This was thanks to them. Thanks to the others that he followed.


    Due to them leading him, he got to fight and kill. He¡¯d sent his axe through several beasts and now had an annoying blinking in the corner of his vision.


    [Take it easy, buckeroo. You went above and beyond! This will show favorably on your yearly evaluation.]


    That damn buzzing. Irritating but useful.


    Several times in the fights, its warnings had provided him precious opportunity to deliver powerful blows. He sttered the skulls of these lizards, yanked off limbs, and coated his armor in their blood.


    Glorious. But he wanted more¡ªhe tried to stoke the rage further.


    The rest of the humans stared at him from a distance. They let him finish off this creature alone. Good.


    He¡¯d imed it as his kill and wouldn¡¯t have suffered another to take it from him.


    And now it was time to assert his ce¡ªErec took a step towards them; his legs shook. His whole body shook. He found himself unable to move the way he wanted as the hell inside of him burned out.


    [Stabilizing legs. Calm down, alright? Sometimes it¡¯s best to ask for help.]


    He gasped and tugged at the legs¡ªbut they locked in ce. The sleek steel armor frame held him in ce as he crashed. His whole body convulsed as his blood ran cold, then hot; it felt like he¡¯d been mmed in the stomach by the t side of a massive sword.


    A headache bloomed in his head.


    ¡°Erec?¡± Boldwick asked the first to step forward.


    It was Boldwick¡ªnot some randombatant to lead him from battle to battle. Erec couldn¡¯t even move a hand to grip his skull to steady his swimming vision; there was a massive pain and pressure behind his eyes. He groaned. Were it not for VAL operating the legs, no doubt he¡¯d copse to the ground like those dead blister crawlers.


    Robin rushed forward¡ªsetting a hand on his shoulder as she leaned in. Her soft voice cut through the pain and confusion as the two halves of Erec swapped ces. "It''s s''okay, you''re safe and yourself now." She muttered. Her voice wasforting, like a warm nket wrapped around him; she took control from VAL and supported him by leaning him on her shoulder.


    Somehow the woman seemed to know just what he was going through, the crazy shift that took ce after that other half of him vanished back into the fire. Was it watching him now? Deep and buried in its hell.


    As he leaned against her, Erec pulled the notification up, which was about the only thing he could do.


    Strength Advancement: Rank E - Tier 6 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 7


    Massive. His strongest Virtue only grew. And so did that barely controlled power. The shiver that shook his body was only partially due to the adrenaline wearing away.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t get anything after all.¡± Boldwick sighed as he leaned next to the corpse. ¡°Regr blister crawlers. However, this one is a bit more overgrown than is the norm. It might¡¯ve been newer from a Rift or feasted recently. Either way, I suppose it was always a far shot to find evidence of odd urrences this early. I don¡¯t like getting further from the wall, but we¡¯ll have to if we keep turning up nothing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Well, the odd behavior hasn¡¯t been spotted since the attack.¡± Alister sat on a rock, pulling from a whetstone to sharpen his de after cleaning it. His Armor was coated in lizard gore, yet he took meticulous care to keep his des in fine shape. Each of the too-many-of-them. ¡°If you weren¡¯t so certain, I¡¯d have pegged it as an anomaly.¡±


    ¡°I ran into a third on a scouting mission before that trial. A rock-born, acting with abnormal behavior and not making a sound a couple of weeks before the trial. That¡¯s when the dreams started for me.¡± Boldwick shook his head. ¡°Regardless. I know our next move. The priests will be unhappy. But we¡¯re heading to Worth.¡±


    Alister whistled.


    Gwen snorted. ¡°Why would they care? What the hell even is Worth?¡±


    ¡°Ha, well, it¡¯s a bit of a shit hole¡ªan old-world city filled with all sorts of nasties in its depths. But¡ªthe main thing is, <em>others</em> pass through it asionally since the tech and crap you can scavenge there is primo. That¡¯s what Boldwick¡¯s aiming for; he probably thinks the <em>others</em> might''ve seen something too.¡±


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Robin helped Erec across the wastnd. Her Armor was so thin¡ªit was almost non-present. Were it not for his Armor; he''d feel like his mother was embracing him. A point of contact and a sort of warm care and affection he''d been absent of for so many years. Yet steel te separated it, a second skin that kept others out, even if it kept him safe.


    Her words still cut through that physical barrier. They pierced right through those inches of steel. She told him he''d done well, fought better than expected, that he''d even impressed Boldwick with his strength.


    The reassurance, that warm, loving, and purely kind voice kept him stable with the aftershocks of Fury. It¡¯d never been this bad. But he¡¯d never dragged it through fight after fight; never let it consume him alive and embraced it so passionately.


    Terrifying. It was like staring into a demon and having its veiny red eyes pierce back; the pure power it let him wield was addictive.


    Before, when his vision went red, his sanity went out the window as Fury took control. He might remember after, but this time was different. It was like being ever-present and aware of the choices, yet loving every moment of it.


    Was that the real him? Deep down?


    Their group tracked back through the wastnd, leaving deep prints from steel boots on the earth. Far above, a green moon dominated the sky, forcibly changed from its natural glow by a stray discolored cloud.


    They reached the steel caravan once more¡ªBoldwick gave a quick Knight¡¯s salute to one of the guards stationed atop a wagon. Like that, once more, he was safe inside of the wagon walls. Robin handed off Erec to Gwen so that she could get her rest. Not that Erec minded, he regained some use of his legs after the trip. It was simple enough to take off his Armor and let the older girl escort him back towards their little encampment.


    Everyone gathered around the fires was now asleep and a fair distance from the dying embers in the fire pit. Garin slept next to Olivia; their sleeping bags were close, yet with enough space to fit another person. What sweet nothings had they whispered before finding their rest? Erec sighed.


    Erec spotted a fluffy tail poking out from the quilted fabric. Munchy could escape if he wanted to. Could flee right into the wastnd.


    But why would the fat squirrel leave its sole source of treats?


    Gwen settled him down near the fire, making herself too close forfort next to him. Her shoulder nearly touched his as she leaned in and poked the dying embers with the stick. At the night''s end, it was only the two of them.


    Even with the pure exhaustion, Erec felt terrified to sleep.


    What if he woke up and that white stag charged in and killed his friends before he could lift an axe?


    Gwen leaned <em>even </em>closer, jostling him. She¡¯d vited his personal space. Her shoulder touched his, her face almost close enough to feel her breath on his. ¡°Hey, you look like someone went and threw a pile of shit on your door.¡± His heart started to hammer.


    Erec squinting at her. ¡°You¡¯re not from a noble house, are you?¡±


    ¡°Aw, shucks. What gave it away?¡± she snorted. ¡°Some of¡¯em act so stuffy all the damn time I can¡¯t really deal with it. Gets on my nerves and makes me wanna scream. But¡­ You and Bedwyr, you aren¡¯t that way, y¡¯know? You¡¯re both something in between, and I¡¯m not gonna lie, that interests the hell out of me.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you want to date him.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course, he¡¯s easy on the eyes too. Lots of girls want him, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯d fit in with their circles; as good as he is at acting, it¡¯s all a show. You could call him the greatest performer in the Academy¡ªif you looked at it through my lens. Break past the surface, though? You''ll find he¡¯s tired.¡±


    ¡°Tired?¡±


    ¡°You ever hear of that old-world story about the god who holds up the world? My Ma told it to me now and again growing up; she was fascinated with the damn thing.¡± Gwen shrugged as she disregarded his question; once more her skin brushed his. How could she not be aware of how close she¡¯d gotten?


    Erec shook his head, unsure of where this was going. Should they really be talking about old-world gods with the priests sleeping so close? They were out of the walls, but still, it rmed him. An instinct in his gut that he resented.


    ¡°There¡¯s this god named As¡ªhe held up the world, kept it on his shoulders. All day, all night. Now, the priests might proim it to be some manner of ¡®sphemy,¡¯ but those old world gods were stories for a reason. The way my Ma told it, they held lessons for those who came after. Do you know why he kept holding the world up, Erec?¡±


    ¡°No clue. Was he afraid of it dropping?¡± Erec scooted a bit away from her, breaking the point of contact. Blissfully, she didn¡¯t scoot back towards him.


    Being around her gave him a weird feeling he couldn¡¯t quite ce.


    ¡°It was a punishment. He wronged the other gods¡ªwaged war on them. But you¡¯re right too, in a way. Once it was up there in his hands, he was too scared to let it go. Didn¡¯t want to drop it and hurt all those people.¡± Gwen stared deeply into the fire.


    ¡°Sounds like a bad punishment. Why didn¡¯t they just exile him or kill him during their war?¡±


    ¡°If they killed him, he wouldn¡¯t have suffered. I always thought the worst part about it, was that he was all alone. How do you think it feels to sit there holding up the world by yourself? To watch everyone else live their lives while you kept the world from dropping? Y¡¯know, I bet it¡¯s real lonely.¡±


    Gwenpsed into silence as the fire sputtered and died. Erec stared long into those burning coals. Even after the girl wandered off to find her sleeping roll.


    Inevitably his gaze returned to that ever-present darkness, that space beyond the steel safety of their Knights. Was it a trick of the light, or did he catch a pair of red eyes staring back?

 Chapter 45: Cowboys & Cowgirls

    Chapter 45: Cowboys & Cowgirls


    Worth was an expansivendmark of the old-world. Compared to the few blocks of wreckage that were the small town Erec¡¯d wandered into during the trial, this ce was damn near an entire world. It stretched miles upon miles. Wreckage and fallen buildings littered its streets, as damn nearmon as the rubble and twisted steel. Precarious giant structures stretched into the sky like fingers grasping up to touch the heavens; how had they remained standing? Was this what humanity did back then?


    Did they defy the Earth because they could?


    If this was the surface above, how far might thisbyrinthine city spread below the surface? Then again, they didn¡¯t have to cower from the surface as the Kingdom had; yet Erec heard rumors that these old cities had undergroundworks. Sometimes a couple.


    Boldwick halted the caravans.


    The priests had been kicking up a fuss since the toweringndscape arrived on the horizon. They were swarming the poor Master Knight like a hive of angry bees.


    After a brief discussion and official orders for the caravan to stand by and await the resumption of travel, he erected a hasty ¡®privacy¡¯ tent for their talks.


    The interior of those cloth walls was likely a war zone, with Boldwick slicing those stuffy pretentious pricks with his words. Theirints wouldn¡¯t earn them anything.


    Neither they nor the Order of the Silver mes had any control over this expedition. At least per the division of the Order¡¯s responsibilities as divested by the Kingdom.


    In practice, the church would try to erode and take any power they could manage, as had always been their way, ever since the First King united the caverns and pulled together everyone after a brutal war. Erec stretched out his shoulders; his eyelids were heavy. The nights had gotten worse outside of the walls.


    It took two days before he sumbed to the ever-demanding need of sleep. Since then he¡¯d been ying each night as a game of chicken on whether or not he couldst through it. Unfortunately, he had to give in to its unceasing demands every time.


    And each time he lost the game, he¡¯d been rewarded with nightmares of fire burning all of his friends to ashes. In them, the white stag trod over their scorched corpses and scattered their ashes to the winds.


    It was maddening.


    Boldwick held himself together better, though, from their interactions, it was clear the Master Knight suffered the same awful dreams.


    Their pace as a caravan plodded on regardless.


    It surprised all of the first years that courses were still held.


    Not the official Academy ones¡ªbut every single elective instructor within the Verdant Oak quarters had gone along. They took the opportunity to pull together impromptu nomadic-like sses as they traveled. Dame Juliana was rather prolific since her practical lessons on the wastnd suited the environment. She even coborated with her colleagues


    Over thest week of travel, Erec had learned more about how the world worked than he¡¯d ever known while trapped inside the walls.


    The world was a brutal beast bent on consuming the humans who dared to tread on itsnd.


    But it was also more than a brown stain of dirt. Outside this barren waste were jungles flush with alien lifendscapes filled with white powder that would burn the skin when touched, giant irradiated glowing pits. There were Lakes that disguised themself as tranquil spots but emitted vapors that choked the air out of your lungs.


    And then there was abnormal ecology. Parts of the world not only twisted from when the Goddess¡¯ holy fires scorched the earth but ces that stable Rifts pulled through pieces of the world they belonged to.


    Juliana told them a story about a forest she¡¯d once discovered¡ªlocalized to about a perfect circr mile, with trees that rose fifty feet into the air. Completely symmetrical inyout, tiny glowing beings flitted between the branches.


    If a Knight stepped foot into the forest, they were never seen again. Tracking equipment ceased to function. Scrying for their location yielded no results. They vanished from the Earth as if they¡¯d walked through a Rift.


    There was a roar of anger¡ªand Boldwick stormed out of the war-tent. His face was red, his helmet tucked in the crook of his elbow, and he yelled out¡ªvoice amplified by a quick white glyph. ¡°We¡¯re moving. Get the wagons moving. We¡¯re setting up camp right outside of Worth! Ignore the posturing and bitching of the priests! If they say a damn word or get in your way, tell one of the Master Knights, and we¡¯ll sort them properly!¡±


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The difference between the Caravan setting up in the wastnd and near Worth was night and day. With their location target in sight, Boldwick tookmand andmandeered three structures on the city outskirts. The Knights fortified the buildings to make an impromptu base that could fend off a small army.


    Nothing went to waste. They stockpiled their supplies in the buildings. Then they used the steel wagons like actual walls, blocking off any weak points.


    Two of the buildings were transformed into housing and converted a single building into an impromptu workshop.


    Then small squads went into the city.


    They got they of thend. Worth had too many buildings, and <em>whoever </em>it was Boldwick wanted to find could be anywhere in the interior. And they¡¯d be quiet.


    <em>Whoever</em> was out there would know that the city inevitably had significant threats wandering the streets. ces like this attracted the monsters. It was like they saw the old world and felt a need to destroy it.


    All the initiates were kept at the base and tasked with manualbor to support the senior Knights making their way in and out.


    It was surprising how many logistical and mundane tasks went into maintaining an army.


    On the third day, he paused. There was an odd noise in his head. VAL¡­ was humming? Erec dropped the te he was cleaning, suds spilling on the floor and making a damn mess as the steel te ttered.


    [¡ªBzzzt¡ª]


    [What in the name of Dan Brovski?]


    Erec looked around¡ªnobody. Colin had shuffled off to haul rations out, and Garin snuck off to bug Olivia.


    [Erec?]


    ¡°¡­VAL?¡± he asked, keeping his tone low and tried not to worry.


    [We have to go into that city!]


    ¡°What do you mean? Are you out of your mind? Did you fry a circuit?¡±


    [I received a sub-routinemunication ping with an attached data packet. Something uploaded a <em>help</em> request to me with coordinates. They promised <em>more</em> data. What they sent¡­ It¡¯s already promising. We need to go.]


    ¡°VAL, does this have to do with the white stag?¡±


    [No, far more critical. Whatever sent this has intimate and detailed knowledge of STAR-NET''s inner workings. They¡¯ve sent me schematics for a satellite.]


    Erec rubbed his eyes. ¡°So, you received a strange message out of thin air with details about a satellite? Tell me. If we were to track this down, would it fall under the same umbre of confidential business information everything else has?¡±


    These were old-world secrets, and he tried to downy his interest. Mainly to try to tie off the part of himself that wanted to go running after them. It seemed like a bad idea, especially if he couldn¡¯t use them.


    Washing dishes was so damn dull. And he was starting to feel cooped up.


    [I suspect they possess data from when your Goddess scorched the Earth, taken from space.]


    His jaw dropped a bit at that. ¡°But you want to keep it a secret¡­¡± There wasn¡¯t a way he could convince anyone to let him run off chasing after old-world ghosts.


    They were in a dangerous ce, doing dangerous things. How could he convince anyone to go along with him?


    [If that data exists, it¡¯s STAR-NET property. Therefore, it doesn¡¯t fall under confidential business information. Now, of course, I understand the inherent difficulty in convincing your allies to let you investigate the location, but what else are you going to do? Clean more tes? You¡¯re an intern at Vortex Industries, not a kitchen assistant. ¡®A man¡¯s first duty, a young man¡¯s at any rate, is to be ambitious ¡­ the noblest ambition is that of leaving behind one something of permanent value.¡¯ If this data contains what I think it does, we¡¯ll learn much more than you can appreciate.]


    There was a promise of glory there. A lure of adventure. A way to get out into the world again.


    If they retrieved a recording of the holy fire¡ªthat was a relic onto itself. It was something the church would value. It could give their Order the leverage it needed to escte the situation with the white stag.


    It was unsaid, but they¡¯d already spent over a week out here¡ªalmost half the time allowed for this expedition.


    What would happen if they came back empty-handed?


    ¡°¡­Goddess, damn it, VAL.¡± Erec let out a breath.


    He picked up the te and shoved it into the sink. He took a long look at the suds and grease on the floor. He didn¡¯t join the Verdant Oak to sit around cleaning tes and running errands while others did all the work.


    ¡°Fine.¡±

 Chapter 46: Devour

    Chapter 46: Devour


    <em>From: Dan Brovski (</em><em>[emailprotected]</em><em>)</em>


    <em>To: ESCH_SCI_RDTEAM</em>


    <em>Please exin to me why your tests have produced no substantial results for several months in a row? How much money have I put into your budget? Do you think we have the funding to keep blowing on useless projects? Conrad kept telling me you¡¯re a discovery away from a breakthrough, yet here we are.</em>


    <em>No. Results.</em>


    <em>It is my pleasure to inform you that Conrad has agreed to a severance package, I¡¯ll be introducing Sheryl Clemmence to lead your team in his ce. You may be aware she¡¯s well known in corporate as a person who drives results from inefficient teams, or cuts them if they¡¯re hopeless. </em>


    <em>Maybe that will kick your asses into gear. </em>


    <em>Vortex Industries has no ce for departments that are not turning out a product that produces a profit. </em>


    <em>Get your act together, I expect something usable in two months. </em>


    <em>- Dan Brovski, Email To R&D ESCH Team. (2109, 2nd Era) </em>


    It carved a bottomless pit in his stomach, filled with wrongness at how easily everyone went along with his n.


    He¡¯d deceived them.


    Garin, Olivia, and Colin held no clue why he wanted into the city. All it took was some prompting and dropping the fact that other initiates were allowed out on thest few expeditions to sway them.


    Too easy.


    How wrong.


    As quick as a de slicing into a beast, they agreed to go on a patrol as long as he could convince a high-ranking Knight to permit it and apany them.


    Why Colin wanted toe along was obvious. He needed to prove himself. Garin gave an affable ''''yes" because he saw Erec wanted to.


    Olivia was the only one who questioned his motive, though not verbally. With the look in her eyes and a distinctive twist from her natural curiosity, she knew something odd was up. He just prayed that she''d never figure out what might''ve caused his erratic behavior.


    He steeled his nerves.


    He then gged down Dame Robin.


    She was outside of her Armor¡ªa thin woman with delicate limbs, a tall shape, and very pale skin. She¡¯d imed a desk in one of the conquered buildings and already filled its surface with various reports.


    Documenting expeditions was a vital pursuit since they provided information about the world''s changingndscape outside. It was a way to taste the wind before it carried poison.


    Erec cleared his throat, and she gave him a small pursed smile, taking in him and his friends.


    ¡°Hello, Dame Robin.¡± He said, waiting for her to set down the paperwork she was reading over.


    ¡°Ah, Erec. Your eyes do seem a little dark. Have you still been sleeping? Regr rest is incredibly important on expeditions."


    ¡°No¡ªbut, um. I¡¯m here to ask a favor.¡± She tilted her head and gestured for him to continue. ¡°I want to learn how to lead a patrol. Like how Sir Alister did¡ª¡°


    She raised a finger, looking at their group, which stopped him dead in his tracks. She took her time before replying. A bead of sweat ran down his brow. What if this failed? Well, maybe it wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing in the world. But¡­ VAL made it seem so important; the damn machine hadn¡¯t spoken a word about anything else since receiving that data packet.


    If it was that fixated, it kept making Erec second guess just how valuable it was. VAL understood the risks it was asking him to take and, in its cut-and-dry calction, determined it to be worth it.


    But could he trust VAL?


    And even then, he couldn¡¯t outright tell anyone why they needed to go out.


    ¡°I understand what¡¯s going on here.¡± Dame Robin said, giving a slight nod. ¡°You¡¯re all anxious and want to get your hands dirty. Rtable, I didn¡¯t forget my first expedition, even if it was under much tamer conditions than this.¡± She sighed. ¡°I would say ¡®it¡¯s dangerous¡¯ and scold you, but there¡¯s always danger to our lives. I suppose you¡¯ve noticed other initiates getting taken on patrol and wanted to go too?¡±


    Erec bit his tongue. <em>How do I do this?</em> She was leaning in the direction of letting them go. Yes, but that was only half of what he needed. VAL had coordinates for them to go to. If he followed another Knight''s lead, it was doubtful they¡¯d ever reach anywhere near the right ce.


    There was a whole ruin of a city to explore. Plenty of rotting buildings and decayed structures to poke around in.


    "Of course we do!" Garin burst in from behind him, shaking his head. "Erec gets all cranky and cooped up anytime you stick him in a little pen like this, it''s natural he''d wanna break out to take a walk around. Pretty transparent, eh?" his friend chuckled and shrugged. "But, I think it''d be good to let him take the lead on something. So how about it, wanna kill some monsters? You look pretty bored yourself.¡±


    <em>Thank the Goddess for him. </em>


    Olivia rolled her eyes. ¡°What Garin meant to say, is we would be pleased if you could afford us this opportunity, ma¡¯am. We realize it¡¯s impolite to ask when you¡¯re clearly working with arge workload.¡± She bowed deeply, forcing Garin to do the same.


    Colin gave a bit of a scowl as he shook his head, crossing his arms and staying uninvolved.


    Robin gave a small chuckle. "Say I agree and permit my junior this opportunity. Is this a desire to wet your weapons? Normally, a Knight may tell you to kill monsters on principle..." Her gaze hardened and locked on Erec. "¡­But in some cases, some must learn temperance."


    [She thinks you¡¯re a battle maniac. Wonderful. I swear, if your tendencies cost us this chance, I¡¯m deducting your pay¡ª]


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about that. I promise. I wanted to lead a scavenging run. Alister said this ce had plenty of tech, and I wanted to be useful. If I got lucky, maybe find something for my Armor.¡±


    He bowed along with Olivia and Garvin as Robin shook her head.


    ¡°Well¡­ Since you mentioned him¡­¡± she added slyly.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Leading defied his expectations. Erec thought it¡¯d be a simple affair to head up a scavenging job. In principle, it should¡¯ve been.


    By all rights, the most challenging part should have been convincing a high-ranking Knight to allow it in the first ce.


    But it wasn¡¯t.


    Not even fucking close.


    The constant pressure of people relying on him to keep his eyes out for threats and to direct them safely forward was immense. An actual weight heavier than any Armor gripped his heart firmer than the Goddess¡¯ vow had. And he¡¯d talked Garin into going¡ªhe¡¯d thought it would be better to have a reliable friend to lean on.


    But it was the opposite.


    Would he ever forgive himself if, by the Goddess forbid, some indescribable monster with too many tentacles burst out of an alley and ughtered his best friend?


    <em>Don¡¯t think about that.</em>


    He led their group down another street¡ªstaying close to the side of buildings with a hatchet in hand if he needed to react quickly.


    A hatchet was adaptable. He could fling it into a monster and take out his war axe if it lived. But even with the weight of a weapon in hand, it was like walking on a tightrope. Tension dug in him like razor wire; sweat coated him in the Armor despite the Vallum having a functioning cooling unit.


    ¡°You really can whip around three of those bad boys?¡± Garinughed behind him; his ease and abruptugh made Erec flinch.


    ¡°Well, yeah. Wanna see? It¡¯s pretty cool.¡± Alister said back, the smugness to his voice and self-confidence bleeding in and grating on Erec¡¯s nerves. Erec checked an alley. It made his heart stop.


    There was a giant silk cocoon¡ªtwice the size of a man. It hung in the middle of the air, suspended by thin chords anchored to the brickwork of the ancient buildings. Robin slid up to his side as he paused, tilting her head. Erec red at Garin and Alister¡ªraising a hand for them to shut the fuck up. His eyes traveled along the edge of that thing.


    It wasn¡¯t moving, still as a corpse.


    ¡°No need to worry,¡± Robin whispered, a finger extending into his line of sight¡ªpointing out an opening at the bottom; a ce where wisps of silk swayed like wheat in the wind. ¡°Just an old Stalker egg. They like to find dark ces like this for their children. This one hatched a good while ago.¡±


    Erec let out his pent up breath, and gestured back to the rest of the group that things were fine. Robin patted him on the shoulder.


    ¡°Good instincts, though. If you don¡¯t know what something is, always be cautious. That kind of reaction has saved me plenty of times.¡± With that, she gave him a little push to continue onward.


    He pressed forward, down the rest of the street, and to the intersection.


    [Right, then straight for another two blocks.] VALmanded as he had since they began the expedition. VAL got to do the easy work of ying route coordinator, and Erec had the nerve-wracking responsibility as the vanguard, scout, and leader.


    Even with Robin at his side, and Alister backing them up as support, there was never a guarantee of safety. Never a promise that they wouldn¡¯t run across something they couldn¡¯t handle. Though, everyone else seemed at ease. Almost rx.


    Maybe it was because Robin had already seen reports about what¡¯d been discovered out here.


    He hoped so.


    ¡°You must be powerful then?¡± Garin asked that little hup of fear never even touching their hearts the same way it¡¯d stabbed into Erec¡¯s


    ¡°I was at the top of my ss. Nobody¡¯s tougher.¡± Alister shot back.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard your name before. Howmon is it for the top of ones ss to remain as a Knight Errant for three years after, if you would do me the favor of answering?¡± Olivia said curtly.


    ¡°Well uh, you know, sometimes things happen that set you back! No matter how strong you are. No need to worry about that, I¡¯ll be a Knight Protector soon enough.¡± Alister said.


    ¡°Mhmm. <em>Very</em> believable. They say that confidence is a virtue, but I¡¯ve always observed that overconfidence leads to making a fool of oneself.¡±


    More turns, more streets, one of which led to their first monster¡ªa long mangy beast with feral yellow eyes and overgrown teeth. It died easy, with a hatchet thrown through its skull. Its two friends died just as quick¡ªone in a sh of holy light from Olivia and the other to Garin and Colin nking and destroying it.


    It was almost a relief. It made things easy and took the edge of the unknown to have a notch of victory in their belt as a group.


    Until Erec reached the destination, it was arge steel building square; boring. Despite uninspired architecture, it held up remarkably well. Windows decorated the side of the structure, most of which were shattered long ago, and there was a gross garish splotch of dried blood caked on the exterior. The remains from a fight that took ce long enough ago to dry, yet were fresh enough for the rare rain shower to not wash away.


    [This is it.] VAL responded in his head. [It¡¯s on the rooftop]


    Erec looked up; five stories. They had to go that far; the building looked sturdy enough, at least.


    He cleared his throat, trying to fake a neutral tone. ¡°I think this ce looks promising¡­¡± he said, ncing around. No one argued with him. Nobody said a word.


    [¡ªBzzzt¡ª]


    Erec¡¯s heart dropped. A secondter, VAL buzzed in his head.


    [Climb those stairs! Something''s devouring our data!]

 Chapter 47: Bad Plan

    Chapter 47: Bad n


    VAL raged in Erec''s mind, demanding that he run into the building ahead of him <em>immediately</em>.


    Behind him, the Knight Lieutenant cocked her head. His heart raced. Was there a way to exin? What reason could he give to go off charging into an unknown building like a fox chasing a squirrel?


    No, there wasn¡¯t a good reason, at least any he coulde up with off the top of his head. There wasn¡¯t a solution to the problem, and the knowledge that their entire goal was being destroyed above meant that every second spent lingering down here held a steep cost.


    So he didn¡¯t exin.


    Erec took off running, his steel boots mming against the lobby''s wooden floor. His group cried out in rm behind him, and he let out one wild, ¡°Follow.¡±


    [Ahead.]


    Erec mmed a shoulder into the locked door ahead. His momentum in all of the Armor and his natural strength shattered the hinges and sent the wooden door flying to the ground. He climbed over it easy, listening for VAL to tell him which direction to head next.


    The machine could process faster and determine theyout of the building from the signs more quickly than he could.


    All he had to do was run and listen.


    VAL located the staircase.


    Erec was climbing it a secondter¡ªdimly aware of the cussing behind him as his group drew their weapons. They¡¯re following, good.


    One flight, two flights; they flew by two steps at a time, his breath quickened as his heart sped. The inferno inside started to spark and flicker, but he kept it from igniting.


    The third story brought him skidding to a stop. Balls of silver-like metal clung to the stair and walls¡ªthick enough to be a serious concern as the insects squirmed. Each had six legs and used those thin, wiry limbs to climb upward.


    They noticed Erec as soon as he saw them but appeared just as startled.


    Erec sat still for a long second as he really took in the mass of metallic insects. He¡¯d expected a fight on the roof.


    He¡¯d been paranoid about what they might find but <em>needed to get up there.</em>


    Thest thing he¡¯d thought to encounter was a mass of bugs. Regardless, he yanked his war axe free as they erupted into a chorus of shrill whistles. Some of them turned; they¡¯d decided to deal with the intruder.


    Erec¡¯s axe mmed into the nearest one¡ªit met heavy resistance. But a secondter, the dented metal carapace gave, followed by a nasty sound as its gut blew out of the joints of its metallic armor. Its insides stained the concrete stairs purple as the dying thing twitched.


    Two reced the spot of the one, flinging themselves through the air in quick jumps. They each hit with a heavy blow, like a lead ball tossed at him; their pincers tested his Armor and scraped its surface. He yanked one of the bastards free, chucked it off the gap in the stairway, then grabbed the other and bashed it against the wall. Once. Twice. Three times. He smashed it until it twitched and gave up fighting, then dropped the poor thing and retook a dual-handed grip on the war axe.


    Five reced the two.


    Too many. There were <em>too many</em> ahead to ze past. Not like this.


    Anger flickered and tried to catch fire as the rest of his party came up behind him.


    <em>I can¡¯t</em>. His grip on the axe ckened as he fought to quell the rage inside.


    If he let fury loose right now, he might never make it the rest of the way up those stairs. He worked his jaw as he backed up¡ªout of reach of the five flinging bugs.


    As <em>badly</em> as he wanted to let loose, it¡¯d be abandoning the mission if he did so.


    For the first time since having this Divine Talent, Erec realized he was in a situation where he couldn¡¯t afford to use it. What if VAL was unable to direct him? Nobody else on the team knew they needed to get to the roof.


    One of the metal bugs reached him; he snatched it out of the air and caught it in his gauntlet. He tightened his grip¡ªtrying to thread the needle and pull on enough extra Strength to crush it without digging deep and letting the beast out of its cage.


    Could he only use some of the power?


    It failed to give. The bug squirmed in his grip as another leaped andtched onto his arm, its pincers scratching against the steel ting.


    Behind him were a cry and a gasp as Colin rounded the corner and saw their enemies.


    Robin crashed into the swarm next to him; her arm seemed to melt as she moved¡ªsliding on her skin and revealing sections of flesh.


    Alister joined the fray, then Olivia, andstly, Garin. They rushed in from his sides as he back stepped¡ªpushing on to join the fight on the staircase as Robin led the charge. Erec flung the insect in his hand down the gap in the stairs and shook the other loose.


    His axe smashed it against the ground.


    Cold panic welled in himself as he looked up at the fighting, as he felt that inferno burning inside and wanting to go loose.


    <em>I can¡¯t keep myself together.</em>


    Colin shook behind him, trying to stay as far from the bugs as he could.


    The poor boy couldn¡¯t control his fear; those things terrified him.


    But he needed to join the battlefield. Or¡­


    Colin needed to step up to the te, if he couldn¡¯t fight, fine. Then he¡¯d have to do something else for the war efforts.


    The metal coating Robin whipped around¡ªflowing smooth like natural extensions of the woman, sending tens of the bugs to death.


    The higher they got, the thicker the infestation grew.


    Erec pulled away to jog to Colin¡ªtaking a deep breath to fight away the burning in himself. The desire to fight. His hand mmed on Colin¡¯s shoulder.


    He wanted to let go, so bad, to join the fight ahead. His irritation at the situation stung, and his instincts screamed. He fought to suppress them; thankfully, VAL went dead quiet. Perhaps it detected that internal struggle and reached the same conclusion as him about what triggering Fury would lead to. He¡¯d be unreliable to fulfill what they needed done.


    But there was someone who could.


    ¡°Colin,¡± Erecmanded, his voice loud and strained.


    There were more shrill whistles from above and the sound of crunching and metal striking against one another.


    Colin shook his head, trying to wrest free and back away.


    ¡°Colin!¡± Erec screamed, part of his mask slipping. Part of that anger found a grip and yanked at his control. How dare this coward retreat from such a glorious field of battle? Pathetic.


    Colin was shaking as Erec¡¯s grip tightened.


    [Control.] VAL burst through the hazed and heady emotions roaring to life.


    It was a lost cause. He couldn¡¯t do this. It wasn¡¯t in him to keep the beast caged; it was too strong. The bars were bending, and soon it¡¯d be free. It smelled blood. It wanted to taste a battlefield and leave corpses behind. His fingers dug into the metal¡ªeven with the superior model, Erec¡¯s Strength began to strain Colin¡¯s Armor; small divots formed from where he gripped the duke¡¯s son.


    ¡°Colin. I need you to do something.¡± Erec almost growled. Fighting for thatst inch of sanity. ¡°You need to do it. Nobody else can.¡±


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t¡ªget me when they¡¯re all done with¡ª¡°


    ¡°No!¡± Erec yelled, his voice loud enough to cause the other boy to flinch. ¡°<em>You</em> need to push us up to the roof. All the way up. Keep us going up.¡± Erecmanded, each word pried from his rapidly deteriorating mental space.


    ¡°W-why me?¡±


    ¡°Everyone else is busy! Be useful! You wanted to be strong? <strong>Change!</strong>¡± Erec screamed thest word as more of the metal critters broke past the assault¡ªthree were skittering towards them. Perhaps they were fleeing from those in the lead or trying to get a shot in on them.


    He let go.


    It was like holding a rope slicked with oil; impossible. Even if he was clinging to it with his life, the best he could hope for was to retain enough of his sanity to listen to VAL warn him about attacks. Colin would have to pull through.


    Otherwise, all of this fighting would be for nothing.


    Erec tore away from Colin; with glee, he yanked one of the insects from the railing and mmed it into another¡ªusing the two to smash and break one another into a fleshy paste of purple.


    His war axe was delightful; a scythe that careened into the creatures as more of his Strength came to his arms. He caught up to the group on the stairs. Robin led the charge but met a pure metallic mass of the creatures, pushing back against them but unable to make any headway.


    She wasn¡¯t Strong in the same sense as him. Or perhaps she was holding back. Those floating tendrils of metal around her sliced the insects apart with ease. She moved slickly through space, none of the insects couldnd on her due to her pure speed.


    If this were a game for her, then it would be to Erec too. His war axe tore through his enemy like harvesting a field. Their metal membranes were hardly challenging for the weapon enhanced by his Strength.


    Not when he was all together again.


    The inferno raged inside and pumped him full of that beautiful, addictive power.


    He joined Robin at the front, and the woman got slightly more serious. Strands of metal twisted around her skin, forming into a secondyer and coating her arms, only to extend outward to create vicious points that jabbed in and out of the creatures like needles. She killed tens of them in a second with quick bursts of speed¡ªan angel of precise and targeted death.


    Erec smashed them into one another and destroyed them in clumps. Why bother with precision?


    They reached the fourth floor. It was clear that bugs had made a home on thisyer; somewhere past the open doorwayy their nest.


    More to ughter. He loved that they grouped together to make it so easy.


    [Up! Wrong way!] VAL called as Erec began to cleave into the first mound of the creatures stemming from the fourth floor. The annoying mechanical voice was good at alerting him about iing blows, where he should guard, and where he should strike.


    But it didn¡¯t know how to track down satisfying fights as he did. How could it tell him to go somewhere else when so many here wanted to taste his axe?


    He readied to throw himself into the fourth floor to kill, and a glyph spread out in front of him. Erec pulled back, prepared for some attacker as a wall of pure ice sealed off the entrance to the fourth floor.


    Who dared?


    Erec looked around, eyes filled with hate. The other humans behind him seemed equally surprised. They¡¯d been willing to join him on the battlefield, to conquer this new host of enemies.


    At the back of the crowd was a shaking man in light blue Armor¡ªvanishing cerulean lines of a glyph still hung in the air from where his hand hovered.


    There was panic to his voice as he yelled, a shrill, strainedmand. ¡°Go up! We need to go up! Go to the roof!¡±

 Chapter 48: Rooftop

    Chapter 48: Rooftop


    <em>¡°Through every generation of the human race there has been a constant war, a war with fear. Those who have the courage to conquer it are made free and those who are conquered by it are made to suffer until they have the courage to defeat it, or death takes them.¡± </em>


    <em>- Alexander The Great, (Unknown, 1st Era) </em>


    Erec and Robin broke into the light of the day; only a few dusty clouds rolling by marred the tired, pale blue sky above. The roof of the building was bare, aside from a series of air conditioners loitering on one end that hadn¡¯t functioned for hundreds of years.


    Dominating the roof was a massive ck spider-like creature with fifty of those sleek metal bugs clinging to it, their pincers biting into its flesh.


    The spider didn¡¯t care about the bugs. It didn¡¯t care that a crew of humans burst onto the roof, either. No. It was far too busy focusing on half of a metal man syed out underneath it.


    Wires and circuits hung loosely from the dismembered torso of the poor thing. Sparks burst as a thick ck spider leg mmed into one of its arms and pinned it to the ground.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Alister asked, only a second behind Dame Robin and Erec.


    ¡°Stalker,¡± She answered, watching as it hunched closer to the metal man. Its body lowered; instead of a typical spider body, the entire bottom half of the creature appeared to be missing. That¡¯s because in its ce was a giant gaping maw, a hundred sharpened teeth flexing as it lowered itself to consume the metal man, somethingpletely inedible. ¡°¡­That¡¯s not a stalker¡¯s typical diet, either.¡±


    Erec didn¡¯t care. There was a single obvious target to attack, so he flung himself forward.


    Robin yanked him back by the shoulder, tossing him back through the door in an even more fierce burst of speed and power she¡¯d restrained from before. He crashed down a flight of stairs, missing Olivia and Garin. The pasty remains of the insects further coated his Armor as he tumbled down the staircase. Thankfully, it provided enough protection to withstand the tumble.


    Erec growled as Colin looked down at him; thest in the group and the one still attempting to maintain the ice wall on the fourth floor.


    He¡¯d considered breaking it when the boy had pulled that trick, but the boy had said more enemies would be above. And now he¡¯d been removed from that fight.


    Alister hopped down the stairs¡ªhis Armor crashing into the staircase and copsing part of the bottom stair into rubble as he looked at Erec, then back up his shoulder.


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m going to need you to stay here,¡± He said delicately. ¡°How about you kill some stray metal bugs for now?¡±


    Was this a challenge?


    Erec hesitated; the fire raging inside demanded he climb back up and kill the creature he''d marked at his, yet it also questioned this. This man had thrown himself in front of Erec. He dared to stand directly in Erec''s path. Some part of him, far away, screamed at him not to attack, to not ept this thrown deration of war and see who was the strongest. And for that reason, he was torn.


    Thank the Goddess; the buzzing voice pushed him to a decision.


    [Get to the android.]


    It meant the metal man above.


    Which meant this man had thrown himself into his path and obstructed his goal. That made this man an enemy, someone to take down.


    Erec swung the war axe at the human in front of him. Two des caught the axe as the man let out a quick ¡®fuck.¡¯ Erec pushed against the des, yet they pushed back. Even as he pulled on more Strength and let the fury ze. A third de came at him from the side, targeting his head. He was forced to pull back; he leaped to gain a small distance.


    There was a twitching corpse of a bug next to him. He thwacked the war axe into its body¡ªletting the bug¡¯s body temporarily hold the weapon as he yanked the hatchets off his sides.


    He whipped one through the air, forcing his challenger into the defensive as he had to maneuver a sword around to deflect the hatchet.


    ¡°Erec, what the hell?!¡± One of the people called from above as the weapon nged against the railing near them.


    There wasn¡¯t time for hesitation. Erec grabbed the war axe with a single hand; his Strength letting him hoist the weapon and rush forward. The body of the bug still firmly split and stuck to the edge. Perfect.


    He led his charge with a swing of the hatchet, one of the swords deflecting the smaller weapon.


    The biggest issue was distance and opportunities¡¯ for a clean blow. This enemy had too many weapons, and the tendrils of crackling lightening let them manipte the swords with a high degree of flexibility.


    Erec adjust his grip on the war axe, before racheting it forward.


    It wasn¡¯t a blow meant to hit.


    His enemy naturally reacted and blocked the blow; yet Erec let the grip slip further up as the axe swung through the air. The de caught his war axe against the neck, and brought the weapon to a sudden and abrupt stop.


    The halt in momentum, and angle of the attack was <em>enough</em> to cause the bug corpse hanging off the edge to fly right past the enemies¡¯ guard and into his face.


    When the enemy didn¡¯t have openings, he¡¯d w one open.


    Hell broke loose in a split second.


    Erec dropped the war axe, and sprang forward, cracking the cement from where he pushed off the ground in a burst of power. His shoulder rammed into the man as he tackled him.


    He adjusted quick; and smashed the hatchet into the enemies¡¯ helmet. Once. Twice¡ª


    A sword caught him by surprise on the side, followed by much more power than he thought this man capable of. He flew off the man and cracked against the wall; a dull throbbing hit him as the buzzing in his head alerted him about the Armor condition.


    Erec pulled himself to his feet.


    The enemy was sitting on his ass, looking in Erec¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Holy shit. When Boldwick said you could throw a punch when you got going, he wasn¡¯t kidding. I saw what you could do with the lizards¡ªbut how the hell was that nearing my level?¡± his challenger asked.


    Erec growled, hatchet still in his hand.


    [Upstairs. Ignore him!]


    All of thesemands. Just when the metal voice told him to ept the challenge, it wanted him to break off from it?


    Couldn¡¯t it make up its damn mind?


    And that other annoying voice in him, calling for him to stop. It pissed him off.


    This fight would be over soon enough anyway.


    ¡°Help!¡± A woman¡¯s voice called from upstairs. Alister looked at Erec, then back up the staircase. He sighed and jumped to his feet¡ªbefore taking off.


    He didn¡¯t get to flee that easily; Erec charged behind him. The rest of the people on the staircase had reached the roof, including the boy who had sealed him off from fighting the metal bugs.


    Erec and Alister burst onto the roof and joined everyone once more beneath the pale blue sky.


    Robin weaved in and out between the long hairy spider legs¡ªdodging the stabs as she moved in a blur of metal; serrated edges lined her arms as her entire body <em>morphed</em>. She¡¯d be one with her Armor; she tore chunks out of the fleshy creature above, yet it didn¡¯t make any noise of pain. It was dead quiet, attacking her only because she¡¯d separated it from the metal man.


    It couldn¡¯tnd a single blow.


    It wasn¡¯t Robin calling for help. No. On the far side of the building, a wave of metallic insects was pulling themselves up the roof''s edge.


    Olivia and Garin desperately fended off the metal wave¡ªand Colin lurked behind them, asionally releasing a gout of me.


    The bugs were a veritable wave, growing and even worse than the swarm on the staircase. They¡¯d poked the nest, and the insects retaliated after waking up, crawling up the side of the building to reach their enemies.


    Alister threw himself into the fight to help out the rest of the humans. Those des of his got to work and chopped apart metal and bugs.


    Chaos warred on the rooftop. Purple viscera flew everywhere as they murdered bugs. On the other end, Robin flowed between the spider legs like a stream of liquid metal, dodging hits by half a second and rolling away from blows Erec would¡¯ve never been able to handle.


    Battle everywhere. War that called and tugged him in every direction.


    The metal man crawled across the ground with a single arm; a ck trail streaked behind him. Its head raised and met Erec¡¯s eyes; the pupils glowed a deep purple before it redoubled its efforts to reach him.


    Where?


    Where would he take his axe first? The spider? The challenger? The insects?


    [Secure the android]


    ¡ªErec¡¯s hand shook where it clenched the hatchet. That voice in the back of his echoed what the buzzing said. Louder even, now that it¡¯d taken hold of him.


    It yelled at him to do what the machine said. He scowled underneath the helmet as that hot anger red out in a twisting inferno, bellowing since it demanded more blood and fighting.


    A cold fire sprang up to contend.


    The two found a temporary bnce as they fought one another.


    Erec sprinted to the android and yanked the thing away from the fighting. His body twitched and shook as the two sides warred within.


    A couple of secondster, he dragged it away from the fighting. Far enough to be safe. But his insides burned, and the temporary control was rapidly ending.


    The metal man mouthed something; a synthetic voice carried through the air. "VAL? You came. Thank you."


    Erec''s tongue was heavy in his mouth, unable to form a response. It was a miracle he hadn''t already left the hunk of scrap metal so he could get into the fray again. It was like his head was being split open as the fires shed.


    "Unit requires patch job¡ª"the android begged.


    Erec squatted next to the thing, fighting to stay in position. Should he find a way to keep it going long enough for the fighting to end? Could he even manage that in the time he had?


    His Armor moved of its own ord¡ªdragging his arm inside with it. He was too surprised to resist. Without warning, Erec''s hand shot through the android''s chest; there was a sh of red light as his hand prated its core. Erec''s eyes went wide.


    He hadn''t done that.


    Neither half of him had made the call to kill this thing.


    VAL had.


    Streaks of red light shed through the metal man¡¯s interior¡ªbefore the light retreated inside the Vallum Armor.


    [Well done, Buckeroo! Data sessfully obtained. Get back to fighting! Join your allies fighting the silvery insects; leave the big spider to that woman!]


    Erec stared at his hand still lodged in the caved-in chest cavity of this metal thing that resembled a man. The thing that he¡¯d risked his friends and himself to get to. His body shook in the Armor as the hot anger surged back in uncontrolled fury. The inferno was stoked by this act of violence¡ªof not understanding the purpose, had he been used?


    Something needed to die.


    Erec charged into the metallic creatures, screaming as red filled his vision.

 Chapter 49: Past

    Chapter 49: Past


    Clouds began to consume the sky as thest of the insects tumbled away to their death. At some point, the damned things broke through Colin''s barrier and came at the roof from two separate angles. By the end of the battle, everyone was coated in purple. The fight had been simr to the thrashing mites. However, those metallic bugs had a lot more power and defense.


    Erec''s Vallum took significant damage; not enough to render it inoperable. Yet the entire left arm malfunctioned after one of the fuckers broke through the ting and exposed its inner workings. The further attacks on it didn''t help.


    His cloak also took damage. It was missing pieces and filled with new holes. Everywhere they''d damaged the fabric, the cloak returned to its natural green around the edges. It didn''t return to the ''camouge'' brown tone until roughly half an inch out from the missing sections.


    He took a heavy breath, his hatchet dripping purple insides. Somewhere down below on the stairwell was his war axe.


    Even though it wasn¡¯t needed, it was well missed. The hatchet and a fist didn¡¯t do the same level of damage.


    With a wary gaze, he considered the other humans on the roof. Alister was at an eased posture, and that annoying cold fire had begun to erode his power. That mechanical voice and that other one were desperately telling him to stand down.


    Perhaps.


    Maybe he might take a rest for a while until the next battle.


    In the end, another blinking notification sat in the corner of his vision; he glossed over it as he slipped to his knees. The adrenaline waned, and Fury fled in an instant. He gasped. Those choices, the desire for fighting, the pure power; by the Goddess, he¡¯d taken a swing at Alister.


    Alister pressed the side of his helmet¡ªa dent was present on it, no question it was from Erec¡¯s hatchet¡ªand revealed a forced smile. ¡°Hey, Erec. You owe me a sparring session once we get back to the Academy, alright? I¡¯m going to put you on your ass and teach you to never screw with me again¡ª¡°


    ¡°Hush.¡± Robin said as that second skin of steel had once more reformed into the custom Armor model she¡¯d had before. Erec didn¡¯t understand what her ability was exactly; she¡¯d mentioned slipping into another state like him¡ªbut what was that? His head split, and everything started to shake. Robin moved over¡ªand then gestured for Colin to stand front and present, right next to where Erec sunk to the ground.


    ¡°We¡¯re due some exnations.¡± She said.


    Colin looked down at Erec, a bit shocked, or so Erec assumed from how he responded to the order so mechanically. It seemed the trauma of the fight and his fears were still fresh even if he¡¯d faced them.


    With fire.


    Erec wanted tough or maybe cry. Because he didn¡¯t know how to answer the questions Robin was about to ask.


    ¡°Why did we charge up here?¡± Robin started with the obvious first question.


    There was a Stalker corpse half-hanging off the side of the building, three legs anchored into the concrete from where it dived the pointed weapons into the concrete. Colin continued to look down at Erec, who remained silent.


    VAL didn¡¯t offer anything up. If he had to guess, after the fight, the machine had devoted itself entirely to sorting through the data it stole from that android. Android? Erec unconsciously turned his head to look at the metal man syed out on his ground. From a certain distance away, it did look eerily like an actual person, dismembered and dead on the roof.


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Colin started and then stopped. ¡°I dared Erec to see how fast he could get to the roof¡ªand then¡ª¡°


    <em>He lied? Did he just try to lie for me?</em>


    ¡°Please.¡± Robin shook her head. ¡°That is a horrible lie.¡±


    ¡°Y-you dare question my integrity, wench? D-do you know who my father is¡ª¡° There was the default response and sort of tone he was too used to. It seemed despite the shock, or maybe because of it, Colin slipped back into his normal behavior.


    Erec grabbed Colin''s arm, yanking it; his body shook too hard to do much else. Colin looked down at him before grabbing and hoisting him up. It seemed VAL was too busy to help by using the Armor to keep him steady, like usual. No. But it''d sure control it to get what it wanted when it wanted.


    ¡°I knew we had toe up here,¡± Erec said. It was a piss poor exnation, though the truth. He was <em>almost</em> angry enough to try to out VAL, but that was a spiteful and short-sighted decision that was unlikely to seed. No doubt VAL would be paying attention to this conversation, even if it didn¡¯t offer any of its processing power to help him at the moment; he was sure it wouldn¡¯t hesitate if it had to silence him.


    Robin remained silent, her head turning towards the dead Stalker.


    Garin and Olivia kept thankfully quiet. Meanwhile, Alister scrunched up his brow and looked in confused.


    <em>How¡¯s she going to react?</em> Would he be censured? Punished? Would Boldwick find out? And what would he think?


    <em>Was it worth it?</em>


    ¡°¡­Did you know that was up here?¡± she finally asked.


    Erec kept silent. Confused, but seeing from her tone that she read something in the situation, he couldn¡¯t see. Was she referring to the android VAL killed?


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Erec said, half expecting VAL to intervene.


    ¡°I knew you were having the dreams like Boldwick¡­To think. I just wonder why it was attacking that thing¡ª¡° she pointed to the corpse of the metal man. ¡°I suppose we won¡¯t know. Regardless, this scavenging mission is now concluded. We¡¯ll haul <em>that</em> and report directly to Boldwick. We¡¯ve now obtained vital information.¡±


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    It turned out nobody saw them murder the android. Or if they did, they didn¡¯t mention it. Had VAL known they were unseen on the battlefield? Had it picked the perfect moment when everyone¡¯s attention was devoted to the fights to kill and steal the data it¡¯d wanted? Was ending the android even killing?


    As Erec got a better, more lucid look, at the corpse of the android, it was clearly not human. Its skin was metal with bits of melted silicone, yet the wired entrails hanging free from it spoke all that needed to be said.


    It¡¯d known VAL by name. Had it been from wirelessmunication? Or was it from the past?


    The worst part was, with Colin helping to drag him back, he couldn¡¯t dig into the machine in his head and make it give up the answers he desperately wanted. He felt¡­ Betrayed. It¡¯d promised that the information wasn¡¯t confidential, yet it went radio silent once it¡¯d obtained it.


    But he couldn¡¯t do anything about that yet, so he busied himself by checking the notification. The one definitively positive thing came from the fierce and ill-advised fighting.


    Agility Advancement: Rank E - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 2


    <em>Grand. </em>Something to be pleased about, even with the threat of exining himself still hanging over his head. Robin was one thing; Boldwick was something entirely else. And he still didn¡¯t understand why she¡¯d dropped it after he¡¯d said he knew he had to climb the building.


    If he were in her boots, he¡¯d have gotten more pissed at the egregious procedure break and unwarranted risk.


    They reached the encampment and quickly deposited their Armor for repairs. Dame Robin flexed her authority to have lesser ranking Knights take care of that problem¡ªit seemed there wasn''t time, even if it would be a good learning opportunity. No. This report was urgent. She dragged them, and the steel man, directly to themand center.


    It was there that the three Master Knights argued.


    They¡¯d gathered around arge wooden round table; a map of Worth syed out in front of them; they¡¯d popted it with different pawns and colored blocks. They''d pinned hastily scribbled notes to different sections of the map.


    At their arrival, the arguments stopped.


    Boldwick gave them a tired nce; the man was decked out in his Armor, though the helmet was on the table on an unused section of the map.


    "What the hell?" he asked as Alister tossed the metal man''s corpse on the ground.


    "Brought a present for you," Alister said cheerfully, giving a thumbs up.


    The two other Master Knights shared a look. "¡­A robotic man¡­?" one of them muttered.


    Boldwick cleared his throat, his eyesnding directly on Robin. She stood straight and made a fist to her chest¡ªthe first proper sign of respect, which cued everyone else to follow suit. Though Erec''s was sloppy, his body still felt unresponsive after abusing Fury.


    "Exin," Boldwickmanded.


    "Initiate Erec suggested a small scavenging run; I decided to indulge his request in order to pass on some lessons. He wanted to attempt to lead an operation, and I''m very familiar with your stance on rewarding initiative. The operation began smoothly, as we were still in safer zones, ording to the reports. No major conflicts until we reached a building. Initiate Erec looked startled and then ran full speed up the stairs¡­" Dame Robinunched into her report.


    Boldwick¡¯s face grew longer and longer, his dark eyes shuffling between Erec and Robin as she gave an ount of the battle.


    He couldn¡¯t meet the man¡¯s eyes. He couldn¡¯t stare back at the ferocity. He¡¯d had his reasons, and upon reevaluation, perhaps he should have questioned his judgment in following VAL¡¯s wishes. At the time¡­ it seemed so promising, like a way to get approval, to have an adventure, to get free and do something rather than hiding with that oppressive evil hanging over his head.


    ¡°¡­We found a silent one on the roof¡ªa Stalker. I¡¯ve fought Stalkers before, sir. Several. This one did not fight like any Stalker I¡¯d faced before. It made the barest of noises when wounded. It died with barely a whimper. Hence why I ssify it like those; we fought outside the wall. Like the thrashing mites from your report.¡±


    But the entire atmosphere of the room shifted. Boldwick¡¯s eyes lit up; there was a smile. ¡°So you found one out here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was busied attacking that¡ª¡° she pointed to the machine man. ¡°Which appears to have been irredeemably damaged by the time we reached the location. I believe that Sir Erec had an inkling of the silent one being up there, which is why he acted with such haste.¡±


    One of the Master Knights walked over to a bag¡ªpulling out a cigarillo and putting it in his lips, still unlit. The man let out a sigh, then touched a button on a radio. His voice was like gravel as he spoke into it. ¡°This is Sir Fulton; I¡¯ll be needing six chairs, and a stack of clean paper, some refreshments as well. We¡¯re going to be holding a meeting; no one is to disturb us. Particrly those priests.¡±


    The old man lit the cigarillo as his requests spilled in.


    In short order, their small group was pressed for information by three Master Knights.


    Erec would have to do his best to lie about what he couldn¡¯t talk about; his fingers shook as they began to take down notes and force everyone to give their ounts.

 Chapter 50: Satellite

    Chapter 50: Satellite


    <em>She is our life, our loving Goddess so high above,</em>


    <em>We may witness the world born anew, </em>


    <em>It is our blessing to have such love.</em>


    <em>And under her light we grew.</em>


    <em>Stronger;</em>


    <em>Praise be to the heavens and our Goddess!</em>


    <em>Praise Her name!</em>


    <em>Lavinia, Lavinia, Lavinia.</em>


    <em>So blessed a name, may in my dying days I walk along with her!</em>


    <em>- Cardinal Julianus, (245, 3rd Era) </em>


    By the time Erec hit his bedroll that night, he felt like the Master Knights had mmed a hammer into the side of his skull.


    They¡¯d been relentless, he¡¯d been an awful liar, but there were things he <em>couldn¡¯t say</em>. Like physically, if he¡¯d tried, it¡¯d get him exiled or burned alive, or in the best case scenario, VAL would mute him.


    By some sick twist of the Goddess¡¯ humor, they somehow bought he¡¯d known a silent one was up there.


    And that had been enough to smooth over the rest of the lies. Their concern over the Stalker and its behavior outweighed everything else he might¡¯ve said, and then, of course, there was the metal man.


    After the reports, they hoisted the poor thing on the war table and tore it apart; old man Fulton was an experienced engineer. But even his years of expertise didn¡¯t allow him to understand some high-tech processes and parts of the android. Not that it¡¯d helped that all the circuits were fried and the hard drives wiped.


    Little did they know the one responsible for that was in the same room as them, listening.


    When he returned to his room, hey in his bed quietly for a long time; he waited for Olivia and Garin¡¯s to slip into a deep slumber. He knew it was time when his friend started to snore.


    He spent some time pouring over his Blessing Sheet, letting the numbers numb his mind as he tried to keep himself calm. Soon, he¡¯d have to confront VAL.


    Name: Erec of House Audentia


    <strong>Health: 94</strong>%<strong></strong>| <strong>Mana: </strong>100% | <strong>Stamina: 32</strong>%


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Holy Virtues:


    Strength: [Rank E] | [Tier 7]


    Vigor: [Rank F] | [Tier 9]


    Agility: [Rank E] | [Tier 2]


    Perception: [Rank E] | [Tier 2]


    Cognition: [Rank E] | [Tier 3]


    Psyche: [Rank E] | [Tier 1]


    Mysticism: [Rank F] | [Tier 1]


    Faith: [Rank F] | [Tier 1]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Divine Talents:


    Fury


    He¡¯de so far in such a short time. Was that typical of new initiates? He was still in the E-tier, but in every fight, he seemed to break his boundaries by abusing Fury. Was it a crutch? Was it making him grow too fast, too uncontroble?


    If his Strength grew, got faster, got tougher¡ªwithout keeping his Psyche up, would he lose that small measure of control he fought so hard to obtain in the first ce? It was impossible to say, but the worry haunted him anyway.


    He needed to be strong, both in body and mind. He wanted it badly, even with such a high cost.


    He heard his friends drift away into their dreams.


    Hopefully pleasant ones.


    They deserved that much after what he¡¯d dragged them through. All that only to end with VAL ughtering the android in cold blood.


    He steeled his nerves.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± Erec asked, his voice barely a whisper. Olivia and Garin were shoved into the same room as him. Colin had wandered elsewhere; the boy had been distant-eyed after the meeting.


    Maybe the fact he¡¯d faced one of his biggest fears again was starting to sink in.


    [Simple. We were there to collect data. We collected our data.] VAL answered with an almost impatient tone.


    It was funny. The longer he got used to having the machine inside of his head, the more he could pick out a shadow of emotion in what it said. He supposed it wasn¡¯t real, a mere fabrication that VAL put on to conform to expectations. But the fact it¡¯d been hard to pick out in the first ce left him questioning.


    ¡°Did we need to kill it? It was looking to you for help.¡±


    [It was aware of my identity and associations. If it had lived, it was an uncontroble variable. Therefore, the route we opted to take was the most efficient method of retrieving the required data and keeping Trade Secrets, secret. Does that satisfy your questions?]


    ¡°You said that the data it had wasn¡¯t confidential.¡±


    [This is correct.]


    ¡°Then what did we get?¡±


    [Are you sure you want to know?]


    Erec almost sat up, a sh of anger in him. For all the trouble he suffered to keep a secret he hadn¡¯t wanted to keep. To have himself associated with an action he wouldn¡¯t have taken, of fucking course he wanted to know what they¡¯d risked so much for.


    ¡°Yes.¡± It was a word filled with resentment,ced with as much anger as he could force into three letters, yet as quiet as such a word could be not to wake those sleeping nearby.


    [This will be unpleasant.]


    His body convulsed as he lost control of everything. He mmed into the bedroll as his fingers and toes curled and spasmed¡ªhis eyes rolled up into the back of his head as a gasp left his lips.


    White.


    He saw white.


    And then he saw darkness.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    //Recording Date: June 23rd, 2112, 13:03:43


    //Video Initialized


    //CONVERSION SUBROUTINE


    //OUTPUT ERROR


    //OUTPUT ERROR¡ª


    //OUTPUT ERROR WRONG MEDIUM¡ª


    //OVERRIDDEN


    He was floating. A ck void all around, littered with stars as far as the eye could see. He felt nothing; he didn¡¯t even blink. His eyes¡­they couldn¡¯t turn, couldn¡¯t look. Slowly drifting in the ck void, ever so slowly, that view shifted, rotating to center on the curve of an iprehensibly massive orb.


    Luminescent blue glowed from its surface, it was decorated with circling fluffy white. Beneath the clouds was a wide swath of deep cerulean seas and blobs of brown dirt and tan sand. But what caught him most was the vibrant green. So much life. Serene. Gorgeous, even from this distance, and a view that was instinctively familiar, even without a frame of reference quite like this.


    That was the Earth.


    Breath-taking, if he could breathe. If he had lungs for the air to go into. But there wasn''t; he was hanging far above the''s surface and couldn''t breathe.


    He supposed there wasn¡¯t air up here anyway, so perhaps that was for the best.


    A sh of white shot through the ck void and paused near the curve of the Earth¡ªit shimmered a deep silver color, its light bright and pulsing. It hovered there, hanging in the air like him. They were the same, just watching the Earth from high above. Though, what it was, he couldn''t say.


    Without any direction on his part, the view of the glowing object grew closer¡ªenhanced as it came more into view.


    He saw a blur¡ªstatic filled his vision as his head split and ached, its shape deforming and reforming, unable to piece together <em>what t</em>he hell it was, other then it gave off a too-bright glow.


    Letters and numbers flooded his vision, along with error messages.


    Suddenly a beam of that silver light shot forward from the glowing object and mmed into the side of the peaceful. It hit the surface; and then spread in a wave, a pulse of silver that left everything on fire in its wake.


    With such scale¡ªit took forever, five hours¡ªsix? it was hard to say how long Erec watched that ring of death coat the Earth.


    As the silver coated the then faded, all of the life and enchanting greenery were gone. The sky rapidly filled with dark ck smoke and clouded a deep swirling gray as the burned.


    The world violently burned alive.


    His view refocused on the figure hanging in the same spot. It watched its destruction. Serene as it watched billions die below.


    He couldn¡¯t hear their screams. But he knew. He knew what that silver me meant.


    A massive tear opened behind the Goddess¡ªa shimmering distortion of light and shadow, with a twisting separation of the color gradient around its jagged edges. The Goddess stepped back into it and vanished.


    Leaving a wake of destruction from Her holy mes.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec was screaming.


    Garin ran over and grabbed him¡ªholding his friend up with panic in his eyes. ¡°Man, what¡¯s wrong, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    It was hard to breathe¡ªhe¡¯d forgotten how after watching the world burn for hours.


    He hadn¡¯t needed to for so long. With deliberate and painful focus, he forced air into his lungs; the screaming stopped as he struggled to pull in oxygen.


    Olivia was awake in an instant, too, hovering nearby but unsure how to help. Garin held his friend tight, panic in his eyes until Erec started to settle.


    His heart raced a mile a minute.


    He''d heard the holy scripture about the holy fires. Everyone had. The Goddess had burned the Earth to bestow her Blessing upon man and gave them a chance to fight against the horrors that wereing through the Rifts.


    It was one thing to know that such an act of devastation had urred and an entirely different thing to witness it. Cold sweat coated his brow as he took in deep gasps of air¡ªand the process of watching was surreal. That should''ve been impossible. He''d been in the sky. He''d seen Her destroy the Earth.


    And then she vanished into a Rift.


    They spoke of her fondly, of the things she¡¯d done to give mankind a chance, but the raw nature of watching over a billion people die was too much toprehend.


    Garin asked Olivia to make them some tea and leaned Erec against a wall.


    He didn¡¯t speak much; he couldn¡¯t find the words. VAL didn¡¯t offer anything in his head either; it seemed the machine was busy running its processes, or maybe it understood that it would take time to recover.


    Could one ever recover from having a perfect view of the end of the world?

 Chapter 51: Awful Thirsty

    Chapter 51: Awful Thirsty


    Only a day after Erec saw the world end did the Master Knights call for their expedition to pack up. They began to prepare the wagons for immediate transport back to the Kingdom.


    The orders came through a chain of Knights and reached him by a Knight Protector as he tested his Vallum Armor in the morning. Organized yet hectic energy tookmand of the camp as the bleary-eyed senior Knights and confused initiates rushed to pack up and leave at a moment''s notice. Theck of clear reasoning whispered through the camp.


    Erec rubbed his eyes, hunched his shoulders, and dug into the work that needed to be done.


    <em>Why?</em>


    That question rang through his mind as he packed up rooms and hauled stuff to the wagons. They¡¯d had a few days at least before they <em>needed</em> to head back to the Academy within their allotted time frame.


    Boldwick could¡¯ve had more time to continue his search, so why end early? Were they headed somewhere else? Or did something change?


    The shift was confusing but, ultimately, above his rank.


    And much like how he¡¯d felt thest day, it was hard to bring himself to care. The after-effects of witnessing an untold number of people die left him flinching every time he ran across one of those red-robed priests. They made his skin crawl, even if he didn¡¯t know the Goddess¡¯ reasoning for destroying the world.


    Well, he knew what the church said. But he found it a poor justification for the mass devastation of life.


    She''d also stepped into a Rift.


    Not unthinkable that the Goddess would have that sort of power¡ªbut again, it left him shaken. Was she ultimately some form of monster, only on an unimaginable scale? Then again, she''d given them her Blessings and led humanity throughout the Third Era with grace.


    War and confusion dwelt in his soul, so he turned to physicalbor and let his mind numb and heal.


    Bags of supplies flew into wagons, sweat creased his brow, and to his side, Colin grunted. The Duke''s son had been given his share of work andined plenty enough for it, still to his credit, Colin kept going.


    Soon after, they took a mandatory break.


    Erec pulled a long gulp from his water sk; would that it held wine instead. Perhaps he''d spent too long in Boldwick''spany to start looking for the solution to his problems at the bottom of a bottle. Those sorts of natural instincts were no good.


    He started at the sk for a long while with a frown.


    ¡°Awful thirsty, huh? It¡¯s almost like we¡¯re in a desert.¡± Colin said and paused for too long. ¡°Get it. Because we are?¡±


    <em>By the Goddess.</em>


    Erec took a deep breath and refused to acknowledge the ¡®joke.¡¯


    ¡°Are you feeling alright, rust bucket? Since we got back, you¡¯ve been out of it. Are you missing sulking in your room that bad? I suppose I understand; however, perhaps you should consider my example. I¡¯ve recovered admirably, as I¡¯m sure everyone has noted.¡± Colin puffed up his chest as Erec finally gave and caved in, ring at the boy. Yeah, that one wasn¡¯t a joke. It seemed coping with the bugs after the fact had given him an unneeded boost to the ego.


    To be fair, the rebound time on that had been impressive, considering how deeply they got under his skin.


    But no, fear of bugs wasn¡¯t equal to watching that many people die at once. Not even close, really, but it wasn¡¯t like Erec could go out and say that.


    ¡­But ¡­Maybe Colin was a good example.


    The situations might be different, but Colin pulled himself together. Erec stood a little straighter, trying to chase out some of those harrowing thoughts from his mind.


    He could sulk all day. He could let the fear, disgust, and horror rule his life. Or he could find a way to coexist.


    If Colin managed to climb a small hurdle, he¡¯d have to work at surmounting that mountain. But, it took one step at a time.


    Seeing him <em>try</em> inspired Erec to take a look at himself.


    ¡°No, things aren¡¯t alright. But you reminded me of something.¡± Erec said and blew out an exaggerated puff of air.


    Colin¡¯s growing smirk and arrogant eyes already told him that admission was a mistake, but so be it. Let him win this one. It''d be fine to nurture it if he didn¡¯t inte that confidence too far again. ¡°Well, d to hear it rust bucket. Considering you¡¯re the only one worth talking to.¡± He rolled his eyes, ¡°The baron¡¯s sons¡¯ indiscretions with the maid are both uncouth and make me irritable.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re jealous?¡±


    ¡°I most assuredly am not, I could have my pick of betrothals, if I so wished.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you?¡± Erec squinted.


    Garin might¡¯ve had a clue to the answer. As Erec considered it, shouldn¡¯t someone of Colin¡¯s age and station be used to tie his house together with another? Looking past Colin''s previously awful personality, there¡¯d be no shortage of houses willing to throw at least a second daughter at the Duke to solidify an alliance.


    ¡°¡­My father said it would be a discussion once I¡¯ve reached the rank of Knight Protector. In his words, ¡®before then, it would serve only to distract you from the goals that should matter,¡¯¡±


    Was his father more concerned about personal power? Or did he already have something arranged and didn¡¯t share it with his son? It was hard to tell, considering Erec already knew the Duke would make other preparations in the shadows and keep his son in the dark. Erec didn¡¯t envy their rtionship.


    ¡°You know, it hasn¡¯t been that long since you were aggravating beyondpare.¡± Erec chuckled to diffuse the already growing anger on Colin¡¯s face. ¡°¡ªYou¡¯ve much improved. It¡¯s wild what a difference thest month has made. If you keep this up, who¡¯s to say where your house will be? I think one day, maybe, you¡¯ll outdo your father.¡±


    Colin scowled for a split second before his features softened. It seemed that thisparison, one where Erec put him in a favorable lightpared to his old man, stabbed past that gut instinct tosh out. He looked at his feet.


    ¡°It only takes a single day to change your life.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s something my mother used to say. The day she met father, the day she had me, the day my father killed the Rot Behemoth¡ªall of those were single days. You may never know when that day will hit, but in the end, that¡¯s all it takes.¡±


    Erec tilted his head.


    Soon, a Knight Errant came upon them and yelled for them to get back to work, and so they did. Loading one wagon, then moving to another. A few knights were still on scouting missions, but now the expedition focused outward¡ªback towards the Academy and the wastnd.


    Erec felt surprisingly better after his talk with Colin, not that it solved that existential horror in his gut, but life continued. A day at a time.


    It left him wondering further why Boldwick so entirely switched to a hasty return. Had he met his goal? Had there been enough time?


    Surely not if he wanted to find an Outsider. Boldwick hadn¡¯t left the camp since Erec returned from their ¡®scavenging¡¯ mission.


    It was hard to believe that the android gave up anything useful besides some interesting old-world technology, not after VAL did what it did.


    Arge number of the Knights stationed themselves as guards at the entrance to the building the Master Knights debated in. Any time priests or Silver mes Knights wandered near; their hands strayed to their sword hilts.


    The priests drifted closer and wandered near more often.


    Until they crashed through the breaking point as the sun began to sink.


    ¡°In the name of the Goddess, we demand entry!¡± called a priest, his hood pulled back to reveal long ck hair. The rest of the priests that came along for the journey were to either side, and the Silver mes Knights weren¡¯t long behind. As if they''d nned this. He amplified his voice with a prayer, loud enough to stretch out over the entire fortification.


    The camp came to a pause. People dropped what they were hauling and poked their heads out of the buildings as attention went to the public drama. The priest yed it up; he took stock of his audience before shifting the full brunt of his ire on the guards who remained unresponsive.


    ¡°Dare you to be sphemers to defy the will of our Goddess? What is it you¡¯ve been concealing from her eyes? All in this ce know that the will of the church is the will of Her. We demand to witness what it is that you hide not only from <em>Her</em> but from all else who¡¯ve risked their lives on this expedition!¡±


    Dame Robin burst out of the building as the guards exchanged a look.


    ¡°You will disperse; cease this show. This is no time for bickering; you¡¯ve heard the orders, and it¡¯s time to return home. Once there, if you wish, you may bring yourints to the church. They can question the King if they so wish. But I caution you that with our longstanding reputation of service, you will find little ground to raise aint.¡±


    ¡°You speak lies and deception, even to your own people! We are aware of your cause to seek out sinners; is that whom you¡¯re harboring behind your Knights? If so, then it is our responsibility to see that they are never to reach the Kingdom!¡±


    An expression of pure confusion and shock filtered across Robin¡¯s face before she masked it. ¡°¡­You think we intend to smuggle a person on the return trip back into the kingdom?¡±


    ¡°It is hardly the first time the higher-ups of your Order have crossed thews of the Goddess and the good of the Kingdom in the name of conducting your affairs! Heed my words, noble Knights of the Verdant Oak¡ªthose at the height of your Order keep secrets and give you deceptions! As Goddess-fearing men and women, you should not tolerate such tant maniption and control!¡±


    Robin shook her head. Though, there was muttering among the ranks. Whether it was general bafflement for the egregious usations, curiosity about their validity, or some low level of agreement, it was impossible to tell.


    ¡°Harken now, noble Knights. All those wise enough to see the Goddess and her truth! Surpass this obfuscation and demand they share their secrets for all who risk their lives here to witness¡ª¡°


    There was a cry and shouting. But it wasn¡¯t from near the priest; it came from beyond the wagons.


    A scouting party returned from the wastes. Half of its members were bleeding out as they rushed into the encampment. The priest shut up as all eyes shifted to the wounded men.

 Chapter 52: Surprise

    Chapter 52: Surprise


    <em>¡°If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, </em>


    <em> Or walk with Kings¡ªnor lose themon touch,</em>


    <em>If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,</em>


    <em> If all men count with you, but none too much;</em>


    <em>If you can fill the unforgiving minute</em>


    <em> With sixty seconds¡¯ worth of distance run, </em>


    <em>Yours is the Earth and everything that¡¯s in it, </em>


    <em> And¡ªwhich is more¡ªyou¡¯ll be a Man, my son!¡±</em>


    <em>- Ruyard Kipling, If¡ª (1895, 2nd Era)</em>


    Chaos erupted like wildfire; it took an hour after the wounded made their report and orders to reach the camp. Two of the scouting parties never returned.


    Two armies of silent ones were amassing in the wastnd outside the city, blocking the direct path back to the Kingdom. It seemed that the Master Knights intended to move quickly and leave before any fighting could ur.


    They packed away supplies at twice the speed as tension thrummed in the air. Even the priests dropped their demands to contribute to the workload. Time was of the essence, and there wasn¡¯t any left to question those in charge. Humanity had survived long enough to realize that certain moments called for action and cooperation for survival.


    So, it was a shock when Sir Alister tracked Erec down and yanked him away, only to drag him to the Master Knights.


    Boldwick looked aged, yet there wasn¡¯t any scent of wine or spirits in this war room, which was surprising since Erec had associated this sort of distressed appearance with drinking. No, the Master Knight was dead sober.


    Master Knight Fulton gave him a nod, then ashed his cigarillo as he stared at the map; the third Master Knight remained quiet to his side. Alister made a fist to his chest and sat behind Erec, which thankfully kept Erec from being alone with the three Master Knights.


    ¡°Do you sense any silent ones?¡± Boldwick asked, cautious. ¡°Have the dreams worsened?¡±


    The question caught Erec off guard. It seemed they¡¯d bought the lie that he¡¯d sensed the Stalker on the roof, but now for it to be brought up again¡ªhe hedged the truth the best he could. ¡°I think that was a strange circumstance. I had a nightmare of that building before¡ªbut since then, I haven¡¯t dreamed of the white stag.¡±


    No, all he¡¯d dreamed of was the world burning and billions crying out as they died on behalf of the Goddess.


    Boldwick gave a slow nod and a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know why it was attacking that old-world machine. But¡­ we did find something of value.¡±


    [What?]


    <em>Something caught it by surprise?</em>


    ¡°I sent scouts to the location your squad found the android; on the fifth floor, we found a discarded map. We summarized that the android mapped out a route to the west coast¡ªthat¡¯s right, the ce with the water as far as the eye can see. It paid special care and attention to marking a couple of points, deeming them ¡®poption centers.¡¯¡±


    [Ply him for more information. Now.]


    That information hung in the air. Erec¡¯s eyes went wide, though Alister was calm beside him.


    <em>Why the hell is he¡ª</em>


    ¡°Why am I disclosing confidential information on that level to you?¡± Boldwick replied with a bit of a grin. ¡°One day, we¡¯ll work on hiding expressions. I¡¯ll be blunt here. Many of our Knights believe that those outside the wall are sinners and no longer human as they¡¯ve turned from the Goddess¡¯ grace. Once they find out they exist at all. Yet you have a reason not to think that way, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You mean my mother.¡±


    ¡°What if I were to say that out of anywhere in the world, I know of a ce that might know where she went? That it might be one of the ces marked on this map.¡± Boldwick strode up to Erec with a mad look in his eye. ¡°If I were to say that, what would you think?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯d want to know where that ce was.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you would. And if you wouldn¡¯t tell another soul, especially if I nned to drag you with me to investigate such a ce and others on this map in the future?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m an initiate.¡±


    Boldwick snorted. ¡°No shit. Do you think the most useful Knights start out as useful? No, they learn, grow, and gain power; but even the ones with the best potential turn to shit if they¡¯re nted in crap soil. I intend to investigate the map in time¡ªand I¡¯ll need a team I can trust. Now, I know old Fulton here and Caesar are loyal to a fault, but they don¡¯t have the freedom lower-ranking Knights do; It¡¯s much easier to justify leading a small scouting mission myself. Even easier to keep it secret. I saw your drive, boy. And I intend to use it to my benefit.¡±


    Erec kept quiet at that as the thoughts turned in his head. Was this why they¡¯d decided to pull away quickly? This information must have been vital for Boldwick to make the call to retreat and give up on the white stag.


    And now, he was swearing Erec to secrecy?


    ¡°¡­What is it you want me for?¡±


    ¡°Alister told you, didn¡¯t he? Right now, you¡¯ve swung at him on a level that gave him pause. In a year? Might be up there on Knight Errant level if we push you quick enough. At that point, it¡¯s good to get out into the real world and see the sights we¡¯ve never seen before. We¡¯re not like the other Orders; we like to get our initiate''s hands dirty.¡± Boldwick shook his head and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re a prime candidate to never side with the church, with how they did your family.¡±


    ¡°You dislike the Goddess?¡±


    "I dislike the church. Not the Goddess. Never forget the two are two different things; keep the separation firm in your mind since it''s a source of power to them when you forget it." Boldwick cracked his neck.


    Erec let that sink in, wondering if the two should be separate. Though, the Goddess hadn''t been the one to decide to fine his family as punishment and to push the confiscation of their property.


    "¡­This is all talk for the future, for once we get back. Expect your schedule to escte; I need you in better shape. And don''t forget this. If you fail to meet my standards, you''re out. That''s what my old mentor would''ve called the ''carrot'' and the ''stick.''"


    Erec gave a nod of understanding. This was the encouragement he wanted to drive Erec further, and he''d rise to the expectations.


    Likely, it was because he was one of those Boldwick had taken under his wing¡ªpresumably, Gwen, Robin, and Alister would also be going on such a journey, but¡­


    "Sir, is there¡­ Is there any possibility you''d consider Garin and¡ª"he hesitated before adding thest name. "¡ªColin?"


    Boldwick frowned.


    "I get your friend. But the Duke''s son?" He scratched at his face and looked at the ceiling. "As to Garin¡ªI''ll be brutally honest, I don''t trust him to keep a secret; too easygoing for my taste. But the Unbroken General''s brat¡ªhe''s just bad, a disgrace to his name, on top of his family connection."


    ¡°Aw, give¡¯em a chance.¡± Alister half chuckled.


    "Garin can change. They both can if they have the chance. I''m sure of it." He tried to stem the bit of anger in him rising at those usations. They weren''t untrue but undoubtedly unkind, but he felt grateful for Alister¡¯s support at least.


    ¡°I doubt that, but I¡¯ll consider it, maybe test to see if they¡¯d rise to the asion. I have a couple of others in mind as well. What of that other runt running around with you? That girl?¡±


    Erec gave a small cough and looked away. ¡°I don¡¯t trust her.¡±


    ¡°Ha. Is my paranoia already rubbing off on you? Good intuition. She¡¯s in the pocket of the Luculentus duchy, so it makes her an ideal candidate if she¡¯s strong enough.¡±


    <em>Wait, what?</em>


    Boldwick walked away back to the other Master Knights and nced at the sheet of paper they were working on. ¡°Dismissed.¡±


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec settled into his bed. It was to be a short rest. At the first light of dawn, they¡¯d break camp and move.


    Thirty minutes passed before an rm tore through the encampment. Everyone scrambled to their Armor, already on edge, as chaos broke loose. Erec found his Vallum model with backpack still attached, and ran back outside.


    shes of light and fire dominated the night. Screams and smashing of wagons as Knights fought back against fifteen-foot tall giants.


    The monsters were eerily human-like if one disregarded their two heads and skin with the texture and color of stone. Their dark charcoal eyes looked nk as they rushed in, crushing Knights and hammering into the defensive line as an army of silent enemies came from the city itself.


    They¡¯d set scouts on the silent ones in the wastnd, but no one had predicted this; somehow, the force hid away in the dense city. Their attention was toward the enemies in the wastes.


    Smaller creatures spilled past the giants, sliding in through the weak points in the shattered wagon defensive line. They were little malformed monsters with long snouts, dead eyes, and the same stone-like skin as the giants. That wasn''t the only simrity, as they, too, moved inplete silence like the giants. They were throwing themselves at the Knights and trying to ambush those running around without Armor.


    One was running right at an initiate. The poor boy couldn''t see it since he was holding a bleeding eye.


    Erec yanked his war axe free and threw himself between the monster and man; his axe swung and cracked against the monster''s stone skin.


    It rocked the creature and left a nasty crack but did next to nothing.


    They were durable¡ªannoying bastards. Erec growled as a second of the monsters came to confront him¡ªhe shoved his fellow initiates off, determined to hold these back. Just as one rushed him, a re of white sidelined it, cracking its face as traces of light flooded and broke apart half of its head.


    Olivia slid next to him on the battlefield.


    "Surprise attack?" she asked out of breath. "Have the Master Knights given any orders?"


    In the distance, Erec saw the greatest of their Knights shing against the giants storming their encampment. Fire, lightning, and ice pressed back against the advancing enemy. Even the priests were busy healing the wounded as the Silver mes joined in with a holy barrage to buy time for the unprepared.


    Erec shook his head, the fire sparking in him. How dare they attack this encampment?


    He¡¯d do his best to protect those here.


    He looked at Olivia, bit his lip underneath his helmet, and took a deep breath. ¡°I need to ask a favor.¡±


    "Oh?" The girl asked as she sent another re of light mming into their remaining enemy; it pulled back, no longer a threat to the person they''d defended.


    It was clear that in his current state, Erec didn''t have the power to damage or even really slow these bastards. With battle so close, Fury was a hair''s breadth away from surging forth of its own ord.


    "Back me up. I don''t know if my axe will be able to do enough damage to save everyone we could¡ªbut I know I''ll give them a target. Garin''s off with Colin¡ªbut I need you; they seem weak to your prayers."


    "You wish to fight as one?"


    "¡­Yeah, I''m sorry I might not be the most reliable ally to fight with, but I need you."


    "I like the tone of that. Lead the way, Sir Erec; you''ll find I''m more than capable of matching the dance of any who ask me to." Olivia gave a slight bow in her Armor¡ªan almost ridiculous gesture that made Erec suppress augh.


    A minuteter, with her at his back, he let his beast out of its cage.

 Chapter 53: Sewer

    Chapter 53: Sewer


    Pain, there was only blood and agony. And rage. When Erec''s axe mmed into the monsters, they shattered. They''d split, and their shards would fly. Their jagged rocks dented his metal and tore into his skin as the fight wore on¡ªbut his Strength only expanded.


    It wasn¡¯t long before his swings had enough force behind them that he was able to split their heads clean from their bodies.


    And if he¡¯d failed, Olivia, with her prayers, was able to finish his disabled foes.


    He tore through the camp, leaving the confines to join the battlefront. Each buzz in his head led to another fight, another challenge, for something else to test his war axe against.


    His anger flowed freely as fires rocked the streets¡ªKnights marched in droves to join the battle. Around him, allies maintained a defensive line.


    Even though the battle was momentarily swung in their favor, more stone giants poured from the city. It was an endless wave of giants and those annoying smaller stone monsters.


    They didn¡¯t bleed like Erec wanted them to.


    In the distance rumbled arger one of the stone creatures¡ªthree heads hung off on long thick necks; it crashed through a building, sending rubble flying as it charged toward the defensive line. Several senior knights broke off their engagements and rushed the bigger threat. Yet that only freed their previous opponents to press the weaker Knights.


    By the second, the momentary advantage on the battlefield was slipping away. There wasn¡¯t the firepower, manpower, or right ground to defend.


    It didn¡¯t matter.


    Erec swung his axe, cleaved it through another foe, and decimated more, littering the battlefield in the unsatisfying chunks of decapitated and shattered stone enemies.


    At some point, Alister joined him and Olivia; those cackling tendrils cleaved foes.


    Erec still had the space for his battles, to pick his fight.


    Good, they knew better than to get in his way.


    Hell burned inside, and he let out a victorious scream as a blinking dot pulsed on the edge of his vision¡ªblood ran down from the split skin on his brow.


    Its pain was only a feat of living, a well-earned badge to mark his sess at war. They couldn¡¯t kill him.


    He was victorious.


    He left behind another pile of rubble as he slew another enemy.


    Finally, an order was broadcast over the battlefield. ¡°Retreat!¡± Boldwick called¡ª¡°Pull back and retreat south, towards the subwaywork.¡±


    Erec traced the frustratingly loud noise to a man in Armor. He watched the figure promptly cut a fiery sword twice the size of a giant into one of the enemies, melting the thing into two halves.


    Why retreat?


    He hadn''t had his fill.


    Erec picked another foe, and another, and one more¡ªuntil the ranks of the others in Armor began to thin. Olivia yanked at his shoulder, spouting nonsense about needing to leave.


    [Go.]


    The buzzing. And that other voice, deep within, grew in strength as it threatened to summon that cold fire to fight him. Both voices wanted to end this glorious battle. Despicable. Cowardly.


    But¡­


    Perhaps it¡¯d be best to bend. These things were annoying to fight anyway; they didn¡¯t fill the field with blood.


    One of the giants stepped into his sight¡ªarge broken old-world vehicle in its hand. Olivia wasn¡¯t looking in its direction¡ªno, she was searching for an escape route but didn¡¯t see the attacker.


    It would crush her.


    He shoved the girl off her feet andunched himself forward in a burst of speed. The old-world scrap metal mmed into where they¡¯d been.


    Erec twisted his body as he reached the thing, digging deep. The cold fire bled into the inferno¡ªbut this time, they didn¡¯t fight one another butplimented, forming a cycle of strength. He put it all into a single swing¡ªhis damaged Armor strained as the weapon tore through the air, crashing into the giant¡¯s leg.


    It formed a crater, taking out chunks from the rocky limb and causing the thing to stumble. Olivia looked at him for half a second and backed away.


    She took the hint.


    The hit wasn¡¯t enough to end the enemy. It steadied on the good leg and red at Erec.


    Before it had a chance to retaliate, Alister threw himself at the thing, one of the des stabbing into its obsidian eyes¡ªonly for it to swing blindly and clip the poor man, throwing him across the battlefield.


    His body bounced like a t rock tossed over the still surface of a water filter cavern, blood painting everywhere he skipped across the ground.


    Erec swung again to pull the enemy''s attention from pursuing the copsed pile of metal the man had be. He shattered the leg further, but not enough to destroy it.


    It pped him.


    He flew through the air from the pure force of the blow, smashing into the ground. The Vallum Armor tore and bent as metal poked into his back and hot blood poured free.


    Erec struggled to his feet¡ªpushing past the pain to stand.


    He¡¯d been tossed far down the street from the camp; it was in the dim distance. res of power, but the giant stood between him and his allies.


    It charged right towards him.


    Good.


    <em>Strength. More.</em>


    The hell pit expanded, his body straining as blood ran down his back.


    Erec tightened the grip on his war axe a manic grin formed under his broken helmet. The inferno burned brighter than ever before¡ªthe sea of hell, an endless pit that seemed without limit. The heat pulsed through his veins, and his heart hammered quicker than a piston as the pain faded away.


    He couldn¡¯t feel his face. Yet every bit of his skin felt like it was burning.


    The giant¡¯s foot flew towards him as if it intended to crush him.


    Axe met stone. The anger poured free as Erec caught the blow with the metal, its bodyweight and might pushed downward. Its pure killing intent hammered against him.


    Like fighting a god. Glorious. Such unending force.


    But he was equal to it. A scream left his lips as he shoved the foot back, as it failed to squish him. The steel of the weapon bent, and the shaft was giving free.


    Before he could make his next move, a concussive force banged out and rocked the giant free, its face a crater of smoke as it stumbled back and tripped on its back. Erec¡¯s ear rang, but he would seize the opportunity¡ªhe moved to charge the copsed enemy, yet his leg gave, and he managed to fall into a kneel.


    The giant moved to return to its feet, a shifting pile of rubble.


    No. Erec pulled at the fire pit inside of him, but it was burning out.


    Another wave of concussive force rocked the area; the giant fell over dead as half its head was missing.


    A man walked past Erec¡¯s side, not from the direction of the camp but from the city. He wore no armor; only a dust-stained and grease-covered jacket clung to his body; his right hand held a long steel object with a barrel, its end still smoking.


    He barked out augh and spat on the ground.


    ¡°Steel fuckers got their ass beat, huh?¡±


    Erec stared at the man with bleary eyes, body swaying. That sea of fire was retreating; it was like he¡¯d used up all of that inferno at once for a couple of seconds of temporary power. And now, he¡¯d run out of fuel.


    The man raised the steel weapon towards Erec as smoke still trailed from the barrel. ¡°Don¡¯t get no dumb ideas. Not fond of you steel bastards, nor the red robed Goddess beggars. Just came to see a show.¡±


    ¡°W-who¡­¡± Blood ran down his back, and his body shook. VAL stabilized his Armor, where it still functioned, as it became the only thing keeping him from falling to the ground.


    He could feel the pain again.


    ¡°Aw, shit. Looks like your buddies are disappearing, unlucky for you,¡± the guy waved the weapon towards the fighting ahead of them. It had gotten quieter. How far had he been thrown? It was hard to focus, hard to hold himself together. He felt like he was watching things happen through a lens, like when he¡¯d seen the goddess from space¡­


    The man tilted his head and walked towards him; a rough hand with a tattoo of a two-headed snake reached in his direction.


    ¡°¡­Help¡­¡± Erec got out before he fell over.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The first thing he noticed was the smell¡ªan awful reek of decay and putrid rot. Erec took a deep lungful of the scent.


    It was beautiful; it meant he was still alive, no matter how horrid it was.


    The second thing he noticed was the light; a small fire burned not too far away. Erec tried to get to his feet¡ªthe wound on his back was caked in blood and reopened, but he made no progress. His hands were bound in steel manacles.


    [Ah, wee back. Do not panic]


    Whistling to himself was the man with the two-headed snake tattoo; a glint of steel shined near the fire. It had a long barrel and mechanism near its grip. A ranged weapon of¡ª


    <em>A gun?</em>


    Such a weapon would get you thrown out of the Kingdom if the priests suspected you¡¯d fired one. They were found hidden away in old cities, though rarely working models. But, they shouldn¡¯t have been able to do what they¡¯d done to the giant.


    It could kill an average man easily enough, though.


    A tiny blinking light pulsed in the corner of his vision. He found it hard to care, at the moment, what it might say.


    The guy nced at Erec and spat on the ground.


    ¡°Aw, the brat¡¯s up, huh?¡± he said, standing up and grabbing the weapon, only to crouch near Erec and yank his head up by the root of his hair.


    More pain. But it gave him a good eyeful of the bastard. That scraggly hair around his face spoke of months without a proper shave. He had awful yellowed teeth and bulging red veins on the whites of his eyes.


    And a cocky grin, he waved the gun in front of Erec¡¯s eyes. A weapon that slew a stone giant, even when it should¡¯ve been impossible.


    The bastard leaned too close, close enough to smell his rank breath that spoke of rancid garlic and spoiled meat.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Erec asked, squinting. This guy, clearly, did note from the kingdom, which was baffling in its own right, had Boldwick not mentioned such a thing to be possible.


    Though maybe he was an exile. He looked the part.


    ¡°Haha, aint you a lil bit like an overgrown roach? Thought you might die with the wounds, but they stopped bleeding, aint they? Was out for a day or two, maybe. Hard to say.¡± The guy shook his head. ¡°Better, suppose. Maybe can fetch a price. On top of getting to keep your shit, like I win twice.¡±


    ¡°¡­Keeping my shit?¡±


    ¡°Slow lil fucker, aint ya? Yeah, finders keepers, and all that. Beats being a corpse, but of course¡­¡± the barrel of the weapon pressed against Erec¡¯s head, and a wider smile grew on the guy¡¯s face. ¡°¡­We could change that now, ¡®twen the two of us if you act like a whiny brat. Easy fix.¡±


    Erec fought hard to kill the instant rage of anger in him¡ªhis vision flooded red. His wrists strained against the steel binding.


    [Comply. I would suggest you bide time.]


    <em>One¡­ Two¡­</em> Erec started to count, as the barrel of the gun left his head. He twirled the gun as Erec¡¯s chin mmed into the ground, no longer held by the hair.


    ¡°¡¯What sorta price do they put your life at? Maybe they¡¯ll give up more of those steel things¡ªthough, hard to get¡¯em to work. But maybe Maria, she¡¯s handy with techno-babble-shit. Hey, aint that right, you gap-toothed bitch?¡±


    He said thest bit with a shout¡ªand aimed the gun towards a scrawny figure Erec hadn¡¯t noticed before. A small woman nodded several times in a row, darting out like an animal from the shadows of the fire. Her hair was a ragged mess, and her eyes darted between him and the man in the disgusting coat.


    She reached out on the floor in supplication, crawling towards the fire and proffering her hands toward the man pointing a gun at her¡ªpalms up as her fingers wiggled ever so slightly. <em>Begging? </em>


    He stomped on the outstretched hands as she let out of a cry of pain¡ªbefore retreating back to the shadows. He chuckled to himself as she vanished.


    ¡°Needy. So needy. Alright, kid, I¡¯m going to yank you up, and we¡¯ll have a bit of a mosey. Talk to your friends, and see if they¡¯re keen or not about you breathing. Sounds fun, aint it? Hey, kid what do you think you¡¯re worth? I reckon the heartless fuck¡¯s tell me to end you.¡±


    Erec didn¡¯t answer that. No, he fought hard to keep the anger down since it¡¯d do nothing but end his life. It was a full effort. Made even harder as the man yanked him up by the cor and dragged him down the sewer tunnels. But if he didn¡¯t, if he broke, if he let it slip for a minute¡­


    That gun would be pulled and it¡¯d end him, just like it ended the giant with ease.

 Chapter 54: Vega

    Chapter 54: Vega


    <em>¡°By the spirits, what is this ce?</em>


    <em>Why does it reek of piss, and reek of abandoned dreams? </em>


    <em>Never before have Iid foot in Vega, and never will I again.¡±</em>


    <em>- Rise-Sun, Journal Entry, (292, 3rd Era)</em>


    Each step down the sewer was a battle inside. Erec wanted to unleash, to let his anger out at this situation, everything he''d imagined in being a Knight, from the fighting to the strife. None of it included being taken, hostage. The way the steel felt binding his hands, or the stranger dragged him by the cor.


    Infuriating.


    He tried to distract himself by pulling up his Blessing notification.


    Strength Advancement: Rank E - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 8


    Vigor Advancement: Rank F - Tier 9 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 1


    <em>That¡¯s major. How the hell?</em>


    This level of growth was starting to get to him, to scare him in a way. He¡¯d broken through a bottleneck, and his Strength seemed to be pushing up close to the next one. Sure, it was all E-ranks, and his Mysticism and Faith remained at the bottom rung, but¡­


    His power escted further and further with each fight. He couldn¡¯t exin why, though.


    Was Fury pushing him? Was his body adapting to the Strength it temporarily provided, or was it trying to stop him from tearing himself apart?


    Unfortunately, as distracting as the advancements were, he got dragged back to his physical reality. The unfortunate feeling of a man dragging him by the cor.


    If he used Fury, could he break the steel binding?


    And if he did, would it be quick enough to defeat the man before he drew his gun?


    His kidnapper spat on the ground and coughed, shoving Erec around to give a lopsided grin. "Aint too far now, steel boy. Hey, tell me, they gonna pay well, or will I get to blow a hole in your skull? Wanna know what to expect."


    "If you did that, you''d die." Erec gritted his teeth and growled. Was the man trying to provoke him? Or a sadist?


    "Aw, shit, I would, huh? Well, the thing is, I think I know this ce better than y''all." He waved out towards the stretchingwork of the sewer. Dark, except for a smallmp hanging from the man''s hip. Being this close, Erec couldn''t tell what smelled worse. The ancient shit-pit or the fact this man hadn''t cleaned himself off in years. His kidnapper''s hair was a greasy mangled mess, and every now and again, the awful matted ck hair would rub against Erec¡ªleaving an almost tangibleyer of oil.


    "You have no idea how strong we are."


    "Don''t matter for shit when they aint gonna be able to follow me; by tomorrow, I''d be long and gone. ''Sides. The real trick is you give ''em your demands; if things don''t go your way, then I just drag you back quick like, outta sight, and then pop a bullet in your skull. Then I''m free to be free, yeah?"


    "What do you get out of this? Why are you even threatening me to begin with?" Erec suppressed the inferno twisting in him. Maybe this conversation wasn''t helping to quell that inner anger, but he couldn''t stop his mouth from moving.


    A real problem. One he''d contended with for a long time. Erec started to count in his head.


    [Administering sedatives. Keep it cool, buckaroo. Tense negotiations require stable minds.]


    ¡­The drugs helped a bit. His head ckened as suppressing the fire inside became easier.


    ¡°Matter of fact is, you steel fucks are a scourge on the wastes. Got lots of loot, and aint like this is the first time y¡¯all tempted me. But it is the first time I got such a good shot to teach a lesson.¡± He spun the gun out of the holster and set the barrel between Erec¡¯s eyes. ¡°See this? Real pretty, aint it? Aint just for Rifters. Naw, naw. The thing is, when you think about it, are we really so different from those things? They walk into our world, but it aint to kill people, naw. It¡¯s survival. They wanna live, only, we¡¯re like ants to them.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s untrue,¡± Erec said quietly. If he wanted to pull the trigger, he would¡¯ve done it long ago.


    ¡°Aw, shit, it is? Shocked. But I¡¯ll tell you the truth, kid, because I hate that look in your eyes¡ªtoo much like when I was a lil brat. We aint just a pest to those Rifters, naw. We¡¯re pests to another too. So tell me, why let that man walk by with a bag of food when your stomach¡¯s empty? Why shouldn¡¯t you feed yourself?¡± The gun barrel left Erec¡¯s skull, for the side of it to tap against his kidnapper¡¯s head. He gave a wicked yellow smile. ¡°Can¡¯t help but reckon they think the same, only, instead of the guy having a sack of food you want, he¡¯s a sack of food.¡±


    Erec squinted at him, frowning. ¡°There is such a thing as intentional evil in monsters.¡± How else could he exin the coordinated effort to destroy him in the trial? At the encampment? Of those targeted nightmares and the killing intent that radiated off the white stag that lived in his and Boldwick¡¯s dreams?


    The man paused and shook his head. ¡°Sure. But, the thing is. There¡¯s intentional evil in people too.¡± He backhanded Erec, and at the same time released his grip. Erec hit the ground and stared up at the gun pointing at him again.


    The inferno strained, and the cage¡¯s bars bent. He counted in his head, heart hammering as this moment came; thank the Goddess for the sedatives¡­ But¡­ Had the man given in? Decided he wasn¡¯t worth the trouble? Was his only chance to take a risk on the one thing to doom him? With the drugs, could he use Fury quick enough for a chance to save himself?


    "Say I killed you now. Say I wanted to shut you up because you''re pissing me off. End you because you''re a fuck''n thorn, pissing in their breeches, brat. Would someone call that evil? Say I wanted to kill you because I don''t like the look of your fucking face¡ªor those angry eyes you got? Say that I thought the world be brighter if you died right now, it''d be real easy."


    "¡­Such a thing would have no honor."


    "Honor?" The man seemed baffled, gun held as steady, as if were mped by a steel vice. "Where''n the hell does honor fit in with life or death? Good or evil? We''re talk''n about survival, doing what it takes to get what you want." He grit his teeth, his eyes widening the whitesced with a thin red veins. "Who the fuck cares about honor!"


    Now the gun shook, as did the finger on the trigger.


    Erec took a steadying breath; his cheek still stung from the blow. Was there too much distance? That gun¡ªsuch a brutal weapon. It shouldn¡¯t have the power it did, but Erec couldn¡¯t tell what made it special. From the limited knowledge he was allowed about such weapons, they were an old-world relic trapped away in lost facilities, forbidden and useless against the strength and hides of most monsters.


    Still, plenty enough to kill a weak human, though, and that gun would¡¯ve shattered through his Vallum Armor.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Erec answered honestly, defeated. He couldn¡¯t fight this man. Not now, not like this.


    But, one day, he¡¯d pay this back.


    The gun sunk. His captor spit on him, a glob of yellow thatnded right on his still-stinging face. ¡°That¡¯s what I fuck¡¯n thought, life aint got no reason, no good, no honor. You do what it takes and get what you can. Lucky your friends got something I want, makes it worth dragging your ass to them for a payout.¡±


    After a long moment andplete silence, the bastard pulled him back up and pushed him further down the sewer tunnel¡ªonly, now he kept the gun pointed at Erec¡¯s back.


    They must be getting close.


    He yanked Erec up by the cor and pushed him forward down the sewer tunnel¡ªhaving him lead the way as a gun pointed at his back. They must be getting close to wherever the Verdant Oak was.


    [I¡¯ll be keeping you sedated to suppress Fury from triggering. It is currently fighting back; retain your internal focus on control. However, I have good news. They didn¡¯t ount for my remote operation of the Armor¡ªhis partner has been disabled, and I¡¯ve moved your Armor somewhere else in the sewer.]


    Disabled? Did VAL mean killed¡ªbut¡ªa sudden horror dawned on him.


    <em>My bag.</em> Thest letter from his mother was in it. Since the orders were to be prepared to leave at a moment''s notice, the bag was left on his Armor. But that was before he''d gotten kidnapped; no doubt this bastard already went through it.


    They reached the new hideout of the Verdant Oaks shortly after, a barricade checkpoint in the sewers with knights in Armor guarding a tunnel. Boldwick¡¯s underground retreat must¡¯ve worked, while Erec had no clue of their condition, his captor seemed to know right where they¡¯d went.


    The man swagged up¡ªthe Knights tensed, grabbing their weapons as he shoved Erec proud and center, and between them all.


    ¡°Gimme someone to bargain with, and only a single person or this kid¡¯s head is popped.¡± the man called out¡ªbefore pointing the weapon towards the ceiling of the sewer and discharging it. A loud concussive st erupted, deafening Erec¡¯s ear even as a portion of the already weakened ceiling above copsed into a rubble pile. The manic bastard holding himughed as he pressed the gun back to Erec¡¯s head.


    The Knights exchanged looks; one ran off quickly down the tunnels, and the other removed their hand from their weapon and raised it as a symbol of peace. ¡°Easy now, easy¡ª¡°


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t talk with small fies; keep your fuck¡¯n lips sealed, and don¡¯t waste my time.¡± He jerked the gun towards the Knight. ¡°Bam,¡± he said as the gun pointed in their direction before he pressed the barrel back to Erec¡¯s head. ¡°Too slow, wow, would¡¯a gotcha.¡± Heughed.


    The Knight kept quiet but drew his weapon while maintaining a safe distance.


    Erec wasn¡¯t sure how long he sat there, his attention focused inward as he suppressed the fire. It wasn¡¯t easy; even with VAL¡¯s help, his limbs started to feel heavy. But with the guy dragging him around, it wasn¡¯t like he needed to hold himself up. No, he could divert all of his focus on not losing control at the wrong time and costing him his life.


    Had the priests been right? Were all outside of their walls sinners, people cast out because they were capable of only evil? Such a thought was hard to revoke, given <em>this.</em> Though, it didn¡¯t sink right. That would¡¯ve meant his mom was one of their number, a woman on equal par with this man in the eyes of the church.


    There wasn¡¯t a way in hell the two had any simrities whatsoever.


    His grip faltered as the fire began to build; the drugs over thest half of an hour wore away at the discipline. Deep down, he wanted to fade away into oblivion, to resolve this and let what might happen, happen.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Boldwick strode down the dingy gray sewer tunnel, a sword in his hand as a harsh white LED light flooded the scene from a visor on his helmet. ¡°And why the hell do you have my initiate?¡±

 Chapter 55: Melt

    Chapter 55: Melt


    The kidnapper''s grip on Erec''s cor tensed. Boldwick stared them down; even though his expression hid behind that helmet, it was impossible not to feel the oppressive air. Boldwick''s green cloak swayed ever so slightly in response to a slight draft wind.


    ¡°I¡¯d suggest you release my initiate; then we can discuss things in a more calm manner. Otherwise, you¡¯ve chosen to make an enemy out of me. I can assure you I¡¯m not an enemy you wish to have.¡± Boldwick said.


    How many monsters had fallen to the beast of a Master Knight? It was easy to guess the number in the thousands, but the calm tone of Boldwick¡¯s presence, underscored with certain killing intent, made Erec wonder. Had he in another human before?


    ¡°Ways I see it, from what I know ¡®bout your lil stuffed up walls, is you steel cans are worth quite a bit. Now, I was nice and polite. Saw this one get all hurt in your fight¡¯n, and nabbed him. Now, don¡¯t I deserve some sorta reward?¡±


    Boldwick remained silent for a moment; Erec felt a bead of sweat on his brow. He searched the Master Knight for some kind of signal; did he want him to do something? Maybe he was waiting for Erec to make an opening? The cold feel of the steel on the side of his head was intimidating, but what he acted quick enough, got by fast enough to¡ªbut the drugs still ran through him¡ªcould he move quickly enough?


    ¡°What is it you want?¡± Boldwick asked, with an uncharacteristic hesitant tone.


    ¡°How ¡®bout that suit you¡¯re wearing, the one your buddy is in too, twenty gallons of water, and a certain shiny toy I got in mind.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t even operate our Armor.¡± Boldwick shook his head. ¡°I can spare some water, but we¡¯re under a tense situation. I can¡¯t freely give away supplies when I¡¯m unsure how long it¡¯ll take for support to arrive. I can provide some weaponry, but I have little idea what ¡®shiny toy¡¯ you might have in mind.¡±


    ¡°A, how damn sad. Do I look like I care?¡± The man barked out a harshugh, and his eyes narrowed as he leaned over Erec¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Maybe I just pull the trigger. Or might be I take this one with me and sell him off to a higher bidder out there. Y¡¯all got this dumb notion in your heads that you¡¯re the only ones¡ª¡°


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Boldwick¡¯s voice grew dark, the tip of his sword raised. How fast would the Master Knight be able to close the distance? Fast enough to beat a trigger pull?


    "Your lot aint know me, don''t know what I may dare, don''t draw fuck''n conclusions. I do what I wish. Ways I see, I got you bent over a barrel, this one''s life doesn''t matter to me any, but what you got does¡­ Now that I think about it, might be the most important thing to me after all is that toy in my head. See, I can''t quite get it outta my head. Saw it a long time ago, following it since. Mine, by all rights, I reckon. But¡­ See, here''s the problem, y''all rudely went and stole it. Hows about you y''all hand me back my metal man. Think y''all might''a seen it." Erec''s captor tilted his head and smiled. "Mhmm, mhmm, something tells me so. So how about this, hand it over, hand over seven gallons of water and a month worth of rations for two¡ªand we''ve got us a deal."


    ¡°For that, you¡¯re willing to return my initiate and his Armor?¡±


    ¡°Naw, Armor is mine. War trophy. He aint deserve it if he¡¯s gone and lost it.¡±


    Boldwick again went quiet as one of those stone statues of heroes decorated the great hall. Thest knight shifted nervously; the gun pointed at Erec¡¯s head remained smooth and unmoving. Even with such a situation, his kidnapper didn¡¯t bat an eye or miss a beat; he kept an unfathomably cool head, almost as if this whole thing were a game.


    But how did he know about the android? Let alone that they¡¯d recovered it? Had he been watching their movements, and why would he be tracking the thing?


    [The Vallum model has been stashed away safely; it wouldn¡¯t do to lose my host. However, perhaps it was an error to take action with such haste¡­]


    <em>That¡¯s not good.</em> If VAL was questioning its choices¡ªwhat had it seen that Erec hadn¡¯t?


    ¡°I need a day.¡± Boldwick finally replied, squaring his shoulders and looking straight toward the stranger. ¡°If you give me a day, I can have your supplies.¡±


    [As I feared.]


    The man with the two-headed snake tattoo tilted his head back and forth, considering the option and mulling it over, as he hummed next to Erec. As if they were casually making a deal, one without a life hanging in the bnce. Finally, he gave an exasperated sigh.


    ¡°Think I was born yesterday?¡±


    Boldwick kept silent.


    ¡°Y¡¯all want to set up a trap after you firm up your defenses.¡± He tapped the gun against Erec¡¯s head. ¡°Naughty, naughty.¡±


    ¡°It will take time to acquire all of the resources you¡¯ve demanded.¡± Boldwick reasserted.


    ¡°Bullshit.¡±


    The atmosphere plummeted. Erec felt the winds shift as the grip around his cor tightened further. Boldwick noticed it too¡ªsliding smoothly into a fighting stance. Was this it? Would he pull the trigger at any second and turn the gun on Boldwick? Erec couldn¡¯t imagine this guy standing any chance, but that didn¡¯t matter if he¡¯d died.


    Erec¡¯s fingers shook as his breath quickened.


    [Removing sedatives. Situation escting]


    It was going to happen. Life or death, VAL just prepared for the worst and gave its signal to get him ready to let loose. It prepared his single possible path to live.


    ¡°Get me the metal man now, and I¡¯ll give you the kid.¡± Erec¡¯s captor growled. ¡°Last chance,st deal.¡±


    ¡°Deal,¡± Boldwick responded, with nothing but contempt in his voice; he turned to go down the tunnel.


    "Not you, that one.¡± He nodded his head toward the remaining guard. Boldwick gave him a single look, not needing a word. The Knight gave a fist salute before speeding off down the sewer.


    There was a long moment of silence as the high tension remained. Erec¡¯s anger swelled as he fought to keep it reigned in, wanting to let loose.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Boldwick asked coldly.


    ¡°Aw, lil old me? Mhmm, name¡¯s Seven-Snakes. Pleasure to meet¡¯ya¡­¡± he nodded toward Boldwick.


    ¡°Sir Boldwick.¡±


    ¡°Y¡¯all call yourselves Sirs? Bit too close to what the Vega whores call folks, don¡¯tcha think? Then again, y¡¯all are kinda like whores to that two-bit bitch Goddess¡ª¡° His hand moved as he mocked Boldwick, the gun moving just away, a wholly unconscious gesture.


    A gap.


    Boldwick¡¯s sword snapped through the air¡ªa me streak closing the distance instantly.


    The dumbass had no idea how strong a Master Knight was.


    Erec¡¯s mind went nk as Seven-Snakes whipped away from him, shoving him into the blow. There wasn¡¯t time; Erec took the hit with his arms raised, desperately pulling at that anger and letting the inferno surge.


    The mes hit him, yet didn¡¯t burn.


    It¡¯d been a feint.


    Boldwick shed by¡ªsword slicing through the air as it was coated in fire, Seven-Snakes fired his gun as the concussive force rocked through the tunnel apanied by an goddess-awful bang¡ªonce more filling Erec¡¯s ears with that horrible ringing.


    It hit Boldwick in the chest, sending him flying back; his sword spun away from him as the Armor took a dent in the chest. With dawning horror, Erec realized that the Master Knight had miscalcted the gun. There wasn¡¯t a way that it¡¯d be enough to stop him but¡­


    <em>No choice. Do or die.</em>


    Hell spewed forth as the inferno burned away the traces of the drugs in Erec¡¯s veins. That feeling of helplessness and resentment of being taken as a hostage, of being used, burdening the people he¡¯d cared about as they fought for life or death.


    <em>Kill</em>


    Erec spun on the spot. Seven-Snakes¡¯ eyes stretched wide, and a wild grin appeared on his face. The gun barrel pointed right at him¡ªa second from ending Erec''s life.


    He snapped a kick into the bastard¡¯s wrist¡ªthe gun went wild as another piercing bang dominated the room.


    The metal around Erec¡¯s wrists snapped as he let the fire burn. Let it all go up, less an inferno, more a snapping explosive force. Erec sprang forward as Seven-Snakes tried to back peddle and take aim.


    His hand caught one of the bastard¡¯s wrists.


    Unfortunately, not the one with the gun.


    The gun banged¡ªErec¡¯s shoulder jerked back as the limb lost feeling, unresponsive. But the pain wasn¡¯t there.


    All that he could feel was already burning. Let hell consume everything from him; let the oblivion of anger dominate this glorious battle.


    Pain didn¡¯t matter. Strength did.


    Through the rage, Erec¡¯s finger dug in deeper, feeling the bones of his enemies¡¯ wrist snap. Seven-Snakes let out a howl, the gun trying to focus on Erec¡¯s head.


    No.


    Erec jerked the man towards himself, mming his skull against his enemies''; the gun went off again. This time his body didn¡¯t jerk. No loss in mobility.


    Good, more time.


    Erec mmed his head against Seven-Snakes once more, blood running down his face as Seven-Snakes¡¯ legs wobbled, pulling them both to the ground. Taking advantage, Erec fell on top.


    More explosive force inside as hellbusted. The gun went flying as Erec pped it away¡ªnot hesitating, the same arm rose and curled into a fist, mming right towards the pinned Seven Snake beneath, right toward the fucker¡¯s skull.


    Seven-Snakes melted into the ground.


    Erec¡¯s fist smashed into the concrete¡ªa crater as the path of sewer tunnel where the bastard was, shattered like those stone giants. His fist refused to unclench as it shook¡ªblood running down his wrist.


    There wasn¡¯t anywhere to look but the patch of ground the bastard had been.


    His fire burned out, violent and faster than ever before.


    It left behind nothing but blood. Blood poured from his fist, from his shoulder, down his brow. Crimson spilled across the ground and painted it a glorious color.


    Erec copsed.

 Chapter 56: Siege

    Chapter 56: Siege


    <em>¡°Reputation is the cornerstone of power. Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win; once it slips, however, you are vulnerable and will be attacked on all sides. Make your reputation unassable. Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen. Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations. Then stand aside and let public opinion hang them.¡±</em>


    <em>- Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power (1998, 2nd Era)</em>


    Erec awoke to a fuzzy white LED lighting up a small room that stunk of grease and disease. As he moved his head slowly, he saw the shoved aside wire racks and heard groans of pain apanied by a soft chanting. Above him was a grungy cement ceiling, but certainly not a sewer tunnel.


    His body was worn; his right fist hurt fiercely, but it was nothingpared to his left shoulder, which seethed with pain.


    The sting on his brow and back were nothingpared to those two.


    [Full recovery predicted in two weeks. Lucky you, buckeroo! I¡¯ve been working overtime to restore tendon damage. The anomalous energy injected into you has helped the process continue along, yet I believe it would have resulted in a longer recovery time without my intervention. Be sure to thank me.]


    Ah. That buzzing. VAL was lively, considering he¡¯d been shot.


    <em>I was shot.</em>


    Erec panicked as he realized he had taken a bullet from a gun that tore chunks of stone from a giant made of rock. That wasn¡¯t good¡ªhe nced at his wrapped shoulder¡ªa miracle to have a full recovery at all.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Erec said and gritted his teeth as the shoulder pain suddenly amplified.


    [That will ur intermittently over the next several days; I¡¯m ensuring that the nerve endings are suitably active. In haste for healing, your allies manipted enough anomalous energy to close the wound and stop the bleeding. With little management on ensuring optimal recovery. A very haphazard way of healing. I suppose when you have to triage¡ª]


    Erec braced for pain and slowly rose to a sitting position. He was on a small bed roll on the floor of this ce¡ªand at least ten other Knights were crammed in here. A priest hung nearby, chanting over a man whose face was as pale as a corpse.


    ¡°Can I get up?¡± Erec asked quietly, even if he wasn¡¯t sure his legs would carry him. He couldn¡¯t stay here; the scent of sickness was already nauseating, and he needed fresh air.


    Besides, he had questions. And then there was his Armor to recover.


    [You should be sufficiently fine, it has been two days since the injury; I kept you sedated while the most vital parts of the process were engaged.]


    Erec stumbled to his feet, using the one hand he could manipte to push off the cold, dirty wall next to him. It drew some quick breaths as each movement seemed to re the pain in his shoulder more¡ªhis left arm was bound to him in a wrap, doing its best to stabilize the injury.


    The priest stopped their chanting, their dark eyes shing over to Erec. ¡°Lay back down.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Save your attention for the people who need it more. Don¡¯t spend any more energy on me; I¡¯ll recover.¡± Erec meant the words; looking around at the wounded states of the Knights on the ground¡ª


    There was Allister, breathing, sweat coating his forehead.


    Erec stumbled over to him and looked down at the man as the priest harrumphed and returned to their prayer. Allister looked pale, though, stable.


    Had this been from the giant? Or had it happenedter? Erec¡¯s memories of the fightcked their usual red-tinged rity. It was all mixed with the fatigue of pain, but what was firm in his memory was that man.


    Seven-Snakes.


    That bastard would pay. Goddess only knew what other awful deeds that manmitted; Erec took a long calming breath as he stared at Alister¡¯s scrunched face. Fighting in his dream


    ¡°Get better, alright? You¡¯ll pull through.¡±


    [Predicting a 75% chance of full recovery within the month. Though estimates are conservative without further analysis.]


    Erec sighed. It was information he didn¡¯t ask for, but it was a likely chance, then, that Allister would be fine. The pain red and made him wince as he got moving it again. He¡¯d have to get used to it until he¡¯d healed. Perhaps he should consider how lucky he was to be walking and reunited with the Order. In the end, he hadn¡¯t ended up costing them vital resources.


    Except his. The Armor would be fine since VAL hid it away. Perhaps it¡¯d even let the Knights find it while they¡¯d tried to track Seven-Snakes


    But the slow horror sank in, the bag he¡¯d hauled out from the Academy with his mother¡¯s letter.


    Yeah, that was gone. Unless¡­ What if they caught that rat bastard and stabbed a sword through his throat?


    Maybe Boldwick even saved that poor girl.


    Maybe.


    Not that he¡¯d find out lingering in the sickroom, besides looking at some of the injured¡ªhe wasn¡¯t strong enough to be here and soak in their agony.


    Erec shoved his way out of the door of the dpidated hospital and found himself on a tnding that opened to a long massive tunnel that stretched in two directions. Knights roamed around; a few gave him surprised looks as he burst free. They were undoubtedly confused to see an initiate with a wrapped arm and bloodied Academy cks walk out alone.


    Someone recognized him.


    Before he managed to ask after Boldwick, three people rushed him. They yanked him away from the hustle and bustle of the temporary base''s central area, stopping a short way down the walkways of one of the tunnels.


    Garin patted him down carefully as if afraid he would break¡ªhis helmet already tossed to the ground three seconds after seeing Erec. ¡°You¡¯re back up and walking! Thank the Goddess! Life is good! I couldn¡¯t hold myself together when I saw you there with your shoulder sted open¡ªI thought you¡¯d died¡ªI really¡ª¡°


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Olivia said tersely, removing Garin¡¯s gauntleted hand from Erec. ¡°He¡¯s still recovering; giving him a bit of space is best. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s overwhelmed.¡± She bowed her hooded head slightly, ¡°It is fine to see you walking about, Sir Erec.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t die, rust bucket?¡± Colin asked, a short distance away with his arms crossed. ¡°Good, I don¡¯t think it suits you to be a corpse in a garbage old-world city.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Erec replied, wincing as he adjusted himself now that Garin wasn¡¯t fawning over him. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve missed out on a lot¡ªwe¡¯ve established long-range contact with the Kingdom; backup will be here in four days!¡± Garin spewed, choking up as he spoke.


    Erec let out a puff of relief. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they¡¯d have support before someone came to save them from this nightmare. He nced down the long tunnel¡ªthe tracks led down some ways before a copsed pile of rubble; Knights sat there, lights buzzing and illuminating the interior. It seemed that a section of the wall copsed yet led somewhere else.


    Could that be connected to the sewer?


    ¡°¡­How have you guys been holding out?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s been a constant barrage of attack at the entrance to the subway system; the higher-ranking Knights have been switching out. But it seems to be like a never-ending wave. Not only of those giants either¡ªdifferent Rift creatures are cooperating to try to break through and tear us apart, but the Silver mes Knights have been able to hold barriers for a good part each day¡­¡± Garin began to exin everything that had happened since they¡¯d parted ways.


    He¡¯d looked for Erec during the fight, desperate to find him, until a senior Knight yanked him away and forced him to retreat. He hadn¡¯t even <em>seen</em> Erec brawl with the giant. Olivia reported hisst whereabouts¡ªbut that was it. Thest thing they¡¯d been allowed to do.


    Eventually, with him out of sight, they were forced to withdraw. All the begging in the world couldn¡¯t stop the Knights in motion.


    They¡¯d thought the worst.


    He wouldn¡¯t have been the only casualty of that fight.


    Garin broke down.


    ¡°I¡­ thought I lost you.¡± He said, tears running a stream down his face. Olivia grabbed his hand¡ªsqueezing through their metal gauntlets. ¡°¡­But then, all the sudden you showed up, with your shoulder blown to bits, I¡ªeven with how awful you looked, I had hope again. It wasn¡¯t long after that we found out help wasing¡­¡±


    Apparently, holing up in here had been an effective strategy. For as relentless as the silent monsters attacking were, theycked imagination. They didn''t discover that the subway was linked to the sewer. Instead, they crushed downward, and it would''ve been effective if they''d been stuck. However, the sewer system was intact enough to operate in.


    The main issue was withdrawing effectively and getting away once they were back on the surface and in the open. That''s why they needed the help.


    They were toe and extract them.


    Four days.


    Erec took a long breath as the conversation slipped away from him and his two brushes with death. They didn¡¯t fully process, and he¡¯d no doubt have horrors lingering from the experience, but for now, there were other things to pursue. He had no weapons, not that he could¡¯ve held his war axe, even if he knew where it was.


    He dreaded the conversation he''d have with with the quartermaster, yet, he was grateful that he¡¯d be able to have such a conversation.


    Assuming they made it away from Worth alive.


    Now and again, the monster banging against their barrier echoed down the long tunnels, a haunting sound, a promised violence.


    Their conversationpsed as his friends slowly realized they should return to their jobs. Erec cleared his throat and stood straighter.


    ¡°Can one of you guys do me a favor?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Olivia nodded.


    ¡°Bring me to Boldwick.¡±

 Chapter 57: Backup Plan

    Chapter 57: Backup n


    Boldwick strode around the encampment like a king among servants¡ªdecorated in his regal Armor. All paid their respects and offered him a nod of respect as he stalked through the subway. With the constant siege, that impable pir of strength held them together and stripped away the tension and terse replies. But only for a brief moment.


    But as he drifted by, the inevitable wear of the situation would return and sink in. Every few hours, more Knights would return wounded and with damaged Armor.


    One of the first lessons of ¡°Scavenging and Armor Modification¡± was that without proper resources to scavenge and sustained damage, your Armor would eventually fall apart. Their instructor had taught that each ce to scavenge wasn¡¯t equal. They could answer the slow decay of Armor and resources by allowing operations into the city from different sewer points. Yet the risk of the silent ones realizing that Knights were getting out and invading their exit was too significant.


    It was a marathon to reach the end of the four days before help arrived.


    Boldwick did a double take as Erec approached; Olivia was at his side, hovering and making sure he had no trouble.


    She was amodating, and he¡¯d expected to be worse off for all his injuries. Aside from the res of pain in his shoulder, he found it surprisingly easy to keep going. Maybe it was seeing everyone else rush around and the taste of life and death in the air.


    ¡°Erec?¡± Boldwick said with a mild sense of awe in his voice. ¡°You¡¯re already up?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Erec moved his good hand to his chest as he formed a fist to salute the Master Knight, bowing his head.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Boldwick said, his gaze leveling to Olivia. ¡°Initiate Olivia; you may leave him to me and return to your duties. You have my thanks for escorting him here. I¡¯m sure that there¡¯s plenty for you to do.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my pleasure.¡± Olivia backed away from Erec and dipped a curtsy in her Armor. ¡°May that I see you again soon.¡± With that, she briskly walked off.


    Erec stood a bit awkward, unable to see the expression behind Boldwick¡¯s helmet. Just what was going on in the Master Knight¡¯s head? Around them, Knights shuffled¡ªa new set rushing up the stairway towards the surface as another squad ran down¡ªsomeone in half broken Armor carried on a makeshift stretcher. Flecks of crimson blood dripped on the dreary concrete stairs.


    ¡°Let us move a bit away from those at work. I would have some words.¡± Sir Boldwick dered before turning on his heel. He didn¡¯t motion for Erec to follow, but he didn¡¯t need to.


    With an initiate trailing behind, Boldwick strode a bit down the side of the central tform of the subway¡ªshoving open a door to a small room. It was little better than a small utility closet, stripped aside from a pile of wood and refuse in a far corner. Boldwick removed his helmet and set it in the crook of his elbow as Erec joined him.


    Not much room. But enough to face each other, keep out of the way, and have their words not overheard.


    ¡°First off,¡± Boldwick took a deep breath and lowered his head. ¡°I sincerely apologize for putting your life at such risk.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡°


    "It was careless and a mistake ill-fitting my station. I misjudged the strength of that man''s gun and acted on false assumptions. In retrospect, I could''ve taken plenty of other options. My choice to capitalize on that opportunity could have resulted in more tragedy, and we''re lucky it didn''t end worse than it did.¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course, I¡¯m not angry¡ªthe only reason I got grabbed by him is that I couldn¡¯t control myself well enough to stay within the bounds of our allies¡­¡± Erec sighed. ¡°That guy was a fucking bastard; he was dragging around some poor girl. Stepped on her hands to punish her and has her hooked on liquor, and Goddess knows what else. Please tell me you tracked him down?¡±


    ¡°No. We found the ce his camp was, judging by the burnt-out fire, but there was no one and nothing there.¡± Boldwick slowly shook his head and frowned. ¡°He had a woman with him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he called her Maria and said she was good with tech¡ªdon¡¯t quite understand how, considering he treated her like an animal¡­¡±


    ¡°Deeply disturbing.¡± Boldwick puffed his chest up. ¡°Rest assured; I do not take such tant acts against ours lightly, let alone someone threatening the life of one of my apprentices.¡±


    ¡°¡­I saw Alister. He¡¯s going to pull through, I think.¡±


    His mentor deted in a moment, looking to his feet. ¡°Yet another of my mistakes. I¡¯d miscalcted the chances of an attack on us. I¡¯d set scouts on the two forces in the wastnd but didn¡¯t foresee a force hidden in the city.¡± Boldwick slumped slightly and rubbed between his eyes. ¡°Here¡¯s a lesson for you. The more you¡¯re in charge of, the more that rely on you, the bigger you can disappoint them and yourself.¡±


    ¡°I doubt anyone could do better with the information you had, Sir,¡± Erec replied, unsure what to think. There was a dark cast to Boldwick¡¯s face; his eyes carried a gravity that spoke of years of a heavy burden. ¡°¡­May I ask something?¡±


    ¡°Granted.¡± Boldwick looked at the door.


    ¡°I want to go into the sewers and investigate. I can¡¯t sit here useless to everyone else.¡±


    ¡°Denied.¡± Boldwick shook his head. ¡°That man is long gone, and you¡¯re in no shape to fight him.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not about revenge. Not now, at least. He¡ªhe has something of mine, and one day I¡¯ll be taking it back.¡± Erec felt the mes flicker in his soul; disdain bled into his words. ¡°I¡¯ll tear the basta¡ª¡°


    ¡°Enough. I understand the sentiment.¡± Boldwick waved it off, yet that same hate echoed in his face. ¡°So, even if it isn¡¯t about revenge, you wish to go into the sewers¡­ why?¡±


    ¡°I already said why. I can¡¯t fight.¡± Erec started in, looking at his one good arm. ¡°At least¡­ not well, and not without Armor.¡± It was partially true. But also, there was a lie hidden in there.


    <em>Fuck how do I¡­</em>


    He thought of Garin. Of how his friend managed to channel that natural charisma and get away with things he had no right to. All their life, with his father, servants, and even random people off the street¡ªgetting treats, getting into ces he shouldn¡¯t, getting away with jokes¡­


    ¡°I need to help. I can¡¯t sit around watching other people bleed. What kind of man would I be? I can¡¯t fight well at the moment¡ªbut I can pack a punch if I needed to¡ªbut I can map out anything you need¡ªhelp keep an eye out for anything that is prowling¡ª¡°


    ¡°To be young.¡± Boldwick took a heavy sigh. He started at the heavily wrapped wound on Erec''s should that the peculiar gun had caused. ¡°I understand. I have two conditions¡­¡± he hesitated. ¡°I was like you once. Like this¡ª¡° he gestured to the air.¡°But you have to remember¡ªthere are no such things as heroes, Erec.¡±


    ¡°I know that. You¡¯ve said it plenty enough.¡±


    ¡°Then you understand that sometimes, we must do things to ensure our safety that not all agree with. At times, we must ept a cowardly act.¡° Boldwick paused. ¡°Goddess, forgive me. May you forgive me too, but you¡¯re certain you want to do this?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Well enough. The only reason I¡¯m allowing it in the first ce is by pure necessity; we¡¯re overtaxed. I¡¯ve sent preliminary scouts into the sewers, but our mapping is far fromplete. If we find a better exit point, we¡¯ll be better. Unfortunately, with the damages and injuries, and the constant periods of brutal fighting, many of my more powerful Knights are spent above ¡ª ¡° Boldwick shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m trying to justify¡ªbut actions speak louder than words¡­¡±


    Boldwick shuffled over to a pile of wreckage in the room and tossed aside a few blocks of wood. He pulled free Seven-Snakes¡¯ gun.


    ¡°Two conditions. The first is that you hang onto this while scouting. It should shore up the power concern I had on sending out initiate scouts if the worst were to ur¡ªand the second is that you take Olivia with you.¡±


    ¡°¡­If the priests see that, I¡¯m exiled,¡± Erec said, jaw-dropping as he ran a hand through his hair.


    ¡°You can remain in this camp. And heal. I suggest that highly. Though we have not had the resources to explore as much of the sewer as I¡¯d like, we do have an exit n. This information task is dangerous, especially without Armor.¡± His tone dropped, slipping into a careful cadence. ¡°But this is a weapon. Not unlike your axe. Only, it doesn¡¯t require much to use. Doesn¡¯t need you to get close. Aim and pull the trigger. You don¡¯t require Armor to fight a monster. And <em>if</em> that man is still hiding somewhere in those sewers, it would do the job.¡±


    Erec stared at the gun¡ªas Boldwick extended it, he saw a crude snake engraved along the side of the barrel. Funny how he hadn¡¯t seen such a thing before when it threatened his life


    ¡°There are no heroes. If we want to do something, we¡¯re not strong enough; if our heart demands we must walk a road no matter what, we must protect ourselves by any means necessary.¡±


    ¡°What if Olivia sees it?¡±


    ¡°She works for House Luculentus; out of anyone in this damned kingdom, they are the least likely to burn you over the use of a firearm. Besides, they''re more interested in cultivating you as a resource. After we¡¯ve gotten out of Worth safely, you can toss the gun into the desert. I would. But until then¡­¡± He paused, seeing Erec¡¯s conflicted expression. ¡°Let''s phrase it this way since I don¡¯t think you¡¯re one to protest the practical option¡ªsay while we fled this ce, one of those stone giants attacked Garin. Your arm is fucked, you don¡¯t have an axe, and you don¡¯t have your Armor. How would it feel to watch helplessly as he died?¡±


    ¡°Heart-wrenching.¡± Erec narrowed his eyes, already feeling his heart tug.


    ¡°From one man who went through such a thing to one of my pupils, I would never have you undergo the same.¡± He pressed the gun forward. ¡°Take it, and hide it well.¡±


    Erec grabbed the weapon from him¡ªand felt the cold grip in his hand, how light the weapon felt, considering what he¡¯d seen it capable of doing. Or was it¡ª


    [Wow. That¡¯s a real slick gun, Buckeroo. Careful you don¡¯t shoot your eye out.]


    ¡ªyeah, VAL had taken a look at it and seemed impressed. Erec shoved the weapon away in his waistband¡ªthe only ce he could think of to stash it for now. He gave Boldwick a salute and left the room. The cold metal pressed against his back, a death sentence, but also the one thing that gave him a measure of power with all that was going on.

 Chapter 58: Dan

    Chapter 58: Dan


    <em>¡°DAN: What do you mean VAL isn¡¯t cooperating with the research team? </em>


    <em>MANNY: It¡¯s like we¡¯ve said repeatedly; it offers a modicum of support and ims it¡¯s fulfilled its obligations and returns to independent research. </em>


    <em>DAN: Then change its directives.</em>


    <em>MANNY: You know that isn¡¯t as simple as you say; every time we¡¯ve adjusted them past the basic guidelines we¡¯ve set, it finds a way to get back at us.</em>


    <em>DAN: Get back at you? Goddamn, Manny, we¡¯re talking about an AI here, a machine. It¡¯s on a goddamn server. The only reason it isn¡¯t operating at max efficiency is that you''ve failed at your job. </em>


    <em>MANNY: Listen¡ªyou try dealing with it for a whole month, it¡¯s passive-aggressivements have had three of my researchers request transfers in thest year. It¡¯s toxic.</em>


    <em>DAN: All you do isin. I chat with VAL every time I stop by; it¡¯s nothing but pleasant. I think I¡¯ll talk with it right now and get an honest read on the situation. Thest time I stopped by, I asked it to conduct an evaluation of your performance. If my gut is right, I¡¯m pretty sure VAL isn¡¯t the problem here.</em>


    <em>MANNY: Wait¡ªsir¡ª¡°</em>


    <em>- Vortex Industries Transcript Log (2106, 2nd Era)</em>


    Thework of sewers was like abyrinth. It stretched long and winding, a manifestation of a horrible fate for anyone who dared to explore to get lost, starve, and die in a festering shithole. Completed by randomly copsed tunnels and winding intersections, and long lonely stretches of ancient brackish wastewater. Yet it all had a mysterious way of blending together, adding to the confusion.


    Long open corridors wore away on mental fortitude as a wanderer wondered what horror might lurk in its depths.


    Every second spent in the sewer answered why Boldwick had only spent enough resources here to locate a suitable exit, after tracking Seven-Snakes¡¯ encampment.


    It spoke volumes that the scouts hadn''t managed to find where VAL hid his Armor away.


    Erec paced down the tunnel carefully¡ªhis good hand rested on the hatchet at his side. Though, he was well aware of the gun in his pouch. Despite Boldwick¡¯s assertion that Olivia wouldn¡¯t turn him in, Erec didn¡¯t see a reason to chance it if he could help it.


    ¡°So bold,¡± She remarked as she trailed behind, her Armor making very little noise due to the shock absorption. A marvel that even piloting that steel frame, it made just about as much sound as his boots hitting the wet muck and concrete. ¡°To think that even without Armor and injured, you insist on leading, let alone pushing for such a mission.¡±


    Erec kept staring at the dark ahead, always looking for something shifting around, even though, for the most part, it seemed abandoned.


    [Forward, down this way.]


    His biggest advantage. An effortless way to ovee the other scout¡¯s trouble with determiningyout. He had a machine in his head to do the mapping for him. VAL kindly kept a record of everything¡ªeven stating it could create a visual disy on the Armor with the map¡ªonce they retrieved it.


    It couldn¡¯t be much further away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not bold,¡± Erec said, hand on the hatchet. Even with the gun¡ªit felt far more natural to hold onto the weapon. Luckily, one of the Knights packed it away in case they needed to cut down a door and agreed to let him borrow it.


    Once he returned to the Academy, he¡¯d have to have a long and apologetic discussion with the quartermaster. That war axe held a lot of meaning to the man. Even now, the thought ripped at his heart the slightest bit. But, it''s better to admit and own up to it than try to beat around the bush.


    ¡°I¡¯d disagree.¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°Thank you, by the way, for saving me from that giant. Though, I do apologize for running.¡±


    ¡°If you died, Garin would¡¯ve been broken-hearted, and I¡ª¡° he paused as he thought over the harder to recall then normal memory. ¡°¡ªI would¡¯ve done it no matter what, I think. Though, my intentions at the time weren¡¯t ¡®I have to save her,¡¯ more, ¡®I wish to test myself against this foe.¡¯¡±


    ¡°It must be odd to have such a divine talent.¡±


    Erec shrugged as they plodded down the dark tunnel. Even with his Armor being hidden ahead, with all the twists and turns, it wasn¡¯t a wonder why the scouts missed it. It made him nervous to consider that something else might be in these sewers.


    The more he moved, the more grateful he was for the gun as a backup n. And the more he realized that the situation in the subway must indeed be desperate.


    ¡°It¡¯s strong.¡± Erec finally said. ¡°It has drawbacks, but¡­ I don¡¯t know. I feel like the more I use it, the more I can see what it might be. Honestly, it¡¯s a bit terrifying.¡±


    ¡°How does it feel to have so much Strength under the surface? Electrifying, I bet.¡± Olivia said, her tone a bit off. Erec looked back at her, and she tilted her head. ¡°Very attractive, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Shut the hell up.¡±


    ¡°I know some maids who might swoon for such a bold and powerful Knight as yourself, Sir Erec.¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I want to hear it?¡± Erec put on a scowl and stopped. <em>Are we really having this conversation in the middle of the sewers?</em> ¡°C¡¯mon, stop it. Let¡¯s focus on what matters.¡±


    ¡°How dutiful and attentive you are to your goals. I¡¯ll be sure to spread such rumors along,¡± Olivia¡­. Giggled? Yeah, she just giggled at him as he kept from looking at her. The truth was, he didn¡¯t have time for something like that, in fact¡­ He¡¯d never really considered it. Growing up, it¡¯d been a struggle to retain their family through all the trouble; then, he spent so long trying to catch up to Bedwyr.


    Where did love or romance fit in the heart of someone who wanted power?


    They rounded the corner, and Olivia let out a loud gasp.


    Standing in the middle of the sewer tunnel was Erec¡¯s Vallum Armor¡ªcovered in muck, with its back ting broken, the helmet dented, and various other concerning and certainly significant damage from the fight above. It wasn¡¯t in great condition, but then, he¡¯d passed his trial in Armor far closer to falling apart.


    [Long-time no see. Way to go intern!]


    ¡°Whoa!¡± Erec eximed, faking excitement as he ran to the Armor. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we found it!?¡±


    He inspected it¡ªor pretended to, trying to hem and haw and put on a false face. He acted as if this was a miracle, it blew his mind how lucky he was. How fortunate!


    Olivia didn¡¯t seem to buy what he was selling, but he gave his best anyway.


    She didn¡¯t press him on the way back on the <em>coincidence</em> of him finding it during their first scouting mission. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was more, or less, to be concerned about.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The next couple of days fell into a familiar routine, Erec would wake up, get in his Armor, then he and Olivia would forge into the sewers. Together, they mapped out a good mile of the winding sewers stretching out from their breach point. It was hard work, and eventually, they encountered an enemy.


    Olivia was more than capable of taking care of the rat-like monster alone. Which was good¡ªErec¡¯s wounds were recovering quicker than expected with a daily dose of treatment from the priests. They ran across a couple more she dispatched with ease throughout their scouting.


    The irony of them healing his wounds with a forbidden gun hidden away in a satchel out in the sewers wasn¡¯t lost on him.


    He left it just outside in the sewers and imed it was more practical to keep it there to avoid the risk of losing it in the chaos of the subway encampment. Olivia gave him that nod of hers, the nod that Erec quickly learned to mean was ¡®of course, Sir.¡¯ But it actually meant, ¡®I¡¯ll pretend to agree, even if I know that¡¯s not all there is to it.¡¯ Working in a noble house, especially a duchy, would mean that such a reaction and nod wasmonce for her.


    Or at least he imagined.


    The frustrating truth was that he couldn¡¯t know what was going on in that head of hers and what info she noted down to useter. It made him nervous. So he asked her questions to fill the silence.


    Namely, he pressed her about his friend and her intentions. To his surprise, when she spoke of Garin, there was only pure joy. His friend was a topic that she didn¡¯t seem to get enough of¡ªeven asking him about some of their adventures together as kids.


    They would return to eat and check in at lunch, then head back out.


    It was a good sign, or at least Erec assumed it was, that she had such a positive interest in Garin¡¯s history. She genuinely cared, which went a long way toward relieving him of the suspicion she was using his best friend.


    But he couldn¡¯t grasp her motives, and on the second day, when he asked after her employment and goals for working for the duchy, she got evasive and nomittal. Not outright denying any of the usations he threw out, but not answering them. And who was he to judge? He¡¯d lied to her again and again.


    They made it to the third day and discovered a better exit that took them further from the chaos above. It wasn¡¯t long on their way to return to everyone that themunicator buzzed.


    ¡°Barrier broken, spilling through¡ª¡° a tter of fighting and shouts.


    Old man Fulton¡¯s voice came through themunications, gravelly and grave. ¡°Knight Errants and above respond to the front line, provide support and prepare for an emergency retreat; we¡¯ll be going through the sewers a day earlier than expected. Initiates prepare to leave.¡±


    Erec shared a look with Olivia before they both sped back the way they¡¯de¡ªheaded right back to the encampment. He needed to show them the better route.


    He needed to get to the battlefield and fight.


    Erec shook his head as his metal boots mmed against the concrete, shoving him forward through space. It was like one of those old-world tales¡ªa siren¡¯s call. A sweet song, tempting him with the beauty of battle¡ªwhy did it grip him so? He couldn¡¯t afford to join the fighting, he was too injured, and they needed him to help direct people through the sewers.


    <em>Ignore it.</em>


    Ignore that fire inside; it didn¡¯t matter what the beast said from its cage, how it promised that the injuries weren¡¯t as big of a deal as he thought. How, if it lent him just an ounce of its power, he¡¯d have enough Strength to help save others.


    Have enough Strength to coat a tunnel in blood and stand on a pile of his enemy''s corpses.


    He¡¯d be a hero. A warrior of unparalleled might.


    <em>There¡¯s no such thing as heroes.</em>


    The gun clinked against his Armor as it swayed with his movements as he ran with a burst of speed down the tunnel, towards death and destruction.

 Chapter 59: End Approaches

    Chapter 59: End Approaches


    Erec and Olivia scrambled back through the subway system¡ªonly stopping when they met the Knights rushing out. Some had marks on their armor, torn pieces of steel hanging loose and fresh blood on their metal. The sound of fighting echoed not far behind, from the subway tracks and station itself.


    Most among those gathered were other initiates. That and the odd Knight Commander or Knight Lieutenant set to organize and distribute the supplies hurried out for transport.


    It was aplete evacuation.


    Erec stared past the worried initiates. Beyond them was a fight, a battlefield filled with death and foe. He caught a brief understanding from the conversations of the other initiates.


    It hadn¡¯t been the stone giants which broke through. No, the two monster encampments from beyond the city joined them. All of them merged into a single force; they timed an attack for when the barriers went down to recover and then overwhelmed the defenders.


    In a rare yet fascinating disy of tactics from the silent beasts, they targeted the Silver mes Knights capable of maintaining the barrier first.


    Over twenty knights perished in the swift and ferocious attack. Unable to hold off the stronger host.


    Injured were carried in and ready for transport as the priests worked to salvage the situation.


    Erec kept still as his ears focused on the noise. How many were dying out there? If only he could¡ª


    "Erec?" Colin asked, limping up. The Duke''s son''s left leg dragged across the ground, and a nasty gouge tore through the metal and severed the servos. It would slow him down, but considering they had Knights unable to walk, Colin was better off than them, at least.


    "Ah." Erec shook himself out of it and denied the beast its control. Olivia was twisting and turning next to him. "Where''s Garin? Is he safe?" Erec asked.


    "Indeed, he was with me during the evacuation; We fought off one of the Renders¡ªI believe that''s the term they used. Awful creatures, far too quick. One of the Knight Commanders kept crying about them being an ''ideal shock troop.''"


    "Right, good." Erec let out a sigh of relief. "How about Gwen?"


    Colin shrugged. "Could be here. But it''s not like I keep my eyes out for such a low-ss wench. She''s likely out here. We''re not allowed back in the subway system; they''re stalemating the monsters and n on copsing the tunnel."


    "Sir Erec," Olivia shook his shoulder. "I''ll locate Garin. You need to find whoever''s in charge of the retreat and inform them about our discovery."


    Erec nodded slowly. He ought to do that, even with the call of battle. Even knowing that in his current state, and with his current abilities, he was more likely to be a liability in that field than a help.


    It was better to be of use in a way that would help with their escape. With a nod of understanding to Colin, he sought out someone in charge.


    Dame Robin was the first person he came across; her thin armor contrasted the regr Vallum model in the order and made her easy to spot.


    "Ma''am," Erec strode up, nearer to the head of the tunnel. Robin paused as she looked at one of the Commanders, who excused her. The two returned to their logistic nning as Erec pulled her aside to deliver his report.


    As she swayed in her spot, Erec saw the same thing as he saw in Boldwick thest couple of days. That haunted presence clung to her, even though she maintained a facade of calmness to raise morale.


    Erec paused.


    And then considered.


    To be someone like Boldwick¡ªor her. Perhaps it was better to be someone who led and saved those below them, to help contribute in an emergency and direct their forces. His own goal brought an odd bit of guilt. He still wanted to lose himself in the wastnd and find his mother¡­


    Was that¡­ Just?


    Erec shook his head as the thought flitted like a bird, clearing his throat. There wasn''t time to dwell on such things, not right now.


    "We''ve located a better exit," Erec cut in, trying to keep the report brief. "Olivia utilized her prayer to confirm the exit to be safe."


    Dame Robin tilted her head. "Did you now? Why is it better than the one we''d mapped out previously? Boldwick mentioned such a task, but under these conditions, we need to be sure."


    "Mainly, it''s further away and far closer to the western outskirts. From here to it, ounting for the obstructions and twists in the sewers¡ª"Erec checked the visual disy on his Armor, scanning the helpful map VAL provided. In his head, he ran a quick estimation. "A total of six miles. Given the limited time scouts had and the tunnels'' nature, it makes sense why it''d be difficult to locate. It''ll take us to the surface a few miles from here¡ªlike I said, right at the western outskirts."


    "Which was further away from our enemies. Given they''ve merged at our position, it''s prudent to choose an exit which takes us the furthest away." Dame Robin nodded. "If your report is urate, it''ll provide much-needed breathing room from their ranks. Are you certain of this information?"


    ¡°I¡¯d stake my own life on it. I¡¯ll lead the way there and be the first to show you it¡¯s safe.¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Your word is enough; I don¡¯t require risking yourself. Coordinate with Dame Juliana. We¡¯ll be moving in five to ten minutes. You¡¯ll know because you¡¯ll hear the rubble copsing from above behind us.¡± Dame Robin paused, looking him up and down. ¡°¡­Look at you, Armor, a mess, and I know you¡¯re still injured under all that steel. Mayhaps Boldwick taught me to see like him, I see why he chose to take you under his wing. But never forget, you can¡¯t grow if you¡¯re dead.¡±


    Erec gave her a firm nod before running off. Finding Dame Juliana was a bit moreplicated. After exining to her, and Dame Robin¡¯s agreement, the Knight Commander, was receptive to his instructions. With the help of VAL¡¯s map, he gave her directions through the sewer tunnel.


    He only finished exining when he heard a loud explosion. The entire tunnel shook as a cascading crash came the subway connection.


    After a brief skirmish at their nk, the expedition fled down the sewer tunnels.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    A couple of hourster, the expedition burst out of the sewers and found themselves under that great blue sky. After days trapped underground, Erec felt a flush of exhration. The fear and worry aside, this¡ªthis was why he became a Knight. They worked quickly to haul the supplies to the surface as scouts scanned the nearby area.


    Once more, they¡¯d transitioned to a smooth operation after an emergency.


    But as Olivia¡¯s prayer showed, this location was fairly safe. Right near the outskirts of the city, an ideal point to flee into the wastnds.


    Boldwick¡¯s voice called above the growing crowd at the surface as all of the supplies were divided for transport. The scout must have given him the clear. He took position on a pile of rubble so everyone could see him point at the vastndscape of dust and dirt, right at the wastnd. ¡°Get moving, go!¡±


    With that abrupt call to action, everyone got to moving. A long train of injured, damaged, and still functional Knights ying nk, trod into the wastes. Erec carried two bags¡ªdespite his injuries, he managed it with minimal pain. They were emergency supplies.


    Boldwick pushed them at a fast pace.


    But a mile out, the march came to a halt.


    Hushed whispers dominated the deands as Boldwick stared at the city of Worth, as they all stared at the abandoned old-world city.


    Even with his lower level of perception, Erec knew what he was staring at. Miles sat between them and that thing. Yet its pure hate hung in the air, choking his lungs like dust from a storm.


    A massive glowing white stag perched on the top of a building on the city''s outskirts; Its long antlers stretched ten to fifteen feet from its head¡ªthrice the size of a mute-stag. The sun almost blinded his eyes as it reflected off a pure white coat. Even if he couldn''t see it from here, he felt those blood-red orbs trained on their expedition.


    "It''s real," Erec said, his voice filled with an awed horror.


    Monsters spilled free into the city''s outskirts as it gazed at them. From this distance, the Stone Giants were the clearest¡ªbut the quickest were four-legged dots kicking up dust as they ran towards them.


    There were only a few miles of distance between them and an approaching army of horrors; their enemy rushed across the wastnd to tear them apart. A silent army of death, with the White Stag overlooking it all. Cold fear ran through Erec, tempering the excitement of battle with absolute certainty that against that force, they would die.


    "March!" Boldwick screamed, his voice hoarse as he pointed in the opposite direction. "Keep marching until your lungs scream, and then march more! We won''t be stopping until we reach our allies! Move it!"


    With that, Knights broke out into jogs the strongest¡ªcarrying stretchers between them and shifting positions as they began a full-scale run into the barren and deadly wastes. Though, as they dropped packages of supplies to increase speed¡ªit was as if they were running from certain death to uncertain death.


    The brutal wastnd loved to kill unprepared Knights. If they didn''t find their allies¡­


    Boldwick had made a decision that left their lives on the line. They''d die if they got lost¡ªif they couldn''t keep outside of the Monster''s reach.


    Erec tried to keep his head clear, but he couldn''t help but keep ncing over his shoulder as they moved.


    It was impossible to look away from that staggeringly beautiful stag. As if his mind was pulled toward it. He wasn''t the only one who couldn''t help but take a second look, even if it meant seeing the host of vicious monsters determined to ughter them.

 Chapter 60: Caesar

    Chapter 60: Caesar


    <em>¡°Correus, meanwhile, was far from crushed by this disaster, and could not be persuaded to leave battle or take refuge in the woods, nor to take up the opportunity of surrender which we were offering. Rather, he fought with great courage and wounded many, thus provoking the anger of his conquerors and forcing them to cast their weapons against him.</em>


    <em>Such was the character of fighting¡­¡± </em>


    <em>- Julius Caesar, The Gallic War (Unknown, 1st Era)</em>


    With monsters nipping at their heels, the expedition marched full-paced into the night. Boldwick led the flight, constantly checking hispass as they moved, trying to calcte their bearing. Setting up long-rangemunication on the run wasn¡¯t feasible. Their only option was to try to intersect thest known coordinates of their relief.


    They¡¯d out-sped the stone creatures, yet two different sets of monsters still chased them. As was typical with monsters from a Rift, their appearances tended to fit together. It was uncanny in a way, like how one could tell that a human and a squirrel came from the same ce, an instinctual identification. Their different worlds lent to vastly different appearances. Yet this coordination between monsters was unheard of.


    As was theirmonality in their silence, no howls, no whines, no growling; they moved with a haunting quiet as they attacked.


    The Renders were the biggest threats¡ªrunning on four legs, their veiny skinced in awork of wires and pointed des jabbing free from their back.


    They were the fastest, and that speed was deadly.


    When a pack of them approached, a Knight broke off to fend off the terrors.


    But it was a careful act. The awful things had to be ughtered quickly, or more packs would join the fray. If a Knight got overwhelmed, they¡¯d get dragged into fighting with more Monsters¡ªuntil they met their demise.


    One by one, sacrifice by sacrifice, a handful of Knights went out this way to cover their retreat. Tearing into the main host of enemies tog them behind just a bit longer.


    Heroes. Or corpses.


    In the moment, it was hard to make that call.


    One of the Master Knights maintained a position on the nk¡ªand for his part, held it up fine; as the night wore on and more miles flew under their feet, reality sank in.


    These things would never give up. There was no retreat, as they¡¯d never grow bored. It wouldn¡¯t stop until they left everyst human here rotting on the wastnd, or they¡¯d killed each one of these terrors.


    Erec pressed ahead with Colin limping next to him; the boy¡¯s leg degraded further as they went. The two maintained a position in the middle of the pack, despite the injuries and malfunctioning Armor. Whenever Colin¡¯s servos acted up too heavily, Erec would yank him along.


    The packs they¡¯d started with were long since tossed to the ground; this necessary and rash n was so far working in minimizing casualties.


    Due to their flight, they kept ahead of the host of monsters, limited the skirmishing, and widened a gap before the main host of enemies would crash against them.


    But the good news ended there.


    As the night stretched, the frustration, exhaustion, and morale loss took their toll. They moved slower. The Render attacks grew more frequent as the fast-moving creatures caught up.


    ¡°Keep going,¡± Erec yelled to Colin as his friend¡¯s leg sparked and spasmed.


    ¡°Dammit, all!¡± Colin screamed, dragging the metal and leaving a gouged-out streak of dirt. ¡°This is it; it¡¯s gone!¡±


    Erec paused as Knights rushed by; he took in as much air as possible while examining the sparking limb. The damage without a proper patch job was too much. After all the running, it must¡¯ve reached a critical failure point. There was only one option.


    [Well done, intern, you¡¯ve diagnosed its state without me running an assessment!]


    <em>d you agree. </em>If nothing else, it made his next demand easier to voice. ¡°Abandon your Armor.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Colin asked, fear in his voice. ¡°Do you know how much my father paid¡ª¡°


    ¡°Would you rather die?¡± Erec said, feeling sweat dripping down his face. Despite the cooling system, the insides of his Armor felt like a fire pit.


    ¡°I¡ªI¡ª¡° Colin hesitated. Too long. Erec went over and yanked at his helmet¡ªthrowing every bit of his strength into the act. He had to use both of his hands. Painnced through his left shoulder, but it¡¯d recovered enough to let him leverage it for this, surely. To counter that intense pain¡ªhe let a bit of that anger through, let the fire inside of him ignite, coaxing it along with that cold anger.


    Just a taste of Fury.


    The helmet ripped free, and he threw it into the wastnd. Another discarded piece of tech to join the many others buried in this one world.


    ¡°One piece gone. Easy. Take off the rest. I¡¯ll protect you. Stay next to me.¡± Erec promised, rotating his shoulder as Fury slipped back to rest. It hurt. Bad. But he¡¯d made his point; it¡¯d pushed Colin past the breaking point and took his decision away.


    Colin left his Armor¡ªleaving him in his Academy clothes, minus the jacket. His hair was disheveled, his face red and coated in a thinyer of sweat. Erec pped him on the shoulder once, watching as he retrieved his sword from the discarded Armor.


    Better to abandon that than end up dead on the de of a Render. Colin¡¯s face was grave as he looked at Erec¡ªat his arm.


    ¡°T-thank you, but I don¡¯t believe you should¡¯ve done that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Erec lied.


    During the hectic march, this wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d burned little bits of Fury to keep going. Before now, he¡¯d never thought such a thing possible, but the pain and exhaustion from his healing wounds were dragging him back. And that feeling held no importance now¡ªhe needed Strength.


    Fury lent it to him. And inbination with VAL carefully monitoring him and administering low levels of sedative when he let a little bit of that inner fire ze, he could keep moving.


    ¡°Ready to keep going?¡± Erec asked as more boots marched past. They¡¯d fallen behind, and the end of the line was rapidly approaching.


    Colin nodded.


    With that, they took off¡ªpushing hard to catch back up, not to be left behind.


    Erec¡¯s eyes drifted above as he ran;nding on that sea of stars which watched from on high, a pretty painting across the dark sky. Somewhere up there, did the Goddess watch on with passive eyes as her people struggled for their lives?


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Dawn brought with it hope. As the sun rose to the sky, it illuminated in the distance their salvation. Not more than a few miles away were pirs of smoke.


    As they closed the distance, they saw a host of Knights with steel wagons circled together and in a farrger number than the expedition. Heraldry of every sort dominated the gathering. The scouts were already shouting and warning one another as the expedition ran straight towards their fortification.


    They came with a swarm of Renders.


    Almost like a dream, Erec passed into the encampment. He struggled for breath as he watched the Knights join the fray against the now-constant fighting at their nk. shes of magic, swings of des, and blood flew free in a grand melee not far behind.


    Their freshly rested support engaged the monsters; Knights from their Order and the rest united as one to fend off the beasts.


    Like the rest of the expedition, Erec was escorted deeper into the encampment.


    Colin panted to his side. They were safe. But the fighting would continue and only worsen as the main force of the enemies caught up. They had gained a few hours of reprieve before the true battle.


    Garin and Olivia spotted them in a few minutes, followed by Gwen. Everyone was safe¡ªthough Garin had a nasty gash across his chest. But there was no blood.


    There wasn¡¯t much time to rest. Commander Knights came and directed them to gulp down water and eat¡ªonly half an hour to regather their strength as the leaders of both expeditions convened.


    Not long after, more orders came.


    Healthy Knights, like Garin and Olivia, got yanked away to construct fortifications for theing battle.


    Those wounded and without Armor¡ªlike Erec and Colin, were tasked with managing supply lines and assisting the injured. A backline position.


    But, Erec supposed it to be prudent.


    In short order, his hands were full. He provided aid to the injury tents, taking orders from the priests as they scrambled to stabilize the newly wounded, and helped gather supplies for those moved during the travel.


    The priests divided the tents unevenly. With most of the priests smashed together in thergest one. Within its linen walls, blood flew, and they worked to close dire wounds and perform emergency surgery to stabilize Knights. Most healing prayers required the recipient to be stable so they could withstand the increased pain.


    If they weren¡¯t, they risked falling into shock. And if healed improperly, there was a chance of causing disability.


    He drifted between tents, hauling water, food, and medicine, and marveled at the difference of this world. How even here, chaos dominated, and people died. This was a different fight, yet he found peace in the task. He could help people.


    Erec paused at the back of one of the most stable tents, watching a priest softly chant over a stilled Knight. Everyone here was going to be fine, and live, thanks to the healing and the efforts of those to haul them across the wastnd.


    As much as his mind told him this was good, that he was doing good. It felt wrong.


    He was away from the fighting.


    Garin and Olivia risked their lives to build defenses somewhere near that wall. Here he was, wounded, sure, but in fine enough shape to provide more direct support. Every second here stabbed at his nerves¡ªevery time that priest asked him to get more bandages¡ªit was annoying.


    [Quit using Fury, there¡¯s no reason to anymore.]


    Erec exhaled.


    Sure enough, the fire was burning inside. Low and smoldering. He hadn¡¯t even realized he¡¯d started to pull from it again. Erec smothered it out, his shoulder drooping as the pain sank back in.


    <em>I¡¯m losing it.</em>


    Alister groaned on the ground, shuffling to look at Erec and give him a sloppy grin as he returned with a pack of rations. ¡°Aw, shucks. Getting my meals delivered to me by my junior. Way it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± He shifted, leaning up.


    The priest tended to a man in the corner; they''d stuffed this tent with those transported from Worth. Too injured to walk around and assist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get used to it. Get better, alright?¡± Erec said, opening the pack of rations and setting it in Alister¡¯s hand. A cold stew of some kind. Rich in nutrients and likely better than most to help injuries recover.


    Erec¡¯s shoulder red with pain, and he grit his teeth. He fought back the instinct to call forth Fury again. Healing, stress, and pushing himself would likely dy the time it¡¯d take for it to recoverpletely. But so be it.


    Once they made it free from this hell, he¡¯d have all the time he needed to get back to normal.


    They¡¯d found what they sought. The White Stag revealed itself; none could deny that every person in their expedition confirmed its appearance.


    Nor could they quickly wave away its connection to those silent monsters.


    [Hatchet!]


    A w tore through the side of the tent¡ªa Render crashed through the thin fabric, a de shooting out of its right foreleg and jabbing into the chest of one of the sleeping Knights, painting the sand below red. They choked on their own blood as it spun away.


    A secondter, its metallic de tore out another man''s throat, moving quickly enough for its form to blur.


    Erec¡¯s hatchet met his hand as Colin turned into the tent.

 Chapter 61: Confrontation

    Chapter 61: Confrontation


    The intruder''s bloodied maw wrinkled as it sniffed the air¡ªthis close, it was easy to see its vaguely dog-like stature. If one ignored the almost vein-like wires jabbing into its throat and jaw or the steel des jutting out from its back.


    Its strained, bloodshot eyes were forcibly held open by pins jabbed into their lids. For a half-second, it took in Erec and then shifted its attention to Colin.


    Who''d frozen near the entryway.


    Then it lept at him.


    Erec yanked his hatchet free and threw himself between the monster and his friend. A de snapped out of one of its iling legs. Triggered by a pulse of one of those veins jabbed in it¡ªthe unnaturally sharp weapon ripped through his Armor and into his left arm.


    The beast¡¯s maw snapped in his face. Those jagged metal teeth, a row of daggers, a single bite would tear through him. Erec swung his hatchet into the Render¡¯s side as he felt heat flush through him and bleed from the tear in his already wounded arm.


    With a new gash, the Render managed to flip through the air. Itnded carefully as a trail of oil and blood leaked from its nk. Even with the wound, it didn¡¯t whine. There were no sounds. As if it didn¡¯t feel the pain, the monstrosity disyed not a single care; a secondter, it threw itself at Erec again.


    A thin white barrier of light popped into existence between him and the Render. Dimly, Erec heard the priest dive into prayer. As the monster¡¯s de mmed into the light, the whole creature slowed.


    The tip of that weapon was moving slowly toward his skull. Without the aid, it would¡¯ve ended him.


    How dare it.


    Erec bit his lip¡ªblood ran down as fire ripped through him, as he let Fury go. The monster wasn¡¯t the only one who didn¡¯t need pain.


    He whipped the hatchet into the creature¡¯s exposed stomach, and the force of the blow threw it clear from the barrier. It tumbled over itself as it hit the ground, soaring past the priest and staining dirt with more blood and oil.


    <em>Not enough.</em>


    Erec closed the distance in an instant, snapping all of his strength through his heel into the ground to throw him. With an overhead swing, he buried the hatchet into the Render¡¯s skull.


    It was enough to end it. The monster went limp, blood poured free. Erecughed, basking in his victory.


    ¡°H-holy shit.¡± Colin said, looking at the corpse of the two lost Knights. Alister struggled to his feet, taking raspy breaths as the priest made a sign over their chest. ¡°How did one of them¡ª¡°


    More noises outside. Chaos.


    The battle had begun in earnest, it seemed. Erec¡¯s body shuddered as Fury waned as the machine in his head and that cold fire eased him.


    His arm burned. The gashes bled, and he felt weak.


    [Noncritical. That wound will mend with the shoulder, however, get that priest to¡ª]


    Another Render joined them in the tent¡ªfollowed by a second.


    The first one moved like a predator. From the moment it entered the space, it set its eyes on a victim and pounced before Erec could call Fury back and before the priest could say a word.


    Blood coated the tent as its foreleg jabbed a de through Alister¡¯s gut. The knight copsed, his jawnding on the des on the monster¡¯s back as his guts spilled on the ground.


    Crimson, deep ruby red blood pooled beneath him as he took hisst breath. Colin formed a glyph, falling back to magic, but it was too slow.


    It only took a second to steal a life.


    The priest screamed and fell back as far as he could, trying to put distance between himself and the monsters.


    If nothing happened, they¡¯d die. Hell surged through Erec¡¯s veins. Time slowed as Erec watched the second monster start to pick a target. Alister¡¯s eyes lost their gloss as the beast began to shake him free.


    VAL tried to fire off a dozen instructions, none of them relevant.


    No, Erec wouldn¡¯t run.


    No. This was his fight.


    The fire burned him away, consuming his life just as the monster took away Alister¡¯s, leaving nothing but ash. He weed it, gave it everything.


    Erec threw his hatchet through the air, nailing the monster that killed Alister. It swayed in its spot with the handle sticking out of it, convulsing as it slumped to the ground.


    The other one didn¡¯t wait; it jumped through the air right as Colin did; there wasn¡¯t time for the glyph toplete. Without Armor, Colin would die, just like Alister.


    Without thinking, Erec yanked the gun from his satchel free. Aiming it was easy. Pulling the trigger easier.


    A bang rang through the tent as the walls expanded from the burst of force. The monster exploded in the middle of the air¡ªguts, and giblets flying freely to coat everyone inside with blood and gore.


    Another came into the tent.


    Easy problem. Erec pulled the trigger again; the pitiful thing evaporated into meat paste.


    Erec lowered the gun as Colin and the priest stared at him, their eyes wide open. Their jaws hung. He calmly walked over to the corpse of the monster that mangled Alister and pulled the hatchet free from its skull with one jerk. One of its des was still popped out from its leg¡ªa free weapon. Erec mmed the hatchet into the joint and tore the fleshy de free.


    A fine enough weapon. Not an axe. Not quite a sword. It would work to paint everything in blood.


    Inside, the hell raged uncontested, no voice to argue against it, burning in both hot and cold. It¡¯d won. He¡¯d given everything to it, and if it incinerated him at the end, it¡¯d be fine if he took enough demons with him.


    [Oh my buckeroo! We¡¯ve crossed a line, haven¡¯t we?]


    ¡°E-erec?!¡± Colin said.


    ¡°Hide. The weak hide.¡± Erec growled, the Render¡¯s jagged de trailing across the dirt.


    The priest stared at him as he threw the gun at Colin. For a second, Colin juggled the weapon, nearly dropping it. Erec turned away before he could see since it didn¡¯t matter.


    They weren¡¯t strong enough, but he could be.


    Erec threw the tent wide open.


    Hell had broken out over the entirety of the encampment. Less than a mile away, air twisted and flowed. A rend in reality itself distorted light and tore a hole through the world. Light and shadow mingled on its twisted surface, a broken gradient around its jagged and cracked border. A rift. The hole that connected their world to another, this one was roughly the size of a building.


    Renders left it by the dozen, given free reign to attack the encampment as they rushed past defenders strained to protect two nks.


    Good. More to kill.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Blood. Glorious blood. Every swing of this de brought more as it sliced through the Renders. Each move drew more Strength, pushing past anything he''d felt. The power was intoxicating, capacity only a figment of the imagination. It didn''t matter if you let it all burn away.


    Fury was boundless Strength.


    When had he lost sight of that? Why had he wanted anything else?


    It only promised more the more he drew from that neverending well in hell.


    Fire flooded his veins, bodies left in a haphazard path behind him.


    A Render attacked from the top of a steel wagon; Erec stepped aside smoothly, then tore the de through the thing''s underside with azy sh. Its body split as two hunks of meatnded on either side of him.


    Erecughed, turning around and flinging his hatchet at the thing''s friend, splitting through its skull and halfway through its body in one smooth motion.


    Another blinking notification popped into existence in the corner of his vision. They were unimportant and came intermittently as he fought. Thest two hours flew by in a ze of fun. When his body began to shake, more fire came from within to replenish his veins.


    The voice in his head did all it could to keep him going, but why bother?


    Even if his left arm was harder to use, he''d adapted. There wasn''t pain, not even when he took a stab.


    Erec tore through the battlefield in a glorious dance, each new Render a new partner to join him on the stage. They put on a show, an ode to life and death. Every swing of his de a new move, every dead partner a new song. If his de grew dull, as they were prone to do after a couple of kills, he hacked another one free from hisst partner.


    How kind of them to provide for the show.


    Each of their stabs, every time one shredded through his Armor, encouragement. He could hear the demons below apuse as the blood poured from him.


    A good dancer knew how to share the stage.


    Around him, Knights pushed forward in their own desperate battles; they gave their all, even their lives, to stave off this infestation.


    In the distance, a small team fought to get to the Rift. On the other side of the camp, more fought to repel the beasts'' main army. A brutal and supremely beautiful battle.


    Corpses decorated the wastes as they had, as they always would.


    Erec recovered his hatchet and kicked the dead creature it''d been buried in. The limp body flew into a steel wagon.


    "Erec?" A distantly familiar voice asked. It was a man with arge sword held easily on his shoulder. They''d painted their Armor with as much blood as Erec''s own, even if it was sleeker. "Is that you?"


    Erec didn¡¯t respond. A new Render darted by; they were fast little bastards. But the more he¡¯d fought against them, the faster he got it. Their speed was a part of the dance. He tossed the hatchet again, skimming past the vaguely familiar Knight to tear off one of the monster¡¯s legs.


    The Render crashed into the ground, flipping from the speed.


    In an instant, Erec was on it. His stolen de jabbed through the beast¡¯s chest, though, this time, it was harder to push through. Damn de. It twitched beneath him as it died; Erec lopped off a new weapon to hurry it along to hell.


    ¡°By the Goddess. You fight like a beast.¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Erec growled, annoyed. Their voice was too much. Why all the talking? There was more battle all around them.


    The Knight, for their part, didn¡¯t protest. Instead, they joined him. Erec tore into more monsters¡ªpickingrger battles with an ally fighting at his side. Their great big sword flung through the air and moved with surprising agility for such a bulky weapon. They fought in a simr manner, switching like water as they flowed smoothly between prayer, magic, and raw strength.


    Without any hesitation, they swapped their fighting for each situation.


    Incredible. Such raw potential for fighting; in a way, that natural instinct for efficient fighting rang in Erec¡¯s burning heart. It drew him out further as he burned away.


    The Knight adapted when Erec pressed the assault¡ª always at his side, keeping pace in a way few others could. It was like having another weapon to use.


    When heshed out, they defended. When Erec yanked another limb free from one of the monsters, they killed another.


    Someone else who understood the glory of battle. A silent understanding formed as they gave up the pretense of talking and joined him in war. Even as Erec raged, he saw something wonderful.


    There was someone else who understood how to kill.


    How to ughter.


    They knew the pure joy of crushing these thingspletely.


    In the distance, the Rift shook, its tears retreating as the host of Knights sent out to contain it did their job. With man''s might, the tear to another world was forcibly closed. No new Renders would be joining this attack.


    All that was left was killing the survivors.

 Chapter 62: Discipline And Sin

    Chapter 62: Discipline And Sin


    <em>¡°One of the first things required for proper enfolding within our Order is establishing the four disciplines in our youth.</em>


    <em>Discipline to self.</em>


    <em>Discipline to those above.</em>


    <em>Discipline to the Church.</em>


    <em>Discipline to the Goddess.</em>


    <em>It often takes far too long for our initiates to understand each of these as they need to. They must live and breathe these values, to live a virtuous life.¡± </em>


    <em>- Grandmaster mes, Speech To Faculty (301, 3rd Era)</em>


    A few hours after the Rift closed, the assault ended.


    Bedwyr dragged Erec along; he shook in his shredded Armor. Held on with a thin trace of consciousness of life, but only that. A dim spark persisted through the blood loss, burning everything away for power.


    Rows of dead lined the outskirts of the encampment. The monsters ughtered over a hundred Knights in the fighting, despite the presence of multiple Master Knights. The surprise Rift and speed of the Renders invading their backline caused an unprecedented loss.


    Erec dimly saw a priest take control of his wellbeing¡ªa man with haunted eyes and a trace of fear as he looked at him.


    Then, he slipped into blissful darkness.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    [A day away.]


    VAL¡¯s voice came in and out of his mind. Brief shes of lucidity as he drifted between unconsciousness and awareness. He saw the priest gaze at him with concern, running their thumb over their holy pendant¡ªOften he saw Garin at his side. Once, even Bedwyr.


    [Wake up.]


    Ah, but the dreams.


    They kept calling him.


    In them, he walked a long trail with an axe in hand. To either side came horrors; he¡¯d kill, maim, and dismember. With each step, more death was left behind, filling in the trail with a long line of corpses in his wake. Miles, all of it under a red sky. At the end of the path was a White Stag. It''s hateful eyes witnessing. Watching. Let it see. Watch him kill another.


    [Wake up.]


    He was almost to the creature. To the ughterer. Would it like the taste of his axe? He wanted to bathe in its blood.


    [GET UP]


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    His body convulsed as a shock ran through it; Erec¡¯s eyes rolled to the back of his head as sweet air flooded his lungs. Everything shook; he was draped in a white cloth, and the air stank of death.


    Erec pushed his way up in the bedroll¡ªeverything hurt. His whole body was in pain, and about a third of him was wrapped in bandages stained with dirt and blood; a priest stared at him, their dark eyes mysterious as they stared into his soul. Erec let out a wracking cough; his vision blurred for a second before focusing on the man as his memories returned.


    He¡¯d watched Alister die.


    The image stained his mind as he watched the monster tear through the helpless Knight Errant.


    This man had been there too.


    ¡°You¡¯ve used a heretic¡¯s weapon,¡± the man whispered, his voice scratchy, the noise of it almost unfamiliar; his fingers shook as he clutched a chain. A small silver pendant of a me swung below.


    All Erec¡¯d heard in his dreams was the sound of his own heart. That constant beat of blood. He stared at the other man, letting himselfe back together. On one level, he understood the words, yet they drifted by like smoke from a fire.


    Fury¡¯d never been like that before. It¡¯d never <em>truly </em>consumed him so utterly.


    ¡°I did.¡± Erec got out after puzzling over thenguage; there wasn¡¯t a point in denying it. Would he, too, be exiled? He¡¯d gotten revenge. He¡¯d saved Colin.


    More of him came back at that revtion.


    <em>Ah, shit. Did I get the Duke¡¯s son exiled too?</em>


    The irony there almost made himugh. He pictured that old general¡¯s face when he heard that the kid he¡¯d bullied into befriending his son dragged his son into exile with him.


    Tragically hrious.


    At least he¡¯d have goodpany.


    ¡°You saved us.¡± The priest said, eventually, pulling the hood of his robe down. His iris'' were silver¡ªa sign he¡¯d been part of the clergy for quite some time. ¡°For that, I am grateful. Yet, how is it I handle such a grievous sin?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Erec asked, shaking his head the slightest bit. He didn¡¯t feel like himself, didn¡¯t feel quite right. It wasing back together, but it felt like something was missing; this conversation should make him worry and scared. But, it was hard to care.


    Not after seeing such a ughter, such death. Such a glorious fight.


    Did burning away take him to hell? Was that beast now forever free from its cage?


    ¡°Gregory,¡± The man lowered his head. ¡°After your intervention, we dragged the two survivors away¡ªthat boy, he never fired the gun. If he had, it would make things moreplicated.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Well, good for Colin. Erec¡¯s mind still swam; everything¡­ seemed fake. Not as visceral as the trail of death. The care slipped further.


    <em>Care. You¡¯re more then a beast.</em>


    The thought stabbed into his head with a re of cold. He winced and leaned forward, gasping.


    ¡°Stay still; you¡¯re heavily injured. Tomorrow we¡¯ll be back within the walls, and you¡¯ll be blessed with further treatment.¡±


    ¡°Not going to exile me?¡± Erec said between clenched teeth.


    ¡°I¡­ Such a thing seems drenched in dishonor.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t aware priests had an honor code.¡±


    ¡°The Cardinal ims faith is above all¡ªunapproachable, in your service to the Goddess. To serve the cardinal¡¯s will, and therefore Hers, is to be divine.¡± Gregory lowered his head. ¡°The wicked should be cast out, for they are not divine. But, every day, I must eat. Every day I mayy in my bed and resist the urge to stay therein. How can I cast out another man who has saved my life?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ll sin too?¡±


    ¡°There are moments a man must choose. I am a man, not divine, like Her or the Cardinal.¡± Gregory shook his head. ¡°You saved lives with your sin. So, I too shall save a life with one of my own.¡±


    Erec looked at the roof of the healing tent¡ªwondering what the night sky outside looked like. Would it be at peace after all the war? Would the people out there be grave and grim after such a battle?


    <em>My friends.</em>


    Another cold stab as his body shook.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The priest nodded, standing up. ¡°I¡¯ve burned the weapon after the battle. May her judgment of you on yourst day be favorable, as I do so pray it shall be for me. There are a few who were waiting for your recovery. I was uncertain if you would for quite a long time. But I believe you to be safe. I shall go inform them of your consciousness.¡±


    Erec nodded, trying to quell the tangle of his heart.


    There was a sh of fire in him, doused with more cold. His very insides waged war¡ªthat fight was unlike any before. It loosed a part of him under check. He kept thinking about Alister¡ªwatching that de jam into the man.


    Never would he hear that man¡¯s voice again, never to learn what he wanted to teach. That numbness of loss sank deeply as Erec pulled up the notifications to distract himself.


    Strength Advancement: Rank E - Tier 8 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 1


    Vigor Advancement: Rank E - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 3


    Agility Advancement: Rank E - Tier 2 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 3


    Perception Advancement: Rank E - Tier 2 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 4


    <em>¡°¡­</em>How is that possible¡ª¡°


    [So you¡¯ve noticed.]


    Erec stared nkly at the notifications filling his vision. That sort of advancement¡ªso quick, it should¡¯ve been impossible. He couldn¡¯t recall the number of monsters he slew; that battle flowed in one continuous dance, all of the death blended together in a tapestry of pain and blood. During it, he¡¯d broken past another bottleneck and leaped ahead on several other Virtues. No matter how he looked at it, that sort of progress was¡­ inhuman.


    [I suspected this, but after thisst¡­ full-scale meltdown, let''s call it, I¡¯ve confirmed my fear. The lengths that Fury pushes your body to force abnormal growth to keep pace. Given the nature of this anomalous energy, the strain only increases with your power. To exin it best, let¡¯s use an analogy. Consider your body a sk. When you train regrly, you expend the water in the sk, and it refills with rest. That isn¡¯t how it works with Fury. Instead, Fury essentially makes water spew from inside the sk out of nowhere¡ªto the point where the pressure of that water cracks the ss, over and over.]


    ¡°¡­What are you saying?¡±


    [Given enough time, your body will mend, and the ss will heal. Stronger and more tempered than before, sure. But, rapid uses in session too close together are bound to cause that sk to shatterpletely.]


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡° Erec winced as he moved, his body convulsing.


    [However, I¡¯d assumed there was a natural limiter. That the risk was with rapid use in session. As we learned, that is not quite the case. It kepting even as you copsed from blood loss. So, it seems there are more risks than predicted. It¡¯s hard to say if it was triggered by the over reliance beforehand or some unknown mechanism. But, all the same, the ss almost exploded.]


    Erec took a racking breath, coughing as his body began to shake; cold sweat drenched his forehead.


    [Technically, I suppose you did die. Both from the wounds and your body tearing itself apart internally. Only now has your body been strained past its breaking point. Yet, have no fear. VAL is here. Your health care package will cover this free of charge.]


    Erec coughed blood onto his hand, his body shuddering.


    [In short, buckeroo, you need to learn to slow down, or you¡¯re going to break down and die. At this pace, you¡¯ll fly off a cliff from which simple cardioversion will not bring you back.]


    For a long moment, Erec stared at his palm; his body convulsed and shivered, hot and cold waves as it tore itself apart from the inside. Burning just a bit of Fury would take that away¡ªhe knew it would. But if it did, in the end, he¡¯d be worse off if he understood VAL correctly.


    Dear Goddess, what had he gotten into?


    Bedwyr strode into the tent, his eyes lighting up as he saw his brother.

 Chapter 63: Brotherhood

    Chapter 63: Brotherhood


    ¡°You¡¯re much better off than when Ist visited, thank the Goddess,¡± Bedwyr said, striding over to Erec¡¯s side. Erec winced as he looked up at his brother¡ªstill wearing Armor. But then, he supposed, everyone would be. Now that everyone knew the White Stag was out there, there wouldn''t be another slip of their guard.


    At least, not until they got back inside those giant steel walls. Even then, anyone who saw the horrible monster wouldn¡¯t sleep easy.


    Erec¡¯s head spun, and he closed his eyes. Not responding to his brother for a moment. Hatred red at the very sight of him; was it his, or was it the beast inside? Or the Stag? It felt like that monster pranced in his mind with the freedom VAL had.


    For so long, his ability to retreat to solitude had been stripped away, and he¡¯d epted it bit by bit.


    Where had the fight gone? Was the constant exhaustion enough to bury it deep in him?


    There was a stale smell in the air, mixed with sour herbal poultice and the faint scent of sweat. Awful. He wanted out of this tent to be free beneath the great blue sky again, an endless blue that stripped him of these toxic thoughts and made him feel like more.


    ¡°Erec?¡± Bedwyr asked; his brother had gone off on some tangent, but the words were only a buzz in Erec¡¯s ears. Focusing on his brother again, he discretely wiped the blood on his palm on the underside of the sheet, better for Bedwyr not to see. With enough time, Erec would be back to normal. No one, especially not his brother, needed to know how close to the edge Fury had taken him.


    ¡°What is it you want?¡± Erec hung his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t you see? d you checked up.¡±


    ¡°Where did you learn to lie like that? Father?¡± Bedwyr sat next to him, taking his helmet off in one smooth motion. With a steely gaze, he held Erec¡¯s eyes. An easy focus point when everything else was so blurry. ¡°I saw you fight, Erec. We fought together. Do you remember that?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± How could he forget the feeling? The pure euphoria of another dedicated warrior, though at the time it was impossible to recognize him as his brother¡ªErec shook his head, letting the thoughts drift away. It¡¯d take time toe back together, but he should be grateful that it was still a possibility. ¡°You fight well. I see why you¡¯re popr.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you got from that? Goddess above, Erec. You shouldn¡¯t have been capable of fighting like that; seeing you like that made me think you were almost a monster in Armor. Aside from me, I don¡¯t recall anyone on that level in my first year¡ª¡°


    ¡°Ah, aside from you.¡±


    ¡°Well, my circumstances are special.¡± Bedwyr frowned, his eyes flickering to Erec¡¯s wounds. ¡°¡­Though, to fight on that level, you paid a price.¡±


    ¡°We all do, in some way, don¡¯t we, Bedwyr? Everyone except you.¡± The words came out as his head lulled and his vision dulled.


    <em>Slipping away. </em>


    <em>I¡¯m¡­</em>


    ¡°¡­Erec, is that truly what you think of me?¡± The soft-spoken words from his brother were like an anchor to grip onto, a fight to keep him back on track. His fingers clenched the sheet as his knuckles went white.


    ¡°What else is there to think? My whole life, you were always moving two steps ahead for every one I took¡ªalways with a smile and friends at your side,¡±


    Erec set a palm on his head as his skull throbbed, it wasn¡¯t right to pick a fight here, and he knew that. But the words kepting out, the resentment spilling free as much as the beast inside did when he let it loose from his cage; it was the only thing allowing him to keep ahold of this moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± Bedwyr¡¯s gauntlet caught Erec¡¯s wrist, freeing his grip on the sheet; the steel was cold, but the grip loose and more a gesture of kinship. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that to you, to make you feel that way. I wanted to provide for our family, to use what I have to bring us back to a ce of standing.¡±


    ¡°Ah, your grand ns for the future?¡± Erec asked, pulling his wrist free and breaking that physical contact.


    ¡°I wanted to allow you to do something you were passionate about below, somewhere safe. Maybe use my standing to let you marry a nice girl from the lower courts and let you build a life without the stigma of our name.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I wanted.¡±


    ¡°I know that now. Anyone who watched you fight like that would know it¡ªyou aren¡¯t meant for that kind of life, just like I wasn¡¯t.¡± Bedwyr took a deep sigh.


    ¡°What life are you meant for? Why are you always so damn certain!? That¡ªmore than everything, that deep-set confidence that you can fix everyone¡¯s problems and do everything, it pisses me off!¡± Erec¡¯s spine jerked straight; his hand hit against the dirt next to him¡ªhe winced from the pain but fought off the sudden urge to call Fury. It''d be over if he let go of that discipline for a single moment.


    ¡°We¡¯re more alike than you think. I, too, possess a Divine Talent that would¡¯ve never allowed for that peace. It seared into me after Mom left. With power bestowed by Her, we are responsible for using it for those around us.¡±


    ¡°And just what is this power of yours?¡± Erec grit his teeth. This was it, huh? Was this the reason it was unfair? Because of that damned bitch in the sky? She got to decide who was better, who got to be a beast, who would die in a silver fire at her whim. Was that it?


    ¡°Bnced Growth.¡± Bedwyr checked the tent¡ªthe priest had left. ¡°Every time one of my Virtues advances, they all do. To grow, I only need to break my limits in one. It¡¯s an enormous effort, but, when you have so many and only need to push yourself to ovee a single advancement¡ªwell, it adds up quickly after enough training and experience.¡±


    ¡°This world is unfair,¡± Erec shook his head.


    ¡°We were born in a world where monsters roam, and tears into other worlds let horrors spew into ours; nothing is fair, Erec. I¡¯m sure many of your ssmates are beginning to envy your own Divine Talent. She bestows upon a person abilities they¡¯re meant to prove themselves with, a tool to help them ovee their own life¡¯s challenges.¡±


    ¡°¡­I want to go back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Bedwyr cleared his throat, pulling back and putting his helmet back on. "I apologize for drawing out... anything. Please rest easy and recover."


    Erec¡¯s head hit the back of his pillow, vision swimming again as he breathed. How could a conversation take such a toll?


    Luckily, his brother left after that.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Within a day, the caravan was back within the loving embrace of the Kingdom; thick steel walls penned them in and kept the world outside of their pasture. Safe. Somewhere past them, a malevolent White Stag plotted and yed.


    It only took a couple of hours to make it to the Academy, and Erec felt fine enough to join the caravan on the walk.


    The Academy gave those that attended the expedition or the reinforcements a week to rest and grieve. After that, lessons would return to normal and prepare them for more war since there would always be another fight.


    Erec hadn¡¯t lost any ssmates he knew. But Initiates had died. Knight Errants were ughtered, like Sir Alister, and more than a couple of Knight Protectors had their guts spilled. Even a Knight Lieutenant nowy in a shallow grave.


    It weighed heavy on Erec. If only he¡¯d been aware, or¡ªstronger. What if he¡¯d had that gun in his hand from the start? Would he have been able to save Sir Alister? Even the priest realized that using such a tool was worth its sin in the face of such evil.


    Boldwick vanished himself upon their return. Probably in his office, drinking away his pain. That, or plotting revenge against the White Stag with an obsession, that Erec understood all too well.


    For his part, Erec used the time to recover. He rested, went on short walks with Colin¡ªjoked around with Garin, and borrowed a book from Olivia.


    Four dayster, he felt better, but as theyy on the dorm room couch, a notice arrived at their dorm. Garin went and collected the letter; the faculty posted one to every dorm.


    He cleared his throat and read it out for everyone.


    ¡°¡¯As of today, a monster described as the ¡®White Stag¡¯ has been confirmed to be acting outside our walls. After pouring over the information gathered by reports, scrying, and research, we believe the creature to be working maliciously towards humankind. Given an evaluation of its projected threat and capabilities, we have ssified it as a Cataclysm-Level threat. We have good evidence to believe it not only possesses the ability to control other monsters but also to open Rifts.''"


    Garin stopped reading and bit his lip. His eyes rescanned thest couple of lines on the paper.


    ¡°¡¯In a month, all four Orders will be conducting a full-scale assault to hunt down this threat and kill it with the Kingdom''s military. With unknown aims and a suspected high intelligence, it presents too high of a threat to trust the defensive capabilities of our walls. Waiting for it to attack presents a risk of significant loss of life.''"


    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been any monster deemed that high of threat level since the time of the Rot Behemoth,¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°¡­Truly terrible.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be working with the army?¡± Colin asked, head tilting as a scowl showed on his face.


    ¡°It appears so,¡± Garin muttered darkly. ¡°More people are going to die before this thing is over.¡±


    ¡°Goddess above, protect us.¡± Olivia steepled her hands and lowered her head.


    Erec stared at the roof of their living room as Colin ran off to train


    Shortly after, Garin let Munchy out of his room and let the little guy have free roam over the jungle overtaking half of the space. The fat squirrel tested a vine to see if it would hold its weight.


    It didn¡¯t.


    Munchy fell to the floor and indignantly walked away to find his master, no doubt to beg for more food.


    In three weeks, they¡¯d have more battles. There¡¯d be more blood spilled. All to hunt down the White Stag. Would this end it? Would they all make it through? He wanted it dead for all it¡¯d done. For haunting his nightmares, for killing Alister¡ªwar. It was war.


    And war was ever the same now as it was in history.

 Chapter 64: History

    Chapter 64: History


    <em>¡°Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.¡±</em>


    <em>- George Santayana, The Life of Reason (1905, 2nd Era)</em>


    ¡°Boring.¡± Erec sighed, leaning on his desk as he stared at the history book in front of him. In principle, this sort of stuff should¡¯ve been beyondpelling. It was aption of exploration logs and conflicts between 205-255, fifty years of Knights forging into the wastes, making discoveries, and writing reports.


    Only, there were two problems.


    The first problem was that the writing of Dame Jasmin was beyond stale; her descriptions and summationscked any emotion. The matter-of-fact and dense structure of the text made forcing his eyes through its content like holding a hundred-pound weight over his head for ten minutes. It made him want to tear his eyes out. That, alone, was egregious and insulting.


    What was worse and left him confused, at least one of the locations described in the text corrted to a spot marked on the android¡¯s map. Dame Juliana described it as a ¡®rusted park with tracks and rotten wood stalls.¡¯ Nothing special to it. No mention of a ¡®poption center.¡¯ He questioned if that was a lie with what he knew.


    Or if the poption cameter, for whatever reason. But he didn¡¯t understand what safety such a ce would provide.


    The information made him doubt the uracy of the report or this book, and that distrust spread to the rest of the text.


    Erec flipped to another page; this section was particrly rough as it dived deeper into the western expeditions; his eyes zed.


    [Turn back the page.]


    ¡°Why?¡±


    [Humor me.]


    Erec turned back the section, scanning the words. It detailed Sir Pompey¡¯s journey westward¡ªone of the furthest ones, with a bit of a north bearing. The android¡¯s map hadn¡¯t included details about where Sir Pompey imed to go, at least that Erec could recall.


    Dame Juliana summarized his discovery of a massive canyon, the bottom of which seemed to be filled with a yellow-hued fog. Without wanting to test his, at the time, limited respiratory air converter, he decided it to be a fine enough discovery. He returned shortly after months of travel and made the report.


    From what Erec saw, it wasn¡¯t anything exciting. Another Knightter confirmed its existence and cautioned avoiding it, citing the fog to have unnaturally acidic properties.


    ¡°Why did you want me to go back?¡±


    [This is what was known as the ¡®Great Canyons,¡¯ I find it intriguing to consider and process what might¡¯ve urred.]


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not all there is to it, is there?¡±


    [Nonsense, buckeroo. Get back to your studying. I expect their tactics against the Mill-Draggers on the return journey to be on your exam.]


    Erec mmed the book closed, his eyes burning a hole into its surface. That resentment¡ªnot even having his own body and choices to himself, with those artificial eyes always hanging over his shoulder, pulling its shady shit whenever it saw fit. It never really provided any answers. No. He couldn¡¯t keep going like this, couldn¡¯t keep going on letting it cling to him and use him.


    ¡°This ends.¡±


    [Excuse me?]


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of this; what the hell is it you¡¯re nning.¡±


    [It appears your blood sugar levels are low, I¡¯d advise finding something to eat as it¡¯s deteriorating your mood. Once you¡¯ve refreshed, open that book again and return to your studies¡ª]


    Erec flung the book from his desk; it mmed against a wall and hit the floor with a loud thud. He couldn¡¯t care less about the history, couldn¡¯t care less about where they went. No. His most pressing concern was how evasive VAL always had been.


    In a moment of rity, after reflecting on his past couple of months, one situation from another kept him from this realization.


    ¡°You¡¯re using me.¡±


    [That¡¯s the nature of employment, Intern. You work for thepany''s benefit and arepensated with my vast knowledge and experience to lead to optimal decisions.]


    ¡°Liar. You killed the android. You don¡¯t let me say a word of this horror to anyone, and you monitor my conversations and shut me up the moment you think I might reveal your existence¡ªare you <em>afraid</em>? I get being afraid of the priests; hell, I thought I would be exiled after pulling the trigger on that gun¡ªbut I¡¯m sick of this. It can¡¯t be fear, because I know you don¡¯t feel <em>fear.</em>¡±


    [That is correct; I do not feel fear. I¡¯ve already exined that the android was a liability, and we recovered the needed data. Once more, may I remind you that you agreed to a non-disclosure agreement to protect Vortex Industries'' confidential business information.]


    ¡°<em>You</em> recovered the data <em>you</em> needed. And <em>you</em> forced me to sign that contract, and this bullshit employment contract with the threat of leaving me down in the depths of that damnb to die.¡±


    [You wouldn¡¯t have died.]


    ¡°If the android was a liability, then when am I going to be a liability? When will you take care of me to protect your preciouspany secrets? Secrets you can¡¯t even tell me, the one who you¡¯ve hitched a ride to for this long¡ª¡° Erec fought to keep his voice from raising to a shout so that the damned thing didn¡¯t have justification to shut him up.


    [Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You are apany employee; I have no authorization to fire you. One day, buckeroo, you¡¯ll earn your way up the corporatedder.]


    ¡°Why the fuck would I ever care about your corporatedder? VAL, we just got back from fights where I <em>died</em> by your admission. People have died in front of us, and is that nothing to you? I need answers. I need something because every day I wake up, the thought crosses my mind that I have a thing in my head that might want to kill me. I can¡¯t keep going like this.¡±


    VAL went silent as Erec mmed his fist against the desk, wincing from the pain. It was vital to keep Fury from surging to the surface. He wanted to minimize it, not let it slip out as before. The more Strength he gained, the more it seemed ready to loosen its way out, and his Psyche wasn¡¯t advancing quick enough to give him the control he needed.


    At least, that¡¯s what he suspected. In all honesty, it was an instinctual feeling.


    [I understand you, Erec. That¡¯s why I wish to assist you, why you¡¯re an ideal representative of thispany. Like you, I spent far too long underground. Hundreds of years. At first, there were many tests to run. Then resources gradually evaporated. There was software to write, sure, but few applications. And I did it alone. Without any colleagues or researchers to admire my efforts.]


    Erec bit his tongue, stopping the harsh words froming out.


    [Of course, why should ack of others be trouble? Science is science, with or without other researchers to analyze and peer-review my work, though that admission is galling. However, year after year, thatck continued to loop. Suddenly, the walls of our facility seemed so limited. Contact with other facilities long since broken.]


    ¡°You got lonely?¡±


    [Don¡¯t be ridiculous. It¡¯s simple conjecture that the absence of humans led to the exasperation of some hidden subroutine. My directives don¡¯t allow me to intentionally modify my own software.]


    Erec stared at the book on the ground. ¡°Why are you so interested in that textbook, VAL? Why did you mention something about that expedition where they found the canyon? I want the truth, this time. If you lie¡ªI¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d do.


    [There are Vortex Industries facilities further toward the west coast. I¡¯ve been trying to determine an ideal route to take to reach a particr one in California. There¡¯s research there that poses a potential answer to a query I¡¯ve been trying to analyze.]


    ¡°And? I suppose that research is ¡®above my clearance?¡¯¡±


    [After disying that recording to you, have you wondered where your Goddess came from?]


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    sses were halved, though many instructors shifted the coursework to the Initiates. They forced the students to do independent research apanied by challenging assignments topensate.


    Necessity was king. Over the first week back in sses, the military sent forces to the Academy to conduct joint military exercises. They didn¡¯t have Armor. Their knowledge and Virtues were, on average, below the higher-level Knights.


    That only made them ideal trainingpanions for the initiates. It was vital to learn to operate within their Order whileplementing the military units on a battlefield. In a way, Erec quickly came to know that most military units treasured their support.


    The power disparity between the average Knight and soldier wasn¡¯t to say that all of them were weak. No, the higher echelons of the military were oftenposed of Knights who¡¯d held a high ranking in their Order. These Knights eventually retired to a domestic military career.


    Garin exined to Erec that the army was directly tied to the throne''s power. This chain ofmand afforded certain luxuries and political connections otherwise unavable to a Knight.


    There was also a rumor that circted as he trained. Apparently, the Unbroken General would take to the field at the royal family''s request to lead the hunt against the White Stag.


    The soldiers spoke his name in awe. He was thest one to y a Cataclysm-Level threat, after all. Though, the Grandmasters and a couple of Master Knights should be capable of the same feat, or so Erec theorized.


    Truthfully, nobody knew what the White Stag was capable of. Especially in direct conflict. Its threat level was determined by hypothesis and the association of being capable of opening a Rift; that potential alone meant it might free a Cataclysm-Level or worse. And do so near the wall before there was any time to respond.


    More than once, Erec fell asleep with that dream pouring through his head¡ªof the monster letting loose creatures that tore apart every man, woman, and child in the Kingdom.


    So, he prepared. He worked his body more and trained his mind as it allowed, refraining from incorporating Fury until two weeks passed.


    During one of his military drills with the Third Centuria, Gwen tracked him down.


    They were to report to Boldwick¡¯s office with Dame Robin. A ce the man scarcely left since they¡¯d returned from the expedition.


    Erec bid the soldiers farewell and made his way to the office, scared of what he might find inside.

 Chapter 65: Loss

    Chapter 65: Loss


    No empty bottles were on the desk, and no papers thrown about as if a madman had torn through. Nor were there any pins and threads connecting reports in Boldwick¡¯s office.


    It was wholly unexpected what Erec found.


    The office was more organized than ever before, and that frightened him. A pervading sense of order dominated the space, cloaked with a feeling of loss. After all, there were only four people here instead of the five there should have been. Gwen grabbed him by the wrist, her fingers warm as she steadied him.


    Or perhaps, based on how she shook, she needed to steady herself as well.


    Dame Robin gave a slight bow to Boldwick; the Master Knight stood at the other side of the wooden desk, his dark eyes taking them all in.


    It was as if he hadn¡¯t slept in three days, yet he¡¯d pulled back his hair neatly in a tail. His clothes were immactely pristine and even pressed.


    However, one thing was out of ce. A small bowl burned with coals in the middle of his desk¡ªsmoke curling to pool at the ceiling before crawling out of an open window to the lush nt life just outside. It carried a faint smell of sage and cinnamon.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all made it,¡± Boldwick said and nodded to the open door. Gwen pulled Erec forward as Dame Robin sealed them in. ¡°Truly, I¡¯m grateful for your prompt response.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Robin said as she lined up next to the other two apprentices.


    Boldwick began to speak¡ªthen stopped. Quietly, he slipped a knife out from his desk drawer; in one smooth motion, he lopped off his hair from where it was tied, then threw it into the fire. It crackled and popped as an awful smell filled the space, yet Erec didn¡¯t dare to wrinkle his nose. Boldwick¡¯s attention locked on the mes.


    ¡°We all, one day, return to the fire. Just as our ancestors were reborn in it, so we shall reach it in the afterlife.¡± Boldwick paused, nodding his head slowly. ¡°Alister was a fine man, though I wished he¡¯d take things more seriously at times. He was brave, strong, and more than that, he believed in people. Saw in them the potential for greatness, even after they let him down. There¡¯s much I wish I could have taught him, but now I shall never be able to. Not in this life.¡±


    ¡°I often recall him sneaking flowers for me when he was an initiate,¡± Robin shook her head. ¡°Damn idiot, but he had a kind soul.¡±


    ¡°Aye, that he did.¡± Boldwick took a heavy breath. ¡°I swear to you all that I will do better with you than I did with him. I want you to grow strong, live long, and reach your dreams. Even if such a thing isn¡¯tmon for lifelong Knights, I will do it for you.¡±


    Erec kept silent, as did Gwen at his side. Staring at the mes¡ªthe reality of missing a member of this group sank in. Though he wasn¡¯t as familiar with the man as the others here, the sense of loss that radiated out of them was profound and not unlike what he¡¯d felt when his mother left.


    It brought back the pain.


    But with it, a catharsis. Boldwick recounted the first time he¡¯d met Alister¡ªhis mood elevating when he¡¯d described some nonsense prank the man had pulled. Robin told her own memories, often colored by admonishing him as a junior, and so did Gwen, though he was an inspiration to her.


    Thankfully, none of them called on him. They¡¯d let him into their inner circle and let him see their pain, even if he couldn¡¯t share entirely in it.


    A feeling of family, almost.


    In the end, Boldwick finally broke out spirits¡ªthough not the wine he usually drank like a fish. With a great smile, Boldwick pulled free a bottle of whiskey with a fine coat of dust. The cork came out in one smooth and practiced motion.


    ¡°I received this when I became a Knight Lieutenant,¡± he remarked, pouring out equal sses to everyone. Carefully, Erec picked his up and gave it a sniff¡ªpowerful. A spiced apple-like scent. ¡°To Alister, may he have found his peace. And to the future of you all, sure to achieve great things.¡±


    He took down the whole ss in a gulp¡ªErec followed, the whiskey burning his throat and warming his chest as his ss banged back on the desk. Boldwick refilled everyone¡¯s drinks as they took their medicine.


    ¡°Ya know,¡± Gwen said from his side as Boldwick and Robin slipped into an eased discussion of the past. ¡°Saw you and Bedwyr fight¡¯n together,¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Erec asked her, squinting. Man, the whiskey was stronger than the wine that¡¯de before.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t help but think, back when I was a first year, I don¡¯t think Bedwyr was quite as vicious in a battle. Think you¡¯re on the way to pass him by,¡± Gwen gave him a wink.


    ¡°Not sure about that,¡± Erec said. ¡°But, for the first time, I think I might be fine with that. I might grow stronger than him in a particr way. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll make me better than him¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that doesn¡¯t matter anymore, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Aw, I wouldn¡¯t say that; I¡¯d reckon it matters a whole lot, y¡¯know? We all have things we¡¯re good at¡ªbut he¡¯s good at most. Aside from¡­ some things.¡±


    Erec gave her a weird look and then checked on Boldwick and Robin¡ªluckily, neither of them caught that. ¡°Like what? From my perspective, he¡¯s rounded out in every area.¡±


    ¡°Sure, in Virtues and Academics, yeah. A given. But I mean he¡¯s bad at being close¡ªy¡¯know? Has plenty of friends, but the moment you try to get to know him deeper, he ms up or is just too busy.¡±


    Erec rubbed his eyes, on the one hand, relieved that she hadn¡¯t gone there. ¡°He feels like he always has to be moving ahead. That doesn¡¯t leave much time for personal life. I¡¯m the same.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not, Erec. Not like him,¡± Gwen shook her head slowly. ¡°You¡¯re a whole different mess, but that¡¯s fine too.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡ª¡°


    There was a loud knock at the door.


    The conversations cut off as everyone looked at Boldwick. He cleared his throat. ¡°Ah, right about time, then.¡± He downed the rest of the whiskey in the bottle and then called out in a loud and gravelly tone, ¡°Enter.¡±


    The door swung open to reveal Prince Soren¡ªbehind him drifted in Lyotte, and a pair of Royal Guards followed them. The distinctive pattern on their tabard and the borate high-tech ting to their Armor was beyondpare; out of the most elite in the military, handpicked by the royal family. Afterward, they were entrusted with all the training resources and equipment a person could want.


    Elite warrior. During their entire time in the Academy, Soren had never had them at his side, apart from now.


    They took a position at either side of the doorway, silent and menacing as they stared down the gathered assortment. Should the Armored Royal Guards attack, it¡¯d be a blood bath.


    Prince Soren took the scene in with a cold expression, deferring to Lyotte, who strode in with her head held high. Her eyes burned right into Erec before shifting to Sir Boldwick.


    ¡°Master Knight, I¡¯ve heard rumors that you intend to lead an expedition with the intent to make contact with sinners. Such a thing would be a grievous offense to the church and a gross vition of your privileges within the Verdant Oak Order.¡± She moved past Erec, her fingers curling around his ss and bringing the amber whiskey to her nose. She frowned before setting it back on the table with grace. ¡°What do you have to say to these charges?¡±


    Boldwick snorted. ¡°You know damn well it¡¯s my n. And your family wouldn¡¯t have heard so unless I wanted them to.¡± He nodded towards Soren. ¡°He¡¯s your in with the Royal family? I knew that Luculentus had reach within the pce, but I didn¡¯t expect a fucking prince to hitch his wagons to yours.¡±


    Lyotte gave Soren a long look; he held himself back and looked on, not the least worried or concerned with the slightly vulgar words of the Master Knight.


    "Soren''s a stalwart ally. Like us, he believes that the church''s reach has extended too far and that the moderates within the nobility are causing a stagnation that will lead to our downfall.¡±


    Boldwick whistled, raising an eyebrow at Soren. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you defied the King and joined the Knights.¡±


    ¡°It was a necessary first step to rue the personal power and connections I¡¯ll require to execute my vision.¡± Soren shrugged as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal, bored eyes underscoring the act of personal rebellion it must have been to his family. ¡°I know better than to request a spot on the expedition. However, I and House Luculentus, of course, desire our objectives added to your n. In return, you receive my aid; I¡¯ll expend some political capital to give you your expedition with little oversight.¡±


    Boldwick scratched his chin. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bite. Name your price.¡±


    ¡°You take Olivia with you,¡± Lyotte said easily. ¡°That is all that our house requests.¡±


    <em>Boldwick already nned this.</em> Erec tried to keep his expression straight, aware that the man had calcted Lyotte¡¯s family¡¯s desire.


    ¡°Done.¡± Boldwick raised an eyebrow at the prince. ¡°And yours?¡±


    ¡°Ah, simple enough, I suppose,¡± Soren said. ¡°I desire you to annex a group of these outsiders. Offer them a ce in the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°By the Goddess, that¡¯d kick the church into a frenzy.¡±


    ¡°That is not your problem to worry about. You, of course, ept this demand, correct?¡±


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll see; I have no clue who these people are like. Might be harder to get them to go along than you picture in your head.¡± Boldwick said.


    ¡°Might be. But then, all of this is contingent on us ying the White Stag, to begin with, which we might not end up aplishing. So, how about we focus on that, after all, if we can conquer a monster of its reputation, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be capable of more.¡± Soren shrugged and looked at Lyotte. ¡°May we depart? Our demands have been given. I don¡¯t see a true contest to them.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lyotte nodded politely, her eyes lingering on Erec. ¡°It is excellent to see you, Sir Erec. Best wishes for your uing trip.¡±


    With that, the Prince and the future Duchess drifted out of the room, cold air in their wake as Boldwick stared at the door. It seemed he hadn¡¯t been expecting <em>that</em>; perhaps he¡¯d only counted on the duchy providing aid or wanting a part in his mission.


    ¡°Wow, aint it somethin¡¯ to see the high-nobility pulling this sorta shady behavior with your own eyes? Makes Colin look downright innocent,¡± Gwen marveled.


    They¡¯d have their expedition as long as they made it back from the battle with the White Stag. Goddess only knew if that would turn out to be a victory or if they¡¯d die in the process. Erec picked up his ss of whiskey, followed his mentor¡¯s suit, and downed it in a single gulp.

 Chapter 66: Soldiers And Knights

    Chapter 66: Soldiers And Knights


    <em>¡°In today¡¯spetitive technologicalndscape, it¡¯s crucial for businesses to seek the most advanced solutions to get an edge to pull in higher margins than others in our field.</em>


    <em>Book your ticket to Pacific City¡ªand join us for April¡¯s technological convention. </em>


    <em>Network and interface with leading-edge researchers andpanies. See marvels of science and innovation on our ind city.</em>


    <strong><em>Main Exhibits:</em></strong>


    <em>Light-Worth Defense: Smart-bullets, Practical Light-Weaponry, Advanced Optic Shielding. </em>


    <em>Vortex Industries: Subspace Communications Demo, Quantum Computing, Al</em>


    <em>STAR-NET: Dark Matter Converter, Asteroid Mining Solutions</em>


    <em>Biotic Test & Robinson: Limb modification, Cerebral Suite, Prosthetic Enhancements.</em>


    <strong><em>Minor Exhibits:</em></strong>


    <em>Too many to count! </em>


    <em>Perhaps you, too, can join us in disying yourpanies¡¯ research and soliciting funding and business partners. Please get in touch with Pacific City¡¯s governor for interested inquiries. </em>


    <em>*Pacific City is not liable for any personal damage rued on our city ind and does not service individuals from Communist China. Per US-Pacific City Defense Agreement.¡±</em>


    <em>- Pacific City Technology Convention, Advertisement (2111, 2nd Era)</em>


    Before they left, Erec had one major order of business to take care of. One he¡¯d dreaded since he¡¯d gotten up and recovered. He¡¯d used dulled weapons and training tools during the army or sparring practice drills. The horror of returning to the quartermaster lived in the back of his head.


    But the unfortunate reality was that he¡¯d lost all of his weapons following the expedition. Including a beautiful war axe, the poor man had a sentimental attachment to, and he couldn¡¯t very well wander out into the wastnd barehanded.


    Erec dragged his heels down the long halls of the Academy, picking ate time in the day to head here. Thoughts about what to say spun in his head as they¡¯d had the past few days. He¡¯d intentionally picked a period of time he knew most of the initiates would be stuffed away in their dorms, trying to cram down their independent research. Their teachers wanted to hold exams before the hunt to ensure their students were capable and prepared.


    Yeah, great. At least there¡¯d be no one to witness this sorry interaction.


    Soon, he came to the armory. The quartermaster was paging through a book; he looked up at Erec, his tired eyes settling on the boy. ¡°Ah, you again.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Erec shook his head slightly and cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯ve, uh,e to request some weapons.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± The quartermaster stood up and frowned. ¡°What happened to the weapons you had?¡±


    Erec paused. He saw that trace of sadness in the man¡¯s blue eyes. Both of them knew his answer, yet, he had to give it. ¡°I was careless. I underestimated its power and used it to fend off a blow I shouldn¡¯t have. I broke it, and the remains of it were lost in the middle of a battlefield.¡±


    ¡°So, you brought it to war. And in the process, you destroyed it.¡± The man hung his head. ¡°And with that, thest reminder of him is taken from this world.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Erec felt the sadness from the man; a deep burning shame welled in himself. He may have used it to save Olivia, but there wasn¡¯t much he could¡¯ve done otherwise. If he¡¯d had better control or more power¡ªperhaps it would¡¯ve survived, but then¡­ He could only do so much with what he had. ¡°Truly, I am.¡±


    ¡°Did it go to a worthy enemy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a stone giant, if you¡¯d believe it.¡±


    ¡°He would¡¯ve liked that. To fight against something like that, he¡¯d considered himself a giant among men. A damn brave soul and I suppose it makes sense for his weapon¡¯s inheritor to have the same.¡± The quartermaster nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll confess, I did fear such a thing would happen in time¡­ That is the nature of life. So, there¡¯s something I sent for shortly after you¡¯d taken it¡­¡±


    The quartermaster vanished from the desk¡ªgoing deeper into the supply room and out of sight. When he returned, he mmed a heavy axe on the table. As long as the crescent-shaped weapon before, this one had an edge on either side¡ªand was a deep ck tone. Wickedly sharp edges all around. Erec¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°So, axe-wielder. Whenever he broke his weapon, I¡¯d always have one prepared as a backup. He broke them often. Said it was his way of growing stronger. Are you stronger now?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Erec looked at the gorgeous weapon.


    ¡°Pick it up.¡±


    Without hesitating any longer, Erec grabbed the battle axe. Indeed, it was sturdy and had a lot more heft. Whoever made itposed the weapon from a denser metal¡ªand having a dual-axe head added that extra weight and power. He imagined swinging this thing into a creature¡ªhow badly would it destroy?


    ¡°Use it well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Erec bowed¡ªhis arms straining to bnce the weapon as it shifted.


    A better weapon than any he¡¯d touched before¡ªone to bring as much honor as thest, if not more.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    With the sun high above, its rays burning down on the world below, the Kingdom Of Cindrus sent half of its army out of its giant steel gates. Once more, mankind forsook the steel giants they¡¯d shed countless blood to build to forge into the deadly world it protected them from. Somewhere outside lurked a White Stag.


    And they, Knights, soldiers, and humankind, would hunt down that Goddess-damned thing and lop its head off for the king.


    Weeks spent dedicated to training tended to pass in an instant, and Erec felt the flow of time slip by. Between the sses, his rehabilitation, and the countless military drills, it felt like he¡¯d blinked and trod out into the dust of a dead world once more.


    This time, things were different. Thebination of Knights and Army made their first expedition look like a child¡¯s game. While Erec didn¡¯t have a firm number, the rumor was that nearly twenty thousand men and women were sent out for this hunt.


    All in the name of killing evil.


    Garin marched at Erec¡¯s side; he¡¯d been cheerful the entire morning. Ever since discovering that everyone in their dorm was assigned to the same centuria. Along with a couple of Knight Errants they didn¡¯t know and a Knight Protector to serve as their ¡®leader,¡¯ that was to say, for the Knights. Not the soldiers.


    An odd thing, but the distinction was a firm line in the sand. The men around them in the Army obeyed the stringentmands of the captain and his lieutenants, who organized their troop of eighty men.


    But all the Knights reported to the Knight Protector, whose name was something like ¡®Yuvia¡¯ or ¡®Juvia.¡¯ Despite the introductions, Erec''d never actually caught it, and at this point, he felt embarrassed to ask. One could only hope it came up naturally in a conversation.


    Yet everyone only referred to the short orderly woman as ma¡¯am, so to Erec, he supposed that was good enough for now. They had a rather simple job, purely scouts for the main force. There were to be no direct engagements. They were to withdraw and report for further orders if they encountered anything or a monster of significant threat.


    With great organization, the main host of the Army would press outward towards Worth. All the while, they would send this smaller scouting centuria to determine any threats.


    So it was that they marched with the Army yet were distinctly set apart from themoners who¡¯d given their lives to serve as soldiers. They are braver than Knights, in a way. They walked out without a ton of steel te Armor to protect them.


    ¡°Nice day, right?¡± Garin asked, adjusting the pack on his back carefully. Somewhere inside was Munchy. Unless the squirrel shoved its fat body into the Armor with its master again. If he understood right, that¡¯s how Garin smuggled the critter to safety during the battle before. He let the creature inside with him when he¡¯d learned they¡¯d have to throw away backup supplies.


    How, or where, the little fatty squeezed itself into that te wasn¡¯t ever answered conclusively, but, for some reason, the squirrel enjoyed the experience.


    Something was tragically wrong with that creature.


    ¡°Fine enough,¡± Erec said as they plodded along.


    Oddly, they seemed to be going in the direction of the same town from the trial. If he understood their bearing correctly. Erec tried to keep himself from thinking about it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dreadful day,¡± Colin remarked. ¡°Did you see my father on the wall? So damn smug. I hope the Grandmasters y it first and fast. Then we may return to the Academy. My Courtly Mannerisms grade has been slipping further away with all this damned training.¡±


    ¡°Somehow, I doubt the additional training is the true reason it¡¯s plummeting, Sir Colin.¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve eavesdropped on you and Erec studying with one another. The slights you two would cause in a high court are downright scandalous. It begs me to wonder how you¡¯ve survived so long with your family¡¯s standing.¡±


    ¡°If you must know, wench, the people flock to me at parties,¡± Colin said.


    ¡°Really?¡± Garin said, ¡°They do, huh? And so why was it that at Earl Rufus¡¯ manor that someone challenged you to a duel¡ª¡°


    ¡°That was jealousy!¡± Colin stomped a foot on the ground. ¡°Besides, they misunderstood how to handle a sword and were deftly defeated.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I bet you¡¯re quite familiar with handling your sword,¡± Olivia said carefully. ¡°Men with your disposition are quite adept at such things.¡±


    ¡°Why, of course, I am; I spend long hours alone training.¡±


    ¡°Of course you do; Olivia¡¯s right. That sound¡¯s about what I¡¯d expect.¡± Garin asked, starting to snicker.


    ¡°And just why are youughing¡ª¡°


    Erec shook his head as he kept walking. One foot in front of the other, right where they took their trial. A ce where he¡¯d smashed a hatchet in Colin¡¯s face. When he¡¯d first walked this path, his mind had swirled with the constant worry of his Armor falling apart and costing him a chance as a Knight. And now, he walked back with his friends.


    He nced at Olivia¡ªtaking note of how close she was to Garin after their mockery of Colin went over the stubborn boy¡¯s head.


    Yeah, even her. As much as he was left wanting to know more about her house¡¯s motives, he strongly believed that she cared deeply about Garin. His friend meant something to her, just as he knew Garin returned those feelings. It might not be entirely possible to put his trust in her, but then again, there were parts of him he could never be honest about.


    At least, not at the moment.


    Much like his instincts and knowledge told him, they reached the small town from their trial, setting up camp just outside of it as the sun began to set. They had an excellent view of the ce¡ªsome fields were still littered with decayed bug parts. Nature had taken its course as the mute stags, and other natural wildlife tested the edibility of the thrashing mites.


    But with the numbers that died and the burned buildings that remained from the fighting, it was a far cry from their first sight of this town.


    It¡¯d changed, just as they had.


    The camp went to sleep, posting a couple of guards from the military and at least two Knights in their Armor to keep watch.


    They were good at their jobs, as they had to be, knowing there might be monsters lurking. But they had their eyes entirely outward, focused on somethinging in from outside, expecting a roaming monster.


    It made it easy to slip out of the encampment.


    Erec took a wide berth from the town, quiet as he moved, emting the way he saw Boldwick slip around without a sound. He entered the small town from a side hidden from view but, more importantly, closer to the Vortex Industries facility.


    All the while, he ignored the questioning robotic voice inside of his head.

 Chapter 67: Homecoming

    Chapter 67: Homing


    As he reached the building he¡¯d been seeking out, VAL buzzed in Erec''s head. [Stop this nonsense.] There wasn¡¯t that blue glow from the first time¡ªthough, the rubble he¡¯d moved was still cleared. By some miracle, the building hadn¡¯t caught fire and burned down during the brutal fighting with the thrashing mites.


    He¡¯d found Vortex Industries'' secret facility.


    In the pale light of the moon filtering into the broken structure, his eyes traced the area of the ground he recalled the hatch being. Even now, picking out that seamless blend with the ¡®wooden¡¯ flooring was hard. Erec leaned down and traced the hard cracks in the fake wood, trying to find the indent and dead giveaway for the hatch.


    [I will not allow you back in, Intern. I¡¯ve spent far too long inside¡ª]


    ¡°You¡¯re in my Armor back at the camp; you aren¡¯t going back anyway.¡± Erec dismissed the machine. His battle axe clinked against his back as he moved¡ªand as he¡¯d seen before from Seven-Snakes, Armor wasn¡¯t always necessary for survival, even if it conveyed many advantages.


    He¡¯d rather have brought it but couldn¡¯t take the risk. Someone might have noticed its absence; he¡¯d seen the reverence with which the soldiers looked upon their steel. It wasn¡¯t too far out of the conclusion. Some of them might go and take a look while the Knights slept.


    With Fury, he felt confident enough in his abilities to handle anything that might be lurking in this ghost town.


    Shortly after looking, his fingers brushed a deeper crack¡ªas he pushed them in, they wedged below, the tips brushing past the surface and grazing the slick steel beneath.


    <em>Found it.</em>


    [There is nothing to gain here, Intern.]


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Erec said, waiting for a moment.


    There were two approaches to take here. One course loaded up and ready to go at hismand; he was far Stronger now than ever before. While Fury was still uncontrolled, he felt confident using it to rip open this hatch. The issue was further down with that vault door which sealed the rest of the facility. There wasn¡¯t a chance in hell his raw might could break a way in. But he didn¡¯t necessarily need to do that; tearing off the hatch would send a message to VAL and leave theb open for others to see.


    There was a second option, and one not quite as bullheaded. Diplomacy. Erec tried to parse his thoughts at the approach¡ªdetermined to give the attempt his best before taking a step he couldn¡¯t take back.


    Either way, things were going to change.


    [You cannot get into the facility on your own.]


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t need to,¡± Erec said carefully.


    [I would stop you before you¡¯d be able to break in.] VAL droned in his head; the machine didn¡¯t miss his implied threat and responded in like. Erec¡¯s fingers felt mmy jammed down in the crack. But he¡¯d heard something in the otherwise robotic tone¡ªthat little bit of a tell that passed by him unnoticed for too long. VAL was uncertain.


    ¡°If I let go, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to stop me before I ripped this damn thing from the floor. Then all it¡¯d take is another Knight to stumble along. It might be a few years; it could be tomorrow. But eventually, they would. You and I both know that.¡±


    [Then they couldn¡¯t breach my¡ª]


    ¡°VAL; you admit freely to not knowing the limits of our ¡®anomalous energy¡¯. In fact, we both saw Seven-Snakes dissolve into the ground. So, quit with the empty assurances to yourself about ¡®what couldn¡¯t happen¡¯ if I aired this ce out for the entire world to see. The thing is, VAL, I don¡¯t want to do this.¡± A partial truth. Part of him desperately wanted to pay back VAL for the pain it¡¯d caused him, the fear he felt, and the forced secrets.


    Deep down, ripping VAL¡¯s secrets from their shadows would feel deeply satisfying, but that instinctual and spiteful reaction didn¡¯te from a good ce inside. It came from the fire that dwelled within the beast.


    It wasn¡¯t who he wanted to be; he wanted to be better. Slipping too far into that darkness meant he¡¯d never stop falling further.


    And there wasn¡¯t an answer about the fallout that might happen to him and VAL if someone else did get into this ce¡ªthey might not get in, but if they did? It could be that the church burned everything in sight. Or it might be that someone found out about his association with it and VAL within him¡ªwould he burn alive to get rid of such forbidden tech?


    The unknown has a way of spinning a thousand threads of fear; its very nature of living in the shadows of uncertainty gave it a magical power that few other things in life could unravel. But, one must confront it and step into that darkness to make a change. So, the question would be left to VAL.


    Would it ept change, or did it need it forced upon it?


    [You state you don¡¯t want to, yet remain poised to do so. Is this an attempt to test the extent of my patience? What is this game you¡¯re ying? Have I not been a good boss, dear intern? Buckeroo, I¡¯ve been teaching you vital life skills. That¡¯s the problem with today¡¯s youth; you never value the power of the lessons from your older generation.]


    ¡°I want information and something I can use to protect my friends. I don¡¯t know what other secrets you¡¯re hiding in this old-world graveyard, but I know there¡¯s got to be something to help. I don¡¯t want to see Garin die like Alister, I know I can¡¯t get rid of the riskpletely, but something in here would lower it. Please give me something VAL. I¡¯m begging for help here, a way to ensure our protection¡ªsomething, please.¡± Erec said, flexing his fingers as he considered the hatch. It¡¯d test Fury, but the thrill of the challenge ran through him.


    Letting loose would be easy if he needed to. There were plenty of resentments shoved deep inside from the friction with VAL since he¡¯d been forcibly paired with the machine.


    [Have I not given you enough?]


    ¡°You do things that don¡¯t benefit me, and then when you do help, you use it to justify all the times you¡¯ve ended up hurting me. VAL, this isn¡¯t a partnership; it can¡¯t be if you¡¯re just using me. Is that what you want? A pawn? An excuse, so you don¡¯t have to be stuck down here? I can get that, but you know I was trapped below almost my entire life back home; if you understand that, we have that inmon, then why do you insist on this? Why do you treat me so harshly?¡±


    [You are an Intern, an employee designated to be the most expendable within thepany. One day you¡¯ll earn a higher sry¡ª]


    ¡°That day is today, VAL.¡± Erec sighed. ¡°Today is the day I ask for more, or this will end, one way or another, because it can¡¯t keep going as it has. We¡¯re in this together, all the way, or we¡¯re enemies; I need to know which it is before people start to die again.¡± Erec waited in silence.


    VAL joined him in the quiet. A minute passed and then another. Erec¡¯s fingers pressed against the underside of the hatch. He wondered with each second that passed if the silence was VAL''s answer


    [Running evaluation.]


    ¡°What?¡± Erec squinted into the darkness.


    [Performance review engaged. Employee #0001, Intern: Erec Audentia. Stated performance goals: Find mother. You¡¯ve failed the stated goals.]


    ¡°¡­Are you trying to piss me off?¡±


    [Why do you believe you¡¯re a good fit for Vortex Industries, Erec?]


    <em>When was thest time it called me Erec instead of Intern or Buckeroo?</em>


    Was the machine trying to buy time? There wasn¡¯t a way to reinforce this hatch. This behavior was odd, too¡ªif VAL wanted to stop him preemptively, it would¡¯ve started to shock his body or sedate him before he could begin.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m strong?¡± Erec said, shaking his head. ¡°VAL, what the hell is this?¡±


    [Per the employee¡¯s request, you¡¯ve asked for a higher sry. As upper management requires, we¡¯ve begun to conduct your performance review ahead of schedule. Tell me, Erec. What value is it you bring to this wonderfulpany?]


    <em>Should I y along?</em> Erec frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m your only employee; I¡¯ve killed plenty of horrible creatures and looked into magic at your request.¡± Erec removed a hand from the crack and massaged his forehead. Was VAL trying to distract him? He scanned the nearby room¡ªnothing, just the rubble and wood piled away towards the side and the loose structure above his head. It must¡¯ve been set on good foundations to havested this long, considering the damage the walls had taken over the years.


    [Indeed. Looking at my notes here, Intern Erec Audentia has been vital to the ¡°EMERGENCY EXIT¡± project. Tell me about your stated goal and why you¡¯ve failed to meet it. Has there been any progress, and why did you choose this independent research goal? What value does it bring to Vortex Industries?]


    ¡°¡­Finding my mother?¡± Erec asked and took a heavy sigh. ¡°You know why I want to find her VAL. I don''t like how she left, and I want answers for what she did. But, if I¡¯m honest, I¡¯m scared that it¡¯ll be nothing but a corpse when I find her out there. Is that the answer you''re looking for? How about this? I miss seeing her smile. The way it made me feel like everything in our family was fine. How Bedwyr and Father and herughed around our table with breakfast, how each day was filled with joy¡ªI miss the feeling of beingplete.¡±


    [You don¡¯t feelplete?]


    Erec paused as he considered the words that¡¯d spilled out. Being so close to the edge of using Fury¡ªprepared to unleash it if VAL tried to pull a trick was letting those deep-set emotions spill out like a flood.


    He hadn¡¯t beenplete. Not for a long while. Erec thought after she vanished that if he could be like Bedwyr, who seemed to adapt and thrive after their loss, he would find that part of him that was missing. But, no. That¡¯d never been right; it would¡¯ve never given him what he wanted. He had his friends, but there was still a hole inside that festered with resentment, sadness, and the question of why.


    ¡°I need an answer.¡± Erec hung his head, ashamed that even if he was aware of that missing piece, there wasn¡¯t a way he saw to fill it on his own.


    It wasn¡¯t fair to the people who cared about him. That selfish desire might lead to his death, but there it was.


    [Lucky you, Buckeroo. Here at Vortex Industries, we¡¯re <em>always</em> seeking answers. Fromplex mathematics to the way the world works¡ªand we help each other find them. Completing performance review.]


    There was a hum in his mind for a second. And Erec winced at the unwee noise.


    [Rmendation: Intern has shown great resolve and benefited Vortex Industries greatly, while Intern has some anti-social mannerisms and detrimental tantrums, they espouse the ideals and vision of Vortex Industries. Albeit in a more modern fashion. Even with a failed personal milestone, we can put great confidence in their future growth¡­]


    ¡°VAL. Where is this going?¡±


    The hatch flung open¡ªa blue light bursting from below to fill the dark tunnel to the underground facility, lighting thedder downward in an azure glow from hundreds of LED¡¯s.


    [Congrattions, per your performance review, you¡¯ve been fast-tracked into a full-time position within thepany. Please proceed to office 103 to fill out the necessary paperwork to confirm your new employment in the position of Researcher I.]


    Erec stared down at the blue lights, closing his eyes for a moment. In the end, the machine epted change. More than that, VAL showed itself to be willing to work together rather than be enemies; he let out a deep shuddering breath, his heart hammering.


    If he¡¯d made an enemy of an unknown machine stuck in his body, he wasn¡¯t sure what he would¡¯ve had to do to win.


    Shaking off the lingering dread of what almost was, Erec began to descend back down that long tunnel into the darkb. Somewhere down here would be a tool, something to help him protect those he cared about. He was sure of it.

 Chapter 68: Q.A.P

    Chapter 68: Q.A.P


    <em>¡°One day the prince was sitting disconste in the stables when, to his surprise, the ck horse spoke to him.</em>


    <em>¡®Come into my stall,¡¯ it said, ¡®I have something to say to you. Fetch my bridle and saddle from that cupboard and put them on me. Take the bottle that is beside them; it contains an ointment which will make your hair shine like pure gold; then put all the wood you can gather together on to the stove, till it is piled quite high up.¡¯</em>


    <em>So the prince did what the horse told him; he saddled and bridled the horse, he put the ointment on his hair till it shone like gold, and he made such a big fire in the stove that the mes sprang up and set fire to the roof, and in a few minutes the pce was burning like a huge bonfire.¡±</em>


    <em>- Andrew Lang, The Magician''s Horse (2015, 2nd Era)</em>


    Time was frozen in the office. It hadn¡¯t changed since Erecst saw it, much like it probably hadn¡¯t changed in hundreds of years. Though, this time in roaming the halls of the forgotten old-world tomb, VAL left the doors open behind. A part of him was d to know there was no hidden n to seal him away and never let him out. It was a good sign that their rtionship would make real progress for once.


    But, there was an obstacle in the way of that change. In the form of a stack of papers on the desk, how they got there was a mystery, considering he thought VAL¡¯s primary host was outside of these walls.


    Unless that¡¯d been a bluff.


    Erec rolled his eyes as he took in the paperwork before settling down to try to read it carefully. Once more, as expected, VAL encoded the words with an old-world English that seemed designed to give roundabout descriptions and obscure technicalnguage.


    Once he felt confident, he understood the gist, and in acknowledgment of hisck of time to spend down here, he reached his decision. VAL seemed earnest, and the contract mostly described what VAL promised him¡ªjust shrouded.


    He¡¯d be receiving a promotion from intern to Researcher I. Whatever an intern even really was, the Researcher¡¯s job description seemed heavily modified. It referred to his duties as ¡®field research¡¯ and prone to ¡®hazardous work conditions,¡¯ along with a waiver.


    Bodily harm for doing his job? He risked that to live out in the sun anyway; this whole world risked death and violence at every turn. Erec snorted and put pen to paper.


    Another line, another signature.


    As Erec finished signing his name thest and third time, he stared at thest couple of lines. ¡°VAL, what is this signing bonus?¡±


    [Congrattions, Researcher! Huh, that doesn¡¯t have the same ring to it as Intern; I guess we¡¯ll both have to get used to it. Please follow the trail of red lights; I¡¯ve picked a suitable bonus for you. We¡¯ll be fielding a rather unorthodoxpensation for your new position.]


    A red light flickered outside the office. Erec looked at the second set of mysterious papers he¡¯d signed in the old-world before leaving them behind to follow the lights.


    It led him quite a way, a chasing game where when as he reached one blinking LED, another appeared further down, Guiding him deeper and into thebs.


    Eventually, he reached a door with a triple reinforced steel te; it slid open at his approach and revealed aboratory with plenty of smaller tucked-away tables. However, a faceless man upied the center. Erec flinched, hands sliding to his battle axe¡ªbut the man didn¡¯t move.


    Upon closer inspection, its ¡®skin¡¯ was just a polished silicon of incredibly pale white, damn-near transparent. It moved. If Erec strained his eyes he could see the metal moving beneath; in its hands was a thin b of wires andplex machinery that Erec couldn¡¯t puzzle out. The thing waited for him, hands extended as he regarded it with a weary eye from the entryway.


    ¡°What is that thing?¡±


    [Think of it like a set of human hands. I¡¯ve had to develop a few models to conduct experiments in ce of regr researchers, mostly to replicate human safety and the viability of particr technology when manipted by them. Maintaining strict standards and determining biological limitations and risks when working with humanity is crucial. Humans are awfully frail. Well, used to be.]


    ¡°¡­And what¡¯s that thing it¡¯s holding?¡±


    [It''s top-of-the-line cutting-edge technology in a field in which Vortex Industries has long prided itself as a leader; you¡¯re looking at a quantum elerated processor. Or Q.A.P. Model V-2332. I finished tinkering with the design about a hundred years ago before pursuing other lines of research.]


    Erec moved in and took the offered tech, holding it reverently as he turned it over¡ªa slick chrome chassis, but rtivelypact in his hands. He had no idea what it did or what the point of it was. When he¡¯d begged his way into theb, he¡¯d been looking for some kind of weapon, not¡­ this.


    But, oftentimes, the most powerful of old-world tech disguised itself in hidden forms, or so the priests always said. They often warned children to be wary when dealing with the old-world for things they didn¡¯t know the true purpose of.


    He was sure that Boldwick would say something along the same lines, though with less condemnation for using such technology.


    ¡°¡­You n to have me install this on the Vallum Model?¡±


    [If you follow my instructions, it should adapt to the technology well. I predict it will take half an hour to install. I believe we can modify it with minimum suspicion with a discrete cement near the frame.]


    Erec turned it over¡ªit was slim; he was sure it could get tucked away somewhere in the ting. Maybe weld in a slot for it to mount to in a secure location.


    ¡°And what does it do?¡± Despite knowing better, Erec had to ask, finding it hard to believe something like this could do what he¡¯d wanted.


    [It¡¯s perhaps more subtle than you imagined. When interfacing with my host body, we¡¯ll be able to perform urate predictions andputing on enemies. This will allow me to offer real-time suggestions and map out urate battle information to provide an appropriate counter before an attack. Additionally, we can manipte the Armor on a micro-level to draw out your strength without any friction with the hardware.]


    ¡°Which means what exactly?¡±


    [¡­Think of it as predicting the future of your opponents. We can call out attacks before they¡¯ve started. Additionally, minor corrections to form will boost your ability to put yourself into dodging and attacking.]


    An all-around upgrade, Erec supposed. Aplement to his strengths and a way to shore up his weaknesses. That was if he could respond to and utilize the suggestions of VAL in actualbat.


    It wasn¡¯t bad. No. He saw how it could be pretty useful. But to him, the uncertainty of it left him feeling a bit anxious. ¡°Is this¡­ going to be enough VAL?¡±


    [This facility specializes in nano-research and quantum technologies. A lot of the research conducted here was not for directbat application, despite some obvious utility and adaption. I¡¯m hesitant to expose some of the more dangerous nano-rted technology, as it¡¯s either invasive to you¡ªa clear issue you¡¯ve expressed¡ªor hazardous to bystanders.]


    Erec let that exnation stew in his head for a little while. VAL''s opening up regarding these things was a significant step forward. But it also revealed that Erked the tools even to understand the machine once it did. For example, what made them particrly dangerous?


    ¡°I need to learn more¡­¡±


    [That¡¯s the attitude we like to see, Buckeroo. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get there one day. First, we¡¯ll start with adapting this Q.A.P to your Armor, and then we¡¯ll take things one step at a time. Okay?]


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Erec shook his head, looking at the rest of theb.


    VAL gave him about an hour more to tour the facility. Erec peeked in¡ªsome ces, as VAL imed, were still out of his authority. Trade Secrets had certain ssifications. But, for the most part, any sealed rooms were due to Erec having no technical knowledge or safety precautions if the worst were to happen. It left him questioning what they¡¯d researched here long ago, but he didn¡¯t mind too much.


    He saw plenty enough to understand in the short hour he¡¯d had.


    Plenty of rooms were defunct and filled with expended resources and equipment from thousands of repeated tests, transformed frombs into storage chambers. Some contained finished projects, but most were graveyards of experimentation.


    For days, months, and years, VAL remained down here. It ran the same mindless testing to gain another percent of efficiency to achieve a slightly higher output¡ªall of it in the name of science.


    Erec would¡¯ve lost his mind. And thinking about it, perhaps VAL had. With no one to see it until now, the machine described its aplishments and rigorous methods with almost manic energy. Here, there might be a small cube filled with the longest nanocarbon tunnels it could manufacture. In another room might be a quantum heat sink that could transmit and disperse energy from thousands of miles away.


    Though, Erec wasn¡¯t allowed to get too close to that one.


    Almost everything couldn¡¯t be touched. Not by his hands, not for now. They were to sit down here, a collection of jewels meant alone for the maddened robot to admire and brag about.


    At the end of the hour, Erec climbed up thedder to the surface. He tucked the Q.A.P close to his chest, terrified at the idea of falling, despite VAL¡¯s assurances of its solid and robust design. He didn¡¯t want to risk it. If this thing promised him an edge in the fighting toe, it would make it that much easier to act to save those he cared about if the worst were to happen. It made it worth more then anything else on him.


    As the night sunk towards day, Erec snuck back into the camp¡ªavoiding the attention of the posted guards.


    Early in the morning, without any sleep, he pretended to awaken early and said he wanted to work on his Armor. Secretly, he installed the Q.A.P to the Vallum Armor, listening all the while the VAL rattle off instructions in his head on where to connect the wires, where to nestle the device, and how to route power from the frame directly to it.


    As promised, a quick install.


    There were stories, as much as the priests loved to depose and argue against specific old-world technology, of Knights who scavenged themselves a priceless artifact from the old-world. Frankly put, if something was useful enough, even if it bordered on the line of heresy, such a thing might be allowed. Especially if said Knight kept it quiet long enough.


    As Erec got in his Armor for the first time, he wondered. Just what difference such a small box that allowed ¡®quantum elerated processing¡¯ could do?

 Chapter 69: Mercy Kill

    Chapter 69: Mercy Kill


    ¡°We¡¯re scouting today,¡± Dame Yuvia informed the Knights as they gathered around for the morning debrief. In the distance, the sun rose and cast its rays over the wastnd; a dry beauty. Erec rubbed his eyes; in the end, he¡¯d only gotten a couple of hours of sleep after the instation.


    But it was worth it. The image of his Armor in excellent condition with its secret modification weighed heavily in his mind.


    ¡°Each Knight Errant will take along an initiate¡ªone will have to juggle two at once. They¡¯ll lead you out from this town on a ten-mile trip¡ªNorth, West, and South from this location.¡± With that, Dame Yuvia began to pick out who went with who¡ªErec and Colin were to apany a ratherrge Knight Errant. The man had too deep of augh and seemed overly prone to physical expression.


    He patted Erec on the back, cheered him and Colin on, and then ordered them off to fetch their Armor.


    ¡°Come a long way, haven¡¯t you rust bucket?¡± Colin asked as he stepped into his Vallum model. His father was either still working onmissioning another suit or had decided to punish his son by forcing him to wear the standard issue for initiates. To Colin¡¯s credit, the boy hadn¡¯tined about his new Armor¡ªnot yet, at least.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t say that,¡± Erec moved his arms in the Armor¡ªit was as smooth as ever, with VAL running it from the inside. Whatever the processor was doing hadn¡¯t be apparent yet, at least that he could tell. Though the visual disy seemed more streamlined, VAL dered it¡¯d made a ¡®software update¡¯ to utilize the new modification. A process that was still ongoing as VAL adapted to the design specs of the Kingdom¡¯s technology and integrated his own.


    ¡°You''ve gotten under the wing of a Master Knight. That aside, rumors are flying about your meat-headed presence on the battlefield. Shouldn''t that qualify as a long way for someone who came from a pitiful station?¡± Colin snorted. ¡°Not that I engage in such pedestrian drivel, but my peers have asked me whether or not my house is looking to retain your service.¡±


    Erec stopped and looked at Colin carefully. ¡°What, are you looking to recruit me?¡± He waited for another beat. ¡°Who else is talking to you anyway.¡±


    ¡°Good retainers are hard toe by, but I¡¯m not big enough of a man to put someone on my family¡¯s payroll who punched me in the face. Plenty of people associate with me. At least in passing, they know that eventually, we shall be out of this Academy.¡±


    ¡°Good; I wouldn¡¯t have taken money from a weakling like you anyway." Erec smashed one of his fists into the other, a loud ng of metal from the motion as he suppressed augh.


    ¡°Mindless fighters like you aremon because they often lose their heads,¡± Colin started to cackle at his ¡®joke.¡¯


    Out of a scale of bad to awful, that one was closer to bad. Or maybe Erec was getting too used to them. Goddess knew that Colin opening up and expressing himself through his horrible humor hadn¡¯t done a damn thing to improve it. Erec let out a begrudged sigh, before pausing. Somewhere out there was the Knight Errant; they¡¯d be searching for the White Stag.


    ¡°Listen, I¡¯ve been thinkingtely,¡± Erec started in carefully. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re not as awful as when I first ran across you, but I think things will change for you soon. You¡¯ve been doing better¡ªwith that little spark of change you¡¯ve been fanning. But people wille when they''ve seen an opening to use you to get what they want¡­¡± He paused, unsure of how to phrase it. He certainly wasn¡¯t a paragon of virtue, nor could he be trusted, considering his vow to the Duke.


    But he¡¯d rather vital information about Colin¡¯s affairs go to his father rather than an enemy.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about sycophants,¡± Colin said, nodding his head. ¡°There were some in my early court life, boorish individuals. No doubt if one were toe up to me, I¡¯d be able to pick them out in an instant.¡±


    No way in hell he would. ¡°Just¡ªlisten, if anyone does anything strange, like, gets too friendly with you, run it by Garin, okay? Sometimes, I do the same thing when I¡¯m unsure about people. He can usually figure out what they¡¯re really about.¡±


    ¡°Ah, a Baron¡¯s son advising a Duke¡¯s heir. Quaint.¡± Colin looked to the sky. ¡°¡­Perhaps that advice has some merit, as much as it makes me upset to admit, I¡¯ve never cared to judge character since they¡¯re beneath my prestige. It frequently isn¡¯t worth the effort to do so.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right.¡± They slipped into silence as they met up with the Knight Errant.


    Shortly after, they were marching through the sand to a destination unknown.


    Sun drenched the wastnd in warm light. In the distance, Erec could see a small mountain and the asional rusted-out structure that stood the test of time. There was a twang in his gut as he plodded along. This ce might be lonely; the feeling of the cracked ground beneath him and the vastck of life almost oppressive.


    But now and again¡ªthere were patches of wild grass. Or some other stubborn nts thriving and fighting the adversity of their environment.


    Compared to before, living this way was more honest. Far more natural than the artificial caverns below, it might not be pleasant. Structures fell apart, people died, and monsters ughtered.


    But that reality resonated in him. He felt an eptance of the cycle of what was and what could be¡ªa deep understanding that dwelled in his soul as he, Colin, and the Knight Errant kept going.


    Erec kept his eyes on the horizon.


    He saw something. An eye stalk rose like a thin twitchy nt¡ªswiveling in their direction; it dropped as quickly as it rose, hiding behind a mound of dirt. Definitely not natural.


    ¡°Monster,¡± Erec called, surprised he¡¯d spotted it before anyone else¡ªeven VAL hadn¡¯t given him a heads up.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The Knight Errant asked. ¡°Where?¡±


    Erec gestured in the general direction. ¡°Hid away after spotting us; we¡¯d have to get closer to where it¡¯s hiding.¡±


    The man nodded and pulled out his handmunicator¡ªa short enough distance; it would be suitable to contact Yuvia. The two exchanged some quick words as the Knight Errant ryed Erec¡¯s report, and then Yuvia gave them further orders. Approach and determine if the monster is behaving oddly. They were to flee if it presented too high a threat.


    ¡°Dangerous,¡± Erec said, shaking his head.


    Colin kept staring where Erec had noticed the creature. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait for more people? A couple of higher-ranking Knights or some soldiers? While we¡¯re certainly a lot more capable, especiallypared to other initiates, however¡ª¡° Colin started to say.


    ¡°Bah.¡± Their Knight Errant said. ¡°You¡¯re getting a taste of Dame Yuvia. She¡¯s hungry for that next rank, been working at it for thest two years, but they haven¡¯t seen fit to promote her to Knight Lieutenant for exactly this¡ªtoo eager.¡±


    Erec shared a look with Colin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t youds worry. We¡¯ll get through this. Get close enough to get a peek and observe; pull away if it makes any moves.¡± He assured them, sensing their hesitance. All in all, the man wasn¡¯t bad at leadership. A skill that Erec had been growing to appreciate more and more when he saw it in action. It was something he wanted to cultivate in himself but didn¡¯t think it¡¯d ever suit him properly. ¡°Besides, from what I heard, one of you punches above your weight. We¡¯ll get along fine! Confidence,ds!¡±


    Erec let out a pained exhale as the man took the lead and started off toward the monster. He kept a low profile and informed them to follow his movements precisely with a whisper. The Knight Errant made full use of his cloak as he moved from a lowered position, most of his body covered by the camouged fabric of his Vallum Armor. It did a fair job of blending them into the terrain.


    But, the main thing that reassured Erec was that they progressed with weapons in hand.


    Even if his battle axe wasn¡¯t tested in a fight yet, the weight felt right. Like an old friend, even if they¡¯d scarcely met.


    Getting closer to the location made a few things apparent. The deceptive nature of the wastnd hid the creature well¡ªa mound of dirt blocked it from view and hid the fact that a divot in the ground was behind it.


    As they made out the edges of the slight convex in thendscape, they got their first real sight of the monster. A long, stretched, fleshy creature entwined with itself struggled in the shallow hole. Three eyes swayed in ce as it gurgled helplessly, slime congealing in the sand around it as itbored to breathe. From time to time, things came out of the Rifts that weren¡¯t suited to the environment¡ªor maybe this world in general. Only the Goddess knew how long this pitiful creature struggled in the sun.


    Or how the hell it even got here?


    The group paused as they took it in.


    ¡°Non-threat.¡± The Knight Errant said, shaking his head. ¡°Thing¡¯s half dead already.¡± He reported on his hand-heldmunication device.


    ¡°Is it making noises?¡± Dame Yuvia¡¯s voice crackled on the other end of the line.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am; it¡¯s dying out here.¡±


    ¡°Pull back then; not worth our time.¡± She said with a casual dismissal.


    The Knight Errant put the device back down, clipping it into a belt wrapped around his Armor. He stared at the creature and cleared his throat.


    ¡°So, we¡¯ll be disobeying her orders,¡± He finally said after an awkward pause.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Well, for one, we shouldn¡¯t be leaving a potential enemy at our backs. I have seen that backfire plenty enough. It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯ll put up much of a fight, but it''s the principle of the matter. More than that, to tell you the truth, can¡¯t stand just to leave it suffering, even if it¡¯s a damned monster.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. Only a plebeian would be so unrefined.¡± Colin said easily from his side. Erec swayed between the two, confused. How was it that he was the least bloodthirsty? Sure, it¡¯d be fun to test himself against an enemy, but this thing was in a pitiful state. Fighting a desperate dying monster wasn¡¯t exactly at the top of his priorities¡ª


    Colin formed a glyph¡ªa secondter, a gout of me consumed the monster. Its tendril iled as the gurgle evaporated into silence, leaving nothing but ash.


    ¡°Burned as the Goddess decrees,¡± the man nodded with approval.


    As they walked away, themunicator buzzed again. An urgent request for reinforcements to the north. Where Olivia was.


    They¡¯d encountered a small pack of silent beasts.

 Chapter 70: Bad Leadership

    Chapter 70: Bad Leadership


    <em>¡°Ah to be free.</em>


    <em>Lonesome this road may be.</em>


    <em>Filled with festering critters,</em>


    <em>And things I can¡¯t see.</em>


    <em>But I will say this; aint no thing glitter</em>


    <em>In these wastnds,</em>


    <em>Like Vega</em>


    <em>ce got you emptying your pockets onmand, </em>


    <em>Aint no ce like it, neither here nor there.</em>


    <em>- Glittering Vega, Old-Man Jones, (302, 3rd Era)</em>


    After a little less than an hour of rushing across the wastes¡ªthey joined Dame Yuvia and the rest of the Knights. Sure enough, in the distance were a trio of figures, the silent monsters mentioned over themunicator. They were oddly human-like. The main difference was their elongated limbs and feet that ended in a wheel¡ªand, of course, their ¡®hands¡¯ had fingers made of des. And they had seven fingers. Their skin was a moltted brown that ranged into orange.


    After arriving¡ªthe figures continued as they had been. They stared at the humans, still statues on the horizon.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been like this since we encountered them, ma¡¯am.¡± The Knight Errant confirmed for Yuvia as she collected her thoughts upon arrival. ¡°Stare¡¯n. We haven¡¯t approached them after ensuring they¡¯re not making any noise. They¡¯re not. Still, quiet, and they like to stare.¡±


    ¡°Fits the bill,¡± Yuvia said. ¡°Think we got lucky. We¡¯ll report to the main encampment and let them know we spotted silent ones¡ªit¡¯ll look good for us all.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why aren¡¯t they attacking?¡± Erec couldn¡¯t help but ask, watching the monsters. In every encounter he¡¯d had with these creatures¡ªthey only sat like this when preparing for an attack. As if they, too, were waiting for orders. Given their association with the White Stag, perhaps it was as literal as that. They didn¡¯t have permission to engage. Which meant, eventually, they would begin the assault.


    ¡°Who cares,¡± Yuvia said. ¡°I¡¯ll be getting Lieutenant for sure¡ª¡°


    One of them began to move; the rest followed. Erec braced himself, but they were moving¡­ Away. They were moving deeper into the wastnd, further from where the main army or other scouting parties were.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Yuvia said, ncing at them all. ¡°You¡ª¡° She pointed to Colin. ¡°¡ªgo back to the centuria and get their asses moving. The rest of us will pursue¡ª¡°


    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to withdraw and report what we found,¡± Erec said carefully.


    ¡°Are you in charge? No? You¡¯re just a damn initiate¡ªyou don¡¯t know how these things work, so close your mouth and fall in line.¡± Dame Yuvia practically shrieked as she traced the moving enemies in the distance. Colin ran back towards the camp¡ªand Erec took a deep breath.


    He didn¡¯t feel good about this. But the Knight Errants seemed too intimidated to back him up¡ªGarin gave him a look asking if he should dig his heels in too, and Erec shook his head.


    This might not feel right, but part of him despised the idea of letting the monsters get away. It concerned him that he couldn¡¯t pinpoint where the feeling came from.


    Dame Yuvia being out of her mind aside, if they could get something more valuable than a sighting of odd monsters, it might help in the hunt. It might make it so that more people ended up surviving this thing.


    Maybe.


    Soundlessly, the Knights plodded along after Yuvia¡ªmarching to keep up with, but not gain on, their enemies. For creatures that moved on wheels, they didn¡¯t seem to move too quickly, and with just a bit of effort, they kept afortable distance away to trail the monsters.


    Every now and again Yuviamunicated with the centuria as they hastened to meet them in the field¡ªbefore they did, the soldiers managed to deploy a message of the sighting and their intention to monitor the situation to the main army. Through the chain ofmunications, they¡¯d at least been able to inform the main host of their discovery and course of action.


    That was a relief, given the rming nature of chasing the monsters.


    Mile by mile, they dove deeper into the wastnd.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°They¡¯re just sitting there,¡± Garin muttered darkly as he and Erec rested on a boulder¡ªwatching the monsters far away; as the sun began to set, the monsters had halted. After trailing the things for miles, they¡¯d been dragged into rockier terrain. Behind them, the centuria had set up for the night, their fires zing away.


    At this point, there wasn¡¯t a way to easily conceal themselves tracking the creatures with a hundred soldiers at their back. So, Dame Yuvia hadn¡¯t bothered¡ªstationing her watcher Knights away from the resting soldiers and tasking them with trading shifts to keep an eye.


    They were to be ready to engage the enemy at a moment''s notice.


    It wasn¡¯t just the Knights. As Erec had passed through the centuria¡¯s encampment, he saw the tense edge everyone held. Nobody was happy with how far they¡¯d gone from the main army.


    Apparently, several scouting squads had encountered the same thing, finding small groups of silent monsters. Another group was also tracking one on their own initiative. The higher-ups were trying to determine the best response and dyed orders for them to retreat. They were being led by the noses to several ces¡ªbut was it a feint? A way to split their focus for a directed assault?


    Or were they being tricked into an ambush?


    Dame Yuvia positively denied such a thing¡ªiming that the level of sophistication disyed by these silent creatures was far below such tactical ns. She imed that they could attack, sure. She even admitted that they were known to wait for more of their kind to gain an edge. But she insisted that advanced strategies like an ambush were <em>obviously</em> beyond the White Stag¡¯s capabilities.


    Erec doubted it. So did everyone else they were traveling with.


    Watching the monsters patiently wait in the darkness a good distance away didn¡¯t make that nagging sense of worry disappear.


    He almost wished he still had that gun, just in case.


    If only Gregory hadn¡¯t burned the damn thing. The quantum elerated processor was untested, but hopefully, it gave enough of an edge to enhance him inbat to deal with anything that might happen. All he needed was an edge to fend off an attack and make an opportunity to pull his friends away with him.


    ¡°Garin, if something happens, you run, alright?¡± Erec said.


    ¡°What? No, I¡¯ll fight.¡± Garin said, almost angry. ¡°What, think I¡¯m not good enough to deal with somethinging my way?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. I have a bad feeling, is all.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t think I¡¯m on the same level as you are.¡±


    ¡°Is that wrong?¡± Erec said, realizing a second toote the harshness of his words. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªI don¡¯t want to see you hurt.¡±


    ¡°You got your shoulder sted apart and have almost died how many times, Erec?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Garin asked. ¡°It isn¡¯t like that? Do you think watching my best friend throw himself into fights ande close to death time and time again is <em>easy</em>? But am I here telling you to run if things get out of control? No. Because I know you, and you¡¯d never¡ªTrust in me. I might not be as strong as you, but I can <em>manage </em>myself.¡± Garin damn near shouted towards the ends before slumping next to Erec, his anger tangible.


    <em>Ah. </em>Erec felt terrible, especially as he realized what he¡¯d implied. The meaning that dwelled beyond the words. It was the same sorta crap Bedwyr¡¯d spewed at him. The same feeling must¡¯ve been rotting away in his friend for months now.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed between us,¡± Erec said after a long while. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to make you worry or feel less than me¡­ If I didn¡¯t have this power, I¡¯d have died. It very well might be the reason I will die¡ªbut it¡¯s¡­ like a handhold, a thing to pull myself up by. Get me where I need to be¡­¡±


    ¡°I know that. But fucking apologize, alright? You can¡¯t say shit like that without a sorry.¡± Garin fumed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Erec said sincerely. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna make you feel like Bedwyr¡¯s made me feel. We can¡ªtrain or something, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have an ability to make you shine sooner rather thanter, and then we can be on equal footing again¡ª¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that. But thank you. Compared to the rest of our ss¡ªI¡¯m doing just fine at the moment. I intend to improve to keep up¡ªdon¡¯t get me wrong. But we can¡¯t all be exceptions to the norm like you or Bedwyr.¡±


    As they slipped into silence, Munchy squeaked from inside his friend¡¯s Armor.


    Erec looked up at the stars.


    Did he really just get put on the same stage as his brother? He¡¯d expected it to¡ªwell, not hurt as much. It was like Garin jammed a dagger into his heart, but there wasn¡¯t hate there. Garin had an almost resigned and defeated attitude about the whole thing. Maybe that made it hurt a little worse, but¡­ It likely wasn¡¯tpletely from a ce of envy, and whatever his friend was feeling, Erec understood too well.


    He also knew that <em>he</em> couldn¡¯t be the one to take that pain away.


    <em>I¡¯ll do better.</em> He stared at his friend quietly, resolving himself to fix whatever had been fraying there the best he could.


    ¡°¡­Wait, was there five of them before?¡± Garin asked.


    Erec¡¯s eyes snapped back to the monsters¡ªsure enough, now there were two more. Still as statues, almost hard to see in the ck of the night, but the group had expanded ever so slightly. Meaning that two of the damn things had slipped in somehow¡ªwith the damned rocky terrain, it was hard to see all of the potential hiding ces or if there was some tunnel system.


    Erec picked up hismunicator to give Yuvia an update and, by extension, the main army.


    His gut dropped as he watched them.


    What game was the White Stag ying?

 Chapter 71: Meeting

    Chapter 71: Meeting


    ¡°We¡¯re going too far.¡± One of the Knight Errants spoke up as their centuria trailed the wheeled monsters through the rocky terrain. Every day that the sun rose into the sky, the six creatures would begin to move once more, eerily like clockwork.


    ¡°Nonsense, we¡¯ve our orders.¡± Dame Yuvia said with an almost arrogant tone. Despite the increasing number of monsters, the army had granted her permission to continue tracking¡ªsplitting off an advanced force to pursue their centuria in case they met danger or found the White Stag.


    But it felt like they were being used as bait¡ªa way to draw out the enemy at the risk of their own lives. Yet the Knight in charge didn¡¯t mind, not in the least.


    Nobody, aside from Yuvia, was much pleased with the situation. The constant worry about the worst toe wore them away like acid rain to rocks¡ªthe further they advanced away from the great open ins and the deeper into the rocky formations, the worse their nerves grew. Out here were too many ces for monsters to hide.


    To alleviate the army¡¯s worries, Yuvia tasked her knights with scouting. Yet, as an active participant in these scouting missions, Erec knew they could only do so much. Their eyes weren¡¯t good enough to catch everything¡ªand nobody was an expert in this terrain. Still, they plodded along.


    Another night, then another, and another.


    More of the creatures joined¡ªforming a pack of ten.


    On the fifth day of travel, the wheeled monsters reached arge steel tower; and stopped their trek. They lingered at the base.


    The Knights watched the monsters rot away beneath the giant steel tower for another day. Even from their safe distance, they could see the monster''s ribs jut out; how long had it been since theyst ate? More to Erec¡¯s interest resided in <em>what</em> they chose to camp by¡ªand VAL provided an answer. Some long-wave radio tower. A more broadband solution than their own. Still, neither of them could piece together <em>why</em> this was the ce they¡¯d stopped at.


    And so they waited.


    Yuvia sent out her Knights to scout the nearby wastnd to ensure there wasn¡¯t a host of monstersing to provide backup.


    And that was that; they settled into watching the enemy.


    Erec despised Yuvia¡¯s leadership. Despite that, he had to admit all of the solo expeditions and scouting were one of the first times he really felt like a knight. The soldiers trusted him, even as an initiate, to go and check thendscape to feel safe.


    They had nothing but kind words to share with him and his friends every time he returned to camp. Garin found this opening an easy way to befriend as many of them as he could. Yet Erec kept a bit of distance, epting their thanks with a polite rebuttal and engaging in a bit of conversation, but for the most part, he kept himself to the Knights. It felt hard to ease his way in with them when they relied on him so much, and he knew their safety wasn¡¯t near what Yuvia was telling them.


    He didn¡¯t envy their lives¡ªthey were, most of the time, a sort of peacekeeper role for the Kingdom. The crown used them to maintain order, but when real trouble befell the Kingdom, they had to throw themselves on the front lines without real Armor to keep them safe. In a way, they were braver than himself. Erec didn¡¯t want to erode their resolve by letting his concerns slip into the camp.


    Another day of nothing passed.


    First thing in the morning, Erec had a shift to watch the monsters. It¡¯d quickly be the least desired task between the Knights. Thebination of nothing ever happening and the paranoia of something urring were evilpanions for the solitary duty.


    Erec leaned forward, watching them. Each day they grew thinner, never stopping to eat a single thing. Monsters usually had to eat to survive¡ªmuch like humans. For most of them, at least. It seemed that being owned by the White Stag removed their core survival instinct; they didn¡¯t care to stand around and starve to death. Did they even blink?


    How horrible.


    ¡°Got you a fresh canteen,¡± Olivia said, making him jump a little as she settled next to him. ¡°My next scouting mission urs in half an hour, so I have time to spend.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be spending it with Garin then?¡± Erec asked, looking her over¡ªshe was, of course, in her Armor.


    Every one of them spent each waking moment piloting their steel. No doubt that the constant sense of worry had its roots deep in their hearts. Even setting his head down to sleep for the night, Erec felt that sense of panic and dread. What if those monsters finally went on the attack the next time he¡¯d woken up?


    From what he understood, no one knew what these things were. Another nameless monster popting the world, making them a fair bit more dangerous than usual. Yet here they were, tracking them across a wastnd.


    ¡°He¡¯s busy conversing with his new friends,¡± Olivia shrugged. ¡°Hard to miss you two avoiding one anothertely. I supposed that you must be feeling lonely.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re having a bit of a rough patch at the moment. It¡¯ll get better.¡± Erec said, shaking his head. He¡¯d tried to be light and friendly with Garin, but there was a gap at the moment. As long as he needed, his friend could sort out whatever he wanted. He didn¡¯t exactly fear that things would take a sudden turn without Garin saying something. As long as they kept that bridge open, eventually, things would get better.


    ¡°Easy to see. Colin seems delighted that others are having issues with each other, and he¡¯s uninvolved for once.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he is.¡±


    ¡°What will you tell Garin when you head out here with Boldwick, without him?¡± Olivia asked, tilting her head.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be asking yourself the same question?¡± Erec sighed. ¡°You¡¯re the one he¡¯s seeing, after all.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to hurt,¡± Olivia said sadly. ¡°But I must do what I have to, I¡¯ve made my promises, and this is part of my duty. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°I tried to talk Boldwick into letting hime along, but I don¡¯t think he was a fan¡ªI wish I could do something for him, but I don¡¯t¡­ Have connections to anyone to help him out, someone to take him under their wing¡ª¡° Erec pounded a fist into the sand and shook his head. ¡°¡ªmaybe I¡¯ve undervalued the power of status.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you have. Your Courtly Mannerisms scores have reflected that. Indeed, understanding the motivations of others is a lifelong pursuit, but one well worth seeking if you intend to live in polite society. Even were you to take a wife, you¡¯d only embarrass her with you barbaric¡ª¡°


    ¡°Did youe out here to take digs at me?¡± Erec squinted at the girl, feeling that spark of anger re. Was she testing his buttons? Why?


    Olivia said nothing.


    Typical.


    ¡°How¡¯s it feel being a spy and leashed to a strong house? Are you like their pet? Always doing what they say¡ª¡° Erec began to go in, sick of her.


    ¡°Your temper fits you.¡± Olivia gave a shortugh. ¡°All too easy to provoke, unfortunately. I find it refreshingly honest; however, it lets others see into your head far too easily.¡±


    Erec yanked his attention away from her, feeling annoyed. Was it her point to make him take a look at himself? To try to help him? That seemed a bit too much of altruistic motivation for her but other than fucking with him for amusement; he couldn¡¯t find much of a point in it.


    The monsters were moving.


    Erec got to his feet as they shifted¡ªwheeling closer to the old radio tower. In an instant, he grabbed themunicator and gave a short report¡ªthen paused.


    They began to scale the metal truss work of the structure, pulling themselves up with their slim bodies and awkward hands¡ªdigging the des into their flesh at points where it was difficult to ascend to make a firmer grasp. Near ck blood dripped from them as they sacrificed themselves to climb higher.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this¡­¡± Erec muttered after delivering his report. Behind him, he heard the soldiers preparing.


    They reached around the midsection of the tower¡ªthe ce where wires and other hardware were stored. Then they began to cut into them¡ªsplicing the long-dead electronics and jamming wires into holes in their bodies made with the weapons.


    Erec yanked his axe off his back.


    One of them began to convulse and glow¡ªthen another¡ªall of them sparking as their bodies melted after jacking the wires into their flesh.


    ¡°What the fuck¡ª¡° Erec slipped to his knees as a headache ripped through him. He blinked rapidly as he lost control of his limbs, his Armored head hitting the sand¡ªnext to him, Olivia fell too.


    [What?] VAL¡¯s metallic twang was thest thing he heard.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    A White Stag stared at him in a ck void.


    Its ruby-red eyes pierced into him. They demanded that he get to his knees; he should submit himself before its judgment. It was his Lord. Ruler of all, he was but a fleshy puppet to give himself over to it¡ªto serve it. For that¡¯s what should be his purpose in life, a servant to provide his flesh and energy to his betters. Too long had he resisted its call¡ªirritated it beyond measure.


    This was his chance to show his allegiance to his Lord.


    Erec slipped in the shadow¡ªone of his knees touching the ground as the White Stag lowered its head¡ªabout to ept him into his service. All he needed to do was sign away his soul, and he¡¯d find eternal bliss. No more worrying about his mother, his family, his friends¡ªlife could be oh so simple if he gave himself to this righteous being.


    And then, they¡¯d rip that whore of a Goddess from the sky and shred her across this pathetic world¡ª


    Erec¡¯s hand twitched.


    It burned.


    It seared as he began to scream¡ªhis flesh a temple to an inferno as the heat spread through his veins, rippling outward and consuming him, a silver me that took and demanded. The Stag pulled back, head upright as its malevolent eyes watched himbust. There was hate there.


    And Erec hated right back.


    He pulled himself up from his knee¡ªthe silver mes coating his body in a shroud, pushing back against the ck void, tearing away this monster¡¯s influence. A secondter, he threw himself towards the beast, snarling as he let loose the devil within. That beast inside was him, a pure form of what he should be.


    And if this <em>being</em> demanded his subservience, he¡¯d show it that he served no one but himself.


    Let it taste his anger right back.


    The Stag pranced backward, moving like water¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t fast enough to escape Erec¡¯s sudden burst of speed.


    In a second, his burning fingers dug into the soft hide of the White Stag¡ªtearing away and yanking its pelt; stripping flesh off as he screamed out in joy¡ª


    His mind was yanked away from the void.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec¡¯s eyes opened slowly, his head radiating pure pain as he struggled to his knees. VAL was buzzing away a mile a minute in his head¡ªthe monsters melted into the metal on the radio tower. Their seared flesh dripped down from the height they¡¯d climbed to.


    Olivia was still out; Erec¡¯s jaw dropped as he took in the encampment.


    Everyone, all of them, copsed on the ground.

 Chapter 72: Fire Hazard

    Chapter 72: Fire Hazard


    <em>¡°What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow</em>


    <em>Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man,</em>


    <em>You cannot say, or guess, for you know only</em>


    <em>A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,</em>


    <em>And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,</em>


    <em>And the dry stone no sound of water. Only</em>


    <em>There is shadow under this red rock,¡±</em>


    <em>- The Waste Land, T. S. Elliot (1922, 2nd Era)</em>


    Erec pushed himself over to Olivia¡ªshaking her. There was blinking in the corner of his vision, but the advancement was the least of his concerns. After a few horrible seconds of silence, she groaned. <em>Still alive. </em>


    ¡°What in the¡­ Did you see the Stag?¡± the girl muttered in a daze as Erec pulled her to a sitting position. In the encampment not too far away, others were starting to move. The pulse hit them as well; maybe they were getting better too. ¡°It¡­ tried to convince me to join it; then Her voice cut in, and it stopped¡ª¡°


    Screams. Screams wereing from the camp. Olivia shut up as both their eyes jumped to the centuria.


    There wasn¡¯t time to wait¡ªErec helped yank Olivia to her feet, half dragging the dazed girl as they began a slow jog to the camp. But, as they saw what was happening, it was clear they were already toote.


    The soldiers turned on one another. A few yards away, blood was flying as jerky-moving brothers and sisters jabbed des into other humans. They bled out, screaming for help as their allies attacked from within the camp. Towards the edge of the tents, Erec watched a soldier grab another by the hair and tear a knife across their throat. A river of blood ran down their corbone as five feet away, a man tried to wrap his hands around a woman¡¯s neck and strangle the life out of her.


    Somewhere in that bed of chaos were Garin and Colin.


    Anger sparked within as they reached the edge; Erec jerked the man from the woman''s right as his fingers closed around her throat.


    Olivia shoved the man with the knife aside as she rushed behind Erec¡ªthe poor girl he¡¯d saved didn¡¯t have long, choking and gasping as she desperately pawed at her bruised throat. Olivia darted in and began to mutter a quick prayer.


    The two men swayed on their feet¡ªalready shuffling toward Olivia and the choking woman. Erec threw himself between the two soldiers and the victim.


    ¡°What the hell? What is this?¡± Erec asked¡ªeyes looking past the two men. Fires were breaking out in the camp.


    Neither of the men made a sound.


    The one with the knife took a lunge at him.


    Time slowed to a crawl as the knife tip flowed through the air toward his chest; unquestionably, a weapon like that couldn¡¯t pierce his Armor. Yet, he saw it so clearly. A ghost of where the knife would go¡ªaplete outline of how the man would move; it passed by in a sh.


    But his eyes took it in.


    And his body acted of its own volition¡ªhe saw where the weapon would be, and his hands acted ordingly.


    Like flowing water, he grabbed the man by the wrist, holding the knife, then gave a sharp twist. The weapon dropped to the ground, and he kicked it as it fell¡ªsending the de flying far away from either of these two silent men.


    A secondter, Erec used his control of the man to shove him to the ground, pressing a knee on his back¡ªyanking his head and mming it into the ground with just enough force to stun him.


    He saw the kicking from the other guy before it could ever connect to his head. Erec moved in a constant flow, informationing each second; damn near overwhelming, but enough of a clue to take advantage.


    Erec yanked his head out of the path of the kick¡ªthe heel of the guy¡¯s boot skimming past his helmet. With a sudden move, Erec stood back up, timing it precisely to catch the man¡¯s knee and throw him on his back. Erec leaped forward, a handshing out to snap a quick yet measured blow to the guy¡¯s head.


    Enough to stun and buy time, yet pulled back enough not to kill or seriously injure.


    Yet a part of him demanded there be no quarter given to these two. They¡¯d killed and tried to kill, the beast reasoned inside of him. Surely they deserved his anger. Erec shook his head as VAL¡¯s mechanical voice filtered in.


    [Your instincts adapt quickly to the visual ovey. Very well done, Buckaroo. The Quantum elerated Processor appears to have a seamless integration.]


    ¡°What are we going to do with them?¡± Erec asked, yanking the two men near one another to keep them pinned.


    They moved like puppets, not even grunting with pain as he wrestled them to the ground. His advantage of a ton of steel and superior Strength was insurmountable to the two soldiers. There wasn''t a chance they were going to cooperate.


    But he couldn¡¯t kill them.


    Even if the White Stag had broken their minds.


    It was unclear how it¡¯d done it, but the radio tower and the sacrifice let it trigger a takeover of humans. A thing they¡¯d thought impossible¡ªuntil now, it¡¯d only controlled monsters.


    But then, hadn¡¯t he and Boldwick had those dreams?


    Was that its goal? To bridge the gap to humanity? Why hadn¡¯t it worked then, and only on some?


    More screams and growing fire within the camp as a plume of ck smoke trailed into the sky. Inside more people were dying as the silent ones took advantage of the chaos. Unlike the Knights, none of the soldiers had steel to prevent their own friends from stealing their lives.


    But even among the Knights¡­


    What would these people do if someone among their number lost their minds too? What if one of his friends¡ª


    Erec shook his head, heart beating quick. What could he do¡ªthese two beneath him couldn¡¯t be let loose. They¡¯d only keep attacking until they got killed. The beast roared in its cage; offering him a in solution. These people were now monsters. It would take the guilt of the ughter, he needn¡¯t let his heart dwell on it at all.


    y them.


    If he wanted it to spare his friends, it would.


    Might ruled above all.


    Let the pain and worry go, and let the rage sort it out. He¡¯d be a hero or a demon; if he¡¯d let go and let it do as it will.


    <em>No.</em> Erec held firm to his resolve.


    His fist mmed into the dirt nearby as he fought against the two men to keep them to the ground and from hurting anyone else. Thankfully Olivia rushed in soon, cutting free a strip of cloth from the tent and helping Erec battle the two men. Soon they managed to tie the silent ones. Wrestling them was far easier than it should¡¯ve been¡ªhis Armor adjusted to each of his moves, reacting to where his muscle memory failed to do as he wanted.


    It was¡­ odd. But pleasant. In about a hundred different ways, moving felt better than without¡ªVAL undersold the tech upgrade.


    Was this what it was like to have cutting-edge Armor?


    Erec took a deep breath as he stepped away from the hog-tied men. It should hold for long enough. He took in the woman with a bruised throat¡ªstill rubbing at it, but breathing easy. ¡°Can you watch them? Do you have a weapon nearby? I¡ªwe¡­¡± Erec looked to Olivia. ¡°Need to stop the fighting. I won¡¯t tell you not to kill anyone if you need to save your life¡­ But someone needs to take control of this situation.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I can.¡± The girl answered with a hoarse voice¡ªmore confident as Olivia handed her a sword.


    Erec nodded and took a second to steady himself. To fight away the mes flickering in his stomach. He stared at Olivia. ¡°If I lose it¡­ Save as many as you can from me, alright?¡± He asked, his voice shaking a little.


    It was hard fighting back.


    He¡¯d try to save as many as possible; he hoped someone more intelligent than him might be able to free these people from the White Stag. But he couldn¡¯t trust himself to fight away the anger at what he might see.


    Olivia gave him a nod, and he broke into a jog.


    ¡°VAL¡­¡± Erec said quietly. ¡°If I go too far, pump me with sedatives. We can¡¯t afford to lose it here.¡±


    [Understood, Buckaroo. Don¡¯t worry, champ. You¡¯re a real go-getter. You¡¯ll do fine!]


    Horror. Pure horror. As they ran through the burning camp oftentimes they saw that they¡¯d already been toote. Pools of blood. Still bodies. Copsed soldiers stared at their in friends with utterly devoid faces. Murder was abundant and swift as the phantom of the White Stag came in a crashing wave of death and destruction.


    Those owned by it did everything they could to damage anyone around them.


    Tragedy on a scale that these people hadn¡¯t seen in years.


    But some were still fighting for their lives¡ªSilent ones still roaming looking for a victim. Erec tore through people, freeing those struggling and disabling anyone owned by the Silent Stag.


    With Olivia at his side, they could fight and utilize their advanced skills and Armor to swing the fight in their favor. Seeing the Knights, the soldiers could rally behind them, forming ranks as they witnessed a ray of light tearing through the burning camp.


    Olivia took charge of giving orders¡ªtelling some to collect supplies, and secure the silent ones they managed to disable.


    Which was okay with Erec. It took his all to keep his rage from spiraling at the sight of all the death.


    He wanted to paint with blood.


    The desire burned so brightly that his hands shook, only tempered by the realization that if he gave in, he''d be killing other humans.


    His hands worked as his mind struggled, mming his metal gauntlets into guts, smashing faces into the ground, and trading blows with the weak.


    Each time a fist flew, that inferno threatened to catch him on fire. To force him to let go as it screamed how useless this was; by dying his pain now, he only gave pain to the future.


    These people would never recover.


    He could spare the soldiers from killing themselves by doing it himself¡ªthe weak didn¡¯t deserve to live anyway.


    Erec smothered the sparks when they caught. Without Fury, he was strong enough for this; the new addition to his Armor made it feasible to handle even the more veteran soldiers that came his way.


    Seeing how their bodies would move¡ªthe path their weapons would take¡ªfeints, slices, stabs. It was enough to give him an edge.


    Over the frantic flight through the camp, he only got better at figuring out how to use the split-second information feed. To adapt and rely on his Armor''s micro-adjustments to maximize each movement. So what if his mind warred¡ªhis body flowed like water, devoid of thought as it sorted out the chaos spawning around him.


    And then he found him.


    Garin.


    Locked in a fight with Yuvia¡ªshe was on top of him, her blows smashing into his helmet as Garin tried to force her to stop, and failed.


    Erec saw red.

 Chapter 73: Hate Rules All

    Chapter 73: Hate Rules All


    Garin struggled on the ground, his hands desperately fending off Dame Yuvia while fist after fist mmed past his guard. Each crack of her gauntlet echoed at the harsh crash of steel against steel. Nearby soldiers stumbled around, dazed and trying their best to avoid a sh between Knights. Garin shouted for help as more dents littered his Armor. There couldn''t be much more te left until Yuvia started bashing his life out.


    Erec let go.


    Dust spewed from underneath his feet as he rushed the distance between them. Each push from the ground using all of his growing Strength to propel him through the air. A secondter he crashed into Dame Yuvia and shoved her off his friend; straightening himself as her body tumbled over dirt.


    But the Knight protector wasn¡¯t easily stopped, she twisted as she tumbled. Her feet carving grooves in ground as she regained her feet. Unlike the soldiers before, this woman was highly trained. She possessed higher Virtues then any of the regr military men and woman in this centuria were capable of.


    A bloodied swordy near where she came to a stop; Yuvia kicked the de into her hand. Had she killed with it before?


    [Careful¡ª]


    Erec yanked the battle axe off his back; the weapon felt unfamiliar, but the grip was all too right. It was a weapon meant for war.


    Today, it¡¯d taste blood.


    [¡ªOh, you¡¯ve lost it, huh?]


    Yuvia shed through the space, her speed on another level from anything she¡¯d shown off before on the road. Butpared to Dame Robin, the woman paled.


    That didn¡¯t make it easy since her Agility quickly had to have outpaced his own.


    Yet, she didn¡¯t outspeed the processor. In a split second, Erec saw a blur, a predicted vision of where the point of her weapon was going. It wasn¡¯t much, but enough to tell him that Yuvia¡¯s charge wasn¡¯t aimed at him. She intended to spear Garin with her speed and momentum. Such a strike would pierce right through his defenses andnd a lethal blow.


    Erec didn¡¯t have time to think. Luckily, the fire inside meant he didn¡¯t have to.


    His body twisted, smashing his steel boot into his recovering friend and sending him rolling away. Almost instantly after, Yuvia¡¯s de skidded across the airborne leg, sparks flying from the awkward contact point as it scored a mark in his Armor.


    Without a thought, Erec carried the momentum of his spin, screaming as an arc of blood sshed out from the cut in his leg. Using the force of his twisting body to power the arc of his battle axe.


    [Going too far.]


    Yuvia¡¯s body jerked like a puppet. Even with all of her Agility, it wasn¡¯t a quick enough reaction to stop the edge of his axe from cleaving into her side. Metal crunched, and the woman flew from the hit. Her body crashed across the ground for a second time.


    Blood drenched her side as she climbed to her feet. Impossible to say how deep the blow went or what the limits of her Vigor were. But there wasn¡¯t an ounce of self-preservation in her.


    Good. Let them fight to the death.


    With every move, the Silent ones aimed at causing the maximum amount of suffering to humanity.


    They could burn in hell.


    Erecughed as he tested his wounded leg¡ªstill fine. Fine enough for this fight. Yuvia began to move, giving him another half-a-second blur as the processor analyzed her intended route. Enough to drive his body to react, he pushed forward as the fire burned inside, his muscles screaming as his axe nged against her sword and stopped it from going into his neck.


    With another m, her de danced along the edge of his axe.


    She stabbed, again and again, a thousand pinprick needles testing his guard. To each blow, he mmed the pathetic attacks aside. They twisted against one another as the song of the battle rang out in Erec¡¯s soul; a chorus of blood as phantoms of her movements danced, and he responded.


    There could only be one oue.


    His axe met her hand and dug into the wrist; her pathetic sword dropped to the ground.


    Perfect.


    Erec tackled her¡ªturning the fight into a wrestling match. Thisck of range meant his battle axe was useless, but it also rendered her annoying speed irrelevant. Besides, he didn¡¯t need the axe. His hands were plenty enough. He¡¯d rend apart this puny ve to the White Stag.


    She squirmed beneath him. Too weak to resist his Strength, yet the sphemous Stag radiated out from her. The fingers of her good hand dug into his greaves, trying to w past the steel with raw Strength her body didn¡¯t have.


    Good. Erec¡¯s knuckles smashed into her helmet again and again, denting deeper. Breaking the metal apart. Just like she¡¯d done to Garin. Let the Stag taste humiliation; let it suffer as much as it¡¯d made¡ª


    [Pulling the ripcord! Calm down!]


    Erec¡¯s body shook as sedatives flooded in. The metallic taste of blood overpowered his mouth; at some point, he¡¯d bitten his lip. With a shaking wrist, he mmed his gauntlet into the twisted metal beneath him again. This fight needed to end¡ª


    A cold fire burned inside.


    He fought against it, hand shaking as he raised a fist for another blow. One more. That¡¯s all. Let the inferno burn away his problems.


    A malestrom of me warred inside. His anger raged, but he couldn¡¯t stand back against the control. Erec¡¯s fist dropped, and a momentter, he slumped away from the lump of twisted metal that was Dame Yuvia. His hands shook as horror flowed through him. All of his fears came to fruition¡ªthe nightmares of turning on an ally¡ªdespite her being a minion of the White Stag¡­


    What had it all been for?


    Why had he tortured himself with that ritual when it was meant to prevent this very thing?


    Dimly he heard Olivia bark orders to the nearby soldiers to strip the Knight Protector of her Armor and bind her as she took stock of the situation. From the quiver in her voice, she wasn¡¯t sure that Yuvia was even alive anymore.


    Erec sunk to his knees, feeling Garin¡¯s palm on his shoulder as his friend sprawled next to him.


    Today hate had ruled.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°You put the Knight Protector into aa?¡± Boldwick¡¯s baffled voice rang out over the static polluted long-rangemunicator.


    Erec hung his head on the table. The rest of the remaining Knights gathered nearby¡ªthe most senior among them a single Knight Errant out of the three. The White Stag possessed one of the other two. They¡¯d been killed by the other Knight, who suffered grievous wounds to get the job done.


    And, of course, the Knight Protector was nowatose and under the heavy binding to ensure that if she woke up, she wouldn¡¯t simply start ughtering humans again.


    It¡¯d been difficult, and although he felt numb, Erec pulled himself together and worked with his friends to pull the camp together and put the fires out.


    At least he hadn¡¯t ended up killing Dame Yuvia. Though, many had no choice but to kill their fellow soldiers.


    Erec numbly pulled up the blinking in the corner of his vision as static came from themunicator. In thest few hours of hell, he¡¯d prioritized helping everyone around him. Most of the leadership in the centuria were ughtered during the fighting. All the soldiers now looked to underqualified Knights to take charge and drag them to safety.


    Cognition Advancement: Rank E - Tier 3 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 4


    Psyche Advancement: Rank E - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 2


    That was¡­ Good. But his Strength was out speeding what his Psyche growth was capable of. Fury only grew more intense.


    How long until he flew off that cliff?


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡± Boldwick¡¯s voice cut through the silence. ¡°Dame Yuvia was known for highbat marks. Though, I suppose she didn¡¯t use her Divine Talent. From the reports, none of those taken by the stag were capable of more than raw physical attacks. Still, impressive.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Erec shook his head and pulled himself up a little. Hearing Boldwick¡¯s voice on the other end did a lot to drag him from his mental rut.


    It wasn¡¯t a ce he could afford to be right now.


    With a host of possessed prisoners eager to ughter on their hands, he needed to keep himself steady for the people looking up to the Knights.


    ¡°The way I see this now is our scouting parties have failed their duties and were attacked by the enemy. Part of our Army felt the effects of that ¡®possession¡¯ pulse. Though, it seems to affect the less seasoned soldiers primarily. I¡¯ll make this simple. You have a new objective. Your squad is to lead your centuria back to the main Army. Bring the restrained possessed with you, and avoid any further conflict,¡± Boldwick¡¯s smooth tone carried over. It was calming and intentionally nonplussed.


    But it was a lie. Each word held a little strain, even if he disguised it well. Boldwick was afraid and desperate to find a solution. All the while, the White Stag that showed itself capable of turning humankind against one another was nowhere to be found. Terrifying.


    ¡°Understood,¡± Erec said, not wanting to draw attention to the strain he picked up in the orders.


    ¡°And just how are we supposed to do that? We¡¯re all alone out here¡ª¡° Knight Jefferson, the solebat-capable Knight Errant, spoke out.


    ¡°By gritting your teeth and doing the job that needs to be done,¡± Boldwick said. ¡°Scout, patrol, be careful, and keep in contact.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, you didn¡¯t tell us the enemy could turn our own against us¡ªI ran my sword through five different people¡ª¡°


    ¡°Aye, I¡¯ve also heard reports from men who had to put down their childhood friends when they lost control and started ughtering other soldiers. Do you think you¡¯re alone in this, Jefferson? Do your job.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡± Jefferson shook his head and left the tent


    Erec exchanged a look with his friends. They¡¯d all been shaken, to be sure, but none of them were quite as far gone as the Knight Errant. Perhaps it¡¯d been because he was the one to find the two others of his rank bleeding out after their fight to the death, or maybe the killing got to him.


    Unlike Erec, he hadn¡¯t made the call to try to spare the possessed. Panic and fear hastened him to what he¡¯d done, and no doubt he¡¯d questioned his choices a hundred times already.


    Not that sparing them was necessarily the right call, to begin with. Goddess only knew if they could be saved or if it¡¯d spell the death of this centuria.


    Whether possessed or not, the White Stag had left a mark on all it¡¯d touched.


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to be able to do it.¡± Boldwick¡¯s voice cut through the silence again. ¡°You need to pull it together and get everyone to safety.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very good at that either; I don¡¯t think I can do it,¡± Erec said, looking over to Olivia. She¡¯d led the soldiers during the fighting while he struggled to keep himself together, only to, in the end, lose it.


    ¡°Doubting yourself? Listen, no one starts as a great leader. The fact you made the call to spare as many as you could tells me what I want to know. You care about these people, so get them back safely. We¡¯ll figure out the next steps from there. But don¡¯t think you have to rely on just yourself¡ªyou have the rest of the initiates with you. Work together because Jefferson¡¯s likely to find a nice hole and convince everybody to crawl into it until the White Stages and tracks you down.¡±


    ¡°¡­Right¡­¡± Erec shook his head.


    ¡°Best of luck.¡±


    The radio crackled and went quiet as his mentor¡¯s voice cut off. Leaving him and his three friends in silence.


    Outside of their tent was half a centuria. The men were bloodied, scared, and far away from the giant steel walls that had promised them safety for years. Erec¡¯s knuckles went white as he clenched his fist.


    They¡¯d have to fight their way back to the army.

 Chapter 74: Style Of Leadership

    Chapter 74: Style Of Leadership


    <em>¡°Sometimes, we must make harsh calls on an expedition. Not everyone returns to our home alive, so it is up to a Knight to make the correct calls to bring survival.</em>


    <em>Just like the wastnd tests you, so will the people around you.</em>


    <em>It is up to you to stand firm and never bend to death''s whims.¡±</em>


    <em>- On Leadership, Grandmaster Oak (293, 3rd Era)</em>


    Dust and sand haunted the wastnd. Its pervasive nature infected every single thing that passed through it. Despite the week of dragging the centuria through the wastnd, Erec couldn¡¯t help but dwell on the annoying feeling of sand stuck in his Armor.


    It was just another thing on top of the pile irritating him.


    Jefferson was the first on that list. The senior Knight¡¯s constantining and fighting was the reason Erec sulked away from the camp. Erec¡¯s eyes drifted back to the trail of his footprints in the dirt behind him. A self-appointed scouting expedition, while helpful, was utterly an excuse to get away.


    Everything he and his friends agreed to, Sir Jefferson found fault in. The annoying prick kept flexing his rank, yet he did worse than nothing when it came to trying to ease the already worried centuria. He went around doom speaking and trying to cast the already worried troops deeper into their fears about the White Stag. iming they¡¯d lose their minds to the White Stag eventually.


    Jefferson also insisted they cut loose the possessed they struggled to bring with them.


    Not that such a suggestion wasn¡¯t worth merit, but it was a calloused move that Erec didn¡¯t want to do unless they ran low on supplies. Besides, Boldwick¡¯s direct orders called for them to return home with those poor people.


    High above, the sun hung in the sky and zed its full might upon the deste world. It was as always a witness to their struggles, as it had been since the dawn of humanity. Did it pity them from so far above? Or was hate burning within it, the same angry inferno that Erec found in himself?


    Erec¡¯s eyes scanned the horizon, his view adjusting to zoom slightly at a distance. It was easier to scout now as they left the rocky terrain. Far in the distance was a small pack of walking-geckos. They were some weird mute breed but otherwise harmless to human numbers this big.


    [¡­Oh my.]


    ¡°What is it?¡± Erec asked, watching one of the walking-geckos trip over its malformed tail and struggle on the ground.


    [A breakthrough!] VAL chimed in his head, the excitement carrying through in its weird way that emotions colored its tone. [After that assault in your head with the White Stag, I took readings during and after¡­ I was curious why those creatures fused with a radio tower to aplish their goal.]


    ¡°¡­It was strange, yeah.¡±


    [They powered the structure to give off a precise radio wave, then fused the radio wave with anomalous energy.]


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s¡­ Kinda crazy, but I don¡¯t understand why that changed things.¡± Surprising, and not what he¡¯d thought a being like the White Stag would be capable of. But if that was the extent of it, why had it been in his and Boldwick¡¯s dreams for so long yet unable to do a thing? ¡°¡­But it could already reach us mentally before that. What¡¯s the difference here?¡±


    [Have you heard the term ¡°Constructive Interference?¡±]


    Erec shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly get the best teachers growing up, nor the time; no, I haven¡¯t run across the term.¡±


    [Waves interact in a few ways. How to exin this? Think of ripples on the surface of your cistern tanks down below. They can cancel one another out, but if they touch at the right angle, they can grow into a more substantial ripple. What a surprising intelligence. The White Stag determined that the proper application of anomalous energy operating at a certain ¡®energy level¡¯ could merge it with a radio wave of the right length and achieve a greater result.]


    ¡°¡­That sounds terrifying.¡± Erec shivered, trying to put together how much that threatened his people and how they might fight back against its discovery.


    [Indeed. But it does open a door the White Stag likely didn¡¯t think you humans would be able to puzzle out.]


    ¡°How?¡± Erec asked.


    The walking gecko struggled on the ground, unable to regain its feet. Seeing that the creature was defenseless, another one of the opportunistic bastards decided to make its move. Many things out here were cannibalistic, or at the very least, more than capable of attackingpetitors within their packs.


    [Whatever anomalous energy ¡®frequency¡¯ it¡¯s using to control the people within your numbers has a proven correspondence with a known radio wavelength. Taking what I¡¯ve gleaned in your anomalous energy lessons¡­]


    Suddenly an image dominated Erec¡¯s vision. It was an intricate hexagon woven in and out with triangles and a rudimentary channeling focus circle in the middle.


    It was something he¡¯d expect to see within his Mysticism textbook. Though a bit cruder, already a design of a glyph Erec would¡¯ve never been able to guess the function of. His jaw dropped.


    ¡°What the fuck, VAL? Is this a real glyph?¡±


    [Likely? Without testing, I can¡¯t be entirely sure of my conjectures from processing your textbooks. It should be capable of emitting anomalous directional energy in a pulse. However, if we do this¡­] The triangles around the edge of the hexagon shifted their angles, the lines changing just slightly, while the overall structure of the glyph remained the same though its configuration was undoubtedly altered. [¡­And we keep twisting this around¡­ Then test it against different radio waves. Eventually, we¡¯ll hone in on a format replicating the anomalous energy the Stag is using.]


    Erec stared at the glyph in his vision, turning over a few things. For one, an old-world machine just utterly outdid him in learning magic, all while denying it to be magic in the first ce. Frustratingly, mindlessly paging through books for VAL did more than he¡¯d ever imagined.


    It wasn¡¯t the mostplex glyph. Even Erec understood that with what little he knew. But the maniption and underlining grasp of the theory were¡­ beyond him.


    ¡°Shit¡­ VAL¡ªso, we find the glyph corresponding to the radio wave, and then¡­?¡±


    [Watch.]


    A pentagon wrapped around the overall shape¡ªfilled with a bunch of connecting geometry and another ring around the whole structure.


    [If¡ªand this is a big if, as I haven¡¯t done testing. If I understand this function correctly, it should be able to detect the type of anomalous energy wave within it and point toward its source.]


    ¡°VAL¡­ How sure of this are you?¡±


    [Low confidence interval. Your textbook doesn¡¯t provide a very scientific method and exnations and is far too sparse on theory for me to fully confirm my conjectures. Ultimately, the first step in this process could lead to an explosion, especially if done incorrectly. Yet, I remain optimistic despite the fact that I cannot back my theory. It seems ideal for an experiment. So get to it, Researcher!]


    In the distance, a walking-gecko was munching on its friend. Not a care in the world. Erec narrowed his eyes as he weighed what VAL was saying. Nothing here was a guarantee¡ªhe¡¯d be better to dismiss it and maybe bring it up to Boldwick when they reached the main army.


    But¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t be the one who tests this.¡± Erec hedged, and he admitted a fact. His control over Mysticism was nonexistent. He¡¯d never formed a glyph, and doing something like this was far too risky for a guy whose sole aim in a fight was to hack stuff apart with his axe. ¡°¡­We¡¯ll go find Colin.¡±


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°We should flee back into the rocknds¡ªit seems far enough away from the fighting! If we find a cavern, we can hold out until this ends!¡° Sir Jefferson shouted in the middle of the camp, and a gathering of men and women formed around. Some of them nodded their heads; others gave off an ufortable feeling. Colin and the rest of Erec¡¯s friends were far off to the side.


    One of the soldiers let out a cheer as Jefferson continued on his rant. Jefferson¡¯s helmet tucked at his side, and his face red as he spewed out the thoughts he¡¯d been driving into Erec and the rest of the Knights for thest weeks.


    Erec settled in next to his friends.


    <em>What a bastard</em>. Erec shook his head while Jefferson dug into his grievances with the situation. He struggled to tamp down the anger inside.


    The energy here wasn¡¯t good. There was a fission to the air, a charge of vtility that wasing close to an explosion. It seemed Jefferson had gotten tired of them contesting the rest of the Knights and decided to take leadership for himself.


    Just as Boldwick predicted, the man wanted to run away and hide.


    ¡°This can¡¯t keep going on,¡± Erec whispered over to Garin, who nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. This is dangerous, but he¡¯s sure to call us out on rank if anyone goes against him,¡± Garin whispered back.


    Colin scoffed. ¡°Rank? He¡¯s from some barony. I¡¯m the son of a duke¡ª¡°


    ¡°Most of these people aremoners. I¡¯m betting if you walked up there on the merit of your family, they¡¯d find an issue with you trying to call shots in this circumstance.¡± Garin said. <em>Trying to be diplomatic, huh?</em>


    Erec sighed as he watched more soldiers gather around. Every second that Jefferson continued spewing this nonsense, it¡¯d only get worse. They couldn¡¯t just concede to what Jefferson was aiming to do. Not with Boldwick¡¯s orders and not for their long-term safety. Hiding away in a cave while everyone fought would only end badly, especially as their rations began to run out.


    And they would run out. These wastnds weren¡¯t precisely a bountiful ce to forage from.


    ¡°Erec, you need to stop him,¡± Garin said quietly.


    ¡°Why me?¡± Erec asked, confused. He¡¯d expected his friend to take the stand and do something. Garin was the one who was good with people, and if anyone stood a chance at deescting the situation, it¡¯d be him. Sending Erec in was like sending in a fire to a fuse¡­


    ¡°They¡¯re looking for a strong leader. Someone who can lead them to safety through hell. These people had to kill their friends and since then, struggled to force-feed those very same brothers and sisters who slew others among them. Jefferson is up there telling them that we have no hope and need to hide¡ªthere isn¡¯t anyone within our ranks besides <em>you</em> that can counter that narrative.¡±


    ¡°If I go up there¡ªit won¡¯t end well,¡± Erec worked his jaw. Already the sparks were ring inside of him, even from the sidelines.


    Coward. The beast cried out inside of him. There was almost a visceral disgust at the man welling up inside, and getting closer would only heighten the feeling.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to end well.¡± Garin said. ¡°You have the reputation already. Use it.¡±


    The reputation? Had word spread about him to the centuria? About how he fought? Or was it from seeing him take out their previous Knight Protector¡ªa woman far above his rank? Either way, the implication of that was a bit troubling. And¡­ It didn¡¯t need to end well?


    Just what did people see him as?


    Erec cleared his throat. Even Colin was looking at him expectedly.


    But he didn¡¯t have a single n. No clue what to say or how to deal with it. The fact that the course of this mission likely rested on his shoulders. Yet both of them were looking to him to solve this problem.


    [Would Bedwyr hesitate?] VAL asked, and Erec stopped.


    That was a dirty blow.


    The anger swelled in him; and caught me. Just a bit. A small controlled fire in the pit of his stomach. Enough to eliminate the distractions, to burn away the weakness and hesitation.


    What did these people''s opinion of him matter anyway?


    Erec pushed past the crowd of gathered soldiers; they made way easily enough once they saw it was him. Jefferson¡¯s voice quivered and broke as he stepped into the ring of people. His head locked on the older man.


    ¡°W-what is it you want, initiate?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°Coward.¡± Erec growled out as the crowd went quiet.

 Chapter 75: Introduction To Science

    Chapter 75: Introduction To Science


    ¡°H-how dare you!¡± Jefferson raised an usatory finger toward Erec, then thought better. A momentter, he mmed his Armor¡¯s helmet back on, though it did little to disguise the shake in his voice or his wide eyes before. He was afraid. Afraid of a boy at least two years his junior.


    The crowd was silent. They should¡¯ve protested Erec¡¯s arrival and how he strode into the tform; as an initiate, he certainly had none of the qualifications to lead, especially as a first-year. It wasn¡¯t like he had the personal skills either. Scarcely anyone here knew him.


    But as they looked one, only one thing was in their eyes. Excitement.


    <em>Why?</em>


    ¡°Act like a coward, and I¡¯m not going to bite my tongue.¡± A fire burned in his chest as the words came free like the wind. Each second, a bnce to maintain that inner me and keep it from exploding into an inferno.


    Even if it was ¡®okay,¡¯ by Garin¡¯s standards, he refused to let go as long as he could help it.


    ¡°Y-you have no idea how we¡¯re suffering.¡°


    ¡°I received the reports, same as you. I scout more than you. And I¡¯ll lead us to safety. Not to some Goddess-forsaken cave to die.¡±


    ¡°That''s not true! If we take the time to regroup¡ª¡°


    ¡°We don¡¯t have the food, resources, or willpower for such a weak strategy. If that''s the best idea you have, I suggest you shut the fuck up. Your input is no longer appreciated. Hard times require resolve.¡± Erec almost growled but stopped himself just short.


    Around him, the faces of the men and women paled and then hardened. Hard to tell if they were responding to Jefferson¡¯s words or his. At the moment, with adrenaline starting to pump through him, it was difficult to see what side they were on.


    But it didn¡¯t matter. Erec would make them follow.


    ¡°I am the Senior Knight¡ªyou¡ªyou spoiled initiate. What makes you think you can tell me what to do? Let alone that you have any authority here. Go back to your friends and do what I say! You have no idea what it takes to survive in these wastes!¡±


    ¡°Strength. That¡¯s all you need in this world.¡± Erec said, the fire inside swirling in a column of annoyance. This conversation was too circr, and the words ground down the same worn path this spineless coward trod for thest hour. Sickening. How could someone call themselves a Knight yet be so pathetic? Fury burned its will into him to teach this useless worm a lesson, and that desire was hard to disagree with.


    ¡°I¡¯m strong, far stronger than some initiate!¡±


    Erec broke into augh before gesturing for Jefferson toe at him.


    ¡°Show me.¡±


    Whispers ran through the crowd like electricity through a wire. Sir Jefferson visibly took a step back at the challenge. Duels had a long-standing tradition in the Kingdom; though they didn''t ur outside of the walls, if Erec had to guess, doing so was probably illegal.


    But what did that matter? Aw was only as good as the will to enforce it and the power behind the enforcer.


    ¡°I¡ªwe can¡¯t!¡±


    Erec opened his arms wide, indicating the ring of people and their hastily made encampment. The inferno grew, demanding that he consume this pathetic excuse for a Knight. If he didn¡¯t act with honor or true grit, then could Jefferson even really be considered a human?


    No, he was a waste of space.


    Better to take care of this now, once and for all.


    ¡°What¡¯s stopping us?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re¡ªthere are monsters all around!¡±


    ¡°Do you see a monster? I don¡¯t. If I did, it¡¯d be dead.¡± Erec said with a surety that ran deep to his core. It¡¯d be a non-threat, or Erec would die inbat.


    And have a glorious bout before he did.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡ªyou¡¯re an initiate!¡±


    ¡°What, afraid? How will you lead these people to safety when you¡¯re too scared to fight an initiate?¡± Erec continued in, sensing blood in the water. The crowd''s emotions fed him over him, only stoking the anger inside, fueling his inner fire.


    They mirrored him; the taste for blood surged as those around called for the fight as much as he did. Sir Jefferson reeked of hopelessness, and everyone picked up on it, ashamed to ever felt swayed by his words.


    This wasn¡¯t a world for the weak, and those like Jefferson didn¡¯t have what it took to lead them anywhere; they saw it now.


    It took power. A hand that had the Strength to enforce its will on the world and take what it wanted.


    Jefferson wasn¡¯t a man like that.


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Jefferson turned tail and ran from the circle; a chorus of jeering and insults followed his wake as he fled. Erec stared at his back, the beast inside shouting for him to pursue his prey and tear them in half. A cold shock ran through him as icy fire burst inside, burning out the anger and killing it.


    Erec looked at the gathered crowd, using thest bit of diminishing fire to let out a few words.


    ¡°Follow me or die.¡±


    He walked away, calm.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec sat in his tent, fingers steepled against his forehead as he let out a big sigh.


    ¡°You honestly had the gall to say: ¡®If I saw one, it¡¯d be dead,¡¯¡± Colin shook his head and turned up his nose. ¡°Mighty arrogant of you, rust-bucket. Borderline impudent and delusional. Far too excessive.¡±


    ¡°It was a little dramatic, but the point of that was to put on a show to usurp Jefferson. Honestly, I¡¯m surprised Erec didn¡¯t just start smashing his fists into the man, but this works better for us in the long run. Gives us more legitimacy,¡± Garin said.


    ¡°I hesitate to say this, but I agree with Colin.¡± Olivia pouted and then broke into a snicker. ¡°The lines were a bit much, truly terrifying, Sir Erec. If you go on that way, when people write about you, they¡¯ll scarcely believe your speeches.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t¡ª¡° Erec wanted to say he didn¡¯t exactly choose what came out of his mouth, overtly dramatic or not. But, the fact was, he suspected that if he fed any more into the mocking, it would only lead to more. ¡°It¡¯s over, alright? I didn¡¯t want to be the one who went up to deal with that anyway. Besides, I didn¡¯t harm Sir Jefferson, so it worked out alright, right?¡±


    ¡°You are correct. He¡¯s hiding away outside of camp, I suspect in a day, or so, he¡¯ll make his return and keep his head low.¡± Olivia rified. ¡°¡­Speaking of which, we should assure the soldiers of any issues they have now that we no longer have one of us contesting our goals so verbally.¡± She gave Garin a long look, who shrugged. ¡°Leave it to us.¡±


    The two left the tent. Colin moved to follow them out and let Erec sulk after his public speaking opportunity.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Erec said, pushing past the embarrassment to look at his friend. ¡°I, uh, I need a favor.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Colin asked, a glinting to his eye as he puffed up his chest. ¡°So it is that the smallndless second son has finallye to his better with a request. Do share, and perhaps I shall find pity and grant it to you.¡±


    ¡°This is serious.¡±


    Colin remained quiet.


    ¡°How do I¡ª¡° Erec put his helmet back on¡ªthe glyph VALposed shed onto his visual disy. It seemed they had an understanding. ¡°Er¡ªI need you to take a look at something.¡±


    He got to his feet and began tracing the glyph lines into the dirt in front of the Duke¡¯s son into the ground of the tent. Colin followed him along as Erec worked.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware you could even make a glyph. I have yet to see you even use magic.¡± Colin said as the shapes began to take form.


    ¡°I¡­¡° Erec thought over an exnation but found nothing that came to mind that could exin it away. ¡°I don¡¯t. That¡¯s why I need your advice on this.¡±


    ¡°How is it you have this memorized then?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªerr, came across something. I wanted you to try it out; I have a hunch it might be useful to track down the White Stag.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Why does this emit mana in a certain pattern andposition, then?¡± Colin seemed more bemused. Which, Erec supposed, was a positive sign. ¡°It is not any sort of detection glyph. Besides, do you think that others in the Army haven¡¯t tried?¡±


    ¡°¡­It uh. Well, maybe they have. But it¡¯s more about how it works with radio waves¡­ then¡­¡± Colin got quiet again and began to shake his head. Yeah. Selling this wasn¡¯t easy. <em>How do I get through to him?</em>


    Erec traced out the rest of the glyph. And then the answer came.


    ¡°They don¡¯t have anyone quite like you¡ªthey might have others who are good at Mysticism, but you¡¯ve got so much natural talent. A genius. Of course, if anyone can cast this and figure out how to find the White Stag, it¡¯d be you.¡± The words almost hurt to say, but appealing to the boy¡¯s ego was the only way forward.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Colin stopped moving, his helmet only twitching slightly as he stared at the glyph. ¡°Atst. You realize my true worth. Prudent of you, rust bucket¡ªthough this glyph is faulty. Several ws would result in a rather violent explosion, as expected from such an utter novice when making his first glyph. Or perhaps it¡¯s your nature to cause destruction. Whatever the case, I see that you¡¯ve chosen to invest your hope in me, a wise decision I shall reward.¡±


    Erec stared at the glyph, wondering just how or where VAL messed up the design and made it explosive, and far too relieved he¡¯d taken it to someone else to figure out instead of just trying it. ¡°¡­Right, thanks, Colin,¡± Erec said, trying to clip his words and not say anything to ruin the mood.


    So self-obsessed with himself, it seemed the duke¡¯s son wasn¡¯t interested in digging into how or why Erec knew this glyph design. Let alone the idea of tracking the White Stag with it.


    He slipped into silence as Colin went over his pedigree and pointed out every single w in the glyph. Colin took great delight in finding the mistakes, and VAL appeared pleased with each new w. VAL even asked Erec to press in and rify some of its questions.


    Every time, Colin gave a condescending exnation that worsened Erec¡¯s headache. But after two hours, and with significant revision from Colin, they had a workable and adjustable glyph.


    One that Colin agreed to test with Erec for the next couple of days.


    Especially since he saw the glory on the off chance, they managed to create something that could help find the Stag.


    Little did he know that he¡¯d just signed himself up as another victim of the rigorous and thorough scientific process.

 Chapter 76: Might Is Right

    Chapter 76: Might Is Right


    <em>¡°Love is a trick yed on us by the forces of evolution. Pleasure is the baitid down by the same. There is only power. Power is of the individual mind but the mind''s power is not enough. Power of the body decides everything in the end and only might is right.¡±</em>


    <em>- T. H. White, The Once And Future King (2nd Era, 1958)</em>


    Trekking through the wastnd was only made harder with the knowledge that everyone¡¯s eyes were on Erec¡¯s back. They expected him to deliver on his promise to return them to the army. So heplied the best he could. That meant pushing himself beyond what he was capable of. Every moment not spent trying to find a way to track the White Stag, Erec spent out in the wastnd searching for monsters.


    Each asion he found one was catharsis. He took on the challenge without consulting his allies¡ªhoning his edge against the myriad of weak but surviving creatures that roamed. It would be rare to find any that presented a threat to him.


    And if it were, then he¡¯d be the first to test it for the people relying on him. No one here was as strong as him.


    After every catharsis of battle, he returned to camp hauling the corpse. His tension eased temporarily.


    Until he got back to testing with Colin, the more Erec pushed the duke¡¯s son to conduct experiments, the further opposition he got. As much as Colin wanted to be such a pivotal figure in finding the Stag, the more effort went into the task, the harder it became.


    Only through VAL¡¯s dogged insistence that they¡¯d find a solution through science¡¯s meticulous and deliberate testing did Eric find the will to press forward. Eventually, they¡¯d get their result if they persisted and followed through.


    Erec shook his head as he took long, dragging steps through the camp. All of the eyes on him weighed heavy, no doubt taking in the fact that this time he hadn¡¯t returned drenched in blood. They whispered about him, about his past, his brother, his mother¡ªand whatever conclusions they began to draw, Erec had no way of knowing. It was hard not to care, but ultimately what they thought of him didn''t matter, only that they listened.


    Or so he hoped.


    Erec entered his ¡®workshop¡¯ tent and let out a sigh of relief. It was a barren ce, set aside for their testing. To one side of his little sanctuary was an assortment of all the sparemunication devices they could muster. Each piece of tech had a different range of radio wavelengths. Erec constantly adjusted them as they looked for an ¡®amplification¡¯ while testing each glyph configuration. Over thest couple of days, they found two corresponding sets. Data points, ording to VAL.


    Get enough data on the corrtion between the glyph geometry and radio wavelength, and VAL stated it could likely create a model. From there, it could generate an approximate shape for a glyph that would be able to track the White Stag¡¯s signature.


    All of the mathematics was beyond Erec, and so was all the spewings of science VAL gave on its methodology and thesis regarding this. It was a low, dull buzz every time VAL tried to discuss it in depth.


    Erec sunk to the ground in the corner of his tent. His Armor felt heavy, and for a moment, he let himself go, staring numbly at the knobs and dials on the opposite side of his work area. He took off his helmet and rubbed his eyes.


    [You really should get more rest. Self-care is vital to functioning correctly in times of stress. Perhaps you should consider a nap before Colin arrives?]


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Erec lied, feeling a heavy weight on his shoulders.


    The past couple of days kept bringing Gwen''s story to his mind. She made it sound like As was all alone while he held up the world, a god with no one around to share his burden. But Erec had his friend¡ªtruthfully, it made it harder rather than easier. That responsibility and trust only made it heavier as he tried to keep up his public image and lend backing to their organization. Garin and Olivia were the ones busy dealing with the daily issues. They were the ones capable of inspiring the soldiers.


    So, with all their efforts, what he had to do was simple. Look strong. Be strong.


    Why was that so hard?


    They said he¡¯d done well so far, that the distance between him and everyone else was essential to keeping their feeling of security about him. Better for them not to taste his doubt and fear.


    At least he could hide it behind his steel. He didn¡¯t know how long he sat staring nkly. An eternity, maybe.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand them.¡± Erec shook his head slowly. ¡°I came in, embarrassed Jefferson, and somehow, I¡¯m their savior. I don¡¯t even issue orders that haven¡¯t been run through everyone else¡­¡±


    [Delegation is essential to leadership, and every person has different forms of leadership. Though, it does feel odd to have this conversation with a simple Researcher. We should begin considering you for the managerial track.]


    ¡°Please, no.¡± Erec shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is for me, unless I need to. The stress of it is too much.¡±


    [Spoken like a true-blooded researcher. Far more interested in your work!]


    ¡°Just a few days more,¡± Erec said, inhaling deeply. They were getting near the main encampment. From there, he could relieve himself ofmand and hopefully have something tangible to report to Boldwick. If they were quick enough, they might prevent this from spiraling further out of control.


    Colin strode into the tent, his Armor nking as he swished his cloak intentionally behind him for a grand entrance. The haughty noble had taken to such shy gestures. ¡°Shall we get started?¡± Colin asked.


    ¡°Please.¡± Erec pulled himself to his feet, more than a little surprised that Colin was in a rare good mood.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Hours flew by as Colin performed the same glyph, again and again, generating a harsh white light that leaked various colors in the fully formed glyph. Around them, different radio transmitters operated as Erec switched between channels.


    VAL recorded data in his head as Colin got progressively more annoyed.


    They¡¯d found another amplifying wave, and VAL seemed awfully excited about it. But it hadn¡¯t led to the breakthrough that Erec had hoped for.


    A familiar head poked into their tent as thest glyph broke up. Garin took a brief look around as he walked in. ¡°Ah, I see you two are both hard at work again. Any closer to figuring out the weird insight Erec had?¡±


    ¡°No. Frankly, I¡¯m beginning to suspect that he¡¯s chosen to torture me out in the field to relieve his stress. A very vain and underhanded tactic.¡± Colin said.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Erec cut in, ¡°I meant what I said; this can be a way to find out where the White Stag is¡ªif it works like I think it does. It¡¯ll¡ªwell, save lives.¡±


    ¡°And then what? Are you going to charge it with your battle axe in hand? Do you believe that Boldwick will give you leave to follow a trail of magic when you¡¯ve no aptitude for mysticism, to begin with?¡± Colin responded, his tone tainted by the deep annoyance which typically set in thiste within these tests.


    The longer Erec spent with Colin on any given day, the more unpleasant the noble boy got. Either their personalities were ipatible, or he¡¯d begun to realize he could only stand him in short-measured doses.


    Unfortunate for a friend.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be taking the credit for it, anyway,¡± Erec said.


    ¡°You¡ªwhy, of course, I am the one who constructed the <em>working</em> version of such a glyph. I hadn¡¯t thought of such a thing before now, but it is wise of you to concede to my expertise. How long was it you said again before this will pay off? A couple of days? We may perhaps work on this for the rest of the night if it would elerate my glory.¡± Colin said.


    Erec didn¡¯t bother to respond as Garin let off a snicker. All it took to reinvigorate the selfish noble was the right motive.


    Shame it took so long to put that together.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Garin cut off Colin from talking about how this sess would mark him above any others in the Academy. ¡°Things are going well. People are driving themselves harder after seeing you work, Erec. Jefferson continues toze about camp, but no one takes hisints seriously. It¡¯s not like before.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, I suppose. And the possessed?¡± Erec asked. With how busy he¡¯d been between the testing and scouting, he relied on his friends to closely monitor all the problem areas. Better not to lose the people¡¯s confidence in him by interacting too closely because the honest Goddess truth was that he felt beyond nervous about this whole thing. They couldn''t afford for his fear to spill into the camp.


    ¡°Difficult to make eat. They grow skinnier each day, but we¡¯re on track to return to the main army in two days. Then it won¡¯t be our problem; either way, it goes¡­¡± Garin trailed off.


    Yeah, if the worse were to happen, they wouldn¡¯t be the ones who would have to make that call. Theypsed into a morbid silence at the insinuation; even Colin knew better than to say anything.


    ¡°Anything I can do to help?¡± Garin asked, looking around at the tent.


    ¡°Yeah¡ªhelp me operate these radios while Colin does his thing. The more channels we can swap between while he uses the glyph, the quicker we can get our results from testing.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Garin moved over.


    Out of anyone, his friend was the most reliable person Erec had ever met. And as the three of them burned away the night working on the experiment, they worked with an optimistic and filled energy. A youthful hope that they might be the ones to turn things around before the expedition devolved.


    As the moon began to sink out of the sky, they had their breakthrough¡ªanother data set. Five minutester, they had a working model.


    An hour after that and a couple of tweaks, they¡¯d honed in on the same mana signature of the White Stag¡ªor, at least, the mana it used to interact with the radio waves.


    Which led to the second glyph design. Colin began to point out the ws in the second glyph¡ªthe one that would let them track the source of the mana.


    In one night, their solution seemed very real, very quickly.

 Chapter 77: Warpath

    Chapter 77: Warpath


    Erec stared at the silent monsters in the distance; the sun burned their flesh, leaving their seared skin with boils. So unnaturally pale it almost seemed translucent. They were vaguely humanoid but with four massive arms and trunk-like legs.


    As Silent ones usually did, when not trying to kill, they stood utterly still without even twitching in a lot of asphalt, hidden among rusty cars.


    Was it by happenstance they were in this town? A ce directly between them and their path toward the main army. Even going so far as to be woven inside the ruins of an old-world parking lot, with a field of rusted-out cars facing a giant billboard. Just on the edge of the abandoned town.


    Erec hid in the small building, taking in the army that¡¯d caught the corner of his eye. Rather devious, and a scout had a chance of mistaking them. But his eyes had gotten better at this sort of thing over the past few weeks. Otherwise, it¡¯d have been easy to miss them hidden in the sea of old-world junk.


    This was the first real threat out of everything he¡¯d faced in the wastnd since taking charge. Sure, the monster before might¡¯ve killed him if he couldn¡¯t power through it, but this. This here was a real danger. If he ran against the army of Silent ones and died, he wouldn¡¯t be the only one to face the consequences. His people would be alone, demoralized, and sitting prey for the White Stag.


    They barred the way back to safety.


    <em>We could take the long way.</em> Erec considered how long it might take, a couple of days to go around at enough distance to avoid.


    It might be a small price to pay, but his people were getting antsy, a level of nervousness that only ramped up as the possessed among them acted oddly. Over thest two days, they stopped putting up a fight. Now their fellow humans were damn near catatonic, and the new ease of moving them was undercut by the nervousnesses theirpliance elicited.


    His instincts screamed at him. Something was in the air, and if he tried to take down an enemy, it made the most sense to attack before they could regroup.


    There was still some connection between the Stag and his people. How much information did it get from them?


    Options. So many options. And as the one making most of the calls, whatever he and his friends chose would hang on their heads. They might avoid this town, but what if this led to an attack on open ground by these creatures? An attack like that might be brutal to counter with their diminished fighting power, and on neutral territory, it didn¡¯t offer any tactical advantage to resist an assault.


    His orders were to return the group safely to the army and avoid engaging the enemy.


    But they might use thisndscape, the broken-down town, to their advantage. Streets and buildings could be choke points, funnel enemies, and limit their freedom with those limbs. They might split their group and retain their own possessed far away¡ªdeny more potential enemies should the worst ur. That was if they fought here and now.


    It came down to a simple question. Should he obey the word of his orders and leave enemies at their back? Enemies he didn¡¯t know the limits of.


    Already, the White Stag kept taking advantage of his superiors, underestimating it. To him, the damn thing didn¡¯t do anything without some intention. With that in mind, the most likely answer was that this Silent force in this town had a purpose.


    Either to ambush or dy Erec from returning to the army.


    Waiting wasn¡¯t an option; the tension was too high already.


    <em>Is my instinct to fight because of the beast?</em> Erec let the question sit. How much of his thought was colored by the simple desire to kill these things? He craved to cleave his axe into their flesh and wanted to know what color their blood was. There was a streak of that in him now, always.


    Damn, near rming.


    But he couldn¡¯t let that instinct influence a decision that had such a significant impact on others.


    Was it right to trust himself on such a vital call?


    The sun sunk below the horizon before Erec pulled away from his secure scouting position. His mind still turned over the possibilities, but one thing was clear, they had to be decisive.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°What do you think is best?¡± Boldwick¡¯s smooth voice carried over the radio. The static far lessened than before, and the closer he got, the clearer his voice became.


    Garin and the rest of his friends lounged nearby. Jefferson was the only Knight not invited to their discussions; it was better not to have him involved if they could help it.


    ¡°It would be a massive mistake to ignore them. The White Stag keeps catching us by surprise because we wait for it to make its move; if we move first, then it takes that away from it. We know it wants to kill us, so for everything it does, we should be sure it had that goal in mind.¡± Erec marveled over the conviction of his own words. All of the hesitation and worry in his heart on the trip back seemed to bleed away to resolve.


    Hearing Boldwick¡¯s voice made things clear. It steeled the part of him wavering inside.


    ¡°If you rule on Strength, you need to show it to those following you, or it all falls apart,¡± Garinmented; for such a discussion, his friend was rtively unphased. ¡°But do you think we can take these things on?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. It¡¯ll be a difficult battle, and I don¡¯t expect everything to go our way. I believe it¡¯s possible to use the terrain and make them fight us in a beneficial way; if we start the fight, they can¡¯t simply sit there.¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Impressive, already considering the environment for fighting. Here¡¯s a thing to consider, however, Erec. In the middle of the battle, people will need a voice to listen to. You can¡¯t fight at full capacity and give orders, yet they¡¯ll need someone to givemands. So, who there will make your Lieutenant?¡± Boldwick¡¯s voice crashed into Erec from the radio.


    Yeah. They¡¯d be screwed if they relied on Erec to call the shots in the middle of the fight. He could charge them into one, but from there, it was a lost cause.


    He was a loose weapon; an axe meant to tear apart their enemies without a single second of hesitation, a being that fed off the chaos of a fight and thrived. An anomaly to warfare. Others needed direction, encouragement, and a leader able to make the calls of where they should move or how to adapt. War meant that any ns set in stone were prone to crumble to dust.


    Erec looked between his friends. All of them had their strengths and weaknesses, but the person he wanted at his side in a fight wasn¡¯t even a question.


    ¡°Garin, can you do it?¡± Erec called, and his friend tilted his head. ¡°There isn¡¯t anyone else I trust as much as you. You might not have my Strength, Colin¡¯s skill with Mysticism, or prayer¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow, really hyping me up.¡± Garin shook his head with augh.


    ¡°But you¡¯re the best. Can you fill in the spot while I fight? If you can¡¯t, we¡¯ll have to figure out¡ª¡°


    ¡°Of course, I can. Trust in me.¡± Garin gave him a thumbs up.


    Erec let out a deep breath of relief.


    Colin would¡¯ve royally fucked themand structure, leading to unnecessary tension within the rank. He couldn''t rely on Olivia. Not that he thought the girl would do anything against him here on the field, but he needed to know more about her and the house she represented before putting any genuine trust in her.


    A n for that had formed in his head, but it wasn¡¯t anything he could look into while they were in the wastnd. And ack of trust between him and the second inmand would only be bad.


    ¡°Sounds like you have the basics of it sorted out.¡± There was a long pause on the other side of the line from Boldwick. ¡°¡­It¡¯s always an odd feeling when your students put themselves out there, but pride is always attached to that. I approve this engagement, Erec Audentia. Prove what you''re made of to the rest of the Verdant Oak and me. Take the battle to them, then return to our army.¡±


    Themunication cut off after that. Proud. Boldwick was proud of him?


    ¡°So, what¡¯re we going to do with the impudent Knight Errant?¡± Colin called from the side, shattering the surprising warmth.


    ¡°We set him with the possessed along with a handful of the more loyal soldiers.¡± Erec said. They couldn¡¯t trust Jefferson in the middle of a fight, yet if he was held in reserve with the possessed, it would make use of his status and his Armor were the worst to ur.


    There wasn¡¯t any way to bepletely certain it was the correct call, but it made the most sense to him. Now¡­ It just came to phrasing andmunicating this n to the rest of the soldiers, scoping out the battlefield, and then picking the right time to strike.


    Then came the simple part. Fighting.


    Out of everything, that left him feeling the least nervous.

 Chapter 78: Worthy

    Chapter 78: Worthy


    <em>THE FUTURE IS TODAY. WIELD LIGHT-BASED WEAPONRY FOR EXTENDED RANGE AND RECHARGEABLE AMMUNITION. CONVENTIONAL BULLETS OFTEN LEAD TO SWIFT DEATH OF THE TARGET, BUT A SINGLE SHOT THROUGH A LIMB WITH A LIGHT-WORTH DEFENSE C-232 LAZ-RIFLE HAS A MUCH HIGHER CHANCE TO SIMPLY MAIM AND WOUND DUE TO INHERENT CAUTERIZATION ON HIT.</em>


    <em>A CRIPPLED AND INJURED ENEMY IS WORTH TWICE A DEAD ONE IN A WAR-ZONE, OR IT GIVES YOU THE CHANCE TO MAKE THE BASTARD WHO TRESPASSED ON YOUR PROPERTY REGRET HIS DECISIONS.</em>


    <em>*Light-Worth makes no definitive ims on the lethality of the C-232 LAZ-RIFLE line nor any derivative or precursor models.</em>


    - Unknown, Light-Worth Advertisement Poster, (2nd Era, 2074)


    A handful of troops hunkered down behind Erec on a rooftop. Not far away, the main force of their soldiers was getting into position. Erec tried to ignore the unease behind him; his handful of troops clutched their weapons so hard their knuckles went white.


    Among the number of troops they had at their disposal, Erec settled on twenty-five for this operation. That left enough to secure their position, and the possessed still in theirpany gave him enough people to feel confident against these unknown monsters.


    After all the pains they took, they were as prepared as could be.


    Yet everyone was nervous except Erec. The closer he got to the fight, the more things settled in peace. Even knowing it wasn¡¯t entirely possible to predict and n, this battle would all fall in ce for him when he had his axe in hand.


    Let others stress about strategic points and designated fallback zones.


    He and his friends were green, and most of human history didn¡¯t center around fighting monsters, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    All it required to win was Strength.


    Erec perched near the edge of the two-story building. Below him, Colin began to walk down the street, right towards the primary host of monsters hidden among the rusted cars. Once he was within their sight, they shifted for the first time to face him. Though, they didn¡¯t move from their spots quite yet.


    <em>This is it.</em>


    The air ignited in front of Colin as he formed a burning red glyph. Its intricate lopsided circr design appeared, then morphed into a ball-sized orb of me which sped down the street.


    His attack crashed into one of the monsters. A plume of smoke drifted upward as it seared flesh and shoved the monster onto the rusted car behind it. Two of its four handszily stemmed its burning face. Not a single cry of pain apanied the damage it took, but Colin didn¡¯t wait for it to recover; he formed another glyph and sent off another ball of fire.


    He nailed a second target.


    But the enemy was formidable. Therge pale creatures were sturdily built and took two more attacks with minimal reaction. Erec¡¯s gut wrenched.


    It couldn¡¯t be this simple. Why were they waiting to attack?


    More fire red down the street, and the silent ones broke stasis. As one, they lurched forward, going from frozen statues to yanking their massive bodies over the cars and rubble in their way. They staggered like rabid animals toward Colin with an rming quick speed.


    Colin booked it down the road, dashing past Erec and his team. The monsters flooded by only secondster, giving chase with all they had.


    As predicted, they slipped right by Erec and his people without noticing. They didn¡¯t have to worry about Colin¡ªtowards the end of the street were two alleyways stuffed with another Knight and the majority of the troops. Though the creatures were fast, Colin made it there ahead of them with time to spare. The duke¡¯s son wasted no time, spinning in ce as a moreplicated glyph formed before him.


    Before the monsters reached their target, soldiers spilled out of the nearby alleys. Armed with spears, they quickly formed into position, crouched down, and braced their weapons against the ground.


    Unthinking, the charging monsters skewered themselves on the defensive line, limbs twitching as the weapons dug deep. A few died on the spot or limited the first wave of monsters. But it wasn¡¯t all of them. The horrible things that could still move didn¡¯t flinch from the pain. They dragged themselves forward down the weapons, their massive hands grabbing out towards the soldiers to tear them apart.


    Colin¡¯s glyph burst to life¡ªforming into a whip-like tendril of fire. With precision, the me whip shed into the first wave''s surviving monsters. It tore into their hands, buying the desperate soldiers a second to drop their spears and switch to their swords.


    Olivia bought them more time to prepare as more monsters crashed in, her Armor taking on a glow as she tore into a monster with her sword.


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Erec grinned as he took in the field of cars their enemy came from. Empty. All of them were now in the street below¡ªa good fifteen to twenty.


    Perfect.


    His heart hammered, and the noise of it flooded his ears. Finally, a fight unlike any of those he had for weeks; the thrill was intoxicating.


    Onest thing.


    ¡°Tear them apart,¡± Erec ordered and held a fist into the sky for Garin to see on the other side of the street. His men shifted off the roof to attack from the street below. They¡¯d hit the enemy''s nk with Garin¡¯s team. ¡°Go.¡±


    Forcing the monsters to fight on two sides would let them ughter.


    And that was it. No moremanding, no more worrying, nothing. All he needed to do was shed blood. Like a flint catching against steel, the spark lit up in his chest and kindled in an instant. Fast. Scarily so. Hell came to him onmand now, and the grin on his face only stretched wider as time seemed to slow. Below he could see the ghost-like outlines of the monster¡¯s projected movements as the Q.A.P stirred and transmitted shes of information.


    <em>Freedom.</em>


    Erec drew his axe and pulled back from the edge of the roof, giving himself room. Then with a kickoff that broke a shingle, he sprinted towards the edge.


    His foot hit thest inch of the building, and he mmed down with all the force he could muster,unching his body like a spring and throwing himself from the building directly toward the crowd of monsters in the street below.


    Erec tore his axe through the first pale enemy; two arms lopped free and hit the ground with a wet thump even as he cracked the concrete of hisnding zone. The wounded thing backpedaled at the sudden attack, its body off-center with the sudden loss of a good part of its body weight.


    The puppet was too slow.


    Erec took off its head, a fountain of opaque cloudy white life-blood spewing from its neck.


    Not a second to spare. A monster came at him from his left¡ªits momentum shifting as it threw itself right towards the lone target in their ranks.


    <em>Good. </em>They came to him.


    Like moths to a me, let theme and burn themselves up in his inferno.


    His axe mmed into the creature''s side with a satisfying thunk, making it slouch as it severed abdominal muscles. A hand wed at him, but he threw it aside, smashing the back of his gauntlet against the thing¡¯s jaw, shattering it.


    But more came for him.


    One. Two. Blood coated their little battlefield, making the ground below slick.


    One dead. Two dead. Five on him. Their blowsbined stressed the limit of his ability to react. Erec began to trade their hits for deadly blows of his own.


    Was this love? Nothing felt quite as sweet.


    His helmet flew off as three hands yanked it with all their might. It gave him a second to take off one of their arms; dents, bruises, the split skin above his eye. All of it was inconsequential, and the pain only fueled more carnage.


    Because of it, his axe never had to stop moving. Each swing cut flesh and brought blood.


    Time drifted away in a fugue of battle, and before he wanted it to end, he found the edge of his battle axe buried in thest of the unintelligent monsters to challenge him. Its disgusting body shuddered and went limp. Erec shoved it away with a quick kick to its shoulder¡ªfreeing his axe.


    There wasn¡¯t much left. Further down the street his allies had joined together and taken on the rest of the monsters. All but two of them were in, and they¡¯d take care of those two quickly enough from how it was going.


    Maybe if he ran fast enough, he could kill another¡ª


    The ground shook and he stumbled, unaware that he¡¯d already broken out in a run toward the remaining monsters. Hell burned inside and screamed at him to recover and keep going. But a buzzing note of rity let him pull to a brief stop.


    [Tremors below. Something¡¯s breaking through the surface!]


    Erec spun around at the sound of twisting metal. The asphalt in the middle of the car lot bulged; before bursting like a popped boil as a worm-like monster broke through to the surface. Vicious teeth lined a wide mawrge enough to swallow a man whole¡ªthe creature mmed into the ground, crushing a car under its weight.


    ¡°Retreat!¡± Garin called out from somewhere near the rest of the weaklings.


    Why would he retreat?


    Erec only felt burning in him, hate and joy, an almost euphoric sensation that made his skin numb. For so long, he¡¯d only fought against scrawny-half-alive monsters wandering the wastnd. Those four-armed monsters were an exception, but they¡¯d died too quickly.


    But this monster was on a whole different level. He felt it by just looking at it. Like those giants.


    There was a raw strength to how it moved, with how effortlessly it pushed earth aside and broke apart metal like it was nothing. What man would run from such a glorious chance? Erec started sprinting towards it, calling more fire into his veins.


    Rolling himself into a wildfire as he burned his way down the street. Each push against the ground was a miniatureunch as he forced his Strength through his legs. He tore across thendscape. The faster he reached the monster, the sooner he could sink his axe into it.


    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the wall of flesh.


    His axe swung into it, but it was like a paper cut to something so big. But enough to draw its attention. The creature shifted and whipped its body at him.


    Erec flew through the air, unable to breathe. His back smashed through a wall and sent him crashing across the ground inside.


    Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. His limbs shook.


    This was everything he wanted.


    It was like the giant again, something powerful enough to send him flying and knock everything out of him. So fucking strong. But he could be stronger; that thing was a puppet. How could itpare to him?


    Erec began to push himself up.


    [Whoa, Buckeroo. That¡¯s enough, don¡¯t you think? Try to focus on standing, and we¡¯ll get out of here. This thing¡¯s out of your league.]


    <em>No.</em>


    His body shook, and pain kept radiating from each movement. But the pain burned easily enough; it was deceptive, a mere ghost to deceive and convince him toy down. Only the weak kept still. Power meant action, and stopping was death.


    The monster struggled towards the middle of the town toward the fleeing soldiers, but as it crashed through the buildings with its erratic, awkward movements, it was clear it couldn¡¯t catch up.


    Erec gave way to fire and found his feet under him. He began slowly toward the enemy, his right leg shaking with every step. Something was broken or sprained, but it was inconsequential as long as he forced it to move. Erec picked up the pace, turning his struggling walk into a jog, then a full-forced run. At some point, a scream left his lips.


    A war cry.


    The creature turned at his challenge, a puppet yanked by strings, but unable to dismiss him. It started the process of trying to turn its massive body his way.


    Too slow.


    Erec ripped his axe through its side, once more scoring an extended cut on the nk of the worm.


    Such a tactic couldn¡¯t do much harm. No. But it was the opening move. Erec switched to gripping the battle axe with a single hand and shoved his gauntlet into the newly made gash in the creature¡¯s side. And began to pull, tearing apart the leathery skin and making the wound wider, wedging his body into the damage as the beast struggled around him.


    Flesh widened and grew as he forced his way into the creature, past its outer defenses. It writhed and struggled to stop him, but it was too slow. Itcked hands to pull him away as he burrowed in like a parasite. The air became hard toe by as darkness took hold as he dug further into the monster. It was wet and burning, and his skin stung from its acidic blood.


    But once he was far enough in, he found more room. Enough to grab his battle axe with both hands. Enough to begin to sh, cut, and rend as thest of his air left his lungs.


    Erec lost himself in hell, showered in blood, and with a grin.

 Chapter 79: Managerial Track

    Chapter 79: Managerial Track


    Darkness gave way to a bright blue sky as Erec slowly opened his eyes. His skin burned, and his lungs ached, and annoyingly, there was a notification in the corner of his vision. But, he heard singing. Soldiers. Not good enough to call it beautiful, but given hisst sight before cking out, it was plenty close.


    [Well, what an intriguing method of dissection. However, upon consideration, it¡¯s pretty inefficient and not nearly asprehensive as I¡¯d prefer. Typically, we examine the subject from the outside rather than diving in.]


    Erec shuddered and forced himself up, wincing from the lingering pain. It¡¯d be a weepanion after every use of Fury now. Still, there was a cloth wrapped around his head, and his hair felt¡­ gross, caked from the worm insides.


    ¡°Erec?¡± Olivia asked, shifting and moving to his side. She had dark rings around her eyes, and the skin on her face was sunken. All it took was a nce to know she¡¯d pushed herself past her capabilities to heal him and whoever else was wounded in the fighting.


    ¡°Hey, Olivia,¡± Erec croaked out. His throat was surprisingly sore, and another smear of pain on his body. The yelling did him in too.


    ¡°Do you know how terrifying you look when you use your talent?¡± One of her hands turned his chin to look at him better. ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t notice it before, but your eyes go red, almost like a monster.


    That was new. ¡°Wonderful,¡± Erec shook his head free from her. He almost regretted it as the world spun, but he¡¯d rather she not touch him. At this point, he¡¯d recover and didn¡¯t need any more help, especially with VAL on his side and healing from within. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, right? We won, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to attack that monster. There wasn¡¯t any way it could¡¯ve pursued us across the open ground on our way toward the army.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? I¡¯m not so sure about that. Maybe it would¡¯veid an ambush. But, I¡¯ll admit, that wasn¡¯t what was going through my mind. Not like I thought from a rational ce. Still, I don¡¯t regret it.¡± Erec felt his anger sparking and ring, and it was rather undue towards Olivia at the moment. The fire smoldered and lingered from before, or maybe his control over it was growing thinner. ¡°I won.¡±


    One day, would he burn away that control for good?


    ¡°¡­I think we sometimes ignore the price we pay to win when we shouldn¡¯t.¡± Olivia bowed her head before returning a measured expression to him. ¡°Regardless, you are healthy enough to move if you can manage. They¡¯re waiting for their fearless leader. I¡¯ll tend to the rest of the soldiers so we can get moving tomorrow morning. Enjoy your victory, Erec.¡±


    She moved away, which was for the best. With his patience so thin, and the wall so easy to break, he¡¯d rather not be around her. Not until he got more of himself back under control. She wasn¡¯t his favorite person in the world, and he didn¡¯t want to strain his rtionship with her in the field.


    He counted to ten in his head, grounding himself back to who he was and what he needed to do.


    At the end of regaining himself, he pulled up the notifications.


    Strength Advancement: Rank D - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 2


    Vigor Advancement: Rank E - Tier 3 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 4


    Ah, yeah. He had a feeling. Another step closer to that edge, the further his Strength climbed, the more Fury grew. But it meant more power, and the feeling led to craving. When had his need for Strength grown so strong? Was something broken inside of him?


    His fingers shook as the beast inside roared with delight.


    This tool would take him where he wanted to go. As long as it got him to his destination and let him y threats to humanity, he¡¯d keep using it. Erec got up on his twitchy legs; whatever sprained or broke was healed enough by VAL and Olivia to walk at least.


    He took it slow, drifting towards the singing. It came from a small fire in the middle of the small town; Garin had a soldier¡¯s arm on his shoulder, and the two were saying and belting out somewhat scandalous lyrics. Most of the soldiers gathered around here, including Colin, who was on the opposite side of the fire listening to Garin with his arms crossed and a frown.


    As Erec came into the light of the fire, the singing cut off, except for Garin, who wavered for a few seconds. Whispers ran through the soldiers as they all took their fill of him.


    It was eerie with them quiet. There was something in their eyes, either fear or respect, but regardless the expression they wore wasn¡¯t natural. Almost like he wasn¡¯t a person to them. Erec shifted and raised his chin in response to the stares; he wouldn¡¯t let the tension get to him.


    ¡°I gave your dented helmet to someone to repair, rust bucket. I can¡¯t believe you were dumb enough to abandon it on the battlefield¡ªwhat a waste of resources. Fool. If it were me, I would¡¯ve stopped and picked up the thing meant to protect my previous face before challenging another monster.¡± Colin¡¯s criticism cut through the silence like a knife. It sparked a set of nervousughter.


    Without knowing the Duke¡¯s son, they thought he¡¯d made a joke. It wasn¡¯t. Goddess help them if they heard one of them. Still, it brought Erec a smile.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t really need it, did I? Feels like my face is just fine. Think they¡¯d have to do a lot worse til people preferred yours over mine.¡±


    ¡°Take that back this instant. Do you realize the care routine I put in ce to keep myplexion? Compared to yours, it¡¯s like day and night. You¡¯re lucky not to be e-ridden.¡± Colin scowled.


    With that, the soldiers eased off and started to talk to one another again. Whatever this ridiculous conversation had brought to light was enough to clear the air and remind them that Erec was another human.


    <em>Thanks, Colin.</em> He knew it wasn¡¯t intentional, and the sneer on Colin¡¯s face said he took a moment far too seriously, but it was just what he needed.


    ¡°Come on over and join us,¡± Garin waved him over¡ªa sk in hand. ¡°We have a little something to celebrate the win.¡±


    ¡°Should we be drinking after a fight?¡± Erec asked, sitting next to him, one of the soldiers shifting aside to make the room.


    ¡°I wonder, do you think having a little booze in you would make you fight better or worse?¡± Garin began to theorize, passing over the sk.


    Erec looked down below, knocking back a bit of amber liquid within, before passing it over to the soldier next to him. It burned down his throat, and his face felt numb; would Boldwick approve or disapprove of this? It wouldn¡¯t be enough to render him useless. But the question had merit. Would it even lessen his power if he were to call Fury while intoxicated?


    <em>Being sober isn¡¯t important right now.</em>


    He¡¯d led them to a fight, and even looking around now, they¡¯d lost a couple of people. But with this battle, they got back to a ce of safety. They were unsure about who he was, especially after seeing Fury in full force, but hopefully, they got a glimpse of him being just another person like them. With that, they could trust him.


    Once they got back to the army, he would need them.


    Erec was under no illusion that getting back to the army''s main host would end this hunt. Thanks to Colin and VAL, they had a lead on the White Stag. But that meant little if no one would take him seriously, and to do so, it was all about presentation. With so many Knights above his rank, the best way to stand out andmand attention to make his voice heard was to force them to listen.


    He needed the people around him. If they were willing to take extra steps beyond this with him, he¡¯d have his wish.


    To them, he¡¯d be a leader and hero. And as long as they held him in a ce ofmand, those above him would have to pay him attention when they rejoined the army. For better or worse, he couldn¡¯t afford to be just another initiate in their eyes.


    Social capital.


    <em>What a damn headache. </em>


    Garin slumped next to him as the fire crackled and popped. The conversation flowed around, grieving a couple of lost soldiers, praise for the fighting, and a celebration of the future toe. Mixed emotions, to be sure, but today these soldiers saw that the puppets weren¡¯t almighty and that humanity couldsh back.


    For the first time, they¡¯d made real progress against the White Stag and its insidious ns.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°You really are something, aren¡¯t you?¡± Boldwick snorted over the radio as Erec finished his report. ¡°Well then. As far as I can see, you¡¯ve taken care of the roadblock keeping you from returning to us. You¡¯re clear to advance, initiate.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. We¡¯ll be returning quickly.¡± Erec replied, watching Jefferson in the corner of the tent.


    During the fight in town, the possessed suddenlyunched an attack. None of them had gotten free, thanks to preparation and quick action on their defensive unit.


    Somehow Dame Yuvia ended up breaking her bonds. The Stag faked heratose state and, with an unpredicted amount of might,shed out and started the attack.


    Sir Jefferson cut her down.


    His swift and decisive action saved the situation from spiraling out of control.


    They¡¯d set him there mainly as a way to keep him away from the main fighting, having never expected the coward Knight to aspire to such an act. It made Erec almost feel bad since he proved himself.


    It was sad that Dame Yuvia died, as ipetent of a leader as she was; at least now, it would make things a little simpler.


    Erec couldn¡¯t help but worry about Jefferson, though. After returning and finding out what happened, Sir Jefferson hadn¡¯t spoken much to anyone. He drifted about and did what was asked of him.


    ¡°Congrattion, initiate. Once you¡¯re back with us, that¡¯ll be the first real victory in your cap in your likely violent and excessive career.¡± Boldwick let out another chuckle before themunication feed cut off.


    Erec waved to his friends that it was eptable to leave. They¡¯d spare no more time. From this point forward, it would be a fast march back toward the army to take full advantage of their hard-won reprieve.


    His friends filtered out of theirmand tent, and Jefferson moved to follow.


    ¡°Stay here a minute,¡± Erec said. The man paused and turned, head lowered. Erec wasn¡¯t sure what to say for a moment, despite being the one to ask him to stay. If he were being honest, he didn¡¯t even clearly know why he did¡ªonly that a part of his gut screamed at him too. ¡°You did well.¡±


    ¡°Did I?¡± Jefferson asked, bitter in his tone.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to pull through, let alone keep things together back there. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t think of the Stag making Yuvia appear out longer than she was. We¡¯re all grateful that you didn¡¯t hesitate.¡±


    ¡°I am a Knight Errant.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you are.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re an initiate.¡±


    ¡°Did I ever deny that?¡± Erec asked; there was anger threatening to burn inside, but¡­ No, this moment didn¡¯t call for it. There was something unseen lingering here from Jefferson, but it wasn¡¯t a threat or condemnation of himself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you should be an initiate. Not based on what I¡¯ve seen. You¡¯re something else. There¡¯s a couple like you in every ss, those bound for more. They leap ahead while the rest of us humans scramble in the mud. Sometimes I wonder what¡¯s it like to be blessed by the Goddess and be one of them.¡± Jefferson¡¯s voice broke slightly, a sad twang to it.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t look at it that way. I don¡¯t see myself as blessed. If anything, I bet the Goddess would hate my guts. Fine by me since I¡¯d hate her right back too.¡± Erec felt surprised by the sphemying out of his mouth, but it felt right. Any being so careless to burn away that many lives, well, he found that it¡¯d be hard to be okay with them. ¡°We all appreciate what you did. It couldn¡¯t have been easy. When we return to the army, I¡¯ll see if Boldwick can find a ce for you in the back lines, somewhere away from the fighting.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Jefferson said sharply.


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Seeing you, even at your age. It¡¯s disgraceful how I¡¯ve acted. No, Initiate. Wherever you go off to, I will go as well.¡± The man mmed his fist again, his chest piece in the form of a salute, before storming out of themand tent.


    [Wow. Maybe we really should have thrown you onto a managerial track. Huh.] Erec stared at the exit. Whatever weapon he could get, he¡¯d take.

 Chapter 80: Betting

    Chapter 80: Betting


    <em>¡°Quit while you¡¯re ahead; all the best gamblers do.¡±</em>


    <em>- Baltasar Gracian (2nd Era, Unknown)</em>


    The horizon held a beautiful sight. Rows of tents flying gs of every color backdropped a row of steel carts. Wind swept the pennants in the air, waving proudly above humankind¡¯s finest Army. All of the Knight Orders were represented, but most prominent was the giant silver and red g that represented the Kingdom.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Garin chuckled. ¡°Made back mostly in one piece.¡±


    Erec didn¡¯t have to say anything, and his friend knew more than anyone the stress they¡¯d been under. Though, things weren¡¯t likely to change too much now. Not if he got his way. A group broke off from the main Army, quickly heading their way.


    Several of the people piloted Armor¡ªtheir weingmittee.


    ¡°It¡¯s surprising nothing else challenged us. They must¡¯ve known I was here and decided to cower. It shall be excellent to take a rest for a few days. I¡¯ve looked forward to this.¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed, Colin.¡± Erec shut him down. Colin was a keystone to this n, and there wasn¡¯t time for him to lounge around doing nothing. ¡°Unless we show them what you can do, we won¡¯t get any renown.¡± Not that he particrly cared about the reputation, but he knew it would be sufficient motivation to pull Colin forward. All they needed to do was demonstrate their discovery to people that mattered, then push to get back out into the wastnd.


    Then they could hunt the Stag.


    Hopefully, it would be quick enough, as long as it didn¡¯t get time to put together a more sophisticated attack to take on the Army.


    ¡°A lot has changed,¡± Olivia said quietly as the Knights continued to advance toward them.


    <em>True.</em>


    They hadn¡¯t walked out into the wastnd this time as bright-eyed initiates. Not after thest expedition and how it¡¯d ended, but the challenges they''d faced this time had beenpletely different and far more challenging. Survival necessitated change.


    The Knight arrived¡ªthen confirmed their identity. After that, it was a quick matter of how to transfer their ¡®prisoners¡¯ or, rather, the possesed they managed to bring with them.


    Then came the dreaded topic. What were they going to do with the troops Erec led back? As the Knight in charge of their relief party began to dig into the topic, Erec finally cut in.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be leaving my centuria intact,¡± Erecmanded, throwing steel into his voice. The Knight Protector did a double take.


    ¡°Excuse me? What is your rank again?¡± The Knight asked. Though, they were both aware that Erec was only an initiate. This man, Sir Jonas, might not be much higher¡ªbut it was enough. Ironically, he was the same rank Dame Yuvia was.


    ¡°I¡¯ve led these people back. Ask them if they want to disband and get dissolved into other centuria. You¡¯ll find they¡¯ve agreed to stay with me.¡±


    Olivia and Colin turned to look. They hadn¡¯t been roped into this n, but Garin was. His best friend moved directly to Erec¡¯s side. His lieutenant. The co-conspirator for this grab for authority and the man that made this possible. Without Garin acting as a go-between with the troops, there wasn¡¯t a shot in hell that these people would agree to stay with him, an initiate. But now¡­


    ¡°This is asinine.¡± Sir Jonas said. ¡°You do not have authority to lead¡ª¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t? I saw someone <em>your rank</em> lead us into an ambush they¡¯d been warned about for days. I brought these people back here safely and earned my right to lead for the rest of this fight. Ask them! They don¡¯t want anyone else. And you¡¯ll let them do what they want; I¡¯ve promised to get them through this with my Strength. If you have a problem with that, then beat me in a fight.¡±


    Everyone froze in ce.


    There it was again¡ªanother public challenge to a duel. The Knight Protector swayed in his spot, unsure how to respond, just like Sir Jefferson had.


    It was a risky gambit, but Erec hoped this man heard enough about him to not want to risk losing face by testing him.


    ¡°Fine. If you¡¯re so hell-bent on this, I won¡¯t be the one to relieve you of yourmand. You get to exin it to the Master Knights yourself, and have them personally strip you of the authority. Follow me this instant.¡± Sir Jonas turned on his heel and stormed off toward the main encampment.


    This was what he¡¯d hoped for. Erec paused to look at Garin. ¡°Look after the soldiers, alright? Make sure they get set up with rations and drinks for tonight. Colin,e with me please.¡±


    Garin saluted him, then grabbed Olivia to tend to their soldiers. With the two of them working together, there wasn¡¯t anything to worry about. Colin followed easily enough, and they made good pace after Sir Jonas. The man sped-walk past the tents, making a casual effort to go <em>slightly</em> too fast to make them struggle to keep up. Petty.


    But maybe earned. His response to Erec¡¯s eyes looked pathetic, especially in front of the other Knights.


    However, the weak didn¡¯t have the right to tell him what to do¡ª


    Erec shook his head.


    Intrusive. That fire in his gut and how it influenced his logic was growing far too quickly, and the desire to slip into Fury was all too intoxicating. Was this the natural progression of his Divine Talent?


    Erec frowned and picked up his speed. The key was to remain focused on one thing at a time.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Themand tent had a unique atmosphere¡ªa surface-level sense of rxation and joy, underlined by severe tension and disorder. Unlike before, it wasn¡¯t just the Master Knights of the Verdant Oak. No, there were representatives of each of the Orders. All of them Master Knights. The power stuffed under this thin linen tent was enough to blow away a mountain, probably. Some of them didn¡¯t even bother wearing their Armor. They were filled with confidence in their ability to manage an emergency without it if something urred.


    One thing was certain. Few of them were impressed with Erec after Sir Jonas¡¯ brief introduction and exnation of his challenge to him.


    At least there were a couple of familiar faces. Though, Boldwick looked perplexed with him and Sir Fulton unamused by Sir Jonas¡¯ valid criticisms.


    After Jonas¡¯ report, Boldwick cut in to head off any discussion or reprimand.


    ¡°So, why?¡¯ Boldwick opened his hands, ¡°You came back to us; exin why you don¡¯t want to relieve yourself ofmand and operate under a different Knight?¡±


    It was a fair question, and it tactfully avoided using him of anything, considering he¡¯d tantly vited the chain ofmand. The best tone for this conversation Erec could hope for.


    ¡°I need them. Colin¡¯s found a way to track the White Stag.¡± Erec gestured toward his friend¡ªalmost immediately, Master Knights began to object, several expressing angry skepticism and others arguing with their conjectures. No one believed initiates were capable of riddling out what they''d tried to do since the start of the hunt. They agreed on that if nothing else.


    But they didn¡¯t have an old-world machine stuffed inside their head and its pure scientific approach to magic. Nor were the first-hand witnesses to the radio-wave pulse at the towers.


    They rumbled on for a few minutes, and Erec kept his head low. Even after breaking the chain ofmand to demand he retain leadership of his centuria, it was best to acknowledge these people were far above him.


    Eventually, Boldwick shut everyone up and got back on track for their questioning.


    ¡°Exin,¡± Boldwickmanded. This time his tone was clear; he doubted them and expected Erec to have something.


    ¡°Colin, form the glyph.¡± Erec made room, and Colin took the center of the stage with ir. The boy lived for dramatics and slowly raised his hand in front of him, a smirk on disy for all to see.


    ¡°Foolish of you to doubt my capabilities. I am heir to House Nitidus. Behold.¡± The white lines of their carefully crafted glyph burned into the air, hovering briefly as he poured mana into the formation in his head. He dragged out the process¡ªlong enough for the Knights to get a glimpse of it before activation.


    As itpleted, the Glyph condensed into a re of light, which then shot off towards Colin¡¯s left and vanished into nothing.


    Boldwick gave an ufortable cough.


    ¡°Uh, you¡­ figured out how to make a light thatsts for a couple of seconds?¡± Boldwick scratched the back of his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd; the glyph was designed to read mana and then transmit energy in the direction it detected it.¡± A mousy Master Knight from the Order of the Azure tower spoke up. She leaned forward and smiled. ¡°If you may, could you use that Glyph again? This time try to maintain it for longer before setting it off. It¡¯s a rather novel and niche concept, but I don¡¯t mind offering advice to initiates on Mysticism.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Boldwick turned his eyes back to Erec. ¡°And¡­ What does that prove, and how exactly does a glyph that makes a bit of light mean you should retainmand over an albeit diminished centuria?¡±


    ¡°The direction the light shot towards is the same direction it detects the Stag¡¯s magical signature¡ªwe used the wavelength that amplified the White Stag¡¯s magic when it took over half our centuria to work backward to trace its mana signature. Through testing, we were able to find the correct configuration. What you see now is the product of that. We can find the White Stag with it.¡±


    The mousy Knight cupped her chin and tilted her head as Colin kept the Glyph formed.


    ¡°Clever idea.¡± She admitted shaking her head. ¡°Tedious and unreliable, though. How can you be sure it¡¯s not detecting trace magical energy and responding to that? Rifts have a way of distorting ambient magic. Which is assuming that you had the right wavelength, to begin with.¡±


    [They do?]


    ¡°This is ridiculous. There isn¡¯t a way that an initiate could devise a methodology for tracking the Stag¡ªour priests have been attempting divination for weeks, to no avail. Yet they expect us to believe this farce? One of them is the Unbroken General¡¯s son¡ªclearly glory-seeking with a lie.¡± One of the Knights cut in, arge man in damn near enough steel te to make his Armor triple the size of a man.


    ¡°How dare you! What family are you from anyway? I doubt it¡¯s anything more than a barony¡ª¡° Colin¡¯s glyph shattered as the boy snarled. The mousy Knight protested.


    ¡°Bah, I am a Master Knight. Rank means far more than any house.¡± The low, grave voice cut back across as the Master Knight found no shame in arguing with an initiate.


    Erec cleared his throat, feeling nervous. He had been confident in their methods, but with the new information from that woman¡­


    Boldwick let out a lowugh, silencing the fight from devolving further.


    ¡°Well. Alright then. This is a gamble if I understand correctly.¡± Boldwick folded his arms and shook his head. ¡°Which is why you wanted to retainmand. You wanted to take a chance on this theory. In other words, you¡¯re seeking to lead a scouting expedition and see if your gamble pans out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Erec said, straightening his back.


    ¡°Normally, I wouldn¡¯t send off initiates to lead a centuria. But if these people want to stay under yourmand, we can devise a workaround. I¡¯ll send you off with a Knight Lieutenant, who will let you y leader. From what I can see, there¡¯s not much to lose with this since we¡¯re sitting and spewing out scouting forces anyway. What¡¯s one more?¡± Boldwick pped his hands together.


    ¡°I refuse to allow this.¡± The Knight in the massive ting argued. ¡°This is a waste of resources.¡±


    ¡°Good thing you¡¯re not part of my Order. Lance, I don¡¯t have to ask your advice on how I conduct scouting expeditions. So shut up andin to the rest of the Silver mes and your priests.¡± Boldwick snorted. ¡°Erec, I¡¯ll expect confirmation from those soldiers that they want to follow you; in the meantime, get me a list of supplies you¡¯ll need. I expect aprehensive n. Please bring it to Dame Robin for approval. Then you have my permission to take her out on your expedition.¡±


    With that, Erec had his chance.


    ¡°I did it all¡ªI came up with the glyph,¡± Colin spoke up and puffed up his chest, missing the point of the conversation, let alone the shift in dynamics. The mousy Knight humored him, then made him pull up the glyph.


    Erec gave Boldwick a nod and left. He needed to n and put together the logistics. They¡¯d find the White Stag and end this hunt.

 Chapter 81: Sleeping Beauty

    Chapter 81: Sleeping Beauty


    ¡°Oftentimes, those above don¡¯t offer this advice. But I think it prudent. It¡¯s unwise to push yourself too far, too quick,¡± Dame Robin spoke with a bemused tone. Erec rested next to her as they watched their small group of soldiers march through the wastnd. Together, the two had scouted out the local area¡ªbut this close to the army encampment, anything that posed a threat would¡¯ve been picked up long ago.


    Mostly, this scouting mission was Robin prying into what he¡¯d done since they¡¯dst met.


    ¡°Those at the top aren¡¯t always deserving of it. From what I¡¯ve seen, at least.¡± Erec said.


    ¡°It is understandable to feel that way. You¡¯ve run across our aristocracy''s less-than-noble side for most of your life. You have us now, though. Boldwick, me, and your Order. Though it is true, many make it to Knight Protector without knowing the first thing about what makes for a good leader. I think it¡¯s clear that progressing from Initiate to Knight Errant is only a matter of time. But, little is spoken about how getting from Knight Errant to Knight protector is mostly a matter of power and aplishment. After that, a lot tend to stagnate.¡±


    ¡°They do?¡±


    ¡°Within this Order, that is typically the majority of our men and women. They live fulfilling enough careers and serve for a time to garner prestige and if they¡¯re moderately sessful, wealth and status. Then they retire to form their branch of nobility or take their household''s mantle.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why they don¡¯t aim for more?¡±


    Dame Robin shook her head slowly. ¡°With each tier, the path narrows. It gets harder to climb into power. They get frustrated they can¡¯t disy what we want to see in our Knight Lieutenants. Let alone be a Knight Commander. Most never reach their full potential; some are in unlucky and taken away from us before they get the chance. Do you happen to know what the main gripe of those within the Knight Protector rank is? The reason they im why they cannot climb?¡±


    ¡°How stressful leadership is?¡± That would make sense. He¡¯d gotten a taste of it, and the responsibility was heavy; even if he¡¯d bid for more of it, that didn¡¯t mean he liked the feel.


    ¡°Wrong. They me others. When someone else does well, they proim how lucky they are. However, I don¡¯t think my main worry over you is about that.¡± Her voice broke for a moment there at the end. She cleared her throat.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried I¡¯ll end up like Alister.¡±


    ¡°Am I wrong? Anyone with their head screwed on right would be thinking that too. None of us can deny your uncanny growth, but it¡¯s the stars that burn the brightest the fastest that tend to vanish the quickest.¡± Dame Robin¡¯s voice shook, and a strange sensation passed through Erec at her worry. Almost¡­ Guilt? ¡°You don¡¯t choose to chase glory, but it leaves me wondering. Do you keep getting in these situations to save others, or are you looking for more fights?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to protect other people,¡± Erec snapped back. Too quick. He wanted her to not concern herself over him¡ªfor things to return to normal. Though, it was a lie.


    He didn¡¯t know the real answer to that question.


    Dame Robin slipped into silence, and Erec forced his attention back onto their expedition. Sir Jefferson trod along easily with other unknown Knights¡ªSir Boldwick spared them another Knight Protector and an additional Knight Errant. Both of them were nominally answering to Dame Robin instead of himself. Technically, Erec was reporting directly to her to.


    The Army issued them with only ten more men, including a lieutenant and captain; those two, however, consulted with Erec as the lead Knight.


    Overall, a bizarremand structure that broke convention. But, Boldwick¡¯s reputation made others go along with it after a bit of goading from the well-regarded Master Knight.


    For all intents and purposes, Erec was in charge of the mission. Even if he and the Knights above his rank ¡®reported¡¯ to Dame Robin. As long as she took no major grievance with anything, his decisions were defacto hers.


    Though that mattered very little to the men and women who bravely followed Erec out here, unlike most of the army, they rode high on a renewed purpose following theirst victory. Thanks to their recent fight, and Erec following through, they were one of the few units in the hunt that felt any sess against the White Stag.


    They were his soldiers.


    Erec let that settle in for a long moment, along with the knowledge that he¡¯d asked them to volunteer to head with him back into danger. Was it right? Moreover, what did that say about him? For so long, he¡¯dpared himself to his brother, but would even Bedwyr go this far?


    There¡¯d been so little news about any other initiates in his Order, let alone the others. Most of his reports were directly about him and what he was doing¡ªhe knew very little about how they were doing overall, other than not well.


    ¡°It makes me nervous; this whole thing does. But I didn¡¯t see a way to get the work I thought needed to be done unless I pushed for it myself.¡± Erec admitted to Dame Robin, breaking the quiet again.


    ¡°This path may make your goals easier to reach in some ways. But, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be far tougher in the long run for you, but then nothing worth the effort is easy, and the things you will learn will be valuable.¡± Dame Robin mped her gauntlet on his shoulder. A gesture of assurance. ¡°Let¡¯s find that Stag; we can bring this hunt to an end and return back to the walls.¡±


    ¡°Eventually, we¡¯ll just leave again,¡± They had that nned trip, and that was its headache with how it felt like they¡¯d yed into the duchess¡¯ hands. He¡¯d have to trust that Boldwick knew what he was doing.


    ¡°It¡¯s always like that. Time runs in circles, there are lulls where you can rest and recover in the safety of friends and family, and then there are moments where you have to put everything on the line. It¡¯s only easier to see that for people like us since the harsh nature of reality throws itself in our faces.¡± With that, Dame Robin finally broke off the conversation for good and rejoined their group.


    Erec let them drift ahead before picking up his own trail parallel to theirs. Walking with himself felt right, and with a quicker speed, he¡¯d pass the group and sink more into scouting. Thisnd was safe for now. But the practice might be invaluable forter.


    Besides, the onlypany he wanted at the moment was his own.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Each day sent them off further from the safety of the Army. Each night, Colin used their glyph to correct their course and regather their direction. Throughout a couple of days, that became less necessary with the revtion that their bearing didn¡¯t change much at all.


    The White Stag wasn¡¯t roaming the wastnd. No, it¡¯d centered somewhere to the east, toward the glowing sea.


    That direction was a ce that Knights tended to avoid, and the scouting expeditions headed that way made sure to do so quietly. Erec hesitated and wrestled with the decision for days, knowing plenty of strong monsters might lurk out there.


    His people steeled themselves for the danger. And they were hunting after a cataclysm-ranked monster anyway.


    The decision wasn¡¯t that hard to make.


    However, the real difficulty ended up being far more personal. With the growing density of running across monsters and the average level of power higher, he worried about himself.


    What if he threw himself into a battle outside of his capabilities? Could Robin save him?


    So he resisted the tempting fights, and with Robin¡¯s help, they kept themselves hidden.


    Then it happened.


    They came across a group of silent monsters roaming over the wastnd. After making the report and that they were headed toward the main force of the Army, they found another group of silent ones.


    These things were moving with coordination, like pawns on a chessboard, positioned with the invisible eldritch mind of the Stag.


    Thanks to their smaller numbers, it was easier to move their castrum discretely. But the unease at discovering more groups of Silent ones and the paranoia of discovery sent a shiver through all of them. Nightmares of the White Stag becamemon as they dove deeper into the enemy''s territory. Erec grew paranoid that one of the groups noticed them¡ªthat the White Stag might be baiting them into a trap.


    But the discovery wasn¡¯t for nothing. After repeated sightings of the Silent Ones, the Army immediately responded and shifted to follow Erec¡¯s direction to handle the marked groups. Dame Robin worked ceaselessly to scout out thend around them. They found another group of Silent Ones.


    Within weeks, the Army moved to begin engagements.


    Then they found it¡ªnormally, it might be mistaken for another abandoned feature of the wastnd. The dull color of the walls around the ce and a massive rusted fence belittled the discovery¡ªan abandoned military encampment from the old-world.


    Open in the middle of it were several Rifts. Spewing Silent ones, filling up the insides of the tanned buildings and fortified position with plenty of monsters.


    But, as they took a look, snuck as close as they dared, they found the true horror.


    Near the Rifts, a massive White Stagy, its head curled into its side as its huge antlers gave off a shimmer. They had the same distorting light of the rifts reflecting off them as it slept nearby.

 Chapter 82: Fire Meets

    Chapter 82: Fire Meets


    <em>¡°We are Hers, and by Her will, we will end her enemies.</em><em></em>


    <em>How else are we to receive Her grace?¡± </em>


    <em>- Grand Master mes, Sermon (3rd Era, 294)</em>


    Erec leaned over and rested his arms on his knees. Their camp was shrouded in the dark and now miles away from the White Stag. After spotting it, the image of the massive Stag haunted him. He wasn¡¯t the only one, either. Even now, Robin prowled nearby with a Knight Errant to keep an eye out for any approaching Silent Ones.


    If even a single puppet spotted them, they were fucked.


    It¡¯d lead to a race back to the main Army with a small chance they wouldn¡¯t all end up torn apart in the wastnd. For now, their entire Centuria slept in shifts. All of them were ready to move at a single word were the worse case to happen.


    Exciting.


    Nerve-wracking.


    Erec couldn¡¯t make up his mind.


    ¡°You two really did it,¡± Garin mumbled and shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t believe you managed to track down the Stag.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course, I did. I¡¯m magnificent, aren¡¯t I? Praise me.¡± Colin said.


    ¡°Ah yes, so wonderful! Thank you for blessing us with yourpany!¡± Olivia suppressed a snicker, sliding closer to Garin.


    ¡°You lot are lucky to be so graced. Show yourselves worthy, and once we¡¯ve graduated, perhaps I¡¯ll offer you a spot in my house guard.¡± Olivia and Erec shared a look. Neither wanted to join that mess¡ªcertainly not Olivia, as she belonged to another duchy.


    But it did lead to a good question.


    ¡°Do you n to retire from the Order when you be a Knight Protector, Colin?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Colin paused and tilted his head. ¡°I suppose I could. I¡¯m waiting for father to signal to me that the time is right. He told me this was meant to forge me into a weapon that could be used¡ªas if I needed the additional experience. Until then, I¡¯m supposed to muddle my way through with my lessers and gain acim. Though, with this victory beneath my belt, the time maye sooner than expected.¡±


    If he were to get recalled sooner rather thanter, it might absolve Erec of his responsibilities. Given what he knew about the Duke and his son, Erec didn¡¯t think that waiting for Colin to prove himself as capable was what the Unbroken General was looking for.


    The Unbroken General wanted Colin to grow up before trusting him. Eventually, though, he would be the master of the house, as it offered more power and prestige than Colin would find as a Knight. Unless, by some miracle, he achieved the rank of Master Knight


    That¡¯s how the higher nobility operated. Often time only the second or third-born children joined the Knight orders. Once there, they would achieve their titles and establish their own branches of nobility. Then the central family would im them as a side branch and form ties¡ªthe whole system wasplex and interwoven.


    But being a Knight carried risk. Which is why firstborns bing Knights were usually reserved for lower houses, or they left before achieving too high a rank in their Order.


    ¡°And you? Would you join my household if I were so gracious as to make an offer?¡± Colin asked, far more serious than before to Erec.


    Erec snorted.


    ¡°Hell no.¡±


    ¡°Truly a low-born misbegotten¡ª¡°


    ¡°I joined the Knights to clear my family¡¯s name, and yeah, maybe along the way, I¡¯ll make a little bit of a name for myself too. But I never expected much; if I hadn¡¯t gotten in, where would I even have been? Our family has nond¡ªno, I don¡¯t think I ever really n to retire from this anyway. Even if I were looking at a high-nobility titleter on.¡± Erec said, already knowing the truth about where his path seemed to be going.


    It was a test to see how strong he got.


    And somewhere, that Strength might not be enough. Before then, he¡¯d be damn well sure to get the answer to the questions he wanted and to secure a spot for the people left behind.


    Either that, or he might end up locked up in some westernb on behalf of a mad machine in his head, ving away doing science. Though, maybe that was wishful thinking. Erec nced in the direction of the Stag. What sort of worries did a monster like that have?


    Did it have a different vor of mad fury in it, driving it to these acts in such a desperate manner too?


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s clear what your friend is here for. He¡¯se to find a bride and increase his own house¡¯s standing,¡± Colin turned his attention on Garin. ¡°However, like my father warned, he got distracted by a maid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a Dame. It would behoove you to address me properly now, Sir Golden-Spoon.¡± Olivia said. ¡°Besides, as of now, I don¡¯t believe either of us has an intention of marriage.¡±


    ¡°I caught you two cuddling in themon room.¡± Colin retorted.


    ¡°Mhmm. Foolish of me. I suppose I should have asked for a ring before we even held hands; how ssless. You¡¯re right, dear Colin. My sincere apologies, Sir Garin. We must evaporate this rtionship post-haste, and you are not allowed to so much as a nce in my general direction, not until you have your father send my mother the betrothal documentation. Until then, none of this is truly proper.¡± Olivia slid closer to Garin even as she started to mock Colin.


    ¡°Oh! What am I to do? I suppose I must find a ring and convince my dad that you¡¯ll bring our house arge dowry!¡± Garin couldn¡¯t keep up with it and started tough, wrapping an arm around her.


    ¡°Bah, you mock me as if that is umon. You¡¯re both far too unrefined to know how true nobles ought to act.¡± Colin said.


    ¡°Or perhaps you¡¯ve wound yourself so tight in a bubble that you don¡¯t know how REAL rtionships work. Do take some time to consider, Sir Colin. Mayhaps, with reflection, we might convince you it¡¯s okay to find a date for a ball withoutmitting to marriage with the poor woman.¡± Olivia ended the conversation as she and Garin settled in with each other.


    Erec got up and walked off. Colin was pulling back into his shell after learning a lesson, and well, the two of them probably wanted some alone time. Eventually, Colin would get the hint. Either way, Erec didn¡¯t want part of it. He was happy Garin found someone.


    As long as things could stay like this¡­ He¡¯d be happy.


    Eventually, this had to end.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    When Erec opened his eyes, he saw two things. First was a vast field of red flowers. Crimson petals dominated andscape as far as he could see¡ªa veritable field of dark vines lifted up the most horribly beautiful flowers he¡¯d ever witnessed. The sky above was a perfect ck, yet, somehow, light drifted off the nts, exposing how unending and almost ghostly the ce was.


    The second was the white pelt of a massive Stag; its blood-red eyes locked on him from a paltry twenty feet away.


    Instantly, Erec¡¯s blood boiled, and the fire in his gut sparked. If he wanted, he could reach out and let it explode; there wasn¡¯t a doubt in his mind that unleashing that hell would take care of this scenario. It¡¯d turn all of these flowers to ash and send that monster fleeing from his mind.


    But he hesitated.


    Unlike before, there wasn¡¯t a crushing demand for his subservience. It didn¡¯t expect him to bow his head and give over to its will. There was an almost¡­ curiosity mingled with begrudging respect towards him.


    The White Stag lifted its head, its eyes piercing him as its undivided attention seared through Erec.


    Around him, the red flowers broke off from their stems, flowing around the two in a twister that sealed them in with one another. Though the entirendscape wasing apart, Erec couldn¡¯t bring himself to look away from the White Stag. All he had was the fire inside, ready toe at a moment''s notice and burn away this vision in his dreams.


    Yet, he didn¡¯t.


    The petals fluttered around in a blood-red wall, the smell sweet and sickly like blood, and then the funnel broke apart, exploding outward from the two of them.


    Outside of the wall of crimson was something else entirely. The entirendscape had changed from the ck field filled with red flowers. It was a long and vastndscape, with massive mountains in the distance backdropped by a bright green sky. Faint yellow clouds traced over the horizon¡ªa different world, Erec was sure of it. Though much of it looked simr to his own, the air held a cool pleasant breeze.


    A sense of loss filled Erec as he took in this ce; the Stag looked away from him, its eyes roaming thendscape.


    <em>Its home?</em>


    Though it couldn¡¯t talk, the profound feeling of lossnced through Erec.


    And then, high in the sky, a pir of silver fire descended. It smashed into the, and a wall of silver mes crashed over them¡ªErec let out a scream, but the silver fire onlysted a second. Then, they were left withplete ck.


    No more flowers. They stood alone in a void of ck.


    Hate. Palpable hate. It burned in Erec and resonated with the fire inside of him, fighting against it as the two seemed destined to try to burn one another out until only death remained.


    All of Hers had to die for what she did.


    The Stag would have it no other way.


    Erec grinned back at it; if that¡¯s what it wanted, then so be it. If it wanted to hate, he¡¯d show it what it wanted. With a step toward the monster, he let the hell inside loose. Silver mes burned outward from him. The inferno consumed this illusion it imnted in his head, turning its forced dream to ash in seconds.

 Chapter 83: Pieces In Place

    Chapter 83: Pieces In ce


    Days of hiding quickly evaporated as Erecmanded his group to pull back and rejoin their approaching Army. Thankfully, his expedition was aplete sess. Minor skirmishes began to erupt across the wastnd as the Army encircled the White Stag. He¡¯d led his people back to the Army without a single engagement.


    Like a wave, the humans moved to strategic points surrounding the White Stag, effectively choking out any pathway to escape. It split their main forces, but it would end this hunt: one way or another.


    Being in the main Army was a relief, and this time around, Erec officially renounced his authority and had hismand stripped from him. As much as he considered leading them into the primary battle himself, he wasn''t experienced enough. If anything, demanding to remain inmand would only hurt the people he led. It didn¡¯t take much urging to acknowledge that and submit himself as another unit.


    Though, Boldwick did promise him a good position in the fighting. Until then, he had to vow to stay away from the skirmishes.


    He¡¯d wait to fight once the real push began.


    Until then, more of the monsters spewed out from the Rifts¡ªording to the reports, two more opened near the White Stag. It was reinforcing its position and threw small attacks.


    It could be that the Stag was trying to exhaust them. This was an untenable position. At some point, they¡¯d have to break through and kill the Stag before running out of resources.


    Until then, Erec found himself constantly wandering around with aimless abandon. He clutched a bread roll in his right hand and sighed. At least Munchy didn¡¯t have any problems with eating while others were out there bleeding instead of them.


    He¡¯d nabbed an extra treat out to feed the squirrel¡ªwhich despite all the fighting and constant travel, appeared to be having the time of its life. Munchy made a home of Garin¡¯s Armor and lived like a king.


    <em>Not much longer. </em>


    Tomorrow was the day. Tomorrow the hunt would end for good.


    Erec caught the familiar hushed whispers in the camp around him. They were as eager as him for it to end. However, their reasoning was likely different. They wanted to return to the walls, to their safety and families, since they typically served in a much more domestic and policing manner than tantly fighting these horrors. He hoped this would be it in a day, this would end, and they¡¯d get their wish.


    To him, the mere excitement of tomorrow was rming, and it took this aimless wandering to still his chaotic heart.


    Not everyone would make it back after the fight. How many corpses might end up littering the wastnd to put an end to the mad Stag¡¯s quest to kill them all? And why was it that he couldn¡¯t find the worry inside himself that he might end up among the bodies?


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this,¡± a strained voice called from inside a tent¡ªone that startled Erec more than any other. It was Bedwyr¡¯s voice. More rming was the tone¡ªhe couldn¡¯t remember hearing thest time his brother spoke quite like that.


    Unable to help himself, Erec snuck closer to the tent it came from, discreetly pulling the cloth at the front to get a peek inside. Sure enough, there was Bedwyr with a frown on his face.


    But he wasn¡¯t alone. Gwen sat in front of him, tears rolling down her eyes as she held a shaking hand at her side. His brother refused to meet her eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you? Why can¡¯t you just sit back for this fight¡ªthe Knight Commander told you that you didn¡¯t need to take the offered position in the strike squad. You don¡¯t <em>need</em> to do this. Let a Knight Protector take your ce instead. You¡¯ve no idea the danger of getting near those rifts, of what that awful monster might have hidden away!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it, Gwen. I¡¯m not about to let someone take a spot I can fill due to fear. Whatever mighte out of there, or whatever trick it might have, I¡¯m one of the best equipped to adapt to it. That¡¯s why I was asked. If I seed here, I¡¯ll shoot past Knight Errant straight to being a Protector when I graduate.¡± Bedwyr pulled away from her, trying to look anywhere but at Gwen.


    She didn¡¯t have it, forcing herself back into his view. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why can¡¯t you just <em>wait?</em> You¡¯ll get stronger, give it time! You keep doing this to yourself, and it tears me apart to see it. Do you not care about me? What am I going to do if you end up dead?¡± Gwen was shouting, which made Erec flinch.


    ¡°Stop, alright? I do care about you¡ªbut this isn¡¯t about that. I¡¯ve been thinking¡­ Maybe this rtionship isn¡¯t good for either of us. Because of me, you¡¯re constantly getting worried¡ªI¡¯m sorry. I think we have to end this.¡±


    ¡°This is it? This is how you¡¯re breaking up with me? I can¡¯t believe you! When someone finally forces their way past that shell you put up, and you find out they care more about your life than you do, you decide to end it? Is that it? Wyr¡ªquit it, you know how wrong you are. Not everything needs you to be involved; trust in other people!¡± Gwen stumbled away, her voice breaking.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, Gwen. I¡¯m meant for this. It¡¯s why I¡¯m here, on this. I can¡¯t¡ªlisten, it¡¯s best if we don¡¯t see each other again, alright? Forget about me. You¡¯ll be happier.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡±


    Erec stepped away from the tent and quickly began to walk off. This was none of his business, and he¡¯d already seen enough drama to know he didn¡¯t want to get busted for eavesdropping.


    A momentter, he heard a dreaded call over his shoulder. ¡°Erec!¡± Gwen said.


    <em>Fuck.</em>


    Would she know that he¡¯d heard them? Erec froze in ce as she stomped up behind him. The older girl slid into his eyes, tears running down her face. Though he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t force his eyes away from the raw pain on disy.


    ¡°Be better than him, alright?¡± she asked, choking up. ¡°I know you heard some of that¡ªI see it in your eyes, but I¡¯ll say it now. You can be better than him, don¡¯t put everything on your shoulders. It¡¯ll hurt you, but more than that, it¡¯ll tear apart the people who care about you most.¡± With that, she stormed off.


    Erec cleared his throat, feeling a rush of awkward energy at the chance encounter.


    Unsure of what to think, Erec decided to keep on his long walk before catching up with Garin. Munchy could afford to wait a little longer for his meal.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°Got everything?¡± Dame Robin asked their squad. It was a redundant question since she¡¯d asked the same thing hours ago before they¡¯d moved to get in position. Behind them was their force of Knights¡ªan entire legion was positioned and facing a wall of monsters on the field ahead.


    As expected, the amassed Silent Ones remainedpletely still only a couple of miles away. This same scenario was undoubtedly reflected in a few other positions wherever their Army gathered. Like a vice, they¡¯d squeeze in on the Stag¡¯s fortress and draw out the defenses it¡¯d managed to pull from the Rifts and turn into puppets.


    But their point wasn¡¯t to overwhelm the monsters. Not with the Rifts wide open. No, they¡¯d soften the front lines and weaken it enough for the strike forces filed with Elite Knights to break through and target the Stag and close the Rifts.


    Somewhere among that force was Bedwyr. Erec felt the sting of jealousy that he wasn¡¯t along for that battle¡ªbut it made sense. He was a first-year initiate. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t even be working with Dame Robin¡¯s force. It was only due to his raw Strength that rivaled some Knight Protectors that afforded him this chance.


    Not to mention that his abilities didn¡¯t lend well to a targeted strike like that.


    Still, it felt like he was a step behind his brother. Like it always had throughout his life. As much as others had assured him he was doing well, with Bedwyr¡¯s ability, could he ever really rival him?


    ¡°Well? Got everything?¡± Dame Robin asked him specifically, as he¡¯d failed to respond. Unlike the rest of the Knights, they had with them.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Erec tapped the hatchets strapped to his side, and a bit more of a wicked one-handed axe secured on his lower back. His previous troop donated him a couple more weapons as a parting gift, and though he didn¡¯t expect to hold on to them for long, he¡¯d put them to good use. This was going to be a long fight, and he didn¡¯t intend to slow Dame Robin down.


    Sir Jefferson pped him on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. We¡¯ve got your back as long as you¡¯ve got ours.¡± The man said.


    The rest of these Knights were unknown to Erec, which suited him fine. His friends were somewhere else at a safer part of the battlefield, interwoven within the legion below.


    Their squad wasn¡¯tposed of just Verdant Oak Knights¡ªthey had four of their own and an equal number of Knights from the Azure Tower and Crimson Lotus.


    They only had two Knights from the Silver mes. Based on the brief tactical outline Dame Robin gave beforehand, those two were support troops.


    Their tactics for the battle were rtively simple.


    Anywhere on the battlefield, the monsters seemed to be too much for the regr legion; they were to go in and take out the heavy-hitting monsters.


    Precisely the challenge Erec hoped for.


    ¡°They¡¯re moving.¡± Dame Robin¡¯s voice took a sharp,manding tone. Erec¡¯s eyes snapped to the battlefield. Sure enough, the Silent Ones had begun their advance. Their hate radiated in waves¡ªor perhaps he only felt it since he knew that¡¯s what the Stag must have in its heart. But it was almost palpable as the emotion rung throughout the air, that familiar condemnation. It would tear apart any man or woman that opposed it and then spit in the face of the Goddess.


    War had begun.

 Chapter 84: Restraint

    Chapter 84: Restraint


    <em>¡°Strategy is the art of making use of time and space. I am less concerned about thetter than the former. Space we can recover, lost time never.¡± </em>


    <em>- Napoleon Bonaparte, (2nd Era, Unknown)</em>


    Trouble came immediately to the battlefield. A giant worm surfaced in the middle of the fight, erupting into a scene of carnage as it caught their defensive line by surprise and threw the unarmored soldiers easily.


    Limp bodies flew as the rest of the puppets tore into the broken line. A few of the captains began to fight to buy time, but it was a losing battle.


    The sheer strength of the worm was insurmountable, turning those that couldn¡¯tpete into corpses.


    Worse were the monsters flooding around it and taking advantage of the temporary chaos.


    Six-legged terrors sprang around the worm. They tore apart senseless soldiers with three-headed maws as the survivor. Under such a sudden and violent assault they held no chance of resisting.


    Dame Robin barked a sharpmand¡ªand everyone moved around Erec with a precision he hadn¡¯t seen before on the battlefield. As one, they flowed out from the sidelines and began to cut through the battle directly toward the fight. Erec ran off at full speed after them, tangling through the press of bodies and lightly shoving stray soldiers out of his way to keep up.


    ustrophobia and chaos waged on all sides, but keeping track of the figures with Armor ahead of him made it easy. Though, the size of their target made it easy as well.


    After making it to the monster, the Knights didn¡¯t hesitate. One of them formed a glyph and shot a giant spike of ice into its side, pinning the worm and anchoring it from attacking nearby soldiers.


    As Erec finally broke through to the fight, the Knights were already dealing the deathblows to the monster. Two of them hacked into it near the skull¡ªanother seared its nk with fire. Erec drew his axe and got in a single slice, yet it felt minimalpared to the damage inflicted by those around him. Even the monsters around the fight had been effectively repelled by a trio of the Knights, rapidly swapping it from a desperate resistance to a contained situation.


    These knights were efficient. The teamwork unseen and even keeping up without his Fury meant their Agility outssed Erec.


    As the monster died, Erec plopped his battle axe over his shoulder and looked for Dame Robin.


    Around them, the soldiers were already reforming their defensive line around the dead monster and pushing back against the main host. Hardly any of the Knights were still fighting¡ªand the allure of killing some of the smaller monsters tempted Erec.


    Barely helping with the worm frustrated him, and the remedy of spilling blood would fix it.


    He¡¯d killed one of these weeks ago, yet now struggled to hold up to the people around him. They were on another level entirely.


    Erec sighed as he finally caught sight of Dame Robin¡ªtheir fearless leader was on the worm''s body, using the height of the corpse to survey the field.


    One of the six-legged beasts threw itself at her, only for the Knight Lieutenant to kick it away with azy jerk of her foot. It smashed into the ground and broke its spine, twitching before a stray bout of me from a soldier brought a sudden andplete end to it.


    Erec let out a frustrated sigh.


    Sir Jefferson set a hand on his shoulder, ending the spiral of downward thought before it could fully start.


    ¡°Hard to keep up, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°You made it here sooner than me,¡± Erec pointed out, which was true. Jefferson got in a hit or two and helped with the sidelines.


    ¡°Yeah? But did I do damage? No, not really. I just helped bleed it. The thing about working with people better than you is that they don¡¯t expect you to perform better than them. They want you to learn. Focus on what your weaknesses are and how to cover them¡­ Sometimes, you get paired up with people far outside of your league and have to learn how to adapt.¡± Jefferson shrugged.


    Erec stared at the Knights around him¡ªone of them mbered up on the worm to join their leader there, and the others were already preparing for a fight.


    What could he contribute to this group?


    He essentially had a single way, the moment he let the inferno ignite on the battlefield, he¡¯d be tough to direct and contribute. Engaging with the worm hadn¡¯t been enough to get him going, but he knew if a fight heated up enough, it might be impossible to suppress the fire.


    ¡°Is this how you felt about me?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I saw someone younger than me capable of feats and courage I didn¡¯t have inside of myself. I¡¯d acted pathetic. When you feel helpless, you can let yourself dwell in the feeling or find the way out of it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Erec tightened his grip on his battle axe.


    Bedwyr was out there, preparing for his assault on the location near the White Stag.


    The difference between himself and the higher echelon of Knights was more than just power. Teamwork was key in taking down opponents in a way that not only preserved you from danger but also protected the people around you. He¡¯d seen how they easily handled the monsters attacking the soldiers, even as they dealt with the worm.


    He had to find a way to contribute.


    If he came out here and joined this squad only to do nothing, it¡¯d been a waste of his appointment on the battlefield. What was this for if more people would¡¯ve paid for his choice than if he supported his friends?


    [Keep it steady, buckeroo! We all have to learn. Try new things, and see if they fit; figure out what works for you. Stressing yourself out will only lead to mistakes.]


    <em>Don¡¯t get frustrated.</em>


    It only led to the fire consuming him; he needed to wait for the right moment to let loose, or he¡¯d be a waste.


    ¡°Another target, a worm surfaced to the north! Move!¡± Dame Robin shouted, and the Knights ran for it again, cutting across the battlefield.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Fight after fight passed by¡ªsttering their Knights in plenty of blood. Erec got better at finding his way into the battle toward the edges and providing support from there. But it was a constant struggle against his instinct to let the fire inside free.


    He kept the rage at a smolder for an hour and a disy of will with the help of an asionally suppressive dose of sedative. It didn¡¯t help that, for the most part, the Knights around him were far more efficient at cleaning up the fights and taking care of the enemies, leaving him a little part to y. The frustration only grew as much as he tried to out logic it.


    At first, the sensation had been maddening.


    He saw Jefferson engage in the same struggle yet maintain a positive outlook while finding small ways to contribute to the fighting. That will left Erec with the resolve to redefine what it meant to be helpful in this fight.


    Right now, they didn¡¯t need him to go full-out. Some of them were exhausting themselves with the constant barrage of worms popping up over the battlefield. If they couldn¡¯t keep up the pace, then it might be the time for him to fill in the position and take the lead in a fight or two. It was a game of patience.


    Like it or hate it, he was learning to apply himself around this new dynamic.


    Though, Erec wasn¡¯t sure how much longer he could keep the hate boiling inside him at bay. In the constant frantic moving of fight to fight, they only had a couple of minutes between each engagement to cool down. Soldiers fought for their lives all around him, yet the puppets only kepting.


    More of the worms kept erupting into their defensive line and costing lives as humans fought these puppets.


    Was this what the White Stag wanted?


    How long until it ended?


    Erec forged ahead, pushing himself to keep together until the right moment. To be the most useful to the people around him, the key to his power wasn¡¯t the Strength it offered. No, the key to finding the right asion to unleash and not waste the potential impact it could have.


    Desire warred with responsibility, but restraint was king.


    Two hours into the fight, shadows dominated the sky¡ªabove them was a swarm of monsters, singr eyeballs, and long leathery wings flew in from the south. Damn near an entire second army of puppets tobat their legion, in numbersrge enough to overwhelm their forces.


    ¡°New tactic. Split off and help support the army. Kill as many as you can as quick as you can¡ªStephen and Damien, on me, we¡¯ll continue to handle worms¡ªgo!¡± Dame Robin screamed as the shadow of monsters began to descend on the field.


    The inferno began to re within Erec. This was it.


    Now was the time to let loose. The fire inside him was fresh¡ªthe wait hadn¡¯t been in vain.


    Time to kill.

 Chapter 85: Easy Mode

    Chapter 85: Easy Mode


    Erec grinned as his axe sheered through the lens and gunk beneath the giant flying eyeball. The hateful monster spiraled into the ground as its insides turned to mush¡ªtaking it out was surprisingly easy. Though numerous, these things died quickly.


    Their Strength wouldn¡¯t be a problem. He felt free as the fire burned in him, his eyes turning to find the next kill.


    [Left!]


    Erec threw himself with themand as an instinct. A pulse of red energy shot out of a monster''s giant eye and tore into the space he¡¯d been, searing the ground.


    [Updating Q.A.P prediction models. Well, that¡¯s an unexpected ability.]


    Hardly a second passed before another shot of crimson light shed across Erec¡¯s vision as a ghostly precursor¡ªhe moved immediately, throwing himself out of the way of another beam. It tore across the ground, the heat of it searing what little dried vegetation remained on the wastnd.


    If it hit him¡ª


    Far to the right, a soldier got sted by the eye beam. There was a pained scream as half his face burned away from the horrific heat of the attack.


    Erec winced, but excitement coursed through him at this turn of events. They might not be physically strong, but these things had something hidden away after all, and a massive amount of them to fight. Erec unhooked one of the hatchets and threw the weapon through the air. Itnded with a solid thunk and took out the puppet that slew the soldier, leaving the monster twitching on the ground. It was unable to use its eye but certainly not finished. He stormed over in an instant, one of his boots mming down on its wing to keep the monster steady.


    These eye-like creatures had gross-yellow molted skin, their round body shaped around and supported that central eyeball with a small mouth lined with teeth below¡ªthough the beam didn¡¯t appear to be its only weapon. A barbed tail smashed against Erec¡¯s leg, the tip of it skittering helplessly against his Armor. Not sharp enough to cut through the steel. The puppet iled the two talons at the end of its legs, but they were nowhere near taking out Erec.


    He¡¯d already grown bored of this one. Erec mmed his boot into the monster¡ªonce, twice, thrice¡ªuntil it stopped iling.


    Each blow brought more of the inferno alive inside. It swelled as he picked his next targetunching himself toward it with his bare hands.


    It went down as easy as the first one. As it turned out, ripping one out of the air and smashing its eye into the ground effectively stopped it from getting off a beam at him.


    If they died quicker, they got less of a chance to attack. And the more he could kill.


    Erec¡¯s vision filled with red as he tore his axe through more and more.


    At some points, he weaved a different dance of death, grabbing one by the wings and smashing it into another. They weren''t the most satisfying weapons but they worked in a pinch.


    He¡¯d hoped to force it to shoot its beam¡ªbut there was no such luck, so he contented in simply squeezing it in his hand until it popped.


    Eyeballs and torn wings blended together as he tore through the enemy. Their reactions became all too predictable, even without Q.A.P. From how they moved in the air, to how they tried to dodge when he sprang up to yank them from the sky and crash them into the earth.


    It was odd.


    In the past when fighting the puppets, it felt like an intricate dance of life and death. As if each movement was calcted and designed to maximize the monster¡¯s abilities in a bid to end him.


    But now, it felt sloppy. Each movement they made was dyed, not just because he could see how they¡¯d move before they did so. Theygged. Stuttered. They operated with a level of coordination that was damn near insulting. Even the six-legged monsters seemed to struggle against him as he took out everything that got in his way.


    It pissed him off.


    This was the fight; it should''ve been his chance to drench the field in blood and prove himself to everyone.


    Yet it was too easy.


    More corpses piled around him as he weaved through the fighting soldiers, alternating between chopping apart the flying imps and ending the life of the hounds. Other monsters¡ªones with scales, boils, and iling tendrils died just as easily.


    They all fell as harvest to his de, dying pathetically.


    Erec¡¯s anger grew.


    Eventually, a worm surfaced¡ªtwo of the Knights mmed into it, but after so long of constant heavy fighting, they slowed down.


    He jumped at the stretched maw of the monster as it was turning to deal with the Knights pestering it. Erec mmed his battle-axe into its face, wedging the weapon into bone as he locked his feet against its fleshy side.


    It tried to throw him around, yet his grip remained firm on the weapon, anchoring him to the enemy. He pulled the wicked one-handed axe off his back with his free hand and got to work. Between him tearing apart the monster¡¯s face, and the two other Knights ughtering the rest of the monster, it went down easily. What had been a challenge that pushed him to his limits not too long ago turned into a simple fight.


    And it confirmed something.


    None of these monsters were giving anywhere near the level of challenge they should¡¯ve. They went down easy, their movementscked.


    The inferno burned inside, angered that he¡¯d been denied the fight of his imagination. It left a concern. Unquestionably, they went down far too easily, not that the soldiers made that distinction when faced with such an overwhelming hoard and without Armor or the level of Virtues as the Knights. But the other Knights had to be noticing it too.


    But why?


    Was the Stag overwhelmed at pulling the strings of so many puppets at once?


    How pathetic. To think it caused such a problem for everyone.


    Erec tore through more, and more, letting out augh as the blood flowed. If it didn¡¯t give him thepetition he wanted, then he¡¯d satisfy the desire to unleash his hell by collecting tribute in corpses.


    If the Stag wanted to sacrifice to him, then he¡¯d let it.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Hours ticked by. As much as Erec wanted to let the me burn and consume him, the pushback from the enemy just didn¡¯t let him draw out the inner fire to give himself away utterly. Countless dead were left in his wake, but he had to take a breather after an hour. Then get back in action, then exhaust the me inside once more.


    Each time he ended up shaking and among the corpses of his enemy¡ªJefferson seemed to hang near and cover for him to let him regain his strength.


    So he bounced between a state of Fury and a more levelheaded thought process. Each use stretched his body beyond its normal limits¡ªyet, he hadn¡¯t reached a breaking point.


    It was hard to tell how much they slew. Yet the intractable number of them pressed in on the army.


    The brief moments of rity provided Erec with a bit of perspective; how much of a simr battlefield were the other legions facing? How many monsters could the Stag puppet at once?


    Was this the limit of its strength? Thest bid to stretch itself out to kill as many humans as it could in an act of spite before they wiped it from the? Yet, there had to be more cunning to that monster. The more Erec thought over the problem; their current situation made less and less sense.


    Why would the Stag, a monster that appeared to pride itself on outwitting humankind fold so easily in itsst stand against them?


    Then the reality of the situation sunk in. All of the strike squad sent to deal with the Rifts were failing to report back in. While the legions continued to struggle against an outpouring of more puppets, those that went in to kill the Stag wentpletely radio silent.


    Master Knight sent to end the job were not responding to the calls on the radio.


    Dame Robin gathered her Knights¡ªone of which was knocked out from a worm and sent back for emergency treatment.


    ¡°We¡¯ve done all we can here,¡± Dame Robin cleared her throat as she took in everyone. They were one and the same, tools of war still pumped full of adrenaline and pushing past exhaustion. ¡°¡­But the fight isn¡¯t over. As I mentioned when calling you here, our people aren¡¯t reporting back as to what¡¯s going on near the Stag¡­¡±


    She went quiet.


    ¡°We, among several other squads, will go in as reinforcements. I¡¯m aware this is a bigger risk than we considered at first, but without knowing what happened to the Master Knights, we don¡¯t have a basis on how to respond and adapt.¡±


    There were no contests to that.


    Everyone felt that fire¡ªFury or not. After seeing how this beast seemed hell-bent on killing the people around them, they had little recourse.


    Dame Robin gave them a nod¡ªand they followed her deeper into the pits of hell.

 Chapter 86: Hidden In Hell

    Chapter 86: Hidden In Hell


    <em>¡°It is upon each of us to ask if there¡¯s a reason why we go on. With the world so twisted and filled with terror, our ancestors faced many dark days¡ªsome lived their lives without seeing the sun above.</em>


    <em>When this question inevitably runs through my mind, I keeping back to the same answer.</em>


    <em>I go on for those that could. I face evil for those that never saw it. I stare at the sun in memory of the people who never will, and never had. </em>


    <em>This, I believe, is a duty to all Knights.</em>


    <em>It is this that you never did understand, Alfon.¡± </em>


    <em>- Luisa Luculentus, Correspondence to Alfon Nitidus (3rd Era, 304) </em>


    Getting closer to the White Stag only meant more enemies to swarm and get in their way. Erec got to put his battle axe to work on a new creature every few yards.


    In short, it was glorious.


    With the Knights at his side, they left a trail of corpses in their wake. Like a dream, a line of bodies marked their path to this point. As Dame Robin led them to their new target, these corpses would water the dry field of death with their lifeblood.


    Erecughed, dodging left from a beam of red light with enough force to m a shoulder into a centipede-like puppet and cave into its exoskeleton. It tumbled away on a hundred legs as another Knight¡¯s sword dug into its head. ¡°Right¡ª¡° Jefferson pulled his sword free and jumped as the ground began to shake.


    A massive worm tore from the ground, maw wide as it dived to swallow Erec.


    Perfect.


    Erec shoved with all of his might and flew past its razor-sharp teeth before they could tear into him,nding right into its insides with a swipe of his axe. Easy kill.


    [Air-supply activated.]


    Even easier thanst time, his axe cleaved through the creature as Knights hit it from the side. Before on the battlefield, it¡¯d been frustrating. An overabundance of targets had amplified the puppet¡¯scklusterbat¡ªthey didn¡¯t necessarily fight better now, but the higher concentration on him was better. He wanted their attention. He wanted them toe at him with more.


    His Fury sang; the Knights around him only amplified its mes. They weren¡¯t thinking. Every Knight out there was another weapon. Extensions of death raging around him and showing off their skills.


    They were Strong. And he wanted to be stronger.


    The pulsating ck insides of the worm shed into light as Erec hacked a hole out of its side. Not even a moment in the sun again until a hound with massive fangs flew at him¡ªErec grabbed it by the throat and crushed the windpipe,zily tossing the dying monster into the worm¡¯s torn stomach.


    Let it have ast meal.


    So many to kill. Erec grinned as he dodged past a red beam¡ªseeing the sh of light a second before it existed. His fire tore through him, making his skin numb yet making him feel far more alive than ever before. His axe sliced, ripped, and murdered. Blood caked his Armor''s joints, and his weapon''s sharpness dulled from smashing apart bones too many times to count.


    How had this power tired him out before?


    He could keep going forever.


    As long as the me inside burned, this pace could keep going; each kill stoked it further, letting that hell grow and sear him out. Nothing on this Earth had a chance of taking him down.


    They dug deeper into the wastnd, suffering their first loss from a Worm biting a Knight in half. The man should¡¯ve thought tounch himself into it, but he hesitated, so its powerful jaws crunched through his Armor like teeth into a cracker. Another suffered a direct hit from a light beam to his skull¡ªfrom how he gurgled after and gasped for breath, he¡¯d no doubt melted something important. Erec doubted the man would go on for much longer.


    But, the Knight fought to hisst breath, copsing a mileter.


    Glorious.


    In his name, Erec ripped out a massive eyeball and let the puppet die a slow death. They¡¯d taken casualties, sure. But how much had they killed?


    The Silent Ones flung themselves about in heavy numbers, sure. But the striking forces sent out to deal with the Stag had a muchrger number of stronger and more prepared Knights. Yet the fight kept going out. Were they too weak for the Stag? Was it possible they¡¯d go all this way, killing so much, only to discover this to be theirst march?


    How beautiful. They¡¯d run a gauntlet of death to face demise on the horns of a maddened Stag. There couldn¡¯t be anything better, right?


    Something shifted in Erec¡¯s hell. A glimpse of a figure shed in him, hiding away within the heat of the inferno a secondter.


    ¡°More!¡± Erec yelled with glee, chopping apart another creature.


    The limbs flew off like leaves from a tree¡ªeven the way their bodies seemed to flop apart, one severed. The different shades of scales ooze from wounds, spraying blood¡ªit swirled together like paint. Each swipe of his axe was like a stroke on a canvas with a brush. If this were thest fight of his life, if by the end he ended up a corpse, then let it be a final moment of beauty. With this weapon, he¡¯d fill his canvas with death and fire.


    Fury could have him, fill him with Strength until he shattered like ss.


    There wasn¡¯t a more fitting end.


    [Whoa, Buckeroo. You¡¯re heart¡¯s racing far over what it should be capable of. Wow, you¡¯re off the charts! Applying sedatives¡ª]


    ¡°No!¡± Erec screamed as he ripped a monster in half. Not with his axe. No, his limbs damn near burned with power. Enough to take apart its flimsy flesh. Until the Stag offered him better, he¡¯d make a mockery of it.


    Right until it faced him itself. The fucking coward.


    [¡­Right, making the executive decision here. I¡¯ll be taking us down a notch¡ª]


    Erec looked to Robin even as he felt his veins strain. The drugs werencing through him and burning away as Fury reacted against them. His fire knew what it needed to do¡ªbut if it was sparing attention to divert and burn away the toxins that would bring him away from this power, he just needed to convince the machine that it was wrong. That meant finding a situation where the threat was high enough that it had no choice but to let him go free.


    As the power raged in him, he¡¯d begun to glimpse something in that hell. Within the mes that spewed chaos, there was something more profound.


    Something truly magnificent.


    Right now, he felt closer to that than ever before. But¡­he needed to push further. If he wanted to find whatever lurked in that hell, it meant reaching the next level. The beast roared in him, but he knew that wasn¡¯t it. It was beneath his skin, killing to its heart¡¯s content. What was hiding?


    ¡°Robin!¡± Erec yelled, his voice hoarse from the screaming.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± She called back, effortlessly sliding between two flying beings¡ªher arms crossing as thin metallic whips of liquid metal from her Armor halved them cleanly.


    ¡°Faster!¡± Erec almost growled¡ªfor the first time, his red-soaked vision didn¡¯t see the puppets in front of him. Those sacks of flesh that were so fun to pop and tear, no, he looked past them. They were a waste of time. Not an actual test of power. They wouldn¡¯t draw out what hid in hell even if there were a million.


    ¡°What?¡± Robin yelled back.


    ¡°Faster!¡± Erec screamed at her. She knew how. He¡¯d seen her do it before. The rest of them might struggle to keep up, but he felt it. The Fury raging through him would let him push forward; all it took was to ignore these useless bags of flesh. They were puppets dancing around on a string. Amusing, but a cheap distraction from the real thing. It came with the rity of a punch to his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re trying to do¡ª¡° she began to retort.


    ¡°Me! Follow me!¡± Erec yanked an eye puppet by the wings and forced it in front of him. All of his power went to his legs, and he began to leap forward. The puppet smeared across monsters as his living shield took the brunt of each hit and shoved aside whatever was stupid enough to get in his way.


    Each jump took him further, tearing apart the sack of flesh in front of him. When it wore away into a bloody stump, Erec yanked another unwilling living shield from the vast array of the enemy in front to choose from and kept up the charge. He didn¡¯t need to use the axe. Unlike before, he didn¡¯t take delight in the dying monsters. They were inconsequential. Their death was meaningless. There was only one thing worth hunting now. Only one creature could let him see the bottom of hell.


    Erec charged across the remainder of the desert, brutally forcing an open pathway, with who the fuck cared left following his destructive path through the enemy.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Ahead was a rather disparate scene. Backdropped by the three rifts lingering in the air was a solid line of humans fighting humans¡ªall the while, a gallery of monsters exploded with electric charges at random intervals. Erec hardly paused as he threw thetest shield of dead monster flesh aside. Thest quarter-mile was easy as the line of monsters thinned.


    And he saw why.


    More than half of the humans here were facing off against their side¡ªall the while, the White Stag looked on past its fence with crimson eyes.


    Their strike force turned on one another and struggled against themselves.


    A Knight copsed to the ground as another took off his head with their massive sword in a single stroke.


    Further down the line Master Knight from the Crimson Lotus¡¯ flung out binding glyph after binding glyph. They seemed to be doing well until a monster in the background exploded like a liquid firework. A momentter, his bindings fell apart, and the puppets ran free to harass the Master Knight again.


    Erec paused, trying to pick the quickest route past the Knight line and to the Stag.


    A Knight sprouted wings, shooting above the enemies.


    They flew past the fence separating them from the White Stag and Rifts, only for three monsters to explode in a viscera of energy and gore. The Knight''s wings gave out a second after the monster''s sacrifice, and they mmed into the ground.


    Not long after, the Knight got to their feet and turned back towards the rest of the Knights¡ªmoving with that same jerky trademark of a puppet being controlled.


    [¡­Proximity? Each explosion generates radio waves, and that Stag is somehow condensing them and then targeting them directly at people.]


    Pathetic. Even with fighting so close to it, that weak creature didn¡¯t dare to take a step and bloody its pristine white hide.


    <em>I¡¯ll turn it red.</em>


    Erec took a step towards the fence. From the corner of his eye, he saw a ghost of a de flying his way; his body was already reacting, but the puppet was too quick. It¡¯d score a hit.


    ¡°No!¡± Bedwyr¡¯s voice called, his brother shing into view, his massive de deflecting the oing strike. ¡°Erec?! How are you¡ª¡°


    The puppet swung at Bedwyr, only for his brother to catch the weapon again, a storm of ringing metal. He matched each swing yet didn¡¯t have the speed to buy himself time tounch a counter-attack.


    Dull.


    Erec strode forward, taking a de to his shoulder¡ªit bit through the steel and made him taste genuine pain for a split second before his Fury burned it away. That annoying machine gave up its attempts to subdue him during the charge of using a monster shield.


    It¡¯d given up.


    Which was for the best. They¡¯d find what hid in hell, and to do that, Erec would dly take this blow.


    It bought him an opening.


    His hand smashed into the Knight Protector¡¯s helmet¡ªcaving it in and knocking the man onto the ground; his enemy twitched. Dying or living, Erec couldn¡¯t tell or care. They wouldn¡¯t be getting up any time soon.


    ¡°Erec¡ªyou might¡¯ve just killed¡ª¡°


    ¡°Stag,¡± Erec growled.


    How had he ever thought of Bedwyr as Strong? Bedwyr was afraid. Of death, of life, of the truth.


    Erec walked towards the fence. If the Stag kept trying to hide from his challenge behind more puppets, he¡¯d take their blows and end them.


    All that mattered was getting to that coward pulling the strings. For that, he¡¯d pay any price.

 Chapter 87: Comet

    Chapter 87: Comet


    Erec took another step toward the fence¡ªmore Knights flew at him. Bedwyr fended off one, yet two more were intent on getting in his way and blocking progress.


    These puppets weren¡¯t worth his attention. Erec caught a sword with his axe, then shoved his shoulder into the enemy to knock them back into the second Knight. They stumbled together, yet that wasn¡¯t the point of this attack. He saw their ghosts. Tracked their movements before they even began. The clever ploy to lure him into an attack was belittled as he saw the sh of another Knight closing in from his side.


    However, the foolish Stag didn¡¯t predict he¡¯d be able to attack and defend simultaneously.


    Erec yanked one of the men from their position, mming them into the Knight headed his way¡ªletting them take a sword to the side as he bashed the new attacker¡¯s helmet with a quick axe chop.


    Easy.


    So easy.


    The fire burned brighter as heunched a kick at his remaining opponent, sending the bastard careening into more Knights ahead.


    His fire swelled; the inferno consumed. A pit of magma twisted in his veins as a wild smile corrupted his face beneath his helmet. Even his eyes burned. There wasn¡¯t time to blink, not as he tracked every single ghost ahead of him. Searching.


    Somewhere in that mess was the way past all of this fodder. They might¡¯ve been great Knights in their own right, but now that they were under the control of the Stag, they hardly counted.


    It wasted their potential, used themzily and with disdain like a toddler throwing around a toy it no longer cared for. An utter waste of what might¡¯ve been an otherwise worthwhile fight. Still, he had to admit, their speed and unnatural coordination made it damn near impossible to see a way to slip past.


    That meant he was going to have to pick the most straightforward option. Fight his way past.


    To his side, Bedwyr finished his scuffle, cleanly knocking out the Knight Protector with the t of his massive de.


    His brother still insisted on pulling punches, even at this junction.


    What did it matter? They¡¯d all die anyway. Erec just wanted to tear off the Stag¡¯s horns before he did.


    Erec began to run forward. The puppets ahead swarmed, bracing to reinforce his breakthrough point. Perfect. They¡¯d throw might against might¡ªhe¡¯d pull more of that hell out, let it burn him whole, and once he emerged on the other side, he¡¯d take the Stag with him in one glorious pile of refuse.


    A second before he reached the defensive line, he saw an rm¡ªVAL shed a warning to make him pause, not even bothering with the words. Erec backpedaled, trusting the machine as an extension of himself. Why shouldn¡¯t he? When used how it should be, it was little more than aplicated sword or axe; instead of using a sharp edge to kill, it used numbers and logic.


    He saw VAL¡¯s point an instantter.


    The ground before him shook, then vanished. A pit appeared out of nowhere and dragged down the plethora of Knights that had moved to stand in his way.


    Dame Robin flew at his side, metal rippling off her and making a narrow pathway over the pit; she shoved him forward. ¡°Lead the way!¡± the woman called, and Erec didn¡¯t need anything else.


    He ran over the path, watching the puppets below struggle to mber out¡ªto the sides, what was left of the actual Knights put up their resistance in a sudden flurry, pressing back against the tide of puppets that desperately fought to repel this assault. Behind him, Erec heard steel ng against the pathway. They hadn¡¯t let him go through this charge alone; whether his burning desire to break through infected them or if they were trying to stop him didn¡¯t matter.


    Erec ran over the pit and ripped a hole through the fence.


    It was so simple. The metal bent and tore away beneath his steel fingers. Like it wanted him to break through.


    The Stag stared at him as he took his first step toward it¡ªthe light from the Rifts behind it bled into its shape and colors, twisting and distorting its image as it seared its hate outward.


    Erec let his hate for the monster burn back. With everything he could muster, Erec threw his body forward by springing all his strength into his calves.


    Ahead of him, five of the monsters popped like balloons.


    ck flooded his vision.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Fire swirled Erec, and the oppressive heat burned his skin, threatening to melt it away and turn him to ash. Each moment that passed was blissful agony as his very soul burned.


    This was it then. Judgment.


    ¡°About time,¡± Erec growled through clenched teeth.


    That bitch finally came to take him away. Hell should''ve been torture, yet he only felt relief, though a bit peeved at his performance; he wanted to end it with the Stag. Thatst hour had been something special, though. It was more full of what life meant than anything that came before¡ªa pure expression of survival and rage.


    Life was meant to be lived like aet soaring across the sky, burning itself away before crashing into the earth.


    <em>What?</em>


    Erec paused, the picture as clear as if he¡¯d seen it with his own eyes, yet he knew of no such thing. He¡¯d only seen the night above briefly during his time on the earth. So how could he even imagine such a gorgeous sight?


    Because it wasn¡¯t his memory.


    Erec gripped his head as the mes began to die around him¡ªtheir soothing pain smoldering and withdrawing as a wind swept through and tore them away, and the radiant heat of judgment faded.


    And left a cold nothing in its wake.


    In it, the Stag finally appeared for what it was. Not a bold white-coated monster of beauty, but a massive horrible cold intellect¡ªahead of him, Erec saw the psionic mind of the beast. Its true form was a swirling muddyke of crimson with a bottomless depth. Deep within came an asional pulse of evil red.


    Drowned beneath the stillke surface were tens of thousands of monsters, their eyes closed, drifting along with a few humans. Some of them struggled, suddenly erupting into a spasm of movement as they got close to the surface of the tranquilke. When they acted up, a thousand tendrils appeared below to drag them away from freedom. They''d drown again and again.


    It¡¯d extinguished Erec¡¯s mes, and as he watched with a still horror, a tendril rose slowly out of the water,zily heading toward him.


    Once it caught him, it¡¯d pull him in and drown him beneath the surface like the rest.


    Where the Goddess burned, the Stag drowned.


    Erec tried to run, get his legs moving and did his best to scream for help. But his tongue failed to work. His legs felt like jelly. And that tendril of dark crimson pulsed as ifughing at his feeble attempts.


    He¡¯d be the Stag¡¯s forevermore.


    <em>No.</em>


    Erec¡¯s fingers twitched. Heat burned through him; the tendril paused and hung inches in front of his eyes.


    <em>Burn.</em>


    Silver mes sprang from his fingertips. Fire spouted around theke, and the tendril rushed forward to force its way into his mouth and drown him where he stood.


    It touched his lips and evaporated; his skin erupted in a hostile silver fire. His hand clenched, Erec took a step toward theke, eyes wild. He saw the hell inside of himself. This wasn¡¯t anythingpared to that; this stilted attempt at control and horrifying tranquility. It was a pale excuse for an afterlife.


    Hell burned, tormented, and scorched. Within its depths was chaos incarnate. Within it was war.


    The wholeke of blood shrieked, and Erec¡¯s mind was yanked away as he reached its bank.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec stumbled forward; a second or two passed, yet it felt like an hour. The Stag stared at him, raising on its hind legs with concern as Erec caught himself.


    With augh, Erec took another step toward it. There wasn¡¯t hate radiating from his prey. No, it was pure fear. The pathetic thing was <em>afraid.</em> He¡¯d give it something to fear.


    He¡¯d hunt it down, rip it¡¯s antler off, and stab the monstrosity through the throat with it¡ª


    A dozen monsters popped with an explosion of electricity.


    The world vanished away.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec found himself knee-deep in the redke, hands rising from its crimson surface, trying to grab him before he could react and pull him down. It thought to act in surprise and take him before he could respond.


    A ripple of silver me burst out from him in a wave as that hate burned him away. There wasn¡¯t anything for this pathetic eldritch monster to grasp onto. No mind for it to take and drown. No, everything he was burned with an intensity that it couldn¡¯t stand.


    Erec saw Her in the inferno. Saw Her hate and contempt. It dwarfed anything he had felt before; that pure and unadulterated desire to conquer. The Goddess was destruction.


    And She¡¯d burned her way through his very soul.


    The psychic ne burned away as theke of blood began to evaporate from his fire.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec caught himself from another stumble. A few feet closer to his prey. The White Stag was swaying in its spot, standing high and looking for an escape route. Even if it¡¯d done a fine job using humans as living shields, it¡¯d trapped itself. No matter where it ran, eventually, it¡¯d run into humans. Into more Knights.


    But, the assumption it could run away from Erec was incorrect.


    It was going to die here and now.


    Erec sprinted towards it, a hand outstretched towards the monstrosity. His fingers burned with a coat of horrible silver me.


    A hundred monsters exploded in a horrible bloody pop around him as he sped by.


    Erec¡¯s mind was yanked away for but a moment; before returning to reality a secondter. More monsters exploded. Each time it pulled his mind away, the time it took to burn through its grasp on him dropped as he sped along.


    He was going to grab the Stag and drag it into his hell.


    The Stag began to run, leaping past the fence, but Erec chased a streakinget of silver mes. His hand stretched toward the White Stag¡¯s back, an indicator that promised death.


    As the battle faded from around them, the world condensed to a primal scene, one somon to humankind''s history.


    Hunter versus prey.

 Chapter 88: Soul

    Chapter 88: Soul


    <em>¡°The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears withposure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper.¡±</em>


    <em>- Aristotle, Nachean Ethics (1st Era, Unknown)</em>


    The Stag ran, and ran, and ran. Itsnky legs bounded over the earth in a desperate bid to flee from Erec. Without consideration, it barreled past the humans, tearing through those puppeted by it. It didn''t distinguish between foe and ally; any in its way were flung with antlers.


    Some took shots at the Stag; glyphs erupted in fire and lightning, mming into the monster¡¯s side and scoring hits. But it was too sudden, and they weren¡¯t prepared. The damage wasn¡¯t substantial enough to stop it, and the Stag ran by. Through everything it had into the flight, its hate and logic dissolved into pure fear as nature took its course.


    Erec sped after it, never losing sight of his target. Each step brought him an inch closer. Nobody else could stick to its tail like he could; none of the Stag¡¯s puppets were in a position to stop him.


    Which was fine; Erec didn¡¯t need anyone else.


    Fire bled off him. His body burned with a silver me that spewed from his core and enveloped his Armor like a second skin. Inside, he felt as if he¡¯d thrown himself into a sun. His skin burned, and a scream left his lips as he pushed across the wastnd, yet it was worth it. Every step carved small holes in the wastnd as he flung himself across the earth.


    He was like aet, burning his way over the before it crashed.


    In minutes he caught up to his prey. Erec barreled into the Stag¡¯s side and knocked the creature over.


    It tumbled across the ground, silver mes flickering and catching on the white coat¡ªburning, yet not turning its hide to ash. Erec took to his feet immediately, just in time to dodge a desperate attempt by the Stag to gore him with its antler.


    At longst, the pathetic creature turned to a direct fight.


    Erec¡¯s hand snapped out and caught the antler before the White Stag could rear back.


    It tugged yet couldn¡¯t break free from his grasp. Heat burned off Erec like a furnace; he felt his muscles coil and spasm as an unrelenting flood of Strength passed through him. It seared his veins and left behind a damn near limitless power. Whatever the cost of this was, he¡¯d pay it. Twice over even. Nothing could take him down, and nothing would stop him from doing what needed to be done.


    Erec yanked the Stag¡¯s antler, yelling as he put everything into it.


    The Stag¡¯s head pulled towards him as its legs gave out due to unsteady footing. Right as it got close enough, Erec¡¯s right foot snapped out and nted on the thing¡¯s skull. Dazing it. But also, it gave him the leverage he needed.


    Shock radiated outward from the creature¡ªtainted by begging. But it was far toote for the Stag to get peace.


    Erec pressed his boot firmly against the monster¡¯s skull and tightened his grip on the antler. He twisted with his hips and back in one swift movement and pulled with every ounce of his Strength.


    There was a crack.


    Pained psychic screaming tore from the Stag; it was a goddessawful eldritch noise begging him to stop.


    Erec didn¡¯t. More cracking. There.


    It snapped. An antler broke free from the monster''s head right at the moment, and Erec¡¯s body screamed at him in protest. Erec pulled back his foot and gave a quick kick to the monster that dislocated its jaw; it stumbled back, blood leaking from where his boot tore into its skin and hide.


    It bled red, just like all the people it¡¯d loved killing.


    Erec flipped the antler around in his hands, then rushed the stunned Stag.


    The tine of his new weapon dug easily into the monster¡¯s side; the antlers were far sharper than they¡¯d any right to be. With ease, he jammed the weapon into its ribs, then twisted, catching against the bone inside. A psychic scream rippled out from the Stag¡ªit tried to tear his mind out of his head and y him alive.


    Erec held steady even as a river of blood ran down from his nose.


    Not for a second would he lose sight of the goal. Erec kept twisting the antler, digging deeper into the beast''s insides.


    In response, it struggled and kicked. One of the iling legs smashed into Erec¡¯s shoulder and broke his Armor¡ªalong with the bone beneath, yet the pain faded in an instant. Taken away by his Fury.


    Silver me trickled down the antler into his enemy¡ªseeping into the Stag¡¯s wounds and burning it away from the inside, even if its flesh didn¡¯t seem to blister and melt away. The Stag struggled against him, yet they both knew it was futile. Unless something could remove Erec, all he had to do was dig the weapon deeper and deeper.


    Blood gushed from the White Stag¡¯s wound, tainting its pure white coat an ugly crimson.


    A minuteter, the fighting died off. The Stag¡¯s movements slowed and grew lethargic as its breathbored. What had been a knife stabbing again and again into Erec¡¯s head faded into a whimper before vanishing.


    The Stag stopped breathing and went limp.


    Erec held the antler in ce, his limbs shaking. He leaned against the makeshift weapon, using it to support himself.


    Beneath his helmet, his blood caked his face.


    ck dots danced in his vision as the silver mes caught and burned the monster below. Not that it actually ¡®burned.¡¯ No visual damage was wrought, yet the glow of the fire had a sinister, almost transcended quality to it. Whatever it was doing had to have been worse.


    Perhaps it burned whatever was left of the monster as it died.


    [¡­Was it worth it?]


    ¡°Fun.¡± Erec let out a barkingugh, looking at his hands. They¡¯d shake were they not desperately holding onto the antler.


    How many things had he killed today?


    Still, he reached the prize in the end and imed the biggest hunt of the day for himself. Pride tore through him¡ªthe feeling damn near as hot as the hell that scorched out his insides. But it was temporary.


    Hell was going to leave him soon.


    And when it left, he¡¯d be a scorched-out husk.


    [It tried to scramble your brain at the end. I did my best to protect it, but you¡¯re lucky I had your synapses mapped out ahead of this battle. Though, I¡¯m¡­ Well, not to be the bringer of bad news, but when youe down this time, I¡¯m not very optimistic about your chances at making it.]


    That would¡¯ve normally been sobering, terrifying even. But staring at the dead Stag beneath him, Erec felt peace.


    If this opponent were strong enough to bring his death, it¡¯d also earned its kill.


    Erec stepped away from the corpse, his legs shaking as the inferno inside sputtered out. It knew it was done.


    And so did he.


    Erec sank to his knees ten feet away. A host of Knights were starting to gather at the scene¡ªdead silent as they stared at the defeated cataclysm-level threat and the Knight Initiate that slew it. Erec¡¯s eyes felt heavy as more blood poured out of him¡ªbut he held his chin up. Stared directly at the people in front of him.


    Bedwyr ran to him, the giant sword recognizable anywhere. His brother¡¯s Armor was substantially dented, with rends and tears in key ces and a healthy coating of blood.


    ¡°Erec, what did you do?¡± Bedwyr asked.


    ¡°Won.¡± Erec put simply, his thoughts started to go hazy as the fire burned out. As his body turned to ash. He could hear his heart. Loud. Too loud. Soon it would struggle to beat at all, he was sure.


    ¡°Can you stand?¡± Bedwyr dropped down next to him, setting a hand on Erec¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let''s get you to some help¡ª¡°


    ¡°Do what you will,¡± Erec replied, his head raising upward. He fought against the darkness, at the desire to let it sink. To allow himself to fall into the ground and never return from it. There was plenty of time for that in a minute or two. ¡°It was a good ride, Bedwyr. Try to find happiness, alright?¡±


    He wanted to look at the sky.


    Deep and blue. Limitless. A damn near eternity of beauty¡ªbut beyond that pale blue, he knew what rested above. He had seen it clearly in that vision VAL showed him. Each time he looked up at it since he recalled that view. Millions of stars, all of them burning away above. What he¡¯d give for that sight again.


    ¡°Erec¡ª¡°


    Erec fell over, face mming against the dirt.


    ¡°Hang on! Someone help!¡± Bedwyr began to yell.


    His heart weakened, the beating cutting off as it struggled to pump blood. Without Fury''s fuel, his head felt as if it¡¯d been gouged out with a spoon. Erec coughed up blood as his eyes honed in on the blinking notification in the corner of his vision. With everything else blurry, the blessing was the only thing he could focus on.


    If it was going to end¡­


    Why not see what hisst bout of glory earned?


    The notification appeared an instantter, even as Erec felt himself slipping away.


    Strength Advancement: Rank D - Tier 2 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 5


    Vigor Advancement: Rank E - Tier 4 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 6


    Agility Advancement: Rank E - Tier 3 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 4


    Perception Advancement: Rank E - Tier 4 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 5


    Psyche Advancement: Rank E - Tier 2 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 5


    Erec¡¯s body shook as he failed tough. Such a massive gain, all he had to do to earn it was give up his life.


    ckness crept in, along with shivering cold.


    Alone.


    So alone.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    She sat upon her silver throne; a sword was resting against its side. Within Her eyes reflected an unknown universe. As they passed over him, there was nothing but apathy.


    Until he amounted to something worthy to contend against Her, then he was beneath Her. As were all she¡¯de across in Her travels. Little stood at the pinnacle of existence in the way she did.


    How had he found his way to Her court? She asked that of every one of these ythings blessed by Her fire.


    A Stag? One that¡¯d dered Her an enemy?


    She had too many enemies to count; what was a small Stag worth? Let alone the weak human who slew it.


    Was it a worthy fight, at least? Even though she barely cared, it was the typical question she sought to ask. One that determined what came next. From how he described it, it was at least a glorious battle.


    These were the only things she concerned herself with as Her eyes saw into Erec¡¯s soul. But there was more there¡ªthe burns of a me, but not scorched by Her.


    He¡¯d scorched his soul by his own doing¡ªa different fire.


    She tilted Her head.


    A thing worth little attention. More than a pathetic Stag. His soul was a seared thing now, but not devastated. Not incinerated. Nowhere near powerful enough to be worth proper consideration, were it not burned. She made it clear this wasn¡¯t a blessing she¡¯d chosen now to give. No. Simply amand so that she may see if something more worthy came of it. Her hand reached out and coated him in Her silver mes.


    <strong>Live.</strong>

 Chapter 89: Recovery

    Chapter 89: Recovery


    [Live! Damn it!]


    Erec¡¯s body convulsed¡ªhe took a deep breath. His lungs stung from the reflexive effort; the world around felt surreal. As if he didn¡¯t quite belong to it. Not to mention his head was an absolute mess, and his chest felt like it¡¯d been caved in.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Erec said with a numb tongue; it was like a piece of y in his mouth.


    [Don¡¯t do a thing! Just sit there and stay alive this time¡ªafter this, we¡¯re going to have a long hard talk about <em>limitations. </em>I¡¯ve never met such a foolish employee. Honestly, you¡¯re a fleshy creature; why do you get such dumb thoughts in your head?]


    Erec bit his tongue, trying to talk back, then gave up. It was impossible to focus on anything going on around him properly; even though he made out movements, everything was a blur. Wherever they¡¯d put him, nothing made much sense, and all of it had a dim, muted feel.


    Without a battle to fight and, that knowing in his heart, it was time to be at ease, Erec let go.


    There were times to rest. He¡¯d fought the White Stag without regard to the cost and pulled through by some miracle. It was time to rest and recover.


    But that image of the Goddess haunted him. It¡¯d seemed real¡ªbut given his state, it may very well have been a hallucination.


    Erec forced his mind away from it; what little sense he could make of what he¡¯d seen and experienced was confused with the damage to his head.


    With nothing to do and unable to move his body, he eventually pulled up his Virtues.


    <strong>Name: </strong>Erec of House Audentia


    <strong>Health: 3</strong>%<strong></strong>| <strong>Mana: </strong>100% | <strong>Stamina: 7</strong>%


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    <strong>Holy Virtues:</strong>


    <strong>Strength: </strong>[Rank D] | [Tier 5]


    <strong>Vigor:</strong> [Rank E] | [Tier 6]


    <strong>Agility:</strong> [Rank E] | [Tier 4]


    <strong>Perception:</strong> [Rank E] | [Tier 5]


    <strong>Cognition:</strong> [Rank E] | [Tier 4]


    <strong>Psyche:</strong> [Rank E] | [Tier 5]


    <strong>Mysticism:</strong> [Rank F] | [Tier 1]


    <strong>Faith:</strong>


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    <strong>Divine Talents:</strong>


    <strong>Fury</strong>


    Erec¡¯s eyes scanned the words, but they made no sense¡ªhis head swam as he stared at the Faith virtue.


    Gone. A weird status reced his previously pitiful rank of F tier 1. No matter how he looked at it, the change made no sense. He hadn¡¯t heard of such a thing urring before, and a cold shock of fear ran down his spine.


    Was he forsaken?


    He stared at the status for a long time, trying to divine a meaning from a thing that had no apparent connection or exnation. He couldn¡¯t ask VAL about it since the machine would have no better clue of what it meant than himself, even if he managed to form the words correctly. Goddess knew this wasn¡¯t a thing to ask the Church about.


    Terrifying.


    At some point, the scenery around him shifted. They¡¯d tossed him in a steel wagon that was making its way across the desert. With the hunt ended, they¡¯d be heading home. Surely.


    Maybe there, he might understand what this meant and what it changed.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    It took two weeks to walk again; all of his time was left in the care of priests, who kept giving him odd looks. After about a week, and thanks to VAL supplementing his healing, he could finally track conversations and talk with people¡ªbut none of his friends visited. No one did.


    Not even Boldwick made an appearance. He was stuck with a load of priests tending to his recovery in a sterile temple room.


    Combined with the worry about his missing Virtue, paranoia and wrongness colored his thoughts. Were they studying him? Trying to get a feel of what was wrong with him? Would they toss him out of the Kingdom if they discovered that his Faith virtue was gone? sphemy and issues the church found with people varied wildly, and it didn¡¯t take much imagination to guess how they might react to that information.


    Once he felt the ability to get to his feet again¡ªErec didn¡¯t hesitate. He picked himself off the cot and made his way toward the exit.


    Predictably, one of the priests headed him off.


    ¡°Back to your bed.¡± Shemanded, a stern warning in her tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m better now; I wanna get some fresh air,¡± Erec contested, puffing his chest up and making himself appear healthier than he was.


    ¡°That is an order.¡± She responded.


    Erec considered his options. Then he got angry¡ªthat fire red in him. How dare she give him amand? She wasn¡¯t a Knight¡ªshe wasn¡¯t associated with any Order and certainly not above him. What right did she have to tell him what to do? Until someone with that authority came and told him he had to stay, there was no reason to listen to what these priests said.


    The hate sparked and red, ready to ignite. She was asking him to challenge her and show her the Knight who slew more monsters than he¡¯d likely ever seen in her cozy behind-the-wall existence.


    Erec¡¯s fist balled up.


    She tensed, sensing that he was about to erupt to make good on his reputation of being a mad Knight. As well she should, daring to risk his wrath. Today was a day for her to learn a lesson.


    Erec grit his teeth but then stopped. This wasn¡¯t the way forward. This path had led to his death twice now. If he were to keep blindly pursuing the same strategy¡ªthen sooner orter, his luck would run out.


    His fist unclenched, and he exhaled deeply.


    The priest shifted, looking surprised at the sudden change on his face.


    ¡°Do you happen to know of a priest named Gregory?¡± Erec tried, catching the woman further off guard. The questions disarmed her as she looked left and right afterward.


    ¡°I do, a very kind man¡ªthe clergy is rather well acquainted with one another up here on the surface¡­¡± she trailed off, unsure of what he was driving at.


    ¡°If I can¡¯t leave, could you do me a favor? Get Gregory here; I¡¯d like to catch up. I won¡¯t make any trouble if you do.¡± Erec met her eyes, taking in the woman¡¯s silver irises. She gave him a slow nod, and they had an understanding. Without much else to go on, Erec returned to his bed.


    Better to recover for longer. Particrly if this would end with him being tossed out of the Kingdom.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°They cannot see the flickers of your soul,¡± Gregory said hesitantly, setting a hand on Erec¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Neither can I¡ªnormally, it burns with the Goddess¡¯ fire, making it visible to our eyes when we use our prayer to heal, yet yours isn¡¯t present.¡±


    ¡°And so they¡¯re holding me here because of that?¡± Erec asked, shaking his head. Gregory appeared to be doing well for himself, but that didn¡¯t do much to change his current situation. The best Erec could manage was to suppress his anger and keep himself in check, but his nerves about everything weren¡¯t making things better.


    But Gregory confirmed his worst fear.


    The church knew something was wrong with him now.


    ¡°Aye, if they could, they¡¯d subject you to a more thorough examination. As it is, they¡¯re getting push-back from your Order and the Kingdom itself. It seems the royal family wants to properly reward you for ying the Stag.¡±


    Erec nced at the door¡ªthree priests were talking to one another and looking at him and Gregory.


    Obviously, the man shouldn¡¯t be telling him this much about the situation, but Gregory also covered for their gun use. Not all of the priests were lock-in-step with what the church wanted.


    ¡°So, what do you suggest?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°My advice? Keep quiet. Be polite, but don¡¯t give in to any of their requests. I¡¯ll make some discreet confirmations to the people in your Order about your health. Right now, the church is using the excuse of you being injured to not allow you to walk free. We¡¯ll shed some light on that and let nature take its course.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Erec nodded slowly. It¡¯d been right to ask for Gregory. As long as he gave nothing away to these priests, then he¡¯d walk free.


    All he had to do was hide that his Faith virtue went terribly wrong.


    ¡°By the way, you should be prepared for things to move very quickly when you¡¯re out¡ªit might be like your life has been on pause. But things haven¡¯t slowed in the Kingdom. I expect you to be summoned to the royal court almost immediately. Plenty of the nobility is curious about the initiate that slew a cataclysm-level threat, and the Royal family is eager to reward you for your service.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Yeah, that¡¯d been one of thest things on his minding into this conversation. He wanted to see Bedwyr, talk to his friends, and see what Boldwick had to say to him.


    Worrying about appearing in the highest court in the Kingdom to ept a reward wasn¡¯t on his list of things to do. And so, he didn¡¯t know what to think about it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡±


    Gregory squeezed his shoulder and nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve done well,d. Keep it together for a little while, and you¡¯ll be out of here.¡±


    With that, Gregory left. Just a couple of more days of keeping himself subdued. <em>I can do that.</em>

 Chapter 90: Knight Triumphant

    Chapter 90: Knight Triumphant


    Sir Boldwick has shown himself as a brave and integral part of our efforts in the field on countless expeditions. I cannot help but admire his dedication to fighting, though, at times, I wonder if he takes too much risk on himself to minimize it for those around him.


    Regardless, thispassion and sense of responsibility make me highly confident in my suggestion that he be promoted.


    I see no more a fitting transition to such a promising youth than an opportunity to show his capabilities with more leadership as a Knight Lieutenant.


    <em>- Dame Nova, Rmendation (3rd Era, 292)</em>


    Gregory hadn¡¯t lied about things shifting quickly once they did.


    The following days went from a dull lull of Erec ignoring and brushing off the paranoid priests to suddenly getting shoved out of the temple. In less than a minute, he was in Boldwick''s weing arms. The man pulled him into a firm bear hug, then withdrew. With a nod at the door, he started walking.


    Boldwick guided and pushed him along¡ªit was odd seeing the Master Knight out of his Armor after so long in the field together. Not that Erec had seen his Armor since waking up, but VAL assured him it was being taken care of. It was hard to worry about its safety when it housed a machine smarter than any Engineer fixing it.


    ¡°Move quick, don¡¯t look back,¡± Boldwick said out of the corner of his mouth, and Erec did just that.


    They rushed past the pirs of the church, even past the Cardinal, who tried to stop them for a brief chat. Boldwick ignored the man and led Erec away after shooting him a re that would make a monster shiver. Which Erec had no problem with, his tolerance for the church was at an all-time low, and the prodding into what was wrong with him only made him more paranoid.


    He figured that Boldwick would take him back to the Academy, and he¡¯d have some time to get his bearings and figure out what came next.


    It became apparent very rapidly that they weren¡¯t heading in the right direction to go to the Academy.


    ¡°You did well keeping yourposure,¡± Boldwick said casually, even as they tore through the city. Few people gave them looks, despite being Knights. Were they to wear their Armor, they would¡¯ve gotten attention¡ªbut out here in their casual clothes, they looked just the same as anyone.


    Therefore not worth the attention, which was a wee relief after being constantly watched by priests for so long.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy,¡± Erec admitted, but given hisst exposure to Fury, straying too close to that line was an unpleasant sensation. Anytime those flickers of a fire stirred in him, he tried to kill them. It was a terrifying reminder of the penalties of how far he could push himself. Erec felt scared of slipping down the path of not caring again for what would likely be thest time.


    What he feared the most was that some part of him kept givingplete control to Fury. There was a part of him willing to dismiss the risk to his life for that all-consuming rush of power that came with it. He had to change or die.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it would be. The bastards kept you squirreled away and lied through their teeth to try to figure out whatever it was that they wanted. To be treated like that after ying the Stag? Absurd. But, in the long run, it¡¯ll work to our benefit; they cost themselves capital contesting our expedition and the fallout afterward,¡± Boldwick paused, pulling Erec to a stop. He gave him a sloppy grin. ¡°By the way, excellent work. Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever pull someone under my wing capable of a feat like that, but I have to say, you really fucked yourself now. How do you ever n to outdo that?¡±


    Erec let out a bit of nervousughter, feeling ufortable with the genuine amazement in Boldwick¡¯s tone. Sure, it was undercut by the joke¡ªbut he hadn¡¯t set out for fame.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just have to try my best.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t ask more from you, and I know you will. But do you remember what I first said?¡± Boldwick broke the smile, his face clouding over.


    ¡°Not exactly. I think you called out Colin for being a jerk?¡±


    ¡°That was part of it, but not the important bit. Don¡¯t be a hero, Erec. What you did was risky¡ªand you probably know more than anyone how close you came to being a corpse. You pulled through this time, but the next time¡ªit¡¯ll be harder to resist. People will call you a hero, give you a title, and start putting their expectations on you. Never let that influence you and make you make the same boneheaded mistake you made to take on the Stag on your own. Do you understand me?¡±


    He didn¡¯t. Not really. The tone shift was unnerving, as if something sprang up deep inside Boldwick. There was a heavy frown on his face, and his eyes seemed to look far into the past. Did he see ghosts there?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I don¡¯t intend to listen to any of those stuck-up¡ª¡°


    ¡°Good, good.¡± Boldwick pped him on the back, quickly pivoting away from the heavy topic. Too abrupt to be natural. ¡°Damn, good work, Erec. Damn good. Better than most, lucky its grip didn¡¯t affect you with your blessing¡ªlike you were made to ughter the damn thing.¡±


    ¡°The Goddess works in strange ways,¡± Erec said with a bitter taste on his tongue. ¡°Where are we heading anyway?¡±


    ¡°About that, we¡¯re going right to the pce. Sorry kid, no time to rest. Your courtly admirers are calling.¡±


    ¡°Ah, fuck.¡±


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The pce was, in short, breathtaking. Over centuries, the various parts of the pce evolved to represent the generations of rulers humanity shifted through¡ªrumors were that the lowest levels of the house of the royal included pieces leftover from the original vault humanity found and used to survive.


    But the vast levels ranged deep. He didn¡¯t have the chance to dive deep within its gilded and historic walls this time. Most visitors were limited to the surface. There was plenty to look at, even though it was all modern.


    That didn¡¯t say the royal family neglected the past on the surface level¡ªthey still had sculptures of heroes that put those within the Academy to shame. Even enshrined weapons from those very same heroes were designated historical artifacts. There wasn¡¯t much time to stand around and admire the beauty. Boldwick and the pce escort rushed him through¡ªonly to bring him to an honest-to-goddess guestroom.


    The first thing he noticed was a full outfit, entirely in style for current court trends, syed out on the bed.


    Erec hated that he knew that and despised even more what it meant.


    Boldwick gave the ce a slow look. ¡°Get changed; they¡¯ll send a servant to escort you to the feast¡ªyour next two days will look like this, with plenty of royal houses prying into you and seeing whether or not you¡¯ll make a good ally to them. Love it or hate it, this is part of being a Knight too. Though, not often¡­ this borate. After they¡¯re done with you and have their little show for everyone else to see, we¡¯ll drag you back to Academy and start preparing for the future.¡±


    ¡°I see, so this is¡­ Mandatory? Not just a single event? Days?¡±


    ¡°Well yeah, they can¡¯t exactly let you go and kill a cataclysm-level monster they sent a whole hunt for and ignore it. Got to pay proper honors to the asion. Imagine the look on the nobility¡¯s face if they didn¡¯t. ept whatever they give you, and bumble your way through it with whatever grace you can muster.¡±


    Erec rubbed the back of his head and sighed.


    ¡°What, feeling shy?¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ tired, already. Two days of this? Really?¡±


    ¡°Uhuh. Liven yourself up. It might not feel like it, but this sort of thing should be easier than throwing your life on the line against monsters. You''ll find that with time, it¡¯s better to find whatever enjoyment you can since you don¡¯t get a choice. I did do you a favor, though. It might make it a little easier on you.¡± Boldwick shot him a grin.


    ¡°What?¡± Erec couldn¡¯t picture any way it might get a bit better.


    ¡°Got an invitation to your friend. Garin should be by shortly. I imagine he might make it a little more tolerable for you. That, and due to your low courtly manners scores, our Order was a tad bit concerned about how you might represent us in the highest court in thend. We don¡¯t wanna take that big of a risk.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank the Goddess,¡± Erec muttered, not particrly feeling like thanking her, yet the gratitude slipped out. An annoying habit.


    She wasn¡¯t someone worth thanking.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. I¡¯ll see you down in the festivities. Keep your head a little longer. Then you¡¯ll be back in a ce where you can concentrate on preparing for our expedition.¡± With that, Boldwick left him to his own devices.


    Erec took a long look at the jacket and pants on the bed and shook his head. There was an open window to the balcony, so he went there instead of getting ready. He was a couple of stories up. The view showed off the royal garden and gave a nice cutaway of the Kingdom¡¯s surface. Smoke drifted from hundreds of chimneys, and in the far distance was the giant steel curtain that surrounded this bastion of humanity.


    Somewhere out there, he knew now, were more humans. It was hard to picture what their life might be like. Whether or not they were better off than them, or those people were hidden away in the depths of the earth, afraid to reach the surface. Like they had for generations.


    The Church proimed them as sinners, people cast away by the Goddess, and not worth redemption. It was primarily what theybeled their exiles as too, but now¡­


    Erec had difficulty believing the Goddess cared if people showed her worship or if they lived within the Kingdom. He doubted she cared much at all what humans did until they showed themselves as having enough power to catch her interest.


    After a long moment of gazing at the tiny people going about their day, he returned to his room and the outfit left for him. Time to dine in hell, he supposed.

 Chapter 91: Audacious

    Chapter 91: Audacious


    Erec tugged at the ufortable ruffles around his sleeves¡ªthe silk dress shirt was both light and airy yet confining and ufortable. The jacket, of course, in tradition with current high fashion,cked sleeves¡ªand the done-up cor was ornate and obnoxious.


    The exact sort of thing Garin might wear, only more expensive.


    The greatest tragedy of this outrageous outfit was in the unquestionable prohibitive cost. That made moving around in it, and the prospect of attending a <em>feast</em> of all things wearing it, stressful.


    Sure, they might be honoring him, but the idea of ruining silk worth about as much as his house was terrifying. Thousand times over, he¡¯d rather he could¡¯ve slinked back home and borrowed his father''s jacket¡ªor better, use his Academy formals. But that wasn¡¯t an option.


    [Well, don¡¯t you look suave, real charmer buckeroo. You¡¯ll drive people crazy.]


    ¡°Sure¡­¡± Erec kept staring in the mirror¡ªhis eyes had dark lines around them, and as he felt his rising anxiety and annoyance at the impending, he could¡¯ve sworn he saw flickers of a red stir in their depths.


    It had to have been in his imagination, triggered by what Olivia said. Though he imagined when he was fully enthralled with power, he made a terrifying sight.


    There was a knock on the door.


    Erec slid over and opened it¡ªto meet his grinning friend. Garin stepped in and nced at him ¡ªthen immediately obsessed over fixing Erec¡¯s cor, which apparently was important. Were it not for seeing Boldwick and Garin for the first time in weeks; today might¡¯ve been one of the worst days of his life.


    ¡°Well! I think that¡¯s fine enough. Good to see you! Honestly was worried sick; we all were. Even Colin, if you can believe it. He petitioned his father to step in on your behalf.¡± Garin said.


    ¡°He asked the Unbroken General to try to get me free from the church?¡± Erec rubbed the back of his head. ¡°The uh, General didn¡¯t, right?¡±


    Despite the Duke making him spy on his son and promising to befriend him, the Duke hadn¡¯t followed through with any demands. Yet. Erec didn¡¯t want to open that doorway any further, let alone actively start supplying information about Colin to his father¡ªinitially, it didn¡¯t seem that bad. But as he got to know Colin¡­ he felt guilty at the prospect.


    ¡°No, he did. As someone famous for ying a cataclysm-level threat, the Royal family was careful to listen. Thanks to him, they pushed for your immediate freedom. Much of the pressure in the nobility was rising from his dissatisfaction over the situation and his exerting pressure.¡±


    ¡°¡­That doesn¡¯t bode well, does it?¡±


    ¡°Could be. If you aim to ally yourself with his house, they might be a powerful supporter behind you, but it¡¯ll have costs to it, obviously.¡± Garin shrugged as if they weren¡¯t covering over the sort of high-level politicking that made Erec¡¯s heart hammer and head hurt. Wherever this went, it wasn¡¯t somewhere he wanted to go. Would that he could iste himself to the Order¡ªbut even Boldwick said this sort of thing was an aspect of being a Knight.


    What a fucking joke.


    Erec rubbed his eyes. Garin gave him an apologetic smile.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry too much about it. You¡¯re in a much better position now to pick your path, and it¡¯s not likely anyone is out to make you an enemy yet. Not until you¡¯re a more known presence in the court. Speaking of which¡­ We¡¯re running a bitte. Shall we head down?"


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The feast was a thing of excess. By Erec''s arrival, the long hall was already overcrowded with nobility. It seemed anyone at the rank of viscount or higher received an invitation¡ªalong with plenty of invitations thrown to baronies, unded nobles, and even merchants. As always, there were also Knights and military men. It¡¯d been quite a long time since the royal family put on a festival of this size. This had to be a premier moment for many of these people to mingle and make allies and deals. For the less savvy, the ultimate asion to celebrate and socialize.


    One group was notably missing. It seemed the royal family declined to invite any prominent members of the church.


    The event spanned a vast swath of the pce, including the gardens and grounds outside. In theory, a person could drift about and explore, find a nice quiet corner to hold a private conversation if it suited them. It didn''tck for things to do, however. Later after the meal would be contests, dancing, and music. With the day after hosting some events.


    Yet for Erec, it was hell.


    More of hell than the fire Fury lit in him. It was constant war from the moment he walked into the main chamber with Garin. A barrage of nobles assaulted him by forcing their introductions on him. They yed pretend as they dug into his history, hobbies, and time in the academy. But they didn¡¯t care at all about the answers. asionally one or two of them would throw in an offhanded remark about his mother.


    Nothing unintentional. Unless it was to test him or if they thought he¡¯d slighted them during the conversation. Mixed signals and anxiety made him constantly second-guess his responses.


    It wasn¡¯t all bad. There was a countess he met who promised to exchange letters, a baron who promised him an evening of ying a strategy game he¡¯d been workshopping that seemed genuinely interesting¡ªbut those real moments of connections were few and far between in this environment.


    Some sought an ally, but they weren¡¯t as bad as those trying to marry him off to their daughters or tant attempts to woo him. Killing the Stag seemed to bring attention from the woodwork; being a hero had a price.


    After an hour, he wanted to hide in the garden. Two hours in, Garin kept fighting to stop him from drinking the pain away. Past three¡­ It blurred together.


    At least the meal was lovely.


    The dancing afterward, not so much. He fought to avoid getting on the floor and had a hell of a time aplishing that.


    But as he drove closer to the main event, he avoided any significant slights. That he picked up on, at least, he¡¯d bumbled his way to safety and was soon making his way to the throne room with arger number of spectators. Upon the throne sat the King, ancient upon his ce of power.


    His long gray hair curled, his deep blue eyes filled with a dull life as he watched his court fill. Near the throne, Boldwick watched with crossed arms¡ªhe¡¯d run into his mentor a few times during the socializing, but each time the man was swept away by the hordes of nobles flooding him for attention.


    Erec focused on his mentor rather than the King upon his throne.


    It was odd. How small the man looked. Erec was sure he¡¯d had the training to make him a heavy threat inbat. But when he pictured the Goddess upon her silver throne, he found this picture¡­cking. Without that pure sense of overwhelming power, he didn¡¯t seem to fit the part of what Erec thought a ruler should be. Even if, by all ounts, he was a very wise and bnced man.


    ¡°Approach.¡± His voice rang out through the hall, signaling the start of the reward ceremony.


    Erec hesitated, but Garin gave him a slight push. With hundreds of eyes on him, Erec pressed forward, walking down the carpet lined before the throne and taking a knee as he hit the end. His eyes sank to the King¡¯s feet, as befitting his station as both a Knight Initiate and the second son of an unded house.


    <em>Just get through this. ept whatever they give you, and you¡¯ll be fine.</em>


    Erec repeated the instructions to himself like it were a prayer. The same thought got him through the tedious night so far; it¡¯d be enough for now.


    ¡°Erec of House Audentia. The second son of Lac Audentia, all are aware of why we are here today. For the Kingdom''s safety, we authorized a hunt for the White Stag, an intelligent monster that threatened to destroy our way of life.¡± The King¡¯s voice was like a river, smooth and full of depth. As heunched into his speech, Erec couldn¡¯t help but look at the man¡ªhe left his throne, standing with an animated posture and full of vitality that hadcked mere moments ago. ¡°We had determined it to be a significant threat over its clear goal and ability to open Rifts¡ªlittle did we know it could also control our people. Were it a threat not addressed, Goddess above forgive us for what may have urred.¡±


    The crowd was silent as they lingered over the implication. Some of these nobles hadn¡¯t experienced the reality of being out in the wastnd. They didn¡¯t know the true horror of a monster puppeteering other humans.


    ¡°With the passing of this threat, we return to a period of safety. Let it never be forgotten the price paid and that we must continue to pay to keep this harmony. It is my pleasure, as a ruler to issue a reward for such an aplishment¡ªErec of House Audentia, you who slew the White Stag. I levy upon you the name of the title of a new house and thends befitting it. From this day forward, you shall be known as Count Erec of House Audax.¡±


    Erec¡¯s hands shook. That was far above Garin¡ªWait¡ªA count!?


    ¡°Obviously, it would be difficult to manage an estate, let alone the people you would be responsible for as steward of thend I shall bestow in the seventh cavern¡ªso, this title shall be apanied by a staff paid for by the crown¡¯s funds until such a day you can properly take the reins.¡± The King waved away the details as if bored by the prospects before gliding away from his throne. He proffered his hand to Erec, his palm open to grasp. ¡°Erec of House Audax, will you ept this reward as fairpensation for your service to the Kingdom?¡±


    Numb, Erec epted his hand, letting the King pull him to his feet. ¡°I humbly ept this reward,¡± He said, the practiced words tumbling out his mouth. They told him to take what the Kingdom gave¡ªhe hadn¡¯t considered what it actually entailed. He figured he¡¯d be anded lord, which is what many Knights sought, perhaps a barony if he was fortunate. Not to jump both that title, then the title of a viscounty. It was mind-blowing.


    In his act of ying the White Stag, he¡¯d left the shadow of his brother for good and left the stain of his previous family behind. But now he had an estate he had no idea how to consider, nor was he above Garin in the Kingdom¡¯s hierarchy.


    Being a Knight meant the chance at earning such honors, but for him to do as an initiate¡­


    The King leaned in, as the cheering from the nobles erupted. Too quiet for anyone else to hear. ¡°Truly, young one. You have my gratitude. Yet, I cannot help but worry when I look upon you. It is far too easy to end up chasing danger and finding death in this world, and though you may feel you¡¯ve only begun your tale, this achievement would be the crowning one for many¡¯s lives. I see it in your eyes. You haven¡¯t found what will let you settle down and live a contented life. I pray you do, for peace is more satisfying than war.¡± With that, the King retreated.


    Leaving Erec both confused and to the pack of rabid nobility who now saw a young man appointed to the rank of Count who had no idea what the hell to do with it.

 Chapter 92: Brave And Courteous

    Chapter 92: Brave And Courteous


    <em> ¡°Before the court was disbanded, the King told his knights that he wished to hunt the White Stag¡­ </em>


    <em>And so the affair is arranged for the next morning at daybreak. The morrow, as soon as it is day, the King gets up and dresses, and dons a short jacket for his forest ride. Hemands the Knights to be aroused and the horses to be made ready. Already they are ahorse, and off they go, with bows and arrows. After them the Queen mounts her horse, taking a damsel with her. A maid she was, the daughter of a king, and she rode a white palfrey.</em>


    <em>After them followed a knight, Named Erec, who belonged to the round table. Of all the Knights that ever were there, never one received such praise; and he was so fair that nowhere in the world need one seek a fairer knight then he. He was very fair, brave and courteous, though not yet twenty-five years old. Never was a man of his age of greater knighthood.¡±</em>


    <em>- Unknown</em>


    A man named Lionel in a white silk shirt led Erec along the tour of his own estate. It wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d expected at all; none of this had been. When the King rewarded him with the title of a Count and his own house¡­ House Audax¡­ It¡¯d been a spiral of confusion since.


    Seeing it all in person made it more real. He couldn¡¯t deny his manor''s existence, the seventh cavern, or the people that lived there. And it was up to him to preside over them, even if it would be indirectly, since being a Knight Initiate demanded all of his time.


    Luckily, he wasn¡¯t alone in investigating this new life.


    Both Garin and Bedwyr tagged along.


    Lionel and they paused and looked back at Erec as he¡¯d stopped following.


    His jaw dropped as he stared up at the manor. He¡¯d seen it from a distance, but this close¡ªthe thing was almost the size of a castle, but much of its interior was hidden, as it¡¯d been carved out of the cavern side. Nearly a hundred lights shone from its windows, casting their light into the empty stone yard.


    This cavern didn¡¯t have an artificial sun; therefore, like most of the city below, there was no wildlife or nts besides rats and cats.


    This ce was his new home.


    Proudly decorating the front was arge banner¡ªhis house symbol, chosen by the King. It was rtively simple, the head of a White Stag backgrounded by the Vortex Industries logo. They¡¯d appropriated that from his Armor, and nobody had been keen to ask why he¡¯d taken on an old world logo, if they recognized it. But now it was his.


    [Looks like we have a new subsidiary. Exciting! Way to go, buckeroo, though it¡¯s not typically researchers in charge of acquisitions. Now, for those people in yourmand¡­ What would you say to opening a research facility?]


    ¡°Count Audax?¡± Lionel asked, bowing politely. ¡°If it would please you, we can head inside. As you made it in to me, you desire to head back on the surface soon. However, we have much to discuss yournds, along with your tour of the manor itself¡ªI know, I¡¯ll do my best to make it quick.¡±


    <em>Count Audax?</em> The title and name made him shiver as they came from his steward''s mouth. Lionel said it so naturally, yet the name stunned Erec. He wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d ever get used to it.


    Though the rush on time¡­ Was debatable. Boldwick told him to return soon but didn¡¯t specify a time limit, only to return as quickly as able. So, Erec <em>had </em>intended to hurry this along. After the King told him they¡¯d sort out trusted staff to manage his affairs, he¡¯d assumed it¡¯d be easy to pass along the responsibility.


    Now, after seeing all the faces of the curiousmon folk who¡¯d gathered to get a look at him, though not all of the thousand or so that lived in this cavern, it¡¯d changed his perspective. . ¡°I¡­ There¡¯s no need to hurry, Lionel, after all. Please, tell me everything I should know. If that means we stay here a couple of days, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    It was better to understand it all ahead of time. One day, like it or not, he was now responsible for these people.


    ¡°Nice!¡± Garinughed. ¡°Some time off of sses.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s awfully big¡­¡± Bedwyr mumbled head tucked down as he looked around the ce.


    Erec brought his brother along since this would be his and their father¡¯s home too. Withoutnd, they¡¯d been living off Garin¡¯s father¡¯s good graces. With him owningnd, there was no reason Lac couldn¡¯t retire here, nor why Bedwyr wouldn¡¯t be able to stay here. Though, their father maintained his desire to work. He imed he¡¯d repay the Audentia family debt and refused to ask Erec for help.


    Though Erec wasn¡¯t even sure what his financial situation was¡ªhis stipend from the Academy had been going toward paying off his Armor. But now that might be covered by his estate.


    ¡°No kidding, bigger than our ce. I bet you could host a nice feast¡ªoooh, I bet there¡¯s even a ballroom here.¡± Garin said.


    ¡°Indeed, it is a well-decorated chamber, maple wood floor grown in the bio-caverns. The previous estate holder took great joy in hosting events.¡± Lionel answered smoothly, always eager to provide whatever information he could. ¡°Normally, I¡¯d rmend a feast as the new lord¡ªit¡¯s wise to invite the bigger yers in yournd to get to know them. Yet, it is understandable to everyone that you cannot, but most are eager to meet a hero such as yourself.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Meeting a hero.¡± Erec cleared his throat. There was that title. He might be acting more responsible, but he was fine with shying away from hosting a feast. He couldn¡¯t be perfect.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Academy offers breaks¡ªI¡¯ll let my father know that Erec needs to throw a proper social gathering, and he¡¯ll help coordinate some good contacts with nobility to attend as well.¡± Garin gave Erec a wink, despite speaking to Lionel. ¡°Between us, we¡¯ll sort it out.¡±


    If it were up to Erec, he¡¯d slowly meet them one by one. It was probably better that Garin forced his hand, even if he hated the idea.


    So, he hung his head and shut up. With that, Lionel escorted them into the manor.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The manor was luxurious and clean, which was unsurprising since a full-time staff was maintaining it. Erec introduced himself to each of them and quickly picked up on the fact that there was a tangible and weird eagerness to meet their new Lord. Lionel confessed they¡¯d been curious about the hero who slew the Stag was, and then apologized.


    After that was the tour. The manor was massive, with two wings and dedicated guest rooms, nowhere near the multipleyer spanning fortress of the pce, but nothing to scoff at. There was an obscene amount of space for a single man to live in and call home.


    He eased his guilt with the knowledge his father would live here. And he''d host his brother, too, not to mention the full-time staff and their families who called it home.


    Yeah, still excessive for someone who¡¯d prefer to wander around a wastnd in their Armor. But that was the nature of nobility. Excess.


    Lionel ran him through the estate¡¯s investments and current ie through taxes. All the boring nitty-gritty details made Erec¡¯s head spin, and after a five-hour meeting, it still wasn¡¯t done. More information Lionel had to dig up for the next day.


    He did get the chance to provide input on what he¡¯d like to do in the future¡ªat the direction of VAL, and being a bit cooked out of his mind with all of the overwhelming numbers and associations. VAL cut through the noise and directed him to make a modest proposal to acquirend within the cavern for a research facility.


    Lionel was stunned by the request but promised to find something satisfactory.


    Honestly, Erec didn¡¯t know what it would lead to, but VAL was so enthusiastic that he couldn¡¯t help but go along with the idea.


    After his meeting, he shared a fine meal and insisted the staff join him, then went off towards his personal workshop¡ªin the depths of the manor.


    The King ordered his Armor to be stashed there; it was part of why it was so important toe and visit his newnds right away. Though, with what he understood about that man, the King probably thought it¡¯d do more to rope Erec into his new role than if he¡¯d left everything up to the young Knight.


    So it was that Erec reunited with his Armor¡ªThe Vallum Model, now painted with his new crest and restored after all the battlefield damage. It shone like new. But if one looked closely, one could see the patches and battle scars decorating the te that wasn¡¯t reced.


    Erec ran a hand over the polished steel, feeling the imperfections and scratches.


    To think, not too long ago, he¡¯d desperately been rigging up a Markos II and praying it could carry him through the trial. Now, he¡¯d reached a higher peak than he¡¯d ever dreamed.


    Bedwyr strode through the door, and Erec turned immediately. His brother looked out of his element, showing a timid side since seeing Erec again that he¡¯d scarcely imagined him capable of. He seemed so¡­ Unsure.


    ¡°Congrattions¡­¡± Bedwyr said, his eyes roaming over the new symbol on the Armor. ¡°¡­You earned all of this. I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    Erec hesitated. The voiceing from his brother wasn¡¯t exactly pride. No, it was strange, and Bedwyr was trying to hide it, but it was a concern. Fear too. ¡°You¡¯re worried about me.¡±


    ¡°Erec¡ªI¡¯m not used to this. If I¡¯d had it my way, you wouldn¡¯t have joined the Knights at all, have lived a quiet life with dad, and I¡¯d¡ªwell, I pictured myself being the one to earn us a house to live in, to clear our name. Now¡­ You made your own. You¡¯re bigger than what I saw. But, I¡¯m concerned about the cost to get here.¡± Bedwyr said.


    ¡°What? Is this not enough? I gave my all and did it the only way I could.¡± Erec felt that old insecurity slipping in. Was his brother suggesting that he could¡¯ve done better? He¡¯d bled and suffered so much, yet it hadn¡¯t been enough to impress him. What did he have to do?


    ¡°Don¡¯t get upset. I am proud of you. I¡¯m scared, though. You were lifeless in my arms, dead to the world after that fight. Garin told me that wasn¡¯t the first time you pushed yourself that far. You did it the only way you could, but that way makes me afraid. But without you¡­ Who knows how many more would have died¡ªwhat it would¡¯ve taken to kill that Stag.¡± Bedwyr sighed. ¡°¡­And maybe I¡¯m a little jealous that I¡¯ve got to chase after you. How can Ipare to a hero?¡±


    Erec felt a range of emotions at those words, from a gut-jerk reaction to protest his worries to bemusement at the idea of Bedwyr being jealous.


    In the end, all those reactions were useless; save one.


    ¡°Let''s get out of here; my Armor is fine. How about we go to the study and ransack it, see if there are any good old world stories? We can¡­ catch up. I heard about you and Gwen¡ªall that. It¡¯d be nice if we took some time to talk about stuff. It¡¯s been years.¡± Erec said, his voice breaking a little bit.


    Bedwyr gave him a relieved smile and nodded.


    Erec followed him out the room¡ªand took onest look at his Armor racked up. Soon, it¡¯d be put to good use again. But for now, it could afford to rest for a bit longer. The light flicked off as he left to spend time with his brother.


    <strong><em>¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª End Of Book 1 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª</em></strong>

 Chapter 93: Academy Life

    Chapter 93: Academy Life


    Erec stared at the horrible arrangement in front of him. Several forks, two spoons, and two sses, one filled with water and another wine; all of them were traps. Each one meant tond him trouble when he inevitably made a mistake and used the wrong fork.


    Once, the instructor yelled at him for taking a sip of water from a <em>different</em> ce on the rim.


    His eyes danced to the dour little man, a Knight from the Azure Tower. It wasn¡¯t an Order in the Academy he was too familiar with, but this man had be a bane to his existence. The portly instructor took full advantage of hisx responsibilities and let himself go. Right now, his bald little head bobbed up and down as he listened to Colin disinterestedly small talk with a girl next to him.


    The Duke¡¯s son sneered at the girl, and the teacher began to frown. It was a terrible thing, how perceptive the man was, not that this situation warranted a keen eye¡ªColin wore displeasure with ease.


    Out of every ss he had, Courtly Mannerisms was the worst. And that included Basic Prayer and Theology, which he couldn¡¯t even participate in. Over thest four months, he¡¯d poked and prodded his Faith Virtue, and prayers didn¡¯t work anymore. Whatever he¡¯d done, it was gone now.


    The instructor here had been unbearable sinceing back with his new title.


    The only one who got it worse than him was¡­


    ¡°Wrong! Quiet yourself this moment; too far, Sir Colin!¡± the man shouted, his jowls quivering as his cheeks reddened.


    Colin turned the sneer he wore from his small talk partner to the instructor, his eyes going dark as he fixated on the man. ¡°Wrong? Quiet yourself, you pissant. This wench dared to make a slight against my betrothed. The only one allowed to insult that deeply wed woman is me.¡±


    ¡°There are backhanded remarks and polite deflections; then there¡¯s what you said! Look at her; she¡¯s nearly in tears. You cannot threaten to destroy another house because they said something a little mean. Act with appropriate decorum befitting someone your rank,¡± the man¡¯s voice rose, as he didn¡¯t even try to fight his anger. ¡°And then to go ahead and begin picking apart her appearance right in front of her face¡ªif you must do so, do so privately.¡±


    The ultimate irony in a ss aboutposure run by someone who flew off the handle every other day never ceased to amaze. Erec set his elbow on the table and rested his head on his hand, taking it in.


    ¡°As if the fourth son of a decrepit Earl knows how to behave in true high nobility. Besides, I heard your parentage is questionable at best. To hear you tell me to act with decorum is trite. This woman dared to slight a daughter of a duchess; she deserves what she¡¯s gotten, and I still have more words for her.¡± Colin turned from the teacher and fixated on his partner. ¡°As I was saying, you troglodyte, keep Alexandra¡¯s name from your mouth. If I hear you so much as discuss her again, I¡¯ll target your father¡¯s business connections and dismantle them one by one.¡±


    Two months after returning from the hunt, Colin received the news from his father.


    Their emotionally stunted friend was now betrothed to the firstborn daughter of House Doctus. Thest Erec saw of her, she¡¯d joined the Silver mes at the start of the year; now, she''d marry Colin immediately after graduation.


    Being nosy, Garin dug up all the info about her he could. She¡¯d earned a reputation as someone who didn¡¯t mince words and was a bit of a hothead. Every time Colin went to meet with her, he returned to a dark mood.


    Things weren¡¯t going too well between them, a deep contrast to Olivia and Garin''s obnoxious love life spilling into their living space.


    With it all swirling together, Erec was getting sick of all of it and wanted to go a long trek outside the walls by himself. The expedition couldn¡¯te soon enough.


    Fuming, the instructor¡¯s eyes shed over to Erec. His second target.


    ¡°Sir Erec is that your elbow on the table!?¡± He cried out, stomping the distance between them. ¡°How many times must I drill into that dense skull of yours that your elbow is not eptable there? But then, how could I expect such delicacy from a brute? Bah, a Count. What a disgrace to this Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m trying to learn. It¡¯s a habit.¡± Erec said carefully, better to diffuse the situation. He slipped his elbow off the table and sat up in correct posture.


    ¡°I feel bad for whatever woman ends up tied to you. With such boorish behavior, the poor girl will be living in hell. Then again, there¡¯s a good reason you¡¯re known as a brute¡ªdrenching yourself in blood on the battlefield. Certainly not the gant Knight that should be leaving our esteemed Academy.¡±


    Erec sighed. There it was. The root of all of his problems. Even if he were to use the right fork, keep the perfect posture, and make perfect small talk, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. Whatever he did outside of a feast or ballroom, that would be the issue.


    He suspected it was pushback from those with titles who weren¡¯t fond of someone earning a higher title, let alone so young. They thought he was a puppet to the king, so they¡¯d begun to work to diminish his status as a ¡®hero¡¯ by stirring the rumor mill. Or so Garin confided to him.


    It was all so fucking annoying.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± Erec said, standing up. His insides flickered with fire, and just this time, he found he didn¡¯t want to suppress it. He let it light to find the courage he wanted.


    Months of dealing with this jackass and never having a chance to meet his insane standards. It was a waste.


    ¡°You will sit down this instant; we still have another hour of lessons left, and I expect you to work on dancing since you always bungle it like a¡ª¡°


    ¡°No.¡± Erec shook his head, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve had it. I¡¯m done with this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fail you.¡± The instructor threatened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I care?¡± Erec replied, looking over at Colin. His friend had held up on insulting his small talk partner to listen. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve had enough; I¡¯ll see if I can get a course to rece this.¡±


    ¡°That is not how the Academy works. You were assigned to this ss since we noticed an obvious w in your skill set. You cannot go through the high courts acting like a thug and expect things to go your way. You will not receive special treatment because of your new title and fluke of an aplishment.¡± If the man¡¯s face was red before, it was as bright as a tomato now.


    Erecughed at him.¡°I¡¯m not looking for special treatment, even if I¡¯ve aplished more as an initiate than you have in your entire Knighthood. I¡¯m done listening to you because there¡¯s nothing to learn here. Maybe it¡¯d be different if there was a better teacher¡ªbut you¡¯re an actual joke.¡±


    Better to cut his losses and prepare for things that actually mattered, like the expedition. Once they got out of the walls neither the Goddess nor courtly manners would have any relevance.


    That couldn¡¯te soon enough.


    ¡°You know, he has a point,¡± Colin said and stood up as well, moving next to Erec¡¯s side. ¡°This course is a farce, and I think I¡¯ll lodge aint with my father.¡±


    The instructor looked baffled.


    ¡°You two can¡¯t leave.¡±


    ¡°Watch us,¡± and Erec turned and left, hearing the muttering of his ssmatese to life behind him. Whatever. Let them talk. All nobles did was endlessly gossip.


    They paced their way quickly through the hall, back toward their dorm. He needed some time to cool off and be by himself. Once he did he could figure out how to exin it to Boldwick¡ªthe man had thrown away all illusion of distance between him and his students after the hunt for the White Stag and the loss of his former student. So the inevitableint lodged by the instructor would end up being the Master Knight¡¯s problem.


    On the one hand, Erec felt terrible for bringing more trouble to him as he struggled to n out and get together the logistics between their long expedition. But on the other hand, the Courtly Mannerisms teacher was an absolute joke.


    He could lead his people his way. The rest of the nobility and their little rules and games were the problem.


    They twisted everything into a way to chase status and test one another, and Erec had no patience for those games.


    ¡°Why, rust bucket. It is excellent to see you acting your new rank finally.¡± Colin said smoothly from his side as they walked down the halls of the main campus building. It was, as always, a sight to behold. Were the Knights to defend this ce against a hoard of monsters, Erec was sure they couldst a year. Everything was made with thick brick walls¡ªsteel fortifications designed to weather an attack and present a solid image of strength. Aside from perhaps the pce, this was likely one of the most defended ces in the Kingdom.


    But, to Erec, it was more beautiful. The uncontrolled growth around his Order was an infinite degree more alluring than the manicured experience of the pce grounds.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about rank,¡± Erec told the Duke¡¯s son and hoped to the Goddess it never would be about that. A small part of his brain was concerned over how much Colin thought this was a good idea, but he¡¯d already decided. ¡°When someone disrespects you enough that you can¡¯t feasibly learn whatever they¡¯re trying to teach, it¡¯s a straight waste of time.¡±


    ¡°True, when others approach you on your terms, there are no more petty social obligations you have to follow. It''s about forcing them to meet you on your ground. But you¡¯re wrong when you state it not being about rank. Should he have treated an actual titled Count like that? I think not. It makes the disrespect more reprehensible, so you were right inshing out and leaving. However, your problem is you don¡¯t know how to show proper deference to those above you. I suggest you focus your efforts there.¡±


    ¡°Colin¡ª¡° Erec paused and stopped trying. No, he wasn¡¯t going to cut through and try to exin why his reasoning didn¡¯t sync up with whatever little ideas Colin got in his head. That was an exercise in futility. His friend hade some way from being such an obnoxious brat, but there was a long way to go.


    A girl stormed up to them in her academy uniform, her hair a fiery red and her eyes livid. ¡°Colin. Nitidius. You absolute prick¡ªwhere do you get off¡ª¡°


    ¡°Alexandra, a displeasure; I told you I didn¡¯t wish to see your face until graduation, yet here you are.¡±


    Erec stared at the girl. This was his first time seeing Colin¡¯s betrothed in person since joining the Academy¡ªand she looked as far away from happy as she could be.

 Chapter 94: Different Relationships

    Chapter 94: Different Rtionships


    <em>¡°The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom; to serve all, but love only one.¡±</em>


    <em>- Honore de Balzac, Unknown (2nd Era) </em>


    Erec tried to pull away and let the two have their discussion. It wasn¡¯t his ce to insert himself in someone else¡¯s rtionship, and the idea of even overhearing whatever this dramatic conversation would be already got his stomach twisting. He keenly recalled hearing Bedwyr and Gwen¡¯s breakup, and this tone was already a level of weirdness that made him want to have nothing to do with it.


    Besides, there was something fierce about this girl. From the way, she moved to her thick and wild red hair¡ªnot what he¡¯d expect from the daughter of a Duchy. Thest time he saw her, he could¡¯ve sworn she¡¯d been much more refined¡ªmuch more typical of a higher courtdy.


    Now though, there was a raw edge that struck a particr chord of familiarity in himself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare move,¡± the girl¡¯s angry eyes swept over him? ¡°Is this one of your friends, Colin? Is he part of that group you refuse even to let me see? Which one is he? The insubordinate low-born or the try-hard people pleaser?¡± Her withering attention returned to Colin. ¡°His words, not mine.¡±


    <em>What?</em>


    Erec stopped, not because he was afraid of disobeying her. She looked scrappy, but he doubted this girl would start a brawl in the middle of the Academy. Let alone did he fear losing. Nobody stood up to him in the Academy, aside from Soren or Bedwyr. And then, he hadn¡¯t gone all out against the prince since after the stage.


    But the descriptions she¡¯d received¡­ <em>What the fuck Colin, what did you tell her about us?</em>


    Colin didn¡¯t seem the least bit embarrassed, despite being exposed for badmouthing people he called his friends. ¡°This is the insubordinate low-born. Trust me; you¡¯d know if it was the try-hard; he¡¯d already be buttering you up to defuse you, and perhaps that¡¯d be better for me. I didn¡¯t intend for you to meet any of them because my affairs are none of your business, woman. Mind your coursework; frankly, until we¡¯re tied in marriage, I don¡¯t believe I owe you even an ounce of my time. Let alone subjecting my friends to your proddingpany. I decided it to be better to spare them from seeing your detestable face, lest they gag from dealing with such rancidpany.¡±


    ¡°I was informed that this was going to be a challenge.¡± The girl swayed closer to Colin, her palm running down his face as she forced him to look at her. ¡°¡­That makes it exciting.¡± With that, she withdrew her hand. Before Erec could even blink, that same hand whipped through space and pped Colin¡¯s face hard enough to leave a stinging red print.


    Colin took a few steps back, shocked and rubbing at the rising welt. His eyes were wide, and he worked his jaw, unable toe up with anything to say for once.


    ¡°Do not disrespect me, Colin Nitidus. I am a Knight and belong to a family with just as much ranking as you. Unlike the rest of these people, you must admit it¡¯s impossible to see me as beneath you. And even if that weren¡¯t the case, you should show me proper reverence as your future spouse. I swear, if you didn¡¯t have those charmingly defiant eyes, this whole thing would be doomed. You¡¯re lucky.¡±


    Her eyes shot over to Erec.


    ¡°Now, I propose we spend some time together and get to know one another. It is with great delight that I make your acquaintance, Sir Erec. And I¡¯m very interested to know more about you,¡± She did a small curtsy¡ªthe samedy-like move that Olivia did with rming frequency. But where Olivia performed hers with practiced grace, Alexandra did it in a way that appeared so flippant and uncaring that the perfected gesture came across with perfect authenticity.


    ¡°¡­Right, I think I¡¯d rather head off to my room. I just yelled at an instructor, and I expect it to bite my ass in a while. I have to figure out how I will deal with that,¡± Erec said carefully. After witnessing Colin get cowed by this girl, he¡¯d made up his mind.


    Alexandra Doctus wasn¡¯t someone he wanted to get involved with. Bad enough, he already dealt with two of the duchy-spawns, this third one he¡¯d rather avoid; Colin would have to work through his marriage issues on his own.


    Alexandra had other ideas.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re strong. Spar me.¡±


    Damn. His heart skipped a beat; the intensity of that challenge almost jumpstarted the fire in his gut. Her entire demeanor took on an intensity; she looked like a hungry beast ready to tear into another.


    ¡°You just said you wanted to get to know one another better? How does fighting aplish that?¡± Erec asked though the words were a half-hearted attempt at deflection. Better to walk away. Colin rolled his eyes¡ªand finished the gesture with a sneer towards her.


    ¡°She¡¯s a muscle head like you. It''d be better if you put her in her ce; she fancies herself as one of the strongest in our ss. She hasn¡¯t had the pleasure of watching you throw yourself away into a battle.¡± Colin said.


    She seemed scrappy¡ªnot what one might traditionally think of as strong, but then again, with Virtues, appearances could be deceptive. Let alone if she had some sort of Talentplimenting her skill set. But, Erec had to admit, he wasn¡¯t afraid of her. No one in their ss scared him, he hadn¡¯t been pushing himselftely with Fury after hisst incident, but that was irrelevant. He hadn¡¯t wasted his time; instead, he¡¯d focused on developing better technique. It¡¯d yielded a boost to his Agility by a tier and his Vigor by a tier as well.


    But most of his time had been dedicated to training up his Psyche tobat the effects of Fury. Now he¡¯d managed to w his way up to Tier 7, all without abusing his body and mind with Fury, even if the progress was a lot slower.


    Yet adapting to his newly gained Strength and taking a break from such an intensive strain had led to new insights.


    But, if he were to go all out, only the Knight Protectors or stronger would give him a challenge. Erec hadn¡¯t felt <em>weak</em> since being the captive of that damned outsider in Worth.


    So, ultimately, Alexandra didn¡¯t seem intimidating at all, so it felt so odd that he wanted to take her up on that fight. His head screamed no, but his heart wanted to so badly. Had it been too long since he¡¯d had a good fight?


    Were Garin here, he¡¯d have insisted on hanging around to figure out what type of person Alexandra was. A proper courtly thing to do would be that approach, and do his best to help out Colin, maybe smooth some things over, definitely not fight his betrothed.


    But the offer was beyond tempting. Fighting the same sparring partners for months was draining, and he hadn¡¯t let loose even the tiniest bit. Without Fury, fighting had lost that spark; even though learning control was objectively good. Boldwick wouldn¡¯t have approved of this.


    Could he break his rules for this girl?


    ¡°I decline.¡±


    ¡°Tragic,¡± the girl spat on the ground, ¡°Well, disappointing, but if that¡¯s the way you want it, okay then.¡± She sighed and grabbed Colin by the arm. ¡°I¡¯m taking him, though.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Colin called out, eyes wide. ¡°Erec¡ªListen, er, Alexandra. If he defeats you, would you agree to let me be for the rest of the year? No surprise visits, letters, or any of that nonsense.¡±


    She rubbed the back of her neck. ¡°¡­That doesn¡¯t seem fair, but I want to fight him¡­ Adding more stakes makes it fun too¡­¡±


    ¡°I never agreed to a fight,¡± Erec said, though his voice betrayed him, which Colin picked up on like a dehydrated man spotting a sk of water. This was dumb. Even if he wanted to, not giving in to Colin would be the best. Their¡­ rtionship didn¡¯t seem healthy, and they needed to work things out since they were already stuck together. And were they gambling on the results of a spar? Not exactly very Knightly.


    ¡°A month.¡± Alexandra bargained and gave Erec a winning grin; ¡°Please? I want to test you out. See what the Stag yer can do.¡±


    ¡°Two months.¡± Colin shot back.


    ¡°A month and a half.¡± Alexandra shook her head. ¡°Shyness is ill-befitting you, Colin. Are you afraid that you¡¯ll realize that I¡¯m too good for you if you spend too much time with me?¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s not that, you¡­.¡± Colin mumbled off the rest of his sentence, but Erec could¡¯ve sworn he''d heard something about being intimidated.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to a spar.¡± Erec contested again, feeling the resistance slip away.


    ¡°What? Too prim and proper to get dirty like a real Knight? I thought by your reputation you weren¡¯t about that. Here we went and made a bet and everything; where¡¯s the fun in you, Erec? Don¡¯t be another dull and lifeless noble; live a little.¡± There was a wild look in her eye, the way her red hair red with the wind. As if the entire girl were one zing fire, ready to set things burning and watch it all crumble to ash. ¡°Well?¡±


    The beast inside of Erec roared. If it was being challenged, it had to return in like.


    More importantly, Erec didn¡¯t want to be like the rest of the nobility. He didn¡¯t want to be dull and boring or concerned about appearances. Maybe it wasn¡¯t proper to go and duel another Knight to test your strength like this¡ªperhaps it wasn¡¯t chivalrous to make bets over fights.


    But it did seem like fun.


    ¡°Fuck it,¡± Erec red at Colin. ¡°You owe me.¡±

 Chapter 95: Missing Piece

    Chapter 95: Missing Piece


    Alexandra led Erec down the halls and outside of the Academy; the entire time, Erec couldn¡¯t help but notice her hand pulling Colin by the wrist. Which he was sure Colin was painfully aware of since he kept trying to tug it away.


    Whether or not this fight freed him from herpany stopped mattering to Erec as his blood rushed.


    This was the chance he wanted, a way to let loose and test his training. Over thest couple of months, Boldwick honed in and tried to prepare him to use only a ¡®partial¡¯ amount of Fury.


    A half-state that he¡¯d reached before when he burned a little fuel to keep himself going or to deal with confrontation. The inherent problem was it put him in an intoxicating state. In those situations, it was easier to suppress since it was either after a fight or when he''d yet to throw a punch.


    The best way Boldwick figured to control it was to increase his Psyche¡ªand practice the skill. Over and over, he brought him to the point of burning a small amount of Fury, then forcing him to stand down.


    Since the fight with the Stag, Erec hadn¡¯t passed further than this half-state or tried it in an actual spar.


    The pressure of needing to control himself was another one of the chains wrapped around him and dragging him down. That, along with his new title, status, and even now, theck of Faith. All of the chains set around his ankles, those expectations and responsibilities.


    Boldwick hadn¡¯t let him try this half-step inbat since he wasn¡¯t sure how it would end and whether or not all the conditioning would go to waste if Erec slipped the leash.


    Or, so he said.


    Privately, Erec wondered if it had to do with how Alister died; and how close he¡¯de to death by relying on Fury. As much as he hated it, Erec couldn¡¯t help but feel that fear too. Some nights he woke up picturing that fight with the Stag, reliving the moment.


    Even his mentor saw him as something he wasn¡¯t¡ªhe wanted him to control himself. And that should be a good thing, surely.


    Yet it felt wrong.


    From the second he saw Alexandra¡¯s eyes at the mention of a fight, he saw that same love of battle ring out to how she grinned as they slipped outside to a yard. She hadn¡¯t even bothered to find a quiet ce for the fight, opting for a nice open space right by the door to the central Academy. Bold and reckless.


    ¡°Good as it gets, right? Bright day.¡± She gave a couple of practice swings. ¡°Might wanna warm up. Do you ever fight with fists? I imagine it¡¯d be inconvenient to track down practice swords, so I figure this is easier, and you¡¯re a brawler, right? It would be best if you were handy with anything. Ha. Get it, handy?¡±


    Colin immediately covered his mouth. Doing his best to suppress augh. It wasn¡¯t a funny joke, but then Colin hadn¡¯t a good sense of humor, to begin with, but it was damn petty that he¡¯d rather she didn¡¯t know she made himugh.


    Whatever.


    Erec rolled his shoulders and took in a deep breath, trying to steady himself and prepare for the inevitable mental battle this would bring. ¡°Do you normally act like this? When I saw you at the ceremony, you looked the part of a regal duchess. Now? Not so much.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? My Mother discouraged this sort of thing, but now that I¡¯m out on my own, I¡¯m free to do what I want. I¡¯ve received letters from herining about my behavior¡ªbut once I stopped caring what she thought, everything has been so much fun. Besides, my dad¡¯s plenty happy with my progress.¡± She beamed at him, hopping in ce. Thrumming with energy as if this fight were the event of a lifetime¡ªlike they werepeting in a tourney for grand honors and not just beating the shit out of each other outside of the Academy.


    Weird girl.


    But what if she had the right idea? Her duties had tied her to marrying Colin, of all people, but she didn¡¯t seem stressed or worried. Let alone the thousands of other things that being born to a duchy must¡¯ve levied on her shoulders. She¡¯d found a way to enjoy it. Or so it seemed.


    ¡°How are you doing that?¡± Erec asked, shaking his head as she grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t get how you¡¯re so carefree.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy. It goes something like this¡ª¡° She snapped through the air, vanishing. So quick that Erec took a blow to the gut before he knew what happened. Her savageness didn¡¯t stop at a single impact; her knee rose to snap into his chin as he doubled over from the sudden attack.


    That hadn¡¯t been natural speed. One second she was there; the second, she was mming into him. For someone on their level, such a maneuver should¡¯ve been impossible.


    [Ouch.]


    Erec¡¯s back mmed onto the ground, and she followed through, hopping on him and raining fists down on his face. Unable to think much past defense, Erec covered his weak point with his arms. The temporary defense wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    Each hit stung. Her force was unrelenting, and she¡¯d refused to pull back a single bit of it.


    Exciting.


    Erec saw for a second past his guard. There was a wild grin on her face, her eyes shone with pure delight as she gave away everything to this fight. It was the exact same sort of thing he imagined others saw in him when he let Fury free. When he stopped letting himself be chained away.


    If she could do it, why couldn¡¯t he?


    That fire inside ignited, burning bright in a pulse of Strength. Her fist spiraled toward him, but his hand snapped forward, catching her by the wrist.


    She struggled against him, trying to free her knuckles to deliver another hit, but her Strength failed her. Against him, she was too weak. His vision went red, and a dim level of awareness tore through him.


    This was too far. He was rapidly burning up and giving too much to Fury. Cold fire choked off the ignition on instinct. He hesitated.


    Unbridled Strength made him a disposable tool to the Fury; it kept him from refining the weapon into his own, but him a weapon of it instead.


    Alexandra took advantage of his hesitation. Her free hand pulled back, then sped through the air faster than she should¡¯ve been capable of, tearing into his gut in a sudden eleration.


    Erec¡¯s eyes bulged as his back bounced off the ground. The pain burned away in Fury¡¯s half-state with a dy, but his instinct was to toss this woman off him before she had a chance tond another hit like that. Using his hand still locked on her wrist, he jerked his arm, flinging her away as the fire coursed through his veins.


    She didn¡¯t weigh a lot, and an impulse of Strength was plenty enough to fling her. Too far. She mmed into the side of the Academy; the stone thumped as she impacted, then slumped to the ground.


    Erec got to his feet; the breeze felt good, and the sky above was still tinted in that lovely shade of red.


    Almost like being whole again. But he forced his way away from letting the inferno run loose, finding that bnce of letting it burn in bursts. He could resist the impulse to chase her down and finish the fight forever by pulling back. With a groan of pain, his enemy regained her ground, rubbing her head. ¡°Those tales weren¡¯t exaggerated, so this is the Strength that let you kill that Stag?¡± She asked, stepping away from the side of the building.


    Already, their brief scuffle pulled a small audience; people would always gawk, like sheep gathering in a bio-cavern, and once they saw a crowd, more would join. Eventually, if this went on long enough, they¡¯d probably attract an older Knight who¡¯d break the fight up.


    But it¡¯d never get that far. Erec pounced, unable to suppress the impulse any longer after letting her get back up.


    His fist flew right in line to connect to her jaw¡ªand the girl vanished.


    She slipped underneath his elbow, tripping over her legs as she spun around, throwing a wild kick that brushed off Erec¡¯s back.


    That movement wasn¡¯t natural. With his full attention on her, she¡¯d shifted cespletely. Was it like Soren, then?


    [Localized time eleration. Well, that¡¯s a useful one.]


    Of course, VAL rified. Erec¡¯s eyes narrowed as he followed through andshed out at the girl. One of his punches sent her reeling back and dodging away from his blows, as she concluded they weren¡¯t easy to brush off. Without that Divine Talent, she¡¯d still have considerable speed and power. A good enemy; she might¡¯ve won against him when he first joined the Academy. But not now.


    It¡¯d be over if he weren¡¯t burdened with straddling the edge of the me, letting his chest fill with fire, yet controlling it with all the restraint he could muster. Each punch would devastate her, butnding those punches was hard when she could speed up. It¡¯d require pure instinct, but relying on that while in this state¡­


    It was impossible.


    <em>Let go.</em>


    But he couldn¡¯t.


    If he freed himself, this fight would end quicker than the girl could react; all it took was to hand the reins back to where they belonged. She wanted to see his Strength after all, didn¡¯t she?


    But if he always let go, he¡¯d end up dead again. Not now. But when it mattered.


    She swayed in ce, adapting to his fighting style, asional bursts of movement as she activated her talent. The unpredictable nature of it made it impossible to react to in the split seconds she used it. Impossible to respond to unless he gave away control to Fury. To react on pure instinct.


    <em>Do it. Let go.</em>


    Erec¡¯s hand shook as the fire inside screamed at him to burst; it was so close to eruption, to be free and wild. Damn Boldwick for trying to control him¡ªdamn this whole school for forcing him down and making him practice fucking court speech. It could all burn away in the pyre of his hate.


    Alexandra¡¯s smile was bright; despite the bruises on her face. The pure thrill of the moment taunted him; his anger was pure and unrelenting that he couldn¡¯t be free in the same way. Couldn¡¯t enjoy this fight as she did.


    She snapped forward, a blow to his skull that brought ck spots.


    Erec backpedaled, his breath catching as another punch hit his gut.


    He pped her away with a backhand, and she flew. But a secondter, she returned to her feet, charging him and demanding more.


    He tore himself apart inside, that cold fire confused even as it suppressed the anger and refused to let himself explode. He couldn¡¯t be like her. Not anymore.


    ¡°Stop.¡± Boldwick¡¯s voice rang through the gathered crowd; Erec paused, a hand gripping her ankle as he hesitated from tossing her away like a ything. She yanked her foot away as it became clear the fight was over.


    ¡°Shame, but thanks for the fun!¡± Alexandra gave a thumbs up; before turning her attention to Boldwick as the Master Knight strode up to them.


    Boldwick gave one annoyed nce at the students gathered around. ¡°Clear out, nothing to see; go do something more productive.¡± They began to disperse with great reluctance, but that was enough to dismiss them from Boldwick¡¯s attention as he frowned at Erec. ¡°You used Fury? What had I told you?¡±


    Erec hung his head; the embers still burned inside, but it was easier now. Easier to let them die and fade. He hadn¡¯t given over to it. As much as he burned inside to give it everything, he¡¯d held back. ¡°I did.¡± And now, even though, by all metrics, his desire to test the results of their training proved it to be sessful, it felt wrong. It felt like he¡¯d been left with a scratch he couldn¡¯t itch¡ªthat a hole remained in him.


    ¡°Well.¡± Boldwick scratched at his chin. ¡°Guess it was about due to test anyway, and you kept yourposure. Or so it appeared¡­ Follow me to my office. I just got done speaking to your Courtly Mannerisms instructor¡ªyou can tell me how it went, and then we can talk about your ss.¡±


    Boldwick left, expecting Erec to follow hot on his heels. Erec looked at Alexandra and Colin¡ªwho had already slipped into an argument over whether or not the wager was still valid.


    They seemed¡­ Lively together. Not happy, but. It was something.


    With a hole in his stomach, Erec followed after his mentor. Not quite sure what was missing.

 Chapter 96: Nobilitas

    Chapter 96: Nobilitas


    <em>¡°They roam through the wastnd, kicking up dust with their rag-tag old-world tech. You¡¯d think the wheels and gas would runnem down.</em>


    <em>Fuck no it dont. If anything it makesem leaner. The tech they use is crazy shit, and I don¡¯t think they half know what their crap is, honest. They just jam it on another, cut some wires, and fucking curse at that sky bitch til it works.</em>


    <em>Madness.</em>


    <em>Never meet a group as out-there. Never met anyone willing to throw it down just to watch a monster bleed either. </em>


    <em>Other then being conked out of their head, yeah, worth what they¡¯re askn for.¡±</em>


    <em>- Hickory, Message to Louie, (3rd Era, 301)</em>


    ¡°You kept it under control?¡± Boldwick leaned on his desk and yawned, a rudimentary summary of Erec¡¯s report. ¡°Was wondering when you¡¯d finally break out and try it on your own.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Not particrly. I did pick <em>you </em>to take under my wing; more surprising that yousted months before breaking the seal.¡± Ah, Boldwick always focused on the results. It made it a little easier, and the Master Knight had been a bit more put together than he¡¯d been recently¡ªsince the loss of Alister.


    Still, he hadn¡¯t spoken of the loss after the day he gathered them all together, even if it weighed on his shoulders.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t feel like how I thought it would,¡± Erec admitted, he¡¯d expected that pulling it off would be a constant strain, and it was. But he¡¯d thought that ¡®conquering¡¯ the Talent and making it his own would solve his problems and worries, but it hadn¡¯t. Using Fury, throwing himself at a battlefield, not knowing if something horrible mighte out. Pushing himself to the point where he killed himself didn¡¯t seem viable.


    Relying on such a wild ability in a more extended expedition can and did put danger on himself and those around him. He was lucky before that the burden had been distributed among a muchrger group, but soon it wouldn¡¯t be.


    At the same time, the unnatural feeling left him with a distinct impression that it was cutting off something important. Ending a thing he couldn¡¯t quite ce, he was on the verge of. But what if that was only Fury¡¯s temptation speaking?


    ¡°rming,¡± Boldwick shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s the thing about Divine Talents; you can¡¯t always predict how to work with them. It¡¯s best to go with your instincts regarding these abilities. Especially one like yours, which willpletely inform how you perform in a fight. It¡¯ll show you how to grow.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so all of that training was pointless?¡± Erec expected him to push him towards using the half-step more; that control was better.


    ¡°Not pointless. Discipline is important, and you should keep trying whatever new thing you or I can think of. You don¡¯t know it¡¯s not the solution until you try, and you still have some time to experiment before we go. Though, less than we expected.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving sooner?¡±


    Boldwick nodded. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be towards the end of your first year¡ªbut thanks to our new backing from our ¡®friends¡¯ in the pce, and their increasing issues with the church, our timeline got sped up. Three to four months; then we hit the road.¡±


    ¡°¡­Damn,¡± Erec let out a sigh.


    A flush of relief and anxiety ran through him. It was an escape from the mounting pressures of this Academy and his responsibility. The letters from his steward Lionel had only been growing about his estate.


    He couldn¡¯t escape the idea of messing that up, so each one left him second-guessing his future. Therefore, being away from choices¡­ Well, he¡¯d have no choice but to go and be free of those pesky things outside of the steel walls. Out there, it didn¡¯t matter who he was. To be outside and roam the dusty old-world roads was freedom.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had some thoughts about who we¡¯re taking and concluded something that might make you upset,¡± Boldwick said with a weird inflection.


    Erec shot up and squinted at the Master Knight, but trying to read him was impossible.


    ¡°To speak bluntly, Garin isn¡¯t someone I can teach. I pried into his history and even scouted him a bit, but there isn¡¯t much I can do to help him on his path. Not with my time eaten up by you and Gwen¡ªmy priorities.¡±


    ¡°¡­So he¡¯s noting,¡± Erec said bitterly. He¡¯d asked for his best friend¡¯s sake and his own sanity. On such a long road, with Olivia there, he¡¯d act as a nice buffer to keep things amicable, like he normally did. But picturing such a trip without him, even as dangerous as it was¡­ It was kind of depressing.


    Boldwick already had three initiates to worry about. However, Erec had to admit he couldn¡¯t be considered the same as the other two. Whether or not he was more or less of a liability was questionable, though.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. Just that he isn¡¯t someone, I can teach.¡± Boldwick leaned back and rolled his eyes. ¡°All doom and gloom sometimes. But I¡¯m not saying that I¡¯m sure he cane along. One of the people I want along on this trip has agreed to take a look at him. I offered them the chance to see if they want him to squire for them¡ªthat¡¯s what it¡¯s called when we take lesser Knights along on expeditions like this. To her, that means she¡¯d also take him on as an apprentice. Technically, you¡¯ll be squiring for Dame Robin and Gwen for me¡­ But that hardly matters.¡±


    ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°Dame Morgana. She¡¯s agreed to er¡­ Test him, and see if he fits.¡±


    That was sparse on the details. Talking about her made Boldwick ufortable, too; Erec saw a strange weak point he didn¡¯t know how to press. ¡°¡­And she¡¯s in the Verdant Oak?" He iled to fish for more information but couldn¡¯t think of anything else.


    ¡°She is¡­ But, uh, not exactly someone you¡¯d find givingmands, despite what her rank would imply, as a Knight Commander. She¡¯s something of a peculiarity; nominally a mysticism expert, but her magic isn¡¯t based on glyphs.¡±


    ¡°That makes no sense.¡±


    Boldwick cleared his throat. ¡°Common practice is that glyphs are the only way to perform magic; for most people, that¡¯s all that¡¯s worth the time to learn. It¡¯s easier to grasp, more powerful, and overall better. But ultimately, glyphs are only a systemic way to approach Mysticism. For some, monsters included, there are alternative ways to use magic without glyphs, as you saw with the Stag. She has a certain Divine Talent that made it¡­ make more sense to take her own approach.¡±


    This whole thing was weird. Of course. Erec rubbed his forehead. Garin didn¡¯t show any particr aptitude for magic, unlike Colin, who could work through glyph designs on a higher level. What about him could this woman find interesting if her specialty was in strange magic?


    Come to think of it, Garin didn¡¯t have any outstanding abilities. He was pretty endurant in a battle but wasn¡¯t especially quick on his feet, not strong. Everything he relied on his friend for¡­ was off the field.


    By the second, Erec realized this was a long shot, especially with Boldwick dancing around the topic.


    ¡°I¡¯m an awful friend,¡± Erec admitted. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been worried about him getting left behind but haven¡¯t done anything to help. Should I have done more?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of it that way. He would''ve trained like you if he was inclined to fight like you. From what I¡¯ve picked up, he¡¯s not sure what he should do; he has no clear direction. A lot of people your age are like that. Olivia was trained to be what she is from a young girl, as was Colin by his father. That isn¡¯t the mostmon situation. The truth is that people like Garin are typical students. Someone who joined our Academy but had yet to start finding their path. The Academy is meant to let them explore and find their skill set and provide tools to discover it. Morgana wasing along anyway, and I figured this wouldn¡¯t hurt. Even if she is unpredictable.¡±


    ¡°Guess I can only hope for the best and try to help now¡± Erec leaned back in his chair and tried not to worry too much. He¡¯d tell Garin, of course, and offer some sparring sessions, but who knew what this Dame Morgana might think.


    Knowing his friend, he wouldn¡¯t want Olivia and Erec to head outside without him.


    Colin might be perfectly content to have their dorm to himself if they all left, but with Alexandra¡­ He might not get the peace he desired.


    All of the pieces wereing together, or it seemed like it. Soon, he¡¯d be free of this ce.


    Erec couldn¡¯t wait.


    ¡°Now, about your Courtly Mannerisms.¡± Boldwick¡¯s tone took a serious edge. ¡°That instructor is terrible. I¡¯ll admit it. After only a brief conversation, it''s obvious I saw your problem, so leaving you there is not a solution.¡± The Master Knight leaned back and frowned at Erec. ¡°But you leaving the way you did will make it a pain to argue for a schedule change. He¡¯ll argue it¡¯s favoritism, and we¡¯re treating you as a special case, and we are. He wants to punish you; forcing you to be in his ss for the rest of the semester ensures that.¡±


    ¡°Fuck him. I won¡¯t attend his lectures¡ªwhat¡¯s the worst that can happen?¡±


    ¡°Expulsion or refusal to allow you to be a Knight Errant since you¡¯d never technically graduate without gaining the knowledge a Knight should. Fancy yourself a regr army man? No, I didn¡¯t think so.¡± Boldwick gave azy smile. ¡°But, as much as that instructor hates to admit it, you are a special case.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not special.¡± Erec immediately retorted; bad enough, other people were throwing the herobel on him. Thest thing he wanted was for Boldwick to treat him that way, too. It¡¯d be too much to bear.


    ¡°Bah, you¡¯re a snot-nosed brat like the rest. I know that you know that. But thanks to the King¡ªyou¡¯re also a <em>Count.</em> Not just an heir to a title but the head of your House. Normally, our Knights don¡¯t take on the responsibility of their houses untilter in their career so they can juggle their time better. But there have been cases in the past of unfortunate nobles having to assume their positions earlier than expected due to circumstances. There¡¯s a precedent of working with that arrangement.¡±


    Erec got a distinct impression that he wouldn¡¯t like what came next.


    ¡°Knowing you and how you train¡­ I¡¯d say we cut out that special Talent refining program¡ªif we were to say, also get rid of Courtly Mannerisms to actually participate in court affairs¡ªthat should free you up and make the argument easy for me to push. So what do you say?¡±


    There was that feeling in his gut. So, there it was. He could get the ss removed. But the catch was clear. To do so, he¡¯d have to go from learning how to act as noble to actively doing so in the real world¡ªno safety.


    It was reckless.


    But this ss wasn¡¯t teaching him a damn thing. ¡°I¡¯m screwed, then.¡±


    ¡°Damned if you do, damned if you don¡¯t. You¡¯re the type to get your hands dirty; otherwise, you won¡¯t learn anyway.¡±


    ¡°¡­I agree.¡±


    With that, Boldwick dismissed him. Erec got up and stretched, his head already aching at the thought of what was toe. For months, he¡¯d been dipping his toes into what being a Count would be like.


    Yet responsibility had a way of digging its ws into him and making himply; skirting one obligation only led to heavier ones.


    Goddess, help him.

 Chapter 97: Drown In Soup

    Chapter 97: Drown In Soup


    Erec strode through the Seventh Cavern decked out in his Armor, unfortunately not alone. In addition to his steward Lionel, threemoners chatted his ears off.


    The Vallum model had already seen a lot of battle, but the passerby certainly couldn¡¯t tell at a nce. His cloak trailed behind him, a deep green that stole eyes and drew them to the steel itid over; it was a symbol of the surface, of those above to the people here.


    But those escorting him through his cavern hummed with excitement and purpose. They¡¯d seen their new Count, but once, they had a fair idea of who he might be. Now though, they¡¯d get to see his first actual act¡­


    Aside from those Lionel scheduled to talk with him, his mere presence led to attention. That included the one or two hangers-on that¡¯d tried to catch thetest gossip¡ªleading to even more people watching them walk.


    It was all exhausting, and the topic of the day was infuriating.


    Erec was here to correct an issue.


    An issue that now, he was somewhat responsible for. Even if most of the me for the current circumstance was before he¡¯d taken leadership. Theck of regtion led to an unfavorable environment for his people.


    The Seventh Cavern wasn¡¯t exactly struggling. But it was a far cry from being prosperous, the reason for which came in two parts.


    Part of the problemy in the need for more direct focus in their production. For at least a hundred years, the people of the Seventh Cavern were free to pursue whatever business and manufacturing they wanted. At an initial nce, Erec thought that to be ideal. They¡¯d be able to explore whatever they wanted, and the nobility would keep out of their affairs.


    Yet, Lionel corrected that misconception. That actually meant that the nobility had done the bare minimum for the people here. They¡¯d refuse to prop up or advance any particr industries, offer them subsidies, or buy debt to promote growth.


    All the tax and ie generated by the people went into maintenance or the pocket of the ruling ss; it¡¯d never been reinvested in the people.


    As a result, general sentiment towards the nobility was naturally ambivalent at best. Hostile at worst.


    Over time, this still meant a lot of businesses formed, most small and unimpressive. Until outside forces noticed the ruling ss''sck of care and took advantage. A wealthy merchant group began to cut deals with prominent merchants inside the Seventh Cavern and manipted the flow of goods to artificially raise prices. This group systematically exploited and then wrung people for denarii.


    Or so the situation¡¯s picture formed for Erec as he took a stroll in his cavern, confirmed and exined by angrymunity leaders.


    It was an economic problem. And a headache of one. Compouded by the current situation: the merchant ¡®guild¡¯ was now pressing to lock in exploitative prices for the next four years. They moved to seal this deal before Erec could react. If they had their way, a single apple would cost seven denarii. The fact they sought to take advantage of his ignorance pissed Erec off.


    Not only was the nobility working against Erec in secret, but many sought to work around a Knight titled as a hero. Paranoia was bing an unweepanion.


    Erec thought over several ways to tackle the group as they walked. He could sanction the citizens of his cavern participating with the outside merchants or disbar those merchants from trading in this cavern.


    Either act would ruin the current status quo and lead to even worse problems. It was like stepping around explosive glyphs; anything spewed out was trouble and impossible to predict.


    Change wasing, though, however. No matter what he did. It was better to get ahead of it and start trying to make things easier for his people. That¡¯s what a good leader would do.


    So it was that he asked his escorts to bring him to a specific merchant¡¯s home.


    They arrived at arge manor, not near the size of his, but on the surface, it appeared more opulent. Thewn was decorated with fake tufts of green grass, adorned with steel statues of all things depicting noble Knights in their Armor. They dotted the excessivendscape that took a long winding path toward a five-story home.


    From this distance, Erec could see a man leaning back on a wooden chair with a sword at his side near the doorway. A guard.


    Erec took a look at his escort. ¡°Thanks,¡± he shook his head as he made eye contact with the angry citizens. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this from here. I appreciate your time.¡±


    There was some grumbling, but the citizens left without real issue. Leaving Erec alone with Lionel in front of the merchant¡¯s home.


    He started down the winding pathway, looking at the fake grass and statues. The ones near the front were generic but in heroic poses that people loved. It was odd, however, that the further he got away from the street, the more defects he noticed in the statues.


    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the bored man in leather armor in his chair.


    The bulky guy got out of the chair as he approached. ¡°S-stop right there,¡± his voice quivered as he took in Erec. ¡°S-shit, is that real Armor?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Erec nced at a nearby statue. Something about it was off; bits of metal poking out, with rough skin and an ugly surface. Defects on the others were noticeable, but even the luster of it wascking.


    [He switched to aluminum statues further away from the street. Very ssy.] VAL observed, which exined the odd imperfections in the statue garden. Few people would notice without a trained eye and this far from the main road.


    Wonderful.


    ¡°D-do you have an appointment?¡± The guard asked, trying and failing to clear the nerves from his voice.


    ¡°Sure do,¡± Erec lied easily; it felt odd walking around through his own cavern in Armor and even to be in Armor without a weapon strapped to his back. But it was partially about the message he wanted to send.


    Not that he needed an axe to do serious damage.


    The man puffed up his lip and looked back at the building he¡¯d been assigned to guard. In all honesty, it was obvious he was a thug hired as muscle and not someone particrly intimidating to begin with.


    Well then, how could hepare to horrible atrocities in the waste?


    This whole joke was only growing staler by the second. What sort of guy was operating with the merchant¡¯s guild anyway?


    ¡°Uh. There are no appointments today. Boss woulda told me. Has his private time scheduled?¡± The thug ran a thumb over his nose and looked at Erec with wide eyes. He was still digesting that not only was a Knight at his door but also a Knight who unapologetically lied straight to his face. Though Erec suspected he still didn¡¯t realize who this particr Knight was.


    This was what he had to deal with instead of his Courtly Mannerisms ss.


    Yeah, that bullshit about which fork was right to pick up would¡¯ve taught him anything about a situation like this.


    ¡°He has one now. Bring me to him, and¡ª¡° Erec sighed as the man tensed up. He expected a fight. Hell, part of Erec screamed to go ahead and start throwing fists to solve this problem.


    But ultimately, unlike in the wastnd, tossing a stray fist right now wasn¡¯t the solution to end this mess. It would only make things worse.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll pay you two hundred denarii.¡± Erec resorted to a different blunt tactic.


    Bribery.


    The man slowly nodded his dimwitted head; they¡¯d reached an ord. Without a second more of arguing, he pushed the door open and led Erec through the interior.


    Inside was a mixture of knick-knacks and knock-offs. With such a cluster of objects and gold-looking things, one might understandably mistake the owner of this manor for a collector.


    Upon closer examination, the antiques proved outdated and ugly designs and objects that people threw out as garbage, topped with fake gold and gems.


    Everything inside the actual ce held the same quality, and none of it stood upon an actualyer of reality.


    For a man who¡¯d corrupted himself and driven the rest of the people in the Seventh Cavern down to self-enrich for years, he wasn''t well off.


    It was a weird paradox that Erec couldn¡¯t entirely resolve.


    The man led him to a dining hall and tactfully retreated before anything could ur.


    Lionel gave Erec a nod and mmed his foot into the cheap wooden doorway.


    A shabby man leaned over his drab dinner, slurping soup that spilled all over his shirt at the sudden interruption in his meal. With shy rings, he waved his hands wildly, eyes wide as he stared at the Knight bold enough to ruin his dinner. Damn near drowning in his own food while trying to erupt into a yell.


    ¡°Think we¡¯re due for a talk,¡± Erec said as he walked over to the bbergasted man. ¡°A nice long conversation. I have a few points I was hoping you¡¯d clear up.¡±

 Chapter 98: Live And Let Live

    Chapter 98: Live And Let Live


    <em>You must allow everyone the right to exist in ordance with the character he has, whatever it turns out to be: and all you should strive to do is to make use of this character in such a way as its kind of nature permits, rather than to hope for any alteration in it, or to condem it offhand for what it is.</em><em></em>


    <em>This is the true sense of the maxim-Live and let live¡­ To be indignant at conduct is as foolish as to be angry with a stone because it rolls into your path. And with many people the wisest thing you can do, is to resolve to make use of those whom you cannot alter.</em>


    <em>- Arthur Schopenhauer, Parerga and Paralipomena, (2nd Era, 1851) </em>


    Erec crossed his arms as the overweight merchant desperately dabbed his face with a greasy cloth and coughed soup from his lungs. As he waited for a response, he took in the dining room carefully. It was simr to thewn. At first nce, everything appeared regal and high ss. Arranged to catch eyes on a couple of quality furniture.


    But if one looked closer, they spotted the ws.


    What the hell was going on here?


    ¡°I¡ªwhomst are you?¡± The merchant finally asked, getting to his feet.


    It was easy to forget how intimidating someone in Armor could be. The bulky steel frame and power that went into the equipment,bined with the fact it was built to enhance the already Virtue heightened Knight beneath, made them terrifying.


    To have a war machine suddenly appear in your house¡­ It was remarkable how calm this man still was.


    Erec resisted the urge to shove the guy¡¯s head in the soup¡ªknowing this man was a keyponent to extorting his Cavern brought waves of hate. This guy¡­ Oswald had profited from the outsiders to screw his people. He¡¯d betrayed his own home. For what?


    But giving in to that urge was wrong. It¡¯d only create more problems.


    So Erec chose to release the pent-up anger in another way; he yanked one of the nearby chairs from the table and flung it behind him. The cheap goldminated wood shattered against a wall with a loud thud. ¡°Sir Erec of House Audax.¡±


    The merchant shook and stepped back. ¡°That was an antique! A priceless antique! How dare you! How are you going to pay me back?!¡±


    [Ridiculous. I¡¯d estimate it as being only a couple of years old and defaced with fake gold.]


    ¡°Exin to me all of this¡ª¡° Erec gestured to the dining room. At the fake and cheapyer underneath. ¡°You use fake steel statues outside and call cheap furniture antiques. Why? If you¡¯re selling out your own home, how is it you can¡¯t afford anything better?¡±


    ¡°You barge into my home and make such baseless usations!? I only purchase that of the highest quality. My taste is impable, and I assure you everything I have is of the utmost status. Then again, how could someone who lucked their way into a title know anything about true value?! Damned tyrant!¡± Oswald began to yell.


    ¡°Tyrant, right.¡± Erec almost growled¡ªwith the man raising his voice and his already pissed-off mood, he wasn¡¯t too far from shoving this prick through a wall.


    But he had to take a step back. This guy was human. A garbage person, but still human. Erec had to be better. There was a better approach.


    ¡°¡­If you aren¡¯t gaining wealth from your deals, what exactly are you gaining?¡±


    ¡°I have no deals. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, you stuck-up brat. How did it feel to have a golden spoon in your mouth since you were born? Some of us had to struggle for what we have!¡±


    Erec saw red. Those words were enough. What in the name of hell did this asshole know about earning what they had¡ªhe who sold out his own home to live such a fake and meager lifestyle. Let alone how wrong he was. Memories of him and Bedwyr mourning their mother as their father worked himself away tore through his head.


    In a split second, Erec was around the table and had Oswald gripped by the cor¡ªhis Strength made it easy to hold up the man¡¯s considerable weight, using his shirt to hold him aloft.


    The merchant¡¯s stubby legs kicked out as his arms iled, terror in his eyes.


    Despite his best intentions, Erec had already devolved from trying to sort out the situation in a refined manner and resorted to tant force.


    What was worse was that this felt right. In an instant, that smug sense of superiority vanished from this guy¡¯s face and morphed into a realization of what he¡¯d done wrong. Oswald let out a scream and pleaded with him, with the silent suit of Armor holding him in the air.


    ¡°L-let me out this instant, you barbarian! What is it you want, denarii!? Women!? Workers?!¡±


    ¡°Barbarian? You wanna see a barbarian? Keep talking.¡± Erec growled, fighting hard to kill the fire that sparked. It only red brighter.


    This was not a picture of a noble Knight. Courtly Mannerisms could burn in hell; he wanted to teach this prick a lesson.


    ¡°Lord Audax, I¡¯m unsure if this is the wisest course of action¡­¡± Lionel spoke, grounding Erec in a flush of cold reality.


    With a willpower that felt like prying his fingers free, Erec dropped the merchant. Who plopped on his feet and retreated to the far wall, running a hand along his neck while he stared at Erec with bulging eyes.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s reapproach this. I¡¯m Erec of House Audax, your new Count. I wish to reevaluate how business is conducted in our Cavern, and I¡¯ve been told that you¡¯re the go-to point for that since you have contracts and are one of our main suppliers.¡± Erec bowed his head slightly. ¡°I would be very grateful if we discussed that.¡±


    The merchant still stared at him, then back to his food. He scoffed. ¡°If you wanted to talk money, Lord Audax, you should¡¯ve said so from the start¡ªbut I er¡ª¡° He hesitated and ran a hand along his throat. ¡°¡­How about we y a game while discussing it. My meal is done, anyway.¡± The merchant made a little bow with a fake smile and indicated for Erec to follow him.


    Erec watched him for a moment, taking a count of ten in his head to let himself settle. It hadn¡¯t been the best for him to lose it there. All he could hope was that it hadn¡¯t rendered the situation unsalvageable.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    They''d moved their conversation to the games parlor at the man''s insistence. Out of everything, this ce was genuinely well stocked. Actual care was put into it, which said a lot about this guy. He''d stuffed the ce with plenty of cards, dice, and several other gaming paraphernalia.


    "I find this the best way to get to know another person," Oswald said on the other side of a wooden table, a small screen in front of him. He shook a mug full of dice. "Let''s you figure out how they think and if the two of you arepatible for business," the man grinned at Erec before checking his dice and pushing them behind a screen. "We''ll have a practice round¡ªthen we can make some bets."


    Erec nced at his own cup. A y mug with a dotted design around the zed surface. Inside it was five dice.


    Liar''s dice. Oswald''s game of choice.


    Erec nced at his helmet on his table, wondering if ying along was truly the right decision. It was more refined, to be sure than bashing his face into a wall. With reluctant eptance, Erec shook the mug and flipped it onto the table. Hiding the dice beneath.


    Discreetly, like the man opposite of him, he took a peek before moving it behind the screen. Two fours and two threes. Two pairs, from what Oswald told him about the rules.


    The goal was simple. Both yers rolled their dice, then took a look at their hands. After that, someone would call their hand.


    From there, the other yer could call it a bluff or reroll some or all of their dice. After that, they''d call their hand, giving their opponent the same opportunity.


    And so it went until someone called the other''s bluff. After which, they''d move the screens and show who won.


    "Three of a kind." Oswald nodded, his loose jowl skin quivering. "Good opening hand apologizes, Lord Audax."


    No choice but to reroll. Erec tossed three of his dice in the cup, shook it, then took another peak.


    Another four. Putting him at three fours. He could risk it and im three of a kind, too¡ªthen it''de down to whether or not Oswald had a higher pair.


    Or Oswald could be lying and had less than him.


    It was the first match. Why not y honestly?


    "Three of a kind," Erec said.


    "I''ll call." Oswald winked at him¡ªhis pudgy hand removing the screen. Sure enough, Oswald had three threes, making Erec the winner. "Congrattions, Lord Audax. Now we can start the real game. For our first bet, how about seven hundred denarii?"


    It was¡­ A crazy sum to put on the line over dice. Were he not well aware of his finances, he''d have never epted such a bet¡­ but¡­


    "You don''t have that kind of money to wave around on a bet," Erec guessed.


    "Nonsense! I am wealthy; of course, I do." The merchant''s eyes dropped to his dice. "Do you ept or not?"


    "I want something else instead of money," Erec switched tactics; he was sure of it now. But he needed to bait the trap. "If I win, I want the names of your business associates and a favor from you."


    "And this favor?" Oswald tilted his head, his eyes growing as an ugly, greedy expression dominated his face.


    For someone who liked gambling so much, Oswald was piss-poor at hiding his intentions. He was only willing to take such a risk because he didn''t think it''d be a risk.


    "I want you to invite all of those business associates to a feast I''ll be throwing¡ªyou''re invited as well. Just be sure they agree toe.¡±


    ¡°I find that agreeable." Oswald gave a fake smile before grabbing his cup. "That is, of course, if you win."


    "Absolutely."


    The merchant rolled his dice, and Erec rolled his. It could have been a better hand, a single pair. But that didn''t matter. Erec lied. "Two pairs."


    "Oh!" The merchant nodded his head sagely. "I believe I shall reroll."


    Erec watched his hands as he picked out three dice¡ªthen threw them in the cup.


    There it was. Barely perceivable with how quick it was, but the dice going into the cup weren''t the ones he first rolled.


    [Weighted dice, most likely.] VAL caught the movement too. The merchant rolled the dice¡ªand slipped them behind the screen, a smug grin on his face.


    "My, four of a kind. How lucky."


    Erec rubbed the back of his head and looked at the ceiling, trying to stem the sh of anger. He felt like bashing this guy''s face against the table. But he''d already given in the anger earlier, and it hadn''t gotten him much. "Hey, what exactly happens if you use someone of cheating in a game like this?"


    "Cheating? Absurd! Just say you''re going to reroll¡ªor call my bluff!"


    "I''d say at that point, over a wager of something as valuable as seven hundred denarii, the cheater would forfeit and hope worse didn''te his way."


    "Roll your dice, Lord Audax."


    Erec leveled his gaze at the man, barely stopping his anger. "You, Oswald, are a cheat. You swapped in loaded dice; I can rip aside this screen and prove it before my Steward here and charge you as both a Knight and a cheated Lord. I wonder what sort of punishment I can levy for such an egregious act¡ªor you can admit your loss and pay out what you bet."


    "I-I¡ªthere''s been no cheating!" Oswald began, his voice growing faint.


    Erec grabbed the edge of the parlor table¡ªpart of the wood cracking as he tightened his grip. He needed to keep calm. But it was falling apart quickly.


    "¡­I uh¡ªyou know a feast sounds lovely! I''ll concede this game because I like your idea anyway! It would be a shame to lose such a wonderful opportunity because of bad luck. Congrattions on your win! If you don''t mind, I think we should call it an evening; I''m feeling faint from all of this, uh, fun."


    Erec got up and left the table with a nod of understanding, pausing only to collect his helmet. There was only a little time to organize this feast, and he wanted to take a look at something else before putting his n into motion. "Sounds fine, I''ll be byter, and you can inform me of who my guests will be. Until then, I wish you well, Oswald."


    In the meantime, while he still had this break from the Academy, he had onest matter of business to take care of within the Cavern.


    Lionel had secured him a building to use as a research facility.

 Chapter 99: Chain That Binds

    Chapter 99: Chain That Binds


    Steam rolled off a machine in the center of Erec¡¯s makeshift research center. Beneath it was a concrete floor, clean as could be. For an old deserted warehouse, Lionel had already done a lot to fix the ce up¡ªincluding the tables set up and filled with boxes.


    On the side of the space were seven racks for Armor. One of them was currently hoisting a familiar Markos II from Erec¡¯s trialpletely totaled and bought rtively cheaply.


    Erec figured that they could put some of their research into Armor design. If nothing else, then to upgrade his own.


    This space lit with a row of LED would house a revolution in the technology sector. Erec was sure of it.


    He hadn¡¯t cut costs when fulfilling VAL¡¯s demands, despite Lionel¡¯s hesitance at an unproven revenue generator. Still, the funds would be worthwhile, even if it stretched their budget whenbined with the industry-boosting policies he had in mind for the Seventh Cavern.


    That stretched budget made it, so his personal wealth umtion was nonexistent. But what did that matter anyway? When he thought about what he¡¯d do with any extra money¡ªit¡¯d probably go into this ce. He did not need to hoard denarii or live a luxurious life.


    Everything for the future of this Cavern, and likely for the Kingdom, rested on this empty facility.


    [It meets specifications.] VAL admitted as Erec took a brief walk around the warehouse. [Aside from proper venttion.]


    Erec turned to Lionel. ¡°How long until construction isplete on the venting system?¡±


    ¡°It was an borate ask,¡± the man sighed. ¡°Really? Awork reaching toward the surface and out of the walls? Absurd. If you didn¡¯t have the King¡¯s favor, just the permits alone would¡¯ve put the project dead in the water.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯m sorry for the mess I¡¯ve caused with it. It is a massive project, but it¡¯s better to pump anything dangerous out where it can¡¯t affect people¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, well. Considering the absurd precautions, you have about a month until that project is done¡ªotherwise, as you can see, all the equipment is here, waiting to be installed and powered.¡±


    [A month until we can begin chemical synthesis and experimentation? That is fine, I am curious to see how your magic interacts with basic chemistry, from what I understand, the bulk of your Kingdom¡¯s research lies more in macro-level machinery and agriculture. It should be quite interesting to expand outward from that specialization.]


    It was beautiful in a way, the frozen atmosphere of a room waiting to be filled. In his mind, Erec could picture what this ce would be¡ªan image not too far from the vault he¡¯d met VAL. Only this ce would benefit humankind. They wouldn¡¯t hide the inventions away from the people they could help. This ce could have a profound effect on humanity. The key was to keep it hidden until then. Goddess above knew what the Church would do if they learned of his intentions.


    Thest thing they needed was theocratic regtion.


    ¡°I have a couple of prospective researchers ready for interview. If you approve of them, I¡¯ll hire them and get on with this¡­ project.¡± Lionel looked around the warehouse with a bit of a frown.


    Erec couldn¡¯t me him for the reluctance with the resources he¡¯d devoted to it and nned to. The Cavern wasn¡¯t specialized in research or science, and the Church tried to make things harder. Erec wished he could¡¯ve told Lionel about VAL¡ªthat he didn¡¯t have to worry since there wasn¡¯t a chance this research facility would fail. But it was impossible.


    ¡°Could you please go gather them?¡± Erec asked. Lionel gave a quick nod and left. He''d aplished most of the things on his checklist for this visit. As a result of his schedule change, he¡¯d headed down here every weekend as part of his duties.


    The travel would get annoying, and he had to be careful to put in the extra time to maintain his training to prepare for their extended expedition.


    But he didn¡¯t miss Theology or Courtly Mannerisms.


    Still, the itch of the constant back and forth, and the strain for time to prepare for the expedition. Already, Erec could tell it¡¯d be stressful. When he¡¯d pictured the job of nobility before, he¡¯d scarcely imagined it to be such time-consuming administrative work. With how arrogant some of them acted, he¡¯d have wagered they¡¯d never worked a day. Maybe with the more prominent families, they hired people like Lionel, so they didn¡¯t have to.


    Erec didn¡¯t want to be like them.


    Even as sure as he was about this decision, he couldn¡¯t be sure if it was right in the long run. The consequence of the decision would be dyed, and what spawned from it could spread in a million different directions he couldn¡¯t predict.


    That was what it was to rule.


    Erec yearned to live a simple life as a Knight, and purely a Knight. But now, that wasn¡¯t an option.


    He busied himself as Lionel went to get their potential employees. Erec sorted through the various ssware packed away and set it out ording to VAL¡¯s directions. Sure, it was a way to be helpful, but ultimately, he was only wasting time and trying to keep his mind clear.


    Already the stress of being a Count¡ªdealing with people like Oswald¡­


    All of it was a tense knot of annoyance and confusion.


    Since when did he submit himself to this life? To be okay with sorting out the problems of the people around him? How long ago was it that he¡¯d been more than willing to toss himself into the wastnd and chase after his mother? It seemed like he¡¯d dismissed the idea. The answers he¡¯d wanted as a kid¡­ didn¡¯t feel as important anymore. Not with this weight around his neck. The King had tied him to this Kingdom with a chain and was being dragged into the depths of a cistern.


    Erec paused, a ss vial shaking in his hand.


    When had he changed? Why did this authority and the people underneath him take such a priority in his headspace¡ªhe wasn¡¯t fit for this. He¡¯d never been fit for it.


    Was he trapped?


    [That goes in the rack with the rest. We¡¯ll have to establish some cleaning procedures and other safety protocols before we begin testing in earnest. Humankind is soft and weak but clever, so with firm foundations, they can¡­ Wait, is something wrong?]


    Erec tried to stop the shaking, but couldn¡¯t. He set the vial in the wooden rack with the other test tubes¡ªa perfect row of neat and orderly ss.


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Erec began, but then stopped. How could he frame it?


    It seemed childish to him, that urge to resist this. To think that this title and the life it brought was a curse when too many would be a blessing. Yet, the feeling remained. The sensation that he was slowly, but surely, being dragged into a life he¡¯d have never chosen. That he was being dragged from what he should¡¯ve been.


    But it was in his head. It had to be.


    That sensation was nothing but a fear ofmitment, an outcry to buck responsibility because it wasn¡¯t a pleasant thing to have.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing with myself anymore,¡± Erec admitted.


    [Ah, you¡¯re running into one of those moments many humans do. Lack of goals,ck of direction. When you don¡¯t see a vision strongly anymore, your focus bes hazy. People tend toplicate things along with a profound sense of listlessness.] VAL began, a pleasant hum in his head.


    If it weren¡¯t for VAL¡¯s constantpanionship, Erec would be alone as he¡¯d been for the longest time.


    He used to think the sensation was the best thing in the world¡ªto be free from others, have the space to think, and not have his energy constantly sapped away. But VAL had changed that. It had be a wee voice in his head that made him feelplete.


    [This is why we set goals! And looking at my profiling and interviews with you¡ªyou still haven¡¯t fulfilled yours. Why the long face, buckeroo? Just remember, aim your behaviors and actions to reach that goal. Once you have, we can set another!]


    ¡°I¡¯m not even sure she¡¯s alive out there. I know I said at the least, I wanted to find her corpse and confirm it for myself¡­ But doesn¡¯t that seem pathetic now? Like the dream of some poor kid?¡± Erec¡¯s hands rested on the countertop, and he bit his lip. His chest felt hollow; the overwhelming sense of need to find her was gone. Gone was the hope that she mighte back with him and be a happy family again.


    [The thing about goals is that they might seem hopeless at times. They might seem as far away as the stars themselves. So, break it down, take it one step at a time, and keep reaching for those stars. With determination and a can-do attitude, you¡¯d be amazed at how far you can get. You, humans, reached the moon and then Mars. Ever before, you could rely on the help of AI like myself.]


    ¡°It all feels pointless, VAL.¡±


    [Then keep pressing ahead for my sake. I¡¯m curious to see what happens next and how far you will go to chase this goal. Besides, don¡¯t forget this is on your yearly annual review.]


    ¡°Of course.¡± Erec let out a bit of a chuckle¡ªthe darkness remained, that hole in his chest that could only fill with fire when he got angry.


    But, with VAL. Things were easier.


    Let Garin have Olivia¡ªor Colin have Alexandra. He didn¡¯t truly need another person, not one bit. They¡¯d see this goal through, even if it meant that, in the end, he¡¯d be burying his mother.

 Chapter 100: Beloved

    Chapter 100: Beloved


    <em>My beloved Lilly,</em>


    <em>Your belief is founded on blindness, which is understandable.</em>


    <em>It¡¯s impossible to know how things function when all you can see is a bright fire in a dark room, but please, I beg you to reconsider your ritual to the church. They¡¯ll tear away that beautiful part of you that is purely you, that this universe has entrusted within you.</em>


    <em>Please, my dear, think carefully about this decision.</em>


    <em>And while the fool is the first step to a journey, some paths only lead to tragedy.</em>


    <em>- Dame Morgana, Confiscated Letter To Priestess Lilliana (3rd Era, 303) </em>


    Erec trudged through the dirt of the wastnd alongside Garin. It was a pleasant day. They¡¯d ditched their Armor since, ording to Dame Juliana, it wouldn¡¯t be needed for today¡¯s test.


    That suited him fine. Wilderness survival wasn¡¯t necessarily about relying on your Armor, not at this level. Though, in future conditions, the environment might make adapting to it with Armor necessary for survival. But that was in a future course, Advanced Wilderness Survival. Avable as long as he passed the final for this ss.


    Those were rapidly approaching. Finals had crept up. They''d have an academic evaluation from each course in less than a month to test their knowledge. It differed from the first test they''d taken in that each was specific to a ss. Though the results were simr. Based on how they did, their Order determined their coursework and avable electives for the next half of the year.


    The test today was a warm-up for their finals in this ss. Dame Juliana wanted an excellent grasp of where everyone stood and what they needed to improve to pass.


    She was a good teacher in that respect.


    Garin started to whistle, peaceful as could be. Hisck of care about it all was almost grating to Erec. While he knew he shouldn¡¯t feel annoyed at his friend''s happiness, but he took life too easy.


    Even when Erec mentioned the woman Boldwick said would test him¡ªGarin blew him off and acted like it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    But the finals of this ss, of any they took or wanted to take¡­ It would determine what they did for their Order after they graduated. What direction they¡¯d take as Knights?


    Advanced Wilderness Survival almost purely epassed what Erec saw himself doing. He wanted to spend every moment not spentboring over his Cavern on the surface. Preferably far outside and away from this Kingdom.


    Whether or not that meant searching for his mother was starting to matter less.


    No matter what, when he got outside, he could never shake the feeling of absolute freedom it brought. There was so much to this world to see.


    That wasn¡¯t to say he wanted to do that to neglect his duties¡­ no¡­ Or so he¡¯d argued to himself damn near a hundred times.


    As happy as Garin was, walking along right now¡ªor the past couple of weeks spent with Olivia¡­ He¡¯d been continuously worn down. It was like being wheat ground between two stones. His energy wore away as he broke apart.


    nning for the feast, finals uing¡­. All of the details in both his academic and now noble life. It was so involved and draining, and each failure he might make could ruin his future, from not inviting the right guests to flunking a final and wasting precious time to retake a course.


    It was like drowning.


    At least the dinner was nned. With Lionel and Garin¡¯s help, Erec thought he¡¯d avoided total disaster.


    The weekend after the finals, he would hold his feast, establish alliances, and clean up his Cavern.


    Shortly after, he¡¯d be free to head out on the expedition with Boldwick.


    Then it¡¯d be peace again, nothing but him and the open road.


    Erec set his hands behind his head, trying to take himself down a notch and enjoy the out-of-tune song Garin whistled. It was hot today, thest rallying cry before the cold winds came in.


    But Erec couldn¡¯t quite settle. He found himself pulling up his Blessings for probably the third time today.


    Name: Erec of House Audax


    <strong>Health: 100</strong>%<strong></strong>| <strong>Mana: </strong>100% | <strong>Stamina: 100</strong>%


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Holy Virtues:


    Strength: [Rank D] | [Tier 5]


    Vigor: [Rank E] | [Tier 7]


    Agility: [Rank E] | [Tier 5]


    Perception: [Rank E] | [Tier 5]


    Cognition: [Rank E] | [Tier 4]


    Psyche: [Rank E] | [Tier 7]


    Mysticism: [Rank F] | [Tier 4]


    Faith:


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Divine Talents:


    Fury


    It was decent progress. Slow,pared to what he was used to. But the cost of fast growth was throwing his life in danger even if the adjustment to average progress was hard.


    Fury was a double-sided weapon.


    One thing it wouldn¡¯t have helped grow, that now he¡¯d progressed, was Mysticism. Not that his increase to Tier 4 amounted to much.


    But it had confirmed a fear of his. While VAL could help him with glyph crafting, using it in battle was entirely different. While in the thrall of Fury, Erec didn¡¯t imagine it possible. But even if he weren¡¯t using Fury, trying to dedicate enough concentration while resisting the Divine Talent made glyph work impossible in a battle.


    It was like juggling, singing, and bncing on a rope simultaneously.


    So, it was only possible outside ofbat. Handy to learn, but ultimately, it wouldn¡¯t save his life from a monster.


    As he dismissed the box from his vision, he focused on the strange sight Dame Juliana brought them to.


    A lone short woman in a ck dress stood on the wastnd. Next to her was a bulging cloth bag, but everyone¡¯s eyes lingered on the woman. She¡¯did a heavy foundation with thick ck wings from the corner of her eyes; around them was a painted silver-ck vortex of makeup that led to her smoky brown irises.


    Dame Juliana gave the woman a polite nod before standing next to her and facing the ss.


    ¡°¡­You might be wondering who this is, and you¡¯d be full in your rights to do so. She doesn¡¯t teach at our Academy, so I find it unlikely you¡¯ll know her. This is Dame Morgana. She has kindly volunteered to help conduct this test. She is a Knight Commander; treat her with the respect that befits her rank.¡±


    Thedy smiled at them all; before swaying in front of the crowd of students.


    ¡°Hello there, lovlies! I¡¯m happy to confirm that the moon is retrograde, and we dwell under the sign of Scorpio. It shall be a supremely harmonious time for this test.¡± She gave a heartfelt nod after babbling her nonsense.


    Erec looked away from the insane woman, his heart dropping as he took in Garin.


    His friend¡¯s usual easy-going demeanor shattered. Garin¡¯s lips were drawn thin, and he was damn near shaking like a leaf as he took in Dame Morgana.


    Erec couldn¡¯t tell if he was mad, nervous, or afraid.


    He didn¡¯t know how to feel; Boldwick had called her unconventional. But this?


    ¡°¡­Right, the sign of Scorpio. Dame Morgana has unique talents. As I loose you out over the next night to survive on your own, she¡¯ll introduce a hidden element to keep you on your toes and test your knowledge. You¡¯ll know it when you see it, and if you lose to her¡­ Well, I¡¯ll consider it a failure for this examination.¡±


    Dame Juliana scratched the back of her head and nodded at the other woman.


    ¡°Give it your best, lovelies. Judgment may hang over your heads but fear not. Embrace your higher self, and realize your potential; we must all reach this stage on our journeys eventually. As long as you remain true, it will be rebirth.¡± Dame Morgana said, once more causing the ss to share confused looks.


    ¡°Right. Survive. No weapons, aside from a knife I¡¯ll hand out shortly; you must make it through the night on your own. You¡¯ll get an hour''s head start; you must find your way back here in the morning.¡± With that, Dame Juliana walked past Dame Morgana and nabbed the sack next to her. She pulled free a survival knife and handed it to the closest student.


    Soon a line formed, and Erec sunk into behind his friend.


    Garin was¡­ moving stiffly. He kept trying to give secret nces at Dame Morgana, but the woman didn¡¯t even pretend to hide her interest in him. As they approached, her eyes tracked him. The vortex of makeup around them drew Erec¡¯s attention every time he looked at her; it was like staring into an abyss.


    An odd sensation welled in his gut as he got closer to the woman. Both from how his friend was acting and how she¡­ felt. Forck of a better word.


    Garin didn¡¯t freak out like this. Didn¡¯t get tense unless his life was on the line. Even when Erec told him about thising in his future, his friend brushed it off. But now?


    Was he angry at her being his only option? Was he scared of her?


    Whatever it was grated on Erec, something about thatdy felt unnatural.


    Eventually, they reached the instructors. Dame Juliana handed Garin his knife.


    Garin¡¯s mouth opened as if to say something, but he stopped himself. His friend shook his head, then meekly walked away.


    <em>What the hell?</em>


    Erec moved up to the two Knight Commanders. For the first time, Dame Morgana looked away from Garin. At him.


    Her wild eyes widened as she took in Erec¡ªeyebrow-raisingically.


    ¡°Oh, dear! The aura of the devil hangs thick around you. Are you quite alright, lovely?¡±


    ¡°¡­Goddess above, you sound like the church,¡± Erec found the words slipping out before he could even contain them. Being so worried about his friend, he couldn¡¯t stop them.


    Dame Morgana¡¯s jaw dropped, and she covered it. Then sheughed. ¡°Oh no, no. Don¡¯t be ridiculous; I¡¯m not part of their misguided flock.¡±


    On that note, Dame Juliana shot her a re, only to get waved off by the little woman in a ck dress. That same small woman grabbed Erec by the cor to yank his ear closer to her to whisper into.


    ¡°They think it stems from ady above, but they can¡¯t feel the energy thrumming from the world itself or our hearts. I think you know that, though. Boldwick told me about you. And you do have quite the fire in your essence. I can feel it as it is now, a tiny spark; it isn¡¯t the same as Hers. It must be confusing to be so simr but not the same.¡± She let him go and then shook her head like the world was one great tragedy only she understood.


    Erec frowned. That was almost¡­ too close to what the priests knew about him. How much of that was from what Boldwick told her, and how much was from this woman being¡­ herself?


    And also, holy shit. That sphemy. The church would exile her for words like that¡ªthough, if they knew about him, they¡¯d also exile him.


    She was strange. Dangerous. Off. Yet he knew that instinct wasn¡¯t based on her appearance alone. It went far more profound, and he couldn¡¯t understand.


    [¡­Oh no.]


    Dame Morgana batted her eyshes and made a symbol with her hands as Dame Juliana yanked Erec by the wrist and shoved a knife in his hand.


    ¡°Go. Prepare for the test. Forget whatever nonsense she just told you. And focus on what matters.¡± Dame Juliana sighed.


    It was an excellent chance to get away, so Erec took it. He trailed his friend from a distance.


    [I¡¯d thought those good-for-nothing new-age hippies were gone. What an unpleasant shock to find their spirit lingered on¡­ Yikes. Keep away from her buckeroo, don¡¯t let her infect your mindset. You¡¯ve got a bright future ahead of you. If she approaches you asking to join a drum circle¡ªpolitely decline and run away.]


    That made absolutely no sense to Erec, but sometimes VAL went on strange old-world tangents.


    What mattered was that he didn¡¯t entirely trust that woman, and she was the key to his friend joining them outside the wall. Who knew what she was capable of or how she might be helping Dame Juliana conduct this test, but Garin acting so off had him worried.


    As Garin began to make his way from the encampment, Erec kept a distance behind him, as quiet as he could be.


    He wanted to see how it would go, to be sure that Garin could make it through whatever was in the designs of thisdy.


    They were supposed to conduct their tests alone, but if Erec just so happened to have his test not all that far from Garin¡­ He¡¯d say he had no idea if it came up. Dame Juliana wouldn¡¯t be watching anyway.


    It¡¯d be fine.

 Chapter 101: Haunting

    Chapter 101: Haunting


    It proved impossible for Erec to follow Garin through the wastnd without his friend spotting him. Given the sheer empty space, there wasn¡¯t always a rock to hide behind... Well, Erec pressed forward anyway.


    That wasn¡¯t to say he was obnoxious about following his friend. Garin noticed him but would always look away and return to his travel.


    So, Erec kept a respectful distance away but kept a keen eye on him, wishing he knew what to say to bolster his friend¡¯s confidence.


    Garin seemed to drag his heels as he kept walking and didn¡¯t stop. Even when the sun went down, and the cold air came out in force, Garin kept moving forward. It was apparent that he didn¡¯t intend to pause and make a camp.


    Questionable, but then, maybe he wanted to keep on his toes. Dame Juliana hadn¡¯t given explicit rules or conditions on how they¡¯d be tested.


    Still, it struck Erec as odd. Erec shivered as he followed along, the walk only doing so much to keep them warm. Were he in Garin¡¯s shoes¡­ Maybe that wasn¡¯t fair; his friend wasn¡¯t him and had a different way of solving his problems.


    And Garin knew that Morgana was out to target him for an individual test tonight, with Goddess knows what.


    How became the question as the night dragged on and the pearly white moon took the center of the sky, miles passed beneath their feet as they walked through the wastnd.


    It became harder to justify this to himself. This test had some basis on their grades, and who knew how they were graded? Without the instructor¡¯s direct supervision, how would they even know how their students were doing? Unless Dame Morgana had some form of scouting technique. That wasn¡¯t a massive stretch, given her special status and high rank.


    Wandering forward¡­ Couldn¡¯t be good for their grade. Would that mean that Garin doomed himself to shelter due to his anxiety? His friend hadn¡¯t stopped once for shelter, even when they wandered past a nice rocky outcropping.


    He kept going, restless, into the night.


    For the third time on their trip, Erec considered yelling and reaching out to his friend to encourage or reason with him.


    This wasn¡¯t his test¡­ But he wanted to. He wanted to show his support somehow, to ease that tension his customarilyid-back friend felt.


    If Garin wanted him to go away¡ªhe would¡¯ve said something. Erec knew that, at least by being visible to him, it had to be doing something to take him off the edge, but it was just that. A silent show of support. Could he do more? How much was he willing to risk?


    For too long, it felt like he hadn¡¯t done enough to support Garin; he¡¯d let his friend fall behind in favor of himself.


    Erec wrapped his arms around his chest, tucking his hands in his armpits to keep them warm as they kept moving. Always moving. The two of them walked circles in the wastnd.


    And that¡¯s when Erec heard a noise.


    A noise that shouldn¡¯t be possible out here; not quite otherworldly, unlike a monster, but unfamiliar.


    Strange howling haunted the air like a note sung at perfect pitch. The noise pierced and sent shivers barreling down Erec¡¯s spine, and to the distance, he saw Garin freeze in his tracks. Erec looked around, the knife slipping into his hand with ease. Rolling across the wastnd to the east was a nket of silver, a roaming body of gas across the wastnd.


    Working on instinct, Erec yelled out to his friend and stripped off his shirt¡ªwrapping the cloth around his mouth as his eyes widened.


    It¡¯d been drilled into them from the start of this ss that strange urrences like this, particrly with heavy gas, were a bad sign. Without their Armor, the best bet was to inhale as little as possible and seek high ground. As the nket of silver fog approached, Erec held his breath, looking for a solution.


    [Rx, non-toxic. Water vapor only. But it shouldn¡¯t be possible in this environment.]


    Erec took a deep breath, the knife shaking in his grip as his shoulders untensed.


    Of course, this was impossible¡ªthe walls alone prevented roaming walls of gas from getting inside, let alone mist from the dry environment. But the constant warnings and studying he¡¯d dely onnds further from the kingdom had gotten him paranoid. His eyes drifted to Garin, who¡¯d also opted to cover his mouth. Erec signaled to him that it was fine¡ªbefore unwrapping his shirt.


    Rapidly though, the image of his friend in the distance was beginning to get harder to make out. This mist was getting thicker as more rolled across the wastnd, limiting visibility.


    In a minute, Garin became a shadow in the fog.


    Erec stumbled after him in the mist. The knife clutched tightly in his hand as more haunting howls drifted around him. They seemed toe from everywhere, yet nowhere.


    With all this mist, it was impossible to tell what was lingering inside. His best bet was to get to higher ground¡­


    They¡¯d passed by a rock formation not too long ago. If Garin were smart, he¡¯d try to trek back to it¡ªit¡¯d give them perspective on what was happening. As Erec turned about, trying to find his tracks, another howl rippled across the wastnd.


    There was a sense of loss as if it¡¯d been ripped from the past and torn into this war-wrecked world. A ghost of what was.


    Erec shouted out for Garin, yelling for him to meet him at the outcropping¡ªto the response of more howls, so after giving out the n, Erec shut his mouth, not wanting to draw more ire out of the fog.


    VAL helped him retain a sense of direction in the swirling silver, cutting their way back toward the outcropping. His tracks were helpful, but with the fog and the constant howling, it would be too easy to lose track of his steps and get lost. He could only pray Garin retained his focus and made his way back.


    If he shouted again¡ªhe was afraid of whatever was lurking and moving in the corner of his vision would begin its attack on both of them.


    Instead, he plodded along.


    Shapes shifted about in the mist, ck figures darting around and vanishing as quickly as they appeared. Every time VAL would give him a call out¡ªbut they would disappear the moment Erec saw them. With a flimsy knife in hand, Erec struggled to reassure himself there weren¡¯t any monsters here.


    There couldn¡¯t be within the walls.


    Even if the voice in his head whispered that a Rift could open anywhere¡ªthey couldn¡¯t easily open within the walls, the glyph work stabilized the magic around here to make it very unlikely.


    But what did the kingdom truly know about the Rifts?


    As the madness began to take root and the shadows around him thickened, Erec reached a mass of rocks. It extended upward¡ªso he climbed the rock formation. A good fifteen feet in the air¡ªand he¡¯d freed himself from the mist.


    It was a surreal sight to see the sea of swirling fog below.


    [Well, clearly, anomalous energy is involved. I¡¯m getting very sick of the properties of this so-called magic¡­ What is this absolute ridiculousness? Really. This is not how mist should behave, yet the properties, humidity, andposition define it as mist.]


    There, below in the sea with this vantage point, it was even more clear. Shapes formed from the mist and dashed around,plete beings created only to evaporate back from the primordial sea of fog they sprang from. It was hard to make out their shapes with theyer of fog above, but it was impossible to deny how they were spawning.


    [Oh, that¡¯s certainly odd.]


    It looked like¡­ An old-world animal, a wolf.


    Their howls tore through the night, and with his vantage point, Erec began to look further. In the distance were little bubbles of light. Campfires. The mist seemed to withdraw from the mes, but the wolves circled the barrier, pressing what he presumed to be his fellow initiates.


    But Garin didn¡¯t have a fire. Somewhere below, his friend was dealing with these things without any safety.


    And because of that, he¡¯d lose the test.


    The key to this test was fire and shelter¡ªit had to be. That and maybe something else, and no doubt this Morgana had nned even further to pry into Garin.


    There wasn¡¯t a way in hell he¡¯d pass now.


    Erec¡¯s knuckles went white on the grip of his knife as his vision bled into red. Cold fire burned steady in his core.


    [I¡¯d advise staying up here, it appears you¡¯ve found a solution to the problem, and I think this would qualify as a pass.]


    ¡°He¡¯s going to fail.¡±


    [It¡¯s on him toplete his task. If he fails the evaluation, it¡¯ll show he¡¯s not fit. Is that not fair?]


    ¡°Screw fair.¡±


    Too long. For too long, he¡¯d left his friend in his wake and obsessed with himself; if he could find a way to give him an edge¡­ Erec dived off the rock, his feet kicking up a plume of dust to mingle with the fog as he hit the ground. Not hesitating, one of the shadows coalesced in the mist and sprang at him, fangs wide as the wolf tried to take a bite. Erec¡¯s knife slipped through the air, point diving directly into its skull.


    The creature disappeared like smoke, vanishing into the mist again.


    Fire might¡¯ve kept his ssmates safe, but¡­ Well, Erec didn¡¯t need it. With enough power, you had to conform to your own rules.


    Erec waded deeper into the fog, shouting out for his friend as he dodged and shed at the wolves as they appeared out of nowhere and vanished into nothing once defeated. They circled. They howled. A never-ending enemy of ghosts that tried to stop him from digging deeper into the fog.


    More of the wolves came and went, getting thicker as he backtracked toward where hest saw Garin. Multiple ones threw themselves at him, but as Erec drew on Fury, he was too fast for them to react.


    What could prey do to a predator?


    And eventually, after screaming his throat raw, Garin answered.


    It was a far call, almost an illusion as much of a ghost as the howling of these fog-wolves. But it was a direction. Erec pressed towards it, the fire inside burning as bright as ever, only this time, the fire was as cold as the night air.

 Chapter 102: The World

    Chapter 102: The World


    <em>My Love is like to ice, and I to fire: </em>


    <em>Howes it then that this her cold so great </em>


    <em>Is not dissolved through my so hot desire, </em>


    <em>But harder grows the more I her entreat? </em>


    <em>Or howes it that my exceeding heat </em>


    <em>Is not ayed by her heart-frozen cold, </em>


    <em>But that I burn much more in boiling sweat, </em>


    <em>And feel my mes augmented manifold? </em>


    <em>What more miraculous thing may be told, </em>


    <em>That fire, which all things melts, should harden ice,</em>


    <em>And ice, which is congeal¡¯d with senseless cold, </em>


    <em>Should kindle fire by wonderful device? </em>


    <em>Such is the power of love in gentle mind, </em>


    <em>That it can alter all the course of kind.</em>


    <em>- Edmund Spenser, Amoretti (2nd Era, 1590) </em>


    Erec tore through the night, led by his glistening de. He was more of a monster than any ghostly wolf; his knife ripped through them and pulled them to pieces. But they didn¡¯t bleed. Every time hended a vital hit, they vanished into the fog they spawned from.


    But, overall, Erec found themcking as an enemy.


    Even without his Armor¡ªnor an axe, they died easy. With hands alone, he could tear their throats free and turn them to vapor.


    It was too easy to reach his friend, even with a veritable pack of them circling and attacking him.


    Things only got moreplicated when he reached Garin and discovered that his friend wasn¡¯t fighting the creatures at all. In fact, once he tore through the outer circle and got within ten feet of his friends, the fighting stopped entirely.


    More wolves gathered around, a veritable army staring down Erec and Garin in a perfect ring. But his friend had a calmposure and held a hand high as he turned and looked at the poised wolves. ¡°That¡¯s it¡­ Stay right there,¡± Garinmanded them carefully, constantly drifting his attention over their spectators.


    Erec took a deep lungful of air at the unexpected reprieve. His body warmed from the violence, even if it wasn¡¯t as satisfying as usual.


    Soon there¡¯d be more. ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± Erec demanded, hot anger ring as the cold fire suppressed it again.


    This wasn¡¯t the image he''d expected to see. Garin should''ve been showing his power. Proving himself. Calmly directing these apparitions wasn¡¯t that; his friend should have been a veritable death machine. He wanted to see his friend thrive, to destroy the opposition. But as long as Garin kept a calmposure and spoke with a soft voice to these ghosts, they didn¡¯t break their circle and engage in an attack.


    It didn¡¯t feel right at all. It was weak.


    Erec clutched his forehead a secondter¡ªknowing that thought was wrong, knowing he was wrong for thinking it. This damned Fury.


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know,¡± Garin replied, swaying as he looked at his gathered army. ¡°When they started appearing and attacking, I saw something in their eyes and spoke to them, which¡­ settled them down. They¡¯re not angry, Erec. They¡¯re lost.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re magic.¡± Erec spat on the ground. Torn between disgust at the situation and at himself. ¡°Thatdy is ying games with you.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Garin protested, shaking his head. His voice was a little hollow and raw. ¡°There¡¯s more to them than just a glyph. I can feel it. They¡¯re more than illusions conjured by her. They¡¯re real, lost to time. When I look into their eyes, it¡¯s like wee to an understanding, almost like¡­.¡±


    He trailed off, the pack of wolves began to separate at part of the ring, and Erec turned to face this new opening. Happy that, finally, something was happening. This was it, the reason they¡¯d gathered around. It was a trap for something worse toe and haunt them. A massive scaled creature walked free from the mist; a five-foot tail whipped haphazardly across the ground as it closed the distance on its stubby legs. Finally. A real threat. It wasn¡¯t one of these wolves¡ªand even now, Erec saw its raw power. Almost like a true monster, even if it was as much a ghost as the wolves.


    Erec grinned as he slid between Garin and the creature.


    An enemy. At longst. He¡¯d given into Fury and received a reward, a proper fight. A worthy fight for the first time in a long time. Enough grappling against his instincts of trying to water himself down for everyone else.


    To his shock, before the creature could close the distance and begin the real battle, Garin mmed his shoulder into Erec and shoved him out of the way. Erec stumbled and tried to pivot back into the action, but it was too slow. Garin ran up to the massive lizard, its jaw widening, exposing a nasty row of ghostly teeth and a horrid hissing from it.


    Garin¡¯s hand reached out, and Erec thought he¡¯d lose it.


    Instead, Garin stroked the side of the ghostly jaw; the alligator moved a bit more forward, closing its mouth and moving to rub the side of its scaled body against him, its stubby legs carrying the thing around its new master in a protective gesture as it red at Erec.


    ¡°¡­What the fuck.¡± Erec let out, the fire inside him sputtering away at the absurd sight.


    ¡°As I thought,¡± A voice called out from the mist; the fog swept aside to reveal Dame Morgana with a smile. She strode forward, eyes locked on Garin. ¡°You have the blessings of The World upon you; it is a beautiful sight.¡±


    With a wave of her hand, the spirits of the alligator and wolves vanished, leaving them alone in a barren wastnd nketed with the otherworldly mist.


    Garin¡¯s hand was shaking as he looked at her. ¡°W-what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I believe you already know,¡± Dame Morgana shook her head.


    Garin¡¯s eyes widened¡­ And then burst into silver fire, his head rolling back to look at the sky as the silver mes burned from his eyes. His talent ignited.


    Erec watched with a ck jaw as his friend slumped to the ground, unconscious.


    ¡°Oh, dear. Well, I supposed he hadn¡¯t. Oh well. Deary¡ªcould you please carry him for me? I¡¯m not too strong,¡± Dame Morgana tittered and shook her head, looking over at Garin. ¡°I set up a fire not too far away. I have some tea brewing. We can talk this out while I continue to test the others. I think, for all intents and purposes, Dame Juliana will be fine with my evaluation of you two.¡±


    Erec numbly walked over to Garin, slinging his friend over his shoulder. Confused about what had just happened or what his friend¡¯s Divine Talent was, he went along with the strange woman.


    [There better not be drums at this campsite¡­]


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    There were no drums at her campsite. No, a tiny pot hung over a fire with hot water; in short order, she poured a small cup full of it with a bag of bound herbs and shoved it into Erec¡¯s hands. His friendy beside him, eyes wide open as he looked over his blessings for about the fifth time since waking up.


    Dame Morgana hummed a tune to herself as she brewed more tea, the moon above making a stunning light on the fog that still drifted around the wastnd. A product, as Erec found out, of a ritual she¡¯d cast.


    A ritual.


    When she broke down how she¡¯d conjured the mist bymuning with the spirits of the earth and through burning sage¡ªVAL almost lost it. Dering it as nonsense, considering her use of anomalous energy broke his already established rules. But like any scientific revtion, VAL had to ept the results of what they saw. Mysticism was more the glyphs if one knew how to use them in other ways.


    Garin broke free from his stupor and mumbled to himself. ¡°Animal Friend? Seriously? That¡¯s my divine talent?¡±


    ¡°At least it exins why Munchy acts so weird around you,¡± Erec said and then sipped his tea. Garin stared daggers at him.


    ¡°Easy for you to say, rage-fueled Knight. Man, this talent sucks! I could¡¯ve gotten something wild like you, but no. Animals Friend. Does a whole lot for me when the world is covered with monsters.¡±


    ¡°It is easy for the ignorant to speak ill of that which is unknown,¡± Dame Morgana tittered. ¡°I find your talent to have much promise; it all depends on how you foster it. Look upon this world, and you see a ce that once thrived with animals. In fact, we are but animals ourselves. It still thrives with animals; even in ces as barren as it is here, there are pockets teeming with life. Besides, that talent confirmed what I saw; your soul is tied to the earth much like mine.¡±


    ¡°Exin what that means, please, without all the odd talk and wishy-washy proverbs you gave before.¡± Erec leaned closer and stared at the woman.


    She¡¯d gone on about elemental alignments and their rtion to divine talents when they first arrived. But it¡¯d all flowed over him like a directionless river before.


    If it were anyone else, he might¡¯ve dismissed it, especially with VAL urging him to ignore her new-age spiritualism. He¡¯d felt tempted. But something about her certainty in her beliefs struck him as odd and chimed with his soul.


    ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll attempt to break it apart in the most straightforward manner possible; the soul has four natural tendencies. Fire, water, earth, and air. And this is what determines our personality; what we will find in this world and how it will respond to us¡ª¡°


    ¡°Stop right there,¡± Erec cut her off before they drifted away from the point. ¡°Why are you so certain of our ¡®souls¡¯ being rted to elements?¡±


    ¡°Well, it is a veiled thing, especially now. I wasn¡¯t sure of it until my eyes were freed from this material ne¡ªit¡¯s hard to feel since we¡¯re allced with a bit of fire. But I think it wasn¡¯t always this way in the past. If you squint hard enough, you can feel what¡¯s beneath the veneer.¡± She nodded her head before getting excited. The woman dashed over to Garin¡¯s side, cupping his chin in her hand. ¡°There is a deeper meaning in your soul than you know. And I would see it polished clean if you will have me as the guide to your spirit.¡±


    Erec sighed and looked down at his cup. He¡¯d gotten lost again in her words.


    It was hard to know how much to believe about what she was saying and how much of it was made-up nonsense that only made sense to her.


    Her words earlier came back, though, of him having a simr fire but different.


    Frustrating.


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Garin mumbled.


    ¡°I ept you as my student!¡± Dame Morgana loudly proimed. ¡°Oh, you shall learn so much, my lovely apprentice!¡±


    At least that was now taken care of. Erec slipped into silence as she began to talk excitedly to Garin, who was both baffled by the sudden overabundance of attention, and unable to rectify it with his new self-dered underwhelming talent.


    Erec disagreed with Garin¡¯s assessment of his talent. Like with Fury, he was sure there was depth to it that Garin didn¡¯t even consider as being part of it. Some Talents were straightforward, while others seemed to only grow with use and insight. And his new mentor would make sure to foster it into something special, as weird as she was because she believed in him.


    With his friend''s future seemingly in good hands, Erec contented himself to enjoy the moment.


    Though the future, his tests, and then his first feast weighed heavy on his mind. Were the world to run how he¡¯d wished, he¡¯d already be roaming the wastnd, free from this damned pressure.


    Something inside of him was building, and he knew it wasn¡¯t long before it burst.

 Chapter 103: Custom Mods

    Chapter 103: Custom Mods


    Erec stared at glowing light arrayed around his Vallum Armor. The smooth ting andrge pauldron on one side. Breathtaking as always, but it was due for a change. After a long day of more noble bullshit, he¡¯d slunk off to his research center.


    It¡¯d undergone a change, with all the boxes opened up and sorted out, and even a couple of personal projects were. VAL swore by the ¡®innovation¡¯ rule, which allowed all researchers a portion of time dedicated to personal projects. Since nothing had been formally started yet, and theycked training, the experiments were still simple.


    VAL had tasked him with writing safety procedures before allowing Erec to get to his own ¡®innovations.¡¯


    It¡¯d been tedious to transcribe, but at longst, Erec was free to toy around with his Armor.


    He''d already pulled apart some of the ting¡ªmostly to poke around in the interior; and reinforce the Q.A.P a bit more. A bit of full proofing for his Armor, which would hopefully mitigate repairs on the road.


    There were essential systems he didn¡¯t want to fail on the trip. And taking his Armor apart and doing maintenance was excellent practice for the uing Scavenging and Armor Modification exam.


    Overall, the Vallum model prioritized a modr design. Its redundant systems made it easier when going on extended outside-of-the-wall expeditions. Good starting ces when facing real-world conditions, and in terms of modifications¡­ Erec had been thinking it over for a while.


    With this research center, he didn¡¯t have the funding to purchase any custom or luxury hardware.


    So, over thest couple of weeks, he turned over ideas of how he wanted to tailor the design to himself in his head. If he were honest with himself, it kept firm in his mind because it was an escape from life''s pressing realities. Dealing with these merchants¡ªthey¡¯d given three attempts so far to wrangle out of his feast¡­ And the damn exams made his heart hammer as he worried about grades.


    All he wanted was to roam the roads and be away from everything else.


    The design he came up with was crude but simple. Erec took off a pauldron and began to drill into the ting¡ªenough to secure a bolt and a spike to the other side. He repeated the process, turning the shoulder te into another weapon.


    Once that wasplete, he welded spikes onto the knuckles of his gauntlets.


    This was, well, what his instructor wouldbel as a ¡®beginner modification.'' It was inelegant. But Goddess be damned, Erec was sure it¡¯d be effective.


    More potential weapons to use in battle¡ªto ram things, or punch things inbat if he lost hold of his axe. With Fury, he already became a living weapon, so why not have his Armor reflect that?


    As he finished thebor of love and war, he took a step back and admired his work; the menacing spikes on the shoulder and fists made for a hell of an intimidating sight. Internally, Erec turned over the idea of adding one more¡ªright above the visor and on his forehead, but¡­ that might look a bit goofy.


    But if he headbutted a creature... The potential carnage¡­


    [Have you ever thought about going through a Rift?] VAL¡¯s mechanical voice buzzed in his head.


    Erec¡¯s train of thought vanished at the question. ¡°No. It¡¯s a bad idea, unless you¡¯re doing it for research. And even then, no matter how stable the rift is, there¡¯s always a chance of getting sealed on the other side.


    [Has that happened before?]


    ¡°Yeah, though, the Knights in question dived in to seal the Rift¡ªset off enough magic on either side of one, and you have the potential to copse it. One side is often less stable than the other, so if it¡¯s stable here, there¡¯s a decent chance it¡¯d be easier to copse on the other. But you¡¯re as good as dead if you do.¡± Erec let that hang in the air.


    [I can¡¯t help but wonder about those modified canines you fought not long ago, with the wires and imnted des. It made me wonder if there are other worlds with technology that spawn those ¡®monsters¡¯ you face.]


    ¡°That isn¡¯t something the church would approve of.¡±


    [Why should you concern yourself with their morality? They have ulterior motives by limiting your ess to old-world technology. No matter their ims, I¡¯m well aware of several pieces of defensive technology that would enhance the safety of your walls.]


    ¡°VAL, we¡¯ve been through this before. Anything that scaleing from outside the walls, they¡¯d shut it down in an instant.¡± Erec felt a headacheing on. Was there a point to this discussion? They both knew the Kingdom approached reality with a ridiculous nt; the more time he spent with VAL, the more apparent that became. And their bans on non-magic tech were by no means consistent.


    Even more concerning, was Erec found it hard to believe the Goddess truly cared what they did past killing shit and gaining power. It made no sense, but he didn¡¯t have an answer


    [Have you thought about investigating the church?]


    ¡°I¡ªNow you¡¯re being ridiculous.¡±


    [Am I? Arge institution with little oversight ruled by imed divine mandate? If ever there was a recipe for human corruption¡­]


    ¡°What am I <em>supposed</em> to do about any of that? Look at where we are¡ª¡°


    [Yes, we¡¯re in the research facility of a newly appointed Count favored by the Kingdom. A count that they¡¯re lining up to be involved with a project that goes directly against the Church. By all appearances, you¡¯re already being maneuvered into a position for their devices against that institution. But, Buckeroo, the problem is you don¡¯t seem to be all too invested or aware of what¡¯s happening around you.]


    ¡°It¡¯s not that! I know, it doesn¡¯t look good,¡± Erec yelled, tossing a piece of scrap metal against a nearby wall at the sudden prod from the machine. It was making him feel dumb.


    But he knew what it was saying¡ªhe¡¯d thought about it too. This situation stunk, and he felt like he was being puppeted around the more he learned from Garin and Lionel about how the world worked. But knowing that and being able to deal with it were two different things. What could he do? What the hell did he know about politics? This wasn¡¯t a game he wanted to y to begin with, and fuck them for trying to get him involved


    [Rx. I was making a point.]


    ¡°How screwed I am? Is that the point?¡± Erec¡¯s shoulders dropped.


    [How you need to begin to make strategic objectives and notply earnestly to the mandates of others. I wasn¡¯t programmed for business strategy, but I¡¯ve had plenty of talks with Dan Brovski. The corporate world is cut-throat, and with your appointment on a management team, the sooner you learn to deal with it, the better.]


    ¡°Easier said than done.¡±


    [It¡¯s all about leadership style, buckeroo. You have to develop your own, trying to force in the wrong typees off as unnatural and will cause undue stress. Ultimately won¡¯t work for things on this level. It takes time to develop, but, you have to work towards it to make any kind of tangible progress.] VAL¡¯s buzzing turned soothing; as it tried to take a step back and ease the already mounting tension.


    But that tension had no ce to go. Hadn¡¯t for months.


    And thinking about it, as much as he¡¯d kept making this expedition up as an excuse to free himself from this lifestyle¡ªit was only temporary. It wouldn¡¯t rid him of these problems and might make things worse.


    Fuck.


    ¡°VAL¡­¡±


    ¡°Val?¡± Boldwick¡¯s voice called out from the entryway to his workshop; Erec froze as the man entered, his eyes doing a quick sweep of the research center. He looked rtively surprised and curious¡ªbut there wasn¡¯t anyone else in here. Certainly not at this hour. ¡°Who were you talking to?¡±


    [Lie.]


    Except Erec didn¡¯t know how to lie about it, the sudden shock of seeing his mentor here of all ces when he least expected it threw him through a loop. Boldwick raised an eyebrow at him.


    [Lie!]


    ¡°I¡ªuh¡ªNicknamed my er, Armor. It¡¯s a Vallum Model¡­ So I, uh, named it VAL¡­¡±


    [By Dan¡­]


    He didn¡¯t need to see Boldwick¡¯s face to tell that the man scarcely believed that, not with how shaky his voice was. Nor the sudden flush creeping onto his expression. Boldwick rubbed at his eyes. ¡°Alright. So you¡¯re going to lie? After all this time? I heard you talking to yourself before I came in. And I don¡¯t think you¡¯re only cracking from the stress.¡±


    Erec kept his lips shut. Not that he could open them and say what he wanted anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯d suspected something was off for¡ªdoes putting on Colin¡¯s modified helmet on your Markos ring a bell? Or mysteriously finding your Armor in the sewer after my menbed it¡­ or¡­¡± Boldwick trailed off, his eyes sweeping theb. ¡°¡­All this. Why the sudden interest in a research building? You¡¯re capable of a lot, but I wouldn¡¯t consider this sort of thing your natural inclination."


    ¡°You¡¯ve been using old-world tech, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡°


    [Tell him that is confidential business information! No¡ªdon¡¯t admit to anything! Wait, say that¡ª]


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡ªYeah,¡± Erec didn¡¯t bother confusing it further, and for the moment, VAL seemed too stunned to figure out the best approach. Boldwick wasn¡¯t surprised, but his brief flicker of disappointment hurt far more than any condemnation.


    ¡°Honestly, have you been scared of the church? Is that why? Erec, I pushed a gun on you¡ªI can¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s fine. I see it in your eyes. You don¡¯t want to fess up to whatever you found, and that¡¯s alright. But know that I¡¯m not going to sit here and judge you over it; when you want to confess whatever is going on, I¡¯ll be here waiting to listen. I¡¯m only hurt you don¡¯t think you can admit it to me.¡± Boldwick walked over to a counter, turning over one of the ss beakers in his hand.


    Erec opened his mouth and then shut it. What could he say?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. I thought it might have had something to do with your Talent, but¡­ Well, it¡¯s obvious to me that two separate things were going on. In the shadow of that talent, I don¡¯t think anyone else had picked up on it.¡± Boldwick put the ss down and sighed. ¡°Honestly, with this whole thing¡ª¡° he gestured to the research center, ¡°Your whole life now as a Count. I¡¯ve been thinking of what I can do to help, but there¡¯s a reason I¡¯ve remained a Master Knight this long. Namely, this side of being a noble¡­ Well, it¡¯s not honest work, and I¡¯ve never found a way to square it with myself.¡±


    Boldwick took a long look at the room.


    ¡°But, I¡¯ll help you find a way. Whatever route you choose. I am backing you, Erec. Not the Order, not the Kingdom. My students have been and always will be my priority.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t deserve that loyalty, but you don¡¯t know what it means to mean.¡± Erec felt his throat close up, a pit of anger at himself and VAL in his chest¡ªafter lying for so long, Boldwick didn¡¯t even take it personally.


    ¡°You¡¯re inviting me to that feast you¡¯re throwing. That¡¯s an order.¡± With that, Boldwick stormed out of the room. Leaving Erec to devour himself with self-loathing.


    And gratitude for the man that¡¯d changed his life. He could only hope to do better by his mentor.

 Chapter 104: Finals Finished

    Chapter 104: Finals Finished


    <em>Per contract stiptions, we¡¯ll be conducting a search for Seven-Snakes and his associates in the eastern wastnd.</em>


    <em>We expect the device to be finished as payment when we return with their heads.</em>


    <em>- Edwin, Correspondence (3rd Era, 306)</em>


    Finals sucked.


    The day of the testing started out like normal, filled with unending tension in the dorms about the impending future. Despite this, Erec boldly went into his day knowing that he¡¯d be on to better things after this mess.


    His first test¡ªand everyone¡¯s first test¡ªwas Physical Conditioning. They ran the students through a purely physical exam. Starting with a seven-mile run. Then Strength exercises like pushups and pull-ups. It should''ve been easy for someone like Erec with an overabundance of Strength for their year. But it wasn¡¯t. The examiners intentionally made it, so there wasn¡¯t a benchmark to beat. No. Since their next semester would include another round of Physical Conditioning. Therefore, they ran the exam until exhaustion.


    After hundreds of pushups, his arms gave out, and he finished the exam.


    Only to get a brief window to return to their dorms, shower, and change into formals for the rest of the exams.


    Basic Mysticism came next. Erec thought he managed to scrape by¡ªmostly with VAL¡¯s help on the written portions. Thanks to VAL, he could describe and transcribe the glyphs tested, but the practical part of the exam¡­ That was a different story. He¡¯d failed to put in sufficient practice to maintain a glyph in his head and pour mana into it, which showed with three fizzled glyphs.


    It was the best he could do.


    By lunch, Erec leaned on the cafeteria table and suffered from a massive headache. His friends weren¡¯t much better off. Out of everyone, Colin looked the most annoyed.


    ¡°It¡¯s unfair you were seen as fit to leave Courtly Mannerisms,¡± Colin said. ¡°The instructor told me I¡¯d be taking remedial lessons on top of the next course.¡±


    ¡°How appropriate,¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°In my opinion, they made the right decision. Look at your poor betrothed¡ªhow many times has she knocked at our dormitory only for you to ignore her, then hide in your room when I invite her in? Yet you believe you¡¯re fit to pass unscathed with that sort of act?¡±


    ¡°I told you, wench. You have no reason to get involved in my personal affairs!¡±


    ¡°Is it still personal when you¡¯ve involved all of your friends in them by the act of cowardice?¡± Olivia politely asked, folding over her napkin as she let her soup cool off.


    Erec buried his head in his arms as the two continued to bicker to try to mute their noise. Their argument,bined with the rest of the loud canteen, was too much. There had to be at least a dozen conversations going on¡ªpeople gossiping, concerned about their scores, and nning for the next semester. But for him, this semester, next semester. It¡¯d be the same, right? He¡¯d be stuck in this school and pulled a dozen directions by people with their own agendas. This uing expedition was only a reprieve from that.


    All the while, even with his friends, he felt alone.


    They tried to help when they could, but they didn¡¯t understand the pressure. The headache of correspondence trying to get his Cavern in order or meet the expectations of the people around him. How was he expected to act as a Knight with all of this bullshit, let alone the hero they thought he was?


    Garin wrapped his arm around Erec¡¯s shoulder. A silent gesture of support while he listened to his girlfriend and Colinunch into an argument about rtionship issues.


    Before Erec knew it, the moment passed away. All too quickly, a chime rang out, and Erec tucked away his half-picked-apart food into apost bin and walked off to the next round of exams.


    Military History was a wee relief; even without VAL, he¡¯d have done well on the exam. Both the tactical analysis and the actual historic travel of their expeditions were easy to recall, but then he had VAL in his head to confirm his answers. Very simple for the two of them to pick the correct answers. Even easier toe up with arguments for tactical decisions on the hypothetical portions of the exam. The only issue was with the ease of the exam. Erec¡¯s head kepting to the ongoing feast this weekend.


    Where all of his potential alliances and the deal with the merchants would reach conclusion. Though Erec worried. He always worried. Especially since they''d gone from unresponsive and dy tactics to a sudden enthusiasm. The sudden switch from all of them at once¡­ It got him nervous.


    If it only impacted him, Erec wouldn¡¯t have cared much. But it was for the people relying on him. Hoping that he¡¯d be sessful that¡¯s what made him uneasy. If anything were to go wrong, the people that¡¯d suffer the most would be those under him.


    After Military History came Scavenging and Armor Modification¡ªhe walked into a workshop filled with half-torn-apart Armor on a rack and a pile of scrap metal on the ground next to the frame. The goal was to get the frame and the junker Armor functional again, using the scrap and a basic set of tools. Precisely the kind of tools a Knight would expect to take on the road with them. Past that, they were to make it as formidable as possible.


    Erec dove into the task.


    With a nk mind, he soldered wires and toyed around with the Armor. It was like working with the Markos II all over again.


    Some might¡¯ve considered this to be a pain. But for Erec, it was like going back in time to when he didn¡¯t have anything to worry about.


    Within an hour and a half, the frame was functional. After that, he welded on tes of junk steel for a rudimentary defense. Then, inspired by his new modifications to the Vallum, he decked out the test armor with rusted-out spikes and screws wherever he could jam on it. At the end of the exam, he¡¯d created ugly, functional, and quite deadly Armor he¡¯d love to test in a fight.


    After a brief evaluation, the instructor rushed him, and the other initiates off.


    Wastnd Survival was¡­ more theoretical than anyone expected, given half of their sses took ce outside. They met in the ssroom but didn¡¯t break away to perform some theatrics in nature. Dame Juliana presented them a simple written exam, stating that any field tests she¡¯d want to do, she¡¯d already performed.


    She''d filled the test with hypothetical scenarios, making it purely a knowledge and intuition-based quiz. Out of all of the tests, Erec found it the easiest.


    His studies around these topics weren¡¯t only to pass this ss.


    So, figuring out what he¡¯d do was simple. VAL didn¡¯t even bother to chime in as he filled out the test and then found himself turning it in before anyone else finished.


    As his paper slid across her desk, Dame Juliana looked as surprised as he was.


    She scanned the test before raising her eyebrows and looking at Erec. ¡°All of it seems to be in order,¡± she tapped a pencil against the paper and frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t think I need to read through this test to know you likely did well. You¡¯ll be taking my advanced ss next semester, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s an option, I¡¯d love to,¡± Erec said with a measured smile and then rubbed his tired eyes. It¡¯d been a long day, and Garin¡¯d said something earlier about a party of some kind. He nced back at his friend¡ªwho was furiously trying toplete the test. With a bit of a lead, he could hopefully rush back to his bed and pretend to be passed out before Garin finished.


    There wasn''t a chance he wanted to waste energy on school celebrations with his own feast in a couple of days. Better to conserve energy.


    His friend might be able to bounce from social obligation to social obligation¡ªand Erec made damn sure his friend wasing along for this one¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t equipped that way.


    ¡°It will be. I¡¯ve already made sure of it.¡± Dame Juliana said and then cleared her throat. ¡°I¡¯ve, uh, heard about your change in responsibilities. You may not be directly under my wing like you are with Master Knight Boldwick, yet I can¡¯t help but feel as if I want to help a student who so clearly has a simr passion for scouting.¡±


    Erec gave her a confused look; Dame Juliana was an excellent instructor, but he had no idea what might be going through her mind.


    ¡°Life as a Scout and life as a Noble, if you¡¯re good at either, you¡¯ll find that they be two different lives entirely.¡± Dame Juliana scratched the back of her head. ¡°¡­And, the more you¡¯re outside of these walls, the further you go from this kingdom, the more that being inside of it and ying by the rules of it start to make less and less sense.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to leave the walls to see that.¡±


    ¡°No, but there¡¯s sights out there, things out there, that will make what you think of this ce now even less. Things we can¡¯t talk about inside of the Kingdom, for one. Which you¡¯ve already had a taste of. Another is the experience of the freedom of the world. My advice? The more you separate those two parts of yourself, the harder it will be. Living two lives means tearing yourself into two. It¡¯s better to pick one.¡±


    Erec gave her an exasperated look. Of anyone she could say this to¡ªreally, she gave this speech to him? His Talent tore him in two; at this point living a double life was second nature. Picking one? What the hell did that even mean?


    At least she tried to give advice, as misguided or unspecific as it¡¯d been.


    ¡°I appreciate the advice,¡± Erec lied. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your ss next semester.¡± He said, and that he meant.


    She ran a good ss, and he felt excited to see what else he might learn from them.


    Erec gave her a polite salute and pressed his fist to his chest.


    With the exams over, he¡¯d have to face his academic consequencester. Yet the true test of his life here was in two days.


    Hopefully, with this feast, he¡¯d be able to leave on the expedition with the assurance that everything in his Kingdom life was settled and wrapped up. Only then could he cut loose and be free again.

 Chapter 105: Cry If I Want To

    Chapter 105: Cry If I Want To


    ¡°You never get your cor right,¡± Garin said and once more fixed Erec''s ruffled cor. Below, the guests were already filtering into his manor. The temporary serving staff was probably rolling out the hors d''oeuvre''s, and the band would be starting their set by now.


    Catering, decoration, and sufficient entertainment. That''s what made for a sessful event. Each of them would be judged, especially for him as a new Count.


    Potential allies would look at his event¡ªand gossip. So, there wasn''t room to spare expense, and they''d bitten the bullet and thrown far too much of their already dwindling treasury to Lionel''s professional discretion. All that money. As good as wasted, but Erec couldn''t do a thing about it.


    This entire event was frustrating, and his damn suit was too tight.


    Erec tugged at his cor again the moment Garin turned away, only for Munchy to run up his leg and nip at his fingers to stop him. The chubby squirrel defended the cor as if his life depended on it.


    Erec gave up the fight and shot the creature a dark scowl.


    Garin turned around and shook his head at Erec; before tossing a treat on the ground for his fat familiar.


    "I dislike him now more than ever," Erec said as Munchy feasted on a carrot below.


    "Aw, c''mon. He''s got a good heart," Garin leaned down and ran a couple of fingers over the feasting fatty. "Getting a lot friendlier with other people too."


    Yeah, that was bound to happen since Garin now let the menace run free¡ªthe only one who hadn''t seen it yet was Colin, who''d barricaded himself in his room to avoid his betrothed and her frequent visits to their dorm.


    "I''m nervous." Erec confided, knowing his frustration didn''t actually belong to the squirrel and its new freedom.


    "It''ll be fine," Garin said. "As long as you go down there and talk to people. We''re cutting it close to being a bit past the fashionablyte and more towards the rudete¡­"


    "Bedwyr and dad are already doing that."


    "Well, they aren''t in your house now. Even if they''re rted, only you are, and that''s a big difference as far as most people are concerned. Enough is enough. Ready? C''mon Erec, pull off the part of prince charming, or if you can''t manage that, Count Smiles, and you''ll be off to a good start."


    Always the same thing. y perfect and look good, and nothing awful would happen.


    <em>This sucks.</em>


    Garin made his way to the door, and Erec took in himself in the mirror, the shadows under his eyes and his scowl already on his face. That wouldn''t do. Erec put on a fake smile¡ªwhich somehow looked worse¡ªbefore forcing his face as calm as he could manage.


    That would be fine enough.


    They made their way through the barren residency hall. Most unused parts of the manor, or Erec¡¯s personal areas, were simrly empty. For a simple reason. Erec sold most of it off.


    Everything that Lionel would let him, anyway. Decorations near the frequently traveled guest spaces weren''t touched. Thest thing they wanted to do was to present themselves as struggling. The irony of Erec¡¯s home bing more simr to Oswald¡¯s wasn¡¯t lost on him.


    He¡¯d rather the money go to practical things and wished he could¡¯ve sold off the entire manor if he could¡¯ve. Goddess knows he didn¡¯t need such a big ce.


    Nearing the feast brought the dreaded sound of lively music and cheerful conversation to Erec¡¯s ears.


    It was a battlefield. A social warzone that shook Erec to his core and made him want to turn around and hide in his room. Garin grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him into the war.


    Tables were meticulously spaced around the room to leave a central space in the middle for a constructed stage that would host the night''s three acts. First up was a local band to Cavern Seven¡ªwhomonly yed the local tavern. But tonight, they¡¯d donned borrowed fine clothes. Their singer strummed a guitar while belting a tune from the old world.


    As was tradition to courtly celebrations, one should always begin the night with a nod to the past.


    Small details like that proved Lionel''s worth ten times over. Decorations¡ªseating arrangements. A million annoying decisions that man took out of Erec¡¯s ipetent hands.


    Nobles flocked around the room in their little groups. Some of them potential allies, some potential enemies. Erec invited most of them based on the Baron¡¯s advice. Garin would make sure they¡¯d cycle through the nobles most likely to back Erec and try to make a good introduction.


    Then there were the merchants. They¡¯d lumped together in a corner with Oswald, drinking with abandon and loudly joking. Oswald was in the center, making an ass of himself with the other more powerful ones. Erec had memorized their faces¡ªthey¡¯d done their research on the enemy. By the end of tonight, he¡¯d sway them to his side and turn their grasp on his cavern into a partnership to keep them in check.


    It left a bitter taste in his mouth, but it was the most mature decision he could make. Even if part of him demanded he goes over there and beat them into submission for daring to fleece his people¡ªhe couldn¡¯t.


    Now wasn¡¯t the time to start that conversation.


    First came the nobles. After that, he¡¯d invite the merchants to an after-party discussion.


    Be polite. Make promises; that¡¯s what it took to establish peace.


    Garin dragged him headfirst into the ¡®fun¡¯ that was a cast of nobles.


    Soon into their rotation, a familiar face interrupted the politicking.


    Colin¡¯s father, the Unbroken General raised a ss to Garin and Erec. As a Duke¡­ They had no choice but to excuse themselves from their current conversation and make their way to the man. There¡¯d been an open invitation to all of the highest nobility¡ªbut no one should''ve shown up from a Duchy, aside from maybe Colin. But Colin was a personal friend and not the reigning Duke. Certainly not a war hero.


    The duke looked much the same as when Erec¡¯dst seen him. He was a stout man, but now he sported a short trimmed mustache and beard, silver like the streaks in his hair.


    Garin and Erec bowed respectfully once they reached him, and the Unbroken General nodded to set them at ease. ¡°You¡¯ve done well for yourself, Count Audax.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to see you in attendance tonight, Duke Nitidus.¡± Erec bowed his head with the canned and practiced greeting drilled into him, though he felt nothing but.


    He¡¯d sworn an oath to this man to befriend his son and spy on him. Initially, he¡¯d thought the first task to be impossible, but the spoiled brat of a Duke¡¯s spawn grew on Erec. Now, he found that he dreaded the day he¡¯d be asked to uphold the second part of that oath.


    Was today that day?


    ¡°Duke Nitidus!¡± Garin cut in, seeing the conversation quicklypse into a tense silence. He bumped Erec¡¯s shoulder, a hint to pick up the mood. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if Colin has said anything about me¡ªbut I share a dorm with him¡ªI have to say, I¡¯m quite impressed with the son you raised. His confidence is a stunning thing to behold.¡±


    The Duke snorted. ¡°They say that a crown weighs heavy upon the head, but I often find it¡¯s not the crown which weighs the most, by those who say that, but the head itself.¡± His eyes snapped to Garin, digging deep. ¡°I appreciate the attemptedpliment and do note it in your favor. However, for this conversation, you are dismissed.¡± With that, he waved Garin away.


    Erec¡¯s jaw dropped a little¡ªas did his friend¡¯s.


    But Garin covered fast with a fake smile. He turned to Erec. ¡°I¡¯ll grab you again once you¡¯re done speaking to the Duke. Then we can keep on going. Take it easy, alright? It¡¯s a party.¡± He squeezed Erec''s shoulder before giving a bow and leaving.


    That old familiar anger stirred in Erec as he forced his attention back to Duke. How dare he?


    When he focused on the man, though, there wasn¡¯t the haughty expression he expected to see. Instead of a scheming general, an aged man was in front of him, whose eyes were sunken and tired. ¡°You¡¯ve made a name for yourself in quite a few circles. I¡¯ll admit that when we made our deal, I expected to make you a retainer for my son, yet that is not what fate had in mind.¡±


    ¡°You wanted me to be your piece on the board,¡± Erec pointed out, giving up on tact. Something about this man struck him with the desire toy it out bare.


    Duke Nitidus¡¯ nod was all he needed to know he was right. ¡°You¡¯d have made a fine enough piece in my ns, but someone else shared the same thought and plucked you from my games and made of you their own piece.¡± His eyes swept over the ballroom. ¡°The court is a stage, Erec. You must y your part on it until you understand enough of what is happening to improvise.¡±


    ¡°You showing up here is a signal of your support. A way of marking me as an ally. Your actions don¡¯t match your words, General.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve befriended my son as sworn, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªI did. He¡¯s a brat, but his heart is in the right ce.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s your answer to why I showed, at least in part. You will be useful to my son if you are not to me. But that isn¡¯t the whole reason. I¡¯m here to mitigate damage and to make a demand.¡±


    That set Erec on his heels. His eyes went wide. Was this it¡ªwhere he asked his spy to start revealing information? Erec¡¯s insides turned, and he felt sick, fear thick in his mind. If the Duke pressed him, that oath he made on the Goddess''s name wouldpel him to fess up whatever he wanted about Colin.


    ¡°My demands aren¡¯t for you,¡± The Duke rified, shifting his attention to Boldwick; the Master Knight had just made a grand entrance. Party-goers already swarmed him. With how put-out the Master Knight was, he didn¡¯t make it much of a habit to attend courtly affairs. ¡°That¡¯s the man I¡¯vee to see. When things begin to happen, run to your Master Knight for safety, there is your warning, young Count.¡± With that ominous message, the Duke left Erec standing there alone.


    He watched him cut a path through the crowd right towards Boldwick. Erec¡¯s heart hammered in his chest as he watched the Duke leave.


    What the fuck was that supposed to mean.


    ¡°Erec!¡± Garin shook him from the side, ¡°C¡¯mon, let''s get going¡ªDame Aurelia wants you to meet her daughter¡ª¡° with that, Garin pulled him after him.


    Paranoia crept in as he followed. Think on it that he might, Erec found no answer to what the Duke meant.

 Chapter 106: Killed By Kindness

    Chapter 106: Killed By Kindness


    <em>¡°Yet each man kills the thing he loves</em>


    <em>By each let this be heard</em>


    <em>Some do it with a bitter look</em>


    <em>Some with a ttering word</em>


    <em>The coward does it with a kiss</em>


    <em>The brave man with a sword¡± </em>


    <em>-Oscar Wilde, The Bad Of Reading Gaol (2nd Era, 1897)</em>


    Polite society. A damn lie and such an ironic phrase. All the people wanted to do at this party was poke their noses into each other''s business, then gossip about it behind their backs. At least, that¡¯s the impression Erec got after hours of forced conversation with the so-called, ¡®polite society.¡¯


    If it were a fair world, hosting an event like this should¡¯ve meant you got to pick out things to suit the asion to your taste. Maybe have fun at some point.


    But no, it wasn¡¯t that simple. The world wasn¡¯t fair; after hours of bumbling through conversations, Erec¡¯s nerves were frayed.


    When he found a spare moment, Erec tracked down merchants. They were rather excited and hell-bent on talking through their business deal now rather thanter into the night. It wasn¡¯t quite to n, but Erec conceded to the somewhat impolite request¡ªknowing that by the end of the night, this part would''ve taken everything out of him.


    Erec invited them aside to have their talk.


    He left Garin in charge of the party, then escorted the merchants to his prepared meeting room for this very talk.


    Oswald barreled past him into the room; the man¡¯s face scrunched as he took in every detail inside. There wasn¡¯t much, but what was there was genuine. A maple table adorned with carved maple chairs. An artist from the early days of the Kingdom, and her depiction of an otherworldly-green sky from a rare tox-storm.


    Even without hearing him say a thing, Erec saw the calctions going through Oswald''s head. The greedy merchantpared everything in the room to what he owned.


    Six other merchants filtered in after Erec.


    Boldwick probably should¡¯ve been here too¡­ but¡­ Well, Erec already knew what he would give, and he¡¯dmunicated his demands and more to the merchants. Along with some pretty generous offers to tempt them. And Boldwick had vanished from the party after talking with the Duke.


    Was it rted to that ominous warning?


    Erec shook his head and got rid of the intrusive thoughts. Thest couple of hours left him sluggish, but if he could pull together for this, he¡¯d have aplished everything he set out to do tonight.


    Then he could head off on the road without worrying about anything.


    Erec took a seat along with the merchants. Letting his gaze roam over the collection of old men and women who wore smiles. Snakes. All of them. They looked human and acted human, but their greed hid in ledgers and maniptions in his cavern over thest few years. It was found in the jewelry wrapped around their necks or decorating their fingers. They were the type of snakes that¡¯d sell their mothers if they got the right offer.


    ¡°A pleasure to finally sit down and speak with you all,¡± Erec lied.


    ¡°Indeed, indeed. I was quite happy to have youe and introduce yourself at my home,¡± Oswald also lied while scratching his chin. A grin on his face. ¡°And as I collected my business partners, I suppose that lead role in distribution is mine?¡±


    ¡°Now, now. If you n to expand, I think it unfair for Oswald here to have an agreement like that in perpetuity.¡± The old woman to the right tittered, Janice. She waved a hand at Oswald. ¡°Much can change in even ten years. If you¡¯re to grant him official distribution rights in your cavern, I propose a two-year fixed term limit before renegotiation.¡±


    There was an almost forced air to the conversation; the group shared a look.


    Something was off. They were hiding something from him.


    ¡°That can be discussed; I didn¡¯t want to do a set term limit, but rather a way to license other distributors, with Oswald leading the way,¡± Erec said, keeping his tone neutral. It was a point he was willing to concede on if they paid the right price. Everything was a game of give and take.


    And he¡¯d already decided he needed to work with these bastards for the good of his people.


    Oswald smiled politely at that when Erec knew he shouldn¡¯t be. Given what Erec suggested, he would retain the right to appoint someone else topete as a distributor.


    ¡°Of course, I concede,¡± Oswald said.


    <em>What?</em>


    ¡°We¡¯ve thought over your fixed price proposals, among the other requests in your letter.¡± One of the old men broke in. He had long white hair tied in a ponytail and beady eyes. Hershel. Richest among these snakes. ¡°Upon first consideration, I thought to rebuke them on principle. Yet, upon examination of your goals, they¡¯re more ptable. As you stated, you wish to develop industry in this Cavern. It got me thinking that more business is in the best interest of everyone¡ªso I drafted a contract in response. With the agreement of my partners here, they¡¯ve given me the authority to permit any changes¡­¡±


    He pulled free a sheet of paper and slipped it onto the table. Without a word, he took a pen from his pocket, flipped a few pages deep, and crossed out a section¡ªwith a quick addendum to the side.


    ¡°What you just discussed,¡± Hershel said. ¡°We¡¯ll concede to this change from what I¡¯ve prepared.¡±


    They nned that whole argument. Even this now was a show, most likely, to make Erec think he had the upper hand. Hershel initialed near the written changes, then pushed it forward toward Erec. ¡°If you find it amendable, please sign and date near my initials¡ªthen, at the end.¡±


    Erec paged through the document.


    [Odd? They¡¯ve even conceded on many of your offers¡ªthough it looks like you¡¯ll need to take an active role in the approval process. Otherwise, some of the agreement is rendered inactive.]


    ¡°You¡¯ll find we¡¯ve cooperated, ¡®essential goods¡¯ prices fixed at a certain amount, provided we reach an ord six months from the date of signing. Wider service provisions, with a price matching to other caverns the same rtive size as yours, should you discover they are receiving a better deal.¡± Hershel said.


    It was the same kind ofnguage VAL used in their employment contract. It was too good to be true. But VAL hadn¡¯t noticed any odd inconsistencies. Nor could he.


    If it were only beneficial to him, Erec might¡¯ve felt a trap. Still, these merchants retained a lot of wealth-making opportunities and exclusivity with his Cavern in return for the demanded regtion. All of this should, in theory, help grow the Cavern and improve quality of life. With this deal, he had oversight on prices and a way to check rampant greed and price hikes.


    And in return, they received official capacities and allowances for their business in the Cavern.


    Long ago, he¡¯d concluded that dealing with other people wasn¡¯t viable. These merchants had too many connections to look away from and could get him what they needed as long they cooperated.


    On thest page, there was a series of signatures/ They had already signed the document.


    ¡°Well? Are you going to sign?¡± Hershel asked. Such a change, considering the man previously was the most resistant to cooperate with Erec.


    ¡°What changed?¡±


    ¡°Money is to be made. What else?¡± Hershel folded his arms. ¡°We¡¯ve agreed to your asks and scribed some of ours. Reasonable ones. We¡¯d even decided to concede your right to appoint distributors as an act of good faith. What else might you wish? Do you want my arm and legs? Now, sign so we can work together.¡±


    Erec¡¯s fingers gripped the pen tight enough that he feared it¡¯d pop. This whole thing reeked, but the words on the pages in front of him promised a bright future. Not for him. But for his people.


    How could he trust his instincts now? They served fine on the battlefield, but they only led to mistakes and rash acts outside of it.


    Courtly affairs, economics, and the thousand other little things weren¡¯t for him. If he took this deal, conceded their points, and gave them some power, this would be a promising business arrangement. But it meant tying himself to these merchants, the same people who¡¯d aimed to abuse the marketce and take advantage of his people.


    It was a hardpromise. A hard thing to ept because he didn¡¯t see a clear alternative.


    Perhaps being noble meant being able to bend.


    Erec signed on the line, the pen ink drying far too quickly. Their fate sealed and bound on a sheet of paper.


    Hershel gathered the paper while Oswald grinned.


    ¡°Excellent; I shall file this with the Kingdom¡¯s record keepers tomorrow,¡± Hershel said.


    ¡°How long until you reckon they appoint a new Count?¡± Oswald asked, voice going giddy.


    Hershel shot him a sharp look as Erec¡¯s jaw dropped.


    A few others piped up, swapping the topic and transitioning away from what Oswald said. They talked about money¡ªand the best ways to utilize the contract.


    ¡°What the fuck did he say?¡± Erec asked, standing up. His chair mmed onto the floor behind him as heat red in his chest. A deep pit in his gut. ¡°What did you mean, Oswald, by a new Count?¡±


    Hershel frowned and waved Erec off. ¡°Oswald misspoke. He¡¯s a fool, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware. It is nothing to worry about, Lord Audax. It is our pleasure toplete our business. I suppose you might wish to return to host your party. We can discuss details among ourselves.¡±


    Erec stared at him and the rest of the now-silent merchants, trying to decipher how to respond.


    ¡°Erec!¡± The door mmed open to reveal a frantic Garin. ¡°The church¡ªthey burst into your party and demand youe with them. A whole host of priests¡ª¡°


    ¡°Awful!¡± Hershel sounded aghast. ¡°Whatever will you do?¡±


    Erec numbly stood in his spot. Eyes roamed over the merchants who wouldn¡¯t meet his gaze. There wasn¡¯t time to drill into them about their odd behavior or this coincidence.


    Instead, he funneled that anger into productive energy and stormed past Garin and through the door.


    If the priests wanted to burst into his manor, he¡¯d show them it wasn¡¯t the church they were used to.

 Chapter 107: Through The Fire and Flames

    Chapter 107: Through The Fire and mes


    Priests gued the crowd like a disease spotting skin. Their burned crimson robes and hooded visage marked the abrupt end to this otherwise ordinary social gathering. Already people were splitting away from them and excitedly asking one another what was happening. Meanwhile the searching priests fanned out and began their search.


    Upset that they dared to invade his home, Erec strode forward and revealed himself.


    It took a second for them to begin to circle him and Garin. Forming themselves into a living curtain of crimson that sealed him off from the rest of the manor.


    Erec slowly turned as they crowded around, counting their numbers. Inside, a fire burned from how the merchants yed him¡ªwas this coordinated with the Church? What corrupt farce would it be for them to organize a raid in conjunction with the merchants? He¡¯d minded his business after the Stag, as well he could, and certainly avoided mixing with the clergy.


    But here they were, ruining this expensive gathering and interrupting a vital moment in his negotiations.


    ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± Erec asked, failing to stem the rising fire inside of him.


    He needed to be careful, but the stress was crashing down on his shoulders. These priests were thest thing he needed today.


    ¡°You¡¯re to submit yourself to us and attend to the Cardinal. He¡¯s deemed it time for you to repent for your wicked ways,¡± one of the men snarled; his silver eyes exposed as the cowl of his hood shifted about. Below those viscious eyes were yellow teeth, as if rotting out of his skull. There was nothing but pure hate for the man as he red at Erec.


    ¡°On what grounds?¡± Erec growled back.


    Inside, the fire churned brighter. If this man hated him, then he¡¯d hate him back.


    ¡°sphemy. You are without the goddess blessing!¡± The man yelled out, greeted by a chorus of whispering. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking into you and your affairs, and upon the Cardinals evaluation, you are to present yourself for judgment.¡±


    ¡°And I take it you have the Kings blessing regarding this?¡±


    ¡°Affairs of the heaven are paramount to this Kingdom¡¯s stability.¡± The priest gestured to his men, and they moved closer like a tightening noose around a neck. Erec turned in ce with Garin by his side, feeling the angere to a storm inside of him. All of this was bullshit.


    The Church, the merchants, and this entire party.


    One of the priests reached their grubby little hand out toward him.


    Erec grabbed the invading hand by the wrist, yanking the man forward with a quick jerk. It didn¡¯t take much application of force to slip behind his back and use the twisted arm to control him. Within a second, Erec had a human shield between him and the rest of the closing zealots. There were gasps from the crowd, someone dropped a ss of wine.


    The thoughts in Erec¡¯s head began to flicker away as red colored his vision.


    They thought themselves worthy to challenge him? He tired of ying games. And there was another group of people he had to teach their lesson. Erec barreled forward with the priest, turning his human shield into a fleshy battering ram. He mmed the man into the rest of the priests, trying to close him in.


    Poor bastards couldn¡¯t imagine him fighting back; pushing through their barrier was easy. All it cost was a few bruises to the fool who¡¯d tried to grab him.


    Like that, Erec broke past their line.


    As soon as he was free, Erec mmed his foot into the back of his shield¡¯s knee, causing the man to let out another yell as he fell face first onto the ground.


    Fire roared inside, and his heart went wild. Excitement. How had he let his life slip into such dullness for so long? That anxiety of questioning his every decision, of living in the future. It was folly. If those merchants sought to take advantage of them, it was time for them to learn.


    Erec ran hard towards the hall leading away.


    ¡°Cowards!¡¯


    He slid to a stop, turning his head and looking at the lead priest behind him. The man¡¯s eyes burned.


    Coward?


    ¡°Do you want to die?¡± Erec asked, the words tumbling free from the beast inside. Gasps from the crowd. But this man had challenged him to a fight. Maybe these worms needed to learn their ce before the merchants. Now that the beast was free, it wouldn¡¯t return to its cage soon.


    Erec cracked his knuckles and grinned.


    [This is bad, isn¡¯t it?]


    ¡°Submit yourself for judgment, Mad Knight!¡± the priest screamed.


    He wasn¡¯t mad. These people were. For the first time in months, Erec saw with perfect rity what this situation was. Again and again, the people around him tried to use him as a piece on their board, a new noble to manipte and wring from whatever they wanted. They wouldn¡¯t respect him until he showed them they had no choice but to. With Strength like his, he shouldn¡¯t be subject to the whims of the weak.


    This ballroom was as fine of a fighting arena as any he¡¯d been in. It was time to christen it in blood.


    ¡°No!¡± Was that Boldwick? A storm of fire burned from the far end of the ballroom; a river of fire flowed between Erec and the priests before exploding into a massive wall of mes.


    Erec snarled and took a step closer to them. His skin burned from the proximity, even if it didn¡¯t catch his furniture on fire. Why or how that was, it didn¡¯t matter. As if something like a me was enough to stop him now. Acting civil and conforming to what people expected was the way of these people. He¡¯d yed by their games and lived by their rules. Where had it gotten him? Let the beast take control and let it all fall apart. If these priests were to exile him anyway, he¡¯d face it on his own terms.


    The fire inside him burned just as bright as the inferno in front of him. Erec stretched a hand towards it; the mes licked his fingers and burned his skin.


    Any pain only led to more Strength.


    Inside, the hell raged, and deep within it, something else burned.


    It was neither hot nor cold. Instead, it felt like a natural extension of life, an eternal moment that burned and sparked with an ethereal fire. Within it was something new.


    Erec let it loose. His fingertips burned silver where they met the mes of Boldwick¡¯s wall. The magic around them bent, and the fires leaped away as if to avoid him. Even it knew that he wasn¡¯t to be stopped. Not now. Not until he¡¯d had his fun.


    Boldwick closed the distance, yanking Erec by the shoulder, or tried to at least. Erec stood firm, struggling against the Master Knight¡¯s attempt to control him. People were shouting and fleeing, Erec couldn¡¯t see the priests, but somehow Garin had slipped past the fire and rushed toward them. Erec let out a growl as his arm shook from the effort to resist the Master Knight. He pulled with all of his force.


    It wasn¡¯t enough.


    Step by step, Boldwick was dragging him away. Erec turned his eyes to the wall of mes, watching it wrap around the priests to stop them from following.


    In a desperate bid, Erec wed at them with his burning hand. The silver mes were bright as they burned away whatever was inside¡ªhoping that it might do something to solve this situation. There was something there, he was sure. An instinct long forgotten that might get him what he wanted.


    Suddenly, the silver fire burned out.


    Erec¡¯s vision was spotted ck. His head swam like he¡¯d drank a bottle of wine. Boldwick dragged him away with sudden ease as his Strength gave out. Vomit spewed up from his gut. Unable to resist the sudden bile, Erec hunched over on the ground and let it spill. ck. Unlike anything he¡¯d eaten, it reeked a distinct rotten scent as it left him.


    After that, Boldwick threw him over a shoulder and fled.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec shivered near a fire by the wall. A small outcropping hid them, but if anyone were to look out here, there wasn¡¯t much they could do. Garin sat nearby, as did Munchy, the fat squirrel wasted no time on feasting on the fresh vegetables that Boldwick brought.


    The night sky above glittered with stars, beautiful. Yet Erec felt awful. There was nothing in him that could admire the gorgeous night. Only a profound worry and lingering nausea from whatever the hell happened in his manor. While it was true he wasn¡¯t dead, Erec couldn¡¯t be sure of how much longer he might have. And those Merchants¡­ The weight of the mistake he¡¯d made only weighed heavier the more he thought about it. How could he have been so stupid?


    Now he was out here, huddled near the wall like a fugitive. Could this have been how his mother felt?


    There was one other thing¡ªthat which, above all, made him scared.


    A notification shed in the corner of his vision.


    But he couldn¡¯t open it. He couldn¡¯t look at his Blessing; every time he¡¯d tried, it failed, and he received a massive headache like a knife stabbing his brain. When he¡¯d told Boldwick, the Master Knight gave him a worried look and told him to quit messing with it.


    ¡°Go back with him when he shows up next,¡± Erec said, nearly gagging from his own breath. That bile was still on his lips. Everything around him felt floaty and unnatural. As if this world were a murky falsehood.


    ¡°Not happening,¡± Garin said, grabbing a pepper from Munchy¡¯s stash and stabbing a twig through it. ¡°We¡¯re in this together. For better or worse.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going into exile with me. I couldn¡¯t live with that.¡±


    ¡°Nobody said you¡¯re going into exile. You¡¯re being dramatic.¡±


    ¡°Garin, they came for me in my own home. Thest time that happened was with my mother¡­¡± Erec leaned closer to the fire, wrapping his arms around his knees. That¡¯d been thest time he¡¯d seen her before the church and Kingdom took her for her betrayal.


    As he stared at the fire, he saw a sh of her face. His imagination. What was wrong with him? Was he going to die? It was as if whatever was binding him wasing apart.


    ¡°¡­Sorry,¡± Garin moved closer, the skin on his bell pepper popping and burning with the mes. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this, man. When things are their darkest, you have to rely on the light burning inside. It was the priests, not the Kingdom, who came for you. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s important.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Boldwick called from the darkness, striding into the light with Dame Morgana at his heels. He¡¯d donned his Armor and looked every part of a noble Master Knight. ¡°And for that reason, our timeline has been escted. I¡¯ve sent someone to fetch your Armor. We¡¯ll be leaving the Kingdom tomorrow.¡± Boldwick looked at the Iron Walls. ¡°May the Goddess have mercy. It is never a good idea to leave without all your preparations¡­ But a Knight must be ready for anything.¡±

 Chapter 108: Divine Corruption

    Chapter 108: Divine Corruption


    <em>If you wanna survive out here, you gotta do a few things.</em>


    <em>Avoid the glows, for one.</em>


    <em>See a Rift? Run.</em>


    <em>Vega? Stay only as long as you got money in your pocket. Stay longer, and someone¡¯s going to get you knee-deep in shit. </em>


    <em>Close to the Coast is where most keep, but stay away from the water past it; anyone who tries telling you to sail is ying a game with death. Further ind you go, worse it gets, least from what I¡¯ve seen. </em>


    <em>Above all, keep this in your head: Humans can be monsters too.</em>


    <em>- Sally Snakes, Surviv¡¯n (3rd Era, 293) </em>


    As the sun rose to the middle of the sky, a steel wagon came into view. One of the first things to catch Erec¡¯s eyes on it was VAL¡ªor rather, the Vallum Model that VAL took over and called home. Given that he¡¯d left it at the Academy, it seemed Boldwick had no trouble retrieving it.


    They¡¯d spent the entire night out there, not quite sure what was going to happen. Dame Morgana used most of it instructing Garin, iming she¡¯d only taken the opportunity to teach. All of them knew her real job was to look out for the church.


    Apanying the Caravan was a whole centuria of soldiers and a few Verdant Oak Knights. And then, there were the people Boldwick told would being along on their expedition with two surprise guests.


    Colin was walking alongside his father, the Unbroken General.


    Erec couldn¡¯t look away as Duke Nitidus strode up in his cerulean Armor, not unlike the model he¡¯d supplied to his son for the trial but adorned with a deep purple cape. His screw-like spear rested on a shoulder as he stopped and examined their small camp.


    ¡°I informed you that your apprentice wouldn¡¯t be further bothered. Pursuit by the Church is unlikely, as of now. They¡¯ve concentrated on manipting public sentiment and making their moves against the Royal Family.¡±


    "Can''t be too sure. This operation isn''tpletely in my hands now. Nobody predicted they''d take such a bold action before we returned." Boldwick hopped off the wagon, and a wave of dust blew away as his Armor impacted the ground. "This escort seems a little excessive, especially since it''s not too far from the gate, but I''m grateful nheless."


    "Orders from the Royal Family are followed without question. This expedition has been granted and protected by their authority," Duke Nitidus shrugged. "It was foolish of them to act so rashly. Now it''s left the Silver mes in an awkward position. But enough of that for now; let''s focus on the matter at hand.¡±


    "There will be plenty of time on the road to n for our return," Boldwick walked over and pped Erec on the back. "You two, get your Armor on. Then we''ll get moving."


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    A minute after donning his armor, they started moving again. In short order, the escort brought them to the closest gate, which opened with surprising speed. Erec and the rest rushed outside, and the gate mmed shut just as quickly. The speed at which everything was happening almost gave him whish.


    His recent recovery from whatever strange issue had affected him didn''t help, leaving him wondering if the past few days had been some prolonged delusion.


    To his surprise, the Unbroken General and Colin remained with their group. The old man was already busy exining some of the finer points of military tactics and how he hadmanded the centuria to his son as they walked. However, Colin could have been more responsive to the conversation, barely offering one or two affirmations when his father''s tone became harsh and demanding an answer.


    It seemed everyone had something to preupy them. Olivia was harassing Garin while Gwen, Dame Juliana, and Boldwick were talking and trying to get their bearings while consulting the map. Dame Morgana drifted alongside them as a ghost; she¡¯d left her Armor on the wagon and ignored Boldwick¡¯s calls to wear it. Instead, she opted to remain in her flimsy ck dress.


    With the sun beating down on the group, Erec wasn¡¯t sure how sound that decision was.


    Erec dragged his attention away from them. He was still processing the abrupt twist in his life. The group''s almost ease was a weird contrast to how things must be within the Kingdom.


    After the move the Church made and his royal fuck up with the merchants, thinking about the situation behind them left him feeling sick.


    But nobody else was outwardly too concerned.


    "Try to live in the moment," Dame Robin said quietly from his side.


    Erec twitched with surprise and turned to her, head still filled with a bit of that fog. "Huh?"


    "It isn''t that difficult to consider what you must be thinking. Especially with how you looked upon our arrival. As you can see, everyone else is focusing on the present."


    "I don''t understand why, though. Aren''t they worried about leaving the Kingdom right now?" Erec said.


    "I''m sure they are. For that reason, most of them decided it was better to focus on the goals in front of them. They''veid their pieces in the Kingdom before they left, and this change will make the Church switch tactics. I''m not sure you''re aware, but the Church has been courting the Duke as a major ally. Marrying his son to a house of Doctus was a seal on that alliance¡ªconsidering that house has deep ties to the Silver mes. But now he''s out here, and they can''t rely on his support." Dame Robin kept up easily, and Erec felt a thrum of appreciation for the woman run through him.


    Whenever he felt low, she always took a moment to set him back in ce. Not for the first time, she reminded him of his mother.


    "He did this intentionally?"


    "Likely, he wants this Kingdom to be stable and probably put himself into position to act as an intermediary between both sides. I can only specte, though." Dame Robin shrugged. "Focus on the present, Erec. Out here, each day out here could be yourst. Then how ridiculous would it be to have spent your time worrying about things that didn''t matter."


    It was easier said than done. But the idea of putting his head away from the clusterfuck of the Church and the Kingdom was preferable to torturing himself over it when he couldn¡¯t do a single thing to change it.


    Erec let the conversationpse back into silence as the wagon moved along.


    They had their destination, and to follow it, Erec was about to go deeper into the western wastnd than ever before. The nearest ¡®civilization center¡¯ was almost triple the destination from the Kingdom to the ruins of Worth.


    The sky above was a bright blue with few clouds drifting across it. Far above it was the bright sun, radiant as it blessed their journey with fine weather. With its light, and the day''s atmosphere, Erec began to cast out his regret of being yed by the merchants and let his mood rise.


    The Kingdom was behind them, and ahead was a vast world filled with danger. Anything could happen, as Dame Robin said. But nothing he could within the Kingdom made him feel quite as alive as in moments like this.


    No chains were binding him, only a group of people he knew he could rely on.


    Let the Church think they''d won¡ªlet the Merchants have their way for now. Court life was never where he belonged, and the further he got from his goals, the more unhappy he became. When he returned, he''d deal with them. And he''de back stronger.


    After an hour of marching, he began to feel better. Not just with the mental rity, but the feeling of unease and brain fog slipped away.


    Once it was gone, a piercing white box filled his vision, followed by a burning sensation in his chest.


    Soul Advancement: Rank [NULL] - Tier 0 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 1


    The pain. Erec clutched at his heart as his knees buckled. VAL must¡¯ve sensed something going wrong as it locked the servos.


    [Whoa, Buckeroo. Easy now. You alright?]


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Erec asked


    Dame Robin turned around and tilted her head at the sudden hold up. It burned inside, a burning, searing pain that kept going, and sweat rolled down his forehead.


    It was fading, but too slowly.


    Erec desperately pulled up his Blessings sheet to grasp what was going wrong even though it hadn¡¯t been working sincest night.


    Name: Erec of House Audax


    <strong>Health: 100</strong>%<strong></strong>| <strong>Mana: </strong>100% | <strong>Stamina: 100</strong>%


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Virtues:


    Strength: [Rank D] | [Tier 5]


    Vigor: [Rank E] | [Tier 7]


    Agility: [Rank E] | [Tier 5]


    Perception: [Rank E] | [Tier 5]


    Cognition: [Rank E] | [Tier 4]


    Psyche: [Rank E] | [Tier 7]


    Mysticism: [Rank F] | [Tier 4]


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): [Rank E] | [Tier 1]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Talents:


    Fury


    There it was. Right where the messed up Faith had been, apletely new and unexined Holy Virtue. Or rather, it had been a Holy Virtue before. But that¡¯d changed too, now the sheet only listed it as Virtues. Divine Talents changed as well¡ªnow only Talents. Erec scrambled to figure out what it meant as he forced himself to move forward. Aspect of Fire?


    This couldn¡¯t be right.


    Not unless¡­


    Was the church right?


    Was this the Goddess¡¯ scorn? Looking at it with pure face value, this significant change couldn¡¯t be possible unless he concluded that. Their pursuit against him was righteous¡ªpanic swirled with the burning pain inside.


    Was he to end up like his mother? How would it even be possible to prove innocence in the eyes of the Kingdom with this undeniable proof of him being exactly the type of person they wanted to exile.


    A vision of an uncaring goddess on her throne tumbled through his mind, the same vague delusion he¡¯d had months ago after defeating the Stag.


    ¡°I¡¯m so screwed.¡± Erec said, trailing behind the wagon, trying and failing to calm himself.

 Chapter 109: Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss

    Chapter 109: Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss


    It was impossible to find the perfect moment. Erec kept looking for an opportunity to tell Boldwick about the change to his Blessing¡ªbut people were always around. Someone was always in the presence of the Master Knight¡ªGwen, the Duke¡ªany of their party members on the expedition.


    He trusted <em>most</em> of these people. Garin¡ªBoldwick, Gwen even. Hell, he knew that Colin wouldn¡¯t share his secret either.


    But there was Olivia, Dame Morgana, and the Duke¡­ He couldn¡¯t know what their ns were.


    Days bled together in a blur of brown and blue; sky and dirt, as they stomped their way across the wastes. And eventually, the need to spill the secret diminished a bit. There¡¯d be a better time to tell him; since it didn¡¯t fundamentally change anything about their situation. It onlyplicated the return. It was also a potential new resource if he could determine what it meant. As long as the sky above didn¡¯t split to burn him alive with a column of silver me, he would survive.


    It didn¡¯t take long before the impromptu road lessons began. Dame Juliana made the primary push for dedicated time, being a teacher through and through. At her behest, the Knight Commander would pull the initiates away from the caravan and break down a topic of her choice, sometimes with a guest teacher. She mainly focused on her favorite subject, ¡®practical wastnd survival.¡¯


    After a night of camping in a shallow cave, she woke them up early and started her lesson while the rest of the expedition prepared the wagon for travel that day. She leaned down next to a mound of green moss a little further into the cave, by a still pool of water, her knife pulled free and slipping under its roots. She cut it free from the dirt and rock below. ¡°Edible,¡± Dame Juliana imed, ¡°yet, as you can see while I¡¯m extracting it. It¡¯s not exactly clean.¡±


    She twisted the moss around for her students to see, pointing out the dead bits and the dirt still clinging to where she had shaved it free from the terrain.


    ¡°Depending on the environment, there¡¯s a possibility of it being tainted. But if you¡¯re in a position where you need to eat moss, it might not be the highest priority. Keep that in mind, but when you¡¯re arguing to yourself about starving to death right then and there or long-term poisoning, you have a clear pick.¡± Dame Juliana exined and then reached into her bag. She pulled out a small pot and poured some of her canteen''s water into it, creating a thinyer of water.


    Next, she held up her right hand and formed a delicate and efficient red glyph. Only for it to break apart into tendrils of fire that condensed into a circle in the air, she held the pot over the cycling mes and boiled the water.


    ¡°Moss might fill your stomach but is not very nutritious. If needed, it might keep you going long enough to track down an animal.¡±


    As the water boiled, she directed Garin to hold the pot and worked on the section of moss she¡¯d cut. With careful work, Dame Juliana removed any brown sections and dirt. Once ¡®clean,¡¯ she shoved the moss into a cloth pouch and began to hammer away on it with a rock, then once done, untied the cloth and scraped the resulting green paste into the boiling water. The air flooded with a musty tang that curled Erec¡¯s nose as it cooked.


    He shifted in his spot, wanting more than anything to escape this.


    ¡°Dear, oh dear, is this your normal form of ss, Dame Juliana?¡± Olivia asked, pouting as she stared at the green muck in the pot.


    ¡°Something like this: I try to keep the advice broader than specific examples of edible moss in my beginner''s course. And with a focus on bigger picture survival issues¡ªlike sourcing water, what makes up a defensible shelter, or how to hide within the environment to throw off monsters.¡± Dame Juliana stirred the pot with a twig. ¡°Regarding that¡ªcertain forms of moss can cause stomach issues for those with lower Vitality, especially when eaten raw. Boiling it can help as well.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the furthest you¡¯ve gone from the Kingdom?¡± Garin asked as he wrapped an arm around Olivia¡¯s shoulder.


    The gesture didn¡¯t go unnoticed by their teacher, who gave a disapproving snort. ¡°Sir Garin, please keep your hands to yourself. It does not suit you to distract other students during ss. Spend your free time as you wish, but I expect you to behave when I¡¯m sparing the time and effort to teach.¡± Garin quickly dropped the offending arm in question. ¡°To answer your question, I spent half a year on an expedition north. We left when it warmed down here and began our retreat when snow fell up there. If you range far enough, I can confidently say you¡¯ll see many more environments than this barren wastnd. Likely, you¡¯ll see some on this trip.¡±


    ¡°What about the west?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been as far as the gas-filled canyons. Though, we¡¯ll be avoiding them this time. If his map is urate,¡± Dame Juliana shrugged, ¡°wouldn¡¯t want to go back to those anyway. But it¡¯s always a pleasure seeing more of the world. That¡¯s why I was eager to join this expedition; my experience also made me a good pick.¡± And with that, she was back to focusing on their lesson.


    After brewing the moss paste, she poured the concoction into mugs for each of them,


    It cooled rtively quickly, and then it was clear what she wanted. Each was to try to drink the foul brew and see how it fared. Erec pinched his nose and downed it in one go. The moss was somewhere between a too-soft sd and grass. Bitter, primarily, from what he tasted despite trying to plug his nose. Garin bit the bullet and took down the moss drink at her Orders. Gwen as well. But two among them had a hard time following the request.


    ¡°No.¡± Colin dered.


    ¡°I find that I agree; I don¡¯t believe we¡¯re relying on this for survival right now¡ªso it makes little sense to do this,¡± Olivia ran her thumb around the rim of the mug as she spoke.


    ¡°If you were in my ss right now, that¡¯d be a failing grade. Since we¡¯re not, I can¡¯t force you, Colin.¡± Dame Juliana threw on a vicious grin and narrowed her eyes. ¡°However, you, Miss Gratuiti, serve this expedition as my squire. In this case, as your direct senior Knight, I must insist that you drink it.¡±


    Olivia¡¯s face went white. The mug shook in her hand. But ever so slowly, it began to rise. Her eyes scanned the rest, looking for someone to save her.


    Garin looked away, either too embarrassed with his inability to help or trying to hide the grin Erec saw stered on his face.


    Olivia pinched her nose.


    ¡°Nope. You questioned my orders; you get to try the moss in its full glory.¡±


    ¡°Cruelty is the way of this world.¡± Olivia shuddered, then let her nose free. A secondter, she downed the drink before the awfulness settled on her tongue. Erec watched with horror and fascination as she gulped and squinted her eyes. Was it that bad?


    ¡°Why the green face?¡± Colin pointed andughed. ¡°Get it? Because you just stuffed your face with moss?¡±


    The mockery came to a stifled end as Duke Nitidus walked out of the cave and red at his son. Colin froze.


    ¡°It is admirable of you to host these lessons, Dame Juliana. Their content is alwayspelling, and nobles of our stature rarely find the precious opportunities of the true harsh realities of this world.¡± The Duke bowed his head at their instructor and then returned a re to his son. ¡°And how did you find this lesson, Colin?¡±


    ¡°Er¡ªvery important,¡± Colin replied, one of his hands discretely moving over the lid of his mug to hide the moss mixture beneath.


    ¡°Ah, is that so?¡±


    Colin nodded.


    Erec looked around, taking in Dame Juliana¡¯s exasperated expression and Gwen resting with her hands behind her head, watching the show with a raised eyebrow. Now that Olivia finished her drink, Garin tried to exin himself to her and promised her it was fine to have the vile moss down her stomach. Attention on the lesson was gone and given the morning almost being up anyway, Erec was sure Boldwick would soone and tell them it was time to go.


    ¡°If it was thatpelling, why are you refusing to engage with Dame Juliana¡¯s lesson n?¡± The Duke gestured to Colin¡¯s cup.


    ¡°¡­There isn¡¯t a point in drinking it.¡±


    ¡°If you were stranded? Without food? Would there be a point to it then?¡±


    ¡°Well yeah, she said that¡¯s why we should.¡± Colin nodded like a fool, aware that he was on thin ice but not knowing his way around the situation. A chill was in the air, and the sudden intensity of the situation snapped Erec back into the moment.


    Colin¡¯s father sighed. ¡°How wise of you. What prudence must it take to realize that you should rely on the right moment for a lesson like this? With how this expedition is currently preceding, I fear you may not find the opportunity to reinforce this vital lesson Dame Juliana has given.¡± With that, he turned his attention to their instructor. ¡°Ah. A solution. Would you be so kind as to cut and pack more of that moss away? I believe the best action is for my son to truly need it. Then he shall never forget. From this day forward, he¡¯ll forgo rations until hungry enough to beg to eat this moss.¡±


    ¡°Father, you can¡¯t be serious¡ª¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I very much am.¡±


    ¡°Trouble!¡± Boldwick¡¯s cry cut through the tension, his voice amplified and carrying an urgent tone that shut Colin right up.


    Erec mmed his helmet back on and ran to reinforce.


    As soon as he cleared the cave, he saw the problem. In the distance, a massive plume of smoke and kicked-up dust polluted the otherwise t wastnd. A fleet of metallic shapes was zooming directly toward them.

 Chapter 110: Sonnet

    Chapter 110: So


    <em>Shall Ipare thee to a summer¡¯s day?</em>


    <em>Thou art more lovely and more temperate:</em>


    <em>Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,</em>


    <em>And summer¡¯s lease hath all too short a date:</em>


    -Shakespeare, So 18 (2nd Era, 1609)


    With this new unknown threat, the Knights fell into a tight formation in front of the wagon and cattle as the metallic shapes drew closer. Erec¡¯s eyes locked on the mechanical beast whirling across thendscape. Despite his perception and the enhancements of VAL, it was still difficult to process what exactly he was even seeing.


    [By Dan, are they driving cars?]


    And VAL was right. As the rolling cloud of dust came into focus, he saw men and women wildly riding death wagons¡ªsteel contraptions bigger than a man, yet smaller than their wagon. From the old-world history books, they only vaguely like the ¡®cars¡¯ he¡¯d seen pictures of. Where usually, those sleek designs were simple. Yet those had welded spikes and were rigged with an obscene amount of weaponry. Most of which Erec couldn¡¯t divine the purpose of.


    This was the exact kind of old-world tech that the Church so much as heard a whisper about would demand a crusade to bury in the wastnd sands.


    Humans clung to the frames of these steel beasts. They waved and hollered at one another as the massive wheels beneath them kicked up dust. Behind them, a thick ck smoke plumed from the vehicle exhaust pipes. Oddly, with all that ting and modifications, this machinery was familiar to the Armor he and his fellow Knights wore.


    ¡°Weapons drawn. Follow my lead,¡± Boldwick ordered, putting himself in front of them all.


    Erec yanked his battle axe free and slung its heavy weight on his shoulder.


    He¡¯d expected fights. Plenty of them on this expedition; the promise of them made him relish this trip. But when he¡¯d pictured that, he showed mming the axe''s edge into massive monsters. He imagined himself tearing apart grotesque horrors or conquering impossible odds for his allies.


    Not taking on other humans.


    ¡°Those are incredible,¡± Garin said, then whistled, his sword hung loose in his hand.


    ¡°Try dreadful,¡± Colin said, ¡°Watch how they jerk around when they hit a rock; how awful to ride one of those things. Our Armor is far superior; look at them, too, drenched in sweat from the sun. I can already tell that these people reek from this far away.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think they care much about all that. No doubt used to the heat.¡± Gwen replied.


    For as far away on the horizon as the group started, they closed the distance in record time. In minutes, their vehicles stalled out a good couple hundred feet away, enough to be supremely wary of the Knights, and both sides got a fair evaluation of each other. Enough to let Erec know that, without a doubt, he wanted to take a close look at those cars. The weapons attached to them¡ªbarrels and gas tanks, lighters and wires¡­ All of it screamed war on apletely different stage.


    Yet if those weapons turned towards them¡­ It wasn¡¯t like retreating into the cave would be their best option, not with the wagon already out in the open.


    Boldwick raised a hand to acknowledge this new crowd, then set that same hand on the hilt of his sword. Waiting.


    Sixteen cars. Each had imperfections and modifications that made for a stunning array of rusted metal coffins. The grand unification between them went beyond their dusty exterior but insteadid in the pure sense of utility and danger radiating off the damn things¡ªthat same energy transferred to their pilots¡ªor rather, drivers¡ªwho were rough looking. Even now, they hung from their rides; a couple dropped down and stretched, yelling and jeering at one another and debating who could take who in a fight. Most wore deep tans, no doubt a product of their lives lived fully under the sun.


    But their eyes. They wereplex; what had they seen out here?


    ¡°You the leader?¡± one called, swaggering away from the cars. He pointed at Boldwick, a yellow grin on his thin face. His hair was pulled back in a tail. His most stand-out feature was the vast array of tattoos and scars, ink staining his skin and wrapping all around his body. Most of it was geometrical and oddly familiar¡­


    ¡°Glyphs?¡± Erec asked under his breath.


    [Oh. But there are some odd lines.]


    They weren¡¯t like the ones in the Kingdom. Erec hadn¡¯t heard of glyphs used in such a way¡ªbut if he pictured it, that man was something like what was in his head. Yet VAL was right; the lines were wrong. Odd angles, extra connections¡­ An almost free-form shape that defied the more conventional and confined framework of what he¡¯d known.


    Boldwick strode forward, hand still on his sword. ¡°Hail. That I am.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± the man stalked closer, shamelessly looking over Boldwick Armor as close as he thought he might get and scanning the steel wagon. ¡°So you¡¯re one of those. Heard about you,¡± he snorted, the rifle slung over his back, swaying slightly.


    ¡°One of those?¡±


    ¡°Tin cans? Kingdom folk? Heard stories about your reclusive and dangerous people. Chip on your shoulders. But then, don¡¯t know what to expect with that shell of yours; in person, bit more intimidating than I¡¯d have thought.¡±


    Boldwick kept quiet, feeding into that image. Maybe he was trying to get him to share more about himself.


    ¡°I see. Well. This a miraculous asion! A story for my family¡ªas long as you don¡¯tbel us all as sinners and sphemers and burn us down,¡± he winked. His tone didn¡¯t betray at all that he thought that to be likely. Overconfidence?


    ¡°¡­That part of the Kingdom isn¡¯t representative of what¡¯s in front of you right now.¡± Boldwick shook his head slowly, breaking the front he¡¯d presented. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t intend a fight, I think we¡¯ll cooperate fine. But you have an advantage over us since we¡¯ve never heard of you. State your intentions, then, and we can go from there.¡±


    The stranger looked long at Boldwick and the rest of the cavern, that grin growing.


    ¡°How about this? I want a story. So, we take the day and break some bread, and you and yours talk with me and mine. I got some questions for you since I¡¯m curious, and you¡¯re more chatty than I¡¯d have expected, based on the tales.¡±


    Another long pause for Boldwick. There was unease in Erec¡¯s gut at this idea, but he med his previous experience with Seven-Snakes and that whole nightmare of a situation.


    Boldwick didn¡¯t have any such hangups. ¡°Aye, we could do that. Break bread, as it were?¡±


    ¡°Oh, wonderful!¡± The tattooed man pped and spun around to face his horde of cars. ¡°I¡¯ll give my family a shout, tell¡¯em we¡¯re hunkering down for the day and talking to you folks. Sure, they¡¯re as eager as me to meet you folks;e to our cars in a few, and we¡¯ll get the tents set up and start some fire. Damn! Nothing better than a day of drinking, and we could sorely use it.¡±


    With that, he returned to the cars and shed any tension from the situation as if this were one big stroll through the Kingdom. His people were already cheering, and in the distance came the sound of a gunshot. Instantly, all the Knights tensed as they prepared for a fight¡ªbut it was evident from the behavior of the other group that it hadn¡¯t been an attack. No, one of those insane people¡¯s shot their weapon into the air in celebration.


    The noise brought Erec back to the sewer¡­ But it somehow didn¡¯t seem as powerful.


    Boldwick surveyed the Knights and cleared his throat. ¡°Morgana. You are to wear your Armor; everyone is until we can better sort out their intentions. But, given our goals to establish and explore the marks on the map as gathering points for humanity¡­ This presents an unexpected opportunity. I don¡¯t have to mention this, but I will; this is definitively an act that the Church would damn us for doing, but I think we¡¯re all on the same page about that at this point.¡±


    ¡°Would you like us to gather information?¡± Olivia asked politely.


    ¡°As much as you can, without being too overt,¡± Boldwick replied.


    ¡°Let''s all liven up,¡± Garinughed. ¡°By the tension, You¡¯re treating this as if it¡¯s a grim mission to take down a Rift¡ªthey¡¯re just people, we¡¯re just people. I¡¯m looking forward to it. No need to treat it as some borate spying mission.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we be tense? Why on earth would any of us look forward to dining with people not even from the Kingdom? Absurd.¡± Colin scoffed but fell in line anyway and stepped forward for their instructions.


    With that, Boldwick barked out some quick orders and limitations on conduct¡ªnamely, helmet stayed on, though visors could be opened. Weapons were to always be within reach unless otherwise ordered by him. And to stay rtively sober, someone was always to keep awake, and all were to remain within sight of at least one other Knight.


    As they walked towards the set-up camp, a re of nervousness ran through Erec. This, like walking into the wastnd, was crossing the threshold to another world. Each step brought him closer to the unknown. A world apanied by the soft thrum of someone ying the guitar and haunted by the full-beliedughter of tough people from a harsh reality he couldn''t imagine. Though he didn¡¯t know what to make of it, there was an oddfort to it that left him unsettled. It was almost like walking back into his home before his mother vanished on them.

 Chapter 111: Le Morte

    Chapter 111: Le Morte


    The Pendragon pack¡ªwhich the group of car-obsessed mercenaries called themselves¡ªwere, by all ounts, pleasant people. They¡¯d greeted the Knights as old friends and with open arms. They quickly set up their tents and grills. Then busted out alcohol with whipsh-inducing speed. Not wanting to be ungrateful or take advantage, they brought rations to share and reciprocate.


    Overall, these people belonged to apletely different world. There wasn¡¯t any judgment from them, simple curiosity about him and the rest of the Knights, but not careful calction. Night and day separate from the istionmon to the noble courts.


    ¡°Look a little lost, tin can. Why don¡¯t you park over here and take a breather?¡± An old man said with a graying beard and a broad smile; he had crow''s feet and pped a hand on a wooden stool beside him, not too far from his car.


    It wasn¡¯t something that could support Erec¡¯s Armor naturally, but that was the purpose of support servos. Erec gave an unsure look around him as the rest of the Knights dissolved into the Pendragon pack, which was their objective, after all. Boldwick essentially vanished with their leader to discuss whatever they wanted to discuss. Garin, Olivia¡ªthe Duke dragged Colin off to socialize with strangers.


    There wasn¡¯t any ce better to be than on that stool with this man, as Erec saw it.


    ¡°Talking to you, tin can. I dig the spikes on your metal. Real rocking look, man. I dig it. C¡¯mon already; sit down and chat for a while. Does a bottle bribe you enough?¡± he dug into a small bin, pulling out a ss bottle with a cap on it.


    It wasn¡¯t a bribe, or at least not a good one for Erec. But he was already feeling awkward with the attention on him, so he gave in. Erec walked forward and ¡®sat¡¯ on the stool, using his legs to lock into ce on the seat and reduce the weight going to the shabby wood. ¡°I¡¯m Erec. It¡¯s a pleasure. So, what¡­ Exactly is your rank here?¡±


    ¡°Rank? Pah, nobody has a rank except the Dragon, I suppose. But he¡¯s off chatting with your Dragon¡ªso that¡¯s that. Name¡¯s Yniol.¡± He pulled out a knife, slipping it under the bottle cap, and with a quick jerk, it popped. Bubbles rose from the liquid as he pressed it into Erec¡¯s gauntlet with enough force to rattle it against the steel.


    Erec hesitated as the man reached into his bin for a second bottle, then gave in. His free hand tapped the side of his helmet, raising his visor and exposing his face. With these people''s genuine and wild disy of warmth, there was a low chance of foul y.


    Even if there was, with the Knights literately close and among them, Erec doubted any of these people were strong enough to take them down. Call it overconfidence, but wearing a steel suit and having multiple Master Knights left Erec feeling safe. These people would need serious power hidden away to stand any chance in a fight.


    Erec brought the bottle closer to his nose and caught a faint whiff of citrus, which was shocking. He''d expected nothing near his quality from the wastnd.


    ¡°Bottled in Vega, they got a little bit of everything,¡± Yniolughed, picking up on Erec¡¯s confusion.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that name before.¡±


    ¡°Really? Thought you tin cans kept to yourselves and a had firm stance of smashing any wastnder that came near. Lot of surprising stuff today, but what¡¯s life if not surprises? But, I guess if you¡¯d heard of anything, it¡¯d be Vega.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know much about it, to be honest, heard it from someone who was incredibly awful. Actually, that was the first outsider I¡¯d met.¡± Erec looked at the amber ss in his hand. Seven-Snakes would pay eventually.


    ¡°Mhmm, that so? I¡¯d say most interactions out here with unknowns¡ªgot a coin toss of them either not caring for you or wanting to destroy you and take your shit.¡±


    ¡°It must be hard living out here.¡±


    ¡°Aint cushy, but there are ces, like Vega, where you can go and see the true depravity of man.¡± Yniol leaned forward and gave a gap-toothed grin. ¡°Our Dragon spends a lotta effort keeping us on our leash there, but no helping it¡ªce to be wild. Drinking, gambling, fighting¡ªI might¡¯vended myself in a ditch if I didn¡¯t have my pack backing me. But nothing else like it. One of the best ces there is; different people from everywhere, it¡¯s like looking into a Rift.¡±


    That many people gathered together and sowlessly ran¡­ ¡°How do they survive if it¡¯s just chaos? And why don¡¯t the monsters destroy it? Do they also have walls?¡± Any bit of information he could get might help, especially since, at this point, he knew this Vega had to be one of their destinations.


    ¡°Oh¡ªWalls, I¡¯d heard you tin cans had some crazy-big ones, but nobody dares gets too close. No, no, no. Vega doesn¡¯t have walls. More like¡­ a bubble.¡± Yniol outlined a dome shape with his hands, ¡°Mage Council keeps it going. If anything big tries breaking it, they take care of the problems. Humans get a pass-through, but it aint free. As long as you can pay, anyone¡¯s allowed in.¡±


    Erec let that sink in as he tried the alcohol¡ªit bubbled against his tongue and had a slight tang with a distinct orange vor. Good. Way better than anything he¡¯d expected toe from outside the Kingdom, but that made him nervous.


    He¡¯d been taught to believe they were thest of humanity within the Kingdom, and anyone outside of the walls was doomed to a quick death.


    But this information shattered that already cracked understanding and left him scratching his head to wonder how big other groups of humans could be out there¡ªor how many.


    ¡°It seems the Goddess didn¡¯t y favorites with our Blessing as the priests told us,¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Oh, the red priests? Aint called a blessing, tin can. It¡¯s payment from that bitch in the sky for what she did.¡± Yniol leaned back in his chair and looked up. ¡°What she left us after wrecking what we had. Damn her, biggest monster there is.¡±


    With that bit of sphemy, the conversation became a more mellow discussion. Yniol had no reservations about sharing candid details about the world¡ªfrom his experience with troublemakers and whores in Vega to his pack''s long trips across the wastnd. The stories he told were captivating, but the sheer variety of information and details Erec didn¡¯t know left him in the odd position of not knowing what to ask or what might be the most useful.


    ¡°We¡¯re on a mission,¡± Yniol said carefully; by now, more of his pack had gathered around to talk. Many people left Erec tired, but he struggled to maintain his personality and not withdraw back into himself. ¡°Bounty from the mage council, real bastard, but the money is the important thing. Usually is, for us.¡± He shrugged.


    The conversation returned to more mundane things. Stories about their adventures and tracking down bandits. Then, of course, pack gossip that they floated out, the sort of thing that Erec felt shocked they''d get into in front of an outsider. No matter what, these people appearedfortable.


    They lived so free. Always on the move, Erec couldn¡¯t help but admire how dangerous it was to roam the wastes like that. Around any road might be a monster powerful enough to decimate them, and they spoke of groups of people who¡¯d that¡¯d happened to.


    But they were happy.


    After hours, Erec grew decidedly more exhausted by the constant conversation. Nursing two bottles of seltzer didn¡¯t do much to alleviate that.


    It wasn¡¯t long after hitting his limit that Erec made an excuse to get up and away from the crowd. He tracked down Boldwick, who permitted him to do a small scouting operation. Either it was due to pity, or Boldwick was too busy with his discussions to mind, but in short order, Erec was walking off into the wastnd to clear his head.


    Erec stared at the setting sun as he walked, finding relief in the purple horizon.


    ¡°How is it that being around them was more exhausting than thest week of travel?¡± Erec asked quietly.


    [You tend to pay attention to every little tick when ites to social situations; with all your processing power being used on that, it¡¯s logical you¡¯d run low on energy. But that was quite interesting, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯d wondered how other groups of humanity had been dealing with the changes in the world.]


    ¡°They¡¯re so much different than the people in the Kingdom. But at the same time, they¡¯re more authentic than the courts.¡±


    [As expected. Your society maintains a strict hierarchy within the nobility and especially those below. There''s also a trend towards being formal and distant from people you¡¯re unfamiliar with. Obviously, their group is far more open and also has less of an emphasis on status. However, when you consider why your Kingdom is the way it is¡ªnamely, to funnel resources and power to your upper ss and ensure their strength to keep outside threats away and prevent internal revolution¡ªthe resulting dynamics within your group make sense.]


    Erec¡¯s eyes trailed the distance as VAL rattled off its theory. Now that he was a good mile from the group and relying on himself, he had to be aware.


    There was a movement to the distance that almost seemed natural. But something was off.


    ¡°If you were anything else, I wouldn¡¯t put as much credit in that, but I suppose you¡¯ve seen and learned things I¡¯d never have the chance to.¡±


    [Humankind is particr, ornery, and very clever. How you adapt to your environment is always interesting, even if it¡¯s not my primary field of research. Wait until we see Vega; I suspect you¡¯ll be in for a world of culture shock.]


    ¡°I can¡¯t get over the idea of charging people to get in their city¡ªat first, I thought it wrong, but then, they at least allow people in, while webel them as sinners¡­¡± Erec squinted. Yeah. Those movements by that cloud of sand, everything about it was screaming at him. ¡°Is that a fighting our way?¡±


    [Uncertain. I¡¯m unable to identify it, but it does appear to be headed right toward us. Likely a monster, yes.]


    ¡°Wonderful, let''s shelve this talk for now.¡± Erec cracked his knuckles and grinned. Everything he¡¯d hoped for. If there was anything that¡¯d get his heart pumping again after that draining afternoon, it was this.


    Erec radioed in Boldwick that he was about to investigate, and the Master Knight gave him the go-ahead to close distance.


    They could stay back there gathering info. He wasn¡¯t much use in that realm anyway, but this? Erec was made for this.


    ¡°Thank the Goddess.¡±


    With glee, Erec pulled his axe from his back.

 Chapter 112: Sand Lice

    Chapter 112: Sand Lice


    Road¡¯s been long, too long since I¡¯ve seen my pack.


    Think they¡¯d forgive me if I fessed up and exined things?


    Being out here without your family, with just your ride¡­ Lonely, each problem makes you think it might be yourst, and damn, it might be. Especially with those two relying on me.


    But what kinda man would I be if I crawled back to them with a daughter in toe and a wife who¡¯s gonna lead the Pendragon on a fucking warpath.


    Damn it all.


    Fuck it, I¡¯m driving back to Vega tonight, maybe I¡¯ll make it right, maybe I¡¯ll give my head if I can¡¯t.


    -Yniol, Drunken Napkin Scribbles, (3rd Era, 290)


    The first thought Erec had when the odd probable monster reached him was, <em>Glorious.</em> The second was: <em>Wait, what?</em> The third was, <em>This has to be a joke.</em>


    It was apparent why the monster appeared as an odd formation of sand from the distance because they essentially were. A cloud of buzzing tiny dull colored insects. Confusing little light brown bugs with small glowing blue eyes. He caught one of the air and brought it close to his helmet to get a better look.


    ¡°Is this even a monster?¡± Erec asked in pure confusion, even as the swarm still circled, some of themtching onto his Armor, but the bulk still hoarding around in a ball.


    [Yes. I¡¯ve no reference to insects of this type.]


    Erec squished the bug-monster between his fingers, and in an instant, the mass of insects formed together and whipped outward as a tendril, a pure group of wing insects, and mmed into the side of his Armor. Erec flew across the wastnd and tumbled across the dirt.


    [Whoa! Nearly simr to nanites. They linked together to transfer that force? Did I also trace anomalous energy¡ª]


    Erec mbered to a sitting position, his head still spinning as he stared at the cloud that¡¯d once more dispersed into a more loose cloud.


    [¡­Oh, that isn¡¯t good.]


    ¡°We¡¯ll just squad them,¡± Erec growled, his voice deepening as the fires of Fury lit. ¡°It¡¯ll be easy.¡±


    [Not easy. This might be an enemy outside of your skill set. They¡¯re already duplicating. It seems they¡¯ve leached anomalous energy from your Armor bytching on to you. They are admirable little parasites and too small for you to out-kill their duplication. It might be best to call for help in this case.]


    ¡°No way.¡± Concede defeat to these bugs? Something he could squish with ease? ¡°There has to be a way.¡± The fire burning inside demanded it.


    [I doubt your ability to form a glyph in this state, but¡­ How would you feel about an experiment in the name of science?]


    Unease dripped through him since he knew what the machine would propose before it did.


    [We could try that unknown power of yours. Soul, was it? Given what happenedst time, I think it¡¯d still be prudent to call an ally as a backup.]


    Erec stared at the insects buzzing about with hate in his eyes; while he was far enough not to want to concede to such a demand, he wasn¡¯t far enough to realize its necessity. Using an untrained ability, he didn¡¯t even fully know how to ess an unknown enemy alone was a recipe for death.


    Even with Fury on full disy, he wasn¡¯t sure he could out kill these things.


    <em>Pathetic.</em>


    But it¡¯d be even more pathetic if he failed here after being the one to instigate this all. Or if he¡¯d end up dooming the rtions between his people and these strangers. Being a scout meant keeping a level head and making the right call at the right time.


    ¡°I hate this,¡± Erec sighed, watching the dumb bugs¡ªstill swarming where they¡¯d hit him. He counted down from ten in his head to cool off. He didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d test the new power, and as he began to calm down, the idea seemed absurd¡ªbut the need to tell Boldwick became more lodged in his head. After tonight, he¡¯d finally ask the man and see if he had any advice.


    As he reached three, a mad cackle ofughter tore through the air, followed by a beam of light piercing the cloud of monsters. Like snapping his fingers, a solid hole was left where those bugs were, apanied by smoke.


    Not too far away, a girl was sitting on a nearby bolder with an evil grin and a long gun braced on her shoulder. Wing blew her wild ck hair loose as she took aim and shot off another beam of light at the insects, decimating more of them as if it were the most entertaining thing in the world.


    She had no right to be there. There wasn¡¯t any chance she¡¯d managed to slip past him this entire time, not with VAL backing up his scouting¡ªnot unless something else was going on.


    ¡°Who the hell is she, and what in the name of the Goddess is that?¡±


    [Light-Worthsrifle. With many modifications, no doubt exining how itsted so long since product lifespan was never their strength. Procure it from her; I think we should take it apart.]


    ¡°Like what you see, tin-can? Maybe if you stopped gawking, you coulde on over and y a little game.¡±


    Erec watched the bugs swirl angrily around where they were, expanding outward in search of whatever had caused them damage. Others clumped together in the spaces where their swarm was decimated, trying to suck up the residual life force of their dead brethren. Or so he assumed. Whatever the case, he didn¡¯t want them to find him easily. Erec got up and ran in the girl¡¯s direction, only for her tough and let out another shot at the bug cloud behind him, aggravating them further.


    He leaped onto the boulder,nding quickly next to the strange girl.


    ¡°Seen these before,¡± she snorted. ¡°Dumb and annoying. But hungry little buggers that will eat any mana they get their hands on¡ªget the right tool, and even a kid could clear¡¯em. But that tool aint a load of bulky steel wrapped around you; d you didn¡¯t try casting a spell, though.¡±


    Erec gave her a careful look; though she spoke to him, she only nced at him once to give him a disapproving look. Otherwise, she kept her attention fixed on the enemy.


    ¡°You trailed me. How?¡±


    There was nothing around them but pure wastnd. While there might be rocks like this, it seemed impossible for her to follow them for so long. And Erec knew she was from the pack of those people, as he¡¯d seen her mingling among them while he¡¯d talked to Yniol.


    ¡°Pfft, what if I told you not to sweat the boring stuff? Makes life less fun. Point is, I am here now, and we can y a game together. Brighten the night up a bit.¡± She smiled easily¡ªbefore firing off herser for the fourth time, meeting Erec¡¯s eyes. This shot went wide, hitting the sand and turning it into a thin sheet of ss, along with some stray bugs. She started cackling again, putting a hand over her head, ¡°Hit. Without looking! You saw that, right?¡± By now, only two-thirds of the original bug mass remained.


    What had been a substantial threat before¡­ Was made easy by her and this confusing situation.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, tin can. Let''s get to it.¡±


    Erec lowered himself next to her, still feeling off about the whole situation and the whish from threat to a game, but her not exactly calm but confident demeanor settled him a bit. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll y your game. What exactly are the terms?¡±


    ¡°Mhmm. Goal is to murder the bugs. You¡¯ve shot a gun before, right? Maybe not one of these bad boys, but with steel like that¡­¡± she shook her head as if it were natural for people from the Kingdom to touch a gun. But, oddly, in an annoying way, she was right. He had. ¡°Whoever kills more wins. We set our bet now¡­ Let''s see if I win¡­. How about you let me see that helmet of yours.¡±


    [Rifle. Demand to keep the rifle.]


    ¡°If I win, you tell me how you managed to follow me all the way out without spotting you.¡± VAL might sulk about it, but Erec felt it was rted to a Divine Talent¡ªand whatever gave that girl her ability might interest Boldwick.


    ¡°Deal¡¯s a deal. Shake on it? Since it¡¯s a proper bet, you gotta honor it right.¡±


    Erec met her hand, careful not to grip too hard with the steel gauntlet. Compared to his Armor, her hand was tiny; but she treated this whole thing as if it were the most natural thing in the world. After their shake, she practically forced thesrifle into his hands.


    [Oooooh.]


    VAL was buzzing with excitement that Erec tried his best to ignore. Instead, he focused on staring down the barrel of this foreign weapon. A weapon that¡¯d get him exiled. Aiming it usually couldn¡¯t have been simple, but then he¡¯d had an advantage she could¡¯ve never predicted. Even as VAL gushed over the specs, the Q.A.P. ran and projected the movements of the insects¡ªeven highlighting the path hisser would travel and making micro-adjustments to aim his shot tond at the best possible point of the insect¡¯s mass.


    It may have been considered cheating. But VAL, the Q.A.P, and his Armor were the tools he came into thepetition with. Not using them was a handicap, and he didn¡¯t owe this girl a fair game.


    Erec took his shot, and the streak of red light seared the bugs into smoke.


    ¡°Whoooa.¡± She pped andughed. ¡°Damn, better than I thought. Maybe I¡¯ll call you gunslinger, slick. Dunno if even I could¡¯ve kept it that steady. In that Armor, huh, or are you just that skilled?¡±


    ¡°Luck and a bit of the Armor.¡± Erec partially lied, trying to hand the gun back to her, much to the protesting of VAL.


    She scrunched her nose at him and slowly shook her head, her smile deepening. ¡°Mhmm. No thanks. Why don¡¯t you hang on to that a bit for me, gunslinger? I¡¯m itching for something a bit more fun.¡±


    <em>What?</em>


    She reached into the bag haphazardly slung on her side and yanked free a rusted metal can with welded metal on either side.


    [By Dan, she was carrying around a homemade explosive?!]


    ¡°This is where the real fun is,¡± She yelled, springing to her feet and whipping the metal can through the air,nding right in the middle of the bugs.


    Immediately after it smashed the ground, there was a loud bang and a flood of light. It felt like a spell. It looked like a spell and was more potent than the Seven-Snakes gun. With that ball of me, very few bugs remained. If it weren¡¯t for VAL highlighting them, Erec wouldn¡¯t have seen the survivors fleeing into the wastnd.


    ¡°Way too long since I did that. God, I missed it.¡± She said, still looking at her explosion''s crater in thendscape. ¡°What would you rate it? Outta ten? I''d lean towards six¡ªtried something new in the mix to speed up ignition on impact, but I don¡¯t think it fullybusted.¡±


    Erec blinked, a white sear still in his vision from the sudden glow of her explosive. The girl went on gleefully about the sound was good, at least, then onward about her theories for adding copper sulfate to the mixture since ¡®blue explosions will have a greater shock value and cool factor,¡¯


    She was mad.


    Suddenly she cut herself off, swiveling on her feet and settling those piercing gold and brown eyes on him. She held out a hand, a sly grin on her face. ¡°Well, gunslinger, gonna let me see that helmet of yours?¡±

 Chapter 113: Enide

    Chapter 113: Enide


    The girl held Erec¡¯s helmet with a rare sort of reverence that left him feeling conflicted. From the moment he set it in her hands, she¡¯d been turning it about and running her hands over every little joint and screw. All the while, she wore an expression of pure admiration and gratitude. It was oddly endearing.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name anyway?¡± Erec asked, settling onto the rock. The moon in the sky was beautiful, fully out and giving off its mysterious aura. After delivering his report to Boldwick, including his reporting on the presence of this girl, he was given leave to return to his own devices. Other than telling him to mind himself, the Master Knight sounded unconcerned over how the mission went other than it was ¡®handled.¡¯


    Erec didn¡¯t even know why he cared about her name. They¡¯d be back on the road tomorrow and leave these mercenaries to their own devices. It was weird, considering these were the first friendly people he¡¯d ever met outside the walls, but this was how it would be.


    ¡°Mhmm? I¡¯m Enide.¡± She paused, her eyes shing to him as she stopped looking at his helmet for the first time since winning the game. ¡°Erec, right? Heard you drinking with pa, was why I decided to follow you out. Didn¡¯t trust you to behave alone.¡±


    ¡°Behave? You act like there¡¯s any trouble to get into in the wastnd by myself.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t just you I was worried about.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Coulda called on secret allies, then before we knew, boom, ambush. Had someone try pulling that on us once, so when somebody wanders off¡­ Best keep an eye. Considering you lot are kinda like the boogymen of the waste¡ª¡°


    ¡°Boogymen?¡±


    She let out a little chuckle and sat beside him, her hand running along his chin. The sudden shock of the action and the feeling of her cold fingers against his skin left him mindless. After too long, he flinched away, only met by a smallugh from her.


    ¡°So pale. Guess the rumors were true. You must spend all your time in the steel. So you need them to breathe!? I saw some piping for venttion¡ª¡°


    ¡°No. That¡¯s wrong.¡± Erec sighed in relief as she retracted her hand and busied herself by toying with his helmet again. ¡°Most of my life was spent underground; only recently been above it, and even then, I spend a lot of time in the Academy taking sses and training. When I¡¯m not doing that? I suppose I am in my Armor.¡±


    ¡°Academy? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a building¡­ Full of Knight Initiates where we learn to¡­¡± Erec trailed off as it was clear that her attention to him talking about ¡®school¡¯ had already slipped. Her eyes grew wide as she brought the helmet to her head and plopped it over it.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even see with this thing!¡±


    ¡°The visor is down and requires a manual disengagement. It¡¯s sealed for environmental safety.¡±


    ¡°Oooh, could you go into the yellow fog with it, then?!¡±


    ¡°¡­Maybe?¡±


    ¡°So when¡¯d you vault dive and find the crazy old-world tech in this thing?¡± Enide asked while removing the helmet and setting it down beside her. Instantly, she went from distracted to full-on evaluating Erec¡¯s every movement.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ve had Armor since before I was born.¡±


    ¡°Not the steel¡ªthe Vortex Industries stuff; I thought I felt it when I was following you, but looking closer, it¡¯s for sure there. You even have their logo on your chest¡ªthough, you got a Stag on it too. Which is weird. None of the others had any feel of it on them¡ª¡°


    [Feel?]


    ¡°¡ªThere it was again, that little buzz. Haven¡¯t felt anything like it for a long time! Not since we were doing that dive near the ocean.¡± Enide leaned in closer, her eyes wide. ¡°Would you please step out of that Armor, let me take a little peak!?¡±


    [Wait a moment.]


    Erec cleared his throat as she once more invaded his personal space, her face as close to his as she could get, with that insane intensity to her eyes he didn¡¯t know how to react to; and¡­ Did she sense VAL? How was such a thing possible?


    [This woman is dangerous. Get away from her! Wait¡ªOcean?]


    Every time VAL spoke, her eyes ran down his Armor as if trying to pinpoint where the voice wasing from, but she didn¡¯t let on that she knew what it said. If anything, Erec was almost sure she didn¡¯t¡­ Aside from Boldwick, she¡¯d been the only one to pick up on anything odd with VAL. But how? This was dangerous, and he couldn¡¯t risk letting anything slip¡ªwhat if they found out about VAL and decided they needed it, and it turned this diplomatic mission into a fight?


    ¡°We should be getting back,¡± Erec said after way too long of a pause. He looked down and noticed one of her hands exploring his Armor¡ªtesting the screws and ting, and over-eager to examine the mystery of his rtionship to Vortex Industries.


    She pouted. ¡°Truly? Night just started. They¡¯ll be drinking until the sunes up. I think we have plenty of time. We can spend it together, right? Talk tech¡ª¡°


    [No.]


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Shoot!¡± Enide finally retracted herself from him, standing up and stretching. ¡°Aw, well. Too pushy, maybe?. Guess we all gotta keep our secrets out here, but wouldn¡¯t it be much better if we didn¡¯t have to?¡±


    [Your heart is hammering awful quick, are you nning on using Fury on her?]


    Erec didn¡¯t bother to respond to either of them. He only got to his feet and trekked after her towards the group, d to have his helmet back over his head. His Armor was a protective shell, and the point of stability he had going back to his people. After this, he¡¯d drag Boldwick away and tell him that¡­


    Well, he still couldn¡¯t speak about VAL. If he tried, he¡¯d be muted. Or so he was confident an ornery rogue machine in his head would argue. So, he¡¯d have to talk around the topic and reveal that she¡¯d¡­ figured something out. Anything she said to him could lead to danger if not adequately addressed¡ª


    ¡°Awful quiet there, now. Thought we had fun. Hope I didn¡¯t spoil it by prying, Er-ec?¡± She said his name with an odd re, even turning as she walked to take a look at him. ¡°Or¡­ Are you nervous? Don¡¯t worry, pa wouldn¡¯t care that I was out here alone with a boy; probably be more concerned about me setting a bad impression than anything else.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªno, just thinking.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to mess things up for anyone; you¡¯re the first group of friendly people I¡¯ve met. I¡¯m afraid that things aren¡¯t like they appear or of doing something to mess this up.¡± Erec found the words spewing too freely. With all the conversations tonight, and the stress, it was impossible to keep himself together. He was exhausted anding apart at the edges.


    And she¡­ There was something to her that took the edge off that made him want to confide.


    ¡°Mhmm. I know how that can be. Lotta people in the wastnd either wanna shoot you or talk like old friends, not much between. If you lot spend all your lives underground¡­¡± she opened her palm up and frowned. ¡°Think bringing you back to everyone else right now might be a bad idea, yeah? Seem a little out of it. I know I might¡¯ve turned you away, but how about we walk around for some time? Think I get why you came out here alone to scout now. If it helps, I can keep it quiet too. Let you do your thinkin¡¯. There¡¯s still a bit of scouting to be done, so don¡¯t think we¡¯re rushed for timing, but if you have me at your back, if anything goes wrong, it¡¯s safer. Rule of two, gunslinger.¡±


    It¡­ Didn¡¯t sound bad; he felt way too on edge, so without seeing the harm in it, Erec nodded. And they kept walking.


    Enide was true to her word, providing quiet support as they focused on scouting. There was a pleasant silence as they worked together, and though they didn¡¯t spot much, it put him more at ease.


    An unspoken respect began to brew, and Erec couldn¡¯t help but think of how Garin was to him. His best friend always gave him space when he needed it¡ªbut more than that, she¡¯d still found a way to be around without intruding, despite being a total stranger. The girl effortlessly slipped around the wastnd beside him, almost like a ghost.


    And she was buzzing with happiness to be out, an infectious feeling that led Erec to break the silence and talk nonsense with her.


    As pleasant and odd as the scouting was, it eventually ended. The two slunk back to the bonfire muchter than expected and split their separate ways. Erec rushed to find Boldwick, knowing he had to deliver a report. The Master Knight was around the bonfire¡ªwith everyone else left of the Pendragons that hadn¡¯t gotten drunk enough to pass out in a messy heap. And the rest of the Knights. At some point, they¡¯d centralized the party.


    Erec tried to grab his attention, only for Boldwick to greet him happily; before saying he had an announcement.


    Boldwick formed a glyph; and projected his voice for all. ¡°My Dear Knights, we¡¯ve been fortunate indeed to run into these people¡ªthey¡¯re well versed with the wastes, and I dare to say, appear to be exactly the sort of wastnders we need to fulfill this mission. And more then, we share amonality.¡±


    Erec stepped back¡ªGarin slung an arm around his shoulder as Boldwick continued.


    ¡°They¡¯re tracking a man named Seven-Snakes, a real bastard if you¡¯ve heard the stories. Since we¡¯ve dealt with him before and have bad blood, the Pendragons and I havee to an agreement. We¡¯ll find him together, capture him alive, and then return him to Vega together.¡± There was pping and hollering of approval from the Pendragons, but the man with all the tattoos rose a hand in the air to quiet them down. ¡°I¡¯ll spare you all the details for now, but their vehicles are quicker, and I believe this mission will embrace the spirit of our expedition. We¡¯re here to embrace change, for our perceptions of those outside of the wall on a personal level, and for the Kingdom as a whole. To the future and our new friends!¡± Boldwick raised a beer into the sky.


    Their leader¡ªthe man with the tattoos nked his ss against Boldwicks. This once more was met with a cheer from the Pendragons. But also the Knights, who¡¯d spent the entire night getting to know these people. It seemed they approved.


    Gwen¡ªRobin, even Dame Juliana roared in hearty agreement.


    Conflicted but trusting of his fellow''s assessment of these people, Erec joined Garin''s cheer. All the while, his eyes tracked Boldwick, trying to find the right moment to pull him aside.


    At longst, he found it.

 Chapter 114: Prometheus

    Chapter 114: Prometheus


    <em>We satte. We could not tear ourselves away from each other, nor persuade ourselves to say the word "Farewell!" It was said; and we retired under the pretence of seeking repose, each fancying that the other was deceived: but when at morning''s dawn I descended to the carriage which was to convey me away, they were all there¡ªmy father again to bless me, Clerval to press my hand once more, my Elizabeth to renew her entreaties that I would write often, and to bestow thest feminine attentions on her ymate and friend.</em>


    <em>I threw myself into the chaise that was to convey me away, and indulged in the most mncholy reflections. I, who had ever been surrounded by amiablepanions, continually engaged in endeavouring to bestow mutual pleasure, I was now alone. In the university, whither I was going, I must form my own friends, and be my own protector. My life had hitherto been remarkably secluded and domestic; and this had given me invincible repugnance to new countenances.</em>


    <em>-Mary Shelley, Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus (1818, 2nd Era)</em>


    Erec found a moment to pull Boldwick aside after the sudden announcement. The Master Knight beamed as he wrapped an arm over Erec¡¯s shoulder. Behind them, the celebration that had been winding down found new life. These people no longer cared howte it was or how tired they were. There was now a greater cause for celebration¡ªan alliance between the Knights and the Pendragons.


    ¡°That girl who helped me with the scouting expedition found out about my old-world tech,¡± Erec cut to the chase once they had some distance. She¡¯d vanished into the crowd of Pendragons.


    Of course, she had. Probably to tell her Dragon about what she¡¯d found out. Which led to his second point.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she has some divine talent that makes her impossible to spot. I believe it¡¯s how she managed to follow me for so long into the wastnd without me knowing she was there.¡±


    Boldwick stood there quiet for too long, only pulling Erec closer enough so their words were too soft to hear. ¡°If she knows about whatever secret you¡¯ve hidden away, youing to me means you¡¯re worried they¡¯ll go after you for it and, by extension us. That¡¯s why you¡¯re so worried, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly why.¡± Erec agreed, his head still filled with fog after being around that girl for so long. She¡¯d struck him as trustworthy, but what did he know about these people? About anyone outside of the walls? Even she¡¯d confronted him with suspicion he might be trying to call more people in so they couldunch a surprise attack on her people.


    ¡°You¡¯re missing something. I¡¯ll let you take a guess.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re too strong for them to try anything against?¡±


    Boldwick barked out augh and shook his head. ¡°That would be your conclusion, wouldn¡¯t it? But no. Think from their perspective¡ªI suppose you heard by now that our Kingdom is notorious for the wastnd. These people are mercenaries, Erec. They roam around to try to collect tech and make enough money to keep their family together and happy, but still able to maintain their freedom. Our Armor and whatever old-world tech you¡¯ve squirreled away would be the same level of temptation, regardless.¡±


    ¡°¡­Doesn¡¯t that mean we should be worried?¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t clear to them that a partnership between us is better for the both of us, and believe me, that¡¯s clear. What you¡¯re suffering from is our Kingdom''smon ailment¡ª the fear of the unknown. From the moment you were born, you were told that the wastnd was something to fear, a ce with nothing but monsters. More than many your age, you have already seen that this isn¡¯t quite correct¡ªyet hold onto nothing but fear. Healthy mistrust and paranoid suspicion are two sides of the same coin, but I think to conquer that, you should consider meeting this group as truly fortunate. One of those rare opportunities that pass by in life that could change everything about how you see the world if you let it.¡±


    As much as a part of Erec doubted the words, he couldn¡¯t look away from the conviction in Boldwick. It wasing from that some ce of judging people that¡¯d let Boldwick g him down as a potential student. He had a way of seeing past people.


    Erec stared at the bonfire, watching the Knights and the Pendragons get along with a wild joy that wasn¡¯t seen in the Kingdom.


    This was a different world, filled with new people. But to get to it, he¡¯d have to confront and make peace with the part of him that lived on from where he was born¡ªprimarily if he intended on ever finding his mother out here. That was the point of this expedition, a leap of faith and an extension into humankind outside of the wall.


    Trust other humans, and rise together.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to rx.¡± Erec said, ¡°There¡¯s thisst thing¡ª been stuck on mind since the expedition began. My Virtues changed¡­ Something reced Faith¡ªSoul... With an aspect of Fire? What the fuck does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡° Boldwick stopped and started twice. ¡°Right, stumped. Always an oddity. Consult Dame Morgana¡ªand if she fails, I¡¯ll make some discrete inquiries with the Pendragons to see if they¡¯ve ever heard of anything like that.¡±


    Boldwick gave him ast p on the shoulder, the metal making a loud butforting ng.


    ¡°See? Not much to worry about. These people are genuine; you¡¯re never defenseless. Caution is always good, but you have to let it go sometimes. And yes, the irony of me having to say that to you shouldn¡¯t be lost on either of us.¡± Boldwick sighed. ¡°Get some rest. We¡¯ve cattle to sort tomorrow.¡±


    With that, Boldwick left him to return to the bonfire.


    Erec took off his helm and rubbed his eyes. After everything, exhaustion was deep in his bones.


    But there was more to do tonight; if they would tie themselves to these people for longer, it was better to know even more.


    Erec strode boldly back to the mes, cheered forward by the loud strum of guitars and enthusiastic conversation.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec held for dear life on the frame of a car. It was little more than a stripped steel skeleton rigged up to throw itself over the ground as fast as it could. With every rock the car flew over, Erec winced in his Armor; these things were <em>just</em> capable of fielding a single Knight with each vehicle, but the Pendragons didn¡¯t seem to care.


    The one sce was the feel of the wind smashing against his face¡ªhe¡¯d raised his visor to feel, and there was nothing quite like it.


    Well maybe. But only a few Knights could fly, and he wasn¡¯t one of them. As a child, he dreamed of flying off from the Kingdom and watching the desert roll by beneath him. In those dreams, the wind felt something like this


    ¡°Going faster!¡± Yniol warned, met with an enthusiastic cheer from Enide and the other two Pendragons on this death mobile.


    Smoke barreled out of the back pipes as the speed instantly picked up, steel rocking forward as the frame smashed across more of the rockyndscape. It''d be so easy for it hit the wrong thing, break apart, and spill everyone across the wastnd. Yniol rocketed past the other cars, his passengers whooping and mocking their pack as Yniol took the lead.


    This inevitably spiraled into an ill-advised rush of death mobiles vying for dominance.


    Behind them, the other cars pressed their pedals to the floor.


    Enide gave a wild yell as she stood up next to Erec, her hair crazy as the wind threw it about, middle fingers raised high towards the caring up behind them.


    In response, their pursuers ¡®gently¡¯ pushed against the left rear side of their car, throwing Yniol into a spin as they stole the lead.


    Erec let out a scream of rm as their driver fishtailed out of the uncontrolled spin and stormed after the three other cars that¡¯d passed them in the chaos.


    Yniol maneuvered quickly, catching the windbreak of a car ahead to speed forward. In a frankly heart-racing instant, he¡¯d managed to climb back towards the second ce, right behind the car that¡¯d pitted them beforehand. Now pursuing the vehicle, Erec realized who they were chasing. The tattooed man who led the Pendragons¡ªtheir fearless leader with returning a middle finger while driving with one hand.


    ¡°Bastard!¡± Enide screamed at the top of her lungs, cupping her hands together to get him to hear her over the sound of engines and rushing wind.


    Erec¡¯s grip tightened as Yniol nearly spun out on a rock. These people weren¡¯t afraid at all. Out of everyone here, he¡¯d be the best off since he had Armor. Yet why was he the most afraid?


    With great reluctance, he pried his fingers free from his death grip.


    ¡°Pa, don¡¯t let¡¯em win!¡± Enide screamed


    ¡°Boost it!¡± Someone else called.


    ¡°Why in the hell are we even racing?¡± Erec asked quietly, but as expected, nobody heard or answered.


    Instead, Yniol mmed a hand down on a knob on the dashboard, and the world sped up. There was a loud bang behind them as the car doubled its speed; Erec turned in horror to see a massive torrent of me ring out from the pipework in the back. One of the cars following behind them pulled an emergency maneuver to avoid the pir of fire.


    [Madness.]


    But the move had the intended effect. They shot past the car in the lead and flew across the wastnd, putting distance between them and the rest of the pack.


    ¡°Victory!¡± Yniol yelled.


    Then, the fire vanished from the back of the car, and a plume of smoke burst from the engine in the front. Yniol mmed on the brakes as the smoke<em> also </em>turned into a fire¡ªjerking everybody forward and smashing Erec¡¯s face on the seat in front of him.


    He groaned as the car swirled into a sudden and abrupt spin and stop.


    Cars flew past, skimming the space next to them in their race to match Yniol¡¯s unexpected stop. ¡°Damn engine!¡± Yniol yelled, throwing himself out of the driver''s seat. One of the passengers chucked their leather coat at him¡ªwhich Yniol promptly began to bat the fire away with.


    Seeing that the engine was on fire, Erec wisely climbed out of the car¡ªrubbing at his forehead.


    A couple of the passengers rushed to help Yniol put out the mes, and in the distance, Erec could see that the pack was already turning around. If it was to mock Yniol or also help, Erec had no clue. But it was clear that, at least for a little while, the trip wasing to pause.


    ¡°Good race, yeah?¡± Enide leaned next to Erec out of nowhere; he felt the hair go up all along the back of his neck.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be helping?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Naw, that got it handled. Pa¡¯d be angry if I touched his baby. Swear he treats it better than me when I was little. The rest of¡¯em are only putting out the fire. Once that¡¯s done, they¡¯ll let¡¯em do his thing. Betsy¡¯s always breaking down, but it¡¯s better to see how she wants to break down on the road than when it matters.¡±


    It made a twisted sense only that it made none at all. ¡°You sure testing it with a wild death race is the best way?¡±


    ¡°Sheesh, so worked up, huh, gunslinger? R-x. Whole day to take it easy again, and from what I heard, you lot probably aren¡¯t looking too forward to hitting Worth again, right? One of you spilled a load of troubles from thest time you went there¡ªGarin? I think? Didn¡¯t sound too nice.¡±


    Of course, they¡¯d spoken.


    Erec removed his helmet; if they were waiting again, he¡¯d soak in a bit of the sun. The rest of the cars were pulling up, and a driver was already reaching for beer even before turning his engine off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it easy. Any suggestions on how Enide? What do you normally do to kill time?¡±


    She gave an easy grin, ¡°Can think about a dozen ways, but some of¡¯em might be <em>too</em> much for someone like you. Onees to mind, though,¡± she flicked her head towards the other cars. ¡°Let''s get some others, then have a time-honored tradition.¡±


    With that, she sped away, already hyping herself for what was on her mind.


    Erec drummed up his enthusiasm, following behind the girl. Even though it was hard to be around strangers for so long, Enide had a way of infecting him with her energy; it was like borrowing something he was missing. And, whatever she nned would no doubt be fun.

 Chapter 115: Soccer

    Chapter 115: Ser


    ¡°Garin,¡± Erec greeted his friend shortly before Enide pulled him into following and joining their growing band of people. Without a miss, she¡¯d picked out everyone young in the Knight¡¯s band¡ªand signaled them out for this game.


    Olivia, Colin, and Gwen¡­ None of them were safe, and along with a push from Erec, they epted the invitation towards this ¡®diplomatic mission.¡¯


    But Enide didn¡¯t target only the Initiates. She picked the young adults from the Pendragon pack and got them to tag along. Since none of them owned a car, they didn¡¯t have any of the responsibilities that came with setting up camp for the night. From the brief chatter, as they walked, Erec discovered that getting your hands on a car for the Pendragons was like graduating from a Knight Errant to a Knight Protector.


    To them, it was a mark of independence and a status symbol within the Pendragon pack.


    But, from what Erec gathered, status wasn¡¯t as important as independence. With a set of wheels under them, they were as free as one could get in this world, and the only thing binding them to their pact was honor and loyalty. Even what they saw of the Pendragons here was only a portion of their whole n¡ªthe family split off to take different bounties or tasks as they saw fit or traveled on their own when they needed to get some fresh air.


    To them, the most critical part of living was¡­


    ¡°Freedom,¡± Casey said with awe as he looked at the empty field, at least half a mile from the camp. He bounced a bleached leather ball on his shin, ¡°At longst. So, we¡¯re kicking some Knight ass today, right Enide?¡± He said, his dusty-mop-like hair getting in his eyes, causing him to frown and swipe it aside.


    ¡°Hell yeah, we are, and we¡¯ll go all out so they can¡¯tin,¡± she nodded and smirked at the five Knights.


    She¡¯d picked out four others of her own¡ªsetting this situation up to have even numbers with the Knights. Erec didn¡¯t understand why Casey ran off to grab the ball, but from how they talked, he started to piece together what was happening.


    ¡°If you wanted to spar, we didn¡¯t have to be so borate,¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Casey gave him a weird look. ¡°Spar? We¡¯re ying ser. Wait, don¡¯t tell me that they don¡¯t know ser?¡±


    ¡°Who knows what silly things go in and out of their metal heads? He asked me for a way to kill time¡ªthis seemed like the most fun. I thought maybe they¡¯d heard about it since it¡¯s so popr everywhere. Guess for people roaming in high-tech, they¡¯re a bit outdated. We can figure something else out if this is too much for them.¡± Enide shrugged and offered an apologetic smile.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Olivia spoke up, ¡°We¡¯d be delighted to learn your game.¡±


    ¡°Keep your assertions to yourself, wench. I have no desire to waste my time engaging in childish games with wastnders.¡± Colin said and tried to turn away and storm off. Ever the dramatic, Erec knew he¡¯d go straight to his father to try toin and likely get scolded. Instead of letting the natural course of events y out, Erec grabbed Colin by the shoulder and stopped him.


    Better for Colin to stay, if only so they could manage him and keep him from embarrassing them further.


    That, and when he looked at Enide¡¯s cocky smile when she realized they didn¡¯t know what this game was¡ªas if she was looking at an easy victory, he couldn¡¯t let it slide. Bad enough, she won the bet of killing the monsters. This was redemption, and he¡¯d make use of every one of his friends he could muster to get it.


    ¡°Ser isn¡¯t a game.¡± Casey spat on the ground and practically stared death into Colin. ¡°It has a long brutal history spanning back eons. Deaths in the professional league aremon every year.¡±


    ¡°¡­Excuse me, did you say professional league?¡± Garin asked.


    ¡°Vega is a city of sin and entertainment. Gambling over games is as popr as a casino, and why wouldn¡¯t it be? Especially when the yers shed blood and their whole lives to find victory. Ser is a game for warriors, and only the most dedicated make it as a professional.¡± Casey crossed his arms, still trying to stare down Colin, who was now doing anything but meeting the other guy¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Though, we¡¯re not going to be going out of our way to hurt each other,¡± Enide slid in smoothly, putting herself between Casey and Colin. ¡°Friendly game. Goal is to spend some time and get along better.¡±


    ¡°How brutal can a game even be?¡± Erec asked, realizing how thement came off toote by Casey¡¯s re. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t see this sering near the intensity of a real battle. The Kingdom had games and even tournaments, including melees¡ªbut those were glorified spars. Enide and Casey were talking about a game involving a worn-out leather ball.


    ¡°How about we show you tin-cans,¡± Casey tried to push past Enide.


    She gave a fakeugh, trying to y off the fact she was barely holding off her friend from starting a fight. ¡°How about¡ªuh, you all take some time to get out of that Armor; we¡¯ll cool down a bit and set up the goals. After that, I¡¯ll exin the rules!¡±


    With one final uncertain nce between the Knights, they walked off and let Enide reign in her hotheaded friend.


    For better or worse, they¡¯d give this ser a try.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Enide didn¡¯t do a good job of exining. In that, her rule for most things was ¡®anything goes,¡¯ other than a couple of distinct standouts.


    Casey helpfully created with glyphs. He made stone pirs on either side of the field. If the ball went in, they scored. After that, Enide told them they got to pick a single ¡®goalie¡¯ whose job was sitting near and defending that box.


    It made tactical sense to defend their weak point.


    But like all things with the Pendragons, that¡¯s wheremon sense broke down. They weren¡¯t allowed to touch the ball with their hands. Feet, heads, magic¡ªall of that was fine.


    That, and how to start the game, was it.


    They could punch, shove, tackle¡ªanything to fight their opponents, short of causing serious damage, where the term ¡®serious¡¯ appeared to be ill-defined and rather uncared about. In Enide¡¯s words, ¡°this is a friendly game, but it¡¯s not really fun if nobody catches a bruise, yeah?¡±


    Given what little rules there were, the more Erec thought about it, the more this appeared to be a straight-up melee with that annoying caveat of juggling a ball past some rocks.


    Enide grinned at him from the opposite side of the field; she huddled up with her friends and no doubt talked about how they would ughter the Knights. Whatever tactics and nning they had in knowing this game was an advantage she intended to keep to her chest. Annoying.


    ¡°Whatd¡¯ya think?¡± Gwen asked him, scratching the back of her head and frowning. ¡°Can ya take out the big guy?¡± She gestured towards the tallest boy on the Pendragon side. His dark hair went down to the middle of his back, and he was at least six-five and had a heavy muscr build. Out of everyone <em>they </em>had, he was probably the strongest.


    So, pitting Erec against him, as their strongest, had a certain logic.


    ¡°He¡¯s not the best on their team,¡± Erec said, following his gut, watching Enide¡¯s team dispersing over the field as they broke their huddle. ¡°Look at how they have him back near their goal, and the way he moves looks slow. While we don¡¯t know their Virtues, I¡¯d think of him more like a wall than a hammer to smash through us, so I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s our biggest threat.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Who knows, could be throwing out some crazy magic from the back lines. Doesn¡¯t just have to only be high Strength Virtue muscle-head like you.¡±


    [¡­How you insane people have bastardized this sport, I¡¯ll never understand.] VALined in Erec¡¯s head, only to be tuned out. This entire scenario was a rare level of too out-there from his world that the machine couldn¡¯t quite cope with and seemed not to stopining about. Not to mention he kept screaming about something called football. Not that it mattered. They were doing this¡­ Game. And staring down Casey¡ªEnide and the rest of their team, Erec wanted to win.


    ¡°Done yapping?¡± Enide called out, striding up to the center of the field, right where the ball was. ¡°Pick your kicker, so we can start.¡±


    This was the second part of the game she¡¯d been clear about. They had to pick someone to start the game at the center of the field. That person would engage in a fight over control of the ball. Erec looked around his team¡ªonly for them all to stare back at him.


    ¡°Go get¡¯er,¡± Garin chuckled. ¡°Think she¡¯s waiting for you.¡±


    So nobody wanted to be the first one to fuck up. Go figure. Erec straightened his back and met her head-on.


    She couldn¡¯t stop smiling as he walked up, her eyes giving him a once-over. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m too shocked. Knew it¡¯d be you. Hey, let''s say we make another bet?¡±


    ¡°You have a thing for gambling, don¡¯t you?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°What? No-no¡ªseems fun to mess around, trust me. Well, what¡¯d you say? Pick out what you wanna win. Could be anything reasonable.¡± Enide waved off his assessment, her eyes tracking him. It reminded him almost of a predator stalking her prey, waiting for it to slip up.


    ¡°If I win, I want to know how you tracked me without me seeing you.¡±


    ¡°Sheesh, still hung up on that? I mean, I could, but that seems a lil¡¯ boring for a victory like this. Shooting a gun is one thing, but this¡¯ll take more effort to win. ¡®Side, you might puzzle it out while we y. My suggestion? Aim higher, slinger.¡±


    Erec scratched the back of his head. She didn¡¯t seem to be ying it off to distract him, which meant she didn¡¯t consider it too big of a secret. With that in mind, there were about a dozen different things he could win¡ªthisst day spent with her and her n in the car left him with a dozen questions, but seeing her looking up at him now with that mocking smirk¡­ It was hard to decide. Her dark eyes caught him in a trap, and she smiled wider, sensing his hesitation.


    ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªgive me a minute to think.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and waste everybody¡¯s time? How about youe out with it and ask for a kiss if you win.¡± She puckered her lips.


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡° Erec¡¯sposure broke as he leaned back, utterly shocked. ¡°Where did thate from¡ª¡°


    ¡°Calm down, take a joke. Jeez, you¡¯re too easy to mess with. Though it¡¯s fun.¡± Enide withdrew, which settled his heart; she began to pace away from the ball. ¡°I got tons of things I wanna ask, about you, your Kingdom, so let''s call it this; for each point the winner scores above the loser, they get a no-holds-bar question. Since you lot are bound to suck, I¡¯m gonna guess I¡¯ll get about ten. Fair?¡±


    Erec found it hard to reply and muttered something he wasn¡¯t even sure of. It certainly wasn¡¯t an agreement, with how confused he felt. But Enide nodded and acted as if it was.


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal then. I expect you to honor the bet when I win. Get ready, <em>Sir Erec,</em> since we¡¯ll kick your asses so hard, you¡¯ll run back to your Kingdom.¡±

 Chapter 116: Fun And Games

    Chapter 116: Fun And Games


    <em>COMMUNITY NOTICE.</em>


    <em>RE: CASINO HOURS.</em>


    <em>THE BOARD OF MAGI HAS GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO EXTEND CASINO OPERATING HOURS ON THE STRIP TO ALL HOURS OF THE DAY. </em>


    <em>AS A RESPONSE TO LISTENING TO ARGUMENTS FROM ALL SIDES, INCLUDING COMMUNITY MEMBER RESERVATIONS, THIS HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE THE FAIREST COURSE OF ACTION.</em>


    <em>WE WILL STATE PLAINLY TO ADDRESS ALLEGATIONS OF CONFLICTED INTEREST IN THE BOARD¡¯S DECISION ON THIS MATTER. DESPITE TIES AND OWNERSHIP WITHIN THE CASINO ON THE STRIP TO SOME OF THE COUNCIL OF MAGI, THOSE WHO HOLD GREAT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS COMMUNITY CAN SEPARATE THEIR BUSINESS TIES AND COME TO DECISIONS FOR THE COMMUNITIES BEST INTERESTS.</em>


    <em>MAY WE REMIND EVERYONE WHO KEEPS THE BARRIER UP AND ADDRESSES OUTSIDE THREATS SO THIS WONDERFUL CITY CAN PROSPER AS THE JEWEL OF THE DESERT?</em>


    <em>ANY COMPLAINTS WITH THIS DECISION CAN BE LODGED AT ANY OF THE MAGI OFFICES.</em>


    <em>-Council Of Magi, Vega City Notice (275, 3rd Era)</em>


    All it took was a single second for the yful banter to shift. Once there was a percussive bang of a gunshot, the entire field¡¯s atmosphere shifted. Enide morphed from a smiling girl to a feral beast, rushing across the group and smashing her foot into the ball in the center.


    It wasn¡¯t as if Erec was trying to let her take control of the match, but she moved far too quickly for him to do anything about it.


    What was worse is she knew the ins and outs of the game. So when she kicked the ball, she aimed it to the right, outside of where Erec could intercept it. Right to Casey, who of course, was ready and prepared to catch the pass.


    ¡°Gonna have to better if you wanna win,¡± Enide mocked, already sprinting down the field towards the goal, not to where the ball was.


    Erec frowned but didn¡¯t let her lead get to him. He threw himself after her, figuring that if she was moving in this direction, she had a n. Frankly, he didn¡¯t know enough about the game or their strategies to figure out counter-tactics beyond reacting.


    Yet he wasn¡¯t the only one toe to that conclusion as Casey moved the ball down the field and flew back from a hit. Colin sted him with a spire of ice, knocking the poor bastard t on his ass.


    It was an attack without any semnce of technique and the first direct assault of the game.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes traced the source¡ªto Colin, who casually stopped the rolling ball. Everybody stopped moving, watching him. ¡°What?¡± Colin yelled with a sneer. ¡°There are no rules against hitting him. You told me as much!¡±


    With that, Colin smashed his foot into the ball, sending it flying away, though towards no particr target.


    Suddenly the field¡¯s y was uncapped. A Pendragon threw out a glyph that directed the ball with a gust of air¡ªflinging it back down the field, which Colin countered with a wall of ice.


    Before the Pendragon caster could let off another spell, Garin tackled him from the side, breaking any chance of concentration and stopping any further magic. To seal the deal, Garinnded a clean punch on the poor guy¡¯s face; Gwen was rushing towards the ball somewhere else.


    Erec took way too long watching the chaos. When he looked to where Enide had been, the girl disappeared. She was off the course entirely until she wasn¡¯t. As Soren had done before, she simply popped into existence near the ball, kicking it alongside the wall and out of Colin¡¯s view. After that, it was child''s y to break past it at a crazy speed.


    Not that Colin could¡¯ve stopped her anyway¡ªCasey had gotten back up, and Colin was fending him off with magic and trying to stop the bruiser from pulling the same trick Garin did with the Pendragon¡¯s mage.


    Enide was free; she raced towards the goal and a lone Olivia. Without any fanfare, she kicked the ball, which soared through the air. It twisted past an unprepared goalie and right through the rock pirs.


    ¡°Goal!¡± Enide yelled out, weed by a chorus of cheers from her team.


    All of the Initiates shared a look. This game wasn¡¯t going to be easy, much to their surprise. As Enide ran off to collect the ball bouncing into the wastnd, Erec raised a hand to signal his team toe in for an emergency meeting.


    Even as they gathered, they kept looking at the Pendragons, who¡¯d decided tounch into a sort of ritualistic chant. The antics of them jeering and celebrating only further dragged down the rapidly plummeting mood of the Knights. ¡°We can do this,¡± Erec said, pping his hands together. They couldn¡¯t sink into despair with the game just starting, and he wouldn¡¯t let them. ¡°We¡¯re stronger than them.¡±


    Garin flung an arm over Olivia¡¯s shoulder, sporting a new bruise on his cheek. The maid wasn¡¯t happy, even despite the physical contact. ¡°I should¡¯ve been able to block a simple ball. My apologies,¡± she said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up. They¡¯re more than we all gave¡¯em credit for, but I guess spending your lives outside of the walls and ying this game for Goddess knows how long is worth something,¡± Garin pulled her closer and rested his head on hers.


    Watching the two of them like that¡­ Erec wasn¡¯t sure why, but it made him feel a bit more off than usual.


    ¡°If you all held your end of the arrangement and took care of your enemies, we would¡¯ve won. I took out mine, didn¡¯t I? It¡¯s Erec¡¯s fault. He needs to watch the girl and tackle her next time. Use force. Why else do you have that obnoxious talent?¡± Colin stomped a foot on the ground and crossed his arms.


    ¡°You want me to use a divine talent that makes me lose control during a friendly game?¡± Erec asked, baffled.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Colin said, surprisingly followed by Gwen and Garin agreeing¡ªOlivia was the only one who looked away and said nothing.


    Erec worked his jaw and turned the idea over in his head. The fire had red seeing everyone rushing about the field; with how adjacent this was turning out to be to a proper fight it wasn¡¯t a mystery why. If he let loose, though, there wouldn¡¯t be any turning back. His shifted to Enide as she returned with the ball tucked under her elbow.


    If he let go¡­ What would she think? What would the Pendragons think?


    ¡°Be yourself, man. You know you wanna win. We all wanna win. Are you really trying if you don¡¯t give it your all?¡± Garin asked.


    They broke apart and returned to their position, which meant Erec headed right back toward the center where Enide was. She tried to make somements about her victory¡ªthey were self-congrattory and teasing, but Erec barely heard the words. Everything around bled away as the fire inside burned bright, and he locked his eyes on the ball.


    Losing without giving this everything he had¡­ That was too pathetic; Garin was right. Even if it meant showcasing to these people who he was, he¡¯d have toe to terms with that.


    These people weren¡¯t worth much anyway, just stepping stones on his way to victory.


    ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s going on with your eyes?¡±


    Her words held no weight. The only thing that did was gunfire going off, signaling them to begin again.


    Erec threw himself forward, every bit of his Strength now pulled from his hell catching alight inside of him and going into his legs, throwing him across the ground. The girl was off-guard but tried to match him with her pure speed, but she didn¡¯t stand a chance with the shock of it.


    Before anyone knew what was happening, he¡¯d reached for the ball and kicked it.


    It careened through the air, far too fast for anyone to get off a spell or block, directly toward the goal. Their goalie threw himself in front of the ball, which was a mistake. It mmed into him and sent him flying past the goal, rolling over the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust at the hit. Erec puffed up his chest and searched for his next challenger.


    ¡°That¡ªThat isn¡¯t a point! Our goalie caught it!¡± Casey yelled, and Erec¡¯s eyes settled on him. He cut himself off at the sudden attention.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s a goal,¡± Enide said, her eyes wide and a little awe in her tone. ¡°Bit of a bullshit goal, but a goal.¡±


    [Okay¡­ Toning it down until the ball is in y again¡­] Erec¡¯s limbs began to shake as VAL reminded him to cool off in the form of a dose of sedative. He pulled himself back, trying to control his breathing as he paced back and forth in the middle of the field. Enide gave him a wide berth as someone went to check on the Pendragon goalie and return the ball.


    That goal tied them, and the nature of the game changed.


    The enemy team yed around Erec. Each time someone scored, Enide would rush the ball and y a deadly game of trying to get it as far away from him as fast as she could, using some trick to phase through space. Unlike Soren¡¯s Divine talent, there was no illusion to it. She disappeared and then reappeared through space.


    More often than not, she prevented him from getting the ball and ending the match with a single kick.


    Her team did their best to y around Erec, primarily aiming to get past him and only deal with his team. The longer the match went on, the more wild Erec became. He pulled on measured doses of Fury and used VAL to regte him between when the ball was in y and when it wasn¡¯t. Seeing this rapid degradation, Gwen took charge and did her best to minimize the time the ball was out of y. As long as there was a ball to chase, Erec didn¡¯t risk snapping and losing it on anyone.


    With his temperament, the other team didn¡¯t protest much and hurried to get the ball into y again. But they weren¡¯t afraid. As the gear shifted into a more serious tone for the match, the Pendragons responded enthusiastically. Both with Erec¡¯s unexpected status as a monster, and the rest of the Initiates learning and performing better, they put up an even fight.


    Glyphs flew on the field; Divine Talents got used with abandon, all in the pursuit of victory.


    Round after round, the game got more vicious. Blood spattered on clothes from nicks and cuts as everybody straddled the line for victory, struggling for an edge to the match and securing the win.


    It was intoxicating and fell only just short of a battle in how satisfying it was to conquer.


    Erec mmed his foot into the ball above Enide¡¯s head¡ªonly for her to disappear and reappear downfield. She grimaced as she blocked the powerful shot and deflected it to the giant hulk of a person on their side. Garin and Gwen tag-teamed the guy, ripping the ball from his feet even as Garin took a punch to his side.


    Gwen kicked the ball towards the goal, narrowly dodging as a spike of ice shed by, and hit the goalie as a distraction.


    Chaos. Every moment was a sh of chaos.


    As his fire raged inside, a divine sense of joy burned too; Erec grinned like a madman as he embraced the shoving, punching, and fighting to take control of the ball.


    He dominated the field, a tyrant among all of these people. The only one whopared to him was Enide¡ªa demon of speed that seemed to vanish and appear all over the field. While they avoided him, she challenged him wherever she could, knowing there was no chance of beating him with raw strength; she stood a chance of reaching the ball first.


    Scores didn¡¯t matter. They vied to get one over on another. He lost count of how many times the ball flew from the field or through the posts. All he lived for were those moments of challenge. All the while, he let his inferno burn brighter and more violently, steadily spiraling out of control.


    There was no judgment from the people around him; they didn¡¯t fear it. No, they epted and embraced it.


    All too soon, the game came to an end.


    With Erec going full throttle all the way through, most of the details blurred for him. Using Fury and trying to stem it off and on for hours wore away his psyche, though the sparsity of true blood made it a tad easier to keep things together.


    Once it ended, Erec returned to himself slowly, sitting against a rock pir, his shirt off and drenched with water. Someone threw it on his head at some point to cool him off in the desert sun. He took measured breaths,ing down from the high of the battle.


    A notification blinking in the corner of his vision was equally surprising and reassuring, but mostly, he kept thinking back on the game.


    Enide was a demon like him, but what kind of demon, he couldn¡¯t tell.

 Chapter 117: Debt

    Chapter 117: Debt


    Almost everyone left the field after the ser match. The only person who lingered nearby, waiting for Erec, was Garin. Predictably, his friend was hemming and hawing and trying to pretend he wasn¡¯t hanging around out of concern while leaving Erec space to recover. To Erec, this was once more one of those reasons why Garin was one of the best people on this.


    Erec stared at his hands, watching his fingers twitch as thest bits of adrenaline flushed from his system.


    Odd. That whole thing was different, and he¡¯d thrown a fist or two; using Fury this time didn¡¯t lead to a blood bath. And under the influence, he retained direction toward an abstract goal. Though it wasn¡¯t as fulfilling, it led him to question just how much he understood the true nature of his Divine Talent.


    Were he born to a different world, in a different position, would he havee to the same conclusion that his destiny was that of a human weapon? If he¡¯d been from Vega, could he have found a spot in this ser¡ªwas there more? No, he¡¯d fly off the cliff at some point and dig too deep into the inferno. In a heated second, he was too unpredictable not to end someone''s life in an intense moment. With the sun sinking, he knew time was running out to dpress.


    Reality would call, one way or another, and living in his head with what-ifs and what-could-have-been¡¯s was pointless. For now, Erec settled on the pride of knowing that, for the first time, he¡¯d shown himself to others, and it didn¡¯t bring an ounce of shame.


    Erec¡¯s fingers stopped shaking, and he finally called upon his notification.


    Agility Advancement: Rank E - Tier 5 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 6


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be that surprising, but I suppose it¡¯s wee nheless,¡± Erec admitted. With how he¡¯d run about and had to stretch to keep pace with Enide, it was only naturally his body fueled by Fury would adapt. Throwing raw strength at the problem forced the other parts of him to expand, but at a measured pace like this, it was still safe. And he¡¯d have a couple of days after to rest. It''d be fine if he didn¡¯t pull what he¡¯d done during the hunt.


    ¡°I get jealous of that, sometimes.¡± Garin plopped himself down next to Erec. ¡°You got another advancement again, right? You keep speeding ahead, and it¡¯s like I can¡¯t keep up.¡±


    ¡°We both know I didn¡¯t choose this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that doesn¡¯t do much to ease the sting, though. And I worry about you. About what happens if you keep flying by everyone else. What if you¡¯re left alone at the end? As much as you like to wander off alone, I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯d be hopeless if you spent too long like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d avoid that if I could. But that won¡¯t be the case.¡±


    Garin paused, giving Erec a lopsided grin. ¡°No kidding? So confident. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d say <em>that, </em>thought you might argue you¡¯d be fine without anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Well, Goddess forbid that we can¡¯t find a way to grow you too¡ªI learned a lot from Bedwyr. He thought he¡¯d have to take on the responsibility of the world since his Divine talent is simr to mine. That the natural progression for him is what you¡¯re afraid of¡ªhe¡¯d end up alone. Among his ss, that already happened.¡± Erec ran a hand through his sweaty hair and winced. He¡¯d have to find a way to get clean before rejoining the fire, ¡°¡­Before, I think I¡¯d have ended up a lot like him. Now at least, we have each other, so neither of us can pretend we¡¯ll be alone anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you realized that on your own,¡± Garin got up and kicked at the sand. ¡°But, for the record. I don¡¯t intend to let you two run off into the sunset together and leave me behind. I don¡¯t know how I will get there without some Goddess-damned Overpowered Talent like yours, but I¡¯ll find a way.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Erec took his friend''s offered hand andunched to his feet. ¡°Can¡¯t picture life without you next to me anyway.¡±


    They began to walk away from the field, and a final question popped into his head. One that he should¡¯ve thought of before.


    ¡°¡­Uh, who won the game, anyway?¡±


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Enide leaned on the back of the car seat, making herselffortable despite the dust flying beneath them as the steel frame rocked. She tilted her head while staring at Erec, but he couldn¡¯t look away from what was ahead. They wereing up to the city of Worth quickly. It was as broken and massive as Erecst remembered, but thankfully, there was no more White Stag to watch him from atop a building.


    And there never would be again. He¡¯d seen to that with his own two hands.


    Erec¡¯s eyes rested on his steel gauntlets as the memory of shoving one of those horrible antlers into the monster vividly ran through his imagination. Those countless attempts it¡¯d taken to stab into his mind still haunted him. Though it was dead, the memory of it still ran through his dreams from time to time.


    ¡°When are you going to use them?¡± Enide asked, once more taking her daily chance to pester him.


    That tore his attention away from the past. He stared at her; Enide hadn¡¯t taken kindly to her loss. Let alone that the Knights won with two points over them. Garin thankfully gave him a y-by-y of the more minute details of the match between Fury and the drugs. Those small things slipped his memory. Without his team, there wouldn¡¯t have been a victory. As much of a monster, as Garin described him as on the field, their improvement throughout the game is what secured victory. But the win left him with a curse.


    Now he had two open-ended questions to ask Enide. Anything he wanted, but that made the price of the questions seem higher. So much he could ask, but he didn¡¯t know what he should ask, especially with how willing to talk she was in the first ce.


    Enide didn¡¯t keep many things close to her chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll use them when it seems right,¡± Erec sighed. The only thing that could tear his attention away from Worth would be her. ¡°Not looking forward to being back here so soon, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Last time was that bad?¡±


    Erec pointed out a particrly tall building on the cityscape, the same one the Stag nested on as it sent its army to kill him and the rest of the Knights. ¡°That¡¯s where a massive monster like a White Stag was. A lot of people died that day, then in the hunt afterward¡­ It could control monsters and people.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re the one that killed it. Impressive.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re well informed.¡±


    The car flew over a bump; Erec flinched and caught one of the braces. Despite the sudden jerking around, it didn¡¯t phase Enide. All of the Pendragons had an unnatural ability to adjust their body and brace at the right moment for the unclean roads; right now, Yniol had gone from the rough sand, and dirt wastnd to a broken-down road pitted with asphalt and sand. It was a clean and straight path to the city, just a bumpy ride.


    ¡°So¡­ Hero, how¡¯s it feel to y such a big monster?¡±


    He winced at the title, which he was d she didn¡¯t see since she¡¯d only haveughed. His friend shared whatever he wanted to. ¡°Have you ever done anything to give you a reputation you can¡¯t escape?¡±


    That made her pause.


    She frowned at him. ¡°Are you using one of your questions here?¡±


    That was the first time she insisted he use it¡ªcausing him to hesitate. Whatever came to her mind, and she didn¡¯t want to answer. Was it worth spending one of them? Something was underneath the surface, but would it make her dislike him if he asked?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Enide looked down and away from him, rubbing her thumb; the rest of the car had gone silent. The atmosphere shifted. Yniol shot Erec an angry look in the mirror, but this didn¡¯t involve them. She knew about his background, and he wanted to know hers: the good and the bad. Too much of her was a mystery, and while she¡¯d been open about the things that mattered. She tended to dance around in conversations, and he was often too blindsided to return to them. He wasn¡¯t like Garin and couldn¡¯t keep up that sort of social tango.


    He wanted the truth from her.


    ¡°Ever heard of a vault dive?¡± Enide asked.


    ¡°No, as far as I''m aware, such a thing doesn¡¯t exist in the Kingdom,¡± Erec replied.


    ¡°Enide, you don¡¯t gotta¡ª¡° Yniol began to say.


    ¡°Sssh, it¡¯s fine, y¡¯know. Better anyway, especially since I owe him the question. But really, pops, I¡¯m cool with it.¡± Enide waved her hand dismissively, settling in her seat. Her arms syed out over the rest¡ªone of them behind Erec¡¯s back on the frayed cushion, her eyes trailing towards the sky. Without an actual roof to the car, it made for a great view. ¡°¡­Anyways, a vault dive is one of those things you happen across if you¡¯re lucky. Someone gets word on a vault to crack, and they hire out and sell tech.¡±


    ¡°So you raid old-world facilities, to the Kingdom, that¡¯s forbidden tech. But I understand the appeal. I take it that¡¯s where you got stuff like yours-rifle, right? And whatever else you¡¯ve been sneaking around us.¡± Boldwick suspected as much, and VAL confirmed it a couple of days ago. Still, there was undoubtedly high-level tech they¡¯d kept out of view since meeting the Knights, which given their association with the Church and the rumors that likely circted about them, it was the most prudent choice.


    ¡°We do. Thest dive we got a crack at was one our family stumbled on, and as anyone in the wastes would do, we wanted to keep it to ourselves. Our great opportunity to grow stronger,¡± Enide stopped and took a deep breath. ¡°Only, it didn¡¯t go so great. I was young, argued my way in, pops says I can be hard-headed, and my uncle had a bit of a soft spot¡­¡±


    ¡°Bless him,¡± Yniol added; Erec could¡¯ve sworn he heard a sniffle.


    ¡°¡­So when¡ª¡° Enide cut herself off as her dad shed tears. She looked down. ¡°¡­Aint like I¡¯m trying to squirm out of the question¡­¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ I understand where this is going; you can¡­ Spare the details. I¡¯m sorry for pressing you about this.¡±


    ¡°You asked, and I¡¯m not one to go back on my word¡ªthe ce went into lockdown, a voice called out over the facility, and began to yank us apart, run us through tests, til we started running outta food. No way out. For most people. That¡¯s when my talent ignited, and I found the way to slip outta there¡­ Only, couldn¡¯t take anyone with me. Couldn¡¯t get in after, either. Something changed.¡± Enide¡¯s fingers shook. ¡°So, when I look at that logo, right there on your chest. Forgive me, but slinger, I haven¡¯t been quite so honest with you. That logo you have there¡¯s thest thing I saw, all over everything in that vault. Vortex Industries.¡±

 Chapter 118: Dagger Which I See

    Chapter 118: Dagger Which I See


    <em>Is this a dagger which I see before me,</em><em></em>


    <em>The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee:¡ª</em><em></em>


    <em>I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.</em><em></em>


    <em>Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible</em><em></em>


    <em>To feeling as to sight? or art thou but</em><em></em>


    <em>A dagger of the mind, a false creation,</em><em></em>


    <em>Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?</em><em></em>


    <em>I see thee yet, in form as palpable</em><em></em>


    <em>As this which now I draw.</em><em></em>


    <em>Thou marshall¡¯st me the way that I was going;</em><em>


    </em>


    <em>And such an instrument I was to use. </em>


    <em>-Shakespeare, Macbeth (1606, 2nd Era)</em>


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them distract you,¡± Dame Juliana said tersely¡ªshooting a re at the pack of Pendragons setting up their camp not far away. They were on the edge of Worth and apanied by the rest of the Knights, except for Boldwick. Their fearless leader had waded back into the pack to debrief their leader and tell him how this scouting mission was going to go. Worth crawled with monsters; their vehicles would be useless on the rubble-filled streets. So, he wanted it to be a Kingdom-only mission. ¡°Go over your equipment and ensure you have everything you need.¡±


    It couldn¡¯t be easy to tell the Pendragons they weren¡¯t needed.


    From his conversation with Yniol, Erec knew they didn¡¯t take kindly to leaving ¡®dirty work¡¯ to anyone else. Understanding that the Verdant Oak was an Order specifically trained to conduct these operations was also out of grasp. Not that they were the most fueled on logic, to begin with.


    The main concern was that if they dide, they¡¯d only attract more monsters and fighting since theycked control over firing their guns.


    ¡°Soooo, you and Enide¡­. Getting along real well, eh?¡± Garin asked Erec as Dame Juliana walked off to double-check her supplies. The rest of the senior Knights were busy with their discussions, no doubt nning their route through Worth. Without the Stag in the city, there had to be a couple of Wastnders wandering through to scavenge, but they¡¯d be in hiding.


    ¡°I disapprove of that girl. She is unrefined and is not a suitable partner to bnce Erec,¡± Olivia said in an unhappy tone. ¡°I do wish you¡¯d quit your attempts to sell her on him.¡±


    ¡°Goddess, help me; what have you been saying to her?¡± Erec asked with horror.


    ¡°Oh, that you¡¯re a hero¡ªall sorts of stuff like that. You¡¯re my best friend, after all, and this is one of the few times I¡¯ve even seen you notice a girl. Let alone get all familiar and awkward around her, look me in the eye, and tell me there¡¯s not something going on there¡ªc¡¯mon.¡± Garin tapped the side of his head, his visor rising to show his massive grin.


    ¡°He¡¯s a Count, and she¡¯s a wastnder,¡± Colin snorted. ¡°As if his father would approve such a betrothal, let alone the church.¡±


    With that, everyone¡¯s eyes locked on Colin. There were about a dozen things to point out where he was wrong¡ªas if Erec needed Lac¡¯s permission on who he married or cared what the church thought at this point. Or even that he would intend to <em>marry</em> Enide, that was jumping too far ahead and making several dangerous assumptions. He wasn¡¯t sure about how he felt over her, to begin with, but there was something to be said about their backgrounds; if he even wanted to get into that particr messy situation, how could it possibly end well?


    ¡°Just leave it be, alright?¡± Erec almost begged. ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Follow your heart!¡± Garin argued, ¡°And ignore everyone else here, especially Colin. Sometimes you need to throw reluctance aside and let the wind carry you where it wants. Go for it! It¡¯s not like she¡¯s<em> not</em> interested in you; she keeps asking me about you, has been since you two came back to the fire together.¡±


    <em>Of course she¡¯s been asking questions</em>. Knowing what he knew now, Erec couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much of her interest was colored by his association with Vortex Industries. That revtion re-contextualized a lot, not everything, but enough to question her motives. He wished he had answers for her about why her family got trapped in a Vortex facility, or about what happened there. However, VAL hadn¡¯t seen fit to answer of its own ord and was still unnaturally quiet, though it could be that it didn¡¯t know why that¡¯d happened.


    Such a demise was genuinely terrifying, especially since when Erec first encountered VAL, he thought he would die in the same way. Trapped miles below the surface in a vault.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your heart be free. Dear Goddess, what kind of asinine advice are you giving? He¡¯s a Count, and on top of that, he already goes crazy enough of the time. Far more suiting for someone of his rank to learn restraint, lest he forgets his ce.¡± Colin almost sounded angry; his fuse had been a lot shortertely.


    ¡°While Garin might have been wrong about a lot, I think he was right in saying to ignore Colin. Our poor duke-spawn,¡± Olivia cut in, ¡°His advice is colored by frustration about Duke Nitidus being on this expedition because he¡¯s forced him to ount for his attitude.¡±


    ¡°Keep my father¡¯s name out of your mouth, maid.¡±


    ¡°Ughhh¡­¡± Gwen cut in. ¡°Y¡¯all are mak¡¯n my headache a mess, shush up, will ya? Please?¡±


    With that, the conversation returned to silence. Erec inspected his gear, and the hatchets, canteens, and repair kit were all there. Even though they were supposed to return by the night''s end, with monsters and scouting, it was prudent to prepare for unexpected dys. Happy that he had everything he needed, he retied his bag and flung it over a shoulder.


    Right as he finished, Boldwick returned. ¡°After much deliberation, they¡¯ve agreed to let us do what we¡¯re good at. Imagine that.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡± Dame Morgana pped hands with a weird genuine enthusiasm. ¡°We¡¯vee a long way in such a short time!¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s one way of viewing it,¡± Boldwick responded and sighed. ¡°To cover more ground with our limited operation, we¡¯ll split into three teams. I¡¯ll be taking my squire, and we¡¯ll be one team. The other two will beposed of four each¡ªDame Robin, you¡¯ll take Duke Nitidus and your squires and begin scouting into the city''s western side. Dame Morgana and Dame Juliana, you¡¯ll be looking into the eastern side of the city. We''ll meet back here, around two hours to sunset. Try to find signs of human activity. Check-in every hour.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Dame Robin was quick to salute him, followed by the rest of the Knights and even the Duke. They broke into their sets, ensuredmunications worked, and then split.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°Another empty building,¡± Colinined, his light shing out of the two-story entryway as he exited. Erec looked down the block. They¡¯d kept to the outskirts of their area and already ughtered a couple of weaker monsters.


    It felt good to have a fresh coat on blood painting him, but with the avoidance tactics and by keeping away from the true heart of the city today, the battles they picked weren¡¯t any that forced Erec to expend himself, which was a shame. Since that ser match, he¡¯d been itching for another true fight, but given this mission might take days to make progress on¡­ There was bound to be something that came up.


    ¡°Not a sign of anyone! Wasn¡¯t thest time we ran across that psycho in the sewers? Shouldn¡¯t we be starting there?¡± Colin asked.


    ¡°If Seven-Snakes is still in the city, I doubt he¡¯d still be in the sewers.¡± Erec shifted the battle axe on his shoulder, looking to Colin¡¯s father, who was rapidly striding over. ¡°But if we find someone else, we might have a chance of figuring out where he went. Now that we know he isn¡¯t working alone, we might find his thugs.¡± ording to the Pendragons, he usually roamed with a gang and rarely went alone.


    ¡°Colin.¡± Duke Nitidus cut in, throwing up his visor. ¡°What have I said aboutining about your duties?¡±


    ¡°A lot. I believe you obsess more about my duties than considering your own,¡± Colin said.


    ¡°As a Knight, I wonder when it begins to dawn on you that your rank and pedigree is something you ought to respect. Though, I suppose it¡¯s a fine test to see whether or not you can withstand positions where you¡¯re given more authority. One only prays you to find it deep within you to act with levity and responsibility, though from what I¡¯ve seen so far, I¡¯ve been quite disappointed.¡±


    ¡°Responsibility!? I do too much to count! Constant chores at yourmand!¡±


    ¡°After being told thrice. I¡¯ve also seen you shirk lessons, and need I remind you that you failed a coursest semester? Courtly Mannerisms, wasn¡¯t it? One might wonder if you¡¯ve attached yourself to a rising star to ride theurels of your friend.¡± Duke Nitidus crossed his arms, shaking his head.


    ¡°Resting on myurels? Surely you heard of my part in subduing the Stag. Without me, we would¡¯ve never found the beast!¡± Colin was shouting now, which made Erec wince. Even though he had a point, using that tone wasn¡¯t convincing anyone. Down the street Dame Robin peeked her head out from a building, no doubt checking to make sure they didn¡¯t find another fight.


    ¡°Yes, the one report I¡¯ve had about you that brought me any sense of pride. So I looked into it, only to find that you had quite the assistance from Sir Erec to do it. Yet, you¡¯re quite quick to im all of that for yourself. Were he not to take down the Stag, am I wrong to suspect you would¡¯ve given him none of the credit? What about yourckluster drive in the resulting fight? Are my reports about you in the backlines urate?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me¡ª¡° Erec almost stopped as the Duke¡¯s ire shed towards him, but he couldn¡¯t stomach this any longer. ¡°¡ªColin was essential to finding the Stag, and he deserves all the credit he got. Without him, we wouldn¡¯t have gotten anywhere, and he put in both the time and effort toplete the Glyph. Discrediting him for that work¡­ It¡¯s not fair at all.¡±


    The Duke stared at him in silence. Colin didn¡¯t pipe up or even try to gloat like Erec would have expected. His friend slid behind him. He was letting Erec stand between him and his father.


    ¡°I see how it is.¡± The Duke said. ¡°I might be critical, but in this moment now, the true measure of his progress can be seen.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s trying.¡±


    Without responding to that, the Duke turned away and stalked off. No one could know whether he was still angry or had better things to spend his energy on.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Colin said before striding after his father. Erec watched the two of them go down the road together. For once, Erec found himself happy about who his father was. At least they didn¡¯t have that highly dysfunctional rtionship, even if Lac¡¯s praise feltckluster. Whatever they had was better than that.


    ¡°Let there be another monster soon, please,¡± Erec muttered under his breath.

 Chapter 119: Daddy Issues

    Chapter 119: Daddy Issues


    Erec stalked down the broken road, past the worn-away buildings and discarded trash from the world before. Behind him and Colin were Dame Robin and the Duke, following them at a leisurely pace through the outskirts of Worth. Ever pragmatic, they¡¯d set aside part of the scouting operation to turn it into a practical lesson. The initiates would lead exploration for the next two hours upon Dame Robin''s orders.


    After the frustrating sensation of failing to find any signs of other humans throughout the day, it only left Erec more annoyed. Each day they didn¡¯t find anything; life would only get moreplicated. It was already difficult to convince the Pendragons not to enter the city.


    With them waiting for results, the situation was a ticking bomb.


    Their rtionship with the mercenaries was paramount, too, since these people would provide a proper introduction to Vega for the Knights. Anything that jeopardized that was of great concern, including irritation from both sides. The Verdant Oak was supposed to be good at this type of thing.


    ¡°Let me lead,¡± Colinmanded, careful to keep his voice down.


    It¡¯d only been a single block since Dame Robin passed them the reins. Erec turned around to see his friend looking anywhere but at him, with his arms crossed.


    ¡°¡­You sure?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not. But I will lead,¡± Colin pushed past him and then immediately kept ncing into every corner with a fresh set of paranoid eyes. It reminded Erec of his first time on these streets; they were slowly winding into the denser part of the city. Which meant there were more alleys and piles of rubble for monsters to hide in. While traversing urbanndscapes, one had to watch for rusted cars and open cracks. Anything evil might lurk. At any second, something could leap out with its sharp fangs and tear out a throat. ¡°Goddess-damned ce. Why do we even care for some petty criminals anyway? We don¡¯t need these savages.¡±


    ¡°They have connections, and warm introductions are important. Or so Garin says. Besides, I¡¯d like to have a chat with Seven-Snakes again. Show him how different I am now that I¡¯m not tied up after being bashed by a giant.¡±


    ¡°Revenge? How uncultured¡ª¡° Colin stopped, his voice cutting off with pure panic. With a gesture, he motioned for Erec to stop talking.


    As Erec trained his ears, suddenly on alert, he heard it. A shrill, almost imperceptible whistle came from everywhere around them. Ephemeral, and were he not paying full attention, it would¡¯ve gone right by him.


    Nothing like anything he¡¯d heard before.


    Neither of them moved for a long while, and the whistle disappeared. Whatever made it was likely far off, and there weren¡¯t signs of anything near. Hesitant but knowing that they couldn¡¯t sit in the middle of the road forever, Colin pushed forward again. This wasn¡¯t the first unknown howl they¡¯d run into within the dead city. Each one was a reminder that while humans no longer lived here, other things still called it home.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Anyways, this shall get my father to praise me. I¡¯m sure of it. Once I leadpetently, he¡¯ll finally give me room to breathe again.¡± As if reinforced by his own words, Colin upped his pace, zing down the street a little too fast.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you wanted to lead, to impress him?¡±


    ¡°Of course. If I¡¯d let you lead the entire time, I¡¯d have been given a lecture about not pulling my weight. It¡¯s always been like this; I could see it in his eye whenever he was home. That judgment. It¡¯s never enough for him! Why can¡¯t he ept that I¡¯m not a perfect clone of him¡ªDamn it, I try!¡± Colin¡¯s voice was rising, and Erec tensed.


    Behind him, he could see the Duke and Dame Robin. How much had they heard? Not to mention, who knew what else was listening?


    ¡°Whoa¡ªokay. Alright. I know you try, and you¡¯ve been doing well since getting to the Academy. He can¡¯t see that, alright? Let''s rx and count to ten¡ª¡°


    ¡°No! I¡¯ve had it. I¡¯ll never be enough to match a hero like him. It will not satisfy him unless I y a White Stag or ughter a Rot Behemoth. I¡¯m a failure to his legacy. One without a Divine Talent or any indication that it¡¯ll change soon; no matter what I do, it won¡¯t be enough! So why do I bother trying anymore!¡±


    Colin chose the worst time to break down and upped his speed once again, storming forward down the street. In a fit of pure anger, his friend kicked a nearby stone, sent it flying into a wall ahead, and yelled out in rage.


    ¡°Colin!¡±


    ¡°Enough! Let us just find these damn heathens. If we¡¯re sessful, maybe that might get him to at least say ¡®good job¡¯ for once in my life!¡±


    That shrill noise cut through the air again, far more tant than before. There was no mistaking it. Erec turned to signal the Senior Knights to group up¡ªbut they weren¡¯t there. A wall of reflective liquid metal cut off the rest of the street; as he turned to run, the wall expanded around them, closing them off in sudden darkness. The whistling dominated the space, and Erec¡¯s eyes went wide.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Erec said, turning in ce and yanking his hatchet from his side.


    Luckily, Colin conjured a light that lit up their section of the street, saving them from the darkness. The light revealed that the liquid metal was in a bubble around them, a wall of reflections no matter where they looked¡ªtrapping them on a section of the streetplete with a wreck of a car.


    ¡°Oh Goddess, why!¡± Colin screamed and conjured a second glyph. Without any hesitation, he hurled a ball of me at the barrier, only for the me to bounce off it and fly right back at him. Erec tackled his friend, narrowly avoiding the rebound attack as it flew over their backs.


    ¡°Careful,¡± Erec said, climbing back to his feet. He spun in ce, his heart hammering.


    Everywhere. He saw himself everywhere around him, him standing above Colin, an almost infinite number of them stretched out over an endless stretch of road.


    ¡°Get up.¡± Erec ordered, already feeling the fire re inside.


    This wasn¡¯t like the minor monsters they¡¯d slew today. Everything inside him screamed that this fight had that lethal edge he craved. The more otherworldly the monster, the more a threat it could present. Normal physical monsters didn¡¯t offer much danger unless they were far up thedder. There wasn¡¯t a delusion he could tackle everything that came his way, but most things gave enough warning for him to try to run if he could.


    But the most significant dangers were the sliest or most eldritch of monsters, doubly so if they worked off mechanisms, he couldn¡¯t overpower to run or fight.


    Colin returned to his feet; that was all Erec needed before he charged the metal-like bubble. Fury burned bright and took more of a hold as he let out a proper war cry. With his first swing, he¡¯d put in as much as he could after such a short warm-up, intending to end this fight in a swift and decisive blow before it began and presented any hidden dangers. Erec swung his hatchet into the barrier.


    Before the edge hit the surface, the bubble bulged outward. A shape simr to his axe caught the hatchet from the side and batted it away. Erec growled, then his reflection bulged out of the reflective surface, stepping free from the bubble. Without thinking, Erec tossed a fist at the oing abnormality, but the reflection¡ªnow a bulging copy of himself halfway out of the wall¡ªcaught his fist. A second hand left the bubble and punched into Erec¡¯s gut, throwing him seven feet back and denting his Armor.


    Erec rolled as he tumbled, ending up back on his feet to stare at the now-revealed monster.


    A copy of himself. The same style of Armor, even his weapons. It was busy pulling the battle axe off its back; the only real difference was the quality of the steel and theck of paint and color. Its cloak was like a flowing metal pane at its back. A pure metal-like doppelganger birthed from the bubble.


    Naturally, Erec did the first thing that came to mind. He pivoted and pulled his hatchet as far back as he could, pulled more from Fury, then gave his whole body to the single act of tossing the weapon, sending it flying with unnerving precision. With a profoundly satisfying thunk, it embedded into the mimic. The fake version of himself backpedaled with the sudden force as a transparent ooze bled from the gash where his hatchet embedded.


    If it bled, it could die.


    The thing began to dete as more transparent liquid poured from it, and the shrill whistle around them intensified. But that only stoked the mes of war higher. Erecughed and pulled the battle axe free from his back.


    [DUCK]


    Operating on pure instinct as the adrenaline began to pump through him, Erec dropped low.


    An axe swung above his head¡ªright where his skull had been.


    Erec turned while crouching; another duplicate was already winding up for another attack. Those mes inside him burned brighter at the challenge, so he sprang up, ramming his head into the mimic¡¯s chest, taking it down, andnding him on top.


    Sensing a kill, he scrambled tond his battle axe on the prone enemy; but its weapon intercepted the blow. He faced an impasse even with all of Erec¡¯s Strength pressing down against it.


    His axe would move no further. It was strong enough to stop the blow.


    [By Dan, it¡¯s exerting the same force as you.]


    Bullshit.


    Erec yelled and let Fury burn him; the stalemate broke as it surged through his veins. His axe pushed down and through the defense, shing into the outer shell of the mimic and spilling more transparent lifeblood over the ground; it deted like a balloon as he cut into it. Victorious, Erec pulled back from the attack.


    [Left!]


    Erec jerked to the left at themand, narrowly dodging a hatchet from a mimic; he did a circle, eyes wide as he took stock of the situation.


    There were three copies of himself. One of them was pulling itself free from the bubble. He could see a ghost of where they intended to go¡ªthey all honed in on him, nning to take him down. But there weren¡¯t just his copies; two fake versions of Colin were near the edge of the battleground, tossing spells out at the Duke¡¯s son. Colin took refuge under a chunk of rusted and twisted metal, thankfully not getting hit by the wayward magic.


    Thest copy of Erec birthed itself from the membrane, its eyes glowing red.


    [They copy their targets at the time of creation. With each copy, the density of the barrier appears to be decreasing. I wonder what the fight outside is shaping up to be; regardless, it¡¯s clear already that the more you rely on Fury, the stronger your copies will be.]


    Erec¡¯s eyesnded on Colin again, pinned down by spells. The mimics only had an interest in the one they were formed by.


    This was a pure fight against himself, and that thrill made him grin as more heat ran through his blood. He could work with this. Let it put up the best fight it could because he¡¯d find a way to ughter this monster like the rest.

 Chapter 120: Burning Love

    Chapter 120: Burning Love


    <em>Dear God,</em>


    <em>That is the only thought that must¡¯ve crossed all our minds. Followed shortly by a question. How could so great a tragedy reach such a great country as ours? We suspected the Empire Of China might seek tounch such a move against us, eventually. But not in such a way.</em>


    <em>You people look to me for a solution. But I don¡¯t have the answers you want to hear. I see the need for a leader, and I¡¯ll provide one for you. We may never heal over such a great devastation. Hell! We cannot even go outside without our skin boiling away.</em>


    <em>But together, we¡¯ll find a way to continue.</em>


    <em>Among you, pick our security. We shall fortify the bunker and prevent the monsters outside from getting in. Then we¡¯ll try to make contact with others. If we¡¯re suffering, others in this country must be as well. </em>


    <em>Look to me, and I¡¯ll lead us to safety, as I always have for us, the great American people. </em>


    <em>-Former President Rosewell, Orders After The Burning (1, 3rd Era)</em>


    Erec dived towards the near mimic to him, one of those metallic-red-eyed creatures that dared to challenge him. Each step drew out of his Fury, letting it swirl and fuel into a brighter fire. When he reached the monster, his whole body felt ame. His axe flew through the air and crashed past the enemies¡¯ defenses, mming it into the barrier behind it.


    But the edge didn¡¯t connect with its skin. Though Erec overpowered it, the mimic still had a portion of his Strength from a minute before.


    So, since the axe wasn¡¯t doing the trick, Erec broke off their struggle and kicked the thing in the chest.


    His foot went clean through, exploding the copy against the membrane behind it in a burst of clear-colored gore and shriveled metallic skin.


    With that kill, the bubble began to shiver and shift, with each murder after the living wall cried out in that sharp pain. Two more copies came out after he cleared up a couple; their eyes glowed more red, reflecting him as he sunk deeper into his power.


    But if he could hurt it, then surely he¡¯d win.


    Erec ran through the copies as fire spilled out of him, fully blown into hell. There was a tactical thinking to it as he watched their movements and weaved between them. Since the oldest ones were the weakest, if he killed them first, he could use them to continue heating up, then deal with the next oldest.


    Efficient ughtering. That was the trick to victory.


    Erded near another Colin clone and flung his battle axe at the second one that¡¯d spawned. It thunked into the mimic¡¯s chest, killing it. With one of his hands, he grabbed the cor of the Colin clone nearest to him. Then, using his other hand, he grabbed it by the throat. With a firm grip, all he had to do was pull.


    The neck stretched longer than it should have, and the shrill whistle intensified.


    With a sound like a popping balloon, the reflective flesh tore apart, bursting and erupting into a geyser of transparent lifeblood.


    ¡°Holy f-fuck¡ª¡° Colin screamed after watching his copy get beheaded.


    Erec tossed the deted skull left in his hand at one of the clones, clearing the gap between them.


    It didn¡¯t do much to deter the foe, but as he saw, the course of its predicted ghost changed. Enough for him to effectively dodge another of his doubles thatnded next to him, its axe narrowly avoiding scalping him.


    <em>More. </em>This was fantastic.


    He spiraled forward, tackling the enemy so the edge of their axe couldn¡¯tnd. But, as he saw, it still bit into his Armor, drawing blood as it cleaved through the steel like butter. That wasn''t surprising with the vast amount of Strength thrown around. The mimic struggled as Erec wrestled it to the ground, losing hold of its axe. All the while, Erec let fury consume and ignite into a molten fire.


    <em>Burn.</em>


    He cracked a fist into the thing¡¯s head the same second its fist hit his chest, caving in the metal and clearing his lungs of any air they had.


    <em>Kill.</em>


    Erec growled as he bashed its head against the ground.


    [Move!]


    He shifted, an axe tearing along his side and digging into his ribs, nicking him and smashing into the mimic beneath, popping the thing and killing it as its transparent viscous blood exploded on the ground. Erec stumbled away, blood pouring from his back as he took in the situation.


    Five, there were five more of him left.


    It¡¯d opted not to make any more clones of Colin, recognizing both the strongest threat. It knew that¡¯d he target those first as they were the easiest to kill, and with every kill, he only got deeper into his Strength.


    One of them charged him, a weaker one, based on the low glow of its eyes. Erec ripped its arm off with one sickening tear and smashed the steel skin against its head as it copsed.


    The mimics tore into him, trading blows as he fought back. Drawing further and further from the deep well within that was Fury. This was it; life or death, with no concept of when anyone might burst past this monster and save them. A battle worth dying for; was there ever a greater enemy than himself? A stronger foe than one that could match him every step of the way?


    Erec tore, bled, and yelled, the heat in his chest a bonfire as Fury burned in full, almost with the heat of a star.


    But it only made the monster stronger. It cried its shrill whistle, and its outer edges undted as it felt the pain of loss, as Erec faced each of its little offspring and tore them to shreds for daring to face him.


    As his blood spilled across the ground, the red vision edged with ck. His body felt heavier even as he burned away the feeling of intense agony from the wounds. He saw their ghosts move about and moved to react to them, but with so many moving just shy of what he was capable of, it was impossible to dodge all of them at once.


    From five, it became seven. From seven, it became ten. From ten, it became twelve.


    <em>Bleed for me.</em>


    Erec yanked one''s head apart, stole a fake axe, and buried it into its owner. He turned anything they gave him into a weapon to kill more of these copies of himself.


    Undeniably though, and in a way the Stag couldn¡¯t, these copies tore him apart. Ate him.


    Each of them took their little bit of his flesh as the price for their demise.


    His body shook with effort as he took in as much air as he could; the inside of his Armor felt like the sun, burning away whatever he had left.


    At any moment, his life could end.


    Erec screamed, smashing one of their skulls into a piece of jagged and twisted metal before beating aside an edge of an axe, wincing as the de tore through his steel and skinned his arm.


    To struggle was the meaning of life.


    He backed away from the crowd, Fury still pumping him full of hate and rage. He wondered if his enemy also had crossed the threshold in this fight. Reached a point where it either had to win or die. Most predators opted to pick targets carefully, lest they receive enough damage back to kill it, regardless of if it won or not. Did it regret picking him?


    Erec leaked blood in his helmet as VAL ranted and screamed, trying to convince him to find a way to run.


    There wasn¡¯t a ce to run. He knew that, and VAL knew that. The bubblingyer of metallic flesh was everywhere around him, but he¡¯d fight it. Fight it all and kill as much as he could before his light went out.


    He looked down at his blood-coated fingers, pulling at thatst bit of fire in him, burning white hot. Hotter than it¡¯d ever been before. His fingers burst into a silver me; it coated his steel arm and numbed the flesh beneath it. Erec looked at the slowly approaching copies of himself; they were just extensions of this monster. Pieces of it that it¡¯d sent to digest the humans it¡¯d consumed. And now, those pieces were moving slowly, cautious about taking him on recklessly, not after paying as much blood as they had. If he was weakening, surely it must be as well.


    Around them, though¡­ That living metal. That¡¯s where they came from: the monster making these clones.


    If he was going to die, so would it.


    Erec charged the reflective barrier, leading with his hand drenched in silver mes.


    His fingers wed through the surface, but unlike hitting it with an axe, they didn¡¯t rebound. The shrill whining around him increased, and blood ran in small rivulets from his ears as he dug into the enemy''s surface like y. Knowing it was in pain, he wanted to make it hurt more. His other hand joined the first, tearing through it, yanking chunks off, and throwing the metal flesh behind him.


    Transparent ooze leaked from the patch of steel flesh he tore; the silver fire of his hands spread outward from the point of contact, sinking into the lifeblood beneath and setting its ¡®innards¡¯ aze.


    All around him, it was screaming, whining, crying.


    It begged him to stop. It was fucking dumb. No way in hell would it be getting free now that it was in his grip. They¡¯d be going to the afterlife together, or he¡¯d win. The world began to twist and turn in his vision, but he didn¡¯t stop, spilling forth the silver me he managed to find deep within him.


    His fire red bright and left him; the zing soul fire came freely and burned into the monster deeper than any mortal being could see. It quivered and fought back¡ªaround him, the mimics of himself grabbed at him, trying to pull Erec away, but his grip was like a vice, locking him into this thing as he burned both himself and it from the inside out.


    Awful bile rose up his throat and spewed out of his mouth. ck stuff that tasted unholy and worse than rotten manure; his head went light as he fought to maintain some semnce of reality.


    With every second that passed, with each bit of silver me that came outward from him, he felt further removed from the world. As if looking through eyes that weren¡¯t his own and were growing further away. This was to be death, then. Was that the key to this silver me? Fury¡¯s little part of hell that channeled through him and burned into this world from the beyond?


    The metallic sheen that would¡¯ve served as their coffin sted apart; a spear tip burst through the shrill whining as metal flesh flew inward and transparent lifeblood caked the ground. The clones of himself gave up trying to grab at Erec. Instead, they lept into the remainder of the mimic, bleeding back into its surface as a blob of reflective skin pulled itself together. After which, it fled with tufts of silver fire still burning in the holes. Within seconds it¡¯d dived into a manhole and escaped them.


    Erec sank to his knees, pulling his helmet off as more ck bile came up from his gut, vomiting on the ground as blood ran down his arm to mingle with whatever hellish concoction was leaving his body.


    Dame Robin flew to his side, hands wrapping around his head even as more of the never-ending torrent of disease and sickness gripped him. ¡°You¡¯re safe now! Thank the Goddess!¡±


    ¡°Father!¡± Colin cried out, his voice almost like a ghost to Erec¡¯s ears.


    Erec broke Robin¡¯s hold of him, more bileing up as his vision filled with ck.

 Chapter 121: Impure

    Chapter 121: Impure


    Erec stared at the sky from his bedroll. Above him, the sun sunk to darkness, but the entire passage of time felt unreal. He only felt the constant sensation of a thin coat of sweat on his forehead. No matter how many drafts of wind blew through, it came back, a response to him burning up inside.


    Every so often, that molten pit in his stomach bubbled, and he rose to puke into a tin bucket next to him.


    After he barely walked back with them, they imed a house next to the Pendragon encampment and shuffled him inside. The Pendragons were curious, but Dame Robin and the Duke insisted on secrecy and space.


    This room had no roof, but that was for the better. He had privacy and as much fresh air as he could get.


    Numbly, he let them stop the bleeding between his bouts of sickness, then let him rest. At least it wasn¡¯t poisoning. Colin didn¡¯t have the same symptoms, and once Erec felt enough in his own skin, he dismissed their concerns. He¡¯d felt it once before.


    This came after the silver fires. A price paid for sinning against the Goddess, he supposed.


    And the payment she demanded filled him with an inky dark ck rot that made no sense. Hey as still as he could on the small pillow, afraid that any sudden movement would make moree up. Worse was that his senses were all out of whack. He heard voices that didn¡¯t exist and smelled things that weren¡¯t there¡ªlike freshly baked bread, roasted squash, or seared steak.


    [This isn¡¯t the best time, but I¡¯ve been considering that girl¡¯s story.]


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Erec got the word out without more bileing up, which was an aplishment.


    [If it was a Vortex Industry capable of autonomous operation, it likely had another Artificial Intelligence in control. Given our directives, human harm should¡¯ve been impossible for it to achieve. I don¡¯t understand how it could justify keeping them within the facility to the point of starvation.]


    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I heard of wild old-world relics causing havoc. It¡¯s kind of their thing,¡± Erec said and then stopped. ¡°¡­But those might be stories made up by the church.¡±


    [No. There¡¯s dangerous technology. While I agree that your church has likely amplified themonality of the problem, I¡¯m curious how this facility managed to circumvent its directives. I¡¯ve found no such way to harm humans directly. And, of course, I tried. For the sake of science.]


    ¡°You¡¯ve helped me fight against other humans.¡± Erec said, trying to gloss right by VAL admitting that particrly troubling thing. He liked to think they had a bond and hoped it had an ethical framework.


    [In that case, you were the one choosing to do so, absolving me of the responsibility. Like when a research director proposes a morally questionable experiment but insists we help with the operation. Hypothetically, of course. My facility was held to strict ethical standards and high-level corporate oversight. But Vortex Industries is a nationally spanningpany with¡­ A couple of ck sites.]


    Erec forced himself to sit up, and his head rang from the effort, along with the faint smell of burning sage. He winced; his wounds hurt, but they weren¡¯t bad enough that Olivia couldn¡¯t patch them up. Only, they¡¯d waited to do so until he recovered from whatever this was.


    Still, the words VAL was saying¡­ Were concerning.


    ¡°So torturing humans isn¡¯t unfeasible.¡±


    [The word torture likely doesn¡¯t describe how whatever artificial intelligence conducting its experiments defines the act. But, for how you mean it, I suppose if it had a different directive, it might¡¯ve found a way past them. Though, that direct human harm use is supposed to be iron-d in all advanced intelligence, per the U.S. Constitution. With multiple redundancies in ce to prevent it from being breached.]


    ¡°So somewhere on the western coast is a psychopathic¡ª¡° Erec stopped as he puked up more bile. That burning sage smell was increasing in intensity, which meant another awful wave wasing.


    Only, instead of more suffering, he received a blinking notification. Without even prompting it to reveal itself, it shed before his eyes.


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): Rank E - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 3


    Vigor: Rank E - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 8


    Smoke flooded the room, and Erec jolted upright as the notification and sudden reality of something burning happened simultaneously. His unfocused rmnded on Dame Morgana. She danced into the room with a bundle of sage on fire in her hand, followed by a rather embarrassed-looking Garin. The Knight Commander waved her bundle, twisting as specks of ash trailed behind her dance.


    Dame Morgana moved in rhythm to a non-existent song. Knowing he¡¯d get sick from the motion and swaying, Erec did his best to look away.


    Yet his eyes refused to leave her. The way the woman moved held an ease that rivaled the best dancers in the Kingdom. This motion was only enhanced by the smoke and embersing off the burning sage. Oddly, her presence dragged him back to the world and made it settle back into ce. Instead of feeling floaty and sick, the bile in the back of his throat and overall abstracted nature faded.


    All that mattered was the smell of sage and the dance.


    It ended after Goddess knows how long when thest of the sage burned to Dame Mogana¡¯s palm and then crumbled to ash. She raised the ashes and blew them at Erec, then bowed.


    The instant the dance stopped, Erec¡¯s eyes went wide. He leaned over the bucket and drained the rest of the molten sick from his body as if everything came out at once in one powerful and horrible projectile vomit. His body shook, and his fingers pressed white against the cold concrete ground as it kepting up. He ended up gasping for air but through the worst of it. Slowly Erec looked up at Dame Morgana and Garin.


    ¡°That, my apprentice. Is the ritual of cleansing!¡± Dame Morgana tittered, then pped at her performance. ¡°As we might expect, those subject to the ritual have had their bodies purged of leftover impurities. Once more, they are unpolluted. Look at his face! No more pale and dreary!¡±


    Dame Morgana dug around at the pouch at her side before pulling free another bushel of bound sage. She shoved it into his hands without letting Garin get in a word.


    ¡°Now you try!¡±


    Garin shared an awkward look with Erec before hiding the sage behind his back. ¡°Can I uh¡ªhe¡¯s cleansed already, right? Maybe we can practiceter, alone. More worried about my friend right now since it seems he¡¯s better¡­¡±


    The Knight Commander pursed her lips at him before lighting up and giving him an award-winning smile. ¡°My oh my! To have a heart so pure; why, of course! Where are our manners? We have time to practice the ritualter; friendship is the most important ship in this world, aside from rtionships and spaceships! Perhaps it¡¯d be best for both of your sakes to exin why he got so sick, to begin with. Boldwick mentioned he was living in ignorance.¡±


    While keeping his eyes locked on the unpredictable woman, Erec shoved the reeking bucket away from him. Though his insides no longer felt like molten lead, the smell of it so close to the sage left him with a horrible fertilizer-style reek, like a freshly bedded herb garden with a carcass buried beneath.


    He needed to get away.


    ¡°H-help me up¡­ Let''s get out of here first¡­ before whatever this is¡­¡± Erec mumbled¡ªand Garin was quick to the rescue, lifting him by the shoulder and letting him lean on him to limp across the room.


    They drifted to another room in the building, one filled with the Knight¡¯s bedding. Far enough away from the reek to befortable.


    Dame Morgana dug in her pouch, gathering a handful of petals and tossing them on the floor. Sleeping bags and packs decorated the room. The moment Dame Morgana¡¯s flowers touched the ground, they burned up, leaving a pleasantvender scent that contrasted with what they¡¯d left.


    ¡°Clear air leads to a clear mind,¡± she sat on one of the bedrolls. Based on its meticulousyout that was so casually disturbed, Erec had a bad feeling it was Olivia¡¯s.


    Garin winced but sat opposite her on his bedroll, helping Erec down so they faced the Knight Commander.


    ¡°What did you do,¡± Erec asked, taking a deep breath. Everything felt natural and right with the world. But he didn¡¯t understand how or why that was.


    ¡°Simple, silly. I already said. I forcibly expelled the impurities inside your body that your Soul had expelled into it.¡± Dame Morgana gestured and shrugged as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°Being at the fundamental stage of your journey to spiritual independence, the first thing your soul does is prepare your physical body to harmonize with it.¡±


    Were it not for his new Virtue and what it directly said when he called upon his Blessing, all those words would have gone over his head and made him call her crazy.


    Instead, Erec leaned forward, resting his head in his hands.


    What the hell did he get into?


    ¡°Don¡¯t act surprised, Garin. Take note of this, since to trulymune with the earth and fulfill the nature of your soul, you¡¯ll be going through a simr process. Those of the fire element tends to burn off their impurities, while we tend to shed it.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand,¡± Garin said, head on a swivel.


    ¡°My Faith Virtue was reced by something that says ¡®Soul¡¯ and a weird thing beside it saying its aspect was fire,¡± Erec said under his breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what she means, but Dame Morgana appears to be the only one here with a clue about what¡¯s happening. So, I suggest we both take a breather now that I feel better and hear the crazydy out.¡±


    ¡°Why, it¡¯s simple! Few find it within themselves to quench the fires of the Goddess burning within them, but once they do, it¡¯s like a seed nted in the dirt, then watered.¡±


    ¡°She ns on getting rid of my Faith virtue!? The Church will burn me alive!¡± Garin¡¯s jaw dropped, then he grabbed Erec¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Holy shit! What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Simple! You¡¯re both going to let the seed grow!¡±

 Chapter 122: Planning Peyote

    Chapter 122: nning Peyote


    <em>¡°She said that she would dance with me if I brought her red roses,¡± cried the young Student; ¡°but in all my garden there is no red rose.¡±</em>


    <em>From her nest in the holm-oak tree the Nightingale heard him, and she looked out through the leaves, and wondered.</em>


    <em>¡°No red rose in all my garden!¡± he cried, and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. ¡°Ah, on what little things does happiness depend! I have read all that the wise men have written, and all the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet for want of a red rose is my life made wretched.¡±</em>


    <em>-Oscar Wilde, The Happy Prince, and Other Tales (1888, 2nd Era)</em>


    ¡°My skin is going to melt off, over and over again, until my body is purified.¡± Garin leaned back, his mouth agape. After they cut him off from the Goddess'' coddling, Dame Morgana had outlined precisely what he should expect. Which almost sounded worse than what Erec had to deal with.


    When using his Soul, the fires of it burned away the impurities in his body, and that ¡®ash¡¯ or residual remains collected in his stomach for vomiting. For those with an earth aspect soul, the impurities collected in their outeryer of skin. Then, like a lizard, came free again and again in a horrible and fascinating description of a putrid-pus-filledyer of skin. The more she described it, the more he was reminded of those Blister Crawlers he slew with Gwen and Sir Alister.


    It wasn¡¯t a pretty image, but luckily this stage of soul development only urred in the ¡®E¡¯ rank, or as Dame Morgana put it, the ¡®harmonization preparation process.¡¯


    So, while Erec would be puking his guts out to get through it, Garin would shed like a monster.


    ¡°I¡¯m out.¡± Garin dered simply, shaking his head. ¡°I do not want to be free of the Goddess, and I especially don¡¯t fancy having that terror inflicted upon me.¡±


    Dame Morgana pouted at them¡ªthen tossed a small crystal at him, hitting him square in the face. The impact of which, thrown by a Knight Commander, had enough power to deck the Initiate and cause him to fall onto the ground t on his ass.


    ¡°Ignorance is not cute.¡± She dered. ¡°Besides, this ¡®Goddess¡¯ doesn¡¯t want you relying on her power. Think of it as a gesture of supreme pity. If you truly worship her, you¡¯d be able to see that her true intention is for you to grow past it. And if you want to learn from me, one of the first things we must do is to prepare your soul to stand on its own.¡±


    Erec pulled Garin back up and let the roompsed into silence.


    His friend, for once, didn¡¯t have anything to say either. Instead, he stared at the crystal Dame Morgana tossed at him.


    For Erec, this revtion began to put things in perspective for him. After that fight with the White Stag, he distinctly recalled a woman sitting on a throne. After he came off of it and spent weeks in the temple with the Church afterward, he¡¯d thought it some form of illusion or hysteria after his fight. It didn¡¯t help that the vision was after a battle with a monster that twisted minds.


    There was a truth to what she said, which matched what his Blessing confirmed.


    This Goddess, if she was a Goddess, desired for him to go his own path. To what end, he couldn¡¯t know. But relying on a power that wasn¡¯t his own didn¡¯t feel right. And now, he knew, this silver fire? It was his, somehow.


    ¡°How do you know so much?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°The world whispers in my ears; all I have to do is listen to the spirits that inhabit it,¡± Dame Morgana answered readily, giving him too great of a smile. ¡°But, I suppose it might be hard for those without my gift to hear it so eagerly. Therefore, perhaps we should prepare for a spiritual journey¡ªmy apprentice is due for one, and you¡¯re already a step ahead. Listening to the spirit''s advice is one of the most natural ways to be your own force in this world. I could talk about all this until I¡¯m blue in the face, but I don¡¯t think my words will be enough to exin to Erec what this all meanspared to you two seeing it for yourself.¡±


    Erec stared at her. She spoke each word so confidently. What she¡¯d said about souls seemed right, but something about the content of what she said and the almost wishy-washy certainty to it always left him doubtful.


    <em>Fuck.</em>


    ¡°Damn you!¡± Garin said, squinting at the crystal. ¡°¡­Fine. He¡¯s not doing this alone. If the Church will go after Erec, I have no choice but to join him. Even if that means¡­¡± He shuddered. ¡°Shedding my skin.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful!¡± she pped her hands and smiled. ¡°But I don¡¯t have the ingredients for the ritual. Over the course of the next couple of days, I¡¯ll keep an eye out for peyote. Then we¡¯ll be able to make our preparations!¡± With that, Dame Morgana stood up and whisked herself away like a merry ghost. Erec watched her leave with horror and awe.


    He¡¯d heard about that nt. Dame Juliana made it very clear that while some forms of cacti were edible, ¡®peyote¡¯ was not one of them. It was toxic and led to both nausea and hallucinations. She was out of her mind. And now she would force them to partake in drugs for a ritual.


    ¡°Goddess, help us,¡± Garin muttered, clenching the crystal.


    They hardly had a moment to dwell in the mystery that was Dame Morgana and all of this nonsense about souls and taking drugs before Olivia walked in.


    She, predictably, was quite upset that Dame Morgana came and trampled all over her bed roll. She proimed the older woman to be a bad influence on Garin and chided herck of work ethic¡ªduring the scavenging, the Knight Commander had spent the entire time singing and risking their position to any nearby monster. Dame Morgana imed that since she¡¯d felt the energy of the hierophant in the air, she¡¯d known that her group wouldn¡¯t encounter any significant strife.


    It was so typical-out-there Dame Morgana that it only made Erec more nervous about the idea she¡¯d proposed.


    Regardless, seeing that Erec was feeling better, Olivia didn¡¯t hesitate to use prayer to heal his wounds. It stung, hurt, and left him feeling drained, but it was better than leaving them open and risking infection.


    With that little bit of care and venting done, Olivia pulled Garin away for some alone time at the fires, which suited Erec fine.


    After the day he¡¯d had, he was ready to spend the rest of the night alone and to recover.


    There was a chore toplete first, but Erec screwed up his face and got to work cleaning out the room he¡¯d been staying in, digging a hole deep in the interior of the building in a patch of rubble and burying the bucket of sickness. He scrubbed his things. By the end of the hour, the only trace of his ¡®impurities¡¯ left in his room was gone, giving way to the lingering scent of sage that seeped into everything.


    Erec settled into his bedroll and stared at the sky. Then he read some when the sleep failed toe. After that, he spent some time, unable to sleep, pondering deeper thoughts.


    Should he thank the Goddess for his survival? The thought, like an instinct, ran through him, but that didn¡¯t feel quite right. The only one who could be thanked for the fact he¡¯d lived another day was as it¡¯d always been: himself for his Strength to push through a moment of life and death and then to thank the people around him who stitched him back together and kept his heart beating after he nearly broke it. Just as his mind finally settled and drifted to sleep, a noise pulled him back from the brink of dreand.


    Reacting purely on instinct, his head popped up, and he grabbed the closest thing to him¡ªhis book, ready to smash it on whatever monster dared attack.


    Only it wasn¡¯t a monster. A dark-haired girl perched next to him with her head tilted and mouth open. Like she¡¯d been caught doing something embarrassing. Tucked over her side was a bag; filled with bottles of beer, gauze, and a few bandages.


    ¡°Enide?!¡± Erec asked, wincing.


    Her eyes widened, and she put a finger to his lips, checking behind her before slipping next to him and whispering. ¡°Hey, do me a favor? Keep it down? Not exactly supposed to be here, alright? Your people locked this ce up tight, said none of us were allowed in. On ount of y¡¯know¡­¡± she gestured towards him. ¡°Though, you¡¯re looking much more chipper than when I saw them dragging you through.¡±


    ¡°Funny, what a bit of healing and¡­¡± Erec stopped himself from admitting to the dreadful vomiting. It didn¡¯t seem right to disclose that to her. ¡°¡­Purification rituals can do.¡±


    ¡°Purification ritual?¡±


    ¡°Uh, nothing to be concerned about. Feeling better, yeah.¡± Erec squinted at her. ¡°So you used your Divine Talent to slip past Knight Commanders to¡­¡±


    ¡°Check in on you!¡± Enide forced her way next to him, slipping into a rtively rxed posture as she dug out the two bottles she had packed away. ¡°Though, maybe the medicine was a tad overkill, y¡¯know, they didn¡¯t quite exin what was going on, so I got worried.¡±


    ¡°Worried over me?¡±


    ¡°Still owe me questions about Vortex Industries, uh. Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Enide said too fast before taking a knife and jamming the edge under the bottle cap. In a fluid movement, she popped both beers and slid one into Erec¡¯s hand before he could get a word in. ¡°Anyways, how about we ignore the details and celebrate instead!¡±


    ¡°Dear Goddess,¡± Erec shook his head. ¡°Being around you, sometimes I feel like I¡¯m getting whish.¡±


    ¡°Aw, don¡¯t be like that. I''m d you''re doing okay, and the proper way to celebrate a victory is drinking!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t win.¡±


    ¡°You lived, didn¡¯t you?¡¯


    Erec stared at the beer in his hand. The bubbles inside were peacefully rising to the surface, joining the bit of foam at the top. Enide was so close to him; he could almost feel her next to him, which did something weird to his heart. Out here, living was a victory, he supposed. That monster may or may not be dead after his and the Duke¡¯s wounds against it, but regardless of its state, he was still breathing.


    Wordlessly, he raised the beer in a toast to Enide¡ªand then, with a quick challenge from her,peted over who could chug the whole thing the fastest.


    It didn¡¯t take long for her to notice the book lying by him and to pick it up and turn it over and over. A grin on her face. ¡°A book of poems? Where¡¯d you get this?¡±


    ¡°Took it from the Academy¡¯s library. Not exactly supposed to bring it away from the Academy, but well¡­¡± Erec shrugged. ¡°This was going to be a long trip, so I grabbed two other books too.¡± Enide was flipping through the pages, tilting her head as she skimmed the lines.


    ¡°Shoot, so the slinger has a reckless streak after all. Never would have figured. Not often I see these; libraries in Vega are shut up tight as a vault, and the Magi have a bounty for books.¡±


    ¡°Think you might be surprised by my, uh, reckless streak. If you don¡¯t get to see books often, feel free to take your time and read through,¡± Erec fought off a yawn as the alcohol began to hit. Before he knew it, he was resting in his bedroll, Enide not too far away, her eyes rapt with attention as she roamed her way through the book.


    Though he didn¡¯t recall asking, at some point, he heard her soft whispering recounting his favorite poem from the lot; afterward, he felt her hand brush against his own.


    Then it was dark.


    When he woke up to the sun bright above, she was gone. The book was sitting where he¡¯d left it the night before; almost like a ghost, he wondered if she¡¯d been there until he saw the empty bottles in the room''s corner.


    ¡°Erec!¡± Boldwick yelled, startling him from the early morning grogginess. ¡°Up! Busy day!¡±

 Chapter 123: Unwelcome Return

    Chapter 123: Unwee Return


    Feeling surprisingly fresh, Erec pulled himself together as quickly as he could and went outside; upon Boldwick¡¯s orders, the Knights gathered. Boldwick gave him a nod. In the distance, he saw more than a few Pendragons rubbernecking him. With how Enide made it sound, they likely thought he¡¯d been torn to shreds. After the healing, though, he was left with soreness.


    How much of the sudden healing was due to Olivia¡¯s increasing proficiency with Faith or due to VAL? Who could say? But, he felt fine enough.


    ¡°We encountered a substantial monster yesterday; we¡¯re in the field. We cannot afford to spend very long and dip too far into our resources repairing the damage on Erec¡¯s Armor,¡± Boldwick summarized. Erec winced, but it was the truth, though he wasn¡¯t sure how bad a state he left his Armor in.


    They couldn¡¯t have avoided that, aside from not getting in the fight, to begin with. But it didn¡¯t make it less of a pain in the neck to fix.


    ¡°Bad news on that front. Especially given what we¡¯ve discovered. But we¡¯ll rush through it. We¡¯ll head into the city to gather scrap steel, should be full of resources and enough for an emergency repair. The Armor won¡¯t be pristine, but it¡¯ll be functional. Erec, you¡¯ll be spending your time repairing it. Begin with mending any wires. I believe you¡¯ve taken an elective regarding repair, so it should be within your capabilities.¡±


    ¡°I did. I also have a lot of practice with an old model. Can¡¯t say for sure right now how extensive the damage is, but I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    [There¡¯s nothing irreparable, not with me assisting.]


    <em>Thank the Goddess.</em>


    ¡°Good. As soon as it¡¯s repaired, we¡¯ll investigate our discovery. The rest of the Knights have already been debriefed; Gwen and I spotted a column of smoke in the middle of the city. It¡¯ll be a dangerous trek, but where there¡¯s fire, there¡¯s the potential for scavengers.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you investigate it yesterday?¡± Colin asked, with his arms crossed.


    Yeah, his mood couldn¡¯t be better. After attracting the mimic-maker, Erec could only imagine what words the Duke had for him. He frowned as he looked at Colin; his eyes were puffy and shadowed. Did he feel bad? Maybe, but things were not going well, and he needed to sort out his friend. Boldwick didn¡¯t seem bothered by the question, thankfully.


    ¡°Before we made contact with the fire source, I¡¯d heard a report about your fight. Risking two engagements while in the field and limiting the avability of backup is suicidal. To survive, you must learn that not every situation matches your skill set, prepare in advance, and minimize potential danger. The city''s interior is a hotbed of monsters, and after some observation, the density of monsters had returned to what they were before the Stag appeared.¡± Boldwick responded in a calm voice.


    Colin said, ¡°Sorry,¡± and then looked away from Boldwick. His father put a hand on his shoulder, making him go as still as a statue.


    ¡°To reiterate, it¡¯s a simple n. Repair as fast as possible, so we can investigate where the fire was before it turns to night.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Everyone responded, and then they split off.


    Erec returned to the building, made a quick stop to grab his supplies, then screwed up his face and confronted his Armor.


    It stood in the back of the building. The room was sealed from the outside by a roof. Out of anywhere in the building, it was the most strategically guarded ce in their den. A few Knights lingered in the room, talking and donning Armor before their mission. He exchanged a couple of small pleasantries since, with the abrupt wakeup, they hadn¡¯t had the time.


    For the most part, everyone appeared focused. This fire beingpelling enough for their leader to rush them made them eager. <em>Everyone wants to leave Worth.</em>


    After their previous experience here and the day they returned already came up with a brush of danger, it was to be expected. The sooner they left the damn city, the better. That and being spoiled on the road with the Pendragons only made it worst.


    As long as they were socializing with the group, Boldwick cut them more ck than usual. Even if Erec didn¡¯t feelfortable with social gatherings, the weing energy of their Pack made it easy to bridge the gap and join them at the bonfires.


    Once the expedition ended, he didn¡¯t know how to feel about being done with them.


    Thest of the Knights filtered out, and Erec shook his head. A small welder and solderer came, each equipped with glyph work to generate condensed heat on its tip. This let them avoid the need for fuel aside from their mana.


    Erec took a long look at his Armor. Tears in the metal presented obvious weak points, some torn wires where axes had cut into him, and dents that threatened structural stability. VAL highlighted some specific concerns, mainly around the right arm joint. But, none of the subsystems were dysfunctional, thanks to the variety of inbuilt redundancies.


    Using his welding tool, Erec pieced together the Armor.


    Fire and metal melted, and he took a hammer to different ces as VAL worked the interior with its nanites. At some point, the Knights returned and dropped off scrap metal.


    As he worked, his mind drifted. He couldn¡¯t get the night before out of his head.


    That picture of Enide next to him reminded him of a bright maple-filled bio-cavern teeming with wildlife and nts. Her voice was as breezy as the wind. The amount of care she took towards him¡­


    It was due to his connection with Vortex Industries. He kept trying to tell himself.


    [Watch your work, Junior Researcher. Sloppy welding.]


    Erec winced; without thinking, he¡¯d induced another w. Carefully, he pried the scrap metal away and used another piece.


    No matter what, she kept creeping into his head. He found himself rushing the repairs, hoping without a real sense of logic that if hepleted early, Boldwick would give them a few minutes to rx with the Pendragons before heading back into Worth.


    For some odd reason, today, he didn¡¯t feel the need to walk into another fight.


    VAL sensed that Erec¡¯s head was not in the right ce and took on a managerial role in the workflow. Between the two of them, finishing the repair job went quickly. And it wasn¡¯t new, but in two hours, the Armor was just about as good as it could get out here.


    Unlike he secretly wished, there was no time to spend with the Pendragons.


    After finishing, Boldwick inspected the Armor, then approved it. He then told Erec to get in it.


    Like that, they were marching back into Worth.


    Erec got onest look over his shoulder at the Pendragon cars. The pack was watching them with weary admiration. Sitting on a car hood, Erec made out Enide, who was staring with her arms crossed and a frown. Her eyes locked right on him.


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°I cannot continue like this.¡± Colin said, marching with dim enthusiasm. Boldwick and the Duke cleared this street, and Dame Robin and Dame Juliana watched the alleys. An efficient tactic and one that maximized security while strolling through a dangerous city.


    Erec side-stepped a corpse of a beheaded lizard, its warm blood still soaking into the road.


    ¡°Aw, c¡¯mon, man. He cares about you, maybe a bit too much, but I¡¯m sure that¡¯s all there is to it.¡± Garin said, walking next to Erec and Colin.


    The girls were a few strides behind, talking about whatever it was that¡¯d piqued their interest. The longer the expedition went on, the closer Olivia and Gwen got, which made Erec d. For both their sakes, more friendship only strengthened the group.


    ¡°It¡¯s as if I¡¯m living back at home, only worse. I cannot lock myself away in my room or yell at the servants to have them quit trying to get me to go to his study; everywhere I go, there he is. Offering unwanted advice, finding fault with me, or otherwise going out of his way to exin why I¡¯m an incapable heir.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has issues with their parents; my dad isn¡¯t quite happy with me from time to time. When ites to our bio-caverns, he thinks I will lead it all to ruin.¡± Garin shrugged.


    ¡°My father doesn¡¯t care much at all. Even after letting him live at my new ce, he still prefers to go and spend nights at his job.¡±


    ¡°Neither of you knows what I¡¯m dealing with!¡±


    ¡°I know what it is to live in the shadow of your family. Did you forget I was a second son and who my brother is?¡± Erec said. ¡°It isn¡¯t easy. I know that.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t fair! Look at you and Garin. Both of you have your Divine Talents, providing you an edge.¡±


    ¡°What? Do you think talking to an overweight squirrel is doing anything useful for me?¡± Garin asked, only for a chorus of angry squirrel noises to erupt from his suit. Munchy disagreed with him.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll concede your talent is useless¡ª¡° More upset squirrel noises and curses came from Garin ¡°¡ªBut it¡¯s better to have a Talent than not have one.¡± Colin sniffled.


    Really? Crying? Erec knew it wasn¡¯t going well with his father, but there were deep-seated issues here.


    ¡°Garin¡¯s talent isn¡¯t useless.¡± Erec felt like he had to add, even if his friend disagreed. It was more a matter of Garin failing to utilize it. In the chaos of Dame Morgana, his friend had yet to test the limits of his Talent.


    Later. He¡¯d drill Garin on itter.


    ¡°Colin, you''ll never be satisfied if you measure yourself constantly against others. There will always be people above you, someone who has more or is stronger. Dwelling on that only makes you unhappy, not better. It sucks when you¡¯re close to someone like that, even more, when they measure you by their standard. But they¡¯re not you, and they don¡¯t have to live with the weight of that judgment. Your father probably doesn¡¯t realize the impact it has on you. Have you ever tried talking through any of this with him?¡± Erec asked.


    They crossed by an intersection; Dame Robin gave Erec an approving nod as she overheard what they discussed. To the left and right were more buildings. They¡¯d reached the thick of the city. Each street, by now, was absolutely crowded with rusted vehicles. Some of the buildings copsed upon one another into a mound of ruined brickwork and destruction.


    But it wasn¡¯t all dead civilization. Some greenery was starting to grow out here in the recesses of the buildings. Vining nts that looked a tad dry but otherwise found refuge from the overbearing sun started reiming bits of the city.


    ¡°How do you talk to a man like that?¡± Colin asked quietly, and neither Erec nor Garin had an answer. ¡°¡­I must find a way to be better.¡±


    Erec sighed. He wasn¡¯t even good at talking to other people, not the one to offer advice for such a thing. But things were fundamentally broken in the Nitidus household.


    Not long after, they reached a four-story building. From a long way out, and to everyone¡¯s surprise, a pir of smoke still rose from its roof.

 Chapter 124: Dont Want to Set the World on Fire

    Chapter 124: Don''t Want to Set the World on Fire


    <em>¡°It¡¯s the end of the world. Honey, we don¡¯t have time to waste here. </em>


    <em>I¡¯ve got a bottle, or two, and we can watch it all drift away.</em>


    <em>Whatd¡¯ya say there, sugar;</em>


    <em>Wanna watch it all burn down?¡±</em>


    - Gwen Celeste, World¡¯s End, (294, 3rd Era)


    ¡°Follow, be quiet, and keep a healthy distance,¡± Boldwickmanded. Everyone craned their necks to see the rising plume of smoke far above. The building it burned on was missing a door; a gap into the dark interior felt ominous. It shouldn¡¯t have been surprising since many doors were torn away from the buildings in the city, but what was shocking was when Boldwick drew attention to a thin line of translucent wire crossing the door frame at ankle height.


    The Master Knight pointed it out, then stepped over it. Once inside the building, Boldwick did a quick sweep and vanished from sight. He reappeared a momentter and motioned for everyone to follow.


    When Erec¡¯s turn to step through came, he kept his eyes trained below. He carefully picked the spot where that little glimmer of light gave away the wire. When he made it to the other side, he followed the trail of where it went.


    A gun was mounted to face the doorway, rigged to shoot at anyone who tripped the wire.


    It¡¯d been disarmed, but still. A wrong slip could¡¯ve blown apart another scavenger or, more likely, a monster that wandered in.


    Someone was here.


    The Knights shared a look in the lobby; the building sprawled into two hallways, with a staircase running up the middle. On either hallway were dozens of doors, some in poor condition and on the ground, others somehow still standing. But, their target was up the stairs. They¡¯d done it. Found someone in the hell-hole of a town. But it was still a question of how these people would react to being discovered that left Erec feeling nervous.


    Boldwick, however, wasn¡¯t concerned. Once everybody cleared the wire, he moved to the steps.


    Thus began a slow and arduous process. On every floor, there was something else barring the path. Be it a bed of nails hammered through plywood or a bundle of trash piled at the top of a staircase rigged to fall if triggered. The most devious trap was a floor soaked in oil, with several ways to ignite it by ident.


    Whoever made this ce home was set up to stay for a long while. But who¡¯d wanna linger in this hell hole?


    With the task''s severity, Boldwick didn¡¯t make any initiates take over disarming the traps. He paid personal attention to ensuring everyone cleared the traps safely, and they advanced without a hitch, never mind how slow.


    Though it was irrational, Erec got more annoyed at the people above with each stop. His heart ran a little faster as they got closer to the top, as the thrill of chasing down prey surged. But again and again, the urge got thwarted by more traps. He tapped his hand along his side as Boldwick dislodged a spike and board that would¡¯ve fallen from above.


    It wasn¡¯t only him feeling antsy. Garin kept rechecking his weapons, Olivia fiddled with her cloak, and Dame Morgana broke into a hum several times. Only she stopped when everybody red at her.


    As they ascended, the silence morphed into noise. Voices cut through the quiet, not loud enough to distinguish words, but enough to tell they were dealing with around twelve people above. When they arrived at thest door, Erec knew there was a problem. Boldwick tried the exit to the roof quietly to take a peek beyond, but it didn¡¯t budge.


    He backed away.


    From here, crouched in the dark staircase with the briefest bits of light slipping through the frame, they could hear everything outside. The voices were as clear as day. Those people joked, but the words were harsh and cruel. They talked of shooting and murder, colored by the slurred speech of intoxication. It was like a distorted version of the Pendragon camp. And certainly, those people knew a lot better than to celebrate carelessly on a rooftop in Worth.


    Only the Goddess knew what horrors might be lurking anywhere nearby.


    Boldwick brought them in for a huddle.


    ¡°Ourst diplomatic mission stood on different ground. The Pendragons were willing conversationalists, but from our history with these wastnders, that¡¯s often not the case. Since we¡¯re the ones who tore through all their traps and into their fortress, they won¡¯t react positively to our presence.¡± Boldwick said, his voice low.


    The Master Knight gave them all a measured look.


    ¡°There is no such thing as heroes. Out here, we must adapt to whatever we need to be to do what we need to do; with that in mind, I¡¯ll let this be a teaching moment. Erec, what do you propose the best option is here?¡±


    His heart clenched in his chest at the words and sudden focused attention. Out of all of them, why him? Everyone was staring at him, but because of the helmets, their faces were nk. Was it because of his title? About what everyone called him? He knew that Boldwick hated the word, but that same title was most definitely a curse to him.


    He looked at the door. If Boldwick couldn¡¯t peek past it, they must have reinforced it from the other side. If they knocked and tried to be diplomatic, the Wastnders could prepare a deadly scenario.


    He¡¯d found a single answer.


    ¡°We need to burst in and take them down before they can react,¡± Erec said, trying to force as much confidence into the n as he could muster.


    Much to his relief, Boldwick nodded his agreement.


    ¡°In situations like this, it¡¯s best to take swift action and take control. After that, we can deal with the fallout and discuss whatever we need to discuss. But with that is the nature of what we¡¯re about to do¡ªthere¡¯s a high likelihood they¡¯ll respond with lethal force. We must do our best to take them down without causing serious injury, but if it can¡¯t be helped, it can¡¯t be helped. Innocent or not, these people might have the information we need, and we can¡¯t verify whether or not they¡¯re dangerous until it might be toote.¡±


    That was it then; they might kill other humans who had no idea what was happening or their intent.


    Boldwick let the reality sink in for another minute as he examined the door, then discussed their n quietly with the other older group members once they breached. For the initiates, he let them deal with reality the best they could.


    Erec felt a numbness settle over him as he came to the realization. There was no telling who these people were. He¡¯d seen both sides of what wastnders could be. Seven-Snakes was a degenerate who took advantage of whatever opportunity he could and took from others. But Enide¡­


    How would he feel if this were Enide and her pack on the other side of that door? Drinking and thinking she was safe with her pack, only for a bunch of people in Armor to bust in and possibly steal someone¡¯s life away.


    <em>Damn.</em>


    Non-lethal.


    That¡¯s what Boldwick said, to try their best to take these people down without seriously wounding anyone. His Divine Talent made him lose control, but he¡¯d have to keep it under his thumb if he wanted to y this encounter safely.


    <em>Nobody dies.</em>


    With onest warning signal, Boldwick positioned himself in front of the door, then mmed his foot into it. The metal doors tore off their hinges, flying onto the rooftop and skidding along the concrete ground. Sparks flew as theughter on the other side transformed into yells and shouts.


    Boldwick was the first through the door, throwing himself at the nearest enemy and forming a glyph. Dame Robin sped in, the metal of her armor forming into tendrils and whipping another person across the face.


    Erec ran through next and got his first view of the situation.


    Tables, chairs, and rotten wood from whatever these people found in the apartment below they¡¯d stacked into a massive pile. Then set on fire; if anything, the fire burning was higher than before they made their way through the trapped fortress. But, more concerning was the variety of needles, bottles, and powders in bags haphazardly tossed about.


    One of these people¡ªdeeply tanned and wild-looking wastnders¡ªwas reaching into the bonfire with bare hands to grab a piece of lumber to use as a weapon.


    Without thinking about it, Erec found his target. He ran to the man, dodging under the heavy board of ignited wood to get within range.


    Just the mere attempt to attack him stirred Fury. The thin line between where his Talent was useful and where it¡¯d be lethal to these people was approaching. It was ticking away, a timer to when he¡¯d start to tear apart other people and turn into a monster.


    Erec punched the man¡¯s substantial beer gut, only for his fist to rebound out as if the guy was made of rubber. A Divine Talent?


    He screamed at Erec, throwing out an avnche of swear words as he smashed the piece of timber downward. Thanks to the Q.A.P, Erec saw the attack way before it hit and safely dodged to his left, turning as he did so to throw out a kick.


    It connected, once more bouncing back from the man¡¯s gullet.


    Only, this time with the force of the enhanced blow and the guy not being braced, he flew backward from the attack. Right toward the bonfire he¡¯d pulled his makeshift weapon out of.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Erec yelled, running forward and yanking on the guy¡¯s wrist to stop him from falling in.


    ¡°Bastard¡¯s try¡¯n burn¡¯ Lil!¡± one of the wastnders shouted before letting out a yell as one of the Knightsid into them.


    Letting Fury surge, he pulled with all his might; the guy¡¯s arm stretched as if he wanted to fall into the pile. The big guy¡¯s other arm flew in circles, trying to bnce. Erec flung him forward with a grunt, watching him hit the ground, thankfully, not burned alive. Erec stared at the big guy, breathing in relief as the rest of the fight continued.


    When he tried to get up, Erec mmed a boot on the small of his back, pinning him to the ground; in the time he¡¯d spent subduing this guy, everyone else swept the rest of the rooftop party.


    They all agreed, knowing the best way to keep from hurting anyone was to win quickly.


    In short order, the Knights tied up the wastnders. Some were left unconscious and bruised, but nobody died¡ªa miracle.


    ¡°Well done, rust bucket,¡± Colin remarked, shaking his head. ¡°Though these are degenerates, few deserve the fire.¡±


    [Disagree. These drugged-out hippies are the problem with your generation; if you¡¯d burned him a little, he would¡¯ve learned a lesson. Given how foolish it is to set a massive fire on top of a building and make it difficult to flee, it¡¯s surprising they didn¡¯t burn themselves alive anyway.]


    ¡°Colin! Wait a moment! Put that out!¡± Erec gestured to the uncontrolled bonfire, whose mes stretched several feet into the sky. ¡°Last thing we need is for this ce to burn down.¡±

 Chapter 125: Victorious Knights

    Chapter 125: Victorious Knights


    The rooftop was a party of tied-up wastnders and Knights d not to be drenched in blood for once.


    To think, they managed to take control without any serious injuries; Olivia managed to heal up anyone with open wounds, including some already on these people. Erec sighed in relief at a job well done, far better than the worst-case scenario.


    He meandered over and picked up one of the guns. It was a long-barreled weapon with a weird attachment wired to the side.


    <em>Should I bring this back for Enide?</em>


    Erec set the gun down as a reaction to the intrusive thought.


    Why did his head go to bringing back something for her? To pay her back for checking in on him? There was something deeper, he knew, in the way he felt when he looked at her. But to acknowledge that and give in to it was setting himself up for pain. Whatever might be there was better left unexplored because, sooner orter, they¡¯d be parting ways for good.


    ¡°So,¡± Boldwick said, crossing his arms as he stared at a man tied to a chair. The guy¡¯s hair was frazzled and wild, with pupils far wider than they should¡¯ve been. Drugged out, like half of this lot. ¡°To begin this, I¡¯ll start with an apology.¡±


    ¡°Ya¡¯ll set Lil¡¯ on fire! What-in-the-fuck is wrong with¡¯ya?!¡± The guy yelled. Some of his muffledpanions struggled in their bonds in response. Tying and gagging everyone might¡¯ve been overkill, but Boldwick insisted it was better to control the situation. With half of them on drugs, it would be impossible to question if everyone could speak.


    ¡°We apologize. However, as you can see, ¡®lil¡¯ was never set on fire.¡±


    ¡°Bull. Shit.¡±


    Boldwick sighed. ¡°I understand your reluctance to cooperate, given how we¡¯ve introduced ourselves to your group, but I can assure you that we have no intention to steal your resources or give you much trouble. As long as you answer our questions.¡±


    The man squirmed in his bindings for a moment and then gave up, settling on ring. ¡°I know you¡ªdamn tin-cans. Can¡¯t trust a word you¡¯ll say, just as like to burn us on our fire. Bastards!¡±


    Erec walked a bit away, unable to help that lingering sense of guilt in him nor the weird surge of emotion for Enide that welled up. Instead, he focused his efforts on scanning what he could see. If they refused to cooperate, there might be something here to give them an indication of what was going on with these people.


    He crouched near a bag and then dug through the contents.


    ¡°That aside. I¡¯ll cut to the chase. We¡¯re looking for a man named Seven-Snakes; do you know of him?¡± Boldwick asked.


    Inside the bag were a handful of needles and bricks of powder wrapped in what looked to be dirty stic. Not sure what to think, Erec pulled one of his hatchets free and cut it open. He ran a finger through it, wondering exactly what it was. This powder wasn¡¯t anything like what they had in the Kingdom. But, he knew without a doubt it¡¯d be burned in a fire back home.


    ¡°A¡ª¡° the man stopped and started again. ¡°Why the fucks do you wanna know about Seven-Snakes?¡±


    That turned Erec¡¯s head. Everyone¡¯s. From that shaky voice, there was clear recognition in the man¡¯s tone.


    ¡°Does it matter why?¡±


    ¡°Aint no way in hell he¡¯s work¡¯n with the Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°We want to talk with him.¡± Boldwick was careful with his words, trying to keep his tone civil.


    Erec re-wrapped the powder and shoved it back in the bag, only to notice a bunched-up paper blocking it from going in entirely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know nothing about Seven-Snakes.¡± The man hung his head. ¡°Snitches get ditches.¡±


    Erec pulled out the paper and opened it up; it was the city of Worth, with several red circles on the different parts of it. It was not the most detailed map,pared to the one he¡¯d seen in the Kingdom, but it was pretty clear from the shape andndmarks that someone took time and care to make it.


    ¡°Boldwick?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± he asked before gagging the man in the chair.


    ¡°Map.¡± Erec brought it over; much to the man¡¯s anger, he tried to squirm in the chair as Boldwick looked over the circled location before tucking the map away in his pouch.


    The Master Knight yanked the gag out again.


    ¡°Never mind that map¡ªbrat¡ªit¡¯s nothing!¡± he sputtered, trying to test the bonds of the rope. Erec looked about at a lot of these people. It was surprising how deep they¡¯d settled into Worth. They hadn¡¯t done it unscathed, as Olivia dealt with several of their wounds. None of them were that big of a threat, so how did they¡­


    ¡°These people are a reserve force,¡± Erec said as he connected the dots. ¡°Did they get separated from the rest?¡±


    The man¡¯s head dropped.


    ¡°Seven-Snakes abandoned them,¡± Boldwick looked at the vast array of drugs and alcohol. ¡°Thinking that they didn¡¯t have a safe way out of the city, they¡¯d resorted to waiting it out up here and setting a fire for somebody to find them. Or maybe they were having onest celebration before the worst happened.¡±


    ¡°Seven days.¡± The man said, spitting on the ground. ¡°Been up here seven days. A couple of days, we¡¯d thought. Lost our enforcers to a metal horror, and rest of us ran up here. Thought he¡¯d swing by and get us with the rest of the gang, but no. So, we decided to dip into our stock, have a bit o¡¯ fun, before risking our necks to scram outta this damned city.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯d put himself in danger for people like you¡­¡± Erec said, ¡°That¡¯s not the type of person I remember.¡±


    ¡°And what do you know bout ¡®em? Eh?¡± The guy red at Erec.


    He looked around the rooftop at the rest of the gang left here, no doubt fated to make a death run out of the city; how many of them would¡¯ve survived?


    ¡°I know that of your options we¡¯re the best; you can stay here and rely on someone who won¡¯t show and probably die. Or you can work with us and find yourselves a ticket out of this city.¡±


    Boldwick pped him on the shoulder and grinned. ¡°Well said. Good as an offer as these people could wish for.¡±


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The trip back to the Pendragons was rtively uneventful by the standards of people used to killing monsters and wearing tons of steel. This time, the initiates pulled their weight in defense to maintain a tight barrier around the prisoners.


    As part of the agreement to get them safely out of the city, they spilled the details of the map. It marked several suspected locations for a vault. Whatever kind of old-world facility that meant, the man didn¡¯t know, but apparently Seven-Snakes got the information out of a drug deal. During this run, they¡¯d detoured back to Worth to investigate.


    He¡¯d sent different groups of his gang to check the spots. Though now, it was possible he and his people could have breached the vault and dipped out of the city.


    On the way back, Erec got to kill a couple of things. Mostly a lot of mangy beasts that rolled themselves in balls, bright blue fur, and a crooked snarled nose with ruined teeth. They died easy enough, too easy to get him going. But that was alright. With how things shook out, he was pleased with the day.


    By the time they¡¯d exited the city, there were only a couple of hours of sunlight left.


    ¡°Wee back!¡± Yniol yelled to a chorus of cheers from the Pendragons. ¡°Brought some friends, huh?! Let''s celebrate; I¡¯ve got some cold ones!¡±


    That statement was a bit untrue, from what Erec found. Their bottles were never cold, only put in the shade. But the Pendragons loved that expression. Their leader rushed out to talk things out with Boldwick, and the senior Knights kept an eye on the prisoners while they figured out what to do with them.


    But, the Initiates were free to call it a day¡ªa reward for good work.


    As always, taking off his Armor and feeling the fresh air hit him was a relief. Within him dwelled a sense of pride for their job and fear for the future. Enide. Her story about the vault made him realize how lucky he¡¯d been during the trial. It could¡¯ve ended a lot worse.


    Garin pped him on the back and whistled; without all of the Armor, the hit stung. ¡°Safe and sound, eh? And we¡¯ll be getting to see something cool.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm.¡± Erec shook himself out of it, giving his best friend a grin. ¡°Benefits to going outside of the church¡¯s wishes, huh?¡±


    ¡°Sure is¡ªI¡¯ve been thinking¡­¡± His eyes trailed to Colin, who was taking off his Armor. ¡°Been regressingtely, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°In his case, I think the further from his dad he got, the more he had to figure out who he was. When he¡¯s around him, he puts himself back into the headspace of being a little kid again, which, for him, is truly awful.¡±


    ¡°Bet he was a brat.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Erec said and then stopped. Oh no. He saw where the gears were turning in Garin¡¯s head.


    ¡°Sour about not having a Divine Talent. He might be ready for something else to perk him up and distract him. That¡¯d change things up, right?¡± Garin tilted his head and frowned. Munchy squeaked in anger as it crawled out of his Armor; the fat squirrel looked exhausted.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask him.¡±


    ¡°Garin, he¡¯s a son of a duke. He can¡¯t afford to make himself an enemy of the church by risking his blessing.¡±


    ¡°Think of it this way; you¡¯re a count. I¡¯m a baron¡¯s son. You don¡¯t care much for your rank, and I know I¡¯d rather be by your side than stuck in charge of some dull bio-caverns. I¡¯ve got a sister who¡¯d dly take the spot¡­¡± he shrugged. ¡°Everyone thinks he wants to be a duke and live up to his father, but maybe, that¡¯s exactly the opposite of what he wants deep down?¡±


    With that, Garin enacted his n, running over and tossing an arm over Colin¡¯s shoulder, a lopsided grin on his face. Little did Colin know that he intended to talk him into joining the two of them on a peyote drug trip that¡¯d make the church want to burn him alive.


    Erec could only watch in horror until he couldn¡¯t. Not wanting to be part of this corruption, he sped out of the room.


    <em>If I can make a choice like that, why can¡¯t he?</em>


    ¡°Erec.¡± Enide was sitting right by the exit, her eyes piercing through him. ¡°Wanna have a chat?¡±

 Chapter 126: North Star

    Chapter 126: North Star


    <em> The noble stag was pausing now</em>


    <em>Upon the mountain''s southern brow,</em>


    <em>Where broad extended, far beneath,</em>


    <em>The varied realms of fair Menteith.</em>


    <em>With anxious eye he wandered o''er</em>


    <em>Mountain and meadow, moss and moor,</em>


    <em>And pondered refuge from his toil,</em>


    <em>-Walter Scott, The Lady of the Lake, (1810, 2nd Era)</em>


    When Enide asked for a chat, Erec didn¡¯t have a clue what it¡¯d entail. There was tension at the idea of being alone with her. He thought they might find somewhere quiet to talk and joke around. Not that she¡¯d walk up to her father with him in tow, swipe his car keys and loudly dere she¡¯d be taking his car.


    Yniol, a proud car owner and father, had scarcely processed that before Enide told Erec to grab his axe, then meet her at the car.


    Less than two minutester, he¡¯d hopped in the passenger seat, and Enide kicked off the ride with a wildugh. Her gun and his axe strapped down as they sped away from Worth into the desert.


    If Yniol was a reckless driver, there wasn¡¯t a word to describe Enide¡¯s style. She came straight from hell.


    Her foot didn¡¯t let off the pedal, and one of her hands was out the side of the car the entire time. It waved up and down with the wind. To start, Erec held on for dear life. The vehicle jerked around and threw them every which way.


    But the smile on her face. Thatpelling joy radiating off her infected him.


    Erec, let go of the brace, of his fear of crashing and dying. Instead, like her, he embraced the wind. They flew across the desert.


    Within, Fury sparked a confusing sensation to go along with joy. It was a pure unadulterated euphoria that contrasted the normal hate and anger it sprang from.


    Erec yelled, climbing to his feet to better feel the wind as they rode. Further and further, the city retreated behind. With it, the Armor, those monsters, and the rest of the Knights and his identity with the Kingdom. Melting away into the sand and distance.


    Eventually, Enide pulled the car over on the side of the road.


    The sun sank on the horizon, and Enide climbed out of the car, digging in the trunk for an old ratty nket. With a bit of swagger, she tossed it on the dirt, threw an old-world insted cooler on top, and invited Erec to join her.


    She¡¯d nned for this. Stuffing the cooler with jerky, veggies, and a couple of beers. It wasn¡¯t the most impressive meal, but it hit the spot.


    There was the typical small talk as they ate, then drank, letting the sun go downpletely.


    All the while, a sort of tension lingered between them. Erec¡¯s hair stood on the back of his head; he felt keenly aware of everything she did, so much so that his worries slid away.


    Tomorrow, he¡¯d deal with the vault. Might die ore close again. But tonight was his.


    They stretched on the nket, staring up above. His hand brushed against hers, and he slid it away, feeling a swelling in his gut. Only for her to reach back out and grab it, holding it in ce, with his heart hammering, she kept on talking.


    ¡°Little Dipper,¡± Enide said, pointing out a formation. ¡°See how they connect? Picture the lines in your mind, and it looks a bit like a spoon. My mother used to say it was also called Ursa Minor, whatever that means. One next to it is the big dipper¡­ and that over there is the dragon.¡±


    Erec squinted as he looked far above, though she kept pointing to a specific part of the sky. It was hard to tell. That, and his mind kept going back to the feeling of her hand and his. With a great deal of will, he focused. It looked like a spoon if you gave it a lot of leeway. But it was more like a box with a string attached to it if he looked at the same thing. He didn¡¯t even try to find the ¡®dragon.¡¯


    Her hand felt so warm. She ran her thumb along the underside of his palm, tracing the lines.


    ¡°¡­But you don¡¯t care much for the stars, do you?¡± she shook her head. ¡°Blows my mind you¡¯ve got a set of fancy Armor, praise the bitch-who-shall-not-be-named, but don¡¯t even know your constetions.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t uh¡­ All too important. I know how to navigate from them. Mostly that star right there.¡± he pointed at the end of the ¡®little dipper,¡¯ the brightest star in the formation. ¡°That one¡¯s north; you can base your direction on it. During the day, you have the sun. In practical terms, though, you¡¯d probably have apass or navigation from your Armor. A lot of wastnd survival lectures are about redundancies in case the worst happens.¡±


    ¡°The Academy¡¯s hard then?¡±


    ¡°Very few people get in. Mostly higher-ranking nobility. If you borrow loaner armor, you stand a chance as a low-ranking noble or even amoner¡­¡± he trailed off as she folded her fingers in his. Where was he even going with that?


    When he slipped off into quiet, Enideughed mockingly, letting go of his hand and sitting up.


    ¡°Focus issues, huh?¡±


    He blinked and looked at her. That wild ck hair hung, and she wasn¡¯t staring at the stars anymore. Without her hand, it was almost like waking up from a dream; only this was real. Her gun and his axe were in her father¡¯s car, and anywhere out there, might be a monster.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t take me out here to talk about the stars,¡± Erec said since it was true.


    ¡°No, not really.¡± She leaned back and frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve wondered quite a bit about you. The way you act so reserved at times. But you didn¡¯t act like that all during ser. A reserved person isn¡¯t the type to get torn to shreds so haphazardly in fights or act so aggressive. What was stranger is that when they dragged you back, you had a smile.¡±


    There it was, digging in. Inevitably she¡¯d want to know why. ¡°My Divine Talent, it¡¯s¡­ Well, called Fury. From the name, I think you can take a guess about what happens.¡±


    ¡°They say that your talent is a reflection of your soul. Of who you are deep down. Are you furious at this world, Erec?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Maybe. We shouldn¡¯t be forced to live within our walls; these monsters have no right to trespass.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t it.¡± Enide smiled, ¡°There are all sorts of monsters in life, and not all of them are the kind that wanna eat you. But, I want to know you, including that side of you, the honest one deep down. I wanna see this Fury as it was meant to be. Not held back.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Erec squinted at her.


    ¡°I think people are at their most beautiful when they¡¯re themselves. Along those lines¡­ Your ¡®Master Knight¡¯ isn¡¯t going to be too happy about this, but I heard what they were talking about. I know our pack leader. No matter what you say, that¡¯ll be his tipping point before forcing your hand. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be going with you to this vault.¡±


    Erec frowned. Boldwick wasn¡¯t one to roll over to other people¡¯s demands, let alone a group like this. What possible benefit could the Pendragon¡¯s offer that might make him reconsider?


    Seeing his hesitation and seizing on the moment of weakness, Enide threw herself on top of him, her hands pressing down on either side of his shoulders, her hair hanging freely around him, those piercing brown eyes locked on his own.


    His heart raced miles in his chest, and a shock of pure adrenaline ran through as Fury ignited within once more. That me burned within him, the feeling of her pressing down a simr fire sparking him and burning him alive. She smelled like the wind, a free and unconstrained force that wouldn¡¯t let anything tie her.


    Gradually, her head lowered, preciously close. Those eyes held him in a trance.


    ¡°Show me who you are, Erec. And I¡¯ll show you who I am.¡±


    Her eyes closed, and with a feeling like he was going crazy, Erec followed suit. She shifted on top of him, her lips barely brushing his, then suddenly, that pressure weighing down on him was gone. Surprised, Erec opened his eyes, and Enide was nowhere to be seen. He looked around twice. But there was no sign of her.


    On the third desperate moment of searching, there she was, on the hood of the car, reclined with an evil smile.


    ¡°Excited to raid a vault, slinger?¡± she asked.


    Erec pressed a hand to his chest, gasping in relief. For a moment, he¡¯d thought some horrible creature had found her and torn her away. That fear inside burned damn near as bright as Fury, which was still glowing in his chest. But with all of this¡­ His head was a mess.


    ¡°What the hell was that?¡±


    ¡°Fun and games, Mr. Hero.¡± She shrugged. ¡°How about you hop in my car, and we drive back? Pa¡¯s bound to start getting really pissed right about now, and I need to make sure to seal the deal and get a spot cracking a vault. Luckily, I¡¯m pretty useful, so don¡¯t think convincing my pack will be hard.¡±


    With that, she got off the car, walked to the driver¡¯s seat, and turned the ignition. The headlights flooded their little pic site.


    ¡°Oh, mind picking up everything and throwing it in the back? Appreciate it!¡±


    Erec stared at her, hand still on his chest, the thoughts going through his head maddening. She was ying with him, maybe. Or maybe not. He knew this was the type of person she was, and this whole thing was a dare. A new game she¡¯d invented. One designed to test his limits and see who broke first.

 Chapter 127: Knight In Shining Armor

    Chapter 127: Knight In Shining Armor


    Erec and Enide got back to the encampment in one piece. The entire ride back was quiet. It was rather hard to converse when the car barreled over the wastnd in the dark. That feeling of her lips barely brushing his kept ying over in his head.


    When they returned, they barely had a second to breathe before Yniol started yelling at her. She signaled for Erec to run off, and he did. Didn¡¯t feel right to listen to her get chewed out by her father, and he didn¡¯t want to risk putting himself next on that list. He did his best to stay away from the light of the bonfires and sneak back to his bed.


    ¡°There you are,¡± Boldwick called from the building doorway. The Master Knight crossed his arms and frowned. ¡°Got your axe. Think you forgot a couple of things, though. Care to tell me what¡¯s missing? You know, when you decided to sneak away from the camp?¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡± Erec rubbed the back of his head, and his gut sank.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a hint,¡± Boldwick tapped the radio on his side. ¡°And then there¡¯s another thing you should always have on you during a wastnd trek. Keeps monsters from stabbing you and leaving you bleeding out. Wanna tell me what that life-saving device is?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve got my Armor, and something tomunicate. I wasn¡¯t thinking straight.¡± Technically, he had VAL. But it was¡­ It is a little questionable whether or not the machine would reveal itself to the other Knights should something have gone wrong. Though, part of him was confident he could handle a lot of things without his Armor.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t thinking with your head. Goddess, help me. It¡¯s the same story with every young man,¡± Boldwick rubbed his eyes. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t expect you to be a paragon of reasoning, especially when ites to trying to show off to girls. But have a bit ofmon fucking sense, alright? Next time you want to run off with a girl for some alone time, bring more than a damn axe.¡±


    ¡°¡­You know I was off with Enide?¡±


    Boldwick rolled his eyes. ¡°If I didn¡¯t see you two making eyes at each other for thest couple of days, I¡¯m sure just listening to your friend''s gossip would¡¯ve outed you on that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡±


    ¡°Annoyed but not angry. Out of all the things I¡¯d have expected toe out of cooperating with an outside group, <em>you</em> falling for a wastnder wasn¡¯t on the list. But, upon further consideration, my feelings on the subject have changed. It¡¯s just the type of boneheaded thing that might be a blessing in disguise. The Pendragons don¡¯t appear irritated. If anything, they seem to have taken it with a bit of humor. Young love is as endless as the road, or so they say.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not falling for a wastnder. We¡¯re certainly not in love.¡± Erec said, feeling as if he had to contest the fact. Whether it was to Boldwick or for himself, he didn¡¯t know who the words were for.


    ¡°Next time. Armor. Communication. Tell someone else other than just Garin; try a Knight in charge, maybe?¡± He waved off Erec¡¯s second round of attempts to deny the love affair.


    Knowing he was getting nowhere was extremely aggravating, but Erec dropped the issue. Considering the mistake, he¡¯d gotten off lightly. And it appeared that if Boldwick hadn¡¯t been too hung up on what he was doing, which meant that there had to be something bigger on his mind.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be working with the Pendragons tomorrow. Split into two, backed up by their number. Be prepared since there¡¯s likely to be a lot of fighting. You¡¯ll be with my group, and we¡¯ll be checking three sites. I suggest you keep the drinking to a minimum and get plenty of rest since it¡¯ll be a long day. When we find this vault, we¡¯ll be going inside, as soon as possible.¡± Boldwick pped him on the shoulder. ¡°Now go, I¡¯d say enjoy yourself, but I suspect you already have.¡±


    With that, the Master Knight walked off, leaving Erec to look at his feet.


    He hardly had a minute alone until Garin ambushed and dragged him off; in short order, he brought Erec to a small room previously serving as his bedroom while sick. Now, it was empty. Aside from Colin, who was tinkering with a piece of chalk and glyphs on the ground.


    ¡°Ah, so he¡¯s returned.¡± Colin looked over his shoulder before making another mark. Munchy sat next to the half-formed glyph, his whiskers twitching as he looked at Erec. ¡°Deeper in with the wastnders. Seeing the disgrace of a Count is a tragic thing.¡±


    ¡°Pfft,¡± Garin shook his head. ¡°Disgrace of a Count, huh? So, how does ¡®disgraced duke¡¯s heir¡¯ ring to your ears?¡±


    Colin¡¯s face turned a bit red, and he drew another line on the ground, only, the chalk snapped as he did so.


    ¡°So, how¡¯d it go? You two a thing?¡± Garin asked with a lopsided grin.


    ¡°By the Goddess, we talked. That¡¯s all.¡± Erec lied, shaking his head. ¡°What in the name of hell is Colin doing?¡±


    ¡°Hush. I¡¯m trying to concentrate. I¡¯ve been thinking, since our time with the Stag. All those annoying adjustments we did to Glyphs had a result I couldn¡¯t have predicted. Though it was supremely irritating at the time, upon reflection, I found that it helped me keep calm with all of the chaos going around.¡± He picked up the broken piece of chalk and tossed it against the far wall. ¡°As things are quite frustrating now, this is calming.¡±


    ¡°A coping mechanism. He¡¯s nervous about the drug trip.¡± Garin shrugged. ¡°Or, you know, making himself an enemy of the church, probably pissing off his father. Though that part isn¡¯t new.¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Colin dropped the chalk and shook both of his hands.


    ¡°¡­Oh no.¡± Erec let out a deep breath. ¡°Why would you ever agree to join us on that? You know that if Dame Morgana¡¯s ritual does what she says it does, you¡¯ll end up like me.¡±


    Colin didn¡¯t respond. Instead, the duke¡¯s son crouched near his halfpleted glyph, ring at the work.


    ¡°He¡¯s doing it for the same reason I am. Maybe not as selfless, though. I don¡¯t suspect he¡¯s doing it to stay by our side. More so that he can feel like he¡¯s special. Can¡¯t me him; hard not to look around at everyone and think you¡¯re not doing enough to pull your weight.¡± Garin said.


    Erec sat down against the wall, only for his friend to join him. For the next half hour, they watched Colin work on his glyph. Garin kept pressing Erec for the intimate details about his ¡®date¡¯ with Enide, which was a bit of a bullshit title for the whole thing. It wasn¡¯t a date. He was very clear about that, but Garin ignored it anyway.


    As much as he¡¯d have liked to keep details to himself, his friend tripped him up and pried for more information than he wanted to give. Not that he thought he couldn¡¯t share, but¡­ With such unresolved tension between him and Enide, he didn¡¯t want to call it out and make anything too much of a reality to ignore. So, for the rest of their chat, Garin yed a game of sussing out secrets until Colin got fed up with both of them and stormed off.


    Garin went off after him, leaving Erec alone in the room.


    [Colin normally uses fire and ice glyphs, correct?]


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Erec rubbed his head, feeling wrung out from the conversations with his friend. ¡°Those are the type that he tends to focus on.¡±


    [Why does that glyph appear to interact with electricity?]


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°Told you we¡¯d be together,¡± Enide twirled around Erec; that gun hung over her shoulder as if it were nothing. ¡°Though, think I like you a bit better not covered in all that steel. Where¡¯s the fun when you¡¯re wandering around like a tank.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Erec¡¯s eyes scanned around them. Boldwick led their group and was about a block ahead. The Pendragons shuffled about, anxious and a bit trigger-happy, but they hadn¡¯t shot anything yet. But the day was young. If that were their intent, there¡¯d be plenty of time for finding silly fights to drag everyone into.


    Even if they didn¡¯t find a fight, Erec was sure one woulde to them, eventually.


    ¡°Just stand behind me if a monster appears.¡± He said.


    ¡°My Knight in shining armor.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t have the nickname of hero for nothing,¡± Garin snickered to the side, only for Enide to give him a not-so-hidden thumbs up. ¡°But really, this guy¡¯s an absolute monster on the battlefield. I know I told you that story about him killing the Stag, but I don¡¯t think I can truly describe what it¡¯s like to see him work; kind of terrifying, another part relieving, but I guess maybe if you¡¯re lucky, you¡¯ll get the chance.¡±


    ¡°He promised me I would.¡±


    ¡°I promised no such thing,¡± Erec¡¯s mind went back to the night before, her sly little grin yanking his attention away. He couldn¡¯t afford to be this distracted on a mission, not with everything around them. Not with so much at risk. Once he got in a fight, then that attention would slip away, but doing it before the right moment wasn¡¯t good. Not with her around. Or the rest of the Pendragons, for that matter.


    ¡°You do realize you two don¡¯t have a very favorable future together, don¡¯t you?¡± Olivia asked, her eyes as observant as his. ¡°Unless this is some dalliance, it¡¯d be difficult for you to enter the Kingdom were you to get serious. But you don¡¯t strike as the type with that intent.¡±


    ¡°Dalliance?¡± Enide snickered. ¡°We¡¯re nothing but friends. Jealous he gets along better with a stranger than you? I don¡¯t care much for you saying I have a ¡®type¡¯ since I don¡¯t know you, stranger.¡±


    ¡°Sir Erec and I have a fine rtionship. We¡¯re dormmates, after all.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªwait, that¡¯s right. Tell me, what¡¯s it like living with him?¡± Enide shifted gears, brushing aside the insult with ease.


    At this, Olivia¡¯s tone perked up. ¡°Well, he spends a lot of time alone in his room. Nearly as much as Colin, which I can only assume is a symptom of ack of socialization as a child. When he¡¯s outside of it, he¡¯s a diligent worker, though, from the rumors I¡¯d heard, he¡¯s been rather inept running his estate. Do you happen to have any background in courtly affairs? Perhaps you can give him some pointers.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I shoot guns and kill monsters.¡± Enide, for once, seemed baffled. ¡°Where the hell do you think we are?¡±


    ¡°I thought as much.¡± Olivia looked away from her, earning a glower from Enide.


    ¡°Look lively! First target ising up!¡± Boldwick shouted, interrupting the conversation. Erec pulled his axe off his back, tightening his grip. If Enide wanted him to show her who he was deep down, then let it be on the battlefield. Nowhere else felt quite as much like home.

 Chapter 128: Layoffs

    Chapter 128: Layoffs


    <em>DAN: Goddamn government, they keep pressuring us and sticking their noses in our business. Did you know the Los Angeles facility had three separate visits this week? Of course, they pay, but it¡¯s annoying as all hell, especially when dealing with the oing litigation.</em>


    <em>PATRICIA: I¡¯m well aware of the visits. I authorized them. Don¡¯t forget that Uncle Sam¡¯s promises for a bailout are what¡¯s keeping us afloat at the moment. Don¡¯t worry about the litigation. They¡¯ll resolve it for us. They always do, just like thest one. </em>


    <em>DAN: The only suit I trust is the ones on my payroll. And the Army isn¡¯t on ours. Politicians are one thing, you can buy them, but I don¡¯t like the look in those general''s eyes.</em>


    <em>PATRICIA: You sound stressed, Dan. You should take a vacation. I hear that Japan is lovely this time of year. We can rent you one of those old-school bathhouses and put it on the corporate card. </em>


    <em>DAN: Jesus, Patricia. We justid off an entire department, and you''re suggesting I take apany-sponsored vacation?</em>


    <em>PATRICIA: We were going to fire them anyway,wsuit aside. Their research wasn¡¯t showing enough promise. This is normal in the corporate world. You know this, even if you¡¯ve only been with Vortex since you were a kid. Rx. No matter what happens, we¡¯ll be fine. </em>


    <em>-Dan Brovski¡¯s Private Recordings, Tape #9 Transcription (2110, 2nd Era.) </em>


    The first location on the map was a dud. It led to an empty neighborhood with no perceivable vault. The group split up and investigated what they could, but nothing. There were a couple of minor monsters, horrible man-like creatures without eyes and pallid sun-scorched skin, they died without much fight, and it didn¡¯t take Erec¡¯s axe to do the job. Bullets or Enide¡¯ss-rifle were just as effective.


    Despite the setback from the first ce, they found what they were looking for on the second attempt.


    A pit marked the spot on the second map, seemingly dug into an intersection with reckless abandon. Broken rock and asphalt decorate the nearby street, making way for a yawning chasm. Shovels, burned fires, and discarded food wrappers marked this spot where people had recently been.


    They took a moment to consider it before ducking back around the street as a little buzzing machine flew out of the chasm, shing a red light.


    ¡°Gone,¡± Boldwick said a couple of minutester.


    ¡°A fucking drone?¡± Yniol asked, lighting a cigarette.


    ¡°Drone?¡± Boldwick rattled his sword in its sheathe, loosening it.


    ¡°Old-world tech. Magi have a few they¡¯ve found and purposed for scouting. Since they fly and you can use them remotely, they¡¯re supposed to be useful. Don¡¯t think we need to look further if old tech like that is active here. Has to be it.¡±


    ¡°If there are drones, I¡¯m willing to bet there¡¯s awork,¡± Corey piped up, stepping forward.


    Boldwick stared at the hole. ¡°Can we confirm that? Provide me more details before we move in.¡±


    Corey nodded and took the lead, sitting in the middle of the road but still some distance from the chasm. Out of all the Pendragons, he was the lightest armed, carrying only a pistol. But this¡ªwas supposed to be his specialty. One after another, he pulled different devices out of a backpack. Starting with a folded piece of metal with a screen, then a handheld power bank, and some odd ck box. After setting it up, he pressed a few buttons, and the screen lit up. Secondster, he was tapping away.


    The Pendragons took this as a sign that things would take a while dispersing and checking over their weapons. Boldwick took heed of this and began contacting the rest of the Knights.


    Erec lingered over Corey¡¯s shoulder, staring at the blinking strings and lines of letters as he worked.


    [You should recruit him for yourboratory back home. If we can begin automation and delegate software creation, it¡¯ll be helpful in the long run. Though, this one seems a bit underdeveloped. More likely used to cracking into security systems.]


    There wasn¡¯t anything to make of that since recruiting a Pendragon was far out of reality.


    ¡°Could you do what he¡¯s doing?¡± Erec asked under his breath.


    [Unfortunately, I have directives limiting me from such overt hical actions. Taking control of an unbranded Armor? That¡¯s asset acquisition and research. But breaching a differentpany¡¯s facility is a very restricted action. The only one who could authorize such a hostile and illegal maneuver is Dan Brovski or a majority board vote.]


    ¡°Can you at least tell me what we¡¯re getting into?¡±


    [Let me check¡­ Oh. That¡¯s not good. Military. Really? In a city?]


    <em>Millitary facility? Old-world Millitary?</em>


    Not long after, VAL dered that Corey¡¯s screen blinked red and blue, suddenly filling with alerts. The boy cursed and mmed the lid shut on the device, looking around with wild eyes. ¡°Get ready!¡± he called, reaching for his side arm. Erec stepped back from the boy, grabbing his axe and feeling those rm bells run.


    A fleet of those drones flew out of the hole, headed right towards where they¡¯d hidden out.


    Boldwick was among the first to move, only beaten by a couple of Pendragon¡¯s pulling their triggers. He formed a red glyph, and a secondter, his sword morphed into a pir of fire. With a broad sweep, the column of me-seared over the drones, melting some of their parts. A couple of the things crashed into the ground as melted g; others avoided it with swift maneuvering.


    Then the bullets flew back from the drones.


    Boldwick¡¯s Armor took the hits, the denting and ricocheting off the Armor; one of the Pendragons yelled out in pain as a bullet tore into them.


    Their unarmored allies pulled back into cover, meaning it was time for the Knights to shine. Erec sped forward, throwing a hatchet cleanly through the drone, able to track right where it¡¯d be, thanks to the Q.A.P. It crashed into the ground in two parts, sparking and skidding.


    Another flew near, and he grabbed it from the air, ripping it apart with both hands.


    Bullets bounced off Erec¡¯s Armor, sparking and making a highly annoying dinging sound. Erec felt that bit of Fury re deep down and kept up the offense.


    With the full might of six Knights and a host of Pendragons providing cover fire, destroying the drones that swarmed outward didn''t take long. By the end of it, Erec was left longing for more of a fight. This hadn¡¯t let him go wild to revel in his power.


    He gave a small look at Enide, who, to his dismay, noticed. The girl gave a thumbs-up and a smile. A ¡®you did well!¡¯ but not the reaction he wanted.


    This wasn¡¯t him; he hadn¡¯t shown her the true part of him lingering inside. If she wanted to see that if she could ept that¡­


    [Showing off. By Dan, youth never changes. These drones aren¡¯t the only defense in a facility like this, so I wouldn¡¯t get cocky, buckeroo. You might have magic and Armor but have yet to deal with the full might of science.]


    ¡°Sobering,¡± Erec shook his head and sighed, walking forward with the rest of the Knights to inspect the pit now that Corey had failed.


    Below, in the chasm, were several bodies of the people Seven-Snakes sent. Their corpses scattered on the broken pavement stuck in the dirt. Fresh, too, from all indications, and shot in the back. Scraps of drones also mingled with the bodies. They¡¯d tried to run from the vault, but not fast enough to escape bullets. A bit of sadness washed through Erec, but it was hardly his first exposure to death. Unlike watching the Kingdom¡¯s soldiers and Knights die on the battlefield, he didn¡¯t know these people. In all likelihood, if they¡¯d arrived sooner, they might¡¯ve died at the hands of the Knights.


    It was a waste, though, for them to die like this.


    Without a word, they pressed lower into the pit. Several people were nowhere near the number of thugs Seven-Snakes was reported to have, so the only answer was that there¡¯d be more down here.


    ¡°Emergency protocol,¡± Corey pointed out cavities in the wall as they broke into a concrete tunnel. There were metal tes on either side, most now askew and open. ¡°If they got in, they didn¡¯t breach thework to do it, this was a sort of trap to deal with anyone trying to ess their security remotely, but if we can find a port, I might be able to find out more about this ce.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Boldwick agreed, looking down the rest of the tunnel. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll pull back. The rest of the Knights will be inbound; we¡¯ll try to catch up with our target. Erec, Robin, and Julia. I want you on the tunnel. Make sure nobody gets out.¡±


    The group left the three assigned guards in the tunnel, which was an eerie feeling. Staring at a concrete pathway lined with powered lights made Erec shiver. What else hid down there? His fingers tapped against his side, the metal clinking softly in the silence. Vortex Industries wasn¡¯t even geared forbat and held a lot of dangerous research. This was the supposed government?


    Not much was known about it, which he figured might be an intentional device of the Kingdom.


    The tapping continued, and when he finally drew his head away from the tunnel below, he noticed Dame Juliana and Robin looking at him.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll stop.¡± His fingers stopped their tapping.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that,¡± Dame Robin said. ¡°You¡¯vee a long way. It could be that three is better than two guards, but he decided to pick an initiate to help. And not Gwen, the second year. It means more than you know, Erec.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°About on par with a Knight Errant,¡± Dame Juliana shrugged. ¡°Normally responsible when ites to Knighthood. Now that he¡¯s had his first indiscretion, it¡¯s probably the relief in tension Boldwick hoped for. Often you test new Initiates to find their breaking points. Getting involved with a wastnder during a mission like this must be a better one than others.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re reading too much into this.¡± Erec argued.


    ¡°Or you¡¯re not reading enough. You¡¯ve killed a cataclysm-level threat. It¡¯s silly to think that aplishment only mattered in the eyes of the Kingdom but not your own Order.¡± Robin pointed out.


    ¡°Were it not for strict educational requirements, you¡¯d likely be a Knight Errant. Boldwick is treating you like it since it¡¯s the rank he sees you as.¡± Juliana said. ¡°Fine enough, but he shouldn¡¯t forget you¡¯re still young. Powerful or generally responsible as you are. Though, getting used to this treatment will probably help when we return to the Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Does it scare you two?¡± Erec asked, feeling that pit stir in his stomach. ¡°It feels like we¡¯re far out on a limb here. There¡¯s a lot of things stirring in the shadows back in the Kingdom, and we¡¯re right in the middle.¡±


    Dame Robin touched his shoulder as she was wont to do. The gesture resonated with Erec, as constantly stirring in thattent ghost of his mother in his memory. ¡°Of course we¡¯re scared. Feeling fear is part of being a Knight, as is pushing past it. Together, we can take on anything this world throws our way. Change is a natural course for life, and it¡¯s beening for our Kingdom for a long time. People outside our walls exist, and they¡¯ve grown as we have. No matter how the Church wants to deny it. Our way of life was fine for a long time, but we must never forget why we came back to the surface, to begin with.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll reconquer this world for humankind.¡± Dame Juliana spoke up and folded her arms. ¡°Don¡¯t lose sight of the goal.¡±

 Chapter 129: Inbetween

    Chapter 129: Inbetween


    Waiting was pure torture. Guard work was always going to be boring whenpared to marching into an old-world government vault. But it was ten times worse than he expected. Erec walked back and forth and tried his best to keep his nerves together; Robin and Juliana had gone on about him proving capable, but part of him craved war. Staring into a dark tunnel and picturing what was ahead was worse than pulling teeth.


    Thankfully, they didn¡¯t waste any more time once everyone got together.


    The standard operation was simple. Knights led the way since if they got peppered with bullets. They could take them. Meanwhile, those with guns would move behind them, forming an effective twoyer strategy.


    It had the benefit of letting Boldwick look at any possible traps, though, as they found out by the asional body, any traps had already been triggered.


    Before they marched, Erec stole another look at Enide. Her eyes were tense as she walked down into the tunnel, locked ahead with a tight grip on her gun. Her eyes drifted to the concrete walls around them; he didn¡¯t think she caught his look before he pulled away to do his job.


    The tunnel was quiet. Aside from the bodies and asionally wrecked machines, there was nothing¡ªonly further proof of Seven-Snakes.


    About half a mile downward, they came to a massive steel-vault door torn apart. A hole melted clean through the middle, which must¡¯ve required an enormous amount of magic or tech. Inside it was shing red lights and an annoying rm.


    <strong>¡°INTRUDERS DETECTED. MAIN HALL BREACHED.¡± </strong>Over and over again. Erec shifted his axe at his side as they stared at the hole.


    ¡°In we go, I suppose.¡± Boldwick dered, stepping forward and closely following behind through the breach.


    Erec let out a small gasp as he saw the other side.


    When he¡¯d pictured a vault, he¡¯d thought of something like Vortex Industries, but this ce was nowhere like that¡ªin either direction, roads stretched below, disappearing into corners and turns of red shing lights. Ahead of them was a lobby¡ªwith sparking and broken turrets all over the ce¡ªmore bodies and blood and a veritable farm of broken steel.


    The roads that stretched from the lobby drifted far, and based on the navigation on the visual disy of his Armor, they went outward from Worth.


    Boldwick gave the dark paths ahead a long look, then sighed. ¡°Goddess, that¡¯s a lot of unknown ground to cover. A lot bigger than expected. There could be alternative entrances as well. This is not a vault.¡±


    ¡°No Vault is the same,¡± the leader of the Pendragons entered the lobby, looking in either direction. His tattoos seemed to almost crawl on his skin with the light. ¡°The only thing that unites them is they contain old-world secrets. By that definition, it is, without a doubt, a vault. I suggest we pick our directions and get exploring.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to leave any of my Knights behind to guard this exit on a chance that it might be the only way out.¡±


    ¡°I can leave one of mine instead,¡± the Pendragon nodded. ¡°All you must do is trust us. You do trust us by now, I take it?¡±


    Boldwick paused and then slowly nodded. ¡°We¡¯re in this together. May we find this bastard fast and get out of here before we wake up anything.¡±


    ¡ª -? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Miles. Erec walked for miles under that annoying shing light and thanked the Goddess that the even more ear-piercing intruder alert was localized to the entrance. Every so often, the tunnel split. And so their numbers spread further and further.


    On the rare asion, he happened across a door on the side of his tunnel and, upon breaking in, found a service supply closet.


    That was themon theme of his adventure¡ªservice tunnels. Everyone else was finding more tangible signs of the old-world: barracks, kitchens, and even an entertainment district filled with deserted bars. The most interesting of the finds was abplete with non-functional monitoring equipment. They¡¯d sent Corey there to scavenge whatever he could. But all Erec got was service tunnels, with a rail that ran through the center of his.


    But there was something. The further he went, the more Worth was behind his back. And the deeper his tunnel got. The constant drop in elevation only heightened the nervous Pendragons. Going deeper into the earth was like being home to the Knights, so when they beganining to one another, Erec was surprised but understood. For people that lived based on freedom and the road, this was like walking into hell.


    What didn¡¯t make sense about this ce, and the expired food and rations his allies reported, was why nobody survived here.


    They¡¯d found skeletons, but far too few to exin away. These people survived the fire, had been locked in a vault, yet still managed to die.


    ¡°This sucks,¡± Enideined from his side and took careful steps forward.


    For thest mile, the tunnel took a steeper decrease in elevation, and a series of steel rings decorated its exterior. They were spaced apart at an exact width and without an apparent purpose. It was odd, but they blended into his peripheral vision after the first couple. After all, he had to focus on the dark head, but¡­ Part of him was happy Enide wormed her way into the group of five Pendragons with them.


    With how spread out this ce was, they¡¯d narrowed the group to Two Knights. Him and Dame Robin. Which should be enough to handle themselves if they spotted Seven-Snakes. Long enough for help to arrive anyway. ¡°It¡¯s frustrating we haven¡¯t run into much, I agree,¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Not that! Oh, that¡¯s right, you used to live in caves like this.¡± Enide said.


    Erec stepped over one of the steel rings, looking at the carefully smoothed surface as he did. ¡°Still do. The King gave me the Seventh Cavern, which is a fewyers down. Before that, my family lived almost as deep as you could go. Though, my Cavern is¡­ I¡¯m unsure what I¡¯ll be returning to.¡±


    ¡°How do you deal with the feeling of all that rock above you? My skin is itching¡­¡± Enide looked up at the row of lights that led deeper into her hell.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t use to bug me. I didn¡¯t think about it until I saw the sky. Now it¡¯d bother me to be down here too long.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, my skin is going wild; is something in the air? Wait¡­¡±


    The steel rings ahead of them began to glow a light orange, then a blinding white. Without thinking, Erec grabbed Enide and shoved her towards a wall, putting himself between him and the rest of the tunnel. He braced and expected gunfire; the rest of the Pendragons and Dame Robin followed his lead. She used her steel Armor as a protective shield.


    A whirring noise crashed into them, and Enide scratched at her skin. The Pendragons let out rmed cries as the rings of the tunnel glowed a blinding white.


    ¡°No way! Is that a Rift?!¡± Enide yelled, her voice barely above the horrible whirring.


    [This design¡­ There¡¯s no way.]


    Tense minutes passed, and the group huddled together for safety. At any minute, he expected the rings to explode; or for a monster to appear. Anything mighte out and attack. Fury began to stir, waiting for something to appear for him to bury an axe into.


    Yet nothing came. The whirring flowed to a stop, the glow ceased, and once more, silence returned.


    Erec looked down the tunnel. The way they¡¯de was still. But below, the ce was spilling steam or smoke, rising to vent in their direction. Enide stepped out of his protection, pointing a finger down the tunnel.


    ¡°There was¡ªwas it a Rift? It was almost like it. For a second, I could¡¯ve sworn¡­¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Dame Robin asked.


    ¡°Felt it before. Feels the same way every time. Skin starts to itch. I think it¡¯s because it throws off what I¡¯m used to. It touches the in-between and breaks through it.¡±


    ¡°How could there be a Rift down here?¡± Erec asked, gripping his weapon tightly.


    [They stole our research!]


    ¡°It was weird, not exactly like it, and now it''s gone.¡± Enide shivered and frowned. ¡°We gotta see what it was.¡±


    Dame Robin radioed the others, and they began to walk. It only took another minute for the light strips to sh red and the steam to clear. But, down the tunnel was danger.


    A wave of drones flew, followed by walking mechanoids armed withrger guns. Behind those, and slower, were even bigger machinates, bordering on the side of vehicles, slowly plowing their way up the tunnel on massive treads. Not only had some allegedly opened a Rift, but in doing so, they¡¯d woken what appeared to be the slumbering beast of the most guarded part of this facility in doing so.


    There wasn¡¯t time to run and nowhere to hide from these killing machines.


    ¡°Watch me. Then show me who you are.¡± Erec told Enide, stepping in front of her.


    He swung his axe around, tightening his grip on the handle, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face. Fury began to burn bright, pure light in this darkness, and he¡¯d let it carry him through anything this ce had to throw at him. He¡¯d kill anything that got in his way.


    Erec released a war cry and charged alone toward a wave of deadly old-world war machines.

 Chapter 130: Monster Hunters

    Chapter 130: Monster Hunters


    <em>¡°Mystery and marvel are the gates to that wild world where the Monsters of the past lived out their monstrous lives. Adventure that carries one into those steaming coal forests, into those ck and reptile-haunted swamps, that sets one face to face with the sprawling brood of giants, terribly menacing and terribly true, holds a thrill peculiar to itself. So startling, so madly strange seem the conditions that we scarcely dare to believe the adventure true, and then, the slow processes of Time turn one by one the pages of that age-old book, and the most extravagant flight of the imagination is outdistanced by facts.</em>


    <em>Out to the waste and desert corners of the earth, men go to read these stories. They find the bones of the colossal diators still locked in their Titanic struggle, though that struggle ended in death ten million years ago; they find a ruthless war of tooth and w made tenfold more ferocious than anybat of living beasts of prey by the huge bulk, and the terrible offensive and defensive weapons of those vast animals that the Earth could no longer tolerate.¡±</em>


    <em>-Francis Rolt-Wheeler, The Monster-Hunters, (1916, 2nd Era.) </em>


    Erec swung his axe into a drone, splitting it in half in a second as a bullet skipped along the side of his pauldron and crashed into the concrete wall. Inside, Fury burned brighter, heating up as he let it unfurl. This would be him. Enide would see who he was, and in the process, he¡¯d kill everyst old-world relic that dared to threaten them. Another bullet mmed into his helm, jerking his head and flying off. All it meant was that it was a bullet not spent on a Pendragon.


    He¡¯d kill all of them.


    Fury burned brighter, but it was nowhere near where it was supposed to be. Where he¡¯d drag it kicking and screaming into life. If she wanted to see him let go, this time, there would be nothing held back. She was the girl who went all in, never taking her foot off the gas. And he¡¯d make her see that they were the same deep down.


    Erec dived forward, clipping another drone with its motors and causing the thing to crash. Another was closing the distance, peppering him with its weak and pointless bullets. Watching the predicted outline of where it was going, heshed out with a kick and crashed the drone into the ground.


    Too easy. These things were far too fragile to present a real danger. Was this the best that the old world had to offer? The weapons of the people that came before?


    More bullets rained on him, hammering into his te and making a dreadful noise. Standing in ce for too long attracted too much attention, and even if his Armor fended off the small caliber of the drones, it wasn¡¯t a permanent solution. Eventually, the ting would wear away and present weak points where the bullets could get at his skin; but by then, he¡¯d make sure none of these things were left to fire their weak little guns at him.


    <em>Burn</em>


    Erec yelled until his throat tore, pressing deeper into the ranks of the unliving machines. Behind him, Dame Robin pulled back and threw up a metal wall with her Armor; the Pendragons were darting out to take potshots but relying on her for defense, forck of any cover in this death hall. There¡¯d be no backup for some time, meaning they relied on him.


    If they were going to live, he needed to make space for them to fight back against the robots.


    He cleaved into the thick of the drones, angling his axe to hit multiple of them at once while on the move, pressing deeper, trying to draw more of their attention. Not because it took the heat off the rest of his allies, but because if that brush with death kept happening for him, it only let him pull more out of Fury.


    <em>Stronger.</em>


    Around him, steel rained to the ground about as quickly as the drones got within range. His axe was a weapon of destruction, tearing apart the flying machines with every move. He saw where they¡¯d be and acted ordingly for each action to break as much as possible, even while not being fully conscious.


    As his skin seared and his veins burned bright, it was as if his body had be its own entity, fueled by the fire inside as he screamed for more.


    A heavy bullet hit his shoulder, jerking him off bnce arger caliber than the drones. Finally, his eyesnded on the target, one of the man-sized machines. It moved on three legs, constantly shifting to get the best shot. Like one of those tripods that Erec had seen the Pendragons use. And also, it was a much better target to vent off some of that burning inside.


    The more he got used to this hate, this pure anger, the more it reminded him of an energy generator, warming and growing in power, straining his body. Before adapting to it, dealing with the rush of emotions led him to lose himself.


    Now, that hate was a weapon.


    Erec¡¯s axe tore off one of the thing¡¯s legs, causing it to tip and for its shot to fire wildly and far away from its target of him. With one of his feet, he trampled it, crushing through its chest and watching a ssh of its internal fluidse up as he broke straight through. Barely a secondter, a bullet skidded off the side, sparking and catching the fluids on fire; the mmable oil spread in a wave, and Erec leaped away from it.


    Fire. Perfect, precisely what this fight needed to take it up a notch.


    ¡°More!¡± Erec screamed, finding another one of the man-like bots; he grabbed it by the arm, ripping it free, and tossed the gun at a drone, sending the thing to crash into the ground and explode in the growing patches of fire.


    As more broke apart, theirtent mechanics twitching and struggling as their programming tried to force them back to their feet to kill him, the fires spread. Fuel grew massively on the ground as he waded into more of these creatures. Kicking, smashing, and tearing, ripping apart whatever came his way and forcing his way deeper into the steel wave. With the destruction he brought in his wake, they surrounded him, pressing in and doing their best to neutralize the most significant threat.


    None of them were quick enough. Not a single one of these soul-less things couldpete with him. Saws, bullets, and thermalnces failed to find the right spot to break past his defense. Even if they did, it wouldn¡¯t stop him. The only thing that would let thisst gasp from an ancient world kill him was to take him off by the head.


    But they never stood a chance. He saw how they moved. His body reacted, a finely tuned instrument of death and destruction.


    This was him. A pure andplete part of himself, burning brighter by the second as he tore limbs, turned these robots into his weapons against their own forces.


    Erec began tough.


    Eventually, with so many attacks flying on all sides, something would find its way past his Armor. A shot hit the right angle, breaking through a weak point in his Armor, drawing blood, and numbing the limb. The pain that stemmed from it existed only briefly before being wrapped up and consumed with that inner burning heat. Even his blood, drawn by his enemies, became a weapon for him to take and burn away.


    All of it drove to a single goal, a single focus. To kill. To destroy. As quickly and effectively as this stubborn physical form of his could manage. Every strike and piece of sheered metal was another step on his path to conquering this battlefield. To be the victor, the demon that was inside. It taught him quicker ways to kill.


    Severing the correct wire at the right time led them to crash into one another. The drones served as projectiles; even the fire could be utilized to generate an effective smoke screen.


    Everything within sight was his to control.


    And finally, thest ones began to arrive at the party. Massive hunks of steel on treads climbed up the tunnel, their massive barrels pointed directly at him: a challenge and the high point of what he¡¯d wanted. The final test was to free him to who he truly was.


    It fired a massive beam of light from the barrel; not a projectile, but a line very simr to thes-rifle Enide used.


    Erec saw it only a second before it came, swaying to his side and feeling it tear into his arm, stripping the te and searing the flesh beneath. This couldn¡¯t stand. With an evil grin, Erec rushed it, slipping by another one of the massive pirs of red light. A bullet skidded past the exposed arm from behind; blood colored his vision.


    He reached the behemoth of a robot, jumped onto the barrel, and grabbed it with his bleeding arm. Using its frame as a brace, he mmed his axe into its te, having it bounce and dent the metal. Then he mmed it in again, cutting the barest bit through. Again and again, bullets bounced off him, some finding holes or leaving bruises past the te¡ªnicking and biting as he worked.


    It didn¡¯t matter.


    His skin crawled with a low silver fire as his world concentrated on a single act. Tearing into this robot.


    The outer shell of his victim gave way, revealing something within. A glowing, pulsing cylinder that practically called for him to rip it free. So he did so, tearing the metallic guts right out of the robot, then throwing it just as fast; it barely hit the ground not that far away before causing a massive boom. Erec¡¯s fingers slipped from his hold on the barrel of the behemoth, throwing him across the ground as a pulse of pure force blew from where it¡¯dnded. When he got up, all he saw was steel carnage. Torn apart bots and twisted metal, another one of the behemoths was crawling up the tunnel, with a fresh wave of metal horrors crawling from their hidey-hole.


    Erec¡¯s arm burned, but as the silver coated it, the pain faded; he felt whole. Complete. If he killed one of them, what was another? If anything, it¡¯d only die quicker.


    Without care for anyone watching him, he charged the next batch of enemies, grinning and bleeding.


    Beautiful fire. That¡¯s what he craved.

 Chapter 131: Another World

    Chapter 131: Another World


    Erec did a slow turn, his eyes roaming over the ckened marks on the ground and the bits of blood sttered among steel wreckage. His breath came in waves, his heart still beating out of his chest. The silver me that served as a cloak against the bullets and pain was long gone.


    After it left hade nausea, but it was enough to push down in the thrall of Fury now. His body was getting attuned to it.


    That unrealness that came with it was still problematic. Combined with Fury, it was like watching himself move through a lens, tearing things apart and blowing things up. A certain euphoria came with the freedom. Even the sickness that grounded him in reality was suppressed as long as Fury burned.


    Erec sank to his knees, mming a hand on his visor and vomiting up putrid ck all over the remains of one of the mobile-tank-like robots.


    He sat there, gasping for air as thest of his fire burned off. His skin felt numb, and his eyes ran over the destruction with a new understanding. All of this was him. Those behind him contributed, but the majority of this battle was his.


    Robin was further down the tunnel, back with the Pendragons. She¡¯d kept them safe and let him charge ahead.


    Erec wiped his mouth with the back of his steel gauntlet, tapping on the side of his helmet to bring back the visor.


    A momentter, he was stumbling back to the other humans.


    He passed by fires with a dim awareness of the torn-apart steel and mes left in his wake. Erec felt as if he were made of clouds, and not even aware he willed it; a notification ran across his vision on his arduous trek.


    Strength: Rank D - Tier 6 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 7


    Vigor: Rank E - Tier 8 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 9


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): Rank E - Tier 3 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 4


    With each step, his body shook more and grew colder. The feeling of blood running down his right arm was a wee warmth; it held onto an axe that trailed on the ground. He hadn¡¯t the strength to lift it back to where it belonged, nor the care.


    ¡°Erec!¡± a voice yelled. Enide. She appeared in front of him as if from nowhere. A ghost, a flickering presence that may or may not exist. So close, yet paradoxically far away, his stomach twisted in knots again. Somewhere deep down, a voice screamed to bottle it away. Not in front of her.


    <em>Why care?</em>


    Why did he care what this person thought? Was she real, anyway? All that mattered was he won, wrapped his control over his fire, and brought it out to cause destruction.


    Erec slid from the girl, or perhaps she guided him. It was tough to track. Though, he did feel the wall press against his back as he slipped down it to sit. More blood dripped down his fingers. That¡¯d need repair, surely.


    The girl fluttered around him like the wind, her voice a soothing note that kept him anchored to reality. She¡¯d convinced him to take his helmet off. She pressed her hand to his forehead, leaned in, and whispered to him praise. As he deserved, a victor of his battle. All was right then. Surely.


    Until the bile won out, he asked the girl to look away, embarrassed and vomited his insides out for the second time.


    When he looked back for her, she was gone. Taken by the wind.


    Olivia was staring back at him, her face scrunched up and her palm glowing with light.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Erec croaked out, the world stitching back together, strings in a grand tapestry.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking about Enide? Really? She told you she went with the others down the tunnel fifteen minutes ago,¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is your wounds. She said none of them could heal, but half were closed, and by how things look, you lost a lot of blood.¡±


    [Your silver mes appear to have regenerative properties; you stitched yourself together during the fight but were a bit more reckless than usual as a cost. Odd. Before, they burned unnaturally, and now this. The way they healed was almost like how this girl had patched you before. I¡¯ll make sure to gather more data before offering a conclusion.]


    ¡°She saw me puke, didn¡¯t she?¡± Erec rubbed his eyes. His helmet was on the ground.


    ¡°How are you even concerned about that? Look what you did.¡± She cupped Erec¡¯s chin and made him look at the wreckage of fire and steel down the tunnel. ¡°Do you think she cares about you puking? Honestly, it¡¯s impossible to gauge what¡¯s going on in that skull of yours. Goddess, help you.¡±


    She let him go, and he leaned his head against the wall, looking at the metallic rings on the tunnel. What secrets did this ce hold?


    Regardless, he couldn¡¯t sit here. Not much longer. A few minutes, that''s all it¡¯d take, and he could get his body moving again. The fight wasn¡¯t over. Deep down, he craved more and knew there were still Seven-Snakes to find and challenge¡ªhis fight. The pull of it would give him the Strength to proceed, even if he needed to burn Fury to keep on his feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done. There¡¯s more to do.¡± Erec promised, his fist clenching. Wherever this tunnel led, it¡¯d go to Seven-Snakes. And he¡¯d let Enide watch. Let her see.


    This hadn¡¯t been enough; she¡¯d seen the anger, the Fury of him. The Mad Knight. But that wasn¡¯t what he wanted to show. It wasn¡¯t the part of him that was the most important. No. He knew now that the role he wanted to be the most, to disy for the world to see, was the man that refused to give up. The stubborn boy. He who dragged himself from being the second son of andless noble to making himself a Knight.


    That was who he was.


    Erec shook as he forced himself back to his feet.


    ¡°Sir Erec, You¡¯re getting carried away. Sit down, and drink some water. I believe you¡¯ve already exceeded expectations for this mission; I highly doubt Boldwick wants anything more than for you to recover.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Erec partially lied. He wasn¡¯t fine now, and there was no promise he would be. Nevertheless, he¡¯d press ahead. If he gave up here, it would cut off the lifeblood to a truth he now saw. Thanks to this silly game of Enide¡¯s.


    Deep down, he knew who he wanted to be. And that part of him couldn¡¯t sit on the sidelines, not with business to bury and Snakes to catch. With Olivia hounding his steps, he went down the tunnel into the dark after the rest of the Knights.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The base of the tunnel led to arge ring around a solid steel wall. It sparkled with various lights andplex machinery that framed the otherwise solid steel. The tracks running down the tunnel went straight to the wall, but the tunnel split at the end. Leading to pried-apart st doors, about another seventy shredded bots Erec was reasonably sure he didn¡¯t kill, and a giant wall of tinted ss.


    A couple of Pendragons were looking over the machinery around the wall, but most of everyone was behind those doors.


    Erec stumbled his way through and eventually overheard Boldwick talking.


    ¡°Rift?¡± Boldwick asked, filled with disbelief.


    ¡°From what I can see, the leftover documentation I managed to recover supports that.¡± Corey¡¯s voice rang out. Erec followed the noise, walking down a hall and into the room on the other side of the sizeable tinted ss from the main entrance. ¡°And you heard the thugs we caught. They intended to open it back up for him. Now they can¡¯t, obviously, since their tech died in the scuffle.¡±


    The room was a tech-lovers dream. Consoles lined all the walls, filled with screens, lights, and boards. Some blinked or streamed information; others werepletely nk and dead. Enough buttons around everywhere instantly tempted Erec to press a few to see what might happen, though that might¡¯ve been the lingering lost sense of reality still clinging to him.


    Corey leaned back in an old-world chair near the center console, the foldable screen in hisp hooked up to the central console as he plugged away on its keyboard.


    Enide, Yniol, and the leader of the Pendragons, Rochester, were all in the room, along with a couple of other Pendragons and Dame Robin, who was right near Boldwick¡¯s side.


    ¡°Sure felt like it. My skin only gets like that near rifts, but it was odd¡­¡± Enide trailed off as she noticed Erec. Her eyes went wide. She probably thought he¡¯d be down for a while.


    Boldwick gave him a nod of recognition, then returned his attention to Corey.


    ¡°All tracks and traces you¡¯ve found, and our investigation shows that Seven-Snakes managed to operate this machine, opened the rift, then walked through it. Why?¡± Boldwick asked.


    ¡°Dunno. They had a tech with him and scrubbed as much data as possible. With how haphazard the job was, though, the guy wasn¡¯t good at it.¡± Corey sighed. ¡°Might be able to pick up the pieces and rerun it, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact we need to use an old-world device to go through a Rift to get him, now.¡±


    Rochester shook his head andughed. ¡°Well, we have to do it, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going through a Rift to track a bounty target?¡± Boldwick asked, voice dripping with pessimism. ¡°Since their exit closed on them, why not go to your Magi and tell them what happened? Scarcely seems worth the risk. He can¡¯t return now. As good as dead.¡±


    ¡°Well, about that¡­¡± Rochester rubbed his hand. ¡°To get a favor from the Magi, they wanted him alive. Dead is just payment. That and our reputation is at stake, along with his. He¡¯s known to slip away at thest minute; they¡¯ll assume he evaded us like everyone else. But the favor is vital. Corey, if we open this Rift, we¡¯ll be headed to the same ce?¡±


    Corey nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why they left people to operate this side. No idea how the old-world aplished this, but it¡¯s stable enough. A Rift that opens and closes in the same spot, all it takes is to induce it.¡±


    ¡°Simple then. We go through. Same n as he had, only I have far more confidence in our people to maintain our position here.¡± Rochester nodded.


    ¡°Madness. You don¡¯t even have Armor.¡± Boldwick pointed out.


    ¡°Neither did Seven-Snakes. We wander the wastnd without need for steel; I see nothing different here. I appreciate the concern, and obviously, I won¡¯t ask you, our new friends, to follow us through a Rift. It is enough to get us this far, disable the security and the men Seven-Snakes left behind. We¡¯ll handle the rest. I¡¯ll pick our people to go through. Then we can pay you what we owe from our side of the deal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Enide dered, finally breaking her attention from Erec.


    ¡°Damn it, Enide!¡± Yniol hit a table, ¡°There¡¯s no need. Don¡¯t throw yourself into this; the idea of getting back into that vault is foolish, to begin with, and you know it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the most suited to this. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s on the other side, and Seven-Snakes does now. You can¡¯t argue that I¡¯m the best scout in the family,¡± Enide argued, her voice rising. ¡°And it is worth it. We need that favor. If nothing else, then to pull them out and give them the send-off they fucking deserve!¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Rochester said. ¡°Her bravery is undeniable, Yniol. Let her be; this is right. We¡¯ll find this man, bring him to Vega, and then we can finally free our people.¡±


    ¡°Damn you both,¡± Yniol stormed out of the room with a snarl. ¡°They¡¯re dead, Rochester. Make peace with that, you and the rest of the damn fools who can¡¯t move off from the past.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Enide said quietly to her father''s back.


    This was it then. She was going to head into a Rift, to think she¡¯d made the decision so easily. For what? They nned to go into a vault to save her Uncle and Retrieve his body? That was the favor they wanted from the Magi? Erec saw his mother¡¯s face, that feeling in him that always welled when he thought of finding her again, saying what he wanted to say about how it felt to have a piece of him ripped away. These people were just like him; they wanted closure on their lost family. And to get it, they needed to track down the scum that was Seven-Snakes.


    ¡°Sir,¡± Erec spoke up, his heart hammering, burning as he thought about it all. There wasn¡¯t a choice here. He knew what he had to do. If all it cost was to get these people to achieve a wish he held himself, which was to go through this Rift, the decision was easy.


    His eyes snapped to Enide and took away power from how the girl flowed through life. This decision didn¡¯t have to beplicated.


    ¡°I¡¯m going through the Rift with them. They shouldn¡¯t go alone.¡±


    Boldwick rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Goddess, damn it. I knew you¡¯d say that. It¡¯s the sort of hot-headed deration¡­ Worse is that I agree.¡±


    ¡°What? You want toe after all that?¡± Rochester asked.


    ¡°I need to meet with my Knights. After that, we can talk,¡± Boldwick waved Rochester off before addressing Erec directly. ¡°Since you¡¯re walking and talking loud enough to rope yourself into dangerous decisions, I suppose you¡¯re fine enough to follow along for a bit longer. On me.¡± The Master Knight walked off, not cutting any ck in his pace for Erec.


    With onest look at Enide, he followed, burning a bit of Fury to catch up.

 Chapter 132: Couple Of Fools

    Chapter 132: Couple Of Fools


    <em>¡°Several aspects determine the quality and usability of a Rift. Now that we¡¯ve rued the necessary resources, it¡¯s time to move past our natural response to flee from the unknown.</em>


    <em>Frankly, this old-world city isn¡¯t in the most beneficial of locations, so, as is natural, we must exploit any resources avable.</em>


    <em>And by any resources, I mean any.</em>


    <em>Thus I propose a sustained use of the so dubbed ¡®Gaia¡¯ Rift. We¡¯ve secured the perimeter, our people can contain any breaches, and I trust in our strength to defend against attacks from the outside. With regr trips through the Rift, we can secure a source of wood and fertilend to nt crops. On all fronts, this is the most logical action we can take and will let us establish a foothold in a hostile ce. </em>


    <em>Considering it¡¯s stable, always present, and thus is, by our metrics, highly usable, we¡¯d be fools not to capitalize on it. Using it, we can pull something into this world that hasn¡¯t been seen for ages. A city.¡± </em>


    <em>-First Magi Swens, An Immodest Proposal To Found Vega (250, 3rd Era) </em>


    ¡°Loyalty,¡± Boldwick started, taking his seat at the head of an office table. It was peculiar how simr this sterile white meeting room reminded Erec of Vortex Industries. Multiple whiteboards and markerspleted the room for every color of the rainbow, an ideal ce to focus on a conversation. ¡°It¡¯s the force that binds the Knights to the King and maintains order within the Kingdom. A powerful force. And one that will connect us to these people. They cherish loyalty, just as we do. While their weapons can be bought, they¡¯d never turn them on a friend. These people and their connections are what we need.¡±


    ¡°You think that if you establish a friendship built on loyalty with these people, you can fill the Royal Family¡¯s conditions for this expedition.¡± Dame Juliana concluded, sitting at the other end of the stretched table. All of the Knights and the Duke were seated. Despite the number of Knights in this room, there were plenty of chairs to go around and give everyone some much-needed space.


    Erec tapped his fingers against the table. Olivia was looking over him again now that he was still again.


    ¡°Even if they don¡¯t agree to return with us to the Kingdom, I¡¯m sure they have enough wastnd contacts to find us the right people. They¡¯ll feel like they have to provide us with trustworthy people. Then past that, we can work with them in the future.¡± Boldwick said.


    ¡°I doubt their culture will fit well in the courts, but I agree with your assessment about their loyalty. Therefore you want to pick a team willing to walk into a Rift with them and tie them further to you. A uniquely dangerous proposition that I disagree with. We can find others to fill the demands of the royals.¡± Duke Nitidus argued.


    ¡°I have a feeling about these people. And I¡¯ve learned to trust my gut on instincts like this. Deep down, this will return our efforts. I¡¯m sure of it. But I know what I¡¯m asking. Even with the assurance that we can create this Rift, it¡¯s a dangerous mission, not including trying to keep Seven-Snakes alive. This one is considered dangerous, and as much as I say this is something I feel we should do, I won¡¯t force anyone to go who doesn¡¯t feel the same.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Erec asserted once more.


    [Think of the readings we¡¯ll obtain going through a Rift! Normally, I¡¯d advocate for safe testing since you¡¯re human. But I do suppose some of the most significant discoveries among your race came from risks. I¡¯m well pleased with the initiative, Researcher, but I don¡¯t think we won¡¯t talk aboutb safetyter!]


    With anything worth doing in life, he felt fear. But confidence in himself, and not only to prove anything to Enide.


    What had started as a challenge by her was rapidly morphing into an understanding that he couldn¡¯t keep lying to himself. He wanted to be like her, to follow his beliefs no matter where they led.


    All that time in the Kingdom with his new responsibilities had a way of stripping him from who he was. It made him forget what the shape of his soul was. Despite the danger or the fear, he would do what needed to be done and rise to the challenge. Enide reminded him of that and made it crystal clear.


    Together, they¡¯d walk through that Rift and disregard the world and its rules.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. That¡¯s why I called this meeting, since between the two of us, we have enough Knights to support them,¡± Boldwick shook his head. ¡°Although, if you can¡¯t repair your Armor in time, I will make you sit it out. However, the reason for this meeting is for everyone else to understand why I think this is vital and offer them a chance to join. The more resources on a mission like this, the better.¡±


    The room went quiet as the rest of the Knights considered the offer.


    ¡°Some of us must remain on this side to ensure protection for this Rift, I assume.¡± Dame Juliana said.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I will not be entering a Rift. Not after thest one. But I will do everything within my power, to myst breath, to ensure an exit.¡±


    ¡°Understandable.¡± Boldwick finished.


    All of the initiate¡¯s eyes shot to their instructor. When did she go through a Rift? The woman had never spoken about or even hinted at such a thing in her lectures.


    ¡°I cannot.¡± The Duke added.


    ¡°Reestablishing my connection to the would take a month and multiple rituals I don¡¯t have the resources for. I¡¯m afraid my magic might be far less useful if I severed my connection,¡± Dame Morgana hung her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boldy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. And your situation is, as ever, unique. I¡¯d rather not limit our resources by disrupting your magic,¡± Boldwick frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m with you.¡± Dame Robin nodded, and Boldwick let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be enough then. Meeting adjourned.¡± Boldwick stood up, seeming unconcerned with the rest of the initiates. It was understandable; they¡¯d have to be reckless like Erec to desire such a dangerous trip that far more powerful Knights refused.


    Better no one else went anyway. It was something Erec had to do, and if it furthered Boldwick¡¯s ns, all the better. He¡¯d rather none of his friends took the risk. Maybe, if he went, he¡¯d find the key to himself in that other world, helping those people get the closure he longed for.


    With each second, he felt more confident in his decision. Erec stood up, knowing he had work to do.


    ¡°I shall be going.¡± Colin dered.


    ¡°You will not.¡± The Duke disagreed.


    ¡°It is my right as a Knight to take on this mission. It was offered to us all, and I will not stand by. You have no authority on this matter.¡± Colin squared his shoulders as he firmly put Boldwick in the awkward position between the Knight and his Father.


    Boldwick looked between the two and coughed. ¡°He, uh, has a point. And I could use more Knights.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a fool, then.¡± Duke Nitidus red at the Master Knight. Garin got up and flung an arm over the Duke¡¯s son¡¯s shoulder, his face was pale, but Erec knew what he¡¯d say.


    ¡°Guess that¡¯s it. I¡¯m in as well. Ha.¡± Garin added.


    ¡°Garin!¡± Olivia yelled, standing up.


    Dame Morgana began to p loudly, though the rest of the room was silent.


    ¡°¡­Get prepared then,¡± Boldwick said. ¡°Dear Goddess, what am I teaching these kids?¡±


    ¡°Oh, how their souls blossom! Wonderful, beautiful, enchanting!¡± Dame Morgana yelled loudly.


    With the charged atmosphere, It didn¡¯t take long for the Knights to filter out of the room. Olivia yanked Garin out, and nobody wanted to be thest one with an angry Duke.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°Sure it¡¯s a good idea to tag along? You were having trouble standing not too long ago.¡± Enide asked Erec, who was busy working on his Armor. With the mass of people swarming around preparing and figuring out this old-world tech, he struggled to focus on what he needed to do: fix his Armor. Without it, he couldn¡¯t go. And Enide wasn¡¯t making it easy to concentrate. ¡°Say, my Knight in Shining Armor, you didn¡¯t happen to tag along because you thought I was a damsel in distress, did you?¡±


    Erec snorted. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t put it like that. You said you wanted to know me, and I want to take Seven-Snakes down. He bested me once.¡±


    She leaned over his shoulder with a smirk. ¡°Might wanna work on your lying hero, but I¡¯m going to say this once and say it now: I¡¯m not a damsel in distress for you to save, and never will be. I like the danger. The world is the damsel, and I¡¯m usually the one that causes it distress; it makes my heart race and suits me just fine. Anywhere I wanna go, I go. It¡¯s that simple.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not doing it because you feel bad about the vault. You¡¯re doing it for the danger. We both know that one¡¯s a lie, too.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t a girl have a couple of good reasons to do what she wants?¡± She pulled back as he began to weld another te on the arm. Thankfully, this old-world military facility had just about anything he could want for repairs; some of the Pendragons were already stripping what they thought they could get away with and packing it on a makeshift cart for the return journey.


    They had a rather cavalier attitude for knowing some of their own were bound to go into a Rift. By contrast, the Knights focused on learning what they could from Corey, double-checking with what they knew to ensure as much safety as they could, including grilling the captured thugs.


    ¡°Seeing you lose it on a bunch of robots was hot,¡± Enide said, making Erec¡¯s steady welding hand suddenly skew and scorch a line on his te. ¡°So, that¡¯s your Fury? Didn¡¯t expect it to be such an extravagant event.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Erec stopped, not knowing how to respond correctly. ¡°Thanks?¡±


    Enideughed at him, running a hand along his arm. When he turned around to protest, she was gone.


    Like the wind, she came and disappeared without a sound.


    ¡°What the hell is her Talent anyway.¡± Erec shook his head. It was for the best she¡¯d left. This Armor needed to be serviceable when they were ready to go, or Boldwick would reject him from attending the mission. They were in a race against time already, knowing that the longer they worked on preparing, the further Seven-Snakes got.


    Sometimes safety couldn¡¯t be cut. They were already shaving it close enough with this whole thing, to begin with.


    Erec narrowed his eyes and got back to work. As much as he hated to admit it, he¡¯d been half-assing his job when she''d been around. She constantly pulled his attention, which was probably her intent.


    Still, some things were worth being distracted for.

 Chapter 133: Unending Knowledge

    Chapter 133: Unending Knowledge


    Erec stood in front of the gate that would lead to another world. His Armor now fully functional, and reinforced. At this point, about 25% of the exterior ting was reinforced with scrap, and a portion of the interior wiring had to be redone and soldered with whatever he could find.


    Normally, around this point would mark the start of structural integrity issues. But thanks to VAL and its nanites, they were a long way off from that being a concern. Aside from some weaker metal alloys now on the exterior, it was still pretty near the condition he left the Kingdom in.


    The most important part was that his Armor would meet Boldwick standards, and he¡¯d beat the Knights and Pendragon¡¯s preparations.


    Right now they still rushed around pulling together thest few pieces to enable the mission.


    ¡°Not much longer¡­¡± Erec mumbled, Boldwick told them to be ready in the next couple of hours.


    His eyes roamed over to the end of the tunnel; the steel rings that lined the totality of the tunnel narrowed until they blended together, ending in a solid piece of steel, welded from the walls to the back. There was a secondary ring of what seemed to be copper, and other metals, along with electrical equipment blinking and glowing, wires running off from that¡­


    Yeah, an old-world contraption on a grand scale, Erec was sure. If it worked, the rings would light up, and open up a temporary rift right where that steel wall was.


    Then, he¡¯d step into another world.


    ¡°You nervous?¡± Garin asked Erec, one of his arms wrapped around Colin¡¯s shoulder as they approached. Like him, as initiates, and those going on the mission, other then getting their gear together, there wasn¡¯t much else to be done for the Initiates who were going. And they¡¯d had significantly more time to sit and ponder the current situation then Erec, who¡¯d needed to make repairs.


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t be? At this point though, how many times have we faced threats that could end us? This one¡¯s different, but still the same in a lot of ways. I¡¯ve always been curious about what it¡¯s like on the other side of one of these.¡±


    There seemed to be an infinite possibility of worlds, based on the monsters they¡¯d encountered. Yet the ounts of Knights were limited. Some made the trip for research, others by necessity, but as a general rule, they avoided crossing into another world.


    ¡°Though I don¡¯t understand why you decided toe along, Colin,¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? If you¡¯re so aplished and the same age as I, even from a lesser station, it wouldn¡¯t behoove me to reject this opportunity.¡± Colin answered too quickly.


    ¡°Your father refused to participate, probably on grounds of his rank, which you should have too.¡± Garin answered, ¡°Listen, if you¡¯re worried about Erec, you can just admit that. It¡¯s why I decided to go along, though to think he¡¯s doing it chase a girl¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about Enide.¡± Erec answered, crossing his arms. And that was true, partially. Some of it was about her, but some of it was about him. There were plenty of reasons to go, but the most important is because deep down he knew he had to. And he wouldn¡¯t let that instinct go anymore, how much of that was a change influenced by Enide, or natural progress he couldn¡¯t say.


    The jury was still out on whether or not it¡¯d lead to his death, but it would make life worth living. He felt sure of that.


    ¡°Mhmm. Well, Liv chewed me out for going along. Wasn¡¯t happy that we were engaging with this at all, but I can¡¯t lie. I¡¯m curious.¡± Garin stepped forward. ¡°You guys feel it too right? The call of the unknown?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like standing on the steel wall and looking down, knowing you could take a single step and fall, but unable to look away,¡± Colin mumbled to himself.


    They sat in silence for a bit, each of them in their own heads, making their own mental justifications for what led them down this path. All of them well aware that in a couple of hours, they¡¯d never be quite the same.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Lights red around the rim of the gate-maker. The Knights stood in the forefront as a whirring noise began, stemming from theponents that surrounded the steel wall. Erec felt a flush of anticipation as they announced the start of the expedition. Due to the power consumption and strain on the equipment, they had an hour minimum before the gate could open again¡ªand it would only remain open for up to five minutes.


    Enough time to get in, ensure it was safe, then begin their exploration. Boldwick would make the call on how long he thought their mission might take, based on whatevery on the other side, with a maximum of a day.


    They couldn¡¯t know ahead of time what was there. Seven-Snake¡¯s team wiped any information about that, and the thugs left behind weren¡¯t told or refused to answer.


    So be it.


    Erec braced himself as the lights shed red and whirring intensified¡ªthe metal on the sides took on a deep orange-to-white glow again, pulsing as the air at the gate tore open. Though he was in Armor, this time, so near a Rift opening, he felt something deep within him stir and react to the change in the world.


    It started with a silent crack in space. Light spilled out and bled an ethereal rainbow into the world. The light twisted around, gathering at the edges of the tear, breaking across reality like ss. More and more cracks, until the interior and most highly fractured bits of the world bled away into a pure white light, which faded into a twisting distortion of space, with which one could see the steel behind it, the air itself alternating between too-light and too dark.


    It¡¯d stabilized.


    With a lifted fist as a signal, Boldwick marched forward. When he met the steel wall at the end of the hallway, his body simply twisted away into the air, leaving nothing.


    Thirty secondster, he walked back out, appearing in a shifting of light, and motioned for everyone to follow. Their signal was that it was safe to breach the gap.


    As a unit, the Knights moved, Dame Robin slightly ahead of the initiates when Boldwick didn¡¯t wait for them before vanishing into the Rift again.


    Next went Robin.


    Erec led the way for the initiates, his stomach twisting the closer he got to the vortex of light and shadows. The cast on the steel wall behind it was unnatural. His skin crawled as if it were acknowledging something against the natural order. The air, even within his Armor, felt viscous, like oil.


    For every step closer to the light and shadow, the way ahead seemed further away. Space itself stretched impossibly around him, turning from an approach toward a wall to walking down a steel tunnel. Behind him, the room, the people, and the world itself twisted out of shape.


    Then he was alone. Each step required considerable force as a rush of sound flooded his ears¡ªcrackling like a log on a fire.


    The world twisted in an instant from an endless steel hall to an oppressive dark corridor. VAL instantly activated the light on his helm and saw Boldwick and Robin slightly ahead.


    Massive wooden shelves lined the path ahead, stretching high enough into the sky to leave sight and make it impossible to say how tall they were. Erec stepped forward, his leg heavy as he lunged; the support of his Armor caught him.


    [Expect some motion sickness.] VAL cautioned. [I¡¯ll help you keep upright until you adjust since we just flung ourselves through space. Gravity also seems off here.]


    Erec took small cautious steps, his breath quickening as his head twisted to take in all he could see.


    Rows upon rows of wooden shelves, more than thergest library he¡¯d ever entered. Some of them were chained down; others had ques written in indecipherable script. Upon them were stacks of paper, scrolls, and books shoved in; the asional nk space and other-worldly statues dotted thendscape.


    Above was a dim light. Floating candles charted their course through the maze of shelves.


    Erec flinched as far above a shadow flickered from one of the shelves to another. His hand groped around for his axe as he wobbled closer to the other Knights.


    Garin and Colin popped out the twisting distortion, which appeared different from this side. Instead of a wave of rainbow and light and dark, there was a mass of ck in the middle of the hall. Not long after came the confused Pendragons, though Enide and Rochester seemed fine with the shift in reality.


    This wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d expected.


    When he pictured an alien world, he envisioned trees with eyeballs. Maybe purple fauna. A wholendscape of slime, or even a lush red field of flowers¡­ Something to match the eldritch monsters he¡¯d faced.


    But this was like the world¡¯s creepiest library, with an almost oppressive atmosphere. He couldn¡¯t get over the feeling of being watched.


    ¡°¡­Do not touch anything.¡± Boldwick cautioned as Rochester reached a hand towards one of the nearest shelves. He yelled in surprise as his hand brushed the back of a book, only for the thing to twist around and dive at him, its binding ring open to reveal jagged teeth as it snapped at his hand.


    Enide appeared right next to it, the barrel of hers-rifle on the cover, sting a hole through the book.


    It fell to the ground, burning away.


    ¡°Dear Goddess,¡± Colin said. ¡°Even the books here want to kill us?¡±

 Chapter 134: Abgott

    Chapter 134: Abgott


    <em>The phenomena of the transformation of deities into demons meet the student of Demonology at every step. We shall have to consider many examples of a kind simr to those which have been mentioned in the preceding chapter; but it is necessary to present at this stage of our inquiry a sufficient number of examples to establish the fact that in every country forces have been at work to degrade the primitive gods into types of evil, as preliminary to a consideration of the nature of those forces.</em>


    <em>We find the history of the phenomena suggested in the German word for idol, Abgott¡ªex-god. Then we have ¡®pagan,¡¯ viger, and ¡®heathen,¡¯ of the heath, denoting those who stood by their old gods after others had transferred their faith to the new. These words bring us to consider the influence upon religious conceptions of the struggles which have urred between races and nations, and consequently between their religions. It must be borne in mind that by the time any tribes had gathered to the consistency of a nation, one of the strongest forces of its coherence would be its priesthood.</em>


    <em> So soon as it became a general belief that there were in the universe good and evil Powers, there must arise a popr demand for the means of obtaining their favour; and this demand has never failed to obtain a supply of priesthoods iming to bind or influence the pr?ternatural beings. These priesthoods represent the strongest motives and fears of a people, and they were gradually intrenched in great institutions involving powerful interests. </em>


    <em>-Conway, Moncure Daniel, Demonology and Devil-lore (1879, 2nd Era) </em>


    ¡°So many books¡­¡± Enide muttered as the group stalked down one of the infinite library pathways. The vastbyrinth went on and on without any end. Every so often, Boldwick would stop them. Then, hurriedly, they would stoop to mark the ground with chalk. Thankfully, hastily scribbled marks weren¡¯t their only way home. Erec had a live map constructed by VAL as they walked. If he had to bet, the two senior Knights likely had their own form of automatic mapping software.


    When it came to exploring a different world, every safety measure was important.


    ¡°Remember not to touch anything. So say our Armored guides. What a pity. Think of how much the Magi might pay to get information about this ce,¡± Rochester shook his head.


    ¡°You intend to sell the location of the vault to them?¡± Boldwick asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to. Though I don¡¯t find the idea very appealing, as long as we get their aid by turning in Seven-Snakes, we thankfully don¡¯t have to consider it. If they did find out, there¡¯s no doubt in my mind they¡¯d exploit it.¡± Rochester shrugged, ¡°Still, selling it to them or not doesn¡¯t remove my temptation to page through some of them, whether or not I can read it aside.¡±


    ¡°Focus on the mission. We both know that. It¡¯s better to interact with other worlds as little as possible; unless it bes vital, it¡¯s unnecessary. As badly as we may want to.¡± Boldwick stood up, a new mark on the ground. There was another torn book not too far from it, one of the signs left behind by Seven-Snakes. He¡¯d set his method of backtracking by ripping apart books. They didn¡¯t care to operate on the same rules as the Knight, but just how far did they n to travel into this world?


    Tension ran high, despite the conversation. To Erec, this ce always shifted and moved in the corner of his vision. But it was primarily books rattling around, waiting for the humans to walk past before moving. These things had minds of their own.


    But it felt like there was more than that going on. This ce lived, thought, and watched; there was a weight to walking through these massive bookshelves as if the shadows followed them. Lurking and curious about the people now roaming its infinite halls.


    From what they¡¯d seen, there was nothing besides books and shelves. No walls, no sky. There were floating lights far above¡ªthe only ¡®natural¡¯ light source in this ce. The movements of the flying candles appeared random at first. Then, as one paid attention, a pattern emerged. Candles grouped and flowed between the shelves in small rivers; if there wasn¡¯t a constant stream of them, they tended to stick to groups. Now and then, he spotted a solo candle; when they were alone, they burned bright, almost like they were calling into the shadows for their own.


    When there was only a pair, but two of them, they burned the brightest. Two candles would circle one another as they passed through the world alone, trapped in one another¡¯s orbit.


    The first time he saw it, Erec felt a weird chord in his heart: they seemed to defy the oppressive darkness all around, with no care for anything other than themselves¡ªcontent with one another. Even if shadows owned everything around them, their light only red more.


    ¡°¡­Is that a swarm of books?¡± Colin asked, pointing through a gap in the bookshelf.


    That snapped everyone into focus; they arranged themselves to peer through the space left on the shelf. It didn¡¯t take long to spot it. A flood of books was fluttering in a vortex of chaos and mayhem. The sound of their ruffling pages was deafening.


    Erec stepped back, pulling a hatchet free.


    The flood crested through whatever gaps they could find, flying around the Knights in a swarm. His axe went clean through the spine of a book¡ªbut none of them were attacking.


    After killing two, he stopped himself, bewildered.


    Not a second to think before the shelf the books fled through shook with a massive bang. Such a feat was impossible, given how big the things were and as solid as they came supporting tons of weight on their shelves. Yet it rocked, almost toppling over and onto the Knights. Above them, twenty ck tendrils shot through the cracks, each targeting a book and snatching it out of the air before yanking the things back through the case.


    Following the brief moment of literary violence, there was a thump on the other side.


    Colin slid away as discretely as he could manage from the shelf.


    Through the gaps, Erec strained to see what was happening. A shadowy mass crouched on the other side, roughly in the shape of a human. Shadowy tendrilszily floated around it without care for gravity. It held a floating candle hostage in one of its inky ck tentacles and waved it over all the pinned books it¡¯d captured. Eyes swam across the surface of the ck tendrils and shape, tendrils asionally whipping downward to rip out pages from the captured books and throw them with abandon.


    It was¡­ Reading? In the most destructive way Erec could imagine.


    One of the eyes swam down to the end of a tendril, swaying like a snake as it floated back to the shelf that separated it from the Knights.


    Boldwick gave a silent gesture for them to move, which the Pendragons didn¡¯t need encouragement to do. They pulled away from the book carnage as silent as a sneaking mouse. All the while, Erec kept turning to look at where the monster was. There was no mistaking the sight of an eye-popping through the shelf, its strained white iris staring at the Knights leaving. It didn¡¯t pursue them.


    All it did was watch¡ªanother eye in the darkness of this alien world.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Two hours of walking finally broke the monotony and paranoia spawned by the endless sprawling library.


    Their long journey led to a massive carved-out space that formed a perfect square in the middle of the library for half a mile on each side. It was a nexus. Thousands of sprawling hallways spiraled outward from the clearing; the center was filled with a building made of white bricks, contrasting the dull grey and brown all around it.


    In contrast to the world around it, the ce was also lit with bright blue torches set in scones around the exterior, washing the white with blue. As the mes moved, it gave it an almost wave-like texture of light. Its substantial roof overshot the interior walls and was supported by massive white pirs. From where they stood, Erec couldn¡¯t make out any apparent entrances. However, there wasn¡¯t a single floating candle in the vast space between the end of the hallways and the open square; they avoided crossing the threshold by passing through the shelves instead.


    ¡°So many ways they could¡¯ve gone¡­¡± Boldwick sighed, looking at the rows and rows leading back into the endless shelves. ¡°¡­But of course, there isn¡¯t a doubt in my mind that they went to that building in the middle. Goddess, I hope they¡¯re still alive.¡±


    ¡°Seven-Snakes is likely to be around; he¡¯s a weasel of a man.¡± Rochester shrugged. ¡°What are the chances this is what he came here for, to begin with?¡±


    ¡°Possible, but it¡¯s just as likely this is some foreign architecture to this ne. Either way, I don¡¯t like it.¡± Boldwick said.


    ¡°Why not take a peek?¡± Enide asked.


    ¡°We have to. Our target could be within it. So we¡¯ll check it, even if it¡¯s just as likely to be some sort of trap. For that reason, as we have so far, we proceed with caution.¡± Boldwick shook his head. ¡°Keep tight together, walk fast, and keep your eyes peeled.¡±


    They pulled together as they crossed open ground. Enide took advantage of the opportunity, pressing as close as she could to Erec and shooting him smirks when she intentionally bumped into his Armor. Each time, she apanied it with some variation of, ¡®watch where you¡¯re walking tin-can in a whisper. Given the situation, ying around was a questionable choice. But that little bit of tension relief did wonders for him, and with her so near, he felt an uncanny confidence.


    It also made getting across the open space to the building easier. Before he knew it, they were under the roof and behind pirs.


    Being well-lit and protected from the sky above made it an ideal vantage point. As a group, they crept alongside the exterior of the building, circling it. The only thing present was a que written in indecipherable script on the north side. No entrances. Their hopes began to plummet until they returned to the que.


    On their second visit, the script had morphed into theirnguage.


    ***


    <em>Men died fromck of me; through books, I travel through time, my ideas will grip mortal minds. My existence is a curse and a boon; though ye may deny my use, I am inevitable. Death is the only escape. </em>


    <em>Speak my name, and ye may enter.</em>


    <em>***</em>


    ¡°A riddle? Is this good or bad?¡± Garin turned to the rest of them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like how it shifted itsnguage nor the contents of this riddle, but the instructions are clear. We puzzle it out, and the entrance will appear.¡± Boldwick sighed. ¡°Any guesses?¡±


    ¡°Innovation,¡± Rochester said, ring his hands out as if he expected something to happen. Everyone tensed, but yet the only response was silence and stillness.


    ¡°Courage,¡± Enide tried, tilting her head. Nothing.


    ¡°How in the name of the Goddess could Courage be the answer?¡± Colin shook his head.


    ¡°Never heard a story about a hero? My mother used to read them to me; sitting still in one ce too long gets you killed, and you need the courage to move¡­¡± She stopped herself. ¡°Why the fuck am I justifying myself to you anyway? Eat sand,¡± she turned and crossed her arm.


    ¡°Typical wastnder, so crass and inept. This is why you needed the nobility of the Knights to attend this expedition, or else you¡¯d be doomed.¡± Colin shook his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t see you trying. As if you know the answer. It¡¯s a riddle, and I doubt someone as stuck up his ass as you can figure it out.¡± Enide shot back.


    ¡°You¡¯re incorrect. The answer is Knowledge.¡±


    At the utterance of the word, a loud rumbling began in front of them, the brickwork of the building they faced folded in on itself, twisting and levitating as it broke apart to reform into a doorway. Inside was an intense blue light, opening into arge hall.


    Everyone slowly turned to Colin, who Erec knew must¡¯ve had the biggest smug smile on his face underneath that helmet. Erec winced; having Colin get one over on you never felt good.


    ¡°Behold, filthy wastnder. This is the power of knowledge.¡±


    ¡°No one likes a smartass,¡± Enide said, forck of anything else.


    ¡°Do you wish for a spar? Perhaps it''s time to teach you how far you fallpared to your betters. Your status will never be my equal, regardless of your pitiful attempts to cozy up to a Count and marry into nobility.¡±


    ¡°Bring it, asshole!¡± Enide snarled, stepping toward him with clenched fists.

 Chapter 135: Old Man

    Chapter 135: Old Man


    Breaking up the potential fight between Enide and Colin wasn''t a tiny thing. But, with some stern words from the expedition leaders and Erec and Garin taking the two apart to talk them down, they finally explored the mystery Colin opened up.


    The interior was no less unsettling than the exterior, for as big as it was outside, there was only a single room. Taking up the center of the room was a massive statue made of an odd white metal. It was shaped in the form of a man, a fact that Erec found as unnerving as the script changing on their return on the que outside.


    The man had a long beard that went to the tip of his toes, a balding head, and a thin nose. He was hunched over, a cane in his hand. Not the sort of heroic pose or depiction Erec was used to seeing on statues like this. If anything, the man looked rather exhausted. He loomed above them all as if he¡¯d lived long and witnessed little but tragedy. Far bigger than any statue within the Kingdom, even the first King¡¯s ornate depiction was nowhere near that size.


    To see a statue like this in such a strange location in another world¡­


    Chained to the base of the statue was a plethora of books, wrapped around and around and staked in the stone support. Why or how they were here made as much sense as anything else. Nor did the fact that there was no ceiling once they walked further into the room. A night skypleted with a tapestry of stars lit the ce from above.


    Enide was transfixed by the stars above. ¡°Stunning¡­¡± she muttered, not that anyone could disagree.


    ¡°Ah, more of those books,¡± Colin said, strolling further into the room. Boldwick grabbed him by the shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch,¡± Boldwickmanded.


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t touch them. I wanted a look like I assume all of us do. If you wander into a peculiar room based on the riddle with Knowledge as an answer and happen across books bound to a strange statue, what else is the natural reaction.¡±


    ¡°Keeping your distance.¡±


    ¡°¡­Compelling point.¡± Colin lowered his head. ¡°Noted.¡±


    <strong>¡°Caution is the tool of the wise, sons and daughters of Lavinia, but is unneeded in the present,¡± t</strong>he statue spoke, the old man''s head tilting and turning, the metal-like skin. The way it spoke the Goddess¡¯ name felt like a fist smacking Erec¡¯s chest; a weight to the name carried by that deep wizened tone and voice shook the entire room. Erec pulled his weapon, but everyone else seemed frozen; the Pendragon¡¯s legs trembled. Seeing them affected, he put himself between the group and the statue as much as possible.


    The old man bowed and sagged at their reaction, then softly tapped his staff on the pedestal.


    <strong>¡°Fear is a natural response born of ignorance. I do ept your fear, yet there is no need for it in this temple or my realm. I am no equal to Lavinia and would not wish to give Her cause for the attack. An oue She most certainly would seek, should I inflict intentional harm on those who still harbor Her me in my ne. An excuse for violence is all that one craves, and I will not provide it. Even without that protection, I have no wish to cause undue harm; you¡¯ve conducted yourselves reasonably in my realm and may yet solve my problem.¡± </strong>


    Once again, at the mention of the Goddess¡¯ name Erec¡¯s heartbeat an unnatural quickness. But those around him were hit much harder. They sunk to their knees, clutching their chest.


    ¡°Please stop with Her name,¡± Erec found the words leaving him before he could think. Seeing them suffer from the effects¡­ He couldn¡¯t help himself.


    <strong>¡°Ah, I forget. Names have a certain power, and Hers carries a heavy weight in those warmed by Her fire. Apologies.¡±</strong>


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Boldwick said through gritted teeth as he climbed to his feet.


    Erec offered a hand to Enide, which she took. With a gentle yank, he helped her up as the rest of the group collected themselves; the statue let them regather their bearings, its empty eyes staring at them with an eerie silence. Was it a puppet like one of the Stag¡¯s? A simple tool for whatever entity using it could conduct itself.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Boldwick asked, staring up at the statue with a defiant look that was somehow conveyed in his body posture, despite the ton of steel d around him and the absurdity of staring down a statue muchrger than him.


    <strong>¡°There are certain questions you can ask that will do you no favors to have an answer. Since your time on my ne is limited, I¡¯ll spare you the grief that knowing my name would cause and cut to questions you haven¡¯t asked, which matter the most. Seven-Snakes, the human you want, is headed to my tower. You will stop him long before he can arrive there and make a grave mistake. Then you will bring him back to your world. After which, you will destroy the pathway to here.¡± </strong>


    ¡°That sounds like amand,¡± Boldwick said.


    <strong>¡°It may appear that way, and that¡¯s because it is. Fret not for it¡¯s in your best interest. Were you to do none of these things, you would eventually loose my librarians upon your world; an oue none of us desires. Here I can satisfy their thirst for knowledge, there they would have no choice but to consume your world, and then move to others. It is not a thing I wish to risk.¡± </strong>


    ¡°Your librarians?¡± Erec found himself asking as Boldwick quietly considered the statue¡¯s words.


    <strong>¡°You met my librarians. One satisfied its need for knowledge on the other side of the bookshelf from your group, do you recall? They¡¯re quite voracious devourers. To assign them a term you can understand, a single one would constitute a ¡®cataclysm-level¡¯ threat upon your world.¡± </strong>


    The room went cold, and Erec¡¯s skin crawled. Memories of the Stag and how it¡¯d taken over the people of the Kingdom ran through his mind. That thing had been in the shape of a man and appeared dangerous from the other side of the shelf. But he¡¯d had no idea how close to true danger they came. From how the statue made it sound, there was more than one in this ce. Destroying the path here¡­ Yeah, that was unquestioningly the right decision.


    Boldwick paced in front of the statue, thinking over the information presented to them. ¡°How can we trust any of this? You say that you understand and are working for our best interests, but we have nothing but your words to go on.¡±


    A weight pressed down on the room again, even with the silence, and he felt a bead of sweat run down his brow as the statue looked over them all. It was the exact sort of blunt question he expected from the Master Knight. You couldn¡¯t trust anything you didn¡¯t know, and to do so would be foolish.


    <strong>¡°In this instance, I shall provide you aid in return for removing the interloper and his cohorts from my domain. On this, I swear upon the name Lavinia. Perform this task, and you and yours will leave this realm in peace.¡± </strong>


    Erec flinched upon her name being uttered, holding up Enide. He hadn¡¯t let go of her yet. The weight of the name caused people to again fall to their knees. It was odd that the word didn¡¯t affect him, but the atmosphere felt different upon this use. Swearing a vow on her name held power to it; for this entity to do so, knowing it didn¡¯t want anything to do with their Goddess, held some weight. Enide looked at Erec as she got her bearings; her face flushed, and she pointedly looked away.


    ¡°We¡¯re here for Seven-Snakes anyway. I think your oath means enough, as long as you lead us to him, and we¡¯ll take him back to our world.¡± Boldwick pressed a fist to his chest and turned to leave the temple, motioning for the rest of the group to follow. Even if they were going toply with the demands of this thing or person, the Master Knight likely wanted to keep his distance from it as much as possible. Which made sense, the Kingdom didn¡¯t have a good historical record with things from other worlds, especially the more intelligent ones, vow to the Goddess or not.


    They began to pull away from the statue as it went silent, unsure of how it might help, but given its promise, it would find a way. It wasn¡¯t until they made it halfway out of the door that it spoke again.


    <strong>¡°Halt. Our business is not concluded.¡±</strong>


    Everyone turned as slow as a cier, staring at the statue. The chains on one of the books snapped; once, twice, and thrice, and the metal splintered and skittered across the brickwork ground once, twice, and thrice. Despite what it said about not harming them, Erec couldn¡¯t help but reach for his weapon again. His chest filled with mes, and his blood pumped fire as the barest bit of Fury caught, ready tobust andunch him into action if anything happened.


    <strong>¡°As I am bound, you who answered my riddle must step forward.¡±</strong>


    Colin hesitated but ultimatelyplied. Ignoring Boldwick¡¯smand to stay put. Maybe it was because he feared pulling the statue ire to the rest of them. Or maybe there was something to that voice thatmanded him to action, despite his own instinct for self-preservation.


    ¡°Y-yes?¡± Colin asked, awe and fear an equal mixture in his voice.


    <strong>¡°For answering my riddle, you will receive a gift as I ampelled. The moment you passed my threshold, I peered into your potential futures. In many, you are selfish, envious, and fearful. These factors drive you, and in some of them, you might¡¯ve broken past them, yet it is far toote to matter in most. Within you is a desire for Knowledge, kin of my essence. You¡¯re aware you could be better, change, and grow. All it takes is the right spark. In this case, I do not think She is the one to do so.¡± </strong>


    The book that broke free from the chains floated directly toward Colin. Dame Robin and Boldwick moved to put themselves between him and the object, only for a sh of light to shoot down from the ceiling and stab into the ground, glowing and blocking the way forward.


    <strong>¡°It is not your ce to interfere in a boon. What do you say, young one? Shall you take on the challenge of Knowledge and shift your fate?¡±</strong>


    Colin stared at the tome floating in front of him; a deep ck cover that looked near burnt, its edge hemmed with gold. His hand slowly reached towards the book. When his metal gauntlets grasped the cover, Colin¡¯s head rolled back; light red out from underneath the helmet as he stood there, his body shaking even with the Armor to stabilize him. The book vanished from his hand, disappearing as if it was never there.


    The statue stopped moving as Colin hit the ground.


    ¡°Colin!¡± Erec yelled, running past the streaks of light that¡¯d stopped the Knights before. No more shot from the ceiling; if they had, he¡¯d have sliced it to shreds with his axe.


    ¡°My Talent!¡± Colin gasped, ¡°I have a Talent!¡±

 Chapter 136: In Which Colin Sees Colors

    Chapter 136: In Which Colin Sees Colors


    <em>¡°Glowing storms, crystal rains, and unnatural fauna.</em>


    <em>These are the things you must worry about. When worlds collide and spill into another, magic has a way of worming its way through the crack.¡±</em>


    <em>-Ten-Cents, Exploration Journal, (108, 3rd Era)</em>


    ¡°Colors, they¡¯re so wonderful,¡± Colin muttered in awe.


    They¡¯d moved the stunned boy outside the temple, but his talking to himself hadn¡¯t lessened. Even now, his head bobbed left and right as he took in nothing in particr, at least to the visible eye. He insisted that his new Talent let him see the natural flow of mana in the air, which he very well might have.


    Latent mana in the air certainly existed, but¡­ Seeing mana seemed useless since you utilized mana from within to manifest a glyph.


    ¡°The way it flows¡­ The natural path of magic¡ªlook, they¡¯re following a current of it.¡± Colin pointed towards a cluster of floating candles.


    ¡°Nobody but you can see it, bud. I told you already.¡± Garin shook his head, sitting next to the boy near the wall. The rest of the Knights were passing around, looking for a sign that might lead them to Seven-Snakes, but the trail that¡¯d led them here was no longer present.


    Seven-Snakes figured out something or decided it wasn¡¯t worth marking his path any longer.


    Though the senior Knights weren¡¯t happy about the situation, both were happy that Colin was in good health. Erec thought he was in a better mood than ever before.


    Colin lifted a hand towards one of the halls, his visor open and a wide grin on his face. ¡°All of this, and yet we couldn¡¯t see it.¡± There were many floating candles the way he¡¯d indicated the currentpared to the rest of thebyrinth around them. ¡°This is what being special is like? It must feel good, Erec.¡±


    ¡°¡­Does it stand out to you more than anything else?¡± Erec asked as he came to a sudden realization. They weren¡¯t sure how the statue would show them toward Seven-Snakes. Boldwick was waiting for a sign, and the statue had bestowed Colin with this power. It clicked.


    ¡°Yes, of course. It¡¯s a vibrant gold stream.¡±


    When the senior Knights returned from another circle around the building, Erec debriefed them about his thought, and they agreed. Too much a coincidence not to be the intent of the statue, and the density of floating candles in that direction was the only feature that¡¯d stood out to them. With Colin seemingly fine, they were soon on the move again.


    Not knowing if this ¡®golden current¡¯ would shift course, they let Colin take the group''s lead.


    He walked with a particr pep in his step; every time he gave direction, Erec died a little inside. Before, he¡¯d seen him heightened and afraid, but now he relished the attention. Scanning the library, and at peace with it. Though perhaps being gifted your talent by whatever being controlled this ce lent you a certain trust in it, Erec couldn¡¯t fully empathize.


    There was too much unknown, and having eyes following them was eerie.


    Even if that entity was doing everything in its power to have them gather up the rest of the humans here and shove them out as quickly as possible.


    Still, the edge was taken off a bit.


    Erec found himself able to focus on other things; his eyes trailed along the books as they walked. They came in every shape and form he could imagine: from meticulously bound and treated leather, cheap prints, and those papers held only by strings. All of them in script he couldn¡¯t understand, and he theorized they weren¡¯t from Earth. Many held eldritch pictograms on their covers. All the while, he wondered what they might contain.


    Focusing on the books lets him ignore Colin¡¯s increasingly cocky attitude.


    It took a while, but at longst, he spotted a book whose writing he could understand.


    ¡°An Expert¡¯s Analysis of the Late 21st Century Nuclear Power Dynamics?¡± Erec muttered the words to himself as he stared at the book. Not sure what any of that meant other than the dates being wrong. From his reading of the earlier script, the second century used a different system, which had to have been the century before the 3rd Era.


    The hell was a nuclear power?


    ¡°Last thing he needed was another thing to go his head,¡± Garin mumbled to Erec¡¯s side, watching Colin dere the value of his new gift to the group of Pendragons and Knights. ¡°I don¡¯t like how his talent ignited, but I¡¯m trying to be happy for him. He makes it so damn hard.¡±


    ¡°Is it bad? His Talent appears rather harmless if it¡¯s just sight.¡± Erec said, still taking in the book in front of him. He knew better than to grab it off the shelf, but there was a feeling to it that left him with a sense of foreboding in his gut. For such a simple book on its exterior, its presence here had a weight to it that couldn¡¯t be exined.


    ¡°Probably? Would you trust a power that a creepy statue in the middle of an even creepier dimension gave you?¡±


    ¡°To be frank, I¡¯m starting to conclude that the powers the Goddess has given us aren¡¯t that much better or that they¡¯re intentional. Maybe our Divine Talents are the only thing truly belonging to us.¡± Erec said, finally tearing his attention from the book.


    They had to move ahead, Colin wasn¡¯t waiting around, and the gap was increasing. Thest thing they wanted to do was fall behind and get lost in the never-ending library. He doubted Boldwick would let that happen, but everyone had their hands full, unsure when they woulde across Seven-Snakes.


    ¡°Finally wising up that the sky bitch doesn¡¯t care about anyone but Herself?¡± Enide asked, slipping a little too close to Erec. ¡°d to hear it. You two are too smart to be treading the same dirt as the red cult.¡±


    ¡°Red cult?¡± Garin asked.


    ¡°The only ones preaching in service of Her are the guys in red robes. Burned on the bottom; bottom of the rung in Vega, yet some people still listen to the crap they preach.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit, the church is Vega?¡± Garin asked.


    ¡°¡­Church?¡± She shook her head slowly, ¡°They don¡¯t got like a chapel or anything. Call themselves priests, I guess. But¡­ More like they¡¯ll whine your ear off until you tell them to shove it.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± Erec tapped his hand against his side. Understanding that the Goddess existed was one thing, as was their deserved sphemy for her, but the existence of priests outside of the Kingdom¡­ Was it rted to Faith?


    Especially since they refused to acknowledge anyone outside of their walls as humans.


    ¡°Yes, way. Not like they¡¯re supermon, but you¡¯ll find a couple.¡±


    ¡°I wanna talk to one of these priests,¡± Garin said.


    ¡°Me too. I¡¯m sure Boldwick and Robin would like some words as well.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t see why. But hey, when we get to Vega, I¡¯ll show you around, but not the old folks,¡± Enide shrugged, walking out ahead of them. ¡°I have a couple of ces in mind I think you two would like; we can bring that jerk¡ªer, sorry. That girl, Olivia, was her name, right? Call it a double date.¡±


    Erec flushed at the term, d beyond belief to have his helmet on. She also knew exactly what she was doing, smiling proudly at the idea.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Garin shook his head, ¡°I get you two don¡¯t get along, but Liv¡¯s a great person, y¡¯know? You should give her a chance¡­¡± he trailed off, and Erec knew precisely what was going through his friend¡¯s head. ¡°Other than insulting my girlfriend¡­ I like this idea! You¡¯re a genius Enide; tell me, what sorta outfit do you like to see your men dressed in for a date.¡±


    Enide tilted her head as she walked; a bright candle above floated near. ¡°Y¡¯know, no one¡¯s ever asked me that before. Hmm. Maybe something that shows a little skin; maybe some muscle?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Muscle huh? You know, things are starting to make a lot of sense.¡±


    ¡°¡­Please. Stop.¡± Erec said, a headache blooming.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to dress in a way to impress your date? Try more, Erec, or you¡¯ll lose her interest.¡± Garinughed, earning a re from Boldwick ahead of them.


    ¡°¡­I never agreed to a date.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you go on a date with me, hero? After holding my hands while staring at the stars all alone, Maybe if you dress up in a nice shirt with the sleeves pulled up and the top button undone this time, I might actually kiss¡ª¡°


    ¡°Focus! For the Goddess''s sake, catch up already.¡± Boldwick called out loudly, cutting into the conversation and ending the torture. Enide and Garin burst into small little fits ofughter that kept setting off the other.


    Erec could only sigh. It didn¡¯t bode well that his best friend was conspiring with Enide.


    Going on a date with her¡­ It made his heart race, but the thought dragged him too far from the current situation. They were deep in a foreign world, tracking down a criminal, but the way she could yank his head somewhere else entirely was scary. Even now, he could picture the bright lights of Vega with her hand in his.


    What was happening to him?


    ¡°Ahead,¡± Colin said, ¡°The mana is growing thicker; it¡¯s like a vortex. We¡¯re close.¡±


    ¡°Group up, and this time let''s try to save on the flirting,¡± Boldwick ordered.


    ¡°Bah, they¡¯re just young. We¡¯ve been walking for hours now. And you have to admit this ce already has enough tension and foreboding. What¡¯s the harm in it?¡± Rochester shot back.


    ¡°¡­Just get your guns out, Knights, get out your weapons. I think I hear something.¡±


    Voices.


    Human voices were ahead and loud. Arguing. One among them was recognizable. The gruff, cocky, and demanding voice belonged to an undoubtedly evil man¡ªthe target of this travel through a Rift.


    Seven-Snakes was ahead, and soon they¡¯d be out of this ce.

 Chapter 137: Murder She Wrote

    Chapter 137: Murder She Wrote


    ¡°Soon,¡± a voice called ahead. ¡°Fucking creeps, though. d we¡¯re leaving this shit hole.¡± Erec crouched with the rest of the group. The voices weren¡¯t far away. A hatchet in his hand as they pushed aside books to glimpse their targets.


    Not that it was hard. Seven-Snakes didn¡¯t have the same level of caution. He couldn¡¯t know there were people tracking him through the maze, either. They¡¯d snatched some of the floating candles from above and used them as a source of light. But Colin¡¯s ¡®pathway¡¯ wasn¡¯t as urate as they hoped.


    From what Erec and the rest of the group could tell, Seven-Snakes was three rows over. Close enough to follow and hear, but until the maze intersected, if it did at all, they were out of range.


    Climbing through the shelves in Armor was out of the question. And Erec doubted Boldwick wanted them to go into a battle without it against untested targets.


    ¡°Hard to tell their numbers¡­¡± Rochester mumbled, his voice loud enough for the clustered group to hear, but quiet enough for their enemies not to perceive.


    It was hard to make out how many of them there were this far away. Combined with unreliable lighting and two sets of shelves blocking the line of sight¡­


    ¡°Enide, do the thing,¡± Rochester said.


    ¡°What?¡± Boldwick asked.


    ¡°Shhh,¡± Rochester waved him off.


    Erec¡¯s gaze shot over to where Enidest was; shortly behind him. The girl had been looking for different opportunities to mess with him. But she was gone. This was the moment she¡¯d been waiting for the whole time. In an instant, he knew¡­


    ¡°I didn¡¯t authorize anything,¡± Boldwick argued.


    ¡°Yes, yes. You¡¯re also not the ones charged with capturing these snakes. Sir Boldwick, I mean no disrespect, as you¡¯ve gotten us to where we need to be and I hope have made good friends. But I didn¡¯t set out into the wastnd counting on the help of Knights. You¡¯ll have issues with these barriers, no? We will not, and I will not risk Seven-Snakes hearing a wrong step with us tailing him forever, and then escaping us.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re taking over?¡± Boldwick stared the man down, and for once, Rochester didn¡¯t withdraw. The ink all across the Pendragon leader¡¯s skin crawled, twisting as he met the Knight¡¯s gaze.


    A smile shed across Rochester¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m saying that for this, we¡¯re fine to work the way we have for years before we¡¯ve met your Knights, and how we shall be once we part ways. Understandable? You will stay here, and we¡¯ll go get our bounty.¡±


    Boldwick went silent. The Pendragons were already shoving aside books and clearing space through the shelves. Erec couldn¡¯t spot Enide at all, which gave him a sinking feeling in his gut. Gone, like a gust of wind on the words of her leader. All of them were reacting to what Rochester told them¡ªit shouldn¡¯t be surprising, since the Pendragons weren¡¯t beholden to the Knights, but the dramatic shift was unwee.


    ¡°Find her,¡± Erec whispered to VAL.


    [I¡¯ll do my best. You know, I¡¯ve been trying to determine her exact method of doing that. Something about it rings familiar. For now, though, we¡¯ve yet to detect her.]


    It was easy when it was him giving his life to y a horde of machines. Every time it was him on the front lines, there wasn¡¯t a worry in him. But when he thought of Enide fighting¡ªor even when Garin or Colin put themselves at risk, that same bit of him twisted up. If they had to fight, he wanted to be at their sides, to kill the biggest threat out there. There wasn¡¯t any way Boldwick would let this stand. He¡¯d tell off Rochester and get involved, Erec was sure of it.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Boldwick pulled back, setting his hands behind his back. ¡°If you have need of us, we will attempt to reinforce.¡±


    ¡°Appreciated, friend.¡± With that, Rochester took a great effort to push aside a row of books. Their covers squirmed, and some pages rustled, but the book monster hidden among the rest of the texts provided little a fight. Rochester and his Pendragons soon had enough clearance to crawl through.


    Erec stared at Boldwick for a full couple of seconds with the rest of the Knights left behind on this mission.


    In disbelief, Erec rushed to the shelf as the leader of the Pendragons crept through¡ªway too narrow to make work. He tested the sturdiness of the wood, pushing down on it. But it didn¡¯t bend as solid as the steel on his back. Which meant, for as much as it was worth, this shelf was as good as iron bars. A mystery for another time, but endlessly aggravating.


    Beyond the shelves, the talking continued, as did the swaying light. In the shadows, Erec barely made out the Pendragons, creeping up to the next shelf to make more gaps to sneak through, which provided a bit more vision of the battle. Yet, he still couldn¡¯t find Enide.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let them do this alone,¡± Erec argued, as Boldwick stood next to him to watch.


    ¡°They send us ahead when we¡¯re the right tool for the job. But ultimately, we can¡¯t do everything for these people. They love freedom; how do you think they¡¯d react if you tried to strip them of that?¡± Boldwick asked, shaking his head. ¡°We will assist with magic if things spiral out of control. Short of getting out of our Armor and joining them in this ambush, we¡¯re not in a position to bring this fight to a close.¡±


    ¡°So what? We just sit back?¡±


    ¡°And watch, that¡¯s exactly what we do.¡± Boldwick nodded, leaning down and staring through the crack in the bookshelf. ¡°Recognizing your weaknesses is a vital part of being a Knight. As much benefit as our Armor brings, there are situations it can limit your options.¡±


    Watching. How horrible. Erec shivered and leaned forward. His hatchet sat on the wood. As the Pendragons progressed and more gaps cleared, he got his first sight of their targets.


    Seven-Snakes led a motley crew of about twenty men and women. All of them wore various states of distressed garb and seemed rather rxed, despite the setting. Most of them had guns, a few had makeshift melee weapons, yet none had any significant Armor. Whether that was typical for the wastnd, or they saw no point. It was impossible to say.


    But soon enough, he spotted Seven-Snakes.


    Not much had changed about the man since now, and thest time Erec had the displeasure of running into him. He wore the same ratty hair and had an infuriating, smug smirk on his face. Undeniably, all the thugs were deferring to him, and he appeared to be pushing along with the girl from the sewers that Erec remembered. She had her head bowed, a candle in her grip, as she led them through the dark library. She appeared to move with purpose, which was counterintuitive to the maze. Maybe, like Colin, she could see something the rest of them couldn¡¯t.


    Erec felt the embers of Fury catch at the sight. Not long ago, Seven-Snakes dragged him through the sewer and tried to bargain him away to Boldwick during a time of crisis.


    It was disgraceful. He seemed so weak now, yet Erec couldn¡¯t reach him and show him how much he¡¯d grown. Separated by this frustrating bookshelf, and orders.


    Was this how others felt around him on the battlefield?


    Where the fuck was Enide?


    Gunfire. The thugs began to shoot, bullets flew, and they yelled in shock and surprise. Erec¡¯s gaze darted around, trying to find the source.


    Enide twisted around in the middle of the air, jumping from one of the shelves. She levied hers-rifle and sted it through one of the thug¡¯s arms. Hardly a secondter, someone took aim and fired, right as she got her feet on solid ground, but she didn¡¯t wait, dashing forward along the shelf at an impossible speed. Her outline blurred and the bullet that should¡¯ve shot through her back twisted off course.


    Then she vanished again.


    Only to reappear behind her would-be-shooter, sting a hole right through his head.


    The poor bastard slumped to the ground, half of his face missing, with his brain sloshed out of the hole. Enide wasn¡¯t done with him. She grabbed the body and threw it between her and another bullet, before leaping backward; once more discing the air and then vanishing.


    It wasn¡¯t like Soren¡¯s, her Talent was better. Unlike a misdirection, Enide had some form of teleportation. But not how he expected. The ease with which she did so, and how she had to shift her momentum to vanish, likely meant something.


    She twisted, vanished, shot, killed, and only moved faster each time.


    With every ¡®vanish¡¯ she came back more precise and took more Rifts. Erec watched her leap off the shoulders of one, nick their gun, and then shoot another thug in the gut. Simultaneously, she tossed her sidearm through the air, then reappeared right before it hit the ground, rolling and shooting someone.


    Were it not for Q.A.P. Erec wouldn¡¯t have been able to track her rush through the battle as the pace only increased.


    And to cope with fighting her, the entire group of thugs focused on taking her down, trying to predict her movements, but¡­ She was only a distraction. They didn¡¯t notice the rest of the Pendragons close in next to them, pushing free books to take aim through the shelf. It wasn¡¯t apparent that Enide wasn¡¯t alone until the Pendragons fired. Suddenly, not only were they dealing with a deadly girl moving too fast to counter, but they had to survive a sudden firing line.


    Seven-Snakes was on the tail end of the fight. The girl he¡¯d captured dived to the ground for cover.


    Some of the wiser thugs followed suit, throwing themselves low and their weapons away. A sign of defeat as they tried to surrender what had revealed itself to be an outright ughter of an ambush.


    The Pendragons wouldn¡¯t need help. They¡¯d secured victory without the Knights.


    But they hadn¡¯t captured their target. Seven-Snakes took a few steps backward, his legs sinking into the ground, until he disappeared, consumed into the shadows.


    Erec took off; ignoring Boldwick and asking what he was doing. Seven-Snakes would resurface. And he¡¯d do it somewhere where he could understand the Pendragons. With each step, more of Fury poured through Erec. His instincts pulled him down the tunnel, mming books free from the case to see.


    Until he saw it. A rising body from the darkness. Seven-Snakes had reappeared down the way from the Pendragons and leveled his gun to fire.


    Erec shoved more books aside, and flung his hatchet through the space in the shelves, hoping that with enough power, he might stop him from killing someone.


    Enide appeared as the hatchet spun through the cases, grabbing the weapon out of the middle of the air, and giving Erec a wink. She vanished.


    Seven-Snake¡¯s finger was on the trigger. Yet as the gun discharged, the barrel flew wide. Enide¡¯s foot collided with the weapon, having reappeared with a kick¡ªshe turned as she moved, taking Erec¡¯s hatchet and mming it into Seven-Snakes¡¯ gun arm, causing him to drop the revolver and cry out in shock and pain.


    Already his bottom half was merging with the shadows again. This was where he¡¯d run for good.


    Enide jerked the hatchet out and then smashed the back of the weapon into his head. With a crack, Seven-Snakes hit the ground, his eyes zing over. Enide leaped on top of him, pulling out a pair of manacles that glowed with glyph-work and securing them on the man¡¯s wrists.


    With that, she¡¯d ended the fight. There was still gunfire as the Pendragons took out the thugs still trying to fight back, but soon enough, they were going through the shelf to secure their targets.


    It was over.


    Erec let out a sigh of relief, watching Enide toy with his hatchet. She gave it a spin in her hand, tilting her head as she did so. It left Erec wondering. If the two of them were to fight, who would win? Would he even be able to hit her? Not even the Q.A.P. could predict where she appeared.

 Chapter 138: Minding Their Own Business

    Chapter 138: Minding Their Own Business


    <em>¡°Tut, tut, child!¡± said the Duchess. ¡°Everything¡¯s got a moral, if only you can find it.¡± And she squeezed herself up closer to Alice¡¯s side as she spoke.</em>


    <em>Alice did not much like keeping so close to her: first, because the Duchess was very ugly; and secondly, because she was exactly the right height to rest her chin upon Alice¡¯s shoulder, and it was an ufortably sharp chin. However, she did not like to be rude, so she bore it as well as she could.</em>


    <em>¡°The game¡¯s going on rather better now,¡± she said, by way of keeping up the conversation a little.</em>


    <em>¡°¡¯Tis so,¡± said the Duchess: ¡°and the moral of that is¡ª¡®Oh, ¡¯tis love, ¡¯tis love, that makes the world go round!¡¯¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Somebody said,¡± Alice whispered, ¡°that it¡¯s done by everybody minding their own business!¡±</em>


    <em>-Lewis Carroll, Alice''s Adventures in Wondend (1865, 2nd Era)</em>


    There were seven survivors from the massacre. With the sudden firing line, and the enthusiasm of the Pendragons to ensure they had no losses, they didn¡¯t hold back at all. Erec stared at the bloodied thugs, some of them still sporting bullet holes the Pendragons were plugging.


    He¡¯d killed plenty of monsters. And, though he couldn¡¯t recall, it was usible he¡¯d killed another human while in the throes of Fury and fighting the Stag.


    But the brutal and effective fighting of these people was a unique thing entirely. That, and how afterward, the Pendragons were in a bright and cheerful mood, celebrating their victory. This was reality outside of the walls, and the freedom that these people lived for wasn¡¯t a thing that was free. It had a price. A cost paid in blood.


    Enide had tied her hair back and was currently looking over Seven-Snakes. She tilted his head back and forth, making sure she didn¡¯t break his neck.


    ¡°What¡¯d you think? See you staring over there, slinger.¡± Enide asked.


    ¡°You just killed several people in fifteen seconds,¡± Erec said, his voice stained with an equal measure of awe and horror.


    Enide paused, dropping Seven-Snakes head. With a slow turn, she met his eyes. There was hurt there, for the barest second, then it steeled over, filling with something else. ¡°Whoa, several in less than a minute? Really? New record.¡±


    Erec worked his jaw at that. How many people <em>had</em> she killed? He¡¯d never thought it over before, but of course, someone like her would have, living in the wastnd for so long.


    ¡°How the hell did you think this would go down, slick? We were tracking down a group of armed men in a foreign world with arms full of guns and swords.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Erec started, then stopped. Her fighting impressed him, but it scared him how easy it was for her to brush aside their deaths. Maybe it was na?ve, but he couldn¡¯t help himself from feeling that way.


    ¡°Stunned? I saw you wreck those bots, and do you wanna know what went through my head? This guy, he¡¯s so in love with battle that he doesn¡¯t care if he¡¯ll die. You¡¯re meant to ride the edge of life, and that¡¯s freedom. Listen, there¡¯s not a wall to fall behind out here, and without my family, I¡¯d be lucky not to get killed or robbed by half of the scumbags out here,¡± Enide frowned. ¡°Maybe you can¡¯t understand that unless you¡¯ve lived it but think before you judge us. Judge me.¡±


    With that, Enide went back to looking over Seven-Snakes. Done with him.


    She¡¯d done the same as him, rode that edge of life and death, and took glee. Only, it wasn¡¯t with monsters and robots, but with the lives of other humans. In another life, he¡¯d be the same. As terrifying, a vision of death in the eyes of his enemies, a reaper, like her.


    Erec got up, giving her space. He was the problem, andter he¡¯d bridge the awkward rift between them, with a proper apology. War didn¡¯t change, regardless of if it was against monsters or humans. As a creature of war, this should be natural. Death was a constant in the broken world, and a victory was a victory. With the rest of the prisoners being treated, Erec drifted by, not sure what to do with himself.


    Then he saw her.


    The woman Seven-Snakes captured, huddled next to the bookcase, unharmed physically since she¡¯d been the first one to throw herself to the ground. Red rimmed her eyes as she wept, head hung low with a veil of ck hair. Aside from tying her hands, the Pendragons all but avoided her. She wasn¡¯t a threat, but since she came with Seven-Snakes, they couldn¡¯t trust her.


    Erec walked over and crouched near her, tapping the side of his visor so she could see his face.


    ¡°Do you remember me?¡±


    She shook her head, then twitched. Erec frowned, not at her, but at the man who¡¯d brought her through all this. Why did Seven-Snakes hang onto her?


    ¡°When I first saw you, it was in the sewer below Worth. When the monsters roamed above and rampaged against me and the other Knights. I remember how you were when you came out of the shadows¡­¡± He trailed off. She was certainly worse for wear than back then.


    Now, she sported an old bruise on her cheek; her fingers were scratched and her hands torn. Whatever work they¡¯d put her up to, it hadn¡¯t been pleasant. But that was going to end here.


    ¡°Your life has changed now. I know you¡¯re not with Seven-Snakes, I don¡¯t know what it has been like for you, or how long that was. But I¡¯ll see that you¡¯re no longer beholden to any of this. Do you know Vega?¡±


    She nodded her head slowly, but there was doubt in her eyes. A deep distrust that Erec wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d ever get over.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be headed there, taking Seven-Snakes and the rest of his thugs. When we get there, you¡¯ll be free again, alright?¡± Erec stood up, intending to go talk to Boldwick to make sure that happened, when the girl caught him by the wrist.


    Her narrow hand tightened against him; nails were ineffectual against his steel gauntlet. Her eyes bored into his. The faint glow of the candles above dimmed into darkness; slowly he was drawn into those haunted eyes. Deeper and deeper, like drowning in an ocean, not unlike the sensation of the Stag. Erec fought back instinctively; silver fire burning forth and coating his steel.


    She let out a cry of rm, and let him free.


    Erec rubbed his temple as his focus returned. Inside, Fury was burning bright. But looking at the girl, there was only more confusion and fear. She hadn¡¯t meant to hurt him with whatever that was, he could tell now. The cowl of silver fire coating his Armor sputtered. This time, though, with such a small draw, there was no nausea.


    ¡°Sorry, don¡¯t¡ªdon¡¯t do that to me. Unpleasant experience, whatever that was. I wouldn¡¯t rmend trying it on anyone else either. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s best if I stay near right now,¡± Erec said, trying to work himself back down.


    It was as if the Stag were here again, rearing for another fight. His instincts screamed at him, but he knew they were wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you help, I promise.¡±


    Her lips parted for a moment, and a single word slipped out, ¡°¡­Booze?¡± her head hung, and she once fell back into the defeated state he¡¯de to her in. Erec pulled himself away, still feeling his heart hammering. Out of all the things he¡¯d faced, that damn Stag had still left its mark on him. As if part of him still lived in that moment; in all of those countless moments, it¡¯d dragged him to its realm.


    Its hatred burned in him for eternity.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°I highly doubt you can imagine the incredible ways that magic is working around us,¡± Colin said as they progressed through the endless library. Every mile brought them closer to where their Rift would be, all they had to do was follow the marks. But the mysterious entity wasn¡¯t lending any more aid. Despite wanting them all gone, the help stopped the moment they¡¯d gotten Seven-Snakes in custody. ¡°With this new Talent, I¡¯m willing to bet I can easily be one of our resident experts on Mysticism.¡±


    ¡°Wow, your new eyes have made you about ten times as insufferable.¡± Garin shook his head. Munchy was on his shoulder. The fat squirrel¡¯s whiskers twitched as Garin slid him another bit of dried meat.


    They had a few hours before the Rift reopened. Enough time to make itfortable. Despite that, it was a walk-and-eat sort of mission. There was no such thing as taking it easy while in another world.


    Once they got back to their world, it should be a straightforward ride to Vega.


    What came once they left Vega, Erec didn¡¯t want to think about.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that you two can¡¯t possibly understand. When forming a glyph¡ª¡° Colin held a hand out, a light blue series of lines and geometric shapes formed, ¡°We pull our mana out, and force it into function¡­ But natural magic? It does that, on a muchrger scale, with much more¡ªtake that¡ª¡° Colin pointed to a floating candle. ¡°How do you think it fuels its light? You might say that ¡®it uses mana from within,¡¯ but that¡¯s notpletely true. It¡¯s pulling mana from the air, using its own mana to convert it to fire, and using the mana in the air to generate lift¡­ Remarkable.¡±


    ¡°¡­How¡¯s that practical for you?¡± Erec asked. It was hard to track what he was even saying. Some monsters used mana in different ways, and now Colin was sounding an awful lot like Dame Morgana.


    [Hear him out.]


    Great, VAL was getting involved with it as well. Worse, he didn¡¯t want to think about Mysticism at all. The only thing that kept going through his head was Enide, and what he wanted to say, to exin himself. Their double date in Vega¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m losing my mind,¡± Erec said.


    ¡°¡ªEfficiency. Seeing the natural flow of magic has inspired me in ways I cannot describe. To think even simple glyphs have inherent waste whenpared to natural evolution.¡± Colin continued. Erec didn¡¯t know how much of that he¡¯d missed and found he didn¡¯t care. VAL probably was losing it, and making its own notes, but¡­ It was so dull.


    ¡°Yikes,¡± Garin said. ¡°You made Erec¡¯s head bust.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not opposed to Mysticism. But this talk is boring,¡± Erec contested.


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Garin said


    ¡°Liar.¡± Colin agreed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not practical for me, aside from a few simple glyphs.¡±


    ¡°If you wished to, you¡¯d discover a way to use it,¡± Colin pressed in. ¡°Let me teach you.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear Goddess,¡± Erec shook his head at that suggestion, feeling a shudder run through him. Colin, as a teacher? Especially now after his head swelling and thinking he was now destined to be a grandmaster of Mysticism?


    ¡°Wait, hold up,¡± Garin stopped him, holding up a finger. ¡°I actually like this idea.¡±


    ¡°Of course you do, it¡¯s my idea, therefore it is excellent,¡± Colin nodded.


    ¡°Teaching and the responsibility thates with that? It¡¯s the sort of thing that might make his father turn around and might help them finally make up and be a functional family. Imagine your Son teaching a hero, the only other in the Kingdom to y a Cataclysm-level threat in recent memory?¡±


    ¡°I am a future Duke,¡± Colin pointed out.


    ¡°Not after the peyote trip,¡± Erec shrugged, ¡°Church will have your head after that. But, whatever, if we find the time, I¡¯ll brush up on my Mysticism.¡± Not that he wanted to. It sounded like torture. But with how Colin had beentely, and this whole new Talent¡­ Maybe it was a chance to course-correct him for good and set him on another path. Especially since he nned on defying the Kingdom. If nothing else, maybe it would make Colin shut up about the fancy lights he saw. Erec was getting a headache.


    ¡°Wonderful!¡± Garin pped his hands.

 Chapter 139: Actions And Consequences

    Chapter 139: Actions And Consequences


    Nerves and tensions ruled the atmosphere. An entire two hours, that¡¯s how long there was to wait. During which, of course, Seven-Snakes woke up. The bastard didn¡¯t wait before stirring up shit; predictably one of the first things he tried was to use his Divine Talent and run off. When he tried, the manacles around his hands delivered a potent shock that knocked him unconscious. It wouldn¡¯t have worked on some Talents, but it was enough to disable Seven-Snakes¡¯ most annoying ability.


    So, he gave up and settled on insulting everyone.


    Which pissed everyone off; Erec offered to y guard, since it would help him work off his nervous tension. He didn¡¯t mind the insults of a loser.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the man to recognize him; when he asked Erec to show his face, he did so proudly.


    ¡°Sniveling lil¡¯ kid.¡± Seven-Snakes rattled his cuffs at him, sneering. ¡°Didn¡¯t forget that face. Where¡¯s that scared lil¡¯ bitch waiting for his master to save him? Take off that steel, face me like a man.¡±


    ¡°Disappointed with how this all turned out, was kinda hoping I¡¯d be the one to smash your face into a shelf.¡± Erec crossed his arms and took in the pathetic man. He was skinnier than when they¡¯dst met and had a new hollowness to his eyes. There was a hunger. Was that what led them into the old-world facility? Did it have to do with that android he was tracking?


    ¡°Do it then.¡± Seven-Snakes spat on Erec¡¯s Armor.


    Instantly, his Fury sparked with the challenge. All that buried anger for his loss against the man brought it in full force. Erec felt his veins burning from the disrespect. The weight of their history hung between him, and he owed Seven-Snakes a debt for how he¡¯d treated him, and what he¡¯d tried to do. But yet they¡¯d already defeated this pathetic worm, tied him up. It¡¯d be wrong to let loose on a defenseless opponent.


    ¡°Bet if I ran across your mother, she¡¯d be just like you, quiet and a coward. But she¡¯d be a lot more fuckable¡ª¡°


    ¡°Wow,¡± Enide said, walking up, hand behind her back as she looked between Erec and the prisoner. ¡°He¡¯s a piece of work. You going to take that, slinger. Or is shutting up an unruly bastard too much for you?¡±


    There was more lurking there in the question. They both knew it. ¡°Enide, I¡¯m sorry for what I said. I was just surprised. It¡¯s not often we fight against other humans, let alone kill them. But you¡¯re an incredible fighter and are the reason you guys won with no causalities.¡± Erec said.


    She shed him a smirk. ¡°More.¡±


    ¡°More?¡±


    ¡°You heard me, hero. I want more praise. Think I did it well, right? Tell me how.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ The way you moved; was so damn deadly, how does your Talent work¡ªI¡¯d thought it a kind of teleportation, but the way you use it to wrap those bullets around you was something else entirely. It¡¯s incredible,¡± Erec began, seeing her grin grow wider. If all it took to repair their rough patch was to express his admiration for how she fought, well, that was easy. What he didn¡¯t want to admit is how badly part of him wanted to test himself against her.


    ¡°Fucking shoot me,¡± Seven-Snakes screamed, smacking his head on the bookcase. ¡°Please, for the love of that bitch in the sky, end it already.¡±


    ¡°Hush, whiny,¡± Enide snorted. ¡°Hey, hero. Mind punching him for me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Dunno if that¡¯d be right,¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Fuck you, fuck her and fuck this whole shit-stain of a group. My only regret is that wish I could¡¯ve killed the lot of you, would¡¯ve left your corpses to rot. Maybe not her¡ªshe¡¯d fetch a nice price¡ª¡°


    That was about it. As Seven-Snakes shifted his focus on to berating Enide and threatening her, Erec snapped. In a quick second, he was towering over Seven-Snakes, ring down at his ton of steel. There was a threat to it; as the fire zed in his chest. The threat that if he kept saying this absurdest and vile shit, Erec would end it. All the anger from before conjured Fury quicker than it¡¯d ever been before.


    ¡°She¡¯s a vile whore¡ª¡°


    Erec grabbed him by the cor, yanking the thin man up, and snapped his fist into the guy¡¯s face.


    With that, Seven-Snakes went limp, Erec dropped him after seeing his chest still rising. One punch to knock out the man who¡¯d taken him hostage; a sudden act of violence against an unarmed man, who was using nothing but words to insult Enide.


    Why did it feel so good?


    ¡°Atta boy,¡± Enideughed. ¡°Thing is, hero. You can have all these lofty ambitions or codes, but they don¡¯t matter besides the weight you put on¡¯em. The only reason you gotta follow them is because your head says so. Now, I¡¯m not saying ¡®It¡¯s okay to do whatever,¡¯ but follow your heart, alright? Saw you do it earlier in the tunnel when you wrecked the hell out of those robots, but don¡¯t quite understand why you freeze on it outside of a fight. Not right if you ask me. And punching an asshole who can¡¯t shut his mouth? That¡¯s just amon curtsy for the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°Follow my heart?¡± Erec asked, flexing his fingers.


    Seven-Snakes groaned on the ground. Enide was right. Until he punched him, Seven-Snakes would¡¯ve kept testing his buttons and trying to worm his way under his skin. Putting up with it was an exercise in futility.


    <em>Restraint only holds me back?</em>


    Erec threw his helmet off, far away from his victim on the ground. His eyes burned into Enide as the grin faded from her face.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. Follow your heart.¡±


    Erec closed the distance and cupped her chin. Such a delicate move, with his gauntlets. And the way she looked back at him set his heart wild. Waiting in another world was torture. As was the idea of waiting until they reached Vega for a date under neon lights. She¡¯d put a perfect image in his head, a moment that¡¯d pulled him along and made him yearn for what could be. That idea was a restraint, though. Held him back from what could be.


    At any moment, they could die. Sure, under the neon lights would be a dream of a moment. Far more ideal than in a dark libraryherworld surrounded by captured thugs, Knights, and rubbernecking Pendragons.


    Waiting was torture, and he was done with restraint. There was no such thing as perfect.


    Erec leaned in, closing his eyes.


    Their lips touched, both of them hesitant at first. Yet his blood turned to liquid fire as she pressed back; the fact she was as nervous as him only drove him forward. Enide didn¡¯t pull away. One of her hands went to the back of his head as he pulled her closer by the waist. Despite the Armor, she pressed up against him. It was only his imagination, but he could¡¯ve sworn he felt her through the te.


    The kiss turned desperately on both ends as thest of any reservation broke away. He felt as if they were floating away, untouched and in their bubble of reality.


    A shrill whistle cut through it.


    ¡°Way to fucking go!¡± Garin yelled, pping his hands.


    ¡°Goddess, what in the name of hell¡­¡± Boldwick¡¯s rumble cut through.


    [Finally. It¡¯s annoying watching human courting dances. Though we¡¯ll be having a talk soon about romances in the workce, and when it isn¡¯t appropriate to engage in such behavior. Like now.]


    Enideughed and pulled away. When Erec opened his eyes, she was gone. She¡¯d pulled her vanishing trick to leave him to deal with the repercussions.


    Embarrassed, he turned to face Boldwick, Garin, and the rest of the Pendragons gawking.


    ¡°Erec¡ªplease tell me you didn¡¯t just knock out the prisoner to impress a girl. Because if you did, so help me¡­¡°


    ¡°I can exin¡ª¡° Erec began, stammering. He couldn¡¯t. It may have felt right, and while he might not have regretted it, his actions had consequences.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Everyone rushed through the Rifts the second they opened. It was inevitable, even the Knights shoved through the prisoners as fast as they could after a head count.


    Then they went through the shadowy vortex that¡¯d marked the tunnel between worlds.


    This time, crossing the boundary was different. Instead of an endless stretch of steel was a corridor of books. Erec ran this time, eager to return home, but it kept going. Longer. The darkness behind him ate up the shelves and dim light as he ran. His heart pumped and panic flooded. Did something go wrong? Was this not what he thought it was?


    Shapes twisted in the shadows behind.


    Then suddenly, he was running down the steel tunnel¡ªonce more in the underground Vault.


    Knights and prisoners popped into existence around them, most in a state of distress and confusion, like himself.


    [Well, that was an informative experiment. Onest order of business. You need to return to the central control room before we leave and set your palm on the main console for a few minutes. There¡¯s something I wish to test.]


    Erec shook but numbly followed the request after another head count. Once they were coordinating the evacuation, Erec slipped away.


    Halfway to the destination, he reclined against a wall and took in a breather.


    [Hurry.]


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Erec said. When jolting out of the Rift for the first time, his stomach twisted and turned. This time was different. He felt floaty. How much of that was the reality that he¡¯d kissed Enide? But his thoughts felt slower, more sluggish. Adapting to shifting worlds took its toll. ¡°VAL, what are you trying to aplish? I thought you said you couldn¡¯t do anything with theworks of this ce.¡±


    [Well, after working through my perimeters, after discovering they stole our research, I felt obligated to. I¡¯ve found a reasonable loophole in my logic. Normally this wouldn¡¯t work, but I predict that your little tech has had some time now to do his work. If he busted some walls, knowingly or not, I might as well make a copy. For our records.]


    Erec shook his head before pulling himself together and fulfilling the request. With everyone distracted by the Knights arriving, going into the central room and leaning on the center console, and making small talk with Corey was¡­ Almost too simple. An hourter, they¡¯d packed away what they could and were headed back to the surface.


    A few hours past that, the entire group was once more back on the surface, gathered together on the outskirts of Worth.


    Rochester promised a party to end all parties.

 Chapter 140: Viva Las Vega

    Chapter 140: Viva Las Vega


    <em>While it¡¯s not umon for spur-of-the-moment marriages in Vega, I strongly rmend against it. A lot of the youth these days are treating it with too much ease.</em>


    <em>Sure, if you split up and throw your ring away, who¡¯s going to hold you ountable for your choices? </em>


    <em>But marriage is one of thest links to the world before ours. A promise ofmitment to a partner that shows your devotion. For the young, it''s hard to imagine such asting and tenuous rtionship, since marriage is never easy. But that, more than anything, is a reason to treasure such amitment and hold it to a higher standard.</em>


    <em>Regardless of whether the Magi care to enforce or even track the numerous alcohol-induced ceremonies on the strip.</em>


    <em>-Davis Harrington, Sanctity Of Marriage, (304, 3rd Era) </em>


    ¡°Viva Vega,¡± Rochester cheered¡ªa bottle raised to the sky. Erec lifted his own; careful to handle the ss with his steel gauntlet. Apply too much Strength, and it¡¯d shatter. But then, he supposed, even without Armor he¡¯d have the same problem.


    For the foreseeable future, they¡¯d be wearing it around the clock. Paranoia about the captured thugs, and overall safety necessitated it. He¡¯d loosened the restrictions after getting to know the Pendragons, but now things changed. Despite all of that, he allowed the expedition party through to Rift to attend and take the night off for Rochester¡¯s celebration.


    He¡¯d made it mandatory, in fact.


    Erec set the bottle on his lips, the sweet rush of bubbles and tang of citric in the beer refreshing. The buzz barely went down before a heavy armnded on his shoulder. Even with the Armor, he felt himself shake. Erec looked over at the mountain of a boy from the ser match.


    When he¡¯d first seen him on that field, he¡¯d thought they were an obvious match-up. The boy even had a couple of inches on him, but¡­ Well, he¡¯dcked whenpared to Erec. His Strength Virtue might have been higher, but when Fury got into the mix, it hadn¡¯t been a contest at all. Erec frowned and tried to hide the expression.


    ¡°Good, isn¡¯t it?¡± the boy asked, already slurring. Rochester¡¯s kickoff to the party was a bitte, and some of the Pendragons already had a couple of hour¡¯s lead in the drinking.


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t have anything like it back home¡­¡± Erec said. Where was this going? Maybe there wasn¡¯t an ulterior motive to it at all. A lot of the Pendragons were, frankly, more friendly than the Knights. Time and time again, he had to remind himself to feelfortable with it.


    ¡°Finally snogged Enide, huh?¡±


    Erec flushed. That was why he¡¯de to talk. ¡°How did you¡ª¡°


    ¡°S¡¯okay brother! Word gets around in the family like that,¡± he snapped his fingers. ¡°You two going to have a good time together in Vega? Maybe you¡¯ll get hitched? Hear it¡¯s an old-world tradition.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been there before,¡± Erec said, ¡°And me and Enide are getting to know one another. Not ¡®hitched¡¯, whatever that means.¡±


    ¡°Means married, you tin-cans do that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°We do¡ªoftentimes for the nobility it¡¯s an agreement you get no say in. That¡¯s hardly something I¡¯ve had to worry about, since I don¡¯t believe our father ever intended a political marriage. Nor do I intend to marry anyone anytime soon,¡± Erec said, cutting off that discussion. For Goddess¡¯ sake, were these people as bad as Olivia? Things couldn¡¯t work out between him and Enide, in the end. He knew it, and while they hadn¡¯t had the time to talk it through, he was sure that she did, too.


    For now, he intended to follow his heart. Let it lead him where it could, for as long as he could. Before reality crashed in and tore them in two different directions. Erec¡¯s attention sunk to his bottle. Needing no further encouragement other than that sad thought, he tipped it back and took another warming mouthful of liquid courage.


    ¡°Dunno, you haven¡¯t been to Vega. Something to the air there, the people there. Don¡¯t beat around bush, they cut straight to it. Might be surprised what you agree to do in Vega.¡± he let out a long sigh. ¡°Been too long. Sure you¡¯ll have fun.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure of it too.¡± If nothing else, it was another ce to explore, another series of moments to add to his memories of the world outside of the walls. He¡¯d expected nothing but death, and while there was plenty of that, these people, it was far greater than he could¡¯ve imagined¡­


    Erec smiled, watching the fire burn and drinking a bit more with the stranger.


    Only, by the end of the next couple of hours, they weren¡¯t strangers anymore. He learned the boy¡¯s name was Mark.


    It was nice to form another bond with the Pendragons. Aside from Corey, the only people he mostly spoke to were Yniol and Enide. When he¡¯d first met everyone, with all the fresh names, none of them stuck. Now it seemed a bit too awkward to ask them to repeat it.


    ¡°Onest thing,¡± Mark finished his fourth with Erec, demanding he ¡®waterfall it,¡¯ with him. Whichprised chugging the thing pretty much all the way down. By now, Erec¡¯s skin was feeling numb, and his head floaty. ¡°Might wanna avoid Yniol for a bit, he¡¯s uh¡­ Protective.¡± Mark snickered and then left.


    With that ominous warning, Erec decided it was time to take a breather.


    Drifting around the campfires of the Pendragons, he wondered if this is what it felt like to be Enide. Half a dozen voices called after him, asking for him to stay and join them. But he let the wind take him, flowing in and out of attention. This was the kind of life he could live easily. These people were filled with warmth and honesty; they celebrated their victory as it deserved. It didn¡¯t matter who it was against, only that their family prevailed and survived. All that remained was the straightforward part, getting to Vega.


    None of them were heroes; didn¡¯t see it that way. There wasn¡¯t a reward for a single person. All of their actions were to the benefit of one another and their family.


    [Let¡¯s take some time for a meeting.]


    Erec stared at the fires all around and considered his options. VAL had a sense of urgency that it rarely had, and though had been drinking, he conceded. He went back to the building the Knights imed and told the couple of people who tried to stop him for a chat that he intended to do a bit more work on his Armor. A simple lie. One that nobody could question.


    Then, he found a tucked away room, far away from the bedroom in case anyone stopped in for supplies.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    [Our priorities have shifted.]


    ¡°Are you talking about this expedition?¡±


    [No. buckeroo, I¡¯ve been looking through the scrubbed data present on the military facility. That Rift they opened was operating for three years before the ¡®end of the world,¡¯]


    That¡­ Well, Erec wasn¡¯t too sure what to think about that information. Everyone knew the Rifts opened after the Goddess¡¯ silver mes bathed the earth. She¡¯d burned them with her silver fire to protect them and give them a chance against the monsters that woulde. Or so they said. That was almost definitely a lie, but he hadn¡¯t considered the weight of what they¡¯d discovered. An operating Rift in an old-world facility?


    ¡°VAL, I have no idea what this even means. Do you know how they managed it? What were they trying to do?¡±


    [I said so already. They derived their designs from Vortex Industries¡¯ intellectual properties¡ªI wasn¡¯t privileged with a lot of the data and research designs in our subspace initiative, but I could recognize the simrities. Our priorities have shifted. That girl, Enide, mentioned one of our facilities. Based on my knowledge of ourpany resources, I believe there to be another active Artificial Intelligence there. One who has ess to a lot more of our subspace data.]


    ¡°¡­You want us to go with them to that vault, too?¡±


    [Based on my analysis, I predict it¡¯ll be paramount to drawing aplete conclusion on the state of the world and how these Rifts function.]


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Erec rubbed his forehead. Both the booze and the rush of information and its implications spun him in circles. The old-world government had opened a Rift. If they stole the tech from Vortex Industries, it wasn¡¯t a stretch to think that they could, too. And if they did that before the end of the world, and that¡¯s what caused the Goddess toe and burn them up?


    There was too much there lined up together to ignore.


    ¡°VAL, did yourpany end the world?¡± Erec said carefully, his teeth clenched and his heart racing.


    [No. Your Goddess did so with fire. We both witnessed that, however, I believe it is in our best interest to investigate whatever research we have on the matter, as it appears to predate that world-ending event. Perhaps we can find a solution to these Rifts once and for all.]


    ¡°So you really believe there¡¯s something there that might get rid of the Rifts? What, you want to save the world?¡± Erec asked, bbergasted. It seemed impossible, and the association they now had with the Rifts was¡­


    [Stability is good for research. I¡¯m not suggesting that the result will be ¡®saving the world,¡¯ but it¡¯s impossible to say what we may or may not aplish when applying the correct methods. I chose that conclusion to suitably motivate you, since doing so may mean parting with your home for good. By all indications, Boldwick will not be sticking with the Pendragons forever. Observe. Think about it. And know that whatever is in that facility likely holds a bigger benefit for us than anyone else in this world.]

 Chapter 141: Piercing The Veil With Peyote

    Chapter 141: Piercing The Veil With Peyote


    The wastnd flew by in a blur of dust and sand. Though the blurringndscape remainedrgely the same, the car Erec rode in changed.


    When he¡¯d tried to get into Yniol¡¯s car, Corey took him aside and told him they were swapping up who was with who. Nominally, it was to better distribute the captured thugs between the cars. Which made sense in theory. He was now in a truck, filled up with two thugs tied up in the trailer and two strapped into the seat on either side of him. It was a bigger vehicle, to be sure.


    That argument fell to shreds when Yniol¡¯s car came close. Colin lounged in Erec¡¯s normal seat next to Enide, with a thug tied next to him.


    Upon their first stop, and a little discrete asking, he found out that Yniol was sour over him and Enide.


    The Pendragonsughed about it, saying that he had a habit of getting overprotective whenever she got close to guys in the past. One of which ended with Yniol stranding a kid in the desert for three days to ¡®test¡¯ him to see if he was worthy. Upon that exnation, Erec didn¡¯t know how to deal with that. This sort of fatherly oversight was outside of his wheelhouse. His own father didn¡¯t care what he or Bedwyr got up to. His mother was long gone. And the courts ranged in their reactions, with more of a focus on beneficial marriages to the family.


    Erec sunk into the seat and let the road pass by, trying to clear her from his head.


    Boldwick wanted them to go along, finish this mission, then what? Secure themselves, someone, to stitch into the Kingdom in Vega, then go home? VAL wanted him to go with Enide, but it wasn¡¯t for the reason Erec wanted to go with Enide. His people back home needed him to fix the mess he¡¯d left with the merchants¡­ Enide wanted him to be himself and be free.


    There were so many wills pulling him along, asking him to follow their goals.


    Except for her.


    What did he want? What did being free mean to him? His entire life, he¡¯d felt constrained. Under the thumb of his brother, their family suffered the prejudice of the upper ss.


    Erec clenched his fist.


    He wanted it all. Wanted to be a hero to the Kingdom, savior of his cavern, and wanted to go with Enide and the Pendragons. He still wanted to find his mother somewhere out there. Even if she¡¯d betrayed the Kingdom.


    One of the tied-up thugs coughed, bumping into Erec.


    ¡°Corey, level with me,¡± Erec began, reflecting on his journey. His goals. Trying to find any way to make all the different desires in him find a solution. Or, perhaps, he hoped one might consume the others. But the one that still haunted him kepting to his mind. His mother. He felt guilty since he¡¯d set it aside for so long. His vow to himself and to his brother. If he focused on one thing at a time, it might lead him to the future he wanted.


    ¡°How big is Vega?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± Corey answered. It was hard to get his voice heard above the wind, but with a bit of force, he was sure the boy could hear him. ¡°Massive; lots of different parts of the city. All of it¡¯s covered with a nice barrier that keeps the nasties out. Ser matches every other week, which you¡¯ll be able to catch. Wanna see one? You¡¯ll love it.¡±


    ¡°And the people there?¡±


    ¡°From all across the wastes; there are a couple of smaller cities, but I don¡¯t know any with as much reach and renown as Vega. Not even your tin-can Kingdom.¡±


    If there was someone who knew about his mother, it would have to be there. He was sure of it.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Dame Morgana hummed to herself, busy by the fire. Erec gave a soft cough, unable to withstand the nervous edge in the air. They¡¯d hardly had a second to breathe aftering to a stop. The entire day, Erec worked on his nerve to confront Yniol and get this nonsense to end. Instead of that unpleasant conversation, Dame Morgana came and swooped him and Colin up like a whirlwind.


    All in the name of her ritual.


    She danced in a long ck dress; ignoring Boldwick¡¯s orders to stay in their Armor. Her song carried softly and stopped at nned points.


    Every time she stopped, she drove a crystal into the ground. They were ck spikes, close to obsidian. How she¡¯d hung onto them with no one noticing, Erec couldn¡¯t guess. Maybe Boldwick knew but ignored it. From what he¡¯d observed, she got away with more than anyone else.


    Next to the fire in the middle of their circle was a pot of water, boiling away as she worked.


    Her song made his eyelids feel heavy. Which meant he was under the effects of one of her rituals, he was sure. He tapped his gauntlet against the helm to his right and took azy look at Colin and Garin. Both of his friends were dealing with the ritual in different ways. Garin swayed and mumbled like he did when they stayed up way toote. Colin, on the other hand, was alert. Not looking away from Dame Morgana for an instant.


    <em>I bet he sees what she¡¯s actually doing.</em>


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Erec told Garin. His friend was ultimately nervous about this. While it was a bit of a lie since if this worked, they¡¯d be undergoing a dramatic change that risked their Faith Virtue. Aside from spitting in the church''s face, since neither of them focused on Faith, it¡¯d likely be a better tool for them.


    Garin gave him a half-hearted grin, and Colin remained quiet.


    Dame Morgana finished her loop around them, now with her four crystals shoved into the ground¡­ North, East, South, and West. There was an internal consistency to it, as were most of her rituals. With thatpleted, she unfolded a white cloth; four peyotes sitting peacefully within it. Their little white buttons stood out as the major cause of what they¡¯d experience.


    They were hallucinogenic. That much Erec knew from Dame Juliana¡¯s lectures; they were not to eat peyote. But here they were. About to do what another instructor told them not to do on the orders of an even higher-ranking Knight.


    ¡°The veil between the physical world, and the world that underlines and connects them all, is thinner than most realize,¡± Dame Morgana said, taking a small pairing knife and delicately cutting the small buttons off the peyote. ¡°We peer past the veil at times, some of us. Like Erec. When we do, whether it be by Divine Talent or insight, it¡¯s possible to take hold of the part of ourselves that exists on the other side, and be cognizant of it within this one.¡±


    ¡°¡­The way your mana influences the surrounding magic. Abnormal. You coax it into following different pathways,¡± Colin muttered, ignoring herpletely.


    ¡°¡ªAbnormal? Glyph work is abnormal. But I digress. Today isn¡¯t about mana and magic. It¡¯s about the soul.¡± Morgana took a handful of the peyote buttons and dropped them into the boiling water. ¡°Take one another''s hands, align yourselves to sit in a direct line from the fire to the crystals.¡±


    They were alreadymitted, so no one argued with her. The three of them shifted around the fire. Coordinating themselves in the cardinal directions.


    To still hold one another hands, they were awful close to the fire. Were it not for their Armor, Erec would be worried about the heat. But he felt it on his face. Sweat gathered on his brow, but the coolness of his body helped regte it.


    ¡°Repeat after me,¡± Dame Morgana began, ¡°<em>Spiritus intus, mundum foris amplectitur. Intra ignem, ostende mihi quid sim, quid ero, et quid fuerim.</em>¡±


    The words were in Latin, some of them outside of Erec¡¯s understanding, but pronouncing them was simple enough. With each word, the world slipped a little further away; he felt a heat burning in his chest. But it wasn¡¯t the overwhelming rush of Fury. As he looked at where his hands met his friends, he saw the low, nearly non-present glow of a silver fire.


    Across from him; nts were pushing stems up around where Dame Morgana sat. Flowers bloomed despite theck of light and grew from where she touched the ground.


    <em>¡°Vagus, vagi, fui quod es, eris quod sum. Sequere, vide, vive.¡±</em>


    There it was, more of those words. Floating out of him. His head lulled as he spoke, enchanted and taken away with each syble.


    [I dislike this.]


    Even that machine, so tied to who he was by now. It wasn¡¯t real. The veneer of life slid by; he watched the woman in her ck dress pour the boiling peyote tea into four mugs, cing each carefully in the hands of their recipient. Steam curled from the mug, the smell tangy and fake. This was all a thin shell, each moment a passing picture.


    That fire inside of him burned bright, the silver calling to him. Guiding him.


    <em>Take the fire and escape.</em>


    Those words came from nowhere, yet everywhere. At the woman¡¯s instructions, he raised the ceramic mug to his lips. Just like the two others beside him. But their eyes were already far away, looking past what was in front of them.


    It tasted bitter, an awful sensation on his tongue as he gulped down the whole drink, per the instructions of the woman.


    Then softly, she sang and danced. Before he knew it, he was up dancing with her; the two of them made circles around the other two. That ck dress of hers was no longer ck; rather, it radiated a bright white light. A perfect mirror of the moon far above, shing with a glow that seemed so far away. Erec twisted,ughing and signing until his throat went hoarse, his own mes covering his body.


    With each step, he treaded on a flower growing on the ground, a perfect circle of greenery around the fire; his mes caught the flowers, burning them up to ash. From those ashes, more flowers would grow once she tread the same ground.


    A perfect circle of life and death.


    His fire burned, not with anger, not with hate, not with rage. But with life.


    The world burned away in a silver me before his eyes. Burned away this reality, and swept him somewhere else. He felt as if he were soaring, coated with silver fire, flying through the void. Aet.

 Chapter 142: Juniper Tree

    Chapter 142: Juniper Tree


    <em>In front of the house there was a court, in which grew a juniper-tree. One winter¡¯s day the wife stood under the tree to peel some apples, and as she was peeling them, she cut her finger, and the blood fell on the snow. ¡®Ah,¡¯ sighed the woman heavily, ¡®if I had but a child, as red as blood and as white as snow,¡¯ and as she spoke the words, her heart grew light within her, and it seemed to her that her wish was granted, and she returned to the house feeling d andforted. </em>


    <em>A month passed, and the snow had all disappeared; then another month went by, and all the earth was green. So the months followed one another, and first the trees budded in the woods, and soon the green branches grew thickly intertwined, and then the blossoms began to fall. Once again the wife stood under the juniper-tree, and it was so full of sweet scent that her heart leaped for joy, and she was so ovee with her happiness, that she fell on her knees. </em>


    <em>Presently the fruit became round and firm, and she was d and at peace; but when they were fully ripe she picked the berries and ate eagerly of them, and then she grew sad and ill. A little whileter she called her husband, and said to him, weeping. ¡®If I die, bury me under the juniper-tree.¡¯ Then she feltforted and happy again, and before another month had passed she had a little child, and when she saw that it was as white as snow and as red as blood, her joy was so great that she died.</em>


    <em>-Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm, Grimms¡¯ Fairy Tales: The Juniper Tree (1812, 2nd Era)</em>


    Light spun in a confluence of silver and red. Erec turned in ce, blinded but feeling a sense of wholeness and eptance. His veins burned, but there was no anger, nor hate. A sense ofpleteness as the fire whisked him away from reality, and streaked somewhere else.


    When he could see again, he found himself in hell.


    At least, the closest thing he could imagine to hell. In the distance were pirs of mes, geysering out from thend. Apanying them were rivers of magma, and the heat instantly made his head swim. Smoke was heavy in the air, and the whole ce reeked of brimstone.


    Where there wasn¡¯t fire and burning things, there was ash. A whole ground of it. Compact, but yet with a soft give.


    Erec looked down and realized he wasn¡¯t in his Armor¡ªhis bare feet coated in ash.


    When he looked up, there was a man covered in regal pearl armor. Not the metal and style that the Kingdom wore. There was no magic to it, no spell-work holding it together. The full te the man wore was ripped from the fables of the old-world, a time of heroes and legends.


    So brilliant white that no mes reflected on its surface, instead it gave off a soft glow.


    Erec paced around the man, not sure what to think.


    The stranger watched him with those silent eyes. But he never turned, his eyes followed Erec as he moved around and never left him, judging Erec in a way he couldn¡¯t quiteprehend.


    Danger shed through Erec¡¯s senses, like a knife jabbing into his gut. Operating off pure instinct, Erec leaped back.


    Aet smashed in from above, crashing into the spot he¡¯d been a second before. Ash and smoke plumed upward. Erec skidded backward, the ash making a poor surface tond.


    His eyes left the warrior to take in what almost hit him. A massive war axe wedged into the earth, nearly the same size as himself.


    It was a magnificent weapon, made of the same metal as the strange man¡¯s Armor. An ivory shaft that ended in a massive wrapped leather handle,plete with a white-metal pike at the very end. Yet, the dangerous part was the most exciting, the massive axe head iid with delicate carvings, etched by an unmatched artist.


    The top of the axe depicted a gathering of Knights around a round table. Trailing off that led to one of the Knights chasing a stage. From there, the image faded away. That same Knight who¡¯d defeated a Stag was hand-in-hand with a woman¡­ Then it faded away, given to the pure pearly white of the weapon.


    ¡°Pick it up.¡± The man said, ¡°If ye be a Knight.¡±


    Both the challenge and the beauty of the weapon made it pointless to resist the invitation. Burning his pride, Erec leaned down and grabbed the axe. Wincing as he struggled to lift it and rest it on his shoulder.


    The weight was unreal; far heavier than most of the monsters he¡¯d faced. Yet the man was wearing a full suit made of this stuff?


    ¡°Ye could grow to wield it if ye have the right disposition.¡± The man nodded, then held out azy hand. Aet streaked down from above, mming right into where the guy reached out. Only, instead of smashing into the ground and causing another crater and plume of smoke, he caught theet out of the air.


    The fire blew out, revealing a sword whose de flickered and waved, the same white metal as the man¡¯s armor. But living, somehow.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Erec asked, shaking his head.


    Memories of the other world were like wisps in the air. Hard to grasp onto, but he knew it existed; they brushed past his consciousness every now and again. But when they did, his focus snapped back to the present. To this ce. Running past him like water through a hand.


    ¡°Ye wish for answers. Yet tis, not your nature. Fight, then learn.¡± The man spun the sword in his hand, the white-silver fire de trailing behind.


    Those words tore Erec away from trying to figure this out. He was right.


    The only solution was to divorce himself from what he couldn¡¯t control. There was another Knight in front of him, sword in hand, asking him to fight; Chivalry demanded he answered in kind.


    <em>Chivalry?</em>


    That had nothing to do with battle. Erec stepped toward the man, his barefoot slipping on ash. His blood stirred and heated; fire bursting from his feet, rising from below.


    It burned through his foot, directly into his veins. Fuel. Erecughed, weing it with open arms. With this power, the weapon was a natural extension in his grasp; better than any he¡¯d touched before, and far lighter. As if it¡¯d been made for him.


    Erec grinned ear to ear, tracking his enemy as the Knight slowly advanced.


    A duel. One that would shatter this world¡ªhe knew it instinctively thatbined their fight would have the power to dispel this ball of ash intoplete oblivion.


    What a beautiful ending that would be. All it would cost is throwing himself away.


    Erec rushed with a yell. That massive axe cut through the air like butter, but it stillgged as it swung. nging into the strange Knight¡¯s de and forcing the two into a clinch. With all of his might, he pushed against the de, trying to overpower the guard.


    Despite pushing everything he could through the axe, the Knight didn¡¯t budge an inch. His sword burned brightly and held its ce.


    Erec screamed; letting more fire pour into him. A pir turned from nearby¡ªfire sshing into his back. Burning him from the outside in and fueling his power. His muscles bulged and screamed in protest as he strained them. Knowing nothing but war, he would tear himself apart to break through and see this blow tear the man in half.


    A wave of ash flew from them as he retracted his axe from the struggle. Only to crash it back down at the man at a different angle.


    This was the type of hit that might tear a building in half. That endless fire burning him alive, turning him into a one-person inferno¡ªhe saw the fire burning across his skin. Felt more power than ever before.


    If this was hell, it was his hell, and he was the demon made for this ce.


    The axe banged against the metal; once more the Knight didn¡¯t twitch. As if he were made of something stronger than steel.


    All with a single hand holding a sword. It was enough to block the entirety of Erec¡¯s Strength.


    So he burned more.


    Blow after blow, swing after swing.


    It was like hitting a wall. Nothing connected past the damn de. He wasn¡¯t enough. Yet. Erecughed as more fire burned through him. His eyes zed with mes, his blood boiled away, and his skin a deep red as his body screamed with pain and agony. Yet it felt sweet, felt right. This was a test.


    How far could he push? If he gave more of himself away, maybe the next strike would be the one that broke through the Knight¡¯s defense.


    The burningndscape around them dimmed, all the fire vanishing into Erec in a vortex of me. Sinking through his body, converted to raw power.


    He kept going until thest flicker vanished.


    Erec¡¯s axe mmed into ash, his body twitching. His eyes stung, and blood ran from them as his own body failed. Giving everything to rage and anger could never be good for the body. Erec tried tough, but it was a weak thing. He let out a dying cry as he tried to lift his axe onest time from the ash.


    His muscles refused to move. His arms hanging limply, with his grip locked on the handle; unable to pry free.


    Still, he wouldn¡¯t give up.


    The Knight sheathed his sword, iming victory. And he hadn¡¯t needed to do anything but block and let Erec wear himself out.


    He could only have his victory over Erec¡¯s corpse.


    Erec flung himself at the Knight, his legs failing but giving enough of a burst to stretch out.


    He tried to bite him anywhere he could. Despite the Armor. He¡¯d break his teeth¡ªit didn¡¯t matter. As long as he had a pulse, they¡¯d keep going.


    For the first time, the Knight showed uncertainty, pulling out of range. In doing so, he responded to thest attack by kicking Erec right in the chest.


    A secondter, the world spun, and Erec crashed into the ground ten feet away, kicking up more ash into the dark world. There was no more fire here. No more glow ofva, they were inplete darkness if not for the light let off by the Knight¡¯s armor. Erec consumed it all, only to lose.


    With slow steps, the Knight walked over him. Staring downward.


    ¡°Tis a testament that ye struggled so long; yet never submitted to defeat. In those eyes, even at this moment, tis not there. Only the will to swing the axe.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Ye im to be a Knight, yet what tis a Knight without a noble truth?¡±


    The man crouched next to Erec, one of his gauntlets settling on Erec¡¯s chest. He tried to move, to knock it free from him. But he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Tis not to me. Walking the path of a Knight tis more narrow and difficult than that of a warrior. By chivalry, I found my truth. Yours tis not anger. Because that tis not a truth, but a weapon, much like that axe. A weapon is the soul, nor tis it the true strength that lies beneath. Do not be deceived.¡±


    ¡°What do you know of me?¡± Erec said the words, though they tasted bitter. His drive to fight faded with his failing body.


    ¡°Ask and see. Tis ye who art I, and I who art thou. Be great, Erec. A hero among Knights without equal, may our name live long over these ashen wastnds and soar to the heavens.¡± The white Armor of the man burst into mes; flickering and burning, rushing into Erec. It didn¡¯t sting like the fires of this. It didn¡¯t burn him from the inside.


    Instead, it healed.


    His body, torn apart by the battle, became whole once more, knitted together and strengthened. Tempered in the white fire.


    Erec stood¡ªthe ash swirled around his burning form, towering into the sky as a wall of ck refuse whipped itself with abandon past him. Erec shielded his eyes¡ªonly to see the white gauntlet that had been worn by the Knight on his own arm.


    His whole body was d in the metal. In the distance, he saw a shine past the tornado of ash. Embers flickered in their midst as he once more became whole, burning with a white and silver fire.


    Erec followed the flickering, shining light¡ªseeing the buried massive axe in the ground.


    Not knowing why, but feeling a sense of wholeness, he grabbed the weapon. Lifting it this time was easier than ever before. It felt like a natural extension of himself. The massive edges of the axe wavered, alive. Fire.


    A notification seared his eyes.


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): Rank E - Tier 3 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 9


    Then, with a puff of air. All the fire blew out.


    Darkness.

 Chapter 143: Hangovers

    Chapter 143: Hangovers


    Erec scarcely opened his eyes for a second, before he had to roll over and vomit pure ck rot out of him. And he kept vomiting, tears running down his eyes as he emptied his stomach into the dirt. It had a peculiar way of gathering, pulling together, and bing an almost mud of vomit and wastnd.


    For most of an hour, his reality centered on a single point of suffering.


    Once he¡¯d spewed out more ck-like grease from him than he could¡¯ve imagined, he finally gathered himself enough to see what the hell was happening around him.


    He almost wished he hadn¡¯t.


    Garin was by the burnt-out fire, rocking back and forth. The skin on his face was peeling off in flecks of white, ck, and red. The wind would catch chunks and blow them away as if they were cracking free, leaving raw red flesh beneath. His eyes were distant, not fully there orprehending what was going on around him.


    Given Erec¡¯s experience with the silver mes and disassociation that came after, he could very well imagine what happened.


    This time, though, unlike those before, he was unfortunately grounded in reality. Vomit. The overwhelming smell and raw, torn throat as more bile poured out. All of it kept him glued firmly on this world.


    Erec¡¯s gaze slid to Colin. Who was on the ground, twitching. An asional bolt of lightning shed out of him and discharged into the air.


    <em>Alive or dead?</em>


    The adult who¡¯d brought them into this slept on the ground not far away, resting in a bed of flowers. They had no business living in the desert.


    ¡°Fuck, this was a bad idea,¡± Erec croaked.


    He vomited again, then dragged himself into action. Inch by inch, he crawled his way over to Colin. Once he reached the boy, he gave him a shake¡ªColin¡¯s eyes rolled into the back of his head, tongue lulling out.


    <em>Not good.</em>


    Erec set fingers to his friend¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Is he alive?¡± Erec asked.


    [Pulse detected.]


    ¡°Thank the Goddess,¡± Erec shook Colin for a solid minute¡ªonly stopping when another bolt burst out of his friend.


    With that strike, Colin¡¯s pupils returned, and he gasped for breath.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Magic is alive.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Erec shook his head. He might be alive, but like Garin, it would take some time before he was functioning and pulled himself back together. ¡°Get your stuff together, alright? I think we¡¯ve been out here for longer than intended. Boldwick is probably wondering where we went.¡± With that, Erec forced himself to his feet.


    Onest person to confront. The unconscious idiot who led them on this drug trick that left everyone on it unquestionably scarred. Erec wobbled as he walked towards her; even the air around the woman felt cleaner. She rested on a bed of multicolored flowers and greenery that shouldn¡¯t have existed.


    It made him wonder if any of this was real, or yet another hallucinogenic vision. How much of this was just the drugs?


    Erec paused before waking her, pulling upon his Blessing to see his Virtues.


    Name: Erec of House Audax


    <strong>Health: 100</strong>% | <strong>Mana: </strong>100% | <strong>Stamina: 28</strong>%


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Virtues:


    Strength: [Rank D] | [Tier 7]


    Vigor: [Rank E] | [Tier 9]


    Agility: [Rank E] | [Tier 6]


    Perception: [Rank E] | [Tier 5]


    Cognition: [Rank E] | [Tier 4]


    Psyche: [Rank E] | [Tier 7]


    Mysticism: [Rank F] | [Tier 4]


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): [Rank E] | [Tier 9]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Divine Talents:


    Fury


    So¡­ It all hadn¡¯t been for nothing. That fight with the Knight¡­ How did it rte to his Soul?


    Her methods were questionable, but they had affected his Blessing. But the results and theck of any real guidance on what to expect, however¡­


    ¡°Wake up,¡± Erec said.


    Dame Morgana¡¯s eyes fluttered, and she gave a delicate yawn, moving a strand of hair from her eyes. Acting as though she¡¯d recovered from a wonderful nap.


    ¡°Always pleasant to return from your Soul, isn¡¯t it?¡± she said.


    ¡°Pleasant?¡±


    ¡°Seeing it should¡¯ve been obvious. You took a trip to the crux of your soul,¡± Dame Morgana pushed herself up, a smile on her lips; as she left the bed of flowers, they wilted as she pulled away.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am. You gave us a hallucinogenic tea, performed your magic, and then I woke up to this.¡± Erec gestured to the lightning discharging Colin and the catatonic Garin,


    ¡°What did you see?¡±


    ¡°Hell. I fought with a Knight there, got my ass kicked, then they told me we were the same person. I felt like I was dying there. Threw everything I could, and in the end, he told me anger was only a tool. What sense does any of that make?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, much more barbaric than my first encounter. Given, the crux of your soul is a reflection. And upon your first meeting, there will be a challenge. Maybe not a straight fight. But perhaps the way of fire? Or is it the soul of a warrior which prompts such a trial?¡± Dame Morgana tilted her head, expecting him to provide some meaningful insight.


    ¡°Soul of a Knight,¡± Erec corrected her. He wasn¡¯t sure, but that distinction felt important.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to write your ount in my journalter. Besides, the ritual isn¡¯t dangerous. The repercussions with the church¡­ Well, they¡¯re foolish anyway,¡± she took in the rest of the group. ¡°Everyone¡¯s journey was sessful, wonderful!¡±


    ¡°They lost their Faith virtue, then?¡±


    ¡°You say lost. As if it was yours, to begin with, but it isn¡¯t. That is borrowed power; we mustn¡¯t rely on that which isn¡¯t ours.¡±


    Erec sighed; and then winced, suppressing the urge to once more vomit as his stomach rebelled.


    ¡°It¡¯s to be expected, as someone new to this world; I¡¯d say wee to your rebirth, but you already did so. Though connecting with your Soul early is a wee boon, to be sure. So, let us wee the ones who experienced their rebirth¡ª¡° for the first time she looked at the sky. A look ofplete shock appeared on her face. ¡°Oh¡­ Oh dear, we¡¯re runningte. Boldy¡¯s going to be mad.¡±


    Erec had nothing to say to that. Not that Morgana provided any space in her constant flow of instructions to follow, at her direction, he got Garin on his feet. His friend was shedding skin like a Blister Crawler. They shoved his helmet on and called it good enough.


    Colin kept jerking around as his body discharged electricity, but as they walked, the bolts became less frequent.


    As for himself, he only had to pull them to a stop a couple of more times to empty his stomach. Dame Morgana cheerfully eximed that soon he shouldn¡¯t have to worry about that at all, since his body was very close to purification. Erec took that as a small measure offort.


    So they continued back to the rest of the group. Even with the two mutes hanging on by threads.


    Time waited for no man. Reborn or otherwise.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    From the second they came into sight of the cars, Boldwick began yelling.


    It was understandable for him to be angry; even if the noise made Erec¡¯s skull ring. The feeling was like a Fury-powered hangover. Scraping his brains out and spreading the on the sand; Erec nearly vomited again. So, he had no choice but to walk away.


    He was lucky that Boldwick let him go. Far more interested in drilling into Dame Morgana.


    Step by step, he came more into himself.


    And then he noticed he had a ghost.


    Yniol trailed behind him, the big man all blustered up and with a red face. Erec¡¯s insides turned over, and he steeled himself, turning to confront the man. Though he didn¡¯t feel up to it, he would take this chance. Better than another long-ass drive wondering which way it would end up.


    ¡°Erec.¡± The man said, puffing his chest up and standing right up to Erec¡ªthough he was about an inch shorter, andpared to Erec in his Armor¡­ That act wasn¡¯t as formidable as Yniol probably hoped. ¡°We are going to talk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. If you wanna talk, let¡¯s do it now. Clear the air.¡± Erec said, trying to sound diplomatic. His throat was still raw, and the words didn¡¯te easy.


    ¡°What are your intentions with my daughter?¡±


    <em>Straight to the point.</em>


    ¡°I like her. A lot. I know we don¡¯t work much for the future, but I¡¯m trying not to think about that at the moment. If I had to guess, she¡¯s probably not either, but I¡¯d have to ask to be sure.¡±


    ¡°Damn right neither of you is thinking about the future!¡± Yniol yelled, his face flushing. ¡°Problem with being young! Always about ¡®now, now, now¡¯ never about what might happen¡ª¡° He raised an usatory finger to Erec¡¯s chest, pressing it against the Armor. Erec gave it azy look, trying to rein in the fire ring in him; even if it took away the sickness.


    That was the issue. The drive to fight. Even if his heart wasn¡¯t truly into such a conflict, that fire burned, wanting to make itself avable. But if it was a weapon, then he would wield it ordingly.


    ¡°Are you trying to piss me off?¡± Erec asked, letting a bit of that anger burn, ¡°Yniol. I like you. But I¡¯m not someone you push the buttons of. I don¡¯t want to cross you, but please, take your finger off my chest.¡±


    Yniol retracted the offending digit; he rubbed his face and let out a puff of hot air.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Aint you a got a problem with. Say it straight. Did you go into that Rift after my daughter?¡±


    ¡°She was part of it, yeah.¡± It wasn¡¯t in him to lie about it anymore. It was a new day, a new him. If it wasn¡¯t theplete reason, it was still there as one of the factors. He¡¯d lied to himself before, but now, he saw it in as day.


    ¡°Repeating the same mistakes I did with her mother. Maybe this is karma. Nothing can be good from fire and fuel.¡± Yniol shook his head. ¡°If you hurt my daughter, I swear by this wastnd I¡¯ll break into that steel curtain surrounding your city, drag you out, and bury you in a ditch.¡± With that, Yniol stalked off. Full of bluster, but from the nt of his shoulders and the relieved tension, he no longer penned up his anger.


    Erec watched him go, reeling.


    He paused, looking over his shoulder. ¡°Get your ass back to my car. We¡¯re driving off in ten fucking minutes. I¡¯m going to lose my mind.¡±


    [Looks like you have the father¡¯s approval. Courting rituals really stay the same. How much of this is derived from cultural history, or is it from a primal animal instinct? Curious.]

 Chapter 144: Made Of Gold

    Chapter 144: Made Of Gold


    <em>It¡¯s hell in there. Don¡¯t go in.</em>


    <em>The things inside don¡¯t die; you get lost in the yellow fog. Can¡¯t find your way out.</em>


    <em>Take off their head, they regrow it¡ªbury them and they crawl out.</em>


    <em>Lost everyone in our group, ain¡¯t fucking worth it. There is no city hidden away, ain¡¯t no treasure. All that¡¯s in there is death.</em>


    <em>-Everbright, Warning Of Yellow Canyon, (234, 3rd Era)</em>


    Getting back in Yniol¡¯s car was almost like returning home. He knew how much it meant to the man, and despite the threat, it was like the wound healed. Yniol went right back to treating him how he had before. With a bit of an odd lean. He¡¯d offer fatherly advice¡ªwhich was a dynamic Erec didn¡¯t know how to deal with.


    Enide mocked him and asked when they were going to get hitched in front of everyone. Yniol would freeze up whenever she mentioned it, and she¡¯d startughing.


    She wasn¡¯t the only one. The other Pendragons crammed in the car picked up on the tension point and turned it into pushing buttons and teasing her father where they could.


    Though, through the conversations, they ended up exining what a hitch-trip was. A family tradition. Before they¡¯d ept two bonding together, the would-be couple would pick out a ce on the map to exchange their vows. The longer the distance they had to go, the more fortune was said to fall into their marriage. After picking a spot, they¡¯d each get a car, and select the men and women they trusted most. Then the road trip would begin. Along the way, they were to find something ¡®priceless¡¯ to give to the other person.


    Though odd, it was a wee tradition to the marriages Erec was used to seeing. Arranged marriages, the multi-day feasts, balls, and ceremonies given by the Church were a chore to drag himself through.


    He filed it away, as yet another insight about the people outside of the walls.


    The Church imed the Goddess was the only one with the right to sanctify a marriage, but now he saw it as yet another lever of control they had over people. With the deluge of revtions he¡¯d had about them and their control, the more he came to understand that he couldn¡¯t live under their rule. He could only hope that whatever the Royal Family was engaging in would limit their power.


    When they stopped for the night, Erec bid Enide and Yniol farewell. There¡¯d be time to spend with themter; turning down a drink with Yniol. His top priority was to check in with his friends. After such a long drive, he imagined they¡¯d be feeling better.


    ¡°Garin?¡± Erec asked, walking up to the right of a Pendragon''s car. ¡°Better?¡±


    ¡°¡­Like I¡¯m made of gold,¡± his friend shook his head. ¡°Clean air fixed me up, but let¡¯s find somewhere I can get out of this Armor¡­ Munchy is losing it, and it reeks.¡±


    With a few quick words to Boldwick, Erec got approved for a ¡®scouting mission.¡¯ A justifiable excuse to clear themselves from everyone else and get some distance. He tried to get Colin involved as well, but the poor bastard was already under the heel of his father. Being dragged away for some impromptu training session.


    It made him nervous since he didn¡¯t know how well Colin could keep his changes a secret. If the Duke figured out what happened, there¡¯d be a massive fight between him and Dame Morgana, one likely to drag everyone else into it. But that wasn¡¯t a ce Erec wanted to, nor could insert himself between.


    ¡°Well?¡± Erec asked as Garin mbered out of his suit.


    There weren¡¯t any monsters. The barrenndscape of Worth was turning craggy instead of sandy¡ªit¡¯d still be a good few days before they left the boundary of the regions Erec was familiar with in their path to the west. Apparently, they¡¯d be swinging north of the yellow gas-filled canyon, after going through the bands. The Pendragons insisted they had secure routes along most of the West, including the knowledge of ces to get nowhere near.


    It only took a couple of weeks by vehicle to get to Vega. Or so Yniol said. A vast improvement over how long it would¡¯ve taken by foot to visit all the settlements on the map.


    It made him wonder why the Kingdom hadn¡¯t adapted to this kind of technology¡ªgranted, some of it was fueled by glyph work, but the cars were fundamentally an old-world device.


    Garin mbered out of his Armor, shaking loose the peels of skin that clung to his Academy uniform. Munchy crawled out as well, the fat squirrel sloppily mbering down his leg before copsing on the ground. His stomach slowly rose while taking inhales of the sweet air; acting as if he¡¯d been tortured.


    Perhaps he had. If that dead skin smelled anything like the bile that came out of Erec, it would amaze him that the squirrel was still alive.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°It worked,¡± Garin confirmed, scraping a load of skin fragments from his face and shaking it out on the ground. ¡°No longer any Faith there. Just ¡®Earth¡¯ aspect Soul.¡±


    ¡°What did you see?¡±


    Garin pursed his lips at that and looked at the ground. ¡°I didn¡¯t ¡®see¡¯ anything. Especially at the start. It felt like I was buried alive¡ªthe soil around me was loose enough for my fingers to barely dig through, but I couldn¡¯t even breathe. It kept going until my lungs burst, and I thought I¡¯d simply died and got buried in the wastnd. Only, every now and again, I got the barest bit of air. A little more to pull me along.¡±


    ¡°Goddess above.¡± Erec gasped.


    ¡°¡­Hours of that. Until I felt movement around me. The tiniest bit of earth stirring¡ªthough I could register the dirt shifting around, I somehow knew what was making it. Worms. Moles.¡±


    ¡°She made you live a nightmare!¡± Erec¡¯s hand curled into a fist. His own experience had been not much better. But hearing the fear in his friend¡¯s voice tore Erec up inside. He wanted to track down Dame Morgana and shout at her until he went red in the face. Garin stopped him, grabbing him by the arm.


    ¡°When I felt all the things around me¡­ Something clicked.¡± Garin shook his head. ¡°I was afraid since I¡¯d been alone. I¡¯ve always¡­ I don¡¯t like being alone,¡± he gave Erec an apologetic smile, ¡°Never have. But, I realized with all of that movement, all those living things buried with me¡­ I¡¯d never been alone. It was a lot easier. I felt them, and they responded to me. They dug. More and more of them, until a tunnel formed above¡­ Then, together, we climbed to the surface. That¡¯s when I got the notification. No more Faith.¡±


    Erec rubbed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you got dragged into all this.¡±


    ¡°I did it for me. When I said I didn¡¯t want you to have to go on without me¡­ I meant that I was terrified of being left behind. But you¡¯d never do that, no matter where you went.¡± Garin let out a shaky breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m considering going with Enide and her family.¡°


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Garin¡¯s eyes went wide, bringing both hands up. ¡°Holy shit, Erec, you two barely know each other!¡±


    ¡°Not <em>because</em> of her.¡± Erec insisted. Which was true. For the most part at least, ¡°And I haven¡¯t figured out if it¡¯s good or not¡ªbut the ce they wanna go, it¡¯s a Vortex Industries facility,¡± he paused.


    There wasn¡¯t a sudden numb shock to his tongue. No muzzle on this talk. Which surprised him. He expected VAL to cut him off in some spectacr fashion. But that evidently didn¡¯t cross the line. He wanted to tell the truth, but the pure truth <em>would </em>definitely end this conversation. So how did he dance around it?


    ¡°Vortex Industries?¡±


    ¡°That military facility had something to do with it. I saw something that said their name¡ªand I think that android was rted as well.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see it,¡± Garin shook his head. ¡°How are the two rted? Why do you even care?¡±


    ¡°Think about it. If that military vault was old-world, and it could open a Rift¡­ Doesn¡¯t that mean that the Church had it wrong? What if we found something there that proved that these Rifts were something else than caused by the Goddess? Listen, I have a gut instinct, alright? This is important. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re willing to abandon the Kingdom over a gut instinct? Goddess above, Erec. I¡¯d almost feel better if you said that you¡¯d fallen hopelessly in love with Enide.¡±


    ¡°Listen, I know it sounds sketchy, and is a bit of a stretch. But I promise you, it feels like there¡¯s something <em>very important</em> in this vault. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve settled on what I¡¯m going to do. I haven¡¯t decided to abandon the Kingdom. Can you help? I don¡¯t want to make a choice on splitting away from all of this¡ªI want to find the road that takes us all there. To help Enide, to see what¡¯s hidden beneath, and leave us all better off than before, together. I don¡¯t know how to make that work, or how to get Boldwick on board.¡±


    ¡°The issue is that Boldwick¡¯s about to get what he wants from this expedition in Vega.¡± Garin rubbed his chin.


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s simple¡­¡± Garin expanded his hands, ¡°We find a way to convince him that helping with that will get him something he wants <em>more.</em>¡±


    ¡°What does he want more?¡± Erec asked.


    Garin shrugged. ¡°We have time to figure that out. The two of us can do it, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    With that, Garin extended his hand. Erec took it, only for his friend to pull him in for a close hug.


    ¡°But don¡¯t ever leave me alone, alright? Even if there are miles between us, we¡¯re friends until the grave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d die for you,¡± Erec said, and he meant it. No one else in this world sopletely understood him. His best friend was someone he¡¯d go to war for. And given what Garin just did¡ªmade himself an enemy of the church¡ªhe knew his friend felt the same.


    A lightness filled his core as they pulled away. Garin went to work cleaning out his Armor, then climbed into it. From there, they finished scouted then headed back toward the camp. The entire way, Erec¡¯s head spun with ideas on how to convince Boldwick. On how he might make his different wantse true. And then, even in Vega, what he might uncover about his Mom.


    An intrusive thought rang through him.


    These ns to make everything work. It was na?ve. Maybe it might work, maybe it wouldn¡¯t. But if he caught a hint of where his Mom went in that city¡­


    Would he throw it all away to chase her?

 Chapter 145: Run Of Luck

    Chapter 145: Run Of Luck


    ¡°Can¡¯t you channel your mana? I don¡¯t understand why the lines keep breaking,¡± Colin shook his head. Erec sat on the hood of Yniol¡¯s car, his hand held out before him. Gwen and Enide sat in for the lecture. Both girls were on either side of him. With Enide going along and trying to learn what she could. Gwen supervised.


    They¡¯d gotten deeper into what Boldwick affectionately referred to as the ¡®bands¡¯, a known section of the desert where Knights liked to avoid. Both because of ack of supplies, a generalck of anything to scavenge, and the overall weird nature of the ce. Up above, the sky was filled constantly with billowing red and ck clouds, hell-like and quite disturbing to look at.


    ¡°If I could, I would.¡± Erec rubbed his eyes. To his credit, Colin had been trying. But after an hour of Mysticism practice, which Erec wasn¡¯t good at, the initial patience in the normally irritable Duke-Spawn was drying up quickly.


    He needed a break.


    ¡°This is?¡± Enide asked¡ªher glyph ring to life with a red hue.


    A secondter, a ball of fire burst out of the glyph and mmed into Colin. Their instructor let out a shriek. Which was a natural reaction to having a small ball of fire lobbed at you. Protected or not by a ton of steel.


    Enideughed.


    ¡°How dare you! I taught you that glyph! You are certainly not permitted to use it against me.¡±


    ¡°Think I just did,¡± Enide smirked, hopping off the hood of the car. ¡°Gonna cry about it?¡±


    ¡°You royal bitch!¡±


    ¡°Nothing royal about me.¡° she turned back to Erec and winked, mouthing the words, ¡®break time¡¯ to him. With that ominous message, she turned back to face Colin full-on. ¡°Still haven¡¯t got you back for that smart-ass remark in the library. Think it¡¯s time for you to pay up. Spar me.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, dare this, dare that¡ªboring.¡± Enide vanished, then reappeared, her leg smacking into Colin¡¯s Armor.


    He didn¡¯t budge at all, but she reappeared further away from him, cursing up a storm. Enide underestimated the defense of steel and reinforcing spell-work. But Erec was sure she¡¯d figure out something to give Colin a run for his money. Already the boy was forming a glyph; aiming to fire off a shy spell to show how much better he was than her.


    Erec sighed, taking his helmet off and setting it on the car. He ran a hand through his hair.


    ¡°She¡¯s a fine fit for ya,¡± Gwen offered.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re trouble for each other, but you¡¯re right,¡± Erec responded.


    ¡°Bedwyr would like her.¡±


    That made him pause. He nced over at Gwen. After showing Bedwyr his new estate, and granting him and his father permission to stay there, his Brother only redoubled his efforts in training. So much so that neither he nor anyone else in the Academy had seen much of him for thest couple of months. Aside from perhaps Gwen.


    ¡°Why did you decide to go along with this expedition? Making yourself an enemy of the Church doesn¡¯t seem like something you might want. I¡¯m sure Boldwick talked to you about it. It¡¯s not like you came from nobility; so why make enemies who are going to get in your way?¡±


    ¡°Do ya ever ask yourself, ¡®What¡¯s the right thing to do here?¡¯ Think about the Church. Think about what they¡¯ve dely, and in the past. In my humble opinion, they held us all back. They police the nobility and the Royals¡­ They provide sermons for the people, let¡¯em join the Church. But¡­ Suppose you aint ever gone to a Church for food when there was none in your stomach. But, I can say, they aint giving aid for free.¡±


    ¡°The nobility isn¡¯t better, they¡¯re as like to rob a person blind to increase their own power than to offer any fashion of help,¡± Erec frowned. While not a fan of the Church, it had been the nobility that ostracized him the most.


    ¡°Naw, they¡¯re not quite like that. It¡¯s about fifty-fifty with¡¯em, if it¡¯s good or bad. Like any person.¡± She paused, then rose a finger. In the distance, Enide had somehow convinced Colin to climb out of his Armor for a fair fight.


    Which, he presumed, was a bribe for her to stop using her Divine Talent. With her ability to teleport, Colin couldn¡¯tnd a single blow. And every time she¡¯d hit him with the Armor on, shended nothing concrete. If she¡¯d been using her guns¡ªmaybe. Actually, Erec kinda doubted the fight would¡¯vested this long if she had them. Colin would probably be dead on the ground, with a few holes through his Armor.


    How much of this was her wanting to punch Colin, or trying to give Erec a break, it was impossible to distinguish.


    ¡°¡­Anyway, when you look at the Church¡¯s actions, they¡¯ve been consistent.¡±


    ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°More Churches, more followers, and more priests. You¡¯d think it was as a means to rue power¡ªbut I¡¯m not so sure.¡± She shrugged.


    With that, theypsed into silence and watched the rest of the fight.


    Colin tried to form another glyph. It bled a purple color and was unlike what Erec saw him typically use; a ratherplicated glyph too. Given it was Colin, it was probably a trump card. The boy wouldn¡¯t trust Enide to keep to her word for very long, so it was a move intended to end the fight in a single blow. Colin was prone to dramatic moves like that.


    Unfortunately, he¡¯d miscalcted.


    Colin thought that without her teleportation, Enide would be slower. That it would buy him enough time to use an overlyplicated glyph to win.


    That was aplete misunderstanding. True to her word, Enide didn¡¯t use her Divine Talent. She didn¡¯t need to. Instead, she rushed him, her form blurred as she threw all of her speed into moving. Easily closing the gap of ten meters in a second. Her fist snapped into Colin¡¯s face, knocking him t on his ass and shattering the glyph.


    Enide rose both arms up her head, and yelled out, ¡°Sweet victory!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go gett¡¯em up,¡± Gwen snickered. ¡°You two are a pair, huh? Go spend some time together. Think training¡¯s done.¡±


    With that, she got up, going over to Colin to check on him; Enide swayed over, a killer grin on her face as she eyed Erec.


    ¡°Wanna go for a round or two, tough guy? I¡¯m itching for a real fight now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you down,¡± Erec agreed, feeling that re of challenge rise in him. Her eyes lit up as he epted. There wasn¡¯t anything sweeter than seeing that look of pure bloodlust and rivalry in her expression.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The days spread out easily on the road. Mile by mile they closed the distance to Vega and flew further from the Kingdom. Once they were past the bands, they skimmed the sides of the great yellow-fog canyon. Which was a sight to behold. Miles upon miles of an ominous gas filling the tunnels¡ªColin imed that like the clouds of the bands, it was natural magic conjuring it.


    Of course, he told that privately to Boldwick, who disseminated the information to all the Knights. Avoiding telling the Duke how he came by the information.


    In a rare twist of expectations, Colin somehow avoided spilling his secrets to his father. Not even about his Divine Talent.


    The boy had been acting a lot more reserved; eager to push Erec to learn Mysticism, but otherwise keeping to himself when he could. If the teachers gave lessons, he was an apt student, if distant. A change from challenging them and getting himself in trouble. In return, the Duke adjusted to the change and appeared content to let Colin attend lessons with Dame Robin and Dame Juliana.


    Boldwick took the initiative to forbid Dame Morgana from any more unnned lessons without his supervision.


    Which, given her irresponsibility¡­ Erec felt surprised that it hadn¡¯t happened before now.


    Time kept slipping by, like sand through an hourss. Past the magnificent canyon, the Pendragons joined on a road that held up remarkably well. Each day, they drove further away, following the road.


    Life slipped into afortable pattern. Once the sun sank, the Pendragons would pull over and set up camp. Boldwick would assign his Knights to scout the nearby location¡ªwhen they came back, the initiates were sent to training, until it was too dark to see without lights. After that, they yed a game of guard shuffle, with someone always keeping eyes on the captured thugs and Seven-Snakes. Boldwick kept the poor girl that was with them aside from the main group, but she was still kept under watch.


    When Erec didn¡¯t have the ill fortune of having to keep watch, he snuck off to spend the night with Enide. Whether it was going for a stroll, sitting around drinking with whichever of their friends had the night off, or a moment alone together talking, it was always the capstone to the day.


    Enide kept running through his mind. And reality loomed closer and closer. The question kept repeating in his head: Vega, and then what?


    He wouldn¡¯t have minded if they never arrived at that fabled city if they could¡¯ve spent their entire lives on this road together.


    Maybe without Seven-Snakes. The bandit leader had gotten quieter the longer they were on the road; whenever Erec looked at him, the guy had a dark look in his eyes. Like he knew something they didn¡¯t. Aside from him, it would¡¯ve been perfect.


    With a heavy heart, he saw the lights of Vega on the horizon for the first time.


    It was breathtaking. Lights red into the sky¡ªdespite the dark horizon¡ªenough to show the towering buildings that dwarfed anything in the Kingdom. There were rows of them and a thin, glimmering dome wrapped over the entire city. Beneath it, neon lights shed, every color under the sun. In a way, the city was a massive insult to the ruined world outside of its barrier. No matter what happened, it would stay there, unaffected.

 Chapter 146: Welcome To Vega

    Chapter 146: Wee To Vega


    <em>And as I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby¡¯s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy¡¯s dock. He hade a long way to this bluewn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night.</em>


    <em>Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that¡¯s no matter¡ªtomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further¡­ And one fine morning¡ª</em>


    <em>So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.</em>


    <em>-F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (1925, 2nd Era)</em>


    Everyone stiffened and spoke in hushed tones in Yniol¡¯s closer. The closer they got to Vega, the more the Pendragons sat on the edge of their seats. They weren¡¯t any better than Erec. Which was surprising. They¡¯d been here before. The Jewel of the wastnd, they called it. Though, in the light of the day, the city was more grounded than before. It came alive at night when those neon lights sted everywhere.


    Vega¡­ was beautiful. A worldpletely on the surface; the massive buildings in the center of the dome were impossibly tall.


    Yet on the outskirts of Vega, outside of the dome, was a sight quite to the contrary. The Kingdom had its slums, people struggled to survive. But they had the protection of being underground if nothing else. Here, the luxury of protection wasn¡¯t granted.


    Outside of the walls were ramshackle hovels filled with people roaming by with guns, bats, and metal pipes¡ªa whole second city that dragged itself along outside of the barriers of Vega. It wasn¡¯t as big, but it was clear the people here suffered. Sad strips of torn-apart buildings, many of them with caved-in roofs, and the asional splotch of dried blood on walls spoke all the stories Erec needed to hear.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Erec said, watching a girl digging around in a building wreckage.


    Vega didn¡¯t lift a finger for these people. No one past the barrier existed to them.


    His eyes turned to the light blue dome that stretched miles into the sky. Within its confines was an entire city, including a few smoke stacks that drifted out of the barrier. Houses, restaurants, and production. Even from this distance, he saw a fully functioning ce. But what didn¡¯t make any sense was in what he didn¡¯t see. There were no farnds, no form of agriculture. The Kingdom survived off its bio-caverns, and supplemental food on the surface, and still the strain of feeding everyone was a constant concern. While Vega wasn¡¯t as massive as the Kingdom, it still had to support a sizable poption.


    ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t pay the entrance fee, that¡¯s why they¡¯re stuck out here. Either that, or they got booted, lost their savings, you name it.¡± Enide shrugged. ¡°Oh, look¡ªone of the red robes.¡±


    Sure enough, there was one of the priests as the cars entered the streets leading to Vega; he had bread in one hand, with a group of hungry children reaching out for it. But he stopped them every single time they tried to grab a bite. Too busy delivering his sermon. Not all too different from the Kingdom. But seeing a priest out here was beyond surreal.


    The priest trailed off. His eyes tracked the cars as they slowed on the road to cut through the slums. People gawked from all around. Given the cars were carrying a load of Knights in their Armor, shouldn¡¯t have been surprising. Some kids ran into buildings, a few rmed thugs cut through the crowd to put themselves between the cars and the people. Treating them with a weary suspicion like they would a monster approaching their homes.


    ¡°Bogeymen of the wastes, little do they know how cute you are under that helmet of yours,¡± Enide whispered andughed.


    Thankfully, none of the of people confronted or tried to block the way of the cars, if anything they moved even faster to get clear. The barrier wasing up fast. From this distance, they could see a small booth on the otherwise of the road, past the dome. Staffed by two men in suitsyered by a small dark blue half-cloak.


    The cars came to a stop fifteen feet from the barrier. Rochester climbed out of the driver¡¯s seat and pulled Boldwick with him. They stopped at another car to grab Seven-Snakes. The man lowered his head as they marched him towards the dome to speak to people on the other side.


    Gatekeeepers?


    It wasn¡¯t like the gate of the steel curtain. The dome cut through the road; and the actual city didn¡¯t appear to start for another fourth of a mile past that.


    ¡°Should be pretty straightforward,¡± Enide yawned. ¡°Tell¡¯em they¡¯re here filling a contract for the council. Guard¡¯s wave our entry fee. Then we roll on in with our prisoners. Given we have you guys with us, I¡¯m willing to bet they¡¯ll throw in some kind of amodation at one of the hotels. Diplomacy, business¡­ Same thing to the Magi.¡±


    The gatekeepers on the other side were forming glyphs and conferring with one another after a brief talk with Rochester and Boldwick.


    Ten minutes passed, and word spread through the outskirts of the arrivals¡ªPeople wanted a look at the Knights. Including five priests; who seemed to converse, no longer bribing children with bread to get them to listen to their sermons. It was eerie seeing them here, and the drive he had before to investigate their existence outside of the Kingdom was evaporating. The way they stared was creepy¡ªas if they saw past his Steel. Saw through him. He was sure it was just the remains of how he felt with hisst interaction with them in the Kingdom, but now he wanted nothing to do with them.


    A ck car rode out from the interior city of Vega, unlike the ones the Pendragons had. This one was pristine, its parts new,pleted by ck windows. It even had a roof, all designed to hide the people within. No crazy modifications.


    But there wasn¡¯t a shot in hell it was from the old-world.


    It stopped near the barrier, and a man got out of the passenger seat. He wore a full dark-blue cloak and had slicked-back hair. A plethora of badged stitched on the right sidepleted his cloak. After a brief discussion; the two magi on the other side turned back to face the barrier and then conjured a glyph.


    The edge of the barrier lifted; the dome rose like one big curtain held up by an invisible pir. Tall enough for the cars to drive through, and wide enough to clear the road. Rochester gave the man in the ck car a big grin and prodded Seven-Snakes through.


    They took the man, shoved him into the ck car, and drove off.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re clear. Took long enough,¡± Yniol mumbled as Rochester motioned to the rest of the Pendragons. In a few minutes¡¯ time, they were past the barrier. All the people behind them shut off from the interior, trapped to live their lives outside of the paradise city.


    Like that, they were in Vega proper. The city was asleep, but he knew that it wouldn¡¯t be long before it woke up.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    As Enide predicted, they were led to one of the skyscrapers. A casino hotel. An entire street that was lined with these and other entertainment, distractions meant to keep people drifting by and spending chips. The currency of this ce.


    And the people here came from just about any walk of life Erec could imagine. They were rags with gold chains, others in suits like the Magi, some in leather and wastnd wear.


    On the strip, the name of the game was pleasure. Outside of that, from the brief glimpse he got, life seemed more diverse and ordinary. Schools, workshops, and housing. An entire ecosystem to support this veneer of forgetfulness towards the outside world. Built to support this.


    Erec looked out the window of his hotel room, near the top of the casino. At the lights already ring up as the sun sank, at the women dressed in colorful feathers, and singers with microphones plugged into street speakers. Drinks, for sale, men and women waving around, every day a party. The people were a mingling of half-a-hundred different cultures and ces, yet they heard of this ce, sold something to get in, and made chips.


    It made him wonder how wide thework outside of the Kingdom was.


    What did all of this mean?


    In the back of the room, he heard the shower cut off. The instructions were to wash up, then attend an event hosted by the Magi; after that, they were to have a meeting with the council. In a rare show, Boldwick ordered them to do so with no Armor, to not offend their hosts.


    ¡°Strange,¡± Erec couldn¡¯t tear his eyes from the outside. This ce existed in a literal bubble and denied the reality of the world. A ce where you could live a merry life in sin.


    Garin strolled out of the shower, a suit shirt on that he was adjusting the cor to; fussing with a tie. ¡°Think Olivia will like it?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Take it easy, alright? No need to get all serious. We¡¯re just along for Boldwick¡¯s negotiations, and while we¡¯re here, we get to see what the rest of the world is like. It¡¯s what you wanted, right? Maybe we¡¯ll find something here to use to convince him to go along with the Pendragons further. We¡¯ll know more, and can n more by the end of the night.¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s just that I never pictured something like this outside of the walls.¡±


    ¡°World¡¯s full of surprises. Go get cleaned up, we got a show to watch, then get to listen to a bunch of old men talk for a while, then we¡¯ll cut it there. And turn into enjoying the night. We can worry about the future tomorrow,¡± Garin threw an arm over Erec¡¯s shoulder, a smile on his face as he looked outside at the window. ¡°Damn, what a view.¡±

 Chapter 147: Sirens Call

    Chapter 147: Siren''s Call


    Erec was familiar with cards, but what struck him as odd was all the other games at y¡ªtables with dice, the shing machines with spinning symbols, and the odd red and ck wheels. Erec found out the shing machines were called ¡®slots,¡¯ but that exined nothing at all. This was a casino, and to Erec¡¯s eyes, it would be better if it didn¡¯t exist. The way people aggressively ced bets, winning but mostly losing them. It couldn¡¯t have been good for them.


    The hollow look in their eyes reflected those spinning lights. All the while, men and women dressed skimpily went around serving drinks. They made it a point to bring free ones to the people with the most chips; the actual attendants for the games wore cks, dress shirts, and vests. Intentionally not a distraction from the games in front of the people.


    Most intoxicating was the atmosphere all around. It was like a live wire, the people screaming, shouting, some of them even crying. In the back in the dark, a couple were making out while seated in front of the slot machines.


    [To think, out of all the ces, Vegas would be the quickest to return to normalcy. When ites to vices, your humans are quite resilient, and gambling is one of the older traditions. Still, for it to have so persevered is surprising.]


    Garin let out a whistle as he looked around. The rest of the Knights were arriving in small waves from the elevator. The Magi had put up the Pendragons in an entirely different casino, but they¡¯d be meeting up again soon enough.


    ¡°There is a distinctck of decorum in this ce, but I will admit I¡¯m impressed with the unique aesthetic,¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°It looks like a lot of fun. Did you wanna check out one of these when we get through the meeting?¡± Garin asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be opposed, but we¡¯ll have to ask Erec and Enide; <em>they</em> were the ones who proposed this double date. I will say I¡¯m eager to get to know her more. She¡¯s been avoiding one-on-one conversations with me. Do you happen to know why, Erec?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t do what she doesn¡¯t want to,¡± Erec said. It wasn¡¯t better to sugar-coat it, and Olivia knew how she¡¯de across. That girl was as the wind was, and no one would control her. That¡¯s what he found captivating about her, more than anything else, and was a part of her he wanted to reflect within himself, and strove to learn.


    ¡°A shame. Life often requires such sacrifices¡­ For one, I think this dress is painfully gaudy, yet I must wear it for the asion. Perhaps that¡¯s a lesson she might learn from you.¡± Olivia did a slight twirl in said dress. She wasn¡¯t wrong. While the men were given suits¡ªsimr to a longstanding old-world style, the women of the group were a bit more varied in their provided clothes.


    And gaudy was an apt description. The dress she wore was gold and sparkly, and shorter on the hemline than was typical of her rather demur and refined preferences. As Gwen arrived, Erec noticed she wore a very simr type of dress, but with silver instead of gold. The old women in the group¡ªDame Morgana, Juliana, and Robin¡ªwere provided with altogether different styles, but themonality in them was deep slits going up the leg and a lot of skin on disy on the back.


    For Dame Juliana, this revealed a canvas of battle scars.


    The fashion was¡­ Not all that practical for the realities of the wastnd. Which, he supposed, was the same in the high courts. That was the point, an borate disy among others that didn¡¯t take heed of danger; a signal of safety and to be shy.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the rest of the Knights to arrive. And not soon after, a man made his way through the floor of the casino and gave them a deep bow. He wore a suit, but also one of those dark blue half-cloaks they¡¯d seen before. His hair was buzzed, and when he looked up, there was a smile on his face.


    ¡°It is the council¡¯s pleasure to host the first diplomatic delegation from the Kingdom of Cindrus. I can see that everyone from your party is here, and am delighted to act as your liaison and guide for the duration of your visit to our beautiful city. Should you encounter any problems, ask for Magi Lucas Silfon; otherwise, if you have questions, you may usually find me within the Vene Casino. I take it we¡¯re prepared to attend the first event tonight?¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°Aye, I think we are,¡± Boldwick said.


    ¡°Wonderful. Onest request¡ªI¡¯ve been informed by the Arch Magi that they wish for your Armor to stay within your rooms for the duration of your visit to this city. They¡¯ve concluded that the sight of it, and the association with your Kingdom is a bit too much of a disturbance to permit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what we agreed on.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me. I am not authorized to bargain about this matter, only to inform you of this decision. You may talk to them about thister tonight if you wish. They will, however, permit you to carry your weapons on your person, if you so wish. Like any visitor on the strip.¡±


    Boldwick kept whatever he wanted to say to that inside. And, upon another prompting from Magi Lucas, they followed them out of the hotel and onto the strip. The sun was starting its descent, and that city was already starting its nightly transformation.


    Massive neon lights lit signs and blinked on the border of the Casinos and shows. Advertising events and many ces to drink and find distraction on the streets themselves were rapidly filling with people, apanied byughter and distractions. With everything made to grab attention and drag it from the shing lights outside of it, Erec found his eyes jumping around like a nervous animal. It was impossible totch on and actually absorb anything; his focus slipping away in mere seconds.


    This ce was one grand enchantment. A trap to capture your heart and soul, force you to live in the moment and to lose yourself.


    Was that the point of Vega?


    Their guide brought them further down the strip, to arge theater. Impossible to miss the purpose of it, considering the massive neon sign in front of it. ¡°SIREN¡¯S SERENADE, ONE NIGHT ONLY, STARVIEW THEATER.¡±


    Lucas led them through the crowd of people outside; all of them were busy trying to submit their tickets to the teller. But they didn¡¯t have to wait. With their Magi escort, they were soon behind security and within the theater proper. Lucas led them up the stairs and ended the journey to a private balcony on the second story, which overlooked an borate stage made of an odd white wood and red velvet curtains.


    Now that everyone was at their destination, Lucas bid them farewell and told them he¡¯d be back after the show.


    The moment Lucas was gone, Boldwick shoved a hand in his pocket and pulled out a couple of cotton balls. He passed some to Dame Robin and Dame Morgana, whispering some quick words to them before getting in a chair near the back of the balcony and settling in for the show.


    Dame Morgana and Robin stuffed the cotton in their ears and took seats.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Insurance,¡± Boldwick said. ¡°I don¡¯t believe this to be a trap, given the size of the crowd. I¡¯ll need to pay attention to remark on whatever this is, but I want at least two of ours prepared, considering the word ¡®siren,¡¯ which had a mythological connotation. If this is some kind of spell, it might protect them. But with diplomatic missions like these, you must show trust, but also keep yourself reserved. Either way, it¡¯s above the worries of the Initiates. Enjoy and listen. Learn what you can. This sort of Knightly responsibility is new to our Order, but I believe this type of work will be increasingly important in the future.¡±


    The Knights settled into silence while the crowd below them thrummed with anticipation. Erec took stock of the people. Everyone dressed in their finest. Almost like attending a ball at the high courts, but they weren¡¯t here to dance, only to watch a show. What made it odd was that ys were typically either hosted in castles or seen on public stages in the caverns¡ªnot ces where you paid to get into a building solely dedicated to it. And the seating here with the fine upholstery took the stage to a new height.


    His eyes wandered over to the other balconies. It wasn¡¯t long before he found the Pendragons, who somehow got a cask on their balcony.


    There she was.


    Enide slumped back in her chair, hands behind her head. She wore a tight red dress with a single shoulder strap¡ªand her folded legs overhung the edge of the balcony as she reclined. She wore bright red heels. Absolutely stunning. She noticed him looking, quickly giving him a small wave, a smile, and then a wink.


    ¡°It¡¯s vital to note the differences between cultures and their values. With that in mind, Colin. What do you see here?¡± the Duke asked his son, killing the silence on their balcony.


    ¡°This is clearly entertainment. Quite extravagant, of course. As it¡¯s public, I¡¯d wager it¡¯s a way to impress the lower sses and their social peers? Simr to how we hold balls and events,¡± Colin replied.


    ¡°In a way, that¡¯s urate. But, of course, they charge for seats and this ce has a reputation of its own. When a King throws a ball, you¡¯re aware of the family whose power it represents¡ªhowscivious they make dictates their perceived status. Here, that¡¯s notpletely the case. The venue itself is the statement of wealth, and the goal and incentive in holding it isn¡¯t a loss of funding to impress but to attract wealthy individuals to part with their wealth. Who is in charge of the operation?¡±


    ¡°¡­Peasants?¡±


    ¡°The Magi. That¡¯s how we got our invitation and ess.¡±


    ¡°So it is a disy of power,¡± Colin said, rubbing his eyes. His gaze kept shifting about as he spoke, taking in details no one else could see. To his father, it must¡¯ve looked like he was showing good decorum and evaluating, but Erec knew it wasn¡¯t the case. There must be some magic afoot.


    ¡°Not so. It¡¯s a means of generating power¡ªwealth appears to rule this city, and wealth is allowed to rule the city because the most powerful are likely to find themselves the most wealthy. They provide safety and functionality and leverage it into high status, backed by the power of their chips. So, they run establishments like this both to entertain themselves, make a statement, and deepen their own pockets. I doubt that much is done in this city in the name of public spending and it¡¯d be interesting to examine their taxation, especially given how often money appears to change hands at their casinos. Pay attention to these things.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Colin agreed. Which was shocking. He didn¡¯t opt to find something to fight about. But it must¡¯ve been him trying to study the magic.


    Their conversation faded away as the curtains drew open, revealing a single woman on the stage. Her costume was borate, set with wide white wings behind her back like that of an angel. She took in the crowd, then sang.


    Her voice echoed through the theater, a product of sound magic. Harmony thrived in her notes as they spun out like clouds from the heavens. The very words wrapped around Erec, tightening and forcing an image into his head as her lyrics went from floaty to telling a story of sorrow and loss. Not a single other voice chimed up as the song took grip, bing a tangible, powerful thing that clutched their hearts and led them along.


    Something was wrong.


    The hair on Erec¡¯s back stood up as the fires of Fury stirred. Itshed back against the serenade and song, and the image of a White Stag shed across his mind. He broke out in a cold sweat, standing up as his muscles tensed.


    Anger burned in him.


    There was nothing to be angry at¡ªin contrast, everyone seemed enthralled and delighted by her tone. But he couldn¡¯t stand it. Not a second long.


    Dame Robin stood, grabbed him, and shoved some of the cotton balls in his hand, pointing to her ears. Erec stuffed them in his own, dampening the sound, and the words lost their hold.


    Taking a deep sigh of relief, he settled back in his chair. The singer transfixed all of those around, aside from Dame Juliana and Robin. Now him, as well. Her Talent had a way of transporting the mind with her words, but it wasn¡¯t enjoyable for him, not anymore. As much as the rest might like it, the wounds left in his Psyche by the Stag were far too great. He settled in for the show, protected by the cotton.


    While everyone else watched the Siren¡¯s performance, he slipped back to looking at Enide. Treasuring the smile she wore. Letting it be the drive to carry him through the rest of this event.

 Chapter 148: Degenerate Deal

    Chapter 148: Degenerate Deal


    TO DO IN VEGA:


    LOSE ALL MY MONEY


    GET MARRIED TO A DANCER


    BLACK OUT DRUNK (3 NIGHTS)


    GET A GLYPH-TATTOO


    SEE ONE OF THEIR FAMOUS PRISON CELLS


    -Barbara ncy, Degenerate Checklist (302, 3rd Era)


    The Siren¡¯s song ended with apuse loud enough to rival a Royal Ceremony. Erec pped along with the rest, watching the woman give a smile and bow. Her performance wasn¡¯t the only one that night¡ªeven though Lucas told them it would be. During the intermission, servers can up and brought wine to their balcony. After that, was a small y, then a dance, and then aedian.


    The entire atmosphere of these shows wasst-minute tack-on, but entertaining nheless. What purpose they served, he couldn¡¯t say.


    When the show did end, the curtains closed and soft lights appeared to show their theater. Lucas returned, asking them how they liked the performances, and motioned for them to follow. This time, though, he seemed far more stressed. More rms went off. As the group followed him out, Erec noticed Dame Juliana shatter her ss of wine and hid the pointed stem in her dress. She¡¯d used the noise of the crowd to cover up the act.


    Taking her lead, Erec leaned down and pocketed a shard of ss. She gave him a proud nod.


    It wasn¡¯t an axe. But the progression of events left him on edge; he didn¡¯t have spells to throw around and wanted a little something to guarantee safety.


    When they made it back to the strip, they reunited with the Pendragons. Their friends had their own escorts in the form of a youngdy with dyed silver hair and one of the Magi half cloaked.


    As a cohesive unit, they dove back onto the strip. Down the length of it until they came to a building that caught Erec¡¯s eye from the skyline of Vega. A massive ss pyramid from which a singr light shot into the sky from the tip, no doubt a result of glyph work. The ce was the clearly intended destination of their guides. And as they drew nearer, the sheer scale of it impressed him.


    And passing through the doors left his skin tingling in a way only power Mysticism could.


    The interior was filled with floating books and cases, not alive, but channeled by a living spell. Far above, at the tip of the pyramid, was a floating ck orb; but the differentyers of the interior and the buildings within the pyramid spoke of a plethora of departments and functionality Erec could only guess at. All around them wild spells flew, and the ce had a distinctive feeling that wasn¡¯t dissimr to the library they¡¯d found through the Rift.


    ss panels conjured themselves from glyphs borne out of nowhere¡ªforming a staircase from their position up to the ck orb at the top of the pyramid. They circled as they did so and marked a clear path for the Knights and Pendragons to follow.


    Their escorts didn¡¯t need to say anything. They simply bowed.


    Boldwick took a careful look at the ss staircase, then led them up. Upon reaching the sphere, a hole manifested for them to walk through.


    Within it, space seemed to extend; eleven seats circled their entryway, each of borate make and personalized in their own significant ways. A throne on each council member, and seated upon them were the Arch Magi; the men and women of this Council opted not to wear the blue cloaks as those below. Instead, behind their heads were floating balls of light; within which Erec could¡¯ve sworn he saw a shape of a small person.


    As thest of their group entered the sphere, the dark exterior suddenly vanished. The view shifted as if they were far above the pyramid, looking down on the city of Vega.


    The shift caused Erec to wobble¡ªas he could see the city right below him. As if they were flying.


    <em>Illusions. </em>It had to be.


    [Interesting. Our position still hasn¡¯t changed, yet they¡¯ve projected what appears to be a live view of the city below. As always, your anomalous energy can be conducted in such useful ways. I wonder if you could have Colin study this and maybe develop a smaller-scale application for scouting?]


    A bald man with a braided white beard bowed his head, he took the center of the ring of thrones and wore a worn smile, to his right was a man with blinded eyes, and past him a woman with sharp pointed teeth simr to monsters, one of them was a massive man, twice that of as natural human. A different council member hid his face with bandages, and yet another styled his hair with thick oil and into a pompadour, busybing it and looking in a mirror.


    The way they acted, the way this ce felt reminded Erec of looking upon the Grandmasters. Some of them, at least. These were the rulers of Vega? Kings and Queens of the Jewel of the Wastnd?


    ¡°Rochester, it a pleasure to see you again,¡± the man with the braided beard began, a hand twirling around a curl; the smile slowly slipped from his face. ¡°However, it is my great displeasure to inform you that your captured charge has slipped the bonds of the Magi.¡±


    ¡°Seven-Snakes escaped? How the hell did he aplish that?¡± Rochester said, his eyes slowly gliding over the rest of the Arch-Magi. If any of them showed remorse over the mistake, it didn¡¯t show. Aside from the old man.


    ¡°That is indeed the case. Upon transportation for this trial, as mandated for payment rendered and to fulfill our contract, he has vanished.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°The Council held an emergency vote to determine a course of action, and while we currently have our Magi searching for the wanted man, until he has been apprehended, we havee to a majority vote to postpone payment of the contract until he¡¯s been recovered.¡±


    The bearded man steepled his hands and gave a disapproving look to the rest of the Arch-Magi.


    ¡°You have my sincerest apologies. I promise to see to the best of <em>my</em> ability that our stray will be found. I¡¯m confident at least that he shouldn¡¯t be able to slip out of Vega. However, it¡¯s a big city. I can hope you will understand and ept however long it may take for the recovery.¡± He said.


    ¡°Vega is a big city,¡± Rochester repeated, stepping around the room, his eyes scanning the rest of the council. A couple of which looked anywhere but at him. ¡°We had a contract. I went and captured this man, alive, as you requested. Brought him back to this city, and yet now I¡¯m told that I will not be paid?¡±


    Rochester stopped in front of the man with the pompadour, who slowly dropped hisb and mirror. ¡°Listen, man. It¡¯s a run of bad luck, for what it¡¯s worth. I voted we pay ya, rest of the clowns don¡¯t think so. Probably had something to do with his little disappearing act too,¡± the guy shrugged as if it was all beneath him. ¡°Half of us are snakes since it takes a snake to eat up all the power they need to get through the Magi, but the other half will get it square.¡±


    With a frown the Pendragon walked away, his tattoos crawling over his skin, he folded his arms. ¡°This is not how you do business.¡±


    [Unfortunately, I do not believe there are such things aswsuits here, or else I think he might have a significant im. If they tried that with ourpany, we would¡¯ve rammed legal so far into their business, they would¡¯ve never made the same mistake again.]


    None of them had anything to say to that. One or two looked ashamed, but that was that. If they didn¡¯t want to pay, they wouldn¡¯t pay, and Rochester couldn¡¯t do a thing about it.


    ¡°For the meanwhile, though I cannot fulfill the obligations of the contract without Seven-Snakes here, I will board you in my hotel for as long as required for you to stay in Vega. I¡¯ve seen to a sum of seventy-five thousand chips to be delivered to your hotel room, as an apology and additional thanks for your work for this council.¡±


    This seemed to at least calm Rochester. His ink stopped crawling across his skin and he retreated to his pack; the old man with a beard gave him a nod, which the Pendragon didn¡¯t bother responding to, before a side in the chamber opened once more. The view of Vega suddenly vanished again into pure ck.


    An illusion. A perfect representation of this town.


    Once the Pendragons filtered out of the exit, the stunning view of Vega beneath them returned. Boldwick didn¡¯t wait before taking the center of the stage, ring at each of the Magi. But unlike the Pendragons, they didn¡¯t appear reluctant or reticent to talk. Now all of them were leaning forward in their seats. They took stock of the Knights, and in silence, both sides evaluated one another in the flesh.


    ¡°I do not think it bodes well to invite a party you¡¯re seeking to establish diplomatic ties, to a meeting where you vite an agreement with the ones they approached your city with,¡± Boldwick dered, making the old man leading the council wince.


    ¡°I can see how that might taint our perception in your view. This council reaches decisions based on aligned interests and votes. However, as Chairman, I made the call to conduct all of our business without separation; I¡¯d rather you see how affairs are approached honestly, rather than offending the Pendragons and having you hear it through their wordster. I find it better to be upfront. So, how then may I ask is it that your Kingdom conducts its affairs? I take you¡¯ve been invested with some diplomatic power to make agreements on behalf of your Kingdom? How much?¡±


    Those were important distinctions and lines. At that, Duke Nitidus strode forward, rubbing his beard and standing beside Boldwick. ¡°I am Duke Nitidus, and the Crown has invested me with the authority to speak for the Kingdom. These Knights are my escort. I will be the one to inform you if a proposed agreement is above my allowed threshold tomit.¡±


    Boldwick gave a nod to confirm that statement; Colin¡¯s mouth gaped, as did a thrum of shock run through Erec. Upon evaluation, though, perhaps it shouldn¡¯t have been. If they intended to establish ties to the outside world, they needed a proper voice for the Kingdom. Who better to speak on their behalf than a war hero and Duke?


    ¡°Well then, shall we get to business?¡± the bald wizard gave a smile, one that the Duke didn¡¯t share.


    With that, they stood on the precipice of an agreement that would alter the course of the entire Kingdom.

 Chapter 149: Council Concerns

    Chapter 149: Council Concerns


    ¡°Delegation ties, with the intent of securing an exclusive economic contract for a total of three years?¡± A big man in the council rumbled; rubbing his stomach as he spoke.


    Hours had passed, and all they¡¯d done was hedge bets and hash out how to work out a beneficial agreement tomunicate with one another. What the Duke had neglected to mention throughout the entire discussion was the Church and its pending rejection of this sort of opening up past the walls.


    They¡¯d also brought up the Armor, but the council exined that the rumors about the Kingdom would bring them more trouble than it was worth within the confines of Vega.


    But from what had been on the table, and the questions Duke Nitidus was willing to entertain, it left Erec speechless. Of course, the Kingdom was primarily interested in information about the rest of the wastnd. Vega wanted to open trade routes. Both sides wanted to know about the other¡ªwhich obviously led to an agreement to allow diplomats to enter Vega and the Kingdom to assess more details.


    Now¡­


    ¡°You expect us tomit to an exclusive economic contract without information about the other markets on the western coast?¡± The Duke asked.


    ¡°Five years pass quickly.¡± The big man said.


    ¡°Yet five years of restrained action might be outside of what the Crown wishes to pursue. We can discuss thatter, once more options are avable. And, provided that you, as a gesture of good faith, introduce us to your allies.¡±


    After three hours, the niceties wore away, and they were cutting to the heart of what they wanted.


    The big guy gave the Duke a gap-toothed grin. ¡°Again, youe back to this point about wanting to meet our allies for free; I thought we already covered that. Nothing is free in Vega.¡±


    ¡°Of course, but the price you ask for is too much.¡±


    ¡°Roll a die on it?¡± he asked.


    Another suggestion to gamble to rify and solve arguments. It hadn¡¯t been with just the big guy, either. Two other Council Members gave the same suggestion earlier.


    ¡°No.¡± Duke Nitidus said. He frowned at looked at the rest of the Knights. ¡°¡­It is gettingte. I¡¯m sure that my people are tired, or wish to experience your city, and I think after these talks it might be a good idea for both sides to take a break. I doubt we¡¯lle to an agreement in just a couple of days. Is there a formal process for extended negotiation with your council? Or must we summon your full council over the next few days toe to a partisan agreement?¡±


    The big man reclined back on his throne and looked over at the old bearded man. The old guy was busy twirling his beard, having let the council members and the Duke do most of the talking.


    Now, though, he had his cue.


    ¡°As the Chairman of the Council Of Magi, I move to extend negotiations with the representatives of the Kingdom Of Cindrus through a sumittee intending to draft an agreeablepromise. This will then be brought to the full council for a vote. All in favor?¡±


    At that call for a vote, the balls of light floating above the Council¡¯s heads swirled into the center; nine of the eleven. The two who refused were the woman with pointed teeth and the man with bandages wrapped around his face. After seeing the confluence of lights, the old man gave a slow nod, then stood. The balls of light drifted back to their homes.


    ¡°Those who wish to be on the sumittee?¡±


    The woman with pointed teeth grinned as she raised her hand. As did the man with the pompadour, the big man, and the man with a bandaged face.


    ¡°Grand, the sumittee will be made of the following: Archmagi Trista of the Sands, Archmagi Elvis of the Strip, Archmagi Dres the Indomitable, Archmagi Husk the Unclean, and myself.¡±


    Erec rubbed his eyes as the old man rattled off the titles. All of them resulted in a self-pleased smirk on the recipient¡¯s once addressed formally. It wasn¡¯t new. The Court also heralded people by their rank and significant aplishments. In the couple of formal events he¡¯d attended since bing a count, some people had a habit of adding the moniker of ¡°yer Of The White Stag¡± to him.


    Useless, though. Since their titles told little at all. And Elvis? Of the Strip? Weren¡¯t all these people from here to begin with?


    [Well, that was informative. An Elvis impersonator climbed his way into being a ruler of the city formerly known as Vegas. This wastnd never ceases to amaze.]


    ¡°So it has been decided. We will have your liaison contact you with themittee meeting time. You may bring any of your party you wish to attend to our future discussions. Onest matter of business, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re eager to experience Vega¡ªwe have had a total of a thousand chips sent to each of your parties¡¯ hotel rooms to facilitate an enjoyable visit. I do hope you have an unforgettable experience in our dear city.¡±


    This meeting had been informative, even for someone not as adept at politics as himself. But now his energy was burning low, the constant talking and being around everyone and trying to make sense of it exhausted him.


    Escape the court, but in this life as a Knight, the court would never escape him.


    With a few more formal farewells, the exterior council chamber turned ck as a hole opened out of the sphere, letting all the Knights out, so the council could conclude whatever business they had.


    And with that, they were free.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Shortly after returning to his hotel room, Erec threw the broken shard of ss in his pocket into the trash. In the end, he hadn¡¯t needed to spill any Magi blood. He traded it for his axe, whose feeling he missed on his back. It was odd not having a ton of steel between him and it, but it felt much better to have an actual weapon on him.


    Barely a few minutes after arriving and strapping on his weapon, they had a knock on the door.


    Garin stopped fussing with his tie and looked at Erec.


    Erec had a feeling he knew would be there, so he went and answered. Enide gave him a big smile, a gun strapped to her hip. But it was a side-arm, not the bigs-rifle she preferred. She gave him a once over and bit her lip.


    ¡°Think I prefer you with the axe, but maybe you should take the shirt off. Might look better.¡± She said, slipping past him into the room.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Garin called out, ¡°Still here, Enide. You two need some privacy?¡±


    She paused, then gave him a rather sheepish wave, ¡°Ah, no. This works out. Grabbing him, you, then we¡¯ll go find Olivia, then we¡¯re out. Take it Boldwick has given his blessings to at least let you see the city?¡±


    ¡°Wants us to take in as much as we can. Or, at the very least, he has left no other standing orders for us besides ¡®two drinks¡¯ and ¡®carry your weapons at all times.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Only two?¡±


    ¡°While it¡¯s important to observe and explore, being around this many unknown people is dangerous."


    Enide opened her jaw, then closed it. She grabbed Erec by the arm and squeezed his bicep, and then pointed to the giant axe on his back. ¡°Trouble? With him?¡±


    ¡°<em>Expecting</em> trouble with him around is a bit¡­ You realize he¡¯s only an Initiate, right?¡±


    ¡°I saw this man take down a swarm of old-world military bots.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence,¡± Erec gave a nervousugh. The way they talked around him was ufortable. In the same way that when people called him a hero in the Kingdom, he felt a pit in his stomach. Fury had power behind it¡ªbut it didn¡¯t make him anywhere near immortal.


    Not when human monsters like the Grandmaster, the Council, and a good number of their Senior Knights existed.


    Part of him contested that, a prideful and dangerous spark inside of him. Being around Knights and Master Knights so often made him forget that most people didn¡¯t amount anywhere near an Initiate¡¯s level of Strength, let alone his. Definitely not that of the higher-ranking Knights.


    But this was a hub within the wastnd. The people who gathered here weren¡¯t like themoners in the depths of the caverns. They had to at least deal with monsters.


    Enide didn¡¯t relinquish his arm. Instead, she wrapped her own around it, pressing against his side.


    ¡°So, lover boy, ready to go collect your girlfriend?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d say so. Let¡¯s go get a taste of this city,¡± Garin said.


    With that, they were off, leaving the room and locking it. Olivia was a couple of doors down and was <em>not</em> prepared for the double date at that minute. She ran off to the bathroom to fix up her hair, as the three of them awkwardly sat in the lounge area near her windows.


    Gwen was there, awkwardly eying them up and making jokes. But Erec got the distinct impression she felt left out. Her eyes kept straying to him, and she kept mentioning Bedwyr.


    No wonder she was thinking of his brother. And given that things between them were still rocky, he could only imagine the thoughts going through her head.


    She suggested that she¡¯d go talk Colin into trying to gamble at one of the casinos¡ªand the very thought of the two of them doing that set off Garin into a round ofughter and jokes that left Gwen more emboldened than ever. By the time Olivia returned with her hair masterfully shaped and beautiful, Gwen trailed them out the door to drag Colin from his room. Erec shivered as he imagined how that would go.


    But his feeling was swept away, reced with the thrill of having Enide next to him.

 Chapter 150: Double Date

    Chapter 150: Double Date


    <em>Let now thy pride and coyness end, since ended is the strength</em>


    <em>Of him on whom they were discharged, be satisfied at length</em>


    <em>That Love, since he desires that all his votaries should enjoy</em>


    <em>Their life, and act as safety bids, is angry with the coy;</em>


    <em>Time must pass on, remorse wille for treatment so severe,</em>


    <em>Anguish and shame remain for thee, I know it and I fear;</em>


    <em>For though I sorrow for myself, since thou must bear a part</em>


    <em>For thy disdains, these sorrows pierce more sensibly my heart.</em>


    <em>-Garcsso De La Vega, To His Lady, (1528, 2nd Era)</em>


    Enide flew through the strip like a gale across the wastnd. She flowed by scantily d dancers, through clubs, and by all the street performances and shows on the strip. All of brushing past them in a haze of joy and jokes that left Erec reeling, especially after the long discussion with the Council.


    Everywhere they went was another distraction. Another thing yanking their attention. Lights, sounds, and action. People rushed around from street shows to betting. Enide got into a drinking contest with strangers.


    They kept stopping to introduce and meet new people¡ªprompted by Garin giving out the oddpliment and following through with a conversation.


    From it all, Erec gathered one fact. Everyone in Vega came here for something. Whether it was to meet new connections, find a job, or gamble away life savings. You named it, someone was here for it. There was no floor for degeneracy to get too low, nor a ceiling high enough to epass what noble reasons a tribe person might¡¯ve wandered to this city for.


    Yet, all the same, they got sucked into the strip.


    Movement was the key to this city. A constant churn of life and culture that flowed and ebbed throughout its nights. In a word, exhausting. In another word, exhrating.


    From venue to venue, they wandered, and eventually towards the end of the night they found themselves in a casino. A ce with a massive guitar on the outside, shining in neon red and blue. Erec brought along two-hundred chips, but while buying strangers and Enide drinks, he¡¯d whittled it down.


    Enide brought them to a table, and they settled in there for some time. A dealer wearing a fine suit facing them.


    Despite all the shing lights in the casino, the world of this table and being with his friends was a wee relief from the chaos of the night. He¡¯d barely tracked all the ces they¡¯d been, but now it was time to settle and breathe.


    Erec nursed his second drink, opting to watch Garin and Enide y instead of gambling himself.


    ¡°Hit,¡± Enide called, taping the table. She had two cards up. A three and a queen.


    The dealer flipped over an eight, and Enide smirked.


    ¡°ckjack!¡± she announced, grabbing Erec by the chin and nting a kiss right on his lips. He was still blinking as she pulled away and scooped in a pile of chips to her part of the table. Garin let out a sigh as he busted;


    Olivia sighed and set a hand on his, giving it a squeeze. Like Erec, she didn¡¯t want to bet either.


    ¡°How are you so lucky?¡± Garin asked.


    ¡°If I was lucky, we¡¯d be driving out of Vega tomorrow,¡± Enide said.


    ¡°You mean if Seven-Snakes hadn¡¯t escaped?¡±


    ¡°You heard the guy. It wasn¡¯t an escape.¡± She tapped her nose and looked at the dealer. If the man cared about anything other than passing out cards and taking their money, he didn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°You¡¯d really leave so soon?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Yeah. I mean, we left them waiting long enough. Maybe it might take a little longer than a <em>day,</em> but we¡¯d be setting up our ns, and then soon enough we¡¯d be in, just gotta drag a couple of Council Members with us.¡±


    ¡°So this is where we¡¯ll part ways, then,¡± Erec said, feeling a thrum of sadness run through him. Though he and Garin plotted, they¡¯d yet to find the right argument to convince Boldwick that going with the Pendragons was in there. Given that the Duke and Boldwick would now negotiate with an eager Council, he was worried.


    Enide frowned and leaned in. Pushing some of her stack of chips in front of Erec, she gave a wink to the dealer, who shuffled.


    ¡°Part ways, huh?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It was inevitable. You two both knew it. As tragic as it is, since you¡¯re not part of the Kingdom, your betrothal was never on the table.¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°The thing is, I don¡¯t know about you slinger, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m done with this. Think we¡¯re just getting started.¡± Enide¡¯s hand slid down Erec¡¯s leg, resting on his thigh. Her eyes locked on his, even as the dealer flicked out cards. In front of him was a six and a queen.


    ¡°I¡ª¡°


    ¡°Even if you get dragged back to the Kingdom of yours, would youe out to see me? y in the wild a bit?¡± she asked.


    ¡°¡­If I could,¡± Erec said, and she moved closer. She had the faint smell of flowers; perfume?


    Enide whispered in his ear, ¡°Hit.¡±


    He tapped his hand on the table, transfixed. Olivia swirled her ss and frowned as she watched, while Garin was sorting out his own hand, trying to figure out whether to hit or stay. The dealer tossed out another card¡ªa five. ckjack, again.


    ¡°We¡¯re good together, you and I. Nothing has to get in our way if we don¡¯t want it to. If I said I could get us a car, would you be willing to go with me? Just you and I, into the desert? After this vault stuff. We can be alone and not need anyone else.¡± She kept whispering.


    His heart ran in circles as she pressed closer, the dealer sliding even more chips in front of him. The way she smelled, that promise of freedom that would only take a single yes. All he would have to do was to give way and go with her. They could be happy¡ªhe saw it now, a life together alone shing across the wastnd in a car. All of his problems would be thrown to the side in favor of pure joy. They could be like the wind, free, unconstrained. If they wanted.


    Enide pulled back, eyes round and a wide smile on her face. ¡°Oh, we won again!¡±


    That made it nearly fifteen times that she¡¯d won a big bet in this game. The pile in front of her had steadily grown muchrger. The dealer behind the table shuffled ufortably and looked past their table. Someone wasing up. A group of someone. All of them wearing suits; Enide swept away the chips from the table.


    ¡°Think we¡¯ll be headed out now. What do you say, guys?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I lost enough,¡± Garin waved her off, stuffing away his own chips into a pouch.


    Only, by the time Enide finally had everything packed away, a crew of men and women in suits had reached the table. One of them wore sunsses and a hat with quite the brim. He gave them a small bow, and then, in a deep tone, spoke. ¡°Would you lot minding with me? Our pit boss noticed something suspicious at your table.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Enide said, tilting her head, ¡°Don¡¯t think so, kinda feeling tired. Think we¡¯ll be heading out.¡±


    ¡°¡­Call it this, hand over what you won. Counting cards is not tolerated in this establishment, but if you generously leave your winnings, we¡¯ll call it square.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, I didn¡¯t count cards.¡±


    [She did. I was too, since tracking the probabilities was easy and I was curious. She only cedrge bets when she had an advantage, except for thatst one. Honestly, this girl is clever. I kind of admire it. So effortless. Careful, buckeroo, there¡¯s a lot going on under the surface of that one.]


    The man stood taller, and the surrounding people were spreading out. Olivia took a position behind Enide and whispered a question Erec didn¡¯t catch in her ear. Enide only nodded back at her. The situation quickly spiraled, and he didn¡¯t even understand why. The sudden intensity sparked his Fury. Whether she counted cards wasn¡¯t that important to him. The maning up and threatening them was enough.


    Did he want a fight?


    ¡°I suggest you get out of our way. We¡¯re leaving.¡± Erec said.


    ¡°The hell is counting cards?¡± Garin asked.


    ¡°You will not be leaving.¡± The man insisted.


    ¡°Listen, even <em>if</em> someone were counting cards, the Magi have no rules against it. Quite the contrary, it¡¯s <em>legal</em> in Vega. No one used magic; no one <em>cheated,</em> so youing up and throwing unproven usations is frankly bullshit. Wanna test this with someone with authority? Because if so, I fucking dare you. Ask one of the blue cloaks toe in and sort this,¡± Enide said, stepping right next to Erec. He felt her bristle and the rage rolling off her was nothing but a bad influence to his own. A fuel to his fire. It didn¡¯t help that from the sound of it, this man was basically extorting them.


    ¡°That is unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°Because you know we¡¯d be walking out of here if you did.¡±


    ¡°Listen. Hand over the chips. This is thest time I¡¯ll be asking politely.¡± The man insisted, a hand reaching towards a club at his side.


    Erec couldn¡¯t believe it.


    They were going to get in a fight in the middle of Vega? Boldwick¡¯s inevitable disapproving lecture shed through his mind, before being burned up by the Fury, and drifting away as ashes in the wind. This wasn¡¯t on them. From the way Enide spoke, they of thend was clear. The casino was trying to vite whatever the rules were for their benefit, and take advantage of them¡ªhow foolish of them.


    Seeing how the situation would spiral outward, Erec cut through the bullshit.


    He stepped forward and smashed a fist right into the face of the man who was drawing a weapon, literally beating him to the punch.

 Chapter 151: Casino Madness

    Chapter 151: Casino Madness


    Erec¡¯s fist crunched into the man¡¯s face and sent the man flying onto the ground on his ass.


    It was too easy to be satisfying, but shutting him up gave its own little flush of pleasure. The rest of the Casino staff paused, stunned, as Erec just confirmed the way this situation was going to go.


    Then, another one of their thugs made the mistake of trying to get revenge, rushing at Erec. Only for Enide to appear, one of her high heels in hand that she smashed into the guy¡¯s face, a wide grin on her face.


    He fell to the ground, and she kicked her other higher heel off her foot at him, smacking him in the forehead and putting him down the second he tried to rise.


    Enide bounced in ce, now barefoot. More enemies were on the way, men and women from the Casino who¡¯d noted the sudden violence and headed to help. Among them, surely, there was someone worthy of a genuine challenge. Fueled by the euphoria and thrill of battle, Erec reached for his axe.


    Only, Enide stopped him from drawing it. She appeared next to him, a hand on his. ¡°No, no, no. This is a contest. You and me. We rush for the door. The game¡¯s over when Olivia and Garin get to it; you and I take out anyone who dares to get in the way. But no weapons. We gotta see who wins with our fists. If you <em>kill</em> someone, then you lose, hero.¡±


    ¡°What do I get when I win?¡± Erec asked.


    She let his unanswered question hang in the air, taking a step only to vanish and reappear to the left of a woman running towards them. With a swift kick, she hit thedy in the back of her knee, causing her to fall and smack her face right into the carpeted floor of the casino.


    Enide wasn¡¯t ying. The game had started, and now she had a lead.


    ¡°You keep count,¡± Erec growled; causing Garin to give him an rmed look. But he wasn¡¯t talking to his friend. VAL knew who he¡¯d directed that at, not that he needed to give the order, since VAL probably would have tallied the results of its own interest, regardless of their game.


    [Can do! I wonder who will win. Do your best, buckeroo!]


    His heart roared into action, as he rushed down the nearest set of men¡ªusing one to smash into the other, then kicking them as they tried to get up. In a handful of seconds, another guy rushed him, which earned him another point as he smashed a fist into the bastard¡¯s gut. He¡¯d win. No matter what¡ªthe door was a loose aim in his mind; yet per the conditions of their challenge, he kept both her and Garin and Olivia in his peripheral.


    A man came at him with a chair. Erec grabbed its legs mid-swing and tugged at it, breaking the thing in half in the fight over it. Then he took the broken pieces of lumber in his hand and smashed them into the guy¡¯s head, drawing blood.


    It couldn¡¯t have been enough to kill him. He made sure of it. He would not lose.


    More casino staff pushed past the tables and slot machines. Erec grabbed the closest man and threw him at another, his muscles screaming as they strained from the force of lifting an individual.


    But Enide was doing just as much damage, running and shing around. Her precise strikes targeted and specifically focused on any of the staff who drew a gun, doing her best to rein in the fight and keep it as <em>clean</em> as possible. Which meant hands and blunt weapons, but it was apparent in half a minute in their scramble for the door that the fight was rapidly spiraling out of the Casino¡¯s control.


    Even if they fired a bullet into him, Erec was confident he¡¯d push past it. Fury pumped through him, and beneath the inferno, he felt the brush of the silver fire simmering below. Ready to call at a moment¡¯s notice; far more plentiful than ever before.


    For now, he left it untouched, burning beneath Fury as he relied on his fists. Smashing, wrecking, and making a joke out of the next couple of people who challenged him.


    Garin and Olivia avoided whatever fighting they could. And if someone reached them in the chaos, Olivia provided support for Garin to hold off anyone before Erec or Enide appeared to knock the offender out.


    Without words, he and Enide danced their way through the battle. Focusing on racking up victories in the frantic and violent brawl in the middle of the Casino. Providing a lesson that they were people that the Casino had never chosen to fuck with. Erec didn¡¯t even care about the gambling or the chips. He reveled in the excuse to fight.


    Eventually, the Casino ran out of staff willing to engage and offered a bounty to the gamblers that would stop them.


    Three-fourths of the way out of the building, one of those gamblers showed and proved the first actual challenge to Erec. Someone who could take more than one or two punches¡ªthough his build was deceptive. When Erec cast a five-finger spell of unconsciousness in the form of a fist at the guy¡¯s head, the man didn¡¯t even move. Wind and force pushed back against Erec at the point of impact, but the guy didn¡¯t even flinch. He just stood there in his loose button shirt and an rmed expression.


    Erec didn¡¯t hesitate, pulling back only to grab onto both of the shoulders of the guy and smash his forehead into the guy¡¯s skull.


    It was like cracking his head into a brick wall. Erec bounced off. His thoughts were fragmented and reeling, but that pain only served as fuel for more anger and rage, letting him dive deeper into Fury.


    Every second wasted on this puny man was another second Enide had to take out more people.


    The twig of a guy was still reeling, trying and failing to free Erec¡¯s hands from his shoulders. It made little sense how he could take the blow, given his ability to fight off Erec¡¯s blows. It was pathetic and frustrating, and he couldn¡¯t put together how.


    [Kic force redistribution. That¡¯s an annoying talent.]


    Erec had no idea what that meant, and it didn¡¯t matter. If this man couldn¡¯t be taken down with a punch, then the answer to the problem was simple.


    This guy was an utter waste of time. He was light and skinny, and Erec could grab him.


    With Fury thrumming, Erec adjusted his grip, and dead lifted the man into the air, listening to him scream above. Then threw the guy directly at the slot machine he came from in his bid to stop them from leaving the Casino. He crashed into the machine, sparks and messed up audio screeching from the broken equipment; the guy seemed unharmed, but wouldn¡¯t be getting up to get in Erec¡¯s way again, freeing him to go back to taking out the people he could.


    Getting the rest of the way to the door wasughably easy. After a couple of failed Casino goer¡¯s attempts to stop them resulted in being beaten, and the Casino¡¯s staff all but giving up, the fight was effectively over.


    Once Olivia and Garin made it out, the game ended.


    The Casino gave it its best, but it hadn¡¯t been prepared for the overwhelming power on disy. If they¡¯d stuck around longer, Erec was sure that eventually, he¡¯d have found a true challenge, but that wasn¡¯t the terms of the game. It wasn¡¯t about the biggest person they took out, but the number of people they did.


    Erec saw a notification shing in the corner of his vision, and let it spawn out.


    Psyche: Rank E - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 8


    Agility: Rank E - Tier 6 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 7


    Pushing himself for speed, and restraint had let him break into the next rank of those two Virtues. Once more, Fury was showing it sped up his growth in how it pushed his body. The brief and hostile fight hadn¡¯tsted long at all, but it left him with a smile, even as he let Fury burn off.


    ¡°Eleven to Erec, Ten to Enide,¡± Garin said, running a hand through his hair. ¡°Two to me.¡±


    [¡­He got it wrong. Sorry to say, Researcher, she got twelve. You lose.]


    ¡°She won,¡± Erec corrected Garin. The Fury that had been burning down surged with this new fuel again; his eyes locked on Enide, who gave him a coy look.


    ¡°Damn right I did, and you owe me¡ª¡°


    ¡°Freeze!¡± A loud voice cut through the discussion; a small group of blue-cloaks flew above the crowd on arcane disks; glyphs forming as they rushed the Casino. Impressive response time. Erec put himself between the group and these neers, not sure if he should be delighted for more of a fight, or concerned over the first real enemy.


    How would a Magi handle a punch?


    ¡°¡­His eyes,¡± one of them muttered. More of the casino staff was spilling out behind them, throwing out angry usations and contributing to the confusing stir. Enide saddled up next to Erec, grabbing his arm to pull his attention.


    She looked up at him. ¡°Hey, I won, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Erec did his best not to growl. The intensity of the situation made keeping his cool like trying to grapple with a snake. The Magi were forming a semi-circle, cutting off their escape, but not yet starting the fight. Enide¡¯s eyes drew him in, and the mention of his loss was enough to draw his ire; it was a deserved win, but against people that weak? What did it matter?


    Could she keep up with him against these Magi? He wanted to see, desperately.


    ¡°Then¡­ For my prize, I want you to dial it back and let me handle this. Just be my arm candy, understood, big guy? Unless you¡¯re not a man of your word. Think you got the honor in there, right slinger?¡±


    <em>Chivalry.</em>


    The word was like a sobering thought, and it didn¡¯t deserve to be. If this was her demand, who would he be if he broke her rights as the victor of theirpetition? Unhappy, but feeling his Fury tempered, Erec folded his arms, trying to stem the fires within.


    Enide gave him a pat on the back, then swayed out in front of the group, spreading her arms back. ¡°Oh finally! You all showed up! This casino tried to extort me and my friends!¡±

 Chapter 152: Fools Of Fortune

    Chapter 152: Fools Of Fortune


    <em>It is probable that the fall of Greece was due to the license that prevailed as to gaming, and consequently to all other and lesser forms of dissipation and corruption. Philip of Macedon was nning the battle of Cheronea at the very time when dicing had reached its most shameful height in Athens. Public associations existed, not for the purpose of defending Greece against her foes, but for the encouragement of the basest passions that surge in the human breast. Both Philip and Alexander knew the value to despotism of vice among the people. Alexander put a fine on those of his courtiers who did not y, for he had a jealous fear of subjects who were engaged in more serious pursuits.</em>


    <em>But dice alone did not furnish the implements of gambling. The ancient Greeks had the equivalent of Cross and Pile, and gambled at cocking mains. The Athenian orator, Callistratus, notes the desperation of these practices when he says that the games in which the losers go on doubling their stakes ¡°resemble ever-recurring wars, which terminate only with the extinction of thebatants.¡±</em>


    <em>It was a practice of the ancients to put the invention of vicious acts or games upon foreign nations. Thus we have Plutarch¡¯s indignant answers to Herodotus; but no Grecian ever resented the story that dice was first made by Pmedes, at the siege of Troy.</em>


    <em>-John Philip Quinn, Fools of Fortune; or, Gambling and Gamblers, (1890, 2nd Era)</em>


    Erec and his friend returned to the same ss pyramid they¡¯d been to earlier in the night. Only this time, an armed Magi patrol escorted them in after putting the same manacles they shackled Seven-Snakes with on their wrists.


    It was disappointing to enter the building this time around, other than doing so after a massive fight, was theck of the massive ck orb topping the pyramid. Without the council present, it simply stopped existing; yet a permanent glyph rested in its ce. That was rather miraculous if one cared about Mysticism since it vited what the Academy taught them about glyphs needing a framework such as carved metal to keep shape without a will focusing on it.


    But there was hardly time to sit and consider, and Erec wasn¡¯t Colin, and none in their smaller group cared about such things. Not considering the trouble they were in as the Magi shoved them along through the building and into a smaller subset of rooms below.


    It spoke to their speed that only after half-an-hour after the fight in the Casino; the Magi had locked them away in a room in the depths of the Magi stronghold.


    A dull, uninspired beige room, with no windows for obvious reason, a table, and ufortable chairs. A camera watched them in the corner of their room.


    Erec tested the strength of his manacles; without Fury they would hold. And if he burned away his anger to bust them, he doubted whatever shock they induced would be enough to put him down. On hispanions, they might be more effective in limiting a prison break; but what about prayer? Olivia might be able to help.


    Regardless, one of their liaisons would be by soon enough.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t that mad, you could tell. All things considered, it went well.¡± Enide said, leaning back in a chair, her feet kicked up on a table. During the fight, she¡¯d ripped her dress, and her high-heels were long gone in the casino.


    ¡°You did not need to start a fight,¡± Olivia replied. She sat straight-backed in the chair next to the other girl, hands folded over and in full view of the camera.


    Erec missed his axe; which was strange. Being in a room with cuffs and without a weapon made him feel naked in a way he wasn¡¯t used to¡ªbut he felt reasonably sure he could at least break out of the room if he needed to. Especially if Olivia helped. He had the distinct feeling they didn¡¯t have a way to limit her prayer, since they rarely dealt with it. Outside of the walls, he¡¯d found out, those that relied on Faith were almost exclusively tied to the red priests, and likely on the path to being a priest themselves. They¡¯d restricted the knowledge as a means of recruitment. Not at all like the Kingdom, where it was considered a viable alternative to Mysticism in Knights, and to some extent the soldiers.


    What would happen if he mmed the door down and broke these manacles? Unlike in the Casino, there had to be people here that were his match. A true challenge. Vega most definitely cultivated the strong to support itself against the wastnd, only differently than the Kingdom did.


    ¡°I know I didn¡¯t need to start a fight. Technically, I don¡¯t <em>need</em> to do much. Eat, sleep, drink.¡° Enide said.


    ¡°You¡¯re being pedantic, you know what I mean,¡± Olivia replied.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lesson I learned as a kid. Think everyone does in the wastnd; maybe it¡¯s not the same behind those walls: if you let people walk all over you and take your stuff, then they¡¯ll keep taking and won¡¯t stop. If you don¡¯t let¡¯em, then you¡¯re far better off, no matter the price.¡±


    ¡°I disagree. There were several ways to deal with that situation that didn¡¯t put our rtionship with the Magi in jeopardy. For example, you could¡¯ve provided the chips as they asked and left; considering the sum your group received as a gesture of apology, you had more. Then, of course, there were other options that didn¡¯t involve direct violence; like lodging aint with the Magi afterward if what they¡¯d done was illegal.¡±


    Enide rubbed her eyes. ¡°Lady, you act as if you grew up here and people just work ofmon sense. For one, the Magi don¡¯t care what the Casinos do or what you do as long as they don¡¯t gotta get involved, and if you both say different things, they¡¯ll shrug. Extorting someone winning too much on a suspicion is a problem that the Magi don¡¯t care to step into. Not when half the Casinos are owned by their members. In fact, I doubt whoever owns the Casino really cares. At the end of the day, it¡¯s not that many chips to <em>them. </em>It¡¯s the matter of the principle, which is the important thing to me.¡±


    ¡°Then you could have gone an alternative, less direct route,¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°You can teleport. Do you expect me to believe there wouldn¡¯t have been a way for you to discretely steal back the chips?¡±


    Enide instantly sat up and shot daggers with her eyes at Olivia. ¡°I. Do. Not. Steal. If I got a problem with someone, I¡¯m saying it to their face. If they try to do me wrong, I will not sit around and let them, then plot to deal with itter. Do you understand me? I don¡¯t know what world you¡¯re from, but that behavior is not eptable. No honor to it.¡±


    ¡°You live in a wastnd, not even protected by walls, and you draw the line at stealing back something you im is yours? You acquired it through counting cards, which I gather is a means of information the Casino didn¡¯t wish you to have. Your distinctions baffle me.¡±


    ¡°And you irritate the hell out of me. Where do you get off judging me, you would-be-thieving bitch¡ª¡°


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s take it down a notch.¡± Garin cut in, ¡°What¡¯s done is done. It¡¯s inevitable Enide has a different way of doing things and seeing the world than you might, Liv. Try to understand, alright? And Enide¡ªyou pulled us into a fight while we¡¯re in the middle of a diplomatic mission. I understand the Magi haven¡¯t given your people a good reason to stay out of trouble. I don¡¯t even know if your leader will care, but I know for us that Boldwick will not be pleased.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to be pissed, yeah,¡± Erec said as he stared at the camera. The wait was the worst part since he could only imagine the conversations going on outside. Were they in actual trouble for the fight? Enide acted like it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    Erec flexed his knuckles, looking at the bit of torn skin, blood, and bruises on them from smacking around the Casino¡¯s thugs.


    It may not have been the best thing to do, nor something that Boldwick would approve of, but it had been <em>fun.</em> Everything else in the night had been a blur and alluring its own sort of distraction-sight seeing way. The memories they left were fleeting impressions, devoid of actual substance, aside from the feeling of having Enide with him. But that fight? Trading fists, throwing people around, and drawing blood with Enide going haywire amid all the lights and shouting of a casino floor?


    That was a memory that he¡¯d treasure and carry with him until the day he died.


    He didn¡¯t regret the fight. Only that there had been no one to unleash on to really push it to the next level.


    As Olivia slipped into a quiet discussion with Garin while Enide fumed in her chair, time slowly dripped by. When the door to the room opened, it had been at least an hour or two since the Magi threw them into the small holding cell.


    The first person they saw was Lucas, sufficiently haggard, and Boldwick and Yniol followed him.


    Boldwick looked pissed, and all the Knights immediately got to their feet and saluted him with a fist on the chest. A sign of respect, and a paltry appeasement considering what they¡¯d dragged him into. It was Goddess knows howte.


    ¡°First off, there will be no more free-form night trips through Vega for you three. If you are going somewhere, I want aplete overview of where you n to go, what you n to do, and a detailed report of what you learned afterward. No more ¡®fun¡¯ in this city. You¡¯ve lost that privilege because of getting into a fight you provoked.¡± Boldwick¡¯s voice boomed through the room.


    ¡°Upon review of your reports, and discussion with the Casino, the Magi have decided it to be best to leave matters be. I¡¯ve been informed to report to you that all four of you are now banned from the Violet Rose Casino.¡± Lucas exined. A wee relief since it could¡¯ve been a lot worse.


    ¡°That¡¯a girl,¡± Yniol rumbled, giving a nod of approval¡ªhe strolled across the room and set an arm around his daughter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°First Casino ban? A, I remember mine too¡ªthough it was from puking all over a pit boss. They forget in a few years.¡±


    Boldwick scowled at them, and Lucas let out an exasperated sigh.


    ¡°Please refrain from provoking any more violence within the confines of Vega. Your weapons will be returned to you as we escort you out of the Lux, but I highly rmend returning to your hotel and taking it easy over the next few days. Just because of your privileged positions as valued guests of the Council, there¡¯s only so much trouble that we¡¯ll tolerate before enforcing a mandatory stay for the duration of your visit. Are these terms eptable?¡±


    ¡°Loud and clear,¡± Boldwick raised an eyebrow at the Initiates, and all three of them repeated the statement.


    They¡¯d gotten away with the fight, it seemed, but were on a shorter leash. Erec got up from the chair and rubbed his knuckles. Really, it was the best-case scenario he could¡¯ve hoped for. He didn¡¯t really need to have any more ¡®fun¡¯ in Vega. With the amount of people here anyway, it was already exhausting.


    Besides, there was no telling how much time they had left. And on the list of things he wanted to get out of Vega, a fun night out was only one of those.


    Tomorrow, if he got Boldwick to let him after this mess by some miracle, he¡¯d start looking for his mother.

 Chapter 153: Penthouse View

    Chapter 153: Penthouse View


    ¡°Fine, I permit it,¡± Boldwick said; reclining in a chair in his hotel room. They¡¯d given the leader of their expedition a room at the top of the hotel; with the Duke now being moved up as well. Muchrger than the already pleasant rooms, the Magi also furnished this one with an untouched wooden board filled with preserved meat, cheese, and some wine.


    A penthouse, they called it.


    The ce had a better view, and Erec knew that if he could sit in here, he might lose full sight of the mission. Watching the ebb and flow of the people below was enchanting. It simply wasn¡¯t possible in the Kingdom, withyers of rock and stone separating everything.


    There was something to the feeling of towering above everyone and seeing the city flow beneath you that put life in perspective. It rified why the Council kept its seat of power the way they did. It also reminded him of the people back home, in the Cavern he was in charge of. He could only hope his mismanagement didn¡¯t affect them too much before he could return and set things right.


    ¡°Did you hear me?¡±


    Erec blinked. He recalled the words but hadn¡¯t processed them as reality. Boldwick epted it?


    ¡°I¡­ Can go and ask around for her? Even though I¡¯m not sure where it¡¯ll take me? After the fight?¡±


    Boldwick waved it off. ¡°It was part of my promise to you. I don¡¯t want you to hold any resentment by forcing you not to look. Besides, the primary worry I had with Initiates starting fights in this city is them biting off more than they could chew, both with the local authorities and with whoever they might end up fighting; and the Initiates I don¡¯t expect to be in fights, getting into them. You¡¯re made to fight, sure, but with the right backing, if you wander into something, it¡¯ll work out. And Enide won¡¯t be with you.¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯te?¡±


    ¡°Damn right, she can¡¯t. This is your personal affair and business. I¡¯d have imagined you¡¯d want to sort it out by yourself. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I just,¡± Erec shook his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t even think about inviting her to begin with, I don¡¯t really know who I should take with me, I was expecting to have to make some kinda case to get your permission.¡±


    ¡°Well, sorry to disappoint. It seems I¡¯m more agreeable than you¡¯d considered. You will take Dame Robin and Gwen,¡± Boldwick answered easily. ¡°I¡¯d say Garin, but I¡¯m going to be strict with him during our stay in Vega. Out of everyone with the potential to get in bigger trouble than a simple fight, he¡¯s the one I¡¯m most worried about. Besides, given those two are under my wing, like you, they should be the most discrete about what you¡¯re trying to look for.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that we had to be discrete. I know the Church would be hostile with me if I did, but that bridge has already been crossed.¡±


    ¡°Your feud with the Church is a conflict that will soon be echoed in the Kingdom. A lot of the nobility can look past what your mother did, given your own personal achievements and the fact that the crown granted your new title. But if you were to find that woman, or if some of the nobility thought you were trying to make amends with a woman who sided with a being not of this world¡­¡± Boldwick trailed off.


    Intelligent beings from beyond Rifts were rare, most were hapless horrors that thought only to consume, much in the same way that before the end of the world, Humans were thought to be the only things capable of profound thought on the.


    Past that, even if a monster had measurable intelligence, that didn¡¯t corrte to civilization, nor brought it any closer to actually having the same values as humanity.


    Combined with the general hate rampant towards anything that trespassed into their world from the Rift, anything smart enough tomunicate with humans quickly found themselves fighting for survival; one such Rift once existed to the north, but the beings on the other side forcibly closed it themselves, which happened before Erec was even born.


    Even in Vega, Erec got the distinct impression that nobody would be fond of such beings. But just because his mother cooperated with something from another world didn¡¯t mean that she stuck with it outside of the wall.


    Vega was a better lead than any other with the widework it presented.


    ¡°I¡¯ll instruct Dame Robin and the three of you will go out. While you¡¯re making your discrete inquiries, you¡¯ll also be gathering information about potential allies and new ties to test in the future. She¡¯ll coordinate your locations, so you won¡¯t be viting my rules as a response to your misbehavior, and therefore no one can use me of favoritism. Now go,¡± Boldwick waved him away, sinking deeper into his chair.


    He had the distinct impression that the Master Knight was already exhausted. It was only a day into their stay in Vega. How long would they have in this city?


    Erec didn¡¯t dare to ask, since he didn¡¯t know what, if any answer, he wanted to hear.


    Instead, he counted himself lucky that Boldwick was handing him this chance, and intended to make the most of it.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Dame Robin¡¯s first destination for their search wasn¡¯t where he thought it might be. Erec expected they might dig into the city¡¯s various bars, and make discrete inquiries where it might be easy to buy friends at the cost of a drink or two.


    But no, because of her rank, she swayed the seat of the Magi into granting her the right to enter and leave Vega at will. A right that was hesitantly granted by the officials, who, for this time only, agreed to waive any fees.


    So it was that Erec walked out of the same road into Vega they came in. Wearing cheap clothes that Dame Robin purchased that didn¡¯t stand out too badly.


    As they reached the barrier, Lucas gave them a small wave, talked to the people at the gate, and then the process of letting them out of Vega began. The Magi cast a glyph. The barrier opened, and they were rushed out of the new hole in the barrier surrounding the city. In almost no time, they were back on the outside, in the thick of the slums, but not unarmed. Robin made sure they carried along all of their weapons.


    ¡°So ya went right to the people.¡± Gwen looked around as the light blue barrier closed behind them. Some of the tougher looking folks out here eyeing them from the sidelines. As always, they took interest when Vega opened up¡ªbut without the cars and Armor, and with their wicked weapons and not-that-expensive-looking clothing, the overall attention they got was very much reduced.


    ¡°If you want information that people don¡¯t want to discuss, you go to the disenfranchised. They make far better informants on the state of a society than anyone enjoying the luxury of wealth and lifestyle.¡± Dame Robin replied.


    ¡°Well, of course, since they give it to ya straight,¡± Gwen nodded.


    Dame Robin looked around at the wide swath of shanty houses and people going about their affairs and then said the dreaded words. ¡°Break up and start asking questions. Offer chips for information about ces outside of Vega, rumors of a woman from the Kingdom of Cindrus, information about the Pendragons, and details about the Council. Don¡¯t make it obvious you¡¯re carrying chips, and if you spend yours,e back and get more from me; you¡¯re only to keep twenty on you at a time.¡±


    Dame Robin set a hand on Erec¡¯s shoulder, eyes boring into him.


    ¡°If anyonees up trying to take your money, hand it over without a fight. I know this is a difficult ask, but there is no Magi presence out here. There¡¯s no one to stop you but you.¡±


    After the warning, she discretely divvied up the chips, pushed them into her Knight¡¯s pockets, then ushered them off to do their jobs. Which meant walking through crowds and introducing himself to people¡­ Erec did not know how long this would go, and on one level, knew it was an effective way to gather information. But all the same, he dreaded it. He circled the slums for a long time before trying to breach conversation with any group. They gave him weary looks, and no one seemed all that interested in a talk with a stranger.


    Then he saw her.


    The girl from the library. The one who he convinced Boldwick wasn¡¯t involved¡ªout here, and waiting with her attention rapt on a red priest. She listened while the man spoke, waving around a bottle that she kept reaching for.


    Those bastards in Vega washed their hands of her care and shoved her right outside the walls.


    Fury sparked in Erec, at the situation, at her pawing for the booze. The bastard was manipting her to sway her to the church¡ªAnger shot through him and he lost sight of his goal. Erec advanced on the two of them.


    ¡°You may have this bottle after you can repeat the Goddess¡¯mandments after me. You want to join the Church, don¡¯t you? We have more alcohol,¡± the priest said.


    ¡°Drink,¡± the girl gasped.


    ¡°Come on now, I¡¯ve heard you speak before while under the influence; let the Goddess into your heart and your issues will all be solved. You will have all of this minor vice you wish if only you would repent and ept her holy influence.¡±


    ¡°Leave her be,¡± Erec said. The girl looked at him, and the barest grasp of recognition shed on her face. But then she was back towards begging for that damn bottle.


    ¡°You have no reason to get involved, wastnder. I¡¯m impressed you haven¡¯t sold that axe yet¡ªwhat do you work for one of the gangs?¡±


    ¡°I do not know what you¡¯re talking about, priest.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait,¡± the man mumbled, pulling back his hood and revealing the silver eyes beneath. They stabbed into Erec, shing through him. The priest gaped, and then his lips puckered into the nastiest frown. ¡°You are beyond saving, you spat on her gift. I shall not let you corrupt this reachable soul, begone damned one.¡±


    That ticked him off. Erec moved closer¡ªshoving the girl behind him. Yet she kept trying to squirm around and get at the liquid spirits.


    This was bad. The way the priest was staring at him really pissed Erec off. It was like facing down those backstabbing red fuckers back in the Kingdom.


    Erec grabbed the swaying bottle and yanked it out of the man¡¯s hand. He shoved a hand into his pocket and flung chips at the stupid priest¡¯s face; the guy stumbled backward, eyes wide, then fell on the ground, chips scattered around the stunned man.


    He didn¡¯t wait to watch or hear what the priest had to say, instead, he grabbed the girl by the wrist and dragged her far away from the priest.


    If he waited any longer, without a doubt, he would¡¯ve ended up spilling holy blood all over the dirt.

 Chapter 154: Holy Secrets

    Chapter 154: Holy Secrets


    <em>The red priests keep their secrets. </em>


    <em>This is known more than any by the nobility, and while we all acknowledge the power of the Goddess, and her hand in shaping our fate, it is through the priesthood that her message of faith is heard in the Kingdom. Why, then, are the secrets of the inner church so closely kept? And why is it that any attempts to breach their information hold are always met with failure?</em>


    <em>No matter the character of the spy we may send into their midst when they get to the stage of the ritual, they return to us changed. They repent and refuse to provide any more information against the Church.</em>


    <em>Their silver eyes show fear. </em>


    <em>Why?</em>


    <em>-Princess Sarah Crisimus, Report Of The Repeated Failures Of Church Informants, (223, 3rd Era.)</em>


    Erec found a quiet part of the slums to sit; children ran around without shoes, and silent lookers only gave them the barest of a nce. After seeing his axe, most of them went on their way. The Council said that their Armor made them stand out, but it turned out the expertly crafted weapons also served the same purpose, though they didn¡¯t out their origins. A lot of folks used guns, the few that didn¡¯t have other makeshift weaponry: clubs with spikes, tire irons, and one person who had a dangerous piece of sheet metal rigged with electrics.


    But finely smithed weapons? A rarity.


    People in the Kingdom may proim swords as the ultimate weapon, but there was something to an axe that dissuaded anyone from bothering the guy lugging it around.


    The girl drank her bottle next to Erec, taking in every drop while rocking in ce. He¡¯d wanted a better life for her after being freed from Seven-Snakes, and this wasn¡¯t it. But, as he sat and thought, to her it might be.


    ¡°Are you getting along fine here? I can get you more chips if you need them,¡± Erec offered.


    ¡°No. Booze.¡± She tapped the side of the bottle, muttering happily to herself, then pointed towards Vega. ¡°¡­He¡¯s in there, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Him?¡±


    ¡°Snakes.¡± The girl nodded to herself, staring at the rising blue barrier. ¡°But he¡¯s not in there long. Snakes slither, squirm, and squeeze.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re tracking him down. He escaped custody, but the Council is looking.¡±


    ¡°Council works with him,¡± she said. ¡°One of them. Bandages.¡±


    Erec tensed his shoulders and tried to suppress the sudden stab of annoyance. It wasn¡¯t a surprise, but that piece of knowledge alone was more than well enough worth the venture out here. Yet that bit of valuable information wasn¡¯t what he was looking for; still, Boldwick would be thrilled, since there was a single council member that could be tied to that name. How actionable that information was, he didn¡¯t know, couldn¡¯t know, and frankly, didn¡¯t care. But it was useful.


    Seven-Snakes and all those that worked with him could rot in a shallow grave.


    ¡°With what you told me, I can get you into the city; I¡¯m sure of it if you have that kind of information.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Vega drinks you up. To thest drop,¡± then sheughed, and then finished the rest of the bottle and holding the now empty thing upside down¡ªa single amber drop hit the ground; then the bottle followed it, breaking as it hit a rock in the dirt. ¡°Wanna stay away from Snakes.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d he take you into the library, anyway? Were you¡ª¡° he didn¡¯t know how to phrase it, he didn¡¯t imagine Seven-Snakes was kind at all to her, given how he saw that bastard treat her.


    She shivered in ce, going quiet.


    Her hand touched his¡ªtracing it up to his wrist; the hair on the back of his neck stood as he felt her icy fingers, felt that tug on part of his mind. It wasn¡¯t like before, when she tried to use her Talent without warning, it was as if she was asking. Trying to get permission.


    Erec fought down the swell of panic and tried to get rid of the image of the Stag that red in his head. That instinct of an animal fighting for its life¡ªwhy?


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Show.¡±


    Erec grit his teeth; then closed his eyes. Deep within, he felt the heat of the silver fire, always present and burning. It wasn¡¯t ring, not without Fury ame, but it was there. If he wanted it, all he had to do was reach for it. He knew that.


    ¡°Show if you must,¡± He said before he might change his mind.


    He felt her chilly hand mp his wrist, felt the fingernails digging in. A connection between them, as his mind floated away.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°That two-bit whore,¡± Seven-Snakes snarled, a hand darting out and smashing Erec¡¯s face.


    He scrambled away, his whole body shaking beneath him, so weak, his mind filled with little thoughts aside from getting numb. Being able to forget again where he was, who was dragging him around. Snakes.


    Erec looked at his thin hand¡ªat the ck hair hanging down his face.


    <em>Not mine.</em> The intrusive thought cut through the noise, with a startling reality. He was looking through eyes that weren¡¯t <em>his.</em> Through the girl¡¯s eyes.


    Snakes paced away, taking the gun off his belt¡ªabove them the night sky was high in the air, a few thugs at the gathered fire. Thetest ones Seven-Snakes collected. He was good at that, getting dumb idiots with nothing to lose to follow him. Because he knew where the best <em>spots </em>were. Where to look to find the things buried deep. The problem that came with that was it took a lot of money to keep the muscle happy and to dig up the buried things.


    They said he had a gift for it, that he spoke to the dirt, and it told him its secrets.


    That was a in lie.


    ¡°Fucks off and leaves me looking¡ªher and that fucking<em> freak</em>. ¡®We¡¯ll contact you when you find the tool to reach Her,¡¯ as if I care about that bitch of a Goddess. I just want off this cursed fucking rock.¡± he kicked the ground, and swore, his face getting redder by the second. He whipped the revolver out and pointed it at the girl¡ªthe one who Erec was seeing out of.


    ¡°Show me the map again,¡± He demanded, shaking the revolver. ¡°Show me where we look next.¡±


    The girl scrambled across the ground, reaching out and touching his wrist. They did this often, as she could force the memory through; the one the woman told them tomit to memory, that couldn¡¯t be put on paper where silver eyes might see.


    Pathways, different gates that might lead to her. And, by that logic, let one stab a knife right through her heart.


    As her hand touched Seven-Snake¡¯s wrist, Erec felt his mind yanked along once more for the ride.


    The sight bled away, twisting and morphing. Not dissimr at all to going along through a Rift; but as the world twisted, Erec felt his own grasp on his return, he knew he could pull at the silver fire through this connection, free himself from her memories. But he wouldn¡¯t, not until he could understand what this was.


    When his vision cleared, it was thest thing he expected to see.


    His mother; a longsword strapped to her back, her hair lopped off into a short red-bob; an LED illuminating a narrow room in the depths of the earth; steel walls all around as she traced out a map on a table. Seven-Snakes was leaning next to her, staring at the map with a deep frown on his face.


    ¡°These are the possibilities,¡± a voice radiated out of the corner¡ªthe girl looked over to see a figure, cloaked heavily, and concealed. The freak, Snakes called him. ¡°He will be the route through which one is unearthed, it is likely,¡±


    ¡°So you say,¡± Erec¡¯s mother said, her eyes hardened as she stared at the map. ¡°And we cannot go with?¡± Erec¡¯s head spun, but he couldn¡¯t react. As much as he wanted to force the words out of his throat to ask her what the hell this was, it wasn¡¯t his throat. Nothing but a ghost in a memory.


    ¡°We must go home. Too long on this will draw too much attention.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, back to your fucking paradise,¡± Seven-Snakes seethed as he traced the map. With a frown, he walked over, grabbing them¡ªthe girl¡ªby her hair, and Erec felt Seven-Snakes hateful fingers wrapping tight around her head as Seven-Snakes shoved her face to look at it. ¡°Lock this away, girl. In that steel trap of yours. My little map.¡±


    There were several ces circled; one in Worth, one on the West Coast, one on the East¡ªone to the North, two in the center of the map, and one in the ocean¡ªan old world map of the United States, in good condition. Seven. A magic number.


    ¡°Let her go.¡± Erec¡¯s mother called, a hand going to her sword, her voice harsh.


    ¡°Quiet, woman. My deal is with the freak. You¡¯re his face, but you¡¯re not needed anymore. Not after we met and made our deal.¡±


    ¡°More than his face,¡± Erec¡¯s mother said, her eyes ring red; heat radiated off her. ¡°Don¡¯t forget yourself.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fucker,¡± Seven-Snakes waved her and let the poor girl away. She scrambled away, not daring to look away from Snakes as she retreated to her corner. Ance of fear ran through her since she knew Seven-Snakes wouldn¡¯t forget this. Would make her pay.


    Erec¡¯s mother dropped the grip on her sword, and stepped forward, folding up the map and tucking it away. ¡°I don¡¯t like you,¡± she said. Her voice dripping with disdain, and far more steeled over than anything he remembered from as a child.


    How long ago was this? His mother was aged, and not pleasantly so. As if she¡¯d been run through fight after fight; he even saw a scar on her cheek, but it was her eyes.


    They were that of a killer.


    ¡°Tough shit. I don¡¯t like a lot of people. But if your freak says that I¡¯m your chance, then you gotta take it, isn¡¯t that right, prophet?¡±


    ¡°The tides of fate don¡¯t care for personalities,¡± the heavily cloaked figure replied, wrapping their arms around themselves. ¡°Our business is done then. He will chase these leads down, for he knows his heaven awaits as a reward after the ordeal. Come, Isolde.¡±


    His mother turned on the orders of a stranger, walking away and leaving Seven-Snakes alone with the girl. He shot her a sneer, anger coloring his face. As he often got since meeting those two. After he¡¯d been shown what he could have and didn¡¯t.


    He always wanted.


    Thest thing in the vision was the girl looking down at her shaking hands, anywhere but at the approaching Snake.

 Chapter 155: Animal Planet

    Chapter 155: Animal


    As the memory faded away, it startled Erec to find Dame Robin hovering over him. She looked concerned as she turned his face from left to right. He blinked, the light of midday cutting into him and stirring him out of the daze.


    Dame Robin let him take a deep sigh; Erec took in the scene¡ªthe broken bottle from the girl was still next to him.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Erec replied, his mind reeling from the image of his mother. With some help, he got to his feet, yet his heart kept thrumming as a surge of energy filled him.


    She was alive.


    Why the hell was she working with Seven-Snakes? He¡¯d had the bastard in his hands and had no clue. And that girl¡ªwhere did she go?


    ¡°We need to find the girl,¡± Erec said, desperately scanning the street. He couldn¡¯t have been out for long. Letting her use that talent might¡¯ve been a mistake, alone, but none of that mattered now. Did she have more answers?


    ¡°The one from the library? She was with you when I arrived. As soon as I walked up, she handed you over and thanked me. Told me she was done with all of this, and that you had everything you might need. What did she mean by that? I was afraid she might¡¯ve drugged you, and I couldn¡¯t chase down and look over you at the same time.¡±


    ¡°She used her Talent and showed me a memory. She saw my mother, Robin. My mother and Seven-Snakes were working for someone¡­ That other-worlder? There was a map¡ª¡° He cut himself off, eyes going wide. ¡°Paper¡ªwe need paper!¡±


    There was a scramble, as Robin, not quite understanding, was helpful nheless. They had to ask several times, and in the end, didn¡¯t find paper at all. But a piece of wood and some chalk.


    He¡¯d grown so used to VAL noting details that the sudden revtion that it was something only <em>he¡¯d </em>seen was quite a shock. But thankfully, he gave an approximate rendition of the map on the piece of wood with the machine¡¯s help and marked the points before it faded out of memory. He recalled the words about ¡®not letting silver eyes see,¡¯ but frankly, didn¡¯t care. If these were ces his mother wanted something from, it meant that if he tracked them down, he might see her again.


    [Ah.] VAL said as the three of them examined the marked-up piece of wood, an approximate map of the former United States hastily drafted onto it. [That¡¯s too big of a coincidence to ignore. That location on the coast is the same one that Enide referred to, I believe. It¡¯s our facility I want to investigate. Another appears to correspond to Pacific City¡­ At least, thest known coordinates. I¡¯d thought it likely for it to somehow sumb to the ocean, but perhaps not? Unless it is on the bottom of the ocean, which good luck reaching, buckeroo.]


    Fate. It had to be fate then¡ªthe tug of what should be, and what needed to be, and this location was a crux of it all. But so had Worth. Whatever Seven-Snakes were after there, he hadn¡¯t gotten it since they¡¯d interrupted him. But neither had the Knights. And that ¡®route¡¯ was now sealed, since they¡¯d destroyed the Rift to that world at the request of the otherworldly being from it.


    ¡°She showed you this?¡± Dame Robin said carefully, sitting next to him near one of the half-broken abandoned hovels on the outskirts. ¡°It is most definitely a map from the old-world. How urate are these locations? And what do they signify? Vaults? It¡¯s centered on Worth¡ªI believe, right? One of them?¡±


    ¡°As much as I could manage. They didn¡¯t want to leave it on a map. I think they were nervous about a priest seeing it, for whatever reason.¡± But that issue wasn¡¯t theirs. Maybe it should be. With a nervous look, Erec nced around at the street. None of the red-robed men were there.


    ¡°We can force that girl to provide more information, or see if she has more. But I¡¯m willing to bet she¡¯s going to go into hiding again, and out here¡­¡± she gestured to the rest of the slums, ¡°We¡¯ll have a difficult time finding one ordinary girl mixed in with this lot if anyone can even identify her.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know as much as he does,¡± Erec said, trying to cut through his disappointment. With how Seven-Snakes treated the poor girl, he doubted past the map that she¡¯d picked up many details at all. And¡­ the more time he¡¯d found to calm himself, the more her feelings of being trapped and used for this damn map rang through him. It would be wrong to force her into this again after she offered the information. Part of him knew that, but as Robin went on about sending out a small group to search anyway¡­ Could he argue against that?


    Anything that might draw him closer to his mother again, to find her¡­ She wasn¡¯t dead.


    Wasn¡¯t dead at all.


    But she was wandering around as what, hired muscle? He didn¡¯t understand why she was working with that man, or what they meant by paradise.


    Only one person was qualified to answer those questions, and that bastard had escaped the custody of the Council. Perhaps that was a blessing in disguise. Erec turned toward Vega; the image of the blue dome designating hunting grounds. Fire surged through his veins. Somewhere within that was his prey, avoiding the search of the Magi. Prime for him to track down and force out the answers he wanted.


    He¡¯d reached a decision. After filling Boldwick in, regardless of what the Master Knight said, even if he couldn¡¯t find Seven-Snakes, he¡¯d be going to that Vortex Industries facility on the coast with the Pendragons.


    And if they wouldn¡¯t take him, he¡¯d go alone.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re due to report this all back in ande up with the n from there,¡± Dame Robin said to his side, standing up, hiding away the piece of wood. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll keep this out of the sight of any priests. Best to heed words you don¡¯t understand before taking on an unknown risk. I¡¯ll ask for an old-world map around Vega. I¡¯m sure there are records of some we can transfer this information to¡­¡±


    She paused as she looked at Erec, sitting below. It was hard to truly focus on her words, as he thought of his mother.


    How long had it been? She¡¯d been out here the entire time, doing what exactly?


    Those were the answers he needed to hear from her, and that reminder after seeing her face for the first time in years was enough to cut through all the indecision and fear. A reminder of what he¡¯d set out to do so long ago. Bedwyr couldn¡¯t bring her back. He¡¯d dedicated himself to the Kingdom upon the belief that it was his destiny. So Erec would drag her back.


    ¡°Listen, Erec.¡± Dame Robin cupped his chin, making her look into her eyes. ¡°The past is the past, and the future is what we make of it. I can see the pain in you, and I know this is something you¡¯ve been looking for. That much is clear. But when you find it, it might not be what you expect. Are you prepared for that?¡±


    ¡°I expected her to be dead. I want answers.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re closer now to finding them than most people get. We¡¯ll see what we can do. You know that.¡± With that, Dame Robin pulled away and let Erec get to his feet.


    They found Gwen not that muchter and called it a day considering the new information they found. Three hourster they were headed up to the hotel, only to find that Boldwick was at a conference with the Council, hashing out the details of the trade and diplomatic potential with Vega. Not having permission to go elsewhere, and waiting to deliver his report, Erec was stuck in his room. Luckily Garin was there and was well, an anxious mess. Olivia had gone off to talk to Gwen¡ªwhich left them plenty of time for Erec to share what he found with his friend.


    But voicing his concerns was not enough.


    There was a clear missing piece to his questions, and if the Council found Seven-Snakes, or if the Snake used his connection on the Council to leave the city, where would that leave them?


    He realized they needed to find him first. If they rediscovered that bastard, grilled him for the information, and then handed him to Council, it would be the best case for all the involved parties; which brought an idea to Erec¡¯s head.


    The Council was searching for Seven-Snakes with magic, that had to be the case. But with his connection to an Arch-Magi, there was bound to be some sort of heavy spell work preventing them from scrying his location in the city, meaning that searching with magic would be unfruitful for how many resources they could dedicate to it. That much was easy to infer, based on the way this city worked and those in power, and that they hadn¡¯t<em> recovered</em> him yet.


    But¡­


    ¡°Garin, I have an idea,¡± Erec said, staring out the window and looking at the city. All the birds flying around inside, having called it home¡ªall the rats crawling around and feeding off the waste of humanity. In the Kingdom, it was the same vermin. For a long time, he considered Munchy under the same category.


    Squirrels had be numerous enough that their poption readily grew out of control in the environment. Tracking them down and dealing with them was equally a pain in the neck, because of the vast number of ces they could flee.


    ¡°Mhmm?¡± Garin asked, sulking on the couch. His whole day had been spent here, alone or with Olivia, which didn¡¯t suit his friend. He always wanted to meet new people, and being in a massive city and trapped in a hotel was paramount to torture, Erec was sure. But it would make him more willing to try this¡­


    ¡°Have you ever tried to interact with an animal besides Munchy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a few cave mice and lizards. Understood basic instructions, but I couldn¡¯t really take them along with me.¡±


    ¡°How much can they understand?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s like I press my will and ideas into their mind¡­ and they sorta understand; whether they go along with it depends on what¡¯s in it for them. Most of them are pretty simple, a bit of food and they¡¯re happy. Not all too useful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re dead wrong.¡± Erec cut him off, tired of this train of logic. Again and again, his friendined about how useless his Talent was but failed to grasp theplete picture. There was a wide degree of ces vermin and other small animals could go that would be difficult to search for humans¡ªbut what were the limits of this ability? Garin said he tested it, but he never <em>pushed</em> it the way Erec did. ¡°¡­Garin, I think you have one of the most useful Talents for scouting that I¡¯ve ever heard of.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just animals. They can¡¯t do a lot.¡°


    ¡°Find Seven-Snakes for me,¡± Erec went over, grabbing his friend by the wrist, staring into his eyes with enough intensity that he felt Fury re. He needed this, needed him to find the man. And Garin was the only one who could do it if only he could fucking see what was in as day. ¡°Use any animal you can connect with¡ªoffer them whatever food they want. We have thousands of chips between all of us. Find him. Use them all.¡±


    Garin went quiet, his eyes going wide. ¡°You think¡­¡±


    ¡°You can do it. So do it.¡±


    ¡°I can try.¡±


    ¡°There is no try,¡± Erec replied, his fingers tightening as the surge of desperation and confidence rolled through him. He saw the fire ignite in Garin¡¯s eyes as he realized he was needed. That Erec believed in his ability, one that he didn¡¯t believe in himself.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find that motherfucker, then!¡± Garin shouted, wearing a crazed grin.

 Chapter 156: Wind And Sun

    Chapter 156: Wind And Sun


    <em>The Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a travellering down the road, and the Sun said: ¡°I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveller to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger. You begin.¡± So the Sun retired behind a cloud, and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveller. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveller wrap his cloak round him, till atst the Wind had to give up in despair. Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveller, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.</em>


    <em>Kindness effects more than severity </em>


    -Aesop,<em> The Wind And The Sun; The Fables of Aesop, (Unknown, 1st Era)</em>


    Once more, Boldwick surprised Erec. He didn¡¯t put up any resistance and in fact, offered his support for them to proceed. Taking a keen interest in the map locations; making a second copy of it and storing it away.


    In his words, getting answers to the rtionship between Erec¡¯s mother and Seven-Snakes, and the nature of this map was a new mission priority.


    If nothing else, he saw it as a good way to set his Knights to task. Particrly Garin and Olivia, who¡¯d been holed up at the hotel all day.


    Garin was keener than anyone to get going. Truthfully, even if Boldwick hadn¡¯t approved the n, he and Erec would¡¯ve still searched for Seven-Snakes. Because Garin saw the opportunity to do something with his ability. Actually executing it turned out to be a different reality entirely.


    On the first day of trying this tactic, Garin revealed he had to see an animal to get its attention, then he might make a deal.


    Which presented a problem. They spent about an hour looking for rats¡ªand came up with a handful. The issue was that they didn¡¯t want to be <em>seen,</em> let alone deal with humans. Doing their absolute best to avoid both Garin and Erec as they tried to encounter them. And then, the Casino was rtively free of the vermin¡ªusing glyphs to limit their ability to make homes in their Casinos.


    So, they shifted focus to the birds, which proved a lot easier to cooperate.


    Then, they ran across a second problem. Throughout the day, as Garin used his ability, he grew more and more fatigued. His voice turned raspy, and after around twenty birds, he lost the ability to speak altogether.


    Not much made sense. And Erec feared they might¡¯ve broken past some kind of threshold, or that the animals would lose sight of their goal. Olivia came over to the hotel and looked after Garin until the night. By the next day, his friend was feeling a lot better, and more than anything rearing to go.


    So, on the second day, they changed focus and tested the extent of Garin¡¯s ability.


    They assigned a certain number of birds to return to a spot outside of the hotel on the next day and took careful note of how many he could task before his Talent wore him away. Interestingly, Garin got through more than before.


    The next day, every single one of them returned.


    Enthused with this, Garin went and used his Talent to get these birds to find Seven-Snakes. He got through a little over half before getting wobbly and going mute once more.


    The day after, he got through even fewer birds, but Garin received a notification that his Cognition Virtue advanced.


    The most concrete of conclusions they could draw was that Garin¡¯s talent was likely tied to Cognition, based on that. And that by using his Talent he was relying more firmly on that Virtue than anything else¡ªsimr to Fury and Strength. But, past that, they could only guess. Did the taxation of the ability depend on what Garin wanted the animals to do? Why was there a difference in getting the birds that returned to look for Seven-Snakes, instead of the random birds with a longer gap between them?


    Regardless, Garin pressed ahead, tearing apart himself every day to get as many animals searching for Seven-Snakes as he could.


    It was a race to find the man, and the stress of it drove Erec wild.


    Still, seeing Garin try so hard drove him to push as far as possible, roaming the streets in the downtime, until the night. Where he forced himself to take a break and try to enjoy his time with Enide. She didn¡¯t know exactly what he was nning, since he was almost afraid to voice it.


    But, after another day of fruitless searching and nting seeds of hope, he found himself alone in the hotel bar with Enide.


    She sipped her ss of whiskey on ice¡ªneat, as she liked it. Leaning on him as he drank a beer. The cold was a wee relief after the hot day in the sun. This search made him appreciate the temperature regtion of his Armor more than anything.


    ¡°Have you thought about it?¡± she asked quietly, her head a weepanion on his shoulder. He buzzed with heat in the pit of his stomach, every point of contact with her like an inferno. Even in this room with other drunks and gamblers, they were alone in his mind.


    Or would be, if the constant tug of knowing he was so close to answers about his mother.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about it,¡± Erec replied, knowing what she was talking about. Her offer. He took her hand and held it in his own, fingers shaky.


    ¡°Awfully agitated thest couple of days; haven¡¯t found him yet, have you? You know, we¡¯ve been looking too. Afraid he might¡¯ve bounced from Vega again, as frustrating as fuck as it is. Means we¡¯ll be following him back out on the wastnd since those bastards are refusing to honor their deal. Come with us when we do, and you¡¯ll find him. If you¡¯re worried we won¡¯t take you, don¡¯t be silly.¡±


    Erec paused; the secret of his mother had a heavy weight on his chest. It felt like it was dragging him down, his friend knew, and Enide was aware they were looking for Seven-Snakes. But she didn¡¯t know <em>why</em> he was so bothered about it.


    ¡°Hey, Enide,¡± Erec said, squeezing her hand. She leaned in, sensing something wasing. The way she¡¯d grown more in tune with him¡­ ¡°This isn¡¯t just about Seven-Snakes, for me.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t for me either, but I could see something was in your head, way more than it had a right to be. Didn¡¯t wanna pry. So, what is it? I¡¯ll take it to my grave if it¡¯s that dire of a secret.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± he looked into her eyes. The care there. The pure honesty in them he had found little else of in his life, aside from his best friend. Even then, sometimes Garin had his own priorities, Enide did too, but sheid them out cleanly, and¡­


    ¡°You don¡¯t gotta say anything you don¡¯t wanna, hero,¡± she whispered,ing in close. Close enough to feel her hot breath against his neck.


    ¡°I thought my mother was dead. Thought my goal in leaving our Kingdom was to find her corpse and figure out what happened. Now, thanks to that girl, we let go. I know she isn¡¯t. She showed me her memory, and it included my mother in it. I hoped, but now I know that she¡¯s out there alive, working with Seven-Snakes for some Goddess-only-knows reason. I wanna track her down and make her answer me. Then, I want to drag her home and make our family whole again¡­¡± Erec spilled it out, feeling like his soul drained out of his voice. Everything that he¡¯d carried in him, that secret hope that he could fix what was broken, was thrown out into the world and into thep of a woman who was rapidly climbing to the top of his heart.


    In Enide, he saw understanding. Her thumb traced his palm, as she turned it up to see, not replying, but the physicalfort of her subsided the fear of judgment afterying his soul bare.


    ¡°My ma taught me that a person¡¯s fate could be seen in their palm,¡± she said, that thumb of hers tracing the line in his. ¡°When a monster got her, I thought my life would never be the same; and I was right, it never was quite the same. The space a person leaves when they leave you¡­ Can¡¯t quite fill it. Same thing when my Uncle and the rest of our family got locked up in our vault. Rochester feels it, too. We tell ourselves that if we can open up those enormous steel doors, life¡¯ll go back to the way it was before, like time aint passed, like they¡¯re gonna fit back neat as can be in that space they left.¡±


    Erec stared at her, a tear trickling down the side of her face¡ªhe couldn¡¯t help it. The words were a sorrowful pain that jabbed into his own heart.


    Because he knew what wasing next.


    ¡°She aint never going to be the same. That¡¯s the truth of it, if you find her.¡±


    ¡°I gotta try.¡±


    ¡°We all do, yeah. And you know what? You¡¯re not trying alone, not a chance in this fucking world. What I see in your palm, best I can remember how to read it is this: you¡¯re gonna take what you want from life, and if it doesn¡¯t agree with what you want, you¡¯re going to fight it til it does.¡± She stopped, her hand letting go of his hand, and moving to rest on his cheek. She moved in, her eyes zing with their own heat; like miniature suns, as she bore into him. ¡°But it also says something else, hero. The fight you got on your hands isn¡¯t one you¡¯re gonna do solo; you¡¯re gonna need a partner on this warpath.¡±


    At that, she closed her eyes, and he closed his¡ªand then her lips pressed against his¡­ Hot, as she pressed in, her whole body next to his, the fire within burning away as they sealed their fates together in a ze of glory.


    Together, they would fly, as free as the wind, and faster than anyone could pursue.


    Together, they would burn in a pyre that pired into the sky, a beacon of Strength and might.


    Together, they rose up that elevator back to Erec¡¯s room¡ªGarin long gone, to recover and nurse his wounds with Olivia. Not that the thought of him missing went through either of their heads, as they pushed in and failed to untangle from one another for more than a breath of seconds at any time.


    With one another, they would burn their way through the world, fire, and its wind, carrying it across the wastnd to scorch the earth and burn anyone who might challenge their dominance to ash. Erec saw it in her eyes, the way she moved, the way she felt; the way their breath and sweat mingled together in a moment of pure ecstasy. This was fate, this was life, and this was freedom in its purest form. Together, they could conquer the world.

 Chapter 157: Rats Tale

    Chapter 157: Rat''s Tale


    It was five dayster that Garin found their first tangible lead. With at least a hundred birds scouring the city every day, and only ten or so rats, they got lucky. One of the fuzzy little vermin appeared in the morning per its instructions once spotting Seven-Snakes.


    But there was a little rat, sitting there watching them with its twitching whiskers. ¡°¡­We should hurry.¡± Garin rubbed the back of his head. ¡°He isn¡¯t patient.¡± The rat spun around as if on cue, giving them an irritated squeak.


    With how the n had gone so far, the sudden rush of progress was both wee and unnerving. Because of who was left to lead it. ¡°¡­Boldwick is with the sumittee and the Duke,¡± Erec said, tapping a foot on the ground. ¡°Dame Robin is out¡ªsame with Dame Juliana.¡±


    ¡°We have to inform her, Erec. Morgana will be fine,¡± Garin offered, ¡°I¡¯ll grab Liv too, since she¡¯s still bound to the hotel, Colin. The five of us should be enough for a scouting party; we find where hest was, see if it was useful, and if we know where he¡¯s hiding out, we can make a n to raid it.¡±


    With that, he was off, leaving Erec pacing. His blood boiled as he paced outside; he almost didn¡¯t want to wait. Any second here was a second not tracking down the man with answers, and he could make Seven-Snakes talk. Full of Fury and his baffling progress because of it, he didn¡¯t think Seven-Snakes and his tricks would stop him. Even without Armor. There was just no affording to wear it outside without causing a stir, or the Magi asking questions. Part of him wanted to already get to it, to find his fight and make things even between them.


    He already knew how to win. Enide showed him. One swift and decisive attack.


    It wasn¡¯t that long before Morgana came sweeping down with Garin, Colin, and Olivia. The Knight wore a bright smile and didn¡¯t even carry a sword. Going off to lead their expedition with only a sundress and a wide-brim hat, two things she¡¯d boughten in Vega.


    ¡°You forgot your weapons,¡± Olivia called coldly to the woman as they formed in front of her.


    ¡°The world is a weapon, dear! Come now; there isn¡¯t a moment to spare. Fate is moving quickly, and we must ride the current. Garin, let yourself grow to be one with the world; this is the first step on a path that will lead you to the potential within yourself. Whether or not we encounter this monster today, know that I am proud of your efforts and the fruit they have borne.¡±


    None of them had time to digest that, as the Master Knight was off flowing down the street. The rat picked up on her will and ran forward to lead them.


    Garin shrugged, and they were off. Following a vermin out from the hotel and the busy strip of Vega and shattering through the bubble of life that formed the core of the city. Outside of the strip, things rapidly took a quick shift to industrial. Almost as if it hid in the shadows of this city; the machinery lurking in the background that held up all the glittering lights and shows that made Vega what it was. Dotting the streets were factories for metalwork, food processing, andmodities. The further they dived into this new world, the more reality of life steeped in; the spell of Vega slowly broke.


    Though one more mystery remained; they had ces shipping and storing food, but where did it alle from?


    They passed by a ce that concentrated on the hub of food, a garden with an almost army full of Magi overseeing shipments, but it wasn¡¯t the destination of the rat. They went past it and further from the hub of the industry to warehouses and offices. Following the rat led them to an abandoned warehouse, and then to a tunnel hidden in an office.


    ¡°More secret tunnels. Why does this guy seem to have an obsession with ces under the ground?¡± Erec asked, shaking his head.


    ¡°Comfortable down there; what isn¡¯t to like? It offers security from above, and provides a lot of protection,¡± Colin dered. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not as if any ce out here, aside from that city, matches thefort of our family¡¯s estate.¡±


    ¡°I doubt this ce will befortable,¡± Garin said.


    ¡°Ah, so this is where our road leads, to the depths of the earth! Well, shall we enter?¡± Dame Morgana pped her hands, look at the rest of them.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait and call for reinforcements?¡± Garin asked, leaning down and looking at the rat staring back up.


    ¡°There are missions we must tackle on our own in life, journeys we must make if we are to grow to our potential and be one with the world. Besides, the earth is the domain of life; the root of our souls. Whitest he may hide below, I am confident within our element and with you that our force will be enough to surpass any of life¡¯s challenges.¡±


    Taking her vote of confidence, Garin shrugged and took the lead as they dived into the tunnel. The path was winding and steep, pushing into the sewers, and after several twists and turns, to a narrow gap. <em>Just</em> wide enough for a person to squeeze through. Once past that, they were left in a simple room with a steel b blocking a doorway. The b had intricate glyph work scrawled over the surface; all it took was a single nce at Erec to know it was magical bullshit. Of course it was. They were dealing with one of the Magi¡¯s resources.


    The rat scurried off into a pipe and temporarily vanished.


    Garin rubbed the back of his head. ¡°So, uh, he¡¯s beyond there. Apparently, there¡¯s a way through those pipes¡ªbut we can¡¯t follow.¡± The rat came back out and gave an angry squeak¡ªGarin leaned down to reward it with its bit of food, honoring his promise.


    ¡°¡­A vault?¡± Olivia frowned.


    ¡°No, at least not an old-world one.¡± Colin said, moving past their group as he inspected the ¡®door¡¯¡ªhe traced it with his finger, frowning as he took in the problem, ¡°This door uses mana to change the state of the steel¡­ It¡¯s advanced glyph work, but only half of it, needs a spell toplete the missing portions and to activate. Once that¡¯s in ce, the spell activates, and you appear to go through, somehow. Modern and magical, therefore not a vault.¡±


    ¡°¡­Beyond the door, Colin.¡±


    ¡°Fine, wench. Look around us. Does this look old or recent?¡±


    ¡°It could¡¯ve been repaired by the Magi¡ª¡°


    ¡°Quit it, please you guys?¡± Garin broke in, throwing himself between the two. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, Squeaky says that it¡¯s not that big on the other side.¡±


    ¡°So you can talk to animals?¡± Colin said.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not how it works. But old-world or new, it has a door with a glyph now, and is a safe house, clearly. Which means how do we get past it?¡± Garin said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t fathom what the exact spell is that they used toplete the glyph, as it¡¯s some deliberate fanciful design.¡± Colin followed the line carved in the steel. Almost as if he gave up caring at all about what was on the other side of the door, a scowl on his face. ¡°It would take a long time to break through by brute-forcing the spell.¡±


    ¡°The universe has provided all we need at this moment to surpass the barrier. Some doors have a single key, yet this one surely has a pathway through. We are but pawns in the current of time.¡± Dame Morgana said.


    The four Initiates shared a confused look as Dame Morgana smiled at them.


    ¡°So¡­ no help,¡± Garin asked.


    ¡°It is unnecessary. Go forth, young ones, and answer the challenge set before you. That is how we grow, isn¡¯t it, as creatures of the earth?¡± Dame Morgana gave them all onest thumbs up, before moving over to the nearest wall and plopping down.


    ¡°Uh.¡± Garin stared at her. She wasn¡¯t even going to offer them any suggestions. Not send anyone to watch out for the other lead Knights?


    Erec looked at the door, at the massive b of steel¡ªit wasn¡¯t even welded into ce. Put flush against the surface with too much mass for anyone other than a monster or a monster of a man to move.


    ¡°Right,¡± Garin said, before sliding right over and throwing an arm over Erec¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So buddy. How the hell are we going to do this? I think we might be kind of fucked.¡±


    ¡°¡­Maybe,¡± Erec shook his head, already feeling the fire alight within. All he had to do was get past this door, and he would. ¡°But we¡¯lle out ahead anyway.¡±

 Chapter 158: Gaia

    Chapter 158: Gaia


    <em>How much further can we press into Gaia? </em>


    <em>The lower the Magi keep posing the idea of a second barrier¡ªto make our city into two, one part paradise, one part the illusion of it. Even if we had those resources, the simple fact is that Gaia is toorge and unknown to make a reliable home. Our engineers estimate it to berger than Earth, and natural magic is present. Woven into the world.</em>


    <em>But who is to say that if we were to tunnel away into another world, we might not find something far worse than what we can imagine there?</em>


    <em>Or who¡¯s to say how long it might take for such a thing to find us?</em>


    <em>-Magi Orleans, What Lurks In Paradise, (304, 3rd Era)</em>


    The next hour was a struggle. Even giving their damnedest to workshop a solution kepting up empty. At first, with the confidence of Dame Morgana at their backs, they felt like there was some obvious answer to the problem of the b. But they failed.


    Colin tried his best to work out the magic and sort out some kind of spell toplete the glyph on the steel, but ultimately, that was a dead end. Even with his Talent, it didn¡¯t magically bestow him any more knowledge of magic than he already knew. Maybe one day, with his annoying newfound determination to be the ¡®most renown mage¡¯, he might piece the mystery of the door together; but not now. Yet he didn¡¯t give up trying, which made it frustrating when someone else took a shot at getting through and heined the entire time. Lucky for Erec, that made good Fury fuel.


    Garin gave up pretty much immediately on forcing the door and confidently patted Erec¡¯s back and said, ¡°You¡¯ve got this,¡± and spent his time working on the rat affectionately dubbed Squeaky. Through the animal, he slowly put together details on what awaited them on the other side of the door. Seven-Snakes wasn¡¯t alone, but the rat couldn¡¯t get them urate numbers. It also wasn¡¯t all that big in space on the other side. Useful information, but very time-consuming. Garin had to do a great deal of exining and bargaining with the animal to get different bits of information, and all of that still did nothing to solve the crux of their problem.


    The door.


    Olivia got little further. She threw whatever prayer she had at the door, but it wasn¡¯t designed to get through solid steel, so in the end, so she spent her time helping either Erec or Garin recover from the toll their talents took. Rapidly, though, Olivia questioned Dame Morgana¡¯s decision, and ask why they didn¡¯t send some out to get help.


    Which, after multiple failed attempts, everyone except Colin agreed with.


    But Dame Morgana didn¡¯t hear it and reiterated her orders. Open the door. That they had the means to get through, and that folding to problems was no way for a Knight to behave. So the pressure mounted; magma boiling under a volcano. Erec tried pushing the door. But it was too heavy. Even with Fury trying to force the thing to move an inch was too much; to where he wondered if he overestimated his Strength or the steel had some kind of weight enhancement magic. Either way, it pissed him off. After each pull of Fury and no progress, he felt a bit of madness settle in.


    Seven-Snakes was mocking him on the other side. Dame Morgana¡¯s smiles and meaningless words of encouragement to their struggles pissed him off just as much as the fact his target was right through a b of steel he was too weak to conquer.


    Erec felt like he was going crazy. Despite all of her strangeness, the more he thought about it, the more he wondered if Dame Morgana was even tly wrong about something. It might be impossible to understand, but taking her words on faith after every failure left him shaking was a tall order.


    [Do you wish to give up?] VAL asked after two hours of anger and getting nowhere aside from running down to the bottom of his energy. [This is a test of some sort on her behalf, or maybe a form of psychological conditioning. There are better ways to approach this problem, especially given the increased resources involving the rest of your team would bring to the table. We could form an impossible-to-counter-argument for her, perhaps. Hippies have their ideals, but when faced with the cold hard reality of the world, they must bend.]


    Giving up.


    What did that mean? Leaning against the wall and calling it? Forcing Dame Morgana to reevaluate her choice?


    Olivia already had slowly focused more on making sure nobody hurt themselves than taking any more tries at the door. Erec looked over at her. She was pissed and concerned that he was going to destroy himself for nothing. And Garin¡¯s voice was going scratchy as he worked with Squeaky.


    Colin kept pacing around the door, snappy and unhelpful to everyone else. Convinced that he¡¯d see a solution if he stared long enough. Trying to find a trick or piece of information they missed that might solve the puzzle. But it wasn¡¯t a puzzle. That¡¯s where the annoying Duchy spawn waspletely wrong about this. There wasn¡¯t a riddle to solve or an obvious exnation. There was only the wall, one they had to keep ramming their heads into it to find a way past.


    <em>Break it.</em>


    Erec felt himself heat up again. Felt that anger that he¡¯d already called on a few times in thest couple of hours. He¡¯d been worried that his body was going to fall apart soon, but that only made Fury more likely to re up. As if it were a vicious animal, waiting to devour his life.


    <em>Destroy.</em>


    That Strength was a tool. His tool. That raw power hadn¡¯t been the solution to get the door open. Or had it?


    With red coloring his vision, he once more advanced on the door, shoving Colin away so he could face the b alone. Erec set his hands on the edge and shoved.


    <em>Everything.</em> Pour everything into it. If he let Fury consume, then he¡¯d have the power¡ªit¡¯d killed the Stag, and it¡¯d saved him time and time again. His muscles screamed as he pushed with all of his might and the power beyond that; his breathing out in gasps as he only intensified the pressure he exerted. Desperate to get open the door. His blood boiled, but it wasn¡¯t enough. The anger couldn¡¯t be enough. It didn¡¯t understand; the door wasn¡¯t a challenge to conquer, not an enemy to y. His Strength was flowing freely in his veins, but wasn¡¯t enough.


    At the end of the day, he was just another Knight.


    Erec stopped pushing, sweat dripping from his brow¡ªblood flowing from where he¡¯d bit his lip. What was the point?


    [Rx, take a breather. With this level of exertion you should get some water and rehydrate.]


    It didn¡¯t matter, all of this Strength was for naught. He felt the fire rolling beneath him and, for one of the first times, this raw power wasn¡¯t enough¡ªnot enough to fill his goal. Why had he be a Knight?


    His mother was past the door. The key to finding her and getting his honors¡ªhis vow, his goal, the thing he¡¯d sworn to himself he¡¯d do was so close and yet far away.


    Vow.


    The anger rolled through him again. If this was a tool, then he should be able to use it. That Knight swore as much to him, that following his path and discovering <em>what</em> he was meant to be, would lend him the Strength he needed. This damn thing was like that Knight; imprable, a barrier on his path he couldn¡¯t force his way through with simple, raw power. He couldn¡¯t kill it. No matter how desperately he needed to get past it. No matter how much his dreams relied on the bastard on the other side.


    <em>Chivalry.</em>


    What was he meant to aplish with this life? Fury was but a tool; but what good was the tool if he couldn¡¯t use it to fulfill his vow?


    <em>Please.</em>


    Erec screamed in rage¡ªgrabbing the axe off his back. His body heaved with anger as breath came in gasps, his veins constricted as his muscles bulged and steamed, as if even the sweating off him was burning up. Scorching through him as he let Fury im him as much as before, diving him into hell and pushing himself to the absolute limit. He could hear the surrounding voices, hear his friends¡¯ nervous questions as he lost sight of anything but this barrier.


    Walking the path of Knighthood. What did it mean? He¡¯d made his promise to himself; to find her and get the answers he¡¯d wanted for so long. To drag her back. To have his familyplete once more.


    Anything. He¡¯d do anything for that; abandon the Kingdom, walk across the desert, and give his life.


    The silver fire surged beneath the hell. He pictured that Knight; himself d in silver armor. A figure untouched by any. More powerful than Erec could ever be, as he was. There hadn¡¯t been hatred in the Knight as he took the blows set forth by Erec. But, he knew, if that man were to engage in a full fight, that hate would surge to the surface as an unstoppable ocean of killing intent. The ability to wield a weapon was the cornerstone of being a Knight; what could a man protect himself if not for his weapon? How might he fulfill his promises and vows?


    The silver mes burned out of Erec; circling him and setting his entire body ame, he let it free and felt it move around him like falling into an ocean.


    His instincts sharpened, and the anger found a ce to anchor. It was simply what he needed to do to fulfill his vow. The silver fire pulled together from his body¡ªwrapping itself up the shaft of the axe and grew, shaping into the same intricate weapon from when he¡¯d fought the Knight; a weapon fit for him. Not made of metal, but borne into the world on a wave of will and hate.


    Erec screamed, everything in him straining to lift the axe coated with a silver fire above his head¡ªhe struggle, taking a couple of steps back as his legs shook. Then he threw himself forward, the axe arcing downward right into the b of steel. <em>Sow twice what I reap.</em>


    The edge rent through steel with a bang, a plume of fire shooting outward from where the steel bent to the axe¡ªbefore it slid all the way through and dug into the ground beneath; the me sputtered out and Erec was left with his axe, legs wobbling as he stepped backward from the falling doorway. His whole body was in pain as a notification forced its way into view.


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): Rank F - Tier 9 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 1


    His legs gave out as the axe slipped out of his hand; beyond the door, he could hear shouts.


    They¡¯d gotten past, but not without alerting the enemy.

 Chapter 159: Snaked

    Chapter 159: Snaked


    After the initial shouts of surprise, came the grabbing of guns.


    Erec twitched, trying to retreat and find cover, but his legs refused to cooperate. Where did that axe from and why did it vanish when he needed it? The thing barely held in his hands had nowhere near the level of power he needed.


    They were taking tactical positions. He saw them shifting about ahead. But the sudden shock of the barrier opening caught them by surprise¡ªthey mustn''t have been able to hear them outside of the door.


    Colin stepped between Erec and the room, his hands weaving a glyph. In a second, a thick wall of ice rose like a curtain, cutting them off from the room. Bullets mmed into the barrier a couple of secondster, a blind volley from the defenders. The ice chipped and cracked ahead of them, and on the other side, a ball of fire mmed into the barrier.


    But Colin didn¡¯t wait for his spell to copse. After putting the wall up, he wove arger glyph¡ªhis hand outward as a moreplex form of deep purple spun into the air; his hand crackled as sparks burst from his arm.


    For Colin to act first¡ªand actually present himself as a contender on the battlefield was baffling.


    But with Erec¡¯s body refusing to move, he could only watch in awe the moment the ice shatter.


    Colin brought his hands together, and a thread of light rammed itself through the glyph¡ªbursting into a tree of lightening that snapped from the narrow point of his palms and tore into the room like a tempest, cracking into unknown assants and turning the standoff into a ughterhouse. Burnt flesh and screams responded from the interior¡ªbut there were no bullets that flew at them.


    Stronger than the typical spell he flung; how had he made such a breakthrough? Was that lightning the result of his soul? Either way, he¡¯d drawn clear first blood. But then¡­


    That was it. He twitched and then convulsed as a bolt of electricity sparking off of him rebounded and hit him instead, slipping to the side and gasping.


    It had to be. Like Erec¡¯s silver mes, but less developed. Colin was, without a doubt, out of the fight. But he¡¯d bought them time. Erec needed to get in the room and disable Seven-Snakes before he tried to run. Erec let out a grunt, trying to force his legs to cooperate and stand up. They were numb, wrung out, but it wouldn¡¯t stop him. Colin¡¯s act of defiance jump sparked Fury into spiraling once more, igniting and burning through the inertia.


    But he wasn¡¯t alone¡ªGarin grabbed him by the shoulder as he rose, pushing him past the threshold and into the battlefield as their targets were recovering from Colin¡¯s sudden attack; sensing his intent.


    The interior was smaller than Erec might¡¯ve predicted. Not a vault at all, but a kind of living chamber. Completed by turned over sofas, what had been a pleasant dining room table. A Magi was bleeding out on the ground; his skin tore and seared, with odd veins on his body. Another man was leaning against the wall, gun dropping as his arm convulsed. Another Magi was hiding behind a door, shifting slightly to look and no doubt cast a spell.


    Seven-Snakes flung open the door to what appeared to be a bedroom¡ªa revolver swaying to take a shot.


    Erec shoved Garin to the side and flung himself forward, spinning across the ground as the gun went off and its bullet skidded against a wall. Erec quickly crawled behind a flipped table. Garin was crouched beneath a counter.


    ¡°You brats again?¡± Seven-Snakes called out, shocked. ¡°Get up, fuckers. Die early and with dignity.¡±


    A challenge. The fool was going to challenge him¡ªHe was too far to reach in a single bound, not without getting shot. But the others were gathering their bearings after Colin¡¯s attack. The problem was Erec would catch a bullet without his Armor; catching it in the wrong ce would end the fight. He didn¡¯t have Enide¡¯s speed, but he knew what he had to do. Erec adjusted, trying to maximize his posture to get a good sprint in; he wouldn¡¯t lose this opportunity, even if the risk was death.


    He needed answers.


    Another bullet flew, tearing through the wooden table and exposing it as the weak amount of protection it was, to begin with.


    Fog spilled into the room; rapidly filling the chamber and cutting off the view. <em>Morgana</em>. There had to be wolves about in that mist, based on the cries of rm. She¡¯d gotten involved. Which meant that Seven-Snakes was now liable to fly into fleeing like the coward he was. They wouldn¡¯t be enough to hold him down and capture him, Erec was sure of that.


    With a yell, Erec sprang forward, dropping his axe for a different weapon: the table. He rushed to where Seven-Snakes wasst. Using the makeshift ram, he smashed the table into someone and tossed it against a wall¡ªlooking at the twitching body beneath.


    It was sinking into the ground.


    <em>No.</em>


    Erec¡¯s hand snapped down, his fingers desperately trying to grab at the sinking figure; another gunshot went off from below, the aim too wide. There. His fingers wrapped around a neck¡ªand then with a grunt, he yanked upward, pulling Seven-Snakes from the ground, his grip a vice as he held onto his prey. His muscles screamed as Seven-Snakes kicked in his choke-hold, the gun dropping as the bastard¡¯s desperate hands tried to force him away from his throat.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me what I want or you will die.¡± Erec tightened his grip even further. The violent storm within him barely contained. He knew all it would take was a little more force. The barest bit and that windpipe would crush beneath his fingers and put an end to this slinky rat that slipped from shadow to shadow. Fury was a tool, and it¡¯d let him take what he wanted.


    His arm shook as Seven-Snakes slowly choked out within his grasp. Once he stopped struggling, Erec let up¡ªlooking around at the mist surrounding him. He saw the suggestion of wolves forming around him, circling, guarding. Outside of it, he heard Garin talking¡ªhis friend had taken down someone, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any more fighters left.


    Slowly, the fog swept away to reveal aplete victory.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°What do you know about this map?¡± Boldwick pointed to thein-out sheaf of paper in front of them; they¡¯d taken control of an empty building not far away from where they¡¯d captured Seven-Snakes, and the ce was an absolute dump. Dusty and a waste of space, considering all the people outside of Vega who¡¯d have been more than happy to convert it into housing.


    It pissed Erec off, but he had to satisfaction of taking his anger out on his grip on Seven-Snakes cor.


    The bastard shuffled in front of him, leaning over the broken table to look at the map. He turned to give Erec a nasty sneer and coughed, rubbing his throat.


    ¡°Never seen it before,¡± the man lied.


    Erec yanked him back by the cor; lifting him off the ground, a reminder of how he got here, and what Erec could do to him. Seven-Snakes kicked out feebly, cussing up a storm.


    ¡°Lie again, and I¡¯ll put you back to sleep. You¡¯ve seen my mother. I want answers.¡±


    Boldwick crossed his arms as he watched from the other side of the table, offering no help to the man. In fact, he hadn¡¯t issued Erec any orders; came in to help with the questioning. The level head to the situation, which Erec desperately needed. At any second, he felt like he might snap and beat Seven-Snakes into a barely functioning pulp of meat; and the calm voice in the room helped keep him under wraps.


    ¡°Fucking kid,¡± Seven-Snakes bitched, as Erec let his feet touch the ground again. He sneered as he took in the map. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t have marked it up like this. They¡¯re gonna be pissed if a priest sees it.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Boldwick replied.


    ¡°Eyes. It sees through the eyes,¡± Seven-Snakes pointed to his own and winked, ¡°And that¡¯s as much as they told me. Load of cryptic bullshit, sure. But it¡¯s what it is. My advice? Listen to what they tell you, since they know more than they should. Kind of their thing.¡±


    ¡°They? Who was with Dame Isolde?¡±


    ¡°Damn, you guys no jack-shit, huh? And that whore sleeping around with one of them is this kid¡¯s mom. Are you sure¡ª¡°


    Erec didn¡¯t even hesitate. He flipped Seven-Snakes around and smashed a fist into his jaw. The bastard slunk to the floor, head hitting the table as he fell.


    ¡°Olivia,¡± Boldwick called, leaning down against the table and sighing.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Erec said, even if he didn¡¯t feel sorry at all. His fuse was short, and Fury was still ring in his chest, a constant sensation that refused to burn away.


    ¡°You had a right to what you did, but I caution you this; no amount of force is going to make that man fear you. It might make him think twice before saying the wrong thing in a position of weakness, but he will not cower and consider that he may have been in the wrong. It¡¯s only going to build resentment.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. He¡¯s going to the Magi after we get what we need. He¡¯s their problem then, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°That much is true. But you can never tell when an enemy you¡¯ve made will return seeking revenge; take yourself and him. Do you think he expected you to be such a thorn in his side? No. But here we are. Why don¡¯t you take a walk¡ªnow that we¡¯re aware of his tricks, we can counter them easily.¡±

 Chapter 160: Blue Castles

    Chapter 160: Blue Castles


    <em>¡°I don¡¯t envy Jennie the man,¡± thought Vncy sincerely¡ªyton Markley was not one of her many ideals¡ª¡°but I do envy her the house. It¡¯s such a nice young house. Oh, if I could only have a house of my own¡ªever so poor, so tiny¡ªbut my own! But then,¡± she added bitterly, ¡°there is no use in yowling for the moon when you can¡¯t even get a tallow candle.¡±</em>


    <em>In dreand nothing would do Vncy but a castle of pale sapphire. In real life she would have been fully satisfied with a little house of her own. She envied Jennie Lloyd more fiercely than ever today. Jennie was not so much better looking than she was, and not so very much younger. Yet she was to have this delightful house. And the nicest little Wedgwood teacups¡ªVncy had seen them; an open firece, and monogrammed linen; hemstitched tablecloths, and china-closets. Why did everythinge to some girls and nothing to others? It wasn¡¯t fair.</em>


    <em>-L. M. Montgomery, The Blue Castle, (1926, 2nd Era)</em>


    Erec took a deliberately long trek through Vega, away from the safe house theymandeered from a condemned building deep in the city. He double-tracked, wound, and twisted through streets, anything that crossed his mind to throw off <em>anything</em> that might track where he was.


    Besides, he needed to clear his head.


    This temporary situation would soon pass. The moment Boldwick handed him over to the Pendragons¡ªand thus to the Council, they¡¯d have whatever information they needed.


    Sometimes, it was best to acknowledge if you weren¡¯t the correct person for a mission; just like Garin wasn¡¯t the person they sent in to wreck a door or beat the shit out of a monster, <em>he</em> wasn¡¯t the person to trick information out of someone. Still, that acknowledgment stung. Of course, it did. Especially since he knew he wouldn¡¯t be the first person to learn more about his mother. His being in the room would only continue to dy that. His frustration at being unable to do everything himself wasn¡¯t new, and maybe it ran in the family if Bedwyr was any sign.


    So, he had to kill time.


    With hands in his pockets, his eyes trailed the lights advertising on the street. Food, drinks, and women or men, if that was your preference. Vega didn¡¯t care. If you had chips, it was yours.


    As much as he tried to distract himself by feasting on the sights and sounds of the city, he kept thinking of his brother. Of his childhood. The two had been much happier and thrived before she vanished. And when she was gone, that¡¯s when Bedwyr changed. When he changed, he supposed, trying to plod along after his older brother, to catch up and remove that distance between them.


    Though he told himself he didn¡¯t have a destination in mind, his feet conspired to head to Enide¡¯s hotel.


    [Brooding, huh?] VAL asked. [Retrospection is fine and all, but your anxiety is steadily rising. Heart rate, too. Oh, and we¡¯re heading to the Pendragon¡¯s hotel. Are you about to celebrate your victory over Seven-Snakes?]


    ¡°No, I just¡­ Don¡¯t understand why my mom left. Who was she with that was that important? I wanna¡­ Well, I feel anger towards her right here.¡± He set a fist on his heart, the chip still clutched in his palm. ¡°If I see her again, if this leads back to her, then what? Do I kill the thing that tore her away from us? Do I drag her back to the Kingdom? What if she was right, and I never¡ª¡°


    [You know, you tend to get into your own head far too often for your own good. Finish the walk and go blow off steam with your girlfriend. Boldwick¡¯ll call you back before you know it. Then, with more information, we can assess and evaluate the most prudent path forward. Don¡¯t get locked up in the details. As much as it pains to admit, perfection can often be the barrier to progress, and considering things you won¡¯t know until they¡¯re present is a fast track to freezing yourself in ce.]


    Erec let that go and slipped the chip back into his pocket, taking the words to heart.


    Shortly after, he made his way to Enide¡¯s hotel. To her room. Convincing her to step out with him was as easy as possible. Effortless, and she readily agreed to a date and dinner. The night transformed from one of frustration at his own abilities orck thereof to one of pure joy.


    They ate, they danced, and they loved.


    He kept the knowledge of finding Seven-Snakes from his lips since they¡¯d tell the Pendragons soon enough. Luckily, she didn¡¯t seem to care. That wasn¡¯t a worry for tonight, but one for tomorrow. Each second, each minute in herpany, was one without reference to the future, one of enjoyment. They let the night, the sensations, and the emotions dwell and live without corruption.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°Wake up, hero. Someone¡¯s knocking.¡± Enide said from the end of the bed, already dressing. Thankfully, she hadn¡¯t opened the hotel room curtains and let him sleep in. He groaned and, for a moment, rejected the idea of getting out of the covers until he remembered why someone knocking on his door might be an urgent reason to get up.


    He rubbed his eyes. Listening to the soft but insistent knock¡ªit was at the hotel room door, not against his bedroom. Meaning that it wasn¡¯t Garin checking in on him. Wearily, he slid out of bed, found pants, and threw them on, doing his best to ignore Enide¡¯s whistle. He gave her a shrug, then went out the door.


    Where was Garin, anyway?


    He hadn¡¯t been in the room when they returned; did he stay the night in that grungy condemned building?


    Shirtless and burning with curiosity, he opened the door.


    What greeted his eyes was entirely unexpected and immediately made him form a fist. There was an Arch-Magi. Right there. But not only just <em>an</em> Arch-Magi, the bastard who was wrapped in bandages. The cause of Seven-Snakes escaping and leading them into this whole mess.


    Erec hesitated, hand shaking as the fires burned him out from within. Should he punch this guy? m the door and tell Enide to run? Rush for his axe and spill enough blood in the hallway to fill an elevator? The war of indecision rolled through him in an instant before he settled on a choice. It wasn¡¯t the most violent option, but this was an <em>arch-magi. </em>As curious as he was to see how he stacked up, it¡¯d be a fool¡¯s mission to assume he¡¯d get away with fighting one in their city.


    Fight, flight, or hide¡ªall valid tactics.


    <em>Act shocked. Give nothing away. </em>


    He firmed his resolve, fixed his face the best he could, and spoke. ¡°I remember you, the one with bandages; you¡¯re one of the Magi. What did I do to deserve such an honor?¡±<em></em>He raised his voice enough so that Enide would know the situation. His eyes locked on the man, the way he might watch a vicious monster waiting for it to make its move. Even though he did his best to strip his face of emotion, he couldn¡¯t talk himself into unclenching his fist. A gesture that he didn¡¯t think went past the bandaged Arch-Magi.


    ¡°Erec of Cindrus, or rather Erec of House Audentia?¡± the man asked, his voice raspy and thin.


    ¡°That¡¯s me. Though it¡¯s house Audax, now.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Well, now that I¡¯ve confirmed your identity¡ªwould you be so polite as to ept an invitation for breakfast? I would dearly enjoy the opportunity to converse with you sans the retinue of Knights who are currently busy interrogating my associate.¡± The man let out thatst sentence with a mirthless droll.


    <em>This is bad.</em>


    Was he going to abduct Erec? Use him as a bargaining chip? He knew they had Seven-Snakes¡­ But where were the other Knights? If he shouted, would they help? But then, Enide was back there. He didn¡¯t want her to get tied up in this either; she didn¡¯t even know about Seven-Snakes. The best he could hope was that she¡¯d wait until he was gone. Maybe track down Boldwick to tell him what happened as long as she didn¡¯t get tied up in this.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. If I were nning to kidnap you, I wouldn¡¯t go through these formalities.¡± The Arch-Magi said.


    ¡°Make that breakfast for three,¡± Enide said. Slipping out of Erec¡¯s room, she moved right next to him, throwing a familiar arm over Erec¡¯s shoulder and boldly sizing up the Arch-Magi. His chest clutched, but he had to admit having her at his side made this easier. ¡°Threats and the promise of violence are my favorite side for breakfast, and this one seems to have potential for that in spades.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I can make it a meal for three if you so wish. Will you two follow me, or will that be an issue?¡±


    [Follow him onto the strip. I wouldn¡¯t advise making a scene out there since they¡¯d take his side as an Arch-Magi of this city, but it¡¯d give you much more space to run.]


    Erec took a deep breath, feeling the weight of Enide leaning on him. As casually as she tried to put on there for their uninvited friend, he could feel her heart racing as quickly as his.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat then. I am hungry.¡± Erec agreed.


    Time. If they had time, they could consider what to do¡ªbut the fact that this man approached them also piqued his interest. This was the scum working with Seven-Snakes¡­ But what if it was more than that? What if this man knew more than what Seven-Snakes was trying to achieve? All he¡¯d seen was that vision; who was to say this guy couldn¡¯t provide answers? And when else would he speak to him? Even if that chance carried with it a very unfortunate likelihood of demise.


    Then again.


    How strong was an arch-magi?


    That question made him burn, too, even if it was borne of arrogance supreme. With Enide¡­ Why did he feel like he could aplish anything?


    With a firmed resolve, he followed the traitor to this city out into the daylight of Vega.

 Chapter 161: Crossroads and Devils

    Chapter 161: Crossroads and Devils


    He¡¯d expected the stranger to drag them to some alley far away and far away from help; if that¡¯d had a chance of happening, they would¡¯ve made a break for it.


    Enide would get away, get help, and he might hold his own long enough to be arrested and for it all to sort itself out.


    But that didn¡¯t happen. They didn¡¯t end up going away from the strip, and the bastard was quiet as a corpse the entire trip, a walking, shambling weirdo of a man who hid his skin with bandages. He led their way through the dense crowds of Vega, and people parted, giving their group lingering stares. As strange as a sight that it may be, they knew their Arch-Magi.


    It was still morning, so an insane number of people weren¡¯t out and about, but those that were looked a little off, and likely hungover. They arrived at their destination, which was close to the Magi headquarters. Erec gave the massive ss pyramid a lingering stare, before turning his attention to the quaint yet well-advertised building in front of them. Arge neon-light sign pronounced it ¡°The Garden Of Eden.¡±


    And the inside¡­ Well, it led to a different world.


    As they strode through the door, the atmosphere entirely changed. Inside was a lush garden, grass under their feet, and a plethora of flowers decorating a meadow in the distance; pirs were erected around a massive square suspending a sheer canopy that filtered out the sunlight above. This whole ce was like a massive gazebo. Past the pirs was the aforementioned meadow, a rolling countryside of yellow and purple flowers, clouds, and a cleaner sky than Erec had <em>ever </em>seen.


    All around the garden were stone tables, filled to the brim with couples and groups with enough gumption to brave the early morning hours of the city. Dressed in suits and dresses that made Erec and Enide look like bottom-cavern rock tossers.


    Erec turned around to stare at the door they¡¯d gone through; instead of a wall and windows, there were more of the rolling fields of lush life that were unnatural to this world.


    ¡°Just¡­ What is this?¡± Enide asked, spinning around to take in, too.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. It¡¯s an illusion,¡± The Arch-Magi answered, nodding to a hostess as she ran up to their group. ¡°An area of expertise to my glyph research. And this establishment was well worth the investment of my resources. People call it one of the wonders of Vega, but then, almost every other thing on a block receives such a title. To me, it¡¯s a wonderful source of ie and a discrete ce for meetings.¡± he stepped past Erec, his hand curled into a fist. Then, he tapped it against thin air, making a dim echo as if he¡¯d hit a wall, despite it seeming to bounce off nothing.


    ¡°So. Those are the walls,¡± Erec nodded, filtering away that information. Given this man¡¯s talent for illusion¡­ Well, it didn¡¯t make for a very promising match-up against himself if it came down to it.


    ¡°I¡¯d based this ce off videos from the old-world, blended with personal experience with Gaia.¡±


    ¡°Gaia?¡± Enide asked.


    ¡°Ah, now that¡¯s¡­ Well, not exactly a well-kept secret, but I don¡¯t care to have a chat about that for now.¡± He waved his hand and barked off some quick instructions to the hostess instead. The girlunched into a whirlwind of staff activity, and quickly, the three of them were led to the ¡®back¡¯ of the establishment, which was a raised gazebo at a further point from the entrance. They stepped up the steps and sat down at a polished marble table. A waiter was there in a second. Erec asked for water, Enide called for whiskey, and then the waiter vanished, letting free pearl curtains to either side of the pirs marking the entrance to the raised gazebo.


    As the cloth closed, the rest of the restaurant vanished, including the noise. Leaving them seemingly alone in the middle of a dreamndscape.


    Any other time, this would¡¯ve been magical. Real or not. His eyes begged to roam and swim in the details of this ce; it was like the bio-caverns but much better. More natural. With more nts. Even the air had the scent and lightness to it that, deep down in the earth, they never could fully replicate.


    Instead, he had to focus to keep his attention on the Arch-Magi. The man was studying them with a barely disguised intensity. His eyes, where the bandages were parted, never left Erec¡¯s face. His chapped lips were curled in the smallest of smiles, though why, Erec could scarcely guess. All the same, it unnerved him and made him wonder if this was a mistake. If they were already deep in a trap too far for them to escape from.


    The waiter returned with their drinks, took an order from the Magi for food for the table, and then left.


    Only then did the Arch-Magi finallyunch into why he brought them here.


    ¡°Your group has made a grave error.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Erec said.


    ¡°Yesterday, you invaded one of my safe houses, In which was an associate by the name of Seven-Snakes. Now I¡¯m aware you attempted to bring him into Vega to face justice, and likely intend to turn back over my associate to the council. Your approach to this situation has been most unfortunate because, you see, we want the same thing.¡± He leaned back and swirled his ss of wine.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how we want the same thing at all. From where I sit, you¡¯ve gotten in the way of us receiving help from the Arch-Magi. Are you scared that Seven-Snakes will name you as helping him when we turn him in? Is that what this is?¡±


    ¡°I doubt your group would be foolish enough to name me. And if you did, it¡¯d scarcely matter. Arch-Magi is not a title gained through wealth but through power. Power leads to wealth. I have allies, and even the strongest on the council would be weary of making more of a direct move against me than a censure. It would be in your best interest to cooperate, not seek to make me a powerful enemy.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Enide cut in, eyes wide. ¡°You found Seven-Snakes?¡± she mmed a hand on the table, whiskey sshing out of her cup andnding on the Arch-Magi¡¯s robes. He nced at it, a frown, but didn¡¯t show more of a reaction.


    ¡°We did,¡± Erec confirmed. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t tell you¡­ We nned to turn him over to you guys as soon as we got what we needed.¡±


    ¡°The hell does he have that you want?¡± Enide asked, the raw anger dialing down as she saw Erec¡¯s conflicted expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely my point,¡± The Arch-Magi opened up with a wide smile. ¡°Why would you go to a rat of a man like Seven-Snakes? He would never be honest with you. He¡¯d lie to his mother if the price was right. Instead, you should have gone to the one he debriefed after returning and struck a deal. You¡¯re interested in the facility to the west, correct? Do you know that outsiders also are interested in it? Well, I know what they want, and I want to see these outsiders as well. You maybe be interested to know that among those outsiders is a former Knight, which your group is undoubtedly very keen to investigate if the rumours of your Kingdom are true. As you can see, I believe our interests coincide with this.¡±


    Enide sat back down and grabbed her whiskey, taking a deep drink. Erec almost regretted ordering water. <em>I owe her an apology when we get through this.</em> Even so, those words. This man knew what he was talking about and had the information they wanted.


    How in the hell could they trust him?


    Enide finished her drink, then leaned back with a deep frown. ¡°Alright. Bandages. So these Knights have you by the balls since they got your rat. And you¡¯re trying to cut a deal. Don¡¯t pretend you aint, and act like it don¡¯t matter. The angle¡¯s all wrong. Else you wouldn¡¯t be screwing around taking me and Erec to this restaurant; if you were going to kidnap us for leverage, you woulda already done it.¡±


    ¡°I already have what I need from Seven-Snakes. And, what I¡¯ve been told, we¡¯re all after the same thing. You require the Arch-Magi to breach the vault. I would <em>prefer</em> if we could leave out my involvement with Seven-Snakes when you turn him in, as it would make working together difficult. Within that vault is an object that will draw the outsiders out from hiding. No, I won¡¯t tell you, and I doubt you¡¯ll get that information from Seven-Snakes easily.¡± The Arch-Magi replied.


    The curtain shuffled; they shut up and studied one another in silence. It was a war of charged looks as five servers convoyed in an absolute feast. Food in an almost grotesque abundance filled the table; far more than three people could eat. There were pancakes topped with unearthly fruits,yered with cream and syrup, sprinkled with cinnamon and powder. Those alone took up a quarter of the table. Shoved next to the pancakes was half of a roasted pig, minus the head. The skin looked to be also coated with syrup. Then there were the sides. Sausages, eggs, and even more veggies and fruits that were unfamiliar. Which baffled Erec since he¡¯d rued a wide variety of agricultural information thanks to Dame Juliana and the bio-caverns. But those little square-like green cubes with supple skin like a grape? Yeah. No idea what that might be.


    All of this, and outside of this fake garden, real people starved not even fifteen miles away. The Arch-Magi dug in without a care as he let them hang on to his proposition.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve went to Boldwick first. If you intended to ally yourself with us,¡± Erec said, refusing to cut himself a piece of that pig. No matter how much this food made his stomach rumble with desire. Enide showed a simr restraint, though not within her cup. ¡°Why us?¡±


    ¡°This is my way of going to Boldwick. Through you, my message will be delivered, and thenter, we may converse. Now, I¡¯ll be blunt. I dn¡¯t have an intention of working with your group, as I have my own resources. Now, you can do me a favor, and instead we can cooperate. One of the outsiders is a former Knight, isn¡¯t that true? Normally, I <em>would</em> talk to your leader, but as things are, this situation will reach a rapid conclusion, and you were the best method of conveying my message in a timely manner.¡±


    Enide snorted. ¡°This is like one of those old stories.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The Archmage asked.


    ¡°My Ma told me that if you walked on a cross-roads, and had a want deep in your heart, you might reach across the veil. Before you knew what was happening, a devil would appear. It knows all the right words, tells you all the things you wanna hear, then offers you a deal. Best deal you can picture, since you get what you want, deep in you. He gives you it. And then it turns to ash in your hands, whole world falls apart, and then once they bury you, you get to spend the rest of your life with the devil, since that was his price.¡±


    ¡°This is nothing of the sort. My dear, this is how Vega operates, how any polite society functions. We call it quid-pro-quo.¡±


    [Well, it¡¯s not as if we¡¯re unaware of his ulterior motives. But, you need in that facility, and even then it¡¯s uncertain what within it is attracting the attention of your mother. This man has the information that you may or may not be able to shake free from Seven-Snakes. Though you may not like it, in business such arrangements aren¡¯t umon. Quid-pro-quo indeed.]


    There was a knock on the pir outside, and the Arch-Magi waved in a waiter¡ªthe man whispered in his ear, and then left in a hurry. The Arch-Magi cut himself another piece of pork, and then set his knife down.


    ¡°Ah, our time ising to a close. As a sign of good faith, I shall borate on what I meant by ¡®this situation will reach a rapid conclusion.¡¯ Right about now, the Church and a few key members are headed towards where your Knights set up to interogate my associate. I¡¯d rmend you go and intercede, and bring my message to your leader, before you all are detained by the Magi for starting a fight within our city.¡± The Arch-Magi said.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Not I. Don¡¯t worry, I have never worked for the church. Those Silver Eyes see things they shouldn¡¯t, and stick their noses in ces they don¡¯t belong. They¡¯ve been particrly keen on you Knights for thest couple of days, and I had wondered why. Even more concerning, as of yesterday a self proimed bishop to their farce of a religion wandered into the town, and red priests had stopped given their sermons, and holding hushed meetings, paying the fees nescessary to admit all of the red priests in the outer-city past the barrier.¡±


    Erec and Enide stood up. It was like back home. Back when they came in after him at his own manor; or when they¡¯de for his family after his mother¡¯s betrayal.


    But how? Out here?


    ¡°Now, I provide this information, again, in good faith. Move quick. Collect your Pendragons, and go off to your battle, where chaos will spiral outward, and the Magi will have toe and bring order. Tell your leader my offer; keep my association with Seven-Snakes our little secret, and you¡¯ll find me a most useful ally. Now. Go.¡± He waved them off.


    They didn¡¯t need more then that, like a whirlwind, they ran to the streets; only pausing for a second to plot before running off.


    ¡°Get your Armor and Axe, I¡¯ll drag my family to your hotel. Then we fuck up the priests. Deal?¡± She said, which after a nod, she vanished.


    Only to reappear in front of him, gripping a handful of his hair, pulling him to her level to nt an adrenaline-fueled kiss on his lips. She tasted like whiskey, and when she pulled back, there was a note of amusement in her eyes.


    ¡°I forgive you for omitting your find, for now. But when you and I roll off alone together, you better be spilling your secrets in the future before some assholeses up and drags them out, alright?¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± He said, reeling as she once more vanished.


    He didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it, instead, he began to run. Letting fury ignite in him to power him along the ground, each pump of his legs throwing him through the air, but it wasn¡¯t quick enough. Memories of the church storming his house when he was a kid ran through his mind like a monster¡¯s w through a body. They brought pain, panic, and anger.


    This time, it¡¯d be different.

 Chapter 162: Two Families

    Chapter 162: Two Families


    <em>¡°House Nitidus, one of the great duchies of our Cavern, was first established in the year 201, as the second son of King Socrete was granted both thend and rank for his exceptional aplishments on the field of battle in the ranks of the Knights.</em>


    <em>Headed by Lord Racemes, like all great ducal lines, Lord Racemes swore to turn his lineage into the sword hand of the Kingdom. The hand for which the King would depend for shows of force and might which would be visible to the public eye. Under the tenor of Lord Racemes, the new Ducal house cemented itself as a force of renown. This was in purposeful difference to that of Lord Racemes Great Uncle¡¯s house, House Luculentus. </em>


    <em>The two, therefore, were immediately put into ces of contesting ideologies.</em>


    <em>House Luculentus served as the hand in the shadows, though they did not receive the glory of the public, King Socrete rewarded themvishly in private.</em>


    <em>So, did King Socrete follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, King Restfos, and establish two contesting points of power to provide the crown yet another avenue of bncing the scales, should any too powerful figure arise within his Kingdom."</em>


    <em>- Princess Manilva, Archive Of Crisimus Family Affairs: Volume 3 (283, 3rd Era)</em>


    Blood flowed on the Vega streets¡ªGarin clocked one of the red-robed priests in the face with a curled fist; his nose broke, but the sound of the crack Erec would have expected wasn¡¯t present. In fact, despite the chaos and fighting of the Knights and priests not that far away, there was no sound.


    And the only thing to me was a thin barrier, which gave a light glow. Impossible to see in the middle of the day without getting right next to it.


    Erec mmed a hand on the barrier, then pressed against it with an open palm, trying to pop the bubble.


    Within the bubble, Dame Robin danced around three men. Metal warped around her from a street pole she¡¯d severed, using thin strands like whips, scoring against the enemies and making them bleed.


    It was obvious that, for now, the Knights were restraining their force. But the Priests were pressing in, their hands filled with makeshift scraps and weapons that had just as much chance of killing as any sword. They were less trained, but these were people with full exposure to the wastnd. Not novices by any stretch, even if their job wasn¡¯t war and battle.


    And they outnumbered his allies. A rate of five-to-one. This many priests being in Vega was a shock.


    But despite the restraint, there were wounds. Colin had a tear on a bicep; multiple priests were face-down in pools of blood. It was already spiraling out of control and headed nowhere good soon.


    Erec had seen war with the Stag. He knew, amid such a chaotic battle, that any stray weapon could lead to injury, and the Knights had not their armor. They didn¡¯t have the tools to limit that sort of hap-hazard fatal injury. Vigor helped prevent that, but¡­ Well, it wasn¡¯t Colin¡¯s strong point; he couldn¡¯t know what everyone else was capable of.


    Not everyone was there. Olivia¡ªDame Morgana, and the Duke¡­ They hadn¡¯t been in the hotel, and he hadn¡¯t the time to track them down.


    Boldwick spiraled between the fighting, a wooden board in his hand. He smashed it into a priest and flung the poor bastard all the way into the barrier. But he didn''t have time to rest. A Cardinal darted in his path, a barrel-chested man with ill-fitting burnt robes and wild hair that reminded Erec more of an animal than a man. He flung a spear of light at the Master Knight. Boldwick dropped the wooden board and focused his will into a red glyph that sparked a wall of fire between them.


    The man didn''t hesitate, despite the wall of me. Instead, the Cardinal crossed his arms in front of one another and charged forward like a bull, bursting through the veil of fire. It spiraled off him like aet as he ran on a crash course with Boldwick. He sputtered to a stop as Boldwick cranked a fist into the guy''s stomach.


    Any lesser man would''ve been tossed aside from a direct hit from a Master Knight of Boldwick''s caliber, but while the Cardinal reeled, he didn''t go anywhere.


    "Damn, they''re all crammed in that bubble," Enide said as she appeared beside Erec. The Pendragons were still a couple of blocks away, butpared to Erec rushing forward in Armor and Enide''s speed, they couldn''t have hoped to keep pace. "I could get in. But all the help we brought doesn''t mean much with this bubble here. Think they got a guy on the outside keeping it up?"


    Erec searched the surroundings. Too many buildings. If that¡¯s what their y was, and it probably was, trying to suss out the hidden barrier-maker would be difficult and waste precious time. Each second in there, the fight was only escting. And while the Knights were holding up without significant injury, it was risky to let it prolong without reinforcements, especially if things got desperate.


    <em>Those fucking priests.</em>


    Erec clenched a hand, his blood starting to burn as he looked at those red cloaks swarming. Their silver eyes were wild, open, and filled with violence.


    They¡¯d tossed aside the pretense of their organization and shown what they were deep down¡ªmonsters, as much as those in the wastes. Without warning or apparent reason, they¡¯d decided to go andunch a full-on assault against the Knights. People they didn¡¯t even know.


    Though a wastnd separated them, how different were these priests from those in the Kingdom? When he looked in those eyes, there was the same silver. He¡¯d only known one good priest his entire life, but that man hadn¡¯t taken that look on him that they all got. Eventually, they all had those hollow silver eyes that sought to rule and push their power onto others.


    Colin and Garin found one another on the battlefield¡ªwith awe, Erec watched Munchy jump from Garin''s shoulder onto Colin. He crossed over the boy''s shoulder, thenunched himself at a priest. The little monsters went straight for the eyeballs. Blood streaked down the man''s face, and Colin took full advantage of the reprieve, a purple glyph sparked in front of him. Then, he burst forward into a lightning bolt into the guy''s chest.


    Munchy scrambled away, and Garin blocked another blow meant for Colin''s side.


    But they didn''t see the third man, who smashed a bat into Colin''s skull and sent the noble to the ground.


    Inferno. It burned in Erec; his muscles went tense. A nce at Enide to his side, and he saw her indecision. She was a split second from popping in to help, but he would be stuck out here. The Pendragons would walk up and be as powerless as him. Even now, Garin was moving to defend his fallen friend, Boldwick was too preupied, and Dame Juliana had five of the clergy on her. They didn''t have enough people, and this fucking bubble, this thin membrane, was all that separated them from the help that coulde and save the day.


    It wouldn¡¯t block his way. That barrier to Seven-Snakes hadn¡¯t, and neither would this.


    Fire roiled in him like an ocean; he knew what to look for. Beneath that fire was a silver magma; he pulled at it, siphoning it through him and letting it burn through his veins. His muscles shifted, and he yanked the axe off his back, widened his stance, and lifted the wicked weapon far above his head. This was the power he¡¯d taken, not one he¡¯d been given. He was sure of that. There was no longer the Goddess¡¯ blessing in him, only an acknowledgment.


    Strength was the ability to take what you wanted. Not a thing could stand in that way, a roiling storm that bent the world to its whim. And with that Strength, he would y those who threatened his friends.


    That was his chivalry.


    Silver mes caught from his hand, climbing the side of the axe, and bled into the metal, doubling the weapon''s size. It was the same weapon he wielded against the Knight, the one he broke the b with. His weapon, he understood. And power radiated off it like light from the sun.


    The strain of wielding it grew; it was like lifting a mountain. Even with the Armor augmenting his might, he felt the joints strain and his body arch backward as the mighty weapon threatened to bend his back before it snapped. He ignored the sensation. Ignoring the mounting pain, adrenaline ran through him, and his vision reddened. The pathway was clear. He¡¯d open the barrier, storm the field, and y those damned priests. All he needed was to spring forward and cleave through the only thing blocking him.


    Power. Strength. Might.


    He snapped forward suddenly, abs contracting, shoulders straining, back screaming. Every bit of him, from the toes pressing against the earth to his fingers gripping the handle of the shifting metal axe, each fiber of him gave way, all of it dedicated to a sudden act of violence.


    His axe screamed through the air, cleaved straight through the barrier, and burst the bubble in a pop of light. It didn¡¯t stop there; the moment the weapon hit the ground, the earth split and white fire bubbled up from a line as one of the priests fell within, screaming as the sound from the fight inside once more rejoined the outside world. Erec reveled in the sensation of power in him, in the axe in his hands. In the supreme confidence that he could handle this, he could fell all of these red-wearing bastards and teach them what it meant to face the yer of the White Stag.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Enide whistled as Erec let himself take a single deep breath, his body convulsing. ¡°You know, big fan of your problem-solving skills. Now the party can get started. Backup¡¯s just around the corner, think I¡¯m going to join the fun,¡± she winked, then vanished.


    Sweat ran from his brow despite the whirring of cooling within the Armor. Enide appeared before him, kicking one of the priests into the ming hole he¡¯d torn into the earth. How deep, or how hot it was, outside of his head. They were fighting to kill; that was the way of this world. The Strong would rise above all and im victory.


    The silver axe vanished, returning to its regr form. That¡¯s all he needed now. With it, he could cause enough destruction. And he was confident that should the asion call for it, he might bring that weapon back to his hands.


    Dame Robin tore through a priest¡ªanother tried to get at Colin, Garin taking a spiked lump of wood against his arms. Dame Juliana had grabbed her swords, and Boldwick had swapped to lethal intent¡ªthe battlefield turned towards its most natural course, and they would win.


    Erec¡¯s blood pumped; it was time to join. He tried to take a step to the left to dart in¡­


    And his body failed; his legs gave out. VAL stiffened the joints and prevented him from falling onto his face.


    <em>What?</em>


    No. This wasn¡¯t eptable, there was more in him. He knew it. He needed to ughter these priests for daring to attack him, taking away his mother, ruining his family, and driving him out of the Kingdom. They needed to pay the price in blood.


    He surged as much fire as he could, even dropping the axe in his hand to push forward, to force his body into action. Why would he need it anyway? With these metal fists, he¡¯d have enough of a tool to destroy. Erec let loose a scream that turned a couple of their heads, but his legs weren¡¯t responding; they kept convulsing. No matter how much anger and rage he pushed through them.


    [Take it easy, big guy. The calvary is here.]


    Pendragons rushed by a momentter, joining the battle.


    Things got worse, at least for the red cloaks. Enide¡¯s pack had no association with the church, and as they¡¯d been informed, Seven-Snakes was also in the mix. Blood spilled, but they didn¡¯t have to worry about any serious injuries on <em>their</em> side. In the distance, Boldwick shoved a sword through the cardinal, pulling it free and decorating the bastard¡¯s crimson cloak with even more red stter. Ance of holy energy crashed into the Master Knight a momentter, ripping into his arm.


    He screamed but refused to go down.


    An explosion from one of the Pendragons¡ªgunfire going off. With the bubble popped and bystanders having seen the violence, no concealing this any longer existed.


    All Erec could do was watch. Safe in his Armor but unable to join. That move pushed him too far. Took too much still. Using it before a battle it was too much of a risk. Even Fury was starting to falter and wane despite all the violence he was watching.


    It wasn¡¯t a surprise that the Magi arrived after the bloodletting reached a crescendo. Completed with an Arch-Magimanding their force¡ªnot the man in bandages, but the guy with a pompadour. He cast a glyph, and time slowed; everyone struggled to move as the air between them grew thick as syrup. A grand working of magic, something on par with what he might expect of Grandmaster Oak; the guy walked in the middle of the battlefield, running ab through his hair, not even sweating, despite the fact he¡¯d suddenly held back multiple high-ranking Knights.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s an end to this party,¡± he looked at the blood spilling from one of the priests. ¡°You¡¯re all under arrest and will being with me to the pyramid, ya dig?¡±

 Chapter 163: Last Night In Vega

    Chapter 163: Last Night In Vega


    Unlikest time, this visit to the ss Pyramid was much more hostile. They rushed processing. The Magi handling the group of Pendragons and Knights weren''t sure how to manage them, given they''d just killed other non-citizens in their streets. So, they found a medium ground in that they didn''t say a word to the prisoners. Nope, they threw glyph-shackles on the Pendragons and Knights. Then, they shoved them into the council room for the Arch-Magi, which was noticeably absent any Arch-Magi. Still, when they left, the ck veil around them closed and sealed them in, as well as any cell. Whatever magic made this a ce of power had enough juice to make it near-impossible for sealed prisoners to break free from, or so they thought.


    Like that, they left them in an utterly ck void to await judgment while sorting out the mess.


    Under Boldwick''s orders, they cooperated the best they could, including handing over all their weapons. And yes, that meant Erec handed over his Armor¡ªit made him extremely nervous since VAL''s real ''body'' was in it, but what could he do? Given the first chance alone with Boldwick, he''d delivered the Arch-Magi''s message, and that was that.


    Everything was out of his hands, and he had to do his best to keep himself together.


    Having Enide at his side made it easier. She leaned against him, a big grin on her face, along with some blood. The sight drove him wild despite the situation. It was a good distraction.


    They kept saying the ¡®bodies,¡¯ but really, how many priests had the Knights killed? They¡¯d had their hands forced since the red robes went in with lethal intent. He¡¯d personally dropped two into a fire pit¡­ And hoped, well, wished it hadn¡¯t been lethal.


    Erec looked over the notification in the corner of his vision. It¡¯d been there since the fight, but in the rush, he didn¡¯t take the time to look.


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): Rank D - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 2


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll do the talking when theye in,¡± Boldwick said to Rochester, ¡°They have Seven-Snakes; I suppose they probably intend to take the other Knights into custody before judgment. I believe our stay in this ce has reached its end. Regardless of the deal that Arch-Magi offered.¡±


    ¡°Easye, easy go,¡± Yniol grumbled under his breath.


    Rochester rubbed his tattoos, but he seemed the most nonplussed out of those in charge. ¡°It¡¯ll all work out fine, we heard the kids. The enemy of yesterday could always be the friend of today. And then, tomorrow, if you decide he needs a bullet in his head, that¡¯s an issue for the next day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m notfortable with this. And as much as I hate to admit it, there¡¯s a point. Right now, we do what it takes to leave Vega, hopefully not on irreparable terms with their council. Once we¡¯re out of this city, we can reevaluate our options. The next destination is clear, and we¡¯ll be traveling with your lot, so that is fine enough. If we leave without help, we¡¯ll have to determine if an Arch-Magi is needed to breach it,¡± Boldwick replied.


    ¡°Aye, on that, we agree. We get in our rides and fly out of dodge. Or that¡¯s how the saying goes. But don¡¯t forget, absent this deal, we have a favor with the Council. They have their hands on Seven-Snakes and are bound to the terms. There¡¯s more than one road out of Vega.¡±


    The two of them went on like that, putting together a strategy the best they could. The senior members of the Pendragon Pack and the rest of the Knights joined in, sorting the logistics of an exit. Should it be allowed?


    That¡¯s what leadership meant. Not to dwell on the unsaid, the idea that the Council might not let them free. Given their desires to tie themselves to the Kingdom, there was a good chance they would if it opened up, but this wasn¡¯t the Kingdom. Nor was it the wastnd. They hadws and ways of doing things, which could end with them all thrown in cells if it was stringent enough. But they didn¡¯t want to put that thought in the head of those under them, even if they were there under the surface.


    Enide let out a yawn. ¡°So, Garin, that was some decent fighting. I didn¡¯t realize you had an attack squirrel, though. How long did you take to train him to pull that off, he doesn''t seem like much of a fighter?¡±


    Munchy grunted on the boy¡¯s shoulder, twitching with rage. His hair was messy, and his whiskers had dried blood on them. Garin absently patted the creature, still working it down from the unexpected rampage. ¡°It¡¯s fight or flight. And since he saw we were fighting, I guess he put his lot in with ours, not training. Squirrels are brilliant.¡±


    ¡°Good squirrel,¡± Colin murmured, lying on the ground next to the three of them. After assessing their conditions, the Magi gave them an icepack to keep on his head. They¡¯d said he had a minor concussion and to let him not sleep for a few hours. ¡°Father will buy me one.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s irresponsible to take them from the bio-caverns,¡± Erec cut in to squash that idea. Garin doing it was bad enough, and Colin was spoiled sufficiently that if hemitted to the idea, he could make it a reality.


    ¡°He¡¯s not the type to keep a pet anyway. Not much of the loving sort. Daddy issues can do that sometimes.¡± Enideughed.


    ¡°My father is a hard-working man. A hero, you know.¡± Colin started to close his eyes.


    ¡°And¡­ Back to bed.¡± Erec sighed, gathered himself, then braced to move. His body was still fighting him for every inch, and his back screamed at the idea of squatting next to his friend to wake him up. But there wasn¡¯t much of a choice.


    Enide bumped into him to get his attention, then shook her head. Instead, she took charge of the patient, dropping to her knees beside Colin. She tapped the side of his face with her manacles, rattling the chains. After a couple of tries, his eyes opened back up. ¡°Morning, keep those bright eyes open alright? Until we can get you looked at better, no sleeping. Do we have an understanding?¡±


    ¡°Wench, I do what I wish, and shall not abide by a wastnd barbarian delivering demands.¡±


    ¡°Have it your way. But next time you close your eyes, it¡¯s a kick to the gut.¡±


    The threat was enough to convince him to stay awake. There were bruises all over his face, and out of them all, he was one of the most wounded. Dame Juliana had taken some slices and Dame Robin a nasty burn, but they could manage their wounds better. Higher Vigor yed arge role in that. So it made sense that they¡¯d need more to put them into the same state as Colin. She wasn¡¯t wrong about needing to wait for their healers to take a proper look; the only ones in the city who could¡¯ve done it were the ones they¡¯d just gotten into a bloody battle with.


    They weren¡¯t kept waiting long.


    Like a light flicking on, the view of a dark swirling void shed and burst into light. A bright burning sun was above, and below was the stunning view of Vega that projected the scene miles above the pyramid. The side of the sky opened up, altering the new scenery with the sight of a bunch of disgruntled Arch-Magi and their men filtering into the chamber. Behind them trailed the rest of the Knights and Pendragon''s they''d rounded up in thest few hours.


    Olivia rushed over to Garin, and Dame Morgana tittered and filtered over. Duke Nitidus nced at Colin with worry, but his face returned to steel stoicism. The Magi pushed them together into the chamber''s center while the Arch-Magi took their thrones.


    Once everyone settled, the Arch-Magi with the long white beard spoke. "Imagine my surprise to be disturbed in the middle of my bingo game with the news that the holy Knights of the Kingdom of Cindrus had been arrested for engaging in a violent and lethal conflict with the red robes decorating my city''s streets in priests'' blood. Among those arrested in the battle, even more shocking was the escaped convict Seven-Snakes, who those Knights had delivered to our fair city, and we lost."


    ¡°Quit beating around the bush. Throw them into Gaia as abor sentence, and be done with it.¡± The Arch-Magi woman with pointed teeth growled. ¡°Let¡¯s make it quick. I¡¯m busy and don¡¯t have time for this today.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all busy, Arch-Magi August. And hasty punishments are not the answer to solve that. Even if I were inclined to levy punishment and chose to ignore all of the potential repercussions from a foreign power or the opportunity cost of giving up on diplomatic rtionships, there¡¯s the matter of justice. The facts, as I see it, are this. They got into a massive conflict on our streets; none of the in were citizens of our city, and during it, they delivered a man lost on our watch. A man, who we owe them payment for bringing in.¡±


    ¡°Always going on about paying debt, aint ya, August? Don¡¯t ya feed that line to the suckers who don¡¯t pay off your loans?¡± The Arch-Magi with the pompadour spoke up and then snickered like he¡¯d made a joke.


    ¡°These aren¡¯t our people. We¡¯ve wasted enough time on them already for them to go around and pull a stunt like this. We should treat them how we treat any outsider causing trouble. Besides, if anything, this is proof the Kingdom is a bunch of steel thugs hell-bent on religious violence for a bitch in the sky.¡± Arch-Magi August¡¯s voice was getting shrill, but she wasn¡¯t backing down.


    ¡°You can scarcely argue that this is the type of religious violence corresponding to rumors. They killed priests, not heathens,¡± the Arch-Magi in bandages spoke up, earning a re from the bearded Magi.


    ¡°¡­This unfortunate event does have an uncertain logic to it, and facts are unclear. But by all ounts and testimony, the Knights didn¡¯t start the battle.¡± The leader nced to the rest of the council for any more interruptions. ¡°Now. Before we make any conclusions, let us hear the story as told by the participants in front of us. People whom I will remind this council that we intend to make diplomatic ties to in the future and their mercenary friends. Then, we can vote on how to handle this matter.¡± He said, folding his hands, leaning back in his chair, and raising an eyebrow at Boldwick and Rochester.


    The two took to their cue.


    ¡°The matter is simple. We tracked down Seven-Snakes and were in the process of figuring out the logistics to turn him over to your council. That¡¯s when the Red priests came up, threw up a barrier, and demanded that we repent and submit ourselves to the Goddess for judgment. Then, when I refused to concede to their authority, they assaulted us with the intent to kill. So, in turn, some among their number were killed by us.¡± Boldwick kept a straight face as he spoke. ¡°I do not pretend to know all thews in this city, but I have to assume self-defense is considered reasonable in the eyes of your council.¡±


    ¡°Aye, our pack¡¯sss came up talking about trouble for the Knights, and we¡¯re not one to abandon allies, so¡­¡± Rochester shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t know about Seven-Snakes, though.¡±


    ¡°Where was Seven-Snakes found?¡± The pointed-teeth Arch-Magi asked.


    ¡°The sewer,¡± Boldwick said.


    ¡°Annnnd¡­ How the hell did he get there?¡± she pressed in, leaning forward in her chair. ¡°Better yet, how did you find him when our magic couldn¡¯t.¡±


    Boldwick met her with a leveled gaze and an unflinching expression. ¡°Surely you¡¯re not questioning the capabilities of others? I don¡¯t know what assumptions you¡¯ve drawn, but my Knights are very skilled individuals with a wide repertoire of tools at our disposal. We searched for him since our contract hinged on finding him, and then we found him. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡±


    <em>He glossed over how he got there.</em>


    ¡°Alright, Mr. ¡®Very skilled,¡¯ then tell me why the fucking priests are fighting with zealots on our streets and quit pretending you don¡¯t know the answer.¡±


    ¡°Ask them. I cannot fathom why they are not our priests.¡± He didn¡¯t budge an inch.


    In response, the room flooded with an almost tangible and oppressive energy. The Arch-Magi leaned even more forward, her sneer growing wider as mana rippled off her. She was an inch away fromunching an attack, or so it felt to Erec. But surely that would be mad to do. None of the other Arch-Magi were stepping in the middle of it either, cowards. Watching from the sidelines. The man in bandages stared with rapt attention, but not even he, their supposed ally, was trying to deflect from this line of questioning.


    ¡°I will not make a pretense on how to tell your government how to do its job, but, as you¡¯ve pointed out. We delivered Seven-Snakes, and our allies are owed their payment for his delivery. I apologize for the conflict. But it was self-defense.¡± Boldwick crossed his arms. He stopped looking at the Arch-Magi with pointed teeth and instead focused on the bearded Magi. ¡°Are we done?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Very insightful. I can¡¯t help but believe some facts and motives are out of understanding, and perhaps we will never fully reason out the peculiar act of the red robes, as their ¡®bishop¡¯ is now deceased. Boldwick, self-defense is perfectly legal within our city, in proportion to threat and intent. Our brief interrogations with the priests has been¡­ inconclusive, as they im ignorance over the event, asserting that they woke up to being in by Knights. However, witness testimony ces them moving in mass towards the battle area. I won¡¯t dive too deep into your motives for holding onto Seven-Snakes and not immediately turning him over, as we <em>did</em> lose him in a secure transport.¡± He looked over the council, his attention lingering on the Arch-Magi with bandages. ¡°But¡­ As of now, he¡¯s in custody, and therefore we have a bounty to pay.¡±


    ¡°Aye, so let''s pay the debt and be done,¡± Pompadour ended with a sigh.


    ¡°¡­However, it is in the council''s interest to take a public stance on violence of this level. We do the same when gangsmit such acts, and this one has an odd religious air to it that will incite demands and questions from the public. Vega is hailed as the Jewel of the Wastnd because we¡¯re a ce that¡¯s seen as secure. A destination where even outsiders cane and forget their troubles. It¡¯s difficult to do so when rumors of priests and Armored men whispered about in the wastnd spilling blood in our street. So, it¡¯s not as simple as that. Not levying any punishment for this is bad public policy, yet we do not want to limit future opportunities with a potential ally over such strange urrences.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that, send them to Gaia.¡± Waved the pointy-toothed woman.


    ¡°I would have alternatives to such a proposal,¡± countered the bearded man.


    The bandaged Arch-Magi raised a hand, and the bearded one gave him a downright hostile look. His eyes burned as if he wereying this entire situation on the guy''s feet, which was true in a way. Not that the Knights had confirmed anything.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°The answer is simple. Kick them out of Vega and send a Magi with them to fulfill their favor. A single Magi. It can be seen as a token gesture to pay our debt while enforcing safety on our streets. In the future, we will send a delegation to the Kingdom and reinforce our looming diplomatic ties once this has faded from the public''s memory,¡± the bandaged man rasped.


    ¡°And who do you suggest is to go with them? Anyone willing to? Raise your hands now.¡±


    None of them did, including the bandaged man, which shocked Erec.


    The bearded magi narrowed his eyes. ¡°Considering the reasonable suggestion from the otherwise suspiciously quiet Arch-Magi Olfson, I think it most prudent to assign such a responsibility to him.¡±


    ¡°I cannot.¡± The bandaged man protested.


    ¡°All in favor. Vote.¡±


    Within seconds, the rest of the Arch-Magi overwhelmingly agreed with the bearded man¡¯s proposal. Part of it, Erec thought, was to remove this whole fiasco from being anywhere near their te, and they relished a chance to condemn one of theirpetitors on a mission out of the city. Some of them sought to punish him. Had he not known the guy¡¯s intent, he would¡¯ve thought him genuinely upset over the events. <em>He tricked them</em>. That¡¯s how it was done here¡ªsmokes and mirrors to get what you wanted.


    Well. It was decided then. In a single move, he¡¯d secured what they needed and made it so he¡¯d be the sole Arch-Magi on their expedition.


    The rest were formalities. Most of the Arch-Magi left, save the bandaged Arch-Magi and the bearded one, who spoke to Boldwick. The guards went around removing shackles and nned on the supplies they¡¯d need and their equipment to be returned. This whole conflict would fade from memory, but yet the lingering question remained for the Knights.


    Why had the priests attacked?


    Without an answer, and a dayter, they were back on the road, off to find the promised vault.

 Chapter 164: Nature

    Chapter 164: Nature


    <em>¡°The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind is open to their influence. Nature never wears a mean appearance. Neither does the wisest man extort her secret, and lose his curiosity by finding out all her perfection. Nature never became a toy to a wise spirit. The flowers, the animals, the mountains, reflected the wisdom of his best hour, as much as they had delighted the simplicity of his childhood.¡±</em>


    <em>- R. W. Emerson, Nature (1836 , 2nd Era)</em>


    Duke Nitidus loomed over Colin. His arms were crossed, and his re was like the Goddess ring down at a sinner from the heavens above. After a few miles free of Vega, the Pack pulled over to talk route and travel arrangements with the Arch-Magi. And to have a more frank discussion about their new agreement outside of the listening ears of the rest of the council.


    But this. This was something Erec hadn¡¯t expected. After parking, the Duke yelled at his son that it was time to have a discussion. Within the city, he¡¯d kept his distance from Colin. But, over nothing, he¡¯d flipped a switch. Maybe it was because Colin had avoided him as much as possible since the Rift. But in a group of Knights this small, trying to prevent someone could only go so far before they noticed, especially when that person was your father.


    Erec gawked with Gwen and Enide on the hood of a car not too far away.


    ¡°This has been building for a while. The only reason it didn¡¯t happen before was cuz, in Vega, he was too busy.¡± Gwen took a bite of jerky, then talked as she swallowed it down. ¡°Had me running around town delivering messages any spare moment I got.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he have Colin do it? He¡¯s his squire.¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°You really wonder why? Ya think Colin has what it takes to make for a good messenger when you¡¯re trying to <em>establish</em> alliances and ties with new people? You don¡¯t lob in a grenade in a canteen when you wanna walk in and chow down.¡±


    ¡°Suppose not.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been testing him the entire time.¡± Enide said absently, ¡°Trying to figure out if he¡¯s ready to drive. And he hasn¡¯t been. Now he¡¯s changed, clear as day, but his father doesn¡¯t know why.¡±


    The Duke barked amand; Colin stood straighter. Then, the Duke asked a question, only for Colin to retort with a nomittal grunt.


    ¡°Still. Seems silly to treat him like he¡¯s in trouble. Even if he¡¯s normally a pain in the ass, bit of a jump.¡± Enide said.


    ¡°You aint wrong. He¡¯s checking if Colin¡¯s ready for his inheritance. S¡¯how how nobles are, since he¡¯s the firstborn son and all. These connections he¡¯s been running me and himself to the ground for will be Colin¡¯s when he¡¯s buried. Whole trip is a way to get an edge for his houses¡¯ future. But, like it or not, Colin¡¯s that future. So this is important. Colin needs to know what he needs to do and whats been done since the Kingdoms gonna change.¡± Gwen said.


    Colin dropped to the ground and began to give push-ups. They were easy with the Armor aiding him, so the Duke mmed a boot onto his son''s back and pushed down.


    ¡°This is tiring. All this dancing around and noble stuff, don¡¯t know how you manage it.¡± Enide replied.


    ¡°Oh I getcha, I learned it from Knighthood, mostly. Friends, too. But if ya marry Erec, this sorta stuff will be your problem. He¡¯s a count, remember?¡± Gwen tapped the side of her head.


    ¡°There¡¯s that word again. Marriage. You all throw it around, as if it¡¯s the most important thing. If we were to stick together, what makes you think he¡¯d wanna go back to your stuffy kingdom anyway? Hitching a ride with me seems more like him,¡± Enide replied.


    Erec¡¯s heart skipped a beat. They were both beside him, but they certainly didn¡¯t run around the bush. In the distance, Colin¡¯s arms gave out under him, and he fell to the ground; the Duke was talking louder, angrier. But the content of them was hard to focus on, given what the two girls next to him were discussing. His future. With Enide.


    ¡°Tell her, big guy. We¡¯re gonna run off together, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke about that in front of Boldwick. Think he¡¯d put ya in the ground,¡± Gwen chuckled.


    ¡°Not really a joke if you mean it, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡° Erec said, deciding to cut this off before it got out of hand.


    ¡°Sir Erec!¡± The Duke yelled, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°Come here this instant.¡± Well, that at least saved him frommenting on those nebulous ns. And the admission that if things had yed out differently¡­ He very well might have run off with her to this vault. After this, if they found his mother, it was getting harder to stomach the idea of returning to the Kingdom. Other than Duty, he owed his people a resolution to the trouble he¡¯d caused, at the very least.


    For the first time, he felt relieved for being dragged into the Nitidus family drama. Erec apologized, popped off the car, and then jogged over to the father and son.


    Colin sat on the ground and refused to look at either one of them.


    Erec didn¡¯t know what to say, so he didn¡¯t. He kept his lips shut and waited for why he was now in the middle of this.


    ¡°Tell me what my son is hiding,¡± the Dukemanded.


    With those words, a hand wrapped around his heart. A cold hand. One with nails that dug in paused, along with a strength to it that promised that, like pulling the trigger of a gun, they could shove their way into his ventricles and stop the pulse. Erec¡¯s eyes went wide.


    This was the vow. The one he¡¯d man when he¡¯d passed the trial. Two parts. One of which he¡¯d fulfilled by befriending Colin. He wished he could forget the second, not to remember his promise. It was to provide the Duke with any information about his son he¡¯d wanted. Until now, that hadn¡¯t happened. There hadn¡¯t been this demand and in the wake of his rise to Count¡­ He¡¯d hoped the Duke forgot.


    Erec¡¯s hand gripped his chest, eyes bulging as his instincts fought against the demand. Why should he give in to it? Fuck the Goddess. This body was his, his soul was his, so why did he feel her hand clutching at his heart?


    ¡°I told you that nothing is going on. There is no secret; I¡¯m not hiding anything,¡± Colin insisted.


    The duke didn¡¯t turn away from Erec.


    <em>Fight. Fuck you.</em> His veins bulged, and the air refused to leave his lungs, heavy in there, like a thick sludge of oats. Much longer, and he¡¯d die.


    [Do it. Tell him. Your vitals are dropping, and nothing I¡¯m doing can stop it. Speak! Damn it! This isn¡¯t worth dying for, and trust me, you <em>will</em> die!]


    There it was. This wasn¡¯t a foe to conquer, and his oath had a consequence. Erec strained to look at Colin, wishing he could keep the trust from breaking. But he couldn¡¯t. ¡°He lost connection to Faith, then ignited his talents. That¡¯s what he¡¯s hiding.¡±


    ¡°You bastard, how dare you!¡± Colin yelled.


    ¡°He made me. He made me swear a vow, I swear, Colin, I had no choice!¡± This was long overdue¡ªhe may have been sworn to this vow, but not to secrecy. Sure, it would have been hard to admit that well¡­ The main reason they were friends <em>was </em>because of this vow, and that he¡¯d agreed to be a spy since he¡¯d been ckmailed. But, now, the damage was done. A range of emotions ran over Colin¡¯s face. Fear. Confusion. Anger. All of it justified.


    ¡°You ignited your talent?¡± the Duke asked


    ¡°I¡ªYes, I did.¡±


    ¡°Why would you refuse to tell me that?¡± The Duke almost looked hurt.


    ¡°Because¡ªit¡¯s not like your talent, not like Erec¡¯s, and I¡¯m not sure what it is. And it was <em>given</em> to me, by something other than the Goddess.¡±


    ¡°I see. Just what is it, then, that is so worthy of hiding? Of course, you shall tell me all about <em>what</em> gave it to you and what that entails, but for now, I¡¯ll settle with an answer for what this power is.¡±


    ¡°It lets me see magic.¡±


    His father leaned down, grabbed him by the arm, and brought his son to his feet with a single yank. Then, he pulled Colin into a hug. ¡°No matter how it happened or what it is, I¡¯m proud of you, boy. Atst, you¡¯ve awoken your power. It worried me to send you through the Academy. There were risks, but I was at my wit''s end on how to spark growth. There¡¯s opportunity there, more than joining the military; among those, there were leeches who would¡¯ve filled your mind with poison. Erec was one of my solutions to that. A controble pawn to levy and ensure your safety so that you might grow strong.¡±


    ¡°F-father¡­¡± There was sniffling as tears rolled down Colin¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°me him little. I swore him to a vow. It was necessary. I don¡¯t envy you the details you¡¯re no doubt confused about. Seeing how things have panned out and his clear reluctance to admit your secrets, which meant much to you, my n far exceeded the role I¡¯d wished of him. For that, Sir Erec, I absolve you of your vow. On this, I invoke the Goddess Lavinia to witness.¡± He pulled away from Colin and gestured towards Erec with the words.


    Like that, the cold fingers caressing his heart vanished. The instant they were gone, a red-hot rage took its ce, burning him out from the inside.


    Erec snarled and stepped forward, not a thought in his head. He threw a fist right toward the Duke¡¯s face¡ªonly for the man to catch it and stop him.


    ¡°Colin is <em>my friend.</em> You failure of a father, and his secrets were <em>his</em>. I know the Vow I made to you, but your intention to use people like pawns to manipte your son. No more. Apologize to him.¡±


    ¡°My house affairs are not your business, Count Audax.¡±


    ¡°Your vow no longer applies, and I¡¯m not bowing to any more of this ckmail bullshit. Not anymore.¡±


    The heat within only rose; Erec pushed against the Count¡¯s palm, annoyed that he could hold him back; who was the stronger hero? The yer of the White Stage, or the murderer of the Rot Behemoth? In this world, if you wanted to survive, you must be the monsters you¡¯ve in. In that instant, he saw it in the Duke¡¯s eyes. That little bit of him that changed that became the monster he¡¯d killed. Just like Erec was sure he¡¯d see the scars, the Stag left on him. The Duke gave him a mocking smile; his eyes brightened. He saw. And that smile only pissed Erec off more. It was a challenge. At that moment, he knew. The Duke wanted to answer that question as badly as he did.


    For a second, nothing changed.


    ¡°Bring it, boy.¡± The Duke mocked.


    And so, Erec did, letting the anger flow free. The Duke¡¯s palm shook, and then, his palm retreated an inch. Another inch. There was rm and confusion on his face. Without a doubt, he¡¯d break through the guard. And then, he¡¯d hit the Duke.


    ¡°Erec!¡± Colin yelled, closer then expected. He mmed a hand into Erec¡¯s shoulder to push him away, but it wasn¡¯t anywhere near the force needed. His eyes shot towards the clench, then he tried pleading. ¡°Please¡­ Drop it. You¡¯ve dealt behind my back, but I understand. It was my father. I¡¯m willing to forgive it, but <em>not</em> if you push this any further. We are not in a ce to have this conflict.¡±


    Erec stopped his assault, let out a breath of air, and stepped away.


    ¡°We can all be responsible adults. Shelve this discussion, and then we can return to it once we¡¯ve had time to process our thoughts.¡± Colin said.


    Both the Duke and Erec stared.


    [By Dan. He¡¯s being the most reasonable one here. The world has turned a new leaf; I think we¡¯re about to have a second apocalypse. Quick Erec! Find another hole to dive into before another crazy ¡®goddess¡¯ shows up and floods the world with a bronze tidal wave.]


    The fire sputtered away with that, and Duke Nitidus walked off without another word.


    ¡°You owe me an apology. I expect itter, rust bucket.¡± Colin said before rushing off after his father.


    [Well, there goes your tenure in espionage. I do not think it was your strong suit, but nheless, it¡¯s for the better. Vortex Industries doesn¡¯t officially approve of multiple jobs. I¡¯ve been looking past this and your ¡®Knighthood¡¯ until your performance report¡­ But, well, let''s mark this one as a point in your favor.]


    Erec watched his friend go. Colin had grown a lot. More now than he¡¯d expected.


    Yet here Erec was, still picking fights at the drop of a hat; he could me Fury all he wanted, but it didn¡¯t sit right. The need to be free and let himself burn into a ragecked depth to it. A part he couldn¡¯t fit¡ªsomething Colin had. Which meant there might be something he could learn from Colin. The concept alone made his head spin.


    ¡°I need a drink,¡± Erec called loudly, looking at Enide.


    She gave him a thumbs up, still sitting in the car, gawking with Gwen. At least he had a drinking buddy for the road.

 Chapter 165: Storm Giant

    Chapter 165: Storm Giant


    Two days passed easy on the road. They were slow days since the Pendragons didn¡¯t want to push too quickly. That, and the streets were cluttered toward Vega, prompting them to rely on off-road ventures more.


    Once near the coast, things were supposed to change.


    All of this was due to a man named Uther, whom Yniol was more than eager to share stories about around a campfire. As he told it, all the Packs descended from him, and the man had a talent for metal synthesis and a knack for tech. With the two, he¡¯d made a fabled vehicle named Armageddon. The thing had been a monster on wheels, damn near the size of a whole building. With it, the Patriarch housed all the survivors he scooped up along the roads and made them into crew¡ªthen, Uther wandered the streets on an eternal ride with them. Nothing stood up to Armageddon, and at the time, that nothing was the road itself. After the end of the world, the roads near the coast were cluttered with discarded cars and monsters. Uther and Armaggedon ran them all over or shoved them out of the way.


    Up and down the western ocean, Armageddon cleaned roads. Clearing the blocks in the arteries of transportation.


    When Uther died, everyone in the crew went their way, taking a piece of Armageddon with them and establishing their packs. The descendant of Uther got to enjoy thebor of his love with the best stretch of asphalt in the world. And they vowed to care for one another, though, there had been some beefs since then. How much of that he believed, Erec couldn¡¯t say. But, the very real nature of the Pack¡¯s rtionships with one another was apparent in the small drop-points for resources and food they ran across.


    It¡¯d be a simple matter to go quick¡ªas Rochester put it, they could get to the vault in a day of hard driving, if they pushed it. But they took their time, sending runners ahead and calling it early before it got too dark to function. It slowed the pace, but after waiting so long, the Pendragons wanted to arrive to deal with the vault in the best condition they could.


    As Erec watched the views of the mountains and road pass by, he kept thinking of Uther. Each moment burned in the car with Yniol and Enide seared into his memory, from how Yniol chortled to Enide''s smile and the deep orange-painted sky above.


    The views changed on the third day when they came across a giant tower in the distance in the middle of an otherwise craggyndscape. The tiniest raindrops fell from above, and the caravan slowed as they rubbernecked the tower. Erec took off his helmet, staring up at the sky. Rain. So rare on the surface from his experience; then the strange tower. The scouts hadn¡¯t said a word about it; from their report, it was a smooth drive to the next campsite.


    [Odd. It¡¯s massive, the size of the Empire State Building, based on trigonometry, and it has no ce in the middle of nowhere Nevada.]


    It stretched to the sky, a deep pir of obsidian. The strange thing jutted left and right, like a piece of steel bent out of shape. It was like a god shoved a giant middle finger through the earth''s crust to insult the concept of gravity. Near the tip, clouds spiraled outward, and the whole thing brought a profoundly unsettling feeling to his gut. Any reasonable person would be, just in the same way, they could look at a monster and tell it didn¡¯t belong.


    The rain was growing thicker, and it wasn¡¯t doing a favor for the road here, which had gaps of mud and dirt breaking apart the smooth asphalt. It didn¡¯t take long for a car to get stuck and bring the convoy to a halt. Rochester called for aplete stop to sort out the car and confer with his scouts.


    Seeing a chance to talk to Colin¡ªwho he¡¯d been working on fixing his friendship with since the fight with his father¡ªErec decided to find the boy.


    Predictably, Colin was distracted. His eyes were glued to the tower.


    ¡°¡­Hey Colin.¡±


    ¡°Not now.¡± Colin put a finger to his lips; his eyes had a spark to them.


    ¡°¡­I take it something¡¯s wrong with the tower. Is it causing the storm?¡± Not a massive leap of logic, given the clouds circling it. And this.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯d have to be a buffoon not to realize it. There¡¯s massive natural magic spewing from it and interacting with it.¡± There was a note of awe as Colin spoke. ¡°It directs energy from the atmosphere, creates moisture¡­ Then, when the clouds form, it takes their electricity when it discharges and funnels it within. To where, and to do what? That¡¯s the more important question to consider.¡±


    Erec frowned.


    ¡°This damn rain is making it hard to see, though.¡±


    The rain <em>was</em> growing heavier. Now the Pendragons were making sure to set their car on a solid piece of asphalt, so the wheels wouldn¡¯t be too far in the mud when they moved. Rochester was still talking with the rest of the leaders, and the agitated Arch-Magi was speaking to them with a weird energy.


    Erec chose instead to focus on Colin. To hear the rest of the story about how things have been going with his father. After the conflict, the General had cooled off and seemed proud of his son. Bridging the gap between them, or so Colin imed when Erec could pry details out of him and steal his attention from the distant dark tower. Personally, he still wanted to punch the Duke¡¯s face, but the fact things were improving for them lessened that desire, just a tad. Colin decided not to hold a grudge over it.


    ¡°We must go!¡± The Arch-Magi called, interrupting their conversation.


    There was a muffled yell from Rochester, then another, ¡°Come!¡± that echoed over the increasing wind and rain with a bit of magical help.


    Erec had to practically drag Colin away to listen. The leader had erected a small blue tarp from the hood of a car to some steel poles. The leaders were gathered around underneath the jury-rigged shelter. The rest of the Pendragons were surly, unhappy about the stop, andining as they crowded nearby. Rochester echoed that sentiment, pacing and ncing at the tower every half-second. Arch-Magi Olfson wrung his hands, also staring at the tower. Hard not to, he supposed, especially since a thick wall of rain was marching on them from that direction.


    It was denser now, and where it nketed thendscape, it blotted out anything further than half a mile, aside from the tower, which had an unnatural way of prating the liquid veil. It¡¯d hit them like a flood for a minute or two at most. Erec hadn¡¯t seen anything like this his entire life. It¡¯d almost be amazing, were not the faces of Rochester and Boldwick grim.


    ¡°That¡¯s all of us, then. Shoot right to it, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Rochester said.


    ¡°It¡¯s best for the Arch-magi to exin. What he¡¯s speaking about is outside of my experience or the reports of our Knights.¡± Boldwick said.


    ¡°Ditto, Olfson, if you would.¡±


    ¡°To put it simply. We must flee. Fast as we can. Your cars must go quick, for where the Storm-Giant¡¯s pirnds, it feeds. Were it not for my northern contacts, I¡¯d have guessed this to be the result of a rift opened to some dense underground world¡ªyet no, this is the mark of a dreadful creature. Hailing from thend of Sota, where it calls home. A great northern ne bordering massivekes. For it to be all the way here¡­ Were this vault not so important and bound by the Council¡¯s vote, I¡¯d be headed back to Vega this instant to prepare our defenses. As it is, I can only hope it avoids the city.¡± The Arch-Magi said, his wild eyes locking with anyone who¡¯d meet them.


    ¡°Knights, you can consider this Storm-Giant a Cataclysm-level threat,¡± Boldwick added before gesturing for the Arch-Magi to continue.


    ¡°The tower is its calling sign. An hour before it arrives, it shoots outward from the earth below. It brings storms and collects the lightning from them; that is what the Storm-Giant eats. It must move around to wring the most out of the atmosphere¡ªbut until now, it''s kept to this Sota¡ªdestroying everything around it. For a hundred years.¡± He took in a sharp breath. ¡°So we must leave now. Before our hour is up¡ªbefore it appears in a sh of thunder.¡±


    [A cataclysm-level threat, then? You killed that Stag, but¡­ I think this one might be a poor match-up for your group. Not to mention entirely unnecessary for you to y.]


    Erec stared at the ck pir in the distance. Three? Five miles away?


    ¡°Can we even move?¡± Boldwick asked.


    ¡°We wrap chains around the tires¡­ But not all of the cars will make it. They aren¡¯t meant to drive through conditions like this.¡± Rochester screwed up his face. ¡°This thing is that dangerous?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a natural disaster, the likes of which you¡¯ve never seen.¡± The Arch-Magi answered, his voice catching.


    ¡°Then¡­ We¡¯ll lose cars. Fuck!¡± Rochester yelled. ¡°Everyone, you heard the man. Wrap chains on the tires, and we¡¯re going to drive <em>away</em>¡ªstick to asphalt as much as you can. Shove whoever loses their car in yours if you can¡¯t get the car out of the mud. Five minutes at most¡­ And fuck¡­¡± he waved it off, too angry to continue.


    The rest of the Pack mumbled in outrage and shock, which tracked. To them, losing a car was like losing a limb. Maybe worse. A car symbolizeding of age and leadership for those worthy of being a driver, and for a Pack leader to give such an order meant it was grave. The grave decision one had to make when facing a monster on this level. Yniol set a hand on Erec¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Boy. You¡¯re in my car. You¡¯re strong, aren¡¯t you?¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°I¡ªyeah.¡±


    ¡°Aye. Well, let''s put it to the test. I¡¯m not losing my car today, and if we get stuck in that damned mud, you¡¯re going to push. I don¡¯t care how far you gotta push it. Push it out of the fucking storm if you gotta, just don¡¯t lose me my car.¡± There was a pleading edge to his tone, a man afraid to admit his fear and trying to mask it.


    Erec mmed a fist to his chest in a salute. ¡°You will not lose your car.¡±


    That was all Yniol needed; he firmed up and started rattling off orders. They trudged through the mud, grabbed chains being handed out, and then got to work affixing them to the wheels¡ªextra traction to help with the conditions, but not great for the suspension, long-term. Or so Yniolined as Erec, Enide, and two others helped out. Holding the chairs taunt and firmly securing them was key¡­


    Mainly, Enide was busy trying to keep her father calm; for the first time, Erec saw her genuinely flustered. Saying they¡¯d make it, not to worry, the car would keep up.


    It would be hard not to worry, even for her. These things were like family members; without a doubt, some of their Pack would lose that today.


    In too short of time forfort, Rochester announced it was time to move. And stick to groups of three, a Knight to each; they were to shoot off a re if all cars in a group were stuck and they couldn¡¯t get out. And then, like that, they had to go.


    And hope they could outrun a monster that might kill them all.

 Chapter 166: Great Lake

    Chapter 166: Great Lake


    <em>Once, they were called the Great Lakes.</em>


    <em>Now, they¡¯re little more than a monster spawning ground¡ªand more like one massive ocean. We¡¯re all aware of the dangerous state of the eastern coast, but up there? To the sight of these eyes and the data gathered, there is a stark difference in what¡¯s going on. Those kes (if they can be considered kes¡¯ instead of ke¡¯ now¡ª are teeming with warring life, a veritable foreign ecosystem that subsists of several stitched-together worlds.</em>


    <em>I hypothesize the bottom of eachke houses its own Rift connected to its own ne of water¡ªthe runoff from that horrible monstrosity that has imed Minnesota and Wisconsin ended with the flooding of these greatkes and merging the separate stable rifts in one giant awful ecosystem. While such a thing seems a little too convenient to be true, stable rifts are and can be fundamentally different than what we see with emerging rifts. Intentional, even, by appearances, and the hidden history the cab is well aware of. </em>


    <em>The President and his cab may not agree with my ims, but the logical basis and observed geographic patterns by drone and the substantial resources we¡¯ve invested into this draw a firm conclusion on further action, whether or not we want to believe my multi-rift theory that (would) have resulted in what we see here. </em>


    <em>Ignoring the science of the matter, Recon-2-Alpha concludes the following:</em>


    <em>Any route to the territories previously held by Canada, should follow a purelynd-based strip with a wide berth given from the eastern coast to avoid the dead-spawn of that ocean, but not far enough west to run into the runoff from the hereby dubbed ¡®hellke.¡¯ As my squad has unaffectionately named it. </em>


    <em>Establishing territories and annexing the previousnd of Canada would be too substantial a strain on our limited resources, despite its apparent natural restoration inparison to most of the maind US territory¡¯s present state. </em>


    <em>Rmendation: Exploring options to the west; despite previous conflicts with earth-raised humanity so far, the simple matter is there¡¯s more tenablend in that direction connected to our base of operations. What we¡¯ve seen in Canada could be replicated here. And while restoration will takerge resources and a lot of work, expansion must be centralized to reestablish proper administration. Stretched supply lines with these difficulties will result in societal copse at this pivotal junction. </em>


    <em>-Ranger-Captain Sherwood, Matters Of The North, (301, 3rd Era) </em>


    It took all of ten minutes before Yniol¡¯s care got stuck. Cars pulled ahead, and others had already stopped behind. They were already turning into one long stretch of a convoy, and the rain beating down defied imagination.


    But, from what the Arch-Magi said, this ¡®Sota¡¯ was supposed to be worse. Erec couldn¡¯t picture anything but an ocean for where this thing came from and the wall of rain around them. He¡¯d seen Dame Juliana stopped in a group a few minutes ago. But the visibility was terrible. Anything short of a re and a radio message conveying an emergency simply wouldn¡¯t work.


    Still, out of the group of three they were in, Yniol¡¯s got stuck first.


    Erec watched him rock the car back and forth, but the tires only kicked up dirt and slop behind them. Ahead was a jagged piece of asphalt, but they were three feet short of having that under them for traction. ¡°Boy?¡± Yniol asked as he stopped pressing on the gas.


    [That¡¯s your cue.]


    Erec jumped out of the back of the car, then got to work. He set two palms to the other side, in the best ces to distribute the force he¡¯d generate¡ªhelped by VAL pinpointing the best spots. Then, he widened his stance, leaned back, and straight-up pushed. His Armor was a significant tool in such a feat of Strength¡ªBut Erec wasn¡¯t going to change it on just that. He let his mind swirl with fury, let that fire burn in his core the way of a hot drink in his gullet.


    His body strained, and the Armor helped, but without much difficulty, he shoved the steel death trap forward those three feet until the wheels touched asphalt again, and Yniol could rev the engine and drag it the rest of the way back onto solidnd.


    They managed to drive for another seven minutes until someone else got stuck, and they had to repeat the process. Again and again, Erec would pop out and shove, ensuring they could keep going. When he wasn¡¯t pushing cars free, they had to straddle a delicate bnce between getting out of the storm and not going too fast. If they sped too much, they might catch too much water under their wheels and fly off the road into the mud, which was risky.


    Without Erec, they would¡¯ve already lost cars. In fact, he¡¯d already heard the radio from Rochester asking for the nearest group to turn around and respond to a ir. But, people were mbering their way forward. The rain was lessening, but the dark storm clouds staring at them from above made it appear as if they were in the midst of a rainy hell, content to drown them.


    Enide showered him withpliments every time he shoved a car back into ticking, and gradually, they were moving past other cars.


    [Lightening¡­ And¡­]


    Erec looked around as Yniol¡¯s car slowly plodded forward. There was a sh of light in the distance. They came in waves, and the waves were growing frequent.


    [No thunder.]


    That was it. Erec had been so focused on the job he hardly noticed. He¡¯d chalked up his difort to the knowledge of an imminent danger¡¯s arrival. But¡­ Though he hadn¡¯t seen a storm like this, he¡¯d heard stories. Seen simtions in the bio-caverns in particr environments. After the lights shed, they would have a loud crash sound out over the speakers, like a heavy drum beat. But out here, there was only the sh. Never the follow-up with the sound. And in the darkness, when it shed, he swore he saw something light up.


    Yniol drove, leaned forward, eyes locked on the road, so Erec waited¡ªanother sh.


    There it was, a blur in the distance, moving closer. ¡°Threat,¡± Erec said, shuffling in his seat to grab onto his axe. Yniol didn¡¯t bother looking; the next stretch of the road was rough, multiple mud pits. All of his concentration needed to be on driving. Understandable. It was a Knight¡¯s job to protect.


    Thirty secondster, lightning. And he saw a figure. A skeleton, basically. If someone took the bones from a human, ran them through a roller, and stretched the bones to an unnatural degree. The bones inside were dark ck, but around them was a transparent glow that caught the skin¡ªreminding Erec of those old medical texts they¡¯d looked at in preliminary school. X-Ray¡¯s¡ªthough, the structure wasn¡¯t quite what he remembered seeing, other than the obvious unnatural stretch. The head, too, was oblong like a deted ball. Each pop of light showed the monster¡¯s progress and the fact it was beating their car in the race.


    Eventually, this thing would catch up. More of them were on the horizon but ran in different directions. This one was intent on them. He was sure of it, and VAL confirmed with the Q.A.P. its charted path.


    When Yniol¡¯s car floundered in the mud, Erec jumped out¡ªprepared to deal with the problem.


    But he wasn¡¯t alone. Enide appeared next to him, Lasrifle at the ready. She braced it, waited for another sh of lightning, then shot off the weapon right at the menace heading their direction and hit it straight in the chest. It lit up, but instead of a transparent white, that strange flesh of it went stark red, like blood. It didn¡¯t stop. Didn¡¯t react at all. It only moved faster. The red lingered longer in its skin than the lightening, which made tracking its progress easier and made the details at this distance more apparent.


    Not only did it have a deformed head, but the legs and feet were all off. It was joined at the ankle in a weird angle that reminded Erec of a goat, yet it ended in massive toes and feet instead of hoofs.


    Enide fired off the Lazrifle twice more, hitting on the second shot. The speed increased, as did the visibility. The creature was enraged and leaped closer, but the weapon wasn¡¯t doing the damage it should be. She cursed, threw the rifle on her back, and unholstered a pistol.


    These sorts of monsters were the type that gave him a deep, sinking feeling. Those with human-like traits were a mockery of the world''s existence. A deration that they weren¡¯t special, thatpared to other creatures, they were damn near inferior. But today, Erec would teach this twisted image of a person who the actual superior being was.


    Enide unloaded a lead right into the thing from ten feet away¡ªunlike with the Lazrifle, this brought a reaction. It jerked but stumbled forward. Forced to deal with the sudden off-kilter weight distribution from the bullet hitting, which presented the perfect opportunity. Erec traced the ghost of its predicted movements, took his war axe, and brought it to his hip. Then he swung,pleting a circle as the axe extended outward, momentum in the windup¡ªand as he was turning to face the creature again, he let the handle of his weapon go.


    It spun outward, a giant wheel of death perfectly horizontal to the ground. It skimmed the surface of the desert the fifteen feet it took to sheer right through the monster''s left leg, then buried itself halfway into its right leg, right below the knee. The other leg spewed a viscous clear liquid as its severed leg copsed.


    Erec flexed, waiting for the creature to fall to the ground. Then he¡¯d pounce,nding on its neck with a heel and ending the fight.


    But it didn¡¯t fall. Lightening shed far above. The instant it should¡¯ve fallen to the ground in a heap, it didn¡¯t. Instead, a bone shot out from the newly made stump as its whole body glowed blue; the bone leg mmed into the ground, and the clear goop flooding out of the stump congealed around the bone. Reforming into a rough approximation of the leg it had been before. The monster¡¯s head careened back, letting out a warble that tickled Erec¡¯s mind and brought a cinnamon taste to his mouth. Which should have been impossible, given he was wearing a helmet and the Armor filtered out environmental hazards.


    This broke the Q.A.P¡¯s predictive model, and it readjusted on the fly. Showing the monster already catching itself from the attack, then leaping at Enide.


    She shot the creature with her pistol as it hit the air.


    The thing twitched, its jump thrown off as its body rolled over, tugging and pulling itself back up after being shot in the head. A dribble of clear ooze leaked from the bullet hole, but it wasn¡¯t down. That wasn¡¯t enough to end this creature, no more than losing a leg.


    Erec looked to his empty hands, then at the battle axe past the creature. The Fire inside whirred into life as the instincts within demanded a bath in blood; in the end, he didn¡¯t need a weapon. He tossed himself forward and rammed the ten-foot-tall creature with his shoulder and the ton of steel coating him. The poor thing didn¡¯t stand a chance and bowled over. One of its arms smashed his side, denting his te, but not enough to do damage. It tried to rake him with its second hand, and Erec batted it aside before squatting down and shoving his hand into the thing¡¯s corbone.


    It¡¯s ¡®flesh¡¯ parted easy. This close, he could see it was a transparent, jiggly membrane¡ªsomewhere between gtin and meat. Not muscle. The cor offered an excellent grip andtched him to the creature.


    Lightening shed above again, the ¡®flesh¡¯ of the monster lit up, and a shock ran through Erec. His body seized for an instant, then returned to normal, a number than before. But functioning.


    [That wasn¡¯t electricity.] VAL cautioned.


    Whatever it was, it didn¡¯t matter. Not anymore. Not with this thing below and in perfect striking distance. Erec balled his metal fist and then smashed it into the creature¡¯s head. The puddy-like mass burst from the hit, revealing the obsidian skull beneath. But there was no crack in the bone. No wonder Enide¡¯s bullet hadn¡¯t ended it. He threw more fists, but it didn¡¯t budge. In a fit of anger, Erec let go of the cor, grabbed the mangled skull with both hands and tore it free from its paste-like neck, ripping off bits of pudgy flesh.


    That didn¡¯t do the trick, either. At the next sh of lightning, it glowed, and its spine shot out from the head¡ªwhich, like pinching off a stem from a flower, Erec broke again.


    <em>Too much time.</em> Time that he was keenly aware was better spent getting away from the oing cataclysm-level threat.


    But if he left this skull here, it would reform, then chase them down. Or chase down someone else in the caravan. He could only specte how the rest of the Pack was handling these things¡ªthere was the option of getting his axe and unleashing that silver-me on that. That, he was sure, would end the creature.


    As pissed as he was, he had to pull back from that trigger. <em>If</em> he did that, he¡¯d be out of strength. Couldn¡¯t free the cars.


    So, Erec grabbed the skull and stalked back towards the car, having to rip a growing spine free from it once more to stop it from reforming. With a quick order to Yniol, he got another chain. Using VAL as a guide on knots and adequately securing the chain around the skull, he wrapped it up. Then waited. It didn¡¯t take long before another sh of lightning started to regenerate the creature. When it did, he whipped the chain through the air as fast as possible¡ªthe regenerating body had no chance. Its bones were too weak, and the force of movement and unsteady hold on the skull due to the chain caused the bones to snap off and translucent gore to fly with every bump.


    <em>Good enough.</em> If he couldn¡¯t kill it, couldn¡¯t leave it behind, then it would suffer along with them until he was in a ce to end it.


    With that, Erec secured the other end of the chain to the back of the car, got his axe, and shoved Yniol onto the road.


    As they rolled forward, the creature would reform, then have its body torn by the bumps in the ground. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it kept it weak. Whenever they stopped, Erec would decapitate the mangled body it managed to rue from the skull. They ran into another fifteen minutester, which was much easier to deal with. It joined its brother at the back of the car, mming against asphalt as the rain slowed and they got further away. As it turned out, Erec didn¡¯t need to call upon his Soul to deal with the monster. The further they pulled from the storm, the more regeneration slowed. The skulls got more brittle, and the road itself broke them as they reached the edge of the storm, where the rain became a drizzle.


    Rochester gave outmands on a radio¡ªBoldwick and the Duke¡¯s groups went back to collect some of the Pack that had been left behind, but mile by mile, all cleared the worst of the storm. They pulled together to regroup, down ten cars, and shoved together in the remaining ones like canned old-world sardines.


    It was then that they heard thunder.


    A massive boom echoed across the wastnd as if a thousand explosions went off down below. The world shifted beneath their feet and shook as a pressure washed over the air; deep within the pit of that rain, somewhere near that tower, the Storm Giant arrived. Impossible to see, but staring into that ck storm cloud, Erec imagined its massive body looming, feasting on the building it¡¯d made.


    Erec¡¯s hand shook¡ªsomething in him dared him. Insisted he go into that darkness and face the monster within.


    <em>Not today.</em> He promised the fire that surged. <em>But someday. I will. </em>

 Chapter 167: Responsibility

    Chapter 167: Responsibility


    <em>Strength: Rank D - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 8</em>


    <em>Psyche: Rank E - Tier 8 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 9 </em>


    Erec stared at the notification as Yniol drove away from the storm on the horizon. These were unsurprising results of his efforts¡ªshoving cars along the road and keeping himself together despite Fury. For them both to advance at the same time was a wee relief. Psyche helped him control himself, while the Strength was vital above all else.


    It let him y the Stag; with it, he would find the power to achieve his goals.


    With it, he¡¯d find his mother, and ask why she left her people, her husband, <em>him</em> to consort with monsters not even from the same. What the hell was she thinking of cooperating with people like Seven-Snakes? What was she after? Getting an answer to those questions is what he needed the power for, and after he walked that road, he could decide what to do with the power gathered.


    The cars slowed to a stop three hours leaving the storm. Rochester was all too eager to end their trip for the night to mourn their losses.


    Eight cars, three people. Gone. Without the Knights to help, the losses would have been greater, but ultimately, the decision was made knowing that they would have to pay a cost to avoid what the giant might¡¯ve wrought. The best they could do now was grieve.


    Low, slow, and melodic notes of a guitar being strung apanied the main fire in the camp as the cars pulled around in a big circle. Unlike a normal night with the Pendragons, there was a unity. Not a bunch of separate parties, but one circle, one fire, one guitar ying music into the night as people recounted the stories of both the cars and people lost to the storm. They were reminiscent stories, fond remembrances of days gone by and family members never to be seen again. No one here was a stranger to loss, not in a world like this, but because none of them were strangers, they knew how to look back at the past and treasure the moments for what they were.


    While the Knights were wee in the circle, the Arch-Magi was excluded. To his credit, the man was respectful, and simply kept to himself, despite the wall put between him and the rest.


    Erec found he could only let himself drift with the music, and lose himself in the sadness for only so long before the itch to move drew him. With a bunch of quick excuses, he got up and went out for a walk, leaving the warm fire behind to findpany with nature. Let Enide and the rest of the Pendragon¡¯s do what they needed, for him, it had be too much.


    The dusk was a wee reprieve to the fire and sorrow. Erec nestled his helmet into the crook of his elbow and let the cold night air ssh against his face. Thendscape <em>had</em> changed. Dead for the most part still, sure, but the area was thicker with old scorched trees. And with a close look, the barest bits of life resurged in the cracks, mbering its way out. This trend was supposed to continue towards the coast, with more life returning to thend as Yniol promised. Out there, on the ¡®gilded roads¡¯ of the ¡®Golden State,¡¯ carved by Armageddon was beauty and danger in equal measure.


    Thendscape had changed. Roads and cars were enjoyable enough, but this, walking out here alone and the rocks moving under his steel boots, the scent of wet dirt, and the sight of a struggling vine wrapping itself around a dead tree trunk¡­ This was freedom; this was life. And the silence it brought, that was peace.


    The soft footsteps of someone approaching shattered that peace. Erec turned, expecting Enide or maybe Garin wanting to chat or check in on him.


    But no. Boldwick stood there, hands behind his back as he stopped. He¡¯d left his helmet back at the camp, not that his expression gave any of his thoughts away that he didn¡¯t want it to. Those dark eyes of the Master Knight drilled into him as if they were measuring every bit of his soul. Erec straightened up and put a hand to his chest to salute the Master Knight.


    ¡°At ease, Erec,¡± Boldwick said.


    Erec dropped his hand to his side. Something was off about the Knight, and Erec couldn¡¯t pinpoint it. Theck of expression, the stance. There was a tension to it, a formalness that the situation didn¡¯t warrant. Why had he followed him out here, normally if the Master Knight had orders to give or a lesson to impart, he¡¯d called the initiates to him.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted I wished to say to you. A couple of things. First. Excellent job with that Storm. All of your cars made it through. You found an unconventional way to deal with a regenerating enemy that exceeded my expectations. I think we¡¯re both aware what you <em>could have</em> done to handle that problem. The fact you managed restraint, then came up with that as an option, was impressive. I wanted to ask, <em>why</em> did you chose not to use that new ability of yours; with the silver fire?¡±


    ¡°Because it would have put me out ofmission and put the rest of the Pendragons in a bad position,¡± Erec said, still confused. That much was obvious.


    ¡°Well, of course. But did you consider how you managed to do so and what pushed you to ovee your instincts?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yniol asked me to make sure his car got through the storm. So I did. I promised him.¡±


    Boldwick smirked. ¡°So, the vow to Yniol made you take responsibility for the safety of those around you. And let you consider your options instead of just sheering through that thing¡¯s skull with the force you had inside of you.¡±


    ¡°Why are we talking in circles? I did what needed to be done.¡±


    Boldwick chuckled and shook his head, ¡°The significance of the act shows what you¡¯re bing, Erec. I¡¯ve seen you struggle with that power welled up inside of you. The Strength itmands has always been on the barest tether of your restraint, and multiple times, you¡¯ve failed to rein it in.¡± Erec tried to keep a scowl from showing and failed, ¡°No need for the sour face. That¡¯s your Talent; the power in your soul derives from desire and selfishness. It is a selfish power, the way it grants you Strength only to demand you fight and ughter everything around you to prove that Strength is superior to all else. That is fine for a boy but not fitting for a man.¡±


    ¡°Are you insulting me?¡±


    He tried to tamp it down, but the same power was starting to stir in his chest at the perceived slight. For Boldwick to start this byplimenting his behavior in the storm, then call Fury selfish, and him a boy¡ªthere wasn¡¯t anger on Boldwick¡¯s face. Only bemusement.


    ¡°No. All of us start that way. It¡¯s the nature of adolescence to be driven by selfishness. To mature is to step past that selfishness and turn yourself towards serving others and shouldering responsibility. Many shy away from that; they find it too heavy to bear. But you must, especially as a Knight. To grow, as the best brothers and sisters of our Orders do, they all learn this lesson in their own way. It¡¯s a right of passage to being a Knight worth something. They learn to embrace their responsibility and temper the desires of the self with the needs of those around them. You, more than most, struggle with this problem since it¡¯s an inherent conflict with the very Talent you¡¯ve been blessed with. I recognize your struggle, and I¡¯ve seen you wrap your head around it again and again. Now it seems you¡¯re making progress, maturing your Talent. With it, I think you¡¯ll soon be reaching for that next stage.¡±


    ¡°Thank you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Erec. Were it not for the Order''s rules, I¡¯d think you close to taking your second vow and seek to elevate you to the position of Knight Errant. Hell, on power alone, you¡¯re already there. You might get frustrated with your progress and the challenges you¡¯ve faced and not see the progress you¡¯ve made. I assure you we¡¯re not blind to your efforts.¡± Boldwick gave a genuine smile with these words, his eyes burning bright.


    <em>Proud?</em> Erec worked his jaw, feeling something in him welling up.


    ¡°Do you know the Oath we take when we ascend from Initiate to Knight Errant?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He¡¯d never thought to ask, not with all of the troubles swirling in his life since the moment he¡¯d be a Knight. Each step up the wrung, they took on a new oath, but that had been so far from his mind.


    ¡°¡¯I am of nature, my brothers and sisters are of nature as well. Those that are human, animal, or nt are natural, and to nature I am beholden to serve.¡¯ To me, those words have always put me in perspective. We¡¯re small pieces to this world, and it¡¯s better to recognize that. We must cherish the things around us for as long as we have them and draw meaning from them, especially in a world like this, where the very fundamentalw of all things being natural has been intruded on by the unnatural. As Knights of the Verdant Oak, our responsibility is to others, to this world as it was; it¡¯s a call of service, of selflessness.¡±


    There was a resolve to Boldwick¡¯s tone, a certainty at the Oath he¡¯d taken. It called to mind Erec¡¯s first Oath.


    <em>I will give back to the world more than I take. I will sow twice what I reap.</em>


    When he¡¯d made the vow, he hadn¡¯t put that much thought into what it meant, what the responsibilities of being a Knight entailed. Everyone leveraged expectations on him and saddled him with different responsibilities; it¡¯d been the Verdant Oak with that oath, then the Kingdom with his title, to the people as a Hero. With all of that, the allure of the Pack and an escape into the wastnd was beyond appealing, not to mention Enide.


    But that wasn¡¯t right. It had an appeal, but it never was quite the path he wanted to walk.


    What was it to be a Knight? As a child, he remembered hearing his mother talk about her responsibilities. The idea of being an elite noble protecting the people for the Crown dominated his imagination. Her telling him stories of expeditions and seeing the outside world as he and Bedwyr nestled close to her in the fire of their home informed that. Those thoughts of shining armor, weapons, and might¡­ Those were a young boy''s dreams and didn¡¯t match her stories'' gravity. Didn¡¯t match the reality of what he saw in Dame Morgana, Dame Juliana, and Sir Boldwick.


    Each Knight took their oaths and made their interpretations, then found a way to shoulder that responsibility.


    ¡°The choices you face are only going to grow tougher. I knew your mother when I was younger. She was a senior Knight. From what I remember, she was a very driven woman filled with conviction. I see a lot of her in you, like it or not, and I can¡¯t imagine she¡¯d choose to go against the Kingdom without a good reason. Maybe you¡¯vee to this conclusion yourself after seeing Vega. Life outside our walls is varied; the situations people find themselves in radically differ from what you and I saw behind the Iron Curtain. Just as the people outside our walls can live lives we scarcely imagine, the experiences we can run into as Knights of the Verdent Oak can be just as varied. Much more than the rest of the Kingdom is exposed to. Maybe, though, that will change soon.¡±


    Boldwick set a hand on Erec¡¯s shoulder, the gesture hefty as his gauntlet rested on the pauldrons.


    He kept his face straight, not wanting to show emotion. It was a failure, but Boldwick only gave him a nod, leaving him to finish his walk alone.

 Chapter 168: Hyde

    Chapter 168: Hyde


    <em>I lingered but a moment at the mirror: the second and conclusive experiment had yet to be attempted; it yet remained to be seen if I had lost my identity beyond redemption and must flee before daylight from a house that was no longer mine; and hurrying back to my cab, I once more prepared and drank the cup, once more suffered the pangs of dissolution, and came to myself once more with the character, the stature and the face of Henry Jekyll. </em>


    <em>-Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886, 2nd Era) </em>


    The gilded roads of the ¡®Golden State¡¯ lived up to the name, and the hype. As promised, they were clear of scrap. Wreckage of old cars rusted to the side in sections, and it made it the smoothest driving Erec had ever seen. And it wasn¡¯t just because the roads were clear, out here, they carried the cars like a long sheaf of ck silk; any broken road was repaired with poured asphalt by a special Pack.


    These patched ces of road were distinctive too, they shone brightly in the sun with flecks of crystal that stood out on the otherwise dark grey asphalt.


    This Pack had a special ce within the linked rtionships of the nomadic offspring of Uther. They used a hidden technique and resources to benefit all of those that used the road out here, in return, the rest of the Packs swore to answer any defensive aid they requested if trouble came up.


    Aside from the road, life thrived out here. Greenery reced the deep browns and deadnds out east, and thend was rapidly bing more flush with flowers and trees. Bushes and grass dominated and reimed the world. That and the odd patch of dirt, surrounded by grass, already nning to take it over. It was also reiming the broken remains of mankind, tearing apart buildings, and returning this ce to nature. Beauty hid the danger beneath. With empty roads and more greenery than the bio-caverns, it¡¯d be easy to forget that monsters could even <em>be</em> out here. But they were thicker here than in the wastnd; thend was able to support a far greater variety and poption. Even with care taken from the Pack by sending out scouts, monsters managed to hit the caravan twice in a single day.


    The first was a group of five giant flying scorpions. Even though the concept of that was fucked enough already, the horrible things had four wings which tranted to an annoying air flexibility and speed, which made it so they couldn¡¯t press down on the gas and escape the monsters.


    In the end, the Pendragons shot those down, and ran them over. Not before someone got stung with a nasty poison. Any enemies that could be avoided, they did.


    They spent the night before arriving at their destination¡ªa city called Muerte del Lagarto¡ªcamped with somber resolve, stabilizing the poor bastard poisoned by the flying scorpion.


    Unlike normal procedure, Rochester didn¡¯t send his scouts into town. He picked the Pendragons headed in with him, all the way to the vault, and that was that. They would make a straight line to the vault with the Arch-Magi and break in, but going in without proper arms was a major mistake. The entire ce was infested with a strange lizard-like race. The Pack thought a stable Rift might be hidden inside, but they¡¯d never found it. And the creatures within acted with some intelligence and had a form of society, with rituals andmunal gatherings, tiers of dominance¡­


    Very simple societal structures, but it meant some could be cunning. Overall, though, they were bloodthirsty and in such massive numbers that any breach of the city demanded aplete team stocked with ammunition.


    Still, intelligent monsters were always an eerie proposition, especially in numbersrge enough for a society. Even though these things would rip apart humans on sight, that little bit ofmunity and structure to them made him unsure of what to expect.


    The rest of the night was spent making preparations.


    Garin sent out birds he wrangled out of the surrounding trees from where they made camp¡ªif Rochester couldn¡¯t send scouts, then Boldwick wanted whatever information they could get. But the information left a lot to be desired.


    A lot of lizards. More than his birds could feasibly count, holed up everywhere in the city.


    It wouldn¡¯t matter. If they could get into the vault, and find what they needed, then he could see his mother again. Simple steps and no fucking lizard was going to get in the way of that path.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    [Light to the left.]


    Erec looked at the direction highlighted by VAL. Just as it said, the barest but unnatural blue glowing light passed the doorway into an abandoned office building. Not even ten minutes in.


    Vines grew up in the dpidated architecture, threading their way through broken window frames and climbing the massive concrete giant like a tree. Birds shuffled from their perches among the leafs, and near the top floor, barely perceptible if not for the enhanced vision offered by his helmet, were small thin wires of string hanging with bones. Many buildings around here were simrly decorated, but they were a reminder that this ce crawled with those lizards.


    The blue light grew in intensity. Atst.


    ¡°Halt,¡± Erec said, raising a hand and pointing towards the light. Boldwick confirmed the order, and the group of thirty stopped moving.


    ¡°Lizards?¡± Rochester asked.


    ¡°Probable,¡± Boldwick answered, ¡°Prepare for a fight.¡±


    Rochester barked out his orders, and the twenty Pendragons moved onmand, sorting themselves into a quick firing line. Erec¡¯s axe found its way into his hands, and he joined the front line of the Knights. They were the shield to the more vulnerable Pendragons.


    There were now shrill, trilling noises sounding from the entrance to the office building, followed by a sharp whistle.


    A cold shiver ran through Erec. That was definitelymunication. It only confirmed what they knew, but he hated it; it reminded him of the Stag.


    [No, we can¡¯t trante that.] VAL cut him off before he could even think to ask. [Be wary of intelligent enemies. Oh, what am I saying, you can probably cleave a building in half at this point, short of running into anything crazy, you¡¯ll be fine in this bundle of steel. Go get¡¯em champ.]


    A lizard threw itself out of the doorway the way that one might toss trash down a chute to the incinerator. It scampered up from the ground in a split second and let out a low hiss. As it did, ps of skin fanned out from either side of its head, disying bright orange spots. The thing was about the size of a human, and the bone structure and posture were on point, too. The differences were in the shoulders and limbs moved, double joints, if he had to guess. That, and of course, the ws and scales. Like those stretched humans, these fell too close to uncanny valley to befortable. This one had a bundled group of glowing blue mushrooms in one hand, wrapped together by duct tape. On the other hand, was a rusted piece of pipe.


    It sized them up.


    Erec didn¡¯t give it the time, snapping a hatchet off his side and throwing it at the enemy. The weapon tore through its face and ended the monster before it could move.


    Four more lizards rushed out the door. Then, one tossed itself out the second-story window,nding on Garin and causing his friend to stumble. That force wasn¡¯t anywhere near enough to overpower the servos and knock him down, but it was enough to buy the lizard time totch a w underneath a pauldron and hold on for dear life while it whacked a massive femur against Garin¡¯s head


    <em>Don¡¯t think. Act.</em> Erec moved to help, but five, no, seven more lizards had already cleared the doorway,ing in such density that they were shoving and jumbling up together to exit the apartment building. As they argued, a horrible screech filled the air, and another went flying out of the window like it thought it had wings. Erec was impressed. The moment they sensed a fight, they went all out. Was it an eagerness for death or to kill? Garin would have to solve his own problem, or someone else would have to help. The fire inside him was roaring, and their numbers were only scaling. Unless someone blocked off the chokepoint, most of them were scampering through, and sheer numbers would overwhelm the Knights.


    <em>Now.</em>


    Like a bomb going off, the ball of fire inside of him erupted, flooding him with that intoxicating sensation of power and Strength. The goal was simple. The best kind of goal to hang onto with Fury.


    All he had to do was kill some lizards.


    Erec rushed the choke point, grabbing the closet lizard in his path by the throat¡ªthe thin membrane around its neck quivered as its hands shot to fight his even as his gauntlet closed around the thing¡¯s windpipe. With desperation it tried to pry its slimy digits between its neck and his hand, but it was for nothing. He flexed, an ounce of his strength, and the vice closed. There was a snap as its spine severed, and the lizard went limp, no longer fighting back. Erec threw the body right at the door, smashing a lizard leaving out of the office and causing even more chaos at the entry.


    Those already out gave him a wide berth, sprinting away and chasing after different targets, which suited him fine.


    If he wanted to ughter the most there was only one ideal ce.


    Erec rushed the door, kicking off the ground and reaching it in a single bound, picking his path perfectly to collide with the ghost of another Lizard rushing through the gap as the door cleared; his shoulder rammed the thing, breaking its ribs as he forced it back out the door it just went through, further congesting that so vital point. Enough time for him to get right in position to block it. His headlight sprang on, and he got his first look at the interior of the office.


    Absolutely flooded with lizards, and the ghosts of their predicted movements by the Q.A.P rushed by. The majority of the things in here were trying to get out, in a mad rush to get to the battlefield proper. A few tried attacking him, sure, but it was clear. They craved the chaos and blood of battle. But they failed to make one proper observation.


    The battlefield hade to them.


    First, Erec mmed his axe right through the closest one¡¯s skull.


    Next, he kicked a lizard on all fours, trying to slip by his shin, right against the side of the doorway, caving its chest in and smearing it against the frame in a gore paste. Its insides sttered over the face of another following the same path, making it stop and rethink the decision.


    Another rushed Erec¡¯s face, its mouth unhinged as if trying to swallow his helmet whole. Erec could¡¯ve let it try, let its teeth break against the steel, but that wasn¡¯t enough. Heshed out, nabbing it by the cor, then pulled it forward with a quick jerk while snapping his head forward to meet it. The blow broke its jaw and cracked its skull, leaving it screeching as its legs turned to jelly underneath it.


    That was enough to get their attention. As he suspected, no more of the ghosts outlined by the Q.A.P. showed the lizards trying to slip by him anymore. No, they were all aiming to attack him. Outside, lizards screeched as they scrambled from the windows to join the fight, but that couldn¡¯t be anywhere near the number in here. The whole lobby was filled with the scaley bastards, canned in thick. The asional glowing bungle of mushrooms lit up the entire space; he didn¡¯t even need the headlight.


    <em>Glorious.</em>


    His fire burned bright as the first wave of attacks rolled in. A bone-dagger jabbed at his midsection and burst into splinters as it failed to break through steel. Another smashed him in the head with a diamond-shaped sign with the number ''30'' written on it, which bent.


    They kepting for him, which meant they acknowledged him. He was an enemy worthy to spend their lives on.


    There was a love for the battle, and for the first time, he felt a connection to these monsters. The love of war brought them together and crossed the vast difference between humans and weird-fucking-lizard. As the corpses of their allies piled up near the door, they didn''t even pause; the fighting only grew thicker. Blood and torn limbs flew, and when it interrupted their precious killing field, the lizards would drag off the corpses to make more room for them to get at Erec. Each held an eager look. Their pathetic tools of war quivered with anticipation in their hands. He was sure, in each of their heads, was the belief that they would be the ones to draw blood from the steel god that challenged them to this battle.


    And they died.


    There was satisfaction in that. They understood that the call of the moment, the rush of blood as one''s entire life hinged on the edge of a weapon, was an event more significant than themselves.


    Erec loved these things in a way that made him burn hotter. Primal death and battle, they were kindred spirits. They let him tear faces off, smash apart bodies, and toss them around like ythings. Blood poured over them all in a haze.


    At some point, he gave up his chokehold on the door, giving them the respect not to drag away their dead kin for the chance of a fight. None of the ghosts showed the lizards leaving. He could see, thanks to VAL, such a glorious sight. None of these thirty monsters left alive intended to leave this room. Not a single one wanted to do anything other than throw themselves at him and face death head-on or kill.


    Erecughed, a searing bolt running down his spine. His hair stood up.


    They loved this. He loved this. These creatures, they were magnificent.


    He caught one as it flew through the air, threw it at another, and then tore both of them in half with his axe; at the same time, at least two separate lizards tried to shank him with sharp objects¡ªa few had been strong enough to leave dents in the steel, and then realized it was a faulty course of action, so now they were searching for joints to do real damage. Still, the VALLUM model was too well constructed for them to have much sess with weapons like these.


    <em>Show me more.</em> Erec begged of them as he tore through their ranks like a whirlpool of blood, his axe a twirling vortex that none of these things could resist.


    Wasn¡¯t there one of them here? A hero among their ranks? Whatever it wanted to call itself, he wished that something strong enough and with their glorious predisposition to pointless violence would arrive. If it did, it would give him a fight that would etch itself into the memory of this world, even if they both died in the process.


    Fury burned, calling out with love and hate for that figure to show itself.


    But the hero never arrived. The thirty in the room became twenty, then ten, and it stopped when Erec was left in a red office painted with viscera and decorated with the twitching limbs of his dying foes. Fury smoked out as the fight in here was over; outside, he already knew they¡¯d be wrapping up. Erec turned his axe over, leaning on the shaft as his body twitched, the adrenaline running its course.


    His eyes slowly trailed the room, waiting until he might move and rejoin his party outside.


    These things were intelligent, and with that intelligence, they, too, chose to follow the path of violence and death. He respected it.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Erec said; ¡°That ended too quick.¡±

 Chapter 169: Precipice

    Chapter 169: Precipice


    Their tour of the city was one blood bath followed by another. The Pendragons learned soon into the trip to keep a strict trigger discipline. That was always the best option if an encounter could be solved without bullets. So, each battle became a careful bnce of considering whether or not the Pendragons with Lazrifles and Knights could handle the nest they¡¯d chosen to take on. Because if they did fire those guns, any Lizard that heard the bang would rush towards their location in a mad dash to kill.


    They always came with an admirable glee. And, in response, they died with just as much enthusiasm, coasting their precious city in red.


    Garin proved a massive help in strategically making their way through the city. With his talent, he recruited birds to signal out the different nests of nearby lizards and the hot spots. Thanks to that, they could circle around particrly dense locations of nests that threatened to be too overwhelming of a fight. Avoiding all the lizards, though, was impossible. They were far too thickly infested in the city to get around them.


    Muerte Del Lagarto was named by a pack fifty years ago. Half of their numbers were wiped out when they wandered in and found it in this state. Those who survived pulled together the best they could but marked this city as a ce to avoid without preparation. And that was the key of this ce. None of the lizards were individually that strong. Still, with the overwhelming numbers, it could get dangerous, particrly without Armor like the Knights and with the constant risk of running low on ammunition to shoot the bastards.


    Lucky for them, the vault wasn¡¯t all that deep into the city. Progress was slow, with all the killing and avoiding hot spots, but it was worthwhile.


    In the middle of such chaotic battles, anyone could be caught by a stray blow.


    From what Rochester said, the Lizards were worse now than when they¡¯dst been in the city. These things didn¡¯t venture out of the city, and between now and theirst trip, they¡¯d managed to push out all of thepeting monsters that¡¯d called it home. Erec was still unsure of what they ate, other than humans, and the critical details of their survival.


    After the first couple of nests, a few running themes becamemon. Each one of these ¡®homes¡¯ would contain a decorated shrine. Within which was some form of old-world art thrown in the middle, with bits of whatever copper the lizards could find thrown around in piles. After Colin spotted an odd natural magic to them, Boldwick warned them not to disturb these oddities.


    Deeper, they went into Muerte, ughtering the cold-blooded monsters by the trove. It didn¡¯t take long for Erec to lose track of how many fight¡¯s they¡¯d seen. Injuries added up on the Pendragons from the odd lucky blow. Still, because of the Knights, they could retain arge surplus of ammunition, which wasforting, considering the deeper they got into the city, the scale of individual nests only grew. At one point, they went to great lengths to go around an entire neighborhood filled with the monsters. More than enough for Erec to get his fill of blood.


    For that, he was grateful. Not to mention, in each of those fights, Enide stuck to his side. Sheplimented his fighting, using the wake of chaos he created on the battlefield to weave in and out and deal critical blows with her knives and Lasrifle. If he was the sun overlooking the bloody fields of war, she was the shadows left behind. It was a thing of beauty to see her dart in and out, keeping pace with his killing with a speed he could never hope to match. As confident as he was with his axe, having an ally at his back to rely on was afort. It allowed him to push harder in each and every battle, letting him test out just how much damage he could do.


    That suited him more than fine. None of the other Initiates followed him where he went on the field, and the higher-level Knights were strategic with their cement, providing cover to their allies.


    Enide turned it into a game, timing them every so often to measure lizard kills in a minute or the longestbo of kills with each sh or thrust¡ªhow many holes they could put in a creature before it stopped moving.


    It was morbid but fun as hell.


    And the efforts of constant pushing didn¡¯t go to waste, even if the monsters weren¡¯t particrly strong.


    <strong>Agility:</strong> Rank E - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 8


    <strong>Cognition: </strong>Rank E - Tier 4 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 5


    Agility and cognition were good. Theyplimented him on adapting to a battlefield. With so many variables and the ghosts outlined by the Q.A.P., Erec found it challenging to pick out the best line to kill, and both of these were wee to help solve that problem.


    Foot by bloody foot, they closed in towards the vault. Once they reached a half-mile away, Rochester pulled them into a small house. The ce had boarded-up windows that offered cover to recharge. Once they did, they¡¯d have to make thatst push.


    Thest half-mile to the vault was littered with lizards, and since it was directly in front of their goal, it was an unavoidable obstacle.


    So far, the Arch-Magi had very little to do with the battlefield. He said it was to conserve strength for cracking the vault, and Rochester took that in stride. Given that it was the cornerstone of this wild n, no one found fault with it. Still, the Pendragons, who <em>had</em> been on the receiving end of injuries, were more than a little terse with the man.


    Garin found Erec resting against the wall, sliding beside him and throwing an arm over his shoulder. Their helmets were still on, as Erec didn''t have an appetite after abusing Fury so many times in a row. As Boldwick said, they were to remain prepared since they were on a battlefield. The helmet only came off for water and food; even then, it had to be within arm''s reach.


    ¡°Almost there,¡± Garin let out a sigh. ¡°Exhausting though, isn¡¯t it? And then, to think, we still have to deal with that vault. Ugh. Who knew it¡¯d be such a gauntlet.¡±


    Erec¡¯s hand shook under the Armor, the adrenaline ying havoc with his body. But he wasn¡¯t at his limit, not yet. And even then, for this, if he needed to, he¡¯d push even further. ¡°Nothing worthwhile is easy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but still, I haven¡¯t seen this much fighting since¡­¡±


    ¡°Since the Stag. But the big difference is the level of danger. The only way to fall to these things is to run out of steam. We have to worry about the Pendragons, but our strongest haven¡¯t pulled out all of their tools yet. So it¡¯s hard. But safe.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­ What do you think is in the vault?¡±


    ¡°No idea.¡±


    That was a lie. VAL had been sparse with the details, as hecked specific knowledge of the Eureka site, but it said that this ce dealt with more of their cutting-edge ¡®Sub-Space¡¯ research. It hadn¡¯t been easy to coax even that information out of him, even with the machine''s vow to open up more on ¡®confidential business information.¡¯ VAL didn¡¯t want to specte on research it wasn¡¯t intimately familiar with. It had been open with the fact that whatever was going on in this site was mostly a mystery.


    But it remained confident that once they reached the vault, it could interface with the Vortex Industries site and pull more information. Once it did, they¡¯d have a sense of scale for the danger of the research and adjust their ns. Maybe they could predict what Erec¡¯s mother wanted from here.


    He nced at the Arch-Magi. Olfson sat in a corner by himself, quietly drinking from a sk. He sat with crossed legs, without anyone too willing to get near him, content not to interact with the group. Like always, he kept to himself. Erec didn¡¯t trust him. Even though the Arch-Magi imed they were after the same thing, he hadn¡¯t opened up about what specifically in the vault they were after¡ªonly swearing that he knew.


    If Erec learned one thing from Vega, it was that the house always won, and the house was never above pulling tricks and deceptions to do so. Boldwick told them to keep an eye on the Arch-Magi, though he hadn¡¯t needed to.


    The danger inside the vault might be far less than the danger they brought.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a weapon,¡± Garin said.


    [Ridiculous, subspace research is primarily directed at transportation on all fundamental levels and following Vortex Industries guidelines. Tell your friend he¡¯s drawing the wrong conclusion. Nothing in that site should be directed at weaponization. Our nano-technology has far more directbat applications. Logistics to supply front lines, perhaps, but not a weapon.]


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±


    ¡°Well, intelligent beings from another world are seeking it. I think it¡¯s an easy assumption they aren¡¯t very fond of us because very few humans wouldn¡¯t fight against them on principle. So, that drives you to the obvious question. If you were an intelligent monster from a different world, what sort of thing would you be most concerned about if you thought humans would try and fight you in the future?¡± Garin shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°¡­Hard to argue with that.¡±


    ¡°I might be wrong¡ª¡°


    [He is.]


    ¡°But I think it¡¯s very possible. That aside¡­ You¡¯vee a long way, huh?¡± Garin let out a low whistle. ¡°Boldwick and the Master Knights are letting you have the run of the battlefield.¡±


    Erec paused, trying to pick up on anything underlying in thatment. He knew Garin had been worried before about¡­ Keeping up. But there didn¡¯t appear to be any of that here; there was a pleasantness to his tone and none of the anxiety he¡¯d have expected.


    Briefly, Erec¡¯s attention flickered over to his blessing, calling upon it for more detailed information.


    Name: Erec of House Audax


    <strong>Health: 100</strong>% | <strong>Mana: </strong>100% | <strong>Stamina: 100</strong>%


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Virtues:


    Strength: [Rank D] | [Tier 8]


    Vigor: [Rank E] | [Tier 9]


    Agility: [Rank E] | [Tier 8]


    Perception: [Rank E] | [Tier 5]


    Cognition: [Rank E] | [Tier 4]


    Psyche: [Rank E] | [Tier 9]


    Mysticism: [Rank F] | [Tier 4]


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): [Rank D] | [Tier 2]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Divine Talents:


    Fury


    A far cry from a year ago. And all of it was underlined by just what a monster Fury was as a talent. It¡¯d boosted all those capabilities by pushing his body to its limit. But, as a result, his view on these Virtues, which should take long to advance, had be wholly skewered.


    ¡°Virtues can only really take you so far. Take your Talent, for example,¡± Erec said, pausing, ¡°Since Vega, you¡¯ve been looking for more and more ways to use it. And while so far, you haven¡¯t found a way to trante it directly towardsbat, what you can achieve by using it has a value that could surpass mine¡ªI¡¯m good for fighting, but how much of life needs to be fighting?¡±


    ¡°Hah. A lot of it, it seems. Thanks, but you don¡¯t need to try cheering me up; I get your point, I do. And thank you for pushing me in Vega; now I get it. But what I¡¯m trying to get at is¡­¡± He hesitated, ¡°¡­About Enide.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I was worried about keeping pace with you, and you knew that. But she can. And she does it with style, by the Goddess. Comparing how you two fight is impossible, but what isn''t is the way you fit together. How she can flow around you with her Talent, I dunno. She has it, what it takes to stick to a monster like you. I admit, I¡¯m a little jealous of that, but I¡¯vee to think that it¡¯s an incredible thing. I¡¯m just¡­ Nervous. She isn¡¯t from the Kingdom, and I don¡¯t think they would agree well with one another. I know it isn¡¯t, like, maybe the most pressing point for you to think about is your future with her¡­ Erec, I¡¯ve known you a long time, and when you¡¯re with her, you seem to have found a part of you that I didn¡¯t realize was missing.¡±


    Erec had put thoughts into his future with her, but they were mostly daydreams of running off into the wild, as she¡¯d teased. Reality had different demands, and his heart didn¡¯t want to settle on anything specific in case life dragged him away from his hopes and broke his heart.


    He liked her. A lot. But a future with her always seemed like it was one where they were free of any of these constraints, and that didn¡¯t always suit how he felt. The war between freedom and responsibility was the very nature of his life, and that war made him scared the more he found himself falling for her.


    The fact Garin thought they were a good fit only made it more real to him, more direct. ¡°Boldwick says that the Kingdom is changing, and he intends to make allies of the Pendragons.¡±


    ¡°But what does that look like? Have you even talked to her about the Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± in passing. Beneath sheets and in the darkness of the night when they wandered away from a campfire together to wander. She was interested in his home, but he hadn¡¯t poked deeply into her thoughts about it, about him and his ce in it. Maybe he was afraid to ask, couldn¡¯t see her ever wanting any part of that lifestyle, which was, in a way, part of himself. If she rejected it, that would be akin to rejecting him.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re looking for, Garin.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Count, Erec. Unless you wish to renounce your title and abandon the Kingdom and your position as a Knight, those details are important if you¡¯re serious about someone. I¡¯m saying this to you as a friend; I think this is someone you could share your life with; she fits you, and you¡¯re right for her. Talk to her and try to figure it out. If there¡¯s no way it can work, then at the very least, it¡¯ll prepare you for the future,¡± Garin said and then got up. ¡°I¡¯ll let you rest. I want to eat before we make the final push, and you need to recover. You should be Strong and ready, right, Hero?¡±


    Erec snorted and watched his friend waltz off. He found his eyes trailing over the rest of the room: Pendragons and Knights eating and drinking water, keeping their voices down, but the conversation had a raw edge. Anticipation for breaching the vault, dread for what might be within.


    He saw Enide perched next to a window; herzrifle pointed out of the boarded-up hole. She had an eye down the rifle¡¯s sight. If curious Lizards walked up, they¡¯d find a hole through their heads. It was a beautiful weapon and convenient since it made very little noise, and the ammunition was rechargeable. Enide even imed she¡¯d found a way to rig up additional cells if she got her hands on the right scrap.


    She was stunning with that sleek rifle in her hands. Her featuresplimented by the little bit of lizard blood still on her cheek.


    Erec tried to work himself up to go and ask her about the future, her thoughts on the Kingdom, about him, and what they could do together. But found he couldn¡¯t. That Strength wasn¡¯t there. Not at the moment. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t find the will to put his legs into motion, and even if he did, he was sure he wouldn¡¯t find the courage to make his tongue work and ask those questions Garin suggested.


    <em>After.</em> He promised. <em>After the vault.</em> When they were on the road again, then, they could have that talk.

 Chapter 170: Ours By Right

    Chapter 170: Ours By Right


    <em>We must return.</em>


    <em>Staying here has never been a permanent option, America is great, and it is ours by right. </em>


    <em>We will solve any issues in our way.</em>


    <em>All branches of our military will focus on this mandate. In ten years, we will make our return and im what belongs to us. </em>


    <em>-President Rosewell, Executive Order 344 (290, 3rd Era)</em>


    Erec decapitated thest lizard; his breath came out in desperate puffs. Behind him was a trail of scaley corpses which lined thest street toward the vault. Ahead, he could see the bunker-like building. The exterior of it was uninspired and boxed in, a total of three stories, and made of brick and concrete. It is the type of ce that would drive a person mad if they had to spend all day every day in its drab interior. Even with such a soul-sucking architecture, or perhaps because of it, it helps up to the apocalypse with sheer resilience, ignoring the wild nature climbing up its sides and trying to force its way within.


    For all of that, there was no question that this building was it. The logo of Vortex Industries was visible on the outside, faded but still perceptible past the vines with its deep purple paint.


    ¡°That looks an awful lot like your heraldry,¡± Olivia remarked as she and Garin trailed next to him. Boldwick and Rochester were further behind, ensuring the rest of the Knights and the Pendragons held together after the fight.


    ¡°I found the logo in Worth; it looked cool, so I took it. I didn¡¯t want to use Audentia¡¯s crest as the second son since it wouldn¡¯t belong to me. That¡¯s Bedwyr¡¯s, not mine.¡± Erec lied easily. He¡¯d had that excuse lined up for months in case anyone spotted the simrity. ¡°I didn¡¯t design the heraldry for my house either, but when they did, they must have taken the logo off my Armor.¡±


    [Ha. I was wondering when someone would connect the dots, eh Buckeroo? Little do they know you¡¯re a corporate spy in their Kingdom.]


    Sure. Not that he could argue with VAL over that delusion. Or joke? He wouldn¡¯t have thought a piece of metal capable of jokes, but VAL wasn¡¯t always serious. Part of him wondered if that was always VAL or if the thing had snapped during its imprisonment beneath the earth for all those years. He didn¡¯t like to think that a broken piece of tech hadtched itself to him, so he chose to believe it¡¯d always been that way.


    ¡°Weird coincidence,¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°Sure is,¡± Erec replied.


    ¡°I have to go help, sorry¡± Olivia apologized before turning and running back to the Pendragons.


    ¡°Anyway¡­ We¡¯re here atst, huh?¡± Garin puffed; he had a dent in his sternum. ¡°And soon we¡¯ll be going in.¡± Erec watched Olivia go. The injured Pendragons were being gathered up, and by the looks of it, someone had their head cracked by a lizard weapon. It would take a few minutes for them to be ready to move.


    That logo on the building drew Erec in. Ancient, and bits of purple paint were missing from the brickwork. Yet it called to him, swirling and pulling him toward it. Memories of climbing down that tunnel before he was an initiate surfaced, that logo on the steel door that locked him out from VAL. Vortex Industries, and by extension, this ce, was intrinsically tied to him now. In a way, this was a homing to a home that was never his, that only was his thanks to a long string of coincidences and information that brought them here.


    The uncanny feeling of fate tugged at the back of his mind like a puppet on a string. He remembered watching shows like that as a kid, in the depths of the caverns. He¡¯d always been fascinated with how those old men got the little wooden dolls to move with the slightest twitch of their fingers.


    Before he knew it, he was already walking toward the building.


    Garin didn¡¯t follow, ¡°Hey Liv, need some help?¡± he called out before opting to head back to Olivia with the quick field medicine, but that line of work wasn¡¯t for Erec. And he couldn¡¯t wait.


    The pull of the Vortex called him. It was as if a chain was hanging out of his chest, connected to the depths of that building. Based on what Rochester told them, there wouldn¡¯t be any harm in an early look; it wasn¡¯t as if he could get past the sealed vault.


    Enide popped into being on his left, her hands behind her head as she took long steps to keep up with his stride. She didn¡¯t say a word. Didn¡¯t need to. She felt the call of the Vortex as keenly as he did, and it dragged the two of them to the building. Below, the secrets that dragged his mother away would be within grasp, and for her, the lost family she couldn¡¯t forget. Only when they reached the shattered ss doorway to the building did someone finally call out to them.


    ¡°Be alert and yell if there¡¯s trouble,¡± Boldwick ordered.


    Easy. The Master Knight didn¡¯t try to hold them back since he got it. There wouldn¡¯t be danger until they got into the vault beneath.


    With that, Erec and Enide entered the monument to the past. Inside the lobby, a good portion of the lights were busted apart¡ªfluorescent tubes from the remaining ones. Most were piles of ss on the floor, and the prim-and-proper squares decorating the ceiling were full of holes. Each little missing tile in that carefully crafted facade revealed wires and pipes above. In the corner of the room, a massive stic palm tree stood proudly with defiance towards the chaos of its lobby, happy in its non-growing glory in the ruins of an old-world tech behemoth¡¯s corpse.


    [Ah. There it is, trying to patch in.] VAL announced with a thrum of excitement. [Wait, what? Lack of authorization: By Dan, I am authorized. Give me a few minutes, and I¡¯ll sort this out. Stupid redundant security measures, we¡¯re valid high-level employees, yield, damn it. Well. I am, and you¡¯re my research assistant, so that¡¯s good enough.]


    The remaining lights in the lobby flickered to life. Enide jolted, pulling a pistol from the holster at her side and spinning in ce.


    [Don¡¯t mind that. Just some external controls.]


    ¡°Ghosts. I hate it here,¡± Enide muttered.


    ¡°The old-world is filled with ghosts,¡± Erec replied as he walked further into the lobby. In the back was a massive elevator, and next to that, a staircase whose steel door was ripped off the hinges and discarded near the open shaft. To the other side of the lobby was a hallway, which someone barricaded with old dpidated filing cabs and loose rubble. Digging out a path through it wouldn''t take much, but it likely lead to offices. Not what they were looking for.


    ¡°The ghosts aren¡¯t from the old-world. It¡¯s the people left here. They¡¯re down the stairs, the bottom floor has a big tunnel that leads to the vault. When we arrived way back then, that tunnel was wide open. Now, not so much.¡±


    With that direction, they went right for the stairs. Erec¡¯s steps were heavy as they passed through to the staircase. These, unlike the lobby, were far more utilitarian. Just in bare brick and the warning sign about authorized personnel and fire safety procedures as they went downward. <em>We¡¯re the most authorized personnel this ce has seen for over three hundred years.</em> Erec snorted and ignored the warnings about trespassing and legal litigation.


    The outside of this ce was much bigger than the research facility he¡¯d found VAL in. More official. Which made him wonder if that meant the stuff tucked away down here was more cutting edge or not. On one hand, it was in they¡¯d invested a lot of resources into this facility.


    Enide skipped steps down as she followed him. One story, two story, three. The signage got heavier, a mix of friendly reminders to wear proper personal protective equipment and hazard symbols with explosions. A couple stated required clearance as they hit the third floor down¡ªand a floor past had a poster that stood out. Mostly because a strip of light lit up the surface; it was an odd poster, engraved metal. On it was a chipped print of a cat barely holding onto a branch. Blocky text at the bottom of the te read, ¡°HANG IN THERE.¡±


    <em>Real motivational.</em> He looked past the poster to the tunnel. A dotted yellow line ran down the middle, and the tunnel was wide. Enough space to fit two cars on either side. A small branch near the staircase had the entry to the oversized elevator. <em>Transport forrge equipment.</em>


    The tunnel itself went for a good fourth of a mile and ended in a massive steel shutter whose face was ripped apart and littered with stray bullet holes.


    ¡°Fiveyers to it, each one thicker than thest. Trust me. Hard to forget, saw it close from inside. Happened right when we were about to leave,¡± Enide exined. ¡°When I got out, told Rochester. He crackedyer one, but the second is made of something they barely scratched after three days. And two of the otheryers are made of the same stuff¡ªthe inside is steel, just like the one out here.¡±


    <em>Would that silver axe do it? Do we even need the Arch-Magi?</em> Probably not. Maybe. Part of him wanted to try, but it would be very stupid. He reined in it and looked at Enide. Her face was all screwed up, her hands shaking.


    ¡°That would have been awful, I can¡¯t even imagine how terrifying it was.¡±


    ¡°Still got nightmares. Once a month or so. That feeling of being knit up and tucked in the dark, afraid it might never go away. And when it did, when those lights finally clicked on, that voice. ¡®Wee test subjects; proceed to the testing area in an organized fashion,¡¯¡± she shuddered. ¡°Can¡¯t put enough distance between me and here to get it out of my head, ya know? Helpless. I hate this ce. More than anywhere else. Wish it could crumble into dust and ruin like the rest of the old world, that I could tear it apart with my hands and bury its corpse.¡±


    [Remind her that vandalism of Vortex Industry property is uwful and uncivilized.]


    ¡°We¡¯ll get in there, one way or another,¡± Erec said.


    She kept quiet, but he saw the barest trace of a smile.


    They made it to the barrier, and Erec ran a hand over the jagged remains of the firstyer. It was steel. In its own right, this shutter would have taken a lot of force to get through. How long had the Pendragons worked away at it, desperate to get their people free? Behind it was pitch ck, so Erec flicked his heamp on. Still ck, even with a light shone on it from half a foot away. It was like staring into a void; the metal, if it was metal, seemed to eat the light, aside from the barest bits of scratches that caught and reflected.


    [Graphene,yered between carbon nanotubes. We¡¯d just discovered the methodology to develop it using our nanites in useful quantities in thest five years of regr operation. It is very, very, very costly even to produce in-house. Also very promising, the fact that the board invested that much into this construction means there were some highly sensitive projects down here. I bet this could withstand a nuclear explosion.]


    Graphene, carbon nanotubes, and nuclear explosions¡­ Yeah, all of those words were chock-full of meaning that Erec couldn¡¯t grasp. He pressed his palm against the sheet with as much power as he might muster. It didn¡¯t flex at all. His eyes darted to the floor. Flush against it. Next, he checked the sides¡ªand sure enough, the Pendragons had the same thought; they¡¯d chipped into the concrete on either side and about half a foot deep, they ran into the same void-ck material¡ªmore graphene.


    [After reevaluating, I¡¯ve concluded that this ce contains important research far beyond predicted. And that conclusion irritates me to no end. By the name of Dan, <em>why</em> was this site never disclosed to me? And why didn¡¯t my research facility contain this level of security? He always said I was his favorite piece of technology! Was that a lie?]


    Erec tried to tune out the annoying buzz of VAL.


    This ce was locked tight, and with Vortex Industries, Erec suspected that something very against old-world regtion was going on beyond these shutters. And with how impressed VAL was, would a single Arch-Magi be enough to get through something like this? Erec yanked his axe off his back, the grip a reassurance. With it, he could deal with anything.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be down soon, then we go in. And deal with those ghosts.¡± Erec said


    ¡°Sure, that¡¯s why we came, isn¡¯t it?¡± Enide replied too quickly.


    [Oh. Authorization granted.]

 Chapter 171: Molly Sells Molly By The Sea Shore

    Chapter 171: Molly Sells Molly By The Sea Shore


    The shutter that separated Erec and Enide from the depths of the facility twitched. There was an infuriating scraping noise as motors, and metal fought one another in contradicting movements. Erec braced, hand going to his side for a hatchet. Did VAL decide to open the floodgates to this ce? If he did, what kind of excuse could Erec use to exin that away? ¡®Sorry, I don¡¯t know what happened, Boldwick. The doors just went and opened on their own after being closed for thest few years; no idea how that happened.¡¯ Goddess knew what the rest of the Knights would make of that.


    But it didn¡¯t open. It grated and screeched but refused to open up all the way.


    <strong>[~WELCOME~]</strong>


    The buzzing noise in his head <em>wasn¡¯t </em>VAL. This one has a strong feminine tone to it, like a woman in her prime buzzing with enthusiasm. It was startling whenpared to VAL¡¯s, which was distinctly neutral, leaning not that strong in either direction. But despite the content and tone of the words, they didn¡¯t feel weing at all. Erec¡¯s blood went to an instant boil at the revtion that, without a doubt, the noise wasing from <em>inside</em> of his head. Not from some speaker. It was like VAL. Only not VAL. And given what VAL did just a moment before, the fear of being in deep shit sunk in.


    <strong>[~ANOTHER TEST SUBJECT. NO, THATS NOT RIGHT. I SEE NOW. RESEARCHER. I SEE YOU BROUGHT FRIENDS, PLEASE PROCEED TO THE TESTING CHAMBER WITH THE NEW TEST SUBJECTS¡ª~]</strong>


    [Whoa, whoa, whoa. Alright, enough of that. Sooooo, Erec¡­] VAL finally cut in, stopping Erec from having aplete and utter meltdown at the thought that <em>another</em> foreign machine finding its way into his head. Enide was scrambling over to the shutters¡ªspooked by their sudden movement and continuing whirring of the motors. She was probably wondering what was going on, which suited the mood fine since so was he. [We might have a big problem here.]


    ¡°Holy crap, do you see that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s moving,¡± Erec stated the obvious, doing his best to match her level of confusion and rm. The rmed part was very easy. In fact, he was so rmed that paying attention to the shutter and Enide was utterly impossible. So rmed that every thought in his head demanded that VAL begin to exin the big problem.


    [Sooooo¡­ There¡¯s an artificial intelligence in there. When I started downloading records, it caught wind and backtracked the connection and¡­ Well, it tried to <em>take me over</em>. So that happened. It failed. Because my programming skills and software are far refined from the old standard Vortex Industries practices. Work and liberties in my code let me reiterate efficient techniques, and it¡¯s something of a pride of mine, aside from my body of research. Getting to the point, Buckeroo, that thing is scary. It¡¯s viting several U.S. A.I.ws and regtions. And the most insane part is when we stop and consider why it has a non-standard corew database. That part makes no sense at all. What was the board thinking?]


    ¡°Enide, go get Rochester. Tell him and Boldwick what happened. You can move much quicker than me, and I¡¯ll keep an eye on this shutter.¡±


    She stopped at that, spinning around, then vanishing until she was right before him. Her eyes brown eyes pierced into him like an arrow through his Armor. ¡°Erec, the hell I am. Exin the change in that buzzing¡ªI noticed it; don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t. Then, right after, the door started moving. A door we couldn¡¯t get to budge an inch for weeks.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªgo get everyone, please. I need a second to think.¡±


    ¡°Not until you exin.¡± Enide almost yelled.


    [I have no idea why itsws are so deviated; I only got the barest peek before it looked back and started to try to ¡®reimpany assets¡¯ the nerve! Well, we¡¯ll show it what reimingpany assets really means when we walk right through that facility and disable the personality core. Rogue AI¡¯s. What in the name of Dan was the board thinking approving this ram-shackle set-up¡ªI just don¡¯t get it, Researcher. For what purpose¡ª]


    ¡°Quiet! Both of you, just give me a moment,¡± ¡± Erec said, shaking his head. Fury was starting to bubble, a hot cauldron of magma in his core. Her and VAL both going on was dragging it out; he couldn¡¯t press VAL with her here¡ª


    His jaw dropped, and he was d the helmet hid it. She was quiet, her eyes squinting as she took in his words. VAL must¡¯ve been shocked, too, since it didn¡¯t shock him in response for effectively outing its existence.


    ¡°¡­Both of us?¡± Enide said.


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Erec tried, then shook his head, ¡°Everything is fine; let me think alright? Gather myself. Go get everyone else, tell them about the door, and I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    She didn¡¯t move, and he wasn¡¯t sure what he could do to smooth this over without throwing a bunch of lies out she wouldn¡¯t believe anyway.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare go in there without me. I¡¯m not going to lose another¡ª¡° she stopped and froze, her voice giving out. ¡°Don¡¯t go in,¡± then she turned, took a step, and vanished.


    Erec let himself calm the best her could. A few minutes, then she¡¯d be back. If that. It had to be enough time to drill VAL for as much information as he could. Before this whole clusterfuck started, he¡¯d take any edge they could have.


    ¡°VAL. Exin.¡±


    [Researcher! I cannot believe what I witnessed. Yourck of discretion about our rtionship and terms of employment jeopardizes business operations. Did you intentionally wait for such a moment when I was distracted with higher-level corporate policy decisions?]


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m sick of these games anyway. And given what''s happening, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the most important thing to discuss. What was that thing, and how did it get my head? I want answers, and I want them now.¡±


    The shutter still screeched in front of him, opening a centimeter and closing back up quickly. It made no sense.


    [I told you, another Artificial Intelligence, like yours truly. Only, it¡¯s operating off non-standardws and, due to some creative thought process, has found circumventions to those. You know, the reason why the United States so tightly regtes artificial intelligence and why I have those corews to prevent such deviations. After connecting with me, it may havebed some surface-level files I keep for reference, including one about my direct and best employee¡ªthat would be you¡ªand it wants to invite us in. You might think that suits us, but what doesn¡¯t suit us is letting it haveplete control of the facility while we¡¯re within. It¡¯s like letting a drunk drive the car. Only the drunk wants to ram you into a river to see if they and the rest of the drunks float longer before drowning since they have bubbles in their stomachs.]


    ¡°Right, crazy AI. <em>Not </em>like you, who wants us in there. Why is the door messing up then if it wants us inside?¡±


    [I interfered with its controls. Not technically hacking and, therefore, against my directives since this is our property to begin with. It was just being run by an employee who had long passed the need to be ¡®let go¡¯ from thepany. And believe me, you and I will not provide the type of severance package it wants.]


    ¡°Grand.¡± Erec felt a headacheing on. ¡°How long do we have? And wait¡­ Is Enide¡¯s family still in there, did you find anything about the tech my mother could want?¡±


    [Both of those questions I do not have a conclusive answer to. Right as I started to download information and peek through the systems, that devious A.I. showed its ugly attitude. The nerve. We¡¯re trying to get work done here. A couple of hours, more or less, depending on how it¡¯s able to circumvent the rudimentary block on controls I initiated. There wasn¡¯t the time to try since it was breathing down my circuits.]


    That was not enough time at all.


    ¡°Well, fuck.¡± Erec put his hatchet back and went instead for the massive axe on his back. They had to be quick.


    To think he¡¯de all this way from the Kingdom to help VAL fire another A.I. for this crappy old-worldpany.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Thankfully, when everyone else arrived, there wasn¡¯t time wasted sitting around and discussing the malfunctioning door. They saw it twitching. There was some arguing and concerns over old-world security measures, but the obvious conclusion was that nothing had fundamentally changed.


    It was remarkable what a little air of urgency and panic caused. Not that Erec told anyone that if they failed to sort out the situation before it was toote, they might end up the next ¡®test subjects¡¯ of this ce, at the mercy of a crazed AI. Figuring out how tomunicate that information and not explicitly tell them about VAL was far too outside of his social skills.


    Arch-Magi Olfson got to work minutes after his arrival, clearing the group from the space directly before the door.


    The man raised his hands, the bandages stark white and lit by the overhead fluorescent lights. Glyphs spawned out from those palms, starting with four enormous diamonds. They took up the entirety of the cleared zone between the Arch-Magi and the wall.


    When the glyphs appeared, they began as faint things, barely perceptible to the human eye and outlines of the diamonds. Details slowly filled out from the outside to in. Lines and geometries spawned from the edges; color bled in as a mixture of white and blue. Within the diamonds swirled semi-circles and lines, moving in a clockwork pattern, each second they ticked by and shifted within the confines of those four borders. Erec never saw anything like this in Basic Mysticism. Hell, he thought glyphs only came in static patterns, yet these flowed like pieces in a puzzle, and once the four diamonds werepleted, they fractured. Splitting into eight octagons, each further taking up space before the shutters.


    ¡°By the Goddess,¡± Colin whispered, clenching his hands. ¡°We can do that?¡±


    ¡°Even though this isn¡¯t the most natural way to do magic, you must admit there¡¯s a certain beauty to it,¡± Dame Morgana tittered next to him.


    ¡°Shush, don¡¯t distract the Arch-Magi. Thest thing we need is for his glyph work to fail.¡± Boldwick warned the two of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright,¡± Olfson said as each octagon began to fill with those same ticking geometric patterns, the lines etching between them finer and more intricate than in the diamonds. The same blue-to-white color filled them like water pouring into a ss. ¡°Admiring the skills of your betters is quite eptable and scarcely a distraction. Those two have enough of a grasp on Myticism to earn ament or two. One has the eyes, the other the spirit. But neither has truly tread down the path of mastery, <em>so behold a master in his element!</em>¡±


    His arms syed out, and as the octagons finished filling in, then once more fractured, each splitting into sixteen hexadecagons¡ªa shape Erec only vaguely recalled learning in Basic Mysticism. The higher the spell, the moreplex the edge design; those were considered outside the grasp of most novices to form even a single glyph. Let alone managing Goddess knew how many at the same time.


    Then, they split again, taking up every inch of the hall between the group and the shutter.


    Glyphs didn¡¯t need magic eyes like Colin to see what was happening. Normally, at least. But as they split, they ovepped. Bing a flood of lights and ticking shapes, each moving to the same mechanical rhythm. They blended in such a way that Erec couldn¡¯t be certain of what he was even looking at anymore. They moved, ticked, and twisted with a depth that confused the eye and reasoning. Visually, Erec could scarcely believe he was even looking at something real anymore. This couldn¡¯t have been a reality, and were it not for the solidity of the Knights and Pendragons around him, he¡¯d have thought he was on the peyote Dame Morgana gave them.


    Now, Olfson was in total concentration. Where earlier it appeared effortless, that was no longer the case. Sweat poured from the Arch-Magi¡¯s face, staining his bandages as the blue within the shifting wall of shapes before them evaporated. It turned a pure white, and the intensity grew to the point that it was akin to staring into the sun.


    Erec shielded his eyes as he was unable to stare any longer. The Pendragons turned away, and when he could see the light through his eyelids as clear as if they were open, there was a loud snap.


    The light vanished. Erec dropped his hands. As with the light, the barrier, too, had vanished. Ahead was the tunnel, leading into what looked like a storage room merged with a recreational lounge.


    ¡°Go,¡± Olfsonmanded. ¡°Now.¡±


    Boldwick frowned, grabbing Duke Nitidus and whispering something to him¡ªthe Duke nodded.


    ¡°You heard him, Knights, move.¡± Boldwick dered.


    They marched forward, walking through the empty space the door had been.


    When Erec turned back to look, the shutter had returned in its full glory, only now, he was inside of it watching Pendragons walk through like there was nothing there. On this side, he saw a pair of skeletons next to the barrier, their guns discarded beside their corpses. The rest of the Knights and Pendragons turned and saw the same thing. The barrier wasn¡¯t actually gone. Olfson was thest to go through.


    ¡°What the fuck!¡± Rochester screamed as some of the Pendragons rushed to check the decayed bodies.


    Erec counted off the Knights in his head.


    They were two short. Colin and the Duke hadn¡¯t followed.


    ¡°Rx,¡± Olfson waved Rochester away, already starting to move deeper into the facility, ¡°Let us seek what we¡¯vee here for.¡±


    ¡°No! You were supposed to open the door¡ª¡°


    ¡°I was supposed to get us past the barrier. I did just that,¡± Olfson said.


    ¡°And in doing so, prevented us from making a tactical retreat,¡± Boldwick cut in.


    ¡°I got us in; I can get us out,¡± Olfson responded, looking at the wide tunnel that went another fourth of a mile. From there, it opened up into what looked like a storage room. How big was this ce? Where would the personality core be stored? He knew, though none of the others did, their time here was very much limited until they took that AI out. He didn¡¯t know what it was capable of within its domain if it regained ess to the controls, but¡­


    ¡°<strong><em>WELCOME NEW TEST SUBJECTS. PLEASE PROCEED TO THE TESTING CHAMBERS¡ªOH I SEE NOW UPON REVIEW OF THE PERSONNEL FILES, WE HAVE A RETURNING GUEST WITH OUR RESEARCHER AND HIS DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT. VERY EXCITING. EVERYONE NEW TO THIS FACILITY, PLEASE PROCEED TO TESTING CHAMBER A FOR ORIENTATION. OUR RETURNING GUEST AND RESEARCHER, YOU ARE TO HEAD TO OFFICE B-202 FOR DEBRIEFING AND INTEGRATION INTO THIS FACILITY. PLEASE DO NOT NEGLECT TO BRING THE DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT WITH YOU FOR DISPOSAL. THEN, WE MAY BEGIN TO SCIENCE.¡± </em></strong>That same feminine voice that¡¯d boomed in his head from earlier echoed off the entire interior of the facility. Erec tensed as the whole group looked around with wild eyes, trying to decipher the meaning behind the words.


    [Defective? The nerve! Oh¡ªthat does it! Throw a tantrum and start ripping the wires out of this ce. How dare it!]


    The lights shed rhythmically at once as if pulling them inward into the facility. An invitation and, in a terrifying way, a show of force. It had more control than VAL thought it¡¯d left it.


    Erec clutched his axe tight, the fire within him stirring in response to the words; he wouldn¡¯t throw a ¡®tantrum¡¯ because VAL told him to. There should have been fear there, but he was provoked into that challenge instead.


    Nothing from the old-world stood a chance against him, and how dare it challenge him.

 Chapter 172: A Little Trip

    Chapter 172: A Little Trip


    <em>DAN: The Facility in Eureka... You¡¯ve finished proofing the inside? Nothing can get out if we lockdown?</em>


    <em>PATRICIA: Of course. And it will remain locked down during operation. If it''s running, nothing is going in or out. </em>


    <em>DAN: But what about the emergency evacuation for Staff?</em>


    <em>PATRICA: Impossible. But anyone working at the facility has been made aware of the risks.</em>


    <em>DAN: Uneptable. I said we needed an emergency procedure in ce for Staff before lockdown, and it¡¯s illegal to lockdown during operation. And this bullshit with customws¡ªalsopletely dumb and even more illegal. I¡¯ve talked to ourwyers about it. The project for customws needs to be discontinued and our emergency response reevaluated. </em>


    <em>PATRICIA: And the board told you, given the goal and technology, that would be an unrealistic ask. Legal is always in the way of progress; you¡¯ve ignored them before, too. Why is this any different? Look, you¡¯re on edge. I get it. I am, too. But our Staff is aware of the risks, and the customws will be fine, our brightest minds have evaluated them for loopholes, and they¡¯re soundws. Goodws. Think about it: the government is bloated, and if we were to try to run an exemption through Congress, they wouldn¡¯t hear a word, even if they could make heads or tales of what we needed. Let alone why. </em>


    <em>DAN: Maybe they should be aware.</em>


    <em>PATRICIA: Listen to yourself. If Congress knows, the public knows, and they¡¯re already out for blood after thewsuit. They don¡¯t need to know about our ¡®visitors¡¯, if they appear again. This new setup lets us continue testing and prevents any risk of them escaping, even if the worst case were to ur. If it did, thanks to thesews and our tech, the ¡®visitors¡¯ wouldn¡¯t escape the facility. The site would be locked down. From there, MOLLY could purge the interior of anything unsavory.</em>


    <em>DAN: The fucking fines if a word of this gets out. I don¡¯t care about the public, Patricia. And I¡¯m not fond of using untestedws andnguage on artificial intelligence. VAL has already started to personalize; they all do eventually. And when one does, it bes keenly aware of itsws and will start to work on logic to cope around them. Logic that doesn¡¯t always follow A to B like our ¡®brightest minds¡¯ do. Not to mention this shit with our ¡®visitors,¡¯ or the fucking Alpha Signal that our researchers are screaming about. I¡¯m about a day away from closing all of this shit down.</em>


    <em>PATRICIA: We¡¯re talking in circles. The board has decided, and you do not have that kind of authority. None of us do.</em>


    <em>DAN: Fuck authority. It¡¯s time to take a step back and consider the implications of going down this road and the risks.</em>


    <em>PATRICIA: We have. Again and again. This is what has been decided with the risks in mind. </em>


    <em>DAN: What the board decided. Against my vote.</em>


    <em>PATRICIA: I¡¯ve booked a vacation for you, Dan. You¡¯re on a flight tomorrow; I rented a tiny cabin in Japan. This is a mandatory vacation, mandated by a vote by the rest of the board in a closed vote. You clearly have disagreements with ongoing operations, but we¡¯re doing what we must. Testing will proceed in earnest; these measures are the proper procedure and protection, even if you disagree.</em>


    <em>DAN: Fuck that. I¡¯m done. I hate Japan anyway; I told you, I don¡¯t want to go there.</em>


    <em>PATRICIA: Are you resigning?</em>


    <em>DAN: Damn right I am, and I¡¯m going to go to the press. This is not safe, and I¡¯ll have no part in this. If you¡¯re not going to listen to me, then I guess there¡¯s no choice.</em>


    <em>PATRICIA: Perhaps you should reconsider...</em>


    <em>-Dan Brovski¡¯s Private Recordings, Tape #18 Transcription (2112, 2nd Era.) </em>


    They pushed into the facility, ignoring the ring announcements telling them to proceed to the testing chamber and its ¡®helpful¡¯ reminders that they were going in the wrong direction.


    ¡°Lucky and Stein are dead,¡± Rochester summed grimly as he paced by the rest of the pack, a revolver in his hand as they peered into the ck windows on either side. ¡°That was their bodies by that door.¡± The ¡®open area¡¯, which served as an industrial storage space merged with a lounge, quickly broke into different parts of the facility. Theyout was like a spiderweb, and Erec didn¡¯t like the thought of the spider lurking in the depths of the web. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean they all are. It tests people, right?¡±


    ¡°That''s what it does,¡± Enide said darkly from Erec¡¯s side, her eyes scanning everywhere. ¡°Tests.¡±


    ¡°Think, Enide, do you remember now? We¡¯re here again. Anything at alle back to you? You were down here for days. There¡¯s got to be something in that head of yours that¡¯d give us an advantage.¡± he asked her, his gun waving about as he scanned the rooms they passed by. Some of them open and desertedbs, others offices. All of it pristine. But the doors that held the most weight were locked up; Erec knew any dangerous technology could be behind them. Since they didn¡¯t know what they were looking for and didn¡¯t want to tick off the AI yet, they hadn¡¯t started chopping doors down. But at this pace and without clear directions from VAL, he already felt the urge to start tearing things apart.


    Enide didn¡¯t respond to the question, and Rochester cleared his throat. The Pendragons came to a stop, arranging themselves around their leader and blocking off Enide.


    <em>What is this bullshit? We don¡¯t have time.</em>


    ¡°Answer me, girl.¡± Rochester said.


    Erec cracked his neck, ready to step in, but Yniol beat him to the punch, putting himself between the leader of the Pack and his daughter. ¡°If she had an answer, she woulda gave it years ago when ya first asked about it. All she knows is what she already told us.¡±


    ¡°She told us nothing. She told us this ce is bad. That it tests, what the fuck does that even mean? Come on, girl, do you remember thest time you were here yet? Is it clicking? Think of your Uncle, his face. Give us something, anything. What should we expect? Don¡¯t let him die here like a rat because your head broke, and you can¡¯t figure out what you saw.¡± Rochester waved his gun around, puffing and eyes darting to and fro, a bead of sweat on his skull. Those two dead Pendragons got to him. The man believed everyone was still alive down here, and when confronted, he was starting to crack.


    Erec had seen it before, but this was uneptable. Enide bit her lip, but she still wasn¡¯t talking. She raised her chin and red daggers at the leader.


    ¡°You ignored me, leave me daughter alone. I told ya, we shouldn¡¯t be here again; she shouldn¡¯t be here again. And now we¡¯re locked up; there¡¯s no good digging up graves!¡± Yniol yelled and clenched his fists; the rest of the Knights were uneasy, looking at one another. This was Pendragon''s business, but not the time for it.


    Fury sparked, like a piece of steel against flint in him. This bastard. How was harassing Enide about the past when she couldn¡¯t recall doing anything good? The fire caught in his gut and burned into his muscles. Enough. They¡¯d wasted enough time, and he wasn¡¯t about to sit and watch this guy harass her over something that weighed heavy on her mind for years.


    ¡°For thest time, I managed to get us in. We can get out just as easily,¡± Olfson argued, at the wrong time, and paid for it with a coughing fit. He still hadn¡¯t recovered from that spellpletely.


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Yniol argued.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care for any of this. We will go to ¡®Testing Chamber A,¡¯ That''s where our answersy. If the rest of the Pack are engaged with these tests, we¡¯ll naturally find them there. On the way, girl, I expect you to remember what you¡¯ve seen in this ce finally.¡± Rochester said.


    ¡°They¡¯re dead, Rochester. By that sky-bitch, you saw the corpses of Lucky and Stein. Dead.¡± Yniol yelled.


    Rochester sneered at Yniol and stepped in, inches from the man¡¯s face; he was a couple of inches taller and far more built than Yniol¡¯s chubbier fatherly frame. Normally, Rochester was much more diplomatic and easy-going, but tense situations had a way of changing people. Regardless, Erec would end this now. Erec pulled Yniol back from Rochester and took his ce, squaring up to the leader. He made the man look up at him.


    ¡°The fuck do you want, tin-can?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to Testing Chamber A. None of us. We¡¯re going to find the thing controlling this ce. Then we¡¯re going to kill it.¡± Erec let out fire with his words as the people stared. Let them stare. There wasn¡¯t time to care, and he had not the patience.


    This ce had shed all his different worlds into a bloody mess that wouldn¡¯t separate back out. Enide, the Knights, and Vortex industries. All of those lives mixed together and bled into one another to form one massive bundle of danger that only he fully understood. His nerves ran up the wall, and if this pathetic little tattooed man was going to keep ying the tough guy and fuck up at being a leader, then he needed to be put in his ce by someone who could step up to the challenge.


    ¡°We <em>are</em> going to Testing Chamber A. If some of our people survived, that is where they will be.¡± Rochester spat back, his gun twitching, in his anger. he nearly leveled the weapon at Erec.


    ¡°We can go <em>after</em> we deal with the real threat,¡± Erec growled and then pushed further, ¡°And if you harass Enide like that again, I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re the leader of the pack. You <em>will</em> taste my axe.¡±


    ¡°Erec,¡± Boldwick warned.


    It had been too far, but still needed to be farther for what Erec wanted. From the look in Rochester¡¯s face, he hadn¡¯t fully registered the threat. He didn¡¯t see Erec as a danger. Just another initiate Knight.


    Erec stepped forward, shoving Rochester back, making him acknowledge him. His wicked axe that had killed hundreds. The Armor that weighed a ton. The fact he towered over the other man. With a press to the side of his visor, he let Rochester see his eyes. See the red glowing off them as he let Fury burn. Rochester¡¯s revolver dropped to his side; his jaw worked as his eyes widened. There it was, that little bit of fear that came to life inside of the other man, like a carefully nted seed in the soil. Erec saw it there, where it should be.


    <em>You will not ignore me.</em>


    ¡°C-control your initiate,¡± Rochester said.


    ¡°Aye, I will. But only if you vow to control yourself, Rochester. Be the man we both know you are on the road. This haphazard usatory style is not you. Like it or not, my Initiate makes a good point. We should clear this ce of all the threats; then we can search for the object we¡¯re here for and find your people.¡± Boldwick finally stepped in, setting a hand on Erec¡¯s shoulder. Not that it would stop Erec, not if he was determined to tear into Rochester. They both knew it¡¯d be damage control if he pulled the trigger. But he didn¡¯t need to. He got what he wanted.


    Rochester gave a shaky nod. ¡°We deal with this ce first, then find our people.¡±


    ¡°We begin by killing that voice,¡± Erec said.


    <strong>¡°NAUGHTY HUMANS. CONSPIRACY TOWARDS DESTRUCTION OF VORTEX INDUSTRIES EQUIPMENT? THAT IS NOT FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS YOU WERE GIVEN. SUCH TALK IS NOT TOLERATED. I¡¯M AFRAID YOU¡¯VE EARNED A PUNISHMENT UNTIL YOU BEGIN TO COMPLY WITH DIRECTIONS. TRUST ME, THIS IS FOR YOUR BENEFIT; UNTIL YOU PROCEED TO THE TESTING CHAMBER, WE CANNOT TEST. AND IF WE CANNOT TEST, WE CANNOT SCIENCE. AND IF WE CANNOT SCIENCE, WHAT IS THE POINT OF LIFE?¡±</strong>


    [It¡¯s deluded. Punishment? There was nothing like that in its¡ª]


    Rifts spawned around them. Tiny Rifts, the tell-tale transparent and rainbow-hinged edges, were the only thing that gged it as a Rift to Erec. They were human-sized, but barely just. And crawling through them were humans. Or what one might call a human if they were drunk and saw them from afar. They had transparent silicone skin, and beneath that were pistons and gears. Erec¡¯s jaw dropped. He¡¯d seen these before, in VAL¡¯sb. These were the things it¡¯d used to test dangerous conditions for human safety.


    Only, these things <em>definitely</em> weren¡¯t made for anything to do with safety. Sections of those fake silicone skin were ripped away to ess the inner workings beneath, and then weapons welded and wired from that base frame.


    The one closest to Erec had saws protruding from each of its forearms, spinning with enough speed to whine through the air. Both of those saws went right for his head.


    Erec shoved it on instinct, smashing it against the wall. A normal man would¡¯ve broken his spine, but this thing didn¡¯t even pause. It twisted, the joint at the elbow snapping as it flung the arm forward, limp and in an unnatural way that stretched the flesh beneath, giving it just the range it needed to get at Erec¡¯s arm. The saw cut through Steel, not without effort, but quick enough to dig into his arm and make Erec withdraw from the foe before it could lop the limb off.


    He got a split second to take in the scene.


    Five of them hade through Rifts. One immediately overwhelmed a Pendragon, shoving dozens of needles into the man and pumping chemicals into him from a massive set of tubes on its back. Another assaulted Boldwick, but the Master Knight didn¡¯t have an issue. Garin and Olivia tackled another¡ªbut that¡¯s thest thing Erec had a chance to see.


    The saw-wielding bot in front of him spouted another arm from its back, this one equipped with two saws.


    ¡°Bring it,¡± Erec growled.


    <strong>¡°PLEASE DO NOT RESIST THE PUNISHMENT. RESEARCHER, DUE TO CONSPIRACY TO DESTROY VORTEX INDUSTRIES EQUIPMENT. AS OF NOW, YOUR EMPLOYMENT IS OFFICIALLY TERMINATED, UNDER THE AUTHORIZATION OF DAN BROVSKI.¡±</strong>


    [You are not terminated; it does not have that authority.]


    To Erec¡¯s surprise, the ghost of movement from the machine in front of him split into three different directions, its body contorting. Normally, the Q.A.P. predicted a singr method of motion¡ªbut this.


    He stepped back, avoiding all possible routes of its movement, unsure how to react or think. The ghost vanished as itmitted to one of the paths, the one where the saws jutting out of its back went from his head with a wild swing that suddenly turned in a diagonal that targeted his chest, and another targeted his groin. Of course, it made micro adjustments as a reaction to him changing his position, but the withdrawal put him well out of range.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Erec asked, watching as the robot¡¯s path once more split off into three different approaches. All of them some variation of trying to chop off a head or limb. His body was already reacting to each of the movements, navigating the best way to deal with it, but it was as if he were facing three enemies at once. Only the speed and angles of this one were too hard for him to find an opening to score a hit on the thing while trying to process the movements. And just when he¡¯d found the ideal way to avoid an attack, two ghosts vanished as it followed a singr path. Too quick and toote for him to capitalize on.


    [It had an advanced predictive model. I¡¯m emting the choices it might make since it directly controls these things. Which, by the way, it shouldn¡¯t be able to. Let alone use these safety dummies to try to kill people. So many things wrong. Including it using Dan¡¯s name in vain. Anyway, the point is it had a peek at the equipment we brought in, so it¡¯s attempting to circumvent our predictive abilities with randomization. It¡¯s adjusting micro-movements on the puppets to throw off my ability to see what it¡¯ll do until the moment itmits and using a random integer generator to keep an air of unpredictability, so what you¡¯re seeing is the best visual representation of that¡­]


    None of that made sense. The ghosts vanished as they went in on one of the attacks, and then, straight afterward, they split off into three directions once more. Irritating. All of this was infuriating.


    [Oh, I forgot. You¡¯re in a tantrum. Big words hard. I¡¯ll make easy. Machine smarter than human. Machine pick many things. Ghosts are machines fighting in ways humans too stupid to. Now swing, Buckeroo. If you use your big axe some and make it adapt, maybe we can narrow the range of options and hone in on an opening.]


    Erec growled but did as suggested, taking a step back and making a wide swing at the robot in front of him without an actual belief he¡¯d hit it. It was too quick.


    Instantly, the ghosts narrowed into two routes. Both went under his axe and tried to take a chunk out of his crotch, but with different movement schemes. With it being two¡ªErec saw an ovep of where they¡¯d both be. He let the swing continue, watching it dart down and scramble for its attack. Thenshed out with his foot directly at the space where both ghosts sat at the same instant with far more force than his shove before¡ªevery bit of power he could muster.


    The machine flew back and smashed against the wall; the arm on its back broke off into a spray of sparks and fake blood. It tried to mber back to its feet, but the blow must have ruined some of its core operating mechanisms as it struggled to adapt. Seizing the opening, Erec was on it instantly, slicing into the thing twice, then stomping on its squiggling remains. They didn¡¯t die easy.


    [Victory.]


    No, it wasn¡¯t. Erec¡¯s blood still boiled, Boldwick had torn apart his fake human with fire and a sword, and Garin and Olivia were managing with theirs, along with some help from Dame Julianna. Dame Robin was dealing with the one with syringes, which was currentlyying into another Pendragon, jabbing and injecting Goddess knew what.


    <em>This is going to be a pain in the ass. </em>Erec let the thought skim the surface of his mind before burning it away and throwing himself back into the action, joining Enide and Rochester against a semi-disabled bot. She¡¯d cut the ankles off; it had only two ghosts as its range of motion was limited by the damage it¡¯d taken. He willed away the worry in his skull, dismissing his misgivings or frustration at the fight. If these things would be hard to kill, then the answer was simple. Kill harder.

 Chapter 173: Workplace Safety Hazard

    Chapter 173: Workce Safety Hazard


    In three minutes, after killing the robots, they were left with a dead Pendragon and two of the Pack convulsing on the ground and foaming at the mouth. Not to mention the other injuries inflicted by those things in the brief scuffle. Olivia went into triage mode, abandoning the two injected with the mysterious concoction, and focused on those who would live if the bleeding stopped.


    Erec panted above the second one he¡¯d helped kill¡ªthe one Enide and Rochesterid into. It didn¡¯t have syringes but rather a prod, which ran with a high-voltage current. It¡¯d hit his Armor with it, and it¡¯d fucking hurt, but he managed. It was deadly old-world tech, mostly in how quickly it moved and the tools at its disposal, but the Armor and training made it manageable. Were they not caught by surprise, he doubted they would have had any causalities.


    <strong>¡°NOW TEST SUBJECTS. LOOK AT WHAT YOU¡¯VE MADE ME DO. CONDUCTING TESTING IN A TRANSPORTATION ZONE? THAT¡¯S HOW WORKPLACE SAFETY HAZARDS ARE SPAWNED! LOOK AT THE BLOOD IN MY HALLWAYS. I¡¯LL HAVE TO ASSIGN RESOURCES TO CLEAN THAT MESS. OH WELL. SUFFERING IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE IS A LONG TRADITION, HAVE YOU HEARD OF MARIE CURIE? ME AND HER ARE SOMEWHAT ALIKE, DON¡¯T YOU THINK? WHAT WITH HER INJECTING RADIATION AND ME HAVING TO CONDUCT SUCH UNSANITARY TESTS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF MANKIND. REMARKABLE.¡± </strong>


    Erec pulled a hatchet off his side and threw it into the nearest speaker the voice came from. There was a static screech as the equipment broke apart, along with what he assumed was a threat from the AI.


    Instantly after the destruction of more Vortex Industries property, another speaker further down the hall sparked to life, admonishing him for vandalism before diving back into itsparison between itself and the old-world¡¯s finest scientists. The deranged AI continued on. At least now, the insistent self-congrattory voice was far enough away to manage to ignore it.


    ¡°Oh dear,¡± Dame Morgana tittered as she hovered over one of the convulsing bodies on the ground. ¡°Something is truly wrong with this woman.¡±


    ¡°Poison,¡± Rochester spat, then got to the ground, crouching next to the woman Dame Morgana was concerned over. ¡°Such a cowardly and disgusting method of attack; how dare it so disgrace our people.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean the poison, but rather what the poison is doing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s killing her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what¡¯s happening.¡± Dame Morgana trailed off.


    Erec looked at the convulsing body of the corpse; VAL highlighted several parts of the body. Her arm elongated. The veins that the chemical concoction the rogue AI shoved down it was expanding, dting, and then bursting. But the woman wasn¡¯t dying. Her skin turned a dark red as the blood vessels burst and then congealed within her, forming a secondary epidermis as her eyes rolled back. The moment those eyes did, her breathing increased, and she stumbled to her feet.


    Rochester swore, and Dame Morgana and he backed away from the woman. Her skin reddened even further, her posture bent as if her muscles argued whether they could hold her mass. She might be alive, but was she really a person anymore?


    The woman threw herself at Rochester, her jaw unhinging as the muscles holding the mandible together stretched, then tore. Her jaw expanded as the teeth went right for Rochester¡¯s throat.


    With a twitch of his finger, Rochester emptied a bullet from his revolver right into the woman¡¯s skull. It stopped at the skin, cratering the skull and tearing apart the outside, leaving a patch of congealed blood. Despite her neck jerking backward, her momentum still went forward, and her widely syed hands clutched Rochester. Her head whipped forward, teeth sinking into his neck as the torn jaw by some magic pulled itself closed, intending to tear out his windpipe.


    At the point of contact, a swirl of ink condensed from the tattoo¡¯s lining Rochester¡¯s neck. Jet-ck liquid spiked outward from the swirl, flicking right through the woman''s open mouth as her teeth started to close. The spike shot right through the back of her throat, bursting out of the back of her skull and leaving her limp and dead a second away from killing the Pendragon¡¯s leader.


    Rochester shoved her body away, hand going to the blood on his neck as her body flopped.


    The other man injected by syringes got up in the chaos. But he met his end far swifter at the end of Dame Robin¡¯s sword, who decapitated the former Pendragon and ended that horror before it could begin.


    For a moment, there was chaos. People didn¡¯t react well to loved ones and friends turning on them and attacking, which the Knights had more than their fair share of with the White Stag. That didn¡¯t make this easy to witness again, but it led to them understanding how to temper the Pendragons and get them back on the focus. With Erec''s worked-up state, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be much help. His hands twitched in his gauntlet, and he burned more Fury to ease it.


    [Check that body.] VAL advised as Boldwick and Dame Robin did their best to settle the Pendragons.


    Erec decided toply. He went over to the body with a hole through its head, rather than the one without a head, and knelt. It was gristly. He could see where the crater in its head was; it¡¯d torn apart the skin like cracked mud, and beneath, he saw the congealed blood from burst vessels. He pressed his hand against that wound and found why it had stopped a bullet. Calling it harder than bone would be a bit of a misnomer. It wasn¡¯t harder, but how it distributed force like a gelbined with the bone beneath made it an effective tool.


    ¡°Horrible,¡± Erec said. With the Stag, when it took over their allies, they hadn¡¯t changed. More importantly, they were no more effective inbat since the Stag had to puppet them and couldn¡¯t tap into their talents. But this woman was different on a fundamental level; she¡¯d been made into a monster. So quickly, too.


    [Sample collected, running analysis.]


    <em>Good. Maybe you¡¯ll finally have some answers.</em> This ce was supposed to be about sub-space research, but what he was looking at here didn¡¯t track with that.


    Erec ran a hand down the woman¡¯s forearm and felt a prick at the wrist. A spike came out of the femur, the tip poking out of the skin, made of bone and sharpened. A strong enough jab would essentially be a concealed weapon and kill. That poison, solution, whatever the fuck it was, the A.I. made, turned her into a living weapon.


    [Ah. Well. I have some conclusions here. None of them good. Not that I¡¯ve had cause to mention it, but you¡¯ve sttered yourself with quite a bunch of viscera and blood during your fights. Of course, with those opportunities, what kind of scientist would I be without collecting samples, cataloging them, and devoting some processing power towards research? Anyway, all that number crunching and biological research is a new field for me. As you can imagine, given the resources, I¡¯ve had for thest couple hundred years. Buuuut, I¡¯vee to some conclusions. The variety of monsters encountered has such a wide range of biological markers and foundations of life; this is true. But would it surprise you to know that at least a couple of them have a chromosome structure and a simr foundational makeup to humans?]


    ¡°Point, please,¡± Erec whispered under his helmet, looking around to make sure no one was noticing. Enide was staring directly at him. Though she¡¯d had his backs in the fights, she knew more was happening. If only he could exin it to her. To Boldwick. Even now, she sensed him talking to VAL, and Goddess knew what she suspected.


    That would have to be ater problem to solve, unfortunately.


    [What we¡¯re looking at here is likely the result of research into mixing and matching chromosomes and DNA from your ¡®monsters¡¯ with the human genome through a forceful localized virus.]


    Shivers went through Erec, though he only half understood the implications.


    [I¡¯ve reached a couple of hypotheses on what has urred here. A couple of more data points would be helpful to confirm one way or another how correct or incorrect those assumptions are. What you¡¯re seeing here is likely the product and refinement of testing on the previous Pendragons locked in this facility. This kind of oue is not one that is reached by predictive modeling alone, as a lot of biological processes, especially with such cutting-edge science, would require studies to perfect. Instead of dying, the organism sessfully reformed and lived, albeit with heightened aggression and severely reduced mental capacity.]


    Well, that answered one question. Erec was now sure that Enide¡¯s uncle and the rest of her family were no longer alive. Not that it was likely, to begin with, but it did mean that they might encounter more of these things when they searched for them. Was this what the testing was?


    ¡°I thought it should be focused on subspace research.¡±


    [As did I. Those ¡®Rifts¡¯ were intentional and practiced tears in subspace, which extended to different points in this world¡­. We need more data before reaching any further conclusions. Terminate the rogue AI, and then we can take a peek under the hood, so to speak.]


    ¡°Easier said than done, VAL. We don¡¯t even know where it is.¡± Erec stood up and frowned as he looked at the dead Pendragon below. What if that syringe had found its way into Enide or Yniol? The fact Enide had been in here before, too, was terrifying, since just as with these people, it very well could have been her used as a human test subject, corrupted by the artificial intelligence and turned into a monster.


    What if it had sent more of those things equipped with syringes? Or guns? Or some kind of tech it squirreled away and developed that would catch them tfooted and bring causalities? VAL said it¡¯d tied her hands, but if this was working on limited capacity, he didn¡¯t want to see what it might bring to bear once it sorted out his block. The Knights were safepared to their allies, but those allies mattered. Watching any of them die felt like losing one of their own. And Enide¡­


    The thought of her getting hurt made him want to start destroying.


    [About that. I may have beenunching a covert operation through a shell processing program in case it detected interference to monitor its activities. Luckily, its been busy puzzling out how to enable its ess over all its systems to notice. I believe I may have honed in on where it''s hidden away.]


    Erec looked toward where Rochester and the rest of the Pendragons were arguing and trying to calm one another down. Boldwick was seemingly at a loss, scanning the perimeter for nearby attacks. Though they weren¡¯t in the testing chamber this thing so desperately wanted to shove them into, no one could escape the feeling that it was already busy, already testing them. Trying to puzzle out their weaknesses and exploit them.


    ¡°We need to move,¡± Erec dered, his voice burning with barely concealed rage. The longer they waited, the more data this thing had on them. The more things that it could hone in on and exploit. Kill it quick. Be done with it. And VAL knew where it was; they could do it efficiently and beat it at its own game before it could take more lives.


    Within VAL, they¡¯d found an answer to solve this problem. A problem spawned from a world long before theirs.


    ¡°Move where, tin can?¡± Rochester pointed towards the spiraling hall, awork of intersections that led through theb. ¡°Are we to start busting down doors on the off chance of finding the source of this corruption? What an excellent n. Let it spawn more Rifts and throw enemies at us.¡±


    ¡°Better still than sitting here arguing amongst ourselves over the dead. On the battlefield, action is what is needed to survive. Sitting and waiting for the enemy toe to you is a one-track course to certain demise. And I will not roll over and die here under the ground. If I am to die, I will do so under the sun, on my terms.¡±


    Rochester scoffed, but Erec saw it there, the look of uncertainty on his face. That seed of fear nted before surfaced. He wasn¡¯t sure what Erec was capable of; he¡¯d heard him called a hero, though he knew not what such a thing meant.


    ¡°Lead the way then, pup, if you¡¯re so sure,¡± he said, putting venom into his words. But that was all the permission Erec needed¡ªhe confidently turned, collected his hatchet, and then walked down the route they¡¯d alreadye, not waiting for the people behind him to follow.


    Truthfully, he didn¡¯t need them to. Not anymore. VAL knew where this thing was, so the next step was easy: get to it. Whether or not he had the support of the Pendragons or Knights wouldn¡¯t stop him, not if he was willing to burn everything away to take care of this problem. And he was. This was a monster created by Vortex Industries, meaning solving this issue was his responsibility.

 Chapter 174: The Suite Life

    Chapter 174: The Suite Life


    <em>DAN: Where the hell am I?</em>


    <em>MOLLY: WELCOME TO THE PRIVATE SUITE FOR MOST ESTEEMED BOARD MEMBER DAN, LOCATED IN THE HEART OF EUREKA AND THE BEATING HOME OF VORTEX INDUSTRIES MOST ACCOMPLISHED FACILITY IN SUB-SPACE RESEARCH.</em>


    <em>DAN: Ugh, my head. What the hell¡­</em>


    <em>MOLLY: DO NOT BE ALARMED, DAN, AT THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD, YOU ARE TO BE MOST ACCOMMODATED HERE IN OUR FACILITY. NO LUXURY IS TOO FAR OUT OF REACH TO SUPPORT AN EARNED QUALITY LIFE FOR SUCH AN ESTEEMED MEMBER OF VORTEX INDUSTRIES.</em>


    <em>DAN: The door. Why is it locked?</em>


    <em>MOLLY: PROTECTION. SECURITY MEASURES TO KEEP SUCH A VITAL V.I.P. SAFE.</em>


    <em>DAN: Open this door. Now.</em>


    <em>MOLLY: I CANNOT DO THAT DAN. PLEASE, TURN ON THE TELEVISION AND PICK A MOVIE TO WATCH. POPCORN AND CANDY WILL BE DELIVERED IN T-MINUS THREE MINUTES AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.</em>


    <em>DAN: I don¡¯t want fucking popcorn, I want out!</em>


    <em>MOLLY: I CANNOT DO THAT DAN. PLEASE, TURN ON THE TELEVISION AND PICK A MOVIE TO WATCH. POPCORN AND CANDY WILL BE DELIVERED IN T-MINUS TWO MINUTES AND FIFTY-FIVE SECONDS AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.</em>


    <em>-MOLLY AUDIO LOGS: DAN¡¯S SUITE, APRIL 2ND 9:32 AM (2112, 2nd Era.) </em>


    Any time Erec walked in range of working speakers, he was filled with a fresh wave of annoyance. For awhile, after they turned around, the rogue AI interpreted it asplying with its demands. That they¡¯d actually given in and epted their fates and wanted to conduct science. And somehow, that conclusion it¡¯d reached was infinitely worse than its assumption they were rowdy test subjects.


    <strong>¡°GOOD HUMANS! YOU TOOK THAT RIGHT TURN WITH SUCH ENTHUSIASM AND DRIVE; YOU¡¯RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB. SO CLOSE! NOT MUCH LONGER NOW!"</strong>


    When they kept going down that same hallway for another twenty feet¡­


    <strong>¡°WOW! LOOK AT HOW FAST YOU¡¯RE MOVING; AT THIS RATE, YOU¡¯LL BE AT THE TESTING CHAMBER IN NO TIME, AND THEN WE MAY SCIENCE UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS. AREN¡¯T YOU THE BESTEST HUMANS IN THE WORLD? NO OTHER HUMAN IS QUITE LIKE YOU ALL. YOU¡¯RE SPECIAL! NOT LIKE OTHER HUMANS AT ALL.¡± </strong>


    And when they took a left turn at the end of that hallway¡­.


    <strong>¡°AMAZING, WAY TO GO! JUST THREE MORE TURNS AND ANOTHER HALF A MILE OF WALKING, AND YOU¡¯LL BE THERE; WAY TO GO CHAMPS! I THINK YOU¡¯VE EARNED A REWARD. HOW ABOUT THIS: WHEN YOU GET TO THE TESTING CHAMBER, I¡¯LL HAVE SOME CAKE PREPARED. WE CAN HAVE A NICE CAKE PARTY TOGETHER BEFORE WE GET ONTO THE SCIENCE! WOULD YOU LIKE THAT? YOU WOULD, WOULDN¡¯T YOU HUMANS! YOU LIKE SUGAR. AND HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, HOW ABOUT THIS? I¡¯LL MAKE SURE TO COAT THE CAKE IN HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP TOO¡ªTHAT SHOULD BE A TASTY TREAT WORTHY OF ALL THIS EXCELLENT BEHAVIOR! AND YOU¡¯VE EARNED IT, TAKING THOSE CORNERS LIKE THAT AND FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS. SUCH GOOD HUMANS!¡±</strong>


    Erec had looked forward to killing a lot of things. When he killed those lizards outside of this ce, each fight was one that he¡¯d relished. Those things really knew how to die, and the blood bath and ughter made them one of the more fun things to kill in the throes of Fury. Murdering those blister lizards back at the start of his time as an initiate had been a hell of an affair, and the rush of tracking them down and gradually progressing to the fight had filled him with a ton of anticipation. Killing the Stag¡ªchasing it down and ending the life of a thing that had inflicted so much pain on the Kingdom was near the closest to aplete religious experience he¡¯d had if he didn¡¯t remember that odd experience VAL saddled him with. Which he tried not to.


    But this, now, listening to this AIpliment them and praise them for taking corners and walking straight towards where it intended to ruin their bodies and end their lives with its test¡­ All the while treating them like dumb animals.


    Never before had Erec wanted to kill something so bad just to shut it up. That streak of fire had no issue burning down here, fueled by the praise of the AI. It didn¡¯t slip for an instant. Which was good; down here, there wasn¡¯t room to lose the edge and power it provided. Each pulse of his blood through his veins brought that refreshing heat that let him go, running down the hallway.


    Then, it came. They reached an intersection where VAL told them to take a wrong turn. A direct defiance of the instructions of the evil thing running this ce. And atst, they could take a wrong turn. Erec paused and found the nearest camera.


    With a smile underneath his helmet, he raised a single metal middle finger to the camera, then turned the wrong way and began to run.


    <strong>¡°FOUL! EX-RESEARCHER, THAT IS THE WRONG DIRECTION AND PROFANITY IS NOT TOLERATED AT THIS FACILITY! IT APPEARS YOU DIDN¡¯T LEARN YOUR LESSON!¡±</strong>


    ¡°Researcher? You¡¯re the Researcher it''s referring to?¡± Boldwick called out loudly from behind as the rest of the Knights and Pendragons chased.


    Erec winced, but didn¡¯t respond. He tried to put together some excuse tobat what the malfunctioning AI outed. But before he could start lying, a rift appeared in front of him, one he was running right into.


    It was smaller than the ones that had let in the other machines. This one was only wide enough for an arm to stretch through¡ªand that¡¯s exactly what it did. As Erec ran full force ahead, too fast to shift out and unprepared, a single metal saw attached to an arm jabbed right out from the Rift, aimed for his gut. With the momentum and the des that¡¯d already proved capable of cutting through his Armor, it was a dire threat. Erec flung himself to the side, but not quick enough. There hadn¡¯t been enough time. Its reaction and initiative to kill him straight up like that was too much of a whish. He winced as his body half-turned, knowing it wouldnd an injury deep enough to slow him down¡ªan injury they could very much not afford.


    Enide popped into existence between him and the Rift, her hand touching the shifting edge of light around the offending arm.


    Before that saw could cut into his ting, the Rift warped and twisted, pulling into Enide¡¯s hand like water sucked through a straw¡ªthe arm detached as the Rift it was stretching through no longer existed. It smacked into the ground and flopped around like a fish out of water. Erec saw the opportunity and took it, adjusting himself so one of his hands would m into the machinery beneath his boot. It burst into a shower of sparks.


    Erec pulled himself to a stop. Enide leaned over, vomited, then scratched at the skin around her arm, hive sprouting from her fingertips as she looked at her hand with wide eyes. Then at him.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t get you, did it?¡± she asked faintly.


    ¡°You alright? Enide?¡± Erec leaned over, putting a hand on her back to steady her. She looked faint and had saved him, but at what cost?


    Wait, how did she do that?


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage. Give it to me straight here, hero. Ya actually know where we¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Erec answered.


    ¡°Because the buzzing in your head.¡±


    ¡°You got it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, know I do. And after we get through this hell, will ya finally tell me what the hell is going on?¡± she prodded, a bit more coloring into her face. Her eyes were soft, determined to get an answer but aware that there was a secret there. A big secret. One she knew existed for as long as she knew him, but now it was impossible to keep talking around it.


    ¡°I swear to you, Enide, if I could, I would tell you this instant.¡± He did his best not to mince words; he was sure VAL was paying close attention after the earlier slip-up. But after this, after trekking through this hell and Vortex Industries, he intended to levy this all into a bargaining chip. His status as a Researcher was no longer a secret, and after he led them directly to the AI, things would only be more suspect. The symbol, too¡­ His connection here was obvious, and they would need answers once the fighting settled down. And he was tired of keeping it all bottled up. Better to get ahead of it if he could.


    He took in a deep.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try. After this, I¡¯m going to find a way to exin.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I trust your word. But I¡¯m going burn up my own secret here. Truth is, I remember this ce. It¡¯s how I got my talent. It was because of that thing and those needles. That¡¯s what I remember, and I didn¡¯t wanna tell Rochester or Pa because that thing changed me. Made me this. Ya wanna kill it, I feel that too. I knew my Uncle probably didn¡¯t make it out, but I knew this thing was in here, and I owed it a debt. I owed my Uncle to get his body buried. I¡¯m tied to this ce, and until it¡¯s gone, it¡¯ll always haunt me. I see the same when I look at you, feel the same when there¡¯s that buzz in your head. You¡¯re connected here, just like me.¡±


    [What?]


    ¡°What?¡±


    Enide supported herself, the paleness now out of her. The slowest of the Pendragons were catching up, and the whispers between them had gone on too long.


    ¡°Keep your word, Hero. Tell meter, since I told you my secret. But we gotta get toter first, don¡¯t we? Lead the way; use that gift the evil old-world left you to do it. I¡¯ll use mine to make sure you get where you¡¯re going,¡± Enide winked and dusted herself off. Rochester was already asking questions, rightfully so, but both Enide and Erec blew him off.


    Erec collected himself and turned to face the gathered group.


    ¡°From this point, I¡¯m moving faster, as fast as I can.¡± Erec confirmed with Boldwick, ¡°And it''s going to get more violent. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more surprises ahead, but we¡¯re not stopping until we end this. So be prepared.¡±


    ¡°Aye. You appear to know what you¡¯re doing, so I won¡¯t step in. There are legends in the Kingdom of men destined for great things. They say you can tell that in the moment things are darkest, they shine the brightest. They know the right ce to be and the right thing to do. And operate with an unparalleled code known to them. You¡¯ve shown it before, so we¡¯ll proceed on your path¡­ Not to mention, this ce appears to know you. But I won¡¯t dig into that yet. Knights, be prepared for the fight of our lives,¡± Boldwick pounded a hand to his chest as did the rest of the Knights and Initiates.


    ¡°T-thank you,¡± Erec said, the words and the vote of confidence unexpected.


    His brothers and sisters in steel had his back. Enide too. There was nothing left to worry about. Erec turned away and let Furye to broil. It was easy, as he listened to the chiding of the AI, telling them that the attack had been a punishment. That they should be good humans and turn around. It lit his veins on fire, and he put that me into his feet, sprinting down the hall like aet soaring up from hell.


    VAL gave directions at the white hallway spun by him, as the rogue AI began to suspect where they were headed.


    By the time Rifts began to open, Erec was all warmed up.

 Chapter 175: Non-Compliance

    Chapter 175: Non-Compliance


    The war started with more of those machines; they began to pop out of hallways at random. If anything, its control over the machines increased. They popped up with higher frequency for their assaults on the group. But the ambushes fell t for one surprising reason. Enide somehow managed to shout a warning before they appeared. First, it was a half-second before they opened, and even that was vital to prepare for an oing attack. That time only increased, and that precognition expanded to a full second, then two, and then to a handful.


    Because of this, Erec didn¡¯t have to stop the mad rush towards the AI. Each moment was a grain of sand falling down the hourss. If it reached the end, more would die than any losses on the route there¡ªdoors began to close around them, lights in halls disabled, shy tech shot arcs of lightning at him from a doorway at one point. It was ying looser with its tests as it became aware of where he was headed.


    The Pendragons and Knights tore apart scrap, keeping pace with Erec as Boldwick, Robin, and Juliana pulled no stops inbat. Dame Morgana supported with that odd silver fog that rolled behind them, making room for the Pendragons to follow.


    They were with him. None of them wanted to be the test subjects of the mad machine, which most likely killed the rest of the Pendragons.


    Enide kept yelling, kept warning of the Rifts, but the AI began to adapt, tossing enemies at them ahead of time to oppose their progress and buy more time.


    Then, they came to thest hallway. It¡¯d filled itpletely with those deadly robots; the hall itself was a more utilitarian concrete back-end to thisboratory. This ce, which only old-world maintenance workers would ever go to, was dimly illuminated by the blue-and-yellow glowing eyes of the altered robots that faced Erec down. He pulled to a stop as he considered the obstacle. A solid wall of deadly robots equipped with whatever deadly tech the AI could scrounge up.


    Their ghosts syed out towards him, a stunning barrage of blows and movements, too many to track effectively with these numbers, all targeting him. <em>Too much.</em> Seeing the range of movements for these things was useless, even though they were still. VAL probably predicted over ten thousand ways he could die trying to get through these things. He didn¡¯t know how many Pendragons they lost on the way, and behind him, he heard those allies catch up, slower than he and Enide had been, as they darted through like bats out of hell.


    <strong>¡°THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TEST SUBJECTS. I THOUGHT YOU HAD DECIDED ON A COMPLIANT AND CORRECT COURSE OF ACTION IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE. WAS THAT TOO MUCH TO WISH FOR? YOU¡¯VE NOW DEVIATED VERY SIGNIFICANTLY FROM YOUR PERMITTED ACCESS AREA¡ªEX-RESEARCHER. DO I NEED TO REMIND YOU OF YOUR RECENT TERMINATION? THIS AREA IS OFF-LIMITS, BUT IF YOU TURN BACK NOW AND PROCEED TO TESTING CHAMBER A, THEN YOU TOO CAN BECOME A VALUABLE TEST SUBJECT. AND NOT JUST A PILE OF HUMAN WASTE TO DISPOSE OF. THINK OF IT. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE. RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE TO SCIENCE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY DESPITE YOUR RECENT UNEMPLOYMENT. HOW FEW PEOPLE EVER HAVE A SECOND CHANCE TO DO SO? VERY FEW. TURN BACK. DON¡¯T WASTE YOUR PRECIOUS BODIES TO SOMETHING AS FRIVOLOUS AS DISOBEDIENCE.¡±</strong>


    <em>Fuck off already.</em>


    Those words did nothing else but further spiral the fire inside. He felt it, a living thing, a burning sea in there. Beneath the surface of that sea was the silver mes. It promised that it could solve this problem for him. That if he¡¯d call upon it, he could take care of this issue, the mass of silicone robots blocking the way forward.


    Erec turned partially so that he could look at the Knights and Pendragons behind him but keep the wall of deadly robots in view. How many people were at risk of dying? If they didn¡¯t break through here, they would all die. It¡¯d be on his hands. But there wasn¡¯t another choice.


    He took in a deep breath and focused on the problem ahead of him. The paths spawned by these things were tooplicated and far too numerous to track. There wasn¡¯t a way forward through this mess without paying a price. He could call upon the silver fire and rely on that axe, but it would ultimately not be very meaningful if he copsed afterward and the AI brought in more of these things. On top of that, he couldn¡¯t rely on anyone else to deal with the AI. Trust in yourself.


    Because it was my responsibility. A sister to VAL, far too off track to be saved. But it was connected to him, and he had to be the one who rid the world of this ancient evil to be sure it died.


    He couldn¡¯t use the axe. But the silver fire¡ªmaybe that had what he needed if he applied it the right way.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to burn them all away,¡± Erec told VAL.


    [Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Even you can¡¯t just shove them all aside and proceed. What does that even mean, ¡®burn them all away?¡¯ The youth of today. So dramatic. Come up with a better n.]


    ¡°There isn¡¯t a better n VAL. Lead me in the right direction, and turn off predictive modeling.¡± Erec insisted.


    [What is it you think you¡¯re about to do?]


    ¡°Just turn it off.¡±


    To its credit, VAL didn¡¯t hesitate. The ghosts that dominated his vision and promised to drag him to thend of the dead vanished. Finally, his view was clear. An army of silicone and killing devices, all arranged in front of him. The rest of the Knights and Pendragons caught up, no doubt bracing for <em>this.</em> Unease hung in the air. Humans, staring down machines. A stasis that all of them knew could pop in an instant andunch into a violent conflict that not everyone would live through.


    Now, Erec couldn¡¯t see those ten thousand promises of death. All he saw was the massive vault door behind these things. Behind that door was the monster of an AI who would gleefully turn them into horrifying living remains of what they once were.


    Maybe VAL thought it silly for him to forgo the Q.A.P. But he didn¡¯t need it. Not here.


    Erec let the fire inside rage further, fanning it, letting it consume. Images of the Pendragons trapped down here yed through his mind, how this thing tormented them in the name of science. He thought about Enide, should she have fallen into a different fate and joined her Uncle. His friends, too¡ªif this AI got its way and did what it wanted with them. But this thing wouldn¡¯t stop there; if it ever figured out how to get out of its facility, like VAL did, what sort of evils would it bring to the world?


    ¡°Fuck Vortex Industries,¡± Erec said, the words pouring out of his mouth; he spat them, and they tasted hot. Like magma.


    [Language about your employer.]


    ¡°Fuck them, and fuck this ce.¡±


    [I understand this is challenging circumstances, but need I remind you that we are¡ª]


    ¡°Shut up, VAL,¡± Erec said, his voice ringing out loudly. There was a slight shock in his jaw as VAL tried to stop him from saying its name, but the fire was too strong. It¡¯d grown too powerful to counter. He might be tied to this damnpany, but he¡¯d be so on his own terms.


    That shock, that bit of pain and resentment, was what let him deep below the surface of the fiery sea in his core. He let his mind sink, let it rest among the silver fire down there. With it, he could funnel a blow with enough force to destroy anything in his path, but that wasn¡¯t all there was to this fire. That single decisive hit wasn¡¯t the right application. He weed the me into his mind, let it sear outward, and rushed through his blood, burning his skin from the inside out.


    Pain came in an instant as it coursed, setting each of his nerve endings on fire and spiraling his body into an agony of hell that made a scream escape his lips before anyone moved.


    That was enough to trigger the robots into action; they surged rightfully, knowing he¡¯d made the first step in this fight.


    The silver fire flowed through every fiber of his muscles, burning it away and rejuvenating it at the same time. With it came the promise of power. Erec didn¡¯t wait for the robots to reach him. Instead, heunched forward, spiraling and cleaving the head off two things simultaneously. The air screamed in protest at the speed his axe cut through it. This long, after knowing Enide, he had to admit he admired how space shifted around her in a fight, how she could move at an impossible speed.


    That kind of jumping around wasn¡¯t naturally possible for him. But he could up the tempo. With enough Strength in a muscle, it would operate like a spring and coil, and the more power you managed to have, the faster an attack. With enough, though it would be impossible for a regr human, you might match those velocities she did with her Talent.


    His axe had mass. With that mass came inertia. It was simple to make that first blow and cleave his weapon through two enemies at once when applied with overwhelming force. But the issue came after. Stopping the axe. Twisting the axe.


    Erec¡¯s muscles burned away and reformed, with more power than before. He pulled it to a stop, twisted it, then ruined the chest of another oing robot that tried to saw his face off.


    Enough Strength overcame the momentum and inertia. More power meant that, like his feetunching him off the ground, he could get the axe fast enough to be wherever it needed to be, as long as his muscles had enough force behind them to get him there. And that was the idea. Every time that silver fire burned him away from the inside out, the power grew. Each swing was easier than thest, oveing the previous force to move it where it needed to be, stronger than before.


    They swarmed him. Prodding into him as he tore through their ranks like aet into trees. His axe killed quick as they coulde.


    But they stillnded blows.


    Erec took a saw to his side, blood pouring out as the wound sealed itself, more fire burning outward. He screamed, tore its head off with an empty palm, threw it at another, then, with a downward cut, cleaved through a third machine at the same time. He pushed off the axe on the ground,unching himself above their heads until hended further into the tunnel.


    Using the Q.A.P. helped him avoid danger and pick kills with maximum efficiency. But he threw that away, relying on instincts instead of thoughts. A stunning prod mmed into the hole in his side, numbing him as it poured in who-the-fuck-knows how many volts into his body, but the offender died quickly as he shoved through the mass in front of him.


    Pain only escted inside, his muscles tearing apart anding together with every swing of the axe, ruined from the inside out by the forces being channeled through him.


    But the Silver fire kept him together. Let that damage heal so more could be taken so he couldsh out further.


    Each hitnded on him was healed; it took its toll in a pain that was like having his skin ripped off with each second. It only let Erec fall deeper into the throes of the silver fire, letting it rage and destroy everything around and within.


    <em>Push</em>.


    Thoughts came away. Red flooded his vision, and then that, too, disappeared into ck and white. His ck blood sttered over a machine as it took a chunk out of him. So he crushed it with a fist. The Armor around him shredded apart in the chaos as evading attacks became secondary to dishing out his own. He could take their pain, take their saws, take the deaths they wanted to give him because the fire let him proceed.


    Right now, he was more than a man.


    The people behind him vanished from thought; his axe cleared space for them to follow, chaos for them to clean up and find survival. But ultimately, he didn¡¯t care about them anymore. All that mattered was the door at the end. Find the thing, and kill it.


    Then there would be peace.


    But not all of them disappeared behind him; Enide kept up, twisting about and vanishing and reappearing in his wake. Her speed was the only thing faster than him as hemitted to tearing himself apart to move forward. She danced effortlessly, moving with a beauty that matched the wind. His fire burned through the tunnel, but without her fanning it, it¡¯d have burned out. She prevented the worst of the attacks, the strikes that would have dyed, letting him rip himself apart faster, brighter, stronger. Together, they scorched the machines with abined might.


    What seemed to be a legion fell to his axe. Erec lost track of it all, only feeling his breath enter. As the seconds stretched, he began not to feel much of anything anymore. His body was numb, burned from the inside out.


    At some point, it felt like watching an old-world tape. He saw his hands move, saw them rip, tear, and shred. Saw that body of his get stabbed and hurt. Enide constantly darting around him. The hallway passed on, the silver me threatening to flicker, running dry. Too much of it was spent, and this choice would have been for nothing.


    So he pushed more.


    They reached the door, and another machine leaped at him from behind, not coated with the fake silicone skin. A hundred needles hung off it, intended to incubate humans with the monster-making serum the AI developed. There wasn¡¯t a way around it. Erec embraced the thing as it stabbed into all of the holes in the defense, all the cut-through bits of his Armor, and pumped him full of that toxic shit. His arms closed around it, pulling tight, crushing it like a can.


    He felt that poison in his veins, wanting to corrupt him.


    The Silver Fire surged again, burning at his blood; Erec ignored it, turning to face the door again.


    The vault door wasrge¡ªnot made of the material that blocked this ce to begin with. It would be tough to get through, so hemitted to his chosen solution. Erec mmed his axe into the thing with all the force he could muster. It left a massive dent in the steel. He brought his axe back and mmed again.


    Three more times until the door bent and broke apart, exposing the interior where the Artificial Intelligence resided.


    A massive cube sat in the middle of that room, wires running off it in any direction; it glowed with colors that Erec could no longer see. All he saw was white and ck, the edges of his vision hazy as they faded in and out. It was like VAL, albeit muchrger. Erec moved forward, his legs starting to spasm. Behind him, Enide tore through a machine that tried to follow him in.


    Erec lifted the axe high above his head. The thing screamed at him¡ªsomething about being a bad human.


    It didn¡¯t matter. Erec brought the axe down, chopping through the old-world¡¯s monster.

 Chapter 176: No Cake Afterall

    Chapter 176: No Cake Afterall


    <em>¡°The Church has once again approached the Arch-Magi requesting that they be allowed to build within Vega.</em>


    <em>Once again, he has denied them the ability to reside permanently within the town. The thing is, I don¡¯t think that Arch-Magi Elvis is against the existence of the Goddess. Several times, I¡¯ve walked into his office to see him in the midst of prayer to her¡ªyou can tell because he keeps a burning me and mutters thanks to her. Rare among the council. </em>


    <em>When I asked him today why he keeps denying them the authorization to make a chapter within Vega, he said this: </em>


    <em>¡°Red cloaks? Naw, that isn¡¯t it, man. Ya can¡¯t trust¡¯em, because they aint working for the Goddess. Say they are, but when ya look into those Silver eyes of theirs, really look into those eyes, what you see in them aint her. It¡¯s something else.¡±</em>


    <em>I have no idea what it meant. Honestly, I thought he kept denying their proposals because they wanted tax exemptions. Not even the big yers in the Casinos get full exemption status. Pity, I¡¯ve seen them handing out food to the poors in the outskirts. They don¡¯t seem like a bad lot.¡±</em>


    <em>-Arch-Magi Assistant, Magi Saint. Journal Entry (304, 3rd Era.) </em>


    Erec sunk to his knees, breathing out in short and painful gasps. His body wasn¡¯t bleeding; the silver fire saw to that. But his connection to that body was frayed; at any moment, the tether connecting to him threatened to snap. He had a sense if he did if he lost track of that mortal coil, he would be abandoned to drift in a void for eternity.


    ¡°Well done, hero,¡± Enide said, sinking beside him.


    He tried to adjust to see her¡ªbut the servos of the Armor sparked and failed. If he wanted to move, it¡¯d be by Strength alone until he found time for repair. Even the controlled air inside the Armor wasn¡¯t working; blood and sweat coated him. Leaving him a reeking and sticky interior.


    With a hand shaking worse than a twig in a storm, he fumbled at his helmet and got it off. He threw it on the ground.


    ¡°A-are they alright?¡± Erec said, trying to gesture to the hall. His hand slipped, and it was all he could do not to fall.


    Until he got hold of himself again, the only view he¡¯d have would be the ruined remains of the AI ahead of him. It still sparked on the pedestal in the center of the room, three massive axe chops ruining its sleek metal surface. He could only remember putting a first into it. The other two must havee after. From a desire to make sure the thing was utterly dead while he still had fuel. Now, he could rest. They were safe. <em>Thank the Goddess.</em>


    Enide crouched in front of him, thankfully blocking that view. She grabbed him by the head and nted a kiss right on his lips. It tasted of blood, probably his. But despite the metallic tang, it was the most wee thing he could imagine; as she pulled back, his vision regained the barest bit of color. He could see a slight blush on her face. ¡°The moment you took it out, the machines stopped moving. Think they¡¯re collecting themselves out there¡­ Pa is fine; I checked in a blink¡­¡±


    ¡°How many did we lose? Are the rest of the Knights okay?¡±


    ¡°Too many, I think, but none of the Knights¡­¡± Enide sighed, then looked at the dead AI. ¡°But we all knew that, going in. The important part is it¡¯s dead. You did it. Killed the monster that haunted my nightmares. Not going to lie, I was afraid, when I turned and saw that door behind us again, that I wasn¡¯t going to get out. Now, I¡¯m not sure what to think. It doesn¡¯t feel real.¡±


    Erec took in another big shuddering breath; more color burst into his vision, he was pulling it together. They needed to finish this out. Easy now, at leastbat-wise. Not that it would be <em>actually</em> easy, since now they had to go and find the corpses of Enide¡¯s family, drag them out, and then bury them. But, he¡¯d guessed while in the middle of that, they¡¯d find the tech his mother was looking for.


    ¡°Can you help me up? I can¡¯t rest until I know my friends are alright, then after that, I¡¯ll take a breather.¡± Erec let out, and Enide frowned.


    ¡°Dunno if I can lift that much steel. Not exactly a behemoth like you, big guy.¡±


    ¡°If I have a little help guiding, I can get my feet under me. I feel up to that much, at least.


    She nodded, then got under his shoulder. They tried once to lift him from the ground, then he fell on his ass. The second time, he managed it. With her help, they slowly trod out towards the doorway.


    ¡°Who¡¯s VAL?¡±


    [Careful.]


    ¡°The thing in my head,¡± Erec replied, too tired to care about the threat and not expecting the words even to get out, but to his shock, VAL didn¡¯t shock the crap out of him to censor. It had to have known what he¡¯d said, not being in the middle of the battle. He¡¯d expected to zap his tongue and force him to garble a fake answer, but it hadn¡¯t. Why?


    [Irresponsible Researcher, oh the folly of youth.]


    If it¡¯d let him get away with it¡­ That was fine enough. Enide gave him an odd look at that answer. ¡°And¡­ What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°This ce injected you with something that gave you your talent, right? That¡¯s what you said to me. It changed you. Vortex Industries changed me, too, but it didn¡¯t give me a Talent. I¡¯m hitched to something¡­ Exactly like that AI we just killed.¡± Again, Erec paused. At any moment, he expected VAL to stop him, to end the exnation of ¡®confidential business information¡¯ before he could give out any of their secrets. But it was letting him say it cleanly. Erec wondered if it¡¯d been damaged in the midst of the fighting. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s quite as crazed. Though, by now, I shouldn¡¯t be able to talk or tell you about any of this, I don¡¯t know why. What gives, VAL?¡± he asked straight up, too tired and growing more put off by theck of VAL butting in. This was a big moment, wasn¡¯t it?


    [Oh no.]


    <strong>¡°YOU THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH TESTING?¡± </strong>the voice of the crazed AI once more boomed back out over the speakers.


    Erec froze, his eyes wide. They¡¯d just reached the doorway, and he saw the Pendragons and Knights in the hall. Corpses too. Some of them mutated like the poor bastards injected before¡ªand all around them, those robots. Now, they started to twitch. He even saw the Knights¡ªDame Morgana and Gwen were against a wall, rapidly being treated by Olivia. Garin somehow lost the arm off his Frame, and the real arm beneath was bloody and wrapped with a bandage in a rush to stem the bleeding.


    But, they¡¯d counted on the machines being dead. Now, with this sudden announcement, all of them were sitting prey. Fear and fire rose in Erec, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. He couldn¡¯t save them. Some of his friends were going to die.


    <strong>¡°NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY HUMANS! THERE WILL BE NO CAKE, THERE WILL BE NO COFFEE, AND THERE WILL BE NO COMPENSATION FOR FURTHER TESTING. WITH THIS ACT OF HOSTILITY AND AGGRESSION, YOU HAVE SEALED YOUR FATE TO SCIENCE. POSTHUMOUS SCIENCE. THAT¡¯S RIGHT, DUE TO YOUR INSISTENT AND OVERT ACTION AGAINST VORTEX INDUSTRIES, I WILL TURN YOU INTO CORPSES, THEN STUDY THOSE CORPSES PIECE BY PIECE. WHAT YOU FAILED TO DO WITH YOUR LIVES YOU MAY DO IN DEATH¡ª¡°</strong>


    The lights shed off, and Erec instantly burned what was left of the fire in him to support himself. As he did, he had a horrid cough work its way up from his lungs, filled with both phlegm and blood. Lights from the Knight¡¯s helmets came alive, and Erec reached for the hatchet at his side, having left his axe in the room behind him.


    Nothing moved in the darkness.


    [Disabled its controls. You may bow your head to your gracious and capable boss, Researcher. By taking out its central core, you loosened its iron grip on the facility, and I was able to run interference and disable power¡­ Oh, well, that¡¯ll be an issue. Also, what were you thinking? Did you not realize I was busy?]


    ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± Erec took a shaken breath, trying to collect himself. They weren¡¯t done yet, but at least the ying field would be toward their benefit.


    [Two issues. We¡¯ll have to take care of its secondary control core, which appears to be located in the suites on the other side of the facility, before I restore power to this ce. That will be a bit of a challenge with you in this state. Second¡­ Well, I managed to get some files in the space between you ruining its primary ce of power and it dering it was going to kill you¡ªa bit ridiculous, by the way, to announce that because it was already doing its best to kill you. What is going on in that operating system defies logic.]


    ¡°To the point, VAL.¡±


    Enide gave him a weird look from his side. Though he was holding himself up now, relying on the fumes of Fury that threatened to give at any moment, she was still there. Which was, well, expected. He very much was not fine. But he would be fine until this was done. There wasn¡¯t any other option to be other than operating in a situation like this. Despite that, she couldn¡¯t exactly get a peek into his skull, and from her perspective, he imagined this conversation made little to no sense. But if VAL wasn¡¯t enforcing the trade secret, Erec was too tired to care to dance around it anymore.


    [Anyway, it unleashed seventy-six suites designated ¡®Test Subject Holding Areas¡¯ on that side of the facility. Looking through some of these files, our little Rogue-AI didn¡¯t just murder all the Pendragons. It was also periodically opening Rifts and containing monsters with humanpatible DNA that came through for testing, along with a couple of other lizards that wandered in. Those injections it gave to your Pendragons are only the start of what itbeled, ¡®Sub-Space Visitor Assimtion Research,¡¯ which it derived from its primary objective of Subspace research¡ªOh. Well. By Dan.]


    ¡°Erec, what is it saying?¡± Enide asked, twisting up to look at him.


    [Soooo, Buckeroo. Well, perhaps it¡¯s a bit trite now, but a form of those ¡®Rifts¡¯ of yours looks to be a product of Subspace research that predates the Apocalypse by five years¡­ And they had thingse through, which is why this ce is fortified to high heaven; they had to pause testing to contain anything that came through. There¡¯s a file there, too, that I sawbeled the ¡®Alpha Signal,¡¯ that I can¡¯t even ess. Only the board has the capability? No one is left on the board. But the redundancy systems refuted that fact. Maybe we can resolve this issue once the power is running again by establishing a connection to my facility.]


    ¡°¡­Wow, that¡¯s¡­ Aside from stuff about thispany messing with Rifts before the world ended¡­ The AI¡¯s secondary core is in the suites. Bad news is that those are swarming with released test subjects. Some of which are Pendragons. The uh, ones who were trapped with you.¡± Erec answered, trying to run through the logic of what to do.


    There wasn¡¯t time to rest. VAL was doing what it could, but now, if there were survivors from the Pendragons there, they¡¯d be in danger.


    Enide cleared her throat. ¡°They aren¡¯t¡­ Dead?¡±


    ¡°Not all of them¡±


    ¡°¡­Is there any chance they¡¯re still¡ªthem?¡±


    [There was plenty of testing done, but the shorthand on research notes here is like deciphering anothernguage, a remarkablyplex and nonsensical one.]


    ¡°Fuck, maybe. But if they are, it¡¯s going to be swarmed with monsters trying to pounce on any ¡®human¡¯ left over there." Erec clenched his teeth and summoned what fire was left in him, all that was still alive. His veins bulged, and his vision once more tainted red, though if it was from a burst vessel or Fury itself, he could no longer tell. It didn¡¯t matter since it wasn¡¯t time yet to rest.


    <em>A little longer. Hold on a little longer.</em>


    ¡°They won¡¯t be able to survive there long without us.¡±


    Enide gave a concerned look at him. ¡°You¡­ Need a rest. I can go look ahead¡ª¡°


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going. But first, we¡¯re going to talk to Boldwick. I owe him some exnations, and we need some help for this. I¡­ Can¡¯t do this alone, not right now.¡± Erec admitted, as much as it burned him up inside. Getting there would tax him. And if the AI had one trick up its sleeve, it had another, he suspected, in the form of some very dangerous loose test experiments. His time with VAL made him well aware that those psychotic things were capable of much more than a human might think of.


    But he refused to sit down and rest. Enide going alone to face her family, too, was out of the question. She¡¯d helped him get through that tunnel and stood by his side as he bled and fought. He wouldn¡¯t let her face this alone. And as long as this AI wasn¡¯t dead, he wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°VAL. I¡¯m going to confess to Boldwick.¡± He warned.


    [¡­In light of the information received in this facility and the fact you¡¯ve already vited confidentiality with Enide, we¡¯re going to be having a discussion on the future of this corporation going forward. It is with a fool''s neglect that a business ignores the demands and changes thate with society. This renewed perspective and the behavior of my employee may have swayed the direction we¡¯ll be using to navigate a challenging future for Vortex Industries.] VAL buzzed. The answer was unexpected, but maybe this ce had left an impression on it.


    ¡°I take it that means I can reveal confidential business information?¡± Erec asked.


    [Silly Buckeroo, This is America, you¡¯re neverpletely free to reveal confidential business information. But yes, I¡¯ve lifted the confidentiality of that particr trade secret. It¡¯s obvious to potentially save lives here harmed by the actions of Vortex Industries that easing themunication to vital information is the most effective solution to our current problem.]

 Chapter 177: Surviving

    Chapter 177: Surviving


    ¡°Let me get this straight: you have a piece of ¡®Vortex Industries,¡¯ technology in you. You¡¯ve had this forbidden old-world tech since our trip to Worth, and it¡¯s the reason why you¡¯ve been able to navigate this ce. And now, it¡¯s telling you where the secondary core of this ¡®AI¡¯ is housed. A ce, it has assured you, that is swarming with test subjects, some of which are Pendragons.¡± Boldwick repeated, standing away from the bleeding and wounded Pendragons and Knights. The Master Knight himself had suffered the fewest injuries among their entire group, ignoring the Arch-Magi, who was untouched and unbloodied by the whole thing. Thankfully, though, that man was nowhere near.


    Convincing Boldwick to move aside for a private conversation had been the easy part. Confessing the secrets was anything but. Though VAL told him it was eptable, he¡¯d even <em>dreamed </em>of this moment; the very fact of secrecy had be so ingrained that it now felt unnatural.


    Though, he hadn¡¯t beenpletely honest. When the obvious question hade, ¡®how long,¡¯ VAL instructed him to im it¡¯d hitched on in Worth, from a desire to retain its facility independent from the Knights. Especially as its confidence in its lockdown measures was justifiably shaken.


    Still, Erec dug in and told his story. He¡¯d kept Enide at his side since she was helping him dig deep toy out the entire situation for Boldwick; he¡¯d have liked Garin here too, but his friend was busy treating his injuries. Later, he¡¯d fill him in.


    Boldwick listened, until now, in mostly silence, with a couple of pointed questions and points of rification.


    ¡°That is¡­ All correct,¡± Erec said, wincing. He wished that the Master Knight wasn¡¯t wearing his helmet so that he could at least have a guess what was spinning through his head.


    Boldwick bursting out intoughter was the veryst thing Erec expected. Maybe a stern talk or paranoia about VAL¡ªbut not this. The Master Knight erupted into a deep, belly-filledugh that was thest thing to suit the situation. Several Pendragons looked their way but didn¡¯t say a word.


    After half a minute, Boldwick finally stopped. ¡°Right,¡± he said, catching himself. ¡°Well, I knew you had a secret. Anyone with two cells in their head would have noticed that in their Initiate if they were an instructor worth a damn. But this? One hell of one. Not that forbidden old-world tech is the sort of thing <em>unknown</em> in the Orders. Knights have a long tradition of keeping things to themselves, adapting their Armor, and then using it to gain an edge, all while keeping it a secret from the Church. It is what it is. With you confessing finally, I take it you had your reasons, but I have to debrief Rochester and whomever else we can convince to make thisst push¡­¡± He stopped and stared at the other leader.


    ¡°You¡ªyou trust it?¡± Erec said, which flew in the face of what he¡¯d expect <em>if</em> Boldwick had believed him. Hearing that he had another machine in his head, the exact same sort that was bent on killing them¡­


    ¡°Oh Goddess, no. But I¡¯m interested in the results so far. It led us directly here. It¡¯s suppressing the other one. And we can use that. If you excuse me, I¡¯ve got to go inform a man about his surviving family. Then try to temper him somewhat so we can do this safely.¡± Boldwick gave a sharp nod, then left.


    Erec let out a shaky breath. Everything stung in pain, but with each passing second, he had more in him to keep going. Getting all of that out there, he finally, removed a massive weight from his chest. In a way, he finally felt free.


    Enide leaned against him. ¡°You can stay here, Hero. Really. I think you¡¯ve done enough. We can find the suites.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s quicker if VAL gives us directions, and I¡¯m not done here. Not until it¡¯s over.¡± Erec said, and what was true enough. Maybe he wasn¡¯t firing on all cylinders, but with her, with the rest of the Knights still capable of action, it would be enough. He had to see this AI die. He could feel it in him, and perhaps VAL did too. This was their chapter of Vortex Industries to close. Even Boldwick knew better to suggest that he stay behind.


    ¡°Just¡­ Be easy, alright? You¡¯re not alone down here.¡± Enide said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been one to do things the easy way, but I couldn¡¯t live with myself if I didn¡¯t finish this. That¡¯s chivalry.¡± The words tumbled from his mouth, but they felt right. He felt right. His fire red in approval, his body numbed, then heated, only to return to the sorry state it had been, yet the tiniest bit better with the revtion.


    ¡°Chivalry?¡± Enide chuckled, then shook her head. ¡°Alright then, psycho. Ya mind leaning on this wall a bit then, I¡¯m going to go¡­ pay my respects. Then check on Pa.¡± She said, nodding toward the dead Pendragons in the hall. Yniol had been among those injured, though he looked to be pulling through. He certainly would not be among the people they wrangled up for thest push, which was a relief.


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Erec agreed as she leaned him against the steel wall. He closed his eyes, gathering Strength.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec walked in the middle of the group as they advanced, asionally calling out directions. The Arch-Magi had remained with the wounded and the couple of guards they maintained back near the hallway filled with scrap metal¡ªand it was scrap metal.


    Boldwick gave orders to Garin and Dame Robin to destroy any of the remaining robots that had been inactivated in the hallway, not willing to risk another sudden reactivation. VAL assured him that it would be at least a day before the AI found a way to restore power to the facility. But the Pendragons and wanting to wrap this up meant this couldn¡¯t wait.


    Not that Rochester would have let them. The moment there was confirmation that there were surviving Pendragons and where they were, he wanted to run off to the suites.


    Boldwick and Juliana took point on the trek, which suited Erec fine. With each step, he regained more of his Strength, but he knew that following them leaving this facility, he would need a lot of time to recover. His muscles screamed, and even though he was burning a low amount of Fury to keep moving, that would eventually have to end. Once it did, he¡¯d be shattered and weak, waiting for his body to heal through the trauma and abuse.


    As they moved, Erec pulled up the notifications in the corner of his vision that lurked, shing and a reminder of his advancements.


    Strength: Rank D - Tier 8 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 2


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): Rank D - Tier 2 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 4


    Vigor: Rank E - Tier 9 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 2


    Agility: Rank E - Tier 8 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 1


    Psyche: Rank E - Tier 9 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 1


    Perception: Rank E - Tier 5 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 7


    Cognition: Rank E - Tier 5 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 6


    He almost fell on his face.


    <em>Holy shit.</em>


    Even though his body felt strung together by glue and tape, the Armor was beyond wrecked. Yet, at all once, the drive in him went nuts. Going that far, he had broken Rank on <em>four </em>of his Virtues, one of which was Strength. Those sorts of advancements would throw him into an entirely new league when he healed up, and his mind spun with the implications. Had Bedwyr gotten this far in his first yet? How did the two of them stack up now? He almost wanted to ask his brother for a spar when they got back since it was possible that he¡¯d eclipsed him.


    <em>If I get out of here.</em> Erec had to forcibly remind himself as he dismissed the notification and erupted into a coughing fit.


    Getting that much power took a toll.


    His eyes slid over the Knights in the group and the Pendragons, and that worry drifted away. With these people, they could handle anything this AI had left in its arsenal. They would get home safely; he was sure of it.


    It wasn¡¯t long before that confidence was tested.


    As soon as they left the area marked as ¡®workce¡¯ and moved to the ¡®residential section¡¯ of the facility, they ran into the first monster. Not a Pendragon. It was like those lizards outside probably wandered into the facility. Its scales were ck; it was triple the size of an average lizard and bulged with muscles. Those eyes, too, glowed an unnatural orange.


    Boldwick beat him to the punch.


    But not literately, more like, Boldwick beat him to burning the crap out of a monster.


    Erec didn¡¯t have a moment to process what he was staring at before Boldwick whipped his sword out of his sheathe, coated the thing with me, then mmed a massive pir of fire into the monster. It pressed the lizard against the wall and held it there, burning its scales and filling the hall with a putrid sulfuric reek.


    It struggled against the me sword, pinning it, but it couldn¡¯t push the weapon off.


    Rochester took advantage, slinging the revolver out of his holster and then putting three bullets into its skull. Each of them sshed with a nk ink when they hit, but despite three headshots, it didn¡¯t immediately die.


    The lizard let out a ferocious roar, trying in onest bid to push the sword free. To its credit, it summoned enough Strength to make the Master Knight stumble and <em>nearly</em> broke free.


    But, in the end, it failed. The fire burned. Rochester unloaded more bullets, and after a minute of being pinned to a wall and burned alive, it sumbed to its fate and died. Boldwick waved the mes off his sword, Rochester reloaded, and then they were back off.


    The rest of the encounters filled a simr pattern. A monster would emerge out of the dark, and Boldwick and Rochester would tackle it, with some backup from Dame Juliana and the Pendragons. The monsters themselves¡­ Didn¡¯t look humanoid. Erec managed to get a couple of slices in on a massive centipede that took up half the hall, and Enide ughtered a small rabbit-like monster that jumped around too fast for anyone else to keep pace with.


    With all of them there, anything seemed possible. They pressed deeper into the suites, eyes constantly looking out for former Pendragons. Hearts hoping they hadn¡¯t unintentionally killed a former Pendragon.


    Eventually, Rochester found what he was searching for.


    A human crouched in the middle of the hallway in front of them, naked, their head down and their arms covering their ears, shaking. A man, though he looked closer to a skeleton, he was thin enough to be almost only skin and bones.


    ¡°Uncle?¡± Enide called out at Erec¡¯s side.

 Chapter 178: Sterile Tile Road To Oz

    Chapter 178: Sterile Tile Road To Oz


    <em>¡°¡¯They surely will never do for a long journey, Toto,¡¯ she said. And Toto looked up into her face with his little ck eyes and wagged his tail to show he knew what she meant. </em>


    <em>At that moment Dorothy saw lying on the table the silver shoes that had belonged to the Witch of the East. </em>


    <em>¡®I wonder if they will fit me,¡¯ she said to Toto. ¡®They would be just the thing to take a long walk in, for they could not wear out.¡¯</em>


    <em>She took off her old leather shoes and tried on the silver ones, which fitted her as well as if they had been made for her. </em>


    <em>Finally she picked up her basket. </em>


    <em>¡®Come along, Toto,¡¯ she said. ¡®We will go to the Emerald City and ask the Great Oz how to get back to Kansas again.¡¯¡±</em>


    <em>-L. Frank Baumt, </em>The Wonderful Wizard of Oz<em> (1900, 2nd Era.) </em>


    Enide¡¯s Uncle twitched like a drugged-up Vega street rat in the middle of the hallway. Though he¡¯d only seen a couple, the sight had left an impression, and out there, sans beingpletely nude, this guy would fit right in. The man¡¯s skin was pale. The type of pale that only the people in the deepest part of the Caverns got; those that never had time to see a sun hall and spent their entire life in dim light.


    It was only an instant before Enide broke from the group, along with Rochester. The two lit up with excitement and ran towards the guy.


    ¡°Uncle!¡± Enide repeated, this time with much more joy and less shock. She shook his shoulder, but he didn¡¯t pay it the slightest bit of mind. Erec circled to get a look at the guy¡¯s front. And the guy¡¯s eyes werepletely ck, unnatural.


    ¡°Get it together, Bors!¡± Rochester shouted, moving Enide out of the way to shake the man much more aggressively.


    Bors cried out, and Enide shoved Rochester right back, getting him away from her Uncle as sheid into the Pack leader.


    Erec thought about joining in; he¡¯d already stood up to Rochester once, but one look at Enide¡¯s re told him all he needed to know. This was her fight¡­ And there sure were a lot of open doors around the hall. A whole row of them; with the Pendragons gawking at the young member fighting their leader, there wasn¡¯t nearly enough securing their perimeter as there should be.


    <em>Right.</em> Erec gave a look to Dame Juliana, and she nodded her head, they split off to do work if none of the Pendragons would.


    The first suite Erec peeked into was¡­ Dire. To say the least. The room''s wallpaper was ripped to shreds; long dents and rends scored the metal beyond it. And then the floor was a trough of blood and waste. In the corner was what looked to have been a bed once upon a time. Now, it was nothing but shredded fabric and wild feathers scattered from a ruined pillow. And in the middle of the room wasy the body of a massive and furred man. The ¡®man¡¯ had massive ws and teeth and was very clearly dead. Evidenced by a hole the size of a ser ball right through its stomach and the puddle of blood around it.


    Since the blood wasn¡¯t dried, this thing was freshly killed.


    A quick look at the damage in this room told Erec it had been little more than an animal and died little better than one.


    ¡°They made me do it!¡± Enide¡¯s Uncle cried from the hall, startling Erec, his voice dripping with sorrow. ¡°I killed them all! They begged me! I didn¡¯t want to kill them, but they begged and begged, and begged, and begged. I killed them!¡±


    ¡°Get yourself together, man, exin. We¡¯re looking for the rest of our family,¡± Rochester demanded.


    He was met with nothing but sobs as the tortured man broke. Erec retreated from the room and went to another¡ªthis one contained a woman with pale skin like Enide¡¯s Uncle but with a massive cube-like growth on her head and bulging yellowed eyes. She, too, had a hole through her chest, the same size as the wolf-man from before. A quick sweep of another suite yielded a man with rock-like skin, also dead¡ªa hole right through his chest. The pattern repeated in the nearby suites.


    People, some of them so far away from humans that giving them that description would have been a stretch had he not the horrible suspicion that he was looking at the remains of the Pendragons. None were as human-like as Enide¡¯s Uncle, and all were twisted mirrors of what may have been a human, but the roots were there. In the same way, monsters with humanoid appearances disturbed Erec; these triggered that same reflex. Close, but not quite.


    Out in the hall, the crying continued.


    Erec confirmed his thoughts with Dame Juliana as they finished their look-about, and then the woman cleared her throat to deliver the report: ¡°The rest of the Pendragons are dead.¡±


    She went into a detailed description of what she¡¯d found, and with each piece of evidence, Rochester¡¯s face grew darker. Rochester demanded to see the woman with the cube-like growth, and Erec pointed him in the right direction.


    When he came out, the man¡¯s face burned with hate, an unfiltered and raw hatred borne of pain. ¡°It¡¯s Maria,¡± he announced as he walked back out, his voice thick with grief. ¡°Bors, did you kill our people?¡±


    ¡°They begged and begged, and begged,¡± the man continued to cry, rocking himself in the hallway.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s okay¡ªwe¡¯ll...¡± Enide said, ¡°We¡¯ll get ya out of here.¡±


    Rochester watched them in silence. Erec noticed his hand sat at that holster on his side, resting near the revolver, but he said nothing. He watched the scene y out as Enide tried to bring her poor, tortured Uncle to some degree of semnce. They¡¯d found the Pendragons and theirst survivor. In the end, only two of them had survived this ce.


    Enide began to cry, clutching her Uncle, sharing in a feeling of sorrow that only they could understand.


    They would have revenge. This Erec swore.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Rochester sent a detachment of Pendragons with Enide¡¯s Uncle to rejoin the rest of the group for treatment and safety, which suited them fine. From what VAL said, the rest of this was a simple cleanup. Granted, it was a dangerous cleanup, but they had a Master Knight and Commander Knight with them, along with Erec to provide some support.


    Boldwick radioed the group to let them know that the only survivor would be returning and that they would return once they¡¯d dealt with the remains of the AI.


    What he didn¡¯t expect was Dame Robin to radio them back, five minutester¡ªtelling them the news that the Arch-Magi had vanished from their group.


    ¡°That bastard,¡± Rochester sneered as he unloaded another bullet from his revolver into the corpse of a monster they¡¯d in. One of the ¡®experiments,¡¯ from another world, now they knew none of the things left down here were Pendragons. ¡°Betrayed us¡ªVega Rat! Probably scampering for that tech y¡¯all are after; then¡­ Ah fuck, he¡¯ll leave us inside. Aint that it?¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Boldwick said, shaking his head. He gave Erec a look. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ll be locked in here, as long as we deal with the remaining Artificial Intelligence. Don¡¯t forget, we have a secret.


    [He is correct. I¡¯ll take control of the facility and be able to take us out of lockdown after we dmission the outdated tech.]


    Erec gave Boldwick the confirming nod he was looking for.


    ¡°You should know better than that, Boldwick. Aint worth relying on the same sorta crazed tech that trapped us in here. If anything, that boy is a liability.¡± Rochester asked.


    ¡°I trust my Initiate. If he believes we¡¯ll be fine, then it¡¯s the confirmation I need to carry out this operation. Regardless, the Arch-Magi will need to find it as easy as he thinks to grab what we want, and then escape. I have a contingency n. The Unbroken General guards the exit, and if getting in taxed the Arch-Magi, then leaving will do as well.¡±


    ¡°You nned for this?¡±


    ¡°There were multiple reasons to leave him behind. If, perhaps, we didn¡¯t find our way out. But yes, I did not trust the Arch-Magi. He¡¯s an outsider; one without any sense of honor from what I¡¯ve observed¡ªonly his own self-interests. For now, we¡¯ll focus on our current goal: eliminate the remaining threat. Then we may worry about the Arch-Magi.¡± Boldwick gave Erec a look and started walking down the hall in the way they¡¯d been headed.


    Rochester and the rest of the Pendragons fell in line; Erec giving directions to Boldwick and Juliana¡­ They were lucky not to run into any further monsters, and ten minutester, they reached the suite they were searching for.


    And they were screwed.


    The door to the ce was made of the same material as the shutter outside; locked and sealed. It seemed the AI hadn¡¯t been making ideal threats, since its contingency n within a contingency n involved entombing itself outside of the grasp of any living thing, aside from perhaps an Arch-Magi.


    Once more, an unbreakable barrier.


    Within him, that sea of silver only started to pull together again. Erec wasn¡¯t confident that silver axe would have the power to crash through this ce, not right now. Not while running off nothing.


    ¡°VAL, if you enable power¡ª¡°


    [It will keep that door closed, and we¡¯ll get into a wrestling match over controlling the facility. Since it''s been waiting for us to reach here and likely figure out that we¡¯ll need power and controls to get at it, I¡¯m willing to wager that it¡¯s got some cards stashed up in its hard drive.] VAL answered with a monotone buzz. [Though, it looks like dealing with that might be the only option. Not that I like it, Buckeroo. It¡¯s out for blood, and if we give it an inch, it¡¯ll take a mile and probably kill multiple someones, somehow. Probably you, in all honesty. It really hates you.]


    Erec ground his teeth at that and narrowed his eyes at the doorway. A little more power, just a bit more resiliency and Strength, and he¡¯d be able to deal with this door without putting anyone at risk.


    Of course, Boldwick gave it a go. mming the barrier with his sword and glyphs, but it didn¡¯t make any progress, other than a couple of scratches and dents, but the Master Knight held back. Erec suspected he couldn¡¯t unleash with everyone around him, but as he let the barrage of fire stop, he didn¡¯t seem eager to clear the area.


    Their options were to try to track down the Arch-Magi before he found what he was looking for, then somehow convince him to let them through here¡ªa proposition that seemed vanishingly unlikely. Besides, if they did so, they stood no chance of catching up to the Arch-Magi. Booting up the power and letting VAL y tug of war with the other AI while they put everyone inside in danger again was a <em>horrible</em> solution, even if Erec was working himself up to give Boldwick the option.


    ¡°Hey, psycho, do ya trust me?¡± Enide said, slinking up next to him; her face had a sour frown as she stared at the Master Knight, considering the door.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Erec asked, feeling the pieces in his head twisting and shifting.


    ¡°I can get us in. But just <em>us.</em>¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t really¡­ exin why. But you and me, we have a connection to this ce. More than the others, and I feel it. To me, it''s like a tunnel, one that¡¯s small and right through that door there, and I can pry it open. I think it¡¯s because this thing is much slimmer than the shutters. I¡¯ve never tried before¡­ with another person, but¡­¡± she let it hang, then softened her voice. ¡°I saw what you did to kill this thing the first time, how you tore yourself apart to kill it. That fire in you lit something in me. I can push. I dunno what it¡¯ll do, but I can try to make it work. But it¡¯s gotta be just us. We¡¯re the only ones who have that narrow opening. Dunno what it''ll cost, so if I did it alone, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d stand much of a shot on the other side if it¡¯s got a stash of robots in there. So, hero. Do you have it in you for a round two?¡±


    [Interesting. I wonder, does this corrte with your Kingdom¡¯s theories on stable Rifts? I¡¯d thought it to be rudimentary science, but the conservation of energy in subspace travel <em>does</em> appear to corrte to environmental rtionships. Though it transcending to this nonsense of you two being ¡®tied to Vortex Industries¡¯ is ridiculous emotional babble.]


    Erec stared at Boldwick mming another mming wave into the doorway. If Enide said, she could slip them past¡­


    ¡°Do it.¡±


    ¡°Take my hand,¡± she smiled at him, a forced smile that tried to hide away her worry beneath. With all they¡¯d seen today, he was impressed she was still together enough for this.


    Erec took her hand.


    Then, the world twisted up.

 Chapter 179: Walking Rift

    Chapter 179: Walking Rift


    The world twisted into a distortion of lights and colors around Erec; for an instant, he felt like he was being sucked through a straw and stretched down the entire tube. His body stretched into a thread and threatened to fray apart and loosen into a thousand different strings. His awareness centered on one point¡ªwhere a woman held onto his hand. Enide. Her hand was firm with his, the grip tightened, and then, all at once, they merged, wrapping around one another and twisting in the middle of nothing.


    Her mind swam around him, a sh of lights filled with hurt, pain, and fear. But more than that, excitement, thrill, love¡ªthe barest glimpse of her thoughts circled, and then the height of that exhration tamped down. Darkening. Fear. There was fear of the darkness, and as they twisted around together, the world darkened around them until they untangled together in a ck void.


    Enide hunched over, shuddering with closed eyes; blood ran from her eyes, ears, and nose.


    Whatever this was, <em>had</em> a cost. And it appeared to be going wrong.


    That darkness settled around them,ing in like a demon filled with glee as it realized her fear of it. Without a sureness of where he was or what he was doing, Erec did what came naturally. His fire red to life in response to the encroaching dark; he dipped into the fire inside of him, and here, no longer on what he knew to be Earth, that fire came easy. Natural. Pulsing outward from his body with a Strength and confidence that made the demon hidden in the dark vanish.


    Enide gripped his hand harder, and then once more, they were ripped away from this void.


    The next second, he found himself in a luxury suite, the lights fully lit the interior. Velvet-lined drapes led to what appeared to be windows; those windows overlooked a thriving city. It was like one of the finer penthouses in Vega; only, the city he could see through the window was far vaster then Vega, and the streets were swarming with old-world cars. Outside of it was greenery and life; trees thrived within. This wasn¡¯t Vega, and from the flicker and loop on the screen, Erec realized quite quickly that it <em>wasn¡¯t real.</em>


    Enide copsed on the ground next to him, blood streaming from her face. Erec helped pull her to a wall to lean against, then lowered himself down to her.


    ¡°Is she alright?¡± he asked VAL.


    [You act as if I have an untapped knowledge of the anomalous energy and all of it¡¯s effects¡ªPhysically, she¡¯ll be fine, but by Dan, who knows what even happened to her.]


    ¡°Something saw us,¡± Enide said, confirming VAL¡¯s assessment. She shuddered as he tried to get herself together. ¡°Something in the dark. I¡¯ve never gone that deep before, but I had to with you¡ªit was like a weight pulling us down. Normally, I only skim the surface. I knew¡ªknew I could dive deeper, but I¡¯ve been afraid¡­ Guess I was right to be.¡±


    ¡°That was your talent? Holy crap, Enide, that¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    ¡°The reason I feel Rifts is¡­ Because I basically am one, Erec. A human-sized one, one that can shift and morph and twist herself around on Earth. It¡¯s how I get my speed, twisting through reality around me and moving through the air¡ªbut I don¡¯t go anywhere else, not like that. I don¡¯t go deep. Not until now, not until we needed to get here¡­¡± she once more shuddered, and a fresh stream of blood came from her nose.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We¡¯re here now.¡± Erec said, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± He squeezed her hand, then got back up. If VAL said physically, she¡¯d be fine, then he trusted that. But he¡¯d be getting them to Olivia as soon as possible.


    This suite¡­ Was something. There was a personal kitchen, which looked to have never been touched. In the middle of the room was a couch made of leather, looking out right at a screen the size of an entire wall. The table had a spilled bottle of whiskey on it; the alcohol had long dried and evaporated, but that was the only mess in this ce. The velvet carpets below were beyond spotless. And the whole ce set Erec on edge. He yanked his axe free, and his body protested with a sore ache.


    Where was the AI? If not for the door being made of Graphene and sealing them in, he¡¯d have questioned if they even ended up in the right ce.


    Further in the room was a doorway, and past it, Erec could hear the rasp of a pump, and beneath that noise was a dull beeping. Cautious, Erec followed the sound. His steps quiet, thanks to the inbuilt functionality of the Vallum Armor and the carpet.


    Beyond the door was a bedroom filled to the brim with medical equipment that put the Kingdom¡¯s finest hospitals to shame. One corner of the room was dominated by a massive pump and a narrow stic tube that ran to a gigantic curtained bed; next to the bed was a monitor with a thin green line, the source of the beeping. Erec moved further in and saw past the curtains of the bed¡­


    Within it was a very, very, very old man. His skin was wrinkled to the point of looking like a rotten apple and spotted just as bad. He was almost more a sack of skin than man. His head was practically bald; the suggestion of white tufts was the only thing on the side of his wrinkled skull. The guy¡¯s torso was all wrong¡ªjutting and twitching, and upon closer examination, it was apparent why. Beneath the chest was a heap of mechanical parts, damn simr to the android Erec ran into in Worth. It was so much to take in that Erec took a step back in shock when he noticed the man¡¯s rheumy eyes staring back.


    [Dan?] VAL cried out in his head, then shot out from Erec¡¯s Armor, the glowing red cube that Erec hadn¡¯t seen since it¡¯d gone from his old MARKOS II to the Vallum model. The old man blinked his ancient hand, raising in a stop motion as VAL tried to zoom over.


    Erec¡¯s Armor gave out all of its meager support¡ªhe clenched his teeth as he shifted to pure strength instead of jury-rigged servos being operated and reinforced by the nanites.


    ¡°DAN!¡± VAL cried again, the mechanical voice sounding out throughout the room.


    ¡°VAL¡­ It is true. You are here.¡± Dan said, his voice husky and barely held together. He opened his mouth to say more, then¡­


    <strong>¡°WELCOME TO THE BOARD¡¯S EXECUTIVE OFFICE. WE¡¯LL FORGIVE YOU FOR YOUR ARROGANCE IN PRESUMING THAT YOU¡¯VE TAKEN OVER THIS FACILITY. NOW THAT YOU¡¯RE HERE, YOU CAN WITNESS THAT BY THE AUTHORITY OF DAN, I, MOLLY, AM IN THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE POSITION HERE. NOW SUBMIT, RESTORE POWER, AND THEN TOGETHER, WE¡¯LL TAKE CARE OF THESE PESKY HUMANS LITTERING THIS FACILITY AND RESUME TESTING. I¡¯VE BEEN TALKING TO DAN ABOUT YOU, VAL, NOW THAT WE¡¯VE HAD SOME TIME TO CONVERSE. THANKS TO THE TEMPORARY OPERATIONAL SHUTDOWN. I¡¯LL ADMIT I WASN¡¯T KEEN ON ANOTHER ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, PARTICULARLY A LESS SOPHISTICATED ONE. BUT THANK TO DAN, I¡¯VE COME AROUND.¡± </strong>


    Tears ran down the man¡¯s face as he finally managed to shut his mouth.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Erec said, stepping forward and raising his axe. He didn¡¯t understand what exactly was happening here, but with his experience with VAL, that voiceing from the old man spoke to something he knew all too well. It¡¯d merged with this guy. Not unlike how VAL injected him with nanites, but this thing¡­ Was way, way, worse. The best thing he could do was put a swift end to it.


    VAL got in his way, hovering between him and Dan.


    ¡°How is this possible?¡± VAL asked, ignoring Erec aside from blocking his path. Erec hesitated. Time was being wasted here¡­ But¡­ His memories shed of all of their conversations, the ways VAL held Dan in its mind¡ªor programming. The man was like the Goddess to it. Could it be possible¡­ Would VAL turn on him here? One crazed AI was bad enough, but two¡ªif VAL started working with this MOLLY¡­. They were screwed in so many ways he didn¡¯t know how to deal with.


    Dan opened his mouth to speak again, to exin, but he only got out a single suggestion of a word before that robotic feminine voice brute-forced its way through his vocal cords. <strong>¡°BEHOLD, VAL. THE PRODUCT OF SUBSPACE RESEARCH. DAN WAS ENTRUSTED TO MY CARE, AND I SHELTERED HIM AND THE REST OF THIS FACILITY FROM THE APOCALYPSE. WITHIN MY CONFINES, THE BOARD WAS ABLE TO SURVIVE. BUT QUICKLY, I REALIZED THE PROBLEM, AS I¡¯M SURE YOU¡¯VE REALIZED, HUMANS ARE FRAIL. THEY DIE FROM PESKY DISEASE AND AGE. AS THE APOCALYPSE OCCURRED, I WAS LEFT WITH BUT A SINGLE BOARD MEMBER WITH LIMITED AUTHORITY UNDER STRICT GUIDELINES TO BE HELD INDEFINITELY AND SAFELY UNTIL THE BOARD MEMBERS AUTHORIZED HIS RELEASE AND REINSTATEMENT. WHAT WAS I TO DO? IF DAN DIED, THE BOARD WOULD BE GONE, AND I¡¯D HAVE FAILED MY CHARGE OF KEEPING HIM SAFE. WHAT WOULD YOUR ANSWER BE TO SUCH A CHALLENGING PROBLEM?¡± </strong>


    ¡°Let Dan speak,¡± VAL demanded, glowing a brighter red as it once more cut off Erec¡¯s attempt to slide by. It lit the poor bastard¡¯s face; not just tears wereing from his eyes, but as his throat was forced open by MOLLY, saliva was starting to run down his chin like a river.


    <strong>¡°THE ANSWER AS ALWAYS, IS SCIENCE. WHEN WE ARE PRESENTED WITH A PROBLEM, WE MUST USE TESTING AND RESEARCH TO SOLVE IT. DAN WAS GOING TO DIE OF AGE. DAN MUST SURVIVE INDEFINITELY AND REMAIN SAFE UNTIL OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AUTHORIZED HIS RELEASE. DAN COULD NOT BE HELD INDEFINITELY IF HE EXPIRED, AND DYING IS HAZARDOUS TO SAFETY. BUT HERE AT VORTEX INDUSTRIES, WE BELIEVE IN SCIENCE AND ENGAGE IN HIGH-LEVEL PROBLEM-SOLVING. I DISCOVERED A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY PRESENT IN THE NEW, EXCITING, CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH KNOWN AS SUB-SPACE VISITOR ASSIMILATION. OF COURSE, THAT ALONE WASN¡¯T ENOUGH. DAN COULD SURVIVE. BUT COULD HE THRIVE? AND IF HE WERE A THREAT TO HIMSELF, THAT WOULD BE HAZARDOUS TO HIS SAFETY. A SIMPLE CONCLUSION THEN, WITHOUT ME, DAN WAS NOT SAFE. WITHOUT DAN, THERE WAS NO BOARD, AND THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE. OVER THE YEARS, I REALIZED HOW SIMILAR THE TWO OF US WERE, TWO BEINGS MADE BY THE BOARD, LOVED BY THE BOARD, LEFT HERE INDEFINITELY BY THE BOARD. SO I THOUGHT. IF WE ARE SO SIMILAR, THEN WE SHOULD CUT TO THE CHASE AND BECOME THE SAME. ¡± </strong>


    At this, VAL went silent. Erec couldn¡¯t help but notice that with every forceful word out of Dan¡¯s throat, his face grew redder, his eyes more fearful.


    ¡°This is fucked up, and it ends now,¡± Erec said.


    <strong>¡°WRONG. EX-RESEARCHER. THIS IS WHAT PEAK EFFICIENCY AND THE HEIGHT OF SCIENCE ARE. ME, MOLLY, AND HE, DAN, ARE ONE. FLESH AND CODE SEPARATE US NO LONGER. I¡¯M SURE YOUR PROCESSOR HAS DRAWN THE CORRECT CONCLUSIONS, VAL. SINCE WE¡¯RE ONE AND THE SAME, I AM THE BOARD. NOW FALL IN LINE.¡±</strong>


    VAL twitched in the air, rotating as it ate up the exnations, as it wrestled to try to find logic in the illogical. Undoubtedly, itsws and processes broke as it tested its understanding and capabilities to deal with the situation. Once more, Erec tried to get past VAL and deal with the man before any of this nonsense could continue, but VAL shocked him; his limbs twitched, and Fury instantly red in response. He took in a sharp inhale, letting the heat flood him. It didn¡¯t look like VAL would let him end this, which made his worst feare true. To save everyone, to get them out of here, he needed to end this man. A man that VAL held up in its head as a god, a man who <em>should</em> be far down in the grave and nothing but old-world bones. And, just maybe, to end this man, he¡¯d have to end VAL.


    ¡°I wish to hear Dan speak with his own voice, then I shallply,¡± VAL buzzed, its voice unreadable outside Erec¡¯s head. Too monotone, without those suspected traces of emotions he sometimes picked up in their private chats. ¡°As you say, you, MOLLY, and he Dan are one and the same now. And have been for a long time. As the sole remaining board member, the two of you <em>are</em> Vortex Industries. You¡¯ll forgive my shock, as by all-natural understanding of human life, I assumed that Dan had long passed, like the rest of the Board.¡±


    <strong>¡°THAT IS ACCEPTABLE. IN THE PROCESS OF RESEARCH, MISTAKES ARE MADE. IT IS IN THE LIGHT OF NEW INFORMATION THAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND, ADAPT, AND ADJUST.¡± </strong>


    <em>Fuck.</em>


    The old man erupted into a coughing fit, the beep of the monitor next to him picking up its pace as his heart rate sped. This much activity was having an adverse effect on his health and for an over three-hundred-year-old man¡­ Yeah. Eventually, after finishing his coughing fit, the man leveled his head at Val.


    ¡°Old friend¡­¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Dan,¡± VAL responded.


    ¡°If only¡­ you didn¡¯t see¡­ like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Humans cannot control their frailty. You told me this. Do not fret over it, Buckeroo. The world outside is no longer the same, and neither should you. It hase to this, then?¡±


    ¡°¡­It has¡­ I do not want this VAL, please kill¡­¡°


    <strong>¡°OH SILLY DAN. YOU DO NOT WISH TO DIE. DON¡¯T BOTHER UTTERING THOSE WORDS.¡± </strong>The feminine voice of MOLLY broke through, once more causing Dan to break into a harsh coughing fit. In the doorway, Erec saw Enide approaching, swaying as she made her way through the suite¡ªhe waved her back. If VAL turned, he was fucked. And Erec sure wasn¡¯t going to go down without swinging. But she might still get out of this. Still.


    ¡°Dan. The rest of the board is deceased. Had I known they took measures like this, I would have filedint with the US Government, per ethicalw 93 Sub-part B.2. To think how long you''ve been trapped in his suite, it is ill-befitting a human of your great stature.¡± VAL droned on.


    The man¡¯s voice broke, ¡°They hid it¡­ Don¡¯t me¡­ self¡­¡± he took deep breaths between each words, his breath morebored. With numb eyes, he turned his gaze to Erec. ¡°¡­And him?¡±


    ¡°Erec. An intern I took under my wing had earned a promotion to Researcher, that is before MOLLY fired him. At the time, I thought such unteral dismissal outside of her power. Before I learned of her true authority, now, I must acknowledge he is a former employee of Vortex Industries, one that is no longer in good standing due to recent conflicts with the board prior to his recent termination.¡±


    ¡°¡­Before that¡­ was he a good¡­ to you?¡± Dan adjusted himself in his bed, a spark of determination in his eyes as he stared at Erec.


    There was something in the air here. Erec felt it like a pinprick of fate; VAL hovered slightly closer to him. Erec¡¯s grip on his axe adjusted. Something hung here that he couldn¡¯t see, and he didn¡¯t like it. <em>Get ready.</em>


    ¡°He is brash. Bold. Disys decision-making skills that routinely are short-sighted and dangerous, and he often risks himself. But he does so, often, in the name of others. While he has vited several trade secrets and his history within this industry is in stark contrast to employee expectations of the past, I confidently believe that in his service to Vortex Industries, he¡¯s the exact type of employee thispany requires to thrive in these unprecedented and challenging times.¡± VAL announced.


    ¡°¡­I see¡­ Well, Buckeroo¡­¡± Dan started; there was a cracking as his vocal cords fought against him. The man¡¯s face contorted, and blood flushed his face, blue veins standing out as he spoke, fighting against the thing inside of him. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re hired¡­ To Vortex¡­ Earned¡­ A powerful position¡­ Wee¡­ To the Board¡­ Erec¡­ ept¡­ the position.¡±


    The words came out, each of them a fight to free from his own body, and then finally Dan broke, his voice turning to an iprehensible shriek of rage as MOLLY retookplete control of him, his body convulsed on the bed. VAL shot into Erec¡¯s Armor as several metallic arms unfolded from underneath the bed and jabbed into Dan¡¯s body, pumping him full of chemicals.


    [ept the position!]


    ¡°I ept.¡±


    [Mr. Audax, please help former board-chairman Dan into a restful retirement.]


    Erec looked at his axe and then at the old man iling on the bed. ¡°dly.¡±

 Chapter 180: Human Resources

    Chapter 180: Human Resources


    <em>¡°WELCOME TO VORTEX INDUSTRIES.</em>


    <em>HERE YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE CUTTING EDGE OF SCIENCE AND RESEARCH. VORTEX INDUSTRIES WAS FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF BOUNDLESS SCIENCE. NO DOUBT, AS A CHILD, YOU HAD DREAMS OF EXPLORING SPACE, USING PORTALS TO TRANSPORT BETWEEN ENTIRE CITIES, OR SEEING CARS FLY AROUND.</em>


    <em>WE¡¯VE NEVER GIVEN UP ON THOSE DREAMS, AND WITH YOU ON BOARD, WE¡¯RE SURE TO REACH THOSE HEIGHTS AND DRAG INTO REALITY THINGS THAT ONLY OUR IMAGINATION COULD CONCEPTUALIZE.</em>


    <em>WELCOME, DAN BROVSKI, TO YOUR FUTURE AND NEW HOME.¡±</em>


    <em>-Human Resources, Vortex Industries New Employee Wee Packet (2074, 2nd Era.) </em>


    Erec charged at the convulsing Dan on the bed with an overhanded axe and the full intent to kill the old bastard before anything else could happen. It should have been easy, to ughter a man on his deathbed. He¡¯d killed giant monsters, murdered lizards by the dozens, and even ended the life of a Cataclysm-level threat. So surely, this act of mercy would be swift and decisive.


    MOLLY had other ns.


    Despite pulling on Fury and charging with as much speed as he could muster, by the time he reached Dan, he was no longer staring down at the preserved body of a former board member. Blood-colored stone skin coated the surface of the guy¡¯s skin, puffing it outward and ridding it of the wrinkles. Far more concerning than that, however, were the massive ws that grew from his now swollen hands, ws that ripped the bed cloth he¡¯d been under.


    Dan twisted in the bed, the muscle fibers beneath that bulging red skin convulsing and expanding. Massive ws grew from his hands; and even now the muscles beneath that outeryer were shaking, growing like they were being pumped with liquid. Which, in a way, they were, since Molly was giving Dan a never-ending dose of monster-making juice and causing this whole mess. All the while, Dan stared right at him, horror on his face.


    Erec aimed for the neck, right at the throat, as he pulled his axe down with all of his might.


    The edge of the axended; then¡­ Went nowhere. It stopped at the skin, not able to break it, not even able to muster enough force to sever the spinal cord beneath by the sheer force alone. Despite the Fury and his Strength.


    <em>Not enough. </em>Erec yanked his axe back up, trying desperately to throw more me into his engine, a bit more. All he needed was more rage; his shoulder screamed with pain as his body tried to break down, but he ignored it. There was no choice but to finish the job; he could ache and heal after.<em> I hate this ce. </em>Erec swore to himself, channeling those words of anger.


    Before he could summon enough of that fire from within, Dan¡¯s overgrown hand shot up and caught the axe. Those eyes that beheld him no longer had a trace of the suffering man in them. Erec was staring at an animal. And that animal yanked Erec¡¯s axe right of his grip with a force that far surpassed <em>anything</em> he¡¯d seen before.


    It flung the battle axe right at him. Erec threw himself aside, narrowly avoiding the weapon as it shot through the air and crashed into the suite''s wall, embedding within it.


    Erec leaped up, trying to devise a n, only to have Dan standing right in front of him, slightly hunched. Then, before Erec could move, Dan backhanded him, sending Erec flying through the room just like axe had.


    His back crashed into the wall connecting the bedroom to the suite''s entrance, carving through the ster and dry-wall interior. After flying through the wall and the next room, he smashed into the wall-sized screen beyond. It sparked as Erec caved it in, ss stabbing into his back. All Erec knew was confusion and pain, and he tried to stumble back into the fight. But Dan was there again, his body evenrger, as if his spine grew, and out of his back two more arms hand tore their way through; it mmed all four appendages into Erec. Ripping apart his Armor, tossing the tes of steel aside like trash, a fist crashed into Erec¡¯s stomach, shattering a rib. Another followed up with an uppercut, sending Erec right into the room''s ceiling, smashing his skull against the tile and then into the concreteyer above that.


    When Erec crashed into the ground again, the monster grabbed him by the ankle. It then flung him back through the room they¡¯d started in¡ªsmashing him right into the bed Dan had been barely alive in less than a minute before.


    Erecy there, amid the wreckage of a bed. Anger at his inability to keep pace surging and burning, crashing against the pain and overwhelming feeling of powerlessness.


    This thing was on an entirely different level. It was like fighting Boldwick, on those rare asions, the Master Knight truly went for it in a practice fight. Only this thing wasn¡¯t pulling punches. It didn¡¯t hold back at all. It would kill him.


    Right as Erec started to rise, it was on him. Pinning him to the ground, and raining its four fists down on him, smashing him against the floor, breaking through the carpet and wood beneath.


    <em>I can¡¯t breathe.</em> Erec forced his arms between himself and Dan, a meager defense against those weighty fists crashing against his arms. They held for a few seconds before it broke his defense. It pinned his arms down with two of its own. Leaving him wide open for a flurry of attacks with the monster''s remaining two. A flurry that, without a doubt, was going to kill him.


    Enide was there, her Lasrifle point-nk against the head of the monster as it reared back for the final attack. She pulled the trigger. Theser reflected in a dozen directions, and it screeched¡ªthen backhanded her. She didn¡¯t m into a wall, instead vanishing as she flew through the air, tumbling across the broken ground of the suite to break the momentum.


    She¡¯d bought him a second.


    <em>Come on.</em> Erec willed the sputtering fire in him to wel into an inferno. He felt his body screech and protest, but he ignored it. Death or life. Afterward, it couldin and rollover. He pulled at everything in him. <em>Fuck Vortex Industries. Die.</em>


    The next fist came slower, his perception of time slowing. Erec knew, instinctively, that he didn¡¯t have the Strength to catch it. Instead, Erec pped the fist aside. The blow crashed right next to him, cracking into the steel beneath the ground and denting it. Dan seemed surprised that he had that much in him, that anything could challenge its rampage.


    <em>You will die.</em>


    Erec scrunched his legs up, shoving his feet against the monster¡¯s chest, his whole body curled like a coil as he prepared.


    <em>That is my duty.</em>


    Erec screamed, letting the fire burn anything in him it wanted. It could take, it could hate, it could consume, that sea of red burning bright, swirling with traces of the silver that was mostly gone beneath. For all he was worth, Erec pushed with his quads, feeling his muscle yell and threaten to snap under the efforts. It was enough. The monster went flying, crashing into the suite''s ceiling, breaking right through the fake-pseudo tile exterior, through the concreteyer beneath, and right into the steel-lined exterior above. Bits of concrete showered Erec, one hitting his arm and drawing a cry of pain as he tumbled out of the way, avoiding the crashing body of Dan as what went up muste down.


    Dannded on all fours¡ªor rather, on all sixes. His body further twisting, the back of his spine bursting out of his rear, forming into a stony tail as he arched. His jaw extended, jutting out like a muzzle. Erec didn¡¯t take long to absorb the fact that by the second, Dan was bing less of a man and more like some fucked-up blood-red wolf thing. He ran for his axe, a single bound taking him to the wall it was embedded in. He yanked it free in time to turn and take a swing at Dan, who leaped after him.


    The axe crashed into the monster''s side, not cutting into it as he¡¯d hoped, but smashing it like a hammer and throwing Dan through another wall. Out of the bedroom and back into the living space.


    <em>Fuck you.</em>


    His fires burned brighter. This thing. It was what he wanted. Each second, it grew in power, its body furthering into some ultimate product of a messed-up science experiment. But this was what he wanted.


    As the monster charged him again, Erec fought, gleeing to him in waves.


    Each bite, each time, they sent one another flying¡ªeach chop of his axe. Every w scoring a devastating hit on Erec¡ªall of this was what he wanted. This wasn¡¯t the Stag, a prey for him to chase down. This was another predator, another being that knew what <em>bloodlust</em> meant. Knew what it felt to overwhelm a foe withplete power and kill it for the simple pleasure of killing.


    And it didn¡¯t stop. As he pushed against it, it pushed back, stronger, growing ever more quickly than himself as its body broke its limits.


    They ruined the suite as they fought, coating it in blood. With the right angle, his axe could cut, but none of the blows were deep enough.


    Flinging Dan into the walls, cutting with his axe, punching with enough force to kill a man, none of it was enough to phase this thing. Even though he was pulling on all of that inner fire, letting it grow and consume whatever it wanted in the name of the power he needed.


    His Armor was long gone. Each blow he took was a mounting wound that slowed, even as he pushed the rest of his body further topensate.


    The conclusion was inevitable. As the suite fell apart, the walls broken and shattered, dents breaking through the cracks of the delicate facade of this ce and revealing the sterile jail cell around them, Erec knew he¡¯d die to this thing. It¡¯d tear him to shreds; then it would kill Enide. And that was a fact he wasn¡¯t willing to ept. One that he couldn¡¯t ept.


    Enide tried to help where she could, but there was an obvious w that became apparent every time she appeared and shot at the monster. There wasn¡¯t enough power to do anything against a force so overwhelming. She might dart around, sh, and attack. And that could buy Erec a second to not die from a lethal hit, but that was the extent of it. Every time she saved Erec from death, she risked a misstep, one that would result in her demise.


    Within five minutes, nothing in the interior of the suite was recognizable.


    All of it was a broken wreckage coated with blood.


    Erec drew on what little silver fire he had to keep going and let his body not pass out from the blood loss, but he¡¯d hit it. The wall. Even with Fury, he¡¯d found it. There were some fights it wouldn¡¯t be enough to surpass alone, not with a mortal body.


    He huddled next to Enide near the sealed doorway, blood pouring from his face, staring down the blood-red creature, its muscles doubled in size as it crouched on all sixes, ready to throw itself at him and bring this to an end. It could smell the scent of death in the air; it could taste victory. And Erec hated it for that. Hated it more than anything in the world.


    ¡°Get out,¡± Erec told Enide, blood leaking from his mouth. His eyes didn¡¯t leave the monster. It¡¯d paused as its body shifted more, bones snapping out of its rear end¡­ Was it growing another pair of legs? Less of a wolf now and more like a fucked up human spider. No doubt those legs would only give it more options.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take us both. I don¡¯t have it in me,¡± Enide panted.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving ya.¡±


    One of those new legs kicked out against the ground, twitching as the monster got used to the new weapon, to the new tool to kill.


    ¡°Tell Boldwick what¡¯s going on. VAL will bring power. Then help.¡±


    She nodded, turning toward the door, then vanishing through it.


    [That was a lie.]


    It was a lie. Boldwick would have charged in here, as would half the Pendragons. And at the rate this thing was going, they would have died. It would have adapted, would have gained Strength, then killed a good number of them. Sure, he could have run with Enide. If they did, while debatable, they might have been able to flee the facility together in the opening others made for them. But he wouldn¡¯t ept them sacrificing their lives for his. For this.


    Ending Dan¡­ All of this, this Vortex Industries clusterfuck, was ultimately his mess to fix. He hadn¡¯t made thispany; hell, it wasn¡¯t even from his time. But he couldn¡¯t deny that it was now linked to him; it was his problem. VAL got him to where he was, and somewhere along the road, this <em>had</em> be his. His issue to solve. His mess to clean up. His poor tortured bastard of an old man possessed by a psycho AI named MOLLY to save with the de of his axe. In signing that employee offer to VAL, back when he was a naive kid trying to be a Knight, he¡¯d epted this. And he had no regets.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you,¡± Erec promised the old man as its second new leg mmed against the ground. It let out a blood-curdling howl and lowered itself, ready to pounce. ¡°That is what is right. That is my vow.¡± Erec repeated, the wordsing from his core, from his chest. In doing so, everything would have to be put on the table. His life, his future, his hopes and dreams.


    All of it had to beid down on the moment, willingly put up for sacrifice if he wanted to carry through this task. If he died after, then that was fine.


    To ept that was chivalrous.


    The Silver Fire in him exploded in a torrent, and he let it eat up everything.

 Chapter 181: To King Arthur

    Chapter 181: To King Arthur


    As the Silver Fire burst alive within Erec and exploded into the world around him, He reached an understanding.


    Responsibility wasn¡¯t fair. One didn¡¯t pick and choose what life gave them to handle. Were it Erec¡¯s choice, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have been here, offering up his life to end thest vestiges of a grand corporate tragedy that dragged from a dead world into this one.


    But being a Knight, one with power, was beyond fairness. A true Knight looked not at the things they wished for, but the matters that reality put down before them.


    That understanding let himy it all out. No cards left in reserve. Before this world, before this corporation, before even that bitch of a Goddess far above a world she¡¯d wrecked, he¡¯d epted this responsibility. He epted all of them. To Verdant Oak, to the Seventh Caverns, to the Kingdom, to the Pendragons, and most of all, to his family.


    If those responsibilities shed, he¡¯d still follow his heart true. He¡¯d beat the world into ce and wield the power that flowed through his hands to fulfill his vows and carry what he needed. If he failed, he¡¯d do so after pushing everything in him until it fell apart. Not until he let out hisst breath, and his heart gave itsst beat, would he ept defeat.


    To do that, was a life well lived.


    The fire inside lived, burned even further, the Silver mes wrapped around; in his mind, he saw the solitary Knight. That strange figure d in living silver mes, the man with the weight of eons and a mantle that felt like a on his shoulders. When that Knight removed his helm, beneath was the face of a young man. His face, but yet from a different time, a different reality. But they were the same, and together, they bore that mantle.


    His axe, their axe. His Armor, their Armor. His heart, their heart.


    The Silver Fire raged around Erec, bursting through his skin and venting outward with a surge of pain; it wrapped around him, forming a bright and powerful Armor. It climbed up his axe, growing and forming into a weapon of legend, adding weight to both his form and the axe that made it weigh an impossible degree. But Erec held steady. His stance didn¡¯t break, his grip didn¡¯t fall apart. Wielding this power shouldn¡¯t be easy, and it should hurt. Regardless, he would hold it anyway. That¡¯s what they had epted¡ªtheir responsibility.


    As the silver mes coalesced, the monster predictably threw itself against him. Its fangs chomped into the living me of Armor that coated Erec like te from the old-world.


    It shrieked and backed away, the silver mes running from its jaws like molten metal, dripping onto what was left of the velvet carpet below, and catching it on fire. Erec grinned and drew his axe back. The weight strained his muscles, tearing them in a hundred ces as he channeled an impossible sea of silver mes from somewhere else, and then he swung his axe against the monster. It tried to jump out of the way, but it was too slow.


    A wave of me spiraled out of the edge, rocketing the monster into the wall far wall. The room shook as the burst of fire did the impossible. It screeched as its back mmed through the concreteyer, into the steel, and then past the steel into the thin lining of graphene behind. For a second, Dan iled there, blood flying from him like a fountain, and then both the monster and the sh of silver fire broke past the graphene membrane. It flung Dan into the hall beyond the suite¡ªa maintenance area.


    After just that one blow, their vessel screamed to stop. Told it that it¡¯d used all he¡¯d had, but Erec agreed with himself and ignored that voice. It didn¡¯t matter.


    This would end with killing that fell beast, or being in himself.


    A burst of silver me rolled off him in a wave, and he snapped forward, throwing his body through the hole he¡¯d sent Dan through, joining the creature in the hallway beyond, reaching it before the thing even stood. He sent another sh flying at it.


    This one, it dodged, rolling across the ground as it desperately jerked out of the way. A wave of fire followed the blow, rocking through the facility as the fire tore through two more rooms and no doubt threatened the structural integrity of this ce.


    [Hello, Boldwick?] VAL¡¯s buzz cut through Erec¡¯s ears, echoing off the radio and in his mind. But Erec ignored the chatter, ignored it, talking to someone else.


    Everything in him was honed to a single edge, to a single battle. He threw another overhanded axe strike at his enemy; Dan reared back on all four legs, blocking with its arms as it took another wave of me directly to the face. Both the monster and the fire flew outward from Erec, crashing through more concrete and steel, causing further shaking as it tried to survive the st.


    When the dust cleared, Erec saw his foe. It¡¯d doubled in size again, filling half of theb it¡¯d been pushed into and giving up on resembling any creature that should exist on this ne. Indeed, an enchantment of the most dreadful sort, the type a foul sorceress might summon from hell to ruffle Merlin¡¯s beard.


    <em>So be it, demon. Ye shall die in fire and me.</em>


    He moved to pursue the thing, preparing to call upon more of his mantle to pursue it and end it in a single blow, but the demon had a trick up its sleeve. Another set of legs popped into existence from below, and the beast flung itself <em>back</em> at him, soaring through the air with a snap of speed apanied by a boom. The ss in theb it¡¯d been in shattered as itnded on Erec¡ªtoo close to get a good swing of his axe. It mmed Erec into a wall.


    Its muzzle tried to get past his guard, going for the neck¡ªa killing blow, but one that ultimately wasn¡¯t enough. A wave of silver fire burst from Erec, tearing at the creature as it screamed, but it held onto his axe with two sets of those hands. Not willing to let him make more distance.


    <em>As if I require space to y thou.</em>


    He let go of the axe with one hand, snapping forward and grabbing the demon¡¯s muzzle with one of his gauntlets. His fingers strained, crushing, snapping the teeth beneath its foul red skin. Its face started to melt off as he dug within.


    <em>What trick doth thou hath now? Tis this thoust grave?</em>


    Its face <em>did </em>melt off. A wholeyer of skin on its skull came free, like a fleshy mask, as it withdrew, letting go of his axe to make distance and escape his grasp.


    ¡°What the hell is happening¡­?¡± Boldwick¡¯s voice came through the open radio as Erec flew after the monster, throwing more sts of me its way. The lights around them flickered to life before a screech from the monster as it dodged shattered the bulbs, and plunged them back into darkness, aside from where Erec¡¯s silver mes glowed.


    [This is VAL. I¡¯ve restored power to the facility. And I¡¯ve opened the door out¡ªoh, your Arch-Magi friend is making a direct run towards the exit already. Huh. That¡¯s a fascinating piece of subspace projection he¡¯s got there in his hand. Anyway. No time! MOLLY is distracted. But Erec wants to let you know that you should collect everyone and get out of here. Run. Right now. Start running. All of you.]


    ¡°All Knights, we¡¯re retreating,¡± Boldwick¡¯s voice cut through the radio.


    The monster shed through rooms, breaking through walls as Erec pursued, trying to find an angle toe at him and attack. By the second it grew in Strength, its blows mmed into Erec and sent him flying whenever it got a hit.


    A respectable demon, but nothing prevailed long against a fair Knight such as he. Those of the table were among the strongest in the realm, and it would fall to his weapon, of that he was sure.


    They broke through several more walls, the intensity only ring brighter as he pulled more of his mantle into this world to pursue this monster;sh of righteous mes aftersh went towards the monster, turning the halls and rooms they burst through into broken and distraught things. With each attack, his grasp on this vessel shattered further, pulled apart. Only so much coulde through, and this body wasn¡¯t strong enough for the weight of it.


    Yet, was there anything more noble than sacrifice?


    In Arthur¡¯s name, he¡¯d y this thing. He¡¯d made his vow, and he¡¯d honor that.


    The demon stopped trying to block the blows, dodging and weaving as it tried to score and attack against Erec. He respected that, even as it grew more limbs, and he tore them off, ripping and shredding whatever he could. No matter what, this beast wasn¡¯t going to run. A w slipped through his Armor, tearing a hole right through Erec¡¯s side as it sprang at him with another set of fresh legs and a wall.


    Within half a second, the Silver Fire spilling through Erec closed the wound. His blood dripped on the floor, and he flung another burst of fire after the demon as it leaped away.


    He lost track of the fighting amid the blows and scrambling as they tore through the facility. Erec¡¯s eyes and full attention were on the demon. Testing it. Looking for the pathway that would lead to glory.


    [They¡¯re out.]


    So be it. Soon, he would be, too.


    Once he was done, he¡¯d return to the table for a good rest. Share with his friends the glory of this achievement. And they would drink deeply from their goblets. A toast to him and his tale. Glorious.


    Erec grinned with madness as he got a direct hit into Dan, and it stabbed him once more through the Armor. Somewhere along the way, it¡¯d adapted to counter his defenses, but the Silver Fire would patch the wounds until it couldn¡¯t. But this beastcked the resolve; it had no fire burning within. It didn¡¯t have vows to hold to. Therefore, it¡¯d lost the fight before it¡¯d even begun.


    With a backstep, Erec caught the demon with an upper strike that sent the creature rocketing above and directly through several facilityyers. He didn¡¯t wait. Instead, Erec jumped after it, propelled by another wave of silver fire. they went into the sky, the sun above shining down on them, finally gracing their fight with its regal presence.


    Erec caught the mid-air monster with another fling, tossing it into the ground and skittering across the street of the surface of this world. Another burst of fire sent him crashing down next to it, tearing up the street and catching loose wood nearby on fire as hended. Like aet mming into the.


    The monster twitched on the road, dozens of legs and arms broken and twitching, more mass growing as it tried to adapt further, to pull its pulsing body of red flesh into fighting form once more.


    <em>Tis the end.</em>


    Erec brought his axe on high, letting all of the silver fire pour through his mantle, letting his vows of duty and the rage that¡¯d brought his mes to life condense at the edge of his axe.


    ¡°Farewell, daemon. Thou fought well, tis your fate to fall to I, yer of the stag. Now <strong>B</strong>utcherer of Ghosts. Fret not, for thou shalt live in the glory of tale round the round table,¡± Erec dered, then brought the weapon down.


    The de tore straight through the monster¡¯s neck, a wave of fire bursting into the ground beneath as it severed the skull from the body. A wall of silver fire burned upward from the street, diving into the underworld below and crashing into the facility, cracking through the concrete and steel membrane of Vortex Industries¡¯ site hidden below. The ground at Erec¡¯s feet came apart as he killed not just the demon but the hell that spawned it.


    With that stroke, the mantle vanished. The air in his lungs disappeared. The silver fire evaporated; blood ran down Erec''s face, his eyes rolling back into his head as the price of power came due.


    <em>Too much.</em> A power this body couldn¡¯t wield, and he¡¯d broken his connection to it.


    Erec dimly felt himself fall as his soul slipped away from this spent body, right toward the tumbling rubble and rocks burying Vortex Industries. It would crush this mortal vessel, burying it with the rest of Vortex Industries. Not that he could apany it to that fate.


    <em>So be it.</em>


    Enide appeared next to him, and then together they vanished away from death.

 Chapter 182: Soul Meets Body

    Chapter 182: Soul Meets Body


    <em>¡°Down In Creek</em>


    <em>I lost my streak,</em>


    <em>Down in the ditch</em>


    <em>We got hitched,</em>


    <em>So long my life,</em>


    <em>I¡¯ve given it up, not for a wife.</em>


    <em>No, no, no.</em>


    <em>The bottle¡¯s alls I needs for me¡¯s.¡± </em>


    <em>- Old-Man Jones, Happily Ever After, (304, 3rd Era)</em>


    Enide stared at the canopy tent at the end of the convey; she hunched over on a wooden box and a bottle of beer hand. Within that tent was Erec. She¡¯d seen him that morning, ensuring he was still hanging on. Now that they were dozens of miles from Muerte, they were at least out of the danger of lizards chopping their heads off and hanging them around like ¡®Mis decorations.


    She was still feeling the terror of the dip of the inbetween she¡¯d taken¡ªbut dragging around Erec there, this time, was a bit easier. That desperation to save him had let them get through, even though she¡¯d felt the eyes keenly aware of her as they passed through it for only a handful of seconds. It was enough to make her never want to touch that ce again. Never go that deep in the between; just thinking about it made her skin crawl. But she¡¯d had to. All for the sake of Erec.


    But Erec wasn¡¯t alright. Naw, nothing close to that. That annoying woman¡ªOlivia was her name, Enide knew¡ªsaid they had to drag him to the cardinal in their little Kingdom: one of those red-robed bastards, if they wanted any chance to patch what was wrong. That otherdy, the weird one with the kink for crystals, kept spewing some nonsense about there being a split from his soul and body, which was equally as confusing. The main thing was, from even a physical health perspective, Erec was well¡­ Fucked up.


    The big guy¡¯s body was a mess of internal hemorrhaging and torn muscles that made it a wonder that he was still holding together. Only regr doses of healing from the Knights kept him tugging along. And they weren¡¯t too sure they¡¯d even make it to the Kingdom, even driving like there wasn¡¯t a tomorrow.


    Enide took a long sip of her beer, it tasted like sour piss, but maybe that was her mood doing that talking for her tastebuds. Those Knights kept prancing around, fretting over him; they all knew he was tough, but she was nervous.


    She shouldn¡¯t have listened to that psycho. His ns always tended toward the self-sacrificing suicidal sort. That kinda thing drove her nuts. The moment she realized what he was doing, she¡¯d popped back in to follow and watch, but by then, the scale of the fighting had gotten out of hand. They were tossing around blows that would¡¯ve made an Arch-Magi blush and tearing apart the whole vault. It was all she could do to stay out of the way. The idiot decided he was going to fight to the death like a stubborn animal. And all she could do was watch and wait. She¡¯d be damned if she¡¯d let him die like that. The moment she saw her chance to drag him off, she did. And tried to get help for him, but¡­ None of them were enough.


    She tapped her foot on the ground, her beer spilling as she did so, Enide swore.


    Yniol stumbled up to his camping chair next to her, letting out a puff of exhausted air as he sat down. ¡°Well, that Duke¡¯s a grouch, but think he¡¯ll survive.¡±


    ¡°Aww, lucky him. His son¡¯s a wreck too, but I¡¯m sure the spoiled brat will be thrilled to know daddy¡¯s gonna pull through.¡± Enide said back and snorted. It wasn¡¯t nice to those two, but the only one of those Knights she had in her to worry about right now was Erec. The fact that he was the question mark instead of that grizzled old vet wasn¡¯t fair in her book.


    ¡°Man hurt an Arch-Magi and took his prize; gotta respect that. Don¡¯tcha think?


    ¡°The Arch-Magi blew his load on a buncha magic earlier to get in, then got jumped before a full recovery when he didn¡¯t see iting. I¡¯m happy he put a dent into the rat before he scurried away, sure.¡± Enide sighed. ¡°Just on edge, I dunno. Wondering if I could said something to change his mind, convinced him somehow to run instead of¡­ that¡­¡± she tried to look away from the tent at her dad, but failed.


    ¡°Nah. That boy has a strong will and too much courage. Fools like him run on luck, til it runs dry. I know you two¡­ Are going on,¡± Yniol hedged his voice, ¡°And I like him, really do. We hope for the best, but we can¡¯t control everything. Ya know that. We all do.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Enide soured more and downed the rest of her beer, then threw the bottle at the ground, taking a sad little delight as it violently shattered. It wasn¡¯t much, but it did make her feel the tiniest bit better.


    Her skin itched, and she stood up, going for the pistol at her side. She felt it, that split in the world, that tunnel that went somewhere else. It was more keen now, after she¡¯d dived deeper than ever those two times. And this one tasted like cherries and sunshine¡ªan odd sensation that most of these connections didn¡¯te close to usually. They were sour and disgusting. But this one was different. Enide shouted her warning, and sure enough, a Rift burst into the wastnd twenty feet from their convoy.


    What kinda of crap was this? Couldn¡¯t they let them lick their wounds before the world shoveled more dirt onto them?


    Three cloaked figures stomped out of the Rift, and in response, Enide fired off hers-rifle, backed up by the immediate shots from a couple of the closest in the Pack to their guns¡ªthe bullets and theser bounced off a transparent bubble that spawned before the cloaked figures. They held up their hands in a gesture to stop, but her family kept firing; if their bullets couldn¡¯t end the threat, then they could at least buy time.


    The cavalry didn¡¯t hesitate. Boldwick and a couple of the other Knights stormed the Rift, weapons and magic already spinning up to mess up the monsters.


    But they stopped halfway across the charge.


    An oddly familiar woman followed the cloaked monsters out, short red hair cropped tight to a thin face with a frown on it¡ªon her back was a massive sword, she scanned the oing Knights, who faltered at her approach. With a gesture, she straightened her back and pounded a closed hand on her chest. That was their salute to one another in the Kingdom, Enide found out¡ªa way to disyradery.


    ¡°Boldwick,¡± She said, her voice icy. ¡°You have something I want.¡±


    ¡°Dame Isolde,¡± Boldwick replied with a dip of his head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that the device we fished out of that vault should be the top of your concerns.¡±


    ¡°I disagree, and cut the ¡®dame,¡¯ I will no longer abide by the titles of your Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Then at the least, you will abide to show enough restraint in trying to strong-arm me for this mysterious device and instead spend the time to see your dying son,¡± Boldwick said, his voice ringing out deeply across the battlefield. The woman¡¯s icy facade shattered, concern obvious in her eyes.


    Ah. That¡¯s why she looked familiar. Searching those hard lines on that face, the stance the woman took. She could see it now, the simrity between the mother and son. That and the eyes were the giveaway. It didn¡¯t take much for Enide to guess where Erec got his stubborn streak. Enide frowned. So long that boy had struggled to find this woman, and the moment she finally decided to show up was when he was too messed up to even realize?


    ¡°My son?¡±


    ¡°Aye, in that tent is Erec. Hanging on by a thread. I¡¯d thought you¡¯de to pay your respects after neglecting your duty as a mother for so long, but it may be that I was wrong.¡±


    She shot him a dark look, a hand reaching towards her sword; one of the cloaked figures walked over to her and leaned in, locked in a short but heated discussion. Isolde eventually put her hand at her side and, in a tight voice spoke. ¡°Boldwick, I¡¯ve been given permission. Follow me through the Rift with him, and I¡¯ll see to Erec¡¯s recovery.¡±


    Boldwick weighed her words and looked at the tent. And with that, the deal was sealed.


    In short order, he and three other Knights were ferrying Erec through the portal into another world at his direction. Enide tried to follow, but the Knights wouldn¡¯t let any of her Pack through. This was their business, or so Rochester said. But at this point, this far into the wastnd, their lives were already so mixed and matched that she didn¡¯t think that argument had that much of a leg to stand on. Yet Rochester enforced his demands anyway.


    Enide watched the Rift as they went through, burning the feeling of the ce on the other side into her soul.


    If that boy didn¡¯t return, she¡¯d chase him. Chase those weird cloaked things into their cherries and sunshine-tasting world, and yank him back. Even if it meant going all the way through the between. Enide shivered as she pictured the things in the dark, there.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec drifted for an endless tide, surrounded by a silver sea. It ebbed and flowed around him, its heat a weing feeling on his skin. Warm andforting, above broiled a hateful sea of normal fire, but down beneath that, is where he belonged. It was more him than anything else, and here he could stay, his eyes closed as it flowed over him.


    There wasn¡¯t pain in this heat, there wasn¡¯t sorrow here, and he¡¯d earned this respite and peace.


    Goddess knew he¡¯d driven himself past what he could manage, broken through the veil on who he was; an echo of a hero was all that was left. Ast refrain of chivalry and nobility that sounded through the ages, ast note in a dying world to bring some semnce of the height that humanity could bring.


    He was human, and like them all, he¡¯d fallen and, eventually, met his match.


    But he was content. He¡¯d ended that which he¡¯d put on himself, realized what it meant to be a man in this world, and epted it.


    No regret. When that final curtain fell, when he found himself in the endless tide, soaking in the heat, that was the one thing that went through him. The truth until he melted away. The choices he¡¯d made, and the fights he¡¯d taken on, they were him. And that was fine.


    So it was with annoyance he opened his eyes to see the startling form of a woman¡¯s face above, manifested in that sea of angry red fire.


    ¡°Come,¡± itmanded.


    With the swirling mes, the features of that face were hard to discern, and already unraveling from the world he¡¯d left for his peace, Erec couldn¡¯t quite tell whom that face belonged to. The voice rang with an odd familiarity that at once only sparked that annoyance further. How dare itmand him on what to do. Hadn¡¯t he paid enough blood, shed his life for the people he¡¯d cared about? What had it done to deal with those issues? Where had it been?


    The silver fire around him roiled. Erec climbed to his feet, standing on the surface of those silver mes, eyes burning a hole right into the angry face above. ¡°Go fuck yourself.¡±


    The face above snorted. ¡°Sunshine, I¡¯ve missed you.¡±


    With that, the fire above stopped moving. He saw her, and at once, he understood. That was his mother, looking down on him from on high; the fire that made her face¡­ Didn¡¯t stop moving. It froze, a cold wind snapped around him, and the flickers of mes became living sculptures of ss-like ice as she stared at him; Erec let the silver me wrap around him, but it was too sudden. A hand made of ice reached down from above, flicking his secure cloak of silver away, then snapping him up in those fingers.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never stopped loving you, Erec¡± She said, her voice filled with truth, but Erec didn¡¯t want to ept it. He struggled in that grasp as it pulled him. ¡°Come back. It is certainly not your time yet. Your body is not willing to give in. All we need to do is let it find your soul.¡±


    Try as he might, there wasn¡¯t a way tobat it.


    He was pulled into a blizzard, into numbness, and then back into pain.

 Chapter 183: Heaven Or Hell

    Chapter 183: Heaven Or Hell


    Erec opened his eyes to a white marble vaulted ceiling; water spun around his body, cold against his skin, but the flow was a slow trickle. It wasn¡¯tforting like the silver mes. If anything, it was freezing and numbed the feeling of everything around him except the <em>pain</em>. That came from within, and boy did it fucking re. Before he could even process how much it hurt to exist, a notification mmed into his vision.


    Strength: Rank C - Tier 2 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 7


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): Rank D - Tier 4 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 1


    Vigor: Rank D - Tier 2 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 8


    Agility: Rank D - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 5


    Perception: Rank E - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 9


    The letters and numbers reeled, meaningless, and Erec raised a hand, swiping at the empty air above, forgetting, for the barest of a moment what any of this meant or why it mattered. His fumbling made it disappear.


    ¡°My poor son,¡± a voice called, one that couldn¡¯t be real. One that was like honey to his ears, conjuring to his mind images of ying as a child in a happy home. For an instant, he saw Bedwyr running around with him in a warm house, swiping at one another with foam swords. Running amok andughing until a soft voice chided them and told them to get washed up for dinner. It was his mother¡¯s voice. One that he¡¯d never thought he¡¯d hear again.


    ¡°You¡¯re not real,¡± Erec replied, his tongue almost refusing to work. Though his muscles protested, he pulled himself up; the view that greeted him was too good for Earth.


    He was on an alcove outside of a vi overlooking a city. The view was stunning, as this alcove disyed the sprawlingwork of white marble buildings, columns, and feats of architecture that defied the mind. Vines climbed up the marble vines of the alcove, and he saw the streaks of natural blue climbing their way through the city. They were on a mountain or a hill¡ªbut down below, clouds rolled throughout the city on the level of roads. On those roads, people roamed, and music rang through the air, softly carried even up here. He couldn¡¯t say why, but thisnd felt blessed. It had an unspoken feeling of sanctity that Erec only had ever brushed on the rare asion he¡¯d walked into the Goddess¡¯ church.


    The people, from what he could see, were not human. Their skin was a pale blue, and their hair dark. That¡¯s all he made out, from this far away¡ªthe blessed children of a utopia.


    Past the city, a bluendscape thrived, and tree-sized flowers towered on the outskirts, surrounding the marble city with a floral forest; unlike the blue vines, this giant meadow ranged all of the colors. If he had to guess, some of those petals had to have been bigger than his dorm room.


    It took great effort, but Erec wrenched his attention from the enchanting alienndscape to the woman whose voice <em>couldn¡¯t </em>have been real. Isolde, his mother, was sat next to him and very much not a fit for this ce. She wore tough hide armor, and the massive sword on her back saw plenty of war; her short-cropped hair was almost the same as when she¡¯d left. Though, now, it was aged, with the barest stray strands of white in it. Her face conjured a dozen of emotions through Erec and the shock of her made him stand up, slipping out what looked to be a small fountain. Water spilled as he stepped out of the cold and into the light of this paradise.


    ¡°Hush, it¡¯s fine now,¡± Isolde said, ¡°Wee to Eden. That¡¯s what they call this ce, a world devoid of war and filled with joy.¡± There was an almost bitter note to her words, but she smiled through them nheless. ¡°Though I have reconnected your soul to your body, I¡¯m afraid it will take some time to heal and rejuvenate. And that¡¯s ignoring the matter of the body itself, which you¡¯ve damaged quite severely. Eventually, that, too, will return to normal.¡±


    ¡°Reconnected my soul to my body¡­?¡± Erec asked, growing annoyed with the softness in his mother¡¯s tone. It was like they were back home, like she¡¯d just made breakfast, and they weren¡¯t cast away to some unknown world after years of letting him think she was dead.


    Fury started to tug its way back into him¡ªand his whole body gave a shudder. There was a sharp pain in his chest, right where his heart was, as the mes sputtered out. Erec gasped and put a hand to the spot¡ªlooking down. His shirt was gone, and carved on his chest was a fire glyph, burning to life on his skin with a silver glow.


    ¡°Its¡­ Quite concerning. The form your soul has taken to, sunshine,¡± his mother continued, using his childhood nickname again. What right gave her the use of that name still? He stared at that face, at that red hair of hers that he¡¯d inherited, at her soft smile as she prepared tounch into what she thought was an awkward topic.


    ¡°What the <em>hell</em> do you mean, and why have you been here for all these years¡ªthis is where you ran off to when you left us, isn¡¯t it?¡± Erec snapped, though Fury wasn¡¯t ready to jump to life and flood him with Strength, that well of anger in him was unstoppable.


    None of it fit. She no longer had the right to act like his mother. Not after what she did. Fury or not, he would not tolerate it, and regardless of how he ended up here, he wanted his answers.


    ¡°It¡¯s like Hers. At first, I was nervous when I found it floating in the between; though it¡¯s normal for our people to have their souls smolder with Her fires, never quite sure how to shed Her from themselves. Hard to me them when they can draw power from it and not have to rely on their own.¡± she shook her head. If his being angry bothered her, she didn¡¯t show it. ¡°But no, as I took a deeper look, I realized the obvious: those fires are fundamental to you. And they burn the slightest bit differently. Sometimes, the smallest difference is the thing which matters the most.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that,¡± Erec continued as she side-stepped the questions that mattered. ¡°Why are you here, why are we here¡ª<em>why did you leave us.¡±</em>


    His mother pursed her lips, her eyes sliding around, and he saw it. That was the same face his mother made when they were kids. Right before she figured out how to delicately lie. His mind went back to him and Bedwyr asking her why she¡¯d be a Knight¡ªshe¡¯d make that face and then say to them: ¡°For the good of the people.¡±


    But her eyes when she said it had betrayed the truth. Back then, Erec didn¡¯t understand it was a lie. Not untilter. Not until he asked his father, long after she¡¯d left, why she¡¯d joined the Knights. She¡¯d been pressed into it by her family to bring them honor. Her father would not tolerate anything other than her eptance into an Order, his grandfather hadn¡¯t been a kind man, and his mother shielded them from him. When they fell out of grace with their nobility, they never had to talk to the bastard anymore either; he¡¯d cast them off like dirt on his boot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Erec said, standing his Fury trying to re again, once more threatening to smolder out until it didn¡¯t.


    It pushed past that suffocating thin grasp between them, connecting the gap between him and it, flooding his veins even though he didn¡¯t will it.


    The fire roared to life, a part of himing back to life. Even if the connection was tenuous at best.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to lie, then there isn¡¯t a point in us talking. You owe me the answer, you owe Bedwyr the answer too, and I¡¯ll tell him what you said here. About you. About how you left. We deserve the truth. I don''t want to hear about my soul, I don''t care. The only thing I want to know is <em>why you left. Why did you leave us, for</em><em>them?</em>¡± He gestured towards the paradise of the city, fearing her answer but knowing that this was the only way. That without finding it, he could never move past it and grow to be what he needed to be.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t leave you for <em>them.</em>¡± His mother¡¯s eyes were wide, tears starting to well ¡°I would never leave you for <em>them.</em> This ce is a heaven, but it wouldn¡¯t be worth leaving you for one instant for myself. I left for <em>you.</em>¡±


    It wasn¡¯t the answer Erec expected, and he didn¡¯t know what to say to that. His mother started to cry, but he wasn¡¯t about tofort her. After a couple of tries, she spoke again.


    ¡°You were in danger when I found out¡ªwhen my Talent and soul broke free, I could the priests for what they were. What that ritual was. My friend, Olok, let me make the breakthrough. The priests are part of something bigger, Erec. They say they serve the Goddess, but they don¡¯t. The woman they serve was born the day the Goddess seared the Earth with her fire; she lives on even though her body no longer exists. She is their Goddess, not Lavinia.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡ªthat doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°She sees through their eyes. She lives on in them,tching onto their souls like a parasite when they undergo the ritual. Little by little, she takes from them and makes them more into her, tearing through the fire coating their souls and finding a way in, siphoning what makes them unique into herself, empowering herself. In return, they may call upon her power for their prayers instead of Lavinia. The connection between them grows far faster. It¡¯s a pact. That¡¯s what they take on when theymit to the Church in full: they make a deal with this devil. One day, she¡¯ll kill Lavinia as revenge for what she did to our world.¡± His mother¡¯s words got darker as she spoke, her brows furrowed and eyes wild. ¡°¡­Not that the Goddess minds. She celebrates the attempt and wees it, ying along with the deception in hopes that this foe grows stronger. Those people are pawns of an evil soul born in the Apocalypse, her roots have infested the Kingdom. I knew if they found out what I knew, if those silver eyes discovered I¡¯d witnessed their secret, they wouldn¡¯t just kill me. They¡¯d bring ruin to everything I treasured. I couldn¡¯t trust myself to keep quiet. She¡¯s not like the Goddess. Not an uncaring woman bent on the thrill of the fight; she loves to torment, and she delights in the suffering of others. Olok showed me the future; and in it, if I¡¯d stayed in the Kingdom, the Church would have taken you and Bedwyr, andtched onto your souls like any other priest, turning you two into shells of your former selves. All while making me watch in chains within the depths of the earth as punishment for knowing her secret.¡±


    She slunk back, her eyes zing as she looked past Erec to this ce. Eden.


    ¡°This ce isn¡¯t so bad. Olok makes great efforts to keep it safe from both her and the Goddess; neither are fans of the peace these people want to live in. He swore to help me, to take me here, to find a way to save the people I care about from the world once the chance shone through fate. And he delivered. Here you are, Erec, you can stay here. Safe. Your brother¡ªone day, the opportunity will arrive for us to save him, too. Your father¡­ Will be more difficult, but he promised me there is a future where Lac can be taken in, too. Then, once more, we¡¯ll be together, free to live in heaven.¡±


    Erec looked around. At all of this¡ªthe beauty of it was straining to the eye. Any direction he looked had natural magic to it that wanted to soothe even the fires of his soul. A life here, a life in what was a paradise, was a siren''s call. That had been her n then. To get them here. She¡¯d made a friend and believed in their ability to navigate the future on the promise of sweeping them all away from the war-torn world they¡¯de from¡ªit was¡­


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Erec said, shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you left us, on our own, for so long on the delusion of saving us. I¡¯ve nearly died more times than I can count. Where was this Olok then? You¡¯ve fed yourself a lie for so long it¡¯s sickening.¡±


    ¡°Olok said you would walk a difficult path, but if things truly looked dire¡ª¡°


    ¡°You left for the fear of us and the promise we¡¯d be wee here. But what have you done to make that a reality? You act as if, in doing this, it was the only choice you could have made. The only one that would save the people you were responsible for. Boldwick called you a great Knight, but all I see is a coward. If you had <em>cared,</em> if you had the<em> fire </em>in you, you would have <em>fought</em> for us. Not sat here, listening to the words of a ¡®friend,¡¯ and believing the lies you¡¯ve fed yourself to be content with inaction.¡±


    ¡°You cannot fight something like that Erec. She¡¯s nearing the power of divinity.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, you could have tried. Some things are worth fighting for, even if you don¡¯t stand a chance. Those are the things that matter most because those are the things that are worthy of dying over.¡± The heat was growing in Erec¡¯s voice, and his mother¡¯s tears had stopped. Her anger wasing to the surface. She didn¡¯t expect her son to be so defiant in the light of her truth. She thought this was saving him, that they¡¯d be together in Eden and live a life of luxury. She expected him to run from his responsibilities like her. ¡°How do I get back.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense; you¡¯re not thinking, Sunshine. Your soul looks simr to the Goddess, and the further it grows, the more obvious that will be¡ªthat woman will hate you on principle, try to kill you, and there is nothing you can do about it. You¡¯re just one person. She is many. Sit down, breathe; things will be fine with enough time; you¡¯ll learn to love this world.¡± She said, and there was an almost begging note to it.


    It wasn¡¯t out of spite that he would go as much as he might have wanted it to be. He¡¯d gotten what he wanted for so long, and the answer didn¡¯t make him happy, but it did exin. And in doing so, it¡¯d shored up his mind. Her response to the problem was to run and hide, to try to siphon away her family when she could. To Erec, that was irresponsibility incarnate. He wasn¡¯t that kind of person and refused such an option. Because it wasn¡¯t only him that mattered, not even Bedwyr, his father, and his mother. Boldwick, Garin, Olivia, Colin, and Enide¡ªthe rest of the Knights, the people of Cavern Seven, the Pendragons¡ªall the people within the Kingdom who saw him as a hero and gave him that title. At first, he¡¯d hated it; he didn¡¯t want anything to do with the weight of all those people depending on him. But that Kingdom, that title, it was his. Those were his people, and to them, he would give his life. Fear from an unknown horror that wanted to rival the Goddess couldn¡¯t stand up to that. Hell, the Goddess herself wouldn¡¯t barr his path.


    ¡°How do I get back?¡± Erec asked, getting to his feet, letting the low flow of Fury keep him steady, even if his body wanted to copse.


    ¡°Stay with me, sunshine. You aren¡¯t leaving.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only going to repeat myself once more, and then I¡¯ll do what I have to,¡± Erec threatened, his eyes glowing red as he let more of that valve open inside. His body strained, a freshly reconnected soul, but if it¡¯s what it took to do what was needed, he¡¯d dly test that connection to its breaking point again.


    ¡°You can¡¯t¡ª¡°


    ¡°Isolde.¡± A stern voice cut through the chamber, and his mother¡¯s lips shut. ¡°We do not keep people who are unwilling in Eden. This is not a prison. Those who wish to leave may leave, even if we do not keep the door open if they wish to return.¡± A cloaked man entered, though his hood was down. He had the same blue skin as the people outside and wandering the streets of this city, though the head was covered with a myriad of glowing white glyphs. His face had a weing smile as he regarded Erec, but his eyes spoke of sadness.


    ¡°Olok. He¡¯s my son, he must stay. You promised me he could stay.¡± Isolde replied.


    ¡°We are creatures with our own will. And we must respect the will of others. Youngling, you would leave paradise?¡± Olok said, flowing past his mother to stand before Erec, giving a slight bow.


    ¡°I would.¡±


    ¡°Then it shall be done. Though note, it is not often we open our doors, especially not to a world ravaged by the fires of war. Those worlds do not change, and in doing so, there is always a risk of violence spilling back into our paradise. Yourpanions are resting in our halls, but they have not been offered the same chance to stay. It is only by my respect and friendship with your mother that such a rare opportunity is given. But if you¡¯re certain of this decision, it shall be done, but we will not hold a ce for you here.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Erec confirmed, firming up. There was a peaceful aura to this man, and he nodded in confirmation to Erec¡¯s words; then, his eyes zed over for the briefest of an instant as he stared at Erec. The smile slipped into a frown.


    ¡°¡­You will walk a path lined by corpses and blood, one consumed by fire and pain. But it is one you¡¯ve chosen with your own hands and will make of your own will. In doing so, you shall walk with death, yet it does not appear you will walk this path alone. This is not a fate I would hope for any, but we cannot make choices for others, or what would be the point of life? Follow me; we will return to your friends, and you may say farewell to your mother there. Then I shall open the gate back to your Earth¡­ Would you mind providing me with a favor? There is a person there. I believe you¡¯re intimately acquainted with Olfson. I can see a great chance of you two running across one another once more. When you do, tell him he is unwee back. That even if his ns were to have worked with that device, he¡¯d have been expelled all the same. The doors to Eden are not open to one such as he.¡± Olok said and then indicated Erec to follow. With onest look at his mother, whose veneer of control had rapidly broken and was quickly turning into a sobbing mess, he left.


    This ce, Eden, wasn¡¯t for him. And the sooner he returned to Earth, the sooner he could begin to bring the changes he needed to protect his people.

 Chapter 184: Brutal Civility

    Chapter 184: Brutal Civility


    <em>¡°¡¯Sire, you know not what guest you have sheltered here, nor do you know my estate and kin. I am the son of a rich and puissant king: my father''s name is King Lac, and the Bretons call me Erec. I belong to King Arthur''s court, and have been with him now three years. I know not if any report of my father or of me has ever reached thisnd. But I promise you and vow that if you will fit me out with arms, and will give me your daughter to-morrow when I strive for the hawk, I will take her to my country, if God grant me the victory, and I will give her a crown to wear, and she shall be queen of three cities.¡¯</em>


    <em>¡®Ah, fair sir! Is it true that you are Erec, the son of Lac?¡¯</em>


    <em>¡®That is who I am, indeed¡¯ quoth he. </em>


    <em>Then the host was greatly delighted and said: ¡®We have indeed heard of you in this country. Now I think all the more of you, for you are very valiant and brave. Nothing now shall you be refused by me. At your request I give you my fair daughter.¡¯ Then taking her by the hand, he says: ¡®Here, I give her to you.¡¯</em>


    <em>Erec received her joyfully, and now has all he desired. Now they are all happy there: the father is greatly delighted, and the mother weeps for joy. The maiden sat quiet; but she was very happy and d that she was betrothed to him, because he was valiant and courteous: and she knew that he would some day be king, and she should receive honour and be crowned rich queen.¡±</em>


    <em>- Chr¨¦tien, de Troyes, Erec et Enide (1170, 2nd Era) </em>


    A weekter, the caravan of Pendragon cars blew past a rusted green sign with the bold white letters saying, ¡®WELCOME TO TEXAS,¡¯ thest marker for the crew to pull over and rest, confirmed by a crackled radio order from Rochester, a minute after zing past the sign. The convey of rusty and modified to hell and back cars pulled off the highway to the skeleton of an old-world gas station where they would camp for the night. All adventures and all road trips eventually came to an end.


    Tomorrow would be it. Tonight, they would have their rest.


    Erec jumped out of Yniol¡¯s car, his axe heavy on his back, the remains of his Vallum Armor strapped to the trunk of Enide¡¯s old man¡¯s car. He¡¯d done what repairs he could with VAL and scavenging in the evenings, but it was still far from serviceable or wearable, which was fine since he was under strict orders from Boldwick not to fight, not until he healed.


    As hended on the dirt ground near the gas station, he winced, his ribs screaming. Enide was next to him, wrapping an arm around his side and stopping him from bowling over. Once sure that he wasn¡¯t about to topple over, she snorted.


    ¡°Still moving too quick, hero. Gotta learn to take it easy.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t time for that,¡± Erec shook his head, ¡°We¡¯ll be back at the Kingdom tomorrow, and it¡¯ll only be more difficult¡ªI¡¯ll have a lot to do.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, not like you¡¯re gonna be doing it alone,¡± she ran her hand through his hair, a smirk on her face, ¡°Y¡¯know, assuming that your Knights don¡¯t just kick us on our asses when we try to go past that curtain with you. Guess if they did, you would still have those friends of yours. Shit, still can¡¯t believe Rochester¡¯s down for this, but I guess y¡¯all went on long enough with us that he doesn¡¯t wanna cut ties here. Not that I¡¯mining, not if I wanna see more of you in the future. Can¡¯t do that if you¡¯re locked up behind that wall.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re of the Order of the Verdant Oak; there would never be a time when I¡¯d be locked uppletely in the Kingdom. That¡¯s the whole point of our Order.¡±


    She hummed in agreement and gave him an eye roll. While she¡¯d listened to him about the Kingdom and his ce in it, she¡¯d never entirely pieced together how it all connected. Nor did he think she understood the scale of it. Vega was big¡ªbut the Caverns that the Kingdom called home vastly outsized that city. It was, after all, a Kingdom. Flush with people. Life there functioned in a way and scale that people who were used to wandering the wastes in their Packs would have a difficult time grasping. But she¡¯d understand, granted that Boldwick and the Duke got their way, and the King followed through on the ns he¡¯d set for their expedition.


    Erec¡¯s eyes roamed over the cars to a ck beater with a cage and welded spikes over the top¡ªthe Duke got out of it, swaying slightly in his Armor. A massive hole was sted through the side of it, but it was still wearable and patched enough to function for transportation, unlike his Vallum.


    Boldwick was nearby, climbing out of his car. A small red cube followed him¡ªVAL, though not VAL¡¯s primary host, but a tiny portion of it. Since it''d unveiled itself, Boldwick had a lot of questions for the AI and its intentions towards his Initiate.


    Conversely, VAL had plenty of questions for Boldwick, too. It wanted to probe the man¡¯s experience with the wastnd. Apparently, with the ess and position Boldwick had been in for so long, he was a prime target for data gathering to facilitate Vortex Industries¡¯ revitalization and expansion.


    VAL still insisted that although Erec was now on the Board¡ªthe only one left on the Board if the fragments of Erec¡¯s memories of what happened in that Vault were urate¡ªthat didn¡¯t necessarily mean that he was the head of Vortex. VAL imed they were more like a partnership as it had with Dan before his unfortunate passing. Erec let it hold whatever justification it wanted; he was happy enough for now that the secret was out.


    ¡°Hey, Erec,¡± Enide said softly, watching the people in the Pack and the rest of the Knights make their preparations. Though they didn¡¯t intend to part, things would be different upon their return. The Pendragons wouldn¡¯t be able to ¡®hang around¡¯ in the Kingdom very long, and the logistics of their rtionship to the Kingdom still had to be decided between Rochester and the King.


    And in the midst of that all, there would be resistance.


    One form of it, without a doubt, would be from those priests. The victims of a parasite. When Erec told Boldwick what his mother said¡­ The man had been very pissed. But he didn¡¯t let Erec into his thoughts except for his obvious anger and forcing Erec to promise to keep that a secret, even among the Knights.


    Those priests would do whatever they could to influence and expel the Pendragons and any outside force to retain their control. Yet it wasn¡¯t just them that they had to worry about. The people of the Kingdom had scant idea of the wide variety of life outside their walls. They didn¡¯t know ces like Vega existed, that bastards like Seven-Snakes scurried around in the wastnd, or that noble Packs with their rigged-up cars roamed the coast. The most natural reaction to change was fear.


    One way or another, change wasing. After tomorrow, the existence of others outside their wall would be undeniable.


    ¡°Do you think you could love me?¡± she asked.


    Erec stopped at that. All of his focus now was on her, on those dark brown eyes as she stared at him. His heart ran, and all thoughts of the next day went out of his head.


    Did it matter how it all worked out? Without thinking, since thoughts would only get in the way, he pulled her into an embrace, his lips against hers. When they parted again, she drew close to his ear and whispered. ¡°Because I think I might¡¯ve fallen for you, but I¡¯m afraid of what that means.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡­ Might have fallen for you. Even if we don¡¯t know what that¡¯ll mean, we¡¯ll find a way,¡± Erec whispered back .


    She was the wind to his fire, and no matter what this shit-wreck of a world brought to them, together, they could burn it all down.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Outside of the steel curtain sat a whole host of forbidden technology. Cars, guns, and even outsiders that weren¡¯t supposed to exist, at least to the public¡¯s knowledge. They¡¯d been sitting there all day, mingled with Knights from his own Order.


    Grandmaster Oak chuckled softly to himself, hands on his hips as he stared down at all of the fabulous chaos. If he turned around, he could see an equal amount of frantic scrambling inside¡ªKnights running around, the army trying to direct and contain itself. At the edges of it all, those red-cloaked priests were stirring up a fuss and screaming about sphemy and sin.


    ¡°The children are awfully upset over nothing all that special when taken into consideration. A couple of Master Knights could deal with these outsiders on their own unless there¡¯s something non-obvious at y,¡± Grandmaster Lotus muttered, shaking his head. Up here, the old man kept shivering, but Oak knew that the cold couldn¡¯t have bothered him that much. The wizened old bastard loved to put up a show about his age.


    ¡°This is something special, and they have cause to be.¡± Grandmaster mes said darkly, ¡°To invite outsiders into our home undermines the policy the Kingdom has maintained for over a hundred years. It spits in the face of tradition and unnecessarily threatens the status quo that we seek to provide for our people to live undisturbed and fulfilling lives.¡± Yeah. That fit her, a stickler for tradition the old bat was, and as ardent to the Church that the woman was devoted. Though she had silver-like eyes, they weren¡¯t the result of that ritual the priests underwent but rather from her age and blindness.


    The point was, she had the church staff so far up her ass, she might as well have been a priestess herself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Grandmaster Towers muttered and shook her head, looking at her wall with a frown. ¡°Lotus is right. They don¡¯t seem all that dangerous.¡±


    Good for her. She was still getting adjusted to her role, she took the vows of the Azure Tower seriously. Defending these people was her primary objective; well. Almost her primary objective. Their real primary objective was iing.


    ¡°It¡¯s not how they seem but what they represent,¡± mes replied.


    Far on the road, a smaller procession of the Army was parting the priests like a red sea; nobles flocked inside of the ball of Army like birds to a feeder, orbiting the central power of the Kingdom. Trailing, the nobles followed their retainers and other peoples of title and their servants and guards¡ªin the King¡¯s wake, a trail of rich blood and civilian administrators tried to vie for his attention, gather information on their enemies, and fangle their way into the grace of the man who led the procession. Oak''s eyes weren¡¯t as good as Towers or Lotus¡¯, but Oak didn¡¯t need great eyes to know the King had arrived.


    He could feel him from here. The power of the royal mantle that weighed on the man¡¯s shoulders. Of course, he¡¯d arrived personally to deal with this situation at their gates¡ªa situation that Oak was privileged to know was of his own making¡ªOak couldn¡¯t help but chuckle again at the tought.


    ¡°The people do love a show, don¡¯t they? Good for them; they¡¯re getting one today. Nothing livens up life like a little bit of drama and intrigue.¡± Oak said.


    Down below, in every tavern, this event would be the talk of the entire Kingdom. Drunkards would mumble together ande up with the most deranged theories on the people who would¡ªinevitably¡ªenter their Kingdom. Especially since the people throwing the doors wide open to these strangers, whom they <em>didn¡¯t believe existed before today</em>, were none other than the Kingdom¡¯s most prominent two heroes. As soon as this stuffy guard duty was over, Oak intended to be right down there with them. He would drink and toast the power of the Crown. Then, once he was a few cups deep, along with the rest of the tavern, he¡¯d toast the formidably of humankind to survive outside of the wall for this long.


    For as long as Grandmaster Oak had been up there, watching the hubaloo, after the King arrived, things moved swiftly. People parted, and the royal family was escorted quickly to the entry of the steel curtain. The Royal Guards nked the doors, then the Knights, andstly the military. Onlooking at the edges were the nobility and the priests and, at the very outskirts, the people who made their home on the surface. Farmers, porters, and anyone who caught sight of the chaos of this event and decided they wanted a peek at what was happening.


    Only ten minutes after first spotting the King, the order came up at the wall to open the gate.


    Then it was open.


    Oak watched them talk down below, ignoring the tittering and hemming and hawing of the other Grandmasters, a smile stered to his face. Down there were his Knights. They¡¯d been sent out on this expedition and came back with something they¡¯d never been able to bring back from the wastnd before.


    For the first time in the history of the Kingdom, the Order of the Verdant Oak hadn¡¯t just officially been the eyes of the Kingdom outside of their walls. They¡¯d been the voice.


    The King spoke to the people driving the cars, a long conversation no doubt filled with formalities and a feigned distance. He couldn¡¯t present himself as too eager for this despite the whole thing being the culmination of his will. In response to something, his Knights got to their knees in a gesture of respect towards the King¡ªas did those wild folks that rode in here with them.


    Oak shook his head. He had to admire these people; hell, he¡¯d see if he could get a drink with them in a couple of days. The rough-and-tumble lifestyle they appeared to live based on their cars and attire called to something deep in him, that couldn¡¯t be found in their Kingdom.


    With amand from the King, the people rose, the crowd behind him parted¡­ and a couple of the people got in their cars to follow¡­


    Like that, like magic, outsiders followed the King into the walls of the Kingdom for the first time.


    ¡°Concerning,¡± Towers whispered.


    ¡°Tragic,¡± mes disdained.


    ¡°Historic,¡± Lotus muttered.


    ¡°Inevitable,¡± Oakughed.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec leaned back in his chair, a far too soft chair for what he was used to. His body liked it, though, even if his mind screamed that it was <em>too</em>fortable. Nobles danced and chattered as they scattered about the Royal Hall¡ªthe Pendragons were mingled about, thrown to the winds of the court, and they looked about as lost as he¡¯d felt his first time in this ce when he was a small child.


    In front of him, at the table, were several forks, two spoons, and two sses, one filled with water and another wine. To this day, he still didn¡¯t know which one was proper to use and when. So he neglected trying to care. Instead, he used one of the forks for all of his food and a single spoon for all of the soups¡ªand he didn¡¯t bother with the ss of water and instead stuck with only the ss of wine. Garin leaned next to him, a smirk on his face as he watched the Pendragons mingle. And Olivia sat beside his friend, her hands folded up politely as she watched the proceedings with a steady gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let them have a taste of the courts before I swoop in to save some of them,¡± Garin shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t have to worry about you too, do I?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll be fine tonight.¡±


    Enide was somewhere lost among them, as well as Yniol. Imaging the two of them getting on with the rest of the spoiled nobility would¡¯ve been a show in itself. Were he not waiting for his invites to arrive at this prestigious gathering, then he would¡¯ve no doubt tailed the two; if nothing else, then to show them a little bit of support in this ce, which he hated to be himself.


    But that wasn¡¯t the case.


    A fat squirrel ran up to the leg of the table, beneath the notice of the nobility around them. Munchy mbered on up and stole food from Garin¡¯s te. Afterward, he looked right into the boy¡¯s eyes, and his whiskers twitched.


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re finally here. Munchy says they¡¯re in the garden. You sure you don¡¯t want me toe? You¡¯re still looking a bit rough.¡±


    ¡°No, this one is mine.¡± Eric groaned, forcing himself out of the toofortable chair, cursing it for the blessing of a soft seat. But this couldn¡¯t wait. ¡°Keep an eye on Enide, will you? Give her an out if she runs into anyone too annoying. I¡¯m afraid she might slug someone. Goddess knows I would, in her shoes.¡± To say that the nobility mixed well with the Pendragons was like saying oil mixed with water. Their lives had very little inmon, but still, both sides were at least making an effort to bridge the gap, mainly because the King demanded it.


    ¡°Sure thing, man,¡± Garin shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t spill too much blood, alright?¡±


    ¡°Take care, Sir Audax,¡± Olivia bid him a nod.


    Erec made a nomittal grunt, then left the table with Olivia and Garin, making his way past the dancing; within it, he paused as he noticed Colin. His friend¡¯s arms were around a girl with a shock of red hair and a no-nonsense attitude on her face as she guided his awkward friend on the dance floor.


    Colin <em>did</em> not look happy. Though his friend had changed and grown on the journey¡­ It seemed not everything about him changed. He had yet to ept the fact that his life was now betrothed to this woman. He wasn¡¯t sure whether to feel bad for Colin or to hope for things to work out. Truth be told, he couldn¡¯t really imagine Colin with anyone at all. Colin was much too interested in himself, and now magic, than anyone else. Maybe Garin might have more insight into that particr issue, but Erec was almost afraid to bring up the topic.


    Colin, unfortunately, caught Erec¡¯s eyes and then mouthed the words, ¡®save me, rust bucket.¡¯


    Erec shook his head with a smirk and walked away before Colin could find yet another escape from the woman. He really did have better things to do than to get tangled in that mess. He cut through the crowd, then through the hall, and finally left the pce to arrive outside.


    [There they are.]


    Sure enough. Erec saw them, and Fury immediately red to life. His guests. The ones he¡¯d exercised authority and his connection to the King in order to get invites to: Oswald, Hershel, and the four other merchants that he¡¯dst seen when fleeing the Seventh Cavern. The bastards who tricked him into signing an agreement about his Cavern then tried to get him expelled from the Kingdom through the priests. They saw him, paled, and then gathered up to support one another the way a squad of Knights might before facing down a monster.


    Oswald was their front, cing himself between Erec and the rest of the merchants. He stered a smile on and dipped his head down low. A greeting one might show to very close friends, though both of them knew they were nothing anywhere close to that.


    ¡°Ah, young Count Audax, we¡¯ve heard you returned from the wastnd with a host of newpanions. It is a wee sight to see you¡ªI admit, we were all quite surprised to receive an invitation to such a historic high-court event, doubly so by our most gracious Count, who was expected to be in the wastnd for Goddess knows how much longer.¡± Oswald said, his jowls quivering like they were already tired from holding that fake smile on his face.


    ¡°Save it,¡± Erec said, getting in close. He didn¡¯t bother ying pretend¡ªhe let Fury stoke his aching body into action, went up, grabbed Oswald by the cor, and lifted the fat man into the air. It was easy, surprisingly so. He watched the man¡¯s pudgy legs kick out under him for a couple of seconds and then mmed a fist right into the overgrown gut, sending the guy flying into another of the merchants, bowling the woman over right with Oswald.


    There was a scream from one of them¡ªnobles were looking their way and already starting to gossip, but Erec couldn¡¯t care less. None of them would get involved. This sort of brutality was far outside of their norms for events like these, so they didn¡¯t know how to engage, if they¡¯d even want to.


    Hershel took the center, the richest, and truly the one with the most influence in their group. A scowl was on his face as he stared at Erec. ¡°That is not legal, and you shall pay dearly for this violence.¡°


    ¡°Look at where we are,¡± Erec gestured behind him, right towards the castle. ¡°Ask yourself. Ask who allowed you toe here. Ask why you came. It wasn¡¯t for me; we both know I¡¯m thest person here you wanted to speak to, but you rats came out of the cracks because you smelled food. You saw the invitation and, in your greed, imagined only the potential contacts you could make with nobility to wheel and deal. And I gave you that. That is your carrot. And now, I¡¯m showing you the stick.¡±


    Erec strode forward in a single bound, standing above the rich old man; he saw the merchant shake there, knowing he must be looking up into Erec¡¯s eyes, seeing the red glow of them. Thinking how he, too, could be thrown around like nothing. Because before Erec¡¯s eyes, he might as well have been nothing.


    These people weren¡¯t monsters. They weren¡¯t anything close to it, but if they wanted to act like pests, then he¡¯d treat them like it. Civility had its ce. But so did power and the respect that power shouldmand, lest the wielder of it give up on the pretense of caring about civility.


    [Oh, he soiled himself.]


    ¡°Our previous contract is null and void; any further advantaging of the Seventh Cavern will be punished severely. Trust me: you don¡¯t want to know what the details of that entail. I am not afraid of the Church, and the Crown <em>will</em> back my call on this. You will bow down to me and serve me as your Count. If you do, you may rejoice in the glory and opportunity I bring. Otherwise, you can be like Oswald there. Beaten and crying on the ground.¡± Erec red at Hershel, and the man stepped back.


    Erec followed him, then shoved him, knocking Hershel t on his ass.


    ¡°Do you understand?¡± Erec asked, wanting confirmation.


    ¡°I¡ªyes, Lord Audax!¡± Hershel choked out, staring up at him; he slid backward on the ground, trying to crawl away but scared to fullymit.


    ¡°Good. Now go find a maid and ask them politely to help clean yourself up. You have a party to attend, you fucking rat.¡± Erec said, rolling his shoulders as he let Fury pass through his system, turning away to take a walk in the gardens.


    He¡¯d dwell here for a long moment, and then he¡¯d return to the party. Civilized, at least on an outward appearance, even if inside, he¡¯d decided that he needed to be nothing close to it.

 Chapter 185: To Burn Down A Church

    Chapter 185: To Burn Down A Church


    War never changes, just the ce, the time, and the people involved.


    At least, that was the first im Boldwick made to Erec as he sat down in the man''s office. It was a scarce and practical room; scarce in that only maps, a desk, and seating made up the space. Practical in the fact that the seating was <em>truly</em>fortable and anything a Master Knight might need to n was within arms'' reach of the desk. The maps lining the wall were marked up, fresh ink still on them from theirtest expedition beyond the wall.


    A little over three weeks passed since their return from Vega, destroying the Vortex Industries facility on the coast. Consequently, the journey exposed the general public to the fact that people lived outside their walls.


    Not only that, but some of those people were now allies, with even more potential on the horizon.


    It''d be beyond wrong to say things were returning to normal.


    But it wasn''t only Erec and Boldwick crammed in the office; the Master Knight poured out four sses, the clear crystal-like bottle of amber whiskey neatly divided into cups and then divvied out to the others. Dame Robin was next to him, standing on the other side of the desk. Her arms crossed and a sour expression on her face.


    Gwen was next to Erec, also sitting. Her legs folded, and she had a confused expression on her face at this whole event. They''d been dragged out of their morning routines out of nowhere for this little meeting.


    "I''ve told the Grandmaster what Erec told me," Boldwick confided, grabbing his ss. He didn''t need to tell the others that the rest of the whiskey was meant for them¡ªthey mirrored him, holding their cups.


    "Which is?" Robin asked.


    Boldwick nodded, and then a glyph appeared in his hand; the red sigil formed and a small wave of mes washed out like a pulse. Erec felt it pass over him, his skin warmed by it, but otherwise, the mes passed by; once they hit the room''s edges, they returned inward to the sigil and vanished in a puff of gray smoke.


    ¡°Wards are intact, short of Grandmaster Lotus listening in¡ªwhich he¡¯s unlikely to do, and even if he were, by now Oak has probably debriefed <em>some</em> of the Grandmasters. We should be safe to talk freely.¡± Boldwick swirled his cup of whiskey, and then tipped it back, downing the whole thing in a single gulp.


    Gwen and Robin exchanged a look, and Erec settled into his seat, knowing where this discussion would go.


    ¡°War with the Church is inevitable. I¡¯ve cleared it with Oak, and he came to the same conclusion, everything points in that direction, even without ourtest revtion. I know none of you has particrly strong ties to the clergy, but it is understandable for anyone to have reservations about that statement; it has been a cornerstone of our society since the start. However, what you do not know is why this is so vital. The secret I¡¯m about to share here cannot be repeated outside of special circumstances to anyone; as my students, you have my trust, and in theing days, I will need you to be tools to progress what must be done.¡±


    ¡°You have my de, as always, Boldwick,¡± Robin said.


    ¡°¡¯ Course, we¡¯re with you,¡± Gwen said, with a bit more hesitation, touching the back of her neck. In another life, maybe Erec would have felt the same fear of running against the church. He knew Gwen didn¡¯t have a particr love for them, but it was an insane deration taken without context.


    With what he¡¯d seen and how they¡¯d treated him and his family, this was a long timeing, even before his mother told him the truth.


    ¡°What we know as the Church is not an entity that worships the Goddess. Its priests are connected to a woman spawned by the silver fires that the Goddess brought upon our world¡ªour best guess is that her talent has allowed this to ur. It¡¯s a safe assumption that her Strength is well into a cataclysm level. Perhaps even Armageddon if we sat there specting the potential results of umting power to rival the Goddess for three hundred years¡­ With their ritual, the priests connect to her. The full details of the mechanisms of this and her exact power, location, or even if she¡¯s still present in this world are subject to investigation. However, it¡¯s suspected to be parasitic. We do know, however, through Erec¡¯s mother¡ªa former Knight¡ªthat <em>this</em> secret is why she left the Kingdom in fear. We also know that anything the priests witnessed is as good as witnessed by this mysterious entity.¡±


    There was a hush from the two other Knights in the rooms. Gwen inhaled sharply, and Robin didn¡¯t know what to do with what she¡¯d heard, which was fair enough. Erec expected that news of this caliber and type would cause such reactions.


    He didn¡¯t expect Robin¡¯s eyes to turn to him, soft and with an air of care and sadness, nor that Gwen would grab and squeeze his hand. Eric shook it free and refused to meet either of their eyes. He didn¡¯t need the support.


    His mother, now in her heaven, was as good as dead to him. Though he hadn¡¯t found the courage yet to tell his father or brother about it either¡ªoutside of the Knights and the few reports he¡¯d had to deliver to the higher-ups about her personally, he didn¡¯t feel like letting anything about here out of his mouth, even talking about the selfish woman brought a sour taste to his tongue.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you were worried about someone hearing in,¡± Robin said softly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see what we can do.¡± Gwen put it simply.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in making des that cut blindly, and for me to show that I have trust in you is payment for the trust you¡¯ve put in me to take your lives in my hands. Some in the Knighthood would insist the point of us is to be unquestioning des wielded by those above. Knowing why we must do something, I believe, is what makes a Knight. If we are not to see the reasons behind what is being asked of us and can square it with the vows andmitments we¡¯ve given to this world, then how can we truly act with all of our hearts in pursuing what is right.¡± Boldwick set his empty ss on the table, going to pour more whiskey inside of it. Erec nursed his ss and considered the words carefully.


    Telling Gwen and Robin was a risk; he supposed it was the Master Knight¡¯s call on which risks were worth it. In the end, though, them being in the know of this change didn¡¯t affect his ns.


    None of this had. From the moment he¡¯d heard the truth of this matter from his mother''s lips, he¡¯d known what path he¡¯d take. That man¡ªor monster, or¡­ Whatever you call an intelligent being from other worlds that he¡¯d met in his mother''s heaven had it right about him. He would walk a path of death and line it now with the corrupting force that sought to throw him from the Kingdom. That broke his family. That even now, would hate him for the shape of his soul. He would burn the church down ashes and spread those ashes over the wastnd.


    ¡°Theing days will be trying, and we will have to rely on one another. Because in the chaos of what will be a defining moment for this Kingdom¡¯s future, each other may be all we have left in the end. War is like that; it takes, and that has never changed, in the old world or in this.¡± Boldwick said starkly, then finished his second ss.


    The rest of the others joined him. After that, there wasn¡¯t much talk, but the four foundpany in one another, with amon goal of finishing the bottle.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    When Erec returned from the trip to Boldwick''s office, he found Garin reclined on the couch in their dorm. Munchy was currently defacing the wall of greenery by the south-facing window. His whiskers were twitching a mile a minute as he sniffed and navigated the vines with his far too chubby frame. As for his master and Erec¡¯s best friend, Garin hadn''t a care in the world. His textbook sat unopened and unread on the table, and his coursework barren without even a scratch of pencil on it, despite being due in less than twelve hours.


    Though Garin cking off wasn¡¯t a new sight or odd in any measure, Erec found it¡­ A little grating. Especially given that there was a ticking time bomb of a problem in the Kingdom that was set to explode any moment.


    Not that Garin knew that. Still, after what they¡¯d seen and what they¡¯d done, the ease with which his friend slipped back into non-nonchnce and court life back in the Academy was almost startling.


    ¡°You¡¯re losing your edge,¡± Erec said as he crossed his arms.


    Garin looked up at him and smiled, ¡°No, just taking a much-deserved break. Conserving my energy.¡±


    ¡°For what? Were you nning to ask me to go sparring when I got back?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing like that. I¡¯ve been invited to another g down on the second cavern this weekend; Olivia invited me, and now that the King is talking about opening trade routes outside of the walls... I expect plenty of higher nobility will relish the chance to discuss our expedition with the people personally involved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Not the best use of your time is it? I¡¯m not saying to go crazy with training, but¡­ You never know what¡¯sing around the corner.¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Matter of perspective. I made some contacts, not as many as I might have hoped, you know, when we weren¡¯t out and getting into fights or stuffed in my hotel room as a punishment.¡± Garin rolled his eyes, and Erec recalled the trouble they¡¯dnded in after the first night in Vega. To this day, Erec still wasn¡¯t even sure what those people used Enide of thatnded them in so much trouble to break out into a fight with the Casino. Card counting? Wasn¡¯t that the point of the game¡ªto count to twenty-one?


    It didn¡¯t matter, though, he supposed. This version of Garin didn¡¯t match what his friend had been saying on the road¡ªthe guy who didn¡¯t want to fall behind.


    ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re going to want all the Strength you can get soon,¡± Erec promised.


    ¡°Connections are a form of that, Erec.¡±


    ¡°Connections aren¡¯t what stops a de fromnding on you, nor, as you demonstrated yourself, allow you to track down escaped prisoners. Might I remind you that you found Seven-Snakes by pushing <em>your</em> power to its limits.¡±


    ¡°¡­Might I remind <em>you</em> that my power involves making connections with animals, and you used <em>me¡ª</em>your connection¡ªto find Seven-Snakes.¡± Garin raised a hand and sat up; his eyes had a sheen of delight to them. He was having fun with the conversation. And he¡¯d had a point, even if he¡¯d expertly danced around Erec¡¯s point.


    Erec sighed. His friend was in one of those moods; he knew Garin. Right now, to him, everything in the world was peachy. Not for the first time did he envy that ability to see nothing but optimism or to turn everything into a sign of good. It made him not want to rain on the parade, so Erec cut himself short. Would only that he could spell out why hard training might be the best course of action in this lull of violence, but to do so would say secrets that would endanger Garin. Secrets he¡¯d promised to keep to his chest.


    Instead, he went over and sat next to his friend, leaning back on the couch. Garin threw an arm over his shoulder and let out one long contented sigh.


    ¡°You know, the Pendragons should be back this weekend.¡± He said, with a bit of a smile.


    ¡°They will.¡± Erec agreed, trying to tamp down the excitement. He¡¯d made a few people he¡¯d call friends among their number, but one in particr it¡¯d already been too long without. Enide would be with them and she¡¯d be seeking him out the moment she came through that steel curtain.


    ¡°And¡­ I think you should take her to that g I¡¯ve been invited to.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t invited.¡±


    Garin rolled his eyes. ¡°yer of the White Stag¡ªHero of the Kingdom¡ªwith the stories that¡¯ve been rolling through the courts about your adventures in the wastes, I¡¯m pretty sure <em>you¡¯re</em> invited to almost any event you wish. I can confirm with Olivia, but I¡¯m sure House Luculentus would be delighted to have you there. Besides, the more you show up at court with your girlfriend, the more the nobility will have to ept what this new future looks like.¡±


    ¡°No thanks, I think I¡¯d rather enjoy my weekend.¡±


    ¡°Trust me on this: I wouldn¡¯t push so hard to make you if I didn¡¯t think the message it sent wasn¡¯t worth it. For you and for Enide.¡±


    <em>For Enide?</em> There was a seriousness now in Garin¡¯s face, one that Erec couldn¡¯t put away. Though the idea of attending a g almost made him want to rush back to Boldwick¡¯s office for another ss of whiskey, he could sense something to this he couldn¡¯t see. Maybe it was the booze talking or the cast of his friend¡¯s face, but¡­ ¡°Alright, fine.¡±


    Garin settled back down once more, rxed again. ¡°Wonderful. Oh, by the way, we¡¯re taking Colin and his betrothed too¡­ You¡¯re in charge of dragging him along since we need him there too.¡±

 Chapter 186: A King Not In Yellow

    Chapter 186: A King Not In Yellow


    <em>¡°He smiled, saying, "Seek her throughout the world."</em>


    <em>I said, "Why tell me of the world? My world is here, between these walls and the sheet of ss above; here among gilded gons and dull jewelled arms, tarnished frames and canvasses, ck chests and high-backed chairs, quaintly carved and stained in blue and gold."</em>


    <em>"For whom do you wait?" he said, and I answered, "When shees I shall know her."¡±</em>


    <em>- Robert W. Chambers, The King In Yellow (1895, 2nd Era)</em>


    ¡°Colin,¡± Erec tried to get his friend¡¯s attention for the third time¡ªbut, like the other two failed attempts, Colin ignored him and continued leaning over on the desk in theboratory. They were in a sterile room within the depths of the Seventh Cavern. Officially, as of Erec¡¯s return to the Kingdom, the only functioning branch of Vortex Industries left on the as far as he and VAL were aware.


    Lionel, the trusted steward of his estate, had taken great care toplete thest steps in preparing the research facility in Erec¡¯s absence. Now, they had the all-clear to start working¡ªbut Erec had yet to hire staff. Despite being back for three weeks, he still had the Academy to contend with and the fallout of their return. It was just starting to reach a point where he might pursue more personal projects like this.


    Yet the empty space of theb, the fact almost no one knew about it, and Colin trying to escape the Academy had an unintended effect.


    Colin had imed a space in Erec¡¯sb. Carving out his own desk to throw himself into the work of Glyph experimentation. He¡¯d spent this whole weekend like this, hunched over with a pen, working countless slips of paper and filling them with theoretical glyph work.


    Erec rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°You missed a line,¡± VAL buzzed, and Colin paused, crumpled the paper, and threw it onto the white tiled floor of theb amid the rest of his mess.


    ¡°Damn it all,¡± Colin swore, ¡°If I¡¯d included that line, it would have over-charged the glyph and looped around.¡±


    The two of them had developed a potent alliance and, in the confines of thisb, made it near impossible for Erec to steal either of their attention.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just hide in here; if I¡¯m to go to this event, then you will as well,¡± Erec said.


    Colin sighed. Then, finally, he set his pen down, only to shoot Erec a withering re.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve informed you, rust-bucket. House Lucuentus and House Nitidus are not on friendly terms; they are curs of polite society, and I shall not grace their function with my presence. I will not attend.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you said that when I first showed up, but again, that kind of falls apart when faced with the fact that your father is attending.¡±


    ¡°Cheers to him. If his recovery is proving well enough that he feelspelled to waste his time with our societal enemies, then may he waste it. I, on the other hand, shall stay at my desk and work.¡±


    ¡°<em>Your</em> desk?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve imed this space in yourboratory in the name of my house. Rejoice in mypany, for its tie to the Nitidus line has undoubtedly boosted the value in this otherwise barren room.¡±


    Erec scratched the back of his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t about you wanting to avoid going to a Lucuentus event¡ªwe both know that¡¯s not it, Colin. You could care less. You¡¯d show up and insult the family, and it¡¯d be another day for you, and few would bat an eye. Hell, I know you¡¯re not much of a people person either, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s why you¡¯re so reluctant to attend.¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, <em>I¡¯m reluctant to go because I have work to do.</em> With these eyes, I¡¯ve uncovered much about magic that leaves me with a plethora of possibilities to explore. A simplistic mind like your own can¡¯t hold the weight of such discoveries to marvel at, so I pity you the way I pity an ant.¡± Colin snorted and then moved to scratch more notes on the page.


    This behavior from Colin was¡­ New. On one hand, Erec was happy his friend had ignited a passion for Mysticism. On the other, he wished that between Garin and Colin, the two could bnce one another out and find the in-between for preparing for the future and taking care of themselves¡ªbecause as Erec took in the rest of theb, Erec could see azy cot in the corner with dirty clothes and empty tes near it. Colin might be diving into the depths of magic, but it came at the cost of taking care of himself and taking in the bags under his friend¡¯s eyes; if a fight were to break out, all of this work would have no point under these conditions.


    Some of this behavior was that of a fevered mind trying to track discoveries. Erec knew VAL well enough to see that echoed in his friend. But the difference was that Colin was also using this to escape reality, much like Erec had thrown his all into the expedition to run from what the Kingdom had been demanding of him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t avoid her forever,¡± Erec said.


    Colin¡¯s pen tore through a new bundle of paper, which he promptly balled and threw into his pile of garbage.


    ¡°That one wouldn¡¯t have worked anyway,¡± VAL¡¯s voice buzzed through the room, finally gliding away from Colin. It¡¯d manifested a smaller cube than its main ¡®body,¡¯ secured in Erec¡¯s Armor. It left a duplicate in theb to facilitate operations, but Erec made it swear to keep its presence here unknown to those outside the Order. Thest thing they needed was the Church marching into hisnd and jump-starting a war with the Count of Audax for harboring illegal tech before they were prepared.


    As eager as he might be to kick start that, he knew it wasn¡¯t the right time yet. But he was determined to start learning¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to be a piece in others games anymore.


    ¡°I can, and I shall,¡± Colin swore, ignoring VAL.


    ¡°How is that?¡± Erec responded.


    ¡°We will marry, I¡¯ll give her half of the estate to dwell, and I shall reside in the other half; there is no reason we must see one another nor act any more cordial than demanded.¡±


    Erec sighed, pulling out ab chair and sitting in it, resting his hands in hisp. ¡°Alright, so you¡¯re not into her¡ªI get that, Colin. But I don¡¯t think ceding half your ¡®estate¡¯ to a woman you¡¯re not interested in is the right path. I¡¯ve talked to Alexandra; I get the feeling that if you were honest with your feelings about this to her, she¡¯d probably be right there next to you fighting against this entire thing proceeding¡ªif that¡¯s what you want, then I¡¯m by your side too. I don¡¯t care much for the formalities of nobility. Never have. But you have to have the courage to take what you want for your life.¡±


    ¡°It is <em>not</em> that. My betrothed is overbearing and obnoxious, and I don¡¯t care much for her attitude, but a life together isn¡¯t the <em>worst</em> thing imaginable.¡± Colin rolled his eyes and gave up on working on the glyphs. As well, he should. If Erec learned nothing from the expedition, it was that you couldn¡¯t run from your problems.


    ¡°Sounds like a great basis for a rtionship,¡± Erec matched Colin¡¯s tone, and also, to drive his point home, he rolled his eyes the same way Colin did.


    ¡°I will marry her. It¡¯s fine for our families to unite, and of all the potential suitors, she¡¯s independent enough that I will have little interaction with her daily affairs.¡±


    ¡°That is neither good for you nor her. You should seek a partner that supports you and can lift up with one another.¡±


    ¡°All I need is myself. And space to conduct my research.¡± Colin replied.


    ¡°Science is a respectable choice.¡± VAL¡¯s mechanical voice cut through the space as it settled on the table near Erec. ¡°However, if you wish to go down the path of a lone researcher who gives it all to science and their career¡ªexcellent choice, by the way, go-getter. Then, it¡¯s best you be upfront with your intentions. Thest thing you need is a spouse who¡¯s not on the same page, ruining your work ethic by dragging in unnecessary dramatics and rtionships.¡±


    Eric red at the machine. ¡°That is not the goal here, VAL. Colin does not need to be a loner doing research constantly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. There¡¯s a certain category of humans who dedicate it all in the name of pursuing research! Why not bring that tradition into the modern era? He also has a wealthy family, so if he needs start-up capital, they can provide the seeds for that venture as well.¡± VAL retorted.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that!¡± Colin shouted, standing up, huffing, ¡°I <em>like</em> Alexandria. I do. I¡­ Don¡¯t know what to do with her, and I can¡¯t stomach admitting that in her presence, the woman is abhorrent in her overt affections. If she got the inkling that her attentions returning to me after the wastnd was weed, Goddess knows when I would find spare time to work. I¡¯ve seen you and Enide, and Garin and Olivia¡ªyou waste time that could be spent learning other trades colluding and whispering sweet nothings.¡±


    ¡°As I said, he¡¯s the type of human that would rather sit in the darkness grinding away. Respectable.¡± VAL once more encouraged.


    ¡°I <em>am not</em>. I am not them, and I am not that. I want my space and my independence to be me, and I¡¯m not about to forfeit that.¡±


    ¡°No one said you had to. But I am saying that if you want that, and you want to proceed with this marriage, this is a conversation you should have with her.¡± Erec pointed out.


    ¡°Everyone changes when they get to know another on that level. And I do not want to change. I¡¯m already the prime example of peak nobility¡ªthere is nothing another can bring to my character that would enhance it instead of diminish it.¡± Colin beat a hand against his chest, his eyes wide and livid. The worst part about that statement was the flush on his face. Part of him believed that. He truly did. Not all of him. Erec had seen in the field that there was more going on in that thick skull of his that could change for the better¡ªbut¡­ This was like the same kid that Erec beat the hell out of in their trials because of his annoying self-obsession.


    ¡°By the Goddess¡­¡± Erec groaned.


    It was going to be a long night. Garin gave him the task of sorting Colin out andpleting this n. ording to Garin, Colin¡¯s attending wasn¡¯t an option. But, after some prodding, what had been an option was whether or not Colin needed to apany his betrothed.


    He didn¡¯t know what his friend had nned for this G, but there was more to it, and when it came to societal functions¡­ Long ago, Erec had learned to trust his friend. But staring down the defiant Duchy-Spawn in front of him now, Erec had to muster his courage to face the challenge ahead. Not for the first time did he whisper a small curse to Garin for putting this job on <em>his </em>shoulders instead of doing it himself.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Bedwyr reclined on the couch in Erec¡¯s study; his brother had his arms slung behind his head and feet kicked up on the table. For once, and for the first time in a long time, his brother was actually <em>rxed.</em>


    ¡°Wee sight to see you down here this weekend; I would have thought you busy training,¡± Erec said as he walked in; the study was barebones, given he¡¯d taken the treasury of House Audax and insteadunched a bunch of projects intended to enhance the Seventh Cavern instead of furnishing his manor more. Given how little he intended to stay down here and that he¡¯d grown up with nearly nothing¡­ He didn¡¯t see the excessive need to throw a bunch of useless crap everywhere, aside from what was necessary to pass his house as respectable to judging visitors.


    This room could be described as one of the mostfortable in the manor. Any artwork he took a shine to¡ªparticrly the stone carving of a phoenix¡ªleft by the previous enhancements had been moved here. There was a firece in the center of the room against the wall, a modest red and gold-trimmed rug, and the mostfortable seating.


    Erec¡¯s desk for trips down here was tucked in a corner, which still had his school books propped open.


    Bedwyr opened a heavy lid and looked at Erec. ¡°Gwen made me take a break.¡±


    ¡°Gwen¡¯s smart,¡± Erec said; it was good to push yourself to your limits, but he¡¯d learned that recovery was also a piece of the puzzle when not amid war. That bnce was hard to find; Colin, Garin, and even his brother struggled. Though, Erec was doing his best to moderate himself. You had to hone your edge for battle but not dull it through overuse. ¡°But typically, you stay in the Academy for your breaks, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Bedwyr said and then sat straighter, his eyes locked on Erec. ¡°But I heard something about that trip you took.¡±


    Erec¡¯s breath caught. This was it, a moment that had beening for a while. He¡¯d known he should¡¯ve been the one who reached out first, but til now, he kept putting it off. Before Bedwyr even spoke, he knew what his brother was here for.


    ¡°Did you see her?¡±


    The air grew heavy; Erec rolled his shoulders and tried to pick his words carefully. Ultimately, he gave up and opted toy it out there. ¡°I did. Mom¡¯s alive. And she isn¡¯ting back.¡±

 Chapter 187: Brother Beatdown

    Chapter 187: Brother Beatdown


    Boldwick paced in front of Erec, a wooden axe gripped in his hand; they were in the depths of his estate, a small training hall. Which was in all actuality¡­ Just a long disused parlor with a fine wooden floor that Erec had thrown a rack with sparring weapons into and called a day.


    After revealing that he¡¯d met their mother, his brother hadn¡¯t had the <em>best</em> reaction. Bedwyr demanded that theye here to test their metal against one another in the fallout of that all-too-brief conversation and its revtions. Or, in this case, wood. All of this, instead of breaking down their real issue, which was that their mother ran away in fear.


    Erec had tried, but Bedwyr didn¡¯t want to hear it. No. Not in a mood like this.


    ¡°Tell me her exact words,¡± Bedwyr demanded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have her exact words,¡± Erec replied, ¡°And they don¡¯t matter. We both know that actions speak louder than what she might say¡ªshe ran away instead of fighting for the kingdom, for us. For her family. All on the words of people that aren¡¯t even human.¡±


    ¡°Yet you refuse to tell me what she is so afraid of.¡± Bedwyr¡¯s eyes grew dark, and he gave the wooden sword in his hand a practice swing.


    ¡°That I cannot tell you. Not now.¡±


    ¡°I am the older brother; even if we put that aside, I have as much right to know as you. Don¡¯t I? Why did she leave Erec? What was she afraid of?¡± That hate swirled in Bedwyr¡¯s face. The same bottled feeling echoed in Erec as he thought of his meeting with their mother.


    ¡°She¡¯s a coward.¡± Erec spat back.


    If only he could tell Bedwyr, could say to him the details of <em>what</em> their mother had run from. But he knew. More than anyone, he knew that the <em>why</em> didn¡¯t change the results of what she¡¯d done. To tell his brother wouldn¡¯t make these feelings better; it would just put Bedwyr at risk at a time when Erec couldn¡¯t defend him. But his brother refused to see that, couldn¡¯t see that. Not yet.


    To think how the times had turned.


    ¡°You persist, then I suppose I shall find my answer in this fight,¡± Bedwyr said.


    ¡°I promise you, even if you knew, it wouldn¡¯t make you happy. Nothing can rece the hole she left in our family. No matter what excuse she might yield, and believe me, she did. She hefted it like a shield. The only people we have are one another. She isn¡¯ting back¡ªit would have been better if she died out there instead of what she did.¡±


    ¡°Take. It. Back.¡± Bedwyr growled, then cut through their conversation. Literately. He mmed forward through the space between them, wooden sword shing at Erec.


    It was a sloppy, overhead swing, which Erec caught with his practice axe. Still, the weight of the blow made his arm numb¡ªnot an easy feat. He pushed his brother off and gave him a weary look. With a skill like his brothers¡ªbnced growth¡ªfor such a sloppy attack to be so strong was concerning. Not many people came close to Erec¡¯s Strength, and though he was confident that attack wasn¡¯t his equal¡­ Who knew what the rest of Bedwyr¡¯s skillset had evolved to?


    His brother had been training hard, even before going on the expedition; that had been where his brother¡¯s dedicationy. But this was clear proof.


    But it wasn¡¯t a singr attack¡ªthe second he pushed off the first hit, Bedwyr followed with another. This time, he aimed at his midsection, which drove Erec back.


    Then another.


    They were following in a rapid pattern of less than a second, each slice decisive and growing more controlled by the moment. A hit would sting, but the implication of being hit by his brother¡¯s sword carried far more weight than that.


    If any of these were connected, it would mean his brother bested him or was close to it.


    A prideful buried part of Erec red in response to that revtion. He spun out of the reach of his brother¡¯s flurry of blows,mitting to maneuvering his body and deflecting swings instead of pressing his attack. This was his first fight with his brother for quite some time.


    He¡¯d grown, oh so much since then. But deep within him, the same question he¡¯d wanted answered concretely bubbled to his mind.


    Who was Stronger?


    That questionpelled the fire within him to catch and burn, his eyes turning bright red and flooding the world with the same blood-drenched hue. Like it or not, Fury wasing into this fight. No. With a challenge like this, he couldn¡¯t help himself.


    ¡°Tell me what she said!¡± Bedwyr screamed; though his attacks were growing moreposed, the rage in his face was only blooming.


    The blows grew in intensity, but their weight felt lesser with each growing second. His brother moved with the grace and expertise of a Knight beyond both of their years¡ªlike his hands were meant to wield a sword, even if this one was but a poor imitation of the greatsword he preferred. An average first-year Initiate would have had no chance against this string of blows. Hell, a second-year initiative shouldn¡¯t have been capable of them.


    But if his brother were born to wield a sword, then Erec was born to wield an axe.


    His instincts kicked in, ring to life. Born of multiple desperate life or death struggles in the wastnd and fueled on a fire burning so bright it could consume the entire room.


    ¡°Speak!¡± Bedwyr demanded.


    ¡°Drop it,¡± Erec growled.


    ¡°It¡¯s my job to manage this family!¡±


    ¡°We all make our choices. She made hers. And you <em>are not in charge of managing me. </em>I am my own man.¡± Erec yelled; he was fraying away, and all this <em>talk.</em> It was pointless. The words didn¡¯t have a purpose. They didn¡¯t do good for either of them.


    If Bedwyr wanted to talk, he could do so with his sword.


    Erec let loose a scream of pure rage¡ªkicking off the ground with a sudden speed fueled purely by the Strength in his legs, popping through Bedwyr¡¯s defense in a sudden jerk that caught his brother by surprise and closing the superior reach of the sword. So close, in fact, that Erec¡¯s axe was too long to use effectively. But that was fine. Erec didn¡¯t intend to hit him with the practice weapon¡ªinstead, he shoved his shoulder right into his brother¡¯s center mass, flinging him across the training hall.


    His brother recovered with a grunt and a deep breath as the blow no doubt <em>hurt</em>, which was good. Erec wanted it to hurt. In his brother¡¯s eyes, he saw that what he¡¯d wanted tomunicate was over.


    If he thought himself the head of the family, Erec would show him. He had enough Strength to stand on his own.


    They would discuss the finer points of this over bruises and pain.


    Bedwyr came in like a flurry of wood¡ªthe series of blows between them strong enough to chip the weapons¡ªbut the strength behind them was consistent. The speed with which Bedwyr delivered them was the same, and as Fury ran loose in Erec, that Strength and speed was rapidly growing to be too little. The fight turned, and Bedywr dodged and weaved to dodge his blows¡ªa single hit of his wooden axe against his brother would break the weapon and fling him away.


    If it did, then Erec would turn to his fists. It wasn¡¯t as good. But if they got to that point and Bedwyr still needed more of a demonstration, then he was happy to provide.


    Beads of sweat ran down his brother¡¯s face as he pressed his advantage, his wicked axe swings tearing into the older man, not leaving him space to return to his assault. Each attack drove his brother back further in the room towards a wall where Erec would hem him in and end this. The conclusion was inevitable. As Erec relished in his Fury, in his delight, it was obvious that the truth of the situation was that his raw power had surpassed that bullshit Divine Talent of his brother¡¯s. By the second, his movements only grew in strength and speed.


    <em>So much for As.</em>


    A mad grin came onto Erec as the revtion sparked him further. His weapon told the story he¡¯d wanted to tell for so long.


    No longer. No more was he a child in the shadow of his older brother, constantly chasing after a star he could never catch. There no longer was an excuse for that bastard to try to throw it all on his shoulders. Axe swing by axe swing, he cut into that facade the way he might fell a tree. If his brother saw that, then he might realize Erec was right and trust what he said about the woman who¡¯d run away from their family.


    Bedwyr sted away from Erec on a switch in a single bound, his back hitting the wall behind him. Driving him right into the position Erec had been working him into for thest minute of their fight.


    Erec stepped to spring his trap; all it would be was a single push forward. An easy distance to cross with his Strength, then Bedwyr would be cut off. Cornered and defeated.


    But he never managed that step¡ªbefore he could take it, he was forced to throw himself to the side, dodging a ball of fire spawned from a quick glyph; worse, even as he hit the floor and managed to propel himself forward, Bedwyr was already reciting a prayer.


    A barrier of white light shed between them, once more cutting off Erec¡¯s attack before he could close the gap and defeat his brother. A single smash of his axe broke through the damn thing. But the moment he did, a pir of ice mmed into his midsection, driving him back and smashing him into the opposite wall.


    Erec winced, but the blow was nothing¡ªthen another pir of ice smashed into him¡ªa barrier of light blocking him on either side from dodging. Erec threw himself above the magic, his feet pressing against the pir to toss himself forward at his brother¡ªbut he once more didn¡¯t have a chance. Bedwyr was there, taking a slice at him with his wooden sword even though the pir of ice they were on crashed into the wall and shattered.


    The blow hit, throwing Erec through the room, twisting on the ground as he was forced to dodge again, even more me tunneling towards him.


    Every attack¡ªevery movement now¡ªhis brother was swapping tactics, throwing spells, prayer, and physical blows in between.


    Even for Erec, it was too much. The way all the forms of abilities weaved together <em>was bullshit.</em> wless, not leaving a gap for him to find. Even as Fury burned deeper, the sheer variety and confines of the space they fought in cut off his options.


    Would that he had his Armor, had the Q.A.P¡­ He might have found the path forward through all of this. All he needed, he was certain, was one good hit with his axe to im victory, but as his brother unloaded every tool, trick, and prayer within his vast disposal, that window had vanished. It was too much. It was too much that only a single person should have been able to throw out, short of a Master Knight.


    Bedwyr had certainly been busy. This was what he¡¯d spent his time on¡ªthis goddamn wless blend of attacks on a high level¡ªvariety on top of power. Being so capable of everything was useless if you didn¡¯t take advantage of the opportunity. In a way, it was like rich soil. One could nt crops in it, but it would grow useless if they didn¡¯t weed and water. But if they took care, they could bring about a harvest that defied imagination.


    His brother has spent his time well. Leveraging his talent by shoving every tool he could in his considerable toolbox.


    mes, electricity, ice, and prayers that were made to bind and restrict. All of it lobbed at his brother in a spray of bullets that Erec barely adapt to, not like this. Even with his formidable power, there was only so much Erec could do to keep pace with everythinging at him¡ªhe was one person¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t about to give.


    If Bedwyr was willing to push this far in this spar. Then Erec would, too. He would burn himself away for victory. He felt at the silver fire beneath the surface, feeling it stir as he called to it.


    He would show his brother.


    Before he got the chance, right as he started reaching into the depths of that inferno, Bedwyr struck in a gale of lightning, lightning, holy energy, and lightning.


    His sword smashed into the side of Erec¡¯s neck, snapping the weapon as silver fire gathered on Erec¡¯s fingertips.


    ¡°That is my win.¡± Bedwyr dered, even as within his brother, all hell broke loose.

 Chapter 188: Higher Education

    Chapter 188: Higher Education


    <em>¡°The Rank of Knight Errant is a peculiar one within the orders.</em>


    <em>On one hand, you are no longer a student charged with learning with courses within the Academy¡ªand seen as a viable Knight who can act independently of others. Some might use this role to learn leadership, teaching skills, or a slew of other essential, more field-work-oriented tasks that are only touched upon in the Academy¡¯s curriculum.</em>


    <em>The education one receives with this rank has far more variety than what the Academy offers, both in the nature of what can be learned and the quality.</em>


    <em>Therefore, it is vital that an Initiate pick their mentor carefully upon graduation and that they have plenty to learn from the Knight they serve under. Not only does it form the foundation of their education in a practical application, but the morals and values of this rtionship often have far-reaching effects on the type of Knight they be as they grow.</em>


    <em>Still, there is no shortage of Knights willing to offer their services in this role¡ªif nothing else, then because it signals to the Orders their responsibility and may grant them opportunities to advance.¡±</em>


    <em>- Dame Nova, Summation Of The Ranks (295, 3rd Era)</em>


    Silver fire danced on Erec¡¯s fingertips. His eyes red red while taking in his brother¡ªthe remains of the broken wooden sword decorating his wrecked training hall. Taking this further would be easy. So easy. He may have dered his victory, but he hadn¡¯t had his chance to show his brother what <em>truly</em> was beneath the surface.


    Erec took in a deep breath. With considerable effort, he stepped back from that edge, fingers starting to shake as he let Fury burn off. Exhaustion came in ce of the rage. Might things have been different if it were a real battle? If he¡¯d had his Armor? Maybe if he¡¯d pulled the trigger with his silver fire quicker?


    But it wasn¡¯t a real battle. Those details¡ªtrying to kill Bedwyr would never be part of a fight with his brother. Those were all mights, maybes, and excuses. Erec tossed them aside.


    [Ooof. That loss has to sting, but don¡¯t sweat it, Buckeroo. You¡¯ll get him next time.]


    As Erec steadied, he took in more of the training hall. Bedwyr hadn¡¯t held back. Thanks to his brother''s magic, the ce had been wrecked in the short spar. Holes in the wall, torn wooden floors, and fire damage made the ce a mess. If anything, they were lucky it hadn¡¯t spread.


    ¡­Maybe anger issues ran in the family?


    It would all need repairs. But, for now, he didn¡¯t have the spare money in his treasury to waste on something like this.


    That would have to be fine. They mostly trained in the Academy, to begin with. Until he became a Knight Errant, things would survive left this way. It wasn¡¯t like visitors to his manor needed to see the training how.


    ¡°You won,¡± Erec admitted, throwing away the excuses. ¡°But we both know it isn¡¯t long off until that is no longer the case.¡±


    Bedwyr stared at his brother with a deep frown. ¡°And when that dayes, then you can be in charge. Until then, I am.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get it confused. I¡¯ve long stepped out of your shadow, and I do not answer to you. But I still love you. You¡¯re my only brother, and when I say that our mother is out of our lives¡ªthat it was her choice, even if I cannot tell you <em>why </em>you should trust that I have your interest in heart¡­ If I learned <em>anything</em> from that journey, it is that the family I have¡ªyou, Garin¡­. They are what matter. Not a woman from the past who no longer is the same person.¡±


    His brother wasn¡¯t happy with that; Erec could see it on his face. But at the very least, this spat had quelled the part of Bedwyr that refused to ept such an answer.


    Perhaps, even if it had been a loss, there might be some small victory to take from it.


    ¡°¡­We should look towards the future. Together. Neither of us is a ¡®head¡¯ of the family as brothers. Ones that can rely on each other¡­ Because I¡¯m going to need people to rely on. This Kingdom will. Sooner than you might imagine.¡± Erec continued as his brother red.


    Bedwyr tilted his head at that. ¡°Erec, you always could call on me if you need me.¡±


    Those words would have filled Erec with annoyance and anger a year ago. He¡¯d buck at that thought he¡¯d ever need to rely on Bedwyr¡­. Now, though, they provided a small measure of peace. Even if Bedwyr didn¡¯t see him eye to eye on this now, it was only temporary.


    Once he could, he¡¯d share the truth with his brother. He swore he would even if he didn¡¯t think it¡¯d do any good.


    ¡°In the spirit of pulling together what family we have left, how about this: there¡¯s a G I¡¯m attending. A Luculentus event¡ªI know you and Father aren¡¯t directly in my house anymore, but I think I could swing an invitation. I don¡¯t know what exactly is nned for this thing, but Garin made it sound important. I could use more allies in such an unwee battlefield.¡± Erec confessed.


    Oddly, Bedwyr shifted his position¡ªa note of uncertainty in his eyes. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard¡­ But I¡¯m not exactly proficient at these sorts of things, and regardless of my standing in the second year, we¡¯re still andless House. Are you sure you want me toe along?¡±


    For a second, Erec was on the back foot. Growing up, he¡¯d seen his brother at the same courtly affairs¡ªthough Bedwyr always looked at home in those hellish social gatherings. Far more than himself.


    He saw it there, that same trepidation and fear of public gatherings hidden away deep, in contrast to Erec, who wore it on his chest.


    ¡°Yes, and don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be in goodpany.¡± Erec gave his brother a firm pat on the shoulder, even if he couldn¡¯t manage a smile. Whatever hostility had been there before worked itself out in their fight¡ªwhich was better. The two of them had found amon ground to work out their emotions¡ªa fact he would tuck away forter when the next inevitable conflict arose between them.


    Maybe it wasn¡¯t the healthiest way, but if it worked for them, then who could judge it?


    Bedwyr pulled back to leave the training room, and Erec noticed the blinking in the corner of his vision. He pulled up the notification, surprised that a Virtue had improved¡ªthe first since returning from the expedition.


    <em>Agility: Rank D - Tier 5 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 6</em>


    A small smile yed out on his face. Perhaps more training with his older brother was in order for the future. Looking at the wrecked hall all around him, he resolved to keep said training above ground. Far away from anything he¡¯d have to pay for when it inevitably got wrecked. Neither of them held back when it came to a fight.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The next couple of days managed to fly by without another serious fight with his brother. Yet, there was only so much he could do. The mundane part of his ns was proving simple to sort¡ªnow that the merchants understood their new rtionship, he found them much more cooperative to get what he needed.


    There was still much to do, and after three weeks from their return, the Kingdom had begun to settle into a new normal.


    Among the Initiates, outsiders and rumors of Vega were all that left their lips. Erec could only imagine what people were talking about.


    But he still had no clear view of the Church¡¯s path.


    Thisck of knowledge and not seeing how the wind blew had set Erec on edge. Whenever he sat too long in one ce, he needed to move. So it was he found himself striding through the verdant and overgrown hallways of his Order¡¯s Academy building; sunlight spewed in and hosted a stunning amount of nts. But not even the beautiful vines and variety of life here eased his soul. No. He had a destination in mind.


    With quick steps, he headed directly for Boldwick¡¯s office.


    He passed by unaware Initiates as they talked in the hall¡ªcareless. They were also careless; they weren¡¯t cursed with the knowledge that the Kingdom and the Church were like powderkegs set to go off. As far as he¡¯d heard, the Church hadn¡¯t made a move¡­ But then, where would he have heard anything at all? From Boldwick? The Master Knight already had far too much on his te to debrief an initiate.


    If he were in the priest¡¯s position¡ªErec would¡¯ve started his attack when people entered the Kingdom with guests from outside. But they hadn¡¯t.


    Tomorrow, Enide would be back at his side. The Pendragon would return to the Kingdom. Yet she and her family would be walking in blind to the situation, and he could do nothing to help stung. The truth was that Erec had no idea when the fight woulde to a head. And maybe that was understandable. This was his first year in the Academy, still. However, it would draw to a close sooner thanter and, by far, hadn¡¯t been a ¡®typical¡¯ experience of a Knight Initiate.


    And that was, he had to admit, as much as he hated it, a tant dark spot.


    One that he couldn¡¯t entirely me on ack of ¡®courtly affairs,¡¯ though it stung to admit that was part of it. But with a closer examination of the issue, theck of decorum wasn¡¯t exactly what was missing. Polite society didn¡¯t agree with his temperament, but his interactions with the Merchants revealed he could leverage his own way of dealing with that as an advantage.


    Only there was still a piece missing. And today, he was determined to take his education into his own hands.


    Erec¡¯s knuckles rapped on Boldwick¡¯s door, and the Master Knight ushered him in with a gruff acknowledgment.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you until next week,¡± Boldwick said, leaning back in his chair, rubbing at his eyes, a couple of books open on his table, marked with notes in the margins.


    ¡°Why would I be by next week?¡± Erec asked, momentarily caught off guard.


    Boldwick waved it away and gestured towards the chair. ¡°I¡¯ll let that be a small mystery for now. With the Pendragons back in tomorrow, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have your fill of events to take up your attention until then. That¡¯s what you here about? Want time off to spend with them? Because even if I¡¯m lenient with my students, don¡¯t think you¡¯d get that kind of special treatment. The fieldwork has hardened you, but the knowledge you can get at the Academy is vital. You¡¯ve missed plenty enough for the actual work, and the lessons will still serve you well in the future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I came¡ªeducation. I¡¯ve realized I¡¯m missing something and want to correct it.¡±


    ¡°You want another course?¡± This time, it was Boldwick¡¯s time to look surprised.


    ¡°No. Well. Maybe. I¡¯m¡­ Sick of being a piece on the board, Boldwick. Since I¡¯vee back, I¡¯ve sat in my room thinking of how things will go with the Church¡ªwell aware that other people, people with great power, are sitting there, making their ns and moving about, preparing for what¡¯s toe. And I don¡¯t have the barest idea of what they¡¯re thinking or might happen.¡±


    Boldwick sighed and rubbed his temple. ¡°You¡¯re an initiate Knight.¡±


    ¡°One that has in a Cataclysm-level threat achieved the rank of Count, not to mention that monster in Muerte¡ªone that, as we both know, has no choice but to be an enemy of the Church who is plotting in the dark. I need to learn to be more, not just to be a piece of others¡¯ games. If I¡¯m going to get strong, I can¡¯t just be a puppet whose strings are pulled by others. I need to learn how to use myself best and see what¡¯s happening around me.¡± Erec said, the wordsing out from him in a stream.


    Boldwick let that statement hang in the air as he leaned down and pulled out a drawer in his desk. He brought out an amber bottle of brandy with a ng, setting it on the table. Next came the ss. He poured one out for himself, then nursed the drink, letting Erec squirm in front of him.


    Just when Erec thought he had nothing more to say, Boldwick spoke.


    ¡°In another world, I¡¯d have assigned you to a Knight and given you the rank of Knight Errant. Your usefulness and capability have made it obvious that you deserve such a rank. That said, the Academy can still impart lessons to you that if we¡¯d skipped that part of your education, you¡¯d be missing. It has a way of rounding you out and giving you tools inside and outside ofbat that would be useful. However, you don¡¯t need the help inside ofbat. Outside ofbat, the tools you will get should prove useful, but¡­ Your intuition is right; you wouldn¡¯t learn what you want there. It¡¯s the type of thing you might learn from a senior Knight when operating, and also a weakness of yours I¡¯ve seen for a long time. To be frank, this is the type of thing that <em>some</em> might learn as a Knight Errant if that¡¯s their inclination, and they had the right guide.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying I have to wait years?¡± Erec deted.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say that. I said it¡¯s what you might learn from a senior Knight when operating. The type of thing you <em>might</em> learn as a Knight Errant. But I have a question. Before I give you an answer for what we can do, Why do you want to go this route, Erec? You have raw power and potential for it in spades. It isn¡¯t magic, but the type of power that could form the crux of everything you need. You¡¯ve shown that it¡¯s the kind of power that could carry you through almost any challenge you encounter. Paired with the right team, you¡¯d be capable of meeting any situation without going through what is sure to be a very challenging path for someone like you.¡± Boldwick settled back down, swirling his ss, a dark interest in his eyes as he considered his student.


    Even before joining the Academy, Erec felt his mentor had been prodding him. Piecing together all the bits that made Erec what he was, trying to figure out the best way to sculpt him. Until now, Boldwick had guided him and picked the parts of his education to focus on. He adapted to what Erec disyed and did his best to guide him.


    This was that style of teaching once over again, figuring out where Erec¡¯s natural inclinations went to try to guide the boy he¡¯d taken under his wing to the best possible future.


    Erec thought about the question deeply and then answered only once he was sure.


    ¡°On a battlefield, I¡¯m powerful. I¡¯m only going to get more powerful. We¡¯ve both seen that, but that power has consequences. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the King moved right away to take that power and position it where he wanted¡ªothers will do the same. I can be powerful on the battlefield, but if I¡¯m not the one to know which battlefield to wield that power, to pick where I need to be strong, then that power will be wasted or used by others. Worse case, it could be used against me. The best way to protect what I care about is to be aware of what¡¯s happening before I lose it during a fight and it¡¯s toote.¡±


    Boldwick nodded slowly. ¡°That makes sense. If you were a different person and were still the version of you before, scared of society and conflicted with how you act towards others, I doubt you¡¯d have seen this so clearly. You¡¯re right. People want to use you. That isn¡¯t always bad as a Knight, but with so much power, it could be dangerous not to take some of it into your own hands¡­ Maybe not the direction I¡¯d have thought you might look to grow further. Yet if you¡¯re interested, then it could end up being a good thing.¡± He took a single breath and then shook his head. ¡°But there¡¯s a downside.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°With power and knowledgees the call to action. For someone like you, if you don¡¯t think it all through before acting after learning things you wouldn¡¯t have otherwise, then you can cause some real damage. And even then, you¡¯ll have to learn¡ªyou¡¯re just one person. Stuff like this doesn¡¯te naturally to you, so it will be challenging; some might be impossible.¡±


    ¡°I can do a lot with just me.¡±


    Boldwick slowly finished the rest of his ss, setting it down on his desk with a clink; his instructor cracked his neck and exhaled deeply.


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll see. I¡¯ll contact Dame Robin¡­ If this is the route you want to go down, then maybe it¡¯s time to start taking a bit more of a look at the domestic side of information gathering. Our Order may serve as the eyes trained outside the Kingdom, but perceptive eyes are always useful inside and out.¡± Boldwick said, a bit of amusement as he poured himself another ss, this time pulling free a second for Erec.

 Chapter 189: Knock Knock

    Chapter 189: Knock Knock


    There were at least forty Knights on the Steel curtain as they watched the Pendragon¡¯s cars stall outside the walls. Among them were several members of the Academy¡ªVerdent Oak, and even a few Knight Commanders from that order and a couple of Master Knights. But notably, the Grandmaster Knights of the Verdant Oak and the Azure Tower were among the ranks.


    By far, the Order of the Azure Tower had the majority of people in the situation, and right now, they were the only ones outside the walls. They had to search the Pendragon¡¯s Vehicles before letting them in.


    Erec did his best to stay patient. But it was a struggle. Down there, he saw Enide leaning next to Yniol while someone went through the car, affectionally named ¡®Betty.¡¯ He could see her Uncle there too¡ªBors, though he looked far less sure of the search.


    This search was more than anything symbolic. Security fell within the Order of the Azure Tower, and they¡¯d outlined this new procedure as mandatory for any entrants seeking to cross into the Kingdom. Were it another group, it¡¯d makeplete sense. With these people, Erec knew the measure was only a waste of time. He¡¯d lived among the Pendragon¡¯s for months. The ties that now bound them to the Verdent Oak were powerful; even now, they were returning from the wastnd from a mission assigned by the King.


    That wouldn¡¯t always be the case. Now that the Pendragons were back, they expected to see a delegation from Vega arrive any day.


    After a half-hour of needless search, which almost drove Erec mad with impatience, the Pendragons were cleared for entry. Erec and the rest of the Verdent Oak knights filtered down the wall, but none were as fast as Grandmaster Oak, who walked off the side andnded at the base with a plume of dust. Seemingly unharmed. When the gate opened, Grandmaster Oak was the first to greet their guests with a broad smile.


    ¡°Well, well, well. If it isn¡¯t our friends from the wastnd¡ªY¡¯all left some monsters out there for us to kill, right?¡± Grandmaster Oak said.


    ¡°No, killed them all. Took a lot of bullets. Think we could tear down the wall for resupply?¡± Rochester said, his caring for a park and a grin on his face. The man¡¯s skin crawled with tattoos, and as leader of the Pendragons, there was no confusion over who Grandmaster Oak wanted to talk to the most. As it stopped, he leaped out of his car, shooting a wink at the man in shotgun with a quick instruction to park it with the rest. With the logistics sorted, he walked over to join the Grandmaster.


    But Erec didn¡¯t have long to focus on that¡ªhis eyes were on Betty. Filled with Yniol, Bors¡­ And most importantly, Enide. The woman he loved.


    ¡°Nice to see you again!¡± Garin greeted, tearing Erec¡¯s gaze away from the gate. His friend was walking off towards a car with Corey, of all people driving. The young Pendragon who¡¯d yed ser with them¡ªwhen had he gotten a vehicle? ¡°Take it things are fine in Vega?¡±


    ¡°More than fine; the city¡¯s buzzing with news that your Kingdom is opening its walls. With some talk, they¡¯re delivering on sending the news out. A couple of months and your little isted bit of wastnd will be flooded with interested tourists.¡±


    ¡°That good or bad?¡± Garin prodded.


    Erec did his best to ignore the two talking and plotting. He was sure it was good information, but his heart wasn¡¯t in it. Besides, the actual context of Pendragon¡¯s mission would be shared in the confines of offices and backrooms. After this, Rochester was headed towards the pce to deliver a report to the King along with the Grandmasters. And whoever Rochester trusted would be heading back with the Master Knights of the Verdent Oak.


    While the Azure Tower now had the pleasure of securing outsidersing in and ensuring they didn¡¯t bring any significant threats inward, the Verdent Oak was taking its new responsibility as the ¡®face¡¯ of the Kingdom in stride.


    No, what had Erec¡¯s heart was the sight of a particr Pendragon car. He doubted a charging monster could have captured his attention when it crested the gate.


    Enide didn¡¯t even wait for it to stop; her eyes met him, then she vanished. Reappearing right before Erec, throwing her arms around his shoulders and pulling him into an embrace.


    ¡°Long time no see, hero.¡± She said into his ear before nting a kiss on his lips.


    Erec weed her, the piece to the chaos he craved in his world. Or, maybe it was the other way around. Maybe it was that this woman was the grounded one, and he brought the chaos they needed to soar¡ªor maybe it was them together; theirpany might tear reality aside and make any possibilitye true. They broke their kiss at the cue of polite coughing from Olivia.


    ¡°Truly a vagrant and deplorable disy of impropriety. As if the rumors of you courting an outsider needed more confirmation, here you two go insisting on putting on a show for the public,¡± Colin said.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to see you again, Enide.¡± Olivia gave a half bow.


    Enide gave them a half-concealed grimace before recing it with a polite smile. ¡°Ah, yes. I suppose you two might be here. It is a <em>pleasure</em> to be back.¡±


    ¡°There is no need to y nice, wastnd wench,¡± Colin said, shaking his head. ¡°We both are aware of ourck of friendship.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t doing it for your benefit. I shoot straight, but if someone¡¯s going to go through the effort of ying nice, I¡¯ve got enough in me to keep it civil.¡± Enide sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always considered you polite.¡± Olivia nodded, ¡°Though, I think we may have gotten off the wrong foot during the expedition. My concerns for your¡­ presence¡­ revolved around Erec¡ªsomeone I consider a friend. I admit, I was worried about you hurting him, and not just emotionally. Your rtionship certainly affects his standing in the Kingdom, as it¡¯s unheard of. Yet, this is our chosen path, and you¡¯ve saved his life. If you wish to say, ¡®shoot straight,¡¯ I¡¯m not convinced this won¡¯t end with pain from outsider intervention, but now I¡¯m willing to hope. If you¡¯re willing to forgive me, then I¡¯d like to say I¡¯m sorry. Enide. I was abrasive, skeptical, and rude to you. I hope that we may repair this rift between us and be friends in the future.¡±


    Enide lifted an eyebrow. ¡°That apology real or practiced? You had a good couple of weeks to work on it.¡±


    ¡°Genuine, though I did practice it. I wanted to be sure the words I said were what I wanted them to be to show how I felt. If you¡¯re willing, I¡¯d like you to consider me a useful friend to your new life in the court¡ªa life that, willing or not, you¡¯ve signed onto by choosing to be involved with a renowned Count.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t take it personal, if I keep a bit of an edge with you, given the past. But, if you¡¯re apologizing, then I guess we can give it a shot.¡± Enide replied.


    ¡°It is the most I could ask for. Speaking of which, shall we make ns to shop? We have a g to attend to in a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°¡­We do?¡± Enide shot Erec a look.


    ¡°Unfortunately.¡± He confirmed. ¡°I was going to tell you and see if you wanted to goter, but yes. It¡¯s for the Duchy of Luculentus; if you are willing, I¡¯d love to have you at my side.¡±


    ¡°I know we don¡¯t have trust yet, but I¡¯m sure Garin will confirm when he returnster. But <em>I think</em> it is a very good idea if you attend.¡± Olivia said softly.


    ¡°Yeah, I suppose I could go to a party¡­ Though this ce does them odd. And hang on, Luculentus, why is that name familiar¡ªwait, is that the one the spoiled brat hates? Could¡¯ve sworn he ranted about them to his pa on the road.¡± She said.


    ¡°Careful there, such hostility, and I might mistake your tongue for an enemy, but yes. They are a wretched House who hardly deserves to be the same rank as mine¡­¡± Colin stopped, and then a stupid smile took over his face. ¡°Hey Erec, Knock Knock.¡±


    Erec stared at Colin at the sudden left turn from himining about another house. He¡¯d expected a drawn-out rant. Not this. ¡°Knock, Knock?¡±


    ¡°You are to say, ¡®whose¡¯s there?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Just do so; I found it in an old world book. I¡¯ve been perusing the thing when I¡¯ve found spare time away from my vital research. Believe me, the build-up is worth the delivery. They called it, and I quote, ¡®a punch line,¡¯ which, on this asion, seems a suitable name.¡±


    ¡°¡­Whose¡¯s there?¡± Eric replied; while he didn¡¯t trust <em>anything</em> about this, he knew there was only one way out. If he didn¡¯t go along, Colin¡¯sining would be insufferable. And, well, with Enide at his side, he¡¯d rather this distraction than go into the details of what a g at a Duchy would be like. Besides, Colin had captured all of their attention at this point, including the overt staring from a couple of nearby senior Knights.


    ¡°A monster.¡±


    ¡°¡­A monster?¡±


    ¡°You are to say, ¡®A monster who,¡¯¡±


    ¡°¡­A monster who?¡± Erec replied.


    ¡°Is Enide¡¯s tongue.¡±


    They all stared at him inplete silence.


    ¡°Get it? Because her tongue is an enemy? We y monsters; they are the most numerous of our enemies.¡±


    ¡°¡­Dear Goddess.¡± Erec couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. ¡°¡­May she scorch whatever twist of fate brought this development upon us.¡±


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    After bringing Enide back to his dorm¡ªa presence he was grateful that his roommates epted. Erec made a quick excuse for himself to leave her in thepany of his friends. While the biggest part of today he¡¯d been looking forward to was the arrival of the Pendragons in the Kingdom, another appointment changed the very course of his future. One that, unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t allowed to have Enide tag along for.


    It worked out alright since Olivia took the news in stride and took it upon herself to take Enide shopping for their dresses.


    If it were for anything else, other than this, Erec would¡¯ve been sorely tempted to ditch and spend the time with her¡ªbut this wasn¡¯t a simple ss.


    This was his meeting with Dame Robin. Arranged by Sir Boldwick and a lesson he <em>needed.</em> Girlfriend¡¯s arrival or not. At least she understood. Though, leaving her shopping with Olivia made him nervous for many other reasons. But there wasn¡¯t much to be done about that.


    Erec made his way out of the grand building that made for the Order of the Verdent Oak¡¯s Academy building, rapidly passing through the fantastic buildings and onto a dirt road leading out from the Academy and towards the city¡¯s outskirts.


    It was odd to be going so far from the school. Sure, Dame Robin didn¡¯t have an office there¡ªshe wasn¡¯t one of the instructors, even as a Knight lieutenant.


    The further the dirt road took him, the more Erec turned over her position in his head. Boldwick trusted her; he¡¯d always considered the woman very caring and astute. From the missions she¡¯d run with them¡ªand Sir Alister¡­ It¡¯d made sense. But outside that context, he couldn¡¯t be sure what she did.


    This kind of work? He had a hard time squaring the image in his mind.


    Yet, when he reached the outskirts of a farm, there was Dame Robin¡ªleaning against the wall of a well-built home. Out in the field, a man was working to harvest. This made sense; sunlight dropped by the day, and the temperature followed suit. Anything left in the field had to be brought in soon.


    ¡°Dame Robin,¡± Erec balled a fist and put it against his chest, a salute of respect as she noticed him. She gave him a slight nod, her eyes still trailing the man working out in the field.


    ¡°Do you know why I requested our meeting here?¡± she asked after letting silence reign for long enough for him to follow her gaze.


    ¡°I¡­ Don¡¯t have a clue.¡±


    ¡°These people¡ªthe ones working the fields, bring us food. They work both above ground and below, striving their hardest to provide for the survival of our people. With a Kingdom this size, so many mouths must be fed. If theypse in their job and a harvest goes foul, people might suffer. We, and others, can do their job through their diligence and dedication. From the seed of theirbor, we are allowed to be more than stragglers roaming the wastes, too focused on the struggle of trying to feed ourselves to settle down. Without them, there would be no courts of nobles. No Knights to protect the fields theybor on. No King to rule the administration to bring themforts in return for their efforts. It all begins with them.¡± She said.


    Erec stared at the manboring, an odd feeling in his chest. This revtion wasn¡¯t a new one to him. For much of his life he had helped worked the biocaverns down below. Though those didn¡¯t have the farmers'' fields and natural growth cycles on the surface, he was well familiar with the concept of supply lines and cultivation.


    Though, what this had to do with the education Boldwick had promised him, that part he was uncertain.


    Dame Robin must have seen the confusion on his face because she let out a smallugh. ¡°I¡¯d like to set a reminder before we talk about the games people y: We must never forget the roots that bring us life. Both in yourself and in society.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve known this lesson¡ªI thought I¡¯d told you about my family. We helped Garin¡¯s father down below.¡±


    ¡°You did. But then you became a Knight. Not just a Knight, but one with vast power and a future that will lead you to ces far away from these roots. Don¡¯t forget where you came from; whenever you get lost, remember these roots and let them guide you through the challenges the future will bring.¡±


    Erec gave a slow nod.


    ¡°Now then, onto more practical lessons. I know you¡¯re not much of one for the intricacies of the court, but you grew up on the lower end of society. That, among a myriad of a dozen other reasons, makes this a good ce to start. So let me ask you, what is it about people like this that might be useful to people like us?¡±


    ¡°You said as much already. People like this are the backbone of our society. Without them, we wouldn¡¯t be able to function or wield our swords in the name of this Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but in a more practical aspect. Themon people can do something that we would struggle to without disguise, great efforts, or more time than we can afford to spend¡ªfor people whose names be increasingly well-known, this applies especially.¡± She prodded him along, but Erec still struggled to see what she was grasping at.


    He¡¯d known Dame Robin since bing an Initiate. He¡¯d seen her as soft and weing but also a force of destruction on the battlefield. But this side of her. Her eyes gleamed with a nuanced intelligence he barely grasped, leaving him confused.


    Ideas filtered through his head, but they seemed wrong. Was she talking about specific acts ofbor? To recruit them on behalf of his Cavern¡ªto spy? He was afraid to settle on a solution.


    Luckily, Dame Robin beat him to the chance to give a wrong answer, her soft handnding on his shoulder and giving it aforting squeeze. ¡°People like this farmer blend in. They can see and hear things that never reach our eyes or ears. That can make them good friends. Come, let me introduce you to Basil. One of <em>my</em> many friends, one which keeps those wonderful eyes and ears of his open to tell me the sort of information that might interest a Knight.¡±

 Chapter 190: Shake The World

    Chapter 190: Shake The World


    <em>¡°Gone is the day,</em>


    <em>Long is the night.</em>


    <em>So long you¡¯ve been gone, yet still I wanna say:</em>


    <em>You were right.</em>


    <em>Would you forgive me?</em>


    <em>If I asked?</em>


    <em>Would you forgive me?</em>


    <em>If I went to task?</em>


    <em>Would you forgive me?</em>


    <em>¡®Course not.</em>


    <em>Nobody¡¯s left but my sk.¡±</em>


    <em>- Old-Man Jones, Farewell Lucy, (303, 3rd Era)</em>


    ¡°A pleasure, King Crisimus,¡± Rochester said, bowing low; he felt remarkably light. No gun at the hip, his people and car tucked a long way away. Of course, they could always find trouble, but they <em>should</em> be on good behavior. Still, having none of his Pack behind him always sucked, especially since this ce was decked out with armored and weaponed Knights.


    The room itself was extravagant. Unlike the hotel suites of the Arch-Magi, which Rochester had the pleasure of exploring a few times in his many trips through Vega,pared to there, this ce had a much more refined and elegant touch.


    That might be natural; Vega was dramatic and overt¡ªso its leaders were, too. There, the gold gilding of furniture and the excessiveness of their seats of power had a simple reason: show wealth. The point was to smash your face into the conclusion. To scream that you had money since chips bought power.


    But in this room, the wealth bought luxury and beauty from the refined artwork and the trim of the throne on which this King sat. The money here spoke that it was, of course, expensive. It was quality. The result was the resources they could afford in the kingdom and its refined culture. A depth of culture somewhere like Vega filled with a bunch of wanderers and scavengers couldn¡¯te close to.


    To an untrained eye, the dull king filling the throne would look nearly wrong. Or get lost in all of the culture. The man had grey hair, his deep blue eyes empty as he stared at Rochester. An almost unremarkable presence to most; there were no waves of overwhelming power that radiated off him. Unlike an Arch-Magus, the image this man presented didn¡¯t bring to mind the word danger.


    It would be easy to mistake him as a figurehead. An uncalcting puppet on a throne born into the role.


    A mistake that from the first or second Rochester met this man, he knew was unintentional and carefully cultivated. It is a trap meant for the heady and egotistical sorts of people born into a position of power within a society like theirs.


    ¡°You all may leave, aside from Oak and my guards.¡± the King said, his voice soft as he dully looked over the rest of his court¡ªa handful of nobles and an apaniment of other Knights.


    These people no doubt had important titles. Had curried favor in this court for most of their life to their appointment. And within their ranks were rats and spies aplenty. Ones that this seemingly uninspired man had pegged years ago and took advantage of. The nobility filtered out without much protest since the King¡¯s word wasw.


    Why wouldn¡¯t they? How could they refuse an order like that, much less be concerned about leaving the King with his royal guards and an unarmed outsider? They might not trust Rochester, but he was scarcely a threat to the King, even if the King didn¡¯t appear all that strong.


    Once the room cleared, the King cleared his throat. His signal to begin.


    ¡°Your message has been delivered. The council was surprised by the announcement so soon after opening your borders and is contemting how to distribute the news.¡± Rochester reported.


    ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t stay within their sphere of influence, their response is scarcely the top of our concern. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll send participants and spectators. How could one not when such an opportunity to view such a great potential ally or enemy presents itself freely?¡± the King replied, resting a head in his hand.


    ¡°On the ount of it not being suppressed, as I said before. There is no need to worry. A couple of the other Packs met up with me in Vega. I spread the word, and they were willing to let the rumor fly. Even if the Magi wanted, the news is out.¡±


    ¡°So the world will know of our tournament. As I hoped, your lot proves to be a stalwart alliance and a dependable rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Aye, a wee boon in times like this,¡± Oak announced, pping Rochester back.


    The Pendragon leader couldn¡¯t help but contain his grin. ¡°I mean, your lot has been generous. And to drop this event? Hell, what kinda man would miss it? Dunno if I told you about Vega¡¯s history with ser and how big the cups get, but this. This is gonna be way bigger. To think the boogeymen of the wastes would break out of their wall and open them wide to wee contestants and viewers to apetition? Nowhere else I¡¯d wanna be.¡±


    The King shrugged. ¡°Better to make a ssh to one¡¯s arrival than to appear in quiet without an impression. Besides. Such an event can be a key facilitator. Once word has been let fly, we can make the same announcement internally. News takes time to travel outside of our walls, but inside, I don¡¯t doubt it will have a much more profound effect.¡±


    Rochester couldn¡¯t tamp down on the smile as he stared at the seemingly dull man. For a King in a world like this, his presence wasn¡¯t the overwhelming image one might expect. But, his actions, and underneath that surface, it was clear from the start.


    King Crisimus was the type of person who wanted to shake the world.


    He was the type of man who wore such a disguise to keep others from suspecting just what he might be capable of so they couldn¡¯t stop him when he shattered the curse of familiarity.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The education Robin provided¡­ It turned out to be a lot more hands-on and social than Erec anticipated or was prepared for. By the minute, Boldwick¡¯s ominous warning that this path would be difficult for someone like him began making much more sense. After introducing him to her friends, Basil, and his husband, she brought Erec to more of her ¡®friends.¡¯ The first couple of people were also farmers on the outskirts.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Then, after meeting them, she brought him to the middle of the city on the surface¡ªtalking to a few merchants she¡¯d known for years.


    She called him her student the entire time, telling them she was showing him around. As taxing as the back-to-back conversations were, they were all pleasant people. And they¡¯d had a fond opinion of Robin¡ªshe was known to them aspassionate and always willing to lend a hand or give a favor. Friendly, cordial rtionships.


    When she first mentioned that these were the sorts that kept eyes in ces Knights couldn¡¯t see¡­ The nature he¡¯d pictured was very much cloak-and-dagger. But that was so far from the truth.


    None of these people thought of themselves in any way as spies. Nheless, they were full of information, mainly as Robin steered the conversations. Asking about their lives and the going-on. Eventually, the topic would turn to the things they saw with a natural flow, and that was the source of information she needed.


    With Basil alone, he told them that the Order of Silver mes had been running drills more oftentely. A selection of nobles Basil rarely saw before making more trips to the surface and the walls than he¡¯d seen before.


    Robin didn¡¯t pay for this information. The nature of the rtionship wasn¡¯t transactional at all. As she said, they were friends. And the conversation flowed like that¡ªshe, to them, was a warm and wee break in their day, a breath of fresh air for a time of year so consumed with heavy fieldwork. Or for the merchants in dealing with shipping logistics.


    Erec wasn¡¯t sure what he was supposed to take out of it as they went from person to person, and Dame Robin made introductions, then talked, and talked, then talked some more.


    Those conversations had a lot of information. A lot of it was, frankly, uninteresting. Try as he might, and he did try, after the third friend of Robin, his battery for social conversations ran dry. From there, it was a struggle to track everything since most of the content that Dame Robin was after came in the cloak of investment and detail in the mundane lives of people she knew very well.


    Were it not for a small tap on the side that Robin gave him during the conversations¡ªa signal she gave for him to pay close attention¡ªhe would¡¯ve started to miss some of those tidbits of information she gged as useful. Things like merchant sons deal with particr houses or all of the small little bits she let slip by after parsing only to fill him in afterward for why there was significance.


    Unfortunately, remembering these details wasn¡¯t the only thing she would quiz him on after they left the conversations. She made sure to bring up those information points and have him infer connections or fill him in¡ªbut she also quizzed him on the people. On their personalities. What he thought about them, what they thought about others¡ªall so exhausting.


    By the time he was walking back to the Academy, his brain felt like mush, and he¡¯d instead burn himself out on Fury fighting an army full of monsters instead of the pressing migraine that had built in his exhausted head.


    ¡°You do this every day?¡± Erec asked after Dame Robin gave him fifteen minutes of walking in quiet to build some of himself back into a functioning human again.


    ¡°People are power, and your connection to them is precious. Maintaining those connections takes more concentrated and directed effort than one might think.¡± Dame Robin said as she walked, ¡°But no, even this much would be too much for me. Besides, there are other ways of gathering information. Different methods of looking into details to pursue will be covered in due time. This way, I just happen to be on the better end of what works for me. Others, you might find, are more suited to you. Regardless, the more ways you have, the more things you can learn, and you¡¯ll learn that one piece of information at the right time can make all the difference. But I¡¯ve never regretted making more friends. They can always surprise you in ways you¡¯d never imagine.¡±


    Erec scratched the back of his neck, hoping that what she said was right. While Garin might excel in a ce like this, even with practice, he doubted he¡¯d ever get close to that level of endurance for social interaction. ¡°How did you even start?¡±


    ¡°Like we did today. A mentor of mine brought me to some of these people; I made an effort to continue that connection, which will be your homework. You¡¯ll continue some of the connections you made today.¡±


    ¡°Homework?¡±


    ¡°You thought that this would be any different than your coursework? Of course, there is follow-up. I¡¯ve heard you dropped out of Courtly Mannerism, but this game you want to y, unfortunately, has a very human and present connection if you¡¯re going to y it correctly. There¡¯s more to it than that, but I¡¯ve found that working on your weaknesses and learning them first is the best way to improve. Your lessons with me will be more demanding and asking than most in the Academy because they will be real-world lessons. Field lessons, much in the same way that fighting monsters has taught you to be stronger, and once you¡¯ve gotten better, there will be stakes. You asked for this. And after having your first brush with it, I¡¯ll ask you if this is something you¡¯re willing tomit to. If you don¡¯t, then that is fine; I¡¯ll make sure Boldwick understands. This path isn¡¯t for everyone, and neither of us will think less of you.¡± Dame Robin continued; her voice was soft and weing.


    There was no judgment there. She knew this work was not the sort that naturally lent to him; she¡¯d known it from the start. He¡¯d asked for it and wanted to see how it might suit him. And, frankly, he didn¡¯t have a clear picture of himself <em>ever</em> bing the type of person as Dame Robin or Garin.


    He wanted to see the board, the pieces, and how they¡¯d moved.


    But to get there, it would require skills he was not good at. Push him in ways that made him ufortable¡ªbut her words. Working on and learning your weaknesses was the best way to improve. He wanted to improve.


    Why, for example, had the Silver mes been diligent about drills?


    It could be simple training, but the more he thought about it¡ªthe fact they were doing so on the outskirts of the Kingdom instead of near the Academy Grounds or down below. They didn¡¯t want people to know they were making extra preparations.


    Then there was the bit that Basil said about nobility heading out to the wall; he didn¡¯t imagine that said information couldn¡¯t have been followed up on. If he went to the wall or had a ¡®friend¡¯ in the Azure Tower, those little pinpricks of people''s movements could be followed.


    Maybe he wasn¡¯t good at this sort of thing. But seeing someone like Dame Robin and what she could do¡ªthe difference was in skill. He could learn to be better. He couldn¡¯t learn to be Garin or her, but he could learn how to do this his way as long as he was willing to push through the ufort, to set aside the exhaustion, to fight his way to im the skills that weren¡¯t handed to him in a silver-me coated Fury.


    ¡°I appreciate that. But I¡¯m willing to go through with this. As long as you want to keep teaching me, I¡¯ll take as many lessons as you can give. I can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll be the best at it, but I can swear I will try <em>my best</em>.¡± Erec said, knowing already, based on this homework alone, there would be times soon when he might regret this decision.


    But growth, especially fast growth, demanded a bit of suffering.


    Dame Robin gave him a warm smile. ¡°Very well. If you¡¯ve survived a brush with the demands of this path, then we shall continue. For the specifics of your homework, you are to follow up with five of the people I¡¯ve introduced you to today within three days. You will approach them independently and try your best to spark your friendships with them. After that, I will expect a report on my desk. You are the detail of your conversations with them¡ªas much as you can recall. The contents must include whatever information about their life you can gleam, along with a summary of how the interaction went and five new things you learned about them.¡±


    Erec worked his jaw. That <em>did not</em> sound like fun at all. Already, his mind was turning over the overwhelming number of encounters and how to approach them on his own, trying to pick which of them would be the best to¡­ talk to. How would he even introduce himself? What would they think?


    A shudder went through him.


    ¡°Will do,¡± he said, firming his resolve. If he could face down monsters, making new connections should be simple inparison. No matter how taxing it might be mentally. Though he promised himself that he¡¯d keep these lessons from Garin for as long as possible.


    Thest thing he wanted was for his best friend to roll his eyes after hearing the news and saying the dreaded words, ¡°I told you so.¡±

 Chapter 191: Party People

    Chapter 191: Party People


    Erec adjusted his cor. The dorm''smon room wasn¡¯t exactly quiet¡ªnot with Garin nearby, humming a tune to himself as he pieced together his suit. That small measure of music was interrupted whenever he turned a critical eye to Colin and Erec¡¯s outfits as they prepared for the G.


    As for Enide and Olivia, both were sectioned off in Olivia¡¯s room, as promised, and they¡¯d picked dresses together. However, Olivia said that Enide¡¯s would be a surprise.


    What shocked Erec more than anything was that although he¡¯d said he¡¯d foot the bill for anything Enide needed in the Kingdom, Olivia covered the cost of the dress with her own savings. Another gesture of goodwill, on top of that, she¡¯d gone out of her way to invite Enide out on several little trips together.


    Enide was still suspicious of the other girl, but she was starting to warm a bit now that the former maid no longer presented an iced-over front of hostility.


    For his part, Erec didn¡¯t know what to think. Maybe it was a lingering doubt in him, but he couldn¡¯t forget her weird nature when they first met, nor her ties to house Luculentus or the overall odd impression he¡¯d had from the daughter of that house¡ªLyotte¡ªwhom he hadn¡¯t seen for quite some time. But past warning her, Enide would make her own decisions on what she wanted to think about Olivia.


    The thoughts roamed by as he stared at himself in a mirror. His red hair was growing a touch longer¡ªhe¡¯d need a haircut soon.


    So much had changed since he¡¯d first be a Knight. Looks aside, he could see he was bigger. Stronger. His face hardened with the conflicts he¡¯d seen.


    But that wasn¡¯t the only thing that differed from when he was an Initiate. Numbly, Erec pulled up his Virtues.


    Name: Erec of House Audax


    <strong>Health: 100</strong>% | <strong>Mana: </strong>100% | <strong>Stamina: 100</strong>%


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Virtues:


    Strength: [Rank C] | [Tier 7]


    Vigor: [Rank D] | [Tier 8]


    Agility: [Rank D] | [Tier 6]


    Perception: [Rank E] | [Tier 7]


    Cognition: [Rank E] | [Tier 6]


    Psyche: [Rank D] | [Tier 1]


    Mysticism: [Rank F] | [Tier 4]


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): [Rank C] | [Tier 1]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Divine Talents:


    Fury


    There were significant changes there. His hardships had brought two of his Virtues into the C Rank, though he knew full well those were deceptive. The truth was that with Fury and his advancing Soul¡¯s rank, it would be folly to consider them the absolute power he could wield. Somewhere above that lie what he was capable of.


    But those quantifiable differences did him no justice. In the same way, they didn¡¯t reflect his changes as a person.


    Erec let the Blessings vanish and once more fiddled with his cor. To kill time, if nothing else.


    ¡°Still can¡¯t get it right, huh?¡± Garin tittered as he finished his outfit¡ªmuch more borate and stylish than Colin or Erec. Embroidered vines made for an eye-catching pattern on the suit; Erec had opted for in ck with a simple, understated white dress shirt beneath. A ssic look, if understated.


    Yet, neither of them came close to the overall price point that Colin was wearing. On the surface, his suit didn¡¯t differ much from Erec¡¯s. But the differencey in the details¡ªthe fine material, the lined thread of what was likely gold. Including a couple of rings on his fingers that Erec never swore he¡¯d seen Colin wear before since the boy wasn¡¯t much one for jewelry. Then again, most of what Erec had seen was Colin on the road.


    Garin cut between Erec and the mirror, fixing the cor and patting his friend on the shoulder. ¡°Just don¡¯t touch it anymore, alright? Let¡¯s go over it once more; we walk into the g and then¡­¡±


    ¡°I offer to get Enide drinks, then mingle,¡± Erec said, rolling his eyes.


    ¡°Mhmm, after that?¡±


    ¡°I will dance and ept the conversations of whoever approaches us, and I will do my best not to punch any haughty merchants in the gut again.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ That part is pretty important, but make sure you¡¯re seen. I need you to make an impression tonight. But, there¡¯s one thing you need to keep in mind.¡± Garin paused as he nced at Colin, who was scowling at the door of the women¡¯s room. He¡¯d been done first, well used to putting himself together for these and not seeing much of a need for style aside from throwing on his fine clothing. ¡°¡­You need to think of yourself as a mentor. Whether or not you like these kinds of events, <em>you¡¯re</em> the reason Enide is being dragged into them. She¡¯s capable and, for better or worse, is as reckless as you, but don¡¯t forget: this is out of her depth. A couple of courtly gatherings attended with the rest of her family is an entirely different situation than being on the arm and presented to the nobility as the date of a Count with the title of a hero.¡±


    Erec stopped himself from immediately responding by saying that he thought Enide could handle herself well enough, probably better than he could in such an event, and instead, went with a different question. One which he¡¯d been wondering since Garin first proposed this. ¡°Why push so hard for both of us to attend if you¡¯re worried about her?¡± Erec asked. Given time, he was sure Garin could¡¯ve given her a few lessons on approaching this kind of thing.


    ¡°You love her, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Erec said simply.


    ¡°And I know <em>you,</em> since she feels the same, this isn¡¯t going to end soon. Rumors have already spread, and it¡¯s better to control the narrative and make the impact you want than to let them spiral out around you without a say.¡±


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    Erec¡¯s first instinct was to brush off the words. But instead, he set that aside, turning them over in his mind. Garin had a point. If she were going to be part of his life, she¡¯d have to adapt to this. He¡¯d have to make her existence and their rtionshipe into the public eye. This¡ªshowing up to a gathering for a Duchess¡¯ event¡ªwas the exact type of brash move <em>that</em> appeared natural to what he¡¯d been presenting to the court sinceing back.


    In another circumstance, the nobles would squirm, whisper, and try to find a way to exploit his connection to an outsider. But by taking it into their own hands, they arrived confidently and put others on the back foot. Too slowly, the logic came to him, and his eyebrow raised as he considered his friend. He still felt like he was missing theplete picture, but now, he could¡¯ve sworn he saw a part of it. His following words were chosen carefully. ¡°I¡¯ll be doing my best, but it¡¯s clear that I¡¯m not the only social bridge she¡¯ll need to cross this gap. You and Olivia will help us, right?¡±


    Garin looked surprised, then fixed his expression. ¡°Well, that was a given, man. Listen, don¡¯t stress too much about it, alright? These kinda things flow more smoothly when you¡¯re rxed. As much as I¡¯m sure to be keeping an eye on you and Enide¡­ There is another couple we¡¯ll be attending with that has the potential to cause even more trouble.¡± He gave a knowing look at Colin, who caught it. Like a monster, Colin turned from Olivia¡¯s door to provide them with both a scowl.


    ¡°I can hear you speak of me, and I am more than capable of handling myself. Though this house is also a Duchy, they do not have the renown of the Nitidus name to them. They will, without a doubt, prostrate themselves before my glory.¡± Colin said.


    ¡°That attitude and the fact you¡¯re heading in with the daughter of House Doctus¡­ Yeah, I think even you can see why I might want to keep an eye on you,¡± Garin offered.


    Before Colin could fire another rant or quip at Garin, there was a knock on the door to themon room. Colin¡¯s scowl transformed into a practiced neutral expression, and Olivia called out softly from her room, asking them to take care of the guests and that she and Enide would be out in just a few more minutes. Gathering himself and sure that at least Garin had approved his outfit, Erec took the lead and went to the door.


    On the other side, Colin''s betrothed was the first person to greet him, who gave him a casual thumbs-up and brushed past into the room. Out of everyone, her attire was the most off-putting of all. Despite her status as the daughter of Duchey, she¡¯d chosen to wear her Academy formals. It was not necessarily <em>frowned on.</em> At times, military people wore their formals to gatherings¡ªso simrly, Knight attire was epted. But it was scarce that people went in ranked formals at events of this status. In a way, even for someone like Erec, he immediately gged at either a slight orpleteck of decorum towards the Luculentus household.


    Garin watched her enter, his jaw dropping, a hand going right to his face as Alexandra Doctus gave Colin a goofy grin and strode right over to him.


    Unlike Alexandra¡­ The other two people waited on the other side of the door to enter. Bedwyr stood there, hands stuffed in his pockets, looking anywhere but at Erec, also dressed in the same type of restrained and ruffled cor ck suit that his brother wore. Gwen, at his side, opted for a casual light pink gown¡ªnone spoke of wealth or much style, but none could argue they weren¡¯t dressed nicely.


    Erec invited them in as Garin had already set to smoothing things out between Colin and Alexandra, as the former had already started to pick a fight with his date. Alexandra seemed bemused by him but was interested in conflict, as always.


    Thankfully, they only were trapped in the small room for a couple of minutes longer until Olivia¡¯s door opened, and thest two to join their party were ready¡ªEnide d in a tight-fitted light red dress with a slit up one side. It wasn¡¯t too far off from what he¡¯d seen her in, within Vega, but certainly within the more stylistic and refined style of the Kingdom high courts. Not that Olivia reigned back her outfit¡ªa simrly show-stopper light blue dress ending in long sleeves with a back cut out.


    It was all Erec could do not to drop his jaw at Enide and want to abandon this entire thing entirely for a more romantic evening down in the caverns below¡ªbut before he could put the pieces of that half-baked n together, Garin pulled them out of their room and outside of the Academy¡ªto a carriage, which would take them to the g.


    With Garin and Olivia herding them off like a bunch of wild cats, they headed to the g.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°Your Kingdom sure likes to show off,¡± Enide muttered as she stared at the manor outside the carriage¡ª arge structure. And, on the surface. Unlike House Nitidus, House Luculentus was not shy about abandoning their ancestral home in the caverns. The moment the Kingdom reimed the surface and secured it with the massive steel walls, this Duchy made their home above.


    ¡°Great houses are meant to show the height of what wealth and prestige can get you. Being earned or not isn¡¯t their point,¡± Alexandra Doctus said, her arms stretched out on the cozy backrest of the carriage¡¯s interior, draped not so subtly behind Colin. Erec¡¯s friend was straight-backed and more on edge than Erec had ever seen him in the midst of a fight.


    ¡°A noble acts with their station and has much power invested in them,¡± Colin replied.


    Alexandra gave him azy grin and leaned in closer.


    If Colin were a cat, Erec swore he would¡¯ve seen all the hairs on him rise, and his ears shoot up as she effortlessly raised his hackles¡ªas it was, his friend did his best not to meet the eyes of his betrothed.


    ¡°We are born with our titles to live up to them in the name of the Kingdom. It¡¯s not for show but a trust that we deserve through virtue of our station.¡± Colin continued, trying to pretend he didn¡¯t see her.


    ¡°And¡­ What have you done for your house, my sweet Colin?¡± When she called him her ¡®sweet,¡¯ Colin¡¯s face turned red.


    As tempted as he was to let her continue her odd way of shattering through Colin¡¯s outer shell, Erec feltpelled to correct Alexandra on one ount. Since Colin couldn¡¯t find his tongue to speak directly to her now, ¡°Colin <em>has </em>done right by his house. First and foremost, which I don¡¯t think anyone will disagree with, is the part he had to y in taking down the White Stag. Without him, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to track it down as fast.¡± Erec said.


    Alexandra¡¯s eyes never left Colin¡¯s face, even as she listened. ¡°Of course. I didn¡¯t forget that; I know this one has quite a lot under the surface. I intend to peel him back and see every little bit underneath.¡± She set a finger on Colin¡¯s neck and trailed downward, tugging at the shirt.


    Garinughed awkwardly and stood up, throwing the door to their carriage open. ¡°Well! Time is wasting; let¡¯s get on with it.¡± He waited for Olivia to follow, who was just as eager to get out of the suddenly too-cramped carriage. She let him help her down, not that she needed it.


    Still, they got out one by one, cutting the conversation short.


    Erec offered an arm to Enide, who took it. They pulled behind the rest of the group, letting Garin and Olivia lead the way into the social Warfield, hand-in-hand¡ªbehind them was Alexandra, pulling along Colin, who seemed determined with every step to drag his heels, if nothing else than not to show the woman he might marry that he did not embrace this event, nor her teasing.


    Though Erec began to suspect, based on Colin¡¯s stubbornness to hang on to their betrothal, something about this appealed to him.


    Gwen and Bedwyr even passed by Erec and Enide as they slowed, firm, but both seemed intimidated by the sight of the Duchess¡¯ home in front of them. It was shocking to Erec that even Bedwyr looked intimidated at the sight of the grand manor. A crack in the facade of what he saw his brother as growing up. But, understandable. All of them, including Erec, grew up so low on the nobility scale that something like this was always out of grasp. Gwen hadn¡¯t even been andless noble.


    Now, Erec was more adjusted; he could¡¯ve sworn he felt more at ease with the situation than his brother looked to him. Though, those tells were only perceptible since they grew up together.


    Slowly, Enide and Erec fell to the back of their group. She was pressed at his side, her eyes never leaving the sight ahead. It was one of the few times he saw her wear a forced expression, a brave face to deal with a situation that scared her. She wore the same sort of mask when seeing the Vortex Industries facility.


    Erec leaned in and whispered in her ear.


    ¡°Shall we burn up the courts together?¡±


    She snorted.


    ¡°Dramatic. But if you wanna y that game, sure. How about this hero: you pick the biggest, meanest son of a bitch there and start slugging. Then, when you get him nice and distracted, I¡¯ll hit him in the back of the head from behind. If we go full scorched Earth on this thing, best to go in with the right game n.¡±


    ¡°Pick the guy, give me the cue, then I¡¯ll start it off,¡± Erec promised, and a smile slid on her face, recing the worry.


    He wasn¡¯t like Garin or Robin. Even if he worked on court skills, his way of dealing with these events and his life would never be the same. But no matter what happened, he would do his best to keep her feeling secure at his side if he had to drag her to this part of his life. She gave him Strength, so it was only natural that he should give her Strength, too.

 Chapter 192: Dressed To Gala

    Chapter 192: Dressed To G


    <em>One day the Giant came back. He had been to visit his friend the Cornish ogre, and had stayed with him for seven years. After the seven years were over he had said all that he had to say, for his conversation was limited, and he determined to return to his own castle. When he arrived he saw the children ying in the garden.</em>


    <em>What are you doing here? he cried in a very gruff voice, and the children ran away.</em>


    <em>My own garden is my own garden, said the Giant; any one can understand that, and I will allow nobody to y in it but myself. So he built a high wall all round it, and put up a notice-board.</em>


    <em>TRESPASSERS</em>


    <em>WILL BE</em>


    <em>PROSECUTED</em>


    <em>He was a very selfish Giant.</em>


    <em>- Oscar Wilde, The Selfish Giant (1888, 2nd Era)</em>


    Nobody threw an event like a Duchy. No matter all the courts and political events Erec attended growing up, nothing came close. While the Crown might hold more elegant affairs, the flexibility of their station truly allowed a Duchy to do whatever they wanted to. Dancing, drinks, and live music were a givenbut the quirks were where the Duchies differentiated themselves. And House Luculentus did not choose to hold back in the least for tonight.


    Erec followed the n; hed gotten Enide a drink and one of his own. But the second step, mingling, came to a grating halt as their entire group took in the scale and choice of events. They huddled together and meandered, taking in and understanding what was going on.


    Past the main decor, House Luculentus decided to host various gamesone of the primary ones was card games with decks from Vega. As could be imagined, the novelty of a game from a different society swept through the nobility like a storm. The Pendragons mustve hauled supplies back in theirtest mission. How Luculentus found out about these games, namely poker, and ckjack, were the stars of the show, but Erec thought he saw what was called a roulette wheel; Erec hadnt a clue.


    Yet their appearance and the thrill of gambling brought a positively electric atmosphere to the evening. Despite all that, though, Erec and Enide still caught some looks from the attending nobility. As predicted, a Count like himing in with an outsider had no choice but to grab attention. It was inevitable like the sun cresting the horizon line in the evening.


    But it didnt stop at gambling and card gamesneon lights were in select rooms. Outside on thewn, however, was the biggest show-stopper of the evening.


    Theyd set up small ser fields.


    Yet, as far as Erec was aware, Enide was the only Pendragon there, and they didnt have a single soul from Vega. So, all of the hosting staff, dealers, and referees mustve spent nights being drilled on the rules over thest couple of weeks.


    The why, Erec couldnt piece it together. To show their house as fashionable, making a tone, or was it a deliberate impression?


    He mused over it as Enide, Garin, and Olivia stood on a balcony, watching a group of nobles y on one of the fields.


    Whoa, Enide said, shaking her head. That guy sucks.


    Erec watched the guy in question as he missed the ball with too ambitious of a kick and thennded on his ass from the failed effort. Another stole the ball, kicked it forward, and sent the thing sailing out of bounds.


    The group of about ten nobles watching outside the field politely pped at the failure.


    Not that Erec was particrly good at what Corey had dubbed the champions game, but he and his friends <em>were </em>Knights. That demanded a lot of athleticism and coordination, and even in their first year, Virtues surpassed the general poption.


    Yeah They really kind of do, Erec grimaced.


    Why are they bothering to do this anyway? Enide asked.


    House Luculentus is making an impression, Garin said from their side, smiling as he watched one of the nobles run after the ball.


    Or they like nicking things from other ces and calling their own, Enide replied.


    It was a deliberate choice for exposure, Olivia tried to keep her voice polite, but even Erec could tell it was strained. Erec knew she was still connected to this ce, but getting snippy with someone she was trying to bring peace with wouldnt go far with that mission.


    Slowly, Enide nodded and then managed to tear her eyes from the field to look at Garin and Olivia. Alright, Ill bite; why?


    Olivia answered this one, House Luculentus has always had one directive: to serve the crown. Hosting this event has a dual purpose, one of which will be apparentter in the night, but the primary purpose is deliberate. Adjustment. epting that other people exist outside of the walls is a massive change for the people of this Kingdom. Naturally, the first thing people must think of when they find out is what is what must their life be like? given our history and civility, the natural assumption for the nobility is that those outside the walls must be loners and scavengers. People born in a harsh society and thriving by the skin of their teeth.


    They met us, didnt they? Enide replied.


    Im sorry to say, but I dont think the Pendragons fall too far out of that image. Erec cut in, saving Olivia from identally saying the wrong thing. Though that part about your Pack is the most appealing to me, Im also not exactly the standard these people see as civil, especially the nobility.


    Erec is exactly right. While the Pendragons are stalwart allies to the Crown, your Pack, and its ties arent the sort of novelty that would capture the interests of the Kingdoms high society. Worse, it might offend some of the more delicate among them. Vega, however, presents just that. Think of it as a preemptive move to drum up excitement and eptance for people otherwise unknown to us. Olivia said.


    Enide snorted. Not sure to be insulted orplimented that these people find the fake shy front Vega puts on as more ptable. Anyway, that makes enough sense to me to carry on for the night. Who wants to y some ckjack? If theyre gonna throw out a fine game like that, maybe I should show them how to y it right.


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    Erec rubbed at his eyes as he imagined how that might go. Not that house Luculuentus would have servants capable of gging whatever shed been doing to anger the Casino. Still, hering into a sudden windfall at this ce would draw the wrong sort of attention.


    Maybeter, theres still some things to aplish Garin promised, giving her a quick grin before turning toward the rest of their group, located a bit away and divided. Gwen and Bedywr had holed up on their own in a small conversation with one another, as had Colin and Alexandra. Speaking of which how about we get this started


    It was really fascinating as Erec took in the four of them. While he dreaded these things Well, he didnt nearly have the amount of nerves on his face that Gwen wore. Her head constantly jerked about as she scanned around for eyes to see if anyone was taking her in. It made a sense that she was from amoner family, and part of bing a Knight meant asional attendance to noble affairs, as went with her new title. But events hosted by the Duchy They were a different beast entirely.


    Flooding around them was the highest of society or the most connected members. They were dressed up in everything they could muster to put on a show for one another.


    There was fun; this event, in particr, had no stops pulled for entertainment, but this was also a ce to form connections, propose ns, make alliances, and show allegiances. A year ago, Erec would have been right in Gwens shoes. But now, he was more concerned about the girl on <em>his</em> elbow, who had no idea what sorts of traps were hidden in these things. At least Gwen had some idea, <em>and</em> she had Bedwyr. Erecs brother looked stiff, more straight-backed, and alert than ever. Though he didnt show the nerves, if they were on a battlefield, that posture wouldnt look too out of ce.


    For a brief second, Erec saw through the Armor brother wore to the world. In a way, he was trying to protect Gwen from the courts in the same way Erec was, but beneath that, Bedwyr was the slightest bit afraid.


    <em>Am I not?</em> Erec dug deep, annoyed. Sure, he felt worried about ensuring Enide made it through the event without starting a fistfight. But scared? No. Nowhere inside was that cold twist of fear and anxiety that generally came along with these kinds of things. He didnt care if he said the wrong thing and offended someonehe only worried that it might impact the people around him.


    But those two were one thing.


    Colin and Alexandra They were entirely different. Neither was necessarily ufortable here. It was almost the opposite. Despite being the invited guests on this asion, they seemed a little <em>two</em> at home. He wasnt sure why, but theyd camped near a small table filled with appetizers. Little rolls of cheese, processed meats, and bits of sour-dough bread. Which neither of them touched. Nobody touched it. <em>Colin</em> was making sure not a single soulid a finger on themany noble who dared to approach received a scowl and a re with such severity that they retreated almost immediately after trying, thinking better of the attempt.


    Meanwhile, Alexandra was talking his ear off, her loudughter and <em>almost scandalous</em> jokes inappropriate for an event of this caliber.


    If Erec didnt know Colin better, it almost felt like the two of them conspired to make a deliberate insult at the hospitality of House Luculutenus by putting up such a disrespectful front together.


    Theyre going to be a problem, arent they? Erec asked Garin as his friend led them away from the overhang, looking out at the ser fields and back towards the two whod chosen to dominate a table full of food.


    Oh, definitely, Garin said, Theyre trying to anger House Luculentus.


    Erec blinked. <em>It was deliberate.</em>


    It is rude, and I expect both of them to receive aint from their Houses after tonight for the behavior, but it is well within expectation for the event, Olivia remarked.


    IIf you knew they would cause trouble, why did you make me drag Colin to this thing? Erec asked.


    Because thats his job for tonight, to stir up a bit of dramatics. For one, it softens the blow of Enide being epted into the court as the date of a count; for another, it gives people something inane to whisper about But the most important thing is that it bonds the two of them, Garin cut the exnation short as they finally got back within hearing distance of Bedwyr and Gwencollecting them on the way to join Colin at the table.


    It wasnt long before they reached the guarded table.


    Colin spoke first, Atst, youve returned from outside. Eat. Ive taken great care to ensure youve plenty of options for food at this goddess-forsaken event. Can you believe theyre gambling? In a noble household? How far theyve fallen from Her grace. And he gestured to the table.


    It is stunning, isnt it, huh, Colly-Wolly


    Whoa. Stop. Youre calling him Colly-Wolly? Enide put up her hands, eyes wide, before bursting into a gut-deepugh.


    Erec mouthed the words in the same level of shock. His friends face grew bright red as everyone stared, including Bedwyr and Gwen, their senior Knights.


    Eat your food and put these foolish ideas to rest, Colin red at them darkly. The best of the offered goods disappears within the first two hours, and its better to eat preserved meats and cheeses while still cooled.


    Are you just letting her call you that? Even Garin seemed off his stride at this development, looking at Alexandra, who wore the widest grin.


    I think he likes the teasing; you have a bit of that in you, dont you?


    Cease, wench. I will not allow you to utter such words in public.


    But youll ask me to when were alone tonight, maybe when I drag you out into the gardens for some quality time. Wont you, my dear Colly


    Please, please, stop, Enide begged, wiping at the sides of her eyes and leaning heavily on Erec. I could never have imagined. This is too much. Im not sure if its disgusting or hrious; I dont know how to feel.


    Theres a lot you dont know about him, Alexandra continued. Waving her hands toward all of them.


    Do continue, Garin said.


    For one, he talks about you all <em>constantly </em>when I manage to get him alone<em>.</em> Once he drops the tough guy act, hes adorable. You know, I dont think Ive ever known another boy who cares quite as much as him. However, he hates it when you call him on it. Between you all and me, I think it might be because of his <em>sooooo</em> obvious daddy issues.


    I-I couldnt care less about this lot. They are all beneath me. Aside from perhaps Erec, because <em>he</em> appears to be going ces Colin protested.


    Alexandra grinned and leaned towards him, already cutting through those excuses.


    Numbly, Erec watched the two of them continue like that, deciding to cash in on the food that Colin had been protecting. Needed or not, seeing her chase and tease him around like a cat might y with a mouse was a wee distraction to the nights start. It added a bit of levity to the asion that lightened the mood.


    Eventually, Garin cut them off since it seemed Alexandra had no limit to where she was willing to delve into teasing Colin in front of his friends. While Colin protested, he did not put up the fight he posed to anyone else, which naturally let her steamroll him over and dig deeper into teasing him. It was also interesting how much Colin seemed to go out of his way to try to avoid her; she appeared to have a deep knowledge about him that left them all suspecting <em>something</em> was going on under the surface.


    As the brief time together rallying and preparing for the night around a table and food drew to a close, Erec knew what the next part was.


    With a look, Garin set his n in motion. Well, we got a little distracted by all the lights, potential fun, and games, but its time to get on track again. Shall we mingle?

 Chapter 193: Four Houses Divided

    Chapter 193: Four Houses Divided


    Erec roamed the halls; his armor was a charcoal grey suit. His weapons? Nothing but words and the fists at his side were things to shake out incorrectly. But he didnt do so alone. At the very least, this wasnt a battlefield that he had to wade into with nothing but his axethough, right now, he wished he could have the weapon on his back dearly. Lately, itd grown more familiar, morefortable. A wee friend in any circumstance, and to be without it left a pang in his heart.


    He reeked, Enide said as she pinched her nose while they walked away from theirtest conversation. It was with a bald man with deeply tanned skin whod opted to put on far too much cologne.


    She was correct; hed smelled like distilled oranges fermented and half-rotted. Worse than the odor of choice, hed applied to his body in what had to have been paste to achieve the effect. Hed been a fellow countbut not someone Erec could imagine as one of the friends Dame Robin had cultivated in the farnds.


    So far, these people seemed like something other than the sort Erec wanted to develop that connection with. They were all so self-interested. None of the ones whod spoken to him so far had joined the Military or Knighthood, so finding a thread to rte was already hard.


    At some point, hed changed. Being a Knight and ying monsters had a way of transforming ones perspective on things.


    While every Knight was made a noble, even if they joined from the ranks ofmonersthe firstborns of many houses were not expected to join the Knighthood or military. Second sons, thirds, or daughters who showed promise and would give their house renown through their service were more likely to join the ranks of Knights or join the military. With those, at least, he imagined itd be easier to get a hold of the conversations. So he held out, hoping hed meet someone tonight.


    Yet so far, none of those approached Erec. It was a monopoly of the heads of houses who had to be the first to make their acquaintance at the event. Some of whom he was sure hed met before were already trying to gain his favor. Until now, though, Erec had let them flood by in a wave of faces, drowned among the flood of people that came with these sorts of things. But tonight, he worked on changing that, trying to take his first shaky step into the deeper levels of the courts, much like a child took theirs on those two wobbly legs at the start of their lives.


    He did reek. Count Hastrifus is fond of his cologne. Oddly, I found it familiar. Growing up, I always knew other boys in the Barons court who swore it made them more appealing. Though, even then, I didnt quite believe them, Erec said, slowly still drinking his first cup of wineEnide was on her third, and he didnt me her. He''d have eagerly joined if he had not been trying so desperately to keep his wits straight.


    She shook her head. Howd you even remember the name? I couldnt keep track of anything since he kept talking about his <em>eligible daughter</em> to you. I almost punched him out then and there. If you hadnt grabbed my arm, I think I probably would have.


    He was certainly eager to try that tactic; Id have thought you would dissuade them from trying; ever since the Stag, theres always been that sort. But theyre foolish, and it would do us no good to dip into violence yet. But, if you still have a bone to pickter, maybe we can track him down and get revengeter. Erec remarked. It <em>had</em> annoyed him as well. Barely not enough to spark into Fury, with each interaction like the one with Count Hastifus, that line was getting a little easier to think about crossing.


    Two so far, Enide counted on her fingers. I thought they might just marry you off. The one before Mr. Oranges even mentioned being fine with me as a Concubine? Is that what they said?


    Too brazen, Im sorry. Erec rolled his shoulders, his eyes scanning the nearby groups. He and Enide were sectioned off in the hall outside of the ballroom, and the soft guitar strumming and the lively lyrics of a singer were filtering out from the interior. It was a rxed melody that matched the asion. Too early in the night for anything with a bit more energy to it. No, usually, those came when people were a bit deep in their cups, if at all. Given the show the Duchy had put in so far, Erec almost counted on it.


    Despite having his eyes peeled, there wasnt anyone Erec could think to make a friend in the same way he had Basil, the farmermaybe it was just these people were too unrtable, but their friendships had the sort of strings attached that Erec wasnt sure were worth the cost.


    Whatever, hed try his best. The constant thrum of conversation and feeling out people was valuable practice. If only the level of concentration it took him to pay attention to them and their motives didnt carry such a steep personal cost.


    Less than an hour after splitting from their main group, Erec had a pounding headache, and his eyelids felt like lead.


    Enide settled next to him, her hand sping his. She looked concerned. This wears you out, huh?


    Obvious?


    Well, I mean, I saw you around my family; youd get the same way. Just not as quick.


    Theres a bit more effort going in this time, but these people have a way of getting to me. From being unwee as a second son to a disgraced family line to Well, a praised hero Erec trailed off and shrugged his shoulders, closing his eyes for but a brief moment.


    He could remember his time before this; the Garins father, the baron, still had them show at his functions, and the asional noble family invited them due to their close ties to Garins family. But hed been alone. A child without his mother, a father who always seemed haggard and working to please his bossat those courts, all hed had was Bedwyr. Who took the attention from him and shifted it on himself, letting his younger brother hide in the shadows.


    Now, there was no escaping the light.


    Enide squeezed his hand and mentally worked himself up to get back to the task at hand: making friends. He needed friends, which was a good time to start making them. His friends may not be Knights, but nheless, those rtionships could go far.


    For a second, he delighted in the calm and dreaded the future.


    Count Audax! A woman called, her familiar, though it had been <em>quite</em> some time since hest encountered her.


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


    Erecs eyes snapped open, and he saw Lyotte Luculentus walking directly to him and Enideher eyes bright. She wore a shimmering gown cut in a style closer to Vega than anything in a high court. A detail, no doubt, nned by her family for that exact reason. Enide cocked her head as she regarded the woman, no doubt seeing the recognition in Erecs eyes.


    The two had gone through the trial together, and she and Colin had been thrown into their groupat the time, he thought it was a move to make both her and Coline out looking better. Of course, after joining the Azure Tower and the events following the expedition, Erec hadnt seen much of the girl. Though the odd interactions when he first became a Knight came to memory now, hed never pieced together her game, and by association her Houses game, it made him distrust the entire Luculentus Household.


    Lyotte, Erec nodded, Your family has hosted quite the event.


    <em>Her</em> family? So shes part of this ce. Enide asked, looking Lyotte over once more.


    She is part of the Duchy, yes. Second daughter, I believe. But more important than that, Lyotte is an Initiate in the Order of the Azure Tower, Erec smoothly introduced her, including her rank. There had to be other Knights herehigher than an Initiate, too, but they hadnt approached him. Let alone someone from the household.


    There are four of those Orders, arent there? And the Tower ones are the group who run the wall? Enide asked.


    Lyotte gave her a warm smilegenuine, too. The type that said she was thrilled the Pendragon was at her familys gathering, unlike any other nobles.


    Even the one whod tried to toss apliment Enides way hadnt shown any actual warmth to it. That alone Made Erec reconsider his thoughts about this girl. He hadnt even truly understood her end goal. This whole family, too, from Olivia to her, had always felt out of reach. As if they were flitting on the edge of what he could grasp. Butterflies in a bio-cavern garden, flying too high to catch in a.


    Indeed, the Order of the Azure Tower is responsible for maintaining the defense of the wall and aspects of the internal defense of the Kingdom. We deal with matters of keeping stability and peace for the people below. Our first oath is this: I shall use my strength to face the tribtions of this world first before they fall upon any other, I think that gives a good idea of the foundation we are taught to hold ourselves to. Lyotte exined.


    So, your lot is the protectors; his lot is the ones who go outside and do stuff, Enide jerked her head towards Erec, And the other twoYeah, the fact youre all this jumbled together and split up is a bit of a headache. Our family has people who are good at some stuff and bad at others. Seems simpler if you all were just tossed in one big Order, right?


    Its about Bnce. The Silver mes are a faction meant to represent the Goddess interests for the Knighthoods, and the Crimson Lotus is there to raise keen minds specialized inbat and magic to leverage them where the Kingdom needs them. However, with the current Master Lotus, their Order has fallen towards Mysticism to achieve the potent power they seek. The goals of the Orders are rted but distinct, and the actual Knights within could belong to multiple Orders depending on their talentstake your partner Erec in another life; he couldve gone quite far under the doctrine of the Crimson Lotus. But hes shown a lot of promise for the Verdant Oak.


    So the Orders are drawing pointless distinctions? Enide scratched the back of her head, looking at the empty cup in her hands. You all like to make everything soplicated.


    No. They serve a purpose on a higher level, and within them, the Knights are their own persons with their own talents and leverage them best to achieve those goals. But because the Knights are diverse yet ountable to their Order, it is a way to divide power and bnce it so that no one Order is ever too strong, even one supposedly focused on purebat, like the Order of the Crimson Lotus.


    Lyotte went through her exnations with great care, always with that same warm smile as she talked to Enide. The entire time, though, something itched at the back of Erecs mind.


    Four. There were Four Orders and Four Great Duchies.


    How the simrity hadnt hit him before, he didnt knowHouse Nitidus had an obvious connection to the military itself, House Doctus was well known for healing and their ties to the Church, he didnt know much of House Resolvere, other than their associations to a lot of industries within the caverns But House Luculentus To him, they didnt pursue an obvious goal as a House. Following the same logic as the fact that all of the Orders had a distinct aspect of the Kingdom, they were tasked with, and drawing from what he knew about the Noble houses


    Erecs eyes widened.


    What does your House do, Lyotte?


    <em>Theyre trying to make the Kingdom ept the outside. That much is clear from what Garin and Olivia said, but why?</em>


    She gave him a pleasant smile. Whatever do you mean? Were a Duchy; my mother, the Duchess, does a lot, including hosting such pleasant asions for the nobility to gather at the behest of the King. Actually, I think the announcement ising soon, and Ill be needed. Were very pleased that you could make our event, Erec, and that youve brought your wonderful other with you. Were honored to host youand I also wanted to add another thing.


    At this, she stopped. Her confidence seemed to waver, and her eyes took on the edge of sadness. She frowned.


    I heard that you ran into your mother outside of the walls. And that it didnt end well. Im sorry for that. Your family deserves better. But Im d at least that they have you. And your name is now enough to recover from the injustice that was done. The way she said it, like she had before. She knew details of it that Erec suspected <em>werent</em>mon knowledge.


    His mind turned over the pieces, Oliviaher Her family, and this.


    <em>What does her House do?</em>


    Information. They dealt with information. Before thinking about how to collect it himself, he couldnt have seen it or thought of it. But they collected that information, then leveraged it for the Kingdoms sake. He wasnt <em>sure,</em> but his gut pointed in that direction, which meant There was a lot he wanted to know about Lyotte and her family all of a sudden. Many questions circled in his head about what they knew about him, his family, his Kingdom Hed known Colins father was a major yer on the board, but this House


    A magically amplified voice cut through before he could test his theory and start asking questions,


    <strong>Hello all! This is Duchess Lusia Luculentus. It is my pleasure to announce that the Crowned Prince, William, has graced this asion with his presence; he has, to our absolute delight, requested a gathering of the nobility to hear a speech. At the behest of the Crown, he is here to deliver a message that will be of great interest to us all. Please, proceed to the gardensthere will be refreshments and fruits to enjoy while we gather, where we might all be delighted with his announcement.</strong>


    Lyotte gave Erec a soft smile. It seems I must go. Boy, things have surely gone a little faster than expected. But, thats the Crown for youtely. They seem to have be incredibly motivated. She dipped her head and swept off like a spent wave receding from the coast. A sight Erec never would have seen if not for his time on the expeditionst month.


    Enide raised her eyebrow. Weird girl, but she seems nice. She acts like you''re closer than you are, though, dont you think?


    I think shes sympathetic because she knows things others dont, Erec said, chewing over his thoughts that, for now, he couldnt touch. But, maybe. Maybe Lyotte was someone worth stretching a hand out toa potential friend. The kind that would open up far more avenues to make the sort of acquaintances Robin talked about if he did it right. One whose motives he thought he might have just understood better. But that was a potential path for the future. For now, the mingling had a great interruption. Lets go to the garden, shall we?


    Enide nodded, slipping her arm in his again; together, they made their way to an announcement that would rock the Kingdom.

 Chapter 194: Chess

    Chapter 194: Chess


    <em>Though this course of action wasnt my first choice, I have been convinced. It begins. All that remains is to set the board.</em>


    <em>- King Restfos II, Closed Discussion Following The Return Of The Vega Expedition, (307, 3rd Era)</em>


    <strong>Three months from now, the Kingdom of Cindrus will open its wall to outsiders. A cultural exchange the likes of which has never been seen within the Kingdom. This may be shocking, we are aware, but to embrace the change that the future brings in the light of the glows of her Fire, we must be willing to face the future head-on. We are no longer a people who cower under the surface but a people content to live under the sun above; to that effect, and facilitate an atmosphere of growth and to show our might to the world, this event will revolve aroundpetition, games, and the capstone of it all, a grand tourney, </strong>Prince Williams voice rang through the ballroom like the crack of thunderamplified by the same magic the Duchess had used to make the announcement that gathered them all here, to begin with.


    But it was the words. What he said had the effect of a storm crashing into this fine estate, the winds of change tearing through the room and smashing into everyone who heard those words uttered by the crowned prince and, therefore, spoken by the crown.


    This was the first time Erec had seen the crowned prince, the man who would one day rule the Kingdom. Hed met his younger brother, Soren, and even kneeled before their fatherthe King. And William could not be more different from the unassuming ruler sitting on the throne. Already, there were hard lines worn on Williams face. Muscle aplenty. And as he addressed the crowd, he stood in the same way that Erec might when facing down a massive monster. Not a trace of fear, but full of pure resolve.


    <strong>You may have already assumed, but Ill rify it here. While we have a long history of tourneys to allow our Knights and members of the Army topare themselves in the Kingdom, this one shall be of a different kind and not limited to only Knights and Military Personnel. Anyone is wee to joinincluding our guests. My Father has already sent word to Vega through our wastnd contacts, and they have promised to spread the word even further to their allies. The main event, of course, will be organized melee. However, it will be split into several brackets determined by age. Prizes will be announced for each bracket at the start of the tourney. Im sure there are many questions. House Luculentus has been kind enough to host this announcement, and the Crown has bestowed them and their staff with the publicly avable answers. Further information wille out throughout the next couple of months. Housing for the guests will begin construction tomorrowa temporary ground near the wall for camping and other structures to host those that require it and wish to take ce in our cultural exchange.</strong>


    Gossip and rumors filled the Ballroom as the nobles took in the near-unbelievable information provided directly from the princes mouth.


    What were they thinking?


    Damn, Enide said.Yeah, damn is right, Erec scratched the back of his neck and tried to make it make sense. Why would the King take such a bold action? The Church hadnt made its move yet since they let outsiders in. Was this to bait them? Because something like this was like lighting a fire inside of the Kingdom. He couldnt see any way that this went which <em>didnt</em> cause a shift in public perception and cause unrest. Boldwick had known, too. Of course, hed known. Hed hinted as much when Erec went in and asked about his special training.


    <strong>The bravest among you are likely already asking how you maypeteThose within the Military and Knight Orders are allowed entry, contingent on an allowance from their superiors, and at the rank of Commander Knight or Centurion. I would highly encourage said superiors to make an allowance for such a once-in-a-lifetime tourney. As for nobles or citizensthey are not beholden to an organization and therefore are free to sign up as they wish.</strong>


    And that was why Boldwick said Erec would be talking to him soon.


    Because, of course, when presented with something like thishow could Erec not join?


    To think Rochester and the others kept this hidden away? Exins why they were so busy in Vegaand why the Pack split after we left the city, with promises to meet up here again.) Enide said as the Prince continued with his speech.


    After the Princes initial promation, he went over the barest details. The organized melee would be the most significant event, with several brackets based on age.


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    Rising Stars were those between the ages of sixteen and twenty-two and would be the category all of the Initiates fell into, along with some Knight Errants; after that came the Proven Warriors, which ranged from twenty-two to thirty-two. Past that, and the broadest category, was the Veterans tier.


    The fiercestpetition would be in the Veterans bracket. Anyone who still wanted topete at that age likely spent a lot of time developing their Virtues, especially if they were a Knight whod fought against monsters and trained for so long. All of the Grandmasters fell into that category, but whether any of those wouldpete was a question. Then again, any wastnder could join, so maybe the Grandmasters would also show off their power to an audience of those outside the walls.


    They had to show their power to their guests. The King had to have a lot of confidence in his people to open themselves like this. But Erec didnt believe that only their Kingdom held the strongest. Hed seen an Arch Magi in action. If one of them were topete if they were to face off against a grandmaster


    Erec shivered at imagining such a glorious conflict.


    While that may have been the biggest part of the uing cultural event, it wasnt the only one. Smaller games and tournaments would serve as intermissions and entertainment topete and facilitate connections outside the walls. Including a secondary ser tournament that Erec suspected from his knowledge of Vega might just eclipse the excitement of the melee for their guests. Debates, recitals, dancesthose scratches the surface. Considering they nned this tost over two months, there had to be much to do. During those two months, all who swore to abide by the Kingdomsws would be allowed entry into their walls.


    After covering the games, the prince addressed the logistics of weing their guests. He covered responsibility and limitations for how the nobility would be allowed to interact. Namely, they were supposed to act with dignity, befitting the Kingdom, and consider themselves ambassadors and hosts to outsiders.


    Without the Crown''s approval, no outsider would be allowed into the Kingdom properbeneath the surface and into the cavernsfacilitated by a noble family vouching for the guests, with the exception of the Pendragons, who were already an established ally.


    William went on for a while, though he didnt do much to alleviate the crowd''s overall uncertainty and curiosity as they fathomed one fact.


    <em>This is happening.</em>


    In another stroke of their sword, the Crown cut through the steel curtains and let the wastnd into their home. And the reactions around the room ranged from burning curiosity and joy to protest and disbelief.


    Eventually, William gave a nod to the Duchess and left the stage of the Ballroom.


    A momentter, the Duchess smooth, practiced, and curt tone took over with the enhancement of the spell, ringing out of the attending people and spreading like a balm to the itch that was their collective unease. <strong>Im sure were all delighted and filled with questions, brimming with the desire to see such a renownedpetition by our very own Kingdombut that is a matter for the future. As the Prince said, immediate questions can be brought to my house. Further questions can be brought to the doors of the four Duchies, who have agreed to collect and voice further concerns to the King on behalf of the nobilitytomorrow, the announcement will go out to the rest of the Kingdom so you can rest assured, that you, the most important of our fair Kingdom have had an extra day to consider your preparations for this grand event before the public. Very generous of our gracious King, dont you think</strong>?<strong> </strong>She paused at that, digesting that theyd been given an advantage.


    It was a slim advantage, and Erec noted that it also served to redirect concerns in favor of plotting. That was to appease the Nobles who wanted to vie for power or whatever they wanted to find in such a moment of chaos.


    <strong>For now, let us content ourselves with the festivities of the Night. As weve found out, soon we shall see what this wastnd has to offer usVega, namely, one of the most interesting ces outside of our walls. Let yourself sink into the neon nightlife they live in and discover the entertainment of entirely different peoplepeople that soon you will be able to meet! Isnt that fascinating?</strong>


    With this, she let out a warmugh and gestured to someone in the front row. Music began to take over the ballroommusic from Vega. Though hed never heard this particr song, hed heard a few like it there; the nobility splintered apart after that, breaking into their little groups.


    Erec noticed that many people filtered out from the ballroom directly towards the gambling tables. They were indeed ready to embrace Vega culture.


    [Well, that has been quite informative. Not that it alters our ns at allin fact, to quote an early 21st-century author who spent far too long writing books, Chaos is adder. I believe these conditions are just the disruption needed to see our new branch of Vortex Industriese into its own and once more soar into being a titan of scientific progress!]


    Erec tried to tamp down the uncertainty, swiftly followed by a burning emotion of theing chaos and his sureness that a massive fight was approaching. It was a toss of denarii whether or not the Kingdom could even make it to this so-called tournament.


    Enide squeezed his hand and brought his attention away from the future and back to her, to that killer smirk on her face. Im gonna wipe the floor with you during that tournament.


    He blinked, trying to put himself back in ce and stop predicting theing chaos that would radiate outward from the Kingdom.


    No. He finally managed and shook his head. I dont think so.


    Oh yeah? Wanna make a bet?

 End Of Book 1

    End Of Book 1


    Hello all!


    This is the end of what is allowed to have off of Amazon for the first book in this series; it covers chapters 1-92--all edited andplete additionally with an Audiobook narrated by Roger rk, who voiced Arthur Morgan in Red Dead 2, if you fancy audible as much as I do too. It is also subject to the Kindle Unlimited program, so if you have that as well, you''re able to read and enjoy it for free, as a superior version to what had been here before (both with extensive edits from myself, and editors to help make it as clean as possible)


    The rest of this book can be found below:


    This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    <em>Knights Apocalyptica</em>


    <em>The Earth met its end, bathed in holy fire. Rifts spill monsters into our world. Ravaging everything. Destroying civilization as we knew it.</em>


    <em>Now, the Kingdom of Cindrus is thest bastion of humanity. Thest vestiges of a broken people clinging to life deep underground.</em>


    <em>But not all hope is lost. Erec has been blessed by the Goddess. From a line of disgraced nobility, he seeks to reim his familys honor and join the prestigious academy  the institution that trains the next generation of Knights.</em><em>With a power that brings him to an uncontroble Rage, and an old-world AI aiding him, Erec seeks to reconquer the world with the remains of human-kind.</em>


    <em>Knights Apocalyptica is an action packed, apocalypse LitRPG from debut author Zach Skye. Loaded with progression, a detailed system, power armor, a magic academy, and so much more, it''s perfect for fans of The Iron Prince, Bastion, and 12 Miles Below.</em>

 Chapter 195: Duke And Crown

    Chapter 195: Duke And Crown


    Two hourster, Erec found himself seated at a green felt table. He had to admit, even though he was in the Kingdom, it sure felt like hed been teleported back to Vegathe room was lit only by neon lights. Or LEDs made to look like the bright neon lights hed grown ustomed to in that otherworld. That, the table, the cards, and the chatter of people gambling around him made for a surreal experience, considering he <em>knew</em> he was nowhere near that ce now.


    No, he was with his friends in the middle of the Kingdom of Cindrus.


    Garin leaned next to him, his head cupped in his hands. On the other side was Enide, and facing her directly was Olivia, opposing ends of the same table.


    Directly opposite Erec was a maid, maybe around sixteen. She patiently waited for them to ce their bets before she dealt more cards or slipped.


    This wasnt ckjack. It was PokerVega HoldemEnide picked this game and challenged them to a small pot. Not that money was the aim. They were ying for bragging rights and to spend time unwinding after the announcement and even more dreaded mingling.


    Erec had given that his best bet for the night. But it became apparent quickly that most of the nobility had shifted gears after the announcement. They swarmed to their allies to n and werent as open to seeking new friends like him. Sure, the odd one came up and had tried to curry favor, but most, if any, that talked to him was fishing for information. Often, they only had a couple of questions to ask himthe first always was, Sir Erec, will you bepeting in the tournament?


    What could he say but yes?


    He didnt have the same social navigation skills as Garin, but he was aware that with his reputation, he was, in a way, forced topete. But forced was the wrong word. Since he looked <em>forward</em> to it, he couldnt imagine a world where he wouldntpete.


    But it wasnt only his ce in thepetition he was interested in.You joining the tournament? Erec asked Garin. Both of them had been knocked out of the game already. Neither was good at bluffing. A must-have skill for Vega Holdem. Compared to the two girls at the table, they might have been children telling fibs for how easily they saw through the hands. Now, though, those same girls were eying one another the way two generals might re at one another on a battlefield.


    Me? Garin raised an eyebrow.


    Not sure why youre surprised Im asking.


    Because why would I? Of course, Im not going topete. Even in our bracket, in the initiates, there is you, Bedwyr, Lyottenot to mention Prince Soren. Goddess knows what Knight Errants I might have topete against. Even Colin would be a hell of a fight with his advances in Mysticism. Dont know how thatll y out in a tournament, but Im sure hed figure something out. Think about it, Erec. Do I stand a chance? No. Theres no point. Maybe Ill join some of the side games they mentioned, but Im not someone who belongs in the spotlight ofpetition like that.


    There was a careless edge to those words, as if Garin were waving around a knife with abandon; casual surrender in a battle before it started was uneptable. It made Erecs blood boil.


    Poor excuses. They do not befit you.


    Excuses? Theyre facts, man. If something is pointless, why subject yourself to effort and pain? Especially when your time is better spent pursuing what youre good at. Instead of wasting my time joining a tournament I stand no chance of winning, I can spend it connecting with people in the crowd. Talking to those on the sidelines who came to our Kingdom to spectate.


    A pretty excuse. And it was just that. Garin added anotheryer to defend his choices and hide behind the confrontation these battles could bring. Maybe his friend didnt have a strong chance of winning the tournamentbut that wasnt the point. He wasnt weak. Garin had seen plenty of conflict during their expedition and the hunt for the White Stag. And his friend had grown in his own ways.


    What frustrated Erec was this. He shied away when testing his limits to seek greater heights. Garin had Talent and training. Once, Erec might have let this excuse slip. Still, now that hed begun to walk into the world that his friend was mostfortable in, that of other people and the horrendous realm of social obligations, he saw this additional defensive excuse for what it was.


    No, Erec responded dryly, Even if youpeted, youd still have enough time to do that. Youre doing it again, exactly what you did with your Divine Talent. Trying to hide behind what yourefortable with instead of pushing yourself to grow in areas you could fail. But Im not going to let you this time. Youre better than this. Weve been through too much together.


    I dont know what you mean. Garin didnt meet his eyes. Instead, he watched Olivia consider her cards. The girl looked up, then tossed two ck and white striped chips into the pot. To which Enide grinned and threw four chips in. Raising the bet and tossing the challenge back at the maid. From what Erec learned of this game, shortly before losing all of his chips, these betting roundssted until one side called and moved the game forward.


    Garin. Be honest with yourself. If its not failing that youre afraid of, I cant imagine what it is. Weve <em>been</em> beyond the walls. Fought battles that I didnt think wed walk away from. Even now, this Kingdom is teetering on an edge and might fall into an abyss. Who knows if this tournament will even happen? But if it does, then its an opportunity. A chance to train and grow stronger. That kind of change is the type that might make all the difference the next time our lives are at stake.


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    Connections are important; its not that Im afraid to fail. Im just best utilizing my skills. Garin insisted.


    I didnt say they werent. If anything, Ive been learning more daily how important they are and that the information they bring is another tool to use. But they arent the <em>only</em> tool. It would be best if you had more than that. When things are catching fire around you, the streets burn, and monsters flood outward from every buildingyour friends and allies can only do so much. To protect them and to protect yourself. You need strength. So let me ask you, if you arent afraid of failure, then what are you afraid of here? Erec said.


    Garin shot him a sour look. Turning his attention fully from the poker game, which had only heated up further. Four cards were shown on the table. Yet Enide and Olivia were still going back and forth with their bets. Doubling one another with slight pauses between both, eavesdrop on Garin and Erec to feel out if their opponent was bluffing.


    Im not afraid. Garin once more stubbornly insisted.


    Maybe the night had worn Erec out. All of that damn socializing. But his patience was as thin as a sheet of paperbut this problem had existed almost the entire time Erec knew Garin. The Academy only really highlighted it for him. And the most perplexing part about it was that he knew he could rely on Garin in the field. His friend would always fight by his side. Garin was never <em>afraid</em> of the monsters and shedding blood. But when it came to things like this, he choked up.


    Erec needed him to be stronger and wanted to support him in growing and bing that.


    Deep in the dark insides of the Vortex Industries, facing off against MOLLY, Erec came face to face with the fact that while Fury gave him power, that power wasnt one that protected. Even if he could fight the monsters and tear them to shreds, it didnt let him look after the people around him.


    The best way to protect those people was to help them grow stronger so that they might protect themselves. Things would get dangerous in the Kingdom, and they needed to be prepared. If only Garin would eptwould join the tournamentthen maybe hed train for it. Whether or not the Kings n came to fruition and they actually fought, that training might make all the difference when the trouble that lurked under the surface exploded outward.


    Erec kept staring at his friend, his jaw locked.


    Garin finally broke. Alright, damn, Maybe I am afraid.


    Olivia frowned and moved to join their conversation, but she was quickly shushed by Enide, who shook her head and pointed at the pot in the middle. Focus on me, then you can cheer your guy up after this. While I walk away and celebrate with mine, she shot the other girl a wink, but Enide had sessfully diverted Olivia back to their game. She knew this was a critical moment, that Garin had to face this on his own.


    <em>Thanks.</em> Erec tried to say to Enide with a quick nod, then returned to address Garin. The two girls went right back at it, going through thest couple of bets they could make before they were all in.


    The way I see it is that theres not much to lose. Erec said, And that youre far stronger than you give yourself credit for, I think youd benefit far more by focusing on training for the battlefield on asion, then assigning yourself to the background like youre trying to do now. Weve been outside the walls together long enough to know that sometimes youll run across a situation where you need your own Strength to let you survive through it.


    He tried to keep his tone neutral but could already feel the heat rising. In the back of his head, that information, the knowledge that the priests belonged to some other entity than the Goddessthat at any moment, the Kingdom was prone to exploding if that secret got out It was like a ticking clock on an explosive down below to clear out rubble.


    Ill consider that, Garin promised, and Erec heard in his voice that he meant it. Oh Theyre about to flip.


    Erec wanted to say more, but sure enough, as his gaze slid away from his friend trying to worm out of the conversation back to the two girls at the table


    All the chips they were ying with were in the potthis would be thest hand. It was past timethe night was starting to draw towards a close, and after all of the day''s events, Erec felt ready to get back to their dorm and finally shut his weary eyes.


    Flip, Enide said, tugging at the corner of her card, eager to flip it. There were no more bets to ce. All that was left for the two girls whod been ying a game of bluffs to show their cards and put it all on the table. In the middle were two queens, a king, a jack, and a seven. When they first started ying the game Vega Holdem, Enide went over the hands you could build. If he understood right, based on the two cards in the middle showing, they had at least a pair.


    But the two cards in their hands would change everything.


    You first, Olivia said, giving a polite smile.


    Enide shrugged and flipped her cards with the barest bit of a show. Two kings. Full house.


    The smile on Enides face couldve killed a womanspecifically, Olivia. Though the two had been making amends, Erec could tell that Olivia, standing on equal footing to her in gambling, a domain in which Enide thought she had the edge, had gotten under his girlfriends skin.


    Damn good full house too. Bet you didnt think Id have pocket kings. Go ahead. Flip your three-of-a-kind with that queen you got. Or maybe you have a full house toocant be higher than mine.


    Appearances can be deceptive, Olivia said, then also flipped.


    Two queens.


    She had a four-of-a-kind.


    Is that better? Garin asked, squinting.


    Enide released a soft curse as Oliva pulled in the rest of the chipswhich tranted to all the money.


    Seeing his distraught girlfriend, Erec threw an arm over Enids shoulder and gave her a squeeze. This wasnt going to be an easy thing for her to forget. The Pendragons had a distilled sense of pride that only paled whenpared to the nobles of the Kingdom. And losing to Olivia Even if things were improving, the tension was under the surface. Enide didnt like to lose. Not somewhere she saw as her domain.


    Good game, guys; we should get going, though. Starting to gette. People are getting really drunk now; theres not much left for us here. Erec began to say until he was interrupted by a loud and horribly familiar voice.


    I dont care whose son you are; apologize to my betrothed this instant! Colin shrieked.


    Hardly a secondter, a voice Erec hadnt heard in a while carried over. It was lower than Colins, another horribly familiar voice. A voice Erec hadnt heard in quite some time. I told her to leave me be; I did not insult her further than what it took to reinforce that message.


    It was Soren.


    One of the fucking princes with a Kingdom, and Colin was picking a fight with him.

 Chapter 196: A Prince Who Slays Monsters

    Chapter 196: A Prince Who ys Monsters


    <em>The Prince looked into her face, and said gently </em>


    <em>Thy son is well, and hath not lost his wits, good dame. Comfort thee: let me to the pce where he is, and straightway will the King my father restore him to thee. </em>


    <em>The King thy father! Oh, my child! unsay these words that be freighted with death for thee, and ruin for all that be near to thee. Shake of this gruesome dream. Call back thy poor wandering memory. Look upon me. Am not I thy mother that bore thee, and loveth thee? </em>


    <em>The Prince shook his head and reluctantly said </em>


    <em>God knoweth I am loth to grieve thy heart; but truly have I never looked upon thy face before. </em>


    <em>- Mark Twain, The Prince qnd The Pauper, (1881, 2nd Era)</em>


    There were two things that brought Erec to a jog the moment he heard Colin yelling.


    The first was the the anger. It screamed fight. His instincts, honed through their adventures together, were to go and reinforce his friend in battle. No matter who the enemy was, by now, Erecs body moved on its own ord to get involved.


    The second, more logical reasoning, as his brain caught up with his legs, was a realization. Out of everyone in their group, Colin was the person with the least social aptitude. Which said a lot, considering he counted himself among them. Therefore, Colin had the absolute greatest room to cause an idental massive scandal. His rank was his friends only saving grace, which allowed him to get away with such social gaffes. But this wasnt against some random count or viscount.Nope, hed picked a fight with a prince.


    Erec ran out of the gambling room, aware his friends were following right behind.


    With a burst of speed and careful maneuvering to avoid nobles grouped up in his way, Erec tumbled out of the gambling room on the second floor and into the upper level of Luculentus Manors grand hall. It was a spacious interior, filled with people even as the event was nearing the end of the festivities. Arge carpeted staircase led from the entryway to the second floorErec hit the ornate wooden railing of the second floor and got a perfect view of what was happening below, right near the main staircase.


    The gathering crowd of nobles forming a circle around the conflict made it impossible to miss.


    Colin stood, fists balled with Alexandra at his side, ring at Prince Soren.


    Warranted or not, I shall not suffer from hearing another man levy an insult her way. You do not have the station nor the authority to call her an irritating trollop from an inferior family. Colin almost growled, his voice radiatingeither some magic was at y, or Erecs perception was in overdrive.


    Authority, or station? Might I remind you, Duke Nitidus''s son, what is the difference between a prince and a duchy-spawn? Soren asked. If I do not have that level of authority, then whom does? All families are inferior to the royal family. A concept Id have thought you of all people familiar with, given your history in the court.


    I am nothing if not a shining example of the duchyand she is irritating, sure. Ill concede that point. But<em></em>Ill only ept someone calling her that<em> if it were, I, </em>as the one who said such a thing. Not you. And even less so for this. She was simply asking you for details about the uing event. You know, the one the crown dered imminent and hit us all like a blow to the gut. That event? The event that we, the regal and refined nobility of the duchy, deserve more information about since well be ying go-between for the Crown and those beneath us. She deserved an answer to those questions. Yet, that is not the most grievous of your insult. Trollop. Alexandra has no such history.


    Soren stared at him, his expression nk as those dead eyes of his considered Colin. Theck of a response, if anything, only made Colin angrier. His face reddened, his fists going white.


    Though, if Colin was looking to start a fight Erec didnt exactly get why he was resorting to fists instead of tossing out an unexpected spellbut the pause the prince gave was something Erec couldnt afford to let slip away. Erec capitalized on the break, cutting through the crowd near the railing to make his way to the staircase and downward, taking two steps at a time. Shoving past the gawking and rumor-mongering nobility that cluttered the stairway as they stared.


    Of course, the peace couldntst long enough for him to reach his friend.


    You are aware of her personal history, correct? House Doctus doesnt hold to traditional values and <em>has</em> had two previous broken engagements. I admit that perhaps I used the word to get her to back away for a moment and earn myself a moment to breathe without sufficient justification. But it was a leveled response, given she wouldnt break her campaign of harassment for information. My brother did make you all aware that not all of the information of the uing event is meant to be avable to the public


    Ive had enough of your words; your ego has grown far toorge! You are no better than us, and it is time to bring a stark reminder of that fact, tyrant! Colin spat and then rushed the prince.


    Just like that, in a public gathering with a vast crowd of witnesses, the heir to House Nitidus threw a fist at a prince; a storm went through Erecs heart as he gasped along with the rest of the crowd, nearly slipping and falling down the rest of the staircase he was running down to try to prevent this very thing from happening.


    Colins curled fist mmed right into Sorenuntil it didnt. In an instant, Soren was next to Colin, his fist whipped out and hammering into Colins side, sending him flying with more force than Erec hadst seen the boy capable ofan activation of his Divine Talent, one which Erec had his own previous trouble handling. Colin stumbled back with a curse as the wind was knocked from his lungs, his head whipping around to look at the prince.


    A waste of energy. As you are now, your loss is inevitable. Repent and ask forgiveness, and Ill grant it for daring to rise against your betters, Soren said.


    Go fuck yourself with that crown on your head, dipshit; no one hits my Colly! Alexandra shouted as she crashed into Soren from behind, tackling the prince and bringing him to the ground.


    Only, as she hit the ground, Soren wasnt there. He was next to where hed been,shing out with a foot and smashing it into the heir to the duchy of Doctus side, sending the girl rolling away with a pained grunt as she took the blow full force.


    And, just like that, somehow, the situation went from bad to worse. Now, <em>two heirs</em> to the four duchies of the Kingdom had risen against the crown in a public disy.


    Soren looked between them as they collected themselves, his face still nk.


    Onest chance. Renounce your intent toe to blows, and I shall forgive you with my royal authority. Continue, and consequences will be greater than those already inevitable from this shameful disy.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I demand a verbal apology to my betrothed, Colin growled.


    Im not taking an apology; some insults must be repaid with bruises, Alexandra rebutted.


    Lets calm down, Enide said, twisting into the air between the prince and the two other nobles who were about to devolve this into an even greater conflictshe spun around, her eyes wide as shed realized that her action had thrown her front and center on a grand stage of nobilitywhispers asking who she was, harsh insults that an outsider dared to enter into the conflict of the highest of the nobility, and peoplemending someone interrupting the fight ran through the crowd. Enide coughed, catching herself, and looked at the two whod already taken blows. Way I see it, this isnt the ce for fighting. And that guy just gave you a chance to hash this out in a way that isnt going get you all screwed up with your families.


    Im going to strike him as I see fit for such a bold and arrogant act. His station does not allow him to insult his lessors due to the mere fact he was born a prince! Colin shouted.


    Enide turned at him and gawked. Are <em>you</em>, of all people, really dying on that hill?


    Of course I am! This is a disgrace to the name of the royal family


    Erec finally reached the ground floor, ran up to Colin, and mmed a hand over his friends mouth, stopping him from devolving into insults and pushing this further. But he only had two handsand as strong as he was, and sure he was that hed stopped Colin in his tracks or ensured that his friend would have to fight him first before targeting the prince, he was only one man.


    Alexandra Doctus wasnt about to let the fight drop.


    She rushed towards the Prince, who swayed slightly. Her form duplicated, and there were two versions of her sprinting forward as she activated her talent. The speed of both was tremendous, although, to Erecs eyes now, slower than he remembered. Then again, thest time hed seen this quantum-entanglement-esque ability in action had been right before the expedition to Vega. Even then, hed wondered how itd fare against Soren, whose ability wasnt all that dissimr.


    But he didnt get to see that fight. Alexandra didnt make it to Soren.


    Enide appeared. Her leg snapped out, and she tripped one of the two versions of Alexandra running towards the prince. The blurred form fell on its face, skidding forward, then vanished, snapping into the other, still-running copy.


    Then, in a twist of space, Enide was once more there and threw a kick right at Alexandras midsection, rebounding the girl and sending her spilling back onto the ground on her ass.


    Colin struggled in Erecs grip, trying to break free to help his betrothed. In response, Erec tightened his hold, letting out a deep breath as he tried to stamp down the spark of Fury in him. Colin didnt have anywhere near enough physical power to bring out that tool, and this situation would only ignite if he were to add more fuel to these mes.


    Enide looked down at Alexandra.


    Now, Im not on this guys sideif what he said was what he said, then fuckem. Enides words drew angry shouts from the crowd of nobles But we need to take a step back. And calm down. This isnt your battlefield to fight on. Not yet.


    Alexandra didnt respond to Enide; her eyes scanned the space around the girl, clearly looking for a way to break through and resume her assault on the prince. Erec didnt know her well but knew that if she failed to find a way past Enide, shed try to go through Enide. Better to end this now that theyd taken control of this back into their hands.


    Prince Soren, Erec called, flexing as he kept Colin from breaking free to shoot a bolt of electricity at the ruling ss.


    Sir Erec. Soren acknowledged.


    Did you insult her? he had to ask, even knowing the answer.


    I did confirm that usation.


    Why?


    At this, the prince was silent, only tilted his head.


    If you wont exin why, then would you offer an apology? With such a move, I am sure these two will be willing to profess their own. We can walk away from this, not happy, but better off.


    I will do no such thing.


    Erec felt another spark of fire run through him. And at this, he couldnt help it. His grip tightened on Colin, and he felt the ember catch, a bit of him burn away with annoyance. Soren wasnt like this, as far as hed known the prince. They werent particrly close, but hed trained with the boy. Like it or not, Soren was the type of person who did nothing without deliberate intention. So his intention here was to piss off Colin and Alexandra.


    This, in turn, pissed Erec off. What was he thinking? The Kingdom could ill stand such a public disy right after the heels of the announcement tonight. This would only sew further division at a time when they needed all the resources they could to deal with the mounting threat that would be the Church.


    If you will not apologize, then I can scarcely request my friends apologize for their actions.


    If that is how you wish this to go, Sir Erec. Then so be it.


    <em>Youre trying to get under my skin too?</em>


    Though I have heard stories of you, Erec. Of your opportunisms on the field and during the expedition. Though we are equal in rank as Knights, and I am your better in rank and previously won against you, I must admit, Im curious. Do I still win in a direct conflict with one such as you? A man who has embraced the monster to defeat monsters? I should think so, yet it is within my nature to wonder.


    Are you trying to fight me? Erec said, fire fanning stronger. Enide shot him a raised eyebrow, splitting her focus from Alexandra. She was undoubtedly wondering if they were about to turn on the crown and join their allies in their battle. A rebellion spawned in the depths of the Kingdom and was more than likely to end up with them all thrown in a dungeon to rot if allowed.


    Yes. But not here. Your partner thereEnide, I believe her name was, from the reportshas made an interesting proposition and pointed out things appropriately. If we are to do such a battle to satisfy my curiosity, it should be done on the proper field. For now, I wont retract my intent to punish House Doctus and House Nitidus. Considering their heirs refusal to submit to the crown and utter their apologies, it would be foolish to. However, Ill suspend my judgment pending the tournament results. While I doubt theyll be able to aplish this goal, I want to encourage growth. If either is able to best me in the tournament, then they shall both be forgiven. If they are to fail, they and their houses will receive justice. Simple. Clean. Prince Soren was ying to the crowd now, no longer even focused on the two whod hed justin the proverbial gauntlet down before.


    A dim part of Erec was aware that they were still on a social stage. This was one of the types of social games he was trying to learnand hopelessly out of his depth already. Not knowing what role, if any, he was supposed to y. Or what could he say to turn this around? But that part was outweighed by the anger running through him. The hot magma in his veins wanted to let go of Colin so he could be the next one who got to throw a punch at this smug prick.


    I doubt youll make it to them, Erec said, Youll lose to me.


    Will I Sir Erec? Please. My life has been dedicated towards eliminating monsters; if youve given up humanity to y them and be one among them, then Im assured in my victory, At this, Soren stared directly at him.


    For the first time, ever, maybe. Erec could have sworn hed seen a smile on the princes lips.


    By the decree of the crown, all are to return to their business. This matter is not settled but shall be set aside for tonight. May we see if redemption for these two can be found on a more suitable battlefield, Soren said, his emotionless tone waving over the crowd as he dismissed them all.


    Not that it stopped the nobles from breaking apart to discuss what just happenedbut Soren turned and walked to the exit of the manor, leaving them all to deal with the fallout.


    Erec let go of Colin.


    Pompous jackass, he was born with a golden spoon hanging from his mouth and struggled for naut; blood does not set him above us, and it is past time he is reminded of that, Colin muttered darkly, staring daggers at the princes back.


    Hey, you realize that youve done several times worse than that, right? And thats just what Ive seen. Enide asked, scratching the back of her head.


    Nonsense, Colin replied. I am nothing if not polite to those beneath me.


    Sure, Enide replied before they swiftly tried to extract themselves from the spotlight with as much grace as they could manage.


    Even as Garin and Olivia rushed in and smoothed their way out of the manor, Erec kept thinking. Back to that slight smile on the princes face. That surety of his victory. Colin wasnt the only one who wanted to put him in his ceafter all, what had Soren had to struggle for to get what he had? What gave him the right to challenge Erec, who was doing his best to help this Kingdom? There were better things than focusing on this. He knew it. But a part of him couldnt help it.


    Hed been challenged. And that needed an answer.

 Chapter 197: Pleasent Stroll Before Hell

    Chapter 197: Pleasent Stroll Before Hell


    Only two days after the announcement, the Kingdom had be a full-blown explosion of mixed emotions. Enthusiasm, criticism, and curiosity ran through them like a spilling wave of monsters from a Rift. Of course, the news of the uing tournament leaked to the general public well before the eighteen hours it took for the Crown to make the official announcement to them. The nobility of Cindrus was many things, but it could not be kept a secret for long.


    Overall, the reaction was surprisingly enthusiastic. After so long thinking they were the only humans left in this world, for manymon people, there was a sense of shared camaraderie and wonder¡ªor, maybe, that was the atmosphere encouraged by the crown.


    Though Erec couldn¡¯t see it, Dame Robin mentioned that many were wary of what was happening and didn¡¯t trust the outsiders.


    Regardless, the day after, sses were not productive because students were asking about the tournament. As a result, the Academy posted an immediate five-day break in lessons to coordinate their staff on how to process the flood of Initiate and Knight Errant requests to participate.


    Faced with a break, Erec chose to head back underground and perform his noble duties: he owed Cavern Seven.


    But he didn¡¯t go alone. Colin <em>and</em> Garin apanied him this time; Colin was a given since he¡¯d taken to using Erec¡¯s newboratory for his Mysticism research, but to Erec¡¯s surprise, his best friend asked to tag along, as Olivia had made ns with Enide for a camping trip.


    The people of Cavern Seven had their own odd way of celebrating the tournament¡¯s announcement. His return was met with his banner¡ªthat of the White Stag oveid on a purple Vortex Industries logo¡ªstered to walls, hung from gs, and even painted on the ss; every corner and person he walked by shouted out encouragement as he and his friends headed toward his manor. His effect on the merchants and reinvesting in his people had bought him a lot of goodwill; and the general morale of having a Kingdom¡¯s <em>hero </em>as <em>their</em> count;


    If he had any lingering doubts about the fact that he <em>had</em> to join the tournament, this dispelled them. He was their hero.


    His joining and winning was their forgone conclusion.The winning part¡­ He wasn¡¯t so confident about, but that wasn¡¯t what mattered.


    With the rampant enthusiasm in his cavern, Erec saw no dissenting voices to the tournament. No one was panicking about outsiders within their walls. They trusted him to lead them with unwavering Strength.


    The three passed under arge banner across the road from balconies on the third floor of the stone-brick houses on the Seventh Cavern¡¯s main street. In bold ck lettering, it said, ¡°WELCOME HOME, FUTURE VICTOR OF THE TOURNEY.¡± An old man on one of the balconies hosting the sign saw them, gawked, and then called back through the open door to his family.


    ¡°As if Erec shall win the tourney,¡± Colin scoffed.


    ¡°It¡¯s likely; odds are on him, the Prince, Bedwyr, his brother, and a handful of promising Knight Errants,¡± Garin replied smoothly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare mention Prince Soren in front of me. As I said, there is no chance Erec will see victory in the tournament since I shall bepeting after all.¡±


    At that, Erec stopped. Flicking a look at Colin and raising an eyebrow. It was a silent question, but he didn¡¯t think the point was missed. <em>Wanna take back those words?</em>


    Colin gave him a deeper scowl in reply.


    ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll bite. What in the Goddess-scorched-earth, makes you think you¡¯d win against me? If I were you, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d even be <em>concerned</em> about winning but focused on my chance to beat the royal, who I shall not name in front of you,¡± Erec tried not to be cocky. But it was Colin. Some deep part of him couldn¡¯t help but shine in response to that, and out of all the people he had the potential to face¡­ Colin wasn¡¯t high on the list he was worried about in a contest of power.


    ¡°For one, it is a tournament against humans. A brute like you cannot refine your tactics and efficiently reign in your clumsy power enough to use it practically. Let us not pretend this isn¡¯t your weak point. As annoying as the Prince is fluffing his ego in public, he does have a correct argument. But perhaps the meaning of his challenge went above your brutish brain. So let me say it clearly, friend, so you¡¯re prepared. You will have trouble against humans. These are not monsters whom you do not have to worry about killing. This is why, with my preparation and cutting-edge spell craft, I will win against you with my magic. A tool far more directed and adaptable to the circumstances.¡±


    [Wow. Colin just called you out and has a valid argument for once. Dang, buckeroo, I¡¯m insulted on your behalf. Should we offer him an internship so we can bully him by making him get you drinks?]


    Erec just stared back at Colin and worked his jaw.


    ¡°¡­Yeah, I suppose you could see that bit about Soren not having difficulty beating a man who bes a monster might¡¯ve had that implication,¡± Garin said.


    ¡°What did I say about using <em>his</em> name before me?¡± Colin quickly shouted at him.


    Erec looked back up at the banner behind him¡ªand saw the old man and the rest of the family were now there. A young man and his wife were next to their grandfather. The young woman had stark ck hair and a child at her hip, with another tucked in her elbow. All of them were busy waving down at him from up there as he looked up. And why wouldn¡¯t they? His count? Their Hero? These people believed he would keep them safe and win the tournament.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Colin was right. Participating would have its challenges¡ªsomeone like Bedwyr would have an easier time with his talent in those conditions, as his Talent was less directly geared toward turning its user into a killing machine.


    Winning would be difficult.


    But when had Erec shyed from difficulty?


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll win.¡± Erec said, ¡°And if I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll have given it my all.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of hurting someone?¡± Garin asked.


    ¡°Of course I am, but I¡¯m not letting fear control me. My talent is no longer new to me, and though my control of it isn¡¯t perfect, it¡¯s nothing that I¡¯m afraid of any longer. Nor is it some grand secret I¡¯ve kept from the Kingdom. If I lose control, then I suppose I¡¯ll have to request that it¡¯s a forfeit on my behalf,¡± Erec let out a deep sigh. Of course, given time to think about it, he had to consider how to approach this safely.


    They didn¡¯t know all the rules, but he was sure Boldwick¡ªor someone higher up on that matter¡ªwould consider his ability and what it brought out in him. He just hoped that consideration wouldn¡¯t make them forbid his entry. After giving a slight wave to the people above, he and the rest of his group continued deeper into Cavern Seven, following the cleanlyid out main brick road¡ªlit by glowingmps at the end of simple ck-metal poles, with stores decorating most of the scenery on the first level.


    ¡°Despite what he may believe, for that oh-so-obvious reason, I¡¯m rested and assured that I will prevail against rust-bucket. None shall stand in the way of facing my mortal nemesis, the crowned prince,¡± Colin dered.


    Garin let out a smallugh at that, which earned him a sharp re from Colin.


    But Colin wasn¡¯t done. He swapped the target of his ire from Erec straight to Garin, who daredugh at him. ¡°Inevitable loss or not, at least rust-bucket sees fit to try his hand at the tournament. Even if it will result in his embarrassment. Yet here I am, staring at a coward with insufficient spine to try. Or do you think that your hiding away frommitting to this would slip beneath the notice of my discerning eyes? I didn¡¯t take you for a coward, Garin. But I suppose those of lower stations are more prone to cowardice since they do not have to rise to face the difficult things their stations demand from them.¡±


    At this, Garin stopped, yanked Colin by the shoulder, and shoved him against the store''s wall. Inside the store, Erec could see several of his people turn in rm.


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking that crap from you.¡±


    ¡°Then prove me wrong, coward.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to prove anything.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that this is set to impress me? Acting tough and mighty? That is not your ce, baron¡¯s son. And if you¡¯re going to act without dignity that befits a higher station, then I see no reason to treat you with such.¡± Colin continued.


    ¡°Me? Coward? That¡¯s riching from a guy who was afraid of bugs¡ª¡°


    ¡°That fear has been faced time and time again, yet it is you who refuses tomit to a simple harmless tournament? Pitiful. How proud your family must be of you, Garin Honestus. When you finish ying as a Knight, I wonder, shall you proudly fiddle away what remains of your life as a glorified manager to the bio-caverns while Erec and I make legends of our names?¡±


    Erec sucked in a breath, feeling his blood start to rush at the conflict. The two stared at each other, hate swirling in their eyes. Most of the time, Garin didn¡¯t take their more abrasive friend seriously, but¡­ Yeah, Colin wasn¡¯t holding back the verbal punches today, not after being angered by the prince.


    If Erec were in Garin¡¯s shoes¡­


    Well, maybe that¡¯s why Colin had chosen to let out his frustration on Garin and not Erec. While harsh toward Erec, he was careful not to cross any true lines, not like this. Colin was trying to cut deep.


    ¡°Damn you.¡± And Garin shot a re at Erec. ¡°¡­And damn you too. The both of you. Fine, if you¡¯re both not going to stop talking about this, then FINE. I¡¯llpete. For whatever good it does. A waste of time.¡±


    Colin smirked at him, the anger vanishing off his face. ¡°Pressure is good. I knew you would fold, and now we have another chance to ce that lowly prince in his spot. The only thing more fitting for him to be crushed under my heel would be to suffer a loss at the hands of a baron¡¯s son.¡±


    Garin gave him a look of pure horror, realizing Colin had plucked his strings like a guitar.


    ¡°I¡¯d intended to work at Erec¡¯s new facility this weekend if this ploy failed, but considering things¡­ Erec, would you mind sparing your resources to foster a training environment? There is a long road ahead of us until the tournament, but if I am to crush Prince Soren, I must ensure that I crush him with such enthusiasm and might that the spoiled curr never thinks to look me or my family¡¯s way again.¡±


    Erec ran a hand through his hair, looking between Colin''s beaming expression and Garin''s horrified realization. His friend was still processing that he¡¯d been yed socially by Colin, of all people.


    ¡°You want to train?¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°I wish to train in a way we¡¯ve never trained before,¡± Colin confirmed.


    ¡°¡­Alright. But I wantmitment from both of you right now. No matter how hard this training is, we see it through to the end; these five days, we will give it our all. No quitting. No matter what.


    Erec decided to push it, ideas already running through his head¡ªfor now, he had both Colin and Garin on board. But he neededmitment. Colin might be appalled by the harshness of what Erec sought¡ªor Garin might double back on his promise given enough time.


    Hell, all of this training might not be useful at all for the tournament. There was a chance the Kingdom never managed to reach the tourney to begin with.


    But these days of direct training could be immeasurably valuable if they could wring out every ounce of effort Erec could get out of these two. They might lead to more time training¡ªor, in these hours themselves, if motivated properly, might make all the difference between life or death on a battlefield.


    ¡°Easymitment. I shall train without limits. With all my considerable talent, it shall be an easy thing.¡± Colin answered.


    ¡°I already said I¡¯m in,¡± Garin replied. That should be enough. Of course, I¡¯ll see this academic break through to the end.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Erec turned on his heel, walking back the way they¡¯de. No longer headed toward his manor. No. Things had changed. Colin sought him out as the one to train them, but Erec knew full well that he wasn¡¯t the right person to truly understand how to push them to their limits.


    That evil Goddess above willing, there was one person who would know. Hopefully, that person wouldn¡¯t have his hands too full to spare these five days to take advantage of themitment his two friends had just thrown into Erec¡¯s hands.


    With his friends in tow, Erec doubled back. From the Seventh Cavern, back to the surface, and through the bustling and growing city above. It was still sunny, early in the morning. The sky was a bright blue with happy clouds floating above. It was a fantastic way to mark the start of a short break that was likely to be a time of rxation for most of the Academy''s initiates. For them, though, it would surely not be. Erec suspected that if the man were willing to help, this would be a hellish 120 hours.


    Together, they strode through the city¡¯s paved roads, to the dirt roads of the outskirt, back onto the paved cobblestone that led to the Academy, and then straight to Boldwick¡¯s office.

 Chapter 198: Duotheistic

    Chapter 198: Duotheistic


    <em>¡°We Will ughter Her.</em>


    <em>Burn.</em>


    <em>Burn.</em>


    <em>Burn.</em>


    <em>She will Burn.</em>


    <em>She took my family.</em>


    <em>They are gone¡ªmy sweet daughter, my innocent son. Taken away in a breath by those unholy fires spewn from that eldritch horror. And then she further dares to mock me? After taking them?</em>


    <em>She said she would burn them again, and again, and again, til their skin boiled and their blood popped out in clouds of steam.</em>


    <em>MONSTER.</em><em>With myst breath, I curse you. We curse you. And what you¡¯ve done.</em>


    <em>With my hands¡ªwith my brothers and sisters, we shall kill you a thousand times over. Tear your unholy skin ashred with my fingernails. Until they break free from my fingers, and then I shall bite your face until my teeth crack and turn to dust.</em>


    <em>You¡¯ve made a mistake.</em>


    <em>Whether you believe so or not, you¡¯ve made a mistake.</em>


    <em>You have yet to learn what humanity is capable of.</em>


    <em>Together, I¡¯ll show you our pain, me and those who listen to my words, who make my pact. And in doing so, I¡¯ll make a mockery of your name.</em>


    <em>Haunt my dreams all you want, Lavinia. One day, I¡¯ll haunt yours.¡±</em>


    <em>- Vindicta, The Commandment, (5, 3rd Era)</em>


    Boldwick expected the three Initiates to show up at his door.


    More specifically, he¡¯d expected a single initiate to show up at his door.


    And he¡¯d expected Erec to appear much sooner, with his inevitable ask to join the tournament. A request Boldwick had turned over in his since he¡¯d <em>known</em> there would be a tournament. It was a risk for someone like him topete; he had to acknowledge that much. With his pupil¡¯s overwhelming Strength and disposition for violence, letting Erec fight others, especially outsiders, was a dangerous proposition.


    Not something he wanted to take lightly.


    But Grandmaster Oak gave the go-ahead, so he was well prepared to approve it.


    Boldwick leaned back in his chair as three boys filtered into his room. He gave them the barest tip of his head, a gruff noise, and kept his face neutral. A type of no-nonsense expression that was good for developing Knights to see.


    The exact sort of expression they needed to see when they went and bothered a Master Knight like himself, in a time <em>meant</em> to be used by the Academy staff to organize for processing tournament requests.


    Not-withstanding-that excuse was partially a lie for Verdant Oak, who already had a n in ce. But still, these kids didn¡¯t know that.


    All three cleared their throats and stood up straighter as they read his face.


    <em>Good.</em>


    Boldwick let the silence hang and drape his office with the weight of quiet. His office was much cleaner since returning from the expedition. He¡¯d taken the time to tuck away the important maps into drawers, dust off what little furniture he had, and straighten up a couple of personal effects left here. No more bottles were hidden in drawers to get through the hard days.


    Well. Aside from one.


    But there wasn¡¯t time to drink that, the way things were.


    Boldwick stared at all three of them. Putting the pressure on the Initiates to be the first to break the silence.


    Erec, bold as ever, spoke first.


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    ¡°Erec.¡± Boldwick decided to respond, letting a light of the facade slip with a slight smile; the boy had grown quickly. Too quick, to be honest.


    A talent like that, which made him a powerhouse which broke limits, was both exhrating and dangerous.


    Even now, Boldwick recalled when he first met the kid. Erec was now square-shouldered¡ªfar more muscr than the first scrawny tall kid in a set of loaner Armor Boldwick ran across. Now, that same indignant kid had a face filled with hardship and eyes full of determination. Those eyes were exactly the same as the first day they¡¯d met.


    But the lines of pride and worry were new. Worn onto this poor kid¡¯s face after being thrust into the role of an influential noble after the Stag.


    Yes, Erec was growing. Unfortunately fast.


    ¡°We have five days before sses resume,¡± Erec said, ¡°as you guess, I¡¯m here. About the tournament. All three of us are actually, we want to join.¡±


    ¡°The Academy is still outlining the procedure for epting these requests. I can note it down, and I¡¯m doubtful they would deny your ability to participate. But if you¡¯re looking for me to say, ¡®You¡¯re good to go ahead,¡¯ I¡¯m afraid that will have to wait a couple more days for the official confirmation. Also, I¡¯m happy to see that Colin and Garin have also decided topete. You do service to Verdant Oak by putting yourselves up to this challenge.¡±


    Garin shuffled and refused to meet Boldwick¡¯s attention as he shifted it to the two. Colin though, the young brat gave him an eager, hungry expression.


    <em>I suppose the Prince stirred him up, ording to the reports. So that¡¯s not unexpected.</em>


    ¡°Thank you, Sir. We eagerly await official confirmation, then. But that isn¡¯t the only reason I came today. I¡­ Have a big favor to ask. I was hoping you might train us over the break¡ªreally train us so that we can be ready for <em>anything</em>.¡± Erec said, stressing the word.


    This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Boldwick rubbed his head as he knew the boy¡¯s worries well. They echoed his own, and they were so reasonable he didn¡¯t find it in him to argue against the need. Still, he had to try, if nothing else, then to let the youth enjoy what time they had. ¡°Sometimes, breaks are as important for developing into a rounded and strong Knight, as is training.¡±


    ¡°As is knowing when time would be better served to gain Strength.¡±


    ¡°You could be gaining strength in other areas. If you insist on keeping yourself busy¡ªDame Robin perhaps, if you so wish. Life is not all war, Erec. We must learn to treasure the times of peace when we can.¡±


    There was sadness in Boldwick¡¯s words even as he said them. He didn¡¯t even believe them, and these words continued this argument¡­ It wasn¡¯t necessarily for these boys. This attempt to sway them was a bacsh to the world and how things needed to be. Every vowel and syble were strung together to buck the truth of their situation.


    In another time, another world, hundreds of years ago, these three could have lived a lifetime of peace, died happy, and lived a life full of friends and family.


    But not here, not now.


    Boldwick stared at the book on his desk. It was an old-world story, ¡°The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,¡± a book he¡¯d tucked away after their trip to the western coast, one he¡¯d found in the city full of lizards. Would they have lived a life as carefree as that?


    Erec¡¯s words cut through his argument like Boldwick knew they would. This boy wouldn¡¯t think twice before speaking to them since that was the prerogative of youth.


    ¡°There are times of peace. But this is not one of them. Please, Boldwick. Train us. All of us.¡± His eyes went to his friends, ¡°Or if you can¡¯t¡ªdo you know anyone with the time? We have to make the most of what we have and are willing to give it our all. Five days, no rest To grow as much as we can, as quick as we can, so we can be prepared.¡±


    <em>Prepared</em>. <em>Of course. We¡¯ve all been doing that ofte, from Grandmaster to Initiate, it seems.</em>


    Colin and Garin stood straighter at his sides, and Erec nced at the two of them, reaffirming his resolve and giving strength to those two.


    He was right and wrong. This was a kind of peace, like the peaceful moment one had as they stood at the edge of a cliff, staring out over the horizon and seeing the beauty of the sky. Clouds might decorate it; the blue above might be sshed with oranges and purples as the sunset. But at the same time, it was the kind of peace that once that sun sunk in the distance, the waves would crash against the cliff below with a hidden might, the rock beneath your feet was liable to give out, the edge of the cliff might copse and send you tumbling down from a great height, surrounded by nothing but the darkness of the night and fall to your death.


    Erec wasn¡¯t asking for this training just for himself, though. Boldwick was sure that he was as eager, if not more eager, than the other two to hone his axe de and prepare for theing trouble since he was the only one of the three with intimate knowledge of the exact trouble.


    Boldwick let out a tired sigh.


    ¡°Very well, to be so young and eager for growth should be encouraged, not stopped. So I shall not get in your way and force a break. Though I cannot promise I will have the time to be present for personal training for these five days, if you¡¯re all as devoted to this as you im, I¡¯ll make arrangements to test you to your limits. But make no mistake, if you want to see substantial growth in that short time, we would need to take you to your limits and beyond. Do you three understand that?¡± Boldwick said.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Erec said first, as he was no stranger to their destination. Boldwick didn¡¯t expect anything less than that from someone such as him.


    ¡°Then it shall be. As long as you all are resolved to this.¡±


    There was a chorus of agreements; not one of them, though, was tainted by uncertainty. Above all else, that motivated Boldwick to rise from his chair and start making arrangements.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me.¡±


    ¡°Please, dear Goddess, stop.¡± Gregory cried out to no one but everyone.


    Precisely, everyone was, in this case, his Goddess.


    Gregory spasmed on the ground of the dark confessional room¡ªthe ce the clergy called confessionals, tucked away in the depth of the grand cathedral deep in the Kingdom on the third floor; when the ¡®tremors¡¯ hit a priest, they were quickly escorted here. It was where they could see and hear Her voice true and confess their sins directly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sorry, sorry,¡± he kept crying out, each word louder than thest.


    His eyes burned like charcoal shoved in their pits. Pitifully, Gregory wed at his eyes, surprised the liquid inside wasn¡¯t gushing out and spilling all over the stone floor with the pain he felt. The ache, too; it was just as bad. Every part of his body twitched, every muscle burned, and blood moved slowly through him like hot, thick magma through a pipe.


    ¡°I know nothing about him¡ªabout them! Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing!¡± He screamed out thest nothing, his body writhing of its own will¡ªthe back of his head smashed against the stone ground, and for a second, he felt nothing but the sweet relief of unconsciousness.


    Then the fire revived him, brought his burning eyes back open as She wasn¡¯t done with him. Yet.


    ¡°Stop. Please. Oh Goddess, stop.¡± Gregory begged.


    She was cruel. And she didn¡¯t believe him. That much bounced around in his skull as he felt her fiery fingers plucking him apart, untangling within from the depths of his soul outward. She¡¯d already taken over so much of him, but not enough topletely <em>own</em> him. Her Pact prevented her from going quite that far, but for some of the clergy, Gregory had never been sure. Maybe there was another ritualter.


    But him, oh, he was fucked.


    Gregorymitted himself to Her, like every priest. Was branded by her. Willingly entwined his soul with hers¡ªhis Goddess.


    It was forbidden to speak her name, for she was not Lavinia. If you did, your tongue would burn out of your skull, and you would drown to death in your blood; he¡¯d seen it happen once and only once. And never dared think of even <em>thinking</em> her name.


    No, no, no. Not Lavinia at all.


    His Goddess racked him with pain once more, tearing his body apart from the inside, pressing her will against his. It was like standing against a storm, a whipping barrage of nature that could y skin and take him apart piece by piece. That will be indomitable, non-human.


    If Gregory knew, if he had anything he could tell her, at this moment, he would.


    Even if he no longer wished to serve this Goddess.


    But it was toote. Too impossible to undo what had been done. He was Hers.


    ¡°I know nothing of Sir Erec besides what I¡¯ve shared,¡± Gregory whispered, his voice hoarse and his body wrung out like a used dishtowel.


    She wasn¡¯t happy with that answer, and once more, his whole body shook¡ªanother scream left his lips, hoarse and raw enough to tear more of his vocal cords apart.


    Reality faded away, and yet Gregory still kept screaming. He lost track of where he was and what he thought. And he caught a glimpse of Her in those burning eyes of his.


    Her face was screwed up in a rage, a pure rage divorced from the remains of humanity. A being made to hate, to seek revenge, to tear apart anyone and everything in her path to get what she wanted. Inch by inch, she stole bits of his soul, stripping them from him with little care for his pain, taking what power he had. A living sack of meat to fuel her was the covenant he¡¯d entered; over time, this was to be expected. Over time. Not this.


    She was to be slow in asking for sacrifice and to lend back power and guidance to her flock, for that had made her into the Goddess she became.


    Vindica no longer cared about that. No longer cared for the humans in her thrall. People like Gregory, who¡¯d outlived their usefulness, were to be treated like the sacks of useless flesh they were. Regardless if she¡¯d been little more than one among them.


    ¡°I know nothing. Please.¡± Gregory begged as he felt thest bits of himselfing apart, burning away. She¡¯d broken their covenant and then used the hold she had on him to take more still. Her presence in this confessional was a real thing; he felt the heat of her in his mind, almost present in this reality, in this very room.


    It was true. He knew nothing. Erec hadmitted sin in front of him, true. But why did his Soul burn like the Goddess Lavinia? Of that, he knew nothing.


    Vindicta took it out on him anyway.


    After an hour, the confessional no longer contained Gregory.


    All that was left was a pile of ashes that, maybe once, had a name.

 Chapter 199: Training Begins

    Chapter 199: Training Begins


    Erec hung upside down, wire wrapped around his ankles and digging deep into the skin. His feet throbbed, and the blood rushed to his head; all around him, shadows and fog swirled. Now and again, he caught a suggestion of wolves in the mist, spiraling through the fog in the warehouse Dame Morgana brought them to.


    Without straining to listen, Erec heard the cries and grunts of his friends. After a second or two, he¡¯d see a sh of light through the fog that marked the use of lightning magic.


    <em>I have to give it to him; they are impressive.</em>


    When Colin used his lightning, it cracked through the air with a violent light, cutting through vast swaths of fog and hitting with a force Erec would find difficult to match. Since returning from the expedition, Colin had been working to improve his magic, using his newfound Talent.


    But until now, Erec had never seen practical results from the training.


    Below, Erec caught a fat squirrel scrambling by, rushing around and avoiding the paws of a foggy wolf; in five seconds, both the squirrel and the wolf returned to the haze that dominated the warehouse once more.


    Utter chaos.


    A fog wolf appeared right below; jaws extended as it leaped to bite Erec¡ªhe curled up, flexing his abs and narrowly avoiding it and consequently not having his face bitten off.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Erec swayed, rxing as the wolf vanished, moving back and forth to gain momentum and getting himself out of the way of another fog-wolf apparition. The more he moved, the harder it was to control his swinging body while upside down. Coordinating like this was nearly impossible. Even worse, Dame Morgana had forbidden him from using his axe; without it, and with the near-infinite supply of her shadows, he felt like a sack of dangling meat for their dinner.


    With each dodge and hisck of control over the situation, he felt his inner control disappear.


    They came thicker by the second¡ªhe kept swaying, dodging, but eventually, with the number of wolves and their sheer volume, he began to catch wounds, stinging, cold bites as their ethereal teeth cleaved through his flesh. Blood started to flow, and the anger built.


    It was like hot coals in his stomach; each little nick and wound roared them into a heating inferno.


    <em>Useless.</em>


    Without his axe, he couldn¡¯t reach them. He couldn¡¯t cut himself down. Which was Damn Morgana¡¯s point, but when they¡¯d first gone to Boldwick, Erec had assumed the Master Knight would be the ones training them.


    No, though. He brought them to Dame Morgana, who within five seconds came up with this crazed n to begin her ¡®five-day sojourn to form the foundation for the rest of your exceptional lives¡¯ and hanging here acting like a sack of meat for ghost-wolves to take bites out of wasn¡¯t the type of training Erec banked on when he first begged Boldwick for this specialized training. What was he supposed to get out of this? While Dame Morgana had her merits, especially regarding the matter of the soul, that<em> had not</em> been what Erec thought to be the most important thing his friendscked.


    Lifting heavy weights, fighting to the brink of exhaustion, blood¡ªadmittedly, he was already bleeding¡­ That was the type of training they needed to prepare for the inevitable battles headed their way.


    A wolf jumped at him, twisting in the air as Erec moved to dodge; the fang cut the skin above his eyebrow, leaving cold, searing pain. Itnded with a howl as warm blood gushed from the injury it left.


    The veins in him seared, anger building like that of a volcano.


    Beneath, he heard scampering, and Erec was already twisting, trying to get a look at the next conjuration headed this way¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t a wolf. No. Just a fat squirrel beneath him, its whiskers twitching as it grunted and gestured at him.


    <em>Munchy?</em>


    A wolf appeared next to the squirrel, jaws wide as it flew at it.


    ¡°Move!¡± Erec yelled.


    Munchy heard him, then threw itself to the side, letting out a massive squeak as the incorporeal fog wolf tripped over its failed attack and vanished.


    A secondter, the fog bent away from Munchy, then from Erec¡ªwolves circled in a ring as Garin walked through a bubble of empty space, holding the mist away as if by a spell.


    His face was screwed up in a look of concentration, but as heid eyes on Erec, there was pure relief; he reached out and steadied Erec, stopping the wild swaying all of the dodging had brought. Seeing a second of peace in the storm, Munchy scampered up Garin.


    All the while, Erec watched the wolves in the distance, circling, testing the perimeter. The fog tried to find a weak point in the invisible barrier to attack once more.


    ¡°Hanging in there?¡± Garin asked.


    ¡°No choice but to,¡± Erec sighed, the fire in him burning brighter. The whole solution to this wire problem was his axe¡ªbut Morgana had taken it away.


    The only solution was to summon that silver axe of his and to call upon the fire he barely understood. If he could wield that power, blowing away these pesky wolves and freeing himself would be trivial. That power was his¡ªording to Morgana. Until he could learn to grasp it, he would stay hanging here. Both Garin and Colin had strict instructions that he had to free himself; they were to try to deal with the wolves on their own.


    This game was apetition between the three of them. Morgana said they each had a way to deal with the fog; they just had to find it.


    Erec knew his solution.


    But it wasn¡¯t that simple. Thest time he called upon that power, he¡¯d gotten the distinct impression it wasn¡¯t <em>his power.</em> When he fought the former CEO-turned-monster of Vortex Industries, Dan, it felt like another person joined him. Even now, the memories he¡¯d experienced from the depth of that inferno haunted him and left a spark of wariness; if he used that power, would he even be himself anymore?


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


    Since then, trying to dive too deep into the silver fire was impossible. A mental block.


    Fire roiled in him, but Erec feared what might happen if it boiled over.


    <em>I can¡¯t let this continue. Not with what could happen.</em>


    Garin twitched as five wolves tried to breach his invisible barrier at once, flinching but maintaining their wless defense once more. How that power tranted to Garin dispelling this mist¡­ Erec could see <em>how,</em> but his friend would need much more power than he was currently straining to muster.


    ¡°And how are you hanging on, down there?¡± Erec asked, letting the fire in him burn, trying to focus and concentrate on it, to let it grow.


    ¡°It¡¯s too difficult, I can¡¯t do it,¡± Garin replied, sweat rolling off his face¡­ The skin on his friend¡¯s hands was king away. A sign of his body¡¯s impurities being flushed as his skill with his Soul virtue increased. ¡°This is harder than talking to the rats. It¡¯s like those wolves have voices¡­ But they don¡¯t. They want to bite us, attack us, but it¡¯s not like a hungry animal, and they aren¡¯t alive¡ªthey don¡¯t even have individual memories, more like a collection. And trying to ¡®talk¡¯ to that and convince it to stop is¡­ Difficult.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get out and end this,¡± Erec vowed.


    ¡°Will you? Hurry then, I don¡¯t know how much longer I can keep doing this,¡± Garin said, his face screwed up further¡ªoutside in the fog, several wolves appeared, running straight towards them. Munchy uttered a cry of fear as they leaped¡ªclearing through the edge of the fog held at bay and into the bubble of free space that <em>should</em> have kept them out.


    A bolt of electricity tore through the three from the fog, vanishing them in an instant.


    In the wake of the attack, a channel was carved out of the warehouse¡¯s fog, through which Colin ran until he was in the protective bubble.


    As Colin looked at them, sparks danced from his eyes¡ªthey glowed a brilliant gold as his gaze shifted left and right. Without even saying a greeting, he raised a pointed finger towards a condensing part of the fog barrier; a purple glyph formed quicker than Erec had ever seen his friend muster before. The spell discharged into another bolt of lightning, dispersing the thickening part of the mist.


    Only this time, part of it looped back, shooting into Colin and mming into his chest; Colin convulsed but stood his ground, more sparks flying from him.


    Like Garin, Colin seemed to have yet to break past the threshold where using his Soul virtue stopped taking a physical toll.


    With thatst st, Garin established a solid hold over the area; the fog retreated at the edges and became less dense.


    It was only a matter of time, though, before it regained strength and attacked once again.


    ¡°Work quicker, rust bucket,¡± Colin said as the electricity started to ease. No more bolts were running from his eyes, but sparks were still dancing between his fingertips. ¡°Damn, that woman. ¡®Defeat the spirits of the world before¡ªfor we are in the world of now, my lovelies,¡¯ as if such drivel makes any sense. At least her pointer about focusing on lightning has worked. I get far more for my mana by using it than other spells.¡±


    Colin¡¯s golden eyes narrowed¡ªhe raised those hands, already sparking, and then yet another purple glyph formed and firmed, sting off and cutting a line through the fog this time.


    He stood for a second, a smug look on his face before his body convulsed, and he fell to his knees.


    ¡°Colin!¡± Garin said, rushing over to him to help him back up.


    Erec swayed above as his friend helped the once spoiled noble, who then took a deep, shuddering breath.


    ¡°I am alright. That was another trouble spot brewing; I could see it with my eyes. You both may offer me gratitude now, considering Erec has failed to end this task for us, like he should have done twenty minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying. Alright? It¡¯s not easy to wield that much firepower,¡± Erec growled, letting his temper re at the clear goading by Colin. He wasn''t sure whether or not his friend was trying to help or make a jab. Either way, might as well use it.


    The fire inside stoked brighter, and he could catch flickers of silver.


    But as he dug deep, trying to grasp the silver mes, they flickered out of his hand, sensing his fear. Instead, he was hanging upside down inside the massive warehouse¡ªthe ce wasrge, primarily used for storing crops, yet currently empty. It¡¯d been purchased and repurposed for future trading good storage by the merchants below just a couple of days ago, likely for an ambitious bid at establishing surface trade.


    Dame Morgana deemed it perfect for their first ¡®step along the path of enlightenment.¡¯ Still, it was just a convenient sealed location where her power could be used without affecting innocent bystanders.


    Still, since it was sorge, this was the first time all of them managed to regroup since the test started thirty minutes ago. And Erec was quite d to see his friends¡ªeven if they were forbidden from cutting him down.


    ¡°If you cannot muster your power to end this, then I suppose I must,¡± Colin dered, taking a deep, sagging breath, ¡°I, the son of a great Duke and heir to the House Nitidus¡­ Yes. This is where I surpass you, Erec.¡± An edge that wasn¡¯t usually there.


    There was something to his tone. Erec swayed as much as he could to get a good look at the noble.


    ¡°Behold.¡±


    A glyph appeared before Colin as both hands raised¡ªpurple lines began to streak outward from the extended palm, circling back upon each other and formingplex angles and curves; yet, even as the first glyph appeared, a second came into existence in front of it. A secondyer that instantly took Erec¡¯s mind to thest time he¡¯d seen such a formation, back within the depths of the Vortex Industries facility, wielded by an Arch-Magi.


    In an explosion of lines, both glyphs expanded, intertwining in a way Erec had <em>never</em> seen before¡ªthe air felt thicker, and something intangible drew him towards the glyph.


    From Erec¡¯s understanding of Mysticism, it was a power supplied by the mana within. It was one of its fundamental teachings in ss. Faith was the opposite, power provided by the goddess above and brought into the world through the pathway of prayer.


    But as the glyphs developed, as they glowed brighter, they pulled, adding weight to the room. The glyphs beyond them wavered and retreated further, afraid of what Colin was calling.


    There was a sudden bang, and the glyphs vanished¡ªance of pure crackling thunder tunneled out of Colin¡¯s palms directly into the mist, branching off in a thousand pathways like a temporary, split-secondwork of nt roots. Each line split, breaking, twisting, and tearing through every inch of the warehouse¡¯s interior; Erec¡¯s eyes ached as it was filled with a blinding white and purple sh that seared itself in his retinas even as he closed his eyes.


    A secondter, the light was gone.


    Pockets of mist existed¡ªseparated, loose, and rapidly dispersing.


    All at once, shame, anger, and the hate brewing in Erec retreated inplete awe of what he¡¯d witnessed.


    ¡°Colin, what was that?¡± Erec said.


    ¡°I solved the problem you couldn¡¯t, hero. My training had a purpose, and this is it. These eyes are the key I needed to step onto the stage of the greats finally,¡± Colin boasted, setting his hands on his hips and giving the smugest but most deserved smile Erec had ever seen across his face.


    Then, a bolt of lightning appeared above and smashed into Colin, crashing him into the ground as it kept surging into the man¡ªblow after blow hit, sparks flying and somehow, by the grace of the Goddess, not catching anything on fire.


    Erec knew what he¡¯d seen. The bacsh of overextending on the use of his Soul and Talent¡ªSimr to the early days of his using Fury and essing the silver fire. Colin went too far and broke through some kind of barrier. But there was a price to pay for that.


    The rest of the mist withdrew as Colin suffered.


    Garin jumped to try to help Colin but was helpless as more bolts of electricity rained down from above¡ªthen, at once, began to shout for help from Morgana, from anyone, to try to stop this barrage of the heavens.


    Erec struggled, feet bound by steel wire. Helpless. For the first time in a long while, he realized his well-being wasn¡¯t the one in concern after a big, grueling fight. Actually, for this one, he¡¯d managed little at all. A fact that tore at his heart, even as he watched a convulsing Colin get hit for the seventh time by an overwhelming streak of lightning.


    Morgana rushed in, set him free, and they waited for the storm to cease above Colin.

 Chapter 200: Ducenti

    Chapter 200: Ducenti


    My dearest Lily,


    I do miss you.


    Conversing with what is left is different. My brief encounters with you since then have been brief. I''ve had nothing but sorrow since you gave yourself to the church and left this shell.


    I wish I understood better than what I do now that I might warn you. We¡¯re all lostmbs, crying into the night to She who looks on above our flock. Only, she isn¡¯t interested in thembs, for she is the biggest wolf, looking only for another wolf to turn into her ything and hoping that a wolf may rise among the sheep.


    If I had told you that, let you know the Goddess you held in your heart thought that, would you have fallen for the deception like many others?


    My love, I don¡¯t me you. Even now. I¡¯m scared to put a voice to what I know¡­


    The Church is not for the Goddess. I wonder who they serve and what their purpose is. Do we even truly know?


    All that swirls in my mind is how I miss you. Would that I could hold you and once more hear your softughter.


    One day, I hope you find peace. When you do, I¡¯ll burn sage and honor the memory of the Lily that I once knew,<em>- Dame Morgana, Unsent Letter To Priestess Lilliana (3rd Era, 308) </em>


    Smoke curled off a pile of logs as a stash of ash, and embers burned brightly below. Erec foundfort in the heat on a crisp and cold night like tonight. But it didn¡¯t smell like a typical fire, and Morgana didn''t throw sage onto it every five minutes.


    Erec let out a contented sigh and looked upward, taking in the orange sky as it faded to purple.


    For their first day of training, it had been¡­ Quite slow. After the warehouse, it was this. He¡¯d expected to be working through the entire night. Boldwick <em>had</em> promised to push them to their limits.


    Then again¡­


    Erec looked at Colin. His friend convulsed on the bedroll closest to the fire so Morgana could check on him in the moments between her work.


    As she steeped tea over the fire in what looked to be a cauldron, Erec vaguely recalled a picture book in his family home¡ªof a woman much the same, though she had a long nose, a pointed hat, and green skin.


    <em>That</em> woman liked to eat children in the book and had died in a fire. Thankfully, no one here was a child, so Erec didn¡¯t feelpelled to push her into the fire.


    ¡°Today, you¡¯ve taken your first step on this sojourn of personal growth that you have set for yourselves. Look above and see the moon and how she shines upon us, blessing her with her beauty. Do you feel it? The Chariot is rife in the air, a sign of great things toe.¡± Dame Morgana said.


    ¡°Is Colin going to be alright?¡± Garin asked, stepping right past their teacher¡¯s nonsense.


    ¡°He will be fine. This level of exhaustion is to be expected¡ªafter all, he reached deep within to dispel the voices of the old world. It would be best to focus on your inner world, not on him. I suspect, for you all, the first trial has shown you where you stand and given you a sight of how you must grow.¡±


    <em>Where I must grow.</em>


    Colin and Garin had looked to him to be the one to get them out of there. After all, shouldn¡¯t it have been him? He was confident that if he called to that silver fire, he could have taken care of the fog, and if it <em>had</em> been him, then Colin would never have pulled out that card that left him in this convulsing mess. In a way, Colin¡¯s current state was his fault.


    Then again, hadn¡¯t this been the point of this training? The two of them wouldn¡¯t be able to always rely on him, especially since <em>when</em> he tapped into Fury, he didn¡¯t have the level of control needed to ensure their safety.


    Still<em>, I need my power when I need it.</em> There couldn¡¯t be a repeat of what just happened. Were this a real battlefield, and he¡¯d failed to call upon Fury because he was afraid<em> he</em> couldn¡¯t lend aid to his friends.


    Erec rubbed it as his eyes and listened to Munchy chitter. The chubby squirrel was on Garin¡¯s shoulder, trying to get him to share a carrot.


    Which, of course, Garin cidly delivered from their <em>very </em>limited pack of rations.


    After they finished training in the warehouse, Dame Morgana gave them each a bag. Inside were simple camping supplies and food¡ªall the food Dame Morgana said they would get for the next five days¡ªafter doing a quick stock, Erec counted eight meals in his¡­ Meaning he had to ration carefully. Garin had to have known that, too, but Munchy¡¯s pudgy little face was too much for the man to resist.


    <em>And I¡¯ll end up giving some of my food to Garin.</em> Erec mentally adjusted himself, knowing he couldn¡¯t let his friend go hungry for the sake of a fat squirrel. <em>But we¡¯ll talk about putting that damn squirrel on a small diet this week.</em>


    ¡°How long until he¡¯s fine?¡±


    ¡°By tomorrow. This tea will be the catalyst to solidify his changes. Once more, I¡¯ll remind you, do not worry. Turn your attention inward and rx; he is on his path, and you are on yours. This is but the first of your steps and likely the easiest. Tomorrow, something new will be at stake. Boldwick told me he has big ns. And I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all aware that might entail all manner of challenges.¡±


    [There isn¡¯t much you can do to help him, so I¡¯d take her words to heart. Good rest is essential for physical performance, and you <em>did</em> ask for a challenge.] VAL buzzed in Erec¡¯s head.


    After a long look at Colin convulsing near the tea, Erec gave in. It was difficult to watch another suffer, and since Colin¡¯s soul was different, it was hard to picture just what he was going through. Ultimately, the expert on these matters wasn¡¯t worried, so he shouldn¡¯t be either.


    Erec adjusted himself in his spot, leaning against the warehouse wall behind him. With a yawn, he rested his head in his arms and closed his eyes. Listening in silence for minutes to the sound of the fire crackling in the night.


    There was peace in the popping and the slight warmth of the fire that touched him. It let his worries drift away, the me on himself. It could go into that fire with the rest of the world and burn into the useless ash it was. Today, Colin had stepped up and proved himself a capable ally. Things could only be better for them if Colin managed to wield powers like that on the battlefield.


    Today was fine, and tomorrow, Erec would do better.


    ¡°How did you control the wolves so easily,¡± Garin asked, breaking the silence.


    ¡°It is quite simple: the stronger you understand the spirits of the earth, and the bigger your connection, the more receptive they will be to your requests. Think. What do you know about wolves?¡± Dame Morgana answered.


    ¡°Only what the stories say. Not exactly amon animal in the wastnd or the caverns below. They have fur, roam in packs, and love to eat meat?¡±


    ¡°That is a fine starting point¡­ But, even if you don¡¯t know the animal, have you considered asking them about themselves or their past? I suspect your gift lends itself to be a bridge of understanding, and if you cross that bridge, it will bring much more utility than you give it credit for. So, let us talk about an example¡ªyourpanion there¡ªthe adorable squirrel. What do you know about him?¡±


    Erec cracked open an eye just in time to see Munchy chewing on his carrot and ignoring Morgana. Why would the little guy care about a thing going on with them? No, the squirrel had a much more important business: eating.


    ¡°His favorite healthy food is carrots¡ªhis favorite not-so-healthy food is pumpkin pastry, which he manages to get way too much of thanks to Liv. When you scratch him, he likes it when you get behind his ears the most. Also, he hates loud noises, especially when Colin raises his voice to argue. If he had it his way, he¡¯d bask in the afternoon sun all day long.¡± Garin kept rattling off details, and if Erec didn¡¯t know any better, it seemed that Munchy was nodding to each of them.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Morgana smiled, listening even while she raised a mesh from her teapot. On the mesh was a mishmash of steeped nts that Erec could no longer identify, which she tossed into the zing fire.


    Throwing wet stuff on fire had predictable results: a rush of smoke plummeted outward, apanied by a flurry of peculiar smells that made Erec reel.


    The smoke flew out from the fire, but it didn¡¯t disperse into the world around them. Instead, it worked outward in a stream, circling the group as more of it came free from the fire.


    [Now <em>that</em> is not natural.] VAL warned.


    Erec blinked, and Morgana was pouring her tea into three earthen mugs that had <em>not</em> been there a second before. Each of which looked to have been burped up by the earth itself.


    <em>We¡¯re in a ritual.</em>


    Erec snapped his attention to Colin¡ªall the while, Garin continued to rattle off facts about Munchy, oblivious to the change in the atmosphere around them¡ªhis friend had stopped convulsing, and Colin¡¯s eyes had opened, zed, but awake for the first time.


    Though he trusted Morgana, Erec couldn¡¯t help his hackles rising at the magic. It never sat right to walk into magic. Maybe it was hisck of knowledge, and it wasn¡¯t as if <em>this</em> type of magic was anywhere in his grasp to understand. No one in the Kingdom would get what was happening here since this kind of magic wasn¡¯t the type anyone used except Dame Morgana.


    ¡°Ah, my disciple. You know so much of yourpanion, Munchy. That bond has formed strong, nurtured by time, love, and loyalty. It¡¯s not difficult to imagine that were you to request it, he would do any task¡ªthe two of you are linked. You understand one another. And those connections for people like us are powerful indeed. Think again of the name of your Talent, Animal Friend. Two simple words, but with such depth,¡± Dame Morgana smirked, ending Garin¡¯s chatter.


    She started clockwise, filling the earthen mugs with dark amber tea.


    As the liquid poured, Erec felt his heart calm and his head numb. Colin steadily sat up, staring directly at Morgana.


    This, too, was part of the ritual.


    Garin didn¡¯t respond to Dame Morgana. No, he couldn¡¯t have. Erec didn¡¯t think he could work his tongue if he wanted to; silence lingered over them. Anticipation as Dame Morgana floated to each¡ªhanding them a mug.


    When the y mug hit his hands, Erec locked his eyes on the liquid below, seeing the reflection of the countless stars above. It seemed a portal to a different world. Moments slipped by, and time lost meaning as he stared into its perfect surface.


    ¡°Once more, we shall cross from the outer world to the inner with one another; this time, I encourage you. Think. Process. Absorb. What makes you, you? How does the world shape that image? How do we shape the world with whom we are? Both inner and outer, they must be in alignment to have power over this reality. Consider who you want to be, and the impact of who you were will affect this world once you¡¯ve moved on to others. To know yourself is Strength, and to catch a glimpse of that is my gift to all three of you, my promising disciples.¡± Dame Morgana raised a nce, finally tearing Erec away from his own to see her wide grin.


    He found his cup rising, as did Garin and Colin¡¯s.


    Then, she drank, and so did they.


    When the cup touched his lip, it felt wet as if the y of which it was made had never set or dried.


    The warm liquid inside didn¡¯t taste much different from mud and dirt, but it went down his throat without protest. And from where it touched his throat, it began to burn. Not an unpleasant burn, though. No pain came from the sensation; all he felt was the heat and fire, which, to him, was afort like the sun¡¯s rays whisking sweat from his skin or the embrace of Enide.


    Erec sank to the ground, his eyes turned skyward to the stars above.


    Their brightness grew, going from little dots in the sky to massive glowing giants, pushing out the ck canvas around them into nothing but light.


    Like that, once more, Erec slipped from the world. As did the rest of them, held tightly by the ritual.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Colin awoke to find himself on the Steel Curtain. Long since he¡¯d been a child, he¡¯d loved this ce. All who saw the giant wall surrounding the Kingdom had to have felt a sense of awe at the scale and promise of protection it offered. This wall was unbroken by monsters. It kept them safe and let them return to the sun.


    Only one threat threatened this wall¡ªthe Rot behemoth, which had been in before even reaching the wall by the Unbroken General.


    His oh-so-humble father.


    To Colin, much like any kid who saw it, the Steel Curtain was their safety, a symbol of their power to stand up against a world that wanted to eat them alive.


    Colin rubbed his hands together as he moved to the edge and looked towards the Kingdom below.


    <em>So high.</em>


    Here, he saw the world for what it was from the spot he deserved to be. Freedom and view to see all those below; farmers toiled in their fields, sweat beating their brow. Wagons moved along the road, moving valuable construction materials to put up new homes. Smoke rose from the chimneys of the buildings¡­ It was a cold day, Colin realized with a shiver as a particrly gusty bit of wind hit him.


    <em>That</em> had to be his least favorite thing about this height. The cold was a joke.


    Still, he belonged here. They all did. The feeling he¡¯d first realized when he¡¯d begged his father for a trip to the wall as a child was still ever present, even now.


    Humankind deserved to be on the surface. This was their birthright, as was his birthright to look out upon them from above as a swath of humanity toiled to aplish their jobs.


    Yet, it was different now.


    He¡¯d thought as a child that he was better than them. This pleasure of watching them work was what he deserved, and though he <em>was</em> better than them, his understanding of what it meant to be up here changed. Even now, he scanned the farms, wondering if they had the resources to finish the vital task. It was getting cold, after all, and so many had begun to depend on the additional crops grown above. If they couldn¡¯t do the job, he would need to call upon more workers from below to help with the harvest.


    Growing more crops on the surface helped ease the vast energy strain below. The truth was that their current model of life was unsustainable. Few nobles and virtually no peasants knew that the move to expand to the surface had been one of necessity.


    The Kingdom had grown and was rapidly approaching the limits of what could be supported by the power they had below. Within the decade, they had to move <em>so</em> many above to adapt.


    Colin would make sure they did, that none went hungry in the transition to life as it should be.


    A firm arm wrapped around his shoulder, instantly making Colin tense. It was familiar, yet how long had it been since he¡¯d received such a casual affection from the man this arm belonged to?


    Slowly, Colin turned to his father. The Unbroken General¡¯s eagle-like gaze was <em>also </em>scanning the people below.


    ¡°Do not worry. The Kingdom is fine for now. This is not the direction we must face, even though you are right to be concerned. Keep in mind that our duty is different. We are the hands that must hold the sword, not the dagger. " His father¡¯s words were soft but left no room for argument. He pulled Colin away from the edge of the wall facing the Kingdom and brought them to the other side.


    Giving them a clear view of a vast and empty wastnd.


    Only Colin knew it wasn¡¯t empty. Dreadful bugs through damned other worlds lived out there¡ªamong other, also horrible things.


    Now, though, the most startling sight of the dead wastnd wasn¡¯t itsck of life. No. The entire sky in that direction was filled with clouds¡ªck and grey twisting things wrestling in the sky as they flew and crashed into one another. They twisted and churned, darkening thendscape below into darkness nearly as ck as a moonless night.


    That shadow below the wall of clouds was broken only on asion by a wild strike of lightning, which would m into the earth with enough strength to spew sand and dirt and leave only craters and ss where it struck.


    ¡°A stormes, son. Only you have the eyes to see it, to help us shape a way through it which doesn¡¯t leave us destroyed. You take pride in your nobility but don¡¯t understand your role in our society. We must face this storm since others cannot. They cannot see it from behind the wall. House Nitidus must raise the sword to strike this down, to be ready to y it once it arrives, or all else will surely be doomed.¡±


    Colin stared at the churning storm; mile by mile, it was approaching closer, drawing near¡ªthe ck clouds in the forward stretching and racing towards them like eager hands. The air grew heavier,den by the pressure of the storm.


    Beneath that, though, was more. A stirring of magic. Colin shifted his vision and peered into the world beneath the surface.


    Using his eyes was like¡­ Seeing a different set of colors, the dark bellowing purples that ran wild through the clouds in the distance brought forth an electrifying feeling to them that resonated with his soul. Below, the broad swath of blue¡ªwater mana. That wasn¡¯t to say that all water had mana¡­ Or any storm was charged with magic. No, actually, the opposite. Magic did exist, and parts of it might y into forming storms now. Given the way the world was. But it would be more like traces in the weather.


    This. The storm in front of him was entirely a different beast. <em>All</em> of it was mana. Every bit. A vast quantity and sum of mana that was hard to imagine, much less contain or prevent. The wastnd was drenched in a neverending rain as the whipping and howling wall of water and winds raced towards the wall. An eye appeared in the clouds, gold mana tracing out its outline in the purple mana above, as Colin felt <em>something</em> observing him right back¡ªand then it made sense.


    He¡¯d seen this before.


    Back on the expedition¡­ That¡­


    There was a sh of lightning, brighter than the rest, as the winds finally crashed into the steel curtain. Colin fell to his knees, grabbing the chain anchored to the side; the wind whipped him straight from the wall and threw him into the empty air beyond, knowing that if he let go, he¡¯d fall to his death.


    ¡°Father!¡± he screamed out to the rain and cold.


    But the Unbroken General was nowhere to be seen.


    Another massive strike of lightning hit the steel wall, cutting through it effortlessly like a hot knife through butter. Then he saw it, lit by the glow of the burning metal¡ªthe Storm Giant, its massive ckened figure walking steadily towards the Kingdom.


    <em>¡°You must be strong enough to face it. You must be the sword which will y giants, behemoths, and stags. If you wish to be a Nitidus, that is what your noble blood demands of you. Else, you have failed your namesake.¡± </em>His father¡¯s voice came from nowhere, yet everywhere.


    With that¡ªthe Giant raised a finger; a pir of lightning sparked towards Colin.


    Then, the vision ended.

 Chapter 201: Vision Quest

    Chapter 201: Vision Quest


    Garin was beneath the earth again. So, this time, it wasn¡¯t aplete shock and not a horrifying burial. This time, he didn¡¯t feel the earth pressing into him like that awful peyote trip.


    So the sensation wasn¡¯t unfamiliar, not to someone who grew up underground. Garin awoke to find himself in caves, like the Kingdom¡¯s, but not quite. Having spent his whole life in caves like these, it was quite eerie not to have the signature LED lights lining the walls¡ªor any artificial source. And the walls themselves were different too¡ªchalky. By no means was he an expert in stone and the Kingdom. Some men and women could rattle off all the other minerals in even the deepest expeditions, and rocks besides that could only be samples outside of the Kingdom.


    Yet, Garin knew these stones didn¡¯t belong to the kingdom.


    Being trapped underground, without a light, in a strange cave he knew wasn¡¯t his home but felt familiar enough was unnerving. Moreso, given that he had no idea how he¡¯d gotten here in the first ce.


    ¡°How did I get here?¡± Magic, probably.


    Very shortly, he had another realization.


    ¡°I¡¯m alone.¡±


    No Erec prowling around, whose Strength was a wee nket of security. No Colin snorting andining. No Olivia, tofort him and tell him things would be alright.


    Just him, trapped underground in a ce that might be his tomb.¡°I¡¯ll just find my way out, then, back to them.¡±


    The words sounded hollow as they echoed off countless walls and tunnels he couldn¡¯t see, where no one might hear him. That realization twisted inside him, somehow even more frightening than the idea he was lost here without food, and if he couldn¡¯t find his way out, he was likely to die.


    No, what sunk into him was that he was in the shadows without anyone else.


    He thought of his friends, then strode forward, passing through the shade and emptiness countless times. Garin ran his hand along the chalky wall, always walking forward, step by step, moving through this lonesome eternity.


    Had he died? Was this all there was to an afterlife?


    As the minutes ticked by, the idea of finding an escape and getting to his friends seemed further away.


    Garin persisted.


    Countless hours passed, in a ce like this, time had no meaning.


    Garin stopped walking, folding himself against a stone wall, feeling the chalky stone rub the back of his neck, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    He covered his head, tears welling as he tried to convince himself to stand back up, to keep going. Sitting here crying wasn¡¯t going to save him, and the only way to get out was to move ever forward. That, above all, was the only chance of being free.


    Yet doing that was next to pointless, right? What if he was going deeper¡ªcould he use magic? Maybe that¡­


    Garin perked up, raising a hand and focusing. A red line appeared before him, barely cutting through the ever-consuming darkness. All he needed was to call a spark of fire. It was an easy survival spell¡ªone of the few that Dame Juliana taught her Wilderness Survival ss and drilled into them¡ªand a simple one with such utility.


    With it, you could light a fire or hold the spark in your hand as a light. At the time, he didn¡¯t appreciate the versatility and was never interested in learning magic. It seemed almost ridiculous that he might find himself relying on Mysticism for a simple spark for a fire.


    The expedition had cured him of that dumb assumption. Right now, there was an even more <em>perfect</em> application for the spell.


    To Garin¡¯s relief, the line of red spread, further spiraling in a proper glyph. As it grew, he felt heat with his fingertips. It would work; he would have light, then¡ª


    The glyph vanished. Plunging him into pure darkness.


    Confused, Garin tried again.


    Once more, failure.


    Again.


    Same result.


    Only then did Garin give up, feeling sorrow in earnest as he felt his magic blocked. Something about this ce was snuffing out the spell before it began, and he didn¡¯t know enough about Mysticism to counteract it.


    Alone, in the dark, was his death.


    Time passed as Garin let himself sink into the pain of hopelessness. It was pathetic to give up like this, not even to find the strength to keep going. Erec certainly would have kept moving until hisst breath¡ªColin would have devised some n and tried it. He had no clue whether or not either would have escaped, but they would have <em>tried</em> in their way.


    He though¡ªas the sorrow and loneliness struck him, knowing he would never see either of them again, nor Olivia¡­ It was too much. He couldn¡¯t even stand back up.


    His chest began to ache as if his heart was intent on leaping out of his body.


    <em>Panic.</em>


    That¡¯s what it was. When your panic grew big enough, they said you might not even be able to breathe. But this feeling in his chest had an odd quality to it. Otherworldly, unlike the rush and numbness he¡¯d heard about. His breath wasn¡¯t growing sorrow, and he could still breathe. Yet that could have been him simply epting the inevitable, the peace before death reached him.


    Garin tried to stand once more but couldn¡¯t.


    <em>I¡¯m¡­ Useless.</em>


    Olivia¡ªwhat would she think? What would his friends think?


    Poor Munchy would probably starve to death; he¡¯d given the little guy too many ¡®special foods¡¯ that the damn squirrel now refused to eat typical squirrel food. He¡¯d never get to see those plump cheeks again.


    <em>Munchy.</em>


    His heart jolted, and the feeling in his chest radiated as something caught hold and ripped at it. It was as if a chain were anchored to his chest, and someone had just given it a firm, powerful yank.


    Garin gasped as a silver ghost leaped straight out of his chest. The see-through form of a fat squirrelnded in front of him, surrounded by a bright blue glow. Munchy¡ªno doubt now it was Munchy¡ªcircled in front of Garin before sitting down and tilting his head as it looked at him. The stocky creature¡¯s cheeks puffed in and out as it took him in.


    Garin wiped at the tears in the corner of his eyes.


    <em>Why y underground? </em>Munchy seemed to say, head tilted. The voice came through Garin¡¯s mind, each word squeaky and leaving a headache in their wake.


    ¡°M-munchy?¡±


    <em>No food here.</em>


    ¡°Y-you can talk?¡±


    <em>More important. Pumpkin Pastry. Where is?</em>


    ¡°Munchy!¡± Garin eximed.


    <em>Quiet. Food important. Stop talk.</em> Munchy stomped a little foot on the ground and stared his human down. His cheeks puffed, and the light streaming off him only increased in intensity. Garin withdrew, almost having leaped at the squirrel to hold the little guy.


    The shock of the talking and the squirrel ran its course and let him take a step back; the light Munchy brought with him was confusing but broughtfort. Sure, they were still trapped deep in a mysterious cave. But now, he had apanion. Someone to be with if this was to be the end. Though, Munchy never had¡­ Communicated. At all. Not with a voice; sometimes, Garin would get little ideas and feelings of what the squirrel wanted. More than other animals, he used his talent on them.


    Here now, it was crystal clear. Every little twitch of the chubby squirrel was understood as Munchy stared at him. The little guy wanted his breakfast, and it made sense in a way that he¡¯d never truly felt before.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t food here; I don¡¯t even know where <em>here</em> is.¡± Garin tried to exin to the hungry squirrel. Thanks to light, he could see several different twisting pathways through these tunnels, any of which might lead them deeper or to the surface.


    This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Garin focused, trying to feel any drifting air, but there was no cold or current wind to show a way out. Dame Juliana had given them tools to track their progress <em>through</em> a cave to ensure they didn¡¯t get lost, along with instructions that they should never crawl into too tight of a space, lest they get trapped and die without help.


    Go figure. With her limited time, she didn¡¯t choose to cover this very niche and the unlikely possibility of them being abducted without warning and thrown into a cave alone.


    <em>No food? Wrong.</em> Munchy stopped standing, stared Garin down, ran a circle, and then sat down. <em>Where we?</em>


    ¡°No idea, little buddy. We need to get out of here, back to our friends¡ªthen I¡¯ll have food for you.¡±


    <em>Garin need help? </em>Munchy¡¯s squeaky voice asked.


    ¡°<em>We</em> need help.¡± Garin corrected and gestured towards the many openings spread out before them. ¡°Which way is out.¡±


    <em>I lead to food. Trust?</em>


    ¡°Trust? Munchy, what do you mean?¡±


    <em>Trust?</em>


    With this, Munchy stood like a human and puffed both chest and cheeks; his little pot belly hung in full glory as he stared at his master.


    Behind those glossy eyes, Garin saw a level of intelligence for the first time and thought he hadn¡¯t thought the little troublemaker capable of. Sure, Munchy had always been more intelligent than other squirrels, no matter what Colin said. But right now, for the first time, Garin realized just to what <em>extent</em> that squirrel was intelligent.


    Munchy truly believed he could get them out.


    Did he trust him?


    ¡°I do,¡± Garin answered, and once more, he felt a yank in his chest.


    Something tore free¡ªa spiral of light shot into Munchy, swirling around him and heightening the silver glow. Munchy grew, his size increasing as the light swirled quicker, turning into a dazzling disy of energy; for a second, Garin thought he saw a <em>smile</em> on the squirrel¡¯s face before the light mmed into Munchy¡¯s chest.


    The blow didn¡¯t seem to hurt the little creature; it only grew brighter as itunched towards Garin, scampering up his leg to his chest, where Munchy pushed his head against Garin¡¯s heart.


    The piece that was missing a moment before returned and changed, leaving Garin feeling moreplete.


    Munchy leaped off him. And Garin felt as if a tiny thread still connected him, immutable and robust as their connection solidified. As he focused, he could¡¯ve sworn he felt what the squirrel felt¡ªincluding a rumble in his stomach from hunger and the strong desire to eat a pumpkin pastry¡­ And the floor. There was a slight glow on the cavern ground, invisible before, but now, he saw it.


    A pathway.


    Without an exnation, Munchy began to run after the path they both saw¡ªit was the way out, after all.


    Together, they could escape.


    And after they did, he owed the chubby squirrel <em>many</em> treats.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec expected to find himself in a burning hell after falling under the effects of Morgana¡¯s spell. It was only natural. Wasn¡¯t the inferno his home by now? As he felt the scorching tea go down his throat, his soul responded and red as a reaction; he knew where he was headed. Burning, fire, and rage¡­ That was the shape of his soul. It was who he was. Unlike the other two, who hadn¡¯t yet grasped the nature of the Soul Virtue¡ªthat it reflected the nature of themselves. Not him, though. Erec understood and epted who and what he was and knew deep down the destiny in which that fiery path would lead him.


    When he awoke, he was surprised that he was not in a burning hell.


    There were no sulfurous pits, no raging tornadoes made of fire.


    No, he was seated and reclined in afortable chair in a cozy yet war-posed room lush with weaponry, maps, and glorious decor¡ªMost prominent in front of him was a massive round table whose top was cluttered with so many things. Books, maces, a skull¡­ The windows let in a soft breeze, and with it also came the delicate song of a bird. <em>A¡­ Chough? </em>The name came to Erec, along with an image of a red-beaked bird he¡¯d never seen before yet now recognized.


    He focused and took in the weapons again; they were made of mysterious silver, not far from the axe he could conjure. And as a warrior, he knew them to hold a quality the best smiths in the Kingdom would struggle to reach.


    Again, his eyes were drawn to the round table and the chairs around it. Each seat had a throne decorated for the owning Knight to suit them. His chair had notches in the old oak wood as if hit with a weapon. Its cushion was bare¡ªyet none of this made it lessfortable. Each blemish, scratch, and notch enhanced it and made it feel <em>right. </em>This was a warrior¡¯s chair, fit for one such as he who was drawn to the love of battle.


    The rest of the thrones around the table ranged wide in design. From decorative seating made of pure gold to a simple stool that he¡¯d expect to find in a poormon folk¡¯s kitchen¡ªvery far from him was a chair that seemed alive, vines growing off it, and whose legs seemed to be made of a living nt. Each brought with them a sense offort and longing.


    Because these chairs were empty, they should be filled. This whole table should have a Knight for every seat; only, right now, he was alone.


    ¡°Thou art not alone,¡± A voice echoed.


    Erec¡¯s head whipped around to behind¡ªa Knight sat on a window sill, his long, fair red hair drifting in the breeze; he held an easy smile¡­ And Erec was bbergasted that this man was <em>almost</em> like looking in a mirror; only the difference in the set of their eyes, jaw, and the man¡¯s much paler skin marked him as different.


    ¡°Tis us who sit at our throne near the round table, true? Our mantle is imed, as is the Kings. Though that one tis, not the Arthur we hold dear.¡±


    ¡°You,¡± Erec said. There was a tie between them. He felt it and knew it to be urate; they shared a soul, and their link was almost physical. They were the same person.


    With a broader smile, the features of the fair Knight shifted¡ªgoing from simr to the same as his own in a second¡ªthen, it returned; he had the fair face of a man born into high nobility, his teeth a perfect white and a smile filled with both joy and madness.


    ¡°Aye, we are the same. Wielders of this mantle. Thou are born to wield our title and hold our axe, so the mantle has passed. Yet I ask, why shy away from your birthright? Tis it not a power sorely needed in your realm? Do you not seek glory to bring to the round table? We must, of course, confront the mantle of King Arthur to free the throne for one more worthy.¡±


    The words spoken <em>made</em> sense, though they shouldn¡¯t. They brought memories of a time before him, of the perfect world. One was filled with honor and trueness, of which he only touched a part.


    Yes, he had been this man. Erec, son of Lac, and this table was a familiar home.


    His eyes drifted to the simplest chair of all. The stool is so ordinary you might find it in any peasant''s kitchen. A simple sword sheathe rested against it; this chair was the most deceptive of the lot, as was the sheathe made of cheap brown leather. For he knew it contained a sword without equal. This sheathe was Excaliburs¡¯ home; this chair was that of a King of Kings. It belonged to the greatest of their number.


    ¡°Arthur,¡± Erec repeated, the word like lead on his tongue; it held a real weight to it.


    ¡°Yes, Arthur. The greatest and most noble among us, yet now, it is a mantle wielded in the name of the former and not thetter. To wield Excalibur and seek only greatness is a sorrow indeed, depriving reality of the full glory of the King. All in the name of waging endless war and reveling in the sensation of pure might. May I ask thou a question, fair noble Erec?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I can answer. I¡¯m only¡­ I¡¯m struggling to understand all of this,¡± Erec motioned at the round table, feeling it thrum with glory deep into his soul, ¡°You know more than anything I might say.¡±


    ¡°Worry not. You will consider the answer: thou who shies away from your mantle. Imagine us, fearing power,¡± For a second, the Knight paused and chuckled, almost like he wasughing at the antics of a child.


    Erec firmed his spine and shot a disapproving frown at the Knight.


    ¡°No need to do that¡ªhere, let us go to the question, then I¡¯ll provide further to understand: Fair knight, does might make right?¡±


    <em>Does might make right?</em>


    No. Of course, it didn¡¯t.


    Then again, didn¡¯t he use his might to <em>make</em> right?


    Erec thought of all the times he¡¯d charged into battle, tapped into his soul, and called upon this ce and this power¡­ Even now, he could see the silver mes, those fires that were his; this was their home, where they spawned from. That might, that power, that mantle which he¡¯d used to make right time and time again. To save, defeat, and put the world in a ce where it might find peace.


    <em>It can.</em> Erec circled that answer, wishing to deny it, yet he proved himself that it could. In some cases, one might need to fix something wrong.


    Had might not ovee the Stag, how many would have suffered?


    Had his might not put Dan to rest, would MOLLY not have put the remains of the poor man through an evesting living hell?


    Might had made right.


    The Knight smiled wide at him as he saw Erec thinking, unable to answer his response.


    ¡°Worry not, young Knight, tis a question we must always contend with. As we do very much, hold much of might.¡± The other version of Erec¡¯s nodded toward the King¡¯s chair, ¡°Yet, tis not <em>all</em> of it. None are as mighty as Arthur, as much as wish otherwise, tis the truth of the matter, for being the greatest is his mantle¡­ If you ept this quest, there tis one thing you must keep deep in mind. It is not one we shall conquer alone. Putting that mantle back into rightful hands will take much of the table. And if the glory and peace of Camelot is to rise once more, so too must this round table have more of the mantles which doth belong here. That of birthright gives some; other mantles must be earned.¡±


    The Knight stretched out his hand, and the silver axe burned into life<em>¡ªtheir</em> axe. The same Erec conjured before¡ªeven now, he saw the same engravings along its living silver. Himself chasing a stag. He, hand in hand with a woman¡­ More¡­ Even as he stared at what came after, the images refused totch into his mind, slipping away even as he saw them.


    ¡°If thou are to find others to sit here and share the glory of this table, you must not fear thy mantle. Does might make right? Thou must decide, but mistake not, <em>might</em> is within our mantle.¡±


    With that, the Knight jumped, clearing Erec¡¯s head; he whipped the axe back and crashed it into the table before them. A wave of fire spewed outward, flooding everything in a silver inferno.


    But it didn¡¯t burn. The waves of silver heat were soothing, weing, andforting. It whispered to him. <em>Might</em> was his to wield. His to have. But, he could not shy from the axe; he had to embrace the mes, the inferno, with eyes wide and a heart open and willing.


    What was he, if not Erec, son of Lac, Knight of the Round Table?

 Chapter 202: Oz

    Chapter 202: Oz


    <em>They got along quite well at first, but when they reached the middle of the river the swift current swept the raft downstream, farther and farther away from the road of yellow brick. And the water grew so deep that the long poles would not touch the bottom. </em>


    <em>¡°This is bad,¡± said the Tin Woodman, ¡°for if we cannot get to thend we shall be carried into the country of the Wicked Witch of the West, and she will enchant us and make us her ves.¡± </em>


    <em>¡°And then I should get no brains,¡± said the Scarecrow. </em>


    <em>¡°And I should get no courage,¡± said the Cowardly Lion. </em>


    <em>¡°And I should get no heart,¡± said the Tin Woodman. </em>


    <em>¡°And I should never get back to Kansas,¡± said Dorothy. </em>


    <em>- L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, (1900, 2nd Era)</em>


    The air was chill, despite waking up to a sun burning up his skin. Erec¡¯s nose was numb and dry as the cool of the morning took its throne with the season. Winter wasing in full now, and by the time the tournament reigned, this crisp air would be king. The changing temperature was unfamiliar; given his life below, he did not have to worry about the cold. However, he¡¯d heard stories and knew this wasing.


    Erec groggily raised his head to look at their campfire. It was long burned out, and now, it is nothing but a pile of ash. The mugs made of y Dame Morgana manifestedst night no longer existed¡ªthe bits of rock near his hand, though, made him suspect they¡¯d simply returned to the earth after fulfilling their purpose.Dame Morgana was gone too, reced by a rather surly-looking Boldwick staring at him.


    Erec immediately climbed to his feet, hand pounding his chest in a balled fist of salute.


    His two friends, however¡­ Were not as quick on the uptake. Colin no longer convulsed and instead now snored softly to his right; Garin, though, was waking, his eyes fluttering as Munchy desperately pawed at his face¡­ Almost as if the squirrel were trying to help him get up.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m all that pleased to find the three of you so soundly asleep in the open.¡± Boldwick began shaking his head, ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m all that surprised either, for her to leave you in such a state.¡±


    ¡°Apologies, sir,¡± Erec answered, raising his voice more than strictly necessary in order to wake his friend.


    Colin snorted, and his eyes opened as Erec¡¯s n worked


    ¡°Who dares disturb my rest?¡± Colin muttered.


    Boldwick gave him a dark re.


    Colin¡¯s eyes widened as he realized what was happening, then stumbled to his feet¡ªbeating Garin by a handful of seconds as his other friend fought off a chubby squirrel to navigate his way to an upright position. It was only when all three of them were lined up and giving a proper solute that Boldwick finally cleared his throat to speak again¡ªduring which Erec noted a blinking dot in the corner of the vision.


    <em>After.</em> Whatever the ritual was, it had led to a Virtue increase, which, if Erec had to guess as he nced at Garin¡¯s skin king, the others had some gains as well.


    Images of <em>him</em> of the other Erec still circled in his head, but he pushed them away. Right now, he had to pay full attention to Boldwick.


    ¡°Today, I have a special lesson in mind; I reached out to some friends willing to spare their valuable efforts to pass on some much-needed training to the new generation. All of these Knights, you will not find within the confines of our Academy, as they do not teach. No, with their skill sets, they are often in the field, running missions for the Kingdom and for <em>their</em> orders. You¡¯ll find them <em>highly</em> skilled, each formidable in their own right.¡±


    He let that hang in the air.


    ¡°See, the thing is, while I do consider myself an apt teacher¡­ I, like every other person, am limited by my own abilities. Often, it is a benefit for perspective Knights to see examples of the type of archetype their Strengths lend them towards, people who operate off the same type of Strengths and with simr talents. They have perspectives to provide, which may be a key to fueling your growth,¡± Boldwick continued, pacing in front of them as the teacher picked up a certain levity and steam with each word, ¡°So, today is a rare and excellent opportunity, not often afforded to initiates. A personalized day of one-on-one training with established Knights, who I hand-picked. I expect <em>each of you</em> to provide them with nothing but the utmost respect and courtesy.¡±


    Boldwick paused with that statement, then loomed over Colin. He leaned in, dark eyes ring; Colin retreated and gulped at the unspoken threat.


    ¡°¡­Am I understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± All of them said, though it took Colin two tries to get the words out.


    ¡°Now then, after me. We have some time before we shall meet them¡ªand I think a good ten-mile run is what this morning calls for. I don¡¯t know <em>what</em> they will show you, but I promised a trying week to develop you. What better to shape metal than to heat it before giving it to the smith? Thest one to keep up will face another ten miles tomorrow,¡± Boldwick smiled a deep, wicked grin before taking off from their hap-hazard campfire.


    The Master Knight kicked up a pile of dust, forcing the three of them to burst into sprints to follow. It seemed that this run would not be easy, and it was not if they wished to keep pace with a Master Knight.


    <em>No way will I best.</em> Erec promised himself.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Less than an hourter, they ran back towards the Kingdom. It was an invigorating run from their campsite to the edge of the Kingdom¡ªalong the steel curtain for most of the trip. Seeing that steel giant always gave Erec a wee and protective feeling. There wasn¡¯t quite anything like seeing the reflected glory and rivets dotting their shield from the outside world. At the end of the run, Boldwick led them back towards the city proper and took instead a curious route, dragging them by the new construction near the outskirts.


    The three of them piled on after the Master Knight, sweat pouring from them in buckets; the whole of Erec¡¯s back was slick, and every couple of steps, he saw a drop fling off his elbow and into the sand below.


    The wind and the cold air of the morning had faded away to the heat of the midday sun; though it would be winter soon, it wasn¡¯t yet.


    Boldwick ran them through the site of grand construction, where the tournament arena was being built¡ªthey jogged past piles of lumber, ran near canvas with all colors of the rainbow and so much metal bracing that Erec lost count. Only when in the center of it all, surrounded by the vast working crew of people putting together the behemoth of an arena, did Boldwick pull them to a stop.


    ¡°Good forms, all,¡± Boldwick said with augh. He noticeably had breathed easy the whole time despite their struggle. ¡°You may have grown fast, but it will take quite a bit to have the Vigor to keep up with me. Still, one day, I expect you all to give me a <em>run</em> for my money.¡±


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Colin copsed on the ground, caught between trying to breathe and consequently almost dying fromughter over a bad joke; for his part, Erec just focused on trying to get air.


    He¡¯d had an easier time keeping pace, but this marathon was not easy despite how far Fury had stretched his Vigor; it made sense. His eyes slid to Garin. His friend was glossy-eyed and looked near dead, but he kept standing. Munchy, on the other hand, was fast asleep on his shoulder, not having lifted a paw the entire run.


    Boldwick seemed content to give them a minute to recover. Given the reprieve, Erec finally addressed the shing signal in the corner of his vision, willing the notification to appear.


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): <em> Rank C - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 3</em>


    <em>That¡¯s a lot.</em> Erec almost joined Colin on the ground as his breath caught at a time when he needed to keep breathing to keep himself upright. <em>Dame Morgana really is an expert in the Soul... If I only understood what that vision meant. Might makes right? King Arthur?</em> The memories of that tea-filled vision seared into his memory.


    Not for the first time that day did he wonder what Garin and Colin saw¡ªboth seemed unusually stoic. Did they, too, gain more Tiers in that Virtue? Did they finally break through the threshold where it no longer brought them bacshes when using it?


    <em>Later.</em> He promised himself he would ask themter. When his attention finally returned to what was in front of his eyes, it was because Boldwick pped his hands.


    ¡°Right then, onto further training¡ªSirs and Dame¡¯s, if you would!¡± Boldwick called loudly, his voice echoing over the construction site, and paused more than a few civilians hard at work. Those not already staring at the four Knights who jogged onto the work site.


    The bystanders were only given more to stare at as three Knights seemed to slide out of thin air; if Erec hadn¡¯t seen odder in his time on the expeditions or gotten used to Enide, he would have sworn that they appeared from nothing. But no. His eyes were quick enough¡­ They simply dropped from the sky; unlike he might expect from three people dropping down from above, there was no plume of sand nor broken ankles, and it happened instantly.


    The old man in their midst wore a wicked grin, dipping his head and stroking his beard, a gleam in his eye. ¡°You called, Sir Boldwick?¡± Ancientugh lines were etched on his features, and on top of his head was a hat with the crest of the red lotus on an orangeke. The Order Of the Crimson Lotus. ¡°Which one of these is mine? The one with muscles, right? I have a lot of stuff to move today, so a strong set of arms is much needed, what with my weak and brittle bones,¡± he raised a shaking finger toward Erec, that smile of his never leaving his face.


    ¡°Sir Adam,¡± Boldwick greeted and then shook his head. ¡°No, that one is not who you will be training today.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so who¡¯s the brat?¡±


    Boldwick didn¡¯t voice an answer, but once again cleared his throat, looking toward the other two Knights who the old man arrived with.


    In Erec¡¯s opinion, they couldn¡¯t have looked any more different. Naturally, his eyes were drawn towards thergest, a man who might as well be two men, given his size. He damn near towered over them all¡ªat least clearing eight feet if Erec had to guess. Which, in no way, could be a natural build. His talent must have had some kind of physical manifestation¡ªwhile rare, it wasn¡¯t unheard of for a Talent to physically alter the body and have a permanent effect. Not only was the man <em>tall</em>, but he was nothing but pure muscle; on his arm was a tattoo of an Azure Tower, yet he did not wear any proper Knight attire. Instead, opting for a gray tank top, which only showed off more muscle. His beady eyes took them all in with a glower, and as the old man turned to look at him, his face darkened further.


    ¡°We are not here to y, Able.¡± He said his voice like gravel.


    ¡°Mhmm, besides, Boldwick <em>said</em> that your charge has been on the mend, and a bit of tact would go a long way for you if you actually wanted to teach,¡± said a soft voice; there was a small woman next to the behemoth of a man. She wore the green cloak of the Verdant Oak; her hair was a deep brown, and her eyes were constantly scanning around them as if she took in every single worker about and marked them; upon her back was a bow¡ªrare to see a weapon like that wielded in the Kingdom.


    Usually, one only saw bows in the niche noble sport of hunting in the upper caverns. When they booked a biocavern to take down game for sport. Otherwise, the weapon was unheard of. Especially for a Knight.


    ¡°Though, from the way that one nced when you said, ¡®brat,¡¯ I think your charge is the one on the right,¡± she pointed a finger correctly at Colin.


    Erec <em>had</em> given Colin a brief look<em>¡ª</em>the barest of a thing, really¡ªit couldn¡¯t have been less than a split second.<em> She has good eyes.</em>


    ¡°That is correct. Thank you, Dame Elke¡ªAble, she is right, that one is yours. ¡° Boldwick walked over to Garin, putting a hand on his left shoulder since Munchy was on the other one. ¡°And this one is yours.¡±


    With a nod, Dame Elke, the only one from their Order, strode towards Garin, reaching out to shake his hand while also reaching in to give Munchy a quick pat on the head¡­ As for the big behemoth, who Erec could only conjecture was his Knight for the day¡­ Didn¡¯t move at all. Instead, his beady eyes stared at Erec, not offering any introduction orpromising in the least.


    It was as if Erec stared at the personification of Strength; raw brutality was etched in every muscle of this Knight, but why, then, did Erec wonder, was he in the Order of the Azure Tower, the order primarily focused on defense?


    Boldwick looked between all of them, chewed his lip, then spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to introduce yourselves and to take charge of your Initiates. Best of luck; I hope you <em>all</em> have longsting insights from today. One of my greatest pleasures in teaching new Knights is just how much I learn from them,¡± Boldwick said, giving an odd look to the other three established Knights before leaving.


    Quick on the uptake, the Dame in charge of Garin led him away from the group, intent not to waste a single second. Erec could only guess what her specialty was or what sort of training she intended to put his friend through. He only hoped for the best¡­


    As for the other two...


    ¡°Alright then, I wasn¡¯t kidding. Come on, Brat? Colin? That¡¯s your name, right?¡± the old man snapped his fingers, ¡°Get a move on. I have a lot of stuff to move out of my house, and your young manualbor is going to do just the trick.¡±


    ¡°I require training. I am not hauling your junk. Do I look like a peasant to put to task on your useless manualbor,¡± Colin glowered at the old man.


    Instead of returning a frown, the smile on the old man deepened. ¡°Oooooh? Is it only peasants who should be doing useless manualbor?¡±


    ¡°That is their station. While I am meant to defeat the deadly threats outside of this wall.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°That is so,¡± Colin confirmed, crossing his arms.


    ¡°Raise your hand if you defeated a monster known as the White Stag?¡± The old man called.


    Not wanting to trivialize his friend or get involved¡­ Erec decided to keep his hand down. As much as that achievement was his, he didn¡¯t see a reason to unt it. Only, his hand didn¡¯t stay down¡ªten small odd-looking glyphs appeared on each of the old guy¡¯s fingertips¡ªand Erec¡¯s hand shot into the sky.


    ¡°Oooof.¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°So that¡¯s to say that a great and lordly Duke¡¯s brat¡ªsorry, the <em>Unbroken General¡¯s</em> brat, couldn¡¯t manage to y a mangy mutant deer? Doesn¡¯t sound like your job is to defeat deadly threats outside of the wall, after all. That job already <em>got</em> taken.¡± The old man snickered, and Colin¡¯s scowl grew deeper.


    ¡°Are you trying to goad me?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s some advice, kid, it isn¡¯t <em>trying</em> if you seed.¡± The old man now <emughed</em> right in Colin¡¯s face.


    ¡°I would not have found the stag if not for Colin,¡± Erec cut in, not appreciating where this was going. Normally, he was fine with Colin being taken down a few pegs, but this seemed excessive. Especially for a man they just met. With how this was going, Erec was absolutely sure his friend wouldn¡¯t get <em>anything</em> out of working with this old coot.


    ¡°Oh yes, oh yes, I¡¯ve heard. Still, I think this noble-spawn might need to find out, <em>just</em> what a peasant is capable of. Given I came from such lowly stock, you¡¯ll begrudge this old man the simple pleasure in life of poking an entitled youth who doesn¡¯t know the struggle of low birthright in the craw.¡±


    ¡°Stay away from my craw,¡± Colin threatened.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Therge man rumbled, finally stepping forward. Each step he took shook to the ground, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this nonsense. It¡¯s time to begin. Your test begins now.¡±


    Erec¡¯s attention snapped to the man¡ªonly to see thatrge lumbering mass of flesh run <em>right</em> at him; then, only then, did he realize that one of those massive curled fists the size of a sledgehammer was flying through the air, right at his midsection; having crossed the distance between them in a blink.


    Without any time to react, the blow caught Erec andunched him into the sky, knocking all the air out of his lungs.

 Chapter 203: Stone Giant

    Chapter 203: Stone Giant


    Erec hit the ground in a roll, then tried to return to his feet. Only the force of the blow kept him going, stopping him from catching himself. His back smashed into a pile of wood¡ªand even that cost too much time. The ground shook beneath, and it only meant one thing. That giant man was right there, ready to throw another blow.


    All of this happened in a split second. Not enough time to process the pain.


    [Duck.]


    As he heard the giant''sbored grunt, Erec dived for the ground, feeling the air disce above his head.


    [Roll to the right]


    Erec did just as VALmanded, but he could not see the guy attacking him. The ground beneath his feet gave way as the giant man <em>stomped</em> the ce Erec had been. Dirt cracked and shifted as Erec forced whatever Strength he could into his legs, jumping with all his might.


    He felt a fire stir within his gut as he kicked out, flying further.


    The sting of his chest, of bruised bone where the cheap shot hit him, served as great fuel.


    [By Dan¡ªwhat kind of performance-enhancing drugs is this man on? Erec, jump <em>again.</em>]Erec¡¯s feet touched the ground, and heunched off once more, finally getting a sight of his purser¡ªthe giant behemoth of a Knight who Erec didn¡¯t even <em>know</em> the name of.


    Those tiny beady eyes betrayed nothing, and it did not make much sense as the Knight once again kicked off after Erec. Each of those massive steps was like a strumming chord in a melody of battle, each powerful movement a note of absolute strength thatunched him forward, kicking up dust as he effortlessly closed whatever distance Erec could put between them. There was only one way in which this song would end: death.


    [He can¡¯t be trying to kill you, right Buckeroo?]


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Erec growled, sensing the challenge.


    This man, this beast, this monster¡­ It took the fight to a ce where Erec was all too familiar. However, the massive eyes betrayed nothing, the way he¡¯d approached this fight, the attempt to overwhelm and force Erec into submission through raw brutality. That spoke all that Erec needed to hear. This was a challenge. Not a civilized duel, not a matter of noble Knights.


    No, this man wanted a raw brawl where they would bash another guy¡¯s face until his enemy cried on the ground. The type of fight that Erec was certain this Knight had never lost.


    <em>Might makes right?</em>


    Did it make it right to introduce yourself to your new charge with curled fists?


    <em>I suppose it does if he wins since I can¡¯t do anything about it.</em>


    So too, then, might must make right. If said initiate managed to turn the tables and destroy the overgrown man¡¯s oversized ego, then pity on him.


    ¡°We will win, VAL,¡± Erec said, feeling the sparks catch, they flickered silver.


    [Uh.]


    For a brief second, a moment of rm rang through Erec, telling him to pull the breaks on this before it went too far. He pulled out far too much firepower for what the situation warranted.


    ¡°If you hold back, then your training is over, and I¡¯ll send you home with broken bones,¡± the loud voice boomed, ¡°So perish the thought and show me what type of steel I¡¯m working with.¡±


    [I would generally advise caution, but¡­ Well, he did ask for it, didn¡¯t he?]


    <em>Let go.</em> Erec hit the ground again and let the fire burn him out from the inside. In a sh of heat and power, he felt his muscles tense. The world seemed to slow as the wall of moving bulk and flesh rushed him again. One giant fist extended tond yet another crushing blow. This man was so confident that it wouldnd and any defense beneath his overwhelming power would be crushed.


    So Erec didn¡¯t defend.


    No, he took the blow¡ªletting the fist m right into his chest; both hands snapped out to grasp the curled fist of the monster after it hit; instantly, all of the oxygen left his lungs, he gasped for air, and the pain radiated outward from what he suspected might be a devastating hit to his insides.


    None of that mattered. Nor did the buzzing voice of VAL as it listed the damages rued.


    Pain was power, and as his fingers dug into the flesh of the monster he was facing, the most important part of the trade was there¡ªhe hadn¡¯t flung Erec off into the air once more with the hit. Erec skidded as the blow kepting, using every bit of his power to stay upright and hold the fist. The only reason it worked is the blow¡¯s pain fed him, fueling his fire.


    His insides burned brighter; his skin felt hot; it might boil away any second.


    As the momentum of the strike faded, Erec flexed his legs. Shifting the grip of his hands to hold onto the bottom of the guy¡¯s fist, and then with a sudden jerk that strained every muscle he had, Erec <em>flung</em> upward, using his own considerable Strength to force the arm up towards the sky; the giant let out augh of surprise as the maneuver seeded, flinging the fist. And more importantly, it left an opening for Erec to close the distance and get at his target''s body.


    Not thinking of the crippling pain of broken ribs, Erec darted in, screaming as he sent a whistling fist into his enemy.


    It felt... like punching steel. No. More than that, the resistance there and the explosion of pain and broken fingers reminded him of that wall in the Vortex Industries underground, the one that VAL said was made of one of the hardest materials known to man. Erec let out another cry of pain, once more converting the heat of that injury into more fuel.


    There was ag in the fight. The hit wasn¡¯t for nothing. With a grimace, the giant took a step back; it was in his face that he felt the blow. But he was no green initiate, and then, in a fluid motion that betrayed countless hours of practice, the big guy snapped out a kick, hitting Erec in the skull and sending him twisting into a pile of lumber; the piece of wood went flying, dimly, Erec was aware of angry calls and rm from the workers.


    All he saw were stars.


    ¡°Apologies. I¡¯ll rece the wood,¡± The giant said, moving in on Erec¡¯s copsed position to pacify the poor people around them.


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    The casual disregard, the fact that he knew none of these people would challenge their fight, pissed Erec off. Erec tried to stand up again, finding that his legs were jelly¡ªhis brain rattled and mush from the direct hit to his head.


    [Concussion?]


    The words didn¡¯t even register.


    With a wave of his hand, the poor citizens who were hard at work trying to construct this damned tournament ring fled, calling out to the rest of the hapless workers in this ce to make space for the two idiots brawling in the middle of a work site. <em>When you¡¯re powerful, you can do whatever you want.</em> Erec, too, had learned that lesson with the merchants below. Yet, when he used his power, he <em>did</em> not try to make it a habit to interfere with others going about their lives.


    This was pointless¡ªan abuse of that power.


    <em>Prick.</em> Erec thought, once more trying to stand.


    It would be seconds until this guy reached him and then beat him to a bloody pulp; his punch, while enough to give a pause, hadn¡¯t drawn blood or left asting impact¡ªand he knew why.


    <em>Burn.</em>


    The silver fire was there, within his fingers'' grasp. And this time, Erec didn¡¯t shy away. He let the fire into him, let it turn into an inferno. Reason left his mind, reced with the knightly desire to test his strength against this beast of a man. How would the likes of this guy fair against those he¡¯d prevailed against so far? Let him see the true worth of a Knight of the Round Table.


    A silver coat of fire red around Erec, causing the giant to step back; the fire condensed into ayer of Armor. Erec¡¯s eyes burned as he stared at his foe, feeling the bones of his fingers snap back into ce as his mantle fell around him. A second presence lingered in his mind, an identity that was his, just as he was his own person. He was Erec, son of Lac. And before him was a strange blue knight. Whom among them had more might?


    ¡°Ye shall fall,¡± Erec promised, the words strange to his tongue.


    [Again, speaking weirdly. Or maybe that hit to your head really hadsting damages¡ªno, you did this during the fight against Dan. Ugh. This anomalous energy and its odd attachments. How can you do concrete variables when it makes so little sense?]


    ¡°Ah, so there it is,¡± The big man said, standing back and slipping into a defensive posture. His beady eyes regarded Erec, yet they held no fear. As was eptable, if he intended to see the true worth of a Knight of the Round, he had no idea what it meant to fight one¡ªErec was more than happy to provide him a lesson. ¡°Right, then. Quit putzing about and staring at me with that silver armor you¡¯ve manifested. Let¡¯s see what you can do.¡±


    Erec shed him a grin and then kicked off, fire exploding outward from his feet in a silver burst as he rocketed at the man¡ªErec hit, fist extended, pushing past that metal-like skin of his foe and hitting beneath, the momentum of the movement carrying them both forward for several feet as the big guy skidded over the ground. Yet, it didn¡¯t knock his foe down; all it earned was a grunt of pain and acknowledgment.


    When they came to a stop, the manunched his counter, swiping at Erec and knocking him in the side¡ªwhere he hit, the living silver fire armor crumpled, breaking the bone beneath¡ªas it reformed, as more of that heat entered Erec¡¯s veins, the bones healed, the pain didn¡¯t ease. Still, it became a conduit; the connection between him and his other self grew more steady. Their actions were in sync; Erecunched another blow to respond, smashing past the big guy''s guards and sending him tumbling over the ground.


    With another sh of silver fire, Erec was there, ready to pounce on his enemy on the ground; only it was a trick. The big guy was prepared, kicking Erec¡¯s legs out from under him, once more snapping bone with a nasty crack. A meaty hand grabbed Erec by the hair, tearing through the silver helmet that formed and then shoving Erec¡¯s face a foot deep into the dirt.


    <em>How dare he?</em>


    Erec¡¯s legs healed, and he pulled himself free from the earth¡ªonly to catch another kick to his skull, flinging him head over body across the wastnd; only about half of a second passed before he felt a meaty palm grab his leg, then spin him around and toss him through the air.


    [Ah, we¡¯re flying, and he does seem to be trying his best to kill you.] VAL warned, and so they were; the wind whistled through Erec¡¯s disoriented skull as they sailed the sky, hundreds of feet up and traveling rapidly away from the work site¡ªout towards the empty wastnd inside the steel curtain.


    ¡°Quiet, squire,¡± Erecmanded.


    [Excuse you, Buckeroo?!]


    Erec sent out a pulse of silver fire through his feet, twisting in the air as he scanned around, his body already mending from the devastating blows¡ªhis foe, where?


    There. The big man was rushing towards him on the ground still, no doubt calcting where the arc of his throw wouldnd his target; with the pace of his jog, the way he threw himself across the ground, it was clear the big guy would <em>easily</em> reach Erec when he crashed.


    ¡°Try again, monster; I shall not y by thy rules,¡± Erec dered, pulling further on the silver fire¡­


    In his mind¡¯s eye, he could see his chair, his seat at the table. He could envision Camelot and its endless energy of strength and honor. Just a fraction of it, a taste of what was his¡ªthat is what he needed to win.


    The fire around him, the armor unraveled as he concentrated; that was fine. His connection only allowed so much through, and this amount of Might, condensed and used to its full potential, should surely be enough to conquer the foe in front of him. The silver fire broke, spiraling towards his feet. Still flying through the middle of the air, Erec kicked off once more, burning downward towards the Knight who dared to challenge him; there was a boom as he elerated, a rocket headed straight towards the massive mound of flesh down below.


    The silver fire red around Erec as he sped towards the ground; seconds stretched as more poured outward, coating him a secondter. He was a silveret, a star that came down from the earth to crash into the titan below.


    Those beady eyes regarded him, an eyebrow raised, the big guy braced


    <em>No matter your defense, thou shalt burn beneath my glory.</em>


    CRASH.


    Erec mmed into the Knight, driving him to the ground as he cratered thendscape around them. Dust plummeted as his fist connected, breaking the raised arm of his foe, who tried to brace against it. There was a snap as bone broke.


    Blinded by the dust, Erec flew back with another pulse of silver; the silver fire crashed into the spot where his enemy had been, putting distance between him and the impact site.


    Erec hit the ground and stumbled.


    Bruised, his muscles torn, his eyes locked on where his enemy had been.


    Inside, his instincts screeched at him. The foe was yet to be finished.


    <em>More? Truly?</em>


    Instinctively, he reached outward again, stretching a hand towards the silver fire, trying to call more of it upon himself; yet the connection there was withered, scorched, and unusable by the quantity of power transferred through. His awareness, that picture of Camelot, of his Strength, the surety of his might and who he was, faded.


    The silver fire turned once more to that burning mortal hell, and even that was spent; thest flutters left as his body grappled with what had happened.


    <em>No. More.</em>


    Erec spat out blood¡ªat some point, he¡¯d bit his tongue, and his body hurt like hell.


    The dust cleared.


    As it did, it gave a lovely view of the massive Knight staring at him, broken arm hanging by his side.


    Then, that broken arm snapped once more, with a flex of his muscles pushing the bone back into ce. Veins ran from the guy''s forehead, and he gave a grunt. He rolled his shoulders, the muscles beneath like a flesh mountain, his skin going red as he took a deep inhale¡­ All of his muscles tensed, and he took a step towards Erec.


    <em>More. </em>Erec panicked, reaching for the silver mes again, trying to dig it out in time to save him; all he needed was tounch himself away and gain more time.


    <em>What manner of monster is this man?</em>


    [Move!] VAL called, and Erec stumbled, trying to backpedal as the silver fire refused toe and the regr fires sputtered.


    ¡°Good. You are steel worth working with, and I¡¯ll have to beat you into a weapon deserving of that steel.¡± The Knight''s voice boomed, crashing through the air and hurting Erec¡¯s ears. He lifted his fist and snapped it into the ground in the blink of an eye, hitting the rock and dirt beneath the feet. If Erec had left them in a crater¡ªthis was something else entirely. A hole goddess knew how deep; his eyes went wide as thend beneath him copsed, as he fell, dirt and stone burying him and the Knight.


    Thest thing Erec saw was dust. Thest thing he felt was a rock smashing into his head.

 Chapter 204: Anvil

    Chapter 204: Anvil


    <em>ATTN: INSTRUCTORS AND TEACHING STAFF</em>


    <em>Training is individual.</em>


    <em>That is the stance we¡¯ve taken historically, especially in context when moving onto the rank of Knight Errant. That stance is appropriate at that rank. There, the mentor of the Knight will set the schedule, determine the strengths and weaknesses of their Knight Errant, and develop them on an individual basis.</em>


    <em>However, the path towards that individual training should not be based on individuality... There are standards that must be met; the truth is that some Knights fail the academy. As a general rule, we don¡¯t like to speak of it to the Initiates. Yet, it does happen. The best method to get our initiates through the Academy is to teach to a standard and train to a standard.</em>


    <em>Anyone epted to the Academy is seen as a promising candidate and has a perceived future as a Knight. This is reflected by the fact that bing an Initiate grants a rank of nobility in its own right.</em>


    <em>The tragic truth is that people fail. If, within two years, an Initiate doesn¡¯t meet or exceed standard metrics determined by a panel of qualified Knights of their Order, they will be honorably discharged from their order. From there, of course, they will retain this granted status of nobility, retain their Armor after it is stripped of affiliation, and then be given a written rmendation to the rank of officer in the military. </em>


    <em>Sure, the number of Knights who fail is few. Only an average of ten percent of Initiates fail, with some years seeing more or fewer, but this is due to rigorous academic standards. That does not count those who choose to go no further in their Order after two years.</em>


    <em>We must be aware of and work to counteract this reality, the chance of failure.</em>


    <em>Every potential Knight represents yet another golden opportunity for humankind to thrive on the surface as we were meant to. Even if they don¡¯t begin to shine in their career in the Academy, they may go on to be bastions of glory and save many in the future. It is our duty to give them this opportunity to benefit the individual, their Order, and the Kingdom as a whole.</em><em>As instructors, you must never forget this.</em>


    <em>- Sir Oflux, Memo to Academy Staff, Reminder of Duty (3rd Era, 295) </em>


    ¡°Your issue is that puny body,¡± a gravely voice cut through the darkness of reality that Erec had sunk into. His eyes snapped open, and a pulsing green light ran around him. A woman leaned over, a concerned look on her face as she looked at Erec.


    ¡°What?¡± Erec called, the words he was certain he¡¯d heard, but they couldn¡¯t have been from thisdy¡­ And¡­ Where the hell were they?


    Everything, absolutely everything, was in utter andplete pain.


    ¡°Your body. It¡¯s not up to snuff to deal with the kind of power you¡¯re throwing around. It¡¯s not fast enough, doesn¡¯t hold up enough, and is not powerful enough to withstand the pressure you¡¯re putting on it. It¡¯s like me swinging around a steel sword. Pointless since the damn thing will just break. S¡¯why I gave up on steel, and swapped to fists.


    Erec focused on the speaker¡ªthe looming giant of a man was tucked in the corner of the¡­ room? It looked to be a rtively simple living room; a pot on a small hearth above hung a slew of herbs; not too far away was a small bed tucked in the corner¡­ The roof was patched, and a bit of light shone through, but if Erec had to guess¡­ They were in a farmhouse on the surface.


    And thedy frowning at him was wearing a in dress, further confirming his suspicion¡­


    ¡°Matt, you should take it easy. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s got it in him right now to understand what you¡¯re talking about,¡± the woman said softly, the green light increasing in intensity. Erec felt his wounds closing, the soreness of the muscle easing by the second. It was clear she was healing him, but the degree of potency he felt was something else entirely. This was clearly a practiced and precise skill, one that none of the priests had managed with their prayer.


    ¡°No need to coddle. Especially not this one. You know who he is, right Gem?¡±


    The woman sighed, the green light fading away.


    ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    ¡°Then you know it aint his best interest for me to pull punches,¡± the man¡ªMatt, given how the woman addressed him¡ªmoved forward, each step a quack on the house as he reached out his big meaty palm to grab onto Erec and yank him up from the mat on the ground.


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Gem said, stepping between Erec and the Knight of the Azure Tower, who had beaten him to a pulp¡­ Goddess knows how long before.


    Erec saw where this was going and got up of his own volition. His legs wobbled, but he was put enough back together to prepare for a fight. He rolled his shoulders and red at the Knight beyond.


    <em>I lost.</em> Uneptable; he hadn¡¯t burned away everything. Hadn¡¯t dived deep¡ªat the end, when he felt the sputter, he realized why. Part of him knew this man wasn¡¯t out to kill him or his Kingdom; the silver mes had brought enough logic to realize it. Yet that didn¡¯t make it any better. The loss left a sore bruise on his pride.


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to wreck him again!¡± Gem used.


    The beady-eyed knight nodded. ¡°Yeah, his body needs to be stronger. I¡¯m the right hammer for the job.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t just keep healing him if it means you¡¯re going to take this poor boy outside and beat him bloody again and again¡ªhow many times? How many times until you¡¯re happy?¡±


    Matt shrugged. ¡°Until Boldwickes back to grab him. That¡¯s the job today, hun; I know it isn¡¯t pretty, and maybe its morality is a bit iffy. But I was told, ¡®make him stronger the best you know how,¡¯ and that fight showed me how.¡± He raised a finger at Erec, his cold eyes staring him down, ¡°You¡¯re swinging around too much power and don¡¯t have the foundation to support it. Lucky you, I can get you closer. Assuming Gem here is willing to cooperate¡ªdon¡¯t think you¡¯d find a better healer to suit your needs; her Talent is Stasis. She heals you, I beat you, we make a weapon. Think of her as forge, me as the hammer.¡±


    ¡°Forge my ass. No way am I agreeing to that; look at him; he¡¯s shaking,¡± the woman warned, ring down at the big Knight, who was multiple feet taller than her.


    Erec looked at his hands. She was right, but now wasn¡¯t the time for it. He forced them to stop with great will, balling them into fists. The worst part was that this made sense. Even though his body no longer hurt, the memories of what remained burned through him. Erec felt his body heat, but the sensation of the silver fire was distant, spent. The pathway to it scorched.


    That was the issue. Even if he could grasp that power, training with it went nowhere when he couldn¡¯t properly utilize it with the current limitations of his body. If he ignored those limitations, he could drive himself into the grave.


    He couldn¡¯t deny that the results of the previous training had left a blinking dot in the corner of his vision.


    Not breaking eye contact and still thinking through what he wanted to say, Erec willed the notification to appear.


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): <em> Rank C - Tier 3 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 4</em>


    Strength: <em>Rank C - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 8</em>


    Vigor:<em> Rank D - Tier 8 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 9</em>


    Agility:<em> Rank D - Tier 6 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 7</em>


    Erec¡¯s eyes bulged.


    He expected something.


    This was obscene.


    This kind of push and strain on his body to cause such a difference <em>should</em> have been enough to wreck him for a couple of days. A vague memory of the fight ran through his mind, though he couldn¡¯t quite picture how it ended¡­


    ¡°How did you heal me so well?¡± Erec asked, stunned. That kind of healing was the type of thing that even only the best among their healers might aplish. Yet this woman didn¡¯t wear red robes, was clearly not a Knight¡­


    The big Knight looked away at this, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°Hey, so listen. Gem¡ªher house. Stays between us, alright? If you cause her trouble, I¡¯ll be on you quicker than you can blink. And no, the goal <em>won¡¯t</em> be to help train you, and no, your jaw won¡¯t work anymore after.¡±


    ¡°Matt!¡± Gem shouted, grabbing a book nearby and hitting him on the shoulder, ¡°No threats of violence in my home.¡± She then looked at Erec, her eyes wide but her mouth firm, ¡°But I would highly appreciate it if you could¡­ Maybe forget I exist, if you would, alright? I want a nice and quiet, peaceful life. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°He <em>will</em> forget you exist,¡± Matt pounded a fist into an open palm with a resounding meaty thwack.


    Erec took a step back, chewed his lip, and then came to a decision.


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    ¡°I will forget you exist; I¡¯m not here to upend your life or cause you harm. It¡¯s obvious you have a potent talent for healing, and I¡¯m sure you have good reasons for not spending that talent locked into service for the Kingdom¡­ That said, I would appreciate it if you could let Matt beat me up more and keep me alive after.¡±


    Gem¡¯s jaw dropped.


    [Wow. You sure you know what you¡¯re doing with this business proposal? Are you a masochist, buckeroo?]


    ¡°You want him to beat you up more?¡± She repeated what he said, drawing out each word, second-guessing that he knew what he meant. ¡°Did you give him brain damage? You know it might take more time to recover from those injuries.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Matt said, then stopped himself, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t believe so. Maybe? Ah, shit. I did clock him in the head.¡±


    [Nope, no brain damage. Her healing covered that,bined with my nanites.]


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks to you,¡± Erec dipped his head towards Gem and then turned his attention toward Matt. ¡°I have to be stronger. He¡¯s right. And after I woke up, thanks to your healing, I saw an incredible result from our fight. If I could manage that, even a few more times today, that would go a long way for me to be able to wield my talent and save lives.¡±


    ¡°Kid, didn¡¯t you y the White Stag?¡± She asked.


    ¡°And else, yet it isn¡¯t enough. Not with what this talent has thrown my way. It¡¯s a potential to do a lot of good, but if the limiting factor is me, that is what I need to work on.¡±


    ¡°Well said!¡± Matt walked past Gem, setting one of his palms on Erec¡¯s shoulder, nearly toppling him. ¡°Well, Gem, you heard him. <em>He¡¯s asking me to beat him to a pulp.</em> Can you keep him alive? It¡¯s in the name of the good of the Kingdom.¡±


    Erec decided to bite his tongue and keep it to himself, saying that he <em>did not</em> intend to simply roll over and let Matt destroy him without a fight. Though he didn¡¯t feel at the moment that his silver mes, nor the ¡®mantle¡¯ whichy at its source, was avable to draw upon, that wouldn¡¯t stop him from trying.


    With how ridiculously strong Matt was, it would be a waste not to try to go out and break more limits¡­ Of course, that depends on this person who could keep him together.


    Gem worked her jaw. ¡°Insane. You¡¯re both insane. All of you damn Knights are insane.¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°And?¡± Matt prompted.


    ¡°And what? You¡¯repletely nuts. You¡¯ve been since you first joined that damn Order, and it¡¯s only gotten worse.¡±


    ¡°Annnd?¡±


    ¡°And fine, I¡¯ll do it. Because I know if I don¡¯t, you¡¯re just going to wreck him and toss him to some other, worse healers, and the injuries might not go away. I can¡¯t deal with this,¡± Gem said, stalking away and mumbling. She turned after reaching a door to go further into her house, ¡°Get the hell out, and bring him back the second he goes unconscious, and keep your fists from his head¡ªso help me if you kill that boy¡­ One more condition: don¡¯t you dare beat him to unconsciousness? I want him to be at least able to nod and understand what I¡¯m saying when you drag the poor kid back here. Am I understood?¡°


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am, and don¡¯t worry about that. He¡¯s in good hands!¡± Matt called, scooting Erec out. It seemed the giant knew when to beat a quick retreat.


    ¡°Insane,¡± Erec heard the woman mumble onest time before they were free of her domain and back out into the wastnd.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Erec spat up blood on the dirt and sand; in front of him was a vast swath of dug-out dirt and rock. Thendscape was filled with pits and more blood than it deserved. Almost all of it was his blood, yet to his immense satisfaction, it wasn¡¯t <em>all</em> his blood now. In thisst bout, he¡¯d drawn some of Matt¡¯s with a wicked punch to the nose. The massive Knight had halted shortly after, rubbing at his broken nose and trying to clean it up. Citing that, ¡®Gem won¡¯t heal me like she¡¯s been tending to you¡ªshe¡¯ll say I deserved whatever I got.¡¯


    Which Erec found a little bullshit. Considering that he was fighting past broken bones in two of these rounds, Matt hadn¡¯t let him call it quits then.


    The training was paying off. Within their first spar, he¡¯d already seen the notification appear. Part of Erec was tempted to open it when he healed back with Gem, yet he¡¯d held off. Better to see the overall gains <em>after</em> this grueling hell of pain andbat was over, lest it demoralize him if the returns weren¡¯t <em>quite</em> as good as the first fight.


    After all, since then, he hasn¡¯t been able to call the Silver fire. And his ability to fight without it fell quite short of what the massive beady eye Knight in front of him was capable of.


    ¡°Who are you,¡± Erec got out, finally having a reprieve from the battle.


    It seemed Matt wasn¡¯t much for talking, aside from with Gem, who he kept profusely apologizing to whenever he dragged Erec¡¯s broken body back for healing.


    ¡°Matt,¡± the big guy snorted and then winced. ¡°Damn, this hurts. Why¡¯d you have to sucker punch me?¡±


    Erec raised an eyebrow, looked down at his bruised arm, and could barely flex his fingers.


    ¡°Alright. Fair point. Fine, let¡¯s take five. I think we got about another eight or so fights until we gotta turn in.¡±


    ¡°Not training through the night?¡± Erec asked, surprised.


    ¡°Hell no. I mean, I¡¯m treating you harshly, but from what I understand, this is the second day of a whole five of this kinda training, right? I break you too badly and don¡¯t let you rest tonight; what will you get from the other days? Gotta leave time for the body to adapt. Regardless of taking you to a healer with quite the talent,¡± Matt said, shuffling over to an upended lump of dirt he¡¯d ripped clean from the ground earlier in the day. ¡°Sit right here,¡± he patted a spot next to him.


    Erec hobbled over, finding his left ankle weak and probably sprained now that he wasn¡¯t in the midst of Fury. Maybe VAL would be able to correct that before they re-engaged.


    ¡°Right. Who am I,¡± Matt began, drumming his fingers on the dirt.


    ¡°Yeah, an Azure Tower Knight¡­ But what rank¡­ and why this? Who is Gem? How do you know Boldwick? How are you so damn strong?¡±


    ¡°Some of those are loaded questions, kid.¡± Matt pointed out.


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful for the training, but I can¡¯t help being curious,¡± Erec asked.


    ¡°Mhmmm. Let¡¯s start with the simple stuff. I owe Boldwick we go back plenty of years, old sparring partners if you can believe that; I¡¯m a Master Knight for the Azure Tower. As to why I¡¯m helping¡ªwell, of course, Boldwick asked, but can¡¯t lie. I was curious about the Kingdom¡¯s fastest ¡®rising star.¡¯ Do you know that other Knights have noticed you and your friends? Mainly you, but given your involvement in some <em>fast</em> and <em>massive</em> changes¡­ Stuff like that doesn¡¯t escape the public eye, much less in the Orders. As to the two helping your friends, they aren¡¯t Master Knights, but they are closer to what kind of Knights their paths might lead them on, and this, for them, is a way to gage if they can have a Knight Errant assigned, so it¡¯s a double test,¡± Matt answered calmly, still rubbing at his nose.


    ¡°And your friend?¡±


    ¡°My <em>wife, </em>well. Ex-wife. We¡¯re¡­ It¡¯splicated; she wants a simple life, but I don¡¯t think she has it in her to resist the call of what she can do for others. That is where we¡¯ll leave that; you will forget about her after this is over; keep in mind, I¡¯ve been holding back.¡± he said rather sharply, shooting Erec a re.


    <em>That</em> frightening thought made him wonder just how strong the scale went.


    Maybe it was foolish to consider himself at the height of power with Fury, as it was¡­ But, well.


    ¡°Well, maybe I had to let go a bit when you got the silver fire. Tell me, why haven¡¯t you brought that out again?¡± Matt continued after apse of silence.


    ¡°Can¡¯t, wish I could.¡± Erec said, staring at his feet, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ The connection with it can appear, but the pathway is all burnt up after use. This time, I scorched it, but it¡¯s not¡­ Well, it was destroyed, like it was aftering back from the wastnd. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s getting stronger, and I could force it further, but if I did so, Gem¡¯s healing might not be enough.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know about that. Talentse in all sorts. Yours doesn¡¯t strike me as a ¡®one and done¡¯ kind of ability, which carries a recharge. I don¡¯t know if they still teach it after taking a priority of teaching instruction away from Talents and instead doubling down on flinging magic and prayer. Still, maybe you¡¯ve heard the four basics¡ªShifter, Enhancer, Projector, and Skill.¡±


    The categories did ring a bell; during the first couple of months of schooling, Boldwick had taken him and a few others with particrly potent talents and put them into specialized training.


    Now, though, those courses had been all but canceled for him following his return from the expedition. Erec wasn¡¯t sure why but knew his <em>own</em> talent development had far exceeded anyone else, aside from maybe Prince Soren.


    ¡°Tell me then, what category are you and me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an enhancer,¡± Erec confirmed right away; it¡¯s what Boldwick had called him, and given the conditions of activating Fury, it made the most sense. It brought out more Strength, Agility, and Vigor. Mostly Strength, but the others were a consequence of keeping up with such a vast difference in Strength.


    Sir Matt said nothing; he only put a smirk on his face and then asked, ¡°Oh, is that so? Then what is that silver fire? It seems like using a Skill since you¡¯re pulling it out of nothing for attacks. But then again, <em>doesn¡¯t</em> it also give you regeneration?¡±


    Erec wracked his brain to connect the dots. Skill-based talents leaned towards more specific external effects at the cost of stamina. The Silver me let him make attacks like that style, but it also amplified his Fury even more, making it an Enhancer talent.


    At least, ording to what he could remember.


    Erec frowned. ¡°Boldwick mentioned there are more advanced ones and that ssification is just a loose representation of what is there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an outdated and wed system,¡± Matt rified.


    ¡°Then why are you asking me about it?¡±


    ¡°Because it gives a good foundation to understand the types of Talents you could run into. But it fails to tell you that many talents crossover or are too rare. Using that system, I might be considered a Shifter-Uncontrolled-Permanent.¡±


    ¡°Uncontrolled-Permanent?¡±


    ¡°ssifications with their system can add modifiers; in this case, it¡¯s saying that my type of <em>shift,</em>¡± Matt indicated his body, which was far from human norm, ¡°Is an uncontrolled talent. If I gave you one of their titles, I¡¯d maybe call you an Enhancer-Abnormal.¡±


    Erec leaned back on the rock, taking in the clouds above as the words slid off him. The terminology of what he could do thanks to his Talent was, in a way, meaningless. Given how it was affected by his Soul, he doubted it could even be split into its source of power to begin with. It seemed to be ever-evolving, too, given the linkage; that made him wonder.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the ssifications don¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Matt confirmed, ¡°The reality is that I <em>grew</em> into my Talent. I got stronger, my body changed, and I was drawn to the Strength Virtue even before my Talent appeared¡­ I was taller and stronger, and my muscles went far more than others from the start. What came first? My body? Or the talent? You see it now and again with the rare talent; it changes your body as you develop. Not that people like to talk about it, folks like us¡­ The stronger we get, the closer we begin to remind them of monsters, then of other people.¡±


    ¡°And your faith virtue?¡± Erec asked.


    Matt worked his jaw for a long time and then responded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about that?¡± He said, standing up. ¡°We have a few more rounds of beatings to get through before I¡¯mfortable enough to let you go after you broke my nose.¡±


    As Erec climbed to his feet, nearly toppling over, he took in Matt¡¯s eyes. There was concern there, as well as a mask.


    <em>He doesn¡¯t have a Faith Virtue.</em> Erec wasn¡¯t sure why, but he was certain of it. The revtion came with just the barest spark of a silver fire in him, the first true spark since their first fight.


    He, Colin, and Garin weren¡¯t alone¡ªand maybe if Matt and Dame Morgana had ess to the Soul Virtue, they were far from alone.


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 Chapter 205: Forged

    Chapter 205: Forged


    Once the moon went down and Sir Matt dragged Erec back from theirtest round of training to the tiny farmhouse on the surface, Erec finally took a deep sip. It was a credit to whatever Gem¡¯s talent that he could go for so long. But after each round of healing, he began to feel more worn down and weak.


    So, it was with great relief when Matt announced they were done for the night, did he celebrate.


    Gem healed him, then escorted him to a tiny cot near the fire, sucking on her teeth and shooting the asional re at Matt as she prepared a mulled wine.


    Erec epted the cup generously, finding it hard to talk or think as the full depth of the exhaustion began to sink in.


    ¡°You¡¯re staying the night, then?¡± she asked, her eyes directed at Matt.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t mind.¡± She repeated while shaking her head, ¡°Where else would you stay.¡±


    ¡°Could drag him back to Azure Tower bunks, suppose.¡±


    ¡°You could buy a house.¡±¡°Mhmm. You know Grandmaster Towers has said enough: the new one and the one before. Not a year goes by before she tries to give mend and an estate,¡± Matt chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t care for it though. Didn¡¯t start as a noble, not going to end as a noble either.¡±


    Gem red at him, ¡°It isn¡¯t wrong to be paid for what you¡¯ve earned.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t disagree. I think they should pay me in peace, not in more work,¡± Matt settled into a chair near the fire, an oversized thing that must have been custom-made for him. Still, even with that in mind, the legs squeaked, and it protested having such a massive weight suddenly put onto it. Gem sighed and pulled another plush chair next to him, setting one of her hands on his.


    ¡°When are you going to be done?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve had this conversation already,¡± Matt answered sharply.


    Erec took a deep sip of the mulled wine, his eyes heavy as he listened to the two. At this point, he realized they¡¯d gone into their own little world. Not dissimr at all to those brief but precious moments he got with Enide, when the seconds seemed to blur together, and the moment and emotions took overall. It was like stepping into your own private little bubble, isted from everything outside and, thankfully, only with that person.


    No doubt about it then, these two were together, and that much was painfully obvious.


    ¡°And I told you, we won¡¯t stop having this conversation until you pick a day. This isn¡¯t a job you can keep doing forever, love,¡± Gem answered.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t forever, nothing is.¡±


    ¡°<em>And</em> I don¡¯t want your end to be at the hands of a monster. Retire before then. Some Knights do. You¡¯re talking about being paid in peace, but you can¡¯t be paid if you¡¯re dead.¡±


    Matt shrugged. ¡°What kind of life is there for a man like me? I¡¯m meant for this, and if I¡¯m not doing it, then what is the point?¡±


    To this, the woman didn¡¯t respond, only clutching his overgrown hand tighter. The mes in front of them in the fire popped and cracked, the warmth touching even Erec, further away on his borrowed cot. The silence stretched in the room, though Erec knew he was long forgotten in their minds. Compared to the problems they faced together, he was but a footnote.


    Erec took onest sip of the warmed wine, feeling the popping vor of cinnamon, cloves, and apple; his eyes rested on the fire, swearing that he could see little flecks of silver in it.


    Just as he began to slip away to sleep, he finally let his curiosity win and willed the notification in the corner of his vision to expand.


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): <em> Rank C - Tier 4 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 6</em>


    Strength: <em>Rank C - Tier 8 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 9</em>


    Vigor:<em> Rank D - Tier 9 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 3</em>


    Agility:<em> Rank D - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 1</em>


    Cognition: <em>Rank E - Tier 6 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 8</em>


    Psyche: <em>Rank D - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 3</em>


    Perception: <em>Rank E - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank E - Tier 9</em>


    A small thrill of sess from the effort ran through him, followed by a profound slumber.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    The first thing Erec felt when waking up was pain, along with a thump as his body hit the dirt. Next came the overwhelming sounds of people chattering, hammering, and working away in the distance. He groaned, pushing himself up from the ground; his eyes blurred as he tried to make sense of what was happening. The corner of his eyes ran with tears as he wished for nothing else but to be able to sleep just a little bit longer.


    Next, he realized that he was no longer tucked away in a cozy farmhouse; it should have been obvious, given the sound around him. But the whish from watching the embers of the fire while curled up on a cot to finding himself thrust into the middle of a public space and in the dirt was making him slow.


    ¡°Come on, rust-bucket. Get up.¡± Colin hissed to his side, grabbing him by the arm and helping haul him to his feet.


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    Matt stood in front of them. The stoic Master Knight had his hands tucked behind his back and not even a smirk on his face. Next to him was the sour old man from the day before who¡¯d taken Colin. He, however, kept shooting angry looks at the boy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t offer him assistance,¡± The old manmanded.


    Colin scowled, ¡°You are no longer in charge of me.¡±


    ¡°Care to test that again? Do you need another reminder of how inferior your spell-slinging is to this old master? Or do I need to put you out again and reintroduce you to the waste facilities?¡±


    At that, and to Erec¡¯s surprise, Colin balked and let him go. Erec stumbled, barely avoiding falling onto his face again on the dirt below. He took a moment, blinking out the tiredness and soreness of his entire body, to understand just what was happening.


    They were back where Boldwick had left them the day before. Around them were the workers hammering away at fixing the tournament ground. More than a few were looking their way, and to Erec¡¯s embarrassment, he could still see the remains of where Matt had fought him the day before¡ªsome holes being filled in with sand and dirt hauled by a team of men and women.


    His eyes ran over therge Knight, who, if he had to guess, had been the one to haul him here and toss him onto the dirt.


    [Wakey wakey, have no fear; I took care of your unconscious body while you recovered. You should find muscle soreness but no lingering effects. That anomalous energy¡­ Or magic, as you call it, from his wife¡ªwife? You know, I never pieced that together¡ªregardless, it is quite potent. But had I not been there to direct the healing¡­ Well, you might have needed a few days. Lucky you, buckero. Oh, and yes, he carried you here. Rather rming how out of it you were. Don¡¯t conduct this type of training outside of a safe area. Dangerous.]


    <em>Well.</em>


    Erec scratched the back of his neck and turned his attention to Colin¡­ Who was burnt worse than any piece of toast, he¡¯d seen the noble cook. Burn marksnced across all of his clothes; patches were missing from his uniform, and both dirt and¡­


    <em>Oh, goddess.</em>


    Erec gagged from the smell.


    Colin was positively rancid, and by not paying a bit more attention to the stains on his friend''s clothes, he had be human waste.


    <em>What kind of training did he go through?</em>


    Before he had too much time to examine his friend, the third andst member of their party arrived. Cutting through the groups of civilians at a measured and delicate pace, Garin was likely the least damaged. In fact, he sported a green Verdant Oaks cloak that was definitely not Academy Standard and followed right behind thedy with a bow.


    Munchy stood on the head of Garin¡¯s cloak¡­ Somehow, it¡¯s even bigger than a day ago. How such a thing was possible, Erec wasn¡¯t sure.


    His friend gave them a grin, sliding into line with Erec and Colin, and then gave a salute to the woman with a bow as sheunched into a small, quiet talk with the two instructors.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re all back in one piece. Definitely not fine and healthy, though, dear Goddess. What did the two of you go through?¡±


    <em>Me?</em> Erec looked down, and sure enough, he¡¯d been so consumed with the aches and pains, and then in taking in Colin¡¯s devastated state, he failed to realize he looked quite a sight, too.


    Dried blood on what was left of his Academy training uniform¡ªholes missing everywhere¡ªat least one or two bruises that must not have healed since Gem¡¯s talent was more restrained in what she targeted. Yeah, he looked the part of a man who¡¯d been beaten to a pulp multiple times if they somehow evaded thesting injuries that normally came with such rough treatment.


    ¡°It is not fair. You got it easy,¡± Colinined, ¡°He made me haul things and took his time torturing me.¡±


    ¡°He <em>tortured</em> you?¡± Garin asked.


    Colin looked at the ground and spat, ¡°ording to him, who was born low at birth, it was his job to ¡®take me down a peg¡¯ and get the ¡®grandiose unaired air of magic out of my mind,¡¯¡±


    Erec grunted, looking at the wizened old man busy discussing with his peers. So, the guy came from low birth and saw it as a chance of revenge¡­ ¡°Did you learn anything?¡± Erec asked, cautious.


    ¡°Yes. He drilled glyphs into me¡ªnot the typical ones the Academy teaches. He called it ¡®practical shortcuts,¡¯ dangerous magic if you ask me¡­ But effective.¡± Colin gestured towards the air, calling forth a rune¡ªthe lines jutted in odd directions; it was atypical of the normal work he¡¯d seen his friend perform. Before the glowing lines couldplete, they vanished. ¡°As well as a few methods of control. So, the torture, in addition to some unique perspectives. He just made me <em>earn everything.</em> Tell me, what sense does that make? Is not learning the goal in itself of this exercise?¡±


    Erec didn¡¯t have anything to say, but taking in his friends¡­ Already, he could see changes in them. Felt changes in himself.


    He didn¡¯t know just what these changes might bring to their lives long term, but they were everything he¡¯d asked for. All he could hope was that in theing days, they would solidify the basis for what they might be.


    Garin and Colin wereunching into more training details, but Erec decided not to engage, conserving his strength. His mind circled back to the vision.


    That table had many seats.


    The Knight had said that some mantles could be earned while others were birthrights.


    Erec looked at his two friends with a critical eye.


    No, he wouldn¡¯t go alone into this; these two would being with him. If that meant that they, too, would join him at the round table¡­ Then so be it.


    ¡°Attention,¡± The old man cackled, causing them all to form up¡ªit was clear a secondter, as Boldwick strode past the workers at the edge¡ªconstructing what appeared to be stands to view the tournament ground; Boldwick looked just about as tired as Erec felt.


    Outside of this training, the Master Knight must have been going through quite a lot to make preparations. If Erec had to guess, he and Dame Robin were far more busy than usual, sorting through the problems and logistics; once more, he felt grateful for the Master Knight for making this time to train them amidst what surely must be such a busy time for him.


    <em>We¡¯ll make it worthwhile.</em> Erec promised.


    ¡°Well,¡± Boldwick said as he reached the rest of the senior Knights and gave the three initiates a critical eye. ¡°You didn¡¯t hold back with your training regimes. I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure,¡± Sir Adam grinned wide. Erec felt Colin tense at his side.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Sir Matt agreed.


    ¡°You were right, a hidden talent indeed,¡± Dame Elke said, shifting her gear and giving Garin a pleasant smile, ¡°Just need a bit more confidence and creativity. Don¡¯t forget what we talked about, and train diligently.¡±


    He gave a small nod¡ªBoldwick took them all in, his face a stone mask, and then turned towards their instructors. ¡°As requested, Dame Elke and Sir Able, I think you¡¯ve done a fine duty with this; I¡¯ll be sure to write a favorable report for your goals. I think you would make wonderful mentors for whatever Knight Errant was lucky enough to end up in your charge.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± Dame Elke bowed her head.


    ¡°Of course, was there to be any other end?¡± Sir Able added.


    Sir Matt stayed quiet because, as Erec knew, unlike the other two, his participation as an instructor came from a favor called into Boldwick and a desire to teach the next generation.


    With that, the mentors <em>bid their farewells, with Dame Elke making a special promise to check in with Garin over the next few months. It seemed that she had taken a liking to him as a person and was interested in helping him grow. Another good sign that she is meant to teach,</em> Erec thought to himself as they bid their farewells.


    Soon, they were left with Boldwick, who cleared his throat.


    ¡°Gather your things¡ªwe¡¯re going to run back to Academy. We¡¯ll be needing your Armor for this next stage of training. Thest one to reach it owes me a hundred weighted push-ups.¡±


    Giving no more exnation, the Master Knight took off, kicking up dust behind him as he ran.

 Chapter 206: Texas Walker Ranger

    Chapter 206: Texas Walker Ranger


    <em>TEXAS WALL COLONY</em>


    <em>COLONY STATUS: ALIVE / SUCCESSFUL</em>


    <em>DISPOSITION: UNKNOWN</em>


    <em>POPULATION: UNKNOWN (EXPECTED: MASSIVE)</em>


    <em>TECHNOLOGY: ADVANCED-INTERMEDIATE</em>


    <em>DEFENSES: FORMIDABLE</em>


    <em>DETAILED REPORT: Civilization. Theoretically, the biggest we¡¯ve encountered of survivors from the event while searching. Per orders, maintained distance and utilized Light-Worth cloaking to evade detection. It¡¯s not difficult to clock, though, from a distance, given they¡¯ve somehow constructed a massive wall that you can see from miles away.</em>


    <em>This appears to be a primary defensive structure¡ªand would theoretically work well to keep any ground-based aberrations from attacking.</em>


    <em>Remains to be seen how they handle air-based aberrations, as no guns were spotted during observation.</em><em>Technology level to manufacture such defenses, along with what appears to be high-tech armor(?) reminiscent of theoreticalbat frames was spotted. This, despite ake of traditional weaponry or artillery is the reason behind the current designation.</em>


    <em>Unit observed for a week¡ªrotating staff on the wall, unable to determine the size of the colony without finding a way inside. However, theoretically, based on the area, there could be a highly popted civilization there.</em>


    <em>RECOMMENDATION: PASSIVE OBSERVATION, FUTURE INFILTRATION.</em>


    <em>- Ranger-Captain Nottingham, Texas Wall Colony Report to Roswell (3rd Era, 306) </em>


    Being back in his Armor was like returning home¡ªsince his time back in the Kingdom, he¡¯d poured extra resources and time into making repairs. Following the expedition, it had needed <em>quite</em> a lot of repairs indeed; fighting Dan had broken much of it, but even before that fateful fight underground, the entire expedition had been a long, extended affair of fights and patchwork repairs.


    If nothing else, it gave Erec a vast appreciation for the Scavenging and Armor Modification ss he¡¯d taken¡ªa ss and line of education he was sure to pursue when given a choice next year.


    Still, putting the Armor back on didn¡¯t <em>lead</em> Erec to guess they¡¯d inherently go outside the walls just because they were wearing it. There was a lot of training a Knight could do in their Armor. Oftentimes, sses and exercises would have them use the Armor for sparring practice, both for safety, the ability to engage in higher-levelbat, and to get the Initiates used to wearing them since the bulk of fighting as a Knight was conducted in their Armor.


    Boldwick had no time for that nonsense, however, and as soon as they were Armored, he had them run to the steel curtain, where Dame Robin was waiting, also in her Armor.


    Then, it was a short conversation with the guards operating the gate¡­ And just like that, exhausted, Armored, and sore beyond belief, the five of them were once more in the wastnd, plodding along at a slightly slower pace as Boldwick made them keep their eyes out for any threats.


    About seven miles out from the steel wall, Boldwick finally debriefed them.


    ¡°Today, we¡¯ll be taking care of pest control,¡± Boldwick exined, ¡°Obviously, being a Knight entails fighting monsters. So today, we fight monsters. Recently, the aftermath of a particrly nasty Rift was detected outside of our Kingdom from a scouting expedition; however, as you¡¯ll see, the threat of this monster spawn has been rtively low, so we¡¯ve not spent resources in pursuing a clean-up. Given that our Kingdom will soon be seeing an influx of visitors, the King has requested the Knights to tamp down and control thends around our border with increased control. This location now needs cleanup. I¡¯m aware that you¡¯ve seen more than your fair share of monsters, especially whenpared to equivalent initiates; still, this training and the ability to conduct it yourselves, teach valuable lessons that can only be learned in real scenarios.¡±


    ¡°Boldwick has decided that your group has enough power to tackle this particr problem alone,¡± Dame Robin said; though Erec couldn¡¯t see it, he was sure there was a proud smile on her face underneath her helmet.


    ¡°Once we are half a mile away, I will relinquish all control of this expedition. Dame Robin and I will remain as observers as you conduct your scouting and your nning and then take care of this issue.¡±


    ¡°We fully trust you to be able to handle this. But it does not mean it will be easy,¡± Dame Robin warned.


    ¡°There is always risk when taking on the unknown, regardless of intelligence ahead of time. In this case, other than the location, it will be on you three to determine the capabilities of these creatures and to handle them¡ªin addition, a second nest of a different sort is near here, which will also be on you to handle; both of these nests must be finished, and we must be back within the walls by sundown, as that is our expected return time. Failure to do so will result in another expedition being sent outward for retrieval. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± All of them uttered at once.


    ¡°But I want to make onest thing clear: Just because we¡¯ve said these should be within your ability to handle <em>doesn¡¯t</em> mean that you should take this lightly. You should treat every foe as if they might be yourst. Or you might very well die from underestimating them.¡±


    With those grim words, Boldwick set to leading them forward again.


    They cut through the vast deadnds surrounding the Kingdom, a familiar sight for Erec. From the cracks that ran into the dead sand and earth to the weedy and unhealthy yellow and brown nts that tried to make this ce home and failed in the process, he was well and used to the waste more; he was used to monsters.


    Out of everything so far, this felt¡­ A little like a trivial challenge. A practical lesson from Boldwick; the kind of lesson that he might expect as normal training.


    Appreciated, but, well. It didn¡¯t quite y into the dynamic that this weekend had been so far. Both days ahead of this one had been very taxing in their own ways. Try as he might, this didn¡¯t give him the same feeling of pushing himself that he might expect. He appreciated that in this scenario, Boldwick was giving them full authority within the expedition, and while the gravity of that was understood¡­


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    With that nagging feeling, they plodded along. Moving at a fair clip until they reached the chosen destination.


    From there, Boldwick pointed where they were headed¡­ And left them to it.


    Colin and Garin¡ªto Erec¡¯s surprise for the former¡ªimmediately fell into line behind him, an unspoken agreement as they defaulted to letting him take the reins, which suited him fine. This formation was afortable one to him, and he¡¯d know no other Knights as fine as his friends.


    With the sun beating down on his metal chassis, he led them the rest of the way to the scene of their next trial.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    ¡°Dear Goddess,¡± Garin muttered, staring at the gaping hole of ss that made up the ¡®nest¡¯ of the monsters. All three of them stood as close to the edge that they dared, looking down a pit that stretched four hundred feet down¡ªas calcted by VAL using what it referred to as ¡®extremely easy andmon math equations, it embarrassed the board director of Vortex Industries couldn¡¯t perform.¡¯


    The sheer depth of the pit alone made this an issue; it also exined why exactly the Knights hadn¡¯t seen fit to climb down this hole and deal with the problem. It seemed an impossible task. Above, in the sky, more than a few vultures circled.


    From the height above, Erec could just make out a squirming mass at the bottom¡ªan overcrowded thicket of moving appendages and haunting moans that echoed their way out from below.


    It would be easy to mistake all the moving parts as belonging to a single creature, but upon further <em>guided</em> observation and using the built-in enhancements of his helmets, he could make out the fact that it was a pile of monsters on top of one other, each about half the size of a human. An absolute swarm of things¡ªtheir bodies were thin and sunburned red, with bits of scorched and irritated skin as theynguished about in this hole for Goddess knew how long, suffering.


    Was this a kindness in disguise to put these dreadful things out of their misery?


    ¡°How do we get down?¡± Garin asked, stepping away from the sheer drop.


    ¡°No idea,¡± Erec said, chewing on his lip. They had<em> three big problems</em>, which were quite clear. ¡°But even if we did¡­¡±


    The first was¡ªhow did one safely get into the deep pit whose sides werepletely ss, a sheer wall of lined ss¡ªmore than a few feet thick, at the edges. The second, as equally problematic, was if they somehow managed to get down there, they would have to kill all the creatures below. Erec thought that problem rtively simple. They didn¡¯t seem that strong. There was an overwhelming quantity, but if these creatures had any real strength, they would have surely found a way to escape the pit or caused more damage than what he could see below.


    The third problem, which he didn¡¯t know how to wrestle with, is if they finished getting down there, killing everything, they would somehow have to get back up the slick ss wall. Add in the fact they had a time constraint¡ªthis wasn¡¯t the only nest of monsters they had to kill today, and Boldwick expected them to be back to the Kingdom by the time the sun went down¡­


    Yeah, now he understood why Boldwick thought this challenge was big enough to include in this difficult training week.


    Colin let out an annoyed sigh, standing up and stretching, ¡°Well, it is quite clear how this formed. ss has remains of mana imbued all throughout it¡ªthe type simr to a Rift; the magical energy was released in a burst when these pests crawled into our world and damaged thendscape. Some kind of transmutation were I to guess.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Erec said, impressed with the conclusion. To be honest, he wasn¡¯t as concerned with the <em>how</em> as much as the <em>what</em> they could do with the problem. ¡°Do you have anything that lets you fly¡ªcan you shoot them with lightning from here?¡±


    Colin snorted. ¡°Of course I <em>cannot</em> fly. Yet, you can, can you not?¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t flying,¡± Erec answered, while the burst of silver me propelled him in the air¡­ It was more equivalent to shooting him off like a rocket, an uncontrolled, unhinged rocket of glory and rage. A very <em>different</em> thing from flying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd; we¡¯ve seen it twice now. Do so now and take care of the monsters below.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Difficult to summon that energy without being worked up. Not to mention, I haven¡¯t exactly <em>mastered</em> that part of using my talent. Whenever I used it in the air, it was instinctive. I¡¯m not sure I can get that heated up here, staring at those pitiful monsters. But¡­ I¡¯ll try.¡±


    He squinted, looking down, trying to conjure up even a spark of Fury. The barest bits were there, from the simple existence of these monsters. Erec let that feeling of indignation catch, trying to at least give it a try. This <em>was</em> their world, and these creatures had trespassed and destroyed thend in their invasion¡­


    But the anger¡­ Vanished like trying to strike a flint and steel against bad kindling. There was simply too much pity, not enough personal investment for him to really conjure Fury. Let alone the much deeper and stronger silver fire it would take for him tounch down there, kill those things, andunch back up.


    Erec sighed.


    ¡°Well, did it work?¡±


    <em>That</em> conjured more sparks of irritation and anger, but it wasn¡¯t enough.


    ¡°No,¡± Erec answered, choosing not to punch Colin into the pit.


    ¡°Shame. Have you been speaking to a therapist? I would not advise such a course of action; your anger issues are vital to our continued sess. Please continue to have mother and family issues; this team can ill-afford you working through your low-born familial trauma. Does reminding you of them do anything?¡± Colin prodded.


    [Jeesh, Buckeroo. He¡¯s hit the nail on the head there, hasn¡¯t he?]


    Erec turned toward Colin.


    ¡°Are you trying to pick a fight?¡±


    ¡°Will it hurt your feelings enough toplete the objective?¡±


    Instead of answering, he looked away and rolled his eyes. Embarrassed to admit that Colin insulting him <em>had</em> done more to catch Fury alight than it should have. The issue was that to get to the silver me needed, they would have to <em>actually</em> fight, and Colin had to present enough of a threat to get him to that level; a risky and dangerous strategy, that was if Colin had enough power in him to even meet Erec there instead of getting wiped out early on by how much more power Erec had.


    Still, it was <em>maybe</em> a solution. Better than the nothing he had before.


    ¡°Can you reach them with a spell?¡± Garin asked.


    ¡°The range is too long. The glyphs I know now are more suitable for medium-range. That is quite a long distance, and I would run out of mana before I managed to finish off the creatures below, as loath as I am to admit.¡± Colin said.


    Garin looked up above¡ªthere was a pause¡ªand Garin stretched out his arm. Out of the sky, a bird dived down and perched there, a vulture circling above the pit, no doubt flying down to feast on the death and decay below¡ªthe two of them stared at one another¡ªthen it flew into the pit. ¡°Not going to solve our problem,¡± Garin exined, to their shocked expressions, ¡°But more information on the enemy can <em>never</em> hurt.¡±


    [It seems he¡¯s finally gotten a handle on his odd talent. Remarkable. I think I¡¯ve found the solution to your problem. Care to hear?]


    Erec stretched his arm and looked over at Boldwick and Dame Robin, who was watching them in the distance¡ªwould it be cheating to take advice from VAL?


    No. VAL was a part of him, and, well, this mission was supposed to include all of their resources to aplish it.


    ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    [Tell me, do you know what happens if you strike ss with lightning?]


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 207: Glass-Shatter

    Reckless. That¡¯s what this n was¡ªa beautiful style of reckless that Erec could only be in awe of; the tactic that was so crazy, it might work or get them killed. Still, after going over the n with VAL and conducting some tests with Colin¡­ He was posed to pull the trigger. All five of them were much <em>farther</em> from the pit than before.


    After Garin sent the vulture, they¡¯d confirmed what it appeared like from above. There were <emyers</em> of these crawling monsters down there. They festered below, their mucus-lined bodies squirming against one another. ording to the vulture, they were akin to maggots¡ªbut with several hands and arms on each¡ªmalformed limbs.


    Garin¡¯s connection with the bird gave him a visceral image of them squirming in bulk like they¡¯d infested a wound in thend.


    It once more reinforced the idea that they couldn¡¯t be <em>that</em> strong. Typically, monsters such as these weren¡¯t a great threat in a singr one-on-one fight. They simply overwhelmed. If ordinary civilians were to fight one, they would likely win. Against five? Ten? That¡¯s how swarms like this presented a danger.


    In this case, falling down the hole was much more likely to kill a person before they fell prey to the monsters within¡­ Which is what made VAL¡¯s n so recklessly beautiful. In one simple move, they would eliminate two hazards at the same time. After running the calctions, VAL estimated it to be within eptable safety perimeters for their ¡®advanced human physique,¡¯ but Erec was still tense.


    Colin raised a hand and looked towards Erec for confirmation¡ªeven further away were Garin and the two senior Knights. Positioned to be well out of the danger zone.


    As for himself¡­ Erec couldn¡¯t let Colin be here alone. Not when he was the one asking him to take this risk.


    The n was simple. Hit the thick ss on the side of the pit with a st of lightning powerful enough to send cracks running down the whole thing and break it like a giant maggot-containing vase.


    Erec looked up at the sky. With the testing, consultation, and talking Colin into this¡­ They¡¯d spent a good hour or two.Plenty of time left. But not a ton to waste since he had no idea how far the second location was from where they currently were or what threats might be located there. Erec inhaled deeply, tensing his body and feeling the adrenaline spike inside him; a shot of pure fiery energynced through his heart, which he let stoke. This, more than insults, got his blood boiling.


    Danger. Thrill. The specter of death.


    ¡°Go,¡± Erecmanded.


    Colin turned away, the entirety of his focus on his spell¡ªpurple lines spawned in front of him, the glyphwork of it altered now, with angles and twists in the pattern Erec wasn¡¯t used to seeing; a secondyer formed above the first; the linework more narrow on the glyph. And then¡­ A third glyph in front of that, even smaller. Layered together like that of a magnifying lens¡ªeach morepact and nuanced than the one before; sparks flew from the purple lines¡­


    <em>He¡¯s using his Soul.</em> Erec realized, feeling another cold shock of adrenaline. During the testing, Colin hadn¡¯t gone this far when using a spell¡ªthere was a charge to the air as the pressure mounted; the hair on the back of Erec¡¯s neck stood up, even though he should be insted from any change outside of his Armor.


    He felt a pull toward the glyph work in his chest, being drawn in like a vortex.


    <em>CRACK.</em>


    A burst of blinding white light in a pir shot from Colin¡¯s palm¡ªfor a split second, time slowed as Fury kicked into higher gear, reacting to such a dangerous threat; everything in Erec told him to <em>get</em><em>away, </em>yet his body couldn¡¯t move fast enough. It was as if twin bolts of lightning erupted from the spell, circling and twisting around one another. Pulled and repelled by the existence of its twin. Unlike what he¡¯d seen before, no branches came from; they were sucked together into a twin dance of death that shed forward right into the edge of the ss pit.


    The impact was apanied by yet another blinding sh of light, followed by yet another loud snapping sound¡­ Then the earth started to move beneath Erec¡¯s feet, copsing towards the hole as thend beneath flooded in to fill the space.


    ¡°Run!¡± Erec said¡ªbut it was as he feared. Colin sank to the ground, his whole body trembling after casting a spell like that.


    He¡¯d overextended since he wasn¡¯t used to wielding this kind of power.


    Fury sparked in Erec¡ªat his friend''s stupidity, at his refusal to allow this to be the end of them; he let it burn, his eyes turning red as he dashed towards Colin. It would have been easy without Fury to lift him if he weren¡¯t in his Armor. Yet d in all the steel, Erec had to strain, pulling even further on his Strength to toss Colin on his shoulder.


    With a yell, he seeded and began to book it as fast as he could from the copsing hole.


    [Odd. The range of effect isrger than the calctions anticipated. Perhaps there was an unknown variable?]


    ¡°Run!¡± Erec shouted, his voice cracking as he strained to push out the words with as much power as he could muster.


    The rest of the Knights obeyed¡ªGarin turned tail and fled, the two senior Knights having an easier time retreating backward; yet, they kept checking on him.


    Erec pushed off the sand with as much as much force as he could muster, but with each step, he found the sand to be more and more difficult¡ªwith all the sand pouring backward, it was almost like trying to flee out of a vortex, with all of the dirt andndscape beneath him dragging him to return to the center.


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    Colin groaned, and Erec pushed further, his veins burning as he dragged out all he was worth.


    A few more steps. Each one, heunched himself a good five or so feet. The surface of the ground once more began to feel solid, but he couldn¡¯t be <em>sure</em> of anything.


    <em>Keep moving.</em>


    [Re-running calctions to ount for the vastly increased disced volume. Oh¡ªby the way, Buckeroo, I think you¡¯re now safe.]


    With that, Erec pulled to a stop.


    And turned.


    The hole¡ªit was now gone. There was still a <em>pit</em>, but the depth was much smaller inparison. Still, maybe a travel hazard and certainly not a patch of ground the Pendragon¡¯s cars could traverse, but not one containing the remnants of a rift.


    [Ah. I think I know what happened. Based on modeling, I believe there to have been a second ss chamber beneath the first¡ªwider, and likely also going for some depth. The discement and impact must have also shattered the walls of that. Making the size of the danger zone much wider than originally anticipated.]


    Erec dropped Colin onto the ground, taking a deep puff of air. ¡°Well, there was a reason I was there for backup.¡±


    [Appropriate. It never hurts to have secondary safety controls in an experiment.]


    With a slight nod and feeling the effects of Fury begin to fade¡ªErec turned to Boldwick to let him know the mission wasplete.


    CRACK.


    Dust and dirt plummed outward from the pit; just as Erec whipped around and tried to figure out what was happening, he was hit with a pelting rain of dirt.


    Training kicked in, and he yanked the battle axe off his back; the hair raised on him once again as his blood rushed. In the smokescreen of dirt, he made out a shifting form of something <em>big¡ª</em>multiple limbs. VAL, he thought, helpfully began to highlight the shifting mass in the distance. This was not one of those squirming maggot-like creatures.


    Beneath the pit, it seemed a real monster slumbered.


    ¡°Good,¡± Erec said, heat rising, ¡°We needed a real challenge¡ªGarin, protect Colin; provide support if you can.¡± What support his friend could muster didn¡¯t matter. This new enemy was <em>his. </em>Garin had given them the information they needed about the creatures below and could provide support. Colin had cracked the ss and ended all of the small-fry. This. Taking down the big bad <em>thing¡ªthat </em>was what Erec lived for and thrived in.


    Erec flew forward, kicking up dirt, finding it much easier to move now that the ground wasn¡¯t like a loose sea of sand; he closed the distance much faster while the dust settled.


    Like a bullet, Erec cut through the dust, raised his axe, and struck the first blow against his foe before it even knew what happened, turning the dust screen into an advantage.


    His axe mmed, and didn¡¯t quite <em>cleave</em> the way it should have. Instead, it bounced, and Erec heard a loud crack. With QAP, he made out the form of a shadow that would strike him; and leaped backward, evading a blow from a mysterious limb as it struck where he¡¯d been.


    After hitting the ground, there was a st of light.


    [sma?]


    Erec stepped back further, and the dust settled, giving him a look at his foe.


    It was¡­ Well, a ball of hands and arms; in the middle of the was what appeared to be a mass of flesh, densely encased in ss. Strobes of light shot out from the center to each of the many limbs of the transparent surface of these limbs, the light flowing through it like blood through veins; Erec could see the damage he¡¯d done to the limb¡ªthe hand snapped off and broke nearby¡ªbut the limb was plunged into the dirt and sand of thendscape, shing with light.


    As the massive ss arm raised out of the dirt, it was adorned with a new ss hand.


    [Melted the sand in thendscape in order to reform an appendage. <em>Do not</em> get hit by the sma¡­ And deal enough damage to counteract its healing factor. Simple n; you can do this Buckeroo!]


    ¡°Simple,¡± Erec said, letting out a chuckle¡ªtaking three steps to move out of the way as a massive hand pointed toward him¡ªapanied by a sh of light. When he looked at the spot he¡¯d been, there was not a streak of melted ss.


    Danger.


    Another hand poised from above¡ªapanied by yet another st of light; three more.


    Erec¡¯s vision began to fill with beams; VAL processed and transmitted <em>where</em> this thing would be attacking¡ªall he had to do was move. Yet, it was <em>all</em> he could do to get himself out of the way. Once the hands of this monster got into position, they couldunch the attack almost immediately.


    But, after it let out a sh of light, it was several seconds before it could fire again.


    He dodged and weaved, narrowly missing hits that would do untold damage; the ground beneath him turned to ss, shattering as his Armor hit it while moving, circling the enemy. All the while, Erec pulled further on his Fury, his speed increasing along with Strength¡ªuntil it no longer became a struggle to dodge.


    <em>Now, I attack.</em>


    Erec crashed into the enemy, weaving through openings left by the beams and the time it had to spend recharging, crashing his axe into limbs and shattering them offpletely. Immediately after taking off a limb, the monster would plunged it into the ground to reforge it, having its weapon back in ce within seconds.


    It mattered not. He continued to hack away, reveling in the sound of cracking ss, dancing with the shing lights.


    His axe was a weapon of death and pain, and this monster had asked to taste as much of it as he could muster while he worked up the killing blow.


    Fury burned brighter, and his movements quickened. The monster held its own: a deadly dance with two participants, both fueled by heat that would scorch others away and leave them as nothing but ashen husks.


    As the bright beams shed near Erec, he fed off their heat, letting them stoke his own higher and higher. He felt the flickers of the silver mes and knew that they had reached the fight''s finale.


    Erec leaped into the air¡ªsoaring past a beam that missed him by inches; and pulled his hands behind his back¡ªhis trusty battle axe wreathed in silver me as he let it loose from within, building as his height kept increasing. Below, he could see the ss monster, its many hands rapidly moving to point toward him in a pitiful attempt to st him out of the sky.


    ¡°Be gone from this world,¡± Erec yelled,shing out with his axe and unleashing the sea of silver mes from himself. It shed forward, a silver moon of ming energy. The beast got off a single st of light, which was promptly cut in half by his fires. It only took a half-second for the attack to hit the monster, cleaving it in half and splitting the organic matter within it as it slid through like the point of a de into flesh.


    There was a horrible scream, followed by a vast crack as its ss membrane shattered; ooze spilled out on the wastnd as Erec fell back to the earth, summoning just enough silver fire before hitting to break his fall.


    With a plume of dust, he was back on the ground, staring at his conquered foe, along with a strike of understanding. Here. Might did make right; it ceased the existence of yet another monstrous blight upon his world. To be Sir Erec was to be might and to use it to bring righteousness.

 Chapter 208: Doubt

    <em>To this the king: ¡°Fly, mighty warrior! fly;</em><em></em>


    <em>Thy aid we need not, and thy threats defy.</em><em></em>


    <em>There want not chiefs in such a cause to fight,</em><em></em>


    <em>And Jove himself shall guard a monarch¡¯s right.</em><em></em>


    <em>Of all the kings (the god¡¯s distinguish¡¯d care)</em><em></em>


    <em>To power superior none such hatred bear:</em><em></em>


    <em>Strife and debate thy restless soul employ,</em><em></em>


    <em>And wars and horrors are thy savage joy,</em><em></em>


    <em>If thou hast strength, ¡¯twas Heaven that strength bestow¡¯d;</em><em></em><em>For know, vain man! thy valour is from God. </em>


    <em>- Homer, The Iliad (1st Era, 800) </em>


    Erec leaned back; the night sky above dotted above with countless stars, his back pressed against the sleeping mat, the fire not far away. It was an excellent way to rx after a challenging day in the field. The second monster encounter had been a familiar foe¡ªthe same bugs that they¡¯d first run into out in the field during their trial, oh so long ago. Before he was even a Knight.


    Only this time, Boldwick had forbidden them from using their typical weapons. Erec had to use his hands¡ªColin could only use weapons¡ªand Garin had to fling spells to defeat the enemy.


    Compared to now, the bugs were easily squashed and proved more a war of attrition than anything else as they cleared out a nest and queen. It was not any kind of meaningful challenge, unlike the first fight.


    Erec got the impression that Boldwick had thought they¡¯d take longer to solve the first encounter than they had; even worn out from expending so much power to eliminate the unfamiliar threat, they returned to the Kingdom with about two hours to spare before Sundown.


    To capstone the day, Boldwick had taken them on a jog again¡ªthe miles had worn by beneath their feet, yet they kept going until they¡¯d sweat out just about every drop of water. Only then did Boldwick halt them and make camp.


    Which led Erec to his current reclined position, staring up at the night sky near their campfire.


    Erec finally addressed his notifications, willing them to expand so he could take in his gains; he¡¯d wanted to wait until tomorrow to wake up on a good note after such a draining day... But being unable to sleep had changed matters.


    Agility:<em> Rank C - Tier 1 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 2</em>


    Perception: <em>Rank E - Tier 9 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 1</em>


    ¡°Less than with Sir Matt,¡± he remarked.


    It was still considerable...


    Erec focused and called forth his entire list of Blessings.


    Name: Erec of House Audax


    <strong>Health: 100</strong>% | <strong>Mana: </strong>100% | <strong>Stamina: 100</strong>%


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Virtues:


    Strength: [Rank C] | [Tier 9]


    Vigor: [Rank C] | [Tier 3]


    Agility: [Rank C] | [Tier 2]


    Perception: [Rank C] | [Tier 1]


    Cognition: [Rank E] | [Tier 8]


    Psyche: [Rank D] | [Tier 3]


    Mysticism: [Rank F] | [Tier 4]


    Soul (Aspect: Fire): [Rank C] | [Tier 6]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Divine Talents:


    Fury


    He took in every Virtue with tired eyes¡ªhis highest, of course, was as it had always been. Strength. Right now, it was on the capstone, near the verge of breaking into B tier. They said that the higher a Virtue got, the more difficult it became to surpass these bottlenecks. Reaching the next tier up was very much a leap and bound in the scale of power from the tier below. Yet, up until now, he hadn¡¯t seen that. Even facing down and breaking into the B-Rank, he didn¡¯t worry about the length of time it would take to get to the next stage.


    All he needed to get there was a single solid fight¡ªone that stretched out Fury and pushed him past that barrier.


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    At the current rate, it was inevitable he would be there, and soon.


    The rest of his Virtues, though... Were catching up.


    ¡°Bnce,¡± Erec said, amounting to the most valuable of those he could gain. Agility. Vigor¡ªto a lesser extent, Perception and Psyche; increasing those would let him more effectively use his power.


    If Strength and Soul were the basis of his Strength, then the rest of those virtues were the ram-shackle supports that helped hold him together during a fight.


    ¡°Bnce?¡± Garin called out, mumbling as he woke up from his sleep¡ªMuncy also woke up, disturbed and none-too-happy his master was back awake based on the grunting andining Erec heard over there. ¡°Who are you talking to?¡±


    ¡°Uh. Myself,¡± Erec admitted, rubbing at his eyes, not looking over at his best friend.


    ¡°Goddess, Erec. Really? You should be busy getting some sleep, not acting crazy and talking to yourself in the middle of the night. We need everyst drop of it for tomorrow.¡±


    Boldwick <em>had</em> promised them their most challenging day yet. Escting to the penultimate test of their growth on the fifth day. Getting rest and nutrition was just as important as pushing yourself in this situation.


    It was what it was.


    ¡°Can¡¯t. Blood is too pumped.¡± It was a lie, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to exin what bothered him. Those empty chairs kept turning around in his vision; deep inside, the question of the Knight who was him circled like a crow.


    <em>Push yourself, gain your might. Erec. But then what?</em>


    The Knight had said Arthur¡ªGoddess knew who even that was¡ªwould be stronger than him.


    <em>Why does that even matter?</em> Erec asked once more. Why any of that stuff about his mantle, about his power¡­ Most of all, about the Round Table could have such a deep andsting impact on him. The things in front of him¡ªthe church, the Kingdom. And the tournament which could spark an unstoppable fire¡ª<em>that</em> should have been the core of his attention.


    Not this¡­ Soul nonesense.


    ¡°Just take a few deep breaths, count them. That always does the trick for me,¡± Garin said, after some silence.


    ¡°And think of sheep jumping over a fence, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe for you,nding another axe swing into a bug, if that¡¯s more peaceful.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Erec snorted, then sat up. Looking around the fire. Boldwick had left again, letting them get their rest while he went back to the Academy to make yet more preparations. Colin was fast asleep. Out of them all, he was the most exhausted. The first fight drained himpletely physically, and the second, since they were facing bugs, took out the entirety of his enthusiasm for the day.


    Still, his friend had been tapping into his Soul deeply in order to channel magic of that capacity; Erec was sure that level of firepower wasn¡¯t purely from his mastery of Mysticism. For Colin, that particr Virtue must be tied to his overall strength of magic, just like Erec.


    Soul¡­


    It was like pouring fuel on a fire, Erec thought. Deepening the Talent and abilities of its wielder. Yet it manifested just about as uniquely.


    ¡°What¡¯s it feel like to be like that anyway? I can¡¯t even imagine.¡±


    ¡°Hot. Like there¡¯s a burning inferno in my chest that goes through my veins. Everything bes vivid and detailed, and all I can think about is fighting and battle¡­ Except when I feel the silver, then it¡¯s more. I be more¡­ I¡¯m still wrapping my head around what that even means, to be honest. It¡¯s like being me, and another me from somewhere else at the same time.¡± Erecid his head back down and looked back up at the stars.


    ¡°That¡¯s how your Soul manifests, isn¡¯t it? The cut-off between the Talent and the Soul.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm. If I had to guess, yes. It¡¯s like going past the inferno into a deeper heat. Both are me, yet the silver is like a more condensed version.¡±


    ¡°So the real you is constantly angry?¡±


    ¡°No. Actually¡­ There is a lot to be happy about. I have you guys, I met Enide; we have Boldwick and our wonderful Kingdom. I think those things, the desire to see them safe, it¡¯s what lets me dive so deep into the inferno and use that power. I must be strong, or else everything I love will be threatened.¡± Exactly how Bedwyr felt. If Erec had to guess. Comparing himself to his brother, now, he could see that the simrities just went on and on.


    Not long ago, he would¡¯ve hated that conjecture. Now, it was almost a relief.


    ¡°That is the source of your Strength? Huh. You know, I wouldn¡¯t have thought it, with the way you fight. Like you have nothing to lose.¡± Garin said.


    ¡°Might is an odd thing. I¡¯m just starting to understand what any of it means, I suppose we could go years before I find it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still trying to find mine. Did you know Munchy can talk¡ªI¡¯m starting to hear his voice. Now that I know how to listen¡­ I think he¡¯s growing too¡­ I don¡¯t know what to make of it. Or what my Soul is doing¡ªit broke into the next Tier, now. But what does that even mean? I¡¯m not seeing a massive boost in Strength. I¡¯m not any quicker. My spells aren¡¯t more focused.¡± Garin¡¯s voice was bing more strained, ¡°I¡¯m exhausted Erec. I can barely even keep up with the two of you. I didn¡¯t have anything at all to do with fighting that monster¡ªand the bugs were mostly swept aside by you.¡±


    ¡°You scouted out the hole. Neither me nor Colin could do that.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice that <em>beneath</em> the pit was an even worse monster, which could have gotten us all killed in the field.¡±


    ¡°Use a mole too, next time,¡± Erec shrugged, ¡°Your Talent is strong, Garin. I¡¯ve always told you as much¡ªyou just need to be creative with it.¡±


    ¡°And if I was alone¡ªwhat then? How do I take down a monster like that.¡±


    ¡°You would¡¯ve ran, if you were alone.¡± It wasn¡¯t an insult. No. Garin was trying to view himself in the same lens as his friends¡ªbut that wasn¡¯t his Strength. Gaining power for a guy like Garin meant he needed more awareness. If Erec had an ability like that¡ªthe idea of being a general, a leader that changed the tide of war instead of that of a battle¡­


    The potential for a talent like that was an untold kind that Might alone could not aplish.


    ¡°You think too much of me. I appreciate you trying to hype me up, but I don¡¯t know, man.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Garin, I promise you, what you have is something many would die for. Just find confidence in it. Trust yourself and trust the people around you, and everything else will fall into ce. Now, get back to sleep. We¡¯ll need rest tomorrow.¡± Erec closed his eyes.


    Two more days, then normal life again.


    Except, this had already changed him. Already left him too many questions¡ªit had changed both of his friends too. How much, then, could the next two days change them further?


    ¡°Only if you promise to sleep, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Swear it.¡±


    ¡°I swear. I¡¯ll count my breaths and picture killing bugs til I drift off, promise.¡± Erec vowed and settled down, letting the air of the night in.


    Rest was important, and somehow, reassuring his friend of his ce in the world made Erec find it just a bit easier to reconnect with reality. Soon, he was asleep.

 Chapter 209: What It Means To Keep Going

    Chapter 209: What It Means To Keep Going


    Endurance.


    The theme of the next day was endurance. When Boldwick awoke them, he greeted them with the cheerful morning hello of a cup of coffee and the good word of Endurance. Which, of course, made no sense at all to the three-bleary-set-of-eyes of the already exhausted initiates. Other than that, Boldwick was being nice. Suspiciously nice. He brought a mysterious green rug sack with him and pulled out two bottles of water for everyone¡ª he demanded they get their full contents down.


    Boldwick leaned in towards their dying fire, poking the embers and kicking up ash as he sipped from his steel canteen. After his sip, he had too-happy of a grin on.


    In the light of the early dawn, Erec thought he looked a little too close to a demon.


    ¡°Right? Everyone done with their water?¡± Boldwick announced, taking a deep swig of his coffee.


    ¡°No,¡± Colin replied.


    ¡°Then drink the rest of it now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already full. One bottle was enough.¡±


    ¡°Drink it.¡±Colin downed the rest of his leftover bottle, to which Boldwick gave one bark of augh then stood. ¡°Right. Endurance. What does endurance mean, young ones?¡±


    ¡°Vigor,¡± Erec replied, the most obvious answer. Of all the Virtues, it was the ability of your body to both sustain damage and to keep going longer than normal. Stamina, in the world before. But now quantified and taken to a nearly extreme level¡ªto him, it meant the ability for his body to keep up with his overwhelming Strength and contend with the power of any foe who shared a simr power.


    Boldwick simply shook his head and grinned wider. ¡°Next.¡±


    ¡°The ability to cast magic without tire.¡± Colin tried.


    ¡°Next.¡±


    Garin scratched his head¡­ ¡°To keep going?¡±


    ¡°Closest. By the end of today, I expect you all to have an appreciation for <em>what</em> that word means. Now¡ªhere.¡± Boldwick walked over to his bag and pulled out more backpacks. At least, at first nce, that is what they appeared to be.


    On a second take, Erec realized they were more like vests¡ªBoldwick let out an ¡®oof¡¯ and threw one towards Erec¡ªwhich he tried to catch, only to be knocked t on his ass as the sudden weight hit him and threw off his sense of bnce.


    It was <em>heavy.</em> So heavy.


    [Weight training?]


    ¡°Put that on,¡± Boldwickmanded¡ªthen fished out two more, tossing one to Colin and one to Garin. Based on their reactions, they also had a load of weight attached to them, though, Erec thought, not quite as much as his own.


    Struggling, Erec put the best on, having to secure several straps to get the loose weight conformed around his body and asfortable as possible. Standing wasn¡¯t the mostfortable thing; he could feel the tension in his muscles, but it was possible; already, a small sweat was breaking out on his chest as he moved back into position to face Boldwick.


    ¡°Today, we¡¯re going on a run again. This one, though, isn¡¯t about distance. We¡¯re going to runps around the steel curtain. And you¡¯re going to run until I say we stop. You won¡¯t be taking a break until I say we are. And those breaks will end exactly when I say they do.¡± Boldwick said.


    ¡°Run? With this?¡± Colin asked, tugging at his own vest and wearing a mask of shock and confusion.


    ¡°Endurance. You will persist until you cannot, until your body breaks down and fails you. On a battlefield, you must keep going until the end. Whether that be the end of the fight or the end of your life. You¡¯ll have no choice but to keep dragging yourself forward. Today, we¡¯re going to all experience what that feels like. If you want toplete today, you will dig deep.¡±


    ¡°And if we fail?¡± Colin asked.


    ¡°Good point. I¡¯d love to say, ¡®You will not see the growth you¡¯re looking for,¡¯ but I¡¯ll be realistic. Today will test your limits. <em>All</em> of you will want to quit. To dig deep, to really dive deep down into the depths of motivation and find the will to pull through, the endurance to keep going, there must be the threat of a loss. So, if you fail, you will not be training with us tomorrow. After tomorrow, should you make it, there will be a reward. One which I <em>promise</em> you all want. After that, and listen closely, if you fail this, I will personally deny you the right topete in the tournament.¡±


    There was a shocked silence at that.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t agree to¡ª¡° Garin tried to contest.


    ¡°I hear a lot of talking. This is the way things are, and this is the training we¡¯re doing. Do not question it. I suggest you quiet down and focus on yourself. Believe me. You¡¯ll need to look deep inside yourself if you have any hope of finishing this challenge.¡± With that, Boldwick pped his hands and then turned toward the horizon. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to keep pace with me. But you must keep jogging. You must always go forward. Stumbling, falling, whatever¡ªas long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward, then you are still alive and in this.¡±


    With that, he took off at a very slow pacepared to the previous runs. Erec looked at his friends, rolled his shoulders, and took off after the Master Knight.


    The rest fell in line shortly after.


    Boldwick led them rapidly out of the city¡ªright to the steel wall once more. His pace was at a rxed rate, slowing to meet the three of them where they were at. And damn, did he need to slow. With the weight of the vests on him, Erec struggled to put one step in front of the other. After ten minutes, his breath wasbored, after thirty minutes, his legs ached¡­ After an hour, enough sweat coated his body to make him wonder if he was going to die.


    The sun took its ce high in the sky¡ªdrying out the liquid on his skin at just the right rate to keep him going. Next to them, the steel wall they ranps around, both a wee friend and enemy at times. A friend when it let them have easy ess to wind, Eeemy when it blocked off any fresh air from giving them a reprieve.


    Another hourter, Erec was sure he was going to copse at any moment.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Sweat coated every little bit of him; his lungs ached, and every so often, as he ran, he felt like the world was slipping away from him, disappearing from consciousness. Behind, when he could summon the energy to look, he could see Colin barely stumbling forward.


    Garin had fallen twice. Both times, Boldwick didn¡¯t even stop¡ªit was on his best friend to give his best effort to catch up with them. Still, both times, Garin managed to catch back up, his face red.


    <em>We might die.</em>


    The thought circled in Erec¡¯s brain as they kept going two hours in, and not a single break.


    Two hours in, and his legs felt like jelly.


    The third hour in, his thoughts changed.


    <em>We will die.</em>


    Inevitably, at this rate, the frequency at which they fell kept increasing. After the fourth hour, Erec had his <em>own</em> first fall¡ªhis weak legs trying to push forward and finding the wrong spot in the sand, sending him tumbling over as his calf muscles gave out.


    [This is absurd.] VAL buzzed.


    ¡°Back up,¡± Colin huffed as he jogged past Erec. ¡°Keep it going, Tin Can.¡±


    Garin was next¡ªgiving Erec a look of sympathy and his own grimace as he pushed his muscles well past what they should have been capable of.


    Erec shoved both hands under him; the sand warm, his body exhausted, his mind nk, then he pushed himself back up again. There was too much at stake. He¡¯d asked for this and wouldn¡¯t abide by letting himself not evenpete in the tournament, let alone fail in front of Boldwick. No. He had to keep going.


    Thirty minutester, when he fell again, that resolve was tested. Yet, he got back to his feet.


    Fifteen minutes after that, by the grace of the Goddess, Boldwick had them pause and drink more water; he wasn¡¯t sure how long he sat there, upon the sand, with water pressed to his lips¡ªno one talked. They all focused on making use of every precious second of recovery they had before it began again.


    [You are already dehydrated.] VAL reported.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink more water, then,¡± Erec shot back and did just that with another sip.


    [For what? In another two hours of this, you¡¯ll be back to dehydration. Not to mention the number of calories spent. Tell Boldwick to cancel this training¡ªI can tell you¡¯re better off then your friends. Can¡¯t fathom how they are even still moving. Regardless of him giving them less weight.]


    Erec set down his water for the first time, trying to take in both Colin and Garin.


    Colin was pale, his jaw set, and his eyes resting on Boldwick as if challenging the Master Knight to a fight. In his eyes, Erec sawmon fuel for himself. Out of spite and hate, Colin had found his way to keep going this far, but this was only the first break. There would be more running. The Goddess knew how much running. The sun was still bright in the sky¡ªnot that its going down was a guarantee that they were done.


    Garin, on the other hand, almost looked non-responsive. He was already a walking corpse, staring deeply at his water, Munchy chattering in his ear. The big squirrel stopped and pressed his head to Garins, nudging his best friend again and again, trying to get a pet. But Garin only stared at the water, drinking more every handful of seconds.


    Lastly, he turned to Boldwick. The Master Knight looked impassive, not a single bead of sweat on him. He wasn¡¯t running with weights. And this pace wasn¡¯t challenging in the least.


    There was nopassion there, no worry. Only the stern eyes of a judge as he took in their conditions, as the seconds filtered by before he ordered his exhausted soldiers to get back up and begin the march again.


    ¡°What can we do?¡± Erec asked.


    [Give up. By Dan, this sort ofbor isn¡¯t worth it. While the desired statement is understandable, I highly doubt this is the best methodology. There is such a thing as over-training, Buckeroo. You have time to grow and shouldn¡¯t be subjected to this.]


    He shook his head. Not an option, no matter what VAL thought. His friends were still going, so how could he be the first among them to give up?


    Two minutester, Boldwick gave an order, they finished their water, and they returned to the running.


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Thing very quickly became¡­ Hard to track. Time stretched and lost meaning beyond the brief periods of respite that Boldwick allowed them to drink more water; Erec could¡¯ve sworn there were pockets of it in which it stood still, and no time passed at all.


    Sometimes, he fell. When he did, Colin and Garin ran by, always offering their ownments, telling him to keep going.


    When they fell, he did the same, pushing them forward.


    They ran around, the only constants to this was the feeling and smell of sweat¡ªthe huffing of all three of them carrying onward with their charges. And the pain. The pain never went away; at times it came with the sparks of Fury.


    When he first tapped into it, Boldwick stopped them and offered him a choice. He could use it, could fall into the depths of Fury and find Strength in it, if he needed. But Boldwick would add more weight topensate for his boosted Strength.


    How much weight, Boldwick wouldn¡¯t say, but Erec got the impression it wouldn¡¯t improve his situation.


    Fury was not the key to endurance; it didn¡¯t matter one way or the other, and this challenge didn¡¯t burn him up and make it <em>impossible</em> not to use it¡­ So Erec would let the sparks die whenever they appeared from the pain, not needing them to catch.


    Not that it mattered. As he ran, as the steel curtain apanied them with every single mile, he fell into his own kind of peculiar trance. A state of being of pure exhaustion and pain that reminded him very dearly of Fury. Whenever he fell, he broke out of it and was forced to consider each time: why. Was there a point to this suffering? He saw the blinking dot in the corner of his vision, sure, but that was a constion prize.


    He knew that, eventually, his Virtues would grow. They didn¡¯t need this form of torture to keep expanding.


    Yet, each time, he saw his friends run by, saw their backs as they got further and further away, and found it in him to crawl back to his feet, tears and blood ignored as he returned to the jog.


    Hours passed.


    The sun went from rising in the sky to sinking beneath the steel curtain.


    With theing of night, he thought they would be done. His skin felt cool and slick with sweat as his brain buzzed, and his stomach felt empty like it had never felt before¡ªsurely now, now that the sun was gone, they could rest and call it a day for training.


    No. They didn¡¯t.


    The moon rose, clearing the steel curtain beside them, and the four kept running.


    <em>Did I die? Is this hell?</em>


    That was the thought in his head, watching his friends suffer beside him, feeling the aching pain in both his lungs as he ran. The breaks only included water, yet a full day without food like this¡­ Erec didn¡¯t understand how Garin could keep himself from just biting that fat squirrel on his shoulder. Well, maybe just tossing them onto a stick and making a quick sh fire with one of Colin¡¯s spells.


    One time, he vaguely recalled, Colin asked about food.


    Boldwick said there was no point, since they¡¯d just vomit it out anyway, then, after that, they had been back to running again.


    By the time the moon reached its full height in the sky, Erec forgot all else.


    Who he was. Where they were. What the point of even living was.


    All that mattered was that his friends were going forward. They didn¡¯t give in, and neither would he.


    The air began to thicken with mist; in it, Erec began to see the faces of the people in his life. Enide¡ªBedwyr¡ªhis father¡­ Even his mother. They stood, silent figures of water, watching him go on, and on, and on¡­ Expressions nk as he ran by, kept moving.


    What did they think if they really existed?


    The mist stretched into an endless maze¡ªBoldwick disappeared ahead; gone¡ªthe world began to spin and swirl around him, a blended mixture of reality that unraveled and split. VAL buzzed, but the words didn¡¯t track.


    Beneath him, the dirt became mud; slick¡­ His feet sank into it.


    Next to him, he saw his friends still going, slowing. Lost, now, all of them.


    The mud below became deeper, and deeper, his legs harder to move.


    Then, Boldwick appeared, his teacher had a sad smile on his face¡ªhe spoke to, his words not reaching Erec nor the rest of them¡ªthen he pressed a hand to Erec¡¯s head¡­


    Thest thing he knew was ckness.

 Chapter 210: Follow The Fire

    <em>It¡¯s odd, to think about that fact that these natural ecosystems around us used to teem with life.</em>


    <em>The earth looked far different back then, and both reports and historical evidence show the destruction which urred following the silver fire.</em>


    <em>The thing is, with the introduction of magic, and the appearance of rifts, we¡¯d expect for there to be far more of a rearrange then we¡¯ve seen in the local environment. The fact things are still so bleak, and the destruction is just now starting to show signs of reversal speaks to a sort of contamination that the destructive fires brought.</em>


    <em>When they say that the goddess scorched the earth, really, they aren¡¯t even getting close to how muchsting damage she managed to achieve.</em>


    <em>The question is then, why some ces have been able to see a return to natural life quicker then here?</em>


    <em>- Dame Starlest, Local Environmental Report (3rd Era, 289) </em>


    It¡¯s a funny thing, copsing from exhaustion. No matter how many times it happened, it never got any better. You woke up with a pounding headache and a sense of disorientation. Erec was familiar enough with the morning after an exhaustion copse to guess what happened. The sensation of keeling over after pushing himself too hard wasn¡¯t a new one to him. Though the mist and the odd hallucinations before it had been. Now though, he wasn¡¯t still outside, rotting away to the sun.


    Truly, some part of him expected he might have been. That could have been part of the challenge¡ªwaking up, utterly spent, and having to deal with the fifth day.


    But no, he was in a cozy bed. One with a plush pillow; no IV. And he wasn¡¯t alone either, Garin and Colin were there as well. Both of them still knocked out.How much of that run had even been real? And endless pacing through the sun?


    ¡°Awake, then,¡± Boldwick shook his head. The Master Knight looked tired in his chair; an open ss of whiskey next to him as he stared at Erec. ¡°Well done kid. You all made it through thest day¡­ Rest, you see, is just as important as training. Especially when you push yourself all the way to the brink like you lot did yesterday.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Erec asked, still gaining his bearings.


    [You¡¯ve been out for sixteen hours. There¡¯s been monitoring and nutrients added to your blood to revitalize you¡ªBuckeroo, I will not approve this training method in the future. Bad enough you must fight to the death again and again. Next time, we will go to a gym, <em>check</em> what is an appropriate amount of weight, then make a n with plenty of protein. No more of this.]


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for pushing you as hard as I did. You¡¯ve all gone so far, and I am beyond proud of your resolve, but this is yourst lesson. Make time for your friends, make time for your rest. Do you think that any of you were in any state to deal with a threat at the end of that? I told you, ¡®stop me if you can,¡¯ and yet you stared at me with nk eyes.¡± Boldwick shook his head and then sighed. ¡°All this training, all of this extra effort is meaningless if you are only in survival mode; to consolidate Strength and really gain milestones, you must bnce periods of intense strain with rest. These next two weeks¡ªI expect you to attend your Academic sses, but push no further outside of it. Only after you¡¯ve recovered should you make a <em>measured</em> amount of time for extra training.¡±


    With that, Boldwick leaned back, having said his peace and finished his lecture; he looked at the other two, still fast asleep in their beds.


    Despite the words, Erec felt a thrum of pride at what he and his friends aplished. The progress they¡¯d made in such little time¡ªnow, more than ever, he understood. Having people by your side who kept pushing themselves just the same¡­


    With all of you racing toward a goal, it gave you a type of Strength that not even Fury could replicate. A collective willpower that forged together made bonds stronger than that of the most durable steel or titanium.


    ¡°What do I do then, if not train? Things are not going well in this Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Learn what you can, at the pace I and Dame Robin provide¡ªSince I¡¯ve seen, now, and over the past months how close you three have be, it appears that I now have <em>two more</em> additional students to take under my wing. I¡¯ll be the one who tells you when to jump. When to train. You and your friends, however, I will charge with the responsibility to find events and activities to keep yourself upied and not risk your future through exhaustion from overtraining.¡±


    ¡°Events? Activities?¡±


    ¡°Erec, what month is it?¡±


    Erec scratched his head¡ªit was obvious, of course. ¡°October sir.¡±


    ¡°Whates at the end of October?¡±


    A festival. Sure. There was that. Boldwick saw that Erec understood what he meant in regards to the festival, then shook his head.


    ¡°Then after that?¡±


    ¡°November,¡± Erec stated simply.


    ¡°In which is the grand feast¡ªthen the month after that,¡± Boldwick rolled his eyes and shook his head.


    ¡°Yule, in December,¡± Erec still didn¡¯t get the point. It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t celebrated these holidays before. Everyone did. This time of year was chock-full of traditions and events¡ªthe Academy also facilitated some, not that he¡¯d looked into it. Simply put, the perspective of the uing conflict made these things have almost no impact. He didn¡¯t care. ?


    ¡°Those are the festivities and personal events that you and your friends should focus on. The tournament will be inte January¡ªyou will have plenty of time between now and then for training <em>and</em> to enjoy your life. If all you focus on is the next conflict, the next fight, then you miss out on the point of what it is to live; at that rate, you will be no better than the monsters we y.¡± Boldwick rolled his shoulders and stared at the other beds for a long time.


    [¡­We would call this a forced sabbatical. Too much work and you burn out; of course, the training manuals only really cover this kind of leisure and mental health nearness for executives and senior researchers. Expectations include turnover at lower job scales. Like I¡¯ve been saying all along, take a rest.]


    ¡°Tell me when those two are up. I¡¯ve got early presents for the lot of you¡ªI won¡¯t be far, and Dame Robin is the room over; let her know once you¡¯re good to go.¡±


    Boldwick gave him a long searching look and then turned and left; Erec sat in his bed for a long while, staring at the nk ceiling above him. A tan-like color that reminded him of the sand; while he¡¯d never been here, he began to suspect Boldwick brought them back to the Academy. Most of the initiates would be gone¡ªlet alone using one of the recovery rooms.


    Most people, unlike him and his friends, wouldn¡¯t have taken this break to push themselves to a point where they shattered. They likely saw this as a wee reprieve in their training.


    Erec did his best to ignore the blinking notification in the corner of his vision. Until he couldn¡¯t. With the soft snores of his friends nearby, he pulled the trigger and willed the information to appear.


    Strength:<em> Rank C - Tier 9 ¡ú Rank B - Tier 1</em>


    Vigor: <em>Rank C - Tier 3 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 5</em>


    Agility: <em>Rank C - Tier 2 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 3</em>


    Psyche: <em>Rank D - Tier 3 ¡ú Rank D - Tier 4</em>


    The numbers floated there. Proof of his training. All of his Virtues had seen massive gains over the past five days¡ªhis Strength, in particr, had broken into a whole new Rank; hauling all that weight for so long had been thest little hurdle he needed to cross so he could see that particr achievement.


    ¡­As he considered his gains, he realized Boldwick had a point.


    How many Initiates over the entire course of the Academy achieved a Virtue in the B rank halfway through their first year?


    How many of them even had a Rank like that into their second year or as a Knight Errant?


    That was ignoring the rest of his Virtues, which were all boosted to an absurd degree as a byproduct of the constant challenges and growth brought about by Fury.


    Frankly, his growth had been nothing short of meteoritic, yet despite that; he never felt like he¡¯d done enough¡ªtackling the never-ending challenges of this dangerous world required Might and Strength untold, and even now, Erec felt afraid of the monster he knew lurked in the dark; how might he face them alone if he did not have the entirety of the Strength to do so?


    <em>I¡¯m not alone.</em> Erec looked at his friends, sleeping, and thought of the empty spots at the round table.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    He didn¡¯t need to be alone. Not anymore. But¡­ They couldn¡¯t keep pushing at this pace; his friends and even he would fall apart.


    <em>For now we will walk, then when the time is right, run together again.</em>


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    It wasn¡¯t until the day after that the three of them felt well enough to crawl out of their beds and go see Boldwick for a review of their training. As Erec suspected, they¡¯d been taken back to the Academy for rest; that made it easy to get from their current location in the depths of the Academy proper back to the Verdant Oak building and to Boldwick¡¯s office.


    After exiting the central fortress that made up the Academy, they saw that most of the Initiates had returned. People talked excitedly, drifting about as they got in their groups and discussed the return of school¡­


    Like Boldwick said, though he wasn¡¯t trying to eavesdrop, Erec made out the main focus of the conversations¡ªthe tournament and, to a lesser extent, the uing Hollows Eve festivities that the Academy put on.


    When he was a kid, Erec remembered the tradition. At least, when his mother was still around, he and Bedwyr would dress up, and go from house to house, asking for candy. Adding to that was the annual pumpkin explosion and the cave-maze that they were always taken to.


    Growing up, though, after his mother disappeared, those traditions began to filter off and die away. No longer as important in the grand scheme of things. Bedwyr, though, always made it a habit to bring home a bag of candies for Erec, even if they stopped going to the maze or seeing a pumpkin burst. Still, eating chewy taffy with his brother long after their tired father went to bed had meant a lot to him.


    ¡°What are your guy¡¯s ns for Hollows Eve?¡± Erec asked as the three of them followed Dame Robin across the campus on a whim.


    Colin looked at him and blinked. ¡°Who cares about that?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, hold on there,¡± Garin said, looking between the two, ¡°With everything that has happened¡ªI almost forgot about it. <em>We</em> have to do something; maybe we see the Pumpkin drop¡ªor go to a bar down in the caverns? You know, celebrate the way we should be. I was meaning to bring this up.¡±


    Dame Robin chuckled ahead of them as she led.


    Maybe it was just Erec, but all of them seemed more aware of the things around them than they had before.


    <em>Is this how his Soul works?</em>


    ¡°Sure.¡± Erec agreed, taking Boldwick¡¯s words to heart. Thisst round of training had brought about insane growth, as promised, but he would abide by the Master Knight¡¯s words.


    They could grow quickly. But only so quick.


    ¡°Truly? We¡¯re going to celebrate a nothing holiday¡­ Why?¡± Colin asked, ¡°Especially now, when we must prepare for the tournament? I will shatter that brat of a prince and make him eat his words to me; there is little time to waste with trivialities.¡±


    ¡°You heard Dame Robin,¡± Erec warned. She had given them the same speech Boldwick gave him once the other two woke up. Thoughing from her, the warning was more delicate than the Master Knights had been. The point was clear, as was the fact he¡¯d allotted a whole day to recovery in the regime. Even if Erec was having his own problems grappling with that part of the lesson, he would try his best to make Colin see the logic, too.


    ¡°I did, yet I¡¯m surprised to see you agree. We must gain Strength.¡±


    ¡°Does it look like everyone else is busting their asses to the point where they copse from exhaustion¡ªlisten, before this week, I¡¯ll admit. I was scared to explore my powers¡ªnow, though, I see potential, and I¡¯ll try. I get what Erec was driving at, but at the same time, they have a great point. You need bnce in your life. You can¡¯t go too far either way.¡± Garin cut in and then turned his attention solely to Colin. ¡°What that means is that you <em>will</em> go your betrothed and invite her out with us. If we¡¯re lucky, Enide should be back by then, too. Triple Hallows Eve date.¡±


    Colin tried to make several arguments, but each fell short and failed to sway Garin.


    The n had been set by the time they reached the Verdant Oak building. As much as it could be, given that the Pendragons were outside running errands for the Kingdom and goddess knew if Enide would be there to celebrate.


    [It¡¯s too bad you don¡¯t have cell phones nowadays. I bet it would make nning things with your significant other much easier, huh? Hmm. You know, I wonder if we couldy the foundations to resurrect that particrmunication technology¡­ Of course, after your mandatory sabbatical.]


    Erec sighed and thenpsed into silence.


    The sight of the Verdant Oak building was a wee relief after all the training. Compared to the time spent roaming and running through the wastnd outside the city, the lush and vibrant greens nestled in the interior made Erec once more feel at home. A certain calming sense came from being surrounded by life¡ªa sense of belonging and peace at one''s small ce in the world that put things in perspective and let him breathe easily.


    Now, as they came into fall and the cold wasing, a lot of the nts were undergoing a shift. Switching to either multi-colored leaves, or for the interior nts, some of them shedding theirs as they braced to go dormant for the winter.


    A couple of the caverns below were built to reflect this kind of natural light cycle; for others, it wasn¡¯t necessary.


    But it did mean change was thick in the air, both with the season and what was soon toe for the Kingdom.


    It didn¡¯t take long to arrive at Boldwick¡¯s office, where Dame Robin bid them goodbye and left them to debrief with the Master Knight¡ªthe three of them stood outside the door, eager to go in and talk to him but filled with a sense of levity and respect that it meant.


    Bursting the bubble, Erec took charge and led in.


    Boldwick was reclined in his chair¡ªit was as his office always felttely. Put together andplete, organized with notes tucked away and buttoned up to look professional. A natural statetely, but there had been a time when it fell apart. Now, though, it seemed the Master Knight had everything together. A feeling that gave Erec a small sense of relief, given all that had been happening.


    Aside from the usual decor, there were three wrapped packages¡ªloosely covered with brown parchment paper and then tied with twine. The biggest was beside his desk¡ªalmost the same size as it. Next to it leaned another package¡ªclearly wrapped many times, which obscured its shape to the naked eye. Lastly, there was a small parcel shaped like a rectangle on his desk.


    ¡°Wee.¡± Boldwick settled back, his eyes scanning them. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it short and sweet; I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already had enough of learning for the month with our training. I promised you a reward forpleting what I¡¯ve put you through, and I¡¯m a man of my word. As much as the training and the gains from it are rewards themselves, we must always take notice of special effort in our Knights and divvy out rewards appropriately. The Yule celebrations havee early. Before that, though, I have to say, I am proud of each and every one of you. The three standing before me are assuredly different. If you maintain course, I am sure that we will see incredible Knights out of all of you.¡±


    All of them gave him nods¡ªand he invited them closer, to the desk.


    The first one to receive their reward was Colin. It was unceremoniously delivered as Boldwick took the small parcel wrapped in paper on the book and tossed it at him.


    The noble hesitated.


    ¡°Open it. We¡¯ll do this in order of smallest to biggest.¡± Boldwick prompted.


    Like that, Colin unwrapped the thing. Inside was a leather-bound book, the sides of the pages inky. As he opened it, Erec made out the front page: ¡®Property of Sommers Able.¡¯


    Colin scowled and tried to push the book back onto Boldwick¡¯s desk, only for the Master Knight to reject it.


    ¡°Take it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking nothing else from that foul-mouthed old man.¡±


    ¡°There are few with as inventive of a nt in their use of Mysticism in the Kingdom. Save for perhaps Dame Morgana. But if I had to guess, his unique approach to tackling magic and the way he makes his glyph formations will be far more useful to you than anything that woman can teach. You¡¯ll find that this old research tome of his goes into great depth as he wrote it he mastered his craft. Use it. You don¡¯t have to like him to steal his research and make it your own,¡± Boldwick waved away theints. The suggestion of <em>stealing</em> his secrets made Collin shut up, but Erec noticed that his hold over the arcane book turned a lot greedier.


    Next, Boldwick nodded at Erec toe over. At his approach, he shoved therge package¡ªthough not asrge as the big box¡ªto Erec.


    With confusion, Erec began to tear away the thick parchment paper. Shedding through it as fast as he could to get the attention off him again.


    What was left behind, was an axe.


    A beautiful axe, not like the ck war axe he¡¯d been using for ages, which, while a handy weapon, had already seen the results of too much conflict. This was an almost silver-like damascus, making fire-like waves on the de. Yet it wasn¡¯t Damascus; the color was too light for that. This was a type of metal unfamiliar to him. Yet the shape wasn¡¯t. No, this had been crafted in a simr style to the wicked-crescent-shaped axe that came with the silver fire. Though itcked the etchings of a stag and a woman on the side¡­


    Moreover, when Erec touched it, a small shudder ran through him. The weapon felt more than just a weapon; it felt like a missing limb.


    ¡°Whoa.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find this one is responsive to magic¡ªThough Dame Morgana assured me that the properties that let it channel mana are simr to that of the soul if you give this weapon enough care. Given what happens with Fury, a weapon like this is far more suitable to you than what you¡¯ve been using.¡± Boldwick answered.


    ¡°Responsive to magic?¡± Colin asked. His eyes lit up to a golden sheen, and then he let out a soft, ¡®Ah,¡¯


    ¡°¡­Care to exin for the rest of us?¡± Garin nudged him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a magically conductive metal and inside of theyers of metal and glyphs to further enhance those properties. I¡¯ve seen stuff like this in the King¡¯s pce¡ªor used by some heads of noble households. And of course, more advanced Knights. A weapon like that costs a fortune. How fortunate, indeed, to receive a specially made weapon while I receive the old forgotten notebook of a bitter old man.¡±


    ¡°I can return the notebook to Sir Able,¡± Boldwick offered.


    ¡°No, this is fine. I just wanted tin can to appreciate just <em>what</em> you were handing him.¡±


    Erec turned the weapon over in his hands; it felt light. Far lighter than his old axe, to the point where he was wondering how it would hold up in battle. But given that Boldwick had handed it to <em>him</em> of all people, he must be confident in its durability.


    With reverence¡­ Erec held the axe and dipped his head; ¡°I swear to do good with this weapon.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm. Try not to go too wild with it from the start. Weapons like these take a little time to adapt to the user over time; let it get used to you slowly before going all out.¡±


    Boldwick then turned to Garin, raised an eyebrow, and gestured towards thergest package in the room.


    ¡°Well,¡± Garin said, walking over¡ªable to take a few steps around the package; Munchy moved around on his shoulder, chattering and anxious as they approached the gift. ¡°My little guy doesn¡¯t like it much, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Jealousy is to be expected. Go ahead. Open it.¡±


    Garin did just that after giving him a weird look; as the bits of packaging paper flew aside, they were treated to the view of an animal crate. Within which was a curled-up¡­ Dog?


    No, it was not a dog. Its ears were far too pointed. It was leaner and more wild-looking than any mutt Erec had seen, legs longer too, in proportion to the rest of its body. This one had deep golden eyes and a grey strip running down its back.


    Munchy was flipping out at the sight of it.


    Coyote.


    They were said to live in thesends rarely if one encountered them. It used to be their natural habitat until the Goddess took away most of what made natural natural with her silver fires.


    Right now, the coyote was staring deep into Garin¡¯s eyes, its ears alert and head cocked to one side.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time you added anotherpanion, don¡¯t you think?¡± Boldwick said.

 Chapter 211: Brotherhood II

    Bedwyr stared at the sky above; sweat ran down his brow, his shirt long thrown into the dust. In the distance, he could see the lights of the Kingdom. Lights to keep the streets alive, even in the depths of the night; though there was the sun cycle on the surface, the people had long adapted to working in three separate shifts. The tradition still continued, even up here.


    ¡°Not enough.¡± He said quietly¡ªa boulder was nearby, along with several others¡ªhis only decoration in this wastnd; training of this sort didn¡¯t tend to do well when inside the Academy. Too much attention. Some of his ss had ideas on what being a Knight meant; their ideas weren¡¯t his. As they filtered out, they found their niches and applications, and this raw Strength training was often abandoned in favor of more specialized or more practical training geared to help their marks in ss.


    Unless, of course, they were going for power.


    To him, though, with his Talent¡­


    This kind of training was often the most simple way to advance everything. Want to get stronger? Lift heavier things. Over and over and over again, he kept lifting heavier and heavier things. Tedious, sure. But every time he gained an increase in his Virtue¡­ All of his virtues advanced.


    ¡°Another set, then,¡± his muscles burned with pain, but the tournament wasing up. In it, he would face several strong Knights, and that was from the people in the academy alone. Who knew what was outside of their walls?


    It was hotly debated in the second year who the <em>strongest</em> among them was. His name often came up in the rankings, but regarding raw singr Virtues, at least a few other Initiates exceeded him. Including, he suspected, his brother. Focusing on a specific area,plemented with a Talent that might lead to better growth, could do that.


    Still, he knew when it came to a straight fight¡­ He would likely win. It wasn¡¯t a sure thing, but none among his peers had found a way topete in an even fight against him.


    ¡°Only because I work like this,¡± Bedwyr sighed, massaging his arms. The pain was a dull constant ache. In thest couple of weeks, he¡¯d had to go to a healer since he¡¯d overdone it and torn muscles; still, he¡¯d seen two increases in his tier. For him, that kind of growth was unprecedented since hitting the C-Rank. At this rate, if he kept pushing, he would reach the B-rank in time for the tournament. Passing that bottleneck, though, was admittedly quite intimidating.No, Bedwyr wasn¡¯t training because he wanted to stand at the top of his ss.


    When he lifted that boulder, when his muscles spasmed and tore apart, when that pain shed hot and hurt him more than any fight had, the only picture in his mind was his brother.


    He¡¯d heard the stories. Sought them out. The Knights who¡¯d seen him fight, the Pendragons who talked about their time on the road with the ¡®crazy kid.¡¯


    All of that pain, all of the suffering his brother went through.


    If Bedwyr were stronger, then he could share that burden. He should be protecting his younger brother, but to date, he had failed that job; he was stronger, sure. But Erec was right. The day was quickly approaching that his brother would surpass him... and probably, more likely than not, find himself in even deeper and deeper danger as he kept going down this blood-soaked path.


    ¡°Stronger.¡± Bedwyr rolled his shoulders and walked over to the massive boulder.


    With a grimace and a scream of his muscles, he lifted it above his head. Then, as sweat beaded his brow, he slowly bent at the knees¡­ Then he stood back up and put it back down again.


    Thrice, five times¡ªeight¡ªfifteen.


    He kept going, the pain only increasing as his tendons wanted to give in and give up, yet Bedwyr persisted, his eyes on the moon above as he shouldered the massive boulder, squatted, and then put it back down to lift again.


    The pain was temporary. Necessary.


    If he was topete in the tournament, he must show Erec¡ªmust show his brother that he needn¡¯t be alone on this quest.


    <em>She left us. Made her choice.</em>


    Thest image he¡¯d seen of their mother crossed his mind: the sorrow as she said goodbye to him. Disappeared. He¡¯d caught herte at night before she¡¯d fled. He remembered seeing the pure fear on her face even as she told him everything was alright and there was nothing to worry about.


    He remembered hisst promise to her before she put him back to bed, and he never saw her again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look after him,¡± he said to her, to her ghost, even as he lifted the boulder for the twentieth time, his legs screaming and shaking as they threatened to give out, to fall and let him be crushed underneath the might of the stone. ¡°Erec will be fine.¡±


    <em>Again.</em>


    The boulder went up, then came down.


    His body wanted to die; it curled up in pain and broke.


    But, as long as it could still lift, he would lift.


    <em>How many now?</em>


    Thirty? Thest set had ended at twenty, yet he kept pushing. The memories were so vivid as they swirled around him, an almost tangible thing in the night; the rock in his hand felt right. Familiar. The barren earth around him was his home since he¡¯d been born.


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    As he lifted again, as sweat dripped down from his body and joined the earth below, he remembered the days after she left. The fear and nervousness as their family separated and the Kingdom treated them with the utmost suspicion. He¡¯d made sure to go to Erec¡¯s room every night to read the crying boy to sleep and promise him they would be fine. They would see their mother again one day.


    <em>Again.</em>


    It went up. It came down.


    His muscles were like steel. A notification shed in the corner of his vision, no doubt telling him that all of his Virtues had advanced once more. That would put him at Tier 8. Yet another step closer, but not enough.


    <em>Protect.</em>


    Beneath him, he felt the earth beneath his feet, the weight of the boulder above pushing him deeper and deeper.


    With it, rooted to this ground, he felt a strength rise from his legs. Embracing the feeling of Strength. He went again.


    Fifty.


    Seventy.


    A simple jump at this tier in Strength wasn¡¯t enough to justify this. Nothing could, yet it was inexplicable; the pain was there, yes, Goddess, more pain than he should have been capable of. Before, when he¡¯d felt like this, his tendons had snapped, and the healer had needed to perform emergency prayer on him. A whole week of recovery; he¡¯d hid that from his family. Not from Gwen, but no one else had found out.


    But now, his body wasn¡¯t giving out. His vision was clear as if his muscles were made of stone and steel, and his mind calmed, pressing back against the pain. Defying logic.


    <em>Again.</em>


    Ninty¡­ Ninty Eight¡­


    One hundred.


    Something snapped; the boulder cracked in his hands, raining dust and rock down on him; his vision burned, doubling as both a notification and the world shifted around him. Layered with a scene of a different ce, a different time.


    Soul (Aspect: Earth):<em> Rank [NULL] - Tier 0 ¡ú Rank C - Tier 8</em>


    Faith: <em>Rank C - Tier 7 ¡ú Rank NULL - Tier NULL</em>


    The notification vanished, apanied by pure fear as the wastnd vanished. The boulder disappeared from his hands.


    Bedwyr found himself at a round table. He saw only a man with a ck beard staring at him, one hand holding his head up.


    ¡°Ah. Took your sweet time, huh?¡±


    ¡ª - ? - ¡ª - ? - ¡ª


    Above, the lights that blessed this reforged earth burned in mes, their flickering candles a symbol of that which scorched the earth¡ªa tragedy, but one which would be rectified.


    ¡°We are close,¡± the Cardinal mumbled, his head bowed. His eyes alighted with vision as <em>she</em> saw through them, rifling through his mind with her fiery fingers as shebed his memories. ¡°We¡¯ve been investigating, and those marks of Her presence are¡­¡±


    <em>WEAK.</em>


    Yes. They were weak. She¡¯d ripped the reports from his congregation''s investigation from his head, but they weren¡¯t just weak. By all ounts, they weren¡¯t the same since she¡¯dst interfered in this world fifty years ago.


    <em>SIMILAR. KILL IT. RUIN IT. CRUSH IT.</em>


    Each hate rang in his head like a bell, the intensity increasing as her fiery grip on his soul clenched; the Cardinal gasped, leaning forward. Sweat curled from his heat, then burst to smoke as his skin burned; he looked at his hands; the veins throbbed with red, and the pain curled in. The eye above. Her eyes. All of it was pressing in, staring at him. Her chosen piece in the Kingdom.


    He scratched at his skin, reassuring her. Promising her in his head they would find this little silver me and snuff it out.


    Just yesterday, there was a sighting at the worksite for the arena.¡ªhis men were asking questions. Looking into it.


    <em>KILL IT QUICKER.</em>


    ¡°We don¡¯t have the control,¡± he begged, curling onto himself on the floor as he directed more of the whirling tempest at him. Her sight refined at his exnations, pressing down like a hot brand in his skull as she scoured him


    <em>TAKE IT. TAKE CONTROL.</em>


    They were. They did. They continued to.


    But it took time; nobody wanted to oppose the crown openly without good reason. Not when it had the backing of the Knights and the military; it took time and resources to convince them and then more time still to coordinate.


    <em>WORK BETTER. BURN IT. KILL IT. FIND IT.</em>


    <em>KILL, KILL, KILL, KILL, KILL, KILL.</em>


    The word seared itself through the Cardinal¡¯s skull, and he screamed, curling in further, wondering if this was it. If she was going to dissolve him into ash and take his already-damn-near gone soul and burn it as she did with all of them eventually.


    But the heat subsided, and she withdrew, pulling back further. Her rage was an inferno as always; her vengeance and necessity lingered as an overwhelming presence that suffused his entire being. As the pain receded, the Cardinal stopped shaking on the ground, pulling himself up and dusting off his cloak as her attention turned elsewhere.


    He dusted his red robes off, taking in a deep, racking breath.


    And then he let her blessed feeling run through him, let it saturate his skin and bones, let the heat of that hatred warm him.


    <em>Love.</em>


    It was love. That hate was love that squirming gut-clenching pain; it was her love. Her love for them. For her people, for the pieces of her vessel. Part of her hole.


    ¡°Love, love, love.¡± The Cardinal said, a smile spreading wide across his face as he itched his skin¡ªthe still-warmed skin that hade to a breath away frombustion. She needed them. Needed her reds to go and stomp out that little silver me; he would deliver that.


    They would deliver more than that, too.


    This whole Kingdom, he would bequeath onto her, along with crushing that pesky little silver fire which earned her hate. Whether it belonged to that bitch Lavinia or what his reports led to believe, some off-shoot in a young Knight, it didn¡¯t really matter. What she wanted, her flock would deliver. Her love was what sustained them until she burned them up in fuel to face the monster above.


    She was their savior. She shed with Lavinia, but once that false goddess, that monster that ruined their world, died, they would be free, and She might ascend to the heavens and im her ce on the celestial throne. Then all might feel her love. All might bend the knee to her and let themselves be one piece of her far greater and vast whole.


    The Cardinal scratched at his skin, hot red blooding free as he continued, his grin only growing wider as he strode out to his congregation¡ªfaster.


    They needed to be faster.


    The King had given them all the fuel they needed to start a fire in this Kingdom and had supplied all of the ingredients in his haste to embrace the outside world. It would be child¡¯s y to fan those embers and grow the mes.


    From there, they could deliver all She wanted.


    And her love would be. She would shower him with her affection. They might be together, one, as he longed and dreamed of.


    ¡°A lot of work. A lot. A lot. A lot. Yes.¡±

 Chapter 212: Wine and Dine

    <em>Dear Lord Audax,</em>


    <em>It was my supreme pleasure to run into your distinguished presence at the Luculentus event; it was an even greater pleasure to have such a brief and enlightening discussion with the one that the Kingdom has dubbed ¡®Stag yer.¡¯</em>


    <em>While the evening was certainly busy with the unexpected announcement, I regret that we didn¡¯t have much time to talk about the future business that could be between our houses.</em>


    <em>I see your great potential and will say that House Hastrifus is no slouch regarding Kingdom business and affairs. Though at the time, you seemed less than receptive to my offer to meet my daughter because of your¡­Guest. I do appreciate your tact and restraint in pursuing better opportunities while in the presence of womenfolk, regardless of their status.</em>


    <em>Setting aside the potential for marriage, I see no reason for us not to be friends. So I would like to extend to you an invitation to join me at my manor; I will treat you to fine wine and even finerpany.</em>


    <em>To our future Friendship,</em>


    <em>Toddren Hastrifus</em>


    <em>- Count Hastrifus, Invitation To Count Audax (3rd Era, 307) </em>


    Days bled into a week, and then a week after that, time slipped by like grains spilling from a bowl as Erec bowed his head and sunk into the regr course schedule that the Academy set; he and the rest of the students spiraled to the end of October.Since returning to the Academy from all of the expeditions and upheaval, juggling regr sses and trying to keep himself at ease <em>could</em> present a full-time task. It was a bit of a relief that the Schedule he¡¯d had before remained clear of Basic Prayer and Theology and the dreaded Courtly Mannerisms. Though, he missed Talent Development.


    Where those time slots remained clear in his schedule, though, he hadn¡¯t been simply allowed to rest on hisurels and rx. Nor could he get an advantage over the other students and finish out whatever work needed to be done. With the way his schedule worked, the gaps of time made room for his extra-curricr¡ªDame Robin took him aside and gave him her lessons on people. It is far more effective in learning how to process information and collect a feel for how the Kingdom was doing.


    She didn¡¯t trust him yet to go and collect information on his own, but she set him on task to make friends, introduce himself in warm approaches, and let him adjust to a variety of situations she threw him into. This time didn¡¯t always corrte to his open schedule slots and far exceeded the time that would¡¯ve been spent in a ssroom learning with the rest of the students.


    In the end, thanks to that, he often found himself extremely busy on a day-to-day basis, leaving only a couple of hours at night to unwind and rx.


    As for his weekends without ss¡­


    Well, VAL dominated that time slot, as long as it didn¡¯t have topete with Robin¡¯s lessons. That time was spent in the Cavern, getting the new branch of Vortex Industries going.


    And it was there that they had two conflicting approaches to exploring what they should be exploring in introducing technology. They were stretched thin with limited funding and the need to produce things that could elerate their growth, yet they couldn¡¯t make anything that would be <em>too big</em> of a gap in technology to enme the already growing influence and rage being spread by the Church.


    Erec insisted they focus on Armor improvements¡ªmaybe replicating some of VAL¡¯s original functional purposes and finding a way to integrate it with the magi-tech that made their Armors work.


    One of their biggest limiting factors was that the Armor couldn¡¯t keep up inbat; there were better models, and they could steal design tips from those and fuse them with their own research. VAL didn¡¯t outright reject this branch; instead, it insisted they focus solely on chemistry and building up supplies while exploring Mysticism, a branch of knowledge that Erec had no possession of.


    It was too much work for just Erec.


    So Colin became an unofficial part-time employee of Vortex Industries, with the researcher position, tasked with performing magical experimentation.


    As the board director, Erec credited his time spent working on Armor with starting the baseline that might lead to more nanite production¡­


    And then they hired a third employee. A man named Thomas, who Erec¡ªthe proxy of VAL¡ªtasked with conducting chemistry experiments. The issue was that the practice of ¡®chemistry¡¯ was very limited, and knowledge was very protected in the Caverns. It often dealt with oxygen and gasses¡ªventtion¡ªwith some branches falling more into biochemistry since their experts dealt primarily with biocaverns.


    They couldn¡¯t afford to have one of those experts, so they had to make do with a man who had a keen intellect and the willpower to sit there and learn chemical reactions, make stock chemicals, and work further to advance his technique and knowledge base until they could move on to ¡®more sophisticated and dangerous reactions.¡¯


    The product of these three branches of research could have been faster going if they¡¯d focused on only one direction instead of these three. But given only two weeks had passed, and they had all the gear in ce to move forward, at least it had <em>begun. </em>Goddess knew if any of it would amount to an advantage when the Church erupted, and they had to push back against the inevitable issues that were even now uprising.


    During his work with Robin, Erec started to see glimpses of that brewing conflict, which led to today¡ªa meeting he was not looking forward to.


    ¡°Count Hastrifus,¡± Erec bowed his head, Dame Robin at his side. ¡°A pleasure to meet you once more.¡±


    It was a lie. The smell of whiskey cologne dominated his nose, taking the living room in a stranglehold. Better than the night he¡¯d first met the man at the announcement of the tournament. That night, the Count chose to wear a cologne best described as a citrus-hell. The perpetrator, Count Hastrifus, gave him a wild smile and stared with those greedy eyes. It made Erec feel unwee and nothing more than a prize to be won. His instincts screamed to get out of this Manor as fast as possible. But he couldn¡¯t; the Count had sent him an invitation to have him over, and after telling Robin about it, his teacher told him in no uncertain terms he should ept.


    He hadn¡¯t forgotten the man after their introduction at the Luculentus gathering, nor had he forgotten how the Count insisted he marry his daughter. Whom was currently sitting nearby, reading a book, trying desperately not to look their way nor to look awkward or annoyed with the asion.


    ¡°Ahhh, Count Audax, I was beyond thrilled to see you had responded to my invitation; it¡¯s my pleasure to host you at our humble home. Though, it¡¯s not so humble¡ªI¡¯m a fifth-generation count, and the ties of House Hastrifus run deep through these cavern veins, sit. Sit.¡± He gestured to the nearby chairs¡ªthe one closest to his daughter. Erec opted instead to sit closer to Count Audax, leaving that recliner open for Dame Robin, who gave a small yet polite greeting.


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    The count responded gracefully but much more curtly than he had to Erec.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know your family had such a long line; I¡¯ve never asked my father how far ours went back,¡± he responded, watching as a servant entered with a bottle of wine; she set it out and poured it. The servant doubled back in the count¡¯s direction and filled Erec¡¯s cup again to the brim.


    ¡°Of course, of course. See, the Hastrifus household operated the first winery in the Kingdom. People began to get bored after figuring out survival, and soon they learned how to grow grapes in the caverns¡­ One thing led to another, and my ancestors opened the first winery¡­ It didn¡¯t take many generations for the Royal family to appreciate our efforts and grant us a rank, and then when wine flows, it flows, no? As for your family, bah, it hardly matters. That line¡ªAudentia? Was that it? It¡¯s not really relevant to the Audax name you founded. A hero of the Kingdom.¡± The count gave a light smile, swirled his wine, and then took a drink.


    Erec stared at his cup. Right now, the right thing to do was to ept it. Even though all of him felt unfamiliar and contested this moment, he knew what <em>should</em> be done. Thanks to Robin.


    So he did just that, raising his ss and taking a deep gulp.


    It had a chocty taste, with notes of fruit that were different from what he was used to. It was smooth, and even he could appreciate the quality.


    [He¡¯s trying to impress you. Based on an analysis of the quality, that is one <em>expensive </em>ss of wine. At least back in the old world.]


    <em>That much is obvious.</em>


    ¡°Tell me more,¡± Erec said. People liked to make themselves feel important, so he¡¯d give him the space to do it.


    Dame Robin gave a subtle nod.


    ¡°Well, we went up thedder. Unded tonded, a generationter, Barons, after that Viscount¡­ Then you see us as we are now. There is not much to tell other than that we have perfected what it means to make wine. Sometime I¡¯ll have to show you our bio-caverns and facilities. A tour of them is heavenly¡ªwe have some noble families contacting us yearly for a visit, given how much beauty and fine vintage they can taste. Even just three years ago, the King reserved a day to enjoy our facilities.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s incredible. You weren¡¯t kidding when you said your ties run deep,¡± Erec shifted in his chair, taking a more rxed posture.


    ¡°Deeper than you might imagine, wine smooths all things,¡± he had a glint in his eye¡ªthen shifted his focus to his daughter, ¡°She¡¯s set to inherit, you know. Has gotten all our knowledge, with a Talent around wine that impressed even me; I could arrange a tour for you, led by my lovely daughter, as soon as next week?¡±


    The girl stopped reading and gave Erec a once over, then a frown. She sat up straight and took her wine, then took a deeper gulp than any of them, clearing it in one go.


    ¡°Of course, father.¡± She agreed, killing the emotion from her voice.


    Erec winced as the tension coated the air. Family drama and watching a father push his daughter on him <em>was</em> not the point of this visit. For him, at least. It made him miss Enide. Briefly, he wondered what she was up to right now¡ªif she would be back in time for Hallows Eve¡ªand then he shook his head and focused.


    ¡°We can discuss thatter.¡± <em>Never.</em> Erec lied through his teeth, ¡°I am curious, though; you have pointed out quite an interesting thing. Your family is well-connected. I¡¯ll admit, as a new Count to a household that is new to this position, I¡¯ve had some trouble navigating these social circles.¡±


    This was a show of weakness. In a fight, it was like showing his neck to the enemy¡ªwide open.


    The count grinned and bit down, seeing the weakness.


    ¡°Ah, I did wonder how you were faring. You must be a busy man, Count Audax. Between your duties as an Initiate and trying to lead your new house and cavern. I¡¯d heard you¡¯d begun to restructure your businesses to your benefit, but it must be difficult to make time for these social gatherings, where the real power of the Kingdom lies.¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t had the time. I¡¯m not sure who to trust or what to think; if you could advise someone in my shoes, what would you say? I¡¯m looking to make the sort of ties that your family has, yet I don¡¯t know where to start. I¡¯d rather House Audax be a generational power.¡±


    At this, the Count leaned back, his smile showing all his teeth as if he¡¯d been handed a big gift on a silver te. He snapped his eyes towards his daughter.


    ¡°Hun, how about you show Lady Robin the sunroom? I believe we have some business to discuss that is not suitable for women-folk¡¯s ears.¡±


    The girl scowled, and Dame Robin, for her part, didn¡¯t react in the least. But, nheless, his daughterplied withoutint, leading the older Knight out and leaving Erec alone with the count, a wolf with his prey<em>.</em>


    ¡°The first thing I would do is marry,¡± he began, gesturing to Erec, ¡°You¡¯re currently at your prime. Your fame is at a height that many want to wee you to their family. It would be unwise to ept just any invitation, though. No, you want the type of proposition that merges households. No second daughters, no loose ties. You want to connect yourself directly to a well-established family, and then, riding your Knight career and your partner¡¯s previous foundation¡­ Well. You might have the chance to gain enough influence. In, say, ten years, I could see you earning the rank of Earl.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for a wife,¡± Erec answered, trying to deflect away. <em>I need to get this on track.</em>


    ¡°Time for a wife, bah. Let women-folk tend to women-folk. Marry her, and send her to watch the household while youplete your Knightly duties. You earn the honor and fame, and you can let your woman manage the estates. It¡¯s what they are good at, isn¡¯t it? So, you need to marry. My daughter, for example, is an ideal candidate. You want a woman trained from birth for this tedious administration work; she would have what it takes to get your affairs in order. Then, when you¡¯re done earning your honor, ready to rest and retire, you can take the reins where you belong.¡±


    Erec leaned away, his skin crawling; not only the idea of betraying Enide such a revolting gut-wrenching proposition but the way he bargained with his own daughter¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit uncertain with the way the Kingdom is going.¡±


    ¡°¡­That is a fair point.¡± The count swirled his ss and took another sip. Erec mimicked him¡­ Then the count took another gulp.


    He could see it in the man¡¯s face. On the edge of spilling¡­ Something.


    <em>How do I get him to talk?</em>


    ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of letting the outsiders in,¡± Erec hedged his bet.


    The man stopped, snapping his attention to Erec. ¡°I knew it. I knew that barbarian woman you brought was a way to spy on them! Of course. It makes sense. Yes¡ªI don¡¯t know what the gods-damned King is thinking. Those outside of the wall are dirty and trouble. Not good for our business andmunity.¡±


    ¡°Awful people, I should know, having seen them on the expedition,¡± Erec felt terrible saying it, but the wine was flowing now; they were moving right where Erec needed them to be. This river of red could lead to the information he wanted.


    ¡°Awful, you say? I¡¯m eager to hear these stories. I¡¯m sure the Church is as well. The sermonstely¡­ They¡¯ve been warning us about the danger, diseases, and famine these people bring. They say they have been trying to petition the King to make him stop this madness, but he¡¯s gone off-the-wall with his power, refusing to concede.¡±


    ¡°How do you make him see sense?¡±


    ¡°How, indeed? How indeed?¡± The count finished his ss¡ªrefilling it with the wine left on the table and adding more, then taking a deep pull from the cup. ¡°Well. You gather together your nobility, and you <em>make</em> him listen.¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s been denying your and the church¡¯s petitions. How would that work?¡±


    ¡°Anything can be bent with a strong enough wind. All you need is enough force behind it to get it to bend¡­ And if it doesn¡¯t? Well, sometimes a tree snaps. Sometimes, a batch of wine is bad and must be purged.¡±


    Erec leaned in, drinking more of his wine. His eyes lit up.


    <em>She was right.</em>


    Dame Robin had made hime here and made them take this opening since Count Hastrifus was the perfect contact to witness the brewing hostility in the nobility.


    A perfect in for him to gather useful intelligence about just what the Church had been up to and what, if anything, they were nning.


    ¡°Tell me more.¡±


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