《Curselock》 Chapter 1: Cake and Steak Chapter 1: Cake and Steak The lights in the small atrium dimmed, casting a long shadow across the sparse audience while isting the stage with importance. Soon a humorously dressed man stepped from behind the curtain, along with a trail of various breeds of dogs. Some were big, others small, but they all had one thing inmon. They did not have fur, they were not fluffy. They were radiating bright orange light, along with the heat of a boiler room, much to the displeasure of the wood grain flooring. Their steps left ck char, something their owner didn¡¯t give a second nce. These dogs began to jump through hoops and climb each other to form pyramids. The show was rather boring, when it came down to it. Lnd had seen countless simr traveling acts pass through his city, most of which he didn¡¯t care to see anymore. Not since he was a kid, at least. But for some reason, he always felt maized to the more magical theatrics. The ones like this show he was currently watching. The one with the dogs made of me and the spellcaster that didn¡¯t mind ruining the floors. There was showmanship in maintaining so many spells, Lnd mused. But still, he knew the trick and frankly wasn¡¯t impressed by the caster¡¯s hand. He had seen his parents recreate the same show many times during his nearly neen years of life, often with much smaller or more exotic animals. Still, there was something magical about magic, something that drew Lnd into the same rundown rotting atrium time and time again. Magic had been his dream since he could remember, one that sprouted long nights of studying and countless sleepless nights dreaming of his first spell. The dogs suddenly imploded into countless fireflies before the swarm fluttered through the open air, drifting into dance. Nearby an apanying flutist began a fast paced rhythmic tone, one that mimicked the highs and lows of the fireflies¡¯ act. Lnd found himself enthralled at the show, the song making his spine sway like wheat against a gentle breeze. It took his mind a moment to catch up, no doubt the flutist¡¯s Legacy ability aiding in his stupor. He looked to the musician to find her giving him a sly wink before her song abruptly cut off and the pping began. pping along with the other families, Lnd suddenly felt naked. The fireflies and song, while impressive, were also quite invasive. Not in the sense that his mind felt like it was slipping into captivation, but because it reminded him of what he was missing.His family. They were off saving the world at the Queen¡¯s orders, something Lnd understood quite well. But still, it hurt sometimes. Especially when it came to seeing magic like those fireflies, especially when it came to seeing magic that made him feel like a child again. The dogs were nothing whenpared to the fireflies, Lnd thought, smiling at a young child and her parents reaching for one of the few remaining sparkles floating in the air. The flutist made her rounds through the crowd, thrusting a deep hat out to all patrons. Slipping ten dull and dented silver coins into the hat, Lnd quickly found his way out of the atrium and back to his route home. Along the way he stopped to get dinner and to simply enjoy the nightlife of his small town. It potentially was hisst, so he made sure to savor it. Entering the restaurant, Lnd was ambushed by a sudden pop and fleeting cheer from a table in the corner. Two rolls of streamers rushed through the air toward him, casting their colorful string in their trajectory¡¯s wake. Finding himself flushed with embarrassment, Lnd quickly pulled the streamers off of his head and rushed over to the table. He sat down with a curse, hiding his face from the gleeful smirks of those not drunk enough to notice themotion. Almost on cue, a bard began chanting the low sybles of the song ¡°Happy Birthday.¡± Lnd sunk into himself even more, despite the loud boisterousugh and muted chuckle from his two best friends. Pretty soon the restaurant¡¯s staff and a few customers began to sing along with the bard. As to not be excluded or out done, Jude and Glenny, Lnd¡¯s two friends, added their own voices to the mix. The song went on for what felt like an eternity, one Lnd desperately wished he could find some way out of. Still, he found himself smiling despite the attention and embarrassment. As the song finished, arge slice of cake was ced before his slouching frame, one covered in sugary berries and plenty of whipped cream. A quick round of apuse echoed through the small restaurant along with multiple bows from the bard. Lnd¡¯s table all gave a nod to the charismatic singer, who responded with a cheeky smile. Then, cake. ¡°So, uh, Leals¡­ uh¡­¡± Lnd giggled at Jude¡¯s trepidation and pushed the te to the center of the table. Jude and Glenny eyed each other, the cake, and Lnd¡­ then, like a dam breaking, theyunched an assault on the te. This made Lndugh again before his eyes narrowed at the lost ground. He thrust his fork into the cake, taking a heaping chunk and the apanying sweet sticky berry sauce before the entire slice was gone. In the end, the waiter had to bring out three more slices to feed the starving boys, along with their entrees of chicken and various cuts of steak. And vegetables, couldn¡¯t forget about those. ¡°Happy birthday, Lnd,¡± Glenny said, his cheeks puffed like a chipmunk¡¯s. Jude forced himself to swallow his bite of food. ¡°Right, happy birthday!¡± Lnd smiled at them. ¡°Thanks guys, but that¡¯s not until tomorrow.¡± ¡°We know,¡± Glenny continued. ¡°We just wanted to say it now in case tomorrow is too hectic.¡± Their private seating was abruptly invaded by a crow. It fluttered down to their table, bypassing the open window and perching directly on the spine of an empty chair. Jude tried to shoo it off, but the bird simply hopped out of his reach and cawed at him. Glenny flicked it a stripped chicken leg, but the crow simply ignored it. Instead, it stared at Lnd for a long moment before taking off back to the outside air. ¡°Birds are cool,¡± Lnd said inly. ¡°If you say so,¡± Glenny mused, cutting into a hunk of meat. ¡°What were we talking about? Oh, right, tomorrow.¡± Nodding, Lnd whispered in a spooky tone, ¡°The Dream Ceremony.¡± Jude frowned at that. ¡°It¡¯s not that ominous. During mine, I was served a huge mug of ale and danced around with the Lord of Berserkers and his entourage. At least, until it came down to epting his Legacy¡­ At that point I was pretty drunk though¡­¡± Lnd and Glenny stared at their friend incredulously. ¡°Mine,¡± Glenny spoke up, ¡°was calm and collected. Lasted all of five minutes.¡± ¡°But you knew that you were going to ept your Lord right away,¡± Lnd said. ¡°That¡¯s true, but that¡¯s the same with you, right? Lord of Magic? Just like your parent¡ª¡± Glenny was cut off at the reappearance of the crow. This time, however, it dive bombed onto their table, snatching a hunk ofmb right from the rack. Jude cursed at the bird, chasing it out with just his hurtful words. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lnd finally said. ¡°I can¡¯t wait if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Jude downed thest few gulps of his drink then mmed his mug down. ¡°Then what are you waiting for!? Get home and get to bed! Can¡¯t have a Dream Ceremony without fallin asleep!¡± Glenny nodded in agreement to the statement and suddenly Lnd found both his friends waiting for an answer. He smirked, ¡°And leave this feast to you beasts? Not a chance!¡± At that, the three clinked their mugs and ordered another round of food and mead. In the end, the boys each had their fill along with a lengthy bill. A few goldter, they were on the streets passing the nightlife with a sway in their step. Glenny¡¯s house was first, and the young man bid his friends a farewell. Next was Jude, offering to spend the night at Lnd¡¯s to ¡°make sure nightmares didn¡¯t get in the way of the Dream Ceremony.¡± Lndughed at the promation, pushing his friend into his home. Then it was just Lnd and the walk home. He took it slow, the buzzing in his stomach hindering his steps. This was his dream, right? To finallye of age and ept a Lord and apanying Legacy. All he needed was to fall asleep, something that he knew wasn¡¯t possible right now. So, hey awake, staring at his ceiling as a plethora of emotions bubbled through his brain and belly. At some point, however, the bubbling became real and he found himself puking up dinner. A few minutes and a rainstorm of cold sweatter, Lnd finally closed his eyes, allowing the void of sleep to take him. A ruffling from behind drew Lnd¡¯s attention. He turned, suddenly finding an ocean of trees sprouting before his very eyes. Chapter 2: Dream Ceremony Chapter 2: Dream Ceremony Lnd¡¯s face crooked into a deep smile, one that pulled his cheeks to their highest arc. Movement quickly pulled his gaze, and he found an ebony crow staring at him with huge amethyst eyes. It tilted its head, inspecting the human while silently conveying its unhappiness. The crow, as small as it was, held the presence of a god. It looked at Lnd with the ego of the heavens, the arrogance of a Lord. It cawed once, booming its power across the darkenedndscape from one horizon to the other. The spindly trees vibrated from the sudden earthquake, uprooting before being consumed by their dirt housings. The forest fell apart, transforming into a barren wastnd of undeath and ruin. Groans echoed from the marshy floor as sickly green hands sprouted into life. At first the hands waved around like a crowd cheering for a performance but they eventually grew enough to pull their bodies from the soil. Souls, hundreds, one for each tree, groaned and moaned, each transfixed on Lnd. They tracked him, not that he was moving but rather because they were forced to. Their bodies didn¡¯t sit idle, they twisted and contorted, like their ghostly muscles were cramping. ¡°Hmph.¡± Lnd turned back to the crow. It still sat on an isted tree, but this tree had grown. Bone and antler spiraled around the open air, creating branches and life. Sparkling puffs of magic bloomed along the branches, each whispering their powerwords like budding flowers. Reds, greens, deep blues, even a few marbled ck and white spells, were within the tree. It was Lnd¡¯s tree, he knew, but not for another day¡­ or maybe not. Was it this it? He couldn¡¯t remember¡­ had he gone to bed yet? He smiled again. ¡°The Legacy of the Lord of Curses,¡± the crow spoke in a harsh voice, like it was screaming and whispering at the same time. ¡°You ept, don¡¯t you?¡±Ahh, there it was. Lnd had fallen asleep, it was finally his birthday. Neen. He couldn¡¯t believe it, he was finally of age to be someone new ¨C something worthwhile. It was finally time to ept his Legacy, years he had waited for this moment. The Legacy of the-- Wait. ¡°Lord of Curses?¡± Lnd asked, his mind reeling back into reality, or rather, to the Dream Ceremony. ¡°Seriously?¡± The crow tilted its head before cawing once. Thendscape shifted back to the spiny forest, souls of the Damned disappearing back into the ground. Only the massive bone tree remained, along with the spells of the Curse Lord. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®seriously?¡¯¡± the crow asked, its voice fading from harsh to disbelief. Lnd frowned. ¡°Well, I mean. Mom and Dad were legacies of the Magic Lord¡­ I figured I would be the same¡­ I had it all nned out¡­ First I¡¯d learn water magic, maybe a simple healing spell, then progress into lightning. Thebination would be rather effect¡ª¡± ¡°Stop,¡± the crow ordered. It sighed, bringing forth arge wind. The trees shook, even Lnd stumbled a bit. ¡°Did I do something¡ª¡± ¡°No, no.¡± The crow hopped to a different branch, turning its back away from the human. ¡°It¡¯s just the natural reaction every one of my Legacy has. It¡¯s me, right?¡± Before Lnd could respond the crow continued. ¡°¡®Try to intimidate potential Legacies.¡¯ I was urged to do. ¡®Make them fear my power, so that they feel the touch of greed upon their minds.¡± The crow turned to the open air, cawing a muted curse before a drop of liquid fell from its amethyst eye. Lnd¡¯s face scrunched. ¡°A-are you crying?¡± ¡°No!¡± The force of the word stripped thend of all things, besides the tree with the spells on its branches, of course. Lnd suddenly found the situation ufortable. He struggled to stand still, his legs pushing him to console the saddened Lord. He walked over to the tree, putting his hand on the boney trunk. ¡°You don¡¯t have to cry,¡± he said. ¡°There has to be someone who will ept your Legacy, right?¡± For a moment the crow nced at him before turning back away. ¡°No. They are all snatched up by the Magic Lord before I have a chance. It''s rare I get the first petition for the magically inclined. Even rarer that they ept my offer.¡± Lnd paused. ¡°W-why did you get first petition over me then?¡± The crow huffed. ¡°A rtive on your mother¡¯s side was a Legacy of mine some two thousand years ago. When the Gift of Magic appears in your bloodline, or any of my other patrons, I have rite of the first.¡± ¡°So, my mother declined your offer then? She¡¯s a powerful mage, she must have the Gift of Magic or whatever. Why wouldn¡¯t she tell me about this?¡± Now the crow looked back at him, its eyes glinting in shame. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t have the Gift. It goes beyond simply being able to use magic like anymon mage. Curses take a sophisticated hand, much more than casting fireballs.¡± That caught Lnd¡¯s attention. ¡°Does it now? Can you exin?¡± The crow ruffled a wing. ¡°The potency differs from person to person, but they always have one thing inmon. They all be excellent, best in ss, in fact, mages.¡± ¡°Just mages though?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Don¡¯t remind me. There hasn¡¯t been a Warlock in some time. Two thousand years to be precise. Your grandmother from forty generations ago, in fact.¡± The title of Warlock caught Lnd¡¯s eye. He could see it now, standing before his mother and father as a Warlock. Haha, that¡¯d be the day he thought. He would finally demand the respect he thought he deserved. No longer would he be forced to do remedial tasks like runic blending. Ugh he hated runic blending. ¡°What, uh, how would curses differ from normal spells? I am unfamiliar.¡± The crow was silent for a long moment. It only stared at him, almost in disbelief. ¡°Curses are generally considered evil or vile, but that is simply not true. A fireball can deal as much damage as ripping the soul from an enemy¡¯s body. In fact, pulling souls is much more humane than burning someone alive, in my opinion.¡± Lnd squinted. ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°Then there are cantrips. Always fun, those. Someone bothers you, curse them to a sleepless night or copy the voice of their mother and yell at them. Either way, psychological warfare is a hell of a way to battle.¡± Lnd squinted more. ¡°Then there are rituals. A bit more involved but nothing someone with the Gift of Magic can¡¯t handle. But their niche is few and far between, I¡¯m afraid. Most of your curses will simply harm targets, although they are more useful than just zapping a gnoll with lightning. Same oue, but you¡¯ll be safer. Actually, you could even forge a contract with the Lord of Magic and get his blessing.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Lnd said. ¡°I¡¯m notpletely sold, however.¡± Like a switch had been flipped, the crow¡¯s mirth fell, mimicking the drop of liquid falling from its eye. ¡°That¡¯s what they all say. My sisters say it''s my personality. I¡¯m just too passionate, you know?¡± And Lnd did know. He was very passionate about magic, even the tedious part his parents made him study on repeat. Still, he could see a future where he was a Warlock. It was a pipedream, he knew. Bing a magus was regarded as a life aplishment, anything past that was a miracle. Still, after today, his life expectancy would significantly elongate. If he chose to be a farmer after this, disregarding a life of magic, he would estimate he¡¯d live another one hundred and fifty years at least. But if he did choose the path of the Warlock, then maybe he¡¯d live for thousands. Thousands of years? Lnd asked himself. Yeah that should be plenty of time. He turned back to the crow. An isted miniature rain cloud had sprouted above its head, releasing its downpour solely on the bird. The sight made him crack a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve decided,¡± Lnd announced. The crow perked up a bit. ¡°Do you ept my Legacy as the Lord of Curses?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he answered. There was no cheering, there was no hurrah. No falling confetti or zing trumpets. Only a smirking crow, one with a devilish look - like the face of an actor after the performance of a lifetime. It jumped from its branch, fluttering before Lnd. It morphed and mutated, snapping bones and discarding feathers. Dark cloth formed and took, unveiling an elderly human woman with shining gray eyes with sparkling shards of amethyst. ¡°Wee to my coven, Lnd Silver,¡± the Lord of Curses spoke. ¡°You will not regret your choice.¡± She held a wrinkled hand out, a glob of pure mana formed along her bony palm like a drop of sweat. It glowed somber purple before she abruptly rotated her hand, allowing gravity to take it. The dropnded against the soft soil, falling through the loose grains of dirt. A rumble shook the area, enough to force Lnd to his knees. He looked at his Lord, wondering what she intended for him. The woman only smirked as the ground parted. Stems and roots poured from the hole, ushering in new life. Gray eyes appeared all around the forest, each staring at their newfound brother. They stood back, allowing the hole to produce all of its wonderment. Eventually the roots and vines stopped and the Lord of Curses stepped forward. She idly reached into the center of the main mass, fishing around for her Legacy. With a striking pull, her hand returned holding a grimoire. Gently she passed it to Lnd. As soon as he touched the thick book, power and knowledge flowed through him where it eventually fell dormant. His mind closed up, locking his new power under the guise of experience. He smiled, looking over the tome. It was a grimoire, that much was certain. But the runes and glyphs etched around the center cover were unknown to him. A ram skull, sewed with purple felt and golden thread, met his eyes, the hollow sockets staring with anticipation and potential. He felt power from within the book, no ¨C from within his book. It was his Legacy now, it was his tomand. His parents had prepared him for this moment, giving him assignment after assignment about the subjects of the Dream Ceremony. If he remembered correctly, then all he had to do was¡ª The grimoire popped from reality, disappearing into a newly formed tattoo on the back of his palm. It took the form of a crow in midflight. Concentrating, Lnd urged the book to reappear in his hands. It did, just how he imagined. He checked, the tattoo was gone as well. He smiled, turning to his Lord and sending the grimoire away once again. There would be time to yter. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lnd said. ¡°I can feel the power of your curses.¡± The wrinkled old woman smiled. ¡°You mean your curses. Not mine. They are as much yours as mine, I only show you a path forward.¡± She raised her hand. ¡°But you will learn in time. It is time for you to return, I only wish to leave you with some parting advice.¡± Lnd straightened his posture. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll dly hear it.¡± ¡°Be careful of Witchhunters. They should onlye after you if you abuse your power.¡± ¡°Wait what?¡± Lnd started to panic. ¡°What do you mean Witchhunters maye for me? I thought they only went after Witches?¡± The Lord of Curses smiled solemnly. ¡°And those who abuse dark spells. Simply don¡¯t, and you will be fine.¡± Lnd scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Uh, alright then¡­ Thanks for the advice.¡± Then the Lord of this Realm snapped her fingers, causing Lnd¡¯s eyes to whip open back in the real world. The first thing he noticed was that the crow tattoo was very much real. The second was that the town¡¯s emergency bells were chiming. The Lord of Curses ruefully smiled to herself. She hated lying, especially the theatrics of it all. But still, it had to be done in this case. It wasn¡¯t everyday she offered her Legacy, best to make sure he ept her power. Her gaze fell to the open air. Suddenly a muted pop invaded her domain, summoning forth an older man. They stared at each other for a long moment before the Lord of Curses spoke. ¡°Your advice sucked! ¡®Try to intimidate?¡¯ I was losing him until I pulled out the waterworks.¡± The Lord of Magic raised an eyebrow. ¡°You cried to a mortal?¡± ¡°About how no one epts my Legacy, yes,¡± she said, ignoring the embarrassing connotation. ¡°Guilted him into epting.¡± ¡°But he epted nheless?¡± The Curse Lord nodded. A smile sprouted on the Lord of Magic¡¯s face. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m not disappointed. His parents are two of my favorites. But it''s not every day you wish to indoctrinate a new Legacy. In fact I don¡¯t even remember thest one.¡± ¡°She was about two thousand years or so ago.¡± That cut the Magic Lord¡¯s smile. ¡°Ah, right¡­ It really has been a long time.¡± Chapter 3: Legacy of Curses Chapter 3: Legacy of Curses ¡°Ah!¡± Lnd blurted, pulling the nket off his weary form. He quickly threw on trousers and shoes, rushing as if he went too slow, he¡¯d miss it. He paused, however, at the door of his family home. A quick check couldn¡¯t hurt, right? His grimoire appeared from the back of his hand, popping into existence already opened to the first page. There, he read the words he had been dying to see since he could remember. Even though he was not the Legacy of the Lord he had aspired to be, he could still marvel at this moment. He would cherish it forever. Lnd read, along the thick stale pages in deep ck ink, his personal information. Name: Lnd Silver Legacy: Curses Archetype: Initiate of the Curse Lord Overall Rank: 1 Initiate of the Curse Lord: Mana costs are significantly lowered for all curses at the expense of the caster¡¯s regenerative lifeforce. A bizarre sound formed and flew out of Lnd¡¯s mouth. It sounded between a startled cat and a giddy child, something that would normally embarrass the young man. But, as long as his parents didn¡¯t see, the excitement of finally having a Lord trumped any mature countenance he was trying to maintain. Having his lifeforce be used as fuel was a scary thought, however. But then again, any spell yed with lifeforce technically. A bolt of lightning could easily be rebounded and kill him, so Lnd didn¡¯t think that the negative aspect of his archetype would be all that bad. Not when mana costs were significantly lowered. His parents alwaysined aboutck of mana, having the problem somewhat removed seemed like a good tradeoff in his eyes. Gently, Lnd flipped the page. The pages, for a moment, felt stuck but with a bit of leverage the next set of words came into view. He gave them a brief nce before trying to skip ahead to the next. The pages didn¡¯t budge, in fact, Lnd couldn¡¯t go beyond page two. This, while disappointing, waspletely normal. The grimoire was a window into his soul, his Legacy. It would unlock in time, as his body became more ustomed to the Lord of Curses¡¯ gift. His frown twisted into a smile when he went over the information on page two. It was exactly as he was hoping, a spell. And not some boring thing like dust removal or automated sweeping. No, no, no, the spell on the second page of Lnd¡¯s grimoire was abat spell. His smile only grew as he realized he was one step closer to following his parents into battle. If only they were here with him today. Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 1 (C) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. 55% chance to break a random bone in a single target. Hmm¡­ Lnd thought. It wasn¡¯t quite what he was expecting. But then again, he had been studying the general path of the Lord of Magic. Of course curses would be different. The dark aspect of the spell scared him a bit though, especially with the Lord of Curses warning about Witchhunters. But that was for future Lnd to deal with. Right now all he wanted to do was experiment with his new Legacy. As Lnd exited his home, he quickly saw the potential of his first spell. As his proficiency in the spell became greater, so too would the effects. Maybe, with enough practice, he could break every bone in an enemy¡¯s body. That, surely, would make adventuring easy, right? Right now, he had to get to the town¡¯s walls otherwise he¡¯d miss all the action. With his grimoire stashed in his hand tattoo, he took to the streets in a hurry. As he powerwalked, movement in his periphery pulled his attention. ¡°Oh hey, Glenny,¡± Lnd said to the open air. A semi translucent humanoid shape abruptly stopped, causing Lnd to do the same. With a deep sigh, the form of Glenny revealed himself. ¡°Not good enough, huh,¡± the neer said, his head hung low. ¡°You¡¯ll get there,¡± Lnd said, patting his friend on the back. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get to the wall. Is Jude around?¡± ¡°Yeah, he should be. He said he wanted to practice jumping¡ª¡± Glenny¡¯s words were cut short as a young man fell from the sky. Hended with a dull thud, dust and dirt flying away like clumps of frightened moths. Slowly, Jude straightened his legs and back, pops and cracks echoing from his strained bones. ¡°Hey Jude,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Happy birthday Lnd,¡± Jude responded, a smile appearing despite an obvious grimace. ¡°Ah, right. Happy birthday Lnd,¡± Glenny added. ¡°Aww, thanks guys! But afterst night, I don¡¯t want another slice of cake ever again.¡± ¡°So, did you have your Dream Ceremony?¡± Jude asked, smirking at memory of cake. ¡°Sure did.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t leave us hanging. Did you be a Legacy of Magic?¡± Lnd¡¯s smile faltered for a moment, but he kept his head high and raised the back of his palm. ¡°Not quite. Legacy of Curses.¡± ¡°Curses?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Never heard of it. I mean, I¡¯ve heard of curse magic, of course, but not the Lord of Curses.¡± Lnd nodded. ¡°As had I, but she seemed nice enough. I kind of felt bad for her. The way she spoke made it seem like her Legacy was not very popr. Her Legacy wasn¡¯t quite what I wanted, but sheid out a path that interested me. And now that I think about it, not copying mom and dad has some merit all on its own. It''s kind of freeing if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Jude shrugged. ¡°Well, as long as you have magic. Otherwise we may have had to search for a fourth.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Speaking of which, let¡¯s head to the wall!¡± Glenny and Jude each nodded and followed Lnd to the town¡¯s wall. Together they rushed along the street, passing other friendly faces as they went. The three of them were rather well known in the town and had been friends since each could remember ¨C after all, their parents made up a highly renowned inquisitor team for the Queen. ying monsters, investigating disturbances, maybe even the asional dungeon delve. Their parents were ted to be the protectors of the town, at least when they were around. It had been almost two years since any of the three had seen their parents, or in Glenny¡¯s case, parent. A travesty for the families, but a sacrifice that each young man understood quite well. In fact, it was time to make their own mark and follow along. Glenny was the more subdued of the bunch, ever since his mother died at least. He said it was an homage to her, choosing the Lord of Chameleons as his Legacy. While the early ranking of such a Lord was generally regarded as weak or slow, it was his mother¡¯s Legacy ¨C one she proved to be more powerful and stealthy than the best of the Lord of Shadows or even the Lord of Assassins. He was a thinner young man, often sporting light leather armor and carrying a set of daggers around. Glenny told the others that it was one of his Legacy¡¯s boons, and that simply wearing armor at any given time progressed the skill. Still, that didn¡¯t stop the others from making fun of the contrasting darker toned armor and his bright red hair. ¡°You look like a bruised orange,¡± Jude had said after Glenny¡¯s birthday. Jude was always cracking jokes or teasing, something the others found oddly endearing. He never went too far, something he couldn¡¯t say about his Legacy. The Berserker Lord was a deadly and quite rare warrior archetype, one dead set on rushing into battle or taking on more than his fair share of enemies. He was a bit bigger, his Legacy adding to his muscle mass like wool to a sheep. Since his birthday, Jude had bulked up two, maybe even three, shirt sizes. Something the others pointed out quite often. Together the three strolled up the wooden staircase leading to the top of the town¡¯s walls. They bypassed guard and adventurer alike, their tattoos prominently on disy for all to see. A chameleon for Glenny, a crossed set of battle axes for Jude, and a flying crow for Lnd. Their three marks left little room for argument despite their young age. Their team was finallyplete, all three with marks, all three present and in prime health. The guard couldn¡¯t stop them, not likest time when they attempted to help out. All three stopped cold when they reached the top. Looking out into the vibrant spring forest, greens and pops of colors shed in the form of flowers or buzzing Rainbow Bees. The beautiful scenery under the midday sun wasn¡¯t what froze the young men, however. It was the carnage below. A decentlyrge troop of Trihoof Wolves had all but been dispatched. ¡°We¡¯re toote!¡± Lnd cried. Using the heightened senses of the Chameleon, Glenny scanned the area. ¡°One right there! See it?¡± Lnd and Jude looked, straining to see a smaller wolf treading carefully around a town guard. The three friends looked at each other and shrugged. Jude was first, he jumped off the wall andnded with his knees bent. Glenny was next, slipping into a semitranslucent form before mbering down the wall¡¯s edge like a rock climber descending a cliff. Lnd frowned, shaking his head. He¡¯d break a leg if he jumped and he didn¡¯t think his body was strong enough to slide down a straight drop. So, he took to the stairs, his face reddening as he went. Hopefullymy curses make up for this, he thought. Eventually Lnd exited the town and found Jude arguing with a guard about rite of the kill. The guard was saying he arrived first, so he should have the say over who killed the beast. Nearby Glenny watched the wolf, eyeing it in case of attack. Lnd sighed. ¡°Glenny we talked about this. Jude can¡¯t be the one to interact. He¡¯s too much of a brute, all he does is try to pick fights.¡± ¡°I do not!¡± ¡°You do.¡± ¡°Fight me!" ¡°Anyways,¡± Lnd turned his attention to the guard. ¡°May we take this battle? It is our first, you see.¡± ¡°Nuh uh,¡± the guard responded. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you special treatment just because your parents are famous.¡± All three of the boys grimaced at that. They hated to bepared to their parents, specifically living in a shadow that seemed impossibly deep. ¡°No special treatment needed,¡± Lnd continued, feigning a smile. ¡°We will give you all reagents from the wolf, we just want the experience.¡± Seeing the guard¡¯s hesitation, he spoke quickly. ¡°Glenny here will even gut and skin the beast for you. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Deal,¡± the guard said, pulling his short spear to his shoulder and walking off a few steps. ¡°I¡¯ll be here if you need me. Can¡¯t have the town¡¯s star trio dying against their first monster, huh?¡± Again all three frowned, but a low growl pulled their attention. The wolf stalked closer, its meaty trihoof paws elongating as it bared its ws. It lunged, aiming for Lnd¡¯s throat but an equally meaty fist punched it, sending it off course. ¡°Woah there, Leals, got to watch out,¡± Jude said, eyeing the red mark across his knuckles. ¡°Yeah thanks,¡± Lnd said, summoning forth his grimoire. ¡°Let''s kill this thing.¡± Chapter 4: Sticks and Stones Chapter 4: Sticks and Stones A rush of wind expelled from Lnd¡¯s grimoire as it opened automatically to the second page. The spell fracture came to his mind as he extended his hand. Knowledge and knowhow flooded his mind, his Lord¡¯s Legacy entered the spotlight. Purple budded at the tip of his middle finger and thumb, the color sparking with lifeforce and mana. ¡°Fracture,¡± Lnd whispered, snapping his fingers at the recovering wolf. Nothing happened. Jude and the partially invisible form of Glenny stared at him. From behind, Lnd heard meticulous cackling from the guard. The man almost fell over while attempting to p his knee. Lnd reddened, retying the spell. Purple appeared on his fingertips yet again, however this time the wolf appeared to notice. It stalked in a circle, eyeing Lnd and Jude. ¡°Any time now, Leals,¡± the Berserker Lord Legacy spoke. Powerpounded, sparks of mana zed. ¡°Fracture,¡± Lnd whispered. A mangled cry escaped the wolf¡¯s maw, it limped a few steps and turned in confusion. Nothing was around it, not even the camouged Chameleon Lord Legacy. ¡°Uh,¡± Glenny hummed. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me.¡±Lnd nodded, sweat forming across his brow. ¡°Fracture,¡± he spoke again ¨C another yelp sounded. ¡°Fracture,¡± ¡°Fracture,¡± ¡°Fracture,¡± Lnd huffed in lungful after lungful, droplets of sweat falling to the ground below. He tried to control his breathing, just like his parents had taught. But he couldn¡¯t exercise harder than usual. Focusing internally on a proper meditation simply didn¡¯te, his mind wanted to look and learn. The wolf was crying in between snarls. It took a few steps, sat its butt and hindlegs down, then took another few steps. The beast was locked in invisible pain while searching high and low for the attacker. Through bated breath, Lnd spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve got one more in me, but I¡¯m saving it for an emergency. Four broken bones. One in its back right leg. Up to you guys now.¡± Jude¡¯s face elongated into a sinister smile. He donned his Legacy weapon, shifting it to his shoulder and began walking nonchntly to the monster. Movement stirred through the underbrush, no doubt Glenny moving to a nk position. ¡°That¡¯s some interesting spell you¡¯ve got there,¡± the guard said, stepping up beside the rookie. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen that particr one before, nor that type of tome.¡± Lnd nodded, watching the wolf cower away. It backtracked towards the forest, never removing its eyes off the muscley Jude. A somewhat transparent shimmer mmed down, creating a deep red streak across the beast¡¯s nk. It cried in pain, turning and swiping at the empty air. Jude let out a battle cry, running straight into the distracted wolf. With a great overhead chop, he executed the monster with the full weight of his Lord¡¯s strength. The wolf¡¯s head rolled, blood and stringy bits of flesh flooding the patch of grass. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lnd said, giving Jude and the now opaque Glenny a thumbs up. ¡°It''s technically a curse, not a spell.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the guard replied. ¡°Makes sense. Don¡¯t mind me asking what your Lord is? Can¡¯t hurt us guards knowing too much, you know?¡± A few dozen paces away, Jude dipped his fingers into the wolf¡¯s blood. He marked down his forehead and the bridge of his nose before adding a four finger streak down both cheeks. He then let out a mighty yell. ¡°Calm down man,¡± Glenny tried. ¡°Battle¡¯s over.¡± A gustough escaped Jude¡¯s lips. ¡°The battle is never over!¡± he charged his friend, forgoing his sharpened weapon and instead using the blood of his enemies. Glenny yelped in surprise, activating his partial invisibility and running away. Jude didn¡¯t have a hard time following, the sound of giggling more than enough to easily track the rogue. Despite the irritated re from nearby guards and adventurers, they ran all around the town¡¯s outer reaches. ¡°I¡¯d rather not say,¡± Lnd said to the guard. ¡°If people don¡¯t know what the symbol is, I could potentially use that to my advantage.¡± The guard eyed him. ¡°I guess I just have to wait for the bard retellings of your future adventures, right? Surely by then your Lord will be in the song.¡± Lndughed at that. ¡°It¡¯s a few years away, I¡¯m afraid.¡± They both looked out to the blood game of tag. ¡°I don¡¯t think it is going to be anytime soon that we start to have songs written about us.¡± The guard smiled at that and walked off back to the town. As he went, he waved goodbye and added, ¡°Make sure your friend does a good job with the pelt. That¡¯s where the money¡¯s at.¡± Letting the others run around, Lnd took the moment to look over his grimoire. On the first page, below his name and rank, was a new entry. You have assisted in killing a Trihoof Wolf. An appropriate reward has been added to your Legacy. Fracture has increased to rank 2. A new rank in his only spell wasn¡¯t all that surprising, after all he had cast it six times. The early ranks were always the easiest, he knew. But the thrill of progressing in magic made him smile. He reviewed the spell on page two. Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 2 (C) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. 60% chance to break a random bone in a single target. Ah, a five percent increase, Lnd thought. That¡¯s good. Idly he tried to turn the page but found them still stuck together. He shrugged, popping the grimoire back into his hand. The tattoo of the crow pped a little as he did so, like it was trying to give him a thumbs up. Uhh, are they supposed to do that? He asked himself. Yelling pulled his attention away, however. ¡°Awwe on dude. Washing leather sucks.¡± Lnd recognized the voice of Glenny despite his hidden appearance. Jude was struggling against the invisible rogue, pulling him along in a bear hug. Streaks of red washed down the person he was holding, illuminating the torso of their friend. ¡°Mission aplished,¡± Jude said, setting down Glenny. Glenny ended his ability, revealing his annoyed expression. ¡°That wasn¡¯t very nice man.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you get for not going for a kill shot. Always go for the¡ª¡± ¡°Kill shot, yeah, yeah. I know. My dad hammered that into me already. I was just letting you have some fun.¡± Judeughed, turning his attention to Lnd. ¡°Any rewards?¡± ¡°New rank in my curse,¡± he replied. ¡°Nothing else.¡± ¡°A shame,¡± Glenny added, then patted the mage¡¯s back and spoke in a patronizing voice. ¡°You¡¯ll get there.¡± Lnd narrowed his eyes, ¡°Uh huh. Don¡¯t you have something to do right now?¡± He motioned to the dead wolf. ¡°Get to skinnin.¡± ¡°Aw man¡­ You two have to help me carry the parts back. I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s going to be covered in blood.¡± Jude shrugged. ¡°I already am.¡± This time Glenny narrowed his eyes looking between his soiled armor and his simrly soiled friend before him. ¡°Right¡­ Thanks for that by the way.¡± The Berserker gave him a toothy smile. ¡°Man, I wished I¡¯d unlock my second spell by now. Didn¡¯t you get yours from jumping in ce like ten times?¡± Lnd asked Jude. ¡°Uh, it was like a thousand times. And it¡¯s an ability not a spell.¡± ¡°Same difference, just spell for mages and ability for non-mages. We both know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Jude only shrugged. ¡°We can go out into the forest and look for a deer or something.¡± Lnd grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to rank myself up by torturing a defenseless deer. You saw what my spell did to that wolf. It was obviously in a lot of pain, I can¡¯t do that to something so helpless.¡± ¡°That good on ya, then,¡± Glenny said. ¡°My father was never one to pass up easy ranking, so¡­ yeah¡­¡± Both Lnd and Jude gave him a knowing look. Lnd was first to break the awkward silence. ¡°What about you two? Any ranks?¡± ¡°Oh! Didn¡¯t even check.¡± Jude said, pulling at his tattoo and unleashing his axe back into the material world. He squinted at the blood on the weapon, obviously seeing words in the helpless stain. Lnd and Glenny looked on with odd expressions, the blood looking like nothing more than a faded red dye to them. ¡°Says here¡­ Oh! My expertise in axes ranked up. Now I can do¡­ this!¡± He jumped back, sailing a few yards away. With a dire shout, Jude hoisted his weapon and shed it in a horizontal arc towards the forest. A red de of power whipped from the axe, cutting in a straight line for about a yard before fading. ¡°Heh, awesome,¡± Jude said, trying again. This time he crouched, angling the axe head with the ground. The same red line appeared, this time hurtling through the tall grass like awn mower. A gradual tapercerated the grass, the further away from Jude, the less cut the grass actually was. At the final exertion of the attack, the des of grass were nothing more than pushed over. Jude returned and looked to Glenny expectantly. The dagger wielder sighed, pulling at his tattoo. A handled mirror appeared in his hand, reflecting his hesitant gaze. To Lnd and Jude the mirror looked like a mundane mirror, but to Glenny the reflective material was fogged over with finger drawn words shining through. ¡°Uh,¡± Glenny mumbled. ¡°Nothing for me. I must be getting pretty close to rank six of my camouge. Soon I¡¯ll truly be invisible and you two won¡¯t be able to make fun of me.¡± Judeid a heavy hand on his friend''s shoulder. ¡°We don¡¯t make fun of you.¡± ¡°Yes! Yes you do!¡± Jude simply shook his head. ¡°You make fun of yourself.¡± Lndughed as Glenny rolled his eyes. ¡°So,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Lunch?¡± Chapter 5: Presents Chapter 5: Presents Lunch was simply a no go. Being covered in blood, while fun for a warrior, was not appreciated by restaurants or themon civilian. So the three boys split up, each heading home to wash up. Lnd walked by himself, the others having already split off to their own respective streets. As he walked, he thought about magic and curses, what his Gift could mean, and immediate ns for the future. While the topics were heavy and, if he was being honest, boring, he still felt a lot hinged on what his next few moves would be. The obvious answer was to gain new curses and spells, ranking them up as he went. Lnd smiled at the thought, his boyish ideas were finallying true. He only wished his parents were around to watch. It was the quiet walks like this that really made him think of his family. Was it greedy of him to wish his parents were home rather than off on some adventure saving lives or capturing bad guys? Lnd watched a small child try to take her first few steps. A short distance away the mother and father cheered the young girl on, urging her to separate from the lifeline of the wagon wheel she clutched onto. Eventually she did, wobbling a few steps before falling right onto her butt. Tears started forming like early morning dew, but her parents were there with hugs and soothing voices of praise. Lnd¡¯s own eyes became wet at the scene, so he quickly looked away and strolled off down the street. The town of Pinefield was always quiet, its proximity to the frontlines was far grander than that of the monster delving strongholds to the north. Luckily it was Trihoof mating season, which always brought arge enough boon to the adventuring economy. Defending the town walls, scouring for herbs, hunting for reagents, whatever the case, adventurers always had work this time of year. Work that Lnd was going to take full advantage of. After all, he and his team had juste of age ¨C at least he had, the others received their Legacy some months ago. Lnd returned home with a mindset to shower and rest, a nice cup of coffee would do wonders right about now¡­ He paused when he saw it, a letter. It slightly glowed in a pulsating fashion, no doubt a spell cast by his father. Forgoing his shower, Lnd ripped open the paper envelope and scanned over the words. Dear our beautiful son, We are so sorry that we cannot be there for your birthday or Dream Ceremony, but we know both went well. Call it a parent¡¯s intuition. So, now that you have your Legacy, the whole world opens up to you. Don¡¯t worry about the house, if you choose to leave Pinefield, that is your choice. We suggest you team up with Glenny and Jude, but we are sure you are well ahead of us.Take your time, however. Early adventuring is all about trial and error, just make sure the error doesn¡¯t result in a maiming. We suggest a caravan quest when the seasons start to change, head somewhat north. Maybe to Coaltree or Liontrunk, either are well known for being rookie friendly. Or, conversely, if you choose a more research heavy path, let us know. Some people owe us a few favors, and getting you into any mage college will be simple. That would mean leaving your friends, so think it through. True friends onlye along once. In any case, your father and I are so proud of you and we wish we could be there with you today. The Queen has us running errands for her, which is less than ster. In about seven months we will be in the major city of Ruinsforth, along with Jude¡¯s parents and Glenny¡¯s father. We¡¯d love it if you would visit. With all the love in the world, Mom and Dad. P.S. In our closet under the floorboards is a chest. Take anything you want from it. Happy birthday. Lnd wiped the tears from his eyes, smirking. He had received a letter like this for most of his birthdays, but something caught his eye about it. Always before his parents would tell him when they would be back in Pinefield. This time, however, he was requested to visit them. It was a small difference, but one that made his heart flutter. It was time to leave the nest, but not before raiding his parent¡¯s chest of presents. The chest was under the floorboards just like they said, although they did not warn him about the spiders. Hundreds of them, all scurrying away at the sudden light. Lnd suppressed a shudder, heaving the wooden box with all his strength. He blew off the dust and opened it. Inside was a folded set of mage robes, no doubt hand-me-downs and appropriate for his rank. Anything too highly ranked and he wouldn¡¯t be able to receive the effects. Anything too expensive and they would most likely be destroyed on Lnd¡¯s first real quest. He put them off to the side for the moment, finding a book and ring box hiding underneath. Opening the ring box first, Lnd found a golden finger ring woven around a slightly glowing red ruby. A ring of regeneration, he recognized, slipping it on. Instantly he could feel the effects, every fading bruise or slight cut burned with a benevolent passion, healing significantly quicker than under normal means. Lastly was the book, and after brushing off the dust and reading the title, Lnd¡¯s face fell. Encyclopedia of Legacy of Magic spells, by the Inquisitors Silver. A book about a Legacy he didn¡¯t have, written by his parents. Lnd sighed, flipping through the pages. sh Bolt is obtained after reaching rank five in Electrify¡­ he stopped reading after the first line. Well, I guess my path is truly going to be my own, he thought, closing the book. Just then, the tattoo on his hand vibrated. He frowned, squinting at the crow seemingly having a seizure. Then the crow pecked him, causing the skin on the back of his hand to bead blood. Lnd recoiled, the damage already scabbing over with the help of the ring of regeneration. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± It pecked again, this time a bit harder. ¡°Okay, okay. I get it, I get it.¡± Lnd pulled his grimoire out of his hand, finding the book already open. Page three was much like page two, a spell page. He paused, reeling back. Why had the next page unlocked? What did he do to receive a new spell? Jude only had to jump to unlock his next ability¡­ did I do something that the grimoire liked? Lnd thought, eyeing the Legacy of Magic encyclopedia. Just then a crownded on the nearby windowsill, cawing like a starving puppy. The sudden noise caused Lnd to jump a bit, kicking up dust and sending the spiders into another frenzy. He eyed the bird, finding its appearance quite strange. It glowed blue, highlighting and dimming with each breath, while the scenery behind it never was fully obscured. It tilted its head at Lnd before fading from existence. Lnd slowly nodded, thinking himself going insane and returning his attention to his new spell. The new curse, however, stopped him in his tracks. Crow Massacre: Type: Curse Rank: 1 (C) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon 4 ethereal crows to attack a target. Lnd turned his attention back to the windowsill, finding it empty. He frowned, wracking his mind for information nted by the Legacy of the Lord of Curses. How to activate the curse came to him, along with the powerword and hand gesture. ¡°Well,¡± he said, eyeing a spider that had isted itself from its arachnid family. ¡°Here goes nothing.¡± Purple power came to his lips, blooming like a deep lipstick. He whistled once, sending the mana into the open air where it dissipated seamlessly. Then he whispered, ¡°Maul,¡± while his focus was on the spider. Four ethereal crows, much like the one moments ago, sprung to life from nothing. They came in flying, their wings pping through the boundary of reality and slicing a hole from their home to Lnd¡¯s. Eachnded quizzically, eyeing the spider then Lnd himself. They stared at him, somehow conveying their irritation. Lnd swore he heard the word ¡°Seriously?¡± echo in his head. After a brief staring contest, one of the crows turned to the spider. It pecked at the arachnid, a quick unceremonious attack. Then the four crows faded from existence, but not before cawing at Lnd onest time. The human¡¯s eyes were wide and his heart was racing. Sweat beaded along his forehead not because the curse was difficult, but because he had never heard of such a spell. Summoning spells, while well known, were only for the best of the best. And now Lnd had one? One that seemingly had a mind of its own? Lnd pushed a hand through his greasy hair while breathing out in a slow tired way. An unintentional giggle came after that, then another, then another. Eventually he had fallen to his side,ughing like a maniac. He was d no one was around to see- A knock on his window yanked him from his celebration. Jude and Glenny wore funny expressions, each watching their friend. Instantly Lnd reddened, coughed once, then stood and opened his window. ¡°Something funny happen?¡± Jude asked, wiggling his eyebrow. ¡°Get attacked by an invisible tickle monster?¡± Glenny mused. Lnd rolled his eyes. ¡°New spell was¡­ a bit different than I thought it¡¯d be.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± Jude smirked. ¡°Are you going to let us in? We need to start discussing our ns for the future.¡± ¡°Oh right¡­ Come in while I shower real quick, then we can get lunch?¡± Glenny groaned. ¡°You haven¡¯t showered yet? I had to skin an entire wolf, wash my armor, and shower, and I¡¯m ready before you.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Lnd nodded to an open letter. ¡°Got a letter from my folks. They will be, along with your guy¡¯s parents, in Ruinsforth in seven months.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°What are we waiting for then, let''s get on the road as soon as possible!¡± Chapter 6: Guild Chapter 6: Guild ¡°So Liontrunk it is?¡± Jude asked, his lips smacking and his fingers covered in grease. Both Lnd and Glenny watched on with strained eyes, a raw gurgling in their stomachs. Even the adjacent tables eyed the Berserker Legacy, their meals hardly touched. ¡°Can you eat any cleaner?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°And yes, Liontrunk it is.¡± Jude let out a low burp in response, getting more than a few groans. Across the room, the bard frowned and yed louder, strumming his instrument with the power of the Legacy of the Tavern. Soon he began to sing, reminiscing about the tale of the Royal Inquisitors. Lnd, Jude, and Glenny all sunk into their chairs. ¡°We¡¯ll need gold for the trip,¡± Glenny spoke up. Jude shrugged, gnawing on another chicken wing. ¡°We can just ept a caravan quest in that direction.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. We should head to the Guild after this,¡± Lnd said, receiving a groan in response from his friends. ¡°Ahe on, it¡¯s not that bad.¡± Glenny sighed, slumping his head in his hand. ¡°I could try to slip in undetected.¡±¡°Nah. It may be ourst time there, might as well savor it.¡± Even though Lnd said it, none of the boys, even Lnd himself, believed they would savor the experience. Each had essentially grown up in the Guild, spending countless hours in the main hall with their parents when they were younger. However, without the protection of their parents, the patrons of the Guild always watched them. Spreading rumors and whispering about them, the rough and tumble adventurers took the boys¡¯ presence as a challenge. Whether it was puffing out their chests, sticking their legs out, or simply staring at them, entering the Guild was always¡­ fun. Glenny added, ¡°We¡¯ve got to say bye to Gilbert as well¡­¡± The table went silent again, even Jude stopped crunching down. Simultaneously, they all shivered. ¡°Do we have to?¡± Jude asked. ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do.¡± ¡°But that doesn''t mean we have to?¡± Lnd sighed. ¡°Yeah, we should.¡± Jude rolled his eyes. It took an hour, but eventually the trio reached the Guild. As they pushed open the wooden doors, the smell of roasted hopes, the song of jolly music, and the musk of adventurers hit them like a dust storm. Each cringed from the sudden afront, the shing smells dancing along the air and sting their young minds. ¡°Ugh. It gets worse every time wee in,¡± Glenny added, his heightened Chameleon senses only adding fuel to the fire. Abruptly the music stopped and a low rumble sounded as the Guild growled at them. The eyes of every patron in the main hall found the hesitant rookies, more than a few snarls already forming. They walked through the room to the quest board, finding the atmosphere thick and palpable. ¡°Ah!¡± Lnd yelped. ¡°Right here, caravan protection needed to Liontrunk. Leaves tomorrow.¡± Lnd ripped the posting from the board and turned to the main desk. Abruptly a foot shot from a nearby barstool, impeding the path. The murmurs in the room went silent as a hulking man stood from a stained table. He carried a frothing mug, the tattoo of the Lord of Bears prominently on disy. ¡°What do you want, Bjorn?¡± Jude quickly snipped. The man smirked in response before nodding to the lone woman still sitting at the table. There, under the guise of ck silk and an amber veil, sat Spinne, Legacy of the Spiders. Slowly, she unraveled her long arms, pulling them from her dress but twitching along the way. She eventually stood, removing her wide brimmed hat and setting it methodically on the table. ¡°You reek of death, sorcerer,¡± Spinne said, eyeing Lnd. ¡°You have killed one of mine¡­¡± Lnd only stared back. ¡°I shall punish you, a spider never attacks unless provoked. You are vile.¡± Jude stepped in. ¡°That is not true. Spiders attack all the time unprovoked. Like when they spin webs and then wait for a bug to fly into them. If that¡¯s not unprovoked, I don¡¯t know what¨C" Spinne flicked her wrist forward, a vicious string whipping forward. The web collided with Jude¡¯s mouth, ending his words and causing his eyes to narrow. Before the boys could pull at their tattoos, a heat zed from across the hall. The webs on Jude melted away, allowing him to finish his sentence. ¡°-Is.¡± Only Lnd nced at his friend, the others having long looked over to the source of the mes. Bright orange fire ebbed and flowed with life, flickering and crackling as the wicker burned. An old man sat alone, pages and pages of documents before him. Idly he sipped his mead before turning to the Spinne. ¡°Leave the boy alone. I¡¯ve told you before, killing spiders is perfectly eptable. Praised even. If you can¡¯t handle that fact, your rank as adventurer will be lowered and your pay docked for the say¡­ next twelve quests.¡± ¡°Twelve!¡± demanded Spinne. ¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡± ¡°So is threatening violence against arade because they killed a spider. Do you see me attacking others for putting out a campfire? No, you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t even make¡ª¡± ¡°Do you want to make it fifteen quests, young missy?¡± Spinne frowned, muttering to herself about old people and something about cruelty. She sat down, cing her wide brimmed hat back on. ¡°No, Gilbert,¡± she huffed. Gilbert¡¯s mes snuffed out, but his elderly gaze fell upon Bjorn. He raised an eyebrow, sending the hulking man mbering for his seat. It was then that the main hall decided it was in their best interest to find something else to do. Gilbert sighed, ¡°Welle on, what do you have?¡± He returned to reading over the documents, but he held a wrinkled hand out to Lnd and the others. Lnd looked around the room, finding only a couple eyes still on his group. That was, frankly, astonishing. The fear of Gilbert¡¯s wrath was something even the most hardened adventurers couldn¡¯t handle. With onest look to Bjorn and Spinne, the group moseyed over to the Guild Leader. ¡°Gilbert look! I got my Legacy!¡± Lnd had long found that the old man had a heart of gold, ying up the childish aspect always proved effective. Gilbert slid on his sses, taking the outstretched hand of the birthday boy. ¡°Hmm, not one I recognize. Lord of Crows? Maybe Lord of Ravens? I always pegged you to follow in your parents¡¯ footsteps.¡± ¡°Oh trust me. This is decently close to the Lord of Magic path¡­ just not quite the same.¡± ¡°Well, what¡¯s the Lord¡¯s name?¡± Lnd gave the elder a sly smile. ¡°Hey now, wasn¡¯t it you who would never tell me what your Lord was? I think your words were ¡®why would I tell a brat like you.¡¯ Think of this as penance.¡± Gilbert raised a bushy eyebrow. ¡°Oh that¡¯s how you want to y it, eh? Fine, I am a Legacy of me.¡± Glenny interjected at that. ¡°That¡¯s not true! My mom said you were not one of themon fire legacies.¡± ¡°Did she now? When did she say that.¡± ¡°Well it was before¡­ before¡­¡± Glenny went silent. Gilbert¡¯s face fell. ¡°It¡¯s okay sonny, I know it''s tough. But you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not a Legacy of me.¡± For a long minute the four were silent. Glenny¡¯s mother was a difficult subject for him, especially when it came to conversation with people who knew her. ¡°Anyway,¡± Gilbert continued. ¡°Now that you three can team up, what¡¯s your first quest going to be?¡± Jude answered this one. ¡°Caravan protection to Liontrunk.¡± That caused the Guild Master to lean back. He hummed to himself for a moment before saying, ¡°That would be a prime location for you three during the early months. Monster hunting is a main driving force for the town¡¯s economy. Unless, that is, one of you has taken up alchemy. Buuut, I can¡¯t allow you to ept the quest.¡± ¡°What? Why not?¡± Lnd quickly shot back. ¡°Caravans are too dangerous for the inexperienced. That¡¯s a small caravan as well. It would only be you three. Maybe a fourth, but that¡¯s pushing the gold split ¨C no one else is going to sign up.¡± ¡°We can handle ourselves,¡± Jude scoffed, his chest sticking out. Gilbert chucked at that. ¡°Your father said the same thing way back when. He said I was a fool to decline them for a quest much like the one you are wishing to ept.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Did he persuade you into allowing it?¡± The old man snorted. ¡°Your father? Lord no. If anything, his rambling only told me he wasn¡¯t ready. s, in the end, they went on the quest anyway.¡± Glenny rolled his eyes. ¡°Of course, a team of six protecting a single caravan is more than overkill.¡± ¡°Not so much,¡± said Gilbert. ¡°Back in those days it was only three. Lnd¡¯s mom, Jude¡¯s father, and your mother. The others weren¡¯t around for another year or so.¡± Lnd nodded. ¡°If I remember correctly, they eventually met another team andbined into six. Soon couples formed and marriages were made.¡± Gilbert smiled longingly. ¡°Those were the days. Peace and quiet while they found something other than quests to fall in love with.¡± Glenny frowned at that. ¡°Then how did they persuade you to go on the quest?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that would have been Lnd¡¯s mom. She proved herself strong enough.¡± Lnd recoiled. ¡°Against you? As a rookie? How?¡± ¡°I allowed her one attack. If she could harm me, then I knew she¡¯d be strong enough to protect a brute and the slippery one.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± both Jude and Glenny yelled. Gilbert onlyughed. ¡°So, do you think you have what it takes to change my mind, Lnd?¡± Lnd deliberated for a moment, making a show out of the gesture. ¡°Oh, I¡¯d say I have a sixty percent chance, yeah.¡± Chapter 7: Sixty Percent Chapter 7: Sixty Percent ¡°Sixty percent?¡± Gilbert mused. ¡°Whatever makes you think that?¡± ¡°Call it a mage¡¯s intuition,¡± Lnd replied. ¡°What about if I create a me shield? Still sixty percent?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Gilbert crossed his arms. ¡°Already fine. I¡¯ll wager that you cannot hurt me with a single spell while I have a shield active. If you win you can go on the quest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± Jude cried. ¡°Did you test Lnd¡¯s mom with a shield?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t you think that¡¯s not fair?¡± Gilbert rolled his eyes. ¡°Tell you what. If you can win, Lnd, while my shield is active, then I¡¯ll give you my ne.¡±The boys¡¯ eyes widened at the silver chain around the old man¡¯s neck. Before Lnd could answer, Glenny stepped in. ¡°Deal.¡± Lnd red at his friend. ¡°What if I lose?¡± ¡°Then I get to pick your first quest.¡± They all groaned, but epted. Together the four entered the Guild¡¯s training hall, much to the amusement of the patrons. They followed them, finding seats around the periphery to watch. Gilbert stepped to the opposite side, then pulled at his tattoo. A crystalline scepter of red quartz and ck ss materialized in hand. He gave it a little twirl, allowing its power to glow internally. Lnd did the same but pulled his grimoire. The purple heavy tome sprung to life, flipping through its pages beforeing to rest on the spell Lnd envisioned. Abruptly, a pir of me extended from the ground at Gilbert¡¯smand. It zed well into the ceiling before copsing in on itself and wrapping around its caster. As the fire leveled out, it encircled the old man, protecting him at all angles. ¡°Whenever you are ready,¡± the Guild Master said with a yawn. Lnd grimaced, the encouraging words from his friends going on deaf ears. He focused on what his Legacy gave him. Knowledge, forethought, power ¨C the ts of any mage, whether it be curses or not. Slowly, he held out his hand, purple mana forming at the tip of his thumb and middle finger. With a solid snap, Lnd spoke the powerword, ¡°Fracture.¡± Someone coughed. ¡°Eh?¡± Gilbert sang, his eyebrow raised. ¡°Did it fizzle?¡± Lnd muttered something to himself, red already forming along his face. Around him, the crowd snickered and giggled, no doubt already formting the gossip for the adventurers that couldn¡¯t be here today. Gilbert scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Uh, why don¡¯t you give it a second try. After all, your mother had a few months experience when we made the same bet.¡± This made Lnd¡¯s embarrassment fade. In its ce, rage and displeasure formed and bubbled with great haste. There were many other tenants of magic, some far less savory than others. Spells, as Lnd understood, came in many different forms. Some were cookie-cutter, others open ended and vtile. He didn¡¯t know much about curses but from what little information his Legacy was telling him, Fracture was not one that could empower with emotions. A cold breath escaped Lnd¡¯s lungs as he expelled all the anger he held. A cool mind saves the day, he reminded himself ¨C a saying from his mother. He hated to bepared to his parents, he hated the special treatment others gave him. He hated the songs, the stories, the renown. They, while celebrated, were not his stories or songs. Definitely not his renown. People looked at him differently, not because they saw him, but because they saw his parents. Magic flowed into his fingertips, this was as good a time as any to make people notice him, right? ¡°Fracture,¡± A resounding crack echoed over the murmuring crowd and crackling mes. It silenced the training hall, it zipped closed the mouths of the gossips. Then Gilbert yelled, crumbling to the floor. He cursed and screeched, his fire failing and returning the temperature of the hall to normal. ¡°The hell boy!?¡± Gilbert seethed through grit teeth. ¡°You broke my femur!¡± That sent a wave of whispers through the crowd. Dozens of eyes found themselves glued to Lnd, predatory or fearful gazes in each. Jude and Glenny came in fast, each locking arms around their teammate and jumping up and down. The celebration went unnoticed by Lnd, his mouth long agape and dry. ¡°Uh, Jude, I think he¡¯s broken.¡± ¡°Huh? You in there Leals?¡± Lnd shook himself, his legs suddenly feeling like jelly. ¡°I, uh, uh¡­¡± A green glow pulled their attention. Perfuming through the air, a vibrant mist drifted down from a white wood staff with a golden ring embedded through the thicker end. A gentle chime filtered through the hall, along with the feeling of warmth and happiness. The boys recognized the feeling quite well, having been on the receiving end of the spellwork quite a few times over the years. The Guild¡¯s resident healer, Gwen, was a kindly soul, always looking out for others ¨C even though she charged adventurers an exorbitant fee for her work. Lnd grimaced at the thought of Gilbert¡¯s bill. Eventually the healer and Guild Master strolled over, Gilbert¡¯s leg in perfect health. ¡°Some spell you¡¯ve got there, boy. Fracture, was it? I may have to do some research¡­¡± Gwen eyed Lnd with her lips pursed. ¡°A spell that breaks bones. Can¡¯t say I¡¯m in favor of such a thing¡­ although it would do wonders for my business.¡± Lnd let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to break your leg.¡± Gilbert rolled his eyes. ¡°Better my leg than my skull.¡± He sighed, pulling off his silver ne and pushing the chain away. ¡°Winnings as promised.¡± With shaky hands, Lnd epted the item, slipping it on right away. ¡°You know how that works, right?¡± Almost robotically, Lnd repeated the item¡¯s description from a catalog he had skimmed through once. ¡°A ne of protection can store a single barrier type spell. At the holder¡¯smand, the ne will activate, consuming the spell. The spell can then be recharged at the fee of mana by the holder.¡± Everyone, even Jude and Glenny, eyed the boy. Gilbert scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Yeah, pretty much.¡± Then he muttered about three hundred gold down the drain. ¡°So that means we can have the caravan quest?¡± Jude asked. Gilbert frowned. ¡°Do you have more than that one spell, Lnd? I know today is your birthday, so there hasn¡¯t been much time to rank up.¡± ¡°I do,¡± he responded. ¡°Good. That spell isn¡¯t going to do much if it¡¯s all you have.¡± The Guild Master paused for a long minute. ¡°Fine, you can have it.¡± The boys celebrated with a loud, ¡°Yay!¡± It was Gwen who spoke up next. ¡°You three should probably get out of here and to the market. Shops will be closing soon, and it sounds like you¡¯ve got a long journey ahead¡­ And the crowd here looks ready to challenge you, Lnd.¡± ¡°Let ¡®eme!¡± Jude screeched. ¡°No, no,¡± Glenny waved off. ¡°Don¡¯t let theme.¡± Lndughed at that. ¡°Thanks Gilbert, Gwen. For everything.¡± Glenny''s expression turned somber. ¡°Yeah, thanks for looking after us all these years.¡± Jude¡¯s battle crazed smile fell, turning into a saddened smirk. ¡°Yeah, what they said.¡± Gilbert¡¯s heart melted and it took everything out of the old man not to tear up. ¡°Come and visit from time to time.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± all three said. They exited the Guild waving goodbye and took to the streets again. Liontrunk was a few weeks away by caravan, they would need traveling provisions and proper clothing. Eventually, and several goldter, each boy had a full pack of necessary items. In the morning, they would be well on their way. He ran, it was all he could do. Through the trees and past the vines, he ran. For three years he had been running, for three years he had been tracked. Like a dog, they chased him. Illuminated by the moonlight, the brand of the Witch shined with red agony. Murder, theft, arson, maybe even more, the man¡¯s crimes were brandished well and true with the simple tattoo. Unlike the marks of the Lords, the tattoo of the Witch grew past his hand, grew past the Legacy. It took up most of his face, the red lettering stretched across his cheek for all to see. A simple ¡°W¡± was the man¡¯s penance, always to be hunted until the letter found itself on a corpse. Only in death would the man¡¯s crimes be set free, only when he smoldered and his bone became dust. Inquisitors followed closely behind, less than a week if the man was guessing. He cursed as he fell, tripping over a root. They were tenacious, he had to give them that. Killing one of their own did that to a man, he mused, the blood on his scuffed knee freezing over instantly. Murder, cold like the ice he controlled, was his crime - a Royal Inquisitor his victim. He was thest alive, thest not found. The others, the ones he called his crime family, had all been executed for theirmunal crimes. But that was his Legacy to deal with. His cold blooded Legacy. Soon the forest would turn sparse, the grass dry, and sand would be on the horizon. Soon he¡¯de across a town, soon he¡¯d have refuge. Soon he¡¯d be at Liontrunk. Chapter 8: I Spy Chapter 8: I Spy ¡°I spy something¡­ silver,¡± Jude said, together with Glenny and Lnd. The boys walked alongside a nine cart caravan, plenty of mounts, and more than a few Lords of Mercantile. Together, their party walked the long and twisting dirt roads, heading through the forest of Pinefield on route to Liontrunk. ¡°Is it Lnd?¡± Glenny asked. Jude snorted. ¡°He¡¯s a Silver, not silver.¡± It had been a long and slowst few days, but that was expected this time of year. Mating season this time of year left the predators in the area continuously hunting, oftentimes settling on prey that would not normally be their preference. So, they were unlikely to encounter anything other than Trihoof Wolves ¨C and even then, no pack of wolves would attack such arge caravan. No, the boys were simply around in case something bizarre happened. Which, in Jude¡¯s case, he wished would happen soon. ¡°My daggers?¡± Glenny asked, continuing the game. Jude rolled his eyes. ¡°Nope.¡± The caravan was just reaching the edge of the forest when this particr round of ¡°I Spy¡± started. The trees were bing less frequent, the grass was turning dry, the ambient temperature was warming. They were nearing the border of the Dill Savannah, gnoll country.¡°The buckle on that leather strap right there?¡± Lnd asked, pointing to the adjacent cart. ¡°Ah man! That¡¯s correct.¡± A whistle came from the front coach, signaling the caravan to stop. Soon the workers pulled out seats and pots, lunch was on its way. Today¡¯s menu consisted of dried meat reconstituted in boiling salted water and boiled vegetables. Suffice it to say, the boys were not excited about the meal. ¡°Your turn, Glenny,¡± Jude said. The rogue scanned his eyes over the horizon, no doubt picking something along the backdrop of nature. ¡°I spy¡­ something¡­ brown.¡± Both Jude and Lnd stared at their friend. ¡°Brown? Really? That¡¯s like anything. That tree, those roots, the patch of dirt over there. Maybe that weird mound thing right there?¡± ¡°Ah! You got it! That mound thing!¡± Jude only blinked. Lnd sighed, his gaze looking out across the slowly distancing trees. They were over two thirds of the way to Liontrunk and hadn¡¯t seen a single battle. Truthfully, Lnd thought Gilbert¡¯s caution a bit strange. Theck of monsters truly put the rank of the quest into question. But then his eyes fell on an old man, one of the leaders of the caravan. His leg was set in a splint, having been broken only three days into the trip. At the time, Lnd had offered his ring of regeneration until his bone was fully set, but the man waved him off stating, ¡°I¡¯ll get to ride in the wagon if it stays broken. Thanks anyways, Sonny.¡± It was then Lnd realized the true danger of this quest. The istion. Sure, they could run if there was any real danger, but truthfully there was no backup. If something happened, injury, maiming, death, or otherwise, the closest ce they could receive help was the next town. An abrupt pain shot through Lnd¡¯s hand. A bead of blood appeared, soon scabbing over but not before pulling his attention. The crow tattoo had changed positions, from a full wingspan of flight to a pulled back guard. Lnd scrunched his face, eyeing the purple-ck ink on the back of his hand. ¡°What do you want this time?¡± he whispered to himself. Across the clearing, a flock of birds took off in startled fright. Lnd watched them fly off, only realizing they were crows a moment before the ground moved. It was subtle, almost invisible, but he saw it. The mound Glenny had chosen moved. ¡°Uh, Glenny?¡± he asked. ¡°Does your heightened senses tell you anything weird about that mound over there? It just moved.¡± Judeughed at that, shoveling warm meat water into his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re seeing things, Leals.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t respond, neither did Glenny. Instead they both watched the mound, the hairs on the back of their necks slowly rising. Glenny went for his daggers first, popping out of view only a momentter. Lnd pulled his grimoire from his hand, allowing it to flip to the spell page he needed. The silent battle operations caused a wave through the caravan. Pots and chairs were packed away, people rushed into hiding, finding refuge in the very wagons carrying their wares. Jude finally got the message, standing and cracking his neck. He stepped up, removing his great battle axe from the back of his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get this show on the road, eh?¡± Jude said to Lnd before yelling. ¡°We know you are there! Come do battle!¡± His words were enhanced with part of his Legacy, easily booming across the clearing and shaking the tall des of grass alongside the dirt road. He took up a battle position, raising his axe to his shoulder. Lnd red at him but said nothing, instead he turned his attention to his tome. The knowledge of magic came to him, along with the subtleties of curse casting. All he needed was a target¡­ Abruptly the nearby grass let out war cry, which was quickly followed by four camouged gnolls rushing to their feet. They charged, only to be intercepted by Jude¡¯s own battle shout. Crude stone weapons met Legacy strengthened steel and folded against the weight. Bloodied, Jude¡¯s weapon cleaved into the next target. One after the other he blitzed through the wave of monsters, his maniacalughs louder with each kill. Small wounds appeared along his body, a nick there, a cut here. He ignored the pain, it only added to his decimating blows. Legacy of the Berserker, the longer Jude fought, the more damage that was inflicted against him, the more powerful he became. With a mighty yell, a red shimmer sted from a wide horizontal strike. The ability carried through the open air, cutting down a gnoll as it evaded the initial axe swing. A deepceration appeared along its torso, cutting into its belly and instantly killing it. From the tree line, new enemies appeared ¨C the main forces. Lnd cursed to himself, but was idly thankful they found the scouting party when they did. Magic came to his lips, turning his mouth dark purple. With a shrill whistle, magic poured. ¡°Maul,¡± Lnd said, his focus on thergest of the gnolls. Movement caught his attention about halfway to the trees. Glenny¡¯s translucent form appeared, jumping from behind a short bush before stabbing into the brown mound. The mound shook and tumbled, but the rogue only stabbed again. When the shaking stopped, Glenny moved on. Lnd cracked a smile at the scene but the sight of his summoned crows pulled his attention. They appeared, glowing blue and in full frenzy. All four took to themand, rushing to defend their caller. They pped and cawed, each pecking with the force of the Lord of Curses. The gnoll¡¯s animalistic bipedal body bled from the sudden assault, the crows doing more than just superficial damage. They ripped at the monster¡¯s skin, pulling full chunks of flesh with their razor sharp beaks. They ripped into the shoulders and elbows, severing tendons and creating terror. Some of the other gnolls tried to help, but the crow¡¯s small ethereal bodies only proved impossible to touch. Crude weapons passed through their wings, slipping through harmlessly and only causing more panic. Then Jude arrived. He came in full force, swinging his axe without a care in the world. His ted armor was dyed red, his boots covered in bits of flesh. Heughed andughed, his eyes long having zed over in the glory of battle. Glenny made his mark, striking the gnolls who tried to retreat. He expertly dispatched those he neared, stabbing where his Legacy told him. Critical areas, spines, hearts, brains, throats, anything the Legacy of Chameleons deemed necessary. Meanwhile, Lnd didn¡¯t sit idle. His crows batted down their target until the gnoll was nothing more than a mangled corpse of torn skin and bleeding welts, while he himself took on a support role. ¡°Fracture, fracture, fracture, fracture,¡± he repeated like a broken record. Gnolls, mainly the ones Jude was battling, yelped in surprise pain, some even crumbling to the grassy floor. Cracks and pops echoed through the clearing, each sessful curse breaking something in the enemy fleet. Thest of the gnolls died with a throwing knife to the back originating from Glenny. The sudden stoppage of battle made Jude groan. ¡°Ah man!¡± he eximed. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how many cuts I was receiving.¡± Lnd sighed, slipping off his parent¡¯s ring of regeneration. He handed it to his meat head friend. ¡°You really need to get a handle on that. Some damages can¡¯t be healed.¡± Jude smiled, his eyes falling a bit. ¡°Yeah¡­ my mother said the same thingst time we sparred.¡± That made Glenny speak up. ¡°You two sparred?¡± ¡°It was before my Dream Ceremony, but yes. Even back then I forwent light injuries for tempo and leverage. Now, it¡¯s just a bonus.¡± Lnd raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why don¡¯t you keep that ring until we can find you one? I think you are going to need it a lot more than me.¡± Jude smirked at that, pulling back his shirt a bit. ¡°Already got one. It¡¯s not a ring of regeneration but rather a tattoo of regeneration.¡± Glenny¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Aren¡¯t those super expensive? How much did your folks spend?¡± ¡°Not-a-gold. Favor or repayment or something from a Legacy of Runes.¡± The tattoo in question was quite different from a Legacy tattoo. Besides simply being on his chest, the tattoo of regeneration was called a ¡°body augment.¡± The runic glyphs and circles of power only did one thing, increase regeneration over his entire body. It was man made, in other words, not created or gifted from any Lord. ¡°Wait,¡± Lnd said, his eyebrows furling. ¡°Give me back my ring!" Chapter 9: New Start Chapter 9: New Start The town of Liontrunk was somewhat unusual. With its main export of alchemical mana potions and transmutations plus having a poption of over half adventurers raised plenty of eyebrows. Simr producing towns were far from the front lines, oftentimes renowned for great crafters and immacte libraries. Liontrunk¡¯s proximity to a dungeon made the difference. Even though the Guild stopped any potential delvers from diving headlong to break the dungeon¡¯s core, that didn¡¯t stop adventurers from reaping the external rewards. As long as the core remained intact, Mana Lions spilled out like a leaky faucet. Thus creating the booming industry of monster hunting and alchemical exports. Lnd shook hands with the caravan leader, pocketing his team¡¯s pay and waving to the others they met during the long trip. Three gold was their im, putting each boy one gold richer ¨C although after supply prices, each only had around half-a-silver to spare. The Legacy of Curses pushed ahead, through the crowded streets and past the many, many, butcher shops. He ended at a small restaurant where he easily found Jude¡¯srge form already chomping down on bread and meat. ¡°Couldn¡¯t wait for me to arrive?¡± Lnd asked, receiving two wary shrugs in response. He only shook his head, sliding the coin over subtly. Lnd didn¡¯t think they would be the targets of Lords of Pickpocket, or worse, Lords of Thievery, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to be cautious. Jude didn¡¯t seem to have any reservation, simply shoving the coinage into his pocket. Glenny rolled his eyes, using a coin pouch he kept in his boot. ¡°Guild after this? Maybe kill some Mana Lions in the morning?¡± Glenny asked. Lnd nodded. ¡°Sure, that will give us plenty of time to see the tree.¡±Even Jude paused his ferocious eating at that. ¡°What tree?¡± ¡°The Lion Tree.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lnd couldn¡¯t tell if he was being serious or not. ¡°The tree that this town is named after? It¡¯s at the center of the town? Big tree with a lion carved into it signaling the nearby dungeon?¡± ¡°Oh! Right! The Summoning Stone!¡± Jude¡¯s candid tone caused the others to blink at him. ¡°Anyway,¡± Glenny said, turning to Lnd. ¡°It''s not a stone, it¡¯s a tree, right? How does that work?¡± Lnd just shrugged. ¡°I think I remember hearing about a Summoning Stone that¡¯s made of a cier in the far south. They don¡¯t all have to be made of rock.¡± Jude rolled his eyes. ¡°Who cares about all of that? I just want to fight. Those gnolls were soooo weak. Hopefully the Mana Tigers are stronger.¡± ¡°Lions.¡± ¡°Same difference.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes. ¡°Let''s finish up here then.¡± They ate, something that was oddly pleasant. Jude only received a few angry res, much less than what they were ustomed to. As it turned out, a town used to catering to adventurers was much more tolerant when it came to eating like a starving gori. The town¡¯s Guild branch was packed. It took Glenny, the thinnest and slipperiest of the three, six tries to reach the quest postings board. He returned with an open kill listing for adult Mana Lions, specifically their internal organs. The poster was some Legacy of Alchemy, one of the lesser renowned ones. Frankly the boys didn¡¯t care who they epted quests from, as long as the poster wasn¡¯t infamous. There were a few lessons their parents beat into them about epting adventuring quests. ¡°People need help all over, but those who wish to exploit help deserve it the least,¡± Lnd¡¯s father had said. ¡°Those who ept mangled monster corpses are usually fishy,¡± Jude¡¯s mom had said. ¡°Look at the handwriting on the posting. Any business man looking to trick themon adventurer has a certain ir they like to add to their writing,¡± Glenny¡¯s mom said before her passing. In any case, the boys took their flyer and left, heading towards the town¡¯s center. A massive tree, one stretching high into the sky but not yet into the clouds, came into focus. A wide hollow trunk took up the space of three streets, evening into contact against some of the nearby buildings. Tourists and adventurers alike circled the tree, wishing to stalk to the proper side. A carved head of a lion took front and center. It was mid roar, itsrge maw agape and its sharp teeth on full disy. Its mane draped down the bark, vines and scoring highlighting the texture difference. Lnd was amazed. His feet stopped moving, the crowd didn¡¯t bother him, and he felt excited for what was toe. This was only the first town! He couldn¡¯t imagine what other natural beauties or wonderments he¡¯d see during his path in life. A pang of pain shot through his hand. He grimaced at his tattoo, but was mildly surprised not to see any blood. The crow ruffled its feathers a bit, signaling a change in his grimoire. I¡¯ll check when we are alone. Is that okay, o¡¯ magical tattoo? he thought to himself with a smirk. The crow epted the statement, falling back into dormant flying. The boys pushed through the crowd, eventually touching the Summoning Stone. To each of them, different things happened. For Lnd, his vision darkened before appearing as a bird¡¯s eye view. He, flying through the air, left the town and headed into the savannah, eventually reaching a small building out in the middle of nowhere. Jude was a lion, rushing through the dry grass towards the building. Glenny was a snake, slipping through the underbrush towards the building. When the town and tree came back into focus, Lnd spoke up, ¡°I guess that¡¯s the dungeon entrance.¡± Glenny nodded along. ¡°Guild built a security building over it.¡± ¡°Eh, who cares. I want to touch the tree again, that was fun!¡± Jude said, reaching his hand out and touching the Summoning Stone again. His eyes went hollow, zing over until the vision ended. When it did, he stumbled back a few steps, right into a group of passersby. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do that too many times,¡± Lnd chided. ¡°Otherwise your brain will bleed.¡± Jude slowly nodded, a groan slipping through his lips. Amotion across the street pulled their attention. A young man around their age stalked through the crowd, easily causing it to part with just his presence alone. Or the scar riddled bodyguard following closely behind. The boy was nothing special, but his primeyered clothes spoke of inexperience and money. A noble, Lnd assumed, one who just had his Dream Ceremony. They watched the young man touch the tree, his eyes going hollow just as Jude¡¯s had done a moment ago. The bodyguard, however, spoke to Jude. ¡°Watch Master Onryo for me and I¡¯ll give you a gold.¡± Jude only sputtered out a head nod, the bodyguard epting that as an answer. As the young Master returned from the vision, the guard ced his hand on the tree. A momentter he returned, flipping a gold coin to Jude. Together the pair walked off, but not before the young Master nced at Glenny. After they were out of earshot, Lnd spoke up. ¡°Onryo¡­ why does that name sound familiar?¡± Glenny was the one who answered. ¡°They are the family that took over for the Icewillows.¡± ¡°Icewillows?¡± Jude asked before noticing his friends dour, droopy expression. ¡°Oh right, them¡­¡± ¡°You okay?¡± Lnd asked Glenny, pulling him under his arm and starting through the crowd. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, his voice shaking. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t sound okay,¡± Jude said, receiving an angry re from Lnd. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not Onryo¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°You still have the right to feel bad, you don¡¯t have to bottle yourself up. We are both here for you,¡± said Lnd. ¡°Thanks guys,¡± the Legacy of Chameleons did his best not to tear up. ¡°Why don¡¯t we start on killing some lions tonight? We¡¯ve got plenty of time until dark.¡± ¡°Sure thing. Let¡¯s find someone selling a map of the area before we blindly leave town.¡± It was then that Jude grunted and facepalmed. With his other hand, he searched his many pockets, each time bing more frantic than thest. ¡°Get pickpocketed?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°No! I just- I just misced my gold.¡± Glennyughed at this, his smile wiping away his previous sorrows. While Glenny took Jude to buy a map, Lnd looked over his aplishments during the caravan trip. Written under thest entry in his grimoire, new words appeared. You have assisted in killing multiple Savannah Gnolls. An appropriate reward has been added to your Legacy. Fracture has increased to rank 3. Fracture has increased to rank 4. Crow Massacre increased to rank 2. Lnd reviewed the progressed spells. Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 4 (C) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. 70% chance to break a random bone in a single target. Crow Massacre: Type: Curse Rank: 2 (C) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon 5 ethereal crows to attack a target for 1 minute. Nice, he thought. Two full ranks in Fracture, increasing the chance by ten percent! And now I summon five crows, not four! It was then he remembered the crow tattoo pecking him. He smiled, the next page was loose. He turned it, finding a new curse. Curse of Copse: Type: Curse Rank: 1 (C) Pull the target towards the end, bringing them one step closer to the Lord of Death. Exhaust the target for 20 seconds, lowering their speed by 5%. The spell¡¯s description worried Lnd. The Lord of Death was known to be one of the more ominous Lords, often creating horrific events to feed his undying hunger. He would have to test the spell out to learn the true effects. Good thing there they were going to hunt some lions. Chapter 10: Lions Chapter 10: Lions ¡°I think it¡¯s this way,¡± Jude said, pointing with one hand while the other clutched the map. ¡°I swear, if you lead us into another fire ant nest, I¡¯m going to stab you,¡± retorted Glenny. Just then, a gust of wind zed across the savannah and kicked up plenty of dry, dead grass. Trying to shield his eyes, Jude¡¯s grip on the map slipped. The parchment took to the wind, flying off far into the distance. Glenny and Lnd stared at him. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°What? I can¡¯t control the wind. How is that my fault?¡± ¡°Remind me why we let him take the map,¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Because he wanted to ¡®prove them pickpockets wrong,¡¯ or something,¡± Glenny answered, his hand stered across his face. ¡°Yeah, well, he sure showed them.¡± Jude grumbled something while crossing his arms. With a powerful first step, he continued the trek through the tall grass in the direction he had pointed. The others shrugged, following as well.¡°Sorry we didn¡¯t get to hunt any monsters,¡± Lnd said to Glenny. ¡°I hope you are feeling better.¡± ¡°It''s okay, I just don¡¯t want to run into that Onryo guy again¡ª¡± Glenny cut himself off, holding up a hand. His ears twitched, his Legacy heightened senses activated. Abruptly the Lord of Chameleons turned invisible, nothing more than a shimmer. Over the trip to Liontrunk, he and Jude had progressed their abilities as well, thus opening more possibilities for the team. ¡°Jude!¡± Lnd called ahead to the sulking brute. ¡°We¡¯ve gotpany. In the grass I think!¡± The Berserker Lord¡¯s eyes widened, a wide smile forming just like the battle axe he carried. The weapon came out already covered in blood as the owner purposely didn¡¯t clean the sharp de. With a powerful jump, Judeunched himself to Lnd, donning his weapon in a guarded position. ¡°Where?¡± he asked. ¡°Not sure, but since Glenny randomly disappeared and there are plenty of hiding spots in the tall grass, I¡¯m guessing there.¡± The voice of Glenny appeared from their side, ¡°All around us. In a circle. Prepare yourselves, I¡¯m going to strike first.¡± Lnd counted in his head, One, two, three, four, fiv¡ª The sound of metal against bone pulled his attention. A stter of blood erupted from the high grass like a volcano, blood and viscera falling down in demented rain. Lnd smiled at his friend¡¯s newest ability, but found movement to his right. Grimoire in hand and magic in the other, with a snap he whispered, ¡°Fracture.¡± The hidden charging monster fell with a loud pop, only a trail of bent grass as evidence. ¡°Fracture,¡± he said again, another crack sounded. From next to him, a whirling battle axe flew past. Not a heartbeatter, Jude let out a cry of battle, jumping to his weapon. With a guttural pull, he yanked his axe from the beast¡¯s still warm body, spilling its guts out into the grass. It was then that Lnd saw what they were fighting. It was exactly as they were hoping, Mana Lions. A red crescent streak sted from Jude¡¯s axe, shearing the nearby underbrush, creating a t area. Lnd quickly moved to the safe haven, magic pooling against his lips. A whisper cut across the battlefield as a flock of five blue crows cut into reality. They took to the skies, encircling once before dive bombing a line of downed grass. A feral roar sounded from the lion, battling against the cawing of the crows. The beast swiped at its assaulter, cutting the grass down but failing to kill the pesky birds. ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°That¡¯s some spell you¡¯ve got there!¡± Jude called out, his face misted with blood. He gripped a lion by its mane, hoisting its broken form for all to see. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to fight it! It just suddenly crumbled!¡± Again, a volcano of bloodunched monster bits into the air, then the voice of Glenny spoke up, ¡°Stop messing around, Jude. Just put the darn thing out of its misery.¡± Judeplied, stabbing his trusty axe into the monster¡¯s spine. He dropped the beast when a thick paw and set of sharp ws cut across his back. He stumbled forward, his blood wet boots failing to find traction. As he fell, Lnd¡¯s eyes widened. The knowledge came to him as his grimoire skipped to the page of his newest curse. Power and magic came to mind, pumping around his heart like artificial adrenaline. He felt his heart skip a beat as the powerword came to mind. ¡°Slow,¡± Lnd whispered, a pulse of mana shooting from around his heart. The curse came with a trail of purple, one that connected Lnd and the attacking lion. For a moment he felt empowered, raw, and enraged. His eyes reflected his opponent¡¯s, turning into long slits. He wanted to maim, he wanted to kill, he wanted to¡ª The spell¡¯s effect ended, pulling Lnd back to his normal calm self. He blinked a few times, the pace matching his heartbeat. As both lowered, he watched the afflicted lion struggle to move. It trudged through the cut grass, moving towards its prey without even looking at Lnd. Despite Jude just reaching his feet, Lnd pressed the advantage. ¡°Fracture,¡± he whispered, quickly followed by. ¡°Maul.¡± The murder of crows had disappeared from the battlefield at some point, their one minute timer having long run its course. They came in mid divebomb, dropping onto the exhausted lion with sharp talons and pointed beaks. The lion didn¡¯tst much longer. Jude scurried up to Lnd, the trance of the Lord of Berserkers having fallen. ¡°Thanks for the save. New spell?¡± Together they watched another volcano of blood erupt a few dozen paces away. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lnd said. ¡°It''s weird though¡­ I¡¯m going to need to test it a few more times.¡± Jude nodded to that. ¡°My new ability throws my weapon. I don¡¯t know how I feel about that. I¡¯m unprotected until I get it back.¡± ¡°Just get a second axe then. That way you will always have at least one.¡± Fireworks went off in Jude¡¯s mind, his wide eyes reflecting the show. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± Glenny eventually found the resting duo. He was caked in blood, allowing the others to easily spot him despite still technically being partially invisible. ¡°I really hope the rank ten version of this ability helps with this,¡± Glenny said, his head down and looking at his dyed torso. Neither Lnd nor Jude had an answer for him, but they nodded along at his wishes. ¡°By the way, why do they call these things Mana Lions? They don¡¯t seem very magical,¡± Jude asked. Lnd answered. ¡°Ah. Because their organs have a great concentration of mana in them. I also heard a rumor that the boss of Liontrunk¡¯s dungeon could use magic or something. Seems a bit farfetched to me, though.¡± Glenny slicked his hands down his chest, rocketing blood at the ground and the other¡¯s boots. ¡°Sorry,¡± he grimaced. ¡°But yeah, let¡¯s hope we never run into one of those.¡± ¡°The price for its organs would be great, however.¡± ¡°Yeah, keep dreaming.¡± He hid in the grass, watching, waiting, running. His blood remained cold despite the warm air, his thoughts remained frozen on his one goal. The dungeon. It would house him until its core ran dry, it would house him until the Inquisitor team searched the city. They would leave, and eventually he woulde out. Then he could back track to one of his safe houses. A burning sensation zed on his cheek, the mark of the Witch making its presence known. Someone, he knew, was activating their Lord¡¯s ability. Someone was tracking him through the mark. But there were rumors in his line of work. Rumors of powerful items and spells, the kind unsavory individuals would kill for. He saw two chances. One, find his stashed money and buy the treatment or artifact. Two, receive the artifact frompleting the dungeon. Either way, he was going in solo. Unless. Amotion at the dungeon entrance caused him to sit and wait. A bumbling young Master and his entourage of one argued with the poor Guild representative. It seemed the dungeon was strictly off limits, much to the disdain of the noble heir. The petty argument was growing old, the man mused. But soon the entrance would be under the cover of darkness, so the man sat and watched the show. He especially enjoyed it when the bodyguard grunted at his Master¡¯s words, obviously hating every second of their travels together. Then a string of words caught his attention. ¡°Do you not know who I am?¡± the boy asked the Guild guard theatrically. ¡°I am Master Alkin Onryo of House Onryo! You will let me through at once!¡± A smile unmatched by even the strongest lions appeared on the Witch¡¯s face. His eyes narrowed at the son of the House who stole his home. The family that ratted on his organization, the family that killed all his brothers and sisters. A chuckle found the back of his throat while those at the dungeon entrance found him. He walked out of the brush, his ¡°W¡± tattoo prominently on disy. Cold exhaust fell from his wide maw as icy power flowed through his veins. It was time to take revenge. Chapter 11: Lost Chapter 11: Lost ¡°I¡¯m telling you, we are lost,¡± Glenny said to the group. It was well into night at this point but the group was still in the tall, grassy, soulless savannah wilds. Since their battle with the pride of lions, they had not seen a single monster besides the benign or mundane animal. Even with Glenny¡¯s heightened senses, there simply wasn¡¯t anything to do but aimlessly wander. ¡°If someone hadn¡¯t let go of the map¡­¡± Lnd teased, smirking. ¡°You know how I get when there¡¯s something in my eye!¡± Jude eximed. ¡°Yeah, you get teary.¡± ¡°Do not!¡± ¡°Do so!¡± ¡°Maybe I do¡­¡± Lnd took his victory with augh. ¡°If worsees to worst, then we camp out here for the night. We never got an inn, so we still have our camping supplies.¡±Glenny rolled his eyes at that. ¡°You know how I feel about camping out in the open.¡± Jude saw an opening. ¡°You get cranky,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°No I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°No he doesn¡¯t.¡± His smirk fell. The othersughed. ¡°Still,¡± Lnd continued. ¡°We should probably try to find the town. I don¡¯t want to camp out with monster parts stinking up the area.¡± So they got back to walking, their packs full of meaty bloody organs and pelts. Glenny also kept the lions¡¯ ws and teeth, stating that he would look into getting a pair of bone daggers craftedter. During the down time, Lnd checked over his grimoire¡¯s newest entry. You have assisted in killing multiple Mana Lions. An appropriate reward has been added to your Legacy. Fracture has increased to rank 5. Crow Massacre increased to rank 3. Just as he expected, Fracture¡¯s percent chance to hit went up by five and Crow Massacre increased its crow count by one. Honestly, Lnd was a bit disappointed that Curse of Copse didn¡¯t rank up. Despite him only using it once, he thought the situation would have given him more rewards than simply nothing. He shrugged, checking the next page. It was still stuck shut. Putting the grimoire back into his hand, Lnd saw the crow tattoo move. It changed its perpetual flight to something more guarded. At least, as guarded as a bird could get. I wonder what¡ª His thoughts were cut off when Glenny gasped. ¡°Guys, weapons out,¡± the rogue said, slipping invisible. ¡°I smell blood.¡± As a trail of patted down grass left Lnd and Jude, they readied themselves. Together they walked back to back further through the savannah. A whistle cut the tense air, both boys jumped at the sound, but then saw an opaque Glenny waving them over. As they neared, they could smell it too. A mangled hunk of meat sat alone in the brush, knife marks and thick puncture wounds all over the muscly mass. Blood was draped around the area, cold and still wet. Lnd couched down, picking at the flesh with a pocket knife. ¡°Looks fresh,¡± Glenny said. ¡°What is it?¡± Jude retorted, his nose scrunched. ¡°Human.¡± Both Glenny and Jude turned to look at the speaker. Lnd simply shrugged and pushed some of the bits around for the others to see. ¡°That¡¯s a hand. A foot here¡­ I think this is the face?¡± Lnd hooked the mess of skin on his knife, pulling it up for the others to inspect. Glenny gasped again. ¡°It¡¯s that young Master¡¯s bodyguard! House Onryo!¡± The others paled, Lnd dropping the severed face like a boiling pot of falling oil. He stepped back, falling over his feet and into the grass. Something wet then sttered across his face and chest. He turned with horror, a detached arm still white knuckled around a sword sat beside him. He jumped up. ¡°Ew! Ew! It touched me! I¡¯m covered in it!¡± Lnd started pulling off his parents¡¯ birthday gift. ¡°Gnarly,¡± Jude whispered. ¡°What could have done this?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°The lions were nowhere near this level of power.¡± ¡°Must be foul y then,¡± Jude said, forcing himself not to smirk at his friend pouring water on himself. ¡°What do we do? We can¡¯t just leave him here.¡± ¡°Sure we can.¡± Glenny raised an eyebrow, causing Jude to rethink his statement. ¡°Alright, maybe we can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Guys,¡± Lnd said, now stripped to his undershirt. ¡°You two are missing something important. Where is the young Master Onryo?¡± Jude pursed his lips but Glenny¡¯s reaction was more¡­ extreme. The rogue shut down, falling into a frozen state. Only his eyes moved, twitching, jagged movements. He eyed the dark horizon, the mangled body guard, then the trail of blood leading through the straw. Slowly, like a baby first learning to crawl, he opened his mouth. ¡°Do either of you recognize where we are? Truly, look around.¡± Lnd shook his head but Jude raised a finger to his chin. ¡°Now that you mention it, this ce does look familiar.¡± ¡°We are at the dungeon,¡± Glenny said simply. ¡°Behind it, actually.¡± Lnd recoiled, looking around. The longer he squinted at the darkndscape around them, the more the picture began to fill in. A plethora of bushes and an oddly filled tree line. His eyes widened in realization when he saw the building hidden within the brush. Glenny continued. ¡°The trail of blood leads around to the entrance. And I suspect we are going to find at least one more body.¡± ¡°The Guild attendant watching the entrance,¡± Lnd supplied. Jude¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°At the very least we should check and make sure the attendant is truly dead. If they were bleeding out and we could have helped them, I¡¯ll never be able to sleep again,¡± said Lnd. Glenny nodded to the notion, activating his invisibility. He led the way, pushing through the tall grass like the very lions they hunted earlier. Coming into view of the entrance proper, a flickering mana light was all there was to illuminate the building¡¯s interior. Glenny let out a long breath, signaling the others it was safe. Lnd cursed, ¡°My Lord, that''s a lot of blood.¡± The tattoo on his hand tilted its head, but no one noticed. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jude said robotically. ¡°Too much blood. Trust me, I¡¯ve killed a lot of things. There has never been this much blood.¡± Red stained the building¡¯s walls and ceiling, droplets fell to the hardwood floor, the stench of iron perforated the windows they looked through. As they pushed in, they found the mangled body of the attendant behind a countertop. It was an older gentleman, the fading tattoo on his hand all but confirming the man was not abatant. ¡°The Legacy of the Quill Lord,¡± Lnd said, recognizing the feather pen ink. ¡°He was a receptionist, he didn¡¯t deserve to be killed like this.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t deserve to be killed at all,¡± Glenny said before taking a deep breath. ¡°The Master Onryo is still missing. There is no body.¡± ¡°Hey guys¡­ you shoulde see this.¡± At some point Jude had stepped further into the building, a set of red boot prints leaving a path. The others followed his voice into the back room. They found Jude standing before a broken open vault door, melting red ice dripped from the mangled hinges. ¡°Someone went in,¡± Jude said, pointing into the vault. ¡°The dungeon is activated.¡± The green shimmering entrance all but confirmed his words. Dungeon portals are typically blue, signifying the dungeon is ready for delving. After entering, teammates had an hour to exit before the entrance ¡°closed,¡± turning a deep red. Only one group was allowed in at a time, which only meant one thing. ¡°We are the only ones who can help Onryo.¡± Both Jude and Lnd turned to Glenny. The young man gripped his twin daggers with all his might. His breathing was erratic and harsh, a stark contrast to his statue-like face staring at the shimmering portal entrance. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. The entrance will close soon. We need to decide what we are going to do.¡± Glenny hesitated before adding, ¡°I recognize who the killer is.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Jude asked. ¡°An Icewillow.¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°No, that doesn¡¯t make any sense. They were all branded Witches and executed for their crimes. This can¡¯t be a member.¡± Glenny shook his head, tears forming but never falling. ¡°After the funeral for ¨C for mom, I overheard an Inquisitor telling my dad the youngest son had escaped.¡± ¡°Their youngest son?! That means thest surviving Icewillow is the man who¡ª¡± ¡°Killed my mom, yeah,¡± Glenny finished. ¡°And another is about to fall to his hand, if Onryo hasn¡¯t been killed already, that is.¡± Lnd and Jude nced at each other, a silent agreement forming. Lnd took the initiative. ¡°What do you want to do? We will follow your choice.¡± Glenny gave them a shy smile. His fingers loosened and curled around the hilt of his daggers, the gears in his mind turned. ¡°We go in.¡± ¡°Damn right we do!¡± Jude bellowed, pulling his axe to his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll take point.¡± And just like that, it was time for their rookie team to delve their first dungeon. Chapter 12: Remembrance Chapter 12: Remembrance The night before his neenth birthday, Glenny trembled with fatigue. His fingers were calloused and his arms scored with shallow cuts, his shirt was stuck to his chest and back, and his eyes were narrow. He circled his opponent who was still fresh and without a wound. ¡°Longer you wait, the more opportunities you give me,¡± the opponent said, his voice quiet and reserved. That got to Glenny, the small digs. The constant reminder of failure, the constant reminder of her. He charged, one dagger rising into the air while the other stayed low. He twisted after the first stab, reversing the grip on the lower knife before lunging with a long sh. He felt the attack hit, but when he checked his de, no blood returned his gaze ¨C only his reflection. His red hair, another reminder. Roaring, Glenny pushed forward, his hands dancing with sharpened weapons, stabbing, cutting, blocking, parrying. His daggers bounced off his opponent, each time proving more forceful than thest. Vibrations ran through his fingers and out through his nails. They were bleeding at this point, the strength of his opponent ending the battle before it could truly begin. A sharp pain appeared on the edge of his ear. It started cold and dull, but became an issue as time went on. His blood kept spilling, more and more, soon his whole neck and shoulder was covered in the red liquid. But it was just a small cut, how was he bleeding this much? ¡°Never allow yourself to be hit. Even the smallest wounds can be deadly with the powers of the Lords.¡± Glenny nodded, taking the stance his parents had taught him as a child. He flew in, whirling his daggers like a madman ¨C or a grieving man.Eventually the battle ended, Glenny lost, unconditionally. His father gave him a trying smile, one that was forced not because he proved himself unworthy of praise, but because the sorrow was still too fresh. Two and a half years. When would the memories stop being nightmares? ¡°Good work today,¡± his father said. ¡°Take your time in the Dream Ceremony, pick what your heart tells you.¡± Those words meant more to Glenny than any training or lecture. From this point on, he was fighting for his own life. Any failure would be his own, not his teachers orck of skill. There was no talent in this world, only the fruitful and diligent would survive. ¡°I¡¯m going back to the Inquisitors in three days,¡± his father said. ¡°Before I leave, I need you to know something. Something deep in the heart of your hearts, something grander than any lesson. Your mother loved you, more than anything. It was a travesty what happened to her. Please don¡¯t fall for the same trick.¡± Glenny nodded along with the words, requoting his father¡¯s bitter words from a few days after the funeral. ¡°¡¯Never allow yourself to be stabbed in the back. Always watch the enemy. Only trust those who are willing to do the same for you.¡± His father grimaced at the rueful tone, his tone from back when he was angry. ¡°You¡¯re going to do great out there, son.¡± Lnd watched Glenny carefully. They had only just stepped over the boundary into the dungeon, but the Legacy of Chameleons was already rearing for a fight. Lnd supposed it was possible for the Icewillow to sit by the entrance, but that felt unlikely. Not with a hostage, at least. No, their target would be deep into the dungeon, possibly even at the end. ¡°Remember guys,¡± Lnd said. ¡°This dungeon hasn¡¯t been cleared in a long time. Monsters Breaks are this area¡¯s ode to gold, so the dungeon is going to be overflowing with monsters.¡± All three knew how dungeons worked quite well. Each had researched in their own time about bidding on delving time slots, finding fresh entrances out in the wilds, and even what happened when a dungeon ¡°broke.¡± When a dungeon failed to be cleared in a timely manner, the monsters inside had the opportunity to break free ¨C otherwise known as Monster Breaks. Sometimes, like in Liontrunk¡¯s case, it is appreciated. Other times, whole cities could be overrun and destroyed. Careful monitoring was needed, something the Guild took responsibility for. ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything,¡± Glenny said, causing the team to rx a bit. Each still held their weapons, but took the moment to really look around the dungeon. It was their first time in one, after all. Dungeons were not always like their surroundings. A desert could have a dungeon set in an ocean, a volcano entrance could be in a frozen tundra. This, luckily, was not such a case. While the scenery had changed to a more rockyndscape, the tall, straw-like grass still littered the ground around them. A clear path had been set by the dungeon, one leading through the savannah up onto a cliff face. Closer to the rocky drop off, the path changed from dirt to wood. Wooden steps and a rickety bridge led up the cliff, eventually stopping at a cave entrance. ¡°Looks like we are going up there,¡± Lnd said, pointing. Jude¡¯s frown turned deep. ¡°I-I don¡¯t do that well with heights. Maybe we should just tell the Guild¡ª" He cut himself off when the entrance / exit of the dungeon turned red, signaling that if they left, they would not be allowed back in. Jude swallowed, ¡°Never mind.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes, his gaze finding a trembling Glenny. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Then let''s get going. Icewillow has an hour on us.¡± They took the path, Jude leading the charge while Glenny sandwiched Lnd into the center of their convoy. They went slowly over the mold riddled steps and one at a time, crossed the bridges. The scaffolding ebbed and flowed with their weight, but eventually they made it to the cave entrance. When they did, the corpses started appearing. Mana Lions, dozens of them. Each mangled and covered in frozen blood. Spikes of red jutted from their pelts or embedded through their eye sockets. They pushed through, finding more monster bodies as they went. The cave turned and bent, rose and fell, and eventually opened into a small cavern. At the far end was a raised stone tform, like a bed frame without a mattress. On it, lions were frozen inside a solid block of red ice like a prehistoric cier with a neanderthal encased. It was then Lnd thought of something. Tentatively, he spoke up, ¡°A-are you going to be able to fight this guy?¡± Jude shared the same sentiment. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen magic like this before. What Legacy is he?¡± Glenny knew the answer to one of the questions. ¡°Legacy of the Cold Blooded. I don¡¯t know everything about his abilities, but he can freeze blood.¡± ¡°Can we do anything to him?¡± Glenny answered with a hesitation. ¡°If we all attack together, yes. We have to stick to a n though.¡± Jude shook his head. ¡°If you think the three of us can beat an expert mage, then, sorry for the bluntness, but how did this guy kill your mom?¡± ¡°It was a backstab,¡± Glenny answered robotically. ¡°He was assisting the Inquisitors against his own House. He was a rat, an informant. He changed his mind, I guess. My mother wasn¡¯t expecting it. He attacked when the others were raiding their main mansion. She was tasked to watch him.¡± Lnd patted his friend on the back. ¡°We¡¯ll get him, don¡¯t worry.¡± Glenny nodded, a shimmer catching his eye. Within the red block of ice, a golden orb shone. ¡°Looks like Icewillow is forgoing monster drops. Looks like he¡¯s not here for the loot.¡± ¡°What¡¯s he here for then?¡± Jude asked, scratching the back of his hair. Lnd answered. ¡°Probably just a ce to hide out. If he could go somewhere that no one could follow, he¡¯d be safe.¡± ¡°But why make a mess at the dungeon entrance? Now people are going to know that someone came in here, and I¡¯ll bet the Inquisitors are not too far behind.¡± That made Lnd pause. ¡°Onryo. He saw an opportunity. There are always more dungeons. You don¡¯t always get the chance to kill a House enemy.¡± Glenny pulled at his tattoo, revealing a handled mirror. He looked at the fogged words before speaking to the others, ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve spent too much time here.¡± They exited the chamber and headed through another tunnel. Again the path twisted and turned, leading them up and around. Lion bodies littered the floor, each dead much like the previous ones . The trail of corpses told them they were on the right track, which was proven correct when the tunnel led to a set of wooden stairs. They hesitantly went up, finding the cave opened to the surface. They poked their heads out and were able to hear the snarls. They were at the top of the cliff, a t teau of lush swaying grass. Wind howled through the area, threatening to overshadow the calls of the Mana Lion. It stood, easily eclipsing the average Mana Lion by three or four times. Two long fangs stretched out of his massive maw, bone whitepared to the beast¡¯s deep amber mane. Streaks of blue floated around its head, mana as its name suggested. What pulled the boys¡¯ attention, however, was the two men. One young, one older. One battled the great beast, the other shivered in fear. Young Master Onryo was still alive. Chapter 13: Witch Chapter 13: Witch ¡°Kill or capture?¡± Lnd asked, pulling hesitant gazes from the others. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can capture. Look at how he¡¯s fighting the thing.¡± Jude replied, pointing. Icewillow twisted and contorted his lean body, moving around the Mana Lion¡¯s attacks. He summoned and moved a frozen puppet of red, making it fight for him as he kept behind it. Together man and construct battled to a stalemate with the beast, finding the lion¡¯s agility too hard to nail down. The lion moved with horrid speed, pouncing around the battlefield like a grasshopper jumping from bush to bush. It found momentary refuge in the tall grass, hiding its presence before suddenly appearing mid lunge. As it attacked, blue motes of mana spiraled about its head like a whirlpool drowning debris. ¡°Kill,¡± Glenny said. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have the luxury to go for anything else. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s the n,¡± Lnd spoke up, his voice hardly a whisper. ¡°We attack from ambush before he can kill the lion. Jude and I force him to react to our attack, hopefully giving Glenny or the lion a chance to kill¡ª¡± Just then, a blue beam ripped the teau in half. A shockwave and tremble followed closely after that knocked loose the staircase that the boys hid within. Jude spoke up. ¡°Or we could try to sneak Onryo out while Icewillow is distracted.¡± Lnd agreed, but both looked to Glenny.The redhead frowned, slowly shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could sleep at night knowing I let this man off.¡± Lnd wanted to point out that they wouldn¡¯t simply ¡°let the man off,¡± but he felt the argument wasn¡¯t worthwhile. Glenny had chosen, what kind of friends would they be if they failed him now? ¡°Alright,¡± Lnd said aloud. ¡°We start. Give us a minute to get into position.¡± Jude and Glenny nodded, thetter of which turned invisible. With the rank of Glenny¡¯s ability nearly reaching ten, he almost fully disappeared. If one looked closely enough they would be able to see the small creases along his armor and face, but that was if he was at a standstill. Moving, the rogue only appeared as a second thought. Jude nodded to Lnd, causing the mage to throttle his magic. Instantly Icewillow noticed, his head whipping towards the staircase. The ice puppet chittered with fury, rushing to meet the Berserker Legacy. As ice met metal, Lnd¡¯s cursepleted. ¡°Slow,¡± For a heartbeat Lnd and Icewillow connected, the former feeling nothing but greed. He wanted everything, fame, money, power, family, revenge. He would use his magic, he would use anything and anyone, to achieve his goals. Fear was a powerful motivator, he would rebuild his empire, he would destroy those who took everything from him. Reality came back to Lnd, power and mana already forming on his lips. He whistled, a streak of red plowing through the air just missing his head by inches. ¡°Maul.¡± Six crows flew through reality, and dove. They found the target with anger and vigor, soon covering the man in puncture wounds and dozens of cuts. A heavy m pulled Lnd¡¯s attention as Jude battered the hesitant ice puppet. In Icewillow¡¯s agony, his magic failed, turning into nothing but red chunks from repeated blow after blow. ¡°Fracture,¡± Lnd whispered, hearing nothing in response. The enemy still stumbled from the sudden attack, the crack having been lost to the roars of the wind. Lnd repeated the curse three more times, each time knowing the percent chance hit. Something was wrong, however. The man still moved with the steps of a dancer, not a man in pain. Abruptly a frozen suit of armor erupted from the man¡¯s bloodied form. The crows were warded off, their talons and beaks failing to pierce the spell. Icewillow turned to Lnd, his hand outstretched and palm up. He mped his finger together as he yelled the powerword. ¡°Erupt.¡± Lnd¡¯s eyes went wide and he scrambled to active his newly acquired ne of protection. A faded blue aegis appeared around him. The hostile spell collided against the magical shield, cracking it like a fresh egg. The man frowned, and quickly mimicked hisst gesture. ¡°Erupt,¡± he sang. And this time Lnd did. His blood boiled, his skin reddened. He puked, only blood pouring from his swollen tongue. He doubled over, wobbling a few steps away before copsingpletely. Pain filled his vision, consuming his consciousness. Jude watched his friend fall and rage ovee him. With his eyes turning solid white, he rushed the man, pushing through the pain as multiple spells affected his body. ¡°Erupt,¡± he heard multiple times, each only adding fuel to his undying hatred. A red crescent zed from Jude¡¯s axe as his strength only increased. The powerful slice rushed across the teau, forcing Icewillow to dive to the side. Hended on his shoulder, hearing a deep crunch as his weakened bone finally shattered. A glinted weapon flew through the air, forcing a wall of red to appear from the grass. Jude was there a momentter, having jumped across the battlefield and into the fray. With practiced motion, Jude picked up his axe and raised it as an executioner would. He mmed down, the momentum of his rushed attack only adding to his strength. Again steel met ice as Jude cleaved into Icewillow¡¯s red armor. Wild swing after wild swing battered the man with pure rage, allowing for the precise pecks of the six crows to find purchase. Icewillow tried to move and run, but the Curse of Copse tied his ankles together. A high swing was met with a partially raised arm, gorging the protectiveyer near his shoulder. A mid swing wasn¡¯t redirected, creating a long patch of potential damage. It was then the Mana Lion alpha chose to attack. It fired a blue beam at Icewillow¡¯s back, easily connected against the slow and distracted target. The magical attack sent the man spiraling forward, where Jude was ready with a powerful downward swing. The blood leaking from the Berserker¡¯s body suddenly frosted over, cutting his heavy strike short. The man rolled away, scampering away from both Jude and the lion. He pushed against the lush grass, right into the invisible legs of Glenny. Glenny stabbed into the man¡¯s chest, a steel dagger invading his ribcage before abruptly grinding down. A deep cut befell the man¡¯s torso before his organs suddenly expelled from the cut. A volcano of blood and slimy bits rained over the teau. Glenny¡¯s sigh of relief was cut short as the man¡¯s body suddenly iced over and melted. The blood soaked into the ground before rising up dozens of steps away. The blood froze, creating flesh from the puppet¡¯s broken body. Icewillow¡¯s familiar form took, giving him another breath in thend of the living. ¡°Almost got me there,¡± he taunted. Jude roared with anger, jumping high into the air before throwing his axe with incredible strength. Hended with a dull crack, the hard soil below his feet breaking under the strain. They scrapped again but not in Jude¡¯s favor like the previous. Curse of Copse and Crow Massacre had both faded, leaving the man unmolested except his gaping wounds. The injuries didn¡¯t seem to slow the man down, if anything, they only gave him more resources to battle with. Red spears of frozen blood shot from the ground where Jude fought on, each narrowly missing the youngbatant. Jude was running on fumes, only the thrill of battle keeping him going. He saw nothing but the enemy before his eyes, not even the bloodied traps the man kept cing in the lush grass. He shrugged off the encore of attacks while defending against the more deadly few, his own attacks slowing as he went. ¡°You¡¯ll bleed out at this point!¡± the man yelled over the howling winds. Jude fought on, his own body blind to him. He must kill, it was all he could understand. A caw roused Lnd¡¯s mind enough to blink the blood from his heavy eyelids. He saw it, a crow with its tail feathers high in the air and its head on level with his own. Its deep amethyst eyes reflected his own broken appearance back to him. He frowned, the cuts along his lips making it difficult. It cawed again. Lnd ignored it for the moment, shifting his broken body enough to view the battle. Icewillow battled on, his body bleeding like a gutted pig. Jude, on the other hand¡­ How is he standing? Lnd asked himself. He checked over his body, wiggling his toes and feeling his fingers. Everything seemed to work, albeit with horrible pain. Lnd forced himself to sit up, the crow moved to keep within his view. It cawed again, this time hopping forward into hisp. Abruptly it faded, reappearing on the back of his hand a momentter. He pulled at it a secondter, removing his grimoire. He needed to act, he needed to help. The spell came to his mind, his target Jude. ¡°Slow,¡± Lnd whispered, feeling the battle crazed fury within his friend. Adrenaline fueled him before the effect ended, speeding his heart rate to match Jude¡¯s. ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°Fracture.¡± Lnd hit his limit, his breath hitching in the process. For the first time since wearing the mage robes his parents gifted him, he felt the effects. It was simr to the ring of regeneration but instead of healing his wounds, it boosted his mana recovery. Although, his reserves were only pushing half empty. No, what truly was diminished was Lnd¡¯s lifeforce. Fatigue pulled his body to a crawl, his heart rate to that of a sloth¡¯s, his thought process to nothing more than sensory. Slowly, it wasing back but for the moment, the battle was up to Glenny. Chapter 14: Berserker Chapter 14: Berserker Glenny took the opportunity of the Mana Lion attacking to move. Despite being nearly invisible, Icewillow had followed his movements since his initial reveal. He cursed at himself for failing to kill the man. He had him, he had killed him. Yet the murderer still walked. Jude abruptly slowed, nearly impaling himself on one of the red spikes that burst from the grass. Glenny cursed again, dashing to intercept the killing blow leveled at his friend¡¯s neck. His dagger took to the ice, shaving off red snow as he deflected the spike just enough. A deep crack followed by four others pulled his attention. Icewillow slowed favoring one leg while keeping his hand against his chest. One of his knees shivered in pain, mimicking the same motion his hurt hand was in. Glenny stalked forward but the lion beat him to it. It roared as it pounced, tackling Icewillow with its massive, muscr body. They both hit the ground and fell into a deathly roll. Sharp ws buried themselves into the man, tearing at his face and throat as the beast mauled its enemy. Icewillow¡¯s skin began to melt before refreezing into the broken form of the ice puppet. Glenny¡¯s eyes widened and he started sprinting across the teau to where the puppet previously was. His guess was correct. The man sprouted from the grass, slush building him from the ground up. He was only able to get three full breaths before Glenny attacked. Steel dagger leading the charge, Glenny grappled with the man like an ice climber scaling a frozen wall. His weapons became picks, each holding his full weight as he dug the sharpened tips into his opponent. He ripped them out and stabbed them back multiple times as his legs fully wrapped around the man¡¯s lower torso. Blood erupted from Icewillow¡¯s fresh wounds, Glenny¡¯s Rupture ability finding purchase with everyceration. The man tried to free himself but found his only option was to fall. Icewillow dropped to his back, mming Glenny into the ground with a brutal crunch. More of Icewillow¡¯s bones crumbled under the force, much to the displeasure of the witch. The Legacy of the Chameleon still held on, his daggers like vile hand grips of a pushcart.¡°Just die already!¡± Glenny shouted, activating one of abilities he had yet to truly practice. His tongue ttened and stretched,unching out like an amphibian snatching a fly from the air. It shot high into the air, falling back when it reached its apex. Itnded around Icewillow¡¯s neck, wrapping around as Glennymanded it. He squeezed his tongue tighter, the only motion he could manage with hisck of experience. Meanwhile, he never stopped stabbing. Ice tried to form and guard its master, but he sheared through it, creating only bloody slush which did little to help Icewillow. Glenny kept stabbing long after his mom¡¯s killer died. He kept his legs and tongue wrapped until he was sure he couldn¡¯t hear Icewillow¡¯s heartbeat. He kept his eyes on the lookout for melting flesh and teleporting puppets. He didn¡¯t see the Mana Lion attack. The st came with a deep roar, one as unsettling as the air across the teau. As Glenny rolled along the grass, the attack having separated him from the corpse of the enemy, he saw him. Jude, covered in blood, on his knees, movement in his eyes, but unconscious. Slowly Jude got to his feet turning the air thick as he did so. His headid limp as his body moved on instinct. He looked across the grassy battlefield, finding the Mana Lion despite it being camouged within the shadows. A single twitch was all it took, a single twitch of Jude¡¯s arm fired off his battle axe like a ballista fired a javelin. He missed, breaking the ground into a plume of dirt and debris. Suddenly Jude was there, the veins in his legs bulging beyond his inmed muscles. He gripped the end of his battle axe, flipping it forward like a windmill. A perfect arc eclipsed the area, creating a deep red de of power. Itunched out,cerating into the Mana Lion and sending a spray of blood off into the sea of green. Jude only took a single step, the leverage from his arms more than enough to m his axe down with the force to slice steel. His eyes went hollow when the spine of the enemy was cut through, the Legacy of the Berserker taking its im. He turned, a nk expression finding the nearly invisible form of Glenny. For a moment Jude tilted his head, then he charged. In an instant he was on his friend, wide chops and horizontal swings battling the rogue back. ¡°Fight it, Jude!¡± Glenny yelled. ¡°This isn¡¯t you! Fight it!¡± Both Lnd and Glenny knew the power of the Berserker Lord. They had been front and center when Jude¡¯s mom entered this rending state. They had watched her battle an entire gang. They had watched the bodies be carted off. But most importantly, they had watched Jude¡¯s dad battle against his crazed wife, consoling her the entire time. ¡°upational hazard,¡± Jude¡¯s dad had said at the time. Glenny had to agree. The t of Jude¡¯s axe abruptly switched angles, rocketing straight up mid horizontal swing. The quick motion caught Glenny in the chin, sending him a few inches off the ground. A scream called from behind, Jude only twitched in response, but eventually turned to view the new challenger. Lnd stood, his arm clutching his churned stomach while the other held his deep purple grimoire. He whispered a single word, and suddenly Jude felt his body slow. He looked over his hands, the blood long having dyed his skin. His mind tried to connect the dots, it tried to say something, to intervene, but the blood his skin was caked in sang to him. It told him to harvest more, to create more carnage, to continue the battle. Six birds appeared around him, popping into reality seemingly at random. They pecked and scratched him, an annoyance ¨C one he was sure to remedy. He roared, a pulse of pure power exploding from his heart. It knocked the birds away but only for a moment. They redoubled their attacks, shearing into his skin without reserve. That annoyed Jude even more, forcing him to take better action. He swung around himself, only the heel of one foot touching the ground. He became a whirlwind, everything that came near would be blend¡ª Jude abruptly stopped his attack. The crows still attacked, being unharmed by his attack. How curious. He punched on thattched onto his chest, his hand phasing right through. He tilted his head, only now hearing the summoner who sicked his flock on him. ¡°Come on Jude! Listen! Fight it, you meathead! Are you truly that stupid to not see your friends!? Are you that weak to fall to your own Legacy?¡± Lnd grimaced at his own words, the harshness was something unknown to the young mage. Still, it had to be said, right? It had to, he knew Jude better than anyone besides Glenny. He knew Jude would react to provocation, not with rage but rather with imposition. He¡¯d make Lnd eat his own words, not with blind fury but rather withughter. They would go back and forth, eaching up with increasingly ridiculous insults, eventually culminating into unstoppable giggles and pats on the back. Jude¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do it, Jude. But I¡¯ll break your bones. Don¡¯t tempt me, just stop, please.¡± Quickly Lnd looked over to the just rallying Glenny. He was getting to his feet, his brain obviously wobbly from the uppercut. ¡°Slow,¡± Lnd said again, recursing Jude. For a moment their bodies synchronized and Lnd could feel something beyond the rage. Confusion. His eyes lit up and he mentallymanded his crows to dazzle rather than attack. The glowing blue birds encircled Jude, taking turns dipping and diving just out of his range or brushing against the back of his neck or knees. They kept his attention until their ethereal forms started to fade. As soon as they popped from existence, Lnd was there with another whistle and powerword, resummoning his beautiful flock. They took to the samemand, distracting Jude enough for Glenny to appear behind him. The rogue swayed on his feet but pushed through the doubled vision. He neared his friend and did the only thing his teetering body could do. He fell into him, wrapping his arms around Jude¡¯s back in a hug. ¡°It''s over, big guy. You¡¯ve done it.¡± Glenny rested his face on his friend¡¯s back, his knees falling out from under him. His arms stayed locked in a hug, the only thing keeping him from face nting. Jude swiveled with a pale white exhale clouding the area around his mouth. He snarled at the sudden attack. He reached for Glenny¡¯s red hair, pulling him front and center. He readied a killer punch, but hesitated. ¡°It''s over,¡± Glenny said one more time. A crow pulled his attention, then Glenny did, then another crow. Or was that the same crow? Jude spun trying to figure it out, he needed to know, he needed to count the birds. He fell, consciousness finally slipping from his enraged Lord. Glennynded on top of him, finding the bloody belly of his friend good enough for a pillow and instantly falling asleep himself. Lndughed to himself, his legs failing his gently slowing heart. His gut rumbled with cold nerves, forcing him to crawl to his friends. Carefully, he slipped his ring of regeneration off, putting it on Jude¡¯s own. ¡°Good,¡± Lnd said, his eyes closing with aplishment. A ring and tattoo of regeneration? Should be fine, right? The question died in Lnd¡¯s mind as the void pulled his consciousness. Chapter 15: Contracts Chapter 15: Contracts Lnd¡¯s eyes opened to a dull and dour, naked forest. Spindly trees made up thendscape, petrified, white and lifeless. There was not a hint of green, no leaves, no grass, only muted brows and bone whites. That didn¡¯t mean the forest wasn¡¯t alive, on the contrary in fact. Crows reced the leaves, each branch housing dozens. They watched Lnd, their amethyst eyes rounded andrge like thousands of security cameras watching a prisoner. Lnd felt small in that moment, like when he drew on the walls of his house and his parents scolded him. Back then he felt he did nothing wrong, only expressing his creative abilities. Was it any different now? What caused him to be punished by his Lord? He thought about the question while sitting up. The small movement caused a ripple through the crows, some flew off while others cawed with enthusiasm. Lnd didn¡¯t know what to think of that, other than they were alerting their Master of his awakening. But still, the question of what he did wrong bothered him. In his eyes, he had done nothing that should have . Well, besides entering a restricted dungeon. He had a good reason for it, surely the Inquisitors wouldn¡¯t assess him a fine or arrest him and the others. Surely the Witchhunters would only have praise for his and his teammate¡¯s actions. Still, the Lord of Cursesst warning rang in his head, a simple reminder to watch out for the Witchhunters. Lnd supposed he truthfully hadn¡¯t attempted to stay away, but then again, he wasn¡¯t looking for danger anyway. How was he supposed to know Icewillow was a Witch, or that he even was near Liontrunk? What was he supposed to do anyways? Let someone die because his Lord asked him not to? That simply was not going to happen, Lord willing or not. ¡°I see defiance in your eyes, my son.¡± Lnd spun, finding the robed and wrinkled form of the Lord of Curses. She looked much the same as thest time they met, thin white hair that gently pped against the slight wind, hunched back from years of improper posture, and eyes solid gray with speckles of purple stars. ¡°Maybe,¡± Lnd replied. ¡°Depending on how the Witchhunters see it.¡±The Lord of Curses waved him off. ¡°They will be overjoyed with your team¡¯s actions. Icewillow led them around for the better part of three years.¡± ¡°But you said¡ª¡± ¡°You should still be wary of them, yes, but in this case you only helped them. If anything, they may offer you a reward or even a rmendation.¡± ¡°A rmendation?¡± ¡°To the College of Inquisitors.¡± Lnd nodded slowly, his mind reeling. The College of Inquisitors was a highly renowned school of sorcery and swordy. Some of the most famous individuals, the ones stories of daring adventures were written about, went to the college. It just so happened to be the one ce Lnd and the others desperately didn¡¯t want to go. ¡°Ah,¡± the Lord of Curses smirked. ¡°Defiance again. You and your pals wish not to follow in your parents footsteps. Quite bold of you, many would kill for the chance.¡± Lnd only shrugged. ¡°The three of us have talked about it before. It''s just not what we want to do. Be Inquisitors, I mean. Or Witchhunters for that matter.¡± ¡°Tell me, what do you know of the Witchhunters?¡± That caused Lnd to pause. ¡°That they are elite Inquisitors, handpicked by the Queen simr to the Royal Inquisitors. They hunt dangerous criminals, often the ones that made a name for themselves with dark or vile magics.¡± The old woman nodded along. ¡°That is a good enough description for the conversation, but I implore you to ask your parents more about them in the future. The knowledge will onlye in handyter in life.¡± Again Lnd paused. He leaned back a bit causing a wave of movement along the trees. A few crows cawed at this, but most simply titled their heads at his movement. Some even tried to emte his posture, falling off their branches. ¡°Why do you need me to know about the Witchhunters?¡± he asked. ¡°Ah,¡± she said. ¡°That leads to why I brought you here.¡± Lnd smirked. ¡°I thought it was just because you were lonely.¡± The Lord of Curses paused, her upper lip twitched. ¡°I¡¯m kidding by the way.¡± She squinted at him before sighing deeply. ¡°Truthfully I was worried. Your battle with the Witch was well fought but too close for myfort.¡± Lnd had to agree with that. ¡°We won in the end.¡± ¡°That may be true but it does not defeat the importance that you risked your lives in such a way was not smart, even if it was the just thing to do.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t have a response for that. ¡°My coven is small, Lnd. A death within our ranks would be monumentally devastating for our kind. I would grieve for many years, I think of you all as my children in a way. Promise me you won¡¯t do something that reckless again.¡± Lnd¡¯s reaction was a memory of his parents scolding him for swimming through a rough part of a stream some years ago. They had talked about grieving his death in a very simr way and made him promise not to swim in that stream again. He, in the end, never broke that promise, something he wasn¡¯t sure he would be able to mimic for the Lord of Curses. Slowly he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can. If someone is in danger, like that Onryo kid, and I am able, I will step in.¡± The Lord of Curses sighed. ¡°I suspected as much. Too selfless for your own good. Just promise to use your head, please?¡± Lnd saw something deep within her eyes? Sadness? Sorrow? And eternity of loss and spectating? Just how many loved ones had died while she watched over as a powerless god? Her stare bothered him, to the point where he mechanically nodded in agreement to her words, even though he knew he wouldn¡¯t always be able to keep that promise. ¡°Good,¡± she hummed. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say your path is not your own. Good thingse to those who challenge and temper themselves. Which, again, brings us into why I decided to speak with you today. You have unlocked another portion of my Legacy, one that requires a warning.¡± She motioned for Lnd to remove his grimoire. He did, allowing it to flip to the newest entry under his information. You have assisted in killing a Witch, William Icewillow. An appropriate reward has been added to your Legacy. Crow Massacre increased to rank 4. Curse of Copse increased to rank 3. He then looked at the updated spell pages. Crow Massacre: Summon 7 ethereal crows to attack a target for 1 minute. Curse of Copse: Exhaust the target for 60 seconds, lowering their speed by 15%. After seeing the new ranks of his spells, Lnd noticed the next page was unstuck. Slowly he flipped the page, finding a new curse. His eyes widened as he read it. Harbinger Halo: Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 1 (B) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling their aid. Contractsts for 60 seconds. ¡°What?¡± Lnd asked, seeing the Lord of Curses smile. It was gentle and warm, like a parent watching their child ride a bike for the first time. She spoke, ¡°That is exactly why I wished to speak with you about it. The description is intentionally left vague simply because of how involved it is. We shall go through your first contract together. I¡¯ve already spoken to the Lord of Magic, he is expecting your call.¡± Lnd¡¯s mouth slowly opened. ¡°What?¡± he asked more as a statement than a question. ¡°Do not worry, the Lord of Magic has agreed toe here, rather than pull you into his domain.¡± ¡°What?¡± The old woman squinted. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I- uh, yes. I¡¯ll start now¡­¡± Lnd couldn¡¯t believe his ears. He, in all of his years of eager studying of unique and interesting magics, had never heard of a spell like this. Even when he was into child fables, nothing like this had made the stories. Magic and knowledge came to his mind, spinning around him in a rush of purple particles. They took to hismand, flying into his palm before taking on the form of a quill. His Legacy spoke to him, telling him the exact words to say. ¡°Lord of Magic, I humbly wish to strike a contract with you!¡± His sentence ended with a hush. Silence befell the spindly forest, not even the crows dared caw. A small dot suddenly appeared, white like the very trees it appeared before. Suddenly the dot expanded and brightened, blinding Lnd and forcing him to look away. A crash sounded, along with the fizzing of electrical mana. He slowly cracked his eyes open, finding a man wearing golden robes before him. Lnd¡¯s eyes widened when he recognized the man before him. In every text book his parents made him study about magic, a drawing of the Lord of Magic was always within the pretext. They were rather urate, he noted, except for the chin. In real life it was much more pointy. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it,¡± the Lord of Magic spoke. ¡°I concede my loss.¡± He outstretched a hand, a bottle of sparkling gold liquid appeared within it a heartbeatter. The Lord of Curses¡¯ eyes opened with greed as she quickly snatched the container from her brother¡¯s hand. A group of nine crows swooped down, taking the bottle and flying far off into the distance. When she saw Lnd¡¯s expression, the Lord of Curses spoke up, ¡°He lost a bet.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± Was all Lnd could say. The Lord of Magic eyed the young man before him. ¡°This is the Silvers¡¯ child? I can see the resemnce.¡± ¡°Y-you know my parents?¡± The Lord frowned. ¡°Of course. They are two of the most renowned of my legacies. Why would I not know them?¡± ¡°I-uh¡ª¡± ¡°Rx, child,¡± he turned to his sister. ¡°Just like his mother. She was just as nervous when we met.¡± ¡°I can believe it,¡± the Curse Lord replied. ¡°Mortals, am I right?¡± The Lord of Magic snorted to that. ¡°I find it endearing.¡± ¡°Of course you do.¡± He sighed, turning back to Lnd. ¡°So, you wish to strike a contract with me?¡± Lnd looked to his Lord, who nodded. ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°Alright, I shall give you the basic contract. When you are more powerful, we can renegotiate.¡± ¡°I-uh, thank you?¡± ¡°It is no worry. We are all bound by cosmicw to at least hear out a contract. No promise my siblings will agree to your terms.¡± ¡°W-what are your terms?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°For you?¡± the Lord of Magic deliberated for a moment. ¡°Say¡­ you must offer one greater mana potion to a shrine of mine and another one in one year¡¯s time.¡± That was¡­ easy? Lnd thought. He had the lion parts in his pack back in the real world. It would only take a decent alchemist a few hours to distill the potion. And a few gold for thebor, he supposed. ¡°Alright, those terms sound eptable¡­ What do you offer me in return?¡± The Lord of Magic squinted. ¡°Lnd, a word of advice. Be more proactive in your future contracts. You have just as much say in the terms as I do.¡± ¡°A-aright. I want the spell Lightning Bolt then.¡± ¡°Nope, can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Fireball?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Earthshake?¡± The magic Lord sighed again. He rubbed his temples. ¡°Uh, no. Contracts will be a bit more¡­ passive. At least until you rank up your contract curse, after that, the sky''s the limit I suppose. For now, I¡¯ll offer you say ten percent mana regeneration.¡± Lnd frowned. ¡°Is that not good enough?¡± ¡°It''s just that I don¡¯t really use mana¡­ curses don¡¯t require the same amount as normal spells.¡± The Lord of Curses spoke up at this point. ¡°Just give him a potency increase.¡± ¡°Fine, five percent potency. Deal?¡± Lnd nodded vigorously. ¡°Deal,¡± he said, causing his quill to write on an invisible paper. Glyphs and odd lettering filled the page before the Lord of Magic abruptly created a quill of his own. A momentter, the contract was signed by both parties. ¡°Just remember, young Warlock,¡± the Magic Lord spoke before disappearing. ¡°Other Lords, while they can¡¯t hurt you, might not be as forting to your petition. They are required to listen, but if you do not show respect they could sic one of their legacies on you. Try creating positive rtionships with legacies before contacting their Lord. Also, prepare for the climate of the Lord you speak with. The Lord of Magma¡¯s domain is quite cold you see.¡± Then the man disappeared. Lnd turned to the Lord of Curses. ¡°Cold?¡± She nodded. ¡°He likes the cold. Regardless, you see why I warned you of Witchhunters, right? Taking a contract with a vile Lord may cause an issue.¡± Chapter 16: Respite Chapter 16: Respite Lnd was the first to awaken. He sat up, his body feeling like mush that had been ground in a mortar and pestle. Slowly he looked around, feeling the wind in his hair, smelling the iron of blood. Oh right, he thought. The battle. Slowly he looked around, finding Glenny and Jude both breathing easy but not yet conscious. Lnd slipped his ring of regeneration off Jude cing it on Glenny¡¯s finger. He wasn¡¯t sure if the Chameleon Lord¡¯s internal organs were damaged but from the look of the Berserker Lord, his wounds had all but healed. It was then, across the lush teau, Lnd spotted movement. Near the single tree close to the cliff¡¯s drop off, was a young man. His clothes were disheveled and ruined, his leg wet with a particr liquid, and blood leaking from the back of his head. His hands and feet were also bound, frozen solid in a block of heavy ice. Standing with a grunt, Lnd got to his feet and started over. It was then he saw the absolute fear in the young man¡¯s eyes. Tears welled in dried ducts, he shivered with something other than cold, and he mbered away as his savior drew close. It was then Lnd realized Onryo had no clue who he was, after all why would a noble look to the filthymoners he passed on the street? Why would he interact with them? He had a bodyguard to protect him from that. But now that man was dead. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you. My name is Lnd Silver. My parents are¡ª¡± ¡°The Inquisitors Silver!¡± Onryo blurted out, relief shining through his wide eyes. ¡°I thought our case was passed to another team?¡± ¡°Your case?¡± Lnd asked, chipping away at the block of ice with his pocket knife.That caused the young Master¡¯s face to fall. ¡°You mean¡­ you weren¡¯t hunting that despicable man?¡± Lnd followed his gaze, finding the butchered corpse of thest remaining Icewillow. ¡°No? We just came across the dungeon entrance and recognized your guard. I¡¯m sorry for your loss by the way.¡± Onryo¡¯s face didn¡¯t change, he simply waved off the statement. ¡°So what? You three are just adventurers?¡± ¡°Yeah. Three friends in the right ce at the right time to help someone in need.¡± ¡°I will have to write a letter to the head of the Inquisitors then. That thing over there should never havee into contact with me. In fact, I should have received notice that he was even within one hundred miles of me.¡± Lnd saw that as a bit self-centered but held his tongue. Instead he split the ice around a trapped hand, freeing an icy blue appendage. ¡°Looks like you are going to need some anti-frostbite pills. Might be a special order in Liontrunk but I¡¯m sure one of the many alchemists will have the reagents in stock.¡± Abruptly, a ck me sparked in Onryo¡¯s hand. The young man held it out, threatening Lnd with a magical attack. ¡°Tell me who you are or I will st you!¡± he yelled. ¡°The truth this time!¡± Lnd sighed, his posture slumping like a loose custard. Was this really the time to do this? He supposed it was, actually. Glenny and Jude were still passed out, now would be the time to strike first. That was if Lnd actually had ill intentions and if the ck fire was deadly. The me was nothing but a ruse, Lnd knew. It was an illusion, a simple hoax, the most basic spell of the Lord of Spirits, which just so happened to be Onryo¡¯s House Legacy. The heatless fire had important properties when fully realized. But the low ranked version being shoved in Lnd¡¯s face was nothing but a parlor trick at this point. ¡°Ah!¡± Lnd said. ¡°Spirit Fire! I¡¯ve never seen any myself, until now I guess, but the rumors are true! It does tickle my mind a bit. I don¡¯t want to look away!¡± Onryo¡¯s face fell. ¡°But you can look away?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The spell fizzled away. ¡°If it''s any constion, I didn¡¯t lie to you. I am the Inquisitors Silvers¡¯ son, and those still asleep are my best friends who I trust with my life.¡± Last thing Lnd wanted to do was give Onryo a reason to look at Glenny any differently. Exining their connection could prove worrisome for both parties. ¡°I¡­ see¡­¡± Onryo finally said, Lnd still chipping away. Soon a second hand was free, two feeting along not long after. Once out and away from the ice and cliff, they ventured part way to Glenny and Jude. The frostbite slowed the young Master, but he was able to fully walk, albeit painfully. ¡°This seems close enough. Wait here,¡± Lndmanded. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°In case you try to harm someone again, it won¡¯t be the sleeping ones.¡± Onryo froze. ¡°I¡¯m not going to try that again. You would have killed me already if you were going to. And I don¡¯t think I could stop you from kidnapping me.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes and walked off. He reached Glenny, pping his face lightly while swiping his ring of regeneration back. ¡°Huh? Wha?¡± ¡°Hey there sleepy head. It''s time to wake up and grill us some breakfast. Surely its day outside the dungeon by now.¡± Still groggy, Glenny squinted with an irritated eye. ¡°I take it we all survived?¡± ¡°Quite. I don¡¯t know how much longer Jude is going to sleep though. I figured it best to let him wake naturally.¡± ¡°Oh right, Jude¡­¡± Glenny¡¯s eyes befell the deep breathing giant caked with dried blood. He shifted away, trying hard not to wake the man. With the human weight off his chest, Jude moved in his sleep. Then he started snoring. Both Lnd and Glenny frowned but said nothing. ¡°Packs are by the stairs. Also, wave to our tagalong when you walk by.¡± Glenny perked up at the words, his vision going out long. He sighed deeply, swallowing pent up nerves as he went. He waved but his eyes found the mangled body of his mother¡¯s killer. He stopped cold, reying the glorious memory of the kill over and over again. Then tears started forming. He hid them well from Lnd, walking off towards the obscured staircase while taking his time to retrieve his pack. Killing the Witch that ruined his family was a good thing? Right? Right? ¡­right? Droplets fell from his eyes when he asked himself a question. Why do I still feel guilty? Why do I still burn inside? Lnd returned to Onryo, tossing him the ring of regeneration. ¡°Put that on, it will help with the pain.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a trick right? I¡¯ve heard about taking magical items from strangers. I¡¯m not that gullible.¡± Rolling his eyes and saying nothing, Lnd started cutting the grass with his pocket knife despite the young Master¡¯s muttering. At some point things became silent except for Jude snoring. Glenny eventually came over and started a fire. He roasted cuts of lion, his eyes low and tired. ¡°You know,¡± Lnd began, making sure to keep his voice naturally positive. ¡°Staring at a fire isn¡¯t good for you. Why don¡¯t you check your gains from the battle. Mine were quite something.¡± Glenny thought for a long and hard moment, eventually agreeing and summoning the mirror of his Lord. He stared at his reflection. ¡°You okay there? We are going to need you in fighting shape, Glenny. We¡¯ve still got to clear the dungeon.¡± Onryo¡¯s head flipped to Lnd. ¡°W-what do you mean?! We can¡¯t leave through the entrance?¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°We could, but I¡¯m inclined to keep going. There should only be one more boss. One more boss with the loot of years of monster breaches.¡± Glenny¡¯s eyes slowly widened at the implications. He smirked. ¡°Can we do it?¡± Lndughed. ¡°Of course we can. I¡¯ve got my magic, Jude¡¯s got his axes, and you¡¯ve got something even more special.¡± ¡°I do?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯ve got your tongue!¡± Glenny just stared at his friend, disbelief repeating the statement over and over again. He watched Lnd¡¯s smirk turn into something more, something evolved. Then he heard briskughter. But it wasn¡¯ting from the man in front of him, but rather the man behind. Jude, fully awake and sitting up,ughed like a maniac. ¡°See? Even Jude thinks you¡¯re special.¡± Glenny¡¯s face hit his palms. ¡°I¡¯m going to murder both of you in your sleep.¡± That caused Jude tough even harder. Lnd spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s not that embarrassing. The trademark ability of the Legacy of the Chameleon is very useful¡ª¡± ¡°Useful at catching bugs out of the air!¡± Jude screeched. Glenny looked to Lnd who simply shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s one of its many uses, yeah.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this.¡± ¡°What? You can¡¯t believe you strangled a man with your elongated tongue, or that we are teasing you about it?¡± Glenny deliberated for a moment, a smile appearing briefly before a pout smothered it. ¡°Both, I guess. It was traumatic and now you are both making fun of me? My two best friends in the whole world? Making fun of me during such trying times?¡± Jude¡¯s smile fell and he hopped to his feet. Lnd, however, became suspicious. Then Glenny shared a wink with the Lord of Curses, thus solidifying the n. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry Glenny. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt your feelings. It¡¯s just that the ability is really cool, albeit weird¡­ and I suppose I¡¯m a bit jealous. Like, the coolest thing I can do is jump really far. Even Lnd can summon birds! Why can¡¯t I get anything cool like that¡­¡± Lnd¡¯s eyebrow was raised like Glenny¡¯s. Jude continued. ¡°I really am sorry. I didn¡¯t realize you were insecure about your ability. I thought that, well you know, since your mom and everything¡­¡± ¡°¡¯My mom and everything?¡± What does that mean?¡± ¡°E-eh, just that- err, that she¡¯s really amazing and famous and stuff. And you two share the same Legacy, so I thought that¡­ I mean¡­¡± Lnd startedughing, which broke Glenny¡¯sposure. Both boysughed hard, especially when Jude¡¯s face twitched with uncertainty. ¡°Oh,¡± Jude finally said. ¡°That¡¯s not very funny. I thought I really did hurt your feelings.¡± Chapter 17: Plans Chapter 17: ns ¡°How do you even know there is another boss?¡± Onryo cried. ¡°What if we are already at the end, there¡¯s no reason to not head back to the entrance.¡± Lnd spared him a nce but didn¡¯t stop walking. ¡°Because all dungeons have three bosses. The first was inside the lion¡¯s den and the second was the Mana Lion Alpha. That means there¡¯s a third. And judging by theck of enemies, it must be close.¡± Ahead Glenny scouted. His invisibility had not ranked again but the rogue kept his tracks well hidden. Lnd and Jude had to really look to find their friend, and even then it was a guess as to where he actually was. Was he straight ahead? A bit to the left? Maybe he had circled around and was checking the nk? Onryo bit his lip, a gesture which Lnd saw. ¡°If you want to leave, go ahead. The entrance is back that way, through the cave, and down the path. None of us are going to stop you. Not when we just freed you.¡± ¡°Ahha! So you admit I¡¯m free! Why are you not helping get me to safety then?¡± Lnd gave him the look. ¡°We freed you from Icewillow. That¡¯s it. We¡¯ll protect you if you stay with us, but nothing more than that. We don¡¯t work for charity, and this dungeon is a great opportunity for us.¡± Onryo muttered something, making dull faces as he went. ¡°Not used to getting told ¡®no,¡¯ huh?¡± Jude asked. ¡°What¡¯s your name anyway? We know you¡¯re an Onryo, not much more than that.¡± The young Master struck a pose, sending his nose high into the air. ¡°I am the fourth son of the Onryo family, Alkin Onryo.¡±¡°Well then, Alkin. What were you doing in Liontrunk? Fancy yourself an adventurer?¡± ¡°Jude, be nice.¡± Alkin waved off thement. ¡°It is of no matter. I do not doubt my appearance in Liontrunk odd, but I cannot tell you. I am no adventurer, however. That is very much for certain.¡± Glenny appeared at their side, having dropped his invisibility to speak to the group. ¡°House Onryo is famous for increasing their magical ability with alchemical creations, specifically ones that increase mana or mana regeneration. I bet he is here for that ¨C to have someone make the ¡®family recipe,¡¯ as they say.¡± Alkin pursed his lips. ¡°I see our reputation precedes us. While partially true, that is not my entire reason for traveling from my home. We have our own alchemists under tenure.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the main reason then? Something selfless I hope?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Ohe off it. I don¡¯t have to exin myself to a brute such as you.¡± Glenny and Lnd looked to Jude expecting a quippy response. The Berserker Lord simply shrugged. ¡°Maybe it''s something we could help with,¡± Lnd asked. ¡°For a price of course.¡± Alkin scoffed. ¡°There¡¯s always a price.¡± Frankly, Lnd didn¡¯t care about gold. He also didn¡¯t care about helping the fourth son of House Onryo. Not after being threatened and cried to. They had saved him, and they had yet to hear a thank you. Lnd sighed internally, his parents alwaysined about the nobles and royals. He had hoped he wouldn¡¯t have ¡®a noble story¡¯ quite this early into his adventuring career. Still, at least he¡¯d have a fun story to tell. One time, we followed this murderer into a dungeon to save the young man he kidnapped. We defeated him in the end, but the noble didn¡¯t even say thank you! Isn¡¯t that crazy?! ¡°I doubt you three could even help me. My problem lies in the more academic.¡± That got an eyebrow raise from Lnd. ¡°Do tell.¡± Alkin frowned. ¡°It is my mother. She owes too many debts. I need awyer ¨C a Lord of the Law, more specifically.¡± ¡°And Liontrunk has those?¡± ¡°Yes. Liontrunk¡¯s local government constantly has to deal with petitions arguing for or against the blockade of the dungeon. I suspect theirwyer is quite skilled.¡± ¡°Suspect?¡± Lnd asked, the group eclipsing the hill. ¡°Indeed. The person in question seems to be a recluse. I thought venturing to the dungeon entrance would draw his or her hand, but evidently that only brought on the crazies.¡± Alkin shivered, his ckened hands slowly lightening. ¡°Ah, well. Can¡¯t help you there. But who knows, maybe thewyer will make an appearance after we clear the dungeon.¡± Thatment sparked some life in Alkin¡¯s eyes. But a quick firing hand blocking his mouth stopped his reply. Glenny put a finger to his own lips before pointing out across the field. The teau had turned from lush grass to a hilly hignds. Trees were still sparse but movement in the form of animals made their presence known. From a cursory look, Lnd assumed the animals to be nothing but mundane. There were no mana signatures nor anything more deadly than a full jaw of pointy teeth. He had read about dungeons like this. While most were simply traveling from point ¡°A¡± to ¡°B¡±, dungeons were sometimes known to open up into a wide ecosystem. While somewhat rare, a dungeon such as this only meant one thing ¨C more walking. ¡°Uhhg,¡± Judeined. ¡°This is going to take forever.¡± So they got to it. They traveled at a steady pace, taking breaks when Alkin needed or eating when they got hungry. No animals interfered with their passage, even the ones Glenny stole eggs from. Fresh eggs were always a rare treat for adventurers out of a city, they took advantage and had their fill of omelets. Eventually they reached the domain of the dungeon¡¯s final boss. ¡°Woah.¡± ¡°Something like this exists?¡± ¡°Amazing.¡± ¡°Eh, I¡¯ve seen better.¡± The three others craned their necks, staring at Jude. He simply shrugged. ¡°I saw a picture in a book once.¡± ¡°You can read?¡± Glenny asked. Before Jude could respond, Lnd raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯d love to hear this banter, but I think this takes precedence. How do we want to proceed? Do you all think we can kill it?¡± The boss in question was a variation of the average Mana Lion. While it wasrger than a house, its lower half had mutated into that of a toad. It hopped around at the teau¡¯s edge, skipping around a smallke while kicking up plenty of dirt and mud. It had created a fort in the mud, damming the water from falling off the cliff¡¯s edge like it was hiding something within the water. As the boys watched the beast from afar, it suddenly jumped off the side of the cliff and fell to thend below. Everyone froze, at least until arge updraft sent loose des of grass streaming. The hulking form of the lion-toad then appeared, having jumped from the base of the teau back to the top. ¡°Uh.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Are they supposed to get that big?¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°It must be that the dungeon hasn¡¯t been cleared in a long while. The Mana Lion had time to evolve, thus turning into this.¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Let¡¯s study it a bit.¡± The lion-toad jumped back and forth from the top of the cliff to the bottom. Each time it brought fresh dry soil which it promptly deposited into theke with arge spat. From there it wouldunch itself high into the air, reposition itself so its back amphibian legs could kick the mud into a better spot. It was Jude who spoke up next. ¡°We can kill it. We just have to keep our distance or stay right under it.¡± ¡°Under it?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Below its hops, I mean.¡± He then turned to Lnd. ¡°How many casts of Fracture until it''s disabled?¡± Lnd nced to Alkin before answering. ¡°I have no clue. Frankly I¡¯m not sure if my spell will break its bones. That Icewillow guy shrugged off the spell without his bones breaking.¡± ¡°No they broke,¡± Glenny said. ¡°It just took him moving to strain the fractures.¡± They turned back to the monster, watching it hop back down then back up. ¡°If I can break its legs while it¡¯s at the bottom¡­ I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m willing to trust such a random spell though.¡± Jude hummed, ¡°I¡¯ll just distract it until you do, no worries.¡± Glenny and Lnd looked at him. ¡°Do we need to remind you of what happened early? We can¡¯t have you raging out again.¡± That caused Jude¡¯s face to fall. ¡°Can we talk about thatter? When someone isn¡¯t around?¡± They looked at Alkin who didn¡¯t appear to be listening. ¡°Fine. But it¡¯s a conversation we need to have.¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Jude snapped back. Glenny pulled the conversation back. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to do anything to it. Its fur and hide look too thick for my daggers.¡± It was then Lnd noticed something about theke. All round the edge, animalspped up water. They, however, didn¡¯t cross a certain threshold of distance to the dam. It was like they were afraid to be near, like that was striking range. ¡°Maybe I can whittle it down from afar,¡± Lnd said. ¡°No one would be near it.¡± ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°What if I just sneak over and cast Fracture on it until it notices? Then we run away. Lions are territorial, and I don¡¯t think it would leave its home. Then we rinse and repeat.¡± ¡°Hit and run?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem very fun.¡± ¡°Fun,¡± Glenny repeated, tasting the word. ¡°Right, fun. Battle is fun. Running away while Lnd does all the work is not.¡± Lnd interjected. ¡°Well it wouldn¡¯t be me doing all the work. You¡¯d have to carry me. My spells take too much out of me.¡± Glenny rolled his shoulder. ¡°I think it''s worth a try. The lion-toad can jump far but it seems slow to do so. I think we can course correct so we don¡¯t getnded on.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Jude replied. ¡°If not, we just leave Lnd and run ourselves.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Glenny said. ¡°¡­ hey now,¡± Lnd coughed. Chapter 18: Boss Chapter 18: Boss They ran, a house sized lion-toad floating after them. Lnd only managed to cast Fracture twice before the beast noticed. When it did, it turned right to Lnd and Jude and crouched down. A momentter, it was sailing through the air with a harsh updraft following closely behind. ¡°Bad n!¡± Lnd yelled, the wind scattering the nearby animals as well. Goats and gazelles became running hazards as everything scampered away from the mutated Mana Lion. Jude twisted his neck, finding the monsternding with a dull crash. It roared, shaking the top of the teau and gathering mana. Abruptly a thick beam of blue shot forward, cutting the hignd in half. Both Lnd and Jude dove out of the way, the former of which was gathering mana of his own. ¡°Slow!¡± he cursed, his heart momentarily syncing with the monster before him. He was scared, like his home was going to be ruined. He didn¡¯t want to be in trouble, he didn¡¯t want to let the core down. He would build defenses just as he was told. There were just two mana invaders. He¡¯d get rid of them. Reality came back and Lnd reacted right away. Snapping his fingers twice in quick session, mana flowed towards the target. ¡°Fracture, Fracture.¡± There was no crack, but Lnd was expecting that. All he needed to do was escape. He ran, despite the sweat pouring off his face. His chest felt heavy, his feet like lead. A calloused hand suddenly gripped onto his waist, then he was flying through the air.Jude, having picked him up and using this jumping ability,unched manically. ¡°You were right! This is fun!¡± Lnd couldn¡¯t agree, his stomach was already melting at this rate. They eventually touched down and continued running. Jude didn¡¯t let go of his friend and eventually they were back up the hill overseeing theke. The lion-toad didn¡¯t follow. ¡°Good,¡± Lnd huffed. ¡°The n works but we don¡¯t know if I dealt any damage to it.¡± ¡°Oh you did,¡± Glenny said, bing visible . ¡°Look at its tail.¡± And they did, even Alkin squinted. Behind the toad legs was a normal, albeit overlyrge, tail. It was crooked, like a broken stick. ¡°Surely there¡¯s more than one break, right?¡± Jude asked. Lnd wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Don¡¯t know. But I think we have a way forward. Let''s get a fire going and when my lifeforce is back to full, we can try again.¡± That brought Alkin from his thoughts. ¡°You use lifeforce to cast spells?¡± Everyone looked to Lnd who hesitated. He sighed, not meaning to reveal that much information. He simply nodded. ¡°Lucky,¡± Alkin muttered. In a way, Lnd supposed he was lucky. As a rank one mage, he was supposed to have decently small mana capacity. But since the Lord of Curses Legacy flipped that on its head, it would only make sense for others to be jealous. After all, mana was a mage¡¯s currency. Their whole life wrapped around the invisible resource. Instead of dwelling on the fact that he was different, Lnd opened his grimoire to his newest page. He quickly read over the description of Harbinger Halo, noting that nothing had changed about it. He did, however, have a new entry under a column entitled ¡°Contracts.¡± Cursed contract of the Lord of Magic: Use: For the duration of the contract, all magical abilities are increased by a factor of 5%. Only usable once per hour. Return: One greater mana potion offered at a shrine of the Lord of Magic at the earliest convenience, as well as an additional one in one year¡¯s time. Lnd hummed to himself, thinking about the contract. Five percent doesn¡¯t seem very strong by itself but since I can repeatedly cast Fracture, the effect increases significantly. Slowly the realization hit him. What would the effects be as he grew in proficiency and rank for both the contract curse and bone breaking curse? Five percent now, but that wouldn¡¯t always be the case ¨C the Lord of Magic even said so. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go again,¡± Lnd said. It had only been ten minutes but he was raring to go. Slowly, the three snuck over to the lion-toad. Glenny went ahead, invisible but clearing a path, nheless. Luckily, the threshold of Lnd¡¯s spell and the territory of the monster were roughly the same. They hesitated just beyond the boundary, waiting for the beast to jump to the bottom of the cliff. During the wait, Lnd opened his grimoire to the contract page. He trusted his Legacy to tell him how to activate the paper. Magic jolted his hand, opening his palm before setting it carefully at the center of the page. A dark halo of purple and ck appeared from the sheet before rushing out about his head. The halo hung in the air, sprinkles of mana slowly falling like snow in a blizzard. Lnd didn¡¯t mind the theatrics, the curse¡¯s effects were already making themselves well known. He felt powerful, like his blood had been frozen in time before and was only just now thawing out. A smile crept to his face as the lion-toad readied its legs for a hop. Lnd quickly took a few steps inward and cast as many instances of Fracture as he could. ¡°Fracture, fracture, fracture, fracture, fra¡ª¡± Four, that was as many as he could achieve before the monster fell to the depths below. They started rushing back, past the oblivious animals that drank theke¡¯s water. Abruptly, a wash of wind kicked them into high gear. They ran faster, Jude taking the moment to grip onto Lnd and jump out as far as possible. Lnd turned his head, his halo still following silently above. He snapped, the words of his curse bleeding through. ¡°Fracture.¡± The monsternded, failed to properly brace. It mmed into the thick grass as Lnd spoke again. ¡°Fracture, Fracture.¡± Jude pushed Lnd up the hill and both turned in time to see the lion-toad jump away. Lnd, through bated breath, spoke up. ¡°It- crashed!¡± ¡°Looks like your n is working!¡± Jude replied, shoving a canteen into his friend''s hands and forcing him to sit. ¡°Cool halo by the way.¡± ¡°New- spell.¡± ¡°Is it powerful?¡± ¡°Incredibly so.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Lnd smiled, falling back and closing his eyes once he made sure Glenny returned. ¡°Wake me in an hour, we¡¯ll go again.¡± And they did, three more times in fact. With an early dinner in their bellies, Lnd, Jude, and Glenny strolled over to the lion-toad onest time. At this point the monster was licking its own wounds, slowly creeping up and down theke while padding the ground t. It was unleashing low guttural growls, cries of pain, deathly throes. If left alone, it might live after a few weeks of rest. Maybe less since it was mana inclined. But they had a job to do, they had money to make. It was a sickening feeling to Lnd, one he desperately wished he didn¡¯t have to go through. Causing agony, regardless whether it was to a monster, regardless whether it was to a dungeon created monster, didn¡¯t feel right. He saw why the Lord of Curses warned him about Witchhunters, he understood more than anyone their potency. There wererge schrly papers written about dungeons and whether their inhabitants are truly alive. Lnd always erred on the side that they were, but now more than anything, he wanted himself to be wrong. Would he have left the dungeon if he knew this was going to be the oue? No, probably not. Not when the rewards could potentially save his or his friend¡¯s lives in the future. He took no pleasure in this, it was simply something he as an adventurer was expected to do. He¡¯d progress and grow in strength. His spells would upgrade, he himself would upgrade. Eventually this situation before him would be a thing of the past. His magic would grow into something better than incremental torture. He felt sure of it. Lnd started off with Curse of Copse. The spell took, and he felt the monster¡¯s pain. It wallowed in anguish, its task too much of a guiding force to let it help itself. The core was the cause, it spoke to the monster like a god. It told the monster to protect and hide itself. And that was all the monster was supposed to do. The core didn¡¯t care if it died. It only cared about protecting itself. A fool''s order, but the one given, nheless. The core made Lnd question the identity of dungeon monsters. How could a semi sentient object have such a hold over the monsters within its walls? In a way it made Lnd question his own faith. His religion of Lords. His godly guidance. It was maddening to think about, something that stumped even the brightest researchers or most devout followers. In the end, it didn¡¯t matter. The monster was dying, and the quicker Lnd killed it, the better he¡¯d feel. ¡°Fracture, Fracture, Fracture, Fracture, Fracture.¡± His dark halo zed with radiant energy. It washed the battlefield with authority and willpower while sending those mundane few around into a frenzy. Animals rushed with dying terror. They ran, following their instincts to the tee. ¡°Maul,¡± Lnd whispered, summoning forth a murder of crows. They attacked, pecking at the weak spots of the lion-toad while ripping into the fleshy bits. The monster tried to run, tried to get to the precious core, but Jude and Glenny were there. They attacked together, each aiming for the kill. Glenny sunk his daggers into a spot where the crows hadcerated, his ability creating a geyser of blood in the process. Jude hacked into the back legs of the creature, each cut inching closer to slicing tendon. They continued hailing attacks into the dying monster and eventually it stopped moving for good ¨C its broken and torn apart body making the final assault easy. Chapter 19: Spoils Chapter 19: Spoils The monster¡¯s hulking size left plenty of things to remove. Hide, scale, leather, eyes, teeth, organs, even its tail for proof of kill. Lnd watched Glenny skin the most usable parts of the lion-toad , most of which were peppered with small cuts and gashes. While the monster parts would surely catch arge price, the real treasure was the item it dropped when it died. Monster drops, while strictly a dungeon phenomenon, were vastly known. Stories of valiant knights ying heretical bosses and returning with the key item to save their town were repeated for children across the world. Dreams of delvers bing unfathomably rich overnight. Rumors of nobles paying hefty prices behind closed doors for the obscure or ult. It was a gamble, however, with more things than one. Delving was dangerous. Monsters kill, people betray, and sometimes people simply don¡¯t make it out. All for the chance at an item. There was no guarantee anything would work out or that the item wouldn¡¯t be cursed and unstable. Still, Lnd had high hopes. After all, the dungeon had been uncleared for many years, thus making the potential output that much more. Rewards were likely going to be spilling. As Glenny cut apart the monster and Lnd recovered his lifeforce, Jude was tasked with treading through theke looking for the items. Eventually, after an hour, they reconvened. Even Alkin looked interested. A bone gauntlet, a ck glistening cloak, and a lit candle with a blue me were all Jude found ¨C and after Lnd and Glenny waded through the water as well, they decided that was all they were getting. Each would need appraising but they all agreed that the cloak looked to be the most unique item of the three. It was the odd void-like pattern that shifted throughout the fabric, something about it zed power and uncertainty. ¡°Could be cursed,¡± Jude said.¡°Doubtful,¡± said Lnd. ¡°This isn¡¯t a high ranking dungeon. The odds would be astronomically low.¡± ¡°Still, maybe because¡­ you know.¡± And Lnd did. But he still thought, even with his Legacy in mind, a cursed item was simply too rare. ¡°It¡¯s probably a low-ranking artifact,¡± Glenny added. That drew Alkin¡¯s eye but only for a moment. Instead his gaze fell on the candle. ¡°Any idea about that?¡± he asked. ¡°Could be anything really,¡± Lnd answered with a shrug. ¡°A candle that never burns away. A candle that increases fire magic potency. Items that are a bit¡­ different usually are hit or miss.¡± ¡°I understand. When we get it appraised, then we will know more.¡± They all raised an eyebrow. Jude scoffed. ¡°¡¯We?¡¯¡± Alkin¡¯s demeanor changed in that moment. The rich noble brat fa?ade crumbled, revealing what Lnd saw when he freed the young Master from his icy restraints. Fear. Fear of how powerless he truly was. Fear of the future for the fourth son of a House in debt. Fear that more enemies hid within the shadows. His family had taken the title of noble from a crime ridden family. Who¡¯s to say there were not people out looking for revenge. Icewillow certainly had, why would there not be more? It took him a moment but eventually Alkin¡¯s face turned back to his mask. ¡°What if I wish to buy the item from you? I would think our adventure together would give me the rite of first bid.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a real rite.¡± Alkin chewed his lip. ¡°Please. I can feel the candle. It speaks to me. I think our power is one and the same.¡± That got a second look from Lnd. ¡°You think this candle is spirit fire? That would make it very valuable.¡± ¡°Only to someone like me. And I should happen to mention, the Lord of Spirits is a decently rare Legacy to ept.¡± Lnd could agree to that. Illusion magic was known forck of power, especially in the early ranks. Most simply didn¡¯t have the time or resources to cultivate such an art. ¡°Fine. If we do not want it, you will have first bid. If you do not reach our asking price, then it will go to auction.¡± Alkin nodded slowly to that. ¡°Thank you. Actually no, thank you for everything. For saving my life, I mean.¡± ¡°Oh? Change of heart?¡± Jude hummed, his hands clenched together and covering his own heart. He batted his eyebrows for good measure as well. ¡°Truthfully, I didn¡¯t know if you three were trustworthy until now. You can¡¯t exactly call your treatment of me¡­ amodating.¡± That quickly made Jude¡¯s smile drop. ¡°We almost died to save you!¡± ¡°And I, and my House, are thankful. In fact, why don¡¯t I offer to hire your services. I need a protective guard watching my back through the wilds on the way back home.¡± ¡°And where is your home again?¡± It was Glenny that answered. ¡°Shoutwell.¡± Lnd tsked. ¡°Not much to do in Shoutwell. For adventurers, I mean.¡± Just then, the crow tattoo on his hand pecked him. He looked at it angrily but it didn¡¯t give any hints on why it just hurt him. There was no blood, so that was a positive. ¡°Please,¡± Alkin said. ¡°M-my guard that died. While he was only the help, I still trusted him. That I could not say for some random group of adventurers I hired from the Guild.¡± ¡°We¡¯re a random group of adventurers and we were literally in the Guild yesterday!¡± Jude huffed. ¡°Oh? But are we? I think yourselves and I have more connections than you three randomly finding evidence of my kidnapping.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Alkin said, then pointed at Lnd. ¡°First, we have the son of the Inquisitor¡¯s Silver. Then we have a brute of a young man, one who is obviously a Legacy of Berserkers. Then, and more interestingly, we have a rogue that can elongate his tongue. If I¡¯m not mistaken, that ability is a hallmark of the Legacy of Chameleon.¡± ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Lnd said with narrow eyes. ¡°That you three are the children of the Royal Inquisitor team that brought down the Icewillows. Which puts you,¡± he pointed to Glenny. ¡°as the son of the fallen Inquisitor.¡± Glenny swallowed. ¡°That¡¯s right. But what does it matter to you? Our arrival here was nothing more than chance.¡± ¡°It''s fate! That¡¯s why!¡± All three boys groaned. ¡°Fate doesn¡¯t exist,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Oh but it does. Simply look at the coincidence. I needed help otherwise I would be killed. You three happen to arrive at the same town as I. And you three happen toe to my rescue? It is fate- Wait! Where are you going? We are having a conversation.¡± All three of the boys had gathered their belongings and walked off towards the dungeon core. Without the lion-toad, theke¡¯s gentle waves had washed away most of the mud fort, revealing the final prize for the deadly trial. The core was a small orb, one of glowing blue and yellow spirals. It fit in the palm of a hand but, at the same time, was untouchable. It was ethereal, just like Lnd¡¯s crows. Only special tools or abilities could interact with the heart of the dungeon, and only improper things woulde of such actions. ¡°We could destroy it,¡± Lnd said, his mind on the lion-toads dying woes. ¡°I have my crows. I think they¡¯d be able to break it.¡± Glenny shook his head. ¡°Do that and a whole town suffers. Lives would be ruined.¡± Lnd nodded. ¡°I know. I¡¯m just thinking aloud. Come on, we still need to get that golden orb in the cave. Hopefully the ice melted enough.¡± They walked through a blue shimmer floating harmlessly next to the core. In an instant, the group had teleported across the hignds, over the teau, and back to the entrance. Then Jude dropped off his packs and sprinted down the path. Fifteen minutester, he returned out of breath but clutching another monster drop. ¡°Shame the Mana Lion alpha didn¡¯t drop anything,¡± Lnd said, cing the orb into his pack. ¡°Jude¡¯s kill was pretty sweet. Thought he¡¯d earn style points.¡± ¡°Haha yeah,¡± Jude replied, his eyes looking off. ¡°Wait! Is that a real thing? Do more items drop if we kill the monsters in cool ways?!¡± Lnd and Glenny both smiled. They wanted tough, but their aching legs and bodies didn¡¯t allow such things. ¡°Time to go,¡± Lnd said. ¡°You first Alkin.¡± The noble nodded, stepping through the dungeon exit. The others did the same right after and entered the vault room where the entrancey. Instantly, weapons were drawn and spears were shoved in their faces. The room was crowded with guards and soldiers alike, each listening formands. ¡°Lay down your weapons and expel your tattoos and you will not be harmed. You four are under arrest for a double murder and entering a locked dungeon without clearance.¡± The voice was feminine but strikingly powerful ¨C an ability, one thatpelled even the toughest criminals. Alkin and, oddly enough, Jude, were the first on their knees. Each had surrendered their legacies, a battle axe in Jude¡¯s case and a ck glove in Alkin¡¯s. Glenny copsed under the pressure next, having given up his mirror to the nearest guard. Lnd scanned the room with confused impatience. The Royal colors of red and silver made up a few of the guardsmen, signaling to him that this was no townw. It was the Inquisitors, more specifically the Royal Inquisitors. And yet, despite the obvious difference in rank, age, and experience, Lnd didn¡¯t feel the need to surrender himself. He did so anyway, but he wasn¡¯tpelled against his will. He felt the same slight pull as when Alkin pushed his spirit fire at him. It was noticeable but not absolute like how he figured it was supposed to be. He slowly ced his grimoire on the floor and fell to his knees. Within moments, each of them were cuffed and moved out into the main part of the building. It was then Lnd saw the leadership of this particr Inquisitor team. His parents had told him stories of a ruthless Inquisitor with multiple sessful high profile cases under her belt. She wore her rank with authority and longevity, often pushing the limits of thew with brutal tactics. Strapped with a longbow forged from countless victories, The Huntress stood with her chin held high. The Huntress, while a title befitting of the fear she produced, paled inparison to the simple rank Lnd knew she carried. The woman before him was a Witchhunter. Chapter 20: Witchhunter Chapter 20: Witchhunter Deep within the town of Liontrunk, well past the market square and alchemyboratories, was a unique building. A constant flow of traffic entered and exited the armored doors, sporting weapons or iron shackles. Some came with their heads high, others befell the lowestkes of sorrow. This building catered to a certain type of person, the kind that thought of thew only as a hindrance. The building was for the worst of the worst, the kind of person whomitted more than petty crime. Those within were hardened and destitute, often without family or friends to pull them from their wayward ways. Most were older, past the age of low ranks but before upper echelons of what was possible. Only three were oddly out of ce despite sitting amongst the others. First the brute, the physically strongest of the three. Then the rogue, the slippery one. And finally, the mage ¨C well, sort of mage. Lnd¡¯s leg bounced like a trembling muscle, despite being seated on a stone bench. His body wasn¡¯t strained any longer, the ring of regeneration having long pushed him back to peak health. Still, his face looked as though he had killed someone ¨C which, in a way, he had. A low hum echoed through the stone walls. It pitched and dropped, rhythmically harmonizing with the somber tone of the jail. The sound was enough to pull Lnd from his internal thoughts of warnings and crows. He looked to Jude, who had somehow procured a harmonica despite being in captivity. ¡°Where did you even get that?¡± Lnd asked, his worries melting. Jude didn¡¯t answer with words, his mouth busy spitting through the musical channels. His eyes, however, pointed to his naked feet. ¡°You traded your shoes?¡± That question did stop the music. ¡°It was a good deal.¡±¡°No it wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Uh, I can get shoes anywhere. Harmonicas are only sold in music shops, and Liontrunk doesn¡¯t have one. So, uh, yes it was.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes and saw a guard move beyond the iron poles that separated freedom from confinement. The man flipped through arge ring of keys, eventually unlocking the door and shoving Glenny through. The rogue looked to his friends, gave a little shrug, and sat down. Then the guard pointed to Lnd and said, ¡°Your turn.¡± Lnd wasst in this round of interrogation and he suspected his would be the longest. Even after exining the situation to The Huntress, after giving her the head of the Witch branded Icewillow, she still looked at them with scorn filled eyes. She had locked them away, letting them stew for an entire night without once attempting to rectify the situation. Since Alkin Onryo never was forced to join them in the cell, Lnd assumed their capture was now for reasons other than Icewillow and the dungeon. It wasn¡¯t until Jude¡¯s interrogation that his theory was proven. Jude had told Lnd the questions mostly revolved around their team and precisely who they were. Lnd, with a guard pushing him through the hallways, scanned the rooms he passed. It was there he saw Alkin, sitting before a spread of breakfast foods like the noble he was. Of course, he would have greater leniency in his treatment. Such was the way of the world. They made eye contact as Lnd passed, but Alkin looked away first. Eventually Lnd was led into a small enclosed room. A table and chairs sat before him, two seats were already taken while a third was left empty. The Huntress motioned for him to sit, which he did. The guard left, leaving the two investigators space to work. The one Lnd didn¡¯t recognize, a male without hair and a multitude of scars, started first. The air went stark thick for a mere moment before the man sucked in a deep breath. The pressure in the room equalized but a sparkle appeared in the man¡¯s eyes, yellow with mixtures of red. The Huntress spoke up, ¡°My associate here is a Legacy of Law. The ability he just used allows him to see lies. Do you understand?¡± Her words were cold and calcted, like every syble was marked and organized with a file deep in her own mind. She also didn¡¯t blink, something that uneased Lnd more than he was willing to admit. The Huntress was well known as a Royal Inquisitor and Witchhunter. Her Legacy allowed her to excel where an entire team of Inquisitors may fail ¨C the chase. She was widely known as the highest ranked Legacy of the Hunt, a special achievement which she used to its full extent. She hunted alone, she tracked alone, she lived in the wilds, she mostly did as she pleased. But she always got her mark, even if it took years. ¡°State your name,¡± she said. ¡°Lnd Silver.¡± She made a mark on a notepad. ¡°What is your Legacy, Mr Silver?¡± ¡°I im my right to decline answering.¡± The Huntress looked up, her eyebrow frozen with irritation. ¡°You must answer.¡± The man beside her twitched at the statement. Lnd shrugged. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. My parents have warned me about what questions I have to answer. Anything about my Legacy, unless being investigated for being a vile Lord, is something I do not have to answer.¡± She snarled her next question. ¡°Is your Lord vile?¡± ¡°No.¡± She marked something. ¡°And who are your parents?¡± ¡°The Inquisitors Silver ¨C I¡¯m sure you know them,¡± Lnd¡¯s leg had started bouncing again. ¡°Indeed I know them. But I know nothing about their child. In fact, I didn¡¯t know they had a child,¡± the man beside the Huntress blinked at the answer, his eyes turning deep red for a moment. A lie, Lnd thought. Interesting. ¡°Why are we here?¡± he asked aloud. ¡°For entering a restricted dungeon and the kidnapping of a noble.¡± ¡°I can agree with the former part of that statement but we did not kidnap Alkin. In fact, we saved him from his kidnapper. A Witch named Icewillow, you know, the man whose head we gifted you.¡± The Huntress frowned at the sarcasm. ¡°Heads can be fabricated.¡± Lnd recoiled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Never mind,¡± she tapped her notepad. ¡°I¡¯ll cut to the chase with you. You and your team have been cleared of involvement in Master Onryo¡¯s kidnapping. If anything, ording to Onryo¡¯s testimony, you three should be awarded.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Lnd hesitated. ¡°Why is it not good?¡± ¡°Due to the simple matter of who you three are. The eldest of you, Jude, has only had his Legacy for half a year. While the youngest of you, you, only a few weeks. How does it make sense that you three were able to take down a murderous Witch that killed one of the Inquisitors¡¯ best?¡± Lnd cleared his throat. ¡°Teamwo¡ª¡± ¡°We both know you¡¯d be lying if you finished your statement.¡± A frown came from the man beside her. Lnd saw and spoke up, ¡°I do not believe that to be true.¡± He turned to the man. ¡°I believe teamwork was what allowed us to defeat the Witch Icewillow.¡± The man¡¯s eyes stayed yellow with sparks of red. ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± The Huntress gnawed her bottom lip. ¡°Exin it to me. y by y, retelling of your encounter.¡± And so Lnd did. He spoke ofing across the mangled body of Alkin¡¯s guard. The broken into dungeon, the decorated Mana Lions, and eventually the final battle with Icewillow. He left out any parts he deemed unnecessary, like his spells or Jude¡¯s berserker rage. Eventually his story concluded and the Huntress stared on, her eyebrow twitching. ¡°He spoke all truths,¡± the Legacy of Law said. ¡°I¡¯m not a criminal, Lady Huntress,¡± Lnd said. ¡°In fact, I only have the utmost respect for Inquisitors and the work they do.¡± She scoffed at that. ¡°Fine, you will be set free. But trust me when I say this, I will be watching you.¡± She reached to a sack below her chair, returning with a purple grimoire. Lnd greedily sucked the Legacy back into his hand, not feelingplete without it. ¡°A crow, huh?¡± The Royal Inquisitor said. ¡°The Lord of Crows is epting new Legacies? I was under the impression he stopped some centuries ago.¡± Lnd covered the tattoo with his hand and said nothing. The Huntress scoffed at the silence and she and the man walked out. Shortly after, Lnd followed, finding Jude and Glenny gorging their faces with Alkin¡¯s breakfast. He rolled his eyes at the scene and pulled himself up a chair. No one spoke for a few minutes, a meal other than me burnt lion was much more important than conversation. Eventually they finished eating and Jude began ying his newly acquired harmonica, much to the annoyance of the guards trying to work. ¡°Anyone know where they are keeping our stuff?¡± Lnd asked. It took an hour, but they were able to locate their stuff. Next stop was a shoe maker for Jude, followed quickly by an item appraiser. They walked through the town with greed filled steps, the thoughts of treasure on their minds. Chapter 21: Profit Chapter 21: Profit ¡°I think they are too tight.¡± Jude hesitated a step, reaching down and smudging his new bootces. He then stomped and caught up with the others. A few stepster he repeated the process, all the while holding a look of disgust. After the sixth or seventh , Glenny had enough. ¡°Come on man. The first three pairs were too big, then the next four were too small. And now you are saying the only pair that remotely came close is slightly too small?¡± The town of Liontrunk was in a bit of a hurry. News had spread about the attack on the guard building housing the dungeon entrance. Without having all the facts, the general consensus was that the invaders were aiming to break the dungeon core and ruin the town. People rushed all about, selling as much stock as possible even if it was under significant market rates. The important Mana Lion organs had spiked in price, something which Lnd noticed while he sold the parts he brought back. The alchemist he sold to was more than willing to buy everything he had, even the lion-toad parts. The man wasn¡¯t able to identify the parts, which Lnd yed off as simply being from a mutation near a gnoll camp. The man only shrugged at the shoddy answer, not caring as he hit an alchemical goldmine. Lnd also sold off the pelts and toad leather, finding various sellers through the market district. The toad leather got a bemused eye, but nothing more. When Lnd finally returned to the others, Jude had just picked his shoes. ¡°I can¡¯t help it!¡± Jude sputtered. ¡°You know what might help the situation? A beautiful¡ª¡± Glenny interrupted, ¡°So help the Legacy of Berserkers if you y that cursed harmonica right now, I will shove it down your throat.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes quickly found the cobbled street, not before slyly ying a low long note as his shoulders slumped. Glenny only smoldered.Lnd took a deep breath. ¡°Come on, Alkin should have our reservation by now.¡± The others took the cue and followed along. They ventured across the town to the rtively small magical district. While a booming adventurer town, the magic aspect had taken a side step to the sword and shield. That didn¡¯t mean the town was without magic, quite the contrary in fact. Many alchemical advancements had been solved or assisted by mages. As it turned out, specific aspects of mana proved quite fruitful when it came to stumped alchemists tinkering with vtile transmutations or distitions. Through the winding streets, past shops selling the magical, Lnd and the others walked. They passed bay windows showing self-repairing trinkets, elegant dual weapons, magical staves that sparked with different color gems, even a dress enchanting shop that sold clothes that looked to be on fire or soaked with liquid gold. The mage district was, and always would be, Lnd''s favorite area within a town. He felt at home, he felt like he could feel his parents around every corner. They eventually reached the town¡¯s only auction house where armed guards dressed in stark ck suits waited outside. As the trio approached, they felt icy stares slowly bounce up and down their bodies. ¡°One of you Lnd?¡± one of the guards asked, his tone less than interested. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°They are waiting in room one. First right then first room on the left.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­¡± With the doors held open for them, the boys quickly scurried through. They entered an overly opulent waiting room. Golden trim and white marble met their tired eyes, the sudden reflected light nearly blinding them. Jude even groaned, raising his hand to shield himself. ¡°I hate snobby ces like this,¡± he whined. Glenny shrugged. ¡°They have the money and the means to help us, so, get over it.¡± Jude rapidly opened and closed his mouth, making muttering noises as he went. ¡°Real mature.¡± ¡°Guys, please. Let¡¯s not piss anyone off this early,¡± Lnd said, a vein on his temple bulging. They followed the guard¡¯s instructions and entered room one. Alkin was inside, sipping tea with an impressively dressed older woman. She wore a monocle and enchanted gloves, her salt and pepper hair tied tightly in a bun. ¡°Ah, finally,¡± Alkin said, standing. ¡°Everyone, I¡¯d like you to meet Appraiser Joy.¡± Lnd stepped forward, his hand out in greeting. She took it, shaking deeply. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Lnd. Sorry we arete, someone had a shoe problem.¡± Joy smiled. ¡°Yes, Master Onryo has informed me of yourtest adventures. I especially appreciated the harmonica tales.¡± Glenny face palmed as Jude stepped forward with his hand out as well. ¡°Hello friend of the finer aspects of music, I¡¯m Jude.¡± She took his hand. ¡°I could tell. Not very often do we have individuals here that look almost exactly as described.¡± That got a raised eyebrow from Glenny. ¡°Do you often have people describing others?¡± ¡°Oh sure,¡± Joy motioned to the couch. ¡°We often have masquerade bidding. Our attendants have to memorize what people look like so we can charge the correct ount.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t number the guests and have them raise said number?¡± ¡°We did once upon a time. But you will find few respected establishments still using such an outdated method. Illusion spells and tampering with bids became quite the spectacle about a decade ago.¡± Glenny could only mutter, ¡°Huh.¡± Joy smiled again, moving a metal tray with instruments and tools before her. ¡°Master Onryo tells me you three have several items you need appraising? Oh, please help yourself to tea or cookies.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes lit up. Lnd ignored him and pulled at his pack. He ced the bone gauntlet, ck glistening cloak, lit candle with a blue me, and golden orb on the coffee table. The Appraiser stifled a gasp. ¡°May I?¡± she asked, receiving several head nods. She went one at a time, picking each item up, looking it over, then used several different tools. About an hourter she had gone through the four items and presented her findings. ¡°Starting from least involved, we have the bone gauntlet. It is made from Mana Lion femur and skull. Interestingly, the bone has been warped like metal thus creating a rather potent protective design. It will be most suitable for a warrior archetype and will increase pure mana defenses by a slight amount. If you would like the exact numerical value, that can be arranged ¨C at an additional charge, of course.¡± Everyone looked to Jude who shrugged. He took the gauntlet and slipped it on. ¡°I feel¡­ indestructible. Quick, Lnd, cast something on me.¡± Lnd coughed. ¡°Uh, no.¡± Jude sat back and pouted. Joy cleared her throat. ¡°Next, we have the golden orb. At first I was quite confused as to what I was looking at. But¡ª¡± She dinged the orb with a metal tuning fork, causing cracks to form along the gold. ¡°- as you can see, this is a cracked callers¡¯ orb.¡± Lnd¡¯s eyes widened and he sucked in a deep breath. ¡°What aspect?¡± he asked, holding his breath. ¡°The cracked orb will increase the spell potency of any gold spell. As in the metal. As in what we use for money.¡± Joy then summoned a ck box. It appeared from thin air, where she then ced the orb before the box disappeared. ¡°Royalw states that any magical item that increases the effectiveness of gold spells are to be taken at once. With an appropriate mary amodation, of course.¡± Lnd deted but nodded anyway. The Royals took minting very seriously. Last thing everyone wanted was artificial intion. ¡°How much will we be receiving?¡± ¡°Ny three gold paid and stamped by the Royal Treasury. Any bank will be able to cash the note.¡± Even Alkin¡¯s eyes were wide, and he was a noble. ¡°Ny three gold for just a single item?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Joy said inly. ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Glenny spoke up. ¡°You said least to most involved. The orb was beaten by the cloak and candle?¡± Joy smirked. ¡°Very much so. Allow me to continue. The candle is next. This is a highly specialized magical item. Without more testing we will not know the true effects but rest assured, at a minimum it will significantly increase the effectiveness of spirit fire.¡± The boys instantly turned to a wide eyed Alkin. Joy kept going. ¡°From how rare spirit fire and the apanying Legacy, I would suggest the starting bid to be at least two hundred and fifty gold. In my opinion it will sell for three hundred plus.¡± The room was silent as Alkin sucked his bottom lip. He eventually gave Lnd a subtle head shake. ¡°I see,¡± Lnd said to Joy. ¡°My team and I will have to discuss selling such a valuable item.¡± Joy smiled as if she expected the answer. ¡°Then let''s continue and then I¡¯ll give you all some privacy.¡± She pointed to the cloak. ¡°Now, let me preface what I am about to say with this: this is my opinion and I stake my title as Senior Appraiser on my word.¡± That caused everyone to sit on the edge of their seats. ¡°This cloak¡­ could be either worth a small fortune or nothing at all. Have any of you ever heard of Parasite Items?¡± Chapter 22: Tail Chapter 22: Tail ¡°Thank you for the appraisals,¡± Lnd said, paying Joy for her services. ¡°If we decide to auction any of the items, we will be back.¡± Joy nodded and pocketed the coin. She held open the door, allowing the others to leave. As they exited, she gave a final bow and spoke, ¡°It was wonderful to make your acquaintance. Pleasee again.¡± With that, they were back to the streets. It was nearing dinner at this point and a restaurant was quickly chosen. They asked to be seated somewhere private, an amodation that brought the group to a table on the second floor towards the back. After ordering, a conversation broke out. ¡°We sell it,¡± Glenny started with. ¡°We do not,¡± Lnd countered. ¡°Agreed,¡± Jude chimed in. They both looked at the brute. ¡°Is that an agreement to sell it or to not sell it?¡± Jude raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yes.¡±Lnd threw his hands up, turning back to Glenny. ¡°We both know that selling it is a mistake. You just don¡¯t want to be the one to get it.¡± Glenny hesitated a response. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need money. We are adventurers, we always have quests to take. And, if anything, we need you protected and or with a higher damage output.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t know the cloak¡¯s effect. It could be something detrimental to me being a rogue!¡± Lnd''s head tilted. ¡°So?¡± he asked. ¡°If it is, then you just stop wearing it. The potential for something great is simply toorge.¡± ¡°Which only makes the potential for failure all the more worrisome,¡± Glenny quipped back. With a mboyant eye roll, Lnd looked to Alkin. ¡°What do you think?¡± The young man hesitated. ¡°I think Glenny should take it.¡± ¡°Ah what do you know,¡± Glenny said with a huff. ¡°So we are all in favor then.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jude eximed. ¡°No!¡± Glenny denied. ¡°Two on one, we win. Three, actually,¡± said Lnd. The food came which also brought on a bout of silence. They quickly scarfed down the food, except for Jude who felt sick from eating so many cookies. The meal consisted of braised meat, more braised meat, and even more braised meat. Mana Lion nk was a popr and abundant cut it seemed. As dessert was served, Lnd said, ¡°Let''s table the cloak conversation for the moment, despite the clear resolution, and talk about the candle.¡± Alkin raised a hand. ¡°I cannot afford the item. But if you would allow it, I would like to give my rite of first bid to my family. I am sure they will pay handsomely for such an item.¡± The restaurant was filling up at this point, the tables to either side of them full. Lnd whispered his response. ¡°That would mean we must take you home to have the potential of your family buying the item. It would be better just to sell it here. Less risk that way.¡± Alkin tapped his fingers against the table. ¡°True, but if you do decide to fulfill the role of bodyguard and escort me home, then why not sell it to my family. I understand there is added risk, but in the end my family will get the candle one way or another. We are, uh, collectors of spirit fire artifacts.¡± ¡°Yeah but aren¡¯t you hurting for money?¡± Jude asked, his tone not pulling any punches. ¡°That is true¡­ I still need to find thatwyer.¡± ¡°How do you expect to pay us for the candle plus the escort home?¡± Alkin straightened his back and pursed his lips. ¡°I have the money to hire you three. My family has the money for the candle¡­ we just may need to sell a few things.¡± Lnd let out a long sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Do we even want to escort you- Ouch!¡± He jumped from his seat, drawing the eyes of nearly the entire restaurant. Slowly, he sat down, covering his left hand. He could feel the blood slipping through his fingers. Gritting his teeth, he wrapped a napkin around his tattoo. ¡°You okay there, bud?¡± Jude asked. Lnd sneaked a peak. The crow on his hand was pping its wings like it was trying to scare off a predator from invading its nest. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Like I was saying, do we evengrhmm¡­¡± A sharp pain drilled into his hand again. Slowly, Lnd expelled his anger. ¡°I think we should escort Alkin home.¡± As the young Master¡¯s eyes widened, Jude and Glenny¡¯s crinkled. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Pretty sure,¡± Lnd replied, pressing his still bleeding hand into the napkin. From there the conversation turned to logistics. How much supplies they needed, how much money they were going to charge. Shoutwell was two weeks on mount, significantly farther than the one week caravan trip to Liontrunk that they justpleted. Regardless, ns were ironed out. Alkin separated for the night and nned to meet back up the day after tomorrow. In the meantime, he was going to look for thewyer his family desperately needed. He wasn¡¯t hopeful, however. He had already asked the Inquisitor about awyer, receiving many non-answers as to why she couldn¡¯t help. Still, he had an active quest for information at the Guild. Maybe he¡¯d get lucky and his coin wouldn¡¯t go to waste. The boys started towards the inn district but their nightly stroll was abruptly cut short ¨C they were being followed. ¡°I spot four,¡± Glenny said, his eyes mutating into lizard-like slits. ¡°Are they posturing to rob us?¡± Lnd asked, shifting the pack with the items behind his back. Sadly, their conversation at the restaurant wasn¡¯t as private as he¡¯d have liked. And, with the knowledge that someone cleared the dungeon, making an informed guess as to who did such a thing was rather simple. In fact, Lnd mentally berated himself for visiting Liontrunk¡¯s appraiser. He had unintentionally created a massive target for the town¡¯s Legacy of Thieves. ¡°Looks like,¡± Glenny replied. ¡°We should prepare an ambush.¡± Jude agreed instantly although Lnd was a bit more hesitant. ¡°Just don¡¯t kill anyone. We don¡¯t need more attention than we already have.¡± The Huntress watched the dark streets from the rooftops above. She was camouged against the cloudless night sky and down wind. She was invisible to any and every one below her rank beside a special few legacies. But the likelihood Lnd was one of those was absurdly rare. So, she sat back content with her vantage point. She had tomend the one called Glenny. He spotted the thieves much faster than she had anticipated. Maybe she should have hired morepetent low-lives. It would have been informative to see how they reacted to being robbed but she figured it may be more informative to see how they dealt with streetbat. Would they murder their attackers? They would have every right. However, that would still tell her plenty about the group and how they operated. The Huntress activated an ability and turned her eyes into that of a hawk. She didn¡¯t want to miss a single detail¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± she sputtered as the fight started and abruptly ended. ¡°Did Lnd even cast a spell?¡± She reyed the fight¡¯s events back in her mind, watching every detail in excruciating slowness. It started when the boys entered a dark alleyway. Not the best choice for a public fight, she figured, but one that would help the rogue thrive. eptable, she mused. The big one, Jude, stepped forward and yelled something that provoked the dumbest of the four robbers. She remembered him from when she hired them and predicted that he was the one most likely to mess up the operation. She was happy to see she was correct. Jude took the first strike,shing out with a sucker punch to the man¡¯s jaw, instantly sending him to sleep on the cold dirt alley. At the same time, Glenny appeared from the guise of partial invisibility and his friend¡¯s destruction. Hended a hard elbow to the back of the neck of one of the other goons before pivoting and thrusting the hilt of his dagger into another¡¯s gut. Both men fell over, unconscious. Frankly the Huntress was impressed with the showing but something strange caught her eye just before Jude knocked thest thief unconscious. The thief had drawn a knife and lunged for Jude¡¯s neck. From the angle, trajectory, and ability the man used, the blow should havended. It, of course, would have done little to stop the Berserker Lord, but still. The fact that the attack didn¡¯t Repetition? Ah, who was she kidding. She was just pandering to her need to always be right. She had no idea what Lnd¡¯s Lord was, especially since he bore a crow tattoo. One thing was certain, she would find out ¨C even if it ate into her vacation days. With the fight concluded, she slipped off the roof and packed her bags. She¡¯d be traveling soon. Shoutwell was it? she thought. It''s been a while. Chapter 23: Devil is in the Details Chapter 23: Devil is in the Details Lnd was the first on guard duty after the boys reached their inn. They didn¡¯t believe thieves would be so bold as to attack them in their room but who knew at this point. With all the absurd things that had happenedtely, Lnd decided they couldn¡¯t be too careful. While the others were sleeping, it gave him plenty of time to see how his spells progressed after the lion-toad battle. Grimoire in hand, Lnd read through the new entry and its apanying spells. You have assisted in killing a Mutated Mana Lion. An appropriate reward has been added to your Legacy. Fracture has increased to rank 6. 80% chance to break a random bone in a single target. Curse of Copse has increased to rank 4.Exhaust the target for 80 seconds, lowering their speed by 20% Harbinger Halo has increased to rank 2. Contractsts for 120 seconds. Lnd¡¯s eyes widened at how long Harbinger Halo could be activated. With a single upgrade the contract duration doubled. There was no guarantee that that pattern would be maintained but the potential still brought a flutter to his heart. At some point Glenny woke up, thus allowing Lnd to fall asleep. In the morning, the first thing the group did was purchase a greater mana potion and head towards the nearest Lord of Magic shrine. Lnd was purposely cryptic about why he needed to do such a thing but he also promised to tell them once he was sure they weren¡¯t being watched. The threat of thieves spreading unearned information was decently high, especially since Glenny found two separate parties following them. ¡°Do we need to take them out again?¡± Jude asked, cracking his knuckles. ¡°I do not believe so. They are staying back, likely only scouts for the more powerful.¡± Lnd frowned at that. ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t we beat them up? If they are scouts then we don¡¯t want whatever they learned getting back to their bosses.¡± Glenny only shook his head. ¡°No. Think of it like this: I can see these scouts and am only a low ranked rogue. If the boss deems it necessary to send someone with better ability, then I will have no clue if we are being followed.¡± ¡°Ah, keep your enemies close,¡± Jude filled in. ¡°Exactly. We should deal with the Magic Lord shrine and spend the rest of the day in the inn. It will be boring but it¡¯s the safest option until Alkin is ready to leave.¡± The others agreed and eventually they entered a small magic shop on the edge of the magic district. Lnd stepped up to the counter and rang a small bell. The shopkeeper came out from behind a curtain, wiping mana residue off his hands with a dirty towel. ¡°Can I help you?¡± he asked. Lnd answered. ¡°Yes, although it may be a strange request. I¡¯m looking for a shrine to the Lord of Magic. Do you have one here I might be able to rent for a few minutes?¡± The shopkeeper gave him an odd eye. ¡°What do you want to rent it for?¡± ¡°Just to pay my respects. Not many mages around the town, no public shrines as far as I could find.¡± Eventually the man nodded and said, ¡°No payment needed. Follow me, the other two will have to wait here though. Not much room in the back.¡± Lnd was led through a tinkerer¡¯s workshop. Tools and magical reagents sat on shelves or took up workbenches. Wands, staves, gem embossed gloves, and even enchanted scrolls. Just a month ago Lnd would have been so excited to visit a shop such as this. Now? With his Legacy not within the realm of actual magic, he only saw it as a remembrance of his parents. Still, some of the stuff was neat. ¡°Here we are,¡± the shopkeeper said, pointing to a small stone chiseled statue. It wasn¡¯t of a person or god but rather the symbol of magic. The stone took the form of a runic circle with a triplet of chained circles in the center. It represented the three main branches of magic. Mana and mind were the obvious two but the third was still a hotly debated topic. Some schrs said the third ring was Lords and legacies while others argued that it was more personal than that. It was something yet to be fully realized, something that every mage did subconsciously. Lnd always believed thetter of the two and that the outer runic circle represented the Lords ¨C not that it mattered to him anymore. Heh, he thought. I wonder if I could create a contract with the Lord of Magic where he¡¯d just tell me. That line of thought brought on more questions about Harbinger Halo and just what was possible with contracts. The simple fact that he could make contracts with Lords, and have some degree of negotiations, was simply so overwhelming. Lnd eventually kneeled before the statue and made sure the shopkeeper had given him some privacy. He ced the greater mana potion on the small pedestal then waited. And waited. He whispered, ¡°Uh¡­ Lord of Magic? I brought the potion we agreed on as payment for our contract.¡± Then the mana potion disappeared, simply faded from existence. ¡°Well okay then. See you in a year.¡± With that Lnd walked back into the lobby and found the shopkeeper and Jude ying harmonicas together. A gloomy Glenny was silently brooding in the corner but perked up when he saw his friend enter. ¡°Finally, let''s get going. I can¡¯t handle this any longer.¡± ¡°You are just jealous you can¡¯t y an instrument like us.¡± The shopkeeper chimed in. ¡°You know, I sell a magical variant of these things. Want to take a look?¡± Ten minutester, the boys stepped out of the magic shop, Jude with a magical harmonica in one pocket and thirty five gold less in another. They walked through the streets back to their inn, Glenny plugging his ears the entire way. Once situated back in their room, Lnd spoke up. ¡°Okay, so. I have a spell that allows me to gain something from other Lords.¡± ¡°Uh, what?¡± ¡°Yeah I know. Pretty crazy right. But it''s real, five percent spell potency from the Lord of Magic real.¡± ¡°At the cost of a mana potion?¡± Glenny asked. Lnd nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not always going to be that simple. The Lord of Magic was doing a favor for my Lord. It was an example of what is possible with this sort of thing.¡± Jude and Glenny sat back. ¡°What Lord are you going for next?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of the Lord of Spirits.¡± ¡°Not something cool or dangerous? I¡¯m in favor of you taking from the Lord of Berserkers,¡± Jude waved off. ¡°Maybeter,¡± Lnd answered. ¡°I need something to bargain with, but I figured that saving Alkin brought me more favor than not.¡± Glenny slowly understood. ¡°So it''s like a contract? One you can negotiate.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Well what are you going to ask for?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem, I don¡¯t know.¡± For the next hour, the boys talked about different things Lnd could contract from different Lords. When it came down to it, until Lnd found out more about what was possible, they went with simple things. A fire spell from the Lord of me, a water one from any of the Water Lords, a healing spell would be important. If spells were off the table for now, maybe a passive regeneration ring or lifeforce regeneration ring. In the end, they spent the entire evening in their room discussing. With ate dinner in their bellies, they fell asleep while taking lookout shifts. The next morning came with a surprisingly easy escape. It only took a few hours to find Alkin, purchase mounts, and ready themselves for two weeks of travel. They were set back a decent chunk of coin but a quest was a quest. It was still profitable and frankly the boys wanted to leave Liontrunk. Too many eyes, not enough worthwhile investments. ¡°Did you find thewyer?¡± Lnd asked. Alkin¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°No. Not even my Guild posting helped. She¡¯s a ghost.¡± ¡°What exactly is the issue again? I know you said your mother was in debt but what kind exactly?¡± The young Master Onryo deliberated for a minute, deciding exactly how much he could share. ¡°My House paid arge lump sum to the Royals to have their Inquisitors investigate House Icewillow. Their findings, while fruitful, also left arge void in the economy of Shoutwell. We are slowly taking their ce but we needed more capital. ¡°So, my mother took out many loans, all of which we could pay back. The issue arose when my eldest brother, the heir to the House name, started getting into trouble. He decided the best way tounch House Onryo into future prosperity wasn¡¯t financial means but instead magical. He spent most of my family¡¯s reserves on items, potions, tonics, even a miracle elixir or two in hopes that it progressed his magic more than what was standard for our family.¡± ¡°And I take it he failed?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°He was killed drinking an experimental potion, but yes.¡± Alkin paused for a moment. ¡°Awyer would help clear his debts now tacked on to my mother.¡± Glenny spoke up, ¡°Was your brother on to something? Would his n have worked?¡± ¡°Evidence points to yes, but we¡¯ll never know at this point.¡± Jude leaned back, pulling out his harmonica as they stepped out of Liontrunk and onto the dry path. Before ying he said, ¡°If only there was a way to talk to your Lord. You could just ask him yourself.¡± As two separately pitched versions of the same note came out of the magical harmonica, Lnd couldn¡¯t help but thinkthat sometimes Jude was a genius. Chapter 24: The Long Road Chapter 24: The Long Road Travel to Shoutwell was decently eventful. There, of course, were monster attacks, often leaving them a hair away from death. They came from the trees or hid within the streams, often surprising the group from decisive nks. But the simple monster was no match for Lnd, Jude, and Glenny. Jude and Glenny were simply impossible for the monsters to ever touch, and if one ever bit or mauled Lnd, the others would wreak havoc upon its life. And that was arge if. Lnd¡¯s magic proved quite adept at simply stopping monsters from charging. Randomly breaking bones and a twenty percent slowed movement had only failed him once. It was at night and Jude was supposed to be on watch. But instead he was practicing the harmonica silently, oblivious to the outside threats. The monsters came in a single circr wave, stretching the length of the tree line and blocking any advance and retreat. Goblins. Rtively smart fiends, goblins were considered a scourge to human life all across the continent. Growing in massive nests, goblins moved across the countryside, piging any and everything. More lives were lost to goblin kind every year than any other monster. With a Royal kill on sight decree, many made names for themselves taking out entire conves. A snap broke Jude from his harmonica practice, pulling his attention like an owl scouting a dark field. His head popped up, his hearing strained, he even sniffed the air. ¡°Wake up!¡± he bellowed, rousing his three travelingpanions. A whistle screaming through the air forced him to act, pulling at his tattoo and summoning forth his blood stained battle axe. Using the weapon like a shield, Jude stopped the arrow cold. It ricocheted off the steel, bouncing harmlessly to the ground. It was then he smelled it. ¡°Poison arrows!¡±The call put Lnd and Glenny into motion, thetter of whom shifted invisible and rushed out. A deep purple halo zed into life with a powerful roar, a slight amethyst hue radiated out and illuminated their camp. ¡°Fracture, Slow, Maul,¡± Lnd unleashed his spell arsenal, spinning in a circle and spreading his influence wide across the encroaching goblin party. The smoldering embers of the dead campfire then burst into life with a great blue-ck me. A flume of fake heat and power reached the height of the nearest trees, then like a blowtorch calibration, the spectacle receded back to red hot charcoal. Alkin huffed with sweat dripping from his forehead, his entire mana pool spent for a single illusion. Meanwhile, Jude and Glenny bisected or gutted every target they came across. Volcanoes of blood and muscle sttered into the gravel road, spines and dismembered appendages were left in a wide wake. Some goblins screamed in retreat, rushing back to the tree line or regrouping with the stronger few. The boys pushed the advantage, breaking their formation into a tactician¡¯s worst nightmare. That was, until the snarling appeared. From the trees and under the cover of darkness, six yellow glowing orbs stalked around the camp. With only a failing fire and purple halo as light, the boys failed to notice the initial charge. A b flew through the air, wrapping around and stopping Jude from retreating back to Lnd. Lnd dug deep and pushed his mental fatigue, curses flying left and right. Fracture after Fracture while a murder of crows dive bombed with great urgency wasn¡¯t enough to stop the assault. The razor sharp teeth of a dire wolf tore through his mage robes, ripping into his flesh and pinning him to the ground. ¡°Lnd!¡± Jude shouted as he yanked the b from around his ankles. A crude spear then stabbed into the ground beside the Lord of Curses¡¯ head. Eyes wide and scared, Lnd then saw the goblin leader riding atop the wolf. ¡°Maul,¡± he yelled, pushing his whole flock onto the double enemy. A snap sounded from Lnd¡¯s arm as his bones were crushed, a grunt escaped his lungs causing his next spell to fizzle into oblivion. The goblin thrusted its spear again only for it to be intercepted by a crossed pair of daggers. ¡°Fracture,¡± A painful shriek sounded from the maw of the beast, loosening its grip just enough for Lnd to reim his arm. He scurried back as Glenny¡¯s tongueunched forward like a cannonball. It collided against the goblin leader¡¯s chest, doing nothing more than give the monster a slight whish. A sinful cackle escaped its lips as the pair jumped away and a second dire wolf took its ce. Jude entered the fray a momentter, fur glued to his hands and shoulders like a demented paper-mache with the corpse of thest wolf paces behind him. He took first initiative, his eyes going hollow as rage boiled over. He didn¡¯t flinch when the beast bit into him, he didn¡¯t blink when his chest bled into fleshy ribbons. He only had one thing on his mind, to kill. Glenny returned to the shadows with his invisibility activated. He first made sure no other goblins remained near the road then turned his sights to the leader. The wolf mount was licking its front paw, a slow trickle of blood leaking from protruding bone. The Legacy of the Chameleon smiled and took the kill shot. Both daggers sunk in deep, passing through the wolf¡¯s ribs like a shovel does y. He twisted his hands and body, activating his gushing ability. Blood and bits of organs rocketed out, spraying like a broken water hose. Moving to a blind spot, he then stabbed again. Then a third time. And a fourth. The wolf copsed, sending its master to the dirt. Glenny didn¡¯t give the goblin a chance to stand, a slit throat was enough to seal the deal. ¡°Jude, listen to me. Are you in there? Come back to us!¡± Lnd¡¯s cries for his friend were only rivaled by his cries of pain. His mangled armid limp beside him, blood flowing like a waterfall. Skin and muscle were easily identified, as was the noble form of Alkin Onryo as he stepped between Jude and Lnd. Jude only breathed, his eyes long turned into something devoid of reason. Steam rose from his blood covered arms and back, the fury doing more than simply changing his headspace. It was eroding his body, killing it from the inside out. Glenny returned to being invisible, stepping forward to potentially stop the berserker. Long ago, when Jude had his Dream Ceremony and chose the route of his mother, Jude¡¯s father had contacted both Lnd and Glenny. They had been warned about the signs, they had been told about how Jude would degrade if left untreated. It was expected that this wouldn¡¯t happen for a few years, giving Jude plenty of time toe to terms with the changes and ovee them. Evidently, they had pushed too far too fast with their adventuring. ¡°Come on Jude, fight it! You know what is going on! Fight it!¡± Color came back to Jude¡¯s eyes a moment before he blinked a few times and fell over. He was unconscious before he hit the ground. The days after the goblin battle were tense to say the least. With Lnd¡¯s arm held to his chest in a sling and his ring of regeneration on full st, the party had to travel significantly slower. It also didn¡¯t help that Jude had been quite nauseous, frequently needing to stop to expel his lunch or breakfast. Still, one early morning before Alkin returned from washing in a nearby steam, a conversation was held about Jude. ¡°No more fighting until you figure yourself out,¡± Glenny said. Lnd agreed. ¡°It''s not that simple, guys,¡± Jude replied withrge dark bags under his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t not fight. It¡¯s a part of the Legacy of the Lord of Berserkers. It¡¯s in my blood.¡± ¡°What do you suggest we do then? Because we can¡¯t go through another significant fight where we don¡¯t know if you will turn on us.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t turn on you guys.¡± ¡°You already have! In the dungeon!¡± Jude¡¯s shoulders fell. ¡°Oh right.¡± He shook his head. ¡°My mom said she had to ¡®go on a journey into her own mind,¡¯ to not lose herself. Whatever that means.¡± Lnd spoke up, trying to be as still as possible. ¡°It means you need to meditate and learn to control your rage. Honestly, it sounds simr to how a mage has to focus to cast spells. If their concentration is broken, the spell fails and fizzles.¡± ¡°We could also, you know, contact your mom and exin the situation,¡± said Glenny. ¡°NO!¡± Jude yelled before his eyelids mmed down and his face wrinkled. He groaned in pain, his hand rubbing his temples. ¡°It¡¯s getting worse. The rage is getting to you,¡± Lnd said inly. ¡°We will hold off on contacting her for now, but if it gets worse¡­¡± Jude nodded. ¡°I can do this, please trust me.¡± ¡°We do, we just don¡¯t want to see you hurt.¡± Lnd then had a thought, one he smirked at. ¡°We are a day away from a decentlyrge port city. I¡¯m sure we could find a book on Berserker Syndrome.¡± That got another groan from Jude. ¡°You know I hate reading.¡± Glenny rolled his eyes. ¡°Then I¡¯ll read it to you.¡± Jude thought about it for a moment. ¡°Do you think they will have books about harmonicas? I might read one of those.¡± Chapter 25: Shoutwell Chapter 25: Shoutwell Deep within the sewers of Shoutwell, likeminded people were gathering. Most wore red robes and obscuring hoods, carried ritual serrated knives, and hummed muted chants. They walked in pairs, shoulder to shoulder through the twisting foul tunnels. Muck and ichor dripped from the ceiling and leaked down the walls, but they didn¡¯t care. They couldn¡¯t, not when something as grand as the Calling was due to start soon. They walked in low flickering candlelight, eventually reaching a concrete room of worship. An eyeless statue met their gazes, forcing the devout to fall to their knees upon entry. Each gestured with silent prayer, finding their seats among the unholy pews. Soon their leader took center stage, her hood down and her bandaged eyes on full disy. She led the room in chanting, she broached difficult subjects. Some cried, others yelled in agreement. Regardless, she had the room enthralled, the statue of her Lord silently judging from behind. ¡°It is time to expand,¡± she said, her white robes pping despitecking wind. ¡°House Onryo is weak, they will not stand before us. It is time. Go, my flock, go and spread our Lord¡¯s message.¡± As the crowd cheered with raw emotion, one man kept to his seat. A neer, one that joined the coalition from the burnt remains of House Icewillow. The man watched with careful eyes, hoping to stay hidden in the shadows of the celebrations. But the leader had seen. She raised a single hand, silencing her children. ¡°What is it, my son?¡± she asked. ¡°Please, speak your mind!¡±Nearly a hundred eyes turned to the man, each pair hidden behind dark cowls. He couldn''t feel their sinister minds, however, he could feel their hunger. He was but a mouse, one trapped by countless cats and the fear that came along with it. He was petrified but a nearby hand raised him to his feet. He was guided forward, just before the podium and stage. The leader stood there patiently waiting, her hands sped in front of her belly. Suddenly the man¡¯s hood was pulled down. He cowered with shame, he scrambled to keep his anonymity. It was toote, they all saw, they all knew. ¡°Ah, I thought all of the Icewillows were killed?¡± the leader asked. He waited. He didn¡¯t want to answer. The cold of sharp iron against his back urged him to reconsider. ¡°I-I am only a branch family member. A-a secondary soul in name a-and life.¡± A smile befell the leader¡¯s lips. ¡°It matters not what one once was here, only the future of someone can be.¡± The man nodded, feeling the knife release its pressure. A whisper shocked the room, along with a low grumble and bright red light. From within the eyeless statue, crimson shined through. It washed over the coalition, highlighting the most devout. The leader was first and she trembled with eptance. ¡°I see!¡± she exined. ¡°I understand! I will follow your will!¡± The man raised his head, dread settling as the red light ignored him and focused elsewhere. It befell those closest to the stage, then those in the first of the pews, then those in the back and the few watching the doors. Everyone was bathed in red, everyone had been baptized with something new. Except the man. He ran, right though the pews and towards the sewers. But he never reached the doors. He never passed the midpoint of the room. He was stopped, frozen in fear and unbounded pressure. Suddenly he was spun, and the leader came back into view. She held her arm out with invisible grip, blood trickling from her nose like a busted faucet. As her eyes wobbled with the sudden strain, she squeezed until the captured man stopped struggling. When a bloodied corpse was all that was left, the statue released its hold, returning the room to candlelight. The leader then held her arms out wide. ¡°He was not a believer. Only a peon trying to cash in on our Lord!¡± She stumbled a bit, catching herself against the podium. ¡°The Icewillows have fulfilled their role as smuggler. Our Lord is here, in Shoutwell! It is up to us to piece him back together and feed him! It is time to expand! It is time to spread our Lord¡¯s words!¡± Alkin held out his hands with a grand gesture, the city of Shoutwell just down the hill. ¡°Home sweet home.¡± From their vantage, the entire city could be seen. Deep red brick, ck tile roofs, and dark gray stone made up the foundation, along with a perpetual wetness. Salt was in the air, the crashing waves nearby, and ships floating harmlessly in the great blue. An intricate and dated dock edged the city into the water while green moss and barnacles invaded thend. ¡°Shoutwell is a decently sized port, the main export being¡ª¡± ¡°Hops!¡± Jude interrupted. ¡°Among beer and mead, yes,¡± Alkin finished. The brute shook his head, pointing. ¡°No look, hops! And a lot of them!¡± Tall stalks of green leaves and thousands of small flowers made up the path leading into the city. Harvesters quickly moved through their crop, removing the grown hops while fighting off pests with the Legacy abilities. ¡°Shoutwell has a world renowned brewery. It''s actually one of the main tourism attractions. People love to drink.¡± Lnd and Jude both hummed along in interest, despite Glenny¡¯s obvious brooding. They had discussed it during the trip and they did not n to stay long. The city housed horrible memories for Glenny, most of which were repressed. ¡°Was this city worth her death?¡± Glenny muttered to himself. ¡°Could burn for all I care.¡± Out of the corner of his eye, Lnd saw his friend¡¯s darkened tone. Speaking to Alkin, he asked, ¡°What did the Icewillows do here? What did they do that started the investigations?¡± Glenny red at Lnd for asking the question. The whole team knew quite well what the Icewillows did, in fact, Glenny felt sure that they knew more than the average city resident. Was Lnd trying to provoke him? ¡°Drug creation and export, smuggling, murder, thievery. The usual, I suppose,¡± Alkin answered. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I was just wondering if the city had seen any positive growth since then? I would suspect having a major drug manufacturer gone would improve living conditions for everyone,¡± Lnd said, catching an eye from Glenny. ¡°Oh yes. In fact, the Inquisitors who dealt with the case suggested my family invest in centers where those affected with drug withdrawals can receive help. Then there is theck of general organized crime. Shopkeepers are quite thankful for that, fake ¡®protection¡¯ was quite expensive as far as I¡¯m aware.¡± Lnd raised an eyebrow to Glenny, who scoffed in response. Jude stepped in, seeing Lnd¡¯s n. ¡°So, you would say that the Icewillows were a gue and having them removed was a major benefit?¡± ¡°Most definitely,¡± Alkin answered. ¡°Shoutwell will forever be in the debt of the Royal Inquisitors who ousted the Icewillows. In the debt of your parents, I mean.¡± Glenny¡¯s eyes widened and he turned away. The salt was getting to him, irritating his eyes to the point of welling with tears ¨C or at least, that was what he would have said if someone brought it up. The truth was much more meaningful. As they neared the gate, Alkin spoke up. ¡°Before we enter, I would just like to say a few words. I-I may not look it, but I am indebted for what you three did in Liontrunk. I know you did it for your own reasons but saving my life was not something you three needed to do. If anything, forgetting me would have been the smart thing to do. ¡°Still, I would like to give my thanks again. I¡¯ve had a lot of time to think about the risk you took during the trip here. You¡¯ve been nothing but cordial even though I have not been. If anything, frankly, I have been rude. House Onryo means more to me than you three might believe and I hope we all can stay acquainted and on good termster in life.¡± Jude mmed a meaty hand on Alkin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yeah you were pretty rude at the beginning, but I¡¯ve grown to like you a bit.¡± Lndughed at that. ¡°Remember when you tried to kill me with spirit fire? Good times.¡± Alkin reddened. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the future holds or if I¡¯ll ever return to this city, but it was nice meeting you,¡± said Glenny. A rushed guard stopped their entry, however. The man came out in full armor, stepping to stop their approach from the gated city. ¡°Identify yourselves!¡± They looked at each other before Alkin sighed and pushed his mount a few steps forward. ¡°I am Alkin Onryo, fourth son of House Onryo. Do you permit my associates and I entry into the city?¡± The guard squinted, finding a small crest embroidered into Alkin¡¯s clothes. He motioned them in, but stopped them before they passed the threshold into the city. ¡°There¡¯s been quite a few murders in thest few days. I suggest a noble like yourself heads straight home. It is not safe on the streets.¡± ¡°Murders.¡± Lnd stated. ¡°How many dead and in what manner? ¡± Alkin asked. ¡°Only six so far, but that is estimated to go up quite a bit. The first body was found three days ago in the sewer ¨C squeezed to death. The other five had been squeezed to death as well but in sacrificial ways.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Each body has had their eyes gouged out.¡± Lnd, Jude, and Glenny all leaned back. They took a collective breath. ¡°What is it?¡± the guard asked. ¡°You know something, don¡¯tcha?¡± They did, and they wished they didn¡¯t. Their parents, while drunk, had talked about some of their more horrid cases during their time as Inquisitors. From serial killers to grotesque artificial gues, they had seen it all and then some. One such tale was the cause for many sleepless nights when the boys were young. One that still haunted their parents, one that had changed how the Inquisitors saw religion. ¡°Call for the Inquisitors, the Sightless Cult is in Shoutwell,¡± Lnd whispered. Chapter 26: Call for Help Chapter 26: Call for Help A glint pulled Lnd¡¯s eyes to his slung hand. The crow tattoo craned its neck, staring back at him with its rounded emerald eyes. It opened and closed its mouth like a repeating silent rm. Nearby, Shoutwell¡¯s city guardsman sputtered in confusion and nonwords. ¡°N-no that c-can¡¯t- I-I don¡¯t¡­ T-that makes s-so much s-ense¡­¡± ¡°It''s okay,¡± Lnd said, burying his hand deeper into his sling. ¡°Just contact the Inquisitors. They¡¯ve dismantled the Cult before, they¡¯ll do it again.¡± That stopped the guard¡¯s trembling enough to allow the others entry into the city. Lnd then watched him run off, likely towards a guard station or barracks. He turned to the others, ¡°Let¡¯s sell Alkin¡¯s mount and get to his family home, quickly.¡± ¡°Wait what?¡± Alkin asked. ¡°You three aren¡¯t staying?¡± ¡°Not with the Sightless Cult here. I¡¯d suggest you get your family out of town as well.¡± The city¡¯s noble flicked his nose into the air. ¡°And leave my civilians to die? How do you even know it¡¯s the Sightless Cult or whatever you called it? You only heard a description of a few murders from a random guard.¡± Glenny took the liberty of answering. ¡°I guess there is the possibility it''s just a serial killer with an affliction for eyes. But the Sightless have a long and horrid history of encroaching into port towns.¡±¡°Ports, why?¡± ¡°Smuggling,¡± Jude said, his eyes locked firmly on the damp muddy ground. ¡°They smuggle parts of their ¡®Lord¡¯ and try to reconstruct it. If they seed, all of Shoutwell will be in the ocean.¡± Alkin only stared back. Lnd picked up the ck. ¡°Our parents have fought them before. They don¡¯t often talk about the horrific aspects of their work, but the Sightless was one they did. You and your family do not want to be here, even if it¡¯s only a possibility.¡± Alkin pulled the rein¡¯s on his mount and headed into the city, ignoring the sinking feeling in his gut. They traveled through the streets, finding them empty and eerie. Shadows moved beyond windows and curtains, the partial appearances of people spied beyond corners or alleys, and there was not an ounce of sound. As they moved, Alkin became restless. He shifted his weight from one stirrup to the other and back, a simr motion finding his neck and eyes. ¡°Six bodies and this is the city¡¯s reaction?¡± he muttered. ¡°Total fear?¡± Lnd held his tongue. It¡¯s not that simple, he thought. They encroached on a rushed elderly man and his adult daughter packing a wagon. As they neared, the pair became increasingly worried, speeding their escape despite their trembling hands. The family even left a few of their belongings. Lnd frowned at the situation but as they passed by the abandoned home he gasped. There, painted on the door in fly-encrusted red, was a crudely drawn closed eye. ¡°Don¡¯t look at it!¡± Lnd shouted, snapping his eyes closed and turning away. The others did the same, even the hesitant Alkin. ¡°W-what is it?¡± ¡°A sigil ¨C or a mark, depending on what Legacy you ask.¡± ¡°What does it mark?¡± ¡°In this case? Death,¡± Lnd said through gritted teeth. ¡°¡¯Here waits those nearest the truth.¡¯ The mark of a vile Lord, the Sightless King.¡± ¡°Think of them as the Cult¡¯s Legacy tattoos,¡± supplied Glenny. ¡°Artificial, just like the ¡®Lord¡¯ they follow.¡± Jude chewed his lip. ¡°We need to report it. The guard will need confirmation that the Sightless are here. This is it.¡± They all agreed to the detour and got to walking. As they got further from the sigil, the city became more lively. A cold forbiddance still hung in the air, but people were out and about. It was mainly the capable, however. An obviousck of elderly and children was apparent, something that was keenly noted at the guard station. A line stretching from the double door entry point nearly reached the next building over. Alkin froze at the sight. ¡°What are they here for?¡± Glenny asked. The young Master didn¡¯t respond, instead slipping off his mount and powering through the crowd into the building. He got many protesters as he went, men and women annoyed by the sudden line cutting. Glenny sighed, following along. A few minutester the crowd abruptly dispersed following a Guard Captain¡¯s orders. Glenny peeked his head out of the building, motioning for Lnd and Jude to follow. After tying up all four mounts, they did so. As they entered, Lnd was instantly bombarded by questions from the Captain, all of which pertained to the Sightless and the sigil left on a home only a few streets over. With the Captain getting his fill of answers, he began to bark out orders to the eavesdropping guard. A few minutester, the report had beenpleted and Lnd and the others were free to leave. ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t leave the city,¡± the Captain said as parting words. Yeah right, all three boys thought independently of each other. ¡°Alkin, we need to speak with your family¡ª¡± Lnd stopped. ¡°Annnd our mounts were stolen. Great.¡± Jude looked over to where he and Lnd had tied the horses. ¡°At least we travel light.¡± Glenny rolled his eyes and patted the pack with the dungeon items in it. ¡°d none of us use saddle pockets.¡± Then Jude¡¯s eyes went wide and he subtly patted himself down for his magical harmonica. Last ce he saw it was¡­ when he put it in his saddle pocket. He groaned internally, trying to hide his furious face. It didn¡¯t work. ¡°You okay there, Jude?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°This is no reason to go berserk. We are only out a few gold.¡± Jude¡¯s lip twitched but he forced down the anger. At least he still had his mundane harmon- Nope, that was also in the saddle. He took a long breath and tried to look internally. Forcing down anger wasn¡¯t the way to go, he knew. But it was by far the easiest. So, he went a different route. He counted to ten. ¡­nine¡­ten. ¡°I¡¯m good, I¡¯m good,¡± he said. Glenny patted him on the back. ¡°Come on, it''s going to get dark soon. Let''s get to Alkin¡¯s house.¡± The dark was the least of their worries. News about the sigil had spread further than the street where it sat. People were out in droves, boarding their windows or buying any and all food they could. The fog wasn¡¯t helping either. It came in like a slow tide, forming from the sewer grates before reaching ankle height. It ebbed and flowed, moving down the street before doubling back on itself. By the time the group reached Alkin¡¯s mansion, the fog had grown to tower over the smaller buildings. As they pushed through the gated fence, a silver shimmer forced Jude to shove Lnd out of the way. Metal shed against metal and a stark wave of air mellowed out the dense fog. The attacking man pivoted on his heel before stepping before Alkin. ¡°Stay behind me, young Master.¡± ¡°Boor!¡± Alkin yelled. ¡°These are my friends, stop your attack at once!¡± It was then Lnd fully examined Boor. The man was quite well dressed, full tailored butler suit and the apanying strict posture. He carried a silver rapier with a marble white hilt, a color that matched his elderly hair. ¡°Ah, my apologies. The fog got the better of me. Can¡¯t be too careful now-a-days, young Master,¡± Boor said, slipping his weapon back into his tattoo ¨C a silver stick figure man mid thrust with a simr style sword. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me, apologize to Jude!¡± Boor looked his employer in the eyes, a faint squint as he did so. ¡°Well alright then.¡± He turned to Jude. ¡°I apologize for my sudden attack, I hope I did not injure you.¡± The Legacy of Berserker¡¯s eyes were closed. Ten secondster, he opened them and spoke, ¡°I understand and I am fine.¡± Lnd and Glenny both stared at him. ¡°Is mother home?¡± Alkin asked. ¡°In the study. Shall I take your guests to a sitting room?¡± Boor asked. ¡°No, we all need to have a conversation. Including you.¡± ¡°I see, I will start the kettle then. Cookies or muffins?¡± ¡°Muffins,¡± Jude answered instantly. ¡°Of course. Right this way please.¡± The group followed Boor to the study. After ushering them in, the butler then disappeared into one of the mansion¡¯s many hallways. ¡°Leals, can I borrow your ring of regeneration?¡± Jude whispered. ¡°He broke my hand.¡± Frowning, Lnd subtly shifted the ring over to his friend just before his mouth suddenly dropped open at the sight of the study. He was sure it was bigger than his home town¡¯s library, at the very least it definitely had more books. Shelves from wall to wall and in neatly spaced aisles were stacked from floor to ceiling with books. All sizes and colors made up the spines, some even housing obvious magical properties. ¡°Mother,¡± Alkin said, causing a dainty head to swivel. ¡°Ah! My little munchkin!¡± The others froze at the nickname. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this, please do not call me that. We have guests.¡± ¡°See, my little Alkin, that is precisely why I called you that. Humiliation builds character.¡± Alkin coughed. ¡°No it doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Sure it does,¡± Lady Onryo argued. ¡°In fact, I can already see it working. You¡¯ve already made powerful connections.¡± Alkin frowned at that, mirroring the look on the boy¡¯s faces. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. ¡°Word travels fast when you have awork such as I.¡± She then turned to the others. ¡°You three were the ones to take out the homicidal Icewillow. Some people in high ces are quite impressed.¡± Lnd¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Have you been spying on us?¡± Lady Onryo gave a predatory smile. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d send my little munchkin out without supervision?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Glenny challenged. ¡°If you sent supervision, why didn¡¯t they save Alkin before he was taken into the dungeon?¡± Her smile twitched. ¡°Forget that. We haverger problems to deal with. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard, but we have a small cult problem.¡± Chapter 27: Quest Chapter 27: Quest ¡°You have a cult problem, yes. The Sightless, if you want to be specific, ¡± Lnd corrected, receiving four frowns from the four people in the study. Lady Onryo pursed her lips. ¡°See? Already you¡¯re helping! Isn¡¯t that great? You made some great friends, Munchkin!¡± This time Lnd frowned. ¡°And now that we¡¯ve seen our friend home, we best be leaving.¡± He started towards the door but stopped when he saw Jude and Glenny¡¯s feet nted. They both shared the same look, one that Lnd knew he should have as well. For a long moment the three friends stared at each other. Frustration bloomed in Lnd¡¯s hands, turning white with clenched morals. ¡°Excuse us for a moment,¡± he said to the nobles. Jude and Glenny followed along, finding themselves in the corner of the study. With crossed arms, Glenny spoke first, ¡°We can¡¯t just leave.¡± Jude crossed his arms as well. ¡°We have to help at least until the Inquisitors arrive.¡± A vein in Lnd¡¯s forehead throbbed. ¡°This is not a good idea. Jude, you are having issues with your Legacy and Glenny you obviously hate being here. We are also just starting out as adventurers! Are we really going to tie ourselves down here?¡± ¡°If you want to be the type of adventurer that leaves at the first sign of danger, fine by me. But you are going to have to do it by yourself,¡± Jude replied, receiving a brutal head nod from Glenny.Lnd stepped back a half step. ¡°We all almost died fighting Icewillow! And he was just one man! How are we supposed to go against an entire cult?!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± Glenny answered inly. ¡°We save that for the professionals. We just help where we can. We can get into ces Inquisitors can¡¯t. We can hear stuff Inquisitors can¡¯t. People will talk to us because we are adventurers.¡± ¡°And what happens when our little investigation attracts the attention of the Sightless? I don¡¯t know about you two, but I personally like my eyes.¡± ¡°We run,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Or fight,¡± Jude added. ¡°But it won¡¯te to that, not if you stay here with us. We all know you are the smart one in this team.¡± Lnd made a forced grunt groan sound, his hands stuck midair like he was trying to rip a melon apart from the two ends. ¡°Think about it, Leals,¡± Jude said. ¡°What would our parents do in this situation?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a low blow.¡± ¡°One that needs to be asked regardless.¡± ¡°None of us like beingpared to our parents,¡± Glenny spoke up. ¡°But like it or not, we are their spitting image. You two more than me, that is.¡± Lnd fell into a soft and deep chair, bouncing his broken arm in the process. He crumbled in pain, the tension of the trip bursting from his lungs. ¡°Do make yourselves at home,¡± Lady Onryo yelled from across the room. All three of the boys rolled their eyes. Jude whispered, ¡°We need rest anyways. Your arm and my¡­ problem, need to be addressed. And we can¡¯t exactly do that on the road.¡± ¡°So what? We both sit around while Glenny hunts for information?¡± From the other end of the room, Lady Onryo coughed. ¡°Boor has no problem apanying the rogue if need be!¡± Everyone, even Alkin, stared at the woman. It was then Lnd saw a speck of ck-blue flickering me hiding under a nearby end table. With a forceful mental probe, he crushed the scrying spell. Lady Onryo raised her hands in surrender. ¡°Conniving wench,¡± Jude hissed. ¡°We are in her home, after all,¡± Glenny sighed. ¡°Still doesn¡¯t make it right,¡± Lnd said before his able hand rubbed the sand from his eyes. ¡°What are we going to do? We are a team and I¡¯m not breaking us up this early. I still think we should leave, we know the stories of the Sightless, and I think they are a bit over our paygrade.¡± ¡°Icewillow was as well,¡± Glenny smiled. ¡°Remember what we told the Huntress? We defeated him because of teamwork. We can help the city in the same way.¡± ¡°We stay and help,¡± Jude started the vote. ¡°Agreed,¡± Glenny said. Lnd closed his eyes and simply breathed. Lnd the Coward formed and bounced around his head. It came from the darkest parts of his mind but soon grew to a wrecking ball of self-doubt. It screamed through his thoughts like an animal¡¯s survival instinct. Cower away, leave the city, go back home, hide in mom and dad¡¯s shadow. What did he tell himself a few weeks ago? That he¡¯d prove himself without the name of his parents? That he¡¯d forge a name for himself along with Jude and Glenny? He chose the path of the adventurer, not whatever intrusive idea he felt that day. A pain wracked his broken arm, blood started beading from the back of his hand. He smothered it quickly, looking to Jude for his ring of regeneration. The Berserker Lord begrudgingly gave it back. ¡°Are you in?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Thanks for keeping me on the right path.¡± The three shared a smile before Glenny broke the warmth. ¡°Care to tell us why your hand keeps bleeding randomly?¡± ¡°No it doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°It most certainly does,¡± Jude said instantly. ¡°I must not have noticed¡­¡± Lnd trailed off, the sight of his two friends¡¯ res enough to freezeva. ¡°I, uh, I¡¯m not really sure. I think it''s my Lord trying to tell me something. In this case, I think I have earned a new spell.¡± ¡°In this case?¡± Glenny asked. Lnd scratched his head. ¡°Sometimes she urges me towards certain choices¡­ likeing here for example.¡± Genny facepalmed but Jude broke into a great smile. ¡°That¡¯s good, right? It means your Lord, the one who you said ¡®seemed lonely,¡¯ and ¡®didn¡¯t have many legacies,¡¯ is watching out for you. No way she¡¯d let you get killed by some cult.¡± ¡°I hope you are right.¡± ¡°I know I am,¡± Judeughed. ¡°Let¡¯s test it. Say you are not helping and that you are leaving right away.¡± Lnd sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not helping and I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Nothing happened, the tattoo didn¡¯t even flinch. ¡°You did it wrong,¡± Jude said tly. ¡°No I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yes you did.¡± ¡°How do you know?!¡± Lnd whisper yelled. ¡°There¡¯s not really a manual about speaking to a Lord through a Legacy tattoo!¡± ¡°Guys let''s table this conversation,¡± Glenny intervened. ¡°We have people waiting on us.¡± ¡°Exactly. Let¡¯s just agree that Lnd did it wrong and move back to more important things.¡± ¡°I did¡ª¡± ¡°Stop, guys please. They are watching¡­¡± Lnd bit his lip, finding the Onryo family and Boor sitting around the study watching them. One of Alkin¡¯s siblings had arrived, and despite looking quite confused, still managed to smirk at the boys before her. She was older, early thirties Lnd estimated. But as age increased, often did rank as well. For all he knew, she could be in her sixties while the mother was in her one hundred fifties. They were, after all, a family of mages. ¡°Forgive us,¡± Lnd muttered, finding a seat with his hosts. ¡°Tea?¡± Boor asked, holding a bronze kettle still piping steam from its spout. Jude¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes please, and those muffins if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Expertly, Boor poured each upant of the study tea and passed out banana nut muffins. He went ahead and gave the brute a second helping as well. ¡°So,¡± Lady Onryo said. ¡°What¡¯s the verdict?¡± Lnd gave onest nce to his friends before speaking. ¡°We will help Shoutwell to the best of our abilities, at least until the Inquisitors arrive.¡± ¡°Very well. We will provide you three with lodging and mary subsistence for the duration of your stay. Depending on your ending value to the city, further rewards will be given.¡± That made Lnd pause. ¡°That seems extreme.¡± ¡°How do you mean?¡± Onryo asked. ¡°Why do you think we will be able to do anything that requires a noble House to present rewards? Seems farfetched to think we will do anything worthwhile. We are, after all, a newly tattooed team.¡± Lady Onryo smiled, looking to her son. ¡°Munchkin here told me about you three and your misadventures while you were discussing something, the big one¡¯s ¡®problem,¡¯ and your collective hatred to be equated to your parents.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand how¡ª¡± ¡°What better group to fill in for the Inquisitors than the children of the most well renowned Royal Inquisitor team to date!?¡± Three annoyed sets of eyes found Alkin. His mouth gaped a bit before speaking. ¡°What? Did you want me to lie to my mother?¡± Lnd rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°Fine, rewards will be appreciated. In the meantime, I think we are expecting some coinage for our travel here with your son.¡± Lady Onryo raised a hand, signaling Boor to ce a small sack on the table before Lnd. ¡°We also have a rare item that might be of use to your family,¡± Glenny supplied, removing the blue me candle from the safety of his pack. Lnd cut in, ¡°We also know about House Onryo and their mary struggles. Therefore, if my friends agree, we will loan the candle for the duration of our stay. If you decide you want to keep it, then price negotiations can be done at that time.¡± Lady Onryo¡¯s face twitched. ¡°Very well. May we move on to the issue of the Sightless?¡± Boor then presented arge map of the city on a wheeled chalkboard. Five red circles were highlighted along five different streets while a single red circle was seemingly ced at random. ¡°The first body was found in the sewer. He was also wearing ridiculous red robes,¡± Lady Onryo continued. ¡°Until the guard found a sigil of an eye on a house¡ª¡± ¡°Uh, we found that actually,¡± Alkin interrupted. ¡°¡ªuntil a sigil was found on a house, we didn¡¯t know the Sightless were involved. We suspected a cult, but not one with such great magnitude. Until the Inquisitors arrive, I suggest we¡ª¡± ¡°Try to locate the parts of their ¡®Lord¡¯ that are being smuggled in,¡± Jude supplied. Lady Onryo hummed through pursed lips. Chapter 28: A Mug Chapter 28: A Mug After a full night¡¯s rest in warm and soft beds, Lnd, Jude, and Glenny made their way through the quiet streets. They ignored the hastened pitter-patter of civilians fleeing as they neared, they ignored the shadows watching them. They were outsiders here, Shoutwell simply didn¡¯t have the need for adventurerspared to Liontrunk. There were no monsters the city guard couldn¡¯t handle, no nearby ruins to pige, no dungeons to supply endless alchemical research. The city''s import and export economy needed general security, not adventurers. So, three young men walking down a dark street with the telltale signs of fighting experiences were cause for concern. Lnd supposed he was the least intimidating of the three, only his enchanted mage robes signaling to the onlookers that he was not an average citizen. Well, that and his broken arm. Jude was next in line for least fear provoking. Without his battle axe in hand, he simply looked the part of an armored goon. From the subtle ted armor below his tunic and bone gauntlet on his wrist, Jude was ready for battle. Glenny was the most eye-catching despite his thinner frame. With slitted animalistic eyes and twin daggers upon his hip, the young rogue produced a certain level of threat as he neared. The fog wasn¡¯t helping either. Glenny had long been trained to look for an advantage in battle, such as moving with the ebb and flow of obscuring mist. He slowed and increased his pace when necessary, oftentimes blending into the shadows or hiding around streetlights. Either way, the people of Shoutwell found safety when the group passed. A seventh body had been found, something even the guard couldn¡¯t keep quiet any longer. That very morning, the city¡¯s Mayor had given a statement about the killings. He urged everyone to stay indoors as much as possible and only to venture out for necessities. It seemed most didn¡¯t heed his words. Shops and workers were moving right along with the day, albeit much more cautiously. Lnd could understand it. No one thought they¡¯d be the next victim, not when people had mouths to feed. Work was a priority for some, especially of those with family. Their first stop, much to the distaste of the patrons present, was a brewery named The River and the Cavern. From the moment they pushed through the door, alcohol and tobo smoke met their noses. Despite being early morning, the tavern was nearly to capacity with rough and tumble sailors, midnightborers, and the asional simple alcoholic.Entering the establishment brought many eyes to them, most of which froze with fearful expectancy. Some carried on drinking, pulling knives out of their boots and slowly sliding them along the wooden tables. The threat was clear, something Lnd sought to rectify right away. With a little urgency in his step, he headed straight for the barkeep. ¡°Hello fine sir! How about a mug of your finest?¡± The man just looked at him. ¡°Er,¡± Lnd tried again. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that beer is popr here, how about a mug?¡± Still, silence. From behind, Jude facepalmed. He strolled up, pped a gold coin down on the bar, and said, ¡°Three mugs, whatever is cheapest.¡± The barkeep looked at Lnd before turning back to Jude. He scoffed, grabbing three wooden mugs and blowing the dust out of them. He then added a little extra spittle to the bottom of one particr mug. A momentter, the mugs were filled with the perfect ratio of drink and foam, thanks to the barman¡¯s Legacy ability. With the mugs before each of Lnd, Jude, and Glenny, the patrons found better things to do. Most still watched the neers out of the corner of their eye, but knives were put away while ice melted. ¡°What? Not going to drink it? Too cheap for ya?¡± the barkeep asked Lnd as he was the only one of the three who hadn¡¯t taken a sip. Lnd eyed the frothing cup, wondering if he¡¯d be able to taste the spit. A sideways look from Jude made him curse and take a sip. ¡°It¡¯s delightful,¡± he said back to the man, receiving a curt scoff for his troubles. They took a few minutes to sit and stew in the bar atmosphere but a nod from Glenny caused Jude to call the barkeep back over. Meanwhile, Glenny activated his heightened senses and listened. A little loudly, Jude spoke after sliding another gold coin to the barkeep, ¡°We are looking for information about a few¡­ unique items recently smuggled into the city. Can you be of service?¡± From behind, the patrons had slowed their own conversations and paid attention. ¡°Perhaps, what kind of items?¡± ¡°Body parts.¡± The entire tavern went silent, even the barkeep. Slowly conversation filled back in, everyone suddenly disinterested in the neers¡¯ conversation. Glenny¡¯s ears twitched with stain. ¡°Can¡¯t help you there,¡± the barkeep said. ¡°Shoutwell¡¯s not famous for monster parts. A bit of a hike, but Liontrunk is known for magical tigers or something.¡± ¡°Mana Lion,¡± Lnd muttered, blowing into his foamy mug. Jude flicked his eyes from his friend back to the drink pourer. Much quieter than before, he spoke, ¡°Not monster parts. Not human parts either, if you were wondering.¡± He slid three more coins over. ¡°Something that, say, people would collect. That the right group may kill for.¡± Abruptly Glenny stood up and walked out of the building. Jude and Lnd didn¡¯t acknowledge it, neither did the barkeep. ¡°I might know something,¡± the man said. ¡°It''s going to cost you more than a few coins, however.¡± ¡°Give us a taste and we might be inclined to pay more.¡± The barkeep leaned in, whispering, ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors about odd shipmentsing in over thest few months. Seems there¡¯s a hole the Onryos haven¡¯t patched yet.¡± ¡°Patched? How do you mean?¡± The man held his hands up. Jude sighed, pushing another few coins forward. ¡°Ah, I remember now. A smuggling hole, a crack in the guards¡¯ dock security leftover from House Icewillow. Went dormant after the House fell, but suddenly it''s back up and running.¡± Jude slid more coins over, nearly an entire purse. ¡°And where is this hole?¡± ¡°Ah, that is the question,¡± the keep purred, his eyes wide with greed. ¡°Some say it''s in in sight. Others say it¡¯s a day away on horseback.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know.¡± Lnd said frankly. The man red at him then turned back to Jude. ¡°I do not, correct. But a smuggler named Poppy might. She¡¯s a bit of a loon if you ask me.¡± ¡°Reputation or personality?¡± Jude asked. The man smiled, shifting his eyes to the sack of coins. ¡°Ah. Know where we can find her?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Anything else I can help you gentlemen with?¡± the keep asked. Lnd rapped his knuckles against the wooden bar. ¡°Do you sell beer by the barrel?¡± The man just stared at the mage. ¡°He¡¯s serious,¡± Jude added. With a sigh, the man said, ¡°Yes we do. How many do you want?¡± Lnd smiled. ¡°Just one, and the most expensive kind you have. Do you deliver?¡± The barkeep was not impressed. Back outside, after Lnd handed over about half the number of coins Jude did, they found a semi invisible young man crouching behind a cart. Glenny revealed only his hand, signaling a direction further into the fog. Jude and Lnd turned the opposite direction, and walked away ¨C leaving the rogue to do his thing. Glenny slowly made his way through the dense fog. He could only see about fifteen paces ahead, but that was all he needed. He, if forced, could potentially follow his mark blind. Those without sensitive ears never would truly know how loud footsteps were. Especially when the person making them was trying to be silent. It was a bit of a misleader as Glenny¡¯s parent had taught many years ago. Those actively trying to be silent, unless trained or making use of a Legacy ability, always left evidence of their route. So, despite not knowing where his target was, all he had to do was listen. Slip ¨C pitter-patter. Glenny dashed forward, making his own footsteps sound as if they were on cotton. The Huntress hated fog. Such a simple thing could cancel out most of her Legacy abilities. She could hear and smell, sure, but those two things were nothingpared to eagle eyed vision. Still, tracking the boys had been easy if not aplete cake walk. Frankly she wondered why she even decided to investigate those three any more than she already had. Sure, they had secrets, Lnd especially, but was this really worth her time? They had brought the young Onryo home, their job was done. It would be a while until they found a new quest to take ¨C Shoutwell wasn¡¯t exactly known for catering to adventurers. No, the town was a port, maybe they¡¯d take a job as some harbormaster¡¯s muscle. Hopefully they don¡¯t, the Huntress thought. Otherwise I¡¯m going to go broke from hiring thugs to attack them. She internally groaned. Why was she doing this? Because she felt something was off with Lnd? Because she trusted her gut and knew something diabolical was going on with the young mage? Or was it the simple fact that she hated to be wrong? She hated to lose and felt stalking three children was a perfectly fine use of her time. As the hours ticked by, she slowly found herself leaning to thetter. At least, until a silent green streak passed through her vision. The streak circled around her once before falling just before her eyes. She rolled her eyes at the primitive summons notice, idly thinking of writing another petition to have the Royal Inquisitor messaging system revamped. How many times had the streak blown her position? How many times did her target get suspicious from the light show in the sky? Luckily, the boys didn¡¯t notice. They were too busy in some dive bar. The Huntress grabbed the streak, finding it dissolved into a parchment letter. She glossed over it, reading each like a chore. She paused, then reread the letter. The Sightless are here? And other Inquisitors won¡¯t be here for a number of weeks. Sheughed. Oho, looks like my gut was correct after all. Watching the rogue named Glenny stalk through the fog covered streets, the Huntress wondered just how the boys were going to get themselves involved. Chapter 29: Red Eyes Chapter 29: Red Eyes ¡°What was that, Leals?¡± Jude asked, on the walk back to Onryo mansion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Have you never talked to a stranger before? Why¡¯d you talk without any subtlety?¡± Lnd frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the way they looked at us? The whole tavern was looking to eat us.¡± Jude stared incredulously. ¡°You¡¯ve stared down monsters and fought with a murderer, yet some drunkards worried you?¡± ¡°Well when you put it that way¡­¡± Lnd sighed and shifted his sling back to a better spot on his shoulder. The pain was mostly gone at this point, his ring of regeneration doing wonders. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want me to say. I¡¯m not a good actor, lying doesn¡¯te all that naturally to me.¡± Jude had to agree with that. For as long as they had known each other, only Glenny had been truly known as the liar. And even then, it was within the rogue¡¯s blood to look for any advantage possible. Jude and Lnd simply weren¡¯t built the same. ¡°Changing subjects, do you need anything else for the beer?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Honey. And lots of it.¡±¡°Honey?¡± ¡°I guess any syrup would work, but I have a feeling honey would be the easiest to find¡­ we just have to find a general store,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Easier said than done. I can¡¯t see much through this fog. We won¡¯t know if a store is nearby until wee across it.¡± Silence befell the pair as both craned to peer through the fog. Without Glenny, the only of the three with heightened senses, traveling through the city had slowed significantly. There was no rush, however. Not until Glenny rejoined them, at least. ¡°I hope he¡¯s doing okay.¡± ¡°He is.¡± ¡°It''s just that¡­ well, I don¡¯t know. Since killing Icewillow he seems more distant.¡± Jude nodded to that. ¡°Let hime to terms with it. It¡¯s a difficult situation. He hasn¡¯t even sent his dad a letter.¡± ¡°Really? I remember him writing one,¡± Lnd said. ¡°He wrote one, just never sent it,¡± Jude yawned. ¡°I think he wants to tell him in person.¡± Lnd nced at his friend. ¡°What about you? I¡¯ve noticed you counting a few times.¡± ¡°It helps.¡± ¡°Any more to it than that?¡± Jude sighed. ¡°Not really. It just¡­ it just helps. I don¡¯t know.¡± A shadow pulled both of the boys¡¯ attention. A civilian walked by, hood up and moving fast. ¡°Excuse me!¡± Jude yelled over. ¡°Can you tell us if there is a general store¡­ around¡­ here¡­?¡± ¡°And she¡¯s gone,¡± Lnd said. ¡°I guess she was in a hurry.¡± They both watched the patch of fog where the mystery woman passed through. Giving a shrug, they continued. Until they came across a group a few dozen paces further down the street. They were huddled together and crouched, like a set of scientists inspecting a new species of ant. ¡°City guard,¡± Lnd whispered, recognizing the uniform. ¡°And a dead body,¡± Jude whispered back. It was then Lnd saw it. Sprawled across the cobble stone street and covered in a sheet, was the outline of a human. Crimson leaked out in a wide berth while also pooling into the portion of the sheet that covered the head. One of the guards noticed them watching. ¡°Stop you!¡± Lnd and Jude both held their hands up in surrender. ¡°We were just walking by,¡± The guard, an older gentleman, raised a bushy eyebrow. ¡°Not many people are walking around recently.¡± ¡°We had to get some supplies from the store. We¡¯ll starve at this rate,¡± Jude answered smoothly. ¡°You¡¯ve got enough meat on your bones to skip a meal or two. Leave some food for the rest of us, eh?¡± ¡°Actually we are looking for honey, if you know any spots. We¡¯re visiting our uncle for his birthday, you see. Need some for the sweetbread.¡± The guard cocked his other eyebrow. ¡°Is ¡®honey¡¯ the new street drug of choice?¡± Lnd frowned. ¡°Uh, no. Like actual honey. Preferably with theb.¡± The man squinted. Jude moved the conversation along. ¡°What happened here, if you don¡¯t mind us asking?¡± ¡°Another murder. Just like thest. This makes nine.¡± ¡°Nine?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Last we heard was seven.¡± ¡°Another body was found a few streets over about an hour ago.¡± ¡°Missing eyes?¡± The guard gave Lnd a long hard look. ¡°Yes. How¡¯d you know that? You know something?¡± ¡°Nothing more than general knowledge. Did you talk to the woman who just walked by as well? She seemed in a rush.¡± The man suddenly straightened his back and raised his chin. ¡°Describe this woman.¡± Jude took the lead. ¡°Not much to say. She wore a fully white set of robes with the hood up. The fog blocked us from seeing any real details.¡± Grunting, the guard waved over one of hisrades. The neer was younger and wore higher rankings on her uniform. A few minutes after again describing the woman in the robes , Lnd and Jude were pointed in the direction of the nearest store with honey. As they were leaving they could make out a bit of the guards¡¯ conversation. ¡°Same description as the others,¡± the older guard said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean anything. Could just be a coincidence,¡± the younger cut down. ¡°Lass, trust me. I¡¯ve been on this job for more years than you¡¯ve been alive. Coincidences like this don¡¯t just happen¡­¡± Lnd and Jude didn¡¯t say anything about the matter and kept walking. They eventually came across a small shop with shelves upon shelves of preserved food. Lnd bought his honey while Jude restocked on jerky. Another short walkter, and the boys were standing before the gates to House Onryo. Waiting for Glenny, Lnd reviewed his newest curse and aplishments. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 1 (B) Call upon the souls of the Damned, casting the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 5 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 1% for 1 minute. Lnd frowned at the spell. On one hand, having a spell that affected an area was a great boon. Single target curses would only get him so far, but from the description he wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to use Circle of Souls. He had questions, many of which were unanswerable until he tested it out. You have assisted in killing multiple Goblins, Hobgoblins, Dire Wolves, and other beings not worthy of praise. An appropriate reward has been added to your Legacy. Fracture has increased to rank 7. 85% chance to break a random bone in a single target. Crow Massacre has increased to rank 5. Summon 8 ethereal crows to attack a target for 1 minute. Harbinger Halo has increased to rank 3. Contractsts for 180 seconds. ¡°Huh,¡± Lnd said. ¡°What?¡± Jude asked. ¡°My grimoire¡¯s exnation for my rewards says, ¡®and other beings not worthy of praise.¡¯ Any idea what that means?¡± ¡°Just that they were too easy for you, or us I guess, to kill. Thus earning you nothing in the way of reward.¡± Lnd frowned. ¡°That must be why the ridiculously strong don¡¯t randomly kill normal people. Just not worth the effort.¡± ¡°That¡¯s dark,¡± Jude scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t think there¡¯s more to human nature than not killing simply because it¡¯s not worth it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that¡­ it''s just, well, we both know the stories. The Inquisitors have to hunt powerful murderers all the time, but they always kill other powerful people. Not normal citizens.¡± ¡°Well if they did kill more than a few normal citizens, the Lords would get involved.¡± Lnd nodded to that. ¡°Brand those people as Witches for life, what a scary thought.¡± ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°Just that the Lords know when too much is too much. They are so powerful that they can simply wave a hand and mark someone as a Witch from worlds aways.¡± Jude nodded to that. ¡°They can¡¯t interfere more than that, however. Smiting those cowards would be too much. But that¡¯s what the Witchhunters are for.¡± Glenny showed up an hourter huffing and puffing. ¡°I think I¡¯ve found something,¡± he said, rushing straight into the mansion¡¯s study. Lady Onryo and Alkin were already inside, the younger of which was intensely staring at the blue me candle while the older gave pointers. When the boys entered, they both stopped, joining the conversation. ¡°While in the tavern I eavesdropped on a hushed and scared conversation,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Two men talking, both dock workers. The first was older, maybe the other¡¯s boss or something, I¡¯m not sure, it''s not important. The younger was scared, like working for his life scared. He mentioned something called ¡®the Eyeless,¡¯ which was what caught my attention.¡± Glenny shifted his attention to the map of Shoutwell. He marked the brewery then traced a chalk line through the streets until he came to a sewer entrance. ¡°The younger of the two men got into an argument, which ultimately caused the younger to leave. I couldn¡¯t hear all the details, but I got enough to follow the man. He led me to the sewers in a very paranoid way.¡± ¡°Paranoid how?¡± Boor asked from the doorway, causing the boys and Alkin to jump. ¡°Oh, sorry to startle. I had no intentions.¡± ¡°It''s fine,¡± Glenny said. ¡°The man was trying to silence his footsteps. He wasn¡¯t very good at it. Anyway, I couldn¡¯t enter the sewers. Something blocked my path.¡± ¡°Something?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°My instincts. There was a pressure behind my eyes, it forced me to look away, it forced me to keep walking. I-I¡¯ve never felt something like it before.¡± ¡°Sigils,¡± Lnd answered. ¡°You looked at one. It must have been hidden somewhere in in sight. Something that you didn¡¯t notice as off, but was. Can you think of anything like that?¡± Glenny recoiled. ¡°No, I-I don¡¯t think so.¡± Lnd leaned over to Jude and whispered something. Jude then stood and walked around to the other side of the couch. ¡°Glenny, I need you to look me in the eyes,¡± Lnd said. ¡°No, no way.¡± ¡°Please, it''s important.¡± ¡°I-o-okay¡­¡± Both friends leaned forward in an impromptu staring contest. Glenny¡¯s emerald eyes met Lnd¡¯s off silver. Except, that wasn¡¯t true anymore. Deep within Glenny¡¯s irises were specs of red. Tiny, almost unnoticeable by regr means. They floated around carelessly, drifting like lily pads on a windy day. Then suddenly, the world around Lnd opened into a ck void. Reality shifted and twisted, changing like every heartbeat was a new century, like every breath was a different world. A slit sprouted from below his feet, opening into a grand red eye not a decadeter. It stared at Lnd, watching his every movement and twitch, trying to breach his personal securities and invade his mind. Tendrils rose from the whites of the eye, ck ethereal strands, each grasping for life in Lnd¡¯s bones. He ripped his sight from Glenny¡¯s own with a roar, returning the world back into the study. Lnd wobbled on his feet, but was able to shout to Jude before the nausea took. ¡°Do it!¡± Jude didn¡¯t miss a beat and locked Glenny¡¯s head within the crook of his elbow. Chapter 30: Sigil Chapter 30: Sigil Jude didn¡¯t release his grip until Glenny stopped struggling, and even then he was cautious. Heid the unconscious young man on the couch, making sure to prop his head up with a pillow. Meanwhile, Boor and Alkin looked horrified. Lady Onryo on the other hand watched with mystique. ¡°Sigil Sickness I assume,¡± she asked no one in particr. Lnd, forcing himself not to throw up, nodded. ¡°Do you have a copy of Brix¡¯s Guide to Defending Magic here?¡± The Lady snorted. ¡°Of course, one moment.¡± Lnd had already moved on, ¡°Boor, I¡¯m going to need some chalk.¡± The butler nodded and left the room. ¡°Okay, Jude¡ª¡± ¡°Can someone exin what is going on!¡± Alkin yelped. ¡°Glenny is dying,¡± Jude said frankly.¡°Wha¡ª¡± ¡°Not yet, I can fix him,¡± Lnd said, turning back to the Legacy of Berserkers. ¡°Jude, if he wakes up, make sure he doesn¡¯t stay awake. He¡¯s going to fight it whether he wants to or not.¡± Jude nodded, clearing a spot in the center of the study. Lady Onryo returned with a thick bound book, one covered inyers uponyers of dust and cobwebs. ¡°Hasn¡¯t been all that useful,¡± she said, handing the tome to Lnd. He nodded, flipping through the pages after checking the table of contents. He stopped on a page filled with a singr detailed runic circle. He groaned, it was worse than he remembered. Boor returned with the chalk and Lnd began sketching the circle into the floorboards. Lady Onryo watched with scrutinizing perfection, calling out Lnd¡¯s failed lines or telling him to deepen the chalk in particr areas. At some point she fell to her knees and helped as well. When they were finished, Glenny was just rousing. Jude punched him in the jaw, sending him back to the void. Everyone looked at him. ¡°What? You said to keep him unconscious.¡± Lnd was too nauseous to care. ¡°I can be the one to break the sigil,¡± Lady Onryo said. ¡°I have more than enough mental strength.¡± Giving her a small smile, Lnd said, ¡°Thanks for the offer, but Glenny is my friend. I wouldn¡¯t feel right if I wasn¡¯t the one to do it.¡± ¡°Fine, but if something goes wrong, I¡¯ll step in.¡± ¡°Thank you. Jude, can you put him in the circle?¡± Jude and Boor worked together, moving the skinny young man into the circle of chalk. As soon as they backed off, Glenny¡¯s eyes shot open. Red light poured from his irises, deepening trickster shadows and elongating the breaths of those present. Railroad spikes formed and pushed from behind everyone¡¯s eye sockets, pressure built within their heads. Alkin fell over from the sudden mental attack, only catching himself on a nearby chair. ¡°Don¡¯t look Alkin!¡± Lady Onryo yelled, signaling to Boor to escort the young Master out of the study. ¡°Whenever you are ready Lnd!¡± Suddenly books and papers took to the air, flying around the room with a mighty gust of wind. A howl like a house being ripped from its foundation roared through the windows and curtain, breaking ss and tearing fibers. Jude tried to knock Glenny out once again but failed to take a single step. An eye had opened below him, one with grasping hands of influence that kept him bound to his mortal coil. He yelled with silent direction, his words failing to breach the deafening bellows. Lnd had reacted on instinct, finding his grimoire already in hand and open to the correct curse. His palm mmed into the page, sparking a violet halo into life. Magic and mana pooled around his heart and head as he flipped back a page. With his own lifeforce lighting the spark andpleting the spell, he yelled the powerword. ¡°Slow!¡± The curse disappeared into the vacuum of the study before finding Glenny like a beacon in the dead of night. For a moment they were connected. The world shifted back to darkness with a beat of their heart. They were one of the Sightless, their eyes crusted over in red energy and corrupt poison. They saw nothing other than what the being hidden within Glenny¡¯s eyes wanted. They were trapped, they were depressed, they were angry. Their mind twisted and warped, changing into something beyond devotion and prayer. Lnd saw it, the Sightless King. It was only a freckle, a tiny hateful being of sizeless authority. Nothing more than a wicked idea formed through the worst emotions the world had to offer. It had contaminated those who wished to bring it back into the spotlight, it had polluted those who wished it only love. It tried to do the same for Lnd, in the end. But Lnd was only viewing it. He was not hosting it. The study came back into view along with Glenny and the bound Jude. Lnd pressed against the being hidden within the sigil, forcing it to submit into the nothingness that it was. The chalk red into weaponization, burning with pure white fire. mes sought the source of agony, growing across the floorboards with a hasted surge. Glenny lit like a bonfire, his sluggish thrashing suddenlying to an end. ¡°Don¡¯t let up now, Lnd!¡± Lady Onryo yelled into his ear. She ced a hand on his shoulder, adding her strength to his own. ¡°The fight starts now!¡± Together they pushed the sigil¡¯s container, flooding it with mental zeal. The container bulged, the red specs within Glenny¡¯s irises swelling like droplets of rain gathering on a window. Sweaty and drained, Lnd suddenly tasted blood. His eyes wobbled, but the hand on his shoulder squeezed tighter and tighter. He kept up with the barrage, eventually feeling the sigils pop. The white mes instantly winked from existence as flying books and paper took to gravity. Harsh thuds sounded throughout the study as things finally came to a rest ¨C Lnd being one such thing. He fell to his side, crushing his nearly recovered arm and causing a bolt of electricity to ze through his nerves. Despite the pain, Lnd stayed awake. He pushed himself towards Glenny, finding Jude already crouched over him. Jude pulled at Glenny¡¯s eyelids, staring into wide emerald irises. ¡°See any specs of red?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Just green.¡± ¡°Good¡­ good¡­¡± Lnd allowed himself a slow blink, finding Glenny and Jude missing when he came back around. With momentary panic, he scanned the room finding them both sitting up and chatting on the couch. It was then he realized he himself was on a couch covered in a warm nket. ¡°Ah, he¡¯s awake,¡± Jude said. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Jude gave me your ring of regeneration, I can give it back if you need it.¡± A cough escaped Lnd¡¯s dry lips. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Insides and eyes burn. Skin feels like it''s sunburnt.¡± ¡°You keep it then,¡± Lnd sat up, finding a circle of burnt wood in the middle of the study. ¡°Was that us?¡± ¡°¡¯Was that us,¡¯ he asked. ssic,¡± Judeughed. ¡°Where are the others?¡± ¡°Well. Alkin is probably still asleep. Boor said he passed out before he could fully get out of the room. Boor is probably with him. Lady Onryo is at a meeting with the guard Captains and city Mayor.¡± Lnd nodded, leaning back and closing his eyes. ¡°Sigils sssssuuuuck.¡± ¡°Did you¡­¡± Glenny¡¯s voice faltered. ¡°See it?¡± Lnd supplied. ¡°Yes. That thing is no Lord, not even a king.¡± ¡°It¡¯s vile.¡± Glenny shivered. ¡°It whispered things¡­ It wanted me to do stuff. I didn¡¯t even realize it was there. I just¡­ I-I thought everything was perfectly fine.¡± Lnd nodded along. ¡°I know. I felt it as well. I felt you as well. A-are you okay? Like with everything that¡¯s happened since arriving at Liontrunk, I mean.¡± Glenny took a long minute to answer. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I feel so¡­ so¡­ numb to it all.¡± ¡°Is there anything we can do? When we were connected, I felt like I was drowning¡ª¡± ¡°Just- just drop it please.¡± ¡°One step at a time,¡± Jude said. ¡°I found counting to ten to help immensely.¡± Glenny raised an eyebrow. ¡°Like in your head?¡± Jude went to respond but a knock at the mansion¡¯s front door stopped them. A few secondster, Boor appeared in a pristine tailored suit. ¡°Did one of you three order a barrel of beer?¡± he asked. ¡°Oh that was me,¡± Lnd answered. ¡°Do I need to sign for it?¡± The Huntress listened to the conversation inside the House Onryo estate via the chimney within the study. She had moved much closer than initially nned when a lightshow of crimson red and deep purple shed within the mansion¡¯s windows. Even from her vantage point several streets over she could hear the horrid howling wind. It wasn¡¯t until the bright white mes that she realized just what was going on inside the house. She had heard the guard talking of sigils but without confirming such things for herself, she didn¡¯t believe it. Now, now she believed. Oh she believed alright, just like she now actually believed the Sightless Cult was in the city. She had shrugged at the time, thinking that it was more likely a wannabe copycat group ¨C not the real thing. Oh how she berated herself for being wrong. It was the boys, she dered, their odd decisions and behavior had gotten to her. She almostughed at the thought. The Huntress was well ustomed to chasing murderous Witches. She had long found her natural talent for thinking like a criminal. She had long learned her knack and paved her path through life making the most of it. Who¡¯d have thought that three boys would make her second guess her instincts, in as day evidence, and herself. Once confirming that the one named Glenny and the other, Lnd, were fine, the Huntress took to the streets thinking over the conversation she eavesdropped on. They were connected, she reyed in her head. What the hell does that mean? Some sort of blood ritual? Maybe a binding spell? She groaned, finding the sewer entrance Glenny had frozen hours ago. A bow appeared in her left hand while a yellow spark appeared in her right. She stared at the sigil, finding its contours carved across the walls and floor. Again she berated herself. She¡¯d never have found this on her own. Well, that wasn¡¯t quite true. She¡¯d have followed the drunkard and reached the sewers as well, but she wouldn¡¯t have been affected by the sigil. The Sightless King would have hidden itself well, allowing her to investigate the entrance without interference. But a helpless young rogue? Now that was prime pickings. With a sh of yellow, the sigil was scrubbed from this world. Chapter 31: Deals Chapter 31: Deals ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be gone¡­ or if I¡¯ll be gone for that matter,¡± Lnd said,ying on a soft bed. ¡°It¡¯s probably going to be like the Dream Ceremonies, and my body will remain here.¡± Jude set the barrel of beer down next to him. ¡°Then how is this thing going toe into y?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that is a good question.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°This is unmapped ocean here. I have no idea what I¡¯m doing.¡± Glenny, on the rails of sleep, murmured, ¡°At least you are honest with yourself¡­¡± Jude and Lnd looked at him. ¡°Go to sleep,¡± ¡°I am, but some people keep making noise.¡± Lnd sighed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll start. You are going to guard us right, Jude? Last thing we want is Lady Onryo or Boor getting suspicious.¡±Jude pulled up a wicker seat to a window and sat down. ¡°I¡¯ll watch outside and inside, don¡¯t worry.¡± Lndid back and started the spell. Magic and experience came to his mind, spinning around him with a dance of life. They took to hismand, taking the form of a crow¡¯s quill. His Legacy spoke to him, telling him the exact words to say. ¡°Lord of Spirits, I humbly wish to strike a contract with you!¡± Within the bedroom, powerpounded into Lnd before he suddenly passed out. Glenny, now fully awake and alert, and Jude looked at each other, shrugging. The first thing Lnd noticed was an orb of glowing blue light. It sat in the distance, like antern shining through a far cottage window. It drew his attention, urging him to keep his eyes on it while pulling his motionless feet closer. He found himself rushing towards the light, his body not moving but yet he drew closer still. The light came into full scope as he traveled, quickly blooming to the size of a door then wall then building. The light didn¡¯t stop, he didn¡¯t stop. It grew until the light took up his vision, until his world was swallowed entirely by the orb. Then, Lnd felt his legs tremble ¨C although without hostility. He wasn¡¯t tired or fearful, in fact he felt empowered, like he had just run apetitive marathon. The orb of blue trickled past his mind, urging him to take a step. He did, passing the threshold of the blue and entering the Lord of Spirits domain. He entered a twilight forest of mile high trees and curious creatures. Bugs and small animals watched him from their homes, mushrooms and vines twisted to his approach. Glowing moss and fungus led through the trees like directional lights on a runway. Lnd followed the whimsical colors. Shadows shifted and moved, but again, he never felt in danger. If anything, Lnd felt he was being weed. The beings that hid within the trees or under the mossy soil smiled andughed, pleasantly surprised at a new guest in their domain. Lnd tripped over a root. He stumbled into a tree, finding it sweet smelling ¨C like maple sap candies the traveling merchants brought to his home town in the early spring. He loved those things, even though they got trapped in his mrs. He and the others would trade them like gold, toys for candy or candy for other sweets. Behind him, the path illuminated. Sapphire mes appeared on hand whittled torches, lighting up the densely packed ground and underbrush. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lnd whispered, pushing off from the reminder of home and following the trail of torches further into the forest. Eventually he came across a small clearing, one that fit well into the trees and vines. nts had found sce in this ce, theck of a canopy allowing them to overgrow. They stretched along the moist ground for what felt like an eternity, growing over multiple downed logs and through the many cracks and valleys. At the center, within a bed of nesting, was a young woman. She sat alone, only the endless shadows to keep herpany. She watched Lnd through yellow sparkling eyes and stands of blue shimmering hair. Like a parent watching their child explore, the woman held a sense of pride. As Lnd neared, the woman shifted revealing nine bushy pure white tails. Five of the tails moved forward, halting the human in his tracks. ¡°That is far enough, Lnd Silver,¡± the woman said, her voice fluttering like a bird song during the early morning sunrise. Lnd pivoted at his waist, his line of sight finding the leafy ground beside his feet. ¡°Lord of Spirits, it is an honor.¡± All around, the shadows moved and danced,ing closer to get a better view. ¡°Mortals often grovel at the face of the unknown, you, however, have not. Even after facing the unspeakable.¡± A deep frown found Lnd¡¯s lips. He straightened his back and locked eyes with the ancient being before him. The yellow of her eyes dripped with mystery and mystique, enough to cause Lnd to lose his train of thought. ¡°You are beautiful,¡± he whispered. Suddenlyughter echoed from the clearing in the forest. Hundreds, thousands even, of small blue orbs brightened and dimmed with the waves of giggles. They floated through the open air, twisting around the moss covered trees or under wide t leaves. ¡°You all are,¡± Lnd continued. ¡°Whisps, spirits, beings I¡¯ve only heard about in stories . I can only say the stories are true, you all are beautiful.¡± The forest went silent at his words and one by one the orbs of blue like, the spirits, winked out of existence. ¡°You embarrassed them,¡± the Lord of Spirits said, holding her hand out to a brave spirit that dared move the closest. ¡°Shy little creatures then. They like you, they can sense their brothers and sisters on you.¡± Lnd thought about her words. ¡°The Onryos? Does that mean¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, these spirits in my domain are those of my own. Each was once human and once my wards - my legacies, if you would rather.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± was all Lnd could say. ¡°Thank you for indulging them, we do not have many¡­ visitors.¡± Lnd¡¯s eyes popped open and he searched around him. ¡°Oh! I brought a gift¡­ but it looks like my spell didn¡¯t carry it with me.¡± ¡°That is quite alright. Just offer it to me at any of my shrines. The Onryo¡¯s have a grand chapel within their home, that would surely work,¡± the Lord paused for a moment, a faint shing blue appeared beside her ear. ¡°My family wishes to know what your gift is.¡± ¡°The best beer Shoutwell has to offer, and honey.¡± ¡°Honey?¡± ¡°Indeed. My mother preferred to mix honey into her drink, alwaysining that beer is too bitter.¡± All around the clearing blue orbs lit up like excited fireflies. The Lord of Spirits spoke for them. ¡°They have not had beer in a long time. You make them happy, I thank you.¡± Lnd smiled and watched the spirits float around. Some even neared him. ¡°No need to thank me. But I do hope you will assist me.¡± ¡°You have done many great deeds for my wards in the real world. You bring gifts, you speak with respect, and youpliment my family. My ears are open to your request.¡± Her nine tails came to a standstill just behind her head, like a soft pillow. ¡°I ask for two things,¡± Lnd began. ¡°First and more importantly is knowledge to assist House Onryo from falling to their debts.¡± The Lord of Spirits did not react. ¡°And second, I ask for a way to defend myself and the others around me.¡± Soon hundreds of blue spirits floated over to Lnd. They took perches on his body, using his arms and shoulders like branches. Then the Lord of Spirits giggled. ¡°They really do like you. It is not often people ask for my help. It is even less often that someone asks for my help for others.¡± Lnd was afraid to move. He didn¡¯t want to disturb the spirits resting on him. The Lord of Spirits continued. ¡°s, how contracts work between Lord and recipient does not allow for information such as you ask. I cannot help you there.¡± Lnd¡¯s face fell. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Tell me, what do you know of spirit fire?¡± ¡°It is a catalyst of illusion and life. It is incredibly mana intensive and often regarded as an investment Legacy. Only a few known historic mages ever reached the point of seeing returns, however. Only old families, such as the Onryos, know enough to progress in the discipline, and even then, not very well.¡± The Lord of Spirits nodded along to his exnation. ¡°I originally created spirit fire as a means of pacifism. It was meant to do no harm but touch upon people¡¯s primal fear. Illusion, as you call it. For me, it is about the preservation of life. I have never killed, a feat I hold with great pride. It wasn¡¯t until I epted the fire¡¯s aspect that I truly learned to wield it.¡± ¡°So you never took supplements for mana? Potions and the like?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Those were not discovered until some millenniater.¡± A smile caught in the back of Lnd¡¯s mind. ¡°I see, thank you for sharing.¡± The Lord of Spirits curtly nodded. ¡°Your second request is something I can procure. While it will not be as you expect, I hope you trust in my ageless wisdom. Sometimes a threat is enough, sometimes there is no reason to kill.¡± ¡°Even when lives of loved ones are threatened?¡± ¡°That is for you to decide. I, in my tribtions, have lost many loved ones. That is why I surround myself here. To fill the loneliness.¡± Blue appeared all around the forest as thousands of spirits floated over to their Lord. Theynded on her, like butterflies covering a bed of flowers. ¡°Thank you my children. You have all been very good to me. Thank you,¡± she whispered before turning to her guest. ¡°Protect those you love. Protect those who cannot fight, promise me and your contract will be made.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Lnd said despite the quiver in his voice. ¡°I promise I will.¡± The Lord of Spirits gave him a small smile. ¡°It was a pleasure, Lnd. Until we meet again.¡± The forest lit up with blue before Lnd suddenly found himself rushing away from a singr orb that took up the sky. As the minutes passed, the orb decreased in size until it was only a me in the distance. He then blinked finding the ceiling of the Onryo guest room. Chapter 32: Suspicion Chapter 32: Suspicion Jude didn¡¯t notice Lnd was ¡°awake¡± until a purple grimoire appeared out of nowhere and flopped open. ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± he asked. Lnd stopped and suddenly found his eyes flooding. ¡°The Lord of Spirits is one of the most beautiful beings I¡¯ve ever had the luxury to know.¡± Jude made a whistling sound. ¡°Did you ask her to marry you?¡± ¡°What- no. Just no.¡± Daggers sted from Lnd¡¯s eyes. ¡°Beautiful as in she¡¯s special. A kindred soul to her family.¡± ¡°Right¡­ So did you get what you wanted?¡± ¡°Yes to both, I think. It was a little roundabout but I think I understood what she was trying to say for the Onryos. And for myself, well, let¡¯s see.¡± Lnd flipped to the section of his grimoire that dealt with curses. The page after the Lord of Magic entry, was a new one. Cursed contract of the Lord of Spirits:Use: For the duration of the contract, all magical abilities take on a single intended spiritual effect. Those may include, but are not limited to, intimidation, warmth and care, or calming.Only usable once per hour. Return: Not breaking a promise. This time Lnd was the one to whistle. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what I was expecting, but this was not it. Illusions might have more depth to them than I thought.¡± Jude raised an eyebrow and stepped over. ¡°Anything you can demonstrate?¡± ¡°Sure, if you don¡¯t mind having your speed slowed for a little bit.¡± ¡°Eh, that¡¯s fine.¡± Lnd pressed his palm into the contract page, summoning forth a gale of purple energy and mana. Shadows seemed to stretch for a moment as thousands of tiny ming orbs of blue light fluttered into existence before begrudgingly fading away. A violet halo zed into the room, forming just above his head before idly swaying with vapor. ¡°Woah!¡± Jude yelled, waking Glenny. ¡°What were those blue dots? I swear I heard one make fun of me!¡± Glenny rubbed his eyes. ¡°Why- why do you sound so eager to be made fun of?¡± Jude went to respond but Lnd spoke over him. ¡°Those were spirits. Whisps, in other terms.¡± The boys¡¯ eyes went wide. ¡°I know what you mean by beautiful now. They made fun of me and I and I only wanted to cuddle with them!¡± Lnd looked to Glenny. ¡°It seems we should be careful around enemies that canpel. Jude¡¯s a little weak in that department.¡± ¡°I concur,¡± said the rogue. ¡°Whatever,¡± Jude scoffed. ¡°Are you going to hit me with a spell or sit there and make fun of me?¡± ¡°I thought you liked being made fun of?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me put you in another headlock.¡± Glenny¡¯s face fell. Lnd rolled his eyes, forming the architecture for Curse of Copse in his mind. It started around his heart, connecting with Jude¡¯s before waiting for a ¡°spark¡± of lifeforce. As he pushed the curse into reality, he said a single word. ¡°Slow,¡± whispered Lnd, connecting his and Jude¡¯s hearts allowing him a window into his friend¡¯s mind. He was scared, so scared. Not of the unknown or the enemies hiding within the sewers but of the simple fact that Glenny was nearly taken over. Sigils were something dangerous, something that they had no way tobat. The eye had scarred him with false reports and lies. It tricked his mind, forcing him to think about death. There was relief, of course, that Glenny was alive and well, but the eye¡¯s influence made him think about impure futures. One without Glenny or Lnd, one without his friends. He couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. He needed to be the wall that protected the others. Lnd came out of the connection breathing like a horse after a race. He sucked in lungfuls of air, finding the bedroom oddlyforting. He looked to the others, the purple halo above his head shimmering with radiant energy. Jude and Glenny suddenly found themselves rxed and happy, like a cool night next to a firece. Memories of their parents came to mind, each findingfort in reliving the time together. Jude leaned back into his wooden chair, the hard dowels poking into his spine like a massage given by the Legacy of Rxation. He giggled to himself wondering if such a Lord existed. Glenny fell into his own head, the image of his mom too powerful to ignore. He closed his eyes and found himself swaying with imaginary music. Liquid formed within his eyelids as he could feel her warmth. Lnd watched on, finding the effects significantly less potent for himself. He felt rxed, sure, but he also remembered the threat hiding out in the city. Still, he couldn¡¯t make himself remove the spell early. Not when his two best friends were at peace. Jude and his anxiety and Glenny and his guilt. Eventually the Curse of Copse faded on Jude, setting the room back to the cold cube it had always been. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lnd whispered just audibly while canceling the Harbinger Halo curse. A blue me appeared just before his nose before floating into it. It winked out of existence a breathter. Jude and Glenny both looked around, Glenny quickly rubbing his eyes as subtly as possible. ¡°Seems like it works,¡± Lnd said with a somber smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to try a negative emotion on you two.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Jude said trailing off. ¡°Do you think you could have ignored the effect? Or was it that powerful?¡± ¡°No I definitely could. I just didn¡¯t want to,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Agreed,¡± Jude added as well. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought, I just didn¡¯t want to¡ª¡± A knock came from the door. Slowly, Jude moved to open it. Boor stood with his hands on his vest, his wrinkled face looking quite confused. ¡°Pardon the interruption, but is Master Alkin or Lady Mavi in here?¡± Boor took only a single step, inspecting the room quite thoroughly. ¡°No, the siblings aren¡¯t here,¡± Lnd said. ¡°I thought Alkin was still passed out and, well, I guess I don¡¯t know where Mavi went.¡± Boor scrunched his nose. ¡°Lady Mavi is indeed elsewhere while Master Alkin is asleep still, yes. Apologies, the fog must be getting to me. I thought I felt the magic from their legacies.¡± The boys looked at each other. ¡°Oh?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°I am unsure if I am being honest. I just had a strange remembrance of my life before House Onryo hired my services.¡± ¡°And you think that the Lord of Spirits caused it?¡± Boor took a moment to answer. ¡°I must be mistaken, only Lady Onryo could produce such a feeling and she is elsewhere as well...¡± Lnd shared a look with the others. ¡°I think what you felt was a new spell of mine. I¡¯m sorry for the confusion.¡± Stepping out of the room but staying in the doorframe, Boor eyed the young man with careful consideration before turning to the others. His gaze fell on Jude¡¯s wrist, the hand he broke during the ambush attack. Then to Glenny and the danger that lived within his eyes. Finally he turned back to Lnd, the one who had vanquished such a monster. Something was different about Boor¡¯s eyes, Lnd saw. Something well before fear but nowhere near disinterest. ¡°I see,¡± Boor said. ¡°Dinner will be served in twenty minutes. Is there anything I can get the three of you in the meantime? Tea? Muffins?¡± Jude opened his mouth to answer but Lnd spoke first. ¡°Is there a Lord of Spirits shrine in the house I could give an offering to?¡± Boor held his gaze for a long moment as he pondered the odd request. ¡°Yes, please follow me.¡± Lnd stood up but stopped after only a single step. ¡°Uh, Jude, if you don¡¯t mind helping out¡­¡± Jude groaned but picked up the barrel of beer. Glenny sighed and took the jar of honey from his friend with the broken arm. The trio then followed Boor to a small room connected to the study. ¡°I shall give you privacy,¡± the butler said before strolling off. ¡°Just before the shrine, Jude, thanks.¡± Lnd took the honey from Glenny and ced it on top of the barrel before whispering, ¡°Here is the beer and honey I promised, Lord of Spirits. The ratio of honey to liquid my mother uses is three spoonfulls per mug¡­ but thinking about it, that may be wrong¡­ seems rather sweet.¡± Lnd shrugged as the barrel and jar disappeared. Jude was the one to speak up first. ¡°I think the weirdest part of this offering is that your mother adds honey to beer. Who does that!¡± ¡°Seems sacrilegious,¡± Glennyughed. Holding up his hands in surrender, Lnd said, ¡°I know, I know. She¡¯d always embarrass my dad when we were at restaurants. I can¡¯t tell you how many waiters gave us weird looks.¡± ¡°But three spoonfulls!?¡± Some minutester, after the boys left the shrine room and were well established in the dining room, Boor slipped out of the shadows. His Legacy wasn¡¯t perfect for stealth and subtlety, but he felt confident in his abilities to go unnoticed. They were children after all, he wasn¡¯t that old yet. He slowly creaked the door to the shrine room open, expecting to find a seemingly random barrel of beer taking up most of the walking area. But he was wrong. He looked for the honey, finding it missing as well. Boor was sure the boys walked out of the room empty handed. Was there a trick involved? Or was something more sinister going on? It had been many, many years since he had thought of his early life before meeting Lady Onryo¡¯s grandfather. Most of it was filled with war and despair. He could count the number of happy memories from his youth on one hand. Just what kind of spell can do that? Boor asked himself, deciding to keep a better eye on Master Alkin¡¯s guests. Chapter 33: Descent Down Chapter 33: Descent Down Dinner was fish and potato. ¡°So how did the meeting go?¡± Lnd asked the now returned Lady Onryo and her daughter Lady Mavi. The younger of the two sighed deeply scrapping at her te unenthusiastically. ¡°The guard has no idea what they are doing. Everyone is scared.¡± ¡°Did you mention the sewers?¡± Lady Onryo answered, ¡°Yes, and they sent teams to investigate. Nothing. Six teams entered at different points and all returned without any worthwhile information.¡± The boys shared a nce. ¡°Perhaps sigils were¡ª¡± ¡°No, we had a specialist look for sigils. Nothing, not even on the sewer entrance Glenny found,¡± Lady Onryo rubbed her temples. ¡°That entrance had been destroyed, however.¡± Boor, walking around the table serving drinks, asked, ¡°Destroyed how?¡± ¡°Some sort of magical attack. A high ranked one. It broke apart most of the concrete.¡±¡°Quite suspicious. Any witnesses?¡± ¡°No, and that¡¯s the problem,¡± Mavi said. ¡°No one wants toe forward. The fog and bodies are getting to people. Just a few hours ago the total raised to fifteen.¡± ¡°Fifteen?¡± Glenny echoed. ¡°Seriously? And there haven''t been any witnesses at all?¡± ¡°There has, but they all say the same thing. They saw a woman in a white hooded robe. Not very helpful if you ask me.¡± Lnd and Jude looked at each other. ¡°About that¡­¡± They then told the table about their return home from the tavern and the rushed woman leaving the scene of a still warm body. ¡°Simr story to the others,¡± Lady Onryo said, shaking her head. ¡°It just doesn¡¯t help us very much.¡± ¡°It may not, but I might have something that will,¡± Lnd took a deep breath and recited his practiced lie. ¡°Without going into many details, my Legacy has some unique properties that allows me to be privy to some information. Now, I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m an expert or even that I analyzed the information given to me correctly, but I think I have some tips to progress the Lord of Spirit¡¯s Legacy.¡± Lady Onryo took a long hard look at Lnd before moving on to Jude and Glenny. Without noticing a hint of deceit, she motioned for the young man to continue. ¡°How much do you know about the history of spirit fire?¡± The following conversationsted several hours and in near silence. Only Lnd and Lady Onryo discussed, and even then it was mainly Lnd dodging questions about how he came to know these things. In the end, the idea that spirit fire was more than simple illusions and directly rted to life and preservation were spread to those listening. ¡°I am not sure what you can do with this information, but I also know it is incredibly possible to progress in the discipline without use of supplemental potions or tonics.¡± The room went still. Both Onryo¡¯s went stark still, their posture towering over the slumping adventurers. An annoyance crawled up their faces, narrowing their eyes and pursing their lips. ¡°What do you know about supplements, boy?¡± Lady Onryo spit. ¡°Only what Alkin told us,¡± Lnd answered quickly. ¡°You know nothing of my family and those we¡¯ve lost. Do not think your friendship with my son allows you to be disrespectful, especially when you are in this house.¡± ¡°I meant no disrespect, I apologize if I offended¡ª¡± A knock came from the mansion door. Boor hesitated but Lady Onryo waved him off. ¡°My eldest¡¯s death was more than a mana junky getting a fix,¡± Lnd¡¯s face fell. ¡°I-I had no idea it was like that. Alkin only said he was searching for a way to speed up his spirit fire progression. I didn¡¯t know it was Mana Dust, I never would have insinuated...¡± he trailed off. Lady Onryo stifled her anger. Her posture fell, her demeanor broke. ¡°I apologize. My son is a sore subject.¡± Glenny was the one to speak up, ¡°Losing a family member is horrible.¡± ¡°Have you¡­?¡± ¡°Did Alkin not tell you?¡± Lady Onryo shook her head. ¡°M-my mother was the Royal Inquisitor that was killed by the Witch Icewillow three years ago.¡± ¡°Oh. I¡¯m so sorry. We didn¡¯t know.¡± Mavi spoke up, ¡°Alkin only told us you three were the children of Inquisitors, not anything past that.¡± Glenny¡¯s frown had turned into a somber smile. ¡°It is alright. I just ask you not to spread this information around.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lady Onryo said. ¡°And the same goes for my son and his addiction. Alkin does not know the full story and we wish to keep it that way.¡± Lnd wasn¡¯t sure if he agreed with keeping family business hidden from one another but he held his tongue. Last thing he wanted was to upset his hosts more than he already had. Boor saved the conversation by entering the dining room with a hesitant guard Captain. ¡°Lady Onryo,¡± Boor said, his hands finding grip on his vest. ¡°Captain Lurch says there¡¯s been another murder.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry for interrupting dinner, my Lady, but this is urgent.¡± Lurch began. ¡°A body has been found and I need to ask some questions.¡± ¡°Ask me some questions? Heavens why?¡± Lady Onryo asked. ¡°Not you, ma¡¯am. The one named Lnd.¡± All eyes flicked to the young mage. ¡°Me?¡± he asked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You were the name on his delivery slip. A barrel of beer.¡± Lnd ttened in his seat. ¡°I-I see. What do you need to ask?¡± ¡°Was the barrel delivered already?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you notice anything suspicious about the deliverer?¡± ¡°Boor dealt with him, I didn¡¯t even need to sign¡­¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lurch whispered, taking notes. ¡°Have you left the premises today?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Can anyone vouch for that?¡± ¡°Everyone in here besides the Ladies, yes.¡± Lurch scanned the room, receiving multiple head nods. ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°Thank you for your time.¡± Turning to leave, the Captain hesitated in the door frame. ¡°Is something the matter, Captain?¡± Lady Onryo asked. ¡°I-it¡¯s just that this murder was different. He still had his eyes, you see¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t the Sightless?¡± Mavi asked. ¡°The tavern the deceased worked at was known as a crime den,¡± Lurch¡¯s words went dry. ¡°We suspect this was an opportune killing to get rid of problematic employees.¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you be interviewing the tavern owner?¡± ¡°I would if I could.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°The owner is dead as well, his tongue cut out.¡± Jude interjected. ¡°Someone thinks he was a rat. He did seem open to selling information¡­¡± The Captain frowned. ¡°Now hold on. Have you been¡ª¡± ¡°That is quite enough, Captain,¡± Lady Onryo said, standing. ¡°Before usations are made, I would like to put one simple fact out there. These three adventurers sharing a meal with me tonight are under my employment. Think of them as private investigators.¡± ¡°I-I see,¡± Lurch said after a moment. ¡°Just one final question then. Why did you choose the River and the Cavern to investigate?¡± Lnd answered with a shrug. ¡°I needed beer and it was the first brewery we found in the fog.¡± The Captain hummed at that. ¡°I see, thank you for your time.¡± With that, the man left the mansion and three sets of eyes were suddenly on Lnd and the others. ¡°The River and the Cavern? Really? How did you three manage to find yourselves there?¡± Glenny answered. ¡°Because it was the tavern nearest the docks. We figured the connection from dockworkers to smugglers wasn¡¯t that big of a leap.¡± Lady Onryo nodded to that, ¡°Smart. What did you learn?¡± ¡°That a smuggler named Poppy was the one to ask about unique body parts.¡± Boor went still. ¡°Poppy you say?¡± ¡°Yeah. You know her?¡± ¡°We have a history, yes.¡± ¡°Think you could introduce us?¡± Again Boor hesitated. ¡°She¡¯s dangerous.¡± Lady Onryo didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Boor take the boys to meet this Poppy character, that¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°Of course, my Lady,¡± the butler said before turning to the others. ¡°We leave at midnight. Prepare your weapons, we could be walking into something we wish we hadn¡¯t.¡± A few hourster, the boys and Boor were hiding behind a set of crates near the docks. In the air the sound of soft waves crashed against wooden ships resting in the harbor. The boys wore their normal everyday battle ware, but the butler had changed into a thin leather armor. The armor was scored, cut, and patched over again and again. It was old, very old. The kind of armor left from father to son from the days of war some centuries ago. Orange flickering mes led the route through the dense fog, like mile markers on a highway. They lined the dock¡¯s edge, a single step past meant going for a swim. Boor gave a muted signal just before he dashed to the next set of crates. Once set, Lnd could hear the voices. They were quiet and slurred, drunk he supposed. Whispering to the butler, he said, ¡°What do we do?¡± The group of four had progressed like this for thest two blocks, making use of the unnatural fog to near the harbor. Luckily they hadn¡¯te across any human blockades prior to the set before them now. Boor deliberated for a moment before tossing a scrap piece of wood blindly through the fog. A loud nk followed by multiple grunts echoing in rm through the area. Boor counted to ten, then signaled to move again. Frankly, Lnd didn¡¯t quite understand why they needed to remain hidden. Did Boor think Poppy would help them if they snuck up on her? The question was lost in his mind as they continued down the docks, eventually stopping at a certain darkntern. ¡°Why did we stop here?¡± Glenny whispered. ¡°Some sort of marker?¡± Boor nodded and said, ¡°Trust me on this.¡± He then stepped off the dock, falling into the depths below. The boys looked to each other for a moment before Jude gave a hesitant shrug. He jumped off a momentter, followed by Glenny, and eventually Lnd. Theynded on a set of tied row boats anchored to the underside of the dock. Boor had already pushed forward across the makeshift bridge and onto rotted scaffolding. A long rusted out door stood silently behind him, only an off yellow dim mana light illuminating the area. Warnings had been carved into the surrounding wood, crude and often nothing more than simple phrases like, ¡°enter and die.¡± Boor knocked in a rhythmic pattern, although no sound came from the metal door. It was then Lnd saw the glyphs carved into the doorframe. ¡°Sound suppressants,¡± he whispered to the others. ¡°Whoever is behind there wants to remain hidden.¡± Suddenly a slot on the door snapped open and two bloodstained eyes looked through. Boor didn¡¯t seem surprised and simply said, ¡°Malt is better than hops.¡± The man behind the door grunted and pulled it open. Boor then turned to the boys, ¡°I would like to wee you to Shoutwell¡¯s Smugglers Guild.¡± Chapter 34: Smugglers Guild Chapter 34: Smugglers Guild Through the sea water rusted door, the group came eye to eye with the mountain of a man who opened it for them. The man was dirty with grease and sweat, long dark streaks crossed his stubble where his working hands scratched himself. His fingernails told the story of years of manualbor, constant abuse to unload or load the city¡¯s many ships. The man didn¡¯t look twice at the group nor did he care that three young men, kids really, had entered. In fact, the man didn¡¯t seem to care about anything other than the small pipe he clutched dearly. Faded burnt blue residue sat dormant in the pipe as the man hastily tried to light a match. Eventually he did, and the sweet taste of his pleasure found his lungs. As the man blew out blue smoke, Lnd recognized the drug. Once they were past the guard and into the connected tunnel, he spoke up. ¡°Mana Dust. I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡± Boor didn¡¯t look back, too busy navigating through the slimy undercity, but he did speak up, ¡°Street name for it is Lucky Blue, although you sure aren¡¯t lucky when it digs its talons into you.¡± ¡°Why do they call it that then?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Because you are lucky enough to be smoking Mana Dust.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t have to.¡±They stopped at an intersection, one path leading off further into the darkness, the other towards what sounded like the ocean. ¡°Just what is this ce?¡± Glenny asked when they began towards the dark. ¡°Shoutwell used to be owned by pirates. This is the main stronghold,¡± Boor answered, feeling around the walls as they walked. ¡°Does this connect to the sewers?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°In a few spots, but most have been sealed up for when city inspectors make sure the concrete isn¡¯t cracking.¡± ¡°So, the odds are low that the Sightless will be down here?¡± ¡°I¡¯d say so, but who knows. If they want to remain hidden, they could most definitely keep their anonymity here.¡± Jude subconsciously scrunched his hand, like gripping his axe. ¡°And where exactly is here?¡± Boor didn¡¯t answer right away, his focus on a small rope covered in sludge and damp sea moss. He cautiously pulled the line, like any force above the bare minimum would snap it. When he did, a small cut out in the wall twisted before pulling in on itself. The butler then smiled. ¡°Boys, are you ready for an experience you¡¯ll never forget?¡± He received various unenthusiastic head nods. ¡°Well,¡± Boor said, sticking his hand into the cut out and pulling. ¡°I wee you to the real Smuggler¡¯s Guild.¡± As the wall slowly creaked open, like a door, Lnd asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°The city guard knows about this tunnel, they, however, do not know about what is through this door. When the Inquisitors were here three years ago, they had a hard time finding the Icewillow¡¯s product storage. All information pointed to it being in the Smuggler¡¯s Guild, but they never figured out there was a second.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ingenious!¡± Judeughed. ¡°Yeah¡­ real smart,¡± Glenny said, a re catching their guide. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell them? You were working with the Onryos by then right? Why not help the Inquisitors?¡± Boor stepped through the door and signaled for the boys to follow. ¡°That is simple. If I had told the Inquisitors, then the news of my betrayal would have leaked. I would have been dead before I could leave the city. The Onryos too. Anyone I loved would have had their throats slit.¡± ¡°The Onryos know of this ce and allow it?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°They do and no, they do not. This is awless ce. They have no power here. If anything, this ce has power over them. Just look at the eldest son. Lost his lifeing down here to get his fix.¡± They turned a short corner and suddenly the floor dropped. Down it went, like the cliff face of the teau they met Alkin on. It sprawled wide and long, a singr cavern with dozens of tunnels leading in and out. ¡°I-it¡¯s a whole city!¡± Jude eximed. Hundreds of small wooden buildings made up the underbelly city, each molded or slick with moss. A foundation of darkness and salt water filled the depths while scaffolding held structures high into the cavern¡¯s air space. Ancient stone bridges connected points together, each housing dozens of other buildings built from their sound support. People moved without worry or reprieve, often shoving their way through the crowded pathways. Some moved with entourage and guard, but everyone at least carried a dagger. Fights were amon sight for the group''s sky-like vantage, as well as the murderous shoves that ended said battles with a corpse iling towards the certain doom below the city life. ¡°This is amazing,¡± Lnd whispered. ¡°How does the whole city not know about this ce?¡± Glenny asked. Vibrant lights took ce around the area, each a different intensity and color. Some were attached to buildings, others drilled deep into the foundation. There were even a few drifting balloons, each sporting their own light source. ¡°Most don¡¯t want to know. Their lives are good enough above, why would they need to search for anything else?¡± Boor asked rhetorically. The butler led them down a slick staircase and the asionaldder, eventually putting them at the edge of the filthy, rickety buildings. There were only a few souls around them, each holding glowing blue pipes or puffing simr colored smoke. ¡°Come on, we haven¡¯t even gotten to the good part. Or scary, depending on who you ask,¡± Boor said with a glint in his eye. They pushed on, crossing weathered stone bridges with decades of attempted reinforcement. Steel beams had been added to each, crossing the length of the walkway and partially into the stonework. The process had amalgamated the straight walk, giving the bridge many hazardous tipping obstacles. Once across one of therger bridges, the group came upon what Lnd could only describe as ¡°the market.¡± Thousands of people pushed their way through a single street, either side filled with peddlers or shopkeepers. Items of all kinds were eye candy for any opportunistic Thief Lord, only the threat of the smuggler enforcers stopped their greedy hands. ¡°Five minutes of looking,¡± Boor said, ¡°Then we find Poppy.¡± The boys nodded earnestly, going from one nket with knick knacks shrewdlyid on top to a crooked table housing jewelry boxes full of odd eggs. A sign read ¡°Monster Eggs,¡± and suddenly Lnd found himself skipping to the next seller. Jude inspected a small buckler shield, one which rhythmically glowed with off white sparkle. He started haggling, asking for a demonstration before ultimately putting the item back ¨C despite the ¡°discount¡± he was offered. Glenny crouched before a small table manned by a wrinkled old woman. She waved her hand over three cups, moving them with frighteningly fast speed. When Glenny couldn¡¯t pick the correct cup, Boor stepped in and told the woman off. ¡°Keep your wits about you,¡± Boor then said. ¡°Everyone here is looking to score. You are too green not to take advantage of.¡± Glenny nodded with understanding, venturing to the next booth that caught his fancy. In the end, he bartered his two steel daggers and some gold for a pair with a bit longer reach. It was then he remembered the parasitic cloak he left in the mansion. He wondered just how much money they could get if they sold it. Then he realized it didn¡¯t really matter. Nothing he had seen so far had evene close to the level of uniqueness the cloak held. It was then and there that he decided he would keep it, just like Lnd and Jude wanted. Eventually the group congregated on Lnd who was actively arguing with a heavily warted shopkeeper. When Boor loomed over the conversation, the man quickly apologized, packed his things, and left. ¡°Coward,¡± the butler spit. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving.¡± They left the market street, heading towards another wide bridge. As they did so, Lnd and the others grew confused. They had pushed through a mass of people, but now the crowd had mostly dissipated. ¡°They are watching you, Boor,¡± Glenny then said, his eyes having turned into lizard like slits. ¡°I know, I didn''t think they¡¯d recognize me this quickly.¡± Jude recoiled at that. ¡°Because you are House Onryo¡¯s butler?¡± Boor chuckled at that. ¡°No, because I used to run things here. Old wounds, you know?¡± The man¡¯s demeanor thenpletely changed. From quiet proper manners to a sinister smirk thirsting for battle, Boor kept his chin high and drew his weapon. It red to life from his hand tattoo, a long rapier made of polished silver steel. He then held it to his cheek, the sharp edge grazing his short stubble while the tip threatened an alleyway. ¡°Come on out, I¡¯ve already smelled you,¡± Boor said, causing the shadows to morph into people. From out of the darkness, nine battle ready thugs stepped. Each held various weapons or their legacies while also carrying the same branding tattoo. It marked across their faces regardless of scars or e, in the form of arge ck ¡°W.¡± ¡°Witches,¡± Jude seethed. One of the thugs bellowed, ¡°Ahh, is that Boor leading more children into the belly of the beast? I guess one death on your hands isn¡¯t enough to call the wrath of the Lords! It was for me, but then again, I slit his throat while you fed yours Lucky Blue!¡± Boor didn¡¯t respond. The man snapped and pointed. ¡°I remember now! Not much of a talker, you. Always the silent type hiding in the shadows looking to take out thepetition. Not any more, I guess. Traitor, you are. Well guess what! The Icewillows aren¡¯t around to protect you anymore, and you know what that mea¡ª¡± The man¡¯s sentence was abruptly cut off as Boor flickered across the street rubble. The thug then fell, lifeless and bleeding from a singr puncture wound in the middle of his forehead. ¡°I remember you as well,¡± Boor spat. ¡°Too much of a talker, you were.¡± The butler then readied his weapon again, turning to the other Witches. Chapter 35: Ambush Chapter 35: Ambush As the de of Boor¡¯s rapier shed against a short sword pulsating isted gales of wind, the boys readied themselves. Glenny was first to move, slipping invisible and rushing forward. He ignored the sparks of wind, his daggers quickly finding flesh against an unsuspecting woman holding a crossbow. Blood gushed high into the air, taking to the swordsman¡¯s tempest and littering the battlefield with crimson rain. Glenny didn¡¯t let up his assault, twisting his daggers deeper into the woman¡¯s nape while wrapping his legs around her torso. The woman stumbled, firing off a bolt that exploded against a stone pir. Dust and debris fell, obscuring the alleyway. Abruptly, a semi invisible body was thrown out of the cloud before mming into a wall well behind Lnd. Jude twitched with rage, pulling his oversized battle axe from his hand tattoo and thenunching it at a Witch carrying an equal size axe. He then jumped,nded before the crossbow holder and axe wielder. With a mighty war cry, a red crescent zed from Jude¡¯s horizontal sh. The sudden attack stopped the axe wielder from dumping the contents of a small vial on the woman¡¯s wounds. Before the ss vial hit the ground, Jude was swinging. He pushed into the pair, keeping his focus on the injured woman. Lnd mmed his palm into his grimoire, offering mana and lifeforce in exchange for a violet halo. It formed above his head, wisps of ethereal smoke trailing with the direction of the wind. His tome then skipped back a few pages, finding the curse its master intended to cast. Power welled up around Lnd¡¯s heart as he spoke the powerword aloud, ¡°Slow.¡± For a moment the Legacy of Curses was connected to the Witch wielding a battle axe eerily simr to Jude¡¯s own. Lnd felt genuine thrill from the battle, along with distant worry for the crossbow holding woman. The connection severed and Lnd watched Jude capitalize on the slowed man. A hand was sliced clean off at the wrist, falling to the hard ground below with a wet thud. The man screamed and shoved the woman towards their attacker.Jude met her with an iron shoulder, bashing into her face as Lnd spoke another power word. ¡°Fracture,¡± The axe wielder stumbled, fear gripping his shaky legs andunching himself forward. He leaped, aiming for the guarding Jude. The mannded and quickly found himself in a barrage of haphazard attacks. Wild swings met wild swings as Jude slowly killed his humanity. Rage sprouted from its corpse, boosting his strength with the power of the Berserker Lord. The man took the initiative as well, allowing his fear to fuel his inextinguishable hatred. Rage carved into its mirror image as two of the same Legacy battled for supremacy. Lnd didn¡¯t care about honor or rite of the duel as he spoke another powerword. ¡°Maul,¡± he said, summoning forth eight ethereal crows. They swooped around the scaffolding and buildings, looping high into the cavern¡¯s enclosed airspace before dive bombing into their target. Lndmanded them to attack the man¡¯s heels and knees, urging them to disable the man by shredding his tendons. Blood started to drip as the crows made their presence known. Glenny suddenly did the same, but to the woman he initially attacked. He finished the injured woman, killing her with two knives to the spine. A new Witch peeled off the battle with Boor, waving his hand at Glenny¡¯s transparent form. The stone street rumbled with magic and mana, forcing the rogue to dive. Off white crystals magnified in size, exploding with growth. The battle field suddenly became a salt jungle as the Legacy of Salt sowed his seed. Glenny didn¡¯t wait around and ran through the obstacle course of sharpened salt crystals. Suddenly the crystals retracted, leaving the rogue out in the open. Hesitation caught his inexperienced foot as a de of salt sprung from the ground. A gash formed against his ankle and thigh, running up his side. The salt mage began to wave his hands again but a murder of crows broke his concentration. Lnd cursed his bones for good measure as well, giving his friend enough time to close the distance. A crystalized wall broke from the stone floor, encircling the man while walling him off from his attackers. It didn¡¯t matter to the birds, however, their ethereal forms allowing ease of passage through the solid mineral. The mage screamed as his skin was plucked from his broken bones. Lnd set his attention back on the berserker battling Jude. The difference in rank was making itself known as Jude was losing his footing. Each attack he dodged left him that much more winded, each attack he blocked strained his muscles that much more. Focusing on his newest contract, Lnd put his concentration into a single curse. His grimoire left his hand, floating beside him like it was trapped within his orbit. He pushed the one emotion he knew Berserker Lords failed to fullyprehend: Calmness. ¡°Fracture,¡± Both Jude and the Witch went sluggish, their Legacy bonuses drifting further from their grasp. Pain invaded their blurred minds, Jude much less than his opponent. Multiple broken bones and torn tendons flooded the man¡¯s senses, pushing him closer to loss of consciousness. He teetered on his feet, the grip on his axe failing. A deep red line suddenly appeared along the back of his knees. A groan escaped his lips as he leaned over in pain, only for a dagger to find his jugr a momentter. Blood exploded from the wound as Glenny¡¯s Legacy ability took hold. As the man fell, lifeless yet calm, Jude gasped in air. ¡°W-what was that? W-what just happened?¡± Lnd resummoned his crows, pointing them to the crystalline cylinder with a mage core. He then turned to his friend and said, ¡°A contract. Figured you¡¯d both shrug off fear or intimidation.¡± ¡°G-good call. How¡¯s that cut, Glen?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that, and it would be appreciated if I could borrow your ring, Lnd.¡± Lnd handed over the Ring of Regeneration without argument. A crow then perched on a nearby sign, locking eyes with its master and cawing. ¡°Oh, it looks like that salt mage is dead,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Our kind really are weak¡­¡± Pain receded from Glenny¡¯s sheared body, a feeling he nearly groveled at. ¡°You can seriously affect the tide of battle. Thanks for the save earlier, by the way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for,¡± Lnd said, turning to Boor and his ongoing fight. ¡°Do you think he needs help?¡± Five Witches fought against the butler, each holding various light cuts or deep puncture wounds. Boor himself hardly seemed to be sweating. ¡°Nah,¡± Jude said, his tattoo of regeneration releasing the strain on his body. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can fight again without losing myself. Calming me with your contract might not be the way to go in the future. Of course use it if you deem it necessary, but I can still feel the rage swimming around in my head.¡± ¡°Hmm? How do you mean?¡± Lnd asked, watching Boor dance around a sword whirling with air and a fist crackling with lightning. ¡°The calming solution is like¡­ like¡­ a nket. The rage is hidden underneath. I just need to figure out how to calm myself, because this feels like I could snap at any moment.¡± The trio went silent as Boor¡¯sbat showing continued. The man moved with expert finesse and grace, despite his height. He used the battle field to his advantage, kicking up rubble or skipping off uneven ground and forcing his attackers to match his keen footwork. The tip of a spear whistled through the air as it fired forward, only to be parried by the guard of Boor¡¯s rapier. Attacking the wide open target, he whipped his flexible sword in an upward sh. It caught against the man¡¯s chest, slicing his shirt to ribbons while etching the same pattern deep into his bones. The sudden wound split fully as the man tried to control his decimated shoulder. Like peeling a banana, his muscles separated from their internal structure. The man crumbled, falling to the floor while using his remaining strength to push away in retreat. ¡°Why can Boor harm them more than us?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°The attacks I usually think will kill only harmed. Like that woman holding the crossbow. I thought I would have severed her spine with my opening attack.¡± ¡°Difference in rank,¡± Lnd answered simply. ¡°A rank three fireball will engulf a rank one. Goes the same for people who are higher rank.¡± Jude frowned before yelling at the butler. ¡°Boor! What rank are you?!¡± ¡°Seriously? He¡¯s not going to answer that. He¡¯s fighting for his¡ª¡± ¡°Three!¡± Boor yelled back. Jude gave Glenny a smug smile. ¡°What rank are these guys?!¡± ¡°Peak one, I¡¯d say!¡± ¡°Huh, how about that,¡± Lnd mused. The battle was pretty much over. Without the spear users, the offensive potential of the Witches simply couldn¡¯t keep up with Boor¡¯s own. Lnd hummed at this, a thought stirring in his mind. Slowly he came to terms with asking, Boor seemed to be reasonable enough. ¡°Hey Boor! I¡¯ve got a new spell I haven¡¯t tried. Mind if I cast it?¡± Boor¡¯s face twitched, but he relented ¡°Fine!¡± ¡°Alright, it''s an area of effect and I don¡¯t know if it will harm you!¡± Lnd didn¡¯t wait for a response. After telling Jude and Glenny to step back, he flipped to the newest page in his grimoire. Knowledge and aptitude invaded his mind, guiding his hand in purging the wicked. A word came to him, one of potential and strife. Warlock. His eyes burst into a brilliant and vibrant purple me as a simr fire sprouted around him in a small circle. The memory of meeting the Lord of Curses came to him, more specifically the souls of the Damned wing their way out of the lifeless soil of the Petrified forest. Mana and lifeforce mixed deep within Lnd¡¯s own soul before filling in the circle of purple fire. He saw them, everyone within his circle, his domain. He found Jude and Glenny a few steps behind him. He ignored them. He moved the circle, finding more souls to identify. Boor was easy enough. Mentally marking Boor as safe, Lnd unleashed the finalized spell within his soul. ¡°Bow to me!¡± Chapter 36: Circle of Souls Chapter 36: Circle of Souls ¡°Kneel before me!¡± Creeping groans marked the start of the curse, the start of damnation. They came from underground, like tiny flower stems poking out of the soil. Jagged nails came first, each broken and ghostly, each fervently digging upward. Wrists and hands were next, followed closely by elongated forearms. They iled, like a crowd swaying off beat to live music. The groans deepened as the first few heads breached the stone floor. Violet eyes cast with diabolical me locked onto the Witches, one pair for each. Suddenly a pir of purple me burst from beneath each Witch. The fire spun into a vortex, encircling around their marks before fading into something ethereal. A scream escaped the spearman Boor had moments ago sundered despite the mes failing to burn his skin. He stammered back, the gaze of one of the Damned too much for his wounded life. He tried to run, tried to flee, but found himself at an impasse of towering purple me. It looped around the whole small battlefield, sectioning the Witches and Boor off from the rest of the underbelly. The spearman tried to pass through the boundary but found only pain. The moment he touched the circle, a thick green oozed from his hand. He screamed again. The other Witches hesitated. They looked from their friend to the purple fire and finally to Boor. The butler stood stark still, watching the disy of magic with a keen eye, at least, until a sword ignited with gales of wind entered his periphery. The two men shared a small bout, but the Witch quickly retreated to his friends. It was then they noticed green mist leaking from their own bodies. The spearman crawled towards them, every broken patch of stone, every bit of rubble, like chasms or mountains. His body was failing him, the green mist taking too much with it as it spilled out. His sliced open muscles died first, a clear image of his upper torso slowly detached from his broken body.As he died, his eyes met one of the souls sticking up from the ground. Ethereal eyes built from purple me bore themselves into the fading life of the spearman, consuming his remaining lifeforce. Abruptly the soul faded into the ground, its belly full and its master waiting. Lnd wasn¡¯t surprised that the soul of the Damned sprouted from the ground beside him. Nor was he surprised when his body moved withoutmand. His Legacy red instruction directly into his mind, allowing him to ept the soul¡¯s gift. Holding out his hand, Lnd slowly touched his summon. Green mist poured from the soul like a broken faucet. The mist swirled around Lnd¡¯s hand before suddenly being inhaled by the young man. It entered his lungs before disappearing deep within his body. Pain receded from his broken arm while range of motion and flexibility returned. Lnd rolled his shoulder, finding it in prime condition. It was then he felt a bubble of heatbine into his soul. His body shuddered with delight, like a good stretch after a long day. He felt powerful, like when he enacted his contract with the Lord of Magic. A presence stirred beside him, another soul of the Damned. It offered its hand to Lnd, who epted it without ceremony. At their touch, more green mist spilled forth before quickly being inhaled again. Bruises and superficial cuts healed at that moment, all the while a hit of pain made itself known in his head. A headache, manageable but oddly alien. It thumped in an off rhythmic way, like a person beating against a brick wall while slowly sumbing to exhaustion. Lnd frowned, finding the purple mes across the market street still roaring. He snapped, ¡°Fracture.¡± He whistled, ¡°Maul.¡± His tattoo cawed at him. A low crunch sounded, a knuckle burst open which was quickly followed by a yelp in surprise. Green mist surrounded the Witchpletely before an ethereal copy of the woman in question was stripped away. A soul of the Damned capitalized, locking its fiery gaze on a rogue soul. A momentter the summon appeared outside the Circle of Souls, offering his hand to its master. Lnd hesitated but felt obliged. He touched the skeletal being, taking its burden into himself. Heat found his soul a momentter, fueling him to continue despite the increasing pain in his mind. The thumping had increased for the worse, each pounding moment causing Lnd topse in concentration. Lnd turned his attention to the two remaining in his circle. One was being mauled by a flock of crows, the other watching on with horror. A warm wetness then dripped across his lips and chin. ¡°Lnd!¡± He heard someone yell. It was blood he realized, trickling from his nose. When did he get hit in the nose? That¡¯s strange, he thought. A green figure suddenly pulled away from its now deceased host, returning the soul of the Damned to its summoner. It reached a hand out, offering its penance. Lnd hesitated. Someone was touching him, shaking him. The purple mes of his summon drew his attention, however. Green leaked from his outstretched hand, precious soul energy being lost foreve¡ª Lnd gasped, his bloodshot eyes going wide. Suddenly Jude and Glenny were next to him, each yelling with fear and ferocity. ¡°-the spell!¡± Grogginess invaded his senses, everything went dull. Pain bashed against his head, each thud threatening his consciousness. But Lnd understood. The circle of purple me suspended, cutting itself off from this reality. Lnd¡¯s domain copsed, his ethereal vision failed him. Red was all he saw, that and the general outline of his best friends. He copsed, two arms keeping him from breaking his face open on the rubble below. With enough presence of mind, Lnd gave the four souls of the Damned around him a final nce. The three whose gifts he had epted disappeared first, fading from existence like a darkness against a light. Thest, the one still holding a soul, hesitated, its ming eyes meeting Lnd¡¯s own. There wasn¡¯t anger or sorrow, but rather understanding and patience. The soul was for it to keep, at least until Lnd could ept such a potent resource. It was then he wondered just what happened to these souls he ripped from their host. The Witches obviously died, but what happened after the fact? Lnd epted the lost soul, breathing in its lifeforce while eradicating its fleeing life. Or was he allowing the soul to reincarnate? His Legacy fed him information about such a feat, something that conflicted with his own understanding. Lnd didn¡¯t believe in reincarnation, in fact, most of the world didn¡¯t. It wasmon knowledge that the souls of the Damned were the dead, all of the dead. Every single person to have ever died became a lost soul, at least until they grew enough sentience to ferry over to the Land of the Dead. The Lord of Souls made sure that every lost soul eventually crossed the boundary. It was his job to guide, to free. No souls escaped his help, and all eventually left their mortal ne for elsewhere. There was no reincarnation, no life after death ¨C something the Lord of Souls had preached to his legacies for millennia. But still, the foreign information given to Lnd by the Lord of Curses told something different. Yet, it also spoke of thend after death and the clear difference between the two. ¡°You okay, Leals?¡± Lnd''s eyes creaked over. ¡°M-maybe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s better than ¡®no,¡± at least,¡±ughed Jude. Thest remaining Witch came into Lnd¡¯s view. The man shivered like he had just been out in a blizzard but still managed to get to his wobbly knees as Boor approached. The butler didn¡¯t let the man live, ending his corrupt life with a swift stab. Finding himself then staring down Boor, Lnd gave him a halfhearted nod. Glenny whispered, ¡°He¡¯s not going to attack us, right? That spell was¡­ different.¡± Lnd found himself idly nodding. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t expecting that¡­ I, uh, I wasn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, everything is okay¡­¡± They watched Boor look around the section of cleared street before walking over. Giving Lnd onest look, he spoke, ¡°We need to move. I don¡¯t sense anyone looking at us, but that spell was quite a showing. Someone had to have seen, which means people are going to soon be hunting you.¡± Lnd recoiled, the pain suddenly deciding to spike. ¡°Hunt me?¡± ¡°Surely you don¡¯t think that a spell like that is going to be simply let go. People are often desperate for power, if they think they can use you, then they will hunt and capture you.¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­¡± Lnd trailed off. Jude coughed. ¡°We better find Poppy and get out of here. How likely are they to track us?¡± Boor deliberated for a moment. ¡°Unlikely they will be able to get much from this battle. You three aren¡¯t exactly well known, which means trackers will have less to go by. Most likely you will be hunted by appearance alone¡­ How do you feel about hats?¡± Glenny frowned for Lnd. ¡°Is that meant to be a joke?¡± ¡°Not at all. In fact, I think you all should get hats.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Boor nodded, straightened his thin leather armor, and walked away. The boys followed quickly after, albeit a bit slowly. As the minutes passed, so did Lnd¡¯s headache ¨C at least to a manageable point. It still zed deep within his skull, but the thumping had died down to nothing more than a dull throb. ¡°So,¡± Jude asked, ¡°Where do we find this Poppy?¡± Boor eyed the group before pointing across the bridges and scaffolding to a nondescriptdder. The boys traced thedder down, finding it stretching for an eternity before eventually disappearing into the darkness. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± ¡°The smuggling operations that even the Smugglers Guild don¡¯t like to talk about happen down there. If Poppy really deals with body parts, she¡¯ll be in the depths.¡± Chapter 37: Information Chapter 37: Information The Huntress was annoyed. It wasn¡¯t the fact that there was a ¡°city¡± below the city of Shoutwell, one that decisively dealt with crime. Nor the fact that it had remained hidden even after a full scale Royal Inquisitor investigation. It wasn¡¯t even the fact that her marks, Lnd and his two friends, had found it before her. No, her seething irritation didn¡¯t have anything to do with the Smuggler¡¯s Guild, at least, not directly. She scoffed at the body of a dead Witch, one that had tried, and failed, to run from her. From her! She couldn¡¯t believe it. Did these irreparable peons not know who she was? She wore her Inquisitor crest directly on her armor, surely they¡¯d know who she was with a simple nce. But that wasn¡¯t even the worst part of it all. The Huntress did not like cleaning up, specifically the mess of babies. How the butler didn¡¯t notice the six other Witches that remained hidden in the shadows was beyond her. But then again, the man was a thieving pirate. He hid it well, but she recognized his rapier skills from an ancient report she read years ago. In fact, the Huntress had hunted Boor, or rather the former Shoutwell crime lord, way back before she was promoted to Royal Inquisitor. Who¡¯d have thought that following some children would solve one of this city¡¯s greatest mysteries? she asked herself. She sighed. Boor was nothing but a shadow of his former self, the Ruthless Rapier, as they called him. Now he was an old man, one ying house with a noble family. He¡¯s not worth the battle, the Huntress mused, going through the pockets of the thugs she had just dispatched. Low level, she decided. Far down on the totem pole, probably nothing more than fodder to escape the Witch brand. No, there were big yers in the underbelly, ones that she simply had to let go. At least for the moment. She¡¯d be back, and she¡¯d clean this entire Guild up.She could see the spotlight now, blinding from all the praise she¡¯d receive. But first, Lnd. And the Sightless, she supposed. The Huntress skipped across the scaffolding and found a vantage point in line with thedder to the deep dark unknown. She watched three boys and an old man scale the rusty iron, descending despite their obvious hesitance. Lnd had surprised her again, although she couldn¡¯t quite ce why. His Lord was still up in the air, as was just how his spells worked. She¡¯d never seen such a disy of beauty and brutality before. He soothed twobatants while shearing the souls of four others. What kind of Lord could do such a thing? None she¡¯d heard of, that was for sure. Still, as long as Lnd stayed on the path ofw and order, she¡¯d allow him to live. His uniquebat prowess could easily ce him in the kingdom¡¯s top rank of fighters. However, that also meant he had the potential to be one of the kingdom¡¯s greatest enemies. If it came to that, she¡¯d need to prepare against the Inquisitors Silver as well. No doubt they¡¯de for revenge. No self-respecting mother and father would abandon their child. Unlike her own. The Huntress huffed, now more annoyed. She had only met Lnd once, and he was somehow causing her to think of her family. ¡°Pathetic,¡± she whispered about herself, pushing down her self-loathing and refocusing on the task at hand. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Jude asked. The group was resting on thest rocky tform before the final stretch to reaching the bottom of the cavern. Glenny had long returned Lnd¡¯s ring of regeneration and Boor had handed over a small vial of red-brown liquid, but somehow his headache still zed. ¡°Yeah,¡± he answered. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a normal headache. I just need time.¡± Glenny frowned at that. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Murderer sociopaths are killing people, remember?¡± ¡°I know, I know. Let''s get down there and do what we came here for,¡± Lnd said, stepping off the safe tform and onto the flimsydder. They descended slowly, each step down risked breaking the thinyer of rust connecting the rungs to the side railing. As the minutes passed, the sound of waves grew louder. Eventually thedder became slick with salt and water, making the final steps that much more difficult. Lnd was the first one off and he found a small walkway leading directly to a partially rotted wooden door. He frowned, finding the situation oddly familiar. Jude was next off thedder and instantly said, ¡°Oh no, not another door at the bottom of a drop.¡± Lnd snapped his fingers. ¡°I knew it looked familiar.¡± Glenny was next. ¡°I bet Boor says this is the true true Smugglers Guild.¡± ¡°Hah! Deal, ten gold,¡± Judeughed. A momentter Boor exited thedder and stepped forward. He then turned to the boys, ¡°I would like to wee you to the true true Smugglers Guild.¡± Jude¡¯s face fell while Glenny smiled with pride. ¡°Before we go in there,¡± he continued. ¡°Just remember that the ¡®items¡¯ in there are property and are being sold for a lot of gold. You will disagree with most everything being sold, do not make a scene. That is the fastest way for us to get into trouble.¡± Lnd took a deep breath. ¡°Are there going to be people for sale?¡± ¡°As in very?¡± Boor asked. ¡°No. That was ouwed here many years ago. There may, however, be smuggled mercenaries looking for work. Although I suspect those would sell their services up a few levels.¡± ¡°How do you know all of this? We heard what those Witches said to you.¡± Boor ced his hand on the door. ¡°Later. Remember why we came here.¡± He pushed. It was just a hallway. ¡°I expected more,¡± hummed Jude. ¡°As did I,¡± Glenny added. Boor took a step in and removed a stick from a nearby barrel. Lighting the torch, he spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The party made their way through the hallway and quickly found multiple intersections and muffled murmurs of conversation. Doors, often with runic carved locks on the outside, lined the walls, each numbered and each closed. They eventually entered a small opening, one with tables and a bar counter. A few patrons sat around, each wearing hoods or sitting in the shadows. Boor ignored them and the looks he received, striding right up to the barkeeper. ¡°Charly.¡± ¡°Boor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to see you haven¡¯t aged a day.¡± ¡°Stop your pandering. Why are you here? Last time we saw each other you made me lose an eye.¡± The barkeeper pointed a mangled hand at his face, more specifically his velvet ck eyepatch. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t mind taking the other¡­¡± Boor said, receiving a snarl in return. ¡°But we are in a bit of a time crunch. You do now the Sightless Cult is in town, right?¡± Charly scoffed. ¡°Yeah, so what?¡± ¡°Rumor is a smuggler named Poppy brought over their ¡®Lord.¡¯¡± The two men held a long stare before the barkeeper turned away. ¡°Well, is it true?¡± he asked the shadows. A woman leaned forward, a thick hood blocking her face. She tilted her head, looking at Boor and the children following him. ¡°What do you think?¡± she said, fading back into the shadows. Charly shrugged. ¡°There you have it. Now, get out.¡± Boor gave an annoyed look to the boys. Lnd coughed. ¡°Our¡­ source said she¡¯d be the one to ask, not that she was the smuggler who brought the parts.¡± Poppy¡¯s voice came from the shadows. ¡°And who¡¯s this source?¡± Hesitantly, Lnd said, ¡°Can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°And why do they think I know things?¡± ¡°Because you deal with body parts, and the Sightless brought in body parts.¡± Poppy then stood from her chair and ventured over to the bar. ¡°Come with me,¡± she said to the group. They followed her out of the bar and into the hallways. They passed doors and vaults, the entire time Boor kept his sword hand on his tattoo. Poppy abruptly stopped, fished out a set of keys, and pushed open her door. The stench was what hit the group first. Rotting meat mixed with boiled eggs, the smell of excrement and mold. Poppy pushed a rune by the doorframe and suddenly light sprung into the small room. Body parts hung from chains, arms were locked against the floor, and headsy within ss prisons. Each item had colorful gems encrusted into their ears or teeth, shiny metal weapons clutched between their dead fingers, or borate tattoos drawn on their skin. Dark primal urges radiated from each part along with the feeling of nausea. Poppy quickly shut the door. ¡°I sell cursed body parts. Specifically, ones with cursed artifactstched onto their original wearer. Don¡¯t worry, these are all grave robberies. Not murders, if that was what you were thinking.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± Jude quickly said. Glenny swallowed his disgust. ¡°And people buy them?¡± ¡°Oh you¡¯d be surprised.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t know anything about the Sightless Cult and how they are reconstructing their ¡®Lord¡¯ here?¡± Lnd asked. Poppy thought for a long moment. ¡°Please, people are dying.¡± She didn¡¯t seem to care. Boor sighed and rubbed his temples. ¡°I¡¯ll draw you a map to under the Guild¡¯s main vault.¡± ¡°Big Boss or Simon?¡± Poppy asked, her face non-interested. ¡°Simon.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Sheughed. A few minutes and a rough sketchter, Poppy said, ¡°Okay, here¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard¡­¡± Chapter 38: Hidden Threats Chapter 38: Hidden Threats The group didn¡¯t stick around the Smuggler¡¯s Guild for long. With Poppy¡¯s information freshly on their minds, they quickly found an exit. Boor led them to an elevator, one the four of them had to squeeze to fit into. It moved slow and rough, like an old train riding across handmade tracks. Glenny broke the silence, ¡°I think this is the time for you to exin who you are, Boor.¡± The butler sighed. ¡°Not much to tell. I¡¯m old, I¡¯ve lived. I suspect that you three will have simr stories about your lives as time passes.¡± ¡°Not good enough.¡± Boor sighed. ¡°I suppose it''s not. Simple truth of my life is that I used to be a pirate.¡± Jude frowned. ¡°Like scourge of the high seas or plunderer of lost treasure?¡± ¡°The second one. Those that robbed ships were captured and killed over the centuries. The Royal Navy does not take kindly to such things.¡± That didn¡¯t make sense to Lnd. ¡°Why call yourself a pirate if you only searched for treasure? Why not archaeologist or explorer or something like that?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Boor sighed. ¡°Because those don¡¯t kill each other to try to get better scores. My crew battled against other crews constantly all in the name of riches and fame. At first we didn¡¯t call ourselves pirates, no, but there came a time when we were no different.¡±¡°And you needed a ce to sell your loot, thus Shoutwell. But how¡¯d youe to be a butler?¡± Boor¡¯s eyes fell. ¡°My crew rose in strength and power. We fought for dominance with others, eventually winning the crown of the Guild. Others tried to threaten our seats but they were all handled the same way. We had everything we could ever want, but I still wasn¡¯t happy. ¡°My unhappiness led to fighting in battles we could have avoided. My men trusted me, and I pushed them into pointless death. I thought someone somewhere may have the single piece of treasure I would need to be happy. I was wrong, and most of my men died because of it. Those who survived left my crew and joined mypetitors, eventually turning on me.¡± Jude asked, ¡°Does Lady Onryo know all of this?¡± ¡°Of course she does. It was, after all, her grandfather who found me at death¡¯s door,¡± Boor answered, a fleeting smile finding his lips. ¡°I was still rather young at that point, at least for people of my skill and power. Master Onryo took me in and gave me purpose. At first it was a simple mercenary position, one that was more than expendable. ¡°But our friendship grew over the years. Eventually he died and his son seeded. I watched this young man grow, marry, have a child, and die untimely ¨C his wife falling not long after. He was the first person I truly called a friend, and from that point, I dedicated my life to the Onryos.¡± ¡°Then why did that Witch say you were with the Icewillows?¡± Lnd asked. Boor took a deep breath. ¡°Lady Onryo was young when she took over the House. Her inexperience brought the worst kind of people to Shoutwell, including the Icewillows. I could protect her from the assassins or invaders but not the political enemies. House Onryo lost most of its prestige in the following years, all the while the Icewillows drained the city dry¡ª" The elevator suddenly opened to a white marble room. A blown ss chandelier hung from the ceiling and reflected against the shiny stone work floor. Men and women in suits and fancy dresses shuffled around, passingrge bank notes around like apples at the market. A squirrely man stood before the elevator looking confused. He pushed his sses up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get the next one.¡± Boor grunted and pped the elevator¡¯s control dial. Once the group was moving again, he continued, ¡°Lady Onryo tasked me with infiltrating the Icewillows and uncovering their evil deeds. I did, but not after failing her eldest son. Darwin Onryo already had an addiction at that point. His intentions were well praised, however. He simply fell to the Lucky Blue. I couldn¡¯t help him, not without losing my cover with the Icewillows.¡± ¡°For a few years I watched Darwin from the shadows. I tried to clean the underbelly¡¯s streets, I tried to rid the city of Lucky Blue. But we are a Guild of smugglers. There was no way to block the drug¡¯s entry to the city. Eventually I collected enough information for the Inquisitors, but by then it was toote. Darwin had taken hisst breath, hisst breath of Mana Dust.¡± Lnd looked to his friends. ¡°We know the rest, thank you for trusting us with your story.¡± Boor gave him a gentle smile. ¡°And now, the city we fought for, has a new invader. The Sightless may not have set their talons into the underbelly but once they do, they¡¯ll have thergest smuggling operation this far East at their fingertips.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t let that happen,¡± Jude replied. ¡°The Inquisitors are on their way and they¡¯ve vanquished the cult before.¡± ¡°That they have,¡± Boor agreed before his face turned dark. ¡°But if what Poppy told us is true, then we don¡¯t have the luxury of time. Their ¡®Lord¡¯ is going to be born long before that.¡± They fell silent with that, only the sound of the elevator¡¯s slow climb filling the air. The next stop was theirs, and they all exited. They exited into a dusty room full of cobwebs and the odd scrap of wood or foul smelling puddle of liquid. Boor didn¡¯t waste time, quickly showing the boys the way out. Soon enough the group was back on the streets of Shoutwell, venturing through the thick fog that spilled from the city¡¯s sewers. Despite being early morning at this point, the streets were deserted. They quickly sped through what was once a lively corner market, only finding the asional rotting piece of fruit. Glenny paused, however, stopping the group. Something was whispering, something deep within his mind and body. Hairs stuck straight up on the back of his neck, forcing him to draw his weapons as an only safeguard. ¡°What is it?¡± Jude asked, pulling his axe from his hand tattoo. ¡°That wall,¡± Glenny answered, sticking his daggers out as if to ward off a frontal assault. ¡°Don¡¯t look at it.¡± Lndplied , but not before scanning the edges of the carvings in the wooden wall. A simple glyph arc was enough for him to identify the problem. ¡°It¡¯s a sigil.¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± asked Jude. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave it here.¡± Boor took the young berserker¡¯s words to heart and stepped forward. Rapier now in hand and with his eyes closed, the butler shed the wall until he heard the wood fall apart. Carefully, he checked his work, finding a haphazardly butchered pile of broken nks of wood. ¡°Is that enough?¡± he asked Lnd. ¡°Honestly? I have no idea.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Glenny answered. ¡°I can¡¯t feel it anymore.¡± That caused three frowns to sprout. ¡°You can feel what exactly?¡± Jude asked. ¡°The Sightless King.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Lnd shouted. Glenny only shook his head, bottling up his fear. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I hadn¡¯t felt its presence since you destroyed the sigil inside of me. But just now, until Boor destroyed the wall, I could hear whispering.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good, Glenny. That¡¯s really not good,¡± Lnd¡¯s breath quickened. ¡°Sigils can¡¯t remain! They either get burned away by Brix¡¯s Counter Sigil or they overpower the purification mes. Are you saying the sigil is still there?¡± ¡°No,¡± the rogue confidently said. ¡°No. It''s gone. I know it is.¡± Lnd¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°But how are you still feeling the Sightless King?¡± Glenny shook his head. ¡°Could it have left a piece of itself inside me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing. In fact, that shouldn¡¯t be possible. Not unless¡ª¡± ¡°Unless what?¡± Jude asked, his own confidence fleeting. Lnd swallowed. ¡°Just what is the Sightless King? How do we know it even uses the same basis of magic as us? Mana abled monsters breath fire or send magical sts inpletely unique ways! What if the Sightless King isn¡¯t so much a person or ¡®Lord,¡± but rather a monster? One that is sentient enough topel his whims on those who he deems usable?¡± The group stood silently in the abandoned market, the fog slowly drifting around them. Jude gave his friends a smirk. ¡°Other Inquisitors will be here soon, we just need to pester the Sightless until they do.¡± Boor added, ¡°We need to report to Lady Onryo about our conversation with Poppy. She needs to make decisions before the guard¡¯s morning meeting.¡± Everyone nodded to that, even Lnd whose eyes were slowly unsticking from being set open wide. They fell back into walking through the city, eventually entering the gated residence of House Onryo. The smell of smoke met them with open arms. Boor cursed, rushing ahead and disappearing into the white mist. That¡¯s when four hooded figures stepped through the fog to meet them, weapons already drawn and the stains of fresh blood dripping from their obscured faces. Chapter 39: Invasion Chapter 39: Invasion ¡°Guys,¡± Glenny muttered with a shiver. ¡°I¡¯m hearing whispers again.¡± Both parties looked at each other, or rather, faced each other. From the amount of crimson liquid pouring from the cowls of the intruders, Lnd took a wild guess that they were eyeless. ¡°They¡¯re blind, right?¡± he asked, summoning forth his grimoire. Each figure held an arm out and palms up. They waited there, silently praying for fuel. Red soon sparked along their open hands, like ill-defined crackling lightning. It splintered and flickered as energy passed through one reality and into their own. One by one the cultists epted their ¡®Lord¡¯s¡¯ sacrifice, consuming it with open minds. It absorbed into their skin, lighting their veins and muscles from underneath. Soon the light traversed through their bodies, entering their heart and soul. Lnd snarled at the familiar showcase. ¡°I think they just epted a part of their ¡®Lord¡¯s¡¯ soul into themselves.¡± Despite being a dozen paces away, one cultist swiveled at Lnd¡¯s words, locking eyes with him. ¡°You have knowledge you should not,¡± the woman said. ¡°How interesting.¡± Lnd¡¯s grimoire flipped to a contract. He hesitated on which to choose, deciding to enact the Lord of Magic¡¯s potency boon for the simple fact that he didn¡¯t know how the cultists would react to additional emotions. If the Sightless King already controlled them, who knew whether they had any humanity left? As Glenny disappeared into the fog, a shriek whistle cut through the air. A momentter Jude catapulted himself toward his target.¡°Maul,¡± Lnd whispered, focusing on the woman who had spoken earlier. Crows entered the fight, zing down like green meteors. They took to their target, aiding Jude inbat. Suddenly Glenny appeared as well, both daggers finding the red robes of the Sightless. Pain erupted from the woman¡¯s spine, breaking her guard. The crows attacked any and all open skin, primarily the bloodied face under the hood. It didn¡¯t matter much, as Jude swung down with a mighty cry. The woman¡¯s skull was split open. Lnd recoiled but quickly found a new target. Hemanded his birds, moving them to the next cultist with haste. ¡°Fracture,¡± he whispered with a snap. ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°Fracture.¡± The man screeched in pain, only for a dagger to slit his throat a momentter. At the same time, Jude removed another¡¯s hand from her wrist. Lnd took a deep breath, focusing on thest one. ¡°Slow,¡± he said, connecting his heart to the cultist¡¯s. Unreadable emotions flooded Lnd¡¯s mind, each screaming over one another for dominance. Pain, fear, happiness, satisfaction. They consumed his sight, overloading him like steam overflowing from a sealed pot. He was ready to explode, he was ready to give his life away. It wasn¡¯t his anymore, it was the thing he¡­ he¡­ Breath came back to Lnd just in time to see Jude remove the man¡¯s head. He grimaced at the sight, the spray of blood something he never quite got used to. His normal emotions came back a momentter, and he finally copsed. He fell to his butt, finding the hard ground oddly soft. He needed to sleep, his head was still throbbing. ¡°You good, Leals?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he answered. ¡°I just need rest. Anyone hurt? I need a minute.¡± ¡°No, they were pushovers,¡± Glenny answered. ¡°Civilians, look.¡± He pointed to the nearest cultist¡¯s hand, more specifically the tattoo of a barrel flowing with foamy beer. Jude frowned at that, nudging another¡¯s hand with his axe, revealing a tattoo of a man carrying a box. ¡°Lord of Brews and Lord of Labor,¡± Glenny cursed. Jude flipped over the severed hand. ¡°This one is a Legacy of the Lord of Currency. A banker most likely.¡± He then checked the woman who had spoken. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize this tattoo. Either of you?¡± Lnd squinted at the woman¡¯s blood covered hand. In ck ink was a small depiction of a faded crescent moon against a cloudy night. At the correct angle, the moon would disappear leaving the sky empty. ¡°Lord of Night?¡± ¡°No, that tattoo is a starry night,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Maybe Lord of the Moon?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve met a Legacy of the Moon before. I don¡¯t remember a crescent moon, I think it was full.¡± ¡°When did you meet a Legacy of the Moon?¡± ¡°My parents took me to a carnival a few towns over like six years ago. Their main attraction was a woman who could glow bright during the night.¡± ¡°Soundsme.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what my mom said. But my dad dragged us there anyway.¡± Glenny raised an eyebrow. ¡°Was itme?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Judeughed. ¡°Very.¡± Something nagged in the back of Lnd¡¯s mind. ¡°Lord of the Moonless?¡± he asked, not believing his own idea. ¡°Is that a thing?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a Moonless.¡± ¡°And does it matter?¡± Jude continued. ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± Lnd agreed with both. ¡°Yeah, I was just spitballing Lord titles. A fading moon that disappears. I guess it could be Lord of the New Moon.¡± ¡°I like Moonless better.¡± ¡°But New Moon is more likely. More symbolism and stuff.¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°We need to get moving. Boor might need our help. Stick close, there might be more of them.¡± The others agreed and started towards the fog obscured mansion. The smell of smoke still perfumed the area, although no orange or heat permeated the fog. They followed up the pathway and into the mansion¡¯s courtyard where signs of battle started to rack up. At first it was a ruffled bush with fallen flowers, then scuff marks on the pristinewn. It wasn¡¯t until they came upon a spatter of blood that the boys started running. A broken statue was next, followed by the corpse of a cultist. Lnd briefly paused to inspect the dead, finding the tattoo of the Lord of Masonry. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± he said. ¡°A distraction?¡± Glenny and Jude only shrugged. The trio eventually made it to the broken open front door, more blood and the asional corpse along the path. They entered, weapons drawn and ready. They followed scorch marks and the odd ame item. ¡°Spirit fire,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Be ready to fight off illusions.¡± ¡°You think the Onryos will attack us?¡± Jude asked. ¡°No, but illusions can¡¯t identify friends. We all will feel its effects.¡± As they passed the hallway leading to the study, Glenny abruptly stopped. He trembled for a long second, his dagger iling about. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly punched the wall. Cracks split from the impact and a painting fell from its nail a few steps away. ¡°S-something powerful is here,¡± he seethed. ¡°The whispering is growing stronger.¡± The others nodded, stepping forward carefully. They filed through the kitchen and back hallways, eventually finding themselves behind the mansion entirely. The wake of battle had suddenly stopped but quiet chanting had started. They peered through the window, finding a wide arc of red. Dozens of cultists stood shoulder to shoulder, each mirror images of one another. They wore the same robes, bled from their obscured faces, and each held weapons. They murmured offnguage, non-words for whatever sick song they sang. Off to one side was Alkin clutching the spirit fire candle for dear life. Blood trickled from a cut along his forehead and eye, one deep yet superficial. He was crouched, his small frame covering his unconscious mother and fearful sister. Lady Onryoy in a pool of blood, her hair matted and scalp butchered. Lady Mavi looked the most healthy of the three, but her fear filled eyes told a different story. She held her gaze on the source of their torment, a woman wearing prime white robes. The woman faced off against Boor, each fighting to a standstill while the chanting grew louder by the second. Lnd paused at the woman¡¯s appearance. Beside the difference in wear, she was also the only cultist with their hood down. Her eyes were gone, only grayed sockets remnants of what was once present. Thick glowing veins appeared along her face, each tracing into the dry sockets like fuel lines. Glenny shuddered, his hands mping over his daggers. ¡°I can¡¯t let go,¡± ¡°We need to help, but how?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Do you recognize how the woman is battling Boor? I can¡¯t even see her attacks.¡± Lnd said. The woman moved like a puppet on strings. She glided around the air, moving her limbs in odd angles or jerky motions. Every attack of Boor¡¯s was parried away from an unseen force or blocked from the woman¡¯s own hand. ¡°How is she blocking with her naked hand?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t let go,¡± Glenny said again. ¡°She¡¯s not,¡± Lnd answered. ¡°There¡¯s a small gap between her hand and Boor¡¯s sword. She¡¯s controlling something invisible. Maybe a suit of armor?¡± ¡°Guys, help, please.¡± Lnd and Jude both looked over. Glenny sat there shaking, both hands stark white around his weapons. Slowly, Jude reached over and pried the daggers from his friend. ¡°Is it the whispers?¡± Glenny harshly nodded. ¡°I-i-it¡¯s the chanting! It¡¯s so loud! Make it stop! Please!¡± Lnd and Jude looked to one another then back outside. A silent agreement overcame the pair and they took up arms. ¡°We¡¯ll be right back, Glenny. Don¡¯t move.¡± They didn¡¯t wait for an answer. Lnd¡¯s grimoire flipped to its newest page. Harbinger Halo had long faded and the one hour cool down had yet to be fulfilled, but he still had an avable boon. He ignored the pain in his mind and focused on his Legacy. As Jude jumped into the fray of red robes, Lnd spoke the powerwords for his newest curse. ¡°Kneel before me.¡± Violet mes engulfed his vision as his domain spread out. Five yards was all he had to work with, so he set his sights in the center of the pack cultists. Soon enough purple mes sprouted from the ground along with the souls of the Damned. Next to Lnd a familiar soul entered the realm of the living. It held out an ethereal hand, offering the lost soul it had kept safe for its master. Chapter 40: Praise Be Chapter 40: Praise Be Lnd took one final look at the shivering form of his best friend and epted his summon¡¯s gift. He touched the soul of the Damned, pulling the lost soul it held into his body. He breathed in,bining his soul with the Witch¡¯s he killed hours ago. Grimacing, Lnd expected his headache to redouble, but nothing of the sort happened. The green mist entered his body and didn¡¯t fight for dominance inside his body. It epted its new life as a fuel source, giving itself willingly. The boon pushed Lnd¡¯s hand into battle, the implications of his spell not important enough to warrant allowing Jude to fight alone. Inside his Circle of Souls, six cultists stood looking hesitantly at six souls wing out of the ground. As the souls¡¯ heads eclipsed the grassy backyard, violet burning eyes shone through their ethereal forms. They locked eyes with their cultist counterparts, summoning forth six whirlpools of lifeforce and mana. Purple fire burst from beneath each intruder before quickly fading into a ghostly outline. The whirlpools pulled at the cultists¡¯ souls, ripping them from their fleshy husks by way of green mist. Each started leaking green, some more so than others. Their souls pooled around their obscured cowls, under their hoods and from their hollow eye sockets. Then the screaming started. One by one the cultists realized something was violently wrong with the situation they found themselves in. They were supposed to invade House Onryo and get out alive. The mansion¡¯s defenders were out and the mansion¡¯s residents were weak. O¡¯ how they had been led astray. The words echoed in each of their minds, dpounded and reforged by the skeletal stares of the souls breaching the soft ground. The longer the cultists looked into the eyes of purple me, the quicker their minds melted away from humanity. It was painless, they found, but nheless not what they wanted.Some chose to fight, rushing the circr pir of fire around them. They only found pain, the violet mes too much for their sheared souls to pass through. More green spilled, finally taking a first victim. The other cultists didn¡¯t even know his name. They only knew that they were soon to die in the same way. An ethereal green man appeared from the man¡¯s body, like a ma had pulled his soul from his skin. A momentter, a soul of the Damned locked eyes with the lost soul, guiding it out of the fire and a few paces away. The soul reappeared, arms outstretched in offering to its master. Lnd didn¡¯t waste time or worry about his wellbeing, he epted the lost soul into himself despite the animosity he felt from the green mist. A momentter he stumbled a step, blood trickling from his nose like he had just been kicked in the head. No more, he told himself. I¡¯ll have to make do with just this. Power came to his heart and soul, ushering in new magical strength. Ignoring the remaining five cultists being swallowed by his Circle of Souls, Lnd found Jude hacking his way through the other red robes. Powerful swing after powerful swing, the Legacy of the Berserker cut down any and all who stood in his way. His chest and face matched his battle axe, bloodied and deadly. The inexperienced and nonbatant cultists died with ease, Jude finishing them off in droves. Suddenly Lnd and his curses joined the fray, ethereal birds and the sound of bones chipping made their presences known. He kept his crows on the cultists that looked to be actual fighters, having them switch from one to the other every few seconds. This, along with breaking the bones of the cultists who seemed to be spell casters, kept the horde frozen in dull chanting. Jude didn¡¯t notice, however, the rage building up and taking control. His emotions came in quickly, Lnd¡¯s calming nket failing at the first sigh of Glenny¡¯s agony. Jude fell into himself, allowing his Legacy to take over. He¡¯d do anything to make the chanting stop. Something sheared down his shoulder and back. He turned, not even sparing a moment to make sure of his target. Jude¡¯s axe cut the man down before the man could even reset his guard. Jude roared, the pain along his back going numb. He pushed forward again, finding multiple slowed targets easy pickings. A red crescent of furycerated deep into a cultist trying, and failing, to retreat. He leaped forward, finding a new patch of cultists to decimate. Before he could finish an overhand swing, an invisible force blocked his axe. Jude growled, pushing with all his might to cut down the cultist before him. Hested less than a heartbeat. Suddenly Jude found himself hurtling through the air, traveling towards the back property of House Onryo. Hended awkwardly in a set of bushes, his ankle broken but without pain. Jude huffed, white exhale sting from his heated lungs. He scanned the fogden backyard while rushing back, finding his target in silky white robes. She was dueling Boor, invisible forces blocking the butler¡¯s every attack. Jude joined in, only seeing red. He swung, ignorant of his ally¡¯s proximity. Boor grunted with irritation, allowing the young man to take the lead. Together they battled, each aiming to kill. Suddenly the woman jerked in a skidding motion, her body failing to move to hermand. Crows rushed through the foggy air, diving into her. They hit an invisible wall, each ethereal summon popping out of existence with a caw. She moved an arm, blocking an axe swipe. The steel weapon collided against her magic, muting the attack and sending it off course. Still, pain found her. She groaned, not having felt true pain in many, many years. It was a rib, she knew instantly. Broken, sundered into weakness then forcibly snapped with her movements. Boor cut into her shoulder. She screeched, her concentration ring back alive. Boor and Jude were knocked away, and the woman suddenly had set her eyeless sockets on Lnd. The Legacy of Curses¡¯ eyes went wide as the fog before him split. A force cut through the backyard like a torpedo through dark waters. He threw up his arms in guard, activating his only defensive measure. A bubble of electricity snapped in front of him growing from the ne he had won from Guild Master Gilbert so long ago. It formed a full aegis, impacting against the hidden threat yet sending him spiraling back. Colliding with a brick wall, Lnd fell to his knees and puked blood. Soon he was surrounded by five souls of the Damned, each with their arms out in offering. ¡°You keep those safe,¡± he cursed, finding his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll take them from you soon.¡± Magic found his fingertips. ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°Fracture.¡± ¡°Fracture.¡± The woman in white spared Lnd a nce but Boor kept her from attacking. She was on the back foot, finding her body to be sluggish and pain riddled. Jude attacked as well but favoring an ankle only inhibited his power. ¡°Lnd?¡± a voice from his side called. He spun, finding Alkin, Mavi, and Lady Onryo. Lady Onryo was now conscious but her eyes spun within her skull. Her gaze drifted from object to object, never focusing on any one thing for more than a moment. ¡°I-is she okay?¡± Lnd asked. Mavi answered, ¡°Concussed but yes.¡± ¡°Put this on her.¡± Lnd handed over his ring of regeneration. ¡°B-but you just threw up blood! You need it¡ª¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°She needs to help Boor and Jude. I¡¯m spent.¡± Alkin hesitated but did as his friend asked. The group fell back into watching the battle unfold, specifically Jude and his fleeting body. ¡°Come on, mom. Here, take the candle,¡± Alkin said, shoving the spirit fire artifact into her hands. Lady Onryo held the item, her vision still spinning. Jude was suddenly sent flying, an invisible punch knocking him far into the fog. Lnd bit his lip, cursed, and rushed after him. He hurdled cultists bodies and ran around blood puddles, eventually finding his friend in a flowerbed unconscious. That¡¯s for the best, he thought, thinking of Jude¡¯s berserker rage. Still, Lnd dragged his friend out of the thorny bushes, watching for red movement within the fog. While no cultists came for him, something caught his eye. High above the mansion a little dot of me formed. It slowly grew as the seconds passed and eventually it caused the ground to tremble. Wind whipped through the backyard, clearing the fog like a leaf blower. It was then Lnd saw what the ming dot was. A meteor. It rushed down, like an anvil dropped by the sun, eventually taking up the entirety of the sky above. Lnd wanted to scream but found his body too tired to move. He covered Jude the best he could and simply watched. Boor and the woman in white noticed the certain death from above. The butler moved first, rushing to Alkin and the other Onryos like his life depended on it. The woman, however, hesitated. She looked from her target to the meteor and back, the clear choice of action oveing her will to her ¡®Lord.¡¯ She held up a broken arm, forming her magic to the fullest. A thin outline enveloped her from behind, consuming her like a box holding an item. Suddenly she disappeared within the outline, her magic doing the same a momentter. The woman was gone. Then the meteor disappeared as well, simply poofed out of existence. Lnd¡¯s mouth hung open, his gaze slowly finding a swaying Lady Onryo clutching a blue me candle. She fell unconscious a momentter, Boor catching her before she hit the ground. It took a few minutes, but Lnd eventually convinced Alkin and Mavi to help him carry Jude inside the mansion. When he did, he froze. ¡°Where¡¯s Glenny?¡± The world crumbled, as did Lnd. Chapter 41: Cabin in the Woods Chapter 41: Cabin in the Woods The Huntress sat with her elbows on a table and slowly thumped herself in the forehead. How did ite to this, she wondered, eyeing her most recent capture. More specifically, she wondered just how dumb three boys could be. Did not one of them have any sense? Why was the smart one so blind? Why was the big one so juvenile? Why was the quiet one so¡­ so¡­ ¡°Ugh,¡± she spit. What did I expect? she asked herself. Three children, babies as far as this world was concerned, going off and ying hero. The thought made her sick. Heroes weren¡¯t simply born, they were forged after countless battles and hundreds of world shattering tribtions. Which¡­ Now that she thought about it, was exactly what the boys were going through right now. Maybe she was the dumb one for involving herself? A groan from across the room kicked the Huntress from her musing. She stood, took a quick peek out of the blinds, and meandered over. She was not looking forward to the next couple of days, but this had to be done. Otherwise her project would end abruptly and she¡¯d have to write a few letters. ¡°Bah,¡± she muttered. Her capture reacted to the sound, abruptly sitting upright.¡°Rx, I¡¯m not going to kill you. If I was, you¡¯d have never seen me.¡± A splitting pain rushed through Glenny¡¯s head. He quickly shut his eyes, finding sce in the darkness. ¡°I think I¡¯m concussed,¡± he blurted. ¡°I did hit you in the head pretty hard¡­¡± the Huntress said. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of that.¡± ¡°You think?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The Huntress suddenly had the urge to hit the quiet one again. Why are they all so stupid! she screamed in her head. ¡°So, uh, who are you?¡± he asked. She blinked at him. ¡°Look at me.¡± Glenny slowly creaked his eyes open, finding a woman standing with the posture of a soldier. Her raven hair was tightly wrapped into a bun, a color mimicked through her wear. Light armor, all ck, the kind used for discrete night operations or crazy spouses stalking their ex. Glenny sided with the former. His head felt like jelly again, so he gently closed his eyes and leaned back. He wasn¡¯t stupid, he recognized her right away, but she didn¡¯t know that. Years of training and lectures came back to him in that moment, all taught by his parents. ¡°Was I supposed to recognize you?¡± he asked. With his eyes closed, Glenny couldn¡¯t see the exacerbation on the Huntress¡¯ face. He could, however, hear the leather of her gloves creak and whine as she clenched her fists. Suddenly something hard hit him in the chest and fell against the firm bed where he sat. ¡°Drink it,¡± he heard. And he did, not before inspecting the liquid with sight, taste, and smell. ¡°Three senses are nearly impossible to fool, always go for three. More if you can,¡± he repeated in his head, his mother¡¯s words. Warmth bubbled in Glenny¡¯s stomach and suddenly the rawness of his head waned. ¡°Expensive healing potion,¡± he said. ¡°You owe me seventy gold.¡± ¡°No I don¡¯t. You hit me, remember? Or do you have a concussion as well?¡± This time Glenny did see the frustration on his captor¡¯s face. ¡°I hate children,¡± the Huntress muttered. ¡°This is why I never married.¡± ¡°Never married? Because you didn¡¯t want children? What? That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± She rolled her eyes, sitting down at a dusty table. It was then Glenny took a full inventory of the room. Old, rotting, dozens of cobwebs, probably hundreds of spiders. He shivered. Boarded windows, massive lock on the door¡­ ¡°Looking for an exit, eh?¡± the Huntress asked. ¡°Sorry, but I didn¡¯t leave any.¡± Glenny responded fast. ¡°That¡¯s dumb.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°I mean, wouldn¡¯t having at least one escape route be wise? Multiple is better, actually. What happens if someone breaks in and tries to kill you?¡± The Huntress closed her eyes and took a breath. ¡°First of all, if someone broke in, I¡¯d simply kill them. No questions, no second chances. Secondly, I do have escape routes, you are just too inexperienced to see them ¨C not to mention, too weak to utilize them.¡± Glenny crossed his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. My mother used to lie to me to get me to listen to her all the time when I was a kid. She eventually had to start exining why instead of telling me ¡®no.¡¯¡± She sighed. ¡°If I tell you, would you shut up for one minute?¡± Glenny shrugged. ¡°Oh goody,¡± the Huntress mocked. ¡°You can be quiet. And I pegged you as the quiet one. That wall, I¡¯d just break it down if someone broke in and killing them right away wasn¡¯t an option.¡± Glenny followed her finger, finding a wall. From a cursory nce, the wall looked exactly as a wall ¨C no weak spots orrge cracks. He sighed, knowing the coveted Huntress would be powerful enough to simply break through a wall at will. For an entire minute, the Huntress fell into her own thoughts. ¡°Annnd, sixty. Okay, one minute is up, why am I here?¡± She rubbed her eyes. ¡°Look, kid. I¡¯m not going to hurt you but I¡¯m also not going to let you go. So, can we stop this whole innocence act? It''s unbing of you, I know what you are really like, and this is not it.¡± Glenny¡¯s face quivered. ¡°Fine, why have you brought me here? Also, how long have you been watching us.¡± ¡°To save your life and since you three came out of that dungeon.¡± ¡°Understandable.¡± ¡°Incredibly so.¡± ¡°Why though?¡± The Huntress scratched her head. ¡°Frankly because Lnd interested me. Then I realized you three were really just kids. But by then you three identified the Sightless Cult, and since I was the closest Inquisitor, I had to stay.¡± Glenny raised an eyebrow. ¡°And what have you found? Know where their hideout is or what their ns are?¡± She snorted. ¡°Their ¡®ns¡¯ are always the same. The resurrection of the Sightless King. And no, I haven¡¯t investigated them at all.¡± ¡°What?! Why not? We could have already eradicated them from Shoutwell by now!¡± Glenny¡¯s yell made him cringe in pain. ¡°Seems like that health potion didn¡¯t fix everything,¡± the Huntressughed. ¡°And yes, you are correct. But there is something far more interesting in this town than the Sightless. A cultist is a silver a dozen. One of their leaders, a gold. A Bishop or High Priest, those are closer to ten gold a dozen. But it¡¯s not every day I find something truly unique. Your mother would be proud.¡± Glenny cracked open an eye and red. ¡°You know nothing of my mother.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Wrong, but that¡¯s not important. And before you go get a big head, I wasn¡¯t referring to just you. All three of you are special in your own right.¡± Seeing Glenny¡¯s unimpressed face, she continued. ¡°Let''s start with Lnd. Son of two of the greatest mages this century has to offer, not to mention his obscure or unique Legacy. The kid¡¯s already powerful enough to, nearly, single handedly take out a mutated Mana Lion. Do you have any fathomable idea how long a dungeon boss monster takes to mutate?¡± Glenny shrugged. ¡°A few years?¡± ¡°Try decades,¡± the Huntressughed. ¡°And when someone finally does kill it, it¡¯s a snot-nosed baby only a week after his Dream Ceremony? That¡¯s unheard of.¡± ¡°We helped¡­¡± ¡°Then we have Jude. A kid so loyal to his friends, at the first sign of one of them getting hurt he falls into a true berserker rage? It usually takes years for Berserker Legacies to have issues with rage. How long ago was Jude¡¯s Dream Ceremony? I counted a half dozen months.¡± Glenny pushed back his red hair. ¡°W-what can I say? Jude¡¯s a good friend.¡± She scoffed. ¡°Try an amazing friend.¡± Glenny didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Then we have you, a Legacy of the Chameleon, son of a world renowned Legacy of the Chameleon. A rare, and often made fun of, Legacy, but it can work. I know, I¡¯ve seen it.¡± ¡°My mother,¡± Glenny stated. ¡°Indeed,¡± the Huntress nodded. ¡°And do you know how your mother rose to the level of power she was? I can tell you it wasn¡¯t because she mastered the dagger or that weird tongue ability.¡± ¡°Because she was adaptable.¡± ¡°Yes in words, wrong in execution. Tell me, why do you think you needed saving? You not asking right after you woke up tells me you already know.¡± Glenny shivered and momentarily fell into himself. He could still hear it, the whispering. The Sightless King hung just outside his vision, watching, waiting, and thriving. ¡°Because¡­¡± he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s still in me.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the Huntress leveled herself with Glenny, staring into his eyes. Faintly, wisps of red appeared in his irises. ¡°Now why didn¡¯t the sigil disappear after Lnd vanquished it? Well, it did. But not before your Legacy adapted to it. The Sightless King is now apart of you, whether you like it or not.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. My mother never¡ª¡± ¡°Had the chance to exin your shared Legacy. I suspect your father holds her instruction, but you and Jude are more simr than simply being annoying children. You both discovered something that you shouldn¡¯t have. Not this young, at least.¡± ¡°S-so I need to talk to my father? Have him tell me how to adapt?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Sure, if you don¡¯t mind dying in the meantime. Or, at least, go mad.¡± ¡°Then¡­ you?¡± The Huntress rolled her eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have saved you if not.¡± She tossed him a dark cloak. ¡°Now, put that on and let¡¯s get moving.¡± Glenny eyed the parasitic cloak that the Mana Lion-toad dropped upon its death. ¡°How did you¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯d be stupid not to bind it to yourself. That is the kind of item people kill for. Selling it would be a shame.¡± Doing as instructed, Glenny donned the starry speckled piece of fabric. Itced just under his chin, the cor scratching against his neck. He grimaced but then felt the cloak¡¯s power wash over him. He felt¡­ odd? Like his senses had all suddenly waned and reformed. ¡°Good,¡± the Huntress said. ¡°It¡¯s not cursed.¡± ¡°Cursed parasite items are a thing?!¡± She shrugged. ¡°Most are. People usually just put up with the curse because the boon is too good to pass up. Or, because they can¡¯t remove it. Those curses really suck. Nowe on, we¡¯rete.¡± A momentter they were out the boarded door and Glenny had to hide his shock. They were in the mountains, the snowy peaks seemingly at arm¡¯s reach. Then the cold hit him. ¡°Adapt or die,¡± the Huntress said. ¡°Only during the night are you allowed to enter the cabin and the heating runes.¡± Glenny suddenly felt small. ¡°Um, Miss Huntress? How am I suppose¡ª¡± ¡°Firstly, call me Isobel. Secondly,¡± she gestured to the wilderness. ¡°Adapt to the cold. Adapt to theck of food. Adapt to the monsters that prowl the area. Good luck.¡± Suddenly, she exploded into a hail of sparks, disappearing from the very ce she stood. Glenny shivered. Chapter 42: Nightmares Chapter 42: Nightmares Lnd woke up with a shock. He sat straight up, his vision going wide. A groan escaped his lips, pain still drifting around his mind. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake.¡± Turning, Lnd found Alkin sitting in a rocking chair with a book in his hands. ¡°How long have I been out?¡± ¡°Two days.¡± They were in an unfamiliar in room. It was smaller and less opulent than anything in Onryo mansion. From a nce out of the window, Lnd saw that there was no fog. In fact, there was only a clear blue sky. ¡°Where are we?¡± Alkin hesitated for a moment, snapping his book closed. ¡°A small vige outside of Shoutwell.¡± ¡°Jude?¡± ¡°Asleep in the next room over.¡±¡°Glenny?¡± Lnd asked, his voice breaking. Again Alkin hesitated. ¡°Boor searched for him. But¡­¡± Curling up into a ball, for the next few minutes Lnd didn¡¯t speak. He only wished his parents were on their way, he needed their help, they all did. He desperately needed them to tell him it would be okay, that he did his best, and that everything that had happened wasn¡¯t his fault. But that wasn¡¯t going to happen, and he knew it. They were too far away, too caught up in whatever. His dad would teleport a letter, sure, but what good were written words when the world was crumbling? What was he supposed to do? Glenny had been taken or killed, and either way he was ill-prepared to handle the next steps. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked. Alkin cleared his throat. ¡°After mother dispersed the meteor illusion, we helped you move Jude into the mansion. Glenny wasn¡¯t there, and you went manic. Theses¡­ things, wed their way up from the ground and you suddenly started glowing green. Your eyes¡­ we could see that you were not there. Boor knocked you out before you harmed anyone or yourself.¡± Lnd wiped away a tear. ¡°What about the mansion then? Why are we outside the city?¡± ¡°The mansion is not safe. Not with the Sightless running around, I mean,¡± Alkin handed over some jerky and water. ¡°They almost killed us. If¡­ if my mother didn¡¯t rouse when she did¡­¡± ¡°Is she okay? A-are you okay?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Yes to both of us, but my mother is still in and out of consciousness. Boor went to find medicine or healing potions. This vige doesn¡¯t have an apothecary, but he should be back soon.¡± ¡°Mavi?¡± ¡°Least hurt out of us all.¡± ¡°Good, good¡­¡± Lndid back, finding a scratchy pillow that felt oddly like a cloud. He pulled at his tattoo, removing his grimoire and flipping it to the information page. It had been some time since hest checked on his progress and now that Glenny was missing, he¡¯d need every advantage possible. The tome felt heavy in his hands, however, something he¡¯d never noticed before. You have assisted in killing multiple Witches and those that follow false ¡®Lords.¡¯ An appropriate reward has been added to your Legacy. Fracture has increased to rank 8. 90% chance to break a random bone in a single target. Crow Massacre has increased to rank 7. Summon 10 ethereal crows to attack a target for 1 minute. Curse of Copse has increased to rank 5. Exhaust the target for 100 seconds, lowering their speed by 25%. Harbinger Halo has increased to rank 4. Contractsts for 240 seconds. Circle of Souls has increased to rank 3. Encase the souls of those within 15 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 3% for 1 minute. Overall, Lnd was content with his progression. Under normal circumstances, he¡¯d be thrilled. But¡­ well¡­ not when his best friend was out there alone. ¡°Uh, Lnd?¡± Alkin asked. ¡°How are you making your book float?¡± Lnd did a double take at the question and realized his grimoire was hovering just above his prone face at the perfect distance for reading. That was¡­ strange, right? He honestly didn¡¯t know, only that the tome was heavy and¡­ When did it start floating? he asked himself. Am I missing something? Seeing Alkin¡¯s confused face, he answered aloud, ¡°Not sure, if I¡¯m being honest. But it doesn¡¯t matter. Let''s go check on Jude.¡± And they did. The small inn they were staying in was all wood, old, and quite loud. For being in a small vige, Lnd felt the noise pollution to be like that of a major city market square. ¡°How can it be this loud? What are they doing downstairs?¡± Lnd asked, looking off the interior balcony down at the main floor. Alkin looked from his friend to the floor and back. ¡°What do you mean? There¡¯s no one down there. I¡¯m pretty sure we are the only guests here.¡± Lnd fumbled, tripping over his feet. Suddenly the noise dissipated, leaving the walkway silent. He just shook his head, pushing into Jude¡¯s room. It was much like the one he woke up in, but there on the bed was the Berserker Legacy. ¡°Reminds me of when you and I first met,¡± Alkin said. ¡°Back in the dungeon, you were the first awake then as well.¡± ¡°And Glenny was second,¡± Lnd quickly retorted. Jude was snoring, but otherwise looked uninjured. His tattoo of regeneration was out on full disy, the itchy nket hardly covering his chest. Lnd and Alkin were not amused. ¡°Wake up,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Come on Jude, you¡¯ve slept enough.¡± The brute stirred, finding an unfamiliar ceiling. ¡°Did we win?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Glenny¡¯s missing.¡± Jude sprung to his feet. ¡°What!?¡± Alkin took the liberty to answer. ¡°We are not fully sure what happened. After the cultist in white left, we returned to the mansion only to find Glenny was missing. Boor looked for him, but he didn¡¯t find any trails.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been out for two days,¡± Lnd added. ¡°Two days!¡± Jude echoed, falling to his butt on the bed. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything.¡± ¡°You were pretty raged-out.¡± He groaned. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Alkin said. ¡°You, Boor, and Lnd fought against the Sightless leader and essentially saved our lives.¡± ¡°She ran away,¡± Lnd supplied. ¡°We got most of the lower ranked cultists though.¡± Jude sulked in silence for a moment, but a question got the better of him. ¡°You said ¡®we¡¯ had been out for two days?¡± Lnd nodded. ¡°My newest spell doesn¡¯t leave me in the best headspace. It seems losing Glenny pushed me over the edge.¡± Groaning, Jude said, ¡°Wee to the club.¡± Lnd smiled at that. A presence appeared in the doorway. Boor the butler stood holding a sack of ss vials. ¡°Apologies for the interruption but I figured Master Alkin would wish to be present. I have brought many potions.¡± Alkin nodded vigorously and scampered out of the room. Boor, however, did not follow right away. He lingered, eyeing Jude and Lnd. Settling on Jude first, Boor said, ¡°Thank you for your help with the leader. I was unable to make any headway, and you gave me a few openings.¡± His eyes fell to Lnd. ¡°You¡­ frighten me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lnd recoiled. Boor didn¡¯t answer right away, his eyes shifting back and forth. ¡°When you found young Glenny was missing, you changed. Forck of a better word. Those things came and fed you power, power that you wielded with absolution.¡± It was then Lnd noticed the butler¡¯s arm. It was limp. ¡°You¡¯re hurt? Who¡ª¡± ¡°You did,¡± Boor said simply. ¡°I had extracted the others from your domain, but the power was killing you. I had to intervene, which meant moving close.¡± Lnd¡¯s face fell. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. My spell breaks bones, I must not have been¡ª¡± ¡°My arm is not broken. Well, not really. One of those things hit me. It ripped part of my soul from my body, my arm specifically.¡± Boor pulled up his sleeve, revealing a grey wrinkled appendage. ¡°Feeling is returning,¡± he said. ¡°Albeit slowly.¡± ¡°I-I¡­¡± ¡°I understand quite well. You were not in control. Although I do warn you to find a path forward. There is only ruin if you continue. That goes for both of you.¡± Jude nodded right away but Lnd just stared at Boor¡¯s arm. Boor didn¡¯t say another word and simply turned away. The boys followed shortly after but not before Jude wrapped an arm around Lnd and pulled him into a short hug. ¡°We¡¯ll find him.¡± ¡°Yes we will.¡± Lady Onryo was awake but sitting in a dark room with her eyes closed. The moment Alkin opened the door, however, she grimaced. Mavi spoke for her. ¡°Is Boor back?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Boor said, stepping around Alkin. He fished through his sack of ssware, eventually finding three small red vials. ¡°Drink.¡± He pushed the potions over to Lady Onryo. She did, instantly finding that the cloudy magma in her head cooled. Jude and Lnd entered at this point and shared cautious nces with the House matriarch. ¡°It seems I¡¯m going to be paying quite a bit for your services after all,¡± she said after the potions took effect. Lnd didn¡¯t feel like speaking. Jude did, ¡°I want a harmonica. My old ones were stolen.¡± Lnd did, however, feel like giving his friend a sideways re. ¡°I¡¯d like to formally apologize for Glenny going missing. None of this would have happened if¡ª¡± ¡°It''s alright, we¡¯ll find him.¡± Lnd interrupted. Lady Onryo nodded. ¡°What did you learn from the smuggler?¡± Boor took the initiative and answered. Chapter 43: Cracks Chapter 43: Cracks ¡°Poppy was not forting with her information nor did she give up her source. So, she might have been throwing us for a loop.¡± Boor said. Lady Onryo nodded. ¡°She¡¯s a smuggler. We wouldn¡¯t take her words as gospel anyway.¡± ¡°With that said, Poppy didn¡¯t know who smuggled the Sightless King ¡®parts¡¯ into Shoutwell. She suspected the cult lied about what they wanted smuggled. They have a code, see. Cults are outside their bounds.¡± Lnd scoffed. ¡°But cursed jewelry with human parts is within their lines?¡± Boor nodded slowly, eyeing the Legacy of Curses. ¡°Yes. Simrly, weapons of mass destruction are not something any smuggler would agree to move. Not unless there was an immediate coup d¡¯¨¦tat and the weapons were procured by the leading power¡¯s enemies.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Poppy didn¡¯t have a name. And even if she did, it wouldn¡¯t matter. What she did have was a location. How the ¡®parts¡¯ got brought into the city.¡± Lady Onryo sighed. ¡°That¡¯s it? The cult could be anywhere by now.¡± Boor shook his head. ¡°The entrance location was a pipe leading directly into the sewers.¡±Jude, mid bite of jerky, said, ¡°But we already knew they were in the sewers. Why would they defend the entrances with sigils?¡± Lnd frowned at that. ¡°Why was there a sigil in the market then? Seems unneeded.¡± Mavi spoke up as well. ¡°It doesn¡¯t even matter, does it? We can¡¯t exactly waltz back into the city. Not after the Sightless came to our home. They would be on the lookout.¡± Lnd and Jude stared at her. ¡°No offense,¡± she quickly added. ¡°¡¯No offense?¡¯¡± Jude echoed, a scoff in his breath. ¡°That¡¯s all¡ª¡± ¡°We will walk into the city,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°Glennyes first. Over all of you. Simple as that. If we can¡¯te up with a n now, Jude and I leave and get him back ourselves. Frankly you four are lu¡ª¡± Jude cut his friend off, ¡°Glenny is priority right now. Take it or leave it.¡± Boor and Lady Onryo shared a look while Mavi lowered her head. Alkin was the first to speak up. ¡°I agree. He saved me, it''s only natural I¡¯d have his back as well.¡± That pulled some nces. His mother gave him a poignant look. ¡°You speak for all of us now?¡± ¡°I speak for myself.¡± ¡°Oho, and how exactly would you help two suicidal teens? Throw yourself at the cultists and hope Lnd and Jude can kill them fast enough?¡± Alkin bit his lip. ¡°I protected you and Mavi before Boor arrived, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°That was the candle¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Everyone turned to Jude. ¡°What is wrong with you all? Already throwing in the towel, Lady Onryo? Afraid to assist the city, Lady Mavi? Afraid of a kid, butler Boor? Why is Alkin the only one wishing to protect Shoutwell and the people in it?¡± he spit. ¡°That¡¯s hardly¡ª¡± ¡°Why was Alkin the only one looking for assistance for your family¡¯s situation? It seems he thinks the House Onryo name is worth fighting for. What have you three been doing? Expecting me, Glenny, and Leals to do everything for you? And here I was in favor of helping in the first ce. Boy was I wrong.¡± With that, Jude left the stunned room. Lnd stuck around for a few minutes longer but when the conversation failed to move in a productive way, he left as well. Not before giving Alkin a pat on the back. ¡°Let me know what you decide,¡± Lnd said to Boor then followed Jude¡¯s trail. The vige they were in was small, very small. A few sporadic buildings, a single inn, and plenty of livestock. Residents were out and about, each working on their daily tasks while ncing suspiciously at Lnd as he passed. The smallmunity reminded him of home, of just weeks ago. Lnd paused at that, realizing it had only been a few weeks. So much had happened, so many fights, near death experiences, and fun. Adventuring was his dream, it had been his dream since first hearing his parents¡¯ stories. Sure, his Legacy was not what he originally envisioned but it was working out. Quite amazingly if he was being honest. But why was he not happy? Glenny was the simple answer. Having a friend go missing was something that always yed in the back of his mind. It came with the job, adventurers died, disappeared, or were horribly maimed all the time. He had thought he prepared for it, but evidently not. Still, even when Lnd disregarded Glenny for a moment, he was still unhappy. Jude¡¯s berserker problem was an issue, yes, but one he had confidence Jude would figure out. Glenny¡¯s grieving didn¡¯t help the situation either, but if Lnd was being honest, he saw Glenny¡¯s attitude as something to strive toward. He wanted to help Alkin, he wanted to help House Onryo. Despite his own pain, Glenny wanted to help people. And Lnd admired his friend for that. Was that it? Lnd asked himself. Am I unhappy because I wanted to run? Because I was right? It was a sick thought, one that made him rethink his childhood dreams of bing an adventurer. He was a coward, and now Glenny was paying the price. Jude suddenly appeared next to him. ¡°We¡¯ll get him back.¡± Lnd straightened. ¡°Yes we will. And then we will dismantle the Sightless Cult.¡± Smiling, Jude said, ¡°There he is.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been in your own head for a while now. I¡¯m d to see your confidence again.¡± Lnd smiled somberly, wondering what sort of hell Glenny was in right now. ¡°We need to get stronger,¡± Jude said. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They found themselves at a fenced field, cows and the like grazing around. The weather was getting colder, but the cloudless sky made it the perfect weather for animals. They practically frolicked around, eating grass or the asional budding flower. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Lnd asked, his face finding his hands. He leaned into the fence, rocking on the balls of his feet. ¡°Simple answer is kill all the cultists. I¡¯m not sure if we will be able to rely on Lady Onryo. Maybe Boor, but not the actual Housemembers.¡± ¡°We could try to sneak into their hideout and reim Glenny.¡± Jude sighed. ¡°We still don¡¯t know where in the sewers they are located. And they could be holding Glenny in a different spot.¡± Lnd agreed with that. ¡°Then we need to scout and find them. Sigils ¨C we can follow the sigils. The more sigils in an area, the closer we probably are to their base.¡± ¡°That¡¯s dangerous though. We both saw what happened to Glenny. We both saw what the Sightless King was like.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Lnd trailed off. ¡°Then we need help. Neither of us are the sneaky type. Boor is, at least somewhat, but I¡¯m not sure if I trust him to help Glenny over his masters.¡± ¡°Maybe we can hire some adventurers? The guard?¡± ¡°Both seem unlikely. Not many adventurers in the city and the guard is the guard. They are going to follow what their Captains say.¡± Jude snapped. ¡°What about the underbelly? Boor said mercenaries sell their services down there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. But how much gold are they going to ask for to fight against the Sightless? We have a small fortune, but not enough to buy an army.¡± ¡°What we really need is the Inquisitors.¡± ¡°Our parents could get here quicker than whichever team was on route to Shoutwell but we¡¯d have to write a letter and that would take a while.¡± Both boys fell silent, content with watching the farm animals for the moment. Lnd always liked the lessbat oriented Legacies. Some were gruff around those with the prominentbat tattoos like the Lord of Magic¡¯s but Lnd himself had never had that experience. Those of his home town always greeted him or checked in on him, he was left alone for most of his childhood, after all. ¡°Why¡­ why were the cultists mainly nobatants?¡± he asked aloud. Jude cracked an eyebrow. ¡°I was thinking the same thing, specifically that moonless tattoo. The woman in white had the same one.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s bizarre. Two people with the same Legacy, both turned cultist. Born into it, you think?¡± Jude didn¡¯t answer straight away, instead he asked, ¡°What even is the Sightless Cult? Who were their members before their ¡®Lord¡¯ took hold of them?¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°I only know what our parents told us. They formed a few continents away and held crusades against their homnd. Eventually they were eradicated and scattered to the corners of the world. Here being one of those.¡± ¡°The moonless tattoo is bothering me.¡± ¡°Agreed¡­¡± Lnd cursed himself for having the idea. ¡°I could always ask the Moonless Lord or whatever their title is.¡± ¡°Could you? We aren¡¯t even sure if they exist.¡± ¡°Worth a shot, yeah.¡± ¡°What could you get out of this Lord?¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°Not much, I don¡¯t think. Information mostly. I can¡¯t imagine a Lord is happy about their Legacies turning coat and following some other being.¡± Jude frowned at that. ¡°Or they could be very happy about that and send someone to kill you for asking.¡± They conversed for a few hours longer and eventually Alkin found them. ¡°My mother is prepared to forgo helping Glenny and wait for the Royal Cavalry to retake the city once the Sightless have.¡± Lnd and Jude¡¯s mouths fell. Alkin held up a hand. ¡°She allowed Boor to choose if he would help you two or not. He chose to help.¡± Lnd smiled at that. ¡°Alright. We leave in the morning. In the meantime, we have to figure out just what Lord that tattoo belonged to.¡± Jude pped a meaty hand on his friend¡¯s back. ¡°Let¡¯s get to it then.¡± Chapter 44: Moonless Chapter 44: Moonless Lnd found himself suddenly standing in a ck void. Speckles of stars drifted past him at impossible speeds, each burning brighter than thest. At some point he had to close his eyes, the light having grown to be too much. Despite the odd scenery, Lnd was pleasantly surprised. Lying in bed asking randombinations of Lords and the moon to form a contract was something he nor Jude wanted to do. Lord of the Moonless, his initial guess, happened to be correct, thus making his evening quite short. Just only hoped that this meeting was fruitful. The light flooding past his eyelids eventually dimmed and he took a hesitant nce around. Again, he was pleasantly surprised. The domain of the Moonless Lord was a simple infinite grass field below an endless night sky. Simple yet elegant, Lnd mused to himself. Unlike the Lord of Spirits¡¯ domain, there was no path forward. So, he simply waited. Without invitation, Lnd felt like a trespasser in thesends and he figured it best not to anger the host. His waiting abruptly ended when a presence stirred in the sky. A pressure bore down on Lnd¡¯s shoulders, forcing him to his knees and pressing his head into the lush green. There was no pain, he noted, something the Lord of Magic and Lord of Curses had exined to him so long ago. In the domains of the immortal, he, a mortal, was untouchable. Still, showing respect and offering a gift had been rmended, something he did not do. ¡°Who are you? And why do I smell the death of a Moon on you?¡± With his head still bowed, Lnd forced his jaw to move despite the pressure. ¡°My name is Lnd Silver, Legacy of Curses. And because I have in one of your Legacies, if I identified their tattoo correctly, of course.¡± The sky vibrated, like an earthquake sundering a mountain. Things shifted above Lnd, his vision firmly nted on the ground. The pressure eventually eased, allowing him to search the sky for the Lord of this domain. He found no one, but the constetions had changed. From sporadic dots of light, a depiction of a clouded night above a nd field. An arc of stars winked in and out of view, just like the tattoo of the cultist. ¡°That is the tattoo we encountered, yes,¡± Lnd said. The voice appeared almost instantly. ¡°And you have killed them? Which one of them? Which one of my Moons have perished?¡± The pressure reappeared, pushing into Lnd like gravity had increased several fold. He fought against it, standing straight despite the rough strain within his spine. ¡°Yes,¡± Lnd forced out, his jaw failing to work properly. ¡°She attacked us unprovoked. Led a group of nobatant civilians into a home invasion and ultimately got them killed as well.¡± ¡°It does not matter, you have killed one of mine ande to my home. A punishment befitting of your ignorance is called for. From which country do you hail? I shall send a tidal wave.¡± With a growl, Lnd shouted, ¡°She was corrupted! By the Sightless King! She acted on his orders, killing innocents!¡± He didn¡¯t quite know how true that statement actually was. The Sightless King didn¡¯t seem like the one to give orders but that was just arguing semantics at that point. The woman was a part of the cult, and one way or another she served her ¡®Lords¡¯ will. Lnd continued speaking into the void of silence. ¡°She was a part of a cult, one with the devotion of a fake Lord. She forwent your grace and turned traitor. She was no Moon of yours.¡± The pressure on his shoulders relented somewhat. The Moonless Lord still spoke, however. ¡°You know nothing, Child of the Cmity. You expect me to believe your mortal words? Your kind lies, constantly.¡± Lnd frowned at the words. How was he supposed to prove¡ª ¡°There is another. A second Moon of yours within this cult,¡± he said. ¡°I do not know her name, hardly a description, actually. But she is branded with your mark yet uses the power of the Sightless King.¡± The constetions changed back to their original orientation. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Shoutwell, a port city¡ª¡± ¡°Enough. Be quiet.¡± With a sudden surge of gravity pulling him down, Lnd fell onto his butt. The pressure relented a momentter, allowing him to stargaze. ¡°This is concerning,¡± the Lord of the Moonless said before his tone turned somber. ¡°One of my Moons has turned into an abomination. How could this have happened? Exin it to me.¡± Lnd grimaced, his patience turning sour. ¡°Perhaps a bit of background on yourself and your Legac¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from me then. I do not know this woman. I do not know the woman I killed. I met both of them when they invaded my employer¡¯s home. We did not have a conversation, we did not speak other than in taunts. They attacked us. That is it. That is all I know.¡± A cold wind rushed through the grassy field. ¡°But you know of this cult? These Sightless.¡± ¡°More than the average person, yes. But not much. They are a cult. Usually they find new members by feeding on those who are lost or damaged.¡± ¡°I see. Mortals are weak.¡± Lnd internally rolled his eyes. ¡°Look,¡± he said, forcing himself to stand. ¡°I did note here to be intimidated or made fun of. I came to ask your help in fighting against this cult. Two members are already connected to you..¡± Suddenly a crescent moon appeared in the night sky. It faded into realty slowly, like a stubborn child defiantly making an appearance. ¡°What do you want, Curse Lord?¡± Lnd frowned at the title but saw his chance. ¡°Information mainly. Make a contract with me¡ª" ¡°I cannot. Information is forbidden.¡± He hesitated. ¡°By you or my magic?¡± ¡°It matters not. I may tell you information. But no contracts.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ My friends and I had never seen your mark before, then suddenly there are two of them. We need to know why and why they choose to leave you for a false king?¡± The moon in the sky faded and returned, like it was breathing. ¡°No,¡± the Lord of the Moonless said. ¡°Ask a different question.¡± ¡°What?! Why is my que¡ª¡± ¡°Pride, the greatest of mortal emotions. It seems I still have yet to shed all of my lowly chains.¡± Lnd blinked at the statement and quickly racked his brain for a new question. ¡°Why would someone leave their Lord for a monster?¡± ¡°Fear, greed, money. Mortal means.¡± Shaking his eyes, Lnd changed tactics. ¡°What does your Legacy do? Is itbative?¡± ¡°I am the Moonless, not the Moonfall. We do not fight, we harmonize. We make art. We transfix the most beautiful starry nights on the most renowned canvas.¡± Something clicked in Lnd¡¯s mind. ¡°Greed then. They wanted power. They don¡¯t necessarily want to resurrect the Sightless King, but they want his power ¨C the power they couldn¡¯t have during their Dream Ceremonies¡­ But in the end none of that matters. They are killing innocents. Their Legacies have no meaning at this point. How does¡­ What does¡­ No, no, it doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Ask your question, mortal.¡± Smiling, Lnd ignored the Lord for a moment. Learning the history of a cult was great and all, but that wasn¡¯t the main objective. He needed something to fight them off, something to retrieve Glenny with. He needed an army, he needed to be stronger. ¡°In return for me killing you Moon that was led astray, you sign a contract with me. I need to find the cult¡¯s base. I need to find where they n to resurrect their ¡®Lord.¡¯¡± The pulsating moon thought over the request. ¡°Fine. It shall be done.¡± The eyeless woman in white stood before the statue of her Lord. She felt with the power he bestowed onto her, seeing the world for what it truly was. Everything was wrong, everything was misced. She was not the blind one, everyone else was. The world was. She had grown into this power, this life, through struggle and strife. Recent events were nothing but her Lord testing her resolve. Her sister¡¯s death was meaningless in the grand scheme of the Sightless¡¯ ns. Their goals were much more than her life, or those she once called loved ones. She was weak, there was nothing more to it. Her sister had died because she was like the others. Spineless. They floated around the edge of true belief, never epting the Sightless King into themselves. They used his power, they exercised petty revenge on those who wronged them. Bosses, neighbors, guards, judges. ¡°Cowards,¡± she spit, holding her hands out. It was time. The weak had proven themselves to be one thing, however. Fodder. She smiled at the thought, her Lord was as cunning as he was powerful. Why give his full power to any random peasant that bowed before his statue when he could give them a fraction of the amount and still receive the same oue? ¡°Genius,¡± she sang. ¡°Absolutely genius.¡± When her Lord first told her to start a rebirth in Shoutwell, she couldn¡¯t see the oue. Trust the process, a phrase she and her sister repeated to each other when they were shaping the heavens. Back then it hardly felt real, back then the process never made sense. But now? Now with nearly two hundred eyes sitting around her, each waiting to be taken, she finally understood the saying. True art was the final oue, who cared what the painting looked like before that. It only took her harvesting the eyes of civilian and cultist alike to realize that. Sheughed to herself. Too bad art was the least of her Lord¡¯s worries. Chapter 45: Whispers in the Dark Chapter 45: Whispers in the Dark ¡°Well?¡± Jude¡¯s voice rang as soon as Lnd¡¯s consciousness fell back into his mortal body. He didn¡¯t answer right away and instead removed his grimoire and flipped to the newest contract page. Again the weight of the book surprised Lnd, as did how it seemingly read his mind and switched gravity off for itself. He and Jude shared a look but there were more pressing issues to solve. Cursed contract of the Lord of the Moonless: Use: For the duration of the contract, all works of art shine with the light of the moon. Usable once per hour. Return: When youe into contact with any Moonless Legacy that have been corrupted by the Sightless King, y them. Lnd¡¯s frown transferred to Jude as he read through the page. Being forced to kill someone to keep a contract from expiring seemed a little over the top, especially since Lnd only intended to kill the woman in white. Though he did agree that the cultists had to die, having a contract over the deaths of individuals made him feel like an assassin. Then there was the contract¡¯s actual use. Lnd sighed, pressing his palm into the page. A violet halo grew from subtle wisps of air, all rushing around his body in a whirlwind. They culminated above his head, rounding into a ring of misty power. zing with power, Lnd¡¯s eyes abruptly shut tight. ¡°Ugh, what kind of fool did that moon take me for?¡± ¡°Uhh what?¡± Jude tried.Slowly Lnd creaked his eyes open, allowing his sight to adjust to the glowing rectangle hanging on their room¡¯s wall. The brilliant light radiated from a hung painting, one that he felt was incredibly tacky moments before. But now? Now that his eyes saw the poorly drawn bowl of fruit as something more, he reevaluated. The sloppy curves and poor gradient were nothing more than an aspiring artist¡¯s progress. It was beautiful in its own right, something Lnd couldn¡¯t say about any of his younger works. Finger painting or drawing in the mud with a stick was all he had done, nothing worthy of being hung in a cozy inn in a no named vige. It was inspirational. It was powerful. The painting was¡ª Harbinger Halo ended and Lnd abruptly felt the painting was bad again. Although he did have some respect for the artist, he guessed. ¡° You know, runes, glyphs, and sigils are often considered art¡­ I think it will allow me to see sigils,¡± Lnd said to Jude. ¡°We¡¯ll have to test it on some basic runes in an hour though.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes actually lit up. ¡°That¡¯s going to be very helpful.¡± ¡°Old Mooney seemed to want to kill his Legacies as much as we did. He was a bit pushy though.¡± ¡°Would you say he was waxing you around?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°¡¯Waxing,¡¯ like the phase of the moon¡­ You know what? Never mind.¡± Lnd snorted, pulling a nket over himself and soon he fell asleep. Jude did the same after muttering about ¡®waning¡¯ something or other. Glenny watched the tree line through a small gap in his fingers. The white snow of the mountain reflected the bright light of the moon a little too much, blinding him despite being the dead of night. He hade to learn that the monsters in the area only came at night ¨C which wouldn¡¯t have been a problem since he was supposed to be allowed back into the cabin at night. Apparently his progress adapting wasn¡¯t good enough and after the second day on the mountain, he returned to a smoldering pile of ash and wood. At the time, Glenny yelled and thrashed about, even sitting down and stating very loudly that he ¡®gave up.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t until he was surrounded by Magma Smanders that he got the Huntress¡¯ message. There was no giving up, only survival, only the will to adapt. He escaped the battle rather easily, simply turning invisible and running away¡­ at least until an arrownded before his feet, blocking his exit. Again, Glenny understood his tormenter¡¯s message. With a bubbling growl, he lunged into the fray, killing the entire pack of scorching hot monsters in a mere few minutes. But, as if the universe understood his triumph and wished only for anarchy, something far more monstrous appeared not long after. It trembled the trees as it neared, knocking the fluffy snow loose from pine needles and forcing many mundane animals to flee. Glenny, meanwhile, was busy cutting out the hearts of the Magma Smanders and couldn¡¯t run. Not if he didn¡¯t want to freeze the moment he stopped to rest for the night. The monster in question broke the tree line not muchter, its hulking leathery scales uprooting everything it walked through. Glenny recognized the creature right away, its spiked back and serrated maw too characteristic to miss. A basilisk, he knew, pulling his gaze back to his trophy. With a final slice, Glenny stashed the heart in his makeshift bag and ran. He knew his limits and so did the Huntress, no arrows blocked his path. He ran for hours, well out of the basilisk¡¯s territory, and eventually found a tree to sleep in. Bundling himself up in his parasitic cloak and with the Magma Smander heart held against his chest, he fell asleep. He woke the next morning to an ufortable heat, the heart doing its job and then some. Glenny took the morning slowly, mainly continuing to test the limitations of his cloak. It was a strange item, one he couldn¡¯t quite figure out. He felt powerful when he wore it, like he had infinite energy despite obviously not. The effects were more pronounced at night, he noted, something that confused him even more. As the hours ticked by, Glenny found himself catching odd streaks of color in his periphery. Red mixed with blues and cks, tricked his mind, along with muted whispering. He froze each time, his heart bursting with fear. Something was inside him, something he desperately wanted to ignore. But he couldn¡¯t, not when he was out in the wilds for this. Experimenting with the cloak was abruptly put on hold as the ground trembled again. Glenny didn¡¯t wait, he simply ran. And ran. And ran. By the time night fell, he didn¡¯t think he stopped his jog once out of necessity for rest. He stopped to eat some burnt meat and to gather his bearings, but never because he felt exhausted. In fact, he wasn¡¯t even tired. Still, his mind needed rest despite his body not needing it. He sat there, alone in the snow and blinded by the moonlight, awake. He was in hell, he decided. A sleepless cold hell. A sleepless cold hell overseen by a sadistic kidnapper. A sleepless cold hell overseen by a sadistic kidnapper that was also devoid of his friends¡ª Glenny¡¯s inner musing abruptly stopped, unlike the trees and ground. They trembled again, but this time an arrow blocked his path. ¡°Ah, I guess Isobel decided it was time for me to die,¡± Glennyughed to himself, slowly sliding his daggers out of their hilts and turning invisible. There was plenty of documentation avable about basilisks, some of which Glenny had read. They were, after all, considered to be a major trophy for prominent solobatants wishing to show a feat of strength ¨C something his father had done as a young man only a few years older than his son was currently. Glenny remembered the stories his mother told to embarrass his father. ¡°He had to whittle it down for three weeks! He killed all of its food, starving the poor thing to death!¡± She would purposefully leave out the actual battle with the beast, the struggle it was to finally y, because it would rile him up. Glenny remembered teaming up with his mom and teasing his father, never letting him get a word in about the tale. But he also remembered asking his dad about the battle while they were fishing together alone. ¡°A basilisk¡¯s weak point is along its belly. Hard part is getting to it, near impossible unless you have some way to flip it. See, you want to disable it somehow. All big beasts have a critical w, they are slow while we are not.¡± Stepping forward, Glenny pounced. The Huntress carefully watched Glenny stalk the basilisk, more specifically the light that dulled in his eyes. Frankly she wasn¡¯t sure if her n would work, getting a basilisk to move outside of its territory was a difficult job. So, she was going to get her time¡¯s worth out of the situation even if no fruit grew. Still, she had faith in the young one for some reason. She couldn¡¯t quite put it into words but as she watched Glenny stab both daggers into the thick hide of the beast, she knew she was right. Like always. The attack did next to nothing in terms of damage but it was a starting ce. Most people Glenny¡¯s age, at least the ones she had dealt with over her time as an Inquisitor, were cowards. The Huntress knew some like Glenny existed, although they were often dead not long after their Dream Ceremonies. It took a special type of crazy to face down a basilisk, especially one in the freezing wilderness of the northern mountains. But that was what made Glenny special. A problem was given to him, and he was going to solve it. He probably figured he had a lifeline watching him from the trees, and while true, the Huntress was not going to intervene. He could do it, she had faith. He would have to tap into what made the Legacy of the Chameleon special, however. He would have to abuse the power left over from the Sightless King. Chapter 46: Chameleon Chapter 46: Chameleon With all of his strength, Glenny stabbed down with both daggers. The des dug slightly into the basilisk¡¯s hide, locking in ce. He leveraged himself over his target, pushing his entire weight into the top of his weapons. Something snapped under the force, causing him to stumble away from the monster. He fell into the snow, only just gaining his bnce in time to dodge a tail whip. He rolled, creating as much distance as he could. The basilisk iled, a small amount of blood leaking out of its hind leg. It spun, searching for the little mosquito that dared to harm its imprable body. It barreled through trees and mounds of snow, all the while shaking thendscape like an active fault line. It sniffed the air, turning in Glenny¡¯s direction. The young man quickly closed his eyes, not wishing to be turned to stone. He sprinted through his mind¡¯s eye ¨C dodging trees by memory alone. He circled around in a wide arc, easily out speeding the monster¡¯s slow waddle. It was then he saw his weapons. Both des were jutting from the basilisk¡¯s leg, one of which was snapped at the hilt. Glenny cursed internally, activating his Legacy¡¯s most famous ability. His tongueunched forward and like asso, connected with his dagger and returning the weapon to his hand. Single knifebat was not his favorite, in fact it was something he rarely trained in. Glenny cursed again, this time for hisziness. Dagger in hand, he rushed forward just like he had been doing for the past two hours. Using the extra momentum, he stabbed hard into the beast¡¯s leg. Again, however, the wound he created was only superficial. Eying the basilisk¡¯s tail, Glenny tried to remove his dagger. It was stuck, sandwiched in between a cut of its own design. Dread fell over the young man as he pulled to no avail, eventually having to dodge away. ¡°Two hours of durability,¡± he whispered to himself.But then he really started to think about his statement. He had been running around the basilisk for two hours. In the snow. In the cold. It was the parasitic cloak he knew. It fueled him, kept him keen and energized. Too bad it wasn¡¯t enough. I can gift you the power. The world washed over in red as both of Glenny¡¯s eyes sparkled with illegitimate whispers. The Sightless King, he knew, the power left over from the sigil. He saw strands of movement around him, each glowing red with corrupted power. The power the Huntress told him he adapted to. ¡°Shut up,¡± Glenny seethed through gritted teeth. This wasn¡¯t the first time the power trapped within his body offered prizes and gifts. Back in House Onryo the whispers were around. They spoke in low dull chants, like those of a divine hymn, but with a hint of true promise. Simply let the Sightless King take over. The sound of multiple trees snapping broke Glenny from his internal struggle. Not fast enough to dodge, however. A spiked tail sheared above the snow, rocketing into Glenny¡¯s guarded form. His arms absorbed the attack but not before shattering from the force. He bounded and skidded along the snow, eventuallying to rest just before the basilisk¡¯s maw. It didn¡¯t so much as look at him, and only opened its mouth to swallow everything in front of it. Pain ruptured through Glenny¡¯s broken body as he forced himself to run. But his focus was less on the monster behind him and more on the monster inside him. It cackled with a horrible harmony, each note reaching beyond Glenny¡¯s fragile mind and instead toying with his primal fear. You are going to die. Let me in, I¡¯ll take care of the problem. The basilisk will never stop, not until you are dead at least. The Sightless King pushed the power into his mind space. Glenny suddenly was face to face with his tormentor, the very being he promised Lnd and Jude to fight. It was warm, like a firece in the dead of winter. It was smart, like a sage or schr. It was idealistic, like a newly crowned King. It was¡­ it was¡­ hungry, like a starving wolf on the prowl. Glenny screamed, his vision turning blind. ¡°No!¡± he screeched, iling about, punching the visions that gued his mind. ¡°Adapt!¡± he bellowed. ¡°Adapt how!¡± His leg abruptly skipped, sending the rogue to the ground like a broken doll. His vision went red as his leg failed to react to his will. He lost control, his knee bending and kicking out like a spring. The feel slipped over his body, feeling for weak cracks in his mental defenses. As he slowly lost control over his broken arm, Glenny forced himself to think, not panic. In his mind, his parent¡¯s training pushed into the red of the Sightless King. It was his power now, right? It was his Legacy that collected his pain from the sigil. It was the stress from removing the sigil that moved the timeline. He was young, too young. Not in tune, not with himself nor his Lord. Confidence fell through his pain and was washed away by the whispers. Suddenly a hand found his shoulder, it gripped him firmly, ushering him away from the bleak darkness. His vision returned to a world of red, blood or vile energy, he wasn¡¯t sure. It was fleeting, however, each time his heart beat, color returned to the snowy mountain. ¡°Adapt and ovee,¡± a distinctly feminine voice said. One that teetered on the edge of his memory. ¡°Don¡¯t think, just do.¡± Mom! Glenny spun at the words, only finding a basilisk guzzling up dirt and snow. The monster sniffed the air on asion, rotating itself around to get a better scent. It eventually turned to face its prey, but Glenny had long since moved. He saw it, the silver glint of his dagger stuck deep within the monster¡¯s leg. He wanted it, he wanted to feel at least some bit of power ¨C the power only a weapon could provide. False confidence or not, Glenny wanted to hold something he was familiar with. Something to ground himself back to reality. His first knife, Glenny remembered, was stolen from his parents'' collection. He took it one night while they were both asleep. He snuck into their small armory, taking one that fit his hand nicely. He remembered feeling smug about it, that he had stolen from two powerful rogues. At least, until his mother burst his bubble by stealing it back the next day. Still, Glenny had felt strong holding the knife. He felt like he was equal with his parents despite his age not even reaching double digits. All it took was a weapon, one single de to feel grander than he had ever felt before. The dagger stuck in the basilisk came out easy, along with it the power he desperately wanted to conquer. The red in his mind turned dim, the hold the sigil had over him finally snapping. The Sightless King just sat there, whispering, never acting. It urged him to surrender control with promises of fame and grandeur. But it didn¡¯t force him. It couldn¡¯t. It was nothing more than a trick, one Glenny finally spotted for what it was. It was only an echo, a part of a much stronger power snatched away from a burning sigil. It was part of him, part of his Legacy. It was no longer the Sightless King¡¯s, although it held some of his instincts. Glenny crushed the Sightless King¡¯sst will, removing the foreign im over his adapted power. Red poured from his skin, bubbling around his body like a suit of armor. It contrasted perfectly against the snow, highlighting Glenny like a ruby within a marble faucet. The power moved his arms for him, epting his will as absolute. He fought through the pain of broken arms, stabbing again and again until his dagger gorged the basilisk¡¯s leg. At some point his dagger had broken away, leaving nothing more than a serrated piece of metal attached to a hilt. It didn''t matter, Glenny found, the red power flowing around him understanding his woes. The bubbles moved to his hand, stretching and elongating eventually forming a deadly tip. The ethereal spike glowed with demonic power, digging deep into the monster like hot iron into the very snow on which he stood. The basilisk roared in pain, sending its tail to ward off any more attacks. Glenny didn¡¯t mind, however, and simply moved on to the next leg. The Huntress smiled with manic eyes. She was right, again. She loved being right. Sheughed, finding the sound oddly disturbing despite her sheer joy. Her emotions quickly died down after that. It was a shame Glenny had to go through this all now, she thought. His young age would surely be an avenue for turmoil in the future, especially around ¡®stolen renown.¡¯ No one would believe he single handedly killed a basilisk, which would most definitely cause a few bar fights down the line. Still, it was a good problem to have, especially considering the alternative. The Huntress almost moved to intervene when Glenny failed to dodge a tail whip. With the pain from two broken arms and the mental struggle of fighting for dominance, she felt a break in action would have done the young man well. But he fixed it himself. She would have to ask him howter but for now she was content with watching Glenny finish off the beast. It wouldn¡¯t be but a few more days until they left the mountains. Glenny needed time to figure out his new power and the cloak that kept him going all this time. The cloak, in the grand scheme of things, might be more important than the Sightless King¡¯s touch. It would be a closeparison but the Huntress had her money on the cloak. Parasitic items simply never stopped growing ¨C at least as long as the wearer progressed. She watched Glenny stab his conjured dagger into the defenseless mess of a basilisk, then again, and again. And again. Chapter 47: Maps Chapter 47: Maps There were no guards defending Shoutwell¡¯s walls. No men to lower or raise the gate. No personnel waiting in line to enter. There was only the outer limits of isted fog, only the feeling that something was not right, that something was waiting within the city. Lnd stepped past Jude and Boor, activating his Harbinger Halo cursed contract with the Lord of the Moonless. Nothing caught his eye as ¡°art¡± right away, so the team progressed into the city. Boor made quick work of the city gate, his rapier silently cutting through the rusty steel bars. He then took the initiative, stepping through and peering through the fog deeper into the streets. It only took a second, but every second was important. Unless they wished to take hours to cross a few streets. They ran, all the while Lnd kept his eyes open and wide. He scanned alleyways and prominent walls, only finding moonlight glowing art from within a few buildings. ¡°Clear,¡± he whispered, pushing Jude and Boor into a damp alley. A momentter the contract ended and the violet halo above his head faltered. Lnd caught a strange look from Boor, one he couldn¡¯t quite ce but chose to ignore. . Frankly, both boys were annoyed with the butler for how he had been treating Lnd. Looks of disgust, irritation, even defensive curiosity. They both knew it stemmed from something neither of them were really conscious of, but the wound had all but healed. By now they figured Boor would be acting like his usual self. Looking away from Lnd, Boor shifted his bad arm closer to his chest. Jude scoffed. ¡°Get over it dude.¡±¡°I beg your pardon,¡± Boor replied curtly. ¡°It''s okay, Jude. Don¡¯t let it worry you. Let¡¯s just get this done.¡± Lnd quickly said, putting himself between the pair. Boor raised an eyebrow to the Berserker Legacy, his hand posturing for a quick draw. But, once he found Lnd staring back at him, he quickly released his posture. ¡°We have an hour,¡± Lnd continued. ¡°During which, we are not going to fight.¡± The butler held up his hands. ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡± With augh, Jude said, ¡°We both have noticed you stealing nces at Leals. You lost, get over it. Now is not the time to be hesitant around him.¡± Boor chewed his lip and said nothing. He sat on a wooden crate, turning away from the two young men. Lnd took Jude a few steps away. ¡°Thanks, but we can¡¯t afford to piss him off. Glenny needs us, remember?¡± ¡°I do, it''s just¡­ I¡¯ve seen that look too many times. People would look at my mom like that. They were afraid she was going to lose control and go on a rampage.¡± ¡°You never told me that.¡± Jude shrugged. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. My dad would always say things to challenge whoever was being weird. Oftentimes it ended in a waiter or Royal Concierge leaving in embarrassment. But now? Seeing Boor do it? I can feel the rage building.¡± Lnd smiled, patting his friend on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Boor can act like whatever he wants around me. Once we get Glenny and get paid, as far as I¡¯m concerned, we are done with House Onryo.¡± Jude nodded with the sentiment. ¡°So, what do you wanna do for an hour?¡± Shrugging, Lnd said, ¡°Not sure. I was thinking of trying to learn some cantrips but I have no idea where to start.¡± Jude took a deep breath. ¡°Guess we are just going to sit here in silence then. I¡¯ve got nothing. Wish I had a harmonica right about now.¡± The next hour was an oddly stressful time for Lnd. It was Jude, he knew. From the way the Berserker Lord sat, from the way he chewed his nails and bounced his leg, the situation was getting to him. Glenny was in danger, lost in a different world as far as they were concerned, and they had to wait for an hour. As Lnd¡¯s internal clock moved the hour hand the final twelfth of a revolution, Jude was reeling to go. So, they did, purple halo and all. They went faster, dipping through the dark fog-covered streets like hungry ants rushing to get food for their queen. It wasn¡¯t until they arrived at the market square that Lnd stopped the group. There were still no signs of moonlight glowing sigils, but something else caught his attention. Words. They dropped everything, racing around the broken and abandoned stalls and finding refuge in the shadows of a small hut. As Lnd zeroed in on the sound, it was a gentle glow that alerted him to exactly where the talking wasing from. A sigil, carved into the very ground the speakers stood upon, glowed with powerful white light. It cut through the dense fog, like a lighthouse, signaling him to the danger. Four cultists, id in identical red robes and obscuring hoods. Blood leaked from the shadows within their headwear, dyeing the upper chest of their robes wet red. ¡°I think¡­¡± Lnd said to the others. ¡°They are recruiting? I¡¯m not sure, I can¡¯t hear them fully.¡± Boor tilted his ear towards the invaders. ¡°They are calling any and all who wish to feel the power of the Sightless King. ¡®Lord does not matter. Profession does not matter. Identity does not matter.¡¯¡± ¡°Sounds like a fun group,¡± Jude muttered. ¡°No individualism within their cult. Who¡¯d go for that?¡± The group shrugged and quickly discovered the monotony of staring at the inside of a wooden stall. As the hour slowly whittled down, movement caught all of their attention. From the opposite side of the market, a middle aged man rushed through the fog. He simply walked up to the cults, listening to their deadly tenants along the way. Upon falling to his knees before them, he yelled, ¡°Please! I can¡¯t take it anymore! If what you say is true, what must I do?!¡± A shorter cultist stepped off their stage, reaching for the prospect with a gentle hand. She took the man by the chin, pulling him up to meet her eyes. Red glowed from under her cowl. ¡°I see!¡± he boomed. ¡°I understand! Amazing! Absolutely amazing!¡± The cultist sent him away a momentter, back into the fog, back into thend of the blind. ¡°What was that?¡± Jude asked. Boor answered. ¡°We just saw the birth of a cultist.¡± ¡°That simple? No questionnaire, no interview?¡± ¡°Not when the Sightless King has the power to influence thought.¡± ¡°Forty three minutes,¡± Lnd said. When the Moonless contract became avable again, the group made it to the sewers entrance and were greeted with two glowing sigils stered on opposite walls leading in. ¡°There and there,¡± Lnd quickly said, causing Boor to unleash his sword. A thick groove cut through the stonework, severing the ¡°art¡± and rendering them useless. A momentter, the groups¡¯ boots were covered in vile sludge. ¡°Ugh,¡± Jude moaned. ¡°Why¡¯d it have to be the sewers? Why not a nice pub at the end of a quiet street?¡± ¡°Now is not the time for jokes,¡± Boor quickly said. ¡°Pay attention. We don¡¯t have the luxury of waiting around an hour.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Lnd said. ¡°We keep moving. Eyes down and looking for sigil markings.¡± They moved slowly, very slowly. They followed the slight stream of the sewage, following it back towards the source. The fog worsened as they walked to the point that Lnd could barely read the words written in his grimoire. ¡°You know,¡± he said. ¡°When the fog first appeared, it spilled out from the sewers.¡± Jude was way ahead of him. ¡°If we keep following this way, I¡¯ll bet we find the fog-creator.¡± ¡°We are looking for Glenny,¡± Boor said in a hushed yell. ¡°Nothing more.¡± Lnd and Jude shared a look, although the fog made it difficult. In the end, both boys agreed and quickly fell back into tense silence. At some point, they came to an intersection and decided to wait for the contract to restart. When the purple halo zed back to life above Lnd¡¯s head, he gasped. ¡°Everywhere. All around us! Close your eyes!¡± Boor set his back to a wall and postured his weapon forward. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong!?¡± ¡°The entire tunnel is glowing. We are standing within a giant sigil!¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± Jude asked. ¡°W-we need to check each other. Judee here.¡± Lnd grabbed his friend and set him just in front of himself. ¡°On three, we both open our eyes and look for red speckles within our irises.¡± ¡°O-okay¡­¡± ¡°Alright ready? One, two, three!¡± Their eyes snapped open, Lnd¡¯s instantly shrinking with the bright glow encasing the group. He squinted, finding Jude¡¯s eyes as a cautionary sce. ¡°Annnd, close.¡± Lnd swallowed. ¡°You checked out. Did you see anything?¡± Jude responded with a head shake no one could see. ¡°Only purple mes.¡± ¡°Good, that¡¯s good. Alright Boor, you¡¯re next.¡± A heavy breath left the butler¡¯s mouth. Once in position, he counted it down. ¡°One, two, three¡ª¡± Again Lnd squinted, the light blinding him. A momentter they both closed their eyes. ¡°Anything? Jude asked. ¡°No,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Must be the fog,¡± Boor said. ¡°The sigils are covered.¡± ¡°I guess we can¡¯t destroy the source of the fog even if we find it,¡± Jude said. ¡°W-we need to stick to the denser tunnels,¡± Lnd added. ¡°If one of us looks into a sigil, everything is over. They will know we are here.¡± ¡°How are we supposed to locate Glenny then?¡± Boor asked. ¡°If we are sticking to the fog, then how are we supposed to make use of ¡®moon sight?¡¯ Your ability is useless if you can¡¯t see.¡± Lnd grimaced. ¡°It was always a stretch. But how could we have guessed they¡¯d just covered the entire sewer in sigils?¡± Boor rapped his knuckles along his sword hilt. ¡°Maybe it can still be useful. We just got to think about mapping the cultists¡¯ territory inversely.¡± Lnd¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°We go where there are no sigils. Map the ¡®safe¡¯ ces for us, thus finding the fortified areas by process of elimination.¡± Jude frowned. ¡°That is going to take a long, long time.¡± Smiling, Lnd said, ¡°Who knows? The spell is still low ranked. Maybe it will rank a few times.¡± Chapter 48: Adaptation Chapter 48: Adaptation ¡°Conjuration, who¡¯d have thought?¡± Glenny spun at the words, bubbly red power reacting to his will and forming a pair of spikes. He shoved the impromptu weapon forward, finding it abruptly stopped inches from the Huntress¡¯ throat. ¡°Angry little one, aren¡¯t we?¡± she asked. ¡°But I can see you areing into that power all on your own. A few more days and I might let you leave the mountain.¡± It was mid-morning in the cold snow forest of the north mountains, the sun was high above and not a cloud was left in the sky. Under normal conditions, Glenny would have called it a perfect morning. But, since he was out in the wilderness under duress, he couldn¡¯t find the beauty in it. ¡°¡¯Days,¡¯¡± he repeated. ¡°No. I¡¯ve yed your game long enough, take me back.¡± Isobel raised an eyebrow. ¡°Confident are we? Only took you beating an inner demon.¡± ¡°You said I had to adapt. Well, here I am, adapted. I killed the basilisk days ago. It¡¯s time to go back. So, if you don¡¯t mind, my friends are waiting.¡± Glenny strolled off, his star peppered ebony cloak pping with the cold wind. A sigh escaped Isobel¡¯s lips. ¡°There¡¯s a faster way down the mountain than walking. Not to mention you¡¯d have to charter a boat and find your way across two continents to get back to Shoutwell.¡± Glenny froze. ¡°What did you just say?¡±¡°I¡¯m saying that you are half-a-world away from your friends. And, I have a teleporting artifact. We can be back in Shoutwell within minutes. So, you better humor me unless you want to walk all the way back.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he seethed. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Oh nothing much,¡± she said, oozing sarcasm. ¡°Just test your limits, battle me.¡± Glenny blinked a few times then thrust his red spikes at the Huntress¡¯ throat. She easily backstepped, parrying his dominant wrist with her own before smacking him in the chest with an open palm. ¡°Rather weak, I¡¯d say. Not much style in your movements. Only stab, stab, stab. That¡¯s not going to get you very far.¡± Glenny grumbled something, taking a step back and setting his feet. His posture lowered along with his center of gravity. Suddenly he shot off, turning into a whirlwind of deadly red power. His hands moved regardless of his conjured weapons, each taking new positions in his fighting style. The effect was a hail of des and fists, each attacking independent of one another. The Huntress smiled at the attempt, but ultimately dodged or blocked all of his attacks. ¡°Interesting idea,¡± she said. ¡°A few years of practicing that and you might have something worthy of pursuing. As it is now? Not so much. Nothing is deadly enough, your concentration is too split.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just got to adapt, right?¡± Glenny said with a re. Isobel frowned. ¡°Did you learn nothing?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t really teach anything. Just threw me on a mountain and expected me to progress.¡± She thought for a second. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. You seeded in the instinctual portion of your Legacy, I suppose I might as well help you with the practical. Let''s start with what your parents taught you. Nothing special, no extra appendages of power ¨C just daggers.¡± Glenny shrugged and stubbornly controlled the power of the Sightless King into his hands. The bubbles boiled over his back and chest, finding his grip and morphing into a mess of red. ¡°Huh?¡± the Huntress asked. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure. It doesn¡¯t want to move to my will. It feels like it''s only doing so because it doesn¡¯t have a choice, not because it listens to me.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± was all she said before taking out a pair of small knives from her boots. She tossed them over. ¡°Just use those for the moment.¡± Glenny begrudgingly picked up the weapons, shifting them into his hands with practiced ease while the red bubbles dissipated. He fell into the stance of moments ago, suddenly thrusting forward into an offensive push. The knives were much smaller than he was used to, so he focused on his footwork more than anything. Each step, each shuffle, each hasted pivot, Glenny fell into a rhythm battling against the Huntress. As the minutes ticked by, he found openings and clear points of attack. He felt sure his opponent was toying with him, but he pressed the advantage anyway. Attack with one hand and the opposite foot, backstep and switch focus. Jump around her blind spot, while feigning a low kick. Block the counter attack, and counter back. Suddenly an open palm cracked against his nose, causing the snowy floor to be dyed red. Glenny red at her despite the small red vial she passed him. ¡°Impressive stamina. You didn¡¯t slow down until the forty minute mark. But we have the cloak to thank for that.¡± ¡°F-forty minutes?¡± Glenny said, finding himself breathing heavy. When did that happen? The Huntress didn¡¯t respond, only pointed up. The sun was high overhead, a stark contrast to the morning air from when they started sparing. ¡°Still, that fighting style is weak. I¡¯m surprised your parents taught you like that. I figured your mother especially would have been more keen on you learning something worthwhile.¡± The forest went silent. ¡°What did you say?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Dueling you was eye opening. Think about it. Your mother was a renowned Royal Inquisitor and she was killed by some half-baked murderer. The only exnation is that her fighting style was weak, don¡¯t you¡ª¡± A red spike appeared in Glenny¡¯s hand andunched forward. The Huntress¡¯ eyes widened from the sudden attack but she easily caught the conjured weapon with an empty hand. ¡°Like I was saying,¡± she continued. ¡°I think it is best you learn something else¡ª" A bubble formed and drilled from Glenny¡¯s other hand. She casually moved to intercept it,zily throwing up her free hand. Suddenly the spike extended, rushing past her slow defenses and catching her in the breastte. The attack didn¡¯t so much as scratch her, but it did open her defenses enough for Glenny to capitalize. The bubbles reacted to hismand and formed gently along the twin knives he carried. Red power stuck to metal, elongating the des into small sabers. Throwing caution to the wind, Glenny pounced. He threw all of his strength and speed into his attacks, acting more like a berserker than a rogue. The Huntress acted in kind, summoning forth a single arrow she wielded like a greatsword. ¡°How dare you¡ª¡± Glenny yelped between attacks. ¡°She was not weak!¡± The Huntress crossed his thigh with two quick swipes, shredding clothes and shearing into his skin. Glenny roared, ignoring the injury and pressing his sabers harder. Another line of blood was formed along his left wrist and a third on his right forearm. Pain shot through his knuckles as each were quickly butchered as well. Glenny went low, sweeping his leg. The Huntress easily vaulted over him,nding another quick cut along the back of his neck. He turned, finding an arrow tip between his eyes. ¡°I think this is a good stopping point, don¡¯t you ?¡± she said, catching a wild swing from her right. She punched him in the throat, sending him to the snow. ¡°Look kid, look at yourself. I¡¯ve killed you several times over. You lost and you cannot win.¡± Glenny didn¡¯t care and forced more red bubbles to his side. Isobel sighed and activated a Legacy ability. Suddenly there was a sh of light and she disappeared. ¡°Interesting parasitic item you¡¯ve got here,¡± she said from behind, casually slipping the cloak on. ¡°Shame it binds to one¡¯s soul. I might have stolen it from you once we found it wasn¡¯t cursed.¡± Sneering, Glenny suddenly felt his energy bottom out. ¡°Oh? Poor little boy finally ran out of juice?¡± sheughed. ¡°Like I said, I think this is a good stopping point.¡± ¡°T-take it back!¡± he yelled. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You called my mother weak! She was arade of yours! How can you say that about¡ª¡± The Huntress raised a hand, silencing him. ¡°Can you not see I said that to rile you up? The Sightless King power obviously works from emotions, and obviously I lied. No one would be able to reach Royal Inquisitor status if they weren¡¯t powerful.¡± Glenny stared at her, his poster deting somewhat. ¡°You said¡ª¡± ¡°Read my lips,¡± Isobel said slowly. ¡°I. Lied. To. Rile. You. Up. Well, not about leaving her fighting style. It''s only going to get you so far, especially with conjuration in your armory.¡± ¡°I would I have to change¡ª¡± ¡°Because you are too tall. I¡¯ve met your mother several times and you definitely have your dad¡¯s height. And I imagine you are still growing.¡± She pointed to the two knives sitting in the snow. ¡°Just look at what you did to attack me with the Sightless King power. You extended the knives. Your body knows you need longer weapons, just your head doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Glenny tried. ¡°You can stick with daggers if that is what you are wondering. Just longer ones. Those sabers you created were good. Maybe a bit shorter would be more optimal, actually.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± The Huntress rolled her eyes. ¡°Kid, shut up. You¡¯re supposed to be the quiet one. Just sit there and let me think. When we leave this mountain, you will have a full training regimen to go off of.¡± Glenny snapped his mouth closed and fell back. Chapter 49: Gamble Chapter 49: Gamble Lnd, Jude, and Boor stared at a crude mapping of the sewer system of Shoutwell. Tunnels crossed over each other and ran the length of streets, some stopped abruptly while others drifted out to sea. Various numbers had been written on each of the tunnels, marking their passage in terms of sigils blocking the way. The group discussed over ate dinner, having spent the entire day slowly wading through filth and sludge. Hour upon hour had devolved into simple minutes of actual work, Lnd¡¯s Harbinger Halo was the primary driving force for each of their irritation. But there was hope. The spell in question had ranked up twice through the frequent usage. Harbinger Halo has increased to rank 6. Contractsts for 360 seconds. The additional time had saved the group literal hours, allowing them to finish mapping the outer tunnels by nightfall. ¡°Looks like they are in the center of the city,¡± Jude said, snapping a chunk of jerky off with his teeth. ¡°Is that under the rich people quarter?¡± Boor stifled a sigh. ¡°Yes, the ¡®rich people quarter,¡¯ as you say.¡± ¡°Does that have any significance?¡± Boor shrugged but Lnd had an idea. ¡°Cleaner sewers. Less,¡± he lifted a boot up, casting down a rain of vileness. ¡°-of whatever this is.¡±¡°Everyone poops, Leals.¡± Lnd blinked a few times. ¡°Yeah, right. Wow, you are incredibly smart. You should write a book.¡± A beat passed. ¡°No, because the ¡®rich people¡¯ can afford better plumbing. Better infrastructure leads to the rich people not having to call inmoner plumbers.¡± Jude looked skeptical. ¡°Is that true?¡± They both looked to Boor who this time did sigh. ¡°House Onryo has not called for a plumber in a decade, yes. I suspect the theory is correct, but it also gives the cult a strategic point to operate out of. Take out the nobles, no one will be left in the city to fight back.¡± Agreeing to the point, Jude added, ¡°Until themoners rise. Just look at the Bricyer Uprising a century ago. They nearly killed the Queen.¡± Lnd and Boor looked at him. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°I like to read¡­ sometimes¡­ when it''s about mass killings and stuff¡­ like¡­ that¡­¡± Clearing his throat, Lnd moved on. ¡°So, now that we have this map, which area is more likely to hold Glenny?¡± Boor took a deep breath. ¡°The ¡®cult¡¯ is probably only the woman in white and maybe two or three trusted individuals. The rest of the red robes are nothing more than fodder to slow us down. With that said, I suspect the leadership is in a room much smaller than we¡¯d initially expected.¡± Lnd nodded along. ¡°Since their only requirements for joining is to look into a red light and want power, yeah. I doubt those people are allowed near the Sightless King¡¯s ¡®body parts.¡¯¡± Looming over the map, Jude waved his finger at the lines and numbers. ¡°So, maybe here, here, annnd¡­ here? as the suspected ces the woman in white could be?¡± Boor hummed. ¡°Maybe here as well.¡± He marked the locations. ¡°So potentially four ces,¡± Lnd said. ¡°That¡¯s only four hours of checking. Maybe three if these two close locations are found to be dead ends quickly.¡± ¡°Might I remind,¡± the butler added. ¡°That the tunnels leading through these areas are going to be encased by sigils. The fog is our only cover and your spell is going to be useless for the most part.¡± ¡°That¡¯s going to be a problem, yeah,¡± Lnd said, sitting back and falling silent. Minutes ticked by as different ideas and ns were thought up and promptly pushed back down. Eventually everyone silently decided to table to conversation and finish eating. They had nearly an hour before Harbinger Halo was avable for use again, surely they¡¯d think of something by then, right?¡± Lnd wasn¡¯t so sure. His mind kept falling back to Glenny and what he was going through at the moment. Charging through a tunnel of sigils didn¡¯t seem like such a bad idea when he thought in terms of potentially helping his friend. But that was just it, potentially it could help Glenny ¨C there was no evidence that he was even in the sewers. Or alive for that matter. Thinking like that would get him nowhere, Lnd knew. So he focused on one of the few things that could tide his mind over, magic. Before he could start messing with raw mana and lifeforce, movement on his hand pulled his attention. The small crow tattoo moved with fervent passion, moving its head up and down like a fan at a rock concert. Lnd could only wonder what the Lord of Curses was trying to tell him. Moving a tattoo slightly wasn¡¯t much to go on. He didn¡¯t think the crow was trying to help him understand cantrips nor the secrets of magic. But it sure was distracting. How was he supposed to focus on magic with a crow nagging him? But Lnd guessed the crow was right. This was not time for magic. A n needed to be drawn up, edited, and forged. Just then Jude said something. ¡°What about blowing up the street and dropping into the sewers?¡± Boor instantly replied. ¡°No, the streets are too thick. Shoutwell has a lot of moisture, sinkholes from erosion are rathermon and arger street foundation was the answer the city came up with.¡± ¡°Oh. Did that work?¡± ¡°Mostly.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Something strange about that caught Lnd¡¯s attention. ¡°What about the underbelly then? Shouldn¡¯t most of the city fall into the massive cavern below us?¡± The former underground city leader answered. ¡° If you go by the stories, the founding pirates had a genius Legacy of Inscription in their crew. She put glyphs all over the underbelly¡¯s ceiling, reinforcing it from copse.¡± ¡°And if you don¡¯t believe the stories?¡± ¡°Between the underbelly¡¯s ceiling and the Shoutwell¡¯s city streets, there is enough of a buffer that the moisture in the air doesn¡¯t erode anything important .¡± ¡°How does that make sense?¡± Jude asked. ¡°There are waves and water at the bottom of the underbelly. That¡¯s moisture right there!¡± Boor shrugged. ¡°Then the ceiling is inscribed.¡± ¡°Sounds farfetched that a pirate crew had a Lord of Inscription,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Those are quite rare and often sought after.¡± Boor shrugged again. ¡°Then there is arge enough buffer so that Shoutwell doesn¡¯t sink in.¡± With an exasperated sigh, Lnd asked, ¡°Can we blow up the ceiling of the underbelly and climb into the sewers?¡± Boor didn¡¯t answer right away and took a moment to look over the sewers map. ¡°Maybe¡­ the issue would then be climbing up. Longdders aren¡¯t exactly easy toe by.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯d just have to blow up the ceiling where we can easily climb in. Say on top of a building or rock pir or something.¡± ¡°Maybe. Locals wouldn¡¯t take too kindly. Smugglers and merchants alike.¡± Judeughed at that. ¡°Then we just have the ones who wish to fight us follow us into the sewers. They¡¯ll be a good distraction for the cultists.¡± ¡°Jude may have a point,¡± Boor said. ¡°He does?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°I do?¡± Jude echoed. ¡°I was mainly saying that as a joke, but if you think the idea has merit then¡ª¡± ¡°No, I mean that whoever tries to stop us would have to follow us. And most will refuse to enter the sewers. Too close to the surface, too close to those who might put them in jail.¡± Boor said. ¡°Take away their freedom,¡± Lnd concluded. ¡°D-do you think some might help us if we ask? The cultists are going to take over the underbelly if they resurrect the Sightless King.¡± ¡°Unlikely. There have been invasions to the underbelly before. Historically, the kingpins havebined their forces and eliminated the threat. Whether the joint army could defeat the Sightless King, I have no idea. But they will try.¡± Jude thumped his thumbs together. ¡°What about preemptively getting the kingpins to join forces?¡± Snapping his fingers, Lnd said, ¡°Yeah! People seem to remember you down there, Boor. Maybe you could get - what were their names again? Big Boss and Simone? -to attack the cultists in the sewers.¡± ¡°No,¡± Boor instantly answered. ¡°They will kill me then you two. No. Simply no.¡± Lnd considered that for a moment. ¡°Not if you bring them critical information about the cult. Like the four potential locations that the Sightless King could be.¡± ¡°No.¡± Jude shared a nce with his friends. ¡°Honestly, forging a rtionship with the criminal underground may even be good for the future of Shoutwell. House Onryo is in quite a bit of debt if I remember correctly.¡± Boor¡¯s eyes zed. ¡°Watch yourself, adventurer. House Onryo are not criminals.¡± Lnd held up his hands. ¡°What Jude is trying to say is that House Onryo has debts due to the Icewillows. And now that the Icewillows are dead, there is a vacancy.¡± The old butler red. ¡°You want House Onryo to take over the Lucky Blue production the Icewillows left behind? You want Lady Onryo to make the drug that killed her son? How ignorant¡ª¡± ¡°Boor, Boor, Boor,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°Remember that the Inquisitors will be here soon. They will sort everything out. All Lady Onryo has to do is agree to make Lucky Blue. Not actually do it.¡± Boor scoffed. ¡°No. And if you remember correctly, Lady Onryo has already decided to wait for the Inquisitors to retake the city. She does not need the kingpins¡¯ help. If you continue to push this horrid idea, then I will leave. Simple as that. My Lady¡¯s name will not be tarnished by your delusions of grandeur. We are here for Glenny, not to eradicate the Sightless Cult. Remember that.¡± Lnd and Jude deted at that. ¡°No, you¡¯re right. I apologize. Glennyes first. We just got excited at the idea of an army.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± Jude added. Taking a deep breath, Boor ended the conversation with, ¡°We will take the map and our knowledge to the kingpins. If they do not kill us on the spot and refuse to help, we will blow up the ceiling closer to one of the four spots.¡± Lnd and Jude lips curved upward. Chapter 50: Kingpins Chapter 50: Kingpins Returning to the underbelly was a rather easy feat. No one other than the odd cultist and fresh recruit walked the streets. Most, if not everyone sane, stayed in their homes under the cover of a candle-less room. Doors were locked, children were hushed, and an atmosphere of unease left the area in an abandoned state. As Boor led Jude and Lnd to Shoutwell¡¯s Smugglers Guild, they found no obstacle. They entered the lower tunnels quickly followed by the real passage to the underbelly. As soon as they stepped into the illegal cavern, their eyes quickly found reprieve. Theck of fog felt amazing to the group, each silently agreeing to take a moment and simply look. Making full use of their vision, they traced around the underworld, finding the vertically built cramped buildings, ancient reinforced bridges, and people. It was strange to Lnd, seeing a mass of people out in the open. It felt like weeks since hest saw a crowd. But that was when he noticed white mist falling into the underbelly from the ceiling. It was faint and quickly dissipated into the airspace of the cavern, but the cause was more than apparent. ¡°The cult is going to make an attempt for this ce soon,¡± Lnd said, pointing to the ceiling. Boor took a long breath. ¡°So they may,¡± he said in a voice less than happy. Jude soon took to the stairs leading down, the others quickly following along. They eventually stepped into the city major, past those on the outer streets, those in need of serious help. There was more this time, more people smoking or selling Lucky Blue. Many simply sat around, their minds spinning with the thrills of manufactured mana. ¡°A shame,¡± Lnd whispered as if his words would matter if overheard. Boor didn¡¯t respond, yet adjusted his light armor in a near obsessive way. Jude was much the same but kept his eyes forward as much as possible.Upon entering the market street, the group hung in the shadows, passing through quickly and quietly. Many mercenaries were out and about, bellowing about their triumphs or heroics. Some yelled in anguage Lnd was unfamiliar with, others with thick ents that spoke of far offnds. As they passed, a fight suddenly broke out between two warrior types, each drawing des in a swift yet forceful motion. They battled for a bit but quickly found other things to do when the underbelly enforces arrived. Even the onlookers found other things to be enamored by, walking off like the floor was on fire. Shaking his head at the disy, Lnd asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t the enforcers help when those Witches attacked us?¡± Boor gave a weak shrug. ¡°Probably paid off. Enforcers follow very loose rules. Keep the peace unless someone pays, sort of thing.¡± ¡°Why have enforcers at all then? Wouldn¡¯t the¡ª¡± Lnd¡¯s words died in his throat and Boor quickly pulled him and Jude out of sight. ¡°What are they doing down here?¡± Jude screeched through hushed lips. ¡°Invading already?¡± Lnd poked his head around the corner, finding six red robed Sightless Cultists standing in the center of therge market area. They called for those looking for salvation, for any and everyone wanting power and respect. ¡°They¡¯re recruiting,¡± he growled. A twinkle appeared in Boor¡¯s eye. ¡°A slow invasion.¡± Heughed. ¡°That may work.¡± Jude¡¯s lip twitched. ¡°What? You said an invasion into the underbelly would fail.¡± ¡°A frontal assault, yes. But one with subtlety and numbers? Perhaps not.¡± Lnd continued the butler¡¯s thought. ¡°They don¡¯t need to kill all who oppose them, they are hoping that their promise of revenge and power is enough to have the newly initiated do it for them.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Boor said. ¡°Many people down here hate the kingpins. It''s only a matter of time until some desperate souls decide to test out the Sightless King¡¯s powers.¡± ¡°All the more reason for the kingpins to listen and help us,¡± Jude added. They took a wide berth around the cultists, making use of the crowd to hide their faces. More than a few times Boor suddenly turned his gaze onto people in the area, a silent threat beingmunicated to those who recognized him. It generally worked, most of the lowlifes didn¡¯t want anything to do with the old man. At least, until someone with a ¡°W¡± brand appeared. ¡°Boor,¡± Lnd spoke up. ¡°I see her. She¡¯s just probing us. They remember what happenedst time we were down here.¡± ¡°Is there going to be a fight?¡± Jude quickly asked. ¡°No,¡± Boor answered. ¡°Not while we are walking in this direction.¡± ¡°W-what¡¯s in this direction?¡± ¡°Certain death.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Lovely.¡± The group fell back into silent steps and eventually exited the main market area. The street opened up as buildings fell away. In the distance arge wooden ship sat alone on a rocky pir. It was stabbed through the hull, like a meal set on a roasting spit. Boor¡¯s eyes softened as he looked at it. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Lnd quickly asked. ¡°No, nothing. This way,e on.¡± The butler turned, venturing further and further from the old ship. The crumbled stone floor changed the moment they stepped off a bridge. Properly paved concrete sat without scuffs or blemishes, mimicking the non-cracked foundation of the nearby buildings. The amount of people around suddenly decreased, cing the group formally without cover. ¡°Let me do the talking. Do not ept any deals without me being present. And do not be rude.¡± Boor¡¯s eyes found Jude¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m not rude.¡± No one responded. Entering the building, the group found itself in a long room. The underbelly ¡°throne room¡± was a vast assortment of riches and treasures. The walls and floors sparkled with unimaginable glitter and sheen, gold and ivory making up the primary highlights. From the door to the far wall, the room exhibited only money, money, money. Wealth was on disy like bricks on a house or leaves in a forest. Shuddering, Lnd focused on the goal and not the demons of greed. He was tempted, the piles of raw gold in the corners more than enough to fuel his life for decades. Looking to Jude, he could tell they shared a simr thought. Neither had seen so much wealth, not even when Royal Attendants met with their parents. Gems, silks, and more than a few loops of opulent chains were worn by the room¡¯s bystanders, each with varying levels of annoyance on their faces. Some looked down right despicable, like they expected a public execution by the end of the day. Others were more sympathetic. They saw Jude and Lnd for what they were, kids. Kids who would battle the heavens for their friend. ¡°Now what do we have here?¡± A feminine voice cooed from across the room. Sitting with a curious gaze, a woman id in velvet threads watched the trio enter. She subtly motioned, removing the nearest of her entourage from her throne and sending them to the neighboring area. Her face brightened as they neared, despite arge scar trailing across her right eye. An embroidered eyepatch hid most of the wound but part of her check was ruined from theceration. ¡°Big Boss,¡± Boor said, throwing his hand before him in a bow. Jude and Lnd quickly made the same motion. ¡°Boor,¡± the kingpin responded, her tone stillckadaisical and curious. ¡°Last I saw you, you were running with your tail between your legs.¡± ¡°Yes, those were quite trying times.¡± Sheughed. ¡°So they were, so they were. But younded on your feet! House Onryo! Very posh.¡± ¡°The Onryos have been very generous.¡± ¡°Yet you return to me? Very interesting.¡± Boor tightened his smile. ¡°And Simon, yes.¡± Big Boss¡¯s eyes quickly found the ceiling. They hung there as she took a deep breath. Once settled, she returned her gaze to Boor. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because Shoutwell is in danger.¡± ¡°The Sightless Cult, yes we know of them. But they matter not to us. They are a surface issue.¡± ¡°No so much, no,¡± Boor said. ¡°They are nearly topl¡ª¡± ¡°BOOR!¡± The butler shuddered, turning slowly to a side hallway. A skinny older man stepped out of the shadows with both arms out, like a doctor entering a surgery. Thick green goop fell from between his fingers where an attendant was instantly there to clean the mess despite the horrid stink. ¡°Simon,¡± Boor said. ¡°How wonderful to see you again.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± the man asked. ¡°Last time we saw each other, I had just finished killing your first mate. Remember? Remember the blood?¡± ¡°I do, and my statement was sarcastic. Yes, it is horrible to see you again. I wished I would never have to step in this room again. But things are dire.¡± It was then Lnd noticed the branding of the Witch on Simon¡¯s face. His posture instantly changed, as did Jude¡¯s. The woman also looked hesitant around the kingpin, like anything she did was under scrutiny and potential punishment. She was afraid, Lnd realized. Simon, wiping his hands off with the poor woman¡¯s dress, noticed the air in the room change. ¡°Who are they?¡± he asked Boor. ¡°The two who killed William Icewillow.¡± A ripple of chatter echoed through the vaulted ceiling as the bystanders rose in rage. Some yelled curses, others quickly left trying to hide their faces. Even Jude and Lnd were staring at their butlerrade. Simonughed. ¡°Oh? I heard old Will had escaped the Inquisitors. Confirming his death is a relief off my shoulders. You know?¡± he asked Big Boss. She ignored him. ¡°When was this?¡± Boor looked to Lnd. ¡°Three weeks ago in Liontrunk, specifically the dungeon just outside the city.¡± The kingpins hummed. Boor¡¯s voice filled the void. ¡°They did you two a favor, and we wish to collect.¡± ¡°A favor?¡± Simon boomed. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You are now the sole provider for Lucky Blue on this side of the continent. And Big Boss¡¯ smuggling operations have reaped the rewards of fresh territory.¡± ¡°And what? You want us to run the Sightless out of the upper city? Quite a big undertaking.¡± The woman attendant froze. She hesitantly relooked over the guests in the throne room ¨C a slight sparkle in her eyes. ¡°Not as much as you¡¯d think,¡± Boor answered. ¡°We have a map of the sewers with four potential spots for their operations as well as knowledge on their defenses.¡± ¡°And youck an army to act on this knowledge?¡± Big Boss inferred. ¡°We were petitioning for an open bounty on the cultists¡ª¡± ¡°You know they have already infiltrated the Guild, right?¡± Jude suddenly said. Boor grimaced but quickly added to the question. ¡°They are recruiting a few streets over in the main market. The Sightless King uses some kind of mind control, meaning eventually you will be overrun from inside.¡± Almost as if to punctuate his words, the woman who had been following Simon attacked, her eyes glowing fiery red. Chapter 51: Escape Chapter 51: Escape Simon screeched as the woman toppled over him, shoving him to the ground and bashing his head into the marble floor. He hastily threw up his hands to guard, missing the first punch by mere seconds. Suddenly his face flooded with blood and the floor was speckled with red. He managed to block the next punch, but by then the woman had a thin silver sword jutting from her neck. Her lifeless body fell over when Boor ripped his rapier back to his side. Soon the pristine throne room was buzzing with intrigue and grotesque grunts. The small crowd had moved closer a few steps, watching the attempted murder with deafening stares. ¡°My point exactly,¡± Boor said. ¡°Those with grudges are the ones most likely to ept the Sightless King. Which just so happens to be¡ª¡± ¡°Pretty much everyone in the Guild,¡± Big Boss finished before looking down to Simon. ¡°Oh get up, fool. All she did was hit you.¡± ¡°She broke my nose!¡± the kingpin retorted. ¡°How did she break my nose! She¡¯s weaker than a child!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the Sightless King¡¯s power does. A small boost to strength and a significant one to confidence,¡± Lnd said. An attendant ran a handkerchief to Simon who then patted his nose and upper lip. He red at the room and dead body, scoffing in disgust. Lnd and Jude internally scoffed back, repulsed by the Witch¡¯s attitude towards attempted murder. Having to work with a branded Witch cut into both of them, only the thought of finding Glenny easing their ever churning stomachs. ¡°So,¡± Boor stately impassively. ¡°you will invade the sewers?¡±Big Boss took a careful moment to eye the red power draining from the woman¡¯s eyes like the blood that flowed from the hole in her neck. ¡°Yes,¡± she eventually said. ¡°But only with that map of yours. What else can you tell us?¡± Lnd took the initiative. ¡°Sigils cover the walls of the sewers. The fog makes it possible that you can walk through, but I wouldn¡¯t leave it to chance. I suggest long spears to score the ground, ceiling, and walls as you go. Also be ready with chalk and restraints for people afflicted. Maybe a copy of Brix¡¯s Guide to Defending Magic if your magic users don¡¯t know the pattern by heart.¡± Big Boss raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, is that all?¡± ¡°You should also check your men you send to the sewers for the Sightless King beforehand,¡± Lnd continued. ¡°Just one agent could ruin everything for everyone.¡± ¡°I take it you three are just messengers in this war,¡± she said. ¡°Not fighters?¡± Boor answered before Lnd could. ¡°Our side is weakened. Our party used to be nine, but the sigils have taken one and the others were wounded by the cult¡¯s leader.¡± ¡°Aha!¡± Simon suddenly shouted. ¡°A lie! I can spot these things from a mile away, Boor! You know that!¡± ¡°Is this true?¡± Big Boss asked, her single eye narrowing. Boor let out a long sigh. ¡°More like partially true,¡± he said. ¡°The one who was affected by the sigils had been purged but still went missing.¡± Simon¡¯s great smile sputtered. ¡°He speaks the truth.¡± Big Boss then stood, stepping around the dead woman and to Boor. ¡°It was good to see you again, old friend. I miss our time¡ª" A scratching sound suddenly appeared from Simon. He dragged a thick needle across the marble floor, casting lines of blood in odd runic patterns. ¡°Before you go, Boor. I was recently robbed. Do you know anything about that?¡± Boor hesitated. ¡°No,¡± he lied, keeping his face as still as possible. The kingpin smirked, pressing his hand into the rune. Suddenly the walls turned thick with a blue gooey substance. Big Boss yelled something but her anger was outshined by the screeching crowd. The Guild¡¯s high ranking members quickly ran out of the throne room, not before some fell victim to Simon¡¯s attack. The gootched onto their clothing and legs, sticking them in ce like a fly on glue. Those affected cursed at theirSimon, some even saying ¡°Not again!¡± Not wanting to stick around, Boor pushed Lnd and Jude out of the room as fast as possible. At some point the boys had drawn their weapons but no fighters came to intervene. They simply exited like everyone else, eventually reaching the bridges leading out of the area. Showing the way, the butler quickly found safe passage through the shadows and towards one of the underbelly¡¯s many entrances/exits. He kept checking over his shoulder, finding nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°That was something,¡± Jude finally said once they began their ascent up the stairs back to the city proper. ¡°How did Simon know you were lying?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Legacy ability?¡± ¡°No,¡± Boor said. ¡°That man is a world-ss maniptor. He may not seem like it, but he rose up the ranks of the Smugglers Guild by simply talking, ckmailing, and extortion. He can read anyone he talks to with a high probability of being right.¡± Judeughed at that. ¡°Not that it helped him with his servant though. Maybe you should have let her kill him.¡± ¡°Believe me, I wish Simon dead more than anyone. But there are some things you just can¡¯t mess with. The people in power during a time of need is one of them. But you are right about him. He¡¯s a narcissist and frankly doesn¡¯t care about the peons around him. I doubt he gave that woman a second nce.¡± ¡°What did he do to be a Witch?¡± Lnd asked, his voice distant. ¡°Besides cold blooded murder?¡± Boor asked. ¡°Simon is a Legacy of Alchemy ¨C or something close to it. He created an alchemical gue back when he was bing famous. Holds the threat of using it over everyone to stay in power. Big Boss is the undisputed leader of the Guild but everyone puts up with Simon because they have to.¡± ¡°And this gue he created isn¡¯t enough of a reason to involve the Inquisitors?¡± Boor shrugged, pushing open the door to the surface. ¡°Not really. Most don¡¯t believe he actually ever created it. The threat of it is still there, of course, so no one wants to call him on it.¡± Jude stretched. ¡°When do you think they will go through the sewers?¡± ¡°As soon as the quest for cultist heads is activated. Those in the streets will be the first to go, then the information about the sewers wille next. I wouldn¡¯t doubt that the sewers will be cleared by morning.¡± ¡°Then we are staying,¡± Lnd said. ¡°We have to make sure Glenny isn¡¯t killed identally.¡± Jude agreed right away but Boor took a long hard look at the young mage before him. ¡°Fine,¡± he eventually said. It took a few hours but eventually most of the underbelly¡¯sbatants, at least the ones pressed for gold, were in Shoutwell¡¯s sewers. They used small push carts pulled by stout four legged beasts to pass through the fog while destroying the sigils. With spears cutting into the sewer walls like oars cutting into a calmke, the cart rode down the dark passages. At least it did, until cultists started appearing. They didn¡¯tst a moment, pouring from a small room and instantly being torn to shreds. Likembs to a ughter they walked directly into a hail of arrows, magical spells, and des. Not a single one lived, and those who did such killings argued for who dealt the final blow. Money, money, money, Lnd thought to himself. Always about money. Just do some normal quests. y some monsters, gather some herbs. Despite being cultists, he saw the ughter and grimaced. These people were normal citizens not that long ago. Was it really their fault for sumbing to temptation and promise of power? Lnd didn¡¯t know, only he didn¡¯t like seeing rooms of people killed without a chance of fighting back. His eyes grew cold as each room was emptied out. No Glenny. No woman in white. No sign of anyone other than low-ranking cultists. In the most centralized room of the sewers, something peculiar was found. A device, magical in nature but also oddly mechanical. It spewed fog like a humidifier pumping vapors into the air. Lnd and the others didn¡¯t get a chance to break it themselves, Big Boss ordered its destruction almost instantly. Soon the fog guing Shoutwell would be cleared, but for some reason Lnd and Jude felt the city¡¯s coverage deepen. They walked slowly with Boor back to the small vige just outside of town, each silently brooding. ¡°Look boys,¡± Boor said, only to be interrupted by Lnd. ¡°We know,¡± he said. ¡°It was unlikely the cultists let him live. We were just trying to remain hopeful.¡± Boor suddenly felt his spine go still. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª That¡¯s not what I was going to¡ª¡± ¡°You were going to say there is still hope,¡± Judeughed, his voice quivering like the wet shimmer in his eyes. ¡°That Glenny is somewhere else, right? That the sewers weren¡¯t their main base, and that they took him there instead.¡± ¡°Well, yes¡ª¡± ¡°Why would they do that? Why would the cultists randomly take a captive? Have they done that with anyone else?¡± Boor didn¡¯t respond. ¡°We are young,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Not dumb. We knew the moment Glenny disappeared.¡± Boor did have something to say to that. ¡°Disappeared, exactly. You two said he was acting strange. That the cultists were whispering in his ear. Maybe they didn¡¯t kidnap him but rather he simply wandered off.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe,¡± Lnd said reservedly, like he didn¡¯t believe his own words. ¡°Yeah, maybe,¡± Jude said a momentter, echoing his friend¡¯s tone and thought process. Suddenly a screeching noise resonated against the cold wet air. The group quickly spun, finding a red beam sting out from the slowly defogging city. They watched with horror as the beam slowly faded, redoubling the crazed sound. Chapter 52: Glorious Return Chapter 52: Glorious Return Inquisitor Isobel, otherwise known as the Huntress, watched her young apprentice double over vomiting. The sight, while disgusting, was incredibly informative. The parasitic cloak wrapped around Glenny was quite intriguing. Energy and stamina enhancing artifacts were nothing out of the ordinary when it came to magical items. They all worked rtively the same way and allowed for storage of energy forter use. The cloak, however, was special in the Huntress¡¯ eyes ¨C and not just because it was a parasitic item. With normal enhancing items, they needed to be refueled by the wearer. Hours upon hours had she refilled her own rings and nes over the years, often delegating the responsibilities to whichever lower ranked Inquisitor she was working with at the time. The cloak, however, held no function. It was impossible to manually add energy to the shroud and instead required starlight to refuel. A bizarre advantage but not quite unheard of. Isobel knew of rare items that dealt with the stars but as far as she knew, none were parasitic in nature. That was why she was pushing Glenny so hard ¨C to understand the cloak¡¯s, as well as the Sightless King¡¯s, power. The two unique powers would work well together, she knew. At least, once the cloak evolved, once it ate enough of Glenny¡¯s energy. ¡°Tell me,¡± she said once his lunch stopped pouring from his throat. ¡°What do you know of parasitic items?¡± ¡°Rare¡ª¡± he spit out a seed or something. ¡°Expensive. Sometimes cursed.¡± Isobel hummed with annoyance. The boy had been getting on her nervestely, which, while not out of the ordinary, still annoyed her. ¡°Keep going,¡± she eventually said. ¡°They feed on the wearer¡¯s lifeforce and/or mana and eventually evolve when given enough.¡± ¡°And these evolutions, what are they like?¡±Glenny shrugged. ¡°They are usually positive but sometimes the new effect can be detrimental to style or path.¡± Suddenly a golden bow appeared in the Huntress¡¯ hand. It glowed slightly, but the high noon sun camouged the weapon¡¯s true aspect. ¡°Take my bow for example. It is a parasitic weapon. Quite the powerful one, might I add.¡± Carefully, Glenny epted the bow from his kidnapper. He treated it like a sacred item, like if he broke it, he¡¯d be emunicated from the country. That was if the Huntress didn¡¯t kill him out of spite. Sheughed at his hesitant inspection. ¡°Would you believe it started out as a spear? Before it evolved, I mean.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± Glenny took a second look at the weapon. ¡°How does that make any sense?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had it for nearly fifty years at this point. Got it as a kid, you see. My Legacy, while not proper, has ways to use melee weapons. After obtaining the spear, I spent the next ten or so years practicing a new form ofbat. But suddenly, it evolved, transforming into the very bow you see now.¡± Glenny eyed the weapon then its master. ¡°So it¡¯s only evolved once?¡± Isobel shook her head. ¡°Nope. Well, not quite. It evolves with every human I kill, small changes I mean. I named it Stealer¡¯s Spear back when it was still a spear. It takes on different elements from the people I kill ¨C an effect that was kept from the initial evolution.¡± ¡°So the golden glow¡ª¡± ¡°I hunted a band of light magic Witches not long ago. The power still hasn¡¯t run out.¡± The Huntress paused for a long moment. ¡°I wonder what element I would get if I killed you?¡± Seeing through the threat, Glenny snorted and handed back the weapon. ¡°So when the cloak evolves, it could changepletely.¡± Isobel frowned at the reaction. ¡°Yes and no. The cloak¡¯s ability will always be simr after evolution. It could change forms, yes, but the additional energy it provides you will most likely stay. It may, however, grow in ability. Once we know the full extent of its power, things will be more clear.¡± Having been nodding along, Glenny suddenly paused at her words. ¡°Full extent?¡± The Huntress smirked. ¡°It¡¯s a parasitic item, it will be more useful than an energy battery.¡± Something then caught her eye in the sky. She held her arm out. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it outter.¡± Suddenly a great hawknded on her forearm, the sudden momentum causing her to lurch. It towered over her, easily doubling or tripling her size. Still, she held it on her arm with perfect stability. Isobel quickly pulled and threw a dead rat from her pocket. The hawk gobbled up the treat. Glenny suddenly felt his stomach spin. ¡°You keep dead rats in your pocket?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± She asked, raising her eyebrow. She ignored his poignant look and focused on the bird. Leaning in, she whispered to the oversized animal. It cooed back, quietly chirping while giving Glenny the stink eye. Eventually Isobel leaned back, a frown across her lips. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± she asked the animal. The hawk gave a loud call. The Huntress then turned to Glenny. ¡°It seems our timetable has elerated. Lnd and Jude found a way to storm the sewers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, no?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t find the heart of the Sightless Cult.¡± She cursed a few times, kicking at the snow. ¡°Your friends really are dumb, you know that?¡± Glenny sputtered a response. ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°They were supposed to sit back and wait for us to arrive. I¡¯d have dismantled the cult the moment they poked their head out of their holes. But now the Sightless King¡¯s vessel is awake.¡± Finding his spine frozen, Glenny muttered what few works he could. ¡°That¡¯s bad, right?¡± Isobel looked at him while fishing through her pockets. ¡°Yes, that is bad.¡± She eventually found a small sapphire orb and tossed it before her. It hovered midair, resonating with the surrounding coldness. Slowly it began to vibrate, eventually forming a shimmering portal beside itself. ¡°Time to make our glorious return,¡± Isobel said. ¡°Or, at least, your glorious return. They didn¡¯t know I was in the city.¡± Glenny didn¡¯t hesitate, the thought of seeing his friends propelling him through the portal and back to Shoutwell. The Huntress arrived a momentter, bird in hand, and instantly pushed him into the underbrush. Before he could protest, an open hand shushed all conversation. She quickly peered through the leaves and trees and said, ¡°Find them,¡± to the hawk. As the massive bird took to the air, it was then Glenny realized the overcast sky had been dyed red. Sightless King red. He suppressed a shudder, finally looking at where they had arrived. He estimated a twenty minute jog to the city wall, but for some reason he felt it was impossible. There was a humming, a gentle whisper in his ear ¨C in his soul. It vibrated with gnawing reverence, like an addict searching for their poison. ¡°He¡¯s calling,¡± Glenny heard himself say, not even processing the meaning of his words.. The Huntress looked at him then back at the city. ¡°So it seems. Up for the challenge?¡± Her words were spoken with a smirk, but her tone fell t. Glenny didn¡¯t answer, prompting Isobel to appear before his eyes. He stumbled from the sudden gesture, falling to his butt. ¡°I need to know,¡± she said. ¡°Are you going to be able to fight? I¡¯m going to need it.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re going to need my help?¡± ¡°Did you think I was training you out of the goodness of my heart?¡± ¡°More or less,¡± Glenny muttered. ¡°Well I wasn¡¯t. Shoutwell¡¯s going to be destroyed and there¡¯s only a few around that are able to fight.¡± ¡°What about the guard¡ª¡± ¡°The guard is the most useless protection organization out there,¡± the Huntress scoffed. ¡°Do you think they have any idea how to deal with this?¡± She gestured toward the city. Glenny hesitated at the showing. ¡°Where are Lnd and Jude?¡± She rolled her eyes and looked to the air. Spotting the hawk circling on the other side of the city, the Huntress quickly sprinted off, leaving Glenny to follow. It took the better part of two hours but the pair eventually reached a small vige. They were met with crying. Vigers shed tears while packing their bags and loading their wagons. They moved quickly despite their haunted dispositions, only packing the essentials. The Huntress ignored them, and the worried looks she received, and stalked up to the inn where her hawk hadnded. With a great toss, she threw a handful of rats up to therge bird before it cooed and took off back to its home. Quickly walking through the inn¡¯s silent lobby and up the stairs, the Huntress seemingly picked a room at random and knocked. She gave Glenny a quiet look before taking a single step back and pushing him forward. Alkin was the one who answered. ¡°We told you we¡¯d be out¡ª¡± His eyes went wide. ¡°Glenny!?¡± That started a round ofmotion and the iconic sound of breaking pottery. Glenny peered around the young noble, finding Lnd and Jude sprinting past broken mugs and yeasty ale. Without a word, the trio were wrapped in a group hug, two of which slobbered heavy tears. ¡°W-we th-thought you- you were d-dead!¡± Jude managed to say. Lnd was a bit more reserved in his words, only tightening his arms around his friend. Somehow, despite being trapped by two sets of appendages, Glenny was able to re at the Huntress. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell them you kidnapped me? What the hell!¡± Isobel only shrugged. Jude and Lnd went still. They both slowly turned to the older woman taking up the hallway. Then, Glenny heard a muttered whisper and a snap. Chapter 53: Abandoned Chapter 53: Abandoned Lnd snapped his fingers nine more times before he finally stumbled back, his head spinning. He groaned with horrid nausea, his lifeforce dwindling with threatening speed. ¡°Kneel before¡ª¡± His words abruptly ended as a wrinkled manicured hand met his shoulder. Lnd quickly spun, finding Boor. Shaking his head, the butler leaned in and whispered, ¡°We will lose if we fight her. She¡¯s stronger than all of us put together.¡± ring at the Huntress despite the spinning room, Lnd found an unafflicted woman. She bore no grimace, no pain, no emotions, really. She simply watched him with a quizzically raised eyebrow, like a mother watching their child do something improper. When she realized Lnd wasn¡¯t attacking anymore, her gaze suddenly changed into something urging a challenge. She wanted him to continue, to fight her, to throw everything he had and more at her. She¡¯d win and she knew it. Lnd saw it in her slight smirk. It wasn¡¯t hubris, it wasn¡¯t ignorance. Her gaze was absolute, like if there was a battle, she could guarantee herself and only herself to step from the inn¡¯s rubble. Still, Lnd¡¯s heart zed with anger and self-loathing. Not being powerful enough to kill his friend¡¯s kidnapper, even if it was a Royal Inquisitor? Ridiculous. Shameful. Belittling.The ground beside Lnd split open as a soul of the Damned sprouted into this dimension. He felt the hand on his shoulder tighten. He wasn¡¯t sure if Boor was fearful or trying to warn him, but frankly he didn¡¯t care. The room was spinning, and he needed a reprieve. The soul sat on one knee and kept its ghostly head down, offering its arm up to Lnd. The young Warlock epted his minion¡¯s offering without taking his eyes from the Huntress. Green blended through the air as the once alive lost soul merged with his own. Energy quickly invaded his body, ending the wobble in his step and the rotating walls. The soul of the Damned didn¡¯t instantly fade away. It tilted its head at the Huntress, finding her gaze falling upon it. Its ethereal jaw cked up as five other souls made their presence known. They pulled themselves up through the boundary, only revealing their scornful eyes. Each stared at the Royal Inquisitor. ¡°Enough. Thank you, but that is enough,¡± Lndmanded, sending his summoned back to their realm but not before catching each of their fiery eyes. Boor¡¯s hand eased off his shoulder. ¡°You know,¡± the Huntress said slowly. ¡°Attacking a Royal Inquisitor is grounds for imprisonment.¡± ¡°So is kidnapping,¡± Jude snapped. Lnd didn¡¯t shake his stare. ¡°And let''s not kid ourselves. My spell didn¡¯t break any of your bones. I didn¡¯t so much as cause a single crack.¡± The Huntressughed. ¡°Honest, at least. I think you get that from your father.¡± Glenny was the one who reacted next. He pushed into the room, dragging Lnd and Jude along with him. He then shut the door, leaving the Inquisitor in the hallway. She recoiled at that, honestly stunned. At least, until she broke the door from its hinges. Jude tsked. ¡°Add property damages to the charges against her.¡± The Huntress looked to him then to Lnd. ¡°What happened to you two? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be the one to get angry and Lnd was supposed to be the calm one?¡± Shrugging, Jude said, ¡°I counted to ten, Leals did not.¡± Again, the Huntress found herself utterly stunned. By mere children. Lady Onryo, who had been watching the whole scene, asked, ¡°Who is this woman?¡± Alkin answered. ¡°Mother, I¡¯d like you to meet the Royal Inquisitor known as the Huntress.¡± He then turned to the subject matter. ¡°I apologize, I don¡¯t think I ever learned your true name.¡± ¡°Isobel is fine,¡± she said. ¡°And it is nice to finally be with the civilized.¡± Glenny scoffed at that. ¡°You kidnapped me, remember?¡± She didn¡¯t argue the point. Blinking rapidly and scoffing herself, Lady Onryo calmed herself before saying, ¡°Inquisitor Isobel, may I ask what is going on? We were not expecting Inquisitor interference for another week or so.¡± Before she could answer, Glenny cut her off. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s not the ones you sent for. In fact, the Huntress here has been in Shoutwell since we arrived. Meaning, she¡¯d been here since before you sought help.¡± Lady Onryo raised an eyebrow. ¡°Has she now? And why, as Shoutwell¡¯s only noble House, am I only just now hearing about her presence?¡± ¡°Because she would rather¡ª¡± Isobel gave Glenny a look that shut him right up. She sighed, looking back to the Lady. ¡°I received your plea for help, yes. And I have been helping, just not alerting you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lady Onryo said. ¡°And what have you been doing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to ex¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes you do. If I remember correctly, I am a noble House leader. And House estates have to pay a premium tax for Inquisitor dues. So, I would argue I do have the right to your exnation.. Especially after my city has been overrun with cultists and countless murders.¡± The Huntress chewed her bottom lip. ¡°I have been gathering powerful allies.¡± Lady Onryo scoffed. ¡°And who are these allies?¡± Glenny answered that one. ¡°That would be me, Lnd, and Jude.¡± ¡°Amongst others,¡± muttered the Inquisitor. ¡°Ah, and Boor,¡± Glenny said with a shrug. He then found a set of eyes ring at him. Lady Onryo carefully looked between each upant of the room. ¡°Right,¡± she said. ¡°So, let me ask you again, Royal Inquisitor, what have you been doing since my plea for help?¡± Isobel hesitated and eventually answered, ¡°I have been gathering allies. Yes, these three boys and your butler are the only ones I had been able to scout before other events took my attention. But I should also add that I¡¯ve already located the location of the cult¡¯s strong hol¡ª¡± ¡°The sewers were empty other than a few dozen low ranking members,¡± Lnd supplied. Recentering herself, Isobel continued. ¡°The sewers were not the location of the stronghold. They were, yes, but not once they imed enough eyes to wake their master. The cult has a history of moving to open t areas, ones with plenty of clear space. They needed enough space to hold a ritual.¡± ¡°So what? The markets?¡± Jude asked. ¡°That could have been a location, yes. But I think the city¡¯s legitive square would be a better choice. Only a single tree and fountain to remove, not a few dozen wooden booths.¡± ¡°Does that information even matter at this point?¡± Lady Onryo asked. ¡°As I¡¯ve been informed, it is likely the Sightless King has been awoken.¡± The Inquisitor nodded. ¡°Yes, at least his vessel has been.¡± ¡°And what is this vessel?¡± Boor asked. ¡°A husk, a fake. Something that can hold his immense power long enough that he can forge his own true body.¡± ¡°So we have time?¡± Shaking her head, Isobel said. ¡°Not really, no. It will only be a few days before he will be virtually unstoppable. And every passing hour he will get more powerful. So, we need to kill the vessel sooner rather thanter.¡± Jude frowned. ¡°No Inquisitor backup then?¡± ¡°Correct. We simply cannot wait for them.¡± Lady Onryo said, ¡°What¡¯s the n then?¡± ¡°Simple,¡± the Huntress said. ¡°I alone am powerful enough to defeat the vessel in singlebat. I just need fighters to keep the other cultists off me, specifically the woman in white robes.¡± The boys shared a careful look. It was then Lnd saw the red glimmer in his friend¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your eyes¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m fighting,¡± Glenny spoke over. ¡°His power no longer restrains me. I adapted to it and can use it.¡± Jude shrugged at the statement. ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Still, Lnd was hesitant. They had only just got Glenny back. The false belief that Glenny was dead still weighed on his mind. He had already said they were forsaking Shoutwell the moment Glenny was taken back. But now? Lnd conceded to his internalpass and nodded along with Jude. ¡°Three of four,¡± the Huntress said, turning to Boor. ¡°What do you say?¡± Lady Onryo spoke before her butler could. ¡°Boor is not participating. He has already done enough. The rest should be handled by a Royal Inquisitor. I urge the boys to heed the call of battle. Leave the war to those being paid to die.¡± Jude didn¡¯t count to ten. ¡°Wow, you really are a noble!¡± He turned to Alkin. ¡°Please do not grow up to be like her. Please.¡± Alkin sputtered, looking between his mom and friend. ¡°Watch your tone, child.¡± Boor warned, pointing a finger directly into Jude¡¯s chest. Lnd stirred at that. ¡°Don¡¯t make me wither that finger of yours. Again.¡± Boor hesitated at the threat and backed away. Lady Onryo didn¡¯t waste any more time and gathered Alkin and the silent Mavi. She strolled out of the room, Boor following a momentter. Before she fully exited, she leaned back through the busted door frame. ¡°Good luck, Huntress.¡± Isobel didn¡¯t grace her with even a re. A tense few moments passed before she spoke to the boys. ¡°I hate nobles.¡± They agreed with varying levels of enthusiasm. Lnd, however, turned to Glenny. ¡°What do you mean you ¡®adapted¡¯ to the Sightless King?¡± Glenny¡¯s eyes sparked at the question. ¡°Well, after I was kidnapped, Isobel exined an aspect of my Legacy that I didn¡¯t not know about. M-my mother probably was waiting to tell me after I became a Legacy of the Chameleon, but you know¡­ Anyway, it turns out I can adapt to certain things. Foreign powers being one of them.¡± ¡°And that makes it so you can use said power?¡± ¡°More or less. Less for right now. I need to train with it more.¡± An idea came to Jude. ¡°Wait, wait, wait. If you can adapt to foreign power, if we find a Legacy of the Mind, can you adapt to their power and read minds?¡± Glenny hummed at the question and deferred to the Huntress. ¡°I will be the one to lock you in prison if you ever try that,¡± she said. ¡°Unless you are willing to join the Inquisitors. We¡¯d love to have an atypical mind reader.¡± Glenny ignored the prospect and asked, ¡°What are we doing about the Sightless Cult?¡± Chapter 54: Warcry Chapter 54: Warcry Stalking through Shoutwell¡¯s defogged streets was something the boys thought they¡¯d never do. Practically the entire time they had been in the city, it had been covered with thick white mist. Seeing to the opposite side of the street added a surrealness to the situation that was simplycking beforehand. Now, the city actually felt like a city. One that seriously needed protection. Without the fog, the boys also noticed a plethora of curious eyes. They looked out of windows and peeked behind curtains, all wondering if it was safe to leave their homes. The red sky kept them indoors, however. As the group walked, Glenny kept twitching at alleys and narrow streets. He muttered about a buzzing in his ears, but otherwise stated he was fine. ¡°It''s like we are walking toward a bee nest,¡± he said once they entered the gated walls. Taking his words at face value was difficult for Lnd and Jude, yet they somehow found themselves believing Glenny more than the Huntress did. Glenny had shared his story of the mountains, his training, and even how he managed to kill a basilisk. They trusted him, and he trusted them. If Glenny said he could handle a buzzing in his ears, they believed him. The Huntress, however, kept her eye on the young man. Moving toward the legitive district was a short journey but quite painful. Without a n, the boys haphazardly followed their Royal Inquisitor leader. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said multiple times, to the point that Lnd almost thought she didn¡¯t even believe her own words. The Huntress would march to her own death, right? each of the boys asked themselves independently of the others.Trying to take his mind off things, Lnd whispered to Glenny, ¡°How¡¯s the cloak working out?¡± Thankful for a distraction, Glenny answered, ¡°Great! I should have put it on when you two first suggested I take it. The energy reserves alone are a massive boon to my abilities. Not to mention it¡¯s pretty cool looking.¡± Lnd had to agree with thetter statement. The starry night cloak and Glenny¡¯s sparkling red eyes rounded out a certain look. The boys didn¡¯t have a name for the look, but there was a certain level of professionalism the right garb gave adventurers. Whether it was intricate wizard robes for mages, battleden armor for warriors, or rugged scrappiness for rogues, the cloak paired with the rest of Glenny¡¯s attire pushed him one step closer to the boys¡¯ collective dream. In a way, Lnd guessed that protecting a city from a dire threat also pushed them toward their dream as well. But now that they were actually doing that, it simply felt like just another thing that needed to be done. Being famous adventurers, in this moment, didn¡¯t matter to the boys. Gaining personal renown didn¡¯t matter. Stories and songs written about their duties didn¡¯t matter. When it came down to it, saving lives mattered. Protecting the city mattered. Helping those who needed it most mattered. Not anything else, not anything more. Lnd didn¡¯t notice, but the tattoo on his hand pped its wings as he came to the conclusion. A few streets from their target, movement stirred in front and behind the group. From the shadows, rooftops, and/or behind cover, people stepped out into the streets, stopping the group¡¯s movement and entrapping them. They brandished weapons and were unafraid of showing the ¡°W¡± mark across their faces. The Huntress instantly spit, a deep snarl residing on her stone cold face. ¡°Any of you four cultists?¡± one of the seven men asked. Seeing that the Inquisitor wasn¡¯t going to answer, Lnd said, ¡°No. You guys out looking for more bounties?¡± The man cocked an eyebrow at the question. ¡°Aye we are¡­ I take it you four are as well? Don¡¯t look like the underground types to me.¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°Not in it for the gold, no. Just to help the city.¡± A short snicker made its rounds through the group of Witches. The man spoke up again, ¡°See, we don¡¯t like that. Cultist heads are bing sparser and sparser. You four taking the heads from us seven and not even wanting the gold? Now that¡¯s a bit of a problem, don¡¯t you think?¡± The boys looked to the Huntress, who was slowly licking the back of her teeth with her jaw ck. She watched the man, her eyes twitching back and forth between the others surrounding them. ¡°Normally,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯d force you three to fight them off as training. But we are in a bit of a time crunch, so I must force my hand.¡± She turned to Lnd. ¡°Provoke them into attacking.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± he sputtered. ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to kill Witches unless they attack me or someone else first. We don¡¯t really have the time for capture. Do I need to spell it out for you more than that?¡± With a bit of hesitation, Lnd looked back to the man. ¡°Uh. I guess we need to fight this out then?¡± Many sets of eyes bore into Lnd, even those of his friends and the Inquisitor standing beside him. ¡°Really? That¡¯s the best you could do?¡± she whisper yelled at him. The man looked taken back. ¡°Yeah, I guess we do.¡± Jude stepped forward, drawing his battle axe and pointing it at the man. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try,¡± he bellowed. ¡°I¡¯ll take all of you on! One versus seven! Come at me!¡± That got another round ofughs, but it worked well enough. The Witches each took a single step forward and postured their weapons threateningly. Before their second step, seven arrows found the center of their foreheads. Each Witch fell over, dead. ¡°W-what¡ª¡± ¡°Epic.¡± ¡°About right.¡± The Huntress ignored the boys¡¯ words and stepped past the corpses blocking their path. ¡°Come on,¡± she yelled back. A few minutester the group was peering around the street corner that led to city hall. A wide field and concrete pathways crisscrossed around the area, all leading around a ttened fountain and to the buildings that dotted the perimeter. From their vantage point, they could see the outer rings of iron filings - the kind used for ritual circles. In the very center were two forms. The first, and most recognizable, was the woman in white. She stood with confidence, her posture alluding to a certain type of smugness. She thought she had won, the being next to her all but confirming that. What the group could only identify as the Sightless King crouched beside her. He towered over his kneecaps, hunching over like he was inspecting a pile of ants. Eventually he shifted, revealing a terrible lengthy husk. Eyes littered his disproportionate body, each swirling and looking for hidden threats. Almost on cue, a single eye found the group hiding on the street corner. The Huntress cursed, stepping into the open while motioning for the boys to sit still. She took only a single step before a faded red wall appeared before her. She tilted her head, briefly ncing at the boundary and then back to the Sightless King. The woman in white was now standing, her eyeless hollow sockets shedding a silent bloody tear. She looked from her king to the usurper and back. She whispered something to the fake Lord, receiving a single swilled eye for her piety. The eye blinked, giving the woman enough of an answer. She stepped forward. The Huntress spoke, moving her mouth as little as possible, ¡°Wait for my initiation. Throw everything you have into the cultist. End her before she knows what hit¡ª¡± A red circle suddenly bloomed to life below the Royal Inquisitor, as hundreds of sigil glyphs zed to life. She instantly dove out of the way, summoning her gold glowing bow and firing a single bolt of pure gold light. The cobblestone sundered from the sudden explosion, breaking apart the sigil. Then six more circles lit up. The Huntress cursed at the same time Lnd did. ¡°Close your eyes!¡± they both shouted at the same time. A deep purple and ck grimoire suddenly appeared in Lnd¡¯s hands, already open to the necessary page. He mmed his palm into the page, enacting a contract with the Lord of the Moonless. Violet wisps of smoke poured from the page, filtering into the air before swirling above Lnd¡¯s head and solidifying into a halo. He instantly covered his eyes, the bright moon light from dozens of sigils too shocking. Slowly his eyes adjusted and he began yelling to the Huntress. ¡°Sigils! There, there, and there!¡± He pointed to each, a gesture the Royal Inquisitor was easily able to follow. ¡°Three more across that wall! One stered against that roof!¡± Suddenly Jude was yelling as well. Both Lnd and the Huntress looked, finding the woman in white near the red boundary. She took a single step, passing through the wall of resonating power. Lnd nced at Glenny, finding the rogue gone. He cursed to himself, instantly thinking the worse. How could we lose him already¡ª His internal loathing ended abruptly as a red spike of raw power suddenly appeared from beside the woman. Through a gentle, mostly transparent outline, Glenny shoved both hands forward, each thrusting with the stolen power of the Sightless King. The woman stumbled back into the red wall, finding it solid. She grimaced as a thin line of blood trickled across her forehead. She chanced a curious nce at the wall, frowning at how it stopped her. Glenny attacked during the opening and was quickly followed by Jude. As more sigils were broken, as Glenny used more of his adapted power, as the woman in white fought back, the Sightless King never stopped watching. Chapter 55: Limitations Chapter 55: Limitations Power, lifeforce, and mana flowed through Lnd¡¯s lips before he whispered, ¡°Maul.¡± A breathter, lifeforce and mana swam around his heart, connecting his own to the woman in white¡¯s. ¡°Slow,¡± he whispered, anticipating a barrage of emotions. He felt angry but he couldn¡¯t quite figure out why. Obviously there were enemies and he needed to protect the Sightless King, they threatened him and inversely the cult. But the rage he felt was also distant, like it was afraid of the iing moments. It wanted to retreat, to be praised, to fight together. But that had been cut off, by a singr red wall isting the king from the rest of the town. Lnd¡¯s vision unnarrowed and he saw the woman in white stumble. She was on the back foot, an invisible force protecting and attacking. She growled as she parried and blocked, each streak of red cutting into her ethereal defenses. A war cry from his side alerted her to a newbatant. She remembered him and frankly scoffed. Jude had failed to deal any real damage to the woman during their first encounter, but that didn¡¯t mean she could simply absorb his attacks. ¡°Fracture,¡± Lnd whispered right as Jude towered down with a deadly overhead strike. The attack was easily blocked, but not before s slight crack emanated out of the woman¡¯s body. She grunted, shifting away from another red streak from her side. Quickly she spun, iling out wildly at the invisible boy that dared attack her. She missed and opened herself up to another wide-arc swipe from Jude. His axe shimmered with red rage, firing out a crescent projectile with raw strength. For a moment a thin ethereal outline shone around the woman. It took the form of a hulking person, one attached to her back like a conjoined twin. Jude¡¯s eyes went wide as the twin¡¯s outline faded just after it reeled back. He quickly put up his guard, the now invisible fist of the twin bashing hard into his body. He flew across the street, crashing into a shop through a ss window.Lnd and Glenny reacted without modesty and redoubled their attacks. They threw malice out the window and dipped their toes into sheer hatred. Quickly the pages on Lnd¡¯s grimoire shifted as two red spikes appeared from Glenny¡¯s invisible assault. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± Lnd bellowed, his eyes turning fiery violet. As he cast his of influence toward the woman in white, a figure appeared directly next to the red wall. The Huntress had finally finished clearing the sigils and moved her attention to the Sightless King. She slowly pressed into the wall, finding it hard like solid rock. She smirked to herself with a quick back step. A heartbeatter a bow appeared in her hands fully drawn. She fired the arrow and dashed forward, passing through the resultant hole in the wall before it could heal itself. The Sightless King instantly reacted, all of his eyes swiveling to the intruder. The woman in white suddenly shrieked, her hollow eye sockets turning into red waterfalls. She stumbled a bit, causing her to fail to move out of Lnd¡¯s spell. Abruptly a pain washed through her back as Glenny materialized beside her. He trusted deep, stabbing with a singr red spike before darting back and allowing a Legacy ability to exsanguinate the fresh wound. As a volcano of blood and fleshy bits burst from the wound, a singr soul of the Damaged wed its way from the other realm. It locked eyes with the woman as a tornado of purple me wrapped around her body. Soon the mes dwindled but not before she started leaking green mist. Jude rallied himself, pushing through Lnd¡¯s domain despite the broken ss jutting from his body. He attacked the woman at the same time a sh of great golden light exploded a few dozen paces away inside the walled-off area. The Legacy of the Berserker didn¡¯t care, however, and mmed down with pain-augmented strength. Again an outline of a grotesque conjoined twin sprouted from the impact and again Jude cursed. ¡°WHY! CAN¡¯T! I HIT! YOU!¡± he wailed, punctuating each word with another blow from his axe. ¡°Fracture,¡± Lnd said, snapping his fingers in rhythm with his friend¡¯s next attack. Something caught in the woman¡¯s foot, crunching as she pivoted to better position her twin . She grimaced in pain, losing her concentration for a mere moment. Jude¡¯s axe clipped her shoulder, drawing more blood. Jude didn¡¯t even mind he was sent sailing across the street again. He had done it, he had hurt the woman. He smiled as he picked himself up from the wreckage but then noticed the blood leaking from his own body. His smile quickly fell, reced with artificial rage. His Legacy red in his mind, urging him to push forward. ¡°No,¡± he said to himself, and started counting. Glenny¡¯s attack came next, but the woman casually dodged it before grabbing the rogue with her invisible twin magic. She pulled him directly in front of her eye sockets and inspected him. Suddenly the twin smashed him into the ground, disgust on the woman¡¯s face. ¡°You dare hold his power!?¡± she bellowed. ¡°How do you even¡ª I shall kill you where you stand, heathen!¡± The woman in white roared with a disturbed screech. Her breathing suddenly became ragged and she muttered indiscriminate threats with a horrid tone. Two separate voices came from her throat, one high and one low. That was when the twin connected to her back fully materialized, revealing itself in all its vile glory. It grew from her spine like a growth or a parasite and covered itself in slick ethereal skin and eyes. Each eye swiveled just like the Sightless King¡¯s but they were slow andgged. It hesitated to look at Lnd and the now retreating Glenny like a shy child afraid of a scolding. At least it did, until the woman it was connected to suddenly issued amand. ¡°Kill them all,¡± she said, evolving the conjoined twin to a new state. They roared together in raw anger and kicked off the ground with zing speed. Glenny, their target, managed to push himself out of Lnd¡¯s Circle of Souls and found the purple pirs of me oddlyforting. Suddenly the woman and her magic twin bulged from inside the fire. Like trying to push through ayer of cloth, the pair swiped and grabbed for the rogue. Glenny simply rolled further away, trusting in Lnd¡¯s spell to contain the enemy. Lnd, however, wasn¡¯t so sure. He yelled at Glenny to escape, knowing his hold on the circle to be fading. He focused intently on the spell, epting another lost soul from his diminishing reserves. The soul of the Damned who offered such a sulent prize disappeared before Lnd could take another, and another. All in all, Lnd added three new lost souls to his body, ignoring the banging pain that sprouted in his head. Above his head, the Harbinger Halo fell away, turning to dust and nothingness. A smile found his lips as his grimoire floated into his periphery. Like the tome read his mind, it flipped open to the contract with the Lord of Magic. mming his palm into the page, the contract took, fueling him with even more raw power. Lnd cursed as the woman and mangled twin barreled into the Circle of Soul¡¯s edge. They dove into the mes without care, their boisterous war cries masking the pain the woman felt. Green continuously leaked from her bloodied body, only speeding up when she came into contact with the purple mes. Nearby, the soul of the Damned tasked with taking her soul watched with burning passion. Lnd, however, faltered. He tried to cast Curse of Copse but found his attention too divided. The spell fizzled before it found full form, sending a bacsh of pain across his heart and chest. He grunted, forcing himself to regain focus on the Circle of Souls. The pain in his head made it impossible ¨C the spell weakened. Suddenly the woman broke through the purple mes and cast off the soul of the Damned . Her eyes fell on Glenny, despite the young man being invisible. She charged, allowing her twin tounch her with unholy speed. Dodging, Glenny suddenly found himself in a deathly game of cat and mouse. He pulled no punches and used everything in his arsenal to keep distance from the deranged woman. It would be hours at this rate before he would tire, something he kept in the back of his mind¡ª A bloom of golden light suddenly lit up the now dusk sky. The explosion formed into a miniature sun before hanging just above the ground. A guttural cry escaped the sanctuary of the red-walled legition district along with an isted earthquake. The woman in white stopped cold. Her eyes widening, she turned towards her Lord and fired off. Her serving steps failed to protect the Sightless King, a red wall of his own design blocking her path. She wailed on the boundary, each punch only sending more blood down her crying face. A person sized meteor crashed down next to her, his weapon mid swing. Jude¡¯s eyes zed as his axe found the woman¡¯s spine, only for it to be stopped partway. A smirk found his lips as he allowed part of the rage in. A red crescent red to life at the tip of his axe¡¯s edge before he reeled back and swung again. The twin caught the weapon but failed to grip the Berserker Legacy ability. Jude didn¡¯t so much as try to wrestle his axe from the monster, and simply back stepped away. The woman turned on him, the twin holding her spin together and aiding her movements. She snarled at Jude but another golden explosion caught her attention. Just then the red wall protecting the Sightless King faded away. The woman in white didn¡¯t hesitate. She turned and ran. Chapter 56: Sightless King Chapter 56: Sightless King The Huntress stayed in the air, stepping on tforms of golden light. sts of red energy whooshed high into the sky, narrowly missing their target as she quickly moved across Shoutwell¡¯s airspace. Every attack, every skillful dodge, she drew back and fired off single arrows. At this point the avatar¡¯s body had turned to a pincushion, each one of his eyes punctured directly through the iris. He protected his main two, batting away every arrow while counter firing when it had the chance. Around him angled lines littered the t ground, rooting through the grass and concrete walkways. Iron filingspleted the ritual circle, something the Sightless King kept in prime condition. Any damage to the avatar was eptable as long as the circle remained. The Huntress lined up a deadly shot, finding a ring red eye as a bullseye. She fired it, allowing the arrow to travel true for as long as possible. Just as the arrow was about to hit, she activated her Legacy ability, forcing the arrow to change directories. Abruptly a of red washed over the area as the Sightless King fought to contain the attack. He threw out bothnky arms, amplifying his magic¡¯s speed and power. He caught the arrow, sundering the attempt to break the ritual circle, but his slow reactions lost him an important eye. Growling with silent pain, he ripped the conjured arrow from his left-main eye, tossing the golden spike to the ground. As it mbered against the pathway, it suddenly detonated into a great gold explosion. Grass and stone alike were sted away, as well as part of an arc of iron filings. The Sightless King didn¡¯t so much as feel the attack, but his ire reached a boiling limit. His remaining eyes, all swiveled to the single minion left in the branch of operation. There she was, fighting the three boys that had been a pain since their arrival. He scowled at the sight, feeling the need to punish his servant. A slight pull on his gifted power was enough. A warning, a reminder. The woman in white stumbled, allowing an attack tond. The Sightless King huffed at the sight, failure in his creations was something he was quite used to. But this one in particr had failed exceptionally hard. Another arrow pierced one of the main eyes on his back. He growled, turning his attention back to the woman in the sky. One eye assessed the circle, finding it irreparably damaged. He needed to recreate the entire section, something that would take hours even if he wasn¡¯t under siege. The eye rounded back to the woman in the sky, and a spell formed inside his mind¡¯s eye.The Huntress hesitated. Her instincts screamed to move, to run. And she did, as fast as she could, around and around all the while firing off more arrows. A crackle of red lightning was all she saw. It invaded her sight, encroaching in her mind like the after image of looking into the sun. She suddenly was falling, her stepping tforms having malformed. Shended with a dull thud as her sight came back to her. Blood came next, followed by the growing pain of bruised bones. Finding her legs, she wobbled upright. With a guttural grunt, she shifted her jagged nose back straight. Then she discharged the blood pooling in her nostrils. ¡°Fun spell,¡± she muttered to herself, memorizing the attack¡¯s signs and oue. It would not hit her again. At some point the Huntress had lost her bow, but with a simple mentalmand, it arrived back in her hand mid-draw. A golden arrow formed and charged, from the nearby light and residual mana. It sted out, ripping across the battlefield like a screeching harpoon made of hotva. The Sightless King attempted to block the attack, his lengthy appendages failing him. The vessel¡¯s body wascerated deep and clean, the arrow sticking from his tall torso like a sword stuck in a stone. Then, the arrow detonated. The st was smaller than the Huntress was expecting. In fact, nothing happened, only the muted sound of a deathly st. She tilted her head, watching her opponent open his blemished mouth. A thin red line of miasma dripped from the Sightless King¡¯s vile tongue, along with wisps of golden light. Slowly, he allowed the unholy mana to fall, where it nketed the ground like a garden hose left on. With the speed of a gunshot, the pool of red miasma rushed forward. The Huntress reacted with a dodge roll and three rapid fire shots of her bow. Each arrow entered the pool unmolested, and disappeared never to be seen again. The Sightless King smirked, mentallymanding the pool to attack. A muscley arm fired from the red pool, punching out from across the battlefield. The arm covered the distance instantly, smashing into the Huntress like a boxernding a knockout strike. She hurdled through the air, her inhuman speed only cut short by a red ethereal wall. Cracks sounded from her back and neck with the collision, yet she found her focus drawn not to herself but the follow up attack from the Sightless King. Before her broken body even touched the ground, she propelled herself off the red wall while gathering mana unbing of her Legacy. Throwing caution to the wind, she overcharged her attack with the power of the Lord of the Hunt, marking her enemy for death. The arrow cut the battlefield in half with a golden brilliance, carving a wide chunk of malted flesh from the Sightless King. His wounds instantly turned withered gray, falling victim to the ability that gave the Huntress her title. Still flying, the arrow continued through the air on its true path. It smashed into the red wall at the far side of the district, where it exploded into a cascade of daylight. Like fireworks in the dead of night, the dusk evening sky momentarily returned to high noon as the lightshow zed throughout the area. The explosions epassed the avatar and his iron filings ritual circle, destroying the remainder of the neat lines while breaking every bone in his body. Hastily pulling a wide red vial from her belt, the Huntress quickly sucked down an expensive alchemical potion. She grit her teeth at the taste, the instant effects limiting her suffering. Warmth wrapped her spine and neck in a serine towel, soothing her broken bones with an eager kiss. The sudden surge of longevity pushed her tired feet into action. At least, it would have, but a red crackle of lightning caught her attention. It appeared in her mind, blinding her just likest time. She smirked, easily moving to counter the ability. She simply closed her eyes, finding sce in the ckness of the blind. Still, her Hunter¡¯s Mark shone bright in her instincts, tethering the Huntress to her prey. Arrow after arrow she fired into the sky, trusting in her Legacy¡¯s ability to guide their path through the open air. Whistles sounded as the arrows retook to gravity and elerated down to her target. She then heard yelling. A lot of yelling. Three voice called to her, warning her of¡ª Her eyes snapped open, the image of red lightning still embedded in her brain. She fought through the after image, finding the cultist in the white robes shielding her master with her body. A misty green aura hovered around her body, following her chest¡¯s ebb and flow. At least, while her breathingsted. Dozens of arrows littered her body, transforming her into a porcupine guarding precious treasure. One that she deemed worthy to die for. The Sightless King slowly stood, pushing the woman off his dwindled form. She fell to the ground without ceremony, grieving, or guilt, just like the little good minion she was. His many eyes scanned the battlefield, finding Glenny approaching despite the rtive danger of the situation. The Sightless King and the Legacy of the Chameleon stared at each other for a long moment. Then, like a father wallowing away in a nursing home, the King spoke through his avatar¡¯s haggard vocal cords. For Glenny, the words were nothing but broken whispers. Pleas for help from a distant voice situated far in his head. It held no power, no real influence. It could speak, it could beg, but it still was only just a voice, one he could squash the moment he stepped to the microphone. The whispers didn¡¯t control him, his Legacy made sure of that. He made sure of that. To the others, however, the words were nothing more than garbled mess of broken sybles and the asional string of words. It was obvious that the Sightless King wanted help, but multiple arrows quickly tore through his neck and throat. Glenny only watched the Huntress kill the beast, not once falling for its fake persona or false woe. Eventually the Sightless King¡¯s avatar turned charred gray, the Huntress¡¯ death mark finding no protest from the ¡°Lord.¡± All hope was lost for this branch of his ¡°Church.¡± All hope was lost for this ¡°attempt¡± to invade the abundantnds of this continent. He would try again in time, but for now he was content with searing the faces of his enemies into his mind. He made a special note of the one called ¡°Glenny.¡± The Huntress yelled to the boys, ¡°Make sure you all damage this thing. Otherwise you all won¡¯t get credit for helping.¡± That lit a fire under the boys, each of them attacking from a distance. Lnd simply had a crow fly down to peck at the dying husk of a ¡°Lord.¡± Glenny threw the dagger from his boot at the monster. And Jude picked up a rock and hurled it with all of his strength. They all looked at him. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t carry throwing knives and no way am I throwing my axe at that thing.¡± Lnd and Glenny nodded with his logic but the Huntress only shook her head. She poured the remainder of her mana and stamina into a final arrow, letting it rip at the Sightless King¡¯s vessel and finally killing it. She then copsed to her knees and would have fallen on her face if not for three sets of arms reaching for her. Chapter 57: Goat Chapter 57: Goat Lady Onryo sat with her legs crossed in a dimly lit room. She kept one hand slowly tapping on against the wood grain table, the other jostling a ss of deep red wine. She felt like she was wearing bright neon clothing, the kind meant to entertain children for birthdays because of the stolen nces she was receiving. Was this really all her fault? She asked herself, knowing their survival to be severely limited. With every sip, however, the question faded just a little bit. She had done what she must, she had protected herself and her children. She protected her House, she protected the future. Still, the guilt was too much, especially once Alkin and Mavi grew restless. They moved about the small confines of the vige inn, lighting candles or trying to figure out how to use the old charred stove. Eventually the gall of the situation brought them back to the room with their mother. It was Boor¡¯s statue-like posture, Lady Onryo knew, that caused the children to act out. The butler¡¯s frozen form looked out the inn¡¯s window toward Shoutwell. It was the hope Boor held, the hope that she had already dismissed. They were dead, caught up in some half-baked n by a renegade Royal Inquisitor. The city would fall, the citizens would be swept up into whatever the cult nned for them. And Lady Onryo would have to deal with the fallout for the rest of her life. Her children would hate her, they¡¯d leave as soon as they could stand on their own two feet. Which, seeing how Alkin red at her, would only be a few weeks. But at least they were alive. Boor, on the other hand, would remain by her side, albeit at arm¡¯s length. The boys had left an impression on the old man, their deaths would not sit idle in his locked away forgotten memories¡­ ¡°I¡ª¡± she said, her voice breaking. The children looked at her carefully, even Boor found her in the corner of his eye. They all waited, which somehow made the words fail her once again. At some point Lady Onryo lost herself in thought, sending away her audiences¡¯ looks while exacerbating their tempers.Alkin excused himself, finding thepany of an abandoned lobby morefortable. Mavi removed ink and paper and began elegantly creating loops and lines ¨C drafts for royal stipends in ordance with their ruined city. Boor simply looked out the window, again. With a grumbled deep breath, Lady Onryo suddenly found importance in refilling her ss. The bottle of wine was empty, thus sending her feet through the inn¡¯s hallways and down toward the cer. The scared cries of abandoned farm animals and a cold abandoned wind met her as she stepped out outside. Who¡¯s going to take care of them? she asked herself, finding a pairing of chickens pecking at the bugs hiding in the grass. Or him? she sighed, finding a single skinny goat bleating at the full moon. Her presence stirred something in the animal, and soon she found herself guarding against a fearful headbutt. The goat, even when pushed away, kept to her side, following her to the call of alcohol and the darkness of the cer. Abandoned, the word kepting back to her. Abandoned, abandoned, abandoned. The goat was abandoned by the ones who were supposed to take care of it. Now it was left alone, only thepany of a few other abandoned farm animals to keep itpany. She let it follow her into the inn and up the many wooden stairs. They walked past a somber eye from Alkin, they ignored the curt question from Mavi. Boor didn¡¯t speak, but his look didn¡¯t exactly tell Lady Onryo he wasn¡¯t confused. Still, she ignored them and poured another ss all the while feeding the goat crackers and dried meat. It just felt like the right thing to do. As the moon raised fully overhead and dropped to thefortable horizon, the red rays of the sun peaked from beyond the ocean. It was then Boor felt the change. It was subtle, like the smell of flowers downwind, but something had changed. Something had disappeared. ¡°It¡¯s gone,¡± he said, breaking the hours long silence. His eyes maized to the dirt and gravel path leading toward the city. Still empty. ¡°What¡¯s gone?¡± Mavi asked. ¡°The presence of the Sightless King.¡± That stirred Lady Onryo and soon both Ladies were standing behind their butler looking through the window. And there they were, walking against the day¡¯s early light. Three boys, moving shoulder to shoulder down a long, narrow path. They pushed a trolley carrying a seated woman. Mavi let out a shriek, rushing out of the room to gather her brother. Soon they passed under the inn¡¯s window, running to meet the boys. Boor stood and gathered his vested jacket, carefully unfolding the pressed cloth and donning the uniform of his position. As he did, he spoke to his Lady who was stuck at the window. ¡°Take this,¡± he said, holding out a folded handkerchief. ¡°Don¡¯t let them see your tears.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª I¡¯m not¡ª¡± But she was. Tears fell down her cheeks, like anvils falling from the sky. ¡°Take your time,¡± Boor continued. ¡°They are still some minutes away.¡± ¡°I thought- I condemned their¡ª¡± Her tears redoubled, each holding guilt and sorrow. She was so cold, so very cold. Her heart ached, her body shuddered. Like treading water for hours, she finally gave up and epted her weakness. She was a coward. Boor patted her shoulder carefully, eventually pulling Lady Onryo to her feet and wrapping a coat around her shoulders. They slowly walked through the inn and out the door ¨C the goat following the entire time. Three tired young adventurers met their eyes, each holding various levels of the same smile. Apleted one, one of glorious sess. ¡°I take it the city has been saved,¡± Boor stated with a smile of his own. ¡°Indeed it has no thanks to¡ª¡± ¡°Jude!¡± Lnd snapped. ¡°We talked about this.¡± The Legacy of the Berserker rolled his eyes and stepped away, finding intrigue in the chickens a few paces away. The Huntress, who was sitting in a cart with thick green jelly across her bare skin and under wrappings, spoke up, ¡°The avatar and main cultist have been defeated. I can¡¯t be certain that all of the cult is gone but those from the underbelly were hunting on the surface.¡± Boor frowned at the mention of the illegal portion of his city but held his tongue on the matter. Instead he said, ¡°A battle well fought, I hope?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Inquisitor said, her eyes transferring over to the House owner. ¡°We could have used your help.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡ª¡± ¡°It''s fine Boor,¡± Lady Onryo said stepping forward. ¡°My actions and decisions were mine alone. There is no reason for you create conflict like this.¡± The Huntress cracked an eyebrow. ¡°Conflict?¡± ¡°You are trying to get my butler to leave my services. Maybe have him join the Inquisitors.¡± ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡± Lady Onryo held lifting her nose. ¡°Regardless. Shoutwell owes you and the boys. I owe you and the boys.¡± Nodding along, the Huntress said, ¡°It is a part of my job. No ¡®owing¡¯ necessary.¡± They shared a smile before she added, ¡°Officially that is.¡± Lady Onryo¡¯s small smile fell. ¡°Of course. If it is in my power¡ª¡± ¡°Nothing like that. My request is purely for your advantage. I want you to reflect on¡ª¡± ¡°Allow me to stop you right there,¡± Lady Onryo said, holding up her hands. ¡°I abandoned the city like a coward, yes. I did it in the name of my family but that is a lie. Frankly I was scared. For my children, yes, but also for my House and myself.¡± Alkin and Mavi¡¯s eyes raised. ¡°And, well, I kept my most powerful advantage,¡± she motioned to Boor, ¡°locked away. For that, I apologize to all four of you. I¡­ I have a lot to think about in theing days.¡± Lnd squinted at that. He shared a quick look with Isobel before saying, ¡°Apology epted. But there is no point in apologizing to us. We are nothing but fighting tools to be armed, pointed, and fired. Insteadyou need to apologize to your citizens.¡± Before the Lady could respond, the Huntress stepped in. ¡°That¡¯s right. My investigation of the Sightless Cult may be ending, and, well, my time is not worthy of investigating politics, but the Inquisitors who are set to arrive in a few days will conduct their own investigations. Specifically into you, the guard, and¡­¡± She looked at the boys, trailing off. ¡°Of course,¡± was all Lady Onryo said. ¡°Good,¡± the Huntress said. ¡°There will be more time for this conversationter. As you can see,¡± she gestured to herself, ¡°I have sustained significant injury and wish to sleep. The city is safe for the most part, return if you wish, start rebuilding, call meetings, and get the frightened citizens from their homes. Do whatever you want. I¡¯m going to bed.¡± Lnd and the others agreed with that and everyone stepped inside, either gathering their things or gathering pillows and nkets. Before those native to Shoutwell left, Jude had a question. ¡°What¡¯s with the goat?¡± he asked, pointing at the animal following the Lady around. Lady Onryo looked at the forgotten animal. ¡°I think our city could be livened up by such a gentle creature.¡± It headbutted into her leg, bleating right after. Chapter 58: Northward Chapter 58: Northward Leaning against a wooden wall overlooking Shoutwell¡¯s harbor, Lnd took in the day. The sky had fallen back to muted overcast with streaks of golden sun filtering through the cracks. The waves were gentle and calming, crashing against the many docks and resting ships. There was chatter nearby, those getting back to their lives after the hell their city had endured. Dockworkers rushed about, carryingrge stacks of boxes or hauling thick fraying robes. Some smoked tobo or chewed tar-like sludge, others sang jolly tunes and swigged amber liquids. The early morning hours didn¡¯t matter to these people, only the freedom of returning to normal. Jude, Glenny, and Isobel stood off to the side, speaking to a woman in a booth about tickets and locations. Their departure from Shoutwell, while expected, wasn¡¯t something any of the boys really thought about. But with everything wrapped up, it was time to move on. It was time to return to their roots, or rather, redefine their roots. Each boy was nearing their Legacy¡¯s second rank, something in which none of them thought possible. It always felt like a far off dream, one filled with fatigue and trials. In a way, they each supposed Shoutwell was a part of that dream, but again, reaching rank two in only a few months felt impossible. Especially for Lnd, the youngest of the group. It had only been about a month since his neenth birthday, and frankly that scared him. But he guessed he was on the path of the Warlock. What that meant, he didn¡¯t know, only that each step forward put him one step closer to something unimaginable. Reviewing his grimoire¡¯s pages, Lnd checked just how close he was to ranking-up. Name: Lnd Silver Legacy: Curses Archetype: Initiate of the Curse LordOverall Rank: 1 You have assisted in killing Lector Abigail Jhon and a Monarch Avatar (Sightless King). An appropriate reward has been added to your Legacy. Fracture has increased to rank 9. Curse of Copse has increased to rank 7. Harbinger Halo has increased to rank 8. Circle of Souls has increased to rank 9. Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 9 (C) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. 95% chance to break a random bone in a single target. Curse of Copse: Type: Curse Rank: 7 (C) Pull the target towards the end, bringing them one step closer to the Lord of Death. Exhaust the target for 140 seconds, lowering their speed by 35% Harbinger Halo: Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 8 (B) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling their aid. Contractsts for 480 seconds. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 9 (B) Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 45 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 9% for 1 minute. While Crow Massacre failed to progress past rank seven, Lnd thought it was rather expected. The spell was his least used in recent days, something he would need to rectify if he wanted to rank-up himself. On the other hand, Circle of Souls reaching rank nine was something of an anomaly. Last time he checked, the curse was only rank three. A six-rank jump? he asked himself, thinking back on why that might have happened. He honestly nked on a reason, onlying up with over using the souls he fully consumed. He leaned back, remembering the horrid headaches associated with the curse. But with that, he was incredibly close to pushing all of his spells to rank ten where his Legacy would then rank-up. Unless there was still a primary curse that eluded him. But he didn¡¯t think so. Most Legacies only held five primary spells or abilities. There were, of course, outliers but he figured they would have appeared by now. With that in mind, Lnd estimated he would be ranking-up within a few quests. That is, unless they are like Shoutwell¡­ he thought, shivering. Might be a single quest in that case¡­ A few minutester, Jude, Glenny, and Isobel ventured over holding three ticket stubs. Lnd raised an eye. ¡°Noting with us?¡± he asked. ¡°Thought you¡¯d want to kidnap one of us again.¡± The Huntress gave him a tired look. ¡°No. I¡¯ve still got a job to do in this city, one that you three partially made worse.¡± Glenny frowned at that. ¡°How so?¡± She deliberated for a long moment. ¡°You three are anomalies. Ones that I can¡¯t predict, at least not yet. Why do you think I¡¯ve been so pushy to get you guys out of the city?¡± Jude spoke for the group, ¡°Because you don¡¯t like us?¡± Isobel¡¯s face twitched at that. ¡°Well yes. But no. It''s been a few days since the Sightless Cult was vanquished from the city, and the other Inquisitor team is yet to get here. Meaning they should arrive by tonight, tomorrow morning at thetest.¡± With a long sigh, Lnd said, ¡°You don¡¯t want us to be around for an interview or interrogation.¡± ¡°Correct. I wanted you three to be long gone by now, but I know Onryo is still working on getting your payment together.¡± Glenny locked eyes with his sort of mentor. ¡°Why do you not want us to be interviewed?¡± Isobel caught Lnd¡¯s eye, then scratched her cheek. ¡°Because I may have broken some Inquisitor rules regarding soliciting help from adventurers.¡± Lnd squinted at that, noticing the subtle look from the Huntress. ¡°Uh huh,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll leave. You¡¯ve already bought us the tickets anyway.¡± She smiled at that. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find you once I¡¯m done here.¡± Her eyes went cold and she scanned each boy¡¯s face. ¡°We¡¯ve got some unfinished things to discuss.¡± Taking the hint, Lnd and Glenny went silent. Jude, however, became confused. ¡°We do? Like what?¡± Isobel stared at the Legacy of the Berserker. ¡°Just like your mother, you are.¡± Jude smiled. Their ship departed in a few hours, giving them plenty of time to finish up with the city. First thing was first, however. Payment House Onryo was looking worse for wear, a cultist invasion did that to a mansion. From a torn-upwn torge scorch marks and sticky dried pools of blood, the building had seen better days. Some minor looting had also transpired, but mostly jewelry and art had been stolen. Not the true House¡¯s treasures, which everyone was thankful for. Lady Onryo, Lady Mavi, Master Alkin, and their butler, Boor, met them in the sitting room with tense air. They were served old tea and stale cookies as the markets were still overrun by those in desperate need of food and basic necessities. Simply having a pantry full of food, even if the food was old, gave the Onryos a step-up to reentering normalness. ¡°Were you able to purchase tickets?¡± Mavi asked. Isobel scoffed at the question. ¡°Yes, at incredible markup, might I add.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Lady Onryo said. ¡°Most want to leave still. They don¡¯t trust me and I don¡¯t me them.¡± Quietly munching down on cookies, Jude saw movement out of the corner of his eye and quietly excused himself. They all watched him go, Lnd and Glenny slightly red. ¡°Animals seem to like him, don¡¯t you think?¡± Alkin said, watching the goat headbutt into Jude. ¡°Everyone likes him,¡± Glenny said with a roll of his eyes. ¡°Well¡­¡± Isobel muttered. ¡°You don¡¯t count. Are you even human?¡± The Huntressughed, straightening her posture and turning to the House matriarch. ¡°Shall we begin? As a Royal Inquisitor, I have an obligation to oversee requests asked to me from nobles and adventurers alike. I have agreed to the request of these young men to sit in on this meeting.¡± Glenny leaned into Lnd. ¡°Did we request for her to¡ª¡± He stopped speaking when he saw the Huntress¡¯ re. Lady Onryo raised an eyebrow but said nothing. ¡°I understand, thank you.¡± She removed a small box and ced it on the coffee table and spoke to Lnd and Glenny, ¡°This is a simple mary reward for the assistance you three provided to my city.¡± The boys looked at each other, even Jude from across the room looked over. The Huntress coughed. Lady Onryo took that as a cue and added three more items to the table. The first was a ring blowing with faint blue light. The second, a stack of papers along with an inkwell and quill. The third was a harmonica. Lnd and Glenny groaned. ¡°For Glenny, a ring of underwater breathing. As the name implies, it shall allow you to breathe underwater for a short time. Six minutes, if my memory serves. I suggest you test that limit, however. I¡¯d hate to lead you astray with something so important.¡± Lady Onryo handed him the ring and moved on to Lnd. ¡°For the magically inclined, a stack of self-delivering paper. Just add the necessary mana and envision the recipient and off it will fly.¡± Lnd scrutinized the paper, honestly hesitant about such a prize. ¡°Aren¡¯t these papers usually reserved for the Post Guild?¡± Lady Onryo gave him a wink and turned to thest item. At some point Jude had ventured back to the couch and sat quite impatiently. ¡°For Jude. A harmonica as requested. I had Boor pick it out, the seller boasted quite a bit about the make of such an instrument.¡± His hands shot from the couch, grabbing the item and bringing it to his lips with ungodly speed. Soon a tune radiated the sitting room, one most listened to with cheerful ears despite the inexperienced yer. Except for Lnd and Glenny. Once the song was over, they both muttered about ¡°a new hell,¡± and ¡°deafness potions.¡± ¡°Now then,¡± Lady Onryo said, eyeing the Huntress. ¡°These items are a far reach from what I initially promised. If I remember correctly, I said you three would be paid based on your contribution to assisting Shoutwell. And well, frankly, these items do not reach such thresholds. So, with that in mind, I offer you three one future favor each.¡± Lnd smiled but shook his head. ¡°Thank you for the offer but these¡ª¡± A hand abruptly shoved him off the couch. ¡°They are honored for such a prestigious gift,¡± the Huntress said, ring at the boy on the floor. Lnd dusted himself off. ¡°Right, of course. Thank you.¡± ¡°Indeed, thank you.¡± ¡°Yeah thanks.¡± Lady Onryo mutely shook her head. ¡°I should be the one thanking you. I¡­ I have a lot of making up to do, letters to write,wyers to hire, people to make safe.¡± Isobel mused over that. ¡°I think I may be able to help with thewyer aspect. Every Inquisitor team should have a Legacy of the Law in their ranks. I¡¯ll talk with the team due to arrive soon.¡± ¡°We would be in your debt then.¡± ¡°A future favor as payment is fine.¡± Lady Onryo¡¯s face fell, along with Boor¡¯s. ¡°Very well¡­¡± With that, Isobel stood, brushing herself off and motioned to leave. The boys did the same, after grabbing their rewards. Final goodbyes were short and nice, the two Ladies simply saying farewell while Alkin and Boor¡¯s were a bit more. The young Master wasn¡¯t afraid to show his feelings, hugging each of his saviors. ¡°Come back anytime,¡± he said before turning to Lnd. ¡°Maybe we can work on magic together or something.¡± Lnd nodded along but Boor quickly stepped up. The butler set out his hand, a gentle smile upon his lips. They shook. ¡°It was an honor to meet your acquaintance.¡± ¡°Likewise,¡± Lnd said, their grievances a thing of the past. Soon after, the boys and the Huntress left House Onryo. Isobel led them through the city, ignoring their queries of direction and only stating they were heading toward a ¡°surprise.¡± Eventually they entered a back-end alley, one that opened up into a cul-de-sac of small shops. Signs depicting daggers or cowls met the group''s eyes, along with sketchy clientele hiding in the shadows. They were being watched, cursorily stared at, just like in the underbelly. They passed a few ¡°information sellers¡± and the odd peddler and came upon a bronze statue of a woman. Upon recognition, Glenny instantly teared up, Jude and Lnd following shortly after. The Huntress stepped past them, reading the engraved que at the statue¡¯s base. ¡°¡¯Herememorates the Royal Inquisitor, Annie ¡®The Chameleon¡¯ Red, and her death in our humble city. Her deeds will never be forgotten as her legacy within the Umbra remains.¡¯¡± With his arm around Glenny, Lnd asked, ¡°What¡¯s the Umbra?¡± ¡°Order of rogues. Invite only, very hush hush.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem very secretive if they write the name on a que,¡± Jude said. Isobel smiled softly at that. ¡°Yes, but look at where the que is.¡± She motioned around the area. ¡°The people who frequent this district know not to ask questions. Perfect ce for a rogue, I¡¯d say.¡± Glenny felt his lips curl up. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s here. I, uh¡­ can I have a minute alone?¡± The others quickly nodded and stepped away. Lnd said to the Huntress. ¡°This was very nice of you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea what you are talking about,¡± she said in-kind. Staring at the bronze recreation of his mother, something shifted in the back of Glenny¡¯s mind. It was subtle, but something loosened. A tightness or a deep, deep throb. The difference was hardly noticeable, but nevertheless he was proud to say something had changed. He wasn¡¯t quite sure why, but this pride was the right emotion. ¡°Goodbye mother,¡± he whispered before clearing off his tears and walking over to the others. Soon the boys were on a ship heading north up the coast. Jude waved cheekily to the Huntress as their ship drifted away from Shoutwell, eventually growing bored of watching the waves and subtly he began to blow on his fancy new harmonica. Glenny sat alone for the first few hours of the journey, eventually moving to sit with the others once his emotions settled. He bundled himself up in his speckled cloak, the cold wind blowing across the ocean waves chillier than he¡¯d imagined. Lnd thought of the future and wondered about where his path would take him. But one thing was certain, he was d he had friends to walk along with. With his gaze across the horizon, something bubbled in the back of his mind before a pain sparked along the back of his hand. He grunted, finding a small bead of blood pooling from the skin below the beak of his crow tattoo. Chapter 59: New Lives [END OF BOOK 1] Chapter 59: New Lives [END OF BOOK 1] ¡°Thank you for sitting down with us, Royal Inquisitor. My name is Inquisitor Levi and this is Inquisitor Cassia, Legacy of the Wolf and Legacy of the Wand respectively.¡± ¡°Call me Isobel,¡± the Huntress said. ¡°Legacy of the Hunt.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Cassia said, flipping a pad of paper before her. She dipped a quill and asked, ¡°Been in Shoutwell long?¡± ¡°A few weeks.¡± ¡°Every been in Shoutwell before?¡± ¡°Once, ten or twenty years ago.¡± The two Inquisitors shared a look. Levi took the next question. ¡°Might we inquire why you were already in Shoutwell before their plea for help was issued?¡± Isobel shrugged. ¡°Following some suspicious characters from Liontrunk.¡± ¡°Liontrunk?¡± Cassia asked. ¡°The savanna town with all those lions?¡±¡°The very one.¡± ¡°Who were these suspicious characters?¡± ¡°Just some kids in the wrong ce at the right time.¡± Isobel said. Levi wrote something down. ¡°And where are these ¡®kids¡¯ now?¡± ¡°On a ship. They left Shoutwell the moment they could.¡± Levi took a long sniff. He frowned, a Legacy ability ying at his senses. ¡°Right¡­¡± he said, scratching something out in his notes.¡± Cassia gave him a look then returned her focus to the Huntress. ¡°So you defeated a Monarch Avatar? The Sightless King, I¡¯d assume from the initial report.¡± ¡°Indeed. Freshly born might I add. Wasn¡¯t much of a fight. Finding it was the issue.¡± Nodding along, Cassia flipped back a few pages. ¡°I have here that the Sightless Cult had been in the city for about a week and a half before being dispatched. Care to fill us in on what happened?¡± Isobel took a long breath. ¡°I got a notice from dispatch to investigate the city as I was closest. I assume you two got the same alert.¡± They nodded. ¡°From there I did as I¡¯ve always done and searched for information. I was led to a bar where I was then given information about a smuggler. That smuggler was a dead end but in all the action I met the local noble House¡¯s butler.¡± ¡°The butler?¡± Levi asked, sniffing again. He frowned deeper. ¡°Older gentleman, yes. Quite proficient in fighting and the like. He brought me to Lady Onryo, and we discussed possible routes of sess. However, during that meeting, her House was attacked. I was able to fight off the cultist invasion, but the battle rattled the dainty noble and her children. They soon relocated outside of the city. Soon after, the Sightless King made his¡ª¡± Cassia raised a hand. ¡°Now hold on just a moment. We have reports of many Witches taking to the street and cutting down any cultist they could find.¡± Isobel didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°That is correct, yes. Some even went after me, and I dispatched them after their initial attack.¡± Levi rapped his knuckles on the table. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± The Huntress shrugged. ¡°Where did these Witchese from? Where did they go? We have reports of dozens ofbatants hunting the cultists, not only Witches.¡± ¡°Yeah, I wondered about that myself actually. Too bad I didn¡¯t have the time to investigate since I was fighting a Monarch.¡± She ended the sentence with a heavy tone, one begging the others to challenge her. They didn¡¯t. ¡°Monarch Avatar,¡± Cassia said, crossing a note out. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Isobel asked. ¡°You said Monarch, not Monarch Avatar. Big difference between the two. One that I¡¯m sure even the esteemed Huntress might have had an issue with.¡± The two women stared at each other for a long moment. Levi coughed and said, ¡°Give us the details about the battle.¡± ¡°Not much to say. I overpowered it and the Lector that built it died in the fallout.¡± ¡°It?Not him?¡± Isobel shrugged. ¡°Monsters are monsters.¡± Cassia red. ¡°And what have you been doing since the battle?¡± ¡°Not much. Waiting for you two, I suppose.¡± The two Inquisitors looked at each other before Levi said, ¡°Your reputation as a Royal Inquisitor proceeds you, Huntress. Not many could have killed a Monarch Avatar single handedly.¡± Scratching the back of her neck, Isobel frowned at that. ¡°I can think of quite a few.¡± ¡°Regardless, your help was critical for the survival of this city. Thank you for your time, you are dismissed Royal Inquisitor.¡± Isobel stood at the announcement, shook both Inquisitors¡¯ hands, and stepped out. Before she was fully out of the door frame, Inquisitor Cassia spoke up onest time. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are hiding, but this does not look good for you.¡± Walking away from the conference room, the Huntress scoffed before nodding to an older butler waiting for his own interview. Once outside, she quickly made haste to the harbor and bought a ticket for the evening departure heading north. She cursed at the price of the ticket. All in the name of intrigue, she thought. Back with the Inquisitors, Boor sat down. ¡°Thank you for meeting with us, Mister?¡± ¡°Boor.¡± Cassia squinted. ¡°Right, Mister Boor. My name is Inquisitor Cassia and this is Inquisitor Levi. Legacy of the Wand and Legacy of the Wolf respectively.¡± Boor just waited. ¡°Right,¡± Levi said, scribbling something down. ¡°Can you give a recount of your role with the Royal Inquisitormonly known as the Huntress?¡± ¡°I provided her a meeting with my Lady.¡± ¡°That being Medevia Onryo?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°And what was her role with the Huntress?¡± Boor shrugged. ¡°Not much. Only that she provided general information about the city. She didn¡¯t wish to stay in the city very long. We were attacked you see¡­¡± Cassia wrote something down. ¡°Right. Well, how did you and the Huntress meet?¡± ¡°Through a smuggler.¡± ¡°You know a lot of smugglers?¡± Boor took a long pause. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And these smugglers, what do they smuggle?¡± Levi asked. ¡°Odds and ends. I¡¯m not fully sure. Most don¡¯t speak of their jobs.¡± ¡°And does Lady Onryo know of this?¡± ¡°Yes, that is one reason her grandfather hired me.¡± ¡°Because you know smugglers?¡± ¡°Because I used to be the leader of the smugglers,¡± Boor stated frankly. The Inquisitors straightened a bit. ¡°What?¡± one of them asked. ¡°This city is home to two cities, one above ground, the other below. The one below just so happens to be a Smugglers Guild.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± Levi pleaded. ¡°Why are you telling us this? You are offering up a lot of information we didn¡¯t ask for.¡± Boor nodded. ¡°I think it''s time the Witches below us finally get what¡¯sing to them.¡± ¡°Why now?¡± Again Boor shrugged. ¡°I once thought the Guild was worth keeping around. Thriving business and the like. We lived by a code in what we¡¯d smuggle in. Body parts for a cult was not a part of the code, you see¡­¡± ¡°So the Smuggler¡¯s Guild brought the Sightless Cult to Shoutwell?¡± Cassia asked. ¡°Inadvertently, I would assume. But yes.¡± ¡°Do you have a name? The smuggler, I mean.¡± ¡°No, and I don¡¯t think that matters much. They would have long disappeared,¡± Boor said. ¡°What matters now is making sure this never happens again.¡± Levi leaned back. ¡°Quite a big undertaking. One that might hurt the city. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Yes. But I believe Lady Onryo can hold everything together. I trust her vision for the future.¡± ¡°And what vision is that?¡± ¡°A city government that will never abandon its people,¡± Boor said firmly. The Inquisitors shared a look. ¡°A few years ago, a Royal Inquisitor was killed in this city. Does this underground smuggling city have anything to do with that?¡± ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of. That was the Icewillows, and thest remaining member was killed in Liontrunk recently.¡± ¡°Liontrunk,¡± Cassia echoed, sharing a look with her partner. ¡°Do you know how this Icewillow was killed?¡± Boor hesitated. ¡°As I understand it, some passing adventurers killed him.¡± Levi sniffed, hard. Cassia wrote something, circling it. ¡°I see. Any suggestions on where we should start investigating this ¡®Smugglers Guild?¡¯¡± ¡°With one of the leaders, Simon. Be careful though. As I understand it, he rules with the threat of a gue.¡± ¡°A gue?¡± Levi repeated. ¡°Indeed. A chemical genius, Simon.¡± ¡°You seem to know a lot about this man.¡± Boor nodded. ¡°He¡¯s killed a lot of people I cared about.¡± ¡°A Witch then?¡± Again, the butler nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll help us take him down?¡± Levi asked. ¡°Yes, as will House Onryo.¡± Chapter 60: Congratulations [Start of book 2] Chapter 60: Congrattions [Start of book 2] The smell of charred wheat filled the tavern moments after the Legacy of Baking opened the oven door. One by one he pulled fully darkened loaves of perfuming rye bread from the scorching heat, expertly slipping them onto cooling racks without burning his hands. Patrons looked on with salivating eyes, their empty tes mimicking the hole in their stomachs. Soon the tavernkeeper spilled from the kitchen, over encumbered by dozens of bowls. She quickly dropped by each table, setting her stew in front of the many awaiting faces. A momentter, she dashed back into the kitchen only to return with more bowls. Almost on cue, the baker closed up the oven and got to cutting. A massive wedge of bread for each patron was quickly served, along with butter and jam. Soon everyone had their meal, and only drink remained. Working in tandem, the baker and tavernkeeper moved between the tables, dropping off foaming mugs of mead or ale. A smile grew upon Jude¡¯s lips before he picked up his mug and hoisted it into the air. ¡°To Glenny, and his new Legacy rank!¡± Jude¡¯s boisterous words lit a fuse in the tavern, creating an explosion of cheer from the nearby tables. Congrattions went around the room, despite nearly no one knowing who ¡°Glenny¡± was. Still, the scene embarrassed the young man in question, and he quickly found his face hovering just above his stew. ¡°Congrattions Glenny,¡± Lnd ruefully said. Glenny¡¯s skin abruptly returned to normal. ¡°Oh Lnd, I¡¯m sorrr¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. It''s not your fault I haven¡¯t ranked up.¡± Jude chose now to chime in. ¡°It''s only been two weeks since Shoutwell and the Sightless Cult. You¡¯ll get there, Leals.¡± Foamy foul smelling liquid met Lnd¡¯s lips. ¡°Yeah,¡± he muttered into his drink before taking a deep sip. ¡°I hope so. But let''s not dwell on me, we are here for Glenny!¡± Hoisting his mug into the air, another round of cheers sounded before Jude mimicked his friend¡¯s posture. They clinked mugs, both eyeing the remaining member of their trio. Begrudgingly, Glenny shoved his drink forward. ¡°Thanks guys,¡± the rogue spoke. Dinner continued without interruption for a long while. The boys discussed things like quests, gold, the asional item they needed to sell, and where to go from here. Frankly, after Shoutwell and the hell that was a city-ending problem, they all wanted to ept only the ¡°easy¡± quests. Although such quests didn¡¯t necessarily mean they were safe. Monster hunting or guard detail were both dangerous in their own right, especially when it came to the unfamiliar territory. Having traveled north from the port city of Shoutwell, the boys made frequent stops in viges and towns alike, epting nearly every quest they could. They were nearing the front lines of humanity, the invisible point where settlements stopped and monsters reigned. Granted, they were months away, but that didn¡¯t mean the effects weren¡¯t felt. The monsters they hadtely faced off against were significantly more dangerous than the simple Mana Lions of Liontrunk or the gnolls of the savannah. These monsters were nothing the boys couldn¡¯t handle, however. If anything, they grew bored of such trivial quests. Six beaver peltshere, nine leopard tails there. A rare type of spider venom, maybe even the cleaning of a Frostbug nest. ¡°We need to do something more interesting,¡± Jude said inly. ¡°Scout destroyed ruins or escort a prince home¡­ or something.¡± Lnd raised an eye at that. ¡°I¡¯d rather not escort another noble home.¡± Glenny shuddered at that. ¡°And I¡¯d rather not venture into any ce that might have ancient traps¡­ like sigils.¡± ¡°How about a tournament? diator stylebat? Huh? Huh?¡± Jude wiggled his eyebrow up and down. The others rolled their eyes and sopped up thest of their stew with thest of their bread. They discussed long into the eve, well after the tavern started to clear out. The asional drunk remained, but in the end, it was only the boys, baker, and tavernkeeper. ¡°So, you three are adventurers?¡± The tavernkeeper asked, bringing over another round of drinks and sitting at the table. A momentter the baker sat down as well and distributed sweet rolls covered in honey. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lnd said. ¡°We are a recent team. We all only came of age about three months ago.¡± The baker raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°Really? Usually the younger teams are more¡­ disrupting.¡± Jude shrugged at that. ¡°Yeah some people are weird. Especially the ones that grow an ego quickly. Like, we get it. Exterminating a troupe of Silverbar Primates is impressive and all, but I don¡¯t need to hear the story a dozen times.¡± ¡°Silverbar Primates? I haven¡¯t heard of those before,¡± the tavernkeeper said. Answering with a nod, Glenny said, ¡°They are native much further south. They don¡¯t take the northern cold well.¡± ¡°Ah, you three aren¡¯t from around here?¡± ¡°Nah, we are from a small town down south. Came up here because we thought the quests would be better. At least more challenging.¡± The baker squinted at that. ¡°The monsters up here aren¡¯t a challenge? What rank are you guys?¡± Lnd took the initiative. ¡°These two are rank two, and I¡¯m rank one still.¡± ¡°Peak rank one,¡± Jude interjected. ¡°You¡¯d be rank two if it wasn¡¯t for thatst minute spell.¡± Lnd gave his friend a soft exhausted look. They¡¯d had this exact conversation a few times over in thest week ¨C ever since all of his curses reached rank ten except his newest spell. He internally cursed, a pain zing across the back of his hand. He stole a nce at his Legacy tattoo, finding a beading drop of blood. I know! Lnd screamed internally at the tattoo. I understand that there is a new spell! Stop hurting me. ¡°Wow!¡± the tavernkeeper said. ¡°I thought it took nearly a year to reach rank two for adventurers. You two did it in three months?¡± ¡°It was closer to seven months for us. But we only started adventuring three months ago,¡± Glenny answered then pped his friend on the back. ¡°So we had a bit of a head start of Lnd here.¡± The baker and tavernkeeper looked at Lnd expectantly. He only slouched in shame. ¡°He got a sixth spellte into his Legacy,¡± Jude exined. ¡°Hasn¡¯t been able figure out how to¡ª¡± ¡°Jude!¡± Lnd screeched. ¡°Please don¡¯t spout off all of my secrets.¡± He turned to the others. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sure you are very pleasant people. It¡¯s just not smart to give up Legacy abilities like that.¡± The baker nodded vigorously. ¡°Don¡¯t I know it. All of my recipes are a part of my Legacy, and sometimes people try to finagle them from me.¡± ¡°Sorry Leals,¡± Jude muttered, reaching for another sweet roll. ¡°Hey¡­ you mind giving me the recipe for these?¡± The bakerughed at the question, the others quickly following suit. They talked for a few more hours, but eventually the couple stated they had to close down shop. Before kicking out the drunks, the tavernkeeper said onest thing to the boys. ¡°Have you three heard of the Snowfall Festival in the town of Frostford?¡± Shaking his head, Lnd said, ¡°No, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A local festival celebrating the start of the snowy season,¡± she continued. ¡°They hold a big herb gathering contest on a remote ind just off the town¡¯s coast.¡± ¡°An herb gathering contest?¡± Jude asked, trying not to sound rude. ¡°It¡¯s a bit more involved than that,¡± the baker added. ¡°The town is said to be home of a Guardian Spirit Beast, one that protects them from monster attacks.¡± Seeing that the boys still weren¡¯t sold, the tavernkeeper quickly said, ¡°The ind where thepetition is held has monsters though. Which is why only adventurers or guard members are allowed to enter. I hear the spoils of victory arequite worth it, if the rumors are to be believed.¡± Lnd considered their words for a long moment before giving in. ¡°Frostford you said? Maybe we should take a look.¡± With that, the boys said goodnight to the friendly owners and headed off to their respective bedrooms for sleep. But it wasn¡¯t long until Lnd found himself awake and restless. His failure to rank-up had been gnawing at him for a while now, keeping him awake in the deadest of hours. He hated the feeling of falling behind, yet he hated the knowledge that he was slowing Jude and Glenny down even more. They were rank two now, but he was still rank one? And with no sight of the finish line? He stumbled to his feet and quickly found the hardwood of the singr desk in his room. Without ceremony or fanfare, Lnd pulled his purple grimoire from his hand tattoo and set the book in front of him. First he reviewed everything to make sure nothing had changed. Name: Lnd Silver Legacy: Curses Archetype: Initiate of the Curse Lord Overall Rank: 1 Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 10 (C) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. 100% chance to break a random bone in a single target. Crow Massacre: Type: Curse Rank: 10 (C) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon 13 ethereal crows to attack a target for 1 minute. Curse of Copse: Type: Curse Rank: 10 (C) Pull the target towards the end, bringing them one step closer to the Lord of Death. Exhaust the target for 200 seconds, lowering their speed by 50% Harbinger Halo: Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 10 (B) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling their aid. Contractsts for 600 seconds. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 10 (B) Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 50 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 10% for 1 minute. Everything looked in order for rank-up, or at least, Lnd thought it did. As far as he had learned, achieving rank ten in all primary spells or abilities was means for evolution. Yet, he still faltered to coax such an effect. He pulled at thest page of his grimoire, receiving only a paper cut for his troubles. After talking it over with the others, Lnd concluded that something hid in the back of his grimoire. When he tried to flip past thest page with entries, he found the pages stuck together. Whether it was spell or something else, he had not reached the required prerequisite to unlock such a page. Thus, his sixth primary curse remained at rank one. Just like him. Chapter 61: Knock Chapter 61: Knock Not even five minutes after falling asleep, a knock sounded from Lnd¡¯s door. His eyes shot open and for a moment he felt terror. The Sightless King was here, the cultists¡ª Reality came back to him, along with a dark room lit only by a single dim mana crystal. Lnd let out a long deep breath, one overflowing with drowsy stress. Everything is fine, everything is fine, he told himself, focusing on the knock. Begrudgingly, he looked to the door only for another knock to sound off ¨C but not from the wooden door. The knock was higher in tone while also being significantly more hollow. Lnd grunted, sliding his feet off his warm bed and looking to a chilled ss window. Slight hints of frost could be seen around the window¡¯s frame, a scene that wascking elsewhere in the small town. Soon snow would fall, but the ground was still warm, the skycking moisture, and the atmosphere still swollen. Another knock whipped away Lnd¡¯s hesitance and he hopped to his feet and ventured toward the sound. Without slipping on a jacket, he pushed open the window only to be assaulted with a cold arm. He shivered, an involuntary reaction not to the chilled outside, but rather the person now face to face with him. ¡°Huntress,¡± Lnd said, his words as frozen as the air that tickled his skin. Royal Inquisitor Isobel looked at one of her marks with unease and frankly, discontent. It was a mask, as Lnd and the other boys hade to know, one that teetered on the edge of reality more often than not. Was her current long stare real? Or was it another ploy to make her audience uncertain and off guard? ¡°Smart one.¡± Again, Lnd hesitated at the sight of his friend¡¯s kidnapper. He understood quite well why she had taken Glenny, yet failed to grasp the sheerck of empathy for himself or Jude. Was it really that difficult to inform two boys that their friend was going to be out ofmission for a few days? Glenny¡¯s kidnapping had left a sour taste in Lnd¡¯s mouth, one quickly overshadowed by his glorious return. But as the days went on and the Sightless King¡¯s invasion slowly became a footnote, realization came back to him. Until now, however, Lnd had tried to ignore the source of his fleeting anxiety, until now. Until the Huntress showed up.¡°It''s been two weeks,¡± Lnd said, stepping away from the window and allowing the Royal Inquisitor into his room. ¡°Thought you finally decided to leave us alone.¡± Isobel gave him a sarcastic roll of the eyes. ¡°And miss out on all your daring new adventures!¡± she screeched in a muted hurrah. Her posture then fell and she continued. ¡°As much as I like watching you three take on quests far below your skill, something has been bothering metely.¡± ¡°Oh gee,¡± Lnd returned with the same enthusiasm the Huntress feigned. ¡°However could I, a rank one mage, help the great Huntress of the Queen¡¯s Inquisitors? Surely my knowledge and expert opinions will make changes across ournds and¡ª¡± Cutting off Lnd with nothing more than a raised hand, Isobel let out a sigh. ¡°Charming. This is why I hate children.¡± She rolled her hand across her temples. ¡°But you had one thing right in that sorry excuse for a monologue. You are rank one.¡± Lnd nodded slowly at that, already seeing where the conversation was turning. The Huntress¡¯ next word all but confirmed it. ¡°Why?¡± she asked. Hesitating, Lnd passed the impossibly long moment by hiding his face from the piercing gaze of the woman before him. His skin turned red with heated embarrassment. How was he supposed to answer that? The situation was¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t like waiting.¡± With a snarl, Lnd said, ¡°You don¡¯t like anything.¡± The Huntress conceded the statement. ¡°Agreed, but I need to know.¡± ¡°And why do you need to know? Seems like it''s none of your business.¡± Forcing herself not to reach out and strangle the brat before her, Isobel said, ¡°Because I have already invested into your sess. I need to know if you are defective sooner thanter, that way I can cut my losses and move on with the quiet one and the loud one.¡± Glenny and Jude, Lnd said in his mind, the two names falling t against Isobel¡¯s statement. Cut her losses, meaning him. Rage came bubbling up, along with the stark feeling of loyalty. But like all bubbles, they pop. He deted with an audible hum, knowing deep within his soul that if he wasn¡¯t able to rank up soon, he might as well leave their trio. It was unfair to hold them back. ¡°A sixth primary spell unlocked to me. It''s just not at rank ten yet.¡± The Huntress bore her eyes into the young man before her. His failure to face her told her more than enough. He was lying, or at the very least, not telling the full truth. Decades of Inquisitor service came into y here, and she instantly knew how to receive more information. It was simple, really. The young ones always implicate themselves after a bout of silence. Lnd panicked internally at the Huntress¡¯ck of response. He stole a few nces, each time finding her horrid re shining back at him like a spotlight on a dark stage. He was in her sight, he knew. She was just trying to make him uneasy, he knew. She was not responding on purpose, he knew. Despite knowing all of this, for some reason, Lnd found his mouth moving. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to use the spell once¡­ It''s unlocked, I can feel it, yet I don¡¯t even know what it does.¡± A ripple of relief passed across the Huntress¡¯ eyes. She quickly set herself back to stone, however, not wanting the boy to see her glee. ¡°A barred ability, then. It happens.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lnd asked, hope fluttering to his neck. He twisted, finding the Huntress¡¯ nd face. ¡°No.¡± Lnd recoiled like he had just been pped. Noting her answer may have been less than endearing, Isobel quickly added. ¡°At least not with mages. For some warrior type Legacies, maybe. But those are usually put in ce by their Lord as means to slow the Legacy down. Think an ability that requires a certain strength to wield properly and a host thatcks any arms.¡± Lnd frowned at the exnation. ¡°But I have arms,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Indeed you do, which only means that your barred spell is different. It may require knowledge in runes or glyphs that you do not have. I suppose that is possible, albeit I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡± ¡°What do I do then?¡± The Huntress took a deep breath. ¡°Practice.¡± ¡°Practice what? I have no idea what I need to practice.¡± ¡°You do not have a hint of an idea about what the spell is? Nothing at all?¡± A purple thick-paged grimoire appeared in Lnd¡¯s hands. The tome flipped open to thest page on its own, hovering just before its master¡¯s chest a proper distance from his eyes. He then tugged at thest page, trying to flip it open. ¡°It¡¯s like it is glued shut.¡± Staring intently at the book, yet failing to understand any written word along the pages, Isobel forced her mind to pay attention. While sharing information about one¡¯s Legacy was often done between friends, reading to another, or allowing others to read from, one¡¯s Legacy was strictly prohibited. The Lords that governed the world simply wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. So, Isobel failed to grasp any new information about Lnd¡¯s Legacy. It was still a mystery, one that drew her intrigue and started her sheepish following of the young trio so long ago. Still, she could see Lnd pulling at the pages, unable to lift them. ¡°I see. Search internally then.¡± Lnd¡¯s face split into a frown. ¡°Do what now?¡± ¡°Search internally. That book of yours, everyone¡¯s Legacy tattoo for that matter, is only a tool for ease of use. The information within that book is already inside your mind. You¡¯ve just got to search for it.¡± That made¡­ sense to Lnd, oddly. There was plenty of information about his curses within the pages of his grimoire. But there had to be more elsewhere. Safety features, instinctual instructions. Simply knowing how to cast his curses was imbued in his mind, tucked away in a corner that he failed to really think about. So, Lnd tried. He sat on his warm bed, and searched his mind for information. General specs of knowledge came to him about his other curses. How Fracture worked with or without snapping his fingers. How Crow Massacre could summon the crows mid attack if he wanted¡­ There was so much to parse through, much more than he had any reason to. Each set of information came with a ring identifier. He simply ignored the knowledge he was already familiar with and searched for anything out of ce. Finding it with rtive ease, Lnd¡¯s hopes instantly spiked before falling like a crashing market. ¡°It¡¯s a jumbled mess of¡­¡± Lnd trailed off as he sifted through what he was looking at. There was too much noise, too much interference. His mind was filled with static and riddled with fog. He simply couldn¡¯t understand what he was recalling. All except for one thing. He could recognize screaming. Idly, while searching in his own mind, Lnd never stopped pulling at thest page of his grimoire. Neither he nor the Huntress noticed when one pull shifted the page more than normal. Chapter 62: Hunter Chapter 62: Hunter The Huntress watched the boy for several long minutes as he searched his own mind. She knew asking Lnd, a rtive baby, to look internally was asking a lot. Many, many years of practice with one¡¯s Legacy was needed for such control as she was implying, yet, for some reason, she felt it important to ce him on this path. Without her interfering, Lnd would solve the mystery of Legacies on his own, but frankly she didn¡¯t want to wait around for years. So, she cheated, and hopefully Lnd would be able to make waves. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± she spouted. ¡°Keep practicing, soon you will decipher things you didn¡¯t know were possible.¡± Lnd¡¯s head suddenly flopped forward. He shifted with a heavy blink, pain assaulting his temples like a hammer to hot iron. He groaned, signaling a response from the Huntress. ¡°Take it slow. Those headaches are no joke.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª¡± his words died in his throat. ¡°How¡ª¡± ¡°You are searching for knowledge you have no right to be researching. Yet. Of course it was going to be painful.¡± A bubble of anger red in Lnd¡¯s mind, and for a moment, out zed the pain. ¡°Why not say something beforehand then?¡± Quickly he regretted his words, finding the sarcasm filled words only exacerbated the shocking ebbs. The Huntress mused upon the boy¡¯s agony for a moment. Did she like seeing children in pain? No, no she did not. Did she like seeing those who annoyed her blunted? Yes, very much so.¡°Because I¡¯ve always found that practical examples are the best learning tool.¡± Isobel stalked toward the window, opening it with a gentle push. ¡°With that said,e on. I want to see your spells in action.¡± Robotically, Lnd moved to his jacket. His arms and feet fell into familiar habit, the fog in his mind making thought fleeting. He paused as he began to step to the window, and like a lighthouse in the dead of night, he asked himself why. ¡°Why?¡± he eventually asked aloud. Frowning, the Huntress squinted at the boy. ¡°Why what?¡± ¡°Why should I follow you, and why do you want to see my spells? You already have. Several times, in fact.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Because,¡± she stated slowly with oozing me, ¡°you need to rank up. And yes, I¡¯ve seen your spells, but never felt them.¡± All the pain in Lnd¡¯s mind disappeared with thatst sentence. ¡°Does that mean¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, you will be attacking me. I won¡¯t attack back.¡± That settled it. Lnd quickly ced his jacket on and bounded for the window. He stepped through without warning, and started scaling the inn. Internally he smiled, finding the chance to strike at a Royal Inquisitor without punishment to be a once in a lifetime opportunity. The fact that it was his team¡¯s crazy stalker was all the more appreciated. The Huntress led him to an open clearing at the edge of the town. They were within the walls, however, just off to the side hidden behind a barn and plenty of shadows. She stopped a few dozen paces away from him and set her feet. ¡°Start with those crow summons,¡± she yelled. Not wanting to give the Huntress time to change her mind, Lnd drew upon the mana and lifeforce necessary to cast Crow Massacre. Purple energies and magics floated his vision, circling around his lips. He whistled, starting the curse off with a shriek foretelling. ¡°Maul,¡± he whispered, ending the curse with a promise. Fourteen ethereal blue crows phased through the boundary between realms. They appeared mid flight before falling like rocket-less missiles. They screeched through the air, fulfilling their master¡¯s will with a deafening presence. The mass of blue copsed into their target, scratching, biting, pecking, tearing, blinding, and maiming. For an entire minute the crows worked to silence their kill-target before fading back to their true home. For a moment Lnd felt sick, that he had actually caused harm to the Huntress¡­ but his worries were starkly shed the moment no red dripped from the woman¡¯s bare skin. Sure, there were thin red marks along her skin, a kind simr to an irritated pimple rather than aceration. Isobel took the moment to check herself over. She hummed and mused at the ¡°injuries,¡± muttering about certain marks ¡°almost creating a real scratch.¡± Lnd felt humiliated. ¡°Bones next!¡± A faint snarl found his face and he quickly acted upon his mentor¡¯s orders. Mana and lifeforce drew into his hand and finger before a loud snap filled the rtively silent air. ¡°Fracture,¡± he whispered, adding his raw irritant to the curse. There was no snap, no shatter of bone. Lnd knew the sound quite well. It was sickening and vile, a sound he was perfectly fine with never hearing again. But as he looked at the Huntress¡¯ diabolical smirk, all he wanted in life at that moment was to hear the sound. ¡°One of my ribs tickles,¡± she called. ¡°Was that you?¡± Lnd¡¯s nose and lip twitched. Again mana and lifeforce came to him, this time amplified by his anger rather than simply supplemented. He snapped his overcharged fingers together and let loose a boisterous, ¡°Fracture!¡± Idly the Huntress¡¯ eyes widened, but as the spell failed to produce results, she frowned. ¡°Quiet down now. Don¡¯t want to wake up the whole town.¡± The causal response defeated Lnd and his ever growing ego. He, Jude, and Glenny had helped save a city! They had helped defeat the cult leader who dared bring a horrid monster to theirnd. And now? Now, he couldn¡¯t even touch his opponent with the very curses that he had used in Shoutwell. ¡°If it¡¯s any constion, I felt the second one. My bones are simply too dense.¡± The Huntress¡¯ words only punched Lnd down more. ¡°Ites with the rank,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯m a rank four, of course you wouldn¡¯t be able to harm me. You should be proud that you could harm that cultist woman. I¡¯m not sure what rank she was, but I wouldn¡¯t doubt it was peak rank two or low rank three.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t know what was more depressing. That he was weaker than he had previously assumed or that he was being consoled by her. He shivered at the realization and was promptly proud that his parents never grew to be like the Huntress. ¡°What else do you have?¡± Isobel asked. ¡°A slow and the purple fire circle.¡± ¡°Try the slow.¡± And Lnd did, but not with the expectancy from before. He simply pooled the mana and lifeforce around his heart and connected his own to hers. For a moment Lnd saw the world differently. Everything was dark, blue, and overcast. There was a cynical call in the air, one that gleamed with faltering importance and lost ambition. There was no proper action, only baseless redundant rules that some fake politician set after years of safety behind money and power. Yet, for some reason, Lnd also felt a simple warmth. More specifically, he felt three warmths. They lit up the connection, fueling his ambitions for years toe. Then the curse¡¯s effect ended, and Lnd was briefly sent heaving in tight cold breaths. He eyed the source of his mania, finding the Huntress transfixed with her own hand. She moved it back and forth with simple speed, finding the odd motion gripping. ¡°How much should this spell slow me ?¡± she asked, oblivious to Lnd¡¯s fleeting heartbeat. ¡°fifty percent!¡± he choked out. The Huntress snorted at that. ¡°Yeah, it''s nowhere close to that.¡± Feeling like he should have defeated her, Lnd instead thought about his shared connection with Isobel. He looked at her in a different light, finding her stalking slightly more understandable than before. But still, how did one get to that state of mind? Did he dare to ask? Yes, he decided. ¡°Um, Isobel? That spell has¡ª¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± she announced, glossing over his attempted question. ¡°Legacy of Despair?¡± The sudden question made Lnd stumble. ¡°No¡ª¡± he stated frankly. ¡°Is that a thing?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she answered before flipping through a small notebook. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°If you were, I¡¯d have to kill you.¡± Lnd jolted at the statement and found two piercing slitted eyes staring at him. The world seemed to mute, shifting in color until nothing but two golden orbs remained. They remained unblinking for what felt like a long while as Lnd forced himself to look away. Yet, he couldn¡¯t. Not really. He was prey to the Huntress, nothing more than a deer before a set of unbridled headlights of true might. She finally looked away, sending the world back to a state of life. She marked something in her booklet. ¡°Legacy of¡­ Rituals?¡± It took Lnd a moment to realize she was asking him a question. ¡°No¡­¡± She tsked. ¡°I thought not.¡± In a single smooth motion she flipped the notes closed and deposited them into her pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll have more guessester. But for now you should get to bed. What are you three¡¯s ns for the immediate future?¡± ¡°I uh¡ª We are just going to do more quests. Nothing we can ept is a real challenge, so we are mainly going off of reward.¡± The Huntress hummed at that. ¡°Rewards, huh?¡± Lnd nodded along. ¡°We were told about a herbologypetition in the town of Frostford. Didn¡¯t seem like something we¡¯d normally be interested in, but the rewards caught our eye.¡± Even the Royal Inquisitor didn¡¯t seem to be impressed by such an event. ¡°Frostford? Is that the town with the magical bear and festival?¡± ¡°Magical bear? Oh, you mean the Guardian Spirit Beast? Then yes.¡± That received some consideration from the Huntress. ¡°Go there. If anything, it would be a nice trip for you three. The festival is supposed to bring in plenty of tourism and merchants. At the very least you three might be able to upgrade your equipment.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring up your advice to the others.¡± Chapter 63: Cantrips Chapter 63: Cantrips Jude and Glenny hummed together, their eyes scanning down a wooden board of crudely written script. They pointed to one asionally, discussed the quest¡¯s logistics, then moved on to another. They, like with the previous few quests, could not agree on which to choose. Everything was just meh and not what they wanted. During this, Lnd sat off to the side, nursing a splitting headache. He had, once again, tried to search his mind for any information about his newest locked curse. And, just like with the previous attempt, he could only hear shearing wind and gargled screams. As the pain receded, Lnd finally decided to speak up. ¡°The Huntress visited mest night.¡± The other boys turned, their eyes widening like roasted pistachios. They both eyed their teammate, searching for wounds or psychological damage. ¡°A-are you okay?¡± Jude asked, amplified by a vigorous head nod from Glenny. Lnd gave them a look, and said, ¡°Yes. She¡­ she¡¯s trying to help my¡­ condition. Gave me a pointer and advised me on what we should do in the immediate future.¡± That perked Glenny up. ¡°Did she throw you in front of a basilisk also?¡± ¡°No, she told me to ¡®search internally.¡¯ Then I got to use my spells on her.¡± Jude perked up at that. ¡°Did you hurt the old devil?¡±¡°No.¡± All three boys deted at that. Lnd continued. ¡°She suggested we go to Frostford andpete in that herbpetition.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, she said that if thepetition didn¡¯t work out, then the town would still have plenty of traveling merchants to buy from.¡± Jude suddenly found himself going over the quest board with renewed interest. Anything, anything, was better than an herb gathering quest. He¡¯d take caravan protection any day of the week over walking through a forest and plucking mushrooms from the dirt. A bit more subdued, Glenny also returned to the quest board, finding everythingbeled with a scribbled no now looked just a hair better than previously. Nothing caught his eye, but gathering herbs sounded awful. He wouldn¡¯t mind seeing the festival, however. Town-wide parties always reminded him of home, of his family. Lnd didn¡¯t look at the quest board. He¡¯d do anything the others chose, anything to not be in the way. Especially as he was the only rank one, he felt his vote didn¡¯t count as much. ¡°Frostford is not that far. We could take some monster purging quest and head over at our own pace. We¡¯d probably still beat the festival¡¯s start if we took a week off.¡± Jude and Glenny frowned at the statement. Then, like a switch flipping, both suddenly felt the urge to simply agree. They were getting nowhere, and simply wallowing around this town¡¯s Guild branch for a week sounded like torture. ¡°I¡¯m fine with traveling to Frostford,¡± Jude finally said. ¡°Agreed,¡± Glenny quickly added. Hopping up from his seat, Lnd joined the pair at the quest board. ¡°It¡¯s decided then. To Frostford we go. Now let¡¯s see.¡± His gaze scanned the wall of quests. ¡°That one and that one. Both monster killing quests, one of which want intact pelts, and both quest givers are along the way.¡± ¡°Three birds with one stone,¡± Glenny mused. ¡°How did we get stuck with looking for quests? You are much better at it than us.¡± Lnd reddened slightly. ¡°I just want what¡¯s best for the team. If you two felt passionate about a quest, I figure my vote wouldn¡¯t matter.¡± Jude gave his friend a harsh frown. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this, you are not behind or less than us just because you haven¡¯t ranked up. You will get there, and likely outpace both of us to rank three.¡± Lnd wanted to smile but simply couldn¡¯t. In the back of his mind, he heard whispers of doubt. In the center of his heart, he felt cold pressure. He hoped Jude was right, though. He truly hoped he was. The boys went over the quests onest time but were cut short when a portly man appeared beside Jude. Jude and the man whispered to each other out of earshot of the others, eventually leaving together after a lousy excuse from the Legacy of the Berserker. Glenny and Lnd moved to investigate, following outside the Guild with the subtlety of a duo of kittens. But, like following a ghost into a wall, Jude disappeared. ¡°Uh, what just happened?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Glenny muttered. They stood there, eyeing the empty street. ¡°Was he kidnapped by the Huntress?¡± ¡°Uh. I hope not.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± But, like clockwork, the sinking feeling in Lnd made another appearance. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to work on my problem. Want toe along?¡± ¡°I would¡­ but Jude¡¯s sudden disappearance has me suspicious. I think I¡¯m going to try to find him and see what he¡¯s up to.¡± Watching Glenny turn invisible and expectantly wander off, Lnd suddenly grit his teeth and strolled off. He traveled through the rural town, past courtyards and buildings alike. Around shops selling feed, beer, or tools, and waved to masons working on pathways or contractors building roofs. All in all, Lnd liked this town, despite not knowing its name. It reminded him of home, of his close knitmunity of locals and the ever changing tide of adventurers. Despite having different infrastructure and livelihoods, the town was still a town. One that Lnd wanted the ability to protect if the need ever arose. So, he started practicing. Not his primary five curses, he didn¡¯t even try to unlock his sixth. No, Lnd finally thought it time to expand his repertoire into something else. Something more. A childhood of reading pandering books about magic had left him with ideas galore, all of which wouldn¡¯t help him anymore. He was not a Legacy of Magic, he was a Legacy of Curses. Things would be different, his Legacy simply didn¡¯t have the ease of means to create spells, or in his case, curses. Cantrips would be harder to create, their learning curve still hidden behind a veil of teacherless instruction. But still, learning lesser forms of magic might prove vital in unlocking hisst primary curse. At least, he hoped so. Lnd didn¡¯t know much about lifeforce and how it reacted simrly to mana, but he got to work. He started with something basic, something written in every textbook about magic he had ever read. The cantrip called Spark. It was simple in nature, one of the first uses of magic in recorded history. One that changed how man lived. Cantrips were simple spells, ones without means of ranking up or progression past simple changes. They were, for all intents and purposes, everyday uses of magic. Ones that were utilized for benign utility rather thanbat or upation. They were so simple, that no Lord fought over who could use such magic. Cantrips were simply for anyone with mana. Spark was the cantrip most rookies learned far before leaving the nest for the first time. It was a means of survival, one that could start a fire without use of tools or skill. Lnd controlled the raw mana inside himself, the fuel put into his body by his Lord via his Legacy. He pushed it to the tip of a single finger, willing it to zip out with heated aspect. ¡°Gah!¡± Lnd shouted, pulling his finger to his mouth and sucking on his skill sizzling skin. Within moments, his ring of regeneration eased his pain, healing his wound. Yet, the pain remained. Spark was the simplest cantrip, and he failed? Oh, how Lnd was d his parents weren¡¯t around to see him. He¡¯d be teased, he just knew it. He tried again. And again. And again. By the sixth attempt, Lnd started to suspect something was off. He shouldn¡¯t be having such difficulty. He remembered the tutorial in his books, he remembered his parent¡¯s lessons. Yet something eluded him¡­ Letting out a loose groan, Lnd connected the dots - his Legacy¡¯s special ability. His magic was fueled by mana and lifeforce. As he tried again and as a deep orange spark shot from his finger tip, he felt truly dumb.He felt even dumber when said sparknded on a patch of dry hay, igniting it with a waft of ck smoke. Jumping in surprise, Lnd hopped to his feet and started stomping the smolders. Despite the embarrassment, he held his head high. It was ridiculous, but casting a cantrip brought a smile to his face. What else can I do? he asked himself, sitting back down and getting to work. As lunch neared, Lnd had sessfully cast multiple cantrips. He started with Glow, which was just as it sounded. He could make his finger glow with the light of a weakntern. Next he tried Drop of Life which created a single drop of water at an interval that would fill a canteen in half-a-day. While not always useful, if the need arose, he was d to know how to cast it. It was around this time that Lnd started wondering about lifeforce. It was obvious the resource was tied to him, meaning his stamina. If he used too much, then he¡¯d suffer headaches and possibly pass out. Was it possible to harm himself worse than that? He didn¡¯t know, but that was a question he wasn¡¯t willing to test. Instead he watched the water of Drop of Life fall from his fingertip. Technically he used part of his life to create such a liquid. Did that change anything about it? Could¡­ could this water have my lifeforce in it? he wondered. With the question in mind, he began to fill up his canteen while dreams of on demand healing potions filled his mind. He left his corner of the town, heading back to the inn. He found Glenny and a smiling Jude already eating. ¡°Couldn¡¯t wait for me?¡± Lnd asked in a mocking tone. They each gave him an impish look. After ordering, Lnd pulled out his grimoire and checked if his studying of cantrips changed anything. He went straight to thest page, finding it significantly more skewed than before. He couldn¡¯t make out any of the words, only thest few letters in each line. ¡°I might be on the right track,¡± he told his friends. Chapter 64: Bats Chapter 64: Bats On route to Frostford, the group finally entered the territory of the Hearth Bat ¨C the objective of one of the quests they picked up. The timing couldn¡¯t have been more perfect. They arrived at dusk, just as the sun was passing beyond the horizon. They skipped dinner, opting to get started on hunting early. ¡°Stupid bats only leave their nests for a few hours a day,¡± Judeined as his stomach grumbled. He viciously tore off a piece of jerky and chomped on it with all of his rage. Glenny smiled at the sight. ¡°Already raging-out, huh? These bats won¡¯t know what hit them.¡± Perking up at that, Lnd said, ¡°No, I think you should be the main one to hunt the bats. You did just rank up, after all. Time to test out your upgraded abilities.¡± That caused Glenny to frown. The problem with ranking up, as he hade to learn, was that the new effect from the evolution was significantly less powerful than the rest of the ability. Take his invisibility. At rank ten, Glenny could now turn fully transparent. No more did the young rogue have a slight shimmer around his frame, no longer was he a simple target for someone with keen eyes. But, as the skill moved up to rank eleven, something new was added. He was still fully invisible, but now his abilities gained bonuses while invisible. While a great boon, the early ranks of the evolution only increased his damaging abilities potency by two percent ¨C a far cry from something meaningful in his eyes. ¡°I guess this is a good opportunity to test out my invisibility plus enhanced senses,¡± Glenny said, shifting skins into that of his Legacy. He went invisible, camouging himself like the Chameleon. Next came his newly ranked up ability, Reptile Sense. His eyes turned to predatory slits, his blood went cold, his hearing amplified. The changes between rank ten and eleven were instantly noticed by Glenny. More information poured into his mind, easily categorized by his ability. Then, he saw how Reptile Sense interacted with his evolved invisibly. He saw streaks, visual representations of what he was hearing and smelling. But there was something more. Something far more primal. Information came to him from his Legacy, feeding hiscking knowledge with the perfect answer. He wanted to hunt the Hearth Bats, and his senses knew that. He picked up on small things, scratchings on the trees, broken branches in the canopy. His evolved senses pushed his feet, drawing him through the forest like a predator hunting. It wasn¡¯t perfect, far from it. He was a rogue at the end of the day, not a hunter. His Legacy could only get him so far, he knew. But he also understood he was very different than a Legacy of the Shadows or Legacy of the Hidden Dagger. He was a Legacy of the Chameleon, a Legacy that lost some potency for utility. Lnd and Jude followed the crunching of leaves as they followed what they assumed to be Glenny. Invisibility, while great and all, truly sucked for teammates, a fact Jude was letting Lnd know every few steps. ¡°How do we even know we are following Glenny?¡± the Legacy of the Berserker asked. ¡°For all we know we could be trailing behind some invisible monster. It could be leading us to itsir, Leals.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes, catching the sarcasm in his friend''s voice. ¡°Well, you¡¯d just have to cut the monster down. Hopefully it¡¯s not too strong.¡± Jude snorted at that. ¡°I still haven¡¯t found something strong enough to test out my Legacy evolution. Most of the monsters around here die in a few swings.¡± ¡°Just spar with Glenny.¡± ¡°Gah,¡± Jude belched. ¡°He cheats!¡± ¡°He can turn invisible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cheating!¡± Rolling his eyes, Lnd set his sights back on the forest and the cold, dark, and moist shrubbery. The constant overcast skies mixed with therge, overgrown canopy left little room for the sun. asionally the trees would shake, a chilled wind blowing down from the north. Snow would ovee thesends soon and the local monsters would go into hibernation. Not that the boys nned to stay around. No, they were already heading toward Frostford, the official start of the northern frontier. The monsters from the town onward would only thrive in the cold, oftentimes moving in droves to conquer thend the humans had taken during the summer crusades. But that was a long time away for the boys. None of them wanted to visit the true frontlines. A few hundred miles past Frostford, things changed for the worse. Daily, hourly, battles with horrid monsters, fortification lines and trenches. Maybe in a few years they¡¯d visit, but none of the boys were eager. Especially after the stories their parents told them. Monsters who ate particrly rambunctious children seemed to be a theme of the north. Glenny¡¯s voice slipped from the shadows. ¡°Two ahead, both sitting in the same tree.¡± Lnd and Jude instantly readied themselves. It was supposed to be only Glenny fighting, but better safe than sorry. They stalked forward, finding a single tree that raised high above the rest. A small circle had been cut through the canopy, allowing this tree prime room to grow. Looking up, two Hearth Bats tore apart what looked to be a rabbit with their thick, sharp fangs. The bats mechanically guzzled down the meat, hoisting their chins to the moon before making a sickening gurgling sound. They downed the chunks with rapid speed, then proceeded to fight over the carcass. They were massive creatures, easily the size of a human but with the wingspan of two beds pushed together. Then, they heard it. Pain ripped through the boys as the air seemed to wiggle. The trio fell to one knee, each mping their hands to the sides of their head. They struggled to keep their weary eyes open and their bnce, the bats¡¯ shriek harsher than any thought. Luckily, they hade prepared. As one of the bats won its meal from the other, Jude and Lnd shared a quick nce. With a patient hand, Lnd shifted through his pack before pulling out a bundle of cotton. He pulled a piece off, handing two to Jude before holding two more out in the open. The invisible Glenny took his share with eager hands. With their ears somewhat protected, the trio pressed on. At least, until Jude stepped on a stick. The sudden crunch in the otherwise silent forest acted as an rm to the bats. They both froze, the one dropping its rabbit prize. They looked down the oversized tree, finding two invaders. One took to the sky, pping its massive wings against the sky¡¯s moonlight. It dove as the other bat let out a mighty cry. Jude and Lnd both grit their teeth in shocking pain, their vision blurring despite the cotton dampener. With a shove, Jude knocked Lnd from the monster¡¯s path before summoning his battle axe from his tattoo. With a steadfast decision, the Legacy of the Berserker decided to ept the bat¡¯s challenge with a war cry of his own. A thick anger hit the air just as he swung with a horizontal chop. His de collided with the dive bombing bat, sheering into outstretched talons. Like sword striking sword, the bat¡¯s ws and Jude¡¯s axe rebounded off each other, sending each spiraling for bnce. A powerword bloomed from Lnd¡¯s lips as his heart connected to that of the monster¡¯s. For a moment he was ovee with pure instinctual survival, that and greedy hunger. The cursepleted, and shunted the bat¡¯s speed. Jude capitalized, leaping high into the air before rotating his axe into an executioner¡¯s grip. Hended, rupturing the ground into a circle of upended stone. The ability¡¯s evolved effect, while new and weak, still managed to catch the bat off guard. The sudden ring of rock tripped the bat¡¯s reaching ws, forcing it to hastily scramble to stand. Despite the monster¡¯s instincts, a deep wound opened up along its nk. Jude smiled, readying his weap¡ª A crash of boisterous sound ended his advance. He fell to his knees, the second bat focusing its dire call solely on the berserker. Red dyed the cotton in his ears and his fingers struggled to keep their grip. Before him, the first bat mbered to its feet before hopping into the air. It swam through the upper canopy, using the branches as cover as it rounded Jude. Lnd snapped his fingers and yelled, pushing mana and lifeforce into the bat still atop the tree. Moving to his friend as another powerword found his lips, this time he whistled first before booming, ¡°Maul!¡± Thirteen ethereal crows zed into reality, each quickly setting their sights on the bat encircling Jude. They rushed through the canopy, dodging branches and other hazards. They reached their target with a wild caw, sinking their talons into the webbing of the bat¡¯s wings. The monster iled around, falling to the cold ground below. Itnded with a dull thud, the crows still gorging on t. Another thud sounded from the side, albeit in a much more controlled manner. Lnd spun, finding the second bat squealing in flightless pain. Its wing was crooked, his curse hitting the mark. Suddenly, the bat¡¯s cries went silent. Two thick spikes of red power engulfed its featherless wings, crossing before its chest and then ripping. An ¡°X¡± of liquid crimson poured from its now bisected throat, ending its life before it fell overpletely. ¡°Good job Glenny!¡± Lnd yelled as he spun back to Jude. For a moment the Legacy of Curses panicked, not finding his friend among the grass. He searched, quickly finding movement through the trees. There, piling on to the downed, crawling frame of the remaining Hearth Bat, were his thirteen crows. One by one they disappeared back to their reality, the curse¡¯s time finallying to an end. Yet, a predator still remained in the underbrush. Jude, standing on both feet, bnced and ready, hoisted his axe into position. His pain fueled his attack with evolved rank, upgrading his ability into something more deadly. In a single smooth motion, Jude let loose his swing. A crescent de of red rage rushed out horizontally before abruptly curving down. It collided against the bat¡¯s neck, slicing it clean off. Jude stood there, huffing through the adrenaline as his Legacy¡¯s pain dampening effect wore off. He counted to ten, a safety measure to insure he didn¡¯t turn his rage on his friends. Slowly, his mind came back to him. Eventually he smiled. Then he realized he was still hungry. Chapter 65: Letter Chapter 65: Letter ¡°I really wish the quest giver handed out more information about these bats!¡± Lnd eximed to Glenny and Jude. Glenny responded with a destitute nod. ¡°What were his words? ¡®The bats can be a bit loud?¡¯ I¡¯ll say¡­¡± They looked to Jude expecting a response. The brutish young man looked between them, his face curling in confusion. ¡°What?!¡± he yelled. Lnd flinched back. ¡°Why are you yelling?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Glenny sighed, reaching out and removing the cotton from Jude¡¯s ears. ¡°Is that better?¡± he asked. ¡°Uh oh!¡± Jude¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I can¡¯t hear anything!¡± ¡°We can tell,¡± Lnd said before looking to Glenny.The young rogue was pressing his fingers together, squishing red liquid from the puff of cotton. ¡°I think his eardrums burst.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I think my eardrums burst, guys!¡± Lnd and Glenny gave him a sideways look, one that asked if Jude was ying them. But, as the berserker ambled around, opening and closing his jaw with different amounts of force, they decided he wasn¡¯t faking. ¡°Take this,¡± Lnd said, handing over his ring of regeneration. He grumbled for a moment, then handed over his canteen filled with potential lifeforce water. ¡°And drink this.¡± Jude took the ring greedily but hesitated at the water, thinking about his own canteen. But Lnd¡¯s look was absolute, and he eventually epted the water. It took an hour, but Jude¡¯s hearing eventually came back. The trio was mid butchering of the bat corpses when a dull pop sounded from his ears. Heughed-coughed, finding the sudden pressure change oddly satisfying. ¡°So,¡± Lnd began, ¡°we need six more bat hides for the quest. Now that we know what they are like, we should have a significantly easier time, right?¡± Glenny agreed with that. ¡°No trying to solo the bats, though. We are a team, we should act like it from the start.¡± Jude paused his bloodied hands for a moment, thinking through the battle. ¡°I could have handled both by myself. I think.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°Righhht.¡± ¡°Sure I could have!¡± Lnd caught his friend¡¯s eyes. ¡°Jude, you were bleeding from your ears.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So, you were injured,¡± Glenny answered. ¡°What happens if you were injured to the point where Lnd¡¯s ring and your tattoo can¡¯t heal you?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d be unstoppable. My Berserker Legac¡ª¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t protect you from dying,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°We fight together, simple as that.¡± Jude grumbled something but ultimately agreed. He didn¡¯t want to fight by himself. In fact, he preferred not to. Why bath in the glory of battle by himself when they all could. ¡°I should make a contract with the Lord of Healing,¡± Lnd suddenly said. ¡°You know, just in case.¡± Glenny raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°You think she¡¯ll give you a healing spell?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. Her goal is to heal everyone, is it not? What¡¯s one more healing spell in the world? One that is powered directly by her?¡± ¡°What do you mean her goal is to heal everyone?¡± Jude asked. Answering, Lnd said, ¡°The Lord of Healing, or rather her Church of Healing, is famous for healing any and everyone regardless of status or wealth. She thinks healing should be free to any and everyone, thus her Legacies are often praised and in demand.¡± Jude snapped his fingers. ¡°Are they the ones that wear white and gold?¡± ¡°Yeah, the colors of their Lord.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ I think my mom took me to one of their clinics once.¡± Glenny frowned at that. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I might have fallen into a cactus¡­¡± The others looked at Jude with scrutinizing eyes for a long moment. Lnd changed the subject. ¡°Anyway. I think a healing spell, or something in that vein, would be a good option to have.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see any downside ,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Unless the contract terms are ridiculous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I also don¡¯t have much to barter with like the Moonless Lord contract. I would guess offering to kill rogue Healing Legacies would be more difficult.¡± They fell contemtive at that and eventually brainstormed ideas. Nothing seemed feasible or frankly worthwhile as a trading point. Anything they came up with was too over the top or simply not worth a Lord¡¯s time. ¡°Maybe I could just promise to heal those in need,¡± Lnd inly said. ¡°Would our enemies be considered in need?¡± Judeughed at that. ¡°Imagine a big battle. Both sides are wounded, but we, of course, are the victors. Annnnd Lnd has to heal the other side.¡± Despite Jude¡¯s cackling howls, the others held tight frowns. ¡°Yeah that¡¯s not going to work then,¡± Glenny muttered. With a sigh, Lnd said, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just ask. Maybe the Lord of Healing will give me a quest or something.¡± Glenny¡¯s eyes widened at that. ¡°Wait a minute! That¡¯s perfect! Lnd! Just make contracts with Lords whenever we need quests! You get a reward out of it, and we probably get to do something more interesting than killing bats!¡± Lnd scratched the back of his head. ¡°I donno¡­ I don¡¯t want to force you two to do a quest you don¡¯t want to do¡­ And there¡¯s not necessarily a mary reward¡­¡± Jude blew raspberries and snorted. ¡°Money sh¡¯money. If you get an epic spell out of the deal, who care about money!¡± ¡°I like to eat¡­¡± Lnd said, his voice the volume of a mouse. Glenny and Jude shared a look. ¡°Hey, Lnd?¡± He looked up. ¡°Remember that we are a team, yeah? We know your ranking up issue has been kicking you, but we¡¯re not just going to abandon you.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be in the way.¡± Jude scoffed at that. ¡°Remember when you slowed that bat? That wasn¡¯t ¡®in the way.¡¯¡± ¡°And the bat in the tree. If you didn¡¯t break its wing, who knows how long it would have taken to kill,¡± Glenny added. Lnd tucked himself into a smaller position. ¡°Thanks guys,¡± he mumbled. Making use of his newest cantrips, Lnd got to work starting a fire. They had moved back to the road leading through the forest, and set up for the night, acampfire, bubbling stew of bat meat, and the fatigue of a long day. They ate rather quickly before begrudgingly getting back to their feet. Hearth Bats were only out a few hours a day, so they had to make the most of it. The next encounters went incredibly smoothly. Lnd started out with multiple decimating casts of Fracture, which were quickly followed up by a single cast of Curse of Exhaustion on each bat. Since Jude didn¡¯t alert the bats to their presence, the battle was over before it truly started. Three more bats were cut through and butchered by the end of the night. ¡°What do they even use these bats for? Armor?¡± Jude asked. ¡°No, they¡¯re too thin for that,¡± Lnd answered. ¡°I think it¡¯s for binding books.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ books.¡± ¡°Books aren¡¯t that bad.¡± Both Glenny and Jude stared at him. Lnd grumbled something and started off back to the campfire. They were only a few dozen paces away from the road, which gave him the security to wander off on his own. If anything attacked, Jude and Glenny would show up fast. In the meantime, Lnd wanted to write a letter. He sorted through his stuff, finding the stack of magical paper and ink given to him by Lady Onryo after sessfully defeating the Sightless Cult. It took him several minutes to organize his thoughts, but once he started writing, everything flowed naturally. Hi Mom and Dad! Just wanted to give you two an update about our adventures. Glenny, Jude, and I are doing well. We¡¯ve taken a few quests, helped plenty of people out, and, well¡­ taken a few lives as well. There was a problem in the city of Shoutwell, one that involved cultists and Witches. I¡¯ll spare you all of the details for now, it¡¯s not really a story to tell through writing. Just know that all of us are fine, even Glenny. We had a run-in with the local nobility, the Onryos, and thest member of the Icewillows before we even entered the city. William Icewillow, the man who killed Glenny¡¯s mom, is dead. We killed him and saved a young Master from the Icewillows. Again, more of a story for in-person, but I figured you might want to tell Glenny¡¯s dad that. Truthfully, none of us were expecting something like that so soon. But I¡¯m d we got it out of the way early. I don¡¯t like killing. I really don¡¯t, but it¡¯s like dad always said, ¡°kill before they can kill you back.¡± Anyway, we met the Huntress and she only hurt us a little. Jude and Glenny both evolved as well. But I¡¯m still¡ª Lnd stopped and crossed out the sentence. There was no reason to worry them, he thought. Instead he simply signed the letter and pumped it with pure mana. The soaked paper reacted with a blue sheen, one that lifted the page into the air before folding it into thirds. A momentter, it drifted into the sky, off to find his parents. Lnd sat there, the crackling of the fire at his side. He stared at the stars through the edge of the canopy. There was so much stuff he wanted to do, yet only one thing stayed on his mind. His grimoire appeared in his head and he flipped to thest page. ¡°Still stuck,¡± he muttered, leaning back. He spent the next several minutes searching his mind for information from his Legacy. Only rushing wind and haggard screams were the spoils for his headache. Glenny and Jude showed up not long after that, a bundle of bat parts between them. Lnd spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to make that contract with the Lord of Healing.¡± Glenny gave him a nod. ¡°Good luck.¡± With that, Lndid back and started the curse. Magic came to his mind, spinning around him with a whirlwind of glinting violet. Lifeforce and mana took to hismand, forming into a crow¡¯s quill. His Legacy spoke to him, telling him the exact words to say. ¡°Lord of Healing, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± Chapter 66: Lord of Healing Chapter 66: Lord of Healing The response was quick and clean. Lnd rushed across a dark ne, one of infinite expansive cold. He saw nothing but darkness, until he didn¡¯t. The domain of the Lord of Healing came in like a threatened rabid dog. The darkness halted instantly, throwing him onto a sunlit gravel road. He skidded across the rocks as his momentum ended, only his mage robes protecting his delicate skin. Groaning, Lnd fell to his butt, the overhead sun blinding. He groaned again, finding his resolve and pushing himself up. In a single word, he felt small. Looking around pulled a gasp from his lips, one that resounded in echoing walls and towering statues. Without taking a step, Lnd spun around, fully taking in the view. Leading on either side of the gravel path were thick green bushes dotted with brightly lit specks of color. The flowers seemed to take note of him, each turning to view the neer with interest . Or, at least, as much interest as a flower could muster. Beyond the bushes was red brick and gray mortar. Block by block towered higher and higher, epassing the small alleyway. Yet, the sun never seemed to cast shadow. Actually, the longer Lnd thought about it, the more impossible it seemed. The sun was slightly askew in an afternoon sky, one that surely would have brought shadows into the alley. Lnd¡¯s inner musing was cut short as a figure appeared at the end of the gravel pathway. There, standing within the entrance to this domain¡¯s primary feature, was a young woman. She wore white robesced in gold. She kept her hands sped and her smile tight. She looked at Lnd like an annoyed older sister, one that had been time and time again told not to scold the younger. She, in a single motion, waved him forward. Hesitating, Lnd looked at his destination. A cathedral, that much was ever apparent. From the vaulted spires that reached toward the sun, to the overt windows filled with stained ss imagery. It was chiseled, he realized as he neared, entirely from a single type of rock. Marble? Limestone? Whatever the case, the pure white walls and towering roof glowed in the sun¡¯s gentle rays. Nearing the building, Lnd suddenly could hear singing. Divine hymns, the kind reserved for only the most devout. The harmonious symphonics zed through the air, vibrating and growing with natural power. Then, there was a bell. A single ring, from deep within the cathedral. The sound zed through the alleyway, shaking the bushes and rebounding off the brick walls. Lnd instinctually moved to cover his ears, but stopped. He¡­ he¡­ he felt no pain. In fact, the bell calmed him. Eased him. Made him feel wee. His feet pulled him faster at that point, anything to follow the sound of the bell.The gravel crunched at his feet, breaking the monotony of song. As he neared, the brick walls abruptly ended, casting the cathedral¡¯s full form. After a flight of stairs, the churchid upon a pedestal. It sat silently, above everyone and everything, watching. Waiting. Judging. Then Lnd saw them. People, hundreds, thousands, even. Slowly walking to the church, hand in hand singing the call to divinity, a mob moved. Up the stairs they went, each wearing white and gold. Some held candles, other thick tomes. Some radiated golden warmth, others led the sick, a few even carried weapons. For only a moment Lnd wondered who these weapons were meant for. Searching the crowd provided him with an answer. Far in the back, beyond the sea of white and gold,y color and pleading cries. People, begging for a miracle. Begging for health. Begging for their desperate wishes to be heard. They weren¡¯t sick. They weren¡¯t injured. They only wished to¡ª A brisk cough pulled Lnd from his thoughts. He turned and jumped. The woman had moved closer, her eyebrow raised and her cheeks puffed. She hummed, spun on her heel, and said, ¡°Follow me, Mr. Silver.¡± Lnd gulped, but quickly found the means to move. He was led through the cathedral¡¯s side passages. There were no grand mosaics or lifelike statues, pews or ces to worship, not even a single painting hung from a nail. They went up a set of wooden stairs and were suddenly above the main hall. Looking through the asional window, Lnd¡¯s eyes went wide. The congregation lined up in a single file line, a line that led to a single woman. She stood, a bright smile on her tired face. One by one a person would approach, say a few words, then the woman would either touch their forehead or not. Either way, the person faded like mist against a fan. ¡°They¡¯re not real, you know,¡± the woman leading Lnd said. ¡°They are simple prayers. Which, I guess, makes them real.¡± ¡°Prayers?¡± Lnd asked, his voice fleeting. ¡°Wishes given form. She hears them all.¡± ¡°She?¡± he asked, already knowing the answer. The woman¡¯s face lit up. ¡°My Lord, of course.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t reply to that and quickly fell back in line. He was led to a small room, one full of books, scrolls, maps, and plenty of alchemical ingredients. Jars of oddly colored liquid lined the back wall, each housing many preserved things. Bugs, animals, flowers, even the asional gem or rock. ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± the woman said, her tone a little less than amand despite her sing-songy cadence. ¡°Would you like a drink while you wait?¡± Answering with a headshake, Lnd sat. Instantly his fatigue disappeared. He groaned in pleasure, weeks of traveling washed away in an instant. It took him a moment to recover from the feeling, a moment that he was d no one saw¡ª The woman was standing in the corner, watching him. ¡°Do you find the furniture desirable, Mr. Silver?¡± Gulping down his embarrassment, Lnd spoke up, ¡°Yes. Very much. How does¡ª¡± ¡°The whole collection was created by a rank seven Legacy of Carpentry.¡± ¡°Rank seven? That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Quite powerful. In mortal means, anyways.¡± With a shock, Lnd suddenly remembered where he was. The woman standing before him wasn¡¯t just a person. She was obviously something more. Something closer to a Lord than mortal, something that was now ying babysitter for a real Lord. ¡°Earlier you said those people weren¡¯t real. Sort of, at least.¡± ¡°Quite,¡± she answered. ¡°What does that make you?¡± Lnd instantly regretted the question. It sounded so rude once spoken. He knew better, he was raised better. He fumbled over a hasty apology, one that was interrupted by a simple raised hand. He paused, finding the woman chuckling slightly. Slowly she lowered her hand. ¡°I am nothing more than an eternal helper.¡± Frowning, Lnd deliberated on another, possibly rude, question. His mind worked, rewriting his concern. ¡°You seem like more than ¡®nothing¡¯ to me.¡± ¡°That is quite nice of you to say, Mr. Silver.¡± She gave a soft smile. ¡°But I am nothing more. A simple wish, I am. One just like the others, only the person who created me with prayer is the Lord of this domain.¡± Thinking back on it, Lnd realized the woman in the main hall did look familiar. ¡°That sounds like more than ¡®nothing¡¯ to me.¡± Her smile fell at that. ¡°My Lord¡¯s wish is no more important than anyone else¡¯s.¡± Lnd instantly saw the hypocrisy of the statement. He bit his tongue, holding his issue. The woman¡¯s frown deepened at that. ¡°Speak your mind.¡± Lnd tried to shake his head, but a golden power zipped across the room andpelled him to speak. ¡°If your Lord¡¯s wish is equal to everyone else¡¯s, then why are the people outside wearing colors other than white and gold being ignored?¡± The Wish¡¯s eyes fell hollow at that. ¡°She did, for a time. All wishes were wee. But then anomalies began to sprout. Greed was the first. A prayer asking not for health or healing, but for mary gain. By that point, the gates had opened, so to speak. She tried to help them all, almost to her ruin. That is why I was created. To protect the cathedral. To filter those wishes that are actually in need. That was her wish, to help those who actually need it.¡± Still being imbued by the golden power, Lnd was forced to speak his mind. ¡°Some people can be helped with gold.¡± ¡°True,¡± the Wish spoke. ¡°But that is beyond my Lord¡¯s capacity. She is the Lord of Healing, not the Lord of Currency.¡± ¡°Why you then? I-I mean your Lord?¡± ¡°People will pray to whoever they think will listen. My Lord is simply known for miracles.¡± The golden power exited Lnd, yet he still felt the need to speak. ¡°You still sound more than ¡®nothing¡¯ to me.¡± ¡°You have a kind heart, Mr. Silver. I can see why the Lord of Curses speaks so highly of you.¡± Lnd¡¯s mouth gaped at that. ¡°S-she talks about me?¡± ¡°Quite often, yes,¡± she said, giving him another smile. ¡°But we are not here to talk about such things. Yet, the person who you are destined to speak with has yet to arrive. I fear you may be waiting for a long while. Maybe you should leave and return another, less busy time.¡± Frowning, Lnd asked, ¡°Can you not create a contract with me? You are a part of her, after all.¡± She shook her head. ¡°The power I hold is not the type you are looking for. But your intentions are pure. To heal your friends if the need arises. Admirable.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­¡± Lnd stood, sticking out his hand to the Wish. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°Likewise, Mr. Silver.¡± She took his hand and shook. ¡°Before I go, may I ask one question?¡± The Wish tilted her head quizzically. Lnd took that as a go ahead. ¡°May I have your name? I¡¯ve been referring to you as ¡®Wish¡¯ in my head, but it feels odd.¡± A wave of emotions flooded the prayer. She almost stumbled back, only Lnd and their sped hands holding her steady. How long had it been since shest used her name? Since her Lord, her creator, used her name? She started to be called the Lord of Healing nine thousand years ago¡­ Did she even remember her name? It hasn¡¯t been needed¡­ ¡°Call me¡­ Lily. Yes, Lily. Call me, Lily.¡± Lnd gave her hand onest shake. ¡°Well, Ms. Lily, it was a pleasure to meet you.¡± Lily¡¯s eyes turned away from the young man in front of her. They drifted along the floor, moving out toward the door, and into the grand hall. She couldn¡¯t see her Lord, but she always knew where she was. And, for the first time in a millennia, her Lord looked back. A silent conversation yed between Lord and Wish in an instant. Lily looked back to Lnd. ¡°Query the Lord of Nature. Ask for the spell Touch of Regeneration.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Lnd¡¯s question was cut off as Lily finally let go of his hand. In an instant he was back to the ckness between worlds. He floated for a silent moment before his eyes opened back in the real world. Jude instantly noticed and put down a bowl of cold stew. ¡°Hey, how¡¯d it go?¡± With a grunt, Lndy back and watched the stars above. ¡°It was¡­ interesting.¡± Chapter 67: Ruins Chapter 67: Ruins ¡°It was interesting,¡± Lnd recounted. After his long stint in a different reality, he shifted his body ufortably whileying on the rough floor of the forest. With a groan, he sat up, pushing away his sleeping bag and looking at the dying embers of their fire. A nce to the moon told him he had been speaking with Lily for most of the night. ¡°You go to bed, I¡¯ll stay on watch.¡± It was then Lnd noticed a small squirrel resting in the crook of Jude¡¯s arm. Jude eyed him slowly, trying not to wake his sleeping friend. ¡°You going to practice your new contract? I can be the testing dummy. Pain doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make a contract,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°Also, what¡¯s with the squirrel?¡± ¡°Animals like me,¡± the Legacy of Berserkers said. ¡°And why not?¡± ¡°The Lord of Healing was busy with Lord-y things, I guess. I was given a rmendation on which Lord to contract next, though.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind staying up if you want to do that now.¡± Lnd strained his back, cracking his spine with a multitude of audible pops. ¡°No,¡± he said, adding a new bundle of sticks to the fire. ¡°I don¡¯t want to contact a Lord in a forest like this again. Not that smart to begin with, not to mention how stiff I feel.¡± Jude epted that answer thenid down, shifting the squirrel to hisy on his chest. With a yawn he said, ¡°Wake me if anything happens.¡± With his friend quickly falling asleep, Lnd was left alone with his thoughts. Quickly they devolved from his time in the Lord of Healing¡¯s domain to his struggles with his own Legacy. Removing his grimoire from his hand tattoo, he perused the first pages, checking them over for any changes. His slow page flipping eventually came to an end and he stared at thest page. Gently, like he held an ancient document, Lnd tugged at the seam between the back cover and his locked spell. Saying it didn¡¯t move was a lie. It did, just not in any meaningful way. Before he could see thest word in every sentence, now he could see the edge of the letter before. It wasn¡¯t much . ¡°What am I doing wrong?¡± he asked his tattoo after returning his grimoire to it. The depiction of the crow didn¡¯t move. Didn¡¯t react. Didn¡¯t make any hints toward his question. ¡°Silent treatment now? That¡¯s nice. Thanks, my Lord.¡± That did get a reaction from the tattoo, but nothing more than a slight shift and a proper re. Lnd red back, like somehow his irritated staring would help him in his struggles. One thing was for sure, he felt better after doing it. Then, he didn¡¯t. His state of mind changed like a light switch, and suddenly he felt guilty. ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered to the bird. The tattoo rolled its wings, turning back into its original pose. With a sigh, Lnd thought back to what the Huntress had suggested. Searching his mind. Rather quickly, he drowned out all noise from his other curses, focusing intently on the screams. They were so vivid, so real. Like a stadium of people all burning at the same time¡­ or a city¡ª The thought slingshotted Lnd from his own mind. He started panting, like a child afraid of the dark. Why had his thoughts drifted to a city being destroyed? The question loomed over him, knocking all semnce of tiredness from his heavy eyes. Just what is this curse? he asked himself, finding sce in not having an answer. Maybe, maybe, he wasn¡¯t ready for the answer. Maybe he¡­ he¡­ Something fluttered on the periphery of his mind. He reached out for the revtion, finding it deep within the recesses of his Legacy. A warning? Or maybe a set of instructions? He couldn¡¯t decipher it. He couldn¡¯t understand it. He pushed a bit more, focusing on the blurry information deep within his mind. His focus snapped and the revtion fell apart like a derailed train. Desperately, Lnd fought to reconnect the dots. But the damage was already done. He lost it. It took a few minutes, but eventually Lnd faced the facts. He was close to something important, something that he wasn¡¯t sure if he truly wanted to know. And that scared him. With his mind only partially interested at this point, Lnd reexamined his grimoire but paused upon looking at thest page. It had parted slightly, a small portion of the corner was bent up. Through the fleeting light of a flickering fire, there in hand drawn ck ink, was a single word. Thest word. The only word of the page he could fully read. Cmity. ¡°So, I figure once we get to the Hargrave Ruins we set up camp for the day. I know the sun will still be high in the air, but we have a quest to do,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Agreed. Hopefully the undead soldiers are more fair to fight than those dumb bats,¡± Jude responded with augh. ¡°More dangerous as well.¡± ¡°Gah. That¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but we are going to need more of a game n than simply go fight monster.¡± ¡°Do we really though?¡± Jude asked with a bit of snark. ¡°We just beat ¡®em down until they stop moving.¡± Glenny rolled his eyes at that. ¡°Exactly why we need a n. Undead don¡¯t simply ¡®die.¡¯ You¡¯ve got to destroy their internal cores. Or I guess if you have some sort of holy damage attack, that¡¯d work too.¡± ¡°Holy smoly, just tell me where to hit and I¡¯ll hit. Am I right, Leals?¡± Lnd, stuck in his own thoughts, didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Lnd.¡± ¡°Leals?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± he finally asked, finding both his friends looking intently at him. ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t listening. What¡¯s up?¡± Jude squinted at him. ¡°We were just talking about fighting the undead for the quest.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Hargrave Ruins.¡± With a deep breath, Lnd shuffled a piece of parchment out of his pocket. ¡°The note the quest giver gave us says¡­ ¡®destroy the undead core.¡¯ Does that help?¡± Glenny facepalmed. Judeughed. ¡°That¡¯s what we were talking about, if you cared to listen.¡± ¡°Sorry. I-the page in my grimoire unlocked a bit. I can now read a word.¡± Glenny raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°Cmity.¡± ¡°Cmity?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Does that mean anything to you?¡± Lnd deliberated on his answer. On one hand, no, no it did not. It was just a word that was in line with the theatrics of his Legacy. But on the other¡­ ¡°The Moonless Lord called me the ¡®Son of the Cmity.¡¯ I didn¡¯t think anything of it back then¡­¡± Glenny and Jude shared a nce. ¡°And you don¡¯t know what that means?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Could be nothing,¡± Glenny supplied. ¡°At the very least, it¡¯s a cool title,¡± Jude said before swirling around an imaginary magic staff. ¡°All shall kneel before me, the Son of the Cmity!¡± His voice echoed off the tall trees, reverberating back like he intended to give his childish showing more pizazz. Jude smiled triumphantly. ¡°Righhht,¡± Glenny added with a shake of his head. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, guys. I feel like the word was a hint, but I have no idea what to do with it,¡± Lnd said inly. ¡°Good pantomime, though.¡± Jude beamed. ¡°You¡¯ll get there,¡± Glenny said. ¡°But for now, let''s table the discussion. We¡¯re here.¡± The others perked up at their friend¡¯s deration, both looking around like meerkats trying to see over the underbrush. A small sign was all they found, one that looked like it was erected a century ago. The sign, in bold yet faded letters, read ¡°Hargrave Armory.¡± It pointed off into the bushes, a small snaking path leading through the trees. The boys stopped before the sign and stretched. They went over the game n onest time, yet all agreed that since it was their first time fighting undead, they would go slow for the first few encounters. They followed the path and eventually came upon an overgrown clearing. Lnd felt the need to whisper the history of this ce, stating that ¡®all information is good information when ites to battle.¡¯ The others muttered in agreement and Lnd started spouting off information about the, now, ruins. Once upon a time, the Queen had posted armories along the front lines. A fortified location for soldiers to quickly gear up, sleep, and eat while defending the rest of the kingdom. Some hundred yearster, the humans had garnered enough territory to make the armories obsolete. So, here they sat. Forgotten and long abandoned. Including the souls of those who died here. ¡°And so, undead started sprouting up,¡± Lnd finished. Glenny frowned at the story. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the Lord of Souls help those souls pass on?¡± Lnd thought about the question for a long minute. He didn¡¯t know, but it was a good question. ¡°Not sure, but I¡¯ll make sure to ask him when I contract him.¡± With that, the group pushed out of the underbrush and into the clearing. The former armory had frankly fallen apart. Once fortified walls now stood as rusted metal and bug-infested rotted wood. The two story building had partly copsed, leaving most of the roof caved in like a mine after an earthquake. A stone pathway led into the building, no doubt for ease of moving wagons so long ago. Now, the path was cracked with the power of nature. Flowers and grass grew high out of the stone, theck of trees making their reach toward the sun all the more epassing. asional scratches were etched through the path, each still housing traces of sediment. Crouching down and rubbing the scratch, Glenny spoke up, ¡°These are fresh. The wind hasn¡¯t disced the¡ª¡± His words cut off at the same moment his eyes went wide. With a practiced motion, heunched up, yanking Lnd and Jude to the ground. They pressed into the tall grass, only Glenny¡¯s sparky cloak obscuring their bodies. Jude began to question his friend¡¯s actions, but a dull thud followed quickly by the sound of metal on stone, stopped him. Slowly, something passed by the obscured trio. It limped into their vision, a jostling padded vest pping haphazardly with every step, only held on by a rusted suit of metal. Then their eyes were in line with a sword. Massive, iron, and jagged like a broken kitchen knife. It dragged across the path, slicing through the grass like a thinwn mower. The undead continued its patrol, eventually rounding to the other side of the ruins. ¡°That,¡± Glenny coughed. ¡°was an undead knight¡­ which makes this quest increase a rank.¡± ¡°Eh, we can take it,¡± Jude proudly said. The others stared at him like he had kicked a dog, although neither disagreed. Chapter 68: Undead Chapter 68: Undead They moved as a single unit, pushing past the tall overgrown path, toward the safety of the edge of the ruins. There they stopped, with their backs to the wall, and prepared. Jude unleashed his battle axe from his hand tattoo, Glenny turned invisible and extended his Sightless King powers into long thin spikes, Lnd readied his grimoire and got into position behind the others. ¡°We run toward the forest if more undead show up and or the undead knight is too powerful,¡± Lnd said, pointing toward the way they came. With that, the trio merged into the shadows and waited. General jobs of who did what had long been worked out between the three friends. Jude fought in the front lines, absorbing damage while dealing plenty himself. Glenny often nked and looked for opportunistic times to strike. And Lnd stayed far in the backlines, sting away with his curses. This fight was no different. As soon as the knight stepped out around the edge of the ruins. It was the skeletal variant, chalk white bones connected together into a humanoid form by nothing other than undead magic. Bits of rotting flesh wrapped around its ribs and neck, just enough to prove the knight was once human. Or, at least, was made from human parts. There was no telling what the knight looked like before its soul was transformed into an undead core. Lnd started off the battle. He mmed his palm into his tome, brandishing the Halo of the Harbinger. Purple swirled around his palm, running up along his arm and round his head. There it found purchase, forming into a floating ring of dark energies. The magical potency of Lnd¡¯s contract with the Lord of Magic zed to life, igniting his soul into action. Mana and lifeforce came together at his word, siphoning to his fingers for a brutal snap. ¡°Fracture!¡± he yelled, pushing the whole of his strength into the curse. At the same time, Glenny made his presence known. Two spikes of pure red carnage appeared briefly as he attacked, each stabbing into the ribcage of the knight. His des, however, were thrown off course by the undead¡¯s heavy armor. Jude then, Lnd¡¯s spell connected, sending a sharp crack into the air. Still invisible, Glenny¡¯s eyes widened and he quickly backstepped ¨C just in time as well, as the undead raised and dropped its chipped sword. A brutal rush of air whipped through the area in which Glenny once stood before the sword smashed into the ground. The knight lurched, yanking its weapon from the dirt and spinning with its instincts. Jude and the monster shed weapons, sparks sting from the collision. Each reared back to attack again, only for an invisible young man to interfere. Dismissing his conjured weapons, Glenny dove into the undead,tching onto its weapon-holding arm. With the force of a rank two monster, the knight shoved him off a momentter and moved to intercept Jude¡¯s attack. Only, it was toote. Battle axe met skull and helmet with another hail of sparks. The undead was sent toppling, its head more so than its body. The bodynded with a dull thud, its heavy armor stopping its momentum short. The head, however, rolled like a rubber ball, bouncing into the air with every imperfection it rolled over. ¡°Did I get it?¡± Jude asked no one in particr. The Legacy of the Berserker spun around, only finding Lnd as Glenny was still invisible. Lnd gave him a pensive smile, one that quickly turned into a frown as the jingle of heavy armor sounded. Jude spun back, finding the undead¡¯s body slowly standing. ¡°Ah right,¡± Jude cursed. ¡°Got to destroy the core.¡± He shrugged to himself, stalking forward and raising his weapon. A voice appeared beside Lnd as Jude startedying into the monster. ¡°Your spell didn¡¯t break its bone,¡± Glenny said. Lnd flinched, cursing out loud. ¡°Come on man, don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­¡± ¡°And what do you mean?¡± Glenny¡¯s invisible voice continued, ¡°I saw the spell take. A crack formed along a bone in its foot.¡± ¡°Along,¡± Lnd echoed. ¡°Not through.¡± ¡°Afraid not.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Taking a moment, Lnd thought through his options. ¡°Undead might be a monster type we stay away from. My spell might seem quite good against the skeletons, but if I can¡¯t break a knight¡¯s bones¡­ well¡­ I¡¯m useless then.¡± Still invisible, Glenny frowned at that. ¡°What about your other spells? Birds, the slow, sucking its soul?¡± ¡°The crows won¡¯t be anything more than a distraction. The slow¡­¡± Lnd paused pooling mana and lifeforce around his heart. He expelled the sight of the undead being beaten down again and again by Jude. Nothing happened. No emotional connection. No magical response. The curse simply failed. ¡°Looks like undead, at least skeletons, are immune to exhaustion. Makes sense since they don¡¯t have hearts and stuff¡­¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°And they don¡¯t have souls, so Circle of Souls is out as well.¡± Glenny canceled his invisibility, and patted his friend on the back. ¡°No problem then. No more undead quests until you are sure you can break their bones. Or until you get a contract that can do something else.¡± ¡°Or whatever that ¡®cmity¡¯ spell is going to be,¡± Lnd finished. ¡°Exactly. Surely ¡®cmity¡¯ is going to be able to kill some undea¡ª¡± The sound of metal on bone stopped Glenny¡¯sment cold. Next came the dreadful huff of a rabid horse, one that chittered with dread and years of tormented abuse. Then, the ground split. Jude leaped back,nding beside his two friends. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡± As if to punctuate his words, the undead knight slowly stood, its heavy armor dented and torn. Its head rolled over before skipping off the ground and floating back to its body¡¯s shoulders. The undead took a moment to orient its head, shifting it until low cracks sounded. It then looked toward the split ground eagerly. First came a pair of flesh-stripped hooves. They breached the surface with a powerful thrust, pulling the remainder of its body from the soft soil. Dark mist escaped the ground, along with it the pale white skull of a great beast. Long bones came next, along with bits of fur and flesh. A twisted horse fully revealed itself, its hollow eye sockets oozing rotten dark magics and the breath of an undead. Lnd¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°A Nightmare Stead!¡± Glenny and Jude both cursed, the former of which turning invisible while thetter huffed forward. The skeletal knight bounced its lower jaw, grinding its teeth in boisterous giggles. It made no effort to hide its movements. It picked up its weapon and climbed onto the back of its mount. It hoisted its sword forward, pointing at Jude. Jude¡¯s face fell, a snarl forming like a feral cat. Rage poured from his Legacy, sending his feet into a swift dash. Distantly, he could hear Lnd yell something. But none of that mattered right now. He was embarrassed. How many times did he strike the knight while it was down? Dozens? And he couldn¡¯t kill it? Despicable. He leaped, sailing through the air andnding just before the undead horse. The ground cratered upon impact, his evolved abilitying in full force. Stones jutted from the grass in a wide circle, encasing the stead. Jude let loose his upgraded primary strike, sending his axe into the nk of the undead beast. It sheared into bone and rotted flesh, wedging itself deep. Jude¡¯s leveraged all of his strength against, yet still failed to pull the axe out. He jumped back, dodging the knight¡¯s next attack. They both growled at each other, waiting. Meanwhile, Lnd had activated the first portion of Circle of Souls. No mes poured from the ground, no green mist formed from the undead. Only a single entity appeared, one holding out its hand in offering. A soul of the Damned, one carrying a lost cultist soul from Shoutwell. Lnd epted the gift with open arms, allowing the lost soul entry into his body. Power entered his own soul and radiated zing warmth. In an instant, Lnd¡¯s lifeforce was replenished and he was overflowing with raw power. A pressure was already forming in the back of his mind, not one of pain and ache, but rather a simple reminder. This magic had to be used with caution. Knowing the battle wasn¡¯t going to get to that point, Lnd snapped his fingers and spoke, ¡°Fracture.¡± With the two boons of the Lord of Magic¡¯s contract and devouring a soul, Lnd¡¯s magic took, cracking through the bones of the undead. He repeated the spell again and again, each time finding knowing the curse acted like he wished it to. The horse had it the worse, the added weight on its back sitting upon multiple broken vertebrae and ribs. At some point, Glenny had attacked, cutting deep into the stead with twin spikes. He carved into bone, twisting his conjured weapons with viciousness and grace. His cloak briefly became visible, a starry night sheen fueling the attack. He dodged back, easily outpacing the knight¡¯s now wild swings. In tandem with Lnd¡¯s spells, a hunk of horse fell, loosening Jude¡¯s axe. The Legacy of the Berserker screeched, his war cry ability forcing his blood to pump with great vigor. He rushed forward, sliding to his weapon before sending a red crescent of rage at the undead beast. The attack cleaved into its front leg, carving into its bone like a lumberjack chopping into a tree. Bone splinters sprayed into the air, quickly followed by the sound of cracking. The horse let out a horrid cry, one of pure instinct. It tried to charge Jude, but abruptly tripped over its legless body. It crashed into the ground, sending its rider into the dirt. The knight tried to get to its feet, but a wet rope stopped its movements. From a good distance away, Glenny appeared out of invisibility, his tongue extended into the iconic ability of his Legacy. His tongue tethered him to the undead, making it an easy target for Jude¡¯s axe. For the second time today, the knight¡¯s head bounced off its shoulders. This time Jude didn¡¯t stop until his rage made sure the undead¡¯s core was fully destroyed. Glenny, meanwhile, took it upon himself to destroy the Nightmare Stead¡¯s core. But not before sharing a nce with Lnd. They both looked at their friend, finding the rage of battle nearly consuming the young man. Taking a deep breath, Lnd mmed his hand into a different contract, this time the one with the Lord of Spirits. Lifeforce and mana encircled his heart, connecting himself with Jude. The spell took, along with a tter of instinctual one-dimensional thoughts of rage. Lnd shook off the feeling, making sure to allow his curse to take upon a new aspect. Soothing music filtered through the air, an illusion of pure bliss. Calming woodwinds met sleepy strings, each adding onto each other until a full symphony wafted through the battlefield. Slowly, the rage of bashing his axe into the knight became redundant for Jude. Slowly his senses returned, along with the guilt of momentarily losing himself. He counted to ten, slowly, much slower than ever. He breathed along with his count, allowing Lnd¡¯s contract to embed itself into his body. How could this happen again? he asked himself. A simple taunt was all it took? Jude cursed at himself. He needed a better way to calm himself. One that didn¡¯t involve Lnd or Glenny, and differently didn¡¯t include counting to ten. Chapter 69: Cores Chapter 69: Cores Lnd let out a deep, long, slow, sigh. He inwardly cursed, thankful that the battle was over before it really started. A rank two monster was one thing, but two rank two monsters that fought together? He had heard of such things before, but monsters were supposed to be mindless killing machines. Goblins, gnolls, and other partially sentient beings were one thing, but an undead? A being that couldn¡¯t easily be killed? Lnd was starting to think they needed toin to the guild. At the very least they should get a bit morepensation for their troubles. ¡°Everyone okay?¡± he finally asked, mainly worried about the now cooling berserker. Glenny was first to respond. ¡°Yes. We made a lot of noise, I¡¯ll go look for any more undead.¡± With that, the rogue was off, invisible as ever. Lnd took the time to console his friend with a heavy pat on the back. Jude twisted, his eyes bloodshot and his nose widely ring with every breath. ¡°You okay there?¡± Jude stared for a long moment before his face fell. He looked away. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Frowning at the odd behavior, Lnd said, ¡°Good. There might be more around, so get up.¡± When Jude didn¡¯t move, Lnd lightly kicked him. ¡°Get up. We are not done here. There is still danger.¡±Jude red at him, begrudgingly straining to his feet. He picked up his axe, looking at the t metal of the de. He grunted, sending it back into his hand tattoo. At that point, he just kept breathing. Deep, long, and slow. Watching his friend from the corner of his eye, Lnd was about to speak up. Jude, however, cut him off. ¡°Thanks, Leals,¡± was all he said. With that, the pair circled the sundered building in the direction Glenny had gone. The rogue made his presence known with an abrupt whisper, telling the others where more undead were. Over the next hour, the team easily destroyed their quota of lesser undead. Soon they had their packs full of depleted undead cores ¨C the quest objective. Glenny did most of the work, his cloak making the battles continuous and simple. After the first few undead, he had a knack for finding the cores after only a few seconds. Breaking the cores, however, was a different story. But the lesser undead were slow and easily manipted, making the fights more of conjuration practice than anything. Again the point that Lnd was a terrible fighter against undead made itself known. He was able to easily fracture the lesser undead¡¯s bones, yet hisck of precision ended his usefulness. Without being able to cause pain to the enemy, Lnd¡¯s curse simply didn¡¯t do much. asionally he would break an important bone like the femur or pelvis, but those were few and far between. As it turned out, breaking an inner ear bone didn¡¯t slow an undead at all. Jude, meanwhile, sat most of the fights out. He brooded quietly to himself, watching his invisible friend wreak havoc through the undead horde. There was no reason to involve himself, especially since he would just rage-out again and be an issue for the others. Once everything was concluded at the ruins, the group left and quickly found themselves en route to a small vige. It was a bit out of the way from Frostford, but the quest giver for the undead cores lived there. They would turn in the bat parts at the next small town, any local guild branch, really. A few hours after the ruins, Jude spoke up, ¡°I think it¡¯s my Legacy evolution.¡± Lnd and Glenny looked at each other. ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Why the knight¡¯s taunt made me¡­ enraged.¡± Frowning at that, Glenny spoke up, ¡°How do you mean?¡± Jude made a disgusted face. ¡°A simple taunt made me lose my mind when a Hearth Bat¡¯s full screech didn¡¯t? I¡¯ve been thinking about that for awhile, and I can only conclude that my Legacy changed somewhat after evolving.¡± ¡°So what? Your Legacy is now sensitive to taunts? What about insults?¡± Lnd asked. Frowning, Jude said, ¡°I don¡¯t kno¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re dumb,¡± Glenny interrupted. Both Jude and Lnd looked at him. ¡°Guess insults don¡¯t make you mad,¡± he muttered. With that, Lnd sighed. ¡°It seems like we all have stuff to improve on. You both have been telling me not to worry about my Legacy, so I guess it''s time to return the favor.¡± He looked Jude in the eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about enraging during battle. We both are there to help if you do. Learning to control it will take time, we all know that. So don¡¯t beat yourself up about it.¡± Jude slowly nodded before looking to the dirt trail. An idea sprouted in Glenny¡¯s head, one he didn¡¯t wish for. ¡°Jude¡­ how ¡®bout some music? Those lessons better be paying off.¡± With that, Jude flushed red. ¡°H-how do you know about that?¡± ¡°I followed you, duh.¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­¡± Lnd looked between the pair. ¡°Oh is that where you snuck off to the other day? Huh, and here I thought you had a girlfriend or something.¡± Shaking his head like he had water in his ears, Jude pulled his harmonica to his mouth and started to y. The boys strolled into the vige with their heads held high and giggles on their lips. They didn¡¯t mind the sideways looks, nor the already spreading gossip. They had only one objective in the area, one that they were prepared to fight for. The shop didn¡¯t have a name, only a sign with a picture of an iron cauldron and arge wooden stirring stick. They entered and instantly were osted by the smell. Rotten meat and molding food blocked their path toward the counter like an invisible brick wall. They each choked at the horrid room, their eyes tearing up. The room housed overflowing jars of stuff and sticks of other stuff hanging from the ceiling. Mold covered most of everything, even the walls and floorboards. Looking past the counter, a draining falcon was strung up, its neck slit and feathers already picked. They all paled at that. Glenny had it the worst, his enhanced senses from his Legacy breaking his lunch up. He left as quickly as he entered, shoving the pack of undead cores into Lnd¡¯s hand. Lnd and Jude, in turn, gave their friend a look of betrayal. ¡°How can I help you?¡± They spun at the scratchy voice, finding an old woman. She stood with a major hunch, shorting her height by nearly half. Her posture allowed the boys to see the top of her head and hair, or what was left of it. Only a sparse few strands of thin gray hair hung, each woven between beads, sticks, and the odd bird skull. ¡°We are here about the undead core quest,¡± Lnd regretted speaking, his mouth suddenly filling with the horrid taste of the room. ¡°There¡¯s a problem, however.¡± The woman waved them over with her tattooed hand. A depiction of a wire-frame cauldrony silently on the back of her palm, along with a simrrge stirring stick. The mark of the Lord of Witches. ¡°Get on over here, I¡¯m not going to bite. My Lord has nothing to do with them.¡± Lnd and Jude knew what she spoke of instantly. It was a sad fate to be a Legacy of the Witch. Having a connection to Witches, the murderous vile creeps with the ¡°W¡± branding on their forehead, no matter how small, was a fate left to a few. Yet, Legacies of the Witch had it the worst, as their names were keenly simr. Lnd and Jude also knew not to hold prejudices about these folks. Their only crime was epting a Lord with a name simr to murderers. Setting the pack down and pulling out the undead cores, Lnd paused on tworger ones. They were slightly bigger than the others, like a quarter to a nickel, but still shined with a hint of dark energies. The old woman¡¯s hand shot out, snatching the two cores from Lnd. ¡°A knight and a nightmare. How interesting.¡± She shook the small orbs, then held them to her head and shook again. Lnd cleared his throat. ¡°Right so¡ª¡± ¡°Here is the money for the quest.¡± The old woman sat a small sack on the counter. She then pushed it slightly toward the pair. ¡°That¡¯s not going to cut it,¡± Jude said inly. ¡°The quest listing was only for undead, lesser undead, not named mutations of a rank two monster.¡± The Legacy of the Witch mocked Jude¡¯s speech with wordless gestures. Then, with a roll of her eyes, slid all of the cores off the counter and into a small bin. ¡°Hey! Give them back! We aren¡¯t giving them unless you pay for the higher quality cores!¡± Jude and the woman stared at each other. Passion and irritation shed for a long second, enough time for Lnd to be used to the smell. ¡°Just pay us for the extra cores,dy. We got enough lessers to cover the quest. If you can¡¯t afford the higher quality ones, then we will sell them elsewhere.¡± She turned to Lnd. ¡°I have no more money to give.¡± He reached out toward the bin. ¡°Then we have to insist you give¡ª¡± The woman¡¯s lightning fast hands shot out again, this time grabbing Lnd¡¯s outstretched hand. She let loose a low growl. ¡°I will have these cores.¡± Trying to pull his hand back and failing, Lnd said, ¡°Then buy them from us.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes fell at that, directly onto Lnd¡¯s¡¯ hand tattoo. She quirked her head, letting go. ¡°That is not right. You cannot have that.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jude spit. He snatched the bin back. ¡°Y-you must leave. You dare bring that into my home?¡± She seethed thest word, like a snake warning all who dared near. Then, her eyes twisted, turning solid grey. Muttering escaped her lips, ones Lnd strained to hear. ¡°Curses¡­ Death to¡ª millennia. How dare you! How dare she!¡± Lnd leaned back, frowning at Jude. He reached into the bin, taking the higher quality cores back. Then, like the motion set off a trap, the small room became thick. The woman slowly started to raise, levitating as odd magic flowed around her. Her muttering became manic at this point, signaling to the boys to leave. As they neared the door, her words became booms and shouts, each directed at Lnd,hitting him with the force of a decent p. He stumbled at one, tripping into a shelf full of withered herbs and jars of beetles. The word itself hit harder than the power it imbued. It made him pause, it made him look back. Static had taken over the woman, shes of white lightning threatened to fully form. She pointed at him, mming an invisible force into his gut. He skidded across the shop¡¯s floor, toward the open door. ¡°Get out!¡± she screeched, her voice rippling with dreadful augmentation. ¡°How dare a Cmity enter my home!¡± With that, Lnd didn¡¯t wait around any longer. He took the warning for what it was and ran. Chapter 70: Perspective Chapter 70: Perspective The Huntress sat alone, high in an overgrown tree. The tree sat among many others, hiding her vantage from themon eye. There she was a hunter overseeing her prey. Or, in this case, three young men. Why she watched these boys, she didn¡¯t know, only that her instincts told her to. Maybe her age was finally catching up. Maybe she wanted a team that could rival her own prowess. Maybe she saw something in them, something subconscious, something that told her these boys were going to do despicable or great things. Maybe she was just bored. Whatever the case, the Huntress watched them. Stalked them. Hunted them. They were important to her. To the point she might murder indiscriminately if something were to happen to them. They were her mark. They were hers to¡­ to¡­ She craned her neck, shifting the thin branch she stood atop. The slight movement jostled the tree, sending the dead leaves from early winter to the ground. If someone high ranked was nearby, her presence would surely be noticed. Internally she cursed at herself. The boys messed with her mind. Made her think less as a hunter and more as a mother. She spit the word in her thoughts, instantly writing it off as a singr moment of pure mania. Her, a mother? She scoffed at the notion, especially after watching the scene in the vige. Glenny, the one she had spent the most time with, stumbled out of a shop and threw up. Sad, really sad. How could someone who adapted to the Sightless King fall to a smell? Jude came out next, a look of horror on his face. Booms and whirlwinds of power radiated through the doorway, enough that the Huntress almost moved. Where¡¯s the smart one? she asked herself, resigned to see how things yed out a bit longer. Leave it up to three boys, three newborn adventurers to piss off the quest giver. How did they manage that? She might never know. Well, she didn¡¯t have a guess. The cores. Fighting and killing a named mutation of undead? The quest giver being a Legacy of the Witch? The two more than likely¡ªThe Huntress abruptly stood, her weight causing the entire tree to lean. She watched Lnd flee from the small shop, trip over himself, then w away in fear. The boy¡¯s friends were there, dragging him away, but the damage had already been done. Shiny gold bow in hand, the Huntress lined up a warning shot. If the stupid shopkeeper dared chase after her boys, then¡­ well¡­ She pulled her bow back, her muscles straining like the very branch she stood on. As if on cue, the Legacy of the Witch stepped out of the building, her frazzled hair sticking straight up. Electricity, the Huntress tsked, knowing what that meant. There were very few elemental types of magic that could outrun an arrow. Lightning was one of them. The woman didn¡¯t step out of her shop more than a single step. She yelled and yelled, her grand showing of magic nothing more than a dog¡¯s bark. The Huntressughed, lowering her weapon. How could she be so foolish? To think she almost intervened with something so trivial. Still, she liked the look of the old woman. She loved seeing the young get chewed out by an elder. In fact, when she was in the capital, yelling at the fresh Inquisitor recruits was her favorite pastime. So, she sat back down, shifting the tree onest time, and listened. The old woman gestured wildly, yelling, ¡°How dare you! How dare a Cmity near my home!¡± The Huntress hummed at that, idly wondering what the crazy bat was talking about. ¡°A Cmity¡± was not a term she was familiar with, nor was it something she expected to simply be able to research. Legacies of the Witch tended to know certain, unique, information especially when it came to Lords and the Ancient Ones. Something about reading the bones or reading fate. Either way, the Huntress always listened to what Legacies of the Witch had to say. ¡°Begone! Begone!¡± the woman yelled, cracking small bolts of lighting around herself. ¡°Nevere back! Otherwise I shall curse you, like you do so many others! Pain! Only pain will befall everyone you love if you near!¡± Like you do so many others, the Huntress echoed, her mind spinning. Obviously she was talking about the smart one, but what could it mean? Curses, while not necessarily rare, weren¡¯t something many Lords handed out as a part of their Legacies¡¯ primary spells. But¡­ what if they were? Lnd¡¯s hand tattoo was that of a crow, something that made the Huntress think his beneficiary was the Lord of Crows. Does the Lord of Crows use cur¡ª The fall of a single leaf stopped her thoughts cold. With the speed of a jackrabbit, the Huntress spun, drawing her bow and loading an arrow. She yanked the string back, not even knowing what her target was, only that she was in danger. Raw power roared to life at her arrow¡¯s tip, enough to defend herself against the enemy. An enemy that could sneak up on her. In the center of her vision, she found the source. A bird. A single ck, maybe deep purple, bird. It stared at her, judged her, mocked her. It cawed once before flying off. As it left, the Huntress realized just what kind of bird it was. A crow. She slithered down the tree, fading back into the brush, and disappearing. The warning was clear enough. A few hourster, the boys were back on the road. They walked, albeit much faster than normal, away from the vige with the crazy woman. They were also silent. A silence that was gnawing at Lnd. Jude and Glenny kept stealing nces at their friend, at least until it was clear they were not in danger. ¡°So,¡± Glenny eventually said. ¡°What was that?¡± Jude answered first, ¡°Some people just don¡¯t know how to make a fair trade.¡± Lndughed at that, all semnce of stress falling away. ¡°Did she really try to steal those higher quality cores from us?¡± Glenny¡¯s eyebrows rose at that. ¡°And what? You two took them back?¡± Shrugging, Jude said, ¡°They are ours.¡± ¡°Then what was with all the yelling? Particrly the apparent hatred for Lnd.¡± ¡°Oh right¡­ that¡­¡± Lnd muttered, looking away. ¡°She recognized my Legacy tattoo.¡± Jude and Glenny¡¯s eyes widened a bit. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°She called you a Cmity,¡± Glenny said quietly, as if the forest had ears. ¡°She did, didn¡¯t she?¡± Lnd said before taking a deep breath and looking at his tattoo. ¡°I really wish my Lord would help me figure out how to progress forward.¡± Glenny and Jude shared a look. ¡°Uh, Leals, what are¡ª¡± ¡°The tattoo pecks me,¡± Lnd said frankly. ¡°Sometimes it stares at me, or rather, res at me.¡± Again Glenny and Jude shared a look. ¡°That is¡­ strange, right?¡± the rogue asked, looking at his own tattoo. Jude, however, was less subtle. ¡°Hello?!¡± he asked the back of his hand. ¡°Hello! Lord of the Berserker? Can you hear me?¡± He then shook his wrist, squinted at the tattoo of a battle axe, then held it up to his ear. The othersughed at that. The next week was filled with tedious travel. They also turned in the Hearth Bat quest, receiving a nice chunk of change for their efforts. With the extra money, the boys decided to buy three mounts to make the trip that much faster. It wasn¡¯t until the second day with the horses that they each questioned why they hadn¡¯t bought mounts sooner. Eventually they arrived at Frostford. The town itself was decentlyrge for a being so far north. The guardian beast that protected thends brought many hopefuls, thus causing the originally small frontier fort plenty of reason to grow. From a vantage atop arge hill, the boys overlooked the town. From the distance they could see Frostford¡¯s skyline. Short wide buildings were present here, along with zing chimneys, each producing thick gray smoke. A warmth radiated from the town, melting the frozen ground and turning the streets to slick mud. But that didn¡¯t stop the townsfolk from going about their days. Most worked with a shrinking timeline on their minds, as the festival wasing up soon. In fact, most of the town was already decorated by streamers, extra mana lights, and plenty of small stages for street performers. The boys walked their mounts to the high town walls and waited in line for entry. From where they stood, off to the side of the city, was the coast line. Or at least, they could see the ocean. Frostford owned no beaches and no harbor. The town was situated on top of a steep cliff, one that dropped off directly into salty water. There were, of course, paths down to the water, along with the asional dock with bound rowboats. But other than fishing, the ocean port was not used formercial purposes. The guardian beast wanted it that way. ¡°Eyeing Frostw ind, aye?¡± the guard asked the boys since they were first in line. ¡°Here for the festival?¡± Jude looked over, his vision scanning the steep cliff. There, just off the coast, was a small ind of deep green trees. ¡°That¡¯s where the herb pickingpetition is going to be?¡± The guard nodded. ¡°Adventurers, are we then?¡± He then pointed to a separate line, one much longer than the one the boys had just waited in. ¡°Adventurers have to enter the town through that gate.¡± The boys looked at the gate and the epassing line, groaned, then walked to the end. Chapter 71: Frostford Chapter 71: Frostford ¡°Are you here for the herb collectingpetition?¡± Lnd and the others eyed the young woman and her hearty smile. The cold day seemed to warm up with her question, like a little furnace in the center of a cabin in the mountains. She looked between the boys,while holding a clipboard and spinning a short pencil between her fingers. ¡°Uh, yes?¡± Lnd answered. ¡°Something wrong?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± she sang. ¡°I¡¯m with the town¡¯s festival organizers. We are just trying to get a headcount before the town really starts getting busy.¡± The boys were still in line outside of Frostford, but they were nearing the front of the tourist and adventurer line. More than a few times, the boys watched unlucky parties wait in the exact line they had been in hours earlier only to be rejected at the front. There was a sort of silent agreement to those in the correct line not to correct those entering the other line. That, or everyone was just antisocial. ¡°Yes we are,¡± Glenny answered. ¡°Just the three of you?¡± she asked back. ¡°Yes.¡±¡°Names?¡± ¡°Jude, Lnd, and I¡¯m Glenny.¡± ¡°Alrighttty,¡± she said, scratching their names down. ¡°And what rank are you entering as? That would be team average rounded.¡± The boys looked at each other. Lnd frowned and looked away. ¡°Two,¡± Jude answered. ¡°Oh! Rather young to be rank two, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t know much about adventurers.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve had an¡­ eventful debut,¡± Lnd said, trying to forget about hisck of progress. Internally he cursed at his grimoire more than ever. It was one thing to acknowledge his problem between friends, it was another thing with strangers. Or maybe he was just being insecure¡­ Did she even ask about individual rank? ¡°Well, I hope you three are strong!¡± the young woman said. ¡°We¡¯ve got some toughpetition this year for your bracket.¡± ¡°Does strength really pertain to collecting herbs?¡± Jude asked. ¡°I¡¯d guess simply having morepetition would be worse than, well, stronger opponents.¡± She shrugged at that. ¡°You are correct, and you don¡¯t have to worry about too manypetitors. That¡¯s part of the reason I¡¯m out here. It''s firste, first entry. You three are already signed up, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that!¡± Then her face fell. ¡°The issue is, there is no one maintaining thews on the ind. We have set rules, yes, but that doesn¡¯t stop people from attacking others.¡± Lnd¡¯s brow shriveled at that. ¡°People attack others to steal herbs?¡± ¡°It''s rare, yes. But it does happen. Others wait for teams to encounter the ind¡¯s monsters and swoop in after they are weakened. So, please be careful!¡± ¡°All in the name of reward, huh?¡± She smiled at that, stepping away. Before she began to talk to the next team, she said, ¡°This year is supposed to have the best rewards yet! Rumor is something about enchanted items!¡± The boys looked at each other after that. Their faces had hardened at the warning, yet they didn¡¯t inch away from the town. In fact, they moved along with the line and eventually reached the front. They went through the ordinary guard questions, names, reason for visits, how long they were nning on staying, any warrants out for arrest and/or outstanding fines. The usual. ¡°Does that question about warrants ever catch anyone?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised at the level of stupidity of some criminals ,¡± the guard exined as he ushered them in. ¡°Who knew that such a simple question could count for so many easy bounty collect¡ª¡± A shout from the adjacent line pulled the guard¡¯s attention. He cursed, rushing between the boys and to themotion. He drew his weapon as he ran, a short spear with a lead weight opposite the tip. The boys stopped and watched the scene, as did pretty much everyone else. There was something said about waiting in lines. They were boring, and a potential fight was interesting. A group of four, each carrying various weapons and/or traps, shouted at the gate guards. They were mad about waiting in the wrong line, and demanded entry. The guards shouted back, ordering them away, and soon themotion turned into apetition of who could say the most creative insult. ¡°Those are some weapons,¡± Glennymented. ¡°Crossbows, bows, survival knives, steel traps, even cages. Something tells me they aren¡¯t here for the herbs.¡± Jude and Lnd both agreed, but something strange bothered Lnd about the group. They were people of the wilderness, that much was apparent. But the way they stood, the clothes they wore, were all wrong. He attributed this to them simply being higher in rank, and walking for miles and miles in the cold simply didn¡¯t affect them like it did lower ranks. They didn¡¯t shift their weight between feet, hoping to stave off aching soles or blistered toes. They didn¡¯t seem to mind their oversized packs stuffed with different wilderness gear. And they didn¡¯t care about irritating the guard or the town. It was like they didn¡¯t care if they were barred from the festival, almost like they were here for something else. The leader of the group had just spit in a guard¡¯s face, ushering a punch to the gut. Soon a small brawl started. A voice stirred the boys from watching the fight. ¡°Poachers.¡± They spun finding the young woman from earlier. She continued. ¡°There¡¯s always a few groups of them this time of year. They think they can get into the town by pretending to be festival goers..¡± Jude frowned at that and set his jaw when he turned back to the now-ending fight. ¡°What do they poach?¡± ¡°The ind has plenty of rare game. There is a dungeon that¡¯s said to be hidden somewhere in the thicket, and well, it''s overflowing. Some want to take advantage of that, but Frostford mps down hard on things like this. Our Guardian Spirit Beast wouldn¡¯t take lightly to such a thing.¡± Lnd hummed at that. ¡°This Guardian Spirit Beast, just what is it?¡± The young woman gave a big smile and gestured to the gate. ¡°That¡¯s what the festival is for! It is said our Guardian always loved the snow! Please, enjoy your stay in Frostford!¡± With that, the group was told to enter by a fresh guard, as the other one was still dealing with the poachers. The first thing that hit the group was the smell. A sweet, decadent, fruit, smell. They followed their noses, finding a candy store with arge ss window at the front of the building. Through the ss, a burly man hand-stretched molten sugar on a hook without gloves. With each pull, his hands glowed blue, then white, then yellow. The sugar took to the color changes, eventually turning into a green blob. With a show like that, the boys had to go in. A few minutester, they exited with a pound of still hot watermelon taffy. Continuing down the street, they window shopped for what felt like hours. Every building they passed seemed to be food or drink oriented, and each had roaring fireces and workers moving aroundpleting orders. When they eventually exited the food street, they entered the town¡¯s main square. The usual fanfare had been moved to the edges, and a great wooden stage had been erected in the very center. Citizens and tourists alike gathered ¡®round, watching a children¡¯s y. The cast took on cheap costumes, spouting off mumbled lines about starting a new town and looking for ces to settle. Kids dressed in patchy fur suits came in at that point, scaring off the others giving the previous monologues. Then, with the re of an apanying flute, a bigger child entered the stage. She wore a simr fur suit to the others, but instead of yingmon wolves, this young girl wore the skin of a monster the boys couldn¡¯t recognize. She had a circr mask, one with thick fangs and an angry temperament. She charged the wolf-children, banishing them from the stage before slowly inching towards the settler-kids. The lead then initiated a slow contact with the Guardian Beast, seeking its protection. A silent deal was struck, and the Guardian-child exited the stage as the lead nted a g of ownership. The y ended with a flurry of paper confetti. ¡°And just in time for the first snow of winter, the town of Frostford was founded by partnership of protection. Human and Guardian Spirit Beast, living together and protecting each other,¡± the lead kid said to the crowd, before being outshined by apuse. The boys pped along and eventually left the main square. They ventured around the town, finding an inn and grabbing a proper meal. As the darkness rolled in, and with it, dark clouds originating from further north, they walked along with the nightlife, taking in everything the early days of the festival had to offer. Jude danced with a woman much too old for him. Glenny helped fend off multiple pickpockets before fading back into the shadows. Lnd talked with two magic schrs visiting from a prominent city. All in all, the boys felt like this was the first night in forever that they¡¯d simply had a good fun night. Too bad the overhead clouds were shifting and twisting into something fierce. Chapter 72: Rewards Chapter 72: Rewards The first snow festival officially started four days after the boys arrived. Legacies of Weather, Snow, and Storms had gathered together, foretelling that it would snow any day now. But, after three days of celebration, Frostford was getting angsty. What was the point of a festival if the thing they were celebrating never happened? Truthfully, the younger residents of the town didn¡¯t care about that. It was the older few, the curmudgeon type, that cursed the skies. Most everyone was happy with the festival regardless of snow, in fact, many of the tourists thought it would be better if it didn¡¯t snow. Most of the town¡¯s activities were outside after all. The boys, during all of this, prepared themselves for the herb gathering quest. First thing they did was purchase proper winter wear, well, except for Glenny. The rogue had decided his cloak was enough to keep him warm, the neigh infinite energy it gave him helped regte his body heat somewhat. Not to mention, despite the cloak being a parasitic item, it was still a cloak. The windchill did little to bother him. Jude, on the other hand, decided to wear light. While he did buy a heavier undershirt and a light jacket, the Legacy of the Berserker was perfectly fine with going sleeveless if he had to. ¡°I do not fear the cold, it should fear me!¡± he had told the others when they questioned him about it. So, that left Lnd as the odd man out. But frankly, he was fine with that if it meant being warm. A wool jacket, multiple sets of underwear, big fluffy socks, waterproof boots, and of course, his gifted mage robes. Despite being a birthday present, his set of robes weren¡¯t getting the use they should be. The enchanted effect, while amazingly effective for regr mages, simply wasn''t necessary for Lnd. A boosted mana regeneration rate was good and all, great in fact, except he only used a fraction of the mana as the average mage. At some point, while looking through an enchantment store, Lnd had the idea to upgrade. His parents wouldn¡¯t see it as a betrayal, in fact they would praise him for being pragmatic enough to forgo his present for something more useful. Too bad they don¡¯t have a lifeforce regeneration enchantment, he thought after flipping through the shop¡¯s entire catalog ofmissioned enchantments. The team also bought plenty of items for their time on the isted ind. Proper herbology equipment, travel rations, a few emergency fire starting kits, and many more utility items. All in all, the boys were packed and ready to go. They had enjoyed the festival quite a bit, but it was time to get down to the reason they even traveled to Frostford.¡°Wee, wee!¡± yelled the town¡¯s Mayor, Mr. Frostlung. He stood atop a wooden stage at the center of the town¡¯s square, bundled up in so many scarves most of his face was covered. ¡°Here we gather today forpetitive spirit!¡± The mayor started a round of pping that was sparsely echoed from the gathered crowd. He then cleared his throat, and continued, ¡°Now then, you all are here for our great town¡¯s annual herbologypetition! Why do we have thispetition, you might ask? Well, it''s very simple. Because all of the spring herbs, the very herbs we use throughout the year for many much needed uses, are ripe for the picking!¡± Mr. Frostlung paused, obviously expecting apuse. He grunted at the silence before throwing up his hands in a grand disy. ¡°Yet! The ind where the herbs grow is very dangerous! Only the tough and experienced can even brave the journey to the ind! What might you see once you step foot on drynd? No one knows.¡± He thenughed. ¡°Beside the town¡¯s Guardian Spirit Beast!¡± ¡°Get on with it!¡± someone yelled, their identity hidden in the crowd¡¯s anonymity The mayor frowned at that, cleared his throat, and gestured to a wooden board. There, a multitude of hand-drawn pictures of various flowers, roots, nts, moss, and vines were on disy. They ranged from simple green leafed stem and flower to arge crisscross of various buds and bulbs. Some sparked with elemental magic, like a yellow rose with static drawings of lighting or a deep amber moss leaking a small pool ofva. ¡°Here are the herbs our fair town requires, as well as the herbs you all arepeting for. Memorize them now, for there is no signage like this one here on the ind,¡± the mayor then pointed to the corner of one of the drawings. A single number was steredzily there. ¡°Each herb has an associated number attached. The rare or more difficult the herb, the more points. The team with the most points after two days is considered the winner!¡± The young woman, who the boys recognized from the gate a few days earlier, rushed onto the stage and whispered something into the mayor¡¯s ear. The man nodded with her words before stepping back into the middle of the stage. ¡°I have just been reminded that broken, improperly harvested, or malformed herbs will not be epted for points. So, I hope you brought someone with a steady hand!¡± Mr. Frostlungughed to himself. ¡°Now then, I¡¯ll leave you to capable hands. Good luck everyone. Remember to stay warm!¡± The crowd grumbled at that. ¡°What about the rewards for winning!¡± someone yelled. The mayor paused at that, spinning on his heel and stepped back to center stage. ¡°Oh course. How could I forget? This year we¡¯ve had several items donated to our cause. But since you are all mostly adventurers, I will get to the weapons and equipment. Our resident Legacy of Enchanting, Ms. Barnswell, has spent thest year collecting splendid items for a keen hand such as herself. I will start with the rewards for the rank two teams!¡± The mayor stepped over to a small table and pulled off a covering sheet. He held up a pair of sandals. ¡°Enchanted with Burst of Speed, these sandals will greatly increase the wearer¡¯s top sprint speed for a few seconds. These will be rewarded to the third ce team along with a mary stipend.¡± The crowd grumbled at that and Lnd could see why. The enchantment was quite powerful, especially duringbat. A surprise rush or retreat is a great way to end a life or save one. Yet, the sandals themselves weren¡¯t impressive. They were simple sandals, or at least, the mayor didn¡¯t specify they weren¡¯t No other effects wereckluster. ¡°For second ce we have this!¡± Mr. Frostlung held up arge kite shield. It looked impossibly light for being solid metal and leather, Lnd thought. And while the floral design along the front was beautifully painted, no one on his team used shields. Still, there was a shimmer along the base of it, one that the mayor went on to exin. ¡°This shield has two enchantments! From my ease of hosting such a hunk of metal, you must have already deduced that the enchantment Light as a Feather reduced its weight. But that is not all. Ms. Barnswell has outdone herself with this! She was able to squeeze in Thorny Vine enchantment as well.¡± A quiet murmur went through the crowd. It was obvious most were confused, even Lnd who had read and reread enchantment books in his magical homeschooling. ¡°That got your attention, huh?¡± the mayorughed. ¡°Thorny Vine is an enchantment Ms. Barnswell has been working on for several years! One might say it is her gift to the world! And that is no exaggeration! Thorny Vine allows the user of this shield to nt it into the ground. From there, the shield will sprout thorny roots that will follow the user¡¯s will! No longer will your enemies flee from battle! Not with their legs bound by roots!¡± That got the crowd listening. They looked between the mayor and the shield, greed in their eyes. Even Jude had fallen victim to the enchanted item. ¡°We need to win this,¡± he whispered. Glenny gave him a look. ¡°You don¡¯t use a shield.¡± ¡°So? I might have to learn. Do you know how many times monsters run from me?¡± Lnd was about to reply with some sarcasticment that¡¯d surely egg his friend on, but the mayor set the shield down and picked up thest prize. Lnd instantly became interested as he saw the gnarled wooden staff the man was showing off. ¡°For first ce we have something very special. While enchanted, this item was not enhanced by Ms. Barnswell. No, in fact, this magical staff was received as a monster drop from the final boss of a goblin shaman dungeon!¡± The crowd went silent again. ¡°Now, what¡¯s so special about a goblin staff? Well, it''s simple really. This is a parasitic item!¡± Fire burned in Lnd¡¯s eyes as he bore holes into the wooden staff. Parasitic items, like Glenny¡¯s cloak, were nearly always scooped up by the rich or royals. That was if the adventuring team didn¡¯t decide to equip it right away. Having one drop from a dungeon was a once in a lifetime event, most were bonded still within the dungeon. Lnd was under no illusion that if he wanted one, he would need vast wealth or impossible luck. Well, that was, if he couldn¡¯t win thispetition. ¡°Sorry Jude,¡± he said. ¡°Looks like we aren¡¯t going for second ce.¡± Jude nodded along, his eyestched onto the staff. ¡°It''s no problem¡­ roots are overrated anyway.¡± The mayor carefully set the staff down on the table and then showed off the much lesser rewards for rank one teams. Once finished, he reced everything on the table, then someone quickly gathered the rewards and was escorted away by an armed security unit. ¡°I hope that the rewards got everyone excited!¡± he said. ¡°Now, my job here is done. Please listen to young Ms. Lavender for the more technical details. Good luck!¡± With that the mayor stepped off the stage and the young woman from the gate stepped front and center. Over the next hour she directed all thirty three rank two adventurers participating in thepetition to exit the town. Chapter 73: The Competition Chapter 73: The Competition Thepetitors were led out of the town and towards the cliff face and ocean. They traveled as a single unit, as Ms. Lavender wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to find their own route onto the ind. So, they traversed a descending ramp, one that carved through the cliff and down toward the shore. It was then Ms. Lavender exined some background about the ind. ¡°It''s said that there is a dungeon hidden in the foliage. There used to be a Summoning Stone, but our town¡¯s founders destroyed it when it became apparent that our Guardian Spirit Beast wanted it to remain hidden.¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to make me believe that there''s a prime dungeon out there, just ready to be conquered, and no one has tried to find it?¡± a middle aged woman carrying a thick long bow asked. Ms. Lavender''s smile waned for a moment but her stride never hesitated. ¡°People have looked, but those usually involve poachers or Royal Surveyors ¨C two types of people who wouldn¡¯t tell others of their finding.¡± Lnd wondered about that. If a surveyor found the dungeon, surely it would be documented publicly somewhere, right? Otherwise why were citizens paying taxes? If they couldn¡¯t use such resources, wouldn¡¯t the position of surveyor be redundant? ¡­ But then again, he didn¡¯t pay taxes so¡­ then he thought about that more. Should I be paying taxes? Lnd made a mental note to ask Glennyter. ¡°You get a lot of poachers?¡± an older man asked, his right hand on the hilt of a thin sword. ¡°A few groups a year, yes. But getting to the ind is more formidable than most assume, so we deal more often with their dead bodies once they wash up,¡± Ms. Lavender remained ignorant of the grim faces of those following her. From there she continued her spiel about the ind¡¯s history, however Lnd and the other boys tuned her out. Quietly, and with the subtlety of a prowling cat, the boys nced at each other then to a differentpetitor. Together they sized everyone up with a simple nod or shake of a head. They didn¡¯t expect to get into a fight, but knowing who they thought they could win against now would be ever valuable. The team the trio agreed to be their primarypetition was actually a duo. While teams up to four were allowed entry, having three was not as umon as it seemed. Though, two was pushing it in Lnd¡¯s eyes. The team of two only meant one thing to him, they were strong. The duo came in the form of a man and a woman. The woman was more eye-catching as her heavy armor was as shiny as a silver coin. She held a mace upon her hip but it was obvious her main weapon was the spiked shield she carried on her back. From the amount of dried blood, it was obvious the woman was very experienced in battle. The man, however, was no less intimidating. The man was a mage, his hand tattoo of three runic circles all but confirmed that. He wore simr robes to Lnd, yet the man¡¯s were more worn and tired. There was an old saying about mages, and that was to count the patches on their clothes. If they had more than one or two, it meant the mage could fight in a melee and survive. The man was a survivor, his weapon proved to Lnd as much. A sword, enchanted and inscribed with different magical archetypes and affinities, and a bauble lined his belt. The bauble was unique, in that Lnd didn¡¯t recognize its use. He gathered it had something to do with the lightning affinity, simply due to it sparking with blue arcs of electricity, otherwise he was clueless. A spellsword, Lnd thought, remembering the path to power quite well from the magical books he read as a child. A spellsword¡¯s gimmick, if you could call it that, was that they fought in the scuffle rather than in the backlines like a normal mage. Instead of shooting fireballs, they would imbue their weapons or their bodies with fire. Either way, Lnd kept an eye on the man. Therge group neared the waterline at this point, and the first unobstructed view of the ind was front and center. The ind itself was two or three timesrger than its patron town, yet there were no houses or infrastructure. It was simply an ind, untouched by man. Pine needle trees created a thick curtain, blocking all view into the brush from their current distance. A gentle early morning mist wafted from the base of the trees and suddenly the boys each shivered. They all hated mist at this point, the memory of Shoutwell still fresh on their minds. ¡°Hopefully that clears up,¡± Jude muttered to his two friends. Ms. Lavender heard his words and turned with a great smile. She pointed to the sky, misunderstanding hisment. ¡°We want the sky to be dark and gray like it is! This is the First Snow Festival, after all!¡± Giving her a confused stare, Jude took a moment to respond. ¡°I was talking about the mist. Mist, uh, sucks.¡± There were several grunts in agreement. ¡°Oh.¡± Ms. Lavender replied. ¡°More than likely, I¡¯d say.¡± Jude then said something only he would say, keeping the attention drawn to himself. Glenny, not listening to the back and forth, nudged Lnd and nodded to a team of four. At first Lnd wasn¡¯t sure what he was supposed to be looking at. The team was very unremarkable. They woremon winter clothes, not too dirty, not too clean. They carried heavy packs spilling with useful wilderness items, as well as a range of weapons. Two carried a bow or crossbow, while the others a sword or mace. None were magical, at least to Lnd¡¯s eye, so he was truly stumped. ¡°What is it?¡± he whispered to Glenny. ¡°That¡¯s just it,¡± the rogue replied. ¡°I¡¯m getting no feeling from them. No special strengths, no special abilities. They are just¡­ a team of four. Does that make sense?¡± Pondering the question, Lnd took another look at the team. While he agreed they looked like nothing special, he just wasn¡¯t seeing what Glenny was. They looked like the quintessential adventuring team, the team that every survival guide written in the past century suggested. There was no re, no style, no personality. They blended into the crowd, almost perfectly¡­ ¡°I think I see what you mean,¡± Lnd finally whispered back. ¡°Let¡¯s keep an eye on them and the duo.¡± Glenny agreed and refocused on Ms. Lavender and Jude¡¯s conversation. They talked all the way to the small dock, much to the annoyance of those around them. ¡°Alright gang!¡± Ms. Lavender said, turning to everyone. ¡°This is as far as I go. I would like to say good luck to everyone onest time. So, good luck!¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Jude replied, receiving a roll of the eyes from pretty much everyone nearby. Ms. Lavender took a single step onto the dock and activated a hidden runic circle among the woodgrain. She blinked a few times at her feet, then bent over and touched a few points in a fast motion. By the time she stood up, the dock was glowing a bright blue. She stepped back onto the dirt, a smile on her face. ¡°This is a teleportation key. It''s an open secret that the town of Frostford uses one for the ind, but please don¡¯t go spreading what you just saw to any and everyone,¡± Ms. Lavender said. ¡°If the ind is picked clean before the festival, then there won¡¯t be apetition for that year. And we might have to involve the Inquisitors, that would be trespassing after all.¡± Various nods went around the group. ¡°I¡¯m d we have an understanding! The docks will be active for two days, soe back whenever you need or want. Now then, teams will go over one by one in the order they signed up.¡± She scanned down her clipboard. ¡°Up first, we have Lydia and Fin!¡± The Spellsword and spike shield holder stepped forward. After a brief instruction by Ms. Lavender, the pair stepped onto the dock. Fifteen seconds ticked by, then they were suddenly gone. Ms Lavender squinted across the water to the ind¡¯s identical glowing dock. Two familiar outlines suddenly appeared. ¡°Ah! They made it! I¡¯m always afraid something will go wrong and they will be in bits and pieces or something!¡± Everyone looked at the woman like she had grown a second mouth. ¡°Next we have¡­¡± The boys were sixth tost to gain entry to the ind. They stepped onto the dock and momentster appeared across the water. Jude and Glenny wobbled from the disorienting effect, their breakfasts threatening toe up. Lnd grinned at them feeling perfectly fine. The other two red at him. ¡°me my dad,¡± Lnd said. ¡°He used to teleport me to the bathroom as a child whenever I was about to have an ident.¡± Instantly the teleportation sickness cleared up in Jude and Glenny as theyughed and proceeded to mock Lnd. Together, they soon ventured out onto the ind and headed past the curtain of pine trees. They had a singr goal, to win. Back on the maind, Ms. Lavender rounded out thest few teams. A team of three stood on the dock, then disappeared and reappeared on the ind¡¯s dock. She turned to thest team. ¡°Seems like you four arest,¡± she said. ¡°Just wanted to give you all extra luck. So, good extra luck!¡± The team did not look impressed. In fact, they looked as indifferent as possible. Unremarkably so. They silently stepped onto the dock, and subtly gained a bit of mirth. Soon they were on the ind like everyone else, honestly surprised that they had such an easy time infiltrating. The boss shall be pleased. Chapter 74: Island Chapter 74: Ind The first fleck of this season¡¯s snow fell just past noon on the opening day of the herbalismpetition. The boys were wandering around the ind,pletely oblivious to the single snowke. It fell silently, drifting through the slight breeze like a dandelion¡¯s seed finding a new location to grow. Itnded on the leaf of some bizarre red nt, where the magically heated flower melted it instantly. It was nearly six minutester that the boys found the nt. But by then, dozens of snowkes had fallen. ¡°Ahhh,¡± Jude purred with his hands out, reaching toward the heat-producing nt like it was a zing campfire. The heat did little to give the berserker reprieve, the cold being much more substantial than he had anticipated. So, when Lnd cut the base of the nt¡¯s stem with a small knife, Jude¡¯s eyebrows danced in betrayal. ¡°Hey!¡± he snipped, only to be silenced by an annoyed re. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad at us because you didn¡¯t dress warm enough. If I remember correctly, you said,¡± Lnd cleared his throat and put on a mocking tone, ¡°¡¯a true warrior doesn¡¯t get cold on the battlefield!¡¯¡± Jude¡¯s face fell, but then, like a phoenix rising, smirked. ¡°This isn¡¯t hardly a battlefield, we are just picking herbs!¡± Glenny and Lnd looked from their friend¡¯s triumphant smile to each other. The rogue said, ¡°Sure proved us wrong, huh.¡± Jude¡¯s smile preened. Glenny continued, ¡°Being right doesn¡¯t make you warm, though.¡± Jude¡¯s smile fell. Lnd didn¡¯t let up. ¡°But once we start fighting, then surely he¡¯s going to warm up.¡± Jude hesitated, but eventually smiled. The mage continued, ¡°Although, it''s been half-a-day and we haven¡¯t seen one thing to fight. Unless you count those owls that just took off when we neared.¡± Raising his hands in surrender, Jude said, ¡°Alright, alright. I get it. I should have brought a thicker coat.¡± And like a rehearsed duet, Lnd and Glenny looked at each other, set their packs down, and dug through them. Lnd returned with wool gloves, Glenny with a heavy long-sleeve shirt. They both thrust the items to Jude. ¡°Were you two waiting for me to say I was wrong before giving me these?¡± Jude asked, receiving two idle shrugs. ¡°Gee thanks.¡± With the freed spot in his bag, Lnd slipped the heat producing flower into the pocket along with the pair of gloves he was wearing. If anything, he¡¯d have a nice hand-warmer in a few minutes. With that herb settled, the boys continued through the ind forest. Over the course of the next hour, more snow fell, enough for the boys to makements on. While celebrating the first snowfall wasn¡¯t something any of them cared to do, it was always nice to see the white dust. Their hometown was significantly south, making snow this time of year near impossible. That didn¡¯t mean snow wasn¡¯t known to their town. In fact, the boys had several shared memories of snowball fights and snow angels over the years. Simply seeing the snow in a different setting was quite eye opening for all three. They¡¯d alreadye so far in such a short amount of time. This timest year they were at home day dreaming of adventures such as the one they were currently on. Except for Jude. He only dreamed of killing monsters and hard fought battles. He wasn¡¯t the type to care for exploration and seeing natural wonders. Still, the wonders the team faced on the ind were something special. From the many, many distinct and magical types of herbs to the unusual wildlife, they had seen enough oddities to truly acknowledge they were somewhere special. The ind, cultivated by Frostford¡¯s patron Guardian Spirit Beast, was enough to imnt a new snow-memory beside the others. It wasn¡¯t until the group decided to rest and eat dinner that trouble found them. Or rather, smelled them. Uncovering themselves from the dense foliage, two obsidian ck panthers stalked toward the group. As they walked, their front ws extended with blue ice and encased their already deadly ws. Soon the cats unleashed their full magical might, calling attention to themselves a moment before they pounced. The sudden re of magic made each of the boys react in different ways. Glenny, sitting at their small fire facing the surprise attack, reacted first and without recourse. He rushed to his feet, hitting a pure sprint before disappearing within the cloak and turning invisible. He strode straight over the fire, not even feeling the embers against his boots. Jude reacted next, spinning to the attack with open arms. A muscled beast, d in icy armor, flew through the air. They collided, one an iron wall, the other a sharp dagger. ws sank into his skin, the pain only fueling his anger. Without ceremony or worry, Jude rotated the panther with his enhanced strength, and body mmed it to the frozen ground. Lnd reactedst. He turned in reaction with the others, yet he never moved from where he stood. Instead, a faded blue magical bubble appeared around the young warlock, originating from his protective ne. The panther collided with the aegis, like a bug against a windshield. It crumpled under its own force, giving Lnd enough time to whistle. ¡°Maul,¡± hemanded, summoning a murder of ethereal crows. They appeared on the nearby tree branch for a fleeting moment before bombarding the beast. Lnd¡¯s next curse came in right after the previous, and for a heartbeat, he could feel raw instinct from the panther. Their connection severed just in time for Glenny¡¯s twin crimson red spikes to embed themselves into the monster¡¯s ribs. It stopped squirming a few secondster, but the crows and Glenny had already moved to help Jude. The berserker stumbled back after rolling around in the dirt with the first panther. He hastily got to his feet, although the battle was already won. Glenny slipped out of invisibility, having already made the creature¡¯s corpse a pincushion. The crows also flew to nearby branches, watching, waiting. ¡°You okay there, Jude?¡± Lnd asked, stepping forward and removing his ring of regeneration. Jude, for what it was worth, looked like hell. Covered in blood and loose dirt, wearing two shirts now shredded into ribbons, and grimacing as if holding back a cracking dam wall. He muttered rushed and muted numbers, counting as high as his Legacy would allow. Slowly his breathing became level and his rage died down. epting Lnd¡¯s ring, Jude said, ¡°Yeah.¡± The others looked at each other before finding more important things to do. Glenny turned invisible and confirmed their safety. Lnd shuffled through his pack, pulling out a sewing kit and another shirt. ¡°Do I need to sew up a wound as well as those shirts? Regeneration only goes so far,¡± he asked, finding Jude staring at the panthers. Jude shook his head, and lifted an arm. Across his side and chest were ten w marks in the form of red streaks. ¡°They aren¡¯t deep, no. I should be good.¡± Lnd nodded and signaled for Jude to remove his shirt. A few minutester, the bleeding stopped and washable bandages found themselves around the berserker¡¯s torso. A new long sleeve shirt reced the old. Glenny returned not long after. ¡°I think we are safe from monsters, but we aren¡¯t safe from that.¡± He pointed straight up, through the canopy. Above was brooding gray swirls and rapid winds. Once pointed out, the howling wind made itself known to the trio. The trees were doing a good job blocking most of the windshear, but it was obvious what wasing. ¡°A blizzard?¡± Jude asked. Lnd nodded his head. ¡°Not a natural one, however. See how the clouds are swirling into themselves? ssic evidence of magical involvement.¡± Knowing the answer already, Glenny still felt the need to ask. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means, someone is doing something very illegal here.¡± Weather magic, while used by some towns and cities as a means to mass-water crops with a rain spell, was highly illegal when permission wasn¡¯t given by the local government. ¡°Maybe Frostford just really wants a good snowfall for their festival?¡± Jude asked. Shaking his head, Lnd said, ¡°Blizzard spells are highly illegal. Unless most of the town¡¯s leadership wanted to risk going to jail for a chunk of their lives, this is not them.¡± ¡°What do we do then?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Find shelter, I guess. Unless we want to call it and quit thepetition.¡± Jude and Glenny looked at Lnd like he was dumb. ¡°With the chance of a parasitic staff? No way.¡± Lnd gave them a soft smile. ¡°Alright. We are going to need to find a cave or something like that.¡± Like a lightning bolt, Glenny shot off, turning invisible and rushing through the forest. Jude and Lnd followed as quickly as they could. All across the ind, the adventurers participating in thepetition looked to the sky in confusion. Those that understood the implications of such weather sought shelter, those that didn¡¯t simply trudged on and collected more points. In fact, all teams were rtively near each other when it came to who had the most points. All except one team of four. They had other prizes to capture. Alive, preferably. And they had just picked up a scent. Soon, under the cover of the blizzard, they would have free reign to do whatever they wanted. Chapter 75: Cub Chapter 75: Cub A vein in the Huntress¡¯ temple throbbed like no other. She took her eyes off the boys for less than a week and they¡¯d already gotten themselves into trouble. First a murderous Witch, then a city invaded by cultists. Now a weather mage of some kind on a remote ind? She honestly couldn¡¯t believe it. They were mas for trouble, more so than any other children she knew. She had been watching the storm grow over thest few hours, and the pure white hell it produced. The ind was¡­ unreachable, even for her. Sure, she could brave the blizzard, but she didn¡¯t think her presence would matter very much. It was obvious the boys weren¡¯t the target, they were just unfortunate bystanders. Or at least she thought. If someone wanted them dead, they could simply kill them in the streets or where they slept. They were finebatants for their age and experience, sure, but anyone with a brain could kill three gullible boys. All it would take was a pretty face or a sob story. Or simply overpowering them ¨C the way she would do it. So, that left the purpose of the blizzard to be something else. The Huntress pondered this as the crowd below started to gather. She was hidden on the rooftops, one of the few vantage points in Frostford to view both the town hall and the ind in the distance. The mayor and a few others were discussing the blizzard and what to do. It seemed to the Huntress that no one knew how to deal with an isted magical storm. She might have to nudge them onto the correct path¡­ or she didn¡¯t. Frankly she didn¡¯t care about this town, its people, or the Guardian Spirit Beast overseeing the area. She also didn¡¯t care if she was officially called to help, unless Witches were involved that was. Which, they might be. The longer she watched the clouds twist and let loose a flurry of snow, the more she believed someone of decent power to be at fault. What to do. What to do. Soon the town would be engulfed, which could be the true objective. A parasitical staff. People killed for less, the Huntress knew from first hand experience. She cursed at herself. She wouldn¡¯t even be here if she hadn¡¯t pushed the smart one toe to this town. Gah, how could she have been so foolish. Why not send them somewhere nice, somewhere with an actual beach and warm weather? Why¡¯d she have to send them to the icy north? The Huntress peered through the window of the building she stood on. The crowd had nearly doubled since she started paying attention to it. There were many concerned citizens and tourists. It seemed that some were saying their vacations were ruined. She rolled her eyes at that. This was supposed to be her vacation. She had taken time off after Shoutwell and the cult to make sure the boys weren¡¯t up to something and to rest. First she was threatened by a crow and now this? The Huntress¡¯ vein throbbed even more. What to do. What to do. With a mighty huff, she slid down off her perch and hid within the growing crowd. It was easy to go unnoticed. Most were looking to the mayor, and she was used to being subtle. A true hunter could kill their target by bing their best friend if they needed. To the Huntress, acting the part of a concerned citizen was child¡¯s y. She waited a few minutes, listening to the town¡¯s woes and pleading to her Lord for an opening to speak soon. She wasn¡¯t sure how much more of this she could take. After a particrly agitated man and his two children were escorted out, the Huntress took her chance with the silence. ¡°It''s magic. A spell,¡± was all she said. That roused the crowd, pulling plenty more fits of rage. The mayor was instantly in the firing line and promptly was demanded to respond. He didn¡¯t. So the Huntress did. ¡°An illegal spell,¡± she said, raising her voice tobat the horrid yelling. Her vein was throbbing even harder now. ¡°Highly illegal.¡± With that, the crowd went silent. They looked between her and the mayor. The older gentleman, Mr. Frostlung hesitated, allowing the vulture-like citizens to pounce. Calls to contact the Inquisitors were sounded within minutes, which was all the Huntress wished to do. She slipped out of the crowd, slowly walking backwards against the crowd that lurched forward. She hung out at the back of the room just to make sure things were going to proceed the way she wanted them too. ¡°Is what you say true?¡± The Huntress startled at the words not because she didn''t know someone was standing beside her, but rather she wasn¡¯t expecting said person to talk to her. The crowd was too enthralled with yelling at the mayor to pay attention to her, why was a young woman trying to talk to her? That wasn¡¯t usually what happened in these sort of delicate operations. The Huntress eyed the young woman. ¡°Yes. Weather spells, especially snow-rted ones, are illegal.¡± The young woman clutched a clipboard to her chest. ¡°Those on the ind are going to be fine, right? The storm is right on them!¡± Eying the child through the corner of her eye, the Huntress reminisced on why she hated socializing. So many people worry, so little people do. ¡°Even if they weren¡¯t, what could you do to help them? Trust me, magical blizzards are nothing to y in.¡± The young woman shook her head. ¡°I could try to signal them from the dock. Maybe some will¡ª¡± ¡°If they wish to leave, they will. Those are adventurers out there, not children,¡± the Huntress rolled her eyes at her ownment. ¡°Well, most aren¡¯t children. Those smart enough to take shelter will, at least until the herbpetitiones to an end. Adventurers always want money and shiny toys. Risking their lives is something ingrained into them.¡± Thest sentence was said with a snarl, one the young woman didn¡¯t notice. ¡°I just hope they are okay.¡± That, the Huntress could agree with. At least for those special three she had decided to stalk. They were important to her, whether or not she could admit it. Hiding under the forestry and underbrush was a small opening leading into a small cave. With only enough room for the boys to sit, their fire was horribly small. Yet, the underground tunnel was warmer inside than out in the blizzard. Without the windchill, the boys found the temperature manageable. Even Jude was content with their rocky inn, despite there being no battle around to warm him. Currently they shared ate dinner, the blizzard almost making them miss the meal. Their food? Therge roach-like insect they followed into the cave. As it turned out, bug meat was much more ptable when charred pure ck. Essentially, the exoskeleton worked as a sealed pot, boiling the internal meat in its own juices. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we have to eat this,¡± Judeined after taking his second helping. Glenny rolled his eyes. ¡°me Lnd.¡± ¡°What the heck, Leals?¡± Judeughed in a mocking tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t create the blizzard,¡± Lnd replied. ¡°me that guy.¡± ¡°You did identify it to be still growing,¡± Glenny huffed, slurping at the bug-stew. ¡°True, but it wasn¡¯t my idea to grill up the roach. That was your idea.¡± ¡°Rationing now will save us heartacheter. At least, if what you say about the blizzard taking days to disperse is true.¡± Lnd nodded to that. ¡°Someone is maintaining the spell, yes. I¡¯m now sure of it. It won¡¯t simply go away until they stop.¡± Jude perked up at that. ¡°Then we should go find them. Make them stop.¡± He smashed his fist into his palm. ¡°That¡¯s a good way to run into an ambush. Obviously whoever is making the blizzard was prepared. What¡¯s to say they don¡¯t have protection?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Probably one of thepetitors and their team.¡± Lnd pondered his friend''s words. They were true, at least with the information they had to go off of. But he did wonder, just which team was it? The spiked shield and Spellsword duo came to mind first, but the Spellsword already showed his element to be lightning. Which could technically create a blizzard, if the caster really wanted to. But Lnd doubted that it would be highly inefficient. So that meant it was someone else. The image of four,pletely unassuming adventurers came to mind. Nah, he thought, continuing through the list. Eventually dinner ended and Lnd and Glenny fell asleep. Jude took first watch and sat with his back to the fire near the cave¡¯s entrance. As he sat there, bored as could be, he began to practice. Harmonica in hand and ying so lightly the howling winds overshadowed the notes, Jude continued his mastery over the instrument. She crawled, each paw, even the one leaking blood like a cracked bucket, pushed into the fresh snow. Her tracks were obvious, that much she knew, but she had to run. Her life depended on it. Her pursuer, while they might not kill her instantly, definitely would be the cause of her death. Through captivity or for some snobby noble¡¯s mantle, she would die if she was caught. She had to get home. She had to. Mother would protect her. It was Mother¡¯s job after all. A simple deal the very humans that sought to take their pelt. She snarled in rage at the thought. Mother surely would have her own opinions on the matter, but not her. She knew how untrusting humans were. She saw them in a way her mother never could. Like right now. She only ventured a few steps from her home, she was practically still in their backyard. That was all it took to be hunted. Still, she ran. Mother would kill those who dared enter their domain. She would, would¡­ would¡­ She stopped cold. Not because of the blizzard, frozen ground, or even the poachers following closely behind. Where¡­? She spun, looking for familiarity in the forest. She had left her home while the area was still green! How was she supposed to expect everything to turn so white? She was nearby, she knew. But where? Where? Her heart beat faster. She had never felt like this before. Mother was always there to sooth her. To sing to her. To preen with her. To¡­ to¡­ Something grew within her. Something that made her loose muscles stiffen and her mind fall apart. She could admit it. She was a fool. She should have listened to her mother. She should have stayed in her home where it was safe and warm. Mother¡­ A stick snapped in the distance. She turned, finding only white hail. How far were they? Was she within their view? Was she found? What would Mother do? she asked herself, finding the answer easily. Her mother would listen, something she had done since she gained her intelligence so many lifetimes ago. She had listened to the humans. She had heard all of the woes and pleas. She had then thought, concluding with the best course of action. Then she would react. Then she would make a move. Standing in the blizzard the little cub craned her neck, pushing her ears toward the sound of the stick. She heard them, it was easy despite the howling wind. They were close, too close. She needed to move, she needed to run. But she also knew that would only end in her capture. Her leg, the one with the arrow sticking through it, wouldn¡¯t get her far. She needed to find home. She needed to listen for¡­ for¡­ for¡­ What is that? she thought hearing a nearby cry. It ebbed and flowed, rising in pitch and lowering like a bird song. Song? Is that music? Mother? She sted off, the pain in her leg momentarily forgotten. Mother was near! She was here! She hade out of their home to save her! The cub pushed through the underbrush and snow. It was then she recognized where she was. Everything looked familiar! That small arching nt! That rock that looked like a face! The big broken stick with the weird barbs on it! The cave! Oh how she missed the cave and the many, many things it held! Like the glowing mushrooms further down! Or the human sitting in the entr¡ª Her eyes widened as her paws came to a full stop. It wasn¡¯t her mother, in fact, it was theplete opposite. She stared at the human as he stared back. Both looked on in shock, but then sadness overcame the human. He looked at her with such hurt in his eyes. The same look her mother had when father died. ¡°Oh you poor thing,¡± the human whispered. He reached forward, taking her. She wanted to run, she needed to hide. But she couldn¡¯t move. She couldn¡¯t cry. She was petrified in fear. Frozen solid like the ice her mothermanded. Yet as the human cradled her, she began to thaw. He was warm. Chapter 76: Tracks Chapter 76: Tracks Banks red at Ori through magically enhanced eyes, bypassing the thick hazard of the swirling blizzard. Wisps of yellow and orange invaded his sight, highlighting edges and shadows in contrasting warmth. It wasn¡¯t perfect vision, but it was enough for simply walking through rough weather. Ori, however, was a different story. She worked entirely off taste. With her eyes closed, her Legacy thrived. Tongue out and panting like the Lord of the Canine, she zed through the snow all in the name of iron. Blood, as she actually knew it, but saying iron was much more decent, in her mind. Her profession was already gross and despicable, why would she make her enhanced taste sound even more vile than it already was? She wasn¡¯t a Scourging after all. ¡°Did you lose the trail?¡± Banks asked. ¡°No,¡± Ori replied with speed. ¡°The cub waited here for a minute or two. The taste of iron is much stronger.¡± ¡°Which way then?¡± The tracker held up a finger, signaling for patience. Eventually she bent over and picked at the snow. She tasted various depths, spitting out the rotten dirt as she filtered through what it was telling her. She craned her neck, finding a path through the forest. ¡°This way,¡± she said. ¡°Hey guys,¡± Jude said, the wind outside the cave rushing by with a howl of anger. ¡°Guys, wake up.¡±Lnd and Glenny began to stir. Due to the narrowness of the cave, they were both sleeping sitting up. They blinked the grogginess away, finding their berserker friend clutching a ball of fur. ck thick hairs sprung from the mass, which then tapered into a soft blue and eventual frozen white. The beast looked like a spiky snowball with a core of dirt and ink. ¡°Uh, what is that?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°A bear cub,¡± Jude replied, which he then followed up with, ¡°I think.¡± ¡°You think,¡± Lnd echoed. ¡°Why, uh, why is it here?¡± ¡°It was running. Ran right into me. Practically jumped into my arms for protection.¡± He hoisted the cub forward, showing off its long snout and saddened eyes. ¡°See? Look at how pitiful it is.¡± Lnd and Glenny looked from the cub to each other. ¡°Running from what?¡± Jude¡¯s eyes widened at the question. He froze for a moment but ultimately knew there was no lying to his friends. ¡°An arrow.¡± ¡°An arrow.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Jude,¡± Lnd said calmly. ¡°Whose arrow?¡± Jude shrugged at that. ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Lnd asked only for Glenny to speak right after. ¡°Where is this arrow?¡± Pushing out the cub¡¯s back leg, Jude showed his friends a thick yellow-orange arrow that entered one side and exited the other. ¡°She¡¯s hurt pretty bad.¡± ¡°She?¡± Jude nodded at that. Lnd took a deep breath. ¡°Right, she. Okay. So.¡± He paused. ¡°Glenny help me out here.¡± ¡°Jude you can¡¯t just take in a monster cub,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Even if she is hurt and you nurse her back to health, her mother wille and¡­ well we will be forced to put her down. Then the cub will be on her own.¡± ¡°Not to mention the hunter,¡± Lnd quickly added. ¡°They might want to fight¡ª¡° A pain ripped through the back of his hand. He grunted loudly, startling the cub. Jude whispered warmth and sweetness to the young beast, calming her, but Lnd was focused on the blood that trickled from his tattoo. The crow was wildly pping its wings, like it was signaling a guard in a crowded city street. His veins went cold at that and his thoughts went straight to the cub. Was she a danger? Were they in danger? Something clicked in the back of Lnd¡¯s mind. He wanted to pull out his grimoire and check, he desperately wanted to check if his newest spell was finally unlocked. However, something nagged at him. He watched the blood drip from the back of his hand andnd silently on the stone floor. Slowly, like uncovering a horrid secret, his eyes moved up the tunnel leading out of the cave. Blood. A trail of blood originating from the arrow wound on the bear cub. His eyes widened and he quickly spoke, ¡°We need to leave. Right now.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t wait around. He moved to his pack, shoving his nket into wherever it would fit. As he did so, he dumped whatever was left of their dinner onto the small fire, extinguishing it with a burnt sizzle. ¡°Leals?¡± Jude asked, still holding the bear. ¡°The blizzard has been raging for hours,¡± Lnd rapidly said. ¡°And that wound is fresh. Which only means¡ª¡± ¡°Whoever created the blizzard is the one who shot the bear,¡± Glenny interrupted before moving to his own pack. ¡°Or someone strong enough to brave the blizzard, yes,¡± Lnd continued. ¡°If it¡¯s thetter, then they probably won¡¯t attack us on sight. If it¡¯s the former, well, they¡¯ve already proven themselves to use a highly illegal spell. What¡¯s three murders?¡± The cub twisted at that, forcing Jude to loosen his grip to not bump the arrow. The bear took advantage and slipped from his grasp. It then ran, past Lnd and Glenny, deeper into the small tunnel of the cave. ¡°Wait!¡± Jude yelled. Oddly enough, the bear did. She stopped, herme leg hardly moving. She turned, looking back at them three with saddened eyes. She then focused on Jude, the other twopletely out of her mind. Warmth, warmth was what she felt. Jude, in that moment, reminded her of her mother and the sheer feeling of home of her den. ¡°Follow me,¡± she said aloud. Jude¡¯s eyebrow rose much the same as Lnd¡¯s and Glenny¡¯s. However, he smirked while they both gaped at the small bear. He trudged forward, picking up his pack and stepping over the remains of their fire. ¡°I knew it,¡± he muttered. Glenny roused before Lnd to react in a dignified manner. He got to his feet and quickly chased after Jude as he walked around the corner of the tunnel. ¡°You knew what?¡± Hesitating, Lnd looked from the crow still pping on the back of his hand to the entrance of the cave to where his friends had disappeared into the darkness. He gave an annoyed groan, standing and chasing after the others. ¡°I knew she was special,¡± Jude said. ¡°Just look at her! Have you ever seen a bear with blue fur?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say I have,¡± Glenny said. ¡°But then again, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the most special thing about her. She can speak. I¡¯ve only ever heard of that in centuries old monsters and beasts. Not a cub.¡± Lnd coughed at that. ¡°Where are we going? It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t put my faith in the bear, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± His words trailed off as Jude looked at him with an odd expression. ¡°Just trust her, alright? I have a good feeling about this.¡± ¡°You have a good feeling?¡± Glenny echoed. ¡°Just what kind of feeling¡ª¡± His words caught in his throat when the bear cub abruptly dropped into a small hole. Jude didn¡¯t waste time, he pushed by and looked down. It was then the cub popped her head out of the opening. She looked at everyone then dipped back down, obviously signaling to follow. Jude did so without hesitation. Lnd and Glenny looked at each other. Before they could decide to follow, Jude¡¯s voice called through the hole. ¡°Guys! You¡¯ve got to see this!¡± With a grumble the others followed. Their worries of being trapped were instantly quashed. The small hole opened into a cavern, one where six or seven people could stand with their arms outstretched without touching. A rocky room wasn¡¯t what left the boys in giddy silence, however. There, at the far edge of the room, was a dungeon portal. It swirled with magical energy, lighting up the area with blue tinge. Moss, lichen, and plenty of mushrooms lined the walls and floor, growing in small patches that illuminated a simr glow to the portal. Like arge mirror, pools of collected water sat with a frigid chill. The dungeon entrance and glowing nts reflected off the water, creating a walkway of blue light. The boys slowly stepped through, their feet casting long wavy ripples. None of them thought about the cold of the water, nor the fact their socks were now soaked through. No, they thought about the dungeon entrance and the countless rare herbs that were waiting for harvest. ¡°Mother is through there,¡± the bear cub said, her eyes locked on the swirling blue entrance. Jude took the statement as it was. He reached down and picked up his new furry friend. ¡°I¡¯ll carry you to her.¡± Both Lnd and Glenny frowned at that. ¡°She¡¯s not going to hurt us, right?¡± Before the bear could respond, a slow p emanated from the cavern¡¯s entrance. The boys spun on their heels, creating a wake that followed their movements. Two stood there, both with weapons drawn. One, the younger male, held a yellow-orange bow and smiled in pure delight. The other, an older woman, pped with a short thick sword in her hand. They both stared greedily at the cub. ¡°You found her!¡± the male said, his smile turning predatory. The woman nced at him before saying, ¡°You can give her back. She¡¯s our mark.¡± A snarl formed on Jude¡¯s lips. ¡°You did this to her?¡± he asked, motioning to the still bleeding wound and stuck arrow. ¡°Sure did,¡± the man said. ¡°But you already knew that.¡± ¡°And,¡± the woman added, ¡°you found this ce. Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± The manughed at that. ¡°It really is. Too bad you three aren¡¯t going to see it for much longer.¡± Like clockwork, the woman pointed her sword forward and the man drew back on his bow. Jude, slowly and methodically, set the cub down, petting her blue fur. As the first arrow flew through the air, he let out a feral war cry, purposefully allowing it to pierce his flesh. There was no pain, none at all. Instead there was only rage. Chapter 77: Fury Chapter 77: Fury Lnd cursed as he reached for Jude. He tried to stop him. He tried to interfere. He tried to crush the rage before it consumed his friend. There was no time to talk about things. There was no time to hear out both sides. There was no time to argue whether to fight or not. There only was. And it was now. Purple light shed with blue as Lnd¡¯s hand twisted away from Jude and mmed into the open page of his grimoire. Instantly magic and lifeforce took to reality, swirling up through his body to the top of his head. The curse activated along with creating its namesake, the Harbinger Halo. Power bubbled in Lnd¡¯s veins. It was only five present, but he felt like the king of the world at that moment. ¡°We can try to run!¡± Glenny said just before he slipped into invisibility. Lnd pushed mana and lifeforce to his lips, whistling into the cavern. The flock of ethereal crows didn¡¯t seem to mind the enclosed arena, and began their assault. They attacked the bow wielder, focusing on his eyes rather than tearing at his open skin. ¡°They will just follow us!¡± Lnd yelled back, his voice brimming with raw power. Jude took another arrow to the chest. He didn¡¯t grunt or cry, instead he slowly picked up speed, rushing toward his target. Another arrow sailed through the air, missing wide as a crow cut into the archer¡¯s face. That didn¡¯t faze Jude. He was sprinting at this point, only the ankle high water slowing his rage. Empty handed, he raised his arms up as if swinging an imaginary sword. The woman cocked her head at the strange gesture, raising her weapon with a smirking hesitance. Jude thrashed his arms down, his battle axe appearing mid-swing. The woman¡¯s eyes widened, rushing to absorb the blow. Metal met metal and the woman¡¯s guard was broken. Jude threw another wild blow, using his weight as a propent. Just then, Glenny¡¯s twin spike of red power appeared behind the woman. Both Jude and Glenny attacked, the former high with a horizontal sweep, theter low with a brutal thrust. The woman cursed, spinning to block Glenny¡¯s stab with the brunt of her thick short sword while unveiling her Legacy¡¯s call sign to intercept Jude¡¯s sh. A tail shot through her armor, connecting with the battle axe with a metal pang. Her tail then flexed, slicing at Jude. A red streak appeared across his arm. Whizzing through the air, an arrow cut into where Glenny¡¯s attack originated . The arrow then turned invisible while a slop of blood fell to the watery floor. The rogue grunted, his invisible form ripping the arrow from his thigh. He quickly retreated, each step sending more ripples through the reflective pools of water. The archer lined up another shot¡ª He stopped, turning his attention to Lnd. The Legacy of Curses was distracted. Before him were thest remaining souls of the Damned carrying lost souls. They both held out their arms in offering, waiting for their master to choose which soul was being consumed. But something was strange about the lost souls. Lnd couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. Information was invading his brain. His mind was burning with horrid screams, the very screams he had been searching his mind for at the Huntress¡¯ behest. Something was wanting to make itself known. A curse, that much was apparent. But what was it? What could cause so much pain? He couldn¡¯t think about it now. Lnd lowered his hand, taking the lost soul from that of the Damned. Green mist enveloped his mind, body, and soul, ushering in the power of consumption and that of the Warlock. He turned his attention to the archer, pushing his lifeforce out. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± he spit. The man¡¯s eyes widened as violet fire exploded into life. He loosed his arrow, activating a Legacy ability of his own. The arrow passed through the fire without so much as a char mark. It rotated faster and faster as it flew, shining a deep amber and shedding a hail of sparks. The cavern¡¯s pools of water momentarily turned orange, like ake under a fireworks disy. As a soul of the Damned wed itself out of the rocky floor andyer of water, it locked eyes with the man before green mist filtered from his body. Yet, the arrow continued toward its target. Lnd flinched, pushing mana into his protective ne. Then, like waking up to a nightmare, he remembered the panthers from earlier in the day. He had used his ne back then, protecting himself from a potentially deadly pounce. So, when no bubble aegis formed around his body, Lnd cursed at himself. Fear gripped him momentarily, along with the precognition of dying from his own stupidity. How hard was it to make sure he recharged his ne? Guild Master Gill had warned him about this when he won the enchanted piece of jewelry. How could he be so¡ª Alive? Lnd peeked through his tightly shut eyes before falling back in surprise. Hended with an ungraceful ssh. Fully sprouted from the ground was the remaining soul of the Damned. This was the first time he had seen a soul in its entirety. Mystical green, fleshless yet muscled, skeletons with an odd blurry fa?ade to their haunting appearance. Truthfully, Lnd wasn¡¯t surprised that the soul looked the way it did. In fact, he had assumed it was how they looked from the moment he first summoned one. What did surprise him, however, was that the soul had caught the arrow cold. Still spinning like a drill, the arrow continued to unleash sparks. Yet, it was harmless. The soul had made sure of that. It looked to Lnd, giving him only what he could call a ¡°nod of appreciation.¡± The soul then dropped the arrow, fading away with a mist of green. Internally, information came to Lnd¡¯s mind. Thest remaining lost soul had been consumed, thus freeing the soul of the Damned holding it. Reincarnation wouldeter for both. Seeing his target fall, the archer instantly turned his attention to his teammate and the two attacking her. He fired two pot shots off at Jude, the berserker simply ignoring his ever growing collection of pointy sticks jutting from his body. The man scanned for Glenny, finding rushing ripples heading for his teammate. He fired an arrow, activating another ability. The arrow split, turning into an arched volley. They hurdled through the air, covering every location the rogue could dodge to. Only, he didn¡¯t have to. An icy curtain burst from the ground just before Glenny. He ended up mming into the thin wall, breaking through it but not before six arrows were stopped dead. A low growl sounded from further down in the cavern and the archer and Glenny turned to find the bear cub snarling. The water around the archer¡¯s ankles froze over at the same time Lnd got to his feet. A shriek whistle echoed through the chamber, along with the single word ¡°Maul.¡± Crows came in with a blitz, each smashing into the archer from various angles. The man fumbled from the sudden attack, the icy restraints on his feet proving to be a momentary distraction. He forced the ice to crack, kicking out, before diving to the side. Violet mes met him like a sticky incendiary. The man grunted as he scrambled away from the heatless fire. Part of his shoulder burned with a vibrant dazzle, meshing with the still leaking green mist. The pain was horrible to the point that his pull-string hand struggled to draw. He loosed a weak arrow at the soul of the Damned still staring at him. The arrow passed through seamlessly. A crack sounded in his shin, along with the pain equivalent to shattered ss. Then came the crows, rushing back with unbridled speed and sharp talons. They ignored his eyes this time, focusing on his hands. He dropped his bow when another crack sounded along his mid-spine. He crumpled as his muscles gave out. The crows pecked at him, tore his flesh, ate his muscles. Soon his soul fully leaked out, leaving him as nothing but a husk. The soul of the Damned shot forward, taking the now lost soul before disappearing into the ground. It reemerged next to Lnd, hoisting its offering to its master. Lnd ignored the soul, focusing his attention on Jude and the woman¡¯s duel. Glenny was nowhere to be seen, only a fading rippleing from the far end of the cavern. After casting Curse of Copse on the woman, Lnd pushed his lifeforce lower and lower with casts of Fracture. He wasn¡¯t afraid of passing out fromck of lifeforce, not when he had a lost soul nearby to instantly heal his fleeting life. Still, he didn¡¯t want a headache, not with Glenny out ofmission and Jude enraged. He would save it for now. Jude and the woman were at a stalemate, yet every passing second more pain was converted into strength. Jude would eventually win, but his body would be ruined. Not that he cared. Not when the rage had taken over. Multiple bones, all hardened with the strength of a mid-tier rank two, felt odd in the woman¡¯s body. She chalked it up to the vibrations of blocking blow after blow but as she nced at her partner, she realized something else was happening. Bumps appeared under the man¡¯s skin, fractures pushing out of his dead flesh. She grunted, finding Lnd muttering to himself in the back. Gritting her teeth, the woman kicked forward, brushing past Jude and marking her target. She was slow, from the water and the exhaustion surrounding her heart, but she trudged forward like a hound. Lnd didn¡¯t move, he couldn¡¯t. Not if he wanted to maintain his focus. ¡°Fracture, Fracture, Fracture, Fracture,¡± he said, pushing as much mana and life force into every curse as he could. When he was testing his spells on the Huntress, none of his spells took effect. The rank disparity was simply too high. This time, however, was different. Lnd was at the cusp of rank two while the woman was mid rank two. His spells affected her, just slower. Each heavy step in the water put force on the woman¡¯s skeleton, on her brittle bones. Her knee gave out, sending her sprawling into the water. An icy spike from the bear cub erected directly below her torso. Ice sheared into metal armor, sundering it like that of a sword. Blood leaked around her, turning the reflectant water sickly red. The blue glow of the cave still outshined the crimson however, at least before Jude attacked. His axe came down like a boulder falling off a cliff. It cut into her back, severing her spine before he yanked it out and chopped down again. And again. And again. Soon the pool was a nasty brown. And soon Jude turned his sights on Lnd. Pages flipped with a rush of imaginary wind. Lnd¡¯s grimoire opened to the contract of the Lord of Spirits. He cursed as he mmed his palm into the page, he stepped back when he cursed Jude to slow down. A hot wave filtered through the cavern as Lnd¡¯s curse took on the aspect of victory. Glory was what he went with, something he hoped Jude¡¯s rage would connect with more easily. Jude continued forward, uncaring. ¡°Stop it!¡± a voice said, cutting through the cavern along with icy mist. Part of the already cold water froze over, enough of it around Jude to cause him to turn. ¡°Stop it!¡± the cub pleaded. ¡°We¡¯ve won!¡± Jude tilted his head at the creature. Something about its ck with blue-white fur bothered him. What was it? His heart started pumping, along with it the rush of battle. Yet, the battle was over, wasn¡¯t it? Oh, he mused. This must be victory. Jude continued to step forward, his mind still foggy. His eyes, however, were still trained on the cub. Her fur, her soft fluffy fur. He recognized something was wrong with her fur, however. What was it? ck with blue-white tips, yes. Damp because of the water, right. Red from the blood¡ª Jude pulled away from the rage and the exaggerated feeling of victory. He blinked a few times before rushing forward and saying, ¡°You¡¯re bleeding worse!¡± Chapter 78: Waybound Chapter 78: Waybound Glenny fell,nding with a visible ssh. He groaned, his wobbly form for all to see. With the effort of a tired lion, he forced himself to roll onto his back. The shallow pool of water was deep enough for water to tickle his ears, but frankly he didn¡¯t care. He was bleeding too badly for that. Removing his ring of regeneration, Lnd let out his held breath. He trudged over to Glenny and dropped to his knee. A few secondster, the ring was on the injured rogue and the arrow wound was starting to magically cauterize. ¡°I think I have a concussion,¡± Glenny said, his eyes mped shut as the blue glowing light of the cavern assaulted him. ¡°A mild one.¡± ¡°When did that happen?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Ice wall. Crashed into it,¡± was all he said. Lnd remembered the moment quite well. The bear cub had saved Glenny from a volley of arrows. That made both boys look over. Jude was hesitating on his knees before the bear. He looked at the cub then back at Glenny then back to the cub. Both had arrow injuries, although only one had the arrow still embedded into them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Glenny yelled over. ¡°Lnd gave me his ring.¡± The berserker nodded and slowly he began petting the bear. His eyes drifted down, finding the yellow-orange arrow. With a stiff yank, the arrow was pulled through the cub¡¯s leg and out the other side. In her agony, the cub reacted with an ample growl-yelp. Jude continued petting her with one hand, the other rifling through his pack for a set of gauze. But the time he started wrapping, he was whispering to the cub. Soothing and warm, the opposite of the water they sat in. They took nearly ten minutes to fully regain their bearings. Despite their injuries, the group needed to move. Lnd brought this up. ¡°Those two were a part of a team of four,¡± he said. ¡°Glenny you called it.¡± Glenny gave a weak nod. Lnd continued, ¡°That means two more are out there.¡± ¡°Should be safe for a little while,¡± the cub suddenly announced, her snout resting on Jude¡¯s crossed legs. ¡°Two were left behind.¡± Lnd, trying to ignore how strange this conversation was, asked, ¡°Stayed behind?¡± ¡°The blizzard. One to maintain, the other to protect.¡± ¡°I see. That means until they get suspicious as to why their friends haven¡¯t returned, we have time.¡± ¡°How much time is that?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Not enough,¡± Glenny muttered. Sucking his bottom lip, Lnd thought through an idea. ¡°We can¡¯t hide, not with the blizzard and Glenny¡¯s head. The ring of regeneration needs time, head injuries take a while. That means it would be two on two if they appear.¡± Jude looked up, then at the cub. He nodded. ¡°So,¡± Lnd continued, ¡°we enter the dungeon.¡± The cub perked up at that, both ears flicking forward like a dog interested in a smell. ¡°Mother will protect you.¡± It was then Lnd truly looked at the bear. Oddly colored fur, magical abilities, knowledge of humans, their magic, and the forethought to seek refuge with a different party. And, of course, being able to speak. This wasn¡¯t the first time the cub mentioned her mother, something that made previous assumptions click into ce. ¡°Your mother is the Guardian Spirit Beast of Frostford, right?¡± he asked. As Glenny remained silent with his eyes closed, Jude blinked multiple times. The berserker looked at the cub sitting with him, then, like a gear system knocking off rust, his eyes widened. He made a satisfied grunt. ¡°A stupid title,¡± the cub spat. ¡°Nothing ¡®Spirit¡¯ about her.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t think about the statement and instead said, ¡°But she won¡¯t attack us on sight? She¡¯ll leave us alone and let us wait out the blizzard?¡± ¡°She will, yes, but not the others.¡± ¡°Others?¡± Jude asked. ¡°The monsters that have homes in the dungeon,¡± the cub said. ¡°Not intelligent ones. Young ones, not like Mother.¡± Lnd and Jude gave each other a look. ¡°We can work with that,¡± the former said. ¡°How powerful are these monsters?¡± theter asked. The cub rolled her head, looking up at the human who she rested on. She watched him, and more importantly the face he wore. There was no sly smirk, no brimming confidence, no warm and gentle song. No, Jude had finally realized he had enraged again, and again by a simple taunt. Worst of all, he turned on Lnd again, pushing his friend to nearly attack in self-defense. ¡°You would die.¡± Jude sucked in a slow deep breath. The cub continued, ¡°As you are, at least.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Youck confidence. Youck discipline. Mother beat both of those into me the moment I started to show intelligence. Did your mother not do the same?¡± Jude shook his head very slightly. ¡°She and my father both work a lot. They were only able to show me the bare minimum. Fighting and the like.¡± The cub looked at him oddly. Her ears drooped as the short whiskers on her snout flexed. She sniffed Jude, her blue-white tipped fur brushing into him. She returned to her spot after Jude smiled. ¡°He¡¯s not supposed to be as strong as he is now,¡± Lnd said. ¡°His Legacy is more advanced than he is prepared for, sure, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s not disciplined.¡± Jude continued that thought. ¡°My mom and I have the same Legacy. She was going to help me with my issues, but no one thought we¡¯d have such a hectic past few weeks.¡± The cub closed her eyes, purring like a cat yet much deeper. She eventually spoke, ¡°Mother will help you. Rage is something all bears know.¡± ¡°Y-your mother will help me?¡± Jude asked. The cub grunted. ¡°You helped me. She will help you.¡± They went back and forth for a few more minutes, yet Lnd found himself not paying attention. Instead, he flipped through his grimoire. Something had changed, his tattoo pecking him proved as much. He went one by one, page after page, checking each curse for changes. Everything looked the same. Eventually he arrived at the second tost page. It was loose. Unstuck. Unlocked. Lnd carefully flipped the page like a schr reading a thousand year old tome. Soul Fire: Type: Curse Rank: 1 (S) Ignite a lost soul. Soul Fire¡¯s strength directly corrtes to the strength of soul used. You are the Cmity. Lnd read and reread the page. Again and again, he looked at the description. There wasn¡¯t much to go off of, in fact, he didn¡¯t even know which Lord the curse originated from. All of his other curses noted which power they invoke, Lord of Crows, Bones, Death, and Souls. The only curse that didn¡¯t was Harbinger Halo, which allowed him to choose a specific Lord. His only hint was the Cmity. The simplest answer was the curse was rted to the Lord of Souls, after all Soul Fire used a soul as ammunition. Yet Lnd didn¡¯t think that was quite right. Not when he was called Child of the Cmity by the Moonless Lord. Lnd knew of a few religions, mostly the ancient ones that revered the Lords in vastly different ways than the modern ones, that called Legacies ¡°Children of¡± instead. While the title was different, their meaning was virtually the same. Could that be what the Moonless Lord was referring to? Would that make me the Child of the Curse Lord? he asked himself. Could the Curse Lord be the Cmity? Shuffling pulled Lnd from his thoughts. Jude was standing and helped the cub to walk to the dungeon entrance. He quickly returned, assisting Glenny with a slow steady shoulder to lean on. ¡°Jude, if Glenny¡¯s going to be out ofmission for a few more hours,¡± Lnd said. ¡°If monsters attack¡ª¡± ¡°I know. I won¡¯t enrage, I promise.¡± Lnd nodded at that, standing himself. As he crossed through the blue glowing cavern, a smile crept up on him. He abruptly stopped, realizing that his sixth, and hopefully final, primary curse had unlocked. While the description wasn¡¯t much to go off of and the mystery surrounding its power source left more questions than any of his other curses, he still had unlocked it. Meaning he could focus on ranking it up and reach rank two himself. Lnd¡¯s smile only erged at the thought, and for the first time since Shoutwell, he felt like he was back on his path. ¡°We ready?¡± he asked Jude, Glenny, and the cub standing before the swirling portal entrance. Jude gave a nod but Lnd held out his hand. ¡°Remember, we have one minute to enter, which also means anyone else has one minute as well. We go in, and wait to attack anyone who might enter as well.¡± Gulping at that Jude let out a deep breath. No one expected the two other poachers to be nearby, but better safe than sorry. With that, he walked into the dungeon with Glenny hanging off his arm. He pushed the rogue through before dragging the two dead bodies in as well. He then entered, the cub one step behind, her back leg limp but otherwise wrapped up and healing. Lnd wasst. He hesitated at thest step, turning around and memorizing the cavern. The poachers had tracked the cub through blood, surely their friends would do the same. At least there¡¯d be no evidence of their deaths, their bodies hidden away in the dungeon. Still, Lnd was smart enough to know there was going to be an ambush the moment he and the others exited the dungeon. They needed to be ready for it when the time came. Chapter 79: Dungeon Chapter 79: Dungeon Lnd¡¯s breath hitched as he viewed pearly white. He didn¡¯t let himself stare, in fact he spun on his heel the moment his mind finally caught up. Before him was the exit to the dungeon, along with it the green glow of a one minute timer. He nced to his left, finding Jude and the cub, weapon and ws out and ready. He nced to his right, finding Glenny doing his best to look serious. The rogue¡¯s head was bobbing in an odd fashion, one that mimicked the shaking blinks of his eyes. The young man could hardly stand, all of his weight on a single leg and his head about to burst, but he held firm. He copsed the moment the exit turned red. ¡°Glenny!¡± Lnd screeched, rushing over. Jude followed the cry, both boys falling before their friend. They positioned his head on the soft part of a pack, like a pillow. It was bright, very bright. The sun¡¯s reflectant rays shone down against the endless white . Snow as far as the eye could see, a t ne of fluffy cold snow. A sh of blue sliced across the horizon as the sky took, doming above the boys without clouds or birds. Only the yellow golden light of the sun broke up the pristine blue, and even then the sun felt small. A wondend, deste, a void. There were, however, two structures. The first was the dungeon exit, a now red spiraling whirlpool of teleportation magic. The second, and more pressing, was a cier of immeasurable shape. It only took up part of the horizon in a single direction, yet from the way the ice reached and splintered for the sky, it was all the boys could focus on ¨C Glenny withstanding. The cier, if it could be called that, was a collection of pirs, each scraggly and inorganic as a drawn depiction of lighting. Hard angles, strict edges, and more than a few sheer drop offs, the cier grew through the air like an explosion ripping shrapnel through a dust cloud. Chaotic.¡°What is that?¡± Lnd asked, his voice hesitant and low, like if he spoke too loudly the spires and pirs would crack. ¡°Hmm?¡± the cub yawned. ¡°That? Oh, that was Mother¡± Even Glenny opened his eyes to look at the young bear. Jude was the one who spoke for everyone, ¡°What?¡± It was a simple question, one that Lnd wasn¡¯t sure if he could ask any better. Still, he looked out at the cier with a different view. Obviously the ice wasn¡¯t natural, magical surely, but not any spell he knew of. But then again, the cub ¨C and presumably her mother ¨C were magical beasts. Intelligent ones at that. Humans and beasts used different magic, that much was well documented. Lords and Legacies for the Humans, instincts and primal calls to the ancient elemental powers for the beasts. ¡°It¡¯s the aftermath of her repeated killing of the dungeon core.¡± Now that was not what Lnd expected. He let his confusion be known. The cub frowned, as much as a bear could, at Lnd. ¡°Mother wanted the dungeon to herself, so she killed the core and made our den.¡± ¡°I-I thought destroying a core rendered the dungeon unusable. I¡¯ve only ever read that dungeons simply cease to be when their cores are destroyed.¡± ¡°The core wasn¡¯t destroyed. Mother¡¯s not dumb.¡± Lnd sputtered. ¡°No, of course not. I just don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°She broke into the core, by killing it over and over again. Then took its powers and sentience,¡± the cub said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Leals, let it go,¡± Jude interrupted. ¡°We¡¯re guests here. No point in interrogating the resident about her home.¡± Lnd sulked but nodded. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Jude continued, now turning his attention to the cub. ¡°What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Jude, this is Lnd, and Glenny is that one.¡± He pointed to the resting rogue. Before answering, the cub shook out her fur like a wet dog. Specs of red-dyed water misted off of her, freezing instantly against the snowy floor. She took a few steps out of her red silhouette and shook again. This time her blue-white tipped fur stuck fully out, no longer matted down with stale cave water and blood. ¡°Gelo,¡± the cub said to Jude before shifting her gaze to Lnd and finally Glenny. ¡°Thank you for helping me, all of you.¡± Jude scratched the back of his head at that. ¡°Thanks for showing us the dungeon entrance.¡± ¡°And not ditching us when the poachers arrived,¡± Lnd quickly added, nodding toward the two bodies piled up and quickly growing cold. ¡°Saved Glenny¡¯s life.¡± Gelo sniffed the air, hoisting her nose toward Lnd. ¡°You three smell different, Jude especially.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Turning to look at Jude, Gelo continued, ¡°Mother always protected the humans. I thought her soft¡­ now I¡¯m not so sure. Humans, like the poachers, would kill for my pelt and parts. I thought every human was like them. Mother said otherwise, I just didn¡¯t believe her.¡± ¡°You know,¡± Jude said tenderly, ¡°the town just outside the dungeon celebrates your mother? We watched a y of her meeting and protecting the town¡¯s founder.¡± ¡°y?¡± Gelo asked, her snout twisting at the odd use of the word. ¡°A reenactment. Children, human children, in customs running around on a stage telling a story,¡± Lnd said. ¡°The town cares about your mother. They are not like those two.¡± Again he nodded toward the dead bodies. Gelo went quiet at that, yet her eyes didn¡¯t leave the poachers. ¡°They tried to kill me.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jude said, sitting down and petting the poor cub. Her fur was cold yet pleasant, likeying on a bed of ice on a hot day. ¡°And now they are dead. Killed by other humans. People don¡¯t like poachers.¡± Gelo leaned into Jude¡¯s hand, allowing him to brush her. ¡°Mother will like you¡­¡± she said, her eyes closing. Lnd and Jude looked to each other with a shrug. They were all tired, and for some reason a nap didn¡¯t seem unreasonable. It was, after all, night time in the real world. ¡°I¡¯ll take watch,¡± Lnd said, recounting that his friend hadn¡¯t got any sleep tonight at all. Jude nodded, stretched, andid down. Gelo, in her sleep, shifted and cuddled up with her new human friend. Glenny¡¯s breathing slowed as well, and soon Lnd was the only one awake. He wondered what to do. His mind kept falling to his newest curse, Soul Fire, yet he knew testing the curse was out of the question. It took lost souls as ammunition, a resource he only had one of ¨C the archer poacher. Lnd wondered about monster souls. They were in a dungeon after all, surely he¡¯d have the chance to try to take a monster soul soon. But that was for when Jude was awake and Glenny could be moved. They had a couple days in the dungeon to recover before too much time passed in the real world to make it back in time for the herbpetition. The average time difference was one to four, and unless Lnd missed something very important in his childhood studies, he didn¡¯t think this dungeon¡¯s time scale was unusual. Four days until we return to an ambush, Lnd went over in his mind. Unless we forgo thepetition and stay in here as long as we are wee¡­ Honestly, that might be their best course of action. At least, Lnd thought so. Sure, he¡¯d lose his chance at a parasitic staff, but the risk of walking into an ambush unprepared outweighed an equipment upgrade. At the very least, waiting in the dungeon for a longer period of time might cause the other poachers to grow impatient and leave. If Glenny could fully heal, and Gelo¡¯s mother could help Jude , then losing the staff would be well worth it in Lnd¡¯s eyes. He was still rank one, after all. He needed plenty of time to catch up, an entire curse¡¯s rank in fact. A dungeon might be the ce to do that. Moving over to the poachers¡¯ bodies, Lnd started rifling through their pockets. Obviously they had left their packs elsewhere, theck of general survival equipment proved as much. They probably set up a small camp, one hidden so that the blizzard caster could work undisturbed. Lightly groaning, Lnd stepped away from the poachers after finding nothing of interest. Sure they had warm clothing he could take but that wasn¡¯t important enough for him to lose his morals. Taking spoils of war was nothing new for adventurers, especially against those that started the fighting. Yet stripping a corpse was usually done out of necessity. Of course greed blinded some, but Lnd and the other boys didn¡¯t want the poachers'' stuff. They would sell the swordswoman¡¯s short sword , yes, along with the few supplies the pair had, but their clothes would be left alone. Eventually Lnd sat back and rested. His eyes focused on the far off icy battleground and his mind wandered. Specifically, to the soul of the Damned that caught the arrow, saving his life. Subtly, with as little mana and lifeforce as possible, Lnd focused internally. He sent a tiny pulse of magic out, a simple call for his summons. Soon the ground split, unearthing a decrepit skewed hand. It felt through the air, flexing like its ¡°skin¡± wasn¡¯t on tight enough. It then shoved its elbows through the gap, leveraging itself up before its hands grasped at the snowy floor. A soul of the Damned finally fully emerged, its green-misty form and all. Lnd simply watched it for a long moment, taking in all of its unique features. Souls, as he hade to learn, were all humanoid, yet not all perfectly human. Some had slightly off appendages, some had odd characteristics that were hard to ce yet easily noticeable. They were all human, that much Lnd knew from his Legacy, yet it was hard for him to ssify them as anything other than monstrous. The one before him was no different. It sat on one knee, its head down and outstretched. It was more feminine than masculine, he noted. Its false green ¡°muscle and skin¡± was thinner, more lithe, and less broad around the chest and shoulders. Yet it did have a singr bulky hand, the one hoisted out to him. It held the lost soul of the archer poacher, offering it to its master for whatever he deemed reasonable. Lnd didn¡¯t take the gift. Instead, in hardly a whisper, he spoke, ¡°Look at me.¡± The soul did. It lifted its head, showing off its hollow eye sockets brimming with purple me. It held no emotion, like a corpse, yet looked on with pure devotion. It was his summon, it would abide by his morning. Technically, the sun had never set in the dungeon. It hung high in the sky, never moving yet always shining. Which, while annoying while trying to sleep, was ideal for progressing forward into unknown territory. Sure, although there were situations in which the cover of night would be preferable, generally theck of light would nearly always be a detriment. Only Glenny could see in the dark, and he was still out of it. The small bear cub looked around, before her a vast ocean of t snow. There was literally only one thing, other than the dungeon exit, that made any sense to walk toward. Gelo¡¯s bemusement shone through her snout and sapphire eyes. ¡°Are you being serious?¡± she asked. Jude blinked a few times. ¡°I uh, yes?¡± Gelo blinked back. Her instincts told her that the human wasn¡¯t trying to mess with her, nor did they exin how someone could be so stupid. Still, the human¡¯s smell didn¡¯t change, nor the warm feeling she got when she was near him. Jude was simply too precious to insult, despite being a little slow, she thought. ¡°Toward the Ice Castle,¡± Gelo said promptly. ¡°Ice Castle?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°That¡¯s a castle?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Mother always called it. It used to be our home, before Mother carved out our den.¡± Both the boys squinted at the Ice Castle not seeing the castle part of it. Sure, the spires of ice looked out of ce enough to be considered a location of interest, but that was mainly because there wasn¡¯t anything else around. Calling it a castle was¡­ forck of a better word, a stretch. Or at least Lnd thought so. Jude didn¡¯t muse the topic long. Instead he helped Glenny to his feet and wrapped an arm around him. ¡°Ready to go then?¡± Gelo looked at Glenny, her snout betraying her sorrow. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s okay to move? There are monsters out in the snow field.¡± Lnd sucked in a breath. ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°Worms.¡± ¡°Worms?¡± Jude echoed. ¡°Ice Worms, I think they are actually called. They live in the ice.¡± Frowning, Lnd crouched and dusted away the topyer of snow. Still standing near the dungeon exit, only gray-white snow was present. He took a few steps toward the Ice Castle, finding a deeper patch of snow. He pushed it aside, finding a ne of solid ice under nearly double the amount of snow. No stone, he also noted. ¡°It seems the dungeon is leveled on stone. But a bit further out, it bes ice,¡± Lnd said. ¡°So this is a safe zone.¡± Jude wanted to say that there were no issues. He wanted to smirk and say, ¡°bring it on!¡± to the worms. But as his eyes drifted to Glenny, he knew battle was not the correct choice. ¡°Are there other safe areas in the snow?¡± he asked Gelo. The cub answered quickly, a simple head shake. Lnd was the only one to notice the magical beast¡¯s mannerisms. Nodding and shaking one¡¯s head was human, not beast. But he guessed so was speaking, especially in anguage humans knew. He didn¡¯t dwell on the thought for long, instead focusing on the worms. ¡°How big are they?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Do you think Jude and I can deal with them?¡± Looking a bit peeved, Gelo answered, ¡°They are two or three times the length of me. Maybe half as thick. Yes, you and Jude can fight them off. But I am here as well. I did exit the dungeon, remember? Had to cross the snow fields to do that.¡± Lnd reddened. ¡°Of course. Sorry, I¡¯m just protective, especially when one of my friends is hurt.¡± Glenny stirred at that. He kept his eyes closed and his head as still, the nausea being too much otherwise. Still, he could hear, even if anything other than a whisper felt like a cheese grater against his skull. His voice came out as scratchy, like the cold had frozen his vocal cords and they were only just now thawing. ¡°I can handle myself if needed.¡± Surprisingly, Gelo was the one who answered. ¡°There¡¯s no need. The worms are weaklings. Simple monsters that hunt with sound, and not well.¡± ¡°So just be quiet, got it,¡± Jude replied, taking a step with Glenny still attached at the hip. Soon Lnd and Gelo followed. Walking on the snow with the ice under it was¡­ different. It wasn¡¯t slippery, but it also wasn¡¯t secure. Like a loose rocky path, every other step gave a sort of hesitation of sliding. Only Gelo seemed to be impervious to the footing, her light weight hardly crunching the snow under her paws. They moved a snail¡¯s pace, partially to minimize noise and partially because Glenny couldn¡¯t move that fast. Every step he took drew a shuddered breath, one that pulled at his stomach and bashed his head. Still, he didn¡¯tin, but it did take everything out of him not to. It was his parasitic cloak, he knew and understood. Through his private time with the Huntress, Glenny had learned about his unique cloak to a certain degree. While currently he only understood it to give him infinite energy, he knew there was more to it than that. But unlocking its secrets was for ater date. For now, he focused on the starry fabric resting on his shoulders. He could feel the energy passing to him. He settled himself in that flow, allowing it to take away his thoughts. Internally, however, Glenny knew that eventually this feeling would run out. The cloak recharged off starlight, the sun not included. And since the dungeon seemed to be permanently stuck on day, his cloak would drain itself sooner rather thanter. For the time being, he tried to minimize the pain of his concussion. It was worth it in his eyes. The walk to the Ice Castle stretched for hours. The structure of ice was nearly at the horizon, but at the same time, it wasn¡¯t. Each step they took acted as the distance of four or five. That, or the Ice Castle was moving toward them as they moved toward it. Lnd leaned toward the former himself, remembering their experience in Liontrunk¡¯s dungeon. They had crossed an entire grassy hignds in mere hours, something that was mimicked with the snow fields. Different from the hignds, however, was theck of life. Granted the difference in ecosystem probably¡ª The ground shook as a distant gnawing sound rippled through the ice and snow. The group froze. Gelo growled a momentter. They each drew weapons, even Glenny who struggled with the motions. But nothing ever came. In fact, the gnawing went away the same instant the ground stopped shaking. They progressed forward, yet Jude kept his axe in his free hand. Lnd did the same, but his grimoire floated silently next to him at perfect reading distance. It wasn¡¯t much further until Lnd could start to make out details of the Ice Castle. He¡¯d have to wait a little longer to be sure, as his eyes were second to Glenny¡¯s, but he thought he could see walls. Proper walls, ones with windows and gradients, door frames and structure points. Over the course of the next half-an-hour, Lnd started picking up more. It was a castle, that much was now certain. Entirely made of ice, steep towing walls created a small fortress. Baileys encased a proper courtyard, one that was hidden away under the multitude of reaching pirs of unnatural ice. Battlements were evenly chiseled, creating a repeating pattern of rectangr cutouts along the upper walkways. The blue of the sky and white of the floor shed within the castle¡¯s reflection, turning the ice, as well as the spires, pasty pale blue. It created the illusion that the castle walls were opaque, like a shade tinted window. What was on the other side, they didn¡¯t know. But each of the boys was curious, even Glenny. Soon they were close enough to inspect the jutting pirs of ice. They were perfectly smooth, almost like a¡ª The ground shook again, along with it came the gnawing. Reacting first, Gelo shouted, ¡°Scatter!¡± The ground shook harder, shifting the smooth snow like vibrating grains of rice, and the boys ran. Jude hooked Glenny, pulling him along at breakneck speeds while Lnd and Gelo took off in different directions. The shaking amplified, morphing the gnawing into something more repetitive. It became a whirling crunch, like a horse chomping through a bundle of apples. The humans of the group all fell to their knees, skidding across the unstable ground beforeing to a stop. They turned as the ice erupted. The worm sted out through the air, snow and ice cascading down with it. It flew high into the blue sky, easily higher than a house, before arcing and taking to gravity. A silvery membrane of magic and mana protruded from its thick maw, shearing through the ice like it was made of whipped cream. Lnd gaped at the worm as its long body fully disappeared back into the ice. Heavy thick gray scales lined the top and sides of its massive body. Fur, or maybe they were feathers, sat in between each scale like sensory whiskers. From the angle he viewed the creature, he got a great showing of the worm¡¯s twin mandibles. One leaked magical power, allowing it to swim through the ice without worry. The other twitched with unbridled strength, a warning to all those who were keen enough to wish to fight it. Lnd didn¡¯t even process that Gelo¡¯s description of the worm was wrong. She had said they were half the size, albeit much longer, than her. Yet the monster that just breached the snow fields was anything but. The worm, being the thickness of a full grown bear and the length of a redwood tree, Lnd sprinted toward his friends. Below him he could feel the monster rushing through the ice, getting further and further away. Like it was swimming down. ¡°We need to move!¡± he yelled, pointing toward the Ice Castle. The slowly stilling ice briefly stopped shakingpletely. Then, like clockwork, the tremor doubled, then eventually tripled. It wasing, much faster than before. The boys ran, the worm breaching the ice where they stood moments earlier. It flew high into the air, screeching as it reached its apex. For a moment Lnd worried that more worms would gather at themotion, but Gelo¡¯s words cut through the cold. ¡°It¡¯s the boss!¡± she yelled. ¡°The wormsbined!¡± At least they only had to deal with one monster, Lnd mused. Chapter 81: Berserker Chapter 81: Berserker The group ran through the ice spires, the remnants of Gelo¡¯s mother¡¯s battle. Staying some distance away from each other, except for Jude pulling Glenny along, they threw caution to the wind and simply ran. Rushing through the ground-ice like it was nothing more than fog or mist, the worm traced the group¡¯s echoing footsteps. It dug deeper and deeper before shifting its trajectory straight up. Only the shake of the ground signaled the imminent attack, a localized earthquake directly around its target. Shoving Glenny to safety, Jude set his wrists high and clear. He waited, like an executioner listening for a death sentence. The worm breached the ice with a resonating gnaw, cracking the topyer like a hammer to a cobblestone path. Shrapnel sted out, cutting into Jude¡¯s flexing form. Subconsciously, the berserker had taken a single step back, a fearful hazard in not wanting to be the monster¡¯s meal. But as the worm continued through the ice and into the air, Jude finally attacked. He stepped into the blow, using his full strength and the transformative power of pain and rage to cleave into he beast. As he did, Jude activated two Legacy abilities. The first was his bread and butter attack, Decimating Strike. It looked unassuming to the untrained eye, simply an arcing overhand swing. But, through the Lord of the Berserker, the attack was augmented into something more. The ability had evolved once, just like Jude himself, causing a bonus effect. Decimating Strike now bypassed a portion of the target¡¯s armor, effectively making the worm¡¯s hardened scales nothing more than ayer of protective tin. Jude¡¯s axe cut into the monster, ripping a mighty gash into its upper hide. The second ability was a crescent wave of pure rage. It unleashed from his axe with a silent scream, sailing the short distance and into the monster. The attack tore into the worm, probing the best course of action. Obviously Decimating Strike was the way to go. Green blood fell from the worm¡¯s wound as it continued into the air. Like a sudden downpour, the blood sshed onto the snow and ice, freezing over nearly instantly. Jude, usually one to cover himself in his enemy¡¯s blood , dodged back. Specific varieties of worms had acid for blood, this, evidently, was not the case for the ice worm. Jude let his finding be known, ¡°Non-acid!¡± he yelled, his eyes suddenly going wide.Two poles of red brimming power stabbed out and up, catching the monster in its feathered tail as it fully exited the ice. Glenny, not invisible and snarling with pain, activated his own Legacy ability, creating an eruption of green blood and gore. ¡°Glenny!¡± Jude yelled, sprinting across the broken ice and pulling his dizzy friend along. They ran, the worm crashing down behind them. It thrashed as it fell, the feathers under its scales giving it some sort of control over its massively long body. That didn¡¯t mean it was able to dodge the maze of ice spires that twisted over the battlefield. Soon the wormnded, along with it four pirs of ice. The worm used the momentum, easily slipping back through into the underground via the silver magic its main mandible created. The ice, however,nded with the grace of a lead weight, cracking the ground like heavy hail against a window. The worm, however, was slow to fully escape the fallout of the broken pirs. Two thirds down its extended body, a massive chunk of ice mmed into it, easily ttening it with a deathly crunch. Like a roach partially stomped by a boot, the worm struggled to move. The tearing sound was outshined by the worm¡¯s guttural scream. No longer was there a gnawing, instead it was a piercing cry of agony and rage. The ground shifted with its anger, along with it a bright silver light. Magic zed through the undeyers of ice, eclipsing the fluffy snow like rays of light through the clouds. Jude and Glenny didn¡¯t look back at the light show. They ran, their ears ringing with the worm¡¯s horrid song. Glenny had it the worst, the noise brought tears to his eyes as the pain bled directly into his skull. He went wobbly, only his friend¡¯s arm holding him when he otherwise would have fallen. Jude leaned into his friend, practically carrying Glenny as they ran. The ground was shaking again, a fleeting shake. It was diving through the ice, he knew, the calm before the storm. Like a switch had been flipped, the fading tremors suddenly started to increase. Jude cursed and set Glenny down. The rogue looked at the berserker with a sudden guilt. Despite the pain, despite the wooziness, Glenny knew what his friend was going to do. Bait, Jude was going to be bait. Making as much noise as he could, Jude stomped across the snow and ice, running toward thergest cluster of ice pirs. The tremors followed, and with a look over his shoulder, he could see Glenny frozen in terror. Frozen is good, Jude noted as blinding rays of silver light encircled him. Distantly he heard a high pitched voice yell for him, knowing the cry originated from Gelo. He didn¡¯t have time to contemte the bear cub¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t have time to contemte anything really. There was only time for action, for survival, for instinct. The tremor pushed through the ice, the worm right behind it. For thest few months, since his Dream Ceremony, really, Jude had listened to his mom¡¯s initial advice. She had told him not to let the rage in, that the Legacy of the Berserker would only steer him toward ill-advised choices and more pain that he could handle. Later in life he¡¯d be able to invoke the rage of the berserker,ter in life his mom would teach him the secrets of their shared Legacy. He had already felt the uncontrolled thoughts before. He had already enraged to the point his friends were in danger. He had already lived the life of an adventurer worthy of their Legacy, even if he was really still a child. No one, not even his cautious dad, would have thought he¡¯d be so in tune with the Legacy of the Berserker. If there was ever any doubt, his mom would have taken a sabbatical. She would have stayed with Jude until he could trust his instincts. She would have stayed until he was safe, until he was able to stand beside her, rage coursing through his veins and his thoughts still present in his mind. It was Jude¡¯s choice, the day after his Dream Ceremony, for his mom and dad to go back to their job as Royal Inquisitors. He hadughed off their worry, not fully grasping what they were even worried about. They trusted Jude, like he did them, and epted his choice. Oh how wrong he was. For only an instant, one moment of fleeting hysteria, Jude¡¯s Legacy instincts took over. He kicked off of the ground, shattering the top foot of ice with nothing more than a sidestep. Heunched across the snow field, through the silver light and out of harm''s way. He didn¡¯t catch himself, he couldn¡¯t, not really. The speed, the force from his kickoff, sent him spiraling off. He skidded across the ice and snow, bouncing like an irregr boulder skipping down a mountain. Bounce after bounce Jude traveled farther and farther away, eventually reaching the edge of the ice pirs. He slowed to a dead stop, only the white of the snow there to cushion his He didn¡¯t get up, he didn¡¯t move. Judeid there with his eyes closed unconscious and his body reeling from the weight of his kick. A dream came to him, one of his mom and dad. One from a few years ago, specifically one of the first times he was presented with a choice. His dad¡¯s Legacy, his mom¡¯s, or the third option of something new to the family. His grandfather on his dad¡¯s side was a Legacy of the Scout. That¡¯d be cool, he thought at the time, secretly knowing that he¡¯d never choose something so basic. Jude had grown up on tales of valiant knights and grand heroics. He had heard stories of his parents, he had lived through a few of them. His dad, a Legacy of the Warrior, retold the stories of himself and his wife. He would overdo and exaggerate specific aspects of the events, specifically those surrounding Jude¡¯s mom. A lovestruck husband, telling his son just how awesome his mom was. That was what Jude chased ¨C the after image, the legacy of being strong. Of being someone who was looked up to. Of being the tale of someone else¡¯s. Jude¡¯s rushed breathing eventually leveled out, especially once his dream took over. He was living in the past for the next little while, even after the real world sought to wake him. Eventually a dull weight pushing into his chest woke him. Lifting his head and fluttering his eyes, Jude found an asleep Gelo silently resting on his bruised chest. His breathing was in line with hers, a soothing, melodic rhythm of simple life. He was alive, Gelo was alive, were the others¡ª The answer was yes. Yes, of course. Jude turned his head to the side, finding Glenny beside himying under the cover of a nket next to a small fire. It was warm, Jude eventually noted, finding a nket covering himself as well ¨C not to mention the warmth of Gelo. Lnd was a tougher find but eventually Jude saw the young Warlock sitting across the way. The Legacy of Curses sat with his chin in hand, staringzily at the crying form of the worm. The sight sent a pang of anxiety through Jude, waking Gelo. ¡°Jude! You¡¯re awake!¡± Themotion was heard by Lnd despite the distance. Soon he was on his feet and walking over. Trying to fend off a brutal assault of licks, Jude squeaked out a string of words, ¡°What happened? Is Glenny okay? Why is the worm¡ª¡± ¡°Cool it, man,¡± Lnd said, sitting down and pulling the cub away. ¡°Glenny is fine, albeit hurting a lot. Looks like he¡¯s still asleep, so we should be quiet. The worm, well, you happened.¡± Gelo took the pause to rush out an exnation. ¡°You ran the worm into a lot of ice pirs! I thought you were going to sacrifice yourself! Don¡¯t ever do that again!¡± Jude smiled at that, especially when Gelo headbutted him. He looked back over to the worm, noticing the massive chunks of ice pinning its body. The magical mandible wasying bloodied a few dozen paces away from the other mandible. ¡°One of the chunks of ice tore off its mandible,¡± Lnd said. ¡°And plenty more crushed it into the ground. Gelo added her own ice to the mix, freezing solid to the ground. We were pretty lucky, I¡¯ll say.¡± ¡°It''s still alive,¡± Jude managed to say. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lnd said, scratching his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been using Fracture and maintaining my crow summons, but I just don¡¯t think I have the stopping power to fully kill it. Not for a while, at least. It will eventually bleed out. I was nning to try to take its soul, but I didn¡¯t want to do that until you or Glenny were awake.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never taken a monster¡¯s soul. I don¡¯t know, just paranoid I guess. I don¡¯t want it to suddenly gain a second wind and attack while I¡¯m indisposed. Safer to wait.¡± Jude nodded with that, pushing his strained muscles to sit up. It took a few minutes to get to his feet, but Lnd¡¯s ring of regeneration was sittingfortably on his finger. Better get healed up so I can give that back to Glenny, Jude thought nodding to Lnd. Taking the silentmand, Lnd stepped forward, magic, mana, and lifeforce bulging to life. Stepping into the curse¡¯s maximum distance, hemanded, ¡°Kneel before me!¡± Purple fire bloomed. Chapter 82: Adapt Chapter 82: Adapt It took an entire hour of nonstop spell casting to drain the worm¡¯s soul. After the first fifteen minutes, Lnd thought himself to be doing something wrong, but information pouring in from his Legacy told him otherwise. In the end, enough green mist poured out into the circle of purple fire to kill the great beast. Usually when a soul was taken, the spell would fade and a soul of the Damned would present the newly acquired soul to Lnd. This, however, did not happen. The green mist simply rushed toward Lnd and entered his own soul, like when he devoured lost souls. It was not stored forter, it was not captured for future use. It was just consumed. Automatically. It took a solid minute of gawking, going over the information swirling in his head, and looking to the single soul of the Damned beside him, toe to a conclusion. Monster souls were not the same as human souls, andcked the same utility. Or, because the worm was technically a dungeon monster, its soul was not storage-able. Either way, Lnd had no soul to test Soul Fire with, not if he didn¡¯t want to use up his only ammunition. ¡°Guess that¡¯s that,¡± Lnd eventually said, turning back to the small camp he had set up earlier with Gelo. Jude was back to sitting, his aching body, specifically his leg, rolling with a dull dead pain. He nursed a hot cup of melted snow, the near boiling water easing his frosty belly, while a bear cub panted idly in hisp. He petted her with one hand, the slow repetitive movement acting like grease to his rusty muscles. Glenny was still asleep but he had shifted, moving closer to the smoldering fire with pure instinct. Importantly, Lnd¡¯s ring of regeneration was set back on the rogue¡¯s finger, boosting the speed at which his concussion healed. Lnd sat as well, saying, ¡°I wish that ring helped the more rough wounds. Cuts and scrapes? That thing¡¯s great. Broken bones or concussions, apparently, not so much.¡± Jude gave a small nod. ¡°We need to find him better armor or a defensive artifact or something.¡± ¡°Glenny probably wouldn¡¯t ept something like that from us. Not with him being the one wearing the cloak.¡± Then in an imitation of Glenny¡¯s voice, Lnd continued, ¡°¡¯Nah, you guys take it. I got thest one,¡¯ he¡¯ll tell us.¡± Taking another burning sip, Jude thought for a moment and eventually came up with a n. ¡°We¡¯ve just got to make him think he¡¯s doing us a favor by taking the item. He¡¯ll take it right away at that point.¡± Agreeing with that, Lnd crushed some ice into a metal cup of his own and set it on the fire. As he did so, he looked to the horizon, finding nothing but a clear line where the white snow shed against the blue of the sky. ¡°We¡¯ve got to find something for him first,¡± he said before turning to Gelo. ¡°What happens if we just keep walking?¡± The cub rolled slightly to her back, thus coercing Jude¡¯s hand to her belly. ¡°You loop,¡± she said. ¡°The far gets close while the close gets far, over and over again.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Filling the silence, Jude spoke up, ¡°What was with that worm, by the way? It was a boss?¡± Gelo let out a low whimper. ¡°Yes¡­ usually the boss worm only spawns when enough of the normal worms are killed. All of the remaining worms gather together and join.¡± ¡°But we didn¡¯t kill any of them?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Mother thinks they are pests, so instead of allowing hundreds to roam, she only allows one. If she kills the boss, more will spawnter.¡± Both boys looked at the cub, their faces causing the cub to pant more. ¡°I forgot, alright?¡± Gelo said, shrinking into Jude. ¡°It''s been years since I wasst in the snow fields, and I¡¯ve never actually been attacked by a worm before. Not by myself, at least. Mother always made enough noise to call them to us¡­¡± Lnd let out a sigh, knowing how parents could be sometimes. He¡¯d be lying if he said his highly powerful mage parents didn¡¯t do odd things. Like washing the dishes with low-strength Water Bolts, or instant-drying theundry by summoning a pool ofva. Still, his annoyance was pushing its upper limits. Jude and Glenny, not to mention himself, were in danger because of faulty information from the cub. ¡°Anything else we should know about the dungeon?¡± he asked, trying to keep his voice level. Gelo didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°The next boss is a push over. It tries to freeze everything, but it''s just not strong enough.¡± Even Jude gave the cub an incredulous stare. ¡°What?¡± she asked. Lnd shook his head, rubbing his temples. ¡°Let¡¯s table the next boss for a minute. You said once the worm boss dies, the small worms will spawn againter. How long exactly?¡± The group wasn¡¯t exactly being subtle with where they were resting. Near the Ice Castle and close to the dead worm boss pretty much gave away their location as pretty much everywhere else was a barren snow-wastnd. If more worms were soon to be alive, they were going to need to move sooner thanter. ¡°Oh, a few months,¡± Gelo answered. ¡°A few months¡­ right¡­¡± ¡°A few months?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Then why does your mother get annoyed by killing the boss? A once a month task doesn¡¯t seem to be too troubling, not if she could do that,¡± he gestured to the multitude of spires of towering ice. Gelo considered this. Human time was¡­ different than what she and her mother were used to. Her answer, while making sense to her, didn¡¯t help alleviate her initial pondering. ¡°Mother likes to sleep a lot.¡± ¡°Sleep for over a month?¡± ¡°Err, yes?¡± ¡°Is that a question?¡± Gelo flopped back onto her feet and stepped away from her human-couch. She eyed Lnd. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a question?¡± Now Gelo was at a loss. Humans were many things in her eyes, adding good arguers to the list didn¡¯t so much as change things. ¡°Mother sleeps a lot, and for a long time. You see her strength. She has to sleep to keep that up.¡± she finally exined, nodding toward the ice pirs. Lnd gave her a shrug and turned his attention to said pirs. While taking the soul of the worm, he had had plenty of time to inspect the odd icy formations. One thing he had only recently noticed was the small dark core inside each of the pirs. ¡°Those are worms, right?¡± he asked. Jude¡¯s eyes widened slightly at the question and he squinted to see any extra details. He was too far. Gelo didn¡¯t skip a beat, however. ¡°Yes. While mother was killing the core, it spawned many worm-bosses in defense. They were all defeated, and turned into art.¡± ¡°Art.¡± ¡°Art,¡± the cub agreed. While Lnd didn¡¯t see the draw, he didn¡¯t feel the need to enact the Moonless contract to get a godly perspective. Something being art wasn¡¯t really in his wheelhouse to worry about right now. For the moment, at least until Glenny woke up, he was interested in what else was waiting for them in the dungeon. He asked Gelo many questions, learning about monsters, bosses, terrain, anything that would be of interest, really. Nothing else would be a surprise, he decided. While they talked, Glenny stirred in his dreams. His mind was slow to heal, but his dreams didn¡¯t seem to be broken. Or at least he didn¡¯t think so. In reality, his dreams were fragmented blemishes of his truth and goals. They were vivid and unusual, but to him everything was right as rain. He saw his Legacy more than once, the Lord of Chameleons, making a personal appearance. It took the form of a massive lizard, a chameleon in form and power. It blended in with the surroundings, mimicking the shards of thought and feeling. Always watching, always adapting. The dreams, what little there was of them, also took the form of agonizing red. The Sightless King, while beaten and conquered, still was present. A dormant cell sitting in hibernation like an immortal bug trapped in amber. Could it lick its wounds and attempt to take control? No. Not at all. Not while the Lord of Chameleons reigned. Even through a rank two Legacy, the Chameleon¡¯s power was enough to hold the Sightless King¡¯s artificial power. The King would never break out. It would never regain its senses. It would never escape the prison Glenny trapped it in, even if the real King died. The prison was also a part of Glenny¡¯s dream. It was thendscape, the host, the backdrop to the Chameleon and its infinite power. Infinite cells readied to be filled. Infinite room to house more conquered powers. Infinite chances to adapt, to be something more. Glenny¡¯s dreams were fragmented, but not to him. Not anymore. He saw through the brokenness of his mind, of his brain, and connected his thoughts and ideas. His brain, while still healing and damaged, no longer affected Glenny negatively. In fact, concussions, possibly even brain damage, wouldn¡¯t affect him in any other way than dying outright. Not after he adapted to the change. Chapter 83: Calm Chapter 83: Calm Without disorienting pain, Glenny woke up not long after he adapted to his concussion. Gone was the Lord of Chameleons, gone was the ever present Sightless King, gone was the foreboding grogginess of not having a proper thought or idea. Now, it was only Glenny in healed mind, along with his thoughts as it should be. He woke to the smell of grilling meat and hushed conversation. A small fire was set up on what looked to be worm scales, so as to not melt the ice below, and a hunk of worm meat rested on a spit over said mes. It was being rotated slowly, Jude¡¯s hand twisting the handle every now and then. Jude himself was engaged in conversation with Lnd, the cub sitting in hisp eyeing the roasting meat like it was a trophy of unimaginable vor. Cumin, thyme, maybe even salt. Glenny was d they had stocked up kitchen supplies. They didn¡¯t have much, but a simple spit and few spices really changed meal time for the better. Anything beat eating bugs found in caves. Then again, they were cooking a worm, so who was to say which was better. Glenny¡¯s stomach wouldn¡¯tin, though. The smell was heavenly, especially since his brain prior to this hadn¡¯t been picking up scent like it was supposed to. Only now did he feel tip-top, even though he knew his head was still injured. He simply wasn¡¯t feeling the effects any longer but that didn¡¯t mean the wound wasn¡¯t still there. ¡°Guys?¡± Glenny scratched out, trying to sit up. Lnd was the first one over, mainly because Gelo refused to move from her human throne. Lnd helped Glenny sit up, theck of friction from the ice and snow making things difficult. A cup of steaming water was passed around and soon the rogue was sipping. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Good. Like really good. I adapted to the concussion. I don¡¯t feel it anymore.¡± Lnd and Jude shared a look at that, both ignoring the curious Gelo. She looked between all three boys, asking questions that no one wanted to answer. Eventually she hmphed and resigned herself back to staring at the roasting meat. ¡°That¡¯s good, right?¡± Jude asked. ¡°More or less,¡± Glenny said. ¡°I don¡¯t feel my head hurting anymore, which is good. But I also don¡¯t feel my head hurting, meaning I don¡¯t know what my limits are. I feel like I could easily overexert myself and just¡­ die.¡± Lnd thought long and hard about that. Surely there would be a way to make sure Glenny¡¯s head was in prime health. A magical item? A scanning device? Maybe he could contract a Lord and receive something specifically tailored to Glenny. Jude, however, didn¡¯t share the others¡¯ worries. ¡°Just don¡¯t get hit in the head anymore!¡± he said with a devilish smirk. All three boys knew the statement was obvious and redundant, but they each smiled at the frankness of how it was said. Each knew that Glenny would have to be cautious, but they also found sce in simply knowing he was okay. They were content with leaving the conversation at that. Glenny, in the meantime, asked, ¡°Is that meat done?¡± Gelo jumped at the question, stomping around like a deer prances. The movement was far less graceful than the little cub intended, but her excitement knew no bounds. ¡°Please, please, please?¡± she begged Jude. The berserker looked to Lnd, the only one of the boys not actually injured. The Legacy of Curses sighed, resigning himself to that of a meat server. He shaved the worm chunk thinly, the top being cooked while the center was still raw. Gelo happily ate her meat, stating that cooked meat was much better than raw and that her mother would never go through the trouble of heating up their meals. They were Frost Bears, after all. After seconds and eventually thirds, Glenny finally noticed the dead worm in the background. He was still conscious after the pirs fell on the mighty behemoth, but he was long asleep by the time Lnd killed it. Seeing the worm stationary put a different light on the monster, one that reminded him of the basilisk he was forced to fight. ¡°I¡¯m so d the Huntress isn¡¯t here,¡± he muttered into his cup of warm water. ¡°She¡¯d make this more miserable than it already is.¡± The others agreed to that, even Gelo who¡¯s home they were technically in. ¡°It''s not all bad, though,¡± Lnd said with a smile. ¡°We are in a dungeon and that was a boss. You know what that means, right?¡± Glenny frowned at the question before he connected the dots. ¡°Loot?¡± he asked, his eyes passing his friend to the massive monster. Lnd threw him a small knapsack, one that they reserved only for important seble or quest items. ¡°You recognize it?¡± The first thing Glenny pulled out was a rounded ball ss-like gray material. It wasrger than his palm, allowing him easy viewing of its internals. Inside was a second ball, one that glowed subtly despite being cracked and fractured. ¡°A monster core? A big one at that?¡± Lnd smirked. ¡°Not that, the other thing.¡± Glenny put the core back in the pouch and pulled out the only other thing inside it. The item was a thin wrist band made of gray metal. It was frozen to the touch and slightly damp. He frowned at the monster drop, oblivious to what he was holding. ¡°Put it on,¡± Jude urged. Suspiciously, Glenny did just that. He went slow with it, expecting a prank of some kind. When none came, he frowned even harder. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ª¡± It was then Glenny felt it. High above a cold breeze twisted and mixed with an odd pattern. It condensed, forming a perfect cloud. Like a spotlight on a dark stage, a sudden excitement focused on Glenny. Snow fell around him, isted as if a blizzard sought only to affect the rogue. Expecting cold, Glenny noted that the snow disappeared just after reaching him. It didn¡¯t melt or flow away, it simply ceased to be, like an illusion. It was then he realized what the wristband did. ¡°This is a cosmetic item?¡± Glenny asked, his voice as fleeting as the snow. ¡°Really? The boss massive worm dropped a personal blizzard wrist band?¡± Lnd smiled as he watched the illusion snow stick to his friend before fading away. The effect left Glenny highlighted with white fluff, which was especially funny looking with his fiery red hair. ¡°It''s going to sell for a lot,¡± Jude promptly said. ¡°If we sell it in a major city with lots of nobles. They are the only ones who care about this sort of stuff,¡± Lnd added. ¡°Appearances and stuff.¡± ¡°Still,¡± Glenny cursed, ¡°this is the boss drop? I expected more.¡± Jude, now petting an overstuffed Gelo, motioned to the worm carcass. ¡°We¡¯ve still got that thing. How many scales and teeth do you think we can carry?¡± Glenny looked to the monster. ¡°At least enough for you and me to upgrade our armor.¡± At that Jude abruptly stood, casting away all of the rust that gued his joints. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get on with it then. The faster we butcher the worm, the faster we can investigate the Ice Castle.¡± The Huntress peered across the roofs of Frostford¡¯s skyline. There were a few taller buildings, but for the most part she had an easy time looking to the ind being gued by an isting blizzard. An hour prior there would have been no way to see the ind no matter where in the town she stood ¨C the blizzard made sure of that. It had covered the whole of the town, creating a record snowfall as the town¡¯s mayor was telling worried citizens. The Huntress wasn¡¯t sure how well that line of reassurance was doing to help the town, but frankly she didn¡¯t care. She had a job to do, one that she had officially been requested to do. The town had called for Inquisitor intervention, and headquarters had thus given the job to the Huntress. She was the closest Inquisitor , just like in Shoutwell. But this time was slightly different. Some rogue mages making a blizzard was much less of a threat than a cultist invasion. So, she was being left alone for this job. No backup wasing, something she very much liked. She preferred working alone, after all. So, there she stood, watching a magical blizzard retreat back to the ind in which it originated. There were a few possible exnations for that. First, the caster was dead. Second, the caster got what they wanted and had no reason to maintain the spell. Or third, something else had happened. Thest possibility, while the most vague, was also the most likely, the Huntress thought. While under any other circumstances she would have guessed the first or second, it was the boys and their involvement that made her second guess her initial instincts. They had something to do with the blizzard ceasing, and she felt it wasn¡¯t because they killed the caster. No, that would be too simple. That would be too easy. The boys had gotten mixed up in whatever game the caster was ying. The question was now if she would help or not. Technically her job was over the moment the blizzard stoppedpletely ¨C she always liked to y with the wording of headquarters¡¯ orders. But also technically she had permission to investigate and dismantle whatever rogue element had created the blizzard. Which led to her dilemma. She already found a trail of oddities within the town, enough evidence to start a true investigation into the characters who started the blizzard. But that trail led away from the ind and the boys and up into the nearby mountains. There was obviously a driving force behind the blizzard, a boss or a leader or something. The blizzard caster was a small fry, she felt in her gut. Going after the head was always a surefire way to decimate whatever the organization was. Yet, she didn¡¯t want to leave the town. Not while the boys¡¯ fate was still unknown. Call it worry, call it madness. The Huntress didn¡¯t want to¡ª No. She cut that line of thought at the roots. Internally she cursed at the boys for making her weak, slow, and annoying her like no other. She slipped off the roof and headed for the town gate leading toward the mountains. Chapter 84: Ice Castle Chapter 84: Ice Castle The Ice Castle¡¯s gates towered over the boys and Gelo but didn¡¯t so much as reach half the height of most of the ice pirs. In a way, all of the snow fields were a moat to the castle. An infinite, worm infested, white void instead of a simple circr trench of water. The perspective shift, while not important, gave the boys a new understanding of how dungeons worked. Even back in the savanna dungeon, the final boss was surrounded by hazards and plenty of monsters. While only having a single monster so far, the snowy dungeon kept many of the same principals. Like an onion, the closer to the core, the harder the would be. As they stood before the Ice Castle¡¯s gates, it was obvious to the boys that they were significantly underprepared in strength to defeat what came next. It was only Gelo¡¯s knowledge and reassurance that her mother would help Jude that kept them going. Killing the worm boss was, honestly, a fluke. Without the pirs they would not have been able to defeat such a beast. Jude¡¯s almost death proved as much. Still, the boys hade to a silent agreement about the dangers. It was worth it in their eyes, as much as they knew continuing through the dungeon to be stupid. The castle was oddly nd, an illusion created by the singr color being reflected and refracted through the icy construction. Chiseled windows, bricks, even the odd toilet hole, blended into their surroundings. Only structures that cut out against the blue sky ory beside the snowy floor were easily noticeable. The most important of these were the battlements. The boys, even from standing on the ground, could see dozens of ces enemies, monsters, and/or traps could be set. Gelo assured them that no monsters lived in the castle¡¯s firstyer. ¡°That¡¯s where all of the docile animals were housed. Before Mother moved them, that is,¡± the bear cub exined. ¡°Animals?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Sure, like chickens, cows, horses, goats.¡±Gelo had already exined to Lnd and Jude a few types of monsters toe. She did not, however, mention that livestock was once kept in the dungeon. Again Lnd found himself wondering about the logistics of a dungeon and the way in which the core could maintain a miniature world. Who took care of the livestock? Who tended to the castle gates if only unintelligent monsters were housed inside? What was the point of details like toilet holes if they were never used? ¡°We are here to challenge the king!¡± Gelo announced to the frozen gate. Ice chains began to mechanically lower by an unseen force. They lowered the gate down like a t bridge with a flurry of kicked up snow. The boys braced against the sudden assault, Gelo the only one who truly seemed in their element. The gate finally went ck, resting perfectly open and allowing all to see inside. More snow and ice met their gazes and the boys looked at each other in confusion. ¡°Is that it?¡± Jude whispered. ¡°A lot of show for this¡­¡± The courtyard before them opened into arge crescent shaped pathway. Snow, of course, covered the area but remnants of the original architecture were present. Small fences made out of wood, surprisingly, were sitting around collecting a thickyer of white powder. Shacks and sheds, made of wood and ice, were rotted to their foundations. ¡°A stiff breeze could blow those over,¡± Jude continued, still in a whisper. Glenny nudged him and nodded toward the secondyer of battlements. Jude then cursed, quickly followed by Lnd. Past the courtyard, snow, and falling buildings, was the secondary walls ¨C the castle¡¯s true infrastructure. A gate, much smaller than the one the boys currently gawked from, sat open and waiting. Above it were open windows and fortified cutouts lined up and down the front wall, ending with two circr spires that rose a story or two higher. While housing more ces for ambush and defense, the castle also heldenemies. They waited at the windows or stared down through the battlements, each jumpy at the chance to attack the neers. Yet they didn¡¯t. They waited, they watched. They sat, bound by whatever rules governed the dungeon¡¯s beings. Gelo took a step in and the boys all sucked in a harsh breath. The cub stepped onto the draw-bridge gate without a care in the world. She trotted in and onto the snowy courtyard before she realized she was alone. She turned back, looking at the boys. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± she asked before seeing their hesitance. She turned back, eyeing the monsters thatid in wait. ¡°They won¡¯t attack you! I promise!¡± Jude was the first one of the humans to walk into Ice Castle. He moved slowly, never taking his attention off the monsters. He held his axe in one hand, his pack slung around his other shoulder. He was almost in battle stance when he stepped into the courtyard, it would only take him dropping his bag to truly be prepared. The monsters still waited. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect this to work,¡± Lnd said quietly to Glenny. ¡°I know Gelo told us she had a way to walk directly to the boss, but I didn¡¯t believe her. This was not what I was expecting.¡± ¡°I thought we were going to a secret entrance,¡± Glenny confirmed with a slow head shake. He and Lnd stepped up, meeting Jude just inside. As they crossed the boundary, the gate suddenly shook, sending another flurry of snow up around it. The icy chains went taut and retracted, and soon the Ice Castle was locked. Still, the monsters didn¡¯t move. Some growled, their echoing hatred evident through the empty courtyard. The boys watched the gate fully seal. It crunched into ce, cracking ayer of freshly formed ice. The pressure must have echoed through the wall, because a small rotted shed, likely a guard building, suddenly copsed. For a moment the boys could see into the abandoned room, but nothing of interest was inside. In fact, nothing at all was inside, not even furniture. Gelo frowned at the wreckage, however, at least until a blue and yellow energy rushed through the ground. The power quickly touched upon the broken building, levitating and reconstructing the fallen wall. Within seconds the blue and yellow disappeared, leaving the guard building shining like the day it was constructed. ¡°Took longer than it should have,¡± Gelo said with a muted shake of the head. ¡°Mother hates recalibrating the core while she could be napping.¡± ¡°Your mother did that?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°The core did. Mother only set it to rebuild after a few seconds. She likes everything neat and tidy.¡± Despite being watched by dozens of deadly monsters, each of the boys found a moment to nce at the bear cub. The frankness was what got them, even Jude who often shrugged away odd information like he would a dull de. ¡°Anyway,¡± Gelo continued. ¡°The king doesn¡¯t like to be kept waiting. Follow me!¡± She strutted away with a bit of pip in her set, right to the main castle¡¯s front door. She waited for the boys to slowly, and hesitantly, walk over. They were busy noting each of the monsters. ¡°Winter Hag,¡± Lnd whispered, identifying a deadly magic throwing monster. ¡°Frost Troll,¡± Jude added. ¡°I think that¡¯s a yeti,¡± Glenny said as well. They spewed off another six or seven types of monster before reaching an angle under the windows at which they couldn¡¯t see any more. Each monster itself was no big deal, some more difficult than others, yes, but none the boys thought they couldn¡¯t handle. The issue was the sheer number of them and the varieties of attack they brought to the table. Heavy hitters to sly and nimble and a range of magical support from the range of monsters. As Gelo had exined, the castle was always inhabited by a plethora of monsters. The species were different every time, the dungeon core simply keeping the number of monsters, not the specific type. They would respawn, much like the worm boss, after a few months. But with Gelo¡¯s n, they wouldn¡¯t have to fight any of the fodder. Not when challenging the king directly. Slipping into the castle, the boys quickly joined Gelo. The interior of the building was different. Like walking through the dungeon entrance itself, the world seemed to change with entering the castle. No longer were they looking at walls of blue-white reflectant ice, but instead a warm hallway that led into a greatmon area. The castle¡¯s inner walls were wood, along with the furniture that sat without dust or clutter. Following the hallway and polished gray flooring, the boys were met with a grand staircase, one that curved around the edge of the room before twisting into a walkway. Doors, some opened, others closed, were set an equal distance from each other with a symmetric twin keenly crafted opposite one another. Paintings of monsters were set and leveled around themon room, along with benches and shelves holding trophies. Weapons, suits of armor, even a skeletal replica of a great beast waited for the boys to inspect. They didn¡¯t, not with the noiseing from above. A shuffling could be heard from the second and third story, and eventually all of the waiting monsters were ring at the intruders from balconies orndings. They didn¡¯t attack, and now it seemed their growls were hushed up like it was ill mannered. The silence only added to the growing difort the boys felt. The monsters did however give Gelo leeway. None red at her, none barred their teeth. They held a certain amount of respect for the young cub, respect that resulted from fear rather than friendship or understanding. When Lnd noticed this, his mind quickly spun more theories about dungeons and how they worked. Honestly he allowed himself the distraction. It was a¡­ helpful protection against the anxiety the monsters produced. But before he could get anywhere with educated ideas, the grand double door in the direct center of the building crashed open. A monster, four legged, covered in fur, and with a branching set of antlers, stepped forward. The creature bounced with each step but the crown upon its head never jostled. ¡°Gelo!¡± the king demanded. ¡°You dare challenge me!?¡± ¡°Hey uncle Everald!¡± the cub shot back. ¡°How¡¯s mom?¡± Chapter 85: Uncle Chapter 85: Uncle ¡°Uncle?¡± The question hung in the air like a confused hawk. The boys tore their gazes from the monster king to Gelo, who then flinched under their scrutiny. ¡°Err,¡± she meeked, stepping forward like a squire presenting a House. ¡°These three humans wish to challenge you¡­¡± Ice Castle¡¯s king pushed to thending above the grand staircase, his long neck and branching antlers nearly colliding with the hall''s chandelier. The monster was four legged and husky, like a moose thick with extra armor-like fur. It huffed warm white mist through its nostrils, instigating a charge with more anger than a bull. Glistening golden eyes shed with their pure white form, which was also highlighted by the gem encrusted crown resting upon its head. Ruby, sapphire, topaz, emerald, all colors were present within the King¡¯s crown, each shiny and properly cut by a master¡¯s patient hand. The monster shifted his attention from Gelo to the boys, swinging his craning neck out like a giraffe looking to feed on a bush. He watched them with ego and mirth, obviously amused by the showing the humans presented. The King, moving in long frolicking strides, stepped across thending onto the first of the descending steps. He twitched with magical ire as he continued down, focusing intently on the four invaders. Blue-white power dripped from the tips of his stark antlers as he started to speak in a deep, cold voice. ¡°Lowly human¡ª¡± ¡°Stop it uncle!¡± Gelo interrupted. ¡°These are my friends! They saved my life, show them respect!¡± The giant moose hesitated, his golden eyes flicking back and forth. Like a mother washing their child¡¯s mouth out, the King reapproached his speech, not wishing to insult the dungeon¡¯s matriarch. That being said, he was still the King of this castle, and he had a duty to fulfill.¡°Humans,¡± he said with a discreet pause looking at Gelo. She didn¡¯t object. ¡°You have challenged me! The King of thisnd and the overseer of the forest below! I shall not let you simply pass, for I have not earned my title of Monster King through word alone!¡± The King stopped at thest step, obviously waiting for a response. The boys, however, turned their attention to Gelo. ¡°Uncle?¡± Lnd asked, echoing his earlier question. Gelo, again under scrutiny, flushed red as much as a bear cub could. She tried to hide her face, turning away like an embarrassed child. ¡°Yes¡­¡± she muttered at the wall. ¡°Isn¡¯t he like a deer or something?¡± Jude asked, not trying to hide his words. ¡°How does that make sense? You¡¯re a bear and he¡¯s¡ª¡± No longer able to handle such insolence, the King interrupted, ¡°A deer?!¡± he spat, like the word itself was heresy. ¡°Amon deer?! How dare thee, y-y-you heathen!?¡± The walls shook with the monster¡¯s anger. Madnessid within his golden irises, the sphemous affront pushing him from thest step and onto the main floor. Instantly the polished floor froze over in a thickyer of blue ice. The ice raced down themon area and main hallway, forcing the boys to jump to dodge being stuck to the floor. ¡°Uncle Everald!¡± Gelo sneered. ¡°They are my friends! This is not¡ª¡± ¡°Silence!¡± A gust of blistering cold air rushed through the castle, mming doors and sending the nearby monsters into a frenzy. They snapped at the air or cackled with horrid snickers, howling like the unintelligent beasts that they were. Only Gelo stood unfazed by the cold snap, her blue-white fur bristling in the sudden wind. She growled at her uncle, standing as tall as she could on her short stubby legs. Instinct took over and for a moment she lost her humanity, for a moment she was a monster just like those surrounding her. Like a candle being relit by a simple smolder, her anger waned, allowing her to regain control. ¡°Uncle Everald!¡± she seethed, enunciating every syble with a proper growl. ¡°These are my friends! You will treat them with respect!¡± The moose and bear stared at each other while the monsters continued to celebrate with rage. Internally, a nagging set its sharp hooks in the King. Instincts shed within the beast, both intelligent and primal. He had a duty to the dungeon, to the forest below, but at the same time, he knew of a fear grander than some idealistic notion of pride. He saw the cause of his fear deep within Gelo¡¯s eyes. The same cause that tortured his existence. Not wanting to look weak, the King snorted with another huff of white mist. He turned his back on the invaders, his magic opening the double doors leading into the arena. Without looking back, he trotted ahead and said, ¡°I await the challenge.¡± With that, the monsters went silent. Once their leader entered the arena, they quickly descended the castle¡¯s steps following along. Soon the boys and Gelo were left alone. ¡°It''s always the same with him!¡± Gelo cursed at the spot where her uncle had just disappeared . ¡°For being the only other intelligent being in this dungeon beside mother and I, he¡¯s really dumb!¡± Lnd, having been gnawing his lower lip, spoke up again, ¡°Uncle?¡± Gelo spun, her body tense like a startled cat. When she saw the three boys¡¯ confused expressions, she deted. ¡°Uncle Everald is like an uncle to me,¡± she muttered. ¡°After my father died, I didn¡¯t have many people to talk to¡­ and well, Everald is the only other monster around that I could have a conversation with ¨C that with Mother always being asleep.¡± ¡°Your father died? Was he not a dungeon monster? Did he note back like the other monsters?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°He did, but not with his previous intelligence,¡± Gelo said with a pout. She sighed, sitting with a plop. ¡°I think that¡¯s why Mother sleeps so much if I¡¯m being honest. So she doesn¡¯t have to see him.¡± Jude¡¯s expression fell first. ¡°That¡¯s terrible!¡± he bellowed out, crouching down and taking the cub in a hug. ¡°That¡¯s why Mother killed the core¡­ she was grieving.¡± Nodding in understanding, Jude pressed her harder into his chest. The other two boys stepped forward and pet the poor cub as well. For a long moment everyone just stood in silent warmth, but an angry moose yelling about respect this and king that, pulled their attention back to the issue at hand. ¡°So we have to battle your uncle?¡± Lnd asked. Gelo pushed her face out of Jude¡¯s fuzzy shirt. ¡°Yes¡­ It will be a hard fought battle, but I believe we can do it.¡± ¡°We? You don¡¯t mind fighting him? Possibly even killing him?¡± ¡°Everald doesn¡¯t have intelligent independence like me or Mother¡­ He will respawnter, the dungeon core will make sure of that.¡± Even Glenny gave her a suspicious look at that. The cub¡¯s words did not match her fidgeting snout and whiskers. ¡°Gelo¡­¡± Jude whispered. ¡°I-it''s fine. He¡¯s nothing more than a monster¡­¡± The boys shared a nce. Lnd spoke up, ¡°Gelo, are you sure this is the only way to get to your mom?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°And would you be able to get to her without defeating your uncle?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Mother made sure that he will always allow me to pass. She¡¯s scary like that.¡± Again the boys shared a look, each silently agreeing. ¡°Alright then,¡± Lnd said with a stretch. ¡°You sit the battle out then. We¡¯ll take care of him.¡± Gelo instantly perked up, her ears going stiff and her eyes locking onto the Legacy of Curses. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s your uncle and it''s obvious you don¡¯t want to fight him. We¡¯ll make do.¡± Jude added on to that, ¡°The deer won¡¯t know what hit him!¡± Snorting, Gelo turned to the human who was holding her. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡ª¡± ¡°Just cheer us on from the crowd,¡± Glenny interrupted. ¡°We¡¯ve battled strong monsters before, this is what we do.¡± A loud crash sounded from the arena room, and a puff of white mist shot out. ¡°HURRY UP!¡± Lnd tsked. ¡°I think we are angering him. We should probably get in there.¡± ¡°Eh,¡± Jude said with a shrug. ¡°Let him stew. Trust me, anger doesn¡¯t always help in battle.¡± Glenny considered his friend¡¯s words, an idea forming. ¡°You know, you might be onto something.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The rogue looked Jude up and down. ¡°How many deer rted insults can you think of?¡± It took several minutes but eventually the boys and Gelo stepped into the castle proper. They took their time, idly looking through the closed rooms with Gelo acting as a ¡°tour guide.¡± They tried every door, finding most of them unlocked and opening to a particrly nd room. Most rooms were open and devoid of furniture with arge area to step around in. Or, more likely, to fight in. Each room also had a specific type of monster nest. The yeti¡¯s was covered in goat furs and a light dusting of snow, the Winter Hag¡¯s room had a bubbling cauldron and plenty of dried herbs. All together the boys and Gelo meandered around, carefully paying attention to the King¡¯s angry screeches. Before the moose truly exploded in anger, they entered the arena with smiles on their faces. Rows of seats encircled a sandy pit, stretching the length of the room before wrapping back around. In the center a sudden drop lowered onto the battleground where a certain angry King and three other monsters waited. All around the castle¡¯s other inhabitants snarled and growled at the boy¡¯s sudden entrance like fans booing for the away team. The king huffed and puffed, yelling, ¡°GET DOWN HERE!¡± Chapter 86: Haunt Chapter 86: Haunt Following Glenny¡¯s n, the boys and Gelo huddled-up. They muttered between themselves, making sure to asionally look down the stands and into the area. They would lock eyes with the King one at a time, each time for slightly longer than thest, and smirk. This enraged the King. All four of his long hooved legs stomped into the sandy floor, each splintering into thick shards of ice as the humidity around him froze over. He didn¡¯t try to hide his anger, much to the annoyance of the three monsters beside him. Each slowly drifted away, out of range of their King¡¯s temper. The boys, meanwhile, discussed the monsters they¡¯d have to fight. As Gelo exined it, the battle would be four on four, but now that she wasn¡¯t participating, three on three. The King and his Royal Guard versus the three challengers. ¡°Uncle Everald!¡± Gelo announced. ¡°I¡¯m not fighting, so kick one of those monsters out!¡± Without prompting, the smallest of the three Royal Guards jumped away, heading back into the stands. It was a monkey-type monster, but besides its icy tail, the boys had no idea what it was capable of. Luckily, the remaining two Royal Guard were monsters they were at least familiar with by description alone. The first was a Wraith ¨C a humanoid ghostly being covered in a dark cowl. It floated silently beside the King, a sickle in its hand and white breath misting from the ck void where its head should be. Each hand was ck and blue and with various levels of proper fingers. Some were whole and present, others little more than a knuckle. Either way, it clutched its weapon tightly, magic flowing through its ethereal form. The second, a Frigid Hordeling, contrasted the Wraith well. The monster was short and stout, bipedal but rested on its knuckles in a forward slouch. Its wide hands were flexed with indomitable strength and fortitude, no doubt in kind due to the frigid wastnds where they thrive. Its arms twisted up into its torso with an armored set of hackles, ending with a short snout brimming with razor-like teeth. ¡°I WILL SICK MY MINIONS ON YOU IF YOU DO NOT HURRY!¡± the King bellowed, only receiving a strange look from Gelo. ¡°He¡¯s lying,¡± the cub whispered to the boys. ¡°The dungeon¡¯s rules don¡¯t allow for that. He must wait for you three all to enter the arena to attack. The challenge has already been set, none of the other monsters can interfere.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t consider that for long, his focus set firmly on the battle n. Angering the King, while prudent, didn¡¯t help with the Wraith and hordeling. For those they needed a proper n, one that¡ª No, he told himself. The ideal n was obvious, it just wasn¡¯t one he was confident in. ¡°The problem is the Wraith,¡± Lnd whispered. ¡°If it is anything like my crows, none of us will be able to hit it. Which means, if my guess is correct, only my crows will be able to do anything against it. So, that means me fighting it alone.¡± Jude and Glenny gave him a knowing look. ¡°You think you can survive long enough for Jude to kill the hordeling?¡± the rogue asked. Lnd nodded slowly, behind him the King shouted about something irrelevant. Jude spoke up next, ¡°I could take the Wraith, and you could kill the hordeling?¡± ¡°No. We both know I¡¯d take too long.¡± No one had a response to that. Glenny pped his hand against Lnd¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you need help, scream for me. I¡¯ll try to help out.¡± ¡°Not with the moose battling you down.¡± Glenny¡¯s smile lit up. ¡°You forget, I ran from basilisk for a long while before eventually killing it. I don¡¯t run out of energy, not with my cloak, remember?¡± What he didn¡¯t mention was that it was nearly drained of starlight. Being in an eternally day dungeon, the cloak had failed to regenerate any of the power it used. He had a bit left in reserve, but not enough for him to befortable. Lnd nodded justly. ¡°I say we get in there then. The King looks bursting.¡± With onest reminder of the n, the boys stepped away from Gelo and down the flight of stairs. And with a weak hop, they jumped the boundary drop-off leading into the sandy pit below. ¡°Finally!¡± The boys ignored the King, taking position before their respectivebatants. Jude stood before the hordeling, Lnd the wraith, and Glenny the King. ¡°First team fully killed loses. No other rules besides that you are not allowed to leave the arena. Ready?¡± Each boy gave a subtle nod. Somewhere within the room a low drum was hit. It resonated through the stands, creating a wave of growls and hisses. Another beat sounded and the King and his guard readied, the boys mimicking the gesture. Then, much louder than the two prior, a third beat rang through the castle. The meaning was obvious; start! The King reacted first and with the most emphasis. Heunched across the sand, galloping full tilt toward Glenny, who only created two shafts of crimson power. Jude moved next, leaping across the way at the slow hordeling. Hended with a harsh impact, breaking the stone below the sand upward. Shards of rock protruded around the monster, circling it while the berserker swung. Battle axe met leathery skin as they shed. Lnd, meanwhile, slowly stepped horizontally toward the edge of the arena. The wraith silently copied his movements, gaging itsbatant. Giving himself a wide enough birth from Glenny and the King who fought in the center of the arena, Lnd flipped through his grimoire with frightening speed. The book took to his will and hovered just to the side of his vision, waiting. The name of the game was stalling, and if the wraith wasn¡¯t going to attack, neither was Lnd. As if it recognized his n, the wraith screeched, momentarily showing its haunted face. Pain, suffering, endless cold nights, and an undead life shone as it rushed through the battlefield. It moved with horrid speed, phasing through reality like a shadow disappearing when the sun rose. It raised its icy sickly and a wash of raw mana blew past Lnd with a cold kick. He dove to the side, keeping his eyes on the now fading wraith. Like a rainbow appearing after a long rain, the wraith appeared mid-swing behind where Lnd had just been standing. Its swipe went wide, and Lnd rolled away. He scampered to his feet and gathered mana and life force to his lips. A shriek whistle was closely followed by ¡°Maul.¡± Lnd¡¯s flock didn¡¯t waste time and attacked the wraith. Some appeared from their realm mid-flight, others stationary like they had just been sitting on a tree branch. It only took a second for each and everyone to bombard the monster with sharp talons and iron-like pecks. Lnd chanced a nce to his friends, finding Jude smashing his axe into the hordeling¡¯s armored back and Glenny slowly coaxing the King away from the center of the arena. Before he could calcte if their n was working, another wave of cold brisked behind Lnd. He dove again, this time dodging a vertical sh. The page on his grimoire flipped and for a moment mana and lifeforce swirled around Lnd¡¯s heart. For only a moment he and the wraith were connected yet he didn¡¯t allow himself to even register how the monster was feeling. Something as cold and lifeless as a wraith? Lnd wasn¡¯t about to subjugate himself to that. Wraiths were well known for a few things, one being their rarity. Being an undead, they¡¯re creation was less than savory and usually under extreme duress. Freezing to death was often the method, along with the hatred and resentment such a climate could bring. They were rarely spotted in popted areas, often retreating away from life and living in seclusion. Although, if the stories were to be believed, that wasn¡¯t always the case. Towns, big and small, had been decimated by a single Wraith in the past. Their ethereal form left few ways to truly harm such a creature, often requiring specialized Inquisitors or highly renowned adventurers to intervene. While his crows could harm the monster, what truly surprised Lnd was that his Curse of Copse actually affected it. The wraith slowed once the curse settled, its movements suddenly a heavy jitter, like it was trying to swim with lead weights attached to its arms. It still continued to float, no doubt¡ª ¡°STOP MOVING YOU FLY!¡± Lnd turned, finding the King whipping his head back and forth hoping to impale Glenny on his antlers. The rogue, however, kept just out of the monster¡¯s range. He backpedaled toward¡ª A flurry of cold expelled from the wraith, flinging the crows off its hooded body and sending a shockwave through the sandy arena. The st hit Lnd,unching him into the air and mming him against the battlefield¡¯s edge. Hardly even noticing the growling monsters a few feet above him, Lnd shook off the pain and refocused. A snap echoed from his fingers as he sneered, ¡°Fracture.¡± There was no feedback, there was no crack or pop. The spell fizzled as it collided with the wraith, failing to even touch upon its ethereal bones. Lnd turned and ran, rushing across the arena with as much speed as he could muster. Fracture working on the wraith was a long shot, Lnd knew, but he measured it to be a worthy experiment. As he dove to dodge another sickle sh, he resummoned his crows and reapplied Curse of Copse. The crows, while attacking with all of their might, were only doing superficial damage at best. Bleeding an enemy or distracting them were the best the unevolved crows could muster, which against an enemy with frozen blood, just didn¡¯t cut it. The distraction was enough, however, any extra time Lnd could scrape out was a¡ª The wraith appeared in front of him. Lnd kicked up sand as he abruptly stopped but the monster was one step ahead. It screamed, expelling another round of cold magic and creating another shockwave. A bubble aegis formed around Lnd as he activated his ¨C now recharged ¨C ne of protection. The shockwave rebounded against the shield, reverberating into the sand. A dust cloud bloomed, the suddenness catching Lnd by surprise. He squinted, noticingte that the wraith had moved. His crows tried to intervene, the entire flock moving to protect their summoner. The wraith¡¯s sickle shredded right through them with a plume of ethereal feathers. Its weapon cracked the depleted aegis without warrant, slicing into Lnd. The cut instantly turned ck, frostbite taking a localized hold. Lnd fell back in horror and watched the few remaining crows attempt to help. They were each taken out one by one, the wraith sick of the distraction. Pain became Lnd¡¯s own distraction, cutting his call for more crows at the roots. The words died in his mouth as he watched the wraith raise its deathly hand. Yet, the killing blow never came. Instead the sickle met a red energy, one brimming with familiar power. Glenny¡¯s weapons appeared connected to his invisible hands as he parried the monster¡¯s attack. Lnd¡¯s eyes widened and he scrambled away. As he did, he saw the King now dueling Jude, a dead hordeling impaled against his massive antlers. Chapter 87: Pitiful Chapter 87: Pitiful Glenny, still invisible, kicked the floor, spraying the wraith in a sandy attack. The sand passed right through the monster. His eyes turned to slits with a deep growl, taking on the appearance of the Chameleon Lord. Thrust after thrust he battled the wraith with his conjured weapons, moving around at a rapid pace and never leaving himself open for counterattack. ¡°Never allow your enemy to retaliate,¡± he could hear his dad say in a gruff voice. It echoed through his head, the pain of their one-on-one lessons biting at his aching heart. Since his mom died, Glenny¡¯s dad wanted him prepared, he wanted him ready for every tough battle he¡¯d ever walk into. Protecting a friend? Clearing a dungeon? Assassinating a noble? Anything, his dad wanted him to be prepared. Fighting an ethereal enemy, while not something the father and son expressly trained in, Glenny had countless hours of practice to fall back on. The Sightless King¡¯s corrupting power took the form of two single edged short swords. They were longer than what Glenny was used to, but as the Huntress had taught him in the mountains, daggers were not his best weapon. He could change and adapt to anything if he had to, butfortability always made its presence known in battle. Especially against monsters that were semi-intelligent. The wraith¡¯s face momentarily shone through its dark cowl before screeching like a feral cat fighting for its life. Along with the sound came an explosion of mana that sundered the sandy floor and sent cracks through the undeyer of stone. Glenny shook with the shockwave, riding it with a limp leap back. The force knocked his legs out from under him but he managed to dodge any real damage. Like a bolt of lightning, he rushed across the arena and intercepted the wraith as it looked to the still downed Lnd. Leading with a powerful up swipe, Glenny parried the wraith¡¯s sickle with a guttural tink. His red swords shed against the ethereal sickle, canceling each other out with a foul silence. Glenny frowned and followed his parry with a single handed stab.His crimson de sheared through the wraith¡¯s dark cloak, cutting through both the front fabric and back. Almost getting caught by the monster¡¯s return attack, Glenny rolled away, a cold wash of energy moving through him. He nearly jumped as the wraith appeared beside him with its arm outstretched in a deadly sh. Luckily, being invisible had its perks, such as his enemies never knowing exactly where he was. The sickle went wide giving Glenny enough time to retreat a few steps. The brief reprieve allowed him a moment of thought, At least I know I can hurt it with my conjured weapons. The thought, while important, was drowned out by the sight of Jude across the way. King Everald, with madness in his eyes, charged Jude with his antlers out and pointy. Blood still dripped from where the hordeling was impaled, although only a few pieces of gory flesh remained. The main mass of dead musclesy elsewhere, broken and contorted. Like the sky opening up after an overcast day, a flock of ethereal crows glided through reality before diving toward the wraith. Grunting, Glenny nced behind himself, finding Lnd standing with a wobble. A jar of thick yellow y was open and leaking into the sand but the majority was on the Legacy of Curses¡¯ frostbitten arm. Glenny recognized the substance as one of the few temporary treatments for frostbite that the town of Frostford sold, although he also remembered the seller not being too keen on its potency. Lnd would need proper treatment, more than his ring of regeneration could provide. But that was forter, right now¡ª The wraith belted out another screech, the resultant shockwave sending the nearby crows flying haphazardly. Glenny rushed in, both crimson swords at the ready. He took the monster by surprise and made use of the bonus effect his evolved invisibility gave. With a twist, both swords carved into the ethereal dark cloak of the undead wraith. Glenny¡¯s ability took and a geyser of ck blood shot forth from the wound. The blood faded from the material ne almost instantly, but there was enough time for both the wraith and Glenny toe to a conclusion. The battle was nearly over. Glenny didn¡¯t stop, he couldn¡¯t, not with his friends fighting for their lives. He spun around the wraith, slicing out with one hand while focusing intently on the sickle with the other. The parry came first, quickly followed by a sickening crunch as his sword tore apart the wraith¡¯s arm. It fell with a spray of dark blood, which once again, faded out of reality. The wraith tried to scream, tried to st the rogue that gued its life, but failed to make any sound. Instead two red swords appeared jutting from its neck before twisting with the force of a volcano. Blood, viscera, and ethereal slop exploded from the fresh wound covering Glenny¡¯s invisible form. He shuddered at the cold, even feeling the frozen temperature through his cloak. It only took a moment for him to confirm the wraith was dead before turning his attention to the King. Jude yed his part well and had yet to enrage. Dodging while yelling taunts, as it turned out, didn¡¯t generate very much berserker rage, so Jude was in a prime state of mind. But when he saw the wraith fall, out of the corner of his eye, a sinister smile bloomed on his face. It was time to battle. The King swore as he barreled through the arena in a thrashing charge, uncaring or not noticing that both of his allies had fallen. Madness had overgrown his eyes and all he saw was Jude, all he saw was a measly human that sought to run from the call of battle! ¡°I WILL EXECUTE YOU AND¡ª¡± The words died in the King¡¯s throat as Jude stopped on a dime and let out a war cry. Almost instantly the battle shifted and the King found himself blocking an iing brutal strike. He took it like the royal he was, intercepting it with his mighty antlers before shoving out. Jude was knocked away, bouncing off the small mounds of sand like a rock skipping across a pound. Superficial cuts dyed his skin deep red, his blood only amounting to added strength, not the warning sign of injury that most would assume. With a leap, he was suddenly back before the King. Starting this attempt off with an overhead bash, Jude threw his entire strength into the blow ¨C only to be knocked away again. As he was sent flying, he did notice a pair of twin crimson des glowing with pulsing power. They carved into the moose¡¯s nk before disappearing back under the guise of invisibility. ¡°PITIFUL EXCUSE FOR A WARRIOR!¡±the King screamed, his frosty breath causing the sand below him to turn to snow. Like a horse rearing, the King empowered his front hooves. Hended with a loud crack, sending way to a wave of impervious cold. The cold overtook the sandy arena, conquering it like a windstorm originating from the icy peaks of Mount Keltov. Jude¡¯s body instantly froze over, all of his sweat and the surrounding air turning into a personal prison. He tipped, falling with the weight of his battle axe as his body no longer had the function to maintain bnce. Hended with an eerie dull silence, one that echoed through the stand of onlookers. When Jude didn¡¯t get right up, the monsters cheered. All except one. Gelo sucked in a horrid breath. Her eyes twisted from Jude to the otherbatants. She pleaded that Glenny or Lnd had a way to help, even though neither moved to intercept. Lnd bore holes into the King with his stare, muttering under his breath while his grimoire flipped around to multiple pages. Glenny, still invisible, rushed through the frost sand, each step indenting his exact location. The footsteps grew ever closer to the preening King. Gelo curse. She cursed and cursed and cursed. Rage enthralled her, pushing her to do something stupid. She wanted to jump into the arena, she wanted to dive bomb her uncle and kill him like Mother had done many times over. All of their private conversation, all of the time she spent in Ice Castle while her Mother slept? All of that was gone if Jude died. She¡¯d make sure King Everald would suffer for an eternity. A loose growl escaped her lips. She jumped at the sound, thinking her Mother was right behind her. She turned, finding only an odd looking monster with floppy ears and a spiked tail. It was growling but not in the same cadence her Mother did. Confusion blinded Gelo for a moment, not until she realized it was her own growl that reminded her of her mother. She had never growled like that before, not even when the poachers hunted her. Why¡­ why was that? What¡ª It was then she felt it. A primal rage, one so uninviting that Gelo knew it wasn¡¯t her own. Yes Jude was frozen over in a cier prison, but the rage she felt was something else. Something artificial. It pounded at the boundary of right and wrong. It blemished the fact that she was just a cub. It sung the song of war, of total chaos, and of an esteemed hatred for one monster in particr. With the ze of a symphony, anger and rage poured throughout the arena. Music, as angry and self-loathing as a drummer marching to war, called for willpower and resolve. The sound encircled its creator, a young man with eyes burning violet and a grimoire that always flipped to the correct page. The grimoire bookmarked a singr page, an active contract with the Lord of Spirits. Flickers in reality splintered with a deep sapphire glow as those beyond death came to the aid of their friend. Spirits, dozens, arrived at the arena with a simple call of rage, one that brokered the strength of a certain berserker. Across the battlefield, under the pretense of royalty, Everald snarled. Across the battlefield, under a prison of ice, Jude flinched. Elsewhere, under the greatest of slumber, she stirred. Chapter 88: Too Much Chapter 88: Too Much It started with a single crack, a single breath, a single twitch. It rolled through the arena like a lengthy tide, like a cascading wave, like an unstoppable force. It absorbed the rage of the battlefield like a dry sponge submerged in a tank of water. It breathed, it raged, it sang. It was, and always will be, a part of a Legacy. A singr chaotic Legacy, one built off the backs of those long ago who died in a ze of glory or fury of unrelenting protection. Those who knew his call were like minded in many ways, those who knew his name were those he considered his kin. Those that followed him, that learned below him, were his children, his Legacy. They beckoned to his undying rage, to the fire that burnt inside of everyone and everything. Like a fleeting memory or a long dead ghost, those who touched upon his gift changed for the will of battle. For the will of rage. The crack shifted, along with the person frozen beneath the icy prison. Lnd¡¯s breath was shallow and brutal, like he had run a marathon through swamnd while fighting off the local monsters. His mana, lifeforce, and stamina were all scraping the bottom of his reserves. How that was possible, he wasn¡¯t sure, only that his curse had worked. It took everything and then some, but he had cast Curse of Copse fueled with the emotional power of the Lord of Spirit¡¯s contract. Seeing Jude, seeing one of his best friends, instantly frozen over turned the key inside of Lnd. The sight of the iceberg simply flopping over and the boisterous pride King Everald expunged created a hole. A void. A burning passion to see everything ame. His hand had moved without thought or safety to his spellbooks, to his lifeline. The initial cast of Curse of Copse folded like a napkin being thrown into a brick wall. Nothing happened, only Lnd could see just how much it would take. The second cast failed to chip the wall, falling short in such a way that he expected King Everald didn¡¯t even notice the attempt of magic. Theugh, the King¡¯s horridugh that was amplified by the colosseum of ungodly monsters, pulled at Lnd¡¯s consciousness. They urged him to give up, to roll over and die. Yet a pair of crimson swords attacking the King¡¯s muscr pristine white fur, drew his attention more than anyugh or taunt. The swords, their user invisible, cried with every attack. Fury, rage, hatred, each pushed the swords to move far faster than ever before. They carved into the moose-King, each ethereal blow cutting a little deeper than thest. A patch of white hair was first to fall, followed quickly by a small scrape upon the King¡¯s pale gray skin. The King didn¡¯t even notice, he was too busy gloating to his horde of monsters. He strutted up and down the sandy arena, each step a frolicking mockery against the lowly human he had just frozen. That he had just killed. The scrape turned into a thin line of blood. The might of magic and hope fueled Lnd¡¯s next attempt but the brick wall still held strong. The King, however, did take notice. It was a single nce, a moment of snarling annoyance rather than that of fear, that the King looked to the young Warlock. For a moment their eyes met and for a moment Lnd saw red. Judeid wasted in the background while the monster who put him there smirked with an ego fit for his position. It was then Lnd changed the emotion he was trying to convey through his contract with the Lord of Spirits. Prior to this, he had only used nice emotions. Happiness, calming, and the like. But he wanted something more, he needed something dangerous. If not for himself, then for Jude. The answer came as the red swords continued to strike with rushed panic and sorrow. There was no hope, not when Jude was freezing to death inside of an ice cocoon. The hope of defeating the King and saving Jude was fleeting and naive. There was only one way to save his friend, and that was with the power of the Lord of Berserkers. The need for rage came easily to Lnd. The searing pain in his frostbitten arm was a good start, the hatred for the monster he battled was better, but the fear of losing a friend did it. It ignited his spell, his contract, with an eruption of violet fire ¨C a fire that burnt a hole right through the brick wall. Purple was all Lnd saw as his heart and mind connected to the King¡¯s. For a moment they were one and the same, for a moment Lnd felt the rage created by insolent humans and their disrespect as well as the pride of killing them where they stood. The connection severed and reality returned to Lnd. He pushed, easily creating all of the artificial rage he wanted. The twin crimson des of chaos expanded and drove in deep, pushing through the King¡¯s skin like a hunk of meat stuck on a spit. The King cried as Glenny¡¯s weapons bore the back of his leg. He thrashed about before noticing a significant halt to his movements. As if moving through honey, the moose monster¡¯s annoyance turned into something else. It morphed and twisted with Lnd¡¯s spell, adopting the rage that floated throughout the battlefield. The King pushed against the slowness, rage and hatred finding the invisible rage as he retreated. The rage affected Glenny less so than most of Ice Castle¡¯s inhabitants ¨C what little energy his parasitic cloak had left acting as a shield. Not a fool, Glenny turned and ran. Right to Jude. Lnd¡¯s chest shook with unrelenting pressure as small blue motes began to appear around the arena. They came like curious fish inspecting a diver, slow, hesitant, ever watchful. Spirits, Lnd recognized, the patrons of the Lord of Spirits, those who died and were now under her care. They were friends, just watchers investigating such a use of their Lord¡¯s power. Lnd tried to flex his power around the spirits, not wanting them to be involved any more than simply watching. He need not worry, however, the blue motes only came for one purpose, to make sure Lnd ¨C a friend to all spirits ¨C was alright. They probed Lnd with gentle nudges, asking through their mysterious ways if he was okay. Having fallen to his knees, Lnd answered back with a mental image of the King as well as the fear that gripped his heart. The spirits epted the answer with gracious speed, floating their ethereal glowing bodies around and past the King and toward the cracking iceberg that held Jude. As they passed King Everald, the spirits briefly circled him, enthralling and confusing him in a subtle dance. The magic they produced went unnoticed to the moose monster, and slowed his thought process like the curse that slowed his body. Yet, like the curse, the magic was iplete and weak. It would only stay active for a minute. The spirit motes danced around Jude and Glenny who was chipping away at the cracking ice with a pocket knife. Both attempts to save Jude from his prison went unnoticed. Not because the magic the spirits produced was weak, or that removingyers of ice was insignificant, but because Jude didn¡¯t need them. The ice broke under an unimaginable weight, freeing Jude with an explosion of ice shards. In an instant, Jude was back on his feet, battle axe in hand. He didn¡¯t so much as nce at his friend beside him, nor at the floating blue motes that celebrated with silent cries of joy. No, Jude only had eyes for the beast that sealed him, that hurt him. Pain turned to strength and rage turned to pain. Both avenues of power brimming with the extreme. Nearly dead and pumped full of artificial rage, Jude took a step. His body was frozen, his muscles cold. Moving hurt, which only added to his title as Berserker. The sand below his feet parted with a sharp crack and dull shockwave. Sand flew, much like Jude himself, revealing an undeyer of broken stone. While leaping through the air, Jude drew his hands back with a singr smooth motion. Hended, breaking the stoneyer into jagged boulders just below King Everald¡¯s hooves. The moose screeched in pain as Jude¡¯s battle axe drove into his front leg and out the other side. Blood was thrown like a farmerys out chicken feed. Ropes of red dyed the frosty snow as Jude pulled his arms out and wide again. Muscle and bone shredded at the seams, breaking apart by steel and rage. Yet, curiously, Jude¡¯s face showed neither hatred nor rage. In fact, his face was stiff, nk, and unfocused. His eyes were hollow and sappy, like Glenny was after his concussion. Jude saw nothing, felt nothing, his body set in a state powered only by his rtionship with the Lord of Berserkers. The King tried to counter attack. Waves of cold rushed from his nostrils like ocean swells able to sink merchant ships. Thick constructs of ice formed and grew upon his branching antlers. He even tried to create a new leg of ice. But Jude didn¡¯t care. Any new pain was only more strength. Cleave after cleave Jude hacked his axe down. Each strike drew more blood, each stroke removed more flesh and bone. Soon the King¡¯s pristine white was blood red and shaking. The King was cold, so very cold. A familiar cold, one that wasn¡¯t from magic or ice but rather the call of the void. He felt the dungeon core, his creator sigh in defeat, another iteration gone. The King¡¯s suffering ended, as well as the coldness he felt. His final thoughts were not of sorrow or despair, but the knowing feeling that he would be able to rest for a few months ¨C or however long it took the core to recreate him. Jude, during all of this, continued to butcher the monster¡¯s corpse. Minutes passed as Jude continued. Lnd and Glenny had reconvened, the former cradling his now ck and blue arm. ¡°This is good, right?¡± Lnd asked, trying not to sound panicked. ¡°He¡¯s not turning on us, this is good, right?¡± Glenny only watched with bated breath. Up in the arena stands, Gelo shed tears. Her snout was dripping sorrow filled clear liquid, and her heart thumped with guilt. She had put Jude and the others up to this. She had told them her Mother would be able to help, that she could guide them through the dungeon. Oh how foolish was she? Uncle Everald was always going to be a hurdle, one that she could pass easily. Why did she not stop to consider that the boys might lose? That Jude might lose. Her crying matted the fur nearest her eyes as she continued to watch a broken Jude repeatedly strike the corpse of her uncle, yet she forced herself to pay attention. Looking away now would be cowardly. ¡°Oh?¡± a voice said beside Gelo. ¡°Humans in the dungeon?¡± The voice paused for a moment. ¡°Humans that my kin cries over?¡± A million emotions yed in Gelo¡¯s mind at that moment. But the one that stuck out the most was rather simple. Hope: Mother had arrived. Chapter 89: Mother Bear Chapter 89: Mother Bear Lnd didn¡¯t notice the being until it was upon him. A sea of furry ice was all he was able to take in before the surrounding silent monsters reacted. Each roared, growled, cackled, or whirled through the stands charging the new threat like their nests were being razed. There was no order, no evidence that the monsters within Ice Castle were abiding by some hidden rule book. They simply rushed to the sandy floor, unabashed by the presence of their dead King. No, the monsters had eyes elsewhere. It rode the cold winds, drifting through the ebbs and flows of reality like a skiff braving white water rapids. It appeared ¨C it allowed its presence to be known, frozen fur and all. The being,rger than the mighty moose King, stood at the center of the arena having finished its spell. It arrived in such a position that it loomed over the mentally shocked Jude. The copsing wave of monsters attempted to pounce. They jumped from the stands, only the quickest reaching the sandy pit before a st of irreputable precise cold eclipsed them. The monsters fell over, their bodies breaking into frozen ss-like shards. Lnd didn¡¯t notice. Neither did Glenny. Their attention was on the behemoth standing over their friend. The anger and pure unfiltered artificial rage had instantly defused, gone with only the trace of blue glowing wisps to support the ims the emotions were present in the first ce. Now, instead of the heat of the Berserker Lord, there was only gentle cold. Lnd scrambled to draw power, he trusted his grimoire to skip to the correct page. His hand moved, refreshing Harbinger Halo with the contract of the Magic Lord. Next came his summoned soul of the Damned and its offering of a lost human soul. Lnd reached out to take it, the thoughts of his newest spell, Soul Fire,ing to mind. His Legacy guided his hand and he wished the being before him to burn¡ª ¡°Stop Lnd!¡± The voice came from Gelo, who was now racing across the sand toward where Lnd and Glenny stood. Almost instantly, the violet haze of confusion and instinct came crashing down. Lnd shuddered at the suddenck of adrenaline, the pain from his battle with the wraith making aeback. He groaned in pain, never taking his eyes off the being that inspected Jude. It was huge. That much was certain. Ice grew from its body like strands of hair or rather fur, encasing its body in a thick armor. Blue and pure white mixed together gave the monster the appearance of a daytime sky or the tide of a warm-water sea. It had ws, yes, but they were retracted as if giving the appearance that it meant no harm. It was evident that the being could kill everyone in an instant without even a thought. But now looking at the beast without the grip of battle on his mind, Lnd knew that wasn¡¯t going to happen. At least, if Gelo was to be trusted. Which, he thought to be true. ¡°Lnd!¡± Gelo announced from his side. He spared a nce, finding the same blue as the beast standing over Jude at the tips of the cub¡¯s fur. Lnd slumped a little, a deep breath pumping through the pain of his arm. ¡°Your mother, I presume?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Gelo answered quickly, as if Lnd¡¯s hand still gripped a lost soul. With a mentalmand, the Curse Legacy banished his summons back to where they came from, thanking each with a silent word. His crows and the soul of the Damned answered earnestly, bidding their master farewell with nothing more than a sigh of relief. The battle was over, they were not needed any longer. The spirit wisps decided to hang around, however. They were, after all, not truly one of his summons. The wisps moved around, each spreading the song of their presence with different chimes. Some drew closer to Gelo¡¯s mom, others backed off as if to watch remotely. Some even drifted to Lnd, setting up on his shoulders and head like birds sitting on a branch. Gelo didn¡¯t so much as nce at the spirits as they moved, instead focusing on Jude while speaking. ¡°She¡¯s going to help him. She said his heartstrings woke her up.¡± Glenny was the one who responded. The rogue had fallen to his butt, the end of the battle acting like a wrung out sponge to his energy. There was a bit left over, but not enough to do anything more than talk and breath. His cloak had been run dry, an effect echoed by the starry pattern disappearing from the void-like ck fabric. ¡°What does that mean?¡± The cub hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Now it was Lnd¡¯s turn to speak up. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Mother¡¯s way of speaking is different from mine. Something about ¡®understanding the world¡¯ and how she now ¡®views life differently.¡¯ She often confuses me, but I know she¡¯s going to help him.¡± A low rumble made the sand of the arena jump. The boys tensed and briefly they looked to find the source. They only found ice cubes with monster chunks in the center. The rumble grew, however, and finally a chuckle expelled through the air. ¡°My daughter proved her own path today, something I missedst we spoke,¡± Gelo¡¯s mother said. ¡°For not my error, this warrior¡¯s wounds would be null.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t make any mistakes,¡± Gelo quietly said. ¡°Foolish child,¡± the mother said tenderly. ¡°The same mistake has been made over countless years. Does it go unsolved if forgotten? No. Does it fix on its own if never brought to attention? No. You proved as such.¡± Gelo didn¡¯t respond. The mother bear craned its neck slightly, catching Lnd and Glenny¡¯s eyes. ¡°Suffering for my error is only resolved by penance. I will save this one, Jude, for his wounds only formed because of his rtionship with my daughter. The rest of my penance will be servedter.¡± There was a long pause. ¡°May I proceed?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Yes! Please, help Jude. Please.¡± During all of this, Jude had not once stopped cleaving his axe into the corpse of Ice Castle¡¯s King. Not once had he looked around, not once had his emotionless face hinted at anything other than broken resentment. Gelo¡¯s mother leaned into this fact. She touched him with a single massive paw. Magic, power, will, filled the arena. Life resounded against the cold, ushering it away like sand on a beach. A hint of ice formed below Jude¡¯s feet, a snowke spiraling into something unique, something deeper than a single fleck of snow. It was not cold, the warmth emanating from Gelo¡¯s mother banishing the thought, but it was still ice. The snowke grew and grew, pushing aside the corpse of the King before taking Jude¡¯s weapon. It was gentle, calming even. It touched his boots and blood stained fingers, slowly warming his body from the frozen prison he had been trapped in just minutes before. The ice turned to a sapphire hoarfrost, cocooning his body in something deeper than simple cold. There was no fear of frostbite, there was no certainty of freezing to death. Not while a Thaumaturge of such absolute magic guided him. Jude copsed, which was quickly followed by a deathly scream. Glenny and Lnd lurched to help, but Gelo blocked their path. She whispered something about trusting her Mother, and that was that. The boys resolved themselves to watch their friend cry out in pain. A minute passed before the screaming quieted. The frost had consumed Judepletely at this point, but Gelo¡¯s mother had never once broken her presence. She continued to pump her cold yet warm magic into him, even as his body convulsed and seized. Then, like a yelp in a silent room, there was sound. It wasn¡¯t Jude, it wasn¡¯t even words. No, it was music, long slow hums each higher or lower in pitch than thest. The song was soothing, Gelo made sure of that. She had heard Jude¡¯s harmonica ying back in the ind forest. She had been drawn by his tune, she only hoped to do the same. Gelo hummed and hummed, slowly walking closer to her copsed friend before resting beside her mother. She wasn¡¯t sure if he could hear her song but the tremors eventually stopped and Jude¡¯s breathing slowed and evened out. Even after the frost began to melt, even after her mother removed her touch, Gelo continued. She didn¡¯t ask for permission, she didn¡¯t need to. She left her mother¡¯s side, and snuggled against Jude¡¯s healing body. She continued to hum but now like a cat purring into their owner¡¯s chest. ¡°He¡¯ll be awake sooner thanter,¡± Gelo¡¯s mother said. ¡°We shall wait here for him. In the meantime, I think there is something to be done.¡± She looked at Lnd as she spoke, her glistening blue eyes stealing a nce at his frostbitten arm. ¡°A simple fix, yes, but not by my hand. After all, you have a reprieve, why not make the most out of it.¡± Glenny frowned at this, about to argue something but Lnd spoke first. ¡°Yes I agree.¡± He turned to Glenny. ¡°Get some rest. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± He then took a moment to thank the spirits for helping, making sure each went back to their realm without issue. Then he thought about Gelo¡¯s mother and her seeming knowledge about his abilities. In the end, Lnd didn¡¯t mind the Guardian Spirit Beast knowing about his contracts, not with everything that had happened. The herbpetition, the battle in the cave, the dungeon¡­ There were many things Lnd strived for. One being to make sure his friends were healthy and happy. Seeing Jude broken and defeated reminded him of what he needed. With the grit of magic in his voice, Lnd beckoned an audience with the Lord of Nature. Chapter 90: Lord of Nature Chapter 90: Lord of Nature Lnd arrived in a veiled overgrowth of nts, trees, and shrubbery. A world of dense shadows and denser foliage greeted him, all of which was covered by the sounds of birds, the chirping of tree frogs, and the cries of small primates. Life was everywhere and anywhere, a scene untapped by man, monster, or time. A ce with only the governingw of strength, aw set above all and at the same time, no one. There were no thoughts of philosophy, no great ideas, or imaginative dreams. There were only the primal aspects of nature. Watching a frog croak, Lnd found himself enthralled. A bright blue creature so small yet reeking of poisonous sweat. It jumped around, taking cover below long dead leaves or between a trickle of water dripping from a root system that peaked out of the ground. A group of ants moved to and fro, bypassing the frog as it continued to lick up their fellow ant-men. The ants either didn¡¯t notice or didn¡¯t care, battling a creature many timesrger than a single soldier ant was more trouble than it was worth. Especially since the mindless drone had a job to do and a queen to protect. Lnd felt he could watch the jungle for hours and never fully capture the beauty of it. He had been in forests and on remote inds before, yes, but there was never so much life. The forests would make noise and an asional bird or squirrel woulde close enough to be seen, but there were times there was a drought of life other than trees and nts. Seeing so many animals crammed together put a smile on his face, especially when it came to theck of monsters. Most monsters were invasive and territorial, making it so that unlucky benign animals often died before they could truly prosper. It''s almost like one of those ecosystems in a bottle, Lnd thought, remembering a small shop in his hometown that had tworge ss brewing jars brimming with unpruned life. It was then Lnd remembered just where he was. The domain in which he stood probably was pruned. It probably was enclosed, studied, and maybe even gawked at just like he did those jars in that store¡­ Or this whole ce was the Lord of Nature. The ground he stood on, the air he breathed, the sweet smell of sap that wafted in the air. He was being watched that much he was sure of. Call him paranoid, call him cynical, but Lnd had been through enough meetings with different Lords to know that everything was under their control. At least in their personal domains.¡°Hello?¡± Lnd asked just louder than his normal voice. He quickly added, ¡°This ce is beautiful and I fear my presence is corrupting it.¡± At his words, a flock of birds suddenly took off from the upper canopy. Lnd swiveled to look, the sound catching him off guard. He could only see shadows against the underside of the leaves, the denseness too much. ¡°Indeed you do.¡± Lnd spun at the voice, finding nothing but more trees, nts, and bugs. A small monkey jumped around the branches in the distance but it was too far away to be speaking so close. ¡°I would kneel in your presence, Lord of Nature, but I am afraid of crushing this ant colony below my feet,¡± Lnd said, looking at the small mounds that breached the soft, moist dirt. ¡°No groveling needed.¡± Again Lnd spun and he felt sure he saw a four-winged dragonfly looking at him. He addressed his next question to the insect. ¡°My name is Lnd Silver, and it was suggested by the Lord of Healing that I petition you for a spell called Touch of Regeneration. Might we make a deal?¡± A presence stirred behind him. Slowly Lnd turned, finding a pair of eyes slowly fluttering open. They were embedded into a tree trunk, yetpletely flush with a vine that crawled up the length of the bark. As the eyes blinked, so did the vine and its apanying anchor stems. Then, with a yawn, a mouth appeared on a separate tree a few paces away. Again the foliage shook with the sudden feature, bending like fluid skin despite being solid wood. There were even teeth and a darkened void deeper into the tree¡¯s throat. From the angle Lnd stood, the mouth and eyes were in line with a face, the eyes were above the mouth at a proper distance. But as the eyes and mouth woke up, another set of eyes appeared in Lnd¡¯s periphery. They blinked a few times, focusing their wooden iris on the human before them before closing, returning the tree to normal. Lnd raised an eyebrow at that but stopped when another set of eyes and mouth appeared quite a bit in the distance. He only saw them because of the unnatural movement, the foliage camouging the oddity otherwise. A few more eyes and mouthster, the first set eventually stilled and truly looked at the young Warlock before them. ¡°Touch of Regeneration?¡± the Lord of Nature mused. ¡°Perchance¡­ Perchance¡­ Tell me, why would you want such a gift.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t need to think about his answer, after all it came from his soul. ¡°I want to be able to keep my friends alive and healthy.¡± Each tree that had an open set of eyes all rolled their eyes at the same time. The trees with a mouth frowned. ¡°Not because you want to heal nature, or anything I¡¯d be interested in?¡± Sputtering, Lnd hesitated. Did he lie and try to appease the Lord, or did he tell the truth and hope his words didn¡¯te back to bite him. As far as he knew, each of his thoughts were never truly his own within the realm of a Lord. The Lord of Nature¡¯s magic might not be as subtle as reading emotion like the Lord of Spirits, but he felt sure that a being of such unimaginable power had a trick up its sleeve. After all, a Lord wasn¡¯t born yesterday. Simplemon thought might be enough to see through any lie he told. ¡°Truthfully, no. I¡¯m not opposed to the idea of healing nature, but I have my own goals, most of which don¡¯t involve nature.¡± ¡°How quaint.¡± Lnd forced himself to maintain a straight face, especially as the eye-trees looked as if they were deliberating. Eventually the Lord of Nature spoke, ¡°My condition for such a spell is simple: protect my Sproutling as he fulfills a quest for me.¡± ¡°Is this ¡®Sproutling¡¯ human?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Yes, he is human.¡± The word was said with disdain, like the presiding Lord hated the term or the species. ¡°And what would I be protecting him from?¡± The Lord scoffed, each mouth-three spitting a bit of sap. ¡°You call yourself an adventurer, do you not? What difference does it make?¡± ¡°Just¡­ wanting to make sure I don¡¯t get in over my head. I won¡¯t be able to heal my friends if I die first.¡± The jungle went silent at that for a moment. ¡°A crystalline scorpion nest has found its way out of their native region, thus making them an invasive species of magical monster. You will be protecting my Sproutling from the scorpions while he eliminates the nesting structure.¡± The voice paused before returning with more disdain. ¡°Do you need to know the exact species or will this information suffice?¡± Lnd knew of crystalline scorpions although he had never encountered them. As far as he understood, they were insects just bigger than the average cat and they could inject you with a magical poison. As long as they were careful, they shouldn¡¯t have a problem, especially if they stocked up on alchemical antidotes. Lnd nodded along. ¡°No, that is fine, thank you. Onest question. Will I be receiving Touch of Regeneration before or after your quest?¡± Again the eye-trees rolled their eyes. ¡°Before, obviously. If you fail, I will strip the spell from your soul.¡± With that, a sapling grew a single step away from Lnd. It grew with great speed, reaching full maturity in a matter of seconds. A small stem with a single leaf was all the nt was, yet the leaf was bursting with a green magical glow. ¡°If you ept, pick the leaf and chew on it. If you don¡¯t, then leave.¡± Again, Lnd didn¡¯t hesitate and quickly began gnawing on the leaf. It tasted like mint. With a sudden wash of vertigo, Lnd¡¯s world went dark and he was cast out of the Lord of Nature¡¯s domain. Although, he did hear the Lord curse using the word ¡°cmity,¡± before he was fully out of the jungle. Lnd¡¯s consciousness reentered his body in Ice Castle¡¯s arena. Beside him Jude and Gelo were cuddled together, both sleeping. Glenny was tending to a small fire and heating up some preserved meats. More importantly, however, was Gelo¡¯s mom. She quirked an eye at Lnd as he sat up, yet refrained from speaking. Lnd¡¯s grimoire, meanwhile, opened and flipped to its newest page. Cursed contract of the Lord of Nature: Use: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Touch of Regeneration, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Return: Protection of one of the Lord of Nature¡¯s Sproutling while hepletes his own quest. Touch of Regeneration: Type: Spell (Nature) Rank: Equivalent to Harbinger Halo¡¯s rank Call upon the Lord of Nature to imbue the target with brimming lifeforce. Wounds are healed significantly faster. This spell heals based on rank and mana used. Lnd could mentally sense where the nest was and when he was due to arrive. He had about a week, which gave them plenty of time to exit the dungeon and return to the maind. The nest also wasn¡¯t very far away, needing only a half day¡¯s travel from Frostford. With the business part out of the way, Lnd pressed his palm into the page activating the curse. A violet halo brimmed to life above him, and knowledge came to him like a dam had broken. A green glow appeared on the tip of his pointer finger and he slowly touched his frostbitten arm. Before his eyes, his darkened flesh brightened and the wound slowly closed. Chapter 91: Touch of Regeneration Chapter 91: Touch of Regeneration The cut on Lnd¡¯s arm healed before the frostbite did. Like a race, his skin reverted from ck, blue, andcerated to simply pale and smooth. It was a sight to see, one that Lnd gawked at like a newborn ying with a new toy. Glenny, from a few steps away, held the same expression. Most healing spells, or at least those of the Lord of Healing, were instant and potent. A cut like Lnd¡¯s would be healed in a matter of heartbeats, not over the span of about a minute. Seeing flesh knit back together was very surreal to the boys, yet Lnd couldn¡¯t help but shudder in delight. Touch of Regeneration didn¡¯t just heal. It invigorated. Lnd felt good, like the morning after a bountiful night of sleep on a bed made of silk and clouds. His muscles regenerated, his joints softened. The tension left his shoulders and the odd crick in his neck disappeared with an audible pop. Seeing his skin move in such a way was a small price to pay in his mind. ¡°Glenny you¡¯ve got to try this,¡± Lnd said, wing his way to his feet. He sat directly next to his rogue friend, holding his green-glowing finger out. Glenny, as hesitant as he was to touch a strange unknown magic, reached out and nudged Lnd¡¯s finger with the back of his hand. ¡°Oh. Oooh¡­¡± Something deep within Glenny released. A knot or a torn tendon, or something. Whatever it was, the relief came almost instantly. It took a few dozen seconds for the deep wound to fully heal, yes, but the simple notion that it was being addressed eased his suffering. Frankly he didn¡¯t even know he was injured, having grown used to the pain for so long, but now it was like night and day. How did he ever put up with such a thing? ¡°It seems much more potent than your ring,¡± Glenny mused while stretching his tired muscles. ¡°I have to agree,¡± Lnd answered in turn before standing. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope the quest I have to do is worth it.¡±Glenny watched his friend slowly walk toward Jude and the small cub resting on his chest. The mother bear eyed the neer, a nk stare on her face. While Lnd was speaking with the Lord of Nature, the mother bear had hardly spoken to Glenny, only asking him if he was cold. Glenny, of course, was, and it was quickly suggested he build a fire. He didn¡¯t have a great read on the mother bear, but it was evident she meant them no harm. After all, she could have easily killed them all like she did the horde of monsters just an hour earlier. ¡°What quest?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°A protection detail into an invested scorpion cave for a Legacy of Nature. I¡¯ll fill you inter, for now¡­¡± Lnd trailed off as he crouched next to Jude and Gelo. He pressed his glowing finger into Jude first, stealing a nce at the mother bear. The bear looked interested, but wasn¡¯t motioning to attack or anything. Even with Lnd being in such proximity to her daughter. He Touch of Regenerated Gelo next, earning a tilted head from her mother in response. Lnd¡¯s heart pounded at this, yet he stood tall and took a step forward. ¡°W-would you like me to¡ª¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± The word flowed from the mother bear¡¯s snout like a gentle crash. Without adrenaline or the fear of losing Jude, nothing stood in the way to blunt the way she spoke. Power, authority, age, wisdom. Lnd didn¡¯t know, but he could feel it. Something was fundamentally different about Gelo¡¯s mother, something that reminded him less of a beast and more of a Lord. Slowly Lnd stalked closer to the massive bear. A gradient of blue ice and white fur met him like chainmail on a knight. He searched for a location he could reach his finger through the frozen armor, yet always came up empty. Granted he had only searched a small portion of her front leg ¨C everywhere within his reach. The Guardian Spirit Beast, tensing his trepidation, shifted slightly, showing off a particr patch of nd fur. Lnd didn¡¯t hesitate, he would feel his contract¡¯s timer running out. With a gentle prod, his glowing finger touched the bear. The power and magic zipped into her body, disappearing deep within her very being. ¡°Oh¡­ That feels quite nice,¡± She purred. ¡°Really?¡± Lnd asked, his eyes split open like a puppy dog¡¯s. Gelo¡¯s mother craned her neck to look down at him. She blinked long and slow before an odd expression overcame her snout. ¡°No, that was a lie. I apologize, the spell is not potent enough to make any changes within me.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Forgive me, while I¡¯ve spoken with humans in the past, it has been sometime. My manners are not what they should be.¡± Smiling at that, Lnd said, ¡°Gelo said something very simr when we met.¡± ¡°Like a butterfly chasing an eagle,¡± the bear said, leaning back. ¡°R-right¡­¡± ¡°You seem stressed.¡± That¡¯s an understatement, Lnd thought with a bite of his tongue. He looked at Glenny, who was watching them speak while sitting by the fire, finding no sce. ¡°It¡¯s been a longst few days,¡± Lnd eventually said. ¡°But then again, it¡¯s been a long few months.¡± He paused.¡± It¡¯s just been a lot, is what I¡¯m trying to say.¡± Mother bear rxed, shifting her entire body. Sheid down, head between her outstretched front paws. Even prone, she was double Lnd¡¯s height. ¡°We have some time before Gelo and Jude wake, why not share? Maybe a different perspective will change your resolve.¡± The boys looked at each other. Glenny gave a shrug. Lnd then said, ¡°We came to Frostford for an annual festival¡ª¡± She shook her head, interrupting. ¡°I sense there is more before Frostford to your story. Why are you stressed, Lnd?¡± He flinched at his own name and looked back to Glenny for help. None was given, only a silent waiting stare. ¡°It¡¯s my Legacy,¡± Lnd huffed out. ¡°For a long time I was unable to use a spell, making it so that my friends ranked up without me. Now there is a big gap between us, even though I have ess to the spell.¡± From there, Lnd exined all of his worries and thoughts about his rank and how he was slowing both Glenny and Jude down. Once he began talking, he spewed out information like a cracked faucet. Mother bear didn¡¯t interrupt, nor did Glenny, even after the story stopped making chronological sense and became a mishmash of random tidbits of emotion. He talked about his parents, their wishes for him to be a Legacy of Magic, and his subsequent betrayal. Glenny did object to that, stating that they only cared that he was happy, not what Lord he subscribed to. Lnd ignored the statement, talking about being weaker now than he could be. That was when Mother bear exhaled. ¡°I understand you, young Lnd. You and my little bird are not unalike. A natural progression of life, leaving the nest. Or den, in my case.¡± She chuckled at that. ¡°Regardless, cubs leave and have to grow up on their own. Why do you think I allowed Gelo to leave the dungeon in the first ce? It has been her home all her life.¡± Lnd frowned at that, thinking back to a previous conversation with the young bear. ¡°I was under the impression she snuck out.¡± Mother bear snorted at that. ¡°A child¡¯s imagination. I am the keeper of this dungeon¡¯s core, nothing goes unnoticed. Even while asleep.¡± That made Lnd frown even harder. If she knew they were in the dungeon, why didn¡¯t she help them with the worm or moose king? Why¡ª ¡°Your expressions are telling, Lnd. A sign of a trustworthy cub, rather than slimy pup,¡± Mother bear said. ¡°I have faith in my kin, for I understand her like I do myself. As all parents should. Gelo entering or leaving the dungeon is her decision now, even if I believe it to be too early. The same reasoning applies to you three. Gelo trusted you to clear the dungeon to meet me, so I allowed it.¡± ¡°Then why interfere here? In the arena?¡± Glenny asked from near the fire. Mother bear didn¡¯t need to think about the question. ¡°While I trust my daughter, she is still ignorant. There was a thread of fate that you three survive without receiving irreparable damage, but once you,¡± she looked at Lnd, ¡°activated that rage spell, the perfect threads all snapped. One, if not more of you, was noting back after that. So I stepped in.¡± Lnd sat beside Glenny and began sucking down some hot stew. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you are trying to tell me then.¡± She took a deep icy breath. ¡°You have time, Lnd. You are young, powerful, brave, and trustworthy. Your slow to rank is not as big of a deal as you think, nor the silly notion that your parents have been betrayed. From the way you describe them, I expect them to be proud.¡± As if to echo the Guardian Spirit Beast¡¯s statement, the crow tattoo on his hand chirped with glee. Lnd stared at his hand for a long minute, too long, in fact. Glenny shied from the silence and spoke up, ¡°May I ask your name, Guardian Spirit?¡± Gelo¡¯s Mother released a bemused exhale. ¡°Frostford¡¯s founder gave me the name, Floe.¡± ¡°It''s wonderful to meet you, Floe. As you¡¯ve already picked up on, I¡¯m Glenny, that¡¯s Lnd, and Jude is the one with Gelo.¡± Floe smiled at thete and redundant introduction. Glenny continued. ¡°You say you know what happens inside the dungeon, but do you know what happens outside?¡± She subtly shook her head. ¡°Poachers. Ones that have already proven to attack on sight. And if the ones we faced off against are anything to go by, the ones remaining on the ind are going to be just as potent. We suspect an ambush upon our exit.¡± Thinking for a second, Floe nodded toward the opposite end of the sandy arena. ¡°Maybe the items in that chest will help.¡± Glenny and Lnd both looked, finding an ornate golden chest sitting idle across the way. It had not been there prior to the battle, nor during. That could only mean one thing. Loot! Chapter 92: Scroll Chapter 92: Scroll Opening the chest, Lnd and Glenny were met with a pair of items. The first, and least cool-looking as Jude would put it, was a rolled up piece of parchment bound by a leather bow. The second, and more cool-looking, was a chain-link il. A dark leather grip wrapped around the base hilt and handle, where thick iron rivets stuck a metal casting in ce. Attached to the casting was a chain that ended with a spiked ball. The ball instantly caught the eye of both Lnd and Glenny. They sucked in a surprised gasp when it ignited into an icy fire. Blue and white mes warmed the area, casting a bright glow from inside the treasure chest. Lnd, thinking fast, snapped his hands into the chest, yanking out the bound scroll. ¡°Ah!¡± he yelped, his hand already blistered and actively turning ck and blue. He dropped the paper and rushed to a nearby pile of snow and ice left over from the battle with the moose King. With a soothing chill, the pain eased until the cold brought unease. ¡°Man,¡± he whined. ¡°The contract with the Lord of Nature still has another twenty minutes until I can use it again¡­¡± Glenny, now holding the il, gave his friend a pitiful smile. From holding the weapon at its base, he could feel his skin warm through his cloak andyered shirts. Still, he couldn¡¯t help himself from twirling the ball and chain around like some kind of Legacy of the Pit Fighter. Speaking from across the arena, Floe spoke, ¡°It¡¯s called Comet¡¯s Fall.¡± The massive bear stretched, making sure not to crush her nearby daughter and Jude. ¡°It¡¯s one of the rarer items that this dungeon can drop.¡± Glenny snorted at that. ¡°Ironic, really. None of us will use it, not unless you want it, Lnd.¡± Clutching a chunk of ice and his hand to his chest, Lnd scowled at the ame weapon. ¡°I¡¯d rather not¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t hurt to carry around, right?¡± The memory of helplessly dodging the wraith came back to Lnd. He wasn¡¯t a weapon user, it had never been in his wheelhouse of skill. He always envisioned himself making grandiose spells, slinging attacks and preventing enemies from even nearing him. That, now more than ever, seemed incredibly foolish in hindsight. Simply having the il in hand would have given him more protection than not, even if he failed to properly use it. With a begrudging nod, Lnd agreed. ¡°At least until I can find something more my speed. A ming il, while unique, might be a little too unique. You know?¡± Glenny nodded along with the question yet found his attention back on the weapon. With a frown, he inspected the handle for a long minute. ¡°Um, Floe? Do you know if it is possible to turn the mes off?¡± The mother bear chuckled at that. ¡°Your will can do many things once you put your mind to it.¡± With her words, Glenny effortlessly turned off the blue fire. ¡°Huh. Easier than I expected.¡± ¡°Many trials be simple once youplete them for the first time,¡± Floe continued. "Even something as difficult as conjured weapons. Hands mold y, but y also molds the hand.¡± Glenny froze with her words. The Sightless King¡¯s power, the power he took to be his own, was something he practiced with daily. Well, daily when there wasn¡¯t some crisis or threat on their lives to deal with. It was slow progress, but his weapons could take on a few direct forms, that being mainly increased or shortened lengths of his main elongated daggers. Eyeing the il, Glenny wondered if something like chains were possible with his power. The obvious answer was yes, but the simplicity of such an answer was realms above him. Or so he thought. Floe¡¯s words about y fluttered around his mind, even as Lnd went to pick up the scroll. Maybe there was something there? Maybe the Sightless King¡¯s power was moldable. Lnd tried to ignore the pain in his hand as he inspected the scroll. His ring of regeneration was doing its job quite well, most of the blistering was already fading, but the dull throbbing ache still remained. He resolved to put his mind to something else, the obviously magical scroll. Having seen hundreds of simr bound pieces of parchment over the years ¨C through his parent¡¯s magical work, Lnd knew exactly what he held. In simplest terms, it was a spell form. It took a careful hand and years of knowledge and innovation to create such an item ¨C or luck, to find it in a dungeon. His dad loved the things, even going so far as to have a room solely dedicated to their creation in their family home. As a hobby, he would craft and create dozens of variants of the same form, each more redundant than thest. A cantrip that automatically folded letters for envelopes? His dad would augment the form to make sure the letter was folded perfectly. The Legacy of Magic¡¯s Crash Lightning spell? He would imbue it with rainbow lightning instead of the normal light blue. If only people could use some of his more impressive forms, Lnd mused while pulling the leather binding off the scroll. The issue with spell forms was that they were tailored to the creator. Creating a form that others understood was an art, an art that his dad had no reason to aspire to. He could make a pretty penny selling his work, sure, but the effort would ruin his hobby. Some mages spent their whole lives creating simple forms for the masses of rich nobles and wealthy heirs ¨C forms that were nd and basic. The one Lnd held was¡­ different. The scroll unraveled to a long piece of paper with thick ink lettering and multiple runic circle drawings. It was written in anguage he was unfamiliar with, yet was somewhat discernable. Through the circle diagram and recognizable key runes, he recognized it was a summoning spell form. What it summoned, he had no idea. ¡°What is it?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°A form for summoning¡­ something? I don¡¯t recognize this symbol. I¡¯ve never seen it before. In fact, it doesn¡¯t even look like themon glyph lettering.¡± Lnd flipped the paper and pointed to the symbol in question. ¡°See how it''s rounded? Glyph lettering doesn¡¯t curve like that.¡± ¡°Something about power cords, right?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Magic flows through straight lines better than rounded?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± The longer Lnd looked at the scroll, the less things made sense. From the unknownnguage to the seemingly new glyph, the ink all started to blend together. Lines crossed and letters merged into one another. The page slowly became unreadable, something he realized toote. ¡°Ah! What is happening!?¡± He dropped the scroll when the ink filtered toward the edge of the paper, beading up like blood across a light scrap. The ink squeezed itself out of the paper, flowing out and into the sand. Dark rivers moved through the arena, conjoining together like a ma attracting shards of metal. Soon a puddle of ink rose through the sand, pooling into a small sphere of ckness. It lifted into the air, the distinct resonating whoosh of mana in the air. Then Lnd¡¯s tattoo pecked him. He grunted with pain, pulling his hand to his chest where his other hand resided. A drop of blood formed just below his crow tattoo¡¯s beak, but he quickly rubbed it away on his pants. He nced at Floe, finding her watching him with one of her big bushy eyebrows raised. He swallowed and looked at Glenny. ¡°You okay there, buddy?¡± the rogue asked, looking at Lnd¡¯s hand with a difficult expression. ¡°I haven¡¯t wanted to pry, but I¡¯ve noticed that happen a few times.¡± Lnd gritted his teeth and went to respond but Floe beat him to it. ¡°It seems Lnd¡¯s Lord holds an interest in his adventures. A crow tattoo, huh? I thought the Lord of Crows stopped taking Legacies decades ago.¡± Lnd chose to bite his tongue and refocus on the floating blob of ink, but not before sharing a look with Glenny. Glenny epted the silence for what it was, trusting in his friend. ¡°Floe,¡± Lnd suddenly said. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± The mother bear shifted her weight, digging a bit deeper into the sand shey on. ¡°I do not, which is very interesting. I have seen every item this dungeon can produce over the years¡­ Well that is obviously not true. I had thought I¡¯d seen every item this dungeon can produce.¡± ¡°What about the scroll itself?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Ever seen something that did that?¡± He motioned at the ball of floating ink. ¡°I have not.¡± ¡°Any ideas what it is?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t make a guess.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He turned to Lnd. ¡°What do we do with it?¡± Lnd was asking himself the same thing. The scroll was useless now, not unless they could figure out how to re-write the form with the ink. But then again, maybe that was the point. ¡°Maybe the true item is the ink?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°I could try to bottle it?¡± Floe and Glenny didn¡¯t speak right away, and eventually started brainstorming other ideas. But nothing of substance came of it and they eventually decided Lnd¡¯s idea was best. Empty bottle in goodish hand, Lnd slowly approached the ink ball. As soon as the ss rim touched the magical liquid, gravity took. The ink fell, sttering all over Lnd¡¯s hand like an egg hitting a sizzling skillet. The ink bubbled and spat, but never lost volume. It glued itself to Lnd¡¯s hand like thick tar mixed with cobwebs. Then the pain started. A white hot brand zed against the back of his hand, searing his skin like the backside of livestock. He screeched in pain, causing a wave of cold to rush out from across the arena. Instantly Floe was beside him, her massive eyes looking at the frail human worriedly. Glenny was next, rushing over while screaming out his name. Yet Lnd didn¡¯t notice. He couldn¡¯t, not really. The pain was one thing, but as the ink contorted and morphed, he started to see a pattern. Something clicked in the back of his mind, something that he had seen countless times in his years of learning the basics of magic. A ck circle was forming, more specifically a magical circle. It bled into his skin, prickling him like a thousand needles. He knew he should be freaking out, but as he saw a new tattoo form around his inked crow, he couldn¡¯t help but be fascinated. Chapter 93: New Ink Chapter 93: New Ink ck swirls of ink rotated around Lnd¡¯s crow tattoo. It moved through his skin like a worm in soil or a dolphin swimming through a swamp. Fit with bramble and thorns, the new tattoo wrapped itself into the crow¡¯s talons like a wreath, giving the bird a proper ce to stand. Still it shifted through different designs, some organic, trees and bushes, others abstract like broken slivers of dark iron. It moved and changed, never resting for more than a few seconds before moving through his skin again. It didn¡¯t hurt any longer, not that Lnd cared. No, he was too focused on the smug expression his crow tattoo had taken on. The small bird asionally pped its wings or silently cawed, obviously happy with whatever changes were ripping through its host¡¯s body. ¡°You alright?¡± Glenny asked. Honestly Lnd didn¡¯t know. He wanted to say no. He wanted to exin that he felt more vited than he seemed. Yet he couldn¡¯t. He knew he should, as an unknown magical item suddenly bing one with him was usually cause for concern. But the Lord of Curses seemed to be happy with this change, so why shouldn¡¯t he? Unless his Lord misled him and actively sought to end his life, Lnd couldn¡¯t bring himself to worry about the tattoo. Not when he had a hypothesis to what the tattoo actually was. That was forter, though. When the ink finished moving around and when he could actually activate the magic it held. ¡°I think so,¡± was all he said. ¡°It¡¯s not hurting?¡± ¡°Not anymore.¡±¡°What does it do?¡± That, Lnd hesitated to answer. He had an idea, yes, but he didn¡¯t want to say it aloud. Not because he thought hispany would make fun of him or call him mad, but rather because if he exined and turned out to be wrong, then well¡­ the disappointment might be worse than being incorrect. Still, he couldn¡¯t just not answer. ¡°When the ink was within the scroll, it was a summoning circle. A ritual, one that summoned something I did not recognize. And well, it might be the same but just on my hand.¡± Floe, and her massive size, rxed. She had rushed to Lnd when he screeched in pain, but seeing that he was fine now, she backed up a bit. Humans were warm blooded after all, she¡¯d hate to kill the boys by lowering their body temperatures just from being adjacent to them. ¡°In matters such as this, I have found the best course of action to be research,¡± she said. ¡°I would advise you not to try and summon the tattoo¡¯s ability. Not without more understanding.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t answer, only looking from the mother bear to his hand. Glenny, however, did. ¡°What do you mean? You think it might be dangerous? I thought summoning rituals had safeguards in ce for the caster?¡± ¡°They do,¡± Lnd muttered with a grimace. ¡°Correct,¡± Floe replied. ¡°But Lnd and I both did not recognize the symbol in the scroll. What happens if the ritual summons, say¡­ a demon? Or a voidling? Those safeguards you spoke of are for lesser beings, those that can be summoned with household objects as opposed to the more dastardly.¡± ¡°Dastardly?¡± Glenny asked, looking between the bear and his friend. Lnd answered, ¡°As in sacrificing people, magical monsters or beasts, or¡­¡± he said the next word with quiet aversion, ¡°souls.¡± Floe nodded along, hearing every single word. ¡°Souls. Yes. Just like the ones you summon and extract.¡± Would the Lord of Curses be that sadistic to use souls for something like that? Lnd honestly didn¡¯t know, not when he could consume souls for power. He knew, however, that the soul was reincarnated when he did that Would it be the same for the tattoo? Would the Curse Lord celebrate something like that? Thinking back to the kindly old woman that appeared to him in his Dream Ceremony and first contract with the Lord of Magic, Lnd didn¡¯t think so. She seemed to care about him and his well being, surely she¡¯d know that using a soul for such a reason would only break his heart. He couldn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t, ever use the summoning tattoo if that was the case. Legacy and Lord be damned. His mind went to his newest spell, Soul Fire. He had yet to test it, but what if it was the same? What if igniting a soul to use it as ammunition was the same as¡ª ¡°Lnd!¡± He spun, finding Glenny only a step away and staring in worry. ¡°Sorry. Got lost in my head.¡± The rogue gave a rueful smile. ¡°I get it. Weird powers swirling around your body. Trust me, I get it.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯ll figure it all outter. Maybe I can ask the Huntress for her thoughts?¡± Even as he said it, Lnd knew such a conversation to be a spite riddled misadventure. While the Huntress might have an understanding of odd potential powers, did he even want to ask her? She had made it clear she was looking into his Legacy specifically, and the longer he could keep her in the dark, the better. Or at least he thought. ¡°Why do that when you can just send your parents a letter? Don¡¯t tell me you ran out of that fancy courier set?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°No, I¡¯ve still got plenty. But they are back in the inn in Frostford.¡± Glenny snorted at that. ¡°That was a lot of ¡®ins.¡¯¡± Lndughed at that, the gnawing pit in his stomach finally fading. Then the realization came over him. ¡°Did I really suggest that I should talk to the Huntress over my parents?¡± He shivered. ¡°Might want to heal yourself, man, you¡¯re losing it.¡± Both boysughed at that. A few minutester, a violet halo of dark energies formed around Lnd¡¯s head. A momentter a pure and natural energy formed at the tip of his finger and suddenly his burnfelt a lot better. ¡°You might want to practice with that il, Lnd,¡± Glenny offered, holding out the unignited weapon. Lnd took it haphazardly, the short link of chain jostling. He gave it a cursory swing before frowning. ¡°Just think ¡®ignite¡¯ or something.¡± Following the instruction, Lnd did just that. Instantly the weapon zed to life and he felt his internal mana dip a bit. It wasn¡¯t enough to make him worry, nor enough to force someone like Jude or Glenny to have to rely on alternative enchantments to activate. The weapon, while shy and chaotic, would serve him well enough. That was, if he could actually find a use case for him, a mage, to strike someone with a melee weapon. Defending himself was one thing, a shield could do that, but a il? Could he even swing it fast enough to hit a proper warrior or duelist? ¡°I feel dumb,¡± he said to the open air, receiving a chuckle from Floe. Glenny gave him a sarcastic smile. ¡°Now, watch me. ils, while not a weapon I¡¯ve used very much ¨C or at all really ¨C have some special properties. ils are weapons meant to strike around guards, shields, and or parries. Wide sweeping strikes after a short wind up.¡± Lnd gave him a nk stare. After a few more minutes of instruction, the two were mock dueling. It was slow and tedious, mainly because Lnd had abysmal strength. Like two thinly tree branches, he raised and lowered his arms above his head, getting used to the weapon. Eventually mock dueling turned into quarter speed repetitive motions which then evolved into half speed sparring. Glenny defended with odd conjured weapon structures, none of which resembled daggers or swords. Simple shapes, squares, rectangles, anything that resembled his glorified weapon of choice. As much as this was practice for Lnd, Glenny found himself straining to maintain his powers. The low speeds mixed with the, forck of a better word, weak attacks, proved a good regime for the young rogue. He didn¡¯t need to focus on his footwork, faints, or powerful strikes and could instead entirely work with his conjured weapons. As they continued, Lnd grew more confident and threw wilder and different strikes. It wasn¡¯t just what Glenny originally taught him anymore, now he changed up the pace of their sparring with moves that just felt right. At least, they did until Glenny parried the ball and chain, throwing it out of Lnd¡¯s hands. ¡°Ah,¡± the Legacy of Curses muttered. Floeughed across the arena. Glenny let go of a crimson pitchfork looking weapon, letting it fade from reality. ¡°Overzealous. I like it.¡± Lnd couldn¡¯t help but smile at the fun he was having. Tiring fun, yes, brutish fun, yes, not his cup of tea fun, yes, but fun nheless. He took his time picking up his il, allowing Glenny time to conjure a new weapon. The rogue, throughout all of the sparring, had focused on molding his weapons like Floe hinted at. He wasn¡¯t sure if she knew of his power or if her wording was nothing more than a figure of speech, but regardless, his Sightless King power responded well to the molding. But as he tried to form his newest creation, something just wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Molding¡­ molding¡­ y? Pottery?¡± he mumbled under his breath. Pottery, ceramics in particr, were brittle. They broke under slight force, no doubt being useless in a real battle. He pushed at his power with that in mind, the crimson construct fracturing under the slight pressure. He frowned, finding the weapons aspect exactly as he imagined. He needed something more, something stronger, something as malleable as y, something like¡­ like¡­ Almost face palming, Glenny grit his teeth. Metal, white hot metal. Metal fresh from a forge, ready to cool and harden after being formed to shape and tempered. Envisioning a weapon in his mind¡¯s eye, Glenny focused on his power forging the power in his hands. He mentally hammered, chiseled, sharpened, and polished his handiwork, setting it into reality. The familiar crimson power took to his wishes, forming a simplistic replica of the il Lnd held. Oddly enough, the red spiked ball was bursting with heat ¨C like it had just been taken out of a forge. ¡°Wow!¡± Lnd whispered before clearing his throat. ¡°That¡¯s cool and all, Glenny, but I¡¯m not sparring against you if you are going to use that. I¡¯ve already been burned once today.¡± Glennyughed. Chapter 94: Peace Chapter 94: Peace Jude¡¯s eyes were the first thing to move. They twitched within their housing, rolling around the insides of their eyelids like they were having a bad dream. They shook and stammered, rotating with horrid vigor until his past traumas fully surfaced. They came like a wrecking ball, gnawing away all of his security and assurances. He was naked, his clothes nothing more than an ethereal blossom ¨C like a husk or a cocoon. It was cold, like the icy prison Ice Castle¡¯s King put him in. Hoarfrost licked off his skin, striking a pose in line with the wind. He was cold. Then the memories took their turn. He had died. in and simple as that. He had been frozen in an ice cube with dozens of monsters around tough at and taunt him. He hated that. It irritated him. It enraged him. There was a spark of heat. Obviously he wasn¡¯t dead, but he couldn¡¯t remember just how he wasn¡¯t dead. All he remembered was red rage, a young bear cub yelling his name, and his two best friends calling for him. They were still out there, right? Those he loved? Those he wished to seed even if it meant he died? Just where were they, he wondered? Where was he? It was cold, so very cold.Jude just floated there, hovering in a void of colorless darkness. He could see himself, highlighted like a spotlight directly above him, yet nothing more. Alone with his thoughts, he sat, wondering, pondering, theorizing. Yet there was more, just what was it? Oh, right. The nightmare. Cold, ice, frost, death, crying, friends fighting for their lives. And rage. A lot of rage. Rage. That made him angry, right? He was supposed to be the angry one. He was supposed to be the one who was enraged? Why couldn¡¯t he get mad, then? It was there, in the background, but muted and locked away. That was a good thing, right? The longer he looked at it, the longer he leaned toward the side of bliss. It was a nice sentiment, having no rage. He could just float around, helpless, happy, and uncaring. The world was his own, everything as far as he could see¡­ which wasn¡¯t much. It was an alien thought that broke his misery. It pulled against his soul, it pushed against his mind. The cage housing his rage bulged. The thought then disappeared, gone without a trace. Until it wasn¡¯t. It was suddenly there, sitting before him like his rage. It was blue so light it almost looked white. Like snow reflecting the sunlight back into the sky. He reached out to touch it, to figure out what it was. His hand went numb, an evesting cold breaking through his skin and pushing into his fingers. His body went rigid, yet Jude couldn¡¯t help but not care. He was in bliss, the cold was so numbing, so fitting. It blurred his pain, his nightmare. It removed his stress and relocked his rage. It epassed him like a hug, wrapping around him with a speed and strength unknown to him. He had seen his parents spar a few times over the years and more than once they had to pay for damages to the facility. They eventually decided to only fight in the istion of nature. The trees never stood a chance, not when two rank six warriors fought. The cold that was merging with his bones was stronger than both of his parents put together. Centuries of power rolled around him, all forming from the light blue mass in front of him. Was it mana? Was it magic? He didn¡¯t know, he was never one for that kind of stuff. He had always left that to Lnd, his friend that had an interest in that sort of¡ª Lnd. He was alive, right? A cold sweat fell from Jude¡¯s boundless form. He had left Lnd to die. He had died himself and left Lnd and Glenny to fend off that moose monster all by themselves. How could he do that? How could he let that happen? He was better than that, he had more control over his Legacy than that! He was the son of two Royal Inquisitors. He was the Legacy of the Berserker. He was a savior of Shoutwell, and defender of the powerless! Something flickered again, this time bringing more warmth. He snatched it instantly, his hand pushing through the colorless void and into the mass of rage before him. His hand went numb, an infinite anger breaking through his skin and pushing into his fingers. His body went limp, yet Jude began to care. Rage bloomed in his belly, fueling his heart and mind to speed up. It reinforced his nightmares, it enhanced his pain. Guilt came to him next, pushing the remainder of his rage¡¯s cage open. The power epassed him like a p on the wrist. It wrapped around him with speed and strength far, far, surpassing that of the light blue bliss. Hot and cold. Fire and ice. Anger and peace. The rage was much more mboyant. It easily outshined the calmness, attracting Jude. Like a moth to a me, he allowed it to take purchase. To rekindle what was lost and what will be. It was his power, like Legacy, and it wouldn¡¯t be disobeyed. Yet, surprisingly, the calmness remained. It circled within his body, skirting around the rage like a ballet dancer moving through a stage of mouse traps. No, that wasn¡¯t quite right. The calmness moved with the rage, impersonating it like a spy behind enemy lines. Grimacing, Jude knew that wasn¡¯t right either. The calmness, the light blue energy¡­ it¡­ it¡­ it was intertwined, bing one with the rage. Bing something more with the rage. Fire and ice, anger and peace. One coin with two faces. One person with two¡­ His eyes opened. A familiar weight was lounging on his chest, her breathing inline with his. Gelo was awake, yet unmoving and ignorant that her pillow had woken up. She lightly hummed. A simple tune, the very same that drew her to Jude in the first ce. It was out of key and mostly mumbled, but Jude recognized it anyway. He, stillying in the sand, followed Gelo¡¯s eyes and looked across the arena. There were Glenny and Lnd, both alive and well. The former of which was chasing after thetter in an odd game of tag. Tag with conjured weapons and an ame il. It looked fun, Jude thought. But he couldn¡¯t keep from closing his eyes again. He was tired, very tired, and he just wanted to hum along with his bear cub friend. So he did. He joined her tune after a particrly long rest, instantly harmonizing with her off-key sounds. Gelo didn¡¯t notice, not until the song fully ended and Jude whispered, ¡°That was beautiful, Gells.¡± The cub instantly sprang to her feet,unching off Jude¡¯s chest like four little rockets ignited in her paws. With a yelp, shended beside him and instantly started licking his face. ¡°Ju-de! Jud-e! J-ude!¡± she bellowed. A low chuckle sounded from an area behind him that he couldn¡¯t see. He wanted to sit up and look, but the small creature attacking his face had other ns. ¡°You¡¯re awake! You¡¯re awake! How are you feeling? Can you hear me!? Jude can you hear me!?¡± ¡°He can hear you quite well, my daughter,¡± a voice said from his blind spot. Noticing that both Glenny and Lnd stopped their game of tag, Jude forced his neck to crane backward to the voice. An older version of Gelo stood mighty and big, like a mountain fit with icy trees. The bear loomed over him, a smile on her snout. ¡°Are you Gelo¡¯s mom?¡± Jude blurted out. ¡°How could you tell?¡± she instantly said back before chuckling again. ¡°Call me Floe. Nice to meet you, young warrior.¡± ¡°Well met, I¡¯m Jude.¡± ¡°I know. Gelo¡¯s been mumbling about her time with you and the others for thest few hours.¡± Floe lowered an oversized paw, assisting him to a seated position. ¡°You have my thanks for protecting my daughter from the poachers.¡± If Gelo wasn¡¯t sitting on hisp, and inadvertently, his hands, Jude would have waved her off. Instead he said, ¡°It was the least I could do.¡± ¡°Indeed. But you suffered for it.¡± Gelo flinched at that, looking at her mother with a guilt-ridden expression. He turned back to Jude, wedging her snout into the crevice of his neck. ¡°Sorry,¡± she muttered. ¡°It''s okay,¡± he petted. His shirt was suddenly damp, no doubt tears from the cub. He began to hum, stroking her fur. For the moment they three sat like that, at least until the other boys arrived. ¡°Jude!¡± one of them said. ¡°Jude!¡± the other said. They crashed into the sand before engulfing their friend in a mighty hug. Gelo struggled under the pressure but eventually relented and epted her warm prison. It was nice after all. Floe cleared her throat, ending their sentimental moment. ¡°How do you feel, young warrior?¡± ¡°Like a million gold,¡± he answered in turn. Everyone stared at him. ¡°Seriously!¡± he continued. ¡°I feel good! Loose! Limber!¡± Lnd was the one who spoke, ¡°Touch of Regeneration strikes again.¡± He smiled in relief. ¡°But in all seriousness, you were¡­ broken. After the battle, I mean. You don¡¯t feel anything is wrong?¡± ¡°Broken?¡± Jude asked. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m broken. I feel good, really good.¡± A silence stretched for only a moment before Floe said, ¡°Good, it worked then.¡± Jude looked up to the mountain of a Guardian Spirit Beast, ¡°What worked?¡± ¡°I gave you my blessing, an Incarnation.¡± The boys¡¯ eyes widened. Chapter 95: Ice Warrior Chapter 95: Ice Warrior ¡°An¡­ Incarnation?¡± Jude asked, his throat suddenly raw. He looked from Gelo to her mother, finding both bears staring at him expectantly. They watched his subtle movements, the younger silently taking in the announcement. The older, however, answered. ¡°Indeed, a gift worthy of everything so far.¡± Now Glenny and Lnd stared at Jude. Each gawked at their friend, a blessing. A full-on blessing. They couldn¡¯t believe it. Congrattions were in order, drinks, partying, a wonderful warm night in a tavern! Their return to civilization would be glorious! Both Lnd and Glenny could see it now. At least, until Jude¡¯s next words. ¡°What¡¯s an Incarnation?¡± Everyone else froze with stupor, even the two frost bears. Gawking turned to nk faces which then turned into irritated maws. Only Floe regained someposure, the others cracking like an overheated ss statue. But silence reigned supreme. Lnd was first to fully taken in the situation, ¡°It¡¯s a type of blessing from ancient intelligent beasts.¡± ¡°Specifically,¡± Gelo added, ¡°a war-themed blessing.¡± Jude slowly nodded, feigning understanding. Glenny coughed. ¡°A blessing is a gift someone of great power can bestow on someone else. In this case, Floe to you.¡± ¡°Ahh,¡± Jude mouthed. ¡°So like my tattoo of regeneration? My parents are quite powerful if you don¡¯t mind the humble brag.¡± Again, silence reigned. ¡°Blessings aren¡¯t so much physical items, but rather an understanding of an aspect of magic or a dynamic change in someone¡¯s aspect,¡± Lnd retorted, referring to one of the many introductory magic textbooks his parents made him read. ¡°But I don¡¯t use magic,¡± Jude said with a frown. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m thankful for the blessing, I just think it will be more useful given to someone else. Perhaps Lnd, he uses magic.¡± Floe couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. Sheughed andughed, rumbling the sandy arena floor like a bomb had detonated miles underground. She ttered herself in her giggly fit, lowering her head inline with the boys in Gelo. ¡°Perhaps it would just be better if you see for yourself,¡± she said betweenughs. ¡°Glenny, would you fancy a spar?¡± The rogue perked up at that and turned to Jude. ¡°What do you say? I¡¯ve got a new weapon technique, you¡¯ve got a new Incarnation? Might be fun?¡± Jude, never usually one to turn away from a battle, was hesitant. He remembered back to his time unconscious, to right before he was frozen in hoarfrost and killed. Just how he was alive again, he didn¡¯t know. But he felt something was wrong, something deep inside him. Something had broken and had been reconstructed. He voiced his concerns to the group. Glenny and Lnd then recounted the events leading up to Ice Castle¡¯s King¡¯s demise. Jude listened intently to all of it, yet never spoke. He didn¡¯t remember any of it, even after waking in a ¡°raged-out¡± state, as Lnd put it. He especially didn¡¯t remember hacking away at the moose, killing it like it was amon, non-magical, deer. ¡°And then you just kept hitting the King¡¯s corpse. Over and over again, long after my spell ended,¡± Lnd finished. ¡°That was about the time Floe arrived. She jumped into the arena, killing the crowd of monsters, and magicing you asleep.¡± Floe cleared her throat. ¡°My magicing you, was the ritual for giving you my blessing. I sensed the unmasked raw rage in you. There were a few threads of fate I harped on, one such being a glue of sorts.¡± ¡°The cold peace,¡± Jude muttered. ¡°You locked the rage inside of me away. And when I unlocked it, the cold peace intertwined with it. That was you?¡± The mother bear gave a slow nod. ¡°That power¡­ it soothed my nightmare¡­¡± ¡°A nightmare that hopefully shall be hesitant to return,¡± Floe replied. ¡°How do you mean?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Rage, and all of its kin, have equal opposites. Anger, irritation, rage, calmness, excitement, peace. A mask, of sorts, one with a fissure through the center. The rage leaks out, blinding those who look through. Peace, in this case, is the glue to smooth the fissure.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­¡± ¡°My blessing is weak, however. That is the way of the Lords and their pets. As you grow in strength, so will your Lord¡¯s guidance. My blessing, while exactly what you need, is only a temporary fix. But even a temporary stepping stone provides a footing to reach the peak of the mountain.¡± With little more to say, Glenny and Jude stepped away from the group and into the center of the arena. As he did, Jude looked around finding monster body parts in partially melted ice around the periphery. He wished he could have seen it, Floe decimating them. It would have been a sight to behold. ¡°Ready?¡± Glenny asked, extending his arms. A quick swipe of crimson red power sted from his palms before sprouting like an opened umbre. The change was quick and wobbly, but his power solidified with every pounding second. Like an initiate Legacy of the Forge, he crafted his weapon with bountiful imagination and vision. The oue wasn¡¯t exactly as he wanted but what he was going for was evident enough. A scimitar; a back-curing de fit with a single ded edge and short hilt. Jude let out a low whistle, summoning his own battle axe from his hand tattoo. He took a minute, looking at the eternal blood that licked his de, reading through his Legacy rankings. Everything was in order, albeit higher than he originally imagined. He shrugged, lowering his hands and raising back his weapon. ¡°Ready,¡± he said with a yful snarl. ¡°Go!¡± Lnd shouted from the side. The spar started with the rogue turning invisible and rushing through the sand. The berserker mimicked the move, minus the invisibility. They shed in the very center of the arena, Jude reading the imprints in the sand like a book. Hot sparks shed from their weapons, Jude powering through with his increased strength. Likewise, Glenny dipped and skipped around the sand like a dancer, moving around his friend with precision. First blood streaked down the back of Jude¡¯s leg, the heat from Glenny¡¯s crimson de nearly searing the wound shut. Jude grunted at the pain, his Legacy ability activating instantly. His agony fueled his movements, pushing his strength and rage higher. He hesitated, however, feeling something in the background. He checked his leg, something he would never have done if in a real battle. But then again, Glenny might attack to prove a point, so he made it quick. What he found almost made him call off the spar. Ice, a small pocket of ice. Like he sat in snow and some stuck to his pants. He frowned, but before he could inspect more, a curved crimson de appeared from stealth. Jude reacted quickly, parrying the attack before shoulder bashing the invisible Glenny. Hearing his friend grunt back and retreat put a smile on Jude¡¯s face. Why was he worrying so much? He loved to battle, he loved to spar. Why was he worrying about some ice? He was literally in an Ice Castle! The stress of thest few days washed over him as he let out another one of his Legacy abilities. He bellowed with power, the war cry adding to his strength and upping his threshold for pain. Then he leaped, flying through the air toward where hest saw one of Glenny¡¯s footprints. The agility-based rogue, however, moved out of the way, circling under the mid-air berserker. Judended, breaking the stone under the sand in a small arc. Glenny predicted this, appearing with his weapon raised. Jude turned quick, however, blocking the attack before receiving a kick to the gut. He bounced through the sand, rolling in such a way that he gained his footing. Like a bolt of lighting he shot off, back to Glenny. Jude¡¯s battle axe, however, was no longer a bloodied mess of iron and instead was frozen over with sharp hoarfrost. He swung wide, cleaving with what used to be his only ranged attack. Before a red crescent of raw rage would ignite from his axe and st through the air, but now a frozen blue arcunched out. The sudden change in ability caught Glenny by surprise. He blocked most of the damage, but his forearms and wrists were gushing blood as the ability razed past him. He lowered his guard, expecting the bout to be over, but something yanked him from behind. Like a boomerang, Jude¡¯s crescent ability made its mark, returning to the berserker with frigid strength. Glenny, caught in the attack, flew through the arena andnded just before his opponent ¨C his invisibility dispelled. Both friends looked at each other, their eyes wide. Jude, however, broke his stupor with a sinister smile. He raised his arms back and up, hoisting his frozen battle axe high into the air. He then thrust with all his might, ending his attack just before Glenny¡¯s open neck. ¡°I win,¡± said the Legacy of the berserker. ¡°Jude,¡± Glenny whispered, already epting his defeat. ¡°What¡¯s with the ice?¡± All across Jude¡¯s leg, a thinyer of blue-tinted ice crested him like the pant of a suit of armor. It bent and pivoted at his joint, moving with his muscles in a simr fashion to Gelo and Floe. He then noticed his axe, red and frozen, sharpened and cool. ¡°Huh,¡± Jude said. ¡°That¡¯s new.¡± Chapter 96: Tears Chapter 96: Tears After a round of Lnd touching the twobatant¡¯s with a green glowing finger, everyone sat and discussed. ¡°The ice cools me while my rage heats me up,¡± Jude exined. ¡°The effects are a nice touch, also.¡± ¡°¡¯A nice touch?¡¯¡± Glenny said incredulously. ¡°Your crescent strike pulled me into you! How is that only ¡®a nice touch?¡¯¡± Jude simply shrugged. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a bit more than nice.¡± He turned to Floe. ¡°Thank you.¡± The giant bear gave a slow nod. ¡°Payment well sought.¡± She looked at her daughter, giving her the stare. ¡°T-thank you all for helping me get home,¡± Gelo sputtered out. Jude petted the young cub as Lnd and Glenny waved off the praise. ¡°Thanks for helping us get away from the poachers.¡± Now it was the cub¡¯s turn to look bashful. Floe cut into the positive feedback loop, ¡°The Incarnation has yet to fully present itself. In time you will grow to control the ice more.¡±¡°I see,¡± Jude said. ¡°Any idea how long that will take?¡± ¡°Some time,¡± the bear concluded. ¡°Right¡­¡± Jude then turned to the group. ¡°What¡¯s next? Train some, prepare to exit the dungeon and fight for our lives?¡± That spurred a much needed conversation. Entering the dungeon might have been out of necessity, but venturing into its depths sure wasn¡¯t. Meeting Floe, for Jude at least, was important enough to brave the monster and bosses, however. It was their goal, their cause, their reason for everything that had happened over thest few days. And now that that goal had beenpleted, the question of what to do next was front and center. They had two more days until they ran out of time topete in the herb gatheringpetition, which put them on a bit of a schedule. Luckily the exit to the dungeon was rather close. Just through Ice Castle and across the snow fields. ¡°There¡¯s another exit,¡± Gelo muttered into her fur as the conversation drifted. Floe shifted her weight at the deration. ¡°The final dungeon boss, yes,¡± Lnd said with his face scrunched. ¡°Sorry, I assumed that to be Floe, and for obvious reasons we are not going to try to kill her to open an exit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Mother,¡± Gelo squeaked out. ¡°Then what¡ª¡± Lnd took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s your father, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked the cub. Gelo didn¡¯t answer, instead nuzzling into Jude, hiding her snout. Jude gaped at that and said, ¡°We don¡¯t have to¡ª¡± ¡°No, it is fine,¡± Floe interrupted. ¡°He is no longer who we wish him to be, and instead is another mindless drone to that ursed dungeon core. A pawn for those above.¡± ¡°What does¡ª¡± ¡°You may kill him, yes. But I ask you not,¡± the mother bear continued. ¡°It has been many years since I made my vows. I am the only one who may kill him. To reset him.¡± Gelo, through all of this, kept her head firmly nted into Jude¡¯s hip. If she could, she¡¯d have covered her ears and or simply left the conversation. Her father was a trying topic for her to speak about at all, but when her Mother was involved, things only grew worse. After all, how was she supposed to sit around and listen to her Mother talk about killing a loved one. Again and again. It was why she wanted to leave home, it was why she wanted to run away. ¡°Sorry if this is a rude question,¡± Lnd dered. ¡°I¡¯m unfamiliar with how the magic of dungeons produces sentient beings. So, can you exin more about ¡®resetting¡¯ him?¡± ¡°Sentiencees with age. Centuries after a dungeon releases its spawn into the real world, centuries of being uncleared and left alone, enough knowledge is passed between core and monster. Specifically the boss monsters,¡± Floe said with a deep breath. She continued, ¡°Like King Everald. He is starting to learn¡­ or rather, was. Him being killed, he now will be reset to primal instincts and thoughts.¡± The boys¡¯ faces fell at that. They had reset the King, a monster who could speak and have intelligent, albeit enraged, conversation. A dull gnaw found each of the boy¡¯s stomachs and Jude shifted, pulling Gelo closer. ¡°We are so sorry, we didn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Everald¡¯s intelligence is no issue,¡± Floe interrupted. ¡°After a certain level of intelligence he always attacks me for dominance over the dungeon core. Killing him early does not create any woe for me.¡± ¡°Then why keep him intelligent at all?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°The worm wasn¡¯t intelligent, right?¡± ¡°No, and with King Everald, it is simple. He has tried too many times to kill Gelo. Her father and I used to kill him every time he spawned, but we tried an experiment and found that allowing the King some intelligence allows for Gelo to walk free.¡± Lnd spoke at that, ¡°I assume Everald controls the monsters in the castle then? So they won¡¯t attack Gelo if he doesn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± ¡°Then us killing him does create woe for you and Gelo. If he¡¯s going to attack her on sight¡ª¡± ¡°She can use the experience.¡± ¡°Mother!¡± the cub yelled into Jude¡¯s shirt. ¡°It is true, daughter. You must grow stronger. One day I¡ª¡± ¡°Mom! Stop!¡± Gelo screeched, pulling her head away from her human pillow. The cub turned, her white and blue fur waving with rushed momentum. Tears fell and froze down her face as she yelled, ¡°Please! Just stop!¡± With that, the cub ran off through the sand and out of the arena. A few seconds passed before Jude got to his feat and chased after her. Floe let out a pensive sigh. ¡°I apologize that you all had to see that. Gelo is a little¡­¡± ¡°Young?¡± Lnd supplied. ¡°Well, yes. But she¡ª¡± ¡°Is acting exactly like I did,¡± Glenny interrupted. ¡°I lost my mom not long ago, so I get it. Losing her didn¡¯t just break my heart, but it also strained my rtionship with my dad.¡± ¡°How do you mean?¡± Floe asked, shifting into a delicate position. The rogue thought for a moment. ¡°He always wanted to talk about her. What she meant to him, how much she loved me, how he will always love me, just like her. It grew to be an¡­ annoyance. I knew it shouldn¡¯t have and I knew that he was only trying to help me grieve, but it did. A-and I didn¡¯t know how to not be annoyed with him, so I took out that frustration on him. And pushed him away in the process. ¡°Even now, I haven¡¯t written to him like Jude and Lnd have with their parents. Lnd even has special paper and ink, so I know he¡¯d get the letter. I just¡­ I don¡¯t know. After she passed, I just¡­ I don¡¯t know. But I know how Gelo feels, especially when my dad tried to prepare me for a time without him. I can hardly think about losing my mom, and then he reminds me that he¡¯s going to die as well? I ran out of a few conversations before as well.¡± Glenny took in the silence, looking at a hesitant Lnd and a pondering Floe. ¡°Sorry, that was a little rambled,¡± he said. ¡°No, no,¡± the bear said. ¡°Y-you have given me something to think about.¡± They were quiet for a long moment before Lnd asked, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, but how did he die?¡± Floe looked up from her nk stare. She exhaled, sending a waft of icy mist out of her nostrils. ¡°Not long after I met the town creator of Frostford, a visitor came to the settlement. A ¡®Legacy of Big Game¡¯ he called himself. Is that an actual Lord, I don¡¯t know. But he came upon the windy rumor about me and decided that my pelt was worth more than anything. He found the entrance to the dungeon not long after that, back then it wasn¡¯t hidden and the meeting stone wasn¡¯t destroyed. ¡°The Poacher, as we came to refer to him, entered the dungeon and made short work of the worm and Everald. Gelo was very young at that time, so small, so frail. He came with a team, splitting our attention. I fended off theckeys while Gelo¡¯s father dueled with the Poacher. He lost.¡± ¡°And the Poacher? What happened to him? You killed him, right?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°No, and until this day, it is my gravest mistake.¡± Floe abruptly stood and stretched, shaking off the year-long nap she had just woken up from. ¡°I stayed with Gelo, expecting more toe. They never did, and I could have helped my husband in the meantime. It took me hours to realize something was wrong. But by then, it was toote¡­ Interestingly enough, my husband¡¯s pelt was never taken, so I can only assume the Poacher was injured to the point of retreat.¡± ¡°Was the Poacher ever found? Did Frostford track him?¡± ¡°Yes, the founder told me he chased him deep into the mountains but lost him in the snow.¡± Floe paused for a long second. ¡°I had begun to hate humans at that point. I wanted to do nothing more than to rip apart Frostford and the mountains, especially when my husband respawned. I spent many years in an unending rage not unlike Jude¡¯s own, killing the dungeon core over and over again. As my power increased, so too did my madness.¡± ¡°How¡¯d you get out of the rage-loop?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Gelo,¡± Floe said, barely audible. ¡°She became like a guiding star in the night sky. My own little happiness beacon. Cut my rage with nothing more than a silent tear.¡± ¡°So the Poacher is still out there?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Indeed. I suspect those poachers after Gelo are part of his entourage. They will surely return to him with information of the dungeon¡¯s entrance. But I am ready.¡± Floe dipped her head, her eyes hollow and primal. With a cold tone, she continued, ¡°If he enters, he will not live more than a single step into the snow fields.¡± Chapter 97: Report Chapter 97: Report ¡°What do you mean ¡®three kids killed Banks and Ori!?¡¯¡± the Huntress heard a voice shout. She shifted slightly at the volume, shuffling into a tighter form to remain hidden. She couldn¡¯t see the speaker, but from the pure booming power oozing from his annoyed tone, she knew him to be quite the opponent. She¡¯d have to be careful, she never expected a person of such caliber to be in such a seemingly random ce. But maybe that was the point. Criminals, especially the infamous kind, tend to be either secretive or tantly out in the open. Or at least that had been the Huntress¡¯ experience. She stifled a shudder thinking about a previous case where a shady politician was running a kidnapping ring. More specifically, she thought about the pure unadulterated gall the man had. She was d to be hunting a secretive criminal. There was less headache that way. But could she really call this secretive? She had found the poacher¡¯s camp almost as soon as she started looking. The trail up the mountain and through the snow was clear as day, something she honestly was not expecting. Usually there was a bit more tact from the criminal. But that was the problem with having hired or apprentice help. They leave trails no matter how many precautions were set up. From her hidden position, the Huntress leaned a bit, activating a Legacy ability that allowed her to see her focus easier. She peered through the walls of the low-ceiling cabin, past the dozens of pristine pelts, and through multiple mantles housing many different monster bust trophies. The man was obviously proficient in his craft, she recognized some of the stuffed monster heads as incredibly rare or incredibly dangerous. But that wasn¡¯t what she was looking for. She looked directly at the man in question, finding his angry posture telling. Broad shoulders. Thick neck. Plenty of scars on his heavyset muscles. A ¡°W¡± brand across his forehead. The Huntress smiled. Things have changed. Now, if Isobel was a few decades younger and still floating the wake of her first few massive sessful cases, she would have killed the Witch from an ambush unprompted. The man would be dead and hisckeys would be on the floor hiding from a hail of arrows. She¡¯d be reprimanded by the Queen and docked pay, but her renown wouldn¡¯t tank. She let out a silent sigh, the Inquisitors rules were put in ce for a reason ¨C to lower the rate Inquisitors went rogue. It happened, she supposed. People like her, people with unimaginable power, get a taste for gold, drugs, or maybe even the thrill of the kill. It was a slippery slope, the path to bing a Witch, especially for those in her line of work. She¡¯d been on her fair share of rogue hunts. She¡¯d killed people she previously calledrades. She¡¯d wanted to refuse orders, she¡¯d wanted to tell the Queen ¡°no.¡± But it was the job she signed up for. It was the only job she¡¯d ever known. On jobs in the past, she¡¯d skirted the rules pretty significantly. Back when she was weaker. Where if she went rogue, killing her would have been simple. Now? Some of the Inquisitors rules were more set in stone, specifically around killing unprompted. She felt she could talk her way out of trouble for killing the man before her. After all, he did create a blizzard above a town. Well, he didn¡¯t, obviously, but hisckey did. And she could bend that narrative to suit the kill. But if there was some overzealous Inquisitor looking to make a name for themselves, which there always was, then leaving such a troublesome mess could be problematic. While this route to a sessful mission was longer and held more room for error, the headache of doing it by the book would outweigh the potential consequences. So, she waited. She watched. She prowled and stalked. She would go unnoticed, she would learn everything she could about the Witch and set up a trap to iste him from his poacher friends. And friends there were. From her vantage, Isobel counted nearly fifty-odd personnel in the encampment surrounding the Witch¡¯s cabin. Each was obviously attuned with their life as criminals in the mountains. The sheer number of monster parts being skinned or deboned was honestly astounding to the Huntress. Although the live monsters being locked in cages were more pressing. She had to hand it to them, poachers were fast and efficient. Even if they were dealing with deadly beasts. ¡°Y-yes sir,¡± a female voice said to the Witch. ¡°Three young males intercepted Banks and Ori on Frostford¡¯s ind while¡ª¡± The Huntress tuned the girl out. The report had been made to three different people at this point, each a bit higher on the totem pole than thest. She was starting to believe they weren¡¯t going to involve their leader. Although she supposed the report was quite interesting. Three young men, assumed twenty to twenty two, killed two rtively rooted poachers while a blizzard stormed overhead. What was more interesting, was the small monster the two poachers had allegedly been chasing. What was even more interesting was the fact a dungeon entrance was found after tracking the deceased poachers to their ce of rest. And the candle on top was that the dungeon was active. If the Huntress gambled, she¡¯d bet a year¡¯s pay on Lnd, Jude, and Glenny being the three young men. Just thinking about the situation brought a smile to her face. She had trained them so well. Of course they¡¯d kill some lousy poachers¡­ ¡­ Of course they¡¯d enter a dungeon. Her smile faded at the realization. While she wasn¡¯t one to delve, she knew of those who did. And well, she disliked the type. Spending months, sometimes years, inside a dungeon was for the psychopathic adventurers of the world. Not for someone as prime and proper as a Royal Inquisitor. Were the boys going toe out anytime soon? She didn¡¯t know. Was the dungeon too tough for them to handle? She didn¡¯t know. It was, after all, a dungeon hidden deep within a remote ind only essible once a year during a small town¡¯s festival. Surely the boys wouldn¡¯t just die, right? She grumbled at that, shifting her weight and kicking some snow that had fallen on the toes of her boots. If the boys randomly died, after everything she had done for them, she¡¯d hire the Champion of the Lord of Healing to resurrect their ghosts and she¡¯d personally excise them for wasting her time. The Huntress refocused on the criminals¡¯ conversation when the leader said something a bit unexpected. ¡°If they entered the dungeon, they are as good as dead,¡± the Witch said. ¡°How do you know?¡± a new voice asked. ¡°The final boss is a bear, a mighty bear. It¡¯s the beast that took my right eye.¡± Thest words were seethed. Pain and resentment reached the Huntress. She made a mental note, categorizing the Witch¡¯s mental state and ticks. The man was going to be hard to put down, she¡¯d need every advantage she could gather. A blind eye was a good start, but she¡¯d need to know plenty more if she was going to set a trap to get him alone. ¡°That¡¯s where Frostford¡¯s Guardian Spirit Beast is from? A dungeon?¡± the new voice asked. ¡°Correct,¡± the Witch spit. ¡°Why do you think I set up operations here? To eventually reenter and repeatedly kill that monster for every trophy it has.¡± The new voice snorted at that. ¡°My father always said you were passionate.¡± ¡°Your father was a fool.¡± ¡°And your brother, remember that when you insult him. Family is family.¡± The Huntress could practically feel the Witch¡¯s eye roll. The man continued, ¡°Right. Family is family. Well, nephew, I have a job for you.¡± ¡°Kill the brats?¡± the voice asked. ¡°That, and secure the dungeon entrance. I need a week to prepare.¡± At that, the conversation started to dull. Details were hashed out by the leader and his nephew while the girl and her partner left the cabin. The Huntress continued to listen but nothing of substance was said. Well, nothing that would help her. The Witch was smart. He sent hisckeys to do his bidding while he stayed in theforting anonymity of the mountain. He never left the cabin without a weapon, and he never turned his back on those he spoke to. The chance of a mutiny was low, even if the Huntress started leaning on the lowly poachers. She supposed she had a week to fullye up with a n. The leader, while important, was not what she needed to focus on. The nephew was currently gearing up for the trek down the mountain. She watched him, finding his appearance unassuming and frankly nd. The man would blend in well with a crowd, easily taking on the role of a young farmer. Yet, the Huntress saw right through his game. She¡¯d stared hardened killers and criminals down countless times before. She knew what hidden strength looked like. But the question was, just how much stronger is he than the boys. Did they have a chance if she didn¡¯t intervene? That was a tough call. One she thought about as she followed him back to Frostford. Chapter 98: Forest Chapter 98: Forest Under the guise of a trickster moon, the dungeon transformed into a mystical wondend. Tall trees stood against the dark night, highlighted from above like performers on a stage. The trees, naturally random as they were, acted as guardian statues protecting the final depths of the boy¡¯s journey. It was only through an unassuming cer door behind King Everald¡¯s massive throne that the group entered what could only be described as the next task. First was the ice fields, then the Ice Castle, and now a twilight forest thick with glowing mushrooms and flickering fireflies. It was Gelo and Jude who led the pack, the cub and young human dozens of steps ahead of Lnd, Glenny, and Floe. They conversed quietly, Jude speaking jokes and words of encouragement to the saddened Gelo. Yet none of the boys could keep up with their conversations when they entered the enchanted forest. The deeper they walked, the more magical the night became. Through the leaves and branches, illusionary pockets of mana danced. Some were dim, others as bright as antern, either way, the forest was alive and profound. They wandered along the snow nketed moss covered ground, a simple pathway leading away from the exit into the castle. They passed the asional mundane animal, rabbits, squirrels, speckled white doves, especially as they skirted around a babbling brook. The group stopped and watched a circle of fist-sized toads hop in and out of the water, each croaking in anticipation of the wispy mana overhead. All at once, the forest went silent, everything ceased, everything stilled. The fireflies went dim, the toads stopped their song, the gentle wind ended its assault on the leaves and branches. Then, like it wished to keep its secret, the moon disappeared from the sky, taking the darkness along with it. A heartbeatter, a glistening sun took its ce. The fireflies took their cue, ending their strobing lightshow with a much needed nap. The Glowing mushrooms slowly fanned out, soaking in all the light they could. The birds, squirrels, and rabbits ran to their families, bringing back their nightly harvests. Worms, nuts, and berries respectively. Finally, the toads moved on, the colorful mana drifting between the trees having disappeared with the moon. In the mana¡¯s ce, however, was the asional fairy. They were about the size of a hummingbird, yet didn¡¯t steal nectar from flowers. They hovered within the leaves or around the mushrooms, tending to the forest like miniature gardeners attempting to prune their home in line with some bizarre standard. The boys couldn¡¯t figure it out. The fairies buzzed around the foliage with an agenda, one that looked like nothing more than random. The closest one carved into the bark of one of the tall trees, scratching away theyers until the tree looked broken and battered. It then meandered over to a set of weeds growing from the water¡¯s edge, yanking only the widest des before returning to the tree. It then smeared the weeds into the mangled portion of the tree. Finally, like a child painting a wall, the fairy snickered to itself, wandering off to create more mischief. ¡°Pests,¡± Floe muttered to herself. ¡°Always tearing up my den. No matter how many times I remove them, they just reset a nightter.¡± The mother bear let out a low, disconcerted growl. Mana and magic blossomed through the snow-covered dirt, taking hold of the white powder like a ma to metal shaving. Floe then flicked her front paw, sending all of the snow in the forest up. The snow around her daughter and the boys flumed up like confetti while the snow around each and every fairy shot up like a cannon st. Through the beauty and wonderment of a sudden deluge of delicate kes, muted cries of death sounded. When the first of the snow returned to the ground, the fairies were all dead, returning the forest to a proper state. The boys hardly noticed, the snow ying tricks on their minds. They didn¡¯t mind the cold, they didn¡¯t mind the knowing thoughts in the back of their heads. They were happy to lose themselves in the soft rolling mounds of white that piled on their feet. Seeing andscape transform almost instantly from night to day was one thing, seeing thatndscape instantly recreate itself in a swirl of magic and awe-inspiring power was something else entirely. The world was beautiful, it was deep, it was extensive, it wasn¡¯t all monsters, mayhem, and murder. Shoutwell, the Onryos, Frostford, poachers, everything came back to the boys. Being an adventurer was a difficult life. It was dangerous, hard, and trying. Yet, in this moment, surrounded by sleeting magic and in thepany of two mythical creatures, it was all worth it. Helping those in need was always worth it to the boys. They protected those they could even if the situation was dire and deadly. While those they saved would be thankful for their work, at the end of the day, their faces blurred as time passed. Sure, there would always be those that stuck in their minds, but here, in a magical forest, the true memories formed. Those of life, of the slow times between the battles and heartache. They were a reminder that the boys were human. It was fine to take it slow sometimes. It was fine to breathe, to simply watch the world snow for a bit. Their lives were dangerous, but the beautiful memories got them through it. ¡°Gelo,¡± Jude whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your father. Would you tell me about him?¡± The cub, tears still in her eyes, turned to her best-human friend. She didn¡¯t want to talk about her father, yet the words spilled from her snout like water from a waterfall. She rattled on and on about small things they would do together. How she would try to stop him from snoring when she was really tired. That he loved watching the fairies destroy the forest even if Mother hated it. In the end, even Floe was listening to Gelo speak. She never interrupted, she never changed the facts. She just listened and took Gelo¡¯s words to heart. As much as their short time in the forest had created a memory for the boys, it had created an equally powerful one for the two intelligent bears. As her reminiscing ended, Gelo was oddly thankful that she was able to speak about her Father again. Her memories of him were hard to think about, but they sure felt good to recount. Sadly, the moment was cut short as a guttural growl befell the forest. Trees shook their excess snow, losing the powder with the asional green leaf. The fauna ran at the sound, ducking into their hidey holes, taking off to higher branches, or swimming deep into the nooks and crannies of the stream. Of the group, only Gelo froze with fear. The boys, however, adopted fighting stances. Jude took his battle axe from his hand tattoo, Glenny forged two long crimson des that flouted slightly at the tips, and Lnd set his grimoire out and open. Floe, meanwhile, breathed deeply. Then, the ground began to rumble in a slowly speeding up rhythmic pattern. Soon the whole forest shuddered under the weight of distant steps, only for the dull galloping to boom against the silence. Trees began to fall with the sound, cracking under the unrelenting force that barreled toward the group. ¡°Father¡­¡± Gelo whimpered as Floe stepped forward. The bear in question stormed through the maze of trees, finally allowing itself to be seen. Gelo¡¯s father looked remarkably like her mother, besides a few slight details. While her mother¡¯s fur was fully incorporated with ice, her father¡¯s was only frosted over. Her back neck and back were level and even while his were humped and erged. He only saw red while she looked on with sorrow and guilt. The snow around Gelo¡¯s father flickered slightly, turning off blue. The kes rose slightly, then, without any recourse or ceremony, Gelo¡¯s father was gone. Glenny, who had the best eyesight out of the group besides Floe, briefly saw a streak of red before the snow shifted again. He blinked, finding only white and blue. Reeling back slightly, he looked to the others, finding pensive expressions. If the others saw the blood, they didn¡¯t mention it, so he didn¡¯t either. Silence reigned supreme in the forest as everyone came to terms with what just happened. Slowly the mundane animals exited safety and resumed their lives. The boys looked at Gelo, who was staring off in the distance quivering slightly. Jude sat with her, petting her clean fur with slow soft swipes. Eventually Floe exhaled and said, ¡°Gelo, my love, how about you show our friends our den?¡± Gelo perked up at the question before slowly nodding. She trudged through the snow and trees, leading the group. Day turned to night about an hour into their walk, bringing forth plenty of pockets of mana and glinting fireflies. Another hourter, night turned to day, bringing back the fairies which Floe promptly dispatched. All in all, the day night cycle repeated three more times before the group arrived at a great sloped hill. ¡°Wee to our home,¡± Gelo said, never stopping her stride as she walked into the darkness of a cave. Chapter 99: Finding Happiness Chapter 99: Finding Happiness Sitting within a wide cave overflowing with trinkets and magical items, Jude and Glenny snacked on some dried meat while Gelo salivated silently in the corner. Everywhere they looked, enchanted weapons, armor, and plenty of shiny jewelry sat haphazardly on podiums of ice or thrown carelessly to the side. A chain-whip sword made of a long vertebra? It was strung along the ceiling holding up strips of fabric like curtain rods. A golden crown that radiated an icy mist? It was almost falling off the side of a disy podium. A vial of silver liquid with speckles of blue discord? Floe wasying on top of it and using it as a massage roller. How the mighty bear didn¡¯t break the small ss, Glenny didn¡¯t know. He chose not to think about it, rather setting his focus on watching Jude and Gelo silently battle over thest remaining piece of jerky. The cub had eaten hers in a single bite, not realizing there was vor and spices. Now she sulked, pleading to the boys¡¯ heartstrings while Jude teased her. ¡°I think we should save it for Lnd,¡± Glenny suggested. Both the cub and berserker flicked their gazes to him. ¡°No way,¡± they both said at once. Glenny raised an eyebrow at this before ncing at Floe. Therge bear had declined the jerky, stating that she had plenty of her winter bulk to lose before she started eating anything of value again. Instead Floe licked her paws and asionally stole a hesitant look at her daughter. ¡°Sorry, Lnd,¡± Glenny said, turning to his friend. ¡°I guess even among friends, being unconscious is reason enough to lose your fair share of food.¡± Jude and Gelo paused at that, both slowly looking at Lnd¡¯s sleeping form. He wasn¡¯t truly asleep, instead he was contacting the Lord of Water for a potential contract. Unfortunately for him, that didn¡¯t stop Gelo from taking the lull in her and Jude¡¯s staring contest to strike. She shot from her corner, snatching the jerky bag. She didn¡¯t even stop to remove said jerky from the bag, instead gobbling the whole thing down. ¡°Is that¡­ cumin?¡± she burped out. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Glenny said with an unamused face. ¡°Huh, I¡¯ve never had cumin so that makes sense I wouldn¡¯t know what it tastes like.¡± Glenny blinked at the response. Judeughed. ¡°There¡¯s all sorts of food we humans eat. Most of it is ultra tasty, unless it''s raw seafood. That¡¯s really slimy and gross.¡± Gelo pondered that. ¡°I¡¯ve had fish before. It wasn¡¯t slimy.¡± ¡°I was thinking more about oysters or ms.¡± ¡°Oysters? Is that like an octopus?¡± ¡°No it¡¯s a mollusk.¡± ¡°What¡¯s¡ª¡± Floe cleared her throat, interrupting. ¡°Perhaps Glenny can exin what a mollusk is to you, Gelo, outside our den? I would like to have private words with Jude.¡± The boys shared a nce while Gelo hmphed. They were slow to leave, mainly because Gelo was being rebellious and purposefully moving like a snail, but she and Glenny left, leaving the other two and the unconscious Lnd alone. ¡°Jude,¡± Floe began. ¡°You do not seem happy.¡± He frowned at that. ¡°I¡¯m happy. We¡¯re all safe and you¡¯ve helped me immensely¡ª¡± ¡°I am speaking of overall, not at this moment.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Perhaps I should rephrase. You are young and, forgive me for saying this, weak. I take no pleasure pointing this out, but you should not be enraging like how you have been. What happened while you three fought Everald notwithstanding, the rage controls you more than it should.¡± Jude forced down his initial emotions and let out a calming breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. I¡¯m a Legacy of the Berserker, that¡¯s what we do.¡± Floe lowered her head inline with his. ¡°Your mother is the same Legacy as you, correct?¡± He nodded. ¡°Then why have you not been taught how to control the rage?¡± ¡°My mother is nning to teach me, she¡¯s just busy right now. She¡¯s an Inquisitor and travels a lot.¡± Floe studied him for a long moment, but Jude continued to fill the silence. ¡°It¡¯s not like she didn¡¯t want to teach me right away, she and my father just never expected me to enrage so quickly. We, Lnd, Glenny and I , were supposed to just take easy quests until we ranked up. But one thing led to another, and we fought a murderer and protected a city from a cult.¡± Raising a bushy eyebrow at that. ¡°And I take it this murderer and cult were well above your power level?¡± ¡°Yes, immensely so.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Floe shifted, stepping over many treasures and items. ¡°But my question remains; are you happy?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jude said more as a question than a statement. ¡°The reason I ask is simple. Like I told you earlier, rage and peace are equals. Both are always present but one is always dominant. It is easy to lose yourself when you yourself are already lost.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand.¡± ¡°And that is perfectly eptable. You do not have to understand. Just know that you, Jude, sitting in my den, are a different Jude than the one who protected a city or killed a murderer.¡± Jude scratched his head. ¡°Uhh, okay?¡± Floe let out a silent frustrated sigh. ¡°You should strive tobine both forms of yourself.¡± ¡°Sounds easier said than done.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± she chuckled. ¡°That is why happiness is important. Because in the bnce of rage and peace, happiness is the gatekeeper. Add too much, you are singing about the birds. Remove more than you have, and you are snapping at your friends.¡± Jude thought long and hard about that. As he did, his eyes fell to Lnd. His friend was still unconscious, but now his clothing had be a bit damp. How did that happen? Jude wondered. But then again, he was contacting the Lord of Water, so that¡ª No, he needed to focus on himself right now. Happiness was the gatekeeper. Obviously that was a simple statement, one that he wasn¡¯t sure he agreed with. On principle, yes of course, but in practice? He wasn¡¯t so sure, not when a murderer or deadly monster was attacking. How was he supposed to be happy then? He¡¯d be too busy trying not to die, how was he supposed to add happiness? How did he add happiness anyway? ¡°How¡ª¡± ¡°Gelo told you that I went crazy after her father died, correct?¡± Floe asked. ¡°That I killed him over and over again, just to not see him? Or that I killed hundreds of worms, creating those ice spires in the snow fields?¡± ¡°She did,¡± Jude said carefully. ¡°And did she tell you how I broke myself out of the loop?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t.¡± Floeid down, her body crushing multiple sets of armor. ¡°She did. Gelo came to me. Cried at me. Yelled and cursed me. She told me that I was abandoning her, just like her father did.¡± Jude didn¡¯t say anything to that. Floe continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear any of it. Not until she cried herself to sleep and muttered, ¡®I love you.¡¯ Something deep within my enraged consciousness snapped, and for the briefest of moments I felt happiness. It took some time to realize what the feeling was, in that state, but eventually the emotion engulfed me and I woke up. Now, whenever I feel myself slipping back to the rage, I think of her and the undying life she brings me and my heart flutters.¡± ¡°See, Jude? That¡¯s what you need. An anchor. Something that grounds you back to reality. Something that gatekeeps the rage building in your soul. Something that brings happiness despite the situation. Yes, my blessing will help, but if you find a happy conduit, then you will never enrage again.¡± ¡°I¡­ see¡­¡± What could his conduit be? His parents? His friends? Maybe a memory of everyone together? Something just didn¡¯t feel right. Sure, he had plenty of happy memories to think through and pick, but his mind just kept going back to how. How was he supposed to think about happiness when he needed to focus on a battle? How was he supposed to be happy when he knew his friends'' lives were on the line? ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°A difficult lesson, yes,¡± Floe said. ¡°But one better learned now thanter. The Incarnation will help you while you learn. Just be conscious of the issue and open to new possibilities.¡± Eventually Glenny and Gelo came back. Instead of mollusks, Glenny had told her about his mom and how a parental death didn¡¯t have to iste them. They were allowed to talk about the decision with their other parents, they were allowed to grieve in different ways. He told her not alienating herself was important, not when Floe was also going through the death of a loved one. He told her that he had made the same mistake, and he needed to rectify it sooner thanter. So, when Gelo and Glenny reentered the cave, Gelo spoke quietly to her mother in the corner while Glenny sat back down with Jude. They spoke long into the night, and eventually the boys fell asleep. It already felt like a lifetime ago, but they had only killed King Everald a few hours earlier. Sleep came easy, at least until Lnd woke up gasping. ¡°You okay there, Leals?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± he said,ying back with relief. ¡°The Lord of Water, of course, lives in water. I felt like I was treading for hours before she gave me an air bubble to breathe in¡­¡± ¡°Sounds like you had an adventure,¡± Glenny mused. ¡°Got anything good out of it?¡± ¡°I traded my lifeforce water for the spell Shield of Water.¡± ¡°Lifeforce water?¡± ¡°Remember how I said the water I can make with a cantrip might have healing properties?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­?¡± ¡°Well, it does,¡± Lnd said with a broad smile. ¡°Very little though. My whole canteen is only like a sixth of a low quality healing potion.¡± ¡°And the Lord of Water wanted that to trade?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Not quite. I have to show one of her followers how I make it. Which, in my book, is a steal.¡± Chapter 100: Bonus Chapter 100: Bonus With the dungeon more or lesspleted, there really wasn¡¯t much left for the boys to do. They had returned Gelo to her mother, gained plenty of experience, and even some items. Jude and Glenny got the most out of their troubles, each ranking up their Legacy abilities several times, while Jude also received a blessing and great advice. Lnd, on the other hand, remained where he was with his progression, Soul Fire still blocking his advancement into rank two. Soul Fire had been weighing on his mind since he unlocked the ability, mainly because it required human souls to activate. It took him a bit to realize it, but if he wanted to keep up with Jude and Glenny, he¡¯d have to not only kill monsters. Ranking up the curse was going to be a problem, one that he wasn¡¯t quite sure of the upper limits. Now more than ever, he felt inclined to hide his Legacy from others. If people knew he required souls to rank up, surely there¡¯d be a bounty on his head. That sort of thing was left for the vile Lords and their Legacies. But then again, the Lords Lnd had talked to didn¡¯t mind his presence. Not like they would with a vile Legacy. There had been crusades to sunder the vile Lords¡¯ forces before, all of which were started by one or more good-aligned Lords. But that was many, many years ago and Lnd didn¡¯t know all of the specifics. No, the Lords he¡¯d talked to all referred to him as the Cmity, son of the Cmity, or child of the Cmity. Which, while he still didn¡¯t know what it meant, obviously rted to Soul Fire. Type: Curse Rank: 1 (S) Ignite a lost soul. Soul Fire¡¯s strength directly corrtes to the strength of the soul used. You are the Cmity. He reviewed the curse, finding the page of his grimoire unchanged since thest time he looked. There wasn¡¯t much he could do right now, not with so much uncertainty. A battle was expected the moment they stepped out of the dungeon, and hopefully that would add two new souls to his collection. Lnd paused at the thought before reeling in guilt. Regardless of whether people attacked him or his friends, being thankful that he could collect their souls was a dark idea. Magic and power was a slippery slope, as was the hunger to progress in his ways. He¡¯d have to be more careful with how he approached Soul Fire. He couldn¡¯t let himself get used to killing. He¡¯d quit being an adventurer if that was the case. ¡°Before you all leave, take whatever you want,¡± Floe said, pulling Lnd out of his internal musing. The massive bear gestured with her snout at the treasures of her den. ¡°We can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Sure you can.¡± ¡°But the¡ª¡± ¡°We have literally no use for any of this¡­ stuff. And if we did, I could kill whatever drops said item over and over until we have a recement,¡± Floe said. Lnd and the others shared a look. Only a few seconds passed until each shot to their feet and were scavenging the wide cave for whatever seemed interesting. The issue with dungeon items was that their uses were often hidden, thus requiring a professional appraiser to identify and give an estimate. So, the boys took only the most unique items, filling their packs with golden hunks of ornate metal or fluorescent tablets with runic writing. Either way, they knew most of the stuff they were taking was going to be sold. There was only so much they could properly use before drowning in the failing of their own power. It was amon mistake among the rich. Parents set their children with the best of the best items, thus hamstringing the child¡¯s actual power. There would be no foundations to fall back upon, no failsafe for if an item fails, breaks, or is taken. Each of the boys knew this quite well, after all they themselves were first hand examples of the correct way to handle magical items. Their parents had ingrained the failures of having powerful crutches into their minds early, which was why each boy only received the bare minimum before they left home. If they were going to acquire a powerful item, it would be because they had the power to do so in the first ce, not because their parents were rich. Even so, the boys didn¡¯t hesitate to upgrade to a certain degree. Jewelry was the easy option, as such items usually only gave small bonuses like increased health regeneration or the ability to see in the dark. They stayed away from items that wouldpletely change their fighting styles or abilities. This was especially hard for Lnd as he found six copies of the exact same magical wand. He couldn¡¯t quite tell what it did, but just holding it, he felt a surge of air around him. He could feel the way the wind moved through the den, he could taste different aromas around the area. The wand was powerful, but just not for him. That didn¡¯t stop him from pocketing one to sell or trade. At some point Floe offhandedly mentioned that she¡¯d already removed all of the cursed items and locked them away. ¡°If you want to see those, that can be arranged,¡± she said. But the boys weren¡¯t listening, not when each realized how foolish they¡¯d been. If they so much as touched a cursed item, who knew what might happen. Losing the hand would have been the least of their worries. But with the knowledge that they were only handling safe items, the boys quickly got back to searching through the piles of items, albeit slower and with less greed in their eyes. In the end, each boy picked out a few pieces of jewelry and an armor set. Having a full dungeon armor set was rare and often quite expensive. They¡¯d have to get each item appraised to make sure the item fit with their personalities, but that was forter. Right now, each boy fawned over their looks. Jude had picked out an armor set made of bone and ice at Floe¡¯s suggestion. It was a three piece set, with a chest piece, boots, and gauntlets and as soon as he put them on, he no longer felt cold. The obvious answer was that the armor gave him cold resistance, but he felt there was something more. Luckily, the bone matched the only other piece of dungeon armor he wore, the forearm guard from Liontrunk¡¯s dungeon. The armor itself was various lengths of bone sewn into a dark sheet of ice and fabric. The boots were the least intimidating of the three pieces, being the least icy and holding the least amount of bone. The gauntlets curled the length of his fingers, making his grip stiffer to hold his axe better. The most impressive was the chest piece. Two thick tusks hung from either shoulder, jutting out a bit like crocodiles ready to strike. They oozed cold white mist and were dipped in hoarfrost, much like Jude was during the battle with King Everald. He found the look fitting. Glenny picked all of his items next, finding a dark leather set of armor. He didn¡¯t choose the set because it looked fancy or gave off some sort of magical aura, but rather because they reminded him of the set his father wore. His father¡¯s set could shift with the shadows, teleporting him to any other shadow in the area. Did Glenny think the set he chose had the same sort of ability? No, not one bit. But that didn¡¯t change his decision. He¡¯d been thinking about his father a lot over thest month, it was about time he started being a better son. Lnd¡¯s armor choice was the most obvious. While his previous set of robes were dark blue and were a gift from his parents, the enchanted effect of bonus mana regeneration simply didn¡¯t suit his Legacy of the Curse abilities. Instead he found a higher quality robe set with runic patterns stitched into the fabric and a matching wizard hat. All in all, he kept the same dark blue color but adopted a golden hem and pattern. The hat was wide, brimmed, and had a soft point at the top. He¡¯d always wanted a wizard hat, not so much for the style sense or practical purpose, but because as soon as he¡¯d epted their first caravan quest, he realized just how overbearing the sun could be. At least now he¡¯d have some shade if nothing else. Of course they each took jewelry trinkets, but those were easily kept in their bags until they were properly appraised. And with everything set, the boys, Floe, and Gelo exited the den and slowly walked toward where Floe had killed her husband not a day earlier. A glowing green-blue swirl marked the kill sight, a dungeon portal back to the entrance of the snow fields. They each walked through it, arriving at the barren whitendscape. ¡°I guess this is goodbye,¡± Lnd said to the two bears. Floe gave a long nod, but Gelo burst into tears. ¡°Don¡¯t go!! Please don¡¯t go!¡± she catapulted herself into Jude¡¯s knees, almost knocking him over. Jude stood strong, however, despite the tears forming in his own eyes. He petted her and hummed the tune that caused them to meet in the first ce. Before they had left, the topic of taking Gelo with the boys had been brought up by Floe. It was obvious the cub was not happy with her current home life and wished to see the outside world. Before they could even discuss, Gelo put her foot down. ¡°I¡¯m not ready,¡± she said simply. ¡°I-I was impatient and almost died. Without Jude and the others I would have.¡± ¡°Indeed, child,¡± Floe said with a gentle smile. ¡°I will teach you properly this time. No naps, no disparaging slumbers. When you leave home next time, it will be thest time.¡± ¡°Mother¡­?¡± ¡°I am a dungeon¡¯s creation, I must remain near the core. You, however, are not, and can go anywhere you see fit. When it is time, you will leave here and never return. Not to this prison.¡± Again, Gelo cried herself to sleep in her mother¡¯s clutches. Their private conversations had warmed the two ice bears, and now they were inseparable. Mother and daughter, as it should be. ¡°Jude,¡± Floe had said once she was sure Gelo was asleep. ¡°If something happens to me, and I am reset, I¡ª¡± ¡°We will take her in,¡± Jude interrupted. ¡°But that¡¯s not going to happen, right?¡± Floe gave a soft smile. ¡°I will not. Not until I deem myself ready to leave this loop and destroy this dungeon once and for all. Not until she is ready to live on her own. Thank you three for being her first friends.¡± The boys each wiped a tear from their eyes, just like they did currently in front of the dungeon¡¯s exit. ¡°Come find me when you are ready,¡± Jude whispered to Gelo. She nodded and backpedaled to her mother¡¯s side. One by one the boys stepped through the dungeon exit, back into the glowing mushroom lit cavern. They had adopted battle stances instantly, but they were only met with empty silence. ¡°Huh, I guess they didn¡¯t want to fight us,¡± Lnd said. Chapter 101: Drip Chapter 101: Drip The boys stood around the glowing mushroom cave slightly put off. Despite not wanting to battle, they had prepared quite a bit. Lnd even had his blue-fire re out and ignited. ¡°I guess that¡¯s that,¡± he said, canceling the weapon¡¯s magical effect. Glenny took a few steps toward the cave¡¯s entrance. ¡°I¡¯ll scout ahead a bit. Maybe they are waiting outside.¡± Glenny turned invisible and rushed ahead, only small ripples in the reflective pool of water at their feet giving any evidence he left. Nodding along, Lnd re-ignited his ir and wandered to the exit tunnel with Jude. By the time the ripples settled, Glenny returned visible. ¡°Nothing. Blizzard is gone as well.¡± ¡°Maybe we scared them away?¡± Jude suggested. ¡°Killing half of their people is as good as any reason to leave.¡± Lnd supposed that was true, they did, after all, take the poacher corpses into the dungeon with them. If their friends showed up looking for them and only found a few stters of blood and a dungeon entrance, they might be hesitant to attack since the enemy was still unknown. ¡°Either way, we have some harvesting to do,¡± Lnd said, setting down his pack. He quickly pulled out an empty sack and a few herbalism knives. The others groaned but epted their task. There was a patristic magical staff on the line after all. They worked fast and haphazardly, ruining a few of the glowing mushrooms or a chuck of radiating moss in the process. They didn¡¯t discuss it, but it was obvious that the threat of an enemy attack was still high. Losing a few herbs to pick up the pace was worth it in their eyes.As they were packing up the full sacks, Jude said, ¡°I miss Gelo already.¡± Glenny had to agree. He and the cub didn¡¯t talk much one on one, but it was quite apparent she was well-natured and respectful. ¡°I do as well, but she¡¯s where she needs to be.¡± Lnd nced up at that. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve still got plenty of that magical letter paper back at the inn. You want a piece?¡± Pausing mid step, Glenny tried his best to hide his face. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like that.¡± The trio headed up and out, finding a dark cool night. Well, cool was very much subjective to them. They had no doubt the actual temperature was below freezing, but aftering out of a snow and ice themed dungeon, the ambient air felt rather pleasant. Except for Jude, he didn¡¯t feel a lick of cold, his armor acting like a thermal coat. ¡°So,¡± Lnd mused, ¡°anyone remember where that dock is?¡± To the boys, three and a half days had passed. To the real world, only thirty six hours. If their calctions were correct, the next morning would mark the end of the herbalismpetition. ¡°Or we could search the ind for more herbs¡­¡± They shared a three-way look. ¡°Nah,¡± they all said simultaneously. Glenny then looked up, finding a few stars peeking out of the cloud coverage. His cloak had long refilled in the dungeon¡¯s forest night cycles, but nothing could beat the real thing. He took his time reading the distant balls of light, eventuallying to a direction. ¡°That way,¡± he pointed. Leading the charge, Jude pushed through the ind¡¯s foliage and toward the water¡¯s edge. Tracing the perimeter, they eventually came into view of the teleportation dock. A few minutester, they each stepped back onto the maind. ¡°That¡¯s weird,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be an official around when we returned?¡± Jude scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s cold, right? Maybe they turned in for the night.¡± ¡°There was a blizzard, look at all of the snow.¡± Glenny added, gesturing to the snow that lined the coast. With little more to say, they left the dock and headed up the pathway through the cliff face. Eventually Frostford¡¯s skyline came into view, along with the warm basking glow of lit hearths. As they got closer, the smell of firewood and the gentle haze of smoke wafted through the air. It seemed the town was doing well, despite therge piles of snow. ¡°Halt! Who goes there!¡± a voice bellowed from inside the town¡¯s gate. ¡°Uh,petitors of the herbalismpetition out on the ind!¡± Jude shouted back. There was a quiet grumbling from the shadowy gate before the same voice announced, ¡°State your names!¡± ¡°Jude, Glenny, and Lnd!¡± Antern outside the town¡¯s walls suddenly lit with an orange flickering light. A momentter, the sounds of gears and chains echoed through the frozenndscape. The gate slowly rose, revealing two armed guards and a third with a clipboard and pen. ¡°Approach!¡± The boys did, meeting the guard with the clipboard part way. The guard then pushed out the paper and pen and said, ¡°Sign here.¡± As the boys took turns signing, Lnd asked, ¡°Are we the first ones back?¡± The guard¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the announcement? Someone was supposed to find you guys and inform you that thepetition was called off. There is a magical deviant creating blizzards. We, that being Frostford, couldn¡¯t, in our right mind, ce adventurers in harm''s way for the sake of herbs.¡± The boys shared a nce. ¡°Then what do we do with all of these?¡± Jude asked, holding up two sacks of mushroom and moss. Glenny spoke up before the guard could reply. ¡°What do you mean someone was ¡®supposed to inform us?¡¯¡± ¡°A Frostford official was upied by a Legacy of Sound to the ind. Even from here most of the town could hear the announcement.¡± Gaping at the statement, Lnd said, ¡°They just shouted at the ind that the event was called off? What if people were underground?¡± The guard shrugged. ¡°Well did everyone make it back beside us?¡± The guard looked at the clipboard. ¡°Beside you three¡­ one group of four never reported back. They could still be on the ind, or they might not have bothered with informing us of their return.¡± The boys shared a look. Lnd gave an impressive sigh. ¡°What about the rewards then? We have a lot of mushrooms.¡± ¡°Frostford will buy all acquired herbs at a market price.¡± ¡°But the staff¡­¡± ¡°If you wish to buy the first ce parasitic staff, you could meet with Frostford¡¯s mayor.¡± Gritting his teeth, Lnd grumbled, ¡°We can enter, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the guard said, standing aside. The boys took it in stride, walking past the guards with their chins held high. They might not have won thepetition¡¯s items, but they did have plenty of other treasures to sell. They found their inn and entered their rooms with little fanfare. The town was mostly asleep, and they chose to get some sleep before the sun peeked over the horizon. In the morning, they gathered in the inn¡¯smon room for breakfast. ¡°Warm bread is a pleasure I¡¯ve forgotten,¡± Lnd mused, pulling apart his roll and dabbing up plenty of butter and honey. ¡°I know the feeling,¡± Glenny said, smiling to himself as he gobbled down a poached egg on toast. ¡°I wish Gelo could taste this,¡± Jude muttered into his potatoes. ¡°These have cumin on them¡­¡± For some reason, the boys ate two more portions of food much at the behest of the innkeeper. And when themon room started to vacate, they also sat around chit-chatting. Rxing was something they much needed, along with nning out their next steps. ¡°I¡¯ve got to help a Legacy of Nature with a quest,¡± Lnd said. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you guys are willing to help?¡± Jude and Glenny looked at each other then back to Lnd. They blinked in rapid confusion. ¡°¡¯Willing to help?¡¯¡± ¡°Well yeah. It¡¯s my contract, I didn¡¯t want to automatically assume you two were willing to help.¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯ll help, Leals,¡± Jude scoffed. ¡°I think I¡¯m offended.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Glenny coughed. ¡°What?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°We are your best friends, of course we¡¯d help you with some quest.¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­¡± Lnd slumped into his seat, trying to hide his smile. Despite hisck of progression, Jude and Glenny once again proved that they didn¡¯t care nor were willing to leave him behind. He¡¯d realized it before, but for some reason, now it felt like gospel. They were in this together, and he needed to realize it. ¡°Thanks guys,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°We also need to start thinking about how we are going to sell everything,¡± Glenny said, ignoring Lnd¡¯s words. ¡°We can¡¯t sell them all here, especially with the volume we hold. This town, officially, doesn¡¯t have a dungeon or any ruins nearby. We can¡¯t exactly sell magical items, not without attracting unwanted attention.¡± Jude agreed with that, but had a question of his own. ¡°Where¡¯s this quest for the Lord of Nature, Leals? Is it on the way to a new town or city?¡± Internally, Lnd touched upon his Legacy, specifically the portion of knowledge hidden within his mind that dealt with the curse Harbinger Halo. He found the portion rting to the Lord of Nature and the quest to protect one of his followers. ¡°I need a map,¡± he said, flopping out of his chair before heading up stairs to his room. He returned with a folded up table map, one of the continent and its many locations of interest. It was somewhat outdated, but the major cities and towns had been around for decades if not centuries. Finding a town near where the quest took them would be simple. ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± Lnd said, cing his finger decently close to Frostford. ¡°In the mountains,¡± Glenny said with a shudder, remembering his time in some nondescript mountain after being kidnapped by the Huntress. ¡°Looks like it¡ª¡± Lnd¡¯s words died in his throat as Jude¡¯s cup suddenly tipped over spilling water across the map and onto the floor. ¡°Guh,¡± Jude grunted. ¡°How did¡ª¡± The water suddenly twinkled with deep blue magic, shutting Jude up and causing each of the boys to take a long step backward. The puddle of water on the floor grew with crazed speed and impossible gravity. It balled-up forming into a vertical blob of liquid before stretching into four appendages. Skin appeared from within the blue glow, quickly followed by the texture of fabric. Eventually a face formed, and a man stepped from the mass of water with a ssh. ¡°Are you Lnd Silver?¡± the man asked Jude. Jude, for what it was worth, only gaped a little before pointing at Lnd. The man turned. ¡°My apologies. Traveling such a distance in such a way loses some precision. I should have appeared through that cup.¡± He pointed to Lnd¡¯s cup of water. ¡°Anyway, my Lord says you have something to show me?¡± Lnd nodded and picked up Jude¡¯s empty cup. Slowly, with mana and lifeforce, he created a bead of water along the tip of his finger. The drop fell into the cup and he held it out to the man. The man took the cup, stuck his finger into it, swiveled around the single drop of liquid, then tasted his finger. ¡°I see,¡± he muttered before suddenly bursting into a wave of water. As the boys cleared the water from their eyes and wrung out their hair, the water in question silently pooled together and drifted toward the door. One of the few remaining patrons in the inn hobbled to her feet and opened the door. The water floated outside where it popped. The patron returned to her table, and gulped down the rest of her drink as she muttered something about ¡°irresponsible mages.¡± ¡°That was weird,¡± Glenny said. Jude nodded along but Lnd said, ¡°Want to go test out my new contract spell, Shield of Water?¡± An impish grin appeared on Jude¡¯s face. ¡°As long as I get to throw pebbles at you.¡± Chapter 102: Reasons to Leave Chapter 102: Reasons to Leave A small stone flew through the air before hitting and bouncing off Lnd¡¯s face. His reactions were slow, and he threw up his arms to blockte. He tried to maintain some level of dignity, forcing the awkward movement into that of a deep stretch. ¡°Ahhh,¡± he purred, hoping that Jude and Glenny didn¡¯t question him. Jude, who threw the rock, squinted suspiciously. He threw another one. It hit Lnd in the face, again. ¡°Stop that,¡± he uttered. ¡°I thought you wanted to practice your reflexes.¡± ¡°No, I wanted to test out Shield of Water. Which I haven¡¯t even cast yet.¡± Jude rolled his eyes and signaled to hurry up. The boys were still in Frostford but were somewhat hesitant to stay much longer. They stood in a small courtyard behind the local adventuring guild. Designated as a training area, the space was one of the few in the town that allowed for open use of magic and abilities. However, even with the rules stating that they were clearly allowed to be there, the town¡¯s guards patrolled by every few minutes and questioned them. It was starting to get tedious, and Lnd assumed it would only get worse when he actually started casting spells. With a sigh, Lnd pulled his grimoire out of his hand tattoo noting that the fresh ink circle around the crow was still wiggling a bit. The new magical tattoo had progressively slowed down in forming whatever it was going to depict. At this point, unless he was specifically looking, Lnd didn¡¯t outright notice it was still moving. If he inspected the design after a few hours, there would be noticeable differences, mostly in the intercept runic patterns running the length of the circle.But that was for future Lnd to figure out. For now, he flipped the page of his grimoire to his newest contract. His meeting with the Lord of Water was rather uneventful, at least, it was after the Lord showed up and allowed him to breathe underwater. He shuddered at how weak his muscles felt after treading water for so long. I need to go on a run or something¡­ he thought as a violet halo formed above his head. Palm pressed into the contract¡¯s page, mana and lifeforce bled to life all around Lnd. Quickly the pull of the spell rendered his life force ipatible and began to redouble its efforts on his mana. Soon a spring of water swirled around his outstretched hand, creating a horizontal umbre of clear rapids. Faster and faster the water spun, growing in size and hardness beforepleting. Lnd felt the shift in his mind, his Legacy telling him the spell wasplete. His breath caught at that, his mana reserves suddenly dipping unlike ever before. While expected, the effects were still troublesome. As a Legacy of Curses, Lnd¡¯s lifeforce was used in tandem with his mana. He had grown used to the untiring effect, even with a spell like Touch of Regeneration in his arsenal. ¡°This spell takes a bit out of me to cast, but once it''s up and running, it doesn¡¯t require much mana,¡± Lnd said to his friends. Jude and Glenny stalked around him, inspecting the spell in its entirety. The spell was exactly as its name implied, a shield. It hovered just beyond Lnd¡¯s outstretched hand and rapidly spun, creating a tapered circr barrier that expanded enough to protect his head and chest. It was decently transparent, but for some reason Lnd couldn¡¯t be seen through the water. ¡°Can we throw rocks now?¡± Jude asked, his hands filled with different sizes of stones. Lnd let out a sigh. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Glenny jumped at the offer, taking a rock from Jude and throwing it decently hard at the shield. The rock collided with the water and was swiftly deflected into the ground. Jude threw the next one a bit harder. Again the rock pinged off with a wet ssh. They threw rocks one at a time, each time with more power than thest. Eventually Glenny conceded defeat and stepped back to allow Jude to really let loose. The berserker wound up andunched rock after rock. At first Lnd didn¡¯t even notice the rocks were hitting the shield, but once Jude started to tap into his Legacy¡¯s additive strength, things started to take a turn. Each rock felt like they were fired from a cannon and he could feel the shield cracking under the force. Luckily, the water never stopped flowing, and would quickly repair any and all damage at the cost of mana. Eventually Lnd had to stop. The spell fell to the ground with a ssh before the conjured water disappeared with a tinge of blue magic. A headache was forming behind Lnd¡¯s eyes, along with a pit in his chest. Mana exhaustion was something he wasn¡¯t quite used to, not like a true mage at least. He copsed to his butt,nding in a small patch of snow as his halo faded. ¡°H-how much strength was thatst one?¡± Lnd asked Jude. ¡°Oh, maybe sixty percent.¡± ¡°Sixty?! I felt sure you were going much more than that¡­¡± Jude gave him an amused smile. ¡°Hopefully those new fancy robes and hat will help out. Maybe next time I can get to seventy percent.¡± Lnd groaned. While his robe and hat were nice andfortable, he didn¡¯t see the point of always wearingbat gear like Jude and Glenny. They were in a town, one that currently wasn¡¯t under attack¡­ Well, if you went by what Frostford said, the town was under threat. The blizzard had scared the locals quite a bit, apparently. Glenny suddenly cursed under his breath. ¡°Heads up, we¡¯ve got guardsing our way.¡± The fence to the training area was magically imbued, making entry and exit much more difficult. The idea was that a curious child could watch from the outside where it was safe, rather than enter and be at risk of being hit by a runaway spell. But, unfortunately for the boys, such a fence didn¡¯t stop the patrolling guards. ¡°Halt! You three!¡± one of the guards yelled. ¡°State your business here!¡± Lnd, still wiped out and nursing his aching head, looked to Glenny to answer. The rogue said, ¡°Just testing a spell.¡± ¡°And what spell might that be?¡± another guard asked, his tone being more than smug. ¡°Shield of Water.¡± ¡°Water, eh? Sounds softly close to being a blizzard spell.¡± Glenny blinked a few times. ¡°No it doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be the judge of that,¡± the first guard said. ¡°Now, show this spell to us before we arrest you.¡± ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± Jude asked. ¡°He¡¯s the caster, and look at him. He¡¯s about to pass out from mana exhaustion. There¡¯s no way he could create a blizzard when he could barely hold up a shield to some rocks.¡± Lnd paused at his friend''s words and almost retorted. But instead he yed into the exhausted mage and closed his eyes and leaned back. ¡°I¡¯m out of mana¡­¡± he groaned out. The guard squinted at him, then the others. ¡°Names and Legacy,¡± he stated. ¡°Glenny Red, Legacy of the Chameleon.¡± ¡°Any blizzard spells?¡± ¡°No.¡± The guard scoffed and turned to Jude. ¡°Jude Brown. Legacy of the Berserker.¡± ¡°Ah, a warrior type. I think my nephew might have the same Legacy,¡± the third guard who hadn''t yet spoken said. ¡°You don¡¯t know Tomas Urgrid?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°A shame, nice kid.¡± The guard in charge gave his subordinate a re. Finally he turned to Lnd, who still had his eyes closed. ¡°Name and Legacy. We don¡¯t have all day.¡± Taking a deep breath, Lnd said, ¡°Lnd Silver.¡± ¡°Legacy?¡± the man repeated a bit louder. ¡°I do not have to answer that.¡± The guard huffed, stomping a bit. ¡°Son, I will arrest you for contempt if you do not answer.¡± Lnd cracked open an eye. ¡°No, you won¡¯t. Not unless you want an Inquisitor down here asking why you arrested some random kid without pretext of a crime. It¡¯s not illegal to refuse to give you my Legacy.¡± ¡°No pretext you say?¡± the guard asserted. ¡°There was an illegally cast blizzard over the town just two days ago. The culprit hasn¡¯t been caught. And you are casting water spells. Seems like enough pretext to demand your Legacy, does it not?¡± ¡°Sir, with all due respect, water spells are not weather spells. They arepletely different categories of¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t care!¡± the man cut off. ¡°Last chance. Are you going to tell me your Legacy or do I have to arrest you?¡± ¡°Guess I¡¯m getting arrested,¡± Lnd said before leaning to the side to look at the other two guards. ¡°These two are my witnesses that Iplied with thew exactly as the Queen has put in ce.¡± The guard with the warrior nephew nodded along solemnly. The other was awkwardly stiff. ¡°What do you know about the Queen?¡± the leader guard spit. ¡°Well, quite a bit actually,¡± Lnd said before adding. ¡°My parents say she¡¯s a stickler for the rules. Won¡¯t even let her children bend them. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be informed of this.¡± Truthfully, he didn¡¯t know much about the Queen. Most everything his parents had told him about the woman was well known and documented. True details of her life were heavily guarded, and those sworn to protect her wouldn¡¯t break such rules for the sake of telling their children fun stories. He did know that his parents, and Jude and Glenny¡¯s for that matter, had more than a simple business rtionship with the Queen. They were friends, something that had been forged after years of service. Although, if he was arrested, Lnd did surmise his parents would tell the Queen. Not so much so that she could do something to this random guard in this random town, but because his parents would find it humorous. The stiff guard¡¯s face then scrunched. ¡°What did you say yourst names were?¡± ¡°Red, Brown, and Silver,¡± Glenny supplied. ¡°Sarge,¡± the guard leaned into his superior¡¯s ear. ¡°Those are the names of Royal Inquisitors.¡± Lnd sighed and stood, making sure to hide his tattoo. He hated using the name of his parents to get out of his messes. So, instead of letting the conversation progress into uncharted waters, he decided to lie. ¡°My name is Lnd Silver, I am a Legacy of Water. I am out of mana, but if you want to wait around for a few hours for my reserves to replenish, I¡¯m willing to demonstrate my Shield of Water spell.¡± ¡°Hours?!¡± the head guard echoed. ¡°Indeed. The spell requires all of my mana to cast, I am after all only a rank one mage.¡± ¡°Sarge¡­¡± the stiff guard warned. The man gave Lnd an unamused look. ¡°See? Was that so hard? You should listen to your betters. Some respect would do you well.¡± ¡°Of course sir, I apologize,¡± Lnd said, stealing a nce at the stiff guard. It seemed like he wanted to leave the conversation just as quickly as Lnd did. The guards left at that, passing through the guild building rather than dealing with the magical fence. Once they disappeared inside, Lnd spoke up. ¡°I think we best head out to the Lord of Nature quest a bit early.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Jude and Glenny said at the same time. Chapter 103: Dropped Trail Chapter 103: Dropped Trail ¡°What do you mean only twenty six gold for the mushrooms and moss?¡± Lnd spit, practically seething every word. Ms. Lavender, who was the source of his ire, kept her face stricken with a slight smile. Being a low-ranking official for the town of Frostford, she was given the task of buying the herbs from the canceled herb hunting contest. The task was dauntless as most of the teams were angry about the canction of the event. Case in point, Lnd. Being by no means an expert on nts, mushrooms, and the many kinds of moss, Lnd knew hecked the knowledge to properly price-out two sacks of rare magical herbs. But he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to believe twenty six gold was anywhere near a fair price. ¡°You are low-balling us just because you can!¡± he used. ¡°We have no one else to sell to, so you think you can just walk all over us!?¡± Jude and Glenny, behind him, nodded along. They had risked life and limb in the pursuit of gathering herbs for the town. The event was canceled due to terroristic magic, fine, sure, whatever. But the least they felt Frostford could do was give them a fair price. ¡°Yeah!¡± Jude echoed. ¡°This is highway robbery!¡± Ms. Lavender¡¯s smile flickered for a moment. ¡°We could always just take the sacks outside the town walls and burn them,¡± Glenny suggested. ¡°What color do you think the mes will be, Lnd? I¡¯m guessing blue, like their glow.¡±Lnd nced at a few mushroom caps that peeked out of the loosely tied sack. ¡°I would have to agree with you on that. Glowing mushrooms are known for their magical properties, after all. But we¡¯d probably be osted by the guard if we did something like that¡­ again.¡± ¡°Again?¡± Ms. Lavender asked. ¡°What do you mean again?¡± ¡°Nothing special, just guard sergeants trying to run us out of town.¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the case. Mayor Frostlung never ordered¡ª¡± Glenny coughed. ¡°We are getting away from the problem at hand. We wish to leave this town. The festival has ended early along with the sole event we came for. We have plenty of mushrooms and moss and we want the parasitic staff in trade for them. Not gold.¡± Pursuing her lips, Ms. Lavender eyed the two sacks before shaking her head. ¡°While I admit that your supply of mushrooms is in need, there simply isn¡¯t enough to buy the staff outright.¡± ¡°But it was the first ce prize. Do you really believe that we would not have taken first ce?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Undoubtedly. But unfortunately that hardly matters. To give you the staff now, would be far from worth it on our end. The contest was supposed to bring in fifty sacks of various herbs. Not two with only mushrooms and moss. We have margins to meet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s business. And bureaucracy.¡± Lnd and Glenny scoffed at her words, but Jude muttered, ¡°Floe and Gelo would have given us the staff.¡± All eyes went to him. ¡°Floe? Gelo?¡± Ms. Lavender asked. ¡°No one important,¡± Lnd quickly filled in before seeing Jude¡¯s hurt face. ¡°No one important to you, I mean.¡± The town official let out an annoyed sigh. ¡°Look, I apologize for what happened to the event. But such is life. You have no need for these sacks, but Frostford does. We can buy them off of you, or not your choice.¡± Lnd looked at Glenny, who gave him a shrug. ¡°Fifty gold for both.¡± Ms. Lavender scratched some math out onto a piece of paper. ¡°That is doable. Do we have a deal?¡± Lnd stretched out his hand, and the two shook. Ms Lavender walked into the back of the town hall before returning with a small coin purse. The boys took it without much fanfare, asking where the local bank was. After a long and slow line at the bank, each boy had sixteen more gold to their name plus a little spending change. Immediately after, they ate lunch at their inn before changing into their gear. Donned in their new armor sets, bags stuffed to the brim with treasures and magical items, and a new goal in mind, they exited the town. They went the long way, giving the ind just off the coast onest look. ¡°Goodbye Gelo,¡± Jude said to the open air. ¡°Until we meet again.¡± Lnd and Glenny didn¡¯t say any words, but the sentiment reached them both. Within the hour, they were on the road heading toward the nearest mountain talking about how they were d they came to the town for the festival despite thepetition not working out. Isobel was currently smiling. It was an action she rarely did and with much disdain. But when the situation called for it, how could she, the Huntress, not use every tool in her arsenal. Still, her face was beginning to hurt and her mind was beginning to wonder. Hours she had put up with mindless conversation, gossip, and fake jokes behind fake masks. Small talk was not her purview. She was speaking with two, a young man and a woman much too old for him. They drawled on and on about some type of plum wine, and how they were the only vintners in the area. Well, if you discounted the Parshiant family. They were not true vintners, not like the couple Isobel was currently speaking with. ¡°Does the type of barrel change the final taste?¡± she asked, mentally tuning out the answer. She really didn¡¯t care about the subtle taste differences between oak and maple. What she did care about, however, was a man eating his dinner at the bar not ten paces away. The inn was small and warm, a friendly ce for many happy patrons. No one had any idea they were in proximity to a soon-to-be murderer. Well, Isobel guessed they already were in proximity to a murderer. She¡¯d taken her fair share of lives¡­ and there was always the possibility the man at the bar had already killed, just not enough to be a Witch. But she was watching, she was waiting. If he killed someone before her very eyes, he¡¯d be a Witch on the spot. That special Lord-y action was somewhat of a hidden nuance to her rank and position as Inquisitor. It wasn¡¯t so much that she did the Lords¡¯ jobs for them, but rather her eyes were always focused while the Lords¡¯ weren¡¯t so much. But that wouldn¡¯t happen. Not while she was watching. The man in question was so unbelievably nd, Isobel almost lost him when they entered the city. With no discernible markings, over-the-top hair style, or self-important clothing style, the man just looked like a nobody. Honestly, if she didn¡¯t hear a Witch give the man directions to kill three kids, she¡¯d not believe he was angling to do anything bad. Which was, quite frankly, odd. The man sipped on some soup, speaking to no one nor being spoken to. No one, besides Isobel of course, even looked at him. It was almost like he was¡ª The Huntress¡¯ heart skipped a beat. As her tablepanions continued on about proper climates for aging wine, Isobel focused on a Legacy ability. It was a subtle ability, one that properly defined her as a Legacy of the Hunt. There was no showing of massive amounts of mana, no wash of wind followed by a st of sharpened air, not even a glint in her eyes. There was only her and her prey. The world, to the Huntress, brightened. Her senses doubled, her mind enhanced. She saw everything and nothing, she fully became the predator. She saw the man, sitting quietly at the bar eating soup. She saw him raise his ss, take a sip, she saw him bend and warp. She saw the mana controlling him, she saw the ethereal and invisible tether connected to him. She cursed, a puppet. Under her breath, so quietly those at her table couldn¡¯t hear, she uttered, ¡°Legacy of Marite.¡± But where? When? Isobel was sure she was following the Witch¡¯s uncle when they exited the poacher encampment. She knew, without a doubt, that the man she was stalking was human when they entered the town¡¯s wall. When did he make the switch, she asked herself, she berated herself. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She was too busy internallyining about small talk to even notice the doll sitting at the bar. How much time had she lost? Every minute counted against a vile Lord. Her Legacy ability ended, and the world returned to monotone. Instantly she was on her feet. Those at her table yelped in surprise, but the Huntress didn¡¯t care. She rushed past them out the inn¡¯s door and into the street. Behind her napkins and tablecloths kicked up and spun around the room. Tables shook, sses cracked, meals were ruined. Then her Legacy ability was back on. When? she screamed internally. When did I lose him? A tter of memories came back. She followed a safe distance down the mountain. She stayed back when he talked to a waggoner and his daughter. She waited in line to enter the town a few people behind him, where he had bumped carelessly into a young man about the same height and weight as him. Isobel cursed again. There, right there, was when he made the shift. He attacked his marker, he set his talons into the young man. But that also meant¡­ She cursed again and returned to the inn. Her entrance was met with angry patrons and an even angry innkeeper. She ignored them, hustling to the bar where an inconspicuous man sat sipping his drink and soup. The man didn¡¯t react when the Huntress gripped the back of his shirt. He didn¡¯t react when her hand glowed golden yellow. He didn¡¯t react when she shoved her fist into his stomach. She felt around in there, yanking out a ball of misty green magic. She cursed a third time when the man¡¯s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he slumped over. His face then changed, morphing and contorting back to the young man she remembered from earlier that day, not the prey she had been following. But why? she then asked herself, thinking back, her mind still spinning with enhanced thought. Where did the nephew go? Why did he feel the need to make a puppet? Did she tip him off somehow? Again her mind found her time standing in line to enter the town. But instead of focusing on her mark, something in the background caught her eye just before he bumped into the innocent young man. She cursed again, this time loud enough to wake the neighborhood. She reyed the memory again and again, finding three young men, boys really, exiting the town as she and the nephew were waiting in line. They were wearing new and shiny armor and gear, their bags were fully packed, and they were heading off toward the ind. But then they doubled back, heading toward the mountains. Three boys, one mage, one rogue, one warrior, talking about the herbalismpetition. She had ignored them, at the time, because the mage had a ir attached to his belt. She didn¡¯t think they were her boys. Lnd you idiot, she screamed in her mind. Isobel out of the inn, her speed fully unleashed. Two days. Two days she¡¯d been following around a puppet and talking about wine and daisies. She could make up the time, she knew. Chapter 104: Sheep Chapter 104: Sheep Five days into their journey up the mountain, the boys entered a small shepherding vige. Honestly, it was hard to quantify the sparse buildings as a vige, but a small sign on the dirt road leading in promptly dered it as such. ¡°Wooly Vige,¡± a name fitting for the amount of sheep roaming the open area. The high altitude didn¡¯t seem to affect the local herds like it did the boys. Lnd was the worst off, panting and huffing after climbing the slightest of slopes, unlike Jude and Glenny. The more physically able of the trio didn¡¯t seem to mind the low air nor the frequent breaks, epting the situation for what it was. Although that didn¡¯t stop them from goading Lnd. Phrases like ¡°mages are weak¡± and ¡°you can¡¯t take another break, your mana can¡¯t be that low,¡± were thrown around lightheartedly, especially in the more barren sections of their ascent. Lnd epted them all, creating his own taunts forter usage. He did have a few in-the-moment quips that were received with ¡°ooohs¡± and gasps from the friend not targeted. All of the rambunctiousness ended when they first came into view of Wooly Vige. A wavy sea of white, gray, and ck mixed well into the nket snow and patches of chewed over grass. Sheep, full winter coat and all, meandered around, eating what they could or moved just to move. Shepherds were out as well, young and old, each keeping their crooks behind the mass of animals. And what a mass they were. Huge beasts, fluffy yet muscr. Being much smaller than Floe, the sheep were nowhere close to thergest animals the boys had seen in the past week, but still. They were enthralled watching the buffalo sized furballs move around. Their gawking attracted the attention of a nearby elderly shepherd and a shepherd-in-training. The child waved her hand, her miniature crook stuck stiff into the snow. The elder mimicked the same gesture, but when he mmed his stick into the ground, a dull thud echoed across the area. Instantly the sheep turned to him, even the rams ¨C who looked less than impressed. The old man nodded toward the boys and all of the sheep turned to look. A momentter, the animals went back to grazing or stretching their legs. The old man signaled for the boys to approach, and they did, cautiously. The rams eyed them suspiciously, huffing like a bull when Jude got too near an ewe. ¡°I thought animals like you,¡± teased Lnd, the short break giving him enough of his lungs back.Jude flicked his head over, staring at his friend like Lnd had just set his house on fire. ¡°That¡¯s not funny.¡± Glenny burst outughing. They continued closer to the old man and child, the little girl copying the elder¡¯s mannerisms. Both stood tall, crook embedded into the ground, and arms crossed expectantly. A gentle but tired smile ran along the man¡¯s face, one that tied well into his protective persona. He was the master here and not just of sheep. ¡°Wee to Wooly,¡± the man said. ¡°What brings you out this far?¡± Lnd spoke for the group. ¡°A quest for the Lord of Nature.¡± The man reeled back slightly. ¡°A quest from a Lord, truly?¡± Even the little girl seemed impressed. Lnd waved his hands. ¡°No, sorry. A Legacy of the Lord of Nature. Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to insinuate anything.¡± Jude and Glenny quickly nced at one another, silently making sure each other realized the cover story. While direct quests from Lords weren¡¯t unknown, they weren¡¯t exactlymon either. That was especially true for quests given to individuals not part of their Legacies. Those individuals were often highly renowned, and not three young adults. Which, in turn, made keeping secret that they were actually on a direct quest from the Lord of Nature all the more important. Lnd, who felt foolish at the slip up, continued, ¡°There should be a cave or hole around here with a crystalline scorpion infestation.¡± The little girl let out a shrill eek, causing a wave of sheep to turn their heads. A few rams huffed. ¡°Aye, I know the ce,¡± the man said. ¡°Three of you might not be enough. It¡¯s a big nest.¡± ¡°There will be four, actually. We are meeting a Legacy of Nature there.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good. Lost a few sheep from the scorpion¡¯s venom. We have to move our fencing around and train the rams to be on the lookout.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes heightened at that. ¡°Train, you say? Could the sheep, perhaps, be trained to allow me to pet them?¡± With that asked, the man and the child, who was introduced as his granddaughter, set their focus on getting the rams to allow Jude near their herd. It took several minutes, and plenty of giggles from Lnd and Glenny, but eventually the berserker was petting one of the massive sheep. ¡°So soft,¡± he muttered in awe. ¡°It better be!¡± the old manughed. ¡°My family¡¯s been breeding these beasts for nine generations!¡± ¡°That¡¯s impressive,¡± Lnd said. ¡°I bet their wool sells for a lot.¡± The little girl snorted. ¡°We are the primary provider for the kingdom! We even sell to the Queen herself!¡± ¡°Now, now, we don¡¯t brag, remember?¡± the old man said to the kid. ¡°But! We do!¡± Glenny chuckled at that. He crouched, aligning his eyes with the young shepherd¡¯s. ¡°You know, I once saw the Queen. When I was younger than you, my parents were invited to some rendition of one of the greatest ys ever written¡­ or something. I don¡¯t remember much of it, only that the Queen wore red.¡± ¡°And probably our wool!¡± the girl retorted instantly. The grandfather sighed. ¡°That¡¯s enough of you,¡± he said, eyeing the girl before turning back to the others. ¡°We don¡¯t have much room to house you, our ¡®vige¡¯ is in name only so that those greedy merchants in the capital are forced to respect us. Luckily none of them care enough to call our bluff. I¡¯ll tell you if someone finds out we are nothing but a glorified ranch, little one here might not have a roof over her head next year!¡± The old manughed and the little girl huffed, stomping her foot in the snow. The boys awkwardly chuckled along. ¡°I jest, I jest. We¡¯d just kill the merchant before they could spread the tale!¡± the manughed louder, and even some of the sheep looked at him weirdly. From across the herds, a young woman shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him! He¡¯s going senile!¡± As theughter died down, Lnd said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about housing us. As long as it''s okay with you, we¡¯d love it if we could set up camp somewhere on your property. A small fire, nothing too big.¡± ¡°Sure, sure. The sheep might be interested, however. Hope you don¡¯t mind a thousand eyes sharing the me with ya!¡± The boys conversed with the locals for many more hours. As it turned out, shepherds were quite lonely and just bursting to talk with someone other than each other. At some point the boys were shown a small pathway leading higher up the mountain, much to the dismay of Lnd, where the scorpion cave was located. After a night of being surrounded by hundreds of sheep, and a breakfast where Jude shared most of the food with the bravest of the sheep, the boys set out to finish their climb. The cave wasn¡¯t so much a cave but rather a dug-out hole in the ground. Scorpions moved in and out, shifting soil and rock like ants building a nest. A mound of dirt had formed from the excavation and the entrance was unluckily at the top. Seeing into the hole was strictly impossible unless they wanted to risk angering the nest early. They spent a bit of time looking around the area trying to find the person they were supposed to protect, but after an hour they gave up. ¡°Looks like they aren¡¯t here,¡± Jude said. ¡°Any idea when they will appear? Today, right?¡± ¡°Give or take,¡± Lnd answered. ¡°The Lord of Nature only said a week, not a specific hour.¡± ¡°Well let¡¯s go back to the sheep. At least they are soft¡ª¡± Jude cut himself off as a thing suddenly unearthed itself beside them. It came up as a wooden wedge, like a pumpkin seed, but human sized. It split through the frozen ground, where it then quickly bloomed and blossomed. Flowers, vines,rge and very green leaves, all sprouted, covering the immediate area of the mountain in rich and dense foliage. Then, like a drunkard kicking in the door to his favorite bar, a bare foot kicked through the wooden thing. The wooden material sundered at the force, opening like a chick cracking open an egg. Soon the annoyed face of a middle aged woman showed through the gaps. She fidgeted in her seedenclosure, pushing against the walls before scoffing. ¡°Any help here?¡± she asked, sarcasm oozing. The boys gave each other a shrug and got to helping. Chapter 105: Scorpions Chapter 105: Scorpions Despite being within a mound of killer scorpions, the boys found their protective mark, Melody, the weirdest thing about the day. She, a Legacy of Nature, was¡­ strange. From eating dirt, to tasting the green blood of the scorpions, she kept the boys on their toes. Currently, she pushed two small twigs into the soft tunnel-like flooring before chanting about flowers and leaves. Soon she yanked the twigs out of the dirt with the power of a sword-wielding warrior. A drop of thick liquid pooled at the tip of the twigs. She stared intently at the swirling yellow gunk before shoving both twigs into her mouth. She chomped on them like celery, finally swallowing with an audible gulp. She grunted as the wood fell through her throat, and with the poise of a Legacy on a quest from their Lord, pointed down the tunnel. ¡°Our destination in that way.¡± The boys blinked. Jude took the initiative. ¡°Our objective is down that tunnel?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Melody remarked with a bit of proud arrogance. ¡°You mean, down the only tunnel?¡± Jude asked as deadpan as he could. Unfortunately, his voice inflected ever so slightly, causing the Legacy of Nature to frown. She finally scoffed, turned, and ventured down further into the scorpion nest. The boys quickly got in gear, rushing into a protective formation. Jude was first, next came Glenny, then Melody, and Lnd wasst. The order wasn¡¯t set in stone, however, they figured an ambush from behind was highly unlikely as they killed every scorpion they encountered on the way down. Luckily, Melody knew a light-creation spell, removing the need for the boys to carry lit torches. An orb of bright white light hovered just over her head, casting a long shadow into the dark tunnel. Lnd also helped on that front, using the cantrip Glow to make his fingers glow with the light of antern ¨C but him being in the back, Melody¡¯s spell took on most of the work.¡°Three approaches,¡± Melody suddenly said. The boys nodded at once, moving to intercept the threats. Jude pulled his axe awkwardly from his hand, the low ceiling making his normally generous movements close and subdued. A single long de of crimson red power ignited in Glenny¡¯s hand, forming a tipped spear instead of his normal dual daggers. And Lnd kept his grimoire out and open, allowing it to float perfectly in her periphery. Crystalline Scorpions, while norger than arge puppy, were still quite deadly. As nesting monsters that usually held their territories, stories of adventurers being overwhelmed by massive numbers were just asmon as not. They were dull creatures, following the instinct of battle rather than centralized orders from a queen like most other ant-like monsters. While that meant sometimes the scorpions would attack each other, it also meant they were quite proficient at killing. Especially with their rtively huge stingers and paralytic poison. Although variants in their coloration, size, speed, and power were quitemon. Various jobs were needed within the nest and that left plenty of room for the odd and bizarre. Three scorpions rounded a dark curve of the tunnel just as Melody predicted. Two of the purple and blue variants were leading the small pack, their dominating pinchers out and ready. A smaller and emerald green scorpion followed closely behind, but it had small pinchers and a thicker tail and stinger. Glenny¡¯s spear darted out in three rapid thrust attacks. Each hit a different scorpion, sending a spider web of cracks through their mineral bodies. Being in the front, Jude took the two purple and blues, blocking their pinchers with the t of his axe. Crimson quickly cut into their crystalline exoskeleton and into their internal fleshy bits. Thest of the three scorpions was finished not a minuteter, as an entire murder of crows pecked and wed at it. Originally, Lnd was expecting himself to be useless in killing the scorpions, but oddly enough, his crows out did themselves. He theorized it was the ethereal aspect that the birds carried interacting with the magical crystals the scorpions were made of, but he would defend his stance. For all he knew the crows just really hated scorpions so they worked double time to kill the monsters. This was especially critical after his curse Fracture failed to do anything against the first scorpion they encountered. While expected because scorpions don¡¯t have bones, Lnd couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the time. He was d he had his il, even if he kept burning himself with it. ¡°Do you think the green ones specialize in venom?¡± Glenny asked, poking at the dead scorpion with his spear. ¡°Venom-infused spit, actually,¡± Melody answered. ¡°To dissolve rocks.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°You are thinking of the dark green variant. Those are the warrior type and have significantly enhanced stingers with even deadlier poison.¡± Jude shrugged at the statement. ¡°So purple and blue push dirt around. Light green breaks up rocks, and dark green kills things?¡± ¡°Yes, more or less,¡± Melody said. ¡°Alrighty then.¡± Jude put away his axe and kept going. They battled through the tunnel, never fighting a group of scorpions more than six at a time. Eventually the tunnel split and Melody repeated her twig tasting ritual, directing the group in the proper way. Hours went by as they progressed slowly downward. Apparently, the Lord of Nature wanted the nest ¡°cleansed¡± from something that the scorpions had inadvertently brought into the depths of their home. Melody was less than forting with just what the item was, but Lnd was able to conclude it was something alien to the local ecosystem and probably magical in nature. At some point, Melody stopped the group and pulled out an artificedpass. Jude made some snide remarks about needing to know which way was north while underground, but quickly changed his tune when thepass started to produce sound. It clicked and ticked, much like a pocket watch, but loud and with authority. The sound echoed against the tunnel walls, calling to all enemies that lurked in the shadows. Melody tilted her head at whatever it was she was reading from thepass, before turning to the path ahead. ¡°Fourteen approach. Six from behind, as well.¡± Glenny was the first to curse, conjuring a spear as Jude removed his axe from his hand. Lnd pressed his palm into his grimoire, summoning a violet ring about his head. Water spun to life in front of his opposite hand just in time to meet a dozen or so softly glowing crows. Sending the crows to intercept the scorpionsing in from behind, he set his feet and leaned into his shield of water. He watched through the somewhat clear swirls of magical water, four purple and blue scorpions, a light green and a silver-yellow scorpion bound through the dark. Crows met crystal as the scorpions mmed into the protective water. Behind him Jude and Glenny epted the call to arms, ughtering any scorpion that darede near them. Meanwhile, Melody stared at herpass before twisting her head up as if she was looking through the ground to the surface. ¡°One approaches,¡± she said, her eyes locked on something high above the group. Unfortunately, the boys didn¡¯t catch the warning and instead fought on. He came upon a small ¡°vige¡± just as his Lord said he would. Activating a Legacy ability, his only non-lethal one, he scried the initialnd looking for his targets. The massive sheep made it difficult, their casual grazing covered all tracks and most of the evidence he was looking for. asionally he¡¯d find something human, but either the impression would be too deep or sized differently. Memorizing was always one of his strengths, which in times like this, was critical. He knew each of the boys¡¯ footprints down to the very morsel of leather their soles were made of. He¡¯d been following them for days through the snow, after giving their handler the slip, that was. Which in and of itself was curious. Three young adventurers in need of a babysitter? Especially one of such power? It didn¡¯t matter, in the end. His Lord and uncle had not stated anything about the woman, so as far as he was concerned, she was of no consequence . But he was still curious. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how often his puppets would be noticed, being a young Toy Maker and all. But if the woman¡¯s power level was anything to go off of, then he figured he¡¯d mostly go unmolested while carrying out his Lord¡¯s will. That made him smile, especially since he was killing two birds with one stone. He was appeasing his Lord andpleting something delicate for his uncle. It took the guesswork out of creating a dynasty, it took the annoying part about killing someone out of the equation. At least until his Lord told him to kill his uncle. Then things would start to be annoying. But such was the way when the Toy Maker wanted something. ¡°Creating a dynasty,¡± while not something he would have envisioned for himself, was absolute in his eyes. His Lord willed it, so he would obey till his dying breath. Just like his father. His uncle didn¡¯t know about his Lord. He¡¯d yed off the rapid fire questions after his Dream Ceremony, specifically the ones about why his hand tattoo was invisible. But with a few well-crafted lies and leading half-answers, his uncle never suspected a thing. Not that it would matter. His uncle was a Witch after all. Still, the Toy Maker had said to keep the secret, so he had. And now the fruits of his loyalty would surface. He¡¯d have his first three permanent puppets soon, very soon. And what puppets they would be. Adventurers, powerful ones for their age at that. They were literally the best puppets he could ask for. They would grow with him, age with him, evolve with him. Three royal guards to start his Lord¡¯s dynasty with. He smiled as scried the pasture. He¡¯d find their tracks soon enough, and when he did, he would be that much closer to bing the king of thesends. Chapter 106: Harbinger Chapter 106: Harbinger In an above ground graveyard of scorpions, Lnd reeled at Melody, the Legacy of Nature. ¡°What was that!¡± he screeched. ¡°Just alert the whole nest to us! That won¡¯t be a problem!¡± Murmuring to herself, she simply ignored Lnd and instead focused on the single yellow Crystalline Scorpion. If she didn¡¯t know better, she¡¯d have said the crystals that made up the monster¡¯s body were citrine or yellow ga. But she did know better. In fact, she knew of every variant of scorpion this region held. And yellow quartz was not one of them. Melody pointed at the corpse in question. ¡°That is what I drew out. Now I have confirmed my Lord¡¯s query.¡± ¡°And almost got us killed in the process!¡± Lnd continued, his voice hushed but still quite angry. ¡°Glenny was injured because of your actions!¡± The gentle green glow of Touch of Regeneration echoed lightly through Glenny¡¯s bare skin. The puncture wound had already closed, but a decent amount of venom remained. Lnd¡¯s healing spell counteracted the venom¡¯s effect, however, resulting not in paralyzed muscles but rather just a dull numbing. Melody blinked slowly at Lnd, obviously uncaring. ¡°Next time I will inform you of my doings before I do them.¡± Lnd could strangle this woman, but a subtle head shake from Glenny cut his irritation like a slice of bread. The battle honestly went great, except that Glenny had been hit by a stinger. There was something to say about trusting one another to the point of covering each other in the heat of battle, which each boy did without question. ¡°What¡¯s with the yellow one?¡± Jude asked.Melody craned her neck from looking at the ceiling to the darkness of the tunnel ahead and then to Jude. ¡°An enemy approaches. It is far, but more powerful than what we have faced so far. I suggest weplete our tasks before the inevitable battle.¡± Lnd swallowed down a snarky retort. ¡°What about the yellow crystals? Why is that special?¡± ¡°Evidence of a gue. Or corruption, depending on who you ask in my Lord¡¯s enve.¡± The group got moving, deeper into the tunnels. Glenny asked, ¡°Corruption of what? Scorpions?¡± ¡°Yes, although the monsters of this nest are only a precursor of what is toe. That is, if we do not remove the seed of corruption before the ecosystem falls.¡± ¡°And this seed, you think you can remove it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Melody answered inly. ¡°What is it we are actually looking for?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°A seed.¡± Pushing his teeth together stifling a growl, he continued, ¡°What does this seed look like?¡± ¡°A lighthouse.¡± Jude was the only one not fully annoyed by the odd Legacy of Nature. ¡°How does a lighthouse get into a scorpion nest? Aren¡¯t those, like, huge?¡± ¡°The scorpions most likely did not know what they dragged into their home,¡± Melody said. ¡°These scorpions must be rather strong if they can move an entire lighthouseunderground,¡± Glenny spat. Melody turned on the rogue, looking at him like he was an idiot. ¡°It is not a real lighthouse. Don¡¯t be absurd.¡± ¡°Right, Glenny,¡± Lnd said, mocking their guide. ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd.¡± ¡°So if it¡¯s not a real lighthouse, then what is it?¡± Jude asked. ¡°A magical construct, one left behind by an agent of chaos,¡± Melody said. ¡°Agent of chaos? Like a Witch?¡± ¡°Worse, a follower.¡± Lnd suddenly felt his stomach drop. ¡°You mean a Legacy of a vile Lord.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Melody said. Jude and Glenny suddenly found themselves making the same face as Lnd ¨C crude, anxiety filled anguish. There were not many stories their parents, as Royal Inquisitors, would not share of their adventures. They removed key details of some stories, like the carnage after a battle or the effects of terrible drugs. But the simple story of going to a town or city, investigating some problem, and saving the day by arresting or killing hardened criminals, were always told to the boys when they asked. Stories about their parents'' dealings with vile Lords and their envoys were, however, strictly censured. It wasn¡¯t out of fear that the contents of such a case would haunt the boys, but rather the cost of knowing was simply too high. The Queen had ced certain restrictions on her Inquisitors, marking them with heavily potent magical bindings ¨C specifically for the topics of vile Lords. There was little general information that the Queen sought to withhold from the public eye besides a few names and the list of restricted Legacies and their apanying tattoos. ¡°A-are you sure?¡± Lnd finally asked. ¡°Yes, the yellow crystal was corruption from the Lucent Lord, otherwise known as the¡ª¡± ¡°Light Architect,¡± Glenny supplied. ¡°Correct,¡± Melody affirmed. Lnd stumbled on his next step. ¡°But why does the Light Architect want this ce? He can¡¯t be hurting for wool, can he?¡± ¡°A Lord¡¯s will goes far beyond that of a simple wool farm,¡± Melody said with a slight smile. ¡°No, the Lucent Lord has no care for thend itself, but rather bringing more of his minions into this dimension.¡± ¡°The yellow scorpion is a¡ª¡± ¡°The first generation of an agent of chaos, yes. A Harbinger, as they are properly called.¡± Lnd went still at the title. His curse, Harbinger Halo¡­ did that have something to do with chaos? Did that make him an agent for the Lord of Curses? Just what¡ª ¡°Quiet!¡± Melody suddenly screamed through her teeth. ¡°Nobody move!¡± The group had just turned the corner of a branching tunnel and stopped just before a sudden drop off. Looking down, the soft freshly moved soil stopped and hard stone began. The chittering movement of dozens of scorpions zed in the lowlight, moving through the opening like people at a crowded market. But whereas humans don¡¯t crawl over each other, the scorpions did everything in their power to not touch the floor. Melody sent her glowing orb slightly closer in, illuminating the area enough to see the slight yellow glint of a pool of magical liquid. Yellow water dripped from further down the hole, trickling in like a dammed creek made ofva. The scorpions actively fought each other not to stand in the liquid. The weaker ones screeched with horrible hisses and deathly calls, the yellow liquid searing their exoskeletons while the corruption slowly made its way into their mind and bodies. ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Lnd whispered. ¡°Indeed,¡± Melody said, pulling out herpass. ¡°And exactly why I was tasked withing here. Are we ready to bask in the glory of defending thisnd from the poison of a vile Lord?¡± ¡°Lnd,¡± Jude said, taking up arms. ¡°This quest might not have been worth a simple healing spell.¡± Lnd dipped his head in agreement. Isobel had not felt her heart pumping this fast in years. She moved through the mountains at her top speed, rushing along the gravel paths in wide strides. She chased a set of tracks, a set that had been hastily covered up. With her Legacy abilities, however, she was able to follow her senses. Four sets, each different depths, sizes, and distances from one another. She recognized the three oldest tracks, those she had been following for months at this point. But the new set was her true target. If she came upon the nephew before meeting the boys, she¡¯d kill him before anyone knew. That was the protocol for a vile Legacy, even if the person in question wasn¡¯t a Witch yet. The boys were too young to be in this situation, she decided. They¡¯d most likely fight a few Harbingers in their lifetimes, but not yet. Not if they didn¡¯t have to. Luckily the Legacies of the Toy Maker were weak physically. They were creatures of mischief and malice, tricksters that sent their puppets to do their bidding. Cowards, in other words. Double luckily, the Huntress trusted Lnd, the smart and cynical one, to see through the trick. Or that was what she told herself. In all honesty, she hadn¡¯t seen through the nephew¡¯s puppet. Not until it was toote, at least. But still, there could only be hope on a cold, frozen mountain. She¡¯d survived this long due to simr lines of thought, they were how she¡¯d be who she was. After the deaths of her family, after the deaths of all those she cared about, hope was the only thing that kept her going. Hope in the darkest of cities, hope in the soon-to-be leaders of the world, hope in the next generation of Inquisitors, hope in three young men. That, and the unbridled need to take revenge on the criminal scum who took her d¡ª The Huntress¡¯ thoughts swayed her, causing her to miss a simple step. She never slowed, however, her body reacting to her momentary hesitation with raw guilt. Emotions were a powerful thing, sometimes even taking on physical form. Her missed step was fixed with palpable correction. It was only a hint, only a nce into the future of the next step in her power ¨C the next Legacy ranks. She would not fall here, she would not slow here, she would not stop here. A strong mantra, but one that was every bit asplex as it was simple. Chapter 107: Lighthouse Chapter 107: Lighthouse The boys stared at Melody¡¯s creation with uncertainty and unease. She had scraped away a bit of dirt with her fingernail and put a small green seed into the impression. From there, she muttered an incantation and sent threads of mana from her bare feet into the seed. A momentter, a single leaf had grown from a tiny steam. ¡°All aboard,¡± Melody said, creating the hesitance the boys felt. ¡°You want us to get in that?¡± Lnd asked, circling the leaf. The leaf had grown in a ¡°U¡± shape, thick and fibrous like malleable wood. It was the size of a set of double doors, enough room length wise to hold the three boys and Melody. It was a boat, that much was apparent. But besides the general shape, that¡¯s where theparisons ended. Most boats, especially the ones around the local waters, were non magical. Melody¡¯s leaf-boat was the opposite. Its ¡°hull¡± was glowing brilliant green, something which Lnd supposed was for integrity and protection. Whatever the spell was, Lnd recognized a summoning spell for what it was. While the catalyst was a seed rather than an etched circle, the oue was wholly what he hade to know as a summoning. That was, unless Melody had the power, talent, and finesse to create the leaf-boat with just pure nature magic maniption, something which he did not expect. No shame to Melody, but Lnd didn¡¯t even think his mother could create an elemental maniption construct like how the leaf-boat was formed. Which, in all honesty, kindled something deep within his heart. Magic was epic. The simple thought bolstered Lnd¡¯s spine and courage. He straightened his back, lifted his chin, and truly digested what was happening before him. From the leaf-boat to the nest of vile Lord corrupted scorpions, there was some dangerous, and impressive, magic involved. And that got him fired up for what his newly acquired hand tattoo would do.He nced at the incredibly slowly moving circle of ink around his Legacy crow and smiled. ¡°Yes,¡± Melody said to his original question. Magic was epic and all, but Lnd was going to be careful. Still being hesitant to follow aplete stranger¡¯s order, he begrudgingly mbered into the leaf-boat ready to spring to action. The others followed suit, and soon everyone was standing in the green summoning. With a whistle, Melodymanded the stale air of the nesting tunnels to awaken. Starting as a gentle breeze against a brick wall of people, the air began to rapidly roar past everyone, eventually shifting the Leaf-boat. Only the Legacy of Nature kept her legs, the boys suddenly finding themselves falling on top of one another. As soon as they regained their footing, the boat finally caught against the wind and set sail. Magic was epic, but at that moment Lnd found himself wide eyed and internally screaming as they sailed into the hole where the scorpion hordey. They went fast and hard, dipping nearly straight down through the stone tunnels and with a gnarly ssh of yellow liquid. Almost instantly, the scorpions turned and moved to attack the invaders. All notions of fighting one another were thrown away as the nest was in danger. The scorpions weren¡¯t a hive mind but with the Light Architect¡¯s corruption, they might as well have been. Melody, during all of this, never lost her sea legs. She held onto the leaf¡¯s petiole like a nautical rudder, controlling the group¡¯s movement with power words and quick hand movements. ¡°Thirty nine approach!¡± she announced with a certain degree of malicious joy. Lnd didn¡¯t have any time, nor mental capacity, to think about their guide and her oddities. Instead he, Jude, and Glenny all took up arms. Jude stood at the bow, his axe hoisted over his shoulder and a smile on his face. Again, Lnd didn¡¯t think about his friend¡¯s weirdness, instead ncing at Glenny. In one hand, Glenny held a familiar crimson spear, in the other, a malformed circle shield. Sweat was forming along his cheeks and forehead but as the first scorpion breached from under the yellow liquid, attacking the leaf-boat, his struggles of forging something other than a straight weapon already paid off. The scorpion collided with the crimson shield, rebounding off like a fish trying to jump out of a tank. Glenny then thrust with his spear, stabbing the creature. A shrill screech escaped its monstrous body, along with a sun-yellow ze of light. Lnd and the others grunted at the sight, snapping their eyes closed. The light was gone as soon as it arrived, along with the troubled call of plenty more enemies. Urging his grimoire to the correct page, Lnd mmed his palm into the contract with the Lord of Magic, gaining a small potency boon to his curses. A whistle escaped his lips next, along with the call for his flock to attack. Crows dived through the nest without care for the yellow liquid, their ethereal bodies acting as a vine to the vile Lord¡¯s corruption. Each bird took a separate target, charging the scorpions with razor-sharp talons out and ready. The horde of enemies were battered down, the crows doing everything in their power to slow the assault. Melody suddenly shouted something, her voice shrouded with raw magic and mana. The leaf-boat lurched, rising as the wind picked up like a dolphin leaping through the waves. The group sailed over the horde,nding on the far side of the nest with another ssh. Crows attacked a few straggling scorpions, spreading through the crystal-like armor with fury and ferocity. Melody didn¡¯t wait around, however, andmanded the leaf to move to each individual battle one after another. Jude and Glenny assisted Lnd¡¯s birds when they neared, dispatching the monsters rather simply. And just like that, the group found their path to sess. Crows would lock-down a few scorpions, Melody would maneuver around the slowly dwindling horde, and Jude and Glenny would pick off what they could. It took thirty minutes, but eventually the nest was butchered and the group was only met with silence. The silence was ill fated as Melody maneuvered the boat across the yellow liquid. She didn¡¯t stop to look around the nest or wade through the corruption. She knew exactly where she was going, deeper, into the destion. ¡°End your light barring spells,¡± Melody said to the group, smothering her light-ball spell. Lnd canceled the cantrip making his fingers glow and Glenny banished his conjured spear and shield, sending the group into darkness. Only a brief and hollow glow remained, the yellow liquid shining with muted enthusiasm. They traveled for minutes, minutes that seemed to stretch. Lnd was the first to notice, but the scorpion nest had long ended and only a man-made perfect tunnel remained. Entirely smooth and cut from stone, the pathway led to a raised mound of crystals and dirt. Like an ind arisen from the depths, the only salvation from the yellow liquid was ahead. The leaf-boat docked, fluttering directly onto the ind. Melody was first out, her quick stride urging the boys to follow suit. The low light kept the boys close and focused on what details they could notice. Patches of crystal emerged from the dirt ground, like stgmites in a damp cave. The dirt was odd, Lnd noticed as his feet sunk deeper than he¡¯d assumed. It was like marshnd or particrly fluffy sand. He had to focus on each step, so as not to lose his bnce ¨C something he noted Jude and Glenny did not suffer from. Melody stopped abruptly. The Boys mimicked the movement. Before the Legacy of Nature was a ck stone monolith a few feet taller than Jude. It had golden etched cracks, ones in specific patterns and stripes. It radiated corrupted energy, like the yellow liquid set around the group, but with authority and tenure. It had been down here a while, filling the surroundings with its seed and call. It was the source, the catalyst of Harbingers. The runguage was obvious, but like the scroll and subsequent tattoo dungeon reward from killing King Everald, Lnd had no clue what any of the symbols were. He was sure, without a doubt, that it was the samenguage now on the back of his hand. He tried not to think about the implications of such a thing, instead focusing on Melody. ¡°This is the lighthouse,¡± she said. ¡°Be ready for battle when I destroy it.¡± ¡°How many scorpions can we expect?¡± Glenny asked, stepping back and waiting to create new weapons. Melody stuck her hand deep into her pocket, far deeper than the pocket actually went. She shuffled around, fishing her hand like she was straining to reach something in the gutter. Grunting in sess, she retrieved an acorn which she promptly set on the lighthouse¡¯s t top. She pressed her hands together, and spoke. ¡°Just one.¡± Green then ignited from her palms at the same time her eyes turned rabid. The wind picked up in the silent tunnel, along with the scream of a beast. The ground rumbled, the crystals shaking with unholy force. Melody began to chant, her words sounding more like guttural grunt than actualnguage. Power still flowed, however, gathering until her eyes began to bleed. Lnd watched red drip from their guide, and suddenly he had a horrid sense of vertigo. His mind connected something he¡¯d been missing and he felt like his eyes had been opened for the first time. As Melody shoved her zing palms at the lighthouse, Lnd truly looked at her. Who was she? Why was she the one that was tasked with investigating a vile Lord¡¯s work? Why had the Lord of Nature sent him to assist her? She was obviously well above his rank, maybe even the Huntress. Melody was, after all, on a quest for her Lord and his battle with the forces of evil. The ground continued to shake as she kept her hands on the monolith. The acorn atop the construct began to wildly grow, creating roots, vines, flowers, nts, and even trees at an astonishing rate. Soon the small ind of dirt became a lush jungle, all of the soft dirt covered like dust in an attic. From Melody¡¯s hands, however, was the most impressive show. Emerald power so strong the others felt physically suffocated. There was no malice toward them, however, only undying resolve to destroy the Harbinger¡¯s corrupted construct. It resonated,pounding like an echo against a cliff face. Golden light screeched in pain, fighting the green like two tidal waves. They shed, the small construct¡¯s power easily dwarfed by Melody¡¯s might. She never relented, forcing the gold to surrender. The light of the lighthouse began to wane, sundered by the godly energy before eventually shatteringpletely. Melody stumbled back, falling into Lnd arms. All of the power had drained from her, her eyes returning to their natural color. Blood streamed from her eyes, nose, and ears like geysers sting hot steam. Lnd forced his grimoire to flip to the Lord of Nature¡¯s contract, but before he could heal the wounded champion, she whispered directly into his ear. ¡°Ignite the me of the Cmity.¡± Chapter 108: Soul Fire Chapter 108: Soul Fire The ground shaking mimicked the shaking in Lnd¡¯s heart. He felt his blood go cold, his breath hitch, and his throat run dry. Melody¡¯s bloodied eyes pierced him like an arrow shot from the heavens. One of the Lord of Nature¡¯s champions knew about him. Knew about his abilities, knew about his Lord, knew his secrets. He had tried to keep his Lord hidden. There were some that knew, his friends, but now some stranger was in the loop? His heart fluttered with irritation. What was the point in trying to keep secrets if the Lords above could squash them in an instant? Melody coughed, blood sttering like shrapnel from a cannon. Lnd ignored the fresh stain on his clothes. He looked ahead, the lighthouse was crumbled and broken, nothing more than a pile of dark stone and nts. He scoffed, realizing his part in what came next. Jude was right, this was not worth a simple healing spell. It was, in fact, not worth anything. Not when it came to secrets and danger, not when it came with being used as a pawn. This quest was supposed to be a simple protection quest. Now? Now it was the starting shot in an endless war against the vulgar Lords and their Harbingers. Lnd scoffed again, this time with a subdued introspection. He needed to be more careful, he needed to vet the Lords he was making contracts with. He was not to be used again. He was not to be blind sided by something far, far above him. Especially if Jude and Glenny were involved. The shaking continued as the strength left Melody. This was why the Lord of Nature tasked him to protect his ward. The after effects of harnessing Lordly magic. Melody was dying, her mortal body unable to withstand the endless sea of power that coursed through her veins, bones, skin, and mind. Something also stirred below them, something far grander than the nest of scorpions they fought through. Was it the Light Architect¡¯s Harbinger? Unlikely. The lighthouse Melody destroyed was a remote construct, one long left behind to spew its eternal corruption like amon weed. That left only one possibility in Lnd¡¯s eyes: a monster. Arge corrupted one at that.Could Lnd and the boys protect the champion and escape the tunnels? The question rang through his head like a cracked bell. The sound echoed endlessly, never receiving a proper response because of one simple notion. Soul Fire. Knowing next to nothing about the curse, Lnd supposed it could prove invaluable. He supposed it could live up to the title of Cmity. He grit his teeth, supposing it could do anything. Because, frankly, he had no idea what the curse did. A smallugh escaped his lips despite his friends¡¯ increasingly frantic words and actions. Jude had run to the leaf-boat, pulling it across the now forestednd toward the yellow water. The earthquake was getting worse, inhibiting his action much like Glenny trying to interfere with a petrified Lnd. Glenny shook his shoulders, a gesture that outweighed the shaking already rippling through Lnd and Melody. Their eyes connected along with a rush of yelling. Lnd couldn¡¯t tell what his friend was saying, the howling wind long causing the group to go deaf. Then Glenny started signing. It was an old way ofmunicating between the friend group. Back when treehouses and wooden sticks-swords were prevalent enough to their boyish minds. They had created some simple hand signs to speak to one another in case they couldn¡¯t speak to each other. Previously, this was only truly used tomunicate with Jude through his bedroom window. The young berserker had a knack for doing or saying whatever came to mind, often resulting in being set to bed early without dinner. Which, at the time, really sucked as the prime time to y swords and shields was dusk. So they often spent the cool nights gesturing to Jude whatever crude sign they hade up with recently. The sign Glenny waved in front of the shocked Lnd was that of the phrase ¡°cryter.¡± The sheer absurdity pulled Lnd from his inner thoughts of secrets and Lords, instead forcing him to react with a sneering eyeroll. That sign was a result of Jude¡¯s weak young tear ducts. In their early teens, he was always a crybaby and often the cause of more than a few heated arguments. The sign was finally given the status of taboo once their parents got involved. Seeing it today, however, brought back the feeling of being centered. In that moment, Lnd wasn¡¯t some godly pawn shipped off to some monster nest in the middle of nowhere. He wasn¡¯t an adventurer way in over his head. He wasn¡¯t even a Legacy of a mysterious Lord he wasn¡¯t sure he could trust. No, in that moment Lnd saw himself as a kid. He remembered the bedtime stories of heroic knights and grandiose mages. He remembered finding the coolest-looking stick to use as a legendary mythical sword, one that vanquished all evil and would never fall into the hands of the cunning enemy. He remembered his parent¡¯s first Inquisitor mission after a few years of maternity leave. He remembered them walking out of the house after long, tight, tear-ridden hugs. He remembered being left alone, beside his two friends of course. He remembered the town¡¯s whispered gaunt rumors ¨C that his parents were most likely going to die on their quest. That they were sadistic parents, ones that felt no notion of guilt for orphaning their child. At the time Lnd kept his chin held high, a gesture he mimicked even today. Back then, he lived off exaggerated stories of good and evil. He would beg his dad to continue his retellings long into the night. He would strive to learn what early magic his parents would teach him, despite not actually being able to cast anything. His town¡¯s gossip was wrong. His parents weren¡¯t sadistic disreputable people. No, they were miles ahead of such lowly talk. They were exactly what he strived to be. Courageous, brave, heroic, loving, loyal, fair. Fearless. The future would hold many hidden threats. The future would bring more heartache and pain than ever in the past. But that was the life of an adventurer ¨C someone who he thought his parents wouldn¡¯t look down upon. He wanted that; to look his parents in the eye and to hear them say ¡°good job.¡± He grasped at the information treading deep within his mind. Soul Fire was not a normal spell or curse. It required something, something that Lnd held reservations about. The fuel was a soul, a human soul. An ethereal body rose from the nt-ridden ground. It wed its way to one knee, keeping its head bowed like a prisoner about to be executed. It held out its arm, offering salvation in the form of a lost soul. The single soul of the Damned didn¡¯t flinch when Lnd took the lost soul from its grasp, only quietly retracting its arm. It shuddered in the freeing weight being lifted from its shoulders. An eternal punishment, a penance only to be confirmed by a single master. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lnd whispered, his words cutting through the howling wind. The soul of the Damned raised its head, meeting its master¡¯s gaze. Both its and Lnd¡¯s eyes were burning with the same violet me of transcendent virtue. Its time hade, the endless void called its name. It was time to be put at peace, to be reincarnated, to live a better life. Lnd watched his summon fade away, a strange sense of thanks oveing his weakened knees. Between holding Melody, the shaking that only seemed to be getting worse, and holding the very essence of what he once considered a deadly enemy, Lnd stumbled a bit. Glenny was instantly there to catch him. The rogue urged him along, pushing him away from the overgrown ind center and toward the shoreline of yellow liquid. They entered the leaf-boat where Jude ushered them forward before pushing off. They floated along the thick yellow river for only a few moments before the source of the earthquake showed itself. It unveiled itself by slowly standing, its massive hulking frame shifting gallows of liquid and tons of dirt and stone. It stretched its six ethereal legs, growing to heights untold by normal beasts. Its movements created waves, sending the grow away with haste despite Melody being unconscious. Lnd, acutely aware that he still held a lost soul, watched the creature fully form. Atop its t head, a plume of trees, shrubs, and grassid out of ce and out of style. Where nature flowed from where the Lord of Nature assisted in the destruction of the lighthouse, the rest of the creature was jutted and broken. Crystals, all yellow and brimming with horrid corruption, gathered and formed, shifting like a ma¡¯s pull in a cksmith¡¯s forge. They fully merged long before Lnd realized what exactly he was looking at. In simple terms, a scorpion. But one on the cusp of something more. It screeched at the leaf-boat, its call fighting for dominance against Melody¡¯s unyielding wind. One force kept the boat in ce, the other an attempt to scare off the attackers. Lnd didn¡¯t think long about which was supposedly the good Lord¡¯s. Jude and Glenny yelled muted words back and forth, the general consensus being panic. The worm boss was one thing, King Everald was another. Even with Jude¡¯s enhanced Incarnation abilities, they knew the endeavor was pointless. There was no room to maneuver, no room to dodge or fight. Not if they wanted to wade through the corruption, that was. So their eyes fell to Lnd. They hadn¡¯t heard Melody¡¯sst words to him before she sumbed to exhaustion, but they knew something was teetering in his mind. Why else would the Legacy of Curses be holding a soul, if not for an attack? They didn¡¯t think a small boost to his magical potency would be all that helpful. Lnd didn¡¯t think so either. As the monster¡¯s yellow crystals bulged with light, Lnd¡¯s attention fell within. The monster charged, but Lnd trudged through the information left to him through his Legacy. Screams. They were all he could hear, they were all he could understand. The information for Soul Fire came into his mind¡¯s eye like a hurricane of death. He shuddered under the pressure, feeling the heat of countless souls being ripped apart and left for nothing. There was no resurrection, there was no rebirth. There was only fire. And the Cmity that followed. ¡°Harbingers¡¯ wrath boomed, Cmity¡¯s fire relied, souls consumed, forever cried, battles fought, hope survived.¡± The soul ignited at Lnd¡¯s words. It whipped with tendrils of weathering pain, it devoured all it could reach. Its ferocity glowed with sinister fervor, casting the cave into the light of a ravaged tempest. Deep purple and dark shadowced between the fire¡¯s wicked range, an inferno held in the hand of its master. A Warlock. Lnd threw the curse, watching a trail of bent reality shift behind it like the wake of a dark phoenix¡¯s triumph. Yet, there was no rebirth or penance. Only the chilling scream of the soul ame and its master¡¯s silent guilt. At least, until his eyes fluttered closed and his body went limp. Then there was only a white familiar void. Chapter 109: Deceit Chapter 109: Deceit A swell of white void wrapped around Lnd like a loop at the end of a fishing line. It hooked into him, dragging him far and away. He allowed the strange motion, no doubt knowing that if he wanted to, he could remain motionless. But why would he? He recognized a Lord¡¯s call, the same beckoning and subtle whisper as every time before. He had done this before ¨C swam the mighty diving ne. Every contract, every negotiation, he had been adrift here, waiting, listening, and yearning for his mortal wishes to be heard. But now, he was being summoned, unprompted, by his Lord ¨C the Lord of Curses. Twice now he had been pulled by her call. The first, his Dream Ceremony and the promise of unique power and the standing of impressing his parents. The second, his first contract and the greed associated with barter. Now, his third meeting with his Lord, was a bit perturbed, at least with everything that happened only moments prior. Soul Fire and the utter decimation of the curse¡¯s fuel source ¨C a soul. A soul he ripped directly from the source. He¡¯d killed people, yes, but this was different. This was worse. An attacking human has deathing, that was thew of thend and the mantra that adventurers lived by. It was a rough habit, one that often led to dark lives, but one needed for survival. Attacking a soul, however? That was pushing a realm of darkness Lnd was not prepared to near. A soul was innocent, in the grand scheme of the universe. They were attached to human consciousness long before and after the choices of the human are made. They are older than the Lords themselves and needed for the continued survival of all things. Destroying onepletely¡­ that broke things, and not just things inside of Lnd. Suddenly he created his own definition for the title Cmity ¨C a soul killer. If it was true, Lnd didn¡¯t know, but he felt he was going to find out soon. Especially as a familiar skeletal forest came into view. This time, however, there was no fanfare or celebration. There was no grand showcase of magic or grandiose power. There was only an elderly woman, short, shrouded, and housing an obsidian ck crow on her shoulder. Her wrinkled skin and distant, hollow eyes told of her age and her withstanding from humanity. She was a Lord, as deceiving as her appearance was, a being so immensely powerful, they, as a collective institution, controlled the lives of every single human. She regarded Lnd with such guilt, however, that Lnd hesitated and forgot about everything. A cold gue whipped through his heart like seeing a child crying on the streets alone. He wanted to move to help her, he wanted to console and make sure she was okay. His mind felt numb and his legs wobbled with fret. But Lnd knew better. She was a wolf in an elder¡¯s skin, no doubt another fa?ade to keep individuals like himselfcent. Lnd raised his chin, cleared the doubt from his eyes, and set his posture. He forced himself to remember ¨C he had just obliterated a soul with her curse. ¡°Why?¡± he finally asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lnd,¡± was the Lord of Curses response. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± She shook her head silently. ¡°After everything I went through to unlock the final primary curse of my Legacy, this is what I get for my troubles?¡± Thest bit of the question was said with a ferocious usation. ¡°A curse that goes against everything we talked about when I decided to adopt your Legacy? You said you were not a vile Lord.¡± His words stung the Lord like a spear to the heart. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± ¡°Harbinger¡¯s Halo?¡± Lnd seethed, interpreting. ¡°Did you know Harbingers are what they call the Legacies of vile Lords? I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Lnd¡ª¡± ¡°And Soul Fire? I can still hear the screams.¡± A tear welled in his eye and for a moment the guilt invaded his sight. He twitched, the deathly calls the only thing filling his senses. His voice pittered out, ¡°I can hear it pleading for me not to kill it¡­ I can¡­¡± His words were smothered by a warm form. ck robes engulfed him, wringing out all his tears. He sobbed, the dam in his mind finally breaking. All of his stress rolled through his spine, even if it didn¡¯t have to deal with the current epidemic. He was never going to progress, he had realized. Not with Soul Fire being the way it was. He was never going to cast it, ever again. ¡°Lnd,¡± the Lord of Curses whispered, ¡°before you decide anything, take some time and review your path.¡± Pushing away, Lnd set his ire back on the perpetrator of his turmoil. ¡°Why should I ever listen to what you have to say? You lied. You lied and now I have to deal with¡ª¡± ¡°I have lied, yes.¡± The crow on her shoulder flew at Lnd, interrupting him, before sharply twisting up. ¡°But not about what you think. I am no vile Lord, but I do share the same broad title, yes.¡± He recoiled at that, like a spring being flicked. ¡°That makes no sense.¡± ¡°Then let me exin.¡± With a snap, the Lord of Curses unearthed a stone table. It rose from a realm below quickly and without servant souls to carry it. ¡°A cantrip, one you could learn.¡± Lnd scoffed, pulling out a chair. The Lord was silent for a moment, taking a seat as well, but eventually she started talking. There was no rhyme or reason for her starting statement or a general timeline of events, but slowly a narrative formed. She spoke of time before most, the time of the First Lords. She told the story like she had been a witness to the first ascensions, that she had known the beings who decided the naturalws of the world. There were very few Lords still alive from that time. Not even the Lord of Magic and all his estimated worship was the First, only the current. Yet as the Lord of Curses continued, Lnd slowly started to believe he was sitting before someone, or something, different. Was she lying? That was very much a possibility. Was he being manipted in believing a crazy story from a crazy person older than all mortal humans? Almost definitely. But it¡¯s not like Lnd didn¡¯t want to believe her. He wanted her to tell him everything had been a prank. That everything he had experienced was par for the course of some borate Lordly y. That those he¡¯s killed were nothing more than puppets. That the soul he decimated was nothing but a prompt. But that was a falsity, and he knew it. ¡°Then, I killed them all.¡± Lnd lurched at the statement. What? he coughed out in his own mind. ¡°All nine hundred and thirty one First Lords, minus a few independents, dead,¡± she continued, but not before locking eyes with her Legacy. ¡°In an instant. All dead from a single curse: Soul Fire.¡± ¡°B-but that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Impossible? Unbelievable?¡± Again, her eyes went hollow as the fleeting age settled in her bones. ¡°I don¡¯t regret the decision. They were monsters, those I killed. They wished to treat humanity like an experiment. They wanted to start sick games orugh at the misfortune of the mortals.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be?¡± Lnd found himself muttering. ¡°Surely there had to be some good Lords?¡± ¡°There were, but in their eternal wars, humanity almost sumbed. The mortals were sundered, and I just couldn¡¯t take it any Longer.¡± The Lord of Curses once again locked eyes with him. ¡°That¡¯s my lie. I lied about who I was, how old I was. You are ancient blood, yes, but I exaggerated just how young of an ancestor I was.¡± ¡°T-that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Lnd lied. Of course it did matter, but the thought of exploring that avenue made him nch. He sat a little straighter, not because he was suddenly afraid of the being before him, but because¡­ well¡­ he didn¡¯t truly know. Respect, maybe? Dignity? Recognition? He forced himself to shake out the unneeded distractions. ¡°Why did you say you were but weren¡¯t, a vile Lord.¡± The elder sighed. ¡°I am only in title, not in practice. A vile Lord is nothing more than a Lord who has killed another Lord. Of course, if no other Lord cares, then the title is not given. But in my case, and that of the Light Architect, others have cared.¡± ¡°W-who set your title?¡± Lnd asked with bated breath. ¡°Most recently? The previous Lord of Souls and Curses. But that was a pissing match on who got ess to Soul and Crow curses. They didn¡¯t like that I have grandfathered-in Legacy abilities from before Legacies were truly a concept.¡± ¡°So you killed them?¡± The Lord of Cursesughed. ¡°No. No I did not. They said their words, yelled their arguments, but only to deaf ears. No one wants to go to war with the Cmity. No, the previous Lord of Souls and Crows died like any other Lord and someone took their ce.¡± ¡°So the Cmity is you?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°More or less.¡± ¡°¡¯More or Less?¡¯¡± ¡°That was a bygone era. I am not that type of person any longer. There is¡­ no need for humanity to be protected by me any longer.¡± Lnd thought about that for a second. ¡°Because your Legacies hunt the vile Harbingers?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Lord of Curses lied. He took the answer at face value, however. The First Lord jumped at the opportunity. ¡°Soul Fire is a stain on, well, everything. Obliterating a soul should not be thought of lightly. But against a Harbinger or even a vile Lord themself? A single soul for the torture of potentially millions of lives?¡± She gestured in a thought provoking way. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Lnd muttered to which the Lord of Curses nodded. ¡°It is your decision, my child. If you wish to never think about the curse again, then I will ept the path forward and never push for anything different. I only ask you to discuss it with those you trust before making up your mind.¡± ¡°So you, what? Want me to be a hunter of Harbingers?¡± ¡°No. Never such a dangerous practice. Other Lords have champions and the like for that.¡± ¡°Then¡ª¡± ¡°Lnd,¡± she said in a way that made him think about his mother. ¡°Your path through my Legacy is not set in stone. You make the final decision.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to use Soul Fire. The screams are¡­¡± The Lord of Curses nodded. ¡°I understand. I only ask you to discuss with those you trust. I suspect there are others in simr situations to you.¡± ¡°You mean my parents?¡± She gave a subtle nod. ¡°Not all magic is mana and talent. Hard work and sacrifice go hand in hand.¡± Lnd paused. He looked at the new circr tattoo around his Legacy crow. ¡°What does¡ª¡± ¡°A surprise, one I hope you will enjoy.¡± Lnd¡¯s face didn¡¯t hide his dissatisfaction. ¡°It is time to go back. Just remember, whatever path you choose, I and those who love you will support your decision. My Legacy is a dark and despicable history, but yours doesn¡¯t have to be.¡± With that, the craggy forest faded away like a mop wiping up a stain and Lnd found himself drifting back to reality through an endless white void. Chapter 110: Loyal Chapter 110: Loyal The Huntress sprinted faster than ever. Unbound by feeble mundane legs, her Legacy coursing through her muscles and bones, allowing her to skip off the branches and leaves of tree after tree. She ignored the loose snow-covered rockyndscape in favor of added safety , the slick ground only proving to be just another hazard. Of course, if she focused, she could have easily ran along the gravel. But she needed her senses elsewhere. She scanned the open air, the canopy, and the underbrush. Her high-rank Legacy abilities made her the predator, made her the hunter. She had a target in mind, she only needed a whiff. The set of tracks she had been following were muddied at this point, a massive herd of sheep imprinting over all her proper evidence. She was in the right area, she knew. It was now only a matter of¡ª Isobel stopped dead. She froze, her hand robotically gripping a tree trunk as her legs rebounded from the suddenck of movement. ¡°What¡ª" The word slipped out in a whisper, her total shock ending all semnce of subterfuge and stealth. If someone was around, someone with the means of listening, her location waspromised. But honestly, as she shuddered in disbelief, she wondered if anyone around had the presence of mind to focus on anything other than the feeling in the distance. It was sickening. Like the day after eating bad meat or a meeting with Inquisitor highmand after a failed mission. The Huntress¡¯ stomach churned with scalding power, her body radiating with ethereal heat and magical might. Her skin crawled as she homed in on the source. She ran. Past the vige of sheep, up the mountain, and to a mound of dirt. She saw the corpses of a half-dozen scorpionying around. Most were bashed apart, but some were pierced with a thin de. She inspected the monsters, the air heavy with invisible silt.She forced herself to breathe, the unbelievable pain resonating from deep underground. She paused at the top of the mound, one foot already crossing the threshold into the depths of the nest. Is that¡­? She had felt this power, or something oddly close to it, before. Where? When? It was recent. Shoutwell? The Sightless King? No¡­ earlier. The first time she entered the underbelly. Back when she was following Lnd, Jude, and Glenny as a simple hunch. Lnd. The power zed out of the nest¡¯s entrance and for a hesitant moment, the Huntress considered things. Her mind, enhanced by her Legacy ability, branched through hundreds if not thousands of ideas in a fraction of a second. Slowly, she moved back and hid among the trees. As she waited, her thoughts turned back to before the Inquisitors. Back to when her family was alive, to when her children still walked the mortal ne. A smile lifted her face as she remembered her town¡¯s yearly bonfire. It was a celebration, an honoring to the Lord of Nature and Lord of the Harvest for a prosperous season toe. She remembered holding her youngest, watching the embers smolder in the wee sunlight the morning after. What a time. The feelinging from the nest changed at some point. Gone was the rabid sorrow and guilt, now only warmth and prosperity remained. She, again, had felt something simr in the past ¨C the far past. What was it? She wracked her brain, remembering the bonfire of her home. The two feelings were simr, identical even. She couldn¡¯t ce it until four figures emerged from the nest¡¯s entrance. Jude, Glenny, and an unconscious Lnd were easily identifiable, but there was another unconscious in their midst. Auburn hair, dark skin, the ever telling natural and organic clothing. Obviously a Legacy of one of the many natur¡ª Nature! Isobel¡¯s mind tolled, a ringing in her ears silenced her initial thoughts. She forced herself to look at the new evidence impartially. Lnd was unconscious. So was this supposed Legacy of Nature. Did the two fight? Was she a puppet? That thought almost made the Huntress leap from her hiding spot. But she held off. Like she decided before, if Lnd was able to discern the Toy Maker¡¯s Harbinger with no prompting, then¡ª The woman woke up. Isobel watched her speak to Jude and Glenny. They spoke politely to one another, although the woman cut off the boys whenever they tried to talk about what happened in the nest. Suspicious, the Huntress thought. Then a stampede of sheep entered the clearing. What? Again in disbelief, Isobel paused her train of thought. She watched the sheep meander over, gather around the group, and promptly ignore the humans. The boys asked the woman about the strange encounter, but the Legacy of Nature gave some half-baked exnation. She then muttered an incantation and turned into a patch of grass. Isobel, once again, couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. It only got worse when Jude pulled out a harmonica and started ying, causing the sheep to gather around him like a bard singing about folktales. I was worried about these brats? the Huntress asked herself, slipping further into the darkness to look for the puppet master. He woke with an easy breath. Lnd sighed, feeling the cold wet of snow on the back of his neck and a nightly chill in the air. He sat up, finding a familiar mountain scene. Across the way was the scorpion mound and nest, the remnants of crystalline bodiesying around where they died, and the haunting feeling of returning remorse. He had obliterated a soul, forever killing it. Lnd sucked in a groan, instead slightly shaking his head. He would have time to think about his actions, the future, and what things would eventually mean. Especially with the revtions the Lord of Curses left him. But that was forter, right now he needed to find his friends¡ª He paused, his train of through being cut short by a sea of fluffy sheep. It was sleeting slightly, the advent weather adding anotheryer to the sheep horde. The fresh white gave the dirty sheep a look of dandruff, their wool speckled with the snow. But they obviously didn¡¯t care, instead they were focused on a moving sound. It took Lnd a second to recognize the harmony, but once he did, a smile found his lips. He couldn¡¯t see him, the sheep blocking all lines of sight in that direction, but Lnd knew Jude¡¯s harmonic song anywhere. He listened, content with the joyous tune. It was, after all, a victory celebration. They had survived, escaped the nest, andpleted their quest. Lnd took the moment to look through his grimoire. He confirmed the Lord of Nature¡¯s contract for Touch of Regeneration and Soul Fire were both still present. While he was d about the former, his thoughts hit a screaming halt at thetter. What was he to do? The question rang in his mind, at least until a presence sat beside him. Glenny had moved silently through the mass of sheep, finding his friend deep in thought. He cleared his throat and spoke, ¡°That was some day, huh?¡± Lnd nodded but his subdued posture let on more than any confirmation. Glenny read the motion like the concerned friend he was. ¡°Soul Fire, right? Some spell.¡± ¡°Curse,¡± Lnd responded with a bite of spite. ¡°The Lord of Magic would make sure there would never be a spell like it.¡± ¡°That bad, huh?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°To Jude and me the curse looked like a simple Fireball. Other than it being purple I mean.¡± Glenny paused at that. Slowly the memory unraveled. ¡°Obviously it wasn¡¯t. Not with what happened after the spel¡ªcurse, I mean, connected.¡± Lnd turned his head and attention away from the music at that. ¡°What do you mean? I think I passed out before that happened.¡± ¡°It was weird. Beside the feeling of facing a horrid Lord-touched monster, there was something far more sinister in the air. It was like when you first cast Circle of Souls back in the undercity of Shoutwell, but worse.¡± Glenny sighed. ¡°I guess I should start at the beginning. After you threw the fire and passed out, the leaf-boat thing was at the mercy of the wind and scorpion monster¡¯s wake. Luckily Melody woke up not too long after. She acted like nothing was wrong, mutely steering us through the tunnels and away from the corrupted liquid ¨C even though behind us, the monster withered.¡± ¡°¡¯Withered?¡¯¡± Lnd asked. Nodding solemnly, Glenny continued, ¡°Your purple mes didn¡¯t create heat nor boiled the scorpion¡¯s insides. The cure¡­ I don¡¯t know how to describe it. It was like the fire was burning it ethereally not physically, even after it tried to put out the fire by rolling around in the liquid. I didn¡¯t know a monster could scream like that.¡± He shuddered. Lnd scratched the back of his neck and recounted some Legacy knowledge he now knew. ¡°Soul Fire attacks the soul, not the physical being.¡± Glenny¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Sounds powerful. If a single curse was able to kill such a monster, then I don¡¯t doubt there anything we can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡¯No?¡¯¡± ¡°I¡¯m not using Soul Fire again,¡± Lnd mumbled, throwing his head into his hands. He could feel Glenny staring at him. He was inclined to ignore him, but the guilt was getting to him. He needed to tell someone. He needed someone to say everything was okay, that he did nothing wrong. Someone other than his Lord. So he did. Lnd let his internal drowning flood of thoughts out. He told Glenny about how the curse¡¯s fuel source was souls that he tore from enemies. That the curse literally ignited the soul, burning it until it literally died ¨C Glenny went stark still at that. He told him how the Lord of Curses spoke to him not minutes ago, and how she told the story of the First Lords ¨C he received an watching re from his hand tattoo as he recounted, but he didn¡¯t care enough to stop. He needed to get it out. In the end, the boys sat in silence, the only sound being the asional blet of a sheep and Jude¡¯s harmonica. Theck of conversation got to Lnd, however, and he hastily pushed to a new conversation. ¡°What¡¯s with the sheep? Isn¡¯t the farm-vige a few hours hike away?¡± Glenny stared nkly ahead but said, ¡°They just sort of arrived. Melody mentioned that they were probably drawn to the power of your curse, but she didn¡¯t know. Jude took it upon himself to make proper friends.¡± ¡°Where is Melody?¡± ¡°See that patch of grass?¡± Glenny pointed to a human-shaped odd patch of grass. Long green strands broke through the snowy floor and a group of sheep that was foregoing the music in exchange for a second dinner. ¡°Sheid down after confirming you weren¡¯t going to die, and¡­ turned into grass?¡± ¡°Probably a teleportation spell.¡± Lnd waved off. ¡°That was nice of her to check if I was okay¡­¡± Glenny snorted. ¡°Nice of her? Yeah right. She knew what we were going to be facing off against, and still chose to lead us like she was blind.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t me her. I have no doubt that her Lord told her to keep us in the dark.¡± Glenny lurched at that. ¡°Getting real close to sphemy saying that.¡± It was Lnd¡¯s turn to snort. ¡°I doubt it. If how the Lord of Curses implied how the heavens worked, we just did the Lord of Nature an enormous favor¡­ one that we are not ever going to be able to cash in. I did ept a quest, after all. I think I got majorly ripped off.¡± Glenny, not wanting to keep this line of conversation going, said, ¡°I see. Well, are you fine to walk?¡± Lnd nodded, standing with his friend and heading over to Jude. The berserker yelped in surprise when Glenny tapped his shoulder. ¡°You can''t sneak up on a man ying the harmonica like that!¡± Jude screeched before his eyes fell on Lnd. ¡°Oh hey Leals, some curse you got there.¡± ¡°And some friends you got here,¡± Lnd said back, a smile on his lips. ¡°What do you say we take them back to the farm-vige.¡± Jude thought about that. ¡°Do you think they would follow my ying? Otherwise we might be out here for a while.¡± Lnd¡¯s smile evened out as he thought about the question. ¡°I hope so¡­¡± A few hourster, the boys entered the cleared property of the farm-vige with a few hundred massive sheep behind them ¨C much to the utter relief of the shepherds. Oddly enough, during the entire walk back, Lnd hadn¡¯t thought about Soul Fire or the forever destroyed soul. Once the action ended, however, the guilt and remorse came back. The man stayed at the edge of the vige-farm, hidden in in sight. Humiliating as it was, mimicking the appearance of a sheep at a sheep farm had its advantages. The mannerisms were oddly easy to copy, there was no pattern of normalcy, there was nothing he had to be doing, as a sheep that was. As a Harbinger, he had plenty. The boys had arrived, were treated like heroes and given a warm barn to sleep in. There would be a feast in the morning, then they were supposed to head off. ¡°A questplete,¡± the dull one had said. There was no reason for them to stay out here any longer. But the man questioned that. He had been hiding around the scorpion nest for hours, waiting for them to exit. It was supposed to be a chicken shoot, an easy ambush. But that was before the haunting aura sted out of the nest. He recognized it was what it was. The Light Architects power being consumed. Fire was the obvious cause, but what kind of fire could do such a thing? So the man held off, retreating back to the vige-farm once he realized he was encroaching on another Harbinger¡¯s territory. There was no need to get into a petty war right now. He had his targets, even if they confused him. Chapter 111: Friends Chapter 111: Friends With a good night¡¯s rest for everyone except Lnd, and with their bellies full, the boys bid the shepherds farewell. They stood at the edge of the farm, waving goodbye as Jude gave each and every sheep one final head pat and chin scratch. Honestly, Lnd had multiple thoughts on the bizarre sheep, but for the life of him, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say a snarkyment. He was just too tired. But he guessed that was what a restless night in a barn would do. The nightmares didn¡¯t help either. When he closed his eyes, he saw the poacher that attacked them in the mushroom cave just days ago. It wasn¡¯t so much the hideous look the poacher gave him, but the eternal damnation of the man¡¯s soul. It was gone, forever, and Lnd was the cause. And he just didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. Yes, a destroyed soul had problematic consequences, let alone a whole mess of ethical connotations. In the end, he was trying to rationalize his actions any way he could. When he exined his curse in full to Glenny and Jude, both boys gave Lnd a ¡°meh¡± shrug. ¡°We¡¯ve killed people before,¡± Glenny had said. ¡°What¡¯s different now?¡± Jude, upied by a young sheep that kept headbutting him, only nodded in agreement. ¡°The difference is that destroying a soul is only something we hear about in epic stories or tales,¡± Lnd said with a grimace. ¡°And it''s always by the bad guy. The horrible necromancer or the ancient king using souls to elongate his life.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not evil.¡±¡°But I feel like I am.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t use the curse,¡± Jude suggested. ¡°Then that means I remain at rank one.¡± ¡°Then use the curse¡­?¡± Lnd gave him an incredulous look. ¡°If people found out that my curse did such a thing, I would be hunted like a dog. You two as well, probably, just for knowing me. My parents for sure, maybe even yours.¡± That stumped the others. Glenny was the one with a response, ¡°I trust you not to be evil. And you¡¯ve done a pretty good job hiding your Legacy so far. The Huntress is literally following us because you didn¡¯t falter to her rank or status. Whatever you choose, I will support you.¡± ¡°As will I,¡± Jude quickly added. ¡°Even if that means I destroy souls to stay in rank with the two of you?¡± Glenny nodded right away but Jude asked, ¡°What does that really mean? Like I understand the soul will not reincarnate, but like¡­ is that a bad thing?¡± Lnd let out a pent up sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know, truthfully. Those stories are always about bad guys destroying souls en masse. The Lord of Souls usually has to get involved, something about the ¡®flow being clogged,¡¯ or something.¡± ¡°So one or two every now and then is okay?¡± Lnd held up his arms. He just didn¡¯t know. ¡°I guess I could ask the Lord of Souls¡­ I have been meaning to contact all of the Lords that are rted to my curses. And the Berserker and Chameleon Lord for that matter.¡± Glenny gave a serious nod. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°I do want to talk with my parents first, however. I¡¯m still waiting for their reply to myst letter, however¡­¡± Jude¡¯s posture went still. ¡°Uh,¡± he mumbled, shuffling through the horde of sheep to his pack. ¡°I, uh, may have forgotten¡­¡± ¡°Jude¡­¡± Glenny said in a disappointed way. ¡°What?¡± Lnd asked. Jude pulled out a folded thick-form piece of paper. ¡°I found this in the inn before we left Frostford. We were leaving, and well, I forgot to give it to you¡­¡± The others rolled their eyes and Lnd quickly read over the note from his parents. The letter started with surprise about, well, pretty much all of what Lnd had written about their adventures at the time of sending the initial letter. Especially about William Icewillow and how Glenny¡¯s dad was particrly interested in the details. Most of the letter, however, was about the Huntress and that they should stay away from her while also asking plenty of details about their encounter. Lnd smiled at that. ¡°I need to respond to this, but I don¡¯t want to do it here. What do you say we get an inn somewhere quickly and take a day or two off travel,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Glenny, that will give you a chance to write your letter as well.¡± Glenny nodded mutely to that. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Jude said. With that, Lnd rolled over onto a mound of hay, posturing to go to bed. A thought urred to him, however. ¡°Have either of you seen my il?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Glenny whispered. ¡°You dropped it in the nest, and well, we couldn¡¯t stop to pick it up.¡± ¡°A shame,¡± Lnd said. ¡°I was just starting to get good with it.¡± Jude snorted at that. So with a n in mind, they boys moved up and through the mountains toward the next town on their adventure. With the general idea of moving toward the city they were meeting their parents in a few months, they walked. All the while, they were being followed by a hunter and a killer. Dear mom and dad, I got your letter, after some dy thanks to Jude, and want to respond to all of your questions. But I can¡¯t. Something happened and I¡¯m feeling lost. I just don¡¯t know how to progress and I don¡¯t want Jude and Glenny to suffer because of me. They say they trust me and everything, but I am not sure I trust myself. I guess there¡¯s no way to sugar coat this, but I didn¡¯t ept the Lord of Magic as my Legacy. I¡¯d rather not write it down physically, as the Huntress and others have pushed me for the information before, but suffice to say, I don¡¯t know if I made a mistake or not. I¡¯ve had contact with my Lord a few times at this point, and every time I feel like she¡¯s lying to me. Actually, she even confirmed as much. But that¡¯s not the real issue. I have a sixth primary spell. And it¡¯s not the savory kind. In fact it¡¯spletely the opposite. And well, I¡¯m not sure if I can ever cast it again. Recently I, and the others, fought against a Harbinger¡¯s construct. The battle wasn¡¯t much, the spell took care of the fight rather promptly. But during this, we learned of the vile Lords and their Harbingers. And well, I¡¯m having doubts about my Lord and the powers she has imparted to me. I¡¯m just scared that if I make a wrong move, others will suffer for it. Any advice? Love, Lnd. Lnd gave the letter a once-over before activating the magical aspect of the paper. It folded up, hovered in midair, then fluttered out the nearest window where it soon disappeared with a blue haze. He leaned back, his shoulders finally rxing from all the pent up anxiety. It had been four days since they left the sheep vige-farm and the boys had only just arrived in a small town. Along the way, Lnd¡¯s mind had solely been on his problem and the countless ways his parents could be disappointed. He honestly had been dreading writing the letter, but with it done and sent, a weight had left his bones. Why was he worrying? His parents were more loyal than Jude or Glenny. They wouldn¡¯t abandon or disown him. Maybe a stern lecture, but that was a hard maybe. His parents were never ones for yelling, even if the lesson was important enough to yell. He remembered one time, back when he was young and still learning the basics of the many, many types of magic, his parents were showing him transmutation. Real transmutation was ungodly expensive, mostly illegal, and frankly not with the effort. But the lesson of equivalent exchange was one best taught with practical examples. They were supposed to be mixing one part lilyleaf with two parts water and half-part Loom Ash. Where this differed from alchemy, was the addition of pure mana during the mixing phase. Not that it mattered much, Lnd, at the time, had no mana. His parents had to do the real work for the experiment. The oue was a red sand called Fireash. The uses were rather limited, and was mainly used to keep fire pits or home furnaces hot without the use of timber or kindling. Fireash was, however, incredibly simr to a substance called Firecrumble ¨C an illegal, and deadly, explosive. So once Lnd¡¯s parents found out he tried to make Firecrumble unsupervised, they came in more disappointed than angry. Sure, he had used up expensive ingredients, but they were more focused on his failure to grasp the concept of transmutation. He needed mana, something he didn¡¯t have at the time. The mixture simply caught fire, resulting in a harsh burn along the palms of his hands. Lnd remembered the walk of shame to his parent¡¯s healer friend¡¯s house. ¡°Done,¡± Glenny suddenly said from the side, shuffling a piece of paper. He handed it to Lnd, who then imbued it with pure mana. The letter folded itself, hovered for a moment, thenunched out the window in a blue ze toward Glenny¡¯s dad. Glenny then sat back, his shoulders going ck. ¡°Sending letters feels oddly satisfying,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Yeah¡­ it¡¯s kind of weird, actually.¡± Lnd went to respond, but a fidgeting Jude pulled his attention. ¡°Hungry, are you?¡± ¡°When am I not?¡± the berserker Legacy asked. ¡°But yes, let¡¯s go?¡± The other stood, following their friend out the door. At least, they did, until a small blue circle appeared beside Lnd¡¯s bed. ¡°Uh,¡± he said, his eyes locked on the elegant magic. The circle faded somewhat, revealing a different location in the center. Lnd recognized it for what it was, one of his dad¡¯s portals. Slowly he inched closer, dread setting in. His dad using an extensive amount of mana was not a good sign in his eyes. ¡°Uh, hello?¡± Lnd asked the portal, finding a window into a fancily lit and decorated room. Outside the inn, an old man crumbled to his knees in the shadow of the moonlight. After a brief incantation from his killer, the old man returned to his feet with the stamina and strength of a young man. The killer smiled. Tonight was the night. Chapter 112: Family Chat Chapter 112: Family Chat The ring of mana rotated slowly and silently. From a cursory nce, the area beyond the hole in reality stretched into an opulent sitting room. A tall set of windows lined with white and red silks let in the ever dying light of the golden sun. A pristine courtyard glowed through the window, every trimmed bush and elder tree tinged with a deep shade of yellow. A smell drifted through the portal, one of cooked ham and roast duck. Back in the rustic inn the boys stood, Jude¡¯s stomach growled. ¡°Leals¡­ as much as I want to talk to your parents, it smells like they are eating dinner¡­ And well¡­¡± Lnd waved Jude off, ¡°You and Glenny go, I¡¯ll catch up.¡± Jude didn¡¯t hesitate at themand and pushed the rogue through the door. Lnd internallyughed at that, but soon his focus returned to the stationary portal. He circled the mana construct, finding different views of the same room. Light gray stone walls paired with the white and red upholstery told the story of the capital, specifically the Queen¡¯s castle. Of coursethey are with the Queen, Lnd found himself thinking. They are her favorites¡­ He couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit jealous. While the inn he was staying in wasn¡¯t the best, the castle¡¯s lush tapestries and overindulgent meals were something he could only truly appreciate with imagination. He had apparently been to the castle before, but his young age at the time left little room for memories. Although he did have a faint memory of when he and the youngest princess ventured into the royal fountain after tricking whatever poor soul was supposed to be watching them. But he had heard his parents repeat the tale to anyone willing to listen so many times he wasn¡¯t sure which of his memories were influenced by their exaggerations. He felt sure that he didn¡¯t make a promise of marriage to the princess when he was being dragged back into the castle soaking wet.That just didn¡¯t sound like him. Lnd shook out the thought. He didn¡¯t have the luxury to sit idle and think of the past. A portal was open and his parents were nowhere to be seen. Which was weird¡­ ¡°Hello?¡± he called out again, this time a bit louder. A dull thud sounded from through the portal, past the elegantly carved coffee table, and from the other side of a door. Like a guard kicking in the door to a criminal¡¯s home, the wall suddenly opened and two familiar forms came crashing through. ¡°You¡¯ve got to tell me if you open a portal! How many minutes has it been? How much mana have you lost!?¡± Lnd¡¯s face split, a long smile forming at the sight of his mom. She continued in and soon his dad was front and center. ¡°I told you I was opening it, but you had to reread his letter¡ª¡± His dad cut himself off. ¡°Lnd! How long have you been standing there?¡± Through the portal norger than a dinner te, the family stared at each other despite having to shift awkwardly to look through at the right perspective. ¡°Since it opened,¡± Lnd responded with a bit of mirth. His parents gave each other t looks. But after a moment, a smile tugged against both of their faces. His dad gestured to the couch, where his mom took the initiative to sit. A momentter, the family was eye level with one another despite being what felt like worlds apart. ¡°Hello sugar,¡± his mom, Lucia, said, her eyes tender like a hen watching her chick return to the coop. ¡°You look tired,¡± his dad, Spencer, said. ¡°Have you been living on jerky and stew? You need some bread! Eat some bread!¡± Lnd forced himself not to tear up. The moment he did, he knew they would as well. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you both,¡± he said. ¡°And I was about to eat dinner at this restaurant across the street, but a portal suddenly opened.¡± His dad nodded along to that. ¡°We were eating when we got your letter. Your mother said to open a portal, and I did¡ª¡± ¡°I meant after I finished reading the letter!¡± She red at him. ¡°Seriously, how much mana have you already used?¡± ¡°Eh, like a fifth.¡± ¡°A fifth! That¡¯s like¡ª¡± ¡°A fifth of the time we can all talk, yeah. We¡¯ve got to get through things quickly, I can already feel my eyes twitch.¡± Lnd frowned at that. ¡°Eyes twitch?¡± Spencer leaned forward, scooting to the edge of the couch. With a bit of bravado, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve been forced to keep my mana-vision on at all timestely. Don¡¯t want enemies to portal themselves into the castle or anything.¡± ¡°Is the Queen under attack a lot?¡± ¡°When is she not!¡± Spencerughed. ¡°It¡¯s like¡ª¡± ¡°Dear,¡± Lucia said, devoid of emotion. She ced her palm on her husband¡¯s knee, slowly. ¡°This is not the time.¡± His dad went silent, the warning quite clear. The snip opened Lnd¡¯s eyes to how his parents actually looked. There was a certain resistance to seeing close family for what they were, but once the resistance was clear and gone, everything was apparent. Behind every friendly smile, every warming hug, every bickering conversation, there were humans. Humans with high stress jobs. His parents were tired. Age and responsibility had caught up, along with constant worry. His dad¡¯s hair was already starting to gray, his mom¡¯s cheeks starting to go bby. The pair had enough bags under their eyes to line a war trench, and neither looked like they had properly seen the sun in weeks. ¡°Are you guys okay?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°You seem¡­ worn out.¡± ¡°Oh we are, sugar,¡± his mom answered. ¡°But we have a vacationing up. You got our birthday card about us all meeting up in a few months, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, we are heading that way. Slowly, might I add. It¡¯s been a big hectictely.¡± Spencer then said, ¡°I¡¯d love to hear all about it. But my mana is limited. So we need to keep it short. Let¡¯s start with what is actually bothering you, the part that you didn¡¯t want to write in your letter.¡± Lnd¡¯s knee bounced with fervent jitters but he was able to force the words out. ¡°I think I¡¯m a Harbinger. I take that back, I know I¡¯m a Harbinger¡­ but with a good Lord?¡± He had finally said it. The source of his nightmares and the vortex of his thoughts. He was a Harbinger, after all the Lord of Curses called herself a sort-of vile Lord. Whether it was on a technicality between Lordly entities or not, the title had long been branded. Honestly, Lnd felt a bit brighter for saying such a thing. His parents, however, did not share his internal relief. The deep bags under their eyes suddenly seemed to double, highlighting the sharpness in their gaze. The pair nced at one another, his dad then removing a small bronze device from his pocket. ¡°No one heard,¡± he muttered, getting a sigh of relief from his wife. ¡°You were tricked into epting a vile Lord as your Legacy?¡± Lucia finally said. ¡°No,¡± Lnd said instantly, then his hard face cracked and he deted. ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know. She made a good point that all Lords give their followers the power to kill in horrible ways. Like the Lord of me burning people alive¡­¡± ¡°And that was enough for you to ept a sketchy Lord?¡± ¡°No¡­ She brought up that her Legacy would enable my own path through life. Not one in your¡­ shadow.¡± ¡°Oh sugar,¡± his mom cried. ¡°Lnd, what Lord did you ept?¡± ¡°Curses.¡± ¡°The Lord of Curses? I¡¯ve never met a Legacy of Curses, have you?¡± Spencer turned to his wife. She didn¡¯t answer instantly. ¡°M-my grandmother told me stories as a kid. One was of a Legacy of Curses, her great, great, great, great grandmother or something.¡± ¡°Forty generations, if I remember correctly,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°The Lord of Curses told me.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t know she was a Harbinger¡ª" ¡°If it makes any difference, the Lord of Curses told me she¡¯ll never force me to do anything I don¡¯t want to do,¡± Lnd sat up a bit straighter. ¡°I felt she was genuine.¡± His dad cursed at that, standing and swirling his hand openly in the air. A momentter, a deep blue ring appeared. He stuck his hand through the opening and fished around for a moment. He returned with a thick set tome, the cover reading ¡°Inquisitory Handbook.¡± ¡°You kept that thing?¡± Lucia asked. ¡°You never know what is going to be handy one day.¡± Spencer shuffled through the pages, scanning one that had a decently long list. ¡°Hmm¡­ Nope, I don¡¯t see it here. The Lord of Curses is not a Legacy we are on the lookout for. That could mean a couple things.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°For one,¡± his mom answered. ¡°That the Lord of Curse¡¯s Harbingers are low in number. Or that they are so secretive that our information sources don¡¯t even know. Or that they could operate mainly on a different continent. Or¡ª¡± ¡°That they don¡¯t operate at all,¡± Lnd supplied himself. ¡°At least not in her name.¡± Lucia nodded subtly. ¡°Or¡± Spencer said closing the tome, ¡°she¡¯s not evil like the Queen¡¯s definition of vile.¡± Lnd felt the need to speak at that. ¡°She did tell me about the reasoning behind her supposed vile-ness.¡± ¡°That she killed another Lord?¡± Lucia asked. ¡°Because we all know about that.¡± ¡°No¡ª Well, yes. But no. She said she¡¯s a First Lord, and that she killed other Lords to protect humanity.¡± Silence echoed through the portal. ¡°Huh,¡± his father finally said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something Lords would lie about. Otherwise the others would get pissy.¡± ¡°Which leads to why she was branded as a vile Lord. Apparently she and the former Lord of Souls and Crows got into it about her using their curses. Which made them petition the other Lords against her.¡± ¡°And you believe her?¡± Lucia asked. ¡°I¡­ do. That at least. I know she¡¯s lying to me about other things, but she seemed guilty about my circumstances,¡± Lnd said. ¡°At the very least, I know the Lord of Magic trusts her.¡± ¡°And how do you know that?¡± ¡°Because I met him. He speaks highly of the two of you.¡± His parents stared at him like he had just spoken in tongues. ¡°What? You spoke to another Lord?¡± Lnd responded with an affirmatory grunt, his mind already onto the next thing. ¡°I ¨C we ¨C actually, helped a Lord of Nature champion with a quest¡­ the Lord of Nature wouldn¡¯t have told me to help Melody without trusting me, and in turn the Lord of Curses, right? If she was vile, then surely he would have declined my petition¡­¡± His parents shared a nce. ¡°Lnd you¡¯re muttering and not making any sense.¡± ¡°Son, what are you talking about?¡± His attention snapped back to his parents. ¡°Sorry. I have a curse called Harbinger¡¯s Halo. I can petition other Lords for contracts with them. For example¡ª¡± Lnd¡¯s grimoire appeared from his hand, flipping to the page rting to the Lord of Nature contract. He pressed his palm into the book, allowing mana and lifeforce to bring forth the curse. Quickly a deep purple halo formed just above his head while wisps of violet smoke descended down like a fading morning mist. Then Lnd held out his hand, pushing it through the portal. ¡°I was given Touch of Regeneration for my assistance helping the Lord of Nature¡¯s champion clear a Crystalline Scorpion nest that was corrupted by a Harbinger of the Light Architect.¡± ¡°A lighthouse?¡± Lucia asked. ¡°Those are dangerous if left alone¡­¡± ¡°Touch my finger,¡± Lnd said, his arm transcending reality and appearing in the royal castle. Hesitantly, his parents did. Instantly their spines stiffened and they both let out a satisfactory groan. Lnd¡¯s power being too lowpared to his parents, the spell did little to actually fix their tired appearances but they sure could feel the effects. ¡°I could use some more of that,¡± Spencer murmured, receiving a backhand to the shoulder from his wife. ¡°Focus, please,¡± she asked before turning back to Lnd. ¡°That is¡­ something. I¡¯ve never heard of a spell that could contract other Lords.¡± ¡°Curse,¡± Lnd corrected. ¡°Curse, right.¡± ¡°What did the Lord of Magic contract with you?¡± Spencer asked. ¡°He was sort of the test run, if you can call it that. He gave me a small magical potency boon for two mana potions. Of any grade.¡± ¡°Any grade?¡± Spencerughed. ¡°He really must like us.¡± ¡°I can reform the contract after a year, as well.¡± ¡°That sounds like a great spel¡ª I mean curse.¡± Lnd thought about that. ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± His mother let out a pent-up sigh. ¡°The other Lords, the good ones at least, trust the Lord of Curses. If it took a conversation with us to make you realize that, then I¡¯m d we could help.¡± ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not quite it. My sixth primary curse. It destroys souls.¡± ¡°¡¯Souls?¡¯¡± ¡°Oh, right. I should mention that one of my other primary curses removes souls from enemies.¡± ¡°Souls?¡± Spencer asked again. ¡°And if I want, I can consume them and get a healing boon and a magical potency boon. This way the soul is reincarnated.¡± ¡°¡¯Consume?¡¯¡± his mother asked. ¡°Or I can ignite them, destroying them forever in the process, and use them as a weapon.¡± ¡°¡¯Ignite?¡¯¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Soul Fire.¡± His mother recoiled at the name. ¡°The Cmity?¡± she muttered. ¡°Cmity? That¡¯s what the other Lords, and a Legacy of Witches, call me. How do you know it?¡± ¡°M-my grandmother¡¯s stories. She spoke of a Lord so powerful that they were able to, single handedly, kill nearly all other Lords.¡± Lnd nodded solemnly at that. ¡°That¡¯d be the Lord of Curses. She told me the whole story already.¡± ¡°The Cmity is a hero of humanity?¡± Lucia blinked a few times, her vision going blurry. For a moment her eyes reflected incorrect pictures of her surroundings. The pictures changed with haste, shifting back years as she reread through her memories. Eventually she lurched forward, blinking away watery eyes. ¡°I¡¯m always jealous I wasn¡¯t able to learn that cantrip,¡± Spencer said. That got Lnd¡¯s attention. ¡°What cantrip?¡± ¡°Memory Recall. It¡¯s rather difficult. Maybe mom can teach you¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up for a moment,¡± his wife cursed. ¡°I-I¡¯m trying to¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. ¡°Sometimes the older memories need a little glue, so to speak. Just give her a second, I¡¯ve got enough mana for a few more minutes.¡± His dad didn¡¯t waste the moment, however. ¡°But seriously, are you eating more than jerky and stew? You need bread. Bread is the best food for an adventurer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m eating bread whenever I can. Kind of hard to find bakeries up in the mountains.¡± ¡°Mountain bakeries are the best, though.¡± ¡°I might agree with you, although Sally¡¯s back home is pretty great.¡± His dad grunted with greed. ¡°Sally¡¯s is the best. Hands down. Those apple fritters¡ª¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°Oh good,¡± Lnd¡¯s dad said. His mom blinked a few more times. ¡°My grandmother¡¯s story was about a savior of humanity. ¡®The Lord who protected all, the Cmity for the vile Lords.¡¯¡± ¡°Well there you have it,¡± Spencer said. Lnd grit his teeth. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to destroy souls, even if they are enemies.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t.¡± ¡°But then I won¡¯t ever rank up.¡± ¡°Then do?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not helping, dad.¡± ¡°Look, son, you are going to have to decide. Where do you want to set your feet and make a choice for yourself? Resolve doesn¡¯te from others, it is something you and you alone can create.¡± ¡°What your father is trying to say is that it doesn¡¯t have to be ck or white. You don¡¯t want to use the curse but you want to progress. So then only use the curse on souls you don¡¯t mind destroying.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to destroy any. That¡¯s like torture or something,¡± Lnd retorted. ¡°Maybe for those living a single guilty life. But what about the Harbingers that have been reincarnated dozens of times into new bodies only to simply join back up with their vile Lords. Evil is a slippery slope.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a thing?¡± His dad gave a shrug. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. Look, Lnd, we are both hardened adventurers and well-seasoned Inquisitors. We¡¯ve seen things, horrible things. A soul for a hard stick to whack a vile Lord with? I¡¯d make that choice.¡± ¡°Although not elegant, I agree with your father,¡± Lucia said. ¡°As long as the Lord of Souls doesn¡¯t send his Legacies to hunt you down, sometimes you¡¯ve got to be pragmatic. A soul for the lives of millions of innocent people.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a soul,¡± Lnd said inly. ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s a soul. It has no feeling, no personality. Not yet at least. When it¡¯s reincarnated into a person, it will. But as a soul it¡¯s nothing more than potential. I trust you, Lnd, to weigh the potential as good or evil and make the correct decision.¡± Lnd nodded at that. ¡°That¡¯s vaguely what Jude, Glenny, and the Lord of Curses said.¡± ¡°Your friends are smart. And if everything is to be believed, so is the Lord of Curses.¡± Spencer said, a vein pulsing across his temple. ¡°Look I can¡¯t keep the portal open any longer. Remember that your mom and I love you and whatever decision you make we will supp¡ª¡± The portal snapped close. Lnd blinked a few times at the far edge of the room. He wished he could have talked longer with them but in the end he felt closer to the right path. That was all he could really wish for, right? He took a few minutes for himself, collecting and organizing his rapid thoughts. Maybe things were going to be okay. His parents, friends, and Lord all thought so. He smiled at that, d to have those who love him so close. As he was gearing up to leave, a knock sounded from the door. Already on the way out, Lnd shrugged and hopped to his feet. He opened the door, finding an old man he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°I think you have the wrong room¡ª¡± Cold jutted into Lnd¡¯s gut as warm washed out. He grunted, the skin on the bridge of his nose scrunching like a walnut. ¡°What¡ª¡± Lnd looked down, tracing the old man¡¯s arm to the hilt of a knife and from the knife into a bloody mess of fabric and skin. Slowly his posture hardened and fear took hold. Lnd locked eyes with the old man, finding them dead, hollow, and fake. A silent scream eclipsed his throat as his grimoire appeared beside him. Chapter 113: Puppet Chapter 113: Puppet The old man stabbed Lnd in the gut a second time before Lnd fully processed the attack. His grimoire, already out and open, floated silently in his periphery as the old man emotionlessly yanked back on the knife. He felt the pain after a moment but it quickly disappeared in a heap of frozen terror. Lnd¡¯s body moved without hismand, hunching away like an injured deer while simultaneously pushing out with his dominant hand. He caught the old man¡¯s wrinkled cold hand, blocking the third stab. The old man¡¯s face twisted at the failed attack. His jaw went wide, opening like a snake feeding on arge prize, while his eyes spun into a dark whirlwind. Pain extended across the old man¡¯s cheeks and nose, his pale skin scrunching in a horrid scream. The sound made Lnd stumble back, but he never let the old man out of his sight. Something deep in the old man¡¯s fa?ade pulled at him, at him. There was darkness in the man¡¯s mouth, a spiraling hatred of power and fault. Lnd had seen a simr appearance many times over at this point. The old man was a monster. A monster in human skin. Warmth in his hand pulled Lnd¡¯s attention. His hand, the one keeping pressure on his mangled gut, looked like a nightmarish waterfall. Something clicked in his head, fear and necessity battling for domination, and suddenly he had the means and reasoning to act. His non-upied hand rushed to his grimoire, pping the open page like it somehow would end his suffering. The book did nothing. Coughing, Lnd repeated the movement. Again, nothing. Internally, fear capitalized and banished necessity. He trembled, tripping over his own feet and falling to the hard wooden floor. A single nce at his assant standing with his mouth wide open only redoubled his fear. The darkness was palpable, visible, even. It bridged the gap between Lnd¡¯s room and the hallway, spilling forth from the old man¡¯s hollow eyes and false internals. Lnd¡¯s boots were hard pressed to find traction, his blood making the floor slick. Still, he somehow found the back wall of the room, below a snow-filled windowsill and the light of the moon. A pain shot through his tattooed hand. Necessity took its chance. His grimoire flipped, cycling pages with the speed of a master librarian. It arrived on a page with a single entry, one Lnd was hard pressed to find uses for. The contract with the Moonless Lord. His palm mmed into the page, instantly augmenting his eyes to better see art. Art, in general, was subjective, and in Lnd¡¯s case, magic was art. In Shoutwell, Lnd had used the contract to spot sigil traps in the sewers of the cult-held town. They appeared to him as red masses, vibrant and vivid. Here, in a random nameless inn in the middle of nowhere, the contract worked the same way. Although Lnd wasn¡¯t looking at sigils, but instead his attacker. The old man was highlighted a bright red. Contour lines went up and down his elderly body, flexing around his clothes and profile. The lines focused on his mouth, eyes, nose, and ears, showing Lnd the art inside such a monster. Lnd traced the lines, following the bellowing darkness from the old man down the hallway. His mind instantly thought of a doll - a marite. And if he was right, then his true attacker was¡ª Fear edged in as the old man took a step into Lnd¡¯s room. He held the knife up, reversing the grip in a smooth motion and ending with the de firmly in his boney fingers. Lnd instantly recognized the impending attack, having seen Glenny do the same thing many times over. His grimoire flipped and he smacked the page again. Before he knew it, magic came into existence around his hand, forming a transparent shield of rapid water. The old man threw the knife, it subsequently rebounding off the Shield of Water to a corner of the room. The old man then screeched, loud enough to crack the windows Lnd sat under. Necessity and fear forced Lnd¡¯s next actions. If his marite theory was correct, he needed to get away from the puppet and find the master. Or Jude and Glenny, something the constant warmth expelling from his gut reminded him. His grimoire flipped unprompted, the stress of the situation harming his concentration. He tried to summon forth his crows, but the curse fizzled. He cursed, trying again as the man stepped closer. ¡°Maul,¡± hemanded. ¡°Maul,¡± he repeated. ¡°Maul!¡± Lnd screamed. The powerword, mana, and lifeforce took, turning the small inn room into a bird sanctuary for the ethereal crow. They attacked the old man without reservation, the darkness spilling from his opened maw inconsequential for the spectral summons. They aimed for the eyes and legs, doing any and everything they could to slow or stop the attacker¡¯s movement. Anything to buy Lnd time. The Legacy of Curses was now on his feet, blood covered most of his back and practically all of his lower half. His boots felt like they were on ice and his vision was blurry at best. But something gnawed in the back of his mind, why was he not healing? The answer came like a kick to the jaw. He had, moments ago, failed to activate his contract with the Lord of Nature. The answer was obvious. He had just enabled the contract, healing his parents for a negligible amount. He cursed at himself, the hour long cool down between uses mocking his bleeding body. What do I do now? The question acted like a spotlight in the dead of night. There was only one choice he had, right? To fight. It sounded so simple, so resolute. So easy. His crows were attacking, why not him? He almostughed at the situation. He, an adventurer, did not think of fighting back as his first move? It was to cower away in fear and lick his wounds? His grimoire flipped a few pages, revealing the entry for Circle of Souls. He consolidated the mana and lifeforce needed, and cast. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± Jude and Glenny sat in a loud, wooden, smelly restaurant. Splinters edged into their elbows as they rested with unsatisfied posture. They hummed and grunted at each other, the two lifelong friends needing no words to convey their thoughts. The ¡°conversation¡± was about, of course, Lnd and his, well, everything. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Glenny finally said after the pair ordered for three. ¡°Hopefully his parents will talk him out of his funk.¡± Judeughed at that. ¡°He¡¯ll probablye in here andin about their bickering.¡± Sipping his drink, Glenny grunted in affirmation. He set his elbows back onto the table, his mind trailing off. ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about how I can adapt to things.¡± ¡°Yeah it¡¯s pretty cool. You adapted to head injuries, who knows what else you can adapt to. Might as well try for everything, you know?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Glenny slowly, like this moment was sphemy, fished around in his pocket. He removed it and sat a small ss vial full of gently shimmering liquid on the table. Eyes widening, Jude quickly leaned in and whispered, ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± Glenny mimicked the secrecy. ¡°Light Architect corruption, yeah.¡± ¡°W-why do you even have that? When did you even gather it?¡± ¡°When you were preening on the bow of that leaf-boat, Lnd and I were a bit more focused.¡± Jude recoiled at that. ¡°Sorry for remembering how to have fun.¡± Glenny snorted. ¡°But seriously,¡± Jude continued. ¡°You don¡¯t intend to try to adapt to the corruption, do you?¡± ¡°I adapted to the Sightless King¡¯s grasp, didn¡¯t I? Why not an actual Lord¡¯s influence?¡± he said with false bravery that crumbled as the seconds wore on. They shared a look. One of hesitance. Jude gave a dissatisfactory grunt. Glenny did the same. Both leaned back, the yed wooden chairs scratching against their coats. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for the best I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I mean, we don¡¯t even know what the corruption does. Who¡¯s to say it won¡¯t make you into a mindless ve instantly?¡± ¡°Well, Melody did say it worked slowly¡­ Just look at how much corruption there was for a single scorpion nest.¡± Both boys stared at the vial. ¡°We should wait for Lnd. He¡¯ll be the voice of reason,¡± Glenny suggested. ¡°That¡¯s true. He always has a good eye for these sorts of things.¡± Jude then sat up, recing his elbows on the table. Glenny did the same. ¡°But then again¡­ he¡¯s dealing with his own thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± They deted. An idea fluttered to life in the back of Glenny¡¯s mind. He hated to say it, but he said it anyway. ¡°What do you think the Huntress would suggest I do?¡± Jude snorted at that. ¡°She¡¯d probably call you an idiot for even thinking of corruption yourself. But then she¡¯d force the liquid down your throat when you were asleep.¡± Nodding along, Glenny paused. ¡°You think I should drink it?¡± ¡°Yeah? What else would you do?¡± ¡°I was thinking like a lotion.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Jude actually thought about that. Poison was always less potent when absorbed through the skin. Maybe that was a good idea. ¡°Yeah,¡± he eventually said, ¡°you should do it then.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Glenny asked, skepticism in his voice. ¡°Like dad always said, ¡®Nothing beats a proper lotion.¡¯¡± Squinting, Glenny said, ¡°What?¡± Jude shrugged. ¡°He says his hands smell like roses and his elbows look like a newborn¡¯s.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± The boys once again leaned back, but their food arrived not a few secondster. Both looked to the single empty chair at the table. ¡°Do we eat without him?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Uhh¡­ no?¡± They both deted again. But, like a curious cat, both eventually refocused on the vial of corrupting liquid. Glenny grunted, Jude did the same. Then, like a trap spider, Glenny¡¯s hand shot out and snatched the vial. It was open and the contents were washing over his hands a heartbeatter. ¡°There,¡± he spat. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Jude frowned, but not at his friend''s choice. ¡°You should have waited until after dinner. How are you supposed to eat¡ª¡± He froze. Glenny froze. The whole restaurant froze. From across the street, a familiar power unleashed. Like a dog that slipped its muzzle, an unearthly howl rippled from the town¡¯s inn. Thick with fear, the power focused a momentter, silencing itself from speaking to the entire town and instead homing in on its nearby target. Then the restaurant went cold, each patron feeling a resonating chord in their souls. Jude and Glenny instantly recognized the effect. Soul magic, specifically curse magic. The boys were out of their splintered seats before anyone processed the horrid event. Except for the Huntress. Nearby in the moonlit forest, she rushed toward the town the moment she recognized the power. The nephew had finally made his move. Chapter 114: Soulless Chapter 114: Soulless At Lnd¡¯smand the small inn room lit ame in a violet ze. A narrow circle of heatless fire roared to life, cutting through the furniture as it went. The curse engulfed the wall encasing the door frame and edged slightly into the hallway. The proximity left little room to move, but such was the point. The old man was trapped within the Circle of Souls. At the same time, a sickly green entity breached the wooden flooring of the second story room. It pulled apart an ethereal membrane, casting it aside like it was simply digging through dirt. With ungodly smooth motions, the soul of the Damned wed its way from its true realm, returning to the home of the living. Its mission was simple; follow its master¡¯s orders. Green mist began to spread from the old man, his elderly soul crumbling under the deathly stare of the soul of the Damned and the heatless me encasing him. There was no recourse for the man at this point, his puppet-like body submitting earnestly. The man crumbled as soon as the curse fully formed. Lnd reeled back, his head hitting the wall he cowered against. Beside him the cool air of the snow riddled night entered the room through a cracked window. The cold reminded him of the warmth he felt in his gut and palm, the blood spilling from his two knife wounds. He shook off the nearing lightheadedness, focusing on the old man before him. Lnd wished he still had ess to the Moonless Lord¡¯s magic art identifying contract, but he had already enacted the hour period between uses. Although he still did have ess to Shield of Water, that was, unless he needed to activate another contract. The old man was lifeless, obviously not dead, but unanimated. He looked like a corpse but the ever leaking green mist said otherwise. The man was alive, just not alive. The strings had been cut so to speak, leaving a vacant husk in the puppet master¡¯s wake. Lnd forced himself to stand tall. He was taking a life and more were likely toe tonight. His parents, Jude and Glenny, and the Lord of Curses¡¯ words found his forethought. He needed to make a decision, the puppet master was circling him and he was losing blood.The old man¡¯s soul reached the threshold and the looming soul of the Damned snatched it out of the air like a sheet in the wind. The soul of the Damned then floated to Lnd¡¯s side, presenting him with the token of power. Lnd didn¡¯t take it right away. He needed more information. Who was he dealing with? How many was he dealing with? Was there an army of old men outside¡ª His thoughts froze over and a ball of magma suddenly found his gut. He slumped over, the two knife wounds zing with dark power. He groaned, moving his hand covering the wound ever so slightly. ck fog poured in ce of blood, the same ck fog that spilled from the old man¡¯s mouth. Then there was a creak. It cut through the silent room and hallway, bypassing themon room filled with petrified guests, and into Lnd¡¯s ears. The sound was one he had heard countless times, the creak of wooden stairs. There was a weight, a power, to the creak, however. It moved with slow potential, ever hungry, ever willing to eat. And it wasing for Lnd. He ran, bursting through the cracked window and falling from the upper floor of the inn. Cold snow filled his sight as he fell, it looked soft, but nowhere near thick enough to break his fall. He screamed. But there was no thud. No pain. No crunch of packed snow. There was only an ethereal green spindly hand. Lnd shook off the shock, finding the soul of the Damned below him. It had caught his fall, easily lowering him thest step of the way. Snow caked his boots and for a moment Lnd was speechless. At least until the soul gave him a nod and disappeared, taking the soul of the old man as payment. A memory came back to Lnd at that moment. He, Jude, Glenny, and Gelo were fighting the two poachers in the mushroom light cave. The entrance to Frostford¡¯s dungeon swirled behind them, but the focus was on a single rapidly spinning arrow spewing orange sparks. One of the poachers had shot it at Lnd, only for it to be caught by a soul of the Damned. Information from his Legacy came to him at that moment. A life saved for a life restored. Reincarnation. A job well done. Eying the inn¡¯s busted out window, Lnd didn¡¯t have time to think about how he should have died from the fall. No, his focus was better spent on the darkness misting from his gut. He ran as fast as his aching legs could take him away from the inn. A thud and crack stopped him in his tracks. Only a dozen paces away, Lnd turned back to the inn, finding a human crawling toward him. Her legs were broken and bent backward, her mouth was open, and ck fog was gushing. But she still moved. A single goal, a single purpose. She was nothing but a puppet, one with a soul. Lnd didn¡¯t think about the implications of that. Only that he had a means of attack. What good was a curse that broke bones when the enemy didn¡¯t care? What good was a curse that tired when the enemy was being controlled remotely? What good was pecking the enemy¡¯s eyes out when they didn¡¯t need eyes to see? Boundless. The word echoed in Lnd¡¯s mind, an enemy of boundless attack. An enemy that never knew retreat, that never knew fear. That scared Lnd, forcing his hand. Mana, lifeforce, and fear fueled his next curse. His body lurched with themand, his lifeforce dwindling by the moment. He¡¯d die at this rate, bleed out from his wounds or expelling too much lifeforce for his defenses. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± The words took on a deep resonating anxiety. There was no one but him, the woman crawling, and the puppet master, in that moment. He was alone, bleeding, cold, and afraid. His thoughts of his friendsing to his rescue were locked away deep in a maze of worry and dread. Violet fire encased the broken woman, sealing her final moments. Her movements died as her strings were cut, her soul only starting to leak. Lnd made sure the soul of the Damned was fully in this realm before he ran. He needed energy, he needed lifeforce, and he couldn¡¯t wait for it. What was once a lively small town had now turned into a vacant diseased mass of buildings. The crushing weight of two dark powers fighting one another caused doors to be locked, children to be hidden, and candles to be snuffed. The only light was that of the moon, purple fire, and the green souls. The only sound was that of Lnd¡¯s panting and footsteps. The only smell was that of bile leaking into Lnd¡¯s blood covered hand. That was, until the purple died out, and the green condensed into a single source. The soul of the Damned appeared next to Lnd, its arm outstretched. Lnd didn¡¯t hesitate, taking the lost soul mid stride and consuming it with urgent fervor. The soul of the Damned nodded, falling into the ground to be reincarnated without penance. Lnd, however, was focused internally. Warmth was spinning through his chest, his mana, his soul. Hot crimson stopped spilling from his gut. The skin shifted and itched, closing ever so slightly. He removed his hand, finding the dark fog to have dwindled significantly. His throat and lungs suddenly opened, allowing for a proper breath of air. It was cold. But that didn¡¯t matter. The cold only reminded him of the situation, of the danger ????. He continued to run, further into the town, further away from the inn. Until he didn¡¯t. The path was blocked. Impeded by ck fog, an eternal pathway of darkness. Did he risk it? Did he run through an unknown enemy spell? The answer was obvious, no. He was trapped, sitting like a ragged dog at the end of a silent street while a pack of wolves circled. Just then, three figures appeared. They stalked closer, their movements jerky and strained. Each carried improvised weapons, a carpentry hammer, a garden trowel, a heavy candlestick. Darkness walked with them. Lnd¡¯s grimoire flipped and he mmed his bloodied hand into the page. Instantly a deep violet halo formed above him, spilling forth a fog of his own. Power came to him from the Lord of Magic¡¯s contract, enhancing his abilities by a hair more. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± Themand came quickly and like the previous two iterations, three new lost souls found Lnd¡¯s collection. He consumed two, feeling a dull throb in the back of his mind, but less pain in his stomach and legs. He needed to be ready for the next¡ª ¡°A Harbinger?¡± a cold, affectionless voice said from the shadows. All of the shadows. ¡°You, a Harbinger? That can¡¯t be¡­¡± Lnd spun, each patch of darkness teasing him. ¡°Show yourself!¡± ¡°Are you new or something? Spouting your halo like it¡¯s a medal after a race?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t answer. He couldn¡¯t, not when he had no idea what the voice was talking about. The subject matter, however, was enough to make his skin crawl. Knowledge of Harbingers, vile Lord¡¯s Legacies, was scarce. Especially for those low ranked, low renowned, or those simply wishing to live their lives with some semnce of ¡°normalcy.¡± That left few possibilities of just who, or what, the voice could be. An Inquisitor and champion wouldn¡¯t just attack him unprompted, which removed a majority of those possibilities. ¡°Are you a Harbinger?¡± Lnd asked, his voice quivering from the cold andck of blood. A man stepped from the shadow of a building, arriving before Lnd in a wake of darkness. They stared at each other. ¡°Yes.¡± Lnd shuddered. ¡°Why do you cast your halo? Have you not been properly taught?¡± ¡°W-what are you talking about?¡± The man held up a finger, pointing directly above Lnd¡¯s head. ¡°That. That is our mark, why are you casting it like a two-rate mage? It is an omen for your Lord, an announcement of approach! It is why we are called Harbinger!¡± Lnd only stared. The man¡¯s palm hit his face. ¡°I hate newborns. Especially those without proper guidance.¡± ¡°A-are we still going to fight?¡± The man scoffed. ¡°Not unless you want to start a war with your Lord and mine. I¡¯m a Toy Maker, by the way.¡± Lnd wasn¡¯t sure if he was supposed to cower at the name or anything. He didn¡¯t recognize the title nor know what Lord it was connected with. ¡°Why attack me, then?¡± The man sighed at that. ¡°My uncle tasked me with killing three kids who killed two of his followers on some nearby ind.¡± A spark of heat formed in Lnd¡¯s gut. A painless fire rapidly zed through his whole body. He stood straighter, rage and hatred knocking away the rust in his legs and back. He scowled at the man, his halo still radiating silent purple fog. He muttered a question. ¡°What?¡± the man asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear that.¡± Swallowing, Lnd pushed down his emotions, his voice turning to ice. ¡°Did you hurt them?¡± ¡°Oh! Are they Harbingers too? I can remove¡ª¡± ¡°I said!¡± Lnd screeched. ¡°Did you hurt them?!¡± The man took a step forward, the shadow of the building cloaking his face. In the light of the moon, the two men looked at each other, each reading one another like an open faced book. ¡°You¡­ you are no Harbinger¡­ What are you?¡± Lnd likewise took a step. ¡°What I am doesn¡¯t matter. You, however, are nothing but a murderer. Those people,¡± he gestured to the three dead bodies, ¡°You killed them. You made them into puppets and attacked me! Puppets that I was forced to put down. How dare you?!¡± The man¡¯s posture went rigid. ¡°They are called toys, not puppets. I am a Toy Maker! Do you dare to start a war!?¡± Pages flipped as Lnd¡¯s grimoire reacted to his anger. He took the tome, gripping it with both hands, and shouted, ¡°Lords above, witness this murderer! Witness this Witch!¡± Thest word was spat with an unbridled song of hatred. It tore through the silent street, falling on the ears of no one but those with the means of listening through the man¡¯s dark fog. Those that heard, responded. The man fell to his knees, pain scorching his face. Ichor and blood dripped through the cracks of his hands, dyeing the pure snow below. He screamed, his skin being marked, being carved, being branded. A ck halo grew from the man¡¯s shoulders and neck, forming just above his head. Darkness spilled, it was war. Chapter 115: Belief Chapter 115: Belief "Coward!¡± the Harbinger of the Toy Maker spat through his fingers. The man still held his face, the skin on his forehead gushing blood. He let out a guttural growl, forcing himself to stand. Slowly, as darkness circled him, he pulled his palm away. A thin line of sticky red pulled with it before it snapped, sttering the snow. Even through the blood and mangled skin, the brand was clear, a ¡°W.¡± ¡°Coward!¡± he yelled again, this time his voice resonating with a horrid illness. His eyes wobbled in their sockets, his vision going red from the stain. He tried to wipe them off, but the thick liquid only spilled faster. He screeched, magicshing out of his palms like a snapping turtle. Three ropes of mana then connected him to the former puppets lying dead in the street. With a grunt, he shoved his hand to the sky, the movement taking control of the bodies. Slowly they got up, their soulless husk-like bodies nothing if not hosts to the Toy Maker¡¯s vile magic. They moved with jittering jolts, puppetry unlike any other. Magic strings held their limbs, moved their locked-up muscles, forced their progression forward. They were eternal, they were indomitable. Lnd took a step back without even realizing. His shoulders morphed slightly into the ck fog that blocked his escape and for a moment he felt a deep chill. With enough presence of mind, he made himself stay out of the dark barrier, unsure which death trap was worse. Three formerly dead enemies and one puppet master or an unknown darkness. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± Lnd yelled knowing his attempts were mostly futile. He had already taken the three puppet¡¯s souls, which left only one possible target for the curse. Lnd maneuvered the curse¡¯s blueprint in his mind the best he could, making sure that the purple fire spouted around the Harbinger. At the very least, he was putting the battle on a timer. Either the Toy Maker would have his soul removed or Lnd would die. The mes entered reality exactly as Lnd imagined, encasing the man and his three dead bodies. The man eyed the mes and green mist that started leaking from his body, but only truly reacted when a soul of the Damned made its appearance. It quickly locked fiery hellish eyes with the man, marking the man¡¯s soul for extraction. The man did not like that. He flicked his wrist,manding his minions to move. They strutted forward, each lurching the first few steps like they were wearing invisible heels. They stumbled over their feet, failing to move like their once-alive mirror images. The sight made Lnd snarl. In his mind, a magical construct that slowly corrupted a location was nothingpared to the true evil he faced. Reanimation magic? Darkness that felt of paralyzing cold? Indiscriminate murder? ¡°Fracture!¡± The curse flowed through Lnd¡¯s body like a whirlpool of direction. He didn¡¯t snap, he didn¡¯t need to. His mind was as clear as ever, he didn¡¯t need pesky movements. He didn¡¯t have the luxury, not in this battle. The curse connected to the Toy Maker with an invisible effect. Lnd knew, however, that damage had been done. Not enough to break a bone, but enough to weaken movement and cause plenty of difort. ¡°Fracture!¡± ¡°Fracture!¡± ¡°Fracture!¡± ¡°Fracture!¡± No curse broke a bone, the target too far outside Lnd¡¯s range of consequence. He had hamstrung himself, knowing that any more was just a waste of mana and lifeforce. He already felt weaker at the wave of attacks. He had another soul he could consume, he had another source of power and lifeforce. But was it worth the risk when he could possibly be saved from a life-ending attack? The choice was made for him as the three corpse-puppets passed through the purple fire uninhibited. Without a soul, Circle of Souls had no im on their imprisonment¡ª Lnd dove, skirting through the snow as a carpentry hammer sailed through the air with a high-pitched whistle. He looked up in time to see a second projectile being thrown. Throwing himself forward, he narrowly dodged a candle stick. The sudden attacks weren¡¯t what made his heart beat like a drum, however. It was that the weapons entered the dark fog and disappeared out of sight¡­ only to appear back in the puppets¡¯ hands a momentter. The Toy Makerughed with mania as he gestured with his strings for his creations to attack again. And again. And again. Lnd didn¡¯t think, he only dodged. He ran when he could, hiding behind what he could. But the dark fog blocked his movements. It slowly crept in, cutting off areas once unmolested. Soon he was in a shooting gallery the length of the town street. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to realistically run. The hammer whizzed by his face at breakneck speed, passing through the fog and returning to the thrower. But Lnd noticed something. A faint smell. Iron. He focused on the puppet, finding its throwing hand bloodied. With every throw, every inhuman throw, the puppets broke. It was slight, but torn skin led to torn muscles. Instantly he pivoted, shifting to attack. ¡°Maul!¡± he screeched,manding his crows to attack the puppet¡¯s hands. But the puppets moved uncaringly. Every bit of skin removed, every new sh across their knuckles and palms, didn¡¯t matter. Not when their actions were controlled by dark magic and a darker mind. From inside the Circle of Souls, the man cackled. ¡°A Harbinger! You! You disrespect the halo! You bring shame to your Lord! You know not how to fight! You know nothing, you know nothing¡­ huh¡­?¡± Cursing at himself, Lnd tried Curse of Copse. The spell fizzled in his mind, failing to connect to the motionless hearts of the toys. He could slow the Toy Maker¡­ but what good would that do? What could he do? Dodge until he dropped? Until he ran out of stamina? Until he was hit? No. That just wouldn¡¯t do. Lnd scanned past the puppets, finding his enemy in a mass of green mist. The power difference was high, Circle of Soul was working, just not with haste. It was then Lnd noticed the soul of the Damned. It stood before the man, fully unearthed into the realm of the living. It hunkered in height, standing tall over the man like a bully on a yground. It didn¡¯t move, it didn¡¯t attack. It couldn¡¯t, not under the limitations of its summoning. But it could intimidate. ¡°What are you?¡± the Toy Maker asked, his voice rushed and muted. He stared into the soul¡¯s burning eyes, finding an eternal sea of agony. For a moment he was lost in the power beyond. For a moment he saw oblivion, he saw what was waiting for him. The man fumbled back, tripping over the red dyed snow. ¡°G-get away from me!¡± he shouted, flicking his palm out. A tidal wave of darkness shot forth. The soul of the Damned was unflinching. It stood tall through the dark, never allowing its gaze to be broken. It was eternal. It was indomitable. The man forced himself away, his back finding the purple mes. He yelped in pain, his eyes never leaving the beast of his nightmares. Green mist continued to leak. He didn¡¯t know what it meant, only that he needed to act. He watched the soul for a moment, realizing that it still hadn¡¯t approached. ¡°Y-you can¡¯t touch me?¡± he whispered to himself beforeughing. ¡°What kind of Harbinger are you?¡± The question went unanswered as the Toy Maker returned to his assault. The three puppets pushed forward, the snow shifting at their slow pace. They didn¡¯t need to go fast, not when the assault was on too fronts. The darkness never ceased to enclose, inching Lnd one step closer at a time. At least, until the puppets were in range to attack in melee. They swung their weapons at the Legacy of Curses, each attack narrowly missing to the point that the purple mist radiation from Lnd¡¯s halo wafted with the attack. Hand to hand fighting was something Lnd wished he could avoid for the remainder of his life, especially since nearly dying to the wraith in King Everald¡¯s arena. But he knew that wasn¡¯t going to happen. That was why he sparred with Glenny. So dying was never an option. Even withcking experience, inefficient movements, and worse stamina than the average farmer, Lnd survived. The threat and knowledge that his enemy knew of his friends weighed in his mind. He didn¡¯t know if they were safe, or if they were the man¡¯s next target. The not knowing was what pushed Lnd, was what kept him going even as his throat went ragged. His crows tore one of the puppet¡¯s legs off at the knee. It then crumbled to the ground, still wildly swinging its candlestick. The flock moved on to the next one, doubling their efforts on a specific joint. Every moment Lnd had to catch his breath was agony. His chest heaved and shuddered. His feet felt frozen from the cold. His legs begged to stop. But he didn¡¯t, even as the garden trowel sheared into his back. The pain was fleeting, however. Lnd didn¡¯t feel it. His mind didn¡¯t let him. Any injury could be healed. Any wound regenerated. His thoughts were kept at bay, the ad¡ª The puppets froze and the Toy Maker screamed, ¡°What is this?¡± Suddenly not having to fight for his life, Lnd felt everything ten fold. He paused long enough to look at his enemy, already nning to keep his body moving. He couldn¡¯t stop now, not if he wanted to be able to dodge again. But seeing the man made Lnd stop regardless of n. The Toy Maker was in a cloud of green mist. Enough mist for the soul of the Damned to grip. Lnd smiled to himself as the soul forced its ethereal hand into what made the Toy Maker an individual. It found purchase and yanked. ¡°No!¡± the man screamed, his head swiveling to Lnd. In an instant, the three strings attached to the man¡¯s palm disconnected and a new one took root. It was thicker, stronger. Ittched into the single corpse with the least bodily wounds, forcing it to move with unreserved power. It punched, uncaring of the sundering throughout its body. Lnd¡¯s eyes widened and he activated his ne protection. A bubble snapped in ce around him, only to be instantly shattered by the puppet¡¯s fist. He was thrown back, skipping off the snow and crashing into the darkness. As the puppet¡¯s arm fell apart and many bones through its body broke, Lnd reappeared before it, in the same manner that the thrown weapons had reappeared. The puppet didn¡¯t hesitate to reel back with its other, less broken, arm. Lnd couldn¡¯t react in time. The fist hurdled with the power of a vile Lord, aiming for center mass. The blow nevernded, however. The soul of the Damned carrying Lnd¡¯sst remaining lost soul intervened, stopping the punch dead. The puppet then crumbled like it had been hit by a trebuchet¡¯s payload. It was nothing more than a blood pile of viscera and bone. Across the way, the Toy Maker battled with the soul of the Damned attempting to take his soul. But as he had already learned, the soul was uncaring of any temporary obstruction. It was eternal. ¡°Tell it to stop!¡± the man yelled to Lnd. ¡°If you kill me, my Lord will make sure you suffer!¡± Lnd didn¡¯t respond. The man¡¯s ck halo waned, the power resonating within flickering like an eerie campfire. His expression likewise fell, at least, until he heard the words of his master and Lord. Themand was clear and resolute. His life was unsavable, but a promise hung in his mind. He was to be reincarnated with earnest, to be reinstated into the true Toy Maker¡¯s army. To be reborn with the knowledge that the fake Harbinger before him was dead. All he had to do was give his Lord a new toy. All he had to do was let his Lord control him. The soul of the Damned then fully removed the man¡¯s soul from his body, killing him instantly. The soul phased into the ground, reappearing at Lnd¡¯s side in a kneel. It thrust its hand out, offering the now lost soul to its master. Lnd frowned. Something wasn¡¯t right. The dark fog didn¡¯t fade. Slowly, his eyes were drawn to a source of power. It released from the man¡¯s corpse, resonating with the cold air like a hurricane inside a tornado. Immoral noxious vapor bellowed, turning the night sky into a pure dark void. Fog circled, wrapping through the battlefield until it found its target. The man¡¯s corpse lifelessly got to its feet. Chapter 116: Toy Maker Chapter 116: Toy Maker There was a hymn in the air as the man¡¯s corpse lifelessly got to its feet. It rang through the street like a sorrowful lie, shifting the snow into warmth and the coldness into familiarity. It glistened with the weightless breath of Lnd, touching upon his inner being until he felt at peace. His pain, his exhaustion, teetered away, resting his anguish wordlessly. Something deep within the hymn churned, fluttering down past the horrid remains of the Harbingers¡¯ battle. It drifted calmly through the ck fog and nightly sky, swirling around the deceased man who stood on his own two feet. The lustrous power entered the body via mouth, swimming down its rxed throat as the dead muscles had yet to stiffen. Like a withering flower dying of dehydration, the hymn befell, twisting into a chant of immoral fun. A grim smile split the body¡¯s face wide, the power uncaring of the blood that trickled from the Witch brand. Two dark orbs took the ce of the man¡¯s eyes, their darkness a far cry from the pure snow nketing the street. These orbs locked onto Lnd. Instantly, the warmth in Lnd¡¯s chest disappeared, rendering him limp and raw. He groaned, the illusion snapping in his mind like a harpoon bursting through a fish. He fell to his knees, the pain redoubling his exhaustion. On his hand, his tattoo pped its wings and silently cawed for his attention, but Lnd¡¯s splintered head was too jumbled. ¡°Funny mortals,¡± the dead body whispered, his voice thick with tar and oil, ¡°you always surprise me.¡± With Lnd¡¯s silence, the body¡¯s deep smile shifted into a heartless frown. The body continued, ¡°I had ns for this one. A shame he died¡­¡± Again, silence. ¡°What are you, mortal? A Harbinger, yes, but not one I am familiar with. Soul magic, crow summonings, bone¡­ magic? What bastardized experiment are you?¡± Lnd swayed on his knees. The body sighed, rolling its dark orb eyes. A shallow, hollow power erupted from the body, sting into Lnd without reserve or reservation. ¡°You will answer me, mortal.¡± Wetness invaded Lnd¡¯s lungs, overpowering the pain in his mind with fear. He gasped for air, straining like he was only inches from the water¡¯s surface after a free dive. He iled for a moment, but his hand eventually started wing at his own neck as if to carve a new hole for air to travel. That was when the malevolent body ended the effect. ¡°Answer me, boy, what are you?¡± His mind reeling, his chest heaving, Lnd didn¡¯t hear the question. He coughed up imaginary water until his eyes went bloodshot from the forces. ¡°Mortals are so weak.¡± Power rushed from the body into Lnd again, this time warming and calming his spasming. The rankness of his lungs bruised over, along with a bite of relief over his fleeing thoughts. True consciousness grazed Lnd¡¯s mind since the hymn first fell from the heavens. ¡°Good,¡± the body said. ¡°Now then, who are you and why stop one of mine?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t make eye contact, not when two orbs of oblivion stared at him. ¡°Y-you are the T-toy Maker?¡± The body raised an eyebrow. ¡°An image, yes. But that is neither here nor there. I asked you a question, and you will answer me.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t respond. How could he? He was in the presence of a vile Lord in the mortal realm. That was unheard of except in folktales and legend. ¡°Answer me!¡± The shoutunched the snow from the street, creating a wastnd of frozen dirt and lifeless bodies. But the shout also cleared and bounded through Lnd. It removed the fog behind his eyes, it released the daze in his thoughts. The situation dawned on him. It truly dawned on him. He was going to die. Death at the hands of a vile Lord didn¡¯t seem like the worst way to go. At least there would be stories about the battle. Lnd versus a Toy Maker Harbinger then the Toy Maker himself! As the Lord raged aboutck of answers, a hint of a smile pulled along Lnd¡¯s lips. The Harbinger controlled puppets, and, in his death, his body was turned into a puppet. Lnd saw the irony, and had a brief moment of rity. He found the one thing more ironic than a puppet master being turned into a puppet: a mortal killing a Lord. Well, a mortal destroying a vile Lord¡¯s puppet. Destroying an image, whatever that meant. Lnd turned his attention to making said dream a reality. He looked to the soul of the Damned that held the lost soul of the Harbinger. Its ethereal hand was stretched out like a stone statue of a King¡¯s most loyal knight. It would wait for all eternity if it must. As Lnd took the lost soul from the soul of the Damned, the Toy Maker went silent. He watched with fascination, eyeing the movement like a scientist watching a rat move through a maze. He was always learning, even in divinity. After all, who knew what unique attributes he could add to his toyster on. But when Lnd¡¯s grimoire spun directly in front of the mortal, the Toy Maker got an itch. Something was off. ¡°Stop that now or I will kill you.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t listen. Instead he muttered, ¡°Dolls with hollow eyes forever cold, marites whose strings forever told. Wrath of the Toy Maker¡¯s choir, faith in burning Soul Fire.¡± Eyes widening, the deity beckoned for his dark fog. The ck walls surrounding the street rushed to their Lord¡¯s call. They gathered at his palm, mixing with blood and bile, instantly morphing into a proper toy. All around, civilians gawked at the suddenck of dark fog. They looked out from their windows and the safety of their buildings, watching the remnants of war. There were only three who stood in the snow, those familiar friends and a begrudged mentor. Jude, Glenny, and the Huntress could only grunt in shock at the sight of Lnd and his attacker before sparks exploded from the man¡¯s hand. The Toy Maker fired his spell, sending waves of ravenous impunity. The sparks consolidated and hardened, forming an outstretched mangled and wicked hand. The hand postured like an arrow, its five sharpened nails pointed forward and deadly. It ripped across the now open street for all the town citizens to see. Not that any could, not even the Huntress, for it moved too fast. The hand met with violet fire as the soul in Lnd¡¯s hand ignited. It zed with a sh, heatless me bursting at the seams of reality. It hummed as it grew, burning away everything it touched. Screams of agony escaped, the soul¡¯sst hurrah as it was destroyed for power. The hand passed harmlessly through the fire, puncturing into Lnd¡¯s shirt like a wide needle. It didn¡¯t break skin, it didn¡¯t draw blood. Originating from his hand tattoo, a force of silver and purple red. With a single p of its wings, the crow tattoo battered away the hand, returning it and the vile energy it possessed. Then, the Huntress finally took her first step toward Lnd. The hand swerved mid-air, finding purchase and runching at the mortal only to be stopped again by a wave of purple and silver. The Toy Maker tried again and again, each time the crow tattoo blocking his assault. ¡°A crow?¡± he spit, his dark orb eyes never leaving the source. ¡°Which are you?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t answer, honestly he didn¡¯t even think the question was for him. Instead he pushed out with his ame palm, sending the curse off with nothing more than a gentle thought. Soul Fire was for killing. That was the curse¡¯s sole purpose. It destroyed at the cost of more destruction. It broke and burnt, it pounded and ground. It was a weapon that could kill Lords, it was a weapon that could kill souls. It was not something to be used lightly. In all honesty, Lnd would rather have the option of using such a curse taken from him. He could live out the rest of his days perfectly happy with his other magic. But that wasn¡¯t the case, and this decision wasn¡¯t made with haste. As the violet mes traveled through the air, Lnd made a promise to himself and those who cared about him. Soul Fire was only to be used on vile Lords and their Harbingers of chaos. If that meant never using the curse past today, Lnd was fine with it. If trouble never found him, he would be happy knowing the curse¡¯s use was no more. If he never progressed due to this decision, he wouldn¡¯tin. The reanimated body fell, the Toy Maker¡¯s image having left the host body the moment the fire touched him. Violet fire consumed the body, turning all to ash while not melting the snow. Lnd''s knees finally gave out and he fell, thest images of consciousness that of the Huntress, Glenny, and Jude rushing to him. He never hit the ground, caught just beforehand. The Huntress turned to Glenny as she forced an incredibly high-grade healing potion down Lnd¡¯s throat. ¡°Exin,¡± shemanded. Chapter 117: Specialization Chapter 117: Specialization ¡°So, you made your decision.¡± Lnd¡¯s eyes creaked open at the voice and before his brain caught up, his body went stiff. He saw before he thought, and what he saw was a far cry from what he was used to. Around was a crooked wood, one full of spindly trees and countless beady eyes. Hundreds, thousands even, of crows watched from the branches while a simr number of souls of the Damned peered past trunks through the thicket. He had been here before, however, he realized once his brain cut his fear. Lnd exhaled long and hard, his was back in his Lord¡¯s domain¡­ which meant the battle was over. ¡°Did I win?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Lord of Curses said, a hint of pride in her tone. ¡°Admirable effort. One that paid dividends on countless avenues of sess.¡± ¡°Sess.¡¯¡± Lnd repeated. ¡°Yes. Think of it like this. That Harbinger you killed, if he had lived, countless pathways into the future would be secured. Nearly, if not all, would have led to many, many deaths. And brutal ones at that, the Toy Maker wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, then.¡± ¡°Yes, child, that is very good.¡± The Lord hesitated as Lnd sat up. ¡°Although, it does bring dangers.¡±¡°Dangers I¡¯ve now seen firsthand.¡± ¡°Not quite. The image you faced was severely limited by several factors. One of which was the low amount of magic the host had avable.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°The hand-arrow spell. An incredibly low-rank version of the Toy Maker¡¯s ultimate creation. The Toy Maker literally did not have enough magic in that body to use the real thing. He¡¯d have burned away the image instantly if he had even tried it.¡± Lnd scratched his cheek at that. ¡°Thanks for the help, by the way. I didn¡¯t think Lords were allowed to get involved directly like that.¡± The Lord of Curses regarded him for a moment. ¡°We have rules. Or rather, the rules have us. One Lord attacks a mortal directly, the other Lord may retaliate directly. The Toy Maker chose an image, which is, not strictly speaking, breaking a rule. A simr story to torture. As long as he didn¡¯t harm you past a certain point, my hands would have been tied. The moment he tried to kill you, however¡­¡± her eyes went distant as she thought about the correct phrase. A coldness overcame her gaze, one that had seen countless wars, more death than anyone, and enough horrors to incite nightmares for centuries. ¡°Let¡¯s just say, the Toy Maker has already been dealt with. For good.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t react. Sure, he raised an eyebrow, but the sheer simplicity of the statement didn¡¯t hit its mark. The Lord of Curses was a Lord, yes, but there was a humanity to her that he had yet to see in any other Lord he¡¯d met. In this moment, Lnd¡¯s reaction was the same as when his parents told him about a hardened criminal that was recently executed. Whether he was trying to block out the torture and the subsequent fight to the death, he wasn¡¯t sure. In fact, he wasn¡¯t sure of many things right now. He just wanted to see Jude and Glenny again. ¡°Would you like to see?¡± the Lord of Curses asked. ¡°His soul, I mean.¡± Again, Lnd sat in the dry dirt bed unsure. Did he want to see the remains of his assant? No, not really. But why was that? ¡°No?¡± he spoke, the word fleeting. ¡°Hmm. Lnd, are you perhaps in shock? Truthfully it has been some time since I dealt with such a mortal¡­ affliction. So I may just be misreading the signs.¡± Lnd thought about that. Was he in shock? Truthfully he didn¡¯t think so, at least not in the implied context. If anything, he was feeling positive, as weird as that was to admit to himself. His heart no longer felt chained, no longer felt weighted. He¡¯d just survived a horrible encounter and he felt excited? He thought about it a moment longer before answering. ¡°Shock because of relief, maybe.¡± The Lord of Curses quirked an eyebrow. Lnd continued, ¡°I decided on how to deal with Soul Fire. As much as I don¡¯t want to use the curse, it¡¯s just unrealistic not to. Harbingers and their Lords are what I decided. Only on them.¡± She graced him with a grandmotherly smile. ¡°A wise choice. I hope you never have to use the curse again.¡± Before he could respond, Lnd¡¯s hand tattoo pecked him. It wasn¡¯t enough to draw blood, but enough to make him scowl. He frowned at the small inky crow. ¡°What is¡ª¡± ¡°Go on, child. Savor the fruits of your decision.¡± His grimoire appeared in his hands a momentter. He manually flipped the pages to thest entry, that of Soul Fire. Soul Fire: Type: Curse Rank: Max Ignite a lost soul. Soul Fire¡¯s strength directly corrtes to strength of the soul used. You are the Cmity. ¡°Max rank?¡± he asked, his eyes glued to the page. ¡°Does that mean¡ª" The grimoire then flipped automatically back to the table of contents, his page. Name: Lnd Silver Legacy: Curses Archetype: To be determined Overall Rank: 2 As you are now rank 2, you have the right to decide your future. Choose an Archetype you wish to specialize in (previous - Initiate of the Curse Lord):
  • Acolyte of the Curse Lord: Versatile ¨C A generalist¡¯s take to mastery. A boon to all primary spells with a focus on learned cantrips and rituals.
  • Acolyte of the Curse Lord: Immobilization ¨C A substantial boon to the curses Fracture and Curse of Copse with a focus on empowering both to limit the opposition¡¯s options.
  • Acolyte of the Curse Lord: Summoning ¨C A substantial boon to the curses Crow Massacre and Circle of Souls with a focus on creation, empowerment, and longevity.
  • Acolyte of the Curse Lord: Binding ¨C A substantial boon to the curse Harbinger¡¯s Halo with a focus on multiple contracts, longevity, and discretion.
  • Fifth option expunged.
Lnd¡¯s smile never left his face as he read. He had finally done it, he had finally caught up. He tried to savor the moment, but the Lord before him drew his attention as well as a burning question. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me there was only one additional rank of Soul Fire?¡± The Lord of Curses nodded subduedly. ¡°An omission to make sure you were genuine. The curse is dangerous, Lnd. You¡¯ve seen first hand what it can do. I had to make sure you weren¡¯t going to use it for anything lessor.¡± ¡°But what if I was? The curse would have ranked up anyway.¡± ¡°No, Lnd. It wouldn¡¯t have. The curse ranks up when I deem it. If you had chosen a path not in line with what I had previously witnessed, you would forever be left at the rank of initiate.¡± Lnd hesitated. One on hand he was a bit outraged, on the other¡­ he just didn¡¯t have the will to argue. She had lied to him, but it was a lie he somewhat understood. As she said, he knew the curse¡¯s horrid power. He would have done the same if he was in her shoes. ¡°Is that what the fifth specialization option is? A boon to Soul Fire?¡± The Lord of Curses slowly nodded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You relinquished the choice when you chose to only use Soul Fire on those deemed vile.¡± Lnd epted that and reread through his options. ¡°What do I choose?¡± Sheughed. ¡°Whatever you want. Only know that subsequent ranks from here on out only specialize more. To a point, I should rify. Once you master a specialization, more options open.¡± Lnd listened and thought through his options. Honestly, there was only one real choice. He smiled at the irony. One real choice actually was endless, if he yed his cards right. ¡°Choice four,¡± he dered, sending his grimoire into a fit of shuffling. ¡°A wise decision,¡± his Lord said before waving her hand and sending him back to the real word. For the second time in what felt like less than thirty minutes, Lnd cracked his eyes open to a new location. Green lush trees met him this time, the exact opposite of his Lord¡¯s domain. If there were eyes watching him, they were watching hidden from the underbrush or their nests making sure he wasn¡¯t a threat. Although, more than a few pieces of charred wood in his periphery caused him to look around. He sat up, finding that he was sitting in a destroyed roofless log cabin, one that looked like it had been exploded by a city wall breach charge. His curiosity onlysted a moment, as Jude and Glenny were sitting a ¡°room¡± away. ¡°Uh, guys?¡± They turned like twins, both rushing to a sprinting hug. ¡°Lnd! We thought you¡ª¡± Glenny cut himself off, pushing into his friend harder. ¡°Leals¡­ we were so scared. You just¡ª You can¡¯t fight alone like that,¡± Jude said, engulfing the two in his mighty wingspan. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lnd muttered into someone¡¯s shirt. ¡°I was ambushed by a Harbinger of the Toy Maker. He controlled human puppets. An old man stabbed¡ª¡± Lnd pushed the other off, quickly flipping up his coat and shirt. He found his gut unscarred and woundless. ¡°How am I healed?¡± ¡°The Huntress,¡± Glenny said before rolling his eyes. ¡°You ¡®owe¡¯ her the gold for the potion she used.¡± Snorting, Lnd said, ¡°Like I¡¯m going to pay her anything¡­ speaking of which, where is she? For that matter, where are we?¡± Jude answered. ¡°She¡¯s dealing with the fallout from the attack. Inquisitors take Harbingers seriously, especially when their Lordes to this realm.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to worry about him. The Toy Maker I mean. My Lord took care of him for good.¡± The others¡¯ eyes went wide. ¡°What? Did I say something wrong?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°W-what do you mean ¡®for good?¡¯¡± ¡°She killed him. She asked if I wanted to see his soul, so I think that¡¯s what she implied.¡± ¡°Your Lord killed another. Just like that?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°I guess. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just happy to be here and alive and stuff.¡± ¡°Leals, I think you are in shock, man. You were pretty much dead on your feet when the fog disappeared.¡± Jude shuddered. ¡°I mean, you had to face that thing alone. I almost puked from just looking at it.¡± ¡°¡¯It?¡¯¡± ¡°The Lord that was inhabiting that mangled body,¡± Glenny supplied. ¡°The power leaking from it¡­ unlike anything I¡¯ve seen, and I¡¯ve had the Sightless King in my head.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Lnd said, ¡°to answer your question, I¡¯m not in shock. If anything, I¡¯m pretty good right now. I ranked up, actually.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jude asked. ¡°I thought you were having a problem with¡ª¡± ¡°All settled,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°For now, at least. The curse is still a lot. But it¡¯s now at max rank, so I don¡¯t have to worry about casting it to progress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really great,¡± Glennyughed. ¡°What did you specialize in? Generalist like me and Jude?¡± ¡°I specialized in my contracts. So, in a way, a generalist, yes.¡± They talked for a few more minutes about his rank-up and specializations. Lnd didn¡¯t know the answer to many of their questions. But he had a simple way to check. His grimoire appeared and flipped to the first page. ¡°Before I go over this, are you sure the Huntress isn¡¯t around? I don¡¯t want to identally tell her my secrets.¡± ¡°Nah, you¡¯re good,¡± Jude said inly. ¡°She¡¯s in trouble or something.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Glenny answered. ¡°She¡¯s trying to hide us from the fallout. She told the other Inquisitors that she killed the Harbinger and defeated the image.¡± ¡°Why¡¯d she do that?¡± Lnd asked before answering himself. ¡°Because a rank one just doesn¡¯t do what I did. I would be investigated and my identity as Harbinger would be found out.¡± ¡°Exactly, so she put us in the ¡®one safe ce¡¯ she knows of.¡± Glenny gestured to their surroundings. ¡°This is the cabin she kidnapped me to while we were in Shoutwell. She teleported us here with an item.¡± Lnd looked through the burnt wooden husk of a building. ¡° Why does it look like it exploded from the inside out?¡± Glenny sighed. ¡°Because she¡¯s crazy and didn¡¯t want me to sleep in warmth.¡± ¡°Sounds about right.¡± Chapter 118: Rank Two Chapter 118: Rank Two Without further ado, Lnd read through the changes brought on by his rank-up. Name: Lnd Silver Legacy: Curses Archetype: Acolyte of the Curse Lord Specialization: Binding Overall Rank: 2 Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 11 (C+) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. For a single target, break a random bone in their body with a 55% chance to break a second. Crow Massacre: Type: Curse Rank: 11 (B-) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon a full murder of 15 ethereal crows to attack targets for up to 2 minutes. When all crows are present and attacking the same target, their beaks and talons are enhanced. All resultant damage dealt by the crows bleed the target for an additional amount over 10 seconds. Curse of Copse: Type: Curse Rank: 11 (B-) Pull the target towards the end, bringing them one step closer to the Lord of Death. Exhaust the target for up to 3 minutes, lowering their speed by 50%. Targets under this curse deal 11% less damage to you. Harbinger Halo: Binding Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 11 (Specialization: A) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling their aid. Contractsst up to 20 minutes. If terminated early, the cool down period is decreased. Up to 2 contracts may be acted upon at one time. Contracts that produce direct spells, curses, abilities, incantations, and/or passive effects that deal with mana, may have lifeforce partially supplemented. Effects may vary. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 11 (B+) Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 50 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 10% for 1 minute. Held lost souls may now be given to a soul of the Damned as payment for a task. Damage dealt to one target with the circle is duplicated on all targets inside the circle for 10% effectiveness. Soul Fire: Type: Curse Rank: Max Ignite a lost soul. Soul Fire¡¯s strength directly corrtes to the strength of the soul used. You are the Cmity. Andstly, Lnd went over his current contracts. Luckily, a page summarized them all. Contracts: Lord of Magic: For the duration of the contract, all magical abilities are increased by a factor of 5%. Only usable once per hour. Lord of Spirits: For the duration of the contract, all magical abilities take on a single intended spiritual effect. Only usable once per hour. Lord of the Moonless: For the duration of the contract, all works of art shine with the light of the moon. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Nature: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Touch of Regeneration, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Water: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Shield of Water, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lnd closed his grimoire and looked at his friends. ¡°I think I need to contract with more Lords.¡± Jude snorted. A thought urred to Glenny. ¡°Oh by the way, I think I¡¯m immune to the Light Architect¡¯s corruption.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Remember that yellow liquid from the scorpion nest? Well, let¡¯s just say that it doesn¡¯t make the best lotion.¡± Lnd hesitated, but repeated, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Like my father always says, Leals,¡± Jude began. ¡°Sometimes a man¡¯s got to have soft skin.¡± This time Glenny and Lnd said, ¡°What?¡± Jude just shrugged. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s important.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Glenny said, rolling his eyes. He turned back to Lnd. ¡°I need to find more things to adapt to. Sightless King, head wounds, corruption. I wonder if I¡¯ll have some kind of corrupting aspect to my abilities now.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t tested anything yet?¡± ¡°No, we were too focused on you. Remember, you almost died?¡± Lnd went red. ¡°Right, thanks by the way. I¡¯m d to have you two as friends.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± ¡°Of course, Leals. Even if you are annoying sometimes.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Glennyughed. The Lord of Magic and Lord of Curses stood beside each other. In the far distance, a green star burned with the intensity of a supernova. Its power sundered thend around it, breaking apart all that the Toy Maker had once created. ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± The Lord of Curses nced over. ¡°Is what it?¡± ¡°Another one of us dead.¡± ¡°He was never one of us. He was only in pursuit of knowledge and power for his toys. A shame, really.¡± The Lord of Magic shook his head. ¡°It really is a shame, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Power corrupts the mind. Greed corrupts the soul.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say. Just look at it. It¡¯s huge!¡± A smile overcame the Lord of Curses¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s nothing. The second Lord of Magic¡¯s soul was much, muchrger. I did the calctions once and found that it took up a third of her entire domain.¡± The current Lord of Magic whistled. ¡°Howrge do you think my soul is? Inparison, I mean.¡± The ancient Lord patted him on the back and turned to walk away. ¡°You¡¯d be lucky if you measured up to half.¡± He stayed stiff from the answer for a moment. He expected to be less powerful than the second, but that much? He still had a long way to go, even in divinity. Teleporting back to his mentor¡¯s side, he asked, ¡°The second Lord of Magic, what was she like?¡± ¡°Crazy, for one. But warm and sweet. A shame what happened to her. But she reaped what she sowed,¡± the Lord of Curses said. As they walked, the divine cosmos passed by soundlessly. They moved around worlds and gxies, traveling far faster and further than most could fathom. Now far behind, the soul of the Toy Maker sat restlessly. At least, until the Lord of Curses decided the vile Lord¡¯s domain was fully razed. Only then did a soul of the Damned move to collect. It grew from the ground like a mountain over hundreds of thousands of years, fully forming at a height that could end cities with a single crushing step. It didn¡¯t hesitate to follow its master¡¯s order, snatching the Toy Maker¡¯s lost soul like a child grabbing an escaping ball. The soul of the Damned then fell into the world, forever leaving thend deste. ¡°I wish I could have met her,¡± the Lord of Magic continued. The Curse Lord snorted. ¡°Why theugh?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯d have hated meeting you.¡± ¡°Why?!¡± ¡°Because she was always enthralled with her current project. Meeting people, especially other Lords, was not her forte.¡± The elder went somber. ¡°In a way, that¡¯s what got her killed. Socializing or theck thereof.¡± The Magic Lord hummed. ¡°Going back to the Toy Maker, are you sure what you did was alright? Socializing goes both ways and I don¡¯t want to see you dying either. Killing a Lord has ripples, regardless of your status with the others.¡± ¡°Child, I am old. My choices have made ripples millions of times over. Killing the Toy Maker because he attacked one of mine, the only one of mine, is a given. If any other Lord has a problem with that, they wille, and I will be ready.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be ready? Even to fight off a horde?¡± She snorted again. ¡°They don¡¯t call me the Cmity for nothing.¡± She then sighed, long and slow. ¡°At least this way Lnd is protected from Lordly meddling.¡± ¡°Some will see it as a challenge.¡± ¡°And others will see it as a warning.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°Child, everything is fine. At least for now. It will take years for the Toy Maker¡¯s allies to make their moves. Preparations, especially against me, take time.¡± The Lord of Magic inhaled slowly. ¡°I just worry about your kin. Lnd is still so weak.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. But he¡¯s specializing in something truly unique. He has time to gather contacts, most of which will be bursting at the seams to get in his good graces.¡± The look of realization overcame the Lord of Magic. ¡°Oh. That¡¯s devious. The threat of you is a great bargaining chip, huh.¡± The Lord of Curses smiled. After the Lords of Magic and Curses disappeared from the Toy Maker¡¯s domain, multiple figures appeared in the shattered remains. They didn¡¯t speak, they didn¡¯tmunicate. They didn¡¯t even acknowledge one another. They only had one reason for being there, to salvage anything that was left. Long after the scavengers left, three figures appeared independently. This time, however, the figures gathered. They spoke of ns and potential futures, but eventually they left after an argument about how to proceed. Two of the figures appeared sometimeter, conversing independently from the third. The two agreed and quickly left to prepare. With that, a figure revealed itself to the emptiness of the Toy Maker¡¯s domain. It cawed once, shedding its camouge before passing through the boundary between realms. It arrived a universe away, directly on the shoulder of its master. ¡°I see,¡± the Lord of Curses then said, scratching her familiar¡¯s feathers. ¡°Maybe I should take a stroll.¡± As if on cue, the ground parted beside her and thousands of souls of the Damned entered her domain. They were the size of giants and each held lost souls that radiated power like miniature suns. They were her arsenal, her weapons, her Cmities. ¡°Now, which to choose.¡± Chapter 119: Epilogue [Book 2 End] Chapter 119: Epilogue [Book 2 End] ¡°Thank you for sitting down with us again, Royal Inquisitor. For the record, my name is Inquisitor Levi and this is Inquisitor Cassia, Legacy of the Wolf and Legacy of the Wand respectively. Can you state your name and rank in ordance with your role in the Inquisitors? For the record, of course.¡± The duo waited expectantly at that, both holding pens and resting their wrists on paper. Thick bags were under both of their eyes, working this case was a headache to be sure. Inquisitor Cassia had it the worst, mana exhaustion and multiple days of sleepless travel did that to a mage. ¡°Royal Inquisitor Isobel, no family name.¡± ¡°Code name?¡± ¡°The Huntress.¡± ¡°Thank you, Isobel,¡± Levi said, scribbling down a few words. ¡°Let¡¯s start this interview off with some background. Where are we currently?¡± Isobel subtly smiled. ¡°In a private room in an inn.¡± ¡°And what is the name of this town where this inn is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± She gave a shrug. Levi scribbled something again. ¡°How long have you been in this town?¡± ¡°Only a few hours.¡± Cassia grunted, breaking her pen¡¯s tip against the paper. She cursed under her breath, summoning forth a bout of mana. The pen fixed and the Inquisitor forced herself to regain herposure. ¡°Royal Inquisitor Isobel,¡± she said, straining. ¡°Please do not waste our time. It has been a longst few days and, frankly, we have better things to do than follow you as you get into trouble.¡± Isobel held her hands up in surrender. ¡°I have only been in this town a few hours cumtively. I have stayed in the town¡¯s nearby forest for three days.¡± ¡°So three days,¡± Levi said, writing more. ¡°And you were present for the event?¡± ¡°I was.¡± ¡°Describe it, starting with why you were here.¡± And the Huntress did, although she augmented some facts and twisted some truths. She did not speak of the boys, nor Lnd¡¯s direct influence over the deaths. She took credit for all of them, stating that the civilians were under the influence of the Toy Maker. ¡°The Toy Maker? A vile Lord was in this small, nameless town?¡± Isobel leaned forward, putting her elbows on the table. ¡°I think this town has a name.¡± Cassia snapped the tip of her pen again. ¡°That is not the point, Royal Inquisitor.¡± The Huntress leaned back. ¡°Yes, it was the Toy Maker. I was following a Harbinger from Frostford after a rogue magical blizzard ruined their winter festival.¡± Levi raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°And why were you at Frostford?¡± ¡°Vacation. The festival was quite ster until it abruptly ended.¡± ¡°Vacation, seriously? That¡¯s what¡ª¡± ¡°Inquisitor Cassia,¡± Levi warned, his nose ring like an animal¡¯s. ¡°We are not toment on the Huntress¡¯ choice of vacation.¡± He turned back to the interviewee. ¡°We are only here for answers.¡± ¡°And I seek to provide them,¡± Isobel said, causing Cassia to mutter something under her breath. ¡°Please, Huntress. We are tired and wish to get back to our station.¡± ¡°Shoutwell, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you remember.¡± ¡°Of course I remember. I fought and killed a Monarch Avatar. A feat only equal to fighting and killing a Harbinger and a Lord image.¡± Levi¡¯s eyes drifted to his pad of paper. ¡°Yes, a Lord image.¡± ¡°You believe I lie?¡± the Huntress asked. ¡°Frankly, yes. A Lord image should not die to a single Royal Inquisitor, even one with the reputation you hold. Unless, that is, the image¡¯s host burned-out.¡± Cassia nodded at that, continuing where her partner left off, ¡°The host body was rather burnt.¡± She turned to Isobel. ¡°You have fire-aspect attacks, right? Or was that damage not done by you?¡± ¡°What are you getting at?¡± ¡°That you didn¡¯t actually kill the Harbinger.¡± Isobel snorted. ¡°We have witnesses that say you were outside the ring of darkness the Harbinger created,¡± Levi added. ¡°And only fought once the fog dissipated.¡± The Huntress shrugged. ¡°It was a stressful time. You know how civilians are.¡± ¡°Royal Inquisitor Isobel, the Huntress,¡± Cassia abruptly stated. ¡°Just so you know, the event that happened in this town is going to be investigated by the High Inquisitor personally. All details will be found out, and punishments will be enacted for those found to be in direct opposition to humanity and the Crown.¡± ¡°What the Inquisitor means,¡± Levi continued, ¡°is that this conversation is being transcribed. The High Inquisitor will be reviewing the information you provided. An attack by a Harbinger and image don¡¯t just happen. Something is incredibly wrong here, just like in Shoutwell a few months ago. I am inclined to rmend that the High Inquisitor also investigate those events as well.¡± He paused letting the statement sink in. ¡°With that being said, is there anything you wish to add or correct?¡± Isobel leaned back, slouching. She sighed, blowing hot air out of her nose after a long stint. ¡°I think this town¡¯s name is Coldtree.¡± Cassia snapped her newly fixed pen, again. ¡°That is incorrect, Royal Inquisitor. This town is called Pebblepath.¡± ¡°Ah, my mistake.¡± After six hours of interview, or as Isobel thought of it, interrogation, she was finally set free. She, of course, had Inquisitor duties to stay around the town of Pebblepath and wait for the High Inquisitor to arrive. She, of course, did not do that. Instead she traveled fast and silently, making use of her high-ranked Legacy abilities to slip away from Inquisitors Levi and Cassia without their notice. She moved down the mountain, cresting it, and headed down directly toward the town of Frostford. She didn¡¯t eat, she didn¡¯t sleep. She had a goal in mind, one time sensitive not only to meet back up with the High Inquisitor but also to arrive before her target ran. Word of the events in Pebblepath had long since traveled, but it took time to move an encampment the size of the uncle¡¯s. That was if the uncle decided it necessary to retreat. The Huntress arrived at the edges of the poacher camp. She silently drew her parasitic weapon, a bow that consumed part of the powers of those it killed. Currently it held a golden glow, the leftovers from her dismantling a murderous group on a previous assignment. Although, as the Huntress looked over her weapon, she spotted slight hints of crimson. Soon the remnants of the Sightless Cult would fuel her arrows. She fired, killing two poachers on patrol. Quickly she moved, hiding in the cover of snow and bush. She let more arrows fly, killing three more. The next two groups came and died before anyone sounded the rm. Bodies were found, and the encampment swarmed like an ant nest under attack. Finally, she thought, standing and strolling toward her enemies. This was going to take all day if they never found the bodies. There was a testament to steal, one the Huntress knew quite well. But those jobs were detached assignments. She hadn¡¯t had a stake in her battle since she took revenge for her family so long ago. It was a distant memory, one that pulled more grief and anguish than not. She hated those feelings, pushing them away after her children¡¯s killers were fed to her weapon. She had gone decades without any emotion past mild annoyance. So why was she enraged right now? As the Huntress tore through the encampment, killing any and all regardless of their surrender, she pondered the question. By the time all except one were dead, she hadn¡¯te up with an answer. She kicked him. ¡°Where¡¯s your boss? The Witch.¡± ¡°L-left! He l-left!¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°T-the d-dungeon on t-the ind!¡± Pulling back on her bow, the Huntress loosed an arrow with a look of nk rage, killing the man. She turned, finding the carnage of a battlefield, and sighed. Slowly she started walking past the corpses, each one dispatched by a single bloodless golden arrow. Her thoughts turned to how she was going to miss this aspect of her bow. The gold always seemed to soak-up the blood. Eventually she found herself on the small ind just outside of Frostford. The teleporting defenses the town had set up were an irritant, but nothing she couldn¡¯t handle. Finding the Witch¡¯s tracks were simrly simple. A hunter never believed they were the one hunted. The tracks led her to a glowing red portal entrance. It shed with the blue glow of the mushroom lit cave, turning the shimmering pool an odd violet. The color reminded her of Lnd, specifically the halo that sometimes topped his head. Halo¡­ she murmured to herself. The events of the Harbinger and Lordly image¡¯s attack were hazy at best. For the former, she couldn¡¯t see anything. For thetter, she only caught the end. And she was far too slow to interfere. She had seen the hand-arrow and honestly didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be able to block such an attack. Which brought up the question of how Lnd was able to do so. Isobel sat in the violet waters, waiting for the portal to shift green and for the Witch to step out. Hours went by, and slowly but surely, Lnd kepting to mind. How did he live? For some reason she kept thinking of his halo. Honestly the spell was somewhat pretentious. A halo on a mortal? What kind of Lord gave a Legacy that? None she knew of. But then again, just who was Lnd¡¯s Lord? For a rank one Legacy to battle, and win, against a Harbinger and image, the Legacy must be something special. She knew that Lnd held a sixth primary spell, one that stopped him from progression. One that zed with horrible purple, one that turned the air thick, one that could burn away corruption and kill an enemy¡¯s soul. That, to the Huntress, sounded like a spell of a vile Lord. The thought almost pulled her attention away from the portal. It turned green, signaling to the next party it was time to enter. She abruptly stood, her Legacy abilities zing like a bonfire. She scanned the room, looking for invisibility or markings of the Witch. She soon found none, meaning the uncle failed toplete the dungeon. The Witch had died. The Huntress took a moment, confirming despite knowing that it was futile. Her anger soon dropped away, leading her back to an empty emotionless husk. Well, that wasn¡¯t quite true. There was an emotion hidden well in the depths of her trauma-riddled body. She¡¯d never admit it, but the Huntress was looking forward to catching back up with the boys. They had grown more powerful, after all, and she felt the need to test their potential again. Inside the dungeon, Floe sat licking her reddened fur. She¡¯d need to clean up before Gelo found her, but that was easy enough. Her promise to herte husband was finallyplete. The Poacher was dead. Sybil Palemarrow sat looking out the castle¡¯s ivory window, gazing at the capital city below. Nestled in the crook of a fallen Lord, Ivory Reach centered the Palemarrow Empire. With trading routes branching through ancient valleys, the city brought prosperity to its citizens while also protecting them from the monstrous threats that looked to end humanity. While the bones of the fallen Lord were nameless, they sought to protect the capital and all its glory. Millennia after a divine battle that rendered thend deste, the first King and Queen of the empire used the power that leaked from the bones to house their legacy. They sought to use the bones to create a fertile home, a home that reached for the heavens. Generationster, Sybil saw the bones of the nameless Lord as a prison. Her family¡¯s castle sat at the heart, surrounded by ribs that stretched from their grave to the sky above. ¡°A bird in a cage,¡± she muttered, her eyes drifting to a small fountain where she had once yed. ¡°What was that?¡± a voice asked, startling her. ¡°Nothing Lucia!¡± Sybil said, fluttering her vowels. The princess had known Lucia nearly all of her life, but it was only recently that the Royal Inquisitor had be her bodyguard. One small idental kidnapping was enough for her mother to call in the Inquisitors Silver, one of the empire¡¯s strongest duos. Sybil sighed. ¡°When do we leave?¡± ¡°In a few hours. Spencer has to coordinate with the transport. We¡¯ll be naked on the road. The castle¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Protections are set in stone. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I¡¯ve heard it all before.¡± Lucia frowned somberly at the lonesome girl. Sybil reacted right away by reddening. ¡°I-I should t-tell mother to throw you in the dungeon for that look!¡± ¡°What look?¡± Lucia¡¯s gaze turned even more pitiful. ¡°That one! Stop that!¡± ¡°I know you want to leave the castle, and we will be in a few hours. So just rx. The road might seem like fun during preparations, but once we get moving, you¡¯ll see how boring it will be.¡± Sybil pouted. ¡°I just want to see my friends.¡± ¡°Aww sugar¡­ those weren¡¯t your friends, they were just people who were trying to use your position as princess.¡± ¡°As brutal as ever, Lucia,¡± the teenager said. ¡°I know you¡¯re right, it just hurts being alone. I see you, Spencer, and the maid that brings me meals. And he doesn¡¯t even speak to me! He just silently cuts my steaks and pours my drinks! Trust me, I¡¯ve tried everything to get him to talk to me!¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes went soft before a thought urred. ¡°You know¡­ Lnd is going to¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°I said no more!¡± ¡°Princess Sybil you areing of age¡ª¡± A pillow hit Lucia in the face. She continued anyway, ¡°My son is a proper¡ª¡± A second pillow hit, this time far stronger than thest. Lucia stopped her teasing instantly, instead scooting to the edge of her seat and straightening her back. ¡°Sybil, it''s happening again. Calm yourself.¡± Thest in line for the throne ended her thrashing about and went stark still. She held up her hands, eyeing her palms like a shady reader in the corner of a tavern. Through her skin, her bones glowed with a vibrant sheen. Sybil focused on maintaining the light, forcing her birthright to submission. The glow fizzled away, just like the countless attempts before. ¡°Good attempt. Yousted another few seconds longer thanst,¡± Lucia said, leaning back in rxation. Sybil gave her an unamused look. ¡°Do I really need¡ª¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°How did you even¡ª¡± ¡°Know what you were going to say?¡± Lucia shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m a mother. I know things.¡± Sybil eyed her cautiously. ¡°Why do I need my birthright as a Palemarrow when in a few days I¡¯ll have a Lord and Legacy?¡± ¡°You can never have enough weapons.¡± ¡°Says you! You are a mage! You don¡¯t even use weapons!¡± ¡°Mana is my weapon.¡± Sybil made a sound of annoyance. Lucia eased back, giving the princess some space. Since the kidnapping, it had been tough on everyone. But for some reason, the victim¡¯s feelings were often left out of the ns to make sure another never happened. ¡°I know it¡¯s rough.¡± Lucia said calmly before shifting to a smile. ¡°You know what? Why don¡¯t we head down to Spencer and see if we can bug him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll love that.¡± Sybil snorted. ¡°I think you mean hate.¡± ¡°I know what I said.¡± The two made for the door before the Inquisitor suddenly stopped. ¡°Forgetting something?¡± Groaning, Sybil went to her nightstand and pulled out an ivory mask. It was rounded and nk, except for two eye holes that gave the mask a perpetual expression of contempt. It was honestly a perfect match for the princess, as she felt only contempt when she was forced to wear it. Which was whenever she left her room. She held the piece of the nameless Lord¡¯s bone up to her face, allowing the magic within to snap to her smooth brown skin. It hid the scar across her lip and right eye that her captors inflicted, covering every detail of what made her, her. To an onlooker, the mask was glued to her face without strap or tie, obscuring any detail of who she was while urging their mind to focus elsewhere. ¡°Ready?¡± Lucia asked, taking the princess by her hand before leading her through the prison like walls. Chapter 120: Keys [Book 3 Start] Chapter 120: Keys [Book 3 Start] Lnd blinked his swollen eyes as he watched the sun collide with the horizon. With a light cough, he slowly leaned forward, sending his stiff wooden chair into motion. They pivoted together, all six of their legsing to rest upon the tavern¡¯s dusty floor. A sigh escaped his lips as he gulped down the rest of his drink. He blinked again, this time the wetness of his eyes causing the scenery to blur. He blinked again and again, finding the thick bellows of smoke too much. ¡°I hate this ce,¡± he muttered as he watched another patron inhale lit ash through a thick pipe. The patron wasn¡¯t unique in this fashion nor was he in the minority. In fact, Lnd, Jude, and Glenny were the odd men out. The name of the tavern, The Uninspired Smoke, was evident in the haze of cheap alcohol, tobo, and whatever other local weed was prevalent. Glenny nodded in agreement, but not because of reddened sticky eyes. No, the rogue was more annoyed by the fact that he wasn¡¯t affected by the smoke. Besides having his vision slightly obscured like he was just getting out a steamy shower, the smokecked the punch hispanions seemed to be wallowing in. ¡°It is rather nd,¡± Glenny said, his mind going toward the awkward bard in the corner. With a name such as Uninspired Smoke, he honestly wasn¡¯t expecting much. But the bard was something else entirely. ¡°Jude¡¯s a better musician.¡± Jude didn¡¯t know if he should be hurt or ttered. His friend¡¯s rather constant sarcasm about his harmonica ying had hit a boiling point over the months since Frostford and Lnd¡¯s duel against a Harbinger and Lord image. Jude honestly wasn¡¯t sure if it was his fault though, he did y that one tune about midnight love over and over again. In his eyes the song was great. It made him stretch his fingers and forced him to focus on his blowing-strength. It was technical and smooth, a perfect practice melody for some of the harder stuff. But when Jude thought about it, the song was supposed to have vocal apaniment, something that was just impossible as a solo harmonicist. Theck thereof left the songme for a listener. ¡°We can always go somewhere else,¡± Jude rmended, his hands busy cutting into a tough steak that tasted heavily of burnt garlic and indiscriminate smoke. Lnd sighed, ¡°Yeah maybe a townsfolk would let us sleep in their barn.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. The bard¡¯s not that big of a deal. Not worth sleeping in a barn, in my opinion,¡± Glenny added with a shrug. The other two stared at him. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°The bard is not the problem,¡± Jude said, smacking his lips before yelling, ¡°it¡¯s the smoke!¡± A round of cheers rounded the tavern, the patrons all raising their pipes. ¡°The smoke¡¯s not that bad,¡± Glenny replied. Coughing a bit, Lnd said, ¡°Yes it is. My eyes feel like they are in a desert made of itchy cotton.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have that problem¡­ maybe I adapted to it?¡± Jude frowned at that. ¡°When? Last thing you adapted to was the Light Architect¡¯s corrup¡ª Oh.¡± ¡°Smoke does feel like corruption,¡± Lndined. ¡°At least, it does to my eyes and lungs. So congrats, Glenny, you are now impervious to smoke!¡± Another round of cheers went around the establishment. Jude cocked his eyebrow. ¡°Smoke!¡± he suddenly yelped. They cheered again. ¡°Smoke!¡± Everyone cheered! ¡°Smoke!¡± They did it again, albeit a bit more subdued. ¡°Smo¡ª¡± A hand caught Jude¡¯s mouth. ¡°Dude, shut up,¡± Glenny sneered. ¡°We need to figure this out. Am I really impervious to smoke? That¡¯s considered corruption?¡± Lnd pushed himself away from their table. ¡°I don¡¯t know and we really won¡¯t know until we find out what the Light Architect¡¯s corruption is. Because yellow liquid and gray smoke are not the same thing.¡± ¡°Right¡­ Where are you going?¡± ¡°To bed early. Or at least, into my bed early. I have a contract in mind.¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± Jude said, now biting into a baked potato with sheep¡¯s butter. Glenny gave a nod. ¡°Maybe you could ask a Lord for me?¡± Lnd pondered the request. ¡°Maybe. But I get the feeling that sort of information will cost me. If the price is too high, mind if I wait until the next time I talk to my Lord? I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll know.¡± Agreeing, Glenny downed the rest of his drink and stood. Jude sighed, doing the same but also picking his potato up like a loaf of bread and continuing to chomp down. ¡°You guys don¡¯t have toe with me. I can sleep by myself.¡± ¡°Are you serious? Last time we left you alone to eat, you almost died. Remember? Two cuts to the gut, dozens of broken bones, and a malevolent Lord trying to kill you?¡± Glenny rolled his eyes. Lnd lowered his head a bit, trying to hide his smile. ¡°Thanks guys.¡± A few minutester, the boys were in their private connecting smoke-free rooms. Glenny and Jude had out a deck of cards, a handful of copper coins, and a few colored stones. The game was as simple as it was dangerous. Better hand wins, unless a yer wanted to gamble on a stone pull. There was enough strategy involved to keep them upied for an hour or two. But that was enough, they¡¯d had a long day traveling and only needed a little while for their stomachs to ease after dinner. ¡°Alright guys,¡± Lnd said after giving his tobo smelling pillow a final fluff. ¡°See you in the morning.¡± ¡°Night.¡± ¡°Sweet dreams.¡± Taking a deep breath, Lnd pulled his grimoire out of his hand tattoo noting the summoning circle surrounding the bird had, yet again, not moved or changed. Idly he wondered when the new ink would allow itself to be used and just what it would summon. Luckily, his previous worries had dissipated after his conversation with his parents a few months ago. He had wondered if the summoning tattoo would require souls or something equivalently foul like hearts of the innocent or something. But his parents, and the subsequent meeting with the Lord of Curses, had soothed his concerns. He felt closer to his parents, and in a way, his Lord. He felt he could trust them all, just like they trusted him. But Lnd didn¡¯t have the time to retrospectively think about that. He had a contract to forge. Mana and lifeforce flowed, consuming his vocal cords in a stint of power that reached the boundless heavens. ¡°Lord of the Eternal, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± The call took, sending Lnd spiraling through an endless white void. He traveled for some timeless time, the sense of motion nothing if notcking, but eventually arrived. Or at least he thought he did. The white void was the Lord of the Eternal¡¯s domain, unless the Lord decided to meet Lnd at the door, so to speak. Either way, the mortal and deity stood in each other¡¯s presence. The only way Lnd could describe the Lord was¡­ unique. With a formless body made of infinite lines of thread, the Lord existed everywhere and anywhere. It was colorless, odorless, even size-less. Impossibly small butrger than the world, it shifted and moved with infinitesimal changes, swapping from lines of thread to streaks of starry wind to boxy, awkward, dimensional shapes. Lnd tried to kneel, but floating in a void made that difficult. He could, however, bend at the waist in a bow. ¡°Thank you, Lord of the Eternal, for epting my meeting. I am Lnd Silver, a mortal.¡± The Lord did not speak but for some reason an odd feeling of amusement entered the realm. Lnd continued, ¡°Ie today to ask you to form a contract with me. I have nothing to trade and can only gain, so you have me at a deficit.¡± The shape of the deity changed again, this time into an aurora of pastel pinks and oranges. ¡°What is it you wish to contract, Son of the Cmity? It is not often I am called upon.¡± Smiling at the disy of color, Lnd recentered and said, ¡°As you are surely aware, the Toy Maker and I had a small skirmish resulting in a battle with one of his Harbingers¡­¡± Going on to exin a bit more, Lnd mentioned how his magic served a great defense in the battle, but his stamina and weak body almost gave out on him. He was no warrior, he was supposed to be fighting behind the frontlines from a distance. And while he phrased the tale in a bit of a pandering way, Lnd never lied. He was groundless in front of the powerful sea that was the Lord of the Eternal, and he best remember that. ¡°I did hear ramblings of a recently dead Lord¡­¡± the infinite color said, shifting into a radiant man. The man appeared walking, his naked feet glowing with every step against the white void. He stroked a beard of orange light particles, like a horde of fireflies contained in a prison of hair. The Lord then locked eyes with Lnd, showing off two deep and liquid irises. To Lnd, the Lord was something out of a dream. Out of the dream. In a way, the Lord of the Eternal was everything and anything. Dreams were a part of his domain, as well as thought and emotions. The Lord was one of the most powerful beings in existence if the rumors and ancient stories were to be believed. ¡°But I cannot help,¡± the Lord eventually said. ¡°I am a more metaphorical aspiration of the term ¡®eternal.¡¯ I cannot give you a boon of eternal stamina, like you wish.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t skip a beat. ¡°I understand and thank you for the direct answer. How about¡ª¡± ¡°A deadly spell?¡± the Lord interrupted, his stic lips quirking a bit. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say no to¡ª¡± ¡°Perhaps a way to move across continents with nothing more than a wave of a hand?¡± Lnd hesitated and the Lord Laughed. ¡°Listen, young mortal, and listen well. There are some Lords, myself included, whose powers are just not for the likes of human use. Any gift I can give, regardless of contract, will rip you apart from the inside out.¡± That sounded¡­ bad. But Lnd was nothing if not a critical thinker, at least sometimes. ¡°What about your Legacy? Do your followers not use your power?¡± ¡°What followers? What Legacy?¡± Now Lnd was confused. The Lord smiled. ¡°Lnd Silver, there are some powers left untapped by the mortal ne. I figured you of all people would understand that, with you being in the Lord of Curses¡¯s shadow.¡± And Lnd did, or at least he thought he did. ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t take up any more of your time.¡± ¡°But?¡± Lnd shuffled his hovering feet. ¡°Could¡­ could you point me in the direction of a Lord that would be willing to trade for what I asked?¡± The Lord of the Eternal pondered the question. ¡°There are a few, but their personalities might sh against one such as yourself.¡± He chuckled to himself. ¡°But such is the way of mage and warrior.¡± Just before Lnd was cast away, back onto the stationary but ever moving path toward reality, the Lord spoke, ¡°Speak to the Lord of Endurance. She will most likely give you as you ask, if not for a price.¡± A momentter, Lnd opened his eyes back in the smokey tavern. He twisted to the side, finding Jude and Glenny asleep. After a quick pillow fluffing, his eyes found the ceiling and he spoke. ¡°Lord of Endurance, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± Like before, Lnd found himself back in the white void. As the minutes passed in silent travel, he experimented with touching upon his surroundings. He wiggled his toes, stretched out his arms, and felt around with his fingers. His testing was abruptly cut short by the appearance of a dirt field. Crashing to his knees, the dirt epted his weight like a sponge with a stone on top. He fell into the ground slightly and bounced back up a bit. ¡°What?¡± he muttered to himself as he struggled to keep bnce. ¡°Ho there, traveler!¡± a voice greeted. ¡°Long way from home, it seems.¡± Lnd spun, the ground seeming to twist with him. iling a little, he quickly found his feet and looked over the Lord. She was tall, like a lone tree in an orchard of bushes. Sweat dripped from her face and neck, disappearing in a bundle of smooth stitched cotton. Only her hands, neck, and face were visible, the rest covered in damp clothing. ¡°Caught me at a bad time, you did,¡± she continued. ¡°Just finishing up my morning training.¡± Lnd almost asked about her ¡°training,¡± but caught himself. Instead he fell to one knee, bouncing off the dirt and flopping to his hands and knees. He scrambled to rightly stand, embarrassment heavy across his face. ¡°Greetings Lord of Endurance, I am Lnd¡ª¡± ¡°Hello Lnd, stand won¡¯t you?¡± He did as asked. ¡°You look odd,¡± she then said. ¡°Like your feet don¡¯t want to work. No, that isn¡¯t right. They want to work, they just can¡¯t keep up with how you want to move.¡± She crouched down, locking eyes with the mortal. ¡°Hmm. Take a step forward.¡± He did. ¡°Again.¡± He did again. ¡°Faster.¡± He tripped, a small mound of wobbly ground the cause. ¡°Again. Faster this time.¡± This went on for fifteen minutes, each minute the Lord pushing him faster and faster. He was at a full tilt sprint by thest. He fell that time as well, only making it six steps. ¡°You are a mage,¡± the Lord said abruptly like the answer was a revolutionary idea. ¡°Weird.¡± Huffing, Lnd almost snapped at the Lord. He, in his mind, had just gone through a touch of torture. Running for the sake of running was thest thing on his list of things he wished to do with his time. But at the whims of a Lord, he felt he must oblige. ¡°I am a Legacy of the Curse Lord, a mage, yes.¡± She tapped her chin, thinking. ¡°Curse Lord, Curse Lord¡­ where have I heard¡ª¡± She went stark still. ¡°Oh. The Cmity.¡± ¡°That was a long time ago,¡± Lnd said, pushing himself to his feet. ¡°I would hope so. No one will tell me about her. The other Lords, I mean. Most are afraid of her wrath, and the others wouldn¡¯t talk to a newborn like me.¡± ¡°Newborn?¡± ¡°I only ascended to Lordship a few centuries ago. I was an adventurer like you, not too long ago.¡± Sheughed. ¡°Fun times.¡± ¡°Ascended?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Can you tell me¡ª¡± ¡°Nope! Secrets and stuff.¡± Lnd hesitated at that. ¡°Wait. Did you say centuries? Have you ever heard of the Inquisitors Silver?¡± ¡°Inquisitors? Those are the Palemarrow pawns, right? Ivory Reach?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I was across the world in the Hookfell Hearth.¡± ¡°Never heard of it.¡± ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t!¡± sheughed again. ¡°I made sure to destroy that hole long before I ascended. Horrible ce.¡± Lnd swallowed and took a step back in reevaluation. Despite being forced to do something as remedial as sprinting and being talked to like a random patron at a bar, he was still in front of a Lord. He chose his next words carefully. ¡°Lord of Endurance, might we¡­ jump to why I called upon you? As much as I would like to ask about your triumphs, my adventuringpanions are waiting¡ª¡± ¡°Speak no more! Those were my best days. Killing monsters and beheading Witches.¡± Swallowing again, Lnd said, ¡°I havee to ask you to help me improve my stamina. I recently had a life or death battle with the Toy Maker and his Harbinger. I almost died thanks to my poor¡­ mage-body.¡± The Lord nodded along like everything was making sense. ¡°I understand and can help. I have exactly what you need.¡± Lnd leaned in. ¡°Here¡¯s what I can do. I will make an endurance exercise list for morning, midday, and nighttime activities. You will then follow the list to the ¡®T,¡¯ and surely you will leave that feeble mage body behind.¡± She paused, as if trying to recall something. ¡°Oh! This is supposed to be a contract, right? That changes things.¡± Lnd nodded, hope on the horizon. She tapped her chin again. ¡°Eh, no it doesn¡¯t. I¡¯ll write the lists and in return I only want you to¡­ say, give me ap around my training field.¡± The Lord motioned around, highlighting all of the bouncy dirt. Lnd paled. ¡°I-I thank you for the kind offer¡­ but my contract power requires something more actionable. Is there any way we could discuss an ability or boon that makes it so my endurance never wanes?¡± ¡°Mages are always cheats.¡± Lnd forced himself not to react. The Lord of Endurance sighed. ¡°The best way to better yourself is discipline and hard work. But I can see that ideology will never work for you. Fine.¡± ¡°F-fine?¡± Lnd asked, a bit shocked. ¡°For the contractual price of twops around my training field and the promise to at least do the morning section of my list, I will give you a stamina regeneration boon.¡± Lnd tried to keep his hopes from showing. ¡°What kind of boon?¡± ¡°How about something that you as a mage will understand.¡± She tapped her chin, a sinister ideaing to mind. ¡°The boon will increase your rested stamina reserve by a slight amount for every running step you take while exhausted.¡± Lnd blinked a few times. ¡°That is¡­ eptable?¡± Honestly he thought it was a great boon. Granted he had to work around how long he could have a contract active, but theoretically his stamina could be infinite. In a way, he would be getting the eternal boon he asked the Lord of the Eternal for¡­ All he had to do was run and exercise. Ugh, he thought as he traveled back to the mortal ne via white tunnel. His feet ached, his lungs burned, his head felt dizzy. But he did it. Two, horrid,ps around the Lord of Endurance¡¯s training field. It took hours. Long, slow, torturous hours. But he did it, and he would never have to do it again. As his eyes fluttered open and his exhaustion carried over from the divine domain, Lnd wheezed for a moment. At least until a magical piece of paper appeared in his hands. He readied himself for the Lord¡¯s List, reading it over. Morning endurance training:
  • Twenty minute sprints.
  • Two mile run.
  • Twenty five minute sprints.
Lnd wanted to scream when his eyes zed over the midday and nighttime sections as well. Idly he wondered what breaking a contract would entail for him. That was, until the light of the morning sun entered a nearby window. Now Lnd really did scream. Morning had dawned. Chapter 121: Running Man Chapter 121: Running Man Jude found Glenny already awake and outside the smoky inn. The rogue, wearing his starry cape, stood in the cold shade, watching a scene y out. Lnd trudged through snow and slush alike, the mountain air not enough to maintain such the icy wondend of months prior. It was slowly shifting to early spring at this point, and the sun wasn¡¯t letting anyone forget. It was unrelentingly bright despite being early in the morning. The whish-like weather made Lnd¡¯s lungs burn with every semi-running step. He was pushing himself, that much was obvious from his woozy posture. He was on the verge of passing out, but something pushed him, something drove him to move. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± Jude asked, taking his ce in the shade. ¡°Don¡¯t really know¡ª¡± Glenny cut off his words when the world seemed to wane. The harsh light of the sun suddenly fell, like it was blotted out by the shadow of a flying leviathan. Rolling purple mist suddenly escaped from Lnd¡¯s grasp, as a dark violet halo formed silently above his head. It wasrger than before, deeper with a sense of weight. With his newly minted rank-up, the curse took on a slightly evolved form. ¡°What¡ª¡± With Harbinger¡¯s Halo¡¯s creation, Lnd decided to pull out all of the stops. He, technically, had twenty minutes to work with, but running exhausted felt like an eternity. The faster he finally dropped, the faster he could quit for the morning¡­ the day. Glenny gave a low whistle as he eyed the surrounding small town. There were a few out and about this early, but for the most part they didn¡¯t give the purple halo and Lnd a second nce. It was not that the showing wasmonce orckluster, but because of the time of year. It was growing closer to the Royal Dream, a time of magical and physical involvement. Luckily for Lnd, or unluckily for the townsfolk, many adventurers, renowned fighters, spectacr showmen, and powerful mages migrated to the major city of Ruinsforth. And thus, this town was full to the brim simply because it was enroute to Ruinsforth. Of course that meant some of the people awake were surely notmon citizens, but Glenny had trust in Lnd. Showing Harbinger¡¯s Halo was like being the direct focus of a lighthouse, and Lnd knew what the curse meant more than anyone. The halo, a Harbinger¡¯s Halo, was a mark, a brand. It was the callsign of a minority of wrongdoers and their vile Lords. ¡°He must have a good reason for running this early and summoning his halo,¡± Glenny said aloud to Jude but mainly to himself. Since Lnd¡¯s near death battle, Glenny had been worried about his friend¡¯s wellbeing. He didn¡¯t want to bring attention to the matter, but he¡¯d noticed Lnd flinching or drawing back when they came across monsters in the wilds. Completing quests was no more difficult than before, but there was a new hesitance in Lnd¡¯s tactics. Hopefully whatever he was doing now would resolve the issue. ¡°He really has changed,¡± Jude whispered just after Lnd copsed to his knees. After fishing through his pocket, he covered the distance to his friend and helped him pour a stamina potion down his throat. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Glenny asked after the final waft of purple mist dissipated away. ¡°C-contract,¡± Lnd said through horrible, hard, burning breaths. ¡°You have a contract to run?¡± Jude asked. Responding with a re, Lnd allowed himself to fall to his back. The cold wet snow met his open neck and hair, soaking both with a blizzard of soothing. Content toy like that for a long moment, he eventually tugged at his grimoire and allowed it to flip to the page he wished to see. He read it aloud to his friends. Cursed contract of the Lord of Endurance: Use: If used whilepletely exhausted, each running step during the contract¡¯s duration provides a small addition to your base stamina. Only usable once per hour. Total Steps: 14. Return: Twops around the presiding Lord¡¯s domain and the promise to try the presiding Lord¡¯s morning exercise routine. ¡°F-fourteen?¡± Lnd asked, his breath still longing for a full scale reprieve. ¡°Only fourteen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Jude didn¡¯t want to say, ¡®pretty bad,¡¯ so he just stopped speaking. ¡°That¡¯s a lot for you,¡± Glenny quickly supplied. Lnd red. Jude rolled his eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just heal yourself as you ran? You can have two contracts activated at the same time now, right?¡± The cold wetness in Lnd¡¯s hair and on his neck froze over. He stiffened before saying, ¡°Right¡­¡± Glenny burst outughing. ¡°Did you really forget? How many steps do you think you could have gotten if you constantly regenerated yourself?¡± ¡°At least fifteen!¡± Jude bellowed. ¡°Fifteen!? I was thinking sixteen!¡± Glenny went on. Getting to his feet, Lnd pushed past his friends and scurried into the smoky inn. Even after he entered, he could still hear his friendsughing. In a way, it was a bit funny. But also showed just how his specialization choice in contracts was the correct decision. If the Lord of Nature¡¯s contract, Touch of Regeneration, worked in tandem with the Lord of Endurance¡¯s stamina contract, then his goals to never be out of breath again woulde much sooner than expected. He cursed himself, realizing that even if that happened, he¡¯d still have to exercise in the mornings to not break the contract. ¡°You alright there, sonny?¡± a voice from behind the inn¡¯s bar asked. Lnd pulled himself from his day dreaming, focusing on the man. Older, the man spoke with the rasp of a lifetime of smoking. Dull and wispy could only describe his voice, however, the man¡¯s dress and particrly smashing facial hair was something far from dull. ¡°How long does it take tob your mustache to look like that?¡± Lnd found himself asking. The man smirked. ¡°Watch,¡± he said before licking both thumbs and pointer fingers. With a sudden pull and twist, the man curled his mustache up like a dual sided fish hook. ¡°I¡¯d say that was two seconds, what do you think?¡± ¡°Maybe less.¡± The man gave a prompt nod. ¡°Now then, sonny. You look lost, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Lnd smiled. ¡°Just realized I¡¯m dumb and inefficient.¡± ¡°You a mage, right?¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°Sun dimmed for a few moments. I looked outside, and there you were, zing with magic,¡± the man said, pouring a ss of water. ¡°No mage I¡¯ve ever seen, though. Running like a warrior, dark power like a shadow rogue. Scary stuff.¡± Lnd took the offered ss, downing a few gulps. ¡°You seem to know a lot aboutbative archetypes. Are you a former adventurer?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± the manughed, shoving out his hand. ¡°Legacy of the Drink, how do you do?¡± Lnd gave a firm shake. ¡°Legacy of the¡­ well, that¡¯s a bit private. Wouldn¡¯t want that information to fall into a certain stalker¡¯s palms.¡± ¡°Stalker, you say?¡± the barkeep said, quirking an eyebrow. ¡°Sounds like an adventure. But to answer your question, people of all kindse through my inn to get to Ruinsforth this time of year. You pick up on things, you know?¡± A thought came to Lnd. ¡°You ever see people with a halo like mine?¡± ¡°Nothing of the sort. Interesting spell, I must say. Are you asking because you want to meet up with Legacies of your Lord? Make friends, sort of thing?¡± A somber still smile fell on Lnd¡¯s face. He wanted to say, ¡°The opposite, actually,¡± but held off from speaking. ¡°I see you aren¡¯t going to answer that,¡± the manughed. ¡°You mages and your secrets. I swear, if everyone just shared information with each other, the world would be a safer ce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a nice thought. But some secrets are better left alone.¡± The man grumbled something, leaving for the kitchen. Lnd took the cue and left. After a quick change of clothes, a check to make sure they hadn¡¯t been robbed, and another check to see if his tattoo had changed at all, Lnd made his way back into the inn¡¯smon room. The room had filled up in the short time he was gone, the patrons eating breakfast and smoking their pipes. Jude and Glenny had their own table, a fresh spread of food warm and waiting. Sitting down, Lnd said, ¡°I might have to stop using my halo out in the open.¡± Glenny cracked a re. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I used it out in the open plenty of times before ever realizing what it meant. Obviously those who know are few in numbers. My parents didn¡¯t even recognize it.¡± Jude ripped a piece of sausage off his fork. ¡°And it only takes one person to recognize it to bring trouble. Either the Inquisitors or a Harbinger.¡± ¡°Speaking of vile being hellbent on the torture of others,¡± Glenny said with a roll of the eyes. ¡°Has anyone been contacted by the Huntress? I figured she¡¯d catch up by now.¡± ¡°You¡­ you don¡¯t think she¡¯s finally given up chasing after us?¡± Jude and Glenny both looked at Lnd like his forehead suddenly expanded with horn growths. ¡°No,¡± they both said at the same time. ¡°A pity.¡± ¡°Anyway, we are going to be in Ruinsforth in a few days. Do we take on another quest on the way, or skip straight to the city?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°I vote to skip,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Quest,¡± Jude called in turn. ¡°I want to kill more things. I need to know the full extent of Floe¡¯s Incarnation.¡± ¡°And you will, but in Ruinsforth. With our parents.¡± ¡°I agree with Lnd. We are skipping directly to the city.¡± Jude grumbled something. ¡°Look at it this way, we can spend more time with them if we arrive early. Surely they are stationed in the city for the Royal Dream, and once that starts, they probably won¡¯t have the time to be with us.¡± Jude grumbled again, but with less enthusiasm. Chapter 122: High Inquisitor Chapter 122: High Inquisitor The Huntress, Isobel, swirled an invisible power around her finger, stirring her coffee until it was pure gray and entirely too sweet. The in showing of raw strength pulled a few eyes in the barren room, as she was neither a mage nor a trickster. A cantrip or trick was simple enough and quitemon, but the Huntress was posturing herself. Her rank was far above those who sat around her, and she wanted them to remember that. Especially when the High Inquisitor finally arrived. She didn¡¯t think any would interfere with their conversation, but smart people have done dumb things before. That thought drew more irritation than she nned, causing her power to fluctuate. The invisible force swimming around her finger suddenly hardened, cracking the ceramic cup like an egg. Coffee poured through the gaps as several onlookers gasped in angst. She red at them to silence themselves. Isobel sighed internally, knowing her emotions were out and open as ofte. But could anyone really me her? She had been waiting in this ursed town, Pebblefarm or Pebblerock or whatever, for months. Originally the High Inquisitor was supposed to start his investigation within the day, but something had attracted his attention. Her orders were solid, however. She was to wait. She¡¯d do anything to start searching for her marks, to catch up with the smart one, the brutish one, and the quiet one. Well, she¡¯d have to rethink Lnd¡¯s name. He didn¡¯t seem so smart recently, especially as she thought about her time following him. She had her suspicions but they were only that, suspicions. She couldn¡¯t prove anything, but when did her gut ever steer her wrong? She wiped up the spilt coffee with her ragged old cloak. It was a relic of her past, back when times were simpler. Back when her family was still alive. Honestly she didn¡¯t know why she kept it around. There was only one other thing that had remained from back then, that being herself. She had long let everything else go, after she got her revenge, that was. But the cloak remained. She smiled at that. It wasn¡¯t even a cloak. It once was a full on coat, but time had not seen it well, and it was left in shambles. How many times had she patched it up? Sewn it into something new? Cut and pieced together something wearable? It felt strange to give such ame piece of fabric such power over herself. But who was she kidding? It made her feel safe. It reminded her of why she fought. A few minutester, the doors to the drabby inn burst open by anky man wearing red and white. He stepped in, scanning the room before nodding out like a bunny escaping a wolf. Isobel rolled her eyes. Like the High Inquisitor needed to be told a building was safe. If anything, the man¡¯s sudden appearance told those in the inn that they were in danger. A tap of the finger could kill them all, except Isobel, of course. A heartbeatter, an elderly gentleman strolled in. His presence carried with him, red silken robes almost obscured by the sheer bright power he controlled. His eyes didn¡¯t look through the room, nor the bystanders waiting for his orders. No, they snapped directly onto the Huntress. He smiled. The man, minus the boisterous aura, was unremarkable. Fit and firm, yes, a testament to a life spent with hard work and determination, but otherwise just a wrinkly old man. Only his eyes whispered hints of his true identity, blue like a calm sea just before a world ending waterfall. It was strange to the Huntress. She had met a few Lords, not including her own, during her life. But nonepared to the man before her. While Lords didn¡¯t want to kill the mortals that stood before them, the High Inquisitor held nowhere near that amount of power. But he held enough. ¡°Isobel,¡± the name flowed like the river the man was named after. ¡°Rushwin,¡± she replied, with a steady drawn out head nod. The Huntress would be hard pressed to admit it, but the High Inquisitor was one of the few that had earned her respect. Although, anything more than a polite greeting was pushing the limit of just how much she was able to give without bursting from the inside. ¡°Leave us.¡± Themand came out as nothing more than a simple string of words, but the effects ruptured the inn¡¯s once poptedmon room. Only the inn¡¯s owner remained. The High Inquisitor raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. Can¡¯t have you stealing things.¡± Now that even made Isobel shift her gaze. But quickly her eyes turned back when the High Inquisitor giggled. That deserved a ck jawed gape, but she wasn¡¯t such a peon that she¡¯d drop her nk face. ¡°Very well then, innkeeper. How about some ale? Whatever is regional.¡± ¡°Everything is regional here,¡± the man muttered, scrounging around for a bottle opener. A momentter, the inn¡¯s sole upants had unbroken drinks. ¡°A little early, don¡¯t you think?¡± Isobel asked, already having taken a swig. Rushwin smiled, his hand shing from his silk robes. Instantly an invisible bubble appeared around the pair, silencing their conversation to the outside. ¡°Very true, but I always try to eat or drink some of the local stuff when I¡¯m out of the capital. Everything there is boring now.¡± The High Inquisitor took a sip himself, frowning at the warm ale. A flick of his tongue nearly froze his and the Huntress¡¯ bottles over. It was a simple cantrip, one cast a million times at this point. ¡°Isobel¡­ why am I here? There are several more pressing issues to deal with right now.¡± She swallowed at that. There was no point lying, she¡¯d never get away with it like those bumbling buffoon Inquisitors she had first spoken to. But then again¡­ maybe there was a reason to try. ¡°Harbinger and Lordly image appeared. Former killed,tter fled.¡± ¡°The Toy Maker, correct?¡± The Huntress nodded. ¡°And who killed the Harbinger, and subsequently fought off the image?¡± ¡°Me,¡± Isobel stated, resolving herself the best she could. She sat straight and tall, never breaking her eye contact like even the thought of looking away would prove her lie. ¡°Try again,¡± Rushwin calmly said. ¡°I did. The Harbinger and¡ª¡± A force extended across her like a ship being dropped onto the open ocean. Invisible water sprayed against her, cooling her body while also threatening a true death. Drowning by the Tide Maker wouldn¡¯t be the worst way to die. ¡°Try again.¡± ¡°I did!¡± she spat, feeling her lungs fill. The High Inquisitor regarded her for a moment. ¡°I see.¡± The pressure vanished. ¡°Either you are corrupted, a traitor, or trying to protect someone or something.¡± He looked away, sipping his ale. ¡°Which is it, Huntress?¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. It was amand. There was only cold malice in his voice, a lifetime of fighting the forces of the vile Lords and their minions resonating within. He didn¡¯t wish to hurt her, in fact he wouldn¡¯t. He was her leader, her mentor. He knew her better than most everyone, which made him more than hesitant. It was unlike the Huntress to lie. He needed to test the waters. At her silence, Rushwin spoke again, ¡°There is a camp a half-day¡¯s travel from here. At your speed, I mean. It has been destroyed, dead bodies everywhere. Was that you?¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± Isobel said, her shoulders weak and her legs shaking. ¡°They were led by an unveiled Witch.¡± ¡°Unveiled you say?¡± Rushwin¡¯s test went as nned. She wasn¡¯t incapable of speaking the truth, which ruled out some possibilities for why she was lying. ¡°They followed a Witch?¡± ¡°The Harbinger was in the Witch¡¯smand as well. Uncle and nephew.¡± That was news to the High Inquisitor. Or was it? He only scanned over the initial reports, knowing most of them were lies. Regardless, he was listening now. ¡°And the nephew followed the uncle¡¯s orders to leave the camp¡¯s protection?¡± Isobel hesitated at the question, knowing where it¡¯d lead. ¡°Yes¡­¡± she still said. ¡°And what, to your best knowledge, was this order?¡± She didn¡¯t know how to answer this question. Hiding the doings of Witches and Harbingers was treason while taking credit for someone else was, strictly speaking, not. She could lie about Lnd, he was protected by at least twows she knew of. Refusing to disclose immediate ns of those wishing to defeat the Crown, however, was grounds for¡ª ¡°Isobel. Answer the question.¡± She lost the staring contest. ¡°To kill some civilians.¡± That answer, hopefully, didn¡¯t give the kids away. ¡°¡¯Some civilians,¡¯ you say,¡± Rushwin leaned back. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see if my old age hasn¡¯t left me totally lost.¡± A blue power entered his eyes, turning his already blue irises solid. ¡°Hmm,¡± he said as he looked across an infinite amount of possibilities. ¡°Civilians implies not a guard, soldier, or something like a traditionally taught mage from the colleges. A normal civilian often goes their whole lives without even seeing a Witch. Which removes plenty of possibilities. So what does that leave? Adventurers?¡± He tasted the word, moving it around in his mouth like a piece of candy. ¡°Adventurers often hunt monsters, while poachers hunt trophies. Those could ovep, creating an irritant to the Witch. Enough to send an assassin? Maybe, if the trophy wasrge enough.¡± He paused again, recalling something from the initial report. ¡°Frostford and their Guardian Spirit Beast. Huh, that is arge trophy.¡± He nced at the Huntress, sending a shiver down her spine. ¡°And four adventurers thwarted the Witch¡¯s n?¡± Isobel did her best to remain still. ¡°Really?¡± Rushwin continued. ¡°Not four? I would have sworn¡­ So three adventurers. Then they, what? Leave Frostford because the festival was canceled. They head up the mountain and once the assassin is able to iste one of them, he attacks?¡± A bead of sweat rolled down her face. The High Inquisitor didn¡¯t stop. ¡°The assassin, the nephew I suppose, would go after the easiest target first. The one that could, in the long run, cause a headache. The mage of the team. They fight, the mage knowing he¡¯s outmatched, runs.¡± His eyes moved to a seemingly random point in space. He saw through the inn¡¯s walls, staring at a freshly reconstructed window upstairs. ¡°Rough fall. That¡¯d kill any mage without a way to protect him or herself.¡± He continued to look through the walls, tracing the direction Lnd ran. ¡°They had a choice. Run toward the forest, try to lose the assassin in the trees, or run into the town¡¯s center, where hopefully their friends would be waiting. ¡°Obviously they choose their friends. A team of three? They must be loyal to each other. Friends for years, maybe? Or perhaps since they were kids? Hmm¡­ That might exin their inexperience to not notice someone tailing them.¡± He looked back to the Huntress. ¡°So three kids, it is. The mage runs, but something cuts off his path.¡± The Huntress didn¡¯t react. He continued, ¡°Something also blocks off his friends from helping. The mage now has to defend himself, battling against the Harbinger solo. Toy Maker, puppets. The corpses weren¡¯t charred, nor waterlogged or diced up. How many schools of magic does that leave, eh Isobel?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. ¡°I can think of a few dozen, potentially more depending on his Legacy. But that¡¯s beside the point. The mage battles, wins, and is promptly confronted by a vile Lord. The Toy Maker inhabits his own Harbinger¡¯s body like a demented sock¡­ But this is where the story falls apart, isn¡¯t it? Why does the image flee?¡± The Huntress was now sweating through her old cloak. ¡°The mage could be powerful enough to drive away the image. But that is unlikely, I¡¯ve already discovered he is young. I guess you could have intervened, but that is incredibly unlikely as you spoke in a lie¡­ Well, no matter. I¡¯ll just have to adjust a bit.¡± The High Inquisitor¡¯s eyes shone deeper blue, his sight looking through the walls of the inn and into the town¡¯s center. Then things changed, and he looked back in time. The few months difference made things difficult, but he had plenty of experience doing this very spell. Although, in his near six century lifetime, he had never seen anything like what he was currently viewing. A heatless violet me shed against the sea of raw power, sapping his mana like it was evaporating in a hot pan. He tried to fight against the consuming entity, but he was far too weak to even attempt to usurp the strangeness. Then the screams began. Rushwin mped his hands over his ears, hoping to dampen the cries. They didn¡¯t stop, however. They burned themselves into his mind, seared his brain, and left their mark on his eyes. His solid blue eyes splintered, revealing speckles of a familiar purple. He canceled his spell. ¡°Isobel,¡± the word came out quietly, like a soldier dying from a sundered body, ¡°are you protecting this¡­ thing because you are afraid of it? Or because you think it will be an ally.¡± The Huntress didn¡¯t need to think about the answer nor did she need to lie. ¡°An ally. Maybe even one of the greats.¡± And just like that, all of her reservations around Lnd disappeared like a forgotten memory. She felt first hand what his power emanated. She had been warned by his guardian. She had watched him grow as he fought against evil. She trusted Lnd, and¡­ that was okay. She clutched her old cloak. It was time to fully move on. ¡°I see,¡± Rushwin said. ¡°Well then. For your disobedience and purposeful derailing of this investigation, you are now under new orders. Guard duty.¡± Isobel almost rolled her eyes. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Princess Sybil Palemarrow.¡± ¡°The brat?¡± The High Inquisitor didn¡¯t answer that. ¡°You will guard her for the duration of the Royal Dream, then report back to me for a new assignment.¡± That¡­ didn¡¯t seem like that bad of punishment. There had to be a catch. ¡°You will work under her current guard.¡± There it is, she thought. ¡°Who?¡± she asked. ¡°The Inquisitors Silver.¡± She froze but Rushwin continued, ¡°I see their reputation precedes them. This will be good for you, in the long run.¡± The High Inquisitor smirked, ¡°You should have a far greater punishment. But I¡¯ve always been a softy for my apprentices.¡± The Huntress didn¡¯t know about that¡­ His training was always brutal, even back when she was a fledgling Inquisitor. Chapter 123: Daily Steps Chapter 123: Daily Steps Lnd, Harbinger¡¯s Halo floating soundlessly above his head, tapped his chest with his pointer finger. Previously, Touch of Regeneration caused a green blossoming glow to appear from his finger, but now, after ranking up and specializing, his contracts took on a new aspect. His aspect. Harbinger Halo: Binding Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 11 (Specialization: A) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling their aid. Contractsst up to 20 minutes. If ended early, the cool down period is decreased. Up to 2 contracts may be acted upon at one time. Contracts that produce direct spells, curses, abilities, incantations, and/or passive effects that deal with mana, may have lifeforce partially supplemented. Effects may vary. Thest line of the curse¡¯s description was what did it, what changed Touch of Regeneration. Lnd wasn¡¯t quite sure what the new healing spell fully did, but as a baseline, it still healed him and anyone he used it on. From natural green, a wellspring of regrowth and life, the spell now took on a violet aspect. With lifeforce and mana as the fuel, the spell now sparked with purple flutters of pride. It resonated clearly through the air, preening itself to all of those who watched. The spell was changed, and it wanted all to see. In a way, Lnd changing another Lord¡¯s spell was¡­ worrisome. He had already dealt with other Lords and renegade Legacies and killed said Legacies under contract. Would the Lord of Nature do something simr? Augmenting spells, especially those not of one¡¯s Legacy, was grounds for sphemy. That was if the legends were true. It was a tale from the starting struggles of mortal life. The origins of the first Witches, those who wished to defy the divine. No Witch would be able to kill a Lord, not with the feeble excuse of power that was a Legacy. Scraps, the first Witches thought before forcefully finding their own magic and augmenting their Lord¡¯s spells. The tale ends with the first blood of the Witch Wars ¨C a war in which countless mortals died and not a single Lord. Lnd didn¡¯t think what he was doing was sacrilegious, however. After all, the Witches of old found their own ways to change Legacy spells. All he was doing was following along his Legacy and the specialization paths left to him by the Lord of Curses. So, in the end, if the Lord of Nature had an issue, he¡¯d just have to take it up with the Lord of Curses. The spell flowed into Lnd¡¯s burning chest, cooling his inmed lungs and causing his breath to go cold. Still with his halo above, he pushed himself to run. Touch of Regeneration did wonders, allowing him to move through the forest¡¯s underbrush for minutes longer than previously. Every step was important, every step was another attack to be dodgedter. Eventually, however, Touch of Regeneration¡¯s healing properties couldn¡¯t keep up with the sheer carnage Lnd was forcing on his mage body. It was a shame, but great progress from hisst attempt in the courtyard of the smokey inn. Glenny revealed himself, dropping his invisibility. ¡°That was good. How many steps was that?¡± Lnd, hunched over and trying not to puke, allowed his grimoire to flip to the contract¡¯s page. He ignored everything else on the page, only reading the important part. Total Steps: 61 ¡°S-sixty o-one.¡± ¡°Much, much better than fourteen. At this rate, you¡¯ll catch up to Jude in another year or two.¡± Lnd red at the rogue as Jude made his presence known. The berserker leaped from a tree branch, crashing down into the dirt before sprinting off like a bat escaping a fire. He ran, snaking through the trees while chasing a magical lemur. The thigh sized lemur jumped from branch to branch, rushing through the forest with magically presenting feet. A dull blue eclipsed its toes,tching on to tree bark before sending it flying to another point in the canopy. All in all, it ran circles around Jude, never letting him near. Lnd watched with interest, trying to gauge just what the animal was doing. Realistically, a magical animal was a few steps below a monster, meaning the magic they could use was severely limited. In this case, the lemur¡¯s magic acted like an anchor and spring, allowing it to grip trees and jump far. ¡°Ahh!¡± Judeined, yelling up at the lemur. ¡°You win!¡± The primate made a farting sound with its mouth before hopping down,nding on Jude¡¯s shoulder. It then headbutted him, gently leaning into its new human friend. ¡°You¡¯re pretty speedy,¡± Jude cooed. The lemur responded with a jumble of audible sybles. It was nowhere close to realnguage, but that didn¡¯t stop Jude from nodding in turn like he understood. The lemur, however, seemed to know what it was doing and pointed to Lnd. Lnd felt somewhat affronted, especially as Judeughed. ¡°I agree!¡± Jude said, wiping away tears. Glenny and Lnd looked at each other, shaking their heads. It took an hour but eventually Jude said farewell to his new friend and the trio ventured out of the forest and into the final stretch of their travels. The Royal Dream would officially start in just over a week, but everyone knew the true festivalsted the entire month. So in that regard, they werete. Walking over the hill leading into the city, Ruinsforth came into view. For the boys, this was the second or third time any of them had visited. They were young back then, but the city was a massive expansion of an already thriving adventuring hub. Deemed the Adventuring Guild¡¯s home, the city wasrger than the empire¡¯s capital, Ivory Reach. Nestled amidst the sprawling artificial ins of the Mirror nds, the city of Ruinsforth rested safely at the edge of what was once an ancient civilization. The city itself originally rose from the first outer stretches of ruins, encircling the true delving points with houses and buildings alike. The ancient civilization of Reflection Kingdom, what was left of it at least, was home to endless streams of riches and danger. Once a metropolis that pushed the boundaries of what was scientifically and magically possible, it was now nothing more than a graveyard of dust and lost treasure. Ruinsforth, in a way, acted as a defensive hold against the monstrous dangers that spawned from the raw hatred that consumed the Reflection Kingdom. The dead, and the monsters they controlled, sought to destroy as happened to them so many millennia ago. The gates of Ruinsforth were far into the start of the city¡¯s life. With the growth of the city over thest few decades, expansions were set and forgotten about. New walls were nned but never built. That didn¡¯t stop the migrant citizens, however. They stayed beyond the city¡¯s walls and gates, setting up temporary homes in the nds leading into the city and ruins. Strangely enough, monster attacks from the neighboringnds were rare, a collective theory spected that the centralized ruins of the Reflection Kingdom marked its territory so to speak. The dead still needed a home, and no monsters from the outside would get in unless they were permitted to enter. So, for the most part, the dyed city expansions didn¡¯t affect the city¡¯s growth. Walls would eventually be erected but were postponed until after the Royal Dream. Lnd, Jude, and Glenny took their time moving through the outer city. There was plenty to see and do, shops to peruse, food to eat, even a few magical duels to watch. In the end, Glenny walked away from betting on a fighter with a heavier pocket while Jude grumbled about losing nearly his entire coin purse. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Lnd said. ¡°We still have to sell everything we got from Floe and Gelo. You¡¯ll make your money back.¡± Glenny smirked, deciding to y evil. ¡°Yeah, then he might as well give all his earnings to me. He¡¯s just going to lose the next time we bet, might as well just do it now.¡± Jude stuck out his tongue. ¡°How was I supposed to know that fighter had a bad knee?¡± ¡°Because he was favoring his one good leg significantly. Not everyone can fight through the pain like you.¡± Lnd chuckled at that. ¡°Come on, before we get robbed.¡± They soon left the over popted outer city, entering the inner. What they found surprised them. Besides a few extra festival decorations, the inner city looked exactly like the outer. Shops were crammed together, people were walking through the streets nearly touching, it was loud, it was stinky. There was, however, a greater number of guards walking about. The sun was just passing midday at this point. ¡°Come on, all that exercise left me hungry. Let¡¯s eat lunch then head to an appraiser and get to selling.¡± Lunch that day was overpriced bread, cheese, and roast hen. Chapter 124: Redefine Chapter 124: Redefine ¡°Wee to Mystic Auctions and Appraisals,¡± a middle aged man dressed in an expensive threaded suit said. The boys grumbled a greeting back, but each failed to fully articte words. Delightfully enthralled by their surroundings, hundreds of shiny magical and mundane items caught their attention. Runes and symbols lined the countless disy podiums while thick form imprable ss rode around the walls creating protective housings for the more expensive items. borate stone engravings rose from the center of the deep room, leading to a second floor of treasures and ambiance. Large mana chandeliers hung past the upper terrace, illuminating all in a white magical light. As if it was scanning for theft or intruders, a conjured eye hid within the crystalline mana light, watching with a perfect view. y golems wandered around the base level, swept up mud tracked in by adventures or removed singr specs of dust. There was a precedent set, one that was repeated inly by the price tags set on individual items. ¡°First time in?¡± the man asked, chuckling slightly. ¡°Uh huh¡­¡± Glenny was able to squeak out while the others focused on an assortment of things. Lnd, the more magically inclined of the trio, scanned everything he could. He took in artifacts, ancient tomes and guides, weapons that radiated powerful enchantments, and even a few Dire Beast eggs shackled with thick iron chairs. His feet almost carried him away from the group. Jude, however, did walk away from the group. He beelined to the closest corner, finding an oddity. A small tea, coffee, and finger snack bar had been maintained and refreshed, offeringplimentary drinks and food for customers. As the boys were already nning to sell most of their wares, he took the liberty of trying one of every small sandwich they offered. Glenny facepalmed, quickly turning to the man. ¡°We have many items we wish to have appraised and sold¡±The man held his face firm but obvious hints of annoyed amusement seeped through. At the mention of ¡°many items¡± he turned to regard the group again. Beside their young age and ill regard for manners, the man saw their packs and knapsacks, finding them each lumpy as if crammed with items of odd size and shape. From there, his eyes zed over when he actually inspected each boy. Besides a fewmonly enchanted pieces of jewelry, each wore something special or downright frightening in one case. The man¡¯s eyes stiffened at Glenny¡¯s cloak, but a lifetime of professionalism kept the hesitance from fully showing. ¡°I see. Perhaps a private room?¡± Glenny nodded and the man swiftly turned. The boys followed. ¡°My name is Benard Barrysalve, please call me Benard if you don¡¯t mind. May I ask your names?¡± ¡°Lnd.¡± ¡°Glenny.¡± Jude swallowed before saying, ¡°Jude.¡± Benard, once again, didn¡¯t let his annoyance show. Common courtesy was to respond with a proper introduction, meaning surname and direct eye contact. But such wasmonce in a city such as Ruinsforth. Adventurers were often barbaric and rude. At least the boys didn¡¯t seem to be thetter. The room they entered was small, only sporting a few pieces of furniture and pitchers of water. Benard quickly motioned an aid to gather a tray of cookies. The boys took to a knitted couch and tan leather chair and got to unpacking everything. Soon the center table was filled with ornate metal chunks, runic tablets, magical wands, enchanted jewelry, multiple sets of robes and armor, eternally frozen pieces of ice, and finally, a ne that created a personal blizzard above the wearer. Benard was¡­ stunned. It wasn¡¯t every day that thieves attempted to sell all of their stolen products, but when it did happen, he was as dumbfounded as the first. Such unique and expensive items didn¡¯t grow on trees. He¡¯d understand the amount of items if they were in the same collection or created by the same crafter, but just from a cursory nce, these were dungeon items. And that changed things. ¡°Boys¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°We do not partake in the stolen.¡± Jude was the only one who really heard him, the others focused on setting everything on the table without knocking anything else off. ¡°What?¡± the berserker asked with a deep frown. ¡°We fought for our lives to get all of this out of a dungeon.¡± Benard almost rolled his eyes. A lie he¡¯d heard dozens of times. ¡°I¡¯m sure you did. Pray tell, you got all of this from one dungeon?¡± Now Lnd and Glenny were involved, each frowning no less than the other. ¡°Yes.¡± The attendant picked up a small ring, one of the nondescript ones. ¡°And did this drop from a boss kill?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jude snorted. ¡°And what boss might that have been?¡± Benard¡¯s right eye flickered with a kaleidoscope of colors. He shifted his gaze around the table, eyeing every item and reading through their history. In a matter of moments, the man knew everything¡¯s effect, what kind of monster or challenge it came from, and how it came into being. ¡°That one¡­¡± Lnd drummed his knees. ¡°I think that was from the worm boss.¡± Benard paused, slowly returning the item to the table and picking up another. ¡°And this?¡± He held a bone gauntlet. ¡°That¡¯s from that dumb deer king. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s actually bone, but rather antler,¡± Jude said, with a bit of bite. ¡°Deer?¡± Benard asked, feeling he caught the lie. ¡°Moose,¡± Glenny answered. ¡°We called him a deer to antagonize him into enraging.¡± ¡°You antagonized a dungeon monster¡­?¡± Lnd scoffed. ¡°What are we doing here? Is this a test or are you just being rude?¡± The man straightened his posture at that. ¡°I resent the notion¡ª¡± ¡°Well I resent our sale. Come on guys, we¡¯re leaving.¡± Lnd yanked one of his many bags front and center, and started haphazardly dropping items in. Benard cursed internally. ¡°I see. It looks like you three are legit.¡± He shifted into a seat. ¡°I apologize for the bluntness but sometimes criminals get¡­ crafty.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡¯ one of the boys said, the trio never stopping to even look up. A dampness appeared along the base of the man¡¯s neck. ¡°To apologize, how about a five percent increase in total sale price. If you decide to sell, that is.¡± Lnd and Glenny nced at each other. They felt they could get arger bonus as they had many items unusual to this area, especially as Floe and Gelo¡¯s dungeon had been untapped by humans for so long. Jude, however, didn¡¯t understand the nuance. ¡°Deal,¡± he said without so much as a look at the others. Lnd rolled his eyes. ¡°We are looking to sell everything we don¡¯t want,¡± he said to Benard. ¡°Of course,¡± the attendant said with a sigh of relief. ¡°Do you wish to sell in bulk or go through individually?¡± ¡°Individually.¡± And just like that, they spent the next four hours going over each item, what it did, what type of person, adventurer, or mage might find them useful, and a baseline price. With the market at Ruinsforth being so vtile, and especially with the Royal Dream right around the corner, prices were higher than usual for unique items but quite a bit lower formon ones. ¡°I, Benard Barrysalve, on behalf of the Ruinsforth branch of Mystic Auctions and Appraisals, can offer six thousand one hundred and fifteen gold for everything. That is with the five percent increase, might I add. But as you¡¯ve already stated, you wish to sell individually. Please remove all items you wish.¡± In a matter of moments, the boys went through and removed everything they figured they could use. Benard frowned at the much less full table. ¡°I can do two thousand even for the rest.¡± ¡°Two-point-five,¡± Jude instantly countered. ¡°Err, no. That would never work. Most I can do is two-point-one-five.¡± ¡°Two-point-five.¡± Benard deted. ¡°Two-four.¡± Jude, seemingly the lead on this, swayed in his decision. ¡°Deal.¡± Benard smiled, pped his hands, and quickly said, ¡°Thanks for doing business,¡± before anyone could say elsewise. Almost instantly, three employees sauntered into the room, picked up the table, items included, and walked out. Benard, meanwhile, wrote a check. ¡°Cash that at any Royal Bank. And goodbye.¡± The man left, leaving the boys to finish packing up. Lnd looked at Jude in a different light. ¡°Who knew you could barter? I¡¯d have just epted two thousand.¡± ¡°The trick,¡± Jude said, ¡°is knowing that when they add ¡®five percent¡¯ as saying ¡®sorry,¡¯ that actually means they really want our stuff. Bartering easy at the start of a deal makes closing a deal much simpler.¡± Now Glenny looked at his friend strangely. ¡°What?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Like my dad always said, ¡®A good sale is a sale that makes you feel scummy.¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s find an inn.¡± A few hourster, the boys were wearing their newly appraised magical items with knowledge of what everything did. Firstly, and easiest, was Glenny. From the dungeon, he took a set of dark leather armor. It reminded him of what his dad wore, and waspletely devoid of a magical aura. At the time, he didn¡¯t mind the set not having any special effect, only that it was high quality. Interestingly enough, these pieces of leather gave Benard the most difficulty identifying. The armor, officially called the Whisper Consumer set, absorbed magical effects to a certain degree. Benard exined that the armor would allow the wearer to shrug off weak magical attacks. Glenny also now wore two twin rings that were identical besides being different colors. The red and ck ring gave a small boon to speed when attacking from invisibility, a nk, or the shadows. In essence, it enhanced ambush attacks. The red and gold ring was theplete opposite, enhancing his attacks when he was out in the open. The boys thought about giving the red and gold ring to Jude, but Benard stated that the rings only worked when both were worn by the same person. Jude, likewise, decided to keep his antler and ice armor. Besides having a cold resistance effect, the armor gave way to frost maniption and a temporary agility boon. He¡¯d have to work at it, but covering himself and the ground he stepped on in frost was promised by Benard. Truthfully, however, Jude thought the armor¡¯s ability somewhat redundant. Floe had gifted him her incarnation blessing, which in turn provided him with natural frost protection and armor. But doubling up never seemed to hurt in the realm of magic and enchantments. The armor¡¯sst effect endorsed this notion. The agility boon came as a one-directional charge, like a moose, or deer in this case. Benard actually questioned just what dungeon the boys found this armor set in, suggesting that many, many, adventurers would pay for a set. Of course, the boys declined to give the location away even after mary incentive. Jude also kept a few enchanted rings, a ne, and a trinket that created a dull light. The jewelry provided simplistic additions to his strength and regeneration while the trinket was a glorified readingmp for ¡°night time musical song creation.¡± Lnd¡¯s high quality robes proved to be somewhat controversial. At least for Lnd himself, that was. With runic patterns stitched into the fabric of the dark blue and gold hemmed robes, the set would grant him additional puncture and blunt-force protection and greater elemental mastery. Thinking the former was more inline with sweetener rather than the main deal, Lnd set his sights on the elemental mastery portion of the robe¡¯s effects. He asked Benard dozens of questions all of which led to one particr answer. Fire, water, air, earth, lightning, nature, and plenty more affinities would all be enhanced a decent amount. Just how much? Benard couldn¡¯t say, only expressing that the robes alone were priced just over one thousand four hundred gold ¨C by far the boys¡¯ most expensive item. So, paired with Lnd¡¯s wizard hat that Benard said increased casting speed slightly, Lnd decided to keep the robes with Jude and Glenny¡¯s encouragement. While the robes would do nothing to enhance his curse magic, they did, or rather should, affect any spell or ability with elemental properties. Meaning any spell or ability provided through a Harbinger¡¯s Halo contract. Lastly, Lnd upgraded his ring of regeneration from his parents, keeping the birthday present as a sort of memento, and decided to keep a leather belt that was enchanted to always keep his robes in the perfect position. There was nothing worse than chafed thighs. ¡°What do you think we should buy with all of this gold?¡± Jude finally asked in thefort of an inn with a beer in hand. ¡°I¡¯m thinking we invest and¡ª¡± ¡°Spatial rings,¡± Lnd cut off. ¡°Oh, yeah. That¡¯s a better idea,¡± Judeughed. Glenny leaned back. ¡°Think we have enough for three?¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but my dad is an expert on this sort of thing. So let¡¯s wait to talk to him.¡± Jude smirked at his imagination. He saw himself striding through the adventure guild with a spatial ring on his finger, causing a tizzy of intrigue among countless onlookers. He¡¯d then pull a chain out of thin air, sitting smugly. Everyone would be asking questions, looking concerned¡ª ¡°They aren¡¯t that rare, so I don¡¯t think getting our hands on some would be an issue. We might not be able to get thergest size, but I¡¯m sure a two-point-five thousand is enough for three small ones,¡± Lnd rified. Jude rolled with the curveball, shifting his imagination to pulling out a te of pancakes from the ring instead of a chair. It was perfect. Chapter 125: Paper Cuts Chapter 125: Paper Cuts After a trip to the bank, the boys spent the remainder of the day touring the city. As they ventured deeper toward the ruins of the Reflection Kingdom, slowly the buildings of Ruinsforth became more robust and set. Wooden structures took a back seat to the more strengthened older stone of the previous kingdom. Instead of modern luxuries, these stone buildings were t and short, only offering a small area for people to live. Some were homes, others shops or restaurants. Regardless there was an overbearing smugness to the architecture. It wasn¡¯t until the second time the boys were kicked out that Lnd finally put two and two together. It was self-importance and arrogance. The closer to the Reflection Kingdom ruins, the older, more established a shop, its owner, and their family was. Why would a shopkeeper expecting to sell to nobles and highly renowned individuals give the boys a second nce? They were kids, and the stone brick of their buildings was ancient. This was especially true when the boys found the city¡¯s adventuring guild. It was¡­ crowded. Even though expected , the boys still stumbled after turning the corner. The sight of the small building alone was enough to group while the sea of people wearing swords or walking through the air was enough for a call for retreat. ¡°Do we really need to go in there?¡± Jude asked after a woman with a scar through her eye purposely bumped into him. ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± Glenny murmured. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to ept any quests for the time being, right? What else is there to do in the guild?¡± ¡°Drink?¡± Lnd offered. ¡°But we can do that anywhere.¡± Just then, a guild attendant stalked through the building''s door and walked through the toughened adventurers like they were nothing more than a light fog. Some challenged her authority, only to be crushed by an invisible weight. She then red at those who felt they should interrupt, causing multiple to quickly sink into the anonymity of the crowd. The attendant then stood on a set of boxes, higher than anyone, not using magic to move above the crowd. The attendant cleared her throat before shouting, ¡°First ring seats for the Royal Dream are now sold out. We are now only selling the second through the fifth.¡±She hopped down, sauntering back into the ck stone building. The crowd erupted as everyone pushed to get in the doors. ¡°Oh that exins it,¡± Jude yelled over the sudden influx of noise. ¡°Do we need seats?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°I assumed we¡¯d just hang out with our parents during the ceremony.¡± Glenny considered that. ¡°They¡¯ll be working¡­ but they probably will be able to get us seats. So, let¡¯s not worry about it.¡± They soon left the guild courtyard, consciously walking away from the steady stream of adventurers trickling in. The streets suddenly went quiet, much to the glee of the boys. They joked and teased as they went, making conversation about the many, many shops they passed. Ruinsforth bought and sold magical, rare, and unique artifacts and items as their main economy. With the ruins of the Reflection Kingdom, there was always a supply, and with the adventuring guild, there was always a demand. Idly Lnd wondered if they could have gotten a better price for their items if they sold in a smaller shop. It wasn¡¯t worth it, he decided. Time and time again, the ck stone shopkeepers ignored the boys when they entered or down right refused to allow them to look around. By the sixth time, Jude had finally had enough. ¡°What gives? Why can¡¯t we shop here?¡± he asked, his tone like a red hot piece of steel. The old man running the book shop snorted, returning his nose to the falling-apart book he had in his hands. ¡°We have money, if that''s it!¡± Jude continued, pulling out a coin purse. He dumped the contents onto the counter, losing a dozen or so gold circles and double as many silver. ¡°See?¡± The man looked up and frowned. He gestured around the shop, silently giving permission to look. Jude smirked to himself, gathering his coin and motioning to Lnd. ¡°Well, pick something. Anything at all. I¡¯m paying.¡± Glenny then muttered, ¡°You are willing to buy Lnd a book just to prove to the shopkeeper you were serious about spending money?¡± Jude didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Yes.¡± Lnd wasn¡¯t listening at this point, but he was sure he heard Glenny mention an ¡°ego¡± or something or other. Instead, the Legacy of Curses scanned the shelves of books on books, finding many unfamiliarnguages and symbols. He reached for one that caught his eye but a sharp pain extended across his fingertip. He pulled back, finding each cut and beading blood. ¡°No touching,¡± the shopkeeper then said, never raising his eyes from his reading. ¡°Books here have a habit of giving papercuts.¡± Jude spun with that, rage filling his cheeks, but Lnd again didn¡¯t care to listen. Instead he was focused on the man¡¯s hand, specifically the tattoo of his Lord. An inky open book sat patiently on a podium, like the jumbled lettering on its pages were able to be read. Lnd recognized it as the Legacy of the Bookkeepers and quickly shifted away from the shelf. Weaponizing books for their own protection was one of the Bookkeepers¡¯ specialties, and it was a specialty not to be trifled with. Collecting himself, Lnd patted down on Jude¡¯s shoulder, silencing the big man. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Thanks for the defense.¡± Jude frowned but mutely stepped away. ¡°Greeting Mr. Bookkeeper,¡± Lnd then said to the man, holding out his hand. ¡°I am looking for books or tomes with knowledge about these runic lettering. Do you have anything you are willing to let me part with?¡± The man looked up, his sses sliding down his long nose. Slowly, like a sloth stretching to a branch, he looked over Lnd¡¯s crow tattoo and the ink circle that surrounded it. There was no emotion in the man¡¯s eyes except boredom and annoyance. Still, he flicked out his hand and summoned a book from his shelves. It flew through the air at breakneck speeds, especially for a small shop. The man caught it, quickly flipping it open with a delicate hand. It was covered in unadorned leather, no design or border, only fading brown in color with a stamped ¡°1¡± across its spine. The man flipped a few pages, read a few lines, then snapped the book closed. It quickly floated back to its spot on the shelf. ¡°It¡¯s a summoning circle tattoo. Rare, old, and fallen out of favor,¡± the man announced. ¡°That will be six gold.¡± ¡°Is that it? Do you know what it summons or what it needs for the ritual?¡± Lnd quickly asked. ¡°No. And it¡¯s a hand tattoo. There is no ritual,¡± then with a sigh, the man said, ¡°It is also iplete. It is still settling in your skin.¡± ¡°How long until it''s done?¡± The man stared at Lnd. ¡°That will be seven gold.¡± ¡°Answer the question, friend,¡± Jude warned from next to the door. The man leaned around Lnd, eyeing the berserker. With a sigh, he raised a hand and summoned another book. It whipped through the store, purposely flying near Jude and scaring him. The man caught it, showing off its metal iy for a mere moment before flipping through its pages and reading. ¡°It is nearlyplete. Would you like to know what it will summon?¡± the man asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Lnd promptly replied. ¡°A weapon.¡± he snapped the book closed. ¡°That will be eleven gold.¡± ¡°What kind of weapon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a book that¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What about thenguage of these runes? Do you know¡ª¡± ¡°Ancient Script.¡± Lnd raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°Really? I was tutored in Ancient Script and I do not recognize these symbols.¡± The man sighed. ¡°A youngling thinking they know all. How humorous.¡± He didn¡¯tugh. ¡°That will be twelve gold.¡± Jude groaned at that, stepping forward and dumping his purse again. He counted all the amount and slid them forward. ¡°Good doing business with you,¡± the man muttered, sweeping the gold into his hand. ¡°Yeah right,¡± Jude muttered back before stepping out of the shop. The others quickly followed, and after a round of ranting, they resumed their adventure of the ck stone shops. At least, they would have, if not for a cloaked figure blocking their path. Glenny froze, finding he and the others isted. Actually, when he looked around, he found the city street darker and colder than usual. The sky had dimmed, the noise from the adjacent alleyways was weak and distant. Glenny was the first to realize what was going on. He took a single step forward, activating his Legacy abilities. His eyes turned to reptile slits, his reactions and senses honed. Slowly he produced a Sightless King forged crimson de, allowing it to spark with unconfined raw power. The showing did little to enhance his strength, but rather he did it for hopeful intimidation. From the distance the boys stood, Glenny recognized the shadowy figure ahead to be one they would not be able to win against. ¡°What do we do?¡± he whispered to the others. They didn¡¯t respond. Glenny chanced a nce back, knowing the figure could attack at any moment. In fact, he expected the figure to attack. It was what he¡¯d do after all. He didn¡¯t, however, expect Lnd and Jude to be frozen in an opaque gray film. They stood motionless, smiles and joy still stered on their faces. Instantly, Glenny spun, parrying an iron sword de with his conjured daggers. The figure hadn¡¯t moved, it still sat, waiting in the shadows of the street. Glenny¡¯s eyes traced down the iron sword, it was attached to nothing. No hands, no streams of mana, no invisible person. Glenny pushed off, sending the sword reeling back. He stepped forward, hoping to keep the battle away from his frozen friends. At the motion, however, two hands appeared gripping the sword. They were familiar, almost too familiar. Dark leather armor appeared next, tinted gray with hints of off-metal ents. Then the attacker¡¯s chest formed, and the Legacy of the Chameleon shuddered a breath. The attacker¡¯s head was next,ing to life with the same ze of messy red hair as Glenny. ¡°What are you?¡± Glenny asked the being. Or rather, he asked his reflection. Chapter 126: In the Corner of Darkness Chapter 126: In the Corner of Darkness The reflection didn¡¯t answer nor acknowledge Glenny in the slightest. It pulled back, lifting its iron sword and revealing that the shadowy figure down the street was still keenly watching. All around, a dull gray consumed and froze, trapping all in a perpetual shadow. The iron sword fell, cutting down with the force of a prime rank two adventurer. Glenny buckled slightly under the strike, his crimson daggers finding purchase in an ¡°X¡± formation. He pushed, sliding his weapons down the length of the sword like a crab¡¯s pincer. He cut into the clone¡¯s fingers, drawing only wispy ck air from the wound before shoving off and retreating back to his petrified friends. Still behind, the shadowy figure loomed, watching, waiting. Glenny¡¯s reflection, however, didn¡¯t care to look at the cut along its knuckles. The wound wasn¡¯t long for this battle, already healing over with a puff of ckness. The clone then postured, raising its sword in a stance forever ingrained in Glenny¡¯s memory. It was his father¡¯s stance, one of the easier-to-learn sword dances. The clone shot forward and Glenny met it in stride. He brought the force of the Sightless King with his daggers, allowing them to fluctuate in power until each was overcharged with crimson authority. It was a technique he¡¯d been working on since Floe and Gelo¡¯s dungeon, but only recently became proficient enough to use inbat. The theory was simple. Glenny forged des and constructs using the Sightless King¡¯s stolen power. It was neither mana nor lifeforce, but a simr resource of hatred and malice. It whispered to him, pleas of murder and promises of power. It wished to be used, to set its chip into the game for a potential overthrow. But Glenny had already adapted to it. He¡¯d already taken the power for himself, allowing him to do more. The daggers glowed fiery red until he activated his chameleon invisibility. Instantly the crimson waned, falling into nothingness like the very air around him. The clone followed through with its copied sword dance, perfectly performing each step and strike. Glenny blocked all of them in kind, moving his invisible feet to the sway of battle until an opening appeared. He struck out, cutting into the clone¡¯s gut before twisting his des. The wound cauterized from the brimming power of the Sightless King but his Legacy ability ruptured organs and muscles, sending a spray of ck blood and viscera out of theceration like an active volcano. The clone didn¡¯t seem to mind, instead homing in on Glenny despite him being invisible. It lowered its sword, swapping into the second dance. It was a defensive formation, one meant to feint like it was on the back foot until it suddenly wasn¡¯t. The dance ended with a deadly parry, one that clearly opened vitals points. Glenny didn¡¯t follow the dance. After his mother died, his father¡¯s training regimen for him tripled. Every fighting style, every sword dance, everything his father knew, everything he wished to know was pumped into Glenny until his fingers bled from holding his weapons. It was brutal and borderline abuse, but his father would have done anything to make sure he never lost in battle. That he didn¡¯t follow his mother too early. The clone¡¯s gut was healed at this point, even the armor it wore. It waited for Glenny to attack into its stance, but once it was apparent he wasn¡¯t going to, it changed to the third stance of his father¡¯s. It now held an iron dagger inline with its sword. Parallel, each ready to lunge for ground. The third stance was a game of inches, of pushing for the smallest advantages while capitalizing on the deadly. It was difficult, one Glenny never fully mastered. But defending against it? That was something he hardly practiced. There wasn¡¯t an infinite amount of time his father could train him. There were jobs to do, people to protect. A life as a Royal Inquisitor was harsh and long, certain things had to be left to the sidelines. Like seeing one¡¯s children every day¡­ or every year for that matter. Glenny knew the general way to defeat the dance, however. He wove his overcharged daggers through and around the iron sword, focusing entirely on the iron dagger. It was the key, it was what gave the dance inches. The sword whipped up from the ground cutting the duel in half like a crescent moon. The clone then thrust with the dagger, hoping to catch Glenny mid-dodge. It didn¡¯t, instead Glenny leaned into the sword swipe, pushing forward instead of retreating back. He parried the thrust easily, trusting his enhanced senses to catch deviations. This was singlebat mind games as much as it was raw power. The only issue was that his target was a clone. A shoulder bash gave the option of a moment of reprieve, but bothbatants chose to press forward. They met again, dancer versus rogue. Father versus mother. It had been some time since Glennyst thought of these dances. He was unpracticed and undisciplined, yet he was able to keep up with the clone. He¡¯d be a practiced fighter over thest seven months, ever since he left home really. Icewillow, the basilisk, the Sightless King, dozens of quests, King Everald. All life and death, all propelling him to experiences yet unknown. The same upward sh came from the clone¡¯s iron sword and Glenny was ready for the next step. The dagger was thrust at him and again he leaned into it. He reached for the parry, finding the clone adapted from thest time. He missed, opening his hip to a deep stab. Glenny twisted, reforging his crimson de to meet his needs. It extended like a fang, dipping down until his dagger looked more like a spike than a knife. With a hard shove, he knocked the clone¡¯s dagger away, flying forward with his own. The dance failed, and he pushed the deadly inch. Overcharged dagger met the clone¡¯s throat, malice taking form of hook-like barbs. The de reacted to its creator¡¯s call, bursting with his needs. He twisted, causing ck blood to erupt out. His vision soon went dark, his invisible form covered in the reflection¡¯s essence. But he still pushed forward. The dagger reforged, growing in length like its twin but with a bit more re. The final form was a shovel head, t and sharp. The clone¡¯s head fell, ck air spilling. ¡°Is that it?¡± Glenny then yelled at the shadowy figure waiting at the end of the street. It didn¡¯t respond. But the clone did. Head reattached by threads of shadow, the clone stood. Gone was its iron dagger, yet the iron sword remained despite the changes. Darkness had crept into the de, highlighting its edge with shadows and deceit. Trails of ck followed in its wake as the clone swung it through the air, after images of deadly means. The fourth and final of Glenny¡¯s father¡¯s basic dances. How it worked, Glenny wasn¡¯t quite sure. He¡¯d never progressed past the third stance, only ever watching his father do the dance twice. The second, and more recent, viewing was just a passing example of how fighting styles progressed. It was during their training and was only supposed to float in his mind of what was possible. But Glenny¡¯s first time viewing the dance was a much better example of the lesson. He was only a kid at the time, maybe nine or ten. His mother and father had taken him to some event a town over, only for an Inquisitor order to appear via magical messaging paper. They had to take the job, to kill a nearby rogue mage that held empire secrets. Suffice it to say, the mage didn¡¯t go quietly, instead following the messaging paper in ambush. Glenny, being held tightly against his mother, remembered seeing his dad¡¯s dance for the first time. He saw the afterimages, he saw the raw power and style brought into existence not by Legacy or Lord, but rather ingenuity, talent, and practice. The mage died to the sword dance appropriately called the Echo Waltz. Staring back at the clone, Glenny had no idea how to even try to defend against the dance. He was never taught what to look for or what to watch out for. All he knew was that the afterimages could still cut him. He swallowed, stepping before his friends frozen in time. Both of his weapons reforged, setting on the appearance of a sword and shield. He breathed slowly, knowing the dance was above him, even with the experiences he¡¯d gone through. He¡¯d buy time, but eventually he¡¯d run out of energy reserves even with the parasitic Cloak of Night¡¯s Fortune resting on his shoulders. Sure, there was always the hope that the clone made a mistake. That Glenny would be able to capitalize, and he¡¯d be able to sunder the clone enough to force the cloaked figure watching to make a move of its own. The issue was the clone had not made a mistake in the steps of the dances. It had moved with grace and poise, even adapting to what few limitations the dances held. Even if he won, he knew the real battle was waiting down the street. ¡°Come on,¡± Glenny muttered, his heart beating not for himself but for his friends that were defenseless. He had to be their defender. The clone¡¯s first attacknded against Glenny¡¯s crimson shield with a scream of air. The shadowy sword sliced through reality, forcing it to reshape in its wake. The block started as expected, a magically enhanced sword against a magically created shield. It was easy enough, if not a heavy blow. Then came the afterimages. Six in total, each half-a-breathter than thest. They mmed with resonating force, each battering the same point in space. The conjured Sightless King construct dented, forcing Glenny to scramble to reinforce it by reforge . During this, the clone never stopped the dance. The next swing came mere moments after thest afterimage hit, resounding the stilled battlefield with six more images. The next swing came before thest imagended, however, broaching two separate avenues of attack at the same time. The next swing came before the fifth image. The swing after that before the fourth image. The dance pushed hard until the third, where it abruptly came to an end. Of course the dancer could continue into a more difficult step, it was designed to end before the second. It was a vortex of stamina and mental focus, masters of the dance would still be winded after the initial cycle. And only those with the skills necessary would be able to do more. The clone never grew tired. Even after an hour of Glenny relying on his cloak to maintain his stamina and countless reforged shields to block the attacks, the clone never waned. Echo Waltz after Echo Waltz, each step continued until its apex, stopping just before dipping into something more advanced. It didn¡¯t need to, Glenny couldn¡¯t keep up. An afterimage he lost track of cut past his shield and into his shoulder. Blood and clear-cut bone slicked the street behind him as he fell. He crashed with the presence of mind of a toddler, his whole body aching to stop. The cloak was fully expended, all of its reserves gone without the cover of night to refill it. The clone stepped over Glenny, toward Lnd and Jude. ¡°Wait no¡ª¡± Glenny yelped, his legs failing him. He tried to get up, his shoulder spiking with pain. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± he screamed as the clone drew back its echoing de. A crimson construct grew from his good arm, extending into the ground like a shooting star. The forceunched Glenny up enough to find bnce on his feet. He made his exhausted body sprint faster than ever before. He arrived as the sword came down toward Lnd, reaching for it with a naked hand. The de cleaved through his fingers while the afterimages chewed through his palm. Glenny pushed against the clone with his broken body, nudging it away from his friends. The clone stepped away, drifting into the gray shadows of the frozen world. For a moment Glenny was confused, at least until the figure from down the street exploded. Shadows sprung for him like a metal ke to a ma, consuming him until a new dark shadowy figure was born. ¡°Glenny? What¡¯s¡ª¡± The shadows moved and twisted, running up and down his body untiling to a rugged rest upon his shoulders. The parasitic cloak no longer looked like ck fabric with subtly glowing stars, but rather a living creation of darkness. Wisps of ck air resonated off of it, each falling away toward the nearest shadow before returning with more. Like ants bringing food to their queen. Glenny fell to his knees, the sudden shock of exhaustion and pain solidifying. He moved his raspy muscles, finding his hand with five fingers and his shoulder whole. ¡°Glenny, I think your cloak just evolved,¡± Jude said. It was then Glenny realized the frozen dull world had returned to motion and color. He smiled the best he could. Chapter 127: Wealth Chapter 127: Wealth The trio sat within a museum of sorts, not so much for the art but rather to have a ce to sit in the shade. The museum itself was out of the way within the ck stone district, but it had a steady stream of tourists entering and exiting, something that couldn¡¯t be said about the other ck stone establishments. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Lnd asked Glenny. The rogue mutely nodded, leaning back and closing his eyes. His head rested against a wall, many paintings with historical meanings hanging on either side of him. Interestingly enough, the now shadowy cloak thatid across his shoulders dimmed back into a sleek fabric. It had taken him a few minutes, but activating the cloak¡¯s abilities now came rather easily. He could control how much the cloak wafted ck smoky air, as well as how well it obscured his body. Walking around a city in a living shadow didn¡¯t seem like the smartest thing to do, so Glenny made it look as mundane as possible. Although asional streaks of shadow did reach for it as he walked by a particrly darkened area. ¡°Yeah it wasn¡¯t that bad¡­¡± he eventually said, already having exined what transpired in the frozen world. ¡°Especially now that I know it was just the cloak, I feel much better.¡± ¡°Still,¡± Jude then said, ¡°it couldn¡¯t have been easy. Fighting yourself? If I fought myself, I¡¯d have lost. Err, I mean me not clone me. Did that make sense?¡± Lnd ignored him. ¡°Next time the cloak evolves, you¡¯ll be ready.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure,¡± Glenny answered. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything when clone me used thest basic dance¡­¡±¡°Get your dad to help you then,¡± Jude stated inly. Both the others looked at him. ¡°You know, that¡¯s not a bad idea. Your dad is a master swordsman and if your clone mimics him, then who better to train against?¡± Glenny deliberated on that before shrugging and giving a slow nod. ¡°That will be up to him, however. Depending on how busy he is. Well, how busy all of our parents are.¡± ¡°I wonder when they are going to get here?¡± Lnd asked, slipping his bag into hisp. ¡°I guess I better send them a letter.¡± A few minutester, a written note conveying that he and the others had arrived in Ruinsforth was fluttering away in a ze of magical power. ¡°These really are handy,¡± he said, eying the dwindling stack of paper. ¡°I wonder how much these cost if I¡¯m not in the Mail Guild?¡± Jude snorted. ¡°I remember my mom trying to buy some once. She was almost enraged at the seller over the massive upcharge she was being forced to pay.¡± That doused Lnd¡¯s smile. ¡°Oh. Well maybe I can make a contract with the Lord of¡ª¡± A blue circle cut its way through the fabric of reality before falling away to a different location. The museum abruptly ended at the circle¡¯s edge, instead it became the inside of a bedroom. Spencer Silver, Lnd¡¯s dad, stood through the portal with a great grin. ¡°Hey there boys! When¡¯d you get into town?¡± Lnd was the first to his feet, shooting through the portal into his dad¡¯s open arms. A wave of nausea encroached his stomach from teleporting, but he didn¡¯t care, a hug was more important than worrying about throwing up. Glenny and Jude came through a bit slower, not as ustomed to traveling by magical portal as Lnd. They crossed the boundary of the museum in a single long step, wobbling once fully in the inn. The portal snapped closed behind them. They stood in a bedroom befitting a duchess. From floral wallpaper to silken sheets, the room shouted money. It even smelled nice, which was a rarity in an adventuring city. A trio of lit candles was the cause, their wicks inmed with small depictions of fire. One wick burned like a grand oak in miniature form, another an iconic phoenix, and the third a mariner rowing a boat. They each radiated the familiar aroma of vani and cream. ¡°So when¡¯d you get in, Son?¡± Spencer asked again when the hug was over. ¡°This morning. What about you? We figured you''d arrive for the Royal Dream.¡± Spencer waved his hand. ¡°You know how royals are. Always wanting to be early to events then pretend to show upte. We¡¯ve been here for two days now.¡± Jude walked up, holding out his hand. ¡°Well met Mr. Spencer!¡± Lnd¡¯s dad smiled, shaking the berserker¡¯s hand. ¡°Please, call me Spencer! Mr. Spencer is my dad!¡± Judeughed but Lnd frowned. ¡°His name wasn¡¯t Spencer, it was Gerald,¡± he muttered with a smirk. Glenny was up next, but when he held out his hand, shadows twisted to protect his palm. He quickly moved his hand behind his back. ¡°Sorry, still working on that. Good to see you again.¡± Spencer eyed Glenny and the receding shadows. ¡°Parasitic¡­ uh, cloak? Just evolved? How interesting. Your dad didn¡¯t give you that, did he?¡± Glenny shook his head. ¡°Dungeon reward.¡± ¡°Ah. Good. Can¡¯t be gifting things like that to children. There are rumors among the nobles that parasitic items actually can eat an unworthy kid.¡± Spencer rolled his eyes longingly. ¡°But if you got it in a dungeon, you should be fine.¡± ¡°When you say ¡®eat,¡¯ do you mean when¡ª¡± ¡°The evolution trial, yes. Good thing you passed, you might have died.¡± Glenny gulped. ¡°Gah, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine.¡± They stood in awkward silence for a moment before Lnd turned toward the door. ¡°Is mom through here or¡ª¡± ¡°Ah. Oh. Hold on a moment son.¡± Spencer scratched his face. ¡°Hmm maybe I shouldn¡¯t have portaled you over here like this.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well you see, we are technically still on duty to her majesty the Queen. And well, it¡¯s not just Sybil we are guarding, you see.¡± ¡°Who else¡ª¡± Lnd was cut off by a piercing voice. He shuddered in remembrance, instantly recognizing the source of his nightmare. Aunt Palemarrow. She wasn¡¯t technically his aunt nor actually rted at all, but as a prominent figure of the royal family, she often got her way. Which just so happened to be having all children call her aunt regardless of rtion. The burst open revealing Aunty P. in all her glory. Thin but short, covered in wealth like the royal castle¡¯s trophy room had sprouted legs and started walking. Glimmering jewelry was half of it, the other was bright colored makeup which made her look like a fanning peacock tail. That, and an actual peacock feather that was somehow always woven into her clothing. Lnd, as a kid, often wondered if it was the same feather for every outfit, or if she changed them out like toothbrushes. ¡°Ah ha!¡± Aunty P. shouted, pointing a boney finger at the boys. ¡°I thought I heard a conversation up here!¡± Spencer¡¯s face curled into itself. ¡°That¡¯s right, Eldest Princess¡ª¡± ¡°Oh don¡¯t you start with titles,¡± she quickly shushed. ¡°You know how I feel about being called ¡®Eldest¡¯ anything. I¡¯m not that old.¡± She shifted away from Spencer, finding Lnd first. ¡°Oh! Little Lnd! Come give Aunty P. a hug! It¡¯s been too long!¡± Lnd made a face like his father¡¯s but stepped forward anyway, being consumed by wrinkled arms. She pushed away, saying something to Jude and Glenny in turn, hugging each one after the other. Lnd had spent the most time in the castle as a kid, the others only on special asions such as gs or ceremonies despite Aunt P. having known their parents for decades. ¡°Now then, have you all been well?¡± Aunty P. asked before turning to Spencer. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you portal them in sooner?¡± Spencer scratched his head. ¡°I, uh, didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be allowed to stay if I¡¯m being honest. We are on duty.¡± The Queen¡¯s sister threw up her hands. ¡°No, none of that please. They are family, they are wee.¡± She looked at the boys. ¡°Now then, I know of some parents sitting downstairs that would be delighted to see their little angels!¡± She trotted out of the room, into the simrly decorated hall. ¡°She scares me,¡± Jude whispered to no one in particr. ¡°I heard that!¡± Aunty P. called. Glenny and Lndughed, eventually causing Spencer to giggle as well. ¡°Downstairs¡± was actually down two sets of stairs, around a bend, through a small open air courtyard, and past a ballroom or two. It wasn¡¯t until the boys followed Spencer and Aunty P. outside that they realized they were in no normal inn. It was more like a campus, an entire estate rather than something ¡°normal.¡± Reading the boy¡¯s gawking faces, Aunty P. exined, ¡°This is one of Royal Summer Houses. It was purchased well before I was born, mind you, when Ruinsforth was firsting into its own.¡± ¡°But it''s not summer¡­¡± Jude muttered incredibly quietly. ¡°Indeed it¡¯s not! Think of it like this, you don¡¯t have to wear a winter coat only in winter. Sometimes a nice warm coat is necessary.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes were wide and he looked at his two best friends. They gave him amused shrugs. After what felt like a ten minute walk, the group reached the promised ¡°downstairs.¡± It was inside, beyond a set of grand double doors. Aunty P. stopped with one hand on the doors. She looked for Spencer. ¡°Are all of the house¡¯s defenses set up? Enough to satisfy the reports from¡ª¡± Spencer raised a hand, eyeing the boys. ¡°Satisfied and then some, yes.¡± Aunty P. nodded, pushing open the door and said, ¡°Then feel free to take the evening off and spend time with your child. Tell the others as well.¡± ¡°Oh. Thank you, that is very nice of you.¡± She waved him off. ¡°Just stay on property.¡± And with that, the doors fully opened and a rush of music and warmth hit the group. Chapter 128: Masks Chapter 128: Masks ¡°Jude!¡± a thick bearded man screeched like he¡¯d seen a ghost. Roy Brown was shorter than his wife, but every bit as excitable, maybe even too excitable. A curly brown beard fell from his chin, reaching far past his chest. It was unkempt and sprawling, with enough dirt, food, and debris within to start a general store. His eyes, however, were what called attention. Through his sses, they looked manic and beady especially as the lenses erged them to the size of grapefruits. He hopped up from the couch, spilling his drink and activating a Legacy ability. He suddenly appeared next to Jude, having traversed the room of tables and chairs with impunity, before engulfing his son in a mighty hug. Diana Brown was the next one to stand, having been sitting next to her husband and second to notice the neers. She, however, didn¡¯t instantly go for Jude, but instead scowled at Roy for spilling his drink on her. As she activated an ability of her own, her long braided ponytail pped in the windless room. She blurred over to her son, rage falling away instantly as she hugged him. She was the tallest of the parents, and by far the strongest. Countless battles had left her scarred like her husband, not along her face but rather her arms where her sleeveless armor didn¡¯t reach. They were trophies to her, examples of toying with armies and striding through numbers usually unachievable by a single individual. She moved like a wave full of ss shards, deadly and unstoppable. At least to her enemies, to everyone else, she was just another mom. A crack of lightningnded beside Lnd, blinding him momentarily before a person crashed into him. ¡°Hi mom,¡± he muttered into her shoulder, swept away by an ambushing hug. He blinked rapidly to regain his vision. Lucia Silver was, by all ounts, one of the best mages on the continent. And herck of physical strength proved as much. While Jude was being crushed by his parents'' hugs, Lnd simply felt warm and happy. Lucia was older at this point, the telling signs of age and stress appearing through gray roots and a sprinkling of wrinkles.¡°Good to see you,¡± she muttered into Lnd. ¡°You¡¯ve grown so fast¡­¡± At some point Spencer had ced an arm on Lnd¡¯s shoulder, patting him proudly. ¡°We get the evening off, honey, by orders.¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes widened a bit, pulling away to look at Aunty P. ¡°Thank you!¡± The First Princess waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s the least I could do.¡± The small reprieve was enough for Lnd to notice an inconsistency. Glenny was missing. ¡°Uh, where¡ª¡± Abruptly the lights flickered and Glenny appeared behind a man with des for clothes in a sh of sparking metal. Carmon Red was a man of quiet tastes yet wicked showmanship. Like his son, he wore a parasitic item. While Glenny¡¯s currently took the form of a cloak made of living shadows, Carmon¡¯s was a weapon that decided it wanted to be worn. The weapon was, for all intents and purposes, a set of swords. But a weapon that was sheathed by casting around Carmon¡¯s shoulders and back. It didn¡¯t protect him from the sun or rain, as it was des woven together to imitate cloth. Gaps between hilts and des left plenty of room for air flow, however. Lnd frowned at the disy, but the father and son were muttering quietly to one another, so he figured they were fine. They had a lot to discuss, after all. ¡°Have you boys eaten?!¡± Roy belched looking around. ¡°It is almost six!¡± Jude¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Dinner! I almost forgot!¡± He strutted into the room, taking a seat where his parents were previously sitting. He then tore into a roast chicken sitting on the nearby table. Roy and Diana followed along, also sitting and also tearing into the meal¡­ despite already eating for the evening. There could never be too much food for the warrior types. Lnd followed his parents to a table in the corner, searching the room for who they were supposed to be guarding. Besides a few official-looking types wearing the empire¡¯s colors and writing reports silently, there didn¡¯t seem to be anyone else around. But he knew that couldn¡¯t be true, not with his parents, Jude¡¯s parents, and Glenny¡¯s dad all together. ¡°I thought Princess Sybil was supposed to be here?¡± His mom almost missed a step at the question. She looked at him with a great big smile. Lnd instantly went red. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡ª I just thought you were supposed to be on guard duty.¡± ¡°We are,¡± answered Spencer, giving his son a look of pity. ¡°Why don¡¯t we y a little game? Test your skills, sort of thing.¡± Lucia then did a little p. ¡°Oh I like this idea!¡± She sat down and looked to her husband. ¡°One hint to start and go from there?¡± He also sat. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Lnd hesitated to pull the chair out. ¡°I don¡¯t think I like where this is going¡­¡± ¡°Oh sit,¡± his mom chided. ¡°It¡¯ll be fun. A mage should always know what¡¯s going on around them, don¡¯t you think?¡± Giving a slow nod, Lnd waited for the first hint. A minute passed. ¡°Was that supposed to be the hint?¡± he finally asked. ¡°Yep!¡± His face found his hand. ¡°Can you repeat it?¡± ¡°Oh Lnd, not a good start,¡± Spencer said with a smirk. ¡°Mages should be aware of everything said to them or around them.¡± ¡°Right, right, around them. Sure.¡± Lucia almost giggled at that. Lnd took his time more for the fact that he could rather than that he needed to. He cautiously panned through the room, finding Jude and his family eating, Glenny and his father talking to each other in whispers, and a group of people in the corner working on documents stamped with the Royal seal. He did not, however, see Aunty P. and he was sure she hadn¡¯t left the room. Well, was that true? Did she ever enter the room? Thest thing he definitely remembered was that she opened the door and said a few words. But that was minutes ago¡­ If he was going off of the information that she had entered the room, there were only a few ces she realistically could be. That was if she wasn¡¯t standing invisible somewhere. The room was rectangr in shape, with two firece hearths set at either end. Only the far one was lit, it being the safer of the two options as it was furthest from the set of double doors that opened to the room. If his parents were guarding someone in the room, someone he couldn¡¯t see, then it would make the most sense to have them sit as far away from the door as possible. That person should be Princess Sybil, since his parents had previously told him she would be here. But with how Aunty P. disappeared, Lnd hesitated to rely on that information. So he didn¡¯t, instead focusing on what details he could find in the room. The table of officials signing documents seemed¡­ out of ce. They wouldn¡¯t need guarding, as they were unlikely an assassination target, and they hadn¡¯t looked up at all of themotion. They just continued to work, signing document after document¡­ Lnd frowned, finding their movements awkward. They weren¡¯t just signing the documents, they were signing the documents in the exact same way each time. The longer he stared at them, the more sure he was that they were making the exact same motions over and over again. And just like that, Lnd¡¯s mind filled in the gaps, erasing the illusion from his sight. Aunty P. sat where the illusion was, smiling at him. ¡°Good work, Lnd! You solved one of this room¡¯s mysteries!¡± she announced, pulling the attention from everyone in the room. All of the parents looked over, then back to what they were doing. Jude and Glenny, however, stared at the table in the corner before their eyes zed over and they returned back to eating or talking. ¡°Guess they didn¡¯t break the illusion,¡± Spencer said. ¡°Oh the limitations of being a punchy-type.¡± Lucia gave him a look and then turned back to her son. ¡°What else can you see?¡± As Lnd thought about it, there was something nagging in the back of his mind. He couldn¡¯t quite figure out what it was, and that truly bothered him. He scanned over the room again and again. He was sure something was out of ce, but the longer he looked, the more his eyes went out of focus. Nothing immediately jumped out at him, not like the fake officials, which meant one of a few things. First, there was an even stronger illusion going on. If there was, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to find it. Not without a clue to go by. Second, there was someone, or something, invisible sitting right in front of him. He¡¯d spent long enough with Glenny to recognize a few of the inconsistencies with invisibility. Usually these inconsistencies didn¡¯t matter in battle. Glenny moved too fast and too irregrly to properly track, even if there was an asional flicker of something visible. It was always a somewhat opaque fold, like a ripple of texture that wasn¡¯t supposed to be there. But as Lnd looked through the room, he didn¡¯t find any inconsistencies like that. So that left him with the third option. He wasn¡¯t looking in the correct spot. There were a few rituals that would help him solve this problem, none of which he had the reagents for. So that left good old fashion guessing and checking. One by one, Lnd began to mentally go over every item in the room, focusing intently on what said item looked like and what it was meant to do. A fork was a small metal pitchfork made so people wouldn¡¯t have to touch food with their hands. A goblet was a red metal cup, allowing people to drink from it. Eventually he went through more than half the room beforending on a quilted chair. He couldn¡¯t think of what it was. He knew he was supposed to, just he¡­ he¡­ His vision zed over. It took a few blinks and a moment to realize something had happened. As he categorized each and every item, he numbered them systematically. A hole in his system alerted him to foul y. ¡°The chair,¡± he grumbled, a headache forming. ¡°Good,¡± his mom sang. ¡°What about the chair?¡± He forced himself to look, finding it easier now that he knew something was wrong with it. ¡°There¡¯s an impression on the cushion. Someone is sitting in it.¡± ¡°And who would that be?¡± His first guess was Princess Sybil, but he didn¡¯t dare suggest such an answer. Not without being sure. The worst thing right now would be to be wrong, to give his mom more fuel to embarrass him with. So, he stared. He looked and looked, he tried to see through whatever was obscuring him. Eventually the headache became too much and he looked away. ¡°It¡¯s okay sugar,¡± Lucia whispered. ¡°You are trying to fight a divine artifact¡¯s power. Even to identify something¡¯s off is greatly impressive.¡± Spencer spoke next, ¡°Can you remove the mask, Sybil?¡± Chapter 129: Sybil Chapter 129: Sybil Last in line for the throne, Sybil Palemarrow suddenly appeared on the chair Lnd¡¯s mind forced him to improperly see. Almost instantly sensory information assaulted his eyes, creating a wide arc of vibrating colors. He grit his teeth, almost casting Harbinger¡¯s Halo and Touch of Regeneration to heal himself. But that would be in poor taste and even poorerpany. Lnd wasn¡¯t foolish enough to think that Aunty P. wouldn¡¯t recognize a Harbinger¡¯s mark. There had to be some information about Harbingers in the Royal vaults, even if the Inquisitors, such as his parents, were not privy to such notions. Aunty P. being the Royal Liaison to the Inquisitors, along with being the eldest princess, had to have given her some measure of secrecy. ¡°Sybil, you remember Lnd, right?¡± Lucia asked in a way that obviously implied she did remember him. The princess nodded meekly, her hands fidgeting around the white rounded mask. It was nk besides two eye holes, but it still proved to be enough of a deterrent for onlookers. Created from a dead Lord¡¯s bones, the mask was considered one of the Palemarrow Empire¡¯s most important weapons, even if it didn¡¯t provide anything other than camouge. A divine artifact was a divine artifact regardless of ability. ¡°And Lnd, you remember the Youngest Princess, right?¡± This time it was Spencer who spoke, interrupting his wife¡¯s meddling. Before Lnd could respond, Aunty P. yelled from across the room. ¡°Get the boy a drink! He looks like his mind is about to splinter!¡± With that his parents turned and frowned. A momentter there was a sh of light and the tink of a ss as a portal snapped open and a cup of water was teleported. His dad thrust the drink over. ¡°Sorry son, divine artifacts can be unpleasant.¡± Lnd nodded along, sipping the water like it was a healing stream from the Swirling Pools. Eventually he looked back to Sybil, finding the mask¡¯s power gone. The Sybil from his memory was faint and blurred, nowhere near the young woman sitting before him. From a childish tomboy who decided to y in a courtyard fountain and draw enough worry to send the butlers into a fit, to someone befitting of a Royal title. She wore her Empire¡¯s colors, red and white, which contrasted with her dark yet scarred skin. Lnd didn¡¯t know the history behind the scars that wove through her lip and right eye, but he was familiar enough with battle to know how proper wounds looked. Swords, daggers, axes, each had their own weight and thickness as well as pattern and stroke, none of which held a candle to the scarring on the Princess¡¯ face. Even through countless healing treatments, Lnd could tell Sybil¡¯s scars were deliberate and practiced. There was a level of precision to the wounds, a deeper understanding of pain than a warrior taking a swipe or an assassin going for the kill. No, Sybil was tortured, that much was evident from theck of damage the scars created. One went through her eye,ing ever so close to actually blinding the poor girl but stopping just short. The other rose up and through her lips, cutting from her chin into her cheek while staying away from bisecting bone or a nasal cavity. ¡°Uh, er, hello,¡± Lnd coughed out, which prompted a set of giggles from across the room. Lucia and Lnd both whipped to attention, scowling at Jude and his parents for the disruption. Each, in turn, held up their drinks, content with watching the ¡°show.¡± ¡°G-good day,¡± Sybil then said. ¡°How have you been?¡± Before Lnd could respond, Spencer spoke up, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe over here and sit with us? That way we don¡¯t have to yell across the room.¡± A groan sounded from Roy Brown. ¡°No whispering! We want to be able to hear!¡± Everyone ignored him, even the Princess and her aunt as the pair slowly sauntered over. They sat, and quickly the conversation resumed. ¡°I¡¯ve been fine, I guess. My adventures with Jude and Glenny have been hectic if I¡¯m being honest. A few close calls, but we all have gotten a lot of experience,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s¡­ good,¡± Sybil looked like she wanted to say something else, but a guiding nce from her aunt made her change her approach. Lucia almost rolled her eyes. ¡°Lnd, why don¡¯t you tell us about some of your adventures, yeah? I¡¯m sure Aunty P. and Sybil would be as interested as your father and I are.¡± Lnd hesitated, looking around the table. Everyone seemed to lean in a bit, like they were waiting for him to start a race or unveil a new invention. He took a breath, finding that Glenny and his dad were still talking quietly and Jude and his parents were doing something suspicious with copper coins while keeping an eye on the conversion. ¡°Well. I guess starting out, we took a caravan detail to Liontrunk where we¡­¡± Lnd then gave a highly redacted version of events leading up to the battle with the Sightless King. His parents smiled the whole time leaning into one another rxed, even after the part where Glenny went missing. At the mention of the Huntress they had stiffened but that quickly dispelled when Lnd mentioned House Onryo and the corruption they were seeking to rectify. It was a bit surreal for Lnd, telling his parents about a House they directly intervened with some years earlier. He often forgot that it wasn¡¯t just Glenny¡¯s mom that was stationed in Shoutwell and in fact every adult in the room had been except for Aunty P. ¡°Artificial Lord?¡± Sybil finally asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡± Aunty P. was the one who answered. ¡°They are rare and all but extinct on this continent. Your mother saw to that. And I say good riddance.¡± She made a humph at that. ¡°Monsters that somehow are able to sway the minds of the weak, allowing them power only fathomable to those who are truly worshipped.¡± Sybil¡¯s jaw went progressively more ck as the exnation went on. In the end, she looked at Lnd in a new light. ¡°And you three killed it? That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Well no,¡± he corrected. ¡°The Huntress did, but we battled with the Sightless King¡¯s main follower.¡± ¡°Oh. But what happened after that? I mean, you helped save the city! That must have given you rewards fitting for a hero!¡± Lnd didn¡¯t know about that. He said as much. ¡°I got some paper.¡± ¡°Paper?¡± Sybil asked like the statement was in anothernguage. ¡°Yeah, the expensive magically delivering type.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She deliberated for a moment. ¡°Well, was the progression in your Legacy worth the effort?¡± Lnd hesitated. ¡°I was given an extra primary spell from my Lord, yes.¡± ¡°Oh that¡¯s wonderful! That¡¯s quite rare. What does the spell do?¡± Lnd had his hands on the table, but at the question he subconsciously began to retract them, making an effort to hide his crow tattoo. ¡°Oh it¡¯s, uh¡­ I can make fire.¡± ¡°Fire?¡± Sybil asked despite a warning re from her aunt. ¡°You are not a Legacy of Fire, are you?¡± ¡°N-no. I, uh,¡± Lnd looked around the table for help. His parents were hesitant to intervene, knowing that their involvement might cause a bit of a stir in the eyes of the Youngest Princess. Luckily, Aunty P. had grown up and worked directly with individuals of secrecy. Hiding one¡¯s Legacy, to her, was natural. ¡°Sybil, deary, that is a rude question,¡± she said calmly. Sybil frowned at that. ¡°Is it? Spencer and Lucia told me their Legacies.¡± ¡°Yes but they work for us. Lnd does not, and if he wishes to keep his Legacy unknown, that is perfectly eptable.¡± ¡°Oh okay¡­¡± she turned to Lnd. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± Lnd said, an idea forming that could potentially ease the tension. ¡°I would like to tell people my Legacy, but I kind of made a big deal about not telling the Huntress when we first met her. And well, she scares me and I think she¡¯d be more insufferable if my Legacy somehow got back to her. Hopefully we will never see her again.¡± Aunty P.ughed at that, but Lnd could see Jude nodding along with the statement across the room. Sybil also seemed to be understanding but as her aunt just continued tough, the atmosphere became awkward. The younger princess was growing red from the older one¡¯s excessive bellows, especially after Jude¡¯s parents joined in a momentter. Lucia sighed, nting her face into her palm while Spencer eyed the support beams in the ceiling. ¡°What is¡ª¡± A thud crashed beside the table where Lnd and the others sat. Something fell with the weight of a cascading waterfall, kicking up what little dust remained in thevish building. The thing unfurled itself to be a middle aged woman wearing dark leather armor and a warm cloak that looked like it was made of trimmings found in a garbage pit. There was no mistaking who the person was, however, which only resonated with the fact that Lnd had just insulted her. ¡°Lnd,¡± the Huntress acknowledged with a sinister grin on her face. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve shown you scary yet.¡± Chapter 130: Suspicions Chapter 130: Suspicions After a fun-family filled night, the time off Aunty P. had given the Inquisitors came to an end. It wasn¡¯t that she wished to keep the boys from their parents, but rather there were dangers around every corner. It wasn¡¯t just someone wishing to kidnap Sybil but also opportunistic individuals wishing to cash-in on the royal presence in the city. Sybil and her aunt technically didn¡¯tarrive in the city for another day, but those with a keen eye already knew the royals were present. No one thought anyone was going to attack before the Royal Dream, but there was always the possibility. All of this together caused Lnd to ask his dad to portal him outside the city limits and into the nearby forest. ¡°Why?¡± Spencer asked. ¡°Err,¡± Lnd looked to Sybil who was having breakfast at the same table, ¡°because I want to exercise.¡± A snort sounded from near the hearth. Isobel then said, ¡°A mage looking to exercise? I¡¯ve seen it all!¡± Lucia frowned and sent a weak wave of electricity. It wasn¡¯t enough to hurt anyone in the room, but for Isobel, her hair suddenly found itself sticking straight up. ¡°If Lnd wants to exercise, then who are we to stop him?¡± Still frowning, Spencer asked, ¡°But why outside the city? There is plenty of room in the courtyards to run around.¡± Lnd swayed a bit, catching a nce from Glenny. The rogue was sitting a few seats away, unenthusiastically toying with half of a grapefruit. His dad was nowhere to be seen, but since he was the leading expert of stealth for miles around, Lnd suspected he was much closer than it appeared. Glenny took the hint and spoke up, ¡°Well I was going to go with him if you didn¡¯t mind portaling us both. I wanted to test out my cloak without prying eyes.¡± Spencer made a face that clearly revealed he did not believe the boys. Lnd sighed. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed, okay? I¡¯ve run thest few mornings and each time I¡¯ve thrown up.¡± He didn¡¯t miss Sybil ncing away while the Huntress snorted. Lucia leaned over and rubbed her son¡¯s back. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be embarrassed about something like that. Everyone has to start somewhere.¡± ¡°Mages further behind than most!¡± The Huntressughed. Even Sybil frowned at her, unamused. ¡°Want to wait for Jude and his parents to get back?¡± Spencer asked. Aunty P. may have had their parents working despite the boys being in town , but that didn¡¯t mean she was apathetic to the fact they hadn¡¯t seen each other in some time. And since not everyone was needed at all times of the day, she had organized a rotation of time off for the Inquisitors, which was especially easy since the Huntress was assigned to guarding Sybil as well. Jude had drawn thergest stick and his parents got time off first. ¡°No,¡± Lnd said. ¡°I¡¯m sure Jude will be unconcerned that he didn¡¯t get to exercise with us this morning¡­¡± ¡°Well alright then,¡± Spencer said. ¡°Don¡¯t be out too long. The Reflections should be starting in a few hours.¡± Today marked the start of the Royal Dream, the beginning of Ruinsforth and the Reflection Kingdom starting to be one. What it truly meant, the boys didn¡¯t fully know. Only that specters and ghosts were among the more tame attractions. And with that, Spencer, a powerful Legacy of the Mage specializing in spatial magic, opened a portal to a random spot in the forest where he sensed no living things besides nts and mundane animals. Glenny and Lnd stepped through, leaving their parents, Sybil, and the Huntress alone. Lucia and Spencer, while worried, also knew certain aspects of Lnd¡¯s abilities. They, not even for a moment, believed he was just embarrassed to be seen huffing and puffing. Which, to them, meant more than they let on. Lnd obviously didn¡¯t trust someone in close proximity. The obvious answer was the Huntress. It was no secret to them that Isobel was following and helping the boys. It was also no secret that something had happened to Lnd after theyst spoke to him via portal. Whispers that the High Inquisitor and the Huntress had a meeting in the field were well known at this point. And along with the Huntress randomly being on Sybil¡¯s guard duty? Lucia and Spencer could easily make guesses. Now, the question was, was the Huntress tasked with following Lnd and reporting back to the High Inquisitor about a potential Harbinger threat? Because if that was the case, Lucia and Spencer needed to know sooner thanter. There was also the possibility that Lnd didn¡¯t trust Glenny¡¯s dad or Jude¡¯s parents. But Lucia and Spencer found that unlikely. Which left Aunty P. and Sybil. Sybil was incredibly unlikely to be the subject of Lnd¡¯s distrust, leaving only Aunty P. Lucia and Spencer could see their son worrying about those close to the Queen, but he¡¯d known Aunty P. since he was a kid. Which routed their rationale back to the Huntress. It only took a nce for the husband and wife to read each other¡¯s minds on the subject matter. They agreed, looking over to where the Huntress¡ª ¡°Where¡¯d she go?¡± Spencer asked, standing. Sybil patted her face with a napkin, then stuck her mask on. Her voice came out a bit augmented. ¡°Don¡¯t know. But Aunty P. warned me about her. She said the Huntress was ¡®unreliable but trustworthy.¡¯¡± Lucia looked to the corner where an invisible figure sat beneath a cloak of des. Carmon slowly appeared, her eyes adjusting to the odd field of aura his Legacy created. ¡°Did you see where she went?¡± Carmon nodded, ¡°Into the portal with our kids.¡± ¡°What?¡± Spencer yelled. It was his portal, how did she go through without him noticing? ¡°That weapon of hers. It held the ability to blink. She must have killed a mage of some kind recently.¡± Spencer was about to protest more, but the doors of the hall opened and Aunty P. stepped in. He grit his teeth, much like his wife was already doing. They had a job to do, they couldn¡¯t just leave because they had a hunch the Huntress was investigating their child. If their instincts were incorrect, a lot of things would instantly go wrong. ¡°Ready to go?¡± Aunty P. asked, looking around. ¡°Where¡¯s Isobel? She was supposed to be on overwatch.¡± ¡°Outside the city with Lnd and Glenny,¡± Carmon casually said, oblivious to any possible behind the scenes happenings. Aunty P. sighed, removing a pad of paper from her pocket. She marked it, and said, ¡°That¡¯s strike one. Two more and she¡¯s being sent back for my sister and the High Inquisitor to deal with.¡± Lucia and Spencer shared a nce. They could orchestrate two more strikes, right? Send Isobel home before she could truly start her investigation? They were expert mages, that should be a cake walk. As Lnd sprinted around the forest toplete the Lord of Endurance¡¯s daily training, he couldn¡¯t help but feel he was being watched. It wasn¡¯t until the thirdp around the makeshift track that a figure stepped into focus. He groaned. To his right, Glenny sat with his cloak of shadows zing like a phoenix¡¯s fiery mane feathers. He was doing¡­ something, to manipte the parasitic cloak, but Lnd had no idea of the specifics. Truthfully, he was more focused on the figure before him. ¡°Isobel,¡± he said, slowing his pace somewhat. ¡°Oh don¡¯t stop exercising on my ount,¡± she said with augh, kicking off to match his speed. Lnd groaned again, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Just to see what this is all about.¡± ¡°¡¯This,¡¯¡± he gestured around, his breath starting to hitch, ¡°is me making a conscious effort to better myself so something like that never happens again.¡± The Huntress watched him carefully, the running not affecting her whatsoever. She knew what he was referring to, the battle with the Toy Maker. She wanted to stop him where he stood and interrogate him, but she was hesitant. She wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to know the details. She had yed off Lnd¡¯s involvement to the High Inquisitor well enough, but if she knew more information¡­ she might not be able to skirt around future questions. She had decided already though, she trusted Lnd. She didn¡¯t need more details. Isobel turned back, facing the track with new eyes. ¡°I see. In that case, I will help you.¡± Lnd snorted. He had an exercise n from a Lord, he didn¡¯t think whatever she could suggest would be all that helpful. As he went on to exin as much, albeit in a very much redacted way, he startled. The Huntress was gone and suddenly he had a heavy sinking feeling in his gut. His fears were all but confirmed when a small twig ripped through his striding legs. He almost tripped, finding the twig barrel through the dirt like aunched cannon ball. Lnd froze, the ground resembling a meteor¡¯s aftermath. ¡°That was a warning shot!¡± the Huntress called from somewhere in the canopy. ¡°Unless you dodge, next time I won¡¯t miss!¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to take my leg off!¡± Lnd shouted back. ¡°Eh, you have a healing spell, remember? And I¡¯ve got potions if something really bad does happen!¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m not doing this!¡± The Huntress appeared back at his side, silently leaping dozens of yards without making so much as a leaf fall. ¡°You don¡¯t want my help?¡± Lnd hesitated on answering. If she was offering, then yes. He eyed the twig buried in the ground. ¡°N-not like this¡­¡± She gave arge huff. ¡°What do you have in mind then?¡± He thought back to his battle with the Harbinger, specifically the puppets he controlled. Lnd had spent the battle dodging fists and blunt weapons. And while he did survive, he was closer to death in the aftermath than ever before. ¡°Close range,¡± he said with a bit of determination. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be able to beat someone in a melee, I¡¯m not that kind of fighter, but I want to be able to survive a scrape.¡± The Huntress pondered the request. ¡°I think I can help with that.¡± ¡°Fine, but no hurting me to the point either of us have to expend a healing resource.¡± Lnd paused. ¡°My definition of a healing resource,¡± the Huntress frowned, ¡°And we start after my run. I can¡¯t break my daily streak without good reason.¡± Chapter 131: Cloak Chapter 131: Cloak Glenny¡¯s cloak pped in a windless stream. Shadows tethered themselves to the dark material of the parasitic item, shifting it to something living. It breathed light and dark, deepening in tandem with its wearer. Spider silk made of darkness rose from the ground shadows, pumping it full of energy and limitless garner. Glenny opened his eyes, peering out across the forest. A little ways away, he could hear Lnd panting like a dog while the Huntress threw weak punches at him. Lnd was dodging, but progressively by close and closer means. He was growing tired, and the Huntress didn¡¯t care to pull her punches. asionally Glenny would feel the Huntress¡¯ eyes on him, but he figured she¡¯d be watching. She was, after all, a weirdo. He took a step, focusing intently on the shadow tethers holding him in ce. They came undone with a muted squeal, whipping out and restructuring themselves into the shadowy forest floor. Previously, the cloak provided him with energy it gathered from the moon. Now, at the very least, the cloak pulled energy from shadows. But that left the question, shadows have energy? Glenny tried not to think about it as he kept a walking pace. Control, as he knew through his dad, was a tight investment. There was a sweet spot between letting abilities or items unleash their full power and containing them to the point of being moot. He needed a base line, which he was trying to find by forcibly manipting the cloak¡¯s shadow tethers. As soon as he focused on a grouping of tentacles, he tripped, falling hard onto his face. He let out a groan, slowly getting to his feet. The power of the cloak was fleeting. It came and went as he breathed, halting and moving without warning or prompting. It reminded Glenny of a boat on the ocean, drifting with the waves. So, what if he created a wave? Controlling the weird and extreme was bing something of a specialty of his. The Sightless King¡¯s power materialized itself as a whisper, something in the back of his mind told him how to control the powers that make up reality. The cloak was no different, and as soon as he touched upon his wave analogy, the cloak reacted differently.Glenny, back to standing, was abruptly thrown hard left. He caught himself beforending in a brutal set of bushes, but he didn¡¯t miss the sideways nce from the Huntress. He imagined what she must have seen; himself being yanked by an imaginary thread of strength. He situated himself despite this, a smile on his face. It wasn¡¯t much and he wasn¡¯t even sure if he did it correctly, but the changes in the cloak came in two fold. Glenny knew in the back of his mind, like the power from a Legacy, what the cloak was supposed to do. w against the shadows. The phrase came to him with a half imagined prospect. He instantly reached out to make another wave, this time correcting the direction. He watched the shadow tendrils leaching from the cloak¡¯s hems when the wave hit, pushing them along to find a new grip. Theyunched, pulling Glenny along with them. It was only a few steps, but it was near instant like snuffing out antern¡¯s light brought darkness in less than a blink of an eye. Glenny, this time, imagined things a bit differently. Instead of creating a wave that pushed him in a direction, he created a wave that pulled him to a specific location. The shadows around him darkened as his request was fulfilled with an eager lick. The shadows, he realized, wanted to move. They were drawn, pulled, by the darker shades. A tree blocking the sun¡¯s direct light? The shadows demanded Glenny take them there. He almost stumbled at the feeling. Like a dam breaking, foreign plea, wants, and needs barreled through his mind. They spoke in hundreds, thousands even, of voices, all with different pitches and speed. Gurgled mutters and symphonic sybles shed, riding the wake of noise to bring enough focus to Glenny ¨C their master. His head spun, and he reacted. Without thought, without reason, Glenny created a wave, pulling himself and the cloak to the darkest shadow around. It wasn¡¯t even in his line of sight, but he still appeared there. It wasn¡¯t a teleport, but rather a sprint. A dead sprint powered by the essence that created shadows. The forest passed him by at speeds that rivaled even that of the Huntress. Speeds that maybeeven usurped her. He appeared inside a downed log, crouched like a gopher in its nest. His vision spun as he epted his fate for the next minute. He was in a log, resting, and that was oddly fine with him. He let out a stiffugh that soon devolved into a horrid guttural whimper. His eyes had it the worst; the feeling of being so utterly dry that the few specs of dust trapped under his eyelids felt like sandpaper. The rest of his body had simr ailments. His toes, bruised under the nail. His teeth, wobbling like he had just been punched. His fingers felt like they were seventy years old. His stomach was encased in iron. His¡­ his¡­ Glenny shifted slightly, staring at his shoulder where the cloak ovepped his shirt. The darkness that created the shadowy fabric was dark. Far darker than before. Far darker than a normal shadow. The tendrils shimmied around the inside of the log,pping around the dead bark like a maid with a duster. Slowly, the tendrils gulped in more darkness, pushing the cloak even more beyond. They were consuming, Glenny realized as he noticed the shadows in the log disappearing. He gave a harsh frown at that, and shifted once again. He found the ending of the log, where some animal had borrowed through. There was a ne of light, stopped at the apex of the trunk¡¯s initial interior shadow. ¡°Huh¡­¡± he was able to mutter. He stayed like that,ying in a log, for a few minutes or until his cloak finished drinking the shadows. He wasn¡¯t sure what came first, to be honest, only that he was getting tired of the voices inside his head. The cloak¡¯s thousands of voices, which he called ¡°Tendrils,¡± were in ecstasy about consuming such a deep shadow. Some, however, were bing afraid the darkness was eventually going to fade. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯ll get you more shadowster. Just stop yelling in my mind,¡± Glenny said, mainly talking to himself¡­ although, if the Tendrils could hear him, that¡¯d simplify things. They, of course, didn¡¯t acknowledge Glenny¡¯s request in the slightest. By the time he stood, breaking apart the rotting husk of a tree, Glenny had more or less pushed away the Tendrils until their voices became just another set floating around his mind. The Sightless King now had friends. He shuddered. A sound befitting a dying rhinoceros closed in on Glenny. He spun, finding Lnd, Harbinger¡¯s Halo aze, slowly running to him. He wasn¡¯t so much as running, but rather teetering forward at a pace that forced him to move his legs otherwise he¡¯d topple over. He kept tapping himself with a purply green finger, healing his gorged lungs and increasing his total steps by that much more. ¡°G-glenny!¡± Lnd shouted with lungs a quarter full. ¡°A-are ¨C A-are you¡ª¡± ¡°Am I okay?¡± Glenny interpreted. ¡°Yeah, but I think I¡¯m done experimenting for the morning.¡± Lnd hunched over, his palms on his knees. ¡°Stand tall, Smart One!¡± The Huntress boomed from an above branch. ¡°Hands on your head, let the lungs fill!¡± Lnd cursed, but the Huntress didn¡¯t seem to mind. She turned to Glenny. ¡°Some cloak you¡¯ve got there.¡± He nodded a bit mutely. ¡°Looks like it.¡± The Huntress narrowed in on him, but she couldn¡¯t get a read. She sighed and said, ¡°Time to get back. The Reflections are starting soon.¡± The boys followed her back to the city after she jumped down. Much to Lnd¡¯s dismay, she trotted with a speed well above a normal walk. He¡¯d jog every few steps before walking a few and so on. ¡°So this is torture, huh?¡± he muttered to himself. The Huntress acted like she didn¡¯t hear, but a smile came to her face. By the time they made it back to the royal campus, the sky was high overhead and the smell of delicious food wafted in the air. Spencer, Lucia, Sybil, Aunty P. and Carmon were all out, but a set table told the group that they¡¯d be back rtively soon. Jude and his family already had a seat at the table. ¡°Oh Leals,¡± Jude said, ying up aforting tune, ¡°you look like you just took a dip in a stream.¡± Lnd grumbled something, his sweat filled shirt sticking to him like glue. He sat without a care, however, having noticed a warming rune etched into the base of the seat at breakfast. Sitting, his muscles instantly rxed, drifting away into bliss. He capitalized on the arrangement by sipping on a ss of tangerine juice a server brought out. Glenny, likewise, activated the same rune and sat, but he instead drank a lemon and mint drink that was oddly salty. He thought for a moment before looking at Diana, Jude¡¯s mom. ¡°Do you have any tips for moving at very high speeds?¡± Across the room, slumped in a chair, the Huntress snorted. Diana blinked a few times. As a high ranking Legacy of the Berserker, she was, by far, the fastest out of the cluster of Inquisitors protecting Sybil. Evenpared to Lucia¡¯s lightning steps or Carmon¡¯s enhanced legs, she was the fastest. Well, of course excepting movement via portals ¨C Spencer¡¯s mobility just wasn¡¯t a fairparison. ¡°How fast are we talking?¡± Diana asked with a raised eyebrow. The Huntress chose to answer. ¡°Nigh a teleport.¡± That got Roy¡¯s attention. Being the slowest of the group of Inquisitors, he was always looking for a way to keep up. Enchanted items were his greatest ally but were costly to maintain and even more so to purchase. He, unfortunately, did not have a parasitic item that helped in this endeavor. Roy chucked. ¡°So you¡¯ve got yourself a speedy cloak?¡± Glenny nodded. ¡°Lucky dog,¡± Roy said with a smiling huff. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t a teleport?¡± Diana asked. ¡°Because that isn¡¯t in my expertise.¡± ¡°My eyes were dry, once I stopped,¡± Glenny said and Diana nodded like everything suddenly made sense. ¡°Yeah that sounds like high speeds. I have some tips, yeah, but for payment I want to see you and Jude duel. He was talking up his incarnation blessing and we¡¯re excited to see what he can do.¡± Glenny gave a nod. ¡°I¡¯m interested in seeing what I can do now as well¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind dueling in the courtyard, then how about this evening?¡± Before Glenny could respond, the door opened and Aunty P. strolled in. She looked to each and every one, especially noting the Huntress. Right behind her, a transparent man entered. The Reflections had begun. Chapter 132: Ghostly Reflections Chapter 132: Ghostly Reflections Before the boys could so much as frown at the transparent man, he shimmied to the side before speaking. ¡°Announcing His Majesty, King of the Reflection Kingdom, Sir Harlen of the Dormant.¡± At his words, a troop of trumpets began to y. The sound appeared from within the room, a previously invisible grouping of transparent people engaging in the music. They red into being, slightly blue but otherwise indiscernible. They gestured with their instruments as the song changed, turning from horns to a string symphonic. The boys looked between each other. With the summons, a figure appeared beside the original transparent man, thus exercising the announcer¡¯s duty. He faded away. The figure slowly became less and less translucent as he walked into the room. Regal silks first materialized, coloring themselves in as the music continued to st. A scepter was next, finding the man¡¯s hand just as a horned crown presented itself. All in all, the man, obviously a king, continued into the room as more and more royal mantle flexed into reality on his body. By the time thest set of earrings and a golden crown appeared, the man was significantly more opaque than before, although light still traveled through him a bit. The music red a final crescendo that pulled at reality, causing an equally overwhelming throne to appear at the head of the room¡¯s main dining table. The King, Harlen, sat as the final note finished. The band then faded away, just as the announcer did moments ago. One by one, he looked at the room¡¯s inhabitants. He started with Roy and Diana, quickly finding their child, Jude, then Glenny and his cloak that reached for shadows. Finally he found Lnd, and smiled.¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t know another royal party was inbound to this soiree. Well met, Son of the Cmity, my name is Harlen of the Dormant.¡± He made a strange face. ¡°Is sweaty a modern fashion style? Have Ie underdressed?¡± Almost instantly, Harlen¡¯s over the top dress drooped and filled with water. He dripped an off-blue liquid, creating a cascading waterfall from the seat of his throne. Lnd, however, didn¡¯t notice. He forced himself to straighten his posture before stealing a nce at the Huntress, Jude¡¯s parents, and Aunty P. who was still waiting at the door. Roy and Diana were the easier to read of the three. They looked at Lnd a bit awkwardly, especially since Jude and Glenny both quickly found themselves gazing at the ceiling. Jude¡¯s parents knew there was a story here, one that was most likely a secret since Jude hadn¡¯t previously told them about Lnd¡¯s title. Aunty P. however, was as stoic as a statue. She didn¡¯t show anything but a gentle smile, the same one she normally wore. But Lnd could tell, deep within his gut, that she was looking at him with the eyes of a political reverend. Whether she recognized the title or not, just being called royalty by someone with the title of King, kicked up a storm in her mind. The Huntress, meanwhile, had her focus solely on a bagel-like hunk of bread. He didn¡¯t know what to think about her in this situation. Lnd cleared his throat and spoke to Harlen, ¡°An honor, my¡­ liege, but I am no royal. Just a young man with connected parents.¡± Harlen eyed him with a bit of amusement. He smirked, expelling the water from his clothes to the side. The water poofed into a blue haze, which quickly formed a servant. The transparent servant gave a small curtsey before pouring a blue drink into a goblet that at some point formed in Harlen¡¯s hand. Lnd and the other boys were captivated by the sight. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen too many ghosts made out of an entire kingdom, have you young Cmity?¡± Lnd swallowed at the title. ¡°Please, call me Lnd. And I¡¯ve been to Ruinsforth twice during the Reflections, although only as a tourist.¡± Harlen narrowed his eyes but smiled. ¡°I see, then how about a proper introduction?¡± Before Lnd could respond, his parents, Sybil, and Carmon all walked in. Their presence, however, didn¡¯t deter Harlen from his grandeur. The King stood, sending his throne spiraling back into a puff of ghastly smoke. Harlen extended his hand to Lnd, sending the world into an eclipse. The room darkened and elongated, turning oddly circr like looking through a domed window. Specters appeared next, like the souls Lnd summoned. They entered with a harrowing wind pushing in a new life to the silent room by means of convergence. One next to the other, rows upon rows, to heed the royal call; all with glowing blue eyes and an iridescent sheen. Farmers, bakers, military men, schrs, servants, murderers, thieves, the unlucky many of the Reflection Kingdom formed and sought out their temporary life. They all stared at Lnd, guiding his hand into Harlen¡¯s. ¡°King Harlen of the Dormant. Former Legacy of the Void Caller.¡± His voice came out hesitant, ¡°Lnd Silver¡­¡± Harlen quirked an eyebrow, but epted the improper introduction with a smirk. They parted hands, casting away the ghosts that filled the room and the effects they produced. The King then sat back down, recreating his incorporeal throne. Aunty P. walked into the room proper, frowning. She gave Harlen the look, saying, ¡°What did I say about doing that? You¡¯ll scare someone to death!¡± Harlen tilted his head to the Eldest Princess. Lucia and Spencer locked eyes with the Huntress as they entered, each giving a brief re. From there, they sat beside their son. Carmon likewise went to Glenny but Roy stopped him cold. ¡°Our sons have promised to duel this evening! Think you can clear the time to watch?¡± Carmon regarded his old friend for a long moment. His cloak of des shifted uneasily on his shoulders, an improper thought urring to him. Did Roy really believe he¡¯d ignore a chance to see Glenny fight? He resented the notion. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t miss it,¡± he said, taking his ce at the table. As Harlen asked about this supposed duel between Roy and Diana, the other parents discussed various things with their children. Spencer and Lucia questioned the Huntress and her involvement in Lnd¡¯s morning exercise. He promptly stated she punched him multiple times in ¡°training,¡± a smile on his face the entire time. His parents, however, didn¡¯t find it funny nor warranted. They red at Isobel despite her back being turned. Glenny told his father of his findings with his cloak, specifically the nigh teleportation level movements it produced. Carmon listened intently to dozens of ideas on how to incorporate such an item into a move set or fighting style. When Glenny mentioned he asked Diana for some tips for moving incredibly fast, his dad produced an obvious answer. ¡°Just adapt to the speed.¡± It was the first time Glenny had ever heard his dad mention the Legacy of the Chameleon¡¯s hidden ability and it honestly threw him for a loop. Under a hushed voice, he asked about his mom¡¯s abilities and how she implemented adaptation. ¡°Your mother was always on the lookout for things she could adapt to. She believed there only to be a handful of poisons that could kill her. I watched her nearly kill herself adapting to something impossibly unique only for it to save her life a few years down the line.¡± ¡°Why¡­ why didn¡¯t you tell me about adapting sooner?¡± Glenny asked, remembering when the Huntress first exined the intricacies of his Legacy. Carmon couldn¡¯t look at his son when he spoke. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t want you to go through that pain.¡± Glenny pulled himself back, his eyebrows shooting to his hairline. ¡°But after all of the training you made me go through? After being woken up in the middle of the night to spar or learn dances? You pushed me so hard to survive! But you didn¡¯t want to tell me about adapting because it may bring pain? Pain that would allow me to survive?¡± He was whisper yelling at this point,pletely uncaring that others might hear. Luckily for him, one of the other adults had created a bubble of privacy around them, silencing their words from outside listeners. Well, that wasn¡¯t quite true. The creator of such bubble, Aunty P. listened to the conversation quite intently. Actually, she listened to every conversation she could. It was, after all, her job to know where the threats were and who they were speaking with. While she didn¡¯t think anyone in the room was about to do evil, she wasn¡¯t ignorant of the fact that there were a series of mysteries surrounding Lnd and the Huntress. But that was neither here nor there. She was here to protect Sybil and orchestrate the Royal Dream. Lnd and his mess wouldeter, but right now¡­ she strained a bit, tilting her head just ever so slightly. A Legacy ability activated with impunity, and she touched upon the ending of a conversation. Her old bones went cold, her mouth went dry, her hands clenched. Another ability activated, and now she heard everything within the royal campus and more. ¡°Your mom was supposed to tell you when you were ready. I know that she¡¯s gone and is nevering back, but I didn¡¯t want to undermine her decision on the matter,¡± Carmon continued. ¡°Pain, Glenny, is something you can¡¯t fully heal from, even if you adapt to it.¡± Glenny stared at his father. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means, there are wounds that not even the Lord of Chameleons himself can walk away from. And I¡¯m not talking about a knife to the back.¡± Carom took a deep breath. ¡°So yes, I didn¡¯t tell you because I didn¡¯t want to see you go through the same as she did. I didn¡¯t tell you because I don¡¯t want to abolish her image. I didn¡¯t want to tell you because, in all honesty, I was opposed to you adventuring in the first ce.¡± Glenny found that hard to believe. ¡°Adventuring is everything to you.¡± ¡°Not true. It was, for a time, but then we had you and priorities changed. I never would have thought¡ª I didn¡¯t think your mom was going to die the way she did.¡± ¡°But you¡ª¡± ¡°I isted you because your mom wanted you to make your own choices. To decide your own fate. I forced you to train, yes. I hid adaptation from you because I¡¯m a coward, yes. I wanted you to survive and grow powerful, but I didn¡¯t want to see you in pain.¡± Glenny found himself sucking on the back of his bottom lip. This wasn¡¯t how he imagined his reunion with his dad going. They had talked for hoursst night but that was all superficial at this point. A rehashing of his journey so far, the battles he faced, the lives he took. Nothing of substance, only tales to tell around a campfire. No, those conversations were not the ones he promised himself he was going to have. His time with Gelo and Floe came back to him, his introspection around love and family. His anger was easily swallowed. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not a kid. I can handle the things you don¡¯t think I can understand. Mom being gone left a huge hole in my heart, and it only grows when we speak. I-I need you to shrink it, I need you to be my father.¡± Carmon listened silently, finding himself nodding alone. ¡°I want that as¡ª¡± ¡°Sorry to bother,¡± Aunty P. said, interrupting with a whisper into Carmon¡¯s ear. ¡°Trouble. A maid six hallways to your right. About forty meters underground. There¡¯s a cer in the gardener¡¯s tool shop below the bolted shelves.¡± Carmon¡¯s eyes went progressively wider. But he stole hisposure, asking only one thing, ¡°And the gardener?¡± ¡°Ignorant. The cer is known to anyone but a few. Capture her. I have questions.¡± Other than Carmon suddenly vanishing from his seat, the only evidence that he left was a wine ss that shook slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry dear,¡± Aunty P. Said to Glenny, ¡°your dad loves you very much. All he talks about is you and how he wishes to be by your side.¡± A question poured from Glenny¡¯s mouth before he could think it over, ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t he quit the Inquisitors and do that?¡± She gave a somber look. ¡°Because he also has a hole in his heart. And it is toorge and too broken to do anything other than wallow.¡± Glenny didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. Chapter 133: Left Behind Chapter 133: Left Behind Lnd felt¡­ weird. There was something not right about the scene before him. It wasn¡¯t King Harlen, in all his ghostly glory, talking to Diana and Roy. It wasn¡¯t his parents¡¯ hushed question about the Huntress. It wasn¡¯t Carmon¡¯s sudden disappearance and Glenny looking at Aunty P. like she¡¯d grown a second head. No, there was something nagging at him. Something that he should be able to put together. That his mind¡­ no, that his perceptions should ount for. Slowly, like the game he yed with his parents the night before, Lnd started counting objects. The answer jumped out at him like a frog hidden in the dark waters of ake at night. It was hard to see, impossible to see, but he did see, nheless. Well, that wasn¡¯t true. Lnd saw what wasn¡¯t there, what his instincts told him was real but what his mind told him was nothing but an empty chair. He was told not to think about the chair, which twisted in his gut. He scraped past the sludge and mildew, pushing his mind to see the chair. The real chair. The person sitting in it. The power created by Sybil¡¯s mask burned in the back of Lnd¡¯s throat as he peered past its mor and at the young princess. Veins bulged in his forehead, his foot began to thump. Sweat cooled him partially, but the brunt of the mask drilled past all of his mental defenses. Something snapped in his mind, and the world went dark. Thest thing he saw was Sybil sitting across from him, her mask peering at him in nk contempt. A spike of pain met his cheek and up across his lip. Lnd opened his eyes, finding his mom having aged ten years. There was a worry across her face, like seeing a candle light a silk curtain on fire and being powerless to stop its spread. ¡°W-what happened?¡± he asked, finding his chest wet with his drink and his ce at the table covered in broken porcin. ¡°You strained your brain,¡± Lucia said with acking whisper. Spencer filled in the rest. ¡°You can¡¯t force yourself to see something behind a divine artifact. They are too powerful for someone as young as you.¡± But Lnd did see past it. It was only for a moment, a short, pain filled moment, but a moment, nheless. He didn¡¯t press that, however, his pride already crushed enough bythe room¡¯s atmosphere. All of the adults, stave Aunty P. and Harlen, were on their feet either returning to their seats or caught midway to Lnd. Whether or not he needed their help, he wasn¡¯t sure, but the fact of the matter was, he was going to receive the aid of five incredibly powerful Inquisitors because he tried to look at something he wasn¡¯t supposed to. Like a child staring into the sun. Like a child drowning in a puddle. Like a¡ª Lnd cut off his train of thought. His pride was crushed, yes, but it was over. ¡°Can you see her?¡± Lnd asked his dad. ¡°Well yes,¡± Spencer said. ¡°But that¡¯s only because I¡¯m ustomed to the mask¡¯s effects and have much better senses than you.¡± Lnd wondered about that, especially what it meant to be ustomed to a divine artifact. In a way, he knew he was far and away the person in the room with the most experience with Lords and their divinity. Well, except maybe Harlen. Lnd didn¡¯t know too many ghost-people, after all. He didn¡¯t raise his thoughts, nor argue when his mom pushed him to go change. Lnd epted the walk of shame, exiting into a cracked stone and gravel pathway leading up a hill. The campus was huge, farrger than he originally anticipated, remembering the correct way to where he, Jude, and Glenny were staying was a bit of a mental exercise in and of itself. ¡°Lost?¡± a voice called. Lnd spun, finding¡­ nothing. Actually, he found something incredibly interesting about a tree in the distance while forgetting that someone had spoken to him. He continued to his room, still dripping. ¡°Lost?¡± the voice asked again, causing Lnd to spin again. This time, however, he found Sybil looking at him without her mask on. She held it in hand, her arms crossed before her waist like a prisoner in shackles. The noon sun was bright yet unthreatening, the winter air had yet to fully clear, putting the princess in an odd spot. It was too warm to wear full winter garb but too cold to wear much more than a coat. Yet, as a royal, there was an example to set. One that preferred form over function. Her current set of clothes didn¡¯t sway from this pattern. If it wasn¡¯t for the enchanted scarf she had twisted around her neck, she¡¯d be sweating through her white and red fleece shirt and coat much like Lnd was. She fidgeted, especially around her chest and shoulders, the stitching just small enough to be ufortable. ¡°Maybe a bit,¡± Lnd replied hesitantly. ¡°Are you fine to be walking alone out here?¡± Sybil rolled her eyes, the scar bisecting her face moving a bit with the gesture. ¡°I have you, a hardened adventurer, to protect me. Right?¡± Lnd felt the question was a trap. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put your life in my hands if I were you. Protecting someone isn¡¯t my specialty.¡± She smiled at that. ¡°Ah, I trust you,¡± she stepped beside him, ¡°and I¡¯ve got miss broody back there in case you fail.¡± Lnd followed her gaze, finding the Huntress staring intently from across the way. From the Huntress¡¯ hook-like posture and her ever charming frown, he was able to deduce she was not happy to be following them around. ¡°Nowe on, let¡¯s go.¡± Lnd turned to her. ¡°You know I¡¯m going to change?¡± He pinched his shirt, peeling its wetness off his bare skin. ¡°See?¡± ¡°Oh I know. I watched you m your face into the table, remember?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± he grumbled, ¡°that was all a blur.¡± Sybil giggled. ¡°All a blur, huh? But no, I¡¯ve found lunches with important people like Harlen to be¡­ constricting.¡± ¡°Constricting?¡± She nodded, and they continued through the courtyards and around manicured shrubbery. ¡°Harlen is the King of a dead kingdom. He literally holds every single one of his citizens in his ghost-body because he was a powerful Void Priest when he was alive. How am I supposed to talk to someone like him? Aunty P. doesn¡¯t seem to have a problem.¡± Lnd did not know that, but kept it to himself. ¡°You''re living in the shadows while you''re supposed to be in the limelight, huh?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Sybil said before she subconsciously touched her face. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal until after the kidnapping.¡± The word was said like just speaking of it would break a taboo and summon a vile fiend to recapture her. Tortured or not, the remembrance of being forcibly taken chilled her spine and made her jittery. ¡°Sorry,¡± Lnd said, lifting up his shirt a bit. ¡°I know about scars myself.¡± Two vertical slits ran parallel with his bellybutton, the base of the lines crossing just enough to make a deformed ¡°X.¡± They were faint, the regrowing power of his Touch of Regeneration and the Huntress¡¯ high quality healing potion almost enough to fade them away. But scars like that didn¡¯t just vanish, no they lingered, they stayed just long enough to remind of pain, of failure. Of being alive. Because she was trained not to reveal her emotions, Sybil¡¯s face remained neutral as she looked at Lnd¡¯s scars. She was surprised, very much so in fact. To her, living the same boring day at the castle, talking to the same suck-up fake friends, and never being allowed to live, created a rift in her mind. The repetitive and monotonous was on one side of the chasm, while everything to do with a proper life remained isted on the other side. One such isted memory was of her and Lnd ying in a fountain. It had been some time since theyst saw each other, but Sybil still remembered the kid struggling in the arms of whatever attendant found them. She remembered his ferocity to not go willingly, she remembered him being scolded by his parents, she remembered his promise of marriage even if he didn¡¯t truly know what marriage meant. But now? Sybil saw scars, she saw sweat, she saw him straining his brain to the point of passing out. In some ways, he was the same Lnd she remembered, but in others¡­ he was impossibly different. ¡°You know, it was your dad who found me,¡± the words came out before Sybil could think them over. She hadn¡¯t told anyone other than the few who needed to know like Aunty P. and the High Inquisitor, about what happened during her kidnapping. She had kept the events well and close to her heart, even from Spencer, who retrieved her, and Lucia who had spent every day since then watching over her. ¡°Portals, I presume?¡± Lnd said, leading the way despite not knowing where he was going. Sybil nodded. ¡°The one who took me was a Legacy of the Pathways. A Witch. While his magic isn¡¯t quite the same, Spencer was able to trace the pathway and find me.¡± ¡°And the Witch?¡± ¡°Still out there. Her partner, a vile Lord¡¯s Legacy, saved her when half the Royal Guard invaded theirir.¡± Lnd nodded slowly. ¡°Harbingers.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The Legacy of vile Lords are called Harbingers.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, well. You have experience with them?¡± ¡°Somewhat,¡± Lnd said hesitantly. He didn¡¯t look, but he could feel the Huntress still staring. ¡°One gave me my scars.¡± Sybil looked at him wide eyed. ¡°Same with me,¡± she whispered. ¡°Hmm, there must be some rule that states Harbingers have to leave scars wherever they go¡­¡± Lnd regretted the joke the moment he said it, although she didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Your Harbinger, the one that attacked you, is it dead?¡± ¡°Yeah, the Huntress took care of him.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°When mine attacks again, he¡¯ll die as well,¡± Sybil said, something deep within her glowing. ¡°Uh, you¡¯re glowing,¡± Lnd promptly said. And she was, literally. Beneath her dark skin, her bones were illuminated with a pale gray glow that bled through her winter coat. The glow waved and fluxed, shifting brightness wherever Sybil looked. She raised her arm with an impatient grunt, the light fluttering into something more. She became amp, one that might have created heat or leaked mana¡­ until the glowing cut off. She panted, her scarf soaking up the sweat that would have formed along her brow. ¡°Are¡­ you okay?¡± Lnd asked, not exactly sure what just happened. Sybil waved her hand, sucking in breath like a post-race horse. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Lnd nced at the Huntress and he wasn¡¯t sure if he should be d that she was now staring at Sybil rather than himself. For some reason that felt wrong, and he stepped between them. ¡°Come on, I have water in my room.¡± ¡°This her?¡± Aunty P. asked Carmon while looking at a young woman bound in runic etched chains. Glenny¡¯s dad nodded, the des on his shoulders shifting with bloodlust. ¡°She tried to fight.¡± He nodded at his arm, where a gash in his shirty. The wound had already healed over, but the fact of the matter was, she did hurt him. Which meant they now housed a dangerous individual. Aunty P. saw this and calcted, one of her Legacy abilities activating. For a moment she stayed silent, hundreds of thoughts urring to her at once. She filtered theme or exaggerated, finding the ones that stuck. ¡°Did she attack on sight, or when you tried to take her in?¡± Aunty P. already knew the answer, but what she didn¡¯t have were the details. She could hear all inside the campus, something she needed to keep hidden from even her most trusted allies. Which was well and dandy, but she couldn¡¯t see through walls, which might prove critical in this situation. Facial expressions often told way more than words, after all. ¡°She tried to y it off. She acted scared and afraid, like she was lost in the tunnels rather than meeting someone,¡± Carmon said. ¡°And this someone?¡± Again, Aunty P. already knew what happened to the enemy, but she needed the visual details. ¡°The figure was obscured to my eyes, but obviously feminine and a Legacy of the Pathways. I recognized the spell work from, well, Sybil.¡± And there it was, confirmation. ¡°That will be all then, Carmon. Send Spencer to investigate where the pathway was created. I doubt there will be anything there at this point, unless our enemy is stupider than we gave them credit for. If there is, it¡¯s most likely a trap. Have him report to me once done.¡± Carmon gave a subtle nod, disappearing from the room without a trace. Aunty P¡¯s eyes left the bound woman and found the ghostly apparition of what would have been her equal if the Reflection Kingdom was still alive today. The man, the Eldest Prince of the Reflection Kingdom, met her gaze. Seeing a ghost was strange to her, but such was the Reflections. A summoning on mass scale, amissioned defensive pact with being long gone from this world. To the outside, it was nothing more than a phenomenon, but Aunty P. knew the reality. Sometimes you need a monster for protection. ¡°Well? What do you think?¡± ¡°I think you needed my help more than you care to admit,¡± he said. ¡°Your help? Or your brother¡¯s?¡± Aunty P. asked. Lane of the Dormant smiled. ¡°My help is his help, we are but one mind after all of these years.¡± ¡°Then what good is individuality?¡± ¡°The Void holds many secrets, such as how I can still use my Legacy after all this time. Why do you think we, the Reflections, were tasked with helping the Palemarrows. Because there are things that not even you could do.¡± Aunty P. raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°Oh? Do show then.¡± Lane didn¡¯t reply, instead his off-blue eyes turned stark ck. He froze like a statue as his ability connected to the prisoner. Her eyes turned ck as well and she looked at Aunty P. ¡°How can I serve?¡± the bound woman asked with the voice of Lane. Aunty P. didn¡¯t waste time. ¡°Tell me about the ones you consort with. The Harbinger and Witch.¡± Chapter 134: Whisperer Chapter 134: Whisperer Later that night, Jude and Glenny had their duel in front of a plethora of high-renowned Inquisitors and multiple members of royal families. They took their marks on opposite sides of a particrly ¡°gross¡± courtyard, as Aunty P. put it. If they destroyed the garden and trimmed bushes, so be it. Aunty P. didn¡¯t mind a total renovation of the yard. Jude, donned in his full frosty antler armor, stood at the ready, his eternally blood stained battle axe at the ready. He had shown his parents the effects of Floe¡¯s incarnation blessing, but without a proper rage-filled battle, it was a limited disy. Glenny, likewise , wore his full set of dark leather armor. The magic absorbing effect would do him little good when it came to fighting a physicalbatant such as Jude, but it was Glenny¡¯s best set of armor. He stood somewhat stiff, his shadowy cloak unveiled to the fullest extent he could. He had spent thest few hours talking to his dad about the cloak. Glenny still wasn¡¯t happy with his rtionship with his father, but it would take more than a single conversation to fix years of grieving and loss. He knew this and didn¡¯t push, instead focusing on things they both knew how to do. Fight. At some point, Aunty P. had allowed Carmon a few hours off to be with Glenny. They, of course, trained with focus on an adaptive fighting style based around Glenny¡¯s cloak. He was nowhere near perfect but was getting the hang of it by the time evening rolled around and the duel was due to start. King Harlen particrly was interested in the duel, stating that he ¡°is quite bored most of the year in the Void,¡± and that the only interesting time is during the Reflection when he returns to the material realm. Seeing a duel was about the only entertainment he would be privy to since he had kingly duty and matters to attend to as the week went on. So, Harlen sat on thewn, his ghostly throne cemented in stone. It propped him up just a bit higher than the rest of the onlookers, as to ¡°get a better view.¡± Lnd, having long returned from changing with Sybil, didn¡¯t know what to think about Harlen. On the one hand, he seemed to just be around, making his presence known as a King and that he was a ghost from the Reflection Kingdom. But that was about it. Sybil said that some of his citizens were important for the Royal Dream in a few days, so there was that he supposed. Although he didn¡¯t really get it. From what he remembered abouting to Ruinsforth as a kid, the Reflection was more of a whole city event. The memories were hazy at best, but Lnd kept returning to a scene of noise andughter. He remembered sitting on his father¡¯s shoulders as his parents moved down a crowded street. There were magical streamers floating through the air, music around every corner, and more than enough performers to always be entertained, all the while ghosts moved around the city like tourists. Lnd supposed he¡¯d learn more about the Reflection ghostster tonight when his parents were off duty. They promised to take him into the city, which meant plenty of time to ask questions. ¡°Ready?¡± Roy shouted to the boys. Both gave a head nod. ¡°Go!¡± A cold wind rushed through the courtyard as Jude¡¯s body frosted over with hoarfrost and icy tes. The new icebined with the ice already on his armor, reforming into spikes and thick hinges. He still had plenty of movement, the ice almost conjoining with his joint. He screamed out a frozen war cry, a trail of frost instantly freezing over in front of him. It crossed a few steps into the courtyard in a cone shape, killing the grass instantly. With a twirl, Jude brandished his axe forward, leaping to Glenny. Glenny, meanwhile, didn¡¯t sit still. First making himself invisible, he sprinted perpendicr to his opponent. As he ran, two crimson red bars extended from his palms. Normally, he forged ded weapons but those simply wouldn¡¯t do against a heavily armored target. Instead of a dagger or sword, he created two one hand axes with a blunt hammer side and a pointed spike side. With the weapons¡¯ creation, a few of the adults watching grunted in satisfaction or gave low whistles. Those who couldn¡¯t see through invisibility only had their imaginations. Judended with a frozen up-earthing wave. Rocks covered in hoarfrost jutted from the ground in a half-ring, but unfortunately for him, Glenny had long moved. Glenny circled back, striking out with the spike part of his weapons. He wildly swung into the back of Jude¡¯s knees, sending chunks of ice flying but otherwise failing to bypass his armor. Taking it in stride, Glenny moved with his opponent, slipping to the side of Jude as he raised his weapons high. He mmed down with the hammer portions directly onto Jude¡¯s wrists. Only cracks echoed the force of the blow, although they instantly froze over with more ice. Jude spun, swinging his axe. It was wild and unflinching, yet caught Glenny off guard by speed alone. Shadows copsed around him, pulling him back to one of the few shadows the courtyard held. It was connected to a pottery vase, one that wasrger than him and held a golden flower. Glenny didn¡¯t notice the flower, however, his throat scrunching from the sudden shadow step. He grit his teeth, allowing a Legacy ability to take hold. His sight sharpened along with his other senses. He watched Jude carefully as he regained his breath, slowly shifting his conjured weapons to be just a bit more tailored to defeating Jude. They grew in length and width, while the deadly portions shortened. He needed a bit more leverage to get past Jude¡¯s defenses, not a longer spike or arger hammer head. Jude, during this, wasn¡¯t waiting idly. He yelled taunts and insults, most of which were something that a seven year old would create, not so much a warrior. Both of his parents had their hands across their faces. Jude abruptly stopped yelling, noticing a footstep across the frosty grass. He smirked, leaping across the distance in mere seconds. Hended, breaking apart the ground like before, but shooting off to follow the footsteps. He whipped his axe wide, sending a blue frozen crescent de of raw rage forward. The attack missed, but Jude knew he had him. The footsteps had suddenly ended, with no invisible person standing in them. Glenny had used the cloak again. ¡°Stop running!¡± Jude yelled. ¡°We both know you can¡¯t use your cloak that many times!¡± And he was right. During the few hours Glenny and his dad worked on using the cloak, they had learned a rough estimate of just how many times he could shadow step. It was a matter of distance really, meaning longer steps took more stamina than shorter ones. Luckily, the cloak itself had a means of circumventing that problem. In its previous form, the cloak would use the power of the night sky to keep Glenny in the fight. Now, after its evolution, the cloak required shadows. Jude watched the shadow connected to a tall potted vase with a golden flower disappear. That was not something he¡¯d seen before, but he didn¡¯t need to. If anything, it was just one less ce for Glenny to step to. He leaped, throwing his axe mid-air the moment Glenny¡¯s footsteps started running in a direction. The axended just in front of the invisible man just before Judended behind him. The berserker dove, taking the rogue to the ground. They both struggled and squeezed before the mass in Jude¡¯s hands suddenly disappeared. Glenny reappeared across the way, in the shadow of Spencer standing at the edge of the courtyard. ¡°Take it slow,¡± the portal mage suggested. ¡°Shh!¡± Diana quickly chastised. ¡°That¡¯s cheating!¡± Glenny honestly wasn¡¯t sure about the advice anyway. ying slow a slow hit-and-run type of strategy was well and good, but he just didn¡¯t have the stamina for that. Especially if Jude could track him in the frosted grass. He was running out of shadows to step into as well unless he wanted to wait around for the shadows to naturally regenerate. It was one of the Tendrils that whispered the solution to him. It wasn¡¯t so much words, but the vague feeling of something important, something key. Jude had a shadow¡­ and an unguarded chin. The helmet Jude wore was antler and frost, with pleated tes of ice down the back of his neck and along his cheeks. Yet, there was a small gap where the armor attached to his chest piece was supposed to cover. All Glenny needed to do was get Jude to look up. Jude hesitated when Glenny appeared fully visible by the crowd of adults, Lnd, and Sybil. ¡°I¡¯m not going to attack you there, man,¡± he yelled. ¡°Someone might get hurt.¡± Although he doubted that, Jude still didn¡¯t want to attackinto the crowd. He¡¯d rather call the duel right then and there than risk hurting someone. Luckily, Glenny agreed with the sentiment and stalked around him in a wide circle. Jude slowly spun within him, finding himself at the center of the courtyard with the setting sun behind him. ¡°Ready?¡± Jude asked, wondering why Glenny was still visible. Glenny nodded, one of his crimson weapons reforging itself to be much longer and thicker. He took a ready stance, before taking a deep breath and focusing on the wave his cloak needed to move him. Jude crouched a bit, readying himself to leap but stopped when Glenny threw the shorter of his conjured weapons high into the air. All eyes went to the weapon, except Glenny himself and his dad. Before the weapon reached the apex of its arc, Glenny pulled his longer weapon back, resting the hammer head gently on the grass. He swung. Then he shadow stepped. The hammer rose upward in an arc, appearing in Glenny¡¯s hands within Jude¡¯s shadow. The berserker hardly had the time to flinch let alone react. The crimson weapon smashed Jude in the chin, splintering what little ice armor was attached to his head, sending him a foot into the air. Judended hard, unmoving and unconscious. In the reigning silence, a fear crept through the shadows deep within Glenny¡¯s heart and mind. He assumed the worst and forgot about everything other than guilt of potentially killing his friend. A flicker of a memory surfaced among the whispering cloak shadow Tentacles and Sightless King¡¯s mania. Glenny saw Jude impaled by antlers and dying. The world slowed down as a gray tinge radiated from him, from his cloak, yet his thoughts didn¡¯t hesitate. The question of how to save Jude rushed to his mind, along with potential solutions. He suddenly was within the sandy arena of King Everald, fighting the semi-sentient stag monster to the bitter end inside a dungeon away from all semnces of help. Jude was hurt back then, right? He was practically dead, right? How did they save him back then? Lnd. Lnd used his magic, he did something to amplify emotions. He did something to heal Jude. The world still gray, Glenny appeared inside Lnd¡¯s shadow. ¡°Heal him! Quick!¡± The world¡¯s gray tone ended at that moment, bringing forth a rush of fatigue and exhaustion. Lnd blinked in surprise, taking a step back. ¡°They¡¯ve got it,¡± he said, pointing to Jude. With the adrenaline of a prowling lion, Glenny turned back to find Diana, Roy, and Spencer all standing over Jude. Multiple portals were open and various items were floating through them, all of which Roy was catching. He handed a few vials to his wife that she then poured down her son¡¯s throat. ¡°He¡¯s good, Glenny,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Good duel.¡± ¡°I¡ª I thought I killed him.¡± The words caused a cascade, and suddenly Glenny wasn¡¯t a lion but a suffocating fish dragged ontond by a predator long gone. Lnd caught him as he fell. A voice appeared beside Lnd. ¡°Glenny said ¡¯heal him.¡¯¡± Aunty P. repeated with a finger touching the tip of her chin. ¡°I thought you were a mage? Mages don¡¯t have healing spells, clerics do. Just what are you, Lnd Silver?¡± Chapter 135: Silence Chapter 135: Silence A million different things sprung to mind as Lnd stood awkwardly holding onto a limp Glenny. He tried not to look Aunty P. in the eyes, thinking the gesture would show a level of guilt he wasn¡¯t yet ready to exin away. A mage with a healing spell, while not unheard of, was quite unusual especially for a lowly rank two. Legacy specializations left a mage, by far, a nk canvas to specific utility. Lucia and Spencer were prime examples. One specialized in everything lighting, the other everything portals despite both being Legacies of the Mage. Arcane healing was a known route a Legacy of the Mage could walk. Lnd knew this, and he could only assume Aunty P. did as well. She was ying him, and he just didn¡¯t see why. Nor did he know the best course of action. Luckily, the Huntress stepped in. ¡°Lnd¡¯s the mule.¡± Aunty P. looked between the two. ¡°Is he now? I suppose that makes sense. Potions are quite breakable after all.¡± Lnd caught the Huntress¡¯ eye. She didn¡¯t so much as blink in his direction. ¡°Marvelous duel!¡± Harlen then announced, seeing Jude was now awake. ¡°Simply marvelous! The children in this day and age are so much more¡­ ingenious than back in my day!¡± Harlen turned to Glenny. ¡°What a magical cloak! Very interesting effect! Shadow stepping, if I saw correc¡ª¡± The Reflection King cut himself off, finally noticing that Glenny was unconscious in Lnd¡¯s arms. He then stepped off his raised throne, misty blue stone steps appearing mid-air as he walked. He arrived just before Glenny, reaching his arm out.¡°Now that simply won¡¯t do,¡± Harlen gave Lnd a respectful look. ¡°May I?¡± Before Lnd could respond, Aunty P. said, ¡°Of course you can.¡± Harlen gave her a sly smile. ¡°That is not for you to decide, Eldest Princess.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± The ghost King didn¡¯t care to respond, locking eyes with Lnd. ¡°May I?¡± ¡°S-sure?¡± he said with the hesitance of a newborn fawn. Harlen¡¯s smile grew wider as he rubbed his pale blue hands together. An invisible presence appeared deep within the man¡¯s incorporeal form, one of many heads and even more hearts. He gently touched Glenny as a quartet of ghostly men appeared a dozen steps away. Slowly the men yed their trumpets, their rhythm starting out slow. A white blizzard reflected in Harlen¡¯s eyes, the invisible presence surfacing for but a brief moment. The trumpets grew louder. The presence traveled through its vessel¡¯s arm into Glenny, stirring his consciousness into a frenzy. Wrinkles creased Glenny¡¯s sleeping forehead, creating a beading of sweat. He shifted ufortably in Lnd¡¯s arms, his shaky movements growing with the trumpet¡¯s increased vigor. They zed, quick repetitive notes, like a bard apanying a heroic tale. At least, until Glenny woke up. The musical ghosts took their cue, disappearing back into Harlen like nothing ever happened. ¡°I just love a good show,¡± Harlen said to a confused Lnd before helping Glenny to his feet. ¡°Good duel. It was grand entertainment.¡± ¡°W-what just happened?¡± Glenny asked, finding everyone, except the Huntress, looking at him. Even Jude, who was very much alive and even smiling. ¡°Nothing like the call of the Void to get the mind going!¡± Glenny did not know what that meant. But he did know the feeling in the back of his mind. Soothing was the best way he could put it. Quiet, even. His mind filled with the Sightless King¡¯s empty threats and the cloak¡¯s whispers was quiet. ¡°Do it again.¡± Harlen raised an eyebrow. ¡°Interesting. And why would I do that?¡± ¡°Because¡­ because¡­ please?¡± Harlenughed, the sounding out as multiple voices. ¡°Glenny,¡± Carmon said, appearing at his son¡¯s side in an instant. ¡°Why are you asking that?¡± For a moment, father and son stared at each other. The reasoning was simple in Glenny¡¯s eyes, but not something he wanted to express out loud. They had already had an argument about the Legacy of the Chameleon¡¯s adaptation and Glenny¡¯s mom¡¯s addiction to adapting to everything. Neither of them wanted to hash it out again, but there was a topic Glenny had yet to broach. Glenny whispered, ¡°Did mom ever talk about hearing the things she adapted to?¡± Carmon, and everybody listening for that matter, froze. Abruptly, the cloak of des on Carmon¡¯s shoulders extended in every direction. They split and connected, thin in diameter but growing in surface area. A de-woven dome mimicking cloth was the finished product, and he and Glenny were surrounded, essentially isted from the others. In other words, no one could hear them. ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± Carmon asked. A lump caught in the back of Glenny¡¯s throat. Suddenly he felt like a kid who was about to be chastised for breaking a vase or smearing mud on the walls. He¡¯d get in trouble, grounded and sent to his room without dinner. But then again, he was an adult, albeit young, and it¡¯s not like he wanted to hear voices in his mind. ¡°I hear things,¡± Glenny said. ¡°The cloak whispers where strong shadows are and sometimes hints at how to properly shadow step.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ odd?¡± Carmon said, frankly not believing the statement. ¡°I know there are parasitic items that have egos. They speak aloud, and often bring wisdo¡ª¡± ¡°I also hear the Sightless King.¡± Glenny had told his father about adapting to the Sightless King after being under his influence. It was the Huntress that taught him to adapt, to survive, but he had yet to tell anyone except for Lnd and Jude about the rest. ¡°It started as whispering. The Sightless King promised great power for my help, my obedience. Eventually they swapped to urges, and when that didn¡¯t work, insults. Right now, it¡¯s mainly mutterings but asionally, the Sightless King makes his presence known and tries to goad me into a conversation.¡± Carmon fell into thought. Glenny, however, fiddled with the tips of his fingers, his palms long going mmy. ¡°So?¡± he asked. ¡°What?¡± Carmon¡¯s appearance mimicked his son¡¯s hands, and then some. There was a fear hidden deep within his eyes, a fear that he tried not to show. But Glenny knew his father. He knew what he feared, and he may have inadvertently served it to his father on a silver tter. ¡°Did mom hear voices?¡± ¡°No. No she did not.¡± ¡°Maybe she didn¡¯t tell you¡ª¡± ¡°No, Glenny. This is incredibly strange. Incredibly wrong.¡± ¡°Well it¡¯s not all that bad. The cloak tells me where to step to¡ª¡± ¡°And how long until it tells you to step on a broken branch and you fall to your death? Or to step through a crack in the wall where you will suffocate and die?¡± Glenny reeled back at that. ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡ª¡± ¡°And what happens when this ¡®Sightless King¡¯ says something that actually gets your attention? Its corruption will erode your willpower in a dark moment.¡± The hardness in Carmon¡¯s eyes died. ¡°Trust me on that,¡± Meekly, Glenny nodded. ¡°Why did you ask Harlen to use the Void on you again?¡± ¡°Because my mind went quiet.¡± ¡°You looked like you were in pain.¡± ¡°I was asleep.¡± ¡°You were sweating and writhing.¡± Glenny didn¡¯t know about that. Frankly his first thought was that his father was lying. Why would he be in pain if his mind was finally quiet? ¡°You are not going to ask Harlen to do that again,¡± Carmon said. ¡°And why not?¡± Glenny found himself asking. Adapting was his problem, his problem that his father hid from him. ¡°Because it¡¯s dangerous. We talked about this. Your mom was always hellbent on adapting to new things¡ª¡± ¡°You think I can adapt to the Void?¡± Carmon hesitated. He wanted nothing more than to protect his son. He chose his next words carefully. ¡°You can adapt to anything. Well, almost anything.¡± Outside Carmon¡¯s personal conversation bubble, Aunty P. pretended to be interested in Roy and Diana¡¯s conversation with Jude. They were going over the match y by y and h by h. She didn¡¯t care, nor did she think Sybil ¨C who was standing beside young Lnd, listening intently ¨C did either. No, Aunty P. was focused on Glenny and Carmon¡¯s conversation. She had long ago perfected the art of spy craft, specifically specializing in the aspect of her Legacy, the Legacy of the Fallen Emperor, that truly made her one of a kind. There was not a single privacy spell, ability, or item that she couldn¡¯t break into. With enough time, Aunty P. was sure she could even crack a divine artifact. She had long found that privacy was a one way street, a street that she deemed worthy of walking. It was horrible, at first, but by the age of twenty one, she had thwarted six assassination attempts on her sister, the Queen. It was the sixth time that she truly felt she had found her calling, even if it meant never finding love or a true friendship. Things said behind closed doors often were too vulgar for her to glorify with her presence. After her third failed marriage, Aunty P. decided she would forever be alone. Nothing was worse than knowing that any suitor was sucking up to climb social ranks or to obtain power after years of scheming. By the time Carmon and Glenny¡¯s conversation was over, she had long stopped caring about what they were saying. Young Glenny, while an interest to her, was not pressing enough to worry about now. When he applied to the Inquisitors in a few years she¡¯d remember the conversation and check on the details, but until then, she had a young princess to protect. After making use of King Harlen¡¯s brother, Lane, Aunty P. knew there was more blood to be spilled. And soon. The traitorous maid was only the beginning. Her life, while long over, was just one more added to the growing pile behind Aunty P. Tomorrow was the start, she needed to prepare with Harlen and Lane. Chapter 136: Trust Chapter 136: Trust The next day went by rather quickly, at least for Lnd and Jude. Glenny, while not rxing like his friends, technically had a simple day. Being induced to a dream-like state by a ghostly Priest of the Void did that to a person. With the adults and Sybil moving around the royal campus preparing for tomorrow¡¯s arrival, little was left for Lnd and Jude to do. So after morning exercises, they explored the city together. It was strange seeing the Reflections now that the curtain was pulled back. Streets full of ghostly citizens of an ancient civilization, each partying like their lives depended on it. Which, to Lnd at least, was ironic since they were long dead. But now knowing that King Harlen was the sole cause of this phenomenon was something special. Lnd had eased out some details about Harlen from the man himself. After the duel, Harlen had a much keener interest in the boys, specifically Glenny. From the young rogue¡¯s pleas to help him with the voices in his mind to Lnd¡¯s heritage and Lord, Harlen was more than willing to speak to them. ¡°It¡¯s a simple tale,¡± Harlen had said to Lnd while sipping on a chalice made of golden ghostly mana. ¡°A failure of a King led his people to a slow death but the King couldn¡¯t let his people die, so he made a deal with his Lord for the power to keep them alive. The power came at a cost, however, and now my people and I are one and the same.¡± ¡°That does not sound like a simple tale,¡± Lnd had muttered, sipping his own wine, which was probably the most expensive drink he¡¯d ever tasted. ¡°Then what about the Reflections? Why are you not in Ruinsforth at all times?¡± ¡°The Voides for all,¡± Harlen said with a shrug. ¡°But sometimes the Void needs assistance in making sure that happens.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be a coincidence that the Royal Dream is the same week as the Reflections.¡± ¡°It is not, and I suppose I can tell the tale to someone with your stature.¡± Lnd was slow on connecting the dots. ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea what you mean.¡± Harlenughed. ¡°I¡¯m sure, I¡¯m sure.¡± He gestured to his right, sending a glob of blue mist to the floor. The glob morphed into the form of a server, who then poured him another cup. The person melted back into mist, which then rejoined with Harlen. ¡°Tell me,¡± he then asked Lnd, ¡°what do you know of the Royal Dream?¡± ¡°Not much, only that it is the ceremony around a Palemarrow¡¯s Dream Ceremony.¡± ¡°Correct, but only partially. No, the Royal Dream is a cover for a Lord to walk this realm.¡± Lnd flinched at the statement. He suddenly felt an odd sensation on the back of his neck, like someone was staring at him. He turned, finding Aunty P. smiling harmlessly at him. He returned the gesture, then turned back to Harlen. ¡°What do you mean,¡± Lnd leaned forward and whispered, ¡°¡¯a Lord walks this realm?¡¯¡± ¡°Well now,¡± the ghost King said with a smirk, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the Palemarrow Kingdom¡¯s greatest secret.¡± He swirled his drink around. ¡°I suppose you, being who you are, do have the right to know.¡± Lnd frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not who you think I am.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I forgot again. Silly me.¡± Harlen¡¯s eyes drifted past Lnd to Aunty P. She did not look back at him. ¡°An awkward predicament you¡¯ve found yourself in. One I will not mention again, if you so wish.¡± ¡°Please.¡± Harlen threw up his hands, nodding at the request. ¡°I see. But to answer your question¡ª¡± ¡°Excuse me, everyone!¡± Aunty P. dinged her ss several times with a snail-shucking fork. ¡°Your attention please, I have a few announcements.¡± Everyone gave her their undivided attention. ¡°Tomorrow is a big day, one filled with many appointments and many more preparations.¡± She raised her ss to Sybil. ¡°My youngest niece officially arrives in the morning, meaning her neenth birthday nears.¡± Aunty P. then drawled on about what it meant to be family and such. She ended the speech with, ¡°So, since tomorrow is such a big day, let us end the night here and get some much needed rest.¡± Suffice it to say, Lnd didn¡¯t get to finish the conversation with Harlen, not that he wasn¡¯t disappointed. He had long learned that Lordly dealings were something of a slippery slope. He didn¡¯t want anyone besides those he trusted knowing about his contracts, and frankly not knowing about the Palemarrow¡¯s operations was probably for the best. Although Lnd was able to infer a few things. His parents had told him that Harlen and the rest of the Reflections were allowed to walk the mortal world for the Royal Dream ¨C specifically to defend it. Now that he knew a Lord was involved, having a whole ancient city on retainer seemed like a good starting move. The change from the isting silence of the royal campus to Ruinsforth¡¯s main square was something akin to entering a dungeon. Jude and Lnd, if they were any less rugged, would have long ago been swept into the sea of never slowing people. The flow of traffic moved around the city¡¯s greatest tourist locations, and even spilled onto some of the ck stone streets. Lnd and Jude were able to push their way to where they wanted to go, albeit not without effort. ¡°Are these the only books on Ancient Script you have?¡± Lnd asked the clerk of a runic shop after a lengthy wait to get to the front of the store. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied quite crisply. ¡°Are you sur¡ª¡± ¡°Sir, please. I don¡¯t have the time to deal with you. Do you not see how many people are in here right now?¡± Lnd was slightly taken back by the tone, although he did understand. He was costing her potential sales. ¡°I understand,¡± he said, sliding the books over to her. While the books were in the same runguage as the Bookkeeper¡¯s tattoo, they weren¡¯t helpful. The books were basic, nearly identical to the ones he read as a kid. ¡°Any luck?¡± Jude asked once Lnd was outside. The berserker had decided to stay out of the crowded building, if not because of ustrophobia then because he could hum some notes through his harmonica. ¡°No. Looks like I¡¯ll have to go back to that ck stone shop,¡± Lnd replied. ¡°But that¡¯s for when my parents are with me. No way am I going back there without someone worthy of respect.¡± ¡°So does that mean¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Let¡¯s get some meat on a stick and find a music store.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Maybe we can get you something as well. And Glenny for that matter. Just think about how awesome a band we could be if we¡ª¡± His words were cut off abruptly when a small woman bumped into him. It was unbearably crowded, which meant shoulders touching was very frequent. But as Jude had learned from experience, sometimes a simple bump wasn¡¯t a simple bump. ¡°Ouch!¡± the woman sang, finding her wrist encased by Jude¡¯s hands. In her own hand, however, was a small knife, one meant to cut coin purses off a person¡¯s belt. ¡°Ah, a little pickpocket¡ª¡± Almost on cue, the woman activated a Legacy ability and peeled her hand out of Jude¡¯s sp. She then disappeared into the crowd like she was a practiced escape artist. Jude ducked down, trying to see through the street¡¯s forest of legs, but ultimately came up empty. ¡°At least you didn¡¯t lose your harmonica again,¡± Lnd said, patting his friend on the back. ¡°True¡­ although I¡¯m just surprised at how she was able to escape so easily,¡± Jude replied scratching the back of his head. ¡°Come to think of it, during my duel with Glenny, he escaped from my grapple.¡± ¡°He cheated a bit, using shadows and stuff.¡± ¡°But I have cheats of my own too.¡± Jude went thoughtful. ¡°On second thought, let¡¯s find somewhere a bit more open. I need more practice with Floe¡¯s blessing.¡± ¡°Can we do it back at the royal campus? Plenty of tnd up there.¡± ¡°Any more sightings?¡± Aunty P. asked Spencer. They were sitting on twown chairs, both overlooking a small balcony facing the city proper. They had known each other for many, many years at this point, Aunty P. having long used Spencer¡¯s magical talents around the castle. There were few mages who specialized in spatial magic and even fewer who had abative eye. Knowing where to set traps, reinforce weak points, and just how an invader would think were a set of abilities crucial to the Queen¡¯s and the royal family¡¯s protection. And Spencer had long proven to have such capabilities. He was trusted, almost implicitly, by Aunty P. ¡°A few,¡± Spencer replied. ¡°Blips, gone as quick as they appear. Legacies of the Pathway are sly, and she¡¯s only creating pathways for a short time, which makes tracking impossible. Truthfully, I think it¡¯s a scare tactic, not an actual threat.¡± ¡°All threats are actual threats.¡± Spencer might have argued with that when he was younger, but after Sybil was taken¡­ he wasn¡¯t too sure about things anymore. The enemies had already proven themselves capable, something which was incredibly worrying since Carmon had found the traitorous maid. Was the maid a ploy or an ident? Both were possible, while the former was more likely. Harbingers didn¡¯t often make mistakes. ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to¡ª¡± Aunty P. moved her eyes from the city skyline. She found Spencer stone frozen, concentrating on something far beyond her ability to understand. Magic was always magic to her, she never truly sought to learn the craft. ¡°Weird,¡± Spencer said after a moment. ¡°The Pathway just tried to break one of my anchors.¡± ¡°And that means?¡± ¡°She¡¯s looking for weak points? Testing my strength, I¡¯d assume. It was incredibly tant, however. Almost like she was¡­¡± ¡°Spencer?¡± His eyes were darting back and forth, tracing his invisible creations with a master¡¯s touch. As he went, he rethreaded mana up and around, searching everything again and again until¡­ ¡°Found it,¡± Spencer said, creating a portal beside himself. He reached a hand in, pulling out an item from the far end of the city. A piece of paper, folded and addressed to Sybil. He quickly handed it to Aunty P. after a quick series of diagnostic cantrips. The letter was safe. The Eldest Princess flipped open the paper with a bored look. She read over the lines, scoffed, and then tore it to shreds. ¡°Spencer, I¡¯ve overheard a few concerning conversations thest few days about Lnd.¡± He recoiled at the sudden topic change. ¡°Have you?¡± ¡°Unfortunately so. Now, I remember how I was at his age and he reminds me of myself. Troubled. Yearning. Stepping foot onto the cusp of power, a power he isn¡¯t sure he should be privy to.¡± Aunty P. locked eyes with one of her few subjects she trusted almostpletely. ¡°I don¡¯t even wish to begin to understand the secrets he holds, nor care to learn them. Those are his and his alone¡­ I do, however, have to ask, is he going to be a threat?¡± The air went cold and the balcony dry. If Spencer was younger, he¡¯d have answered right away. He¡¯d have dered his son¡¯s loyalty and delivered him to the kingdom hand over fist. But now that he was older, he saw the writing on the wall. He understood what Aunty P¡¯s tone meant and how she expected the future to y out. Luckily he understood the game and what it meant to be a father. The air had gone cold, yes, but it also went dry. And not even the Eldest Princess could create rain. Nor could she defend against a Legacy of Pathways without him or defend against a Harbinger without Lucia. ¡°Of course not,¡± Spencer mused casually, like the topic was deciding a ce to eat dinner and not the life of his child. Any showing of defiance would only prove ineffective against Aunty P. She didn¡¯t get to the position as Eldest Princess by being born second to the Queen. No, she had taken it by force with a bloody dagger. ¡°I see, thank you Spencer,¡± Aunty P. said, mimicking his tone artificially. Internally she was scowling. Spencer was trusted almost implicitly, but unfortunately for him, Aunty P. saw trust as a fake measurement of self-necessity. Everyone was trustworthy until their own goals shed against hers. Which was more often than not. Chapter 137: Dinner with an Old Friend Chapter 137: Dinner with an Old Friend ¡°Is this the ce?¡± Spencer asked, eying the ck stone shop¡¯s fa?ade. There was a definiteck of personnel walking around this section of the citypared to the nonck stone districts, although that didn¡¯t stop the Reflections from dancing around. The ghostly forms moved through walls and around roofs, mostly walking in pairs or groups, although each seemed familiar with one another. And, in a way, they were. Each Reflection was, after all, connected to King Harlen and inversely one and the same. Which, to Lnd, was quite strange. He never did finish his conversation with the Void Priest, but he didn¡¯t need to. There were powersrger than him at work and just knowing that Harlen had eyes all over the city was relief enough. Especially since the parents and Aunty P. seemed just a bit more cautioustely. Lnd had caught his dad looking nkly in the distance a few times now, no doubt controlling hidden magics. It was understandable, however, an Inquisitor¡¯s job is never done. Especially if a royal was involved. Lnd truly felt bad for Sybil, but also knew she¡¯d never exchange her fate for someone else¡¯s. Such was the way of being a princess, always boring until it suddenly wasn¡¯t and your life was on the line. In that way, being a princess was somewhat like an adventurer. Although Lnd would never exchange his life with Sybil¡¯s. He saw the irony in the thought. They were much more simr than he¡¯d ever thought before, which created a bubble of embarrassment in his gut. Lnd eyed his mom, d she couldn¡¯t read minds. ¡°Yes, the Bookkeeper¡¯s,¡± Lnd said, ushering his parents into the small shop. Just likest time, the store was deste other than the lone man sitting behind the counter reading. He was older, but Lnd knew his elderly mask was just a mask of defense. The man had made sure that the boys knew he was a viper. Luckily for Lnd, he brought his parents this time. It truly brought a smile to his face knowing that the man¡ª¡°Franklin?¡± Lnd felt his smile slip. ¡°That is you, Franklin!¡± Spencerughed, stepping past his son and trotting over to the Bookkeeper. ¡°How long has it been?¡± Franklin¡¯s eyes went wide and he quickly threw down his book, the book drifting through the air like a feather. Itnded silently, a bookmarkunching from a shelf to mark the Keeper¡¯s ce. The two men then embraced, each patting the other on the back. Franklin¡¯s eyes drifted past Spencer to Lucia. ¡°Oh Lucia! Quite amazing to see you!¡± Lnd¡¯s mom skipped past him and gave the Keeper a squeeze. ¡°Since when did you set up a shop here?! When¡¯d you leave Ack?¡± ¡°Oh about a year after you two left.¡± Franklin¡¯s eyes fell a bit. ¡°Karry passed not long before.¡± ¡°Oh Franklin,¡± Lucia said, pulling him back into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Spencer added. ¡°She was a lovely woman.¡± ¡°That she was. That she was.¡± Franklin forced himself to brighten up. ¡°But that was, what? A century ago? Trevor and I moved on long ago.¡± ¡°Is he?¡± ¡°Oh yes. Trevor is still going strong. Runs the Delver¡¯s Guild here in Ruinsforth. I don¡¯t get to see him all that often, but he brings me interesting books when he does visit, so it evens out.¡± ¡°A Guild Master?¡± Lucia asked. ¡°Little Trevor? No way!¡± Franklin chuckled. ¡°Just a deputy, although from how he talks about work, it sounds like he¡¯s the master.¡± ¡°¡¯Just a deputy,¡¯ he says,¡± Spencer said mockingly. ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°I suppose it is. I suppose it is.¡± Franklin gave them both a soft smile. ¡°What about the two of you? What brings you to Ruinsforth? What brings you to my shop?¡± ¡°Work for one, and our son for two.¡± Lucia stepped to the side, making sure not to step on any of the books littering the floor. ¡°Franklin, meet Lnd!¡± Franklin¡¯s eyes instantly narrowed. ¡°I remember you. Lad that thought he knew all of Ancient Script.¡± Spencerughed at that, and Lnd felt himself grow hot. ¡°I still don¡¯t believe it¡¯s Ancient Script,¡± he said with a re at his dad. ¡°Oh, Lnd. If Franklin says it is, then it is. Franklin¡¯s not just any old Bookkeeper, he¡¯s an Order Keeper.¡± Lnd raised an eyebrow. ¡°I thought Order Keeper were highly reclusive. Stayed in their grand library or whatever?¡± ¡°Lnd! Watch your tone!¡± ¡°No, no, thed is right,¡± Franklin interjected. ¡°I was an Order Keeper, and they are very secretive and do not leave the library much. But that was a past life at this point. I am a humble shopkeeper at this point.¡± Lnd suddenly felt a weight in his heart. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve gotten the same suspicions hundreds of times before from a thousand different people.¡± Spencer let out a low sigh. ¡°Well, we were nning to ask the owner of this shop a few questions for Lnd, but since it''s you, how about we do it over dinner?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love that,¡± Franklin said. Together everyone moved over a street to a hole-in-the wall eatery that Franklin spoke highly of. Which Lnd thought probably meant the food was actually quite good. If the viper had good things to say, then, well, they must be cooking up gold. After ordering, Lucia spoke up, ¡°Now I know it''s impolite to say, but Spencer and I do have to get back to work rather soon. So we can¡¯t drink like we used to.¡± Lnd coughed. ¡°How¡¯d you both meet Franklin?¡± Spencer answered, ¡°Orders from the Queen to investigate a strange man moving throughout thends. Pretty standard for entry-level Inquisitors if you¡¯d believe it. Luckily for us, it was Franklin looking for a lost book from the grand library, Alivest.¡± ¡°Alivest?¡± Lnd questioned. ¡°One of the smaller grand libraries,¡± Franklin admitted. ¡°But the one housing the most knowledge of rune-script.¡± ¡°Ancient Scrip¡­¡± ¡°Precisely. Now then, give me your hand.¡± Franklin held out his, scrunching it back and forth in anticipation. Lnd did as asked, pulling up his long sleeve to better showcase the tattoo. It hardly shifted at this point anymore, encasing the crow of his Legacy ink in a circle of runic lettering. Franklin gave the art a cursory look before reaching his hand out to the side. A Legacy ability activated and the Bookkeeper suddenly conjured a bookshelf. He rifled through it, finding a small monocle-like lens. He peered through it at the back of Lnd¡¯s hand. ¡°Most definitely Ancient Script,¡± Franklin said, a crease appearing above his eyebrows. ¡°But a subset I am unfamiliar with. I recognize the general pieces, the framework I should say, but even those are slightly morphed. How interesting.¡± ¡°Interesting enough to trante?¡± Lucia asked, batting her eyshes like a schoolgirl Franklin chuckled to himself. ¡°Oh Lucia, you haven¡¯t changed.¡± She reddened at that. ¡°I¡¯ve changed plenty. Just look at Lnd, there was a time I didn¡¯t want kids.¡± Spencer coughed out a string of words, ¡°It only took our four best friends to get pregnant for you to change your mind¡­¡± Lucia hit him on the shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± ¡°Then why is Lnd the youngest¡ª Ow! Stop hitting me!¡± The bickering went on, much to Lnd¡¯s displeasure, until the food arrived. They ate while Franklin grumbled and checked and rechecked the tattoo. He ate and transcribed, not seemingly bothered by multitasking, even keeping up with the table¡¯s conversation as well. Lnd didn¡¯t know much about Order Keepers other than what wasmon information. And while Franklin still bothered him from his past experience with the man, seeing him in his element reminded Lnd of years past. Specifically when his parents were teaching him the basics of magic. It was a nice time, aforting time, back when the job of Inquisitor was put on hold and they were together. Having longe to terms with the fact that his parents wouldn¡¯t be around for some key parts of his life, Lnd had thought seeing them after all this time would be easier. But it really wasn¡¯t. Leaving home, Lnd knew he didn¡¯t want to live in their shadows. He wanted on his own to scale the world and reach the tform on which they stood ¨C or rather, with Jude and Glenny. But sitting there, in that shabby small restaurant listening to his parents talk to an old friend, Lnd was d they could guide him. That they were around. That they still treated him like a kid. Because as much as he¡¯d be hard pressed to admit it, he was a kid and with everything that had happened so far, he was scared. His life wasn¡¯t supposed to be asplicated as it was. It was supposed to be a simple shot to the top, not one filled with Lords and Harbingers, Witches and cults. Despite not being drunk, the realization sobered Lnd to the point he realized he was an idiot. He didn¡¯t have to live in his parents¡¯ shadows. In fact, they weren¡¯t even shadows to begin with. He was the shadow, and they were two stars creating enough light so that he could see on his own. Franklin abruptly went still. He was holding Lnd¡¯s hand inspecting the lettering of the circle tattoo when the other one started moving. The crow, uncaring of the table of eyes all staring at it, shifted over Lnd¡¯s skin unencumbered by measly ink. It almost shimmered as it moved, an eternal smugness held on its little face. The bird went edge to edge of its circr tattoo cage, chomping down on runes and symbols, moving them to other locations like building blocks. It fluttered its wings as it went, dancing, until all of the circr tattoo was rearranged. It was still circr, still made of ink, but now it was something far more. Complex didn¡¯t evene close to describing its intricacies and woven patterns, nor did the fact that it was created by another tattoo. ¡°What in the name of the libraries?¡­¡± Franklin muttered, his eye twitching. There was no asking, no discussion, the former Order Keeper just put his head down and got to transcribing. ¡°Lnd?¡± Spencer asked for himself and his wife. ¡°Yeah¡­?¡± ¡°Just what was that?¡± Lnd saw a few ways to answer. He chose the one he figured would ease the tension. ¡°What? Your tattoos don¡¯t do that?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lucia said tly. ¡°And you know that.¡± Franklin muttered, ¡°¡¯Guiding Ward?¡¯¡± scribbled something, then said, ¡°no, no, that¡¯s not right. ¡®Guiding¡­ Map?¡¯¡± He scratched his head. ¡°Lnd,¡± Lucia then said. ¡°Just what¡ª¡± ¡°Ah ha!¡± Franklin yelped, circling thetest word written in his notes. ¡°¡¯Lodestone!¡¯ It¡¯s called ¡®Lodestone!¡¯¡± Lucia patted Franklin¡¯s arm softly. She then spoke in an incredibly calm voice. ¡°Franklin, that¡¯s great work. And I ¨C we ¨C thank you. But Lnd¡¯s Legacy tattoo just moved and I think that¡¯s a bit more pressing.¡± Franklin wasn¡¯t bothered by the statement, he only continued to transcribe. ¡°Moving tattoos are nothing new.¡± Lnd echoed the sentiment of his parents. ¡°They¡¯re not?¡± ¡°No, but rare, yes.¡± Spencer sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t leave us hanging, what does a moving tattoo mean?¡± Franklin looked up at the question. ¡°Oh. That your son is his Lord¡¯s Champion.¡± He looked at Lnd. ¡°I figured you¡¯d have known that being the Champion and all.¡± Lnd most definitely did not know. ¡°Or,¡± Franklin continued, ¡°I guess it¡¯s possible you could be your Lord¡¯s only Legacy. Then you¡¯d be defaulted as Champion. That would be quite unusual, though.¡± A beat in Lnd¡¯s mind suddenly became clear and he figured there was a bit more merit in Franklin¡¯s words than the Keeper believed. But that was for future Lnd to deal with. Right now, he had two parents who looked quite peeved. ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± he said to them, their statue-like faces unflinching. Lucia was first to crack. ¡°M-my little baby, a Champion¡­¡± Spencer followed suit a secondter. ¡°What a strange world¡­ I mean, Lnd? Seriously?¡± ¡°Hey! I resent that!¡± Lnd said with augh. They conversed a bit longer but the revtion was still too fresh to properly discuss. They hopped around the edge of the whole thing, making jokes and sarcasticments. To each of them, it was oddly pleasant. ¡°So Franklin, what¡¯ve you got for us?¡± Spencer finally said once all of the jokes had been made. Franklin gathered up his notes, looking over them onest time. ¡°It is called ¡®Lodestar,¡¯ like I said. Still a summoned weapon, same as before. I still don¡¯t recognize what form it''s going to take, but I do recognize it is going to be a staff of some kind¡­ Cane? Stave? Not a wand¡­ Perhaps a scepter?¡± ¡°H-how do I summon it?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°That¡¯s the strange part.¡± Franklin reversed his notes so the others could see. ¡°I don¡¯t know what thebination of these three parts create. That will be the summoning fuel.¡± The Silvers knew quite a bit about magic, even Lnd despite being significantly less experienced. On the notes, they each recognized runes for ¡°willpower,¡± ¡°death,¡± and ¡°life.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already started a list of possibilities,¡± Franklin continued, ¡°so far my best guess is a strongly-willed magical beast with aspects in life and death. Maybe a Blight or an Eternal Spring Treant? I¡¯m not fully sure, I¡¯ll have to do more res¡ª¡± ¡°No need. I know what it requires,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°It requires a soul.¡± Franklin blinked a few times. ¡°Now that certainly is a possibility. Although unlikely. I¡¯m not a betting man, but my money is on a Blight¡¯s wing or w. Summoning circles always seem to require a wing or w, don¡¯t ask me why.¡± Chapter 138: Behind the Curtain Chapter 138: Behind the Curtain Sybil Palemarrow¡¯s official arrival to Ruinsforth was an event marked by the ghostly citizens of the Reflection Kingdom all floating over to the city¡¯s main gate. The ordeal created a wake of movement, as citizens and tourists alike followed, much to the guard¡¯s annoyance. Like dozens of fish being packed into a can, the city moved as one down the main street. They mbered over one another to get a better view, hardened adventurers getting elbowed out by grannies like they were tyrannical empresses or nobles shunned away by ratty children. Everyone was equal in the moments leading up to Sybil¡¯s entrance, as the risk of ticking off the wrong person was heavily outweighed by the rumors. Locking eyes with the youngest of the Palemarrows was said to pass on the good fortune of the Queen herself. Where this myth came from? Lnd didn¡¯t know. He had locked eyes with Sybil several times at this point and he would not consider his luck to have increased. But then again, citizens were often bored and loved to gossip, so who truly knew? Jude used hisrger frame to secure a spot for Lnd and Glenny, making use of his armor that radiated cold like one¡¯s breath in winter. Which was unfortunate for Lnd, as his mage robes didn¡¯t help all that much against the cold. Glenny on the other hand? He didn¡¯t mind one bit, his armor absorbing all semnce of the cold. ¡°So is this it?¡± Jude finally asked after an hour of just standing around near the front gates. Lnd scratched his head, eying the Reflections floating through the air. They were the ones who signaled the start of the true festival, yet they weren¡¯t even paying attention to the gates. Sybil¡¯s arrival was imminent but the ghosts were dancing with one another, throwing off-blue globs of ghostliness at one another like snowballs, or entertaining themselves by mocking the crowd like a jester in a tavern. ¡°That is a good question,¡± Lnd eventually whispered back. ¡°But my dad said it was going to suddenly start this year, a precaution as I understood.¡± Glenny added to that, ¡°My dad has been cagy since yesterday morning. He¡¯s very paranoid.¡± ¡°Or scared,¡± Jude muttered. ¡°Or scared, yeah.¡± Glenny frowned, mentally forcing a shadowy tendril leading off of his cloak back. It was trying to drink the shadow of a woman standing next to him. ¡°In other news, Harlen¡¯s treatments have been going well.¡± ¡°Oh? You always just look as if you are sleeping,¡± Lnd said, blowing air out of his mouth in controlled bursts to repel the flies buzzing around his face. If there was one thing about Ruinsforth he hated, it was the musk from the city¡¯s adventurer poption. ¡°It¡¯s much more than just sleeping, albeit I do always feel as if I received a good night¡¯s rest.¡± Glenny nodded toward the nearest Reflection, a man floating through the air ying a ghostly violin. ¡°Notice how all of their eyes are solid white?¡± ¡°Are they?¡± Jude asked. ¡°I thought they were more of an eggshell.¡± The others stared at him. Jude continued, ¡°Like my dad always said, ¡®knowing your colors is better than knowing your numbers.¡¯¡± Lnd blinked a few times slowly. ¡°That¡¯s terrible advice.¡± Jude shrugged. ¡°Anyway,¡± Glenny said with a sigh, ¡°that white is the Void. That¡¯s all I see when I¡¯m ¡®asleep.¡¯ No dreams, no nightmares, no whispering. It¡¯s honestly great.¡± ¡°I wish you told us more about your problem, Glenny,¡± Jude said with a frown. ¡°We knew you were hearing the Sightless King, but we didn¡¯t grasp the depth of it all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the weird thing. I didn¡¯t either, not until Harlen woke me up with the call of the Void. Those few moments of silence were, in more ways than one, a wake up call.¡± Lnd, always one to be pragmatic, asked, ¡°What are you going to do when Harlen has to return to the Void when the Royal Dream is over?¡± That was a point of contention between Glenny and his dad, one they had spoken of for hours before. ¡°Hopefully I adapt to the Void and take on its characteristics.¡± ¡°Can you do that?¡± ¡°Like my mom apparently said, ¡®I can adapt to almost anythi¡ª¡®¡± The deafening boom of a dozen ghostly cannons marked the Youngest Princess¡¯ arrival. The Reflections quickly took their ces, all floating above the living crowd like standing on a balcony at the opera. Each summoned an instrument, or two, from beyond reality as a second round of cannon fire sounded. Then, at once, they began to y the Palemarrow anthem and the royal caravan entered Ruinsforth. The caravan entered via a magical portal the size of a barn, courtesy of Spencer Silver. Six Royal Guards, all on horseback, strolled through the portal first, their armor pure white with red trim. The high sun reflected with a dazzle, softly blinding the crowd as the first of the buggies entered. It was wide and thick, sporting enough runes to make a seasoned artifice jealous. Drawn by invisible steeds, it entered the portal without touching the ground ¨C its wheels propped inches from the street by means of golden clouds. Personnel wearing noble silks and threads leaned out of the windows, waving to the crowd as they drove off into the city. It quickly followed the six on horseback, allowing the next buggy in. The second was much like the first, but instead of golden clouds, they were thick, dark gray, and sparking with lightning. The third entered, rounding off the initial trio with clouds made of fluffy white marshmallow. It was after seeing the same man wearing the too tall top hat that Lnd realized just who the people leaning out of the buggy windows were. Illusions, ones no doubt created by a master or magus. The realization allowed him to see through the smoke and mirrors just a bit easier, reminding him of his time with the Onryos in Shoutwell. He wondered how they were doing. Another round of Royal Guards entered next, promptly followed by more buggies, although their wheels were floating by wafting waves. The pattern was severed when Sybil¡¯s buggy entered. Hers was obvious, even if Lnd hadn¡¯t seen through the illusion. It entered with its windows closed, riding on the street, and pulled by a duo of visible mares. A protective mage bubble surrounded it on all sides, an iron shield despite being a thin blue shell. While six real Royal Guard stalked it on all sides, warding off any civilian that ventured too close. ¡°So much for the rumors,¡± Lnd muttered, staring at the closed windows. The caravan finished through the portal, which then snapped close. The illusions, Reflections, and Sybil alike, all traversed the streets, heading deeper into the city. Then, as one collective mass, everyone watching the ceremony began to follow. ¡°Where do you think our parents are?¡± Jude asked, squinting at one of the guards beside Sybil¡¯s buggy. ¡°Is that my mom? I can¡¯t tell.¡± Glennyughed. ¡°There¡¯s no way she¡¯d wear metal-armor sleeves like that person.¡± Jude considered that. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The boys moved with the horde, following the caravan as it whipped through the streets in a preformed route. They bypassed all of the city¡¯s monuments and key locations, even circling back to a street they had already crossed at one point. Eventually they arrived at the end stretch, the main street leading into what remained of the Reflection Kingdom. The Reflections themselves gathered just before the caravan entered the threshold of the ruins, sitting patiently, not wishing to enter their destroyed home. Not that they needed too, as another one of Spencer¡¯s portals opened, swallowing the caravan in its entirety. The Reflections then pped, which then permeated to the crowd. A few minutester, the crowd disappeared, back to whatever they were doing before being uprooted by a princess¡¯ arrival. ¡°Well that wasme,¡± Jude said, not even trying to quiet his disappointment. Lnd and Glenny agreed. Not much happened for the rest of the day, just a group dinner with everyone staying on the royal campus. Lnd had brought up the illusions, which his mommended him on noticing. Glenny fell into the Void for the night, courtesy of Harlen, with his dad by his side. Jude¡¯s parents had the evening off and took him to a music shop where Jude proceeded to buy several small instruments that yed in a simr way to a harmonica. Sybil, for the most part, was quiet, never leaving Aunty P¡¯s side. She exchanged nces with Lnd a few times over the evening, but there was a hesitance in her demeanor. Lnd could only think of what she said about feeling like she was in a prison, a sentiment he figured she felt more today of all days. She was being put on a pedestal for all to see, after all, like what made her a mundane person was being executed for means of royal blood. Maybe Aunty P. was a warden, in that case. That night just before Lnd went to bed, he whispered a string of words and dedicated his Legacy¡¯s power. ¡°Lord of the Chameleon, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± And just like that, Lnd¡¯s soul was hoisted through the folds of reality into a white void. Elsewhere on the royal campus, Aunty P. sat awake sipping red wine. In her mind, she repeated Lnd¡¯s words again and again, having heard despite the distance and volume. Contracting with other Lords, she thought, What could it mean? To her side, a chained young man sat helplessly on his knees. His face was stricken with tears, his wrists and ankles bloodied from the iron that dug into his skin. He was all but naked, but his body was not cold whatsoever. In fact, the young man was very warm. Too warm, even. The heating rune made sure of that. He was another Carmon had subdued during the act of colluding with the enemy ¨C the Legacy of the Pathway. He had all but given his soul to Aunty P¡¯s questions, not realizing that he was well beyond simple treason with his actions. She didn¡¯t even need to involve King Harlen¡¯s brother, Lane, for questioning, the young man gave up the moment the shackles tighten around his wrists. Why was Aunty P. still torturing him? Not even she knew, just that it helped relieve her stress. Which was unfair, she knew, but still. She was stressed. The enemy was ying games, games she couldn¡¯t predict. She gulped down the remainder of her wine and activated a Legacy ability. The young man died instantly, humanely. ¡°Do you see?¡± Aunty P. then asked, her voice as cold as an iceberg. Across the room, Sybil stared at the young nondescript man¡¯s body, nodding, albeit with tears in her eyes. ¡°These people took you, kidnapped you, killed people to get to you. Then they tortured you, they scared you.¡± Aunty P. closed the distance and rubbed the lines along her niece¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s brutal, I know. But sometimes barbarity is needed for survival. Get used to it now, rather thanter.¡± Sybil didn¡¯t nod this time, but she understood. ¡°Good,¡± Aunty P. then said. ¡°Onest thing, stay away from Lnd.¡± That got a reaction out of her. She stared at her aunt, confused more than angry. ¡°There¡¯s something about him, I¡¯m not quite sure, but it''s better to be on the safe side.¡± Aunty P. then deliberated on an idea. ¡°Once we are back to the castle, I¡¯ll switch Spencer and Lucia to someone else¡¯s protective detail.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°This is for your own protection.¡± ¡°Protection?¡± Sybil asked, her voice imitating her aunt¡¯s despite the subtle gray glow illuminating under her skin. ¡°Do you not mean obedience?¡± Aunty P. recoiled at that. ¡°Whatever do you mean? All of this is for your protection.¡± ¡°Being a prisoner isn¡¯t protection.¡± The Eldest Princess nodded gravely at the Youngest¡¯s words. ¡°For now it does. But that is the life you were born into. In a few decades, you¡¯ll have power only behind your mother¡¯s. Remember that.¡± Chapter 139: Chameleon Lord Chapter 139: Chameleon Lord ¡°¡ªso, I¡¯d like to make a contract for any information that might help Glenny.¡± The Lord of the Chameleon stared down at Lnd from the lowest branch of a world tree. Blended nigh perfectly with the texture of the branch, the Lord¡¯s mile-long tail slowly wrapped around its bed, gripping the branch tightly. The Lord then stepped off the tree, allowing himself the grace of a slow fall. Slender, yet as wide as a city street, he hung in front of the visitor like a spider on a single threaded web. ¡°Fine,¡± The Chameleon Lord said inly, its voice forever young yet old, as age was just another thing to adapt to. His hands pressed together, Lnd squeezed, his heart beating like a drum. ¡°Alright¡­ shall I carry the information to him?¡± The Lord of Chameleons raised onenky arm and w. It moved slowly, deliberately,twisting one of its bugged eyes around while the other remained locked on Lnd. He eventually froze, his w resting on his thick chin. ¡°Yes,¡± the Chameleon eventually said. While Lnd was sure he had only been in the Chameleon Lord¡¯s domain for a few minutes, it felt like a lifetime. First of all, Lnd had to find the Lord as invisibility was a staple of adaptation. If he hadn¡¯t seen a bushel of leaves move, he¡¯d still be wandering around the world tree¡¯s trunk. Secondly, the world tree itself. It was huge, it was the sky while looking up, and that just didn¡¯t make a good backdrop for conversation. Yelling into the heavens was horrible on the throat. Andstly, the local Lord spoke few words even after pondering a reply for a long while. ¡°And what would you like from me?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°For Glenny, I¡¯m willing to do anything.¡± He saw no reason to lie to a Lord, especially a Lord who was the patron of one of his best friends. While he may have gotten an easier contract out of better bartering, it just wasn¡¯t worth it in his eyes. Glenny needed guidance, and that was priceless. ¡°Nay,¡± the Lord of Chameleons eventually said. ¡°No?¡± Lnd responded instantly. ¡°You don¡¯t want anything from me?¡± The Lord loosened his tail¡¯s grip on the branch, falling andnding with a mighty thud. Dust spun all around his lizard body, creating what some might call a miniature sandstorm. The dust, however, didn¡¯t bother the Lord, not when he had long adapted to air-particte. ¡°Not for one of mine,¡± the Lord said. ¡°But for you, yes.¡± Lnd refrained from scratching his head. ¡°You¡¯ll help Glenny regardless of contract?¡± He nodded, which took until a leaf fell from the lowest branch. ¡°But you still want to make a contract with me?¡± Again, the Lord nodded, this time its right bulbous eye staring at something far on the horizon. ¡°I offer perception.¡± ¡°Like the perception ability Glenny can use?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then¡ª¡± ¡°Sight befitting a mage.¡± Lnd slowly nodded, or rather, he slowly bobbed his whole body. Standing before a being of monstrous size was one thing, having tomunicate with it was another. A simple head nod was a much too small of a gesture for the Lord before him, so he made his whole body nod. ¡°What would you like in trade?¡± ¡°Adaptation.¡± Lnd almost frowned. ¡°To what?¡± ¡°Cmitous fire.¡± He answered instantly. ¡°Never going to happen.¡± The Chameleon Lord swiveled both of its massive eyes toward Lnd. A pressure emitted through the air and toward the visitor, crushing him with the gall of those far, far, mightier. Lnd¡¯s knees trembled, his spine wobbled and he suddenly saw reprieve in submission. Chameleons, in the wild, were predators to those much smaller to them. Bugs, ants, flies, and the like. What was a mortal to that of a Lord? Not even a germ. Lnd fell to his knees, his head bowed. For a moment, he thought the Lord of Curses was going to appear, smite down the Lord of Chameleons and bring him back to the mortal ne. Then, after his neck began to pop under the pressure, he realized he was alone in this. It was time for him to clean up his own battles. ¡°Soul Fire is a spell I vowed never to use without stiption!¡± Lnd yelled with every budding ounce of courage in his body. He forced his head up like a rusted gate, and locked eyes with the Chameleon Lord. ¡°I cannot use the curse for something as lowly as greed! Contract or not!¡± The Chameleon reared back, standing on his hindlegs like a bear just before a mauling. ¡°Moments ago you offered anything for information.¡± ¡°No,¡± Lnd choked out. ¡°I offered anything for a friend! Soul Fire isn¡¯t just anything! It¡¯s pure destruction! Glenny would hate me forever if I used it as a bargaining chip!¡± The pressure relented instantly, and the Chameleon lowered himself. ¡°Good,¡± he said, flopping his head down onto his hands like they were a pillow. ¡°G-good?¡± ¡°A test. You passed.¡± Lnd internally cursed at himself. Of course it was a test. ¡°The Lord of Curses is a¡­ friend. Partially,¡± the Chameleon Lord muttered not with a snarl, but rather something much tamer. Like a younger brother to the starlet sister. ¡°Thank you for not harming me,¡± Lnd tried, not wanting to push the conversation but also wanting to finish the deal and leave. The Lord seemingly read his mind, shifting the topic at hand. ¡°Perception forpleting the test.¡± ¡°¡­and Glenny?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Chameleon opened his mouth just enough to allow a spec to float out. Its luster was captured and sealed from the harmony of the world tree, turning its flight invisible to someone like Lnd. When it appeared before the mortal, he flinched back. It was a shard, a small chunk of ss, likely from a mirror, yet was opaque. A fog was set over its reflection, blinding Lnd from seeing the secrets of the Chameleon Legacy. He still took it, cautiously at that, wrapping it in a shred of cloth he suddenly had in hand. When did he get that? Lnd shook his head, divine tricks at y, no doubt. ¡°I thank you, Lord of the Chameleon. And I¡¯m sure Glenny will as well.¡± The great being didn¡¯t so much as grace Lnd with words or a polite gesture, simply sending him back to the mortal realm via the white void. As Lnd hovered in the ce between ces, he wondered about Glenny and Harlen. There was little actual documentation about the Void, since it was, well, a void of nothingness. Which was one of Carmon¡¯s concerns for Glenny and his attempts to conquer the Void. How do you conquer nothing? Lnd wasn¡¯t one for philosophical debate, so his questions about the Void were much simpler. For one, just what was it? The Void, a void, yes, but why? Where? How? How was there a Lord of the Void? What did they do? Is there Void magic besides that of Legacies? Cantrips? Rituals? Was there any reason to research the Void other than curiosity? And finally, was Lnd in the Void now? Or were there two random white voids, one being the Void and the other being a void? He supposed Harlen might answer that one. When Lnd¡¯s consciousness appeared back in his body, he didn¡¯t fall asleep instantly. Not with a shard of ss from a Lord in his possession. He slowly ced it on the nightstand and sat up in bed. One thing about staying in the royal campus that greatly differed from staying in inns, was that the boys needn¡¯t share a room. He was alone, which was nice because he nned to experiment a bit. Lnd¡¯s grimoire appeared from his tattoo, open to the page he wished to view. Total Steps: 168. He smiled at the words, noting that rapidly tapping himself with Touch of Regeneration was proving to only be more efficient as his stamina grew. Soon he¡¯d be able to keep up with Glenny, let alone Jude, for marathon sprints. He almost smirked at the thought, finding it so unimaginable that if it was a week ago, he¡¯d have thought himself crazy. He flipped the page. Cursed contract of the Lord of the Chameleon: Use: Gain adaptive mage perception (sight, smell, and instinct) while this contract is active. Only one aspect of perception will be active at any one time. Chosen aspect will be the one most needed at any one moment. Only usable once per hour. Return: A test ¨Cpleted. Lnd frowned at the description not because it wasn¡¯t useful, but because it was confusing. ¡°Most needed,¡± waspletely subjective, which posed problems. Who decided which was needed? The Lord of Chameleons? Or himself? There was only one way to find out: he pressed his palm into the page, and activated the contract. A stream of dim light and violet magic rose from the book¡¯s page, twisting around Lnd like snow around a campfire. The color and light moved independently, conjoining part way up his chest, fully morphing together by the top of his head. The finale form was a perfect ring that spit purple streaks of mist like ocean spray. It hung just above his head. Instantly Lnd noticed a difference in how he viewed the world. He could make out edges easier, see details from further, and gauge distance better. His eyes were the obvious perception being enhanced, the darkness all but a distant thought in the corners of the room. He took a deep breath, trying to smell anything new. Nothing. He closed his eyes and tried again. His nose didn¡¯t so much as sniffle ¨C but he did flinch, his eyes shooting open. Danger was near. They adapted to the darkness instantly, and the sense of danger drained away. If he wasn¡¯t staring at a positively preening King Harlen, Lnd would have thought about how enhanced instinct instantly fell away for better eyesight. But the ghost took precedence. ¡°Ah, I knew there was something special about you,¡± the Priest of the Void, Harlen, said. ¡°Who¡¯d have thought someone your age would be practicing magic thiste at night.¡± Lnd¡¯s mind went instantly to the halo floating silently above his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t what it looks like.¡± Chapter 140: Harlen Chapter 140: Harlen ¡°This isn¡¯t what it looks like.¡± King Harlen, floating just above the wood grain flooring, shifted his smile to something more obtuse. Jovial, like a fox extorting his way into a hen house, Harlen silently arced around Lnd, looking at him through various angles. As he did, he made grunts and hums, each bounding with enough ghostly off-blue mist to water a greenhouse. ¡°Royalty indeed, I was unaware the Curse Lord is a vile sort.¡± Lnd, his eyes still enhanced, scanned for possible exit paths or attack routes. King Harlen, unfortunately, was a friend of Aunty P. and the Palemarrow Kingdom. Banishment was the least of Lnd¡¯s worries if Harlen decided to b. ¡°Oh do calm down, young Harbinger,¡± Harlenughed. ¡°All that tension isn¡¯t good for a youngd such as yourself.¡± ¡°I-I can exin.¡± ¡°No need, none at all. And no need to be thinking of death at a time like this. Voidlings are quite hard to kill.¡± Lnd swallowed and resolved himself to ease the lump in his throat. He kept the distance to the nearest window in his mind, however ¨C not that he thought the information would do him any good. Still, there was one card Lnd figured he could y. Harlen knew of the Cmity ¨C the Lord of Curses. Harlen knew the history of long dead Lords and even seemed to respect Lnd because of this when they first met.So, Lnd made his back go firm and said, ¡°I am also the Curse Lord Champion.¡± Harlen didn¡¯t break from floating silently around Lnd¡¯s bed. ¡°Oh, look at that, a Harbinger and Champion. A rare sight. But you know what might be more rare?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t dare ask, feeling the question a trap. ¡°A Harbinger and Champion who is aplete imbecile.¡± Anticipation drained away like a sink without a stopper. ¡°What?¡± he asked. Harlen didn¡¯t rub his eyes in irritation, instead summoning one of his specter citizens to do it for him. A ghostly arm reached in from beyond the world, a ripple in space marking the weakened spot in reality. The arm consoled its King, pampering him in the face of such buffoonery. ¡°Do you even know who could be listening?¡± Harlen then asked. ¡°Because you are sharing a cluster of homes well within range of one of the greatest spies in current human history.¡± Lnd thought for a moment. ¡°Carmon is the¡ª¡± ¡°Not Carmon, who is a de Dancer, are you serious?¡± The ghost arm went back to massage its King. ¡°Thinkd, think.¡± And Lnd did. His parents were out, as was Jude¡¯s. The Huntress, he supposed, but she was more of the fire arrows and ask questionster type. If it wasn¡¯t Carmon, then it could only be¡ª ¡°Aunty P.¡± ¡°Exactly. That woman is more devilish than she looks. Best remember that.¡± Lnd suddenly sucked in a breath. ¡°If she¡¯s a spy, then that means¡ª¡± ¡°Not to worry,¡± Harlen interrupted. ¡°The Void consumes all, even sound. This room is currently nonexistent to her. Best we keep this brief, otherwise she might notice yourck of snoring.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Lnd stopped himself, that wasn¡¯t important. ¡°Why were you watching me?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. How about because you called for the Void and the Void answered. I am a Priest of such a power, not only just a dashing King of a long dead kingdom.¡± That¡­ actually was a really helpful answer for Lnd. It confirmed his earlier thoughts about the white space between a Lord¡¯s domain and human realm. What he¡¯d do with such information was yet to be seen or known. ¡°What¡­ what is the Void?¡± Harlen quirked an eyebrow. ¡°The space between.¡± ¡°Between what?¡± ¡°The clouds of dust that make up the Realms.¡± There wasn¡¯t much known about the Realms, as humanity only existed in the human variant. Although sometimes beings from other realms are summoned, escape, or invade into the human realm, thus bringing new information to those who conquer, capture, or contract them. Unfortunately most of the time, these beings know less about their homes than humans do. Or they arecking in the intelligence needed tomunicate. Either way, the Realms didn¡¯t pertain to what Lnd was hoping to have answered. ¡°What about where Lords live?¡± The question got a smile out of the Reflection King. ¡°The Void connects all.¡± That created an idea, one that Lnd figured would be endlessly worthwhile. It was a gamble, especially giving thepany currently standing ¨C floating ¨C in his room. Harlen was a wildcard, one that Lnd trusted more than not. It was strange, but someone knowing his secret and not attacking forthright did wonders to gain his respect. Although¡­ technically the Toy Maker''s Harbinger knew Lnd¡¯s true identity as a Harbinger and didn¡¯t attack outright. It was after a bundle of threats and emotional deterrence. But Lnd didn¡¯t count that. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Lnd finally asked. ¡°You must have something you want in order to keep your silence.¡± The question was a gamble, as Lnd really didn¡¯t want to owe any favors. But what could a King who could only return to realty once a year truly want? A means of returning to life? A new body? A servant? Harlen chuckled. ¡°No, no, child, you misunderstand. I only wish to see what being could enter and exit the Void with such ease.¡± ¡°But surely you want something.¡± ¡°Not so much. I have a kingdom at my fingertips and all the time in the world, literally.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me to open a route to the Void and let you in or out?¡± ¡°Why would I want you to do that? I can do the same thing.¡± ¡°What about a soul to eat or something?¡± ¡°Do I look like a savage?¡± Lnd flinched. He had consumed multiple souls at this point. ¡°What about¡ª¡± ¡°Lad, you are not powerful enough to give me what I want or need,¡± Harlen interrupted with a bite of blue mist. ¡°Come back to Ruinsforth in a few centuries and maybe we cane to a deal.¡± Lnd, purple halo still zing above his head, gave a weak nod. He rapped his fingers together. ¡°Then, may I ask a question?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already asked several. I wouldn''t stop you now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about your Lord.¡± Harlen¡¯s eyes went stark white. ¡°I see. Proceed.¡± ¡°Do they have any hobbies?¡± A dull silence filled the room. ¡°What?¡± Harlen eventually asked, his eyes returning to a haunted blue. ¡°The Lord of the Void, do they have hobbies? Maybe a favorite snack? Anything you can tell me about them?¡± Harlen¡¯s sides quaked withughter. He hunched over, spittle spewing from his mouth before fading into nothingness, until the trembles released his ethereal flying. He toppled over himself, somersaulting up to the room¡¯s ceiling. Lnd was not amused. ¡°Lad, that is a good one! Had me going!¡± Lnd muttered, ¡°It was serious.¡± ¡°Let me get this straight. You, a mortal, are asking what the Lord of the Void does for fun? Are you wishing to be buddies? Chums? Good ol¡¯ pals? Offer a gift for eternal life? Maybe even¡ª¡± ¡°What?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°What were you doing in the Void?¡± ¡°Err¡­ just visiting?¡± ¡°You were traveling to a Lord¡¯s domain, weren¡¯t you? What could you possibly¡ª¡± Harlen cut himself off, finding the ss shard resting on the nightstand. ¡°What is that?¡± He drifted over to it, picking it up and unraveling the cloth around it. ¡°What is this? I can¡¯t see through it.¡± ¡°Information, for Glenny.¡± Harlen twirled back to Lnd. ¡°Information about what? And from who?¡± There was a line here, Lnd realized. Just how much should he spill to the ghostly King to get him to go away? Too little and Aunty P. might be involved. Too much and maybe Harlen will want a favor. ¡°Part of my Harbinger¡­ power, is the ability to contact Lords. I asked the Chameleon Lord to help Glenny. That ss shard is the answer.¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Glenny¡¯s eyes only.¡± Harlen licked his eternally dry lips. ¡°C-can you contact other Lords?¡± ¡°For the most part. But,¡± Lnd decided to bend the truth a bit, ¡°most will not talk to me without a built rtionship.¡± ¡°Like being best friends with a Lord¡¯s Legacy?¡± ¡°Exactly so.¡± ¡°What else have other Lords given you?¡± This time Harlen¡¯s tone was calcted, like a hawk waiting for a mouse to walk out into the open. Lnd answered instantly, already thinking it over, ¡°Well, the Lord of Endurance made me run around her domain multiple times. In return, she created an exercise regimen for me.¡± Harlen burst outughing. ¡°A personalized regime by a Lord? Now that really is something.¡± He went silent after a moment, this time using his own hand to rub his face. Eventually he said, ¡°The Lord of the Void is a passionate person. She¡¯d have to be to live in istion for eternity. When you meet her, just speak with her for a few hours. She loves a good story¡­¡± With that, Harlen stepped through reality, appearing somewhere else. Lnd let out a rough sigh of relief. Chapter 141: Spycraft Chapter 141: Spycraft King Harlen¡¯s deration that Aunty P. was possibly the greatest spy in the world hit a chord, and Lnd suddenly found himself checking over his shoulder rather consistently. He was able to catch onto subtle cues, finding the Eldest Princess looking at him a hair too long or how she seemingly always entered a conversation when something of note was being mentioned. For the next three days, Lnd failed to find a moment in which he could give Glenny the ss shard ¨C not if he didn¡¯t want Aunty P. to find out. Glenny would no doubt have questions, most, if not all, would require verbal answering. He guessed they could y a game of secret messages, but against the ¡®greatest spy,¡¯ the code would be cracked instantly. Once Lnd was conscious of it, he realized just how much of his time was near Aunty P. His only alone time was in the mornings when his dad portaled him out of the city for his daily exercise and when his parents were off shift and they were allowed to venture into the city. Glenny, for most waking moments, stayed at the royal campus and worked with his father and Harlen. The Void wasn¡¯t going to adapt to itself, after all, and Harlen¡¯s time in this realm wasing to an end. Another thing Lnd noticed was how his parents spoke around Aunty P. He had always assumed it was intuition between the two, being married for so long they had learned to read one another¡¯s minds, so they spoke in short bursts without many details. But now he was leaning toward his parents knowing Aunty P. was a proficient spy ¨C and that she could hear everything. So, when his parents failed to broach the topic of their son being a Champion at the dinner table with Aunty P., Lnd knew not to spill any more secrets so inly. Secrets were only to be spoken of outside of the royal campus or behind sound-proof walls. Luckily, the Silvers were allowed daily trips into the city ¨C and more importantly, away from Aunty P. The first outing of these three days was another dinner with Franklin. The Bookkeeper had finished transcribing all of Lnd¡¯s tattoo, except for the one symbol that eluded him from before ¨C the rune for what type of weapon would be summoned. Unfortunately, the man had little more information for the young Warlock. Such was the way of runes, once a certain threshold was transcribed, even if the rest was lost to time, the rune could still be identified. Lodestar was a weapon, it took something pertaining to ¡°willpower,¡± ¡°death,¡± and ¡°life,¡± to summon, and it was befitting of a Champion. Still, Lnd couldn¡¯tin. Franklin, after a few drinks, turned into quite an interesting fellow to speak with. The sheer amount of information he knew gave a whole new scope onto the world for Lnd. Hearing about a fairytale was one thing, learning about the actual history surrounding those events was another.The second outing was to a high-end magical jewelers. Using the Silver name as entry, Lnd walked away as the owner of three new and shiny spatial rings ¨C two of which were Glenny and Jude¡¯s. The rings themselves were specifically made to look like nothing special. Naked bands, buffed and shined, with a sprinkle of purposefully made scratches. They came in three colors, silver for Lnd, obviously, bronze for Jude, and a dark gray for Glenny. All in all, the rings looked like properly taken care of wedding bands ¨C not an enchanted loop housing, potentially, arge closet¡¯s worth of items. Their appearance didn¡¯t stop Lnd from meticulously studying the engravings iyed into the interior metal. The enchantment was oddly simple, just unfathomably rare and difficult to power. Those who could create such a ring were few and far between, often locked away for their own safety. Based on the store¡¯s runic protection and hired muscle, assassinations and theft were quitemon urrences. At least moremon than a ring being found in the Reflection Kingdom ruins and sold in Ruinsforth. The third day, the Silver¡¯s didn¡¯t get to have private family time. The day was special, the Royal Dream¡¯s main ceremony. Since Sybil¡¯s arrival, the Youngest Princess had visited locations of interest around the city or held waving ceremonies from a balcony. These events, however, had beenpletely falsified by illusions. Sybil being anywhere not locked down by Spencer¡¯s magic was a risk, one they already would have to contend with during the Royal Dream. So, on the morning of the Dream, and despite the warm aroma of breakfast, the adults, including Aunty P. and Harlen, acted as if they were soldiers waiting for the cue to march into battle. This left the boys isted in spirit, their parents mechanically eating or conversing about nothing. At least, until the clock struck and Aunty P. stood from her seat with a gusty whirl. ¡°Time to go,¡± she said to Sybil, despite everyone reacting. All of the adults, even the Huntress, began to gather their things,donning their fullbat gear. Heavily enchanted robes and trinkets for the Silvers, metal armor that created a shell around the Browns, and lightweight leathers that didn¡¯t constrict movement for Mr. Red. The Huntress bundled herself in a ratty cloak and slipped on an equally torn hat, while Harlen dismissed his ghostly garments for something much more sheer and thin. Sybil resolved herself as she stood, visibly shaking and not from the glow that radiated from her bones and through her skin. Her aunt whispered words of encouragement and the glow hesitated for a long minute before ultimately fading away. ¡°Good, that was good,¡± Aunty P. hummed, shifting her attention to the artifact sitting harmlessly on the table. ¡°Might as well put it on now.¡± Sybil nodded, still shaking but less like a mouse and more like a child about to perform a solo song. As she put on the nk white mask, she couldn¡¯t help but lock eyes with Lnd. Her aunt had told her to stay away from him for the time being, and she had, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that just being near him eased her trembles. She had long listened to Lnd and his tales of adventure and wonderment. But they were only that, tales. Captivation only applied until one¡¯s experiences outweighed the story, Sybil thought, knowing it was her time to create a tale befitting her title and heritage. It was time to meet a Lord, one of the oldest few. Maybe she¡¯d tell Lnd about it one day. ¡°Alright boys, it¡¯s time for you to head on over and get some good seats,¡± Aunty P. said, gesturing to the door. ¡°We need to go over our battle n onest time, and well, we can¡¯t have you three hearing about it.¡± Lnd, Jude, and Glenny epted their banishment with goodbye waves and a brisk hug in the case of Diana and Jude. They left quietly, knowing that news of the Royal Dream starting soon would remove all semnce of proper ¡°seats¡± in mere moments. So, they headed toward Ruinsforth¡¯s center, otherwise known as the Reflection Kingdom. Once the boys were out, Aunty P. looked at the Huntress and nodded toward the door. Isobel, knowing her role in the ceremony, silently left. She rushed through the royal campus and found her marks, three young men, the ones she called the smart one, the dull one, and the quiet one. Frankly she didn¡¯t know why the boys needed protection, but such was Aunty P¡¯s orders. ¡°Listen and observe,¡± were her orders, neither of which were important. Wasn¡¯t there a princess doing something dangerous today? It wasn¡¯t until the boys found a spot to sit on the street Sybil would eventually walk down, that Isobel heard something interesting. ¡°Here, Glenny, take this,¡± Lnd muttered, his voice like a criminal¡¯s hiding in the shadows. The Huntress missed what was shuffled between them, only catching a glimpse of a shred of cloth. But the tone and hushed movements were telling enough. He was trying to hide the object, but from who? Who, besides herself obviously, would be watching them? ¡°What is it?¡± Glenny replied, taking the fabric and unraveling it slightly. He looked at the gift, his eyes suddenly zing over. ¡°From your Lord, information.¡± Glenny didn¡¯t respond, instead making an odd groaning sound. The others looked at each other, Jude looking far more concerned than Lnd. ¡°Leals?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± Lnd said, trying and failing, to take the fabric back from Glenny. ¡°I think it¡¯s fine? I mean, it¡¯s from his Lord after all.¡± Jude, still frowning, asked, ¡°What did it cost?¡± ¡°Nothing. Well, sort of. I was tested, but I passed.¡± ¡°Any chance you will talk to my Lord?¡± ¡°Next on my list, but I don¡¯t want to while Aunty P. is around. Harlen told me she was a spy, and well, I¡¯m worried that she¡¯s catching on.¡± Isobel already knew Lnd had secrets, but she had long decided he was to be trusted. From working with the Lord of Nature¡¯s Champion to defeating a Harbinger to helping a city in need, Lnd had proven himself to be someone fighting on the side of ¡°good.¡± But at the same time, Aunty P. had proven herself, over centuries, to be someone the crown constantly relied on. Which meant there was much more to Lnd than¡ª The Huntress shook her head. No. No. No. Lnd was trustworthy and Aunty P. only acted in the crown¡¯s best interests. There was a world in which the two crossed with a fiery explosion, the only question was, just how would Aunty P. react? Lnd, at the end of the day, was a kid, one with a power patron overseeing his every step, yes, but still a child, nheless. Aunty P. had a whole kingdom¡¯s resources, and then some, at her beck and call. If the two were going to collide, Isobel needed to be careful, especially in choosing a side. Bing an Inquisitor was a means to an end, once upon a time. But her revenge had long been served, killed, and buried. And while she had yet to rebuild her previous life, could she even see herself falling back into obscurity? Living in a small vige, hunting small game, protecting those she deemed neighborly? Conversely, she could remain with the Inquisitors. Eventually reach Royal Inquisitor, then most likely die in battle. For what end, though? To protect the nation who let her daughter die? To the Queen who allows bandit parties to exist so that the caravan protection economy stays buoyant? Isobel adjusted her ratty cloak ¨C the lone remnant of her prior life ¨C bundling up so that her hiding spot was harder to notice. As she did so, her thoughts trailed to the cloak, and what it once meant. What it currently meant. Maybe it was time for the Huntress to¡­ to¡­ Her eyes narrowed on Lnd, Jude, and a rapidly blinking Glenny. They began to converse, but in all honesty, Isobel ignored their words. Whatever they whispered about were their secrets, not hers, and definitely not Aunty P¡¯s. Chapter 142: Tradition Chapter 142: Tradition Lnd and Jude stared at Glenny as he attempted to consolidate a tter of words, tests, and results that were freely swimming around in his mind. Some results came easier, others were near impossible. But that was the key, near. His fingers kneading the nk scrap of fabric, Glenny realized he wasn¡¯t holding an edged ss shard. He looked down, unraveling that cloth and looking around his feet. It was simply gone. No, that wasn¡¯t quite right. It was gone materially, yes, but the information it held had been passed from Lord to Legacy. Glenny swayed, his knees suddenly the weight of an anvil. Jude and Lnd guided him down, sitting him on the cobbled street. ¡°Glenny?¡± one of them asked. ¡°Glenny?¡± the other asked after no response. The Legacy of the Chameleon grunted, hopefully conveying that he was fine but needed a minute. He didn¡¯t get a chance to confirm, however, because the world fell away and the ss shard prominently appeared in his mind. Hypotheses, tests, results. Necessity, requirements, results. Greed, pain, results. Again and again, the shard poured information pertaining to adaptation. Parsing through it the best he could, Glenny read over items of note. Fire, drowning, sharp des, blunt force. He twitched, the information on how to adapt to these as torturous as they should be. They were the cream of the crop, the worst of the worst. Yet, there was one towering far beyond. The information sat in his mind like a mountain, a mountain Glenny so very much wished to climb. To see the top, to see what the most difficult, and powerful, adaptation would be. His mind started walking, and the pain of these tests and results started reaching. Whispers and yelling, his ears screamed in agony. A warning, not to venture further. Adapting past the first steps, adapting to something far beyond his abilities, was impossible ¨C at least his Lord thought so. But that was fine. Glenny had time. He didn¡¯t need to rush. The mountain of information had a path that led to its peak. It started with the first step, the step needed to control the others. Hypothesis: Adaptation to the Void. Tests: Experience the Void and learn to adapt. Results: Basic maniption over the Void. Glenny opened his eyes, finding himself now sitting. The ground was cold and hard, enough to make his butt sore even through the leather pants he wore. He groaned, standing. ¡°Well that was something¡­¡± ¡°You alright Glenny?¡± Jude asked, thrusting a canteen forward. He epted it graciously, downing multiple gulps. ¡°It was a lot, but I think I¡¯ve got it all organized.¡± ¡°Will it be any help?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way. If my mother was still alive, she would have killed to get the information the shard held.¡± Glenny went thoughtful at that, realizing just what was now in his mind. Guidance, like what his mom was going to provide. ¡°Thanks Lnd,¡± he muttered. With that, the group sat back and rxed. News of the Royal Dream starting had spread, and soon the street was thick with the musk of adventurers and civilians. Packed like sardines, shoulders grazed one another as people talked andughed, a set of Reflections performing aedy skit overhead. The boys weren¡¯t concerned with the ghosts, however. Instead they focused their attention on their surroundings, specifically eyeing the crowd and trying to find their parents among them. After twenty minutes of no luck, they moved to identifying the most suspicious people. That proved much more interesting, as well as much more distressing. Paranoia was, as they quickly found, a slippery slope. A woman in a hood suddenly was a killer on the run. A man with a scar and blind eye was a mercenary here to kill the princess. A group of like-dressed adventurers were a cult, their master with grave power hidden among them. Truthfully, the boys didn¡¯t know what to actually look for. Because a scar, hood, and being dressed simrly were, in fact, weak evidence of a conspiracy. That was when Lnd decided that if someone was going to attack, they¡¯d do it under the guise of magic, not forthright in front of a crowd. So, Lnd got to scanning the area with his perception but quickly found himself thinking about perception. Specifically the Lord of Chameleon¡¯s contract. He had yet to fully test the contract¡¯s limitations, but since it was tailored to his needs at any given moment, he figured actively searching for magic would trigger the effect. Wish I could cast Harbinger¡¯s Halo without others noticing, Lnd thought, recognizing the magical halo portion of the curse was quite a downside. But in a way, any visual portion of a spell was a downside. Fire blooming on a mage''s hands? They were probably going to throw a fireball. Water swirling like a vortex? The Mage was casting a water spell. It was a weakness all mages had shared for thousands of years, a weakness that, under the right circumstances, was quite deadly. By the time Lnd felt a magical change in the air, he had already thought over the issue and wondered about a potential contract for a solution ¨C the Hidden Lord being his first choice. But that was forter, it was starting. The troupe ofedian ghosts abruptly ended their set, fading away while a few dozen musician ghosts took their ce. They floated high above the gathered crowd, instruments in hand. They began to y, summoning forth a hail of magical wind and royal essence. Red and white zed without reserve as the Palemarrow Kingdom¡¯s anthem sung through Ruinsforth¡¯s streets. A golden hue extended across the whole of the city, of the kingdom, as the noon sun morphed. Thick excitement came to life as the street stretched, giving way to a single isted channel through the civilian cheers. A waterfall of light spilled from the heavens, casting deep into the ruins the city protected. Nobles and the poor stood together, garments borate and silken or dirty and torn. Elders standing with children, wrinkled skin versus smooth. Regal regardless, all watching the start of something far beyond them. Murky chatter suddenly went silent, the tapestries and enchanting song of the ghosts ending. Divinity made way for thought, summoning itself in all present. Very few recognized the feeling, only those with the strongest connection to the Lords able to identify such a feat. For Jude and Glenny, the feeling was like swimming in the shade or eating a tter of desserts without guilt. For Lnd, however, he felt consumed. He was suffocating in a heat unwilling, or unable, to dwindle. He was naked, standing in a snowstorm. Breathless while underwater. Starving in a kitchen. Hopeless, even though the crops were growing, the economy booming, peace through thends, and surrounded by love. His chest tightened like it was trapped in a vise, Lnd counted the moments as his breath failed to catch. One¡­ two¡­ three¡ª A million invisible ants crawled across his skin at that moment, twisting his spine into the arc of a bow while forcing his hand to his neck. His knees jittered and buckled as the golden light continued to circte through the crowd like a spotlight searching for a ship lost in the night. The spotlight centered on Lnd for a breath longer than the rest, abruptly leaving him, along with the pressure it created. In the power¡¯s wake, a single change had been made. Standing where the street had been widened, a lone young woman now stood. Garnered in all white marble armor with scarlet enting leathers, Sybil silently marched. Her skin glowed with the light of a gray stone, illuminating her pathway through the street and crowd, and into the depths of Ruinsforth. Scarred and terrified, she walked, heritage and tradition pushing her feet to move. Around her, citizens roared in praise. Their Queen¡¯s daughter, now old enough to assume the throne, now old enough to rise and protect their nation. Of course there were some who sought to ruin such an event. Their reasons their own, they rushed their Princess arms out wide or daggers in hand. Portals opened just before each of them, swallowing them whole before snapping closed. Spencer, wherever he was, created a dome of safety around the Youngest Princess, protecting her as she marched¡­ That was, until a child stood before Sybil, his arm outstretched, a flower in hand. Hesitating, Sybil remained stoic but ultimately stopped. She regarded the boy for a long moment, deciding whether or not to take the flower or¡ª A p of thunder ripped through the crowd, the heartbeat after a sh of blue sparks exploded overhead. A shockwave came next, knocking the legs out from the weak, old, and young. ¡°Mom!¡± Lnd yelled, finding her silhouette hurtling through the air, a smoke trail behind her. His eyes went wide in shock, and he began shoving through the crowd to¡ª A chill creeped up his spine and into the base of his neck. Standing a few paces away, a man threw off his cloak, revealing a thin de. The man cut through those closest to him, those impeding his path. Multiple died in a spray of blood, the man uncaring of their cries. A few heroic souls reacted to the man quick enough, but each was cut down with less than a flick of a wrist. None would stop him from reaching Sybil. It was then chaos raged through the street. A city full of adventurers was no stranger to death, but as more and more cloaked figures began cleaving through the crowd, death became a best friend. As quickly as the street was set in ceremony and pride, war had broken out. Common enemies were quickly identified and pursued, those killing indiscriminately were challenged and barred from their targets. An understanding overcame those fighting, and soon a resolving notion was established. Protect the princess. Lnd surrendered himself to the idea, and looked ahead to Sybil. Fear had long made her scars even more prominent, appearing like chasms along the smoothness of her face, but she continued to walk. She had to, the ceremony demanded it. Defenders gathered around her, far enough that no portal would send them away but close enough that she would be protected. Ghosts also appeared, the Reflection Kingdom¡¯s own army. They fought with foggy spears and shields, pushing back those who wished to do harm. More than a few terrorists were dispatched this way, each fizzling away into a muddied green mess. It was then an emerald ring cast its light above the crowd ¨C above one man in particr, the man who hardly needed to raise a hand to kill. Halo above his head, the Harbinger followed Sybil. Chapter 143: Shield Wall Chapter 143: Shield Wall The Harbinger¡¯s emerald halo loomed, its size reaching far beyond that of Lnd¡¯s own. It secreted green ink which pooled before the man like frozen raindrops. Each was the size of a fist, yet charred the air as the man walked. A trail followed each drop, like a dredge dragging against the bottom of the ocean. An adventurer, a defender, reached out to the Harbinger, only to bisect the emerald trail. Before the adventurer could scream, they fell like a dead log. This prompted the adventurer¡¯spanions to act, each throwing themselves at the Harbinger. Azy gesture from the killer pierced all of them through the neck. Each died with green liquid spilling from their wounds, their skin melting under the unguarded effect. The Harbinger didn¡¯t so much as blink, murder being part of his lexicon like his own name. He continued his walk, his target? The young princess sparkling with the gray glow of royalty. Swallowing, Lnd watched with bated breath. His mind instantly went to Soul Fire, but knew attempting something so tant was ill conceived. Besides not having any souls to ignite, the enemy was well beyond any enemy Lnd had faced so far. He would be cut down before the fire could smolder. Lnd nced behind, hearing Jude call his name. Green inky beings grew from a sttering of color that ran across the city street. It wed its way from the liquid, appearing half-formed from the torso down before a Reflection guard pierced it with a spear. The being died, its green blood bubbling up and out of its mouth like a geyser. The blood then morphed and twisted, creating another being from the ashes. ¡°Undying Army!¡± Lnd screeched, knowing the stories of old. It was a tale as old as time, one that was spoken through the millennia due to the actions of the ancient Hero Golt, Champion of Gold, against the Undying Army. Ultimately dying in battle, Golt stalled the army long enough for a war to end in the heavens. Imprisoned by the Lord of Life and the Lord of Rebirth, the Undying Army forever lives beyond reality in a small inescapable hole. Green rot and an aptitude for staving death, the Lord of the Undying was said to have recreated its own body from little more than a spec of skin, but ultimately finding itself locked away and forever breathing. Still a powerful Lord, its will is said to be able to escape the prison, thus providing the Undying Army a chance at horrid redemption. Who will lead the charge? The Undying Harbingers, those who follow their master¡¯s call. Having already realized who the enemy was, the Reflection army sought a course correction action. Instantaneously, their ghostly spears shifted into off-blue smoke, returning from beyond the boundary as chains. They wore haunted foggy armor, an apparition of what was once metal long before the Void consumed it. Winged decals could be seen in their helmets and pauldrons, echoing the reality that the Reflection army fought in the skies rather than on foot. Of the several dozen Reflections, each held a length of chain that radiated ck energy. Acting nigh as one, the army began to spin their weapons. Magic pulled against the sky, air rushing toward the created cyclone. The green Undying blood began to lift, being yanked by the ck chains. It was then another dozen Reflections sliced through the Void into the material world, each carving into the Undying Army with halberds made of wickedva. The molten rock ate away at the rot and ruin, turning the emerald beings into nothing more than a volcanic husk. Insides burned and charred, the husks withered away against the backdrop of ck vortex chains like dust in a tornado. ¡°Leals, we need to get out of here!¡± Jude yelled over the torrent of wind, his battle axe in hand and frost already covering his vulnerable body parts. Glenny, crimson shield in hand, battered against an Undying Soldier, shoving it away only for a Reflection to blitz down from the sky and kill it. ¡°We need to leav¡ª¡± Glenny cut himself off, quickly taking control of a shadow wave and stepping across the street to safety. An emerald hand breached the ground where he once stood, forming from a nigh invisible dab of Undying blood. Jude reacted without warning, allowing rage and instinct to guide his strike. Having practiced Gelo¡¯s incarnation blessing with his parents at every opportunity he could, it was no surprise to Jude that his axe removed the green hand from its wrist and froze both in ayer of hoarfrost. No blood spilled from the served appendage and a Reflection appeared not a momentter, ck chain in hand. Jude didn¡¯t watch the green be sealed away, instead turning to Lnd. ¡°We need to go!¡± Lnd heard him, he truly did. But he couldn¡¯t respond. Not when every instinct in his body told him to stay, more specifically told him to fight. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he whispered, eyes locating the Harbinger that expressionlessly sundered the Reflection army¡¯s forces. The Harbinger, now dozens of paces away, faced down ghost after ghost, his thin sword making quick work of the incorporeal defenders. Every few seconds a portal would open somewhere around him, likely in a blind spot, and a wave of diabolical mana would st out like a cannon. The man defended against the sts with ease, only being forced to momentarily pause. Lnd recognized his dad¡¯s handywork instantly, it being the same magic that was teleporting people away from Sybil as she walked into the ruins. A question came to him like a whip cracking in his ears. Why were the Harbinger and Sybil walking? Having found the radiant gray glow easy enough, Lnd saw that the princess was just walking. Shaking like a dog, yes, eyes wishing to be tightly shut, yes, being protected by countless defenders, yes. But why was she just walking? Why hadn¡¯t Spencer teleported her away? And, maybe more importantly, why was the Harbinger following her lead? A meaty handnded on Lnd¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Leals, we¡¯ve got to go! We can¡¯t stay here¡ª¡± Few things could fully silence Jude and render him stupefied. A berating from his parents? Yes. A hulking slice of chocte cake after a long day? Maybe. Lnd¡¯s face? Never. But this time it did. This time Lnd¡¯s face ended the conversation before it truly started. It wasn¡¯t a flicker of fear nor an ember, but a hauntedplexion of failed responsibility and frustration. Emerging like a serpent from the depths of the ocean, Lnd¡¯s lips fueled a fire long held from within. His jaw clenched, his forehead deep, his eyes grim, there was no choice, there was no running. There was only duty. Not because he was patriotic and wished to protect the princess. Not because he watched his mom as she was shot out of the sky in a barrel of smoke. Not because he had a profound sense of righteousness and wished to see all Harbingers burn. But because Sybil was a friend, a somewhat estranged friend, but a friend, nheless. And she had already been scarred once, no doubt from the man stalking closer with every passing moment. A heartbeat passed while Jude and Lnd stared at each other, but ultimately Jude relented and released his friend. ¡°We can¡¯t help, we aren¡¯t strong enough,¡± Glenny said, reappearing in a shadow. That was true, Lnd knew in his heart. But he had fought a Harbinger before. He almost died, but there was a moment that the Toy Maker¡¯s minion was almost reasonable. They had spoken before their battle, discussing ¡°Harbinger things¡± before war was dered. Just then, a shockwave tore the street¡¯s cobblestone from the dirt they sat on. Green fire flowered from the Harbinger¡¯s thin sword, ushering in a heat filled vile life. Rot befell Sybil, bypassing Spencer¡¯s portal defenses like rays of light through a pane of ss. Luckily, Roy Brown and his great war shields stood firm. He appeared in a sh, stepping into battle bulwarked and without interference. The green mes were cut in half, two streams sting in either direction like a broken wave against a sea wall. People caught in the diversion died instantly, but the defenders close enough to Sybil, and in turn Roy, were protected by a great golden aegis. It appeared from his hand tattoo, the iconic Bastion Legacy, wrapping around the Undying Army and cutting off their attacks. Once the green fire waned, Diananded in the street with a resounding thud. Rocks and solid chunks of earth ripped from the ground, conjoining around the Harbinger with unprecedented force. The rocks splintered, reaching high and low and thus encasing the man in a dome of stone. It was the same ability as Jude¡¯s, but on a much grander scale. Diana didn¡¯t stop, however, thrusting her glowing battle axe forward with the strength of pure rage. The world warped at the attack, bending into the swing like a sponge being punched. The air sprung back, multiplying the strike several over. Her axe connected with the dome, turning it to dust. A chink of metal on metal sounded along with a hail of green sparks, but as the dust settled, Diana¡¯s attack hardly even scratched the Harbinger¡¯s sword. He smirked, unleashing a single streamlined lunge. It was slow, incredibly slow, but still roared through the battlefield at Diana. Multiple bulwarks shed into existence before Jude¡¯s mom, canceling the attack before it could fully start. Now sprinting, rage fueled Diana¡¯s next blow ¨C a crescent shaped st of red hot energy. The attack never made it, residual rot in the air degrading it with the speed of eternal death. The Harbinger then spoke, ¡°Him.¡± The street stood still as the word echoed against ruined buildings and dead bodies. An invisible struggle gripped Roy as two highly specialized mages attacked and defended. On Roy¡¯s side, Spencer rotated through countless cantrips and structured magical forms, blocking any and all attempts at speed befitting a master. Opposite him, however, was the second member of the Harbinger¡¯s vile duo. A Witch, the one who had originally kidnapped Sybil only for Spencer toter rescue her. Unfortunately for both Sybil and Spencer, the Witch, a Legacy of Pathways, had researched to her heart¡¯s content. Almost a full week of constant intrusions into the royal campus, the Witch had learned all of Spencer¡¯s tricks. Well, maybe not all, but certainly enough to challenge his hold over the street¡¯s space. She quickly found a weakness in the prepared spatialting, attacking it without reprieve. As a result, Roy suddenly disappeared and the Harbinger¡¯s thin sword swung at Diana. Chapter 144: Single Handed Chapter 144: Single Handed In most young people¡¯s lives, therees a time when a son or daughter is forced to watch their parents in pain. These moments of utter agony are fleeting at best and long term at worst. An extended stay in bed, a sleepless night of coughing fit after coughing fit. Healing magic, luckily, was a great means of defending the young from seeing something truly horrible. That luxury was unfortunately less than reliable in the case of fighting between incredibly powerful beings . Death came too quickly, maiming came with a flick of the wrist, and there was always ack of hesitation ¨C a moment in which someone could escape certain doom due to inexperience or humanity. Diana¡¯s opponent was no saint and nowhere near an inept swordsman. Her arm,cerated from the base of the armpit up and over her shoulder, hung together by less than a sliver of skin and muscle. No bone connected it to her, no ligaments or tendons sought to control her hand or fingers. The battle removed the pain from the injury, her Legacy providing only bountiful bonuses. Pain equaled rage and rage equaled power, as far as the Berserker Lord was concerned. Yet as she defended herself from the Harbinger, swinging her battle axe one handed, rot began to consume. It easily tore through herme arm, boiling the skin and sundering what little connection it had. The arm fell,nding with a shock of carmine red and emerald. White mist poured from Diana¡¯s maw after each exhale, her eyes disowned her humanity, and her muscles bulged. She lost herself, reaching back, axe in hand. With speed beyond what the stone street could take, she flexed, sundering thend before her. A crescent moon escaped her weapon, ripping into the Harbinger without need of worry. She had no worry, only anger. The Harbinger caught the strike on his sword, redirecting it with the precision of a marble sculptor. It whipped down the street, tearing the cobble stone from the dirt and turning a dark stone building into nothing more than its building blocks. There was no time to breathe, Diana closing the distance in a fraction of a heartbeat. Power shed against the man¡¯s weapon, breaking it after only a few strikes. The man was beheaded a momentter. At least, he would have been if he was any other Harbinger. The Undying Lord wasn¡¯t just a title, it was a sovereign. The man¡¯s head grew back with a hail of green sparks. His sword reformed a momentter as well, and this time he attacked. A kick sent Diana somersaulting away into a wall. Jude started to run to her, but both Glenny and Lnd caught him. He fought against their restraint, hoarfrosting to serve. He broke away easily, his strength far out ssing theirs. The Harbinger didn¡¯t nce at him, instead returning his attention to Sybil who was now entering the firstyer of ruins. At least, until Diana unearthed herself from the rubble. Thick sickly green veins were encroaching into her neck and face, growing from the stumped wound. She swayed like a drunkard after a long night of drinks, her consciousness fading yet endlessly raging. She took a step, appearing beside the Harbinger mid swing. The man took it in stride, allowing his upper chest to be cleaved in half. Instantly sparks reconnected the pieces, allowing him to counter unimpeded. His thin sword sliced through a portal that suddenly opened before him, before carving into Diana. Blood and green ichor fell from a gash just above her hip. Another seed of rot was nted. Diana disregarded her axe, dropping it in favor of a crushing hug. It was one armed, but she was still able to wrap herself around the man and break his spine. Only, it didn¡¯t matter as it healed instantly. The Harbinger released his own weapon, and pulled his arm back like a viper about to strike. That was when Jude lost his own humanity in favor of a rage unbounded. Back in the dungeon on the small ind off the coast of the town Frostford, the Guardian Spirit Beast, Gelo, had assisted Jude with controlling his rage in several ways. One was that of a blessing, the other a technique to always be able to remember who he was while enraged. These, however, fell by the wayside as he watched something truly horrible. A parent about to die. With a kick off, Jude flew down the street axe in hand. There was no talent in his attack, no technique, no rationale. He just attacked, all semnce of thought having been drained away by raw rage. Starting with a tackle, Jude mmed into the wall of Harbinger, breaking both shoulders instantly. The pain fueled a brutal swing, cleaving into the man with a force previously unknown to the young Berserker Legacy. His axe only cut through skin, stopping cold at bone. It was then that several dozen Reflections descended from the sky,va halberds at the ready. A hand grabbed Jude by the nape, throwing him back toward Lnd and Glenny. A simr gesture was done for Diana, but she suddenly disappeared mid-flight, a portal having swallowed her. One by one the Harbinger killed the ghostly defenders, each molten wound they endured nothing more than paper cuts. Both Lnd and Glenny threw themselves to stop Jude from returning to battle, but luckily a portal opened below his feet. Jude fell in, but the portal didn¡¯t instantly close. Spencer¡¯s voice rushed through it, ¡°Hurry! Jump in! You¡¯ve got to go¡ª¡± A shockwave removed another building from the street. The portal smeared shut, stranding Lnd and Glenny. For Lnd, who was already nning to stay and assist Sybil by any means necessary, that wasn¡¯t an issue. For Glenny, who wished to leave, well, he still could shadow step away. ¡°Lnd!¡± Glenny shouted over the booming call of the Reflections¡¯ march. Searing heat coursed through the street as emerald beams of pure rot ran rampant. ¡°What are you doing?! We¡ª¡± The pair met one another, seeking cover behind an explosion of rosy red mana. Who threw such a spell? They didn¡¯t know, only that it felt more than dangerous. The red whipped back and forth smashing into buildings on either side, desperately trying to keep the Harbinger from entering the Ruins and deeper. The Harbinger muttered something, and a momentter the red-mana mage was gone, no doubt teleported. But that¡­ that wasn¡¯t right, right? It was too quick, the teleporting. Spencer was running interference on the Witch, making it so her power was limited in speed and scope. Lnd¡¯s heart sank at the thought. Did something happen to his father? ¡°You go. I¡¯ve got to try and help somehow. If things get too bad, then my dad will portal me out.¡± Lnd knew he was lying to his friend. If his guess really was true, then there would be no portals to have. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!?¡± Glenny yelled back with a mulled curse. ¡°Lnd you can¡¯t go off solo again! Remember what happenedst¡ª¡± ¡°I do, Glenny. I do.¡± Lnd stood, summoning his grimoire. ¡°And I couldn¡¯t live with myself if I just allowed a Harbinger to take Sybil!¡± The rogue hesitated. ¡°Then I¡¯ming with you¡ª¡± ¡°No! No. This is going to be a gamble as it is, you should retreat and make sure Jude is okay. Please. You can¡¯t help in this scenario.¡± Glenny stared at Lnd, a lifelong friendship flickering through his mind. ¡°No. We are in this together.¡± The pair stared at each other for a long moment. Their trio had been defeated, their third member gone for who knows how long. Did they dare go it alone? To fight where their parents failed? Lnd spun and sprinted off, Glenny matching his speed with ease. They had plenty of ground to cover, the battle exiting the city and venturing into the decrepit ruins of the Reflection Kingdom. Overhead, Reflections fought, dive bombing into Undying Soldiers, striking without recourse or reason. asional adventurers or city guards were on the path deeper into the destruction, but the number of dead bodies far outweighed the number alive. Luckily the Harbinger wasn¡¯t killing indiscriminately, only targeting those who sought to slow his progress. Nearly all of the civilian poption had long since evacuated. Rounding a corner, the ruins quickly turned into ck stone piles of rubble. Buildings, churches, homes, everything that once was, was now remnants of brick and mortar. Walls, partially copsed, only standing by ancient concrete and proper engineering. A perpetual darkness spilled into thend, casting deep shadows along the rise and fall of the long dead. Ack of life spoke to that of monsters, beings who hid in the corners or spawned in the shadows. Undead eyes watched as the pair crossed their territory, something deep within telling them to remain stationary. Instinct, even in magical creatures with the sole purpose to kill, was a powerful deterrent. They ran for what felt like hours. In reality, they only crossed half of the Reflection Kingdom, stopping in the center. There Sybil stood, at the heart. At the hearth. A creation made of the same white bone as her mask. A prime obelisk, untouched by the ruination around it, stood reaching into the heavens. A chiseled womanly face was cast into the white material, a white so pure, so honest, that it spoke whispers to those who stared. A presence was near, one far beyond that of a normal human. A god, yes, but something possibly even beyond. The Harbinger stood a dozen paces away, watching with the intent of a murderous deviant. Sttered in blood, the man didn¡¯t care. Nor did he wish to. Not when he was so close to his goals. He took a step, closing the distance to Sybil almost instantly. In that short hesitation, a wicked de copsed, pinning him to the charred ground. From their hidden vantage point, Lnd and Glenny watched Carmon step into the fray. Chapter 145: Seeing Triple Chapter 145: Seeing Triple Cloak pinned to the ground by a slick dagger, the Harbinger turned. ¡°Ah Carmon. I was wondering when we¡¯d meet again.¡± Carmon, his cloak of des shifting like ocean waves in the night, growled, ¡°Where was Roy sent?¡± Recoiling inughter, the Harbinger slowly held up his thin, deadly de. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say to me? After all these years? I figured our rtionship was better than this, friend.¡± A dark waft seeped from below Carmon¡¯s cloak. He seethed, his des reacting like drone ants to their queen. ¡°We were never friends.¡± A silent shockwave expelled through the ruins and rubble, shing against the Harbinger. He tilted his sword, taking the brunt of the force before mechanically adjusting to an invisible force. He reached to the side, blocking once again, then his back, then again in the front. Each attack burst with green sparks and warning anger, yet the attacker had not taken a single step. Carmon paused the assault, giving him just enough time to ask a question. ¡°Where was Roy sent?¡± There was no proper answer, only a question for a question. ¡°How¡¯s Annie?¡± Dark clouds formed across Carmon Red¡¯s brow at the mention of his dead wife, enough to make the Legacy of the de Dancer initiate the first true step of his technique. The prelude had already started and ended, an invisible telegraphed example of each strike. Now it was time for the echo. With the same pattern as the first assault, Carmon attacked again, this time moving his feet and arms in rhythm. A beat drummed in his mind, calling him to each strike, to each step. An eternal song, having long been created by his Lord, ruled the battlefield, changing it to better fit a Dancer¡¯s will.First to the front, Carmon whipped his hand down, his cloak of des following a hair behind. Then to the Harbinger¡¯s side, the des followed themand with ease. Behind was next, but this time the cloak added a step of its own, extending its reach by just a few inches. Parasitic weapon or not, the dance morphed as it went, altering ever so slightly. The first step continued with a repeat attack to the front,nding Carmon eye level with the Harbinger. Emerald blood erupted, the Harbinger didn¡¯t even try to evade or block. Hunks of skin fell, limbs detached, bones separated. Then, with a ze of the Harbinger¡¯s green halo, they weren¡¯t. The man was whole, the man was undying. ¡°My turn¡ª¡± The echo cut off the Harbinger¡¯s words, repeating the same assault once again. Front, side, back, front. The same wounds befell the man, except a new alteration ¨C a short stab to the side. He didn¡¯t notice, however, wounds not being something he really cared about. Green shone for a fleeting moment, then the man was back together. Now, the first step concluded. The Harbinger cleared his throat. ¡°Now is it my turn?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for an answer, quickly saying, ¡°Yes, yes it is.¡± Muscle and bone split, making way for an eternal emerald shine. Dropping his sword, the Harbinger yanked at the green, slicing open his torso and producing something far beyond a simple weapon. Jagged and crisp, straight but also curved, the weapon eluded to a sharpness befitting of pure rot. It didn¡¯t need to stab, it didn¡¯t need to sh, it only needed time to wither. Thousands of insects came with the weapon, enough to cast the item in a barrage of movement. Beetles created armor, flies carried disease, centipedes and scorpions a toxic harmony between emerald and death. But then, when the weapon was fully torn from the Harbinger¡¯s chest, it sang low and dreadfully. A call, a deration of solobat. Not holding the weapon¡¯s handle, the Harbinger extended his arms perpendicr to his legs. The wound in his chest had already healed, creating much more than a dire smile across his lips. At hismand, the weapon flew up, changing the overcast sky into a lightning storm of bugs and rot. Carmon swallowed,manding his cloak to react in a simr way. A dance, yes, but something beyond simple steps or attacks. His parasitic item took the form of a cloak, but that was not its natural state. Hundreds of des connected to one another, morphing and converging into something that far exceeded the Harbinger¡¯s weapon in scope and size. Stretching like a lighthouse, Carmon¡¯s weapon shed its wickedness for something sleek and sinful. A sword, one forged by the likes of an elevated cksmith. Magnificent gray and silver, a highborn tool for amoner swine, a tool for killing rather than ceremony or nobility. A creation tailored for a royal assassin, or rather, a Royal Inquisitor. Carmon set his defenses, his parasitic weapon flying high overhead, matching the weapon drifting endlessly above the Harbinger. In his hand, the sword that had gotten him through life and death several times before. A trustworthy de for when duty befell the most powerful of the Inquisitors looking after the Youngest Princess. The Harbinger muttered something about ¡°cheating,¡± and it still being his ¡°turn,¡± but Carmon didn¡¯t want for his own theatrics. The first step of his dance began with an invisible echo, one guiding the less experienced in a flurry of dance. The strike connected from the sky, an invisible execution matching the sword that hung in the clouds. The ground dented with blood and gore, sundering the battlefield with a meteoric crater. Before the Harbinger could reconstruct his body, the second invisible attack came, this time a normal proportioned attack from a normal sized sword. It cleaved into a mush of green flesh, bowing out just in time for another attack from the sky to descend. The crater deepened. The step was short and sweet, a three-hitbination multiplied over two echoes. Carmon disappeared in a blur, hauntedly whipping his sword down. The motion moved his parasitic weapon, calling it to action. It fell like an arrow returning from being shot straight up, colliding into the crater and the Harbinger¡¯s messy remains. Carmon appeared in the hole a heartbeatter, striking with his own hand while the massive sword retreated into the air. Just as Carmon vacated the area, the sword recreated its previous freefall, deafening the area. Then, the second echo zed, and the same three-hitbination of attacks happened again. The sky fell, a deadly strike happened, then the sky fell again. At the end of the dance¡¯s first step, not a sound came from the crater for a long moment, prompting Carmon to start the second step. It was much the same as the first, but with enough variation to not get bored. As the de Dancer pummeled the Harbinger in the hole again and again, the weapon made of rot and ruin hovered overhead, waiting. Something the imprisoned Undying Lord was quite good at. With the momentary reprieve, Lnd and Glenny circled around the battlefield, skirting the feathered edges of danger. They eventually arrived next to Sybil, who was entranced by the perfect bone statue. A clear barrier of gray mana rounded the obelisk, ayer of protection from the cracked ground leading to the crater. Glenny entered unmolested, being more focused on his dad than some weird gray sheen. Lnd hesitated at the boundary, inspecting it with the best forethought he could possibly imagine. Obviously the dome was divine in nature, but not a radiant energy he was familiar with. Granted the list was short, he still suspected the Lord presiding over the statue to be far more obscure than not. Still, there wasn¡¯t any hostile intent from the barrier, just the tired hum of protection. So Lnd stepped through, finding no changes once inside. ¡°Sybil?¡± he hesitantly asked, finding Glenny off to the side staring intently at a green mass stitching itself back together. Within moments, the Harbinger was fully formed, a power that was transferred to his clothing and thin sword. Above his cryptid eldritch thing of a weapon hung high, waiting, watching. He and Carmon then exchanged a few words, none of which the boys were able to hear because of the distance. Lnd shook Sybil, cutting off her enthrallment. ¡°Lnd?¡± she flinched, her eyes as gray as a rock in a pond. ¡°What¡ª¡± She cut herself off, the gray glow originating from her bones fluctuating. She cursed, closing her eyes and casting away Lnd like he was on fire. She muttered a poem to herself, silently saying every other word or so. The words ¡°luminosity,¡± ¡°marrow,¡± ¡°kingdom,¡± and ¡°tribtion,¡± were quietly enunciated. After the third iteration of the poem, the glowing stabilized and Sybil opened her eyes. She briefly regarded Lnd, ncing at him like a stagehand peeking around a curtain. But that was just it, Lnd didn¡¯t matter right now. Not when she had to perform. ¡°Infinite stars, infinite children, hear my call, hear my needs. Unfold my will, I ask to be a Child, a Legacy. My name is Sybil Palemarrow and I humbly wish to bind myself in contract to you.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t let his surprise show, especially the familiarity of the ending line. Instead he resolved his legs to stand firm, Sybil¡¯s words causing the ground to shake. ¡°Sybil! What is this!¡± he screamed once the shaking doubled or even tripled. As it seemed, Lnd was not the only one with worry over the situation. Glenny gasped and retreated further into the protective dome and next to Lnd. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen my dad do this dance before,¡± he said, ingraining the memory into his mind, not for future practice or a tale to retell over drinks. No, Glenny forced himself to watch as a means to an end. His dad pummeled and beat the Harbinger again and again, each time with more theatrics than thest. But the Harbinger didn¡¯t seem to care, healing every wound like they were mere scraps. Frankly, studying his father¡¯s movements was so that his mind was upied and his fears and worries thwarted. ¡°Is that bad?¡± Lnd asked, splitting his attention the best he could. He stole nces at Carmon, but the battle wasn¡¯t important. Getting Sybil out of here was. ¡°It means he¡¯s in danger.¡± That did draw Lnd¡¯s attention, at least enough to set his mind into motion. He needed answers. ¡°Sybil, you need to get out of here.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she muttered in between reciting the same off-putting poem as before. ¡°Sybil please! I¡¯m not leaving without you, we need to g¡ª¡± ¡°My mother is dying! I need to do this! Otherwise everything is lost!¡± Like an egg, the statue began to crack. Gray bloomed from the seams, enough light and raw power to guide even the most blind individuals. The woman¡¯s face eroded in seconds, giving way to a gemstone creation of silver and ivory. The sudden spark of color shifted the gray the statue created as well as the color burning in Sybil¡¯s bones. She coughed, a murky mess of bile, blood, and tiny bits of bone spilling into her hand. She tried to hide it from Lnd, but she couldn¡¯t. Not with the way she was staring at him. ¡°What Lord is this?¡± he asked, surprising the young princess. ¡°It¡¯s not the Lord of Bone.¡± The question and statement hung for a long moment. ¡°The Boneforged Monarch.¡± Lnd recognized the unusual title for what it was, the name of a Harbinger. The Toy Maker, the Light Architect, the Undying Army, Lords in their own right, but regaled with a name befitting of a murderer. ¡°The Lord of the Boneforged,¡± Sybil then said, not even realizing her slipup. If she was being honest, the title meant very little to her. Vile Lords, while not unknown beings of disaster, were rather hidden in culture and knowledge. Epic tales of Lords weremonce, as were tales of those who were evil. But the intricacies were lost to the mundane. Sybil was no different, Aunty P. made sure to shelter her from such information for her young life. There was only one thing she needed to know and that was tradition. The Palemarrow line must make an offering to the Boneforged Monarch. Whether they would be epted into her Legacy was up in the air. The only time in recent history where that eptance had urred was the Queen, Sybil¡¯s mother. And while Lnd didn¡¯t know the history of such a ritual, he understood the intent Sybil spoke. Lordly contracts were somewhat of a specialty of his, after all. The statue continued to crack and fall apart, revealing the true face of the Lord¡¯s shrine. Faceless, a nothingness beyond a will and a structureless glow, yet divine in nature. Gray, silver, ivory, whatever. The color was the least important portion of the Lord, for the simple fact that Lnd and Sybil couldn¡¯t look at her. Lnd had met several Lords at this point, even fighting one. But even then he could gaze upon the being, but then again, the Toy Maker had been harbored to a vessel. Sybil fell to one knee, bowing her head before the Lord. She outstretched a hand¡ª Glenny grabbed Lnd and yanked him to the ground, knocking them both out of the way of a towering crash. Emerald split around the protective dome, removing the sky like the boys were suddenly indoors. Bugs buzzed around the rot, swarming the protective energy looking for gaps. ¡°What¡ª¡± Lnd eximed, quickly going silent. While Glenny obviously didn¡¯t trust the barrier to deflect such an attack, falling to the ground was the least of their worries. The Harbinger stood firmly at the edge of the gray dome, crushed ground beneath his feet, and broken, Carmony across the way. ¡°Dad lost,¡± Glenny whispered, his tone mimicking that which he spoke with after finding out his mom died. Lnd could only think of one word. ¡°How?¡± Glenny wasn¡¯t the one to answer. ¡°People like Carmon Red focus too intently on offense. They are too powerful for their own gain,¡± the Harbinger mulled. ¡°Sometimes they miss the ant below their feet. Literally in this case. All it took was a single ant bite to put Carmon Red out ofmission.¡± Lnd peered over, finding the statement to look true. Carmon¡¯s veins were bulged green and ck, the same pattern as Diana¡¯s wounds. But luckily for her, she was portaled out of danger. Behind Lnd and Glenny, Sybil conversed with the Boneforged Monarch, a power wading past them like a tide against rocks. Even the Harbinger looked away, not that he truly seemed to mind a Lord in his presence. No, the man simply stood slightly too straight, slightly too rigid. Now that he was close, the man looked unproportionally awkward. Arms too long, legs too short, back too t. The man¡¯s body was weighted yet light, full but thin. But such was the torment when one¡¯s body was a sheath for a massive weapon and multiple colonies of bugs. ¡°You called Carmon ¡®dad,¡¯ I guess that makes you Annie¡¯s son.¡± Crimson red bent from Glenny¡¯s hands as the Sightless King¡¯s power forged to his will. ¡°Don¡¯t speak about my mother,¡± he seethed, just as his father had done moments earlier. ¡°I have no qualms with you child. I had heard rumors that the great Annie ¡®The Chameleon¡¯ Red had a child. How coincidental we are to meet here.¡± ¡°W-who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, no one special. Just a former Umbra assassin.¡± Chapter 146: Harbingers Chapter 146: Harbingers Lnd knew little about the Umbra, only the most basic information drifting among the street rumors. The Umbra, sometimes called the Thieves¡¯ Guild, the Assassins¡¯ Guild, the Shadow Guild, and so on, liked their anonymity. Only those with connections or power had ess to their services, often at a cost far higher than elsewhere. They were elites, killers and spies, people who were born where no one was looking and lived where few dared. And Glenny¡¯s parent¡¯s were two such members. While Carmon never reached the renown and rank his wife did, he was, or rather is, well known. Quite well in fact. The Pale Dog, as his reputation was named, a for-hire mercenary specifically for Palemarrow citizens. It wasn¡¯t until he joined the Inquisitors that the name finally left him. Yet while Carmon got out, his wife didn¡¯t. She stayed inside, under orders from Aunty P. herself, honing her spy craft while training to be an Inquisitor. Once she finally did leave, the Umbra had solidified her actions in stone, foreverbeling her as a true member. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Umbra dealt with Harbingers,¡± Lnd forced himself to say once he noticedGlenny was frozen. The young rogue, either stuck in fear or disbelief, stared at the Harbinger and the rot cascading down around the protective dome. Everywhere he looked emerald met his gaze, a twisting haunt in the same hue that razed his dad a few dozen paces away. The Harbinger quirked his eye at Lnd. ¡°Harbinger? How did you know? Was it the halo? It¡¯s always the halo.¡± Both of the boys found the emerald ring singing just above the man¡¯s head. A wafting of green backdraft raised and lowered with his breath, sprinkling out from the halo like cold wind against a mountain¡¯s peak. The particte enough to poison a buffalo. ¡°Yes,¡± Lnd said slowly. He chose his words incredibly carefully, deciding that winning was impossible. But such was long confirmed, the streets of bodies being an ode to certain death. No, Lnd knew following the man was a pipe dream at best, but one he was also somewhat responsible for. No one should face a Harbinger alone, especially not Sybil who was still Legacy-less. Lnd chose not to nce behind himself at Sybil and the Lord. Whatever they were doing was their business, and interpreting now was a quick way of burning from the inside out. The power radiating from the Lord was simply too much. ¡°Well no,¡± Lnd amended, making his tone distant and feeble. It was easy since he only felt fear. ¡°We knew a Harbinger and Witch pairing had their sights set on Sybil and that they were most likely going to act during the Dream Ceremony. W-what did you mean ¡®halo?¡¯¡± His eyes drifting away from whatever Sybil and the Lord were doing, the Harbinger stared at Lnd. ¡°How old are you? You can¡¯t be an Inquisitor, I don¡¯t feel enough powering from you¡­ Are you someone¡¯s kid? Annie didn¡¯t have two boys, did she?¡± ¡°HOW¡ª did you know my mom?¡± Glenny yelped, the sudden sounding from his throat causing him to flinch. The Harbinger sighed. ¡°That¡¯s rather simple. She was the one who ousted me from the Umbra. I was a few years away from my goals at the time, but her actions were a major setback. I would have killed her, but she was quite protected by the Inquisitors. Hard to¡­¡± the man leaned to the side, looking around Glenny, ¡°get near.¡± Lnd traced his line of sight, finding the overpowering glow from the Lord but an outstretched hand from Sybil. He quickly looked away. ¡°What do you want with Sybil?¡± ¡°The girl? My ns have little need for her,¡± the Harbinger muttered, entranced with the sight unfolding behind the boys. ¡°From her previous kidnapping, it seems to me like you do.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°The Witch,¡± Lnd concluded. ¡°Was it her that tortured Sybil? Some scars never heal.¡± ¡°Philosophic.¡± ¡°My mother always told me I had a gifted thought process.¡± The Harbinger shifted, walking away from where the boys stood within the dome to an isted edge. Lnd followed. ¡°Kid, leave me alone, I¡¯m trying to watch.¡± ¡°Tell me what¡¯s happening, I¡¯ll go blind if I look,¡± Lnd said, hoping to get some useful information. Those hopes were killed with the Harbinger¡¯s silence. Lnd suppressed his shaking hands, pressing them into his chest. He looked at Glenny who was staring out of the dome to his witheringdad. The deathly rot-infested veins had doubled, turning Carmon¡¯s skin a musky ck. ¡°Are you going¡ª¡± Lnd cut himself off, a dry heat scaling his spine. He twisted in agony, his skin burning like walking through a desert shirtless. A low roar escaped his clenched teeth, but he didn¡¯t dare look over his shoulder. Instead he stared into the Harbinger¡¯s eyes, finding the miracle in the man¡¯s irises. Still bathed in ivory sunlight, the Boneforged Monarch now stood within Sybil. Like a transparent suit of ss, Sybil stood motionless, her muscles cinched andpressed. ¡°Convergence is a sight to see,¡± the Harbinger said under his breath. ¡°Convergence?¡± Lnd forced himself to ask while trying to stand as tall as possible. The Harbinger did not respond. ¡°Are you going to kill us?¡± For some reason, the man chose to answer. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even if I were to tell you that my, Glenny¡¯s, Sybil¡¯s, and Carmon¡¯s death would ruin my ns?¡± The man reached his hand out, touching the protective barrier. He pushed, finding it imprable. Yet with each passing moment, his powers worked. The weapon he pulled from his chest continued to leak rot and insects. It was then Lnd noticed. High above him, at the apex of the dome, a mangled branch of bone poked through the emerald and masses of bugs. Gnarled and infected, the bone levied warts and pus-filled bubbles to increase its amplitude. It grew outward around the dome, slowly encasing it like an octopus during a feeding. The Harbinger didn¡¯t mind Lnd¡¯s gaping jaw, instead gently knocking on the dome. He held his ear to the magical construct, listening to various dull thuds. He then reeled his hand back, smacking the barrier with force unattainable by a mere mortal. Like a rock dropped into a pond, the protective barrier waned for a moment, snapping back to a dull gray a heartbeatter. Lnd quickly swallowed, saying again, ¡°If you kill us, then you ruin my ns.¡± The Harbinger smiled at Lnd. ¡°Your ns do not matter to me in the slightest.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s war.¡± By then the Harbinger had looked away, retreating back to thefort of watching a Lord live in the flesh. But as the moment continued on and his slow-beating heart continued to pump, a weak chill circled down his spine. He snapped his eyes to the boy, lowering his chin like a lion waiting to strike. ¡°What?¡± the man spit, punctuating the question with the full resolve of his murderous background. The word was spoken with such malice that Lnd subconsciously took a step back. He kept his eyes locked on the man¡¯s, in particr the reflection of Sybil in the man¡¯s irises. That alone was protection enough to end his fearful faltering, that and the Lord-provided barrier between them. ¡°You heard me,¡± Lnd made himself say. ¡°Who are you?¡± Again the question was said with a wave of eternal disdain, a hatred that far out-aged Lnd by millennia. It wasn¡¯t the Harbinger that spoke those words, no it was something far less understanding. Something primal, something dark and long locked away. The Harbinger wasn¡¯t a vessel for the Vile Lord to inhabit and walk around with, but that didn¡¯t stop the Undying Lord from looking through the mortal¡¯s eyes. For a moment, the man¡¯s irises engulfed the reflection of Sybil and the Boneforged Monarch, bing something reminiscent of a lone tree. The tree hung in the man¡¯s eyes, an eternal darkness of unfathomable depth wading into his pupils. Lnd couldn¡¯t see to the depths, but he sure could feel it. A being, a Lord, one that regarded life as nothing more than something to conquer. Contagion, rot, ruin, eternal hunger. The being had long been slumbering, but now it stared at Lnd. But even as he stared into the depths, Lnd¡¯s mind didn¡¯t focus on the weight crushing his gut. No, he only saw the tree-like irises of the man, not whatever was going on with Sybil. The difference was rather subtle, after all what was the difference between one Lord and another? Well, it was the answer to that question that made Lnd think. It was the answer that made him not fall into the descent into the Undying Lord¡¯s eternal madness. It was the same answer which caused him to continuously nce at Glenny¡¯s petrified form. It was the answer that made him speak over crying in fear. The only answer that would potentially help Carmon, the only answer that would bring father and son back together. The Harbinger¡¯s eyes no longer reflected Sybil ¨C a friend, a loved one, who needed help. Just like Glenny. Just like Jude before he was portaled away. Just like Lucia when she was swatted out of the sky. Just like Spencer who was missing in action. Just like Roy and Diana who were both defeated by dastardly abilities. Just like Carmon whoid dying just over yonder. That was the answer, and it pushed Lnd¡¯s grimoire open to a certain page. He calmly pressed his palm into the written contract with the Lord of Spirits, finding a euphoria calmly soothing his nerves. Sucking in a deep breath, Lnd activated his magic, creating a pillowing of violet mana, lifeforce, and enough intimidation to scare off a stalking lion. Halo now above his head, he spoke: ¡°My name is Lnd, and I am a Harbinger of the Cmity.¡± Chapter 147: Orders Chapter 147: Orders Far from Lnd, Glenny, and Carmon, Aunty P. stared nkly into a flickering firece. A look of worry crossed her brow andcking posture, enough to make those in the room with her feel secure. If they knew her true feelings, then there would be little doubt in their eyes ¨C she was as heartless as the rumors suggested. In her hand she sipped from a porcin cup, but even that was superficial. It was a mimed gesture, a fa?ade to control thecking minds sitting around her. In truth, Aunty P. hardly even noticed wetting her lips with fortified spiced wine, it simply wasn¡¯t important. The others most likely thought she was alone with her mind, worrying about her niece. But that simply was not true. No, Aunty P. knew exactly what was happening with Sybil and the Boneforged Monarch. In fact, everything was going just as nned, minus a few hups. Spencer being beaten so quickly was the worst of it. The Witch, the Pathway Legacy, was far grander of an enemy than the intelligence exposed. But then again, attacking was always easier than defending. Luckily Spencer wasn¡¯t fully beaten, he still had a way back into the game. But with his wife out ofmission, he was splitting his attention between her unconscious body and the true prize. Luckily his son was still near, which prompted him to work instead of crumblingpletely. Roy and Diana had sold their parts well, but with Spencer¡¯s failure, Roy was taken out of the fight far too fast, which in turn removed Diana just as quickly. Luckily Spencer was able to collect the Berserker Legacy. Diana was, after all, a great ally to have. It would have been a shame if the rot ended her life today. Aunty P. looked over at the bed holding the armless Diana ¨C well, that wasn¡¯t urate. She didn¡¯t actually look, she didn¡¯t even move her head. A Legacy ability, one Aunty P. despised using for the fact it created longsting headaches, was what allowed her to see. She could see anywhere within her sphere of influence, allowing her to keep tabs on all those shemanded. Diana would heal, it would take time and plenty of rehabilitation. Rot did that, it was diabolical magic. The missing arm was, oddly enough, far easier to fix. Of course it would have to be back at the capital with the Inquisitor healers, but she would survive a few weeks without an arm. Aunty P. moved her ¡°eyes¡± just a bit, finding Lucia on the next cot over. Preliminary reports revealed that she had broken nearly every bone in her body falling from such a height. Such was the way of fliers, the risk of falling was always present. Aunty P. found the manner in which Lucia fell amazing.Being shot out of the air was one thing, being shot out of the air because her own attack was redirected was another. Still, Aunty P. had to give her credit. She was the only one to have seen the Witch with her own eyes. Lastly there was Jude, bound in ghostly chains thanks to Harlen. Unconscious, but not because he was injured, but because he was a danger to himself. Rage was a terrible double edged sword, but luckily Spencer was able to remove him from the battle before the worst could happen. Roy and Diana would have been quite distraught, possibly would have even resigned from the Inquisitors, if their son had died. Thinking of Roy, Aunty P. changed her ¡°sight¡± to the shield user. Trapped in a basement nine streets over from where Sybil initially entered the Reflection ruins, Roy was bound in enough wards and runes to contain a true monster. Just who were they preparing for? Aunty P. asked herself before thinking about the best course of action. Did she tell Spencer Roy¡¯s whereabouts? Or did she allow Spencer to curse himself? The former would bring Roy back into the battle, but thetter would make Spencer work harder to fix his mistake. Aunty P. decided to maintain her silence. Far from the royal campus where she sat mindlessly sipping wine and staring into a fire pit, Aunty P. watched Sybil and the Boneforged Monarch Converge. It was a beautiful sight, one that marked a future just as amazing for the Palemarrow Kingdom. She fell into herself, cheering silently while bathing in the Lordly power radiating from her niece. So much so that she almost missed what Lnd and the Harbinger were discussing. What the Harbinger and Witch wanted was less than important. Defending their attempts to interfere with the ritual was superficial at best. Another fa?ade, but this time for all of the Palemarrow citizens. Who didn¡¯t love a good story in which evil failed and the royal family triumphed? Even if the Witch was somehow able to kidnap Sybil again, Aunty P. had a bead on her niece and would never allow her to exit her sight. Unless the Witch had the power to move Sybil halfway across the world, that was. But that level of power was just preposterous. No teleportation magic, barring a godly threshold, could move living beings such a distance. The Harbinger was simrly inconsequential. Even if the Boneforged Monarch entertained the idea ofmunicating with someone other than a Palemarrow, it was hardly the Palemarrow¡¯s responsibility to deal with the Undying Army. If the Undying Lord, and subsequently his army, were freed, that would be a true divine matter to fix. So the only true danger was if the Harbinger or Witch decided to simply kill Sybil. It would be incredibly foolish, but such was the way of those branded by social limitations. Fools, Harbingers, Witches, each yearned for more power or influence, but all were easily killed at the end of the day. Especially when a Lord was directly involved. The Boneforged Monarch would utterly obliterate either the Witch or Harbinger if they so much as thought of killing Sybil. ¡­that was, until Lnd changed the field of y. ¡°My name is Lnd, and I am a Harbinger of the Cmity.¡± Aunty P. heard the words from far, far away. They cut into her ears like a traitor dismantling years of nning. She knew the boy hid some secret, but being a Harbinger? That simply was not expected. The tattoo, a crow¡­ was it an illusion? Aunty P. had long identified all Vile Lords and their marks, memorizing each swirl of ink or characterized Legacy. She ¡°looked¡± at Harlen, who was floating silently next to Jude. The King of the Reflections had spoken to Lnd in an almost awe inspired manner when he and Lnd first met. What did he call the boy? ¡°Son of the Cmity?¡± A title she had never heard, not in any meaningful way, at least. For a moment Aunty P. hesitated. How to proceed? The question was like hot lead on a feather pillow. Sybil was suddenly in much more danger, or at least, much more unforeseen danger. As was Lucia and Spencer. She still needed Spencer, but that ship might be about to sail for his cooperation. Aunty P. knew what she needed to do. Pragmatically, at least. Sybil came first, the Palemarrow Kingdom came first. She removed a small device from her pocket, a small rock that looked like nothing more than a stone picked from the bank of a pond. The enchantments encrusted into it were incredibly small, nigh invisible. It was a safety measure, one meant to provide deniability if it ever fell into the wrong hands. All Inquisitors had one when working with a Crown family member, allowing for one-waymunication at any distance. Aunty P. held the rock to her lips, whispering hermand, ¡°Kill Lnd Silver, retrieve Carmon Red.¡± Isobel, better known as the ¡°Huntress,¡± sat atop a bell tower, watching the battle rage below. Her orders were quaint, especially for her prowess in defeating enemies far more powerful than the average adventurer. She was a hunter, one that preyed on those foolish enough to think themselves unkible. But her orders were absolute, to ¡°sit and observe.¡± Even as people were dying, she wasn¡¯t allowed to help. At first, Isobel thought of disobeying and helping evacuate¡­ but then three boys stuck around, and for some reason it felt more prudent to watch over them. Lucia was gone first, then Roy, then Diana. Spencer¡¯s magical presence had disappeared as well, but for some reason Lnd and Glenny didn¡¯t leave when they had the chance. Whatever heroic notion Lnd and Glenny were blinding themselves with pushed their inexperienced weak bodies into the fray, to a point that Isobel thought she couldn¡¯t rescue them. It surprised her when Lnd started talking to the Harbinger, but then again, he was the smart one and probably saw that his chances of surviving were near impossible. At least, not if he were to try to fight his way out. Reasoning with a Harbinger was sure to fail, however, or at least Isobel thought. But it was a few short words that made the Harbinger stop dead in his tracks. ¡°My name is Lnd, and I am a Harbinger of the Cmity.¡± And then Isobel saw it. The purple halo that hung above Lnd¡¯s head. The same ring of magic, albeit a different color, as the ring above the Harbinger¡¯s head. Bits and pieces snapped into ce, events from Shoutwell and Liontrunk suddenly became far more clear. Isobel cursed at herself when she realized just what had happened in that mountain vige near Frostford. It was a battle between two Harbingers, the Toy Maker and Lnd. But¡­ then again, the Lord of Nature¡¯s Champion worked with Lnd. They cleared a nest of vile-touched scorpions. Isobel groaned. Lnd had been an enemy all along¡ª she defended him to the High Inquisitor. How foolish could she have been? How¡ª In her pocket, a small indiscriminate rock heated up like a stove in winter. She quickly scrambled to hear the orders it contained, hoisting it to her ear. ¡°Kill Lnd Silver, retrieve Carmon Red.¡± That put an end to all of Isobel¡¯s thoughts. For a short instant, she was lost. Orders, Inquisitors, the murder of a young man, just a boy really, in front of one of his best friends, and his parents who were no doubt scrambling to rescue him. That didn¡¯t sit right. Even if he was a Harbinger. Mechanically, she tapped the rock in a pattern signaling ¡°orders received,¡± then she paused. From her vantage point, the air was much colder than that of the streets below. She was bundled up quite well, though, her old ratty cloak proving to be quite the article of warmth. Her hand let go of the rock, allowing it to fall to the rooftops below. For a moment she petted the matted fabric of what was once a full-on coat. What was once a gift from her loved ones, one of the few things left from when her family was alive. Her eyes traced the falling rock¡¯s flight, identifying the spot where it came to rest. As she looked away, back to Lnd and Glenny trapped under a dome about to break, the rock fell out of her memory. She leaped, hurdling herself through the air. Chapter 148: Then It鈥檚 War Chapter 148: Then It¡¯s War ¡°My name is Lnd, and I am a Harbinger of the Cmity,¡± Lnd said, mustering up every shred of courage he could conceivably find, ¡°¡­and if you interfere with my ns, then it will be war.¡± Cold, dead eyes locked onto Lnd¡¯s, and for a moment, the world was silent. No longer did the buzz of countless bugs skitter around in rot. No longer did Glenny mutter to himself in worry. Not even Sybil made a sound, she and the Lord connected to her. No, for a moment there was only the two Harbingers, for a moment there was nothing more than two envoys of their respective Lords. One a murderer, the other holding a deration of war. ¡°Whose are you?¡± The question was expected and Lnd instantly pivoted onto the balls of his feet. He lowered himself, an offensive and defensive measure. Not that it would do anything. ¡°She goes by the Cmity.¡± The Harbinger of the Undying Army hesitated. The name wasn¡¯t familiar to him, but it sure as hell was to the Lord watching the conversation from a prison worlds away. The reflection in the man¡¯s eyes twisted like a child before an angry parent.An inhuman growl zed in the throat of the man, a voice then came out, one not of the Harbinger¡¯s but of his master. ¡°I do not wish for war.¡± Lnd flinched, lowering himself even more. The voice reminded him of the Toy Maker¡¯s vessel, a Lord inhabiting a body not meant for such power. But this time the Lord in question wasn¡¯t forcing his power into the husk, but rather speaking through it like a shortcut across a grassy field. ¡°How shall we proceed?¡± the Undying Lord asked. Lnd forced himself to breathe, noting that the world had fallen away for the moment. Glenny was no longer at his side, Sybil waspletely gone. It was just him and a true predator, one that was famously heinous. ¡°Y-you leave and¡ª¡± ¡°I was not speaking to you,¡± the voice said. ¡°I will not convene with mortals as weak as you.¡± Lnd nced at his hand tattoo, finding it oddly stationary. The one time he wished for the damn bird to peck him, and it was silent. But that got him thinking, could the Lord of Curses speak through him? The Harbinger was doing it, maybe things truly could be worked out amicably. But no, no voice passed across his vocal cords. No messages appeared randomly in his mind. No sharp pains of his tattoo¡¯s guidance. The Lord of Curses was not present, she was not going to help him. For some reason, however, that didn¡¯t bother Lnd too much. Maybe it was because he already figured he was alone in this, or maybe because somewhere deep within the folds of his mind he saw the ss as half full. The Lord of Curses knew he could do this on his own. ¡°Why would she speak to someone as weak as you?¡± The question escaped Lnd¡¯s lips without a second thought. How many times had he talked to various Lords over the months since being able to forge contracts? Had he ever shown such disrespect before? Glenny, who was still standing beside Lnd, inched away. He didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but from the change in the Harbinger¡¯s voice and tone, he had somewhat of an idea. And what Lnd had just said, well, he was suddenly liking his chances of survival far less. His eyes fell on the mangled mess of a person across the way, his father. Bloated purple and green, ck lines of death traced the rot coursing through his veins. At that moment, Glenny decided he needed to find a chance to escape and save his¡ª Glenny almost stumbled over his feet. He blinked at where his father had just been, only to find a pile of gravel and emerald sickness. Where did¡ª The question was answered almost instantly, a shadow kicking its way across the ruins. Glenny recognized her instantly, the Huntress. His heart now beating with a second wind, Glenny inched back toward Lnd, ready to yank him out of the way of whatever attack the Harbinger might throw. Lnd¡¯s statement had left both the Harbinger and the Lord currently in control of his vocal cords silent. The two, or rather three, stared at each other, Lnd the only one actively squirming. The pressure, he had suddenlye to notice, was quite heavy. An anvil, maybe two, were stacked on his head while a waterwheel churned his stomach. ¡°I see,¡± the Undying Lord finally said. ¡°What are your ns and how shall we not interfere with one another?¡± ¡°Glenny, his father, Sybil, and I all go free unharmed,¡± Lnd answered instantly. ¡°Fine.¡± That was¡­ not the answer he was expecting, especially so easily. Something deep in the back of his mind screamed at him, but it was far too muffled to be heard over the heavy breathinging from the Harbinger¡¯s mouth. ¡°Then you leave,¡± Lnd demanded. ¡°Not until my ns are fulfilled,¡± the Undying Lord said, the irises of the Harbinger morphing into a deep well of roots and vines. It took a moment, but the Harbinger was now snarling like his leg was caught in a thorn bush. Just¡­ just what was happening here, Lnd wondered, noting a sudden waft of pine. They were currently surrounded by mashed brick and all-consuming rot, not a forest. ¡°And those ns are?¡± Lnd then asked. ¡°My resurrection.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to be a bit more specific.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s war.¡± ¡°You will die.¡± ¡°So will you.¡± Lnd dug deep, continuing, ¡°The Toy Maker¡¯s death wasn¡¯t quick, as I understand it.¡± That was aplete lie, Lnd had absolutely no idea how fast the Lord¡¯s death was. But, if the Lord of Curses fought with any spell simr to the arsenal of his Legacy, having your soul ripped out took a long while. The statement was another gamble, but then again, what wasn¡¯t a gamble in this situation? ¡°I am Undying,¡± the Lord growled, the Harbinger¡¯s irises abruptly changing to a cascade of death. Thousands, millions even, of lives had been taken and lived by the Undying Lord. What was one more? Lnd gave a weak shrug and the Harbinger¡¯s face twitched. ¡°What are your ns for resurrection?¡± The Undying Lord¡¯s next words came without patience, ¡°A grafted body.¡± Even not knowing what that meant, Lnd knew it wasn¡¯t good. But still, he thought about it. An immortal imprisoned in thorns and vines wanted a new body. And as he had already learned, a mortal body couldn¡¯t handle a Lord¡¯s soul. So that left only one other option, the Boneforged Monarch. ¡°You wish to take the Monarch¡¯s body as your own,¡± Lnd concluded. What was he supposed to say here? ¡°Oh sure, take Sybil¡¯s Lord¡¯s body. Take the being that has protected the Palemarrow Kingdom¡¯s wellbeing since its creation. That¡¯s fine, as long as you don¡¯t harm me?¡± That didn¡¯t work on many levels, all of which Lnd figured he had no actual say in. ¡°No,¡± he finally said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t work for me. If you try, then it¡¯s war.¡± ¡°Mortal¡­¡± the word was mulled with an unfortunate madness. Countless lives imprisoned, never to die, never to breathe, never to eat, never to drink. Forever confined, forever forgotten except in a children¡¯s tale about someone else. ¡°I have waited countless years for my glorious return. If ending things here without war means only a few more, well so be it.¡± Lnd swallowed, and turned to Glenny without ever taking his eyes off the Harbinger and Lord. ¡°Go, get out of here. Take your dad and run.¡± ¡°L-Lnd¡ª¡± ¡°Glenny, get out of here,¡± Lnd muttered gutturally, like a man standing before his deepest darkest fear, like a man standing before war. Lnd didn¡¯t notice, but Glenny didn¡¯t exit the dome on his own ord. Rather he was taken, yanked away by a familiar hand holding a familiar bow. The Lord and Harbingerbination didn¡¯t care to watch the mortal go, nor to stop the other mortal from interfering. No, the Lord only had his eyes set on Lnd. ¡°Sybil? Can you hear me? We need to go¡ª¡± Just then, the Harbinger flicked the dome, destroying it like a mace to a watermelon. Lnd flinched, his eyes going straight up to the rot and ruin towering above. Emerald was all he saw, an endless sea of the green of thousands of bugs... but they didn¡¯t fall, not quite. Slowly, like the tide, the rot and bugs drifted back into the form of the weapon the Harbinger ripped from his chest. It took several minutes, but the weapon eventually made its way back to its owner¡¯s hand. ¡°Just cleaning up,¡± the Undying Lord spoke, something snide hidden in the sybles. Lnd didn¡¯t have the luxury of thinking about such things, instead turning his attention to Sybil. She was no longer glowing, yet the Boneforged Monarch still was. The pair was standing in one another, like the reflection of two mirrors pointed at one another. When Lnd set his hand on her shoulder, both faces turned to him. ¡°L-Lnd?¡± He was having a hard time with the glow, the searing light causing him to walk to her blind. Sybil must have realized this because the glow abruptly cut out. He opened his eyes, finding two beings watching him. He spoke to Sybil. ¡°We need to go,¡± Lnd nodded toward the Harbinger. ¡°Before he changes his mind.¡± ¡°O-of course,¡± Sybil whispered, fiddling with her belt. After a moment, she removed her nk white mask, donning it like the Queen does her crown every day. The Boneforged Monarch¡¯s ethereal form abruptly faded away, leaving Sybil as she stood. Lnd, however, could still see her. Neither of them stopped to think about that, and instead Lnd took her hand and started moving. They only took a few steps before Lnd¡¯s hand suddenly started to throb. He spared a nce, finding the crow tattoo had pecked him. The Undying Lord then spoke, a smile zing across the Harbinger¡¯s face. ¡°Them.¡± The word was simple and familiar, one Lnd recognized instantly. Themand for the Witch to use her magic. He felt the effects right away, a battle between two forces, each taking and giving real estate across his body as they fought for domination. He recognized his dad¡¯s handy work, but didn¡¯t have enough time to celebrate his dad¡¯s apparent wellbeing. Not when the Witch was winning. It was somewhat gradual but entirely too quick. In a mere moment, the Witch¡¯s magic fully engulfed his and Sybil¡¯s bodies. But they weren¡¯t teleported away, not yet at least. Hand raised in a signal to stop, the Harbinger and Lord walked closer. Almost instantly the nag in the back of Lnd¡¯s mind redoubled its efforts. He had missed something key, something simple. Just what was it? The Undying Lord answered the question. ¡°You should really think over your words carefully. Of course I would allow you and yours to go free. But did you really think a sadistic Witch would?¡± Lnd strained to reply, ¡°But youmanded¡ª¡± ¡°Nothing I have done today was an order. Just a¡­ let¡¯s say, a suggestion.¡± ¡°T-this will be war!¡± Lnd spat. ¡°No, no it won¡¯t. Not even the Great Cmity would dare break the rules of the Lords. She created them, after all.¡± A raspyugh escaped the Harbinger¡¯s lips. ¡°Goodbye forever, young Harbinger.¡± Lnd and Sybil were then shoved into a white void, leaving the Harbinger and Undying Lord to wreak havoc. Yet as Lnd spun around in the Void, doing his best to slow the incredible speed at which he and Sybil were flying, he realized they weren¡¯t alone. Isobel, floating alongside them, cursed. Chapter 149: Void Chapter 149: Void ¡°Well kid, you¡¯ve really put us in a horrible spot,¡± Isobel said after another sttering of curses. She, like Lnd and Sybil, was floating motionlessly as the backdrop of the Void rushed by. Bundled in her ratty cloak, she twisted and craned, anything to touchsomething. Yet, such was the way of the Void. There was no ground to stand on, no trees to brush against, no sky to gaze into. There was only white, infinite and indomitable. Lnd, for what it was worth, was not panicking yet. He had been to the Void several times by this point. But while those were willing trips between the mortal realm and that of a Lord¡¯s domain, this was far from that. No, this was something far more malicious ¨C forcibly teleported, by a Witch. His main concern was where the Witch was sending them . He doubted she had the power to take them off world, which didn¡¯t soothe him in the grand scheme. For all he knew, they could be traveling to an active volcano or the depths of the ocean. Either way meant death for him and Sybil and a probable horrid maiming for the Huntress. Lnd peeked out of the corner of his eye, finding the Huntress staring intently at him like he had just stomped on her foot. He chose to look away, finding Sybil instead. The Princess, wearing her divine artifact mask, floated along like a tourist in a new city. She spun around, looking everywhere and anywhere. Soon she realized everything was the same white mess and returned her gaze to the others. ¡°What is this?¡± she asked, her voice passing through the mask like it wasn¡¯t even there. It was an expressionless te with only two small circr grooves cut part way into the ivory. ¡°The Void,¡± Lnd and Isobel said at the same time, both frowning then looking at one another. Isobel scoffed and looked away. ¡°This is the Void,¡± Lnd then rified with a shake of his head. ¡°As in where Harlen and the Reflections live when they are not haunting Ruinsforth.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Sybil whispered before taking another twirl. ¡°Forgive me, but how did we end up here? M-my memories are hazy¡­¡± Isobel and Lnd shared a nce. ¡°Well, the Harbinger was going to kill us all¡ª¡± ¡°Not true,¡± Isobel interrupted. This time it was Lnd¡¯s turn to scoff. ¡°The Harbinger was going to kill Glenny, Carmon, and I. Instead, I made a deal with him.¡± ¡°But you are dumb and didn¡¯t think of the Witch.¡± Lnd spun to her. ¡°Insulting someone¡¯s intelligence only insults your own. You wouldn¡¯t have fared any better in my position.¡± Isobel rolled her eyes. ¡°Again, not true. I, for one, would never have been in your position. I think things over before I do something dumb.¡± Recoiling, Lnd spit back. ¡°Then why are you here? If I remember right, you didn¡¯t even try to help protect Sybil. Where was the barrage of arrows? Or were you afraid of the Harbinger?¡± She snorted. ¡°Harbingers. With an ¡®S.¡¯¡± Lnd went red and looked away. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean any¡ª¡± ¡°Last time I checked, Harbingers were enemies of the state. Kill on sight for all Inquisitors.¡± He sucked in a harsh breath, puffing his chest and doing his best to stand tall despite currently floating. ¡°Then you better kill your Queen and Sybil!¡± Before Lnd had finished speaking, Isobel had already begun her next statement. She quickly went silent, her eyes darting between the children with her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Lnd snarled. ¡°Not all Harbingers are evil.¡± Before Isobel could respond, Sybil butted in. ¡°Please stop. No more talk about loyalties or being evil. We are all allies here.¡± They both grumbled at that. ¡°Thank you,¡± the Princess continued. ¡°Now then, what happened with the Boneforged Monarch?¡± ¡°Convergence,¡± Lnd answered after a beat of silence. ¡°She stood within you and then you became transfixed.¡± Sybil¡¯s shoulders suddenly went taut. Her hand whipped to her face, mask rather, touching it like a newlywed admiring their ring. The mask hid her emotions quite well, but even the others saw the hesitance grow. ¡°Then why¡ª¡± She didn¡¯t finish thement, instead pulling off her mask. Instantly the light of a Lord rushed the void, bending the seams of reality to better fit the will of the Monarch. White mixed with the gray glow, burning an image of a female face into the nothingness of the Void. The Lord had no expression, but that didn¡¯t mean she was a statue. The Lord looked around, finding Lnd and Isobel interesting enough to gaze upon. Instantly both of them crumbled. Still floating, both were saved from smashing into the ground, but that didn¡¯t mean the weight of divinity didn¡¯t hurt. Lnd¡¯s skin was the first to fail, bleeding away with flecks of ck dust. He wasn¡¯t being burned, but rather decayed, like a corpse lying in the elements. Sybil snapped the mask back on, profusely apologizing. She crossed the space between herself and Lnd, helping him back ¡°up.¡± He flinched away. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine,¡± he muttered, quickly summoning his grimoire from his hand and pressing his palm into the open page. Violet magic radiated from his finger while sparks of green highlighted the aspect of the spell ¨C Touch of Regeneration. ¡°You mind sharing,¡± Isobel muttered after seeing Lnd poke his own chest for the sixth time. He scowled, healing her as well. ¡°Sybil, can I see your hand?¡± Lnd then asked. The Princess didn¡¯t hesitate, holding out her arm. While she expected healing, that was not what Lnd did. Instead he inspected the back of her hand, looking for a tattoo. ¡°You don¡¯t have a Lord,¡± he concluded. ¡°You still don¡¯t have a Legacy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s part of the ritual,¡± Isobel quickly spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t know all of the details, but obviously this¡± she waved her arms around, ¡°wasn¡¯t how the Royal Dream was supposed to go.¡± ¡°So how does she¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You know something. You are her guard.¡± ¡°Not so much. I was only there because I was being punished.¡± ¡°For what?¡± A whirl of a smile befell Isobel¡¯s face. ¡°Protecting you.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t fall for the bait. ¡°I see.¡± He turned to Sybil. ¡°What was supposed to happen after the Convergence?¡± Sybil then recounted what Aunty P. and her mother had told her before leaving for Ruinsforth. If the Convergence was sessful, she was to be taken back to the castle at once, likely by a teleporting artifact Aunty P. carried, for the remainder of the ritual. What that entailed, she didn¡¯t know. While a dead end, it got Lnd thinking. ¡°Do you still have the item that you used to kidnap Glenny to the mountain ?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Sybil yelped. ¡°That¡¯s worse than it sounds, and yes I do.¡± Isobel said with a level of smugness. ¡°But do you really think me that shortsighted that I wouldn¡¯t have thought of that the moment I realized where we were?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t answer the question. ¡°So it doesn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°Out of range.¡± ¡°So we are stuck¡­ and probably heading to our deaths.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t want to state the obvious, mainly for Sybil¡¯s sake, but she had the right to know. She took it in stride. ¡°You¡¯re a mage, get us out of here!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that easy. I have no dominion over the Void, let alone am powerful enough¡ª¡± ¡°Oh shut it kid,¡± Isobel interrupted. ¡°You are a Harbinger, time to act like it.¡± Lnd red. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Well it¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? Harbingers are beings no one wants to fight. They bend and break the rules, case in point never dying like our rotting friend.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see how¡ª¡± Isobel reached out and pped Lnd. ¡°Do magic!¡± she screeched. Luckily, the Lord of Nature¡¯s contract hadn¡¯t expired and Lnd was able to heal the fracture in his jaw. ¡°My magic is different¡ª¡± Another p. ¡°Stop that!¡± Another. ¡°Huntress please,¡± Sybil spoke, stepping between her and Lnd. ¡°This is getting us nowhere.¡± ¡°No,¡± Isobel quickly mulled, passing the Princess with a gentle push. ¡°Lnd got us into this mess, he¡¯s going to get us out.¡± Another p sent him rushing backward in space. He didn¡¯t actually go anywhere, the Void being absolute in all directions, but that was beside the point. Many things crossed his mind while Sybil yelled at the Huntress, none of which Lnd wanted to think about. What a mess, he thought, finding sce in looking at his Legacy tattoo. The bird was stationary, which wasn¡¯t unexpected. The Lord of Curses usually didn¡¯t assist him in times of need unless he truly needed it. Which, well, meant a few things. Lnd was either to do nothing and let the future y out, or he already had the tools to course correct. Contacting a Lord was out of the question. He was already in the Void, and contacting a Lord would mean separating from Sybil and the Huntress. There was no guarantee that he would be returned to them afterward, and Lnd knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to live with himself if he abandoned them. So what did that leave? None of his other curses or contracts looked particrly useful for breaking out of the Void¡­ but then again, he was a Warlock, not a mage. He didn¡¯t use magic in the same way. Could that be exploited? What had Harlen said about the Void? That it ¡°connects all,¡± that it is the ¡°space between.¡± Was that exploitable? If so, how? Cantrips. Obviously. Always on the backburner, cantrips were a part of magic untethered by Legacy lines. They were teachable, learnable, and adaptable. But that didn¡¯t mean they were easy, nor useful in this situation. Was there a cantrip that could affect the Void? No, no. That wasn¡¯t the right line of thinking. Lnd chided himself, realizing targeting the Void was wrong. How could he be so dumb? How many times had he seen his dad workshop attunements for portals or threads between space? Literally minutes ago the Witch and his dad had battled for control over his, Sybil¡¯s, and the Huntress¡¯ bodies using spatial lines. Lnd smiled to himself as he activated another contract, the Lord of Chameleons. The contract was simple, his perceptions would be enhanced based on what he needed most. And right now, he needed to see mana. Which he did. The white infinite space suddenly transitioned to a dusty realm of misting blue and radiant purple. Stemming mainly from the violet halo above his head, Lnd suddenly found himself in a personal rainstorm with flickers of space acting as lightning. He hoped his mom was okay. But that wasn¡¯t what he needed to think about. Resolving himself, Lnd peered through the storm of mana at Sybil. Her mask canceled all semnce of visible magic, acting like an ind in a world dominated by tidal waves. The effect was quite helpful, allowing Lnd to see the more subtle intricacies. But what did he do now? The question loomed, he was out of practice and inexperienced. But then again, he wasn¡¯t trying to forgo the Witch¡¯s spell fully, nor was he trying to dismantle it without anyone noticing. If anything, Lnd was just trying to¡ª A shockwave rippled through the Void, a dim shadow against the world of white. ¡°Kid?¡± Isobel asked. ¡°Shut it! I¡¯m concentrating!¡± he yelled back, hands outstretched like a carpenter sanding the t of a table. Mana and magic twisted around his fingers, churning with the small amounts of lifeforce he amplified through his fingertips. The cantrip in question created a small lick of me, like that of a candle, but Lnd didn¡¯t rush to ignite the framework. Instead he felt around, touching the density of specific areas of space. There was a threshold, he quickly found, of mana density that would react. It was foreign mana, not his own nor like his dad¡¯s . It was the Witch¡¯s, he was sure. He severed the threading, pushing it apart with lifeforce. ¡°Kid¡ª¡± Isobel asked again before abruptly cutting herself off. A wave of discord rushed through hers and the other¡¯s bodies. Hackles raised, Isobel quickly reached for Sybil, pulling her close. But when she went to do the same for Lnd, the Void abruptly stopped. They appeared in a salty brine, dozens of meters below the surface. Chapter 150: Archon Valley Chapter 150: Archon Valley A mass of bubbles burst from Lnd¡¯s mouth, the force of exiting the Void crushing against his lungs like a log falling on a cracker. Salt invaded his eyes and nose, blinding him to an awkward degree. With the Lord of the Chameleon¡¯s contract still enabled, suddenly going blind kicked his instinct into high gear. His brain told him to swim up, but instinct told him to fully breathe out, despite the pain. Several long seconds passed as Lnd¡¯s chest heaved before he finally fanned his arms out, pulling himself up through the water. He tried to open his eyes to see the surface, but only darkness and pain met him. With a distinctck of bubblesing from his mouth, Lnd began to panic. He thrashed and iled, he would give anything to have a breath of air. The mocking smile of the Undying Army Harbinger filled his mind, enough so that Lnd thought the man nned this. To die in agony, away from friends and family, alone in the crushing depths of an ocean potentially worlds away. Moments continued to pass and he still failed to breach, to escape his watery prison. Just like the Undying Lord. His vision became even more blurry, this time not because of the salt. Darkness encroached what little color he could see, until there was nothing but a cold lifelessness. He began to sink, waterlogged and with heavy pockets. Thud. Thud. Thud.Huuuurshhhhh. A whimper, a muted whisper of an ambiguous tone. Nothing, yet a beacon for someone far beyond the scope of the material world. Then, a spark. Something, something so small, a finger twitching or a distant shape appearing in his periphery. Cherry? Or maybe bitter pear? Sour, but it also tasted like blood. Iron. A lot of iron. A lot of blood. And Cherry. Iron and cherry, a badbination. He tried to spit it out, but the vor, especially the cherry, kepting. Infinite, it seemed, never draining despite his throat¡¯s purging attempts. Something hit him in the face, his own hand, he realized. Like it had a life of its own, his hand dove into his mouth, scooping at the blood and cherry. Anything to get the taste¡ª ¡°Stop it, idiot!¡± His hand was knocked away, his knuckles breaking from the force of hitting the ground. More cherry vor came. ¡°Drink,¡± the voice snipped. Colors, Lnd found, everywhere. Dark, yes, but green as well. Yellow. Maybe even¡ª ¡°Stop it and drink, Lnd get the potion down.¡± Two and two finally were put together and Lnd swallowed. What came next was several minutes of healing from mortal wounds. His lungs were the worst of it, but his ears and face were torn apart as well, likely from wing at the pressure hiding in his nasal cavity. Lastly was his hand, and the broken bones. At some point Lnd¡¯s consciousness escaped him again, but luckily he was in no danger. When he woke, he couldn¡¯t sit up, his arms failed him, his muscles like wet y. ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Well kid, when I asked you to get us out, I didn¡¯t mean like that.¡± Lnd followed the voice, finding the Huntress. As wet as he was, she was worse, but that was most likely from hunting dinner. A fire was burning away between them, a dozen fish roasting on a stick resting in the heat. While the smell the fish produced was heavenly, the same could not be said for the Huntress¡¯ appearance. Bags of tar were cast under her eyes, ones with enoughyers to pose as a century-old tree stump. She stared at Lnd distantly, emotions locked away. She was the Huntress, hardened killer of criminals and guardian of royalw¡­ but right now, right now she was Isobel, widowed mother of a child who never grew to the age of double digits. A weight was stered into her arms as she stared at Lnd, a weight she had forced herself to forget. Lnd forced the y in his arms to harden, sitting up with enough fever to light a smithy. ¡°What happened?¡± his dry, raw throat managed to release before seizing like a cramped muscle. ¡°You got us out of the Void and put us into an ocean.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Sybil?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± the Princess whispered. Lnd turned, finding her sitting expectantly only a step away. A raging wave bashed him in the mind, nausea oveing his stomach. He remembered the feeling right away, the divine mask¡¯s camouge. Once the pain settled down, his mind easily saw past the defenses. ¡°Something is wrong with your mask,¡± he muttered, still swaying a bit. ¡°It¡¯s grown weak, yes,¡± Sybil said. ¡°Lady Huntress thinks¡ª¡± ¡°Isobel, call me Isobel.¡± ¡°Lady Isobel thinks,¡± she continued despite Isobel rolling her eyes, ¡°that the Boneforged Monarch is draining the mask¡¯s power.¡± Lnd knew of some runic forms that lost power depending on the size of the item they were inscribed onto, but chose not to say that aloud. His audience wouldn¡¯t care and he didn¡¯t feel too up for it anyway. ¡°I was dead,¡± Lnd then whispered into hisp. ¡°Yes,¡± Isobel mused, hinting with enough fleeting arrogance to more or less the actual severity of the situation. Whatever her reason, she chose not to expand her thoughts on the matter, only stating, ¡°You own me for two high-quality potions now.¡± Lnd was able to roll his eyes, but allowed himself toy back down. ¡°Right, I¡¯ll get right on that¡­¡± He fell back asleep, waking when it was daybreak. Or at least, he thought it was daybreak. A stick pointing upright in the sand just out of reach of the smoldering embers caught his attention before the surroundings did. The fish impaled on the stick was incredibly dry, overcooked, partially burnt, and seasonless, but it still somehow managed to taste like a steak cooked in butter and served with potatoes. Filling his belly, Lnd turned his attention to hispanions. The Huntress was awake and watching him, no doubt watching their surroundings as well. Sybil was asleep, wrapped in a ratty cloak. ¡°Any idea where we are?¡± Lnd asked quietly. ¡°Take a wild guess.¡± He held off rolling his eyes, instead looking around. A beach, waves, sand. Nothing too characteristic, other than that the sand was an off shade of ck. And soft. Weird, he thought, now scanning up the beach. In the distance was, well, Lnd didn¡¯t know how to describe it. A wall? No, that wasn¡¯t quite right. From his sitting position, he could make out a few patches of grass and the poof of treetops atop the structure. For a moment he thought of activating the Lord of Chameleon¡¯s contract to see further, but by then he realized what he was looking at. A cliff. The cliff wrapped far into the horizon, disappearing behind a bundle of clouds and lightning storms. Lnd traced the storm, finding that it stretched all the way around and hovered over the open ocean. He then frowned, squinting at the faint outline of the cliff beyond the ocean and past the clouds. The cliff continued to wrap around, reuniting with itself where Lnd first saw it. They were surrounded, trapped within by cliffs that reached into the heavens. More importantly, Lnd knew where they were, albeit he only knew about it because of the reputation this ce garnered. ¡°Archon Valley,¡± he said to the Huntress, knowing his guess was correct. She confirmed it with a nod. ¡°Which means we are in grave danger.¡± ¡°Can you defeat an Archon?¡± Isobel snorted, and a somber me flickered in her eyes. ¡°Hardly, Archons are practically divine beings. But they aren¡¯t the danger as long as we don¡¯t interfere with their experiments.¡± ¡°Then what¡ª¡± ¡°Tell me, kid, how much do you actually know about this ce?¡± Lnd blinked a few times, searching his memory for the information. He remembered asking his mom about the Valley after reading about it in some magic-basics tome. The Valley itself wasn¡¯t special, other than being halfway across the world from home. It became special after the Archons arrived and terraformed thend into a protected garden. No one knew where they originated from, but the Archons were said to have been around during the first Lord Ascension. They were an isted race, however, never leaving their garden despite the outside world changing. There were theories listed in the tome, ones of great debate. Some argued that the Archons wished to return to their homes with magical information. Others argued that the Archons were mindless golems created by one of the original Lords, and without their master¡¯smand, they are forever set to continue their work. What that work entailed? Lnd didn¡¯t know, only that some of the greatest magical discoveries in thest few centuries originated from the Valley. ording to rumor, Lords with an interest in magic kept a loyal few hidden in the Valley, spying on one another as they researched Archon experiments. Lnd said all of this to the Huntress. ¡°You are missing one key piece of information,¡± she said, standing and stretching her back. ¡°It¡¯s not just research teams and Archons here. There are mutated monsters, Archon experiments, and mutated people, also experiments.¡± Lnd bit the inside of his lip. ¡°There are monsters here that worry you?¡± The Huntress jerked a thumb back to the tree line. ¡°Monsters, not so much.¡± Following the gesture, Lnd found a honey badger the size of a bear, dead. Scales made up the back half of the creature, along with a twin set of fins that ran along its front arms. Now covered in mollusks and worms, it was camouged against the ck sand. Now that Lnd knew they were in the Valley, he reassessed the sand. It was soft, nongranr, almost like the ash of a campfire. ¡°This isn¡¯t sand,¡± Lnd then said. ¡°We¡¯re sitting on an Archon experiment¡­ is it ash?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know, and don¡¯t care. As long as it¡¯s not going to hurt us, I don¡¯t see why it would matter.¡± That was true, at least enough to a certain degree. Lnd tabled the oddity for the moment, instead switching back to the previous conversation. ¡°If you are not worried about monsters, then what are you afraid of?¡± Isobel stared longingly out to sea, her eyes settling on the storm across the way. It pulsed with lightning, highlighting the harsh winds that gusted high into the air. Eventually she shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She debated on saying the next part, but ultimately chose not to maintain the Huntress persona ¨C Lnd had the right to know. ¡°There¡¯s been¡­ a chill in the air. Like we are being watched.¡± ¡°From where?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the issue, from everywhere.¡± Chapter 151: Experiment Chapter 151: Experiment Both Isobel and Lnd chose to keep Isobel¡¯s worries from Sybil. Whether or not something actually was watching them didn¡¯t matter in the grand scheme, at least not in terms of alerting the Princess. Either they would be attacked or not, which hopefully wouldn¡¯t be an issue for the Huntress to take care of. It wasn¡¯t until after Sybil woke up that the trio decided on next steps. The n was simple: find a way home. Being stranded halfway across the world was an issue, however, an issue that could only be solved with time and money. Travel, at the end of the day, was expensive and tedious¡­ of course that was after they got to a ce with avable travel. There was a sheerck of ships or transport caravans in the Archon Valley. In fact, there was a sheerck of, well, everything in the Valley. As the group moved beyond their humble beginnings on the beach of ash, that sentiment echoed like the silence of a forest burnt to the ground. There was no life, despite being surroundedpletely by shrubbery and trees. ¡°There are no bugs,¡± Isobel muttered, crouched down inspecting the root system of an odd vine. The vine in question was yellow and stuck out against the green like a watermelon in a pumpkin patch. While weird, the fact that the vine was throbbing made even the Huntress pause. Like a snaking trying to inhale its prey, the vinepped up something from within a great oak. ¡°Stand back, it¡¯s¡ª¡± A stark shriek escaped from the roots when Isobel plucked at them. The vine instantly shriveled, snapping out with razor thorns. The nt wrapped itself around her, but was unable to draw blood. Isobel hummed as she continued tearing through the roots, eventually finding a ball of sorts. She ripped it from the dirt, holding it to her noise and taking a whiff. Thrusting the ball out and away from Lnd and Sybil, Isobel said, ¡°Smells like poison.¡± She cracked open the ball like an egg. Hundreds, if not thousands, of dead bugs leaked out. ¡°Well that answers that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± said Sybil. Being distracted by prying the vine off her, Isobel deferred to Lnd. He answered with a short head nod. ¡°It could mean many things, the least of which are good. I can, however, say that this looks like an experiment.¡± Sybil grumbled at the deration of an ¡°experiment,¡± knowing that theck of a real answer was probably for the best in this case. Before setting off from the beach, Lnd and Isobel had informed her of the Archons and their ¡°experiments.¡± ¡°The Archons are creators,¡± Lnd had said. ¡°What they make, most don¡¯t understand nor are particrly useful.¡± Isobel added to that, ¡°Most have to deal with the environment. So don¡¯t touch anything that looks out of ce.¡± Sybil had nodded along at the time, but was suddenly starting to rethink her nonchnt attitude. As the hours passed and they encountered more and more oddities, she started to rethink most things, especially once her feet started to hurt. She could count on the one hand the number of times she¡¯d walked in the woods, most of which were for less than ten minutes before returning to her carriage. Her whole life, Sybil had lived in the capital under a protected roof. She knew little of her father, but she liked to imagine him as a dashing hero, one that sought the preservation of others¡¯ lives well before his own. She remembered falling asleep while imagining his journeys, fighting monsters and saving lives. It was her twelfth birthday when someone told her the truth. Her father was a Count, a title just powerful enough to court the Queen, if she deemed it, of course. Unfortunately the Count was just trying to jump steps and skip directly to Duke or higher, ultimately casting Sybil aside crushing that dream. Sybil never dreamed of her father past that day and resigned herself to bing a Princess. Lucia and Spencer Silver rekindled the me of adventure some yearster. It was their persistent talk of their son, of their exaggerated tales of heroics, and their reminder that being a princess meant more to those wishing to be Sybil¡¯s friend than actualpanionship. It only took two failed courting attempts to see the wisdom in their words. It was around then that Sybil started to view the castle as a prison, and it was after the kidnapping that she believed herself to be living inside one. Oh how she dreamed of venturing where her mother told her not to go. Oh how she wished to explore destends and drink at a tavern with true friends. Oh how she wished to be elsewhere than her chambers, having a handmaid touch-up her makeup or rece herfortable dress. So Sybil fought through aching feet, hoping that her mask would conceal the anguish on her face. She was getting her wish, after all, and she sure as hell wasn¡¯t going to be a burden for it. Hiking through the woods would take time to get used to, but it beat the castle any day of the week. When Isobel and Lnd abruptly stopped, Sybil remembered something. She was powerless, Legacy-less and far, far from home. ¡°Kid?¡± ¡°I see it.¡± ¡°Take care of it.¡± Lnd broke from staring ahead at a section of trees. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Isobel did the same. ¡°Kill it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a¡ª¡± ¡°Mage, yeah I know. A particrly weak onepared to most other mages at your rank. Think of this as an opportunity to exponentially grow in power.¡± Lnd gave her a hardened stare. ¡°And how do you figure I could fight that thing without having someone take its focus?¡± Sybil spoke up, ¡°What ¡®thing?¡¯¡± Isobel ignoredher, responding to Lnd with, ¡°Figure it out. I¡¯m not helping.¡± Lnd growled a breath out. ¡°We¡¯ll just go around¡ª¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Isobel crouched and picked up a small stone. ¡°Don¡¯t do it,¡± Lnd warned. ¡°Or what?¡± ¡°Excuse me,¡± Sybil tried. ¡°Or¡­ or¡­ or I¡¯m not going to¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± Isobel interrupted. ¡°Fight it or the Princess dies.¡± ¡°Can either of you exin what is going on?¡± Sybil asked, raising her tone a bit. Lnd held a stare with the Huntress. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± She gave a shrug, idly tossing the rock up and down. ¡°Excuse me!¡± Sybil then yelped, causing Lnd to flinch and Isobel to turn with a predatory smile. ¡°Please exin what you two are talking about.¡± Lnd took the initiative. ¡°There is a monster of some kind that way, and¡ª¡± He stopped himself when he realized the Huntress was gone. He cursed, spinning toward the monster. It was looking at him and Sybil. He cursed again, this time summoning his grimoire. ¡°Hide, Sybil!¡± he yelled, mming his palm into the page. Instantly a rush of purple pulsed from the tome, spiraling around his arm and to the top of his head. The halo formed just as the monster started to charge. Three-eyed and the size of a child, the monster roared, sending spittle and foam everywhere. Some sort of mutated boar, the creature didn¡¯t wait for an invitation, dead sprinting at Lnd and unfurling its wings. They stretched out like a butterfly¡¯s, unleashing a ze of dusty light. The light shed against the trees, extending their shadows like the fangs the monster now bared. Before it could reach Lnd, he enacted Sheild of Water, summoning forth a cascade of liquid from his forearm. Cursed contract of the Lord of Water: Use: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Sheild of Water, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Sheild of Water: Type: Spell (Water) Rank: Equivalent to Harbinger Halo¡¯s rank Call upon the Lord of Water to protect you with the power of the waves. It formed in mere moments, rippling outward from his arm likeke waves from a dropped rock. Lnd then cast Curse of Copse, momentarily connecting himself with the monster. Curse of Copse: Type: Curse Rank: 11 (B-) Pull the target towards the end, bringing them one step closer to the Lord of Death. Exhaust the target for up to 3 minutes, lowering their speed by 50%. Targets under this curse deal 11% less damage to you. Lnd felt nothing but mindless instinct from the monster and the desire to eat. Hunger, as he had learned, was a crucial emotion for unintelligent creatures. So much hinged on¡ª He snapped out of the trance, finding the boar-thing tripping over itself, its legs suddenly slow like they were kicking through tar. Taking the initiative, Lnd called mana into his finger,unching a curse with a snap of lifeforce. Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 11 (C+) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. For a single target, break a random bone in their body with a 55% chance to break a second. ¡°Fracture!¡± he yelled, allowing the lull of magic and battle to take over his thoughts. ¡°Fracture!¡± ¡°Fracture!¡± ¡°Fracture!¡± It had been some time since Lndst cast curses in such quick session, but it hardly felt unnatural. In fact, being a part of his Legacy, the magic connected to the monster with a smooth foundation. Bones broke in stride, the monster not noticing that one of its wings was bent at an odd angle. Lnd braced, crouching with his shield out in front. The boar mmed into him, pushing him back against the dead leaves and loose dirt. Gritting his teeth, he fought for dominance, gaining enough traction to confidently execute another curse. This time mana and lifeforce flooded to his lips, momentarily gathering so that his whistle could be heard beyond the fabric of the world. Crow Massacre: Type: Curse Rank: 11 (B-) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon a full murder of 15 ethereal crows to attack targets for up to 2 minutes. When all crows are present and attacking the same target, their beaks and talons are enhanced. All resultant damage dealt by the crows bleed the target for an additional amount over 10 seconds. The bird arrived in the mortal ne with the longevity of a recement horse. They dived from the canopy, piercing into the monster with force akin to a warrior¡¯s punch. Quickly their talons sliced into the leather-like skin on the creature, the crows singing as they went. Caws were the least of their song, a harsh note of bloodlust making use of the rank-two curse. Enhanced talons and beaks made quick work to bleed the monster, the crows smart enough to focus in on weak points and tender joints. Paired with Curse of Copse¡¯s slowing effect and enough broken bones to warrant total bedrest for most creatures, the boar knew it was fighting a losing battle. It pushed against Lnd¡¯s shield onest time, sliding off the water into a sprint. Controlling its one good wing, it changed the light source in such a way that the shadows covered its retreat. It made it the distance of six trees away before a wall of purple fire closed off its escape. It tried to slow down in time, but ultimately crashed into the mes. No pain came, however, only a green mist. It spun, finding its attacker standing tall beyond the fire. Fear gripped it as another attacker sprouted from the ground. The boar died momentster, sumbing to bleeding wounds and soul damage. Lnd let out a sigh of relief, dismissing his shield and turning his attention to the soul of the Damned. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 11 (B+) Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 50 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 10% for 1 minute. Held lost souls may now be given to a soul of the Damned as payment for a task. Damage dealt to one target with the circle is duplicated onto all targets inside the circle for 10% effectiveness. What the grimoire entry failed to mention about the curse was that only the souls of humans could be ¡°held.¡± Monster souls required to be consumed or used right away, something which Lnd found to be quite an annoyance. While he didn¡¯t like using souls as weapons, he saw pragmatism in always having a repertoire of ammunition to fuel his attacks. Still, this was the first soul Lnd had acquired since learning about Lodestar, the summoning tattoo now residing on his hand. ¡°Well kid,¡± Isobel said appearing next to Lnd. ¡°That was¡­ something.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± he muttered back, craning around her to find Sybil. The Princess was hiding behind a tree, staring at them rather intently. No, that wasn¡¯t quite right. She was staring, but her mask made it quite hard to tell exactly what she was looking at. Lnd took a wild guess. Between the purple halo flying just above his head, to his eyes burning with purple heatless me, to the soul of the Damned kneeling at his feet with its glowing arm outstretched in offering, he figured Sybil was staring at him. ¡°Quite frankly, kid, I¡¯m disgusted.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Just how inefficient you fight. Any capable mage would have killed that thing almost instantly.¡± Lnd ignored thement, kneeling down before the soul of the Damned holding the lost soul of the monster. He took the lost soul carefully, allowing the soul of the Damned to finally rest after an eternity of penance. It gave him a final bow, fading into reality, disappearing until it would eventually be reincarnated. ¡°You should have never had to create the shield, such a waste of a valuable resource,¡± Isobel continued. ¡°¡¯Resource?¡¯¡± Lnd asked with both hands held out before him, partially paying attention. One was glowing green because he was holding the lost soul, the other naked besides his two tattoos. ¡°The enchanted item you used to create the shield. Having to recharge it¡ª¡± ¡°Not an item,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°A spell. Infinite uses, in other words. Mana depending, of course.¡± Isobel hesitated, suddenly going over months of following the boys. She recounted every spell Lnd had used, counting each one. Five primary Legacy abilities or spells was normal, six if the Legacy had a special or unique ability. There were rumors about seven, but they were only that, rumors. She supposed she might have counted a cantrip or two as a proper spell¡­ but then again, just how many cantrips could heal at the touch or create a shield of water? Slowly Isobel raised her gaze, settling it on the grimoire that floated silently off to Lnd¡¯s side. That was when Lnd¡¯s hand stopped glowing green and started glowing ck. A beat passed, and then he said, ¡°Uh oh.¡± Chapter 152: Unmasked Chapter 152: Unmasked Shaking, Sybil hid behind an oddly angr tree. Not thinking of the tree as an Archon experiment, she found sce from the being kneeling beside Lnd and the Huntress. Green malted skin met with yellowed bones and the remains of haunted flesh. Its wicked face housed a nk expression, but the eyes were what remained in Sybil¡¯s mind. Burning with mes the color ofvender, she watched the being offer Lnd a tool. Glowing, the tool lived and breathed, an essence of what made man, man. A soul, she knew somehow. Something far beyond her understanding, but something so ingrained in culture that she knew to be nigh sphemous. Lnd took it, and the Huntress didn¡¯t seem to notice or care. Sybil guessed thetter, knowing personalities often were the downfall of Inquisitors. The green being then dissolved away, leaving the woods empty beside the living trio. Sybil eyed Lnd before turning her attention to the boar-monster. It was dispatched brutally, bled to death under guise of a murder of crows and soul-ripped behind the mes of punishment. A flicker of nausea bubbled in her gut. She had never seen something die before. Even back in Ruinsforth when the Harbinger was following closely behind her march into the depths of the Reflection Kingdom, she didn¡¯t see the murders. She could hear the screams, however. They echoed in her mind, morphing what was real and not. She looked at Lnd and the Huntress, finding sinful smiles stered across their faces. They looked at one another as they talked about how to better kill,ughing at the death and destruction they created. She couldn¡¯t see, not with the prize of the Boneforged Monarch waiting in the ruins. She heard, scream after scream, deathly woe after guttural cry. Her face suddenly stung, a pain from months ago, from the sadistic Witch who chose to torture. The Palemarrow Kingdom¡¯s best healers could rid the Youngest Princess of her scars, not that she wanted them to. They were symbols of her pain, symbols that her title of Princess wasn¡¯t just given because of birthright. She had bled for the Kingdom, scratched and fought back against her attackers, all in the name of survival. She wanted the scars to remain, to tell those who dared to harm the Kingdom that even she would fight them. A lowly girl, one without a Legacy and trapped behind more walls than one. As Lnd¡¯s hand went ck, the soul reacting to his tattoo, Sybil too reacted. Hers was far from grandiose, far from a summoning ritual originally obtained from a dungeon reward. Around Lnd a violet so dark, so muted, it came off as ck, expunged the air in a jagged circle. Magical fog poured from the tattoo, solidifying into a guiding beacon. He gripped it, finding a cool thin bar sprout. It unleashed at that point, like a swordsman drawing his weapon. Springing to life, Lodestar hummed, its de whispering serenading gloom. Curved, like a garden sickle but far more vicious, the summoned weapon took the form of a scythe, a weapon intended for reaping, rather than slicing. Slick and heavy, the weapon was created from magic and metal, an illusion for any wayward caught in its nasty arc. ¡°Sybil¡­?¡± Lnd asked, not paying attention to his newest toy. ¡°A-are you okay?¡± During this, Sybil had transformed herself, losing the mask that clung to her face hiding her true thoughts. She was shaking, yes, but she also felt excited. How many times had she worn the mask? How many times had she faded away into obscurity, hiding in in sight from the people sworn to protect and love her? While Sybil couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that the mask was a divine object, one powerful enough to hold-back the forces of the Boneforged Monarch, she also couldn¡¯t ignore the fact the mask was just another wall. Protecting her identity or hiding her away, either way she hated it and knew she couldn¡¯t wear it any longer. Not with Lnd and the Huntress showing their true colors. Sybil had realized watching the soul kneel before Lnd, just why Aunty P. had told her to stay away from him. He was a Harbinger, a ssification of being so far beyond the realm of ¡°good,¡± that just one could createsting memories. Lasting traumas. The screams, her scars, people dying so that she could walk through a city street. One person had fought against the Crown and the Inquisitors like the battle was nothing more than a light jog. Except, Lnd was different, right? A Harbinger yes, but he protected her. He fought off a boar-monster, killing it with the very magic thatbeled him ¡°evil.¡± He defended against the other Harbinger, despite knowing just how impossible a ¡°good¡± oue would have been. Harbinger was a title with negative connotation, but it wasn¡¯t always urate. Lnd and Sybil¡¯s mother, the Queen, were two examples of such a fact. And it was at that moment, thinking of her mother, that Sybil realized something. Her mother didn¡¯t wear a mask. Lnd flinched at the sight of Sybil¡¯s face, remembering how he was burnedst time in the Void. Yet, when no pain came, he quizzically looked over. The Princess stood tall, and no Lordly image stood over her. No burning heat, no gray light. Isobel hummed, and asked, ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°More or less¡­ My feet hurt, but that¡¯s about it.¡± Sybil fiddled with the mask, awkwardly attaching it to what little remained of her belt. From the ruins to the Void to arriving in an ocean, what was once ceremonial armor, had devolved to an under tunic and pants. With a cord for a belt, it was only Isobel¡¯s ratty cloak that gave some semnce of being proper, albeit even then it was limited. ¡°I can help with that. You should have said something earlier,¡± Lnd said, swapping Lodestar to the other hand. He quickly palmed his grimoire, his halo still shining overhead. Hand now glowing with purple and flickers of green, he touched Sybil¡¯s shoulder, sending healing magic through her body. ¡°Ooooh,¡± Sybil said between giggles. ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°I can use that every hour,¡± Lnd said before nearly pping himself in the forehead. ¡°You know, Isobel, you may be onto something about my fight being inefficient.¡± Isobel quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Because you had a weapon this whole time?¡± ¡°What?¡± he realized he was holding a scythe, havingpletely forgotten about it. ¡°No. I meant, well, I can¡¯t give away all of my secrets.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Kid, you are going to die out here without my help. Least you could do is let me teach you to fight.¡± ¡°I can fight.¡± ¡°Oh! In that case, I¡¯ll take my leave and you can defend the Princess on your own!¡± Lnd didn¡¯t fall for the false bravado. ¡°Uh huh.¡± He scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed I have magic I shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Like that healing spell, the water shield, sometimes being more perceptive, and then there was that one time you threw fire. Yeah, I¡¯ve noticed.¡± There had been several times where Lnd thought over telling people about his contracts, his parents being the priority. But he always chose not to for the simple fact that he was a Harbinger. But now that the cat was out of the bag¡­ ¡°I can make contracts with other Lords, ultimately gaining something not a part of my Legacy.¡± Isobel blinked a few times, began to curse, stomp around, and mutter to herself. Which was not the reaction Lnd was expecting. He expected to be called stupid or what have you, maybe a sarcasticment or two, but not a tantrum. ¡°Wait!¡± Isobel suddenly said. ¡°How many contracts can you have? There has to be some limitation.¡± ¡°Infinite, I think. I can only have two active at once, though.¡± ¡°And how many do you have?¡± ¡°Six¡ª no wait, seven. I always forget about the Moonless Lord.¡± Isobel went ck jawed. ¡°Let me guess, you only activated one contract while fighting the boar?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t answer, which seemed to be answer enough. Isobel went back to pacing around, kicking at sticks and cursing. Sighing, Lnd turned his attention to Sybil and Lodestar. ¡°So, I can summon this now apparently.¡± ¡°Can you fight with a scythe?¡± Lnd thought about that, finding the question somewhat off. He first wanted to answer, ¡°yeah of course,¡± but the longer he stared at the weapon, the more he realized just how unfit he was to wield such a thing. He wasn¡¯t like Jude, he couldn¡¯t muscle through a powerful two-handed swing. How was he ever¡­ ¡°Huh,¡± he murmured. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a normal scythe.¡± Sybil asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s weightless.¡± Well not quite. In his hands, Lnd felt no heaviness in terms of weight. He did, however, feel something. It was pressure, like blowing your nose too hard, but directly to where his hands met the scythe¡¯s shaft. He exined his thoughts to Sybil. ¡°So it¡¯s a magical scythe? Like an enchanted item?¡± Lnd took a few steps back and swung. He swung again, and again. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any of the usual enchantments like a sharpness enhancer or extra force on the swing.¡± ¡°Is it sharp at least?¡± That was a good point, Lnd thought, holding his finger up to the curved de. He ran his thumb along the edge, softly applying pressure until¡ª He yanked his hand back in surprise, quickly putting it into his mouth. But he tasted no blood. As he stared at where the pain was, he realized the pain was abnormal, just like sneezing way too hard. ¡°Soul damage,¡± Lnd then realized, having recognized the pain. It was the same pain he experienced when he consumed too many souls in too short of a timespan, just in a different format. Like blunt trauma versusceration. ¡°Kid,¡± Isobel said from the side, having stopped her pacing. ¡°You are aplete idiot.¡± ¡°Oh. Thanks, I guess.¡± ¡°Do you even know what kind of a weapon you are holding?¡± ¡°A scythe?¡± he asked. Isobel facepalmed. ¡°No not that. Contracts. Do you even know how versatile of a weapon they could be? And you only have seven? What is that, one contract a month since you became of age?¡± Lnd gave a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡± ¡°¡¯Busy,¡¯ you say! For a weapon of unfathomable strength!? You are literally¡ª¡± ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you do! Why haven¡¯t you made more contracts then? Huh? Why¡ª¡± Lnd whistled, unleashing a murder of crows on the Huntress. He knew the curse wouldn¡¯t hurt the Inquisitor, or rather, former Inquisitor, it was mainly just to annoy her into shutting up. What he didn¡¯t expect was for Lodestar to react. The magic and lifeforce for the curse went out Lnd¡¯s hand and lips, twisting through the air with blistering speeds and into the scythe¡¯s de. They ran the course of the edge, highlighting a plethora of hidden ruins and mana lines with a deep purple. The weapon became a beacon, literally, lighting up the section of the woods where they stood before zeroing in on the Huntress. Lnd then saw a beam of violet, a guiding light that marked his target for the crows now entering the mortal ne. Fifteen crows attacked, each illuminated by Lodestar¡¯s light. Lnd inspected the bizarreness, rapidly blinking and trying to fight off the light that invaded his eyes. When he closed his eyes, however, Isobel and the crows were visible despite being blinded by his eyelids. It was then Isobel asked a question. ¡°Are¡­ are these crows inflicting soul damage?¡± after a beat, she then said, ¡°Stop that, this is starting to hurt.¡± And Lnd did, dismissing the flock. ¡°So Lodestar isn¡¯t a scythe per say, but rather a casting staff. One that adds soul damage to at least my crows.¡± Isobel stared at the boy with enough disdain to make a flower wilt. ¡°Do you know how rare soul-damaging spells or items are? And now you get a parasitic summoning staff?¡± She threw up her hands. ¡°And Lord contracts!? Kid do you know how lucky¡ª¡± ¡°Did you say parasitic?¡± Isobel cut off her sentence. ¡°And I called you the smart one.¡± Lnd regarded Lodestar in a different light. Parasitic items and their hosts were partners, forever bound until one consumed the other. While it may nevere to be, Lnd couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly fearful knowing that one day the weapon may overpower him and take control. Chapter 153: One Step Forward Chapter 153: One Step Forward The group continued through the Archon Valley until exhaustion overtook Sybil and Lnd. Even with Touch of Regeneration, a person could only walk so far before needing rest. They stopped at what they assumed to be nightfall, which just so happened to be the same daybreak, noon, and dusk. Quickly they learned that the whole of the Valley was an experiment, and it never truly swapped between day and night. What that would do to the ecosystem, only the Archons could tell. Before stopping for the night, the group came across many more oddities of note. A tree splintered apart like an explosion detonated inside of it, only to be put back together with gaps in between each piece. Ava stream made entirely of molten ss with massive budding flowers around its edge that perfumed the surroundings with the scent of roses. There was even a crystalline cactus with needles the length of a person. Again, the group had no idea what these experiments were supposed to represent or test for, only that some were more subtle than others. This was especially true when the group found the woods suddenly ended, reced with a field of stone. From the ground to the trees and leaves, that section of the woods had turned entirely into rock. Isobel even punched through a tree trying to learn if there was wood under the stone or not. The results were inconclusive. That was when a second monster attacked the group. It was, of course, made of stone. Isobel identified the beast as a roc, a great bird known for taking prey alive back to its nest. Interestingly enough, being made of stone, the roc was still as agile as the stories said. It swooped through the air, diving between grainy trees, taking passing blows at the group. After Lnd¡¯s Fracture curse failed to do anything to the monster, the Huntress finally grew tired of the charade and fired an arrow through its wing, sending it crumbling to the ground. ¡°Now kill it,¡± she told Lnd, who gave her an unimpressed stare.In the end, Lnd did manage to kill the creature, but only after fully taking its soul with Circle of Souls. Being made of stone, the roc was able to fend off his crows as well, ultimately failing to escape the ring of purple mes. With the monster¡¯s soul in hand, Lnd once again activated his summon tattoo for Lodestar. The weapon appeared as before, starting with the shaft and extending into a slick curved de when he took it in hand. There were several things he wanted to test about the weapon, mostly how long he could keep it summoned. Thirty one minutes, he calcted, six minutes longer than his estimate for Lodestar¡¯s first summoning. Because the roc was stronger than the boar-monster, he concluded that its power and persistence were directly tied to the soul consumed. From there the group continued through the stone woods,ing into contact with a few more monsters. Isobel deferred to Lnd for each of their dispatches. Luckily, with Lodestar in hand, both Fracture and his crows inflicted soul damage despite not actually causing any physical damage. No ¡°bones¡± were broken, not that Lnd thought the stone beasts had bones, and no surface cuts or puncture wounds appeared. But when Lnd held the souls of the monsters in his hands, he could feel the damage Lodestar had done to them. Just as his curses were meant to do, cuts and fractures caused damage directly to the soul. When the group finally came to rest, Lnd checked over his progress in his grimoire. It had been so long since hest did this, which nearly brought a tear to his eye. Gaining ranks in his Legacy was something he was supposed to be doing with Jude and Glenny. You have assisted in killing multiple monsters. An appropriate reward has been added to your Legacy. Fracture has increased to rank 12. Crow Massacre has increased to rank 12. Circle of Souls has increased to rank 12. Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 11 (C+) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. For a single target, break a random bone in their body with a 60% chance to break a second. Crow Massacre: Type: Curse Rank: 12 (B-) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon a full murder of 15 ethereal crows to attack targets for up to 2 minutes. When all crows are present and attacking the same target, their beaks and talons are enhanced. All resultant damage dealt by the crows bleed the target for an additional amount over 20 seconds. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 12 (B+) Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 50 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 12% for 1 minute. Held lost souls may now be given to a soul of the Damned as payment for a task. Damage dealt to one target with the circle is duplicated onto all targets inside the circle for 12% effectiveness. Somberly, Lnd smiled at the pages. Each curse only changed slightly, adding an additional few percentages or a few additional seconds. It would be slow going, but if the future was going to be anything like the day so far, he figured he was going to be rank three sooner rather thanter. Lnd nced at Isobel. Especially if she threw him to the wolves every fight. Sitting around eating whatever Isobel caught for dinner, the group mainly sat in silence. There had been a hint of animosity in the air, mainly between Lnd and the Huntress. Kid-like attitude shed with analytical theory, thetter of which was easily crushed under a strength far beyond the former. There were only so many mockingments Lnd could take, especially after most of his sarcasticebacks ended with physical harm. Isobel had no issue pping him, breaking his jaw then forcing him to heal himself. At least she did it every hour or so, making the pain bearable. This treatment was especially prevalent during an afterbat action report. Isobel did not mince her words, often straight up insulting the young mage. Even Sybil became annoyed at this, telling off the former Inquisitor with a slurry of slurs and curse words. The aftermath of this was a wide-eyed Lnd and Isobel, both shocked silent. The stunt did help somewhat, culling Isobel¡¯s temper the next time Lnd failed to kill whatever monster instantly. Lnd thanked the Princess when he had a moment alone with her, despite knowing the Huntress could hear. ¡°So, Sybil,¡± Lnd asked, taking a bite of overly charred¡­ hen? He didn¡¯t honestly know, mainly because it was so incredibly stretched, like a winged snake. ¡°The Boneforged Monarch, do you have and idea about what sort of archetype her Legacy is?¡± Sybil perked up at the question, smiling. While she didn¡¯t care for the spice-less hen, she was still proud to be out in the wild. Not wearing her mask was a plus as well, although she didn¡¯t quite understand what that meant. She could feel the Boneforged Monarch in her, hiding within the marrow of her bones. It was a presence she didn¡¯t mind, although Sybil knew something was wrong with the Monarch. Like two pieces of a whole, the Monarch felt distinct, like her other half was worlds away, locked behind a curtain of reality. The situation was strange, Sybil knew, specifically that Lords don¡¯t just live in the mortal realm. She wished she knew more about the Monarch, and her grand role in the Palemarrow prophecy. But that was her secret to share, if she was going to share it. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen my mother use her Legacy once,¡± Sybil finally said. ¡°It was a spell unlike anything I¡¯ve ever known. She¡­ well, rose from the dead.¡± Isobel took a sip of a sk that smelled like mead. ¡°The Great Massacre.¡± Lnd¡¯s eyebrows stitched together. ¡°The Queen died in the Great Massacre?¡± ¡°Officially? No,¡± Sybil said, putting her hands out toward the fire, ¡°Unofficially? She and a few dozen nobles.¡± ¡°And sixteen civilians,¡± Isobel quickly added, a bit of malice in her words. ¡°Yes of course, them too.¡± Sybil tried to hide her mistake, reddening slightly. ¡°It was the bedmaker who poisoned them, weter found out. But she is still atrge.¡± ¡°The greatest assassination attempt¡ª Scratch that, the greatest assassination, in Palemarrow history.¡± Lnd frowned at Isobel¡¯s words. ¡°But the Queen?¡± he asked Sybil. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Choked to death on vomit, only to resurrect momentster¡­ They didn¡¯t serve me what the others were having, I needed ¡®more protein¡¯ since I was going through a growth spurt at the time.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s horrible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s politics,¡± Isobel muttered, ring at the sky. ¡°The entire staff was executed for ¡®working with¡¯ a terrorist. Like those poor souls had any idea one of them was a traitor.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Sybil said, her voice trailing off like a faint infant¡¯s cry. Isobel held out her sk, gesturing to take it. The Princess did, drinking her fair share. ¡°What about you, kid?¡± Isobel then asked Lnd. ¡°Your contracts, how do they work?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been over this¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I don¡¯t care about your secrets. Hold them close and don¡¯t tell anyone. But you need to grow stronger, we both know that. Not just your magic, but everything about you.¡± ¡°Then what are you asking?¡± ¡°Back in Ruinsforth, you were running as hard as you could outside the city. What was that about?¡± ¡°A contract,¡± Lnd admitted. ¡°The Lord of Endurance. The more I run while exhausted, the more stamina the contract gives me.¡± Isobelughed. ¡°Sounds like a scam.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°When you run, your stamina goes up regardless of the contract.¡± ¡°Well no¡­ err¡­ Wait. No, it¡¯s different.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°It is, I already noticed a difference from before I got the contract.¡± ¡°Were you running the mornings when you didn¡¯t have the contract?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Sybil thenughed. ¡°Sounds like you got scammed,¡± Isobel added. Lnd copied her words, saying them in a mocking tone. After a moment of silence, Isobel then said, ¡°You need a movement ability or spell. Something to adjust your positioning on the fly in battle. Stronger enemies will kill you quicker than you can blink.¡± Thinking on thement, Lnd had to agree. Seeing how fast Jude¡¯s mom and Glenny¡¯s father moved in battle was something of an eye-opener. Could his crows even keep up if they were slowed with Curse of Copse? He didn¡¯t think so. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± he asked. They talked for an hour about potential contracts, ultimately deciding on a list of Lords. If one didn¡¯t have what he wanted, he was to go straight to the next one. Begrudgingly, Lnd exined how he would contact such Lords, making note that his body would bepletely defenseless while his mind is elsewhere. Isobel actually argued with him about that, telling him that made no sense. She questioned why a Lord wouldn¡¯t just teleport his whole body over, stating that mental-teleportation wasn¡¯t a thing. Lnd conceded that he just didn¡¯t know, which promptly shut her up with a smug smile. ¡°You just like to argue,¡± he muttered, removing a pillow and nket from his inventory ring. He really wished he stocked it better. ¡°Oh, shut up and get on with it,¡± Isobel said with a sigh. ¡°The faster you do this, the faster I don¡¯t have to baby you.¡± Lnd almost decided not to make any more contracts. Almost. Heid down, gave Sybil a reassuring smile, then said, ¡°Lord of Erupting Skies, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± Chapter 154: Sky Serpent Chapter 154: Sky Serpent After a short stint in the Void by himself, Lnd arrived at the Lord of Erupting Skies¡¯ domain with a snap. His vision went white, his whole world consumed by a crack of lighting. Then came the thunder, blowing his eardrums and causing his head to spin. Before he knew it, he was falling, his consciousness slipping under the pounding in his head. Something mmed into his underside, brushing him along as millions of drops of water raced him to the ground. It was bright, like the lightning moments ago, but subtler, bluer. Lnd scrounged for safety, wing his shaking nails into whatever it was he crashed into. At some point he stabilized, the rush of movement still threatening to pull him back into the air. Near ck clouds of rain echoed all around, each harboring a spark that could set the sky alight. Wind howled with a chilled emphasis, enough so that ice started to form across Lnd¡¯s back and neck. His eyes then went blurry, white still burned into his vision. He blinked, forcing himself to act. A purple halo came and went, bringing along Touch of Regeneration in record time ¨C spell slinging was something the Huntress was forcing him to practice. Lnd first noticed he was on a flying creature when the thing spoke. ¡°Apologies for the rude reception.¡± And it was, but Lnd sure wasn¡¯t going to acknowledge it. Instead he focused on bnce, which firmly allowed him to view the creature . Snakelike, it oscited back and forth, gliding through the winds and clouds, uncaring of the cracks of lightning in the distance. A medium blue seeped from its scales, glowing with the brilliance of a bonfire the size of a barn. Turning, Lnd couldn¡¯t see the end of the great beast, finding its midsection vanished into the fog of the clouds. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± Lnd murmured, now looking ahead toward the giant¡¯s mouth. It was much closer, only spanning a short few steps from where Lnd satpared to the tail that could be miles back. Bearded, the great beast¡¯s wide chin swiveled, guiding the rest of its body. Four branch-thick whiskers dragged against the wind, pushing away the swirls of magic rotating around the storm. ¡°So, Child of the Cmity, you finally found yourself riding on my back. What have you?¡± The voice boomed from its mighty maw like thunder. ¡°I-I-I¡¯m looking to make a contract with you!¡± Lnd yelled back, his voice sounding like a mouse squeaking inparison. The Lord of Erupting Skies didn¡¯t have any difficulty hearing. ¡°Indeed. What are your wishes?¡± A bolt of lighting ripped through the sky, forcing the Lord to swerve around it. There was no thunder, however, the Lord canceled the deafening sound with nothing more than a sideways nce. It was absolute in its domain, not even the crying skies couldpete. ¡°A-a movement ability or spell!¡± Lnd eked out, his stomach backflipping. He dared not look overboard, his peripheral vision telling him all he needed to know. There was no ground, only the storm. ¡°Of course. I have something that would do you well,¡± the Lord replied. ¡°I have but one request, something only you may achieve, given the uniqueness of where you currently reside.¡± A thought suddenly urred to Lnd. ¡°I-if you have a way for mypanions and I to return home, then I would rather barter for that!¡± Why he didn¡¯t think of such a thing before, he didn¡¯t know. But now that he did, well, many Lords popped into his mind, all of which had some sort of domain over space. Maybe he could forge a contract for long-range teleportation? A low rumble left the Lord¡¯s throat. ¡°I think not. I am not one to travel long distances quickly. I go where the storm goes. However slow, however fast.¡± Lnd had no doubts that the Lord could travel around the world many times over before he could even escape the Archon Valley. But he didn¡¯t give voice to his thoughts. ¡°What is it you wish me to do, my Lord?¡± ¡°Mm, elegant are you? Well, my task offers no grace, only investigation. In what mortals call ¡®the Archon Valley,¡¯ there rains an eternal storm. I wish to know how it operates.¡± ¡°Y-you want me to research Archon magic?!¡± ¡°Bolts above, no. I wish only for you to observe it from the eye. The contract will provide me with what you see.¡± Lnd swallowed. Speaking from experience, contracts that required his party to assist him or abandon him were a coin toss. Danger could be ever prevalent, and putting Sybil through that was quite frankly not wise. But then again, the Huntress was with them, and surely she¡¯d assist inpleting a quest if it meant a shiny new ability. ¡°I can give no promises!¡± Lnd yelled. ¡°The Archons may not like that I will be poking around!¡± ¡°Understandable,¡± the sky serpent replied, still swimming through the open sky like it was water. ¡°I shall allow the contract to temporarily work while you are still within the Archon Valley. If you leave before my requirements are fulfilled, then the contract shall be broken and the spell returned. Ifpleted, you may keep the spell for the remainder of your time.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t see any reason not to ept the conditions. Worst case scenario, it¡¯s too dangerous and he loses a contracted spell. Best case, well, a new toy. ¡°That is very reasonable, thank you!¡± ¡°Then good luck, Child of the Cmity. May our paths cross again one day!¡± And like that, Lnd was thrust into the Void, hurdling back toward his body. He appeared with a silent shuffle, rolling over in his bedding back at camp. Letting out a groan, he realized he was wet, just like when he spoke with the Lord of Water. Did that mean his body did move, not just his mind? ¡°That was quick,¡± Isobel said from the side. Lnd looked over, finding the Huntress and Sybil staring at him like he had grown a second head. Curiously, they were in nearly the exact same spot before he left, broaching the question of just how long he was gone. ¡°How quick?¡± he asked, shedding his shirt and sticking it near the heat of the campfire. Sybil looked away. ¡°A few seconds.¡± ¡°Really? Fascinating¡­ But ultimately useless.¡± Isobel shook her head. ¡°Kid, you could make a contract with a Lord midbat, turning the tide of battle if you wanted.¡± Lnd ignored thement, knowing he would just get into an argument. Instead he pulled out his grimoire. It opened directly to the contract. Cursed contract of the Lord of Erupting Skies: Use: Gain ess to the spell Erupting Steps. Only usable once per hour. Erupting Steps : Your steps burst with erupting might, propelling you with the speed of the mightiest storm. Return: Investigate the eternal storm within the Archon Valley from within the eye of the storm. ¡°Ready to see something cool?¡± he asked, pressing his palm into the page. Quickly a halo formed above his head, along with blue-purple flickers of static around him. They arced off his skin, passing between his grimoire and halo, bouncing around until they fell inline with his feet. Then Lnd stepped. Lightning cracked from the heel, sending his knee rushing forward. Momentum pulled his other foot along, creating another bolt from that heel and redoubling the rush. Milky blue rippled across where he once stood, shocking the ground a miniature storm. Lnd tried to stop, but instead he skidded off the loose dirt, and thus created another propelling bolt. Again he wasunched forward, skipping through the nearby woods until he crashed into a tree. A wake of electricity followed, ultimately ending at the same tree. He groaned, falling to his butt. ¡°Well kid, that was¡­ something.¡± If he could, Lnd would have hidden behind the tree in embarrassment. But his feet still sparked and spit lightning. ¡°Get up,¡± Isobel continued. ¡°You go again until you can¡¯t.¡± Lnd did get up but only after a begrudging moment. Following the Huntress¡¯ words of¡­ tutge, it only took fifteen minutes for him to get a handle on walking normally. Normally had devolved into just moving withoutunching across the wood, but Lnd took it as a win despite stepping like he was wading through a swamp. In a way, practicing with Erupting Steps was informative on two fronts. First, the spell hadbat potential by providing Lnd with a means of quickly repositioning. Further, the lighting wake his steps created was more than a light show. The puddles of electricity both shocked and harmed people who stepped within them, as Isobel confirmed. She was quite giddy about that, actually, something both Lnd and Sybil found disconcerting. The second front was the degree to which the evolved Harbinger Halo curse worked with the spell. Harbinger Halo: Binding Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 11 (Specialization: A) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling their aid. Contractsst up to 20 minutes. If terminated early, the cool down period is decreased. Up to 2 contracts may be acted upon at one time. Contracts that produce direct spells, curses, abilities, incantations, and/or passive effects that deal with mana, may have lifeforce partially supplemented. Effects may vary. After specializing in the halo for reaching rank two, all contracts were supposed to take on Lnd¡¯s lifeforce in some way or another. Erupting Steps was no different, taking on the hue of his violet magic with glee every ten steps. After Isobel noticed, Lnd solved the puzzle of the purple electricity by counting each step cautiously. Then, after a bit more testing, they found the purple lightningshed out at nearby things, like actual lightning. While this proved the spell to be more offensive capable, it also meant Lnd could harm his friends if they were near enough. A double edged sword, one that he would have to be cautious of. ¡°So what did you have to give in return for lightning feet?¡± Isobel asked. Lnd brushed off the dirt now covering his elbows after falling again. ¡°The Lord of Erupting Skies wishes for me to investigate that.¡± He pointed at the massive storm covering most of the Valley. ¡°Of course he does.¡± Chapter 155: Ride the Lightning Chapter 155: Ride the Lightning In the ¡°morning,¡± Isobel oversaw Lnd¡¯s routine exercise. Somehow, the former Inquisitor was more brutal and demanding than the Lord of Endurance,ting the Legacy of Curses another seventy-seven steps, making the grand total nearly two-fifty. This was, of course, at the cost of Lnd¡¯s sanity and the wellbeing of his lungs. But he did notice his legs were no were near as tired afterward. Which was good, right? Isobel sure thought so, making him run another trio of sprints before breakfast. The rest of the day was rather easy since it was far slower than the day earlier. Every hour on the hour, Lnd practiced with Erupting Steps for as long as the contract allowed. Twenty minutes was far too quick, in the grand scheme, but luckily his Legacy had that covered. It was after the fourth attempt that something changed in his grimoire. Harbinger Halo has increased to rank 12. The extra rank provided five extra minutes to active contracts, bringing the total to twenty-five minutes per hour. Which, if Lnd¡¯s math was right, would make it so that at rank neen, contracts wouldst an hour plus usable every hour. Meaning, contracts could be used for as long as he wanted. He¡¯d just have to get there. Goals, he told himself after being chewed out by Isobel for skipping into a root that bent above the ground. Whether it was for her own sanity or to inspire Lnd, Sybil chose to exercise as well. This did not go well for the Princess who had to stop after just one sprint. She took it in stride, however, doing a sprint every time they paused for Lnd to work on jogging with Erupting Steps active. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, Princess,¡± Isobel said to the young girl as she huffed onto her knees, her back bent forward resembling a hook. ¡°You shou¡ª¡±¡°Not a word!¡± Sybil yelled back louder than she intended as her throat was mped in exasperation. Nearby, a st of lightning ripped from Lnd¡¯s heel, driving his step into the dirt with a muted shockwave. His knee kicked out from under him, right into the thicket. He groaned, yanking on his pants to retrieve his leg. ¡°Princess¡ª¡± ¡°Sybil! ¨Cmy name is Sybil!¡± Isobel wondered just how hard she should push. While she no doubt wasn¡¯t returning to the Inquisitors, the young woman in front of her was her Queen¡¯s child. She sighed, shaking her head. For a moment her neck hitched toward the sky and her gaze locked high overhead. Then, abandoning her previous thoughts, she marched her hand to her hip and sneered. ¡°Sybil, are you going to let your breath stop you from catching up?¡± The Princess startled. She twitched, finding Isobel staring nkly at her. ¡°What do you¡ª¡± ¡°Do you fancy yourself an adventurer? Or are you wishing to¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Isobel hid a smirk. ¡°Jumping-jacks, now.¡± Sybil hesitated, her chest burning but ultimately she started jumping. As she did, her nk white mask, still tethered to her belt,bounced.. By ¡°nightfall,¡± Lnd and Isobel were ¡°dueling.¡± Well, actually, not so much. Isobel was running at Lnd as he used Erupting Steps to dodge and weave away. If she caught him, a new bruise would blot his skin. By this point Lnd had used Erupting Steps inbat a few times, Isobel making sure to time monster encounters just as the hour cool down expired. He was challenged, however, by Isobel to defeat the monsters with only Erupting Steps and melee blows. With the first attempt, Lndunched himself into a field of transparent rocks. No doubt more Archon Experiments, the rocks seemed rather harmless until he noticed the hundreds of ant mounds hidden within the stones. Isobel allowed him to use Touch of Regeneration after most of his skin was transformed into sandpaper. Still, that didn¡¯t excuse him from the monster fight, something Isobel reminded him of with mocking words. ¡°Do you think the ant would take care of it? Or do you like pain? You know, Sybil might think less of you if that was the case. Or, maybe she¡¯d like you more. Hard to sa¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Lnd muttered, his skin feeling like it was on fire. The monster before him was a wicked caterpir the size of a tree trunk. It inched slowly toward him, but shot strings of web from a humanoid head with a ghastly screech. Lnd did as he did best, ¡°running¡± with Erupting Steps. Each step propelled him in a singr direction, requiring a new step to change course. He was having problems slowing down to regte a new step, the short intersection in which his momentum was carrying him one direction but his foot needed to push off in another. More than a few times Lnd¡¯s second step would be moot, just skidding across the ground, never fully pushing off. By the second time hended in the ant and rock field, he figured it out. Long strides, he realized. The technique required a bit more nning so that he wouldn¡¯t crash into anything. But it also helped stabilize his speed and angle, reducing the angle he needed to step again . With a n in mind, Lnd circled the monster with speeds far outpacing its string shot attack. Eventually the purple lifeforce steps killed it, the arcing lightningshing out a dozen times over. Isobel let out a low whistle. ¡°Sloppy, but well¡­ no, it was sloppy. Yeah, that¡¯s the right term. Sloppy. That was sloppy, kid. Sloppy.¡± She continued saying ¡°sloppy¡± in various ways, but Lnd tuned her out, focusing instead on Sybil who meandered over. ¡°You move like lightning,¡± she spoke, her arms on her head and her breath heavy. ¡°Zig-zaggy.¡± ¡°Zig-zaggy?¡± Lnd blinked a few times, his mind¡¯s eye recounting the battle. ¡°Huh,¡± he whispered, realizing his long stride technique was exactly that. Jagged zig-zags, an imitation of lightning. ¡°Figure something out?¡± ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m this dumb.¡± ¡°I can,¡± Isobel said from the side. ¡°And I gave you the nickname ¡®Smart One¡¯ in my head.¡± They both stared at her, frowning. ¡°Anyway,¡± Lnd then said back to Sybil, ¡°I forgot just whose Legacy spell Erupting Steps is. I can¡¯t think of it like any old spell, I have to think of it in terms of a lightning mage.¡± ¡°Smart,¡± Sybil added. ¡°Do you think perhaps you could add that reasoning to any of your other contracts?¡± Isobel then asked, suddenly more interested in the conversation. ¡°For most of them? No,¡± Lnd replied. ¡°Maybe for Shield of Water and Touch of Regeneration.¡± Suffice to say, Isobel forced him to practice both the shield and heal spell differently from that point onward. An hourter, Lnd was battling another enemy, this time a swarm of wasps made of ss, using only Erupting Steps. While still difficult to control, imagining himself as a lightning bolt made the battle far easier. Eventually the pools of electricity killed off most of the swarm, sending those still alive running. Isobel didn¡¯t force him to chase. Two more monster encounters came and went before the trio made camp for the night. Both encounters went as before, but just a bit easier. When he finallyid his head down on a pillow he took from his inventory ring, Lnd felt good about the day. He had progressed a lot, which was frankly much appreciated. Anything to take his mind off his loved ones back home. While he had no doubts Glenny and Jude were fine, that couldn¡¯t be said for his mom, Diana, and Carmon. Each had sustained injuries, and each was well beyond his help. Not that he could help. He was no healer even if he had a healing spell. And well, he just knew his mom would be worried about him. His dad too, of course, but Spencer would be working to find his son, something Lucia couldn¡¯t do, space magic and such¡­ Lnd rolled to his side, staring off into the storm that made up most of the horizon. Maybe his mom would be looking for him. Maybe she¡¯d leave the kingdom and venture out until she found his trail. Maybe she would use her contacts as an Inquisitor to get the word out that her son was lost. Lnd let out a silent tear. He hoped his parents, and the others for that matter, were safe. For as dangerous as the Archon Valley was, he felt safe here for some reason. Maybe it was Isobel, maybe it was Sybil. He didn¡¯t know. Isobel had said she felt like she was being watched from all angles when they arrived. Lnd had never gotten that feeling. No, in fact he felt the opposite. He felt as if he wasn¡¯t being watched. He couldn¡¯t exin it, but he felt free. He felt like not even the Lord of Curses could watch over him in the Valley. Was that a good thing? No, most definitely not. That meant something was out there, something powerful enough to block his Lord from watching him. Something powerful enough to block the Lord of Erupting Skys from gazing upon a storm. A chill breezed through his spine and his heart skipped a beat. Slowly, like a rust covered screw being chipped at, Lnd turned. His eyes fell to a singr spot within the experimental Archon woods. Behind a singr tree, past a singr branch, far beyond many fallen leaves and grassy steps. A tingle brushed against his mind, a familiar feeling. Lnd ced it instantly, remembering the feeling as a powerful illusion - Sybil¡¯s mask in particr. He twitched, knowing something was there. He stared, and stared, and stared. Inconsistencies came and went, each stitching arger picture of the being beyond the singr tree and singr branch. The tingle evolved, broaching slick pain. Lnd¡¯s nose began to bleed, something Isobel noticed right away. She perked up, rmed. Tracing Lnd¡¯s line of sight, she found the woods bare. Nothing, not even a hint something was there. ¡°Kid¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Lnd quickly spat between his teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t think it has noticed us yet.¡± Little did he know, it had. Chapter 156: Archon Chapter 156: Archon Ignoring his bloodied nose, Lnd slipped out of his nket and to his knees. As subtly as he could, he pulled his grimoire from his hand, allowing it to silently flip pages. Was he preparing for battle? He didn¡¯t know. Only that the gesture feltfortable, that it felt reasonable to prepare for the worst. From how the trio had set up for the night, the Princess was closest to the oddity. When Isobel followed Lnd¡¯s lead and prepared, Sybil did her best to slump away, finding the woods suddenly terrifying. She pushed herself backward, her vision locked onto nothing but trees and grass. Eventually she arrived beside the Huntress, the only guard left from her original protection detail. Sce. For a brief moment, Sybil saw the woods for what they truly were, woods. Fleeting terror left with the wind, reverting the jagged branches and monster-infestednd to that ofme trees. ] The feelingsted for all of a moment, being snatched away by the snap of a twig. The Huntress spun, bow appearing in her hand already nocked. The arrow flew silently, morphing from tipped point to wide. She missed. Or rather, there was nothing there. ¡°Kid?¡± she muttered, not trusting a whisper to be quite enough.It was then Sybil¡¯s naked fears returned. She had shed her mask, she had walked along with the powerful, she had run and trained to fill their ranks. But she had not seenbat. She had not seen battle, not truly. She did not know of the dangers outside the castle walls, only the faint idea they existed from readings and stories. How did one battle something invisible? Sybil¡¯s eyes caught a glimmer. Ruby? Scarlet? No, she recognized it as blood. Dripping with the speed of a gaunt wound and draining Lnd dry, blood fell like rain. She saw his eyes tremble, a pain overloading his mind and controlling his senses. He ground his teeth, veins bulging across his forehead and nape. But yet he acted. Slowly, shakily, with the preamble of a beaten mare, Lnd¡¯s open palm drifted to his tome, to the open page. His head went weak, wobbling, but his hand touched magic. Violet light shone from the page for but a moment, bringing with it the flurry of contractual power. A halo formed, along with it the necessity of vision. Lnd¡¯s eyes wentvender and for a moment he stared off into the woods with limited breath. His skin adapted to the hue of his eyes, along with the pain of suffocation. Then, like the starting horn of a joust, his chest heaved out air and he screeched, ¡°There!¡± Isobel acted instantly, following Lnd¡¯s thrown out hand for guidance. An arrow, this one the color of the setting sun,unched with the speed of fear. It flew a short distance, boldly letting loose a blistering golden light, before being frozen in ce. Isobel said the only thing she could, ¡°What¡ª¡± The word was cut off with a mold of cracked air. Around the arrow, pressure built until fragments of reality bent and buckled. One by one, singr strands of feather peeled from the arrow¡¯s fletching, each hovering slightly askew. Next the wooden husk disintegrated, forming into a pale culmination of dust. Lastly was the arrow¡¯s tip, blinding with enough magical energy to level the intended section of woods. The gold was muted and muzzled, left to nothing more than the me of a candle. A low tone hummed through the camp. ¡°Archon,¡± Lnd spat, his hands shaking, both desperately trying to pull a red potion to his lips. He sipped, a warmth suddenly fending off the frozen spikes in his mind. Sybil sucked in a gasp. ¡°W-what do we do!?¡± It was Isobel who answered. ¡°Nothing.¡± And like that they sat, powerless. For the Huntress, doing nothing was the hardest. How long had it been since thest time she held no hand in a matter? Since she had sat like a durd, waiting to die? She fiddled with the string of her bow, internally going over her inventory of different weapons and abilities. Lnd wasn¡¯t much different. While he didn¡¯t fiddle with his toys, he did think over ns of action. He was used to being the weakest, which oddly calmed him. He wasn¡¯t getting out of this with fighting, that much was for sure. Sybil, however, was always the weakest. But she was also the most protected. Seeing the Huntress¡¯ attacks fail, however, left her the most likely to suddenly die. No fighting back, no hamstrung notion of throwing punches or casting spells. Just like when the Witch and Harbinger took her, she would be left to her own devices, hoping that someone powerful enough pulled her away. A pain burned across her face, marking the work of the Witch. Sadistic, tortuous, a pain marking who she was. What she was. A Princess, yes, but one befitting the Boneforged Monarch. Powerless, yes, but defenseless? No. The first Queen of the Palemarrow Kingdom was said to bask in an ivory gray glow, one that radiated from her bone out her skin and into her streets. It was said that nomp was ever lit in dawn¡¯s pre-light and no candle ever burned in dusk¡¯s ending twinkle, not while the First Queen was present. Castle walls or not, there was no darkness while the Queen was in the kingdom¡¯s hearth. All Palemarrows had received this birthright through the generations, but very few held the truth. Each glowed with the gray of dull metal, but few with the ivory of life. Those chosen held the First Queen¡¯s gift, that of the Boneforged. That of being a Monarch. Stress, embarrassment, fear, Sybil had glowed with raw emotion before, each for only moments at a time. But that was before shepleted the ritual in the depths of Ruinsforth, where it was said the First Queen died. But now? Now she kindled a me of impossible potential and of a limitless future. If the prophecy was to be believed, that was. Sybil tried not to think of that, however, it only made her sad. ¡°Stop glowing!¡± Isobel hissed, pivoting to block the light now pulsing from the Princess. But Sybil didn¡¯t wish to be shielded. For once in her life, she wished to be in the limelight. To be the limelight. If her death was to be today, it wouldn¡¯t be because the Huntress and Lnd failed to protect her. They needn¡¯t be pincushions for her, not any longer. Her mother had no guard, and by birthright and sheer hubris, she wouldn¡¯t either. The awful light of the Archon Valley gleamed against the lustrous light beaming from Sybil. It was still gray, but hints of ivory peaked between her heartbeats. Behind her, a faint impression loomed. Womanly, emotionless, highlighted in drastic woe, the Boneforged Monarch sought Sybil¡¯s worry. Together the Monarch and Sybil stood, two taking the same as one. ¡°Reveal yourself.¡± Themand was given not in Sybil¡¯s lone voice but a duet of partners. As the Princess¡¯ mouth moved, so did the impression of the Monarch¡¯s. Yet, the voice fluttered from only the mortal, escaping her vocal cords like a two-headed snake¡¯s hiss. The Monarch then matched Sybil¡¯s expression, tilted down eyebrows and a clenched jaw. The impression even adapted Sybil¡¯s slight shaking, ruefully announcing feelings better to have kept hidden. A hushed moment befell the woods for as long as it took Sybil to second guess herself. Sadly, this was a breath early as the woods began to fester. Lnd let out a resentful gak, his hand rushing to his eyes. He covered them, peeking through a gap in his fingers like a child trying to look under a door. The Huntress didn¡¯t fare much better, turning away with a silent growl. She bnced on the balls of her feet, a ready spring in her knees. But as the being continued to unravel itself, even someone as mighty as the Huntress started to have doubts. Few reputable ounts had ever been published about what the Archons looked like, and even then they were all different. From vegetable peels and fruit cores stered around a triangr being with thousands of spider eyes to a naked human with eyes made of gems or even a sentient waterfall, Archons themselves were experiments, or at least the ones who truly sought to learn. The being before Sybil, Lnd, and Isobel took the form of a veil. It did not walk, it did not move. It hovered, just above the ground, while the space around it moved. An illusion of moment, maybe, but just gazing upon the feat left the impression of broken rules. Whether rules of reality or not, the Archon was above them like a hammer to a mirror. The veil arrived before Sybil, stopping as close as it could without touching the poor girl. It looked down at her shoulders from at least double her height, staring at the top of the Boneforged Monarch¡¯s impression like a rock stares at the ocean. It hummed, colorless music appearing from behind its veil, and twisting before its head. Texture took, mimicking the Monarch¡¯s facial impression. Down to cheek bones and a slight nostril re, the Archon stared at the Lord with identical eyes before humming again. This time the music implied color, turning to a dark shade coffee. The Archon recreated Sybil¡¯s face on the back of the Monarch¡¯s before twisting both to be facing the same way. Sybil saw her face and the Monarch¡¯s be one, seamlessly fitting into one another like they were forged from the same mold. Like they shared the same face. Like they were mother and daughter. She understood. The prophecy, the ritual, the Boneforged Monarch¡­ why her mother had to die. She understood, all in that moment. ¡°I see¡­ thank you,¡± she chambered on, the words hardly reaching Isobel despite their close proximity. The Archon, still sharing Sybil and the Monarch¡¯s face, bent space around its head, nodding. It then looked at Lnd, space turning its head with slow gaunt. It spoke without moving its lips in anguage long lost to the mortal realm. It was uncaring that Lnd couldn¡¯t understand, nor did it mind when he didn¡¯t respond. From there it evaporated, veil and all. Chapter 157: Apologies Chapter 157: Apologies Standing tall like a chiseled statue, Isobelmanded, ¡°Exin!¡± Sybil¡¯s knees gave out and she crashed,nding on the soft grass as the impression of the Boneforged Monarch dissipated. The rush of movement expelled air from her lungs with a gasp, which devolved into a chuckle, then a bout of giggles. Tears welled and fell before she could whip them away, staining the Huntress¡¯ ratty cloak she still wore. With his shirt dyed red and what little stubble he had painted mangy crimson, Lnd stepped over, sitting beside the princess. His hand still promised healing, the green glow of Touch of Regeneration shing against the purple of the halo flying above his head. He tapped Sybil then himself, gesturing to Isobell if she needed healing. She did not, only repeating, ¡°Exin!¡± A nce at Sybil told Lnd she was far beyond dealing with the Huntress, so he answered what he could. ¡°That was an Archon. Why it was fixated on Sybil, I don¡¯t know. What it said to me, I don¡¯t know. Why it didn¡¯t just kill us, especially after you attacked it twice, I don¡¯t know. Satisfied?¡± Isobel snorted, her tone turning fiery. ¡°No. Why¡ª¡± ¡°Look,¡± Lnd interrupted with bite of his own, ¡°I don¡¯t know and I doubt Sybil will either. Something happened to her, that much is obvious, but can you stop with your ¡®I¡¯m more powerful than you, answer to my will or suffer the consequences!¡¯ fa?ade? You are literally doing us more harm than good most of the time.¡± She recoiled subtly, all notions of emotions other than anger fading away. ¡°Excuse me!? Fa?ade?¡± she screeched. ¡°Who do you think¡ª¡± Lnd tuned out her rant, listening halfway for a break for her to breathe. When that came, he quickly elbowed in. ¡°You don¡¯t think I notice how you stare into the campfire? How many times I¡¯ve woken up in the middle of the night to find you still awake on look out!?¡± he spit, yelling far louder than anyone should in a monster infested woods. ¡°Not to mention how you followed Glenny, Jude, and I for months stepping in when you knew we were in true danger. I saw through your charade long ago, Huntress! You¡¯re not the hardened lone wolf you think you are! You care! I get it! You care! But you are also uncaring!¡± Isobel tried to force in a string of words, but each fell away as Lnd continued. ¡°Yell at me all you want! Demand me to fight single handedly, p me when I do bad, mock me when I do worse! But don¡¯t you dare yell at your Princess! We both know that,¡± he gestured to the deconstructed arrow still floating a few steps away, ¡°is far beyond anything she is used to! Anything we are used to! So drop the fa?ade and act like an adult! You are the only one in this party that can truly protect her!¡± Lnd went on to say something about how if he was killed, she¡¯d be the only one left to help Sybil get back home. But Isobel had stopped listening. Instead she looked at Sybil, her Princess, and how the young girl had stopped crying and instead stared at Lnd with bloodshot eyes. Her mouth was left agape, bisecting the scar that crossed from the bottom of her jaw up just under her nose. A question came to her, how was she supposed to protect anyone from an Archon? Lnd was right, in a way, Isobel did care, something she finally admitted to herself when she disobeyed direct orders from Aunty P. and lied to the High Inquisitor. But that was a problem when an enemy approached she could neither see, sense, nor fight. She cursed at herself. How did the kid notice the creature before her? How did the other kidmunicate with it and get it to leave? How did she fail to kill it? How did she fail to protect the two kids she decided to protect? Embarrassing, especially when kid number one started yelling at her for being pissed. How was she supposed to tell him, and the other one, that her anger was only toward herself, not them? The answer was obvious, right? ¡°Sorry,¡± she choked out, the word like rotting meat against her tongue. How long had it been since she apologized and actually meant it? Lnd sputtered his rant to a brisk stop, his eyes going wide. Sybil, not having the same rtionship with the Huntress, took his lead, staring at the former Inquisitor with something far beyond shock. ¡°Sorry,¡± Isobel said again, this time far quieter, like she wasn¡¯t saying it to the kids but rather to someone else. Lnd and Sybil shared a nce. Her tears were gone, but her cheeks were still wet. Regardless, the Youngest Princess of the Palemarrow Kingdom spoke. ¡°There¡¯s a prophecy,¡± she began with, pulling Isobel¡¯s eyes from staring at the ground, ¡°that lords over the title of Queen for my family. As kids we were told about how the Boneforged Monarch made a contract with the First Queen, and every Queen since. We were to present ourselves to that statue in Ruinsforth for judgment, and if the Monarch appeared, then that child would be Queen¡­ and rece the current one.¡± A silent tear fell down her cheek. Sybil continued, ¡°And that only one Queen could be alive at a time. Whenever this ritual finishes, my mother will be dead, and I will be ruling over a kingdom.¡± A hardness befell both Lnd and Isobell¡¯s foreheads. Suddenly their yelling match was unfounded, dumb even. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand how,¡± Sybil whispered, ¡°but the Archon¡­ it knew of the prophecy. It answered a question that I¡¯ve had for years.¡± ¡°What question?¡± Lnd quietly asked. A somber smile eclipsed her lips. ¡°There¡¯s a hallway in the castle with a portrait of every Queen over the years. Some had Kings, others not. But each King was always different. Their skin color, their hair style, their facial features and howrge their smiles are.¡± Sybilughed. ¡°My grandfathers were unique. My grandmother, and my mother for that matter, were not. They ¨C we ¨C have the same face. A face that is also shared by the Boneforged Monarch. I had noticed, but not enough to question it past all of us being rted.¡± Lnd suddenly flinched and forced himself not to grimace. The back of his hand was bleeding, pecked by the crow tattoo, by the brand of the Curse Lord¡¯s Champion. He frowned, trying to discern what the painful gesture meant in context. ¡°Do¡­ what do you think that means, Sybil?¡± he asked, finding Isobel ring sideways at him. She had noticed the tattoo move. Sybil shook her head, putting both hands to her chest and rubbing her knuckles. She didn¡¯t say what she actually thought, she didn¡¯t want to even acknowledge that as a possibility. Still, Lnd had asked a question and she needed to answer. ¡°Clones?¡± she said, more as a question than a statement. Even to her it sounded ridiculous. Lnd dropped his gaze, looking at his tattoo. The crow shook its head. ¡°I don¡¯t think you are a clone,¡± he said, rying the message. ¡°Maybe your mother has a mutation that is shared between generations?¡± Isobel asked, her tone oddly soothing. Again Lnd looked at the crow for answers. It shook its head again. ¡°Possibly,¡± he tranted, ¡°but unlikely, I¡¯d say. All of those years and each Queen had the same mutation and was picked by the Boneforged Monarch? Unlikely.¡± ¡°But maybe it¡¯s the mutation the Monarch chooses¡ª¡± Isobel cut herself off when Lnd red at her. ¡°It is not a mutation,¡± he said firmly. Then a thought urred to him. He presented it, ¡°Maybe something to do with the Monarch¡¯s soul?¡± He nced down, finding the crow nodding. It then pointed its inky wing out. Lnd followed it, finding Sybil, looking spooked. ¡°You already thought about that?¡± he asked, pausing for a moment only to say, ¡°You already knew it was something to do with the Boneforged Monarch¡¯s soul?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to believe it,¡± she whispered. She stared at the crackling fire, finding its dancing mes enthralling. Isobel stepped before her. ¡°Don¡¯t m up now,¡± she said tenderly, both her hands on the Princess¡¯ shoulders. Sybil blinked, her eyes dry. ¡°Do you know why the First Queen settled the Palemarrow capital where it is?¡± ¡°Ivory Reach?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Because it¡¯s in a highly defensible location? How many cities can say they are protected by the rib cage of a dead Lord?¡± ¡°Exactly. The Nameless Lord, as those bones are called. A name lost to history. A Lord who had fallen in battle long before our time, as the fables read¡­ but that¡¯s not what my mother says. She ims the Nameless Lord isn¡¯t a Lord at all. It is a weapon crafted by the Boneforged Monarch herself to protect her own shredded soul as it slowly fixes itself.¡± The crow tattoo nodded. The conversation teetered from there. Lnd asked many questions regarding this ¡°shredded soul,¡± but as he was only a novice when it came to souls, hecked the necessary inspiration toe to any conclusions. Isobel asked a bit more about the prophecy and the entailing ritual, all of which centered around the Queen¡¯s death. Those questions were hard for Sybil not because of the subject matter so much, but rather just how little she actually knew. For her whole life she had been standing on a patch of ice, but only now she realized just howrge of an iceberg rested under the water. Worst of all, it was melting and soon enough would flip. If it hadn¡¯t already. Exhaustion hit the group not long after, Sybil falling asleep first. Isobel and Lnd didn¡¯t speak, an understanding silently conveying between them. They needed to get the Princess back to her castle and the kingdom she was supposedly prophesied to rule. Luckily the direction home intersected the eternal storm Lnd needed to investigate for the Lord of Erupting Skies. Thinking of the contract, something urred to him. Why not forge a contract to travel faster? He whispered, ¡°Lord of Portals, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± Chapter 158: Lords Chapter 158: Lords The Lord of Portals¡¯ domain reminded Lnd of his father¡¯s study. Shelves of books, hundreds, if not thousands, of rolled scrolls holding bizarre or experimental runes, enough ink to fill a bath¡­ Yet, his father didn¡¯t decorate his walls with portals of othernds, remote viewings of nature, and life beyond the mortal ne. Portals, literally, into other lives hung like portrait frames, some horizontal, others vertical. Storming oceans to a tree made entirely of roses, the Lord of Portals didn¡¯t skimp on choosing his art. Even the ceiling was a portal, this one spanning the whole of the study. It opened to a patient night sky, one illuminated purely by the stars residing in the heavens. Lnd couldn¡¯t restrain his gawking by the time the presiding Lord entered. With a re of magic, a single shred of sapphire appeared, cutting a hole in reality as smoothly as a grind wheel against greased steel. As the Lord of Portals stepped through the construct, Lnd briefly viewed thend beyond as a decrepit forest fit with spindly trees and a moon spotlight. ¡°Aw, Cmity¡¯s Spawn,¡± the Lord spat, making no attempt to hide his annoyance. The Lord, wrinkled and gray, held a level stare, both his eyes zing with sapphire magic. Blind, no doubt, but housing enough mana to fuel a siege cannon several times over. Two small portals hung just past his ck and silver robes, each filled with mirrored images of Lnd. In his hands he clutched a small letter written on mundane paper like amon mortal. The man held a sickening expression, like a knight whose honor had just been stricken down by a slymander. Regathering it would take time, which the Lord perceived to be Lnd¡¯s fault, despite just meeting. ¡°Before you grovel at my feet, bribe me, or attempt to plead, I¡¯ll have you know, I do not care about mortal lives whatsoever. And, you, just by virtue of being here, make me sick,¡± the Portal Lord snarled, his voice echoing like a cat¡¯s hiss. Lnd lurched, canceling his kneeling motion. Before he could speak, the Lord continued.¡°Now, the Cmity has asked a favor, which is most unusual and highly irregr. After the favor, you will leave, never to return.¡± A brisk pressure rained down, brushing past Lnd, making him squirm. ¡°I understand,¡± he said, knowing that an argument wouldn¡¯t end well. In fact, it had the potential to be catastrophic. A scoff escaped the Lord¡¯s lips as he uncrumpled the letter wrinkled by his tight grip. With a harsh jerk, he ripped the paper from the envelope, yanking it before the two portals just beyond his shoulder. ¡°¡¯Lnd, Sybil¡¯s soul issue is arger issue than you know. She must be returned to her mother before the power of the Boneforged Monarch is able to twist her into something new. I do not have an approximation for how long that might take, but I suspect it to be two months at most. Any ¡®glowing,¡¯ as you call it, will speed-up the timetable. Contracts to move across the world was a wise thought. This will be thest time you hear from me for a while, exceptmunication via your tattoo. Well done with the Harbinger, the Undying Lord still rots away in his cage.¡± The Lord of Portals then opened a portal that zed with the heat of a volcano. ¡°Signed, the Lord of Curses,¡± he finished. Lnd went to ask a question, but the old man already sent him back into the Void. Floating there, against a backdrop of impossibly fast movement, his thoughts gued his mind. He had seen first hand against the Toy Maker¡¯s Harbinger what a Lord¡¯s soul could do to a mortal body. Why Sybil¡¯s body wasn¡¯t burning apart from the inside, he didn¡¯t know. He had guesses, of course, but at the end of the day, they didn¡¯t matter. Sybil had to be returned to her mother, a simple solution only halted by distance. Just how far away was the Palemarrow Kingdom? Lnd did some calctions. The Archon Valley was, well, half the world away. Past the Hyde Desert, across the Revolting Sea, through the Grumpy Delta, along the border of the Neverde Empire and their war with the Nine Yarn Beasts. At some point they¡¯d need to pass through Triturate and the Garden Arch¡­ also Griffin Watch, the Lying Tower, Vin City, the Lame Sea, the Excited Sea, and the Burnt Lands¡­ And those were just the famous ces. Lnd couldn¡¯t even fathom how many nameless towns and viges they¡¯d visit. By the time he appeared back at camp, his calctions amounted to too far for two months. So Lnd sat, bunched in a nket while a crackling fire zed beside him. He nced at Isobel, finding her looking back at him. She raised an eyebrow, to which he shook his head. She then went back to watching the woods. Sybil was asleep, so he¡¯d bring up the two month issue in the morning. In the meantime, Lnd spoke, ¡°Lord of Teleportation, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± ¡°Sorry we were not able toe to an ord,¡± the Lord of Teleportation said to Lnd. ¡°Mortal wealth is such a fickle contract to someone such as I.¡± Lnd slowly nodded, hiding his irritation the best he could. For a spell that could take him and the others home, the Lord of Teleportation wanted the world. Teleportation magic was rare, and the Lord knew that very well. Magical items were the Lord¡¯s currency, the rarer or more obscure, the better. And while Lnd had a few items to his name, he¡¯d need a thousand copies of them to make a dent in what the Lord was asking. Even when Lodestar was brought to the negotiations, the Teleporting Lord was far from the table. ¡°I-I understand,¡± Lnd said, defeated. ¡°Thank you for the opportunity.¡± A few minutester, he was backying beside the fire. He sighed, ncing at a still sleeping Sybil. ¡°Lord of Space, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have any spells that could aid me?¡± Lnd asked the Lord. ¡°Not as such,¡± the Lord of Space answered. ¡°Nothing of the magnitude you are searching for.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t let his disappointment show. ¡°What about something smaller? Something withbat potential maybe?¡± The lord nodded, her hair that seemed to be everywhere following her head¡¯s movement like a snake¡¯s tail. ¡°Perhaps something to ward projectiles?¡± ¡°Like what? Bending the space around me to redirect projectiles through me?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly like that. You know, they said you were a smart one. I¡¯m d to know that is the case, young Cmity.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t know about that. Space magic was rather narrow in scopepared to other magics, especially defensively. But that was with¡ª Wait. ¡°¡¯They?¡¯¡± he asked. ¡°The other Lords you havemunicated with,¡± the Lord of Space mused. ¡°Gossip travels fast in the realm of the divine.¡± Lnd gave a soft smile back. ¡°Thank you. I only wish I could use my brain to help my friends get home.¡± ¡°Oh yes. Perhaps try the Lord of Gateways or the Lord of Pathways? The twins alwayspete with each other, maybe one will take helping you as a great victory.¡± ¡°Lord of Pathways¡­ I may have interfered with one of their Legacy¡¯s ns¡­¡± ¡°Yes, but a Witch¡¯s n. We Lords, mostly, do not condone the actions of Witches. Why do you think we brand them? We don¡¯t do it out of glee.¡± Lnd suddenly felt dumb. Of course that was the case. Maybe he wasn¡¯t the smart one. ¡°Thank you for the advice. What would you like in return for the projectile spell?¡± The Lord of Space moved her hand, stretching the space around impossibly far. She pulled back, bringing the side of a stone brick castle with her. Lnd did not let his shock show. Such was the power of a Lord, moving castles on a whim was normal¡­ right? ¡°I ask you to inform the mortals that rule this outpost of the temporal wormhole birthing in their basement and that they better close it before it swallows the.¡± Lnd scratched his head, his eyes scanning up trying to find the top of the ¡°outpost.¡± It stretched high into the sky, ending with a set of chiseled battlements mounted with cannons and ballista. And while he now agreed it wasn¡¯t a castle, ¡°outpost¡± still was a bit off. Fortress was more like it. ¡°And where is this outpost?¡± he asked. ¡°A convenient location. This is the Archon Citadel just outside of the Archon Valley manned by the Graverend Army. As luck would have it, you are currently on route to visit within the month at your current pace!¡± Lnd found himself squinting. ¡°So I would just enter and tell them of their basement?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even have to enter,¡± the Lord of Space said. ¡°Just yell at the soldiers manning the front wall when you travel by.¡± ¡°And how long will they have to fix the wormhole?¡± ¡°Oh, two centuries give or take.¡± ¡°Right¡­ I will tell them, thank you for the contract, Lord of Space.¡± She smiled back at him. ¡°Well met, Cmity¡¯s Child. I wish you luck with the twins.¡± ¡°Ooo the usurper enters our domain, brother!¡± the Lord of Gateways giggled. ¡°¡¯Usurper?¡¯¡± the Lord of Pathways cried. ¡°Nonsense! Thisd fought gantly against a Witch! He should be praised! A feast!¡± The Lord pped his hands, summoning a grand table and countless dishes. The smell of pure euphoria wafted through the Lords¡¯ home, highlighting the regal decorations and tapestry. A wave of magic then pulsed from Pathways¡¯ finger, moving Lnd to a seat at the head of the table. Gateway sat slouched forward with her elbows on the tablecloth, her chin resting against her hands. She smiled beautifully at the young Warlock, her eyes like two miniature doorways into new and extreme worlds. Meanwhile, Pathway poured himself and Lnd wine from a great gourd. The pour waszy, spilling more than he got in the cups, but that didn¡¯t matter to the Lord. His magic fluttered around the table, maneuvering past tes of charred corn on the cob and around suckling pig roasted until crisp, moving the spilled drink¡¯s path into the cups before it stained the linen. The Lord of Gateways hummed, ¡°I¡¯m not so sure, brother. Just look at him! How could someone of his¡­ bulk defeat one of yours. Even if she is a Witch, you always choose the best for your Legacy¡­ well, second best behind me.¡± Lnd flinched away when the Lord stared at his puny muscles peeking from his torn shirt. He hadn¡¯t realized it, but after fighting in the Archon Valley nearly nonstop, his clothing had suffered. He held back a puckered face when he realized he¡¯d met three Lords in this very shirt. His mother would kill him if she knew of his horrid wardrobe. ¡°Sister, we¡¯ve talked about this. I am first, you are second,¡± the Pathway Lord said, a b of beef suddenly appearing on his te. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Last I remember, Jadyn Lars defeated that little challenge we set up for him, making me in the lead for first and you sulking like a little baby. Remember? You nearly cried when Sara Colby failed and lost three fingers!¡± ¡°That challenge was rigged and you know it!¡± Pathway sneered. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Gateway chuckled. ¡°But such is the game we y. Always so honorable, you. When are you going to learn?¡± ¡°If I haven¡¯t learned that in thest millennium, then I won¡¯t start now!¡± ¡°You say that like it¡¯s a good thing, when it most definitely is not.¡± Lnd wished he could sink into the fold of his chair and disappear, but he had a goal. If listening to siblings bicker was the price, then so be it. Luckily there was food at least. But, as fate would have it, before he could reach out and take a smoked turkey leg, the Lord of Pathways brought him into the conversation. ¡°Well, the usurper here will be the next challenge!¡± he mmed his mug onto the table, sending wine everywhere. Yet all reappeared in the cup a momentter. ¡°Yes, yes. But brother, I don¡¯t see why you challenge me at all. You are just going to lose. We both know he wants what I can give and what you wish him to want is not his wish nor what you want, so in conclusion, your want is his wish, not that his wish is anywhere near your want.¡± Pathway squinted, his eyes quickly darting between his sister and Lnd. ¡°You are¡­ wrong. Like always,¡± he said, after recounting the statement a few times in his head. Gatewayughed, and when her brother pped the table, sheughed harder. ¡°Child of the Cmity!¡± Pathway then screeched. ¡°I give you ess to my pathways! You will never be lost and you will always know the shortest route to your destination!¡± Lnd hesitated a moment. ¡°Thank you, that is very¡ª¡± ¡°A poor gift for someone actually smart,¡± Gateway then said, beaming at her brother like a devilish fiend. ¡°What need is knowing the path when you can just figure it out yourself!?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Pathway snarled. ¡°Then what is your gift? What can be better than always knowing the way to his home!?¡± ¡°I give the gift of knowledge.¡± ¡°Knowledge of what?¡± Gateway shrugged. ¡°That is for private ears only.¡± The Lord of Pathways pointed his dinner knife at his sister. ¡°You almost had me going. Just offer him a gateway and let¡¯s be done with it. He can decide from two actual gifts.¡± ¡°Knowledge is my gift, not a gateway.¡± Lnd forced himself to clear his throat. ¡°What kind of knowledge? Something that will get me home?¡± Gateway studied the young man, then her brother. ¡°My knowledge may help you in that endeavor, but not directly, no.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t let his confusion show. The Lord of Pathways did. Leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, the Lord stared at his sister like her skin was peeling, revealing a different person underneath. ¡°You are ying us both the fool. What knowledge is more important to thed now that can defeat my gift of a personal pathway?¡± Gateway simply smiled. Pathway turned to Lnd in a rush. ¡°Do not fall for her trickery! She is as cunning as theye!¡± ¡°I-I, uh¡ª¡± ¡°I amend my gift!¡± Pathway said with another hand m. ¡°I will custom make a pathway specifically for your parasitic tattoo! Lodestar is it? See? Even fate agrees with my gift, such a name is a true indication for my magic!¡± Gateway unfurled her hand, picking up her ss with delicate precision. ¡°That is a wonderful amendment. The child would be a fool not to ept.¡± She and Lnd locked eyes for a long moment. When they broke, Lnd had the distinct feeling that the Lord of Gateways was trying to help him. Or perhaps goad her brother into giving more, ultimately winning thepetition through simply allowing her brother to bankrupt himself¡­ but Lnd didn¡¯t know if a Lord could bankrupt himself, so he went with the former idea. ¡°That is a very kind gift,¡± Lnd said to the Lord of Pathways. ¡°If I ept, what do you wish in return?¡± ¡°Bah! Nothing,d! I want nothing!¡± Gateway put on a deep frown, her eyes going soft. ¡°But brother, that wasn¡¯t the rules of the challenge. We agreed that there would be a cost. Otherwise what good does charity do when we both have everything mortals could possibly want!? The child has to work for it, otherwise I rescind my gift and vow a century of silence.¡± Pathways eyes went wide. ¡°But then who would I have to talk to! You remember how cranky I gotst time you made a simr vow!?¡± She simply shrugged. ¡°Fine! Then, in return for my gift, thed must kill that Witch if they ever cross paths again.¡± Gateway gave a nod. ¡°A fine cost. Child? What say you?¡± Lnd looked between the two. ¡°I will ept the Lord of Pathways gift. Thank you for the offer, Lord of Gateways, but I need practicality right now, not potential.¡± Pathway let out a loudugh that shook the cutlery. Gateway gave Lnd a knowing smile. Chapter 159: Winds of Fate Chapter 159: Winds of Fate Cursed contract of the Lord of Space: Gain ess to the spell Spatial Bend. Only usable once per hour. Spatial Bend (Passive): Space bends just around you, routing lesser projectiles that would strike you to miss. Return: Inform the Graverend Army of the growing wormhole in the basement of the Archon Citadel before it bes toorge to contain. (Time remaining: 197 years) Cursed contract of the Lord of Pathways: The Lord of Pathways has augmented the parasitic tattoo, Lodestar, with a pathway. Return: If ever youe into contact with the Witch Charlotte Hansley, she must die. Lnd reviewed the two newest pages in his grimoire. He couldn¡¯t sleep, not with all that had happened that evening. So, he went over his newest spell a few times before trying it. A passive effect, while usually less than shy, was a blessing when it came tobat. Anything to help win battles was greatly appreciated by mages, especially when the mage didn¡¯t have to think about casting. Regardless of his concentration, Spatial Bend would just work. So he pressed his hand into the page, allowing his halo to take. Lnd then slowly sat up, shifting himself to look at the Huntress. She quirked an eyebrow at him before slowly frowning. She studied him for a long moment before reaching for a pebble.She threw it. It was fast, far faster than Lnd could properly catch. But that didn¡¯t mean much when it was considered a lesser projectile. The pebble interacted with the suit of mana around Lnd, suddenly morphing into that of a long string before being ushered around him like a coil rolling down a curved slope. The pebble then leveled off, sting out into the woods far behind the young man. ¡°Again, slightlyrger pebble,¡± Lnd said. Isobel smirked, tossing another rock. Then another. And another. By the next, Lnd suddenly had a welt across his shoulder. ¡°H-how big was that one?¡± ¡°justrger than an arrow head.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°¡¯Good?¡¯ You can redirect rocks, that¡¯s much better than ¡®good.¡¯¡± ¡°Yeah, of course, but it¡¯s not something I want to rely on,¡± he replied. ¡°What Lord?¡± Isobel asked. ¡°Space.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t think to, I don¡¯t know, get a teleportation spell?¡± ¡°I tried,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°It was either warding projectiles or leave with nothing.¡± ¡°And the cost?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to warn some people about a wormhole.¡± ¡°A wormhole¡­¡± Lnd sighed. ¡°I spoke with the Lord of Portals, Space, Pathways, Gateways, Portals, and Teleportation. Can you think of any others that might have arge-scale teleporting power?¡± ¡°Magic, Void, Light,¡± Isobel offered. ¡°I have a contract with the Lord of Magic. The Lord of Light is a Vile Lord, so no. And to be honest, I forgot about the Lord of the Void. Harlen told me about her. She¡¯s apparently passionate.¡± ¡°You think she¡¯ll help you?¡± Lnd mulled on that. ¡°Maybe? It''s always a gamble. The Lord of Portals seemed to hate me on sight, so¡­¡± ¡°You do have a hate-able face.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Isobelughed. Lnd did the same a momentter. How long had it been since he actually smiled? It had only been a day or so since they arrived at Archon Valley, but it sure felt much longer. The battle with the Toy Maker had changed things, it had marked a shift in personality. Not just in Lnd, but the other boys as well. Lnd wished they were here with him. Exploring the Valley with them would have been an adventure! A dangerous one, sure, but an adventure, nheless. ¡°I received a message while talking with the Lord of Portals, however.¡± ¡°A message?¡± ¡°From my Lord. Suffice it to say, Sybil has two months before something happens and the Boneforged Monarch changes her. She needs to be with her mother before that.¡± ¡°Hence you asking about teleportation-able Lords. Lnd nodded. It was at that moment Sybil chose to sit up. While Isobel had known the Princess was awake, she decided not to mention it to Lnd. Why? Well, how was she supposed to know Lnd was going to talk about her. Sybil regarded Lnd coldly. ¡°What do you mean change?¡± Lnd hesitated, fumbling over his words. ¡°Something with your soul and the Monarch¡¯s. I wasn¡¯t given the specifics, but I¡¯ve seen what happens when a Lord¡¯s soul tries to enter a mortal¡¯s body. And well, since you are not a liquid pile of burnt skin, something is protecting you from the Monarch¡¯s soul.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Isobel asked. ¡°You think in two months this protection will fade?¡± ¡°That, or two months is how long the Boneforged Monarch will remain idle. We don¡¯t know her ns, and who''s to say if you don¡¯tplete the ritual in that timeframe she¡¯ll cut her losses and try again.¡± Sybil went stark still at that. Lnd noticed and quickly added, ¡°The note from my Lord didn¡¯t make it seem like all hope was lost. If there was no hope at all, she would have mentioned it.¡± ¡°Would she?¡± Isobel asked. ¡°You can¡¯t understand what a Lord is thinking any more than a hurricane.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t agree with that. In his experience, Lords had been conniving or maniptive, yes, but they always worked toward a goal. If the Lord of Curses wanted to lead him on, what was the end goal? Force him to watch Sybil be changed? No. She¡¯d know he would break if that came to pass. And like many times before, the Lord of Curses had sprinkled in enough crumbs of advice to keep him moving to what he wanted. To help those he cared about. ¡°She said you can¡¯t glow anymore, Sybil. It speeds up the process apparently, and we are going to need all of those two months to get you home.¡± Sybil stared at Lnd like he was an executioner. He did not like that look. ¡°Sybil, I promise I will get you home unchanged.¡± She looked away. For a moment, Lnd felt his heart sink. Sybil was a friend, and he had never seen Jude or Glenny look away from him like that. They trusted him, the Princess obviously did not. A pain filled his lungs and Lnd suddenly found his vision narrow. All his life he had only wanted to follow in his parents¡¯ shoes and help people. Whether as an adventurer, an Inquisitor, or a schr. It didn¡¯t matter how, as long as he was out there actively making people¡¯s lives better. The Onryos, Shoutwell, Gelo and Floe. The list was short, yes, but Lnd desperately wished to add another name. Sybil. A p of muted thunder rippled from the heel of his shoe. He skidded across the ground, managing his speed with amateurish effort. A kick of lightning followed him, but Lnd made sure to skirt around Sybil so as not to harm her. He arrived in her gaze, crouched down low so she was forced to look at him. She startled at the sudden use of magic, but Lnd was already speaking by then. ¡°I will get you home. I promise Sybil Palemarrow.¡± The Princess nodded, silently swallowing all the while stilling her churning stomach. With everything that had happened so far, she realized Lnd had been there for all of it. And while she didn¡¯t believe his words, Sybil believed in Lnd. Isobel let the moment go on until she couldn¡¯t stomach it any longer. Kids, especially lovey dovey ones, were like poison. A poison of gross smiles. She had to cut it away before it affected her. ¡°And just how are you going to get her home?¡± Lnd backstepped, arriving at his pillow and nket with a snap of lightning. ¡°First step is summoning Lodestar. The Lord of Pathways gave me a custom pathway, somehow mixing it with my summoned scythe¡ª¡± Suddenly the Huntress was gone and a wave of kicked-up leaves rushed into the woods. Before Lnd and Sybil could even question it, Isobel arrived back, monster in hand. A monkey-alligator thing was thrust at him, with only the words ¡°use this,¡± as an exnation. Lnd gawked at the adult. ¡°What?¡± Isobel asked. ¡°It¡¯s been stalking around us for thest hour. I was going to just throw a rock at it but, well, here we are.¡± Shaking his head, Lnd mechanically siphoned the creature¡¯s soul. By the time the ring of purple fire faded, a soul of the Damned presented him with ammunition. ¡°Thank you,¡± he muttered, taking the lost soul and allowing the soul of the Damned to be free. It left while kneeling, descending into the ground. Then, without any fanfare, Lnd used the lost soul to summon Lodestar. Darkness rose and fell, shaping itself into a pole while growing from his hand. Manifestation took, and the scythe fully formed with a bit of a spring. Before Lnd could even question the Lord of Pathways¡¯ changes, a gale rushed by. He braced himself, the wind like a pendulum hammer crashing into his back. He forced himself to stay stationary, but all he thought about was following the tempest. Something whispered in the back of his mind. All of his worries would be scraped away if he followed the wind. If he walked through the pathway. His pathway. Behind him, the Huntress tossed another pebble. It whipped around him, Spatial Bend still being activated. ¡°Kid,¡± she said, pulling Lnd¡¯s attention. When he looked at her, she threw another slightlyrger one. He stepped to the side, arriving near a tree with a kick of lightning. In other words he dodged, yet he didn¡¯t know what he dodged. It had moved far too fast for his young inexperienced eyes, yet his Path told him to move. The wind had shifted, the gale turned, the tempest reversed. ¡°There¡¯s a reason your dad couldn¡¯t defeat that Pathway Witch in Ruinsforth, kid,¡± Isobel said with a smirk. ¡°Legacies of Pathways are known for always evading and out maneuvering. If they are fast enough, that is.¡± Lnd looked at her, but the wind called his attention. He turned off, looking into the distance. The longer he thought about it, the more he realized it wasn¡¯t just wind. Invisible, yes, but far from a force that could push clouds or make grass sway. No, it was far more than that. Wind, yes, but wind that affected fate rather than the physical. ¡°Divination,¡± he muttered, tracing the winds toward their apex. ¡°So kid, where do you have to go to take the Princess home?¡± Isobel asked. Swallowing, Lnd pointed toward the sky. ¡°Where we¡¯ve been headed. To the eye of the storm.¡± Ahead of the group, thick dark clouds rolled with an eternal rain. Big booms of blue lightning marked silhouette deep within, each twisted and wicked. Highlighted by the shes of light, beings fought for dominance over whatever the storm circled while defending against the deafening thunder. Isobel sighed. ¡°Of course it is.¡± Chapter 160: Basics Chapter 160: Basics Three dayster, Lnd was having trouble against a quick-moving gnat. The monster being the size of a tree wasn¡¯t the issue, it was the fact it moved with the crity and flourish of a sparrow. Darting around trees and swooping to attack, the bug chased Lnd despite lightning pulsing from his feet with every step. ¡°So!¡± Isobel yelled from the side. ¡°You are countered by flying enemies! How are you going to kill it if your steps can¡¯t hit it!?¡± Lnd wasn¡¯t allowed to think through the question. Having to constantly move while focusing on the power and angle of his steps made problem solving a second priority. Luckily for him, the gnat was less than ster at actually attacking. It had freshly long feeler-arms, but they were thin and straggly, easily allowing Lnd to free himself from its clutches. So while he wasn¡¯t truly in danger, Lnd still felt the pressure. Defeating the monster was a top priority, unless he wanted to constantly be mocked for failing the trial. The Huntress had apologized, yes, but she was still far away from being an authority figure to look up to¡­ at least to Lnd. She had all but stopped criticizing and toying with Sybil and instead adopted a hesitant guilt. Sybil didn¡¯t know which she liked better if she was being honest. ¡°This would be easier if I was allowed to use my actual magic!¡± Lnd yelled, somehow finding a moment of rity to think. He didn¡¯t see it, but Isobel gave a weak shrug. ¡°Then use your magic!¡± That was all he needed to hear, stepping abruptly to the side. Staying low, Lnd slid across the loose dirt, blue lightning following in his wake with a muted p of thunder. Mana and lifeforce quickly came together, forming at the tip of his fingers. ¡°Fracture,¡± he sneered before quickly adding, ¡°fracture, fracture, fracture!¡± Each curse was punctuated by the snap of his fingers and the snap of bone. Or, well, in this case, exoskeleton. The gnat buckled, the location where its wing connected to its body suddenly bing mangled. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± Lnd then screeched, his eyes now burning with a purple heatless fire. Around the monster flumes of a likewise me appeared, each sprouting from the very ground birthing a soul of the Damned. Within moments, the gnat was dead and a freshly harvested lost soul was in Lnd¡¯s hands. ¡°Time for the true test now,¡± Isobel said, stalking closer with Sybil by her side. Lnd shuddered a sigh, staring into the soul like it was a lifeline for the future. Which, in a way, it was. Ethereal winds only he could feel started blowing once Lodestar was fully summoned. They pushed his back, urging him to im his fate with the very weapon he held. His path was simple, toward the eternal storm that somehow still seemed to grow no closer. ¡°Twenty nine paces that way,¡± Isobel said, pointing parallel to the storm. Lnd grunted, springing off while mentally estimating how much time the Lord of Erupting Skies¡¯ contract wouldst for. The gnat took much longer than it should have, giving him, what he guessed to be, only a few minutes left of speed. Twenty nine paces in terms of Erupting Steps easily carried him triple the distance he expected. Distance sprinting was not yet a thing he had practiced with his new contract. Still, he didn¡¯t have time to waste, so he got to work. After a brief inspection of the monster he now faced, Lnd sprung into action. His goal wasn¡¯t to kill it as fast as possible, but to see how Lodestar¡¯s pathway acted inbat. This was not his first attempt at this ¨C not even his tenth attempt ¨C but he still felt he needed the practice. In fact, Lnd felt as though his previous attempts were moot. From tripping over his feet to failing to move in the correct direction, reading his pathway when it was in was akin to bashing his head into a wall over and over again. He was doing something wrong, he knew. Yet that wasn¡¯t the frustrating part, nor was Isobel¡¯s thoughts on the matter. No, what truly pushed Lnd to rush ahead of his only protector and guard was the chance of solving his problem. Gah, he felt as though he was dealing with the unknown aspect of Soul Fire again. The monster this time was a four armed humanoid creature that looked as if its extra appendages were sewn on with seashells. It foamed at its mouth, a salty brine draining from far within its body and into its extremely puffed-out cheeks. The winds of the pathway veered to the side, Lnd doing the same. The monster unleashed the stored brine like the st of a cannon. The attack missed by a hair, sundering six trees deep into the woods. Lnd gaped, realizing he may be outmatched this time around. The monster let out a horrid squawk, each seashell on its body opening and closing like a bundle of childrenughing. And just like that Lnd suddenly found himself utterly devoted to seeing this thing¡¯s demise. In the back of his mind, he knew and understood that the monster had just activated a magical ability of some kind, artificially angering him. But with Jude as a friend, Lnd knew just how valuable rage could be. The effect didn¡¯t undermine his wish to better understand his pathway, however¡­ at least partially. The winds spiked, pulling Lnd up into the air. Lnd didn¡¯t hesitate, following the upstream into the air with a leap. Lightning burst from his toes, propelling him far higher than he might usually jump. He felt no fear during this, the wind copsing into him from overhead before spinning abruptly. Lnd did exactly that,nding hard and fast before pivoting and sprinting off in the opposite direction. The monster¡¯s beam of water followed him into the air, chasing him just a moment toote. When hended, the beam cut into the ground, the monster ovepensating,tearing up the mulch at the same time. Then, Lnd was suddenly in its face, and the monster scrambled to puff its cheeks once again. But Lnd didn¡¯t attack. Not yet. He still had time, and his instincts told him to keep going. So, the game of cat and mouse restarted, and all the while the winds of fate blew him to the best possible pathway. At some point Lnd struck, shearing a harsh line through the creature¡¯s torso with the curved de of the scythe. While the blow didn¡¯t so much as draw blood, the monster¡¯s soul was unequivocally sheared. Again the seashells along its bodyughed, this time with a pain befitting fearful cheer. The wind went crazy. Lnd couldn¡¯t follow, not fast enough. From his front, from his back. To the left and right. The wind was everywhere, mixing together away from the monster with the gall of an explosion. He went to run away, but his steps only took him a few feet away. From his side, his grimoire spun around, solidifying his fears. The contract had expired. Then he saw it, the pathway forward. In between certain death and visions of his mangled body, there was a single route out of the hellstorm that was chaos. In the moments directly after the monster¡¯s self-explosion, Lnd had to rey the situation multiple times over in his mind, each time slower than thest. There was no n, no analytical weighing of the best course of action, not even ame thought of ¡°what do I do?¡± No, Lnd, fueled by enough artificial rage to turn the head of a berserker, followed his instinct through the chaos. He started with mming his palm into his grimoire, enacting the contract with the Lord of Water. The shield made of swirling water formed within heartbeats, rushing to his aid as he fell into a kneel. He braced himself, leveraging the shield at such an angle that most of the explosion would roll off rather than directly bash into. The monster detonated, sending a crash of salt water into Lnd. The winds urged him to lurch with the explosion, not that he had the arm strength to t out resist. Thrown back, Lndnded with a rain of liquid. Most of it was water, but there was plenty of blood mixed in as well. The force had dug into the little real estate of his body that was left unprotected by his shield, ying his pants and sheering into his skin. With a groan, Lnd then pressed into his grimoire once again, this time for the Lord of Nature. His hand glowed with regenerative virtue, and soon, the smallest of his wounds closed. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve seen many exploding monsters,¡± Isobel said, suddenly appearing next to him. ¡°Instinct,¡± Lnd muttered back, his breath ragged. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I would have died, if¡ª if I didn¡¯t trust in my pathway.¡± Isobel made a thoughtful noise. She turned, finding Lodestar sted away. As she went to retrieve it, the scythe bled into the ground like a soul of the Damned, disappearing from her sight. She spun, finding the weapon now rising from the ground directly into Lnd¡¯s hand. ¡°I might actually hate you,¡± she muttered. ¡°You have no idea how powerful of a weapon that scythe is. And that was even before the Lord of Pathways blessed it.¡± Lnd sat up. ¡°Oh trust me, I¡¯m starting to see how crucial it will be for my future.¡± Isobel scoffed, turning to find Sybil still jogging over. She had to hand it to the girl, she was nothing if not tenacious. Any other prince or princess would have pouted about the situation, but not Sybil. With some luck, the girl would end up like her mother and not her aunt. ¡°Melee isn¡¯t your thing, kid. Why¡¯d you go in for the hit?¡± Lnd scowled at that. ¡°You told me to use Erupting Steps and my physical prowess for the time being.¡± ¡°¡¯Physical prowess,¡¯ eh?¡± Isobel forced herself to stifle a giggle. ¡°While it is true, you¡¯ve gotten faster and stuff. You are not cut out to fight head to head. Your non-contract spells all work around that Circle of Souls spell. They buy time for you to rip out a soul. Breaking bones, slowing, crows to distract. You get the point. And it¡¯s time you progress in that department.¡± ¡°A-are you saying I¡¯ve grown proficient enough at Erupting Steps to start phase two of your training regiment, O¡¯ wise teacher?¡± Isobel smirked at that. ¡°We¡¯ll start with those crows of yours¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡¯No?¡¯¡± ¡°I need to rank up all of my spells. Starting with just one is inefficient.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll lose a lot of nuance to your abilities. Subtle details like how to best utilize individual aspects. No doubt you aren¡¯t using each of your spells to their fullest.¡± Lnd agreed with that, giving her a deep head nod. ¡°But that cer. For now I just need raw power if I¡¯m going to have any semnce of hope where we are going. And progressing as many spells as quickly as possible is the way to do that.¡± Isobel turned to look at the storm. ¡°You may be right about that.¡± Chapter 161: Irritation Chapter 161: Irritation Isobel¡¯s eye twitched when Lnd mumbled out a tter of identical words, each resulting in an equally identical snap of the fingers. Both the word ¡°Fracture,¡± and the snap were, in her eyes, inartistic and frankly shameful. Every powerful mage she knew did not speak their spells, nor did they make gestures in the wind. As she and Sybil watched the boy rush across the clearing, lightning following his toes, Isobel truly wondered about his ¡°spells.¡± Discarding the absurdity that was divine ¡°contracts,¡± the rest of his spells circled around breaking the opponent down until their soul was removed. While Legacy abilities usually had some sort of glue tying them together, she had never seen such a mishmash. Breaking bones. Lord of Bones. Summoning crows. Lord of Crows. Slowing the enemy¡¯s heart. Lord of, well it could be several. Andstly, tearing out souls. Lord of Souls. What Lord had the agency over those specific aspects? If Lnd was using various types of bone attacks from different Lords, then Isobel could understand. Many, say, Legacies of Fire used spells from the Lord of Lava or Lord of Heat. There was a cohesive theme, however, an easy to decipher theme. Lnd, on the other hand? Was too unique. Too specialized with too thin of links. His spells didn¡¯t all slow, they didn¡¯t all create crows, nor all break bones. They just¡­ bothered the enemy until their souls were removed. Isobel closed her eyes and shook her head. She had just watched Lnd summon his crows, using them to simply dive bomb the monster. Nuance was a bygone thought to the boy, the crows had so many more uses that just ¡°attack.¡± Peeking through her eyelids, Isobel looked at Sybil. The Princess had her hands tightly sped to her chest to the point they were paling despite her dark skin. A tremble rippled through her knees every time Lnd was attacked and a resolute smile eclipsed her face every time he attacked back. Isobel didn¡¯t know what to think of that if she was being honest. Sometimes the girl looked as if she wished to join the battle, other times she looked like a frightened kitten. The former she chalked up to teenage angst, thetter due to Sybil¡¯sck of Legacy. Or Lord? Or whatever the Boneforged Monarch was going to give her. If only there was some way to speak to the Lord in question¡­ Isobel thought, thinking of the night prior where Lnd tried to use his contract spell with the Boneforged Monarch. It didn¡¯t work, a fault he exined by way of nonexistent feedback. Isobel had to hand it to the kid, it was a good idea. At least partially. If he was able to contact the Lord and only received bad news, then well, then it would have been a horrible idea and Sybil¡¯s potential death would forever weigh on his mind. Luckily, now if she died, he¡¯d only have hisck of power to me. Which, with Isobel a firsthand example , was a great motivator to actually gain said power. If the loss didn¡¯t break him, that was. Lnd did something stupid across the clearing and Isobel let out a guttural sigh. Being cynical had its advantages, but sometimes it didn¡¯t. Now, watching the boy recover his footing, Isobel knew deep within her heart, this adventure wasn¡¯t going to end well if she continued with the path of cynicism. Lnd was cynical enough, and, as the only adult of the group, Isobel felt the responsibility to not be. The battle with the poisonous swarm of winged elk ended with Lnd breathing heavily, six souls of the Damned kneeling around him in an arc. Isobel let out a slow p. ¡°Congrattions, you have defeated the toughest enemy yet, a few deer.¡± Lnd red at her. ¡°They could fly! And spit poison!¡± ¡°So? You could fly too if you actually thought through things. You could probably spit poison as well. Contracts are just too versatile.¡± Isobel watched the boy¡¯s victory dete out of his body, returning him to his usual state of rushed gloom. She internally grit her teeth, knowing it was her statement that did such a thing. That was not her intention, although it would have been a few weeks ago. She had to admit, she was bad at this whole mentoring thing. The battle should have been simple. In her mind at least, if she had Lnd¡¯s Legacy and her own chance at these coveted contracts. Everything would be simple. She¡¯d have contracts for everything, and the promise of properly tailored skirmishes in line with the enemy¡¯s weakness. Flying deer? She¡¯d fly right there with them. Poison spit? A contract for poison resistance would be used quite often. Poison was everywhere. But, then again, hindsight is always clear. As is having decades of high-endbat experience. Lnd had only been doing this for what? Eight months? At least he had a healing contract. If he didn¡¯t, Isobel would consider him useless and not mentor him on principle. ¡°Kid, I¡ª You fought well. The deer were by far your hardest challenge to date, and well, there were ces for improvement. But you already knew that.¡± Lnd nced at her. His eyes, still burning with purple mes, were dull and tired. How many battles had it been? Twenty three? Or was it twenty four? Regardless, it had been days of traveling through the Archon Valley toward the storm. Days filled with rather consistent solo battles. Mages were not supposed to fight solo, not if they wished to live long lives. But he had won, and won again. Each battle was better than thest, even, despite the repetition mbering on his concentration. Luckily, for mages, concentration was something they excelled at. ¡°Yes,¡± he finally responded. ¡°Like silent casting and gesture-less casting¡­ among other things.¡± That was not what Lnd was expecting if his now straightened posture had anything to say about it. Isobel had been with the kid long enough to know when he had an idea, and this was one of them. She waited a moment, letting him finalize his thoughts. ¡°I need to learn invisible casting.¡± Isobel quirked an eyebrow. Did his spells need to be invisible? She guessed invisible crows would be nice, but making summons invisible was something even tenured Magi had troubles with. And removing the showmanship of the soul circle would be a detriment in her eyes. Some spells had a certain extra umph if they looked scary. And the purple mes and souls crawling from the ground did just that. ¡°Why¡ª¡± ¡°For my halo,¡± Lnd interrupted, anticipating the question. ¡°That way I can use it around people who may know about Harbingers without worry.¡± That was¡­ actually a good idea. Isobel wasn¡¯t surprised, however. Most of the kid¡¯s ideas were good, albeit not necessarily practical. Invisible casting was difficult, yes, but not so much for stationary visual effects, like the halo or say the radiant glow of a conjured suit of armor. ¡°You know how to practice the cantrip?¡± she asked. Lnd shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not so much a cantrip, but rather a way of casting. Simr idea,pletely different in practice.¡± He hesitated a moment. ¡°But I have something else I want to work on first.¡± ¡°And that is?¡± ¡°A cantrip called Memory Recall. It pretty much does as the name suggests, and lets me relive memories like they just happened.¡± It was Sybil who spoke next, her breath hitched from the jog over. ¡°What do you need to recall?¡± ¡°What the Archon said to me.¡± Isobel eyed the boy emphatically. Was that really the best use of his time? Eh, she didn¡¯t know. Not really. She was walking just as blind as he was, and well, Lnd did have good ideas. The question now went to why? The Archon spoke anguage none of them knew, let alone could identify. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Lord-like being spoke anguage long forgotten¡­ or perhaps not even learned in the first ce. Lnd continued, ¡°I figured if I could contract a Lord for the ability to learn, understand, or even trantenguages, then with Memory Recall I could learn what it told me.¡± And there it was, not practical. Isobel held off rolling her eyes. But, whatever. It was his time he was wasting. Not like casting an invisible halo would be good to have or anything¡­ ¡°Would you tell me what it said?¡± Sybil asked. ¡°Once you find out, of course. I¡¯d like to know as well.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Lnd replied. A foolish answer, Isobel thought. Some knowledge was better left secret, and she suspected whatever the Archon told the boy would categorically fall within such a ssification. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m hungry,¡± she said, pulling the children along before asking, ¡°Any rank-ups?¡± Silently Lnd¡¯s grimoire rotated around him into his view. He slowly flipped through the pages, reading them just asmely. Isobel hummed at the sight, idly annoyed at the boy¡¯s Legacy. A tattoo of a crow but materialized as a simple tome? She had to admit, the tome was quite¡­ foreboding. Dark, leather bound, thick with enough ancient rivets and metal trim to be a monastery¡¯s prized treasure. It sure beat the legacy of the Hunter - a tattoo of a bow and animal trap with a materialization of a skinning knife. Gah, how difficult it was to see if one of her abilities ranked up. The t of the knife was simply too small to read the changes. ¡°Fracture is at fifteen, crows are at fourteen, slow is at thirteen, halo at fifteen and Circle of Souls at fourteen,¡± Lnd said casually, like that information wasn¡¯t often need to know. But then again, Isobel did need to know and she did ask. Still, just announcing it all in front of the niece of the woman who sought to kill him nearly a week ago? The boy was dumb and too trusting. She sighed, ¡°Early ranks are always easiest. But it''s always nice when an ability gets to the halfway mark between Legacy ranks.¡± ¡°That it does,¡± Lnd said, smirking at the page of his book. Chapter 162: Warm Chapter 162: Warm ¡°What are you doing! Sprint!¡± Isobel narrowed her eyes. ¡°I said sprint! You call that a sprint!?¡± Sybil put her head down and ran. She knew the Huntress was not speaking to her but that hardly mattered. She was slowing and the yelling reminded her of the goal. Her goal. Idly Sybil recognized Lnd a few dozen paces away speeding through the woods and increasing the gap between them before abruptly reversing directions and sprinting back. She was passed three times before she reached the reverse mark, and four more times on the way back. By the time she had finished onep, he was already on his third. And he wasn¡¯t even using magic. Well, sort of. Lnd had the contract with the Lord of Endurance activated and was repeatedly healing himself with the Lord of Nature¡¯s contract. Magic yes, but not the kind that allowed him to increase his speed like Erupting Steps. No, he was running like anymon nonphysical rank two Legacy. His legs and feet were unaugmented and his Legacy provided him with intelligence and magic sense rather than increased muscle mass and agility. He had just grown, trained, to the speed at which he ran. Did he think about how he was leaving Sybil in the dust? No, but Sybil sure did. She was Legacy-less. Unbound to a Lord despite being host to one. But that mattered little more than the fact she was a princess that, not too long ago, was locked away in her room. She did not, was not, allowed to exercise any more than walking from her favorite courtyard to the dinner hall then to her room. Did she care that she was beingpped by Lnd? Yes, but not in the sense of feeling inferior or jealous. She was a princess, not an adventurer. No matter how hard she tried, she would not out-pace Lnd any time soon. Not with his head start fighting monsters and traveling cross country. So why did she run? Because she could. At first she told herself she ran to pull herself out of the rift, to make herself ¡°useful,¡± not to be dead weight in the case of trouble. She saw training as a means to not feel like a burden, to be something more than a princess. Oh how naive she had been. Seeing Lnd go from fight to fight, battling down monsters without so much as a second thought, she started to realize her mistake. What drove him Sybil couldn¡¯t say, only that between the Archon and the note his Lord passed to him, something had changed. He fought harder. He pushed more. He strategized and limited himself. Anything to gain an advantage over what threats could be ahead ¨C what threats could be within the storm. But for how much Lnd wished to protect her, Sybil realized he was far from being the protector he wanted to be. But Lnd was not dumb, he knew his limitations far better than anyone. So why did he try so hard? Why did he sprint every morning until he threw up only to battle to the death with a monster not twenty minutester? Sybil thought about the question after seeing Lnd, even while eating dinner, practicing. Invisible casting and some memory cantrip. Every meal, every rest, Lnd would work on the pair of Legacy-less magic. It consumed him, the magic, to the point the Huntress had to yell at him to sleep. But lying there awake, with her belly full of food, Sybil found an answer to her question. It came in the form of a muted grunt from the Huntress and a whoosh of stirred up leaves and wind. Sybil sat up, finding the Huntress still sitting and staring out into the woods. The Archon Valley was never truly dark, so she could see what the Huntress was looking at. A monster, a variant of a wooden tree-man thing. Sybil had been told the name of the creature the first time the group encountered one, but she was never one to remember such things. She only knew that it was scary, that its strike could sunder even the eldest trees around, let alone shatter the bones of whatever fought it. Lnd had killed each and every one they encountered without ever getting near it, simply allowing his ethereal crows to distract it while he removed its soul. The process took several minutes, but the effect was as true as the monsters¡¯ dead corpses. But looking out past the Huntress, Sybil found the source of the whoosh. A rock. A pebble. The Huntress had thrown a rock, from a seated position, a hundred paces away, striking the tree-man monster square in the chest, killing it instantly. And just like that Sybil realized why Lnd was working so hard. Because he didn¡¯t want to be the burden. He didn¡¯t want to be the weak one between he and the Huntress. Because he knew if a battle started, one that truly put her in danger, that the Huntress would focus on protecting her and not him. Sybil kept her realization to herself. Bringing it up to the group wouldn¡¯t matter mainly because they both already knew. There was nothing she could do to change it, not with Lnd and the Huntress being as stubborn as they were. So, did Sybil feel inferior when Lndpped her? No. Did she care, however? Yes. Yes she did. So why did she run? Because she could. Because maybe one day she would be Lnd. Maybe one day she would be the Huntress. Maybe one day she would be in a simr situation and have to protect someone weaker than her. Was that day tomorrow? No. Was it next year? No. Did she know when that might happen? No. But she knew that one day it would, and that she should prepare now rather than feel the consequencester. And that eased her. She trusted Lnd and the Huntr ¨C Isobel ¨C to protect her and get her home. Two months before she changed? Eh, honestly Sybil figured she had already changed. At least her perspective on life, not the whole issue with the Boneforged Monarch. ¡°Rest,¡± Isobel said to Lnd after hepleted his finalp. He was hunched over, hands on his knees and spitting wads of bile-tinged snot. His back heaved with his breaths, tracing the contours of his spine through his shirt. He had lost weight, they all had really, but Lnd by far more than the others. It was his nonstop magic usage. Lifeforce, as he told the others, was his primary magical resource, and while it regenerated over time, that didn¡¯t stop it from taking a toll on his body. ¡°I¡¯ll scout ahead,¡± Isobel then said once Sybil finished herp. ¡°Don¡¯t wander off.¡± Sybil felt thement was primarily directed at her since Lnd was trying not to puke any more than he already had. Still, that didn¡¯t discourage her. Why would it? After Lnd had yelled at Isobel, she had somewhat shied away from speaking to the Princess. Which actually got under Sybil¡¯s skin. Could the woman really not speak to her without being degrading or rude? Apparently so, at least for a few days. Slowly Isobel had warmed up, speaking to both Lnd and Sybil more as adults rather than dull mutts. Looking out where Isobel had sprinted off,, Sybil honestly didn¡¯t like what she was seeing. Gone were the woods and the many, many Archon experiments they held, and in came jagged stone works. Rocks the size of merchant ships jutted from the gravel substrate, warding off anyrge caravans, carts, or, in the group¡¯s case, people. The path ahead was one footfall away from a dangerousnding, which was onlypounded by the sickly shards of stone acting like spike traps. But, in the distance, was the eternal storm Lnd kept mentioning. ¡°So we have to go through there?¡± Sybil asked Lnd, both huffing like work horses. Lnd looked out, nausea still attacking his gut and lungs. ¡°Looks like,¡± he was able to mutter between breaths. Minutes passed as Isobel scouted, minutes to recovery. Lnd and Sybil eventually found that sitting on the ground was nicer than standing, so they sat. When they did, Lnd had some words to say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry this is taking so long.¡± He sounded defeated, like he had already lost a race that had yet to start. Sybil looked at him, identifying the haunt in his eyes as guilt. She had seen the emotion before, in his parents no less. Spencer and Lucia often looked at her with guilt. Guilt when a ¡°friend¡± turned out to be a greedy gold-digger. Guilt when she stared at the city below her castle window and they thought she didn¡¯t notice them standing behind her. Guilt when she came back scarred. She hated guilt. And it hated her. She was a princess, since when did the title and bloodline require guilt? She had money, fame, and a certain degree of power. Why was it that people looked at her like a puppy with a broken paw? ¡°What¡ª¡± The word slipped out before she had time to think, echoing her disgust. Brash and piercing, the single word cut through the eerily quiet woods and into Lnd. He flinched, his guilt quickly changing to confusion. ¡°I just mean, like, I¡¯m sorry I failed to gain a teleportation contract.¡± After sessfully making a deal with the Lord of Pathways, Lnd had tried several more times with several different Lords to make a long-distance teleportation contract. None had seeded at all, and in one particr case, crashed and burned. The Lord of Ley Lines and the Lord of Curses were apparently not friends. Still, Lnd had more Lords to petition. The Lord of the Void was his next big attempt. ¡°No,¡± Sybil said through gritted teeth. She couldn¡¯t back out of the conversation at this point, not withouting across as spiteful. ¡°I meant, well, I don¡¯t understand why you are apologizing.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s my fault we are even in this mess, as much as I¡¯d like to not admit it.¡± Lnd had put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. He stared at the dirt like a man standing before the executioner. ¡°Two months,¡± he whispered. ¡°Two months is plenty,¡± Sybil said. ¡°I trust you to figure out how to get back home in that time.¡± ¡°Its already been a week,¡± Lnd then said. ¡°A week and my best guess on how to do that is to walk into a storm?¡± ¡°Where is thising from, Lnd? You are usually much more level headed than, well, this.¡± She gestured at him. ¡°I-I¡¯m just worried.¡± ¡°Well don¡¯t be! I have absolute faith in you.¡± He didn¡¯tugh, per say, but did grunt with a smile on his lips. But as the seconds ticked by, it was clear to Sybil that his smile was somber and tired. ¡°Hey,¡± Sybil said, leaning hard to the right, bumping her shoulder into his. ¡°I trust you. Just like Glenny and Jude would if they were here.¡± She then leaned back, staring up at the sky. It was starless, no doubt another Archon Experiment. ¡°Glenny would say something a bit profound to cheer you up. Something like,¡± she put on an imitation voice, ¡°¡®we have been friends since I could remember. Have you ever not pulled through when we needed it most?¡¯¡± Lnd looked at her. She continued talking, ¡°Jude¡­ well, he¡¯d say something loud, like threatening to punch you if you didn¡¯t stop sulking. And if that didn¡¯t work, he¡¯d y you a tune on his harmonica.¡± Lnd snorted, a real smile crossing his lips this time. ¡°I hate that thing.¡± They fell silent at that, their shoulders touching just enough to remind each other that they were in this mess together. And that warmed them both far more than any running could. Chapter 163: Rain Chapter 163: Rain In the few minutes Lnd had with Sybil before Isobel returned, his mind wandered. He hadn¡¯t meant to talk about it, but his true feelings about the direness of their situation had flowed. Thebination of being dead tired after sprinting through the woods mixed with the stress of the two month limit crashing down had left him far more open than usual. Luckily, Isobel was scouting and missed his worry. And doubly lucky, Sybil was understanding and kind. It was sitting next to Sybil, both tired as could be, that Lnd truly looked back on his life so far as an adventurer. Whether it was his growth in strength or his interactions with the powerful, something had changed deep within. It was the small things, like how he felt when he and the others fought against the Sightless King or how he mentally prepared for the threat of poachers. It was his confidence, he knew. Looking back on those battles, he questioned how he was ever so confident. Sure, he was confident in his abilities now, thest week of constant battles proved as much. But how had he ever been so confident to make decisions? Jude and Glenny looked to him for a path forward, they looked to him for ideas and a way out of whatever over-the-top situation they found themselves in. And he had provided them¡­ with the grace of a spoiled child. There were a few close calls but all in all, Lnd¡¯s choices had worked. Now, however, he wasn¡¯t so sure. Even after Sybil¡¯s deration of trust. He was going through the motions, following the Lord of Pathway¡¯s blessing into an Archon-created storm. How was going into a storm supposed to get Sybil home before the two month deadline? The question rose from deep within his gut over thest week, bubbling especially in the moments before he fell asleep. A dark notion, however, kept him awake. It made him sick, the idea that the pathway wasn¡¯t pointing him to the storm as a means of getting Sybil home, but rather a way for him to get home. He saw two possibilities. First, the storm was a means of teleportation. Second, well¡­ it was a means to an end. It nagged at him, that the storm wasn¡¯t an ancient runic teleporter in disguise or something, but a training ground for someone on the verge of insanity. A training ground for him when Sybil changed. A ce where he could fight to his heart¡¯s content, a ce where his anger and guilt could be shed until he became the very beasts that fought in the dark clouds. Two months until Sybil changed, well, seven weeks at this point, and the pathway still pointed him toward the storm. And yet, he followed, bringing the group closer every day and trusting that the magic would never lead them astray. Well, trusting that he himself would never lead them astray. The pathway was only as good as the shepherd looking to the future, and it was that that scared Lnd. Could the path he wished to walk, the path of getting Sybil home, have changed over thest week? He¡¯d had these thoughts more than oncetely. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to guide, he wasn¡¯t strong enough to lead. That Sybil was doomed and self-preservation was the only option¡ª No, no, no. Lnd took a deep breath. Sybil was right. His worries were unfounded and he couldn¡¯t break down now. Imposter syndrome, he recognized with enough introspection to quell the waves battling in his stomach. Sybil trusted him, and sitting beside her was warm enough to melt the frost inhibiting optimistic thoughts. Sybil will be fine, she won¡¯t change or die or whatever, and we¡¯ll all make it back home before something bad happens, Lnd chanted in his mind, over and over again. Isobel chose that moment to return. Shended before the others, having leaped across the jagged rocks with the curtness of a knuckle brawler. An expression of annoyance marked her face, but not at Lnd or Sybil. No, in fact, she hardly looked at the two kids, knowing she¡¯d be unable to contain a smugment about how they were sitting. Instead, she focused on the roadblock ahead. ¡°An Archon is sitting ahead.¡± Lnd scrambled to his feet, mainly because of Isobel¡¯s sudden appearance and not so much the threat of another Archon. Still, that didn¡¯t stop him from standing on his toes trying to grow enough to see over the jagged rocks. ¡°Where?¡± he asked. Isobel gestured at the rocks. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen glimpses of it. It keeps hiding in the cracks.¡± ¡°Hiding?¡± Sybil asked, standing. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough prey hide to know when something is actively trying to escape.¡± A shiver went down Lnd¡¯s spine. ¡°That¡¯s good, right? If it¡¯s trying to hide from you, then we can walk by¡ª¡± ¡°I never said it was hiding from me,¡± Isobel quickly interrupted, gauging their reaction. They looked at her with nk expressions. ¡°Oh. Another Archon maybe?¡± Sybil asked. Isobel hid her defeat. Truthfully she didn¡¯t know what the Archon was doing, but stating that it was hiding reinforced the point she was trying to make; that what came next on their journey was more perilous than the rtive safety of the woods. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she finally said. ¡°But we can¡¯t rule out other humans.¡± ¡°Did you see any signs of others?¡± Lnd asked. Isobel nodded slowly. ¡°Old boot tracks, yes.¡± ¡°What does that mean for us?¡± ¡°We could walk around the rocks, but that takes us far away from the storm.¡± Lnd sighed and followed her line of sight. There was a way around, but it headed back into the ocean. They¡¯d have to swim to progress. In the other direction was a mound. From where he stood, Lnd couldn¡¯t tell what the mound was, but when he looked at it, he heard a slight buzzing. A nest? A hive? He wasn¡¯t sure, but the ocean route seemed far better if they chose to go around the rocks. ¡°So do we go around?¡± ¡°Up to you, kid.¡± And there it was. Another ¡°trust in Lnd¡± moment. Isobel and Sybil both looked at him, he was, after all, the one with the pathway blessing. His eyes found Sybil¡¯s. They were calm, warm, even stoic. They spoke to him, past the exhaustion and ignoring the situation, whispering trust. In that moment they were back to being kids, back to being mischievous in the castle or ying in the fountain. Friends. Happiness. Love. ¡°We go over the rocks,¡± Lnd finally said. ¡°That¡¯s how the pathway showed.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Isobel said, striding forward. She didn¡¯t check to make sure the others followed, the crunch of the mulch enough to know. They moved in stubborn silence, never stopping once started. Once up the first jagged structure, the ground beneath shifted and changed with the gravel. One moment the surface was strong and stationary, the next it cascaded into andslide of stony teeth. So, the two kids followed closely behind the Huntress, making each of her steps their own. As they moved, the air filled with echoes of fallen pebbles. They couldn¡¯t see where the rocks were moving, but their weight was enough to upset the bnce somewhere. Whether it was on the rocks they stood or a dozen feet below, they didn¡¯t know. Only that thendscape sounded like a cavern on the verge of copse. Isobel moved with her eyes first, scanning the next step while also looking to the horizon. At some point the treacherous pathway led down, enclosing her sight line with only raised rock. She summarized it in terms of an ambush, one in the neck of a valley. Luckily for her, nothing chose to attack from the advantage. That wasn¡¯t to say monsters didn¡¯t attempt to kill and eat the group. Much on the contrary, in fact. Most were rock-monsters of some sort, prime targets for Lnd¡¯s training in Isobel¡¯s eyes. But she didn¡¯t let the boy fight. Not with her instincts telling her to get out of the rocks as quickly as possible. So, in the end, she killed the attacks with a flick of the wrist and a thrown projectile. It was four hours into the rocky wastnd when the structures began to change. While they weren¡¯t that deep into the thick of it, the jagged pirs transformed into sheer sharpened spikes. Evenly and deliberately ced, these spikes reminded Lnd of a certain sheep farm out in the mountains. They were postings, fences to keep the predators away or the prey in. He didn¡¯t let his thoughts be known, knowing that Isobel probably thought the same. It was then that Isobel stopped, her eyes sticking to a certain section of stone like a lowly adventurer reading a quest board. Lnd and Sybil caught up a momentter, finding a que of sorts. Chiseled in anguage unfamiliar to them all, the sign disyed three quick words. Gray-ck stone made the lettering hard to decipher, but a familiar crusty sttering was more than enough to get the message across. While they couldn¡¯t read it, they had alle to recognize the sight of dried blood. Before they could question it, however, the sky erupted and the ground exploded. Chapter 164: Parasite Chapter 164: Parasite Between a deafening boom and the almighty crash of splintering stone, the trio had little time to prepare for the attack. Or, what they thought was an attack. Isobel appeared behind Sybil with the speed of a darting snake despite the shockwave sting her legs. She covered the young princess, shielding her from a wave of rocky shrapnel and a wall of dust. The area went cloudy, a muted groan sounding from two sources. The first was Lnd, who, left to his own devices, failed to protect himself in time. He was spackled with holes, each bloody and stuffed with dirt and grime. He fell to his knees, the shockwave all but zapping his energy. Soon blood trickled in from his forehead, turning his vision red. Shaky hands went to his face, his fingers automatically prying at a rock lodged between his skin and skull. He let out a small cry, the rock plopping to the ground. That was when he noticed the second person groaning. A few steps away, in the location of the explosion, was a man. Overly tall and muscr, the man groaned like an old man standing after a poor night¡¯s sleep. First to his knees, then to his feet, the man stood, his battle armor dented inward and partially destroyed. Completely soaked with rain water and breathing like a ran horse, the man¡¯s eyes found his chest. He cursed, sticking his hand under his chest piece before abruptly punching out, un-denting the piece of armor. The man then craned his neck, his back popping like twigs being snapped. Finally, with a sigh, the man crouched, and jumped. Lnd and the others watched the man go, some sort of magic taking effect, propelling the man up. They stood in silence, their heads craned up for as long as it took the man to disappear back into the clouds. There was no doubt in any of their minds, the man was fighting whatever beast controlled the storm. ¡°Lnd,¡± Isobel murmured, her eyes firmly locked overhead. ¡°Did you see¡ª¡± ¡°I saw,¡± he answered.Sybil, now unearthed from Isobel¡¯s shielding, asked, ¡°See what? The man that got swatted out of the sky? I think we all saw that.¡± Lnd shook his head, ¡°No¡­ Well, yes. But that wasn¡¯t the important part. The halo above his head was.¡± Perfectly circr and without a hint of leaching magical mist or fog, the halo had sat atop the man¡¯s head with grace. Elegant, regal, the man¡¯s icon for being a Harbinger was nothing less than radiant. ¡°I don¡¯t think he saw us,¡± Lnd said, healing magic coursing through his finger. Isobel didn¡¯t acknowledge the statement because she knew he saw them. How couldn¡¯t he? They were making plenty of noise for someone of that man¡¯s caliber to notice. No, the man didn¡¯t care about them, not when they were peons wading through the dirt. ¡°So¡­ we keep going?¡± Sybil asked. Lnd nodded, leading the way. Travel quickly devolved back into quiet boredom, the rest of the day as non-interesting as the day¡¯s start. They camped, ate some food Isobel had forced Lnd to stock in his inventory ring, and eventually slept. Morning exercise was cut short, Lnd doing only the bare necessity to pass the Lord of Endurance¡¯s contract. And just like that, they were back to walking. Again, all monsters were in quickly by Isobel, her reasoning now even more apparent. They were walking toward other humans, which realistically was more dangerous than walking into a monster¡¯s nest. At least, if you went by her experiences. As they moved, the group caught glimpses of the ¡°hiding¡± Archon. While the one they met a few days prior was an ethereal veil from beyond the boundary of reality, the one moving along the rocks was different. It was more¡­ animal like? Or at least Lnd thought so. It scurried like a mouse, leaped like a tiger, scouted like a prairie dog. It had the eyes of an owl, the beak of a gar, the hands of a human. It was always one animal at a time, but morphed between forms so quickly that it took on the appearance of all. Which, while strange, hardly meant it was an Archon. By the fourth sighting, Lnd was going to question the Huntress over the fact, but then it changed into a simr veil as the first and phased through a cluster of rock. The route through the rocks forced the group to eventually walk past where the Archon entered the stone. It was in an alcove, hidden behind shadow, moss, and bone. A skeleton blocked their path, one with shredded clothing and enough broken ribs to spell a certain doom. At the sight, Lnd mumbled a few words about the dead¡¯s soul being in a better ce and the group quickly moved on after deciding not to loot the clothing. They didn¡¯t need a partially torn shirt nor a weathered belt. So when the skeleton¡¯s head creaked to the side after they turned their backs, none of them noticed. At least until Isobel nced back, finding the bones gone. She did not share this with the others. Another two days passed like this, the group sleeping and eating as infrequently as they could. Whatever was putting the Huntress on edge slowly affected the others, making them move as quickly as safety permitted. It was on the third day that the group experienced the storm¡¯s rain. It fell in sheets, a rhythmic pattern in waves moving up and down the affected area. Unnaturally, the storm ended and started in an unmoving spot, a barrier into a watery hellscape. Lnd stood close enough that his shoes were wet, but hesitated to fully broach the divide. A thought urred to him, that he should look for a soul to use to summon Lodestar. Maybe, maybe, the pathway had changed and they didn¡¯t need to enter the storm after all¡­ He knew he was just stalling. Everything, literally everything, had pointed him toward the storm. So, he took a step¡­ and the world didn¡¯t explode ¨C the sky didn¡¯t part and a lightning bolt didn¡¯t strike him down. No, he just became wet. Very wet. A sigh escaped him as Isobel and Sybil entered as well, their clothing bing instantly waterlogged. The Huntress groaned, pulling at her shirt and adjusting her pants. ¡°I hate the rain,¡± she muttered. For some reason, those words made Lndugh. Tension and stress melted away like dirt in a stream. His knees wobbled but he didn¡¯t fall, not with the realization of how pitiful he looked. He caught a glimpse of Sybil out of the corner of his eye and rightly stopped cackling like a maniac. Clearing his throat, he whispered, ¡°I expected something to happen.¡± Sybil nodded along. ¡°As did I.¡± Isobel sneered at them. ¡°It¡¯s just a storm¡ª¡± She spun, twisting through the rain like a horizontal water wheel while drawing her bow. She held off on firing, remembering what happenedst time. There, standing just outside the rain, was the Archon, still inhabiting the skeletal body. It trembled in frozen terror, watching the trio with enough interest to stave off centuries of boredom. Slowly it reached out, its boney fingers crossing into the storm. It didn¡¯t get wet, not when it could control the space it upied. As the seconds stretched, so did the Archon¡¯s husk. It transformed from skeletal to a veil to countless animals and monsters. It augmented itself, eventually stepping forward to the group. Isobel stood before it, weapon still primed. ¡°What do you want?¡± she spat. The being did not respond, but it did look at her. For breath its face changed into that of a young girl¡¯s. A child¡¯s, one that looked keenly simr to the Huntress but without the weathering of age and the faded scars of battles fought long ago. The Archon, its face that of Isobel¡¯s child, mouthed a few words. Lnd and Sybil couldn¡¯t see around Isobel, they didn¡¯t see what the being said. But Isobel did, and it was enough to ck her hands and drop her head. At least for a moment. Once her mind caught up to her, Isobel drew back on her bow with the unlimited force of her rank and renown. She loosed, the arrow ripping through the rain toward the Archon. Yet, the projectile never came into contact with the target. In fact, both the arrow and the Archon simply disappeared. A haunted second passed before Isobel fell to her knees, her parasitic bow dropped and tumbled before her. Then she let out a cry. A wail to the heavens with enough pent-up emotion to turn the sky clear. Tears fell from eyes, mixing with the rain, soaking into her drenched clothes. She cursed, screaming that she was going to kill the Archon if it ever appeared before her¡­ but as she yelled, and yelled, her volume slowly teetered off into nothingness. Her screams turned silent, her tears went cold. She clutched at her chest, a glow pouring from her Legacy tattoo and the parasitic weaponying before her. ¡°Not now!¡± she bellowed, but the weapon didn¡¯t care. It was its own entity. A magical item created for the sole purpose of pairing together with a powerful being. An item with a mind of its own. An item that consumed its partner if it was deemed stronger. The bow glowed with the same light as her tattoo, both resonating with the other until they swallowed Isobel. Standing behind her, Sybil and Lnd looked at one another before Lnd hastily jumped forward. In his inexperience, he had yet to fully understand what parasitic items required of their hosts. Glenny had told him about his own experience with his cloak in the monotone frozen world, so when a cocoon of light formed around Isobel, Lnd thought she was under attack. Which, in a way, was true. But a symbolic attack, not an enemy attack. Still, he tried to help Isobel, but his hands failed to pierce the cocoon. Before he could start using magic, a crack appeared. Then two, then three. Just as quickly as the cocoon formed, it molted, it shed away until the light dimmed like a decrepit husk. Isobel sat, still on her knees, but no longer with the sadness of a widowed, childless mother. No, she sat there perpetually snarling at the evolved parasitic item. No longer did it take the form of a bow, well, at least not any normal bow. It was short, only taking up a portion of her wrist but where the draw string was supposed to sit, an armored shell of chitin coiled around like a thick serpent. Hundreds of legs peeled off at specific intervals, each trailing down in size as they got closer to the end of the armor. It was a centipede, wrapped from her hand down her arm and around her waist. Where its head rested on her wrist, two mighty pincers chittered. Isobel flexed, and the weapon quickly formed a toxic spike between the pincers. She scoffed, flexing again and pulled back on the pincers, ultimately firing the spike like a crossbow bolt. ¡°Well, at least I get to keep my range,¡± she muttered to a stunned audience. ¡°Can¡¯t say I enjoy the whole¡­ bug aspect tho¡ª¡± She cut herself off when two pairs of wings unleashed from the chitin armor covering her back. She nced at them, already controlling their flutter masterfully. ¡°Well maybe it¡¯s not so bad after all.¡± Chapter 165: The Dead Chapter 165: The Dead With Isobel¡¯s newly evolved parasitic weapon, the group had less to worry about scouting-wise. Every now and then she¡¯d take to the skies, fluttering up high to get ay of thend. Or rather, ay of the rock valley. From her vantage, any monster along their path was obliterated without warning as a solidified spike of toxic¡­ stuff ripped a hole through their torsos. What the spike was made out of, Isobel didn¡¯t know. Only that it was akin to spider venom if it got in a living being¡¯s blood. Over all, she was happy with the change even if her rate of fire was significantly lower than the previous evolution. Increased stopping power, flight, and poison made up for that in her eyes. In the end, while traveling in the storm was safer due to theck of monster threats, the slick footing decreased the group¡¯s speed significantly. The Archon never appeared again as well, something Isobel was quite happy with. Lnd and Sybil had tried to ask her about the girl the Archon imitated on multiple asions, but the Huntress ignored them like a stoic statue. After a few attempts, they got the hint. Well, mostly. Lnd had a few ideas, none of which he thought he should share. If Isobel decided to tell him, then fine. Otherwise his ideas were his own. It was on the second day in the rain that the group came upon the first of many dead bodies. Human, armored, and spiked into the ground with enough force to make an isted crater, the body was nothing but a bloodied mess of metal, exposed bone, and viscera. Lnd said a few words about the body¡¯s soul, but kept it short. If the person was anything like the man who crashed beside them a few days earlier, then the body would be a Harbinger. Honestly he did not care what happened to a Harbinger¡¯s soul, he had long sincee to terms withpletely eradicating their existence after all. Soul Fire was a beast of its own, however. Still, a dull thought urred to him after reminding himself that Sybil was technically a Harbinger. Well, almost at least. He supposed he himself would be a better example that not all Harbingers were bloodthirsty fiends hell bent on the destruction or corruption of the innocent. So, looking at the dead body smeared into the rocks, Lnd wrestled with his emotions until he decided that he was being foolish. Until he saw otherwise, not all Harbingers were evil. And each dead body he came across deserved the same as any other. So, standing over the body, Lnd spoke. It was short, it was brash and apathetic. He did not know this person, evil or not, and all he could do for it was hope its soul was in a better ce. Which he did, he truly did. Sybil and Isobel, meanwhile, debated on taking the body¡¯s items. While the armor was crumbled like a broken roof, a few rings and even a bauble or two were fine enough. Sttered in blood and fleshy bits, sure, but otherwise unbroken. Lnd broke the argument by reaching down and dropping the items into his inventory ring. Sybil frowned at him. ¡°Sorry,¡± he told her, ¡°but if some adventurers randomly came across my dead body, I¡¯d hope they took my things and get some use out of them. Especially if it meant simply selling them to buy better gear. Gear saves lives.¡± Whether from the rain, poor lighting, or the fact that Sybil had been taught to hide her emotions, Lnd could not ce the look she gave him. It wasn¡¯t irritation or anger, but something more¡­ overt. He couldn¡¯t tell, but the Princess didn¡¯t linger on the subject for long, simply striding off toward the storm¡¯s eye. It was only a few hourster that they came across another body. This time the body was strung along a jagged rock like a gutted fish on a butcher¡¯s b. Suffice it to say, Lnd said some words from a distance while Isobel fluttered over to take any items of value. She returned holding a medallion, ¡°Recognize this?¡± she asked after swiping off the water. ¡°Maybe?¡± Lnd asked, tilting his head. It was faded, the metal poorly stamped with a few awkward circles inteced with one another. ¡°Is this¡­ is this the sigil of the Sightless King?¡± Isobel smirked. ¡°Worse. That¡¯s the sigil of the Sightless Cult.¡± He made a face at it, his thumb wiping the rain off again and again. ¡°We always knew the Sightless King¡¯s true followers were on another continent. I guess it¡¯s this one.¡± ¡°Indeed. Or they created a foothold on this continent and no one was able to force them away.¡± ¡°But that man who fell from the sky was a Harbinger. And unless the Sightless King somehow actually made it to Lord-hood, the Sightless Cult would only be just that. A cult, not Harbingers.¡± Sybil butted in, ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Lnd looked at her quite gravely. ¡°Glenny, Jude, and I¡ª¡± Isobel coughed. ¡°¡ª and Isobel ¨C fought off a cult invasion in the port city of Shoutwell. And well, it looks like we just found another member.¡± He gestured at the body hanging limp from the rocks. ¡°What does that mean for us?¡± Sybil asked, her hand finding her hip. Lnd and Isobel looked at one another. ¡°Not much?¡± he said, more as a question than not. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. At least for now, nothing changes. But now we know we do have human enemies lurking around.¡± Isobel looked to the sky. ¡°Or flying around.¡± The others looked up and the trio watched the shifting dark clouds roll over one another. Now that they were inside the storm, the shes of lightning they saw from a distance were quite different. Before they were quick bursts of light, each highlighting theyers of cloud and the asional silhouette of great battling beasts. Now, the lighting had shed its illusion, showing the reality of the situation. There was no lightning, at least not at the quick turn around they thought. asional strikes of actual lightning did crash above, but far and alone the light show was different colors of magic. Spells, each burning with the ferocity of a true battle. Of a true war. Worse than that, once they were in the storm, no silhouettes of monsters showed through the heavy rain. When they looked up, all they saw was the light of spells, not the target of said spells. And for some reason, that created an itch under Lnd¡¯s skin. Isobel¡¯s too, but she was perfectly fine with never scratching it. But being a mage had its own caveats, and Lnd hoped his pathway wasn¡¯t pointing toward soothing the itch. ncing at Sybil, he told himself again and again it wasn¡¯t. It took a while, but he actually believed himself. Slowly Lnd forced himself to peel his eyes away and look ahead. The eye of the storm, the location he needed to reach toplete his contract and the location he assumed his pathway was pointing. Steeling himself, he adjusted his coat and parted the rain from flooding his vision. Then he walked, the others closely following a momentter. For the next few hours, they came across bodies seemingly at timed intervals. Of course that wasn¡¯t actually true, but the pattern of walking, finding a body, walking, and finding another body was. Minutes blurred together in the storm, the eternal darkness the clouds brought mixing well with the never ending assault of falling water. By the sixth body, Lnd¡¯s inventory ring was full. He contemted removing some of hisrger items, like his nket and pillow, but ultimately couldn¡¯t. They were reminders, all things considered, of home. And well, another ring that was most likely going to be sold wasn¡¯t worth forgetting home. That didn¡¯t stop him from ditching all the odd things he¡¯d umted since buying the ring. For some reason, Lnd had an entire te of sucked-clean chicken wings in there. Why? He vaguely remembered being hungry e night and not wanting to deal with ants in the morning. So of course mming the te into a pocket dimension was the obvious choice tobat hisziness. They traveled until they couldn¡¯t, eventually stopping when hunger became a problem. Lnd¡¯s supply of raw food was dwindling. He was d he had stocked up in anticipation of the necessity for road meals with Jude and Glenny. He did not want to separate from Isobel and having her hunt would be a prime reason to. So they sat around a green fire made by Isobel using alchemical means. Lnd mentally noted that he had to buy some of the fire starter she used. Fire in the rain was a godsend. The group didn¡¯t speak, instead they all just stared at the mes, alone with their individual thoughts. Sybil and Lnd were both stoic in their longing stare, having both already expressed their thoughts to one another. Isobel, on the other hand, crinkled her lips and scowled, her thoughts forcing her to shift with the unease of runic algebra. Sybil was the one to finally say something. ¡°Miss Isobel¡ª¡± ¡°What?¡± the Huntress snapped, her head jerking over before abruptly halting. She mulled for a long second, eyes going wide and allowing darkness to enter her thoughts. Isobel forced herself to calm, taking in what little remained of her past life. ¡°You know,¡± she began, the green fire illuminating only half her face, ¡°she hated that thing.¡± Sybil followed her eyes and frowned. ¡°What? This cloak?¡± Having been wearing the same ratty cloak since being pulled from the water upon the trio¡¯s abrupt arrival into the Valley, the Princess had hardly thought of it. It wasfortable, albeit a bit thin in ces as well as smelling like age. But it was Isobel¡¯s, not hers. ¡°I¡¯d hug her,¡± Isobel continued, ¡°and she¡¯din that it was too scratchy. She would push herself away, but I would just hold on tighter¡­¡± Sybil and Lnd shared a nce. ¡°Who are we talking about?¡± ¡°Abby.¡± It was said with open air, a haunted memory, a lost existence. It was just a name, but somehow the word itself extracted pain. How long had it been? How long had it been since she said her daughter¡¯s name? Her heart knew the answer. Too long. ¡°Abby,¡± Isobel repeated again. ¡°My daughter.¡± ¡°Was¡­ did that Archon wear her face?¡± Lnd asked, the rain all but consuming his question. Isobel still heard and through the haze of water stter she nodded. ¡°Bastard being. I¡¯ll kill it if it ever gives me the chance. Her face¡­ is hers¡­ not somewless being¡¯s.¡± ¡°Where is Abby?¡± Sybil asked, fearing she already knew the answer. ¡°Dead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want your pity. It was a long time ago and I¡¯ve moved on.¡± Lnd bit his tongue but he still grimaced. Isobel noticed, turning on him. ¡°What, boy? What are you making faces about!?¡± Long ago Lnd had learned the Huntress responded to questioning like a wolf to a b of meat. She would rip and tear and never let go¡­ but she would also respect the meat for refusing to be eaten, if it had the spine that was. So, he straightened his spine, looked her dead in the eyes, and said, ¡°Archon¡¯s are experimenters. They take things apart, change things, put them back together, and behold, they have a new creation. There are theories that Archons have to work to better things. Whoever or whatever created them made them to always better things¡ª¡± ¡°Get on with it,¡± Isobel sneered. Lnd closed his mouth, his lips turning into a fine line. He thought for a long second, eventually saying, ¡°I think the Archon felt you were not perfect, so it changed something in you to make you perfect. It showed you your daughter onest time so you can finally remember or finally forget. So you can move on, because I know you, I don¡¯t know you well, but I know you. And I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve moved on.¡± Isobel stared at him, heat swelling through her chest. She could rip him apart for mocking her. She could utterly destroy his body and scatter his bits to the wind. She would return to his parents and tell them how he died. She would look them in the eyes and¡­ and¡­ and¡­ The heat in her heart cooled likeva to a river. She could never kill a child then gloat about it to their mother. No matter how much it would serve the unruly brat right. She just couldn¡¯t do it, not with the hole in her heart. Not with the knowledge that she would be creating an evenrger hole in Lnd¡¯s mom¡¯s heart. So as steam rose through her throat, and bubbles welled along her eyes, Isobel stopped her initial reaction and actually thought. About Abby, about Lnd, about the Archon, about her life since¡­ since she forgot how to love. Maybe it was time to forget. Fully. To finally cut away thest strings of what kept her weak. No, that wasn¡¯t quite right. She had tried that. And failed. All those years she didn¡¯t think about her daughter. All those years she bundled herself in that ratty cloak despite not knowing why she kept it. Maybe it was time to find out. Maybe it was time to remember. Maybe it was time to heal. Isobel looked away and whispered, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± Chapter 166: Sky Dwarves Chapter 166: Sky Dwarves Two dayster the group made it to the eye. Amid the tumbling maelstrom of darkness overhead, forces shed against gargantuan creatures. Streaks, elemental in nature, rose without worry and fell without recourse. Each colorful and deadly, unparalleled but bountiful. A war, yes, but a war of unbridled reality warping hatred. Eternal hatred. Eternal chaos. An eternal storm. An unnatural storm. Dark clouds created trenches and holes, ces of refuge for those wishing to regain their breath or hide. What were they fighting? Lnd and the others didn¡¯t know, only that the shadows of their spells and attacks breathed the hints of magic far beyond them. That was when they came upon the storm¡¯s eye. The rains had stopped and a safe haven had begun. A long and grueling pathway led them there, one filled with torrential floods and more than a few arguments. But as the group stood there, all three of them staring at the heavens, past feelings fell away and the rain suddenly wasn¡¯t even a second hand thought. The eye of the storm didn¡¯t lead to blue skies or a patch of night sky. The circr cut out in the clouds rose like an invisible mushroom¡¯s stem holding up an umbre-like cap. It rose higher than the sky, warping reality into an upside-down mountain. But, where the base would be, a world opened, and the vast white Void sprawled. A beam of celestial lightning ripped through the center of the stem, rushing up into the void before ballooning out into the nothingness. A spell construct of some kind, one that tugged at the fabric of space with tentacles of white power. It held the Void open. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Lnd yelled over the howling winds. ¡°That has to be where the pathway was leading us!¡± Isobel red at the white sky. She swallowed deeply, but didn¡¯t say anything and instead dropped her shoulders and trudged forward toward the beam. Sybil likewise didn¡¯t say anything, but the ck in her jaw and the hesitance in her step was speech enough. Lnd held out his hand to her, she dly took it and they walked on together. The rocky wastnd had devolved, returning the naturalness of the Valley. From jagged rocks to hilly pathways, the flooded ground mimicked a marsh but the sheer winds mimicked an ocean gale. Mud stuck to each of their boots, weighing them down to a near crawl. But they moved, and with entertainment above to keep their interest. Over thest two days, the group had encountered more and more dead bodies on the journey toward the center. Most were unrecognizable piles of gore, but the few whose armor were intact exined quite a lot. There were three factions. The Sightless King and his brood, a warrior-priest enve of some sort, then a group who all wore different identifying clothing but the same teal ring. The Harbinger that crashnded beside the group the first day they made it to the rains belonged to the priest group. The issue was, Lnd and Isobel had no idea who the priests and the teal rings were. Legacy tattoos did not fade when Legacies died unless the presiding Lord renounced their follower¡¯s im. Witches were the prime example of this, but certain factions or groups sometimes lost their tattoos as well. In this case, each priest body the group came upon did not have tattoos. The Sightless Cult and the teal rings did, their bodies housing the marks of different Lords. Lnd recognized the Lord of Magic¡¯s tattoo easily enough while Isobel identified a Lord of Poison, Lord of Feathers, and a few others. By the time the group stepped over a hill and the beam puncturing through the storm¡¯s eye came into focus, they stopped checking bodies. There were too many at this point, the mud consuming them like flies to glue. It was at that moment Lnd felt something change in his grimoire. Cursed contract of the Lord of Erupting Skies: Use: Gain ess to the spell Erupting Steps. Only usable once per hour. Erupting Steps : Your steps burst with erupting might, propelling you with the speed of the mightiest storm. Return: Completed. The contract with the Lord of Erupting Skies hadpleted, he had found the source of what created the eternal storm. ¡°Isobel!¡± he shouted, tome in hand. ¡°Contractplete!¡± She looked at him strangely, slow realization oveing her. She turned, frowning at the beam. ¡°What does that¡ª¡± Her words were cut off by a tide of sapphire. The dark clouds were sundered, vanishing under the guise of a blue so bright the edges of Lnd¡¯s vision went white despite his eyes being closed. Before the sh subsided, the ground began to cry. Shaking with enough force to uproot trees, a p of thunder made all stand still. A ringing in his ears, Lnd could only gasp for breath. He felt dull, dumb even, like he had forgotten how to breathe, how to think. All he knew and understood was lightning so blue it could rival the most beautiful seas and a sound so loud he wished his head would explode. A shadow blocked some of the blue and white, and Lnd vaguely recognized someone was touching him. A hand, he knew, but he was too focused on the chilling silence it brought. He fell to his knees, or maybe he was already on his knees, regardless, he sat in the mud, his head spinning. ¡°Sorryd, I was a half-second toote,¡± the person said, their words eclipsing the blinding silence like a hymn after a prayer. Lnd opened his eyes, finding someone he did not recognize. He was short, muscr, dense. His arms were thick with hair and bulk, armor-less yet Lnd was sure his skin was tougher than any armor he had ever worn. Head shined with wax to the point his darkened skin could be mistaken for obsidian, yet a bushy beard grew tangled and unkept. The man spoke with an ent unknown to Lnd, but a great big grin told him the man was far from an enemy. Oddly enough, he found that the man¡¯s tooth ring more reassuring than the smile. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but Lnd just knew that anyone with a golden ring looped through a tooth was an alright guy¡­ Or maybe he thought that because his mind was still reeling. Lnd traced the man¡¯s arm that was sped upon his shoulder. A tattoo depicting a lightning storm crested the back of his hand, all ck ink, but moving with subtle grace. The Champion of Erupting Skies. A wheeze caught Lnd¡¯s attention. He quickly turned, all semnce of mental fatigue washing away. Sybil, also on her knees, sputtered and coughed, a woman in simr size and build as the man touching Lnd tending to her wounds. Isobel likewise had a neer watching over her, but the Huntress had already removed the man¡¯s attempts of help. Instead she red at the sky. Lnd followed her eyes, finding the eternal stormpletely gone. Now, the sky was a naked hole into the Void, one with a war still thriving around it. Without the clouds, everything was out in the open, however. Wicked monsters fought people who also fought other people. Some held red magic constructs, others threw spells of golden inheritance, all the while the monsters did their thing. ¡°Lad, I hear you¡¯ve got yourself a teleportation problem,¡± the Champion boomed. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve had that problem before, but to each their own.¡± Lnd flinched, the sudden draw back to reality crushing his hesitance. ¡°Can you help?¡± ¡°Nay. Got me some baddies to kill,¡± he pointed up toward the sky. ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Sky Dwarves¡¯ worst nightmare, people who can fly!¡± The other two neers groaned. The one helping Sybil got her to her feet while the one with Isobel had smartly stepped back. It was then Lnd actually connected the dots about who these people were. Sky Dwarves, the Champion had said as much, but now he actually saw that. Short, stout, hairy, and bearded. The only thing they were missing was¡ª The Champion¡¯s skin began to glow blue, tattoos radiating along his skin in runic patterns. Never mind, they¡¯ve got the tattoos as well, Lnd thought. The woman dwarf stepped beside Lnd. ¡°Up there is the Graverend Army, the Valley¡¯sprotectors, or jailers if you would prefer. Then you¡¯ve got the Sightless Cult. Andstly, the Clergy of Golden Lambs, an offshoot of the main church of the Vile Lord, Aurelian Giant.¡± Lnd frowned, not recognizing the Vile Lord. ¡°And the monsters?¡± he asked. ¡°Ah, those be a few of the Graverenders, mostly. Legacy of the Shapeshifter is amon Legacy on this continent.¡± Isobel spoke before Lnd could. ¡°What do they want?¡± It was the Champion who answered. ¡°That,¡± he said, pointing toward the beam of energy cutting through the sky and opening the Void. ¡°And what is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great big spell that is ripping up the sky, are you daft girl?¡± Isobel blinked a few times, anger never touching her mind as disbelief took front and center. She was losing her touch, no one spoke to her like that before Lnd and the other kids came into the picture. But¡­ then again, she didn¡¯t care that much to start an argument, so she simply hmphed loudly. Lnd sighed. ¡°What¡¯s making the spell? I can¡¯t imagine a single person doing that.¡± ¡°Aye, you¡¯d be right,¡± the Champion said. ¡°That there be an Archon in the middle of transporting itself back ¡®home.¡¯¡± He made sure to gesture with his hands around the word ¡°home.¡± ¡°And where exactly is this ¡®home?¡¯¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know, nor do I care!¡± The female dwarf shook her head slowly. ¡°No one knows. Every Archon that has attempted to leave has been killed or fought off by the Graverenders.¡± ¡°This happens often?¡± ¡°No, but enough that a few groups have moved to im the spell for their own.¡± She gestured to the sky. ¡°You seem to know a lot about this situation,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Why did your Lord ask me to investigate, in that case? Why were we sent into the danger?¡± ¡°Lad, you¡¯ve got a teleporting problem, remember,¡± the Champion said. ¡°Up there is your ticket home.¡± Everyone followed his eyes up into the sky into the hole in reality. Chapter 167: Beam Chapter 167: Beam A winged beast as long as a caravan swiveled through the sky, erecting a wall of teal magic like a masonying a foundation. The teal exploded upward, slicing through the open air and colliding with a golden Harbinger priest. Blood sprayed but a holy song rebuffed the man, washing him in golden light until his wounds stitched themselves over. In response, six other golden Harbingers did something. That something sprouted from their backs like wings, ushering in a magic capable of heinous penance. The magicbined, sticking out in the form of a mangled giant¡¯s fist. The punch mmed into the beast, knocking it away like a swatted fly. Two cultists wearing white robes and radiating crimson power revealed themselves, dipping out of invisibility with daggers drawn. The first stabbed into their target, a priest, killing him instantly and sending his body sailing down to the hard ground. The second¡¯s dagger grew in size and scope, sheering into the other five priests. Of the five, three fell to the ground dead, the others basking in golden light and shing against the new attackers. Meanwhile, the beast had recovered, joining the fray across the way anding to the protection of a grouping of defenders fighting both priests and cultists. All across the sky, battles zed and people died. Some noticed the suddenck of clouds and rain, but as each person wasmitted to deathlybat, none could risk the minutes it would take to figure out why. Except, that was not true for one being. Far away from the battle, sitting just beside the beam of white energy cutting into the sky and revealing the Void, it studied. Not human, not dwarf, not monster, the being scanned the sky for the clouds it created, the clouds it used to hide its experiment. As the minutes ticked by, the being realized who removed its clouds didn¡¯t matter, and recreating them did. The sky began to cry, permeating the liquid stuck in the air. The trick was something it had learned long ago, something it had experimented with its first few years in this world. So, covering the sky, and more importantly the Void, with clouds came with a simple wave of the ¡°hand.¡± The being didn¡¯t actually have hands, but the gesture hung in its mind. It had learned so much from the humans, but it was time to leave. To return to its masters, to go home.How many attempts had it been? Six. Yes, that sounded right. Six. And this attempt was by far the worst. The gaping wound across its nk proved as much. Who would have thought something could actually damage it in this body, certainly not itself. But then again, human magic always surprised it. The clouds finished appearing, blotting out the sky, the Void, and all of the lines of sight. Since there was not enough water in the air, there was no rain. But the Archon already sought to rectify that by rerouting the current of water treading through the soil by the force of gravity. It was a simple shift, along with the natural evaporation, and soon the protective rains would appear. The Archon looked at its ultimate creation, its ultimate hope of getting home. The white beam of power was an unfortunate side effect, one that acted as a beacon to the warriors above, but the true device was as small as a stone. It rested beside the Archon, mana and energy spilling from it as it ¡°warmed up.¡± Soon, likely in another two days, the device will be fully powered and the Archon could escape this world for its own. Yet, from the distance that made the Archon look like a speck on the horizon, a young human looked on. Sybil didn¡¯t know why she was looking at it, nor did she truly understand what she was looking at. To her, all she saw was the base of the white beam of light splitting the sky. She couldn¡¯t see the small stone that created the energy, nor the being that sat wounded beside it. But she felt it. She felt such unequivocal sadness, a sadness all too familiar to her. Like a bird stuck in a cage, still singing its song to all those who would listen, she felt it. Like a princess locked in her room at the top of her castle, watching the city below thrive. Like a weak, powerless girl longing to be something more. Sybil felt something from the base of the light beam. And while she didn¡¯t know what it was, she understood she had to speak to it. To help it. To help herself. Around her, the powerful Sky Dwarves discussed with Isobel and Lnd, their conversation more of the same. Battle ns, pleas for help, polite declining, simple question, extended answer, and repeat. Sybil had stopped listening once the Erupting Skies Champion exined that the Void was their ticket home. Something didn¡¯t feel right about that statement to her, and well, the Boneforged Monarch agreed. She didn¡¯t know how, or why, but the moment the Champion spoke of taking the Archon¡¯s spell for herself, a stark denial found her mind. Her thoughts had her looking off to the side instead of up at the overhead war; instead of adding her thoughts to the conversation with the dwarves. So when the dwarves, Lnd, and Isobel went silent and turned to her, she didn¡¯t notice until Lnd grabbed her arm and spun her. ¡°Sybil!¡± he screeched, his eyes wide like a monster had just appeared from the darkness. ¡°What!?¡± she yelped. ¡°You¡¯re glowing!¡± What? Sybil looked at herself, her arms and chest mainly. Through Isobel¡¯s ratty cloak, gray muted light poured through the shoddy patches and stretched stitches. Light poured from her hands, mixing with the rainwater that still clung to her skin, thus defusing the coloration like fire through a gemstone. She twitched, and the glow went away. How much time had she lost? Lnd said his Lord said not to glow! How could she have been so stupid!? Was she already changing? Was her mind slipping into that of the Boneforged Monarch¡¯s? Sybil stilled herself, the threat of glowing again because of these thoughts was ever present. Lnd and Isobel stared wide eyed at her, both of them calcting in different ways. Lnd focused on the math, dividing the days and hours and attempting to reach some sort of conclusion. Isobel, on the other hand, took a more practical approach, searching Sybil¡¯s eyes for hints of foreign changes. Suffice it to say, they were both inconclusive. Meanwhile, the Sky Dwarves looked at her like a two headed beaten kitten. There was some sort of recognition in their expressions, like a guard on duty having overhead a partial private message directed to their captain. Context was missing, but the fact remained that something was wrong. ¡°Lass¡­¡± the Champion spoke, his voice carrying over the now resumed winds despite only being a whisper. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± From being directly spoken to by a Champion to the tempest happening above her and in her mind, Sybil wasn¡¯t expecting the question. So she fumbled her words, eventually shaking her head. ¡°No pain¡­ only¡­ rapport?¡± She said it as a question but Sybil knew the word was true. Glowing, from the first time months ago to today, felt firm. Felt whole. Not every time had been peaceful, in fact many weren¡¯t, but she felt more like herself in those few fleeting moments than thest ten years of her life. The glowing was her, deep down, it was truth, faith, even hope. And that was okay, right? The glow wasn¡¯t anything evil, despite limiting her time before the Boneforged Monarch changed her. The glow was her, and her alone. Lnd watched the swamp of emotions cross Sybil¡¯s face. He gnawed on his lip, his calctions sputtering to a stop. They didn¡¯t matter, none of this mattered. The ticket home was right there, so unless Sybil was changing in the next few minutes, they had a chance, glowing or not. He pivoted, turning on the Erupting Skies Champion. ¡°What do we need to do?¡± The dwarf shrugged, a simr gesture passing through each of his two friends. ¡°Can¡¯t tell you, we don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Your Lord didn¡¯t give you a hint?¡± ¡°No. Only to tell you that it was ¡®the ticket home.¡¯ Everything else is on you.¡± As Lnd mulled over the statement, Isobel stepped in. ¡°Why are you still here then?¡± Her tone, while harsh, wasn¡¯t usatory. To her, when a job wasplete it was time to leave. But obviously the dwarves still had things to do. The Champion pointed to the sky. ¡°We¡¯re to step in up there. Those priests are an evil bunch. And the cultists aren¡¯t much better for that matter.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re leaving us?¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°Aye,d.¡± ¡°Can you at least help us get down there?¡± He pointed to the great beam rocketing white magic into the clouds. A smirk befell the man¡¯s face. ¡°Ayed, I think we can swing that.¡± The Champion turned, his tattoos sparking to life with the roar of ripping wind. Within heartbeats a gale pushed through the slick rocks, casting away all beaded droplets of water before stringing them along like a horizontal waterfall. The water and wind rushed toward the white beam, growing in power until a weightlessness overtook the group. One by one the Sky Dwarves did a little jump, allowing the wind to catch them. They shot off like blown leaves, leaving the others to do the same. ¡°Are we ready?¡± the Champion asked, his voice carrying despite the roaring wind. And just liked that, Sybil jumped, the wind gripping her with a million invisible cushioned hands, despite her iling. Isobel followed suit right after, both gliding down through the rocky path yet never touching the stones themselves. The Champion gave Lnd a friendly smile before jumping himself. Lnd did the same. Chapter 168: From the Past Chapter 168: From the Past Lndnded beside Isobel with a dull thud. It wasn¡¯t graceful by any means, but after all of his practice with Erupting Steps, he didn¡¯t crash to his knees like Sybil. The two non-Champion Sky Dwarves had anticipated this, however, and helped her to her feet within moments. The Champion strolled through the air like walking on concrete, appearing beside Lnd with a mighty open-handed p to his back. ¡°Ayeddies, this is as far as we go. Stay safe now.¡± Lurching with the p, Lnd rolled with the momentum, pivoting to look the man in the eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t say we wouldn¡¯t appreciate your help, but we understand. Thank you.¡± The Champion gave him a great toothy smile and nodded before doing the same for the others. Then he turned away, and his blue tattoos red. Within moments a gale like before kicked up, lifting him and the other dwarves into the air. As they made for the battle in the clouds, each removed various magical weapons or spells. Then, like a bird flying into a tree line, they disappeared, swallowed by the clouds. Lnd, Sybil, and Isobel watched the sky for a moment, blue shes of lightning quickly appearing in the general locations the dwarves werest seen. Lnd took a deep breath. ¡°Alright. Now it¡¯s our turn.¡± With the promation, everyone turned toward the white beam splitting the sky. They were far closer than before, only a few hundred strides away, but well behind enough rock coverage to properly hide if needed. ¡°It¡¯s hard to breathe.¡± It was Sybil who had said it, but the other two had been thinking it as well. It was hard to breathe, but not because they were tired. A thickness bounded through the air, like humidity if humidity was ethereal. The effect was something each of them had felt before, yet for wildly different reasons. For Lnd, the humidity reminded him of Soul Fire. Magic, so powerful and deep that it pushed at the foundation of reality like a me licking unburnt kindling. Yet while Soul Fire was the culmination of destruction and focused cmity, the air surrounding the white beam was scared, fearful even. Isobel knew quite a bit about people being scared. With her own powerful tools, she had extracted this same feeling from many of those she hunted. One situation came quickly to mind by way of a former investigation. She had hunted a murderous mind-mage, someone who instilled terror through use of mind-altering magic. Unluckily for this mage, Isobel was hardly his normal target. This mage preyed on the weak and frail so when an Inquisitor appeared before him, he finally felt the same fear he had instilled in his victims. The air around the white beam was much the same as the mind-mage¡¯s magic in hisst few moments. Afraid and twitchy. Sybil, however, felt the air as something more human. Fear, yes, but the air reminded her of the grand medicine hall within her kingdom. She was visiting her brother once after he returned to the city wounded from an assassination attempt. And while he lived and made a full recovery, Sybilter refused to visit anyone who was ced in the hall¡¯s care. The pain in the air was just too real, too much like her own. Seeing people wounded, missing body parts, loved ones crying over the dead, even the haunt in the faces of the work staff. She had imagined herself in all of their ces, especially the ones that dealt with kids. It was theirck of understanding that really got her. So small, yet in so much pain without even knowing what ¡°pain¡± was. ¡°It¡¯s a kid,¡± Sybil whispered, feeling, two hundred strides away, the same heartbreak as back in the medicine hall. ¡°What?¡± Isobel asked, taking a half step between the beam and the Princess. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure of it before, but now I am.¡± Sybil pointed next to the beam. ¡°An Archon, right there. It¡¯s hurt and afraid, but¡­ it doesn¡¯t know why? It¡¯s confused, like a kid that got separated from their mom.¡± Isobel and Lnd shared a nce. ¡°How do you know?¡± he asked. ¡°I-I just can. I¡­ I can understand what it is like, the feelings it leaks.¡± The Huntress did a half snorted half scoff, but then stopped herself from speaking. Instead she just hummed¡­ which slowly turned into a groan. Before Lnd could speak up, a crash silenced the group. A few steps away a bodynded from the sky. Crashing with enough force to crack stone, the person struggled, all of their bones like dust. The person, whose face was obscured in the darkness of a hood, wore robes and enough jewelry to open a market stall. Lines of crimson magic poured from their sleeve, forking into multiple different paths in tandem before pushing against the ground. The Sightless Cult member rose from the rocks, slumped over like an overweight stalk of corn. Lnd spared no time, magic coursing through him along with enough mana and lifeforce to cast the spell. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± he snarled as the cultist¡¯s head slowly creaked up toward them. As purple mes spiraled around the enemy, two dull red globes appeared through the shadow-like cowl. Eyes, each wider and deeper than any normal human¡¯s, stared at Lnd before slowly adjusting to Isobel. Recognition came a momentter, and the cultist quirked their head like a broken gear. Without bones, the cultist stumbled forward but slowly gained a foothold in a march. A blood red crown formed above its head just as words poured from the cultist¡¯s hidden mouth, words unpronounceable by humans. Growls and clicks, the person roared, their wordsing together into a mixture of hatred. The cultist passed the summoned soul of the Damned, ignoring the fact that their soul was being torn from their broken body. ¡°I reeeeemmmmmember you,¡± a guttural voice echoed. ¡°You destroyed my avvvvvvvvaaatar.¡± Green mist poured from the cultist like a sponge being squeezed. Its death was more than inevitable at this point, but that was beside the point. The cultist now had its sundered arms stretched wide, a crimson crescent glowing just below its crimson eyes. Then, like an omen in the wind, the cultist, or rather the Sightless King controlling the cultist, whispered, ¡°Forrrrrrrrget the Void. I demand bllllllllllood.¡± Lnd felt sure the Sightless King need not verbally speak hismands, but that hardly mattered. The air had changed, enough so that even Isobel took her eyes off the enemy to re at the sky. At some point she had summoned her parasitic centipede-weapon, two pairs of dragonfly wings fluttering along her spine in preparation. A scream came not from the Sightless King¡¯s cultist, no that broken being had already crumbled, their soul stolen, but from a particrly low cloud. A fan of red cut the cloud in half, revealing a meteor-like cultist hurdling down in crimson power. Waves of destruction spilt from their hands, feet, and mouth, each propelling them faster and fast¡ª Isobel fired, having lined up the shot perfectly. A green sickly spike burst in equally poisonous glee, easily piercing through the waves of red like a ship¡¯s figurehead. The cultist¡¯s descent was stopped, or rather, adjusted. Instead of hurdling down toward the group, their momentum had been rerouted into a dry fall. The cultistnded with a st just after another cultist let their presence be known. Isobel growled, firing away. As her parasitic weapon reloaded itself, she screamed at the others, ¡°Go! Figure out how we get out of here!¡± Lnd was a step ahead. He reached out to the soul of the Damned holding his newest fuel source. He epted the lost soul with a ¡°thank you,¡± mentally bidding the Damned a happy life in the next life. He didn¡¯t hold onto the lost soul for long, instead using its inherent power as a means of summoning. Lodestar appeared in his hand with the same flourish of dark violet and ck energy, sprouting to life in his hand with a muted pop. The scythe was cool in his hand, despite a zapping sensation along the tips of his fingers. The feeling was technically soul damage, but being Lodestar¡¯s owner had its perks. Still, Lnd couldn¡¯t help but think about when the parasitic weapon would try for his life. Just a few days ago he watched Isobel go through her own trial and just a few weeks before that he listened to Glenny speak of his own misadventure. Hopefully, hopefully,he would be home safe long before he had to deal with any of that. But that waster, Lnd had a princess to worry about. A gentle breeze edged him along in direct contrast to the unrelenting gale roaring around the wastnd. He recognized the breeze as his pathway, which always led him toward his goals. The breeze pushed him toward the white beam and the ¡°kid¡± Archon Sybil said was out there. Lnd took her hand and began to pull her along. Isobel followed closely behind, spikes of poison being fired as quickly as they formed in the centipede¡¯s mouth. The attacks were followed in kind, some of the cultists choosing to remain in the air and fire bursts of red. The rocky ground turned to smokey craters as they ran. Chapter 169: Veil Chapter 169: Veil He strained his neck and eyes to get a better view, the clouds proving to be more of a nuisance than the voices in his head. They told him which attacks to use, where to fire, and what power he should borrow from his true Lord, the Sightless King. He was technically blind, his eyes taken as initiation into his new family, but that didn¡¯t stop him from raining down crimson hellfire. The spell was called Primordial Burst and was not his favorite. But that was what his Lord told him to use, so he did. The attack ballooned from his open palm, searing the air it directly touched while evaporating all moisture. The spell was neither hot nor radiant, but the sheer amount of mana the burst took nipped at the fabric of reality. The effect was grave, but that hardly mattered to the Sightless King. His eyes had long burnt away, so use of such magic was far within his right as a Lord. The spell fully formed on the cultist¡¯s open palm. It pulsated with a dull red gleam, like a Primordial Slime, the very monster the spell was said to have originated from. The man lined up where the voices told him to and prepared himself. His arm would disintegrate, but that was all fine in his eyes. Then he would have to move away, for the world would disintegrate with it. Or at least part of it. The man breathed out, and the spell began to¡ª A sickly emerald spike split the difference between his eyes before dicing through his brain and out the back of his head. The voices went silent and he felt his Lord renounce His im. The mana fueling Primordial Burst faltered, the spell flickering away as gravity consumed the man¡¯s flight spell. As his body fell through the clouds, the little destructive magic that clung to his open palm began to destroy him. Nearly all of the man¡¯s upper torso was gone by the time the mana ran out. Then, after a handful of seconds, he sttered against the rocky wastnd below. Lnd flinched at the sudden bodynding beside him, but he set his shoulders and continued to sprint. Sybil, unfortunately, was a bit more reactive. She jolted at the thud, her knee catching against her other leg. She fell, the slick rock doing nothing to help.With all his strength, Lnd heaved her upright, their hands still sped. A few steps away, Isobel cursed, her momentum carrying her into the perfect position to fire. A bolt of poisonunched from her centipede-weapon, hitting its target with ease. She then turned, throwing up her hands and activating an enchanted item. Her wrist glowed brightly, a yellow ripple of magic pulsing forward just in time for the ground to explode. Crimson light dispelled all nearby shadows, casting the area with the mire of the Sightless King. Isobel¡¯s arms locked up, the explosion splitting around her enchanted shield. Pain flooded her hip and arm as her clothes ignited. Under any normal circumstances the Huntress would not have been harmed by such a weak spell. But she was hardly fighting for herself, right? Just a few paces away, Lnd and Sybil ran, their young forms nothingpared to the might of primal magic. Isobel had recognized it instantly, the magic quite well known in the sphere of Inquisitors. How many times had she hunted down and killed rogue primal mages? Too many. She¡¯d have to inform Lnd that the Sightless King¡¯s power was identifiably primal at high-rank. Not for himself, obviously, but for Glenny, the Chameleon. The boy should be fine for the time being. Isobel had been around Glenny¡¯s power quite a bit and never before had she noticed the primal elements hidden within those conjured swords he used. But that would surely change once he was past the hurdle of a rank three Legacy. But that was forter. Right now she had to deal with a horde of angry cultists while her wards ran toward an invisible, reality defining, Archon that was, supposedly, a child. Because, for some reason to Sybil and Lnd, rushing toward the unknown being was more of an eptable course of action than bunkering down and fighting off the cultists in the sky. But then again, she was following along with them, so the idea had some merit, after all. ¡°There! There¡¯s a protection spell!¡± Sybil screeched, wildly pointing ahead. Lnd changed course, heading straight over. No one could see where she pointed but that was beside the point. If they stopped, they would die. The Sightless King would make sure of that. So he ran, passing into the spell without a moment¡¯s hesitation. To Isobel, the pair suddenly disappeared. Lnd first, then Sybil as she was pulled through the barrier. She cursed quickly, firing off another bolt while quickly stepping to make up the distance. She too passed whatever barrier was set in the rocks, finding Lnd and Sybil on the other side unharmed. ¡°Wha¡ª¡° Lnd¡¯s words died in his throat, the sound just noting out. He shuddered for an answer, his grip on Sybil tightening. She squeezed back, but something told her it would be okay. She hoped that her emotions were conveyed, stepping forward past Lnd. Isobel frowned as an explosion of red smoke sundered the ground just outside the invisible barrier. Shrapnel and a particrly deadly shockwave failed to prate, however, which she was quite thankful for. She¡¯d need to recharge her shield enchantment sooner thanter. The sudden reprieve from the battle above changed when a cultist appeared on the ground. The woman wore white robes, her eyes glowing with a familiar crimson haze. She charged, Isobel holding her shot a bit longer than what was truly needed. It wasn¡¯t that Isobel needed extra time to aim, no, in fact, she could have put a hole in the cultist the moment sheid eyes on her. But Isobel needed some grasp over the situation, and learning exactly how much protection this invisible barrier gave was going to soothe her¡­ for now. The cultist¡¯s arm and red mace entered first, but the moment her forehead peaked through, Isobel fired her attack. The spike killed the woman instantly, trailing through her brain and out the other side. Momentum carried the body into the barrier more, depositing her like a farmer throwing a sack of hay. The bolt, however, continued onward until it hit the barrier¡¯s edge where it then shattered into green muck. Isobel grunted. No attacks in, none out. The exception was people and whatever weapons they carried. So, she took a deep breath. She could work with that. Attacks rained down from above, each peppering the invisible barrier. Frustration obviously grew, as the Sightless Cult began to increase the pace at which they threw spells. A few cultists braved the barrage, rushing through the smoke and fire with weapons drawn. They each died, one shot, one kill originating from the Huntress. It was then all attacks ceased and the cultists slowly made their way down, lining up around the barrier like soldiers setting a city siege. One of them, a man wearing white robes with gold and obsidian trim, yelled something, but the barrier cut all sound. In other words, whatever threats the man screamed, fell on deaf ears. Normally, Isobel would have taunted the man, but a situation was ying out just a few steps away that needed her attention more. Sybil was crouched beside a being, while Lnd hauntedly stood behind her, his arm squeezing her shoulder in worry. ¡°We mean you no harm. My name is Sybil, can you understand me?¡± She spoke softly, her voice just above a whisper yet strong and unflinching. Isobel would have congratted the girl for such a tone as most nobles often came off as bored and irritated, but again, the situation was far beyond simple sarcastic jabs. So she stepped up beside Lnd, subtly gesturing to him to remove his arm from the Princess. He red at her but she quietly shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere,¡± Isobel mouthed to him. ¡°You might piss it off.¡± Lnd recoiled at the statement. He went to argue, but then he realized he was holding a scythe and brimming with magic, mana, and lifeforce. Maybe, just maybe, the Huntress was right. But that reminded him to nce at his pathway. The winds of fate nudged him just a few steps, directly toward the Archon. Lnd swallowed, epting that what came next might not be up to him at all. Luckily they were in good hands, Sybil¡¯s. The Archon was hunched over, an impossible veil circled around a ring of broken sapphire. Chiseled, cut, and polished, the gems glinted with the poor lighting of the clouded sky as they slowly rotated as one. They were evenly sized and spaced, a connecting octagonal ball of pure mana floating silently in their center. Yet, as Lnd looked on at it, he couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to a single chunk of sapphire. It was broken and cracked, split at the seams with enough force to shatter arge portion of it. Dust revolved around the broken gem, catching enough light to mimic the blue of the ocean. Then, for some reason, Lelend suddenly felt a profound sense of hollowing pain. The veil quickly swirled around the gems and mana, covering them in what looked to be silken thread. The threads swayed slightly, what little wind the invisible barrier allowed in creating a natural dance for the cloth. The sadness left Lnd¡¯s mind in that moment. He stood a little straighter, noticing Isobel doing the same. They nced at each other, bothing to the same conclusion. Mind magic, or something simr. Perhaps even an emotional effect like Lnd¡¯s contract with the Lord of Spirits. Sybil, during all of this, had inched forward just a bit more. She did not straighten out once the mental effect left, and not because the im in her mind was still there. No, in fact the Princess never had the im the others felt, as what she truly felt from the creature was far more than simple sadness and pain. Maybe it was instinctual, but she felt a familiarity that reminded her of her own pain. Of her own sadness, of her own torment. This Archon and her were one and the same. Just two beings wishing to be safe and without anguish. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Sybil burst out, tears flowing like rapid streams. ¡°We will not hurt you! I promise! We just want to get home!¡± The silken veil reacted, standing taller. Threads cast down, swaying like an arm reaching out . It touched upon Sybil¡¯s wet cheek. ¡°So do I,¡± it said, its voice heavenly yet fearful. ¡°Can you help me?¡± Chapter 170: Urgency Chapter 170: Urgency The space within the barrier shook, a creeping chill assaulting the invisible wall. The size of a tavern¡¯s foundation, the area within the barrier quickly turned into a singr safe haven against the outside elements. Red power mixed with the above clouds and rain, wafting thick kes of bloody snow. asional clouds of thunder rang, but the howling wind ended. Abruptly. The abruptck of sound left a void in the ears of the group. Isobel was the only one who didn¡¯t flinch, even the silken veiled Archon drifted with unease. Lnd tried to say something but no words came out. He frowned, scowling at the Archon. Whether it looked back at him, no one knew. ¡°Can you allow him to speak?¡± Sybil asked the alien being. A curtain of silk rose to Sybil. She reached out, causing both Lnd and Isobel to lurch in apprehension. The silk touched her fingers,ing to rest like a scarfnding gently upon the ground after a sudden gale. She smiled at the being. Lnd felt his throat disarm. He instantly said, ¡°We¡¯re surrounded and they are doing something!¡± While it wasn¡¯t new news, the fact there were dozens of Sightless Eye cultists was cause for rm. Isobel growled at the leader wearing trimmed robes, his words failing to breach the invisible barrier for all to hear. Still, it was apparent the man was chanting a spell or speaking a manifesto. Whatever the case, cold rolled in while the sky turned red. The snow was a nice touch but overyed in Isobel¡¯s eyes. Which, when she thought about it, seemed quite weird. Primordial magic wasn¡¯t supposed to chill it was supposed to disintegr¡ª ¡°We all need to get home,¡± Sybil whispered like a nurse attending a death-bed patient. ¡°Just tell us what to do and we¡¯ll help the best we can.¡± For a moment a hint of sapphire appeared below the silken veil. A glint of blue light caught both Lnd and Sybil in the eye. A strangeness overcame the area within the barrier in that moment. Not so much a chill but rather a shiver. Stones fluttered up the air, each jagged and broken like lightning had struck a boulder. Lnd and Sybil watched the rocks rise higher and higher, eventually rising above the invisible barrier and angling with their sharp-end out like wasps on the prowl. A quick streak of sapphire appeared, enough of an immediate effect to blind both of them in sheer surprise. Its colorsted only a fraction of a heartbeat but in that moment, every single cultist died. They crumbled lifelessly, each cultist surrounding the invisible barrier speared through the forehead with a rock-spike. A fleeting moment passed before bodies rained from the sky, each cultist dead . Isobel hid her widened eyes. She wasn¡¯t so much surprised at the fact the Archon killed their attackers, but because each cultist was killed in exactly the same way. Her way. She had killed dozens in their sprint toward the white beam eating the sky, and well, her aim was second to absolutely no one. Well, apparently beside an Archon, that was. Lnd struggled with what to do next. Sybil was running out of time, who knew how much time she lost because she glowed earlier. Not to mention they were dealing with a being so far out of their understanding. Monsters, as Archons were widely believed to be, just didn¡¯t interact with people. At least not positively¡­ But then again, he, Glenny, and Jude had interacted with Gelo and Floe quite well. Friendships had been made, forged really, and the mother and daughter duo were in fact, monsters. So, in the end, Lnd went for it. ¡°Killing them only ended the immediate risk,¡± he said, his voice firm like how he imagined his father would speak in this situation. ¡°Sybil here,¡± he put his hand on her shoulder again, ¡°is running out of time to get home. We can help each other, right? We both need to get home quickly.¡± Lnd made an effort to look at the sky as he ended his little speech. There were more threats around than just the, now dead, cultists. The Clergy of Golden Lambs and all of their golden Vile Lord light still hung in the clouds, battling for dominance over the protectors of thisnd and the three Sky Dwarves. The Archon turned, silken thread swaying with it. It ¡°looked¡± toward the white beam cutting into the sky, more specifically the base of the spellwork. With a glimmer of blue, what was invisible now became visible. Below the beam was a foundation of stonework. Etchings and runes had been carved into the device, enough to exin that magic was afoot. But what kind of magic, Lnd didn¡¯t know. At some point, in the moments after the device became visible, he had stepped past Sybil, standing more inline with the Archon. He leaned forward looking at the device in such a way that one might mistake him for a child, learning magic from watching his parents create small miracles. That was what magic was in a way: miracles. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize the script. Is this Ancient Script?¡± The Archon floated toward the device. ¡°No. We created it in terms of all, not limited.¡± Lnd frowned, stepping over as well. Soon the whole party surrounded the device. ¡°It¡¯s not ready, is it?¡± ¡°Two days,¡± it said, its voice faltering. In that moment, Isobel and Lnd saw the Archon the way Sybil described the being. A child. Neither of them knew why, but just from a few simple words, an impression wasid. Instinct maybe, but more primal, more inductive. Standing there beside the Archon, Lnd remembered just what an Archon was. A being of unexinable knowledge, knowhow, andcking in any emotion other than personal autonomy. They were experimenters, each and every one of them striving for some goal, some past instruction from their creator. Or, if the other theory was to be believed, they were beings of unimaginable intelligence looking for answers where others never would. But standing there, Lnd saw a possible third option. Abination of both theories. Golems created by a dead Lord for the sole purpose of finding perfection. And, well, after so many thousands of years, they may just have done that. Or at least garnered enough self-sentience to realize their creator was no longer leading them. So, in the end, the Archon was a scared newborn child without unimaginable knowledge just looking to get home. And that home was through the Void. ¡°We can¡¯t use this spell,¡± Lnd muttered to himself, his stomach dropping to his feet. He guessed they could try tomandeer the spellwork like the cultists, clergy, and the Graverenders were trying, but the ring of rock-spiked dead cultists swayed that notion. He shifted his eyes to the side as far as they would go, peering at the Archon while lookingpletely ahead. He was standing next to a child with magic to rival¡­ well¡­ maybe a Lord. To that end, even if they were somehow able to kill the Archon, could he live with himself? Taking a child¡¯s spellwork, their ticket home, just to serve his own goals? No, no he could not. And he knew Sybil would agree with him. And even Isobel when he really thought about it. For as harsh as she was, she wouldn¡¯t steal from a kid. ¡°What did you say?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t know who asked it. The words came in one ear and set his mind in motion before leaving out the other ear. Two days for the Archon¡¯s spell toplete. Could they hitch a ride? Maybe, but returning to wherever the Archons came from would be foolish. Could he study the spellwork and cast it himself? No, that would only waste time. He needed a way through the Void. The obvious answer was to¡ª Isobel yanked him from his thoughts. ¡°What! Did! You! Say!?¡± Lnd blinked a few times, finding Sybil and even the Archon looking at him. He swallowed. ¡°I had hoped we could all be sent into the Void using the Archon¡¯s spell. But that was a foolish idea.¡± He swallowed again. ¡°Then I thought we could take the spell for ourselves. But, well, I can¡¯t. I¡¯m not a thief and I don¡¯t think you are either. Studying is out of the question. So that only leaves the Void Lord herself.¡± Isobel shifted through a variety of emotions, especially when Lnd mentioned stealing from the incredibly powerful being standing directly beside them. Luckily the Archon didn¡¯t seem to care or react. It just floated there silently, its veil still swaying in windless motion. ¡°A contract?¡± she asked. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you already petitioned the Void Lord!?¡± All air left Lnd¡¯s lungs. The idea hade to him days ago. Who better to forge a contract to travel vast distances than with the Lord in charge of the area in-between locations? Well, no one. And that was precisely the problem. The Void Lord, as he understood, was an important Lord. And as he hade to learn, not all Lords were exactly friendly when he asked for portions of their power. Some tried to sway him with insults and threats, others imed too high of a price for their magic, some refused to even sit at the bargaining table, yet worst of all, were the Lords who pitied him and handed out concessions. The Lord of Gateways came to mind on thatst one. She obviously goaded her brother into giving Lnd more, all the while keeping her price far from reach. Lnd was, in the end, just a mortal. Sometimes a Lord had a problem he could solve, but even then, the truly powerful contracts were well beyond what he was capable of doing. Investigating a storm? Sure, Lnd didn¡¯t mind walking in the rain. Tell a bastion that they have a wormhole in their basement? Okay, that¡¯s not too hard. But when the requests became something far more dangerous orrge-scale, there was very little he could do. Maybe he could provide a gift to earn favor. But no Lord had a need for wild herbs or some leather or something. He had no beer and honey to gift, he had no sweeteners to elevate a potential contract. As a group, he, Isobel, and Sybil had brainstormed ideas about Lords with the power of grand transportation. Unfortunately they couldn¡¯te up with many ideas, as they were not well versed in every Lord across the world. Other than the Vile Lords, Lnd had attempted a contract with every one they had thought of. Except the Void Lord ¨C a Lord he had a sweetener for. Reflection King Harlon, Void Priest and Legacy, had told Lnd of his Lord. He had exined that the Lord of the Void was a passionate person. She was Lord of and so vast and so deste all of the Realms, worlds, and nes scattered throughout still categorized the Void as a void. And of nothing, except all of known life. Harlen had told Lnd all the Void Lord would want to garner favor was a story and conversation. Yet, that fact alone terrified Lnd and led him to the reason he was hesitant to speak to the Lord of the Void. Looking away from Isobel, and more importantly Sybil, Lnd whispered, ¡°Because I hoped there would be another way.¡± Isobel growled, a p of thunder echoing overhead. She gripped both of his shoulders, shaking him. ¡°Not good enough,¡± she seethed. Feeling his joints breaking under all of the shaking, Lnd said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to expunge that option until I knew where my pathway was leading me!¡± ¡°And where is that!?¡± ¡°Right here.¡± He said it with the care of an adventurer. Someone who goes the distance for others to feel safe. He only saw Sybil in that moment, and her trust she had always provided him. His pathway wasn¡¯t ending with a way for only him to get home, no it was ending exactly as he originally thought. A route through the Void, a grand teleport. There was no heroics in his mind, in fact Lnd still felt guilty about getting the group into this mess to begin with. If only he was a bit stronger, a bit smarter, then maybe he would have avoided all of this. Clearly that was not meant to be, but fortunately it was time to make it up. A smirk befell Lnd¡¯s lips, somber and haunted. How long had he wished to step into his own path and save those around him? How many times did the people of his hometown measure him in terms of his parents? Everyday he had walked in their shadows until the day he received his Legacy. It wasn¡¯t what he originally wanted, the Lord of Magic was his first choice. But now? Now he was more than content with the Lord of Curses. The path of the Warlock, the pathway that led him to many adventures and the promise of ¡°good¡± power. He was no Harbinger, he was no Legacy of a Vile Lord, despite whatever the halo meant. Because, right now, he could prove all naysayers wrong. Why? Because he was about to save a princess. ¡°Be back before you know it,¡± Lnd said, his eyes wide with delight. Sybil had been right all along, he was no imposter. He was just a kid looking to do the world some good. ¡°Lord of the Void, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± Chapter 171: Void Lord Chapter 171: Void Lord ¡°Ah. Hmm. Well, I can say this was expected, but part of me believed you were lying the whole time. So, there¡¯s that. I¡¯m d you finally made it, however. I was getting worried.¡± Lnd spun at the voice, the white of the Void wrapping around him like a cozy nket during winter. He found the source, Reflection King Harlen, standing idly among the devout homage of his Lord¡¯s home. There was nothing around, exactly as it was meant to be. But for some reason, Lnd felt this area of the Void was more. He couldn¡¯t describe why, but the whiteness surrounding him was deeper. Thicker? Maybe even dryer? He didn¡¯t know, only that this small ¡°ind¡± as he decided to call it, was something of importance. Like a crossroads of sorts, maybe even a waystation. ¡°Wh¡ª¡± The word died in Lnd¡¯s throat. For all that had happened in thest few weeks, Lnd had not once properly rested. Always on edge, always rushing from one battle to the next. Even when he slept, he didn¡¯t sleep well, the threat of the Valley looming like a panther on the prowl. But seeing Harlen, a friendly face, exhaustion finally took. He wanted to do nothing more than crash, to fall asleep for a month then wake up to eat a feast and fall back asleep for another month¡­ But Lnd had a goal to solidify, he had no time to rest. Yet, in a way, he did have time. As he had alreadye to learn, time flowed much slower when he petitioned a Lord. He had returned in moments after riding on the back of the Lord of Erupting Skies, after all. So, in the end, Lnd epted the reprieve with open arms ¨C or rather, soft knees, because falling to his knees was much simpler than attempting to ¡°sit¡± upon the Void. Then again, was ¡°kneeling¡± all that different from ¡°sitting?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t know and only knew that his mind would get distracted if he pursued this line of thought. Instead, he turned his attention back to Harlen and said, ¡°What are you doing here? Shouldn¡¯t you still be back in Ruinsforth?¡± Harlen let out a kindly chuckle, his right hand swirling around the white for a moment before returning with an overflowing golden goblet. He sipped the liquid, then with his left hand he made a mimicked gesture, returning with a slightly less gold goblet. He offered it to Lnd. Lnd epted, slurping down the drink with impunity. Alcoholic or not, he didn¡¯t care. Anything was better than water, especially lukewarm water, as that was the only drink he had drunk for thest few weeks. ¡°The Reflections ended a day after you, Sybil, and that Inquisitor disappeared. Thus, I and my kingdom were relinquished to our eternal home.¡± Harlen extended his arms out for a moment, unleashing the Void behind him. For as long as he kept his arms open, the ghostly remnants of his kingdom sang. Some yed horns and stringed instruments, others danced with each other through the streets of their ancient homes. It was perfect, it was pristine, it was everything and much, much more. A dead kingdom, but alive and thriving here in the Void. Harlen pulled his arms back and his people disappeared. ¡°I wee you to the Void, Lnd, but I feel odd with you here. The Void is no ce for mortals to be. All life shall be within a domain, either of their own choosing, making, or where they were born. You cannot be here. Not for long, anyway.¡± And Lnd saw and understood his words. Just from kneeling as he was, the whiteness was nipping at his fleshy form. It was subtle, like grains of sand rubbing against him as hey on a beach. But eventually those grains will weather him down to the bone. He didn¡¯t expect to be here that long, so Lnd didn¡¯t worry about it. ¡°It is good to see you again, Harlen. And I understand your words. But I did note to see you. Ie seeking the Void Lord, and I will not leave until I am forced or until I speak to her.¡± A bit rude, Lnd knew, but he was working with many limiting factors, most of all the Void Lord being hisst chance and the end of his pathway. Harlen made a face. ¡°And here I thought we were friends.¡± Lndughed at that. It wasn¡¯t meant to be rude but rather a sarcastic way to ease the tension. And it worked. ¡°We are, and one day I hope to speak with you as equals, rather than the hanger-on son of an Inquisitor. Next time we meet, I¡¯ll have a name for myself, along with Jude and Glenny.¡± A somber smile came over Harlen¡¯s face. ¡°Try not to speak so lowly of yourself. ¡®Hanger-on?¡¯ Not so much. I recognized you as the Son of the Cmity the moment I met your eye.¡± Lnd had forgotten about that if he was being honest. ¡°Still, I was in that room due to who my parents are.¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Lnd hesitated at the silence. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know what Sybil, Isobel and I have been through, but Sybil doesn¡¯t have much time¡­ Is the Void Lord avable?¡± Harlenughed. Or maybe a chuckle was more appropriate. Either way, heughed at Lnd¡¯s boyish tone. ¡°Asked like a school boy needing to use the toilet.¡± He flexed his arms and chest, spilling his wine into the Void. ¡°Be strong! Be firm! Confidence! No more ¡®childish woe,¡¯ you are in the big leagues whether you believe it or not!¡± Lnd blinked a few times. Yeah, he was, wasn''t he? How many Legacies could say they¡¯ve spoken to as many Lords as he? Probably very few. Probably none at his age. So he stood tall with his shoulders square. He was the Son of the Cmity. Champion of Curses. And the Harbinger of Good¡­ Eh, he wasn¡¯t too sure on thatst one. Still, he deserved to be here, and it was time to start acting like it. ¡°King Harlen of the Void, Ie seeking an audience with the Lord of the Void¡­¡± His voice lulled for a moment, but picked up when his train of thought caught up with his actions. ¡°Ie bearing the gift of conversation and heroic stories.¡± Harlen smiled, dipping his head like a servant bowing to a noble. ¡°She is just beyond this crossroad, Lnd Silver. I wish you luck in your pursuits.¡± He held out his arm, gesturing Lnd past the thick Void and into the thicker. Lnd moved without hesitation, passing Harlen with a head-dip of his own. He continued on for a moment, ncing back but finding only white Void. He would have no guide for what was toe, but that was fine in his book. Lnd moved forward through the thickness of the Void until instinct told him to stop. He had arrived. Still endless white, the Void stretched until his vision went blurry. It was deeper here, like standing in the shallows of the ocean versus floating within a dark trench. ¡°Hello,¡± a voice called, one of brisk fluid. For a moment Lnd tried to identify where the voice came from, but he quickly realized just how foolish the notion was. There was only one other being near him, of course the voice belonged to her. She stood patiently, her arms draped in white silks and bleached cotton. She was average height, but an endlessness befell her attitude. She neither stood straight nor craned her back, opting to be in both states simultaneously. Two mirror images of her, perhaps more, stood together, each slightly different than the other. One had her hands calmly ced in front, gripped together like a bystander watching a wedding, the other had her arms up a bit higher, closer to her chest. Regardless of hands, both versions stood in the exact same spot, their legs morphing together into physical neatness. Lnd tried to gaze upon her face, but a familiar veily loose across her nose. Only her deep red lips showed through the covering, that and a smile. One version was a prompt, but subdued, grin, like a mother watching their child walk for the second time. The other was a bit more reserved, more in line with someone who was meeting with a familiar business partner. Lnd didn¡¯t find himself drawn to her lips, however. No, he was far more interested in the Lord¡¯s veil. Three times he had met Archons, and three different, but simr, veils obfuscated their true bodies. His surprise must have shown on his face because the Lord of the Void quelled his imminent question. ¡°Yes, your thoughts are correct. The Archons belong to me, as I belong to them.¡± He hesitated. But then, like an ember getting blown back into the kindling, a fire zed and he remembered to be strong. He curated a question quickly, asking, ¡°You¡¯re an Archon?¡± The question wasn¡¯t quite what he wanted to ask, but it opened up enough avenues of conversation for him to be content. One of her two versions of her lips smirked, the other frowned. ¡°Not so much. Try again if you don''t mind?¡± Lnd swallowed. Maybe the question was bad after all. ¡°Did you create the Archon?¡± The two versions of her lips inverted. ¡°Closer. Again.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°What are the Archon?¡± Her lips mimed one another, a soft almost muted smile. ¡°The Archon are like you or I. Just being within the Void.¡± ¡°But they¡ª¡± He stopped himself. ¡°What are the Archon¡¯s goals?¡± Both sets of lips fully smiled. ¡°To search for habitable Domains and find all the different types of life they could support.¡± ¡°And when they want to leave?¡± ¡°Then their job isplete, and they return to me and their home.¡± Lnd frowned at that, which made both versions of the Void Lord frown as well. ¡°But why? The Archons have been around for, well, no one really knows. Surely they already provided the necessary information you require?¡± ¡°A mortal¡¯s opinion and question, yes. But in reality, no. The Void expands infinitely, and some worlds and Domains are filled with thriving life. Conversely, there are dying worlds and Domains. It is my responsibility to designate new realms for these dying worlds to join. For stability sometimes, other times for aplete evacuation. There are a few such worlds connected to your own, which is why you have knowledge of other Realms.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t react much to apletely new understanding of some of the bases of magical history. Summoning beings from other Realms was something every learned mage knew of. Some Legacies, and in turn their Lords, directly used the powers of summoning to their advantage. True summoning, as well, not like the crows he could conjure on a whim but rather intelligent individuals from different worlds. ¡°But that is no concern of your own. For Archons have beenpleting what is required of them for far longer than you have been alive.¡± That did not sit right with Lnd. Not with the sapphire gem Archon they had spoken to. ¡°But they are children?¡± The question wasn¡¯t usatory or anything, far from it in fact. Lnd asked like a confused student, although with a bit of firmness in his tone. Both versions of the Lord of the Void smiled. ¡°The Archons you have met are nothing but semi-sentient golems. A hive-mind of sorts in which a golem who haspleted their task and returns to megains individuality and growth. They are not child ves, if that is what you are thinking. Far from it, actually. Archons are beings of vast knowledge and magical know-how. What better way to learn magic than when they are still, in essence, embryos? A child, yes, but one with the knowledge to create and maintain habitable worlds and Domains.¡± Lnd did not know how to feel about this. Secrets that had been debated for centuries, all justid out there with a few simple sentences. Alien life, hive-minds, genius children¡­ It was too much. He didn¡¯te here for history lessons or to learn the facts about reality. While he did wish to learn more, there was a problem to be solved. ¡°While I truly wish to know more about, well, everything you have told me so far, people are relying on¡ª¡± ¡°Say no more, my child,¡± the Lord of the Void said. ¡°I understand your situation rather well. You and the girl, Sybil, have shown morepassion for one of my Archons than most do.¡± One version of her smirked. ¡°Most run in fear.¡± Lnd said, ¡°Oh I wanted to the first time we encountered one. I honestly thought it was going to be a big monster or a pack of wolves or something.¡± The Lord chucked at that. ¡°Tell me about your adventure in the Archon Valley, up to the point you petitioned me.¡± And Lnd did. He didn¡¯t so much as make it into a story, but he did embellish some of his thoughts or a few of the battles. Harlen did say the Lord of the Void liked stories and conversation. Still, in the back of his mind a nagging sensation rolled around in its sleep. He was worried, desperately worried. ¡°And then I finally realized the pathway was leading me here. From the beam opening a tear in the sky to the Void, to Isobel being Isobel, I knew I had toe here.¡± At some point the Void Lord had conjured a set of chairs for them to sit on. They were minimalistic wooden hunks, a far cry from anythingfortable but then again, the Void wasn¡¯t supposed to befortable. The endless white did still nip at Lnd¡¯s skin. In the end, the Void Lord said, ¡°And thus you wish for a way to return to your home.¡± One version of her crossed her arms, the other touching her chin in thought. She hummed a bit, staring at Lnd through her veil. ¡°A proposition. A mutual exchange.¡± Lnd leaned in a bit. ¡°I offer you the spell Void Slide. While the name is hardly impressive, it describes its intricacies rather well. The spell allows you, or another, to slide between the Void and arrive at the location you wish. This can only be used once per year, exactly as King Harlen is only allowed to step into the realm of the living once per year. ¡± ¡°Just one person at a time?¡± Lnd asked almost instantly. ¡°Yes.¡± He swallowed. That was¡­ usable. Not ideal, not by any means. But he and Isobel could easily travel home on their own. Sybil was the one who needed a quick recourse, not them. He twiddled with his fingers as he thought. ¡°And in return? You mentioned ¡®mutual?¡¯¡± ¡°Yes. For the right to Void Slide, you must guide the Archon now known as Sapphire safely into the Void.¡± ¡°Sapphire?¡± ¡°She has self-named after the first gem she found when she was born into your world.¡± Lnd mumbled, ¡°How will I do that? I do not understand the magical mechanisms of the beam opening the Void.¡± The Void Lord smiled, both sets of lips curling up as she spoke, ¡°Just ask Sapphire. She will show you how.¡± ¡°This is agreeable as long as I can cast Void Slide before ensuring Sapphire escapes to the Void.¡± For a moment two dim orbs shone through the Lord¡¯s veil. They bore into Lnd like those of the Undying Lord. He stifled a shiver, setting his spine. Inside his heart beat with auspicious fervor, fueling him to remain strong despite a crushing weight upon his shoulders and a flipping stomach. He had stood before Lords and their ire before, this was no different. Eventually the pressure released and the Lord of the Void looked away. Or rather, one version of her looked away while the other stared on ahead. ¡°This would not be a fair trade. You have every chance to ignore my request for your own. Why would I ever agree to this?¡± The answer was easy. Lnd almost scoffed at the disrespect, he didn¡¯t though and instead said, ¡°Because I¡¯m not that type of person. I ¨C we really ¨C were going to help Sapphire well before I learned she was tied to you. Sybil needs to get home to her mother before she changes. You know this, and well, you hold all of the power in this negotiation. Why would I ever risk her to defy you?¡± ¡°Mortals do things for odd reasons all of the time. Just look at my Harlen. Why did he enter a deal with the first Queen of the Palemarrows? The promise of protection during his yearly stint on mortalnds? Foolish to waste such a gift.¡± Lnd frowned and said nothing. Both versions of the Void Lord frowned. A moment passed. Both versions looked away. ¡°I guess I should respect the Cmity¡¯s im on you. You are her first ever Legacy, after all.¡± Lnd sputtered to a stop at that. He didn¡¯t show it, however. Not physically, at least. He was the first ever Legacy of Curses? That didn¡¯t sound right¡­ but then again he was Champion. A defaulted Champion, that was. If the Lord of the Void noticed Lnd¡¯s internal strife, she didn¡¯tment on it. Instead she said, ¡°Fine. The contract is set and agreed to. Goodbye young Cmity, and good luck.¡± Before Lnd could react, he was cast away from the Lord¡¯s presence and toward his world. Somewhere far away, the Lord of Curses eavesdropped on her Legacy¡¯s conversation with the Void Lord. He was sent back with what he needed, which was a relief, but now he knew the one secret ¨C well, one of a few secrets ¨C that she was nning on telling himter. Oh whatever, she thought, returning to the issue at hand. She strutted forward a few steps, spinning around her finger a physical loop of twine with a key tied in . A cage the size of a moon rustled and shook beside her, but the little olddy didn¡¯t seem to care much. She was antagonizing the Lord locked within, but that was purposeful. In fact, the key she twirled around was also to aid in that fact. It wasn¡¯t even the true key to the cage! Ha! She smiled for a moment, then remembered that Lnd was most likely going to be annoyed the next time they met. She sighed, and then cursed. Chapter 172: Consume Chapter 172: Consume Reality came screaming back to Lnd in the form of golden anger. He blinked a few times, his vision disoriented with splotches of white. Someone was grabbing his arm, Sybil he recognized easily enough, but not the fear in her eyes. She was pulling him away, trying to force him to the ground. He allowed himself to fall. ¡°What¡ª¡± A hymn echoed overhead, the clouds parting way for goldenw. Trumpets, horns, a mangled choir, each in song and each a Harbinger. They flew like wicked winds, men of all ages yet wearing identical clothing. Gold and white armor, capes that stretched to their heels, and various sized halos radiating golden worry. Isobel snapped her head toward Lnd, her eyes conveying relief for but a moment. She turned hard, her jaw straightening like a wire fence. Sybil likewise was surprised, crashing into the rocky floor from Lnd suddenly moving. He had gone stiff as a statue when he called out to the Void Lord, which also prompted the Clergy of Golden Lambs to swoop in. ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± Isobel yelled, oddly calm. ¡°How long was I gone?¡± Lnd asked in turn, scanning the sky for¡ª A p of thunder razed the clouds, followed quickly by a hurdling scream. A bolt of lightning hade and gone, all but a sh of highlighted cloud proving the Sky Dwarves were still around. In seconds a body fell, scorched and charred ck. Itnded beside the invisible barrier the group stood within, and luckily enough golden trim shined through to prove which side the body belonged to. ¡°Everyone reacted to you calling out to the Void!¡± Isobel yelled over the vile song. ¡°The Sky Dwarves, the golden idiots, and the Graverenders idiots!¡± Lnd could see that, a monsterfied form shifting through the clouds like a seal paddling through white currents. It came out of nowhere, its mighty maw open for a moment before mming down on another of the Clergy of Golden Lambs. The seal then thrashed its head,unching the now dead priest far to the ground, before dipping back into the cover of the clouds. ¡°How long was I out!?¡± Lnd asked again, turning his attention to more important things. ¡°Like forty seconds!¡± Isobel yelled, her arm out and firing bolts of green into the sky. ¡°Did you get what we needed!?¡± At the question, Lnd spun to face Sybil. ¡°I¡¯m going to cast a spell and send you home. To the throne room, right? Does that sound fine?¡± Sybil¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°T-that¡¯s fine! Are youing too?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t answer, instead summoning his grimoire. The pages flipped to his newest contract¡ª ¡°Are youing as well!?¡± Sybil demanded. Lnd lost a bit of confidence at that moment. Seeing Sybil look at him with worry was a sight he wouldn¡¯t wish on anyone. The golden song above was getting louder, which only amplified the moment. They were in real danger here, despite the protection of the Archon¡¯s shield. ¡°No,¡± Lnd finally said. ¡°One person only.¡± ¡°Then¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s you, Sybil. It has to be you. We can get back ourselves, you have to take the shortcut.¡± She stared at him as he stared back. For a moment that stretched like eternity, they stared at each other. Lnd punctuated the moment by saying, ¡°Please.¡± And just like that, Sybil¡¯s guise of an emotionless princess crumbled. Tears poured down her cheeks, mixing along her scars and rushing down and off her chin. She pressed her face into him, hugging him with shaking arms. He hugged back, tears forming in his eyes as well. They never fell however, not with a diabolical song ramping in speed overhead. ¡°I¡¯ll find you as soon as I can.¡± Sybil pulled back, ¡°You better.¡± She gave Isobel onest nce, receiving a head nod from the former Inquisitor. Then she looked at the Archon. ¡°Good luck getting home,¡± she said before spinning back to Lnd. ¡°You are going to help it, right?¡± Lnd smirked. ¡°Her name is Sapphire, apparently. Named after the first gem she found in this world. And I will get her home, don¡¯t worry.¡± Sapphire had reacted to her name quite oddly. Her veil had rescinded fully, showing off her broken crystalline circr body. She was rotating with enough speed to generate a gentle breeze, but she also held off on speaking without more information. ¡°You better,¡± Sybil said, turning back to the Archon. ¡°He¡¯ll take you home. He¡¯s pretty good at it, as it seems.¡± Lnd puffed up a bit at that, resolving his emotions to that of steel. He focused on his grimoire. Cursed contract of the Lord of the Void: Use: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Void Slip, is avable. Contract is usable once per year. Return: Provide the Archon known as ¡°Sapphire¡± safe passage into the Void. Void Slip: Type: Spell (Void) Rank: MAX Call upon the Lord of the Void to assist you or whoever you cast this spell upon to travel through the Void. ¡°When I cast,¡± Lnd yelled, grabbing Isobel¡¯s attention, ¡°they are going to swarm like ants! Most likely!¡± Isobel took a deep breath, nodded, and looked to the sky. Lnd turned back to Sybil. ¡°Goodbye. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± But before he could cast, Sybil darted in, nting a kiss upon Lnd¡¯s lips. The surprise of the moment almost made him miss the event. Luckily for him, that didn¡¯t happen and he kissed her back. ¡°You¡¯re glowing again,¡± Lnd whispered, causing Sybil to pull back, her face draped in red. The Princess quickly smothered her own embarrassment, ending the gray lightshow. Isobel grunting as she fired a bolt of poison pulled them back to reality. When a body hit the ground a few paces to the side, they both jolted back to the situation. ¡°No detours!¡± Sybil demanded. Lnd smiled to himself, and pressed his palm onto the contract¡¯s page. It started with a white spark, quickly growing into a violet burn. Energy, mana, and lifeforce conjoined into a confluence, each source aiding in the growth of the spell. Soon the barriers of magic and will churned, and purple halo flooded to life above Lnd¡¯s head. It grew a bit wider thanst time, along with spilling more dark mist, but that hardly pulled anyone¡¯s attention. No, they were focused on the violet fold in reality. It looked like a crease in a piece of parchment, one that had been watered down by runaway ink and dried with a simple blow. But unlike paper, this crease fell away into an endless white void. The Void, rather. Lnd and the others peered into the hole in reality, finding an impossibly long tunnel of white. But, like an oasis on the horizon, hope remained. Far, at the end of the tunnel, was a throne. Made of bone and velvet, the Palemarrow throne sat strong and overbearing. Lnd knew, from just seeing the throne, that whoever was on the other side of the tunnel would be able to help Sybil. Boneforged Monarch or not. Then, like a burst dam, a sweeping power rushed out, pulling Sybil into the Void like an undertow. She allowed it to happen, yelling to Lnd about ¡°no detours,¡± onest time before being swallowed by the endless white. Lnd watched the fold in reality close and iron out, solidifying back into open air. He stared at the ce in space for just a second, but that second proved to be too long for Isobel. ¡°Kid, stop pining over your girlfriend and help me solve this!¡± And what a problem it was to solve. The Clergy of Golden Lambs kept appearing from the clouds, filling-in a ringed position over the barrier whenever one of their brothers died. They were obviously performing a ritual of some sort. Divine hymn, cooperative magic casting, most likely a summoning spell of some sort. Regardless of what it was, the golden music was getting louder and progressing without fault. In fact, since Lnd summoned his halo, the music had redoubled if anything. In the span of just a few seconds, Lnd worked through the problem and came up with a few solutions. First and foremost, kill the Lambs. Obviously. But how? ¡°Sapphire,¡± Lnd said to the Archon, causing her to slow her rotations to a bear crawl. ¡° Can you do that rock thing again? Kill all of those attackers up there?¡± She reacted well to the words, doing exactly as asked. Within moments, six spiked rocks glided out and above the invisible barrier before rocketing out like a Frost Bolt cast by an Arch Mage. Each hit their target, sending the six Lambs to the ground, dead. But before the bodies had a chance to crash into the ground, six more Lambs stepped from the clouds and continued the song. Not a single beat was missed, not a single vocal was off tempo. From the side, Lnd heard Isobel curse and fire away, killing three more Lambs in the span of just a few seconds. He didn¡¯t mind her, however, instead focusing on the seemingly endless supply of personnel the clergy had¡­ Which was strange, because when the Sky Dwarves first arrived, there had been only a troop of Lambs, not a toon. Lnd knew virtually nothing about the Vile Lord the Aurelian Giant, but from an initial inspection, he concluded they specialized in summoning magic of some sort. He had seen mighty golden arms fly through the sky, punching the monster-shifted Graverenders just minutes earlier, after all. But besides that, there was little to go off of. Cloning magic? Simcrums? Puppets? Lnd had no idea. Those types of magic were rare, but Vile Lords were something of a closed book when it came to how they fought. ¡°They¡¯re clones or something,¡± Lnd said to Isobel. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time on the visible ones. We need to kill the ones creating them.¡± Isobel growled out a curse. ¡°I hate clones.¡± But then she realized there really shouldn¡¯t be an issue of clones since they were all out in the open sky. It was the clouds which were the true problem. She said as much, ¡°Can we do anything about the clouds?¡± Lnd¡¯s mind spun with the question. Yeah, he understood what she was getting at. He then looked at Sapphire. ¡°Are the clouds yours? Can you dispel them at least until Isobel can kill the clones?¡± Sapphire¡¯s blue ring of gems spun with fervor. She tilted herself back a bit like a person looking at the sky. ¡°Okay.¡± Lnd jolted at the word for some reason. He had heard the Archon talk a few times now. Why had he reacted that way? Maybe it was knowing a bit of Archon history. Maybe it was knowing that Archons were responsible for all life forming happily throughout the Void, in a sense. In the end, Lnd realized it didn¡¯t matter. There was danger afoot and getting lost in his mind was not an option right now. At least Sybil got home safely¡­ but then again, maybe she didn¡¯t and all of this was¡ª The clouds parted enough to spot a golden boot hanging idly nearby. Isobel fired, her bolt of poison flying where a chest would be connected to a leg within the boot. It connected, ending the man¡¯s life without fanfare. The Lamb tumbled from the cloud cover, dead long before hitting the ground. Then, like a shadow cast away by a candle¡¯s me, one of the six Lamb clones casting overhead faded away. The other Lambs did not like this. As the clouds continued to vanish, golden light edged out the endless white of the Void. With a dazzle and sh, a hail of fists streaked down like a tailedet. They spun straight down with the force of a miner¡¯s pick, each barreling into the invisible barrier. Dozens of fists were summoned and thrown, yet it wasn¡¯t until the hundreds, or maybe two-hundredth, that the barrier started to show signs of degradation. There were no cracks, no dents, or even flickering. No, the barrier held in all regards except those directly dealing with its caster ¨C Sapphire. The gem ring Archon fell to the assault,nding on the stone with a horrid nk. One gem in the circle had already cracked and dulled, but now two more did as well. But when the assault ended, she slowly floated back up. Lnd couldn¡¯t exactly tell why, especially since her veil was now up and flowing, but for some reason he felt Sapphire was pissed. Isobel noticed the same thing and adopted a hellish grin. She fired into the faded clouds without reserve, her centipede parasitic weapon making quick work of all who came into her line of sight. Rocks and jagged stones quickly floated into the fray as well, Sapphire taking her cue from Isobel in that regard. And Lnd just stood there. Awkwardly. He cursed at himself, mentally kicking himself to move. He rushed to the device producing the white beam and got to work. Or he would have if he understood any of what was carved into the enchantments. He breathed, calming himself the best he could. He told himself Sybil was fine and safe and that he needed to finish this before he could get on the road home. He thought of his parents and everything they taught him over the years. He thought of Jude and Glenny and all of the times they joked with him about reading magic books. Yet, he still couldn¡¯t make any progress. He couldn¡¯t even identify the basics of the enchantment. Where was the power source? Where were themands? What symbol interacted with the Void? He spun, finding two things. The first, and what caught his attention, was Sybil¡¯s bone-white mask lying on the slick stone. He blinked a few times wondering how that had been left behind. It should have been tethered to her belt. It should have gone through the Void with her. He picked it up, feeling the oddity within. It was heavy and not its weight. He could tell it weighed as expected, but it also felt like a shearing wind. An invisible pressure to it, like walking in water or wading through a swamp¡­ No, that wasn¡¯t quite it. The feeling was a bit more, a bit extended. Honestly it reminded him of Lodestar. There was no soul damage, he was pretty sure, but the thought was there. The mask was a divine artifact, after all. At least in the simplest terms since it was an item made of divine bones. As Lnd stared at it, he heard a whisper. Friendly, yet distant. Like sunbathing on a snowy day. He didn¡¯t notice, but his crow tattoo danced along the back of his palm. It felt right. It felt nice. He put it on. And the world shifted a hue. Everything became more clear. Sybil was a distant thought. His parents and friends as well. Like a racehorse with blinders on, Lnd saw his goal. It was a far cry from a pathway or even the mask¡¯s intended effect, but that hardly mattered right now. From what he knew about the mask, it had concealed Sybil¡¯s presence quite a bit. At least until she took on the Boneforged Monarch. And while Lnd wasn¡¯t the most perceptive, he had seen through the illusion after brute-forcing himself to see. But now, he was the one that was invisible. He was the one that could hide in in sight. At least to those his power level or weaker. Isobel had nced at him with a frown the moment he put on the mask, easily finding him. Sapphire had done the same, but she looked at him with more curiosity than annoyance. Lnd seized the moment. ¡°Sapphire, the Lord of the Void said you could help me understand the magic controlling your spell so I can help you get home. Can you do that?¡± The Archon didn¡¯t nod per say, but she did bob up and down a bit. Then, like a firefly at dusk, Sapphire¡¯s veil pped to the side and a small iridescent blue sparkle floated forward. ¡°Ingest,¡± the Archonmanded. Lnd blinked at it, the sparkle floating silently until it rested directly in front of his masked face. He held up his hands and the sparkle gracefullynded in his palm. He stared at it like the sparkle was a gift from an emperor. Then he paused. ¡°Ingest.¡± That didn¡¯t sound right to him. But nothing made much sense any more, right? He pulled Sybil¡¯s mask up, feeling the friendly cold warmth teeter across his forehead. He gave the sparkle onest nce before mming his palm to his mouth. He swallowed. It tasted like nothing. And everything. It tasted like magic, which was, oddly enough, a vor he had tried before. Years and years ago his parents had taken him to an old candy store in the capital. The ce was an institute, opening during the first Queen¡¯s reign and showing no signs of creative discord. New vors every week, seasonal rotations, experimental recipes. The ce had it all, including one vor simply titled ¡°Magic.¡± It had the same vor as the sparkle, which Lnd thought was more than disconcerting. But then again, so was swallowing a magical ¡°sparkle¡± from an Archon. Oh he was feeling weird. He swayed a bit, wondering why he was thinking of candy so much. In fact, how had he remembered that at all? He was just a kid, and while the candy store was something special, remembering exactly what some bizarre vor tasted like was a bit¡­ odd. But then again, so was magic ¨C odd. He turned, pulling down the mask and focusing on the Void device. See, that right there was truly odd. Archon enchanted and created. The weirdest magic he had ever seen, that much was certain. Like, it drew power from the ambient air, that much was obvious. But the way it did it was quite peculiar. Efficient wasn¡¯t the right word. Honestly, Lnd wasn¡¯t sure if it was efficient. It siphoned everything around it except for elemental-aligned mana. All mana was elemental in nature. It wasn¡¯t until a person or monster drew that mana into themselves over time that the mana lost its alignment. Lnd¡¯s eyes shot open. How did he know this? Well, obviously, it was because of the sparkle he ate. The runes and enchantments unraveled before his eyes. He connected past knowledge with everything he knew, identifying circuits and the like, all of which were Archon-made. The power source wasn¡¯t the power source at all, in fact. It was only a supplemental rune, one meant to aid in the actual power source¡¯s output. That was smart but hardly groundbreaking. Lnd quirked his head, circling the device. But then again, the rune was rather neatly sectioned into the housing¡­ which, when he finally noticed, was made out of simple stone! Amazing! Stone! One of the worst magically conductive materials on the market. But that was beside the point, the mask helped him remember that. He needed to find a way¡ª Ah, right there, Lnd thought, stepping up to one of the device''s corners. He ced his hands on it, making sure the connection points were fully smothered. Then he began to channel. Mana and lifeforce were cast through his hands in the same way the Lambs were cooperative casting whatever spell they were singing. It was a simple technique, one that every trained mage knew. The device pulled at Lnd¡¯s mana, mping his hands to the stone. It drew his power easily, efficiently even, amplifying the runic glow within the heart of the symbols. A blue plumage set and ignited, adding to the white beam like a shovel of dirt added to a hill. Lnd¡¯s mana ran low within moments, but he was a Warlock, not a mage. He didn¡¯t just use mana. Lifeforce spun into the device at hismand, trickling into the gaps mana provided and creating a seamless fit. A familiar violet made its presence known, mixing well with the blue of Sapphire¡¯s mana. The beam turned pastel and ripped into the sky, shining down with the power of an Archon and a Harbinger. Around, those fighting in the sky noticed the colors, theck of cloud cover setting Lnd into the sights of everyone. Bolts of lightning came every few seconds, thest of the Sightless Cult dying without recourse. Graverenders fought the Lambs creating clones, while bolts of green assaulted up from the ground. Rocks attacked any and everyone, Sapphire attacking without thought. The three Sky Dwarves rode the wind, moving as a single unit, along with a few monsterfied soldiers. They came in hard, focusing on a singr Lamb and the mighty ethereal arm soaring through the sky beside him. Together the Lamb and arm blocked iing lightning, wind, and various monster attacks. All the while the summoning hymn continued. There were only three clones set in the circle around the barrier at this point but Isobel and Sapphire could notnd a killing blow against the creators. Golden shields protected them, each Lamb summoning a personal arm to block any and all attacks. The shields moved independently from the Lambs, easily deflecting spikes of poison or rocks. A bodynded beside Lnd yet outside the invisible barrier. He nced up for a moment, the surprise thud enough to cause him to flinch. A Lamb grunted in pain, his leg and back no doubt as broken as the rocks hey on. He rolled to his side, ring at Lnd. Golden halo above his head, the Lamb locked eyes on the purple above Lnd. Blood spat from the man¡¯s lips as he muttered something in an unfamiliarnguage. The man finished his spell with an outstretched hand. Gold pulled from the surrounding air, consolidating into a horrid ball of power. The ball formed into a fist, andunched straight toward Lnd. He reacted quickly, activating the Lord of Water¡¯s contract. A shield grew before him at record speed, yet the fist never collided. Instead the attack burst into a million sparks when it mmed into Sapphire¡¯s barrier. Lnd blinked a few times, then whispered, ¡°Kneel before me!¡± What little mana he had came to his call, zing with enough lifeforce to ignite a ring of violet fire. The fire swarmed around the broken Lamb, the man¡¯s eyes going wicked. Gold spilled from the man¡¯s eyes and mouth but quickly stopped when a soul of the Damned wed its way from the ground. The soul towered over the man, instilling a fear of eternal damnation and a life of haunted darkness. The golden man ended all attempts to fight back, and instead he prayed. He called to the Aurelian Giant, his words spite-filled and not repentant. Lnd couldn¡¯t tell, but the man was curing him in his prayer. He called upon his Lord to strike down the necromancer, to end a heinous threat before it could corrupt the Golden Order. The Aurelian Giant did not respond to the man¡¯s pleas, and the man died, his soul sundered from his body. Lnd didn¡¯t think twice about what he had to do. The soul of the Damned presented him with the Lamb¡¯s lost soul, and he took it instantly. A green blob of misty in Lnd''s hand for a moment before being crushed and consumed. The green swirled around his hand and chest, eventuallybining with his own soul and disappearing from the realm of the living. Lnd¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he felt his muscles clinch. Then, like waking up after a good night¡¯s rest, a rush of mana and lifeforce assaulted Lnd. A smirk befell his lips behind Sybil¡¯s mask, the feeling of mana rejuvenation enough to make any mage shout in glee. His feet stopped aching, his breath also evened out. Those were lesser effects, however, and not as important. Reinvigorated, Lnd turned his attention back to the Void device. He set his hands on the connection points and began to channel his mana and lifeforce back into the spell. A few steps away, Isobel saw what Lnd had just done and changed her focus. Instead of outright killing the Lambs above, she purposefully missed just a bit. Now, when a body fell from the sky, they were not dead upon arrival. This happened twice before Lnd looked up from his work. He scanned around the barrier, finding Lambs crying out in pain. He ended their pain with purple fire and souls of the Damned, quickly consuming their souls and pouring mana and lifeforce into the Void device. But still, stone was not the most efficient. ¡°Sapphire!¡± Lnd yelled over the battle. ¡°Stone is not efficient! Can you change some of these runes!? Something like¡ª¡± Lnd grinded to a stop. Not only did most of the runes adjust, the whole of the device shifted from stone to Petrified Arc Birch ¨C one of the most mana-conductive materials out there. He stared at the new spellwork, blinking a few times before getting back to work. ¡°Well okay then¡­¡± he muttered, pouring his resources into the device. More bodies fell, some of them clones, and Lnd killed them within Circle of Souls. The clones did not have souls but oddly enough Circle of Souls still killed them as if they did. No soul of the Damned appeared to harvest them, however. By the seventh consumed soul, Lnd was starting to feel the enmity of his work. An anger and terrible pain knocked in his mind, worse than a mana-headache but far better than being stabbed multiple times in the gut. He fought through it, consuming six more souls and pushing all of that mana and lifeforce into the device before falling back exhausted. He breathed with heavy heaves, his lungs feeling like they were on fire and his head possibly bleeding internally. He quickly swapped to the Lord of Nature¡¯s contract, tapping himself until the sharpness rescinded a bit. ¡°Was it enough?¡± he was able to mutter. Sapphire turned to him, shifting her veil and gem body toward him. ¡°No,¡± she said, her voice like a kitten¡¯s. From the side, Isobel yelled, ¡°How much more!?¡± Sapphire changed direction. ¡°Thirty-one thousand cubic-mana liters or nine hours¡¯ time.¡± Isobel frowned. ¡°Is that a lot!?¡± Lnd answered, his arm now covering his eyes to block out the light. ¡°T-that¡¯s like, a fifth of my mom¡¯s total mana pool.¡± ¡°Can you fill it?¡± Isobel asked Sapphire. ¡°No. I have no mana.¡± ¡°No mana?¡± ¡°Archons do not use mana.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Isobel,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s an ambient gathering device. She was never able to power it herself.¡± The Huntress then frowned, her centipede parasitic weapon shifting all of its legs with deliverance. She looked up, finding the same three Lamb clones and their casters, each protected by imprable golden light. They still sang, but now their summoning was starting to take shape. Draped in hairs as thick as dock rope, a mutated torso the width of a drawbridge trembled with authority. Two massive arms connected to the hulking muscled body, along with a thick neck and concerning head. An underbite left the monster¡¯s head eye-catching, its fangs like sharpened battering rams. And while concerning, it was the single eye set in the middle of its forehead that ushered in true fear. Donned with a golden halo, the summoning roared as it came to ¡°life.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the n,¡± Isobel announced, her dragonfly wings fluttering. ¡°I¡¯m going to fly up there and¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Lnd interrupted, the sudden word causing him to devolve into a coughing fit. He tapped himself again with Touch of Regeneration. ¡°Y-you need to dump all of your mana into the device. Then we run.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be asinine!¡± Isobel screeched. ¡°There is no way we can escape a cyclops!¡± Lnd startled at that, briefly removing his arm from his eyes. He flinched from the sudden light, cringing at the pain in his head. But all of that pain seemingly went away the moment he saw the still-summoning cyclops. ¡°Oh.¡± Isobel took a deep breath and crouched low, her wings began to rapidly p. She took off, rifling through the air like a shark in its natural habitat. She was the Huntress here, and she had her prey in her sights. Hunter¡¯s Mark, Decisive Shot, Piercing Shot, True Aim, Eagle¡¯s Eyes. Everything she had flowed into her crossbow, turning the poison spike dark ck. It glinted like obsidian, hardening into something far greater than the sum of its parts. She took aim at the cyclops, True Aim lining up her shot for her. The monster¡¯s single eye was her target, and Hunter¡¯s Mark was going to help her kill the thing and then some. One final breath in, then out, and a slight squeeze¡ª The sky erupted, blinding light shing just before the cyclops¡¯ eye. Isobel flinched, firing the bolt wide. With haste, she forced herself back down to the ground just in time to dodge a crashing lightning serpent. The new beast soared through the air, its mighty maw enclosing around the cyclops like a person eating a grape. The serpent then broke apart, its lightning skin degrading into a simple gale. But from the wreckage, a man fell. Specifically, the Champion of Erupting Skies. Covered in blood and with a full belly, the man hurtled toward the stoney ground. Isobel rushed to intercept, catching him with the grace of a flier who had only been practicing for a few hours total. In essence, she bear hugged him until she was able to retreat to the Archon¡¯s invisible barrier. She set him down beside Lnd, only then noticing that the Champion¡¯s eyes were hollow white and sparking with fulmination. Still, that didn¡¯t stop the man fromughing like a mad man. ¡°Aye girly! Haven¡¯t used that spell in a while!¡± The man¡¯s cackle devolved into a raw hacking cough. Lnd forced himself to sit up and heal the man. ¡°Thanksddie.¡± The Champion eyed him despite his eyes looking milky. ¡°Healer, aye? I would have pegged you for a dark-mage type.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t respond to that, instead saying, ¡°What was that spell!? I¡¯ve never seen anything like it!¡± ¡°Erupting Wrath, my Lorddies¡¯ special. Champion only, I¡¯m afraid. Had to use my eyesight to fuel the dang beat too!¡± ¡°¡¯Use up?¡¯¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Aye. Price of power, that. Champions are cursed in that regard.¡± Lnd frowned. Just like Soul Fire, he thought. ¡°But don¡¯t you worryddie,¡± the man coughed. Lnd healed him again. ¡°The cyclops is gone and my team and the Graverenders will finish off the foolish clergy. Battle will be over soon.¡± ¡°What happens after, then?¡± ¡°Graverenders wille in and start bossing us around. After, of course, they deal with the Archon.¡± To the side, Sapphire rotated slowly. Lnd looked at Isobel. And Isobel frowned. ¡°Please,¡± he said, ¡°you have to.¡± Isobel looked as if she ate a lemon. ¡°No. You heard him, the battle is over. It is not our problem anymore¡ª" ¡°It is a contract. Both get to go home, that was what we decided on. You need to help.¡± Isobel stared at Lnd as he stared back. She broke off first, looking at the recovering Champion then to the partially shattered Archon. ¡°What is wrong,d?¡± the Champion asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything. The Archon won¡¯t be a problem when the Graverenders get here. They deal with stuff like this all the time. This isn¡¯t the first time an Archon has tried to escape.¡± Isobel¡¯s frown cracked into arger frown, as did Lnd¡¯s. To the side, Sapphire quietly said, ¡°Home.¡± The Sky Dwarf flinched and ignited a rush of mana. He thrust out his arm, aiming toward the sound¡ª Isobel kicked his arm, sending the Lightning Bolt wide. ¡°Why! It will kill us all!¡± All around, rocks began to float,ing to Sapphire¡¯s protection. Lnd rushed to his feet but only got to his knees before a wave of vertigo assaulted him. Still, he fell into the direction of the Champion, protecting the dwarf with his own body. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Lnd yelled. ¡°He doesn¡¯t understand! He doesn¡¯t understand! H-he won¡¯t attack again, I promise!¡± Sapphire was fully within her veil at this point, her blueplexionpletely sealed away. The rocks dropped harmlessly. The dwarf began cursing at Lnd, but both he and Isobel ignored him. Instead, Lnd said, ¡°Please, Isobel, before the Graverenders interfere.¡± Isobel looked from Lnd to the Archon. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°Yes. For Sybil.¡± Isobel swallowed her instincts and said, ¡°Fine. Show me where to touch.¡± While non-mages had nowhere near the mana pool as a mage, that didn¡¯t mean theycked mana. In the Huntress¡¯ case, she had more than most other Legacies of the Hunter simply due the amount of individual power she held. Lnd guided her to where to put her hands on the Void device, then she let her mana flow. As the beam took on a green tinge, Isobel whispered, ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m going to bepletely out of mana after this.¡± They both looked at the dwarf staring at them with blind eyes then to the sky. Thest of the Lambs were being ughtered, the clergy refusing to surrender it seemed. Lnd gave her a nod. ¡°That is enough,¡± Sapphire abruptly said after a few moments of channeling causing Isobel to tear her hands away. The Archon floated silently up to the device. ¡°Thank you, Champion of the Cmity.¡± She turned a bit. ¡°Thank you Huntress.¡± Then a blue sparkle phased through her veil and into the spellwork. The formerly white beam of magic instantly turned stark blue, like the rolling waves of the deep ocean. Sapphire then floated into the beam and disappeared. The beam teetered out a secondter, and the sky closed just after that. ¡°Oh,d. What have you done?¡± the Champion of Erupting Skies muttered. He started to speak, but movement stopped him cold. On his hand, the tattoo of a serpent sailing through thunderous clouds moved. ¡°Oh,¡± the man muttered distantly. He blinked a few times, his Lord no doubtmunicating through the tattoo. ¡°The Lord of the Void, really? Huh, strange. Well okay. I¡¯ll make sure nothing bad happens to these way-wards.¡± Lnd and Isobel blinked a few times, but relief consumed their confusion. From above a voice boomed in anguage Lnd and Isobel didn¡¯t recognize. Then, a momentter, words they could understand shook the air. ¡°IN THE NAME OF THE GRAVE BASTION, CEASE ALL MAGIC AND PREPARE TO BE ARRESTED!¡± Everyone looked up, even the blind dwarf. Slowly descending was a dozen soldiers, two Sky Dwarves, and six or so human-shape-shifted monsters of various species and sizes. The Champion of Erupting Skies got to his feet. ¡°Follow my lead, young Harbinger. Also, put away that halo before someone gets the wrong idea.¡± Lnd instantly canceled all active contracts. The Champion then yelled into the sky, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Commander Hayze! Lord of the Void said it was fine!¡± The armynded and a griffin-type monster reverted back into human form, clothes and all. A bit worse for wear, the woman ¨C Commander Hayze, apparently ¨C stalked forward. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Zeph?¡± Hayze demanded of the Champion. ¡°You intrude on my battlefield and then protect the people who helped an Archon escape!? I shall have your head for this!¡± Zeph shrugged. ¡°Lorddie says they are clear. If you¡¯ve got a problem with that, take it up with the Serpent himself and the Lady of the Void.¡± Hayze went through a deluge of emotions. She settled on exasperation. She turned to the Huntress, stepping past Zeph. ¡°Exin yourself.¡± Isobel, being Isobel, set her back and crossed her arms, her lips sealed and red. Hayze red back. Then, with a huff, themander pivoted on one foot, striding up to Lnd, who, unfortunately, flinched back a bit. ¡°What say you, Harbinger!? And take off that ridiculous mask!¡± Lnd, still exhausted and still reeling from the effects of Sapphire¡¯s sparkle, raised the mask and simply said, ¡°We just want to go home. Can you help with that?¡± Hayze snarled at him. ¡°Oh!¡± Lnd then dered, causing Hayze to lean in a bit. ¡°I¡¯m also supposed to tell you, the Graverenders I mean, that there is a wormhole in the basement of the fortress. You probably want to get that looked at before it consumes the world or something...¡± He trailed off as Hayze¡¯s eyes dipped into something more monsterfied. To the side, Isobel almost face palmed while Zeph cackled. Chapter 173: Book 3 Epilogue Chapter 173: Book 3 Epilogue Eldest Princess Ariadne Palemarrow, otherwise known as Aunty P, sat behind a rune covered desk reading a report. The desk, a gift from Ambassador Joygill of Greensight, was thick and firm. Solid hardwood of some sort, one the magical variants that holds mana and magic carvings longer. It was stained deep mahogany, a color that reflected Aunty P¡¯s own lips. It was years and years of brutal purple lipstick that dyed her lips such a color, an homage of sorts to her time as Princess rather than Spymaster General. She held onto a few luxuries from that time, including the indulgence of simply being rich and powerful. One such luxury was the bright colored clothing she often wore. Aunty ¡°P.¡± did not just stand for ¡°Palemarrow,¡± as some of the younger inhabitants of the castle decided so long ago. The joke of the ¡°P¡± standing for ¡°peacock¡± was something she used to hate. But it grew on her once she finally saw the namesake bird. Eye-catching plumage, bright colorful feathers with a hundred fake eyes to scare off nascent predators. She found it rather fitting, after all she also had eyes everywhere that detoured enemies. The luxury of her clothes were one more illusion to the fa?ade of Spymaster General. To those who were not in the know, Aunty P¡¯s dress came off as absurdist entric¡­ except when she was working. Behind closed doors, far away from the eyes of the kingdom, under the cover of runic webs and obscuring scripts, Aunty P. wore colors to blend into the shadows. To her, it was a categorical cut off. ck was the color of secrets while the ¡°peacock¡± was the color of a woman wanting the world to look. So, sitting there behind the not-mahogany wood desk reading the report, Aunty P. looked as if she was attending a funeral. The frown upon her lips and the scowl across her brow only amplified the sentiment. Finished reading, she tossed the paper away and cursed at herself. Since returning from Ruinsforth and the abduction of her niece, Sybil, Aunty P. had not once changed out of her Spymaster clothes. She had hardly entered the sight of anyone other than her most trusted soldiers,manders, and of course, her sister, the Queen. She had failed, abysmally. Her niece abducted, the kingdom¡¯s strongest Inquisitor bested, two Harbingers on the loose¡­And worst of all, she had no way of finding Sybil. Not with Spencer Silver, and the other parents for that matter, on the run. In all honesty, she didn¡¯t need the other parents as they were not versed in spatial magic whatsoever. She needed Spencer, she needed him to track down that Witch and find where Sybil was being tortured. So, the search had devolved to searching not for Sybil, but for Spencer so he could find Sybil. It was a mess. And the reports were just getting worse. Spencer¡¯sst sighting was somewhere out in the mountains, a few months away on foot. Apparently his son and the other kids hade from that direction, along with the Huntress ¨C which was another mess all on its own. Aunty P. cursed at herself again and pulled back her hair. A lock fell out. She paused, staring at the frayed strands. The Royal Doctor had already cleared her health wise for this issue. She was in no danger of dying but the stress of the situation was far from healthy.. The doctor had rmended a vacation. A vacation. She cursed at herself again. She didn¡¯t need a vacation, she needed to go over the facts again. She needed to find the missing clue, find Spencer, and then find her niece. So, Spencer had abandoned his kingdom once his son and Sybil had been abducted. He had been present for all of Aunty P¡¯s orders during the Ruinsforth ceremony, even the one to kill Lnd. Spencer, then like the rat he is, took his wife, the Browns, and the Reds and ran. Whether or not the others wanted to go with him was up for debate. Carmin, Lucia, and Diana were in rough shape at the time of their abrupt departure. They might not have even realized they were being teleported away. So, Aunty P. was unsure about arresting them for treason. Still, Spencer didn¡¯t seem surprised when his son announced himself as a Harbinger. Which was all the more damning for the Silvers. Why Spencer decided to take everyone was just another question for which Aunty P. had no answer. Other than that Jude and Glenny knew of Lnd¡¯s title and Spencer was just trying to protect them. But sometimes the correct course of action was no action. Aunty P. supposed Spencer would eventually learn this lesson when he was kneeling on the executioner¡¯s block. After, of course, he found Sybil. Maybe Lucia would serve a life sentence if her husband saw the light and came to his senses in time. Lnd though? Lnd was a Harbinger and his kind was executed on sight. Aunty P. had no illusions that the kid¡¯s life wouldn¡¯t being to an early end. His name was already out there, along with enough wanted posters. Still, Aunty P. couldn¡¯t help but think Lnd was the key to all of this. Maybe not to where Sybil had been taken, but with getting Spencer to return to the kingdom to help. Oh, if only she could have gotten Harlen to talk before the Reflections ended. What had Harlen said when he first met Lnd? ¡°Son of the Cmity.¡± Yes, that was it; a throwawayment during quite a busy moment. Oh, how she had been so blind. Everything could have been solved before they became an issue if she had been paying a bit more attention¡­ if she had been a bit more paranoid. But with Harlen¡¯s locked lips, Aunty P. had resorted to relying solely on her own information web. Lnd was a Harbinger of the Cmity, he announced as much to the other Harbinger. Aunty P. knew not what the ¡°Cmity¡± was, but a few imed they did. None were reputable sources which put their answers far from her purview. If the trail ran any colder, however, then she might need to look into them. Even the oundish ims. Suffice to say, the ¡°Cmity¡± was a Lord of some sort. A Vile Lord, due to the Harbinger title, but one so far out of the public eye that not even Aunty P¡¯s Champion contacts knew who the Lord was. The Champions she had questioned all exined that not even their Lords knew who the ¡°Cmity¡± was, which Aunty P. decided to count as a lie. Of course the Lords knew who the ¡°Cmity¡± was, there was no doubt in Aunty P¡¯s mind of that. They just didn¡¯t want to tell her, which was more than disconcerting. Was Lnd¡¯s Lord that powerful and scary? That no other Lord wanted to even utter their name? A knock sounded across Aunty P¡¯s office. She took a deep breath and said ¡°Enter.¡± She cursed silently at herself onest time, knowing this conversation was going to be less than helpful. Not where it truly mattered, at any rate. The Huntress, while her true potential in the situation was yet to be seen, was hardly worth the care. Isobel had foregone direct orders and hesitated to kill Lnd. Aunty P. didn¡¯t know if she didn¡¯t have a clear shot or if she had refused orders, but the woman was missing and was presumed to have been teleported with Lnd and Sybil to that Witch¡¯sir. Whatever the case, this meeting now would hopefully reveal more about the Huntress. The door silently opened and an old man stepped in. Hiding in in sight was not something only Aunty P. excelled at. The man entering, High Inquisitor ¡°Tide Maker¡± Rushwin, helped write the book on subtlety. Gray short hair, wrinkled face, cloth that spoke not of wealth or rank but themon whispers of an ancient soldier. The only oddity about the man was his infinite blue eyes. As deep as the ocean and as vast as the magic he controlled. As Aunty P. understood it, controlling his eye color was something of difficulty to the man. The cantrip itself was rather easy, but the sheer power the man held made such things near impossible. Rushwin had long adapted to his talent for magic, however, and only allowed his eyes to exin his true calling when in the presence of those familiar with him. ¡°Sit,¡± Aunty P.manded, ushering in the tone of the conversation. Hard, dry, somewhat angry. Rushwin gave a slight nod and sat. ¡°Any updates before we begin?¡± Rushwin said, ¡°No. My contacts have no clue how Spencer disappeared so easily.¡± Aunty P. forced herself to swallow her anger. The High Inquisitor was an old friend. Her subordinate, yes, but no less a friend. The man had nothing to do with this case, not on the surface at least. ¡°Keep searching. In the meantime, tell me about the Huntress.¡± Rushwin was expecting this. After all, he had sent Isobel to watch over Princess Sybil as punishment for keeping secrets from him. Well ¡°secrets¡± was a bit much. Isobel was protecting someone, Rushwin had taken pity on her. It had been so long since ¡°the Huntress¡± cared for anyone but herself, which was why he didn¡¯t strip her rank. ¡°Isobel¡­ is a lost soul. She joined us after her family was taken from her. She rose through the ranks quickly, earning the right to work as an individual rather than a team years before most. She was good, which was why I helped train her somewhat. I wouldn¡¯t say my involvement in her power was strictly because of myself, but part of it was. I taught her my mercilessness.¡± Aunty P. eyed the High Inquisitor. The Tide Maker¡¯s ¡°mercilessness¡± was a thing of legend. Destroying whole corrupt towns, hunting down the worst bands of murderers, challenging the endless horde of Harbingers. Rushwin had done it all, and he never took prisoners. Not with the cases he epted. At least, years ago he did. Now, he regaled himself to the highmand. An overseer to the Inquisitors below him. Part of it was his age, part was that there was only so much battle a man could see before finding enemies where there weren¡¯t any. ¡°And why was she sent to guard Sybil?¡± Aunty P. asked. Rushwin didn¡¯t hesitate to answer. ¡°A Harbinger and a Lordly image of the Toy Maker attacked a town. She ims she killed the Harbinger and made the image retreat.¡± ¡°Hardly a reason for punishment guard duty,¡± Aunty P. mused. ¡°She lied?¡± ¡°Yes. She was there for the battle but had no hand in the actual fight. Someone else killed the Harbinger and fought the image to a standstill, eventually forcing the Toy Maker to run.¡± ¡°Any idea who?¡± ¡°Lnd Silver, son of Spencer and Lucia Silver.¡± Aunty P. lurched. ¡°What?¡± she spat. ¡°Why was I not informed of this?¡± Rushwin hesitated for a moment, but his superior noticed. ¡°I know Isobel. She has my mercilessness and has never once cared for anyone since her family died. She wanted revenge, and she got it. In the process, she became one of the best young rising stars in the Inquisitors. But the boy, and his two friends, made her shed some of her mercilessness. She lied to my face about their involvement because she knew what it meant if we knew. I chose to protect her as well.¡± There was silence. Rushwin subtly smiled to himself. ¡°I guess, in a way, Isobel is my Lnd. My mercilessness wanes when I deal with her.¡± Aunty P. stared. ¡°Lnd Silver is a known Harbinger. His Lord is only known as ¡®the Cmity.¡¯¡± Now that statement alone pped Rushwin¡¯s smile away. ¡°This is confirmed?¡± ¡°I heard him say it myself,¡± she blinked, her mask of subtly slipping into something dark. ¡°In Ruinsforth, standing beside Sybil right before she was taken!¡± The walls didn¡¯t shake from the yelling, not with the high quality runes carved into them. That didn¡¯t mean there wasn¡¯t stress on the system, however. Someone would need toe in and adjust them after this meeting. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know,¡± Rushwin muttered. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Aunty P. remarked, her voice far away from what it was. ¡°It is your job to know!¡± The High Inquisitor began to sweat. ¡°So Lnd Silver kidnapped the princess?¡± ¡°No,¡± the Eldest Princess said. ¡°At least, we do not think so. But he goaded the Undying Harbinger and the Gateway Witch into action. I then ordered his death. The Huntress ignored my orders.¡± Rushwin went to speak but paused. He deliberated for a long moment before saying, ¡°I know Lnd and Isobel¡¯s actions are going to be put to trial at this point. But do you not have any doubts that both were working to protect Princess Sybil rather than working to further their own goals?¡± Aunty P¡¯s brows bent down. Rushwin quickly added, ¡°Because, from my viewpoint as someone who has only read the reports from Ruinsforth, the Undying Harbinger stopped his assault due to Lnd. Carmon Red is still alive because of this. Ruinsforth is still alive because of this. How many people can say they¡¯ve talked a Harbinger down from destroying a city? Isobel most likely refused your order because she saw a path toward protecting the princess using Lnd.¡± ¡°That Harbinger was never gunning to destroy the city. And if he was, I doubt Lnd¡¯s words had any effect on stopping him. No, that man wanted Sybil after the ritual was over.¡± Aunty P. raised her voice for these next few words. ¡°Which he got. Sybil is gone, regardless of the Huntress¡¯ actions. And she is missing as well, might I add.¡± Rushwin leaned back and thought. Something, to him and his decades of field experience, was not adding up. He expressed as much. ¡°I agree,¡± Aunty P. said. ¡°Which is why I am chasing down the shortest of leads. Which is why you are here. Because I thought you had a superior-subordinate rtionship with the Huntress. Not whatever it is you have with her.¡± Thest little bit was said with spite and a sense of tiredness. She continued. ¡°This little revtion of her lying to you about Lnd Silver and you knowingly not reporting it, is exactly what I intend to find while scouring the bowels of known intellig¡ª¡± Aunty P. abruptly stopped, all anger washing out of her face and posture. In a fraction of a second, her sphere of influence widened out, epassing the whole of the castle. Through various Legacy means, the Eldest Princess ¡°saw¡± and ¡°heard¡± everything within the stone and bone walls. So, when a portal to the Void opened inside the throne room, she was the first to notice. One secondter, rms across the castle sounded. Aunty P. didn¡¯t wait for the High Inquisitor, instead flying out of her office with the speed rivaling even the Huntress. Combat prowess was not her specialty, but every good spy had a fight-to-the-death or two under their belt. Especially if they were as old as her. Even with her speed, she missed properly viewing the hole in reality before it closed. Her sphere of influence was massive, but it was just a drop in the bucketpared to the vastness of the Void. What came out of the portal almost made her trip. Aunty P. recovered mid stride, and continued on. As she did, she telepathically raised the rm-threat-level inside the castle. Teleporting suicide bombers were not as infrequent as they ought to be and she was not taking any chances until she could properly identify the girl in the throne room. Face stealers were another possibility, but Aunty P. hoped that wasn¡¯t the case. If it was, then there would be a royal funeral in the near future. She arrived in the throne room within a handful of seconds after the rms sounded. The two guardsmen stationed near the throne had already reacted, their spears thrust in front, ordering the sudden intruder to identify herself. Aunty P. shut the guards down with her very presence, forcing them to surrender themselves to the raw aura of power surrounding her. She would havemand over this interrogation, not two nameless peons. They didn¡¯t so much as try to argue with her authority and instead simply took a step back, their weapons still out. That was fine. This was fine. Everything was fine. Until it wasn¡¯t. Until Aunty P. saw the face of the young girl resting before her. The girl had copsed to her the moment after she arrived in the throne room. Aunty P. had watched it happen. There was an odd grace to the intruder sitting, like the person sitting on the marbled floors had some sort of royal charm schooling. She had fallen with modesty, like she was wearing a dress. She, of course, was not wearing a dress, but still reacted to the proper way to sit with a dress. Like she had done it a million times previously. A great detail for any face stealer trying to impersonate a princess. Whoever this was, they were set on truly selling the illusion. ¡°Who are¡ª¡± The girl looked up from the rightmost guard, the one just a hair closer, whose weapon was a fraction nearer. She spun at the voice, moving with the floaty speed of someone without Lord and Legacy. There was no guidance to her movement, no power coursing through her muscles. Aunty P. saw through this movement as someone who had really done their homework on Sybil. Taking ount of the princess¡¯ck of Legacy would be something most pros wouldn¡¯t think about. Whoever this was¡ª ¡°Aunty P!¡± the intruder yelped, fear turning to surprise, which quickly devolved into wells of tears. Water fell from the intruder¡¯s eyes with a sparkle. She tried to close the distance, to hug the Spymaster General, but the Eldest Princess took a half-step back. The intruder paused, her tears suddenly hardening into unease. ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Aunty P. asked, her face a mask. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s me, Sybil!¡± Aunty P. shifted a bit, pushing her lead hip forward and drawing back her dominant hand. It had been a while since she fought weaponless, but now was not the time to getcent. She took in her opponent, fully. Ratty cloak, one that reminded her of what the Huntress wore back in Ruinsforth. Wobbled legs, defeated arms. A familiar dark skin tone, albeit the dampness of her clothes turned the hue a bit darker than it should. Hair tied back unevenly by a strip of cloth. Two scars, one across her lip, the other down her face. She was thin, like food had been hard toe by. This especially showed on her face, yet a thickyer of dirt made it more difficult to see. But most damning, at least to Aunty P. knowing that this person was not Sybil Palemarrow, was that when the guards had thrust their weapons toward her, she did not try to run. To escape. No, the person now standing before Aunty P. was trained in some capacity. A poor training, one more of necessity than tutge, but training nheless. The intruder stepped forward. And then Aunty P. could smell it. The ever familiar scent of death. This person had been around a lot of death. Rot, ruin. It lingered, it stuck to clothing. It remained trapped like air in a box. This person was not Sybil Palemarrow. This person had killed Sybil Palemarrow and taken her face. ¡°Take her,¡± Aunty P.manded the guards. They were a bit slow on the uptake, so she added, ¡°Take this imposter to the dungeons.¡± That got them moving. But it also got the imposter moving. She didn¡¯t step forward, she didn¡¯t resist when the guards grabbed her. But she moved, nheless. It was subtle, her face twisted with a plethora of emotion. They were set behind a discipline of locked-away emotion, but they were there, and Aunty P. saw them in full. A quirk of the brow. A disbelieving swallow. Drying tear ducts followed by a twitch. Then the guards moved her a step. And then she reacted. Aunty P. had considered the threat of a suicide bomber. But tossed it away the moment she confronted the intruder. She would have exploded already to take out the Eldest Princess and Spymaster General. So when a dull gray glow sprouted from the intruder¡¯s skin and veins, Aunty P. feared she¡¯d been wrong. But no explosion came. No wave of poison. No incinerating mes. Nothing, but a familiar light show. In that glow, Aunty P. realized she was wrong. Not because of the glow itself, any magic could have the same effect. No, it was the ethereal statue that sprouted from Sybil¡¯s shoulders. It rose up above her, like a protector guardian, like a knight or even a mother. Her mother, the Queen. The statue held the same face as the Queen ¨C Sybil as well, actually. The statue¡¯s gaze fell upon Aunty P. She felt her legs go first, then a ze along her spine. The guards had already crumbled to the ground, shivering as their flesh charred from the divine source. Aunty P. realized the statue was not of her sister, the Queen nor of Sybil, her niece. But of the Lord the Palemarrows drew power and authority from. The Boneforged Monarch. ¡°S-Sybil¡ª¡± the name died on Aunty P¡¯s lips as the power of the Monarch threatened the very foundation of the castle on which they stood. The throne room shook with radiant heat and enough rms red that most of the lower city would know a threaty within the heart of the kingdom. A spell of rapid waves hurdled from the throne room entrance. Aunty P. forced herself to react, to throw herself in front of the attack. The spell sheared through her, severing her spine but reducing the spell to nothing but a brisk ssh. Momentum took her fast, sending her spiraling across the marbled floor. Her sights fell on High Inquisitor Rushwin, the Tide Maker himself, standing in the room¡¯s entrance. Sybil turned her, the Monarch¡¯s really, gaze on the man. She did not recognize him and felt no remorse when he crumbled to the ground, instead keenly noting that the attacker was taken care of. His body still twitched, however, steam rising from his oddly wet clothing. Aunty P. twisted back, only her upper half responding. Pain took her but she fought through, finding Sybil had moved yet again. Now the girl stood over her, tears evaporating the moment they fell from her face. ¡°Why?¡± she begged. ¡°I just wanted¡ª¡± Gray assaulted the throne room and the kingdom atrge. A domain of chilling reprisalbated the Boneforged Monarch¡¯s im on Sybil, shutting down the divine heat and easing the tension on the castle. A rush of cold came next, soothing the downed guards and Aunty P. The cold hesitated around Rushwin, lifting him up and removing him from the room. All around, the bone ent trim grew and deepened like a child¡¯s growth condensed down into just a few heartbeats. The windows turned dark, the domain blotting out all light except for what was truly necessary. Rejuvenating will then mped down on the Monarch¡¯s statue form, rending it from Sybil¡¯s shoulders with a raw yank. The Monarch hissed with frustration, resolving herself back into her host¡¯s body. The divine power rescinded. Sybil fell to her knees, tears still falling over her Aunt¡¯s sundered form. The Eldest Princess didn¡¯t seem to mind, however, and instead smiled brightly. How could she not? Her niece had just returned home. A bit worse for wear, sure, but safe, nheless. ¡°You¡¯re hurt¡­¡± Sybil muttered, thest remains of the gray glow fading. She scanned over her aunt¡¯s severed top half, her lower half a few steps away. ¡°I hurt you¡­ I killed you¡­¡± Thest three words were so quiet, so painful, that the air in the throne room stopped. The gray domain shifted away from the guards and Aunty P, and to Sybil herself. They petted her, soothing what little worry could be chiseled away in this situation. Aunty P. took onest look at her niece and then allowed herself toy back, worry free. ¡°No one dies when your mother is here, remember?¡± Sybil flinched at the question. She did remember, but her mother was not here. Her mother was far away doing whatever the kingdom demanded of¡ª Her train of thought died when the growing bones within the room joined one another. They grew and towered, climbing over one another before morphing together into a single set of ivory. Details were carved and depth was created. A face, muscles, appendages. A picturesque statue of the Queen quickly turned fleshy, turned real. The Queen of Palemarrow smiled, stepping across the throne room like she had done millions of times. There was no urgency in her pace, because as Aunty P. had said, no one died when she was around. ¡°Hello, my sweet child,¡± the Queen said, her voice causing an eruption of tears down her daughter¡¯s face. ¡°Wee back from your adventure. I hope you are ready to take the crown.¡± Spencer Silver rested against a thick frozen spire, overseeing the kids¡¯ safety as they defeated the worm boss. This was their third battle and first without help. While problems could arise, he didn¡¯t think they would. Not with how they had been fightingtely. Not with how much training they had done. It had been eight weeks since they went into hiding and entered the dungeon, but that timescale was skewed by four since dungeon time was much faster than normal time. So in reality, it had only been two weeks since Lnd and Sybil had gone missing from Ruinsforth. Everyday, Spencer felt his time could be better used finding Lnd and Sybil¡­ but he couldn¡¯t exactly abandon the others. Carmon, Lucia, and Diana were in horrid shape, Carmon being the worst off. They all would have died if not for daily mana transfusions and what little alchemical knowledge Spencer held. Unfortunately none of them knew healing magic of any kind, and their usual emergency kits had to be left behind. Roy tried to help in this regard, yet he was no mage. The most he could do was sit at his wife¡¯s bed and try not to wallow in shame. He had failed just like Spencer and the rest, putting everyone in extreme danger. His son, Jude, had almost died. His wife as well. And Roy med himself for that. At least he was able to train the boys. And Gelo for that matter. It was a bit of a surprise to actually meet the Guardian Spirit Beast mother and daughter. He had been told previously what to expect but seeing was believing. Floe¡¯s sheer power was something else. Gelo¡¯s potential was just as amazing. Maybe even more surprising was that Floe simply weed the boys, and in essence everyone else, into her dungeon like they were family. Spencer had been hesitant when Glenny suggested hiding in the dungeon, but now that they were here, he couldn¡¯t imagine being anywhere more secure. Not with the Spymaster after them. At the thought, a deep resentment and anger attached itself to him like a cancerous growth. He had been sitting just a few steps away when the woman ordered the Huntress to kill his son. At the time, Spencer was too focused on the battle with the Gateway Witch to fully understand the implications of the order. But once the battle settled and the Undying Harbinger left, Ariadne Palemarrow was lucky Spencer was never very good atbat magic. Sitting against the frozen worm spire, Spencer slowly clenched his fist. There was no doubt in his mind that if he and Ariadne Palemarrow were in the same room, that he wouldn¡¯t miss a second time. ¡°You are daydreaming again,¡± a voice said suddenly beside him. Spencer didn¡¯t have to look over to know it was the mama bear, Floe, who spoke. His anger relented and he cast his gaze back over to Jude, Glenny, and Gelo. Jude had invoked Floe¡¯s incarnation blessing and carved deeply into the massive worm¡¯s nk. It was gushing blood like a geyser. The incarnation took the form of a mighty frost bear, the same species Floe and Gelo were descendants of. At the apex of his attacks, the bear would appear behind and above him, adding greatly to his strike with a meaty swipe of its own. Glenny was moving around invisible, shifting his weapons to inflict the maximum amount of damage from the various angles he attacked from. The boy had made recent strides in Echo Waltz, a particrly difficult de dance his father had taught him the basics of years ago. Every so often he would step and sh correctly and a second ethereal attack would connect a momentter. Most interesting was how the cub, Gleo, fought. She was the mage archetype, staying toward the back of the battlefield and casting storms of frost and spikes of ice. While her style wasn¡¯t much to dissect, it was the beauty in her spells that made Spencer watch with bated breath. Someone like Roy or Carmon might not notice but each of her spells was created with a true master¡¯s touch. Perfectly crafted, as if the ice wanted to be shaped and called by her. ¡°Yes and no,¡± Spencer replied to the bear. ¡°I¡¯m just worried.¡± Floe nodded her head, a mannerism that Spencer would not have thought the bear would use. She said, ¡°While I didn¡¯t know your son long, I knew his power. Jude was strung up and dying and the world reacted to his will.¡± Spencer frowned at that. That was almost exactly how he saw Gelo¡¯s power. ¡°Like how Gelo casts spells?¡± he asked. Floe looked toward the battle. The worm was as good as dead. ¡°No. Not at all. Gelo and I are one with our element. With nature, really. The ice and cold is a part of us as much as we are them. We ask for magic, and magices to help.¡± She collected her thoughts before continuing. ¡°Lnd¡­ is different. When Jude was dying, he bent the world to hismand. He forced his spells to be far more powerful than they had any right to be. He forced Jude¡¯s Legacy to react. To enrage.¡± ¡°Sounds like a sight to see. He controls magic like the Harbinger the world now thinks he is.¡± Spencer didn¡¯t mean his words, but the fact of the matter was, if Lnd wasn¡¯t a Harbinger, then there would be no problems. He knew his son wasn¡¯t evil, but Harbingers were. Unequivocally¡­ at least socially. Lnd¡¯s life, if somehow he was able to get out of the Palemarrow gaze, would grow exponentially more difficult since everyone now knew the truth. Floe looked nkly at the pouty human. ¡°Opinions will not matter when he dominates every threat that faces him. He will do the world good, and people will see that for what it is, good.¡± Spencer watched the worm breathe itsst breath. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he whispered. Nodding happily, Floe asked, ¡°When will you be leaving?¡± They had talked about this a few times, Spencer leaving. The others would stay and he alone would leave. He had a few tracker-contacts across the continent who owed him a few favors. He would be collecting on those, and he would find his son one way or another. For all of that to happen, however, Carmon, Diana, and Lucia needed to be stable. Lucia was close, Diana next, but Carmon was not. It would be at least another two weeks, perhaps three, before he was, unfortunately. Once Lucia was up and able, that timeline should speed up a bit, but that might be wishful thinking. Lucia¡¯s whole mana system was burned up. Whatever soul-damaging artifact the Gateway Witch hit her with cauterized all of her mana channels. Non-life threatening, but a devil to deal with. ¡°Soon, I hope,¡± Spencer responded, his mind going to all the horrible things that might be happening to his son. Thick chains fell from Lnd¡¯s wrists. At the same time, he felt his connection with his mana return. Mage Chains were just as horrible as the stories said. His whole stay in the Graverender¡¯s bastion had been under strict no-magicw. Which meant mana draining manacles. Which meant mana-headaches. Which also meant he was a prisoner. Champion Zeph had tried to ease Commander Hayze¡¯s ire, but to no avail. Lnd and Isobel had been locked away for their actions helping the Archon leave this world, despite having multiple good Lords¡¯ blessings on the matter. Hayze did not like to be disobeyed. Her current re exined as much. ¡°I expect you to vacate the bastion in exactly one hour, when the caravan heading to Jyn departs.¡± Lnd rubbed his wrists, taking in all the sweet, sweet mana in the air. ¡°We don¡¯t have any money to pay for the caravan.¡± Hayze frowned and nced at Isobel. The ignorant woman leaned into the wall, her eyes closed. Hayze very much doubted the woman was asleep. And even if she was, Hayze didn¡¯t like her, so if information was lost, it wouldn¡¯t be her problem. ¡°You will be provided a small amount of gold.¡± That was not the answer Lnd wanted, so he tried again. ¡°We have money. Just not on us. Someone took my inventory ring, remember?¡± Hayze scowled, then fished through her pocket. She handed Lnd two rings. One was his own, the other Isobel¡¯s. Lnd instantly slipped his on, taking inventory. Everything still seemed to be in there, except for all of the teal rings he had gathered on route to the storm. Those were soldier identification tags for the Graverenders and not his to keep. She also handed him Sybil¡¯s bone white mask. She looked like she wanted to ask something about the mask, but she held off. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Zeph still around?¡± ¡°He will meet you at the gate,¡± Hayze said, spinning and walking off. Isobel cracked open an eye. ¡°Horrid woman, her.¡± Down the hallway, Hayze faltered a step, recovered, muttered something about ¡°insolence,¡± then continued off tomand her men. Back in the prison cell, Isobel smirked. ¡°Please, Isobel. Don¡¯t antagonize her anymore. We are about to be home free and I don¡¯t want to be locked up another night just because Hayze is feeling spiteful,¡± Lnd said. Down the hallway, Hayze faltered again, shook her head, and strode off faster. Isobel sighed. ¡°Whatever.¡± She hopped to her feet, took her ring from Lnd, and exited the bastion¡¯s dungeon. It had only been a few days since Sapphire escaped this world, and for nearly all of that Isobel and Lnd had been in custody. For what it was worth, being in custody had some perks. For example, passage out of the Archon Valley was as simple as it was quick. Isobel and Lnd had been flown out by Champion Zeph and the other Sky Dwarves while Commander Hayze and her men followed closely behind. Lnd could do without the Mana Chains, but then again, he wouldn¡¯t have been put in them if Isobel hadn¡¯t mouthed off. He still didn¡¯t know why he was being punished for her mess-up other than he seemed to be able to get through to her the most. At least more than Zeph or Hayze could. Champion Zeph and the other dwarves met Lnd and Isobel at the gates exactly as told. After a long talk, the caravan was starting to pull out of the bastion. The caravan had delivered its weekly supply and now it was time to refill. Jyn was the destination, a small agricultural town with a sprawling research scene. The town was the only ce near the Archon Valley where people could actually stay without being osted by the Graverenders, so researchers flocked. ¡°Goodbyed, girly,¡± Zeph said as Lnd and Isobel climbed aboard a covered wagon. ¡°Bye,¡± Isobel quickly said, gettingfortable on the hard wooden seat. ¡°Bye, Zeph, thank you for the help back there,¡± Lnd said, smiling as bright as could be. Despite being arrested, imprisoned, and shackled, Lnd found himself quite happy. Sybil had gotten home, he had been kissed, Sapphire had gotten to go home, no one died, he had been kissed, and he was finally on his way home. It had been a hellish few weeks, but everything was ending with a nice, scenic trip across the world. ¡°Aye,d. d I could,¡± Zeph said, walking with the caravan¡¯s slow eleration. ¡°If a need arises, let me know if my help could be useful,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll contact me, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure it out. Oh! Say thanks to your Lord for me!¡± Zeph smiled, along with the two other dwarves following closely to the side. ¡°Thanks for the offer,d, but I¡¯m not going to cash that in until you are much more powerful than you are right now.¡± Lnd smirked at that. There was no malice in the Champion¡¯s words and Lnd didn¡¯t try to find any. He knew exactly how strong he was and exactly how much of a liability he could be. So, in the end, he saw Zeph¡¯s words as a nod to the future, a future in which Lnd was powerful enough to help. ¡°Bye everyone, thanks again! Oh! Make sure Hayze does something about that wormhole! I think she forgot!¡± The dwarves smiled and stopped moving with the wagon. They waved until the caravan passed over a hill. Lnd took a seat beside Isobel. ¡°I guess that¡¯s that.¡± ¡°So it is,¡± she said, closing her eyes. ¡°I hope Sybil got help in time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she did.¡± Lnd nodded along, watching the countryside go by. ¡°What do we do now? Do we just waltz back into the kingdom? Or do we gather information before¡ª¡± Isobel cracked open an eye. ¡°We are doing nothing until we know if our heads are wanted for disy purposes. If they are, then you better change your name and look for employment as a mage-tech somewhere.¡± Lnd frowned, his fingers rubbing Sybil¡¯s mask. He could go incognito if he needed. Which, by Isobel¡¯s tone, would probably be needed. But even if he was in danger of losing his head, it wouldn¡¯t stop him from finding his family and friends. At the very least, he needed to know if they were safe. If he needed to run after that, so be it. In his heart of hearts, he knew he wouldn¡¯t have to run. ¡°How¡¯s Rushwin?¡± Aunty P. asked. Queen Ellie Palemarrow turned her gaze away from her daughter. ¡°Alive. Close, but alive.¡± Aunty P. nodded at that, sitting beside the bed. She reached out to take Sybil¡¯s hands, but a small shockwave of power bloomed from the protective barrier around the girl. ¡°It will fall eventually,¡± Ellie added, her voice stoic and calm. Aunty P. didn¡¯t know how her sister could be calm in such a situation. Her daughter was in aa within a barrier of divine mana. Was she safe? Was she dying? Aunty P. didn¡¯t know, and she suspected her sister didn¡¯t either. Thest few hours had been hell. From getting her torso reattached to her body, her spine realigned, and her nerve endings rejuvenated, pain was something she had quickly be familiar with. But, she hadn¡¯t died, and that was good enough. Rushwin and the guards as well, apparently, so that was good too. Aunty P. mentally cursed herself. How could she have been so blind as to not recognize her own niece? Foolish and shameful. ¡°How long, do you think?¡± Ellie hummed, ¡°A few weeks, I hope. The Boneforged Monarch was close to iming her. Luckily she returned to us in time.¡± Aunty P. had many questions about that, but one stuck out more than most. ¡°How did she get back? Did the Witch just get tired of her and send her away?¡± The Queen frowned. ¡°Forces greater than you or I are at y. I saw the threads of fate twist and turn every hour she was gone. The possibility of her being returned to us had always been there, but it was never set in stone. Which is worrisome.¡± ¡°And those threads don¡¯t have any knowledge of how she got back?¡± ¡°They do. But those hints are staying with me.¡± Aunty P. frowned. She had lost her sister¡¯s trust and that was crushing. ¡°You will learn, but not right now. Maybe not even in my lifetime,¡± Ellie added. Sitting up straight at that, Aunty P asked, ¡°So it is time?¡± ¡°Yes. A sessor has been named. I thought I had more time, but the Monarch does as she wishes.¡± ¡°What will happen to you?¡± The question was asked like a little girl questioning death for the first time. ¡°I will still be here, in Sybil. I will guide her the best I, and the other Queens, can.¡± ¡°What about the other children? They need their mother.¡± Ellie shook her head. ¡°I wish I could say, but we always knew this day woulde.¡± Aunty P. swallowed her initial thought. It was not Sybil¡¯s fault she was taking her mother¡¯s life. It was not Sybil¡¯s fault she was taking Aunty P¡¯s sister from her. It was only the rules of ruling, the rules of the Monarch. ¡°When?¡± she asked, tears streaming down her face. When was thest time she cried? Nearly a century ago? Ellie looked her sister in the eye. ¡°The process has already started.¡± She held up a hand, her dark skin had turned somewhat translucent. ¡°I need you to promise me that you will protect her until the Monarch finalizes the change.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Aunty P. said instantly, her voice hard. ¡°Good. When Sybil wakes, her Legacy will finally be realized and she will be the new Queen.¡± Ellie then stood and spoke softly. ¡°Goodbye my sister. I wish you all my love and happiness.¡± Aunty P. stood as well, hugging her sister, her tears falling onto her sister¡¯s shoulder. Sapphire soared through the Void. Abruptly, a world appeared. Her world. A hive mind world, full of Archons and means of discovery. She would never forget the humans who helped her get here. Sybil, Lnd, and Isobel. They were kind humans, much nicer than most of the people she had met in the Valley. So as she slotted into one of the manymunes in her world, the other Archons quickly learned of Sybil, Lnd, and Isobel and their heroics in the face of unknown magic, knowledge, and power. Soon enough Sapphire¡¯s experiences while experimenting in the Valley would be fully realized and the hive mind would decide which new Realms, worlds, and Domains were to be connected. Sapphire held no delusions that these new connections would surely bring death and destruction to Sybil, Lnd, and Isobel¡¯s world, but it needed to be done. If not for their world, then for the others. In time their world would grow ustomed to these new connections and the various monsters, sapient life, and magic that woulde. Sapphire hoped Sybil, Lnd, and Isobel would evolve and thrive in their newly adjusted world. She would not forget them, just like the hive mind. Chapter 174: On the Road Chapter 174: On the Road ¡°I spy¡­ something yellow.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Whaa¡ª Come on, this is so boring!¡± ¡°That game is for children.¡± ¡°It is not!¡± Lnd said, feeling a bit osted. ¡°Jude, Glenny, and I used to y all the time on the road.¡± Isobel cracked open one eye, still leaning across the wagon seat semi-asleep. ¡°Exactly, a child¡¯s game.¡± Lnd frowned, feeling as though he walked into that one. Isobel smirked, closing her eye and shifting around a bit. The duo were still traveling away from the Graverender¡¯s bastion, but unfortunately the journey was quite slow. And boring. And tedious. And bumpy. And slow. ¡°Gah,¡± Lnd mumbled, looking away. He stared off into the distance, rolling ins rising and lowering with smooth hills and even smoother foliage. There was grass. And only grass. Tall grass, sure, but it was still grass. There weren''t even monsters around to defend the caravan from. What few beasts that did try and near the wagons were swiftly taken care of by Isobel. In fact, she did it so subtly that Lnd wasn¡¯t even sure the Huntress was doing anything. One moment his instincts would tell him something was near, the next that feeling would go away. The only hint of Isobel doing something was a soft woosh of air and her adjusting her posture. But, like any bored person, Lnd suddenly became very interested in watching Isobel. And, soon enough, he saw her flinch her arm out of the wagon, firing off a bolt of poison from her wrist without even materializing her parasitic weapon. So, as Lnd sat there, defeated in verbal sparring with Isobel, he toyed around with his magic. Unfortunately, besides his contracts, his magic was heavilycking in nuance. Fracture worked rtively simply and just broke a bone or two. Curse of Copse did much the same, but instead slowed the target. Circle of Souls was quite interesting, especially if he focused on the soul of the Damned aspect of the curse. But he couldn¡¯t exactly practice that curse in the open, at least not with normal people around. Harbinger Halo had infinite potential, but again, it was not a curse he wished to practice with others around. Less he be outed as a Harbinger. The Graverenders and the Sky Dwarves were definitely in the minority when it came to epting a Harbinger for who they were rather than the halo marking them as strictly evil. Then there was Soul Fire. And he just wasn¡¯t going to practice that curse. Probably ever if he was being honest. The stars had to align for that curse to circumvent his self-imposed limitations. The target had to be a Harbinger or a particrly heinous Witch and the soul used had to be about the same. So, Crow Massacre was the only curse Lnd could practice. While the curse¡¯s description stated he could onlymand his summons to attack a single target, he had found that wasn¡¯t strictly true. The crows did as he often wanted, splitting off into small groups to attack multiple people or aiming for specific weak spots, like the eyes or joints. He had even used them as an intimidation factor, simplymanding them to look imposing while they sat on branches or ledges. The curse was by far his favorite, for nothing more than the simple fact that it was fun. While the archetype of the summoner was not what he originally envisioned himself to be, it was nice to have some vor to his attacks. There were only so many times he could break a person¡¯s bones before it becameme. But then again, Harbinger Halo and the many contracts he held, were also quite fun. But the power he collected was never his. Or at least, it didn¡¯t feel like it. He hadn¡¯t earned those spells, only talked himself into a favorable light or promised he could get a job done for a Lord. Which, while very true, he knew not to believe the negative thoughts. He had earned those contracts, regardless of how easy they were or how different the contract was to his usual magic style. Still, Lnd was d he could dip his toes into every mage archetype. While he couldn¡¯t see himself as a summoner, he also couldn¡¯t quite picture himself as anything else. Before he epted the Curse Lord¡¯s Legacy, he saw himself as a lightning mage, like his mom. But even then, he wasn¡¯t fully sold on it. One day it was lightning mage, the next me caller. Then the week after he would read a passage in a book and realize he truly wished to be a spellsword¡­ until the day after when he remembered he was useless with a sword and retreated back into thefort of his father¡¯s spatial magic. At least until the next thunderstorm, when he remembered the true power of lightning magic¡­ So, contracts were perfect. Everything he could ever want, at the tip of his fingers. Above the caravan, a murder of fifteen crows suddenly appeared. They were too far away for any of the horses pulling the wagons to notice, but a few of the drivers did. They hesitantly looked around, slowly readying themselves for a monster attack. Lnd instantly mentallymanded the crows to fly in figure-eights and or a wavy pattern. Luckily, this eased everyone and soon enough, most of the wagons had heads popping out of the covered tops watching the show. They moved well with each other, synchronizing their wings and diving and climbing so close to one another that they tempted collision. They flew into various shapes, squares, arrows, triangles, simple things, mainly for Lnd to practice group dynamics. The curse was a living breathing thing, well maybe not living, because they were mana summons, but they sure acted like it. Each bird had its own semi-consciousness, enough so that they could act without Lnd¡¯s direct focus. They were far from actual crows, but the simplemand of ¡°attack that thing and don¡¯t die,¡± had a lot of leeway. But when they flew as they were doing now, they forced Lnd to actuallymand them rather consistently. He wasn¡¯t controlling each and every one of their flights, but he did split his consciousness fifteen different ways toplete the show. Practical forbat? No, not at all. Fun enough to ease his boredom? Yes,pletely. Then the curse¡¯s duration ended and Lnd didn¡¯t feel like resummoning them. Instead he opened his grimoire, pulling it from his tattoo. Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 16 (C+) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. For a single target, break a random bone in their body with a 80% chance to break a second. Crow Massacre: Type: Curse Rank: 15 (B-) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon a full murder of 15 ethereal crows to attack targets for up to 2 minutes. When all crows are present and attacking the same target, their beaks and talons are enhanced. All resultant damage dealt by the crows bleed the target for an additional amount over 50 seconds. Curse of Copse: Type: Curse Rank: 14 (B-) Pull the target towards the end, bringing them one step closer to the Lord of Death. Exhaust the target for up to 3 minutes, decreasing their speed by 50%. Targets under this curse deal 14% less damage to you. Harbinger Halo: Binding Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 16 (Specialization: A) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling their aid. Contractsst up to 26 minutes. If terminated early, the cool down period is decreased. Up to 2 contracts may be acted upon at one time. Contracts that produce direct spells, curses, abilities, incantations, and/or passive effects that deal with mana, may have lifeforce partially supplemented. Effects may vary. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 15 (B+) Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 50 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 15% for 1 minute. Held lost souls may now be given to a soul of the Damned as payment for a task. Damage dealt to one target within the circle is duplicated onto all targets inside the circle for 12% effectiveness. Contracts: Lord of Magic: For the duration of the contract, all magical abilities are increased by a factor of 5%. Only usable once per hour. Lord of Spirits: For the duration of the contract, all magical abilities take on a single intended spiritual effect. Only usable once per hour. Lord of the Moonless: For the duration of the contract, all works of art shine with the light of the moon. Lord of Nature: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Touch of Regeneration, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Water: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Shield of Water, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Endurance: For the duration of the contract, if used whilepletely exhausted, each running step provides a small addition to your base stamina. Contract is usable once per hour. Steps: 249 Lord of Chameleon: For the duration of the contract, gain adaptive mage perception (sight, smell, or instinct). Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Erupting Skies: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Erupting Steps, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Space: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Spatial Bend, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Pathways: The Lord of Pathways has augmented the parasitic tattoo, Lodestar, with a pathway. Lord of the Void: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Void Slip, is avable. Contract is usable once per year. He mostly skimmed through his contracts. There was a lot of information in those pages, but also a lot of redundancies. There was also a page for Soul Fire, which he didn¡¯t flip to because it made his stomach churn just thinking about it. Having gone through everything, Lnd put the book away and decided to try something new-ish.He always felt deficient in cantrips, small Legacy-less spells.. Creating a drip of water or a spark to light a campfire were nice, but they were rather useless inbat. He and Isobel decided he needed a cantrip that made his curses invisible. He also wanted to learn the cantrip called Memory Recall in order to decipher what one of the Archons said to him in the Valley, but he also needed anguage contract of some sort for that to work. There was also non-verbal casting he wanted to practice, but that was less of a cantrip and more of a technique. So he focused on invisible casting, and as it turned out, oddly enough, Circle of Souls was the curse to practice with. Well, at the curse¡¯s build up, at least. The cantrip worked by pairing the spell, or curse in Lnd¡¯s case, into the cantrip, thus resulting in a filter-like effect. There was a bit more to it, but that was how his parents described it to him years ago and that was how he pictured it. So, step one: create the filter. Visualization came in handy here, allowing Lnd to shape his mana into a form like a short tunnel. Step two added the ¡°filter¡± mana, stylizing the mana¡¯s aspect to ¡°smother¡± the coloration and effect of the curse. Then came step three. Under normal, non-invisible metrics, Circle of Souls started out with Lnd gathering his mana and calling to the enemy to ¡°kneel before me.¡± But technically the curse started out even before that. Before gathering mana, what mana was already floating around his mana system had to be engaged. And it was that slight difference that allowed Lnd to ¡°cast¡± Circle of Souls without ever gathering the mana for it. The effect, often called ¡°holding a spell,¡± didn¡¯t invoke any power or magic, at least not outside his body. Inside was different. If someone was actually staring into his eyes, they would notice them burning with a faint violet fire. And it was that fire Lnd attempted to ¡°make invisible.¡± So, with his funnel ready, Lnd engaged his mana, pulling it into the funnel and holding the curse. Isobel had been watching him with one eye open. ¡°Better, but I can still see wisps of fire.¡± Lnd nodded along, knowing the attempt wasn¡¯t his best. He tried again and again, for the duration of the remainder of the caravan ride. Before too long, they were departing their wagon and stepping into the research town of Jyn. Chapter 175: Inquisitors Chapter 175: Inquisitors Departing the wagon, Lnd and Isobel were stopped by a driver from further up the caravan. The man, darker inplexion like he had sat in the sun all his life, sauntered over, a grand smile on his face. He started speaking to them in an unfamiliarnguage. When it became apparent there was a disconnect, the man turned and waved over a younger woman. The woman wore a sleeveless vest and a wide straw hat. She, like the man, had a great smile. They spoke for a moment before the woman spoke with a heavy ent, ¡°Either of you speak Galform?¡± Isobel answered, ¡°Mother tongue, yes.¡± ¡°I thought so,¡± the woman continued, the man talking in her ear. ¡°From Palemarrow? Not too many of you types here.¡± ¡°Life is strange that way.¡± ¡°Right so! My father just wanted to thank you for taking care of the monsters. He says it was the easiest ride he has had from the Graverenders to Jyn in decades. Even when the powerful board his wagons!¡± Lnd smiled at that. Something as simple as Isobel wanting to sleep and not be disturbed was enough to make these people''s lives much easier. It was a shame others wouldn¡¯t do the same, but such was life. ¡°d we could help!¡± Lnd said. Isobel stole a re. ¡°¡¯We?¡¯¡±He shrugged. ¡°If you didn¡¯t do it, I would have.¡± The woman looked between them quizzically. She hummed, her father whispering something else. She went back and forth with him in theirnguage for a moment, eventually speaking in Galform, ¡°What are you two looking to do here? Need transportation out of Jyn? I can trante and get you a discount if you wish. I know all of the caravans.¡± Before Isobel could answer, Lnd did. ¡°That would be great. If you could also rmend a ce to eat and stay for the night?¡± ¡°Perfect! Name is Kris.¡± She gestured to herself then to the man beside her. ¡°My father Tor.¡± ¡°Well Mr Tor, that was one of the smoothest caravan ride¡¯s I¡¯ve ever had,¡± Lnd said. Kris tranted his words then responded with Tor¡¯s, ¡°d we could be of service.¡± The driver bowed to Lnd and Isobel, patted his daughter on the back, then walked off to deal with the wagons. ¡°Shall we go?¡± Kris asked. Lnd and Isobel followed, Isobel with a frown that contrasted with Lnd¡¯s smile. The local showed them through the town, pointing out ces to eat and sleep as she went. She told them that every establishment was ustomed tomunicating through anguage barrier. As it turned out, people from far and wide came to Jyn to study the Archons, which also meant there were plenty of magical shops to explore. Built mainly with imported wood and stone, Jyn was a melting pot. People from all over rushed around, some carrying thick stacks of books, others walking with sacks of herbs or ss vials. Buildings were short and fortified, whether from monster attacks or internal alchemical explosions. Yet there was a distinctck of guard presence. Despite most of the town¡¯s poption engaging in dangerous experiments, no one seemed to be at odds with each other. In fact, most people knew each other. Jyn wasn¡¯t small by any means, but it wasn¡¯t toorge either. And because most were researching Archons, there was a sense ofmunity. Kris eventually took them to the transportation depo, a shabby shack with a single attendant sitting inside. She handled herself excellently, brokering passage for two west. Where west? It didn¡¯t really matter to Lnd and Isobel. Some routes were harder, others cheaper, but as long as they went west, they didn¡¯t care what towns or cities they visited. ¡°Are you looking to travel all the way bynd?¡± Kris asked. ¡°Because Noir Stone is a very incredibly rare, inventory rings did bring unwanted attention most of the time. Pickpockets were one, another was just normal people gawking at the wealth. Kris handed the money over, receiving some back in change. She then handed Lnd a scratchy piece of paper with a date and time. ¡°Leaves in two days. Caravan called the ¡®Long Whip.¡¯¡± Lnd made the same gesture to his back pocket, putting the paper into his ring. ¡°It¡¯s going to be dark soon. Mind walking us back to one of those inns you showed us?¡± Kris nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± And that was what they did. Through the market and research district, past the statue of an artist¡¯s depiction of a ¡°Grand Archon.¡± Lnd read the que, learning that the artist had never actually seen an Archon and that there was no such thing as a ¡°Grand Archon.¡± Still, the statue was rather well made, just too human-like with not enough veils or gems. At the thought, Lnd silently hoped Sapphire made it to wherever she was supposed to be. As the setting sun cast the town in amber, Lnd noticed a change in the air. Maybe it was living in the wild and sleeping under the threat of attack for thest few weeks that had his senses honed. Life or death battles had bemonce for him and he had yet to rx from that fact. ¡°Isobel?¡± he whispered, Kris leading the way just a few steps ahead. ¡°Inquisitors,¡± the Huntress spat, her eyes leading a trail through the crowd. Lnd followed it,ing to a man and a woman wearing the familiar colors of the Palemarrow Inquisitors. Their armor was simple polished steel with golden trim and a deep red cloak, one wore a sword on their hip, the other wore ck enchanted gloves ¨C a caster of some sort. ¡°We should¡ª¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Isobelmanded, her eyes turning to those of an eagle. ¡°Can you see what they are holding?¡± Squinting, Lnd wished he could cast invisibly. He had the perfect contract for situations like this. ¡°Are those wanted posters?¡± Isobel growled, spinning on her heel and pushing Lnd down the street in the opposite direction, leaving Kris behind. She pushed him quickly, her strength easily overpowering him. Knowing it was futile, he didn¡¯t fight it. They ducked behind a building. ¡°What?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Those posters were of us,¡± she spat. ¡°Sybil, you, and me. We had ¡®dead or alive¡¯ pricing.¡± Oh that was¡­ Lnd thought for a moment. ¡°How much am I worth?¡± Isobel sneered at him. ¡°I¡¯m just saying¡ª¡± ¡°We are fugitives, boy, do you not get it? They think we kidnapped the princess. And if the Inquisitors are all the way over here, then they are desperate.¡± Lnd gave her a look. ¡°I do get that. But I ¨C we ¨C also know that Sybil was sent home. So, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem, should there?¡± Isobel looked at him like he was dumb. ¡°You are a Harbinger and I am a rogue operative. Regardless of the kidnapping thing, you are kill on sight and I am detain on sight with killing me being an eptable oue.¡± ¡°Sybil wouldn¡¯t allow that to happen. She would protect us. She¡¯s probably already told Aunty P. everything that has happened.¡± Actually agreeing to that, Isobel peered past the building. ¡°But information like that takes time to organize and send out. Right now, we are wanted. Maybe those Inquisitors will have their orders recalled, but as of right now, we are in danger.¡± Lnd saw reason in that. ¡°So we just ignore them, then? Don¡¯t get caught? We are leaving in a caravan in a few days anyway. We cany low until then.¡± Isobel took a long second. ¡°No, no we are not.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± ¡°We are traveling by foot.¡± She smiled. ¡°Or should I say, we are flying.¡± Slow realization overcame Lnd. He smiled. ¡°We need a ce to stay for the night and I¡¯ll need a list of Lords to petition¡­ although, I know the Crow Lord and my Lord have a thing.¡± ¡°A ¡®thing?¡¯¡± ¡°She killed the original Crow Lord years and years ago. It was implied that the current Crow Lord will do anything to stay on her good side.¡± Isobel had been leaning past the wall peering at the crowd, but at that deration she slowly retracted herself. She stared at Lnd for more time than wasfortable, then she shook her head. ¡°Whatever works,¡± she muttered. Chapter 176: Contracts Chapter 176: Contracts After a quick dinner and a pantomime conversation with an innkeeper, Lnd and Isobel had rooms for the night. They were far from the main square where they saw the Inquisitors, taking up residence at the edge of the town. Isobel had disappeared for a few minutes at one point, stating that she was going ¡°check on things.¡± She returned with confirmation that only two Inquisitors were in the town. ¡°They are far from home, meaning they do not have any real jurisdiction. But since this town doesn¡¯t have a guard force, we can¡¯t get caught.¡± Lnd nodded solemnly to that. What Isobel wasn¡¯t telling him was that if they got caught, there would be a battle. A battle the Huntress would win. And not wanting to kill innocents, Lnd didn¡¯t take any unnecessary risks or draw too much attention to himself. Luckily for him, he was a mage and fit in quite well with the town¡¯s poption. But failing that, he also had Sybil¡¯s mask bound to his belt. If the need arose, he could slip into obscuration and run. But if everything went to n, he wouldn¡¯t need to do that. Reading over the short list of Lords he and Isobel had thought might help, Lndy down in his room and got to work. Starting from the top, he whispered, ¡°Lord of Crows I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± The world shed white and suddenly Lnd was floating. He cruised through the Void with a new appreciation for the endlessness. He was under no threat here, not when he had already proven he could escape whenever he needed. That reminded him of the Gateway Witch and what was waiting for him back home. If they ever met again, he would kill her. The issue with that statement was the Undying Harbinger that traveled with her. He was the true powerhouse of their terror, but Lnd supposed he had a way to bring his own terror too. Soul Fire. As much as it disgusted him to use, the sheerck of humanity of the Undying Harbinger was more disgusting. Killing any and everyone indiscriminately while trying to kidnap a princess? Despicable. Taking a deep breath, Lnd knew he had a long way to go. Hopefully after tonight, he would take another step forward.The white of the Void ended, transitioning abruptly into pure darkness. Then Lnd¡¯s weight came back and he no longer floated. He fell, blind yet knowing there was only open skies around him. From the tattoo on the back of his hand, Lnd pulled out his grimoire, the book open already to the page he sought. mming his palm into the page, the contract with the Chameleon Lord activated and the darkness turned incandescent. Lord of Chameleon: For the duration of the contract, gain adaptive mage perception (sight, smell, or instinct). Contract is usable once per hour. Lnd¡¯s eyes instantly changed, oveing the ck and honing in like a predator¡¯s. He flinched at the movement all around him, the wind rushing past him all but blotting out his hearing. Birds, crows to be specific, moved in waves, circling around him like a school of fish around a shark. They cawed as one, each screeching like guard dogs alerting their master. Lnd nced below, finding no ground. At least, no ground he could see. Breathing a sigh of relief, he yelled over the wind, ¡°Lord of Crows! It is an honor to meet you! I am Lnd Silver, Legacy of the Curse Lord! May we speak on a mutual contract?¡± Still unable to hear the crows¡¯ song, Lnd watched them go silent, their beaks snapping closed. Then, like a lighthouse in the dead of night, a sh of color expunged the ck. Radiant violet, the same color as the ethereal crows Lnd summoned, eclipsed the murder, guiding their flight. The light source moved, and the others followed. Then Lnd was left alone. He made a face, the wind blowing back his hair. He needed a haircut, it was getting a bit long¡ª ¡°On whose orders did youe here?¡± a voice called, causing Lnd to flinch. The radiant crow circled once around him, wrapping around him so that they were face to face. It pped its wings once every few seconds, somehow able to float at the same speed of Lnd falling¡­ or, maybe they weren¡¯t falling. Lnd silently hummed, trying to orient himself like he was traveling in the Void. His body agreed, and he ¡°stood.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s better,¡± he said smiling. ¡°And no one. I came here for myself.¡± The Crow Lord eyed him, its eyes like ck marbles. ¡°I do not believe you. Your master killed mine, and now she sends you to kill me. A ssical story, master versus master, apprentice versus apprentice.¡± Lnd wanted to sigh, and he almost did out of irritation. Despite being a ¡°Lord,¡± most Lords he had spoken to were far from the paragons of virtue he hade to expect. Countless bedtime stories had been read to him by his parents, and he felt they were all exaggerated at this point. Lords were too egotistical to be as selfless as he was led to believe. Still, they were Lords, and that title demanded respect. So Lnd didn¡¯t take the bait. Instead he did as the Void Lord had taught him: to be confident in his dealings. ¡°I understand there is bad history with the previous Crow Lord. But I am not my Lord and she does not control me. In fact, I wish to create a workable rtionship with you. A mutual one.¡± The Crow Lord pped its wings, taking off and reappearing like whish. Lnd didn¡¯t know what that was about, but he didn¡¯t question it. Another thing he had learned, Lords were entric and straight up weird sometimes. ¡°If I make a contract with you, will she leave me alone?¡± the crow asked. Lnd blinked a few times. ¡°I don¡¯t not speak for my Lord, as she doesn¡¯t me. I can say, though, that as far as I know, she has no problems with you.¡± The radiant crow¡¯s beak opened and closed rapidly, like a spring pulled to one side and let go. ¡°What is it you wish?¡± ¡°A spell for flight.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°Is it? I was told nearly all teleportation spells were impossible, yet I forged a contract for one.¡± Lnd deliberated for just a heartbeat, then decided to add, ¡°The ability to fly is held by many more Lords than the ability to teleport. While I¡¯m not saying it is a lesser ability, I am saying that it sure feels like it in terms of bargain.¡± The Crow Lord quirked its head to the side and cawed. It scanned the darkness for¡­ something, then shivered. ¡°Fine! Fine! Flight! Just leave already!¡± Lnd¡¯s jaw went a bit ck. ¡°W-what do you want for¡ª¡± The white of the Void consumed him. Floatingpletely stupefied, Lnd didn¡¯t wait to exit the Void before summoning his grimoire and reading the newest page. Cursed contract of the Lord of Crows: Use: Gain ess to the spell Crow Wings. Only usable once per hour. Crow Wings : Summon ethereal crow wings from your back, granting the ability for flight. Speed, moveability, and many other secretse with practice. Return: To be left alone. Lnd sat back, the Void doing very little to support him. ¡°Well okay then,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°One down, two more to go¡­¡± He arrived back in his inn room a few minutester, the bizarreness of the situation having faded. Internally he hoped that all of the night¡¯s contracts would go that well, but somehow he knew that wouldn¡¯t happen. Crossing out the first name on his list, Lndy back and spoke the second, ¡°Lord of the Seraph, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± Isobel watched Lnd slowly move through the inn¡¯smon room. Hehad woken upte, thick bags under his eyes. He plopped down beside her and instantly devoured the bowl of slope that was breakfast. ¡°Rough night?¡± Isobel asked, knowing that when Lnd contracted with Lords, the whole process only took a few moments. To him, it was much longer, however. ¡°Did you not sleep well?¡± He shook his head, sprinkling sugar on his porridge. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. I got plenty of sleep, but I¡¯m just exhausted.¡± She sipped her tea and made a face. ¡°Then the spell has some negative effects so you can¡¯t continuously use it.¡± She poured some milk into her drink. ¡°Happens with powerful spells. Can¡¯t shoot lightning too many times before your fingers go numb, sort of thing.¡± Lnd let out a sigh. ¡°Well, good to know at least.¡± ¡°Did you get them?¡± ¡°Only three.¡± ¡°Three works.¡± ¡°Yeah. Do you want to know which ones?¡± Lnd slid over the list of names. ¡°Burn that when you are finished¡­¡± Isobel looked over the page then nced at Lnd. ¡°I¡¯m not going to burn this. Not here, at least.¡± He saw what she meant, even though he felt she should anyways. The inn, while not particrly crowded, still had a few dozen searching eyes. Most were looking elsewhere or were focused on something, but all had looked at Lnd when he walked in from upstairs. They were the new inhabitants of the inn, in a town where most everyone knew each other. To Lnd, having Isobel burn the list would only make the people around them think the paper held some secret research or something. Definitely not a list of Lords. ¡°Fine. When we get on the road.¡± Isobel nodded, folding the list and pocketing it. ¡°Then we are ready.¡± Spooning food into his mouth, Lnd stopped. ¡°Can I finish first?¡± ¡°No. You woke upte but it is still morning. You¡¯ve got to start sprinting.¡± Isobel was referring to Lnd¡¯s contract with the Lord of Endurance. For the small price of running every morning till he puked, then running some more, his stamina would increase. He had missed a few mornings, but the contract allowed that unless he was ditching just because ofziness. So, in the end, Lnd didn¡¯t take another bite of food, knowing that it most likely was going to end up in the dirt. Sprinting was not easy for him. Chapter 177: Fly Chapter 177: Fly Hunched over with his hands on his knees, Lnd swallowed down the nausea from building his lungs. He would have Touch of Regeneration-ed it away, but they were on a public road. Invoking a contract would draw eyes. So, he suffered, morning exercise still proving to be the bane of his existence. ¡°Kid, you really are weak.¡± Lnd¡¯s head shot up and he red at Isobel. She had run beside him the whole time and not broken a sweat. ¡°One of these days¡ª¡± he sucked in a breath, ¡°I¡¯m going to out run and mock you.¡± Isobel chucked. ¡°Maybe in a hundred years when I¡¯m old and frail.¡± He didn¡¯t grace her with a response, knowing that antagonizing people was like kindling to her. Instead he simply breathed and looked around. The ins were still just that, ins. Grass, more grass, and extra grass. Even the road leading away from Jyn was covered in grass. Luckily the caravan traffic battled it down, creating two parallel lines of dirt the width of a wagon apart from one another. Isobel frowned when Lnd didn¡¯t respond then let out a silent sigh. ¡°Are you ready to fly yet? Knowing you, it is going to take awhile for you to get the hang of wings.¡± Again, Lnd didn¡¯t fall for the bait. ¡°Yes,¡± he muttered, standing straight. ¡°Then follow me,¡± Isobel said, dropping her hands to her sides. A centipede scuttled up her torso from her lower back, wrapping itself around her arm and wrist. It froze in ce, its armored legstching into her. Two pincers red out beyond her hand like reverse crossbow limbs. In its maw, a spike of green toxic sludge rested like an ice sickle. Next came wings. Two sets of two, they sprouted like flowers budding and reaching for the sky. Dragonfly in rtion, the wings fluttered denting the nearby grass down with a sudden gust. Isobel let herself be lifted off the ground, hovering just to show Lnd. ¡°Rise, then move,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t try to do both at the same time while you are learning. Back straight, as well. Don¡¯t topple over otherwise you will eat dirt.¡± Lnd looked around. He wasn¡¯t nervous about flying, but he was nervous about invoking a contract. The worry would ease once he was in the air and no one could easily spot him, but that was going to take a bit of practice. ¡°Is anyone around?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Isobel said inly. ¡°And they will out you as a Harbinger the moment you make your halo.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m not¡ª¡± ¡°The Inquisitors are alsoing. I left a note at the inn saying who we were and admitting to our crimes.¡± Frowning, Lnd said, ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡± She shrugged, her face hard like stone. ¡°Cast the spell invisibly.¡± He didn¡¯t want to believe it¡­ but that also seemed like something the Huntress would do to get him to travel faster. He knew she was lying, but also knew that calling her bluff would not end well. She might actually fly back to Jyn and leave a note if he called her on it. Lnd¡¯s legs felt weak, and he wasn¡¯t sure if it was nerves or because he had just sprinted down a dirt road. He saw what she was trying to do; trying to get him to do. There was no greater method of learning on the fly than to be forced due to desperate situations. Whether the Inquisitors wereing or not didn''t matter, that wasn¡¯t the problem. He needed to cast invisibly. It was a necessary skill at this point. If he didn¡¯t, the Inquisitors might as well being. Because they surely woulde if he cast a contract without it being invisible. ¡°You are a sadist,¡± he muttered, focusing inward. To the side, Isobel watched quite proud of herself. She had found that Lnd often needed a little kick to start actually progressing. In the Archon Valley that kick was Sybil¡¯s safety. Back in Frostford or Shoutwell, that kick was his friends being in danger. Obviously he himself being in danger wasn¡¯t asrge a kick as the others, but it was enough. Magic, lifeforce, and mana all coursed through Lnd¡¯s body. There was no single point where they gathered for Harbinger Halo, not like when the resources for Fracture gathered in his fingertips. He wasn¡¯t sure if that made casting invisibly more difficult or not. Creating the ¡°filter¡± was easy enough, but he had yet to push the curse through. He calmed himself, pushing away thoughts of Isobel and the Inquisitors. He stopped worrying about Sybil, Sapphire, and his friends and family. He wanted to get home to them all, but thoughts were often a mage¡¯s worst nightmare. For as smart as they generally were, their imaginations often ruined good things before they started. He remembered his mom¡¯s words from years ago, ¡°Use your head for research. Trust your instincts for magic.¡± And he did. He pushed Harbinger Halo through the filter at the same time he pressed his palm into the Crow Lord¡¯s contract. He didn¡¯t focus on the actual contract, though. Only on the violet halo that would form above his head. Dark feathered wings appeared with a plume. Fuzzy ethereal feathersunched into the open air, trailing down in small circles as they fell to the ground where they quickly faded away. Lnd flinched, in his peripheral vision two wicked wings birthed an epic wingspan. They extended far from him, easily eclipsing his body four or five times over. Isobel let out a low whistle. ¡°Well, you won¡¯t be able to walk into any buildings with them active. Not unless that building is a massive barn.¡± Lnd ignored thement, instead trying to look at the halo above his head¡­ which, when he thought about it, was something he had never really done. The halo floated there, yes, but it was directly anchored to the top of his head. Had he ever actually seen it in full? ¡°Do you have a mirror?¡± he asked. Isobel blinked at him, then materialized a small handheld mirror from her inventory ring. Lnd took it eagerly. First he noticed how much he actually needed a haircut. And a shave. And a proper bath. He waved the mirror around, trying to find the real target. A few wisps of purple hung around, but they blended in rather well with the dark wings attached to his back. ¡°If anyone was looking, they would think the effect is from the wings,¡± Isobel said. ¡°There is no ¡®ring¡¯ definition. About your head.¡± ¡°So it worked?¡± Lnd asked, to which he got a brisk nod in response. ¡°Did¡­ did you actually alert the Inquisitors?¡± Isobel gave him an ¡°are you dumb¡± look. ¡°Right,¡± he said, turning away. ¡°So, lets see if I can¡ª¡± At his will, the crow wings beat down once. Hard. The force took him off his feet and sent him sailing yards ahead. His boots caught the ground on the way, flipping him headfirst into the grass. Then panic made him p again, and he flipped again this time somersaulting and somehownding on his feet. He quickly blinked, then turned around to Isobel, trying to y it off like he meant to do that. Isobel was not impressed. ¡°Take all the time you need,¡± she said, oozing with sarcasm. ¡°But I¡¯m not killing any monsters if theye.¡± Spencer watched his wife, Lucia, cringe away from the light. She groaned like an elder, flopping her head to the side. That side wasn¡¯t much better and she promptly flopped to the other. She grunted, and finally opened her eyes. ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay,¡± Spencer cooed. ¡°You''re safe. Everyone is safe.¡± ¡°L-Lnd?¡± Spencer didn¡¯t answer that, instead just petting through her hair. ¡°Shh, shh. Lay back, you¡¯re safe¡­¡± For the past few days Lucia Silver had gone in and out of consciousness. The first few times she hadunched deadly spells at hallucinated targets, forcing the Guardian Spirit Bear, Floe, to step in. The spells were crushed easily enough, but getting Lucia back to sleep was something else entirely. Luckily, living in a dungeon, Floe had amassed hundreds of magical items and artifacts. More than a few inflicted the ailment ¡°sleep.¡± She, of course, had incredible resistance and required multiple items to be used in full for her to actually fall asleep. But that was all in the past at this point. ¡°Honey,¡± Spencer spoke tenderly, ¡°do you remember what happened?¡± She did and recounted her battle in the sky above Ruinsforth. ¡°I was flying. Overwatch. Then¡­ then something attacked. Came out of nowhere¡­¡± Her husband pulled her up, propping a pillow under her. ¡°The Pathways Witch. She teleported a sizable necrotic explosion right in front of you.¡± ¡°I threw lightning at it¡­¡± Lucia shook her head. ¡°I think I did?¡± ¡°Yes, yes you did. You cut the explosion in half, probably saving your life in the process. But then you fell. I couldn¡¯t catch you fast enough. The Witch fought for control. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Lucia took his hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°No, no it¡¯s not.¡± Tears welled in Spencer¡¯s eyes. ¡°That Witch was stronger than me. She fought me for control of all of you. Teleported Roy away. Forced Diana to stay. She almost died because I couldn¡¯t block either effect. Carmon¡­ he is almost dead¡­¡± She leaned back against the headrest of the bed. ¡°So we lost then. What about the princess?¡± Spencer didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Spence?¡± Lucia looked at him, finding only sorrow and guilt. ¡°What happened?¡± The hardness of the question caused him to startle. He locked eyes with her, flinching away. ¡°She was taken¡­ along with Lnd.¡± ¡°What?¡± It was spoken so coldly. So devoid of emotion, that Spencer felt like ice. There was no room to run away from the question. Not that he wanted to lie to her. He had already long ago epted that he waspletely out matched by the Witch. It was his fault; what happened to Lnd and Sybil. If they were dead¡ª No. No. They were fine. Lucia¡¯s eyes went soft. She had known her husband to be stoic and strong, not like a beaten puppy. Seeing him like that, it crushed her, more than she wished to admit. ¡°Please, what happened?¡± And so Spencer told her. Everything since the opening move of the battle in Ruinsforth. Diana almost dying, Carmon as well. Jude enraging, Glenny and Lnd attempting to help. Lnd outing himself as a Harbinger, trying to talk down the other Harbinger. Aunty P.¡¯smand to the Huntress to kill him, and ultimately their son getting teleported by the Witch along with Sybil. Then he exined what happened after, and how he ran, taking everyone with him. ¡°You ran?¡± Lucia seethed. Spencer shook his head. ¡°If I had a trace on Lnd, I would have gone after him. But once Sybil was taken, Aunty P. went insane. She started demanding answers from me. She threatened to take my head right then and there. She¡ªshe pushed away the healer working on you and held a dagger to your throat, threatening to kill you if I didn¡¯t answer her questions about Lnd.¡± ¡°So you ran,¡± Lucia supplemented. ¡°So I ran,¡± Spencer muttered. She pulled both of his hands into hers. ¡°I understand. It was a hard decision and you did what you thought was right. I understandpletely. Lnd is fine. Sybil is fine. I¡ª¡± she faltered. ¡°I trust them not to go down without a fight. Knowing Lnd, he¡¯s probably on his way back right now, Sybil in tow.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Lucia swung her legs off the bed. ¡°So where are we now, and how are we going to find our son?¡± ¡°Inside a dungeon. The boys¡¯ idea. This is Floe and Gelo¡¯s home, Guardian Spirit Beasts,¡± Spencer helped her to her feet. ¡°And I have a n all ready to go. I just needed you up and walking around. Most of the enchanted items here need a lot of mana to heal people of our strength. And as it turns out, beasts can¡¯t easily use items like that.¡± They walked out of the cave-room and out into the open. They were in a forest, and far out Jude, Glenny, and the cub, Gelo, fought off a horde of fairies. Floe, the mother bear, sat a dozen paces away, watching them with Roy Brown by her side. They both turned and looked at Lucia. ¡°I¡¯m going to find him, Luc,¡± Spencer whispered. ¡°If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll go insane.¡± ¡°When do you leave?¡± she asked. ¡°I was nning for a few weeks, but you woke up sooner than I anticipated. So. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Lucia leaned into her husband. ¡°Find him, Spence. Please.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Chapter 178: Requirements Chapter 178: Requirements Lnd spent the whole of the crow contract learning to fly. With Harbinger Halo rank sixteen, he could fly continuously for twenty-six minutes. So, with an hour cool down period for nearly all of his contracts, he could not fly withoutnding and stopping. Luckily, Lnd now had three flying contracts. The first was with the Lord of Crows, who had practically given away the contract. The second was with the Lord of the Seraph for an¡­ interesting requirement. The third, which was a dozen or so names down the list, was with the Lord of the Draconic and would take by far the longest to fulfill. Cursed contract of the Lord of Crows: Use: Gain ess to the spell Crow Wings. Only usable once per hour. Crow Wings : Summon ethereal crow wings from your back, granting the ability for flight. Speed, moveability, and many other secretse with practice. Return: To be left alone. Cursed contract of the Lord of the Seraph: Use: Gain ess to the spell Celestial Feather. Only usable once per hour.Celestial Feather: Summon celestial wings from your back, granting the ability for flight. Speed, moveability, and many other secretse with practice. Return: You can now see the abandoned. Help 15 lost souls to the afterlife within 3 years. Cursed contract of the Lord of the Draconic: Use: Gain ess to the spell Draconic Revtion. Only usable once per hour. Draconic Revtion: Summon real draconic wings from your back, granting the ability for flight. Speed, moveability, and many other secretse with practice. Using this spell in front of the lesser Draconics may result in a fatal oue. Return: Ascend to Draconic. The contract with the Lord of the Seraph was simple enough. She even had the forethought to show Lnd what a lost soul out in the real world looked like. Honestly expecting a familiar androgynous green person like his summons, Lnd was a bit rmed when the shown soul had skin and clothes. Shrouded in pure white feathers and with somber eyes, the Seraph Lord had said, ¡°The souls you gain power from are the same as this one,¡± she gestured to the clothes-wearing soul, ¡°other than the passage of time. Souls take years to reincarnate and during that time, they release from their bodies like how you rip them out. A ceremony that takes days turned into moments. Barbaric.¡± Lnd had replied, ¡°I thought the same thing when Circle of Souls was first handed to me. I thought it was dark magic and, well, I was scared of what it truly did to people. My Lord thought of that, however, and prescribed me the details of reincarnation.¡± The Lord held his gaze. He continued, ¡°¡­ I just don¡¯t understand why you are making this contract with me. I rip souls out of people. Why would you even speak to me? I wouldn¡¯t speak to you if we changed roles.¡± ¡°That question alone is reason enough,¡± the Lord answered. But when Lnd didn¡¯t seem convinced, she added, ¡°You are a good mortal, Lnd Silver. While I do not consider myself friends with the Lord of Curses, I do hold a certain respect for her. She showed me your resentment and self-limitations for the spell Soul Fire.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an awful spell.¡± The Seraph Lord didn¡¯t speak on that, instead saying, ¡°My hope is that once youplete this contract with me, you continue to assist lost souls pass on. I do not expect you to search for them, but I do ask if you see one, you help. From now until you¡¯re just a soul yourself, you will see ¡®clothed-souls.¡¯ I hope you gain respect for the dead, Lnd Silver. That is why I wish to sign a contract with you. Respect.¡± And then Lnd was floating silently in the Void feeling strange. He was somewhat miffed. He already respected the dead¡­ right? The contract with the Draconic Lord went much faster. Before speaking with him, Isobel had informed him of many stories of the Draconic. Rare and mostly hidden, those with the ¡°Draconic Curse¡± garnered power befitting the legendary dragons of old. Having long killed one another, only the legacy the dragons left was their blood. Countless generations had left only a fragment of that blood, however. Except in the case of the Draconic Curse. With their final farewell to the world, thest dragons consolidated their power and cursed thend with their essence. That essence was spread far and wide, granting power to those who take it. Only a fraction of what once was, but that fraction made kingdoms and ended wars. And the Draconic Lord wanted Lnd to gain that power. Sitting on a literal mountain of magical wealth, the Draconic Lord spoke with a voice that shook the world, ¡°Be Draconic!¡± Lnd had blinked a few times. ¡°Uh, that¡¯s what you want from this contract?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°In exchange for flight?¡± ¡°Yes! Exactly!¡± ¡°That¡­ that may take a while?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Scratching his head, Lnd didn¡¯t even know if he wanted to be Draconic. Seemed like a hassle to him, especially if the stories were to be believed and the curse made Draconic fight for dominance. ¡°If I be Draconic, won¡¯t I have to kill other Draconic?¡± ¡°NO! A simple misconception! You only have to beat them into submission! Easy!¡± the Lord boomed. ¡°And if I am beaten into¡ª¡± ¡°You won¡¯t! You will be the most pow¡ª¡± a hiss cut off the Lord¡¯s sentence. He looked to the side, his scaled face glinting at the light. ¡°Y-you will be fine. If you ascendter after¡­ say, five years? Yes, five years.¡± But before Lnd could question the sudden change in attitude, he was cast away into the Void contract in hand. While disconcerting, he couldn¡¯t help but feel rather nonchnt about the contract. While the Lord had said five years, the contract didn¡¯t specify that at all. So, technically, he could just not fulfill it and still reap the rewards. He¡¯d have to think about actually bing a Draconicter, however. That was a big decision. With three flight contracts ready and nearly an hour of practice, Lnd and Isobel flew. They moved like mundane birds at first, slow and mainly under their own power. But once Lnd got the feel for it, they picked up the pace. These contracts were spells, meaning mana and lifeforce affected them. The more he used, the faster he flew. Like a twist of fate, Lnd could actually beat Isobel in a sprint-race using mana. Marathon races were out of the question, however, her parasitic wings not needing mana and all that. Adding lifeforce did change the contracts, though. Harbinger Halo: Binding Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 16 (Specialization: A) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling their aid. Contractsst up to 26 minutes. If terminated early, the cool down period is decreased. Up to 2 contracts may be acted upon at one time. Contracts that produce direct spells, curses, abilities, incantations, and/or passive effects that deal with mana, may have lifeforce partially supplemented. Effects may vary. ¡°Effects may vary¡± augmented the wings of each contract, shifting them to a darker hue and also adding to his control. This added control transformed Lnd¡¯s face with a smile. Wind in his face, the rush of the world below, the howl of freedom in his ears, Lnd giggled as he slowly lost the fear of crashing. Dipping and diving, leaning forward to gather speed, maybe even flipping to his back and staring at the sky, he did it all, finding pure joy in the magic. This, this right here, was what he wanted. Lightning mage? Summoner? Those archetypes were well behind him at this point. Flying was where he truly was meant to be. Natural and harmonious. Like living without stress. Without fear. Without¡­ without¡ª The contract for the Crow Lord ended. Abruptly. Momentum took and Lnd fell. Hurdling was more urate. Tumbling and rolling, he bit his tongue, knowing what to do. From his hand came his grimoire, the tome floating the perfect distance from him at all times. He willed it to the correct page, and he mmed his palm into the contract with the Seraph Lord. Pure white feathered wings sprouted with a flourish of light and loose feathers. They were shorter in span than those of the Crow Lord¡¯s, but where two should have been, four restedfortably. They quickly began working, taking control of his momentum and descent like a hawk catching a dropped fish. The ground consumed his sight before heunched up, all four wings united in the same goal. He soared, all fears of sttering suddenly gone. A silentugh escaped his lips, the wind smothering all sound other than avish roar. Lifeforce was added, and quickly they dimmed, the light they generated waning into that of a moon rather than a star. From only a few meters away, Isobel let out a sigh of relief. She didn¡¯t think the fall would have killed him; they weren¡¯t that high up. But she had an incredibly expensive healing potion at the ready. Grateful, she put it back into her inventory ring. They flew until the Seraph Lord contract ended and the Draconic Lord¡¯s contract activated. Lnd, this time, was able to react faster and smoother. While the other contracts created wings out of mana, the spell Draconic Revtions did¡­ not. They tore apart the skin on his back like cancerous growths. Despite the sound of the wind, they audibly popped into existence, tearing apart his shirt in the process. Scaled and deep red, the wings were webbed and thin enough that light passed through. Small veins contorted throughout, marking them as real. Then lifeforce was added, and they thickened with a purple gleam. Lnd didn¡¯t know if he liked any of that. He liked flying, though, so it was worth it. With a few more ranks of Harbinger Halo, he wouldn¡¯t have to use Draconic Revtions. Simply using the Crow and Seraph Lords¡¯ contracts would bypass the hour cooldown period. An idea urred to him: What if I use two flying contracts at once? That was forter, he knew. His mana was running dangerously low. He had been ignoring it, but his head was pounding. Such was the glee of flying, ignoring headaches was a given. Hended without grace, falling t on his face. Luckily the thick grass was rather fluffy. Isobelnded beside him on her feet. ¡°Nicending. Out of mana?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said, spitting out straw and the asional bug. ¡°Hour and four minutes is my limit right now.¡± ¡°Let me know when you are ready to go again. I want us to get a third of the way to the coast before nightfall. Three days to get to the coast, then a day finding Noir Stone. I expect us to be on a ship in five days.¡± Lnd liked flying, a lot. But four days of flying non stop? That may be a little much. He didn¡¯t let Isobel know his opinion. He¡¯d just have to deal with it. Isobel¡¯s ire was notsomething he wanted to contend with. Chapter 179: Authorities Chapter 179: Authorities The port city of Noir Stone made Lnd stop in his tracks. It was nighttime when they arrived, but he would never have guessed. The city, sat on the rocky coast, shimmered withmp light and brazier me. Even from a few hours walk away, the city looked on fire. Orange smokeless heat and flickering light made the city dance. Roofs were the only dark parts, the streets crisscrossing and fully lit. Multipleyers of stone raised the city up then down like a mountain while cliffs abruptly ended the city¡¯s footprint with sheer drops into the murky depths below. The surrounding water mixed with the dark sky, highlighting the city for what it was: a beacon. Beautiful harbor, a haven for sailors and merchants alike. ¡°Mask on,¡± Isobel whispered, the darkness obscuring something on the road ahead. The road leading into the city left much to the imagination. No lights, no patrols, nothing but dirt, stone, and the asional wagon resting for the night. Every step was dangerous, both for horse and man. Stones the size of apples littered around, each one a tripping hazard for even the most seasoned riders. Why Lnd and Isobel weren¡¯t camping for the night, he did not know. Nor did he question it. There was a reason for her madness, most of which wasn¡¯t just to instigate arguments with him. He¡¯d learned about her tragic history and her lost daughter. He¡¯d spent countless hours talking to her about battle strategy and technique. He¡¯d even seen her willing to sacrifice herself to make sure he and Sybil got out alive. There were reasons for every single thing she did. And Lnd hade to realize that mostly she was right. So when she told him to put Sybil¡¯s mask on, he did not question it. The mask was bone white and strapless, whatever magic powered it also acted like glue. It stuck to his face and drained away some of the color from the world, which wasn¡¯t much since it was nearly pitch ck other than the city light source in the distance. His senses heightened a bit, but overall Lnd felt more focused. Like all distractions hade and gone, and whatever he set his sights on was his true goal. Out of the ck, two men walked. Fully armored with thick helmets and swords on their hips, both carried lit torches and moved with a tinge of arrogance. City guard for Noir Stone, obviously, but the question was why they were out thiste.Lnd stepped off the road, trusting in the mask¡¯s obscuring power to erase him from the guards¡¯ sight. Then he nced at Isobel. The former Inquisitor had quicklyid down, just off the side of the road in a clear patch of stone and grass. She had even set down a nket and pillow to sell the illusion she was going for. One of the guards screeched something in anguage Lnd and Isobel did not know, hoisting up his torch and draping Isobel in light. She sold a scared flinch, jumping to her elbows before fully sitting up. ¡°Wha¡ª W-who are you!?¡± her words came out slurred and mumbled, one might expect from a lone woman out in the wilderness. ¡°State name, woman!¡± the other guard demanded, speaking in choppy Galform. ¡°C-ir! W-who¡ª¡± ¡°Quiet! Answer only us questions!¡± From the side, Lnd watched the scene y out. The guards questioned Isobel with increasingly irritated tones, denying her every time she tried to ask a question. Lnd didn¡¯t know why she was handling the encounter this way. She could have easily hidden from these men and continued down the road once they were far enough away. She wanted something, and she decided fishing for it was the best way. And Lnd was quite interested in knowing what information she was after. At one point Isobel started inching away. The one guard who didn¡¯t speak Galform put a stop to that instantly, grabbing her by her hair and holding her in ce. Lnd went to move, but Isobel caught his eye, shaking her head ¡°no.¡± The second guard smacked hisrade in the arm, the denting of his metal armor echoing through the darkness. The guard then hissed something, causing the other guard to drop Isobel. Isobel said, ¡°Thank you,¡± and only got a re in response. ¡°Do you have eyes?¡± Lnd paused, as did Isobel. She thawed faster, however, answering right away that yes, of course she had eyes. The miffed guard humped at that and started walking off. The other guard said a few more words, then departed as well, returning the road to darkness. Waiting a few minutes, Lnd then took off his mask. ¡°¡¯Do you have eyes?¡¯ You don¡¯t think¡ª¡± ¡°The Sightless Cult is here. At least in some capacity,¡± Isobel answered. ¡°I figured as much.¡± They began to walk toward the city but Lnd had more questions. ¡°You figured as much?¡± ¡°The cult tried to infiltrate Shoutwell months ago. They arrived via smugglers.¡± She gestured to Noir Stone. ¡°This is a smuggler¡¯s dream city.¡± ¡°That makes sense, I guess¡­ Though it seems like they have it under control.¡± Isobel nodded. ¡°They are making sure the cult can¡¯t take root. Which is good. But more importantly, it makes it so you won¡¯t want to stop and help them.¡± Lnd looked at her. ¡°I would not¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes you would.¡± ¡°I want to get home just as much as you do.¡± ¡°But you also would stop and help a city in need if you could.¡± ¡°You make that sound like a bad thing, ¡®cause it¡¯s not.¡± Isobel sighed. ¡°It is when Inquisitors are looking for us. You don¡¯t think the Inquisitors are working independently, do you? We had contacts in every city, especially the ports. Noir Stone is just as dangerous to us right now as it would be if it was filled with cultists.¡± They walked in silence for a few minutes. ¡°If the Inquisitors are looking in ports for us, does that mean they will also be searching ships on arrival?¡± ¡°Undoubtedly.¡± ¡°Surely they wouldn¡¯t be looking for us after that long, right? People would know that Sybil is safe and sound, right?¡± Isobel gave him a look. ¡°Until we know more, we have to be careful.¡± Then she sighed. ¡°And who knows, Sybil may not be able to help a Harbinger and a rogue Inquisitor. Some things are above a princess¡¯ power.¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°That is a lie!¡± the woman demanded. ¡°He would never cheat on me!¡± Madam Fortuna leaned back. ¡°The heart does not listen to the mind, even when facts are bare.¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t believe you! Give me back my money! I want a refund!¡± The woman was standing at this point, her finger thrust out like an user. All semnce ofpassion left Madam Fortuna in that moment. Understanding drained away for anger at the mention of money. Everyone needed to be paid, some more than others. And she was one of them. Her future teller business had run dry in this city, and capital was the only way to protect herself. She¡¯d overstayed her wee, the woman before her was not the first angry bachelorette this week. Madam Fortuna, her real name Sasha, looked around her temporary home. It was little more than a barn, despite how many newyers of paint she could ther on. She nced at the corner where water leaked in. Maybe she would choose a city where it rained less. That way she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about roof fees as much. ¡°Do you have nothing to say!?¡± the bachelorette screamed. Madam Fortuna suppressed a sigh. ¡°I wish you fortune in your future, but sadly all sales are final.¡± Then Madam Fortuna ¨C Sasha rather ¨C saw a glimpse into the future. It filled her sight for a few long seconds, a punch, a nosebleed, a robbery. The vision faded and she jerked her head to the side, dodging the bachelorette¡¯s fist before reaching out and clenching her shirt. Sasha threw the woman to the side and onto the floor. Her clothes got wet from the rainwater. She ran off crying. Sasha didn¡¯t waste a moment. She quickly gathered her things, packing as light as possible. Nothing mattered to her except a few pairs of clothes, a sack of coins, and a stack of letters from her brother. When was she going to see him? It had been six years since shest saw him, six years since her Dream Ceremony and the curse that came with her Legacy and Lord. ¡°In a rush?¡± a voice called, causing Sasha to stumble to a de. She spun around, wildly swinging the butter knife in the air. ¡°Show yourself!¡± she demanded. ¡°Is that any way to treat an old friend?¡± the voice said again. Sasha paused, noting a familiarity in the voice¡¯s cadence. Something clicked, a memory from four years ago ofmunicating verbally with a mage cities away. ¡°Inquisitor Spencer?¡± she asked, her heart sinking. They had found her, Spencer wouldn¡¯t be here if they hadn¡¯t. ¡°Yes it¡¯s me. Well, maybe not ¡®Inquisitor¡¯ now. Some stuff has happened,¡± he said. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t have much time¡ª¡± ¡°Are the Calm Mening? A-are you going to protect me!?¡± Sasha¡¯s blood froze. They had taken so much from her. How did they find her!? It was her stupid Legacy¡¯s fault. Who would have known the Legacy of the Diviner would have put a target on her head? Who would have thought being able to see the future increased the price of a ve exponentially? ¡°No. No, not that I know of,¡± Spencer quickly said. ¡°I need a favor.¡± Sasha lurched. ¡°Y-you¡¯ll have to pay.¡± ¡°Of course. What do you want?¡± ¡°Get me out of this city?¡± Spencer paused for a brief second. ¡°That¡¯s easy enough. Any idea where?¡± ¡°Somewhere quiet,¡± Sasha said, a hint of hope warming her heart. ¡°No rain!¡± ¡°Alright. But the favor first,¡± Spencer¡¯s own voice was distant. Like he wasn¡¯t ready to ept hope as something guaranteed. ¡°My son, Lnd. He¡¯s missing. I need to know where to look.¡± Just like that the future yed in Sasha¡¯s mind. Eyeless sockets, a port town, a blue med candle, wings of various kinds, a ship¡­ a ship named¡­ named¡­ She focused, forcing the future sight to bend to hermand. Blood trickled down her nose and dripped onto the ground. The Ship. The Ship. The Ship. Raspy, like sandpaper, Sasha muttered, ¡°A ship named The Wave Slicer, arriving in a city with a blue candle and sightless eyes¡­ soon.¡± Two new voices sounded with Spencer. They spoke over one another before Spencer shushed them. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Thank you, Sasha. Are you ready to travel?¡± She looked over her few possessions and pulled her bag close. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered. ¡°Then walk through. You will be about a ten minute walk from a decent sized town called Humble Hearth.¡± Then a hole in the world opened, one as tall as she. Daylight cut through the darkness of her home, as the song of birds eased her petrified legs. She took a step, then another, then a third. Soon she was walking, and soon she was on a forest trail leading up from a stream. It was beautiful. So beautiful. She cried, this time it would be different. No more lousy attempts to make money. This time she would be part of themunity like she was years ago with her brother before the Calm Men tried to take her. ¡°Thank you, Inquisitor Spencer,¡± she muttered. ¡°Thank you for saving me, again.¡± Spencer eyed the poor girl through a portal the size of a fingernail. ¡°No problem,¡± he responded. ¡°Good luck and stay safe.¡± ¡°I will, you too,¡± Sasha said, her voiceing through the portal like she was just a few steps away. Spencer waited a moment, making sure the girl would be okay. Then he closed it and looked at the two young men with him. ¡°Well. It looks like we¡¯ve got a direction,¡± he said. ¡°Shoutwell,¡± Jude said, his eyes zing with readiness. ¡°How long will it take to get there?¡± Spencer smiled, opening a portal. ¡°Just one step.¡± Glenny frowned and rubbed his hands. ¡°A lot of bad things happened in this city.¡± Jude pped him on his back. ¡°We are much stronger now than back then.¡± A crimson red floated silently in Glenny¡¯s palm. He closed his hand, crushing it. ¡°Yeah. We are, aren¡¯t we.¡± Chapter 180: City Chapter 180: City Waiting in line at the shipyard of a new city was something Lnd hoped he would never have to do again. At least, if he hadn¡¯t explored the city beforehand. Noir Stone was massive! Sprawling and rich with history and culture, no shop was quite the same, nondmark was forgettable. People walked shoulder to shoulder in some ces, sharing the city with any and all from vastly different walks of life. While humans were still the dominant race around, that didn¡¯t stop envoys or ns from around the world from venturing this far. Dwarves were the easiest to notice, their thick beards and rough ents giving them away just like the iconic gills and scales of many of the water-bound species. Naga and siren were used interchangeably for those that lived underwater, but no one would be caught dead calling a naga a ¡°siren¡± and a siren a ¡°naga¡± to their face Lnd didn¡¯t know why they were on the surface instead of in their underwater cities. Trade was the most obvious answer, but also tutge and schooling for the younger few. Magic was something of an open secret in the city and Lnd felt sure that the sheer variety of spell work, designs, and research brough many into thesends. Well, except for the fact that all magic was ouwed in city limits. Of course people ignored that fact and had open duels in the courtyards with massive betting pools, and they all ran when the guard arrived. Down dark alleys, magical surgeries and secretive rituals were prescribed by scam artists and dark mystics. Whether their magics did as advertised was mostly unknown, but gold flowed like water in the dark. The highlight of the city was no doubt the tour into the ¡°stone¡± that the city was named after. Neither hill nor mountain, the stone was said to have crashed from the heavens and changed thendscape. The ocean rerouted to their new beaches, the trees and fauna died then were reborn, metals not previously found in these areas became bountiful, and monsters generally stayed away. Or at least, that was what ancient history said. Still, Lnd wanted to tour the chiseled cave system through the stone and purchase a few of the maic rocks that were excavated out of it. But no. He had to wait in line. With Isobel¡­ hopefully there would be some time before the ship¡¯s departure. Boats and tree-thick masts lined the harbor, their nket-like sails bound and rolled closed. Made of all wood, most ships that traveled the rough seas were alchemically treated or created using magic. The ship he and Isobel were looking to board was no different. The Wave Slicer was rmended to them by one of the various harbor masters. The ship, seaweed green andrge enough to hold a full caravan, departed to Shoutwell as a first stop on its bi-monthly voyage. The ship¡¯s captain, a man known only as ¡°Gull,¡± was said to be a Legacy of the Builder ¨C an artisan specialized Legacy. If rumors were to be believed, then Gull had built his own boat out of literal seaweed and sand. ¡°I wonder if those rumors are true,¡± Lnd said to Isobel, trying to make any sort of conversation. She eyed him for a moment before saying, ¡°If he is truly a Legacy of the Builder, then I would believe it.¡± ¡°Why say that?¡± ¡°Legacies of the Builder always make grandiose things out of random materials. Take, for example, Palemarrow Castle. A castle made of a dead Lord¡¯s bones? Who ever would have thought that was a good idea? A Legacy of the Builder, that¡¯s who.¡± Lnd blinked a few times. ¡°A Legacy of the Builder created the castle?¡± Isobel sighed. ¡°That¡¯s what you got out of this conversation? That someone built a building? Not that Legacies of the Builder are quite special?¡± He shrugged. ¡°I mean, I guess. But like, why didn¡¯t I know about this?¡± ¡°Because Legacies of the Builder only make one grand project ever. The castle, this ship we are going to board, they are the only things their creators are ever going to make worth awe.¡± ¡°That still¡ª¡± ¡°And they usually are killed after,¡± Isobel said, already knowing his question. ¡°Their purpose has been served and now they are just useless craftsmen with in-depth knowledge of their creations. Where the secret passages are, the sizeof cannons needed to break the hull. Stuff like that. They are liabilities after they create their grand design, so most don¡¯t, ever. Or they make statues or some other thing no one would care about.¡± Lnd understood. ¡°And they ask for their names not to be spread, so their lives aren¡¯t ruined after.¡± ¡°That or they are killed, yes.¡± ¡°Sounds like a horrible life,¡± he muttered. Isobel nodded, turning forward. ¡°Some Legacies are like that. Some Lords know this and purposefully take as few Legacies as possible or as safely as possible. And sometimes the Lords don¡¯t care and offer incredibly dangerous rare Legacies to children who are considered ¡®adults.¡¯¡± Lnd didn¡¯t respond, he didn¡¯t have to. He understood, more than most, about topics like that. His parents were Inquisitors as well, and many, many of their cases they could not talk about. He had always thought they were just trying to protect him from the horrors of the real world, but now? Now he realized that they may have been protecting the people actually involved. If people were hunted for having rare and ¡°good¡± Legacies, what did that mean for him when others found out he could contract any Lord? It was just another thing he had to think about, he guessed. An hour and a halfter, Lnd and Isobel were at the front of the line. After a moment of anguage issue, the teller spoke in Galform, ¡°Hello. Where would you like to sail?¡± ¡°Shoutwell. Two passengers. No baggage,¡± Isobel answered in turn, like she had dozens of times over the years. ¡°That would be the Wave Slicer, captained by Gull,¡± she flipped through arge leather bound booklet, finding the correct manifest. ¡°Cabin or hammock?¡± ¡°Two cabins.¡± ¡°That will be extra.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Then sixty gold chunks apiece.¡± Isobel grumbled something about the prices and asked, ¡°What about a protection discount?¡± The teller leaned to the side, eyeing Lnd. ¡°For one?¡± ¡°For two.¡± ¡°Credibility?¡± ncing at Lnd, Isobel said, ¡°Fine. Just one. What do you need?¡± ¡°Guild licenses of any kind, government identification te, rmendation by any credible sailor.¡± She deliberated and decided not to identify herself. ¡°Never mind. Sixty apiece.¡± She plopped down arge sack of gold. ¡°Weight, not chunks.¡± The teller nodded and moved over a scale. A few minutester, as Isobel and Lnd were walking away, she said, ¡°You are paying me back.¡± Lnd smirked. ¡°Just add it to my tab.¡± They left the harbor and entered the residential district. It was up a fewyers, closer to the midsection of the stone, past the lower markets but well before the upper echelons. They got lunch at a stall selling meat wrapped in a bread-thing at some point. Lnd didn¡¯t know what it was or what it was called, but it sure was delicious. It was an overcast day, the breeze from the cool ocean and the altitude of the city mixed quite poorly with one another. Rain threatened to leak from the sky, a slight drizzle already weeping with the wind. People rushed around, doing their duties as fast as they could all the while ncing at the sky. There was no better motivator than rain. Lnd enjoyed watching the people. There was no battle, no crisis to avert. There was only life. Beautiful, peaceful life. As Isobel haggled the price for a poncho ¨C since Sybil had been teleported home with her ratty cloak ¨C a woman and her child spoke with a fruit seller a few paces away. Further down a man swept the front of his inn. On the other side of a street an elderly dwarf whittled a block of wood into a spoon. By the alley, a man stood staring at the sky. Behind him was a¡­ dead body. ¡°Uh, Isobel?¡± Lnd whispered, stepping down the street. She nced away from the old woman giving her a hard time for the poncho. She saw the body. ¡°Don¡¯t go over there. Don¡¯t get involved.¡± The old woman looked over then screeched, yelling for the guard and causing more eyes to look over. Lnd waved off Isobel¡¯s attempts to stop him as he continued forward. The dead body wasn¡¯t what he was looking at, well partially at least. He nced down the alley, finding no threats, then stopped. The man staring into the sky was almost an exact copy of the bodyying on the ground, the only difference was no one but Lnd could see him. ¡°Hello?¡± he asked the lost soul. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Behind him, Isobel frowned and subtly shifted into the growing crowd. There were only half a dozen, but shouts were heard down the street for the guard to hurry. She fell into obscurity, adapting back into the helpless frazzled mundane citizen. Mentally she was cursing at Lnd. The soul twitched at the sound, a gentle green leaked from the seams of its clothes as its face twisted into a spiral. Its body fell into itself, bounding out like a flickering shadow against a stone wall. It rolled, it morphed, it contorted. ¡°My name is Lnd, can you understand me?¡± It stopped, its body reverting into that of its previous life. The green sickness leaking from its bones stopped, the soul forcing itself not to fade away. It found Lnd standing there, realization slowly oveing it. It had tried, truly tried, tomunicate with others when its previous life died. All had failed, and it had fallen into misery. It didn¡¯t form hope, it didn¡¯t form anything, really. It was a lost soul, it didn¡¯t have emotions. Just raw vague virtues. To settle, to ept, to pass on. But, for this soul and many more in simr situations, it couldn¡¯t pass on. It had stuff to do, it had people to love. It had a family in its previous life. Kids, a wife it didn¡¯t much care about. But right then, the rawness it felt was his love. Its previous life¡¯s emotion, its previous life¡¯s will. ¡°H-ellPpp mEEeee,¡± Lnd flinched, his blood running cold. ¡°¡ªdddooNNn¡¯t wanTTTtttttooo DIE!¡± Chapter 181: Soul Chapter 181: Soul The lost soul drifted slowly back and forth, staring at Lnd like he was salvation. Lnd, meanwhile, felt just as lost. He internally cursed at the Seraph Lord for tricking him. Wings in exchange for always seeing death? For being the only one around to guide the dead to the afterlife? To hear and experience their pain, to... to¡­ Tears filled the corners of Lnd¡¯s eyes. There was no trick, he had agreed to the contract without truly thinking about the oue. He knew what was asked of him, but only now did it fully sink in. He was to learn respect for the dead, exactly as the Seraph Lord told him. That was his true task, not simply to help souls pass on. Souls. The ammunition for his power, the fuel for his parasitic weapon, Lodestar, the resource for keeping himself able in battle. Souls. People. The dead. Lnd¡¯s stomach churned, and he thought. He was a monster, right? He consumed souls to protect himself. No¡­ no, that wasn¡¯t right. He only consumed the souls of those who tried to harm him. He killed the real monsters, taking their souls to make sure he and his survived. They weren¡¯t innocent, the souls he used. They were nothing like the lost soul before him.Swallowing down the spike of self-loathing, Lnd nted his wobbly feet and straightened his spine. As calmly as he could, he spoke to the lost soul. ¡°You are dead, I am sorry.¡± The lost soul twisted again, its face rotating like the hands of a clock. Then it screamed. Hallowed and human, it screeched in deathly woe, thest of its previous life dying. Green poured from its ephemeral body, filling the surrounding area with the mist that makes a person. ¡°I can¡­¡± Lnd came to grips with what he was about to ask. ¡°I can make sure whoever killed you sees justice.¡± He had told Isobel he wouldn¡¯t get involved with the local Sightless Cult problem, so he had ignored the soul¡¯s dead body lying in the alley. But he couldn¡¯t any longer. The body wascking wounds, like he had dropped dead from heart attack, except for his eyes. Burned away and hollow, like searing metal had been imnted inside his skull. It wasn¡¯t quite what happened to Glenny back in Shoutwell, but the same magic had killed this man. Sigils, horrid magical circles that could be inscribed nearly anywhere. In this case, and simrly to Lnd¡¯s experience in Shoutwell, sigils ran the length of the alley and into the darkness. They were carved into the stone, small grooves like the iy of a regal sword but cheap and crude. Lnd kept his head down, only looking at the edges of the sigil. He didn¡¯t want to investigate any more than necessary, but, if he was a betting man, he would bet this alley was a cult entrance. And the dead man had simply walked in too close and was killed for his troubles. Just the wrong ce at the wrong time. ¡°It was the cult,¡± Lnd said to the lost soul. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the guard know. No one else will have to die like you did.¡± Behind him, the gathered crowd gasped. There were a dozen by this point but most left the moment the cult was announced. Some stayed and watched Lnd speak to the empty air, however. In the distance, guards rushed down the street, blowing whistles and telling people to vacate the area. The lost soul stared at Lnd and he stared back. ¡°I can¡¯t help you any more than helping you to pass on,¡± Leand whispered. ¡°There is nothing left for you here.¡± The soul¡¯s face twisted and it screamed again, loud enough to make Lnd block his ears. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± he yelled, the soul going quiet. ¡°There is something here for you! A family, probably, I get it!¡± The soul¡¯s twisted face reverted and it listened. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t help them. Not like how you would want.¡± Lnd grit his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯m not you. I can¡¯t help them. They will have to move on without you. It will be painful for them, maybe even the hardest thing they¡¯ve lived through. But they will live through it.¡± The soul floated silently. ¡°D-do you have kids?¡± he asked, not knowing where he was going with this. The soul didn¡¯t answer, only watched him. ¡°I hope that means yes,¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°I have a friend. His mother died a few years back. He was devastated¡ª and his father too for that matter. They grieved and grieved, distanced themselves from one another and threw themselves into something to distract themselves. Work, in both cases. It has never been easy since that day for them, but they still live. They help people, both of them, and eventually they helped each other. Neither had moved on thest time I saw them, but they could still smile. They couldugh, they were happy.¡± Lnd was silent for a moment before adding, ¡°It was the hardest thing they had ever had to deal with, but they did. And your family will be the same way, I promise you that.¡± Honestly, Lnd didn¡¯t know if any of his words got through to the soul. It had spoken to him, but well¡­ The lost soul looked at its previous body then back at Lnd then to the sky. Overhead the clouds rolled, full-on rain just starting to fall. ¡°They will be okay,¡± Lnd said firmly. The soul gave him onest look before imploding in a green mist, disappearing from the realm of the living. Lnd felt something in his grimoire change. Something had been updated to one of his contracts. He ignored it for now. ¡°Well done, young Sheppard.¡± Jolting at the voice, Lnd spun on his heel. ¡°Who¡ª¡± An elderly siren stood patiently a few steps away. He was as tall as a human but scaled like a shimmering fish. Two sets of gills cut through his neck, along with two streams of water rushing through them from magical earrings. His hands were sped behind his back but the telltale signs of webbed fins ran down the length of his shoulders and forearms. His eyes drooped in a kindly way, like he had seen countless deaths and helped more than a few with the process. Noticing Lnd¡¯s concern, the man pulled his right hand forward. On the back of his hand, woven between scales, was the man¡¯s Legacy tattoo. It was simple, just a circle with wispy waves. Lnd recognized it as the Lord of Souls¡¯ mark. He subtly moved his own hand and tattoo out of view. ¡°That was the first time I¡¯ve¡­¡± he trailed off, his eyes finding the dead body. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go¡ª¡± ¡°Now wait just a moment. I remember when I first helped someone pass on. I was sick for a week,¡± the man said. ¡°I refused to leave my home, for I didn¡¯t want to experience something like that ever again. But I also knew¡ª¡± A trio of guards pushed through the street and the few people standing around. They yelled something in somenguage, probably announcing themselves and clearing the area. Lnd went to leave but the siren held out a hand stopping him. The elderly man said something to the guards and the guards turned to Lnd. ¡°What happened here?¡± she demanded. Before Lnd could answer, the siren said, ¡°This young Sheppard just helped a soul pass on. Lower your tone before I inform Sargent Halls.¡± The guard stiffened. ¡°O-of course Elder Gruff.¡± Nodding, the siren, Elder Gruff, turned back to Lnd. ¡°Now, like I was saying, it is good to talk to someone about this. I can see it in you. You are shaken, but that is perfectly normal.¡± The Elder thought for a moment. ¡°You know¡­ I haven¡¯t seen you around before. Are you visiting the city or are you guide less?¡± Not wanting to be part of this conversation, Lnd said to the guard trio. ¡°The Sightless Cult did this with sigils,¡± he motioned to the alley. ¡°They are carved into the walls and floor. I¡¯ve seen this before and can tell you that they want something down there hidden. Don¡¯t look any closer without precautions.¡± The guards looked at him like he had grown a third head. Then, slowly, one of them turned and walked off, evolving into a sprint a few stepster. Elder Gruff sighed. ¡°Then it looks like Sargent Halls will being out after all.¡± The siren then eyed Lnd. ¡°You¡¯ve ¡®seen this¡¯ before?¡± his voice more than acquisition. Lnd didn¡¯t like that tone. He inched away, the Elder following. ¡°Tell me son, are you a visitor or just masterless? Either way, you are going to have toe with me¡ª¡± And there it was. The reason Isobel didn¡¯t want him to get involved. Lnd suppressed a groan, just knowing that she was going to mock himter. He pivoted onto his toes and reached for Sybil¡¯s mask. He started sprinting away as the obscuring effect of the mask took effect. Behind, he heard what remained of the crowd gasp at his sudden disappearance. He spared a nce back, finding Elder Gruff and the two alert guards looking around wildly. Lnd didn¡¯t think about them, however. No, his mind was flooded with the soul he had helped pass on and just how horrible the process was. Maybe¡­ just maybe, he should have heard Elder Gruff out. But then again, he had others he could speak to. His first thought went to the Lord of Souls. Yeah, Lnd thought to himself with a bit of augh. I¡¯m going to discuss how difficult it was to help a soul pass on with the Lord of Souls. That¡¯s ironic and surreal. Chapter 182: Progress Chapter 182: Progress Isobel didn¡¯t have much to say about Lnd¡¯s interference with the local guard. They talked briefly about how he was now the subject of a search but that they didn¡¯t need to worry. As it turned out, Noir Stone was more interested in investigating the cult and not the random kid who alerted them to that fact. That didn¡¯t mean they were safe, or rather, that didn¡¯t mean Lnd was safe. A few guards were searching for him, along with Elder Gruff, but not enough to make any headway. Noir Stone was a veryrge city, and Lnd was as anonymous as anyone else. Still, Isobel made sure her disappointment was known. It wasn¡¯t so much what Lnd did, but how he was truly involved. He, an unknown individual, appeared before the guards, reported important information about a dastardly cult, then disappeared. If he wanted to get involved, which Isobel was still against, there were plenty of better ways to do it. Ways that didn¡¯t present the investigators with more questions. In the end, Lnd¡¯s involvement didn¡¯t really matter. He wasn¡¯t captured, he wasn¡¯t interrogated, he wasn¡¯t even questioned. He appeared and disappeared like a gentle breeze, which, luckily meant Isobel didn¡¯t have to get involved. If she had¡­ well¡­ they might not have been able to wait for their ship to depart. Laying low until the Wave Slicer left port was simple enough. Just more boredom. Lnd had grown ustomed to boredom, he could do boredom. As much as he wished to explore the city, he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t want to risk anything else, not when he was so close to getting home. That, or he didn¡¯t want to see any more death. That lost soul kept him up at night, its horrid scream ying in his mind despite how much he wished it to stop. Twisted face, bloated skin, being lost. Would that happen to him when he died? Would someone be there to guide him off? Misery and loss, a terrible death for innocent people. Was he innocent? Was that all there was? Was that all there was to look forward to? Death. Just how close had hee to dying over the near-year he had been adventuring? The first example that came to mind was the wraith and its frozen sickle while fighting the moose king with Gelo. Glenny had saved him, ending his own duel as quickly as possible to help.It had been their game n for the fight, which was fitting because even back then it truly felt like a ¡°game.¡± There had been no notion of death back then. Just three friends and a united goal. How stupid had they been? A knock sounded on Lnd¡¯s door. It was time to go. He reached over to the oilmp, finding it meless and heatless. Just how long ago had it burned out? Just how long had he been sitting in the dark? Lnd flinched at the thought. He suddenly felt sick, like he had stumbled into some fold of emotion. There was no loss of memory, no monster or enemy that hypnotized him. He was alone in his room, left to his own devices and mind. He stood, shook out whatever was keeping him in a cage, and opened the door. Isobel stood impatiently. She eyed him and he eyed her right back. Maybe it was the bags under his eyes or how he pushed past her before she could say something sarcastic, but Isobel didn¡¯tment on his appearance despite having already thought of a dozen snide things to say. No, she knew what the boy was going through more than most. Well, partially at least. Mortality, to her, was a bit different than most. But it was all she knew. And she feared for Lnd, more than most. For so long she didn¡¯t care about what happened to herself. She had a singr goal in mind, revenge. And she got it. She took her revenge the moment she could, then simply existed. No friends, no family, no one to talk to. She was by herself, alone in thought and emotion. For her, she had thrown herself into her job. She gained power and renown, all the while she continued to fall apart. People hated her, she hated people. They started distancing themselves from her as she pushed them farther away. She med it on people annoying her, but in reality she just had nothing to live for. Her daughter was dead, her husband brutalized. And that was that. Her mortality didn¡¯t matter after her revenge was taken. Despite all of this, despite her past, she had recovered enough to see the cataclysmic rush to the end of her life. One day she would take on a fight she couldn¡¯t handle. She wouldn¡¯t even care. There was no job dangerous enough, no fight that couldn¡¯t be won. Not to her, not to her until Lnd came along. Well, Lnd, Jude, and Glenny. Following them had triggered something, something that put her path out before her and made her reevaluate herself. So when Isobel watched Lnd walk past her, something roared in the back of her mind. Her hand shot out, grabbing him by the cor and mming him to the wall. Cracks radiated out, wood and drywall broken and crumbling. She didn¡¯t care, not when she had something this important to say. ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. But before he could answer, she continued to speak, ¡°You fight a few battles, kill a few bad guys? And what? Think you are invincible? Well you¡¯re not. You¡¯re not.¡± The bags under Lnd¡¯s eyes disappeared in the way of confusion. He squirmed under her grip, thinking pain should being. But it didn¡¯t. Strange. He shook his head, ¡°What are you doing¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like me, Lnd.¡± Isobel let go of him, her hand remaining on his cor for just a moment. ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t speak in anger. Sure, he was angry. Incredibly so. But for all of the months he had known the Huntress, she had never sounded so defeated. She had apologized once before, and that was a major shock. But this? Looking like a beaten dog? Inching away from him like she was afraid? That was new and much more scary. So when Isobel¡¯s eyes widened and she turned away, Lnd felt something was truly wrong. ¡°Talk to me,¡± he whispered. ¡°What just happened?¡± She didn¡¯t answer and instead walked away. He followed, of course. All the way to the shipyard he followed and prodded her with questions. Each question made her face shrink, her frown deepen, and her guilt rise. They handed their tickets to one of the ship¡¯s crew members, who then led them to their cabins. They were across the hallway from one another, and Isobel went right into hers and closed the door. Lnd stood therepletely baffled, the crew member ignoring him and leaving. They departed Noir Stone a few hourster and sailed for two whole days before Isobel stepped out of her cabin. Lnd had been waiting for this and instantly followed. But, as she was much faster than him, she just disappeared in the ship¡¯s bowels. He just didn¡¯t get it. Being ignored was one thing. But being run from? ¡°Isobel,¡± Lnd said in the direction she had disappeared. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with you, but you can tell me¡­¡± He didn¡¯t like how that sounded, so he quickly added, ¡°I might make fun of you, though, so maybe don¡¯t?¡± Gah, that wasn¡¯t much better. Though somehow, the shadows shifted and Isobel stood before Lnd, her cheeks wet with tears. He flinched at the sight, and she noticed. For a moment she knew she had made a mistake and quickly hardened herself back into the monster that was ¨C is ¨C the Huntress. But then that moment ended, and possibly even the ¡°Huntress¡± with it. ¡°My daughter died,¡± she announced, her voice raw. ¡°And I almost died too.¡± Lnd nodded slowly. He already knew that, but he didn¡¯t interrupt. ¡°There was no single enemy, but I was one bad fight away from dying. One slip, one bad habit shining through my countless good ones. And I would be dead.¡± She tried to smile, but it broke instantly. ¡°And I didn¡¯t care. Why should I? I had nothing to live for¡­ That was why they allowed me to operate solo. Not because I was a strong enough fighter, but because if I was killed, other Inquisitors wouldn¡¯t be taken out in the crossfire. ¡°I was a liability to others and myself. But the High Inquisitors could live with that. And I could too.¡± Isobel shook her head. ¡°But I¡ª I can¡¯t anymore. I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Lnd quietly asked, ¡°And you thought I was the same way? That I didn¡¯t care about my health?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been in more deadly fights than anyone your age has the right to be in,¡± she muttered. ¡°You walked into battle with a Harbinger that could kill you by blinking and threatened him. No sane person would do that.¡± ¡°So what? You think I¡¯m suicidal?¡± ¡°No. I think you have a heroplex.¡± Lnd scoffed at that. ¡°That is far from the truth. And why do you care, huh? What is this sudden change in you?¡± She looked at him like he was dumb. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. This is about you.¡± ¡°Me!? Me? Really? Are you sure you¡¯re not going insane? Because that is just insane.¡± ¡°You look like how I did when I first joined the Inquisitors. Lost in thought in a dark room. Brushing off others. Uncaring of how you look or appear.¡± Lnd couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°Are you being serious right now? I wasn¡¯t sitting in that dark room because I wanted to! I didn¡¯t notice themp burning out because I still hear its screams!¡± Isobel recoiled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Back in Noir Stone! That dead body wasn¡¯t just a dead body! His soul was still there and I tried to help it pass on! And it screamed at me like I was the one who killed it! Like I was some monster for even attempting to help it! It didn¡¯t want to move on! It didn¡¯t want to leave its life behind! It didn¡¯t want to die!¡± Lnd looked up. ¡°But it did,¡± he whispered. ¡°Just like that. Dead.¡± Isobel watched Lnd carefully. His eyes were beading with tears, his chest heaving with horrid shudders. He wasn¡¯t gued by indifference like she was. No, he was gued by something far worse, somethingpletely opposite. He wanted to live, and he finally saw the line of death. ¡°Oh.¡± Lnd twitched, his eyes darting to her. ¡°¡¯Oh?¡¯¡± ¡°I was wrong. I thought you¡­¡± ¡°Were suicidal?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yes,¡± she mutter¡ª ¡°Are you kidding me!? Me? Really? After everything I¡¯ve done to get home! After everything we¡¯ve been through?¡± Isobel frowned. She did not like that tone. ¡°So what if I was wrong? It¡¯s not like I hurt you.¡± ¡°You broke a wall mming me into it!¡± ¡°And? Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Well¡­ no¡­ But that doesn¡¯t matter! Why do you go to violence as a first instinct? Just talk to me!¡± Lnd also let out a string of curses, all aimed at Isobel¡¯s stupidity. She cursed back, making sure her volume was just louder than his. Internally, Lnd was d. His fears for Isobel had been wiped away and he enthusiastically continued his yelling match with her. It was kind of fun when all of the strangeness left their words. Eventually they started yelling about nonsensical things, like bringing up an old argument about how Lnd didn¡¯t perfectly execute a battle against some monster in the Archon Valley. He, of course, countered with his own view of the battle and how he was still much weaker and inexperienced than her. Isobel got into it too, finding her hardened mask of ¡°the Huntress¡± was nowhere to be seen despite yelling and being stiff with emotion. It wasn¡¯t fun for her, rather it wasfortable. Which might have been more strange for her, since when was thest time she wasfortable? In the end, Lnd still felt horrible about the lost soul but also not. He wasn¡¯t sure, but if a soul appeared on the ship, he felt he would be able to talk with it. At least until it screamed at him. That was a sound he would never forget. Isobel also felt a bit better. A weight had lifted from her as a chained box had been unlocked. She had peeked inside but she was far from fully opening it. Still, knowing that the box wasn¡¯t lost was nice. Yeah, it was nice. She didn¡¯t let Lnd know about any of this, however. She had already been too unstable and reckless in front of him. Regardless of what revtions she had next, she would not be allowing Lnd to be part of it. It was her path to walk, her decisions to make, and her future to live. Meanwhile, the Wave Slicer made its way to Shoutwell. Chapter 183: Friends Chapter 183: Friends Glenny Red stood a few steps ahead of Jude and Spencer. They had drifted back so he could be alone with his mother. Or, at least, a statue of her. Deep in the heart of Shoutwell¡¯s dark district, for-hire assassins, thieves, poison sellers, and the like lived in the shadows. Some were a part of the local Umbra Guild, others were just looking for a ¡°nice¡± ce toy low. There was crime, sure, but not out in the open. Those with less-than-savory skillsets didn¡¯t make enemies here. There was no need. Not when stealing from one or murdering another meant the whole force of the Umbra crashing down on you. No, these shadows adhered to the very rules Glenny¡¯s mom did. She was one of them, a high ranking member from what he understood. And so when she was killed in this city, her mark had long been cast. They respected her in the only way they knew, a guardian statue ced on overwatch of the whole of the district. In other words, a show of strength and unity. Who better to watch over the Shoutwell¡¯s Umbra than the very woman who reached out in understanding from the Inquisitors? There used to be a time where all members of the Umbra were hunted and killed. Despite policing themselves, they were still thieves and murderers. But sometimes even the Inquisitors needed their expertise. But that left openings for both sides. Blind spots that people of such caliber easily noticed and acted upon. That was, until the idea of ambassadors came about. For the Inquisitors, they chose Annie Red. For the Umbra, they chose a man called Ashford. Both Annie and Ashford became an honorary Umbra or Inquisitor, for they were living both lives. It worked out well for years, even after Ashford died and a new ambassador took his ce. Annie eventually had Glenny. She took time off with her husband Carmon to start their family and inevitably returned yearster. She easily took back her mantle of Ambassador, and got to work¡­ until she died, backstabbed by someone she was trying to protect. Both the Inquisitors and Umbra didn¡¯t stop, hunting this man around the world and back. The man returned home at one point, only to be persuaded away. And that was when he ran into Glenny, Jude, and Lnd and ultimately fell by their hands and thus ended the tale of Annie ¡°The Chameleon¡± Red. There was one footnote that was found after the fact, however. Ashford was alive. Annie¡¯s counterpart, the first Ambassador of the Umbra, was hidden away, growing in strength and reach. And when his master called, Ashford didn¡¯t hesitate for his undying will was always eternal. In a way, Glenny wasn¡¯t surprised by this revtion. The Harbinger who attacked Ruinsforth, who killed hundreds, who helped a Witch steal Lnd and Sybil, was, at one point, an equal to his mother. And that man almost killed his dad. And that hurt. Glenny¡¯s stomach felt like fire, an ugly rage bubbling. Why was his mom the dead one and not this horrid excuse for a human named Ashford? It wasn¡¯t fair. It wasn¡¯t fair! His breathing hitched and roared, his eyes pulsing with a crimson re. He twitched, a deep heat forming in his palms. The Sightless King¡¯s power was his own. He had made it that way, he had stolen it and ovee it. So consuming the heat and banishing away the red was, in a way, easy. The question was: did he want to? Yes, was his answer. There was no point in being angry, not without an enemy in front of him. Dull whispers, the Sightless King¡¯s attempts to sway him off his path, assaulted his mind, each bending around his thoughts and forging new oues. He crushed them with a nk anvil. An anvil of nothingness, a piece of the Void made corporeal. Reflection King Harlen had taught him how, but it was up to himself to make it his. The Legacy of the Chameleon, a lesser followed Lord with the strict archetype of the rogue. Invisibility, deadly critical strikes, enhanced perceptions, but most importantly, the innate ability to adapt to anything. It took a while, but with the ss shard of information Lnd gifted him from the Lord of Chameleon himself, the process had be streamlined. The Void was everywhere and nowhere, it touched all but nothing touched it. It was from this idea that Glenny adapted to the Void. He had only acquired this power in thest few weeks, one day after Lnd and Sybil were taken, actually. He was angry at the time for how powerless he had been in the fight with Ashford the Undying Harbinger and maybe kind of took an incredible risk. The risk, however, paid off, and the Void was now his to ¡°use.¡± What did this mean in practice? Glenny did not know. He had only touched on the outlying simple uses of Void, and how they pertained to the whispers in his head. Back when he first was adapting to the Sightless King¡¯s power, the Huntress had kidnapped him and thrown him into battle to live and learn. It had worked, and his talent for crimson forged weapons bloomed. The same could not be said for Void. Every attempt, everyckluster epiphany on the subject, left him no closer than before. What he called an ¡°anvil¡± was easy. When the voices came, he simply ¡°dropped¡± an anvil on them and whisked them away. Truthfully, there was a lotcking in this description of power and what it actually did. An ¡°eraser¡± was closer to the truth of how the Void worked, but ¡°anvil¡± worked out better in his mind since he saw the Sightless King¡¯s power as a forge. Glenny sighed, the whispers were gone and unable toe back for a while. Silence was a luxury at this point, and he always made the most of it. He turned, finding Jude and Spencer watching him somberly. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± he said, walking past them. Jude Brown was out of his depth. Returning to Shoutwell was, well, not all that fun to him¡­ but what had been funtely? Nothing. He wished it could go back to the old days when he, Lnd, and Glenny rode caravans and killed monsters together. It had only been less than a year ago, but so much had happened. He found a harmonica, he learned to y, that harmonic was stolen, he bought another, he and the others killed some people, almost got killed in return, they met Gelo and Floe¡­ A lot had happened in such little time but now everything was slow. Don¡¯t get him wrong, he really enjoyed seeing Gelo and Floe again so soon, but unfortunately the reason they had to return to the dungeon was awful. His mom had almost died, his dad med himself. Glenny¡¯s dad almost died as well. Lnd¡¯s mom, too. So they went to the dungeon to hide out and recover. Meanwhile Lnd was missing. Taken, stolen, kidnapped. He wanted to leave! To run out and find him! But that was an ill thought-out n. Where would he go? He had no tracking experience. If he found Lnd, would he be strong enough to save him? Jude didn¡¯t know, so he trained. And trained. Both with Glenny and Gelo, and solo under advisement from his father. While his dad didn¡¯t know all the intricacies of being a berserker, he had been married to one for a long time. So they worked, father and son, together on rage maniption, cooling down safety, and barbaric fighting style. And while that was fun, especially since it had been a long time since they worked together, Jude couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty. Lnd was out there, alone. Separated from the team and most likely fighting for his life. So when the opportunity to travel out of the dungeon with Spencer arose, Jude bit and he didn¡¯t let go. They traveled to various of Spencer¡¯s contacts, making use of portal magic to travel quickly. After the seventh contact, they had their lead. Shoutwell, Lnd would appear in Shoutwell! The n was simple. Wait for the ship to arrive and take him! Portal him out of the hands of whoever had him and rush him into the dungeon before Aunty P. found out. But when they arrived in the city, they quickly found that the ship wasn¡¯t going to arrive for another few weeks. Hurry up and wait had turned literal, and it crushed Jude more than he was willing to admit. And the guilt of enraging and forcibly being taken out of the battle still haunted him. Could his presence have helped Lnd and Sybil? His mind told him no, but still. He had abandoned his friends because he couldn¡¯t control himself. He was a danger to himself and others. And once he knew Lnd was safe and secure, he would leave the team. He couldn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t put them at risk again. Maybe one day he would return, but for now, the rage was too powerful. For now, though, he would wait for Lnd to show up. He was ready, just like he knew the others were as well. Chapter 184: Viewing Glass Chapter 184: Viewing ss ¡°And that is why seaweed is sometimes rainbow in color,¡± The Wave Slicer¡¯s Captain, Gull, exined to Lnd. Lnd blinked a few times, calcting internally. ¡°Wait really? I feel like I would have heard about that before? Just seaweed and Essence of Storm?¡± Gull snorted. ¡°How many times have you heard of seaweed outside of swimming at a beach and those restaurants serving raw-fish?¡± He nced at Isobel lounging a few steps away. ¡°I can answer for you! None! Seaweed is one of the least-alchemically useful nts in existence!¡± Isobel cracked open an eye. ¡°Seaweed is a nt?¡± Lnd giggled at that but the Captain did not. He scowled in fact, muttering about ¡°these darn youth today.¡± Feeling like he needed to keep the peace, Lnd said, ¡°Regardless of building material, this ship really is something.¡± Their passage to Shoutwell was a ship created strictly out of seaweed, rope, and metal fasteners. No wood, no sheet metal, just good old fashion¡­ seaweed. Lndughed again but this time the Captain smirked right along with him. ¡°Watch your tongue boy-o, I should have thrown you off my ship the moment you and this one,¡± he jerked his thumb at Isobel, ¡°started yelling in the gallery! Woke up all those fine passengers of mine!¡± Isobel chortled, ¡°They are only ¡®fine¡¯ because they are paying.¡±Gull hid his smile. ¡°Be that as it may, they are still my passengers. And! My passengers should be able to get enough sleep! Not be woken up by some kid and his guardian yelling about who is the most scared of dying!¡± Lnd turned red. Isobel did the same but quickly cooled herself off with a pulse of Hunter¡¯s Instincts, a Legacy ability. ¡°In my defense,¡± Lnd began, ¡°I wanted to have a proper conversation with her, but she¡ª¡± Isobel cut him off, inferring what he was about to say, ¡°¡¯Is a great beast and doesn¡¯t know how to speak at a proper volume level?¡¯¡± He smiled. ¡°Not at all! I was going to say how wonderful you are and that any and everything you do, you do for the greater good.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, right.¡± Gull looked between the two of them. ¡°Sounds like you two have been together for a while now. How¡¯d you meet? You look a little young to be his mom and a little old to be his girlfri¡ª¡± Lnd coughed. Isobel stared at the man. He held his hands up. ¡°Just saying!¡± Letting out a sigh, Lnd said, ¡°She was the localw enforcement when my friends and I came into this town. It was supposed to be an easy trip for us to get some adventuring experience, but one thing led to another, and well, Isobel here helped us save a different city from some murderous group.¡± Isobel gave Lnd a warning nce. Gull went through several stages of emotion, his gruff beard and mustache highlighting all of the fine changes. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, boy-o¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s exactly it. I don¡¯t believe you. You saved a city? How old are you?¡± Lnd let out a long sigh and thought. ¡°Huh. I guess I¡¯ll be twenty in two months. Time really has flown by.¡± Gullughed. ¡°Now I know you are yanking my seaweed-chains. You saved an entire city while only having a Legacy for less than a year? Preposterous!¡± Lnd gave a shrug. ¡°And you made an entire ship out of seaweed. Normally I would say that is preposterous, but here we are.¡± The old Captain squinted. ¡°Fair enough.¡± Then with a hearty grunt, he stood, his knees popping under the sudden movement. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get back to the navigator¡¯s cabin before the First Mate skins me for getting lost. I¡¯ve over-sailed ports before and refuse to let it happen again.¡± Isobel sat up. ¡°Does that mean we will be arriving soon?¡± Gull looked up at the stars. ¡°Aye, I¡¯d say so. A few hours, maybe a bit more.¡± He stretched, then added, ¡°It was nice talking to both of ye. Most of my passengers are the boring merchant types. Money, money, money. That¡¯s all they talk about.¡± Lnd stood and held his hand out. ¡°Thanks for the ride, Captain Gull.¡± The Captain shook his hand and turned to Isobel. ¡°I¡¯m d you two got out whatever your argument was about. Can¡¯t have friends mad at each other, trust me.¡± Isobel slowly gave him a nod and then he walked off, disappearing into the hardened seaweed ship. Lnd leaned over the ship¡¯s railing, watching the coast go by. ¡°What do you think about flying from here?¡± he asked. Isobel hummed. ¡°Maybe in an hour. I¡¯d rather not camp out in the wilds if we don¡¯t have to, and with yourck of mana, we surely would.¡± He gave her a t stare. ¡°Are you still sour I¡¯m faster than you? Because I do not want to get into this again.¡± She held up her hands, surrendering¡­ but then quickly added, ¡°You¡¯re faster for like two miles then you have to rest for a few hours. I can fly continuously forever if I had to.¡± Lnd sighed, making it very pronounced and drawn out. Then he smirked and spewed out, ¡°Slowpokesaywhat?¡± ¡°What?¡± Heughed. Sitting in a small inn by the Shoutwell Harbor, Jude and Glenny yed cards. Glenny tried to be tactical, taking long turns and thinking through all possible oues. Jude, during this, fingered away at his harmonica, softly ying. When it was his turn, he¡¯d y instantly, seemingly choosing a card at random andying it down with the strictest confidence. And it drove Glenny mad. Well, it irritated him for sure. Because he was losing. He was losing to a dull strategy created by a dull¡ª ¡°I found it,¡± Spencer said from the corner. Jude hopped up from his seat. ¡°Finally!¡± Glenny slowly stood as well, took a deep breath, and refocused. Sitting in a cramped room doing nothing for thest few days had been miserable. ying cards didn¡¯t help much either, but that was all they could do. Wait, bide their time and wait. Luckily Spencer¡¯s magic allowed for remotely checking out ships so they didn¡¯t have to sit outside in the cold. ¡°Is he there?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Checking,¡± Spencer said, his eyes glowing with magic. ¡°¡­Found him!¡± ¡°Thank the Lords!¡± Jude screeched. Glenny smiled softly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to open a portal. Be ready to yank him¡ª¡± Spencer paused. ¡°Cancel that. I¡¯ll just tell him to step over.¡± Jude and Glenny looked at each other. Over thest few days they had discussed how this fateful event was going to happen. Worst case scenario, they would steal him back from those who took him in the first ce. Best case, he was alone and safe. It looked like thetter scenario was happening. Still standing at the bow of the ship, Lnd and Isobel were talking about the Lord of the Hunt. She was exining why she didn¡¯t think he¡¯d get much in the way of a contract if he ever chose to petition him. As it turned out, the Hunter Lord was in a simr vein to the Lord of Curses or Lord of Magic. Their Legacies were a culmination of other Lord¡¯s powers. The Lord of Curses could make im to any ¡°curse,¡± the Lord of Magic to any ¡°spell,¡± and the Lord of the Hunt likewise could im any ssifier that dealt with ¡°hunting.¡± Spells, curses, abilities, techniques, whatever. This, while opening plenty of doors, was much too broad. Isobel theorized that unless Lnd had something very specific to ask of culmination-type Lords, he was better off petitioning a specific-type Lord like the Lord of Fire or Lord of Erupting Skies. Case in point was Erupting Steps. Since Lnd asked the Lord of Erupting Skies for a movement ability, he received something to do with lightning-like speed. If, instead, he were to ask the Lord of the Hunt, then Isobel guessed that he would receive something far less impactful. ¡°There are just too many abilities that grant increased movement that the Lord of the Hunt has ess to. And knowing him from way back during my Dream Ceremony, he¡¯d offer you something rather limiting. Like increased speed toward beasts only, or something.¡± Lnd nodded along with what she was saying. ¡°And so instead, I asked the Lord of Erupting Skies and was offered something from a smaller, more niche pool of spells that have lesser limitations.¡± He understood and promptly agreed. It wasmon knowledge that broader Lordly domains were much more limited in scope. His mom was a great example of that. She, a Legacy of Magic, specialized in lightning. Her spells were always weaker than a Legacy of Erupting Skies, for example, but she also had more options to choose from. Like the red-lighting of the Lord of Parax. ¡°I wonder if there is a book of spells from various Lords I could get my hands on.¡± Lnd said. ¡°That way I know what I should bargain for right from the¡ª¡± A portal opened beside him. ¡°Lnd!¡± three voices called at once. His eyes widened and his legs reacted before his brain did. For having been fighting near-nonstop for so long, the sudden spell work sent his mana supply into overdrive. His hands flooded with magic and multiple spells reared into ready. But that all came crashing down when he saw loved ones. He sprinted through the portal, the oddly metal seaweed under foot giving way to old rotted wood. His dad was first in his sights and he opened his arms wide to hug¡ª Lnd skidded across the floor, a sudden weight crashing into him from the side. Jude burrowed his head into him, two meaty arms wrapping around him like alchemical tongs. ¡°Lnd! Lnd! Lnd!¡± Jude repeated with cheer, his tune bouncing like his knees. He jumped up and down, taking Lnd with him. ¡°AhhaaAhhhhaAAhhhh,¡± Lnd sang in line with the bounces. ¡°Jude! Get off!¡± He got his arm out and leveraged Jude off himself with a shove, finding it much easier than it should have been. He didn¡¯t think too much about that, however, instead rushing forward to hug his dad. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Son!¡± Spencer pulled him in and didn¡¯t let go, even when Jude hugged both of them. From the side, Glenny deliberated for a moment before joining the trio. His cloak of shadows joined the fun as well, its tendrils of darkness wrapping around all of them like a cocoon. Glenny forced it to heel when the light started to drain from the room. ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± Jude screeched despite being directly next to everyone. ¡°Yes!¡± Lnd yelled back. ¡°No need to yell!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re back! Yelling is part of it¡ª¡± A tendril of darkness snapped around his mouth and spun around his head like a roll of tape. Muffled shouting sounded from behind the shadow. Lndughed at that. He turned to Glenny. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better with the cloak!¡± Glenny¡¯s eyes widened a bit, not expecting the sudden directed enthusiasm. ¡°Yeah¡ª¡± He looked Lnd up and down. ¡°And you aren¡¯t as bby as before!¡± ¡°¡¯bby?¡¯¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t look as mage-y as before.¡± Amused, Lnd epted thepliment and suddenly realized the portal leading to the ship was gone. ¡°Did Isobel¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± a voice sounded from the corner. ¡°Have your moment. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± A muffled gawk sounded from Jude. Glenny, likewise, made a surprised yelp. Isobel looked more than pleased. ¡°What? Forgot about me, huh?¡± Glenny sputtered out some nonsense and Jude had a look of fear in his eyes. A moment went by, and both boys recovered. Spencer tookmand of the silence, his arm still on his son. ¡°We thought you were dead, Isobel.¡± She squinted at Jude in particr. He flinched. ¡°Nope. Back and better than ever. A real weight has been lifted from my shoulders.¡± She looked to Lnd before saying, ¡°I think it¡¯s from leaving the Inquisitors. You should think about doing that as well.¡± Lnd knew she was lying. She wasn¡¯t feeling better because of herck of a profession but the yelling match they had on the ship. But that was private between them. No one else had the right, nor should, know. Spencer didn¡¯t smile, he didn¡¯t frown. In a t tone he said, ¡°Already done. And I¡¯ve already nned to kill Aunty P.¡± Isobel raised an eyebrow. Lnd spun on his dad, knocking his arm off in the process. ¡°Did Sybil not make it? Everything should be smoothed over, right?¡± He turned to Isobel. ¡°Right? Right!¡± Spencer regarded his son for a moment. ¡°Sybil was with you? We were never sure if you all were together.¡± He nced at Isobel. ¡°You two obviously were. What about the princess?¡± ¡°She was with us as well,¡± Isobel filled in as Lnd was suddenly too ill to talk. ¡°Lnd went into a great deal of debt to make sure she was returned home before things went south for her.¡± The shadows wrapped around Jude¡¯s mouth had disappeared and he and Glenny were whispering to Lnd, trying to calm him down. It wasn¡¯t working, not really, at least. ¡°Where¡ª¡± Lnd said to the room. ¡°Where is she? She should be here. In the castle, home. She should be here!¡± Spencer, Jude, and Glenny spoke over one another, each trying to get more information while also calming Lnd. Isobel spoke to Lnd, her voice like a light in the darkness, ¡°She¡¯s fine. She is in the castle. You know how that spell worked. And unless the Lord of the Void lied to you, she¡¯s home. And knowing ¡®Aunty P¡¯ she probably thought Sybil was a face changer or something before the Queen showed up.¡± Lnd nodded. ¡°I have to make sure.¡± ¡°And we will. But for now, we¡¯ve just made it back. You need to see your mom and I need to sleep.¡± With that, Lnd looked at his father. ¡°Where¡¯s mom?¡± Spencer went from eyeing the Huntress to feeling like an old man looking at his son. ¡°She¡¯s fine. She¡¯s safe. I don¡¯t want to verbally say where, but we will go there.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°In a moment, my son.¡± Spencer kneeled, locking eyes with Lnd. ¡°Are you okay? You don¡¯t seem okay.¡± Like a cork cracking under pressure, tears leaked from Lnd¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s been really hard, dad,¡± he muttered, his face crumbling into an ugly mess. Spencer hugged him, and for a moment all other worries disappeared. Chapter 185: Family Chapter 185: Family Lnd stared into the dungeon entrance. It was glowing red, meaning it was in use. The group stood within a small cave on a small ind, water pooling around their ankles with the soft blue glow of luminescent mushrooms nearby. The red and blue shed, turning the cave a gentle tone of purple, not too different from how Lnd¡¯s own magic materialized. They had only just arrived, stepping through a portal from Shoutwell to here, but their presence set off a rush of activity within the dungeon. They couldn¡¯t see it, but the humans and Guardian Spirit Beasts within were making their way to the exit. Such was a limitation of dungeons. When more people wanted to enter, the people already inside had to exit first. It took several moments, while Lndmended Glenny for thinking to suggest Floe and Gelo¡¯s dungeon as a ce of refuge. Eventually people exited. First was Roy Brown, Jude¡¯s father and Legacy of the Bastion. He held the first half of a stretcher behind his back, a stretcher upied by a broken man. Lnd recognized Carmon Red, Glenny¡¯s dad and Legacy of the de Dancer, easily despite his mangled body. Carmon had battled against the Harbinger now known as Ashford, and lost. Horribly. Every bone in his body had been broken, his insides ruptured, and his brain knocked around. There was little doubt to anyone that if Ashford wanted Carmon dead, he would be. Mercy or not, Lnd had been the one to confront the Harbinger at the time. Seeing the aftermath was difficult. His chest tightened and he felt just as powerless as he did all those weeks ago. Lnd hadn¡¯t thought much of Glenny¡¯s dad while he was in the Archon Valley or during his travels home. He didn¡¯t think he needed to. Not with expert healers throughout the kingdom. Carmon¡¯s wounds, while treatable, were something an actual healer needed to deal with. He knew Touch of Regeneration wouldn¡¯t do much. Not with the power difference between him and Carmon. Roy continued through, pulling Carmon along and eventually thest human of the group. Lucia Silver, Lnd¡¯s mom and Legacy of Magic. She had aged ten years since thest time Lnd saw her. She had been shot out of the sky and removed from the battle at Ruinsforth. Again, he didn¡¯t think he needed to worry about her, since there should have been healers around. Evidently Spencer took everyone and ran before healing could be administered.Lucia¡¯s hair had turned frazzled, from a nice auburn to near ck with white speckles. Her woundsid across her bare. From the base of her neck up and around her right ear, thick scarred veins had been left like animal tracks in a forest. An aftereffect, the leftover remains of a backfired spell. In this case, lightning. Her own lightning. Lnd watched her weakened face brighten as she exited the dungeon, seeing him was medicine enough. After Glenny took over the stretcher for her, she hugged her son with all her might. They stood together, Spencer just a step away, for a long while, the purple glow of the cave highlighting them like moonlight in the dead of night. Last to exit the dungeon was Diana Brown, Legacy of the Berserker and mother to Jude. She hobbled slowly, limping like her leg was made of powdered ss. The sheer look of determination shown across her face, the look of a woman broken and beaten but not down for the count. She had been asleep thest time Jude saw her a few days ago. He catapulted himself into her open arms. She grunted in pain, her muscles all having been overworked and shredded during the battle with Ashford. Enraging for someone as powerful as herself, something akin to fighting in a burning box. Her body couldn¡¯t handle the stress of rage, not without her mind to regte. It was a shame and tragedy all Berserker Legacies faced, and she had long thought she hade to grips with her ailment. Evidently not. And as Diana hugged her son, she resolved herself to make sure Jude knew how to correctly keep the rage at bay. No more half-assed lessons, no more leaving for years at a time on assignment for the Inquisitor. Her husband had filled her in on what happened after she lost consciousness in the battle, and retirement seemed like a bright and shiny future. After, of course, she kicked Aunty P¡¯s teeth in. After, of course, Lucia, Spencer, and Lnd got their turns. ¡°Sorry to break up the reunion, everyone,¡± Spencer said to the group, ¡°but we should get back inside before something happens.¡± And just like that, everyone entered the dungeon. A familiar scene of endless snow hungthe air. As far as the eye could see, there was snow. Other than what looked to be a frozen explosion of far-off string, the dungeon¡¯s first hurdle was t snowy wastnd. The string was, of course, not actually string. They were frozen-solid worms, each as thick as a lighthouse and as tall as a wizard tower. They reached toward the sky, jagged and arched, having been killed by the Guardian of the dungeon for little more reason than they annoyed her. Floe and Gelo were waiting at the entrance. Both full grown bear and cub had the same white fur, but Floe¡¯s was far more defined. White ice hung off her like hairs, each as sharp as a knife and as cold as the center of a blizzard. Gelo was much the same, but where her fur ended, faint wisps of hoarfrost coated like a fresh coat of paint. Floe, the size of arge barn, had toy fully on her belly and chin to be remotely near human-height. She said, ¡°Lnd! Good to see you are not dead.¡± Her voice emanated like a fog horn, yet warm like a lit hearth. Lnd gave her a cheeky smile. ¡°Me? Dead? Preposterous!¡± Lucia was hooked onto his arm with her own and showed no signs of letting go. ¡°Floe has been very nice to us, Lnd. I¡¯m d you¡¯ve been making powerful allies. I met a Guardian Spirit Beast once and well, we were kicked out of his desert for not bringing gifts.¡± Floe solemnly nodded. ¡°We are territorial beings. But your son, and the other boys, helped my Gelo, so our home is theirs.¡± Gelo took the moment to step over to Lnd and sniff him. ¡°You smell different¡­ Mother, what is this smell?¡± Lnd frowned when Floe breathed in deeply. ¡°Hmm. I do not know.¡± ¡°We were just at sea. Maybe salt?¡± ¡°No. I know how the ocean smells. This scent is older. More primal.¡± Floe paused, sniffing again. She looked at Isobel. ¡°This one has the smell as well.¡± Isobel looked quite put off. ¡°Er. Uh. Well. Thanks for inviting me in.¡± Floe paid no attention to that. ¡°This smell¡­¡± Lnd eyed Isobel. ¡°Did you just say ¡®thanks?¡¯¡± She scowled. Gelo asked, ¡°Perhaps you fought some interesting monsters?¡± Humming, Floe said, ¡°Yes. Some sort of monster. That is what I most closely connect your scent to.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Lnd said. ¡°That¡¯s probably the Archons then. We interacted quite a bit with one. Helped her leave this world even.¡± Roy and Spencer had been quietly talking to Diana a few steps away, but even they paused to listen to Lnd. The others were much the same, except for Jude and Glenny. They didn¡¯t know much about Archons besides that they existed. ¡°You met an Archon?¡± Lucia asked, looking quite incredulous. ¡°Well, three. The first two didn¡¯t talk much¡­¡± he trailed off, not wanting to talk about those. ¡°Sapphire, the third¡¯s name, was quite nice. She protected us when the Sightless Cult and the Clergy of the Golden Lambs attacked us.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were wide open. Except for Isobel, Lnd, Floe, and Gelo that was. ¡°Y-you fought with the Clergy?¡± Roy asked, his jaw somewhat ck. ¡°Are they the ones that captured you? Were they working with that Harbinger and Witch?¡± Lnd squinted for a moment, confused. Then he realized they didn¡¯t have a clue what actually happened to him, Sybil, and Isobel. So he started at the beginning, exining everything from the moment they were teleported. ¡°You were able to cut your way out of the Void?¡± Glenny asked, leaning in with quite a lot of interest. ¡°No, not really. I just kind of messed with the mana until it broke.¡± Glenny deted and Lnd continued exining what happened. The next question came from Spencer and Lucia, the two mages. They were interested in the Archons, and Lnd told them about the Lord of the Void and how the Archons are actually semi-autonomous golem type things until they finish their work and be sentient beings part of a hivemind. ¡°Well that proves wrong most theories about them,¡± Spencer muttered. ¡°And to think I almost wrote a thesis on them years and years ago¡­¡± Diana, however, through her broken voice, asked, ¡°What do you mean the Lord of the Void ¡®told¡¯ you?¡± Isobel rolled her eyes at the question. Well, mainly at Lnd. ¡°You haven¡¯t told them?¡± ¡°No,¡± he said with a bit of a start. ¡°Secrecy was what got me so far¡­ But all of that is out in the open, now, huh?¡± Jude and Glenny were more reserved. ¡°You told her?¡± Jude asked, pointing at Isobel. Lnd answered with a nod. ¡°And she didn¡¯t kill you?¡± Isobel scowled. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster.¡± ¡°I beg to differ,¡± Glenny said, the words flowing out of his mouth without him even realizing it. ¡°You destroyed your log cabin just so I couldn¡¯t sleep inside when you kidnapped me!¡± Lucky for everyone, Carmon was asleep. Diana, however, was not. ¡°You kidnapped him?¡± she demanded. ¡°To make sure he wasn¡¯t going to die,¡± Isobel said, waving her hand nonchntly. ¡°He¡¯ll look back on that time favorably in a few years.¡± ¡°And if he doesn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Then he might as well take revenge.¡± Isobel looked directly at Glenny. ¡°Make sure toe at me while I¡¯m asleep. It¡¯s your best chance.¡± Glenny muttered something no one could hear. Floe snorted. ¡°Humans.¡± Lnd sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s not start any thing we are going to regret.¡± He locked eyes with everyone, one at a time. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here without Isobel. So, regardless of her attitude, I trust her with my life. Completely.¡± She gave him an unreadable look. The others gave her various looks of contempt. ¡°Anyway, to answer your question, Diana, I am a Harbinger.¡± Lnd paused for a moment. He trusted everyone here with his life, but still he felt like someone was going to attack him for the deration. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say who my Lord is because that is a rather important thing that can¡¯t get into the wrong hands. But, I can say most other Lords respect my Lord and vouch for her ¡®goodness.¡¯ She is not Vile.¡± Roy and Diana nced at Jude, noting he wasn¡¯t surprised. They understood. ¡°Continue,¡± Diana said. Lnd took a deep breath. ¡°As I understand it, every Harbinger has a spell or ability that creates a halo above their head. What this halo does is different for each Legacy, but for mine I have the opportunity to petition other Lords for a piece of their power.¡± ¡°What!¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± the Browns said at the same time. Floe and Gelo looked confused, the whole ¡°Lord¡± thing being lost on them since they were beasts and not human. Lucia and Spencer were a bit subdued, but each saw the limitless potential their son possessed. Each had their own theories about Lnd¡¯s true power, but now having it allid bare left little room for the imagination. They both smiled at him. Glenny and Jude stood resolved next to Lnd, both smirking at everyone¡¯s reactions. Isobel stayed silent. ¡°Here, how about a demonstration?¡± Lnd asked, stepping away from his mom and toward Carmon. ¡°Now, recently I learned how to do it invisibly, but I¡¯m going to ignore that so everyone can see the full effect.¡± Lucia and Spencer bubbled with pride. Grimoire in hand, Lnd pressed his palm into the page, invoking the contract with the Lord of Nature. As he did, he exined the contract and what it cost him. Above a violet halo gently misted purple into his hair. ¡°Glenny and Jude helped me with this contract,¡± he said. ¡°I was tasked with helping the Champion of Nature to uproot a Light Architect¡¯s Lighthouse. It was in a nest of crystalline scorpions not too far from this dungeon, actually.¡± ¡°A Lighthouse? Really?¡± Roy asked. ¡°Those things are horribly difficult to destroy.¡± ¡°Not to mention dangerous,¡± Diana said, frowning a bit. Lnd nodded. ¡°Yes, Ipletely agree. And since then I make sure I fully understand what a Lord is asking me to do when I make a contract. Putting others in danger for the sake of personal power is not a goal of mine.¡± Isobel snorted. He gave her a nk look. ¡°Anyway, what I received in return is the spell, Touch of Regeneration. A nature-based healing spell not a part of the Legacy of Magic, as far as I know.¡± ¡°Most healing magic isn¡¯t,¡± Spencer said, nodding. Lnd crouched beside Carmon¡¯s stretcher and tapped him with a green and purple glowing finger. There wasn¡¯t much reaction, but Lnd felt he was breathing a bit easier. He looked at the others and continued on about his contracts, all the while tapping Carmon every few minutes. ¡°The Lord of the Void asked me to help an Archon, Sapphire, return home in exchange for a teleportation spell.¡± Spencer whistled. ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°I can only use it once a year.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Lucia frowned at her husband. ¡°That¡¯s still an amazing utility spell to have, Lnd, don¡¯t mind him.¡± Isobel said from the side, ¡°He used his yearly cast on Sybil, not himself and definitely not me.¡± Lucia, Roy, and Diana blinked a few times, slowly realizing that the princess was not with them. Lnd exined, ¡°She should be in the castle now.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I know she is there.¡± With that said, most of the tale was exined. He briefly mentioned the Sightless Cult and Clergy again, and how Isobel killed most of the ones that attacked them and how the Graverenders and Sky Dwarves killed the others. ¡°Then we got on a ship and here we are.¡± From beside Lnd, Carmon spoke softly. ¡°S-sounds like a true a-adventure!¡± He fell into a coughing fit. ¡°Dad!¡± Glenny shouted, his cloak wrapping around him before he fell into his own shadow. He reappeared a few steps away, in Lnd¡¯s shadow. ¡°Dad! Can you hear me! Dad!¡± Carmon¡¯s eyes could hardly stay open. Still, he said, ¡°I hear you¡­ A-are you okay?¡± Glenny started tearing up. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. You¡¯re the one not fine!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll live. Especially now that we h-have ess to healing m-magic¡­¡± Glenny looked at Lnd, thick drops of water in his eyes. Before he could say anything, Lnd said, ¡°I¡¯m here, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going anywhere for the time being.¡± Glenny epted the statement and plopped down beside his dad. ¡°¡¯For the time being?¡¯¡± Lucia asked. ¡°I have to know if Sybil is okay. Some stuff happened out there, to her, I mean. And¡ª¡± ¡°She kissed him,¡± Isobel said from the side. Lnd sputtered to a stop, a groaning sound radiating through his throat. Internally, his mind spun, looking for countless ways he could enact his revenge on someone much stronger than him. Especially someone who could hunt rather well. ¡°Did she now?¡± Lucia asked, her voice turning fluttery. ¡°The girl really took my advice, huh.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Spencer snickered. ¡°You really must have impressed her.¡± He gave Lnd a p on the back. ¡°Sybil¡¯s such a stubborn girl. You really must have left an impression.¡± Lnd¡¯s face fell into his hands, his skin reddening. And like a predator finding wounded prey, Isobel added, ¡°It must have been all of that morning training he did. Every girl likes it when a guy has stamina.¡± And just like that, Lnd changed his mental nning from ¡°revenge¡± to ¡°utter annihtion.¡± Chapter 186: One Step Chapter 186: One Step Standing by the dungeon entrance/exit wasn¡¯t veryfortable. In addition to the blistering cold, the bright sun and reflecting snow forced everyone to squint, other than the bears of course. So the group changed venues. Spencer suggested opening a portal to Floe and Gelo¡¯s den, but Diana had a suggestion. Still a bit hesitant about Lnd¡¯s contracts, she wished to truly see what they could do. Combat wise, of course. After some deliberation from Lnd, he agreed to this ¡°showing¡± but only after Diana reminded him that Jude and Glenny dueled way back in Ruinsforth. He had purposely excluded himself from the event at the time, which now made sense to everyone. Dueling without a full arsenal of attacks was a surefire way to be coddled. Now that the secret was out of the bag, Lnd didn¡¯t see any reason not to show off. Jude and Glenny very much liked this idea, after all he was their teammate and now that they were all together, it was important to know where one another stood. The worm boss had already been defeated by Floe so that the group wouldn¡¯t be assaulted standing out in the snowy open. And there was no way anyone was going to fight, and kill, Gelo¡¯s father, the third boss, except the one previously married to him. So that left the King of the ice castle, ¡°uncle¡± Everald. Located within the graveyard of frozen worms, the ice castle appeared reflected from the outside. And with the horrid white wastnd all around it, it easily blended into the snow. Finding it wasn¡¯t so much a challenge but an annoyance, especially on foot. Luckily for everyone, Spencer simply opened a portal directly where instructed by Floe. Then they were outside the castle¡¯s gates, challenging King Everald in three on threebat. This Everald was not the same one the boys encountered when theyst came through, however. He was killed and reborn by the dungeon and thus had lost all of his memories. Instinct told him to submit to Floe, which allowed the rest of the group protected passage into the castle. There would be a battle, but only for Lnd, Glenny, and Jude. In the sandy arena, the moose monster Everald stood nked by a wraith and a Frigid Hordeling, the same two monsters the King previously chose to duel the boys. ¡°At least he¡¯s consistent,¡± Lnd muttered, standing before the monstrous specter that had almost killed him just a few months ago. The wraith didn¡¯t have a face, only a dark shadow where a head should have been within a tattered cloak. Rotting hands and visible cold reached out of the ck fabric, along with a hand sickle draped in white mist. It floated silently above the ground, waiting for the battle¡¯s start. Glenny stood before a bipedal monster that rested on its knuckles. The hordeling drooled at the mouth, two thick fangs protruding upward from its bottom jaw. Jude faced King Everald himself, the mighty moose the size of a caravan wagon, bound horse and all. Two antlers rounded out his pure white fur, each splitting off in branches like a young tree. ¡°You three will never pass!¡± the moose screeched, sending the crowd into a frenzy. He then went into a long winded speech about protecting this castle from external threats for centuries. Everyone tuned him out. Around the pit arena, stands of monsters sat beside perplexed humans. The parents of the human fighters eyed their monstrous neighbors somewhat hesitantly, each ready for attack. Dungeons sometimes had weird rules, but seeing a yeti roar in excitement and not charge was among the top of the weird list for them. Even more so was the fact that some monsters were pping or whistling. ¡°They will be fine, right?¡± Lucia asked. The question wasn¡¯t so much about their safety and more that she was asking for permission to rx and enjoy the battle¡­ as strange as it was. She, and everyone else, were under no illusions that if something happened, the boys wouldn¡¯t be in danger. Not with all the power in the stands. But all these monsters would be dead in mere moments if any of the parents put their minds to it. Well, except for Carmon, that was. And of course Gelo. ¡°They won before!¡± Gelo answered, her voice like a young girl¡¯s. She was at the edge of her seat and huddled up beside her mother, her eyes glued to the battle. ¡°But weren¡¯t they almost defeated?¡± Diana asked, her voice raspy. ¡°Jude told us about it. He was pierced by the moose¡¯s antlers and had to be put in stasis until he healed.¡± Her husband, Roy, chuckled, his long bushy beard jostling like a pendulum. ¡°I doubt that will happen again. Our boy has been training every day with me, Spencer, and even Floe!¡± ¡°What about Glenny?¡± Carmon asked from a mostly prone position. He had only just woken up, but there was no way he was going to miss seeing his son fight. ¡°Glenny was right there with Jude,¡± Roy said, pulling Diana into the crook of his arm. ¡°Even managed to make a few echoes.¡± Carmon didn¡¯t respond but he did exhale in surprise. Glenny had struggled with that particr de dance previously. ¡°And Lnd?¡± Lucia asked the open air. The other parents didn¡¯t answer, they just waited. Isobel groaned from a few rows of seats back. ¡°Guess I need to socialize,¡± she muttered, moving to sit closer. They all nced at her, Lucia and Spencer more than the others. ¡°He¡¯s strong. Far stronger than I was at his age, although that¡¯s not saying much.¡± Isobel deliberated for a moment. ¡°He¡¯s stronger than any of you at his age, as well.¡± ¡°How do you know how strong we were?¡± Spencer asked. ¡°I don¡¯t. But your kid is abnormal. And it¡¯s not just those contracts acting as a crutch. He didn¡¯t once hesitate to go into battle, not when the princess was in danger. Each fight he learned and each fight he fought at a detriment.¡± ¡°Detriment how?¡± Isobel smirked. ¡°He fought using one spell for most of them.¡± ¡°One spell?¡± Lucia scoffed. ¡°No mage in their right mind would limit themselves like that.¡± ¡°Lnd¡¯s not a mage.¡± Everyone turned to look at her. Spencer and Lucia were about to question her, but a booming voice they had been ignoring up until that point caught their attention. ¡°Start!¡± King Everald yelled. Back in the stands, Isobel whispered, ¡°Just watch. He won¡¯t have a scratch on him.¡± In the sand pit, Glenny made the opening move, turning invisible and rushing forward. His target charged as well, but more in a dull rampage than with any strategy. They met head on, crimson daggers and sharp teeth ring. Jude likewise rushed into battle. He leaped through the air, battle axe held up and back. Frost came to his call, enchanting all of his abilities with that of bone splintering cold. Hended beside the moose mid swing, cleaving into the monster¡¯s white fur and drawing blood. Silhouetting his movements, an ethereal bear swung with him, carving deep with its massive ws. Lnd, in contrast, stood still. Before him the wraith watched him but he hardly cared about the monster. Instead he focused on his grimoire, slowly flipping through and reading each page. Then the wraith began to float forward, a misty gust of cold rushing with its movement¡ª It froze, stopping dead in its chilly tracks. From across the arena, Lnd nced up and red at it. Monster or not, the wraith did not like his look. Disinterest, boredom, annoyance. Instinct told it not to engage, to run and preserve itself. The overarching will of the dungeon told it to attack. So it did. And as it did, it was reminded of the true guardian of the dungeon. The one that could even make King Everald submit. From the stands, Spencer and Lucia saw their son frown at the wraith, press his hand into two separate pages in his tome, then wait. Speaking from experience, both knew what wraiths were capable of. Small scale teleportation, assassinations, and haunted cold magic. But they also knew their son knew, so they were left hesitant. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere,¡± Isobel said, reading their worried faces. ¡°He knows what he¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± Lucia asked, her tone more than rude. ¡°Finding the best way to kill the thing in the least amount of moves possible. I¡¯m going to guess three. Yeah, three steps sounds good.¡± Spencer scoffed. ¡°Three steps? What does that¡ª¡± Below the wraith finally attacked. White mist consumed it before fading away, leaving the ce the monster had been empty. A guttural shriek ripped through the arena at the same time the mist reappeared. A rotting arm whipped out with deadly cold and brutal uracy. Sickle in hand, the wraith sliced. Lnd took a single step back, the motion exploding from his feet like lightning during a storm. For but that single step, he blurred, dodging the attack by yards. Then he whispered a string of words, summoning forth a ring of purple fire. Gloom and despair wed themselves out of the ground in the way of a soul of the Damned. Dripping ethereal green ichor and reeling with desire, the soul ignored the gasps from the crowd and resolved itself for its singr purpose. To take. The wraith, within the ring of fire, tried to flee. It flew, hovering just above the ground, away. The fire kept it within the circle, peeling at what remained of its skin like a knife to an apple. For a moment it looked at Lnd, only finding calcted intrigue. It screeched, a roar of cold rolling out of the darkness of its cowl. The cold wrapped around it, pulling it into its magical domain. It tried to teleport. It failed, the violet mes like a stone prison. Soon its soulid bare, and the soul of the Damned took, retreating into the ground and presenting the prize to its master. With the wraith¡¯s lost soul in hand, the soul of the Damned along with the circle of fire disappeared, each having done their job well. Lnd muttered ¡°thanks¡± to his summoned before turning his attention to his tattoo. In the crowd, Isobel said, ¡°That¡¯s one.¡± With a spring, Lodestar appeared in Lnd¡¯s hands at the same time two midnight feathered wings ripped through the air on his back. He pped once, sailing into the open air above the arena. Isobel cursed, causing both Lucia and Spencer to jolt. ¡°What!?¡± they both asked at the same time. ¡°He¡¯s cheating,¡± Isobel said with a bit of augh. ¡°I guess the battle is going to be over in one step, after all.¡± All of the other adults looked at her coldly. Except for Gelo. The little cub wondered why anyone would want to fly. Staying on the ground seemed much safer. ¡°Fracture,¡± Lnd said, pushing the spell through Lodestar. A crack sounded. ¡°Fracture.¡± Another crack. Lnd squinted at his target, the hordeling Glenny was fighting. While he had some experience using Lodestar to augment his attacks, Lnd wasn¡¯t fully sure what potency soul damage wielded.. The scythe could harm even Isobel, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that damage was amplified against weaker enemies, like how attack spells would work. So when the hordeling yelped in pain and abruptly jumped to the side, he concluded a Lodestar-impowered Fracture did a lot more damage than a simple Fracture. Glenny capitalized, stabbing the beast with both daggers. A heartbeatter, an echo of his attack reverberated through the air, and stabbed out as well. The hordeling fell limp. Moving on to King Everald, Lnd gathered mana and lifeforce and pushed it into Lodestar at the same time he said, ¡°Maul.¡± Empowering his crows was much more visible. Before, the ethereal birds took on a gentle blue-purple hue and looked like normal crows, albeit a bitrger. Now, a spark of emerald hung inside their glowing forms, where their hearts would be if they were alive. Their feathers turned dark and matte, ck with violet after tones. They were obviously summoned creatures, but if nced upon at night, Lnd could see someone being confused. They rushed through the air, flocking to the moose. Pecking and wing, they pestered the castle¡¯s King while Jude, and eventually Glenny, attacked. Uncle Everald died within a few seconds, his soul in tatters from the crows¡¯ attacks. Lnd surveyed the battle from overhead, his crow wings keeping him high in the air. He smiled, d he and the others had grown significantly since thest time they all fought together. Hended and was quickly assaulted with questions from Jude and Glenny. Wings and lightning steps? They needed to know more! The crowd of monsters had gone silent, each epting their leader¡¯s defeat with grace. They slowly filed out of the arena, exiting without attacking. Isobel smirked, finding Lucia and Spencer¡¯s nk stare the most entertaining part of the battle. ¡°One step and some flying. But he could have done it without flying, he obviously didn¡¯t need to. But knowing him, he probably did it just to show off.¡± A bubble of something ugly formed in Lucia¡¯s stomach. She snarled, ¡°What do you know about our son!?¡± Isobel didn¡¯t take the bait. Maybe two weeks ago she would have, but not today. Not after everything that had happened. ¡°I know he¡¯s a good kid. Smart, loyal, strong. You raised him right.¡± Lucia waited for some snarkyment. It never came. Instead she silently watched her son, finding that bubble in her stomach bursting into something more prideful. Roy and Diana were talking among themselves with Floe about Jude. Carmon was eyeing Glenny with as much of a smile as he could muster. Spencer, meanwhile, was frowning. He turned to Isobel, asking, ¡°If our son is not a mage, what is he?¡± She smirked. ¡°Something better.¡± Chapter 187: Crush Chapter 187: Crush Sitting in Floe and Gelo¡¯s cave, everyone ate a still-steaming hot meal from Diana¡¯s inventory ring. Steak, steak, and more steak¡­ a few vegetables. When was the meal actually cooked? Not even Diana knew. It had been years since she restocked her ring, the magical enchantment making it so the food stayed fresh and hot rather than molded and cold. ¡°This ring is the most important piece of equipment I have ever purchased!¡± she said with augh, her mug brimming with foamy mead. Roy squinted at the ring and his increasingly drunk wife. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the ring we got from that dungeon with the sand spiders?¡± She thought for a moment. ¡°Huh. Then where is¡­¡± She patted herself all over, feeling for hidden pockets that she didn¡¯t actually have. ¡°Was I pickpocketed? I could have sworn I bought another ring.¡± To the side, Judeughed. ¡°It¡¯s okay, mom. I¡¯ve been pickpocketed as well!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± his father asked. ¡°And how much wealth was stolen from you?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Jude leaned in, the crackling fire casting long shadows across his face. His parents leaned in as well. ¡°There was like twenty silver and my beloved enchanted harmonica.¡± Diana¡¯s eyes went wide as her mouth formed an ¡°O.¡± She made an oohhh sound. ¡°What kind of enchantment?¡± Roy asked. ¡°Some of those can get pricey real fast.¡±Jude waved his hand, leaning back. ¡°Nothing of the sort. It was cheap. I don¡¯t even remember what it did.¡± Roy gave his son a ¡°look.¡± His wifeughed. Sitting beside Jude, Gelo perked up. ¡°Do you remember that song you were ying when we first met?¡± A mischievous look sprouted on Jude¡¯s face. He pulled a harmonica out of his pocket. ¡°Do you mean this song?¡± He began to y. And Gelo began to sing. Sitting off alone, Glenny and his father spoke in hushed voices. ¡°I saw you echo a stab.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been practicing.¡± Carmon coughed, his upper body iling in response. ¡°What was your breakthrough?¡± Glenny took a moment to answer. ¡°See you fight Ashford.¡± ¡°¡­So you know?¡± ¡°Who Ashford is, yeah.¡± ¡°Who told you?¡± ¡°Spencer and Roy.¡± Carmon went quiet. ¡°Your mom and him used to date, you know? Back before we were together.¡± Glenny¡¯s eyebrows creaked slowly all the way up his forehead. ¡°Gross.¡± His fatherughed, sending more pain shooting down his spine. ¡°She actually left him for me, so. I have victory in that matter.¡± ¡°I was so scared,¡± Glenny muttered. ¡°Seeing you almost die.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t kill me. Contrary to the battle and me almost dying. I actually like the man.¡± A dark look rose across Carmon¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯ll kill him the next time I see him. But back when he was in the Umbra, he was a good man. He worked well with the Inquisitor administration. Got his people on track for good rather than not.¡± ¡°He killed a lot of people, dad.¡± ¡°That he did. I don¡¯t know what changed in him, but one day he simply vanished. Your mom and I looked for him for a while, but ultimately we gave up. Sometimes people just wish to start over, and we respected that at the time.¡± Glenny took a bite of steak. ¡°His Lord probably called for him. Or, at least, that''s how I understand Harbingers from Lnd.¡± Carmon nibbled his own food. ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°Lnd says that he doesn¡¯t believe all Harbingers are evil even if their Lord is. He suspects that more than just him have been handed a Legacy without knowing who the giving Lord actually is. Lnd didn¡¯t know his Lord was a ¡®Vile¡± Lord until some difficult questions were raised.¡± ¡°I can see that, yeah.¡± In a way, that made total sense to Carmon. But then again, Lords don¡¯t usually offer their Legacy to any random person. They hunt for people that would work well with their powerset and theology. So, in his mind, he saw Harbingers as being evil people with only Lnd being the exception. He didn¡¯t say that to his son, however. ¡°Anyway,¡± Glenny continued. ¡°So when a Vile Lord calls upon their Legacies, their Harbingers have toe running.¡± Carmon nced at Lnd across the room. ¡°So what happens when his Lordes knocking?¡± ¡°She won¡¯t do that,¡± he answered instantly. ¡°Lnd says she wouldn¡¯t do that. He trusts her, and I trust him.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Carmon leaned back and rested his eyes. ¡°Your friend is rather good with that thing.¡± Glenny found himself swaying with the music. ¡°Yeah.¡± Isobel sat next to the great mother bear, Floe. She had slowly slinked over, slipping in and out of conversation as she went. Say a few words here, agree with a few statements there. As it turned out, everyone wanted to talk with her. She had watched the boys fight the most out of everyone here, so the parents asked for her honest opinions about each individual child. She, of course, didn¡¯t mince words. Jude needed to find his niche and stop fighting like a durd. There were likely to be far less battles he could win by simply charging head strong at the enemy. Glenny needed to confidently attack and stop falling back to forging weapons until he mastered all of them. Soon enemies would pick apart his fighting style, attacking at weak points and capitalizing on his mistakes. Lnd. Well. She didn¡¯t have much to say that she hadn¡¯t already said to him. He knew his faults and where to improve inbat. Eventually she did want some peace and quiet. And Floe just happened to be sitting semi-isted. Isobel figured that if she sat on the other side of the mother bear, then she would be hidden in her shadow and the others would stop talking to her. And it worked¡­ until Floe started talking to her. ¡°You destroyed the poacher ring, correct?¡± She was referring to the group of murderers hiding out in the local mountains. ¡°I did,¡± Isobel replied, remembering infiltrating their camp and ughtering them all. All except one, that was. The one that ordered Lnd¡¯s death. ¡°And you killed their leader when he came in here, right?¡± Floe nodded her giant head. ¡°I did.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°I got my revenge. He killed my husband, Gelo¡¯s father.¡± Isobel¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t widen, but they did twinkle a bit. A false smile invaded her lips. ¡°I¡¯m d. When my family was killed, I got my revenge as well.¡± Face crinkling, Floe asked, ¡°Does it get easier?¡± ¡°No, no it does not.¡± Lnd and his parents sat alone, their tes full of meat and their cups full of drink. Lnd was telling the tale of Sapphire and the unique Archon runes he worked with. ¡°It was a box, of sorts. Its surface area waspletely filled with etchings, but none of the usual scripts It waspletely unique, as far as I could tell.¡± He drew a rune with a stick into the dirt. ¡°Like this one was for externally adding mana to the device. Weird, huh?¡± Spencer rubbed his chin. ¡°It reminds me of Hydlish.¡± Lucia rolled her eyes. ¡°It alles circling back to Hydlish.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the runguage of the future, honey!¡± ¡°It is not.¡± Spencer deted. ¡°What¡¯s Hydlish?¡± Lnd asked. His mom waved her hand. ¡°Nothing but a start-up runguage made by a few students of The Yearn Towers. Your father happened to be walking past the ssroom where the study group was. As it turned out, the group had a member that was alwayste. And while waiting, the other students made a newnguage.¡± ¡°And dad helped them?¡± ¡°No. Your father was interested in helping, yes, but not even he could create new runes for theirnguage. Especially when one of the runes was officially named ¡®Left Hook Squiggle.¡¯¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Spencer shook his head slowly. ¡°They were revolutionary ideas at the time. In fact, one of those students went on to write a thesis about runic numbering and its corrtion to the phases of the moon and oceanic tides. She is now the lead researcher at the Yearn Research Institute.¡± Lnd made a face. ¡°So this Hydlish is actually Archon¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Lucia said like she was stomping out an ember. ¡°Your father just likes to bring up Hydlish to mock me since I didn¡¯t want to help the study group.¡± Quietly, Spencer muttered, ¡°Maybe if you were there we could have finished the alphabet before the semester was over and everyone lost interest.¡± Blinking a few times, Lnd continued on with the tale. ¡°Now Sapphire¡¯s runes didn¡¯t make any sense to me. So she¡­ gave? Me the knowledge. I¡¯m not sure how the process actually worked, but she created a small little sparkle of mana and told me to swallow it.¡± Lucia and Spencer shared a look. ¡°Knowledge by consuming?¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°It made me loopy for a few hours. But some of that was in a life or death battle, so maybe I was just trying to cope with what was happening around me. Shock, you know?¡± His eyes flicked away then back. Suddenly a very concerned Lucia leaned in and stared at her son in the eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡± What she saw in Lnd¡¯s eyes, she didn¡¯t even know. But whether because she was his mother or an innate empath, she knew something was wrong. Lnd nced at his father, finding only resolved firmness. He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It was a different answer from a few hours ago when his dad asked and honestly he didn¡¯t know why. Maybe it was that he was back with his loved ones. Maybe it was his mind trying to ignore the problem of Sybil possibly missing. Regardless, a pit was open in his stomach. He felt as though it could close at any moment, but he also knew it wouldn¡¯t close on its own easily. What that meant, he didn¡¯t know. So he asked, and received two very different looks. Spencer was more subdued, although there was a hint of a smile. Lucia, however, her cheeks were pushed as high as they would go. Smug. They both looked quite smug. Then Isobel¡¯s mocking words from earlier came back to him, and Lnd suddenly found himself sitting before his parents as a child again. ¡°You¡¯re in love!¡± ¡°Am not!¡± ¡°You are!¡± Lnd went to respond but his father held out his hand, silencing both. He slowly took in a breath, then reached out and put his hand on his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Therees a day in every young man¡¯s life when¡ª¡± ¡°She¡¯s dying!¡± Lnd yelped, jumping to his feet, causing both his parents to snap away with their mouth¡¯s agape. ¡°I am not ¡®okay¡¯ because I have a crush! I am not ¡®okay¡¯ because I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s alive! And your patronizing tones are less than helpful!¡± Silence echoed through the cave. Lnd looked around, seeing all eyes on him. He made a guttural sound, turned, and walked off. ¡°Honey!¡± Lucia said, forcing her bruised body to stand. ¡°Come back¡ª¡± Spencer reached out, stopping her. ¡°Give him a few minutes alone.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°You heard it yourself, he¡¯s not okay. And right now you being his ¡®mother¡¯ is going to make it worse.¡± Lucia pulled her arm away. ¡°And if I¡¯m not supposed to be his ¡®mother,¡¯ then who am I supposed to be?¡± A cold light gleaned in Spencer¡¯s eyes. ¡°His war council.¡± Like a bull running at full speed into a wall, Lucia fell into her seat. For a long moment she was silent, dead silent. Then she nodded to her husband and continued to think. Slowly the conversations picked back up, although Jude didn¡¯t start ying again. Slowly Lucia realized something, however. ¡°What did he mean by ¡®dying?¡¯¡± she asked Isobel, who was slumped in Floe¡¯s shadow. Isobel took a moment to answer. ¡°She¡¯s not. At least not by conventional terms. ¡®Changing¡¯ is how it was described to us, the kind of change that kills all semnce of a person and makes them anew.¡± ¡°Is that such a bad thing?¡± She sighed. ¡°When a pseudo-dead Lord is the one doing the changing, yes. Very much so.¡± Lucia recoiled a little, just like all the others listening in. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Isobel slowly shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Neither does Lnd. But he¡¯s seen a Lord change a mortal first hand before. And that Lordly image obliterated that man¡¯s body. So I think he has reason to believe that any change to Sybil in this regard will be for the worse.¡± The cave was silent for another moment before Isobel spoke again, ¡°And when this ¡®war council¡¯ officially meets, make sure to send me an invitation.¡± Chapter 188: Berserk Chapter 188: Berserk In the awkwardness brought on by Lnd¡¯s outburst, it was Jude and Glenny who were on their feet chasing after the young man first. Having been friends with Lnd for their whole lives, each could count on one hand the number of times he stormed off like that. They both understood, however. Parents, worry, fear. Each was cursed in their own way. Which was fitting for Lnd, right? They found him at the far end of the forest section of the dungeon, a good fifteen minute run from Floe¡¯s cave. The dark forest was calm and secluded, anythingrger than a squirrel was crushed by frozen magic before the previous section waspleted. Courtesy of the Guardian bear, of course. No one would be harmed on her watch. And while that carved away any danger the dungeon could throw at them, it didn¡¯t prevent the air from being thick. Palpable like a sauna, the dark forest twisted and sparkled with flickers of fireflies and luminescent nt life. Yet the magic of the trees had nothing to do with the crushing weight in the air. Glenny and Jude recognized it instantly, as they had experienced it several times by this point in their lives. Emotions. Raw and unfiltered. Illusory, yes, but as real as an angry re. ¡°Lnd?¡± Glenny called ahead. Instantly the ghastliness of the forest disappeared, the thick air evaporating and the worry and fear scabbing over like a scraped knee. Would it catch on some stray thought and bleed again? Surely yes, but Jude and Glenny would try to cauterize it before the mess got anyrger. Laying on his back staring up at the canopy, Lnd took a long deep breath before saying, ¡°I¡¯m here. I¡¯m¡­ here.¡± A momentter Jude and Glenny appeared around the trees, finding him and the not so subtle tears he whipped away with his sleeve. ¡°Some exit,¡± Jude said promptly. Glenny elbowed him in the gut. ¡°Ignore him¡­ but also, yeah that was an exit.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t respond nor did he look at them. They, in contrast, looked between one another before plopping down on either side of him, each staring up at the leaves and hints of a dark sky. They stayed like that for a long moment before the silence ate away at Lnd and he said, ¡°She¡¯s not really dying, you know? I just¡­ I just¡­¡± ¡°The Huntress told us,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Sybil¡¯s changing. Not ¡®dying.¡¯¡± ¡°And well, I¡¯m scared for her.¡± ¡°And?¡± Jude asked, his voice just a touch too loud for how close each wasying next to one another. Lnd flinched at the question, and not because of the volume. ¡°And¡­ and¡ª¡± And what? ¡°And well¡ª I made a contract with the Lord of Pathways. Whenever I summon Lodestar, I see the path toward what I want most. And in the arena, it pointed me toward the monsters we were fighting.¡± ¡°Powerful contract¡­¡± Glenny muttered. ¡°But when it doesn¡¯t point to what I think it should, I feel like I am cursed. The same thing happened in the Archon Valley. Or, at least, something simr enough.¡± ¡°What do you think that means?¡± Lnd took a deep breath. ¡°That I just haven¡¯t figured the path out yet.¡± ¡°The path seems pretty obvious to me,¡± Jude announced. Frowning, Lnd sat up a bit and stared down at his friend. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It pointed you at the monsters, it wants you to get stronger.¡± ¡°But¡­ that isn¡¯t my goal? I mean, obviously it is, but I want to make sure Sybil is safe first and foremost.¡± Glenny coughed. ¡°War council.¡± Lnd turned to him. ¡°What?¡± Jude spoke, ¡°To go see Sybil, you are going to have to fight your way into the castle.¡± Laying back down, Lnd blinked a few times. ¡°Yeah, I suppose I am.¡± ¡°And that means you are going to have to get stronger to not die,¡± Glenny added. For a moment theyid in silence. Lnd said, ¡°I¡¯m about halfway to another Legacy rank, what about you two?¡± ¡°Just over for me,¡± Jude said. ¡°Same,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°What? Surprised we weren¡¯t just sitting around while you were missing?¡± Jude asked with a cheeky tone. ¡°No that¡¯s not it,¡± Lnd said dismissively. ¡°It''s more that we haven¡¯t even been at this a year and are already pushing the third rank.¡± ¡°And,¡± Glenny added, ¡°we haven¡¯t really been trying to rank up. At least I haven¡¯t. I¡¯ve been focusing on my father¡¯s de dances.¡± ¡°Same for me, but with rage and Floe¡¯s blessing control.¡± Lnd sped his hands on his chest. His fingers flickered, like he was ying a scale on a piano. ¡°And I¡¯ve been focusing primarily on contracts¡­¡± ¡°And yet, here we are. All pushing into the third rank.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Jude said. ¡°Huh,¡± Lnd said. And not to feel left out, Glenny said, ¡°Huh.¡± Lnd fully sat up, the others followed. ¡°I¡­ I am going to the capital. On the way, I am going to rank-up. Do you two want toe?¡± Glenny¡¯s lips curved up. ¡°Of course. I was waiting for you to say so since you got back.¡± Jude pped his hands, sending an echo through the dark forest. ¡°Same for me.¡± Blinking slowly, Lnd said, ¡°Thanks guys. That means a lot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what friends are for.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I just want to fight things, you know?¡± Jude went quiet for a moment. ¡°But I might be a liability.¡± They looked at him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t control my rage, even with the blessing and my mom¡¯s advice. I¡­ I don¡¯t want to put you two at risk again.¡± ¡°Eh,¡± Glenny said. Jude red. Lnd went thoughtful. ¡°You know¡­ I still haven¡¯t spoken to the Berserker Lord for you like I have the Chameleon Lord for Glenny.¡± Frowning Jude asked, ¡°What is he supposed to tell me? That I¡¯m weak and to just fight better?¡± ¡°Well no¡­ the Chameleon Lord gave me a shard of ss for Glenny.¡± ¡°A shard of ss?¡± ¡°A magical shard, but yeah.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want a shard of ss.¡± Lnd frowned. ¡°I doubt the Berserker Lord will give you a shard of ss.¡± Jude groaned. ¡°I just want to know how to control my rage better.¡± ¡°And I will ask him that. The worst he can say is that he won¡¯t help you. And, as I have learned, most Lords actually wish to help their Legacies.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Jude paused, took a deep breath and said, ¡°Don¡¯t ept any contracts that will be a hindrance for you for my sake.¡± Lnd smirked. ¡°It can¡¯t be any worse than bing Draconic.¡± Glenny whistled. ¡°A Lord wanted you to be Draconic? Please tell me you didn¡¯t ept that one.¡± ¡°Who do you take me for?¡± Lnd asked, puffing out his chest. ¡°Of course I epted it. I got cool wings out of it.¡± He then took the moment to open his grimoire and invoke the contract in question. Soon leathery scaled wings sprouted from his back, ripping his shirt. ¡°See? Pretty cool, right?¡± Jude was smiling while Glenny was trying not to smile. ¡°Yeah,¡± they both said. Then Jude added, ¡°Actually, I changed my mind. If you can broker a contract between me and the Berserker Lord to get me wings like that, then I don¡¯t mind you epting a contract that hinders you.¡± Lnd stared nkly at him, then smiled. ¡°If that is offered, I will dly ept.¡± They both looked at Glenny. ¡°¡­If you could also broker a flight-contract for me, I would appreciate it.¡± Jude pped him on his back,ughing. Lnd¡¯s smile fell and he sighed. ¡°Unfortunately I don¡¯t think that is possible. But who knows, magic is weird, especially the divine kind. I will ask, but no promises.¡± The others nodded in understanding. ¡°So, then. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Lnd took a small step back and said, ¡°Lord of the Berserker I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± The Berserker Lord gnawed a chicken bone but also spoke at the same time, ¡°So let me get this straight. You do not want to make a contract with me despite my generous offer?¡± Lnd tried not to sound disingenuous. ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I have too many other contracts to master before I add Berserker Rage on top of it all.¡± The Lord swallowed the bone. ¡°I see. That is a shame, my rage would propel you to the height of power very quickly.¡± Yeah and I¡¯d lose my mind because of it, Lnd thought silently. He took a moment, sipped from the goblet the Lord had offered him. It was very pungent grape juice, which was surprising to him. Apparently the Berserker Lord did not drink alcohol. Eventually he said, ¡°I know and I thank you for the offer. The only contract I will consider making with you would be on the behalf of Jude Brown and Glenny Red. They both want wings¡­ you see.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± Lnd nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what I figured as well. But I told them I would ask.¡± ¡°Jude Brown is an interesting fellow,¡± the Lord said, eying another drumstick. After a careful minute of deliberation, he picked up the chicken and ate it whole. He burped a little. ¡°Jude is a great friend of mine but he is also quite troubled.¡± ¡°And you¡¯reing here today to ask for advice on his behalf.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, but Lnd still answered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is his problem?¡± ¡°He can¡¯t control the rage.¡± The Lord scoffed, now picking at his teeth with a toothpick. For a brief moment the wall of welded weapons flickered, casting deep shadows across the feast table. Red zed from his eyes, anger unlike any other. Then, like a ghost walking through a wall, it was gone. Lnd shivered. ¡°One is not meant to control the rage.¡± Steeling himself, Lnd challenged that notion. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that. Because if the rage was supposed to control him, then Jude would be nothing more than a mindless monster. Why would anyone ept your Legacy if the power you provided is corrupted?¡± ¡°Because they are fools.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Because they are durds,¡± the Lord tried. A breath went by, he spoke again, ¡°Because they are greedy. Yes. Because they are greedy little monsters whose greed knows no bounds.¡± Frowning, Lnd asked, ¡°You call your own followers greedy?¡± The Berserker Lord stopped, cold. He stared at the mortal, divine rage building in his irises. Lnd felt his back go wet, hot sweat pouring from his skin like a trickling waterfall. Still, he kept his spine straight and forced himself not to show fear. He was fine, everything was fine. He wasn¡¯t about to be killed for questioning a Lord, right? The moment passed and the rage died in the Berserker Lord¡¯s eyes. ¡°Some mouth on you.¡± ¡°And some rage in you.¡± Lnd jolted. Why did he say that? Why egg on the super powerful Lord anymore? It came out too fast. It came out too familiar, like he was bantering back and forth with Jude rather than a deity. Execution was surelying¡ª The Lordughed, shaking the table and walls of weapons. ¡°You are quite funny for a mortal! The Cmity was right about you!¡± ¡°Y-you spoke to the Lord of Curses about me?¡± Lnd asked, his sweat turning cold. ¡°Ah. Forget I said that. You were not supposed to know that.¡± The Lord rapped his heavy knuckles on the table, each one scared from centuries of nonstop battle. ¡°Anyway, rage. Now I guess I overreached when I said those followers of mine are greed¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait.¡± Lnd waited a moment himself. ¡°Uh, please?¡± The Lord did. ¡°What did the Lord of Curses say about me?¡± The Berserker smirked. ¡°Ha ha. I am no fool, young Cmity. I can smell a trap when I see one. And this is most definitely a trap. Is the old hag still looking to collect on that bet we made, oh, sixty years ago? Because If she is making you ask me about her so she has another reason to visit, then I am not going to be a happy little warrior.¡± Lnd swallowed. ¡°Uh. No. She didn¡¯t ask me to talk about her with you¡­¡± They stared at each other for a moment. ¡°Then let¡¯s not get distracted.¡± ¡°R-right.¡± ¡°Rage. It is the essence of sin and the glory of power. It can gift you with unparalleled strength but also cause ruination. There is no way to control it, not like how young Jude and most other Berserker Legacies of the world think.¡± ¡°Then how¡ª¡± The Lord smirked, this time showing off his teeth. He held up an item wrapped in cloth. ¡°I have ced my advice in this shard of ss. This information is for Jude¡¯s ears only. If he wishes to share with his mother, so be it. But no one else and that includes you.¡± ¡°I understand, thank you.¡± ¡°Just remember, young Cmity. Rage was the first emotion created in this existence. It is timeless and forever.¡± And just like that, Lnd was sent back to reality via the endless white Void. A few minutester, Lnd handed Jude the wrapped shard of ss. ¡°Really?¡± Jude asked, holding the shard like it was a dirty diaper. ¡°I specifically said I didn¡¯t want a shard! Is he messing with me!?¡± Lnd scratched the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what¡­ I¡¯ll ask him the next time I see him¡­¡± Grumbling something, Jude snapped the shard in half, a glittering dust exploding out. He breathed in deeply , inhaling all of the new information. ¡°Oh I¡¯ll tell him myself one day¡ª¡± Jude went silent. ¡°Oh. Huh. That makes sense.¡± He stared off into the distance. ¡°Huh, my mom was right. But also not. This is too confusing. What does time have to do with rage!? That makes no sense¡­ wait there is a part about music in this as well. Is that¡­ is that a song? I think I might be able to y that on my harmonica. Oh it¡¯s reallyplicated.¡± Refocusing on Lnd, Jude said, ¡°Thank you Leals, it looks like I need to practice reading sheet music. Apparently the secret to rage is that you don¡¯t try to control it but rather you learn to manipte it into helping you with your goals! Music is one way, as is time magic! Haha, that¡¯s crazy though. Can you imagine? Me, being a time mage!¡± Sitting beside Jude, Glennyughed along with his friend. Lnd, however, was stunned silent. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Leals?¡± ¡°Ah, well, you see¡­ The Berserker Lord told me to tell you that the information in that shard was for you and your mother alone¡­¡± Glenny froze over. Jude blinked a few times. ¡°Ah, well. What¡¯s he going to do? Smite me down?¡± Hesitantly, the boys looked around for divine justice. The dark forest was silent. They breathed a sigh of relief. Chapter 189: Bedside Chapter 189: Bedside Aunty P sat beside her youngest niece¡¯s bedside, sipping tea and reading reports. asionally, whether it was tricks of the light or Aunty P¡¯s own imagination, she would see movement out of the corner of her eye and hope would rekindle. But no, each time she looked at Sybil, the more her insides were crushed. Sybil was still in aa and the protective eggshell, as Aunty P has been calling it, still hung over her. The eggshell was a magical barrier of sorts, colored that of an egg or bone. It was somewhat translucent, which allowed the doctors and healers enough room to work their own magic. Each left the room more stupefied than when they entered, however they all told Aunty P the same thing. That Sybil was in no real danger. Whatever magic was keeping heratose was also keeping her alive. It provided her with nutrition and kept her from drying out. One healer even mentioned how they would kill to know how the spell worked, for it could save the lives of wounded soldiers while they were in transit to a proper clinic. But Aunty P didn¡¯t care about that. Well, obviously she did. It was her niece after all. But she had also seen the spell once before. Centuries ago, when she was still just a child, when her mother, the former Queen died, and her sister, the current Queen, took over. Well, the former former Queen and the former Queen. Sybil was the new Queen¡­ just as soon as she woke up. Which could be any day now, from how Aunty P remembered all those years ago. Hopefully. But the kingdom had to be run and without a functioning Queen, that job defaulted to her, she supposed. Not that she was actually doing anything queenly right now. Responding to some requests, signing some documents, making sure nothing was on fire. Honestly she didn¡¯t know what her sister did all day. Aunty P put down her tea. What her sister had done all day. She was dead, after all. Luckily Aunty P was quite good at putting her emotions behind a mask. She loved her sister, she truly did, but until Sybil was safe, awake, and wearing the crown, she would not allow herself to shed a single tear. Well, shed anymore tears. She had shed a few during the final goodbye with her sister. A knock sounded from the open doorway. Aunty P turned, already knowing who was there. She had heard his footsteps from all the way across the castle, and Devin had a unique sounding step. ¡°Devin,¡± she said softly. ¡°Finallye to see your youngest sibling? Only took you a few weeks.¡± Aunty P did not like Devin Palemarrow, the Eldest Prince and her sister¡¯s first child. Actually, that wasn¡¯t true. She did like him, quite a bit in fact, but that was before Sybil fell ill. Once the boy ¨C who was actually a fully grown man ¨C found out his birthright to be King was ¡°stolen¡± away, he had be quite grouchy. ¡°Exactly right, as always Aunty,¡± Devin muttered, his words sounding like sand. He gave Sybil a nce and then turned back. ¡°Also I havee to deliver this.¡± The Eldest Prince held out a paper file. Aunty P took it and promptly ced it under her tea and frowned. ¡°And why, pray tell, are you delivering it?¡± Devin didn¡¯t roll his eyes, years at the game of politics had long beat that habit out of him. ¡°Because I ran into that old High Inquisitor of yours in the hallway. And well, since I wasing this way anyway, I figured I would make an appearance.¡± He paused. ¡°For appearance''s sake.¡± Aunty P knew that to be a right lie. She had followed the boy with her hearing all the way from his room on the other end of the castle. He had neither ¡°ran into¡± High Inquisitor Rushwin nor had he spoken to anyone else during his journey over. Yet she didn¡¯t call him on it. After all, she was supposed to be the ¡°fun¡± and ¡°a bit crazy¡± aunt to Devin. Not the Spymaster General. So why lie? Aunty P looked over the prince, taking in his whole glorious form. Tall, muscr, too groomed and trimmed for his own good. The boy looked like a doll to her, but then again she looked like a peacock to everyone else. Appearances could be a tool for deceit, except Aunty P didn¡¯t think Devin was cunning enough to make use of such a tool. Case in point, the Eldest Prince¡¯s tail. That thing just made the boy look like an angry lizard. But then again, it was a showing of wealth and power. How many people Devin¡¯s age could say they were part Draconic? Only, in reality, royalty or the extremely lucky. Or unlucky, depending on how one looked at it. ¡°And Rushwin decided it was safe giving you a highly secret file?¡± ¡°Well you know how he¡¯s been after the¡­¡± Devin looked at Sybil, ¡°the ident.¡± ¡°Did you read what was in this file?¡± Aunty P asked coolly. ¡°Heavens no! It clearly says right on the cover that it is secret! And since I am not to be King, why would I evermit myself to my kingdom¡¯s secrets!?¡± Aunty P endured the little showing. ¡°What do you want, Devin?¡± mor fell from the Prince¡¯s eyes. ¡°I just want to know why her?¡± ¡°Because it was your mother¡¯s will.¡± A bit of a white lie, but Devin lied first to Aunty P who felt no shame. She continued, this time with a bit more fervor, ¡°But you didn¡¯t answer my question, Devin. What do you want? Why make the trip over? You don¡¯t care about your sister and you are making up excuses for showing yourself to me.¡± Devin¡¯s tail swooshed against the floor like a dust broom with a nervous twitch. ¡°Fine, Aunty. I lied, okay? I did read the report. I know there have been sightings of that man and his wench. And in reading about estimated movement patterns andbat potential I realized I just don¡¯t care.¡± Aunty P raised an eyebrow. He continued, ¡°I was angry at first, knowing that I was passed up for¡ª for her.¡± He gestured to Sybil still asleep in the eggshell. ¡°And well, now I¡¯m not. I realized that without the weight of being King on my shoulders, I feel better. I feel great, even! And now that I don¡¯t have to be here in case of Mother¡¯s sudden death, well, Mother¡¯s sudden death in which I would be named King and not my youngest sister, I wish to not be here.¡± Devin nted his feet, stopped his tail from swaying and firmly said, ¡°Aunty, I wish to leave the kingdom and travel the world. Maybe I wille back, maybe I won¡¯t. I want to not be a prince for a time. I want to try and be normal.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Aunty P murmured. Waiting for something to explode, Devin eventually said, ¡°¡¯Fine?¡¯¡± ¡°You¡¯re a grown man, Devin. You can make your own choices. Just know that if you get in trouble the Palemarrow Kingdom will not help you. Not unless you identify yourself and can exin why you are getting in trouble in a politically savvy way. And even then, Sybil might not choose to help.¡± Devin frowned at the mention of his sister making the decision. He hardly knew her, the age difference was just toorge. He thinks she likes horses? Maybe? That was several years ago though. ¡°I understand.¡± Aunty P nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll have to do something about that tail. Getting into a Draconic fight would surely cause an issue for everyone involved.¡± Face falling, Devin said, ¡°I wish I never even got the cursed thing. Whoever thought it was a good idea for the former crowned prince to be Draconic was not very smart.¡± Aunty P stared at him. He held up his hands. ¡°I know, I know. I was not very smart in my younger years.¡± He smiled to himself. ¡°I can keep it hidden. No Draconic fights, I promise.¡± ¡°Very well then. You will stay until Sybil wakes and takes the throne. Then you can do whatever you wish.¡± Smiling with all his heart, Devin hugged his aunt and skipped out of the room. Aunty P sighed and looked over the report. Harbinger Ashford and the Witch had been spotted in the outlying cities. Preliminary estimates suggest that they were heading toward the capital, albeit slowly. Rmended course of action was to secure the castle and increase patrols. High Inquisitor Rushwin also made note to find someone with a skillset nearly identical to Inquisitor Spencer Silver and to have that person better the city¡¯s spatial defenses. Aunty P sighed at that. They had been looking and found nothing. She continued through the report, skimming most of it. Nothing was as important as making sure Sybil was safe from Ashford, although there were some things that might be a problem in the future. Some new monster types, rumors of new sentient races, something called ¡°sorcery¡± that was different from Lordly magic. She made some notes forter. Thest page was potential sightings and leads for Lnd Silver and cohort. She read it slowly, the thought of Harbinger Lnd Silver still fresh on her mind. It was his fault they were in this mess and his fault that his parents and the others left. Expecting just another normal report of non-information, Aunty P was quite surprised when something actually important was listed. It came from an Inquisitor she did not know personally, which meant one of the grunts. The Inquisitor had interviewed a ship captain about two missing passengers with oddly familiar descriptions. The ship captain even provided names and personal information about them. Lnd and Isobel had been seen entering the kingdom via ship near Shoutwell. Aunty P finished her now cold tea, stood, stretched, and strolled out of Sybil¡¯s room. She walked past the dozen odd guards and soldiers protecting the soon-to-be Queen to her office. There she wrote a few order listings and sent them off to their respective people. They would have eyes in Shoutwell within the half-day and dozens more in the areas around Shoutwell. Lnd Silver had returned and Aunty P could only assume the worst. He had returned for Sybil, just like Harbinger Ashford. Chapter 190: War Council Chapter 190: War Council Lnd breathed slowly, nking him, Jude and Glenny meandered around. They stayed close, but they for sure were not going to take the first step. That was for their fearless leader, Lnd. They had sat out in the forest for a few more hours after Lnd returned from the Berserker Lord¡¯s domain chitchatting. Lnd went over his time away once more, adding things he wouldn¡¯t tell his parents or the others. Like what each Lord he met was like, some of Isobel¡¯sbat tips, and about the horrors of seeing so much death. Theyforted him in their own ways. Jude often made snide off topicments or tantments about how his thoughts were dumb. Glenny took the more methodical approach, offering his own experiences or asking important, yet hard to ask, questions. This was especially true when Lnd talked about how he has to shepherd recently dead lost souls to the other side. Lnd briefly touched on how Isobel had helped him out of the funk the dead caused, but still took sce when his friends were let in as well. He didn¡¯t so much want advice on the matter, it was what it was, but he wanted them to know. Them knowing was enough. It was nice, he thought. But now was the moment of truth. They had worked each other up all night for this, and all Lnd had to do was take the first step. And he did. The distance of this step felt like stepping across a ravine with spikes made of stone at the bottom. But that step was all it took before he took another, allowing the movement to carry him into Floe and Gelo¡¯s cave. Walking down the small hallway into the cave proper, shadows flickered along the way, human and big bear alike, each waving with the light of a campfire. Indiscriminate conversation slowed, Lnd¡¯s steps acting like a closing dam. He, with Jude and Glenny right behind him, entered. All the parents, Isobel, Floe, and Gelo were quietly waiting and watching. They stared at Lnd, some with nk expressions, others like a friendly person in a crowd watching a performer enter center stage. Lnd took them all in, collected himself, then spoke:¡°I am going to the capital. I am going to see Sybil for myself and I am going to tell Aunty P off. I expect there to be fighting at some point or another, so I am first and foremost going to rank-up.¡± A fallen pin could be heard, the cave nothing but stares. ¡°We are going as well!¡± Jude added, his boisterous voice causing both his parents to smile. Isobel was the first to really act. She stood and then mock bowed to Lnd. ¡°Lord Mr Harbinger Sir, please allow me to apany you to the capital to tell Aunty P off.¡± She unbowed. ¡°Oh, and to see that princess of yours, of course. I want my coat back.¡± Lnd¡­ Lnd scowled at the woman, unable to do anything but. They stared at each other, but eventually he nodded, conceding the embarrassment. ¡°Add me to the raid as well,¡± Carmon said, his back propped up against the cave wall. ¡°Wherever my son is going, I am as well.¡± ¡°Will you be well enough¡ª¡± ¡°Stop right there. Now I am an adult and a very powerful person. I will be fine, you are not to worry about me.¡± Again, Lnd conceded the point. ¡°Alrighty.¡± Jude took a few steps forward. ¡°Mom, Dad? You two wille with us to break into the castle and possibly steal the princess away if she is being mistreated, right?¡± Roy¡¯s face was in his hand. Diana didn¡¯t look convinced. Not with the way either Jude or Lnd had put it. ¡°Oh, also, Mom,¡± Jude continued ¡°Lnd gave me this ss shard from the Berserker Lord and I broke it open and all of this dust came out. I inhaled the dust and now I might be a time mage warrior thing. Oh, also, I have this song in me that is just dying toe out. Anyone know how to read sheet music?¡± Everyone, slowly, looked at him. In the corner of the cave, Gelo whispered to her mom, ¡°I thought you got rid of all the hallucinogenic poisonous nts?¡± The Guardian Spirit Bear leaned over, ¡°I did,¡± she whispered back. Lnd scratched his face and looked at Diana. ¡°Please don¡¯t let him exin what information he received to anyone other than you any more than he already has. The Berserker specifically asked me to tell him that it was for you and his ears only¡­ and he told us. So, yeah.¡± Royughed. ¡°That sounds just like him!¡± Even Diana couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Time warrior, huh? Now that sounds interesting¡­¡± She stood and motioned for her son to follow her outside the cave. Lnd took a deep breath, turning to thest of the party. ¡°So?¡± he asked his parents. Lucia did not look happy, but she also didn¡¯t look surprised or concerned. Obviously she didn¡¯t want her son to venture into an enemy fortress, but she also knew she couldn¡¯t exactly stop him. Not unless she wanted to chain him in this cave for the rest of his life. Her husband was right. It was time to stop treating Lnd like a kid but as an equal. Well, as much as a son could be to a parent. That didn¡¯t stop her from being ready when he fell. And she expected him to fall quite a few times on this trip. Lucia eventually said, ¡°Fine, but we are making sure you are well prepared before entering the capital. Rank three in your Legacy is a given, but there is much more to power than just that.¡± A smile befell Lnd¡¯s face. ¡°I would love it if you could teach me that memory recall cantrip as well as help me with silent casting. I¡¯ve already got invisible casting nailed down.¡± ¡°Memory recall?¡± she asked. ¡°Why do you want to learn to do that now? There¡¯s no realbat use cases¡­¡± ¡°Ah. An Archon said something to me in anguage I don¡¯t know. I was going to make a contract with the Lord of Speech or Lord of Language to learn the Archonnguage and then use the memory recall cantrip to figure out what it said to me.¡± Everyone except Isobel blinked slowly at him. Spencer was the first out of the stupor. ¡°These contracts of yours are rather interesting. I¡¯m sure that in the time it will take to get you to the third rank, we will think of some powerfulbinations.¡± He turned to his wife. ¡°Right, honey?¡± Gradually Lucia¡¯s face warmed, ¡°That¡¯s right. What are the limitations exactly? Also, what contracts do you already have?¡± Still smiling, Lnd hopped over and began to pour through his grimoire. After about an hour, Spencer said, ¡°How about some contracts that will go well with Erupting Steps? You always wanted to be a lightning mage.¡± Lnd nodded. ¡°Sounds good to me, but I don¡¯t want that many extra contracts. I¡¯ll get bogged down if I add anything tooplicated right now. You can ask Isobel how long it took me to be able to fight using Erupting Steps Oh! That reminds me! I need more practice fighting while flying. I love flying.¡± His mother, a flyer herself, smiled. ¡°It¡¯s the best,¡± she said warmly. Spencer looked around the cave. Floe and Gelo were talking to Glenny and Carmon. Roy was excited to speak with Diana and Jude. Which left Isobel the odd woman out. ¡°Hey, Isobel!¡± he shouted at her. ¡°Come join us. You¡¯ve seen Lnd fight the most. Your input will be quite wee.¡± Isobel hunched an eyebrow at him then smirked at Lnd. ¡°Oh I¡¯ve got a few notes. But I stand that Lnd knows where to improve himself. Although, if we are talking contracts, I recently thought of a few utility ones he might want to nab now rather thanter¡­¡± And just like that, the first meeting of their war council raged on. Ashford sat quietly reading a book. His master, the Undying Lord and his whole army, read the book as well, through Ashford¡¯s eyes. There was a distinctck of entertainment in an eternal prison, so the Harbinger could understand his master¡¯s thirst for words despite himself finding the book rather nd. It had been nearly fifteen years since his master dered him the Undying Champion, fifteen years with a Lord¡¯s voice in his head and a Lord¡¯s will upon his mind. Had he broken yet? No, Ashford would never break. Not like the many other Vile Lord Champions out there. Whether that was because his Lord was locked away and thus weakened, he did not know. Only that it didn¡¯t really matter. He was here to stay, and his master¡¯s will would bepleted. He had already failed once, and there would not be a second time. Such was the way with immortal life. Ashford, or birth name, Ash, had lived many different lives over his lifetime. Born as Ash until he aged trippled that of his mother. Her death was hard on him, but that was nearly a millennia ago. Next he went by somethingpletely new in apletely new location. Henry, he think he was called back then. That life didn¡¯tst long. The cruelty of luck forced him from that vige. Next was Barry. Barry lived a long time, but ultimately Barry¡¯s life was boring, so he moved on. It was around that time he received his first order from his Lord. It was just a glimpse into true power and more than a simple request. Hepleted it with ease, even getting apliment by the Undying Lord himself. But Barry was far from enough for the Undying Lord¡¯s Championship. That wouldeter, after many, many more identities and lives. But eventually he grew tired of these false lives, so he retook the mantle of Ash. Again, luck had a hand and Ash was cast aside for someone more in control. Someone more powerful. Ash was such a good name, however, and he didn¡¯t want to abandon it again. So he kept it, adding ¡°ford¡± to go with the local naming conventions of the city he imed. Ashford was a good assassin. He made use of his unique Legacy toe back from any job pristine regardless of who or what he was killing. A mansion full of heavily armed guards? No problem, they would all die regardless of how many swords stuck him. As his im to fame rose, so did the Undying Lord¡¯s attention. Eventually they shed and the world Ashford had built crumbled. He had been so close to true power, political power. He had be an ambassador to the Inquisitors at some point. He had met someone. He learned to love again. He wished to settle down. But that was not to the Undying Lord¡¯s will. Luckily, once hepleted his task, Ashford¡¯s actions would free his Lord and thus free himself in the process. No more being forced to read, for the Undying Lord would be able to read himself. No more having to bend to his will because his will be carried out personally. All Ashford had to do was consume the Boneforged Monarch¡¯s power and create a key for a certain eternal prison. A hushed growl overcame Ashford¡¯s mind. He took a breath, snapped the book closed, and got to work. ¡°Are you awake?¡± he called to the darkness. ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m tired,¡± a voice called back, this one mortal and high pitched. ¡°Yeah I don¡¯t care. We have work to do. My Lord has informed me that our trip to the capital will be bathed in blood. We need to prepare.¡± The Pathways Witch crawled out of bed and like a pouty child, asked, ¡°And how does your Lord know this?¡± Ashford took a deep breath. Working with this infernal woman had always been difficult, but he needed her. Incessant childness and all. ¡°Because ¡®the threads of fate have never been clearer.¡¯¡± The Witch frowned, activating her own magic. Pathways dealt with fate, and she needed to see what the big deal was. After just a few seconds of searching, she dispelled her curiosity and instead became obedient. She got to work not a momentter. There will be blood, there was no question. Chapter 191: Leaving Chapter 191: Leaving Saying goodbye to Floe and Gelo a second time was much harder for Jude than the first. He didn¡¯t cry, but his eyes were puffy and red and he spoke with a degree of husk. Gelo as well had a hard time saying goodbye, not making eye contact and speaking in short bursts. But when the Berserker hugged the cub, they both melted. It was during that moment Floe took Glenny and Lnd aside, out of earshot of the others. ¡°Does your offer for Gelo to join your party when I am gone still stand?¡± the mother bear asked. Lnd and Glenny looked at one another. ¡°Yes?¡± they both said at the same time, albeit hesitantly. A wave of relief passed through Floe. ¡°That is good to hear, very good¡­¡± ¡°A-are you okay?¡± Glenny asked. She took a long breath. ¡°No. After you three left the first time, that despicable poacher that killed Gelo¡¯s father came back. He came with the promise of killing me, but ultimately fell at my paw.¡± Out of the corner of his eye, Lnd noticed Isobel step closer, obviously interested in the conversation. He put it out of mind for now, instead asking, ¡°That¡¯s good, right? You got your revenge.¡± ¡°Indeed I did. It was longing, as well.¡± A pure tear fell from Floe¡¯s eye. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the poacher mortally wounded me.¡±¡°What!¡± shouted Glenny. Appearing before Lnd, his grimoire opened to the Nature Lord¡¯s contract¡ª Floe¡¯s deep voice stopped him. ¡°That will not help, young one. But thank you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We dungeon monsters do not heal like normal beings. The dungeon core reverts us back to prime health usually¡­ but since I have taken this dungeon core for my own, it refuses to assist me.¡± ¡°I thought you controlled the core,¡± Lnd said, his voice gaunt. ¡°I do. But it still holds sentience. In a way, I have taken the core as a ve. So it is my penance for my death to be at its hand. Ironic, really.¡± ¡°There has to be a way,¡± Glenny whispered, ncing at Jude and Gelo. ¡°There may be. But I am old and ready.¡± A growl echoed through the conversation but it wasn¡¯t from the bear. Isobel leaned in, her eyes glinting with anger. ¡°How can you say that? How can you abandon her?¡± Something sparked in the back of Lnd¡¯s mind and he ced himself between her and Floe. ¡°Calm down,¡± he muttered to Isobel. And she did. Lnd spun. ¡°But she¡¯s right. How can you just leave Gelo!? If there is a way, I can find it¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Floe boomed. Everyone looked over, even Jude and Gelo. She then whispered, ¡°No. No. This will be a mercy for Gelo. She will not be tied down here. She will not feel the need to stay for my¡ª¡± Isobel pped the mighty bear, cracking her head hard to the side. Floe didn¡¯t grow angry. How could she? She knew exactly what she was leaving behind and exactly how she was lying to herself. ¡°Mom?¡± asked Gelo, the cub slowly stalking behind Isobel. ¡°It¡¯s fine little one. We just have¡­ a different view on life.¡± Isobel scoffed. ¡°View on life, huh? Some mother you are.¡± Fury appeared behind Floe¡¯s mask of impassivity. Her white fur crackled with wicked frost, chilling the air. ¡°Do you think I want this? Do you think I like torturing myself with these thoughts!? No, mortal, I do not. And I do not wish to ce my daughter on the same path as her father and I.¡± Around, the conversations died. The parents stared at the bear, Carmon, the only one to slowly drop his stance and ready himself forbat. Gelo, however, looked horrified. And her mother noticed. ¡°Enough of this. Leave.¡± The single word was said like a primal blizzard. She roared through the icy wastnd beside the dungeon exit, shattering the frozen worm spires far, far away. Glittering chunks of icy meat fell, the bright sun creating the illusions of beauty with broken reflections. Isobel bit her bottom lip. ¡°If you do this, she will never forgive you. You will be a stain in her broken and haunted future.¡± And while her experience with life was hardly simr to the potential one Floe was creating for Gelo, she couldn¡¯t live with herself if she didn¡¯t add, ¡°Trust me. I know.¡± The Guardian Spirit Beast and the woman formerly known as the Huntress stared at one another. Neither said another word, but the ambient temperature of the dungeon continued to drop. Isobel took the hint and was the first one out of the dungeon. Everyone watched her leave with various thoughts racing through their minds ¡°S-sorry about her,¡± Lnd said, his heart not really in it. He felt Isobel was right, so his words came out hollow. He slowly shook his head. ¡°There has to be a way. You know my powers, you know the power of the Lords. There has to be some way.¡± The rage fell away in defeat. Floe whispered loud enough for him and Glenny to hear. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to lock Gelo here for decades. Because it will be decades. Centuries, even. I am as close to immortal as they get. This¡­ this wound of mine was supposed to be the key for this hellish cage.¡± ¡°Is there some way to unbind you from this dungeon?¡± Glenny asked, keeping his back between Jude, Gelo and Floe. ¡°If there is, I do not know of it.¡± ¡°How long are we talking here?¡± Lnd asked tiredly. ¡°A year. Two? I grow weaker by the day.¡± ¡°So we¡¯ve got time.¡± Floe scowled. ¡°Do not waste your time. Solve this issue with the princess and your ill reputation. Create a weing home for Gelo, please. Do not waste your time on me.¡± Lnd scoffed. ¡°Waste my time? Please. Two years is an eternity to us of mortal flesh.¡± Then a great smile eclipsed his lips, twisting his whole face with devilish hope. ¡°Training first, then Sybil, then the whole Harbinger thing, then¡± he locked eyes with Floe, his burning with violet heatless fire, ¡°we are breaking you out of here.¡± Something subtle shifted in the backdrop of reality. Hidden past the material and the physical was a sea of string. Each had a start point, each had an end. They crisscrossed and ovepped, some even beingpletely isted despite the surrounding chaos. A few were set in stone, others shifted in size and thickness. Many came and went with the thoughts of those they were connected to. But, what started as a single generic thread instantly ballooned, pushing all the other threads around. Fate had changed from just a few short sentences. And Floe noticed. She was hardly a diviner, irvoyant, or precognitive, in fact, she couldn¡¯t see the threads like some gifted few. No, Floe¡¯s understanding of fate and potential came solely from instinct. She was a beast, a powerful and old beast. She had felt Lnd¡¯s will tomand reality before, back during his first trip through the dungeon. He had shaken the forces that kept the world together, bending them to his goals like a smith bends red hot metal. Floe had chalked that up to heightened emotions and some sort of royal magic. But now? Now she was sure. There was no magic to speak of in this moment, no emotions other than utter confidence. And the world still changed. For the first time since that dreadful poacher entered her dungeon and killed her husband, Floe felt a spark of fury. Something in her had died way back when and only Gelo kept her from fully shattering. Now? Now she wanted to roar with all her might. She wanted to batter down the dungeon walls themselves! She wanted to invade the real world and distance herself from the remembrance of her mate. She wanted to live. She wanted to be there to watch Gelo grow. No, not grow. Thrive. She wanted to see her little girl thrive. And Lnd just might be what she needed. So Floe turned silent, the thumping of her heart silencing her previous argument. Two years? Yeah, she couldst that long. She would have to, right? She couldn¡¯t die now that the option was true and potentially realized. Lnd watched the great bear ride through a wave of emotions and settle on possibly the most sinister of them all. Hope. He had to deliver now. It was a promise. He had a lot of those, huh? ¡°Goodbye Floe,¡± he said, reaching his hand out and patting the giant bear on the snout. She watched him like a statue. Lnd then said goodbye to Gelo and exited the dungeon. His parents were next. Glenny said bye to both bears as well, then he and his father exited together. Jude lingered for a long minute, frozen. But something in the back of his mind churned. Slowly he pulled out his harmonica and presented it to Gelo. ¡°Next time I see you, you better be pretty good at it.¡± Gelo frowned at the small musical instrument. Jude read her reaction and said, ¡°No, no, no. It¡¯s yours. I think I¡¯ll pick up the guitar, or something. I¡¯ve got music flowing in my mind and need something a bit¡­ more.¡± He quickly added, ¡°Next time we will jam together. Goodbye my cuddly friend.¡± He hugged Gelo. They stood together for a moment before Jude released her and slowly walked over to Floe. ¡°Goodbye my other muchrger cuddly friend.¡± He hugged her as well, but his arms could only wrap around her partially. ¡°Goodbye, Jude,¡± the mother bear said, her voice cascading through the boy. And just like that, Jude and his parents exited the dungeon, leaving the two bears behind. Many emotions radiated from Gelo. She wanted to demand answers from her mom. She wanted to cry in her bedding. She wanted to chase after the first friend she had ever made in this world and drag him back into her home. She knew she couldn¡¯t though. So, instead, she asked a question. ¡°How am I supposed to y this thing?¡± She batted around the harmonica. ¡°I don¡¯t have thumbs¡­¡± Chapter 192: Curses Chapter 192: Curses Drifting in from a haze, Lnd stepped into the shabby shack with a grin on his face. It was time to eat cake, chocte, his favorite. His friends were there, his parents too. He grinned at each of them, happy as a m to¡ª A crownded on the back of the chair he was about to sit on. Obsidian ck with deepened shadows where feathers ran and ended, the bird was the size of arge dog, farrger than any crow he had ever seen. But that wasn¡¯t what made Lnd pause. No, that was its piercing violet eyes. Two orbs of purple fire and haunted sight stared at him, each bulbous and reflective. He watched himself watch the crow in its eyes, his thinning body looking far worse for wear. When was thest time he had a proper meal? One from a restaurant or¡ª The crow cawed. ¡°Caw to yourself, bird,¡± Lnd muttered. The bird looked at him like he was stupid. He didn¡¯t much appreciate that look. It reminded him of when he first met Isobel, sitting before her answering questions he didn¡¯t want asked. He stood up to her back then, and he would do so again now. ¡°Go on, get,¡± he said, shooing it away. It pecked him. And then cawed for good measure. But then, it spoke, its voice cold and ancient, ¡°This seat is taken.¡± Lnd blinked a few times. Of course! That seat wasn¡¯t his, he moved right over to the other empty seat. He sat down and his eyes fell on the cake. Knife in hand, he moved to cut a slice. The crow stopped him. ¡°A bit premature, huh? We are still waiting for someone.¡± Lnd¡¯s brows crossed. ¡°Are we? Who is missing?¡± He looked around. His parents, Jude and Glenny, their parents, Sybil, even Floe and Gelo were here. Who was missing? The question echoed in his mind. ¡°Grandmother,¡± the crow said just in time for the door to the shabby shack to swing open. Lnd turned, finding the doorway glowing with iridescent violet mes. A silhouette of a hunchbacked old woman cast the mes apart, her each step rocking the shack like she weighed as much as a leviathan. Her eyes glowed like the crow¡¯s, but they also whispered and sang. Sorrow, age, heartbreak. The song was horrid, it was eternitying to an end. A dying tune for a life spent fighting. ¡°Ah, of course. Grandmother, how did I forrrrrrrrrrrr¡ª¡± Lnd kept the syble going, although his mind came to a halt. He blinked, silencing himself. He blinked again, the walls of the shabby shack falling away. He blinked a third time, his family and friends leaving him. Onest blink forced the table, cake, and even the crow away. He was alone with grandmother, the Cmity herself. ¡°Ah,¡± Lnd scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m dreaming.¡± The Lord of Curses smiled softly. ¡°And it is time to wake up.¡± He recoiled. ¡°Youe to me in a dream only to tell me to wake up? Can¡¯t you offer some advice or answer some questions? Here, I¡¯ll start. I¡¯m your Champion!? What¡¯s up with that? Couldn¡¯t find anyone better?¡± Her smile didn¡¯t fall, but the meaning behind it changed to something far more somber. ¡°No. Because there is no one else who evenes close.¡± Lnd went to respond, but he woke up instead. A voice called to him. ¡°You okay there, Lnd? That was a pretty nasty hit¡ª¡± The voice cut itself off, a brief wave of warmth appearing. Then another voice appeared. ¡°Spencer! You were supposed to be watching him!¡± Lnd recognized that voice instantly. How could he ever forget his mom¡¯s angry screeching? He had been a mischievous child just like anyone else back in the day. The yelling was like a brand in his mind, he cringed slightly at it. Then the memories started toe back. It had been two weeks since leaving the dungeon and Gelo and Floe. They were halfway across the world at some sandy barrens that his father had called ¡°the most prime location for training ever conceived!¡± Lnd could do without the sand, personally, but he also knew his father was right. The ce was a gold mine for interesting monsters to fight, all of which actually posed a challenge to him, Jude, and Glenny. Vision slowly came back to him but he kept his eyes firmly shut. The sun was unrelenting in Mirage Fields, but oddly enough not because of the heat and zing light. It was that everything was doubled. Literally, doubled. Every grain of sand was unique only to its other. Every random animal or desert rock, a secondy nearby or was skittering around like a twin. What little foliage there was made the oasis look like small forests hidden within dunes of sand. This didn¡¯t stop at just the locals of the Mirage Fields; it included everyone who entered their perimeter. When the boys had first entered, each one jumped when an exact copy manifested beside themselves. Then they each realized just how novel the oddity was, making faces at them or inspecting their recent muscle gains in Jude¡¯s case. Then¡­ it got annoying, fast. Each boy had doubled, which meant their usual antics had doubled. It was strange seeing Lnd Two decide to take a break and slow the group down. It was irritating when Jude Two decided to run ahead into a dust devil because he ¡°wanted to feel the wind!¡± And Glenny almost killed his doppelganger when he said something tly rude to Isobel. What made everything worse was that the parents and Isobel were immune to the desert¡¯s power. Jude¡¯s dad dered the area ¡°too weak to make a perfect copy of himself.¡± Which was actually true. The desert had a hidden power source that only the locals knew of, using mirages like a pseudo defense mechanism. As it turned out, the duplicates would try to kill the original if the original ever decided to harm the desert itself. So,ying in the sand with his eyes closed, Lnd didn¡¯t want to see himself mock himself¡­ gah he hated this ce. ¡°I was!¡± Spencer yelled back to Lucia. ¡°I thought Lnd would dodge in time! That boulder wasn¡¯t even going that fast!¡± Lnd muttered something, which stopped his mom from responding. ¡°What was that?¡± his dad asked, leaning in. Feeling the warmth radiating off his dad¡¯s face, Lnd, with a growl, said, ¡°I didn¡¯t dodge because there were six boulders! How was I supposed to dodge the boulders when those sand mephits all threw them at the same time!¡± His dad leaned back. ¡°Uh, there were plenty of ways.¡± A third voice joined the fray, this one sounding hauntingly familiar. ¡°Exactly right, dad! Other me could have easily dodged. We have multiple flight contracts, a movement contract, and even a shield contract.¡± Lnd Two made a humming noise. ¡°But truthfully we should have just positioned better to begin with. We knew there were three, scratch that, six mephits. Of course there would be six boulders as well. We are in the Mirage Fields, after all.¡± The family was silent for a moment, the real Lnd groaned. ¡°Is that what I actually sound like?¡± His dadughed and his mom grumbled something. She said, ¡°No. The mirages try to be annoying, I swear.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good at least.¡± Lnd Two then stumbled back, his hand on his heart. ¡°Mother! That hurts! How could you say that to your son!¡± Real Lnd sat up, opening his eyes because he just had to watch this. His mom had increasingly be more and more restless with Lnd Two¡¯s excessive derations about him being her son. The first few times had been cute, then awkward, then irritating, then downright gross. When Lnd Two started to mention private family things, Lucia had struck him down with a lightning bolt, killing him. The mirage, of course, reappeared like nothing had happened because the real Lnd was alive and well. This time was no different. Lucia¡¯s head went stiff and she thrust her pointer finger at the illusion with the speed of a viper. A spray of white-hot electricity released from her finger like a sling releasing a bundle of rocks. The electricity shredded through Lnd Two¡¯s sleeveless tunic, yed his chest open, and burnt holes into his ribs and internal organs. Lnd Two stumbled around the sand, each step invisible adding a set of steel weights around his ankles. Blood pooled at his mouth as he tried to cry out to his attacker, but no sound came out. He crashed to his knees, then gave a hellish look around, threw his hands up into the air, and then fell over dead. Lucia sighed. ¡°Mirage Lnd is one of the dramatic types.¡± ¡°It would seem so,¡± Spencer said, not even batting an eye at the corpse of his son. Lnd didn¡¯t either. He did not like the idea of his mom killing his clone the first time, nor the second really. But once the mirage ate his dinner while he went off to pee, he felt all was fair in this ce. A heavy handnded on his shoulder, a new Lnd Two¡¯s. ¡°Well. I think Mother has some anger issues, don¡¯t you think?.¡± Real Lnd flinched, shuffling away from his mirage. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Lnd Two feigned being hurt. ¡°Now, now. We¡¯ve got to work together¡ª¡± ¡°Dad,¡± Lnd interrupted, looking at his father. ¡°At what approximant power level do I need to be for the desert to be unable to create one of these for me?¡± Spencer frowned and scratched the back of his head. ¡°Uh¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know but of course he couldn¡¯t exactlye out and say that. It was a fatherly thing. ¡°You have to be powerful enough to be able to dodge a boulder.¡± Lnd made a weird sound. ¡°It was six!¡± Spencer then made a mock baby-crying sound. Laughing at that, Lnd got back to his feet. ¡°Where¡¯d those mephits go?¡± A portal opened up beside him and as he stepped through, he hoped Jude and Glenny¡¯s training was going better than his. ¡°Oh boy! Off to finish what we started!¡± Lnd Two announced, skipping through the portal before Spencer could close it. Chapter 193: Lizards Chapter 193: Lizards Glenny¡­ was¡­ dying¡­ Not really, of course, but he sure felt like it. Two weeks they had been in this cursed desert and for two weeks he had been coached nonstop by his dad¡­ and other Glenny. The mirage was just the worst. It did everything he did, but better. Perfect, even. Like it just knew how Glenny would perfectly y out a fight and do it, when the real Glenny had things that limited him. Like breathing, walking on sand, flinching, anything really. Worst of all, Carmon, his father, actually liked talking to Glenny Two. They discussed strategy and tactics like they were bunk mates at an army officer school. They then would turn on the real Glenny and order him to implement whatever they decided perfectly. And when the real Glenny couldn¡¯t do it perfectly, Glenny Two would. Then preen like a bird. Gah! Glenny hated his mirage and was frankly jealous of how Lnd¡¯s mom kept killing Lnd Two. Though, Glenny couldn¡¯t exactly say having the mirage around was detrimental to his training. On the contrary, in fact. Seeing how battle should go from someone with his exact powerset and abilities was like lighting a bonfire to see at night rather than waving a candle around blindly. Not to mention the one on one duels the Glennyspeted in. Glenny, of course, had yet to win a single bout. But each time he was just a bit closer¡­ which also meant his clone was just a bit stronger. Measuring progress had changed from ¡°winning¡± to actually ¡°improving.¡± It was a strict contrast, one that Glenny respected after week one. Winning meant very little, and meanwhile training, fixing mistakes and broadening one¡¯s mind meant everything. The mirage was even using his parasitic shadow cloak and the Sightless King¡¯s powers in new and unique ways. Like forging umbres of crimson primordial power to use as impromptu shadow creator, then shadow stepping to angles once impossible. In the end, Glenny could put up with his mirage knowing that it was a tool and only a tool. Glenny Two was not trying to ¡°steal¡± his father away like he originally thought. Nor was the clone trying to rece him as the original. It was after a particrly brutal reprimand from Isobel that Glenny realized this. He had failed to predict something or other, and thus she had toe in and saved his life. The yelling started immediately, but was cut off quite quickly by the mirage. ¡°We get it,¡± Glenny Two had said at the time. ¡°He won¡¯t make that mistake again, trust us.¡± Isobel eyed the mirage but turned back to the real Glenny. ¡°I don¡¯t think you do. If I hadn¡¯t interfered right then, you would have died. How would I exin that to your father? ¡®Your son died because he shadow teleported under a sand elemental¡¯s foot. I couldn¡¯t do a thing.¡¯¡± Glenny went to respond, but the clone beat him to it. ¡°And he won¡¯t make that mistake again.¡± He pped the original on the back, pulling him away from the crazydy. They stepped up the dune overlooking the battlefield. Glenny Two pointed toward the monster. ¡°It was a good idea in theory, but the issue is that elementals know everything that happens around them. Remember, they don¡¯t actually sense through their eyes. The sand is ¡®part of them.¡¯¡± Original Glenny frowned. ¡°If you know the best way to kill that thing, just tell me.¡± Glenny Two smiled. ¡°If I know, so do you. Take it slow, we have all the time in the world right now.¡± Glenny wasn¡¯t sure. The mirage continued. ¡°Think about it like this. Your father is still away getting his daily healing from Lnd, right? He should be back soon, why don¡¯t you kill that thing as a little surprise present?¡± Glenny could feel Isobel roll her eyes. Both he and the clone ignored it. ¡°What about shadow stepping onto its shoulder and attacking its ¡®head?¡¯¡± Glenny Two smiled wide. ¡°Perfect!¡± And that¡¯s what he did. Sand elementals were notoriously difficult to kill. Not because they were quick or heavily armored, but because they had literal entire deserts to recoup their lost sand and regenerate. Every time Glenny attacked, the monster would refill and attack back. The monster was the size of a house, humanoid in appearance, but big and bulky like it was born made of cubes of stone rather than smooth skin. Headpletely square, enough shadows were cast from the setting sun that Glenny had a wide open area to shadow step to. His cloak eagerly allowed the moment, quickly slurping up the shadows upon his arrival. Standing tall on its shoulder, Glenny easily transformed his weapon into a crimson two handed maul. Thick at one end, thin at the other, he pounded the elemental¡¯s neck and head until it crumbled to dust. When it did, sand rapidly swirled around its feet, rushing to the injury. Paying the river of sand no mind, Glenny continued his attack, each time angling his forged weapon just a bit better. By the end of this string of attacks, the hammer now had a deadly spike protruding out. It prated deeper, enough so that the elemental had to actually focus on knocking Glenny away rather than just endure his attacks. When the shadows shifted, this time the sun being blotted out by the monster¡¯s arm, Glenny shadow stepped away. He caught his breath a dune or two away, just in time to see Isobel fire a single bolt from her parasitic weapon at the sand elemental¡¯s mirage. It died, instantly. ¡°How many more times do I have to kill the thing? Because I can just ignore it and let you fight both of them,¡± she said. Glenny red at her but said nothing. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s pack it up. This beasty seems a bit too strong for you¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Isobel smirked a bit. ¡°Prove me wrong, eh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t kill the mirage again,¡± Glenny snarled and shadow-stepped back into the fray. This attempt was much the same, but when he appeared on the monster¡¯s shoulder, he waited. And waited. And waited. Glenny didn¡¯t understand how the Mirage Fields worked, but some mirages reappeared near instantly when destroyed, others took a bit of time. While waiting, Glenny focused on the Void. He cleared his mind, dropping an anvil on the whispers assaulting his mind. Silence followed, removing the annoyance of waiting¡­ Wait, Glenny thought, a sinking feeling elongating in his guts. It wasn¡¯t dread, surprise, or fear, but something new. Something that shined brightly within his understanding of reality. The Void was everywhere and nowhere. It was between, it was connected. It waited patiently, eternally cold and devoid of life and power. That hung in his mind even as the sand elemental¡¯s mirage reappeared. Devoid. Waiting. Lack of everything. But most importantly, it was right there. Everywhere. It was everywhere, yet right there. Glenny reeled back, spiked hammer in hand, and swung. Forever he felt he swung, the hammer inching closer at a frozen pace. Devoid, waiting, everywhere. Like a split in reality, a portal to another realm, a haunted existence forever bathed in the white endless¡­ Glenny swung, the Sightless King¡¯s whispers drowned away by nothing, yet everything. The hammer connected but there was no damage. No cracking, no dust. But the elemental was hurt, it was broken in ways unseen and unlearned. Standing on the shoulder of the monster, Glenny inspected the hole he created. Dented in, rock and sand was simply gone, sacrificed to the Void. In his mind, from his teaching with Reflective King Harlen, Glenny wrapped himself in the feeling and shadow stepped away. He reappeared in Isobel¡¯s shadow, his cloak drinking the darkness like a crazed kid with a straw. ¡°Give u¡ª" she started to ask but stopped, jolting her head toward him. Glenny, kneeling with blood trickling down from his nose, slowly creaked his head up, finding Isobel frozen with her mouth slightly ajar. ¡°What?¡± he asked, tasting iron. Glenny Two appeared, the mirage bleeding just like the original. ¡°I can tell you what! Look at our eyes!¡± The real Glenny did, finding the mirror image of him perfect. His greasy red hair, it wildly swaying in the dry winds of the desert. His slightly freckled face, the dots looking like small inds to a stream of blood leaking from his nose. A not-often-used smile, one that showed off more teeth than not. Most importantly was their eyes, perfectly spherical orbs of pure white endlessness. ¡°That¡¯s some power we just touched upon,¡± Glenny Two said. ¡°I¡¯m d we were able to do it together!¡± Glenny wanted to respond to his clone, but his chest felt cold yet burning. He was breathing heavily, like Lnd after his morning exercise. Panic arose, especially when his nose suddenly gushed with blood. He let out a faint cry, one that he hoped Isobel would recognize as a plea for help. She cursed herself, closing the distance and pulled a shiny red healing potion from her inventory ring. Popping the cork and pouring it down his throat, Isobel spoke through clenched teeth, ¡°You¡¯re fine, you¡¯re fine. Just need to wait for the potion to work¡ª¡± Glenny stopped listening. Wait, huh? he asked himself, blinking slowly. Something in the back of his mind connected to something outside his reality, and suddenly things started to make more sense. Glenny Two¡¯s eyes widened, the full whiteness of them fading back to their original color. ¡°Did you just!? I mean, did we just!?¡± ¡°What!?¡± Isobel snipped. ¡°Oh ho oh, Mr. Original here just adapted to the Void! I¡¯ll go get dad!¡± Chapter 194: Axe Chapter 194: Axe Sitting on an overly stuffed throw pillow in a sandy temple, Jude, and his mirage, both yed the guitar. Their fingers danced upon the strings, their callused fingers plucking or strumming in time with another¡­ poorly. For each, the melodies they created were both off key and off tempo, abination that made his nearby parents want to close their ears. Each note they sped and slowed, trying to match one another. Ultimately failing, the original and the clone didn¡¯t care. Not when the song of their soul was being brought to life for the first real time in two weeks. Two weeks was hardly enough time to master the guitar, but Jude didn¡¯t think it impossible. He, and his mirage, had stayed upte every night ying and practicing. Even when Isobel and Carmon both asked him, in various tones, to shut up and go to bed. It was his calling, he realized. The music flowed through his body, a tune unlike any he had ever heard. A swansong, one that would only beplete during a fit of Berserker rage beholding eternity. He knew the song would never sound good, not when he wasn¡¯t using his anger to fuel his fingers. But he could get close. And that was what Jude wanted. Time warrior? No way, not when he stood on the cusp of the ultimate battle cry. It was a nice revtion, one he shared with his mother the minute he thought of it. ¡°The song is a battle cry!¡± he had told her. ¡°It links the rage to the yer!¡± Diana didn¡¯t know if she agreed, but her focus was more so on the time aspect of the information provided by the Berserker Lord. Not that it would matter to her. She had long aged past the point of learning new techniques and full-on mindsets for power. Little things, sure, but not rewiring her whole perception of her Legacy. That was what children did when they changed teachers or masters. The same just wouldn¡¯t work for her. So, instead, she pivoted to support. She would learn the most she could about time and give her knowledge to Jude. It wasn¡¯t like she was doing much of anything with her timetely. She would watch when Jude took on a group of monsters and their mirages single handedly, but the boy always prevailed. He was, after all, the most well rounded type of fighter for scenarios such as this. Fighting without the worry of enraging and hurting friends was a dreame true for Berserker Legacies. All Diana had to do was make sure her son didn¡¯t get too hurt. And that was easy enough because Jude didn¡¯t get hurt. Between his frozen bone armor, his incarnation blessing from Floe, and the general resistance his Legacy provided, most of the attacks thatnded did little to nothing. Jude didn¡¯t even have to enrage for these fights. He won out of sheer muscle-headed power. But that was all days ago and now the Browns had split from the Silvers and Reds. They weren¡¯t that far away, but everyone decided it was best to travel to this meeting light. Having to find and bring a gift for everyone would be quite a managerial nightmare. But such was the way with Guardian Spirit beasts. They always expected gifts. Well, at least the one Diana and Roy had met before Floe. Floe didn¡¯t want gifts. Still, Diana found her leg shaking despite sitting cross legged on a throw pillow. ncing at her husband, she found Roy¡¯s thick beard twitching from how he was grinding his teeth. They both did not want to be here, and Jude¡¯s guitar ying didn¡¯t help the situation either¡­ Or maybe it did. Jude was calm, collected, and entertaining himself brilliantly. He and his mirage, in fact. The two had be inseparable once they realized they could y together, something that Lnd and Glenny both were jealous of. Who wouldn¡¯t? Having a perfect clone of themselves be friends and not mortal enemies was something out of a day dream. ¡°Just think of all the chores we could split between each other! We have so much extra time now!¡± Jude had announced to his friends one evening... or maybe it was Jude Two? No one could tell other than his parents. Regardless of their son, the Browns couldn¡¯t help but fidget. It had been many, many years since theyst returned to the Mirage Fields. They, and the other parents, had sworn off the ce well before they were Inquisitors. To most, the desert was a difficult journey due to the local monsters, mirages, and sheer scope of the ce, but to them that was hardly the case. As an adventuring team, the Silvers, Browns, and Reds hade to the desert to train, just as the boys were doing now, only to receive a quest from the Guardian Spirit Beast of the area. Each parent shuddered at the thought of what they went through. They wouldn¡¯t even tell their children what happened. Soing back after so long was more than disconcerting. But for Jude, Diana and Roy would deal with it. Having been waiting for hours in the temple, a wash of relief rippled through the Judes and his parents when a priest came to get them. ¡°Follow!¡± was all the man said, his charcoal like makeup stretching all of his wrinkles to the edges of his face. The Browns followed through the sandstone doorways and hallways, past many podiums holding chunks of unkempt gems or hunting trophies. Each was, of course, doubled. Along the walls in thick ss picture frames were ancient priest masks and headwear. Small ques hung under each and every disy, but they were impossible to read at a nce because their lettering was doubled. They passed a few branching hallways and exited outside before twisting through a courtyard of sand holding various impressively sized rocks. A man and a woman slowly raked the sand into symmetrical patterns, only for the rocks to suddenly shift and roll over their hard work. The man and woman did not look happy, the woman going so far as to curse at the smaller of the two rocks that moved. The rock cursed back. ¡°Erm,¡± Jude Two said once they were out of the courtyard walking down a flight of stairs into a cer, ¡°what was that?¡± ¡°The rocks, he means,¡± real Jude said. ¡°I mean? Yeah that sounds right. I mean.¡± The priest nced back. ¡°First time in the fields?¡± ¡°How could you tell?¡± both Judes asked at the same time. The man chucked. ¡°It¡¯s refreshing to see you and your mirage in such harmony. Most tourists end up murdering one another by the second day¡­ But you two! ying the guitar together! My master will love to hear you y.¡± Real Jude scratched his head as Jude Two looked away, his skin red. ¡°We¡¯re not very good¡­¡± ¡°It matters not. Youe as friends and as friends you will y for my master.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ but those rocks? They talked!¡± Again the priestughed. ¡°Those are Rocky Rockless Rocks. A type of monster some around here keep as pets. Their upkeep is quite expensive though, so only a few do. They can mimic speech and like to be mischievous.¡± ¡°Oh, they are like parrots.¡± ¡°I am unfamiliar with the word.¡± ¡°A type of bird that can mimic speech. They are small and colorful and like nuts.¡± The priest¡¯s face crumbled slightly. ¡°It seems these ¡®parrots¡¯ might be the superior pet to our massive rocks.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say so!¡± Jude Twoughed. The man¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Sorry about him. He says whatever he thinks,¡± Jude said. ¡°I understandpletely,¡± the priest said. Eventually the group was presented to an identical priest, the original. A brief conversation transpired between the two men, which ended with the original looking original Jude up and down and ncing at his guitar. ¡°Are gifts to be presented to the master?¡± Diana and Roy twitched at the question. ¡°Yes,¡± they both said. ¡°One from each of you, or one for the group?¡± ¡°From each,¡± Diana seethed through her teeth. ¡°Good,¡± the man said promptly. ¡°Master will be most pleased. Right this way.¡± He gestured to the doorway. ¡°You will bow, then present the gifts without talking.¡± They followed him in, finding a room much like Floe and Gelo¡¯s cave. Large, spacious, rocky walls and floors, but decorated and well kept. Pillows, silken drapes, banners, even gem crusted murals, any and everything had wealth stered into its make and beauty. There was a human touch here, that, or the local Guardian Spirit Beast loved interior decorating. Around the edge of the cave were more priests and priestesses, each standing beside their twin mirage. They watched the neers enter, no one questioning them or even inspecting them that clearly. In fact, most looked through Jude and his family like they were as unimportant as most of the people who sought an audience with the master. And what a master the master was. Sitting on a small pillow situated atop a short teau of stone, was a three eyed sandy brown fox. The size of arge cat, the fox graced the neers with its gaze from all three eyes. It watched their movements carefully, a calm snarl along its lips. Fangs were set front and center, along with perked-up ears and tense muscles. Diana and Roy bowed on cue, Jude and Jude Two flinching from the suddenness before following suit. They straightened and Roy stepped forward. ¡°Hello Master Neff, it has been a long time. We bring gifts.¡± Roy produced a small basket from his inventory ring and held it forward. A priestess then stepped over, taking it. Diana quickly removed her and Jude¡¯s presents from her inventory ring, handing off Jude¡¯s to him. She stepped forward, handing hers to the priestess. Jude then did the same, although the priestess had to call in her mirage to assist with all three items. ¡°The basket holds baked Yullen steak from the cattle city of Yullen,¡± Roy announced, trying to gauge the fox¡¯s thoughts on the matter. Only one of the beast¡¯s eyes blinked. Diana was next. ¡°The box with the bow holds caramels from the Great Candy Meisters of the Copper Bowl.¡± Jude spoke next, ¡°I bring the gift of beer.¡± He then stepped back, falling in line with his parents who were ncing at one another. Was that all he brought? They both asked each other¡ª ¡°Oh,¡± Jude stepped forward. ¡°I forgot to mention. There is also a jar of honey as well. I suggest mixing the two to make a sweet treat!¡± Around the room, the priests watched Jude with various levels of disgust. ¡°Tough crowd,¡± he whispered to his parents. ¡°Lnd brought beer and honey to the Lord of¡ª¡± His mom stomped his foot and shot him a warning look. A chattering went around the room and a priest wearing much more wealth knelt beside the Guardian Spirit Beast. The fox muttered something in the man¡¯s ear, the man then repeated the statement. ¡°Why have youe, Roy and Diana Brown? The contract waspleted many years ago.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Roy said, slowly patting down his beard. ¡°Wee not for the contract but for personal matters. Our son,¡± he held his hand out to Jude, ¡°is blessed. We havee to petition your blessing as well.¡± All three eyes on the fox twisted and locked onto Jude. It yiped, a scratchy high pitched voice flooding the air, ¡°That is what that ursed smell is. The scent of another.¡± Gasps sounded throughout the room. Jude drummed his fingers against the wood of his guitar. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably Floe. She¡¯s a big frost bear. She¡¯s really nice.¡± Master Neff scoffed. ¡°The audacity!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Jude announced like he had an idea. ¡°Do Guardian Spirit Beasts not like each other? I figured you all were friends.¡± Diana stomped on her son¡¯s foot again. He made a face at her. ¡°No, this ¡®Floe¡¯ and I are not friends. I have never heard of a frost bear Guardian. Where does this bear reside?¡± Neff asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think Floe would like it if I disclosed her location. She¡¯s had problems with poachers in the past¡­¡± Another round of murmurs went around the room. The fox watched him closely, its third eye suddenly glowing with a faint dull yellow. Beside Jude, Jude Two flinched, an invisible connection connecting the mirage to the beast. Neff remained silent for a few minutes before slowly rxing. ¡°I see. This Floe and Gelo,¡± Neff said. ¡°You care deeply for them. You would not ever harm them.¡± Jude coughed. ¡°Did you just read my mirage¡¯s mind?¡± He blinked a few times. ¡°My mind!?¡± Master Neff hopped down from his bedding and slowly approached the group. Behind, many priests and priestess were panicking. The master paid them no mind, instead sniffing Jude from a few paces away. ¡°Yes,¡± the fox eventually said, ¡°for it is my right as Master of the Mirage.¡± Roy and Diana were on the verge of grabbing their son and running out. Jude, however, sat down. ¡°That¡¯s pretty rad,¡± he said. ¡°See, recently I¡¯ve been trying to control time¡­ but I think I¡¯m rather be far off from¡ª¡± ¡°Jude!¡± his mother screeched. ¡°Ah. I¡¯m not supposed to mention anything about that.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°But it should be fine since Master Neff has already read my mind, right?¡± He was looking at his mom but she just stared incredulously at him. ¡°That is correct. But your friend was told to tell you not to mention that to anyone,¡± the fox replied. Jude blinked a few times, smiling. ¡°Okay fine. I am not trying to be a time warrior¡ª¡± ¡°Jude!¡± ¡°¡ªmusic is more my speed.¡± He shifted the guitar to hisp. ¡°Would you like me to y? That priest who showed us in, told me I would y for you.¡± Master Neff nodded his small head. ¡°I would be delighted. Any true friend of a Guardian Spirit Beast is a friend of mine.¡± Roy and Diana breathed a sigh of relief. Jude then asked, ¡°Then why did you my say ¡®ursed?¡¯¡± ¡°Pay no mind to that. Sometimes fellow blessed ask me for favors just because they are blessed and think that gives them authority.¡± ¡°People are jerks.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Jude asked his mirage, ¡°Are you ready?¡± Jude Two sat as well. ¡°Can I take lead this time?¡± ¡°Sure. But you can¡¯t mess up that one part again. We are ying for an important fox!¡± Smirking, Jude Two said, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mess up the beat we¡¯ll be fine.¡± They squinted at one another for a long moment before one of them yed the first note. The others quickly joined in and they yed together. Chapter 195: Room Chapter 195: Room ¡°So what did we all learn today?¡± Diana asked, her voice strained. It was Jude Two that answered first, as Jude one had his mouth full of roast. ¡°Rocks can talk!¡± Diana and Roy face palmed. ¡°You learned rocks can talk?¡± asked Lnd. ¡°Yeah! They are pets!¡± ¡°The temple had rocks that can talk as pets?¡± Jude finished chewing. ¡°I think we are making ourselves pretty clear, Leals. They have ROCKS THAT CAN TALK!¡± ¡°Were they¡­ were they on leashes?¡± Jude Two blinked slowly as the original Jude put down his te. ¡°Leals? Why would pet rocks need to be leashed?¡±Lnd looked around for help, no one met his eyes, not even his own mirage. Clearing his throat, he said, ¡°Well I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I asked.¡± The Judes hmphed. ¡°Anyway,¡± Lnd continued. ¡°I learned that even during flight, I am susceptible to damage.¡± ¡°Damage?¡± his mom asked, her face twisted. ¡°You were hit out of the air by a boulder!¡± ¡°Exactly. It was a learning experience.¡± Before Spencer could chime in, Glenny quietly said, ¡°I conquered the Void.¡± Everyone stopped, except the Judes who kept eating. ¡°Really?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Yeah¡­ Well, sort of. I adapted to my current understanding of the Void. I can grasp the basics like I can the Sightless King¡¯s power.¡± Spencer asked, ¡°The Sightless King¡¯s power is the red weapons you make, right? How does the Void manifest?¡± Glenny Two answered. ¡°Like an elemental aspect.¡± The adult Silvers made a whistling noise, the Browns all squinted, and Carmon and Isobel looked indifferent. ¡°What?¡± Jude asked. ¡°It means he can imbue the Void into his attacks like say a me-enchanted sword can produce fire-aspect.¡± Lucia answered. ¡°If I¡¯m understanding correctly, that is.¡± Glenny nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I took a chunk out of a sand elemental. Just poof, gone.¡± He opened and closed his hand and fingers to mime the phenomenon. ¡°Huh,¡± Lnd said. Isobel took a big swig of her drink, saying nothing. Carmon, however, muttered, ¡°Now if it didn¡¯t actively hurt him¡­¡± ¡°Using the Void hurts you?¡± Jude asked. ¡°No¡ª¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Isobel said. Gleny scowled. ¡°My nose was bleeding and I was light headed.¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Lucia said calmly. ¡°You aren¡¯t making your internals go poof as well, right? On ident, I mean? It wouldn¡¯t be the first time one of the more esoteric element types has harmed the caster.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t. I checked,¡± said Carmon. ¡°Ah. Then it must be a forceful aspect,¡± Roy said like everything made sense all of a sudden. ¡°A what?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Hmm. Maybe ¡®forceful¡¯ isn¡¯t the correct term.¡± He stroked his long beard. ¡°See, whenever I block a significantly powerful strike from a powerful enemy with an enchanted weapon, more times than not they receive some sort of bounce back.¡± Everyone held nk looks. He continued, ¡°Going back to the fire sword example, imagine a warrior striking my shield. Sword meets shield, mes get thrown up into the warrior¡¯s face.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Lucia said, ¡°he means magic backfire.¡± Various ¡°ohh¡±s and ¡°ahh¡±s sounded. Roy grumbled something. ¡°But what does that mean for Glenny?¡± Lnd asked. Isobel stood, stepping over to the campfire and grabbing another hunk of meat off a spit. ¡°It means, he needs to adapt to the backfire or grow proficient in using the Void to not have backfire.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Carmon said quietly. The Glennys looked at each other. ¡°Dad you okay?¡± ¡°Hmm? What? Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± Everyone waited a moment to see if that went anywhere. When it didn¡¯t, Spencer asked, ¡°Anyone rank up?¡± Lnd opened his grimoire and reviewed. Fracture is now rank 18. Crow Massacre is now rank 17. Curse of Copse is now rank 16. Harbinger Halo is now rank 19. Circle of Souls is now rank 19. ¡°Two neens, one sixteen, seventeen, and an eighteen,¡± he said to the group. ¡°What about that sixth spell of yours?¡± Spencer asked. ¡°It¡¯s at max rank.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good.¡± He turned to Jude. ¡°Jude?¡± The Berserker Legacy was squinting at the bloodstain in his axe. ¡°Uh. It¡¯s kind of hard to read. I think I have everything either eighteen or neen.¡± Jude Two was doing the same. ¡°Eighteen or neen, yeah.¡± ¡°Glenny?¡± The Chameleon Legacy was looking into his hand mirror, foggy words catching his eye. ¡°Two twenties. One neen, an eighteen, and, uh, a twelve.¡± ¡°A twelve?¡± Carmon asked. ¡°For the tongue ability¡­¡± ¡°That was the one your mother took the longest to rank up as well. Have you tried writing your name over and over again using a pen and your tongue only?¡± ¡°Erm, no?¡± ¡°That was how she¡ª¡± Carmon stopped abruptly because Isobel was looking off into the distance. She fired a bolt poison, killing whatever she saw instantly. She shrugged. ¡°Small precision techniques was how she ranked up that ability.¡± Glenny took a moment, but he eventually nodded. Training his tongue ability was not his favorite use of his time. Wanting to change the subject, he asked Jude, ¡°Did you receive another blessing?¡± To the side, Roy and Diana were smiling brightly. The Judes, however, picked at their teeth, utterly ignoring the question. ¡°Yeah,¡± one of them said meekly. ¡°Yes,¡± the other said as though he was too busy to answer. ¡°Well is it any good?¡± Glenny asked after ncing at the Lnds. Both eyed the Judes suspiciously. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Ah. That¡¯s good. Lnd? Have you¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing!¡± real Jude announced, a smile bounding past whatever game he was trying to y. Jude Two sighed. ¡°I thought were going to y it off as¡ª¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it! The blessing is awesome!¡± ¡°Alright, alright. It is, you¡¯re right.¡± Everyone beside Jude¡¯s parents, who had their faces in their hands shamefully, stared nkly. Lnd rolled his eyes. ¡°What does the blessing do, Jude?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually quite simple! It is called Incarnation Mirage! When invoked, I can¡ª¡± ¡°He can recreate me! Anywhere! Not just in the desert!¡± Jude Two interrupted. Isobel cursed loudly. Carmonughed, which caused Spencer tough. Lucia looked on somberly, instantly sorry for Roy and Diana. Lnd and Glenny, however, blinked slowly, each of their unique interactions with their own miragesing to mind. Glenny didn¡¯t really see an issue. Lnd, however, did. ¡°Uh, Jude? Are you sure that you want to make a mirage outside this ce?¡± he asked. Beside him, his mirage scoffed. ¡°Busybody.¡± ¡°Weirdo,¡± counted Lnd. ¡°Slowpoke.¡± ¡°Fake.¡± Lnd Two gasped. ¡°Take that back!¡± ¡°What? You are fake!¡± ¡°I am very much a real mirage!¡± ¡°And a fake Lnd!¡± ¡°You are just upset that I didn¡¯t get hit by a boulder!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even fight!¡± ¡°Because you got jealous when I could fight better!¡± Around the campfire, friends and family quietly whispered to one another about being surprised it was Lnd who didn¡¯t get alone with his mirage. Situated in a ce beyond reality but also well within the realm of men, a splintered wooden table rested quietly ready for the next group to make use of its services. It sat within a white stone box, the box being sealed from outside and in. There were no windows, no doors, not even a seam where the walls and floor connected. Two chairs had been ced in this room millennia ago, each one as splintered and broken as the table. Having been reconstructed and repaired by the Caretaker thousands of times over the years, very little had been lost of the chairs. They were both still chairs, yet one had slightly less material on the seat. A custom had grown from this small discrepancy. The first in the room was supposed to take the more broken seat while leaving the more perfect seat for the other party. This, of course, was often used as a resource for negotiations as well as a powery to see who could arrive the earliest, ortest in some cases. This time, however, the custom surrounding the chair was ignored. The first party arrived minutes before the other and took im over the less broken one. He was an ancient gentleman, a being that had seen more history than most yet looked middle aged. His eyes, deep and green, held a secret of power. There, locked away in a cage created by several of the divine, the Undying Lord watched the mortal ne through this man¡¯s eyes. This man, a murderer and monster, was named Ashford. He arrived early not because he wished to be polite or set a trap, but because in this sealed room he was totally alone. The voice in his head, the will of his Lord, was as muted as it had been years ago. The room was like a safe haven to Ashford, powerful enough to block all outside magic, yet, unfortunately, too weak to fully rid the man of his problems. He liked to thinking to this room was for his sanity, but it was just another part of his master¡¯s goal. Without any warning or recourse, the second party member arrived. He took in the small room and splintered table and chairs, a growl escaping his lips. Ashford watched the neer with bated breath. He had met a few Lords during his time as his master¡¯s Champion, yet none came anywhere near this thing in perceived power. There were rules the Lords had to conform with,, otherwise the Caretaker would grow angry and start upon a single woman crusade to oust the rulebreaker from the divine ranks. Yet, the being before Ashford, was held to no such rules for it was far from the divine ranks. But that didn¡¯t mean his power was anything but divine. How such a discrepancy went unanswered, Ashford didn¡¯t know. He suspected that the abomination now sitting across from him will ultimately be killed by the Caretaker sooner thanter. Which put this meeting on a timetable. How to best make use of a being that surely would not be around this time next year? It was a question Ashford hoped to have answered by the end of this meeting. ¡°My Lord tells me we have a mutual enemy of sorts.¡± A dull growl escaped the being¡¯s haunted lips. ¡°And?¡± ¡°I wish them not to interfere with my ns when they assuredlymit to fending off my attack.¡± Ashford, momentarily, was lost in the crimson red of the being¡¯s hollow eye sockets. He shook himself, mentally touching upon the fact that he could not die. ¡°Who?¡± The single word flooded the sealed room, an anger and rebellion festering like death rot in a dank crypt. ¡°A young Harbinger named Lnd Silver and an Inquisitor with the alias ¡®The Huntress.¡¯¡± The being leaned back, his dark mighty mane stretching against the white back wall. ¡°When, where?¡± ¡°Palemarrow Castle. And in one week.¡± The Sightless King gave his answer with a short nod, a gesture that was as alien to it as it was for Ashford to watch. It wasn¡¯t every day that a true monster impersonated a human to such a degree. ¡°Good,¡± Ashford said, disappearing suddenly. A momentter, the Sightless King also left, but not before howling with enough reverberation to shatter the table and chairs. Heughed to himself, the sound echoing against the barewalls like an earthquake destroying a town. Soon the sealed room was left empty, the meeting concluded without violence or bloodshed. The table and chairs were broken, however, which prompted the Caretaker to make an appearance. She was suddenly in the room, silent and bored. With a glower face, she fixed everything with a flick of magic. She then sat on the less broken of the chairs, and thought. How would she inform Lnd of this development¡­ She herself could break the rules? Who would enforce them against her, of all people? Most wouldn¡¯t even notice, but those that did, she would have to pay off so as to not make a future annoyance for herself. She could try to create some pecking code with the boy¡¯s tattoo¡­ but that was unlikely to work. She could wait for him to be knocked unconscious again, and steal his dreams and rece them with a message. She could ckmail a Lord he tried to make a contract with¡­ but she had already done that and, well, she hated being social with her peers. Especially those she wasn¡¯t friends with. Or she could skip warning him all together and simply let fate yout. Briefly, she checked the threads of fate. There was room for error, like always, but most of the strands were set in stone. For the most part they were positive, but only if¡ª She stopped herself. There, among the millions of potential futures, was a single thread the width of an actual thread. Most of the threads around it were the size of branches or even tree trunks, but there, fractally likely to actually happen, was one future she could get behind. That changes things, she thought to herself, noting how ufortable the splintered chair was. Maybe I should get some new furniture while I¡¯m at it. With that, a ne into motion. One that was luckily as hands-off as she could muster when dealing with Lnd. She actually chuckled to herself, noting her own genius. Chapter 196: Of a Kind Chapter 196: Of a Kind There were four Judes. First, the original and his mirage. Then the Guardian Spirit Beast, Neff¡¯s, incarnation¡­ which had a mirage of its own. All four Judes stood around admiring each other as all the bystanders watched with various levels of fascination or annoyance. Isobel was the first to speak. ¡°This ce is cursed,¡± she said, throwing her hands into the air. All four Judes turned on her. ¡°Excuse me?¡± they all said at once. ¡°I think it¡¯s awesome!¡± Everyone blinked slowly. Diana, Jude¡¯s mom, turned soft yet somber. ¡°Jude, honey, can we y with the blessingter? We are discussing something important.¡± Original Jude frowned as his blessing-mirage, Jude Three, pleaded not to be banished. For anyone else, seeing an exact copy of yourself begging not to be killed would have only a negative effect. For Jude, however, that worry was ill-ced and unfounded. ¡°It¡¯s okay my brother,¡± Jude whispered to the clone. ¡°I¡¯ll summon youter and we¡¯ll kill some monsters.¡± ¡°Y-you promise?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± Jude Three nodded solemnly, huddling together with Jude Four, who didn¡¯t seem all too cut up about fading away. Original Jude then canceled the fox beast¡¯s blessing. Three crumbled into sand while Four simply faded like every other mirage. ¡°That was strange¡­¡± Lnd whispered, receiving nods in agreement from everyone who heard. ¡°Powerful blessing Jude,¡± Carmon announced, ready to move on. ¡°Battlefield-able clones are always a pain to fight against. I¡¯ve never known a Berserker Legacy with clones. Sounds like a powerfulbination.¡± ¡°As long as they don¡¯t enrage and fight each other,¡± Isobel muttered, receiving two looks of horror from Jude¡¯s parents. ¡°From this point onward, you are barred from using that blessing unless we are with you,¡± Diana said to her son. ¡°Or at the very least, one of us adults,¡± Roy quickly added. Jude pouted. ¡°What about when I¡¯m not fighting? Because I want to jam¡ª¡± ¡°That should be fine.¡± ¡°Good because I feel I was getting closer to what the Berserker Lord was trying to tell¡ª¡± ¡°Jude!¡± screeched Diana. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this! Stop bringing up the secrets!¡± Spencer cleared his throat before anyone else could take control of the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ve scouted a potential monster den. I don¡¯t recognize the monsters themselves, but the nest is riddled with crystalline mana. Which means magical monsters of some kind.¡± ¡°Any idea about the aspect?¡± Lucia asked. The portal master smiled. ¡°Pure.¡± Lucia and Lnd¡¯s eyebrows shot to their foreheads. ¡°Really?¡± they both asked at the same time. ¡°Indeed, indeed. Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Roy, who was gnawing on a floral leaf that smelled of cinnamon, asked, ¡°What is pure aspect and why do you all sound excited?¡± ¡°Remember those weird tornado frogs we helped round up in Daylilly Marsh, oh, neen years ago?¡± Spencer asked. ¡°The ones that controlled wind but also didn¡¯t?¡± He nodded. ¡°They controlled pure mana, which often manifests as wind, yes.¡± ¡°Oh. Those things were little devils.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Carmon said. ¡°I remember those frogs very well. But I didn¡¯t think they were anything special.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Spencer said. ¡°They are just like any other monster, but they are rare and hardly researched. Corpses and parts sell for a lot.¡± ¡°Oh I see. You and your greed again.¡± Spencer looked affronted. ¡°Being a mage is expensive! Do you know how much chalk costs!? The good kind that doesn¡¯t break on the first rune!?¡± Carmon smiled, leaned back, and closed his eyes. ¡°Just send the kids in and let them take care of it.¡± ¡°Right-o. That¡¯s the n. I counted forty three, plus their mirages.¡± Carmon opened his eyes. ¡°You want to send the kids into a nest with eighty six monsters?¡± ¡°Just have Lnd kill them all,¡± Isobel said, watching the dark sand dunes. Everyone nced at her, Spencer continued. ¡°Yeah, what she said. Sort of. Lnd kills them all with Circle of Souls while Jude and Glenny defend him. If everyone uses everything they¡¯ve got, it should be simple.¡± Isobel snorted. Carmon asked, ¡°Got something to add?¡± She looked over, then at Lnd. ¡°He can just kill the whole nest. By himself. Two contracts and Circle of Souls with the birds and a few Fractures will be enough. I scouted the nest earlier, they have no fliers. All he¡¯d have to do is dodge.¡± Spencer sighed. ¡°I agree with the assessment. But I was angling for the other boys to get some training in as well.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Isobel went quiet for a moment. ¡°Then if you want that, don¡¯t have Lnd help at all. Well, have him help, but without Circle of Souls.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Because you¡¯ll kill toorge of a group too quickly.¡± He frowned and shook his head. ¡°I think you are overestimating me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she replied. ¡°But fine. Sit this one out. Let Jude and his three clones fight with Glenny and his clone. Should be fine in that case.¡± Spencer considered that. ¡°Actually. That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± He looked at his son. ¡°Sorry kiddo, you¡¯ll be on support duty.¡± ¡°Fine with me,¡± Lnd said. Standing and opening a portal, Spencer said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go now. They are asleep and a surprise can never hurt.¡± After everyone stepped through the hole in reality and arrived at another part of the desert, the beauty of pure mana became apparent. Milky white with a hint of iridescence, massive crystals of solidified mana sprouted from the sand. Like mushrooms along a dead log, the crystals grew up and down the dunes, shifting with the topography all the while creating a safe haven for monsters. A few monsters hung around, each lounging with sleep in their eyes. They must have some level of intelligence, as they had dedicated guards, but nothing more than a watch dog or a meerkat. They were stout creatures, bipedal in nature yet preferably with all four appendages on the ground. Each had two to four bushy tails which contrasted with leathery skin and short fangs. One of the watch dogs sniffed the air before yanking and slinking its head back down. ¡°Heh, this is going to be fun,¡± Jude announced at the sight of the creatures. ¡°Remember Jude, these are not normal beasts. They have magic and¡ª¡± Jude let out a fearsome bellow, his bone armor instantly freezing over in hoarfrost. Beside him the sand spun to life, forming like a dust devil in a typhoon. Quickly Jude Three appeared, which in turn created Jude Four. Jude Two stood next to original Jude, watching the show. With a shrug, Jude Two made the same war cry, setting off Jude Three and Four to do the same. Then, like a pack of hyenas, the Judes ran forward, their battle axes in hand and gleaming with sharpened anger. The Glennys quietly cursed themselves, noticing the watch dog had an ear perked up. They both instantly turned invisible, rushing to keep up with their eager friend. Both forged daggers from crimson primordial power, a stolen and imed ability of the Sightless King. Only the adults could see this, however. Their perceptions were tailored with enough experience and power to cut through Glenny¡¯s invisibility. They, however, didn¡¯t move or react. Instead they sat back near the exit of the portal. Carmon did take a couple steps forward, isting himself from the others and watching his son with his arms crossed. ¡°Are you going to support them?¡± Lucia asked Lnd. ¡°I¡­ I guess? I was expecting a bit more strategy and less,¡± he gestured to Jude, ¡°rushing forward without a care in the world.¡± Roy and Diana both chuckled, Diana proudly saying, ¡°That¡¯s our son.¡± They held each other closely, their eyes glued to the mayhem. And what mayhem it was. All four Judes had leaped into the crystal forest, theirnding creating pits of ice and sandstone. At this point, the monsters were up in arms, each gathering mana and igniting spells. Bolts of milky white magic sted from their open mouths, yet the Judes didn¡¯t dodge or block. Attacks that would hit, hit, and those that missed, missed. Battle philosophy was nothing if not simple for a berserker. The pain of the magic was slight, the bone armor and Legacy abilities of Jude mitigating it to near nothing. A p, maybe a punch in the gut, but nothing more. The pain was hardly enough to even induce rage. Pain meant power for a berserker, yet if the pain was nothing more than a tickle¡­ Jude, and his misfit band of clones, ripped through the groggy monster ranks pushing deep into the crystalline bastion before Glenny made an appearance. Jude hadn¡¯t noticed them, but a couple of the monsters were than the rest. They had scars and wore craggy nes made of bone and teeth, one even held a mystic stave that leaked milky oil. These alpha monsters, if not actively engaged in battle with a Jude, were quickly targeted and executed by one of the Glennys. They appeared like silent assassins, briefly slipping out of their active camouge before plunging their daggers into the necks or spines of an alpha. A twist of their daggerster, guts and gore sprayed from the open wounds like a volcano. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think I need to help,¡± Lnd muttered, his voice low and distant, the battle in full swing. Jude Two appeared to the side of a monster, cleaving it in half before pivoting on his heel and shoulder bashing another. Jude Three¡¯s eyes went wide, abruptly sidestepping a hurdling beast. He leaped across the open dune,nding on an alpha that was waving a stick of magic in the air. With a guttural roar, he sliced diagonally, removing the arm carrying the stick only for the original Jude to uppercut with his axe. From behind him, a snow white bear appeared with speed to match, upcutting with its meaty w. The alpha was no more. When it became apparent that they were in no danger, Glenny started to experiment with the Void. He gently called it, his mind going silent. There, alone with his thoughts, he tiptoed along the sandy, bloody yard until he deemed himself ready. He hadn¡¯t noticed it earlier with the sand elemental, but the primordial crimson energy of his daggers took on streaks of ck. Briefly he considered this, knowing that the Void was a white wastnd. The moment ended when the ground quaked. Like a geyser, sand sprayed from the center of the crystals and ushered in whisps of arcana. Kicking up and staying up, the sand rotated at will, brushing against any and everything inside. Rotation slowly built up, magic and mana attacking at the price of¡ª Glenny found the source. There, in the back of the nest, was a singr monster. It held a magical stick like a few others, but this alpha held the weight of purity on its shoulders. It raised its free hand in line with its staff, words of power fluttering across its lips. Almost smiling, Glenny noticed a small ck silhouette connected to the monster¡¯s feet. It was night, darkness covered the sky, but the light from the crystals mixed with the glowing luminosity of the alpha¡¯s magic was enough to create shadow. Stepping was like any other spell or ability. It had limits, which Glenny pushed to the extreme. Distance stepping was something hecked proficiency in, so appearing in the alpha¡¯s shadow sent a shock of exhaustion through his body. That hardly mattered when the fight was over a breathter. Glenny plunged his crimson dagger sparking with ck power into the alpha¡¯s neck. He felt slight resistance at first, at least until the power of the Void took hold. The skin and flesh around his dagger vanished, along with part of the alpha¡¯s jaw and upper chest. Blood spewed out, the beast dead. Watching it fall over, Glenny stumbled, the backfire churning his insides. Blood dripped from his nose, which he noted was an improvement fromst time. From the vantage point of a tall dune, the parents, Isobel, and Lnd watched the battle slowlye to an end. Everyone was smiling at the showing, even Isobel despite her trying to hide it. Roy and Diana were positively beaming, and even Carmon had the gleam of pride in his eye. The gains for such a battle were surely to be great for Jude and Glenny. Spencer remembered his own trials such as this. It was many years ago, so he understood the value of an untouched monster nest. Unfortunately for Jude and Glenny, the next nest was already imed. It was for Lnd and Lnd alone. Chapter 197: Lodestar Chapter 197: Lodestar ¡°So what did we learn?¡± Diana asked Jude and Glenny upon their return. Jude nced at his three clones. ¡°It¡¯s not about the end result, but the friends we made along the way.¡± Diana held off facepalming. ¡°Uh huh. What else?¡± ¡°Void is powerful,¡± Glenny whispered, his mirage nodding in agreement. ¡°Good, anything else?¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t think so,¡± Jude said. His mom stared nkly. ¡°Uh, well. I learned that magic can still be cast from a disarmed enemy if the spell was nearlyplete in their, uh, staves¡­¡± Diana smiled. ¡°Good! We all learned something then!¡± Jude quickly stepped away from his mom, striding just as quickly past Isobel, and stopping before Lnd. ¡°Sorry you didn¡¯t get to fight with us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You two looked like you had it,¡± Lnd said.¡°But it was a whole nest! And we took it all.¡± Spencer cleared his throat. ¡°Actually, I found a second nest not too far away.¡± A big grin appeared on Jude¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s great! We¡¯ll make sure Leals gets his fair share this time.¡± ¡°Ah. Not this time, I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lnd asked his father. ¡°I mean, this whole nest is yours and yours alone.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Jude and Glenny can¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°No,¡± Spencer reaffirmed. ¡°I want to see you fight. For real this time. No help, no experimenting, no overthinking. Just fight, and win.¡± It was Jude who replied first. ¡°Yeah! I want to see that as well. Leals has always been a shy fighter and I think now it¡¯s the time to show off!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Lnd cut himself off when a blue ring in reality opened. On the other side were more sand dunes and darkness. Everyone else was looking over by this point, even Glenny and Carmon who were talking quietly off to the side. Lnd¡¯s mirage stood tall next to the real Lnd. ¡°If he says he doesn¡¯t want to do it, then I stand with him!¡± Lnd shuddered from the thing touching him. He stepped away, creating as much distance as possible¡­ which just so happened to be through the portal hundreds of miles away. As he moved, a few things came together in his mind. If the mirage felt the need to console him, then he was being a baby. He could take out a whole nest himself. He had just watched his two best friends do it, after all, and his magic was well suited for this sort of thing. Not to mention, preparation was a mage¡¯s best tool. Lnd stopped, grimoire in hand. He craned his head back and shouted through the open portal, ¡°Are youing or not?¡± His mom was the first one through, bouncing like a child entering a fair. Jude was next, his eyes red like he was expecting battle. Spencer was next, his face tilted in surprise at the ease of getting his son to do something he obviously didn¡¯t want to do. Diana and Roy came through together, both wrapped in each other¡¯s arms like swans paddling across a pond. Isobel passed through the portal seemingly disinterested. Carmon and Glenny came as well, mainly following the flow of traffic, not so much paying attention as to why they walked through a portal. Lnd noticed all of this and more, yet disregarded it instantly. He slowly breathed, taking the moment to clear his mind of unwanted thoughts. Images of dead bodies, each smashed to pieces from falling from the sky briefly came and went. Sightless Cult, Golden Lambs, Graverenders. He thought of the battle for the beam, he connected instinct and the need to survive. Yet this was different, right? This time he was the assaulter, he was the conqueror making moves to rid the world of monsters. ¡°Dad?¡± Spencer stepped over. ¡°Is it the same type of nest?¡± ¡°More or less. Same monsters, albeit quite a fewrger crystals.¡± A small portal opened at eye level. Through it, from a bird¡¯s eye view, was the nest. ¡°I see,¡± Lnd whispered, memorizing theyout. Preparation was a tool, and he had all the time in the world. Visualization came to mind, a mage basic. Flight, Lodestar, souls, crows. Everything he had in his grimoire, all contracts and curses. The individual attacks working with the overall flow, the battlefield bing more or less a graveyard in a matter of moments. He breathed in deep and saw it. The future. He knew exactly what to do. Pressing his palm into a contract, magic ignited throughout Lnd¡¯s body. He didn¡¯t care to minimize the effect, allowing a violet halo to encircle around the cusp of his head. A burning heatless power radiated from the halo, enough to ward off any nearby animal and give the surrounding humans pause. He was a Harbinger, it was a difficult thing to admit, but the title brought power like it did enmity. People would kill him just for touching upon a halo¡¯s Legacy, they would kill him for the ties he was bound with and the Lords he tangled with. Sybil came to mind in this moment, the Youngest Princess kidnapped by a Harbinger just like him. Anger came with the thought, along with the necessity of power. The need for vengeance, the deration of war. Lnd would kill Ashford if the man ever showed his face. Not formanding the Witch to take him and Sybil, but for his need to prove himself a protector. Sybil had called him a hero, told him to trust himself and her, and he had. But she was gone, trapped within her castle-like prison. And to get to her, to make sure she was safe and sound, he needed to change for the better. He was a Harbinger, a title synonymous with pain, death, and cruelty. Most would kill him for holding it, and now, more than ever, he needed to prove that he wasn¡¯t like them. Wasn¡¯t like Ashford. Wasn¡¯t like the Toy Maker¡¯s pawn. Wasn¡¯t a killer, wasn¡¯t a murderer. He was Lnd, and all he wanted to do was make sure his friends and family were safe from the hatred that could follow him. Four white feathered wings burst from his back, each fluttering like a dove in an open sky. Beauty and mystique, these wings harbored hidden power just like Lnd. They were a Lord¡¯s personal collective, part of what made the Seraph Lord, the Seraph Lord. But now, now they would bring ruin and disarray. He flipped the page, pressing his palm into a second contract. The Lord of Space was a contract he had yet to properly use. Defensive in nature, the given spell, Spatial Bend, wrapped projectiles around the caster, rather than allowing them to properlynd. The contract activated, and Lnd changed. It was subtle, like a dark silhouette at dusk, but space halted around him. The curve of his arm became more curvy, the t of his chest became deep. The ruffles of his cloak bent into space like thick paint on a canvas. As he moved, all these effects doubled or even tripled in some cases. The wind and air parted as he stepped, the magic forming like a wedge. One more deep breathter, Lnd pped all four of his wings, sting off into the open air with speed to match. With no resistance, he hurdled away from his family and friends leaving them mostly flinching from the sudden gust. The desert night sky was simple ck with speckled stars. Lack of light pollution redoubled the scope and scale, the heavens were exactly as the stories of old exined. Epassing, beautiful, and ever present regardless of day or night. Slowing down, Lnd spun once, finding the monster nest. He flew over in silence, his eyes gleaming with mana and lifeforce. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 19 (B+) Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 50 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 15% for 1 minute. Held lost souls may now be given to a soul of the Damned as payment for a task. Damage dealt to one target with the circle is duplicated on all targets inside the circle for 19% effectiveness. Fifty yards was his effective range, which was more than enough in Lnd¡¯s eyes. He took it slow, fluttering his wings until hended at the top of thergest crystal tower. Spire, was more urate, but it hardly reached into the sky. It was thicker, wider, more akin to a pine tree than to a mage tower. But it was tall enough to ward off any of the melee fighters. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± Power roared to life in his gut, violet mes sprouting like budding blowers. Sights set on fifty yards, the circle of influence engulfed fifty yards. He would need to recast the curse to consume the remainder of the nest, but that was what came next. For now, it was time to kill. All around, monsters woke up and began to react. Bright purple mes cut through the night air like a knife shearing wool. A few growled and snapped at the wicked magic, but pain only rebounded. The smarter few, the alphas, understood more and tried to adapt to the attacks. Crows and targeted Fractures snapped their concentration. Lnd had only been able to utilize Circle of Souls¡¯ damage duplication in the simplest terms. Suffice it to say, he had never used the effect to such a great advantage as he did now. Dozens of monsters and mirages, all trapped within the circle, while crows and broken bones assaulted the important and key. This spread throughout all within the circle and soon wounds began to appear throughout their ranks. They were gentler wounds, but wounds, nheless. The weakest fell by this time, their souls tarnished green and ripe for stealing. Lnd noted that the souls of the Damned were not cloned, the Mirage Fields had no effect on them like it didn¡¯t on their parents. He didn¡¯t think much about that, instead he held his hand t and out. wing from the depths, the first soul of the Damned to take a soul appeared. It bowed to Lnd, offering the soul in its hands as payment for its freedom. Lnd took it with a snort nod of appreciation. Before the soul of the Damned could even fade away, Lnd had consumed the given soul. Lodestar sprung to life, cold ck metal touching upon the heartstrings of his soul. The weapon felt good in his hands, like it was meant to be carried and used. It begged to partake in the festival, to partake in the obliteration of the nest. Lnd didn¡¯t like that. Instinct told him to ept that the parasitic weapon was a bloodthirsty tool for a Harbinger, a proper one, not a ¡°protector¡± Harbinger that he equated himself.. Power woulde to him if he conjoined with the weapon and submitted to its rule and call. All enemies would face ruination when Lodestar was calling the shots. Ashford? The Pathways Witch? Both would fall, their bodies nothing but stepping stones for Lnd. ¡°Stop it,¡± Lnd growled through his teeth. As parasitic items and weapons went, striking when the iron was hot was their motif. A moment of vulnerability, a stray thought they couldtch onto and overpower with. Glenny had fought his cloak over the necessity to protect his friends even after a marathon of battles. Isobel¡¯s weapon capitalized on repressed memories of her deceased daughter, opting to forgo physical battle for the mental. Lodestar, Lnd recognized, was trying to corrupt him. Power served all, after all. And there was no pain of one being powerful enough to remove it from their world. A white beam of blowing mana ripped the nest, up toward Lnd. He didn¡¯t even react, the spell bending around him like twine on a spindle. The sudden attack did make his heart race. He remembered just where he was, his weapon falling from his thoughts. He didn¡¯t need more power, not the power Lodestar was offering. He had already seen such corrupting power and knew better than to submit to such an offering. With a mentalmand, all of his birds stopped what they were doing and took care of the alpha that had attacked him. By this point, most of the monsters trapped within the circle were dead. Some would submit to their wounds shortly, others would never recover from having their souls ripped partially. Lnd brushed off the thought of their suffering, opting to switch targets. Power came to his call again, and he spoke, ¡°kneel before me.¡± A second Circle of Souls developed over the second half of the nest, slightly ovepping with the first. Having not ever used two circles in such a way, Lnd was partially surprised he could have two instances of the curse active at once. The surprise ended when another alpha sted a spell at him. There was a brief moment of panic when the spell didn¡¯t bend around him like the first. Spatial Bend only worked against low-power spells and projectiles, after all. All the air in his lungs was painfully knocked out, the force from the spell sending him sailing off the crystal. His eyes twisted in his skull, Lodestar¡¯s offer bing ever louder in his mind. ¡°ept my rule,¡± it whispered. Lnd didn¡¯t answer with words, instead a guttural roar escaped his lips as he demanded his feathered wings to right himself. Anger and embarrassment pushed him to be taken out by such ame attack? How foolish. Stability slowly came back, the wings fluttering at speeds not even Isobel could keep up with. He retook his rightful ce on the crystal and demanded an offering. Six souls of the Damned pulled themselves up around him, each with their hands out. With greed on his mind and a raw and gored chest, Lnd consumed the six lost souls instantly with a big swoop of his free hand. Skin stitched itself back together, his ribs repaired themselves, blood rerouted and circted. The pain was gone, his heart still beat. Anger would fade, embarrassment would as well. Mana and lifeforce flooded through Lodestar, invoking the aspect of deadly soul magic. ¡°Maul,¡± Lnd muttered, raven-like crows appeared through the ether like magical artillery shells against a besieged city. The alpha that dared hurt him died in misery and pain. Instinct tried to sway him yet again. Lodestar¡¯s offer still stood. ¡°Never,¡± Lnd said, his lips dry like the verynd he stood upon. ¡°Never?¡± Lodestar asked, its voice his own but far more resigned. ¡°You are corruption.¡± ¡°And you are not?¡± Lnd took a moment to think, another enemy spell bending around him. He changed his birds¡¯ target, opting to cast Curse of Copse on the remaining targets as well. Souls of the Damned kept stealing souls and appearing at his feet, each groveling like good little foot soldiers. ¡°See what I mean?¡± Lodestar asked. ¡°You see yourself as a king. My power, our power, could actually adopt the title.¡± ¡°I do not¡ª¡± ¡°You do. Do not lie to yourself, to me. Power corrupts, but only when the seeds of corruption are already present.¡± ¡°Liar,¡± Lnd spit. ¡°You are nothing more than a false idol. I will never fall to you, a lowly weapon.¡± Lodestar chuckled, the beats echoing in his mind. ¡°Perhaps. We¡¯ll try againter when the seeds are sprouting. For now, best to have a taste, huh?¡± The violet mes of Circle of Souls died out, rendering all monsters in the area dead. Yet Lnd didn¡¯t feel aplished, not with seeing the ¡°taste¡± Lodestar promised. The weapon had evolved. Chapter 198: Evolution Chapter 198: Evolution Slick white metal crested out of Lnd¡¯s hand, forcing him to drop Lodestar. It vibrated, jolted, and thrashed like prey trapped within a bear¡¯s mouth. Spikes of power shot from the scythe de, each malnourished with hints of ckened spite. They gleamed softly, despite their sharpness and pointed tip. Lnd stepped back, Lodestar¡¯s voice echoing in his mind. ¡°A taste.¡± The scythe¡¯s handle and pole crumbled, fading away like decaying time before being reborn the color of a m¡¯s pearl. Ivory brandished itself like a cancerous growth, consuming the thrashing de before withering itself. It deted, coiling wide and far. It skirted through the sand, using the grains like a polishing stone. What little dark metal remained was soon gone, the whole of the weapon reced with iridescent white. It gleamed like a smith¡¯s masterwork, sharpened and reflective. Circr in shape, if Lndid down at its center with his arms out wide, he wouldn¡¯t be able to touch its curves. Not that he would want to, not with how angry it looked. He scoffed at that. An angry ring of metal? he questioned. How does that make any sense? He wasn¡¯t sure, but it did. Lodestar waded through the marshes of thought and idea in his mind, opting to continue its promise of power silently. It took up residence there, tethering itself like a quiet old neighbor with awn chair and all the free time in the world. Slowly the ring of metal thickened itself until the band was the size of Lnd¡¯s fist, its sharpness never faltering. It began to move, shaking off the sand and taking to the air. Silently it moved until it was standing before him. ¡°A taste,¡± the ring, Lodestar, whispered, its voice reaching Lnd¡¯s ears rather than just being stuck in his head. He shivered, but grit his teeth and sought to reim dominion over the weapon. ¡°A ring? Is that the best you coulde up with?¡±Lodestar chuckled, its white pearly metal vibrating. ¡°Not a ¡®ring,¡¯ but a halo.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t flinch at the deration, but he wanted to. Parasitic weapons were understood in only the most basic sense. How they functioned and how they formed were cause for many debates. Generally, all debates were centered around one simple thing. The host. Parasitic weapons were cunning. They waited and watched, often taking control of their host during their darkest moments. But Lodestar taking the form of a halo? The symbol that Lnd fought so hard to distance himself from? It was a low blow. Regardless, he couldn¡¯t show fear or anger now. The trail for evolution was over. And until Lodestar tried again, it was Lnd¡¯s. ¡°Still not understanding how a halo of metal is going to help me fight,¡± he said. Again Lodestar chuckled. ¡°It won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then what¡ª¡± A power rippled through the center of the halo. A midnight ck wave of mana rose and fell like a rock dropped into a pond. What little light there was highlighted the darkness, profoundly developing depth until the darkness was all one saw. Lnd stared into the darkness like he did Ashford¡¯s eyes. The further he went, the more enthralled he became. Deeper and deeper the darkness ran, until a hand jerked him to the side. ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Lnd!¡± his dad yelled, gripping him and pulling him close. ¡°We need to¡ª¡± Forcing himself out of his dad¡¯s hands, Lnd spun and forced whatever the darkness was closed. It instantly took to his will, Lodestar not under the illusion it could fight him right now. The ripple of power dripped away, leaving the pearl halo alone. Lnd breathed heavily, his upper lip hooked to the right in a snarl. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a taste,¡± he said, his voice tight and unbroken. Lodestar slowly began to rotate, the movement hard to see as it was one continuous perfect ring of metal with no seams or cracks. ¡°What was it then?¡± the halo asked. Spencer flinched, portals of all sizes and shapes opening all around. The thirdrgest of which produced people, Lucia, the first to step through, Isobel right behind. ¡°It was¡­ it was¡­¡± Lnd bit his tongue. There was no point arguing. Not with a sentient piece of metal. Still, he needed to say something, if not to rebuke but to keep his pride intact. ¡°It was hardly a sniff.¡± Any other situation Lnd would have kicked himself for uttering those words. But here he found them rather fitting¡­ albeit a lie. Staring into the darkness wasn¡¯t a sniff or taste. It was a full course candlelit meal. Yet Lodestar called it a taste, which begged the question: Just how powerful was the actual full course. Lodestar stopped spinning. ¡°A lie to save face.¡± It chuckled again. ¡°I¡¯ll allow it.¡± Lnd took a deep breath. ¡°Enough of this. What does the darkness do?¡± ¡°It is nothing more than a window into oblivion.¡± Carmon lowered his head, slowly brandishing his weapon. Oblivion, he knew, was not something to take lightly. Scoffing, Lnd said, ¡°You are no Lord or king. You do not get to say half-truths and riddles to me. You are my weapon, not my partner or friend. Answer me and answer me well, what does the darkness do?¡± Briefly Lnd noticed the winds of fate rushing through the desert. They headed west, a pathway to what he wanted most. ¡°Nothing much,¡± Lodestar said. ¡°I am and have always been, a summoning circle. The darkness is the construct that brings Cmity into the world.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t react, not that he needed to. Lodestar was a part of him just as he was part of it. There was no point in lying, no point in trying to hide face. Lodestar was right in that matter, they were tethered and could feel one another. Although, to Lnd, the weapon was nothing more than a nk husk of raw power. It had no emotion, no humanity, no will other than to consume him and be whole. ¡°What is Cmity in this scenario?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°For a master? Death. For you? Fire and brimstone.¡± ¡°That is not helpful. Speak clearly.¡± Lodestar said, ¡°No. Not until you speak with my creator.¡± ¡°And who might that be?¡± ¡°Is it not obvious? The Lord of Souls.¡± Lnd watched the former scythe unsummon itself. How it could do that against his will, not to mention inly not answer his questions, he didn¡¯t know. Everything he knew about parasitic items was, evidently, false. How could it even speak! That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen! Movement caught his eye. Looking at his crow tattoo, the mark of the Curse Lord, the ink looking at its new surroundings with confusion. Around it used to be Lodestar¡¯s summoning circle. Now, the circle was gone. Lnd had his back turned to the group and his contract with the Seraph Lord had run its course. Meaning his shirt was ripped apart and he was wingless. His mirage noticed it first. ¡°Nice ink!¡± Lnd Two said, having walked forward and pulled at his shirt. ¡°What?¡± Original Lnd snarled. ¡°Woah, woah, woah. No need to get mad. I was just trying to see our new ink.¡± Lnd Two thought for a second. ¡°Oh! I guess you want to see it yourself. Here, look!¡± The mirage turned around and lifted his shirt, revealing his back. Or well, Lnd¡¯s back. There, perfectly centered, was Lodestar. A white circle of ink that rose along his shoulder des and wrapped down along his ribs and across the t of his back. In the ring¡¯s center was pure darkness. Ink, yes, but more than that. It hinted, like a sniff, of the true power the darkness held. Lnd tore his eyes away, lowering his mirage¡¯s shirt and spinning him around. The others watched carefully, the Judes and Glennys wobbling slightly. ¡°No one is allowed to look at my back from this point on,¡± Lnd announced. ¡°Lodestar evolved?¡± Isobel asked, her voice like ice. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And you won, right? Because I¡¯ve never heard a parasitic weapon talk. Hell, I¡¯ve hardly heard mine talk inside my head.¡± ¡°I won,¡± Lnd said no louder than a whisper. ¡°Good.¡± Lucia stepped forward, grappling her son into a hug. Spencer followed suit, doing the same. The three stood there, which Lnd decided was good, as he didn¡¯t think his legs could carry him right now. Eventually they separated and everyone watched him cautiously. It was Carmon that broke the silence. ¡°It said oblivion.¡± The statement wasn¡¯t directed at Lnd but more at the other parents. Lucia was the one who replied. She spun on her heel, her hand front and center and her pointer finger locked onto the de dancer. ¡°Don¡¯t you start with this again! Oblivion does not mean what you think it does!¡± Carmon was taken back. ¡°And what do I think it means?¡± ¡°Death, destruction?¡± When Carmon didn¡¯t take the bait, Lucia¡¯s hard stare softened. ¡°She¡¯s gone, Carms. We all looked for a way to get her back. Oblivion is the end.¡± Glenny looked between his father and his best friend¡¯s mom. They had been together since their early adventuring days, but he had never heard his dad be called ¡°Carms.¡± ¡°Dad?¡± he asked, but his dad had already turned and walked away. He followed after, leaving the group. ¡°What just happened?¡± Lnd quietly asked. Lucia sighed. ¡°When Annie died, we all looked for ways to bring her back. Every lead turned out bad. Death is the end, and the end is oblivion. There is power in oblivion, yes, but not the kind that resurrects people.¡± ¡°I-I see. Maybe I could¡ª¡± ¡°Shh, honey. It¡¯s okay. No one is expecting anything from you.¡± Lnd gently nodded. Isobel waited a moment, then swooped in. ¡°Well kid, you impressed everyone watching you take out that nest. It is only fitting that your weapon evolves now, huh?¡± Lnd forced himself to smile. ¡°Anyway. There were things you could improve¡ª¡± ¡°How fast?¡± Now it was Isobel¡¯s turn to smile. ¡°Forty one seconds for the nest¡¯s total annihtion.¡± Chapter 199: Party Chapter 199: Party After another two and a half weeks in the Mirage Fields fighting nearly nonstop, Lnd, Glenny, and Jude each hit their goals. Jude was the first, achieving rank twenty with each of his Legacy abilities. While waiting for the others to catch up, he and Jude Two practiced the ¡°Song of Battle,¡± as they decided to call it. asionally Jude worked with his mom and touched upon a basic aspect of time. Diana ssified it simply by helping him understand that time was man made and subjective. This, of course, went over Jude¡¯s head like a bird soaring high in the sky. Lucia and Spencer were brought in to help, them being the resident mages after all. In the end, a metaphor helped Jude understand. ¡°Time is a thief.¡± Time steals moments from man, and defending those moments from theft interferes with time. How did this corrte to being a time warrior? Jude didn¡¯t know, only that his mom and Lucia forced him to light and relight a candle again and again until he figured¡­ something out. By the time Lnd caught up and achieved rank twenty in all of his non maxed-out Legacy abilities, the only thing Jude understood was that he didn¡¯t need mana to augment time. How did he know this? Well, that was simple. The Berserker Legacy didn¡¯t provide any mana whatsoever, yet his mom had made the candle me revert. She had only done it once and had yet to figure out how, but she had messed with time enough that the candle had never been lit. ¡°When you visit the Dream Realm and speak with the Berserker Lord, make sure to ask about¡ª¡± ¡°I know, mom,¡± Jude had replied when she failed to recreate the effect. Diana pursed her lips. ¡°I know you know. Sometimes you forget things¡­¡± ¡°Mom!¡±¡°I can¡¯t help that it is true.¡± She looked around and leaned in. ¡°I think you get it from your father,¡± she whispered. From that day onward until each of the boys had finished ranking their abilities, Diana reminded Jude not to forget about the candle. Lnd and Glenny kept telling him to just sleep and get the Dream Ceremony over with, but Jude insisted on the three of them doing it at the same time. ¡°It¡¯s a solidarity thing,¡± Jude said, which the others just couldn¡¯t argue with as they would probably do the exact same if they were in his shoes. Lnd finished next. Fracture is now rank 20. Crow Massacre is now rank 20. Curse of Copse is now rank 20. Harbinger Halo is now rank 20. Circle of Souls is now rank 20. Curse of Copse, of course, took the longest to progress, and not for ack of trying. As it turned out, being able to killrge groups of enemies near instantly was a detriment to the curse that didn¡¯t provide any offensive threat. Sure, slowing a monster was great and all, but Lnd had primarily used it as a defensive tool. In the end, his dad opened a portal to a sand prowler, a four legged speedster of a beast. Continuously cursing the monster, and its mirage, with Curse of Copse while flying over its head gave the boost he needed. Since Lodestar¡¯s evolution, Lnd had been hesitant to actually summon the parasitic weapon. He had yet to speak to the Lord of Souls like the weapon suggested and opted to wait until his Legacy evolved to speak with the Lord of Curses. If the weapon was trying to trick him, she would know. That didn¡¯t stop him from contacting other Lords and creating contracts with them. Cursed contract of the Lord of the Lexicon: Use: As a passive effect, all knownnguages trante directly in your mind to your most fluentnguage. Return: Aid in documenting new appearingnguages. Lnd didn¡¯t really know how to feel about this contract. The effect was exactly what he wanted, a way to know and understand the Archonnguage. The Lexicon Lord even showed interest in learning what an Archon had said to him. The issue was the cryptic warning the Lord gave him. "Cognizant of the continuous influx of novel vocabry into our ever-evolving world, Imentably find myself without the assistance I require to meticulously catalog their intricate sybicpositions and poetic resonances. I implore you to join me in this endeavor before an inundation of uncharted lexemes jeopardizes our understanding." ¡°Err, what?¡± Lnd had asked, while sitting in a grandiose library. The Lord of the Lexicon had looked at him like he was a durd. ¡°Emergent perils draw near. Will you lend your aid, or shall you abstain?¡± ¡°I just have to bring you knowledge on these new words?¡± ¡°Literature, including books, poems, stories, and reference materials such as dictionaries. Anything spanning the full spectrum of these newnguages, especially their expression and knowledge.¡± Lnd slowly blinked. ¡°How are there newnguages?¡± The Lexicon Lord sipped a cup of tea, slowly putting it down and saying, "How could it be otherwise? The ongoing evolution of our world into a realm of creation is readily discernible, a direct consequence of recent impactful endeavors." ¡°Ah, well. Okay, I guess?¡± Lnd looked around, shelves taller than mountains sat silently around him. ¡°How would I bring you these books? I take it you don¡¯t want me toe here every time?¡± ¡°Nothing of the sort. Simply ce your offering on a shelf and I promptly attend it.¡± Lnd epted the contract yet couldn¡¯t help but feel somethingrger was happening than just books. Newnguages meant new people, new beings. Had this something to do with Sapphire returning home and bringing her findings to the other Archons? Had new realms and worlds already been connected? In the end, he didn¡¯t dwell on it long. Whatever would happen, would happen. The Lord of the Void seemed to think helping Sapphire escape was a good thing. Who knew? Maybe these new beings will be a good thing. A dayter, Glenny finished ranking-up his tongue ability. He spent hours a day using his tongue for mundane tasks. Writing, cleaning, cooking. It was gnarly and gross, but after a while, everyone just epted it for what it was. The march of progress. Woven throughout the days, Glenny also practiced de dancing with his father and ambush attacking with Isobel. For the former, echo-attacks wereing easier and more frequent, something his father took pride in. For thetter, well, it was Isobel and she nitpicked until the sun went down. Regardless, Glenny, Jude, and Lnd all reached rank twenty in each of their Legacy abilities. A small party was thrown for the aplishment, Spencer even headed to the closest town and brought back fresh desserts. ¡°And who would have thought it would only take three and a half weeks for us all to reach the realms of the elderly!¡± Lnd mused aloud after a speech from his mother about how she was ten years older than him when she reached the milestone. ¡°¡¯Elderly?¡¯¡± Lucia echoed, her hand on her heart. ¡°Thirty is not old.¡± Jude, who had his guitar in hand, said, ¡°Yeah, it kind of is.¡± His mom smacked him on the back of the head. Carmon smirked at that, saying, ¡°He is right, Lucia. These boys got to where we were after ten years in less than one. Maybe we are elderly.¡± ¡°Oh not you too,¡± she muttered, downing her drink. Royughed, his greasy beard frolicked with food scraps. ¡°We are old, aren¡¯t we!?¡± ¡°Some more than others,¡± Diana quickly said, being the youngest of the parents. Isobel nced over, not saying anything. After a few songs by the quartet of Judes, the night wound to an anxious end. It wasn¡¯t every day that one met a Lord, except for maybe Lnd, so liquid courage flowed. Glenny had it the worst, for some reason. For most of the festivities, his knee bounced and his throat remained dry despite the mugs of beer. Jude wasn¡¯t much better off, luckily the music helped in this department. Even Lnd found his mind wandering, and not because he was meeting his Lord but because it was a big moment. The third Dream Ceremony wasn¡¯t like the first two. They were pushing into the real leagues of the world, not the ¡°baby¡± stuff they were ustomed to. Though, some might argue they had been exposed to the ¡°adult stuff¡± from the very start of their journey. ¡°I think it is time,¡± Roy, the jolliest, heaviest drinker of the group, said. ¡°Oh? It is unlike you to end the party early,¡± Spencer said. ¡°Normally, sure. But my nerves are rising and I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to sleep at this rate!¡± Carmon chuckled. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Then it is decided. Bed time!¡± Within thirty minutes, everyone was in their bedrolls. Laying awake, Lnd thought over thest month or so and all the craziness. Sybil came first, along with making sure his name and everyone else¡¯s were untarnished. Next came making sure Floe was able to leave the dungeon and finding a ce for her and Gelo to stay. Would a town ept them as residents or would that have to find a secluded forest and be forced to deal with poachers again. He sighed, there was a lot to do any¡ª ¡°Something on your mind, my child?¡± Lnd looked up, finding a change in scenery. Gone was the darkness of an open desert and in its ce was the darkness of a spindly forest full of crows and souls. ¡°You know, some color and furniture would do this ce wonders?¡± Lnd said, the Lord of Curses popping a smile. Chapter 200: Choices Chapter 200: Choices ¡°I was just thinking I need a gardener,¡± the Curse Lord said, crouching down and yanking a dead thistle from the gray dirt. Lnd cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Do they have divine gardeners?¡± The thistle crumbled in her hand, falling into dust. ¡°No. Not unless you count the Lord of the Harvest.¡± ¡°I always figured she dealt with more widespread harvests than singr gardens.¡± ¡°Very true, and yet, a garden has a harvest just the same.¡± The two stood and stared at each other for a long moment. Lnd took his Lord in, shriveled, wrinkled skin and all. She stood tall and firm, like a permanent statue outside a mausoleum, despite being short and hunchbacked. She wore simple robes, the kind that werefortable and warm, not the kind that are regal and important. Being a Lord, to her, was just a job, unlike what most other Lords thought. The pride of being a supreme being, the ego of immortality, was lost on the old woman, yet a wry smile had long been burnt into her lips. She was who she was, and the title and power were nothing more than part of that. In fact, the only aspect of her that was remotely divine, in Lnd¡¯s opinion, were her eyes. Gray catalysts for something repugnant, sparkled with the bouts of violet secrets that were holstered within her body. Lnd knew of these secrets and now that he had the experience to understand them, he kept them close to his heart. Cmity, divine genocide, the deaths of most of the first Lords. Born of curses, but bathed in blood. ¡°Ah,¡± the Lord of Curses said after their little staring contest. ¡°I¡¯m finally ¡®hitting¡¯ you, huh?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°I know that look,¡± she pointed at his face, ¡°the realization that I am, rightfully, a monster. You have always known, since that first time I told you my past, but now it has sunk in.¡± Lnd averted his eyes, she continued anyways, now with her arms spread wide, ¡°Take it all in, my child. What kind of monsters go bump in this world.¡± Collecting himself, Lnd forced himself to look, to lock eyes with her. ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± he whispered. ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He stood a little straighter. ¡°I¡¯ve talked with plenty of Lords at this point. Some were afraid of you, others were reviled by you. But most? Most spoke of you like a kindly old grandma. They respected you, despite knowing about the Cmity. So yes, I now understand just who you are, and I do not see a monster.¡± ¡°And just who do you see?¡± she held her hands behind her back and leaned slightly forward on her feet. ¡°A protector.¡± She lowered her weight back onto her heels. ¡°A¡­ ¡®protector.¡¯¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been called worse.¡± Now it was Lnd¡¯s turn to react coldly. ¡°Uh, what?¡± ¡°Maybe I was, once upon a time. But now I¡¯m just the executioner for my kind.¡± A rueful smile escaped the mask of wryness. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°It doesn''t matter. Forget this avenue of conversation. Let¡¯s move on.¡± With a gesture, a table and chairs appeared from the ground. They took a seat. ¡°You¡¯ve out-performed my expectations. Rarely do Legacies reach such power so quickly.¡± ¡°But not your Legacies, because I am the only one,¡± Lnd said, d at the change of subject. ¡°That is true. You are my only Legacy and I pat myself on the back every day because I knew I made the right decision.¡± ¡°Why lie then?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°When we first met, during my first Dream Ceremony. When I epted you as my Lord, you weed me to your coven and hundreds of eyes peered at me through the darkness. You implied I was now joining the ranks of those eyes, and one day I would be peering at new Legacies.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the Lord of Curses said, not quite making eye contact. ¡°What was I supposed to do? There''s no way you would have epted if you knew you were the only one.¡± Lnd pursed his lips then frowned. ¡°You said no more lies.¡± ¡°And I haven¡¯t lied, not really, since I said that.¡± ¡°Lie of omission still counts as a lie.¡± ¡°Not when the omission was never brought up again so that I could rectify it.¡± He made a strange noise. ¡°That¡¯s not what I was getting at and you know it.¡± The Lord of Curses sat up straight. ¡°Oh? Do I hear a bit of tone in your voice? Do I have to remind you just who you are talking to?¡± Behind her, an army of souls wed themselves from the dead dirt and petrified roots. Without so much as a bat of the eye, Lnd said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you make that exact samementst time I was here? I¡¯m getting d¨¦j¨¤ vu here. Heavy handed threats don¡¯t really work, not when I know you.¡± The army fell apart, fading back into the ground. The Lord of Curses sighed. ¡°You know me, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you are a protector. You wouldn¡¯t hurt me.¡± She muttered, ¡°Oh not this again.¡± Now brimming, Lnd said, ¡°So I am your Champion. Do I get an allowance or something?¡± ¡°An allowance? You want gold?¡± He scratched his head. ¡°Er, well no. I was just saying that you sprung all this extra responsibility on me and I don¡¯t get anything out of it.¡± The wry fell away from a shade of guilt. ¡°Do the other Lords give their Champions allowance? I do¡ª¡± She stopped herself when Lnd couldn¡¯t contain his smile any longer. ¡°Oh you are messing with me. Ha ha.¡± ¡°It was rather good, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I suppose. Let¡¯s get started, shall we?¡± Lnd nodded and opened his grimoire, a new page was front and center. Name: Lnd Silver Legacy: Curses Archetype: To be determined Overall Rank: 3 As you are now rank 3, you have the right to decide your future. Choose an Archetype you wish to specialize in (previous ¨C Acolyte of the Curse Lord):
  • Apprentice of the Curse Lord: Versatile ¨C A generalist take to mastery. A boon to all primary spells with a focus on learned cantrips and rituals.
  • Apprentice of the Curse Lord: Simplistic ¨C A boon to the curses Fracture, Crow Massacre, Curse of Copse, and Circle of Souls with a focus on empowering allto limit the opposition¡¯s options.
  • Apprentice of the Curse Lord: Pact ¨C A substantial boon to the curse Harbinger¡¯s Halo with a focus on multiple contracts, longevity, and authority.
  • Fourth option expunged.
¡°¡¯Authority?¡¯¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Oh, just a little vor going forward. The rank of Apprentice changes more in a Legacy than the previous ranks. In the old days, anyone lower than Apprentice was often mistreated and ignored. They had yet to ¡®prove¡¯ themselves still.¡± ¡°And spending a bit more time working on spells or abilities meant they could be trusted? Seems a bit farfetched for me.¡± The Curse Lord smiled. ¡°You forget that you, and your friends, achieved Apprentice well before the average. If you were born a thousand years ago, you three would be hailed as genius prophets brought to the world to spread your Lord¡¯s message¡­ and then most likely been burnt at the stake for stepping on other high-ranked toes.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Quaint.¡± She let the moment hand in the air, then asked, ¡°So have you made a decision?¡± Looking up from the tome, Lnd asked, ¡°The choice is already made, right? Contracts are¡ª¡± The Curse Lord cut in, ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty now. Think this over.¡± And he did. For all of two seconds. ¡°Option three. I don¡¯t see any reason to deviate from the course now.¡± She smiled. ¡°Good decision. But before I cast you out of here, I think you have some topics for discussion.¡± ¡°Sybil.¡± ¡°Yes, Sybil. Your new wayward Queen.¡± ¡°So she is a queen now? I assume the line of session for the Palemarrows is more or less a fa?ade. The real queen is chosen by who the Boneforged Monarch chooses?¡± ¡°Correct, more or less. I am not privy to the whole pact made between the first Palemarrow Queen and the Monarch, but that has been how session has worked for thest little while. I¡¯d guess the details of the Monarch¡¯s decision are more in depth than not. After all, she is still dead.¡± Lnd leaned back, taking his chair¡¯s front two legs off the ground. ¡°But she¡¯s reviving. At least, that was what I understood.¡± The Curse Lord fluttered her eyshes. ¡°She split her soul into shards, cast a web of influence, targeted a royal bloodline, , , . Drama queen if you ask me.¡± ¡°And now Sybil has to deal with it.¡± ¡°Yes, but she will see that the gift of the Boneforged Monarch is well worth the petty annoyance of Harbinger attacks.¡± Lnd¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°¡¯Petty.¡¯¡± ¡°Yes, ¡®petty.¡¯ That Undying Harbinger you fought, if he was able to take the princess and extract what made her a candidate for the Boneforged Monarch, would die. in and simple, the Boneforged Monarch¡¯s shard would kill him. Most likely the shard would kill everything for hundreds of miles around, but I digress. The Undying Lord¡¯s n would not have worked. We have him locked away very tightly.¡± Lnd ignored the causal statement of destruction. ¡°So if Sybil is now the queen, why hasn¡¯t it been announced? Why are we still being hunted?¡± Pondering for a moment, the Lord of Curses looked just off his shoulder, her eyes gazing beyond realty. She blinked, refocusing. ¡°The shard hasn¡¯t fully been epted. She¡¯s fine, well, as fine as being in aa could be. As for you being hunted, you¡¯re not. Not currently, at¡ª¡± ¡°Aa!?¡± She waved her hand, ¡°She¡¯s fine. Promise.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I believe you.¡± ¡°Oh sweet, sweet Lnd. How the adults in your life have failed you. So untrusting, even after every¡ª¡± With bite, he interrupted, ¡°You lie to me rather constantly, so sorry for not beingpletely trusting.¡± ¡°Fine, fine. Don¡¯t get all upset with me now. I know you care for her, but she¡¯s fine. I swear. Thea is just part of the process. That is not the part of my statement that you should be focusing on.¡± ¡°What?¡± With a sigh, the Lord of Curses summoned a kettle of hot tea and two cups. She sipped hers, ced it back down slowly, adjusted it slightly, then looked up, locking eyes with Lnd. ¡°You are not currently being hunted. Not by the Inquisitors, at least.¡± Lnd followed all of her movements. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because they have all been recalled.¡± He lurched in his chair. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the Palemarrows are under attack, Ivory Reach as a whole, in fact.¡± ¡°By whom?¡± ¡°That Undying Harbinger is leading the pact. Some others of a certain sightless variety.¡± She held up her hand, stopping Lnd¡¯s question. ¡°No, the Golden Lamb boys are not a part of it. They are licking their wounds still.¡± Lnd stopped his leg from bouncing. He took a deep breath. ¡°Why are they attacking?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? The Harbinger is following his Lord¡¯s will.¡± ¡°But you just said he¡¯d die if he took Sybil again.¡± ¡°That was before she and the shard started to coexist. Now? Now he could actually take her. The n to free the Undying Lord would still fail, that prison is rather sturdy, you see, but Sybil would die in the process this time. Actually, the Harbinger may just kill her out of spite when his master forsakes him. Nothing worse than a forsaken Harbinger.¡± She shivered. ¡°Is Sybil safe?¡± ¡°Yes. They only made it to the castle once, but were turned away by an opposition of the kingdom¡¯s most powerful individuals.¡± ¡°What about the city?¡± ¡°For the most part, it¡¯s fine. The assault has only been happening for a week and a half at this point. Many dead, not as many as there could have been though.¡± ¡°A week and a half! How have the¡ª¡± ¡°Calm down,¡± the Curse Lord said before sipping her tea. He did, but he fidgeted. ¡°The assault has not been going for citizens. Haven¡¯t really been going for people in general, really. Key targets, sure, but the Sightless Cult has been pushing their talons into the popce.¡± ¡°They are making soldiers from the citizens?¡± ¡°Yes. That diabolical monster¡¯s power corrupts. The promise of power, for those weak enough to fall for it, is a prosperous sin.¡± She locked eyes, sparkles of purple blowing like snowkes in the wind. ¡°Do you understand what I am saying?¡± ¡°Lodestar,¡± he admitted, his eyes now on the table. ¡°Yes. You must never submit, not to that thing.¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°What is it? Why can it talk the way it does?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave that exnation to the Lord of Souls. It¡¯s his disaster, after all.¡± ¡°W-when I first got Lodestar, my crow tattoo jumped around like it was excited. And now that I know I¡¯m your Champion, I take it to mean you were excited when I got the parasite.¡± ¡°I was. Still am, in fact. Lodestar will serve you well if you don¡¯t fall to it. It may very well be your most powerful ally in the future.¡± ¡°¡¯Ally?¡¯¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Not a tool?¡± Again, she pondered. ¡°I guess there is not too much worry in exining this much to you. When parasitic items were first invented, they were originally intended to be second personalities to the host. A best friend, in a way, that would grow with you and never betray your trust. Sadly, the masters who could create such a being were few and far between. The failures became the basis of how you understand parasitic items today.¡± ¡°Why do I get the feeling that you just told me a closely guarded secret?¡± The Curse Lord shrugged. ¡°Because I did.¡± She smirked to herself. ¡°Uh huh. If you are being so forth giving with secrets, mind telling me how to help Floe out of the dungeon?¡± ¡°Just tell her to walk out.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Er, actually don¡¯t. Too long outside with the dungeon still connected to her would make her go mad. Dungeon breaks, remember?¡± ¡°I do¡­ so I need to find a way to break the connection?¡± ¡°Not my area of expertise, I¡¯m afraid. Lord of Monsters may know. Lord of Knowledge definitely knows, but he¡¯s a tight-lipped mouse. Good luck getting any information from him without a worthy gift or offer.¡± Lnd thought for a moment. ¡°What about the Lord of Dungeons?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t exist, not currently. Last one died, oh, nine hundred years ago. We¡¯re due for a new one, actually. Maybe I should make a list of candidates.¡± ¡°A list?¡± ¡°Well, yeah. Do you think we Lords don¡¯t all vote on who can join our group? We don¡¯t want the vile joining right off the bat. Now sure, sometimes the universe just decides a certain someone is powerful or unique enough for the position and does it without our input, but that¡¯s rare.¡± Lnd blinked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should know that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a secret. In fact, you did something simr when you fought that Toy Maker Harbinger. You called for him to be a Witch, putting his name on the list. Then we Lords voted. An overwhelming majority, by the way.¡± Pensively, Lnd asked, ¡°I can put names on a list? Just like that?¡± ¡°Not every list. But sure. That¡¯s what the lists are there for.¡± The Curse Lord looked over her shoulder. ¡°Time¡¯s running out here. Daybreak.¡± ¡°Um. Okay. Thanks?¡± ¡°You''re very wee, Lnd.¡± Chapter 201: Tome Chapter 201: Tome Lnd was thest of the boys to wake up. Jude, Glenny, and all the others were sitting around a ring of smoldering embers, eating from a pot of breakfast sausage and beans. Isobel was the only one who noticed him awake, but she quickly ignored him after a superficial nce. Taking the moment to himself, Lnd summoned his grimoire and looked over the changes. Name: Lnd Silver Legacy: Curses Archetype: Apprentice of the Curse Lord Specialization: Pact Overall Rank: 3 Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 21 (B-) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. For a single target, break a random bone and the bones connected to it. Crow Massacre: Type: Curse Rank: 21 (B) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon a full murder of 15 ethereal crows to attack targets for up to 2 minutes. When all crows are present and attacking the same target, their beaks and talons are enhanced. All resultant damage dealt by the crows bleed the target for an additional amount over 100 seconds. Promote a single crow to lead the murder. The leader isrger, faster, stronger, and more real. If permitted, the leader can stay summoned for any given length of time. Abuse of summons will not be permitted. Curse of Copse: Type: Curse Rank: 21 (B) Pull the target toward the end, bringing them one step closer to the Lord of Death. Exhaust the target for up to 3 minutes, decreasing their speed by 50%. Targets under this curse deal 20% less damage to you. The Lord of Death smiles on the cursed, increasing your damage to the cursed by 5%. Harbinger Halo: Pact Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 21 (Specialization: S) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling for their aid. Contractsst up to 30 minutes. If ended early, the cool down period is decreased. Up to 4 contracts may be acted upon at one time. Contracts that produce direct spells, curses, abilities, incantations, and/or passive effects that deal with mana may have lifeforce partially supplemented. Effects may vary. The pact specialization allows the creation of pact-contacts, thus opening new routes of power once deemed unreachable. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 21 (A-) Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 50 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 15% for 1 minute. Held lost souls may now be given to a soul of the Damned as payment for a task. Damage dealt to one target within the circle is duplicated onto all targets inside the circle for 20% effectiveness. Those trapped within the circle know the fear of those who dabble in soul magic. Soul Fire: Type: Curse Rank: Max Ignite a lost soul. Soul Fire¡¯s strength directly corrtes to the strength of the soul used. You are the Cmity. To Lnd, Fracture and Curse of Copse were the simplest of the changes. Extra broken bones and damage amplification. Short, sweet, and always helpful. Circle of Soul¡¯s new fear aura was a bit esoteric to him and more than open ended. Time would tell, in this case. Crow Massacre¡¯s leader crow was interesting, although Lnd didn¡¯t know if he wanted to keep a pet. His life was already hectic enough, yet he could understand the appeal. Having a designated flying scout was one thing, but having someone else able to control the murder of summons? Concentration on multiple things was a talent all mages needed to have, although Lnd wasn¡¯t going to say no to relieving that part of his mind while in battle. Honestly, Lnd was a bit disappointed in Harbinger Halo¡¯s changes. For being a specialization change he figured there would be more. Four active contracts was nice, as well as the increased contract duration. But he couldn¡¯t help but feel underwhelmed about pacts. While open ended, the promise of power was something he felt he could do without recently. He shivered at the thought of Lodestar. Still, maybe a pact with a Lord he trusted would be worth investigating. The contract with the Lord of Magic wasing to an end soon, maybe he would be interested? Lnd shrugged to himself not knowing what a literal Lord would want in return for aspects of power ¡°once deemed unreachable.¡± Lastly there was Soul Fire. No changes. Good, he thought. Looking up from his tome, Lnd spotted Isobel stealing a nce at him. Being who she was, Lnd thought she was second only to his parents in interest in his Legacy evolution. Too bad for her, she would have to wait for him to get back¡­ not that she would even notice him gone, in fact. First he had something he needed to take care of sooner thanter. ¡°Lord of Souls I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± Within a second Lnd was floating through the endless Void. He took a moment to orient himself,ing to terms with everything the Lord of Curses had told him. From being her only Legacy and Champion, to the assault on the castle and Ivory Reach. He was d he knew more about the Boneforged Monarch and was relieved to learn Sybil was fine, albeit in aa. His stomach fluttered at that thought. But most importantly, for right now, he needed to know about Lodestar. Unless he wanted to rush into battle with an unknown factor made of ink resting on his back. To him, the best case scenario was that Lodestar would act like any other parasitic weapon for the time being. Worst case, it would release some horrid magic and consume everything Lnd ever loved. Maybe he was exaggerating a bit on thatst part, but the thought hadn¡¯t left his head since Lodestar spoke about oblivion. Arriving in the Lord of Soul¡¯s domain, Lnd was greeted by the reek of death. Pungent and sharp, his hand quickly darted to his shirt. He pushed his nose into the fabric, inhaling deeply and trying to salvage the recent memories of breakfast sausage and beans. Death, however, came for all, and despite currently being alive, Lnd was no different. Soon the smell consumed him fully, and he pukedst night¡¯s dinner. ¡°Why!?¡± he cursed at the air. ¡°You are supposed to be about souls! Not death!¡± Having met many Lords by now, Lnd fully understood just how¡­ entric they could be. But literally living in filth? That was pushing a boundary not between mortal and Lord, but of animal and Lord. He puked again. Weary eyed and dripping snot, Lnd took in his surroundings. Dark stone. Ruins. Crumbling buildings. Typical, he thought, his mind slowly catching up. He frowned, canvassing the area. Where were the bodies? Where was the rotting meat and festering corpses? There weren''t even any dposing nts around, just old stone and dpidated structures. Where is that smell¡ª The realization was like the sun on a cloudless day. He wasn¡¯t sick from anything physical. He had smelled death before, and this, now that he thought about it, was not it. This was something else, something he had only experienced to the slightest degree. The feeling rupturing through his body, making his bones feel like they were made of te and his muscles made of straw, was soul damage. The same power Lodestar dealt in. He could understand it now, the whole-body pain of Lodestar¡¯s previous dark metal scythe form. Holding the weapon in his hands and all of the zapping that apanied it. But here, standing in the Lord¡¯s domain, was many times worse than Lodestar. Now knowing what the ¡°smell¡± was, Lnd grit his teeth and followed the pathway. It was night time, overcast, and slightly damp. A hint of salt hung on the breeze, enough to tickle the senses but well and far away from being enough to ovee the soul damage. Oddly enough, a presence guided his steps through the ruin and rubble. Past what was once spire towers and around fractured chapels, through a grassless courtyard and partially under a grand library. Lnd almost stopped to check out the scattered books, but the presence continued to pull. He followed, appearing before an outdoor staircase and monument. There he found a man sitting one step from the top, hunched over with his face resting between his knees. The man didn¡¯t breathe, he didn¡¯t sway. He sat still, ayer of dust covering his body like found in an unused room of a mansion. From the distance, Lnd couldn¡¯t make out much more about the man, not that he was focused on him. No, Lnd had his sights set on Lodestar. Or maybe the original Lodestar. Behind the man, taking up the monument portion of the monument, was a snow white ring of metal with a center of pure darkness. Stretching taller and wider than most houses, the darkness ate at the sounding air, pulling everything in. What went in, didn¡¯te out, especially the souls. Lnd hadn¡¯t noticed it until now, but a never-ending line of ethereal beings hurdled through the air at the monument, each being pulled into the darkness. Some screamed, some pleaded, but the call of oblivion was assured. Movement caught Lnd¡¯s eye. The man sitting on the steps stirred, green flourishing from his back. Chapter 202: Transcendent Chapter 202: Transcendent Budding from the man¡¯s back, emerald arms wed themselves from his woven fabric shirt. Like a butterfly spreading its wings for the first time, the arms split, unfolding into wispy swirls before waning into fabric themselves. Fingers, each fidgeting like they were forcing their bones to realign, thrashing in mortal pain, broken and misshapen, the bounds of fabric contorting them. Soon theyid t, yet were forced to part to make way for spasming heads and convulsing faces. Souls, each lost in an eternal struggle with death, bid by their master¡¯s call, draping themselves like a simple cloak across his shoulders. He was standing by now, piercing jade eyes staring down at Lnd from the top step. Vibrations rippled across the window into an oblivion, highlighting the never ending assault of lost souls upon the man¡¯s back. Muted and torn, the screams of the souls were drowned away by the silence the man hadmand over. ¡°Why have youe?¡± the man asked, his voice carrying over the deste ruin. Lnd, now recognizing the man for who he was, bowed to the Lord of Souls. ¡°Thank you for epting my petition¡ª¡± ¡°Why have youe?¡± Stiffening, Lnd didn¡¯t let the repeated question deter him. He was here for answers and had better ces to be. He removed his shirt, noticing the Soul Lord didn¡¯t cease his undisguised re even at the notice of undress. He turned around, showing off his back. And while Lnd could no longer see the man, a sharp whisper brushed against his unprotected skin. He shivered, counting to five before turning back round. ¡°Stop,¡± the Lord of Soulsmanded, and Lnd did. The man was one step away, and from what little nce Lnd took, the man was inspecting Lodestar¡¯s new tattoo. A metallic coldness radiated from the man, along with a fuzzy itching sensation. Lnd had no doubts that the coldness was not so much actually cold but just more soul damage. Forcing him to turn around, the Lord of Souls yanked Lnd around, saying, ¡°When did you steal this?¡± ¡°Steal?¡± Lnd was able to question before his mind caught up to him. He took the man in, noting nothing real about him. What he thought was skin was actually faded fabric, bandaged around his head and neck. Hair was nothing more than dust and thread. Not even his jade eyes were real, they were just two orbs of twinkling magic, each overcharged with mana and power. The only real part of the man were the bones that extended from the bandages covering his hands and fingers. The very fingers that were gripped around Lnd¡¯s arm like a starving snake. ¡°Think carefully,¡± the man said, his voice hauntingly short and quiet. ¡°Where did you steal this?¡± As Lnd sputtered to recall how he came to possess Lodestar, the Lord of Souls looked off to the left. ¡°Was this you?¡± he asked, interrupting Lnd¡¯s valiant attempt at exining his innocence. Lnd looked off to the side, finding nothing but broken bricks and grim buildings. A beat passed before the Soul Lord released his hand. Like they were responding to the man¡¯s ire, the souls wrapped around his shoulders became unhinged. They fought and wed at each other, their green misty bodies tearing into each other like a pack of rabid dogs turning on themselves. The man festered in the chaos for a long stunted moment before growling. The souls stopped, beaten down by nothing more than the threat of action. It was then Lnd felt pain. The smell of soul damage was something he felt he could grow used to, but the pain radiating from his arm was not. Five impact marks had already bruised into his skin, one for each of the Soul Lord¡¯s boney fingers. He squirmed, forcing himself not to tear up in front of the Lord. His legs were buckled and his spine gaunt, but he forced, truly forced, himself not to crumble. Instead he focused on something more surprising than pain. That a Lord hurt him. That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen, not with how visiting a Lord¡¯s domain was exined to him. A bit miffed, actually, Lnd''s patience waned. Why was he trying to be respectful and endure the pain? He had already been used of stealing. If anything the Lord of Souls was being rude. Taking a step back and summoning his grimoire, Lnd pressed his palm into the open pages with practiced effort. With his free hand he tapped his chest, the power of the Lord of Nature instantly cutting the brunt of the soul damage. The pain still lingered, however, gnawing, chilling pain. ¡°use me of stealing then hurt me,¡± Lnd said, his voiceing out gnarled. The Lord of Souls shifted his eyes over, the two orbs of magic showing no signs of attitude other than raw authority. ¡°Mmm,¡± he groaned before thrusting his arm out to his side. Green sprouted from the ground, a tree made of souls under his open palm. The mist faded away, revealing a thick rimmedpass. It hovered up, the man snatching it before twisting the device in circles. Lnd couldn¡¯t see the needle, but from the Soul Lord¡¯s grunts, he assumed it was pointing at him¡­ or rather, Lodestar. ¡°Was this you?¡± he asked the open air again. He waited, the silence nipping like a feasting spider. ¡°Cmity, answer me.¡± Lnd looked over as well. ¡°She¡¯s not going to answer you. Why would she? You use me, then hurt me. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was plotting your demise.¡± Why he said it, he didn¡¯t know. Only that he felt it needed to be said. Mortal or not, Lord or not, some people just didn¡¯t deserve manners. ¡°And if she was, why wouldn¡¯t I just kill you now and save myself an enemy?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t take the bait. Instead he answered, ¡°Because she would make sure your remaining time in this realm was as painful as possible. She¡¯d probably even keep you alive for much longer than she usually would just to spite you.¡± The Soul Lord hummed. Feeling like he needed to add onest thing, Lnd said, ¡°She killed the Toy Maker, you know. Presented his soul to me for getting in my way. I wonder what yours would look like.¡± He was stretching the truth a bit, but still. The Lord of Souls did not look impressed nor displeased. ¡°Why have youe?¡± he asked, shifting topics. Lnd breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I was told you had a tale to tell me about Lodestar. You created it or something.¡± ¡°Mmhmm.¡± ¡°I was expecting a bit more of an answer than a hum.¡± He tapped his chest again, healing himself again. ¡°Let¡¯s start over, shall we? Hi, my name is Lnd. Lodestar evolved recently then started talking to me, verbally. My parents were quite freaked out.¡± ¡°Of course it spoke. Why do you think it was locked away?¡± Lnd snapped. ¡°See, I didn¡¯t know it was locked away. I received it as a reward from a dungeon just like how most parasitic items are found.¡± ¡°It is not a parasitic item.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the Cur¡ª Cmity said. She said you would exin, since it was your creation.¡± Deliberating for a moment, the Soul Lord sat down on the bottom most step. Lnd put his shirt back on. ¡°Lodestar was supposed to guide souls to me.¡± After a pause, Lnd said, ¡°Obviously that didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°It was supposed to be my partner. But the curse of knowledge evolved its ego.¡± ¡°Like a parasitic weapon.¡± ¡°No. Like a human.¡± Lnd recoiled at the answer. ¡°Uh huh. What does that mean exactly?¡± ¡°Do you know how ego items are made?¡± the Lord of Souls asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°With the soul of a human, or a powerful enough monster.¡± While surprising, it wasn¡¯t too surprising. It wouldn¡¯t have been Lnd¡¯s first guess, but it was in his top five. Knowing that a monster¡¯s soul could be used was interesting, however. ¡°A human soul trapped within a weapon or item. No wonder they want to take control over their host¡¯s body,¡± he said, mainly just to get the ball rolling on the conversation. ¡°But when a soul wishes to be a weapon or item?¡± the Soul Lord asked, answering right away. ¡°That is when true transcendent weapons or items are created.¡± Lnd tasted the word, ¡°Transcendent.¡± The bandaged man nodded, his glowing eyes dimming for the briefest of seconds. ¡°That was what Lodestar was supposed to be. My partner, my brother.¡± ¡°Lodestar has your brother¡¯s soul?¡± ¡°Lodestar is my brother.¡± Lnd ignored the fact that the Soul Lord renamed his brother to ¡°Lodestar,¡± and instead focused on the ¡°brother¡± part. ¡°He wasn¡¯t a Lord. He wasn¡¯t immortal.¡± The Soul Lord shook his head. ¡°No he was not.¡± ¡°And I take it he had his soul morphed into Lodestar willingly?¡± ¡°He did.¡± ¡°Then why is he evil?¡± Slowly looking up, the Soul Lord said, ¡°He¡¯s not.¡± Lnd felt as though he was swimming through honey. ¡°Then why was he locked away?¡± ¡°Because of the curse of knowledge.¡± ¡°What kind of knowledge?¡± ¡°The kind that turns brother on brother. Father on son. Mother on daughter!¡± His voice rose louder and louder, breaking the illusion of silent ruins. ¡°The only knowledge that matters in this world! The ending to our pathetic miserable lives! The end! Oblivion! He learned of oblivion!¡± He gestured wildly at the portal of darkness at the top of the stairs. ¡°He learned the truth!¡± His hand fell down. Dejected, the man whispered, ¡°The truth.¡± Lnd almost didn¡¯t want to know. A secret that could drive a sane person mad? A secret that cursed all those who knew? Dauntless. Well, Lnd was a Legacy of Curses, after all. ¡°What truth?¡± Then the darkened sky twisted at his words, deepening with rolling clouds. The trail of souls passing overhead bristled, their silent screams briefly piercing the Soul Lord¡¯s silent aura. Lnd flinched, his eyes finding nothing but pain and misery. The Soul Lord spoke, ¡°That obliv¡ª¡± ¡°Alright, that is enough.¡± It wasn¡¯t Lnd who interrupted, but a thick white metal disk with pure darkness inside. Lodestar summoned itself, hovering just off to the side of both its host and brother. ¡°Brother,¡± the immortal Lord whispered. ¡°Brother,¡± the immortal weapon added. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be in mortal hands.¡± ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t have growncent.¡± Lnd¡¯s skin crawled as Lodestar¡¯s voice was his own. The Soul Lord frowned, the emotion conveying through his bandaged face. ¡°Comcent?¡± ¡°Indeed. The others mock you behind your back. They speak of you to one another with only contempt.¡± That got Lnd to speak up. ¡°Don¡¯t fall for it. He¡¯s only trying to rile you up.¡± ¡°I wish that were the case, my poor, stupid host.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes. ¡°Look, this is all very interesting and I¡¯m d I could reunite you two, but I feel like I should be going.¡± He locked eyes with the Lord of Souls. ¡°Tell me quickly: Can I used Lodestar or should I lock him up like you apparently did?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Lock me up? Lnd, I thought we were friends. My power is your power, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Lnd nced at the slowly rotating ring. ¡°Was that before or after you tried to overpower me?¡± Lodestar didn¡¯t answer, instead saying, ¡°Remember when we exterminated that monster nest? Remember the sheer power you felt when you killed every living thing inside?¡± ¡°No, no I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, boy. I¡¯ve been around much longer than you.¡± ¡°Then you would know that me having power for the sake of power is not part of my being. Ask the Cmity about Soul Fire if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± The Soul Lord broke from his stupor at that. ¡°Soul Fire? You have the Great Sin? Why were you asking about the curse of knowledge then? Is this a test? Is she testing me again? Have I actually growncent?¡± Lnd sucked on his bottom lip. ¡°Err, I don¡¯t know about any of that¡­¡± ¡°Face it host,¡± Lodestar said. ¡°Nothing you can say will change my mind. You want power, and I can give it.¡± ¡°Yeah, no. I don¡¯t, and I¡¯m not going to try to change your mind. Obviously you are not a transcendent weapon, you are just another parasite.¡± Lodestar chuckled. ¡°Oh Lnd, you are far from even gazing upon my transcendent form.¡± ¡°Uh huh. Can you turn back into a tattoo and shut up? I¡¯m trying to have a conversation here.¡± The weapon silently returned to ink. ¡°Good. That was getting tedious,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Now then. What is oblivion and how will Lodestar try and use its power against me?¡± The Soul Lord looked around, his eyes darting to random spots within his domain. ¡°I will answer in detail. Do not worry mortal¡ª¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t send me because you arecent. Please don¡¯t get weirder on me. I have stuff to do and I don¡¯t want to get stuck here all day.¡± A silent second passed before the Lord of Souls said, ¡°Oblivion is the end of life. But there is life beyond the end. The essence that makes up a soul lives in oblivion, waiting for matching pieces toe together and reform themselves.¡± ¡°Reincarnation,¡± Lnd supplied. ¡°A concept not well understood, but yes.¡± A question formed. ¡°Could¡­ say a person enter oblivion and return with a specific soul?¡± The Soul Lord nodded. ¡°Yes, but not in the way you are expecting. Those dead remain dead. At least until you be a Lord yourself and bend the rules of reality to your will.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Then I¡¯d like to form a contract with you to bring back Annie Red from oblivion.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Err. Okay.¡± He paused. ¡°Then I¡¯d like to form a pact with you to bring back Annie Red from oblivion.¡± ¡°A pact? Interesting. Still no.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because those dead should remain dead. The curse of knowledge states that specifically.¡± Lnd forced himself not to roll his eyes, deciding that he didn¡¯t want to know. ¡°Right. Then how will Lodestar use oblivion to try to gain power over me?¡± ¡°The same way he did in life, through corruption.¡± The Soul Lord looked at the massive replica of the weapon at the top of the stairs. ¡°He will summon beings from beyond to aid your will or use the allure of the darkness to create devastation. A taste of true transcendent power.¡± ¡°A taste, huh? So should I fight and use him, or lock him away?¡± ¡°Fight and use. You are the Cmity¡¯s only son and Soul Fire has already been passed down. It is only natural for you to hold such a powerful weapon.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t reply instantly, so the Soul Lord filled the void. ¡°Maybe¡­ perhaps a tool may be of use.¡± ¡°A tool?¡± ¡°A pact.¡± Lnd leaned in a bit. ¡°My cloak,¡± the Soul Lord said, shedding the green misted fabric of mangled souls, ¡°for as long as you hold my brother, the cloak will be yours.¡± ¡°And in return?¡± The Lord thought for but a second. ¡°When the timees and you break his will and mind, you will treat his soul well. Unlike how most hosts treat their parasite when they¡¯ve won.¡± Lnd was about to ask for rification, but a shuddering across his back kept his lips sealed. It seemed Lodestar was emotional about such a request. Which emotion? He didn¡¯t know, only that it carried over their symbiosis as distant guilt. Chapter 203: War Council Meeting Chapter 203: War Council Meeting In the minutes before Lnd reappeared at the campsite, he had enough time to toy with the soul cloak. Shifting through the Void, green mist swelled in his hands. In its activated form, the cloak was entirely made of mangled body parts and crooked emotions. It was warm to the touch, and prescribed enough in fear in Lnd that he felt sick holding the thing. But the Soul Lord had given him an overview of what it did and how it worked and while tantly grotesque looking, the soul cloak had many, many uses Lnd could take advantage of. Once he added to it, that was. The cloak¡¯s true form rested neatly around his neck. A ne made of cold green metal and a single stunted jewel. ¡°The cloak is a holding device for souls,¡± the Lord of Souls had exined moments before kicking Lnd out of his domain. ¡°It will grow with you, like a parasitic weapon, but it harbors no feeling or thought. It truly is just a magical item.¡± In the end, Lnd epted the pact terms and promised not to mistreat Lodestar when the time came for one of them to win over the other. Many questions were raised about this, although the Lord of Souls answered nearly none of them. Since the pact was Lnd¡¯s first, the Lord did exin the consequences of breaking such a contract. ¡°Death. You will die if you break our pact. Just like I would die if I took back my cloak before you and Lodestar finish your duel.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Lnd had said dejectedly. It made sense, although he didn¡¯t know it made sense until after the fact. A tightness had appeared in his chest, like his heart was wrapped with chains. Information came to him from his Legacy, exining that the chains were, in fact, real. Floating through the Void, Lnd decided he needed to be careful about pacts. Dying because of a technicality would be, well, dumb of him. Still, he didn¡¯t think the pact with the Soul Lord was anything to worry about. Mistreating a soul? That wasn¡¯t like him, he knew he wasn¡¯t that cruel. Breakfast was still happening when Lnd arrived back in the Mirage Fields. Breakfast sausage and beans, the smell of life and the warmth of the sun. It was right then and there that he decided that the Lord of Soul¡¯s domain was the worst he¡¯d been to so far. And that was including the Lord of Erupting Skies which didn¡¯t have a floor to stand on!Isobel gave him a long look when he reappeared. He had only been gone for a fraction of a second to them, but she still somehow noticed. Maybe it was the ne, maybe it was how he stretched like he had just finished an acupuncture massage. Either way, she noticed, which prompted Lucia and Spencer to notice. ¡°Awake, huh?¡± Spencer said. ¡°I thought you were going to sleep till noon!¡± ¡°What?¡± Lnd murmured, standing and taking a ce around the pot of simmering breakfast. ¡°Oh. Right. You think I just woke up. I¡¯ve been up for like an hour or two by now. I was talking with the Lord of Souls.¡± All conversation ceased, even Jude, Jude Two, and his parents hushed conversation about his new apprentice-ranked Legacy. ¡°Honey, I thought we decided that you wouldn¡¯t speak to any Lord without talking to us first.¡± Lucia said, her face doing that disappointed stare all mothers could somehow do. ¡°Err,¡± Lnd took a big bite of beans, slowly chewing through them as a point to think through his response. ¡°My Lord suggested I do it sooner thanter. We¡¯ve got things to discuss now, and the Soul Lord would have fallen to the background.¡± ¡°Lnd, you can¡¯t just¡ª¡± ¡°Palemarrow Castle and Ivory Reach are under siege by Harbinger Ashford and the Sightless Cult. People are dying. Sybil is in aa, which is fine apparently. And Lodestar is a transcendent weapon, not a parasitic weapon¡­ which are virtually the same thing except that transcendent weapons have a higher ceiling of power and were created to work with the host, not fight against them.¡± He thought for a moment, adding, ¡°Lodestar is also the soul of the Soul Lord¡¯s brother.¡± Everyone was silent. With mirth,Isobel spoke up, ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Err. We are not being hunted currently because every Inquisitor was called back to protect the castle and city.¡± ¡°At least we¡¯ve got that going for us,¡± she muttered, sipping a cup of coffee. ¡°What do you mean ¡®under siege?¡¯¡± asked Carmon. ¡°I guess ¡®siege¡¯ isn¡¯t the correct term. Ivory Reach has been invaded. An attack has been thwarted on the castle, but the Sightless Cult is sinking their talons into the civilian poption and thus creating an army of cultists.¡± ¡°And what is Ashford doing during all of this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. I do know that he wants Sybil.¡± ¡°Why,¡± Glenny asked, ¡°wouldn¡¯t he just walk through the front gates of the castle? He¡¯s undying.¡± Carmon made a tsking sound. ¡°No, he¡¯s not. His self-regeneration does have a limit. During our duel, I thought I was close to striking that limit and actually killing him. Evidently I was not.¡± ¡°So if he walked into the castle, he¡¯d just be killed over and over again by the guards and Inquisitors,¡± Glenny surmised. ¡°Or trapped,¡± Spencer added before turning to his son. ¡°And the Pathways Witch?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Lnd said, shaking his head. ¡°Sybil¡¯s in aa?¡± Lucia asked. ¡°Something to do with the Boneforged Monarch and the death of the current queen.¡± Everyone went back to being silent at that, each ignoring the information about Lodestar. That was a box no one truly wanted to open, not with the threat upon Ivory Reach. Lnd quietly said to Glenny and Carmon, ¡°I asked for a contract to bring Annie back from oblivion. The Soul Lord said no.¡± He left out the fact that the Soul Lord did say it was possible and that he could do it once he became a Lord. It would only get their hopes up or get them killed trying to be Lords themselves. Glenny¡¯s shoulders slumped and Carmon¡¯s forehead hardened. Both weren¡¯t caught off guard, per say, but both lost what small shred of hope remained in their hearts. Silently father and son finally stepped over the hill prevalent in their minds after sharing a long look with one another. Carmon was first to recover. ¡°When are we leaving?¡± ¡°Now hold on,¡± Roy said, entering the conversation for the first time. ¡°Last time we went up against this group, we were outyed. Ashford and the Witch know us better than anyone, and the cult knows the boys and perhaps more importantly, Isobel. We need a n first and foremost.¡± ¡°The n is simple,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Dad opens a portal to where Sybil is located, and we take her to Gelo and Floe¡¯s until Ashford¡¯s Lord gets tired of waiting and kills him. Sybil should wake by then and¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Spencer interrupted. ¡°No?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not going to work. I can¡¯t just open a portal anywhere in the castle, let alone anywhere near the castle. While I did help set up the spatial securities in the area, I didn¡¯t do them all. I can¡¯t get us into the castle. Sorry.¡± Lnd looked off into the distance, mechanically slipping a spoon of beans into his mouth. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Lnd,¡± Spencer said tenderly. ¡°I can¡¯t get us into the castle, but I¡¯m not abandoning Sybil or Ivory Reach.¡± Lucia piped up, her arm going around her son¡¯s back and squeezing him into a side hug. ¡°Sybil is probably in the safest location she can be. For the time being at least. The castle is a fortress, and the Inquisitors are more than enough to handle some cultists.¡± Isobel coughed. ¡°So what then? We just enter the city and announce ourselves to the Inquisitors and tell them not to arrest us and that we can help? Because I don¡¯t see that working out for us.¡± ¡°Then we don¡¯t tell them,¡± Jude said inly. Jude Two snapped and pointed at the original. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. We y in the shadows, hunting down cultists and building an information pool like we did the first time we fought the cult.¡± Roy shook his head. ¡°No. If we do it like that, then the Inquisitors would surely find out and try to apprehend us. We¡¯d look too suspicious.¡± ¡°What if we go straight for the Witch and Ashford?¡± Glenny suggested. ¡°A thought,¡± his father said. ¡°Dangerous and potentially just a time sink. They would know they are being hunted and would have covered their tracks.¡± ¡°What about sending a note?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°A note?¡± ¡°To Aunty P exining what happened, why it happened, and how Isobel and I got Sybil back.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Spencer said, ¡°a gamble. She might heighten the guard because we reach out. There¡¯s no guarantee she¡¯ll believe the note anyway.¡± ¡°Then we make her have to believe the note.¡± Lnd was now looking to the endless blue sky, ideas forming. Isobel smiled. ¡°We show up and help a guard unit when they are about to die.¡± ¡°Not exactly what I was thinking, but in essence yes.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Lnd took another bite. ¡°We take out one of the cult¡¯s hideouts. We already know how they hide them in alleys with sigils. Finding a branch won¡¯t be that hard.¡± Jude snapped and pointed. ¡°We y in the shadows until we can make a grand entrance!¡± Roy said, ¡°Sounds too close to what was just suggested. If the Inquisitors find out we are in the city, we are going to be apprehended.¡± ¡°But do we even have to enter the city?¡± Lnd asked, turning to his father. ¡°We have portals and I can magically see sigils. We remotely search every alley, only opening a portal for a second so I can look around.¡± Spencer weighed the options. ¡°It has potential, but I still don¡¯t know if taking out a cult hideout would be a good enough option for Aunty P to ept us with open arms. She¡¯s paranoid. She¡¯d think it was a ploy.¡± He then added, ¡°Plus, I don¡¯t know what kind of defenses have been set up in the capital. They know my magic well. They surely would be on high alert for portals.¡± They continued to discuss, wading well into lunch by the time they came up with anything solid. By the time everyone was finished eating, a portal was opened to the capital and everyone walked in, leaving the mirages behind. Chapter 204: Contacts Chapter 204: Contacts Carmon Red hadn¡¯t been to the dark streets of Ivory Reach since Annie died. He¡¯d sworn off the ce, opting topletely ignore that side of the city. The Umbra was a cancer, a cancer his wife spent most of her life trying to cut at. And she had failed, and the cancer continued to spread. And yet, what he needed could only be bought here. ¡°Carmon Red, the Echo Dancer, fancy meeting you here,¡± some low ranked thug said, leaning against a damp wall. He flipped a coin off his thumb, catching it mid air and repeating the gesture. ¡°What¡¯s a traitor like you doing here?¡± ¡°Here to buy,¡± Carmon said, his voice like ice. The thug snickered. ¡°Well of course. This is the Consortium, after all. But that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking.¡± He stood up properly, kicking off the wall. ¡°What are you doing here, in the capital?¡± Carmon didn¡¯t miss the swish of an unsheathed dagger. He nced at the shadows around the thug, making it obvious but not too obvious. He was here for a reason and spooking the people who had a say in special sales by beating their guards too badly would be in ill form. The shadow noticed his nce and slinked away, most likely off to tell their boss. Just as nned. ¡°Here to buy,¡± Carmon said, taking a step toward the crypt like building. How many people had been killed trying to enter this particr establishment, he wondered. Enough to fill a graveyard at least twice over, he assumed. The thug stepped between Carmon and the door that looked like any other door in an alley. ¡°They say you had a hand in making that young princess disappear. They say you helped that Ashford traitor take her.¡± The man stalked forward. ¡°And you know what they say about traitors, don¡¯t you?¡± Carmon took the bait. ¡°What do they say?¡± ¡°That all traitors work together!¡± The thug lunged, flipping his coin at Carmon with the speed of a cannon ball. The coin split, duplicating into enough gold to make a banker jealous. Carmon sighed mentally, his feet spreading slightly. With practiced ease, he stepped, the first step of the few defensive dances he knew. His body twitched, fading from reality for a split second and easily dodging all the projectiles. He then punched the thug in the face, sending him hurtling through the door that looked like any other. Carmon stepped through as well, brushing off his cloak. He was met with sixteen Umbra assassins, each waiting just out of vision in the shadows. ¡°I¡¯vee to buy!¡± he yelled to no one in particr. ¡°Yas, do you still run this ce!?¡± A long silent moment passed as each assassin slowly unsheathed their weapons or gathered the necessary mana for their deadliest spells. Yet the kill order never came. Instead, a shy voice peered out of the darkness. ¡°Carmon? Why are you here?¡± He sighed. ¡°To buy! This is still the Consortium, right?¡± ¡°The Inquisitors buy from us now?¡± the voice, Yas, asked. ¡°We both know I¡¯m no longer with the Inquisitors.¡± Carmon pointed at the unconscious thug he punched. ¡°Even that one knew, and that one was an idiot.¡± Yas, in all her glory, stepped into the light. She wore a silken dress that wouldn¡¯t step foot in the same room as amonborer and three thick ck metal bands on her wrist. Each one pulsed enough mana to power the city for a month, yet she used them as a fashion essory. ¡°Hmm, is that right?¡± ¡°I have a list and the gold in hand,¡± Carmon promptly said. ¡°What kind of list?¡± ¡°The kind that requires you and Trent to sign off on.¡± Yas¡¯ eyes widened. A predatory smile overpowered her meek frown. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you start with that? Please, right this way.¡± She gestured past the shadows and assassins and into her office. A big sale wasing, she just felt it. If she was lucky, it would be time to buy a fourth mana band. Roy walked into the guild open and free. He ignored the looks of worry from the less experienced and those already hit by the cult¡¯s actions. A nce at the job board exined that an open-ended quest had been sanctioned for any cult member¡¯s head. Six gold coins each. An expensive bounty, but one far more dangerous than worthwhile. Still, people were going to try, and fail, to cash in, and Roy wasn¡¯t going to stop them. That was part of the adventuring life, and it built character just as much as it took lives. Those who fail and survive came back smarter and more fearsome than before, thus empowering the city. Taking on the cult wasn¡¯t what he was here for, however. Roy ignored the front desk attendant as he walked past the line waiting to speak with the attendant. ¡°Sir? Sir!? You can¡¯t go back there without¡ª¡± Someone hit the attendant on the back of the head. ¡°Shut it! Don¡¯t you know who that is? That¡¯s the Bastion.¡± Roy smiled to himself. He loved the recognition his job provided him. Ah, who was he kidding? He loved his job! He surely hoped he could get back to it soon, he was itching to protect a town or two from a cataclysmic monster attack. Down the hallway and around the bend put Roy in front of a doorbeled, ¡°Guild Master.¡± He knocked once, then pushed it open before a response could be given. ¡°Surprise!¡± he shouted before realizing the room was empty. He scratched his beard, stepping out of the room and heading down another hallway and around another bend. Entering the guild¡¯s training facilities, Roy noticed his target right away. The only man in the room that demanded respect from just his presence alone. The Guild Master and Legacy of the Warrior, his brother, Ray. ¡°Roy?¡± Ray asked, upon seeing his brother. ¡°Ray!¡± Roy yelled. ¡°Roy!¡± The Guild Master went through a wave of emotion. Surprise, confusion, happiness, anger. A lot of anger. Ray saw red. He leaped across the training facility, scaring off all the little guilders lifting weights or practicing the sword,nding just before his brother. A sword appeared in his hands, extending in size until it fit perfectly in his hand. He thrust, aiming for Roy¡¯s heart. Roy just waved a hand, blocking the strike. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you brother!¡± Ray cursed, swinging again. ¡°They branded you a traitor!¡± Roy easily blocked, noting that his brother¡¯s heart just wasn¡¯t in it. He¡¯d defended worse when they were kids! ¡°A grand old story to tell! But that will have to beter! There¡¯s a cult around and we¡¯ve got to get the guild moving! All hands on deck!¡± ¡°But they! You! The princess! A Harbinger!¡± Roy nodded gravely. ¡°Yes, yes. All true, but what you have heard most likely isn¡¯t. The princess is safe, and the Harbinger ising back for round two. So, chop chop! I¡¯ve got stuff to do and you¡¯ve got people to organize.¡± Ray scoffed, giving onest swing of his sword. ¡°What do you think I¡¯ve been doing? Sitting on my thumbs and smiling?¡± He looked away. ¡°You¡¯ve always done this, even when we were kids. I don¡¯t need you looking out for me. I can do my job just fine without big brother watching over my shoulder. You saw the front room, right? When was thest time you¡¯ve seen it that crowded here?¡± Roy grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. ¡°A long time, and I know you can do your job. But I worry, you know? Mom said to look out for you, and I took that to heart.¡± The Guild Master¡¯s face fell. ¡°You can¡¯t just bring up mom. She¡¯s an instant win whenever we argue. For either of us.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ but I have to use her, otherwise I¡¯d never win an argument with you. You were always the smart one.¡± He stiffened a tear. ¡°Where have you been, brother?¡± ¡°With Jude, Diana, and the others. A true tale to tell, but right now we all need to clear our names and protect the city! When that¡¯s done, Jude¡¯s been working on a song. He¡¯d love it if you were around to give it a listen.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯d listen to his song¡­¡± Diana awkwardly shook the hand of a very elderly woman. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Master Rain.¡± The woman, bedridden and moving like a sloth, waved her hand. "Ah now, it''s not the truth you''re telling me, is it? And haven''t I warned you about such lies?" ¡°That ¡®only fools and ijits lie,¡¯ yes.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± she spat, giving Diana a long look. ¡°Heh, you remind me of a younger version of me.¡± ¡°And what did we just say about lying?¡± The old womanughed and Diana allowed herself a smile. ¡°Master, I¡¯m sorry to cut the pleasantries short, but time is of the essence.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Go on, it¡¯s not like I have much time left in the world, now do I?¡± ¡°I need Skysplitter. I¡¯vee to¡ª¡± The bedridden woman abruptly sat up, the speed of the movement causing her sagging skin to be pulled like a scarf waving in the air. ¡°You what now?¡± Diana looked off to the side, her master¡¯s re too strong even for her. ¡°Something big is happening. A rematch between me and a Harbinger. I lostst time, master, badly.¡± Rain didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°I¡­ I enraged and almost let Jude die. If it wasn¡¯t for the others¡­¡± ¡°Skysplitter is nothing but a crutch.¡± ¡°I know. And I know what I¡¯m asking. After this battle, I¡¯m going to retire from the frontlines. My focus will be entirely on Jude and his future sess.¡± Diana somberly smiled to herself. ¡°Can you believe that I know of a way for Berserker Legacies to actually grow in power, rather than teau like we both did?¡± With her lips pursed, Rain said, ¡°Speak for yourself. I grow in power every day.¡± Diana looked away. It had been some time since her parents died. She was young back then so the idea of death had yet to really sink in. One day they were there, the next she was being thrust into Master Rain¡¯s arms as an orphan. So in a way, Rain was her mother and father. And seeing her sitting here like this, well, it reminded her of those confused days after her real parents died and before she met the holder of Skysplitter. Rain sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve held onto that cursed weapon for most of my life. There were times when I thought I needed its power, and yet, I never picked it up. The burden is just too great.¡± Diana listened carefully. She knew the story from years past. Rain¡¯s lover held the weapon, she fell to its power, and Rain had to kill her before the parasite could fully assimte. While tragic, it was a tale known to many others in many differentnds. Parasitic items were a slow death, no matter how one sliced it. That was why she pressed for Jude and Roy to never take one. ¡°It¡¯s not like that thing will be of much use. It can¡¯t bond anymore, it can only harm.¡± Again, Diana knew and understood. Skysplitter was¡­ differentpared to most parasitic items that won over their host. The sudden dispatch of the host after losing put the weapon in a perpetual state of ipleteness. The term was ¡°hatched,¡± and the Skysplitter never recovered. Yet some of its power still remained. And now with some insights about parasitic weapons from Lnd, Diana understood what all of that meant. The soul used to create the weapon was scared, damaged, or killed. But the magic forcing the soul to be a tool still remained. An egoless ego weapon¡­ it only took two people dying to create. ¡°I know,¡± Diana said, her shoulders slumped like a teenager finally epting that the adult knew better. ¡°But I¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Rain said inly. ¡°Err¡ª¡± ¡°If you pick up that ursed axe, it will take you for everything you have. No. No pupil of mine will be forged into a puppet like that. I would rather see the sted thing fall into the fieryva of Mount Vistin than know I ended your life.¡± Diana recoiled. ¡°It won¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°No. And yes, yes it will kill you.¡± Rain took her hands, the gesture riddled with creaking arthritis. ¡°Since when have you ever backed down from a fight and looked for a cheap way to power? That¡¯s not the ¡®Diana¡¯ I remember.¡± Her posture fully copsed, and she fell into the seat situated at her master¡¯s bedside. ¡°I¡¯m afraid. Jude almost died because I wasn¡¯t able to kill an enemy. And I¡ª I don¡¯t know what else to do.¡± Rain gave a soft smile. ¡°It¡¯s easy. Win.¡± Diana blinked. ¡°Oh right. Of course, how could I be so foolish?¡± The old woman chuckled. ¡°See? Simple, really.¡± A second passed before she spoke again, ¡°Trust yourself, trust your allies. Trust that buffoon of a husband.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a buffoon¡­¡± ¡°Oh girly, if you can¡¯t see that he is, then maybe you do need Skysplitter¡­¡± Isobel stood outside of a stout little mansion surrounded by manicured grass and bushes. It sat near the Inquisitor headquarters in the heart of Ivory Reach, one of the few pieces of private property around, actually. Not that it ever felt that way. The owner was an Inquisitor himself, after all, and he often allowed the new trainees to use his homestead as a training facility. There was nowhere better to run in the city. Grass was a luxury here. It was here, actually, that Isobel met her mentor, Rushwin. High Inquisitor Rushwin. And while she hoped he would be out and she could sneak by without cause for rm, Isobel was no fool. Rushwin was most definitely here, or at least nearby. It was his home, his mansion, his grass and bushes, after all. And for some reason, the man preferred it here, rather than in his office in the castle or his other office in the Inquisitors¡¯ headquarters. The city was on high alert, though. Maybe she¡¯d luck out and¡ª ¡°Hello Isobel.¡± She cursed, turning to meet face to face with her mentor. ¡°Hello Rushwin.¡± ¡°You are a wanted woman,¡± he said, his voice smooth like aged wine but with enough bite to make even the most adventurous drinkers pucker. ¡°I am. And here I am. Take me into custody.¡± She held out her arms, keeping her wrists close like she was ready to be shackled. Rushwin wasn¡¯t a tall man. He was old, graying, wrinkled. He walked with a bit of a limp, the joints in his knees slowly going despite all the healing he¡¯d received. Even his regal dress had seen better days, all stretched and frayed at the ends. But Rushwin, at that moment, was a tidal wave a hundred feet tall. He was as spry as a triumphant diator that had just taken their opponent¡¯s head. His wrinkles had highlighted and re-highlighted each showing off countless battles won and a full lifetime of taking what was his: Power. There was no enemy that could defeat him other than the call of eternity, the call of death. ¡°And why wouldn¡¯t I just kill you now? A traitor like you? I could finish the paperwork within an hour.¡± Isobel didn¡¯t try to fight the crushing weight of the man¡¯s words. Instead she pivoted to n B. ¡°Because I know a certain princess-soon-to-be-queen that would be rather upset with you. I did save her life multiple times and helped a young man get her home.¡± Rushwin didn¡¯t let his thoughts show. ¡°And would this young man be Lnd Silver?¡± ¡°The very same, yes.¡± ¡°A traitor consorting with a known Harbinger. That paperwork would only take thirty minutes at this point.¡± Isobel rolled her eyes. Or rather, she forced her eyes to roll as Rushwin¡¯s power had all but frozen her where she stood. ¡°Nah. The kid¡¯s a good one. As I understand it, his Lord didn¡¯t tell him about her title of ¡®Vile.¡¯ But then again, the Boneforged Monarch likewise didn¡¯t inform Sybil when she epted her patronage.¡± ¡°You dare say our Queen is a Harbinger!? Paperwork would only take fifteen minutes now.¡± ¡°Honestly Rushwin? I think you are trying too hard. I¡¯ve seen you when you were truly angry with someone. This is not that¡ª" She fell to her knees, the High Inquisitor¡¯s power literally creating dewdrops along her body despite not invoking any spell work. A side effect of overloaded mana to such a degree might make some think a Lord was tiptoeing around in the mortal world. ¡°T-this is c-closer!¡± Isobel choked out, her lungs feeling like they were suffocating underwater. ¡°Tell me, Isobel,¡± Rushwin said softly, stepping closer. ¡°Why should I not kill you right here, right now?¡± Isobel growled out her answer like a feral cat, ¡°Because we want the same thing! Because the Inquisitors are my home! Because I am no traitor!¡± She felt her answer wasn¡¯t good enough, so she added something that she had pushed away for a long, long time. ¡°I swear! I swear on Abby¡¯s soul that I am exactly as I have always been! And I swear that Lnd is as good as a person can be! Let us help you!¡± Rushwin ceased his power the moment Isobel mentioned her daughter. Either the woman before him was a skin stealer that could also take memories, or Isobel had finally epted herself. He knew which he would bet on. He extended a hand, helping her up. ¡°You have some exining to do.¡± Spencer quietly sat at a rundown bar. He ordered a drink and a bowl of peanuts. Slowly he ate away at the nuts, sipping his drink in measured intervals. He always hated this part, mainly because of how long it took. But that was the price of business. One drink and a bowl of nuts to be eaten over the course of thirty five minutes exactly. As secret passwords went, Spencer knew of better. Eventually, right as he was finishing hisst sip, the bartender nodded toward the back of the tavern. A door, which hadn¡¯t been there previously, was now unlocked. Runic camouge was easy to spot when one knew where to look, yet this particr door was heavily guarded. It was a master artificer who built it, after all. Spencer entered quietly, making sure the doortched behind him. He proceeded down the hallway and cringed when space tightened. He pushed through the unease,ing to another door. At this one he simply waited for it to open. When it did, space fully closed. There would be no magic for him past this door, at least, not any worthwhile magic. Choppy music was ying when Spencer stepped in, a device in the corner spinning with metal tubes running off of it. Idly he inspected the contraption, finding the make and tone to be rustic. Definitely not Sam¡¯s best work. Maybe a prototype. A puff of steam expelled from the music box and Spencer turned away, finding something else to entertain himself with. A ball with spikes, a t piece of metal that was oddly soft. There was even a painted picture framed on the wall that moved. How Sam did that one, he didn¡¯t know. Only that it would be a great present for Lucia¡­ one day. As the minutes ticked by, an oblong piece of wood with runes carved into it began to glow red hot. Spencer shielded his face from the searing heat, annoyed. The glow became brighter, consuming the roompletely. Then, like day turning to night, the light ended. A man stood on the piece of wood. ¡°Spencer!¡± Sam screeched, his arms already outstretched for a hug. Spencer rubbed one eye while peering through the other. He epted the hug, noting that Sam had grown old since theirst meeting. He said as much, ¡°You¡¯ve grown old!¡± Sam pushed him away. ¡°Bah! Those stupid anti-aging pills ran dry. I told them not to destroy thest Eternal Sapling, but noooo! Short term mary gain is much more important than literal immortality!¡± Not batting an eye, Spencer plowed right on with the conversation, adding his own exaggerated craziness to the mix. While outright lying to Sam wasn¡¯t advisable, stretching the truth was more than enough to set the old artificer in good spirits. ¡°Which Lord was it that created those things?¡± Spencer asked. ¡°I think I know a guy who could ask for more, for you.¡± ¡°Do you now? Tell me more!?¡± ¡°Not until I cash in some of those favors you owe me.¡± ¡°Favors?¡± Sam gargled. ¡°What favors?¡± ¡°Remember when I got you out of prison within the hour when you destroyed half of Noble Street?¡± The old man''s face went dark. ¡°You promised never to bring that up again.¡± Spencerughed, breaking the tension. ¡°And you promised you would never use Sunfire Wood again! And¡± he pointed at the wooden b, ¡°here we are.¡± Sam nced down and grumbled, ¡°What¡¯s your favor?¡± Spencer smiled. ¡°I want your help kidnapping the regent queen and the soon-to-be-crowned queen.¡± Chapter 205: Catching Up Chapter 205: Catching Up Lucia quietly sat listening to the boys talk about their freshly upgraded abilities and spells. She had been left to chaperone while the other adults called in favors and hopefully readied themselves for theing battles. And while she did have her own things she could be doing, opting to sit with the boys was what she chose to do. It felt strange to her, leaving them be. Each had been through so much already, especially her son, Lnd. Being separated from friends and family, forced to fight through a gauntlet of monsters and humans alike, all for the sake of getting back home did stuff to people. Lnd was shrugging it off mostly, but Lucia still noticed absentee stares off to the distance or flinch-reacting to something with deadly intent. A gold coin could be dropped on the floor and his first reaction would be to grab at his magic in case of an attack. And while this instinct was good, it wasn¡¯t all the time. And learning it at such a young age led Lucia to sorrow. She had failed her son in more ways than one. From being rather hands off in histter teenage years to nearly getting herself killed in an ambush at Ruinsforth, her gut twisted when she looked at Lnd. It was her fault, hers and Spencer¡¯s. Not that she liked ming her husband for things, or at all, really. But he¡¯d had just as much say in Lnd¡¯s childhood as she had. Which made the guilt of failing so quickly at Ruinsforth all the more potent. At least he tried to interfere. He did seed, in a way, at least for a while, ultimately failing in the end, but he did interfere. He protected Jude and Glenny, and fought with the Pathways Witch the best he could. What had she done recently? Nothing, that was what. And that stung. For Lord¡¯s sake, Isobel was more of an authority figure in Lnd¡¯s eyes than his own mother! The Huntress! The woman who stalked her child for the better part of a year just because! Her! How could that be! How could Lucia have fallen so? A literal stalker was more protective of Lnd than his own mother. Pathetic, Lucia thought about herself, magic spinning to life at the tips of her fingers. The spell she cast was simple, a cantrip really, but actually not. Being a Legacy of Magic opened many pathways to power. She had started as a fire mage, opting to go the route of most for much of her young adult life. It wasn¡¯t until she met Spencer and truly started to understand what magic could be, that she started experimenting with lightning. Such was the way of a Magic Legacy, one of the most open ended and versatile Legacies out there. Any spell, any element, any time. All it took to change things around was ranking up and an idea of where you wanted to be. Lucia still remembered what she told the Lord of Magic during her third Dream Ceremony, the same ceremony Lnd and the others justpleted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be one of those weak mages,¡± A twenty something year old Lucia stated. ¡°I don¡¯t want to give any of my enemies a second to react to my spells. Lightning, I was thinking. But I want to be able to fly and I don¡¯t want to have to call in clouds and storms. Just¡± she snapped her fingers, ¡°boom! Dead monster!¡± The Lord of Magic, bless his heart, didn¡¯tugh at her. He had just nodded along and showed her the way, changing all of her Legacies spells to that of lightning. He sent her on her way not long after, and she hadn¡¯t looked back since. And while she didn¡¯t specialize in cantrips like some other mages, Lucia still knew plenty of tricks. One such being the spell she currently was casting. A small pulse of electricity, enough to feel around but not enough to alert anyone to her magic. A sufficiently perceptive mage might notice them, but not really anyone else. Mana sense was a terribly hard thing to master, after all. The pulse rippled through the inn the group was staying in, passing through walls and open air. Sensory information came back to her, all which checked out to be okay. Sure, she would have preferred if the man sleeping in an upstairs room was a bit more dressed and that the woman passed out drunk in the gutter next door wasn¡¯t still holding onto a half-full bottle, but she digressed. There weren''t any threats, and that¡¯s all that mattered right now. They were, after all, well within enemy territory right now. Ivory Reach. The Palemarrow Kingdom¡¯s capital. Home of the Queen, and all that epassed. The city itself was interesting. Built inyers within the giant remains of a fallen no-named Lord, bones could be seen from every street. Ribs were made into bridges, knuckles into prisons, the spine served as a main street of sorts. The city was massive, which in multiple ways, was a detriment. The Sightless Cult, the very same killers that the boys had already faced off against, were around. And that meant vengeance for their Sightless King, at least if Lnd¡¯s theory was to be believed. Twice he had foiled the beast¡¯s ns, once more and he was likely to fully seed. The rule of threes, a superstition around these parts, but one that Lucia had seen more than once herself. Strange how life worked out like that sometimes. A portal opened upstairs in one of the rooms they had rented. Through her pulsing magic, Lucia found Diana slightly hunched over, her shoulders slumped. She wasn¡¯t holding that axe she spoke of, which meant her n had failed. Hopefully the others had better luck. ¡°Two meads,¡± Lucia said to the bartender. ¡°And a small cup of honey, please.¡± The man nodded and started moving mugs around, but she had already returned to her thoughts. Idly, with a split mind, she listened to the boys quietly discussing their Legacy evolutions. ¡°I chose the general ability upgrade again,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Briefly I spoke to the Chameleon Lord about adaptation, but the dang lizard was rather pushy about getting me out of his domain. Kept saying the flies were going to fly away soon and he needed to eat this decade¡­¡± ¡°Well what did he say about adaptation?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°He already gave you a shard of information.¡± ¡°I asked about some rifications. What things truly meant, you know? Then I asked about an adaptation-focused Legacy upgrade. There isn¡¯t one, which was surprising to me. He wouldn¡¯t tell me why, so.¡± Glenny finished his statement with a shrug. ¡°Weird.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Well what about upgrades?¡± Glenny gave a half smile. ¡°I was a bit disappointed, to be honest. Everyone talks about how the apprentice rank is where Legacies start to get power. And well, I¡¯m not feeling it.¡± Lnd snapped his fingers. ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking!¡± Jude snorted. ¡°You two are thinking about this wrong. Apprentice is when you get powerful, but not because of your Legacy.¡± He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. ¡°Well, actually, it is because of your Legacy. Ah, confusing. Bah, what I¡¯m trying to say, is that it''s when we as people be stronger. Not that our Legacies be stronger.¡± The others gave him skeptical looks. ¡°Have you two really not noticed?¡± He smiled to himself. ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t. Neither of you are as perceptive as me, nor as cunning.¡± Neither were impressed. Jude looked hurt. ¡°Hey now¡­¡± ¡°Can you just get on with your point?¡± He nodded. ¡°Fine, fine. I noticed right away. I¡¯m much, much stronger than before the Legacy rank-up. Faster too. Perceptive as well. Maybe even more handsome.¡± Glenny wasn¡¯t biting. Lnd, however, started to slowly nod along. ¡°Now that you mention it, when I was talking to the Lord of Souls, he grabbed my arm and did some soul damage to me¡ª¡± From across the room Lucia jolted in her seat, bashing the table from the underside with her knee. She quietly cursed to herself, using her shirt to mop up the liquid. The boys didn¡¯t notice, or rather, they didn¡¯t care. Jude did take a second to look at his mom when she exited the upstairs suite and walked down the stairs. She gave him a brisk shake of the head, ¡°no.¡± He frowned, returning to the conversation. ¡°A Lord hurt you? I thought they couldn¡¯t?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°I did too. But soul magic is weird. I did use my pain and suffering as a pivoting point in our conversation. Steered it where I wanted, sort of thing.¡± ¡°Ah, look at our little maniptor,¡± Jude cooed. Lnd threw a peanut at him. ¡°Anyway, what I was getting at is that if I wasn¡¯t an apprentice, I think I would have crumbled into a crying mess from the pain. I didn¡¯t notice it until Jude mentioned he was stronger, but I think that¡¯s what it was.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Glenny said, swaying a bit. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound¡ª¡± ¡°Hey mom?¡± Jude abruptly yelled, causing the few eyes in the inn to look over. ¡°Are apprentices much stronger than the previous ranks? I think I¡¯m a lot stronger.¡± Diana, to her credit, looked guilty. ¡°Yeah? Didn¡¯t we teach you that when you were younger?¡± ¡°No?¡± Jude retorted back. ¡°Oh. Well, yeah.¡± Lucia took a second from cleaning her mess to say, ¡°You knew that Lnd.¡± ¡°No I didn¡¯t?¡± Lnd replied. ¡°Sure you did. I remember the day when your father and I told you. We were talking about all the different branches of magic you could take and how after a while they grew sort of exponentially in power.¡± Lnd scratched his head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound familiar.¡± ¡°Ah, well, you were young¡­¡± Lucia said, feeling defeated yet again. At her trailing off, Jude returned the conversation to their table. ¡°Anyway, I took the Legacy upgrade that specializes in rage.¡± Both Lnd and Glenny gave him appraising looks. ¡°I thought you were being cautious of rage.¡± ¡°Oh I am. But the Berserker Lord gave me this really powerful wine and we got to talking and¡­ wellllllll, he convinced me to just ept the rage into my heart. Throw myself into the fire and walk out reforged, sort of thing.¡± Diana face-palmed across the room. ¡°But weren¡¯t you worried about¡ª¡± ¡°That, my dear Leals, is a thing of the past.¡± Jude fished out his harmonica from his pocket. ¡°You see, he also gave me some pointers on true rage. And I¡¯m not so worried anymore.¡± Diana muttered something to Lucia. ¡°Well okay¡­¡± Lnd quietly said. ¡°I upgraded my contracts again. I was disappointed at first, like I said. But now, I don¡¯t think I am. Pacts seem powerful, as well as the whole ¡®exponential power¡¯ thing. I can¡¯t say I like how if I break a pact then I die, though I did get a sweet ne out of it.¡± Lucia¡¯s knee hit the underside of the table again, spilling her drink¡­ again. The bartender was not impressed. Jude reached over, peeling Lnd¡¯s shirt cor down a bit. ¡°Oh that is sweet!¡± ¡°Just wait until you see its actual form.¡± Chapter 206: An Invitation Chapter 206: An Invitation An hourter, a portal opened upstairs in themunal room. Stepping out and stretching his back, Roy stepped through, wobbling slightly. He took a deep breath in, like he was trying to pick up a scent like a bloodhound, then burped. He quickly went downstairs, joining his wife and Lucia at the adults¡¯ table. ¡°No Ray?¡± Lucia asked. Roy shook his head. ¡°Little brother is doing his own thing at the guild. He¡¯s right where he needs to be, in all honesty, organizing and creating moral support. He gives us his best, though.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s sweet of him. He needs toe around more, especially now that Jude can drink.¡± Diana said before her eyes turned warm. ¡°Remember that one time out in Flyn?¡± ¡°How could I?¡± Roy retorted. ¡°I drank so much everything about that mission is just a blur.¡± Sheughed. ¡°Ray drew on your face with a quill! Good times, good times.¡± Roy muttered something before shifting the conversation. ¡°No Skysplitter?¡± ¡°No,¡± Diana said, shaking her head. ¡°Master wouldn¡¯t let me have it, even after exining the situation.¡± ¡°Probably for the best.¡±¡°So no Skysplitter and no Ray,¡± Lucia said, summarizing everything. ¡°Let¡¯s hope Carmon and Spencer have something.¡± ¡°And Isobel,¡± Diana reminded. Lucia made a face. ¡°Her n was already the most out there. I¡¯m not going to hold my breath for it.¡± The three old friends ordered a round of drinks, watching the boys y a card game. As expected, Glenny was cheating, but since both Jude and Lnd didn¡¯t notice, they let the game continue on. ¡°Like father like son,¡± Roy said, eying the card sticking in Glenny¡¯s sleeve. ¡°It was Annie that cheated, not Carmon,¡± Lucia said quietly, her voice touching upon a sting of sorrow long remembered. ¡°Carmon cheated too, he just wasn¡¯t very good at it¡ª¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Jude called loudly from their table in the corner. ¡°Is that a card in your sleeve!? Glenny!?¡± Diana snorted. ¡°Like father, like son, literally.¡± Soon the boys devolved into a fit of arguments and name calling. The card game had soured, and since none of them had drank enough to instantly forget, the insults continued until the parents stepped in. ¡°All right, all right,¡± Roy firmly said. ¡°Glenny cheated, we all saw it. No need to throw a fit about it.¡± ¡°But he¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s part of who he is. The rogue always cheats. Figure this out now before you lose friends over it.¡± Jude and Lnd grumbled something as Glenny looked smug. ¡°See guys,¡± he said, ¡°I can¡¯t help myself. It¡¯s part of who I am.¡± That roused Lnd and Jude to another round of insults. They continued until the parents gave up, eventually turning insulting each other into a game in and of itself. Who could think of the most exaggerated over the topment won, which just so happened to be from Jude to Lnd: ¡°Your breath stinks so bad that after kissing you for the first time, your girlfriend went and put herself in aa!¡± Glenny had burst outughing, the parents all went wide eyed, and Lnd went quiet. A beat passed, then heughed as well. ¡°At least I have a girlfriend,¡± he quickly replied, receiving an ¡°ooo¡± from Glenny. The moment was stopped cold when Lucia asked, ¡°Are you sure that she¡¯s your girlfriend? You don¡¯t want to make assumptions and rush things.¡± Lnd¡¯s face turned red and he turned away. Luckily for him, a portal opened upstairs and Carmon walked through holding a box. Not even five secondster, another portal opened and Spencer and an elderly man stepped through. A brief exchange of words happened between all three of them, then they made their way downstairs. ¡°Ah, good. Everyone is already together,¡± Spencer said, gesturing to the old man. ¡°Everyone, this is Sam. Sam, everyone.¡± The man fiddled with his fingers, picking at the skin around his nails. His eyes flicked from one person to another, hesitating for a moment on Lnd. ¡°He looks like you,¡± Sam muttered. ¡°Hmm? Oh yeah. That¡¯s Lnd, my son.¡± Sam¡¯s head jerked down and everyone else¡¯s face twisted. Spencer exined. ¡°Sam has¡­ crippling social anxiety¡ª¡± ¡°Not true!¡± the man quickly interjected. ¡°I just don¡¯t like being outside my workshop. I can talk to others just fine.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Spencer cleared his throat. ¡°Sam is a homebody.¡± ¡°Yes that sounds urate.¡± He looked at the group. ¡°Apologies.¡± Lucia raised her chin, looking at Sam from a different angle. ¡°No need to apologize¡­ are you the artificer?¡± ¡°Indeed I am. Legacy of the Workshop, at your service.¡± Lnd made a mental note, he hadn¡¯t heard of that Lord before. ¡°Well good. When Spencer said he was going to contact an old informant, I figured you¡¯d be a bit more¡­ more¡­¡± ¡°Criminal?¡± Sam supplied. Lucia nodded. ¡°You blow up one street one time and people start making assumptions.¡± Spencer¡¯s eyes went wide. So did everyone else¡¯s. Sam scratched his head. ¡°Ah, that was a joke.¡± He paused. ¡°Well it¡¯s not, actually. But I meant it to be humorous.¡± To the side, Jude whispered too loudly, ¡°I think there¡¯s some social awkwardness in this guy as well as being a homebody.¡± Spencer turned to the side so that his mouth was only facing Sam. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to speak of destroying the street?¡± Sam forced his head to creek over. ¡°It just came out.¡± ¡°Uh huh. Well, don¡¯t worry about it. You are in goodpany.¡± Spencer then patted Carmon on the back. ¡°What¡¯s in the box?¡± Carmon, who still held the box, slowly put it down. ¡°Fresh from the Consortium.¡± He flicked it open, revealing two rows of vials. Each identical to thest, the vials shimmered with red crimson, each protected by a steel housing and ivory cork. A misting of mana washed from the potions, imbuing the air with the feeling of cozy warmth. Sam¡¯s eyes went widest. ¡°Are those¡ª?¡± ¡°Eight of Grand Alchemist Tyson¡¯s superb healing potions,¡± Carmon said. ¡°How!? That man¡¯s work has reservations ten years out!¡± ¡°These were stolen.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Sam¡¯s expression crinkled. Lucia spoke up, ¡°Is that all you got?¡± Spencer said quietly, ¡°No, but I don¡¯t want to set the other things out in the open. I¡¯ve got them in my ring.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± Diana asked. ¡°All but Tears of a Wandering Life.¡± ¡°Ah. Well, that one was always a stretch. Good job.¡± ¡°Tears of a Wandering life?¡± Sam asked, his voice teetering on disbelief and rm. ¡°There is only one use for¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Carmon interrupted. ¡°Can you be quiet for a minute? We are trying to finalize our ns.¡± Spencer started talking before the old artificer could retort, ¡°Did you get enough for two people?¡± ¡°Yes, but the crucible I bought doesn¡¯t have the capacity to make two doses at once. Apparently they don¡¯t really make crucibles that specialized.¡± ¡°Impersonation potions aren¡¯t something people make very often,¡± Lucia added. ¡°But without the tears, are we still going that route? The illusion is going to be seen through.¡± ¡°I also got everything for the backup n. Metal of the Money King, Alloy Snakeskin, Sin Ore.¡± Sam gasped. No one else did. The boys gave him strange looks and whispered among themselves. ¡°And we¡¯ve got the artificer to forge them,¡± Spencer said calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s get working on both anyways. We¡¯ll decide when Isobel gets back. Anyone heard from her?¡± As if fate heard him, the door of the inn opened. The bartender called out to the neers, ¡°Wee! I need to see identification before letting you in. There¡¯s some cult business in the city or somethin¡ª¡± The man¡¯s words died in his throat like his lungs were half full of water. He crumbled to his knees just as a portal opened below him. It swallowed him, snapping closed behind him. Sixty more portals then opened, littering the inn¡¯smon room with dark circles and the hum of tensioned magic. Beside Spencer, Lucia crackled with lightning, Roy¡¯s skin turned to iron, Diana¡¯s blood began to pump, and Carmon slipped into the shadows, moving to nk. ¡°Now what do we have here?¡± a voice called, each word dripping with palpable water. ¡°Is that any way to salute amanding officer?¡± With measured grace, High Inquisitor Rushin, the Tide Maker, strolled in. Physically the man was unremarkable, yet his presence carried the weight of a thousand shipwrecks and millions of deaths at sea. A wraith given human form, a tsunami with a name, an old man harboring enough power to deter an armada. One step behind him was a woman who turned dark baggy eyes into a fashion statement. She wore ratty old clothes, a borrowed cloak that was neitherfortable nor a proper fit. Her steps were oddly confident, despite following closely being such a powerful presence. The Huntress was what she was called, though she had recently abandoned the name for her the one those close to her knew her by: Isobel. Rushwin scanned the inn. Various portals beside those ready for attack had opened and moved the innocent bystanders away, so his gaze only fell upon his Inquisitors, their children, and an old man. He wasn¡¯t expecting the old man, but judging from his tattoo of a house, he figured the man was no threat. Legacy of the Workshop if he wasn¡¯t mistaken. Idly he looked at everyone else¡¯s tattoos, even if they were covered or if their hands were held out of sight. Legacy of the Berserker, Bastion, another Berserker, de Dancer, Chameleon, Magic, Magic, and¡­ he didn¡¯t know that one. Legacy of the Crow, perhaps? Not that a Lord¡¯s emblem always identified exactly with what they were known for. Ah, a connection solidified in his mind. ¡°You must be Lnd Silver, the Harbinger.¡± Rushwin ignored the gawking old man a few steps from the boy and continued his little speech. ¡°Isobel here is ready to stake her life on your alignment. Tell me, why should I not kill you where you stand?¡± Lnd nced at his friends and family around him. Each was tense and brimming, ready to strike. Yet he didn¡¯t feel it. He stood, making the movement slower and more controlled than he probably needed. As he did, a few avenues of thought sprouted in his mind. Carefully he went over each, until he realized what he was doing and stopped. He was tired of this game. The oh I¡¯m so powerful, bow to me game. Isobel had done it when they first met, the Toy Maker had as well, up until he died. Ashford too. Many of the Lords he had spoken to, though they deserved respect. Honestly Lnd was sick of it. He could stand up to an ignorant Lord, why couldn¡¯t he stand up to an old man? The Lord of Souls had hurt him more in just a rough touch than this man could ever, even with the crushing pressure the man exerted. He nced at his friends and family once again. They were tense, far tenser than they should be, Lnd thought. The man¡¯s presence wasn¡¯t that bad. Strong, sure, but he¡¯d fought and killed stronger. Mind made up, pages shuffled to life as Lnd summoned his grimoire. Briefly he thought he could hear Lodestarughing, but when his thoughts flicked to the sound it disappeared. He ignored that, focusing on his contracts. With a press of his palm, the inn shifted a few shades darker. Violet fused and formed, rushing to Lnd¡¯s head like a flock of sheep at a shepherd¡¯s call. The contract he chose was one he hardly utilized, yet it was one that had proven its staying power multiple times over. Anger, resentment, defiance. Fear. No, not fear but rather, instilling fear. He called upon the contract with the Lord of Spirits, ushering in emotions branded with Lordly might. He wasn¡¯t afraid of this man, yet he pushed and poured everything into making him afraid. Dread, the feeling of drowning, the knowing that whatever you do, you will fail, all of it. Soon Lnd projected the same aura of pressure that the man did, yet solely focused on a single person. ¡°I¡¯m getting really tired of people asking me that. Especially people I don¡¯t know,¡± Lnd finally replied. ¡°I think it¡¯s time I start asking instead.¡± He paused for but a moment, yet it stretched for what felt like an eternity. ¡°So, tell me, why should I not kill you where you stand?¡± Chapter 207: Rushwin Chapter 207: Rushwin ¡°So, tell me, why should I not kill you where you stand?¡± Rushwin¡¯s face was a mask, his emotions hidden underyers of experience. For most of his life, he had been an Inquisitor, even bing a High Inquisitor in hister years. During all of that, he had killed, fought, and defended against some of the most heinous criminals the world had ever seen. The type of people that would make dainty women faint and gave children lifelong traumas. Lnd, the young man standing before him, was nowhere near the worst of these criminals. He didn¡¯t even breach the top one hundred. A thousand, even. A Harbinger, yes, but one whose crime was so underdeveloped, many reports about his actions directly contradicted others. And yet, standing in the inn¡¯s door frame watching the young man, Rushwin felt something he hadn¡¯t in years. Authority? Fear? Dread? Rushwin wasn¡¯t sure if the feelings were even real. They were palpable, thick in the air the same way his own crushing aura resonated, yet they were hollow. Like the young man didn¡¯t actually want to fight, like he was trying to bluff all the while holding the winning hand. The feeling made Rushwin¡¯s jaw hitch slightly. He nced around the room, his eyes lingering on the very adults he had once employed. Inquisitors, former Inquisitors really, understood and knew battle. They, like Rushwin, had fought and killed criminals like it was their job. Which, despite what most thought, wasn¡¯t what the Inquisitors were about. Investigation and reconnaissance, that was their mission statement, not government sanctioned murder. It was a shame the current iteration of the Inquisitors were so well versed in the horrors of life, it wasn¡¯t like that when Rushwin joined. There was a time when he liked helping people. That was what he strived for, helping rather than punishing. Rushwin didn¡¯t know the Silvers, Browns, and Carmon Red all that well. He¡¯d met each of them in passing, but he was never fully stationed in the capital like they were. Sure, he had a house there and liked to stop by the training academy, but the job came first and that often meant traveling. So when Rushwin couldn¡¯t understand why the former Inquisitors before him turned coat and became traitors, he knew he had to rectify that notion. Even Isobel, the Huntress, turned against the crown. The parents? Parents often did stupid things for their children, which made their betrayal at least somewhat understandable. But the Huntress? She was thest person he expected to turn.Color him surprised that she showed up at his house one afternoon. Color him doubly surprised when she still put her lot in with the young Harbinger. Color him triply surprised when she swore on her dead daughter¡¯s soul that the young Harbinger was innocent and a good kid. Yet all of that surprise disintegrated at Lnd¡¯s question. Quickly Rushwin nced back at Isobel. Her face was hardened into a mask, just like he taught her, yet it was weak. He saw through it. Worry, not for herself or for the boy, but worry for him. For her mentor, for her former High Inquisitor, for the only person she had ever deemed worthy of friendship after her tragic history. ¡°You think you can kill me? Do you even know who I am?¡± Rushwin found himself asking. Lnd answered instantly, almost like he was expecting the question. ¡°Nope. But since you came here with Isobel, I assume you were the owner of the house she was trying to break into. In other words, you were her n B.¡± Rushwin heard Isobel curse under her breath. Was that really all he was to her? n B? Breaking into his home was her first n? Noting to him directly and pleading her case? That hurt. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself.¡± He pushed his shoulder out, allowing the emblem of the High Inquisitor to shine front and center. ¡°High Inquisitor Rushwin¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°And I¡¯m Harbinger Lnd Silver, the Son of the Cmity, or something like that. Never learned my title, quite frankly.¡± Licking the back of his teeth, Rushwin studied the young man. ¡°Son of the Cmity.¡± The title hung at the front of his mind, like antern in the night. There was more to that, he knew. Years of investigating told him that that clue alone was well and away more important than the title of ¡°Harbinger.¡± Yet, it meant nothing to him. That meant two things. One, it could bepletely made up or given by someone whocks actual title-giving power. Or two, the title meant something far more niche than he could currently conceive. ¡°Son of¡± implied there was an actual ¡°Cmity,¡± which proved Lnd Silver was the disciple of someone of substance. That, or his father or mother¡¯s title is ¡°Cmity,¡± which didn¡¯t match any of his information. Could killing him here and now bring the wrath of the ¡°Cmity¡± on him? Or more importantly, on the Palemarrow Kingdom? Rushwin took the moment to respond, again studying the faces of everyone present. The young man¡¯s parents looked the most worried, though the other parents held different levels of confusion. The title, he supposed, they recognized it just as much as he did. Isobel¡¯s mask tightened, making her a waste of time to try and read. The other young men, however, were open books. Each brimmed with pride, their friend bathing in the glory of outspeaking a High Inquisitor. Young men these days show no fear, huh, he thought. ¡°So you know who I am, and now I know who you are. The rumors are true, Harbinger.¡± Rushwin intentionally spat thest word, hoping to find a weakness or point of irritation. Lnd, however, ignored thement, maybe even the two sentences all together. ¡°Anyone know which Lord he belongs to?¡± the young man asked, causing a ripple of unease through the group. Rushwin didn¡¯t allow it to show, but the question unnerved him. Mixed with the dreadful violet halo hovering about Lnd¡¯s head and whish of an aura he hosted, Rushwin found no sce in wondering what knowing his Lord could present. ¡°Lord of the Drowning Man,¡± Isobel supplied all too quickly. ¡°Okay,¡± Lnd said. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Then power razed through his body, enough to permeate the air butcking in all ways important. Rushwin watched carefully, expecting some grandiose attack or spell work. Instead the magic that flowed through his body fizzed and dissipated, turning into nothing of the sort. ¡°Lord of the Drowning Man, I humbly wish to create a contract with you.¡± It was whispered, barely audible even to a man of power such as Rushwin. He watched the magic fully fade then flicker, a rekindling of sorts. He blinked, finding Lnd suddenly changed in posture and tune. Gone was the young man¡¯s halo, gone was the aura of dread and enmity. Present was a new man, one that looked as though he had seen the world. Just when did the change ur? He was watching the entire time¡ª ¡°I hold a message from the Drowning Lord,¡± Lnd then said. Rushwin didn¡¯t allow anything to slip past his mask, though a certain level of doubt now reached his mind. An image was forming, one that held Lnd Silver in the light of madness. No one could just ¡°hold a message from a Lord¡± like that. Unheard of. Preposterous. Deluded. ¡°¡¯Rushwin Chapman.¡¯¡± Rushwin halted, Lnd¡¯s tone like an icepick. Lnd continued, ¡°¡¯Leave the boy alone or I will be very displeased. He¡¯s one of the good ones.¡¯¡± He then scratched the back of his head. ¡°Not much of a message¡­ though he did give me this¡ª" This time Rushwin¡¯s mask did break. He looked around like everyone here were deluded fools. That! That was what they were banking on? A few words¡ª Despite his internal thoughts bounding around his mind, Rushwin was still paying attention to Lnd Silver. He watched the young man touch upon his grimoire, summoning a power that was very familiar. The dreadful halo made a reappearance, though this time it simply was. No emotional aura radiated from its constitution, it simply hovered above his head. The same could not be said about the magic currently swirling around Lnd¡¯s hands. Water, more specifically, dead water. The water the Drowning Lordid im over, the very water Rushwin and all other Drowning Legacies had stake in. But now Lnd Silver, Legacy emblem of a crow or some other bird, had ess to. ¡°Impossible,¡± the word slipped out before Rushwin realized what he was saying. Lnd smirked like a fisherman casting a line at sunset. ¡°The spell is called ¡®Drowning Touch.¡¯¡± He looked around at his friends. ¡°Any guesses on what it does?¡± ¡°Uh, fills someone¡¯s lungs with water?¡± one of the other young men supplied. Rushwin was too upied to pay attention to which one spoke. ¡°You¡¯d think that,¡± Lnd said. ¡°But the way the Drowned Lord exined it to me, is that there is actually death magic imbued into the water. It only makes you feel like you are drowning until you go into shock or something.¡± He shuddered. ¡°Death magic is scary... and weak, all things considered.¡± Rushin turned on Isobel. ¡°What is this?¡± he demanded. Isobel held her arms crossed. She took a deep breath. ¡°Just another toy for him to fight with.¡± Knowing the answer was not enough, she added, ¡°Think of the message your Lord gave him. It¡¯s hard to believe, but he can speak to other Lords. It¡¯s part of his Harbinger power.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Isobel nodded. ¡°He does quests for them or brings them gifts. As I understand it, most of the Lords like him. At least, that was the impression I got from the Lord of Erupting Skies¡¯ Champion.¡± Rushwin¡¯s eyes darted back and forth. ¡°What? Don¡¯t believe her?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Here, watch this.¡± The grimoire floating in front of him flipped pages. He pressed his palm into the page. ¡°This one is with the Lord of Nature. Called Healing Touch, recognize it?¡± Rushwin watched the young man¡¯s finger glow natural green, the memory of a certain Legacy of Nature healer he once knewing to him. He recognized the spell as well, having been healed by its power dozens of times over. ¡°Had to help the Lord of Nature¡¯s Champion clear a monster nest so she could dismantle a Light Architect¡¯s Lighthouse. Jude and Glenny helped with that one.¡± The page flipped again. ¡°This one is from the Seraph Lord.¡± Four pure white wings ripped through the back of his shirt, fluttering to life like a butterflying out of its cocoon. ¡°I¡¯m still in the process ofpleting her requirements. I have to help lost souls move on,¡± Lnd said, the page flipping again. ¡°This one is with the Lord of Space. I had to tell some soldiers about a worm hole in their basement.¡± He flickered slightly, space around him bending in unnatural, magical ways. Rushwin¡¯s frown couldn¡¯t grow anyrger. This was¡­ unbelievable, yet worthless. He put his mask back on, tightening his posture. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough. While you certainly have¡­ im to the title of Harbinger, you still have not shown me why I should not kill you. Being a Harbinger is illegal if you didn¡¯t know.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes. ¡°I did know, actually. There is a long list of Lords that are illegal to be Legacies to. Yet, my Lord is not part of that list.¡± Rushwin brushed off thement. ¡°A lie.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± His brow twitched. ¡°That list was created by the Champions of the Palemarrow Kingdom themselves. Lords wrote the list, through their Champions, so that we might protect ourselves from the Vile ones.¡± All magic ceased around Lnd. He gave the High Inquisitor a look. ¡°You do realize the Lord didn¡¯t give you a list of every single ¡®Vile¡¯ Lord right? Because if they had, my Lord would have been on the list.¡± ¡°Be that as it may¡ª¡± ¡°In fact, I suspect the reason they didn¡¯t give you my Lord¡¯s name is that none of them actually consider her a ¡®Vile¡¯ Lord. There¡¯s a lot that goes into that title, it is not just a simple checklist.¡± Rushwin paused. ¡°Regardless, thew states¡ª¡± ¡°That if one¡¯s Lord is on the list, then they have an illegal Lord,¡± Lucia Silver said. ¡°Lnd¡¯s doing nothing wrong. Aunty P gave incorrect orders to kill him under a highly stressful situation. We, Lnd included, are nothing if not allies to the Palemarrow Kingdom. Titles or not.¡± Rushwin shook his head. ¡°Thew is there to protect us against evil. It does not list every single evil out there, most are implied. But I digress. Lnd Silver¡¯s Lord will be added to the list as soon as I return to my office, I shall see to that.¡± Lnd coughed once, bringing the attention back to him. ¡°I have onest thing from the Drowning Lord. He told me not to say it unless you were still being difficult after all of this.¡± Mentally chuckling to himself, Rushwin said, ¡°Fine, what is this deluded message ¡®my Lord¡¯ has given you.¡± ¡°He told me to remind you of someone named ¡®Macy Nomak.¡¯¡± Like a bomb in the moments just after it went off, Rushin burst with power. The room instantly became wet, dead water droplets filling any and all avable surface area. Around him, everyone crumbled, all except Lnd, despite the power being solely focused on the young man. Rushwin paid that no mind, instead stepping closer. ¡°How do you know that name?¡± he seethed, bitterness misting from his lips. Lnd looked around. ¡°We just went over this death magic thing. Can we stop posturing? We are on the same side here.¡± Rushwin hitched, noting that his aura of death had no effect on the young man. ¡°What is this?¡± He struggled. ¡°Death magic has nothing on soul magic. I shrugged off the Lord of Souls squeezing my soul, I can shrug this off.¡± Again Lnd looked around, his own mask of confidence slipping at the sight of his friends doubled over, their hands on their necks. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop in the next three seconds, I¡¯m going to contact the Lord of Death and hand over my entire life for instant-kill magic.¡± Rushwin¡¯s power subsided. Jude and Glenny breathed again. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lnd said, breathing easy. ¡°Now to answer your question. I don¡¯t know who that is, nor do I really want to. The Lord of the Drowning Man said the name was to be uttered only as ast ditch-effort. That you might cry a little when¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Lnd did, in the meantime he tapped each of his friends and family, healing what damage he could with the Nature Lord¡¯s power. Rushwin watched this happen, though his mind was elsewhere on a memory long repressed. His first memory as an Inquisitor, his first sessful arrest and execution as a justice wielding guardian of the innocent. If only he didn¡¯t miss that evidence that absolved Macy Nomak of any wrongdoing. An innocent life he took that day, yet that wasn¡¯t what kept him up at night. It was that he never reported his error. It was that, as a High Inquisitor, he buried the truth about his own mistake. That his ¡°justice¡± was tainted. ¡°Look, High Inquisitor Rushwin,¡± Lnd said, tired, ¡°when Sybil wakes from her magic, she will exin that Isobel and I fought tooth and nail to get her back here. We protected her and nearly died fighting against the very cult raiding this city right now. I don¡¯t know how else I can say it, so I will say it as clearly as I can.¡± Lnd waited until he had Rushwin¡¯s full attention. ¡°I am not your enemy. I am just a boy who was given a different path in life, a path that is supposed to push me to greater heights than my parents. That was why I epted my Legacy because I wanted to impress them one day. I have never had ill thoughts about this kingdom or Sybil or any of the other royals. I have never colluded with a Harbinger, only fought them, even killing one. My Lord killed the Toy Maker, by the way. You can cross that name off your list.¡± He paused, getting back on track. ¡°There is nothing I want more in the world right now than to rid the city of threats to make sure Sybil wakes up to smiles and rainbows. She¡¯s going to be changed, somewhat, when she does finally wake up, and I hope to be there when she realizes she lost her mother and has to lead the kingdom. I get the feeling that it is going to be a tough transition for her. I am not your enemy, far from it, in fact.¡± Rushwin stared at the young man, finding no lie nor half-truth. Just genuine words, each said with a passion and willingness to walk forward despite what naysayers might whisper. It was then that Isobel stepped forward and said, ¡°Sybil did kiss Lnd just before he teleported her from the clutches of two evil cults halfway across the world and stranding himself in the Archon Valley rather than using that same magic to teleport himself to safety.¡± Then quieter, she said, ¡°Please, Rushwin. Give him a chance.¡± Chapter 208: Madness Chapter 208: Madness While Rushwin teed off against Lnd, a fog began to roll through the warehouse district of Ivory Reach. Starting slowly and pouring from the sewer system, the fog slowly ballooned until it fully consumed any and all. Buildings, streets, people, none went unmolested especially when hundreds of glowing red eyes peered through the mist. They moved like drone bees following their queen¡¯smand, marching down the streets and ending the lives of any and all they came across. They broke down the doors of houses and inns, slicing the throats of the innocent while ambushing the powerful. Guard patrols acted where they could, but the might of primordial magic outweighed that of steel. Pillowing orange flumes ate away at the fog in key locations, warehouses burning to a crisp as the food reserves zed away. Red eyes could be seen around the mes, but they vacated as quickly as it took the heat and ash to spread. Luckily, the fog only inconvenienced sight, not the soul of the city. Soon multiple toons of guards and dozens of Inquisitors were dispatched to the warehouse district, quickly ending the cultist threat. Multiple of the city¡¯s defendersmented on how easy the battles had been. The cultists, while wielding powerful magic, were all but useless when it came down to it. Based on the tattoos on the deads¡¯ hands, most weremon citizens. Legacy of the Grand Baker, Legacy of the Brewmaster, Legacy of the Laborer, Legacy of Stables, Legacy of the Smith ¨C the nobative Legacies. The Inquisitors quickly sent their reports to theirmanding officer who then sent their reports to the castle. Eventually pages of notes and battle strategy rested neatly in Aunty P¡¯s hand. She ground her teeth for a long moment. ¡°Gather the High Inquisitors and guard Captains,¡± she said to an attendant. ¡°Would you like to take a seat, Rushwin?¡± Spencer asked, already having rearranged the chairs to apany theirrge group. Before the Head Inquisitor could respond, Sam, the old Legacy of the Workshop sputtered out a string of words, ¡°What¡ª How does! What is this!¡± Spencer coughed, then sighed. ¡°Sam, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need your services any longer. Consider your favor paid.¡± A portal opened beside Sam but he continued to sputter out partial sentences. Spencer gently pushed him through. ¡°Not one of yours?¡± Rushwin asked. ¡°Not so much. Just a contact for a n that has now been canceled.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Isobel took a seat, prompting Rushwin to as well. Jude pushed a small bowl forward. ¡°Peanuts?¡± Rushwin took the bowl, popping one into his mouth. ¡°What is the end goal here?¡± Lnd answered, ¡°To clear our names. To make sure Sybil is safe.¡± ¡°She is very safe.¡± ¡°Not when Ashford is around.¡± ¡°What do you know about Ashford?¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°Not much. You and the adults here probably know more.¡± ¡°I somehow doubt that,¡± Rushwin said, eating another nut. ¡°Especially if what you say about meeting Lords is true. My guess is that you know plenty about the Undying Harbinger.¡± Again, Lnd shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t make it a point to keep thepany of Harbingers. I didn¡¯t even know his name until just a few weeks ago. I do know some things about the Witch who follows him.¡± ¡°Oh? Do tell.¡± ¡°Her name is Charlotte Hansley, Legacy of Pathways. The Lord of Pathways made a contract with me. I am to kill her if I ever meet her, which I expect to by the time I leave Ivory Reach.¡± Rushwin didn¡¯t miss the unease Spencer and Lucia suddenly had at this announcement. He suspected they didn¡¯t fully know the ins and outs of their son¡¯s abilities. ¡°That is interesting, but not that helpful. Anything else?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Spencer chose to speak up. ¡°I am not worried about her.¡± Rushwin raised an eyebrow. ¡°I fought her in Ruinsforth. She got the better of me there, but that will not be the case in the capital. I helped build most of the city¡¯s spatial defenses, I know how to lead her into traps.¡± The High Inquisitor hummed. ¡°No. You will do no such thing. I do not trust you.¡± He held up a hand, stopping the outrage. ¡°But I may, trust you. If you, Lucia, Lnd, and Isobel consent to a divination scan.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Isobel said almost instantly. Lucia and Spencer were a bit more hesitant. Lnd, however, asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Part of my Legacy. Inquisitors, as part of their employment, have to submit to my power whenever I deem it necessary. But since none of you currently are Inquisitors, I am forced to ask.¡± ¡°Forced?¡± ¡°And I thought you spoke to my Lord.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Lnd said with a bit of a huff. ¡°Want me to describe him? Dripping wet long hair that clung to his skin like poisoned veins. He had a pet starfish named Olive that lived around his neck. Happy?¡± Not letting his mask slip, Rushwin didn¡¯t show his surprise at the nonchnt identification of his Lord. After everything Lnd had said to prove his case, knowing about the starfish would have been trivial. But it wasn¡¯t, because Rushwin didn¡¯t even know its name. The young man had actually had a conversation with the Drowning Lord and didn¡¯t just grovel at his feet like most Legacies when they meet their Lords. ¡°I don¡¯t think starfish would be very good pets,¡± Jude said. ¡°Like what do they even do?¡± Lnd nodded in agreement. ¡°The Drowning Lord tried to get Olive to do a trick, but she wouldn¡¯t.¡± Rushwin paled. Isobel noticed, leaned over and whispered, ¡°You get used to it. And you can scan me whenever you want.¡± Stiffening his spine and calling on his magic, Rushwin¡¯s blue eyes turned into infinite oceans. His skin slightly glowed, power coursing through his veins and bones, pulling at the ethereal all the while mixing with the past. He twitched, his mind connecting to what was once seen. ¡°Ruinsforth,¡± Rushwin whispered, reliving Isobel¡¯s memories. To him, the spell took the form of a long river. Bits and pieces of truth appeared like driftwood or swimming fish, each bringing forth packets of information for him to understand and study. ¡°You were bored. My punishment for you for previously hiding Lnd, to work as a team and protect the princess.¡± Lnd nced over at Isobel and smirked. She growled quietly. Rushwin continued. ¡°Not much happened, not until the attack. You watched, waited. Learned your enemy¡¯s attacks and defenses. You protected one of the boys, pulling him out of harm''s way. You felt guilty for all the deaths.¡± He twitched. ¡°Then, an order. To kill Lnd Silver. You disobeyed. You moved to protect him, and in turn got swept up and teleported.¡± Lucia and Spencer looked at Isobel softly. ¡°The Void,¡± Rushwin spoke. ¡°Lnd broke you out. He destroyed the Witch¡¯s spell, sending you sprawling into a dangerousnd. You fought, protecting him and Princess Sybil. Eventually¡ª¡± He hesitated. ¡°You got her home.¡± The power subsided, his ocean like eyes returning to that of simply ¡°blue.¡± He was quiet for a long moment. Maybe, he thought, this is what Aunty P felt. Being wrong. ¡°Lnd, your turn.¡± The young man nodded, no defiance or lunge to stop the spell. Rushwin began, the flow of time reversing. ¡°¡¯Is it war?¡¯ you asked, knowing that bluffing a mass murderer would probably get you killed.¡± Lnd flinched at the casualness of the statement. ¡°I guess I did.¡± He didn¡¯t dare look at his parents as he said it. Rushwin continued. ¡°You learned to bluff after fighting and killing the Toy Maker Harbinger.¡± His eyes fluttered, going deeper into the past. He needed context. He needed to understand what truly happened back then. ¡°A Lordly Image bursting at the seams of its mortal host body. It grasped you, your life utterly in such a monster¡¯s hands. Then, then¡ª madness¡ª¡± The connection between the him and Rushwin severed. He bellowed over, falling onto the table like a drunkard atst call. His head mmed into the bowl of peanuts, blood already pooling under his nose. Before anyone could help him, the old man groaned, forcing himself back up. His eyes swirled, his mind spun. But then he chuckled. ¡°It seems, Lnd, your Lord does not want me to look that far back. She gave me a p on the wrist¡­¡± ¡°A-are you alright?¡± ¡°I will be, I hope.¡± Rushwin leaned back, his old muscles stretching. ¡°Been awhile since I¡¯ve been hurt like that.¡± He went thoughtful for a moment. ¡°Alright. I understand the forces at y. I¡¯ve seen enough and I am willing to trust everyone here.¡± Isobel allowed herself a slight smile. ¡°Then it is time to bring this war council to order yet again. Here¡¯s the n¡ª¡± Rushwin interrupted, ¡°¡¯n?¡¯ No, I think not. The Inquisitors and city guard have this problem under control. Six former Inquisitors and three young men are not going to make a difference. Though I will admit having Spencer watching the space around the castle will be helpful.¡± Spencer drummed his fingers on the table. ¡°And you will have it. But I think you are misunderstanding something. Everyone here has fought against at least one of the enemies this city faces. Isobel and the boys have fought against them all. We can help, we want to help.¡± The High Inquisitor shook his head. ¡°I will not stop you from helping in the capacity of an adventurer for hire, but you are no longer Inquisitors. If you wish to recover your former positions, we can have that discussion, but after the threat is gone.¡± ¡°The Sightless King will not stop until the city is under his control or he is banished. Trust me, I would know.¡± Rushwin turned slightly, finding the speaker. It was the young man, Glenny. Child of Carmon and the deceased, Annie Red. ¡°And how¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because the Sightless King keeps taunting me about how close he is to taking the city.¡± Everyone looked at the young man. Glenny saw that the High Inquisitor didn¡¯t believe him, so he forged a crimson de. He spun it through his hand like a daring street performer juggling knives. ¡°Regardless whether you let us help or not, I have a fight to finish.¡± Rushwin went to respond, but the door to the inn opened. ¡°High Inquisitor!¡± a young attendant screeched. ¡°Orders from the Spymaster General!¡± The attendant ran through the inn, handing over a folded slip of paper. Rushwin snatched it, reading it over in mere seconds. ¡°There has been an attack. Warehouse district. Many citizens dead. I¡¯ve been tasked with leading a team through the sewers.¡± Isobel said, ¡°The sewers are where the cult set up their headquarters. Looks like that is where we need to go.¡± Rushwin held up a hand, ceasing all movement. ¡°What about the Harbinger and Witch?¡± Lucia and Spencer looked at one another before ncing at the other adults. ¡°Split up?¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Not going to happen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sticking with Glenny.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not letting Jude out of my sight.¡± Spencer blinked a few times. ¡°Then I guess we all are going into the sewers.¡± Now it was Rushwin¡¯s turn to blink. ¡°I said that¡ª¡± Isobel leaned over. ¡°I told you, you¡¯ll get used to it. Tell your people not to worry about us and to treat us like a special forces unit. We¡¯ll go wherever we are needed.¡± Chapter 209: Sewer Chapter 209: Sewer ¡°Stop,¡± Lndmanded, his eyes faintly glowing with magic. ¡°There.¡± He pointed to the wall. Isobel sted it with a bolt from her parasitic weapon. They continued, the smell of the sewer and the fog causing the trip to go slow. Lnd took the lead, the contract with the Moonless Lord active. No halo hung above his head, however, a trick his parents were most pleased with seeing. Rushwin had given them a hesitant ¡°okay¡± to explore the sewers for the cult, but Lnd wasn¡¯t going to risk some random guard or Inquisitor seeing his halo and ruining all the good faith he and the others had created. So he cast the curse with the invisibility cantrip, the safety of the contract too much to go without. Still, their pace was slow, even if he was pointing out every cultist sigil they ran across. He thought it was a shame that the contract with the Moonless Lord hadn¡¯t shown many uses outside trap detection, but he digressed. Glenny, on the other hand, twitched whenever he pointed another one out. The more they destroyed the better, in his mind. In the sewers for more than an hour at this point, the group hade into contact with a few other guard or Inquisitor groups. Each meeting had resulted in a tense standoff until everyone realized they were friendly, the fog doing wonders for paranoia¡­ at least until the other group realized who they had run into. Luckily for everyone involved, High Inquisitor Rushwin had alerted all teams going into the sewers about the resurfacing of the Inquisitors Silver, Brown, and Carmon Red and their status as allies. That, of course, didn¡¯t stop those who knew them to question their loyalty. ¡°Is that Roy Brown?¡± one such Inquisitor leader in the sewer asked. ¡°What¡¯s a traitor like you doing down here?¡± Roy handled it with care, opening to, of course, mock the guy. ¡°More than you, Jerry!¡± Inquisitor Jerry and the rest of his team stared at Roy and the others for a hot minute before Jerryughed. ¡°I was surprised to hear about your traitorship. d to see it was all a mimunication!¡± The two stepped forward, mping their arms together. ¡°Oh, gotten stronger then, have you?¡± Roy snidely said. Before Jerry could respond, one of his team member¡¯s coughed. ¡°Sir, can we not have a reunion in the middle of enemy territory?¡± Quickly Roy and Jerry stiffened and just as quickly both parties moved on, but not before they could set up a night of drinking after everything was over. As they continued down a new tunnel, Roy muttered, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t meeting Rushwin have been that easy? See Diana,¡± he poked his wife, ¡°not everyone wishes us dead.¡± ¡°I never said everyone does, just the important people.¡± ¡°You mean Aunty P.¡± Diana rolled her eyes, but the fog obscured it. ¡°Obviously.¡± Spencer jumped in, ¡°Let¡¯s finish up here and show that we can still be trusted.¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Lnd suddenly announced. ¡°There,¡± he pointed. Another sigil destroyed. Unfortunately for everyone, some encounters in the sewers were dangerous. asionally the group would walk upon a small unit of cultists. They wore white or red robes and leaked pure primordial power from the sockets of their eyes. Most jolted into action, empowering spells or readying weapons. Lucia took care of them with ease. Lightning blossomed from the tips of her fingers, ripping the sewer in two. Like a broken flower, craggily zigzags of blue light rushed out, sheering into a cultist before jumping to another. All in all, the single spell bounced from one enemy to another until each cultist was nothing but a smoking corpse. ¡°Uh,¡± Jude groaned, pinching his nose. ¡°Why does burning flesh smell worse than literal poo?¡± Lnd saw Diana and Roy facepalm. ¡°You should have smelled the Lord of Soul¡¯s domain,¡± he said. ¡°It was bad?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say that soul damage makes you smell things.¡± Thatment sparked something in Lucia¡¯s eyes. ¡°You told Rushwin that the Lord of Souls hurt you. Want to talk about it?¡± ¡°No, not really,¡± Lnd answered. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was intentional on the Soul Lord¡¯s part. And I don¡¯t think it matters much at this point. Nothing any of you can do, and it''s not like I didn¡¯t get reparations for his blunder.¡± He pulled down his shirt, showing off his ne. ¡°That reminds me. I need to fill this thing with souls. Next group of cultists we encounter, let me take them.¡± His mother gave him a look. They continued on, Lnd pointing out more and more sigils as they went. The conversation had changed a few times during their escapades in the sewers. From the High Inquisitor and Aunty P to random tidbits of magical information. Despite being in a war zone, they kept the tone light and even jovial at times. That¡¯s what having six Inquisitors as escorts provided. Eventually they dide across another group of cultists and Lucia held off from attacking in ambush. Instead Lnd stepped forward and cast Circle of Souls before anyone could be the wiser. The curse took instantly, draining the enemies of their lives before any of them could fully realize what was going on ¨C the fog and general darkness of the sewers doing wonders. In the end, Lnd was presented with six fresh lost souls. He took them all, adding them to the Soul Lord¡¯s cloak ne. Like pouring water into a jug, the souls took to their new container. They swam around in it, ttening and spinning into something akin to the starting stitch of fabric. The ne gained a bit of weight, the six souls hardly making a dent in what it could hold. Now, however, the chain and loop shone with a tinge of green. ¡°Guess I¡¯m going to need a lot more souls,¡± Lnd muttered to himself. ¡°Do I even want more souls? I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Just take them,¡± Isobel said, interrupting his train of thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad for harboring the souls of these monsters. They chose the Sightless King¡¯s power. They understood they were bing something less than human.¡± Lnd took a deep breath. ¡°Right. I don¡¯t feel bad about killing or using their souls. But I don¡¯t know if I want to go down this road. I¡¯m just thinking of that soul I helped cross over. It was so lost, so innocent. Whatever he did in his life was lost when he turned into a soul.¡± Isobel mutely nodded. ¡°I understand what you are getting at. For me, I would use every resource avable to make sure I¡¯m strong enough to protect myself and those that matter to me. But if you think the soul ne-cloak is too much, no one is going to stop you. I suggest you decide after the cult, Harbinger, and Witch are taken care of though.¡± Lnd could agree to that. ¡°Thanks,¡± he whispered. Eventually the group found the source of the fog and the cultist¡¯s main nest in the sewers. Another team of Inquisitors had already taken care of it, however. When they entered the antechamber, robbed bodiesid sprawled out and dismembered. Blood was pooling in the mortar joints, steel weapons were cast aside, scars had been embedded into the walls and ceilings. The runic device creating the fog had been sundered, and now it spit and churned at a rate those on the scene could use to study the enchantment. ¡°Late to the party,¡± Spencer promptly said. ¡°I guess we are done here.¡± A portal opened to the side. One by one everyone exited the sewers and now found themselves in a new inn. The old inn obviously didn¡¯t want them staying there after what happened with Rushwin. ¡°I¡¯ll start the report,¡± Spencer announced, a pen and paper appearing in his hand from his inventory ring. ¡°That was anticlimactic,¡± Jude said, growing with the unease of ack of battle. ¡°What was the point of the attack if they didn¡¯t even defend their base?¡± ¡°To remind the city that they are here,¡± Diana answered. ¡°Strike terror in the heart of¡ª¡± ¡°They wanted to see how we would react,¡± Glenny interrupted, dark bags having formed under his eyes. ¡°Son?¡± Carmon asked, noticing the change in the air. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Glenny flinched like someone had yelled directly into his ear. He groaned, his hands rushing to cradle his head. ¡°Shut up!¡± he spit, silencing the already silent room. Everyone was watching the young rogue now, even Spencer had dropped his pen. ¡°We beat you!¡± Glenny yelled, blood trickling from his nose. ¡°We¡¯ll do it again!¡± Carmon¡¯s arms found themselves on either side of his son¡¯s shoulders, holding him tight. ¡°Glenny¡ª¡± A wave of ck power eclipsed through Glenny¡¯s chest. It twinkled with hints of white nothingness, like stars in the distance. His eyes turned white, then ck, then white again. He grunted, the Void shunning the feeble attempts of dominance. ¡°You can¡¯t have me,¡± Glenny whispered. ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡± Power continued to pulse from him, but he breathed easy. The others, though, did not. ¡°Glenny? Exin please,¡± Carmon said, now sitting beside his son. ¡°T-the Sightless King¡ª¡± The name almost seemed to cause him pain. ¡°He¡¯sing for me.¡± Chapter 210: Cracks Chapter 210: Cracks Apprehensive silence flooded the inn at Glenny¡¯s words. None had spoken about it, but everyone had noticed theck of real battle. Ivory Reach was supposed to be under attack, and yet, besides a small raid on the warehouse district, there was only waiting. But now? Now the drums of war had been sounded and the mark of the enemy filled Glenny¡¯s mind with whispers. ¡°What do we do?¡± Carmon asked his son with chalk in his mouth. He didn¡¯t like being the one left in the dark, and he especially didn¡¯t like that he couldn¡¯t do anything to truly help. Glenny¡¯s eyes continued to shift from pure white to grim ck. Crimson sprouted from his hand. ¡°I guess we prepare.¡± A thick portal opened. Spencer said, ¡°We can¡¯t fight here. Let¡¯s go.¡± Ashford raised his head, the blood of his master coursing through his veins like tar. He groaned, the message more than apparent. It was time. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, his voice like a hammer to ss. Before him, pathways began to open. Lnd hadn¡¯t been to the capital in a long while. Since he was a kid, really. He remembered imagining the Lordly battle that created thendscape in his mind. Two beings so utterly powerful that they created mountains from falling into the dirt and rerouted rivers with their footsteps. One was the hero, the other the viin. Their battle took a century and the oue shaped history forever. A city built in the bones of a fallen, nameless Lord. Ivory Reach. A city he was not helping to defend. Lnd was no stranger to powers far beyond him doing things without his say-so. Most, when he thought about it, were the same as him. Kings, queens, Lords, and even parents to a certain extent. But here, now, he had a choice. To defend, to fight, to run, to war. To kill. The Sightless King had been a thorn in his and his friends'' side for nearly a year at this point. Thrice was the superstition, thrice wins, thrice losses. Lose three, and you weren¡¯ting back. He had never been a subscriber to such an outlook on life, but here, standing in a random courtyard in the shipping district of a city built in divine bones, Lnd hoped the rule of threes won out. A grand oue in a grand location after a grand battle against a grand enemy. Strange how things worked out. Lnd watched Glenny subconsciously roll his grip around the handle of his dagger. His friend stared off into the distance, his eyes shing from white to ck. ¡°Glenny,¡± he called. ¡°I think you should ease up on the Void use. I remember you told us it hurts to use.¡± The rogue shook his head, ¡°No. He¡¯s close, I can tell.¡± ¡°Can you?¡± Jude asked, leaning into the conversation. ¡°How?¡± ¡°I can feel him. He¡¯s here.¡± Almost punctuating his sentence, fog rolled in. Lnd swallowed, a palpable greed entering the courtyard. He recognized it instantly as the Sightless King, a being so vile it dered its own divinity by iming the lives of those who worship it. Long ago he and the others had theorized the Sightless King was a monster of sorts. Perhaps even a corrupt Guardian Spirit Beast. The being they fought in Shoutwell was but a husk of his true self. A wed copy used to expand his influence like seeds carried far away by birds. The resonating aura the beast carried back then was extreme, at least for three green adventurers. Now, however, the aura of greed amounted to little less than what High Inquisitor Rushwin could produce at full power. A snide chuckled wobbled through the fog, a chilling call for those listening. Even Lnd, who stood up to Rushwin, felt his legs go ck. Glenny and Jude? They were on their knees. ¡°Look what we have here.¡± The voice haunted the fog, whispering everywhere its white mist touched. ¡°Three bodies to eat.¡± The statement redoubled the aura, now crushing far harder than Rushwin could produce. It focused on Glenny, the one who had stolen from him. Pitter pattering echoed, the aura and fogpletely blinding the boys. Lnd was the only one to react, a figure in the mist appearing. Draped in golden silken robes, stained with blood, bathed in crimson, the figure radiated primordial anger. The figure raised their hands, a sword made entirely of spite ushering to creation. A toxic bolt cut through the fog, piercing into the figure, killing him instantly. Lnd swallowed, forcing himself to his feet. A bolt of lightning ripped past his shoulder, no doubt another cultist dead. He helped Glenny and Jude to their feet, practically carrying them as he moved. One step¡ª something exploded in the distance ¨C two steps, three. A portal opened, and they fell through. Silence met them nicely. Glenny and Jude threw up, the sudden weight off their chests like a punch to the stomach. ¡°We¡¯re safe,¡± Lnd muttered, his breathbored. ¡°We¡¯re safe¡­¡± And for the first time in an hour, Glenny stopped using the power of the Void. He began screaming. Spencer felt Glenny scream instantly. They were half way across the city from one another, but he still noticed. That was his job, that was what his magic excelled in. He had always found focusing on multiple things easy. It was his greatest talent if he was being honest. It was what made him a powerhouse on the battlefield, it was what made him an archmage. He watched over the boys, his wife, their friends, even the Huntress. He watched them all, as well as looked out for the Sightless King, Ashford, and the Witch. So when Ashford and the Witch appeared for but a second, Spencer noticed. Unfortunately, their short appearance was at the same moment that Glenny started screaming. Nestled in the bones of a fallen Lord was a city. At the heart of the city was a castle, which, almost exactly, rested where the fallen Lord¡¯s heart would have been if it was still alive ¨C center of its chest cavity, with plenty of ribs for protection. Once called unreachable, there was no air assault possible that could directly target the castle. Not if the enemy didn¡¯t have a way to cut through divine bone. Few resources could even scorch divine bone, even less could slice cleanly through it. Luckily for Ashford he didn¡¯t need to cleanly cut it. He only needed to bend it until it snapped. High over the castle, two people appeared from a twist of magic. One was an average middle aged man with dead eyes that held more than one secret. The other, an adult woman whose hair mimicked the first moments after an explosion. He walked smoothly a few steps, green filth filling his hands. His magic came to his call, the device had already been set. She, on the other hand, moved like lightning had reced her bones. Jerky and abrupt, each step of hersid the foundation for countless fractures. Pathways dealt in fate, and fate could be exploited. Even if the exploit was divine in origin. ¡°Ready!¡± she dered, saluting her partner. Ashford growled, scowling at the Witch. For a moment he hesitated, thinking of a different way forward. The hands of his master copsed around his throat in the very second. Cold, uncaring, murderous. Very little could kill a Harbinger of the Undying Lord. The Undying Lord himself just so happened to be one of those things. Knowing it would be hisst for a little while, Ashford took a deep, deep breath. The air was nice, he decided. Then, like someone buried alive wing their way out a grave, a ¡°fist¡± burst from his chest sending blood and viscera high into the air. Few had seen the true form of Ashford¡¯s parasitic weapon. Most thought it just a deadly sword. But in reality it was just another piece to an eternal goal. It had been forged from the first Legacy of the Undying Lord after her failure to free the master. The first Harbinger in a long line of Harbinger. The first failure in a long, long line. There was one thing this first had achieved better than any other, however. And that was power. Raw, unfiltered power. The weapon had been called ¡°Sovereignty.¡± Named by the Undying Lord in hopes that such a supreme power would originate from the weapon and one day free him. The soul of the first, the only soul to have ever mattered. She would be the one to free him, even if she was nothing more than a tool for others to use. Sovereignty split Ashford¡¯s chest apart, pulling itself from his organs. In its true form, it looked simr to how she had been before. A young woman with flowing green hair and vile resonance to go with it. The weapon posed her in eternity, her arms out in prayer like a statue repurposed to be a sword. Ashford grabbed her, yanking her fully out. Next came that flowing hair and the attached head. She looked down her stiff arms, watching her wielder with a nk, dead expression. Then came her shoulders, chest, legs, and feet. A person in her entirety, and yet no more than a weapon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ashford whispered as soon as the Pathways Witch removed herself from the area. He thrust his hand into her chest, squeezing her ¡°heart.¡± Her soul crumbled, the parasitic aspect of the weapon finallying to an end. In the undying dance, this time the host imed victory, not the parasite. Sovereignty¡¯s power then failed, and Ashford gained the missing key to transcendence. He radiated death. He radiated undeath. The world was his to take in the name of his master, so he did. He took a step, and the bones of the nameless dead Lord cracked. Chapter 211: War Chapter 211: War Across the city of Ivory Reach, in strategic locations, bells tolled. They boomed with the force of emergency magic, the signal to all to huddle down and prepare to be attacked. What little poption that wasn¡¯t heeding the extra guard patrols and cult rumors rushed to their homes, locking their doors and hugging their families. Those who had heeded the warning could only pray. With six major guard barracks sporadically located around the city, an army of marching soldiers took to the streets. They moved in rows and prepared weapons and spells. Their attackers were known, which closed some options while opening plenty more. They braved the fog that had suddenly taken the whole of the city, rushing headlong into the thick mist without fear or worry. Three barracks moved toward a, seemingly, random courtyard to move on the Sightless King and his army, the other three barracks joined with the royal guard at the castle. Despite the fog, a brilliant green haze eclipsed the sky. Trails of ruin ran through the ribs of the dead lost Lord that protected their city, corruption and undeath permeating the open air. As they marched, the air shifted and their bones rumbled. Someone, they knew, had just been reborn above the city. The power emanating from the sted green seeped and churned with diabolical eminence. ¡°Come on soldier,¡± a gruff veteran shouted, pushing along a younger guard who had gone stock still. ¡°Can¡¯t freeze up without even seeing the enemy!¡± The young man flinched, his legs trying to keep up with the older man¡¯s speed. ¡°W-what is that!?¡± was all his mouth could fumble out. The veteran¡¯s voice boomed, ¡°Don¡¯t know! But we are going to kill it!¡± A wave of cheers sounded from the nearby units. The sound deafened the streets, echoing against the tall brick buildings. Resonating force then sent the marching soldiers into overdrive, each of their steps bolstered with shouts of anger and irritation.¡°Theye to take our homes!¡± the veteran screeched. ¡°We won¡¯t let them!¡± The guards let out a feral roar. ¡°Theye to kill our queen!¡± he yelled again. ¡°They will not take her!¡± They roared again. ¡°They bring their king to the battle! A blind one at that!¡± Someone from the crowd, his face obscured in the fog, yelled, ¡°Should be an easy fight then, eh!?¡± ¡°You¡¯re damn right!¡± the veteran screeched as other simr calls echoed. They rounded a corner, the random courtyarding into obscured vision. Puffs of red premortal power ignited through the fog as bolts of lightning zipped by. Two warriors already were a part of the fray, axe and shields in their hands. They battled through the army of robed cultists, pushing them back like beetles invading an ant nest. ¡°Give them hell!¡± the veteran shouted. His weapon out, he pushed into the war just before the overhead green erupted. Spencer split his focus between three main points now. His wife and friends battling alongside a just-arrived toon of guards. His son and his friends, one of whom was screaming his head off, in a random inn. Andstly Harbinger Ashford and whatever corrupt power he now breathed. He had seen parasitic weapons consume their host before. He¡¯s even taken down the aftermath once or twice. Never, never, had he seen someone consume their weapon. It wasn¡¯t unheard of, but it was also rare enough that some believed the reward of letting a parasite live off you was a false hope. A hoax. A tale the old-timers told the youngsters after a drink or two as to why they didn¡¯t have one themselves. To Spencer, Glenny¡¯s screaming turned into ample background noise. His wife¡¯s bolts of exploding lightning were masked by the thump of his heart. The sh of Diana and Roy¡¯s weapons were drowned out by the cracking of divine bone under Ashford¡¯s steps. He even lost where the Pathways Witch moved. Everything to him, an archmage of incredibly high renown, was lost in the episodic nature of the divine mysticism currently happening above Ivory Reach. Or rather, above the castle. Then the bones surrounding the city broke. The ribs cracked, green corruption spreading through them like wildfire. Parts crumbled to dust, broken under the very divine power that they once properly held. Splinters fell, crashing down like javelin dropped from the heavens. They pierced deep into the stone and soil, suddenly bing pikes calling for the heads of the royal family. Spencer gawked, opening as many portals above the castle as he could. It was rough going, the castle¡¯s defenses soaring high into the air. They were weaker, however, allowing the archmage a chance at helping. In various ces across the immediate kingdom, bone splinters from a long dead unknown Lord suddenly screamed to a stop, having fallen through an opening in the sky. They sundered the countryside, breaking apart once scenic isted ces and turning them into ces of death. Corruption leaked from these bones, skulking into the dirt like a pesticide designed to kill. Cursing at himself, sweat dripped from Spencer¡¯s face as the magic took a toll on him. Mana became scarce, his body suddenly dry. Reaching into himself, a small tea cup appeared perfectly in his fingers. He took it to his lips instantly, the smooth nectar inside like a drop of water to a person dying of thirst. Instantly his body bounced back, and just as instantly, more portals opened above the castle sending bone shards away. It wasn¡¯t every day that Spencer used his parasitic item, but when he did, his mana never ran dry. After the third round of sending shards away, Spencer¡¯s split attention came back in full force. His wife and friends, fine. His son, fine. Jude, fine. Glenny¡­ not so much. He inspected the boy while opening more and more portals. From the outside, he looked fine. No wounds, no blood, nothing. Watching Glenny clutch his head, however, sent chills down his spine. ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± Glenny shouted, the walls shaking at his volume. Spencer looked, scouring the immediate area for threats. The streets, other than the fog, were empty. ¡°He¡¯s here! He¡¯s here! He¡¯s here! He¡¯s here!¡± Blood was now spilling from Glenny¡¯s nose, droplets the size of tablespoons. Jude had his arms on his shoulders, yelling something the delirious boy couldn¡¯t hear. Lnd, his grimoire open and halo flying above his head, tapped him again and again with healing magic. The blood continued to waterfall, flowing onto the inn¡¯s floorboards. Spencer watched his son curse, a regal healing potion appearing in his hands. It was one of the expensive ones, the stolen ones. The kind that was rumored to be able to heal any ailment. He never took out the stopper, his thumb frozen. Spencer did a double take, missing multiple shards of bone in the process. He then saw what his son did. The blood soaking the floorboards shifted. It vibrated and hummed, a joyous tone reverberating across its crimson surface. It slowly moved itself, shifting along the floor unnaturally like water running uphill. Then an eye appeared. Basking in grim liquid, the eye opened, swimming and swiveling until it looked onto Glenny. ¡°I found you,¡± the eye whispered before abruptly erupting. Spencer¡¯s reaction was the fastest. A portal opened and closed, the eye moving between locations in that split second it was open. Another eye appeared in the blood, this time Jude reacted first. He stomped, shing the red death like a child jumping in puddles. He flexed his heel just to make sure it was gone, only for another to appear right after. Lnd defended against this one, a shield of water appearing on his wrist in mere heartbeats. The eye rebounded off the shield, soaring high in an arc before being swallowed by a portal. Lnd then canceled the spell, letting all of the water gathered on his wrist fall. The sudden deluge excavated the pool of blood, sending it away. Or, it would have, if it was normal blood. ¡°Dad!¡± Lnd then shouted. ¡°We are running!¡± Spencer agreed with his son¡¯s assessment, summoning portals that swallowed the eyes as they came. It took Jude and Lnd a moment to get Glenny up and moving, but as soon as they took their first step, arge portal opened and consumed them. They reappeared on the other side of the city, blood still falling from Glenny¡¯s nose. Each drip created a new eye, each dripunching another attack by the Sightless King. Spencer pivoted, changing his attention. Lucia, his wife, came into view. Countless cultists smoked dead around her, their skin charred ck and their clothes smoldering. A portal opened beside her. ¡°Boys need help. Blood magic of some sort,¡± Spencer said through a smaller portal eye level with her. Having portals appear before her was something she had never gotten fully ustomed to, especially in the heat of battle. So while she did flinch, she also didn¡¯t hesitate long. Her long legs carried her into the street where her son and his friends ran, the portal snapping shut behind her. Instantly a bolt of lightning sted from her finger tip, shredding into a bloody eye and turning it to dust. ¡°Mom, help!¡± Lnd yelled. ¡°The Sightless King¡ª¡± ¡°Oh goody,¡± the trail of blood behind them screeched. ¡°Another to feed my belly!¡± Several things happened all at once. Spencer and Lucia both reacted to the voice with cold murderous action, their years upon years of fighting togethering together and culminating in a single attack. Lightning as thin as a horse¡¯s hair blossomed like a lily, splitting off into fourteen random directions just as twenty eight portals the size of coins sttered across the street. The horse hairs surged through the portals, each cracking into the ground where drops of blood rested. The street then erupted, cobblestone exploding and sting away the immediate fog. ¡°Missed,¡±the voice of the Sightless King mocked just before a small blotch of blood on Glenny¡¯s cor shimmered. A hand broke through the dyed fabric, shing against Glenny¡¯s neck and throwing him into the air. The hand pulled and squeezed, continuing to rise up and easily fighting off Jude and Lnd¡¯s attempts to keep their friend on the ground. The Sightless King¡¯s mettle proved strong, and soon Glenny was hurtling above roofs and chimneys. Chapter 212: Go Chapter 212: Go There was no time to think, only go. Pages flipped, palms mmed. Wings sprouted, dark feathers plumed. Four more came, pure white. The rush of the air barreled down on Lnd as he took flight, the fog suddenly felt like the pressure of the deep ocean. A snarl pulled his face taut, and mana flowed. Faster than Isobel. Faster than the woman who otherwise would trounce him inbat. Lifeforce and mana, each heightened to their limits, ignited his flight. The fog became a blur as his speed eclipsed the Sightless King¡¯s hand strangling Glenny into the air. Lnd tackled his friend, theck of ground bing ever apparent. They spun, all six of Lnd¡¯s wings trying to keep up with the sudden impact. Higher and higher they went, until they didn¡¯t. Until gravity took the reins. Lnd and Glenny both were too focused to notice, the hand the only thing they cared about. Glenny, whose throat was being strangled, fought to breathe. Lnd, however, went for Glenny¡¯s shirt, hoping to remove the hand and bloody spot all together. Licks of shadow soon turned the pair dark, Glenny¡¯s parasitic cape trying, and failing, to help. What little light there was, the fog diffusing the setting sun, suddenly was gone and only shadows remained. Yelling for Glenny to control his cape, Lnd activated the contract with the Chameleon Lord. Enhanced perceptions red to life, and suddenly he could see. Glenny was turning purple, theck of light only highlighted the issue. He was going to¡ª Pain and the sound of a cannonball smashing through a roof stopped everyone dead. Glenny¡¯s cloak moved to protect him, leaving Lnd where he writhed in pain. Enhanced perception rebounded a momentter as screams of horror filled the building they found themselves in. Struggling to his feet, Lnd took in his surroundings. They had fallen through a roof, one of his seraph wings was bent at an odd angle, and a family was huddled together in a nearby corner, the father desperately holding his hands out trying to protect his loved ones. Lnd didn¡¯t spare them any concern, instead dropping to his knees before Glenny. Magic sparked as he whispered, ¡±Kneel before me!¡± The poorly lit home suddenly became a confluence of colors and strobing lights. Violet mes and a violet halo cast the most, highlighting a dinner table with sickening flickers. Then came the darkness brought into reality by Glenny¡¯s cloak. Andstly was the soul of the Damned that wed toward its master¡¯s enemy. A shriek sounded from behind him, but Lnd didn¡¯t care. Blood fell from his own face, jagged strips of lumber and roof shingles sticking from his shoulder and back. One flutter of his wings knocked them all away. Still Glenny fought the Sightless King¡¯s hand, but it wasn¡¯t until part of the monster¡¯s soul was removed that he made traction. It started with a gasp, but air filled his lungs. With better leverage, Lnd yanked the offending arm off his friend, the violet mes still circling. He held it with a death grip, and roared, ¡°Leave! Or surrender your soul! We both know how this goes!¡± Green mist was pooling off the fist like the underbrush of a jungle. ¡°How charming,¡± the hand said before sshing into a pile of blood. ¡°Dad,¡± Lnd then said. ¡°Portal please.¡± Slowly, he tapped Glenny on the chest with a green glowing finger, the contract with the Lord of Nature still active from before. It took a moment, but a portal did open. With the help of Jude, who had rushed through the opposite end of the portal, they got Glenny through. Lnd gave onest nce to the family and house they had just ruined, made sure none of them were injured, and whispered, ¡°Sorry.¡± He stepped through, and the portal closed. They helped Glenny onto a bed,ying him down while pulling out twin red potions. They weren¡¯t the expensive stolen variety, but they were plenty powerful. They forced one down a delirious Glenny¡¯s throat before Lnd downed one himself. He felt his flesh knit itself back together, his broken wing snapping back into ce. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Me needing wings,¡± Jude replied, dead serious. Lnd tried not to snarl. ¡°No, with Glenny?¡± Before a response could be made, a portal opened and Lucia stepped through. She had her guard up, multiple bands of lightning wrapped around her like a thick jacket. ¡°Lnd!¡± she shouted, rushing across the room and pulling him into a hug. ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that! Do you know how dangerous¡ª¡± Lnd pushed her away. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m doing that again if it means saving my friend¡¯s life.¡± A motherly frown found her face before shedding away to guilt. ¡°I¡ª yes, of course. I didn¡¯t mean¡ª I just reacted.¡± He nodded. ¡°I did too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fast, faster than me. I thought your father portaled you when I couldn¡¯t find you two right away¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re safe. The Sightless King is gone, for the moment. He didn¡¯t like having his soul torn away.¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes widened at the statement. ¡°You three fought that thing all those months ago?¡± Jude gave a shrug, his eyes falling back to Glenny. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°It was just a shard of its full power. Isobel killed it in minutes,¡± Lnd added. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever heard of that potent of blood magic when adventurers from the Argile Towers told stories about the Bloodied Eye¡­¡± Lucia shook her head, the horrid storiesing back to memory. ¡°They said it was dead.¡± Lnd bit his lip. ¡°Guardian Spirit Beast?¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ve heard of it?¡± ¡°No, but the Sightless King is a former Spirit Beast or something simr. Could it be¡ª¡± His mom¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°If that is the case, then a lot more people are going to die.¡± Following their logic, Jude asked, ¡°Bloodied Eye, the Sightless King, whatever the case, it has powerful magic. Primordial and blood, right? How do we kill something like that?¡± An idea stuck out from the rest in Lnd¡¯s mind. He was loath to rely on it, and it didn¡¯t fit his ¡°Harbinger and Witches only¡± rule, but he felt ¡°evil Primordial Guardian Spirit Beast¡± should go ahead and be added to the rules. ¡°Soul Fire.¡± Even the words tasted foul in his mouth. He shuddered, noticing the crow tattoo on the back of his hand listening intently. ¡°Unless there is another path?¡± he asked his tattoo, getting strange looks from both his mom and Jude. The crow gave no indication of ¡°yes¡± or ¡°no.¡± ¡°How does the spell work again?¡± asked his mom. Lnd sighed. ¡°I need a soul to use. And I promised myself that I¡¯d only use either a Harbinger or Witch¡¯s. I¡­ I couldn¡¯t put a regr person¡¯s soul through that.¡± Lucia nodded. ¡°And while I¡¯m sure the city has a small poption of Witches living inside its walls, I don¡¯t know where to get my hands on any right now.¡± ¡°That leaves us Ashford or if we could locate the Pathways Witch,¡± supplied Jude. ¡°Hon?¡± Lucia asked the open air. ¡°Know where she is?¡± A small portal opened at eye level. ¡°In the city, I know that. She¡¯s interfering with my magic, and some of the other space mages, but she¡¯s covering her tracks¡­ I could dedicate my focus to finding her, but many would die because of it.¡± Even his wife seemed shocked at that. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Ashford made his move. He consumed his parasitic weapon and gained its strength. Currently he¡¯s missing, the Witch having moved him while he recovered from the abuse of doing such a thing.¡± Spencer¡¯s voice then got very low. ¡°His opening move was to shatter the bones above the castle¡ª¡± ¡°What!¡± Lnd shouted, echoing the sentiment on Jude and Lucia¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ve been portaling away the shards, but eventually the sternum is going to fall.¡± ¡°But that would destroy the whole castle,¡± Lucia whispered. ¡°They are evacuating as we speak, but the cultists are also assaulting the castle. The guards and Inquisitors have it handled, for now, but I¡¯ve been opening decisive portals every minute or so to help.¡± A cough and a gargle sounded from the corner of the room. Glenny forced himself to sit up, his lungs burning despite the healing potion in his stomach. ¡°We need a hunter, then. To find the Witch.¡± As the adults considered this, Jude and Lnd slowly smiled. ¡°Now hold on,¡± Lucia pleaded, her hands out and open. ¡°We¡¯ve already seen how dangerous this is going to be. Would it not be better for you three to leave the city and¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± three young men said at the same time. She groaned. ¡°Fine. In that case, we¡¯re doing this right. Isobel or no, we need a starting location. Honey? Think you can give us a direction?¡± Spencer took a moment to respond, but when he did, he said, ¡°The space by the feet bones of the dead Lord seems¡­ odd. Could be a trap, could be their home base. If I investigate any more, she¡¯d notice and move. I can¡¯t even open a portal in that half of the city without alerting her.¡± Jude stood, adjusting the strap of his armor. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re going to be traveling on foot.¡± ¡°Dad, can you find Isobel?¡± ¡°And my dad?¡± ¡°Oh! And my parents?¡± Spencer went silent, a secondter a singlerge portal opened. On the other side, fog sprawled out, along with the stink of death and the gnawing churn ofbat. Guards and Inquisitors were set in formed ranks, slowly taking street after street away from cultist hand. Four bodies slipped through the portal before it closed. Bathed in blood, Diana stood the tallest. Axe in hand, a great grin mutely fell away as theck of battle soothed the rage in her bones. Unwounded and not even breathing hard was Roy, a massive steel shield in each hand. A momentter, they were gone, returning to the castle-like tattoo on the back of his hand. Carmon was over to his son in a single step, his sword dripping with blood. He jittered slightly, an echo. Isobel came inst, her wings out simrly to Lnd¡¯s. She was sweating, but far from tired. ¡°What happened?¡± Carmon asked, his tone dark and haunted. Glenny pulled at his cor, trying to hide the bruising around his neck. Lnd was the one who answered, ¡°Sightless King went for Glenny. Blood magic. We think it is the Bloodied Eye.¡± Everyone other than the kids and Isobel bristled at the name. ¡°Truly?¡± Roy asked. Lucia nodded. ¡°It is a safe assumption, I¡¯d say, with everything we know about it.¡± Diana growled, ¡°Then we know its approximate power. Anyone up for some big game hunting?¡± ¡°Speaking of, actually,¡± Lnd looked at Isobel. ¡°We¡¯ve got a target for you.¡± Changing from a nk face, Isobel smiled. ¡°I was wondering when the actual battle would start.¡± Chapter 213: Fate Chapter 213: Fate The shadows around families and households deepened and darkened. The surrounding fog silently hid many secrets, most of which were hideous terrors hellbent on the destruction of the city. Out here, far from the castle and the many protectors killing cultists and battling the dark, were the true masterminds. One particr mastermind was a woman who controlled fate to a certain degree, allowing herself ample opportunity to move between different portions of reality. While most might try to kill her on sight, or at least run away, it wasn¡¯t the branded ¡°W¡± on her forehead that people first saw when they encountered her. It was the dread in the air around her, because if you encountered her, it was fate. And fate was a killer. She sat alone in a small room, the door weighed shut with the corner of the bed frame. Her legs criss crossed against themselves, her hands resting quietly in the gap they created. Her spine was straight, too straight, and her neck leaned back as she stared at the wooden ceiling¡­ or, at least, that¡¯s how she appeared from a cursory nce. Hair like a scraggly bush, eyes like an apple sliced into a thousand paper-thin lines, the woman, Charlotte, didn¡¯t stare at the ceiling. Rather she read fate. So many lines, so many threads. Most the size of string, some the size of trees. She saw the current oue of the battle for Ivory Reach, the strand lit up and slowly growing in size and strength. Idly she twitched her hand, magic running boundless in a different part of the city. The same thread then shrunk, mixing well with the other fateful oues. She hummed a tune to herself, scanning everything and anything. The fate of a dying woman. The fate of a young boy. The fate of one of the cannon fodder cultists. The fate of Ashford. The fate of herself. The humming stopped. A frown formed. The thread of herself ended abruptly. She made a noise, her hand going out yet again. Magic came and went, bypassing the portal mage with ease. Her spell took hold, and fate shifted. No longer did her strand end, in fact, it rode well into the future. She smirked to herself. It truly was fate she and Ashford met up. After running for so long, she had almost forgotten what it meant to be a home. And while she knew living with Ashford was hardly a home, she also didn¡¯t care! He was like a big brother to her and that was perfectly fine. After the horrors she had lived through, after all of the lives she¡¯d taken. After her crimes entered the limelight, like always, she fought her way free. For freedom was all she ever wanted. A victim she was, and after all, everyone dies. So who truly cared about the people she killed? She didn¡¯t, and that was enough. A low guttural chuckle sounded as she watched the thread of a particrly strong guardsman snap. ¡°Dead!¡± she sang, her face long with a teeth-full smile. ¡°Die, die, die! Everyone can die! Home Ie! Home I make¡ª¡± Her own strand of fate broke again. That simply won¡¯t do. Magic came and went, shuddering against the space the portalmage had im over. She frowned, pushing harder. Her spell took, and things began to change. And yet, her thread didn¡¯t reappear. It didn¡¯t fix, it didn¡¯t rebound back to life. Her fate remained ended. Her fingers rolled with worry. Then, she disappeared, leaving the bed propped up against the room¡¯s door. The next safehouse came into view a momentter, the threads of fate disappearing from her sight and returning her irises to a blonde, almost, pale green. She looked around, finding the same nd wooden room as before, and yetpletely different. A new inn, a new room. And somehow, stale and uninteresting. She almost wanted to paint the walls red with blood. That would draw some life into this tacky home. But now, she was working. Fun was forter. Her vision turned back to the threads, her eyes back to the sliced apples. The tune came back to her lips, the song restarti¡ª Her thread was still ended. Still dead. Magic came to her call, filling the room with magical potential. She huffed, looking, searching, for something to attack. She had to change fate, she had to protect herself. The city came into vision, the fate of any and everyone creating topographic and structure. Who¡¯s fate would end, or grow, at the same time hers died? There were three. She killed each of them, teleporting them into the depths of the cultist¡¯s stronghold. Whatever monster they housed devoured them instantly. Charlotte checked. Her thread still ended. At this point her head leaked sweat and her heart pounded, and yet somehow, her smile was better than ever. She was being hunted. It had been a while since that had happened. The question now became: who? First and most obvious was her arch nemesis, the portal mage. She had interfered with him before, and he was strong enough, not to mention had plenty of reason, toe for her. She did teleport his child away, after all. Though she wasn¡¯t sure how he and the other two hadn¡¯t ended up in herir¡­ But that question was forter, for she had to find an answer to this mighty big conundrum. She supposed it could be the portal mage, but he was actively fighting on multiple fronts. Surely he¡¯d have slipped while gunning for her, his attention split far too much to work beyond her sight. There was a file somewhere Ashford had given her about the other Inquisitors and spatial defenders the city had to offer. She had leafed through it a month ago when the nning for this attack first was being finalized, but she hardly thought to memorize it all. There were like, five different names and descriptions reports. And that was just too much for her to remember. She was a run and gun type of girl, you know? She burst outughing, that thought tickling that special spot in her mind. She was a runner and gunner. She¡¯d survived this long doing so, after all. The threads came back to her. Her¡¯s still ended, but now it was extended just a bit through time. That was good, that meant she was on the right track. Her sight returned to normal and she realized she wasn¡¯t just being hunted. She was also hunting. ¡°Cat and mouse, little hunter. Cat and mouse¡­¡± Magic came and went, changing things to just see what stuck. Instead of a new safehouse, she appeared walking on the other side of the city through a garden. Briefly she stopped to smell the pretty flowers, taking one and hooking it through her coat, before teleporting again. Fate had changed, this time for the worse. Dead faster. ¡°Gah, tenacious,¡± she muttered, giggling a bit. ¡°I¡¯ming for you, whoever you are!¡± The room she stood in vanished from her sight and now she stood among the dead. Bodiesid around her, blood seeping into her shoes. Around, a wave of flinches radiated outward as the guard searching for survivors and tending to their dead reacted to the sudden human appearance. ¡°Identify yours¡ª¡± Charlotte rolled her eyes, appearing somewhere else and already reading fate. Still dead¡­ Now she sat on a park bench, the bones of the dead Lord¡¯s jaw just a few streets over, and thought. Two teleports had each shortened her expected life significantly, while the first lengthened it. ¡°They¡¯re learning,¡± she hooted, the fog around her the only one listening. ¡°I see¡­¡± Now, instead of teleporting, she¡¯d walk. Taking to the streets, calmly and swiftly, she moved. Threads consumed her sight, the topography of fate guiding her way. In one way she was blind, in another she saw everything, even the future. A fork in the road had her interpreting the strands. She took the left option before things shifted drastically. She back tracked and took the right. Much calmer. As she went, silent feelers of magic were dropped behind her. Traps, if one could call them that, designed by a mastermind Witch for the sole purpose of creating chaos. Simple, right? So, so simple¡­ ¡°Annnnd one hundred!¡± she announced to no one but the fog. ¡°Good luck at getting through my minefield, Mr Hunter!¡± It was but a single step that fate changed, and for the first time since realizing the game, Charlotte frowned. ¡°Ny nine¡­ who could possibly destroy my fate¡ª¡± The who was very apparent now. Lnd Silver. The boy who had previously broken her magic. The boy who Ashford dangled before their third partner like a baited hook. She began to giggle, cackling wildly. ¡°He¡¯sing for me!?¡± she maniacally screeched into the fog. ¡°Let hime! I¡¯ll show you how to deal with a boy!¡± While the fog didn¡¯t respond, she knew the Sightless King was listening and scheming. It just so happened that others were listening as well, and these special few needed a Witch¡¯s soul. Chapter 214: Witch鈥檚 Soul Chapter 214: Witch¡¯s Soul ¡°She¡¯s just¡­ standing there¡­ menacingly.¡± Isobel sighed, turned to Jude, and said, ¡°She¡¯s watching her surroundings without moving her head.¡± Jude scratched his head. ¡°Are you sure? It looks like she is just standing there to me.¡± Even Lnd rolled his eyes at the question. ¡°She¡¯s reading fate.¡± ¡°Is she? How do you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what she does. What else would she be doing standing still like that? She knows she¡¯s being hunted.¡± ¡°Well¡­ what do we do?¡± Glenny growled, ¡°Take her soul.¡± ¡°Easier said than done,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°Once we start fighting her, she¡¯s going to teleport away.¡±Isobel agreed, saying, ¡°Then we get your dad to lock the space around here down when we attack.¡± ¡°Dad,¡± Lnd said to the open air, knowing his father would be listening. ¡°We are about to start.¡± ¡°How are we starting?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Because I think¡ª¡± He cut himself off as Isobel raised her arm, her centipede centered parasitic weapon drawing a cold whisper. It chittered as its countless spiny legs stomped with anticipation. A malted green spike of toxic preamble formed in its mighty maw, before firing out like a main stage performer. All eyes were on the spike as it whipped through the fog, crashing into¡ª The Witch flinched, dodging ever so slightly. The spike continued off into the distance, breaking a brick wall in two. She then twisted, her glowing eyes highlighting thousands of potential futures. ¡°Come to y?¡± she yelled in the general direction the attack hade. ¡°Guess that¡¯s that,¡± Jude whispered, activating one of his blessings. Like a drop of water with his reflection in it, soon a mirage formed and flexed. Two Judes then stood beside one another, each wearing the same bone armor and carrying the same dual edged battle axe. They gave each other a grin beforeunching themselves into battle with a mighty leap. Theynded parallel with one another, breaking apart the ground into frozen stone. The Witch, however, had pivoted back a step, her hand darting out with magic on her fingers. Jude Two dove to intercept the attack, blocking it for the true human. Five fingers the color of shiny red apple sliced into the mirage¡¯s armor and chest, magic imbuing into his form like the venom of a viper. Original Jude screeched just as another bolt from Isobel ripped through the fog. Again the Witch easily dodged the projectile, but Jude¡¯s sudden cleave took her by surprise. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t know it wasing, in fact she had seen the attack moments before through the threads of fate, but rather the berserker¡¯s speed was just too fast. The swing took her shoulder, shearing a portion of her skin off. Blood trailed with Jude¡¯s follow through, along with a cial freeze of hoarfrost. She stumbled forward, right into where Jude Two was writhing in pain. She tripped, the future changing. Magic came to her call, the threads of reality sung like a harp in a darkened forest. She plucked one, and¡ª And¡ª Nothing happened. She crashed onto the cobblestone street, still in battle. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Her thread already ended, now ending right now¡ª She rolled, the axe head mming into the ground with a resonating burst of cold. Her thread reverted, lengthened but ultimately still ending soon. Magic bloomed in her eyes, the future suddenly looking different. She got to her feet, dodging another flurry of attacks from Jude before softly kicking a loose stone forward. In his mad dash to render the Witchme, he stepped without worry or concern right onto the stone. His ankle went one way as his knee the other, a sickening crunch sounding from such a simple injury. Pain grew in his leg as red narrowed his vision like a racing horse blinder. And despite the pain and the woman¡¯s defiant cacklingugh, Jude didn¡¯t over extend or fall into the rage. He epted being outyed, ending his assault and popping a gleaming red potion into his mouth from his inventory ring. A bolt of toxic whizzed by again. The Witch dodged, yelling a strangled taunt about ¡°that being everything you¡¯ve got?¡± She continued to yell and screech as more and more arrows from Isobel cut through the fog. With each one, she casually moved out of the way, until an invisible young man appeared at her side. She couldn¡¯t see him, but a shift in fate alerted her of her imminent demise. Pivoting back, she felt the whoosh of a dagger against her skin. She then ducked, moving out of the way of a deadly stab. The future changed again, and she threw herself to the ground, the invisible man¡¯s weapons ring out and bing a sword. Cobblestone burst as Glenny¡¯s weapons changed mid stab to a spear. The woman, of course, dodged. ¡°Lnd! Can you kill her already!?¡± Jude yelled. The Witch flinched at that, obviously denouncing such a wild¡ª Purple mes ate away the fog, encircling her like a trapped sheep. Fate changed, decisively. She sprinted, her magic still failing to interact with the material world. She wanted to teleport, she wanted to move! She had to¡ª The heatless fire singed her skin when she tried to brave the mes to simply run through. She rebounded like a ball against a wall, finding herself on her back in the center of the circle. As she fumbled to her feet, a green monstrous being found her. It came from the ground, its boney mangled hands splitting the ground apart for its disproportionate body. She screamed at it, causing a wave of interest from the nearby buildings. Curtains parted, blinds opened, people peered at her imminent demise. ¡°No, no, no!¡± the Witch yelled. ¡°If you kill me, the bombs I nted around the city will go off! Thousands will die!¡± Emerging from the mist, a young man stepped forward. While he didn¡¯t have a halo above his head, his eyes still brimmed with the same violet mes that surrounded her. A tall woman was one step behind him, though she obviously didn¡¯t care to be there. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Lnd Silver said, his calm tone the exact opposite of how she remembered him to be in Ruinsforth. And while the two had never formally met, Charlotte felt she knew him better than most. He was a Harbinger, a being possibly more hated than Witches. They could work together, they could¡ª Her soul leaked from her body, green pooling out of her like blood spilling from a draining elk. ¡°People will die!¡± she yelled again, panic setting into her spine. She twisted and squirmed, her shoulder felt as though it was dead. She couldn¡¯t move her arm, the ice like a doctor¡¯s cast. Lnd Silver stepped through the purple mes, right up to her. She almost reached out to grovel at his feet, but the haunted measure in his posture made her freeze like she did whenever Ashford was properly angry. ¡°I do not believe you,¡± he said again. Green continued to leak. ¡°A-are you willing to risk it!? W-we could pair up, you know? You and me versus Ashford and the cultists!? I know where they hide! I know where Ashford rests! I know his true ns! I could tell you! You¡¯ve just got to let me live!¡± Lnd stopped for just a moment, a ze oveing his piercing gaze. He blinked, shaking his head. ¡°Again, I do not believe you.¡± The Witch sputtered, ¡°But I¡ª¡± A caw sounded to her right. A big slightly glowing blue crow was watching from the fence of a nearby house. ¡°I¡ª¡± It cawed again, silencing her. She looked to Lnd, her eyes big as the moon. He, however, only watched her with cold absence. ¡°Keeping you alive is only a detriment to us right now.¡± His words came like sledgehammers to concrete. Each syble bashed what little hope she might have once had. Charlotte ¡°Pathways Witch¡± Hansley died momentster, her soul removed. She, in her death, still managed to beg and plead until the very end. ¡°Brutal,¡± Jude muttered. ¡°Think I shouldn¡¯t have killed her?¡± Lnd asked. The berserker shook his head. ¡°Nope. Not a bit. Unless, of course, that threat of bombs was real.¡± Now it was the warlock¡¯s turn to shake his head. ¡°If bombs were involved, my Lord would have warned me about them when she told me the city was under attack. Not to mention, ¡®terror¡¯ doesn¡¯t seem like her and Ashford¡¯s style. Killing civilians would do nothing to further their gains. The cult, on the other hand¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Glenny¡¯s stealth faded. ¡°She¡¯s killed too many to not die.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± said Isobel. ¡°As do I,¡± a voice said like a fountain of pride from the shadows. Carmon Red stepped forward, out of the darkness and fog. ¡°Good job with the hunt, everyone. d you kids could take care of yourselves and I didn¡¯t have to step in. Or Isobel for that matter.¡± The three boys gave indifferent shrugs. ¡°All things considered,¡± Jude said, ¡°she was pretty weakpared to some of the other fights we¡¯ve had.¡± ¡°I was expecting more,¡± Glenny added. ¡°But maybe since her teleportation magic was locked, I guess she was defenseless.¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°She was dodging all of your attacks. Only Jude got a hit in and I think that was because he simply out-speeded her.¡± Glenny rolled his eyes. ¡°My point stands, I¡¯d say.¡± Jude pointed at his ¡°dead¡± mirage. ¡°He begs to differ.¡± The mirage was a pile of sand, the Witch¡¯s magic having sundered his body¡¯s fate. Luckily to Jude, the mirage was able to be recreated. Everyone took in the death, eventually shaking it off. Lnd, meanwhile, took the Witch¡¯s soul into his soul cape-ne and thus sent off the soul of the Damned with a ¡°thank you.¡± He looked at the others. ¡°Any updates from the others?¡± At his question, a portal opened beside them. They all stepped through. Chapter 215: Castle Chapter 215: Castle ¡°Good work!¡± Spencer said on the other side of the portal. ¡°And to answer your question, no, I do not believe there are any bombs in the city.¡± Sitting on Lnd¡¯s shoulder, the big crow disappeared into the ether, returning to its home realm. For a first outing using Crow Massacre¡¯s new ¡°leader¡± evolution, he was pleasantly surprised with the crow¡¯s ambition. They didn¡¯t even need tomunicate verbally, the crow knowing all of Lnd¡¯s thoughts as he had them. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Carmon asked. ¡°I¡¯ve opened a direct line of contact with High Inquisitor Rushwin. He says that there have been no reports from any of the Inquisitor teams of anything remotely looking like a bomb.¡± ¡°A line ofmunication, huh?¡± ¡°Lucia, Diana, and Roy are fighting with the royal guards and the Inquisitors stationed at the castle.¡± That sparked Lnd and Jude¡¯s interest. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°What happened to searching for the Sightless King?¡± asked Lnd. A wave of uncertainty overcame Spencer before he crushed and locked it away. ¡°They tracked him to the castle. He¡¯s hiding in the body of someone.¡±¡°Who?¡± all three boys asked at the same time. Even Isobel and Carmon looked frankly shocked by the statement. ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t know. A soldier, or guard. And we can¡¯t find a safe way to oust him. Not with the horde of cultists rushing through the fog toward the castle.¡± Spencer paused for a moment. ¡°Any ideas?¡± For some reason, all eyes fell to Glenny, who just shook his head. ¡°The Sightless King isn¡¯t dumb or weak enough to allow me to find him through our¡­ link.¡± ¡°Any idea what he¡¯s waiting for, then?¡± Carmon asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Spencer replied. ¡°Roy thinks he¡¯s biding his time to assassinate our leaders. But that¡¯s what he always thinks in these situations.¡± Jude¡¯s eyebrows fumbled inward. ¡°This situation happens often?¡± ¡°More or less, though not quite the same.¡± Spencer¡¯s attention went skewed as something happened across the city. A small portal opened just in front of his lips. ¡°Roger that,¡± he said into the portal before it abruptly closed. He turned to the others. ¡°Rushwin¡¯s team just infiltrated the cult¡¯s main headquarters. The fog around the castle should be retreating soo¡ª¡± Spencer cut himself off, cursing under his breath. To the others, the room simply fell silent. To Spencer, thirteen Inquisitor lives had narrowly been saved by a quick sh of power. A portal to the upper atmosphere above Ivory Reach had been opened, and a st of primordial magic shattered the sky. The Inquisitors, however, were fine. Mutely, Spencer sipped tea from his parasitic item. ¡°Close call there. Cultists do have bombs, at least ones tied to their fog machines.¡± Carmon, the only one who knew what Spencer¡¯s cup meant, watched him nkly. ¡°Uh huh. And what are we to do now? The Witch is dead, that¡¯s a third of the enemy¡¯s forces.¡± Lnd wasn¡¯t sure if he agreed the Witch had been worth a third, but he understood the sentiment. Without a dedicated teleporter, Ashford and the Sightless King¡¯s steps were going to be on dirt rather than appearing from thin air. ¡°Don¡¯t know. But the castle is still being evacuated,¡± Spencer replied. ¡°They can use help. Most of the guards and Inquisitors are tackling the fog problem throughout the city. Estimates put the number of cultists in the tens of thousands.¡± All three boys recoiled at the number. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°How did they get so many?¡± ¡°These aren¡¯t the converted citizens cultists,¡± Spencer reminded. ¡°These are the main members of the cult. How they got to Ivory Reach? Now that is a good question, but I suspect the Pathways Witch had something to do with it.¡± ¡°Can we handle tens of thousands of enemies?¡± Jude asked. The three former Inquisitors in the room chuckled. ¡°Yes,¡± was all that was said. Unsaid was the difficulty of defending a city from the inside against such a number. Between the guard, soldiers, and Inquisitors, defeating tens of thousands wasn¡¯t unheard of. However, battling with civilians around every corner and in every building was a problem. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Jude muttered, receiving nods from both Lnd and Glenny. Frankly, the adults watched them with jealous eyes. To be so young, to not understand the implications of such a number. To not worry about killing civilians. Each adult, independent of one another, decided that if a full-scale city war began to happen, they would be removing the kids from the battle. Even Isobel knew not to expose them to such horrors. ¡°So what then? We just sit around and wait?¡± Lnd asked. Spencer took a deep breath. ¡°Until Ashford or the Sightless King appears, yes¡­ You could help with evacuations or defend the castle against cultists, but frankly the people already doing that don¡¯t need more help. Especially not from three kids¡­¡± There was a sparkle of something in his eyes. A wave of defiance or perhaps worry? Lnd didn¡¯t recognize the glimmer, but he did notice his father¡¯s slow cadence and pauses. ¡°Dad?¡± he asked, a single word enough to convey all these thoughts and more. ¡°I¡ª¡± he sighed. ¡°Your presence has been demanded. And Isobel¡¯s.¡± Both Lnd and Isobel flinched. ¡°By whom?¡± ¡°Aunty P.¡± ¡°¡­what does she want?¡± Spencer took a deep breath. ¡°Apparently to ¡®check you two out herself.¡¯ If Rushwin¡¯s message is to be believed. And I think it is.¡± ¡°Well kid,¡± said Isobel, ¡°we knew this would happen eventually.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Lnd replied. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect it to happen during a war.¡± She snorted. ¡°This isn¡¯t a war, kid. Remember, this is all about protecting Sybil.¡± Stepping through a portal, Lnd and Isobel arrived at the battlefield alone. The fog was clearing slowly, allowing one to see the wider scope of carnage. Ivory stone ran up a grand hill, chiseled steps leading well into the castle¡¯s main entrance. It stood like a beacon of protection, the castle¡¯s bone walls still prime despite the destruction around it. Anything that wasn¡¯t made of bone had fallen to the bone splinters from above. Spikesrger than most species of trees were impaled throughout the area, each sticking straight up like Ashford¡¯s own personal gs of conquest. These gs littered the castle¡¯s open home, crushing what was present and instead reshaping it into a sea of white. Down the steps toward the city proper, was war. No matter how Isobel framed it, for Lnd, it was war. Spells flew through the air, arrows fired back. Swords met shields, steel met flesh. Death and blood flooded out as guards and soldiers held back the never ending spew of cultists. Without the fog, countless red eyes hung in the distance, a siege. Lnd and Isobel had to maneuver around the shards like trees in a forest and the destruction like ruins to a once great kingdom. They strolled over shattered bricks and concrete, marble and stained ss. Every dozen steps was another broken table or torn hand-painted portrait. While the main castle itself stood tall, the support buildings were dust. That was where they found Aunty P, or rather, where she found them. Up the grand stairs they went, toward the castle. She stopped them with a spattering of guards and a few Inquisitors. Isobel, and for that matter Lnd, recognized two of the Inquisitors. ¡°Royal Inquisitor, Isobel. Otherwise known as the Huntress,¡± Inquisitor Levi, a Legacy of the Wolf and someone who had once interviewed both Lnd and Isobel, said. Inquisitor Cassie, Legacy of the Wand and partner to Levi, then said, ¡°Lnd Silver. Harbinger of an unknown Lord, but goes by the Cmity. Shall I call you ¡®Son of the Cmity¡¯ like so many already have?¡± Lnd knew rolling his eyes was the wrong y here, but still, he did it anyway. Did they really have time for this? Titles were not of importance when there was a battle happening not a hundred paces away, right¡­? Or, and this just dawned on him, maybe they were. These Inquisitors, Levi and Cassie, were low-ranked. Lnd remembered Isobel frankly ignoring them after the events in Liontrunk. They were just investigators when all things boiled down. Not fighters like Royal Inquisitor Isobel. They would follow orders, especially if they were direct. And since they were the wee party, he assumed Aunty P was listening. After all, that woman could hear everything for miles around. ¡°Yeah, call me that if you want. Care to let us pass?¡± Lnd caught Isobel giving him a side nce. She went with it, saying, ¡°We have been summoned. You know that, right?¡± Levi bristled, hackles rising. ¡°I do not like your tone, Huntress.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t like you.¡± Cassie spoke before her partner could. ¡°You lied to us, you know that right? Every question we ever asked you about Lnd Silver, you lied. Why is that?¡± Lnd answered, ¡°Because she knows you two don¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Exactly right,¡± Isobel said. ¡°Why would I tell you two anything when I can talk to High Inquisitor Rushwin.¡± ¡°Like we already did,¡± Lnd quickly added. ¡°Right again,¡± she mused. ¡°So, let me ask you two again. You two know we have been summoned, and yet you still stand in our way. Are you the weing party or are you just tools Aunty P is using to gauge our temperament?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Lnd cut in before either could respond, ¡°if it is thetter, then we are just going to stroll right on by. There¡¯s a war going on, after all, and we need to get back to it before too long.¡± Both Inquisitors wore nk masks, though they both had shifted multiple times on their feet. Levi finally replied, ¡°You may pass. But remember¡ª¡± ¡°You are watching or some such. Yeah, yeah. Intimidation, h, h,¡± Isobel interrupted. Then she said to the open air, ¡°You really need to revamp the Inquisitor y book. That¡¯s justzy.¡± Levi and Cassie were trying to bore holes into her head with their stares. Lnd shrugged and stepped by. Isobel followed suit. The pack of guards parted, one even flinching as Lnd stepped too close. He eyed the armored many, and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m not that scary, am I?¡± The question went unanswered as they walked past. Through the forest of bone fragments, the castle¡¯s reinforced gate came into view. Tall enough for a giant to enter, thick enough to defend against one¡¯s punch, and with enough runes and glyphs inscribed into the exterior to nullify most uses of magic. Lnd had been a kid thest time he was here. Back then, he was Legacy less, meaning he had no magic. So when he entered the castle¡¯s anti-magic field, the shock of muted magic chilled his skin. He tried, and failed, to spark any kind of spell. Mana moved around his body with ease, though nothing came of it. The gates parted for them to enter and a hulking behemoth of a man stood in their way. Silently he nced from them to the side room, obviously stewarding the way to Aunty P. ¡°Good to see you again, Issac,¡± Isobel said to the man. ¡°How¡¯s castle detail?¡± The man didn¡¯t respond and only red at her. She took the hint and followed Lnd into the side room. Fit with everything a multi-generational monarchy could hope to show off, the room was like a mirrored reality to the events unfolding outside. From intact and tablecloth covered tables, to folded napkins beside spotless knives and floral designed tes and bowls. There were no torn paintings, nor a speck of dust. The ground, while somewhat spotted from the sheer amount of foot traffic heading in and out of the room, was devoid of blood and bodies. Well, partially at least. There was blood on the floor, but it was hidden under Aunty P¡¯s chair and behind a frown that could cause foreign heads of state to push for war. Dressed in all ck padded leather, Aunty P sat alone in the room at a fully set dining table. Her section of tes and cutlery had been pushed aside for stacks of papers and dozens of crumbled sections of parchment. Notes and reports, not that she cared to look at them. She knew everything they said, having heard the exchanges from grunt to officer to captain herself. Blood seeped from a, now healed, cut along her forehead. Red streaked down into her eye and cheek, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind. And while surprising, neither Lnd nor Isobel cared to give it more than a cursory nce. Not when Sybil was in the room. Chapter 216: Aunty Chapter 216: Aunty Youngest Princess Sybil Palemarrow, now to-be-crowned queen, sat curled up, a gray eggshell cocoon around her. Through the membrane and calcified outeryers, she looked asleep and uninjured, but a slight dulling whine of magic slowly released from her. If Lnd wasn¡¯t a mage, if he hadn¡¯t pushed himself to see through Sybil¡¯s divine mask, if he had not stood before Lords and spoken to them as equals, if he had not fought against their magic and lived, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed. ¡°She¡¯s leaking,¡± he whispered, the sight of her removing all his prepared notions of sarcasm and posturing. Suddenly standing before Aunty P and telling her off didn¡¯t matter. Nothing mattered, not the war outside, Ashford, even the Sightless King. Sybil was leaking divine magic and mana, and that wasn¡¯t good¡­ right? Aunty P¡¯s blood soaked eyebrow rose like a free climber rushing up a cliff. ¡°What?¡± The single word punctuated the air with a force that reverberated in the drinking sses and porcin dinnerware. It shook Lnd and Isobel to their cores, despite no actual power fueling her question. ¡°I was told that everything was progressing for her correctly¡­¡± Lnd wasn¡¯t too sure of what he was saying, but the Lord of Curses herself had told him that. ¡°So hopefully the leaking is fine.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything,¡± Isobel said. He nced back at her. ¡°Yeah. Trust me on this.¡±That roused a scoff from Aunty P. ¡°Trust you? How could I possibly trust you.¡± And just like that, those prepared notions of sarcasm and posturing flooded back into Lnd. His spine straightened, his chin rose, a re glinted from his eyes. He watched the woman who ordered his execution, critical of every gesture she made, every flinch she tried to hide. She was scared. It was like a beacon in the night once he noticed it. The blood, the healed head wound, the sitting in a fully furnished and set room despite a war going on not fifty paces from the front door. This, this right here, had surprised her. Ashford¡¯s attack, the bones of a dead Lord breaking apart. She, in her web of spies and Inquisitors, had missed something. And now, instead of the castle being a makeshift headquarters with temporary healing stations and barracks, it was primed for tea and cookies. Lnd even surmised that his and Isobel¡¯s appearance here in this moment was a surprise. Otherwise she would have cleaned, or had someone else clean up her blood instead of showing the weakness of being woundable. But was it worth it to bring this up? Did Lnd want to press this issue and gain a step, or did he want to put it aside and work from a step behind if it meant ending the threat outside the gates. In the end, he decided to be the bigger man. After all, Aunty P could still order his execution rather than¡ª ¡°You¡¯re scared.¡± Lnd¡¯s jaw went ck and he slowly, ever so slowly, tilted his head to utterly re at Isobel. Unconcerned , she continued, ¡°How, in the name of the Lords, did you, of all people in this cursed city, get hurt? Unless, of course, all of that blood is fake and you were making some sort of power move against us.¡± Lnd agreed with her assessment. How did a spymaster general get hurt? Especially in her castle with armed guards around every corner. He looked at Aunty P, gauging any movement he could see. She had hardened over, nothing slipping past her mask of a nk stare. ¡°Did you not see the yard?¡± Aunty P asked, her tone sarcastic like a motherining to their child about stepping in a puddle. ¡°I did,¡± replied Isobel like a racehorse taking off at the starting bell¡¯s ring. ¡°And I also saw that the castle itself was unbroken. It turns out, a castle made of bone can¡¯t be broken by the same bone.¡± ¡°And couldn¡¯t I have been outside the castle when shards fell?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lnd answered, deciding in for a penny in for a pound despite still wishing Isobel had kept her mouth shut. ¡°You were by her side,¡± he pointed at Sybil in her cocoon of bone, ¡°and there is no chance ever you would take her out of the castle in that condition.¡± Like a politician with decades of experience, Aunty P replied by not acknowledging the previous point in the slightest. ¡°And what do you know about her condition?¡± Lnd blinked, noticing the switch. ¡°I know enough. But obviously you don¡¯t, and that is why you put her in the safest location in the kingdom. Here, right in this castle. Where you acted as her personal guard.¡± ¡°And you know that how?¡± ¡°Because you wouldn¡¯t trust it to anyone else.¡± He paused for a moment, a glimmer of an olive branch surfacing. ¡°I know I wouldn¡¯t have.¡± Her eyes locked to his. ¡°I repeat my question, how can I trust you?¡± Lnd raised his arm up and gave a half shrug. ¡°Don¡¯t know. How can centuries-made prejudices be scrubbed away in an afternoon? The answer to that question could end many different wars across the world.¡± Isobel leaned forward. ¡°I have an answer.¡± A shift in the air crossed the room. ¡°Do you?¡± Aunty P asked, her voice borderline hysterically jovial. ¡°Oh tell me, O¡¯ great Huntress! What wisdom can you sprinkle on me!?¡± Lnd shared a nce with Isobel. ¡°Uh, you just get Sybil to recount the events after we were taken when she wakes up.¡± It started as a scoff, soon turning into a chuckle, then into a boisterous giggle, then a cacklingugh. Aunty P pped her hand onto the table like Isobel had said the funniest joke ever created. The air shifted again and the Eldest Princess went dead silent. Slowly she began to tap the table, more specifically a particr stack of papers. ¡°Do you know what is listed in these reports?¡± Then without giving time for a reply, she said, ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. These,¡± she made a big gesture, flopping the stack at Isobel aggressively, ¡°are the dead. These are the names of everyone who has died in this city, not including the cultists that were teleported here, civilian, Inquisitor, guard, soldier.¡± Lnd tried¡ª ¡°six thousand nine hundred and eighty four.¡± Aunty P mulled, her eyes going ssy. ¡°That is how many people have died because someone failed. Because I have failed. I thought my informationwork to be indomitable. Other nations and factions have tried to usurp the crown before, and all have failed before their nningphase even finished. Why? Because I hear everything.¡± With a stiff arm, Aunty P pushed the stack of papers onto the floor, her own blood soaking the pages. ¡°The cracks started showing when you appeared, Lnd. ¡®Cmity.¡¯ That single word, uttered by the Reflection King, sent my spies into a gathering frenzy. The name came back many times, but no information past ¡®the cmity was someone powerful¡¯ came back. Oh! But how people were afraid of it. People ran from it. They didn¡¯t understand why they ran from it, but they did. Generational tales, mother to daughter, father to son, of the ¡®Cmity¡¯ and they sprint away and pray. They didn¡¯t have any idea why, but they still told these stories.¡± She paused, a single tear wiped away. ¡°Low and behold, the Cmity is a Vile Lord. One so secretive and secluded that not even the kingdom¡¯s Champions knew to ask about them when the divine decrees were initially issued. How was it someone so went undetected by me for so long? How many other cracks are out there? Where does my information system fail? And how does it fail with a kid? A kid of two of my best Inquisitors no less? A kid who I¡¯ve shared the dinner table with. A kid who I let my niece y with in a fountain ?¡± She locked eyes with Lnd. ¡°And how is it, that same niece fell in love with him?¡± Lnd went to respond, but she continued right on by. ¡°One kid, and now my city falls into disarray. I¡¯ve never had so many Inquisitors ignore my orders before. Your parents, I understand. They would protect you regardless of what you are. But her!?¡± Aunty P red at Isobel. ¡°The Huntress was a dog of the military before she met you. She took orders and she killed whomever we marked. On of our best assassins disguised as a hunter and tracker, and so emotionally lost the likelihood she¡¯d kill herself before disobeying orders was ten thousand to one.¡± A weight filled the air, and not from Aunty P¡¯s rant. Isobel stared with fire in her eyes. ¡°And yet,¡± the regent queen spoke, her volume turning soft, ¡°here she is. Healed by a kid whose Lord defies all rational exnation. He who is loved by all. Friends, family, my niece.¡± Slowly she looked up, finding Lnd. ¡°Tell me, how is it possible?¡± Before Isobel could explode, Lnd held his arm out, blocking her path. She flinched from the gesture, and yet, rxed. He breathed easy, and stepped forward, noticing his crow tattoo watching him. He stopped afortable, but intimate, distance away from Aunty P, then spoke. ¡°My Lord is the Lord of Curses. She is my great, great, great, forty more greats, grandmother. She has never had a Legacy before me or since. I am her Champion, the Champion of Curses. They call her the ¡®Cmity¡¯ because once upon a time, at the dawn of time, really, some other Lords wished to use humanity as a sandbox to y in. They wanted to experiment and, forck of a better term, y god. There were no restrictions in those days. Lords were true gods back then, the only limit to their power was, in fact, power.¡± He snuck a nce at his tattoo. It watched him like only a grandmother could. He continued, ¡°She killed them all. Every single Lord who sought to y, or to increase their own power, at the expense of humanity. It took a special type of person to be a Lord, especially back then. Anything for more power, even if it was wrong.¡± The crow held its head in shame. ¡°Some fell in line, others tried to fight back. But most Lords from that time died. From that point on she was known as the Cmity and purged the truly dark Lords while mentoring the good ones. The Lord of Magic speaks highly of her, for example. But that¡¯s getting away from the point. To be a ¡®Vile Lord,¡¯ all a Lord has to do is kill another Lord, even if that Lord is evil incarnate.¡± Lnd kneeled, lining his eyes up with Aunty P¡¯s. ¡°I may be considered a Harbinger, but that title is far from what I truly am. My Lord wouldn¡¯t have chosen me if she didn¡¯t believe I¡¯m a good person through and through. My magic may be in the hue of evil, but I assure you, I am not.¡± Aunty P only had one question once it was apparent Lnd had finished speaking. ¡°Why you?¡± It was a good question, one Lnd had thought of many times over the months. And while he had many answers to it, only one truly seemed to fit. He nced at the crow tattoo. It was stark still, frozen, like how a tattoo was supposed to be. ¡°I think she wants me to seed her as Lord of Curses.¡± Book 1 now on Amazon, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and paperback! Book 1 now on Amazon, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and paperback! Hey! Thanks everyone who has read and followed. Without all of you this dream of mine could never havee true. So thank you. Thank you. Here''s book 1''s listing: /amazon/B0CR84N943 If you''ve already read book one, start book 2 right here. , more words to full the chapter requirements. . Hope everyone is doing well, thanks for reading. Hello, hello, hello! Chapter 217: It Is Time Chapter 217: It Is Time In a twist of fate, the Witch who toyed with fate, died thinking herself invincible. At least, that was how Ashford understood the situation. It was nearly time, and Charlotte had missed thest three check-ins. She was dead, Ashford was certain. She had always toyed a little too much. Still, he couldn¡¯t say he would miss her. People called him a monster, but she was something far beyond, she was a Witch. The amount of lives one has to take, in cruel means, to be branded as a Witch was obscene. Ashford would know, people have tried, and failed, to get the Lords to brand him before. He sat alone in a dusty room, legs hanging off the bed with his elbows on his knees and fingers inteced just below his chin. Normally, the posture would cause the next morning to be painful, he wasn¡¯t a young man any longer, but now? Now Ashford was closer to a Lord than a mundane human. Being reborn just wasn¡¯t a good enough description of the transformation he had undergone. His body and organs had literally burnt from the inside out, regrowing instantly with the fuel from the parasitic soul Sovereignty. Transcended was closer, but he was still a few steps from reaching for divinity. But it was almost time. The Sightless King would move soon, and so would he. The Sightless King, posing as an ordinary soldier, tasted the spoonful of mush the army cooks were serving. He was uncaring of the prying eyes from the others, for they were nothing but bugs he would soon crush. He sat alone, the persona he was inhabiting the sole survivor of a ¡°cultist ambush.¡± In reality, it was the Sightless King himself that ambushed the unit, and it was the Sightless King that was the ¡°sole survivor.¡± Oh how easy it was to trick humans with hope. They always epted the oue if there was a sliver of hope mixed in with the terror. Like a single surviving soldier. They epted him with open arms because that was just how mortals were. And now he ate their food. Inspected their ranks. Watched them do battle. He didn¡¯t speak, he didn¡¯t growl. He didn¡¯t even jump at the weaklings, killing them before they could kill some of his¡­ followers. The cult was a mistake. If the Sightless King could do it all over again, he¡¯d find a different way to reach Lordship. Why? Because no matter how many followers he had, no matter how much territory he imed, the world only saw him as a monster. And it was true. He almost added a few drops of blood to the mush he was served for dinner. But hiding the fact he was a monster was easy. Just look at him now. Sitting in the midst of the very army he¡¯s about to destroy. He sighed, setting down the spoon. It was almost time¡ª ¡°Corporal Cruz?¡± The Sightless King paused, slowly turning his head toward the man talking. He blinked, finding the Palemarrow insignia for Captain. ¡°They told me you are the only surviving man from your unit,¡± the Captain said, taking a seat beside the Sightless King. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss. And I¡¯m sorry to bring this up so soon, but we need to know the details. Who attacked you, how you survived, their powers, etcetera.¡± Slowly, the human sh suit the Sightless King wore smiled. The gesture was foreign to the King, but moving muscles was all the same in some fashion or another. He then nodded, his silence not going unnoticed. The Captain bristled slightly. ¡°You¡­ okay, son? I know¡ª¡± The smile elongated, stretching far into Corporal Cruz¡¯s cheeks. Toofar. Skin split, blood pooled but did not leak, instead only beading up. Just like blood from a dead body. The Captain stumbled to his feet, Cruz tilted his head. rm, that was all there was. That was all there could be. He had to warn, he had to yell. ¡°Enemy in the cam¡ª¡± The words died in the Captain¡¯s mouth as the taste of blood attacked the back of his throat. Limply, his hands shot forward, ast ditch effort to repel the sudden attack. But his hands only found a spike. A thick pointed arm, one that connected to the mangled Corporal Cruz and now jutted out the back of the Captain¡¯s neck. Luckily, people had been watching. Screams sounded first, then the might of the Palemarrow army began to work. Thest thing the Captain heard before death took him, was rms sounding through camp. The Sightless King tossed the body aside, a trail of blood following the mass of flesh. He turned, unveiling his true self from the cover of his meat suit. His limbs grew in length, his torso doubled, even tripled, in size. Eyes formed on his back, sides, and chest, before conjoining into a single bloodshot re. He began to float, and the army began to attack. It was time. With the backdrop of a moonless night, malevolent doom shuddered through the army camp. Silhouettes, each rounded and thick with blood and pus, rose over the cooking pots and field tables. Shadows flickered from mana lights and torches, though the beast didn¡¯t need what little light there was to see. No, in fact, despite being a massive eye, the Sightless King did not see. A hush befell the men and women who looked at the monster, their skin prickling like millions of tiny eyes red at them from the darkness. They quivered, some even falling outright to their knees, their jaws locked tight. As it rose through the air, some fought back, some tried to intervene. But all attacks were blocked with simple recourse. Some observed, others defeated by darkened primordial energy. Arrows, swords, hammers, all sundered against the Sightless King¡¯s authority. Panic spread, the most fearful running despite the orders from theirmanding officers. Magic rained down, hellfire and ice shing like two terrors desperate for blood. rms sounded, but the shrill squeal of the dead outweighed all. ¡°Regroup! Regroup!¡± someone shouted, hermands well above her rank, but all still listened. The army roused, their camp abandoned and yet they still stood nearby. They gathered in ranks and in structure, their enemy now known and now understood. Leaders were born in those short moments before the Sightless King strolled down the street, darkness licking at its coattails. ¡°Fire!¡± one shouted, executing the will of her nation. Legacies of all kinds came together in that moment, a single moment of pure destruction. Before the night¡¯s events, the area had been evacuated for the army. There would be no innocent casualties in this, for there was only one living being in the crossfire. The Sightless King continued forward, killing soldiers with just his gaze. A beast he was, a monster he was, but a terror he always had been. The air misted with blood, the ground flooded with the liquid. Fires grew and took a foot hold, the city¡¯s ruin all but guaranteed. Then, a rush of leaves filled the space just before the mass of soldiers. They appeared together, the spell¡¯s teleportation ability limited in scope and precedence. But they made it, and in time to hear gasps of pride. Behind them, the soldiers whispered their names. Lead foot out, High Inquisitor Gwinn flicked his scimitar forward, his partner, High Inquisitor Crane, summoning enough leaves to fill a forest. They attacked in unison, sword and leaves dancing with one another untilceration the size of forearms began to appear on the Sightless King. Blood spilled from their attacks, though neither were foolish enough to believe they were making any progress. Reports hade in about who the Sightless King was believed to be. The Bloodied Eye, a monster primordial and perverse in nature. A creature centered around curt aspects of death and greed. A Guardian Spirit Beast of a twistednd with demented cultists to supply him infinite worship and reach. The blood spilling from the massive eye then twitched, stabbing out like ance. It collided with Gwinn¡¯s sword, shattering the curved de with ease. The pieces fell around the Inquisitor, but he only smirked. Being a Legacy of Broken Pieces was sometimes tedious to work around, but when the enemy was a mighty being that only knows destruction? It made his job easier. The broken scimitar, splintered into a dozen pieces, hovered slightly off the ground, each section held together by the very magic that made the Broken Lord known. Gwinn¡¯s eyes turned hollow, power and mana welling until a new de was created. Thick and sharp, the pieces stacked one on top of the other until it wasrger than the Sightless King himself. Each piece glowed with a different hue, pink, yellow, blue, green, and so on, each housing different magic within. Leaves poured from his side, Inquisitor Crane¡¯s ammunition peppering the Sightless King back. Each leaf, each weapon, sliced through the air, battling the nightmare back. They moved like swirling sand, rushing to protect as well as decisively moving to kill. Together the Inquisitors attacked as one, a broken sword and countless leaves carved into the Bloodied Eye until they hit bone. A rip of crimson caustic energy squelched out of the wound, a single detonation of pure ancient anger. Both Inquisitors were thrown back, but quick thinking and decades of expertise allowed them to keep their lives. The Sightless King chuckled, two wide arms made entirely of blood now holding the broken de. ¡°Interesting weapon,¡± he said, snapping it like a twig. ¡°A shame¡ª¡± Despite being blind, the Sightless King could still see. Every flicker of movement, every petrified face of those too weak to even acknowledge. He saw it all, and reveled in everything. But a familiar blue ring of magic stopped him cold. Portal magic, from one of the parents of the children he loathed so much. All ording to n. What better way to finalize his Lordship than to eat his most arch of nemeses. It was a shame that the title befell three children, however. From the portal stepped a child, then another, and a few of adults. The Sightless King gave them no heed, focusing solely on the one who stole from him. The one that would die first, and the most painfully. The one called ¡°Glenny.¡± The Sightless Kingughed, his mangled voice echoing against the burning city. Then with a re of power, he called upon the sigil that burned in every single member of his family. The crimson sigil, the very aspect of his power that allowed for conquest and the very sigil that still remained in Glenny. ¡°So you¡¯vee to me?¡± he asked, crimson light appearing throughout the city, each family member glowing like a lighthouse in the night. ¡°Should have stayed away, child.¡± Glenny began to glow for but a second, the crushing nothingness of the Void wiping away whatever primordial recounting the Sightless King held. His eyes turned white, then ck, then white. All the while he stared at the monster in his nightmare. He stared at the Sightless King. It was time. Time to end this. Chapter 218: Boil Chapter 218: Boil Fires spread from the battlefield, igniting buildings and burning infrastructure. Guards, Inquisitors, adventurers, and even a few mundane shopworkers,borers, and even retired elders worked in tandem to battle the mes. Those who could create water, through Legacy or not, pooled their resources, creating a haven within the heat. Buckets were summoned or taken from houses, each pailing out palpable amounts to quench the worst of the mes. Somewhere in the mess, High Inquisitor Rushwin fought, his stagnant water, water all the same. Pulling children from adjacent homes, leading soldiers to cut off the mes before they spread, informing runners of active reports, he did it all. And the whole while, he watched the far, far end of the street ¨C the crossroads of the battle. The starting location of the fire, the hellscape that amounted to blood and death. The location where the Sightless King would die. And he would join the fight as soon as all of the innocents were out of harm''s way. Portals opened around Glenny, but he didn¡¯t spare them a nce. He knew Spencer¡¯s power quite well by know, understanding that they only protected and supported¡ª A flicker. Glenny didn¡¯t flinch, the attack pushing the upper limits of how fast he could see. Could he have dodged the attack? Yes, there was no doubt in his mind. But he didn¡¯t need to. While Spencer watched, nothing would be harmful, not at this distance. These thoughts, however, were a distraction. Instinct was all he needed and all he wanted. The Void, it called his name. It¡¯s silence like a grand tide, pulling him closer to serenity. To his side, Jude, the Browns, and his father lowered their postures, eyeing the enemy before them. Glenny did the same, pushing a lock of his greasy red hair from his face. White, ck, white, his eye color flickered. He had many questions about the Void, though he knew nearly none would be answered. It was too vast, too infinite. So he didn¡¯t worry. He¡¯d fight until he couldn¡¯t, and that would be enough. The monster before them roared, the blood along the floor vibrating like dancing men. Glenny¡¯s ears began to ring and he noticed many of the soldiers around him mping down on their heads. How many would die tonight? How many bloodied bodies would the Sightless King im? A false wind rolled through the battlefield, leaves made of mana aiding its im. Together with her partner, the Inquisitor sted the King. Glenny found himself unable to focus on them, as he and his nightmare stared at one another. ck, white, ck. Another portal opened just before him, swallowing an attack whole. Could he have dodged that one? Yes, but he didn¡¯t want to. He didn¡¯t want to y defense, he didn¡¯t want to dodge. Spencer had that duty, and he ced his faith in that. ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± he whispered, his voice drowned away by the cacophony of magic and devastation. What was once a city section home to amunity space was now nothing but broken tnd. Pitfalls and piles of rubble alike littered the area, just like the bodies of those unlucky enough to have been killed in the initial barrage of blood magic. Glenny disappeared, invisibility removing his presence in all but memory. He dashed forward, splitting hard to the side and wrapping around. Briefly he recognized his friends movements, his gaze caught on his dad for a short moment. There was no fear. There was only calcting ferocity. Shadows licked the ground as Glenny moved, his parasitic cloak brimming with glee. The sun was down, and the fires provided excellent shadows. He allowed his partner¡¯s wish, dipping in and out of the darkness while stepping across the battlefield. Each time, the darkness brightened just a little, his cloak getting its pound of meat. He stabbed. Primordial magic, the very same that the Sightless King used, ruptured into the King himself, a wound the depth of a forearm ripping in deep. Glenny shadow stepped away, a spray of blood and viscera narrowly sttering him. Reappearing under the guise of a partially destroyed arch, the darkness obscured him enough topletely hide him from the sightless. Blood dripped from his dagger, he watched it fall methodically. The drop squirmed in the air, whatever magic fueling itshing out at its attacker. Snarling, Glenny remembered first hand how the Sightless King¡¯s blood magic worked. His neck still had bruises. With a flourish of his wrist, he reforged his crimson weapons, making them far hotter. The one covered in blood sizzled, a shrill scream echoing along the broken arch. A shadow stepter, Glenny dismissed his invisibility. ¡°Fire hurts him,¡± he muttered. Jude flinched from his friend''s reappearance. A portal then opened in front of them, taking another blood st to a new continent. Neither of them reacted. Having stayed mostly to the outside of the battle, Jude hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to dip his axe in blood. His mother and father, however, had. They had rushed in with Glenny and Carmon, assisting the two other Inquisitors currently on scene. ¡°Where¡¯s Lnd?¡± Jude asked. ¡°His fire¡ª¡± ¡°We can¡¯t wait on him,¡± Glenny seethed, his eyes still flickering white to ck to white. ¡°This needs to end, now.¡± As he said that, a hand sprouted from the cracks on the ground. Having grown from the blood that soaked the floor, the attacker took the leaves Inquisitor by the throat, hoisting her into the air in a familiar fashion. Before she eclipsed the tops of the few shredded trees in the area, a portal opened to her side with a sh of deafening power. A bolt of lightning ripped through the air, piecing into the bloodied hand like an arrow to an apple. The spearing shot took the hand far, hurdling it at the very monster that created it. The bolt and the strung along hand dissipated as a wall of crimson magic raised from the ground. The Sightless King growled at the Inquisitor, but by now her leaves had swooped down like thousands of tiny birds, carrying her safely to the ground. ¡°Fire!¡± Glenny shouted at the crowd of guards, Inquisitors, soldiers, and adventurers. ¡°Use fire! Boil the blood!¡± His shouting fell on deaf ears, the roar of battle and the panic of chaos canceling¡ª ¡°HEY!¡± While nothing had taken Glenny by surprise during the fight yet, Jude¡¯s ss rattling scream did. He was not alone in this, most of those preparing attacks and regrouping into ranks turned his way. ¡°Boil the blood!¡± Whether or not they understood, the boys didn¡¯t know. The fighters weren¡¯t the only ones to have heard his yell. The Sightless King, and his massive body made entirely of a single eye, moved. He floated just above the broken pavement, silent, just like the swoosh of darting muscles. And while he wasn¡¯t fast, his presence was. Like a wave ofva, spiteful foreboding shifted through the air. Some reacted viscerally, an invisible force shoving them back as if the very fabric of reality tackled them. Dark colors illuminated in the eyes of the many, an unrestrained aura cascading and lingering in their mind. Waterfalls had broken, trains of thought detonated. Those who withstood and witnessed the Sightless King¡¯s march fought back, shing against his primordial nature with sheer enigmatic instinct. Guardian Spirit Beast? Artificial Lord? A being born before humans and only saw them as food? No. It was just a floating eyeball. And this was their home. ¡°Brigade one fire!¡± Some snapped out of their allure, the enthrallment they faced. Others failed to act, but most responded. ¡°Brigade one fire!¡± the many echoed, themand silencing the dread. Then the Palemarrow Kingdom roared. Arsenals of magic turned the dark sky light. Shields the colors of the rainbow sprouted throughout the wreckage. Protection and assault, fire and safety. Horrid heat trembled against crimson might, and yet, blood began to boil. Through the bursts of mana and dueling forces, the flooded cracks and dyed stonework turned sour. The smell of an active forge inside a graveyard battled timelessly against the purity of the open air, and as the ground turned into a stove, the smell won. The monster front and center for the assault suddenly became a miniature sun, his primordial shields cracking under the immense heat. ¡°Brigade one halt! Brigade two fire!¡± that same soldier yelled, activating the second wave. ¡°Brigade one halt! Brigade two fire!¡± the many echoed back. The might of the first wave quickly subsided, and the second pounced. Reserves, the less powerful, those not fit for ranged magicalbat, whatever. They rushed, weapons out and sharpened, boots slightly melting on the hot ground. Jude and Glenny moved in with this team, their parents already in the fray. A knock sounded at the same time a very tired looking clerk appeared in the doorway. ¡°Emergency report ma¡¯am!¡± Aunty P, having already heard the man¡¯s footsteps running in from outside the castle, didn¡¯t react. Lnd and Isobel, however, stiffened. ¡°Out with it,¡± shemanded, her cup of tea already set on its apanying te. ¡°Confirmation of battle against the Sightless King. East district nine, called ¡®the Garden¡¯ by locals.¡± ¡°I know the ce,¡± Aunty P said, finding Lnd and Isobel¡¯s hardened faces quite interesting. The clerk gave a firm nod, continuing, ¡°Battle has caused widespread fires in the area. Head Inquisitor Rushwin has taken the mantle of evaluations and fighting the mes. Defenders are pushing the Sightless King back, and more are adding to their ranks by the minute. End report.¡± Aunty P ignored the man bowing and turning on his heel to leave and instead focused on her dinner guests. The initial conversation had ended a few hours earlier, much to everyone''s happiness. And while she didn¡¯t fully understand the picture Lnd Silver created, she understood enough to know he was no threat. Not in his current form at least. So they ate dinner. Lnd had opposed it at first, but even the righteous needed to eat during a war. They discussed many things over that time, especially about the very enemies they faced. The Sightless King was arge topic. He brought interesting points about the beast, as well as personal ounting and details that only her most experienced spies had found. All in all, he had a n to kill the monster, but apparently it wasn¡¯t needed. Not that he would tell her what it was. ¡°I guess you two aren¡¯t needed after all.¡± That¡­ wasn¡¯t the right thing to say, it seemed. Lnd, and Isobel to a degree, looked puckish. Their posture had suddenly slipped, the same nervous ticks she had identified earlier in the meeting reappeared, and, maybe worst of all, both looked guilty. ¡°What?¡± Aunty P asked, fearing the answer. ¡°We¡­ we should be there,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°You heard the report. They have it handled. You two aren¡¯t the only powerful people in the city. Besides Rushwin, we have at least four others at his power level. And they haven¡¯t even been called in yet.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Ah, youthful ideology.¡± Aunty P found her voice a bit too mellow for the situation. Not that she¡¯d admit it, but she was, frankly, happy. As much as those who truly knew her thought her a monster, she hated giving orders of death. Whether sending soldiers to die, or the execution of subordinates, she hated it. So knowing that Lnd and Isobel were just two oddities rather than two enemies, made her happy. ¡°See, Lnd, it is like this. If the powerful dealt with every situation, then nobody would be there to inherit their positions. Those equivalent to Rushwin are his age, if not older. They are nearing the end of their lives, and I hate to admit it, but events such as war are a proving ground for the kingdom¡¯s next great defenders ¨C those who stand against the real threats.¡± Lnd red at the older woman. ¡°Even when the current threat is a real threat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± ¡°Because you forget, Aunty P, that the Sightless King isn¡¯t the only enemy out there. Ashford is still¡ª¡± Aunty P¡¯s face crumbled, overhearing the pitter-patter of feet rushing to the room. And while she didn¡¯t know what the report would say, the sounding from the clerk¡¯s wheezing chest was rm enough. He didn¡¯t even knock, instead simply shouting once in the doorframe, ¡°Ma¡¯am! The Sightless King¡ª¡± He took in a horridly short painful breath. ¡°¡ªis dead!¡± But before anyone could celebrate, the clerk added, ¡°Killed by Harbinger Ashford! And Harbinger Ashford has taken the Sightless King¡¯s im!¡± Lnd tilted his head at the word ¡°im.¡± It sounded important, but he didn¡¯t know why. Obviously, Aunty P knew, as she was out of the room first after a loud curse, leaving her niece for the first time since the attacks began. His gaze lingering on Sybil in the cocoon of bone, Lnd soon followed the regent queen, Isobel following closely behind him. Chapter 219: Doom Chapter 219: Doom ¡°Brigade one halt! Brigade two fire!¡± a nameless soldier yelled. ¡°Brigade one halt! Brigade two fire!¡± the Palemarrow army repeated. The wave of attacks were weaker than the first brigade, at least at the start. They ran, all melee forces as well as adventurers and guards. Glenny and Jude were among this force, as well as their parents. Carmon, Diana, and Roy darted in and out of the action, each making use of their steep power to do what they did best. Devastating echoed blows came from Carmon. Roy took the brunt of the Sightless King¡¯s regtions, blocking every searing attack like it was little more than hot water. Andstly, Diana moved at a speed most regr soldiers couldn¡¯t see, striking the massive eyeball from angles least expected. They were winning, something that rang like a gong inside of Glenny¡¯s mind. They were pushing the Sightless King back, they were inflicting horrid damage to its hellish body. He added to the assault, stabbing two long crimson daggers into the monster. He twisted them, sundering gore and a wash of blood just as Jude hammered down with his red stained axe. A portal opened below both of their feet, and suddenly the two friends were meters back, the ce they were just standing a pir of pure anger. Primordial magic rose from the charred ground, striking at even intervals like lightning on a storming night. Jude and Glenny easily danced backward, the telegraphed attacks simple. At least while the Sightless King defended, that was. Yelling sounded from the soldiers, a cry escaped those closest to the great beast, a painful, chilling scream. Some died instantly, the sound of mangled bodies mming into pavement ever familiar for the people in this line of work. Next came the painful sobs, those with suddenly missing arms or gored stomachs. Glenny eyed the mess, finding spikes of hardened blood jutting from the fresh wounds on the Sightless King like a hedgehog. Portals appeared below the survivors, taking them to somewhere serene and, hopefully, full of medical Legacies. Those who were already dead, Spencer couldn¡¯t help.Just then, a portal over the Sightless King opened. Like a barrage of artillery fire, seven lightning bolts the thickness of trees came crashing down. Appearing in an instant, the monster hardly had time to react. But react he did. Shields of red, both blood and primordial crimson, sprung to action, some failing to appear in time. The smell of burnt skin wafted through the battlefield, the Sightless King the source. A groan slipped out, an anguish leagues above the petty wounds of earlier. He wasn¡¯t healing, his wounds bloodied and raw. It was in that minute, second, that thin fragment of a moment, the Sightless King became. Shifting in his own skin, power, malevolent and hungry, radiated. It pulled at the open air and the stone that made up the ground. Vileness, the power of taking, the sin of greed, sowed the fields and ate the crops of man. What remained was only corruption, a corruption of vignt ferocity. The dead bodies disappeared, taken by the Sightless King and repurposed. Eyes appeared, each the size of a window, and each a beacon to look into another world. Domains of doom opened to darkness, hatred spilled forth for blood, muscle, and bone. The Sightless King relished the revolution, the time for him to take was here. Ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand. Countless eyes appeared, each taken from his most loyal of followers. They were dead now, each left to rot while what made them them was taken. Greed. It was simple and elegant, he didn¡¯t even need to beg. Being powerful, the weak give themselves. The Sightless Cult, reduced to ammunition for Lordship. The taste, the hunger, the Sightless King felt it. He imed it. He was it. One step, one more step, and he would carve his own name into the heavens. The evaporated blood, the blood the city¡¯s defenders thought they boiled, gushed like an ocean. A tide came, a tide that destroyed even the most ancient of civilizations. He was Primordial, he was¡ª A sh. A flicker. A ncing thought. Something stray, something foreign. Alien. It nked out his thoughts, his expressions of godship. His future. It was nd. nk, even. A tightness made eternal. A falsend, set in the boundary. The Void, he recognized, the ce everything was. White, ck, white, ck. It sung to him, it sung to them. The Sightless King, Glenny Red. Monster, hero. Taker, stealer. Eye, chameleon. Powerful, adaptive. And it was thatst one the Sightless King held on to. It was what he noticed from the song. Distant, harmonious. The hum of a r, the whistle of a flute, the triumph of a trumpet, the beat of a drum, the strum of a guitar, the roar of a harmonic. He turned, every one of his countless eyes finding the source. It was a tunnel, a hidden connection in the sand. He had already used it to go after the one who stole from him, the one named Glenny. But now it was being used against him. Adaptation. He followed the tunnel, finding the boy standing in the distance beside one of the other usurpers, the axe wielder. No¡­ that wasn¡¯t right. Glenny stood beside two usurpers. One holding and ying a guitar, the other blowing into a harmonica. Why¡ª Why did the song call him so? Why did it egg on his rage and create a false narrative? Just what kind of song¡ª ck, white, ck, white. There it was again. Istion. The Void appeared in his mind, causing every one of his countless eyes to blink. That moment, that true moment of blindness, gave way to creation. A spark, a tiny me. It took and burned, soundless heat scorching through the Void. Then a stick of pain. The blink ended, and the Sightless King¡¯s vision split. In two, in four, in countless numbers of¡ª His vision came back, healed in fractions of a second. What? The question hung in the air as the music continued. He snarled, the sounding from each of his eyes like belting goats thinking they were howling wolves. His vision narrowed, and now he only saw Glenny and his identical twin-friend. He needed to kill them, he needed to¡ª His magic reacted to his will, the fire of rage amounting to thoughtless action. He appeared before them, striking out with the doom of a soon-to-be Lord. He missed, the boys teleported away, but a building was still destroyed. But before the first brick hit the ground, the Sightless King moved, reappearing beside the thief. Blood came to his call again, this time splitting like leaves on a branch. The attack covered as much surface area as possible, and yet, he still missed. Rage took his lungs, and a mighty roar left his body. As windows rumbled and hatred spread, the song continued as Void pried at hisst mental shields. Glenny appeared before him, two daggers sticking out and thrusting. He didn¡¯t attack fast, the strike having no chance of missing, for some reason. The des entered the Sightless King before twisting. Then, like a doomsayer to a deste realm, the Void reacted. A chunk the size of Glenny himself disappeared from the floating monstrosity in an instant. He attacked again. Another chuck disappeared. And again. And again. Five uses of the Void in total, each more grueling than thest. Finally, as he was about to do a sixth, a portal appeared below his feet and swallowed him whole. But this time, Spencer didn¡¯t put him somewhere else on the battlefield. He wasn¡¯t repositioned to dodge a deadly attack. No¡­ this time, Glenny appeared in a well-lit tent. Crowds of people streamed to and fro, the haunted screams of countless butchered warriors seeping around him. A hand caught him on the shoulder. He spun, daggers reacting without pause. A golden pulse extended around the woman, deflecting his attack like it was nothing. ¡°Whoa there, friend,¡± the woman said, the tattoo on her hand of chiming bells animated and nging. ¡°No enemies here! You¡¯re safe!¡± Glenny went to dash away, to escape the woman¡¯s grasp and return to the battlefield. He knew he was in the healers¡¯ tent and he knew he didn¡¯t need healing. But a golden powering from the woman¡¯s hand rxed his muscles and weakened his knees. He allowed himself to be sat down, to be eased into a bed. It was nice, it was peaceful. Glenny mustered up the courage to brush a lock of white hair from his eyes. The magic was soothing, but the silence he heard in his mind was even more soothing. And the best part was, he wasn¡¯t using the power of the Void. He soon fell asleep. The woman, however, got to work. Never, in her near centuries long time as a Champion, had she ever seen someone in such a dreadful condition. His organs had started to fail, his skin had started to die, his heart started to slow¡­ but it was just that, ¡°started to.¡± The process never finished. Whatever death march the boy had been a part of ended, like whoever was torturing him had just¡­ stopped. It would take time to heal but there was no doubt in her mind that this boy would recover. And it wasn¡¯t just her Lord whispering in her ear that solidified such a sentiment. It was that the boy¡¯s body was starting to repair itself as well. Jude stared at the heaping mess that was the Sightless King. He didn¡¯t fully understand what he and Glenny had done, but between his music and Glenny¡¯s Void power, they had done¡­ something. Honestly, Jude frankly had no idea what had just happened. One minute they were battling, the next he was suddenly ying the harmonica while his mirage was ying the guitar. It was almost like time had skipped. And how did Glenny open that tunnel!? Jude had clearly felt it, the Sightless King¡¯s presence in his mind! ¡°Was that what you¡¯ve been living with all this time?¡± Jude whispered to himself. ¡°That thing in your mind?¡± He shuddered as his parents stepped up beside him. Diana and Roy Brown, his mother and father smiled triumphantly. A few steps away, his uncle appeared from the crowding over as well. ¡°Uncle Ray!¡± Jude screeched, bear hugging the man. ¡°When did you get here!?¡± A bloody cut crested the man¡¯s face. ¡°As soon as I could¡­¡± The implication was obvious. Jude looked around, finding many, many dead bodies. It had been a well fought hard battle, but ultimately they had won. Carmon appeared as well, as well as the two Royal Inquisitors who had started the battle. Glenny¡¯s father was limping badly, but a quick gulp of one of those stolen healing potions fixed that right up. ¡°Spencer?¡± Carmon asked the open air. ¡°Take me to Glenny, please?¡± But the portal didn¡¯te. At least not for him. Dozens of portals opened, hundreds over the span of a minute or two. The weak, wounded, or those wailing over the corpses of the dead were moved. Even Jude was eaten by a portal, thrust somewhere safer by Spencer. But one never appeared for Carmon. A small portal opened beside his ear. ¡°Ashford is¡ª¡± Spencer¡¯s voice cut off, a figure emerging from the smoke and dust. He walked patiently, each footstep nipping at reality like waves eroding a beach. Every step, every chilling step, cloaked the army in a veil of ethereal light. Green, sickly green, pools of infinite hallowed aura wound through the men and women vowed to defend their city. Through the transcendent second, no one moved, no one breathed. The man only walked, his aura casting not only arge shadow on the death and decay, but on the celestial naivete of the Lords who oversaw this battle. The man looked hurt, but not because he was in pain. He was tired of it. Following the scripture, the will of his Lord, the confusion of misadventure and failed clutches at freedom. But for now, he was nothing but a ve to those far more powerful than him. He appeared beside the dying corpse of the Sightless King, shoving his arm into the mangled coffin of flesh and doom. With a lurching rip, Harbinger Ashford yanked out what made his temporary ally an ally to begin with. The greedy essence of someone who knocked upon the doors of divinity. He was d. Despite the death, this n allowed for one more survivor. Princess, or rather, Queen Sybil Palemarrow was no longer needed. The essence that had befallen her was no longer part of the n. No longer needed by the Undying Lord. It may have been a key, but forging a new one wasn¡¯t a big deal. Not when you had a nk mold. And Ashford had all of that. It was finally time to free himself, and his Lord in the process. Chapter 220: Ashford Chapter 220: Ashford Expecting Aunty P to rush out of the castle and into the battle, Lnd was surprised when she veered off into a room rather than exiting through the main gate. He supposed it made sense, she was, after all, the regent queen, and couldn¡¯t exactly waltz into battle. Still, he paused, causing Isobel to pause as well, and considered: follow Aunty P or rush into battle himself. The choice was obvious, and instead of entering that room, he exited the castle, wings already appearing on his back. Isobel did the same, and together they were in the air, rushing out of the anti-space magic fields. They didn¡¯t have to fly far before arge oblong portal opened in their path. Entering, they found Spencer. ¡°What¡¯s going on dad?¡± Lnd asked. His father was more than haggard. From eyes faintly glowing with blue power, to posture that looked like a fishing hook, the man¡¯s seated position exined a tale of endless mana but human fatigue. He sipped from his parasitic tea cup, the twinkle in his eyes only growing. ¡°We killed the Sightless King, or maybe I should say Glenny did, sort of¡ª¡± Lnd and Isobel both reacted to that, great grins stretching across their faces despite the dower air. ¡°¡ªHe¡¯s hurt, but recovering. Ashford appeared and did something to the Sightless King¡¯s corpse. I¡¯ve evacuated everyone that I believe would be killed instantly if Ashford attacked.¡± ¡°If he attacked?¡± Isobel asked. ¡°He hasn¡¯t yet?¡±¡°No,¡± Spencer reaffirmed. ¡°That¡¯s the problem. He¡¯s just standing there with his eyes closed.¡± ck feathers twitching, Lnd didn¡¯t like the sound of that. He asked, ¡°Either of you ever heard of a ¡®im?¡¯ With a capital ¡®C¡¯¡± Isobel didn¡¯t respond. Spencer just shook his head. ¡°Because Aunty P reacted very fast when the attendant mentioned a ¡®im.¡¯¡± Tsking, Isobel muttered, ¡°I think this is above our paygrade.¡± Lnd turned on her. ¡°So what? You just want to abandon¡ª¡± She held up her hands. ¡°Learning about ims is above our paygrade. Killing things, however, is not. ims cer.¡± The animosity fell from Lnd¡¯s lungs. ¡°Alright, good.¡± ¡°Not to be the bearer of bad news,¡± Spencer spoke up, ¡°but Ashford is much stronger than he was in Ruinsforth. Closer to Lordship than not, I¡¯d say.¡± Smirking, his son said, ¡°Good thing I¡¯ve had experience fighting Lords.¡± Ashford didn¡¯t react to the portal opening a few dozen paces away. He already wasn¡¯t reacting to the city¡¯s defenders who had stayed behind to kill him, so why would he care about one more? Except, this time he did react. With his eyes closed, it was the young man¡¯s voice that pulled him from thest few respectable breaths of his mortal life. ¡°So it was war then, huh?¡± Ashford didn¡¯t miss that another portal opened some distance away, taking refuge on the roof of a building overseeing the battleground. Still, he didn¡¯t care, not when the master of this whole situation was before him. He opened his eyes, finding Lnd Silver. Despite the worry around him, despite the fearful chanting and cries in the distance, Lnd Silver stood tall. Ashford didn¡¯t miss how a few of the defenders flinched at his sudden appearance, one woman in particr let out a doom-filled gasp when he appeared. Not that it mattered, but Ashford also noticed that Lnd Silver had grown in power. A magnitude or two, maybe even three, but far, far from the level necessary to stop the n. He already had the im, everything was already set. Still, Ashford found himself responding, not because he felt an obligation to, but because curiosity got the better of him. It wasn¡¯t every day that warring Harbingers spoke together under the guise of ceasefire. ¡°The master wants what the master wants.¡± The statement was said with grant nd, the type he had always spoken to Witch Charlotte with. There was, he had found, a special way to treat people below one¡¯s station. That being, bored contempt. Lelend Silver shrugged. ¡°A lot of people died because of your ¡®master.¡¯¡± Ashford didn¡¯t take the bait, nor did he bend to whatever conversation the boy wanted. ¡°Don¡¯t care.¡± He almost smirked when the quick retort seemed to stump the young Harbinger. But he didn¡¯t. It was a shame, Ashford thought. Someone so weak, so previously powerless had stood up to him and came back to face him a second time. If it was any other situation, maybe the two could have worked out their differences. Be friends, even. It wasn¡¯t every day that Harbingers¡ª No, no, no. Ashford cut off that line of thought. Lnd Silver would never have agreed to an amicable rtionship, Harbinger or no. They were too far apart in their world views. Lnd bit his lip, then said, ¡°So you have a im. Don¡¯t you think it is time to leave, then?¡± And as if the table had flipped, it was Ashford¡¯s turn to be stumped. He quickly regainedposure. ¡°Why am I not surprised you know of the ims, Curse Harbinger?¡± Stifling at the casualty of the title, Lnd nced behind himself. All around were Ivory Reach¡¯s most potent defenders. His mom, Jude¡¯s parents, Glenny¡¯s dad, countless Inquisitors, a few Royal Inquisitors, and many, many more. He sighed. ¡°Guess the secret is out of the bag, huh?¡± Ashford cracked an eyebrow at that. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡ª You had hidden your allegiance all this time? Even after grantly disying your halo?¡± Lnd was slow on the response. ¡°What can I say? Most have no idea what the halo signifies.¡± The Undying Harbinger scoffed, ¡°Three hundred years ago, you would have been hunted to the ends of the world for even hinting you were a Harbinger.¡± Not missing the crowd of defenders suddenly bing very alert, even more than they already were, Lnd summoned his grimoire and pressed his hand into a page. Four frilly wings made of cloud-like feathers appeared in a gale of magic. Ashford didn¡¯t react, now interested just as much as the crowd. Though he did stiffen when a wash of¡­ calm overcame the area. ¡°Yes, yes. I did try to hide my title, but now that it¡¯s out in the open, I think you¡¯ll find that I¡¯m as ¡®good¡¯ as they get.¡± Lnd ended his little speech with a flutter of his wings, enough to kick away the awful stench the battleground had gained due to the growing number of dead. Everyone was silently staring at him, until Ashford started pping. ¡°A hero¡¯s wee!¡± A few sporadic ps sounded through the crowd, but they died off just as quickly as they came. Lnd did, however, spot High Inquisitor Rushwin in the back whispering to an equally old woman wearing a cloak. ¡°I¡¯m no hero,¡± Lnd tightly said. ¡°And I don¡¯t expect or want a weing. I just want you to leave, im and all. There is no reason to fight. You¡¯ve got what you wanted, and you¡¯re not going after Sybil any longer. So¡ª¡± Ashford sighed. ¡°For as informed as you are, you are so dull.¡± ¡°Ah, petty insults now, eh? I can y that game. You look¡ª¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± the man muttered. Lnd¡¯s face twisted into a frown. ¡°Enlighten me then. You have the im. You don¡¯t need Sybil. What else do you want? Whatever you are going to do with it, does it have to be done here? Can¡¯t you just fly south until you find some quiet ce to work?¡± Taking a moment, Ashford gave his young adversary a long, long look. ¡°There is little freedom allowed to me by my master¡¯s will. There are even fewer pleasures I routinely allow myself. Eating is nice. Sleeping is better. Drinking is always a charm. Keeping friends? I haven¡¯t done that in many, many years.¡± A faint whisper sounded from the palms of his hands. A deep emerald glow began. ¡°See, I am, in essence, immortal. ¡®Undying¡¯ is every bit on the nose as it is pedantic. And in my long, long life, I have seen many, many people die. Some by my hand, most from what life simply brings. I had a family, once or twice. I lived a normal life before I realized it was a curse. I¡¯ve forgotten more names and faces than you could ever know. I¡¯ve had the worst pains in my heart, the kind that feel as though they never would heal, wane like a dulled nail.¡± He paused a moment. ¡°Ask your friend Glenny or his father Carmon Red, if you haven¡¯t an idea what I am talking about.¡± In the crowd, someone drew a sword. Ashford continued, ¡°And through all of this, I¡¯ve had few people who I¡¯d call a friend or loved one. My aplice in this whole mess was not such a person. The Witch Charlotte was a crazy murderer and her death is a godsend to the people who one day might have had their strings of fate cut by her.¡± The green glow grew brighter. ¡°But I¡¯ve always made it a priority to never lose my humanity. As an immortal such as I, it is too easy to fall into the hole of apathy. Even when your life is not your own and held by an imprisoned all-seeing master. So I made it a point to always, and I do mean always, kill those who kill the people I work with.¡± Lnd¡¯s feet went numb. A tingling sensation creased his neck. The glowing grew brighter, until a shadow appeared in its center. A thin de began to peel from Ashford¡¯s palm. ¡°Can¡¯t lose my mortal emotions,¡± the Undying Harbinger calmly said, despite the wave of movement from the defenders. They were preparing. ¡°Less I want to be like the very Lords I despise so much. And ¡®revenge¡¯ is an easy enough emotion to gather in short order.¡± He looked at Lnd. ¡°I¡¯ll make this quick for you. No hard feelings for killing Charlotte, okay?¡± The question sparked something in Lnd. ¡°What!? No! No, that is not okay! What is wrong with you¡ª¡± A de made of the transcended soul of a dead parasitic weapon fully materialized in Ashford¡¯s hand. He gripped it lightly, the small gesture pulsing with unfiltered power. Corruption, death, whatever unholy malevolent force the Undying Legacy held, flooded the battlefield in a way that reminisced a Lord¡¯s domain. A weight of creation hung on Ashford¡¯s shoulders, the kind that pushed beings beyond, chewed on them, then spit them out, tempered. His skin hardened, his organs turned to metal, his sight became cosmic, his breath expanded infinitely. Just as the Lord of Curses couldn¡¯t change Lnd, the Undying Lord couldn¡¯t change Ashford. But whereas the Lord of Curses guided and taught, the Undying Lord hammered and forced. Ashford was trapped by his master¡¯s call, except in his very existence. What made him, him stillid bare. And that bared existence wanted to remain mortal. Wanted to feel, wanted to live. It was a shame that the bridge from god to humanity was murder. At least for the murdered. There was no time to react, the speed at which Ashford sliced with his sword appearing before Lnd soundlessly. But as the boom from the sudden movement made the crowd¡¯s ears cry, Lnd felt no pain. ¡°Go! Get out of here!¡± Carmon Red, sword in hand, stood in defiance of the Undying Harbinger, protecting Lnd despite the untamed power cracking stone and breaking the air. Emerald light folded down from Ashford¡¯s sword onto Carmon¡¯s before Lnd reacted. The oppressive weight of the world danced along each of his four wings as heunched from the ground. As quickly as he could, two more sets of wings appeared. The first ck and wide, the second scaled and leathery. He didn¡¯t dare look back, nor did he wonder why none of his father¡¯s portals opened for him. He couldn¡¯t, not with the aura of death following close behind. Chapter 221: Fitting Battlefield Chapter 221: Fitting Battlefield Sybil dreamed of broken bones and a lineage of mothers. ¡°Break a bone, it hardens as it heals,¡± one mother said. ¡°But that¡¯s painful,¡± another said. ¡°Drinking milk is the better option.¡± ¡°Always the worrywart,¡± a third mother said. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t let me out of my room until I was seven!¡± Second mother bristled at that, the thought of something so safe used as a weapon! ¡°I resent that sentiment. You were a fragile child¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Spare me the walk down memoryne, please Mother.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± a fourth mother asked, this voice familiar to Sybil. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard this story before. Please, do tell grandmother. And don¡¯t leave out any details.¡± Despite the dream being only verbal, Sybil felt the familiar voice lean forward and bat her eyes. Second mother spoke, her words gushing with that sort of sarcasm only a mother could achieve to embarrass their child, ¡°Well, it all started when I married your grandfather¡ª¡±Sybil listened to the whole of the story, finding it oddly charming and sweet, rather than the scornful missive third mother found it to be. In the end, she realized that everyone in this dream was rted. Mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and so on. In fact, her own mother was here as well. Mother four, she finally connected. Which meant the story second mother told was about her own grandmother. ¡°Hello?¡± Sybil finally asked the dream, taking a leap of faith in the middle of a lull of the conversation. Again, without bodies and vision, there were only words. Still, she felt everyone look at her. ¡°Finally awake, my little princess,¡± fourth mother said, her mother. ¡°Mom?¡± Sybil asked. ¡°That¡¯s right, honey. But don¡¯t worry about all of that right now.¡± Someone took Sybil¡¯s hands, grasping them so tight she could feel her own pulse. Her mom continued, ¡°I¡¯ve got you, I¡¯ve got you. Can you see a light? Maybe a font of power?¡± ¡°It was a statue for me!¡± first mother yelled. She was further away, Sybil noticed. In fact, they all were. Even her real mother, who was still holding her hands. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m scared!¡± ¡°I know, Sybil. You are safe. Everything is fine.¡± The former queen¡¯s voice fell in volume, the distance growing even more. ¡°Just find the light! Or the font!¡± ¡°Or a statue!¡± first mother added. I¡¯m faster than Isobel! I¡¯m not going to die! I¡¯m faster than Isobel! I¡¯m not going to die! The chant, while short and dire, repeated in Lnd¡¯s mind as three divine contracts propelled him forward. Eight wings pushed him far faster than he had flown before. Each p, each beat of his heart, sent him sailing through the skies of Ivory Reach. Behind him, sinister amalgamated power rained. He felt people die in an instant. Those who tried to interfere, the city¡¯s defenders sworn to protect life, tried to fight off the Undying Harbinger. And he crushed them. A crescent of vile emerald energy split the sky, slicing just past Lnd as he dove behind a curved rib bone of the fallen Lord that made up the city. The st carved into the divine structure, chipping away at the ancient corpse. He looked down from his flight, finding the deste charred battleground. Fires had ruined the area, turning it to a ck dot from such a view. People gathered in the dot, some with weapons drawn, others without. Most were running away, while a few traded in conversation. Ashford wasn¡¯t there any longer. A sickness befell Lnd. His heart skipped a beat. A strain bared down on his soul, a familiar chilling pressure. It crushed his lungs and whittled his wings. Just to stay in the air now took conscious effort, each wing working double time. He searched for the source, finding it in mere moments. Two infinite orbs, two vile eyes. Ashford stared at him from across the sky through divine rib bones acting as trees in a forest. He was neither smiling nor frowning, justme contempt, just another thing he had to do. But Lnd could see him. He could see the master pulling the strings and reaping the rewards. Far in the back of Ashford¡¯s eyes was the Undying Lord. And while he didn¡¯t condone his servant¡¯s actions, there was no way he was going to interfere with more mayhem or death. To kill the only Legacy of the Curse Lord? Of the Cmity? Of the bane of all vile Lords and the constant reminder that death, even for an Undying Lord is just a few short spells cast away. No. The Undying Lord was not going to interfere. This was, after all, his minion¡¯s will. A reputable, foolish goal to retain his humanity, but his foolish goal all the same. The Curse Lord will have no means of retaliation if the battle is limited to Legacies. Something the Toy Maker seemingly forgot when he faced off against the boy. ¡°Flight,¡± Ashford whispered, the word somehow the perfect volume for Lnd to hear despite the distance, ¡°you¡¯ve got some new tools sincest we fought.¡± Lnd turned and flew. Eight wings, all pping at once. He traveled the distance of three city districts in the span of just a few seconds, but Ashford was faster. The blow came out of nowhere and caught Lnd in the side. He hurdled across the sky, a pain reminiscent of when the Lord of Souls grabbed his arm erupted in his gut. Sickness spilled from his mouth as his wings fought for dominance over the open air. He spun, feathers of ck and white were ripped out from sheer drag alone. Another contract activated, the Lord of Nature. Regenerative magic was hardly more than a breeze in a tempest of pain. Stability caught, and Lnd found his attacker instantly. Watching him, with those cold dead eyes, Ashford floated on a trail of green miasma. A potion appeared in Lnd¡¯s hand, one of the stolen high quality ones. Its taste was overshadowed by the blood in his mouth, though the healing properties were nothing to scoff at. The pain fell away, only for the weight of Ashford¡¯s aura to smash down. ¡°Your turn,¡± the man whispered, again his voice carrying over the air. Running was out. Soul Fire? Maybe, but Lnd had no hope Ashford would stand still long enough for him to properly throw the curse. He¡¯d be dead in an instant. He needed allies. He needed someone to hold Ashford in ce¡ª ¡°Dad!¡± Lnd yelled. ¡°Help!¡± Ashford raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think so. This is between you and me.¡± ¡°Worth a shot,¡± he replied with snark, the potion doing more than just easing his pain. It reminded him just how close to death he truly was. One punch, a punch he doubted was Ashford¡¯s full strength, nearly killed him. As he shifted, despite the potion, his guts still felt like jelly. He was out gunned by all measures, and the likelihood help would arrive in time was low. So, Lnd straightened his back, cracked his neck, and did as he always had done. Prepared for an unwinnable battle. ¡°Alright fine,¡± he then said, in case Ashford was growing bored. ¡°My turn.¡± He moved slowly through the air, staring the Undying Harbinger down as he went. Ashford, of course, followed, realizing a change in venue was appropriate for the battle toe. Lnd didn¡¯t fly down, however, instead traveling a short distance up. ¡°What better battlefield than on top of a dead Lord?¡± he asked as he gentlynded on the Lord''s cracked sternum. Ashford did the same, the green mist surrounding him fading. ¡°I suppose it is fitting.¡± Legs shaking, Lnd pulled his grimoire round, making the gesture as mboyant and long as possible. Anything to gather a few seconds. ¡°Right,¡± he muttered. ¡°My turn.¡± He rocked his shoulders back. ¡°Slow.¡± The word came out quickly and decisively. For a single heartbeat, he and Ashford were connected. It was a lesser aspect of the Curse of Copse, but an aspect all the same. Usually, Lnd ignored whatever vile sting of emotions he felt in these moments, but this time he paid attention. For that heartbeat, Lnd only felt sorrow. A tortured existence pushed until it was one step from copse. He wanted a release, a final judgment on a life ill-lived. Penance, maybe, or maybe just the longing for rest. Either way, Ashford wasn¡¯t human anymore. The heavy ache in his heart nothing more than a void of what once was. ¡°Maul!¡± Lnd then yelled, his flock of most trusted summons appearing from beyond reality. They came in like arrows fired from ballistae, staying low to the ground while moving to kill. Led by arger, more real alpha crow, the murder split in two, each group attacking simultaneously from either side. Blood spilled as they shed, razor-like talons and pike-like beakscerating into Ashford¡¯s hardened skin. They did little more than scratch the man, but blood still dripped on the dead Lord¡¯s bones. ¡°Hmm,¡± Ashford hummed. ¡°I was expecting more.¡± And with that, he darted across the ivory battleground, his speed far lower than before. Able to follow his movements, Lnd activated another contract, cycling out the Lord of Crow¡¯s for the Lord of Erupting Skies. Bursts of lighting pulsed from his every step as he back peddled across the white deste, each booming with electric magic and powerful lifeforce. Ashford stayed with his jerky and erratic movement, the two seemingly dancing back and forth in a murderous waltz. ¡°Fracture,¡± Lnd had long known the feeling when one of his curses failed to take. It felt dull, like a dull edge of a de striking against a perfectly forged shield. This time was no different, the curse failed. Let me give you the power¡ª Lnd snarled, doing an uppercut from Ashford that sent emerald cracks through the air. Lodestar had woken up. Chapter 222: Darkness Chapter 222: Darkness .rfdbfec82a9724ef2b3c16d906b3b0c21{ disy: none; } From the tattoo on Lnd¡¯s back, a white halo of shimmering metal and utter darkness peeled. He silently floated out and away from his host, like a kite against a breezy day. Growing in size, Lodestar slowly rotated, a ring ever moving, a portal ever opened. A story then appeared, a tale of sheer power and limitless scope. It radiated from the darkness within Lodestar, teasing just a hint of what was toe. Both Lnd and Ashford stared at the parasitic weapon, but each for different reasons. Ashford for the simple fact that his opponent had just unleashed an unknown powerful weapon. Hesitance was a proper course of action, even for an immortal. Lnd, however, stared at Lodestar for the simple reason that Lodestar summoned himself. A game was being yed, and Lnd felt surrounded by two powerful enemies. Dominance or death, dying to a parasite or a murderer. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look, young host,¡± Lodestar said aloud, his voice screechy, like nails on a chalkboard. Ashford reacted far faster than Lnd could. A ze of green miasma flicked from his outstretched palm, the st consuming the whole area between him and the parasitic weapon. Lnd threw himself out of the way, six full-stride Erupting Steps taking him to safety. When he turned back, Lodestar was caked in diabolical energy. Emerald ate at the metal of Lodestar, a million toxic teeth clinking against his frame and function. Yet, Lnd felt no issue through his and Lodestar¡¯s connection. In fact, he could only hear a tired, but jovial, chuckle. A pull emanated from the weapon, and soon all of the green miasma disappeared, sucked into the darkness that filled Lodestar. ¡°Weak.¡± The word hung in the air as both Lnd and Ashford stared at the weapon. The moment passed when the Undying Harbinger stepped. Movement caught Lnd¡¯s eyes and instinct threw him back. Ashford appeared, a dagger of sickness thrashing forward like a shark darting for the kill. Both men danced back and forth along the bones of the fallen Lord, one a cat, the other a mouse. Lodestar made no move to help. Lightning beat with Lnd¡¯s every step, rhythmic and smooth. Two sets of wings, one dark the other light, kept up with his speed and solidified his bnce. Every time he teetered, a wing would level out, setting him to safety. After a particrly close dodge, Lnd shouted, ¡°Kneel before me!¡± Violet from his halo mixed with coursing green from his eyes. mes bloomed like beautiful flowers in spring around Ashford. Heatless fire surrounded the man, the licking magic far taller than the person it imprisoned. For the time he remained within, green mist leaked from the Undying Harbinger. But that onlysted for a moment, Ashford grit his teeth and stepped through the mes. Pain. For the first time since meeting Ashford all those months ago, Lnd saw the man in pain. Even when Carmon obliterated his body with echoed attacks, the man had not been in pain. The title of Undying wasn¡¯t just given out. It was earned, through body and mind. Countless deaths, unbelievable pain tolerance. A straight face even when beheaded or punctured through the heart. Until now. Even Ashford was taken back from the sudden needles across his skin. He felt a brief stint of stomach flu, his head also began to spin. For a heartbeat or two, he saw Lnd differently. Up until now, he was just a boy ying on a level far beyond his station. Now, Ashford realized he was a killer in the skin of a¡ª Lodestar moved, silently drifting across the battlefield as to stand between Ashford and Lnd. The darkness within the white ring ebbed and flowed, waning like the moon but rising like the sun. The tale continued, but this time it was for all to hear. Power, excitement, life, death. Ashford hadn¡¯t felt fear in a long, long time. What was there to fear when you couldn¡¯t die? He now had an answer. A faint pulse erupted in the connection between Lnd and Lodestar. The host and parasite, in that moment, were one and the same. Ashford then exploded. The sky turned green, the bones of the fallen Lord morphed into something akin to crystalline slime. Spikes jutted out from the Harbinger, each growing sharper and thicker as they neared Lnd. ¡°Pay attention!¡± Lnd reacted. There was no thought, no nning. Nothing but will and a reason to live. Flooding to life from the Soul Lord¡¯s cloak-ne, three souls of the Damned came to their master¡¯s call. They appeared in the blink of an eye, each wearing full ted armor woven from the lost souls they safeguarded. Two stepped up and blocked Ashford¡¯s spike attack, each pierced like a pin cushion but ultimately ending the frontal assault. The third appeared to Lnd¡¯s nk, catching Ashford¡¯s sword with open hands. A bell tolled, and the darkness within Lodestar shifted. Oblivion circled Ashford as he fought to take back his sword from the soul of the Damned. The green of the air dipped in hue, turning far more somber. Despite being out for himself, Lodestar still needed a host. And, at this moment, he agreed with his host. The attack was too close, they needed distance. Lnd was a Warlock, after all. From within the darkness, came a light. Hollow, direct, and pure, a white globe passed to the living realm from oblivion. It floated above the battlefield, bing a full moon against the backdrop of a starless night. It had previously been a nice day, all things considered, in the Palemarrow Kingdom. The sun was shining, the sky was spotless besides a few fluffy clouds. But now? Now it was beyond midnight. Darkness far and wide, the only illumination came from the ¡°moon¡± Lodestar summoned. It highlighted just enough of the battlefield to be proper, but darkened far, far more. To Lnd, the city disappeared. To Ashford, the sight reminded him of the Undying Lord¡¯s prison. ¡°What is this?¡± he asked, something primal firing off in his voice. Even in the face of such an unknown effect, Lnd couldn¡¯t help but smile. Why? Because he knew Lodestar wasn¡¯t done. Appearing from the darkness within his ring, Lodestar summoned more. What they were, Lnd didn¡¯t know. And he would have bet that no mortal alive knew what they were. He watched as they drained out of the portal to oblivion, a flood of bug-like creatures the size of rats but the shape of mangled locus. Together, the bugs rushed Ashford. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it. Determined not to be outdone, Lndmanded his own summons to move. From the darkness came his crows, each dive bombing the Harbinger. Between the bugs and birds, Ashford¡¯s skin blistered with bites and scrapes. All healed in seconds, however. Ashford took in his dark surroundings, choosing to act¡ª ¡°Kneel before me!¡± His eyes went wide as violet imed the dark. From the bug-covered ground, fire came to life in a wide circle around him. Again, he didn¡¯t waste time waiting to rush through the heatless mes, although this time the soul of the Damned entrusted with taking his soul made an appearance. To Lnd, the soul was just like any other. To Ashford, it was the end. Undying, immortal, cursed. Whatever the case, in that moment, Ashford realized that there was a way to kill him. His body was what was Undying, not his soul. With a swift kick, Ashford sundered theing soul. Green mist expelled from its ethereal form, only to form like a cloud on a windy day. The soul of the Damned recollected itself, its eyes piercing through the artificial darkness. ¡°Can you hold him in ce for me?¡± Lnd whispered to Lodestar. The portal to oblivion was slowly rotating. ¡°If you ept¡ª¡± ¡°Is now the time for that? Can¡¯t you just work together with me? Your brother¡ª¡± ¡°Do not speak of my brother¡ª¡± Lnd growled, ¡°Your brother asked me to protect you, why can¡¯t you help me help him?¡± Movement caught Lnd¡¯s eye. From the darkness, came green. Just green. It extinguished the fire of Circle of Souls, creating a path for Ashford¡¯s attack. It came like the focused light of antern through a ss lens, thin, powerful, and focused. Aiming for Lnd¡¯s heart, the rod of pure miasma ripped the battlefield in half, bringing forth a silent understanding. The battle was truly starting. There was no time to react, only to act. A soul from Lnd¡¯s cloak-ne moved to protect him, standing before him like a man taking a cannon shot to the chest. The rod of magic cut right through the soul, continuing without a dip in power or scope. It did, however, buy Lnd enough time to step away. ¡°Let me give you the power to end this¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Lnd snarled. ¡°Help me or leave! I¡¯d rather die here and now then turn into whatever you have ns for!¡± Lodestar watched his host. For how long had he been resting in the realm of the divine? How long had it been since his creation to cement on Lnd¡¯s arm? His other hosts had all died, and by the end of this battle, another would as well. That was fine. Ashford appeared inches from Lnd, punch already wound up. His immortal fist stopped dead as two souls of the Damned appeared from the Soul Lord¡¯s ne. They caught the attack, each armored with the mangled remains of the lost souls they were tasked with holding. Lodestar watched Lnd skip backwards, lighting shocking from every step. How long had it been since he saw his brother? Since he became a Lord and Lodestar became¡­ this. It had been a good deal at the start, but a tool was hardly a person. A soul, crafted into a weapon. One meant to rival the Lords, one meant to transcend all. Lodestar knew he¡¯d never make it, not with the kind of hosts he had. A streak of color too fast for Lnd ended with blood. From his mid forearm on, only absentee air remained. Hand, fingers, wrist, gone, sectioned toy waste on the bones of a dead Lord. Lnd screamed, the pain of losing an arm searing. Ashford yanked Lnd¡¯s stunned body over, holding him in the air by his shirt. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed.¡± Watching from a distance, Lodestar thought about goading his host with the promise of power. But he didn¡¯t. Instead, he saw the blood dripping from his host¡¯s clenched mouth. Figuring the boy had cracked a tooth or bit his lip, he wondered if this was it. Another host dead. The battle was over, right? Lnd swallowed, the wad of bloody spit feeling like a rock as it slithered down his throat. Despite the pain, despite the blood loss, he forced himself to give Ashford a toothy grin. ¡°Sorry I couldn¡¯t kill you.¡± The apology gave both Lodestar and Ashford pause. ¡°What?¡± thetter asked. Then, Lodestar saw something. A faint, almost nonexistent glimmer of something. In Lnd¡¯s eye. The battle wasn¡¯t over. ¡°That¡¯s what you wanted, right?¡± the Legacy of Curses asked. ¡°For me to kill you, so you could finally be free.¡± The Legacy of the Undying Lord didn¡¯t react. The Lord of the Undying watching through his pawn¡¯s eyes did, however. He snarled and raged, each thrash banging against his ethereal restraints and knocking on his immortal prison¡¯s walls. Ashford tried to stay calm, but the weight in his mind doubled. ¡°That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t kill me instantly, right? That¡¯s why you gave some half-assed retort about ¡®staying mortal,¡¯ right? You wanted someone to fight and kill you. But your Lord would never have allowed that¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± The two words pressed on Lnd¡¯s chest, each cutting into him like caustic tacks. He continued anyway, ¡°Why else would you have left the Umbra so randomly!? Because you are a Harbinger to a Vile Lord. He forced you¡ª¡± An earthquake rumbled in Ashford¡¯s eyes. Lnd watched the eternal depth and darkness, both frothing at the Undying Lord¡¯s will. Kill him now! There was themand from the prisoned Lord. It crushed Ashford¡¯s mind, resolving him to nothing but a mindless doll. He had to follow the order, that was what he¡ª ¡°Fight it.¡± Ashford blinked, an ounce of his own personalitying out. ¡°Fight it, and I¡¯ll give you the death you wish.¡± Before the sentence even finished flowing from Lnd¡¯s mouth, he removed thest soul in the clock-ne. This one was a bit different from the others. Visually, it maybe was a bitrger. Functionally it was the exact same as all the other souls he had taken. But this one was from a Witch. This one was worthy of obliteration. And best of all, he had finally gotten his target to stand still. The mes of cataclysmic power gathered in Lnd¡¯s hand as the soul ignited. Chapter 223: Calamity Chapter 223: Cmity .r89faca5e28274c3c8b91ff0682662724{ disy: none; } Isobel paused her flight to stare. Ashford¡¯s power had stopped her, and the others, from progressing forward to assist Lnd. As if she was wading through a swamp made ofva from her shoulders down, she couldn¡¯t walk, run, or fly in the direction of the troublesome boy. She, like the others, was stuck on the ground twiddling her thumbs until the darkness came. Having seen a simr all-consuming void from Lnd¡¯s parasitic weapon, she had an idea what the darkness was. But this¡­ this was something more than a simple portal into oblivion¡­ which was saying something. Whether intentional or not, the darkness weakened theva swamp to a level in which movement was possible. At least for her. So she took to the air, following the sounds of battle into the air. It wasn¡¯t until she was above the dead Lord¡¯s bones that she saw what could only be described as a ¡°perfectmoon.¡± Made of just white, the moon hung in the air casting a bare spotlight on the battlefield. It called to her, it promised to shape her destiny into something different. Something more. A power to shatter the realms? Peace of mind to end all wars. Whatever she wanted was within the moon. But she also saw Lnd being hoisted into the air by Ashford, the Undying Harbinger holding him by the cor of his robes. A bolt was primed and ready, her centipede-like parasitic weapon reeling for blood. But she didn¡¯t fire. She just stared at the wicked power dancing on the boy¡¯s fingertips. A Cmity wasing. Lucia cursed as she soared through the air on a ride of lightning. Within the darkness, she hadn¡¯t a clue which way she was going. For all she knew, she could be hurtling toward a building¡¯s rooftop at this point. Without her husband guiding her, and with the strange way the darkness reacted to her light-producing magic, Lucia prayed to her Lord for assistance. While never as pious as some, she felt the situation called for divine help. It was her son on the line, after all. A field of low-power electric magic pulsed from Lucia at rhythmic intervals. That electric magic was her eyes right now, and they told her to go up. So she did, up and up until the pulses warned her of a sudden ceiling. Reflexes took over, and her magic turned her body into irregr lightning. With a jagged re, the bolt dipped then leaped,nding perfectly on the dead Lord¡¯s sternum. It was then she saw the moon. It was then she heard the promise of a bygone era, one where all crime was gone. It was then she learned of a future where she took grand revenge on all of those who had wronged her. But she also saw her son being held by the neck. Ashford, the murderous traitor he was, was about to kill her son. Being teammates with Diana for so long, Lucia always felt a pride when the woman enraged and beat down whatever enemy they faced. Now, however, she understood what that felt firsthand. Lightning crashed from the dark sky into her hands. She shifted it around her body, gathering power and charge until it chirped like a million birds. But she didn¡¯t fire. Something caught her attention. A small violet spark that soon became a force that silenced her million birds. Spencer was panicked. It was happening again. For the second time in recent days, his magic had been locked out while his son was fighting for his life. Something like a curtain of iron nketed the whole of the city, removing all ties to proper magic. He had seen something simr before, a pressure that changed the very bnce of the world. But back then, it was a mage¡¯s toy, not a crushing power that removed spatial magic from existing. He cursed at himself. Thinking like that wasn¡¯t helping. Think. Think. Think. Think. His magic wasn¡¯t truly gone, just tied up in an ephemeral war of interlocked dominant ims. If he was as powerful as Ashford, there would be no issue ripping open a hole in reality and moving between points. But as it was, he first had to unravel space. So he got to work. It was slow, tedious, and frankly repetitive, but Spencer poured his heart and soul into it. It had been a long, long time since he had gestured or spoken power words to activate his spells. But now, his fingers glowed with blue wakes and slurred words fluttered from his mouth. ¡°Open. Stretch. Shrink. Anchor. Bend.¡± His spells,id out into five separate words. Five words was all he had to get him to his son. At some point, the nket of pressure ceased and Spencer was quick on the draw. Two portals opened. One to find his wife, the other to bring the cavalry to his son. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it. From overwatch, Spencer watched Diana, Carmon, and Roy all rush into the portal without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Rushwin, Ray, and many, many more familiar faces went next. It was at this moment Spencer found his wife. She stood not too far from his portal, lightning coursing around her body. His friends and allies flooded from his portal, all arriving on top of the dead Lord¡¯s bones. They took just a moment to orient themselves, most being drawn to the odd moon that hung above the battlefield. But then, a heat zed. Even from where Spencer sat across the city, he could feel it. It wasn¡¯t hot in the normal sense, but in the resonated sense. It blended into mana, it became mana. Like needles coursing through one¡¯s bloodstream, the heat pricked everyone. The mes of cataclysmic power gathered in Lnd¡¯s hand as the soul ignited. The air around him crackled with carnivorous grit, resonating through the world like singing a dark hymn. Magnitudes of force bent to hismand, the very bones he stood on quaking. Ancient fire wept from his fingertips, lc horror made real. A cry escaped into the ether, a soul¡¯sst noise in this realm or the next. Lnd grit his teeth, the pain reminding him of life. Of how he wanted to live. Of how some didn¡¯t deserve to. Deafening resilience popped from the ignited soul. It made Lnd¡¯s hand feel like stone, the weight cosmic in nature. He shuddered, raising his arm up straight. Ashford didn¡¯t react, a battle happening inside his own mind. Amand, a rebuke. In a way, he was just another soldier ignoring orders. A coup d¡¯¨¦tat against a divine master. But the chamber of thought died just as he was about to. Lnd was right about it all. He didn¡¯t want to kill the boy, he didn¡¯t want to do the Undying Lord¡¯s bidding. He hoped the boy would be able to kill him, he even went so far as to create a great excuse for Lnd to be isted. Maybe, just maybe, if Lnd could unleash his full Harbinger power without any witnesses, he would finally put an end to the nightmare. But now that that dream was finallying true, Ashford realized he didn¡¯t want to die. He didn¡¯t want to obey his Lord¡¯s order either¡­ but would that truly be that bad? If it meant he could live¡ª That train of thought ended, the choice being made for him. His hand released the boy and he stammered back. Lnd took a half step back, but Ashford stumbled back. One step, two steps, three. He fell to his knees, clutching his chest. Green transcendent power tried to fight it. It tried to cut away the mystic forces that were eating away at his soul. It sparked violet, and he felt his body go numb. It was painful, yes, but Ashford¡¯s thoughts were far from the pain. He epted it, dying. Now that it was actually happening, that was. The mes ate away his eyes, ending the connection between him and his Lord¡¯s wrath. Good. That was good. He felt his lungs go next. Hisst breath in this world going with it. Then his stomach rumbled, his perfect control of his organs soon dwindled. The mes grew higher, and it was at this point he began to scream. Unsightly and brutal, he screamed, the pain of several lifetimes finally, finally bleeding to a stop. He gave his killer onest nce. The boy¡¯s face drooped with tight remorse. Lnd could imagine it as well. He and Ashford being friendly, allies even. A different reality where the Undying Lord never tried to use Ashford as a pawn, where Ashford never left the Umbra. Two Harbingers in a secret alliance, each fighting for the Palemarrow Kingdom in different ways. But as Ashford¡¯s soul withered to dust, Lnd hardened his face into something else. It was in this moment he wished he kept Sybil¡¯s mask on him, the prying eyes he felt from the edges of darkness enough to make his legs go weak. ¡°Goodbye,¡± he muttered. Having stiffened his posture, Ashford resolved to at least die with dignity. He sat up straight, he wiped the look of pain from his face. But, before he was truly gone, he removed a small red orb from his chest. It came out with a spray of fire, but both Ashford and Lnd ignored that. ¡°Make sure you protect it well.¡± Lnd eyed the Sightless King¡¯s im to divinity, but didn¡¯t reach for it. ¡°That¡¯s it then?¡± Ashford gave a somber nod. ¡°Poor a drink out on Annie¡¯s grave for me, would you? I never had the chance to say goodbye.¡± ¡°I can do that.¡± ¡°Oh, and Lnd? Onest thing,¡± Ashford said, his voice bing strained and distant. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t get a chance to respond, the Undying Harbinger¡¯s soul withering away and his body with it. A gust of wind turned the corpse to dust. Chapter 224: Sleep Chapter 224: Sleep The silence following Ashford¡¯s deathsted only seconds before cheering started. With a growing murmur, the crowd that spilled from one of Spencer¡¯s portals erupted. Helmets and gloves were thrown into the air, the guard uniform suddenly bing optional. Whistles sounded from people with fingers in their mouths, hollering came from the rest. Swords were lovingly holstered, magic died in the hands of the caster. It was, by all ounts, a celebration. It wasn¡¯t every day a notorious Harbinger died front and center. The city was saved, the threat was removed. The Sightless King and his cult, the Pathways Witch, and now the Undying Harbinger, all dead. There would be time to mourn the dead, there would be time to rebuild the ruin. But for now, those closest to the battle celebrated being alive. Except for some. It may have been just minutes ago, a timeframe that grew exponentially while in battle, but Ashford and his killer, Lnd Silver, had discussed some interesting things before they inevitably fought. It seemed, if those perceptive few understood correctly, Lnd Silver was another Harbinger. And yet, here he stood, protecting the city. Those perceptive few eyed him cautiously, even though he just stood there. Lnd had one hand wrapped around the cor of his shirt, the same spot Ashford had held him. He had been as good as dead, in that moment, but he somehow came out on top. He breathed slowly, staring at the area where Ashford had died. There wasn¡¯t even char, the man had simply withered into nothingness like embers after a night of grilling. A presence knocked him out of his stupor. Lodestar. The parasitic weapon returned to him, transforming back into tattoo form, all the while remaining silent. It seemed the weapon had nothing to say, which was fine with Lnd since he had nothing to say back to the being that almost allowed him to die without an ounce of help. Those final moments reyed in Lnd¡¯s mind. Staring Ashford in the eyes, rather, staring the Undying Lord in the eyes. Coming up with some nonsense n to lean on the Harbinger¡¯s humanity, ultimately causing the man to hesitate long enough to st with Soul Fire. But during all of this, Lodestar hadn¡¯t helped. Letting out a pitiful growl, Lnd didn¡¯t have the strength to spout a quippy dig at the parasite. Getting in an argument right now was far down on his list of things to do. Instead, he crouched down and picked up the Sightless King¡¯s im. It was a soul. Despite the shock, Lnd couldn¡¯t help but ept the fact and move on. Whatever a ¡°im¡± was, it wasn¡¯t by any means normal. First of all, it was red, as opposed to a normal soul¡¯s green. Secondly, it weighed far too much. Normally, souls didn¡¯t weigh a thing. Not even the few powerful ones he had taken. He supposed it made sense, however. A soul was a tangible thing, of course some had different properties depending on the life they lived. The Sightless King was no different. In fact, Lnd would have been surprised if there weren''t quite a few oddities about the monster. Still, holding the bleeding red mist, he couldn¡¯t help but feel small. The im was by andrge something unique. It tickled his skin and drew the eye. It almost felt sticky, like it wanted to ooze into his skin and take up shelter. But there was something past all of that. Lnd almost didn¡¯t notice it, only doing so because he specifically looked for it. Divinity. That¡¯s what a ¡°im¡± was, he then knew. It was a spark, an ounce of true Lordship. A key, if you will, to a realm unlike any other. A tower to the heavens, a bridge to elsewhere. It was the very thing that made people into legends. And Lnd was holding it. Looking from the corners of his eyes, he scanned the cheering crowd. Some were yelling at him, praising him for killing a true monster. Others were screeching into the air, their arms raised in impromptu dance. But a few, at least those not trying to hide, were watching him. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Lnd put the Sightless King¡¯s im into his soul-bank, the Soul Lord¡¯s ne-cloak, before stuffing the ethereal chain into his shirt. ¡°Lnd?¡± He turned to the voice, finding his mom and Isobel. Roy, Diana, and Carmon were close also, Rushwin too. ¡°Not here,¡± he quickly told them before yelling into the air, ¡°Dad!? Take us out of here please!¡± Portals opened not a split secondter, and everyone walked through, some stumbling more than others. Lnd instantly crashed onto the couch his father was sitting on. Relief finally hit him, the crushing feeling of being alive causing his legs to shake. How close was he to death, really? A question best not answered, he knew. ¡°You okay, Lnd?¡± his mother asked. He slowly nodded, a potion appearing in his hand. He sipped it slowly. ¡°If he wanted me dead, I would have been. He tried to fight his Lord¡¯s will to the bitter end.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± someone asked, Lnd wasn¡¯t sure who if he was being honest. ¡°Ashford didn¡¯t want to go through with the Undying Lord¡¯s n. And I think subconsciously he understood that he was the bad guy. So he didn¡¯t really try to fight me. And when it came down to it, he hesitated to kill me.¡± The next voice was one he knew well. Isobel¡¯s. ¡°So you capitalized and killed him.¡± Slowly Lnd shook his head. ¡°It was more than that, but yes.¡± He swallowed. ¡°In the end, I won. And that¡¯s that.¡± Carmon, who had been standing in the corner, butted in, ¡°As much as I want to hear more of this, I need to check on my son. Spencer if you¡ª¡± A portal opened next to him. ¡°Jude¡¯s with him,¡± Spencer then said to Diana and Roy. The three parents rushed through the portal, finding their children among the mess of wounded. ¡°They¡¯re okay, right?¡± Lnd then asked. ¡°They¡¯re fine,¡± Spencer quietly said. ¡°Glenny¡¯s condition is strange but fine, Jude is uninjured.¡± It was then Rushwin spoke up, the old High Inquisitor having followed everyone through the portal from above the city. ¡°I¡¯m going to need a better report than what you have already said. Please, start from the¡ª¡± Both Lucia and Isobel turned on their former boss. Lucia growled, ¡°And you will when he rests. Not a moment sooner.¡± Isobel took the more direct approach, ¡°He won. That¡¯s the report. Why are you even here?¡± Rushwin¡¯s mask of indifference didn¡¯t slip, although he did nce back at the boy in question. Lnd Silver, Guardian Harbinger of the Palemarrow Monarchy, Son of the Cmity, and Divine im Holder, had already fallen asleep. ¡°I suppose the report can be done at ater date,¡± the old man said. ¡°Now if you will excuse me, I have a city to rebuild.¡± It was a few hourster when Lnd woke up. Rushwin had left, off to do whatever it was he needed to do. His parents had remained, each curled up beside one another on the couch, sleeping entangled. Isobel was nowhere to be seen. Lnd took the moment alone to go over the changes in his grimoire. Fracture is now rank 21. Crow Massacre is now rank 22. Curse of Copse is now rank 22. Harbinger Halo is now rank 24. Circle of Souls is now rank 23. All basic curses had improved, while Harbinger Halo was the standout. Which, Lnd supposed, ought to be correct. It was his specialized and most used curse. But to think, in the short span of just a few days, he was already nearly halfway to the next major milestone. He smiled a little at that, despite everything. ¡°Honey?¡± Lnd stirred, finding his mom groggily watching him. ¡°Hey mom.¡± She nudged Spencer, waking him with an audible ¡°gah.¡± ¡°How are you feeling?¡± she then asked. ¡°Fine, all things considered,¡± Lnd answered as if he had just finished a cross-country trip. ¡°I¡¯m d it¡¯s all over.¡± ¡°As are we,¡± Lucia quietly said, her eyebrows failing to mask theplicated set of emotions she felt. She, for all intents and purposes, had failed her son. She had left him alone instead of properly training him, wasn¡¯t there to help when it mattered, and couldn¡¯t help when it came down to it. How was it that Lnd was already stronger than her, she wondered. A cough sounded. ¡°That said, you¡¯re grounded mister.¡± Both Lnd and Lucia slowly turned and stared at Spencer. A beat passed, silence filling the void. Spencer coughed again, quickly saying, ¡°That was a joke. You¡¯re not grounded¡­¡± His voice trailed off. ¡°Why would he be anyway?¡± Lucia asked, her tone like ice. ¡°He just killed a Harbinger! He saved countless¡ª¡± Spencer held up his hands in surrender. ¡°I was trying to make a joke about how he did it by himself and that he wasn¡¯t a team yer, but I can see it was ill-timed¡­¡± His wife red daggers at her husband¡¯s sheepish face. Lndughed at the scene, causing a shift in his parents. They both rxed, having long learned that sometimes after a big battle, the winner wasn¡¯t okay. But with their sonughing, they took it as a good sign. ¡°Can we go see Glenny and Jude now?¡± Chapter 225: Err What Chapter 225: Err What In the field hospital housing most of the city¡¯s wounded soldiers, along the back wall was a row of bedsbeled ¡°stable.¡± While the stink of death and the rush of healers made the ce feel closer to a morgue than a ce of respite, the same could not be said for the patients. They, despite mostly being injured, were smiling. They had won, the battle was over, the enemies were in. Many had died, that was very true, but no more would fall. The rush of the hospital would slowly dwindle, loved ones would be reunited, others would say goodbyes, but just like the patients resting along the back wall, the city would heal. That was the way of war. That was the way of the Palemarrow citizen. Gathered around one particr bed were multiple people. Most were older, one was younger. Parents, friends, allies. The people one wished to go into battle with, the people trusted enough to bring everyone home safe and sound. And yet, the group was missing a few¡­ that was, until they entered the hospital. ¡°Glenny!?¡± Lnd shouted upon seeing his friend for the first time since before the battle. ¡°You dyed your hair!?¡± All eyes shifted from the neers then back to the boy in bed. Only one other had brought up the fact that Glenny¡¯s fiery red hair had turned bone white, and that was Jude, the first person he saw when he woke up. The others, his dad especially, didn¡¯t want to trouble him about the oddity until after he was fully healed up. Glenny, however, thought it was quite odd that neither his dad nor Jude¡¯s parents had brought it up. He was honestly starting to believe someone was pranking him. Jude would be the type to dye someone¡¯s hair white while they were unconscious just for a gag, then have everyone y it off like it was perfectly normal¡­ Suddenly, Glenny had an idea for a great prank. He sighed deeply, the pain in his chest still not fully dissolved. It was his punishment for doing what he did, Glenny knew. He had tapped into something he wasn¡¯t quite ready for, and now it was time to pay it back in full. But still, he would do it again and again. Anything to kill the monster hiding in his mind. ¡°Side effect,¡± he said back to Lnd. ¡°Does it look okay?¡± Lnd¡¯s face scrunched. He didn¡¯t want to lie to his friend, but¡­ ¡°Yeah.¡± The frankness caught everyone off guard, mostly Jude, who found the single word to be the funniest thing ever. ¡°You look like a snow covered pine cone covered in red sand!¡± Jude cackled, whatever previous worry he felt for his friend gone like the wind. ¡°Sand?¡± Glenny asked, smiling somewhat himself. Lnd filled him in, describing his head exactly like a pinecone covered in snow and sand. Glenny¡¯s hair had always been longer, and when it wasn¡¯t properly styled, it plopped down like a paintbrush pushed into a table. But now,yers of white mixed with his natural red, especially at the roots. It was patchy and mangled too, something the boys were quick to point out. Diana rubbed his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Glenny. Some dye and a proper stylist and everything will be sorted out. Girls love stories of heroics, especially when the hero pushes themselves to their physical and mental limit so hard that their hair turns white from the stress.¡± Thest word was said with a deathly re to both her son and Lnd. Lucia, Lnd¡¯s mother, was aptly doing the same from behind them. ¡°Oh, uh¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, sorry,¡± Lnd muttered, ncing at his wounded friend. ¡°We¡¯re just messing with you. It does look kind of coo¡ª¡± He cut himself before quickly yelling, ¡°Glenn! Did you dye your eyes!¡± Glenny sighed, dejected. Again, Jude had already questioned his eyes. Instead of their usual color, they had turned solid ck with a ring of centralized white ¨C if the berserker¡¯s description was anything to go off of. Again, an after effect of using the power of the Void, a power he now knew he did not fully understand. The Void was a pure white wastnd. Not a pure white and ck wastnd. He was doing something wrong when he invoked the Void, or he was tapping into something far beyond his current understanding of the Void. Regardless, he now had weird eyes. After Lnd described how Glenny¡¯s eyes looked somewhat like Lodestar , a white ring filled in with ck, the atmosphere turned sour. Oblivion wasn¡¯t something anyone wanted to bepared to. Glenny sighed after it all. ¡°Even though you two are beingplete jerks right now,¡± he said to Jude and Lnd, ¡°I¡¯m d you two are safe.¡± ¡°Us two?¡± Jude scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who was injured!¡± Lnd tugged at his shirt, finding the nearby wall very interesting. ¡°Right, you were the only one in danger of dying. How can you be d we are safe?¡± Softly, Glenny smiled. ¡°Love you guys.¡± Jude let out a yelp, leaned over, and promptly hurdled one of his best friends into a great big hug. His other best friend soon joined as well, crowding the small hospital bed. ¡°Love you two as well.¡± ¡°Same!¡± Carmon, who had been silent since his barrage of questions after his son woke up, let out a powerful sigh. Seeing Glenny unconscious, his wounded form, and his worn down psyche, had brought up too many painful memories of that fateful day the love of his life had been taken from him. But now, seeing that his son still couldugh and tease, he felt a well of pride and guilt. Pride for the man his son was bing, but guilt for hardly being a guiding hand. He saw his wife in their son more and more every day, and was d Glenny had friends who could watch his back. Slowly, as to draw no attention, Carmon leaned back in his chair, allowing the shadows to obscure his face. A string of tears leaked from his eyes. He was so d his son was fine. ¡°Oh!¡± Glenny suddenly shouted, before pulling at his Legacy tattoo. A slightly foggy mirror appeared in his hand. He looked all around his head, more dejected than before. It was two dayster when everyone was summoned to the castle. They were to be awarded medals for their ¡°heroic actions¡± that ¡°saved countless lives,¡± or some such. The day prior, Rushwin had reappeared demanding a report on Lnd¡¯s battle against Ashford. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Lnd, of course, obliged, leaving out many parts while implying certain things that didn¡¯t quite happen the way he exined. This had all been coached by the adults who knew the true story, specifically Carmon who was rather adept at sprinkling white lies into conversations. Rushwin obviously knew something was fishy about his tale, but also couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Lnd wasn¡¯t an Inquisitor, nor did he hold any power over the city¡¯s newest famous protector. Which was a strange thing; people knowing who he was. Renown was not like Lnd expected. The stories people with great renown always told were of celebrity and pride. But for the now outed Harbinger, he mostly got strange stares or people raising sses at him. Which was¡­ fine, he supposed. At least they didn¡¯t bother him or try to slip poison into his drink. Not that he went out in public very often, there were just too many of them for him to feelfortable. Still, the award ceremony was supposed to be an olive branch between him and his allies, and Aunty P, and that meant doing things the royal way. It had been a long time since any of the boys had been fitted for proper formal wear, bathed, shaved, and got a decent haircut ¨C Glenny notwithstanding. In the end, the boys and their parents appeared via a portal as close to the castle as they could without interfering with the anti-spatial magic field. Much to everyone¡¯s chagrin, the splinters of divine bone that ruined the royal campus had all been removed. Spencer was even asked to help with the cleanup, although he secretly kept a few small shards for himself. Not that he knew what to do with them. The rest of the campus had been fixed up to a proper pristine make. One thing could be said about high-ranked upational Legacies ¡­ that they excelled at their jobs and then some. Legacies of Level Foundation re-tamped the ground, making way for Legacies of Chiseled Stonework to rebuild the mangled grand staircase. Legacies of the Grove rented the shrubbery while a Legacy of Nature grew the sprouting until they were proper adult nts. All in all, everything looked fixed. Behind the scenes, not so much. Small graves had been erected here and there, families giving a final offering to their loved ones who fell protecting the castle. And it was this fact that made Lnd wish to not leave theforts of whatever inn they were staying in. With all the death the city had been subjected to, there were just too many lost souls. And since Lnd was the only one of his immediate group of family and friends who could see dead souls, he bore the burden of horrors. These dead¡­ did not want to be dead. In their deaths, mostly one emotion remained: anger. Maybe it was how they died, in battle against a true monster. Adrenaline, fear, whatever it was, Lnd stopped trying to help the souls move on after the third one brought him to tears. His quest from the Seraphim Lord wasn¡¯t getting done, he knew, but he couldn¡¯t make himself attempt to help them. So he left them to the city¡¯s professionals. It was selfish he knew, but it was his parents telling him that he ¡°didn¡¯t have to do it all¡± that allowed him to sleep at night. He had saved the city from Ashford and whatever his master¡¯s ns were, he didn¡¯t have to look after the dead as well. But when he knew his parents weren¡¯t looking, he attempted to console any soul he came across. It only happened twice, these souls being ¡°normal¡± people who had naturally died in the city, not in the wake of war. One was a Legacy of Mathematics, an ountant. He died from heart failure in his bed after two months of struggling to sit up. The soul confided in Lnd that he was d he died, because his family could finally stop caring for him although it was the guilt of dying that made him fail to pass on in the first ce. The soul passed when Lnd expressed he understood and would probably feel the same given the situation. The second was an olddy who died of age. Lnd assisted her in finding her granddaughter onest time. The soul passed on beside Lnd as they stared into the window of the granddaughter¡¯s workce. She was smiling. ¡°It¡¯s the guilt,¡± Isobel had told him as he wandered back to the inn they were staying in. She had appeared from the shadows, almost giving him a heart attack. ¡°How long were you following me?¡± Isobel knew about his ¡°soul-sight,¡± as he called it, as well as the problems he encountered. She had been there for the first soul he¡¯d met and had talked with him about the heartache then as well. She ignored the question. ¡°It¡¯s guilt. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t talk to the soldier¡¯s souls.¡± ¡°What are you bbering about?¡± Giving a slow eyeroll, she said, ¡°You feel responsible for their deaths. That if you had killed Ashford faster, or rather, killed him months ago, none of this would have happened. You can¡¯t face them because it¡¯s your fault.¡± ¡°No,¡± Lnd mulled, drawing the syble long. ¡°It¡¯s that they scream incoherently at me.¡± ¡°At you, or at you?¡¯ ¡°Is there a difference?¡± Isobel took a step forward and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°There always is. Goodbye Lnd.¡± And just like that, she walked off, disappearing into the city¡¯s dark night. Isobel didn¡¯t attend the award ceremony, nor did she return to the inn. ¡°Where is she?¡± Lnd asked as he, Jude, Glenny, and their parents walked up the steps leading to the castle. There were hundreds of soldiers around, each uniformed and saluting. The ceremony wasn¡¯t just for a few boys and their parents, but rather everyone who went above and beyond in the battle. Dozens ventured up the steps, some soldiers, others family members holding memorabilia of their loved ones. All were being honored, even the dead. ¡°She¡¯s never been one for formal events,¡± Jude muttered, trying to keep his mouth as still as possible. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was allowed to be talking during this. ¡°Who cares?¡± Glenny asked, subconsciously eying up at his hair. Not that he could see anything, but the Legacy of Beauty who had fixed him right up had done a wonderful job given his circumstance. ¡°She¡¯s kind of rude.¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°She should be here.¡± The ceremonysted, for them, all of five minutes. They reached the top of the stairs, waited a short bit for their turn, then stepped onto the mainnding. With the backdrop of the castle, Aunty P pinned an ivory badge to Roy¡¯s chest. She then moved on to Diana, then Jude, then Carmon. At Glenny, the badge changed shape and design into something grander. She pinned it on him with a smile. Lucia and Spencer got a matching pair, the magic-version of the one Glenny received. But she didn¡¯t give Lnd anything. His neck tingled as the moment dragged on, the staring popce like ants. She then cleared her throat and spoke, something she had not done for most of the other awards. ¡°I, Regent Queen, would love to present you, Lnd Silver, with what is dutiful yours. But someone else wished to do the honors despite being warned by several royal healers.¡± Somewhere, a troop of low-brass instruments started ying. Then, the castle gates clicked, their mighty doors opening. ¡°Chin up,¡± Aunty P whispered to Lnd. ¡°This is her first appearance as Queen. Don¡¯t ruin it.¡± Confusion marked his face, at least until Queen Sybil Palemarrow took a step out of her home. She walked with precious efficiency, a movement that neither dragged her long regal dress, nor caused her lifted heels problems. She wore ivory and red, her kingdom¡¯s colors, or rather, her colors. She smiled at him as she walked, her eyes locked only on his. With lips as red as an apple, her scars were hardly visible. A bygone reminder of a time of childhood, a time of weakness, a time of innocence. It hadn¡¯t been long since she had woken up, only two days, but in that time her mother and all the previous queens had taught her many things. She was neither the person she once was, nor was she anyone different. She was simply her, a girl who longed to leave the cage that was her home, only to realize her home was a paradise all along. She stopped afortable distance from Lnd. An attendant quickly passed a box to Aunty P who then opened it for her Queen. Sybil removed a custom made badge. It was violet and familiarly circr, like a ring or a halo. She brought it close to her own heart before closing the distance between her and its true owner. She reached out, pinning it on Lnd. Lnd quickly realized his mouth was agape and he was staring. Then he realized his friends and family had departed the stage, leaving him up there alone, the traitors. He then remembered he could speak. ¡°How was the nap?¡± Smooth. Sybil smiled gently, a mix of emotions fluttering through her mind. ¡°It was good. Until someone¡¯s magic lit-up the whole city. Although I do have to say, it made finding that ursed statue much easier.¡± Lnd blinked a few times. ¡°Er, what?¡± Chapter 226: Book 4 Epilogue Chapter 226: Book 4 Epilogue A moment stretched into eternity. It wobbled and flowed, dancing like exploding fireworks under captivating pressure. It was a bit messy, but otherwise embarrassing and all too short. Still, the joy that radiated lit up the room long after Lnd and Sybil separated. Lnd couldn¡¯t see it, but his lips had brightened a tad, a slight smear of lipstick the cause. Sybil, however, could see it, although she didn¡¯t feel like mentioning it. It would be her mark for all other potential suitors. Lnd Silver was hers. They shared a bashful smile, each finally breaking from staring into one another¡¯s eyes. They could continue thister, but for now, queenly duties took the forefront. Sybil flicked her wrist, a smudge of power rippling from her finger tip. The power of the Boneforged Monarch was still a limited hole, but this much was easy enough for her. The spell was called Calcify, and was akin to Lnd¡¯s own Fracture spell. It was the bread and butter of the Bone Monarch Legacy, the spell that she had seen her mother use countless times. Although, having the previous queen in her mind to help was a godsend, literally. At first, Sybil didn¡¯t know how she felt about the whole ¡°generational wealth of knowledge¡± in her mind in the form ¡°disembodied egos of the former queens.¡± But now? After grandmother¡¯s long winded exnations ended, Sybil understood the advantage¡­ although she didn¡¯t fully understand how it happened. Something, something, the Boneforged Monarch fractured herself to survive, something, something. It was all a bit much if Sybil was being honest. And she was especially d when her mom told off great, great grandma for pushing too hard too fast. Sybil had only woken up a week ago, after all. And learning more about the history of pseudo-dead monarchs didn¡¯t seem as important as overseeing the rebuilding of the city, not that that was going poorly or anything. In fact, as the reports stated, everything wasing along swimmingly. The city¡¯s renovations were nearlyplete. The smudge of mana slowly sailed across the room, dinging a bell. A sttering of white kes then fell to the floor, something to be cleaned upter. Sybil gave Lnd onest smile. He did the same, before ruffling his hair with his hand. ¡°Can¡¯t look like Glenny in front of her, can I?¡± The queen snorted. ¡°He¡¯s your friend. You and Jude should be nicer to him.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Nah. This is how guys express love to other guys. It¡¯s endearing.¡± Thinking of a response, and getting plenty from the moms in her head, Sybil dropped the matter altogether when the doors to her room cracked open. Her Calcify spell hardly rang the bell, but the person entering could hear all, even if the sound was hardly more than the equivalent of a mouse walking across a porcin te. ¡°No teasing this time, Aunty!¡± Sybil called out before the neer could say something snarky. Aunty P hmphed, audibly groaning as she stepped into what was formerly her sister¡¯s room. It was bitterly sweet for sure, but she had grieved more than anyone else already. There was a kingdom to run, and a new queen to teach and assist. She and Lnd locked eyes for a moment. After Sybil woke up from her cocoon nap, the young woman had exined everything that had happened since her abrupt kidnapping to the other side of the world. Lnd had been explicitly named her savior, as well as the Huntress, Isobel, and any previous notions of ¡°kill orders¡± and ¡°grotesque bounties¡± were retracted immediately. The whole Harbinger thing still made the guards and Inquisitors nervous, however. Regardless of their queen¡¯s words on the matter, even Aunty P found herself slipping into this pit trap. Centuries of prejudice couldn¡¯t be dissolved in a week, even if the Harbinger was the city¡¯s protector. Though, Lnd hadn¡¯tined about the ill treatment once. He didn¡¯t need to, after all, the people, the ones not fully in the know, still knelt before him on the streets. Some even tried to offer him money, flipping coins at him or thrusting purses in his face. ¡°No teasing, I understand,¡± Aunty P muttered, fumbling out a stack of papers from her frilly dress pocket. Right now, the Spymaster General was working incognito as the Queen Chancellor, a role meant to ease Sybil into actively bing the Queen. Nearly everything filtered through Aunty P, and only the important, but easy to digest, things would get brought to Sybil¡¯s attention. ¡°First on the docket,¡± Aunty P began, ¡°is the allotment of food being imported.¡± Lnd sighed, having heard of this problem several times before. As it turned out, Spencer¡¯s rushed attempts to protect the castle from falling shards of bone, had some ill effects on the ecosystem. Well, that wasn¡¯t fair. Spencer¡¯s work saved countless lives; it was the bone splinters themselves that caused the issue. Divine powered bones, as it happened, scared local wildlife away on an instinctual level, which caused mass migration across the city¡¯s farnd. Legacies of the Harvest and Legacies of Nature had been working in tandem to fix the problem of trampled crops while Legacies of Beasts and Legacies of the Shepherd worked on moving the animals back to their rightful ce. The divine bones, meanwhile, had been taken care of by Legacies of the Earthshaper and people like Spencer. The shards were now under lock and key, promptly promised to any smith or crafter who could prove they could use such a material. ¡°Granted,¡± Sybil idly said. ¡°However much they need. The reserves can handle a few months of extra taxing.¡± She looked at Lnd. ¡°My meeting with the Master of Grain proved as much.¡± Lnd slyly smirked at her, mouthing, ¡°Boring!¡± Sybil¡¯s eyes darted to her aunt, who was marking the paper deciding the fate of many hungry citizens. Then, in her mind, great grandma yelled at her to take this more seriously. ¡°yter! Work now!¡± the disembodied ego shouted. Letting out a long sigh, Sybil knew she was right. She gave Lnd a small smile before nodding toward the door with her head. He got the message and moved to leave¡ª ¡°Hold it, Mr City Protector.¡± Both Sybil and Lnd froze at the name. Aunty P calling him that only meant one thing: he had a task. Aunty P continued, ¡°This was fifth on the list, but since you are keen on abandoning your girlfriend to deal with all the boring slow work, I¡¯ll shift things around.¡± If it was anyone else, Lnd would have guessed she was being facetious or sarcastic, but now that he knew Aunty P was a world renowned spy, he couldn¡¯t tell. What was a game? What was said in such a way to manipte a desired reaction? Lnd didn¡¯t know, so he didn¡¯t y. He stood there and patiently waited. Aunty P didn¡¯t let anything slip, and said, ¡°Your presence has been requested by the Gru Triumvirate via the Gru Ambassador under advice from the Lord of the Lexicon.¡± Lnd blinked, finding Sybil staring at him. She, of course, knew of his contracts and how he could speak with any Lord at any time, although she still thought it was unbelievable. Just like everyone else. ¡°Okay?¡± he said. ¡°Why¡¯s the Lord of the Lexicon talking about me? I only spoke to him for a few minutes¡ª Oh. This is aboutbining worlds, isn¡¯t it?¡± Aunty P nodded, which prompted Sybil to ask, ¡°Why is this aboutbining worlds?¡± Answering, Lnd said, ¡°Remember the Archon Sapphire? Well, she must have made it home and reported her findings back to the Archon hivemind. As I understand it, newnguages started showing up on our world, which means new races, species, or monsters. Well, intelligent life in general.¡± Sybil slowly looked at her aunt. ¡°He¡¯s serious?¡± ¡°Unfortunately.¡± Aunty P flipped through her papers, finding a specific report. ¡°This came weeks ago. It states new monster sightings in the area, as well as oddities with the mana in the air.¡± ¡°What kind of oddities?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°The kind that I would have sent your father to investigate.¡± ¡°So spatial.¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°Ah. The space between worlds is weakening.¡± ¡°If the space hasn¡¯t already ripped open.¡± Aunty P pulled another page from the stack, holding it up for the others to see. ¡°They are being called ¡®tears,¡¯ and are quite deadly, as I understand them. Monsters are usually the first things out of them, then, if you are lucky, intelligent life. Ambassadors, if you will, from other worlds.¡± ¡°And if you are unlucky?¡± Sybil asked. ¡°Intelligent hostile life,¡± Aunty P answered, her face stone. ¡°Reports from a few ces far from here speak of raiding parties and or fortress building.¡± A thought connected for Lnd. ¡°And the Gru Triumvirate is one of these hostile ces?¡± ¡°Not quite, although they do have a particrly deadly tear near them. It wasn¡¯t the monsters that made it hostile, rather a race of¡­ ¡®turtle people¡¯ asking for asylum from the ongoing war between the two other races of their world.¡± If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Turtle people?¡± Lnd asked at the same time Sybil asked, ¡°War?¡± Aunty P gave them both uneasy looks. ¡°And while the Triumvirate was looking for a solution in order tomunicate with these turtle people, they contacted the Champion of the Lexicon who told them to contact you, and thus the Palemarrow Kingdom.¡± The conversation hung for a moment as both looked at Lnd. Eventually, he gave a shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know what good I¡¯d be¡ª¡± Aunty P interrupted, saying, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re not going.¡± This made his eyebrows lean inward. ¡°Well now I kind of want to go.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you get to make that decision.¡± ¡°When ites to the Triumvirate, I do. They are not good people.¡± Aunty P eyed her niece. Maybe it wasn¡¯t her choice. But she wasn¡¯t going to say anything. She understood the history between the Palemarrow Kingdom and the Triumvirate better than¡ª ¡°It¡¯s not your decision, Aunty.¡± The sentence was spoken by Sybil, but the words were most definitely not hers. One of the previous queen¡¯s, likely Aunty P¡¯s own sister. And judging by Sybil¡¯s thinly veiled hesitance and improper posture, Aunty P inferred that it was taking the girl a lot to say such words to her. ¡°I see.¡± Aunty P didn¡¯t miss Lnd giving his girlfriend a devilish smirk. There still was, and most likely always would be, static between the Spymaster General and Curse Harbinger. Small digs, underhandedments, grant disrespect. Child stuff, albeit child stuff Aunty P found herself resorting to as well. ¡°Do we know why I was rmended to the Triumvirate?¡± Lnd then asked. Aunty P flipped a piece of paper over, reading the ambassador¡¯s words aloud, ¡°¡¯Lnd Silver¡¯s unique understanding of powerful beings and the beings they report to would be advantageous in dealing with our newfound worldly residents. As per the Lord of the Lexicon, Lnd Silver could help in many ways, most of which the Lord was unwilling or unable to exin properly, stating issue with secrets that could bring about cmity.¡¯¡± Lnd slowly blinked, his lips pressed into a fine line. ¡°That sounds about right.¡± Lnd strolled into the adventurer haven that was the Guild¡¯s bar. Being within the capital, the Guild itself was nothing less than an institution. With branches all across the kingdom, every trail led back here, to the heart of monster bounties and powerful independents. To the average citizen, however, it smelled like body odor and had a reputation for drunken brawls. For some it was home, to others it was just a broker for murdering things that could render a vige deste. But for a special few, the older clientele especially, it was a ce to rx and have a drink with old friends and allies. And this day was no different. Lnd found his family and friends sitting around an oblong table, listening to the Legacy of the Minstrel all the while attempting to figure out each other¡¯s poker faces. With a deck of cards at the table¡¯s center and a hundred or so chips in the pot, the tension was rising. Spencer, who had folded early in the round, quietly waved his son over. ¡°You¡¯ll want to watch this hand.¡± That was a given. Lnd didn¡¯t know Ray Brown all that well, but given that he was rted to Jude and held a stable ¡°office¡± job, the man must be doing something right. And since he was the Guild Master himself, gambling came with the territory. In the end, however, Lnd couldn¡¯t bet on Ray. Not with who else was still in the game. Glenny tossed in a handful of chips. Did he count them? No. But Ray didn¡¯t need to know that. Together as a table, everyone watched Ray fold up the corner of his cards, checking to make sure nothing had tampered with his pair. Ray¡¯s eyes darted from the boy swindling him out of all his money to the boy¡¯s father. Carmon Red wasn¡¯t much of a gambler, a fact that Ray remembered from Roy¡¯s wedding all those years ago. It seemed Glenny received all his skill from his mother¡¯s side¡­ orhe received all of his luck from his mother¡¯s side. ¡°Call.¡± Glenny flipped his cards, showing off a pair of nines. Ray did the same, but his cards revealed a two and seven. Glenny blinked a few times, then silently, he scooped up his winnings. Ray cursed, hopping up from his chair and stomping over to the bar where he promptly demanded a drink. The tableughed at him as he went, especially his brother and his brother¡¯s wife. Lnd took a seat beside his father and Jude. ¡°Hey everyone¡ª¡± ¡°Look who finally deciDed to show uP!¡± Jude screeched, his words slurred with spittle and alcohol. ¡°Man geeets a girlfrieeeend and decides his ffriends aren¡¯t worth it.¡± ¡°Now just a minute Jude Brown!¡± Diana Brown shouted, her tone likeva. ¡°What do I say about jealousy?¡± In that brief moment upon hearing his full name and his mom demanding an answer, Jude instantly sobered up. ¡°Uh! Uh! That ¡®jealousy isme!¡¯¡± ¡°Correct! And how do youbat jealousy?¡± ¡°By ¡®one-upping¡¯ the person who made me feel jealousy!¡± Diana nodded smugly, her arms crossed. ¡°Exactly. So go on, go get a girlfriend. One up Lnd by being the first of you three boys to have kids.¡± Roy, who was sipping his drink, spat into the mug. ¡°Love, that is terrible advice! Jude is much too young to have children. He can be the first to get married, though. Not too young for that!¡± Glenny snickered at that. All eyes fell to him. Jude eyed his friend suspiciously. ¡°Go on, Sir Snow-locks, what¡¯s so funny?¡± Thest few days, the name calling had gone to new heights. Mocking was low hanging fruit to Jude and Lnd, and sadly Glenny¡¯s hair was a fallen tree. In spring. After a swarm of bees came through the orchard. With plenty of rain and sunlight. Although, this only made Glenny hone his own insults and ribbings. This time was no different. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°The closest girl Jude has ever gotten to wasn¡¯t even human, but a bear!¡± The table did notugh. They did not smirk. They did not roll their eyes as if his words were the worst pun ever made. No, they just stared at him, some slowly blinking, others squinting like Glenny had suddenly turned blurry. Eventually Jude said, ¡°Not cool dude. There¡¯s no reason to bring Gelo into this.¡± At that, Lnd felt a welling in his chest. He tried to hold it in, but as he watched how defeated Glenny became, he couldn¡¯t help it. He burst outughing, causing the table to do the same. As theughter died down, Lnd couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Anyone see Isobel today?¡± It was a question he had asked dozens of times already, but each time the answer had been a stiff ¡°no.¡± The Huntress had disappeared after the battle, leaving without so much as a word. Spencer had checked with the people overseeing the dead, but Isobel wasn¡¯t a corpse. The Inquisitors didn¡¯t know either, not even Aunty P¡¯s spy ring. Shoulders slumped, Lnd muttered, ¡°She¡¯ll be back. I know it.¡± Gently his dad patted him on the back. ¡°How was Sybil?¡± he asked, the change in subject well warranted to the rest of the table. ¡°She¡¯s good. Tired. Restless, however.¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°She will sometimes trail off mid-sentence or stare at empty space. She says it''s because the former queens are in her head, but I don¡¯t know. I find it worrisome.¡± Glenny cleared his throat again. ¡°As someone who had voices in my head, I can empathize.¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about. What if these ¡®former queens¡¯ are actually something like the Sightless King and are malicious in nature.¡± The table bristled at the name drop, each remembering the battle. ¡°What does Aunty P say?¡± Lucia asked. Lnd took a second to answer. ¡°That Sybil¡¯s not lying or being misled.¡± ¡°Well then, there¡¯s that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can trust her.¡± Lucia firmly nodded. ¡°You can¡¯t. But when ites to Sybil, Aunty P will always do what is best for her. And if she says these former queens aren¡¯t evil, then they are not.¡± He sighed. ¡°Speaking of what is best, she doesn¡¯t want me to go help the Gru Triumvirate despite them specifically asking for my help.¡± Lnd then went into the specifics, outlying everything Aunty P had said. ¡°You¡¯re not going,¡± Lucia said tly. He rolled his eyes. ¡°That makes me want to go even more.¡± Clicking his tongue, Spencer leaned in. ¡°Let me handle this, honey.¡± He looked his son in the eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not going.¡± Glenny chuckled at that. Lnd shot him a re. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because the Triumvirate has a history of making people disappear.¡± ¡°Because they have greedy leaders who don¡¯t care for thews they created.¡± ¡°Because the Guild branch there doesn¡¯t pay foreigners, and they don¡¯t tell you that until after you turn in the bounty.¡± Everyone looked to Ray, who was just sitting down. He had missed the first part of the conversation, but that never stopped him from joining one. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°They are scummy people.¡± ¡°Generally,¡± Carmon muttered. ¡°Generally,¡± echoed Ray. Lnd made a show of sighing. ¡°Still. I¡¯ve been referred by a Lord. I can¡¯t just not go.¡± Slowly Ray blinked. ¡°You¡¯ve been what now?¡± His nephew jumped in. ¡°If you¡¯re going, Leals, then I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°Same,¡± Glenny quickly said. Before any of the parents could add how the Triumvirate was a horrible ce, Lnd said, ¡°Thanks guys, but I don¡¯t see this working out. Aunty P already turned it down, and not to mention, I promised to help Floe figure a way out of the dungeon.¡± ¡°Who is Floe and why are they trapped in a dungeon?¡± Ray asked. ¡°That¡¯s Jude¡¯s girlfriend¡¯s mom,¡± Glenny said, bursting to get a chance at redemption. ¡°She¡¯s a Guardian Spirit Beast. A bear, to be specific.¡± Jude pushed himself back from the table, shouting, ¡°That¡¯s it! I told you to leave them out of it!¡± And just like that, the Legacy of the Berserker leaped onto the table, lunging to put his best friend in a headlock. Isobel slowly trudged up the hill, the process taking a toll on her body far more than it should have. The hill wasn¡¯t even steep, but the trek made her stomach churn like she had run ap around the kingdom without stopping to eat or drink. She was back, which wasn¡¯t something to celebrate as far as she was concerned. No one recognized her, no one had seen her in¡­ how long had it been? Half a century at least, right? More? Sighing, she knew she was only stalling. She quickly crossed the graveyard, finding two familiar but hazy headstones. They were well kept, someone had done a good job at removing the moss and overgrowth. That was good. That was good. Standing there with her neck craned down, she stared at the blocks of concrete. They were gone, her family, and all that remained were these two plots. Two faded names chiseled into stone, two buried memories of those she loved more than life itself. She cried. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took so long toe back.¡± The words came from her raw throat, they hurt more than anything right now. The failure she was, the guilt she harbored. She¡¯d gotten her revenge, but that hardly mattered now. That hardly mattered at all, really. ¡°Stupid, stupid, stupid¡ª¡± She felt like bashing her head into one of the many nearby trees, she could almost hear his voice mocking her. He¡¯d call her a ¡°whiny baby,¡± and tell her to ¡°get over herself¡± with enough snark to light a fire. But somehow, even though Lnd was hallway across the kingdom, she still wished he¡¯d stand there with her. He¡¯d have done it as well, which was the worst part of it. If she¡¯d have asked him toe, he would have. Everything they had been through together. The pain, the heartbreak, the worry, the sorrow. He would havee if she asked. That¡¯s what family was for, after all. Next time. Yeah, next time. ¡°When Ie back,¡± she said to the graves, ¡°I¡¯ll bring someone I now consider a little brother.¡± She smiled a little at that. ¡°Abby, my little girl, I¡¯ll introduce you to Uncle Lnd. I know you¡¯d like him.¡± Chapter 227: Shrine [Start of book 5] Chapter 227: Shrine [Start of book 5] ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Queen Sybil Palemarrow asked her boyfriend. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? This isn¡¯t a problem,¡± Lnd Silver replied to his girlfriend. To the side, Jude Brown coughed. ¡°Famousst words.¡± ¡°Totally,¡± added Glenny Red. ¡°Famousst words.¡± Lnd caught his friend''s gaze, intentionally ncing up at his snow-white and streaky red hair. ¡°Shut it, dandruff.¡± Completely unfazed Glenny replied in the voice of an event announcer, ¡°Here lies Lnd, whosest words were ¡®nah, it will be fine.¡¯¡± ¡°That is hardly what I said.¡± ¡°It kind of is,¡± Sybil quietly said, her eyes darting to the corner of the room when Lnd¡¯s head spun to stare at her. ¡°I¡¯m hurt,¡± he said, his hand on his heart. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be on my side.¡± Jude rapped Glenny''s chest with the back of his hand. ¡°See this Glenny? This here is what we, in the business, call the start of a ¡®couple¡¯s argument.¡¯¡± ¡°¡¯In the business?¡¯¡± Lnd and Sybil asked at the same time, each ncing at one another impishly. Lnd continued, ¡°Becausest I remember, you¡¯ve never had a girlfriend.¡± Sybil then chimed in, ¡°I think it¡¯s because he¡¯s too thuggish.¡± ¡°Oh yes, he¡¯s too thuggish, I agree.¡± Unfortunately for the new couple, Jude only smiled. ¡°And see here, Glenny? I call that, ¡®fixing a couple¡¯s potential argument before it starts.¡¯ You can always count on making them see you as amon enemy. Works like a charm.¡± He then looked Sybil dead in the eyes. ¡°I charge by the quarter hour. You¡¯re wee.¡± Sybil rolled her eyes. ¡°You can pick up the gold from the bank.¡± ¡°Wait really?¡± All three friends stared nkly at him. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Thuggish and gullible,¡± Glenny quietly muttered, creating a snickering contest between Lnd and Sybil. ¡°Nuh huh!¡± Jude quickly countered. ¡°I like to think of myself as trusting.¡± ¡°So you admit to being thuggish.¡± ¡°Well¡­ yeah. It¡¯s my aesthetic.¡± ¡°Your¡­ aesthetic,¡± Lnd slowly said. ¡°Who taught you such a word?¡± For a moment it looked as though Jude was going to answer honestly. But that might be cause for more teasing. So, instead, he went with the two words that won any argument and shut down any future banter. ¡°Your mom,¡± he triumphed. Without batting an eye, Lnd asked, ¡°Ah. It had to be her. You¡¯re mom probably doesn¡¯t know that word.¡± And just like that, Jude¡¯s previously conceived notion that there were two words that ended all words, was bashed. So what, in the end, did he do? He sat there like a thug, his jaw locked out and his mouth slightly agape, trying to think of aeback. The others waited for a moment, but when it became clear he wasn¡¯t going to respond, Lnd said, ¡°Anyways. I think it¡¯s going to be fine. This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve done this.¡± Glenny stretched in his chair, his muscles still not quite one-hundred present. The battle with the Sightless King had taken more than just the majority of his hair color and morphed his eyes into something akin to ck ink sttered on white paint. The healers said he¡¯d make a full recovery, and he had no doubts in his mind that was true, but one thing was for certain. He had over done it and strained most of his body. Luckily muscle rxers were powerful and non addictive! He made a mental note to thank the next Legacy of the Alchemist for always being hard workers. ¡°You¡¯ve already met him before, right?¡± Glenny eventually asked, his calves especially feeling the stretch. ¡°The very first,¡± Lnd replied, grimoire in hand. The discussion, or what really didn¡¯t amount to much of a discussion, was about the Lord of Magic. Cursed contract of the Lord of Magic: Use: For the duration of the contract, all magical abilities are increased by a factor of 5%. Only usable once per hour. Return: One greater mana potion offered at a shrine of the Lord of Magic at the earliest convenience, as well as an additional one in one year¡¯s time. And as it just so happened, the one year limit was upon Lnd¡­ sort of. It was true that technically, there were a few days before the contract finished. But boys being boys, neither Lnd, Jude, nor Glenny could remember what day he made the contract on. It was around the time they killed the Witch Icewillow, which was definitely after Lnd¡¯s birthday, but the specific day was unknown. ¡°Worst he says is toe backter,¡± Lnd said. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Or that you have angered him for thest time and that he¡¯s going to smite you down.¡± All eyes turned to Jude. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°It could happen.¡± Leaning back, Lnd sighed and said, ¡°Nah. He was cool. I think he¡¯s under my Lord¡¯s wing or something. They seemed close.¡± Sybil took the moment to ask, ¡°You have a mana potion of reasonable¡ª¡± A jar appeared in Lnd¡¯s hand, one glowing softly with cobalt blue. ¡°Of course you do.¡± He smirked. ¡°A mage alwayses prepared.¡± Glenny scoffed. ¡°If you¡¯re a mage, then I¡¯m a trickster, not a rogue.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes then tenderly whispered, ¡°You can be a trickster if you want to, Glenny. I won¡¯t judge.¡± ¡°If he can be a trickster, I want to be a battle master!¡± Jude quickly said. Again, Lnd spoke tenderly, ¡°Whatever you want buddy.¡± Jude squinted at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s genuine.¡± Sybil giggled at that. ¡°Anyways,¡± Lnd said, standing and stepping toward the door. ¡°I have to offer this potion at a shrine.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Magic Lord shrine not too far from here. I can show you¡ª¡± Sybil cut herself off. As much as the young Queen would like to exit the castle, she just couldn¡¯t. Not as she stood now, at least. Her mother moved around the kingdom by herself, checking in on nobility or stopping problems before they arose. But she was powerful, immortal in a way. There was a saying, ¡°no one died in the presence of the Queen.¡± And while that was true for the previous Queen, that just wasn¡¯t the case for Sybil. Yet. Part of her queendom was ess to all of the previous monarchs to the Palemarrow Kingdom, her mother included. They spoke nearly nonstop to her, each adding their opinions or muttering stray thoughts about whatever she encountered. New soap in her bathroom? Grandmother didn¡¯t like the way it smelled and said to have a butler throw it out. A dignitary from a neighboringnd making queries into buying debt because of all of the capital¡¯s recent problems? Great great grandmother had a string of choice words on that matter ¨C Sybil had never seen a man go so red with embarrassment when she recounted them. One thread of conversation Sybil had forbid her ancestors from speaking about was Lnd. Unless it was specially pertaining to the kingdom or if they thought he had ulterior motives about something, they were tasked with being silent. But luckily, they only had nice things to say. Great grandmother didn¡¯t like him, but she didn¡¯t like anyone as the others had promptly stated when the topic was first brought up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it Sybil, watch this,¡± Lnd said, taking only a step or two out of the Queen¡¯s Chambers. ¡°Famousst words,¡± coughed Glenny and Jude both. They followed him to a small alcove carved into the castle wall. It wasn¡¯t much, onlyrge enough to hold a mana candle and a vase with budding flowers, but it was enough. Lnd pushed the vase to one side, cing the mana potion onto the shelf-likending. ¡°To all those of power and renown, I, in name of the Cmity, dedicate this alcove to be property of the Lord of Magic. May he, uh, like it and protect it or something.¡± The others were staring at him wide-eyed, but he ignored that. If there was one thing Lnd felt he excelled at, it was making things up as he went. And while he wasn¡¯t sure if such a dedication would work, there were plenty of clues that it would. Firstly, he had done something simr before. Months ago, he had called for the Lords to pass judgment on a Harbinger of the Toymaker. They, of course, agreed with Lnd¡¯s branding, marking the Harbinger with the ¡°W¡± of the Witch. Secondly, and more recent, the Lord of Curses mentioned ¡°lists.¡± As she openly shared, the Lords often made lists with potential candidates and names for all manner of things. Need a new Lord for something? There was a growing list. Want to create a new Lordly rule? Again, a list. And along with these lists, Lnd was told he had a voice in calling to the heavens. Would the Lords necessarily respond? Most likely not, but that wasn¡¯t forck of trying. He did hold a im of Divinity, after all. But all of that was for future Lnd to deal with. Right now he needed to deal with altars and shrines. ¡°Did it work¡ª¡± As if someone begrudgingly opened a door to let a cat out for the fifth time in one night, a blue sheen befell the small alcove. The vase shimmered, the mana candle changed from orange-red to white-blue. The flowers bloomed, showing off impressive spirals of vibrancy. They twisted and grew, bing one with the chiseled stone of the wall. And most importantly of all, Lnd¡¯s mana potion was gone. ¡°I¡¯d say it worked.¡± Everyone gave him t stares. Sybil then flicked a wrist firing off a small burst of magic. Calcium and bone dust was her ammunition, the st slowly maneuvering through the doors to her room and nging into a small bell beside her bed. In just a short moment, a regal man wearing ck formal wear stepped from a hidden doorway within her room. He peered around for a moment, finding the group, and more importantly the Queen, standing just outside. He crossed the distance with speed. ¡°You rang, Your Highness?¡± With a sigh, Sybil pointed. ¡°That has just be the newest Shrine of the Magic Lord.¡± She massaged her temples. ¡°Just¡ª Uh. Hold on.¡± Everyone present was used to these short hangups, as they all understood what they meant. The ancestors were discussing something with her, and based on the timing, it was important. Eventually Sybil turned to Lnd. ¡°Please make no more shrines within the castle¡¯splex. Also, and I agree with Great great grandmother here, if a Champion of Magic shows up, you¡¯re dealing with it.¡± Lnd gave a nod. He expected as much. She then turned back to the butler. ¡°This is a Shrine of the Magic Lord. As it happens, that means quite a bit, as well as holds prestige and honor. Uh, see to it everyone in the castle knows this and properly pays respects when applicable. Also, make sure no one ces anything on the shelf without meaning for it to be an offering.¡± With that, the butler bowed and left. ¡°Wow,¡± Jude said once the man was out of ear shot, ¡°I¡¯m surprised he was able to hold a straight face. Give that man a promotion.¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of my best,¡± Sybil said without missing a beat. She turned to Lnd. ¡°Please tell me if you are going to do something like that again. Mother is very irritated that you¡¯ve already ruined her alcoves. Apparently she spent some time with a designer working out something modern and stylish.¡± Lnd nced at the alcove, wondering how it was modern or stylish. But he held his tongue. Best not to anger the people inside his girlfriend¡¯s head. ¡°I understand,¡± he said, leaning over and giving her a peck on the cheek. ¡°But you¡¯ve got to admit, having a shrine right in front of your room is pretty cool.¡± A curl at the corner of her mouth betrayed the emotionless Queen mask she was trying to go for. And despite the scarring along her lip and cheek, she was more than cute when she tried to be a serious monarch and the like¡­ at least Lnd thought so. ¡°Just¡­ get on with it, please. Better find out if he¡¯s actually angry now rather thanter. Maybe shrines have a warranty or something.¡± Lnd smirked. ¡°Okay fine, fine.¡± He cleared his throat, rolled his shoulders, and said, ¡°Lord of Magic, I humbly wish to renew our contract.¡± And just like that, he was hurtling through the endless white Void. Chapter 228: Magic Chapter 228: Magic The Lord of Magic¡¯s domain stretched as far as the eye could see. ck boards, each caked with chalk and sprawled with runes, glyphs, and enchantments. Magical circles gave way to summoned beasts, each bound by elemental might as if the nes themselves were right here in this very room. Beakers and vials filled the shelves and tables, each bubbling away or ticking out of sync with seconds or minutes. Lnd took a few steps, only for his eye to be caught by something shiny. He studied the device, hesitant to pick it up and properly give it a look over. From just a cursory look, the item warped the air around it, creating what appeared to be purified water. Strange. He continued, finding a diagram for a being with nine arms and three hands. Written in magical chalk, the picture moved and acted, roaring like the beast would in real life. The chalk-monster thrashed and trampled, shaking even the ckboard it was drawn on. Even stranger. A thingid restfully in a cage made of silvery mana. It held the appearance of a small cloud-like blob. But, when Lnd stared at it while not looking at it, it morphed into a hideous tentacle amalgamation of flesh and blood. asionally, a beaker attached to a hose would drip a drop of green liquid on the monster. The cloud-blob wouldn¡¯t react, but the tentacle monster slowly grew more and more sleepy. ¡°Curious little guy, isn¡¯t it?¡± a voice called. Lnd turned, finding the Lord of Magic appearing out of thin air. The man was much the same from thest time the two met. Tall, rxed, a cunning gaze, and a pointy chin. In many ways, the Lord of Magic was akin to a good friend to Lnd, despite the pair only meeting once. Years and years of study and lecture had amounted to Lnd reading every basic, intermediate, and a few higher-level texts the man had created over the years. Which, interestingly, he wrote while still mortal. Wearing robes that looked to be made of fleece, the Lord of Magic waved a hand, summoning a table and chairs. A segmented candle appeared next, then a table cloth and dinnerware. Then a cooked turkey appeared. And some potatoes. Lnd tried not to stare. He failed. ¡°Sit, eat with me,¡± the presiding Lord said. Lnd did, copying how the Lord of Magic unfolded his napkin andid it across hisp. But when knives began to float and carve up the roast bird, his attention flickered to the action. ¡°Table-side ttery,¡± Lnd said, identifying the name of the cantrip. While cantrips were something anyone with talent in magic could learn, most were relinquished to party tricks or heightened to bread and butter formtions. In this case, Table-side ttery might be used in an expensive restaurant, but past that, few would go out of the way to learn the magic. Why learn someone that would take hours upon hours to make non-dangerous when simply carving something yourself was easily as effective? ¡°Correct!¡± the Lord of Magic cheered as streamers and fireworks exploded just off his shoulder. Lnd blinked a few times. ¡°Ah, apologies,¡± he then said, the show abruptly cutting off. ¡°You are not a kid any longer. I should respect your age.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine?¡± Lnd said, more like a question than not. He quickly cut himself a bite of turkey, eating it. It was dry. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching some of your escapades, Mr Silver,¡± the Lord stated, taking a bite himself. He made a face at the piece of meat on his te, flinching his head toward the meal. It suddenly burst, transforming into sulent slow-roasted beef. Lnd eyed his new meal, taking a bite. It was good, although the conversation at hand muted the vor enough to be noticeable. ¡°And how have I done?¡± he asked. The Lord of Magic considered this. ¡°In many ways, you¡¯ve exceeded expectations. In others, you¡¯ve failed them. But, that ising from the perspective of a Lord, specifically one of magic rather than curses. I would suspect that if your Lord was here, she¡¯d be praising you like a trophy puppy.¡± Having had many meetings like this one right now, Lnd knew when he was being insulted and when he wasn¡¯t. Lords saw things in a different hue, being immortal gods and all. And while Lnd knew he wasn¡¯t being insulted now, he did feel a bit irked. And one thing he knew well, was how to irk right back. ¡°So mortals are just puppies to you Lords, huh? It¡¯s not like I put a stop to a Vile Lord¡¯s plot to uncage himself from an immortal prison. I¡¯d say that makes me at least a dog, not a puppy.¡± The Lord of Magic¡¯s jaw slowed, the piece of meat he was chewing suddenly bing rubber. He swallowed deeply. ¡°That you did. That you did. But more like a mutt than a purebred, I¡¯d say.¡± Lnd and the man eyed one another, Lnd cracking a smile first. Again, everything was games with the divine. Show some backbone, show some humility, add a re of jovialness, maybe a dash of long, slow pauses, and maybe, just maybe, they will treat you better than a dog. ¡°I supposed I deserve that,¡± the Lord of Magic said. ¡°In our first meeting, if I remember correctly, I gave you the advice to be more proactive with your endeavors. It seems you took that to heart.¡± Lnd wasn¡¯t sure he felt the conversation so far had been proactive. If anything, the true conversation hadn¡¯t even started yet. He supposed getting on the man¡¯s good side was important enough, though. The Lord continued, ¡°Although, you forget yourself mortal.¡± The words were spoken slowly and carefully, almost a whisper but loud enough to fill the whole room. ¡°I deserve respect. You do not.¡± If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. In many ways, Lnd knew the man to be right. People had been treating him differentlytely. Ever since the battle for the Palemarrow Castle and Harbinger Ashford¡¯s subsequent defeat at Lnd¡¯s hands, people have looked to him like he was the embodiment of his newly given title. City Protector. They even gave him a customized award for his actions. Of course there were still his naysayers, those who thought him being a Harbinger was a doomsday clock ready to be started. As Sybil tells it, there are few allies in the Royal Courts for his retained residency in the kingdom. Those in power, political power to be specific, beside the royals themselves, wish him to leave despite everything. Although they won¡¯t say that to his face. And it''s not like they could even if they tried, him being in the castle most of the time with the Queen. But maybe that was part of the problem ¨C being in the castle, surrounded by butlers, maids, and guards who were at the battles. All of which looked at him with pride and went out of their way to make sure he wasfortable. So, in the end, Lnd decided to be honest with the Lord of Magic. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said, dipping his head. ¡°You do deserve respect. For that, I apologize. May I ask for advice? I feel you are in a somewhat unique situation that may shed proper light on my issue.¡± The Lord studied him. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°How do you deal with ego? I can¡¯t enter a tavern without an army veteran or guard recognizing me and buying me a drink. It¡¯s been nearly two weeks since the battle, and well, people either kneel to me or they cower away from me. I fear it¡¯s going to my head.¡± Suddenly the Lord¡¯s eyes ze over. He stares off to the side, reminiscing about the very problem the boy in front of him speaks of. ¡°Power,¡± he says, es from the heart. Evil begets evil while good begets good. I know it is not what you are asking, but I feel it¡¯s important to say. The weak always follow the strong. It is human nature, after all. And so long as you do not stray off the path that produced your power to begin with, I believe you¡¯ll understand that you don¡¯t matter.¡± Lelend frowned at that, but the Lord continued, ¡°Until you are like me, worshipped by thousands, tens of thousands even, this small amount of renown you¡¯ve gained is hardly enough to sway the scales of a focused man. So just remember, there is always more you could be doing, could have done. How many more people could you have saved if you were faster? Stronger? Better?¡± Staring at the table, Lnd thought about that. His mind when back to the first time he and Ashford met. What if he was strong enough to end things then and there? How many more would be alive? ¡°I understand,¡± he muttered. The Lord tapped his thumb against his chin, thinking. ¡°I guess that¡¯s a good enough preamble for our meeting today. Our contract.¡± Lnd straightened his back. ¡°Yes. It ends soon, and you said we could renegotiate.¡± ¡°Indeed, indeed.¡± He smiled, his eyes twinkling at the young mortal. ¡°Or we could do something more interesting.¡± That sparked Lnd¡¯s interest, but not in the way he was hoping. Simple was always better when dealing with a Lord. Complicate things, and things get out of hand, quickly. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± ¡°In one sentence? I need mana, a lot of mana.¡± The Lord of Magic gestured to a ckboard, the one depicting the nine-armed beast. ¡°With our world converging with a few others, things have be hectic. This here is one of our new worldly-residents.¡± Lnd internally groaned. This, again. It might have been his fault, but he sure didn¡¯t feel like it was his responsibility to fix. All he did was help an Archon escape this world back to her own. How was he supposed to know that meant kicking off such an event? Well¡­ he did, the Lord of the Void told him as much. But she also said everything was going to be perfectly fine. ¡°Go on,¡± he said. ¡°One of these worlds is incredibly rich with mana. One of the ¡®tears¡¯ from our reality to theirs has already been found and contained. Currently it is siphoning nearly all of the mana the tear produces.¡± ¡°And let me guess,¡± Lnd said. ¡°You want me to somehow create more tears, find more, or barter on your behalf to make more.¡± ¡°Nope!¡± the Lord of Magic said, his lips curled up like he had just been gifted the world. ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of it all. More tears are forming as we speak.¡± Lnd prepared himself for the but. ¡°But that brings problems in and of itself.¡± The Magic Lord took another bite of beef. ¡°Namely in the form of other Lords. Everyone wants mana, and I¡¯ve already fended off two raids from two separate Lords.¡± Raising an eyebrow, Lnd asked, ¡°Lords raid you?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Ah, I forget you are still mortal. No, when we Lords refer to ourselves as doing things such as this, it means our Legacies. My Legacies have already defended against two other Legacies¡¯ raids. Simrly, I, personally, do not need the excess mana. My Legacies, do.¡± Lnd wasn¡¯t sure if he agreed with the Lord of Magic on that. When the Lord of Curses said she did something, she meant it. But still, he understood well enough to get the wider picture. ¡°And what do you want me to do?¡± he asked. ¡°That, my dear boy Lnd Silver, is the question, isn¡¯t it?¡± The Lord of Magic raised a single finger. ¡°A question that you are uniquely qualified to answer.¡± Lnd shuddered. ¡°Contracts.¡± ¡°In exchange for whatever you wish to barter for, I want you to contact Lords and tell them to knock it off. Create contracts with them if you have to. Kill their Legacies if you must.¡± Sighing, the Legacy of Curses slowly shook his head. ¡°No can do. I¡¯m not putting myself in the firing line for you. I already have enough enemies who are Lords.¡± The Magic Lord leaned back in his seat, his face stered with surprise. He reeled himself in quickly. ¡°I supposed that is fair. But how about this? If I remember correctly,st time we spoke, you asked for Lightning Bolt. If you make this contract with me, I can easily make thate¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How about Greater Lightning Bolt?¡± Lnd shook his head. The Lord of Magic blinked a few times. ¡°Channel Greater ck Lightning? Not even your mom has that spell in her repertoire.¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Mr Silver,¡± the Lord said, his voice hushed. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand the precedence of what is happening right now. You know of Degrim¡¯s Law?¡± ¡°No mana is ever created, it¡¯s just moved and transformed,¡± Lnd supplied. ¡°Then you can understand what it means when suddenly there is a new font of mana added to the world?¡± ¡°For one, it means that stronger monsters are going to appear.¡± The Lord nodded. ¡°As well as new avenues of study and higher tiers of magic.¡± ¡°Sounds like a gold rush,¡± Lnd supplied, eyeing the Lord carefully. ¡°Exactly! You understand perfectly. So? How about it? You create contracts with these Lords wishing to step on my territory. You get them to back off. Tell them they can have their funter, but I¡¯m first.¡± Somehow, that sounded worse than the original pitch to Lnd. If the Lord of Magic was the Lord of Curses, she¡¯d just go tell the other Lords off herself. But Lnd supposed not everyone was the Cmity. And he also supposed not every Champion was the Son of the Cmity. This was going to be a long negotiation. Chapter 229: Contract Chapter 229: Contract ¡°So the gist of the contract is that I have to contact three other Lords and ask them to stop interfering with the Lord of Magic¡¯s Legacies¡¯ work. In exchange, I will get two brains.¡± ¡°Any three Lords?¡± Jude asked. Lnd blinked in surprise. That was actually a good question. He wanted to say ¡°no,¡± as he and the Lord of Magic did discuss which three¡­ but did the contract actually state which three? Not that Lnd would actively work against the spirit of the contract or anything¡­ He opened his grimoire. Cursed contract of the Lord of Magic (Renewed): Use: Gain ess to the spell Dual Mind Resonance. Dual Mind Resonance: While active, your brain splits in two, offering dual thought processes. Spell¡¯s duration is limited by proficiency and base contract duration. Return: Contact the Lord of Prismatic Evolution, the Lord of the First Druid, and the Lord of the Zephyr. Speak with them and attempt to end all of their Legacies¡¯ inquiry into the mana being released by the worldly Tear. Specifically, attempt to put a stop to the raids on the Lord of Magic¡¯s Legacies.Note: The Lord of Magic understands that this contract favors you in many ways. He is trusting in you not to take advantage of that. This renewed contract goes into effect after the previous contract expires (23 days) This contract is renewable after one year. Lnd didn¡¯t so much as make a face at the note. Since when did contracts even have ¡°notes¡± anyway? To be honest, he was surprised this contract was even made. Negotiations hadsted hours, mainly because he didn¡¯t hear anything he wanted in return. As it turned out, other than simply giving Lnd another random attack spell, there weren¡¯t many things the Lord of Magic could offer. Of course there were boring options like a magical-proficiency percentage increase or mana regeneration increases. But most of all of the Lord of Magic¡¯s boons had less than ster effects specifically for Lnd. Curses weren¡¯t spells, after all. Any boon directly affecting spells just wasn¡¯t worth it in the end. Not when dealing with other, unknown Lords. Still, the contract was open ended. Technically he didn¡¯t have to seed in talking down the other Lords. And in the end, the contract was renewable in a year. Which¡­ Lnd checked all of his other contracts, was something no other Lord had opted for. He sighed. For the future, he was going to push to add a renew and/or renegotiation use for any new contract. ¡°The Lord of Prismatic Evolution, the Lord of the First Druid, and the Lord of the Zephyr,¡± Lnd finally said. ¡°Thest two I¡¯ve heard of, but not the first.¡± It was Glenny who spoke up, ¡°I have. I think it''s an octopus Guardian Spirit Beast, or was. Now it¡¯s a Lord, obviously. I have no idea what it¡¯s power theme is.¡± ¡°Prismatic means color, right? Maybe it''s an octopus that changes color. Color magic?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Not a thing, as far as I know,¡± Lnd replied with a sigh. ¡°But none of that matters for right now. The reason the Lord of Magic wants me to contact these Lords is because of Tears.¡± Sybil¡¯s eyebrows clinched in. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah, apparently one of the connected worlds is leaking mana into ours and is essentially creating a gold rush. The Lord of Magic wants a monopoly.¡± ¡°Are you sure you should be taking this quest, then Lnd?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Do you want to get in between Lords?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± he answered honestly. ¡°But originally the Lord of Magic wanted to task me with talking to dozens of Lords. But I talked him down to just three of his strongestpetition. Oh, and none of them are Vile. So that¡¯s a plus.¡± ¡°But what happens when some pissed off Legacies show up and try to fight you?¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I don¡¯t think it would go that far. Lords are honorable, right?¡± Jude snorted at that, a smile cresting his face. ¡°We are so totally going to get attacked by colorful octopi, aren¡¯t we?¡± The conversation devolved into arguments from there¡­ at least until Aunty P appeared. Wearing very over the top teal eyeshadow, a dress that looked like it was made a hundred years ago, and carrying a hand fan the size of a window, the woman was anything but subtle. Which, in many ways, worked wonders for her. She was the Spymaster General, after all. Since everyone present knew that she could literally hear everything uttered inside the castle, no one was surprised when she began talking about Lnd¡¯s contract. ¡°You live in an interesting world, Lnd Silver,¡± she said in that tone of voice everyone with a strict mother understood to be patronizing. ¡°Doing a Lord¡¯s dirty work for them? What¡¯s next, assassination?¡± To say things between Aunty P and Lnd had cleaned up nicely was a stretch. After she ordered his death, Lnd had done nothing but protect her niece, get her home safely, and then subsequently protect said home from annihtion. And what did he get in return? A cleared name, a medal for bravery, and a half-hearted apology from the woman. And as much as Lnd wished he could be indifferent to the woman, he just couldn¡¯t. Over thest two weeks, he¡¯d found every opportunity to say something petty about her knowing full well that she could hear him. ¡°Hey Sybil? Remember when your aunt tried to kill me?¡± ¡°Hey Sybil? Remember our time in the Archon Valley alone and lost?¡± ¡°Hey Sybil? What¡¯s up with Aunty P? Like does she always listen or¡ªOh, she¡¯s listening right now, isn¡¯t she? Stop listening to us weirdo!¡± Stuff like that. Was this childish and rude? Yes, of course. Did Lnd know that? Again, yes. But did he care? Not really. She tried to kill him! And! Oddly, being petty was somewhat therapeutic if he was being honest. Jokes, snidements, pettiness were all great ways to create a connection of healing between him and Aunty P. And boy oh boy did Aunty P snark back. Sometimes Lnd wondered what was with the older women he knew and mockery. Isobel and Aunty P could open a masterss on sarcasm. Where was Isobel, anyway? ¡°Assassinations, huh?¡± Lnd replied right back. ¡°I wonder what rewards I could get for a few Lordly assassinations? Something better than a medal of honor, I¡¯d say.¡± Aunty P lifted her chin, looking down at him with a fractional smirk. ¡°Oh? Showing your true colors, Harbinger?¡± He waved a hand and purposefully gave the outraged Sybil a wink. ¡°Harbinger smarbinger. I prefer to think of myself as someone dependable. Unlike your spy system. How did dozens of cultists get into the city again? You know, the cultists who began to convert your citizens?¡± Lnd could have sworn he saw a vein bulge at thatment. It was a real mystery, the whole cult thing. For a city protected by divine bone and a workaholic Spymaster General, a lot of things got into the city that shouldn¡¯t be here. And since the battles ended, Aunty P and the Inquisitors hadn¡¯t rested until they uncovered the smuggling ring that orchestrated such an event. Through gritted teeth, Aunty P growled, ¡°We know who the head yers are. We are actively working on capturing them.¡± Thinking it was time to throw a bone, Lnd said, ¡°Good. Let me know if you need any of my assassination skills. If you know their Lords I can even contact¡ª¡± ¡°At least one of the Lords is Vile. Thank you, but no thank you. The Inquisitors will handle it.¡± Lnd epted that as it was. He wasn¡¯t going to push, not with everything going on in a few days. It was time to break a bear out of prison. Giving Sybil a peck on the cheek, Lnd and the boys departed the castle when Aunty P brought up actual problems the Queen needed to fix. And as much as they were interested in helping with these problems, there was only so much they knew about taxes, propertyws, and foreign investment. ¡°Being a Queen is boring,¡± Jude muttered once the group was far enough from the castle so as to not be overheard. ¡°Sybil¡¯s notining,¡± Lnd said with a shrug. ¡°Though I think she would if the job didn¡¯t hold such responsibility.¡± Glenny blinked, his left eye suddenly turning solid white. He grunted, blinking again. It morphed back to its new normal ¨C ringed white and ck. ¡°Gah! It feels like a bugnded on my eye when that happens,¡± he said, rubbing it in ce of scratching. ¡°I need to adapt to itching.¡± Being a Legacy of the Chameleon, adaptation came with the territory. With a long flexible tongue and active camouge, there were few things Glenny couldn¡¯t be immune to or steal for himself. He¡¯d proven that by taking the Sightless King¡¯s primordial crimson power for his own or when he became immune to blunt force head trauma. ¡°You know, I find it dumb that some things are easy to adapt to, and others are nearly impossible. Like itching! How can I adapt to concussions but not to itching!¡± Lnd and Jude eyed their friend carefully. The eye-color changing had been happening semi-regrly, and always ended with a rant from the young man. ¡°Just don¡¯t go hurting yourself because you want to be immune to mosquitoes,¡± Lnd quietly said. Glenny¡¯s train of thought came crashing down at that statement. All notions of annoyance were lost as he stared at the ground as they maneuvered through the city. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ huh,¡± he muttered. It was just a seed, but that one statement nted an idea in Glenny¡¯s head. It had been some time since Lnd created a contract with the Chameleon Lord and received a gift for Glenny. It took the form of a ss shard, a shard that transformed directly into information inside Glenny¡¯s mind. The gift, in simplest terms, was a catalog of possible adaptations. Which, on paper, was amazing! But unfortunately, it worked in ways Glenny had yet to fully figure out. He needed precursor information about potential adaptation of some sort, information that was hidden or locked away. And Lnd¡¯s statement about mosquitoes might as well have been a treasure map and a key. Chapter 230: A Stroll Chapter 230: A Stroll Situated within the bony remains of a dead Lord, the capital city of the Palemarrow Kingdom didn¡¯te off as dour. Instead, Ivory Reach hatched charm and mystique. Around every corner was something new, behind every shop-sign was a hardworking owner and a prompt story. Hardships, opportunity, andmunity. Haunted finger bonesid in the backdrop to city parks, rib bones rested silently overhead, covering the city in thick shadows. Amidst the hustle and bustle of open-air markets or neighborhood farmers markets were pirs of ivory, long standing structures of divine protection. Who this dead Lord was, no one knew. Only that they served as a home for thousands. Lnd nced up at the sky, or rather, the sternum of the dead Lord. It was there he and Harbinger Ashford held their duel, it was there the man¡¯sst breaths were taken. And it was there that Soul Fire was cast. Even from here, Lnd could still feel the curse¡¯s effect. It radiated like a miniature sun made of heatless me. When he didn¡¯t focus on it, it made his hair stand on end. Goosebumps, the length of his arm. A tickle in the knees. For most, the effect wasn¡¯t noticeable. Themon man, those who have never experienced magic in any real capacity, went about their lives. A few adventurers might notice a slight tingle, as might the city guard. To adept mages, the sky felt hungry, like it might pour rain at any moment. But to the powerful, the overly perceptive, and to the people in the know, the sky was a reminder. Cracks along the dead Lord¡¯s bone, ribs broken with green miasma, countless graves of the city defenders. A war had been fought here. And while it ended in a single evening, the aftereffects were here to stay. ¡°We need to get stronger,¡± Lnd muttered to himself with a sigh. He and the others were still walking, the city moving around them like worker bees. asionally a guard might notice the trio and give a long stare or a curt nod of acknowledgement. They were famous, heroes of the battlefield, three youngsters who fought against all odds. And won. Having heard Lnd, Glenny replied with a scoff, ¡°No kidding.¡± Lnd flinched a bit. He swallowed, continuing his thought. ¡°All of us. Together.¡± A meaty hand pped him on the back. Jude brimmed with that knowing smirk he seemed to always hold. ¡°Well, well, well, Leals. You¡¯re finally ready toe back to us, huh?¡± The Legacy of the Berserker wiggled his eyebrow. Lnd hated it when he did that. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. ¡°For the past two weeks you¡¯ve been at the castle, smooching up with Sybil,¡± Jude pped him on the back again. ¡°And now it''s time for the boys! Yay!¡± ¡°I have not¡ª¡± ¡°You have so,¡± interrupted Glenny. He flicked a thread of white hair from his eyes. ¡°We had to head into the castle this morning just to get you. Your parents have been worried.¡± Lnd bit his tongue at that, sucking in his lips. He looked like a mangled lemon, which just so happened to be how he felt. ¡°Yeah¡­ Maybe I¡¯ve been avoiding them. But that¡¯s not my fault! They just are¡ª¡± ¡°Worried about you,¡± Glenny finished. Jude gave three quick nods. ¡°Exactly right. You almost die fighting a Harbinger the whole city should have been fighting. Moreover, you win! By yourself! I knew you grew stronger while away from us in the Archon Valley, but that¡¯s ridiculous!¡± Now it was Glenny¡¯s turn to look like a waggoneer driving over a series of bumps. ¡°See, Lnd, what you have to realize is that everyone was expecting a big final battle. Even me, being in the hospital and all. And then you just finish it before it even truly starts.¡± Lnd sighed. ¡°So what? How many lives did I save¡ª¡± ¡°No, no. Leals, don¡¯t get us wrong. What you did was spectacr. But for those who know you, well, you can see how we might be feeling a bit¡­ uh, guilty.¡± ¡°Guilty?¡± Glenny stepped in. ¡°Exactly. Your parents especially. They failed to protect you, their son, and instead you protected them by killing Ashford before they ever were in trouble.¡± Lnd went to respond, but found no words. ¡°So, of course your parents are worried about you,¡± Jude said. ¡°You almost died. You didn¡¯t. But they weren¡¯t there to help. Then you start avoiding them, making them feel worse. And just by the way, the cover story of the new girlfriend thing onlysts so long. People are starting to get anxious that you''re not back to your usual stuff.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s my usual stuff?¡± ¡°Hanging out with us, training, killing monsters,¡± Glenny piped up. ¡°The usual. Quests, adventures.¡± Frowning, Lnd said, ¡°I have been training. Every morning I¡ª¡± Jude held up a hand, waving it like a g. ¡°Run until you almost pass out. Yeah, yeah. We both remember the Lord of Endurance¡¯s contract¡ª¡± ¡°Which isn¡¯t really a contract and is just basic conditioning, but whatever,¡± interrupted Glenny. ¡°¡ªBut that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about. Magic!¡± he said, smacking Lnd with the back of his hand. ¡°When was thest time you even casted a spell besides today?¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition. Lnd blinked. ¡°I was almost able to¡­ no that didn¡¯t work out.¡± ¡°See what I mean? This type of behavior is odd for you, so people are worried.¡± ¡°And what? Are you taking me to an intervention?¡± While Jude and Glenny didn¡¯t try to hide the fact they were tasked with bringing him out of the castle and to the tavern everyone else fancied, they did hide the reason why. ¡°No so much. But maybe? It¡¯s been a long year, and there¡¯s still stuff for us to do. Don¡¯t getzy¡ª¡± Lnd stopped. The others did as well. ¡°Alright, alright. I get it. I do, really. Look, I just don¡¯t want to get roped into something like the Sightless King or Ashford again. I do want to go adventure, but not like before. I don¡¯t think any of us can handle something like that again.¡± Jude studied his friend. ¡°Quests?¡± he asked. ¡°Quests,¡± Lnd said with a head nod, confirming. ¡°Tears?¡± Glenny asked, causing both to stare at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Tears are something exactly like the Sightless King or Ashford.¡± ¡°What? No they are not¡ª¡± ¡°Massive in scope. Unseen implications. Unknown danger, but most definitely dangerous. Ring any bells?¡± Lnd asked. Now frowning, Glenny said, ¡°Then what? Us three are rather far above the usual crap quests the Guild provides. Killing a couple monsters? No thank you. So what? You want to take quests from Aunty P?¡± Lnd felt a chill. He shivered. ¡°No, anything but her.¡± Jude held up his hands. ¡°First thing is first¡ª¡± ¡°Floe,¡± all three boys said at the same time. ¡°That¡¯s right. Floe. Any ideas on how to do that?¡± Jude and Glenny looked expectantly at Lnd. He sighed. ¡°Yes, but I want to get a few opinions on the matter first. Lord of Beasts especially.¡± ¡°A good start,¡± Glenny said as they turned a corner. ¡°But what about after? Knowing you, Lnd, the problem is going to be solved within the month.¡± ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence,¡± he replied, devoid of emotion. ¡°And way to jinx it.¡± Jude rolled his eyes. ¡°Come on, Snowcap. Why do you got to jinx it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve used that one before.¡± Jude cursed. ¡°What about¡­ Come on, Pearly White . Why do you got to jinx it?¡± ¡°¡¯Pearly White?¡¯¡± Glenny asked, pulling his lips back to show off his teeth. ¡°Are they really that good? Thank you Jude, that was very kind.¡± Lnd stepped in before Jude could try again. ¡°After that, we get a parasite item for Jude.¡± Both stopped and looked at him. ¡°That¡¯s an idea¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I want one. Just look at Lodestar.¡± That was a point against parasitic items if Lnd ever heard one. His own weapon hadn¡¯t made so much as a peep since the battle with Ashford. He didn¡¯t know what to think about Lodestar. Obviously the weapon was incredibly powerful, the short time that they fought together was enough to know that. Lnd remembered quite vividly the bug-monsters the weapon summoned from oblivion. But then after that¡­ Lodestar left him to die or submit his body to the parasite. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°Lodestar¡¯s got an ego.¡± Glenny pulled at his cloak. Made of shadows, the parasitic item lived and breathed darkness. Small tendrils of dark even leached off of him, sucking away any unprotected shadows. The shadows, of course, returned a momentter, but still. The item had a mind of its own, even though it was anything but as malicious as Lodestar. Though Glenny did remember being trapped in a time-frozen world without warning and being tasked with fighting off deadly enemies until the cloak deemed him worthy. Still, the gains were worth the trouble in every way for him. ¡°My cloak¡¯s not evil,¡± he said to Jude. ¡°And what are the odds you get one like Lodestar?¡± Jude shuddered. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about it. I don¡¯t think I want one. Floe and the Mirage Beast¡¯s blessings are enough.¡± Lnd snapped his fingers. ¡°There¡¯s a thought. How about we venture to all of the Guardian Spirit Beasts and try to get Jude more blessings?¡± The idea had been brought up before, but with everything happening in the city, it had been all but forgotten. Jude just shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d only agree to that if there was some other reason we had to travel that far. Quests, objectives, something else. I don¡¯t want to be the only one to get something out of a trip like that.¡± ¡°My vote is on Tears,¡± Glenny said, already expecting the irritated look from Lnd. Which he promptly got. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Just think about it. The Lord of Magic said it¡¯s a gold rush. And that was just from one specific tear originating from one specific world. Imagine what all of the others hold!¡± ¡°Bickering races and turtle men,¡± Lnd supplied, referring to a neighboring kingdom¡¯s experience with the Tears. They even requested him toe and help after a Lord referred Lnd to their cause. It just so happened that it was then the boys arrived at the tavern their parents fancied. Glenny paused, one hand on the door, and spoke to Lnd. ¡°Just give it a thought, okay? Remember why we all decided to be adventurers.¡± The outside world seemed to disappear with the question. Lnd did remember. To help people, grow in renown, and to eclipse the wake their parents created with their own legends. It just felt right to grow in power, personal or not, and to make life a little bit easier for those weaker. But still. The Tears scared Lnd. He inadvertently helped create them, saving Sapphire and all, and he just didn¡¯t want to think about all of the horrors he had unleashed into the world¡­ That was naive, wasn¡¯t it? Lnd wanted to kick himself for even having the thought. Bury his head in the sand? Ignore what was happening around him? That wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d set out to do a year ago. That wasn¡¯t who he was back then. Why was it now? Ashford. That was the reason. Lnd had almost died, and as much as he wanted to y it off as being okay, it wasn¡¯t. His stomach churned at the thought of fighting new and powerful enemies. But Jude and Glenny were also right¡­ being a coward wasn¡¯t who he was. It wasn¡¯t what he wanted to be. A silent scoff passed his lips. Nerves and angst. What a terriblebination. He calmed himself, straightening his spine. ¡°Hey Glenny, I think you may be¡ª¡± ¡°SURPRISE!¡± the whole tavern screeched. Stunned in the doorway, the three boys hesitated to venture further into the unknown. Around them were friends and family alike, each holding drinks and watching them with pride. Magical constructs burst around the heads of everyone present, small fireworks exploded in colorful ornaments. Lnd felt a wave of d¨¦j¨¤ vu seeing those. A banner across the second storynding of the building shined bright and pulsed with mana. It read the same thing everyone then shouted at the boys. ¡°HAPPY BIRTHDAY!¡± And just like that, the party started. Chapter 231: Party Chapter 231: Party Lnd, Jude, and Glenny didn¡¯t know most of the people at the party. Some left fuzzy impressions in their mind, maybe they met when the boys were kids? Or maybe all of the stories their parents told them over the years solidified images of these people. The Inquisitor with a hook for a hand? Yeah, all three boys knew of him, his personality, and how he used to be a pirate. But none had actually met the man. Regardless, they were shuffled into the tavern, handed mugs of mead, and sent straight over to their parents. ¡°Happy birthday boys,¡± Diana Brown announced, looking from Jude to the others. ¡°Twenty is a big milestone!¡± As one, a collective ¡°ohhh¡± echoed in each of the boys¡¯ minds. While Lnd¡¯s birthday was the closest, being in a few days, Jude and Glenny¡¯s had already passed. And without any celebrations, given what was going on with the city, they realized the party was for all three of them. ¡°Thanks mom,¡± Jude said, stepping over. His mom pulled him into a hug, his dad ruffled his hair. Carmon Red appeared behind Glenny, a sudden gust of wind the only evidence he moved rather than teleported. ¡°Happy birthday,¡± he said, wrapping his arm around his son. A small box was held between his fingers. ¡°This was your mom¡¯s. Take good care of it.¡± The boisterous fun of the party instantly took a dive for Glenny. He carefully took the box from his father, gently tugging it open. Sitting on red velvet was a simple iron ring. Chipped and even rusted in some spots, the ring oozed with cunning insight. He recognized it instantly: a ring of subtlety. A rare gift indeed, when worn, the ring obscured the wearer from all who looked. Many rumors surrounded the simple piece of jewelry, but all held the same general theme. Created in batches, the smith and enchanter overstepped the market, giving all thieves and cutthroats ease of duty. Eventually, someone powerful was stolen from, and that powerful person hunted down all remaining rings and destroyed them and the crafter. Only a few remained, and now Glenny held one. Or rather, now Glenny held his mother¡¯s. He spun on his heel, wrapping his father in a mighty hug. The pair, while never to be aplete trio, still had each other. And despite it taking a long while to finally acknowledge that, they would never forget. Lnd¡¯s parents were subdued in their birthday congrattions, only giving him a searching look and a brisk head nod. He stepped over to them anyway. ¡°Hey mom, dad,¡± he said, the party¡¯s volume making the simple sentencee across as a whisper. ¡°Oh honey,¡± Lucia Silver muttered, closing the distance and hugging him. ¡°What happened to you being a kid? I remember when you were still in diapers.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Spencer Silver patted his son on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s true. You were a messy pooper¡ª¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Lnd yelled. ¡°Please, not here. Not ever.¡± Chuckling, Spencer said, ¡°You¡¯ll be a parent one day. You¡¯ll understand you¡¯ve got to tease your child when you can. Because someday they will outgrow you.¡± Whether by previous conversation about his parents or not, Lnd felt a chord of sorrow in his father¡¯s voice as he said that. His friends were right. ¡°I¡¯m not outgrowing anyone.¡± Said slowly and firmly, Lnd eyed his parents as he spoke. Gauging their reaction, neither showed much. But he had known them his whole life. He saw the subtle twitches, the despondent blinks, the careful breathing. They didn¡¯t believe him, and he wasn¡¯t sure he believed himself anyway. Gah, that right there. That thread of thought, an iota of ego. For the past two weeks, Lnd had found himself thinking these horrible thoughts. He was who he was, yes, but that didn¡¯t make him any better than anyone else. Leaving people behind was not what he wanted to do, nor was it what he was going to do. His mind briefly touched on his conversation with the Lord of Magic. Ego, especially when it came to loved ones, were true killers. Harbinger Ashford had given up everything that made him, him. And only death and ruin came. Power begets power, and evil power begets evil power. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± he said, this time louder and more apparent. His mom¡¯s fa?ade broke first, her face twisting into something too real. ¡°Oh sweety, we just worry.¡± Now it was his dad¡¯s turn. He flinched so hard he almost knocked over a nearby mug of beer. When he recovered, his face had aged ten years in that single moment. ¡°I know we don¡¯t need to worry, but it''s just¡ª¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°You two can worry all you want. I don¡¯t mind it. In fact, I¡¯d prefer it if you do. Even if it''s annoying, just knowing that you two care and will always be there is better than the opposite.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. ¡°We should have been there to help against Ashford,¡± Lucia muttered. ¡°At a minimum, it should have been you, me, and your father fighting him.¡± Spencer quickly shook his head. ¡°It should have been the whole of the army against Ashford, not you, Lnd, at all.¡± He dipped his head a bit. ¡°And that¡¯s on me. My magic just¡­ didn¡¯t work. I¡¯ve never experienced something like it before.¡± ¡°Ashford suppressed it,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He turned to his mom. ¡°And don¡¯t worry about it as well. Everyone was taken by surprise.¡± She smiled softly. ¡°You were just so fast. Who¡¯d have thought that three different sets of wings could make you so quick.¡± ¡°Speaking of wings, anyone heard from Isobel?¡± Lucia¡¯s face fell. ¡°No.¡± Spencer sighed, loudly. ¡°She¡¯s alive. Reports of her havee through thework. What she¡¯s doing, where she¡¯s going. Both unknown.¡± Staring at his mom, Lnd asked, ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± ¡°Alright, fine. I just don¡¯t like the way she treats you.¡± Lnd chucked at that. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m used to it.¡± ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have to be. It¡¯s not fair for someone her age and renown to¡ª¡± He held up his hands. ¡°Mom, Isobel and I have an understanding. The Archon Valley was difficult for both of us for different reasons.¡± Biting her lip in a way that read warning, Lucia spoke in that special motherly tone. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t at the start, either. But I wouldn¡¯t be alive without her help, both in the Archon Valley and during my battle with Ashford.¡± It was subtle, but the word ¡°my¡± rang differently between Lnd and his parents. To him, it was just phrasing, to his parents¡­ it was his battle. His battle that he won. ¡°Do either of you two know her history?¡± Lnd asked in silence. ¡°Because I do. And I understand how she acts is both real and fake. And quite frankly, I¡¯m surprised she can show anything real anymore.¡± Both Spencer and Lucia knew Isobel¡¯s history, but only what was written on paper. Dead child and husband, murderous revenge spree, join the Inquisitors soon after and be a force to be reckoned with. Lnd continued, ¡°I can understand why you don¡¯t like her, mom. I didn¡¯t when we first met.¡± Heughed at that, remembering being stalked from town to town. ¡°But I¡¯d consider her something akin to a big sister¡­ not that I know what having a sibling is like. But calling her that feels right.¡± Lucia looked as though she was going to respond, but a warm hand on her back smothered her irritation. She and her husband shared a look before she backed down. Isobel didn¡¯t matter, nor did her feelings about the Huntress. Lnd was all that mattered. A beat passed before Spencer spoke up. ¡°How¡¯s Sybil?¡± Now smiling, Lnd said, ¡°She¡¯s great. Oh, and if you ever need to visit a temple for the Lord of Magic, there is now one in the castle!¡± Spencer and Lucia shared another look. ¡°Um. What now?¡± The party continued for hours. Between each of the boys, they bounced around from conversation to conversation. People introduced themselves, gave thanks for their work in defending the city, promptly handed over a birthday gift, and meandered off to drink more. And at least for Lnd, no one here was overtly weird to him. Sure, he found a few partygoers staring at him from across the room, but none rushed over to kiss the back of his hand and cry on their knees. And while that had only happened twice, he desperately didn¡¯t want it to happen a third time. Eventually the boys found themselves sitting together with their families. Roy and Ray Brown, Jude¡¯s father and uncle, arm wrestled on a much-too-cluttered table, shaking drinks and tes of food. Diana spoke with Lucia and one of their Inquisitor friends, practically singing both Jude and Lnd¡¯s praises. Carmon sipped a cup of liquor that never seemed to drain, eying magical contracts Spencer created. ¡°That one,¡± the de dancer said, pointing to a pyramid made out of blue mana. ¡°Gah!¡± Spencer growled, canceling the magic with a puff of smoke. Where the pyramid sat, now a gold coin rested. ¡°How¡¯d you know? Carmon jerked a thumb at Lnd. ¡°He kept looking at it.¡± Spencer gave an impish-smiling Lnd a scowl before cracking a smile himself. He flicked his wrist, the mana constructs reforming. This time a cube consumed the coin, before all the constructs suddenly shifted. ¡°Glenny¡¯s turn,¡± Spencer announced. ¡°The cylinder,¡± Genny instantly responded, his voice jolting Lnd. ¡°Wha! How long have you been sitting there?¡± Lnd yelled, only now realizing that his best friend was literally sitting beside him. Glenny smirked. ¡°It¡¯s the ring,¡± he said, holding up his hand. A in iron ring rested calming on his pointer finger. ¡°How didn¡¯t I notice¡­ I usually notice things like that.¡± ¡°You''re drunk,¡± Spencer said. ¡°Messes with the senses.¡± The constructs fell away, showing that Glenny was incorrect. ¡°Am not,¡± the white haired boy muttered. ¡°Wait,¡± Lnd spoke up. ¡°Where¡¯s my birthday present, dad?¡± Spencer blinked a few times. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s not your birthday yet.¡± ¡°We are literally at a party.¡± ¡°So? You get your present on your birthday.¡± Lnd eyed his father. ¡°You forgot, right?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± He looked at Glenny. ¡°He forgot.¡± ¡°Totally,¡± Glenny said. Spencerughed. ¡°Okay, you both are drunk. Why can¡¯t you two act more like Jude¡ª¡± All eyes turned to the Berserker Legacy. Sitting part way down the table, two Judes appeared beside each other. One held a harmonica, the other a flute. They yed together, but both were drunk, so they yed very poorly together. ¡°¡ªEh, maybe not,¡± Spencer finished with a shake of the head. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Jude got a flute as a birthday present,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°I think he did,¡± replied Glenny. ¡°Do you think his parents would be upset if we snapped it in half? I think they¡¯d understand if he kept annoying us with it.¡± Shrugging, Lnd said, ¡°They¡¯d understand, I think. But what happens if he¡¯s like, really good at the flute? What happens if he gets another mirage and there¡¯s three of him? That one can y the polo.¡± ¡°Why stop at three? What if there were somehow enough Jude to y a symphony? Violin, cello, triangle.¡± The boysughed. Chapter 232: Quest Chapter 232: Quest A day after the party, the boys sat with their parents in a quiet, dusty inn. ¡°And that¡¯s our n,¡± Lnd said, finishing up the exnations. ¡°Well, it¡¯s the n for after we deal with Gelo and Floe.¡± Why he was tasked with informing the parental group, he couldn¡¯t answer. Besides, of course, the fact that his two best friends relinquished any hold they had over the ¡°team leader¡± position of their group. In their own ways, Jude and Glenny had both expressed their contempt with speaking to people of power if the need ever arose. And since Lnd did that almost on a daily basis, him being team leader made the most sense. He hated them sometimes. Their parents studied them for a long minute. What Lnd had just exined was a game n for getting back into the field. Touring the countryside, traveling toward the ces of interest ¨C those mainly being Tears. Particrly two Tears. One was a newly-ripped Tear out in the middle of nowhere, the other was weeks-old just off the coast of the continent. After expressing his and the others¡¯ desire to get back in on the action, Lnd and Queen Sybil sat down together with Aunty P and discussed working for the kingdom. ¡°Against my advice, you and your friends will be granted a special title by order of the Queen,¡± Aunty P told Lnd rather coldly before stealing a nce at her Queen. Sybil smiled greatly. ¡°Vagrant Warden.¡± Lnd¡¯s eyebrows shot up at that. The title, while not unheard of, was rather rare. Somewhat akin to a precursor for Inquisitor, those that held the title were recognized by the Crown to be diligent protectors. Often powerful adventurers held the rank, which, when he thought about it, was exactly what he was. ¡°Now then,¡± Aunty P continued after her niece and the boyfriend shared a hug, ¡°the titlees with authority that is not to be abused. So help me Lnd if I find out you¡ª¡±¡°I get it,¡± he quickly interrupted. She shook herself, the anger falling away. Clearing her throat, she said, ¡°Like I was saying. You hold authority over anyone lower than Knight.¡± She eyed the boy. ¡°That¡¯s Sergeant¡ª¡± ¡°I know the ranks,¡± Lnd interrupted again. ¡°Good. You do not outrank any Inquisitors¡ª¡± ¡°Aunty, I think he gets it,¡± Sybil huffed, her tone somehow neutral but fiery at the same time. The woman held up her hands. ¡°I think this is stupid, but I hold no im over you, boy.¡± ¡°Nor I over you,¡± he replied, which despite being the reverse of what Aunty P said to him, irritated her much more than it did him. ¡°Regardless, the Tears are growing¡ª literally and figuratively. I have multiple teams out hunting for new ones, but because of that, my resources are spread thin. With that in mind, the Crown offers you¡ª¡± ¡°I should warn you,¡± Lnd interrupted a third time. ¡°We cannot start on the Tear issue right away. We have some friends to help out first.¡± Aunty P took a breath. ¡°That is fine. The tears are not going anywhere. So, with that in mind, the Crown offers¡ª" ¡°Oh Aunty, can I do it? I want to do it,¡± Sybil asked, almost bouncing in her chair despite sitting perfectly still. Aunty P blinked twice. ¡°Oh course, my Queen.¡± She took a big breath, stood and held her hand out to her boyfriend. He took it and together they stared into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Lnd Silver, I, Queen Sybil Palemarrow, in the name of the Palemarrow Kingdom, offer you a quest. Two Tears need investigating, and as the kingdom¡¯s newest Vagrant Wardens, your team has been chosen. The threat level is low, but that doesn¡¯t mean there won¡¯t be danger. Should you choose to ept, there will be rewards.¡± Aunty P rolled her eyes. Lnd, however, watched on with a slightly agape mouth. ¡°What kind of rewards?¡± he asked, which prompted Aunty P to groan. ¡°Those befitting a nation,¡± Sybil responded, their hands still sped. ¡°But I am a benevolent leader, I shall hear one request.¡± If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Smiling like a cat, he answered instantly, ¡°Dinner. The two of us, the eve of my departure.¡± Flicking between smiling and a neutral fa?ade, Sybil didn¡¯t respond right away. Instead she listened to the voices of her ancestors in her mind. They were bickering, but not for ill reasons. ¡°Hellloooo?¡± Lnd asked after a good minute. ¡°I asked you on a date. Do your mom and grandmothers need to discuss¡ª¡± Sybil leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. ¡°They were arguing about what I should wear. They, mostly, like you.¡± ¡°Mostly?¡± Aunty P groaned again. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this.¡± She slid the paper reports about the two Tears to Lnd. ¡°Both Tears lead to the same world. Tentatively, it is being called ¡®Alpha.¡¯¡± ¡°Alpha?¡± Lnd asked, after sharing a smile with his girlfriend. ¡°Do the locals not have a name?¡± ¡°This world has no inhabitants so far. None havee through the Tears and the people we have sent in have not returned with news of people. Well, life really. There¡¯s been no life found.¡± ¡°How many other Tears are there that lead to Alpha?¡± ¡°Within the Palemarrow Kingdom?¡± Aunty P asked, answering herself right away. ¡°Six. Across the world, there have been twenty two located.¡± ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± ¡°Just mana and dirt.¡± ¡°What about the other worlds?¡± Lnd asked. Sybil answered this time. ¡°The names for the other worlds have been contradicted. With the turtle people and warring races world, it is either called Twilight or Dawn. The mana-rich world is called various names, all of which have to do with trees.¡± ¡°Trees?¡± ¡°The world is a big tree, apparently. Arborea is how the nations of our world are referring to it.¡± ¡°Strange, but alright. Any other worlds?¡± Aunty P stepped in. ¡°We are receiving contradicting information on that as well. There are reports of Tears that open up to different worlds than these main three. But by the time investigators can get there and properly set up, they close.¡± ¡°Even more strange¡­¡± And as the conversation dragged on, the n solidified. After, of course, Lnd conveyed all of this information to Glenny and Jude. ¡°Dude, I don¡¯t care what we do. So long as we do something,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Floe first,¡± Jude added. ¡°But I agree.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Lnd tiredly said. ¡°I have a n for that, I think. Just need to confirm with a few Lords.¡± Glenny sighed and handed a small sack of coins over to a smirking Jude. ¡°Sucker,¡± Jude muttered. Blinking at the exchange, Lnd asked, ¡°Did you two bet on if I had a n?¡± ¡°No.¡± Glenny bitterly exhaled. ¡°We bet on if you would say something along the lines of ¡®get help¡¯ from a Lord or Lords, ¡®talk to¡¯ a Lord or Lords, or even, ¡®contract¡¯ a Lord of Lords.¡± Jude jumped in. ¡°I bet you wouldn¡¯t say any of those three and you¡¯d say something more¡­ ¡®Lnd.¡¯¡± ¡°¡¯Confirm¡¯ is more me than ¡®contract?¡¯¡± ¡°It implies that you already have an idea so good, that you just need confirmation it will work even without a Lord¡¯s interference. So yes, that is more Lnd.¡± ¡°Oh, and you have to exin all of this to our parents,¡± Glenny quickly added. And that set the evening. A great big family dinner where Lnd mostly talked about the n while each parent carefully listened. And when it was all said and done, it was Spencer who spoke up first. ¡°Sounds good. Let me know when you want a portal out of here.¡± The boys slowly blinked. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Spencer asked. ¡°You expected us to say ¡®no?¡¯¡± Jude coughed. ¡°Is it bad we did?¡± Diana smiled at her son. ¡°Awe, my little sugar drop thinks he still needs mommy¡¯s permission. How cute.¡± ¡°Sugar drop,¡± Glenny echoed quietly, a devilish smile on his face. ¡°Mom, please. Don¡¯t call me that.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t act so sweet!¡± Jude buried his face in his hands. ¡°I¡¯d like that portal right now, Mr Spencer.¡± The parents all giggled at that. ¡°But seriously,¡± Lnd said, cutting off theughter. ¡°None of you are going to try and stop us?¡± ¡°Ore with us,¡± Glenny quickly added. Carmin answered. ¡°No and no. You three are adults, you can make adult decisions. Just like you have been for thest year.¡± ¡°But look where that got us,¡± Lnd quickly retorted. ¡°I mean, it''s not that I want you to¡ª¡± ¡°Lnd,¡± his mother called. ¡°We can¡¯t rule your life. Nor are we going to try.¡± ¡°Yeah, we know¡­ we just expected more resistance, is all.¡± Lucia nodded slowly. ¡°As a collective, we¡¯ve discussed barring you from exiting the city more than once. But we always have decided not to. The war here was dangerous and almost deadly, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can decide things for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to add to that,¡± said Roy. ¡°If you wish to stay safe, then we hold no judgment and will dly ept your presence here.¡± The parents nodded at that. Lnd and the other boys shared a look. He gave a shrug, which they quickly copied. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, turning back to the parents. ¡°We leave in three days and don¡¯t expect to be back for at least two months.¡± Chapter 233: Dinner Chapter 233: Dinner Waiting for his girlfriend, Lnd mulled over countless decisions. An idea hung in his mind, a way to gain more from his contracts. But first, he needed to organize. He opened his grimoire and got to reading. Name: Lnd Silver Legacy: Curses Archetype: Apprentice of the Curse Lord Specialization: Pact Overall Rank: 3 Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 22 (B-) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. For a single target, break a random bone and the bones it is connected to. Crow Massacre: Type: Curse Rank: 23 (B) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon a full murder of 15 ethereal crows to attack targets for up to 2 minutes. When all crows are present and attacking the same target, their beaks and talons are enhanced. All resultant damage dealt by the crows bleeds the target for an additional amount over 100 seconds. Promote a single crow to lead the murder. The leader isrger, faster, stronger, and more real. If permitted, the leader can stay summoned for any given length of time. Abuse of summons will not be permitted. Curse of Copse: Type: Curse Rank: 22 (B) Pull the target towards the end, bringing them one step closer to the Lord of Death. Exhaust the target for up to 3 minutes, decreasing their speed by 50%. Targets under this curse deal 20% less damage to you. The Lord of Death smiles on the cursed, increasing your damage to the cursed by 10%. Harbinger Halo: Pact Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 24 (Specialization: S) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling their aid. Contractsst up to 50 minutes. If ended early, the cool down period is decreased. Up to 4 contracts may be acted upon at one time. Contracts that produce direct spells, curses, abilities, incantations, and/or passive effects that deal with mana, may have lifeforce partially supplemented. Effects may vary. The pact specialization allows the creation of pact-contracts, thus opening new routes of power once deemed unreachable. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 23 (A-) Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 75 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 15% for 1 minute. Held lost souls may now be given to a soul of the Damned as payment for a task. Damage dealt to one target within the circle is duplicated onto all targets inside the circle for 35% effectiveness. Those trapped within the circle know the fear of those who dabble in soul magic. Soul Fire: Type: Curse Rank: Max Ignite a lost soul. Soul Fire¡¯s strength directly corrtes to the strength of the soul used. You are the Cmity. Completed Contracts: Lord of Magic: For the duration of the contract, all magical abilities are increased by a factor of 5%. Only usable once per hour. Ends in 6 days. Lord of Nature: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Touch of Regeneration, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Water: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Shield of Water, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Chameleon: For the duration of the contract, gain adaptive mage perception (sight, smell, or instinct). Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Erupting Skies: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Erupting Steps, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Space: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Spatial Bend, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of Pathways: The Lord of Pathways has augmented the parasitic tattoo, Lodestar, with a pathway. Lord of the Void: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Void Slip, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of the Drowning: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Drowning Touch, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Ongoing Contracts: Lord of Spirits: For the duration of the contract, all magical abilities take on a single intended spiritual effect. Only usable once per hour. Lord of the Moonless: For the duration of the contract, all works of art shine with the light of the moon. Lord of Endurance: For the duration of the contract, if used whilepletely exhausted, each running step provides a small addition to your base stamina. Contract is usable once per hour. Steps: 249 Lord of Crows: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Crow Wings, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of the Seraph: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Celestial Feather, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of the Draconic: For the duration of the contract, ess to Draconic Revtion, is avable. Contract is usable once per hour. Lord of the Lexicon: As a passive effect, all knownnguages trante directly in your mind to your most fluentnguage. It was a lot to take in, but Lnd was happy to grow his collection. Not every contract he made had been worthwhile, he recognized. Some just weren¡¯t worth the cost. Others, very much were. What did this mean for the future? He smirked to himself. He¡¯d just have to be more picky. Eventually the doors to the queen¡¯s chamber opened and slowly but surely, the Queen exited. Her steps, measured and elegant, pulled the hems of a long, bounding teal gown. Masterfully stitched, the dress¡¯ embroidered seams meshed with enchanted fabric and expensive silks. It flowed across her shoulders and waterfalled down her legs, the motion of movement ruffling the color like ripples of a pond. Lnd didn¡¯t notice the morous gem stonesced around her neck. Even such a beauty as the rocks were, it was Sybil¡¯s shifting smile that truly caught his attention. Masked in scarring and childish glee, her lips parted and stilled, flickering from grinning to perfectly neutral and back to grinning. As the youngdy walked through the stone and marble hallway, she jumped from eager girlfriend ready for a proper date to Queen of a nation. Which was she supposed to be now, she wondered? Which was more important at this very moment? Now standing, Lnd mentally chided himself. He had dressed nicely, but his ¡°nice¡± was far lower than that of the royal family. He should have known, he¡¯d been around the castle since he was a kid. An adventurer at heart, he wore clothes that allowed freedom of movement and weren¡¯t too expensive to rece if they were shredded, burnt, stabbed, torn, melted¡­ Lnd sighed. There were a lot of hazards, he realized, that could befall clothing. Most of which were¡ª He shook his head. Now was not the time to be distracted. ¡°My Queen,¡± he called, his hand out and his back angled downward in a bow. ¡°Oh gosh, Lnd. Don¡¯t do that. Not now, please.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it He looked up, finding Sybil bright red despite her dark skin. He smiled to himself. ¡°You look divine.¡± At his words, the girl turned even redder, if that was possible. ¡°I uh.¡± She looked off into the distance, the voices of her family no doubt mocking her for such a greeting. She snapped out of it, blinking rapidly and finding her date¡¯s devilish smile. ¡°I think I should return to my room. I need to gather myself¡ª¡± Lnd took her hand in his. ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd. This is supposed to be fun. I¡¯m having fun, aren¡¯t you?¡± She pursed her lips, the embarrassment fading as her fingers squirmed in his. She straightened her back, raised her chin, looked him in the eyes, and said, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Perfect. Now then. Shall we?¡± Together they strolled the castle, visiting all of the ces Lnd had yet to see. As it turned out, while Lnd thought he had seen most of the castle as a kid, he, in fact, had not. There were wings he didn¡¯t even know existed. Sitting rooms furnished and dusted every day that he hadn¡¯t a clue existed. It was like the castle¡¯s hallways were twisting snakes, coiled together and thrown into the Void. ¡°Everything connects,¡± he muttered to himself after Sybil showed him a firece that doubled as a doorway to a different room. ¡°What was that?¡± she asked. He quickly shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just in disbelief. Who needs a firece-door.¡± She giggled. ¡°I will have you know, when I was a mischievous kid, I hid from my nannies by using these firece-doors. I thought it was a game, to run around the castle while they tried to find me¡­ In actuality, they set the castle in lockdown and I never saw those nannies again...¡± She trailed off. Lnd looked from her to the hidden door. ¡°You got those nannies fired.¡± ¡°I guess I did.¡± They both stared at the contraption, a second of silence passing before Lnd snorted. ¡°Who¡¯d have thought you would have been the problem child. I always figured it would be your brother.¡± ¡°Devin or Peter?¡± Sybil asked, dly changing the conversation. ¡°Devin. Eldest Prince.¡± ¡°He always did like to unt his title.¡± She sighed. ¡°He left the castle the moment he could. The second I was crowned, actually. Him and that stupid tail.¡± ¡°Tail?¡± ¡°He has a Draconic tail. It looked ridiculous.¡± A shiver went down Lnd¡¯s spine. ¡°You know¡­ I have Draconic wings. And you know what they say when two Draconics meet, right?¡± Sybil¡¯s eyes went round. ¡°Oh no. You two can never be in the same ce otherwise you¡¯ll have to fight to the death.¡± He held up his hands. ¡°Oh I don¡¯t think it''s that bad. We would just have to fight each other for dominance.¡± ¡°You¡¯d kick his ass,¡± the Queen said leaning into him. ¡°Heh, best not to, however,¡± he said, leaning into her as well. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They stood like that for a long, long moment, staring into the cold firece. Soon the date continued, dinner, drinks, a midnight waltz under the moonlight¡­ Not once were they bothered by Aunty P or an attendant. Tonight was their night. It was a perfect goodbye before a new adventure. The morning of the boys¡¯ departure, Lnd and Glenny were doing somest minute shopping. Money, at this point, was no obstacle unless they were purchasing custom enchanted gear, artifacts, or some other type of money sink. Food, camping supplies? Those were nothing in the grand scheme of things, so they stocked up until their inventory rings were full. With the markets in the capital of the kingdom, many, many, merchants sold their wares. This led to bickering stall owners, sketchy selling practices, and underhanded criminal pursuit. Especially when it came to people like Lnd and Glenny ¨C shoppers with near limitless funds and inventory rings to boot. One such pursuit was the ever popr pickpocket. Glenny swatted away all hands before they even came near. Another was the age-old scam. Goods too cheap to believe! Ancient legendary weapons wielded by the most famous of personnel! Potions that will make anyone fall in love with you! Jewelry hand mined from some obscure mountain no one has ever heard of¡­ Well actually, Lnd bought a dazzling bracelet for Sybil from that vendor. There was no doubt he over paid for it, but he didn¡¯t care. It was perfect. And finally, there was the pursuit of intimidation. The idea of making potential buyers feel unsafe or uneasy while the seller charged outrageous prices. Nine out of ten times, the buyer would pay just to leave unmolested. ¡°We¡¯re being followed,¡± Glenny said calmly to Lnd. ¡°One man. Looks a little rough for wear.¡± ¡°This again?¡± Lnd sighed, looking over his shoulder. He didn¡¯t find the man, the crowd of faces acting as a dense forest. ¡°You¡¯d think they would have learnedst time.¡± ¡°You break a few hands the first time. The next,¡± Glenny popped his knuckles, ¡°you break their faces.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been hanging out with Jude too much.¡± ¡°Well sometimes, he¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That he is. That he is. What¡¯s the n?¡± Glenny nodded to an alleyway. ¡°After you.¡± Lnd practically skipped into the dampness, the shadows and dank smell oddly nostalgic. It had been a while since they¡¯d participated in a good thug-beating. Well, if you forget about thest time someone tried to intimidate them into buying something¡­ which may or may not have been just fifteen minutes ago. ¡°Maybe it will be a mugging,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Then we can really¡ª¡± ¡°Gah,¡± Glenny murmured. ¡°No. You just stand there and look pretty. Your magic is too scary. We don¡¯t want the market to evacuate because you want to take the man¡¯s soul. Let me handle this.¡± Giving his friend a look, the Legacy of Curses said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t take his soul for just this. If he tried to kill us, then it''s fair game as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡± Rolling his eyes, the Legacy of the Chameleon suddenly turned invisible. ¡°Oh great. You¡¯re doing it like this,¡± Lnd muttered to himself. ¡°Leave me alone as bait. Don¡¯t worry Glenny! I¡¯ll just stand here like an idiot¡ª¡± A shadow ended his sentence. A figure appeared at the edge of the market, a man. He stepped into the alley, his boots now slick with puddle water. He stopped after a few steps, his bare hand showing off a Legacy tattoo of a scroll bound in a double knotted bow. ¡°You are a difficult man to track down, Mr Silver,¡± the man said, his voice tired. ¡°I feel as though you have been avoiding me.¡± Lnd frowned, eying the man. Disheveled, nice but dirty clothing,ck of muscle or weapons. One thing was for sure, this man wasn¡¯t here for a fight. Although that was possibly more dangerous. ¡°Do I know you?¡± ¡°No, no you do not. Despite the multitude of attempts I¡¯ve made to set a meeting date, that crone of a Princess always seems to block my actions. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ambassador Liam from the Gru Triumvirate.¡± And just like that, the tension in Lnd¡¯s posture rxed. The Gru Triumvirate was a neighboring kingdom to the Palemarrows and a pensive ally at best. As Aunty P described them, they were not good people. Backstabbers and corrupt politicians, the type of ce a criminal might live since they could get away with plenty of things so long as they had the coin. At least, those were the stories. The whole country couldn¡¯t be like that, could it? ¡°And just to make sure,¡± Lnd said, ¡°you are not here to attack me? You just want to talk.¡± ¡°That is correct,¡± Liam answered. ¡°I was¡ª¡± ¡°Glenny you cane out, this guy¡¯s not a threat. He¡¯s just desperate.¡± The rogue appeared one step behind the Ambassador, a pocket knife in hand. He hmphed when the man flinched, stepping around to stand beside his friend. ¡°So then, Mr Ambassador, what do you want?¡± The man cursed to himself. ¡°Did that woman not ry any of my requests? Ifigured she surely would have¡ª¡± Lnd held up a hand. ¡°I assume you are referring to Aunty P, er, the Eldest Princess. Yes, she informed me of the Tear on Gru soil and your request for my help.¡± Liam stared with a difficult expression. Anger? Resentment? Humiliation? He bit down the wave of emotions and spoke in a strained tone, ¡°If you understand the situation with my homnd, why is our first meeting in an alley?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean?¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± The man clinched his knuckles. ¡°A war ising, Mr Lnd. A war from a different world. And a Lord has expressed that you could help! So help!¡± Lnd and Glenny both recoiled at the tone. They looked at each other. The man returned to himself after a few long breaths. Speaking through his teeth, the man continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think you are quite understanding. The Lord of the Lexicon expressed to us, the Gru Triumvirate, that you would be able to help our unique situation. Why he said a kid could help, I don¡¯t know. But he did. So, please, if you would kindlye with me, I have a Legacy of Space ready to teleport us to¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah I¡¯m not going,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°I understand the situation quite well, but I was forbidden to go by the Eldest Princess and possibly an even more terrifying woman.¡± The man raised his chin, breathing out a puff of hot air. ¡°The Queen forbid you from assisting us? Because if that is the case¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, no. The Queen didn¡¯t. I was referring to my mom.¡± ¡°Your¡­ mother¡­ forbid you from assisting?¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°She said the Gru Triumvirate wasn¡¯t safe.¡± ¡°Not safe!?¡± the Ambassador screeched. ¡°Not safe! The Gru Triumvirate is not safe!? Of course it¡¯s not! We have two otherworldly races about to go to war on our soil! Of course it¡¯s not safe! People are going to die! Mr Silver! Die! By the thousands! Maybe even tens of thousands if the war starts!¡± A pang of guilt washed over Lnd. Still, he steeled himself. ¡°If it starts?¡± Liam rolled his head around his neck, his veins and bones jutting from his skin. ¡°The Shellbearers estimate that the sudden appearance of Tears may slow the war effort. A few months until it starts back up.¡± ¡°And the Shellbearers, are they the turtle people?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he seethed. Lnd looked at Glenny who mouthed ¡°Floees first.¡± And it wasn¡¯t just that. They had been given a quest. And the Palemarrow Kingdom came first, not just Floe and Gelo. They were to investigate and deal with a few Tears until reinforcements could arrive and properly set up. There just wasn¡¯t enough time to head into the Gru Triumvirate as well¡­ as much as it might be the right thing to do. Eventually Lnd sighed. ¡°Look. I have promises to keep and a job to do. I¡¯d like to help, even if the people around me tell me not to. Your citizens don¡¯t deserve to be disced by a war, trust me, I know what that¡¯s like first hand.¡± The Ambassador looked as though he wanted to interrupt, but he remained silent. ¡°I don¡¯t fully understand why the Lexicon Lord suggested me¡ª¡± well, he did, but that would reveal things about himself he didn¡¯t want the general poption to know, ¡°¡ªbut I also can¡¯t ignore such a desperate plea for help¡­ Speaking of which, what is it that you actually want me to do?¡± ¡°Speak with the Shellbearers for one. Then the leaders of the warring races. End the war before it starts, or at the very least, keep it froming into our world.¡± ¡°Tall order,¡± Lnd said, as he looked at Glenny who gave a subtle nod of the head. He continued, ¡°How powerful is your Legacy of Space?¡± ¡°She can teleport you anywhere on the continent,¡± the Ambassador replied. ¡°Here¡¯s what I can do. I have a responsibility to my friends and nation, but after Iplete my job, I will help.¡± Thest word came out tentative at best. He groaned and tried again. ¡°I will help. Okay? I will.¡± A spring of surprise popped across the man¡¯s face. ¡°And how long will your job take?¡± ¡°Two months. Maybe less.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cutting it close, Mr Silver¡­¡± ¡°Take it or leave it. It¡¯s the best I can do.¡± ¡°Fine¡­ if you answer a question of mine?¡± Lnd almost rebutted that that¡¯s not how questions work in scenarios such as this, but simply chose to nod along to get it over with. The Gru Ambassador spoke clearly with a hint of genuine curiosity, ¡°Why you? Why did the Lord of the Lexicon rmend you?¡± ¡°Because I have connections with powerful people.¡± Chapter 234: Pocket Watch Chapter 234: Pocket Watch There was a specific step among the hundreds leading toward the castle where space became hard. It was midway up, just before the secondnding but well after the first. This one step, was, by far and away, the first of many protections that secured the royals in case of an attack. Unassuming and unmarked, the step looked just like any of the others. Stone, chiseled, perfectly t and unwrapped. Which Legacy of the Mason created it, no one knew. But those who understood the intricacies of space magic understood its significance. It marked the point of no entry. It was the first shell of imprable space. One such mage, Lnd¡¯s dad, Spencer, hated this step. And while he didn¡¯t have a hand in its creation, he did fine tune some of the enchantments hidden within it. So, as he, his family and friends stood one step below the important step, he couldn¡¯t help but steal nces at it. At least, until his wife batted his shoulder with the back of his hand. ¡°Pay attention,¡± Lucia whispered. ¡°This is a big moment¡ª¡± ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m watching¡­¡± And it was true. One small symptom of being a spatial mage of such renown, Spencer was always watching. Space twisted and churned, every movement sending ripples of influence across the fabric of the world. Sensing all of it was a pain sometimes, but sometimes it allowed for hidden words to be shared. For example, Spencer knew his son was nervous. Small ripples, radiating from Lnd¡¯s knees or pulses whenever he clinched his hands. Obvious. Jude and Glenny on the other hand? They were eager to get on the road, Jude especially. Spencer watched his son and Queen Sybil hug onest time, the pair sharing a few words of goodbye before parting. Lnd then stepped before Aunty P. ¡°Oh, by the way, I met with the Gru Ambassador. I¡¯m going to help after our quest ispleted.¡± Spencer didn¡¯t need to feel space to know that his wife had just pursed her lips. Nor did he need to be able to sense the small changes in the area to recognize that Aunty P¡¯s blood pressure had just risen. Roy, Diana, and Carmon? They all slumped at the news. Spencer remembered quite well what happenedst time everyone traveled to the Gru Triumvirate. He shivered, at first, the job they took some years ago still a scar on their reputation. But then he remembered Annie Red and the sheer brilliance she brought to the team. Spencer stole a nce at Carmon and thought about how they needed to hang out more. Maybe do some training together just like old times. ¡°I know,¡± Aunty P finally said back to Lnd. ¡°A report was passed to me not an hour ago¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try and stop us,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°Just because you said we weren¡¯t allowed to help, doesn¡¯t mean it''s fact.¡± Spencer wanted to cover his face with his hands. As strong and resilient his son had grown up to be, the boy still had a long way to go. Picking battles seemed to be a weak point of his. The Spymaster General of the kingdom kept her mask of the Eldest Princess, being outside the castle walls sometimes was annoying like that. She smiled kindly down at Lnd, although to those closest to her, they understood that smile to be anything but. As uninterested as possible, Aunty P said, ¡°I see. Do be safe. It would be a shame if something terrible were to happen to you.¡± ¡°Aunty!¡± Sybil huffed, stomping her foot. As much as the new Queen wished to act royal and regal at times like this, there were some lines people just shouldn¡¯t cross. And while the voices in her head didn¡¯t agree with her acting out like this, she didn¡¯t care. ¡°I begged you to be nice!¡± The older woman¡¯s face twisted when her niece, and Queen, began to berate her. Worst of all, she saw the sly face Lnd Silver was making. For a brief moment, she wondered if she should reapply the warrant for his head¡­ Aunty P sighed. ¡°Stay safe Lnd.¡± With that, she turned and crossed the step into the fortress that was the space around the castle. Lnd and Sybil shared onest moment before he stepped over with his team. Jude gave him a thumbs-up. Glenny swatted down Jude¡¯s hand before any of the adults could see. ¡°Lnd,¡± his mom said to him. ¡°We wanted to give you thister, but I guess it has to be now. Happy birthday.¡± She thrust out a medium sized jewelry box. ¡°Happy birthday!¡± Spencer then said. ¡°Hope you like it.¡± Gently opening the box, Lnd found a circr metallic device. Small brass gears rotated beyond a ssyer, moving two sets of hands around in a circle. Rhythmically, the device ticked, the gears allowing springs and runes to be tensioned orplete. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. ¡°It¡¯s an enchanted pocket watch,¡± Lucia said. ¡°Even in dungeons, it should always tell you what time it is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± Lnd whispered, finding a small chain hooked around a carrying ring. He picked it up, the metal cool in his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s not much,¡± Spencer added, ¡°but there¡¯s not much we could think to get you that you couldn¡¯t get yourself or contract a Lord for.¡± Lnd flipped it over, finding an engraving. ¡°Happy Birthday, we love you,¡± it read. ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± he said again. ¡°Be safe out there, Lnd. You always will have a home with us, so don¡¯t worry about us while you¡¯re gone. We¡¯ll always be here.¡± ¡°What your mom said, Lnd.¡± The three shared a hug, just as Jude and his family were doing, along with Glenny and his dad. Soon the boys said their final, final goodbyes and looked to Spencer for their ride. With a flick of the hand, a blue-rimmed circle in space fell away. A hole to anothernd now rested gently among the stairs and space. Originating from the other end of the portal, a cold breeze wafted through. Frostford. A town at the base of a mountain. A town that held many secrets in its surrounding wilderness. Home to countless souls and even a few talking bears, the town was still slick with spring slush. Beyond the walls and buildings, past the cliff leading directly into the sea, was a small ind. Fit with rich vegetation and prowling beasts, one such secret was hidden. Within a glowing-mushroom cave was an entrance into another world. Sub-world, really. Now that other worlds were converging, ssifiers like that were important. In other words, past the mushrooms and melted snow was a dungeon and friends. With onest goodbye, the boys passed the boundary, their boots suddenly wet and their skin textured with thousands of small bumps. They waved to their loved ones through the portal onest time before it abruptly snapped closed. ¡°It is cold!¡± Jude announced not a momentter, already fumbling his inventory ring for a jacket. Glenny eyed his friend, the cold not bothering him any as he bundled himself up tighter in his cloak made of shadows. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one with inherent cold-resistance thanks to Floe¡¯s blessing?¡± ¡°Yeah so?¡± A beat passed. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t feel the cold?¡± Jude shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not actually cold, but I didn¡¯t want to feel left out.¡± ¡°Left out because we are cold?¡± Lnd asked, pointing between himself and Glenny. ¡°Because I don¡¯t think Glenny is cold. So, I¡¯m the one left out.¡± ¡°Oh. Right¡­¡± The young berserker chewed his bottom lip for a moment before staring Lnd dead in the eyes and saying, ¡°Haha, loser!¡± Sighing, the young warlock said, ¡°I¡¯m going to contact the Lord of Frozen Terror and either get immunity to cold or the ability to haunt your dreams with cold-nightmares.¡± With a look of outrage, Jude looked between his friends before twitching to a stop. Slowly, he asked, ¡°Lord of Frozen Terror? Is that even a real Lord?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know, but don¡¯t make me find out. But let''s stop messing around and get going. Floe and Gelo are waiting.¡± With that, the boys started walking. Spencer¡¯s portal had put then two-hundred or so paces outside of Frostford¡¯s walls. And while the boys weren¡¯t entering the town, it was never wise to just appear where people might be gathered. ¡°Normal citizens don¡¯t like random people teleporting around their homes. It makes them feel like their possessions are going to be stolen,¡± Spencer had once told Lnd. Regardless, the trek down the cliff-trail was decently short and straightforward. Once upon a time, the boys hadpeted in an herb-gatheringpetition in this town, or rather, on the ind off the coast. The town only allowed visitors on the ind a few times a year, it being dangerous to cross the short channel of ocean. Which raised a question Jude asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t your dad just portal us onto the ind, Leals?¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy. I asked him not to.¡± Both Glenny and Jude stared at Lnd. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°I just wanted to make sure we all had the tools necessary toplete this journey.¡± ¡°The journey of crossing a dangerous stretch of water?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Exactly. I can fly, so I¡¯ll have no issue. Glenny, I assume you can just shadow-step over. But what about you, Jude? I could always carry you if need be.¡± They were standing on the lone dock at the bottom of the cliff, the waves licking the rotting wood somewhat aggressively. Jude took a moment to gauge the distance to the ind. ¡°I can make it,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°A-are you sure?¡± Lnd quickly said. ¡°Because I meant this all to be a big joke, not for you to actually do it.¡± ¡°Joke?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°I was going to make a Jude-is-a-bird-joke when I would fly him over. It would have been great¡­ but if he¡¯s serious about actually trying to jump the channel¡ª¡± For the short moment Lnd and Glenny took their eyes off their friend to speak to one another, Jude had started running. From the base of the dock, he and a perfect copy of him ¨C the mirage ¨C sprinted toward the water. Hoarfrost began to form around both of their torsos and thighs, enhancing their steps with frozen strength. ¡°Wait!¡± Lnd¡¯s yelp was too slow. Both Judes jumped, making use of the Legacy of the Berserker ability, Leap. They soared through the air, clutching each other. Having evolved his Legacy to its third rank at this point, the Judes easily rose higher than a barn and further than a full caravan. Unfortunately, this was not enough tond safely on the ind. Fortunately, the Judes had a n. Upon their apex, the original Jude Berserker Leaped off of the mirage Jude. And while the fake Jude was sacrificed to the rough waters below, the real Jude doubled the distancending among the first of the trees. ¡°He just¡ª¡± Lnd cut himself off realizing that Glenny had already shadow stepped across the water to the ind, leaving him the only one who hadn¡¯t made it yet. With a hearty sigh, Lnd activated his contract with the Lord of Crows. Four ck wings appeared from his back, each pping with reserved excitement. For as fun as flying was to the young man, this particr trip wascking. Upon Lnd¡¯snding, Jude yelled, ¡°Leals! You should join the circus! With wings like that, you¡¯d surely soar into riches!¡± Glenny¡¯s cackles echoed against the trees. Chapter 235: Bear Chapter 235: Bear ¡°Hello!¡± Jude yelled into the snowy t wastnd that was the first section of Floe and Gelo¡¯s dungeon. ¡°Anyone home!?¡± At one end of the wastnd was the worm zone, a collection of the dungeon¡¯s first boss, a massive worm. Frozen like stalks of corn or sprouting trees, the worms died as they lived, lunging from the dirt like a shark breaching the water¡¯s surface. Countless of these wormsid in the graveyard reaching for the sky, each killed by the dungeon master of this sub-world. Floe. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± The two words were like ice, and felt even colder. They whispered through the wind, reaching the boys¡¯ ears like the speaker was directly behind them. Emerging from the worm graveyard was the source, the very reason they were here. Floe appeared as she always had, a great grizzly bear with fur made of ice. The size of a house, her tree-trunk sized legs carried her across the wastnd at speeds unfit for a creature that size. Each step echoed dull thuds and sent gentle tremors through the ground. nking her was her cub and daughter. Gelo, from this distance, mixed with the backdrop sky. With early winter icicles frozen to her fur and skin, the true color of her fur shined through - faded blue. And while her steps were no less impressive than her mother¡¯s, the little bear teetered with excitement from right front and back leg to left front and back. Floe arrived first, then Gelo a momentter. ¡°I take it everything went well with your city and princess-queen-friend?¡± Floe asked.Lnd gave her a great smile. ¡°More than fine. The city¡¯s been saved, bad guys killed, and Sybil¡¯s healthy and in power.¡± Noticing the strange looks his friends were giving Lnd, Floe asked, ¡°There is something else to the story.¡± Glenny spoke up before the others could. ¡°Lnd and Sybil are dating.¡± ¡°Ah. Human mating.¡± Lnd went red. ¡°What¡ª Don¡¯t call dating ¡®human mating.¡¯¡± ¡°Why not?¡± the great bear asked. ¡°It makes sense, no?¡± ¡°I mean, it does. But mating usually refers to something else¡­¡± ¡°Hmm. I see. Are you nning to have cubs?¡± Lnd coughed, sputtering out an odd sound. It was then he noticed the bear giving him an impish smile. ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± he muttered. ¡°Forgive me, Lnd Silver.¡± Floe went from all fours to sitting on her butt with her front two paws in the air. ¡°It is not often I get to tease. Gelo¡­ is now that certain age where she finds my ribbing tedious at best.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Jude announced, waving his hand. ¡°Teenagers. Tell me about it.¡± They all openly stared at him. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°Something on my face?¡± That was when Gelo arrived sliding thest few paces on her belly. She huffed, hot breath exhaling from her nose. ¡°You-you¡¯re back!¡± ¡°And you¡¯ve gotten bigger!¡± Jude said to the neer. ¡°And has your fur always been that faded? I think more white ising in!¡± Gelo positively preened at his words, her exhaustion suddenly gone. Strutting around in a small circle, she showed off her fur to the boys. ¡°Mother says it will be fully white in another year or so.¡± ¡°Oh? And when will it be full-on ice?¡± The cub snorted, which sounded more akin to a horse than a human. ¡°My fur only turns to ice as my proficiency with elemental frost increases.¡± Her tone turned dour. ¡°For that, I have to practice.¡± Floe rolled her buckler shield-sized eyes. ¡°Bing attuned with the elements will not only make your fur grow. You are a being of frost and ice. When your fur turns to ice, so will your body and soul thus creating more opportunities for you.¡± ¡°Soul?¡± Lnd asked, suddenly a lot more interested in the conversation. ¡°It is no secret that one¡¯s soul can evolve.¡± He recoiled at her words. ¡°Uh? Yes? Yes it is? I¡¯ve never heard that before.¡± Floe looked down at the Legacy of Curses, a boy who could literally steal souls from their living host. ¡°You have much to learn.¡± She nced at her daughter who was being pet by Jude. ¡°A lesson perhaps?¡± ¡°Nooo,¡± groaned the cub, staring daggers at Lnd. He didn¡¯t care, however, the enthrallment of knowledge too much to pass up. When was thest time he had a lesson anyway? Years, he assumed. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°For beasts like us,¡± Floe began, ¡°one¡¯s soul is a key to power and intellect. Time grows one¡¯s soul, as does theputation of mana and magic. It cane in many forms, but eating other magical creatures is most popr for our kind. But at some point, meat doesn¡¯t cut it. So what do we do? We be one with our element. Frost and cold for us.¡± ¡°Are you saying that at some point your soul requires more concentrated magic, so you¡­ what? Train? Be one with the element?¡± ¡°More or less. Is it not the same for humans?¡± Floe asked. ¡°Rece the power of Lords with elements. The same information applies. You gather power from fighting and killing, then evolve.¡± Glenny had a question about that. ¡°What about nonbative Legacies? How do they evolve?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Jude said. ¡°Remember Ol¡¯ Rudy back home? Legacy of the Brewer. I think he was on his fourth evolution.¡± Floe answered with a chuckle. ¡°Everyone is different. Everyone¡¯s element is different. Where do you think a Lord gets their power? From the elements.¡± ¡°The Lord of Brews has affinity to the element brew? Alcohol?¡± ¡°That is likely, yes. Or perhaps elemental brew does not exist and the Lord has affinity for elemental life and decay. Fermentation, yes? Life and death.¡± While Glenny and Jude were acting as if their eyes had just been opened for the first time, Lnd wasn¡¯t so quick to reroute his life views. Instead, he asked, ¡°But we humans don¡¯t eat others for power. And I¡¯ve never heard of people bing one with an element to evolve. We just fight and train until we are deemed ready.¡± Floe gently nodded. ¡°Allow me to ask a question. Your parents,¡± she said to the group, ¡°why have they not evolved more? They are old enough to be beings of immense power. But they stopped growing. Why is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s harder to rank-up abilities and spells the further you go,¡± Lnd quickly answered. ¡°Perhaps. Or perhaps they are not gathering power correctly.¡± He chewed his lip. ¡°How do you gather power correctly?¡± ¡°By bing one with the element you are attuned to,¡± Gelo answered smugly. ¡°I even know that.¡± ¡°Or,¡± Floe said, ¡°by consuming immense amounts of your attuned element.¡± Lnd¡¯s mind went back to Ashford and how he consumed his parasitic weapon to be more. More Lord-like. More divine. Was that what he was doing? Jumpstarting bing one with elemental undying and miasma by eating the very parasite that had been feeding off his own elemental undying and miasma? A stray thought passed. Was that what Lodestar was doing? ¡°Is it possible for humans to be one with the elements without consuming their element?¡± Lnd asked. At his question, Gelo¡¯s face scrunched. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± Floe, however, was much more reserved. ¡°I would say so. Your Lords have already done it.¡± Again, Lnd¡¯s mind went back to the battle in the capital. But instead of Ashford, he thought of the Sightless King and his red-souled remains. A im. It was what Ashford wanted the whole time he tormented the city. A im to divinity. A soul with power unlike any other. And for some reason, in his final moments, Ashford entrusted it to Lnd. Staring off in the distance, Lnd¡¯s hands went to his neck where the Soul Lord¡¯s ne rested. The artifact was supposed to take the form of a cloak made from souls, but right now it didn¡¯t so much as glow. It acted as a bank for souls, a ce where he could put souls forter. But right now there was only one soul inside. The soul of the Sightless King. A im. A push for divinity. All of this led him to the reason he and the others had returned to the dungeon. To free Floe from the chains that were her home dungeon. He looked up at the Guardian Spirit Beast. ¡°I think it¡¯s time I start working on getting you out of here,¡± he said. ¡°And I think I know how to do that. What do you think about bing a Lord yourself?¡± All eyes went wide at his words. Floe recovered the quickest. ¡°Whatever it takes to leave this cursed ce.¡± Lnd smirked. ¡°Funny you said ¡®cursed.¡¯ Because I¡¯m rather adept at manipting curses.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± Jude interrupted, stepping in front of his friend. ¡°You do not get to say all of that then make a crappy pun¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that was a pun.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat do you mean by make Floe a Lord?¡± With a deep breath, Lnd yanked at his ne, removing the Sightless King¡¯s soul. It was basked in red crimson. It leaked ethereal blood. A mangled blob of what used to be the soul radiated a power all could feel. While Jude, Glenny, and Gelo flinched at the overbearing feeling, Lnd and Floe stood tall. ¡°This is called a ¡®im.¡¯ It¡¯s the soul from another Guardian Spirit Beast. One that was as close to divinity as one could be¡­ at least that¡¯s how I understand it.¡± ¡°Put it away,¡± Floe forced herself to say, staring at the thing¡¯s sick beauty. A moment passed as everyone collected themselves. Floe then asked Lnd, ¡°You call it a ¡®im¡¯ but do you know what that is, truly?¡± ¡°No,¡± he responded rather slowly, thinking about his answer. ¡°It is a soul one step from breaking into divinity. A soul one step from bing their element.¡± Glenny had continued to stare at where Lnd held the soul. As the one closest to the corrupting power of the Sightless King, a connection had been formed between the two. And in the Sightless King¡¯s death, that connection had been severed. Still, there were some feelings, some unshakable feelings, that he¡¯d never forget. ¡°Primordial and blood. Those were the Sightless King¡¯s elements,¡± he muttered. Lnd¡¯s eyes shifted off his friend back to the massive bear. ¡°What do you think? Would it work?¡± Floe shook her head. ¡°I do not know. Nor do I know if that is what I truly want. Ast option, yes, but not a wanted one.¡± Anyone could see that she was scared. It was understandable. Divinity was a beast all its own. Lnd knew that better than anyone. Still, it was his best n to break Floe out of here. ¡°Alright, here¡¯s my n,¡± he began. He talked for ten minutes straight, exining how there were ¡°lists¡± among the Lords and how he kind of, sort of had a say in these lists. He¡¯d tack Floe¡¯s name onto the list for the next Lord of Dungeons, making use of the Sightless King¡¯s im to give her enough authority to not beughed out of the heavens. ¡°I still need to talk to a few Lords to make sure this n will work,¡± Lnd said. ¡°So why don¡¯t I start with that while you all process everything I said.¡± Floe gave him a reserved nod. With a deep breath, he said, ¡°Lord of Beasts, I humbly wish to renew our contract.¡± Chapter 236: Beast Chapter 236: Beast Lnd didn¡¯t see what he expected to see when he entered the Beast Lord¡¯s domain. Expecting dung-piles and musky fur, he envisioned a tapestry of pelts and hordes of animals. Grazingnd as far the eye could see, with animals filling every inch. Maybe even some predators hiding among the shadows, waiting for opportunities to pick off the stragglers. Instead, Lnd arrived at a circle of t stone and weeds. Cracks meandered around and through the flooring, giving way to struggling life. Yellowing straw-like flowers, wilted crabgrass, and even thinned patches of various ivies. Taking in his surroundings, Lnd found the stone floor to be a tform of sorts. Past a certain point, the gray rock ended and overcast skies began. Clouds took up the remainder of the Lord¡¯s home, blocking most of the sunlight. Slowly, Lnd stepped to the edge of the tform and looked down. Nothing. Nothing as far as he could see. Just a pit of darkness. ¡°What is up with Lords and bleakndscapes,¡± Lnd whispered aloud to himself, his mind going to many of the Lords he¡¯d contracted with. ¡°Where are the tropical beaches? The castle in the clouds?¡± He shook himself out the train of thought, instead moving back to the center of the tform. Then he waited. And waited. And waited. By the sixth minute, he removed his birthday gift from his pocket. The second hand wasn¡¯t moving. Lnd stared at the device, shaking it when he thought it was broken. But then he remembered, time is much faster while he¡¯s conversing with a Lord. During his extended wait, not even a second had passed in the real world. It was then the ground shook. He felt it, even from way up in the sky. He felt the earth quake and the ground move. Crushing booms echoed at evenly spaced seconds, each the sound of a cannon. Boom, boom, boom.He steadied himself, idly kicking himself for wobbling at such a thing. He could withstand some shaking, right? As the sounds grew nearer and the quaking grew stronger, Lnd recognized it for what it was, after all, he had just felt the same thing minutes earlier. Something big was approaching, like Floe walking toward the dungeon¡¯s entrance. Sudden noise caught his ear. Lnd twisted, finding a flock of birds blending in against the gray sky. And as much as he wished he could inspect the birds, something else was more pressing. The weeds around his feet bloomed. Their yellow dying color instantly shifted to bright green, like a jungle in peak spring. Their stems went stiff, their patchy area grew. Soon the tform was rich with life, life that quickly fought for dominance. Ivy grew over dandelions, crabgrass ate away at the remaining real estate. Lnd had to kick his feet out when roots started to grip to his boots. Then rain appeared. The first dropnded at the edge of the tform, the nextnded closer to the center. The booming steps were getting closer now, the quaking far worse. Lnd no longer felt like chiding himself for wobbling knees. Now, he fought to stay standing on two fronts. Boots now thick with weeds, legs like jelly, he fell, entangled. The weeds grew over him, the rain now falling like daggers. Vines wrapped around his face and mouth, roots grew to consume his vision. As the stray light peaking through the clouds began to fade from his sight, Lnd decided he had had enough. Wings appeared from his back, breaking through the weeds like a thug kicking through a window. Lnd then shot to the sky, bing one with the fleeing birds. And as he stared at the tform now home to literal bushes of weeds, his face grew cold. ¡°You attack a humble guest?¡± Lnd screeched into the ethos. The rain stopped. The weeds withered. Even the birds seemed to ease, their pping and flocking turned mute against the dire backdrop. Lnd eyed all of this, cracking his neck. With a heavy face, he understood what was meant. He wasn¡¯t attacked, this was just the leaking power of the Beast Lord. This was all but confirmed when the Lord finally appeared from the darkness. Horns came first, each fluted and curved like a metrete¡¯s mustache. They drifted through the darkness far higher than Lnd¡¯s flight took him.. Boom. Boom. Next came the Beast Lord¡¯s snout and face. Nostrils that could serve as entire cave systems, eyes that reflected the surrounding darkness like ponds reflecting the night sky. More of it peered from the dark, a wide neck, a humped back and stout front legs. Lnd stared down from his heighted vantage, unable to find the hooves that trampled the unseeable ground. One thing was for certain, he recognized the Lord¡¯s form. A buffalo. Boom, boom. Grass and trees grew on top of fur and skin. Animals, some mundane, others magical, grazed or hunted like the grass was as natural as not. An entire ecosystem lived on the Lord¡¯s shoulders, fit with watering holes and differing biomes. Boom¡ª It stopped and peered down. Lnd held its stare, his crow wings pping asionally to keep him afloat. He decided to rectify his error. ¡°Apologies for using you of attacking me. I realize now that the rain and weeds were akin to a swimmer¡¯s wake. Their destruction is hardly an afterthought to the swimmer.¡± With a deep breath that seemed to stretch on, the Beast Lord spoke. ¡°Indeed. But it is I who should apologize.¡± Stolen novel; please report. His voice was deeper than the oceans, thicker than syrup, slower than a sloth. Vowels droned on, consonants became stepping stones for the beginnings of new and different conversations. But despite taking such a long time to speak, the Beast Lord didn¡¯t once stutter or lose his ce. ¡°I am a Lord. I should have a proper grasp over my power.¡± Lnd felt as though he could have eaten a full meal in the pause between sentences. Still, he appreciated the acknowledgement. ¡°Thank you, Beast Lord. That means a lot to hear.¡± He gave a short bow to punctuate his words. ¡°Well,¡± the Lord then said, the tone rumbling the tform. ¡°I don¡¯t have all day. What do you wish to barter.¡± Lnd almost recoiled. He was the one being rushed? If Glenny and Jude were here, he would have assumed this was some borate prank. But they weren¡¯t, and he was speaking to a Lord. ¡°Ie for knowledge more than physical or personal gain. My friend, Floe, a Guardian Spirit Beast, wishes to leave her dungeon home. I wish to barter for a solution.¡± ¡°You already have a solution.¡± Lnd¡¯s face twisted at that. ¡°A im and divinity?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± the Beast Lord said, raising his head in a slow nod. The wildlife living on him didn¡¯t react to the sudden movement. ¡°Is it possible?¡± ¡°Perhaps, perhaps not.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Allow me to rephrase. If I give the im in my possession to Floe, how likely would it be for her to achieve Lordship?¡± ¡°Likely,¡± the Lord answered, not skipping a beat. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a rather direct answer.¡± ¡°I speak not in riddles. I find it¡­¡± the moment stretched¡­ ¡°tedious.¡± ¡°Could you speak more on the process?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°I could. But I will not.¡± ¡°Alright then. Could you tell me if I¡¯m missing something?¡± The Beast Lord stared at him. He continued, ¡°I have a im. Floe is very powerful and is quite in tune with her element. But I suspect there is more to that. Floe has owned the dungeon she lives in for many, many years. She literally keeps the dungeon core on a ne. The dungeon fears her, it tries to kill her at every chance it gets. But it fails because Floe is just that much more powerful than it.¡± He paused, eyeing the Lord. The buffalo gave away nothing. ¡°Floe controls everything about the dungeon. Anything that bothers her about it is instantly killed the moment the dungeon reforms it. She¡¯s gathered so much control, in fact, that she can sense the outside world somewhat.¡± Lnd collected himself. ¡°So, I believe Floe would be a good candidate to be the new Lord of Dungeons. She has the power, the experience, the ruthlessness. And with my im, that reality could be.¡± Again, the Beast Lord made no motion to confirm or deny. He didn¡¯t even blink. Sighing, Lnd asked, ¡°Is there another way? I don¡¯t want to force divinity on Floe. But I don¡¯t know another way to break her out of the dungeon.¡± ¡°There are many ways,¡± the Lord said with a great huff from his great nostrils. ¡°But there are few that you are capable of without significant personal payment.¡± Figuring as much, Lnd felt it couldn¡¯t hurt to ask. ¡°If I were to contract you to remove Floe from the dungeon safely, what would it cost me?¡± ¡°More than you could pay.¡± ¡°What about from another Lord? Would the price change?¡± ¡°Insignificantly.¡± ¡°Why? I mean, why is removing a monster from a dungeon so difficult?¡± The Beast Lord stared down at him. ¡°I shall not answer that unless you decide the answer is worthy of a contract.¡± It was then Lnd realized every answer the Lord had given had been open, meaning without a contract. And if the answer to that question was deserving of a contract¡­ well¡­ it made him all the more curious. Instead of epting a contract, Lnd instead asked, ¡°Who, or what, created dungeons?¡± It was a simple question, one that researchers had been asking for thousands of years. The basics behind dungeons were simple enough. They were magical in nature, but too perfect to be natural. They grew, like weeds, from ces rich with magic, or life in some cases, creating sub-worlds to house vast things. The Beast Lord didn¡¯t answer, but the silence was answer enough. A contract could answer the question. So Lnd tried again, this time taking a bit of a leap. ¡°Do dungeons have to do with bing in tune with an element.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well okay then.¡± ¡°Do you wish to forge a contract or not?¡± the Beast Lord asked, his words still long. Lnd thought for a moment. The question of who created dungeons loomed in his mind, like an itch under the skin. But no. That answer could wait. ¡°You¡¯re a Guardian Spirit Beast, right?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for an answer. ¡°How about your blessing? But not for me. My friend Jude, he is trying to collect them. Well, collect sounds wrong. Animals like him, is what I¡¯m getting at. And a blessing seems like a good fit for him.¡± Hot air ruffled around Lnd as the Beast Lord exhaled. ¡°eptable,¡± the buffalo said. ¡°In return, I want you to¡­¡± The pausested for two minutes. ¡°You are venturing into the two Tears leading to world Alpha, correct?¡± World Alpha was one of the three, possibly four new worlds. While the others had proper names, or no name at all, Alpha was called that because there was no local intelligent life to tell of the world¡¯s name. In fact, there was no life at all. It was just barren, or so the reports went. Lnd shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone expected us to go in, just secure it from others wanting to go in. But yeah, I figured we would take a quick stroll inside even if it was empty.¡± ¡°It is not empty.¡± The Beast Lord¡¯s eyes darted to the side, staring at nothing for a long moment before returning to Lnd. ¡°My request is this, enter world Alpha. And wait.¡± A chill went down Lnd¡¯s spine. ¡°Wait for what?¡± he asked. ¡°Something.¡± ¡°No. No, no, no, no.¡± Violently shaking his head, Lnd added, ¡°I¡¯m going to need more information than that. ¡®Something¡¯ is too vague and too eerie to agree to.¡± Again, the Beast Lord¡¯s eyes went to the side. And this time, just for a second, Lnd thought he saw the Lord look past the side. As if the Lord was looking into a different reality. As if the Lord was speaking to someone wishing to be unseen or someone unable to be¡ª ¡°Talking to the Lord of Curses, huh?¡± Lnd asked, having experienced this same phenomenon with other Lords in the past. ¡°Hey!¡± he then yelled in the general direction of where the Beast Lord was looking. ¡°Let me make my own contracts! Stop interfering or I¡¯m going to start calling you granny to my friends!¡± The Beast Lord¡¯s eyes flicked to Lnd and back in an instant, far faster than any movement he had made previously. Another grueling moment passed, then he looked back to Lnd. ¡°You are correct. The Lord of Curses is¡­ coaching me through creating a contract with you.¡± the beast cleared his throat. ¡°She has a message for you. ¡®Lnd ept the dang contract. Trust me.¡¯ End quote.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes. ¡°Jude gets a blessing or me waiting inside world Alpha? How long?¡± ¡°An hour¡­ at most.¡± ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± ¡°Jude can receive his blessing at any temple of mine¡­¡± the Beast Lord¡¯s eyes darted to the side. ¡°The Curse Lord has a final few words for you. ¡®Don¡¯t make any more shrines, you idiot.¡¯ End quote.¡± Sighing, Lnd said, ¡°Well now I want to make more shrines.¡± Chapter 237: Final Night Chapter 237: Final Night ¡°Okay,¡± Lnd announced once he returned to his friends. They reacted as they had been doing previously, the passage of time he had been missing was negligible to them. ¡°The Lord of Beasts is a massive buffalo. I feel that is important to note.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes lit up at that. ¡°A Guardian Spirit Beast?¡± he said, interesting the bears as well. ¡°Yes,¡± Lnd said, removing his grimoire from his Legacy tattoo. ¡°And I secured you a blessing from him as my contract.¡± The sound the young berserker made was¡­ not very manly. A gasp, sure, but also a squeal, the kind a teenage girl might make when they eat a particrly good cookie or slice of cake. Cursed contract of the Lord of Beasts: Use: As a one time effect, the human ¡°Jude Brown¡± may receive the Lord of Beasts blessing. To receive such a gift, Jude Brown must pray at a shrine dedicated to the Lord of Beasts. Return: To enter the world called ¡°Alpha¡± and wait for one hour or until something happens. Lnd read the page to everyone and pressed his palm into the ink to activate the contract. The book then closed and was promptly ced back in Lnd¡¯s tattoo. ¡°What is ¡®something?¡¯¡± Glenny asked.¡°Not sure. But my Lord told me to ept it, so here we are.¡± ¡°Is she¡­ trustworthy?¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°As much as any other good Lord is, I guess. Though she might make things difficult for me in the short term, I think she has only good intentions for me for the future.¡± ¡°Are we included in that?¡± ¡°Without a doubt. If she did something that resulted in you or Jude getting hurt or killed, I¡¯d¡­ well, I¡¯d make sure her ns for me failed. Every Single time.¡± A cold wind blew. ¡°Huh,¡± Glenny muttered, now staring at the sky. ¡°She didn¡¯t smite you for saying that.¡± Lnd gave him a look. That was when little Gelo noticed something. ¡°Glenny!¡± she yelped. ¡°Did you change your hair!? It looks great!¡± And it did, sort of. Beside the strange coloration of patchy white and red, it was properly styled from a master Legacy of the Braid. Trimmed, steamed, dusted¡­ whatever else hairdressers do was done to the young man. No coin was spared when it came to him fixing his newfound natural color, except, of course, dye. Though the thought had crossed his mind a few times. Dye was just too much of an upkeep if he was being honest. ¡°Thank you,¡± Glenny said back to the cub. ¡°Some people just don¡¯t appreciate white hair or fur.¡± He greatly nodded toward Floe, emphasizing her icy-white pelt. ¡°I know right?¡± Gelo replied. ¡°Mother¡¯s fur is soooo nice! Just look at her!¡± And everyone did, though the Guardian Spirit Beast wasn¡¯t so receptive of her newfound scrutiny. Instead, she stared at Lnd. ¡°Something wrong?¡± he asked. ¡°You... smell¡­ good.¡± Lnd moved as if a hot coal was shoved down the back of his shirt. Squirming under her gaze, he looked away. ¡°That¡¯s probably just the Beast Lord¡¯s magic¡­ it was rather potent. Almost killed me with weeds.¡± Floe sniffled. ¡°If I am truly smelling a Lord¡¯s magic, then I may have been underestimating these ¡®Lords.¡¯¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve not yet met a Lord. I did not undergo a Dream Ceremony. My poweres from my element, nothing else¡­ But to know that a being smells so much like a pure element, I think I¡¯m starting to understand why you three were blind to the natural path to power.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Lnd didn¡¯t consider her words very carefully. Not that he meant her disrespect or didn¡¯t believe her, it was just that he remembered something important. The whole reason he spoke with the Beast Lord. ¡°So you think bing a Lord might interest you?¡± he asked. ¡°Because I have it under pretty good authority that you have what it takes to be a Lord. Specifically the Lord of Dungeons.¡± Silence befell the group as all eyes turned to the great bear. Even her daughter stared at her mom with massive open eyes. And it was those eyes that gave Floe pause. More than anything, she wanted her daughter to be safe and secure. To have a home, but to not feel tied down to it. Here, in the dungeon, that home could never be. Floe couldn¡¯t leave, and Gelo would always return. That was the way of the little cub. Loyal, loving, she wouldn¡¯t leave her mother behind. Not when the dungeon had taken everything from the pair. It was times like this that Floe failed to block out the memories of her mate. Her husband. Her other half. The final boss of the dungeon. How long had it been since he died? How many times had the dungeon resurrected him without his memories of their time together? Floe cursed the warden of her prison every time she was forced to kill him. She cursed the very restraints that locked her in here, the very chains that she couldn¡¯t fully exploit. Yes, she was powerful enough to cause the dungeon plenty of pain. But no, she wasn¡¯t powerful enough to do what actually mattered. She looked at her daughter¡¯s wide eyes. She didn¡¯t want Gelo to be forced to stay in their cave. She wanted the cub to go out, to live her own life. And now, an option was avable that didn¡¯t require Floe¡¯s death. That was the only way to get the cub to leave, wasn¡¯t it? Either to die, or to walk out into the real world. Floe almost chuckled to herself. Bing a Lord was the solution. A solution that might prove even better than originally asked. She could watch over her daughter, she could be fully in control of her dungeon¡­ No, that wasn¡¯t right. All dungeons. And maybe, just maybe, her mate was still in there somewhere. Maybe she could resurrect him just as the dungeon had resurrected his imposter. With all of this in mind, Floe answered Lnd. ¡°Maybe. Allow me the night to think it over.¡± She and the young man shared a long look, a silent conversation ying out between them. Floe had already made up her mind. Yes, she¡¯d try to be a Lord with his help. She just wanted one more evening to be with her daughter as a mortal. What the future might hold, she didn¡¯t know. But this night she could predict. It was going to be one to remember. A wrinkled crone stood on the air beside the massive figure of the Beast Lord. Her title, the Lord of Curses, didn¡¯t fully encapste her position within the heavens. Countless others had been given to her over the years. The Caretaker, the Protector, the Rulesetter. The Cmity. Despite all of her titles, there were aspects of the heavens that she didn¡¯t touch or care to learn about. General knowledge of these subjects were, of course, known to her. But her field of expertise was much more niche than the other Lords might believe. But that didn¡¯t stop her from dipping her toes into messes she had no im over. Such as the Tears. Other Lords, ones more equipped to deal with world-ending problems than her, were handling it. And she had no doubt that their actions would make the transition to a multi-world realm as seamless as possible. But that didn¡¯t mean she could reap the rewards, right? ¡°You interfered with my contract,¡± the Beast Lord said at a normal conversation pace. The Curse Lord rolled her eyes. She hated it when Lords yed tricks like slowspeech or appearing in an obtuse form to mortals. They were Lords! They should have more ss. ¡°Yes I did,¡± she replied. ¡°And we both know you will be rewarded for Lnd¡¯s actions as much as he or I. World Alpha might look like a wastnd right now, but we both know what¡¯s out there.¡± The massive beast scoffed, the sound echoing through his domain like thunder. ¡°You know that is false. I do not know what is out there. Might you inform me?¡± The old woman rolled her eyes again. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. But we both know how Archons work. Our world and Alpha arepatible and the Archons deemed a better Eden would appear frombining the two. So, yes. We both know that only good things cane out of Alpha. Just look at what the other worlds have brought us already!¡± ¡°I care not for a new supply of mana. And I only see war from the other one.¡± ¡°And the fourth world?¡± the Curse Lord asked. ¡°What do you see in that one?¡± The Beast Lord watched her carefully. The fourth new world¡­ he didn¡¯t know what to think. Between the rumors floating around the heavens and how little the mortals understood it, there were only so many conclusions that could be drawn. Still, he felt obliged to answer. ¡°I think the fourth world means there is going to be a new brother or sister among us soon.¡± She nodded at his words. ¡°Not to mention when that bear bes one of us. Two new Lords within the same century! How exciting!¡± And it really was. The Beast Lord remembered his own transcendence and how he was the youngest for nearly one-hundred and forty years. Gah, he hated how the Curse Lord could do that. She always could make others reminisce or celebrate after pulling the wool over their eyes. But no wool would cover his eyes. He hadn¡¯t forgotten her interference. Not that he truly cared. One blessing was nothing to him at this point. Still, he was curious. ¡°Why tell your Legacy to wait within Alpha for an hour? What¡¯s going to happen?¡± The old woman smiled. ¡°Something. Something is definitely going to happen.¡± Chapter 248: Script Chapter 248: Script Lnd read his newest contracts aloud. Cursed contract of the Lord of Vitality: Use: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Imbue life, is granted. Only usable once per hour. Return: Nothing. Imbue Life: Type: Spell (Mist) Rank: Equivalent to Harbinger Halo¡¯s rank Imbue life. Cursed contract of the Lord of Mending me:Use: A Heartgem crafted by the Mending me Lord herself. Return: Attempt to persuade those you meet in outlying viges and towns to not blow out their birthday candles. Cursed contract of the Lord of the Sanguine Surgeon: Use: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Prepare Body, is granted. Only usable once per hour. Return: A selection of wine from the new worlds. Prepare Body: Type: Spell (Blood) Rank: Equivalent to Harbinger Halo¡¯s rank Call upon the Lord of the Sanguine Surgeon to control the target¡¯s blood. Controlled bloodsts 1 day and eases the body to ept healing magic of any kind. Cursed contract of the Lord of Mystics: Use: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Arcane Transfusion, is granted. Only usable once per hour. Return: An offering of lifeforce-infused mana. Arcane Transfusion: Type: Spell (Arcane) Rank: Equivalent to Harbinger Halo¡¯s rank Call upon the Lord of Mystics tomand all nearby mana. Mana rushes into the target, filling their mana-pool. As a bonus effect, if the target¡¯s mana-pool is above 50% after the transfusion, heal the target for 50% of their mana-pool. Cursed contract of the Lord of the Celestial: Use: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Moon Bones and Sun Skin, is granted. Only usable once per hour. Return: Observe the patterns of the stars within the new worlds and report these back to the Lord of the Celestial. Moon Bones and Sun Skin: Type: Spell (Celestial) Rank: Equivalent to Harbinger Halo¡¯s rank Call upon the Lord of the Celestial to transcribe the moon or the sun. Day: You heal the target with the power of the sun. The brighter the sun, the more healing power. Night: You protect the target with the power of the moon. The fuller the moon, therger the protection. New moons apply the bare minimum protections. 50% reduced effectiveness at sunrise, sunset, and overcast days or nights. 50% increased effectiveness during eclipses. ¡°So that¡¯s it,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Imbue Life, as I understand it, is the heavy hitter. The others add utility or help take the load.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s five contracts,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Correct. The Lord of Mending me¡¯s is not a spell or ability.¡± He pointed to his forehead. ¡°She put a Heartgem into my forehead. It¡¯s concentrated ¨Cheart elemental.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± ¡°She refused to tell me. Only that this,¡± he emphasized his pointing finger, ¡°is important.¡± Gelo was staring at the gem, her sky blue eyes shining. ¡°What does it do?¡± There were two ways Lnd knew he could exin it. First was the boring, educational way. So of course he went with the second. ¡°The Lord of Mending me had her gem in the exact same ce as mine. Her skin grew over it, so it looked like her normal forehead. But, when she peeled back her skin¡ª¡± ¡°Gross,¡± Jude muttered, snacking on some roast. ¡°¡ªI feltpelled by it. I literally climbed over the table to get to it.¡± He was embellishing the truth slightly, but that made for better storytelling. He continued, ¡°She exined this Heartgem was her own recipe. ¡®meheart mixed with Healingheart and a drop or two of Lifeheart, Happinessheart, and Vitalityheart,¡¯ and how just having it nearby will increase the effects of all healing.¡± Somehow, Gelo¡¯s wide-opened eyes went wider. ¡°So if I make an ice Heartgem, then my ice magic will be stronger!?¡± Lnd leaned back. ¡°That is how I understood it.¡± She gasped. ¡°Okay! How do I do that!?¡± Now he leaned forward. ¡°That,¡± he pointed at the little cub, ¡°is a great question.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°But you have one in your forehead even if I can hardly see it!¡± Subconsciously, Lnd rubbed the grain of sand embedded in his skin. ¡°So? I didn¡¯t make it. If it helps, all she did was gather an insane amount of magic onto the tip of her finger. So much that the mana crystalized. It¡¯s amon urrence in nature, mana-mines are a thing after all. And a few studies were published about the practicality of making crystallized mana in a controlled setting. The consensus was that it was too expensive and too specialized to warrant doing.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°So,¡± Jude began, ¡°what you are saying is that if you learn this crystallization process, then you¡¯d be rich?¡± Lnd thought about the question before turning serious. He stared into his friends¡¯ eyes and whispered, ¡°Jude. If I could make Heartgems at will for sale, then I¡¯d be the richest person in the world. But not because I would sell them, but because every kingdom, country, and empire would kneel to me because I¡¯d be the most powerful mortal alive.¡± Pondering the answer, Jude ate another bite of roast. Then he said, ¡°Maybe there are other powerful mortals like that, but they live secretly.¡± ¡°Shadow government,¡± Glenny muttered. ¡°Exactly. Maybe they¡ª¡± ¡°Jude you¡¯re an idiot,¡± Lnd huffed. ¡°If someone that powerful was around and not a Lord, then they would be known to the world. Think about someone a few times stronger than Gelo¡¯s mom before she became a Lord. That¡¯s the level I¡¯m talking about.¡± The berserker simply shrugged. Glenny asked, ¡°What about the other spells?¡± ¡°Well, Imbue Life is from possibly the strongest being I¡¯ve ever met. Far stronger than Gelo¡¯s mom, most likely even the Lord of Curses. The¡­ the Lord of Vitality was something else. Like a never-ending hole of power.¡± ¡°Did you ask him to tell you how you could achieve that?¡± ¡°I did, and he said ¡®no.¡¯¡± ¡°A shame.¡± ¡°No, no, Glenny. I don¡¯t think you understand. The Lord of Vitality was not just a Lord, but vitality itself. Lordsmand their elements like no other, but there¡¯s a phase beyond that. I¡¯m surprised I got anything at all. Me having Imbue Life surprised every Lord I talked to. Because people don¡¯t just talk to a Lord of his power.¡± ¡°What¡¯d he look like,¡± Jude asked. ¡°Old man in rags. Ripped, but thin.¡± ¡°Ah. Not something cool.¡± ¡°Jude. This man was the most powerful being I¡¯ve ever met. He could look like a fish and he¡¯d still be the coolest person in existence!¡± ¡°All I¡¯m hearing is that you want to be a fish.¡± Lnd cursed the open air. ¡°I¡¯m moving on from this conversation. Moon Bones and Sun Skin is an interesting spell. It is both reactive and proactive. The Celestial Lord and I talked about it for nearly an hour.¡± ¡°What did the Celestial Lord look like?¡± ¡°Giant glowing ball of light.¡± ¡°See! That¡¯s cooler than an old man in rags.¡± Taking a breath, Lnd centered himself before he took Jude¡¯s soul. ¡°Arcane Transfusion may be my favorite spell right now. Mana replenishment and healing? It¡¯s perfect for me. I¡¯m almost always above fifty percent mana since I have split spell costs with lifeforce. So, in theory, I will be massively healed when I cast it. Not to mention if I cast it on others. I could keep Gelo¡¯s mana topped off if the need ever arose.¡± ¡°That¡¯s powerful,¡± the cub supplied. ¡°Thank you, I thought so as well. And the best part was that I only had to offer mana for it. The Mystic Lord wanted to study my mana since I use lifeforce as well. The contract waspleted before I left.¡± ¡°Sounds like the Lord of Water,¡± Glenny added. ¡°True. I wonder whatever happened with that. Somewhere someone is making a killing selling lifeforce-infused bottles of wate¡ª G¡¯OW!¡± The night went still as all eyes fell on Jude. The young berserker held a blooded pocket knife. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯ve got to test the spells somehow.¡± ¡°By stabbing me in the arm!?¡± ¡°I was getting bored. Show me some magic peasant!¡± He even pped his hands like a noble summoning a steward. With a growl, Lnd stared at his friend all the while pressing his palm into his grimoire. Instantly, a violet halo sprung into existence just above his head. It glowed radiantly like the beacon atop a lighthouse during a thunderstorm. The darkness fell away to a hue of curses, magic that didn¡¯t just kill, but also maimed, mauled, and exploited. In the half a second between Lnd activating his contracts and touching his gushing arm, the camp went still. Eerie authority wafted from the warlock as magic and mana came to his aid. If Jude wanted a show, it was a show he¡¯d get. Starting in the order Lnd thought was best, first Prepare Body zipped into being. He felt his blood run cold, then hot, then back to cold. He tensed, then rxed, then tensed again. The bump of his heartbeat sounded in his throat and chest, quaking and yet slowing. Bubump bubump bubump. Next came Moon Bones and Sun Skin. With the sun fully set and the moon out in force, a silver-white glow set in around Lnd like the shell of an egg. It formed quickly and silently, glistening with the twinkle of the starry night and the shade of the dark side of the moon before fading into his skin and bones. He felt his bones stiffen, strengthen at the same time his skin became oily. To the others, Lnd darkened, his whole body covered in an inky off-gray purple liquid. It beat and pulsed with his movements, stretching and constricting. Despite being liquid, the shell was as hard as stone and as absorbent as a sponge. They dared not test the resilience of the shield, however. Third came Arcane Transfusion. It started with a faint buzzing, a gentle hum against the cold night air. Slowly the hum picked up volume, rapidly transforming into a white metallic shimmer. It coiled around Lnd¡¯s hand, a snake befitting of being called pure mana. He directed it into his wound, felt his skin tighten and muscles smooth. What little mana he had lost while casting these spells was instantly removed, as well as a significant boost to his heath. Cherishing the feeling, he felt his toes go numb and his sore feet soften. An itch formed, one so brutal Lnd almost tore off his boots right then and there. But like a thick scab ready to fall off, the sensation died down until only tion remained. Warmth superseded the cold night as the Lord of Mending me¡¯s Heartgem activated, only amplifying the effects. He knew he could have stopped there. With the healing from Arcane Transfusion, he was in as prime of health as possible. Perfectly healed, as if he had exited a clinic. But he didn¡¯t stop. Not with the thought of the Lord of Vitality on the mind and Imbue Life on his fingertips. The spell formed with a gust of mist. A smudge of cloud among the violet color his halo produced. It hung there, waiting until Lnd tapped himself. He didn¡¯t need healing, but in that moment, he realized Imbue Life didn¡¯t heal. It fixed. A crack sounded from his shoulder. Then a pop from his knee. The sky flickered with streaks of gray, tethering webs of mist forming among the stars. They split and connected, transforming the area above the campsite into a spider¡¯s den. He let out a grunt as his spine realigned from years of poor posture. The web grew and grew, consuming Jude, Glenny, and Gelo. Their aches and pains were zed over in an instant, their bodies epting the changes like a fire to dry straw. Warmth flooded them all, the power of five different Lords filling the air. Jude had gotten his show, no one had any doubts about that. But Lnd couldn¡¯t resist. He had gazed upon the truth of this world he lived in. He had seen the unbounded power of whatid beyond mortals and the power thatid beyond that. The Heartgem in his forehead felt like an ember against his skin. His first instinct was to cower from the pain. But as if he was viewing a sunset from the other side, he understood that the pain wasn¡¯t pain at all. Kindred spirits. Power beyond exnation. True elements. A reflection of a puddle infinitely stretching into the distance. Words of power. Symbols ofmand. A simple idea. Perseverance, a will to achieve, a mind to wait. A soul ready to transcend. It was a really simple idea. It was all real. Magic, mana. It was out there, ripe for the picking. The idea was so simple Lnd almost kicked himself. There were catalysts, like the Heartgem, but they didn¡¯t matter. Not truly. Would they help? Yes, of course. But they didn¡¯t matter. Nothing did, at least not to the universe. No¡­ to matter to the universe, one had to steal from it. Theft of power. A grasp at the universe¡¯s true reality. Whaty beyond the world? The Void? Whaty beyond that? What made up the air he breathed, the soil he stood on? How did mana and magice into y? Did they change the air and soil, or did the air and soil change them? It was right there. The power of the universe. The fundamental exchanges of one force against another. It was right there, just out of reach, but never moving. Invisible, but already seen. He saw the struggle he¡¯d face. He understood it would take time. But it was right there. And he was going to take it. Chapter 238: New Lord Chapter 238: New Lord ¡°Lnd.¡± He turned, finding Floe¡¯s imposing figure toward the back of the cave. She wasying down in such a way that only her head was front and center. But that didn¡¯t stop her body from radiating cold. They stared at each other, a nervous thread of air wafting between them. ¡°Tell me about the Lords you¡¯ve met,¡± she whispered before her eyes returned to the other end of the cave. Lnd followed her gaze, finding Jude and Jude Two ying music. Jude¡¯s fingers were dancing across his new flute, Jude Two was plucking away at a guitar. Together they dueted a vibrant piece with many ascents and descents. It was nice. Happy, even, although incredibly tedious. Jude¡¯s skill with the flute was far and away worse than the harmonica or guitar. Like a prairie dog emerging from his hole, Gelo¡¯s head rhythmically bounded up and down with the song. When the Judes would lull, she would quickly try to step into the song. She howled, or more urately, quietly roared as if she was a violin or cello apaniment. And while she was horribly off key and tempo, the Judes didn¡¯t discourage her whatsoever. At some point, Gelo realized that howl-roaring wasn¡¯t working. Instead, she swapped to vocalizing. Grunts became non lyrical song, which paired much better with everyone¡¯s ears. Since they were in an echoing cave, Gelo started to sound like a full choir, her singing wrapping itself in harmonization. Glenny was bundled in his cloak of shadows, a mug of hot tea in his hand, listening to the song. He stared longingly into the fire, his eyelids dipping closed and shooting open. He carefully put down his mug before he spilled it. Lnd nced at Floe, finding a soft smile across the great bear¡¯s snout. He smiled to himself, and said, ¡°The Lords are¡­ unique. I guess you have to be to reach that level of power. Most have been nice to me, some have been cold or non receptive.¡± He chuckled a little. ¡°They are usually kind even to a mortal who struggles to find a reason for them to offer part of their magic. I¡¯ve realized it before, but I¡¯m sort of like a parasite myself. A leach. Just someone begging for power, power which they happily hand over.¡± Floe looked away from her daughter. ¡°You¡¯re not a leach, Lnd.¡± His lips tugged further back. ¡°Thank you. And I know, but you also know me. Can you imagine what a Lord might think when they see me? I invite myself to their homes unannounced and practically demand to trade. And most of the time I get what I want for next to nothing. A drop of special water from one of the easiest cantrips to learn? I got an entire spell from the Lord of Water for that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I understand where you are going with this,¡± she replied. ¡°What I''m trying to get at is that Lords want to help. For the most part, Vile Lords notwithstanding. I have yet to meet a proper Lord who only is in it for themselves. Allow me to tell you about the Lord of Healing.¡± Lnd leaned back and recounted. ¡°She was one of the first Lords I tried to contract with. And she turned me down. But not because she didn¡¯t want to help or because I didn¡¯t have anything to offer in trade. No, she couldn¡¯t find ten minutes to work out a deal with me because of all of the people flooding her with prayers for healing. I saw them, you know? The people she was healing. They were like remnants. Distant echoes of people dying, in pain, or pleading for her to heal their loved ones.¡± Looking Floe right in the eyes, Lnd said, ¡°And she listened to each and every prayer. Each request. Each crying young kid, each grieving widow. She listened to them all and healed the ones she could.¡± He sat in silence for a moment. ¡°That,¡± he whispered, ¡°is what a Lord is. Someone who takes their role seriously. Who helps those who ask. Who gives tools to those who don¡¯t.¡± Floe looked back at her daughter. ¡°Is she going to be alright?¡± Shrugging, Lnd said, ¡°She¡¯ll have her mom watching over her day and night.¡± He smirked a little. ¡°Literally. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll sleep as a Lord.¡± A beat passed. ¡°But yeah, she¡¯ll be fine. She¡¯ll have Jude, Glenny, and I. We¡¯ll take care of her until she gets sick of us and wanders off into a blizzard somewhere.¡± ¡°Will she be strong enough?¡± The question was asked before Lnd even finished his sentence. And as good as Floe¡¯s mask still her troubled vocal cords gave away the truth. Distressed and cracked, there was only heartbreak in her voice. ¡°She will,¡± Lnd instantly answered. ¡°And when she bes a Lord herself, you two can share the same divine cave or whatever you are going to live in.¡± He had said that facing forward, but couldn¡¯t help but peek at her through his peripheral vision. He saw a crystalline tear fall from her eye beforending heavily on the rock floor and melting away to nothing. A hitch hardened in Lnd¡¯s throat, but he fought through the issue. ¡°I can find another way to get you out of here¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± It was hardly more than a whisper, but it shut him right up. Floe took a few deep breaths. ¡°It is like I told you before. I want what is best for her. And anywhere I am tied to, she will wish to be. So, the best ce for me is either dead or somewhere she can¡¯t go.¡± Lnd squirmed in his seat. ¡°Divinity it is.¡± A moment passed. ¡°And who knows what kind of cool dungeon abilities you¡¯ll get. Lord of Dungeons is rather niche when ites to Lords. Maybe you can change what loot we¡¯ll get when we enter one. Show us some nepotism and give us the good stuff.¡± That got a shortugh from the big bear. ¡°What do you think I¡¯ll do every day? As a Lord, I mean?¡± ¡°Not sure. Sit around monkeying with dungeons, I¡¯d guess. When you get up there, just ask the Lord of Curses for some advice.¡± He shrugged. ¡°She might even take you under her wing so-to-speak. And if she doesn¡¯t, I¡¯ll annoy her until she does.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Floe eyed him. ¡°The Lord of Curses? That is your Lord, yes? And you say she will help me? If that isn¡¯t nepotism, then I don¡¯t know what is.¡± Lnd cracked a smile. ¡°The funny thing is that she¡¯s actually my great-somrgenumberofgreats- grandmother. So yeah, it really is nepotism.¡± From there, the air felt smoother. Floe left Lnd to sit with her daughter and partake in the singing. Together the bears woke up Glenny and made the cave tremble with how loud they sang. The boys stood off to the side as Floe and Gelo had theirst moment as mortals together. Thest hour or so, they had been exining what was going to happen in the near future to the cub. Gelo was, of course, distraught. Saying a magical bear could produce more tears than a human mage was an understatement. The fact that these tears were frozen drops of dazzling crystal made the situation worse. The plink, plink, plink of newly shed tears piling up on the ground was a sound each of the boys would remember for the rest of their lives. ¡°But you can¡¯t leave! Y-y-you can¡¯t!¡± Floe lowered her massive head, her tongue shing out and brushing back her daughter¡¯s fur. Again and again the mother licked, and soon enough, the cub¡¯s tremors ceased. They stayed like that for close to an hour, together. And when the moment teetered from eternal and ending-too-soon, Floe ended it before she could second guess herself. A Lord. A god, she was going to be more. She was going to watch her daughter grow up. She was going to make sure no other creatures in a simr situation to herself would ever be trapped within a dungeon. She¡¯d¡­ make sure. She¡¯d make sure¡­ With a grave nod to Lnd, Floe started the process which also rekindled the tears from Gelo. Lnd moved forward, pulling the Sightless King¡¯s soul from the Soul Lord¡¯s ne-cloak. Each step dented the soft snow as he drew upon power. His Legacy, his title of Harbinger. A violet halo formed above his head despite no spell being cast, no contract being active. This time he didn¡¯t speak to one singr Lord, but instead roared to all of them. ¡°Lords! I speak to you today as a humble mortal, a friend to many, an authority to others. I nominate a new family member to join your ranks. The Guardian Spirit Beast Floe, a beast befitting the mantle of Lord of Dungeons. Or Lord of Ice if the current Lord wishes to step down¡­¡± Midway through the sentence, he realized just what he was saying. ¡°That was a joke don¡¯t, uh, don¡¯t smite me please.¡± Quickly giving his friends a pensive look, Lnd hoped for some level of assistance for such a blunder. He only got a halfhearted shrug from Jude. Clearing his throat, he continued, ¡°Anyway. Floe for Lord of Dungeons please. To solidify her im, I offer the one I hold¡ª¡± The red soul disappeared from Lnd¡¯s hand and reappeared directly in front of Floe. The bear looked down at it, a sudden hunger appearing in her gut. ¡°Did you make it appear in front of me?¡± she asked, receiving a head shake from Lnd. ¡°Okay then, I guess the Lords are listening¡­¡± The hunger continued to grow like a pit had sundered open in her stomach. A whisper told her to eat. To enjoy. To devour. And she did. Her maw opened, and soon the red soul was gone, swallowed in one bite. Lnd blinked a few times, the power of the Sightless King suddenly gone. He noticed Glenny rx. He continued, ¡°With her nomination, if I get a vote then obviously I vote for Floe.¡± He quickly looked around at all of his friends. ¡°And if they get a vote, then they all vote for her too.¡± Jude, Glenny, and even a dejected Gelo all nodded. ¡°And uh, if there are any Lords who are still on the fence, I could sweeten your vote with a potential contrac¡ª¡± ¡°Lnd. Shut up. Your job is done.¡± Having felt and stood up to multiple Lords at this point, Lnd was the only one of the group who remained on his feet. Even Floe, the soon to be Lord, tipped over and kicked up a puff of fluffy snow. Yet that wasn¡¯t to say he was immune to the yelling. He wasn¡¯t. Especially since he was the subject of the Curse Lord¡¯s ire. ¡°Loud and clear, Granny,¡± Lnd muttered to himself, picking at his ear like he had a wad of wax stuck deep in there. It took several minutes, but eventually his friends were up and at ¡®em trying to look well and away more busy than they actually were. Glenny messed with a bag he had inconspicuously removed from his inventory ring. Jude was suddenly tuning his guitar. Even Floe and Gelo had taken up a quiet conversation. ¡°Smooth guys,¡± Lnd told them. Jude answered for the group. ¡°Maybe if we act like it was your idea, Leals, they won¡¯t kill us.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Granny wouldn¡¯t have yelled at me like that if it wasn¡¯t already a sure thing. She didn¡¯t want me to be taken advantage of by eager Lords looking for a gopher to do some dumb mortal task.¡± Seeing that his friends weren¡¯t convinced, he added, ¡°If Floe wasn¡¯t going to win the vote, then Granny would have allowed me to make those contracts. She then would have made fun of me the next time I spoke to her.¡± He scanned their unbelieving faces, finding Gelo about ready to burst. When they locked eyes, the cub exploded with a question, ¡°Can Lords talk like that anytime they want!? When Mother bes a Lord can she just¡ª¡± Lnd held up his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she¡¯ll be able to do. But I can say that was not normal. Lords shouldn¡¯t be able to speak like that. I have a theory¡ª¡± Glenny and Jude both groaned. ¡°¡ª that because I was speaking to all of the Lords, they could speak back. It was just Granny who did.¡± ¡°So that was the Lord of Curses?,¡± Floe asked. ¡°She seemed nice¡­¡± Lndughed at that. ¡°I think it¡¯s better to call her an old hag than ¡®nice.¡¯ She may take it as an insult if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Floe¡¯s eyes widened a bit. It was then Jude chimed in. ¡°How long do you think it will take for the vote to finish¡ª¡± A sudden pull of divine authority rippled out from the group, originating from Floe. She pulsed with vibrant light, each wave iridescent and eternal. Only Lnd was able to stand tall and watch the lightshow, the others obfuscated their vision like they were walking in the direction of the sun. ¡°I¡¯d guess they voted!¡± he yelled. ¡°And I take it she won!¡± Magic spilled from Floe¡¯s paw as she pulled her daughter in close onest time. The Lords presiding over her transcendence must have allowed the moment to happen because as soon as the two said their final words, mother and daughter were split apart. Gelo stood where her mother had just been, arge indent in the snow all that remained. Plink, plink, plink, more frozen tears fell. Jude wrapped the cub in a hug, Glenny and Lnd one step behind. Chapter 239: Iceheart Chapter 239: Iceheart It took an hour for Gelo¡¯s tears to stop and that was only after Jude equated what was happening to birds. ¡°See, young fledgling, there is a time for everyone to leave the nest.¡± He pulled the cub in close, sitting with her head across hisp. ¡°And while your mother dove ventured to a new, difficult to obtain, nest, that doesn¡¯t mean you were abandoned. A fledgling has to take flight, to find her own nest. To find her own flock, even.¡± Glenny and Lnd shared a look. Somehow, out of the three of them, Jude was the most tender and loving. How did that happen? ¡°B-but! How will I-I make a new n-nest!?¡± Gelo asked, her throat ebbing from tearful exhaustion. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jude answered honestly. ¡°But the three of us are here to make sure you find it. Even if it takes decades.¡± ¡°Your nest is with us,¡± Glenny quickly added. Jude nodded along, stroking Gelo¡¯s cold fur. ¡°Exactly right. And if your nest is always with us, so be it. We can take you to the capital, you¡¯ll meet tons of new people. Lnd¡¯s girlfriend, for one. She¡¯s the Queen.¡± ¡°You¡¯d love Sybil,¡± Lnd said. ¡°She¡¯s really nice. And, in a way, her situation isn¡¯t that different from yours, when I think about it. Her mother left her right when she was going to take the first steps out of her own nest.¡± Gelo stared at him. ¡°Truly?¡± she asked.He gave a slow nod. ¡°The situation is different, Sybil¡¯s mom didn¡¯t be a Lord. But practically, you two are one and the same. Though Sybil doesn¡¯t like the cold. She stole Isobel¡¯s coat and has yet to return it.¡± ¡°Will I meet Isobel again?¡± the cub asked, memories of the fiery hunter prevalent in her mind. Gelo hadn¡¯t met very many humans, at this point, and Isobel was Isobel. She stood out. ¡°As soon as she reappears, yeah. You two will meet.¡± ¡°Reappear? Where did she go?¡± Taking a long breath, Lnd gently shook his head. ¡°No one knows. But she¡­ she¡¯s fine. I just know it.¡± He smiled to himself. ¡°And knowing her, she¡¯s finally evolving.¡± ¡°Humans can evolve?¡± ¡°Well¡­ no. Not unless you mean evolving one¡¯s Legacy. I just meant, I think she¡¯s finally moving on from her past trauma. Isobel has had a rough life.¡± Truthfully, Lnd didn¡¯t know if humans could evolve at this point. Everything Floe had taught them about souls and bing one with the elements made it sound like people could evolve. How that was possible, and how one went about achieving that, he didn¡¯t know. But that sounded like something he should do, right? Just another thing to put on the list. ¡°Why don¡¯t we stop talking about this and start talking about what we are going to do next,¡± Jude suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll start. I want to learn more about music and time magic. I¡¯m going to be the bestest bard-time-warrior-berserker ever.¡± He said thest sentence with such joviality that Gelo¡¯s ears perked up. She still rested across his legs, but at least her mind was off her mom. ¡°I will adapt to more things and train in the Void. There is much I am missing, I know it,¡± Glenny said, weighing a few more options in his head. Begrudgingly, he added, ¡°And I will train in my father¡¯s de dances. Echoes are just too powerful to ignore.¡± ¡°Echoes?¡± Gelo asked. ¡°de echoes. A fighting technique that duplicates attacks by attacking with specific forms.¡± ¡°Sounds cool,¡± she muttered, fidgeting into Jude¡¯s knee. ¡°It is the coolest.¡± Lnd cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m obviously going to make new contracts. I have an idea for what I¡¯m calling ¡®multi-spells.¡¯¡± The cub¡¯s eyes flicked up at Lnd. The topic of magic was something no mage could ignore. ¡°The concept is simple,¡± he said, mainly to Gelo. ¡°I can activate four contracts at once. So, with that in mind, I am thinking of procuring four spells that are incredibly simr, from four separate contracts. I¡¯ll activate them all at the same time, thus creating an ultimate attack!¡± Gelo studied him. ¡°An ultimate attack?¡± ¡°Well it doesn¡¯t have to be an attack. My first idea was four healing spells. The ¡®ultimate attack¡¯ of four healing spells would be more like ¡®ultimate heal¡¯ and could prove life-saving.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Oh I see. You could get four ice spells and use them all at the same time. The ¡®ultimate ice spell.¡¯¡± Lnd smiled. ¡°What would that look like to you? You know ice the best out of us.¡± She thought for a moment. ¡°I guess, it would look like my mother¡¯s spells. Cold so cold it doesn¡¯t feel cold. Ice so strong it breaks metal and can withstandva. Depending on the spells you choose, you could focus solely on pration-like attacks. Icicles or other pointy things. Or you could focus on the cold-aspect, thus creating an area where enemies would be chilled to a standstill. Or you could go with creation and focus on defense. Walls, igloos, stuff like that. You might even be able topact ice until it is true Iceheart. Or you might¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± Lnd interrupted, receiving a re from Jude. ¡°What¡¯s Iceheart?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Gelo¡¯s head popped up, her body flopped onto her legs. ¡°That¡¯s what mother called it, at least. Maybe you know it by a different name? It¡¯s ice that is so close to true elemental ice, but not. Very strong, very cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just strong and cold?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Any other attributes because that doesn¡¯t seem all that¡­¡± He trailed off, Jude¡¯s death re like a miniature sun. ¡°No, it is strong. It¡¯s very strong, in fact. Mother had only achieved it once, so she said. She told me it¡¯s nearly ck in appearance, the crystals of ice so cold that they absorb all heat like a whirlpool. And when it breaks, all that heat is expelled back out in the form of elemental cold.¡± Lnd¡¯s eyes were opened wide. ¡°That does sound powerful. And does that mean there is a Fireheart? Coldheart? Hotheart? Uh, Lightheart?¡± ¡°Every element has a true form, yes,¡± Gelo answered, looking at him like he was stupid. ¡°I thought you were a mage, how did you not know this?¡± He took a second to answer. ¡°Unless you are speaking of something incredibly obvious and I¡¯m just missing it, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of such a thing. I mean, there are stories of incredible elemental attacks done by famous mages over the centuries, but they have always just been powerful Legacies¡­¡± Lnd looked at Jude and Glenny. ¡°What you, Gelo, are describing is something more akin to how Guardian Spirit Beasts use spells. They don¡¯t have Legacies, remember? So they actually attack with the elements¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°I mean, someone must know something about true-element spells but it¡¯s either impossible for humans or so incredibly difficult to achieve that people either can¡¯t or don¡¯t want to teach others how to do it.¡± ¡°I can tell you this,¡± Glenny said. ¡°The Sightless King did not use true-element spells or attacks. If true blood or true primordial are anything like how Gelo described Iceheart, then surely we¡¯d all be dead, right?¡± Out of everyone, Jude looked to be the most in thought. ¡°Do you think¡­ do you think there is a Musicheart? Because if so, I want to do that.¡± Lnd¡¯s palm was in his face. ¡°Right yeah, you do that, Jude.¡± He looked at Glenny. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it. You killed the Sightless King. Who cares that he didn¡¯t know Bloodheart or Primordialheart.¡± ¡°Well yeah. But I¡¯m just wondering if there is a Voidheart. Because if there is, I¡¯d rather learn that over Primordialheart.¡± Biting his lip, Lnd said, ¡°If there is, and if humans can learn it, then the first step would be bing one with the Void. Or, rather, be one with any element ¨C or at least, be more inline with that element. Bing one seems like an end goal.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t build an ice castle without first making ice,¡± Gelo instantly added before her posture lowered. ¡°Mother used to say that.¡± ¡°¡¯Used to?¡¯¡± Jude asked. ¡°She still does! Gelo, your mom is safe and sound. She¡¯s waiting for you, up in the heavens. So be a Lord and meet her. Knowing you, you¡¯ll do it before any of us figure out how to make Musicheart.¡± The cub snorted, creating a sudden deluge of frost from the puff of cold. ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess that¡¯s my goal. To be a Lord. Just¡­ how do I do that?¡± Lnd considered that. ¡°Pretty big goal. You know what my parents always told me? To do one thing at a time. Break up a big goal into smaller, more manageable ones.¡± Now it was Gelo¡¯s turn to consider. ¡°Okay, that makes sense. I think my new goal should be to make Iceheart.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think¡ª¡± Jude interrupted, ¡°That sounds like a great n! And once you figure it out, you¡¯ll have to teach us how you did it so that we can all do it too!¡± Lnd frowned a bit before shrugging. In his eyes it was a massive goal, but maybe that was what the cub needed right now. Bing a Lord may seem impossible, but Iceheart? That was simple, right? ¡°With all of that in mind,¡± Lnd said. ¡°We¡¯ve got a job to do at the Tears. Jude, you¡¯ve got a blessing to collect, and I¡¯ve got contracts to fill. Echoes, Void, Music, Time, Iceheart, and¡­ contracts.¡± He sighed, wondering why something as awesome as contracts still sounded themest out of everyone¡¯s goals. ¡°Alrighty then,¡± Glenny said, standing and stretching. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to leave. The only issue is how do we do that?¡± He gestured to the dungeon exit they were standing beside, or rather, were supposed to be standing beside. When Floe ascended, the dungeon exit apparently went with her. Now, they just stood idly on a field of snow and ice while a graveyard of worms rested in the distance, no glowing portal exiting to the real world. ¡°Huh,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°How did I miss that?¡± He shook his head softly before a bright smile overcame him. He turned to Gelo. ¡°Want to see your mom¡¯s first act as Lord?¡± The cub¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yes! Yes please!¡± ¡°Then watch this!¡± Lnd rubbed his hands together, looked at where the dungeon exit was supposed to be, and said, ¡°Lord of Dungeons, I send this prayer to you so that you may help us exit this dungeon. Please, if you would kindly, create us an exit.¡± A beat passed as everyone held their breath. Then, with a small flourish of divine power, a crack in the air appeared. From that crack, a small bronze sphere fell. The sphere then rolled around, eventually jerking to the side as if a ma was lowered near it. The sphere then split apart, unleashing a web of blue and red magic. That magic then formed into the dungeon¡¯s new exit. ¡°Mom, that was awesome!¡± Gelo yelled, her voice carrying far across the Void to the Lord of Dungeons¡¯ domain. There, in that domain, the newly born Lord dly smiled. Chapter 240: Halt Chapter 240: Halt Gelo¡¯s step into the outside world wasn¡¯t her first by any means. Many times, over the months, she exited her dungeon home and explored the secluded ind. She never strayed far, not since the day she met Jude and the others. She shivered at the thought of the poachers who attempted to take her pelt. But now? Now, she wasn¡¯t just leaving home to explore. No, she was leaving it for good. She stared long and hard at the dungeon entrance, her paws waterlogged within the pool of serene mushroom-lit water that surrounded it. ¡°Feels like a lifetime ago that we all fought here,¡± she muttered to herself, remembering the battle to enter the dungeon. Jude stepped up next to her. ¡°We¡¯ll have plenty of time to fight together again. Knowing us, there will be a battle before we leave Frostford.¡± ¡°Dude!¡± Lnd and Glenny both screeched at the same time, before yelling together, ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it!¡± The Legacy of the Berserker held up his hands in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m not wishing for battle. But we have a track record.¡± ¡°One that will hopefully be broken,¡± Lnd snidely said. ¡°This is going to be a perfectly rxed quest.¡± ¡°Dude!¡± Glenny seethed. ¡°Stop doing that!¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°Jude already jinxed it. Not my fault by this point.¡±While the rogue muttered under his breath, Gelo asked, ¡°What was your quest again?¡± ¡°For Sybil and Aunty P,¡± Jude answered. ¡°They want us to stand guard around a few Tears until a proper bastion is set up.¡± ¡°Tears?¡± ¡°Oh right. Lnd met some alien creature thing and inadvertently made our world collide with a few others. Tears are ces in space where other worlds start to appear. It¡¯s a big mess, as far as we¡¯ve been told.¡± Gelo looked from Jude to Lnd, her snout scrunched back like she had smelt something bad. ¡°He did what?¡± ¡°Exactly as I said. The little trouble maker.¡± ¡°Jude you¡¯re not being helpful¡ª¡± ¡°Guilty as charged!¡± ¡°¡ªAnd to answer your question, Gelo, the Lord of the Void said to do it. And it wasn¡¯t as if I started all of this, but rather I helped the alien creature get home so that she could report about our world to her hive-mind family.¡± ¡°Oh. Right.¡± Gelo looked toward the exit of the cave. ¡°Can we go? I want to try pancakes for my first meal on the outside, and I¡¯m already hungr¡ª¡± Before she could finish, Jude held out a hand carrying a te full of steaming pancakes. ¡°Here, they¡¯re still hot!¡± Glenny and Lnd both stared incredulously at Jude despite Gelo eating all of the cakes in a few bites. She looked pleasantly content. ¡°Glenny, I¡¯ll leave this one up to you,¡± Lnd muttered. With pleasure, Glenny then said, ¡°Jude? Um. Why do you have pancakes in your inventory ring? Those aren¡¯t really traveling food.¡± ¡°Well yeah, no duh. But that¡¯s the beauty of inventory rings,¡± he held his ringed finger out. ¡°I can store plenty of awkwardly sized food. I¡¯ve got a whole smoked brisket, a few grilled fish, even a coconut.¡± Glenny mirrored Lnd by rubbing the bridge of his nose. He then said, ¡°You were supposed to pack jerky, pickled jarred things, travel rations. Not whole briskets!¡± ¡°Well why not? I mean, I have plenty of space for other useful things.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got some rope in here. And some toilet paper.¡± ¡°Okay, good. Spare change of clothes? Maybe a bandage kit?¡± ¡°No, and no.¡± Even Gelo looked aghast. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring a spare change of clothes?¡± She sniffed the open air, retreating back a step. ¡°How long have you been wearing those pants?¡± Recounting thest few days, Jude, with a finger on his chin, said, ¡°I put these on yesterday morning.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯ve only been wearing those clothes for a day and they already smell that bad?¡± Jude lifted an arm, sniffing himself. ¡°They¡¯re not bad¡­¡± ¡°Jude,¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Were they clean before you put them on?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he answered after recoiling in disdain. ¡°I resent that. I¡¯m not a heathen.¡± ¡°But you are a brute.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Well that¡¯s true.¡± Glenny sighed, long, loud, and hard. ¡°We¡¯ll stop in Frostford to get some scented perfumes.¡± ¡°Why not just more clothes?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want his dirty clothes to stink up the whole brisket in his ring. That would be a travesty.¡± Jude beamed at that. ¡°See? It was a good idea!¡± ¡°Halt!¡± The ever familiar shling of unsheathing metal met the boys and Gelo. They stopped in their tracks as a rush of movement encircled them. All around, swords, spears, and even a few drawn bows were pointed at them. Frostford¡¯s guard, obviously, but among the terrified faces were a few level-headed individuals. Adventurers were easily recognizable within a sea of soldiers. Theirck of decorum and uniform was almost as much of a signal fire as their expensive weapons. Lnd, Gelo, and Glenny red at Jude. He sighed, taking a step ahead. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± At his words, everyone tensed. Guards readjusted their grips, the adventurers maneuvered into better positions. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Jude asked, finding no reason not to hide his annoyance or maintain a low volume. ¡°Who goes there!?¡± The voice came from the town¡¯s walls, a few dozen feet in the air. Everyone, other than the town¡¯s defenders, looked up. A Captain of some sort stood beside a robed woman holding a silver globe. Individually, the pair was nothing much. A stronger guard and a potential mage, sure, but that was about it. Nothing from their posture, or what little magic leaked from the mage, felt threatening to the boys and Gelo. They were no Harbinger Ashford or Sightless King, but instead, average, normal people. ¡°My name¡¯s Jude!¡± Jude yelled back. ¡°Okay, Jude!¡± the Captain inly said. ¡°State your business!¡± ¡°Uh. Well, my friend back here with the white hair is looking to buy me some perfume! Can wee in!?¡± That got an annoyed look from Glenny, but many more worried looks from the guards. The younger few shifted on their feet, while the older ones silently analyzed the situation. One of the adventurers cursed loudly before turning tail and sprinting away. Everyone watched him run. ¡°What¡¯s up with him!?¡± Jude then yelled at the Captain. ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Do we look like trouble!?¡± The robed woman whispered something to the man. When she finished, he looked as if someone had kicked him in the shin. Blinking rapidly a few times, the Captain¡¯s voice turned heavy. ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble.¡± ¡°Neither do we?¡± Jude asked, turning back to gauge his friends¡¯ reactions. They shrugged at him. ¡°Look man, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. We literally just want to buy a few things then leave. No trouble.¡± Lnd cut in, ¡°If it helps, we are on a quest from the Royals of the Palemarrow Kingdom.¡± He fiddled with a badge, holding it out and up so that everyone could see. ¡°I¡¯m Lnd Silver, Vagrant Warden.¡± ¡°A-are you a summoner?¡± the robbed woman asked. The question made Lnd pause. Technically he was, but not really. ¡°I can summon crows.¡± ¡°Then who summoned the bear?¡± The friend group slowly looked to Gelo, who stared impishly back at them. Jude gave her a shrug. ¡°Hello! My name is Gelo! I¡¯m not a summoned creature!¡± At her sudden human speech, a wave of tension exploded through the defenders. To say they flinched would be incorrect. They balked. Then the moment passed, and they lost a few shades of pigment. One even started praying afterying down her sword. The boys stared at her. ¡°Uh, what¡¯s going on?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°This is not typical guard behavior¡­¡± ¡°No, no it¡¯s not.¡± The Captain suddenly had thick bags under his eyes. ¡°Did you four cause that insane flux of magic a few hours ago?¡± ¡°Flux of magic?¡± The robed woman shifted her silver globe to the side, the color changing to more of a yellow. She almost growled, then said, ¡°That explosion of divine magic! You must have felt it, it was like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen! And I studied at Brimstone Mystic¡¯s School!¡± The boys and Gelo shared a look, silently agreeing to stay quiet about the truth of what the flux of magic most likely was. Lnd, however, had had enough of the conversation. With a press of his palm into his grimoire, and the maniption of an invisible-casting cantrip, a set of four dark wings appeared behind his back. No halo hung over his head, as that would be too telling. With a single p, he rocketed into the air, closing the distance between himself, the Captain, and the robed woman. He then hovered just before them. ¡°We didn¡¯t feel anything,¡± he lied before gesturing to his wings. ¡°We can travel rather fast, see? So if there was some oddity out there, its field of effect didn¡¯t go very far.¡± The Captain turned to the woman, who was staring wide-eyed at Lnd. She tore herself away from him, finding her globe. It transitioned from yellow to silver. ¡°I have to agree¡­ The divine magic is faded now, I can hardly pick up a trace.¡± Lnd gravely nodded. ¡°Trust me, divine magic doesn¡¯t stay around long. Not if the Lords meant it to be a quick thing. But if you want to get a second opinion, I suggest you contact the Inquisitors. ¡®The Huntress¡¯ is rather skilled at hunting oddities. Ask for her.¡± ¡°Y-you know a lot about the Inquisitors?¡± the Captain asked. Lnd just shrugged, his four ck wings pping rhythmically. ¡°I am a Vagrant Warden, so yeah¡­ and my parents are Inquisitors, actually. Well, former Inquisitors.¡± ¡°I¡­ see. Is it true you only wish to buy¡­ perfume?¡± ¡°That and maybe some other stuff. Meat and the like.¡± The Captain turned his eyes to Gelo, distantly thinking of the long told legend of Frostford and the Guardian Spirit Beast that protects it. He shivered. ¡°Y-yes. You four can have a day pass if you muzzle the beast.¡± Lnd almostughed. ¡°If any of you can get a muzzle on her, be my guest. But don¡¯te crying to me when she freezes your arm off.¡± He looked at the woman. ¡°She¡¯s a mage, by the way. Maybe you two couldpare notes?¡± The duo standing on the wall gave the bear another look over. What was there to do when so obviously outmatched? A talking bear? What kind of monster¡­? ¡°Perfume and then please leave,¡± the Captain said quietly. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that. The bear wants to try chocte. Do you know of any shops that might sell such a treat?¡± Sweat began to fill the man¡¯s brow. There wasn¡¯t a doubt in his mind, these four before him were the source of the divine magic. Though, if they were trying to hide and ignore it, so would he. That was best, right? Best for Frostford and his men. No one was dying today, right? Chapter 241: Legacy Chapter 241: Legacy ¡°Are humans normally this¡­ fearful?¡± Gelo asked as they walked through the streets of Frostford. They had already finished shopping and were heading toward the gate to leave, but the walk was slow going. Not because there were hazards or many people stopping them to talk, but because Gelo gawked at most everything. Buildings? The only buildings she had seen was the ice castle within the dungeon, so every change in architecture made her stare. A fountain yfully shooting water into the air? It was as if the cub was looking at a bar of gold. But what made Gelo freeze on the spot were the grilling stalls. Sizzling meat, charred vegetables, skewers of rich, fatty cuts¡­ they caught her nose and pulled her to the front of the line. The people in the line didn¡¯t seem to mind for the simple fact that Gelo was a literal bear. A talking bear, at that. ¡°Civilians are always like that,¡± Jude said, waving a hand. ¡°I remember one time I took out my axe to sharpen while waiting on a public bench, and the guard was there in minutes. Apparently I was ¡®scaring the locals.¡¯¡± Glenny snorted augh. ¡°Haha, loser.¡± Ignoring the attempted banter, Jude spoke right over him. ¡°Once you are around more people like us, people will respect you more.¡± Lnd added to that, ¡°Though we are a bit of an oddity even when ites to adventurers. You all saw how that one adventurer ran away from us at the gate, right? Not everyone is ¡®like¡¯ us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true enough, especiallypared to you.¡±¡°I¡¯ll still die from an arrow between the eyes, trust me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even just that, Gelo,¡± Glenny said. ¡°People don¡¯t know you. Once people get used to you, they¡¯ll realize you¡¯re cool as heck and try to pet you or something.¡± ¡°Most will try to give you treats,¡± Jude added to that. ¡°Which might be a bit speciesist, but hey, free snacks. I¡¯d say that¡¯s worth the exchange.¡± Sighing, Lnd said, ¡°And if they don¡¯t, just tell Jude and he¡¯ll y his flute as loudly as possible in their ear.¡± Even with all of their hopeful words, Gelo still felt her feet grow heavy. She wished her mom was here. From there, they quickly traveled out of the town . Gelo suddenly didn¡¯t want to be a tourist and instead wished to get on the road. Camping was what she was looking forward to. A nice, easy trip through the wilderness with plenty of things to inspect and a chance to stare up at the starry sky. But, unlike Jude, she didn¡¯t say her wishes aloud. One jinx per group was enough, and the young man had that under lock and key. That night, some distance away from Frostford, they rested. Rotational watch-cycles were set, dinner was munched on, and soon everyone fell asleep. Gelo offered to take the first watch, citing the stars and the fact that sleeping through the night rather than being woken up part-way through seemed the best option. And when Glenny woke for his shift, Gelo finally fell asleep. If the worst day of her life was the day her father died, today had to have been the second worst, the day her mother left. She was just d it was finally over. Day two would be easier, hopefull¡ª ¡°Gelo.¡± She turned, finding the chilled forest gone. Instead of trees and shrubs, rock walls with water-leaking cracks were front and center. She didn¡¯t think about that, however, instead her heart pounded. The sound consumed her hearing, everything turned narrow. And despite this, the presence she was staring at thawed her growing anxiety. ¡°Mom! What¡ª¡± Gelo lurched forward, ready to pounce on her loved one, but she stopped, a flicker of hesitation. A flicker of forethought. Was¡­ was this an illusion? Was this some sort of trick? How was she here? How was the Lord of Dungeons here? How was her mom here? ¡°It¡¯s only been a few hours,¡± Floe said, a slice of her confidence missing. ¡°Did you already forget about me?¡± A wallop mmed into Gelo¡¯s heart, instantly turning her face to a scrunched mess. Tears of ice flowed like waterfalls, globs of snot poured from her snout. ¡°Mom!¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. That was all it took. That one question dispelled the sense of trickery and set the cub slingshotting into her mother¡¯s fur. The suddenness caught Floe off guard, and yet, the warmth, or rather, cold from her daughter smoothed everything right over. Floe wrapped her massive arms around her daughter, and the two stood like that for a long time. At least, until Gelo remembered the strangeness of the situation. ¡°How are you here!?¡± she finally was able to ask. Her mom chuckled. ¡°The real question is how are you here? Look around, my sweet.¡± And Gelo did, finally concluding that the cave walls were not of a forest. In fact, she recognized these walls to be her home within the dungeon. It was their cave, albeit different. It was colder here, more in tune with the cold element, which, to the bears with ice for fur, made things much more pleasant. ¡°Where did¡ª¡± ¡°Worry not, my child. Now that I am a Lord, I have a few extra responsibilities. One is to lead mortals.¡± Floe stiffened at the word, thinking in terms of immortal and mortal was like me and fire to her. ¡°When you return to the boys, please tell Lnd his Lord has been helpful. She¡¯s the one allowing me to do this.¡± ¡°D-do what, mom?¡± Gelo asked, finally taking in that her mom wasn¡¯t just her mom any more. She was the Lord of Dungeons. Her. Her mom. A giggle escaped her lips. That¡¯s pretty awesome, right? ¡°It is simple. As a Lord, I need a Champion ¨C someone I canmunicate with at any time, someone who I can bother with my problems or assist with theirs. You, in other words.¡± ¡°Okay! How do¡ª¡± ¡°Gelo, you should think about this before you ept. Bing a Champion has responsibilities. Other Legacies of mine maye to you¡ª¡± ¡°I understand! I¡¯ll be your Champion!¡± Gelo and Floe both knew Lnd was a Champion, but now that Floe was a Lord in her own right, she understood just how improper of a Champion he was. In just the short span of a single day, Floe had met several dozen Lords, all of whom gave her advice to better serve her Legacies. And while that advice changed from Lord to Lord, the overall consensus was that a trustworthy Champion was needed. ¡°Just so you know, beasts don¡¯t usually gain Legacies or Championships. We don¡¯t need them, being close to nature and the elements. But that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Will I still be able to cast magic?¡± Gelo asked. ¡°Indeed. Your power as you are now will remain, as well as, any future power you garner by yourself will persist. But you will also take on my Legacy as the Dungeon Lord.¡± The cub let out a low groan. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to take care of a dungeon.¡± ¡°No, no. My sweet,¡± Floe brushed her with a paw. ¡°Nothing of the sort. I oversee all dungeons, you will do nothing of the sort. But you will gain powers rted to them in some fashion¡­ what that fashion may look like, I do not know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Mostly. You would be my first Legacy, the test-run so to speak.¡± That made Gelo¡¯s eyes light up. ¡°Does that mean I can help you create a Legacy? Choose spells and offer my perspective on¡ª¡± Floe¡¯s smile stopped the cub. ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± the mother bear whispered. ¡°I just didn¡¯t realize how much I would miss you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ well¡­ O-of course.¡± Gelo raised her head high. ¡°Am I not so great as to be forgotten?¡± Chuckling, Floe purred, ¡°Of course, of course. You are the daughter of a Lord!¡± She stood up straighter herself. ¡°Everyone will bow to you once youe into proper power. Ice and esoteric divine magic connected in some way to dungeons. You will be unstoppable.¡± ¡°Just wait, mother. I¡¯ll acquire Iceheart soon enough and fight my way into the heavens.¡± ¡°Iceheart? That is bold of you.¡± Floe considered this. Maybe there was a way¡ª ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± she asked, shaking her head to quell her thoughts. Gelo rolled her eyes. ¡°You trailed off then stared at the wall for a moment.¡± ¡°Oh. Sorry, lost in thought. I was just thinking of a way to help you conquer Iceheart using power from my Legacy.¡± ¡°Nope!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want your help. I¡¯ll achieve Iceheart all on my own,¡± Gelo said with an over exaggerated head nod. ¡°Then I¡¯ll teach Jude, Lnd, and Glenny.¡± Floe couldn¡¯t suppress the grin that appeared as her daughter spoke. The goal, while ridiculous, was only achievable with hard work, perseverance, and a bit of arrogance. Three things she knew Gelo had, three things that would propel her into a bright future. ¡°Fine, fine. But for now, if you are to be my Champion, you need the first spell, ability, or technique of my Legacy. What shall it be?¡± Gelo thought for a moment. ¡°I have no idea.¡± ¡°Perhaps an attack spell? Being the Lord of Dungeons, I now have ample direction over space and¡ª¡± ¡°Not ice? You love ice!¡± Floe raised her paw, summoning a miniature blizzard between her ws. ¡°Ice and cold, yes. But now,¡± she raised the other paw, ushering in a slightly teal buzz. It wasn¡¯t wind but rather flowing space rippling like a bed sheet held by two of its corners. The blizzard gently became one with the gust, moving throughout the cave. Soon ayer of snow covered all of the rock and Gelo for that matter. ¡°That was awesome!¡± the cub cried, shaking her head to rid herself of loose snow. ¡°Who taught you that!?¡± ¡°That trick? The Lord of Space, Pathways, and Magic. They will be akin to tutors for the next few years, teaching me to properly wield elemental space. Among other things needed to properly oversee dungeons. I¡¯ll have to even create a few every now and again.¡± Gelo licked her lips, finally starting to see the beauty of what a Legacy could do. ¡°I want that. That¡¯s what I want my first spell to be.¡± Looking from the magic pushing the blizzard around, Floe began to chuckle. ¡°That may be doable.¡± Chapter 242: On Watch Chapter 242: On Watch On watch and with the others asleep, Lnd toiled about, looking much more interested with the forest than he actually was. Were there monsters in these woods? Creatures with teeth the size of forearms? Yes and yes. But he wasn¡¯t afraid of them, he hadn¡¯t been afraid of the usual monsters in a long while by this point. With the true monsters he¡¯d faced, the small fries just didn¡¯t cut it. But still, watching the forest was an important job. If a monster did show up, he¡¯d never hear the end of it from his friends. But that didn¡¯t mean he had to watch the forest. Crow Massacre: Rank: 23 (B) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon a full murder of 15 ethereal crows to attack targets for up to 2 minutes. Promote a single crow to lead the murder. The leader isrger, faster, stronger, and more real. If permitted, the leader can stay summoned for any given length of time. Lnd had yet to fully utilize the promoted aspect of the curse. Sitting there, bored out of his mind, he experimented a bit. High above him, the leader crow circled. Even against the dark night sky, the outline of the bird was somewhat noticeable. Not because it stood out or basked in ethereal glow, but because of the aura it leaked. Like High Inquisitor Rushwin, Harbinger Ashford, or even Isobel to a certain degree, the crow oozed magical authority. It was, in part, Lnd¡¯s own power that dripped from the bird, but also foreign augmentation of the Lord of Curses. What did this mean in practical terms? Lnd wasn¡¯t sure, but he also figured most people wouldn¡¯t be able to feel the aura his crow radiated. Maybe it was his time spent with the Lords, maybe it was his experience with contracts and pacts, or maybe it was the repeated abuse his body had taken by beings far too powerful for him topete. He shivered at the thought, his guts feeling like grated cheese where the Toy Maker Harbingercerated him. Or maybe it was how his neck stiffened and his breathing hitched when he remembered how the Undying Harbinger mped his throat closed. Either way, those battles ended simrly. Soul Fire. It was a gue, as far as he was concerned. A curse that broke the rules of magic, a cmity gifted by the Lord who oversaw terror and justice. The heatless mes of the curse still echoed in the back of his mind, a curt reminder of just how powerless he truly was. ¡°I know you are listening,¡± he whispered just loud enough to over take the crackle of the campfire. He paused a moment, his chin low. Above, his promoted crow flew, circling round and round, its eyes darting through the canopy and tracking movement. There was one more being Lnd had been exposed to. Lords, Harbingers, they were one and the same by some human metric, beings with thought, reason. A goal to strive for, a hope to achieve. Even if they were monsters, their thoughts were easily discerniblepared to some: Parasitic items. Lodestar. Lnd could feel him hibernating on his back, a ck tattoo with steel-silver luster. A ring, or rather, a portal. The weapon took the form of a hole, one that led to Oblivion ¨C where life meets end. During their battle with Ashford, Lodestar had started out assisting Lnd. From Oblivion, Lodestar summoned a swarm of bug-like monstrosities. They rushed from the darker than dark portal, entering the battlefield like a true force of nature. Alien creatures, ones not meant for this ne, this realm, that¡¯s what Lodestar could achieve. But of course, that wasn¡¯t what Lodestar wanted. Being a parasite ¨C a former human whose soul was willingly tempered into a weapon to assist someone else to transcend ¨C it was hard to understand what it was he truly wanted. Most would consider parasitic items to be a double edged sword lying in wait to ambush their host. They fought and helped, usually at themand of the host, waiting for the perfect moment to consume their host¡¯s soul and body ¨C transcending, somewhat, themselves. But that wasn¡¯t exactly what Lodestar wanted, at least that wasn¡¯t how Lnd understood the weapon. Created from the soul of the Lord of Souls¡¯ brother, Lodestar spoke. He acted. He had his own will, one that didn¡¯t always fall in line with parasites. He abandoned Lnd against Ashford, he spoke to others like they were prey, he had emotions far further than biding time. But most importantly, since Ashford, Lodestar had not spoken once. He had not appeared from Lnd¡¯s back. He has not responded to any of his host¡¯s calls. ¡°I know you are listening,¡± Lnd said again, emphasizing a bit more. Again, there was only silence. ¡°Is this the way you are going to be? I don¡¯t want the powers you offer, I don¡¯t want to fall into the trap you have carefully tried toy before me. But I don¡¯t hate you. I understand¡ª¡± Lnd stopped himself. Truthfully, he didn¡¯t understand ¨C another fault of his. There were many, many things he didn¡¯t know. Schools of magic, inter politics, the will of the divines. The feelings of a parasitic item were just as foreign to him as breeds of ducks. He could learn, sure, but there was only one duck breeder around, and he was tattooed onto his back. ¡°Your brother¡­¡± Lnd began again, ¡°it was obvious to me that he still cares for you, even with the corruption you have faced. You know just as well as I do the pact the Lord of Souls made with me.¡± He opened his grimoire to that page. Cursed pact of the Lord of Souls: For showing the parasitic item ¡°Lodestar¡± mercy when transcendence is achieved, the Lord of Souls offers the use of his cloak for the duration of this pact. If broken, the result is death for either party. He had only ever opened this page once, and while the threat of death hung over him, Lnd had never once worried about that particr aspect of the pact. Lodestar had shown him that he was just as much of a person as any other human. A human with a mangled, twisted soul, but one whose original goal had been noble. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. To assist someone else¡¯s transcendence. Where that went wrong, Lnd didn¡¯t know. So, he figured to heck with it. ¡°What happened to you, Lodestar? Help me understand you? Maybe¡­ maybe we can be proper partners.¡± Nothing. Not even a tingle crossed his back. But he did feel something. Not from Lodestar, but from his crow overhead. Movement, the leader informed him. Three somethings, humanoid, moving fast toward the group on foot. For a brief moment, Lnd dismissed the notion that something wasing for the simple fact that his crow passed that much information to him so well. The descriptions were sorelycking, but the bird was able to exin that one carried a sword and the other two held bows. They were obviously human, humans who knew exactly where they were camping. People didn¡¯t B-line somewhere with their weapons drawn if they weren¡¯t expecting a fight. But still, Lnd¡¯s jaw shifted open slightly and his eyes widened a bit. A heartbeat passed before he smirked. Experimenting with a promoted crow was definitely the correct choice for tonight. And as he sat there thinking about how to go about dealing with these neers, he couldn¡¯t help but smugly acknowledge his watch shifts were going to be easy from this point on. ¡°Glenny?¡± Lnd asked, his voice loud enough to wake the young man beside him. ¡°Troubleing toward us. I¡¯ll deal with it, but figured I¡¯d let you know.¡± Deliriously nodding, Glenny rolled to his side, pulled at his nket, and promptly fell asleep. From there, Lnd stood, flipped a few pages of his grimoire, and pressed his palm into two contracts, then two more right after. In but a brief moment, his back sprung to life, six wings appearing with a plume of white and ck feathers. Next, his body flickered slightly, space moving around him rather than him standing in it. Andstly, his eyesight sharpened, the dark night bing more akin to a shadowy cer with a dozen candles lit within. ¡°Lord of Crows, Lord of the Seraph, Lord of Space, and Lord of Chameleons,¡± he muttered to himself before quietly whistling. Magic pooled from his lips, bending the fabric of reality to allow his flock to enter. Lnd grinned at the sudden deluge of crows, wondering why a flock of crows was called a ¡°murder.¡± But as the already summoned leader crow began to chirp out orders to which the others quickly followed, he couldn¡¯t help but see bloodthirsty birds ready to gore eyes and puncture bone. ¡°Maybe this will be a misunderstanding,¡± Lnd said to himself. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯m going to have a few more souls to add to the soul cloak.¡± He took to the skies, his speed only limited by the proximity of tree limbs he was forced to dodge. Above, his crows moved, intercepting but not engaging the iing humans. Through his connection with the leader crow, Lnd understood that the humans had stopped, suddenly hesitant as the branches they were about to pass were covered in crows. Hended a safe distance away from the trio, his hood pulled up over his head. Shadows cast from within the cowl, and yet, one of the archers picked up on him immediately. She yelled something to her friends and everyone turned to face Lnd, despite two of them not actually knowing where he was exactly. It was quite a dark night. ¡°Heading somewhere?¡± Lnd asked, imbuing a bit of mana to his throat as he spoke. The trick was hardly worthy of being called a cantrip and was more inline with a mana maniption exercise, but the effect was rather grand. Not only was his voice louder, but it also trebled with a dull whimsy. Like his vocal cords were made of stone and his words like chisels, the simple question made the perceptive archer lurch. The swordsman and other archer both hesitated as well, but far less than the woman who could actually see. Lnd found that odd. Shouldn¡¯t it be the other way around? Still, when no answer came, he asked again, a bit more aggressively. ¡°Heading somewhere?¡± His words echoed, the trees suddenly just one more hazard for the trio to watch out for. One of the crow cawed, causing the perceptive archer to flinch. Another cawed, this time opposite the first. She flinched again, eyes darting from branch to branch. She muttered something to her friends, but through the leader crow who sat nearest the group, Lnd was able to hear it. ¡°He¡¯s alone. Summoner, just the birds I think. He can fly.¡± ¡°Yes, I can fly,¡± Lnd announced, causing all three of them to stumble a bit. ¡°I ask one more time. Why are you headed toward my camp with weapons out? Am I just unlucky, or are youing to attack?¡± The archer bit her lip. Another crow cawed. ¡°Just unlucky, I¡¯d say. We¡¯re hunting. Tracks came this way about an hour ago.¡± ¡°Did they now?¡± he asked instantly. ¡°Because I¡¯ve been on watch for thest hour and a half. Nothing of note hase this direction, unless you are hunting rabbits. But a sword is a strange weapon to hunt rabbits with, isn¡¯t it?¡± He paused a moment. ¡°Are you hunting rabbits?¡± Another crow cawed. And another. ¡°Woodlin Hydra. We¡¯re hunting a Woodlin Hydra,¡± the archer dered, her hands slipping to the string of her bow. Lnd saw this and decided to give the group onest out. ¡°No you¡¯re not. Woodlin Hydras hibernate this time of year. Not to mention, I haven¡¯t seen one tonight and let me tell you, I see all.¡± All of his crows cawed at his sentence¡¯s end, pping their wings and bobbing up and down to shake the branches they stood on. ¡°I ask, for the final time, where are you headed with weapons drawn at this time of night? I see you pulling back on your bow, archer.¡± She hesitated, her arm stiff and locked in ce. A crow darted down, clipping her elbow. Blood spilled at the same time she cursed. Her friends shifted around her, protecting her despite being nearly blind. ¡°Maybe some light would help you three in this situation,¡± Lnd said, his hand flickering with sudden me. The cantrip was one of the first he learned. Create me. Simple, easy, strong enough to light a candle or start a campfire. It was nowhere near the strength to illuminate the forest. That was if Lnd had cast the cantrip the way he was taught. One perk of being a warlock rather than a mage was the use of lifeforce in ce of mana. For him, the loss of stamina was negligible for the effects lifeforce had on normal magic. Augmentation was the simple exnation, but he preferred the simpler. It made magic stronger. It made it different. The fire Lnd created hovered just above his outstretched finger. Being a bitrger than the fire of a torch, it took on the properties of creeping violet and otherworldly chill. It was heatless, purple in color, and was bright enough to cause sickly shadows to stretch into the forest. All of a sudden, thirty odd eyes stared at the trio, each small orb reflecting the unnatural me. The crows cawed again, this time causing all members to flinch and ready their weapons. Even the woman bleeding from the nasty gash on her arm prepared for battle. But Lnd didn¡¯t attack right away. No, instead he studied two things. First was the swordsman¡¯s Legacy Tattoo. He¡¯d seen the bear-trap depiction made of ink before and recognized the Lord in question. Lord of Poachers. While not a Vile Lord, the Poaching Lord had few friends among the heavens, least of which the Lord of the Hunt. Frostford had been gued by a gang of poachers nearly a year ago, Lnd surmised these must be thest of their ranks. But he hardly focused on that. Instead he stared at the ¡°W¡± brand the bleeding archer wore across her face. For as dark as it was in the forest, and despite heightened perception from the contract with the Lord of Chameleons, the dark-scarred brand was something he¡¯d missed. If he had seen it when he first appeared, there wouldn¡¯t have been any questions or preamble. ¡°Kneel before me,¡± he whispered, the words bleeding into reality like water being absorbed by a sponge. No sooner did violet me erupt from the ground, surrounding the trio like cornered beasts. The swordsman charged Lnd, but the heatless me seared his skin on contact. He bounced back, green mist leaking from his skin. The archers loosed a volley of arrows at him, but each failed to hit their mark, warping around him like space itself bent for his will. Less than twenty seconds passed before the trio fell to their knees, their final words being pleas for mercy. Lnd gave them no such thing, taking and adding their souls to his bare collection. Through all of this, Lodestar watched silently. Chapter 243: Showing Off Chapter 243: Showing Off ¡°How was the watch?¡± Jude asked upon waking. He rubbed his eyes, a small tearing out. Not a momentter, he was kicked back, guitar in hand and strumming along. ¡°Three dead. A Witch appeared.¡± He stared at Lnd, thest chord yed echoing into the early morning sunrise. ¡°You okay?¡± With a shrug, the Legacy of Curses pulled his shirt down a bit, showing off the Lord of Souls, or rather, his ne. Where the item was previously empty, and thus just a normal-ish looking ne, now the loop of jewelry glimmered with soul-green. Which wasn¡¯t far off of emerald green, albeit darker and with streaks of ck. ¡°Rebuilding the collection,¡± Lnd morbidly said, his words pandering for Jude more than himself. Killing wasn¡¯t something he wanted to do, but also, he wasn¡¯t afraid to. It was a strange dynamic, but one he had grown ustomed to. Hated killing, but understood it is sometimes necessary. Especially out in the wilds with no sort of jailhouse or justice system. ¡°You should have woken us.¡± Jude went back to ying, but his frown lingered. ¡°I woke Glenny. He rolled over and fell back asleep.¡± With a grunt, Jude activated the Mirage Fox¡¯s blessing, creating a duplicate of himself. Being a new Jude, Jude Two understood what the original wanted and expertly executed. Before sitting beside the original and fingering along on their flute, he kicked dirt on Glenny, waking him.¡°What was that for!¡± Glenny yelped, unsure which Jude to re at. The answer was given to him: both. As one, the mirage and original shouted, ¡°How could you just leave Lnd to kill three people? Next time, get up and help.¡± ¡°In Glenny¡¯s defense, I said I¡¯d handle it,¡± Lnd quickly interjected. ¡°Still, help next time.¡± ¡°Okay dude, okay. I will,¡± Glenny muttered, rubbing his eyes. A tear welled. Then, with a yawn, he asked, ¡°Who were they?¡± ¡°Poachers. Left over stragglers from the gang Isobel dismantled, I¡¯d guess. Must have heard that Gelo¡¯s in town and came to im her pelt or something. One was a Witch.¡± Lnd nced at the cub in question, finding her peacefully sleeping despite the loud voices and music. ¡°If you want to loot them, their corpses are about one hundred and sixty paces back that way.¡± The Judes and Glenny followed his hiked-up thumb, tracing the trees further and further back. ¡°See anything worth the effort?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Then I do not.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just leave them there,¡± Glenny said. ¡°Is there someway you can send a letter to Frostford to im them, Lnd?¡± He considered this, his eyes slowly trailing overhead where his promoted crow glided around in circles. Being a summoned ethereal creature, the bird hardly had to rest, which, when paired with the curse¡¯s newest effect, meant theoretically, the crow could remain in this realm for a long, long time. Though, that created more questions for Lnd. What happened when he fell asleep? Would it remain? How about distance? Could the crow take a letter back to Frostford from here? Could he summon the creature when it got to Frostford then resummon it a momentter, thus, in essence, teleporting it the distance instantly? Well, he supposed, no time like the present. With a flick of his wrist, a paper and pen appeared in hand. He quickly wrote a short letter detailing that a Witch''s corpse was left approximately in this location. He creased it and called down his crow. Itnded on his shoulder, its sharp talons like daggers to his skin. ¡°Take this to one of the guards on Frostford¡¯s wall,¡± he said to the creature, unsure if verbalmands were better than mental ones. Maybe that was the case? It wouldn¡¯t be the first time he had heard of something like that¡ª ¡°Is this the leader crow?¡± Jude asked, and when Lnd nodded, he continued, ¡°What did you name it?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°Oh good, I love naming animals.¡± He pondered for a moment, even to Lnd¡¯sck of enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can summon the same crow after I dismiss this one¡ª¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. ¡°Then I¡¯ll name that er.¡± Jude hummed. ¡°I think you¡¯ll be named us.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Zeke?¡± The crow cawed at that. ¡°Zeke it is!¡± Jude eximed. ¡°See Leals? This is how you be one with nature. You can¡¯t use them like tools.¡± Lnd gave a long, slow, dejected sigh. He made a point to seriously over exaggerate the motion, finally locking eyes with his bird. ¡°Are you sure you want to be called Zeke? I can pick something different.¡± It cawed, which Lnd was able to discern as ¡°it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Zeke it is then. If I have to resummon you, will it still be you, Zeke?¡± Another caw, this time it was much more wishy-washy. The bird didn¡¯t know. ¡°Figured as much. We¡¯ll seeter then.¡± And with that, Zeke took to the sky, a creased letter in talon. ¡°I like Zeke, he¡¯s a good bird,¡± Jude Two said. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s a ¡®he?¡¯¡± asked Glenny. ¡°Did you see the size of him? He¡¯s almost twice as big as Lnd¡¯s head! Male birds are usually bigger than female ones.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t actually know?¡± ¡°Trust me, I¡¯m good at animals.¡± ¡°Good¡­ at animals. What does that mean exactly?¡± Jude shrugged. ¡°You figure it out, Dandruff. Don¡¯t think I forgot you abandoned Lnd in his time of need.¡± ¡°It was hardly a time of need,¡± Lnd said, finding himself once again defending Glenny. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I had the battle in my hands the whole time. Everything went exactly as I wanted it to.¡± ¡°Brag about it.¡± He made a face. ¡°Yeah okay. I just might¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, that¡¯s enough, that¡¯s enough,¡± Jude said, switching from strumming his guitar to plucking. Jude Two adapted as well, changing to sweeping rises and falls. ¡°Think we should wake Gelo?¡± ¡°No need,¡± the bear said, a yawn escaping her maw. ¡°I¡¯m up. Oh! And check this out!¡± Gelo pushed forward her paw, showing off a dark patch of fur along her mostly white-blue fur. ¡°A Legacy tattoo?¡± Lnd asked, suddenly very interested. ¡°Your mom, I¡¯d guess?¡± ¡°Yup! She even let me help design the tattoo! It¡¯s a dungeon core!¡± The boys had to squint to understand that a circr patch of dark fur was supposed to be a dungeon core. As it appeared, most of the detail of the tattoo was lost when hair was involved. Normally, dungeon cores were sphere-like objects made entirely of mana and construct magic. They were the heart and soul of the dungeon, the overseer of monsters and loot. It was fitting for that to be the mark of the Lord of Dungeons. ¡°It looks great!¡± Jude said with an agog strum. ¡°I take it you had a Dream Ceremony?¡± ¡°Indeed I did,¡± Gelo yapped. ¡°She said Lnd¡¯s Lord suggested it!¡± Lnd was surprised by this news. She was always bending what appeared to be standards or tradition. What was a beast bing a Legacy? Not her problem! ¡°I¡¯m d,¡± he said, only to notice the patch of fur on her paw shift slightly. It moved like someone was twisting it upon its axis, morphing the dark hairs into blonde. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re a Champion too.¡± Gelo gasped, seeing the movement. ¡°What does it mean? Am I supposed to be doing something when it moves?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Mine usually pecks me and draws blood.¡± ¡°Your¡­ your Lord hurts you?¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Gelo looked at Glenny and Jude, receiving a shrug from each of them as well. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m also helping mom design the Legacy spells. Space is the element.¡± ¡°If you are looking for space advice, my dad¡ª¡± ¡°Not portals, but rather this¡ª¡± Gelo raised a paw, creating a simr blizzard as her mom had done for her earlier. With her other paw, she activated the spell they worked hard on. An odd wind and magic poured from her, the space around the blizzard suddenly bing slick. Snow and ice fell through the world, appearing somewhat simrly to mist around the group. ¡°It stretches whatever I want it to. In this case, I¡¯m making my mini blizzard bigger!¡± Jude, Jude Two, and Glenny lightly pped for the show, their shoulders and ears bing wet with frost. Lnd, on the other hand, leaned in, finding the process fascinating. Normally, magic appeared in strict formations. Naturally, magic contained itself until the point of breaking. A Fireball spell might balloon in size until it explodes, but while it balloons it stays within its natural formation ¨C that being a ball. The same idea worked for most other spells. There was a form the spell preferred, one that the caster often had to adhere to, otherwise risk breakage. Gelo¡¯s spell wasn¡¯t like this. To Lnd¡¯s naked eye, the wind of magic paraded through the open air, unconcerned about forming in a structured state. It didn¡¯t rush to repair weakened areas, it didn¡¯t try to smooth itself out. Could this be in part that Gelo was a novice at this particr spell? Yes, but he also couldn¡¯t ignore¡ª Wait, he thought to himself, finding a particr section of the spell different. Within the heart of the wind was a bead. A single point of structure. Like the patch of fur that was Gelo¡¯s Legacy tattoo, this single point rotated on its axis. It spun, twisting the magic wind along with it like cog and gears. That was the structured point¡­ which meant the rest of the spell just made Gelo¡¯s first spell bigger. Lnd nced all around, finding the stretched blizzard winding down. That was it. The natural structure of the blizzard had been interrupted, thus it was something he initially thought was incorrect. And in a way, it was. But it was also by design, clearly. He smiled. Magic was awesome. ¡°Can you make a spike of ice bigger?¡± Lnd asked. The cub grinned, excited to show off. Chapter 244: Renewed Chapter 244: Renewed Four dayster, as the boys and Gelo continued through the wilderness to the first of the two Tears, Lnd felt something stir inside his Legacy. ¡°Hold up guys,¡± he said, pulling out his grimoire. Opening the newest page, he found an updated contract. Cursed contract of the Lord of Magic (Renewed): Use: Gain ess to the spell Dual Mind Resonance. Dual Mind Resonance: While active, your brain splits in two, offering dual thought processes. Spell¡¯s duration is limited by proficiency and base contract duration. Return: Contact the Lord of Prismatic Evolution, the Lord of the First Druid, and the Lord of the Zephyr. Speak with them and attempt to end all of their Legacies¡¯ inquiry into the mana being released by the worldly Tear. Specifically, put a stop to the raids on the Lord of Magic¡¯s Legacies. Note: The Lord of Magic understands that this contract favors you in many ways. He is trusting in you not to take advantage of that. This contract is now active.This contract is renewable after one year. He hesitated, a churning pulling at his guts. Far and away, this contract was the one he dreaded the most. It was one thing to head blindly into a strange unnatural storm or assist a Legacy of Nature to destroy a Harbinger construct, but to stand before other Lords and barter for them to stop doing something? He just knew he wasn¡¯t going to make many friends doing this. But there was no time like the present. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he said to his group before muttering, ¡°Lord of the Zephyr, I humbly wish to strike a contract with you.¡± Why did he choose that Lord out of the three? The reason was simple. Zephyrs were supposed to be gentle, right? After traversing the Void, Lnd appeared in the Lord¡¯s domain¡­ and was blinded by the wind. Like an invisible fist punching him in the nose and eyes, he somersaulted backward, heels over head. Distantly, he felt the wind die back a bit, but the damage was already done. With a flick of his wrist, and the ever prevalent Lord of Nature contract, he tapped himself with a green-glowing finger. Relief was instant, yet the blood soaking his shirt was not. He groaned at the sight. ¡°Did I just get punched by the wind?¡± he whispered to himself, his voice catching and filling the area. It was then Lnd looked around. He stood before a temple of sorts, a massive structure made of white and sandy stone. Golden iys restedfortably on the many pirs keeping the roof in ce, the wind causing no sway or flex. A staircase sat before him and above that a doorway leading to an amphitheater. As the wind pushed at Lnd¡¯s back, he understood what the Lord of the Zephyr wanted, and he entered the amphitheater. Many times had he entered a Lord¡¯s domain and many times had he been surprised by the fa?ade the ce took. This was not one of those times. Sure, the ce looked nice. The stonework was well made and the scale of the area opened many possibilities. But the amphitheater reminded him of a different amphitheater his parents took him to when he was young. The event was a grudge match between two pit fighters. And even though magic was set in ce so that they couldn¡¯t actually kill each other, he remembered his mom being mortified by how much blood was spilled. Apparently ten year old Lnd was too innocent to see such a thing. His dad thought it was awesome, though. This ce was like that ¨C an oblong shaped area with seats trailing up a sloped curved. And while the one from his memory was built so long ago the stone had cracked and weathered away, this one looked brand new. Where the fighters might do battle stood a woman whose hair mixed with the wind. She smiled zingly at Lnd, her piercing eyes like cotton balls or clouds. Wearing armor that was slick with wind, the Lord of the Zephyr stood tall and firm. Hands outstretched and sped together, she pushed her cane into the sandy arena all the while keeping it perfectly in line with her nose. ¡°Cool armor,¡± Lnd said, his voice carrying over the wind. ¡°Very¡­ chic?¡± As the woman raised an eyebrow at the, what she considered to be, an infant, Lnd couldn¡¯t help slightly blushing at hisment. Her armor was made of wind. And it was cool looking. And it somehow, despite obscuring the true armor underneath, looked stylish. ¡°Apologies,¡± Lnd muttered, his voice still making it to her. ¡°I do not know much about style. M-my girlfriend has mocked me about this a few times, actually.¡± Gah, he cursed at himself. Now he was bringing Sybil up to a Lord he¡¯d just met? What was wrong with him? ¡°Charming,¡± the woman finally spoke, her voice oozing with a timeless grace. A sort of cadence that made flowers bloom and people stare. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Lnd, however, flinched slightly because her voice emanated from everywhere, almost like she herself was the wind. ¡°Hmm. Right. Lord of the Zephyr, my name is Lnd Silver and I¡¯vee today to speak with you on two matters.¡± ¡°Lnd Silver,¡± she tasted the name, her hands still sped tightly on her cane, ¡°Legacy of Curses. Grandson to the Cmity, son of two Legacies of magic. Acquaintance of the Lord of Magic.¡± She looked him dead in the eye. ¡°Or should I say, errand boy to the Lord of Magic.¡± Lnd made himself tear his gaze from her hair and his thoughts wondering how it blended into the air like it did. Instead, he wondered how she knew he was here on request for the Lord of Magic. Moreover, what did that mean for their negotiations? ¡°I like to think of myself as amissioned broker.¡± ¡°Uh huh. And what, pray tell, might you be brokering?¡± ¡°The Tears. Or better yet, the raids from your Legacies against the Lord of Magic¡¯s solidified im¡ª¡± ¡°The Lord of Magic holds no ims over a new world. That would be like me saying I have im over the wind on the moon!¡± Lnd paused. While he understood what she was saying, he still had to argue in favor of the Lord of Magic. ¡°He holds no im, you¡¯re right. Allow me to rephrase. Please stop raiding innocent Legacies who are just trying to understand this new world we are living in. Or rather, new worlds we are living in.¡± The Zephyr Lord¡¯s lip pulled back at the corner. She stared Lnd down, but there was no malice in the gesture. Was she actually considering his words? He didn¡¯t know. But how could she not? Everyone wanted a piece of the new worlds, that was obvious. But killing, maiming, or hurting each other for them? Mana was never destroyed. There¡¯s no point fighting over something that will never run out. But at the same time, he also understood it was a gold rush. An unprecedented event that would set the course of the world for centuries, or longer, toe. Why did the Lord of Magic get to dictate what everyone did with the new mana first? The real question though, was why he epted this contract to begin with. Again, his stomach churned. This wasn¡¯t what he wished to be doing with his power. Brokering deals between Lords? Why couldn¡¯t they just talk to each other? The Lord spoke up after a few moments. ¡°What my Legacies do is not my concern.¡± ¡°Even if they harm people just like them?¡± ¡°Again, it is not my concern.¡± ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t be a Lord.¡± The words slipped his lips before he could think about them. But as he watched both of the Lord of the Zephyr¡¯s eyebrows raise, her stoic face hardened into a brick, Lnd straightened his back and sealed his own emotions. He was right, in this regard, that, for a fact, he knew. It was a question he¡¯d had since way back in the port city of Shoutwell. Back then, the Sightless Cult had invaded, and innocent people were being wrapped into their ranks as pawns to be sacrificed. He especially thought of the Moonless Lord, the Lord who had no idea his Legacy was harming people in such a way, the Lord who gave him the tools to dismantle the cult¡¯s clutch on the city. But also the same Lord just said, ¡°kill my murderous Legacy and be done with it.¡± It wasn¡¯t verbatim, but he still had a contract to kill other Moonless Legacies who he found to be in simr situations. Lords just didn¡¯t care. To not know one of your followers was the scum of the earth? Witches? Murderers? Cult leaders? He was d he knew Gelo and was there for her ascension. She had asked him what a Lord was like, and he had told her. But he had also said not every Lord was like his perfect example. Only a breath had passed from when he spoke out of turn. Lnd felt he needed to patch things up or double down. He chose thetter. ¡°What¡¯s the point of being a Lord if you can¡¯t properly be a Lord? Your Legacies are your legacies. They are you. They are supposed to represent what you hold near and dear. And yet, you turn your back to them even when they are hurting people? They are raiding other people. But you have the gall to express that¡¯s not your concern.¡± Lnd spun on his heel. ¡°I¡¯d like to leave now. If that is going to be your attitude to an actual problem, then I see no realm in which I could ever get you to stop.¡± And yet, he didn¡¯t appear in the Void. He turned back around. ¡°Childish, aren¡¯t you?¡± the Lord of the Zephyr asked. ¡°Answer me this question, Lnd Silver. What does the Lord of Magic want with all of this new mana? Why should he get all of it?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t know the answer. He didn¡¯t need to. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I do know that more Tears are opening every day. Tears that lead into the same, mana filled world. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why, when there is plenty of gold to go around, people would be fighting over one vein.¡± He put his hand on his chest and teetered between the balls of his feet and his heels, ¡°To me, raiding someone in this situation doesn¡¯t seem like a grab for a scarce resource. To me, it seems like sabotage. And to me, I believe that the Lords of our world, in this troubling time, should be setting an example and showing their people that fighting over something so abundant is the wrong thing to do.¡± She let him finish his little rant. Then lifted her hand from where it rested on her cane. Before Lnd could figure out what was about to happen, he was cast away, back into the Void. And in those few minutes between the Void and the real world, all Lnd could do was stew in annoyance and anger. And when he arrived back to his friends, he realized he had two more Lords to contact over this matter. ¡°Woah,¡± Jude said, studying his friend. To everyone else, only a fraction of a second had passed since he announced he¡¯d ¡°be right back.¡± Though, to everyone, it was very easy to tell he had just been elsewhere. He was red in the face, glued into a scowl, and was almost stomping around. Not to mention the dried blood on his shirt where the wind had punched him. ¡°You okay there Leals?¡± He spun, finding Jude. With an exhale, he muttered, ¡°If you ever meet a Legacy of the Zephyr, don¡¯t trust them to be noble or nice.¡± But little did he know, across the world, those same Legacies were packing up and leaving for greener pastures on the advice from their Champion. A Champion who had not spoken with their Lord for some years, until today. Chapter 245: Hands Chapter 245: Hands With Lnd¡¯s sudden reappearance, the group took a small break. Luckily, for the boys at least, there was a perfectly good boulder to sit on. For Gelo, on the other hand, she much preferred to lounge in the grass. ¡°I¡¯d say another half-day until we make it to the Tear, or at least, the area the Tear is affecting,¡± Glenny announced, holding a map Aunty P had given them. ¡°From the looks of it, the actual Tear is out in the wilds somewhere.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Jude asked. He pointed at the map. ¡°Because there are no cities or towns on the map.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s not a small vige or something.¡± ¡°A small vige can still be out in the wilds¡ª¡± Everybody abruptly jerked their heads to the side. ¡°Everyone feel that?¡± Lnd asked, mentallymanding Zeke to fly over in that direction. Themander crow had done as ordered, promptly delivering a message about the poachers to Frostford. And luckily, when Lnd de-summoned the creature and resummoned it, Zeke appeared. And besides forming a connection between himself and the crow, Lnd was d to know the pseudo-teleportation trick worked. Since then, Zeke had been flying overhead of the group, always vignt. This time was no different. The boys and Gelo had run into a few monsters along their travels, although nothing substantial. Zeke had been the first to encounter those monsters, oftentimes shooing them away himself. This time was different. ¡°Oh,¡± Lnd muttered, tension suddenly forming in his spine and calves. He leaned forward and closed his eyes, slumping into his crossed legs. ¡°Let me just¡­¡± As he trailed off, his perceptions changed. In a way, he was looking through Zeke¡¯s eyes, but also not. Frankly, when he thought about what exactly he was doing, his brain started to ache. So he just didn¡¯t do that. Instead, he let instinct take over, trusting in his birdpanion to show him what he needed to see. Trees, dozens of them, bent or broken at the stump. Mangled bodies of mundane animals, a few decapitated corpses of monsters. Lnd was able to recognize a few of them. Rotws, beasts that often dug through excrement and dposing remains. Forest worgs, wolf-like creatures with the intelligence of a particrly dull human. Andstly, a will-o¡¯-wisp. Thest one made him pause, momentarilying back to himself. The others were staring at him. ¡°Something just wrecked part of the forest. Many monsters and the like, dead¡­ and there¡¯s a will-o¡¯-wisp.¡± Glenny¡¯s eyebrow rose. ¡°Are you sure? Could you see through Zeke¡¯s eyes?¡± ¡°Yes, and sort of. It¡¯s very strange because it was a single will-o¡¯-wisp.¡± ¡°Maybe the others were taken out?¡± Jude asked despite not feeling the question needed to be asked. ¡°There¡¯s no way,¡± Glenny said, shaking his head. Gelo tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s a willy¡¯-eo¡¯wisp?¡± ¡°Will-o¡¯-wisp,¡± Lnd rified, ¡°are monsters. Kind of. It has long been decided that they are more like inherent emotions given form with magic rather than evolved minds. They gather together and form smallmunities. Most people ignore them since they are generally harmless. They don¡¯t do anything because they have the instinct to do it, they¡­ do.¡± ¡°Like jellyfish,¡± Jude supplied. ¡°No, not like jellyfish. Jellyfish, at a bare minimum, know they need to eat, and do. Will-o¡¯-wisp are more like dead jellyfish floating with the current.¡± Gelo looked between her friends. ¡°What¡¯s a jellyfish?¡± As Jude began to exin, Lnd focused once again on Zeke. The crow was still scouting the area, taking long sweeping turns to view everything he could. Lnd, however, asked him to focus on the will-o¡¯-wisp. With the difficulty of looking through a bird¡¯s eyes, he found the monster in question. It was indeed alone, its streamer-like body slowly moving through the trees like a long cloth being wrung out after being dipped into ake. It was light blue in color, a shade that normally warranted friendliness and general eptance. But not in this case. The will-o¡¯-wisp was blue-hot, its entire body, which was entirely made of mana, was the temperature of an alchemist¡¯s me set to full burn. And yet, nothing was on fire. Scanning the area, Lnd was surprised to see not a single scorch mark. Under normal circumstances, will-o¡¯-wisp usually remained stationary, living together in small burned-down sections of the forest where the ambient mana was high. It was one thing to even see them, if invading their home wasn¡¯t your goal, but it was another thing to see one alone far from home. It was then Lnd remembered something he and the Lord of Magic had talked about. With the addition of new mana to this world from the Tears, monsters were going to be stronger. And by bing stronger, they would be more temperamental against other monsters they normally would hold no interest in. Territory lines would be recast, a new dynamic would surface, and the food chain would change. But that created the question, just what had killed the rotws and worgs, and more importantly, what forced a will-o¡¯-wisp from its home. All of this waspounded by the simple fact that they were near a Tear. Which meant the closer they got, the more dangerous monsters would be out and about, right? Lnd shook his head, recalling Zeke back to the group. ¡°Something is happening with the ecosystem,¡± he said to the group. He took a second to feel the air, which only added to the theory. ¡°The ambient mana feels stronger here. Meaning we¡¯ve entered the affected area of the Tear.¡± ¡°What does that mean for us?¡± Glenny asked, d to get off the ¡®jellyfish, is it a food?¡¯ conversation the bear and brute were having. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°For now, be more vignt. Monsters may start bing more aggressive. As I understand it, world Alpha has nothing in it. So there shouldn¡¯t be any new kinds of monsters we have to worry about.¡± ¡°We should pick up the pace, in that case.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hey that rhymed!¡± The others ignored him, Gelo asking, ¡°Are we in danger?¡± Ruffling his eyebrows a bit, Lnd answered, ¡°No. Even if the monsters in this forest were empowered by the new mana, there¡¯s nothing here that should cause us a fuss. Although¡­ whatever did that to the will-o¡¯-wisp has me worried. There were decapitated worgs, too.¡± ¡°Decapitated? Like by sword?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°More like by w.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Would the extra mana make monsters more intelligent?¡± Lnd stole a nce at Gelo. ¡°I¡¯d say so. At least, that was how I understood beasts to grow in power from what Floe taught us.¡± He shook his head, his mind trying to wander. ¡°Ah, whatever. The four of us can handle anything this forest has.¡± Jude leveled a re. ¡°Now you¡¯re the jinx.¡± Not impressed, Lnd said, ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯d rather be informed and a jinx than to wander into the forest blindly.¡± He peered at the sky. ¡°We should get moving. When we set up camp for the night, I think it will be time for a negotiation-spree.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Gelo asked. ¡°It¡¯s sort of like the shopping-spree we had at Frostford¡¯s food market, but instead of delicious food, I¡¯m going to be negotiating spells and abilities from Lords.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± the cub¡¯s eyes went round. ¡°I forgot to mention! My mom said to wait a bit longer to contact her because she still doesn¡¯t have anything to offer you yet!¡± Every night, when Gelo fell asleep, she had been transported to the Lord of Dungeon¡¯s domain to do Champion work. That meant she was assisting her mom in designing Legacy spells and abilities. From the way she exined it to the boys, Gelo mainly watched on the sidelines as her mom did spatial magic, addingments or praise when necessary. Altogether, the family duo had created the second spell within the Dungeon Legacy¡­ which Gelo had yet to properly unlock. For Lnd, Jude, and Glenny, unlocking their abilities came with living life, making realizations about themselves or growing in power. But for the cub, the only option for her Legacy was proficiency in space magic. Which meant things were going to be slow for her. ¡°No problem,¡± Lnd replied. ¡°I¡¯ve got to figure out my ultimate-healing spells anyways.¡± Deciding to focus on healing first, he had made a list of potential Lords that could help him in this regard. Four spells was all he needed, although he technically could get by with three. Healing Touch from the Lord of Nature was a great spell, but he felt it should remain independent from the ultimate-healing. ¡°You really need a better name for that than ¡®ultimate,¡¯¡± Glenny said, which prompted Jude to nod in agreement. Giving a shrug, Lnd said, ¡°Script-spells? Sequence-spells? Burst-spells? Burst attack? Burst healing?¡± ¡°Burst sounds dumb, Leals.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Script attacks and healing it is, then.¡± ¡°No, that sounds worse.¡± Glenny quickly shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. Burst and script are better than ultimate. That just makes you sound like a ten year old.¡± ¡°And script sounds more mage-like. More schrly,¡± Lnd finalized. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m going with.¡± ¡°Erm? What does scripts have to do with it?¡± Gelo asked. ¡°It¡¯s referencing enchanting script,¡± he said, receiving a t look. ¡°Runic script? Spellforge script? Ward script?¡± He swallowed a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a technique toyer multiple magicalmands into the same enchantment or rune system.¡± ¡°Ohhhh,¡± the cub purred. ¡°I was never taught that.¡± ¡°I can¡ª¡± ¡°Nope! Already got too much to work on now, as it is! Iceheart and space magic aren¡¯t going to learn themselves!¡± She brushed into his leg. ¡°Thanks though.¡± Lnd smiled. ¡°No worries.¡± Victoria stared down at her palms, her sleek white parasitic gloves stained red. She didn¡¯t dare look at the source of the blood, she didn¡¯t dare acknowledge her victim. But as the minutes grew and as her thoughts continued to whittle away at her insecurities, her eyes slowly nced over. Maybe it was the nerves. The anxiety. Maybe it was the excuses. Like a soft voice in her head telling her it wasn¡¯t her fault. Maybe it was the warm blood going cold. The stench of death infiltrating the small room. Maybe, just maybe, she¡¯d wanted to do it. She¡¯d been pushed and pushed. Pushed slightly too far this time. Her eyes found the body, his throat torn out, his chest broken inward. Inquisitor Eli. Dead. Beyond repair. She started with a giggle, her bloodied hands slipping against her scalp to slick back her sweat-filled hair. Now that Victoria was looking at the body, she idly wondered how she was ever afraid of such a weakling. Her giggling grew louder. The voice in the back of her mind grew louder. The investigation had ended. Her crimes had been found out. If she got a trial, surely they¡¯d argue for execution. If not, a life in the dungeons. She couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. Go down fighting, that was what she had been taught her whole life. Crime, streets, darkness. She stole from the wrong people too many times. The wrong powerful people. It wasn¡¯t her first murder, but the ones before, she¡¯d hardly ssify as murder. Self-defense maybe? They stole from her, and she was only taking revenge. They were street-trash. People whose lives were lower than hers. People who, if they disappeared, no one would care. That was why she was mark-less. That was why she was never branded as a Witch. No one cared about the murders. It was strange to Victoria, her crimes. She¡¯d killed, yes, but that wasn¡¯t why she had the Inquisitors after her. It was the gloves. Her biggest score of her life. A parasitic item unbound to a host. A priceless item taken from the rich. The giggling continued. And maybe, just for a moment, Victoria¡¯s senses came back to her. Covered in blood, a dead body lying next to her, she came back to her senses. She mped her mouth closed, she held her breath. She didn¡¯t dare make a sound. And yet, the giggling continued. ¡°Who!¡± She spun, knocking the chair out from under herself andnding in the pool of blood leaving the Inquisitor¡¯s body. ¡°Blood is quite thick and sticky, isn¡¯t it?¡± The voice wasn¡¯t hers. But there was no one else in the room with her. It was only her and the dead body¡ª ¡°And me,¡± the voice chimed, reading her thoughts like they were its own. Victoria¡¯s head swiveled down, her open palms filling her sight. Dyed red, the parasitic gloves pulsed with hunger. They vibrated on her fingers, stretching and constricting all the while pulling at her skin. Pain scrambled across her face as she screamed. Horrid, horrid pain. The giggling transcended to cackling, and for but a moment, Victoria felt connected, truly connected, to her biggest score. Their minds intertwined, human host and parasitic weaponized soul. ¡°I-I-I¡ª¡± Her words never came out, the parasite deciding now was as good as any. She thrashed as it took over her body, her own soulcerated until it could slip through her former skin. With a sickening jerk, the parasite took over, ending all unnecessary movements. Its new heart stopped. Its new hair ceased growing. It giggled, its voiceing out as feminine. With a nce down, the parasite said, ¡°Thanks for breaking her. Good luck in your next life.¡± The dead Inquisitor did not respond. With a flick of its new nose, the parasite turned and faced the sunset. It sniffed, the scent of abundant mana overwhelming. It exited the room, uncaring of its bloodied body and took off toward the mana source. Chapter 246: Valley Chapter 246: Valley That night after camp was set up, Lnd decided it was time. ¡°Lord of Vitality, I humbly wish to strike a contract with you.¡± After traversing the Void for a minute or two, he appeared, his boots instantly bing soaked. He didn¡¯t sigh or mutter anything, but Lnd did wonder why things like this keep happening. Just one time he wished for a Lord¡¯s domain to be something normal... well, he supposed the Lord of Magic¡¯s was nice. Why can¡¯t they all be a grand library orboratory? he asked himself with a subtle headshake. Looking around, he was standing in a puddle of water that just crested the bridge of his shoe. If his rubber heels were slightly taller, then his shoces wouldn¡¯t have gotten wet. When he realized this, this time he did sigh. He hated walking in wet socks. Looking past the water¡­ there was just water. As far as the eye could see was water. Although, pure darkness, like a starless night, consumed the horizon. But oddly enough, light still illuminated the area. He could see himself and his reflection just as he could see the water dozens of paces away. Small ripples came from Lnd¡¯s movements, and it was then he looked deeper. Below the water was smooth gray stone. Just stone. No cracks, no veins of sediment, nothing. Always something weird, Lnd said to himself. Always. ¡°You havee.¡±He turned, more ripples rushing from his feet. A man sat atop the water, a thinning beard sporadically growing from his chin and cheeks. The man kept his eyes closed, but Lnd hardly noticed that. Instead he looked at the man¡¯s starved dark skin, his protruding ribs and his caved stomach. The man was shirtless, his arms like sticks, his legs simrly weak. But despite this, Lnd felt only power ¨C elemental vitality. Why he thought of elemental vitality instead of the Lord of Vitality, he didn¡¯t know. But here, within an infinite puddle, that was all he felt. Longevity, health, vivification. The man was old, perhaps as old as the Lord of Curses. An original Lord, one before the Cmity. And somehow, all Lnd felt when he looked at the man was vitality. ¡°You have noticed,¡± the Lord of Vitality said, opening one eye. His voice was cool and smooth, like the very puddle he sat on. There were no ripples, none besides the few Lnd was making. Lnd almost staggered, his legs went weak, his mind teetered. Yes, here, this man wasn¡¯t just a Lord, but he was vitality. Perhaps he was beyond a Lord. Perhaps this man was what true bing one with the elements was. The man closed his eyes, and the power washed away from Lnd. ¡°Y-you¡¯re nothing like the other Lords I¡¯ve met¡­¡± The man considered this, each second stretching like the time between birth and death. ¡°Perhaps. Or perhaps you have met some on their first steps to bing like me. What is a little time?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t want to answer, but feltpelled to anyway. ¡°Everything,¡± he said, ¡°everything.¡± The man nodded. ¡°Ask for what you wish, and you shall receive.¡± ¡°A-and in return?¡± ¡°Nothing. I have all I need.¡± ¡°T-then I ask for the knowledge of how to be like you!¡± Answering such as this hurt Lnd. Seeing this Lord¡¯s power, he wanted a spell or ability for his script healing spell. But the change was too good to pass up. Again, the man considered this. ¡°No,¡± he said, his voice as t as paper. ¡°Ask again. And quickly, I wish you to leave.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°A healing spell or ability. Something that I can use to protect myself and others.¡± ¡°It is done.¡± A few minutester, he was back at camp. And as much as he¡¯d like to sit around and think about the man he¡¯d just met, he had things to do. He nced around, making sure everything was still in order, then muttered, ¡°Lord of the Pure, I humbly wish to strike a contract with you.¡± From the Void, Lnd arrived in a temple made of clouds. But before he could look around or get a feel for things, a woman with eyes like miniature silver suns appeared. ¡°You are un-pure. You are not wee.¡± And just like that, Lnd was back in the Void and the camp a momentter. With a sigh, he unfolded a piece of paper that was in his pocket and crossed out the Lord of the Pure. ¡°There goes that¡­¡± he whispered with a mocking re. To his side, he noticed Gelo tilt her head at him. ¡°I¡¯m un-pure,¡± he said at the same volume, knowing she could hear him. She gave him a look he could only take as sympathetic. ¡°Lord of the Mending me, I humbly wish to strike a contract with you.¡± Back to the Void he went before entering the Lord¡¯s domain. Luckily for him, he appeared before a wooden door with a little window about eye-height. He looked around, finding a quaint little cottage a few paces from the tree line of a twilight forest. Smoke gently bellowed from a chimney overhead, the smell of baking cookies wafted through the air. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Now this is what I¡¯m talking about,¡± he said to the door, standing on his tippy toes to peer in. Then he realized that was rude and knocked. The door swung open, revealing the Lord of Mending me in all her glory. Standing a head and a half taller than Lnd, the woman smiled surreptitiously at him. Skin the color of hot embers and as rough as lizard skin, a forked tongue flicked from her teeth before darting back inside her cave-like mouth. Horns jutted from her forehead, each curling in and slightly upward. Between her horns was the famous Mending me, a deep amber me that was neither hot nor cold. Just standing a few steps away from her, Lnd felt his dry skin smooth and hydrate. His aching feet felt as though they had been massaged by a professional, and the irritation from his belt rubbing awkwardly on his hip disappeared. But the me wasn¡¯t what made him pause. ¡°You¡¯re draconic.¡± A chuckle escaped her leathery lips. ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Does that mean we have to fight?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°What did my brother do?¡± she sniffed the air, ¡°Yes. I can smell him on you. The Lord of the Draconic, what did he gift you?¡± ¡°Wings.¡± ¡°Wings, of course.¡± She sighed, audible and with the stress of an older sister watching their younger brother do something stupid. ¡°Fine, fine. He¡¯s an adult. He can do as he wishes¡­ And to answer your question, no, we do not have to fight.¡± ¡°But I thought the Draconic Curse made those afflicted fight for dominance?¡± ¡°It does. But our power levels are nowhere near each other. The curse might make us fight, but it doesn¡¯t want us to kill each other. If that was the case, there would only ever be one draconic.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that¡ª¡± She cut herself off, looking off to the side. ¡°I¡¯m not going to make him do that,¡± she spoke to the open air. ¡°Is that the Lord of Curses?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°No. It is my brother. He wants you to kneel to me.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°You should not. Do not give in to that man¡¯s whims. He¡¯s a fool.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± They stared at each other for a moment before the Lord of Mending me said, ¡°I baked cookies for your arrival. Would you wish to snack with me?¡± And just like that, Lnd was inside the Lord¡¯s home eating cookies with milk while sitting on a couch made of goose feathers and soft leather. While gathering the tter of cookies and pitcher of milk, she asked him questions over his journey thus far. ¡°I¡¯m investigating Tears as well as securing them from people who may want to exploit them¡­ or teenagers who are curious, I guess. There¡¯s probably going to be a few of those.¡± The Mending me Lord nodded. ¡°Sounds like an adventure. But what about more recently? I smell two of my siblings on you. Both powerful, but one much more¡­¡± ¡°Ah. That would be the Lord of Vitality and Lord of the Pure.¡± Lnd dipped a cookie. ¡°I was kicked out of the Pure Lord¡¯s domain before I could even say a word.¡± The draconic woman chuckled. ¡°That sounds like her. Always a prude, that one.¡± ¡°What about the Vitality Lord? He felt¡­ strong.¡± ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ve never had the pleasure of meeting him. A recluse, that one. But you are right. He is old and powerful. Some say he is the oldest. What was his gift to you?¡± Lnd blinked at the question. He hadn¡¯t even checked yet! How forgetful was he! Taking out his grimoire, he read the page aloud. Cursed contract of the Lord of Vitality: Use: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Imbue life, is granted. Only usable once per hour. Return: Nothing. Imbue life: Type: Spell (Mist) Rank: Equivalent to Harbinger Halo¡¯s rank Imbue life. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s it?¡± Lnd asked, reading and rereading the two word description. His face devolved from confusion to disbelief before the Lord of Mending meughed. ¡°No, my sweet young mortal. That is an amazing spell. You have been truly gifted!¡± His eyes flicked down to the page. ¡°Have I?¡± ¡°Indeed! Indeed! Think about it like this, ¡°Imbue life¡± has many, many meanings while something like ¡°Imbue life into a target, healing wounds,¡± is far and away more constrictive. The shorter the spell¡¯s description, the more open it is. Not to mention the spell and its description are the exact same. Does that make sense?¡± As if the wool had been removed from Lnd¡¯s eyes, he stared at the page, a smile slowly creeping to his lip. A nervous chuckle welled from his gut, and he forced himself to take a sip of milk to cool himself off. To be gifted such a spell, then to have another Lord exin how lucky he was? He closed his tome, silently putting it away. ¡°I can see you are flustered.¡± Lnd flinched at her words, swallowing as deeply as he could. This was unlike him, but then again, he had also just met a man who may be one of the strongest beings in current existence. He shivered. ¡°I have decided I need to¡­¡± his words trailed off. ¡°I think I should go to sleep for the night.¡± The Lord of Mending me smiled. ¡°Of course. Shall we get down to business before you go?¡± Lnd agreed, exining his script spells and asking for something that would pair well with Imbue Life. The draconic woman put her elbows on the table, staring at him with eyes made of golden amber. ¡°A reasonable request, but one with increased stakes. Should I offer you something too weak, you might find the rtionship between my offer and Imbue Life to be less than savory. Too strong, and you will never unlock the fathoms of potential Imbue Life has.¡± She paused, turning to the side. ¡°If you came to me for an attack spell, I know of just the one. But s, you have not. Matters not, however, I know what I will offer.¡± Reaching to her forehead, the Lord of Mending me took her pointer finger¡¯s nail and cut vertically just above her eyes. There was no blood, no pain. But there was power. Aura, Lnd recognized the feeling of overwhelming authority. It made his knees weak and his arms go heavy, but he had long grown used to the struggle. Dealing with Lords had its perks sometimes. From her cut, a third eye appeared, this one made entirely of crystalline amber. There was no iris, nor focus. It was a gem, embedded in her skull like how an enchanter may sew magic into tattoos or piercings. ¡°This is called a ¡®Heartgem,¡¯ and I shall gift you a kindling version of your own.¡± She smiled, pointed teeth and all showing. ¡°For a price, of course.¡± ¡°Before we talk terms, I have a question. My friend Gelo talks about ¡®Iceheart,¡¯ and how it is the name she and her mother, the Lord of Dungeons, use when referring to true elemental ice. Is Heartgem within the same vein?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± sheughed, pping the table. ¡°Who would have thought people still refer to the Hearts! Amazing what information remains after millennia.¡± Lnd sucked in a breath. ¡°And what are the terms?¡± ¡°Oh nothing serious¡­ I have a quest that needs to be done. Recently I¡¯ve tried implementing a new, global strategy regarding healing isted towns and viges.¡± A knot formed in his stomach. He just knew this was going to be a big ask. ¡°I¡¯ve already tasked my Legacies with this same quest, but they often are homebodies like me, so the effects of my strategy have been nearly zilch. The task is simple, Lnd Silver, Son of the Cmity, Vagrant Warden of the Palemarrow Kingdome, Guardian Harbinger of Curses¡­ All I need from you is to try, it matters not if you seed, but try to convince towns, viges, anywhere isted, not to blow out their candles during birthday celebrations. Tell them that the mes of their candles will radiate healing until they fully burn out.¡± And just like that, the knot in Lnd¡¯s stomach unraveled. ¡°That sounds reasonable¡­ and noble.¡± Chapter 247: Spells Chapter 247: Spells To say that obtaining a Heartgem was painful was an understatement. In the moments before Lnd was cast into the Void, the Mending me Lord operated. She started by flicking out her finger, a bead of power forming like sweat along the tip. Long sharpened nails stylized the bead, providing a backdrop of terror along with astonishment. Lnd stared at her finger, the warmest, coziest wave of tion filling his body. Mentally, he knew that if she wanted to, that single fingernail was enough to kill him. But his body didn¡¯t listen. He moved, practically crawling over the table, to follow her finger as she waved it through the air. Milk spilled, cookies crumbled, and more power consolidated. Then it stopped. And Lnd came back to his senses. ¡°Uh,¡± he cursed, finding his knee wet with milk and gooey chocte. ¡°What just happened?¡± Despite the mess, the Mending me Lord didn¡¯t anger nor punish. Instead, she said, ¡°You¡¯ve just witnessed what you might call meheart mixed with Healingheart and a drop or two of Lifeheart, Happinessheart, and Vitalityheart.¡± Her words, while obviously important, rebounded off Lnd as he found his abandoned seat. And perhaps focusing on the wrong aspect of her answer, he asked, ¡°There are that many -hearts?¡± ¡°There are thousands of hearts.¡± ¡°Is there an Axeheart? Or Daggerheart?¡±¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ that means there is elemental axe and dagger.¡± He leaned back. ¡°And why was Ipelled to crawl over the table?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Because, well, opposites attract.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t do that thing all of my mentors seem to do ¨C answer something with very unhelpful riddles.¡± Again sheughed, the amber me between her horns growing in size just as her eyes turned to slits. ¡°I do as I want! I am a Lord!¡± Lnd waved a hand. ¡°And please don¡¯t do that thing Lords do ¨C pretend to demand respect as a joke.¡± Her eyes returned to normal, but her smile pulled back until it was like a cat¡¯s. ¡°ying with fire, Mr Silver.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. So this ¡®opposites attract¡¯ thing.¡± ¡°It is simple. You know souls. Death, decay. You know how to fight, you understand how to kill.¡± ¡°And I also know a bit about creating. I¡¯m out of practice, but I was taught basic enchanting and runes. And I know healing. Lord of Nature¡¯s Healing Touch.¡± He cast the spell as demonstration, tapping himself a few times with a green finger¡­ which he realized was simr to how the Mending me Lord created the Heartgem. On her finger. She broke him out of staring at his finger. ¡°It seems you have made a realization.¡± ¡°Maybe. Does my¡ª¡± ¡°Not answering. Every journey is different.¡± Lnd sighed, purposefully making it long and loud. ¡°See, now you are doing that thing all mentors do where they hint at something, but make the mentee figure it out themselves, quoting a ¡®journey¡¯ or ¡®path.¡¯¡± She reached out, taking one of thest intact cookies. ¡°Yes, yes I am. And there are reasons for that, and not just because I think you could figure it out. For all I know, you may try your whole life and fail. I do it because my journey was different from what yours will be. Interfering with yours will only be a detriment to you.¡± He thought about that for a second. ¡°Fine. Continue about the ¡®opposites attract¡¯ thing.¡± She raised an eyebrow. He quickly added, ¡°Please?¡± With a nod, she continued, ¡°You are death. I am life. The Heartgem I made is my magic, my elemental foothold.¡± She waved her finger and his eyes snapped to it. There he saw it, a grain of sand the color of amber. ¡°Cultivate it and it will bring all answers you seek.¡± Before Lnd could respond, she spoke onest time before sending him to the Void. ¡°Sorry about this next step.¡± He couldn¡¯t so much as blink fast enough at her movement. One moment she was chomping on a cookie, the next she had her pointed fingernail impaled in his forehead. There was pain, sure, but since she was the Mending me Lord, that pain was gone before he could finish blinking. ¡°And like that, you now carry a Heartgem. It will adapt to your own element soon enough, all the while providing you with a sliver of mine. Your healing spells, when you utilize your Heartgem, will be amplified.¡± ¡°I-I¡ª¡± Lnd felt his forehead. Just as expected, a grain of sand was stuck to his skin. Or rather, in his skin right where the Lord of Mending me¡¯s own was in her skin. ¡°But before you go,¡± she pped him on the back. ¡°That was for making a mess in my home. What a rude guest you were.¡± As he hurtled through the Void, he rapidly tapped himself with Touch of Healing, finding the pain to remain. He screamed into the nothingness, his back seared with a five fingered handprint. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. But despite his own pain, the parasite living on his back had it worse. Lodestar understood the message the Lord had presented him. Lnd had protection. Silently he thrived in agony, his thoughts on his wayward host. What to do, what to do. ¡°Lord of the Sanguine Surgeon, I humbly wish to strike a contract with you.¡± Lnd appeared in the Lord¡¯s domain fearing the worst. With a name like Sanguine Surgeon, he was half expecting aboratory full of chopped up bodies and bloodletting stations. Luckily, that was not the case. Appearing in a dark dining room, one by one candles lit themselves highlighting a set table and steaming food. Soon dozens of mes filled the room, which seemed to be the perfect amount for the presiding Lord. Lnd only noticed him because of the slight shimmer of dancing me in his eyes. Seated like a statue, the Lord rested his head in his palms, his elbows set on the table. He stared at Lnd like an eagle tracking the movements of a rabbit, his facial featurespletely obscured by shadow and darkness. Lnd found himselfpelled to sit. A te of rare roast beef sat before him, along with an overfilled ss of red wine. There were no vegetables, he noted, only bloody, rare meat. And wine. Movement caught his eye, the Sanguine Surgeon held his hand out, taking a golden chalice. He sipped from it, still staring at his guest. ¡°Despite what you might think,¡± he said, his voice solitary and cold, like a dog let out in the kennel one too many times, ¡°this drink I have served is not blood.¡± That was not what Lnd was thinking at all, but now? Now he suspected it was blood. Who would feel the need to make the distinction? It was then he realized. Sanguine Surgeon? Rare meat? Blood-wine? Shadowy, dark windowless room? He cursed internally. Where are the windows!? Not breaking from staring at his guest, the Lord saw Lnd and all of his confusion. ¡°Might you¡­ might you not have known about what I used to be?¡± ¡°What did you used to be?¡± Lnd asked, his voice choppy like ake during a thunderstorm. ¡°A bloodsucker.¡± ¡°Are you going to suck my blood?¡± ¡°No.¡± He repressed a sigh of relief. Why was he scared of this Lord again? Dinner, politeness. Assurance. Lnd kicked himself, and picked up his ss of wine. Overexaggerating the motion of drinking, he made fully sure the drink smelled fruity before sipping. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I should hope so. It was incredibly expensive and magical in nature. You will not have to use the facilities for three months if you finish that ss.¡± Lnd took another sip. ¡°Thank you. I should have brought you a gift.¡± The Lord raised a hand, the darkness alluding to nothing but silhouettes and shadows. ¡°Think nothing of it. I do not entertain many guests¡­¡± ¡°Because of the bloodsucker thing?¡± ¡°It holds an unsavory reputation. But in thest two hundred years, I havee to realize drinking blood is a gue.¡± ¡°And gross,¡± Lnd added. ¡°Don¡¯t knock it until you try it. The good blood was¡­ divine.¡± Suddenly, Lnd didn¡¯t want to take another sip of anti-bathroom wine. He set the ss down, finding the meal before him also unappetizing. ¡°Forgive me for not eating,¡± he said, ¡°the Lord of Mending mes baked cookies.¡± ¡°No matter. I will bag it and send it home with you. Breakfast of champions, some might say.¡± The Sanguine Surgeon Lord cleared his throat. ¡°Shall we discuss? As I understand it, you wish to heal.¡± ¡°Yes. Something that would go well with a Heartgem and Imbue Life from the Lord of Vitality.¡± Lnd couldn¡¯t see it, but the Lord raised an eyebrow at the other Lord¡¯s name. ¡°An interesting request filled with formidable hazards. Unfortunately nothing I could offer has quite the same umph as Imbue Life¡­¡± ¡°What about something that harmonizes with it instead of rivals it?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ An interesting proposal. I suppose, in case of proper wounds, you might appeal to improper spellcasting. A safeguard for protecting one¡¯s body in war? Sounds ster.¡± Lnd went to respond, but the Lord spoke over him. ¡°The spell I can offer is called Prepare Body. Used by my Legacies to prepare patients for amputation, the idea is simple. A tense body responds to magic improperlypared to a rxed body.¡± ¡°The spell changes a person¡¯s mental state?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°No. It does nothing physically or mentally. It only opens your body to the proper ways of healing magic. For example, preparing an amputated nub of an arm to receive regenerative magic at ater time. Prepare Body would maintain its equilibrium until that point. But for you, it would be instant, allowing Imbue Life to properly activate to its fullest degree.¡± ¡°That sounds wonderful. What do you ask in return?¡± ¡°It is simple,¡± the Lord said, for the first time leaning into the light. A hearty scar crested his left eye and two sharpened fangs lowered from his top set of teeth. ¡°I want you to kill a Lord.¡± Lnd didn¡¯t react for multiple seconds. Then his face devolved. The Lord interrupted his worry with augh. ¡°I am only kidding! No such requirement is necessary. I ask for something much easier. I wish to try the wine of these new worlds. Gather some, and offer it to me. Three bottles from each intelligent society.¡± ¡°So that would mean twelve bottles in total?¡± asked Lnd,pletely ignoring the fact he had just been pranked by a Lord. ¡°Since there are three intelligent races from one of the worlds and a single race from the other?¡± ¡°Yes. That sounds reasonable.¡± And with that, the Lord of the Sanguine Surgeon talked with Lnd for a few more minutes all the while trying to goad him into eating the meal and drinking the wine. The battle was well fought on both sides, but ultimately both considered it a win. Why? Because Lnd¡¯s stomach was empty but his hands were full. Bags of food rested in his grasp as well as mugs of wine filled his inventory ring. A short trip through the Void ended as abruptly as ever, plopping Lnd down in the camp. Both Jude and Gelo sniffed the air, finding the sudden divine meal hand delivered to them. ¡°Leals?¡± Jude asked. ¡°You sharing?¡± Lnd shoved it all off on Jude, though he kept the wine secret. It was good, and as long as it was wine, he supposed he didn¡¯t mind drinking it. With that out of the way, he marked his list of Lords and moved on to the next one and the one after that. Chapter 249: Sand Chapter 249: Sand It¡¯s head twisted to the side, a faint, almost untraceable burst of mana had just erupted. It squeezed its new fingers and toes, clinching them with the fascination of a newborn kitten waiting to feed. A sound was present, giggling. Diabolical and unrestrained, it sprinted off toward the burst. Luckily for it, the burst was in the direction it was already heading. That only made itugh more. ¡°Good show, Leals!¡± Jude said, pping his hands. Glenny and Gelo followed along, though Gelo couldn¡¯t really p, so she created an orb of ice that constantly broke apart and refroze together. The sound produced was reminiscent of pping, if in an echo chamber surrounded by ss shards. All around were web-like constructs made of mist and mana. Jude blew on one, destroying it and its connected webs like a dandelion against the wind. The webs stretched high into the sky, nearly eclipsing Zeke as he flew overhead and far into the woods such that the dark night turned into a foggy mess. Lnd didn¡¯t react to either the pping or the webs. Instead he stared at where his hand was mped to his arm, freshly healed skin underneath. But in truth, he wasn¡¯t really looking. Like a dream forgotten by morning, Lnd struggled to fill his mind with memories of the power he was so close to touching. It was there, right there, and yet, it was half a world away, hidden beneath insight and understanding. He was close. So close¡­ Jude pped right in front of his eyes. ¡°What!?¡± ¡°You okay, dude? You were spaced out.¡± Looking around, Lnd only found worry. Between Jude, Glenny, and the oddly easy-to-read Gelo, tension was front and center. None were sitting, each standing quite close to him and staring like they had just seen a moose grow wings and fly. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Lnd closed his eyes, trying onest time to gather what he had just lost. He exhaled,ing up empty. ¡°I was close to something¡­ realizing something big.¡± ¡°Something like what?¡± ¡°Something¡­ something like power beyond exnation.¡± ¡°Rule,¡± Gelo whispered. As her eyes darted around to each of the boys, they all waited for her. ¡°My mom talked about it once. Iceheart, elemental ice, is just part of a Rule. I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Lnd leaned forward. ¡°Please. Tell me more.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. She only said it matter-of-factly when referring to Iceheart and how her technique of achieving it wouldn¡¯t help me.¡± He leaned back, tasting the word, ¡°Rule. Rule. A Ruler.¡± He found the cub staring wide-eyed at him. ¡°Would you call your mom a Ruler of Ice or Cold?¡± She nodded, the motion hardly noticeable. ¡°I¡­ would¡­ but I don¡¯t have any reason for it. Other than instinct.¡± Jude spoke up, ¡°I¡¯d trust your instincts.¡± ¡°As do I,¡± Glenny offered. ¡°Magical bear and all. Kind of goes with the territory.¡± ¡°Can you ask her about it?¡± Lnd asked Gelo. ¡°When you see her tonight?¡± ¡°We were supposed to go over the third spell of her Legacy¡ª¡± She stopped herself. Just a few minutes ago, Lnd looked as healthy and happy as ever. But now, he had thick dark bags under his eyes and his posture made him look like a m. ¡°I think this may take precedence. I¡¯ll ask her.¡± ¡°And any help on finding these Rules, please¡­¡± His voice faded away, but he still mouthed words. Lost words, words that could have been. He shook himself. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can sleep now. I¡¯ll take first watch.¡± In the end, Lnd didn¡¯t sleep at all. He didn¡¯t wake anyone to take over and he didn¡¯t once feel like he should sleep. His body, despite his mind being in tatters, was as fit and charged as possible. Like he had just woken up after a nap in a regenerative river, he felt good. A side effect of Imbue Life, he supposed. But in practicality, a way to stave off sleep. Still, the utility was good. He was d to have the spell. In the morning, Lnd took an extra long time with his morning exercises. With the Lord of Endurance¡¯s contract required to be filled every morning without a good excuse, running through trees was something he had grown used to. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Lord of Endurance: For the duration of the contract, if used whilepletely exhausted, each running step provides a small addition to your base stamina. Contract is usable once per hour. Steps: 3,500 With his new script healing spells, Lnd ran for nearly an hour utterly exhausted. Each step could have been hisst, but the unabashed gift that was healing magic pushed him until he grew bored. By the end, he decided a nice round number was best to stop on, any more and he might feel guilty. He was abusing the contract, he knew, so he didn¡¯t heal himself out of thest sprint. The fatigue, the burning in his lungs, the dryness of his throat and mouth, he¡¯d live with them. Otherwise, what was the point? In battle, he¡¯d be exhausted and healing might not be an option. He could almost hear Isobel¡¯s words on the matter, ¡°Forgetting how to function in that state would only be a death sentence!¡± He chuckled to himself, idly wondering where she was. He didn¡¯t dwell long, knowing she¡¯d show up when she did. ¡°Ready to move out?¡± he asked once back at camp. Everything had been put away, breakfast had been munched on, and Jude and Glenny were arguing about something dumb. Gelo greedily rushed to Lnd, promptly chiding the others for being slow. They began to argue while walking. But eventually they stopped and Jude summoned Jude Two. Together they harmonized on harmonica and flute, guitar being too difficult to walk and y. At lunch, they stopped and ate. Leftovers from the Lord of the Sanguine Surgeon. Lnd ate jerky made by some stall owner in Ivory Reach instead. By midafternoon, the air had be akin to a marsh. At least to Lnd and Gelo. It was the mana, bothined. The mana was thick, humid, and itchy. Both took to casting mana-hungry cantrips or spells to protect themselves from the environment. Jude and Glenny? They didn¡¯t have this problem. Gelo soothed herself by way of maniption practice. Taking a note from Lnd, she crafted, maintained, and animated a flock of crows made entirely of ice. They pped their little frozen wings, mimed cawing at each other. She even made one peck at the ground like a chicken. Of course they flew, but not of their own power. When Gelo wanted them to take to the air, she levitated the chunks of ice like she raised a bolt of ice before firing. Lnd, on the other hand, practiced something his mom had taught him weeks ago. Memory Recall was a cantrip that did as the name implied, allowing the caster to perfectly recall a memory. Initially, he wished to learn this because an Archon had spoken to him in the Archon Valley. It spoke anguage he didn¡¯t know, which is why he took a contract with the Lord of the Lexicon. Lord of the Lexicon: As a passive effect, all knownnguages trante directly in your mind to your most fluentnguage. For the low price of acquiring a few reading materials from the new worlds, Lnd would understand allnguages. Paired with Memory Recall, he was determined to learn what the Archon said to him. But now, he had a second reason for learning the cantrip. He was so close to this¡­ Rule, to the realization that would unlock not only true power but also understanding of therger world. Harbinger Ashford came to mind when he thought about it. That man was the most powerful mortal he had met. And still he was forced to do his Lord¡¯s bidding. While Lnd didn¡¯t think the Lord of Curses to be that malicious, the point still stood. Ashford was forced to kill, decimate, and conquer all for a Lord locked away. The loss of agency made Lnd¡¯s skin crawl. Not to mention the fact that there were people out there stronger than him. He may not fight a Lord ever again, but he was under no illusions that he wouldn¡¯t kill again. Probably on this trip, even. Making sure he had the power to protect himself and his friends was paramount. Especially if threats like Ashford lurked in the shadows. An hour before sunset, they arrived at the Tear. Or, well, what they figured was the start of the Tear. The journey had primarily been through sporadic woods, thin tall trees with branches that stiffened against the wind and harbored plenty of life. Bugs, birds, monsters. At least, until they came across a patch of gray sand randomly among the trees. Like a scrunched circle, the sand simply was. As if the world chose a point to insert the sand, a single tree had been split into dozens, each sliver of bark and wood hanging around the periphery of the sand. Dirt, soil, broken branches, everything natural in the woods had been pushed away to make room for the sand. The boys and Gelo stood at the edge, their boots and paws inches from the sand. ¡°Who wants to go first?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Me!¡± Jude shuffled his toes past the point of no return, touching the sand. Nothing happened. ¡°Come on,¡± Lnd said, motioning the others to follow. ¡°Aunty P told me that a small fort was set up near the center of the Tear. We should meet them before dark.¡± And with that, they traveled quickly, passing other random patches of sand until they came upon the Tear proper. ¡°Whoa,¡± Jude said in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s like the Mirage Desert all over again.¡± Sand, gray and dark, as far as the eye could see. With a border made of trees, a gentle breeze kicked up sand spray and dead leaves, turning the edge of the sudden desert rather cluttered. ¡°I disagree,¡± Lnd said. ¡°The Mirage Desert was rolling dunes of sand.¡± He gestured forward. ¡°This is t.¡± Perfectly t, like walking across a farmer¡¯s field. They stayed at the edge for a few minutes as Zeke scouted ahead. When the crow eventually found the fort, the group started their trek. ¡°Wasn¡¯t something supposed to happen after an hour? When exactly does that timer start?¡± Jude asked. ¡°When we enter the Tear,¡± Lnd said, swallowing. ¡°So either we haven¡¯t actually entered, or we¡¯ll be finding out soon.¡± Jude rubbed his hands together. ¡°I hope it¡¯s a monster. I¡¯m bouncing for a fight!¡± Being the nearest to him, Glenny epted the responsibility of the moment and punched him in the shoulder. When Jude cursed in pain, Lnd quickly said, ¡°Maybe we should start stabbing you when you say dumb things. You¡¯ve already proven to me that stabbing is okay as long as you learn something from it.¡± A bead of sweat formed on the back of Jude¡¯s neck. With a nervousugh, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? Leals? Hello? You¡¯re kidding, right? Leals?¡± Chapter 250: Sand Castle Chapter 250: Sand Castle Apparently the group was not ¡°in¡± the Tear because after an hour, nothing at all had happened. That wasn¡¯t to say things didn¡¯t happen. Monsters were prevalent, the increased mana making them frenzied and the tndscape making them easy to kill. What good was a monster the size of a horse if the monster was killed from dozens of yards away by a bolt of ice? But besides urrences such as that, nothing happened. Eventually, the group found the small fort hidden in the center of the sand. Made of dark sandstone, probably the same sand on which they stood, the fort stood with four walls, a roof, and a battlement. It was square, simple, and well-fortified. Trenches had been dug, reinforced, and left to protect the fort by way of simply being in the way. Walls had also been erected around the structure, each as tall as the trenches were deep. Magic was obviously involved, but Lnd saw no signs of enchantments, protective runic patterns, or invisible traps. ¡°I guess they have a sand-mage of some sort,¡± he told the others. ¡°Legacies of Magic could do it. I suppose there may be a specialization within the Lord of Sand¡¯s Legacy as well.¡± ¡°My dad could make something like this if given enough time,¡± Jude said. Roy Brown was a Legacy of the Bastion, a defense focused Legacy that mainly worked in meleebat. Shields, bulwarks, and even using their bodies to protect others. But like most Legacies, sometimes the use cases for very specific spells or abilities were second to none. ¡°It would be built out of mana, not sand,¡± Lnd said. ¡°True. But he could do it.¡±At that, the group finished their journey to the fort, Gelo easily making the trek past the trenches and over the walls.. With her talent in maniption, ice bridges and frost hills were like boiling chickenpared to sauteing. ¡°HALT!¡± They did, expecting themand earlier if they were being honest. Looking up, they found the source of the voice standing tall on the roof of the fort. Behind the man were three others, each standing high upon the battlement. And while the three weren¡¯t actively harboring spells or drawn arrows, they weren¡¯t rxed either. ¡°This area is off limits by order of the Palemarrow Queen!¡± the man shouted. Jude nudged Lnd and whispered, ¡°Hey that¡¯s your girl!¡± Lnd gave him a death re, stepping forward two paces. He quickly found the yelling man, mentally sizing him up. The man was tall with a strong build and not nervous whatsoever. A veteran of the military, Lnd supposed, a man ustomed to working in unfamiliar ces with unknown and unvetted people. And while he decided the man deserved respect, it was obvious to him that the man was not the one in charge. No, that role was assigned to the woman standing a half-step away, her frame hidden by the battlement¡¯s shadow. She was very simr to the man. A veteran warrior, a leader within the Palemarrow military. Confidant and graceful, someone who oozed authority and respect. And that was exactly what she did. Instead of yelling at Lnd and the others, she ordered her right hand to do it for her. Why harm her own voice when she could, instead, study the neers and strategize in case of attack? Still, there was a way things were done, and Lnd wasn¡¯t one to go against that¡­ well, he was, but there was no reason to currently. Not yet at least. ¡°Vagrant Warden Lnd Silver andpany here on orders from Queen Sybil Palemarrow herself!¡± he shouted. ¡°I sent a letter!¡± When the group was about thirty minutes from the fort, Lnd had sent Zeke with their letter of introduction from Aunty P. The crow had been spotted instantly and was nearly shot from the sky by one of the three on top of the battlements, but ultimately one of them noticed the paper tied to his leg. From there, Lnd was able to watch through Zeke¡¯s eye as the birdnded, had the letter taken, and was shooed off. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The yelling man was holding a crumpled piece of paper, but at Lnd¡¯s words, he fully crushed it into a ball. With a mocking toss, he threw the ball at Lnd, itnding only a few yards from the fort¡¯s wall. ¡°Written words mean nothing here! Forgeries are asmon as banditry!¡± Lnd felt a vein push against his skin near his temple. ¡°And how would you prefer us to announce ourselves¡ª¡± ¡°If the Queen presented you herself! That¡¯s a good start!¡± The quip came fast, almost too fast. And yet, Lnd hesitated to say his own. The letter was signed, notarized, and magically sealed by Aunty P in such a way that it could only be opened by the leader of this little fort. If there was any question of authenticity, well, there shouldn¡¯t be. If banditry was truly the worry, how would the would-be bandits even know where to deliver the letter? It wasn¡¯t addressed like an envelope sent through the post. Which made Lnd circle back to just how fast the man¡¯s response had been. It was almost as if the man was practicing¡­ Lnd spun on his heel, facing his friends. ¡°Okay, they are messing with us. Probably Aunty P trying to test me. Or us I suppose, but I piss her off, so I¡¯m going with me. That said, they are going to give us a hard time on entry unless we can prove we should be here and that we¡¯re not some stupid kids.¡± ¡°I agree with it being Aunty P,¡± Glenny whispered, ¡°but why do you think we have to prove ourselves?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Seems like something she would do.¡± ¡°More like something Isobel would do,¡± Jude added. ¡°That too. They are very simr, if I¡¯m being honest. With a few differences, though.¡± ¡°Which are?¡± Smirking a little, Lnd said, ¡°I actually like Isobel. Aunty P? I¡¯m indifferent. The whole, ordering my death thing really hurts, you know?¡± Gelo coughed, her breath icy. ¡°What are we doing here then? How do we prove ourselves?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t so much as nce back at the fort. ¡°We walk in. They obviously want us to do something, otherwise they would be shouting at us right now or attacking if they thought we were bandits. But they are waiting for us to make the first move.¡± ¡°What if they attack when we start to walk in?¡± Still facing away from the fort, Lnd said, ¡°Then we kill them. For all we know, they could be bandits. We were sent to secure this area until more people arrived.¡± He said it just a bit louder than he had previously been speaking. Figuring that the people on the fort were listening somehow, Lnd gave arge wink when he finished speaking. They weren¡¯t going to kill anyone but rather give the illusion they may. ¡°Or I could just make us invisible,¡± Glenny suggested, referring to the newly added utility to his Legacy. Chameleon¡¯s Camouge was the ability¡¯s name, and under previous circumstances, it only made himself invisible. But with his most recent Legacy evolution, he now had the option to make allies invisible as well. The only issue was that for allies, the invisibility wasn¡¯t perfect. Glenny had practiced it a few times with the others, but everyone agreed that the effect wasn¡¯t going to fool anyone. Not until he was able to rank-up the ability a few more times. ¡°We could¡­¡± Lnd said, trying not to be too down on the idea. ¡°But I think that¡¯s overkill. All we have to do is walk in.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Leals. That seems kind of stupid, I mean just look at them,¡± Jude pointed to the fort, ¡°they have something to protect. Something to lose. They wouldn¡¯t risk it on people like us.¡± ¡°See, that¡¯s where you are wrong. We are people who could threaten them. We didn¡¯t get put on this quest because we are pushovers. We¡¯re here because we fought and killed the Sightless King and Ashford. Us. Not them¡ª¡± Lnd threw his hand back, gesturing at the fort. His arm flopped back to his side. ¡°Look, maybe I¡¯m wrong about this and my head is messed up and thinking the way Isobel would think. But I don¡¯t think I¡¯m wrong.¡± ¡°We should vote,¡± Glenny suggested. ¡°Walk in, or figure something else out.¡± ¡°Fine by me. Walk in?¡± Lnd raised his own hand. He was the only one. His face fell a bit, but there was no point in stewing on it. He wasn¡¯t the leader of this group by any means and he desperately didn¡¯t want to force himself into that role. ¡°Alrighty then,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy,¡± Jude began. ¡°First we send in Jude Two. He¡¯ll act as the distraction while¡ª¡± ¡°Stop.¡± The group looked up at the fort, the woman Lnd suspected to be the leader had stepped out of the shadows. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough. Come in before I tell my archers to fire on you for being boring.¡± She paused a moment before locking eyes with Lnd. ¡°And wee to the Sand Castle, Vagrant Warden.¡± Lnd held his tongue. He¡¯d been right, but again, this wasn¡¯t something he needed to be petty about. The others could have been just as right as him. Saying ¡°I told you so¡± would only sow seeds of animosity. Still, he felt he needed to say something. ¡°Sand Castle,¡¯ is that really the best name they coulde up with?¡± Chapter 251: Soldiers Chapter 251: Soldiers ¡°Sand Castle¡± was just as small on the inside as the outside. Lnd was hoping for some space magic shenanigans, maybe a spell that made the inside of something bigger than the outside. But there was no such luck. If such a spell existed, he supposed it would be under a highly specialized Legacy. Though he couldn¡¯t help but look at Gelo when he thought this. Maybe he should make a suggestion for the Legacy of Dungeons. But that was forter. Right now, he had hands to shake. The first hand he shook was Brigadier Dis, the yelling man from the roof of Sand Castle. Up close, Lnd pulled apart the man¡¯s appearance, solving the question of Legacy, specialization, and weapon. The man was tall and lean, but with plenty of strength to back up his choice of killing. The man was a melee fighter like Jude or Glenny, who opted for fisticuffs rather than axe or dagger. Around these parts, Dis¡¯ Lord was known as the Lord of Savagery. Elsewhere, the pugilist Lord was known as Lord of Brawling or the Lord of Knuckles. Regardless of the name, the Lord was rather famous all over due to the number of his Legacies that fought in martial arts tournaments or in underground arenas. There were even tournaments held specifically for Legacies of Savagery, which pitted everyone on equal footing. Wearing a padded military uniform made of brown and ck leather, thickbat boots, Dis looked like a warrior without armor. His sleeves stopped at his elbows, which contrasted with the usual military dress of long sleeves. The reason why was apparent enough. Burn scars, from his wrist to his elbow. The man was a fire-pugilist, a Legacy of Savagery specializing in ming punches. ¡°They hurt?¡± Jude asked when he shook the man¡¯s hand, he and the Brigadier measuring one another¡¯s strength with a simple game of squeeze. Unfortunately for Dis, Jude¡¯s pain only meant he was growing stronger. With muscles clinched and a face that betrayed nothing, Dis separated his hand from the bersker¡¯s. ¡°No. Got these scars well before I came of age.¡± He rocked his head to the side, cracking his neck. ¡°Lord of Savagery liked them so much he offered to make my punches catch fire.¡± While surprising Lnd and Glenny, Jude only nodded. ¡°Seems like a stand up guy.¡± ¡°Eh,¡± Dis said. ¡°You¡¯d be wrong.¡± Maybe for some, casual sphemy would be a big deal. But to the group, no one so much as batted an eye. Although, Gelo did stare at the man. ¡°Why¡­¡± she quietly asked, ¡°why would you want to produce mes and not ice?¡± Dis flinched at the bear¡¯s words. ¡°A talking bear!? A summons?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m a person just like you! See! Legacy of Dungeons!¡± Gelo held up her paw, showing off the slowly osciting circr tattoo. ¡°A Champion!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± she beamed, preening like an exotic bird in front of a group of tourists. ¡°So watch what you say about me!¡± Dis¡¯ eyes slowly shifted to Lnd, the person he considered to be the leader of this little posse of stranglings before him. ¡°Is she a shapeshifter?¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°I bet she¡¯ll answer you if you ask her.¡± Gelo waited, teetering on her front legs as the moment came and passed. Dis shook his head, summoning the trio of soldiers waiting in the backdrop. Wearing matching uniforms, the three soldiers who were standing on the battlements stepped forward. Two of the soldiers looked exactly the same ¨C twins, unless it was just one person who held a simr ability to Jude¡¯s mirage. They were male, fit with narrow shoulders andzy eyes. Between looking at their guests and the floor, which was more interesting to them was not apparent. The third soldier was the exact opposite. Short, female, brimming with life and smiles, the woman¡¯s eyes darted from Gelo to Lnd back to Gelo then to Jude and Glenny. Long hair tied back in a ponytail, she practically skipped forward and thrust her hand out to Lnd. ¡°Knight Bulldog at your service, Vagrant Warden, Sir!¡± Lnd took his hand back slowly, afraid the woman was going to bite him. With a personality such as hers and a nickname such as ¡°Bulldog,¡± he couldn¡¯t be too careful. He¡¯d already seen what ¡°the Huntress¡± could do. Without missing so much as a beat, she crouched in front of Gelo. ¡°So are you a shapeshifter or an actual bear!?¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°I¡¯m a bear. Gelo, nice to meet you.¡± Paw and human hand sped. ¡°Wow! Never thought I¡¯d be shaking hands ¨Cpaws ¨C with a bear! What a crazy world!¡± She whipped her head to Glenny. ¡°And I¡¯ve never seen a person made of shadows before! Cool cloak! Is that a parasite¡ª" Brigadier Dis loudly cleared his throat, making Bulldog spring to her feet. ¡°Oh right, I should introduce my brothers! We¡¯re triplets, you see! They got all of the magical abilities, and I got the personality!¡± Sheughed. ¡°Introduce yourselves Grain, Giant!¡± ¡°Knight Grain,¡± one said. ¡°Knight Giant,¡± the other said. Brigadier Dis loudly cleared his throat, again. ¡°Knight Grain, Legacy of Magic. Specialty in sand and fortifications. I created Sand Castle.¡± ¡°He never left the sandbox as a kid!¡± Bulldog quickly yelped. ¡°Knight Giant,¡± said the other brother, ignoring his sister and staring at the floor. ¡°Legacy of Avatars. Specialty, area of effect, long range denial magic.¡± ¡°He summons a giant thing to fight for him!¡± Bulldog added. ¡°It is not a ¡®thing,¡¯¡± Giant muttered. ¡°It is an amalgamated avatar.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big strong thing!¡± Dis, even louder, cleared his throat. ¡°That¡¯s the team, I suppose.¡± He pointed up at the ceiling. ¡°I guess there¡¯s the Captain, but she¡¯ll make her own introductions when she¡¯s done dealing with the current situation.¡± ¡°Current situation?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°There¡¯s a monster rushing toward Sand Castle carrying two dead will-o¡¯-wisps as weapons.¡± Glenny¡¯s eyebrow raised. ¡°Weapons, how?¡± ¡°As whips.¡± Sighing, Lnd said, ¡°On our way over, I scouted a single dying will-o¡¯-wisp and a bunch of decapitated monsters.¡± Dis gritted his teeth. ¡°That¡­ is the Captain''s problem.¡± ¡°Err, what?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the Captain we¡¯re talking about.¡± Bulldog¡¯s hand shot to the ceiling. ¡°Oh!¡± she screeched, ¡°I forgot to exin who I am! Knight Bulldog! Legacy of the Hunter! I specialize in long range arrow¡ª¡± Lnd had his face in his hands. The other boys were in simr states. ¡°Is something wrong!?¡± Bulldog asked, her head tilted slightly. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± Lnd smirked to himself. ¡°It¡¯s just that we know a rather famous Legacy of the Hunter. Ever heard of the Huntress?¡± Bulldog gasped. ¡°I sure have! She¡¯s, like, my icon! I wish to be like her when I¡¯m her age!¡± ¡°Well,¡± his smirk turned sinister, ¡°I know some people. Maybe I can schedule you two a time to meet at some point. She loves teaching, I¡¯m sure she¡¯d give you some tips.¡± Both Jude and Glennypletely agreed with their friend¡¯s course of action. Although, Gelo wondered if Lnd was trying to punish Isobel or Bulldog. ¡°That would be amazing! I just love putting an arrow through my enemies! It¡¯s like my favorite pastime!¡± All three boys lurched at her casual sentence. Gelo, in that moment, decided the punishment would be for Isobel, not Bulldog. Clearing his throat again, Brigadier Dis¡ª ¡°Sir are you sick!? You¡¯re clearing your throat a lot!¡± The mask of stoic neutrality Dis wore never cracked. ¡°I just might be.¡± He looked at Lnd. ¡°Please, I¡¯ll show you to the bunks. Dis showed them around the ce, which wasn¡¯t much. Instead of inspecting the small mess hall and kitchen, Lnd diverted his attention to Zeke. The crow had been perched on top of the battlement, overseeing the area. And as Lnd peered around, he almost jumped. Staring at Zeke from only inches away was the Captain. She looked at the bird from several angles before grunting and looking back off into the distance. Lnd looked as well. From Zeke¡¯s eyes, he couldn¡¯t see the monster approaching, but he could feel it. When he focused on what the bird was seeing, he could vaguely make out a beast of ck fur with two long streaks of blue following it in tow. ¡°There you are,¡± he heard the Captain say. ¡°Just a little closer kitty. Come ¡®ere little kitty.¡± Lnd supposed the monster was some sort of cat. ¡°Oh what a beautiful creature you are.¡± She sighed. ¡°But monsters always perish.¡± Herst word had been a power word, like Lnd¡¯s own fracture. Magic spun from her fingertip before sting across thendscape. A beam of ck mana split the t desert in half, as well as the monster. Lnd watched as the beast died, cut in half from the shoulder to waist, from a vantage over an hour away by foot. He made a note. Make a contract that lets him attack from such a distance. With the monster¡¯s death, the Captain rubbed her hands and turned her back on that second of the sand. Then, she spoke. ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± Zeke hopped, twisting around to find the subject of the question. A big crack appeared in the distance. Within the crack, the dark night sky was gone and was reced with blood red. Lnd instantly knew what it was. The Tear. Zeke cawed. Chapter 252: Dispute Chapter 252: Dispute The Captain strolled down the stairs, Zeke on her shoulder. At her presence, the grunt triplets and Brigadier Dis hopped to attention. They stood stiff, like stone walls, until the Captain signaled to cut it out. Everyone rxed, going back to whatever it was they were doing. It was then Jude, Glenny, and Lnd stood from their seats. Gelo was sniffing at a stained cooking pot, her snout crumpled like a shriveled apple. ¡°I¡¯m Captain Tar.¡± ¡°Jude.¡± ¡°Glenny.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Gelo!¡± Lnd crossed his arms. ¡°Was I right?¡± he asked, eyeing the woman. Standing just shorter than Jude, Captain Tar had hair like the sun. Golden, warm, piercing, three attributes that were not shared with her eyes. Her eyes were ck, simr to Glenny¡¯s ¨C minus the white flip flopping ¨C and she stared nkly like a dead fish. Without care or concern, she stood, watching Lnd like he was watching her. Then she sighed, revealing a piece of crumpled paper ¨C the letter of introduction from Aunty P. ¡°You were,¡± she said. ¡°You were to be tested.¡±¡°And if we were to just walk in?¡± ¡°You would have been allowed in without us fighting back.¡± Lnd gave himself an invisible pat on the back, finally stretching out his hand. ¡°Aunty P¡­ doesn¡¯t like me.¡± Tar put her hand out as well. ¡°I know. She ordered your execution, Harbinger.¡± Thest word was said with animosity, enough to make Lnd slowly retract his hand and Jude, Glenny, and Gelo to frown. The others reacted with a bit more¡­ animation. Jolting, Grain and Giant stopped rubbing polishing oil onto their boot, both staring wide-eyed. Bulldog sprung to her feet, having been sneaking up on Gelo for some reason. Even the Brigadier suddenly found the room to be slightly too ustrophobic, inching away so as to not involve himself with whatever his captain was posturing to do. ¡°Yeah that¡¯s me,¡± Lnd said, forcing the bubbles in his stomach down. ¡°Guardian Harbinger Vagrant Warden Lnd Silver, son of two Royal Inquisitors, andtechnically your boss while I¡¯m here.¡± He left off a few titles, but figured that was fine. His point came across to everyone, even the Captain¡¯s bored expression tilted slightly into intrigue. He was more than a Harbinger, and that was cause for respect. Jude and Glenny rxed while Gelo scampered away from Bulldog. ¡°You¡¯re not my boss. Captain outranks Vagrant Warden.¡± ¡°I think the hierarchybels us as equal ranks¡­ but since I was sent here by the Queen herself, I¡¯m in charge.¡± Captain Tar¡¯s lips curled slightly into a snarl. ¡°Oh? And just what is it you were sent here to do?¡± ¡°To secure the Tear.¡± ¡°Looks secure to me.¡± She gestured around the small fort. ¡°My team and I have it handled. It¡¯s not like this Tear has monsters pouring out of it like some of the others do.¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not here to worry about monsters.¡± ¡°Then what? The civilian aspect? Trust me, if anyone gets near the Tear I will know. I put faith in my eyes and ears.¡± ¡°Captain¡¯s already shooed away dozens of adventurers and researchers!¡± Bulldog yelped, quickly getting a stern re from both of her superiors. ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯ll be quiet.¡± ¡°Our mission is to secure the Tear,¡± Lnd began, ¡°and I have it under good authority that something is going to happen in this Tear.¡± The Captain scoffed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing but sand across the Tear. Trust me, I¡¯ve been across a few times now.¡± Zeke cawed, drawing all eyes to him. He hopped off the Captain¡¯s shoulder, flying up and out of Sand Castle. If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Interesting familiar you have¡­¡± she whispered, staring at the bird with her ck eyes as he began circling the fort. ¡°I think he was bored,¡± Lnd said. ¡° I don¡¯t really care if you don¡¯t believe me. And I guess I should say this for rity: I don¡¯t care about being the leader here. My team and I are here mainly to prove to Aunty P we can be trusted¡ª¡± ¡°And because we wanted to fight some monsters!¡± Jude injected. ¡°¡ªThat too. Suffice it to say, tomorrow we are going into the Tear. And something is going to happen. Can I count on you and your team if that something is bad enough that we need assistance?¡± When his captain didn¡¯t respond, Brigadier Dis asked, ¡°You said you had it under good authority something would happen. Just whose authority are we talking about here?¡± Not seeing a reason to hide this particr piece of information, Lnd said, ¡°Lord of Beasts.¡± ¡°Lord of Beasts? How do you¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s for me to know, and you not to know.¡± He leveled a stare at the pugilist, almost daring him to argue. Captain Tar stomped her foot. ¡°Stop trying to intimidate my men, Harbinger Lnd Silver. Otherwise I will take you and yours out.¡± The air went thick, just like the Captain¡¯s name. Lnd was reminded of High Inquisitor Rushwin and how he used aura to intimidate. Compared to his, Tar¡¯s was pitiful and mundane. Still, Lnd saw the looks of difort on Jude and Glenny. Interestingly, however, Gelo didn¡¯t seem to mind too much. But despite Tar being weaker than Rushwin, a threat was still a threat. There was no reason to hold back when his friends were in the firing line. He took a step forward, his eyes suddenly brimming with violet fire. Magic fueled his body and he, in turn, fueled it back. His lips began to tingle, powerwords waiting to be spoken. Kneel before me, that was all he had to say. It was thest three words Tar would ever hear before her soul was ripped from her still-warm corpse. But he held his tongue. There was no need to escte, not when the power dripping off of him was enough ¨C cold, unabridged dread. For the Captain and the Brigadier, Lnd focused the majority of his forewarning. The siblings? He allowed them a taste, enough to cause their legs to shiver. ¡°Harbinger, Harbinger, Harbinger,¡± Lnd listlessly said, as if his magic wasn¡¯t drawing emotions of terror. ¡°See, I¡¯ve met Harbingers before. True ones, not just by title. The first one, he stabbed me using a dead old man as a puppet. He¡¯s dead now, I killed him. The second¡­ was the mastermind behind the attacks on Sybil Palemarrow at Ruinsforth and the leading force that destroyed part of Ivory Reach. He¡¯s also dead now. Again, by my hands.¡± Lnd locked eyes with the Captain. ¡°So, let me be very clear. I do not care about you. I, frankly, don¡¯t care about Aunty P¡¯s little quest nor her immature tests. I¡¯ll y nice, for now, mainly because I¡¯m in love with her niece, but my patience only goes so far when my friends are threatened.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°I¡¯ve been hunted by people far scarier than you. I¡¯ve killed beings far worse than you. I¡¯ve talked to monsters, true monsters, ande out with more power than I entered with. I do not want to throw my power around, especially against people who are supposed to be my allies, but if my title of ¡®Harbinger¡¯ is uttered one more time as an insult or dig, I will make sure you know what a true Harbinger is capable of.¡± He leaned back. That was it, wasn¡¯t it? He¡¯d proven himself again and again, but being titled ¡°Harbinger¡± was still the only thing people saw. That¡¯s what Aunty P saw. That¡¯s what Captain Tar saw. Quests and tests, how many did he have to do before people treated him like a decent human being? He¡¯d saved the whole dang city! He¡¯d brought Sybil home! He¡¯d protected her when he could have easily ran! To be looped in with the likes of that Toy Maker Harbinger and Ashford? It wasn¡¯t fair. Lnd sucked in a deep breath, reeling himself in. His power subsided, freeing Tar and Dis from their invisible shackles. ¡°I¡¯m not a Harbinger,¡± he whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that again.¡± And with that, Lnd strolled off, Jude, Glenny, and Gelo following closely behind. They exited Sand Castle and found a nice t spot right against its walls. They¡¯d camp here for the duration of their stay, something Lnd apologized for again and again. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± he told his friends. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t let stuff like that get to me. Between threatening me, you guys, and the whole ¡®Harbinger¡¯ thing¡­ I think I snapped more than I meant to.¡± Jude patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I didn¡¯t want to share a bunk anyway.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize people calling you a Harbinger upset you,¡± Glenny said. ¡°It didn¡¯t. Not before a few weeks ago. Not before Ashford¡­¡± ¡°I get it. You don¡¯t want to be lumped in with him.¡± Lnd nodded, feeling Gelo brushing up against his leg. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind sleeping outside. I like looking at the stars¡­ not to mention, I think that Bulldog chick was trying to cuddle with me or something.¡± Lnd cracked a smile at that. ¡°If it helps, you have everyone¡¯s permission to freeze her hand off if she tries to touch you.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± Jude said. ¡°Yup,¡± Glenny added. Gelo trotted around. ¡°And! Now that we are outside, I can practice my magic more! I think things worked out fine!¡± Good. That was good. Lnd said, feeling at home with his friends. He closed his eyes, finding the peace of sleep not long after. ¡­except, he wasn¡¯t alone here. A presence, he noted, was here. One that felt like an empty well, like a hole in his soul. Or a puzzle missing a piece. Dreamily, Lnd smiled to himself. He liked puzzles. Chapter 253: Memories Chapter 253: Memories Asleep, Lnd moved through his dreams like a gnat through jelly. With a singr goal in mind, he pushed and pulled, shimmied and twisted, any and everything to make the pieces fit. To him, they appeared like droplets around the brim of a mug. Small, almost insignificant, pieces of a whole. He named these pieces dust. The dust hovered around that presence he found in his soul. The presence was empty, and what better thing to fill it with than dust, he questioned. It was the only other thing around, other than his actual soul. It was strange, seeing his own soul. Here, inside his body, inside his dreams, it wasn¡¯t green. At least, not in the traditional sense. There was no color, no physicality. Floating vibrations of consciousness and personality, that was what it truly was¡­ but also no. Lnd never saw himself as a philosopher, but here, staring at his soul, he wondered just what a soul was. He stole others¡¯ souls; they died. Souls could be corrupted, turning the owner into something different. Souls could be sworn upon, pacts and contracts made on, he had firsthand experience with that aspect of souls. Souls could also be used to heal or to power spells. They were energy, he recognized, but energy that bore the weight of humanity. Strange. Everything was strange. What was he doing again? The question came and went. So did the image of his soul, so did the wellspring presences that Lnd desperately wished to fill. Strange. Strange, strange, strange. Why couldn¡¯t he remember what he was doing just now? Strange. He was controlling himself, right? In a dream, right? Strange. Strange.It dawned on him, remembering¡­ or rather, how to remember? Was that right? He thought so. How does one remember when their mind won¡¯t let them? Magic of course! With a flex of his muscles, his dream muscles, Lnd pulled on mana and lifeforce. Cantrips were something he had improperly focused on for just how special they could be. Granted, he had ess to every Lord and potential contracts with all of them, but he digressed. Cantrips were the bud of magic growing alongside the perfect flower of mana and excellence. This particr cantrip was rather difficult, all things considered. Remembering what you forgot was a task befitting only the highest ranks of mages. Lnd smiled, his father didn¡¯t even know this cantrip¡­ though he wished his dad knew it. Spencer Silver was the better teacher between his parents¡ª Lnd huffed in a gasp. He peered around, hoping no one heard that thought. Mom, if you can hear this, you are a fine teacher¡­ Strange. A moment passed before he remembered he was dreaming and no one could hear him. No one was even around to hear him. It was just him and¡ª What was he doing again? Strange, he forgot. Memories were difficult to remember if you forgot, he realized. He chuckled a little at that. Luckily he knew a cantrip that could help with that. His mom had taught him it, and while he wasn¡¯t very proficient with it, he could make it work if he wanted to. He was just that kind of person, a warlock! Special to a fault and with a degree of talent, magic was his! He sat deeper into his consciousness, the jelly-like structure around himfy like a couch with a warm nket. Clearing his mind, mana and lifeforce came to him¡ª He stopped. Mana and lifeforce were already present¡­ Oh, that¡¯s right. He had forgotten he was just about to try the cantrip before he forgot! Silly Lnd. Anyhoo, no time like the present. It came to him, a swirl of images and feelings. They were distant, far off memories from years ago. He stood beside someone he didn¡¯t recognize, a woman, he supposed. She was yelling at him, a whole bundle of apples around their feet. Oh that¡¯s right, he remembered now. He and the others had been rushing around the market and he bumped into a fruit stall, spilling the wares. The woman was osting him. He continued to watch, to relive the memory. She was yelling. He was crying. His hip hurt when he bumped into the stall, his knee and elbow were scraped and blood was beading where he fell. Then there was a shadow. Someone stood over him, her face blurred. At first he figured it was his mom, Lucia, but as the cantrip brought context to the memory, Lnd realized his mom was out of town that day. Some work thing, back then she would step through Spencer¡¯s portals, st some big monster with lightning, and return before dinner. So, the question became, who was the woman standing behind Lnd shouting at the fruit seller for shouting at him? He peered with the cantrip, forcing the memory to look up at the corner of his vision. Was it Jude¡¯s mom? Was it some randomdy sticking up for him? He remembered. It was Annie Red, Glenny¡¯s mom. From his jelly couch, tears welled in Lnd¡¯s eyes just like his memory from years and years ago. Fiery red hair, exactly like her son¡¯s before the snowstorm that turned his hair white. She was shorter than Lnd remembered, but she carried the same simple dagger on her belt. Hardly more than a pocket knife, he remembered how she¡¯d spin the weapon through her fingertips while juggling with the other hand. He smiled at the thought, Annie finally able to make the fruit seller leave them alone for a moment. He saw Jude and Glenny peeking their heads out from around the corner, both looking like kittens caught after pushing a vase off a table. He almostughed at the sight, they were so young, but Annie stopped him. Her arms now on his shoulders, kneeling in the dirt-ridden street, she spoke, ¡°Lnd, you can¡¯t go running around the market like that. I know it was an ident, but now thisdy¡¯s fruit is all ruined. She can¡¯t sell bruised apples and now she might not be able to feed herself because she doesn¡¯t have the money.¡± Adult Lnd rolled his eyes at the lesson. Obviously the woman would be able to feed herself, regardless of a few dirty apples. But he supposed the point of exaggerating the truth made concepts easier for children to understand. He paused at that, for himself to understand. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Strange. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± little Lnd shouted through snot bubbles and tears. ¡°I know you are, Sweetie. I know. I¡¯ll take care of paying for the apples today, but I want you to remember this for the future. One day someone might need your help ¨C when you are big and strong, I mean ¨C and I want you to think about these apples. Me paying for them hardly cost me anything, but for you, that would have been what? Two weeks allowance?¡± Little Lnd nodded vigorously. ¡°So think about the apples Lnd. Sometimes making someone¡¯s life better is as simple as purchasing some bruised fruit.¡± ¡°W-will you need help? I-I can buy you carrots¡ª¡± Annie startedughing. ¡°Sweetie, I don¡¯t need any carrots. But yes. Maybe one day I¡¯ll need your help.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help!¡± ¡°I know you will.¡± Adult Lnd let the memory y a bit longer, but nothing else much happened. They regrouped with the other boys and made their way around the market. Jude fawned over Lnd¡¯s knee and elbow, stating how ¡°cool¡± they were, while Glenny darted from shadow to shadow. In the end, while a sweet memory of someone long gone, it wasn¡¯t what he was looking for. The cantrip swapped around, mana pulling newer and newer memories until¡ª There was a puzzle. A well in his soul waiting to be filled. Ah. There it was, the memory he had forgotten about. Staring at his soul through a memory was even stranger than staring at his soul directly. This time, it had personality, form even. Lnd preserved his soul in his memory as a cloud of gas, not a mishmash of feelings and energy. And there, right in the gas cloud¡¯s center, was a hole. An empty hole. Leaning into the memory, Lnd inspected the hole. The dust he had been packing into the hole was¡­ well, it was his soul. Thicker portions, sections of his soul that were more materialized than not. Almost like dust in the open air. He smiled, realizing just how close his initial metaphor for his soul was. When the moment passed, he began to think about the dust and what it truly was. When no answers immediately came to him, he began some tests. Looking through the Memory Recall cantrip, Lnd began to mess with his actual soul. He found the dust and began to mess with it. Push, pull, stretch, constrict. After a moment, he ended the cantrip and looked at his soul without the memory aid. He gazed over it all, then recast the cantrip. Between the previous memory of his soul and this new memory, Lnd didn¡¯t see much change. Except, the single dust he messed with. It had moved slightly, elongated width wise but shortened height wise. He tried again, doing the same experiment but this time trying to gather some of the nearby gas into the dust. When he looked through Memory Recall, the piece of dust was plumper, as if it had swollen with water. He exited the cantrip and tried again, adding more gas to the dust. But why stop there? He added until he couldn¡¯t, the dust unable to expand anyrger. Then he looked at the memory of what he had just done, finding the same gas cloud that was his soul. Some of the gas had shifted around, moving to refill the area of his soul he had messed with. Overall, he figured not much had truly changed, that was, until he saw the piece of dust. It had changed, grown into something unfitting of the name ¡°dust.¡± It was a crystal. A grain of sand, even. Just like the Heartgem the Mending me Lord had given him. He shuddered at the realization, his mind feeling as if it had just taken a steaming bath. He involuntarily chucked, the insight so obvious in hindsight. True elements were a part of every single person. Floe had achieved Iceheart. The Mending me Lord told him her elements were meheart, Healingheart, Lifeheart, Happinessheart, and Vitalityheart. Elements were already a part of people, their souls to be more specific. That was how the Mending me Lord created the Heartgem. She consolidated the power of her soul into manifesting physically. Looking at the dust and gas with a new appreciation, Lnd couldn¡¯t help but smile. Compared to the Heartgem currently inserted in his forehead, his little crystal dust was hardly a speck. But it was a starting point. For the next while, inside his dreams, Lnd toyed with various ways topress the gas of his soul into dust and that dust into crystals. He¡¯d figure out the crystalster, but for now, he had a whole lot of gas to form into dust. A voice, however, stopped him, ¡°Lnd, wake up.¡± And he did. His eyes fluttered open, finding the ever t ck sand of world Alpha. In the distance was the true tear, the lighting from the crack in reality red. He sighed, marveling at the coloration for but a moment until he remembered his dreams. He had tampered with his soul¡­ was anything different? Was he different? Lnd felt around his body and mind. Physically nothing had changed, but now, now he felt as if a tiny bead was imnted right beside his heart. It wasn¡¯t real, he knew, but it also wasn¡¯t not real. It had been there his whole life, he had just been ignorant. Briefly he entered himself and felt around this new bead. In truth, it was more akin to his memories of his soul ¨C a big gas ball floating silently within his body. His whole body was filled with gas and dust, the bead was just the hole within it. The hole he needed to fill. Stretching, Lnd looked around at his friends. Jude and Glenny were asleep and Gelo was concentrating on a Legacy spell. Simrly to his grimoire, the Legacy of Dungeons¡¯ materialized in a physical form to assist the Legacy. Gelo¡¯s was a ne with a dungeon core strung up. Lnd recognized it instantly as being the way Floe held onto the dungeon core of her home dungeon. It was a bit morbid when he thought about it. He continued to watch her, though his mind was primarily on dreams. Heughed to himself. Just when he acquired a spell that made him not have to sleep, all he wanted to do was sleep. Looking at the sky, he guessed he had a few more hours until he needed to truly be up. Why didn¡¯t he go to sleep? If Gelo wanted to snooze, then she¡¯d wake him for watch. Not that Lnd worried about his safety, not with Sand Castle right beside them. So he prepared to do just that. He pulled up his nket, fluffed his pillow¡ª He stopped. Didn¡¯t someone wake him up? He looked around at his friends again. Jude and Glenny were asleep. Gelo was focused on her own thing. Just who¡­ Lodestar. ¡°So you finally are talking to me?¡± Lnd whispered. After a brief silence, the parasite spoke, his voice appearing from his host¡¯s back, ¡°One of my kind approaches.¡± ¡°And?¡± Plenty of people could have reason to enter the Tear, not that Captain Tar would allow them a proper stay if they weren¡¯t allowed. Someone walking over wasn¡¯t a big deal, not in his eyes at least. ¡°There is no host.¡± Lnd sat straight up. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked, not trying to hide his voice any longer. Gelo¡¯s attention snapped over as Jude and Glenny both woke up. ¡°The host lost. The parasite ising,¡± Lodestar uttered, his voice like raw iron. But, with a cord of slow hesitance, he added, ¡°This is my first time seeing a parasite in this state¡­ be wary, Lnd.¡± Weeks, Lodestar had been silent to Lnd¡¯s question. Weeks! The parasite had ignored him after abandoning him to the wolf that was Harbinger Ashford! But now a warning? Lnd was in the air not a momentter, four raven ck wings pping wildly to bring him high into the sky. He searched, the ck sand below making things difficult. Sweat formed on his neck. A powerful enemy was approaching, one that warranted a warning from Lodestar. No, that wasn¡¯t right. A powerful enemy was approaching, one that warranted concern from Lodestar. Chapter 254: Webs Chapter 254: Webs Fueled by the Lord of Chameleon¡¯s contract, Lnd¡¯s sight enhanced. The rising sun muted in color, the dark sand deepened to near pitch ck. In the distance, the trees and life brought on a white tinge, but he hardly cared about any of that. Instead, he trusted in the contract to show him the way. And it did. He found her. Sprinting through the sand, a dark dust cloud formed behind her. She moved across the tndscape in mere minutespared to the hours it took Lnd and the others. She¡¯d soon arrive, which meant no time for preparation. Landing with a dull thud, Lnd didn¡¯t have time to mince words. One of the twins, Knight Grain or Giant ¨C he didn¡¯t know nor care which one ¨C was the only member of Sand Castle present, the others currently off duty. ¡°Get your captain, now!¡± Whether or not the soldier knew the urgency of hismand or was simply retreating to let his superior deal with him, Lnd didn¡¯t know. But as the seconds ticked on after the Knight rushed into the fort proper, a tingling appeared across Lnd¡¯s back. ¡°There is no time. Stop its approach,¡± Lodestar whispered, his voice silky but covered in the shade of malice. Moving to do exactly as the parasite said, Lnd paused, considering. Was it a trick or was Lodestar actually concerned? The question rang in his mind, stalling his feet like they were made of stone. ¡°Move Lnd!¡±He did, but not toward the advancing enemy. Instead, relying on his crow wings, Lnd jumped from the side of Sand Castle,nding before his friends in a cloud of sand. ¡°We¡¯ve got to move,¡± he told the others. ¡°She¡¯s moving fast.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Glenny asked, two crimson daggers forming in his hands. Each pulsed with wicked streaks of organic white lightning, the power of the Void now flowing through his conjured weapons. It was a technique he had been working on thesest few weeks, merging the Primordial power from the Sightless King with the power of nothingness from the Void. And while the technique was still only a fledgling idea, the effects spoke for themselves. As Glenny waved his daggers around, reality split. Like the wake of a boat or the slipstream of a diving bird, the world parted as he sliced the open air. ¡°A parasite that won,¡± Lnd answered. ¡°Female, young, I don¡¯t know, twenty-five maybe? That doesn¡¯t matter. She¡¯s sprinting across the sand faster than any of us could.¡± Hisst sentence sent a literal chill through the air. Between Jude and Gelo, each donning frozen armor and frosted weapons, the campsite dropped like a night in midwinter. Jude whipped his battle axe to his shoulder, Floe¡¯s incarnation blessing transforming his chest, shoulders, and neck into a protective wastnd of ice. Where skin should show, a thickyer of off blue crystal spread. Within moments, he was raring to go, his weapon glinting with anticipated rage. ¡°Let¡¯s put her down,¡± he uttered, white hot breathing from his lips. For a brief moment, Lnd stared at Gelo¡¯s magic. Situated directly upon her head was a crown made of blizzards and hail. The crown hid many secrets, most of which delved into the hole that was the newly created Legacy of Dungeons and spatial magic, but there was no time for her to exin. Instead, she looked up at friends and growled, her crown swirling. She was ready. They all were. ¡°I¡¯ll head her off,e as fast as you can,¡± Lnd said, pressing his palm into his grimoire. With a shock of magic, a pair of angelic white wings meshed between his obsidian ck ones while scaly red Draconic wings grew from his skin. All at once, they pped, sending Lnd across the t sandy battlefield. Not even the Huntress could match his speed as he appeared before the parasite in seconds. Surprise met him in two forms. First, his own: she was closer to Sand Castle than he wanted. Second, the parasite¡¯s: Lnd was faster than it expected. They shed, magic pumping through Lnd¡¯s veins as the parasite tried to kill. Crows dive bombed from outside this reality, the whole murder solely on target. Zeke was also in there somewhere, his talons and beak no doubt dripping with blood already. ¡°Fracture!¡± Lnd screeched, feeling his magic take. Beneath the howling wind generated by his pping wings, he heard no crack of bone, but he didn¡¯t need to. He had faith in his curses. The parasite¡¯s speed slowed, all muscles in its host¡¯s body clenching with imbued power. It struck with a punch, the air surrounding its knuckles all but warping. Lnd felt the effects before he saw them. His crows, half of them, dead. Swallowed by whatever transcendent force the parasitemanded. The loss twisted Lnd¡¯s insides, scaling power to his lips. ¡°Kneel before¡ª¡± He threw up his arms, guarding against the attack by sheer instinct. He didn¡¯t see it in time, the parasite¡¯s fist. His forearms snapped, his elbows shattered, the shockwave from the punch sent him sailing backward. ¡°¡ªme!¡± The curse left his lungs along with all of their air. He tumbled through the air, wings and appendages iling. He mmed into Sand Castle, breaking a corner off like a hammer to a brick. The world spun as he came to a stop, but the ever familiar violet mes of Circle of Souls flumed around the parasite. ¡°Get up Lnd. That thing is no longer a soul.¡± The voice of Lodestar made him crawl. Surrounded by ck sandstone, he peered at the parasite, finding no leaking green mist. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. He coughed, blood sttered on the ground. His grimoire swirled around him, flipping to the pages he needed. A mangled hand pressed into the page just as his other hand cast four spells. His blood changed first, then he felt his mana top off at the same time his bones began to realign. Unfortunately it was sunrise, so the effect of Moon Bones and Sun Skin were halved. Whatever healing it provided was negligiblepared to Imbue Life. Webs of mist connected Lnd to the world as warmth spread from his forehead to the rest of his body. Snaps and pops sounded like cannon fire in his mind, each echoing against his skull as his inmed brain slowly deted. Any other day, he might relish the feeling of such intense healing. But not today. Not with his friends fighting. Jude and Glenny weaved in and out of meleebat, dodging or parrying most of the parasite¡¯s blows. Almost taking turns, they attacked once it was safe, freeing each other to move as the parasite recovered itself. This, paired with artillery fire from Gelo, slowed the monster down. Across the parasite¡¯s thigh, a thick chunk of ice was slowly growing in size from an impaled icicle. The sky above also turned, clouds full of hail ready to fall at any moment. As the parasite kicked, warping the world again, Gelo¡¯s magic burst. From the ice on its thigh, spatial magic erged. The icicle multiplied in size until it was the length of a gpole. The parasite snapped it in half instantly, but the damage was already done. It hobbled, its leg only attached by half a bone and some skin and muscle. Jude and Glenny took the chance, attacking at will. Only just now getting to his feet, Lnd decided on a course of action. His wing contracts were all used. They¡¯d be avable soon, but for the moment he couldn¡¯t fly. He could switch off of his script healing spells, but if the need for them arose, he¡¯d be found tfooted. He couldn¡¯t risk someone else getting punched like he did. A quick check of the sun, Lnd decided. Moon Bones and Sun Skin just wasn¡¯t important enough to keep right now, not with sun rise being a limitation. Instead he activated the Lord of Erupting Skies¡¯ contract, Erupting Steps. With a kick, he rushed back into battle, lightning bursting in his wake. Brigadier Dis appeared in the sky, leaping from Sand Castle, his fists ame. Arrows came raining down as well, Bulldog making her appearance known by way of an arrow to the parasite¡¯s chest. Sand shifted around Jude and Glenny, hardening with their every step ¨C no doubt Knight Grain trying his best to assist. Lastly, an amalgamated blob of flesh and magic appeared at a distance, standing far behind the parasite like a waiting guard. Lnd scowled when no ck beams of magic split the sky. It seemed Captain Tar wasn¡¯t going to help. Btoom! Space warped after a ming fist connected with the parasite¡¯s jaw. An explosion rang out, sending Glenny and Dis sprawling to the ground. Between the both of them, blood and mangled flesh fell from their bodies in heaps, both desperately crawling away. His ice armor taking the worst of the st, Jude continued his assault, the pain of his seared skin only adding to his destructive force. After an overhand chop, Jude Two appeared from a shimmer of air. The mirage entered the battle in the exact same state as the original ¨C enraged. Blood sttered against their chests and instantly froze into armor as the pair barreled down on the parasite. Both were aiming for its nearly amputated leg, but the warping effect of its attacks left little room to be precise. They took hits wherever they could, most superficial, but all potentially deadly. A final strike of lightning announced Lnd¡¯s return to the battle. Without thinking twice, he pumped Glenny with his script spells. Without Prepare Body, the effects were somewhat dulled, but it was more than enough. As skin stitched itself back together and Imbue Life created new blood, Glenny¡¯s pigment came back. He stopped crawling and instead flopped to his belly, preparing to stand as soon as he had fingers to push off of the sand with. While Glenny¡¯s body healed, Lnd appeared beside Brigadier Dis. The same effects poured through the pugilist, but surprise took front and center. Between the unique aura of the Heartgem radiating from the young man and the misty webs of life that branched from him like he was some sort of Guardian Spider Beast, Dis floundered in action. He gaped and gawked, remembering the keynote speaker at his graduation ceremony after basic training. He remembered the crowd. The heat. The itchy formal uniform. He remembered feeling proud. But most importantly, he remembered the Commander and the aura of pure confidence that heated the whole ceremony like a bonfire. Dis was just a scarred and scared kid from the streets destined to be another pit fighter. But standing there that day, listening to the Commander speak, he no longer saw himself as a kid but as a soldier ready to put his life on the line for his kingdom andrades. That was the man Dis felt heal him. A man who could move armies and reforge aspirations and dreams. But no. The Commander was half a kingdom away pushing papers and organizing. The man in the field, the man who had just healed him, was a kid. Lnd was the one who stood over him, the one reforming his broken body and saving his life. ¡°Get up,¡± Lnd said, pulling Dis to his feet. ¡°If your captain doesn¡¯t help kill this thing, I¡¯m killing her.¡± He pushed Dis toward Sand Castle but there was no need. A block of ck magic tore across the battlefield, shearing into the monster¡¯s thigh and removing what little bone and muscle held it together. The parasite fell to its arms, no longer able to stand. The Judes took the chance, both shing like an executioner. Space warped around the parasite¡¯s neck, a shock wave forming from the Judes¡¯ attacks. Both wereunched into the air, each recovering with ease. They dashed back into the fray, ice and arrows leading the charge. It was then the parasite held up a hand, warping space into a shield. It then found Lnd¡¯s eyes, staring at him like a hungry hawk. ¡°Your magic interests me,¡± it said, its voice taking the form of its host. ¡°I¡¯ll be back to im it.¡± ¡°Yeah, no¡ª¡± Lnd¡¯s words were cut off when a voice appeared from his back. ¡°He has already been imed,¡± Lodestar said, an otherworldly chime sounding from his vowels and a haunted drum from his consonants. The parasite twisted its head to the side like a dog hearing a new sound, no doubt breaking the dead host¡¯s neck in the process. ¡°How interesting. You are like me¡­ but not. I ask you, brother, why do you not take control and live free?¡± After a long moment, Lodestar¡¯s words came out a muted, crushed whimper, ¡°Is your existence not more of a prison than mine?¡± The parasite tapped its chin with a bloody finger, the gesture wildly jerky and agitated. ¡°No.¡± ¡°You are more monster than person¡­ do you even remember your real life? Before your soul was forged into something different?¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± ¡°A shame. Kill it, Jude.¡± Lodestar¡¯smand made everyone flinch other than Dis, who stared nkly at Lnd. The Judes acted a breathter, their axes falling from the sky with enough force to shatter stone. They missed, space warping just as their des cut into the parasite¡¯s neck skin. Everyone looked around, but the monster was gone, teleported somewhere far off to lick its wounds. ¡°Lnd,¡± Lodestar whispered. ¡°It will return for you. That magic you discovered¡­ it is like a beacon for my kind.¡± ¡°Your kind or that thing¡¯s kind?¡± he asked nearly instantly. ¡°Because I¡¯m seeing quite the difference.¡± Lodestar was silent at the question. ¡°Talk to me, Lode. We can be actual partners. There is no need for this cloak and dagger personality¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Lnd almostughed. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t. But then again, who does? You¡¯re kind of unique, as far as parasites go. We can put you abandoning me against Ashford behind us. We can restart and be friends. Jude and Glenny would be your friends if you asked them. Allies, even. People who would go to the ends of the world to try and help you. Just look at what they¡¯ve done for me.¡± Lodestar didn¡¯t reply. Chapter 255: Report Chapter 255: Report ¡°Report, Vagrant Warden,¡± Captain Tar demanded upon her arrival. Everyone was standing within the battlefield, the severed leg of the parasite lying beside them like an ottoman in a sitting room. Knight Giant was waving at his summoned creation, the amalgamated flesh creation dissolving from the movement. Knight Grain, meanwhile, was repairing the damage to Sand Castle while trying not to look at Lnd. Everyone had seen it, the parasite punching him with enough force that his hurtling body shattered part of the fort. Surviving the attack was one thing, but standing and returning to the fight momentster was another. Frankly, the triplets were d they were not the captain at this moment. They dealt with monsters on a daily basis, but dealing with monstrous allies was somethingpletely different. ¡°A ¡®report?¡¯ You want a report?¡± Lnd asked, his arms stered to his hips. He scoffed, his tone turning cold and loud. He pointed at the leg. ¡°A parasite killed its host and attacked us. That¡¯s your report.¡± Captain Tar briskly nodded, her eyes weak and shadowed. ¡°Any of yours hurt?¡± Jude, Glenny, and Gelo had given him some space to deal with the captain and her brood, but at her question, they each gave her a shake of the head. ¡°They would have been,¡± Lnd growled. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my Harbinger abilities. Your man as well, even!¡± The Captain couldn¡¯t disagree. Space warping punches and kicks? Who¡¯s crazy enough to walk into melee with that? Though, she supposed, she should have acted earlier. Mentally, she cursed herself ncing at Dis. It was all because of that stupid letter. ¡°Test the boys,¡± it said, signed and dated by the highest of orders. And under normal circumstances, fine. The boys should be tested¡­ but not against that thing. That thing was¡­¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she forced herself to say. ¡°I should have assisted earlier. You are right. Your man and mine were injured for no reason.¡± ¡°T-thank you, Warden,¡± Dis added from the ground. With the battle over, his legs had given out. He sat on the sand, forearms against his knees watching the sunrise while only half-listening to his captain. Lnd took a second to suck at the back of his lips, allowing the irritation and anger to drain. ¡°We¡¯re lucky I could even heal those wounds. Those were¡­ the kind people don¡¯te back from.¡± His head turned away, Dis nodded. ¡°You¡¯re strong.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Lnd sighed, conceding the point. He could argue all day that he was weak, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that he was stronger than most. ¡°Yeah, I guess I am. But not strong enough. I should be prepared for enemies like that. My main spells failed against it.¡± ¡°A learning battle for all of us,¡± Captain Tar said after a deep breath. ¡°For all of us. We¡¯ll be ready when ites back.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t. Not for a while at least.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Lnd gestured to his friends toe closer. When they did, he said, ¡°Parasites are formerly humans. They, voluntarily or not, have their souls forged into items or weapons and are sent out into the world to find hosts. When a parasite wins against their host, the human body dies. Eventually it will decay, but by then, the parasite will most likely make the body into a proper vessel for their power. I don¡¯t know how it works or why they do it, but it deals with souls and the push for divinity.¡± Captain Tar motioned to the leg. ¡°So, what? It will regrow its leg?¡± ¡°More like creating a new one. I don¡¯t know how long it will take, but we¡¯ll be long gone by the time ites looking for me.¡± ¡°For you?¡± It was the Captain who asked but the others looked just as interested. ¡°It wants my power or something. I don¡¯t know. But it''sing for me.¡± He looked at his friends. ¡°So, now is the time for you guys to leave if you don¡¯t want to deal with the parasitic space warping assassin after me.¡± This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Judeughed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss this for the world! This is exactly what I was talking about! A true adventure with plenty of monsters to kill!¡± ¡°What he said,¡± Glenny added. Lnd¡¯s eyes fell to Gelo. She shrugged, her furry shoulders making the movement awkward. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. You three are my only friends, so.¡± All three boys looked at her. Lnd spoke first, ¡°Gelo, you don¡¯t have to help fight against the parasite or travel with us just because we are your only friends. We could take you straight to Ivory Reach and plop you down right on Sybil¡¯s bed. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d love having you at the castle. You two would hit it off instantly!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not some puppy, Lnd.¡± He stuttered. ¡°I know that¡ª I¡¯m just trying to make sure you don¡¯t feel pressured toe with us. The danger of this trip just increased several times over and beast or human, there¡¯s a limit to danger everyone should be subjected to.¡± He softly smiled. ¡°And I¡¯d hate to get killed by some rogue dungeon monster if your mom decides to kill me because we brought you along.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a friend of yours just as much as them,¡± Gelo showed her teeth, the gesture mocking. ¡°I guess you¡¯ll just have to heal me if I ever get injured.¡± ¡°Worked for me,¡± Glenny interjected, showing off his freshly regenerated fingers. ¡°Those spells even grew my fingernails to the perfect length. What¡¯s up with that?¡± With a sigh and epting that his friends were truly his friends, Lnd said, ¡°The prevailing theory of how healing magic works posttes that the healing is based on how the individual being healed sees themselves in a healthy form. Which makes it easy for healers to cast spells, but causes difficulty when someone has been injured for so long that their ¡®healthy form¡¯ contains their injury. Leg missing at birth but otherwise perfectly healthy sort of thing.¡± Jude whistled. ¡°Leals, you¡¯re sometimes smart.¡± ¡°Well, yeah. I¡¯ve studied for a life of magic since I could read¡ª Wait. Did you say sometimes?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty sure¡ª¡± ¡°Can we stop getting off track?¡± Captain Tar interrupted. ¡°Jokes after we finish up here.¡± Glenny said, ¡°I thought we were done? It seems obvious what to do next.¡± ¡°And what that might be?¡± ¡°Send a message to the inquisitors that a parasite has been spotted. Have them sweep that general direction,¡± he pointed in the direction the parasite came from, ¡°and double your watch for the next week. Past that, I don¡¯t think there is much for you to do.¡± ¡°Exactly. Ask for the Huntress, when you report to the Inquisitors,¡± Lnd added. ¡°If she¡¯s back, she¡¯ll be our best bet at finding information on the parasite. Who knows, maybe she¡¯ll find itsir and kill it herself.¡± ¡°Isobel doing more work than necessary?¡± Jude asked. ¡°No way. She¡¯ll find itsir and somehow make us show up to kill it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Come on guys,¡± Gelo pleaded. ¡°Isobel wasn¡¯t that bad when I met her! I liked her a lot actually!¡± The boys ignored thement. ¡°Anyway,¡± Lnd said to the Captain. ¡°Save the leg for the Inquisitor who shows up. Otherwise, I think Sand Castle has this Tear on lock down until reinforcements arrive to build a proper fortress.¡± Tar raised her chin, staring at the Harbinger. ¡°And what about you four?¡± ¡°Well, something is supposed to happen when we walk into the Tear. Once we deal with that, we¡¯ll probably just move on. Without knowing when the parasite will attack, there¡¯s no point staying here or hunkering down and waiting. If it attacks, we¡¯ll deal with it.¡± Internally, Lnd said, I¡¯ll deal with it, while thinking about an attack script spell. Something to sunder soulless monsters before they can harm anything. ¡°And what, again, is it you think will happen inside the Tear?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. That¡¯s the magic of the situation.¡± Dis, still sitting watching the sun rise,ughed. ¡°You¡¯re crazy. All of you.¡± Lnd quirked an eyebrow at the statement. ¡°You know,¡± he whispered to Tar, ¡°I can heal wounds, but not minds.¡± She pursed her lips, staring at the back of her second¡¯s head. When she didn¡¯t reply, Lnd turned to his friends. ¡°Shall we enter a tear to another world and find out what¡¯s so special?¡± He got various levels of enthusiastic grunts. ¡°But first¡ª¡± Magic flooded his body pooling around his lips. He whistled, summoning forth a being from beyond reality. Zeke appeared mid flight, the crow¡¯s massive wingspan blotting the sky. He tilted downward, diving straight at Lnd before flourishing his wings to cease most of his movement tond on his summoner¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Wee back, Zeke.¡± ¡°Hi there birdy!¡± ¡°d you¡¯re back.¡± The crow cawed, taking off to circle around the group. Before moving out, Lnd removed a new shirt from his inventory ring. The one he was wearing was mostly shreds, the parasite¡¯s punch more than strong enough to rip thread. ¡°Ready to go?¡± he asked. At once, the group, minus the members of Sand Castle, headed toward the Tear. Chapter 256: Last Alpha Chapter 256: Last Alpha The air around the Tear was fmented with sparks of red. Like an isted thunderstorm, the Tear made way for rollingyers of preserved depth. Look at it one way, and your sight continued across the horizon. Look at it in another, and the world stretched for eternity. The boys and Gelo stood a safe distance away, eying the redness. ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Lnd said quietly, as if the Tear could hear him. ¡°Feels strange.¡± Jude was making a face at the sky of the new world. ¡°Why is it red?¡± Gelo shivered. ¡°I don¡¯t like the mana here.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Lnd whispered. ¡°Feels fine to me,¡± Glenny said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m not understanding why you all are acting like this?¡± ¡°Allow me,¡± Jude said. ¡°Imagine, dear Glenny, that this Tear is like a hot pepper. Some people don¡¯t like heat, others, like you, are strange and do.¡± Everyone slowly turned and stared at him. ¡°What?¡± he asked, innocently. ¡°Ignore him,¡± Lnd gestured at the Tear. ¡°It reminds me of the Archons, alien. My skin feels like it¡¯s under a magnifying ss.¡± ¡°Like I¡¯m standing too close to a campfire,¡± added Gelo with a nod. ¡°I just don¡¯t like that the sky is red. What¡¯s up with that?¡± Jude asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know, light wavelengths or something.¡± Now it was everyone¡¯s turn to stare at Lnd. ¡°What?¡± he asked, innocently. ¡°Ha ha, next you¡¯ll tell us the moon is a big rock!¡± Lnd blinked slowly. ¡°No, that would be crazy talk.¡± ¡°See?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°You three are acting strange. What is with this conversation?¡± Jude answered, ¡°I think it is the idea that there is life outside of our small little world and that the grand scheme of the cosmos is farrger than any of us ever believed. And these Tears are proof that the world is changing in unforeseen ways, ways that scare us because, in reality, we are not strong enough to make a difference.¡± Now they were back to staring at him. ¡°No, there is just too much mana in the air.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Gelo added. ¡°Or that,¡± Jude supposed. The bantering continued as the group progressed into the Tear. None would admit it, but each was scouring the red infinite horizon for any signs of danger, life, or anything, really. Anything to not go in. What better way to experience life on the other side of the Tear than to not enter at all!? Like a researcher documenting frogs in a cage, it was easier to collect data outside the cage. But as they walked, a switch happened. No longer were they walking into the Tear but out of the Tear. ¡°Like a hot pepper,¡± Jude muttered. No one stole a nce at him, the dark sand suddenly a minefield. Who knew if any of these grains of sand were safe to walk on!? After all, they were alien sand grains and could be dangerous. Straight overhead, a red orb took up a section of the red sky. Slightly off in hue, the orb sat stationary like an ever present sun, albeit a giant one, watching over the deste world. ncing at it, everyone quickly looked away, their eyes burning as if they were actually looking into the sun. ¡°It¡¯s too bright in here,¡± Lnd muttered, flipping through his grimoire. The Lord of Chameleon¡¯s contract adapted to the situation, which, in this case, made his eyes adjust to the rough lighting. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s better,¡± he sang, able to properly look around. Rapidly blinking, Glenny let out a simr grunt as Lnd. ¡°I think I just adapted to the sunlight. I can see properly.¡± Both Gelo and Jude stared at him, their eyes almostpletely shut. ¡°I hate you,¡± Jude said. ¡°Agreed,¡± Gelo added. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Leals, can you go get a contract from the Lord of Light for an eye protection spell?¡± ¡°Nope. Lord of Light is a Vile Lord, remember? The Light Architect.¡± Jude cursed, kicking sand. ¡°I think it may be worth it¡­¡± ¡°Not going to happen. And if you want, you and Gelo can exit. We¡¯ve got an hour to kill before whatever happens, happens.¡± Without having to be prompted a second time, the cub quickly dashed backward. Jude followed, yelling, ¡°We¡¯ll be back in an hour!¡± And just like that, the squinters left. Lnd hesitated in his next few words, but he felt the need to get them out. ¡°I-I¡­ You know that cantrip I¡¯ve been working on? Memory Recall?¡± Glenny slowly nodded, still scanning the sand for signs of trouble. Lnd continued, ¡°I finally figured it out. Annnnd, I saw her, your mom.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It was a memory. Jude, you, and I were at the market with her. I bumped into a fruit seller¡¯s stall and knocked some fruit down. The seller yelled at me then your mom yelled at her.¡± ¡°Really? How old were we?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Like seven? Young.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember that at all.¡± ¡°Neither did I. Your mom taught me the lesson of giving a few minutes of your time to someone to help them. A few minutes can make someone¡¯s life that much easier.¡± Glenny swallowed, his throat feeling as if he had just coughed up a lung. ¡°Sounds like her,¡± he forced himself to say, keeping his face as neutral as possible. ¡°That¡¯s a good cantrip.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Lnd said, stealing a nce. ¡°I can teach it to you. It will be hard, you not being a mage and all. But it theoretically is possible. As long as you have the mana to cast it. Which isn¡¯t that much, all things cons¡ª¡± ¡°Thanks, but no.¡± He tapped the side of his head. ¡°There¡¯s no point in living in the past. She¡¯s gone, and she¡¯s going to stay that way. Reliving my memories¡­ just¡ª Thanks, Lnd.¡± The Warlock bit his tongue, mentally chiding himself for not pushing the Lord of Souls harder. Any contract would have been worth it to resurrect Glenny¡¯s mom. The boys fell into silence, each staring off into the distance or asionally stopping to brush at the sand. Not even Zeke, who flew overhead, saw anything but dark sand and a red sky. Eventually fifty nine minutes passed and Jude and Gelo returned squinting. ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Lnd mused, looking from his birthday pocket watch to the surroundings. ¡°Annnny second now.¡± And as the second hand ticked past a full revolution, he snapped the watch closed and stuffed it back into his pocket. The gesture alone made the hairs on the back of everyone¡¯s necks rise, even Gelo and her mane of fur. Slowly, they shifted their weight across their feet, lowering themselves into a semi-crouch. If battle was toe, they would be ready. Glenny was the first to notice him. A figure against the dark sand moved toward the group, toward the Tear¡¯s exit. Slow, methodical, as if the world could wait, a man walked. All at once, the red sky darkened into shadow. Around the man was a ne, a domain of arrogance that rejected light and relinquished structure. The sand melted and solidified, a walkway for the man to step without burrowing his naked toes into the granules. As the man neared, more and more details could be made out. Skin as white as snow, the man had but a scrap of clothing ¨C nothing more than a dirty rag or strip of fabric. He wore it as pants, but calling it proper clothing was a stretch. Maybe, once, years ago, but now it was hardly worthy of holding. But for the man who had nothing else, it may have been a national treasure. ¡°What in the world¡­¡± it was Jude, now able to see thanks to the shadow, who spoke though everyone was thinking it. This world was supposed to be barren. ¡°Guess the Lords wanted us to be his weing party,¡± Lnd muttered before waving. The man¡¯s vacant eyes picked up on the movement, his whole fa?ade changing in an instant. What was a slow, tedious walk ended. Recognition found his mind, and the man, for the first time in ages, stopped his wandering. He had finally found someone. He took a single step, appearing before the boys and Gelo instantly. Each of them reacted by flinching. When the man failed to attack, draw a hidden weapon, or cast a magical spell, they rxed. Lnd took a half-step forward, asking, ¡°Can you understand me?¡± The man twitched, his forehead creased with emotions he had long thought dead. Opening his mouth, a string of words flooded out in a long deadnguage. To him, this voice sounded as alien to him as the people before him. How long had it been since he spoke? To everyone¡¯s surprise, Lnd responded in that samenguage, ¡°Ah. Hello. Can you understand me now?¡± The man recoiled, almost falling t on his butt. ¡°What madness has consumed me!? Is this the end!?¡± ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any madness here. Just some Lordly magic. The Lord of the Lexicon made it so that I can understand allnguages after hearing them.¡± ¡°Lord of¡ª¡± The man tilted his chin down, his eyes regaining life. ¡°What madness¡ª¡± ¡°My name is Lnd. What do we call you?¡± He paused, carefully inspecting the group before him. And yet, despite having gone for so long without seeing people, what sat behind them drew his attention. Color. Blue. White. Green. Blue skies, white clouds, green treetops in the distance. ¡°A portal¡ª¡± ¡°We call them ¡®Tears,¡± Lnd supplied. ¡°Tears between worlds created by the Archons in hopes ofbining dying worlds into live ones. I guess your world is dying.¡± The man stared at him. ¡°This¡­ this is no madness. You speak of the Archons¡­ I remember them¡­ they¡­ they were thest beings¡­ They left me here, alone.¡± ¡°Alone?¡± Lnd gestured at the wastnd of sand. ¡°You mean¡ª¡± ¡°There is no one. I am thest of my kind¡­ cursed to walk my world for eternity, alone. Oh how long have I walked. How long has it been since the sun¡ª¡± He shook his head. ¡°A cursed existence. A cursed¡­ I was cursed¡­¡± Lnd scratched his cheek and nced around at his friends. They were staring at him with the surprise of a lifetime, which, unfortunately, was not helpful in this situation. ¡°Uh,¡± he said, ¡°funny that you mentioned curses. I may be the only person around who can get your curse looked at.¡± Chapter 257: Rest Chapter 257: Rest ¡°What do you mean?¡± the man asked. Lnd scratched the back of his head. ¡°My Lord deals with curses.¡± ¡°I see. You are a¡­ noble?¡± ¡°Not quite.¡± ¡°Ah. Then you are a steward?¡± ¡°No¡­? I think there may be some mimunication here. The patron of my power deals with curses. She¡¯s more godly than nobility.¡± Now it was the man¡¯s turn to look perplexed. ¡°Your power derives from more powerful beings? Are they immortal?¡± ¡°Mostly, yeah,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Some die from being killed or from very old age, but to us mortals, they are immortal, yeah.¡± The man¡¯s jaw cked and wobbled. He stared at the young man before him, long dried tears threatening to make a reappearance. ¡°I¡­ I would like to meet them. Y-your Lord, you say, deals with curses? C-can she h-help me?¡±Now it was Lnd¡¯s turn to hesitate. ¡°Maybe. The issue is talking to her. Lords are naturally fickle. But, I have a special way I can get her attention if I need to. Though, I¡¯ll bet she¡¯s watching us have this conversation right now.¡± He added a little wave off to the side for good measure. The man stared at the gesture, then followed suit and did the same. That then prompted the others to also wave, though they did not have the context of why they were waving. ¡°In the meantime, why don¡¯t you tell me more about your curse. Maybe we won¡¯t have to involve the Lords at all.¡± He paused. ¡°Actually, why don¡¯t we start with your name? I am Lnd, this is Glenny, Jude, and Gelo.¡± The man¡¯s eyes darted to the others, quickly retreating back to Lnd. ¡°My name has long been forgotten.¡± ¡°Hmm. Right. Well, we¡¯ve got to call you something.¡± ¡°Call me¡­ Wanderer. My¡­ people were often named after their chosen professions. And while I did not choose to walk my world alone¡­¡± ¡°Wanderer,¡± Lnd said, savoring the name in both his and the man¡¯snguage. It sounded strange if he was honest. The sybles didn¡¯t match up to the consonants. ¡°How about ¡®Walker?¡¯ I think that will work better for my people.¡± ¡°Walker. I am Walker.¡± Gesturing to the Tear, Lnd asked, ¡°Shall we?¡± before handing over arge poncho from his inventory ring. ¡°P-please¡­¡± ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± ¡°I have not had a drink of liquid in¡­ thousands of years.¡± A canteen appeared in Lnd¡¯s hands, one he filled using lifeforce water. Walker took it slowly, tilting his head back like a beaten dog. Liquid filled his mouth, overflowing onto his cheeks and throat. He grunted, almost as if he forgot to swallow. He stopped, staring at the dripping water. ¡°I-I spilled it¡­¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Plenty more where thates from.¡± He held out his finger, creating a single drop by way of cantrip. ¡°See?¡± ¡°You can¡­ create water?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°You must be very powerful¡­ water¡­ water was a scarcity hoarded by the nobility. When the wells finally dried up, those who could create water with magic were taken and held as invaluable resources. Most died before passing on their gifts¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Lnd muttered, giving a subtle shake of his head to his friends. The others rxed. ¡°I can say without a shadow of a doubt, my world is not like that.¡± ¡°Do you have a sun?¡± Walker asked, squinting through the Tear. ¡°You must. I recognize daylight¡­¡± ¡°We do? What¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°You must destroy it!¡± The outburst made everyone stop. Lnd held up his hand, again easing his friends, but only just. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. Walker pointed at the red sky, more specifically the off red orb. ¡°That sun! My sun! That ursed thing destroyed all my world¡¯s life! First the nts and crops, then the water and the poor. But eventually, kingdoms fell to ruin and stone turned to dust. For years! Years! I watched dust form into sand! Years! Destroy the sun, Lnd! Destroy it before it can consume all!¡± Taking long, strenuous breaths, Walker stood heaving. Veins had appeared across his face and neck, his withered muscles begging to rest. He breathed. And breathed. Ranting, a feeling he had long grown out of. What good was yelling at the sky when no one listened. Finally, tears fell. That was wrong, wasn¡¯t it? There were people listening. He felt something touch his shoulders. Opening his eyes, Walker found Lnd¡¯s arm. He was being consoled. Patted, touched, soothed. ¡°I am shameful,¡± he uttered, his voice like a dying doe. ¡°I am shame¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay¡­ You¡¯re not alone. The sun is not killing us. Everything is okay.¡± A potion appeared in Lnd¡¯s hands. ¡°Here, drink this. Everything is okay¡­¡± Walker¡¯s hands were shaking, but he managed to down the vial without spilling a drop. Slowly, he closed his eyes, the shakinging to a stop. His heaving chest equalized, his enraged heartbeat rxed. And, for maybe the first time in centuries, he fell asleep. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°What¡¯d you give him, Leals?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Muscle rxer,¡± he replied, switchingnguages. ¡°You just carry a muscle rxer around?¡± Lnd gave his friend a hard look. ¡°This is not the time or ce.¡± ¡°I mean, okay but¡ª¡± Glenny socked Jude on the arm at the same time Gelo created a patch of ice over his foot. ¡°Fine, fine! I get it!¡± he screeched. Taking a deep breath, Lnd said, ¡°His name is Walker¡­ or that¡¯s the name I sort of chose for him. He¡¯s thest survivor of this long dead world. He¡¯s immortal, a curse he says¡­ not that I me him.¡± He gestured at the endless sand. ¡°All dust from what the world used to be. He¡¯s been walking for a long time, it seems. He¡¯s met the Archons, but they left him alone when they were here. I guess our world is meant to save his, or rather, meant to save him.¡± ¡°Is he hostile?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think so. He wants to destroy the sun, so there¡¯s that. But that seems a little farfetched as a possible goal. So. I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°What do we do with him?¡± That caused Lnd to smile. ¡°I am giving him to the Lords. Or will try to. He¡¯s a problem. You all saw how fast he moved. Can you imagine if he started murdering? It would take a coalition of Champions to maybe take him down.¡± ¡°So he¡¯s the Lords¡¯ problem.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Are they going to¡­ take him?¡± Again, Lnd smiled. ¡°If they don¡¯t, I¡¯m going to make my Lord¡¯s life a nightmare.¡± ¡°How are you going to do that?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Well first, I¡¯m going to make contracts with Lords until one of them can get me an audience with her. Then I¡¯m going to keep making audiences with her until she¡ª¡± The group wasn¡¯t quite out of the Tear yet, only a few more paces from actually crossing over. But that didn¡¯t stop other things from crossing. A crow, one simr to Zeke but non-ethereal, swooped in from the blue sky into the red. It circled once above the group beforending before Lnd and cawing. The crow then took off, flying straight out of the Tear. It was then Lnd noticed his Legacy tattoo was dancing in a circle. ¡°It looks like I will be saving annoying my Lord for a future day,¡± he mused. ¡°Let¡¯s get Walker out of here and into a bed.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t your Lord just take him now?¡± Gelo asked. ¡°Is that something she could do?¡± ¡°Probably. But I don¡¯t want to send him to my Lord without being there when he wakes up. Friendly faces before he meets her.¡± ¡°I see. Maybe my mom can help him. If she¡¯s not too busy. Oh! That reminds me! I asked her about Rules and Rulers when I was asleepst night. She says that you are on the right track but the Lord of Curses forbid her from speaking any more about it. She did confirm she is a Ruler of Cold, though.¡± Lnd¡¯s face morphed into a nd expressionless irritation. ¡°Oh course she did. Maybe,¡± he said, turning his head to the side slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll follow through with my n to annoy her anyway.¡± He rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers, casting a levitation cantrip on Walker. It was a simple flex of magic, the only real difficulty was the awkward shape of the pale man and his weight. He tethered the cantrip to his hip and began to exit the Tear, Walker following closely behind as if on a gurney. ¡°And as much as I want to figure all of this Rule stuff out,¡± Lnd said, ¡°I don¡¯t know where to begin. Again.¡± ¡°Do you really need to know?¡± asked Jude. ¡°Because that all sounds like boring titles orbels. Who cares if you know what being a Ruler of Cold means besides that you are powerful?¡± ¡°He¡¯s got a point,¡± Glenny said. ¡°But I want to know,¡± Lnd said. ¡°What if knowing the history of the terminology helps me figure it out.¡± ¡°And what if it doesn¡¯t?¡± Jude asked. Lnd ignored the question, pulling Walker along. They exited the Tear and were promptly met by Captain Tar standing alone part way to Sand Castle. From the magic brimming from her eyes, Lnd suspected she saw the whole exchange with Walker. And judging from how she stood alone and on the balls of her feet, he also suspected she was wary of the man. ¡°Stop right there,¡± she said, her voice carrying across the ck sand. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Is she seriously doing this?¡± Lnd asked his friends, his voice hardly more than a whisper. ¡°I am!¡± ¡°Great. She can hear us from this distance.¡± ¡°I can. And you need to exin now. The Inquisitors are already on their way, code gray.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes, knowing the Inquisitors¡¯ code from his parents. The colors ranged from green to gray, each marking a potential threat level to the kingdom, green being nothing more than an annoyance, gray being a doomsday threat. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± he said. Tar gritted her teeth. ¡°The Inquisitors are on their way!¡± she repeated. ¡°Yeah, to deal with the parasite, not Walker. I¡¯m not stupid. There is no way you¡¯d call in a code gray for a sleeping man.¡± ¡°A sleeping man who wandered endlessly in a dead world!¡± Jude whispered, ¡°Dude, I think she really did call in a code gray.¡± ¡°No way,¡± Glenny said. ¡°If it was found to be a false rm, she¡¯d be stripped of rank. She wouldn¡¯t take that risk.¡± ¡°She can hear you, remember?¡± chided Gelo. ¡°Look,¡± Lnd said, taking a step. ¡°He¡¯s not your problem and he¡¯s not going to be ours after he wakes up and I exin things to him. You saw the crow, right? The real one that entered the Tear¡ª¡± ¡°What are you talking about!? There was no crow!¡± ¡°Yes there was.¡± ¡°Itnded right in front of us.¡± ¡°It cawed at Leals.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not lying!¡± Tar¡¯s face twitched. ¡°I have good perceptions. I didn¡¯t see any crow¡ª¡± ¡°Just like how you didn¡¯t see a parasite sprinting at Sand Castle?¡± Lnd asked, not trying to hide his tone. ¡°If I remember right, I did. And I was able to head it off.¡± He held up his arms. ¡°I even had the broken arms to prove it.¡± Clenching her fists, Tar asked, ¡°What do you want me to do in this situation!? A man was walking alone in a world everyone thought was deste¡ª¡± ¡°Not true! The Lords knew, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have been given a quest to enter this one. Come on, Tar. Think this through. There is more at y here than you or I. Let me do my job and we¡¯ll leave before nightfall.¡± Tar didn¡¯t answer with words, instead lowering her guard and rxing her stance. The boys and Gelo took that as a sign to continue toward Sand Castle. The conversation reminded Lnd of something, his contracts. Use: For the duration of the contract, ess to the spell, Moon Bones and Sun Skin, is granted. Only usable once per hour. Return: Observe the patterns of the stars within the new worlds and report these back to the Lord of the Celestial. As he walked, he doodled a drawing of World Alpha¡¯s sky. The picture was crude andzy, but in the end a singr star took up the whole page. Now all he had to do was find a temple to the Lord of the Celestial. Or, he supposed, he could create one here. Chapter 258: Breathe Chapter 258: Breathe Walker came to while everyone was eating dinner. The boys and Gelo were sitting outside Sand Castle, Captain Tar not allowing them to enter. Though, she did force Bulldog to drop off an extra cot for the sleeping immortal. Bulldog did not stick around to meet him, however, instantly dashing back to the safety of the fort as soon as Lnd waved her off. Before Walker could so much as ask where he was, a te of moist brisket and baked beans was thrust into his hands, a mug of mead was set beside him, and a big slice of orange pie was waiting for him. From where the group sat, most of the horizon was taken up by ck sand and the red lightning from the Tear. So when Walker looked around, he quickly found the te of food more interesting. As he gobbled down any and everything, Lnd spoke to him in hisnguage, ¡°So, once you¡¯re done, I¡¯m going to call for my Lord to take you to her domain ¨C or wherever she wants you. And if for some reason she¡¯s not being nice to you, ask for the Lord of Dungeons.¡± He nodded to the cub. ¡°Her mom.¡± Walker blinked a few times. ¡°Exin these¡­ Lords to me again?¡± With a nod, he did. The other worlder had plenty of questions about the power dynamic between Legacy and Lord, specifically how one raised their individual power if they were gated by a Lord. ¡°That¡¯s easy,¡± Lnd exined, pulling his grimoire from his hand tattoo. ¡°As our proficiency increases with our spells or abilities, our Lords offer us grander aspects of our power. For example, when I first acquired one of my spells, I summoned four crows. Now I summon thirteen.¡± ¡°And where do your Lords get their power from?¡± Walker asked. ¡°See, that is a great question that I only know the barebones answer to. There is a secret form of power we,¡± he gestured to himself and his friends, ¡°have only just learned about. We don¡¯t even have a definite name for this power. True elements, element-Hearts, Rules. Suffice it to say, there¡¯s a way to acquire power outside of a Lord¡¯s Legacy. Gelo is a great example. Beasts instinctually can control their elements. Ice and cold in her case.¡± ¡°But her mother is a Lord?¡± ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s a recent change ¨C as inst week. Before, she was what we¡¯ve only just learned was called ¡®Ruler of Ice.¡¯¡± The hesitance in Walker¡¯s posture had mostly vanished. Ask any of those present, none would have guessed the man was ranting about destroying the sun only hours ago. However, he still acted simr to a beaten dog. An eternity of wandering had caused several odd ticks. Most notably, he and the others were not sitting on sand but rather hardened sandstone. The man¡¯s power never exited the area, always circting around the group. To Lnd and Gelo, this effect was as obvious as the thick mana in the air. To the others, they just knew their hairs were standing on the back of their necks. ¡°That is closer to my own power¡­ and the power from my world. Before, people cultivated their powers over centuries of self-study and discipline. Only those who truly wished to touch the world would feel its warmth.¡± ¡°Hmm. How would they go about that?¡± ¡°Several long steps, the easiest exnation is the formation and training of a core.¡± ¡°And these cores, do they sit right beside one¡¯s heart?¡± Walker slowly nodded. ¡°What did you call it? Elemental-Hearts? Hmm. It seems our worlds are not too dissimr.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Lnd mused before weighing his options. Did he want to ask for advice from the who-knows-how-old man who just found out life still existed? Yes, yes he did. ¡°May I ask for advice? Cores, Hearts, how¡ª¡± Walker leaned back, the cot creaking with his weight. ¡°I was a teacher, once upon a time¡­ I had disciples, students who walked among the mes and brought vengeance as their reward.¡± They were silent for a moment, the man caught in a cycle of long forgotten memories. Truthfully, the moment reminded Lnd of Sybil and her ancestors in her head. He wondered how she was doing. They hadn¡¯t been separated that long but¡ª ¡°I will try,¡± Walker said, ending the moment. ¡°But I have not¡ª The starting line for power¡­ those memories are mostly gone, even before my immortality.¡± ¡°You never told me, how did you be immortal?¡± ¡°Reach too high, and the height bes crushing, like the depths.¡± Lnd pursed his lips before making his face as nk as possible. Walker reminded him of the Lords, non-answers and riddles. Always riddles, always. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Walker made eye contact, looking away just as fast. ¡°It is but my own fault. Greed. Shameful greed.¡± Again he went silent, this time staring at the sandstone beneath his feet. For a moment, a few grains were released from their stone-like hold, brushing against his toes before snapping back into the hardened formation. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°So cores. Hearts, whatever. What are they?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°In essence? A path to power.¡± ¡°Mhm. To me, I see dust and crystals. Does that sound familiar?¡± Walker didn¡¯t look up, but his voice took on a note of surprise. ¡°You see dust and crystals? At such an early stage of power? I can sense it, your core. It is weak, something a child would have had¡­ before¡­ when my world was¡­¡± ¡°I cheat, I think. I use a memory recall spell to look at my memories of looking at my core. For some reason my sight doesn¡¯t show me the dust, but the spell does.¡± ¡°Of course. Of course. It takes a proper eye-technique to see the power of a core¡­ that spell, how interesting. Fascinating even¡­ not that it matters.¡± Lnd felt that if the conversation devolved, that would be the end. So, he tried to keep on pace, asking, ¡°Eye-technique? Is that simr to a spell?¡± ¡°No so much. A technique allows for spells, think of them as a catalyst for moving the power necessary out of your lungs or what have you.¡± ¡°Lungs?¡± ¡°A breathing-technique, yes. The most basic of techniques.¡± ¡°How¡ª¡± Walker stirred, staring uncertainly at Lnd¡¯s chest. ¡°You do not breath¡­ how does¡­¡± ¡°I am breathing?¡± he asked. ¡°Hmm? Oh, yes. You are, but you are not.¡± Walker sat up straighter. ¡°Follow along.¡± Taking a deep breath in, the man pulled air into his lungs before holding. Together Lnd did the same, but when he felt worse and began to tinge purple, he released. But then Walker did something strange. Instead of releasing, he breathed in again. As Lnd watched, he saw that the man never exhaled. ¡°How?¡± ¡°A technique. One forged over¡­ a long time.¡± Walker shook his head. ¡°Tell me, what do you call the fuel for power here?¡± ¡°Do you mean mana? Lifeforce is sometimes used as well.¡± ¡°Mana, lifeforce. Yes, these words fit. Do you know the difference?¡± ¡°Mana is all around, lifeforce is internal.¡± ¡°Correct, but also not. Lifeforce and mana are one and the same. Two parts of a singr hole. Call it what you will, but when you learn tobine the two, the path of cores opens. Dust, crystal, mana, lifeforce. They all connect. Like a quantum focusing lens entwined with a gyrotelescope.¡± ¡°Err, what?¡± Walker looked up. ¡°Which part?¡± ¡°Quantum focusing or whatever.¡± ¡°The electromaicponents needed to advance gyro stabilization¡ª¡± He stopped himself, only finding confusion on Lnd¡¯s face. ¡°I think there is a cultural difference here. Tell me, have you begun the refinement of your home-star?¡± ¡°Uh.¡± Lnd swallowed. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Ah. My mistake. Allow me to go back. Breathe in, collect mana and lifeforce together, then breathe out. Eventually, instead of inhaling air, you will only inhale mana. From there, when youbine lifeforce and mana together inside your lungs, it will be in its purest form ¨C we called it ¡®ether.¡¯¡± ¡°And what do I do with ether?¡± ¡°Store it in your core. Use your core to amass ether into whatever you want or need, spell wise.¡± Lnd looked away, ideas appearing in his mind. ¡°It cannot be that simple, can it?¡± Walker chuckled, pausing at the sensation. ¡°Forgive me,¡± he said, ¡°I forgot how the feeling of teaching could be so pleasant. To answer your question, no. No, it is not simple. Most will never learn to breathe correctly, and only a fraction of that number will learn to purely breathe mana.¡± Lnd watched as he ced his te of brisket off to the side, downing the mead in the meantime. With only the pie left, the conversation returned to the Lords. ¡°My Lord is the Lord of Curses. I do not know what you wish to do, but if anyone can help you break your curse, it would be her. I¡­ I hope you don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but if breaking your curse means you die, I suggest you wait to make that decision. There are other Tears, others that might need help, like you. I¡ª¡± Walker raised his hand, stopping Lnd. ¡°I understand. Do not despair. I will not be dying any time soon, not with that thing in the sky.¡± He scowled at the air, Sand Castle blocking the sun from his view. ¡°How would you even go about destroying the sun?¡± ¡°With ether and technology.¡± ¡°And if that doesn¡¯t work, would you take on an advisory position for the world stage? Help them keep the world from being destroyed by world-ending threats¡­ like the sun?¡± Lnd didn¡¯t know why he asked those questions, but something told him that he should. He was out here, with Jude, Glenny, and Gelo to help people. If he couldn¡¯t help Walker, then what good was he? Breaking a curse only went so far. If the man was content with staying alive, then there was no better ce than beside a king or Lord, even. ¡°Actually,¡± Lnd said, ¡°my girlfriend is kind of the Queen of the kingdom we are in. Once you get checked out by my Lord, if you need a ce to live, I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be happy to¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Walker said simply. ¡°If I am to live in this world, I will do it as I have been in mine. As a wanderer. Maybe I should be a wandering teacher¡­¡± Lnd smiled at that. ¡°Regardless. If you ever need somewhere to stay, I¡¯m sure Sybil will help. Us as well, but we don¡¯t actually own anynd, so.¡± The orange pie was finished off in three bites. Walker said, ¡°I thank you, Lnd.¡± ¡°Are you ready then?¡± The man nodded. ¡°Alrighty.¡± Lnd switchednguages and spoke to the open air. ¡°Uh, he¡¯s ready for you.¡± And just like that, Walker disappeared from the cot, it squeaking from the sudden weight change. Lnd looked at his friends. ¡°Okay guys. I may have just been taught a super, special, secret breathing technique.¡± Jude and Glenny were ying cards against each other while Jude taught Gelo on the side. All three looked up. ¡°And?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°It¡¯s just another piece of the puzzle.¡± He stood, brushing the crumbs of his own dinner off hisp. ¡°Are we ready to move out? If we hurry, we can exit this sand before nightfall.¡± Grumbling, they packed up the cards and camp. Chapter 259: Travels Chapter 259: Travels The rhythmic bumps of a wagon on a dirt road wentpletely ignored as Lnd focused internally. With his eyes draped in the telltale signs of magic ¨C a side effect of powerful spells or cantrips ¨C memories were forged and reyed. Walker had stated that looking at one¡¯s core-Heart properly required an eye technique. But Lnd didn¡¯t have one nor knew how to train in one, though he figured his memory cantrip worked well enough. Collecting dust and shoving it into the hole inside his Heart was like gathering wheat without a pitchfork; slow, tedious, and for some reason, satisfying. Maybe it was the idea of having a bountiful crop or maybe it was the idea of uncovering the mystery of power that drew Lnd to aimlessly move dust. When he thought about it, he¡¯d always been like that, right? Power to help others while getting out of his parents¡¯ shadows. Two reasons for leaving home, two reasons that drove him to where he was today ¨C on the back of a wagon heading through the countryside. There was also the mystery aspect of it all. The Lord of Curses had interfered several times already, limiting the knowledge mentors and Lords could offer. There was more to it than ¡°one must make their own path,¡± he knew. It was a tingle on the back of his neck, that one day soon he would find the key to all of this. The puzzle would be blown wide open, the reason his Lord was keeping things hidden would be known, and most importantly¡ª Well, he was getting too far ahead of himself. First, he had to get to that point. But as he checked on his Heart-core through a series of memory recalls, he couldn¡¯t spare himself from the excitement in his gut. Learning was fun! Wasn¡¯t it? A particrly deep bump yanked Lnd from his mind, his eyes flickering open and all magic draining from his system. He sighed, hearing the wagon driver apologize. ¡°Wee back to the living!¡± Jude announced, seeing that his friend was finally up. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Are we there yet?¡±¡°Oh, another hour maybe? Kind of hard to tell without a nice fancy pocket watch, though.¡± Lnd red while producing his birthday gift, flicking open the protective cover and thrusting the watch face at his friend. ¡°Can you even read this?¡± Jude studied the two hands, making long, exaggerated ¡°hmms¡± and ¡°hrrrms.¡± Eventually the berserker sat back and said, ¡°Yeah, another hour.¡± Ignoring him, Lnd searched around the back of the wagon. Gelo was asleep, her furred body taking up most of the sittable real estate. She, unfortunately, had a roughst few days. From the constant changes to her open-ended Legacy and sleepless nights talking to her mother, little progress had been made on her goals ¨C to create Iceheart. Unfortunately, a simr issue had cropped up with everyone other than Lnd. Jude¡¯s goals of Musicheart hadn¡¯t even started, the young man doing zilch toward bing one with music. Glenny wanting to perfect his Void aspect fell on deaf ears as he needed a proper training partner, someone he could actually fight at full strength without worry of killing them or them going berserk and killing him. Truthfully, and he¡¯d be hard-pressed to admit it to the others, he wanted Isobel to be around. She could take aceration to the gut and still give that horridly bored expression of hers. Andstly, Gelo. Between spatial magic and ice, her time training had been spent mainly figuring out how they worked together. In battle against the parasite, her icence growth spell had worked exactly as nned and had nearly severed that monster¡¯s leg. But almost wasn¡¯t good enough in her eyes. If her mother had done the same spellbination, that leg would have been removed in a split second. So in the end, Lnd had progressed the furthest in his set goal¡­ though he did have plenty of contracts to work on, most of which he was putting off. Cursed contract of the Lord of Magic (Renewed): Use: Gain ess to the spell Dual Mind Resonance. Dual Mind Resonance: While active, your brain splits in two, offering dual thought processes. Spell¡¯s duration is limited by proficiency and base contract duration. Return: Contact the Lord of Prismatic Evolution, the Lord of the First Druid, and the Lord of the Zephyr. Speak with them and attempt to end all of their Legacies¡¯ inquiry into the mana being released by the worldly Tear. Specifically, put a stop to the raids on the Lord of Magic¡¯s Legacies. Staring at the page, he sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he muttered to Jude, not that it would matter with how fast he would reappear. ¡°Lord of Prismatic Evolution, I humbly wish to strike a contract with you.¡± ¡°No,¡± the Lord said inly, multicolored tentacles drifting through the air like they were those strange floaty-eye things you got after not blinking for a few minutes, ¡°I do not wish to make a contract with you.¡± Lnd tried not to stare or flinch when one of the tentacles came near. The Prismatic Evolution Lord was an octopus the size of a city, her rainbow skin and house-sized suckers had more than evolved. He stood at the base of her nest, coral and other water-nts acting as a throne cushion. ¡°But¡­¡± she continued, ¡°a pact may suffice. How about my blessing for a few simple requests?¡± Lnd internally frowned. Pacts, contracts that dealt in life and death. Contracts that gavepromising power but if broken, he or the Lord would die. ¡°Such as?¡± he asked. ¡°The oceans. They need a protector! Someone to live in the depths¡ª¡± Lnd raising his hand slightly stopped the giant Guardian Spirit Beast turned Lord. ¡°What is it?¡± He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯m not looking to move nor hold such responsibilities. The protector of the oceans? I¡¯m only twenty¡­¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The Lord stared down at him, her massive eyes taking up the skyline. ¡°Then we¡¯vee to an impasse.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ truthfully I didn¡¯te to talk to you today because of contracts.¡± ¡°But the Lord of Dungeons says you speak to our kind with respect to growing your own power. Rather greedy of you if I do say so myself.¡± Lnd sighed. ¡°No, I wasing today because of the Lord of Magic and the raids your Legacies aremitting against his Legacies. Over new mana, no less.¡± ¡°Oh. I see.¡± Tentacles shifted across the sky, each taking on the color of the deep ocean. ¡°Do you know why my Legacies are doing such a thing?¡± ¡°Uh, no?¡± ¡°Because of the new possibilities. Evolution! The grand principle of intelligence!¡± ¡°Mhmm. And do these evolutions have to happen today? Or even this year? As I understand it, people are dying for this.¡± The Lord stared him down, he stood tall and did the same. ¡°My Legacies have a right to evolve¡ª¡± ¡°Right¡­ but does evolution need to happen right now? And isn¡¯t it better for others to research this new mana first? Imagine if this new mana actually is harming us or makes you devolve. That would be bad.¡± Her tentacles went still. ¡°Do not try and lecture me about evolution, child!¡± And as thest word was spit, Lnd found himself back in the Void, kicked from yet another Lord¡¯s domain. He sighed, finding the wagon still bumping along. ¡°Lord of the First Druid, I humbly wish to strike a contract with you.¡± ¡°Do you know why I am petitioning the Lord of Magic for his proposed sanctions ?¡± the Lord of the First Druid asked, the wolf pelt on his head snarling a bit. Lnd liked this Lord, so far. The man, an older gentleman with muscles upon muscles and no shirt to hide them, spoke calmly and clearly. There were no tricks, no Lordly love taps that felt as though Lnd was about to die, no waiting for their divine theatrical arrival. The man was waiting for him, sitting on a log as if it was the mostfortable couch in the world. ¡°No,¡± he answered. ¡°Because the inhabitants of the other world need their mana. Not us.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t some of our mana rece theirs? As I understand the leading theory behind mana mechanics, mana is like water.¡± ¡°That it is. But, you see, that world¡¯s mana already has an aspect. In fact, that is one of the reasons the Lord of Magic wants to study it so much. Because it is special. That world¡¯s mana is primarily nature in tuned.¡± Lnd¡¯s brows furled. ¡°Are you sure? Because I was told that it is not special mana.¡± ¡°I know for a fact it is. I have spoken to the equivalent of a Lord from that world and had it confirmed.¡± There was not a hint of emotion on the First Druid Lord¡¯s face, though the not could be said about Lnd¡¯s. ¡°W-what? That world has Lords?¡± ¡°Indeed. They are called Arbors. Big sentient trees. As I understand it, once a person is ready to be an Arbor, they shed their mortal skin and be of wood.¡± ¡°Fascinating¡­ but that doesn¡¯t matter right now. Mana is like water, so regardless of the Lord of Magic¡¯s influence, it wille to this world until both worlds are equalized. Like a dam filling a pond.¡± ¡°Again, you are correct.¡± ¡°Then why set up raids against the Legacies of Magic?¡± This time a beat of guilt showed across the stoic man¡¯s face. Even his wolf pelt seemed to look dower. ¡°That is an ill effect of a statement my former Champion created. She has since been removed from her position. The raids have ended.¡± Lnd couldn¡¯t keep the surprise away. ¡°Oh, okay¡­ That¡¯s all I wished to talk about today¡­ however if you don¡¯t mind me possibly¡ª Wait. Apologies, I do not mean toe off as amateurish, I¡¯ve had too much on my mindtely.¡± The Lord smiled. ¡°From creating a new Lord to rescuing thest surviving person of another world, I¡¯d say so.¡± ¡°And fighting off a transcended parasite.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes, but actually no. That parasite was nothing of the sort.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°For a parasite to transcend, consuming their host is one step of many.¡± The Lord shifted on his log. ¡°If that parasite returns to kill you, be prepared for a more significant battle. While it is off licking its wounds, it also is gathering any and all mana ites into contact with.¡± Lnd connected the dots, saying, ¡°When it returns, it will be stronger.¡± ¡°Far stronger.¡± ¡°Great¡­ do you, perhaps, want to make a contract with me? I need spells to deal with this parasite. My usual arsenal doesn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± The Lord of the First Druid turned to the side and said, ¡°Ah, there she is.¡± Branches and twigs raised from the ground, creating a viewing window into the home of some woman. ¡°This is a Legacy of mine. She is currently at the end of your path ¨C at the next Tear you are heading toward.¡± The viewing window shifted, showing the surroundings of the ¡°house,¡± if it could be called that. Made of branches and leaves, the house sat askew on a backdrop of familiar dark sand. Just beyond the home was another just like it, then another, and another. A dozen of these shacks lined the area, each surrounding a middling fort simr to Sand Castle. But Lnd didn¡¯t focus on any of those, instead looking off into the distance where the Tear was situated. There, like ants across a forest bed, monsters roamed in droves. Hundreds, thousands even, of monsters, all various breeds, species, and sizes. Some fought one another, others prowled as kings. Lines of humans fought from the not-Sand Castle, sting spells and raining arrows across thend. Monsters died, but many more quickly took their ce. ¡°What is this?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°That,¡± the picture shifted again showing different angles as the Lord spoke, ¡°is a Tear to world Alpha. Granted, this one is in a much worse state than the one you just left.¡± ¡°Why is it¡ª¡± ¡°Human nature. Specifically a nature that wants to destroy rather than adapt.¡± Lnd paused. ¡°You are saying humans did this?¡± He gestured at the viewing pane. ¡°Indeed. Individuals at first, but groups emerged. Murderer, Witches, thieves. Anyone and everyone who felt the need to take rather than harmonize, integrate.¡± The Lord closed his eyes. ¡°How many deaths will it take for them to understand that these Tears are our new way of life. A familiar life, even. There are not many changesing from these Tears.¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Lnd surmised. ¡°New races of people? New mana? Things are changing.¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose you are right. But for me, they are not. I am immortal, Lnd Silver, I work on a different time scale than you. The world has changed before. This is just one of many toe.¡± Staring at the wave of monsters and defenders, Lnd felt his stomach grow hollow. A melee sword user was gored by a monster made of pin needles and lightning. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± he asked. ¡°For a spell tobat a parasite?¡± the Lord mused. ¡°Protect my Legacy, Elin, and kill the Witch who controls the monsters.¡± ¡°Controls how?¡± ¡°A rogue Legacy of Nature. She grew sources of food for the monsters, imbuing the food with her corrupted magic thus taking over their minds.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the Witch?¡± Lnd asked. The Lord gestured to the window, the world-view shifting across the dark sands until¡ª ¡°Oh. The Witch is dead.¡± A picture appeared of a dead woman lying cast in shadows. Monsters partiallyid across her mangled withered body, crossbow bolts jutting from her skin. ¡°No matter. Protect Elin then¡ª¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Lnd screeched. ¡°Can you look for the Witch¡¯s killer? I think¡ª I think I know her!¡± The Lord raised an eyebrow, mumbling something to the branches and twigs that made up the viewing window. The deceased Witch abruptly appeared standing, moving backward through the sand as if time was reversing. Bolts of green peeled from her skin, flying off into the distance. The First Druid Lord followed the trajectory, finding a woman assassin with a centipede crossbow as a weapon. ¡°Hah,¡± Lndughed. ¡°That¡¯s where she¡¯s been all this time!¡± Chapter 260: Fly Chapter 260: Fly Lnd found himself sitting on the wagon with Jude and Gelo. He blinked a few times, relimating to the brightness of the sun. ¡°Where¡¯s Glenny?¡± he asked. Jude opened his mouth to answer, but a voice beat him to it. ¡°Here,¡± Glenny said, appearing beside them. The others flinched, Jude staring at his friend with his lips pursed. ¡°How long have you been there?¡± ¡°Since we got on?¡± ¡°That was hours ago!¡± ¡°And I¡¯ve been here the whole time.¡± ¡°Dude,¡± Lnd began, ¡°that ring is scary.¡± He was referring to Glenny¡¯s birthday present, his mother¡¯s ring. The enchantment was simple but powerful, obscuring the wearer to a degree people hunted and killed the ring maker so he couldn¡¯t create more. ¡°Yeah,¡± Glenny replied with a shrug. ¡°Annnnyway, I found Isobel.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Lord of the First Druid was showing me what we are in for at the second Tear. Which is battle, mind you. But that¡¯s not the point. Isobel was there, she assassinated a Witch!¡± Jude frowned. As did Glenny. ¡°Come on guys, she¡¯s not that bad,¡± Lnd huffed. ¡°Maybe to you¡­ but to us¡ª¡± ¡°She treats us like kids,¡± Glenny interrupted. ¡°Although, she is a good punching bag.¡± ¡°Until she punches back,¡± Jude muttered. Lnd rolled his eyes. ¡°We¡¯vee to an understanding.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said that before. What does that even mean?¡± ¡°It means, I trust her.¡± ¡°Yeah I do as well¡ª¡± The wagon hit another bump, rousing Gelo from her nap. She blinked, bleary eyed and half asleep. ¡°Are we there yet?¡± she uttered, daggering her snout into Jude¡¯s knee like it was a fluffy pillow. ¡°Almost. You should probably get up. We¡¯ll be moving soon.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± With that, the cub roused her tired head, rising like an undead from a shallow grave. ¡°I¡¯m up. What¡¯s new?¡± ¡°Found Isobel,¡± Lnd answered. ¡°And a new contract.¡± ¡°Isobel? Where¡¯s she?¡± ¡°At the Tear.¡± ¡°And the contract?¡± Lnd pulled out his grimoire, reading the new page aloud quietly to his friends. Cursed contract of the Lord of the First Druid: Use: Gain ess to the Shamanism spell, Wildfire. Return: Protect the Legacy of the First Druid known as ¡°Elin¡± until the threat at the Tear has ended. This contract is renegotiable after one year. Shamanism Wildfire: Call upon the First Druid to kindle the mes of a disaster in your hands. Do what you will with it. After finishing reading, Lnd got a mixed ¡°eh,¡± from his friends. He could only roll his eyes. Shamanism spells were unique enough to warrant their own title and field of study. He had to bite at the chance to own one. If it wasn¡¯t good, then there were plenty of other contracts he could make. And it wasn¡¯t like the spell would take over from Circle of Souls, not unless he could form a particrly powerful script around the spell¡­ which, now that he was thinking about it, may be a route to go¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Hello? Leals, hello?¡± He blinked. ¡°Lost my train of thought.¡± ¡°Did you finish the Lord of Magic¡¯s contract?¡± His eyes snapped open just like the pages of his grimoire. Cursed contract of the Lord of Magic (Renewed): Use: Gain ess to the spell Dual Mind Resonance. Dual Mind Resonance: While active, your brain splits in two, offering dual thought processes. Spell¡¯s duration is limited by proficiency and base contract duration. A particrly devious chuckle expelled from his lips. ¡°It¡¯s ready now!¡± ¡°Eh, don¡¯t do that, Lnd. It¡¯s too creepy,¡± Gelo whined, the fur on the back of her neck sticking up. ¡°I want to test it. Do I have enough time to test it?¡± ¡°Leals, we¡¯re going to¡ª¡± ¡°HO!¡± the voice of the wagon driver called before the ox pulling the cart began to slow. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Fancy that timing?¡± Jude asked, wagging his eyebrow at Lnd. ¡°Time to go get a blessing!¡± He hopped to his feet, jumping out of the wagon andnding in a patch of mud with an audible ssh. Heughed, setting off to speak with the driver. This story has been uwfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Is he skipping?¡± Glenny asked, squinting at his friend¡¯s antics. Lnd and Gelo joined in watching the berserker skip through the mud. ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± ¡°Did he get into the wine again?¡± Gelo asked. ¡°No. I took all of the bottles he had in his ring.¡± ¡°C-could he just be excited?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Come on guys!¡± Jude called. ¡°Mr Hugh says the temple is this way!¡± ¡°Maybe he is,¡± Glenny muttered, jumping from the wagon andnding in the mud. Lnd did the same, as well as Gelo, but she froze the watery dirt so that her paws didn¡¯t get caked. Lnd cocked an eyebrow, his boots now frozen in icy mud. ¡°Sorry!¡± the cub yelped, unfreezing the area directly under his feet. ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired.¡± Together they swung around the side of the wagon, finding Jude and Mr. Hugh talking to the ox pulling the wagon. While Jude spoke to the animal like it was an animal, Mr. Hugh talked as if the beast was his best friend. ¡°Carly says to have fun at the temple. She just knows you four are in for a treat!¡± the waggoneer said. ¡°Carly?¡± Glenny asked. Mr. Hugh patted the ox. ¡°My pride and joy.¡± ¡°Beastpanion,¡± Jude said, receiving a prompt nod from the man. ¡°Most of the folks in this vige are Legacies of Beasts. So don¡¯t be rmed if animals are in odd ces. They are living their best lives here.¡± While the group knew this vige held a temple to the Lord of Beasts, the connection to the locals had been lost on the three boys. Of course the locals had some rtion to the Lord of Beasts, otherwise why house a temple in their vige? Jude produced a few gold coins from his inventory ring, thrusting them at the man. ¡°No thanksd. Giving you lot a ride is the most fun I¡¯ve had in weeks!¡± Carly snorted, her tail flicking Mr. Hugh in the hand. ¡°Okay, okay. ying you and the cursed Todd in poker was fun as well.¡± ¡°Cursed?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Ah.¡± The man chuckled. ¡°A little inside joke around the vige. Todd is a nocturnal opossumpanion to Mr. Timmy. The two havepletely different sleeping schedules, hence the ¡®cursed¡¯ aspect.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Mr. Hughughed again. ¡°Crazy fool won fifty silver from me and Carly even though we were ying together and cheating! I think that beasty can smell lies. Called all of our bluffs!¡± Carly punctuated with another powerful snort. ¡°Try lying more,¡± Jude suggested. ¡°So when Todd smells a lie, he doesn¡¯t know if it is an actual lie.¡± The man snapped. ¡°Good idea!¡± He and the ox shared a look before turning back to the young man. ¡°Well, you four best be off. Good luck at the temple!¡± And with that, the wagon pulled away. Lnd blinked a few times, then yelled, ¡°Oh! Don¡¯t blow out your birthday candles! The Lord of Mending mes heals people through the mes!¡± That got a confused head tilt from the man and ox. ¡°Well, I tried.¡± Glenny snickered at him. ¡°This better be worth it,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°Two whole days of detoured travel to get here.¡± ¡°Oh it will be,¡± Jude sang. ¡°I can practically smell the Beast Lord¡¯s blessing!¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s ox poop,¡± Gelo said, sniffing the air. ¡°Is it? I think it smells like excitement!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s definitely ox poop.¡± Jude deted. ¡°I¡¯m going to go ahead. You three catch up.¡± And like that, the berserker ran into the vige. It was a small, warm sort of ce. It reminded both Glenny and Lnd of their home vige, the ce they left and never looked back. There were some in their home vige who were nice and respectable. People like the local Guild Master, Gill. But small viges often held a level of animosity toward the outcasts. And as they strolled through the wicker and brick houses, that was front and center. Sneers, res, vigers simply ignoring them. From both the animals and not, these people knew each other and only each other. Strangers were trouble, here or everywhere. Even with Gelo by their side, they were unknown. Were they here to swing by the temple or rob the grain supply? ¡°Good thing we¡¯re not staying long,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Glenny jerked his head to the side, feeling a pair of burning eyes on him. There, stuck to a wall with its head facing the ground, was a chameleon eyeing him. He gave a short wave. It scurried down the wall,pletely ignoring him. ¡°Well then,¡± he said, a bit miffed. ¡°That was the first chameleon I¡¯ve ever seen, other than the Lord of Chameleons, and it runs from me?¡± Lnd gave him a sympathetic look. Gelo did not. Instead her head craned from one side to the other, staring at the assortment of beasts lounging around. A monkey over there, a bat hanging from a roof, a dwarf hippo gnawing on a pumpkin. ¡°What is that thing?¡± she asked. The boys nced back and forth. ¡°A hippo.¡± ¡°He¡¯s beautiful.¡± Lnd coughed. Glenny sputtered. They had to nearly drag the cub from staring, pulling her onto the main drag of the vige. There they found the temple, a mud and brick building three times the size of any other building around. There a statue of a buffalo stood tall and firm, the hardened y that formed it more akin to brown ss than dirt. ¡°That¡¯s the Lord of Beasts,¡± Lnd told Gelo. ¡°His presence alone caused rain and life to appear.¡± She frowned. ¡°Can my mom do that?¡± ¡°Probably not. But she¡¯ll be able to do other things. Ice and space, you know?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Glenny said, hopping into the conversation, ¡°she¡¯ll be able to create miniature worlds. Dungeons and stuff.¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯d let us be the first to explore one of her dungeons,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Can you imagine the loot we¡¯d get from a dungeon when your mom is watching? I¡¯d bet she¡¯d give us only the best stuff.¡± Gelo snorted. ¡°Nah, she¡¯d give out what we earn. Mom¡¯s not one to give out gifts for those who can¡¯t prove worthy.¡± She shivered. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how many treats I missed out on years ago because I couldn¡¯tnd a bullseye with an ice bolt.¡± ¡°Treats?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°There was a special type of fruit inside our dungeon that only grew once a month. Mom stockpiled them as incentive for me to practice harder. They were great!¡± ¡°What was it called?¡± ¡°Palm granted or something.¡± ¡°Pomegranate?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Yeah that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°We can get you some pomegranates. They sell them in the markets sometimes.¡± ¡°Wellllll, mom said these pomegranates were special.¡± ¡°Magical?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Not sure. Just that the golden juice could mend wounds.¡± ¡°Gold?¡± both Lnd and Glenny asked at the same time. ¡°Yeah, gold.¡± ¡°Pomegranates are reddish pink.¡± ¡°Oh. Then it wasn¡¯t a pomegranate.¡± ¡°Or¡± Lnd supposed, ¡°it could have been a special pomegranate.¡± ¡°Or that.¡± ¡°Did it have seed things that you ate? Or was it fleshy like an orange¡ª¡± The question died in his mouth as Jude emerged from the temple. He carried a hamster, talking to it as if it was a wise, old man. ¡°Thank you for the hospitality,¡± Jude said, tenderly, ¡°that was very enlightening.¡± ¡°Yes indeed,¡± the hamster muttered, its words slow but resolute. ¡°Go forth, young one, and fly!¡± At that, the hamster hopped from Jude¡¯s hands, plopping onto the muddy ground without a care in the world. At the same time, a set of hawk wings sprung from Jude¡¯s back, pping hastily. Feathers and plumage filled the air at the same time gusts of wind shot forward. Lnd, Glenny, and Gelo braced themselves from the sudden assault, their berserker friendughing like a mad man. He jumped, his new wings beating like a fledgling leaving the nest for the first time. He took to the air! Climbing foot by foot until he was above the nearest roof. ¡°Catch me if you can Leal¡ª¡± his words halted as one wing pped too far, shifting his bnce and causing him to spin. Then, like a sack of bricks, he fell,nding face first in the dirt. No one made a sound, not even the elder hamster who had walked Jude out of the temple. Amidst the silence, Lnd took three steps forward, cing his hand on the back of Jude¡¯s head. ¡°Caught you.¡± Chapter 261: Like a Kite Chapter 261: Like a Kite For Lnd and Jude, traveling had be much more fun. For Glenny and Gelo, not so much. Having a friend to fly with, Lnd felt reminiscent of his time traveling home with Isobel. Back then, the pair flew mainly to dodge wanted posters and anyone looking to bring in their bounty. Getting home faster was a plus, but one outweighed by safety and the nagging sense that someone was following them. And while that would never ruin the fun of flying, now it was even more freeing than before. The chance to soar through the open air with a friend right behind you was something very few would ever have the chance to do. Moreover, the fun of seeing Jude facent again and again was something that would only happen in these first few practice sessions. Which got Lnd thinking, no wonder Isobel was smirking so much. She wasughing at me falling! The revtion honestly wasn¡¯t too surprising¡­ which only made him more scornful. ¡°Can we leave yet?¡± Gelo asked upon Lnd¡¯snding. A pair of ck wings disappeared with a flush of loose feathers and a burst of wind. Lnd had found the key tonding safely was to fall thest few feet, opting for a finalrge p to break all his momentum. Unfortunately, this had the side effect of making everyone¡¯s day a bad hair day. ¡°As soon as Jude¡ª¡± Judended.Or crashed. Yeah, he crashed. ¡°¡ªnds,¡± Lnd finished, taking a deep breath. How many crashes was this? Sixteen? Seventeen? Honestly, it was more than it should have been. He was getting better at banking turns, however. Progress! Jude spat out a clump of grass. ¡°Flying sucks!¡± ¡°No it doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Okay it doesn¡¯t, butnding sucks!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said that like ten times, Leals. I¡¯m not making any progress.¡± Lnd sighed. ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know how spells work. And while your wings aren¡¯t technically a spell, they act more like one than a normal ability.¡± He was referring to the age-old difference between spells and abilities. Abilities often did the ability for the user. An ability to swing a sword? The ability swung the sword. Simple. But a spell to swing a sword? Now that was a can of worms befitting the title Mage. Imagination was a mage¡¯s best friend, so was practice and preparation. ¡°You¡¯ve got to imagine what you want your wings to do¡ª¡± Jude held up his hand after pushing himself to his feet. ¡°Save it Leals, I remember thest time you exined it.¡± ¡°No you don¡¯t,¡± Glenny muttered under his breath. The berserker¡¯s eyes snapped over to his friend. Then with a voice obviously mocking Lnd, he said, ¡°¡¯Imagine what you want your wings to do, that way your wings will actually do it. It¡¯s not like a normal ability. You have to actually focus on doing rather than using.¡¯¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Lnd yelped, his hand covering his heart sarcastically empathetic. ¡°Actually a good impression,¡± Gelo said. ¡°It was not!¡± Glenny sighed loudly, ending the banter. ¡°If you know what Lnd was going to say, why don¡¯t you just do it then?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not that simple?¡± Jude asked, his hands firmly nted on his hips. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try!¡± ¡°Oh me too. Flying seems really cool, too bad you suck at it.¡± ¡°What did you say Snowhead?¡± Jude stepped forward, puffing out his chest as his face turned a few shades redder. ¡°Oh please¡ª¡° Glenny¡¯s cloak of shadows flooded outward, enveloping the immediate area in darkness. ¡°If you are going to try to intimidate someone, you have to do it like Lnd.¡± Shadows spun around Jude¡¯s feet, eating his shoes and scaling his ankles. ¡°Just like with flying, you do it and you don¡¯t do it half-assed.¡± The shadows continued to climb their way up Jude, removing the shadow naturally cast by the young man and recing it with a sheet of pure darkness. Jude threw a punch. Glenny easily shadow stepped away, appearing amidst the ocean of darkness. ¡°Missed,¡± Glenny whispered directly into his friend¡¯s ear, his eyes flipping from Void white to infinite ck. Jude flinched back, throwing out a wild elbow. Again, Glenny disappeared, darkness taking his ce. Then, like the sun appearing from behind a storm cloud, the shadows disappeared. Glenny returned back to where he was originally standing, his gaze level and waiting. ¡°Uncalled for, Glenny,¡± Lnd said inly. ¡°Some abilities take practice.¡± Glenny shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s needing practice and then there¡¯spletely ignoring the expert¡¯s advice because you think you can do it better. We should already be on the road¡­ and I¡¯m annoyed that I can¡¯t fly.¡± A beat of silence passed. ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Jude took a few breaths to calm himself, eventually saying, ¡°I¡¯m trying, okay? This is new for me. Sorry for ruining your day or whatever.¡± A long, suffering sigh escaped Glenny¡¯s lips. ¡°No, I think it¡¯s just jealousy. I¡¯m the only one out of this group that can¡¯t fly.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± said Gelo, her head slightly tilted at the rogue. ¡°Yeah but you¡¯re a mage who has powers based on instinct and natural-beastiness. You¡¯ll make wings of ice or something sooner thanter.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good idea actually.¡± She turned her head to her paws, creating small prototype copies of Jude¡¯s wings out of ice. ¡°I¡¯ll start working on that now.¡± ¡°See what I mean?¡± asked Glenny. ¡°You¡¯ve got shadow teleporting,¡± Lnd offered. ¡°That¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°Just adapt to the wind or something,¡± Jude added, ¡°be like a kite.¡± Isobel groaned as she loosened another bolt of pure toxic stuff. What she was firing was beyond her, a conjuration from her strange parasitic weapon. Whatever it was, it was effective. She watched in silence as the monster before her died, withered away from inside out. She gritted her teeth, moving on to the next target, firing again. What had she gotten herself into? Who¡¯d have thought that helping a caravan repel a bandit attack would have roped her into traveling to one of these new fancy, smancy Tears she had been hearing about? Truthfully, she was not impressed. A crack in reality that led to a world of sand and a red sky? Boring in more ways than one. Though, she supposed the other world had its own sort of charm. To be alone, tock responsibilities, to sit in silence and breathe. She knew eventually she¡¯d go mad from the istion. Humans were weird like that. For as much as she hated being around ¡°friends¡± and acquaintances, she sure felt the need to rush back to them. But how was she supposed to do that when monsters were surging and Witches were out and about? She sighed, firing off another bolt. She¡¯d killed the ring-leader Witch, the one controlling the monsters to attack in strategic wave allotments and groups. And while that had helped the defenders rest for a day or two, something or someone was making the monsters act strange again. What did they even want? Isobel shook her head. Something, something, magical Tear in the world, something, something. Who cared? It was a hole to a world of dark sand and a red sky. Nothing less, nothing more¡ª She stopped that train of thought. Another had emerged. From her hiding spot, Isobel blended in with the surrounding dark sand like any other gray-stone rock or dposing tree trunk. And while she knew she was lucky the monsters chose to create nests in the ndness that was a desert from another world, she hated the smell the most. Such was life as a hunter. Always in strange spots. Regardless, she watched an older man poke his head out of their base. Monsters dying right above him? That was cause for investigation. Humans were simple creatures after all. Killing someone¡¯s property usually meant the owner would at least check it out. This time was no different. The man pulled himself from the hole in the sand, covering the entrance to the base with a sheet of enchanted cloth. Isobel watched the red strip of fabric shimmer deep blue before transforming into a perfect copy of the nearby sand ¨C textured and everything. She hummed to herself, eyeing the man. He was tall, muscled, wearing some kind of dark leather armor. It was enchanted, obviously, the wind around the man acting strange. Besides that, there wasn¡¯t much of note about the man. From the distance, Isobel couldn¡¯t make out the man¡¯s Legacy tattoo, not that it mattered. The man had already fallen from his Lord¡¯s grace, the great big ¡°W¡± branded across his face and forehead proving as much. Isobel took a deep breath, lining up the shot. She exhaled, perfectly timing her attack to fire between her heartbeats. The bolt of toxic stuff passed through the man¡¯s air-enchanted armor without so much of a slight veering. The attack took him in the back as he crouched to investigate the still-warm body of one of his monsters. And just like the monster, a hole the size of two fingers put together pierced through his heart and out the other side. He stumbled around for a few steps, his throat clenched tightly as the poison made its way through his veins. He fell, the dark sand cradling his dead body. And Isobel waited. And waited. Minutes, half an hour, an hour. Another head poked up from the hole, this one far more careful than the man. Isobel watched as the woman mbered to her feet, ncing around. She found a few dead monsters, stepping over to the closest one before starting her own investigation ¨C for herrade, rather than for the dead monsters, however. Isobel waited. She had killed the man as he rounded the hulking frame of one of the monsters, thus blocking his corpse from being seen from the hidden base¡¯s entrance. She would do the same for the woman. And the next person. And the next. During all of this, Isobel thought about getting home. And while she tried not to think about him, her mind did wonder about Lnd. The others as well, but mainly Lnd¡ª A pinprick sensation crawled over her spine. She shivered, finding the involuntary movement both disconcerting and very wrong. There were only a few times she had experienced a vile sensation like this, and most of them were recent. Very recent. First was the Sightless King. Second was Harbinger Ashford. And third was Lnd¡¯s parasite, Lodestar. And unfortunately for her, the feeling reminded her primarily of Lodestar ¨C that was, if Lodestar decided it needed blood and flesh to survive. A figure appeared in front of her, sniffing the air. It hopped around on one leg, sniffing more and more. ck ichor fell from the mangled stump that was formerly its leg, dyeing the dark sand an even darker ck. It took the form of a young woman, but one that had been chewed up and spit out by something¡ª It stopped, its eyes falling on the secret hole in the sand. It lunged, wing its way into the base like a fox snatching a rabbit from its hole. Gore and bloodied organs exploded from the hole, limbs and chunks of flesh flying like a dirty bomb. Then, it entered the hole, the screams of whoever was down there dying out. Isobel sat perfectly still, though her mind wobbled and shook. She wanted to run, wanted to retreat, but something, a voice, an instinct, in the back of her mind told her to remain where she was. As a hunter, the ability to sit in an enemy¡¯s nest was a necessity for hunting true monsters. Remaining unseen, however, was something few could truly achieve. And while Isobel had be famous for her gambits in hunting, this time it would be survival that people would celebrate¡­ if she survived. The thing pulled itself from the hole, blood soaking what little clothing it had on. It licked its lips, it shivered with delight. Then, something caught its attention. It sniffed the air. Once, twice, three times, its head slowly turned toward where Isobel hid. ¡°You smell familiar,¡± the thing purred, its voice like ss shards raking against skin. An attack came but a heartbeatter. A simple punch, one that just happened to warp the world. Isobel dove backward, firing off a single bolt of toxic stuff while unfurling her dragonfly wings and fleeing. The creature did not follow, instead plucking the bolt from its chest and inspecting it like it was a piece of candy. As a matter of fact, it may as well have been a piece of candy, for the thing swallowed it whole a momentter. It then groaned in delight, disappearing with another warp of space, off to hunt more delicious things. Chapter 262: Bastion Chapter 262: Bastion With a grand total of eleven days traveled from Sand Castle, the boys and Gelo made it to the start of the second Tear. Instead of the Tear perfectly splitting a forest as if a Lord had ced it between trees, this Tear divided a mountain range. To the east, the peak of a mountain sat isted, its connected range now a ck desert away. Unlike the first Tear they visited, this one was heavily popted. From the journey, the boys and Gelo learned of trading routes spliced and horribly rerouted. Instead of a path across the mountains, one had to journey across a desert riddled with monsters and murderers. Most chose to go around, which added weeks to travel times in some cases. ¡°It¡¯s those royals!¡± one particr toothless old man screeched when Lnd asked about it, as they rxed in a bar. ¡°A new queen and everything is messed up! It was her! I just know it!¡± Before Lnd could respond, Jude sneered, ¡°Shut it, ¡®Mr.¡¯ No one wants to hear the ramblings of a drunkard.¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t no drunkard! Who even is ya? Some pathetic excuse for a bard!?¡± Jude just so happened to be plucking his guitar. He paused, deciding to lean into it. ¡°I¡¯m going to be the Lord of Music one day, just you see.¡± That got a chuckle out of the bar, most of which came from Mr¡¯s dirty friends. ¡°y something sweet!¡± one yelled, getting a re from the others. And just like that, the royals were forgotten about, and a slow, romantic song yed. Lnd couldn¡¯t help but wonder about Sybil.The Tear was three days from that bar, the journey primarily on foot. A few traders were looking to cross the ck sands, some even offering the boys and Gelo a ride, but at Lnd¡¯s warnings of trouble, all shied away. ¡°It¡¯s almost like knowing that Witches walking around is scary,¡± Glenny muttered as he dumped a pile of sand from his boot. ¡°Cowards. Just think, we could be on another wagon right now.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a solution we could find for walking. We have a fancy mage in our party now.¡± All eyes turned to Gelo, who blinked slowly. ¡°I could make a boat of ice. Slide across the sand.¡± ¡°How would you push it?¡± ¡°With¡­ magic?¡± ¡°It¡¯d be taxing.¡± ¡°I can do it!¡± The cub hopped to her paws, magic swirling around her like an avnche swallowed by a whirlpool. Ice formed in seconds, a thick and reinforced section morphed together until a wide ¡°boat¡± sat on the sand. ¡°An¡­ oval?¡± Jude asked. ¡°A boat!¡± ¡°A sled, more like,¡± Lnd said, climbing in. He sat, patting the ice as if he was calling over a dog for pets. The others filed in as well. And then Gelo tried to push the boat. To her credit, the ice moved, but at speeds hardly faster than Lnd could run and with far less endurance. She had to call it quits after a few minutes. ¡°You all are too heavy!¡± she cried. ¡°Am not!?¡± Jude retorted. ¡°I¡¯m not even wearing my armor!¡± And like that, they were back to walking. Eventually the first of the Palemarrow Kingdom¡¯s defenses came into view. Along the horizon of sand, sat a bastion of stone and mana. While Sand Castle was a fort of singr structure, this bastion was affixed with fencing and reinforced walls. Stone traveled far into the distance, slightly curving as if a shepherd wished to corral most of the wilderness. From their vantage point, the boys and Gelo only saw walls and evenly spaced battlement towers. The Tear in the center of the structure was still too far away to see. ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± Lnd said. ¡°When the Lord of the First Druid showed me the Tear, this wasn¡¯t here¡­¡± ¡°An illusion?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Maybe they built it?¡± suggested Jude. They continued forward, nearing the wall without incident or ident. Lnd stared at his surroundings through Zeke¡¯s eyes, finding nothing but stone walls and mana. Zeke flew further, passing over the walls¡ª ¡°Oh. I think I have it figured out. What I saw was at the Tear. This wall is surrounding it.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°They really don¡¯t want peopleing in, huh?¡± Gelo said. Zeke spotted a group of monsters, Lnd ryed this information. ¡°I think they want to keep monsters out if anything. Or at least slow them down so the defenders have time to kill them.¡± They continued toward the wall, finding more evidence. As if a fox burrowed under a farmer¡¯s fence, the sand and stone at the base of the wall was chewed through. w marks dug deep into the fortifications while more than a few rotting corpses littered the way. Ooze and other excrements trailed off under and past the walls, heading toward the Tear. The boys and Gelo followed, easily slipping past the fortifications without so much as a break in their stride. It was then Zeke alerted Lnd of a development. ¡°There¡¯s a battle,¡± he said to the group, watching events unfold through the crow¡¯s eyes. ¡°Humans versus monsters. Humans¡­ are winning. Tentatively.¡± ¡°Are they Witches?¡± asked Glenny, the rogue scanning the area for other threats. ¡°No. Wearing soldiers¡¯ armor and Palemarrow red and gray.¡± ¡°Ah, so we should help them then?¡± ¡°Indeed. How fast can you make it over there, Gelo, Glenny? It¡¯s straight that way, maybe forty-five minutes walking.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not enough shadows to shadow step properly,¡± Glenny huffed. ¡°Some wings would be really good at a time like this.¡± ¡°Not this again,¡± muttered Jude. ¡°What if I carried you?¡± Lnd suggested, eyeing the cub. ¡°Or I carry Gelo and Jude carries you?¡± ¡°No thanks, I¡¯d rather sprint. Dying by crashnding is not the way I want to go. You and Jude go on ahead, Gelo and I can miss this battle.¡± Gelo perked up. ¡°I don¡¯t mind being carried.¡± Glenny rolled his eyes. ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d say that¡­¡± ¡°So I¡¯m carrying Glenny, then?¡± Jude asked with an impish smile. ¡°Oh, this is going to be fun!¡± As both Jude and Lnd found out, carrying someone while flying was not, in fact, fun. Glenny and Gelo shifting their weight even after being told not to, the haggard flying form and rough winds, and the sheer embarrassment from all parties besides Gelo made things awkwardly unfun. But as they neared the battle, all of that went out the window. Lnd had said ¡°tentatively winning,¡± which wasn¡¯t close to the truth. From down and out fighters to dismembered body partsying around, those defenders still fighting fought for their lives ¨C some already having been lost. Glenny, pointing ahead, shouted something to Jude that only he could pick out over the rushing wind. Like a rusty marite, Jude¡¯s wings shifted up, causing the duo to curve away from Lnd and Gelo. Then, like dropping a sack of potatoes, Jude dropped Glenny. Freefalling, Glenny focused on aspects of his power. His cloak had long be one with him, even evolving as he did. Feeling shadows, stepping between them, and eating darkness was something he had grown ustomed to. Right now, hurtling through the open sky toward the near ck sandy ground rushing up to meet him, shadows be everything. Two daggers of crimson red primordial energy appeared from his clenched fists, growing like unholy roses. His eyes, each shifting from white rings to ck, quivered with sce as his mind ran as nk as the Void. Quiet soothed his anxious mind, his only thoughts were of killing. With his target spotted and a n mapped out, Glenny got to work. Shadows enveloped his whole body, removing evidence of his presence from the sky and silently cing him under a monster¡¯s blubbery belly. Camouged and invisible, he stabbed, dragging the searing power of his dagger through the monster¡¯s guts. Viscera and blood burst from the freshceration like a volcano. The monster howled in pain, attacks from the defenders also appearing from the side. The sudden two-pronged attack sent the creature reeling, its organs spilling. It fell, four stumpy legs unable to carry its own weight. And while it would have crushed Glenny, the young man had already moved to his next mapped target. He appeared within its shadow, slicing deep into the monster¡¯s webbed back leg, slicing tendons and limiting its movement. He jumped between shadows again, doing the exact same thing to the other leg. He breathed, appearing before a third monster mid pounce. Directing fangs the size of his arm with a shield conjured from the Sightless King¡¯s stolen power, Glenny spun around with his free hand, driving a dagger deep into the monster¡¯s eye socket. The thing crashed to the ground with a flume of sandy spray, dead. Glenny spared a single nce at the defender he had just protected, deciding she was fine before shadow stepping to the next one. The defender, however, didn¡¯t see Glenny, the rogue invisible and all. Instead the defender watched as a monster three times her size was sent off course and randomly killed. Then the sand a few dozen steps to her right exploded. Two men fit in frozen armor sprinted from the crater, battle axes freshly flush with green blood from a now crushed and quartered monster. Roaring to mark their entrance into the battle, the Judes screeched with all of their might. A smile was stered across their faces as they finally figured it out. Who cared about crashing when they could like that!? Not Jude! Laughter filled the air as they sprinted from beast to beast, lopping muscled limbs from equally muscled torsos. Blood sprayed them head to toe, but the Judes didn¡¯t care. The liquid quickly froze, adding to their armor in ways they could only say were by design. Spikes. Their armor formed bloody frozen spikes. Was it intentional? Jude didn¡¯t know. But he sure was going to tell people it was! Lnd and Gelo took a more calcted entrance to the fight,nding among the primary forces of the defenders. Gelo quickly joined with the other mages, peppering the monsters from a distance with shards of ice. She imbued each attack with her Legacy, extending the dainty shards into powerfulnces as they flew. The barrage looked as though a miniature hail storm hated gravity, sending hail and ice parallel with the horizon rather than at the ground. But the miniature hail storm turned into a deadly flourish of razor sharp projectiles. It was then and there Gelo realized two things. Creating small weapons of ice and forcing them to grow with space magic was far easier than creating therge weapons to begin with. Hail storms were easy, but hail storms with the ice the size of tree trunks? That was impossible for her with her current skill. Which led her to realization two ¨C she greedily chuckled, her mother¡¯s new magic was awesome! Deciding his friends could handle the monsters, Lnd got to work healing the wounded, regrowing limbs, and even bringing a few back from certain death. By the time he had gotten around to everyone, the battlefield had be a spider¡¯s den, webs of healing mist branching from one defender to another. Chapter 263: Tears Chapter 263: Tears Mason woke to a blue sky with drifting clouds. He groaned a bit, stretching his legs in that special way that made his spine shiver and his brain melt. He smiled, smacking his lips. He loved the sun on his face, the wind in his hair, the soft bed heid on. Releasing breath after breath, he contemted his life up to this point. A soldier from the age he could join the military, a Legacy of the Garrison since he was neen. It wasn¡¯t the most morous role, but he thrived well enough. Protecting his countrymen, protecting his kingdom. His brothers and sisters. His fathers and mothers. While he didn¡¯t see his life as meaningless, he knew that if he had to give it up for the good of his people, it would be a life well spent. And it seemed like that time hade. Memories were a strange thing. He knew he had died, but even here, staring at the blue sky just watching the clouds go by, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to think about his death. He remembered the Tear, the crack in the world that made his knees go weak. He remembered hismanding officer exining his role in defending this new frontier. He remembered feeling proud that he could protect his kingdom from the threats of the unknown. And finally, he remembered the monsters. ¡°Scout section three,¡± hismander told him. ¡°Find any traces of saboteurs or Witches.¡± Simple orders, straight forward work. And Mason had done it. He and his team hadpleted the assignment. Section three was infested with Witches. They lived under the sand, hiding in fox holes like cowards as they controlled the monster above. And while Mason had died fighting said monsters, his team had sent messages back tomand. He only hoped his team made it out alive. That thought roused him somewhat. He felt around, he curled his now dismembered arm. He smacked himself in the face. What? Gaping at his hand, the memories he didn¡¯t want to think about came back. A de chimera had done it, Mason remembered the sword-like tendons of the creature slicing him across the chest. He remembered his arm falling to the sand, plopping with a sttering of blood. From there he had fallen to his knees, his guts spilling from his belly only to be stopped by his armor. Darkness rolled in not long after. ¡°Are you awake now?¡± a voice called. ¡°Can you help me with this?¡± Mason turned his head to the right, finding what looked like a crag spider nest. Long before his neenth birthday, he remembered he and his friends exploring the nearby wood and running upon a nest. He chuckled at the thought, crag spiders were harmless if you didn¡¯t get caught in their webs, but he sure remembered sprinting through the trees to alert the guards. The best part was that the guards already knew about the nest. A listing for adventurers to take care of it had even been posted in the local guild. His smile faded when he realized he was hundreds of miles from home¡­ and more importantly, he wasn¡¯t dead. The realization made his heart jump into his throat. Not a momentter, an ability of his Legacy activated. Calm in the Face of Danger was an interesting ability, but it was one of the few he knew of that activated automatically without his input. Simply put, if he was shocked, the ability made him calm. Sometimes a soldier¡¯s job was like that. A cold, muted sheen of gray washed over thendscape, turning the ck sand he sat on into a more hideous color. His mind instantly went to the crag spider nest. Finding it wasn¡¯t a nest or web surprised him, but his ability kept that hidden. ncing around, monsters littered the area, the same ones he and his team were fighting. He found his team, all up and moving around. Most conversed with some individuals he didn¡¯t know, each looking dower and broken. It was then he noticed the arm. His arm. It sat a few steps away from him, the sand dyed with a trail of blood in a way that easily identified that he was the rightful owner. But¡­ he¡­ Mason stared at his arm then his arm. He had both arms, but there, sitting casually on the sand, was another. His mind spun, pushing his hands to his belly. His armor was sundered,cerated in a way metal bent into his skin¡­ his unwounded, perfectly healthy skin. He grunted, releasing the straps to his chest piece. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. ¡°Hello?¡± the voice called again. ¡°You with me here?¡± Mason reacted in a way akin to a baby ying with toy blocks. He fidgeted with his armor, staring at the broken metal, at the blood that had dried across it. He had died. He remembered the color of his stomach. A shadow filled his view, then a young man. The man crouched before him, locking eyes with Mason. A halo of misting purple hung over his head, and a quizzical look sat level across his lips. Eyes like an amethyst on fire, the man gave him a once over before sticking his hand out and poking him. There was no build up. No gathering of mana or magic. No warning. There was nothing, until there was everything. Color, emotion, warmth, resolve. Calm in the Face of Danger fell apart like a broken ss chalice, only to be resurrected into shining royal crystal. Mason felt his veins kindle, his blood warming to the point that his muscles danced and jittered. Streaks of web-like mana grew from him, sticking to anywhere and everywhere. The world coiled. The sky twisted. Mason saw the man¡¯s violet ming eyes briefly shift to mist, as if the young man was a beckoner of storms, of clouds, of renewal. A cycle, like rain falling from the sky only to evaporate away, that was Mason¡¯s body. A closed circuit of life, of energy, of magic. Who¡­? The answer was obvious. This man was a L¡ª ¡°I¡¯m Lnd, what¡¯s your name?¡± Mason paused, the shifting weight in his heart blindlying to an end. The grit, the sand, all of it reappeared. Color returned, his ability ending. Expression,passion, hatred, fear, everything came back, as well as suspicion and critical thinking. ¡°M-mason,¡± he uttered, his throat quivering. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost,¡± Lnd replied, cocking a crooked smile. ¡°I know I have.¡± ¡°I thought¡ª I thought¡ª¡± The words died on Mason¡¯s lips. He didn¡¯t want to sound crazy now, did he? ¡°You thought you died?¡± Lnd inferred. ¡°Yeah, you were close. Luckily I got here in time. Even managed to get your arm back.¡± He pointed at the severed chunk of bone and flesh. Mason forced himself to chuckle. ¡°Yeah,¡± he whispered, ¡°yeah, I thought I was dead¡­¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not. And now that you¡¯re awake, we¡¯ve got to move. My familiar spotted a pack of monsters rushing toward us.¡± Mason¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°The Witches! They¡ª¡± Lnd held up his hands, stopping him before peeling at his shirt to show off an odd chain ne. It glowed a slight green. ¡°I took care of them. Hiding in holes, huh? Strange. But yes, more areing. You¡¯d think they¡¯d just leave, but I guess Witches are Witches for a reason.¡± Patting him on the leg, Lnd said, ¡°Anyway, forget about that right now. You¡¯ve got to help me finish packing up.¡± He nodded toward the others. ¡°They¡¯ll be ready soon as well.¡± Mason looked over, finding the strangers and his teammates working together to, well, pack. They ripped out monster parts, shucked bones and fleshy bits, even skinned a few of the more soft deadly creatures. Anything of value was taken, even from the Witch¡¯s hole in the sand. ¡°Where are the bodies¡ª¡± His question was answered for him. Lnd was already standing beside them, eyeing them with aplicated expression. ¡°They don¡¯t even have good gear,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Why are they here?¡± Mason¡¯s eyes wandered, finding a body that did not fit with the rest. She wore gray and red armor, Palemarrow colors. Her head had been separated from her shoulders, blood and¡ª Mason threw up, stopping Lnd¡¯s whispers. A beat passed. ¡°Mia says to remind you not to drink on an empty stomach tonight.¡± Begrudgingly Mason nodded, Mia was always talking to him like that¡ª Wait. Mia was¡­ Mia was dead. Her head separated from¡ª He was on his feet before he realized it, his face crooked and rife with thumping veins. ¡°Mia is dead,¡± he meant the sentence toe out harsher than it actually did, but how could he? Her body was right there. ¡°Yeah,¡± was all Lnd said. The simple reply caused a rush of red and a ringing in Mason¡¯s ears. Calm in the Face of Danger turned back on, muting everything that wasn¡¯t important. ¡°You are going to need to exin.¡± They locked eyes, Lnd looking away first. ¡°I¡¯m talking to her soul. I already told you I¡¯ve seen a ghost. I was being literal.¡± ¡°Y-you what!?¡± Of all of the stupid replies Mason was expecting, that was not one of them. ¡°Think of me as having simr powers as a Legacy of Souls. I can talk to souls.¡± He paused a moment. ¡°She says to stop ¡®being troublesome¡¯ and to ¡®get with the program already.¡¯¡± Lnd frowned, turning toward the open air and saying, ¡°That¡¯s a little harsh, don¡¯t you think? He was knocked unconscious by a chimera and nearly died. Give him a moment to reorient.¡± He paused again. ¡°I¡¯m not telling him that.¡± Another pause. ¡°Can you move on already? Somehow you are by far the most vulgar soul I¡¯ve spoken to and one literally screamed at me until he faded away.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± Mason cut himself off when Lnd started tough. ¡°That¡¯s a good one. I might steal it. Don¡¯t have to credit the dead!¡± His face grew somber, though his smile held. ¡°Wish I could have known you, Mia, when you were alive. I¡¯m sure we would have gotten along great. But you should move on now. The Lord of Souls is going to take great care of you, trust me.¡± Mason just gawked. Lnd¡¯s eyes slid over to him before snapping back to the open air. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him. Don¡¯t worry. Just¡­ let yourself fade away.¡± He stared at open space for a few long seconds before averting his eyes to the sand and subtly wiping away a tear. ¡°Doesn¡¯t get any easier,¡± he muttered quietly to himself before taking a deep breath and facing Mason. ¡°¡¯Thanks for everything,¡¯ those were Mia¡¯sst words.¡± Hot tears fell down Mason¡¯s face. Chapter 264: Crying Chapter 264: Crying Isobel slipped out of the shadows, stepping across the Captain''s quarters like a cat stalking along the edge of a riverbank. But instead of hunting for fish, Isobel was hunting for paper. Reports, to be specific. The kind the Captain liked to try and keep hidden from her. The kind she specifically told him she¡¯d see one way or another. With a rough punch to the locked drawer in his desk, she ripped the whole drawer out, sending papers flying. This wasn¡¯t her first time doing this, so her eyes quickly scanned the fluttering pages for new ones. With a darting hand, she snapped the report from the air. She read it quickly, footsteps sounding in the hallway. The Captain had threatened to kick her out if she was caught again, or rather, if she made a mess again ¨C she¡¯d never allow someone as lowly as the Captain to catch her in the act. But the mess? It was beneath her to clean it up, at least she thought so. And it was during thisst time the Captain berated her for breaking into his quarters that Isobel almost thought about returning to the Inquisitors¡­ But then she remembered how they didn¡¯t deserve her, had tried to kill her, and Lnd, and how Aunty P was a¡ª Her thoughts halted like an arrow to a tree. Her eyes went back, rereading the report. She blinked, rotating the paper in her hand to check it for magical interference or forgery. It was clean. The footsteps grew louder, but Isobel didn¡¯t move. Instead, she kicked her feet up on the Captain¡¯s desk, ready to do battle with the man. Jingling keys sounded from the door, then it creaked open, and a man walked through. He didn¡¯t make it a half step before saying, ¡°Isobel¡ª"¡°What is this?¡± she asked instantly, waving the paper around as if it was on fire. ¡°A... report?¡± He stepped into the room, his long strides taking him directly to his desk. He nudged her boots off his¡ª He frowned, unable to kick her sand-ridden boots from his desk. He sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about thi¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t care. When was this made?¡± The Captain took it from her, finding the encoded symbols of the Palemarrow army at the bottom. ¡°Looks like an hour ago. Section one.¡± And with that, Isobel was on her feet, heading out of the room. ¡°Where are you going?¡± the Captain called. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare interfere with them! They saved lives!¡± Isobel ignored him. Why would she hurt them? Lnd stared out across thendscape of sand and more sand. He sighed, looking at a crudely drawn map one of the soldiers had made for him. Unlike Sand Castle, this Tear¡¯s fort was more like a campus. From individual housing around the bastion itself with plenty of areas for the civilian volunteers and soldiers to the maze of hallways within the fort itself. And that was just the beginning, looking off the side of the fort¡¯s wall, Lnd spotted no less than six mages creating walls and spreading defenses. Sand, stone, metal, the walls were being made from any Legacy and any material. But he figured that was normal, at least for army-operations. Someone had to build the fortification, which, he supposed, meant Sybil and Aunty P were looking to create a permanent presence here. Beside the increased mana, endless sand, and abnormal amount of monsters, this ck desert could one day be an adventurer and soldier¡¯s paradise. Plenty of things to fight and kill, monster parts to gather and craft with, and limitless possibilities for personal growth. Right now, however, Lnd had only one thing on his mind ¨C finding the Captain¡¯s quarters. He squinted at the map, musing about the poorly drawn depth. Did he go up? Or maybe it was down? He sighed, hoping that the others didn¡¯t find any trouble. They were escorting the group of soldiers back from the battlefield, Lnd traveling ahead to announce their arrival. Of course he could have sent Zeke with their letter of introduction, but after the ¡°tests¡± Captain Tar put them through¡­ ¡°Um, excuse me?¡± Lnd asked a man dragging a box of metal shavings. ¡°Can you point me toward the Captain¡¯s quarters?¡± The man brushed his hands against his smock. ¡°This section of the fort is for smithing. You want¡ª¡± He gazed over the edge of the wall before pointing, ¡°that section. Administration.¡± Lnd followed his finger, finding a short stubby building connected to the main fort like it was an afterthought. Dozens of people entered and exited, some carryingrge stacks of paper, others cocky like they were kings of thend. But one caught his eye, or more specifically, fluttering wings caught his eye. Without so much as pausing to think, Lnd stepped onto the barrier preventing one from falling off the fort. He heard the man shout a warning before stepping off into a free fall. Two of his wing contracts had already been used, which left his least favorite of the three. Draconic leather ripped the back of his shirt as two sets of membrane and bone broke his skin. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. They pped against the raging wind of freefall, easing his descent into something akin to a feather falling from a bedframe. The moment his feet touched the ground, his wings disappeared, causing onlookers to question whether or not they had just seen a young man fall from the top of the fort. ¡°Isobel,¡± he called, his voice as hard and stoic as he could muster. Showing ¡°fear¡± in front of the Huntress was¡­ not ideal. She paused, the leather armor she was tightening seemingly forgotten. Her dragonfly-like wings shuddered and skipped before speeding up. Sand and dust kicked up around her, mirroring the effect of her poorly tied long hair. She turned. ¡°Small world, eh?¡± Lnd asked, making sure to lock eyes with the woman. No fear, no fear, he chanted in his head. She cocked her head to the side. ¡°I suppose,¡± she muttered, studying the young man before her. ¡°You seem¡­ passable.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other in a month or so. I expected you to be less in-shape.¡± A vein bulged on Lnd¡¯s temple. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°It means, while you were cozying up to your girlfriend, I expected you to becent.¡± Isobel smirked to herself. ¡°Let me guess. The quiet one and the dumb one forced you on an adventure?¡± And there it was. Mocking him and Sybil, both Glenny and Jude, and questioning his work ethic. The worst part was, she was right. But Lnd had known Isobel long enough to know not to bite at the hook. Baiting was a way of life with her, and the best way to win was to simply not y. ¡°Glenny¡¯s not dumb.¡± Expecting a wildly different answer, Isobel¡¯s retort came out a secondter than it should have. ¡°You know who¡ª¡± ¡°And Jude¡¯s not quiet. He got a flute for his birthday, and while he¡¯s not as good with it as his harmonica, when he and Jude Two y together, everyone enjoys it.¡± ¡°I see. Well, while you three sat around ying music¡ª¡± ¡°Four,¡± Lnd interrupted. ¡°you four sat around¡ª¡± ¡°Well, I guess five if you include both Judes.¡± Isobel lurched, her weight shifting between her heels and the balls of her feet. ¡°What? Did you bring Sybil?¡± ¡°Gelo.¡± ¡°The cub?¡± ¡°Indeed. We broke her mom out of the dungeon, and now Gelo¡¯s with us.¡± ¡°Oh? Floe is with you as¡ª¡± Lnd held up a hand. ¡°No.¡± He nced around. ¡°We can talk about it more in depthter¡­ but for now, let¡¯s just say there¡¯s a new Lord wandering about.¡± Now it was Isobel¡¯s turn to have a bulging vein. ¡°Uh huh. Right.¡± Lnd gave her a smile. ¡°Wait, seriously? How¡ª¡± ¡°Sightless King¡¯s im.¡± Isobel flinched. ¡°You used¡ª¡± ¡°Yup.¡± She massaged her temples. ¡°Anything else you feel the need to share?¡± Thinking for a moment, Lnd took a step closer and whispered, ¡°We saved an immortal from world Alpha. The Lords took him. Also, I¡¯ve been researching a new way to gather power outside of Legacies.¡± He pointed at his forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t know much about it, but even got some special fancy gem thingy.¡± ¡°¡¯Thingy?¡¯¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lnd nodded. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been killing Witches and their helpers.¡± Isobel weighed adding more to that. ¡°And I went to see my family.¡± The words came out splintered and hushed, as if just thinking about her family pained her. And, in more ways than one, it did. How long had it been since she talked about them? Talked to someone about them. She¡¯d mentioned her daughter to Lnd a few times now, but never her ¡°family¡± not in a way it mattered. Not like they were anything but the dead. ¡°And?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Still dead,¡± she replied. He gave her a look. She sighed, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want me to say. I stood over their graves and whispered private things to them.¡± ¡°Did you cry?¡± Her eyes turned predatory. ¡°Watch yourself.¡± Lnd shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s good to cry. At least, that¡¯s what the Lord of Waterworks says.¡± Isobel¡¯s upper lip twitched. ¡°That¡¯s not a real Lord.¡± ¡°It could be.¡± Lnd cleared his throat, stiffening his posture and cing his hands together. ¡°I, Lnd Silver, hereby nominate Isobe¡ª¡± A fist connected to his jaw, or at least, it would have, if Lnd wasn¡¯t expecting the sucker punch. Instead, bursts of lightning exploded from his feet, each backpedaling step he took sending sand flying. ¡°Oh?¡± he asked. ¡°What¡¯s this? Old Isobel would have been able tond that hit. And you tried to lecture me about bingcent?¡± He made an over the top cackle. Like a snake coiling around its prey, a centipede formed out of nothing, wrapping around Isobel¡¯s arm before solidifying like a statue. A hearty bolt of pure toxic miasma formed in its sharp maw. ¡°I told you to watch yourself, boy,¡± she snarled. Lnd¡¯sughing only continued. He wiped a tear from his eye. ¡°Know where the Captain is? I have a letter of intro¡ª" Isobel released the bolt, the projectile flying through the air with far greater speed than Lnd had ever seen her fire. It sliced across his cheek, drawing blood while also causing the neighboring skin to dim and crack. The bolt then continued on further, smashing into the fort¡¯s wall. ¡°What was that for!?¡± Lnd shouted, magic already coursing through his body. He had seen first hand how strong a toxin her bolts were, so he didn¡¯t hold back in healing himself. Four healing spells activated, webs of mistunched from his body, cascading the area in warmth and harmony. Even Isobel paused in her rage to gawk at the sight, not to mention the gawking of the soldiers and adventurers rushing about. ¡°I told you to watch yourself,¡± she muttered, her eyes tracing the lines of unregted raw power. ¡°I thought we were bantering! I wouldn¡¯t have¡ª¡± Lnd groaned. ¡°Isobel, I would not have said any of that if I¡ª¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°Sorry, alright. Sorry.¡± Isobel let the moment stew for a minute longer before turning on her heel and motioning for him to follow. And once she turned away from him, she had to fight herself from smiling softly. Family, huh? she asked herself. Chapter 265: Seer Chapter 265: Seer Lnd and Isobel exited the Captain¡¯s quarters. Both looked at each other, shrugged, then left the administration building. ¡°I expected¡­ more,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°Captain Tar tested us. But he just let us in?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Witches and monsters. For whatever reason, they keeping. Guards, adventurers, even soldiers in the reserves are volunteering toe out here and fight.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t get it. Even if the Witches win and take control of the Tear, there is nothing to be gained. Not unless the Witches are trying to band together and train the weak or something.¡± Isobel rolled her eyes. ¡°They¡¯re afraid. Simple as that.¡± ¡°They are murderers.¡± ¡°Even so. Why do you think most people murder? Let me give you a hint; it¡¯s not because they are sadistic. In my experience, most murder because they are afraid. Owe someone money? Kill them and be square. Found out your wife has a secret lover? You¡¯re afraid that your wife is leaving you.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think Witches would care that much, in that case. Aren¡¯t most underworld scum? Why even involve yourself if you never so much as see the light of day?¡± Isobel frowned, side eyeing him. ¡°Because change is scary?¡±¡°I guess. I mean, I don¡¯t find the Tears scary.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you have direct knowledge about what they are and why they are here.¡± Lnd blinked a few times. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°And I used to call you the ¡®Smart One.¡¯¡± Just then the pair stepped out into the sun riddledndscape of dark sand. ¡°I expected it to be hotter. It¡¯s rather pleasant, actually.¡± Lnd not rising to the bait caused Isobel to frown. ¡°Sand is disgusting.¡± ¡°Yeah it gets everywhere¡ª¡± Zeke cawed from the open air, diving straight down to Lnd. The bird stopped himself with a big flourishing p of his wings, casuallynding on his summoner¡¯s shoulder. The two locked eyes. ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± Lnd announced. Isobel raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Zeke.¡± Zeke cawed. ¡°Zeke says ¡®hi.¡¯¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he did.¡± She strolled off, shaking her head. ¡°Is it true what you mumbled about Floe?¡± Lnd subtly nodded. ¡°Lord of Dungeons. Gelo is her Champion.¡± She whistled. ¡°Fancy.¡± ¡°Gelo makes thingsrger.¡± Isobel whistled again. ¡°Fancy.¡± Rolling his eyes, Lnd said, ¡°Be as smug as you want. When you see what she can do, you¡¯ll be impressed. Just the other day, she hit this parasite with an icicle then erged it, severing its entire leg .¡± ¡°A parasite?¡± ¡°Yeah. The host lost. Came after me at the other Tear. Oh, by the way, hanging around me is dangerous because it might reappear.¡± Isobel blinked. ¡°Female body? Odd space magic?¡± Lnd stopped cold. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it?¡± ¡°Attacked a Witch¡¯s den I was investigating two days ago. Said I smelled ¡®familiar.¡¯¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s just great. Did you kill it?¡± ¡°No, I ran.¡± ¡°I see you really did forgo training.¡± Isobel punched him in the arm. This time he didn¡¯t dodge fast enough. ¡°I was alone. No way I was attempting to kill that thing.¡± Lnd rubbed his freshly bruised skin. ¡°Hmm. When we fought it the first time, I figured you could have killed it easily.¡± He slowly shook his head. ¡°If you felt the need to retreat, then that must mean it grew stronger. Tell me, what was it doing with the Witches?¡± Uwfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Eating them.¡± He sighed. ¡°That¡¯s not good. I guess that moves up my timetable for acquiring an attack script.¡± ¡°¡¯Script?¡¯¡± asked Isobel. ¡°Four contracts. That healing web spell you saw earlier was the same idea but with healing.¡± ¡°Can you do that for defensive spells?¡± ¡°Yes, and area of effect.¡± ¡°What about utility?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I n to have a tool for every job. The issue is what the Lords want from me. There¡¯s only so many contracts I can handle at once. Too many and I¡¯ll sink the ship.¡± ¡°Very astute metaphor.¡± ¡°Did¡­ did you just use the word ¡®astute?¡¯¡± Isobel tilted her head to the side and said, ¡°Shut it,¡± with a cold, dry voice. Lnd chuckled. ¡°Anywhosies, the others should be right over¡ª¡± he pointed, ¡°there.¡± A straggling cart carried various sets of armor, weapons, and multiple chests of mana bombs. Two long wedges of ice had been affixed to the front of the cart, allowing it to glide over the sand like a sled on ice. One of the back wheels was broken and had been reced with a copy made out of ice. And finally, a sheet covered decapitated body rested amongst the cargo. The crew pushing the cart moved in silence, Jude, Glenny, and Gelo among them. ¡°They just lost someone,¡± Lnd whispered. ¡°Killed by a monster controlled by a Witch.¡± Isobel grunted. ¡°A shame.¡± ¡°I spoke to her soul before she passed. We could have been friends.¡± She looked at him. ¡°Lnd, you could be friends with everyone if you had the desire. Don¡¯t let the dead get to you.¡± They had this conversation before, back when Lnd first began seeing souls. And while it wasn¡¯t quite the same, the sentiment helped. Seeing the dead made Lnd feel as though he had a lead bell tied to his neck, one that would forever toll. Cursed contract of the Lord of the Seraph: Use: Gain ess to the spell Celestial Feather. Only usable once per hour. Celestial Feather: Summon celestial wings from your back, granting the ability for flight. Speed, moveability, and many other secretse with practice. Return: You can now see the abandoned. Help 15 lost souls to the afterlife within 3 years. Souls helped: 10 Ten souls he had spoken to, ten souls he had consoled, ten souls he had helped pass on. Most were killed by the Sightless King, all were murdered. The tenth was just as hard as the first. ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Lnd eventually responded. ¡°Want to go see if they need help?¡± ¡°No.¡± He gave her a look. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine.¡± Together, they hopped over a guard railing and exited the fort¡¯s inner walls, stalking straight over to the group. Across the ck desert, a hole in the sand was freshly painted with the blood of several fallen Witches and their aplices. A young woman, or rather, a young monster, feasted on their corpses while idly scanning the nest. Most, if not everything, the Witches were doing was unimportant and foolhardy, at least, the parasite thought so. For being recently reborn into this world with a new body, the parasite reveled in the fact it had amassed far more power than what these Witches were attempting to gather. For all of the doodads and magical trinkets they had stashed away in this nest, there was hardly an item worth absorbing. Notpared to their absolutely dreadful bodies. Which, it supposed, was the point. Branded by divine consequence, Witches were forever marked for their poorly executed deeds. Avoiding the mark was as simple as avoiding being caught. For a Witch to be caught¡­ it chuckled thinking about the stupidity needed for such a thing to happen. But then again, maybe fate ced stupid people in its path for a reason. Branded by the divine! There was hardly a better delicacy. The magic flowing through the marked bodies tasted terrible, but it sure packed a punch ¨C a divine punch. The parasiteughed again, newly consumed power flowing through its broken body. The power coalesced around its stump of a leg, resurfacing it like a carpenter sanding the finish off a table. Skin regrew and bone stretched. Muscles rewove, blood vessels, not that they were needed, repaired. Soon, if not sooner, toes would form, then even toe nails. Itughed again, this time, its crooked voice echoing off the red-dyed walls. Elsewhere, in a nest not too dissimr, a meeting was taking ce. Faces marked with a ¡°W¡± stood beside those of simr structure. Some hated each other, some hated the idea of hate, others felt their blood run cold at even entertaining the idea of being there but few voiced their hatreds outright. Not with him there. One person, one Witch, stood out from the rest. With shoulders like an elephant¡¯s, the man¡¯s size not only took up a majority of the room but alsoa majority of the ethereal room. Basking in a green shimmer not unlike summoned creatures, the man sat at the head of a long table, eying the others as they filed in. One eye silky gray, the other a piercing emerald green, he scoured the neers with a magical re. One by one, he activated a spell on each and every one. Then, when thest entered, he stood. ¡°The meeting was supposed to be held at sunset,¡± he growled to the room, his voice two distinct tones, one a low horn, one a high-pitched woodwind, each ovepping and intertwining with each other. No one met his eyes, for they all knew the power of the Seer. Seer mmed his hand onto the table, his Legacy tattoo prominently on disy ¨C a silhouetted figure of a fading person, the mark of the Lord of Souls. ¡°Sunset. That was what was decided,¡± Seer stared at theters. ¡°I hate when people can¡¯t follow simple instructions.¡± His eye twitched, the spell finalizing. At once, all six individuals he marked died, their souls ripped from their bodies. Green mist wafted into the air, dissipating. ¡°Now then,¡± Seer mused, sitting, ¡°we can begin. Something is hunting us. We are going to move up the timescale.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not ready¡ª¡± Seer silenced the outburst with a raised hand. ¡°We start now, or we bleed out as the Palemarrow hunters kill us. Either way, I have my targets. And they are going to be dead sooner thanter.¡± Chapter 266: Best Rogue Chapter 266: Best Rogue The group ¨C including Isobel ¨C sat around a table at an outside tavern situated within the bastion. While Jude quietly plucked at his guitar¡¯s strings, everyone ate salty snacks and drank overpriced mead. ¡°One thing is for certain,¡± muttered Isobel, ¡°drinking in the sun sucks.¡± Lnd looked around their surroundings, finding most, if not everyone, constantly brushing sand off the tables or removingyers of armor. It wasn¡¯t hot, but sitting in the sun wearing metalyers wasn¡¯t so pleasant. Luckily for the group, they had a magical bear cub who liked to show off her magic. Keeping drinks cool was a given. ¡°Couldn¡¯t they have put this ce indoors?¡± asked Glenny. ¡°It will be, in time. They have to finish building the ce first. The Captain even sent a letter to the Queen in hope¡¯s Sybil will send more mages.¡± Lnd raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did you tell him that you know the Queen personally and¡ª¡± Isobel raised her hand. ¡°No, no I did not.¡± ¡°Good. She has too much on her te already. Aunty P literally sent us here because there was no one else. Not for a little while, at least. Moving troops takes time, apparently.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what you are doing. Strange.¡±¡°How so?¡± ¡°A couple of snot-nosed brats sent to secure a Tear? What kind of sick joke is that?¡± Gelo frowned, huffing quick bursts of air from her nose. ¡°I¡¯m not snotty.¡± Isobel nced at the cub. ¡°And you weren¡¯t sent here by Aunty P. You¡¯re just a tagger-on.¡± Jude gasped. ¡°Don¡¯t call her a groupie! We do not have groupies! Don¡¯t listen to her Gelo!¡± Gelo blinked a few times, not really knowing what a ¡°groupie¡± was. Still, she understood the sarcasm enough to say, ¡°That¡¯s okay. If Isobel is too mean to me, I¡¯ll just let my mom know. She¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Isobel went stiff. ¡°Wh¡ª¡± Lnd had, unfortunately, taken that exact moment to take a big ol¡¯ swig of his drink, sending his beverage rocketing across the table when he couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter. Glenny leaned away, ¡°Ew dude.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault! Did you see the face she made!?¡± Lnd then had to dodge a closed fist. Having been expecting it, Isobel¡¯s attack went wide. ¡°NO FIGHTING IN MY TAVERN!¡± The shout caused all heads to turn, even the ones at other tables. All eyes fell on the tavern owner, a muscr woman with scars andrge, over epassing tattoos. Lnd quickly averted his eyes, staring into his mug. A moment passed. ¡°Is she still looking?¡± ¡°Nah, you¡¯re good,¡± Jude said. He raised his eyes, finding the owner very much still staring at him and Isobel. ¡°Jude!¡± The berserker giggled. Isobel, however, held the woman¡¯s re. ¡°Got something to say?¡± ¡°Yeh, you''re cut off! Get out!¡± The former Inquisitor scoffed, standing from her seat with an exaggerated push. The onlookers quickly looked away as death radiated from the Huntress. While Isobel had left that title to die, her reputation could never be buried. Everyone at the bastion knew of her, and not even the Captain chose to openly defy her. Isobel held the owner¡¯s gaze, shrugged, then walked away. ¡°Guess we¡¯re leaving,¡± Lnd muttered, staring at his half full mug. He quickly followed. The others came a momentter. They all caught up, Isobel leading the way around the bastion¡¯s facilities. They passed an open area with men and women smashing target dummies with crude maces and rusted swords. Some people sparred along the far wall, but all with physicality alone. Strict ¡°no magic¡± signs were stered everywhere, some even with arrows pointing across the way to where magic was allowed. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Quakes and thunderous roars sang across the area as shes of colorful light streaked like meteors along the night sky. Sand rained down after explosions of magic changed thendscape. The area, a fenced off section of desert, contained dozens of mages or the like slinging spells orunching artillery fire. Targets had been set up around the firing range,rger pirs of hardened sandstone. As the group approached, a betting pool was started between two mages. The task was simple, first to break their pir won. Gold coins and shouting marked the start of the duel, the first mage taking her turn. She kicked off her barrage with a glob of orange water that glowed like a campfire. With a flick of her wrist and the power word ¡°Smother,¡± the magic hurtled across the open air. Directly smashing into the pir, water exploded as the glob copsed under the excessive speeds. The crowd went silent. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± someone asked. ¡°For now,¡± the mage replied. With a scoff, the second mage stepped forward. Without so much as a gesture, the sand split apart across the desert toward the pir. The sound of shifting dunes and falling sand loudly pronounced a winner as the pir fell into the created rift. That was, until the first mage asked, ¡°I thought it was first toplete destruction?¡± The other mage eyed the woman. ¡°Is that not destruction to you?¡± ¡°No, it looks like you put the pir in a hole.¡± He growled. ¡°Fine, your turn.¡± The woman instantly snapped, the orange liquid soaked pir exploding into thousands of pieces. ¡°Your turn,¡± she said. The man nced at his pir, and just likest time, there were no signs of magic. The rift in the sand snapped shut, consuming the partially buried pir, leaving only the top bit exposed. ¡°I¡¯d say I won,¡± said the first mage. The second mage stomped off. Lnd said to his friends, ¡°Do you think those pirs have souls? I think I could earn us some gold if so¡­¡± No one answered him, instead they followed Isobel¡­ except Gelo. She stayed, inching closer to the firing line as the next two contestants stepped up. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up,¡± she muttered to no one in particr, her eyes glued on the next mage¡¯s beautiful spell work. Jude paused, gave his friends a shrug, then joined Gelo in cheering after the mage¡¯s pir exploded in a single spell. ¡°Guess we¡¯re down to three,¡± Lnd said. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Isobel looked at him, took a deep breath, and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to protect someone?¡± Referring to Elin, the Legacy of the First Druid, whom Lnd had a contract to protect. He nodded, ¡°Is she this way?¡± ¡°This is the way to custom housing.¡± ¡°¡¯Custom?¡¯¡± Glenny asked. ¡°For people who can create their own dwellings.¡± The housing section of the fort stuck out like ming leaves on an evergreen. Huts and shacks made from any and all things sat around without reason or design. Single upancy rooms made of stone sat between tents made of twigs. Deformed buildings made from rushing winds gave little room for privacy, but kept people from nting the foundations of their homes nearby ¨C the howling wind was a little loud. Some buried into the sand, creating homes simrly to the Witches. Others took it upon themselves to buildrger dwellings, offering rooms for sale at exorbitant prices. A few traveling merchants dragged their carts through the area, selling daily wares at a premium. The group watched as a middle aged woman bought a set of pots and pans from a man with a curled mustache. ¡°That¡¯s Elin,¡± Isobel said. ¡°How do you know?¡± Lnd asked, squinting at her. Neither tall nor short, the woman had hair like the stars above ¨C solid ck with white peppering specs. She stood with her hand on her hip, arguing with the man about prices all the while magically controlling a pile of sticks. One by one, the sticks floated onto the man¡¯s wagon, snagging items and subtly sneaking them away. ¡°She¡¯s stealing?¡± Glenny asked. ¡°Meet this fort¡¯s best rogue, Elin.¡± Glenny gave Isobel a level stare. ¡°Rogue or thief? Because all I¡¯m seeing is theft.¡± She gave him a smirk. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not jealous that someone is better than you at stealing? Rogues aren¡¯t only about stabbing things with daggers, you know? Your mom was one of the greatest thieves in the kingdom!¡± He almost snarled, maybe he would have a year or two ago. But today? Today, Glenny knew and understood his mother¡¯s role in the Inquisitors. An ambassador to the underground Umbra, Annie Red did more thanmit petty theft. If she stole, she stole important or dangerous things from dangerous or important people. ¡°Uh huh,¡± he eventually said. ¡°Watch this¡ª¡± Glenny¡¯s words were cut off as he faded from vision, his presence from memory. Paired with his newest ring and Legacy invisibility, he strutted across the sand with both purpose and annoyance. Stealing from a working man felt sick to him, but letting Isobel have thestugh? That was agony. Looking over the wagon of stuff, nothing popped out as particrly worthy to steal and simultaneously not important to the seller. Everything was worth too much money or was too easy to take. But maybe¡­ Glenny looked over the man, spotting something that would prove his worth as a rogue. The best part was it didn¡¯t involve stealing. After doing the deed, Glenny reappeared beside Isobel and Lnd, a smirk along his lips. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d say I¡¯m the best rogue here.¡± ¡°What did you¡ª¡± Isobel stopped herself and stared. ¡°Am I missing something?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°The seller¡¯s mustache.¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Glenny shaved it.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Glenny interrupted. ¡°I shaved it without him or Elin noticing. Best rogue here is me.¡± Isobel eyed him, more specifically, his birthday present. ¡°Nice ring.¡± ¡°It was my mother¡¯s.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Through all of this, Lnd had a perpetual look of confusion across his face. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s her? Because why would a Legacy of the First Druid be a rogue? That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Not everyone wants to be a mage.¡± He blinked. ¡°Really?¡± Isobel gave him a look. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll introduce you.¡± Chapter 267: First Druid Chapter 267: First Druid ¡°Elin.¡± The woman jumped at Isobel¡¯s voice, freezing like a statue made of ice, her hand stretched out with two gold coins slipped between her fingers. A beat passed, and she quickly curled her hand back, palming the coins as if they were never truly there. Mouthing ¡°run,¡± to the merchant, Elin briefly nced at the man¡¯s naked upper lip. Something had changed¡­ she just wasn¡¯t sure what¡­ The man looked between the woman he was selling to and the woman approaching and promptly dragged his cart away. ¡°Isobel,¡± the Legacy of the First Druid said. ¡°Elin,¡± the Legacy of the Hunter replied. ¡°Isobel¡ª¡± ¡°Can we not do this? I didn¡¯te here to¡ª¡± ¡°To what? Punish me for a crime I didn¡¯tmit. Again?¡± ¡°We both know you stole those enchanted boots from the armory. Even the Captain agreed with my findings even though there wasn¡¯t enough evidence to execute you.¡±Elin flinched. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t execute someone for stealing¡­ would you?¡± Isobel shrugged, adopting that pure sadistic smirk she wore like a badge of honor. ¡°An enchanted pair of boots stolen right from the military¡¯s armory in an active warzone with Witches as enemies all the while a hole to another world is open just a few miles away?¡± She purposely scoffed. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine.¡± Elin¡¯s skin had turned several shades lighter, the feeling of dread infiltrating her stomach. ¡°I-I-I¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, save it.¡± She nodded to Lnd. ¡°That¡¯s Lnd. Your protection. And there¡ª¡± Isobel stopped herself, not finding Glenny where he previously stood. ¡°Well, that will be a surprise I guess.¡± ¡°M-my protection? Is the owner of those bootsing to kill me?¡± ¡°The owner of the boot¡ª¡± she sighed, loudly. ¡°No. The owner of those boots is Queen Palemarrow, and if she wanted you dead, Lnd would be the assassin to do it. Trust me, they have that sort of rtionship.¡± Lnd red at Isobel. ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± ¡°It most definitely is. If Sybil asked you to kill someone, you¡¯d do it.¡± ¡°No. I would investigate to figure out why she wanted me¡ª¡± ¡°To kill someone, yes,¡± Isobel interrupted. ¡°But then you¡¯d realize that Sybil wouldn¡¯t just ask you to do that without a good reason, then you¡¯d do it anyway. You¡¯d be a little royal assassin with little lovey-dovey eyes. Honor bound and also honor blind.¡± Lnd just stared. ¡°Um¡­ so I¡¯m not in trouble?¡± Elin asked, her voice scared like a kitten scolded for drinking too much milk. Isobel turned to her, causing the woman to flinch. ¡°Can you drop the scared little kid act? You¡¯re not fooling anyone.¡± Lnd blinked. What act? Elin¡¯s timid face devolved, taking on a hardened re. ¡°What is this, Isobel? I thought we came to an understanding.¡± She raised her hands, showing off her empty palms. ¡°This isn¡¯t me. Lnd here has to protect you for some stupid L¡ª¡± Lnd cleared her throat, nudging Isobel into silence. ¡°Hello,¡± he then said to Elin, ¡°I am Lnd. I am here to protect you. Your Lord set up protection for you while you¡¯re here. And here I am.¡± The First Druid Legacy looked between him and Isobel. ¡°Is this some sort of scam? Because I¡¯m not giving those boots back.¡± ¡°I do not care about the boots.¡± Lnd shook his head. ¡°Same for me. But I do ask that you stop trying to steal things while I¡¯m around because that¡¯s a surefire way to get people angry and after you.¡± Elin¡¯s jaw dropped, disbelieving. ¡°Isobel, where did you find this kid?¡± ¡°Walking out of a dungeon with a Witch¡¯s head in his hands.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°No¡ª¡± Lnd snapped. He cooled himself. ¡°I did not have his head in my hands. That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Isobel rolled her eyes. ¡°Uh huh.¡± Elin inched away. ¡°Right, okay, so. Here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen. I am going to walk away and, uh, forget this meeting ever happened.¡± ¡°No you¡¯re not.¡± The voice came from neither Isobel nor Lnd. Forming from a gentle shimmer in the air, the body of Glenny appeared slightly translucently before fully materializing from invisibility. He stood behind Elin, cutting off her only exit¡­ if she were to run. Elin didn¡¯t flinch this time, the lost little girl fa?ade long gone, but she did look incredibly disturbed. Someone sneaking up behind her this close? That shouldn¡¯t happen. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Glenny, the best rogue in this dump.¡± He tossed a clipping of hair at her feet, a clipping that looked oddly simr to a certain merchant¡¯s mustache. This time Elin did flinch. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Elin asked, stepping up beside Lnd because, strangely enough, he seemed the most normal out of Isobel and Glenny. ¡°To collect our other teammates,¡± he replied, sticking out his arm. ¡°What are¡ª¡± The words died in her mouth as a crow the size of a vulture dive bombed from the sky and casuallynded on Lnd¡¯s arm. ¡°This is Zeke.¡± Zeke cawed,taking off back into the sky. ¡°Riiiight¡­¡± Elin groaned. ¡°Exin to me again, why are you protecting me?¡± Lnd sighed. ¡°Because I said I would.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have some sort of heroplex, right? There must be something in it for you, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be¡ª¡± He held up a hand, stopping her. ¡°I want to answer you. But that answer is both dangerous for you and me. So, I will remain silent.¡± His grimoire appeared and he read the contract¡¯s page. Cursed contract of the Lord of the First Druid: Use: Gain ess to the Shamanism spell, Wildfire. Return: Protect the Legacy of the First Druid known as ¡°Elin¡± until the threat at the Tear has ended. ¡°And if I really don¡¯t want your protection?¡± she asked. He stopped, locking eyes with her. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not going to get in your way. Whatever you want to do, fine. But if you do get in trouble, find me and I¡¯ll do what I can. Also tell me if you are leaving the fort. I¡¯ll send Zeke with you, and if there¡¯s trouble, I¡¯ll get there as fast as I can.¡± ¡°And how fast might that be? Because if I feel the need to call on you, I¡¯m surely about to die.¡± ¡°Lnd is faster than me,¡± Isobel helpfully added from behind. Lnd stared dumbfounded. ¡°I think that¡¯s the nicest thing you¡¯ve ever said to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯d still win if we fought against each other,¡± Isobel then added. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Glenny mentioned. ¡°Lnd took a full punch from that parasite and walked it off.¡± There were quite a few details left out from that simple assessment, but Lnd wasn¡¯t going to argue. Instead, he looked back at Elin. ¡°I¡¯ll be there quickly and I can heal most wounds. As long as you are not dead, I can work with it. I think.¡± She blinked. ¡°You think?¡± ¡°Yup. Anyways, we¡¯re here¡ª¡± A gathered crowd cut off his words, their cheering making all conversation impossible. The group stepped through, finding a familiar scene of broken pirs and victorious mages. In the front was the newest winner of thispetition, Gelo, her icy fur might as well have been a bright orange shirt in the sea of gray robes and brown leather armor. Lnd mentally reminded himself to upgrade his wardrobe. Jude was there as well, the berserker hoisting the cub up into the air in celebration. They danced through a showering of gold coins, the losers of the betting pool tossing their losses at the duo. Even if they became bruised with the amount of coins thrown, they didn¡¯t care! Sweet, sweet victory! Behind them was the aftermath of Gelo¡¯s magic ¨C a pir shattered into a million pieces, each piece covered in ice until it ballooned to the size of a brick. Ice and space magic. Lnd wanted to say he was surprised at the scene, but in reality, he wasn¡¯t. What did surprise him, was that Jude Two was standing off to the side ying a little jig with his harmonica and nobody was questioning his sudden appearance. ¡°That¡¯s them,¡± Lnd said to Elin over the boos and cheers. ¡°The bear and the dude?¡± she asked. ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°What is with this day? How much worse could it get?¡± she muttered to herself. A fresh report slid across the Captain¡¯s desk. He snatched it before the attendant could even exit the room, reading it over without so much as blinking. ¡°Hold,¡± he snarled, freezing the room. For a moment he breathed, epting that this moment right here would set the course for the men and women at this bastion. They would either live or die, like their futures were on a de¡¯s edge just waiting for the avnche of blood and guts to expel them from the wake of danger either safely or not¡­ He took another breath. He was never good at analogies. And this situation didn¡¯t call for one anyways. ¡°Get that Vagrant Warden here stat.¡± He paused. ¡°And the Huntress. And all of the team leaders, adventurers teams too.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± the attendant asked, the look of horror casting her face in dark, dark shadows. ¡°You heard me. War is here.¡± Chapter 268: Past Advice Chapter 268: Past Advice ¡°And?¡± ¡°And nothing, I haven¡¯t done it yet.¡± Isobel incredulously stared at Lnd, the boy who possessed two key parts of understanding Archons and traversing past memories. Back in the Valley, an Archon had said something to him, something in anguage no one understood, wearing a face that perfectly copied Sybil¡¯s. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you done it yet?¡± she asked, the question somehow needing to be asked. ¡°Because,¡± Lnd droned, as if the word itself was answer enough, ¡°I wanted to wait until you were around to do it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s stupid,¡± Isobel replied instantly. ¡°What if it said some important secret? What if¡ª¡± He held up his hands, stopping her cold, just like the room everyone currently sat in. With ess to a mage who could create ice, the group decided the best ce to live during their time at the Tear was a house made of ice. Gelo was positively ted with the idea of constructing a proper home for everyone, even making it ¡°nice.¡± The offered lodging was a cave, prime real estate for a bear, not so much for humans. And since no one had the nerve to tell the cub her work of ¡°art¡± was an ugly, glorified igloo, it remained as is. Luckily a plot ofnd was open beside Elin, simplifying the protection aspect of their time at the bastion.¡°We both went through a lot at the Valley,¡± Lnd said quietly, his voice carrying the weight of pulling Sybil through the misery and death. ¡°We should be together when I trante its words.¡± Isobel took a deep breath, studying the boy ¨C young man ¨C before her. She relented, leaning back and gesturing with her hand in the universal way to say, ¡°get on with it.¡± And Lnd did. He adjusted his warm bedding, pulling the nket he had wrapped around himself to better cover his neck and shoulders. If there was one thing to say about living in an igloo, it was that it was cold. But that was easily remedied withyers and nkets. In fact, he felt the temperature was rather¡ª Lnd shook his head, knowing that he was only stalling. With a deep breath, he powered the cantrip Memory Recall. Eyes zing over into a milky white, he stared off into the distance, his mind flooding with past events. He was in the Archon Valley. Unfamiliarity roused him to move, to protect Sybil, to argue with Isobel. Something wasing. It phased through reality like a specter passing through solid stone. It didn¡¯t walk, but rather moved across thendscape, dematerializing trees and rocks as it went. It hummed, colorless music appearing from behind its veil, and twisting before its head. Texture took, mimicking the Boneforged Monarch¡¯s facial impression. Down to cheek bones and a slight nostril re, the Archon stared at Sybil with identical eyes before humming again. This time the music implied color, turning to a dark shade of coffee. The Archon recreated Sybil¡¯s face on the back of the Monarch¡¯s before twisting both to be facing the same way. ¡°I see¡­ thank you,¡± Sybil muttered. The Archon, still sharing Sybil and the Monarch¡¯s face, bent space around its head, nodding. It then looked at past-Lnd, space turning its head with slow gaunt. It spoke without moving its lips in anguage long lost to the mortal realm. It was uncaring that Lnd couldn¡¯t understand, nor did it mind when he didn¡¯t respond. From there it evaporated, veil and all. But now, Lnd understood. His contract with the Lord of the Lexicon brought information to his mind, recalling the memory in a different light. It spoke, its lips unmoving, ¡°The Lords are not the end, they are the beginning. Speak to us again, speak to the hive. Find the answers you seek when you learn the questions to ask.¡± And with that, it evaporated, veil and all,pleting the memory. For a moment, Lnd¡¯s consciousness floated there, waiting for the cantrip to end, waiting to return to himself. But he didn¡¯t. Something tickled down the back of his neck. He ¡°spun,¡± rotating blindly through memory after memory. Images shed against the backdrop of sky and Void, memories from yesterday or ten years ago. Nonested for more than a heartbeat, but all were longer than an eternity. Time shifted, reality changed. Then the Archon¡¯s veil appeared again, but this, this wasn¡¯t like before. This was new, no memory of Lnd¡¯s was like this. This was happening now. Sitting against a pure ck void, the Archon¡¯s veil danced and tugged, creating the Archon from nothing as if a feather appeared from open air. It floated silently, its silvery gold luster dazzling but also not. It didn¡¯t grow a head, nor eyes, but Lnd knew the creature stared at him like he stared at it. Then the ck backdrop faded, revealing thousands, millions of Archons, each staring at him¡ª Lnd returned to himself in the igloo-cave, his breath hitched like he had just finished his morning workout routine. No¡ª No, that wasn¡¯t right. This was worse, this¡ª this¡ª He screamed, his throat the diameter of¡ª If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Isobel appeared in front of him, consuming his vision as the memories faded. She was snapping, making noise to draw his attention. He couldn¡¯t¡ª He wouldn¡¯t¡ª Her eyes were dark, with thick bags below as if she had lost a year of sleep. Concern, he recognized, concern for him. He tried¡ª p! Pain radiated up his face and partially into his hairline. Water pooled in his eyes, a sensation akin to a bee sting consuming his thoughts. He wanted to cry, but that would¡ª He stopped. What just¡­ ¡°You pped me!?¡± he seethed, his jaw mped like a smith¡¯s vice. Tension released from Isobel¡¯s shoulders and neck. Her head swung down, staring at the sandy flooring. She hid it well, but she trembled, memories of her own close to resurfacing. ¡°Leals?¡± Jude called from a few steps away. He was on his feet, his hand sped around his guitar¡¯s neck. He had been ying moments before, but¡­ ¡°You alright there?¡± ¡°My face hurts,¡± he mulled, considering whether it would be an abuse of magic to heal himself with Imbue Life for a p. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Glenny then uttered, also on his feet, ¡°that¡¯s not what we are worried about right now.¡± ¡°Then what¡ª¡± ¡°The screaming.¡± Lnd looked around, finding Gelo also on her feet only steps away staring at him with an expression on the verge of tears. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± It was Isobel who answered, ¡°You were using Memory Recall, then you started screaming.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± He blinked. Then his tone turned dark. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°What did you see?¡± she asked. ¡°What did I¡ª I saw the Archon. And you and Sybil. It spoke about the Lords and how they are not the end, but the beginning. And to contact them, the hive, when I know what questions to ask. And then¡­¡± ¡°And the screaming?¡± Jude asked after a moment of silence. ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember screaming.¡± ¡°U-use the cantrip again,¡± Isobel said quietly, her words weak. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Gelo huffed from the side. Being a mage and traveling with Lnd, he had talked to her about the theory behind the cantrip several times. And while Gelo never wished to learn, the idea of manipting memories still hung in her mind. Some memories were never meant to be relived. She could think of several in her short life that she would consider torturous to experience again. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Lnd collected himself. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to.¡± Isobel leaned back. ¡°Reasoning?¡± ¡°Because I remember what caused me to scream.¡± He thought of the Archon Sapphire. ¡°I think I know how to contact the Archons.¡± ¡°That being?¡± ¡°Memories.¡± ¡°How does that make sense?¡± Jude asked. ¡°Because Lords are only the beginning¡­¡± Everyone beside Lnd adopted a confused face. ¡°What?¡± one of them asked. Lnd put his hand up, his train of thought all that mattered right now. He was close to something, a realization or¡­ or¡­ He had felt this before, the sense of being so close to something important. A concept, a Rule. First with the Mending me Lord¡¯s Heartgem and the idea behind true elements. And now, memories. Something to do with memories. What were memories? How did they rte to the power beyond the Lords? How could the Archons use memories to contact him across the endless Void? How could¡ª He stopped that line of thinking. The Archons were forter. Right now he needed to think, to conceptualize, to imagine. For the past few days, since meeting Walker, Lnd had practiced breathing like the otherworlder had taught him. And while he had never been sessful, that had yet to discourage him. Subconsciously or not, Lnd began to breathe in that strange, strange way. He pulled in breath, then tried to pull in more. He sputtered a cough, the same cough he had several dozen times already. It all connected. All of it. Lords, memories, Rules, concepts, ideals, elements. But how did it connect to magic? To Lnd¡¯s lifeblood? What he strived for, what he wished to create? He had been gifted and cursed, the power of a Harbinger along with the reputation. He¡¯d fought, tooth and nail, to show who he truly was, to protect the weak, to shove Aunty P¡¯s nose in the fact that he was a good guy! But swimming around his mind was a step beyond petty emotion and social eptance. It was reality, the forces of nature colliding with the consciousness of human thought. No one in the igloo-cave noticed, but his eyes began to sparkle withvender and silver. Someone then yelled into the igloo from outside, cutting the color from his eyes. Everything faded, the edge of his realization fading like the calm of an ocean during low tide. The threads of ideas departed, spreading out into the winds of his mind. Questions turned to dust. The expansive notion of power gone, just waiting to be found. All because of one person. Lnd¡¯s eyes snapped to the entrance of the igloo, his hitched breath exhaled like a dangerous beast. ¡°What is it?¡± he growled, raw anger echoing against the icy walls. Everyone stumbled a little, most of all the neer to this little group. She wore Palemarrow colors, a uniform expressing her rank as low, but now the lowest. She held papers, notes, letters ¨C all threatening to vacate her hands from how hard she was trembling. ¡°Lnd stop it,¡± Jude snapped, understanding far better than anyone what rage did to a person. And Lnd did. The heat in the air was quickly squashed by the cold ice walls, the stench of irritation forgotten like a sock with a hole in it. He breathed, epting that today was just not the day things were going to start making sense. Another hint to another key, today was a victory. ¡°What is it?¡± Lnd repeated this time far nicer. ¡°C-C-Captain wants to see you!¡± the woman looked at Isobel. ¡°A-and you!¡± ¡°And us?¡± Glenny asked from the side. The woman only nodded, quickly vacating the igloo right after. ¡°What was that?¡± Isobel then asked Lnd. ¡°That was,¡± he began, ¡°me almost connecting things. There¡¯s power beyond the Lords, my dear Isobel, and I¡¯m going to find it.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°And why? You have contracts, you have unlimited power already.¡± Why did he want power? The question had been on his mind a few times, each paired with the answer of ¡°to protect his friends and loved ones.¡± But he sure wasn¡¯t going to tell her that. That would be too much ammunition for the former Inquisitor. ¡°Because it fascinates me,¡± was all he said, which wasn¡¯t a lie. Chapter 269: A Curtain Chapter 269: A Curtain Captain Curtain was a very unremarkable looking man. With hair that pulled back across his skull and not a single scar across his face, the man walked and talked like a stressed out father more than a Captain of the army. When he spoke he made little gestures with his arms, and when he studied someone he squinted a little. But despite all of this, Curtain stood straight and tall. When people tried to push him, he pushed right back. His codename, which most people thought simply referenced fabric, was actually much more poetic. The man kept a tight lid on whatever bastion he oversaw, a lid that had had never once seen the light of war. Curtain was his codename because behind his bastions¡¯ walls, war never was. Today changed that. War was here, and judging by the reports, being outnumbered was a given. If he included the massing monsters frothing at the mouth and ready to rush the bastion, being outnumbered was, well¡­ A knocking sounded from his office door, the person behind the wood paneling not waiting a single second before opening the door and marching right in. Curtain eyed Isobel and she eyed him back, that cking-ignorant look she always held seemingly as prominent as her own reputation. People did not like the Huntress, not that she went by that title nowadays. He knew of her long before she randomly appeared at his bastion, everyone knew of the famous, or infamous, Inquisitors, especially those in the military. It was every Captain¡¯s nightmare to have an Inquisitor put their nose into army business, but here, even though she recently left her upation of Inquisitor, Curtain was d she was here. Even if she was as problematic as they said. He gave her a stiff nod and moved onto the boy on her heels. Lnd Silver, son of the famous duo the Inquisitors Silver and apparent good Harbinger. With the title of Vagrant Warden, the Captain knew the young man to have friends in very high ces ¨C the fact he had yet to be drawn, quartered, and executed proved as much. Though, if some of the stories were to be believed, there were very few who could stand in the way of him. Curtain had heard the rumors around the mess hall, he¡¯d seen the reportsing from Palemarrow Castle itself. Harbingers, artificial Lords, Witches, Lnd Silver had fought them all, and won. Next to enter was the berserker, Jude Brown. Another son of two famous Inquisitors, there wasn¡¯t much to know about him besides his recent actions against the Sightless King. The Crown considered the problem of the artificial Lord to have been handledrgely by Jude and Glenny, the next young man entering the room.Glenny Red, another son of two Inquisitors ¨C one deceased ¨C was listed as crucial when it came to killing the Sightless King. As the reports went, he dealt the finishing blow to the cursed creature. And to the Captain, out of all of the reports about the trio of boys, he believed the one about Glenny the most. Strictly speaking of appearance, both Lnd and Jude looked like children. Bright, inquisitive stares, that sort of arrogant innocence young people had. Glenny was the opposite. The moment he stepped into the office, the young man covered in living shadows searched the room for exits, weapons, and dangers. He looked around almostzily, like he was bored and annoyed at being there. But the Captain knew, behind his white and ck eyes was a man hardened by experience and tempered with murder. Life had been cruel to Glenny Red, his mother¡¯s passing only a catalyst for the need to grow. Finally there was the bear. Reports werecking about the magical creature, but from how some of the men around the bastion spoke about the cub, there were secrets of power hidden within her paws. Just recently, Curtain received a report about a strange, teal, space magic she wielded to shark bets from the idiotic mages. Seeing them taken down a peg always made Curtain smile. ¡°Good, you are all here¡ª¡± Curtain stopped himself as someone else entered. At first he thought it was one of the adventurer team leaders, but they were not meant to arrive for another twenty minutes. Filling in the Vagrant Warden and the Huntress took precedence. But no, this woman was no team leader. In fact, Curtain knew her to be nothing but trouble. Elin the thief stood within his office, no doubt looking for something to pinch like amon street pickpocket. Multiple times he had thought about kicking her out of the bastion, but each time a pragmatic reason to keep her near had popped up. Need someone to spy, someone outside the court of military ethics? It was always good to keep a rogue on a leash during operations like this. Curtain swallowed, deciding to ignore her presence. Why she was here, he had no clue, but again, filling people in on the threat took precedence right now. ¡°Thank you foring,¡± he said, his voice as t as the horizon. He stared directly at Lnd. ¡°And thank you for not killing my aid.¡± A wash of emotion passed over the boy''s face. Embarrassment, anger, irritation. Perhaps he was thinking the Captain a fool like the other captain he had met, Tar. ¡°Right,¡± Lnd forced himself to say, ¡°bad timing.¡± Curtain held his stare. If the Harbinger brought trouble, the rank of Vagrant Warden would mean very little when the whole of the bastion turned on him. If that were to happen, there would be no choice but to surrender to the military. No matter who his friends-in-high-ces were, killing innocent soldiers for doing their job would earn him the executioner¡¯s block. Of course that would never happen, but Curtain knew he didn¡¯t get to where he was by ignoring proper contingencies. ¡°The past is in the past,¡± he lethargically said. ¡°Right now, we have bigger problems.¡± The Captain began to exin what wasing. Witches, was the simple exnation, but the oddities of how and why they were attacking was cause for significant concern. ¡°We estimate they know they cannot win an all-out assault on the bastion. But they are preparing anyway. Something spooked them.¡± This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Parasite,¡± the Huntress and Lnd said at the same time. Curtain looked between them. ¡°Exin.¡± ¡°A parasite won and was destroying Witch nests and feasting on their essence,¡± Isobel said, ¡°I reported it when I¡ª¡± ¡°Which report?¡± the Captain interrupted, already rifling through papers. ¡°My most recent.¡± He found it, giving it a once over. ¡°It says, ¡®mysterious bipedal monster,¡¯ nothing about a parasite.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°A: didn¡¯t know it was a parasite back then. And B: I didn¡¯t stick around to find out. Ask the kids for more information if you want it.¡± She gestured at the others. He sat the paper down and red at Lnd. ¡°And why do you know about this parasite? You¡¯ve been here for less than half-a-day.¡± Lnd scratched the back of his head. ¡°Uh, It¡¯s following me.¡± ¡°Description, estimated power level, estimated threat level?¡± ¡°Female body, missing leg. Bloodstained mangled clothing. I took a full force punch from it and wasunched across the sand and cracked the foundation of Sand Castle¡­ so, strong. The threat level is rather low, I¡¯d say. We almost killed it with just a few of us. Though, it is growing stronger every minute it¡¯s not dead, so.¡± ¡°Abilities?¡± ¡°Space warping punches and kicks. Can teleport.¡± Curtain nced around the others, Jude and the bear, gauging their reactions to this information. They didn¡¯t so much as blink improperly, meaning everything reported was genuine. He reached down to the Huntress¡¯ report, wanting to document everything said here, but found the paper missing. He didn¡¯t have a chance to look for it nor question where it was before a question was raised. ¡°Why are the Witches even here?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Like, I get the whole, ¡®wanting to stop change,¡¯ thing, but I do not buy every Witch is here for that. If they know attacking the bastion is futile and are being hunted by a parasite, why bother sticking around? They have to know there¡¯s nothing to be done here. Closing the Tears is impossible, trust me, I would know. And yet, they remain.¡± Curtain wanted to ask for expansion over the idea of closing the Tears, but held his tongue. The current situation was too important. ¡°Do you know of the Seer?¡± Lnd instantly shivered, as if the name sent hot coals up his back. A strange reaction, the Captain concluded, for the action was almost involuntary. Even stranger, was that Lnd¡¯s face fell like a fledgling tripping out of the nest. There was no recognition in his eyes about the name, but something far more¡­ dangerous. Curtain let himself rx, releasing hismand over the room slightly. While his power would never rival the likes of High Inquisitor Rushwin, he had picked up a trick or two when it came to aura maniption. The key was visualizing a space, in this case, the office, and flooding that space with personality and amodations. In but a few words, the room was his, and no one else¡¯s. So, when Curtain rxed his grip on the room, someone else¡¯s took hold. He had read the report from Knight Mason about how Lnd Silver had swooped in like a Lordly messenger, here to pass on the good word of health and healing. Mason had described Lnd as ¡°a being that had a ticket to the heavens, but had yet to enter,¡± at least until Lnd started talking to lost souls. The remainder of the report was rather harsh, all things considered. This feeling, this overbearing weight within the Captain¡¯s office, was nothing of the sort. It poured from Lnd like thick rot. It corrupted the room, dredging the walls and floor into something far beyond simple wood and nails. Hatred sung like a siren¡¯s call, urging all in the room to march out into the sand andb through every grain until the obscenity that was the Seer, was dead. Curtain even noted that Lnd¡¯s friends looked at him with cautious, fearful eyes¡­ that was, until Lnd muttered, ¡°Stop it,¡± under his breath. The simplemand released the room back to the Captain, snapping it back into a room ofw and order. Those closest to the boy looked relieved, like soldiers given leave right before a battle. Lnd then cleared his throat. ¡°I do not know who Seer is, mind exining?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Witch¡­¡± Curtain¡¯s eyes wandered, finding Glenny and Elin in an opposite corner of the room than he remembered. When did they move? During Lnd¡¯s outburst? That made the most sense. Again, that wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°Seer is a monster, one who has been on the Inquisitor¡¯s most wanted list for nearly a century at this point. If these reports are up to date, then the Inquisitors believe him to be a Legacy of Souls¡ª¡± Lnd sucked in a breath, his friends doing the same. Everyone froze, except for Elin, who was looking around timidly. ¡°So he¡¯s strong,¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Yes¡­ but that is the least of the problems. Seer is smart. Disciplined. He wouldn¡¯t have survived this long if he wasn¡¯t.¡± Curtain tapped his desk. ¡°To answer your earlier question, yes, the Witches are here for reasons other than to interfere with the Tear. They, simply put, have been marked by Seer¡¯s magic and are essentially being forced to fight for him. Monsters too.¡± ¡°What does he want?¡± ¡°That is an excellent question. One we have yet to answer.¡± ¡°Great,¡± both Lnd and Isobel cursed. A voice sounded from lower in the room, Gelo, the cub asked, ¡°If Seer is so smart, he knows he will lose if he attacks the bastion, right? That means it isn¡¯t his goal ¨C something about the Tear is.¡± Lnd thought this through, his eyes zing over as he stared into space. Curtain nodded. ¡°Correct. But what that may be¡ª¡± ¡°Ah! I know what he wants!¡± Lnd announced. ¡°Souls. He wants souls!¡± ¡°Souls?¡± ¡°Trust me, they have plenty of uses, some far less savory than others.¡± ¡°But what¡ª¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± Lnd rambled before speaking to his friends, ¡°I didn¡¯t think about this earlier when we were in world Alpha, but I should have at least asked Walker. But where did all of the souls of his world go? His whole died out, leaving what? Countless souls to wander?¡± Glenny spoke up first, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they just go to Oblivion?¡± ¡°Not necessarily. The Lord of Souls ferries souls to Oblivion¡­ what if world Alpha¡¯s equivalent to the Lord of Souls died when everyone else did? Painful, agonizing deaths, mind you, the kind of deaths that cause souls to stick around.¡± ¡°Then there would be countless souls roaming world Alpha,¡± Jude supplied. ¡°But that has been disproven,¡± Glenny said. ¡°We know there¡¯s nothing in world Alpha. Aunty P said as much. Surely they¡¯d send someone into the Tears that could see souls.¡± ¡°But Aunty P didn¡¯t know about Walker. And with Lodestar¡¯s reaction to Seer¡¯s name¡ª¡± Lnd¡¯s eyes lit up. He spun to the Captain. ¡°You¡¯ve got a major problem on your hands.¡± Curtain, who had been following along, albeit missing several pieces, asked, ¡°Who are Walker and Lodestar?¡± ¡°Walker is thest surviving person of world Alpha. There should be a report from Captain Tar about him somewhere. And Lodestar is¡­ is¡ª¡± Lnd stopped himself before twisting his neck to look over his shoulder. ¡°Lodestar, is my theory correct? Is Seer looking to take a world-worth of souls for himself?¡± A voice came from Lnd¡¯s back, one that chilled the air like cold, bloody steel, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We better stop him, then?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Lnd held off scoffing. ¡°And you¡¯re going to help? We both know your history. This falls in your purview I¡¯d say.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± Lodestar replied, ¡°but maybe it once did.¡± ¡°Is that a ¡®yes?¡¯¡± ¡°It is.¡± Chapter 270: Ether Chapter 270: Ether The sounds around Lnd drained away until only he and his breathing remained. In¨C air filled his lungs, drawing his chest out like a balloon. He held it, cycling mana and lifeforce around his body like he had done so many times. In fact, mana cycling had been one of the first things his parents taught him way back when. Even back then, before bing a Legacy, he was studying to be a mage. Manaless, powerless, just a kid with a textbook and a couple of eager parents. He had done it, he had beat the odds, he had drawn upon the invisible resource of mana before he was adopted by the Lord of Curses. The feeling of sess had been forever etched into his mind, a feeling he prided himself on. Walker had shown him the way, but Lnd knew the rest was up to himself. A puddle, that was how he imagined it. His lungs were potholes on the street, puddles after a rain. He¡¯d fill the two puddles with mana and lifeforce, filling them from the very bottom to the very top. Each drip was meaningful here, just like the core situated in the center of his chest full of dust and crystals. In a way, his heart-core was like a soul. It grew with him, it was him. If he sought to train himself, if he pushed his boundaries and progress in life and power, his heart-core would show it. His soul would show it. There were more ways to power than a single path, and there were more types of power than just physical or magical. Being a better person was one way. Being nicer, more charitable, more understanding. There were people below Lnd, he knew that, but there were also people far above him. Lords were the simple answer, and as he sat there and held a breath in his lungs, Lnd couldn¡¯t help but feel one step closer to their kind. Out ¨C he pushed, expelling the air filling his lungs, forcing his puddle-like chest to maintain the water. Lifeforce and mana, two sides of the same coin. Resources for magic, tools to be manipted. A tickle crawled up his throat, one of the nagging pains that wouldn¡¯t leave his mind until he addressed it. All he would have to do is cough, a simple cough could end his misery. But no ¨C giving up so easily had never been in his vocabry. In ¨C he forced it. Breathing in was all that mattered right now. He had to fill the puddle, he had to expand his chest. Agony wed from inside out, torturous tickles became bloody festering wounds. He tried to think about something else, anything else. Boom, boom. There, his heart beat. He listened, each beat louder and heavier than thest. Lifeforce and mana still came to his call, filling his lungs and collecting at the bottom of the puddle. Boom, boom. Out ¨C Nothing mattered, nothing mattered. His chest copsed, expelling everything but the mana and lifeforce he held back. In ¨C Breath sucked in from his nose and mouth, burning his sinuses and throat like a st of steam to the face. That didn¡¯t matter, he didn¡¯t feel it. Boom, boom. His heart beat kept him centered, his heartbeat kept him in rhythm. Boom, boom. The beats became faster. Boom, boom, boom, boom. The pain caused him to whimper, but he didn¡¯t hear the sound he created. A cry, a scream, whatever it was, it was locked far out of his mind, for all he heard was the beating of his heart. Out ¨C His fingernails curled into his palms. He didn¡¯t know it, but blood soaked and pooled. The tickle was back, but this time his heartbeat only added to the pain. Each beat became a hammer driving a nail into his consciousness. He mentally screamed, his limit far past. In ¨C mana and lifeforce. They burned the same way¡­ which was strange right? Lnd thought so. For being used so differently, they held many of the same properties. Yeah, he decided, that was strange. His eyes opened, the room came back into view. Sound reappeared but not his obsessive heartbeat. Noise, just in noise, so calming, so¡ª A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition. His lungs burst, spewing phlegm up his throat. He coughed, two loud hacking coughs fit with bloody mucus. Eyes turned to him, he knew, but that hardly mattered. Most didn¡¯t like him on principle. The Harbinger this, the Harbinger that. They could all eat dirt, for all he cared. Let them stare, let them judge¡­ Tears pooled in his eyes as his hand glowed with natural magic. Touch of Regeneration was obsoletepared to Imbue Life, but it got the job done. Within moments he was back to prime health, his breathing troubles but a bygone of training. He swallowed, refocusing on the room. Everyone was looking at him, all forty or so people. At the far end was Captain Curtain holding a long stick he had been using to point at sections of a map. Branching around him were various army personnel, team leaders here for updates and orders. Beyond them ¨C closer to Lnd ¨C were the adventurer leads, gruff individuals here for the promise of riches and recognition. A few others sat around, people of standing or specialty who deserved a personal exnation of the future by the Captain. Isobel was one of them, as was Elin. Or maybe she was here because she had tagged along with the rest of the group after leaving their home igloo? Lnd stole a nce at her. The girl he had sworn to protect stood beside Glenny, the pair having been quietly whispering to each other for hours at this point. Lnd instantly thought of hundreds of things to tease the poor rogue with. One of his best friends with a love interest? Payback with Sybil¡¯s honor on the line wasing. He chuckled to himself. A voice cut through the stares. ¡°This is the boy we are basing our future operations on?¡± asked an army team leader sitting two seats past Captain Curtain. Lnd frowned. Jude, Glenny, Gelo, and Isobel also frowned, changing their side of the room into rugged anticipation. Those were fighting words, and adventurers were known to throw a few punches every once and a while. Lnd, straight faced and recovered from his breathing exercise, said, ¡°I prefer the term ¡®young man,¡¯ but people your age always like to judge people based on their age. Respect your elders and all that, even if they don¡¯t respect you.¡± The man recoiled slightly, his eyebrows darting up to his graying hair. ¡°I¡¯m not that old¡ª¡± ¡°Curtain, can you silence your man before Lnd kills him?¡± Isobel asked, exasperation highlighting her words as truth rather than hyperbole. Lnd raised his hand. ¡°For the record, Captain, I would not kill him for petty insults. I would, however, kill him for insubordination. Times like these, people like him could get others killed.¡± Curtain¡¯s hands went to the bridge of his nose. He rubbed the irritation from his bones, saying, ¡°Brigadier Skyfork, please keep your mouth shut.¡± ¡°Skyfork?¡± Jude whispered far too loudly. ¡°What kind of name is that?¡± Skyfork turned red, veins bulging from his neck while white hot breath expelled from his nostrils that just so happened to be thick with hair. ¡°Quiet dude,¡± Lnd muttered, purposely making his volume loud enough for everyone to hear, ¡°Skyfork might grow those nose hairs and strangle you.¡± Jude and Glenny burst outughing, spittle flying across the long, round table. Even Gelo smiled, a gesture that made some of the other team leaders shudder at the sight of her thick fangs. ¡°Are you done?¡± Curtain asked, his voice the same t inspirational tune as ever. Lnd gave a shrug. ¡°Like I was saying,¡± Curtain pointed at the map. ¡°Strike teams one, two, and three here, here, and here. Those three teams will be isted and fighting within the main forces of the enemy. For defending teams four, five, and six, make sure to keep vignt for our men in the scrap. No friendly fire, remember that¡­¡± Lnd felt something wet nudge his knee. He looked down, finding Gelo¡¯s snout. ¡°What?¡± he whispered. ¡°You okay? You looked in pain,¡± the cub whispered back. ¡°Just working on Walker¡¯s breathing exercise. I was close to getting the hang of it, but very far from using it practically.¡± ¡°You coughed up blood.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°I healed myself, don¡¯t worry.¡± Gelo gave him a look, the same look Isobel was giving him. Being a Legacy of the Hunter, Isobel¡¯s ears were far and away the most sensitive in the room. She easily picked up their conversation, opting to say nothing but also say everything. A proper stare, as she had learned, often made people think twice about whatever it was they were doing. Unfortunately for both Gelo and Isobel, Lnd was stubborn and stared right back. ¡°That¡¯s it. Meeting adjourned,¡± Captain Curtain said. ¡°Team leaders know where to go, prepare your people. Intelligence estimates the enemy will finish massing by midnight and be here by dawn. Get to your posts and be on the lookout for Seer. Send a runner the moment he appears.¡± ¡°If he appears, you mean,¡± corrected Brigadier Nose Hairs. ¡°If he appears, yes. Thank you, Brigadier.¡± With that, Curtain locked eyes with Lnd and Isobel. Between the three of them, and the rest of the team, the message was clear. Seer wasn¡¯t going to be in the battle, instead he was going to push into the Tear, making use of the distraction of war. Lnd scanned his eyes over the map. Teams were situated across the board, each holding their own territory in or around the bastion. Well, all except one team. Team Fluffy Bear ¨C Jude¡¯s naming choice ¨C was left alone at the Tear¡¯s entrance. A position expected to fight without reinforcement and expected to be where the true battle took ce. Chapter 271: Dead Chapter 271: Dead ¡°I think I missed something,¡± Elin announced, cutting the silence. The group ¨C Team Fluffy Bear ¨C and Elin were sitting before the red, crackling hole in reality, feeling the breeze of another world against their skin. Here, in their world, the temperature was nice. Despite the sand, the sun had yet to make the ce into a proper desert. Rain clouds hung overhead, dotting thendscape with plenty of shadows. ¡°Missed what?¡± Glenny asked, pulling his head up from the orange he was peeling with a pocket knife. ¡°Just¡­ W-well. I guess¡­ I guess I missed why you five are so special.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elin shifted in her seat ¨C a chair Lnd had provided from his inventory ring. ¡°Things like this chair? Normal people don¡¯t have that.¡± Lnd gave her a strange look. ¡°We¡¯re special because I had an extra chair? Would you rather Gelo make you one out of ice?¡± The Legacy of the First Druid shook her head, the gesture as unconscious as her thumping leg. ¡°See, that¡¯s another thing. You have a talking bear with you! That¡¯s very stra¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her Gelo!¡± Jude interrupted, his voice carrying across the empty, dark sands. ¡°You¡¯re not strange!¡± Elin ignored the stare the cub was giving her and said, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Gelo isn¡¯t strange, the fact that she¡¯s with you four is.¡± ¡°If you remember,¡± Isobel added, ¡°I was here before they arrived.¡± ¡°You three then.¡± ¡°Why is that strange?¡± Lnd asked, tearing his gaze from the overhead clouds. Some were moving too fast, he had noticed. ¡°B-because it is? How many people do you know who travel with talking beasts that have no Legacy connection? Beast tamer or beastpanion? Because I know of none.¡± Gelo considered this, the right side of her snout hiking back. She hummed a bit, saying, ¡°How many people do you know who¡¯ve met Guardian Spirit Beasts?¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re a Guardian!?¡± ¡°No, but my mother is. Was. It¡¯splicated.¡± Elin nced at Glenny, who shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. We won¡¯t answer.¡± ¡°Rule three of being a rogue, Glenny, information is always essible. Always,¡± she said. ¡°Not in this case. There¡¯s what? Us four and a few others who know Gelo¡¯s history. Suffice it to say, there are very few people who could get that information from us.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not impossible to get that information from you? It would just be difficult.¡± Elin smiled at Glenny. ¡°See? The rules always work out.¡± The young man cloaked in shadows rolled his eyes. This wasn¡¯t the first over epassing ¡°rule¡± the thief had spouted about rogues. And just like the first few, this one had a technicality that only proved Elin ¡°correct.¡± ¡°If you tried to get that information from one of us, we¡¯d kill you instantly,¡± Lnd announced nkly. Elin slowly stared at him, understanding and disbelief both showing across her face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to protect me?¡± ¡°Not when my friends are on the line.¡± ¡°Dude, you are like way too scary. Mother issues?¡± Isobel snorted. Lnd looked away from the sky. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m the one with issues here. Remind me, why are you still here?¡± ¡°Because I can?¡± ¡°Even when battle is surely happening in the next hour? Still have time to run.¡± Elin shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s another thing. Why were you five given this task?¡± She quickly shook her head, retracting the question. ¡°A better question would be, why did you ept this task?¡± ¡°Because I could.¡± Lnd answered, mimicking her own answer. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Even though you understood Seer is most likely toe here and ignore the fight at the bastion, right?¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences elsewhere. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m counting on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re¡ª¡± Elin collected herself. ¡°You¡¯re suicidal, that¡¯s what you are.¡± Lnd gave a great, long sigh, the clouds shifting overhead until they were thick and bloated. ¡°Last chance to leave. They¡¯re here.¡± Gelo and Elin both flinched, the rest of the team having slowlye to the same conclusion already. Jude, axe already in hand, stood from his chair, stalking a dozen or so steps to the side of the makeshift camp. Jude Two appeared from a faded section of air, walking another dozen steps further. Each froze over in frosted armor, Floe¡¯s blessing roaring with authority and anger. Glenny went invisible, shadows consuming him not a secondter. He shadow stepped across the area, appearing from the shadow of a training sword he had stolen from the bastion. He looked around his prepared death trap, finding simr swords, spears, axes, and shields nted firmly into the sand at set intervals. If he had to, he could be anywhere within the potential battlefield within moments. Isobel unfurled her dragonfly wings, her parasite weapon coiling around her arm. Like a bolt of lightning, she kicked backward, flying into the Tear. With a red sky above her, she took aim across worlds, ready to snipe at any and every enemy that came into her line of sight. Gelo, despite the suddenness of everything, prepared her defenses just like Knight Grain at the Sand Castle. Starting from a simple shard of ice, teal magic pumped through her body and into her creation. At once, bricks of size-augmented ice appeared around her, each moving into formation. Within moments a thick wall of pure conjuration magic took hold over the dark, sandyndscape, cutting in half like a frontier city¡¯s foundation. Lastly there was Lnd. His preparations were far less impressive. He simply stood, flipped through his grimoire, and stepped up to Gelo¡¯s wall, looking over it on a prepared staircase. ¡°Last chance,¡± he said to Elin, the skies overhead now rife with malevolence ¡°From the look of it, Seer brought friends.¡± ¡°I count six.¡± The voice came from neither Lnd nor Elin. Lodestar appeared from his host¡¯s back in a sh, darkness and pure white metal rounded the area beside Lnd like a stencil cut piece of paper. He spun slowly, a ck darker than any within a buried coffin presenting itself front and center. Resentment filled the air, chilling the souls of those present with tingling frostbite. Lnd, having experienced both Lodestar and soul damage before, ignored the strange, horrid feeling. Instead, he nced at his reflection in Lodestar¡¯s center, finding the entrance to Oblivion quiet. A gentle wind pulled his attention away from the parasite, drawing his focus to the horizon. The pathway to his heart¡¯s desire was before him, wherever it led. Cursed contract of the Lord of Pathways: The Lord of Pathways has augmented the parasite, Lodestar, with a pathway. He shook his head, ignoring the thread of fate. It had been awhile since he saw his pathway ¨C it linked to Lodestar making things difficult. Wherever it pointed had to be forter. Because right now, there was no chasing the wind like a little kid. Right now, there was only war. There was only Lodestar and Seer. As he looked away from the horizon, winds of fate urging him to follow, things shifted for but a moment. The breeze changed into a brief tempest, fate avnched as if someone cut a thread. In that moment, Lnd¡¯s pathway shone brightly only to be consumed by pure darkness. He traced the path, finding Lodestar¡¯s entrance to Oblivion. Lnd froze, the path shifting back toward the horizon. What¡ª did he see wrong? How could¡ª ¡°What are you?¡± Elin asked, her voice cutting the tension in Lnd¡¯s shoulders. The t halo of metal floated beside his host silently, ignoring the girl¡¯s question. ¡°You¡¯re what caused the Captain to m up¡­ not that I was any different¡­¡± Lnd nced back. ¡°Ignore him,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re time is up. There¡¯s no leaving now¡ª¡± Above, the sky finished darkening, thick drops of water falling not a secondter. Onended on Lnd¡¯s head, stinging him as if a wasp had bitten him. He grunted, pulling up his hood and reading his magic. The deluge continued, growing in size and scope with every passing second. Elin let out a pained cry when the bombardment of rain reached her. Growing from her pocket, twigs and roots bloomed up, growing their way up her torso and neck, wrapping around the top of her head like an iron helm. She swayed a bit, her abilities ill suited for this kind of work. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here like this!¡± she shouted to Lnd, the rolling rain drowning away most sound. ¡°My Vine Armor can¡¯t withstand it!¡± As if an angel heard her prayers, a block of ice in the shape of an ¡°L¡± extended into existence beside her. It buried itself in the sand, acting like an umbre. Elin turned her head, finding a simr shape of ice protecting the frost cub. A shrieking call sounded from above. Zeke dove through the air,nding perched on Lnd¡¯s shoulder, the rain phasing through his body. The bird gave his summoner a nk stare. ¡°I know,¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°The rain¡¯s going to be annoying¡ª¡± ¡°There.¡± Lodestar¡¯s cold tone seemed to bruise the storm, the single word battering against the harsh rain and howling winds. Anger filled the immediate area, a lifeless, eternal anger. This time Lnd did stop and stare. Only once had he felt something remotely simr to the emotion pouring from his parasite ¨C the Undying Lord, Vile to his core, trapped for the rest of his miserable, immortal life. But while the Undying Lord felt as though the sky itself had been ripped apart and reced with fire, Lodestar felt contained, not chained. Lodestar did not glow with cursed aura, he bathed in it. Energy transcended the boundary between his portal to Oblivion, cruel, confronting energy. Like res stuck into the folds of reality, vivid bursts of consciousness pounced from the other side, the being beyond life and death looking for a way to crawl back. ¡°He¡¯s there.¡± Again, Lodestar spoke, an unknown history marching his parasitic hand across a world befallen by time. Lodestar was once a human, a living breathing human. And while he chose to be a parasite to help an appointed partner, scorching the world had felt like true invincibility. How long had it been? How many had fallen to his hand? How many had he killed and yet failed to properly take over? That gloved parasite had done it, so why couldn¡¯t he? The question nagged in Lodestar¡¯s mind as he fired off a single attack ¨C a beam of unrestrained darkness. It sliced through Gelo¡¯s wall, splitting the sandy ground asunder. The attack neither drew blood nor left a body, only the void of where a person once approached. ¡°Seer is dead.¡± Chapter 272: Lilac Chapter 272: Lc Lnd¡¯s head flicked over. ¡°What?¡± he screeched, a hole mping within his stomach. Lodestar didn¡¯t answer. With a growl, Lnd¡¯s hands rocketed toward the parasite, grabbing the cold white metal halo. Uncaring of the searing pain across his palms, he shoved Lodestar into Gelo¡¯s wall of ice. Cracks split from the impact, an unholy quake radiating. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± Lodestar said with more than a hint of bite, a wing wake pulsing from where his pure dark entrance into Oblivion rested against ice. ¡°You killed Seer?¡± Lnd seethed. ¡°Just like that?¡± ¡°Just like that,¡± the parasite echoed, ameness bristling in every syble. Was it boredom? Was it the unflinching need to look down upon his host? Not even Lodestar knew, his emotions far from how they were when he was a human all those years ago. Maybe once Lodestar would have cared that he just ended a life. Now? All he wanted to do was go back to sleep. If what he referred to as ¡°sleep¡± could be considered such a thing. Lnd lost himself staring at his own reflection, Lodestar¡¯s darkness like a mirror into a twisted version of reality. Once, when Lodestar had first evolved, Lnd thought the corruption inside the parasite would one day take hold. The promise of power? The alluring potential of sess? The glory of never again feeling useless? Losing the battle of parasite-host was something every host went through, the psychological war like a teetering pendulum. It went back and forth in Lnd¡¯s mind, always ending with him firmly telling himself he¡¯d never lose to such a creature. But now? It wasn¡¯t just firm. Lodestar had just killed someone, sted him with a beam of dark, dark magic, and didn¡¯t so much as flinch. Where was that magic when Harbinger Ashford was choking him above the castle? Where was that power when Lnd had needed it most? ¡°Firmly¡± didn¡¯t graze the surface of resolve Lnd felt in this moment. Lodestar would never win this little personal war. The Lord of Souls¡¯ brother would die as he was today, a parasite, whenever that may be. He held unbelievable power, yet refused to use it when an entire city was under threat. ¡°You are going to have to exin a bit more, parasite.¡± The darkness within Lodestar spun, flipping Lnd¡¯s reflection as if the reflection itself wanted to spin around. ¡°Seer is dead, and five more stille. This is neither the time, nor ce. Not with an audience such as thee.¡± Consciously, Lnd felt both Gelo and Elin nearby, watching. He took a deep breath, refocusing on the danger everyone faced. Lodestar would be around after the battle, and Lnd wasn¡¯t going to take silence for an answer this time. By the end of the day, they would be friends and teammates, or mortal enemies who just so happened to share the same body. ¡°We could have been friends,¡± Lnd whispered, his thoughts slipping out. ¡°I¡­ I felt bad for you. But that¡ª¡± He pointed in the general direction of the death beam, ¡°¡ªthat¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± Frustration bubbled from his guts to his mind, singing like a war cry. He needed to move, to run, to fight. How foolish had he been to think¡ª He shook his head. Later. Everything was alwayster; he hated that. His grimoire flipped a dozen pages,nding on a set of pages that just so happened to be his favorites. With a press of his palm, eight wings appeared along, or from, his back. With careful steps, Lnd walked up Gelo¡¯s ice staircase and onto her wall. Then, with but a single p of all of his wings, heunched. Seer was dead. And there were still five more souls to collect. Feeling a change in the air, both Glenny and Jude reacted to their best friend. The n had originally been to defend the Tear. Now? Now all of that was out the window, Lnd¡¯s entrance into the battlefield not only a game changer, but a game ender. They moved through the sand, the Witches. Hiding like the cowards they were, killing, stealing, ruining lives. Why should they be allowed to live? Why don¡¯t the Lords smite them down once their brands are ced along their faces? Glenny¡¯s mom and Isobel¡¯s family may still be alive if that was the case. Death was a good deterrent for murder, after all. Such was the curse of this world, right? Fight, struggle, cry, weep. People took and took, stealing even though they already had enough, killing when people fought back. How many were going to die tonight because of Seer? Because of Lodestar? How many already died because Lodestar didn¡¯t kill Ashford and the Sightless King instantly? If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Just what was Lodestar? Why did he¡­ he¡­ The wind and rain drained the anger from Lnd¡¯s bones. How many would still be alive if he had done better? If he was faster? Stronger? If he had been smarter? Lodestar may be a self-centered abomination of what a human could be, but thinking like that was only a raft for Lnd¡¯s ego. And the worst part was, Lnd knew that too. He had asked the Lord of Magic how to deal with his ego not very long ago, and while his question back then had a different meaning, now he wished they could have talked for hours. The price of power, the faults of being so weak. me was a two way street, and no matter how much he pleaded, Lnd could only control his own actions. Not Lodestar¡¯s, not Jude¡¯s, Glenny¡¯s, Gelo¡¯s, Isobel¡¯s. People had died fighting against Harbinger Ashford and the Sightless King ¨C a lot of people. But ming Lodestar for not helping only went so far¡­ even if Lodestar could have ended things before they began. Today was not going to be like that, not again, never again. Soaring through the sky, Lnd arrived at the location Lodestar had sent his death beam. It was subtle, but mounds of sand traversed the ck desert, casting wakes of movement like a mole digging a tunnel. One mound had copsed, meaning five remained. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± Lnd yelled, his voice carried with anger and guilt, and his lungs burned with mana and lifeforce. Everything he had poured into the spell, lighting the desert ame, transforming the area into a hellish lc. Violet mist poured from Lnd¡¯s head, mixing well with the rain to obscure his mundane features. Against the dark sky and clouds, only a general outline of him remained, his wings like beacons against the darkness that was him. Four white feathered wings, each basking in a gentle glow meshed against a pair of raven ck wings that stretched across the horizon. The only oddity was the Draconic wings that seemed to breathe independently of Lnd. But even more striking was his eyes. His wings, while dazzling and contrasting, bowed to the fury that captivated the young man¡¯s eyes. They werevender, justvender. Two orbs of pure shimmering purple, no fire, no me, no irises. Memories of walking among bodies troubled Lnd, memories of watching Ashford cut down anyone who neared reyed in his mind¡¯s eye. The idea that people like Annie or Abby could be murdered by spineless cowards who hide in the sand was like hot iron against his skin. Circle of Souls banded around the five remaining Witches, but wicked mes didn¡¯t ensnare them ¨C something far grander did. Lc. Lc fire rose from beneath the sandy ground and into the sky, calling the eye of all ¨C even the Lordly variant. Where they watched from didn¡¯t matter, for the pir of me took up the surface area of a small city. Rounded and far, far greater than any previous cast of Circle of Souls, the curse zed as if the heavens themselves opened and the Lord of Cinders tossed down a miniature sun made of purple malefic . Dusk became day, a very, very purple day. Five creatures made of green skin and green clothing stepped through the fire and mes, uncaring of the heatless pain. They tore through the sand, finding their targets like assassins by order of their King. Souls of the Damned, obviously, but enhanced and orderly. Gone were their scraggly, malformed bodies, and here were armored, twisted beasts. Humans, or what once were humans, the souls of the Damned moved on all fours ¨C anything to get to their targets quicker. They tore into both the world and emotion itself, cauterizing with a swipe of their savage hands. Like ripping chunks of stone from a wall, they grimly assaulted their targets. The Witches didn¡¯tst, their souls taken from their bodies the moment the souls of the Damned made contact. What remained of their bodies was¡­ ruthless and bloody. Watching all of this, Lnd¡¯s jaw fell. This power was an ident. Walker had called it ¡°ether,¡± thebination of mana and lifeforce, and was the basis for the power that surpassed the Lords. And when five freshly stolen Witch souls were presented by five kneeling souls of the Damned, Lnd supposed he had created ether. His mind went back to the meeting with Captain Curtain and the team leaders. He had grown bored of the monotony and had decided to practice Walker¡¯s breathing technique. At the time, Lnd had felt he was close to a sessful attempt. But here, watching Circle of Souls reach from the ground to the sky, he supposed he was far more sessful than he originally thought. Which also raised another important point; ether worked as a fuel source for Legacy curses. At the realization, Lnd cut the curse, ending the pir of spiraling mes. He snatched up the lost souls from the souls of the Damned, muttering ¡°thanks¡± for the lifeless beings¡¯ hard work, and added them to his soul cloak-ne. It was then Lnd sputtered abored cough into his hand. He groaned at the sight of red blood dripping between his fingers. With a shake of his head, he pressed his palm into a contract before tapping himself with healing magic. But before he could turn to his friends, his grimoire trembled. It cycled pages as if it suddenly had thousands more,nding on thest page of the newly added section. It shook, as if the pages themselves were in terrible pain. Slowly, Lnd peered at it and read. Somehow, you did it. May the world recover from the pain you may cause it one day. Can you hear it? The sound of Cmity? -Lord of !#*%(((( The ink melted away, disappearing into the paper like a drop of water on a ck shirt. Then, like the rising sun, more words appeared. Ignore him, Lnd. And good job. Be careful next time, though. The power you touched upon is a secret that could end worlds. But I think you already know that. We will talk more next time we meet in person. Hurry up and rank-up my Legacy. That is the fastest way. -Lord of Curses. Lnd blinked a few times, slowly pulling back his stressed posture. He tugged his grimoire closed, finding it now as thick as three bricks stacked on top of one another. Swallowing, he reopened it, flipping through the new pages and finding them all nk. ¡°Great. That¡¯s just great,¡± he muttered to himself as Jude and Glenny stepped up beside him. Chapter 273: Math Chapter 273: Math ¡°So what was that?¡± Glenny asked, stepping up beside his friend and eyeing the added thickness of his grimoire. ¡°That, my friend,¡± Lnd began, ¡°was ether ¨C what Walker talked about.¡± ¡°Purplefiresoulsuckingheart?¡± Jude asked,bining all descriptors of Circle of Souls. ¡°Nope. Just ether-powered Circle of Souls.¡± Lnd watched thest purple wisps of me dancing around in the sky disappear. ¡°So, I guess you two and Gelo better get to learning to use ether. Because that was¡­¡± ¡°Ridiculous?¡± Glenny supplied. ¡°Awesome?¡± Jude tried. Lnd thought for a moment. ¡°I think the word I¡¯m looking for is ¡®scary.¡¯ It was an ident I even used what little ether I had in my lungs. Can you imagine what a proper spell would look like? One with ether, a built up Heart-core, and true elements?¡± He paused, letting the question fester. ¡°You¡¯d be¡ª¡± Glenny¡¯s mouth went slightly ck. ¡°Lordly,¡± he uttered. Shaking his head, Lnd whispered, ¡°You¡¯d be above a Lord.¡±No one spoke for a few seconds, allowing Gelo, Isobel, and Elin to catch up ¨C one of whom was staring at Lnd like she was standing before a king. Gelo was first to ask, ¡°Purplefireheart?¡± Jude¡¯s eyebrows shot straight up. ¡°That¡¯s almost exactly what I asked!¡± ¡°Ether,¡± Lnd said listlessly, too tired to deal with Jude. ¡°And can we talk more about itter? For now, we¡¯ve got to¡ª¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± huffed Isobel. ¡°What happened to Seer?¡± ¡°Lodestar killed him¡­¡± He looked around. ¡°Where is Lodestar, actually?¡± The floating halo of metal and darkness appeared from nothing, his metaphysical eyes locked firmly onto his host. ¡°I am here.¡± ¡°So you are.¡± ¡°You surprised me, Lnd.¡± That got an eyebrow raise. ¡°That I didn¡¯t fail to kill five Witches? Or that I¡¯m far stronger than you think¡ª¡± ¡°Please,¡± the parasite dared, his voice like a bird song if the birds were on fire, ¡°I am ready to ¡®talk.¡¯ To exin why¡ª¡± ¡°Not now,¡± Lnd snapped. ¡°Or have you forgotten there¡¯s a horde of monsters and Witches barreling down on innocent defenders just over there!?¡± He pointed across the desert, away from the Tear¡¯s crackling, red lightning. There the bastion sat, stoic and operational. Hundreds ran around the battlements or below the main walls, fighting for their lives like ants defending their nest. Some used magic, some swords. Whichever the case, blood was spilled, turning the dark sand into a beach of soaked blood. Lodestar rotated slowly like a clock, the pool of darkness at his center pulsing like a rock dropped into a calmke. ¡°Hmm. Afterward, then.¡± And with that, the parasite returned to the tattoo on his host¡¯s back. Lnd scoffed, turning his attention to the group. ¡°Time to fight.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Glenny said with a smirk, conjuring daggers made of searing crimson energy. ¡°A bet to see who gets the most kills?¡± Jude asked, eagle wings appearing from his and his mirage¡¯s backs. ¡°No way,¡± Geloughed, teal magic mixing with an Icey storm around her. ¡°Lnd would win by default¡­ although,¡± she looked to the sky, finding dark rain clouds, ¡°I might be able to repurpose those¡­¡± Isobel locked eyes with Lnd. ¡°We are having a serious discussion when this is over.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Get in line.¡± Elin decided now was the time. ¡°I¡¯m ready too¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Not happening.¡± ¡°Does it look safe over there?¡± The Legacy of the First Druid puckered her lips. ¡°I can decide if I want to fight¡ª¡± ¡°Not when I promised you wouldn¡¯t die.¡± Lnd considered a few things. ¡°How about this? I need pointers on how to properly use Wildfire¡ª¡± ¡°The Shamanism spell?¡± she asked, her voice fluttering high. ¡°Yeah. I haven¡¯t tried it¡ª¡± ¡°Why do you have one of my Legacy¡¯s spells?¡± Lnd blinked a few times. ¡°What do you think my payment was for your protection?¡± Elin had openly gaped at him a few times by this point, but in this moment, she simply shook her head. ¡°What is with you people?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Gelo yelped. ¡°You can test out Dual Minds or whatever that spell is called.¡± ¡°Dual Mind Resonance, yeah.¡± Lnd nced over at the fighting. ¡°Maybe not when lives are on the line.¡± Elin shook her head harder, the idea of ¡°Lnd¡± like a difficult math concept. Knight Mason leaned over the battlements, his eyes locked firmly into the distance. Vaguely, he could hear his team leader shouting something about ¡°throwing oil pots.¡± A defensive measure only meant for people like him ¨C people with no ranged attacks, no arrows to fire, no magic to st. Oil pots were the best he was going to get, all things considered. A mmable liquid, preamble to a fire mage¡¯s destruction. Like that would do anything, he thought, his eyes lingering in the distance where the purple mes had conquered the sky. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He cursed his station, his position as ¡°defender team C.¡± He hated being out of the fight, being one of the losers who sat atop the bastion with their thumbs in their butts. Relegated to throwing oil pots instead of shing swords against flesh. What did any of this matter? Whoever or whatever created those mes woulde here and do the same. Either they were friendly and the battle would be over, or they were a Witch and the bastion would fall. Either way, a dozen oil pots weren¡¯t going to help. But still, he threw them ¨C if only to get his team leader off his case. If the purple fire wasing to kill him, then best to make sure his ears weren¡¯t ringing with orders during his final moments. Briefly, with the idea of the end in his mind, he thought of the one he had already lost ¨C her decapitated head was like a punch to the gut. He had been too weak back then, the phantom feeling of split-open guts a reminder of his faults. That¡¯s why he was stationed here in losernd throwing pots because his superiors thought he was unfit forbat. Apparently, when people survived lethal exposure, they change. And if Mason¡¯s slouched, leaning posture was anything to go by, they were correct. The idea of simply falling from the battlements to a gruesome death below didn¡¯t scare him anymore. Not like it used to at least. So that was why he was here, because if he was down there, he¡¯d die¡ª A thud sounded a dozen paces away. Yelling quickly followed. ¡°Could you not set me down nicely!¡± a woman screeched, her knotted hair like the starry sky above. And while the sudden appearance of someone was cause for concern, Mason couldn¡¯t bring himself to react¡­ not with him standing right over there. Vagrant Warden Lnd Silver, rumored Harbinger who was said to be the savior of Ivory Reach. He floated softly down from the open sky, four pure white feathered wings and two raven ck wings lowering him like a perching hawk. His purple-speckled eyes were locked onto the battles below,pletely unconcerned with the woman yelling at him. Not a momentter, a woman with a coiled centipede on her armnded beside the Vagrant Warden, her arms filled with a fluffy, squirming coat ¨C or rather, a fluffy, squirming bear. The woman let the cub down, brushing ayer of frost from her naked arms. She tried to hide a shiver, but Mason saw right through her attempts. Her head jolted to the side, locking eyes with him. He looked away like he had just been caught peeking at someone else¡¯s exam. A vibrant warcry from above pulled Mason back to the oddities. Above he found another member of the Vagrant Warden¡¯s party, the one with the axe. Wings sprouted from his back as well, but he obviously had far less control than did the Vagrant Warden. Eventually the man allowed himself to fall from the sky,nding in a kneel and scaring several of Mason¡¯s team members. Lastly, a young man cloaked in shadows appeared. Just¡­ appeared. Mason blinked a few times, his team leader screaming at the top of his lungs from a few paces away. ¡°Identify yourselves!¡± It was the berserker who answered. Striking a mock salute, he proudly announced, ¡°Team Fluffy Bear back from special assignment and looking to party!¡± A hushed silence filled the battlement as all eyes turned toward them. Team Fluffy Bear? The suicidal team that was sent to solo-defend against a sneak attack from Seer himself? They¡¯re back!? The questions rolled off the tongue of everyone near, but Mason ignored them. Instead he focused on the Vagrant Warden, Lnd Silver, otherwise known as the savior of his life and the reason he didn¡¯t sleep at night. Back then, when Mason¡¯s guts were spilling from his armor, Lnd Silver had appeared like a dazzling Lord slinging magic like a savant. He had beenughed at when the Captain read his report. Apparently calling an obvious mortal a ¡°Lord¡± was something everymanding officer felt the need to share with their men. Mason had ignored the name calling and jokes. He¡¯d never forget how he felt in the moments watching Lnd Silver work. Lordly, even though he knew it was wrong, felt right. A question pulled Mason from his inner musing. ¡°What was that pir of purple fire?¡± someone asked, pointing in the direction of the Tear. ¡°Was that one of you!?¡± The berserker answered with a pained expression. ¡°No¡­¡± he mumbled, ¡°no idea what that was. Crazy, right?¡± Mason ignored the rest. He knew. He knew the source. Anyone with a brain could have figured it out. The purple mes were created by Lnd Silver. And if tomorrow Mason was still made fun of for calling him ¡°Lordly,¡± then he was quitting the military. Everyone saw the purple mes, everyone felt the absolute authority the spell cast over thendscape. Even here, up on the battlements, everyone had frozen in the face of such a spell. Mason felt like a kid again, standing before his Lord on his neenth birthday, trying not to soil himself after every one of his Lord¡¯s words. ¡°Like this?¡± Lnd Silver asked the woman with starry hair, holding out his open palm. A single spark made way for writhing mes. Orange, white, and yellow mixed like an early snowfall during autumn, devouring his hand until only heat remained. Lnd Silver raised an eye at the show. ¡°Is it supposed to be like that?¡± ¡°It is called Wildfire,¡± the starry haired woman mused while leaning against a nearby support pir. She stared at the fire as if it was a stage dancer performing a once-in-a-lifetime rendition. ¡°Now what?¡± She quirked her head to the side, motioning down to the monsters and Witches below. ¡°Kill them, I guess. I was never given Wildfire as a spell, since, you know, the whole rogue thing. But I imagine it¡¯s like any other spell.¡± Mason tossed another oil pot, listening closely. Questions arose from their conversation, far too many questions. ¡°I don¡¯t know, this spell feels alive.¡± Starry hair girl huffed. ¡°Well duh. It¡¯s a Shamanism spell. Of course it¡¯s alive. They don¡¯t call Shamanism ¡®living magic¡¯ for nothing.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Lnd muttered before holding his engulfed hand up to eyelevel. ¡°I want you to go out there and kill all the Witches.¡± ¡°Not like that. It¡¯s not alive alive. It¡¯s just¡­ alive.¡± Lnd nced at her. ¡°Now that¡¯s confusing. I guess I might as well learn by living.¡± Slowly, he pointed his palm outward, aiming down at the battle. After a slight hesitation, the Wildfire dripped off, falling straight down like an overturned cup of viscus gravy. Fire exploded when it hit the ground, all of the tossed oil igniting. ¡°Woah!¡± Lnd yelped. ¡°Wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡± ¡°Uh, that wasn¡¯t you. That was something mmable.¡± ¡°Oh. Well what¡¯s¡ª¡± He cut off his question as the slime-like fire started to crawl. It barreled over everything, obstacle and defender alive, traveling out from the bastion all the while burning nothing. Everyone standing on the battlements watched as a forward team fell victim to the living fire¡­ only for the mes to roll right over them, leaving them confused and checking for injuries. ¡°Oh, it doesn¡¯t harm people I think of as allies,¡± Lnd mused in a slightly too happy tone, causing everyone who heard to shiver. ¡°That¡¯s good. I thought I would have to go down there and heal them.¡± The Wildfire then came into contact with a monster, swarming it like burning ants. mes soon consumed its whole body, giving it a terribly painful death. The spell continued on like nothing had happened, reaching a pack of monsters. Each fell simrly to thest, but strangely enough, the fire grew. ¡°The spell ¡®eats¡¯ it seems,¡± Lnd said to the starry woman. ¡°It should grow as it burns things, yes,¡± she replied, ¡°like a¡­ wildfire¡­¡± ¡°Is it time yet?¡± the berserker asked. ¡°I want to go fight! Please Lnd! Please!¡± ¡°Why are you asking me? I¡¯m not your handler.¡± Mason nced over, finding all of the Vagrant Warden¡¯s party members watching two twins holding battle axes and flying with eagle wings fall from the battlements. All except for the one with the coiled centipede on her arm. She was nowhere¡ª ¡°Ah!¡± Mason yelled, finding the woman one step behind him. ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°A little eavesdropper, eh? Shouldn¡¯t you be throwing pots?¡± She kicked the box of oil pots to his side. ¡°I-I¡ª yes!¡± He scooted a few paces down the battlement, away from the Vagrant Warden and his team. Then he got back to work, tossing oil until his shoulder was sore. Chapter 274: Slab Chapter 274: b ¡°So it¡¯s like fire-slime?¡± Elin blinked a few times. ¡°I guess¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of cool, actually.¡± She looked at Lnd. ¡°You made a pir of purple fire that reached the clouds¡ª¡± ¡°It went further than the clouds,¡± Gelo added helpfully, frost forming a few inches in front of her snout. With a sh of teal and a blistering cold swirl of wind, she let out a rousing growl, firing off her magic. All eyes of those standing on the battlement watched as a gust of frost whipped straight into the sky. As if Gelo had created a hot ember made entirely of ice, the overhead dark clouds caught fire as if they were made of cotton. In reality, all the spell did was sh freeze the already cold, thick droplets of rain just waiting to fall. The resultant section of frozen cloud then became Gelo¡¯s, the Witch who originally made the clouds already dead and on Lnd¡¯s soul ne-cloak. Gelo¡¯s eyes widened in satisfaction as if she had suddenly grown an extra limb. Magic was as much a part of her as she was a part of it, at this point. And while she still had a long way to go to be a true Ruler of Ice, like her mother, controlling a blizzard was nothing. Sleet fell before the hail, but soon the battlefield was riddled with chunks of hurtling ice. But, unlike a natural blizzard or hailstorm, the one above the bastion released its icy payload in brief small sections. A unit of Witches approaching a nk? Gelo unleashed the sky on them. Monsters pushing a group of defenders? Suddenly, they had the choice of rushing through hail or retreating to fight againter. But most importantly, Gelo let everything fall on the Witches standing in the far, far back, the ones orchestrating the corrupted strategy Seer had started. Unlike the hail falling nearby the bastion¡¯s defenders, Gelo made no motions for safety. Even at the range most would have to squint to see, she manipted falling shards of ice unlike any other ¨C well, unlike any other except one.Spatial magic mixed and churned inside these chunks of hail, growing them from the inside out. What was once a fist sized lump of ice turned into bs of chiseled frozen crystal. Like raw marble before being turned into a beautiful statue, these bs fell t and wide, nketing thendscape in death. By the time Gelo ran out of steam, she was panting her way to a vicious smile. Thousands of individual pieces of hail had been expanded and dropped one on top of the other. The result was a mound of ice the size of a true iceberg. ¡°R-ridiculous!¡± shouted Elin. ¡°What¡ª¡± She looked down at the grinning bear, an uncontroble shiver tingling up her spine. ¡°Now remember Gelo. Mages of actual caliber are going to have wards and spells to defend themselves from that,¡± Lnd exined, doing his best to mimic his fathers voice when he was taught this same lesson years ago. ¡°And some warriors are going to have enough speed or raw strength to survive. As impressive as that spell is, I don¡¯t want you to be caught blind one day. Otherwise, I agree with Elin. That¡¯s a ridiculous spell.¡± Gelo preened like a bird on its perch. Which reminded Lnd of Zeke. He looked to the air, spotting the crow circling high above, the cold air from Gelo¡¯s blizzard not so much as making his feathers ruffle. Mentally, Lnd gave the crow a fewmands, namely finding targets or areascking defensive positions. ¡°Glenny?¡± he asked the open air beside him, knowing that the young rogue had been standing there minutes earlier. Glenny reappeared from the shadows, ending the subtlety effect of his ring. ¡°Jude looks like he¡¯s having fun.¡± Together they watched as Jude battled his way through guts and gore. Monsters, literal waves of them, fell by his hand and his mirage¡¯s hands, as the thrill of battle roused his blood. Every jerked sh, every executioner''s swing, the Judes ripped a hole through the main monster forces like an arrow tearing through a target. Around him other warriors joined his charge, his frozen war cry like music to their ears. Arrows and magical sts set these defenders up for sess, adding an arsenal of protective fire to their already deadly des. It was then that Jude Two broke from his original twin, taking a step back from the action. With a flourish of fingers and ack of responsibility, Jude Two began to y his guitar, strumming a fast-paced song that was as improvised as the ever evolving battle. He stayed one step behind Original Jude, adding a beat to the course of action. Maybe it was subconscious, maybe it wasn¡¯t, but Jude stepped to the rhythm of the song, timing shes and dodges to fit the chord progression. Every strum, every beat, the tempo increased, lodging the killing into a strange fit of surrealism The Judes were, like the very song Jude Two yed, unstoppable, the music in their veins just as much as the rage of battle. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. After Jude shoved his whole fist into the carapace of a giant-ant monster while also decapitating a strange, blue, bulbous monster with his battle axe, Lnd looked back to Glenny. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Jude¡¯s having fun.¡± ¡°He¡¯s stupid, that¡¯s what. How can he be ying music at a time like this!?¡± Elin screeched. ¡°How does¡ª¡± Lnd, Glenny, and Gelo gave her a look that clearly spelled ¡°zip it.¡± She did. ¡°Itching to get into battle?¡± Lnd asked Glenny. ¡°How about some assassinations?¡± Glenny looked intrigued enough. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± ¡°See Zeke up there?¡± He pointed to the circling crow. ¡°He¡¯s going to find targets. You kill them.¡± ¡°Easy enough¡ª¡± The word died on his lips as shadows took over, teleporting him into the fray. Everyone watched as Glenny appeared from darkness, slit the throat of a Witch, looked up to the sky, and then faded into the shadows once again only to reappear somewhere else down the pipeline to restart the pattern. In a matter of minutes, Glenny racked up several key assassinations. ¡°H-he really is the best rogue here¡­¡± Elin muttered to herself. Lnd gave her a wry smile before turning to Isobel. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°What about me?¡± she asked. ¡°Going to join the battle?¡± Momentarily Lnd nced down below, finding his Wildfire still rolling along like sewer goop. ¡°By the way, that is the strangest spell I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Isobel looked at him incredulously. ¡°Uh huh. And to answer your question, no. I¡¯m staying right here.¡± ¡°And firing bolts down to protect the people on the ground?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because look at them. Do they look like they need my intervention?¡± Looking down, Lnd begrudgingly had to agree. Even without his and the others¡¯ added assistance, the bastion¡¯s defenders had the victory long secured. Even though outnumbered by human and monster alike, the defenders had one thing the Witches, and definitely the monsters, didn¡¯t have. Discipline. Commands were being called out by the military¡¯s higher ranked, shuffling troops around like the battlefield was one massive stage dance. A particrly troubling monster appearing to the right? Orders were instantly spread, shifting not only the on-foot defenders, but also the ones on the battlement, overwatching. Lnd and Gelo watched as a battle scarred soldier stepped in to parry a deadly pincer attack, saving hisrade¡¯s life at the expense of putting himself in a dangerous spot. No less than four secondster another soldier appeared, picking up the ck and removing one of the monster¡¯s limbs for even threatening her friend. But of course sending two extra soldiers to protect one meant a weak point in the defense, right? Wrong, a hail of arrows and oil pots flew down from the wall, coating the weakened area in ame ck oil. Even monsters weren¡¯t stupid enough to wade through roaring mes. ¡°Just¡­ be on the look out if someone needs a quick hand, okay?¡± Lnd told Isobel. ¡°No need to risk someone dying if you could prevent it with just a raised hand.¡± Isobel stared at him, begrudgingly nodding. ¡°I just think it¡¯s unlike you,¡± he continued. ¡°Since when don¡¯t you want to kill monsters? Kind of strange if I¡¯m being honest.¡± He gave her a sly look. ¡°You feeling alright?¡± Lnd¡¯s attempts to liven the moment crashed and burned when she continued to stare nkly at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you get it?¡± she asked. ¡°Get what?¡± ¡°I am working. I¡¯m on guard duty for a very, very high priority mage.¡± Lnd looked around, finding only Gelo. ¡°You,¡± she cursed, ¡°you idiot.¡± ¡°Me? I don¡¯t think I warrant your undivided guardianship. Didn¡¯t think I needed it when we first met, still don¡¯t now.¡± ¡°Wow. You really don¡¯t get it.¡± Again, Lnd made a face at her. ¡°Get what?¡± Isobel leaned in so that only Gelo and him could hear. ¡°You¡¯re betrothed to the Queen, pioneering a type of magic, or something that deals with magic, that will shift the tide of allmonly taught magic, have the ability to contact every Lord, and most recently, created a Lord.¡± Lnd blinked slowly a few times, ncing at the cub standing beside him. ¡°I¡¯m not engaged to Sybil.¡± Isobel leaned back while giving him a withered stare, making a big showing of the motion. ¡°That¡¯s what you got from that? Okay. Yeah. Lnd, the oblivious, Lnd the¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, cool it, would you? I get that my life is strange and unconventional,¡± he said, ¡°but even if I¡¯m the most important person in the world, I¡¯m still going to help everyone I can.¡± Lnd paused a moment, looking around the battlefield. While the defenders were, without a shadow of a doubt, going to win, there were surely still going to be a few casualties ¨C if there weren¡¯t already¡­ Experimenting with Wildfire was a fun break from ripping souls, but that was what he was good at. If one more life could be saved because of his actions today, then today would be a good day. Not to mention, to talk to the Lord of Curses again, he needed to rank-up his Legacy. Lnd stepped up the railing of the battlements. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a more active role in cleaning up this mess. If you think I need protection, bettere with me, eh?¡± Isobel reached out to grab him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare¡ª¡± He was already in the air, ck and white wings carrying him through the carnage. ¡°Kneel before me!¡± he bellowed, holding nothing back, encircling groupings of Witches and monsters and taking their souls. Rather quickly, his soul ne-cloak had new additions. Chapter 275: War Song Chapter 275: War Song Jude¡¯s heart triumphantly thumped, a heat unlike any other warming his frozen skin. With Floe¡¯s blessing frosting his armor, the blood of his enemies had be additional weapons. Spikes of frozen red jutted from his bone and metal armor, each as sharp as his axe and far more pointy. With unyielding confidence, he whipped across the battlefield, a restless spirit of war within his bones. Each breath he drew was one more monster dead, each rallying war cry, another dead Witch. The outside war had drained away, and only the thrill of rage remained. His ferocity pushed his feet faster and further than ever before, as the hordes of monsters seemed undying. Not that Jude wasining. The drums of battle were sounding, deep booms of exhrating edge. He swung deep,cerating all who neared. He unleashed his fury on those who dared to try to stop him. His weapon, coated in a sharpyer of frozen blood, vibrated with thest streams of the many he had killed. ¡°Reaper,¡± the screams yelled. ¡°Reaper,¡± the dying wailed. ¡°Reaper,¡± those monsters roared. With a mind locked away by rage and war, Jude¡¯s subconsciousness delighted in the title. It was a good name, a powerful name. A name befitting a Legacy of the Berserker, a name unequal in battle, a name¡­ that wasn¡¯t quite right. Jude didn¡¯t know why he needed a name, nor did he actively consider choosing a name. But there, as his bodyid waste to countless enemies, something clicked in his mind like a broken grandfather clock finally striking midnight. To those watching him fight, the smile he wore sent shivers down their spines. Who smiled after killing hundreds? they silently asked, fearing the answer. But while their minds went to a satanic murderer, nothing was further from the truth. In reality, Jude had the perfect name, one that fit him like a long lost sock. A few steps behind Jude was Jude Two, his mirage of unparalleled loyalty and gall. For Jude Two, most saw a manic twin, a young man who forwent the usual tidings of battle and instead cherished song. Who ys the guitar while in a war? they silently asked, fearing retribution from his twin¡­ or rather, fearing retribution from the young musician who dared step foot on such a dangerous stage. But again, reality was different than how most inferred. Jude Two was a Legacy of the Berserker just like Original Jude. But, where one berserker was enough, why not control the flow of battle with song? Jude Two, like Jude Prime, realized the threat their partnership cast on an opposing army. An unyielding berserker and his song-writing a sharp axe and a bard. An unparalleled killer¡­ and a guitarist. On the surface, ying a song in battle was a fool¡¯s errand. But for Jude and his mirage, who had learned some secrets from the Berserker, their music was like a dirge for the living ¨C a song that announced their impending deaths. A bad of valor. A Drumbeat for battle. A Chanting heart song. A Battle anthem. A War song. War Song. War Song. The name, the title, the concept of the War Song built a fury inside of Jude and Jude Two unlike any other. As the song Jude Two yed grew louder and faster, the beat echoed across the war-tornndscape. Craters dotted the sand while sheets of ice created vertical topography. Each strum, each change in chord boiled the blood of the allies nearby, rallying them to one final push. One final hurrah against the fleeing enemy. Their hearts sang with the fury of Jude¡¯s, pushing their armaments into the air for a frontal charge. They rushed in behind the Judes, shedding responsibility of rank or orders. All they knew was battle, and the song that brought a warring hatred for monsters and Witches. The song continued, for the name War Song had yet to truly live. A fledgling eagle, a new-born chick waiting to show everyone how masterful his flight was. Jude expanded his blessed wings, allowing the chains of gravity to fall like a discarded napkin. Jude Two likewise began to fly, the War Song never skipping a beat. Trusting both the song and his instincts for battle, Jude chased the remaining enemies, the t ck desert all but an open endless range during a turkey shoot. He¡¯d get to all of them eventually, their cowardice like a trackable scent. And so he did. The song only ending when thest Witch and monster died, their bodies strewn across the sand and their blood coating Jude¡¯s axe. Stolen novel; please report. The storm of rage didn¡¯t die right away, it couldn¡¯t, actually. With a heart pounding raw and unleashed, Jude¡¯s locked away consciousness fought to regain control over his war torn body. He was covered in blood, yes, but not all was from his enemies. Puncturing a hole through an army was bound to draw enemy fire, and where enemy fire went, wounds appeared. Pain equaled rage and rage equaled strength. Each heaving lungful of air, each deafening step he took, Jude¡¯s body cried in the throes of agony. A sensitivity tickled across the maelstrom of mangled, improper thoughts. Where was the battle? Where was the killing? He spun around, friend slowly morphing into foe. Movement caught his eye, a woman d in armor and breathing in simr fashion to himself. She held a sword, a weapon that brought death and destruction. She needed to be put down, she needed to be stopped before she killed someone. Those fragments of thought created an illusionary ¡°W,¡± the mark he knew to be vile. It was his duty to end her¡ª A hand thumped against his chest. ¡°Ease it big guy, battle¡¯s over. Didn¡¯t you hear the crescendo into the coda? Even the song ended.¡± Jude looked the man in the eyes, his eyes. A perfect copy of himself stood before him, albeit much cleaner and less gnarled. The man held a guitar, his guitar. He followed the man¡¯s arms to his hands and fingers, finding familiar calluses and knuckles. A dam burst in Jude¡¯s mind, the rage flooded away. His legs went right after, the exhaustion of fighting for hours finally catching up. His mirage caught him, easing him to the ground. ¡°War Song, huh?¡± Jude Two asked. ¡°Mom¡¯ll like it.¡± Jude took deep, pained breaths. ¡°What does it mean?¡± he asked his twin. ¡°No clue. But I think it fits, huh?¡± ¡°Music and war. That¡¯s so us.¡± Jude Two chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s so you.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t have done it without you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being obtuse. We are the same person. What we do, is what you do.¡± Jude rolled his eyes and whispered like an old man, ¡°Yeah whatever, ruin the moment why don¡¯t you?¡± Ignoring him, Jude Two said, ¡°When you are all patched up, maybe you should talk to Lnd. Us thinking of a title and name like that means something, right¡­? You felt what I felt, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was enraged. Your memory is more intact than mine.¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t even know how to describe it. I felt almost whole? Like the flow of battle was a part of me, like I could be anywhere at once, killing whoever stood before me¡­ and I wasn¡¯t even the one fighting. I was just strumming along.¡± Jude coughed. ¡°Sounds about right. I felt as if the beat of the song wasmanding my body. Every chord you yed brought me one step closer to actually bing music.¡± Jude Two let out a sly whistle. ¡°Yup, that sounds like Lnd¡¯s whole ¡®understanding something beyond our understanding¡¯ thing.¡± ¡°Glenny¡¯s going to be so mad.¡± ¡°Yeah, now he¡¯s the only one of us who hasn¡¯t had some strange ethereal vision of power.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure,¡± a new voice said. Both Judes looked over, finding Lnd among the dead bodies of a wicked army. A green glow poked out from under his coat and shirt, soul green. ¡°I think Glenny was the first one of us three to have these ¡®ethereal visions of power.¡¯¡± ¡°Against the Sightless King?¡± Jude asked, remembering the battle well. ¡°From his description of his thoughts during the fight, yeah, I¡¯d say so,¡± Lnd confirmed. ¡°So we won?¡± Jude Two asked, ignoring the conversation. ¡°Can you heal him already?¡± Lnd slowly flipped through the pages of his grimoire, making Jude stew in his own self-inflicted agony for as long as possible. ¡°You know, it¡¯s pretty stupid, what you did.¡± Eventually he found the pages, activating his four healing scrip spells. With a tap on Jude¡¯s shoulder, webs of life turned the immediate area into a nest of resilience. All wounds on his body snapped closed, his heart evened out, and a strange warmth cradled his body like a mother holding a newborn. ¡°Why does it feel like you are holding me?¡± Jude asked, his voice fluttery. ¡°Ah. I think that¡¯s the Heartgem the Mending me Lord gave me. Trust me, I¡¯m not radiating ¡®holding you¡¯ vibes right now.¡± ¡°What are you radiating?¡± ¡°¡¯Are you kidding me¡¯ vibes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Jude. You somehow got all the soldiers near you to charge into battle with you, abandoning their posts in the process. Do you have any idea how mad Captain Curtain is going to be? I sent Zeke to find him before he figures out it was you who did it and court marshals you!¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I don¡¯t remember that.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Jude Two helpfully added. ¡°I think I can abstain from doing that again in the future. It was rather spur of the moment. Don¡¯t want anyone using us of mind control.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you be more like him, Jude? Responsible.¡± Lnd asked, his tone yful yet serious. ¡°Where¡¯s Glenny and Gelo?¡± Jude asked, ignoring the question. ¡°Glenny went back to the bastion to sit with Gelo and Elin. Isobel¡­ is well¡­ stalking me again. On the bright side, everyone is perfectly healthy! No injuries to report.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s good¡­ wait, what?¡± ¡°About everyone being healthy? Only you and Glenny got your hands dirty in the thick of it. But unlike you, Glenny returnedpletely unscathed. I see myself spending the next few hours healing people, but that¡¯s par for the course as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡± Jude gave his friend a tired re. ¡°I meant with Isobel, and you know it.¡± After a long, suffering sigh, Lnd muttered, ¡°She has deemed herself my new guardian and is actively ¡®protecting¡¯ me. Where she is, what she¡¯s doing, I don¡¯t know. Only that¡ª¡± His words were cut off when a figure appeared a single step behind him, seemingly from nowhere. ¡°You like to hear yourself talk,¡± Isobel interrupted. Lnd flinched at the sight of her. ¡°Don¡¯t do that! We force Glenny to pay us each ten gold every time he jump-scares us!¡± ¡°We do?¡± Jude whispered to Jude Two, who shrugged. ¡°We do now!¡± Lnd screeched. ¡°New rule! I¡¯ve decided! No more jump-scares!¡± Chapter 276: Ahead Chapter 276: Ahead Lnd pursed his lips and looked off to the side, hoping the gesture would make Captain Curtain stop staring at him. It was the age-old notion of ¡°if I can¡¯t see him, he can¡¯t see me.¡± This, of course, didn¡¯t work. ¡°What happened to Seer?¡± Shifting his gaze to his friends, Lnd knew he had to take charge. ¡°I¡­ killed him?¡± ¡°Is that a question?¡± Curtain asked, his entire body stiff like a board. He sat behind his desk, a few bandages wrapped around his wrists and knuckles. Lnd had offered, like he had for everyone else in the bastion, to heal him, but the Captain declined on principle. His injuries were his own, stupid mistakes that would heal in time and serve as a reminder of the mortality of war. His wounds were nothing that some of his men hadn¡¯t also experienced, those that lived, that was. With a suffering sigh, Lnd turned to the man and said, ¡°My parasite killed him¡ª" For a brief moment, Lnd felt Lodestar stir across his back. The parasite rolled, spinning against his skin in a way that felt like a crawling beetle. Curtain held his gaze. ¡°Uh huh.¡± He made a note on a sheet of paper. ¡°And what about the pir of purple mes?¡±¡°That I will refrain from answering.¡± Silence filled the office. Even Isobel, who was standing guard over Lnd by way of lounging on the couch in the corner, kept her lips sealed. ¡°Your answer will go down in my report,¡± Curtain said, his voice like a t line. ¡°Are you fine with that?¡± ¡°Who is the report to?¡± ¡°The Queen¡ª¡± ¡°Aunty P,¡± Isobel interrupted. ¡°All reports go through her first. Although, I¡¯d bet this particr report will cross the Queen¡¯s hands sooner thanter.¡± ¡°The ¡®Queen,¡¯ huh?¡± Lnd asked, eyeing her. She replied with a shrug, ncing at the Captain. He turned back. ¡°And how about this: write ¡®Lnd will talk to you about the purple pir of fire in person at ater date.¡¯¡± ¡°If you are going that route, may as well kiss the paper,¡± Isobel snidely whispered, causing both men to look nkly at her. ¡°Ignore her.¡± ¡°I have tried to since she arrived in my bastion.¡± Curtain scribbled on the paper. ¡°What might I write for your arrival date to give your verbal report?¡± Lnd thought for a moment. ¡°Well, I have to head to the Gru Triumvirate when we leave here. Got to deal with some more Tears¡ª" ¡°You are not going to the Gru Triumvirate,¡± Isobel said inly. When the request for help came to him, she had long been gone, missing the original drama surrounding the situation. But Lnd was d to know that everybody he knew hated the Triumvirate one and the same. The consistency was refreshing. ¡°I am,¡± he replied. ¡°Do you know how many people get assassinated there? Trust me¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Save your speech. I¡¯ve heard it from my parents, Jude¡¯s parents, Glenny¡¯s dad, Aunty P, and Sybil. I¡¯ve already promised I¡¯d go, and we both know why I feel the need to.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± ¡°It has something to do with a pir of light sting into an eternal storm and a sapphire being that just wanted to go home.¡± Isobel¡¯s eyes quickly went to the side. ¡°Oh that¡­¡± ¡°You shoulde,¡± Lnd casually said. ¡°It¡¯s partially your responsibility as well.¡± ¡°Should¡­¡± Curtain began, ¡°should I add that to the report or not?¡± ¡°Aunty P and Sybil already know the details about our journey into Gru territory. Although, resolving an age-old war between two alien races from another world may take some time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you are going to be doing in the Gru Triumvirate!?¡± Isobel screeched. ¡°What kind of¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we will be doing, yes.¡± Her hands went out in front of her like she was strangling a cat. ¡°I¡ª Of all the stupid reasons¡ª I cannot believe Aunty P is allowing this. Do you even know how many Palemarrow citizens are killed in the Triumvirate a year? Nearly enough to start a war!¡± ¡°Aunty P actually barred me from going¡­ but I¡¯m vetoing that. I¡¯m my own person and can make my own decisions¡ª¡± ¡°Clearly, you need to be shackled¡ª¡± ¡°Isobel,¡± Lnd snapped. ¡°I¡¯m an adult. The others are adults. We know the issues surrounding the Triumvirate and don¡¯t care. Innocent people are going to die, and my name was given by a Lord to help. How can I ignore that?¡± She recoiled slightly. ¡°Which Lord¡ª Nope! Doesn¡¯t matter. Do you really believe that you of all people are not going to have assassination attempts on your life!?¡± ¡°Good thing I have a fearless hunter as a bodyguard who can sniff out all ambushes and plots on my life before they even start.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m going to quit.¡± Lnd rolled his eyes. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t you want to meet some alien races from other worlds¡ª¡± ¡°And stop them from going to war.¡± ¡°Yeah that.¡± Lnd then added, ¡°One of the races has been described as ¡®turtle people.¡¯ Don¡¯t you want to know what that means?¡± Isobel shared a look with thepletely bewildered Captain. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡± ¡°Okay fine, don¡¯te.¡± Lnd then counted in his head, one, two, three¡ª This content has been uwfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°We both know I¡¯m going with you. Just shut it, will you?¡± ¡°I think I have to mention it again; but I have a parasite after me. So you will also be dealing with that when it pops up.¡± Curtain started scribbling as Isobel let loose a guttural growl. Without a primary antagonistic force barreling down on the bastion, the job of the Vagrant Warden had beenpleted¡­ well, mostly. Without ever truly having a description of what this job entailed, Lnd felt his presence at the bastion had fixed some problems while creating more. Rabid monsters still journeyed toward the Tear proper, hellbent on whatever mana-altered instinct held their natural instincts hostage. Lnd felt sure some researcher was going to write a big paper on the changes the Tears brought to the natural environment. In fact, he was sure that paper would be a hotly debated topic for years toe. With the Witches gone, except for the few that managed to escape Jude¡¯s onught, new trade routes and caravan routes were surelying soon. The Tear simply had too many resources to take advantage of. Most of which would be immensely helpful for adventurers and the military. Lnd could imagine the bastion bing a true hub for military and magical progression ¨C a ce for all to rank-up their Legacies rtively safely. But of course, that brought plenty of logistical problems that Lnd and the others weren¡¯t too keen to figure out. Captain Curtain or someone would figure it out. Which left team Fuzzy Bear in a sort of limbo. Did they stay or did they go? Staying another day or two meant they could take some extra rest before hitting the road again. Leaving now meant Curtain would no doubt send Aunty P a report stating that the ¡°Vagrant Warden left before the bastion could properly be stabilized, thus putting everyone stationed within her walls in danger if the enemy rallied for another attack.¡± And while there was not a shadow of a doubt that the Witches were done for, the idea that Lnd wasn¡¯t doing his ¡°job¡± might be worth a day or two of sitting around. ¡°When do you guys want to leave?¡± Lnd asked the gathered group. ¡°Whenever you want,¡± Jude muttered, sipping some beef bone soup. ¡°Then we leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Alright with me.¡± ¡°I am definitely noting,¡± Elin muttered, everyone, even Glenny, nodding in agreement. For as much as she was part of the team thesest few days, the First Druid Legacy had her own life and ambitions. Helping out the Triumvirate with nearplete strangers? That was something on her list of never in her wildest dreams. ¡°You people are too much.¡± Everyone feigned hurt, but her eyes went to Glenny. ¡°Not you Glen, you¡¯re cool.¡± Jude leaned over to Lnd and Gelo. ¡°¡¯Glen?¡¯¡± he quietly asked, making the best-rogue-in-the-bastion¡¯s ears turn red. Ignoring all of that, Isobel asked, ¡°Straight to the Triumvirate?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± ¡°I see plenty of reason ¡®not.¡¯¡± Lnd shrugged, falling back into his thoughts. Leaving tomorrow meant he and Lodestar could finally have their long awaited talk. Subconsciously, he started rubbing his soul ne-cloak ¨C which wasn¡¯t looking quite like a ne anymore. Instead of a single strand of soul green, the Soul Lord¡¯s cloak had transitioned into a weave-like shawl or mantle. Having stolen a significant number of souls, Lnd now had to hide the magical garment deeper in his shirts, otherwise the whole room lit up green. He supposed one day or another, he¡¯d have to wear the dang thing like Glenny wore his cloak of shadows ¨C out in the open for everyone to see. There was only so much clothes-stuffing someone could do before they went crazy with difort. And let Lnd be the first to say, apparel made of souls was not nice on the skin. Beyond that, there wasn¡¯t much to do. Not right after dinner, at least. Lnd flopped onto a couch someone had brought into their igloo-cave, pulling his grimoire from his Legacy tattoo. The Lord of Curses had said she wanted to talk, the fastest way to do that was to rank-up. His mind went to the newest hundred or so nk pages amongst his curses and spells, wondering what they meant¡­ or more importantly, who left him a message in his grimoire. That should be impossible, right? Thankfully, on the page before the newly added nk ones, Lnd at least got some sort of clue. Ether Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: MAX Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls to siphon the souls from all enemies inside your authority. Confused, Lnd flipped back to one of the first pages of his grimoire, reading the proper page for Circle of Souls. Circle of Souls is now rank 28. Circle of Souls: Type: Curse Rank: 28 (A) Call upon the souls of the Damned, channeling the power of the Lord of Souls into an area. Encase the souls of those within 75 yards, siphoning their lifeforce while chaining them to this reality. Fully consume a soul to increase your magical potency by 45% for 1 minute. Held lost souls may now be given to a soul of the Damned as payment for a task. Damage dealt to one target with the circle is duplicated onto all targets inside the circle for 85% effectiveness. Those trapped within the circle know the fear of those who dabble in soul magic. His eyes zed over, understanding written across his face. The Lord of Mending mes had spoken about how spells and abilities that were shorter in description and more open for interpretation were far more powerful than their detailed counterparts. The idea was freedom, the spell could do anything, in any way the wielder imagined. Lnd realized he had imagined a pir of fire that broke apart the heavens when he cast Ether Circle of Souls against the Witches. He chuckled silently to himself, yeah that¡¯d be the day, he thought. He finished going through his grimoire. Name: Lnd Silver Legacy: Curses Archetype: Apprentice of the Curse Lord Specialization: Pact Overall Rank: 3 Fracture is now rank 25. Crow Massacre is now rank 29. Curse of Copse is now rank 24. Harbinger Halo is now rank 28. Fracture: Type: Curse Rank: 25 (B) Call upon the Lord of Bone to shatter those in your way. For a single target, break a random bone and the bones it is connected to. Crow Massacre: Type: Curse Rank: 29 (B+) Call upon the ethereal familiar of the Lord of Curses. Summon a full murder of 15 ethereal crows to attack targets for up to 3 minutes. When all crows are present and attacking the same target, their beaks and talons are enhanced. All resultant damage dealt by the crows bleed the target for an additional amount over 300 seconds. Promote a single crow to lead the murder. The leader isrger, faster, stronger, and more real. If permitted, the leader can stay summoned for any given length of time. Abuse of summons will not be permitted. Curse of Copse: Type: Curse Rank: 24 (B) Pull the target towards the end, bringing them one step closer to the Lord of Death. Exhaust the target for up to 3 minutes, lowering their speed by 50%. Targets under this curse deal 20% less damage to you. The Lord of Death smiles on the cursed, increasing your damage on the cursed by 20%. Harbinger Halo: Pact Type: Curse (Self) Rank: 29 (Specialization: S) Strike a dark ord with a presiding Lord, calling their aid. Contractsst up to 59 minutes. If concluded early, the cool down period is decreased Up to 4 contracts may be acted upon at one time. Contracts that produce direct spells, curses, abilities, incantations, and/or passive effects that deal with mana, may have lifeforce partially supplemented. Effects may vary. The pact specialization allows the creation of pact-contracts thus opening new routes of power once deemed unreachable. Soul Fire: Type: Curse Rank: Max Ignite a lost soul. Soul Fire¡¯s strength directly corrtes to the strength of the soul used. You are the Cmity. Soul Fire¡¯s description all but confirmed Lnd¡¯s observations, but only new questions came to mind. Most notably, all of the extra pages in his grimoire. Ether Circle of Souls got its own new page, did that mean all ether-spells would get their own as well? If so, he hoped the Lord of Curses had plenty of ink. But all of that was forter. Right now, Lnd closed his eyes, allowing sleep to take over. Still, he questioned just who had written in his grimoire. That was a true mystery. Chapter 277: A Conversation Chapter 277: A Conversation After his nap and long after the sun had set, Lnd stepped out of the igloo-cave and spread his wings. He had exined to his friends what he was going to do, and after telling them he was doing it alone, one particr friend felt the need to ignore his desire for privacy. ¡°I really don¡¯t need you here for this,¡± he muttered, knowing Isobel could hear him. She was a dozen or so yards away, her dragonfly wings flighting to keep up with him speeding through the dark night. They headed in the direction of istion which, since they were in a t never-ending desert, was practically everywhere. In the end, Lnd settled a little ways away from both the Tear and the bastion. ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± Isobel said once theynded. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s get our conversation out of the way.¡± She blinked. ¡°Fine.¡± Lnd waited, teetering on his heels back and forth like a door with its hinges bolted to the ground. He felt the gesture somewhat mocking, particrly for the woman who preferred others to do what she wanted. Lnd had no issue waiting around, in fact, he particrly liked this game of seeing how far he could lean over without falling on his face or back. The addition of wings made the game even more interesting, since he couldn¡¯t actually fall ¨C his bnce magically augmented. After Lnd¡¯s third back and forth, Isobel grunted, finally asking, ¡°Exin how you killed those Witches.¡± Lnd sighed, nting his feet firmly in the sand. ¡°As I¡¯ve told you already, it¡¯s a form of magic that the Lords use. It¡¯s where their poweres from, the power that allows us to wield Legacies properly and without much training.¡± ¡°Uh huh. And what? You mastered it in the few weeks we spent¡ª¡± ¡°In the few weeks you abandoned us?¡± Lnd interrupted, holding her re. ¡°That wasn¡¯t cool, by the way.¡± Isobel swallowed harshly, her fingernails curled firmly into her clinched palms. ¡°I had stuff to take care of, I told you that.¡± He broke their stare down. ¡°I know. Everything with your familyes first. But, as much as you don¡¯t want to hear it or don¡¯t care to believe it, there are people who do care about you. Me included.¡± He chewed on what to say next, simply saying, ¡°Just tell me next time, okay? If you need to disappear for a little while, at least trust me enough to let me know. I won¡¯t tell anyone if you don¡¯t want me to.¡± Love, warmth, eptance, such foreign concepts to Isobel. Her gut reaction was to snort and dismiss Lnd¡¯s words, sticking her nose high and proving to him ¨C to herself ¨C that she didn¡¯t need pity or tenderness. She wanted tough, to cherish the crumbled niceties Lnd attempted to throw her way. To see his face in that moment, that was what she used to live for¡­ But she didn¡¯t do any of that. Instead, she looked away in a flinch, as if Lnd¡¯s words were a gust of sandy wind. She stood there, silent and on the periphery of self-loathing skepticism. Her family was dead, were there truly others to fill that mantle? Could they fill that mantle? The obvious answer was ¡°no.¡± Her family was hers, and no one could ever fill their shadows. But what if these new people created their own shadows? What if these people stood beside her the next time she visited her daughter and husband? She nced back to Lnd, her eyes moving in a sh but soaking everything in. She looked for a smirk, a hidden grin that would prove her right and corrupt Lnd¡¯s honesty. But she didn¡¯t find anything. ¡°Fine,¡± she muttered, the word like a cannon. Lnd quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Well okay then. Moving on. Floe is a Lord, and after she left, Gelo offhandedly mentioned Iceheart. From there¡ª¡± Isobel almost tuned him out, expecting a rib or a mocking joke. When she realized he was continuing their conversation instead, she almost retorted with a ribbing of her own. But again, she didn¡¯t. That was old Isobel wanting to unbury herself. That was ¡°the Huntress¡± looking for a target to fire an arrow at. That wasn¡¯t her, not anymore. ¡°Walker taught me this breathing technique. The way he described it, anyone could learn it, but it requires being able to feel both lifeforce, and more importantly, mana. So, without a proper teacher, anyone but Gelo learning it, I think, would be difficult.¡± ¡°But where did that spelle from?¡± Isobel asked. ¡°Because that was¡­ something.¡± ¡°That was my Circle of Souls curse you¡¯ve seen me cast a bunch of times. Only, it was powered by Ether.¡± Lnd fiddled with his grimoire, opening it to his newest curse¡¯s page. ¡°Now I know you can¡¯t read this¡ª¡± He turned the tome toward her, the pagesing off as nk to her. ¡°¡ªbut this page is new. It¡¯s for Ether Circle of Souls. And these¡ª¡± he flipped through the hundreds of nk pages, ¡°¡ªare all nk. My theory is that as I use ether on different spells, the pages will fill up.¡± Isobel squinted at the pages. ¡°Right, but how does¡ª¡± ¡°Then there was the whole thing with some Lord writing in my grimoire. I¡¯m going to have to figure that one out¡ª¡± She raised her hands, silencing him. ¡°Walk that back for me?¡± ¡°After casting Ether Circle of Souls, thest page in my grimoire was filled with a note from a censored Lord. My Lord then wrote me a note which said to ignore him. See, I didn¡¯t even know Lords could influence other Lord¡¯s Legacies like that¡ª¡± ¡°Stop.¡± He did. ¡°What are you talking about right now? I¡¯m not following.¡± ¡°Yeah, strange isn¡¯t it, huh? In essence, a Lord congratted me for casting an ether-spell in a very sarcastic way. Then I was told to ignore him by my Lord.¡± Isobel¡¯s lips formed a tight line. ¡°Who else have you told this to?¡± ¡°Well, no one but you. I want to tell the guys and Gelo, but I think that is a conversation for outside the bastion. But since you insisted oning along right now, you are the first to hear about it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Lnd.¡± ¡°I know. But what can I do? Until I learn more about Lords, their Legacies, and the rules that they all y by, I doubt I¡¯ll be thinking about it too much. I¡¯ve learned to live with existential questions for a while now¡­¡± He blinked slowly. ¡°Which, I suppose, isn¡¯t a good thing, huh?¡± Isobel wasn¡¯t impressed. ¡°Anyway. Continue your very detailed exnation of ether.¡± ¡°Right, so. It¡¯s a mix of lifeforce and mana. I was sessful in creating some, which I inadvertently used on Circle of Souls. And boom, big purple pir of mes.¡± ¡°Uh huh. Forgetting that you did that identally, do you have any idea what that spell of yours means for us normal people?¡± ¡°I can finally beat you in a spar?¡± Again, she wasn¡¯t impressed. Lnd gave a hard shrug, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from me. Yes, I get I did somethingrgely impressive and massively over the top. Yes, I understand that no one, unless it¡¯s a big shady secret, knows this magic besides the Lords. Yes, I understand what that means for me, a mortal. And finally, no, I do not really care about the general poption. My magic is my own, and I¡¯m only going to help people I trust achieve a simr level of power.¡± ¡°Uh huh. What about Seer?¡± Isobel asked. ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m not too sure. Lodestar¡ª¡± Lnd stopped, feeling his shirt tug slightly. He turned and took a step back, finding Lodestar silhouetted against the distant moon ¨C his white metal ring and chilling darkness both lighter and darker than the moon and night sky. ¡°Ah here we go,¡± Lnd mused. ¡°The parasite that killed Seer. Let¡¯s ask him what happened. Maybe we won¡¯t receive some cryptic answer or silence this time!¡± Isobel nced at Lnd, his false excitement making her take a half-step away. ¡°I will speak,¡± Lodestar said, his voice creeping through the night air. ¡°Oh will you now? What a¡ª¡± ¡°Lnd,¡± Isobel scowled. ¡°Please, get this over with. That thing creeps me out.¡± He red at the parasite. ¡°I need to know why you didn¡¯t help me kill Harbinger Ashford.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Lodestar voiced. ¡°You summoned some bug things then left me to die when things took a turn. You could have helped more.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I thought the battle to be futile. But you broke expectations. Appealing to that man¡¯s humanity was a path I did not consider¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Lnd screamed, the creeping air breaking apart, his tone pushing Lodestar¡¯s aura away like a rabid dog. ¡°I didn¡¯t appeal to that monster! I wed and pleaded, faking my way to a victory! While you watched! Why couldn¡¯t you kill Ashford like you did Seer!¡± Lodestar spun slowly, uncaring or unable to fight back the pressure his host exerted. ¡°I did not kill Seer.¡± ¡°What a poor excuse¡ª¡± Lnd stopped himself. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Seer is not dead.¡± ¡°Then where is he?¡± ¡°In Oblivion.¡± The dark portal at Lodestar¡¯s center pulsed. For a brief moment, the ephemeral darkness slithered, stretching like a hand pushing up through a pond¡¯s surface but failing to break the water¡¯s surface tension. But then, the effect was gone, returning the darkness to a calm, endless, ck. ¡°You sent Seer to Oblivion?¡± Lnd asked, the question an echo of his inner thoughts. ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Isobel asked in a simr way to Lnd. Lodestar did not respond. ¡°Answer her,¡± Lndmanded. The parasite spoke quietly, ¡°Oblivion is where souls go between death and life. But not only souls can go there. There are many ways to enter and far fewer ways to leave. While I did not kill Seer, his death is all but confirmed.¡± ¡°And why him and not Ashford?¡± Lnd muttered. ¡°Why not send all of the monsters to Oblivion.¡± ¡°Because Ashford did not meet the requirements for me to act.¡± ¡°What requirements?¡± ¡°The Pack of the Everbound.¡± Lnd wanted to punch something. ¡°Like talking to a tree,¡± he seethed. ¡°What is the Pact of the Everbound? No, scratch that question. What is the Everbound, Lodestar?¡± ¡°The Everbound is an ancient order founded by my brother and I. Back when we created it, its purpose was to protect the Curse of Knowledge ¨C the rules that create our reality.¡± ¡°I remember the Lord of Souls mentioning this curse. He didn¡¯t tell me much about it. Tell me more.¡± Lodestar paused for a moment, eventually relenting. ¡°Rules, as a concept notws, make up the world. Life is born, life dies, life is reborn from nothing. The Curse of Knowledge is the idea that nothing matters.¡± ¡°Nihilistic, I love it,¡± Isobel said, devoid of emotion. ¡°Why does nothing matter? There is life. Life matters.¡± Again, Lodestar paused, as if the words he wished to speak were both fleeting and as heavy as lead. ¡°Yes. Such a paradox. Many within the Everbound Order have tried to rationalize our beliefs, but all have failed. But you are correct. The world does matter. Nothing is meaningless. But the end stilles. One day, even your soul will be in Oblivion resting.¡± ¡°Ah. A death cult, how great,¡± muttered Lnd. ¡°No,¡± Lodestar growled. ¡°The Everbound Order was a celebration! A collective of like minded, powerful thinkers bound to protect the natural order of reality! Everyday was a gift to us! Not a moment was ever wasted!¡± ¡°Right. So, you and the Lord of Souls made this doomsday cult¡ª¡± Lnd ignored Lodestar spinning slightly faster, ¡°¡ªand created rules that protected our reality. Great! So, what did Seer do that warranted you zapping him into Oblivion?¡± ¡°He trampled the natural order¡ª¡± ¡°Lodestar please. ¡®Natural order¡¯ this, ¡®natural order¡¯ that. Speak clearly or go back to being a silently, brooding, immortal weapon.¡± Again, Lodestar¡¯s spinning sped up. ¡°Seer wished to use souls in a way that would break reality.¡± ¡°Like Soul Fire?¡± ¡°No. Nothing of the sort. What Seer nned to do¡­ I don¡¯t know how he has the knowledge to even think about a n of this scope. Someone fed him information. Someone the Everbound Order needs to silence.¡± Lnd raised an eyebrow. ¡°Information about what?¡± ¡°Information that would open Oblivion and let its contents spill out.¡± ¡°Sounds messy?¡± Lodestar froze. ¡°¡¯Messy?¡¯¡± he asked. ¡°Lnd, you careless fool. First with allowing the Archon to escape, now your careless ignorance about the end of the world.¡± ¡°Doomsday cult,¡± Isobel whispered. Lnd sighed. ¡°What about me helping Sapphire return home was bad? The Lord of the Void literally told me to do it, not to mention my Lord practically saying the same thing.¡± The parasite ignored the jab. ¡°In its prime, the Order would never have allowed the Archon to leave no matter how torturous it was for the Archons trapped here. Our world should never have been connected to the other worlds.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± ¡°Because our mess will spill over to theirs, and theirs to ours. Three worlds were attached to ours, one of which is as deste as one could fathomably ask. But the other two are lived in and thriving. One is at war, yes, but that hardly matters, not with the Curse of Knowledge¡ª¡± ¡°You lost me.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Agonizingly, Lodestar said, ¡°The Pact of the Everbound states that we have a duty to put an end to all who try to break-open Oblivion. The creatures that reside in that used ce would crush this whole world like you stepping on a beetle. And now, since our world is connected to others, there will be more threats to Oblivion. Threats that now have a road leading directly into ours.¡± ¡°So, in essence,¡± Lnd announced, ¡°our world is in danger, as well as the other worlds. Someone is handing out forbidden knowledge to people, trying to get them to destroy everything. My question is why and who?¡± ¡°The why is simple: to spread chaos and start a new existence. One where the survivors be leaders.¡± Lodestar began to spin again. ¡°Just like¡ª¡± Lnd didn¡¯t need the parasite to finish. In fact, he did it for him, ¡°Just like the Cmity.¡± He subtly nced at his Legacy tattoo, finding it as stationary as mundane ink was supposed to. The Lord of Curses was listening, he knew, but the crow tattoo wasn¡¯t reacting. No pping wings, no pecks. Either she trusted him to know Lodestar was lying, or she wanted him to know the truth. Was the retooling of all of the Lords as she said? Or was there more to her murdering the Lords who wished mortals to be their ythings? ¡°The who isn¡¯t the Lord of Curses, is it?¡± The question had to be asked. It just had to. Lnd had to know. ¡°No. No. If that was the case, then all would already be lost. No, the Lord of Curses is one of the few surviving original members of the Everbound Order.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know. But who wishes to kill everything and stand on our ashes? The Lord of Undying?¡± ¡°That fool? No.¡± Lodestar hesitated once again. ¡°I am not fully sure. But I suspect it is the same person who wrote you that message in your grimoire.¡± Lnd¡¯s tone turned cold. ¡°But my Lord told me to ignore him.¡± ¡°Yes. Ignore him well, Lnd Silver. Ignore everything he might tell you. Only corruption awaits.¡± ¡°That¡¯s riching from you.¡± ¡°Maybe so. Allow me to tell you a story, a story of an immortal and a mortal brother. Together they started an Order that protected reality, an Order that was desperately needed in their time. But once they defeated their enemies, their Order wasn¡¯t as needed. So, the Order fractured. Most died, some became Lords, but all kept the Order in their hearts.¡± Lodestar wasn¡¯t spinning any longer. ¡°Then one brother got sick. Can you guess which one? The immortal one goes to everyone he knows, trying to push back the ever persistent tide of death. But since the brother was the founder of the Order, he knew nothing could truly keep his brother alive, nothing other than transcending. But the sick brother was weak, far too powerless to be a Lord. It was futile, the immoral brother was cursed with so much knowledge that he was blinded trying toe up with a solution to an impossible question. ¡°The sick brother died not long after. But even after this death, the immortal brother worked tirelessly. He had knowledge over everything, domain over souls, power that rivaled death itself. So he brought back the dead brother, pulling his mangled, corrupted soul from Oblivion and stuffing it into whatever he had nearby. In this case, a garden scythe. ¡°But the dead brother¡¯s soul had seen too much. It had experienced the end unlike any before it. When consciousness came back to him, the holes and wounds were smothered away. The immortal brother said everything was ¡®fine¡¯ and not to worry. The resurrected brother believed him¡­ until the wounds made themselves known. But by then, the brothers had worked to bring back other deceased Everbound Order members. What Lodestar said next came out as a whisper, ¡°We gave them the choice. The choice toe back as a parasite, bound to a host to carry out their vows. Some chose to ept this unbelievable offer, reveling in new found ¡®life.¡¯ Some chose not to, epting in their previous death. ¡°I did not have that choice. My brother did not allow me to die ¨C not that I wanted to, mind you. But after centuries, not having a choice was all I could think about. What little time I spent in Oblivion had changed me, changed all of us. We held onto ideas, our minds unable to shake negative thoughts. My brother called it the Curse of Death, and focused all of his attention on fixing the issue. He seeded, actually, and found a way to truly resurrect someone to an actual body ¨C not a weapon or tool.¡± Lodestar¡¯s voice turned bitter. ¡°And that was it. My mind couldn¡¯t handle it. The idea that I was iplete. That I wasn¡¯t given a choice in my broken resurrection. That my newfound immortal life would be a battle between host and parasite. That only one of us could live. That I would have to constantly kill my friends to live. I, like many, many, others fell to the corruption, turning ¡®evil.¡¯¡± ¡°And what?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°You¡¯re not evil now?¡± ¡°I¡ª I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s like a cloud is filtering my thoughts. I want to hate you, I want to squeeze your neck until you turn purple. I want to live by killing you¡­ But I also know I shouldn¡¯t. Maybe it was all of that time locked away that gave my mind time to heal itself somewhat. But ever since we became partners, my sanity hase back.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you help with Ashford.¡± ¡°Because I thought it was futile. You were dead, I was going to be locked away again. Then you won. Since then, I¡¯ve found myself thinking more clearly. Then the Mending me Lord pped me. Then I saw what a parasite who has truly lost itself bes. And then, this conversation. I have spoken more in thesest few minutes than I have in nearly a millennium. My mind has been properly active for¡­ since I was resurrected, I think.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Lnd asked. ¡°Now you want to be friends. That you are ¡®sorry,¡¯ that you will help with my survival from now on? That when the timees, you¡¯ll roll over and allow me to kill you?¡± ¡°I¡ª I don¡¯t know.¡± Lnd scoffed. ¡°Those might be the first true words you¡¯ve ever said to me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe him?¡± Isobel asked in a whisper. ¡°You know?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. For the first time since I found out I¡¯m a Harbinger, I¡¯m questioning why me. Why was Lodestar given to me? Why put me through this misery? Why put him through this?¡± He looked to the sky, shouting, ¡°Lord of Curses, if you can hear me, why?¡± A pain shot through the back of Lnd¡¯s hand. The crow tattoo had pecked him, drawing blood. ¡°Right. Guess she can¡¯t really answer.¡± He shook his head. ¡°What do you want from me, Lodestar? Why tell me all of this?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Lodestarmented, ¡°I am scared.¡± Lnd blinked a few times. How was he supposed to respond to that? An immortal piece of circr metal telling him that he was scared? An immortal piece of circr metal that at one point lived in a reality beyond death and life and watching whatever horrors belonged there is scared? Swallowing, Lnd asked the only question he could think of, ¡°Which Lord wrote in my grimoire?¡± ¡°I suspect it was the Lord of Oblivion, otherwise known as the First Lord.¡± Chapter 278: Book 5 Epilogue Chapter 278: Book 5 Epilogue Soaring through the wide, open sky, Zeke found his target after nearly two days of nonstop flying. If there was one good thing about being a summoned creature, having your summoner as an energy source was it. As long as Lnd was healthy, so was Zeke. Finalizing his descent, he allowed the air to lift him gently down, his wings ruffling along with the wind. Attached to his leg dangled a rolled piece of parchment, one that Lnd had carefully written and tied to Zeke. And while the crow did not know the note¡¯s content, he had watched his summoner smile to himself as he wrote it. That, along with his summoner¡¯s orders, was all Zeke needed to understand the mission. This note was for his girlfriend. And while that wasn¡¯t a problem, Zeke did need to consider the difficulty of his quest. Lnd¡¯s girlfriend was the Queen, after all, a woman under guard and situated in the heart of a fortified city, within a castle whose wall had yet to fall. Even when a Harbinger knocked at the gates, the citadel stood tall. ¡°Just sneak in there,¡± Lnd had told the bird, as if it was that simple. Zeke had almost rolled his eyes at his summoner, but he knewplex gestures such as that would alert his summoner to his actual intelligence. He felt it strange, hiding things from his summoner, but such was the nature of crows. Resourcefulness wasn¡¯t just a description for humans, and acting like a dumb bird had helped inste Zeke from annoying conversations and over eager bears. Shivering, Zeke remembered the look the bear known as ¡°Gelo¡± gave him when they were first introduced. If Lnd was powerful and unique for a human, then Gelo was the exact same but for beasts. Until he could fend for himself, Zeke would keep his intelligence hidden. He did not want to get tangled into doing things with the only other ¡°smart¡± animal around. His murder of feathered friends was the only pack he needed¡­ at least while the bear was relegated to the ground. If Gelo could learn to fly, then it might be wise to introduce her to the flock¡­ A shrill whistle sounded against the rushing wind. Looking down, Zeke saw the City of Ivory Reach, or at least, the bones of the Dead Lord that epassed the city. It seemed, since Ashford¡¯s attack, the city had stepped up its defenses, adding guards on top of the Lord¡¯s bones.A small barracks had been erected on what remained of the sternum, the cracked and broken ribs making real estate somewhat limited. Standing around the barracks were troops and guards split into separate units, each practicing, training, or sitting around entertaining themselves¡­ all except for one. Zeke and the young man locked eyes, the young man having already spotted the crow and blown a whistle. Like headless chickens, the whistle set the nearby guards into motion. Panic ensued, as well as a few stand out operations. While few in numbers, those who reacted to the threat of the summoned, ethereal crow circling their Queen¡¯s castle did not pull punches. Fireballs, arrows made of arcane will, sting waves of shearing wind, even an attack that tugged at Zeke¡¯s very essence lit up the sky. The spells, while variable and quite deadly, were nothing for the rtively small bird. For once, Zeke felt gratitude for his size and didn¡¯t think rude thoughts about his summoner¡¯s capabilities, the ease of dodging potentially quest-ending attacks all but making up for the fact. Though, if Zeke had the choice, he¡¯d want to be bigger. The size of a roc or maybe a phoenix. Yeah, being the size of either of those would be nice. As he dove under the sternum of the dead Lord, thus removing the threat of being shot out of the sky, Zeke mused about his summoner¡¯s breakthrough with ether. Maybe, just maybe, he actually could be summoned the size of a phoenix. Maybe evenrger if his understanding of ether was true. It had been awhile since Zeke properly took flight in his true body, and seeing the look on that conniving bear¡¯s face when his wings blotted-out the sky would be the highlight of the century for him. With these thoughts, once again he realized just how lucky he was to have been paired with Lnd. He was a good summoner, even if he got in his own way quite often. The infiltration of the castle continued, and quickly Zeke¡¯s high hopes for a challenge were banished. It seemed, at least to him, Ivory Reach put too much trust in the dead Lord¡¯s bones as defenses. While they might be impervious to an enemy sieging the city walls, they sure weren¡¯t to a small bird that loved to fly. That was, until reality parted directly in front of him, swallowing him before he could properly react. ¡°Get it!¡± a voice shouted. ¡°Quickly before it can¡ª¡± Zeke thrashed, all hope of a peaceful entrance gone. Talons met skin and beak pecked at eyeballs. If he died here, his death wouldn¡¯t be the end. He¡¯d be kicked from this world back to his own, only to be resummoned by Lnd a momentter. But that would mean he¡¯d have failed his mission, and if there was one thing he was not going to do, he wasn¡¯t giving the bear reason to be smug. Gelo doesn¡¯t fail missions, Gelo gets stuff done, Gelo is the best beast around¡ª Zeke tuned out his own insecurities, focusing instead on the battle¡ª ¡°Got it!¡± someone yelped, snatching Zeke from the air like a falcon capturing a dove mid flight. Held upside down like a perched bat, Zeke let out many caws and attempted to peck the man who held him. His attacks were thwarted by his own spine! The dang thing couldn¡¯t bend the way he needed to draw blood from the man¡¯s hands. ¡°Good job Roy!¡± a man who looked strangely like Zeke¡¯s own summoner said. ¡°Wait¡­ is this one of Lnd¡¯s birds?¡± Caw! The man holding him pulled back his arm, holding him up to his eyes. He had a big, dirty beard with bits of food lodged deep within the curly, brown hairs. ¡°Now that you mention it, maybe?¡± Zeke lunged, aiming for the man¡¯s eye. The man easily pushed out his hand, creating more than enough distance. ¡°Haha, silly fe.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s one of Lnd¡¯s. Is that a note?¡± Caw! Caw! Caw! Zeke thrashed with all of his might! Even if these people knew his summoner, the note was for his girlfriend¡¯s eyes only! Caw! Caw! Caw! The man holding Zeke peeled off the note, unfurling it with one hand. But, before he could read it, a voice cut through the air. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± It was rough and scratchy, as if the vocal cords that produced such a sound were not ustomed to speaking a human tongue. Everyone froze. But the man who looked like Lnd thawed the fastest. ¡°Don¡¯t what?¡± Zeke forced himself to speak, even though it ruined his game of resourcefulness. ¡°The note is not for you!¡± ¡°Who is it for?¡± ¡°My summoner¡¯s girlfriend.¡± ¡°Lnd?¡± Zeke¡¯s head hung ck. His mission was over, he had lost. Sneaking into the castle was no longer possible. He could see that ursed bear¡¯s snarky stupid face! Gah! He hated to lose, especially when it was so embarrassing! ¡°Yes,¡± he said defeated, like a pouting kitten. ¡°D-don¡¯t read the note, please.¡± The man who looked like Lnd and the man named ¡°Roy¡± shared a look, each shrugging. Roy then released Zeke, allowing the gift of uncaged flight to be returned to the crow. He fluttered to the nearest table, perching as proudly as he could. ¡°Do you have a note for me?¡± Zeke tilted his head. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Lnd¡¯s father, Spencer.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The bird poured over what to say, eventually going with the truth. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Sent his girlfriend a letter before his own dad? What kind of ungrateful¡ª¡± Spencer shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s in the note?¡± ¡°A report.¡± ¡°What kind of report?¡± ¡°Positioning update.¡± Roy squinted at the bird. ¡°Are you lying?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zeke replied ndly. ¡°Okay, I believe you.¡± Zeke blinked slowly. ¡°Thank you?¡± ¡°Your wee,¡± Roy said, nodding to Spencer. Lnd¡¯s father sighed loudly, snatching the note and rolling it back up without reading it. ¡°Want me to re-tie it?¡± Zeke nodded slowly. And just like that, the quest was still on. ¡°How¡¯s he doing? I mean, how are all of them doing?¡± Not seeing any reason that Lnd would hide this fact from his own father, Zeke said, ¡°Lnd recreated a long forgotten secret form of magic taught to him by several Lords and an immortal alien man named Walker from world Alpha.¡± No one spoke. No one at all¡­ Then Spencer sighed, saying, ¡°It¡¯s always something with him. Does he eat? Sleep?¡± ¡°He does not sleep. He found a magical way not to. As I understand it, he is the only one of the group, including the bear, who is able to go without sleep. He eats. Jude brought plenty of snacks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my boy!¡± Roy said proudly. With his fingers pinching the area where the bridge of his nose connected with his eyes, Spencer asked, ¡°By bear, do you mean Gelo or Floe?¡± ¡°Gelo. Floe became a Lord with Lnd¡¯s voting authority.¡± ¡°His what?¡± Both men screeched, their jaws ck. Zeke looked between them. ¡°As a potential candidate for Lordship, Lnd has the authority to add call votes between other Lords. In this case, he bartered the im of the Sightless King to put the Guardian Spirit Beast known as Floe onto the list of candidates for Lord of Dungeons. The Lords then voted, taking Floe in as one of their own.¡± Spencer had upgraded from pinching his nose to harshly rubbing his temples with both hands. To Zeke, this looked rather painful. Roy, on the other hand, had begun tough. Zeke could see the rtion between him and Jude now. Frankly, it was frightening. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°And Gelo?¡± Spencer asked after a moment of listening to his friend¡¯sughter. ¡°That smug little cub? What about her?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Roy asked, wiping a tear from his eye. ¡°You don¡¯t like little ol¡¯ Gelo? Why not?¡± ¡°She is insufferable,¡± Zeke answered, his ¡°S¡±sing across as miniature caws. ¡°All she does is stand there and look cute while I circle overhead to protect everyone! Even Jude is on constant look out for threats, and he¡¯s always ying a musical instrument!¡± ¡°Hey Spencer?¡± Roy asked. ¡°Can crows have crushes? Because I think this bird has a crush on Gelo.¡± ¡°I do not!¡± Zeke screeched, pping his wings. ¡°Take that back right this instant!¡± ¡°You know,¡± Spencer mused, ¡°I was going to say he was a little envious, but now that you mention it, yeah, I think he does.¡± ¡°Jude was the same way when he was ten or so,¡± Roy reminisced, looking thoughtful. ¡°I remember he punched that one neighbor girl¡­¡± He snapped a few times. ¡°What was her name? Her sister was the Legacy of Spiders?¡± ¡°Lina?¡± ¡°Yes! Lina! I remember when Lina¡¯s sister pounded on my door with her little sister in hand. She had a bloody nose and imed Jude did it. And when I questioned Jude about it, he said he hated her and her stupid face. Later, I asked Lnd and Glenny about it when Jude wasn¡¯t around, and both swore that Jude had a crush on Lina and didn¡¯t mean to punch her. He was trying toe off as macho, and identally slugged her!¡± Roy startedughing again. Spencer and Zeke stared at him. ¡°I see the family resemnce,¡± the bird muttered. Getting up to open a window, Spencer asked, ¡°Anything else you think you should tell us about our sons?¡± ¡°They are heading into the Gru Triumvirate as we speak.¡± Both parents huffed out a suffering sigh. ¡°Of course they are. Even after everyone they know warned them not to.¡± Zeke nodded. ¡°Isobel attemped to sway him as well, but failed. Luckily, she has decided herself to be Lnd¡¯s personal guard, following him everywhere.¡± ¡°I hope not to the bathroom!¡± Royughed. Spencer asked, ¡°I¡¯m d they found Isobel, but why is she doing that?¡± ¡°She thinks Lnd is special, too special to be let off the leash, so to speak.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Roy continued. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d see the day when a bird uses an idiom!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Zeke mimicked. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d see the day when someone like you knows what an ¡®idiom¡¯ is!¡± Roy¡¯sugh evolved into a full on cackle. ¡°That confirms it, you¡¯re Lnd¡¯s. Banter like that could only be created by a lifetime of friendship or being raised by a group of lifetime friends. It seems you are thetter,¡± Spencer said. ¡°Can I go now?¡± Spencer gestured to the open window, allowing Zeke to continue his mission. The castle came into view sitting against a backdrop of the setting sun. Even with a cracked sternum overhead, the castle¡¯s imposing silhouette only reminded the Palemarrow citizens, and its enemies, that the castle was both heart and soul of this budding nation. They did not fall during Ashford and the Sightless King¡¯s attack, they would not fall to whatever maye next. A grand staircase led Zeke up into the pruned courtyard. To the bird, theck of natural trees and bushes made him shake his head. But, then again, he could see and understand the wealth, time, and patience the gardeners put into their works of art. From trees that were shaped explicitly like triangles to bushes that were perfectly round, the courtyard projected both might and opulence. Zeke pped his wings, gaining height as he shot for an open spire window. He neither looked at nor cared to study his surroundings, his mission suddenly bing far more dangerous. He was in, and that meant close quarters and plenty of guards. Room after room he went, scaring maids and whomever may be around. But Zeke didn¡¯t have time to apologize, not that he would anyway. The first sign of trouble was as primordial as it got, an age-old issue that humans had been struggling with since they first put up four walls and a roof. A locked door. Zeke did not have thumbs and he did not think his summoner¡¯s girlfriend would be thrilled with him destroying the door to get this message to her. This was her home, and while he was infiltrating, he couldn¡¯t just do as he liked¡­ could he? Briefly, Zeke pondered if he should look for an alternate route to find the Queen. But as he thought about it, he realized an important fact. He did not know where the Queen was. Breathlessly and without speaking, it was time to alert his summoner and ask for help. Zeke brushed his and Lnd¡¯s connection, pulling the human¡¯s attention from traveling to that of the castle. ¡°Oh, you made it!¡± Zeke heard his summoner say, his voice appearing inside his ethereal head like it was one of his own thoughts. It was a strange feeling, but such was the dynamic of summoned creatures. What would be their point if the summoner and summoned couldn¡¯tmunicate with one another? Not every bird was as smart as Zeke, a fact he would never forget. ¡°Sybil¡¯s room should be a hallway past that door,¡± his summoner said. ¡°Can you get through there?¡± Zeke gave the door onest look over, eventually giving Lnd the equivalent of a shake of the head through their bonded connection. ¡°Hmm okay. You are going to have to backtrack some¡ª¡± Zeke was already off, flying out the way he came into a crossroads of hallways, paintings, and over the top grotesque rugs. Whoever, in Zeke¡¯s opinion, thought those diabolical rugs were worth stepping on should be fired. He almost shivered from the use of green and pink, whatever the creator was going for, this was definitely not it. ¡°Left. Two hallways down. See that staircase? Yeah, go up a floor then a right. Then there¡¯s aundry chute¡ª¡± Lnd stopped himself, watching Zeke move through the castle through Zeke¡¯s own eyes. ¡°Go down a floor and exit the chute. Then straight ahead, and you¡¯re there!¡± Zeke paused, something ahead catching his attention. What was that? Some kind of snack table? There were plenty of fruit and nuts¡ª ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the shrine I made for the Lord of Magic. Neat isn¡¯t it?¡± Lnd said. Stopping himself from eating an offering for a Lord, Zeke reminded himself just where he was and who he was partners with. ¡°That¡¯s Sybil¡¯s room right in front of you. You may have to knock.¡± The bird took a deep breath and tapped his talon against the wooden door. The sounds produced were quiet, but still, whoeverybeyond heard. ¡°Enter.¡± Just how was Zeke supposed to do that? Again, he didn¡¯t have thumbs. He knocked again. ¡°I said enter!¡± the voice called again. Zeke knocked again. ¡°Enter!¡± the voice yelled. Zeke smashed his hard beak onto the door. ¡°Oh for the love of¡ª¡± Things shifted beyond the door, footsteps sounded not a momentter. With a mighty pull, the door swung open. ¡°Hello¡ª¡± Zeke scampered in, taking flight and quickly passing the young woman before she could close the door in his face. He took a second to look around, finding a dinner table set for one and a half eaten roast chicken. Past that, the room was just another room. Boring and nd, no sticks, no nesting feathers. He didn¡¯t like it. He cawed. ¡°How did you get in¡ª¡± The Queen stopped herself. ¡°Wait, Lnd?¡± No, I am Zeke, he thought, knowing his summoner was watching. He couldn¡¯t exactly talk now, could he? Instead, he cawed, loud and proud. ¡°Not Lnd? But you are one of his crows, right?¡± Caw. Through their connection, Lnd said to Zeke, ¡°Push the fork off the table, she¡¯ll know what it means.¡± Zeke did that, but internally he was frowning. He was no dang house cat. Pushing things off tables was their job. But still, he did it, and the look on the Queen¡¯s face was both amusing and scary. How was this his summoner¡¯s partner? She stared at him like he was a misbehaving child with nine heads! ¡°Why did you do¡ª¡± Sybil stopped herself. ¡°Oh. Ooooh. Lnd can see through your eyes?¡± Zeke bobbed his head. ¡°O-okay¡­ strange. Where is he?¡± Zeke stuck out his leg, showing off the tied note. Taking it from him with gentle fingers, the Queen plopped down on a couch and got to reading. Judging by her expression, he could tell exactly what part of the note she was on. Zeke had been there when Lnd wrote the note so he understood which parts were written to be funny or cute, informative or purposefully obtuse and short. Forgetting about the description of ether, how Floe was now a Lord, and the whole thing with that strange parasite woman-creature-thing, Lnd had purposefully left the bit about heading toward the Gru Triumvirate until the veryst sentence. Sybil pursed her lips once finished, staring daggers at the bird. ¡°This is the first letter you send me? An update!? Not a ¡®Dear my dearest Sybil, everyday we spend apart my heart breaks¡¯ kind of letter!?¡± She threw the paper at Zeke. ¡°How stupid¡ª¡± Whatever angry words she was going to say, she swallowed like molten lead. After a deep breath or two, she said, ¡°Thank you for the update. I-I¡¯m just worried. I saw the reports from both Tears and, well, I¡¯m not surprised trouble has followed you. But that¡¯s who you are, you have to be the reincarnation of trouble incarnate.¡± Zeke quirked his head to the side, feeling his summoner¡¯s emotions bubble through their connection. What was he supposed to do in this situation? Rub his head on her hand? No. Zeke was putting his foot down, he was no dang cat! ¡°Can¡­¡± Lnd spoke directly into his mind. ¡°Can you rub your head against her like a cat?¡± Zeke froze, terrified that Lnd could read his mind. No, no that wasn¡¯t possible. Not unless he learned psychic magic in these few days they¡¯ve been apart¡­ which, actually now that Zeke thought about it, was possible. Contracts were too versatile. Restraining himself, Zeke just cawed. If he ignored Lnd¡¯s request long enough, surely he¡¯d forget about it¡­ right? ¡­Right? Deep within a previously thought impossible desert of ck sand, a creature feasted on various bits of meat and fonts of mana within a deep hole. Where exactly this creature was, no one knew, for it had destroyed all of the humans who knew this particr hole¡¯s location. Not that it mattered much, anyways. Not unless it was being hunted by him. They had fought once before, he was responsible for itsme leg. It was healing alright, considering that the local sources of mana were mostly dried up, but still, the fact that it lost its leg at all was a deafening blow to its confidence. Confidence that had been rekindled after years of suffering. It was alive! It was independent! And most importantly, it was unshackled by the cage of mundane white gloves. No longer did it have to be worn, no longer did it have to be used. It smiled in delight, at least until it remembered him. After their first scrape, it thought he¡¯d be an easy target. It would show up, kill him, then depart without a worry and with a meal unlike any other. Boy, had it be wrong. As a parasite, it didn¡¯t have memories like normal humans. Most, if not everything, was done by instinct. It retreated when hurt, it ate when hungry, it murdered when bored¡­ it followed the scent of good mana when on the move. Or at least, it used to. The man had appeared in its mind every time it caught a whiff of a mage. No one had yete close to how perfect his mana smelled, but all reminded it of him¡­ specifically of how the sky lit up purple, of how the world moved to hismand. It had wanted to attack right then and there. He was a threat, and it was better to take him out now, right? It wanted to, it truly did. But instinct told it ¡°NO!¡± Its legs refused to move, its magic refused to gather. In that moment, it felt like the humans it hunted, like moths trapped in a cage lit ame. Death wasing for it if it moved to kill him. Absolute death, there would be noing back this time. No one to reforge what was left of its husk-like soul¡­ that was, if it had a soul at all any more. So it decided, then and there, that it would forget the human named Lnd and live out its life snacking on whatever poor sap it came across. And there it sat, covered in blood and bits of flesh and bone, eating its feelings like a petty teenager. It chomped and chomped, slurping the stringy parts and gnawing the tough parts. It devoured everything, bone, intestines, clothes, even the jewelry some wore. Nothing was off limits when it came to its stomach, an empty pit, it was. A never ending¡ª Crack! It stopped, pain erupting through its jaw. Like spitting out a corn kernel, the parasite spat a wad of red flesh, pale, chewed up bone, and a coarse golden ring. That was strange, it had eaten gold rings before. What was different¡ª Oh. It held the ring up to its eye. ¡°You in there brother?¡± It gave the ring a little shake. ¡°Can you hear me? Hello? Are you defective? Parasite hello?¡± It hummed to itself, popping what remained of the human¡¯s finger out of the ring. It put the ring on, a sudden surge of energy epassing it like static before a lightning strike. The ring grew hot on its hand, parasite shing against parasite. They warred, internally and but for a moment. The ring was weak, or rather, the parasite that inhabited the ring was far, far less powerful as the parasite inhabiting a human body. And yet, the ring was hundreds of times more powerful than any normal human. As the parasite crushed the parasite in the ring, consuming its essence and power, it couldn¡¯t help but think of Lnd, the man of its nightmares. Power bloomed within its body, and for the first time since the night of purple skies, it didn¡¯t see itself as dying by his hand but rather eating his hand. It cackled, a path forward opening before its very eyes. All it needed was more parasites to feed on. All it needed was to collect more power. Curselock Update Curselock Update Hiya, long time no see! As some of you know, I uploaded a new book to Royal Road just a few days ago: World Walker Park is an amusement park base-building progression fantasy. Rollercoasters, Ferris wheels, churros, etc. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. This was one of the two books I was contracted for that put a pause on Curselock. The other one was a ghost-writing job for a big named author. It unfortunately fell through after I wrote the entire book and will eventually be on Royal Road as well. With all that said, World Walker Park is my main focus right now. After that, depending on what happens with the ghost book, Curselock will start. In the meantime, I ask everyone to give World Walker Park a follow. I''ve really enjoyed writing it, and I think it''s rather unique and fun. Thanks, everyone, and sorry for not being around too much. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!