ã€ŠShattering Fate - [Progression Fantasy]ã€‹


 Prologue

    A girl, adorning a white dress, perused the outer streets of Asanoch. The dress was stained and left without any intricate patterns, plain. Everyday she wore this same dress whenever she left her¡­ Home?

    It wasn¡¯t exactly a home. Instead, it was closer to a nook. A small part of a street, the back of an alleyway. It didn¡¯t matter, in a city like Asanoch, where rain never fell. A home with proper shelter didn¡¯t matter, no environmental harm to think of.

    That was of course without considering any external factors. Living in the outer ring had a cost. Namely, addicts and criminals. The former didn¡¯t have the ability to hold a job, and if they did then there wasn¡¯t any room in the budget for a house. And the Criminals wouldn¡¯t get hired.

    It was common to be attacked, robbed of any quartz on your person. The girl didn¡¯t need to fear though. She was at the top of her classes and well versed with a weapon, at least before she had to leave school. And she was taller than the average person, standing at six feet tall.

    This girl wasn¡¯t like any of them though. She was kind and compassionate, undeserving of what happened to her. Oh so undeserving. A father who left her with a bothersome curse, always with her. And a mother who abandoned her after a few years of abuse.

    Her household wasn¡¯t always that way. Once kind and caring, how had it managed to fall to such behavior. Her father was a wicked man but he didn¡¯t hold all the blame and neither did the mother.

    It had turned from a picturesque scene one would hear about in stories to a terribly horrible one. Not unlike her warm personality growing cold in the harsh outer ring.

    The girl would often ruminate over whether or not her being there made a difference in the tearing apart of her familial life. Everytime she came to the same conclusion: ¡°Maybe, but what did it matter?¡±

    After she was abandoned. The girl was forced to quit school. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they laugh me out of the room? In my dirty clothes and of my lack of lunch.¡± She did grow thin. Her body was relatively feeble compared to the average girl her age.

    ¡®What do I care what they say?¡¯ The girl spited them and spat onto the concrete paved walkway. But she had to have cared, or she would have stayed enrolled in school.

    She kicked rocks across the street as she made her way towards a familiar spot. The disturbing onlookers were turned away at just a look into her light seafoam colored eyes. They were beautiful and striking. As was the rest of her face, at least when it wasn¡¯t covered in dirt.

    The eyes were familiar. That uncommon color belonged to a feared figure in the outer ring of Asanoch. At least in this small part of said ring. A woman that could bring anyone to their knees in only a moment. But it couldn¡¯t be the same person. Not the same as this pure girl, an innocent flower stomped into the ground by her surroundings.

    ¡°Hello Jyrid.¡± The girl said with a deadpan face. ¡°How¡¯s business?¡±

    ¡°What do you think? After your last stunt those hooligans are spreading tales of the ¡®siren.¡¯ Do you think anyone wants to dine at my fine establishment now?¡± Jyrid¡¯s aged face contorted as he wiped at the counter.

    ¡®Fine establishment?¡¯ The girl mocked the man internally. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever asked¡­ Why don¡¯t you run your pub somewhere closer to inner Asanoch? Surely you¡¯d get better clientele. And you wouldn¡¯t have to deal with me as a bonus,¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt I¡¯d get a better clientele, and that is a world of a bonus. But it¡¯s obvious why I run my ¡®diner¡¯ out here in no man¡¯s land. It¡¯s damn expensive to rent out space in inner Asanoch.¡±

    ¡°Well surely even being just a little closer¡­¡±

    ¡°Nope. Here in this terrible area it costs almost nothing to run this place. Not only do I pay almost nothing, the customers pay almost double what they would in central Asanoch. Think about it, those fiends need to get their alcohol somewhere. And no other sane person would run a pub out here.¡± Jyrid explained concisely.

    Indeed the girl was ignorant of certain matters. She was only seventeen years old. Technically she was only a year away from being an adult but there was a lot she didn¡¯t know as a result of her abandonment and withdrawal from school.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that kinda messed up? I mean you are the problem here. The central cog in their spiral into depression and god knows what.¡± The girl was horrified at Jyrid¡¯s seeming indifference.

    ¡°Look kid, it ain''t my problem to give a damn about those fools. They¡¯ve already messed up their lives, and they go outta their way to mess around with kids like you too. Taking money from you guys¡­ Anyways, as far as I¡¯m concerned. I¡¯m actually doing society a favor, keeping these ¡®people¡¯ locked in the outer ring.¡±

    Jyrid let out a sigh, taking a swig of alcohol. He scanned the girl in front of him. ¡°But you, why haven¡¯t you gone to an orphanage or something. Surely a cute girl like you could get a nice, loving family pretty quick.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my secret¡­¡± The girl leaned back in her chair before standing up. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m nearly an adult. You think anybody¡¯s going to want to adopt a grown woman. No thanks¡­ I¡¯m fine perusing these streets.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s your choice¡­¡± Jyrid lost himself for a minute in the dusting of his many shelves. ¡°Now hurry on out of here. Nobody¡¯s gonna eat here if the ¡®siren¡¯ is sitting around.¡±

    ¡°Fine, at least give me a drink for the road¡­¡± The girl spoke like it was a given. She held her hand out, seemingly ready to be given a glass.

    ¡°You want liquor?¡± Jyrid asked plainly, grabbing a couple glasses from the heavy wooden cupboard.

    ¡°Jyrid.¡± The girl addressed him with a plain face. It seemed he really didn¡¯t care about their periodic talks. ¡°It has never been liquor. It¡¯s always water! For lord¡¯s sake I¡¯m not even an adult, let alone drinking age.¡±

    ¡°My father always told me that any age is a drinking age. Coincidentally that¡¯s what I tell anyone who walks through these doors too.¡± Jyrid chuckled slightly. Then, he filled the cup with water and handed it over.

    ¡°Thank you Jyrid.¡± The girl seemed to abandon all familiarity and then walk out, stone faced. Maybe she didn¡¯t care about the man. Maybe it was all an act.

    As the girl grew closer to her destination, she sighed. ¡®Almost out of water¡­¡¯ She looked at the nearly depleted glass longingly. It was a good feeling to have something so nice, even if it was short lived. This was how most things seemed to her these days. Like a temporary curse placed on her, doomed to fade away again. To peel away and reveal her melancholic excuse of a life.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡®Heh¡­ Maybe I should take Jyrid up on his offer the next time. Some alcohol might go a long way. Pushing me to the right path or something like that¡­ But enough of that! It¡¯s time!¡¯

    The girl arrived at the edge of Asanoch. She lived very close by and it had still taken her nearly an hour and a half to get there. The city was gargantuan in size. Maybe not so much as others but it was damn impressive for being underwater.

    Maybe that wasn¡¯t the right term though¡­ It was sort of a cheat. The girl reached her hand out and touched the large bubble that encased the entire city, resting at the bottom of the Nethirian sea.

    It almost felt mystical. Like a fable that her father or mother would tell her. Many speculated that the bubble came from a mammoth of a fable rift. Or perhaps that it was the result of a relic from a similar rift. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter to this girl, right at this moment in time.

    All that mattered to her was that it was here. The only moment of joy in an entire day of her life lay here. In this large bubble, or rather what was outside of it. Outside of this bubble she wasn¡¯t the siren, her apparent persona that wrought havoc on this part of the outer ring. She also wasn¡¯t herself.

    Instead, she was like a fish in the sea. Not like many fish frequented being so low down in the sea but it didn¡¯t matter. It was the feeling behind it. No matter how terrible her life in Asanoch, no matter the rumors that spread about her. None of it mattered, she was insignificant. And that lack of a need to take accountability let her be free.

    The girl had already removed her long dress and stepped through the bubble. It was unique, never popping no matter the pressure inflicted upon it. As expected from a structure at the bottom of the sea. The unique feeling of the water gliding across her skin felt nice and serene, as it always did.

    The flaps on the sides of her neck rippled, separating the oxygen from the water and feeding it to her. Any normal human wouldn¡¯t be able to be able to survive under this immense pressure. Luckily she was not a normal woman. She was a secare half human, half nymph woman.

    Thus, she thrived in the water, and she loved the water. Her aerodynamic body softly flowed as she swam upwards. The girl reveled in the deepness of her domain. Although she was half and half. The girl didn¡¯t really feel too strong a connection to her human side. In her mind, humans were mostly negative people.

    Humans were often louder than nymphs. They were very vocal creatures and were sociable as a result. That was their strength more than anything, second to their adaptability. They weren¡¯t exemplary at much else. Nymphs performed better in water. Fierans were true predators of the night, champions of the umbral belt. And Sulphans were unparalleled in high heat, their body endured all.

    As the girl swam towards the surface, she thought about what she would see. Everyday there were new things for her to see. The outer ring didn¡¯t hold much value with every day only being slightly different than the last. So she loved coming up to the surface and watching the world, a world that was much nicer than her own.

    This was the most impactful moment of her day. Not that her daily swim was very impactful by itself but in a life as mundane as hers, it was the highlight.

    The swim wouldn¡¯t take long, only fifteen minutes or so were needed to reach the surface. The closer she got, the more light would seep into the cold ocean. It wasn¡¯t too cold for her of course, due to her nymph genetics. And if those genetics weren¡¯t enough, the sheer amount of time she spent in the cold water would surely be enough for her to have adapted.

    As she neared the surface, various creatures but shoulders with her as they moved past. They were each unique. Composed of claws and teeth, surrounded in hard carapace or exoskeletons. These creatures both big and small led equally important lives. They tended to their families and contributed to the ecosystem as a whole.

    ¡®I wonder where my role would set me in this vast ocean.¡¯ The girl often found herself pondering these deep although insignificant questions.

    Her time on the outside of the city had taken its fair toll on her. Sometimes she would speak with Jyrid or have to deal with a couple of rapscallions. The former was nice, a means to get decent food or fresh water. The latter unfortunately perpetuated the rumors about her. Fiersome rumors about a ¡®siren¡¯ who attacked people for food.

    ¡®What am I supposed to do? Just sit by and watch while children are forced to empty their pockets to the drunkards¡­ Whatever, not like the name matters all that much to me.¡¯ The girl grit her teeth as she swam faster.

    Her body moved gracefully. The water danced across her smooth body. She picked up her speed, the pressure sending her cerulean blue hair flowing behind her back. The world grew lighter and lighter until¡­ She pierced the water¡¯s surface.

    The girl cheered, inwardly of course. ¡®A new best time! Maybe¡­ What was that twelve and a half minutes¡­ Roughly.¡¯ She didn¡¯t possess a means of counting outside of keeping mental notes. Her times weren¡¯t completely accurate but they were consistent enough to time herself against.

    She swam over towards a nearby town that skirted on the edge of the water. It was the town of Acrylian. Most of its houses were modest and rested on the edges of the coast; people liked ocean views. Most of all though this town was known for its large beach that stretched for a few kilometers.

    The girl stalked the beach from far away, like a kraken stalking a rickety ship. Close enough that she could see the general idea of what was going on, but far enough that she wouldn¡¯t be detected. After all, what would the people think?

    Nymphs were certainly more rare than humans. At least in this city they were. There were certainly cities where predominantly either one or the other lived but on the edge of a place as beautiful as Asanoch, which sat in the middle of their domain¡­ Why would a nymph ever want to live in a small town so close to the place of their dreams.

    So what would the people of the town think of a nymph seen hovering around their beach, probably nothing good. To reach so far out of paradise meant that they probably wanted to take something from outside back in. At least this was the common human perspective, or the one that this ignorant girl saw the most.

    The girl narrowed her eyes, trying to make out the obscure details of the -tiny in her eyes- beach. A long white and black strip was suspended in the air and a couple of people hit a ball overtop of it. Everybody wore such colorful clothing, pastel colors that were hardly worn in Asanoch. These colors contrasted with their figures, the majority of people rounding the beach were tanned and fit.

    It was like an entirely different world to the one down in Asanoch. The place where people generally wore more extravagant clothing. It was an expensive place to live, central Asanoch. It was natural for the clothing to be of higher quality and more expensive but to be so different was intriguing.

    The girl could almost imagine a life up on the surface. She would look over the sea. She would have a pet which was a dream underwater. Then she would get a tan. If nymphs even tanned¡­ ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be nearly as much trouble to have the sun beam its light upon me¡­¡¯ She sank at the thought that it would go away soon. The artificial one that sat idle in the center of Asanoch felt like a cheap imitation.

    ¡®Well that¡¯s just about enough of that¡­¡¯ The girl swam back towards Asanoch. People were beginning to push out further into the tide and it was getting dangerous for her to remain.

    On her way back the secare nymph took it slow. She gently flowed down with no need to rush after her record time to the surface. All the while the gills on the girl''s neck opened and closed, keeping her alive. She wondered what would happen if they got clogged. Was her innate air capacity enough to last her until she made it back to the surface or to Asanoch? Or was her capacity only that of a human¡¯s?

    The water became dark and difficult to see through, though algae was rare which made the journey a little better. The city hired people to routinely cut the algae around the bubble. What good was a view that was obscured by the irritating weeds of the ocean?

    The Nymph was generally displeased with the removal of nature. Especially for such a shallow reason. But she liked it in this case. The void of algae not only served as a guide of sorts for her to know where Asanoch was in the dark ocean. It also made her journeys to and from the surface a little less irritating. Algae would often wrap around her body causing sometimes whole minutes to be wasted freeing herself.

    Finally, she reached the side of the domed bubble. She looked inwards, at the dunes at the edge and the houses beyond. What she was looking for was a familiar void of houses. This void was where she would leave to swim, avoiding prying eyes and having top tier privacy.

    So why was it that this boy was here? And why was he frozen in place, stunned even.

 Chapter 1 - Clyde

    The secare nymph turned to avoid being seen. She shielded her body leaving only a developed back for the boy to look at. Her time swimming made her body stay in great shape, particularly developing her back.

    The young man¡¯s mouth seemed to move as an incomprehensible mumble echoed through the thick bubble. It seemed the bubble filtered out certain things from reaching the outside. Speech was one of them.

    ¡®Come to think of it that radiant artificial sun looks relatively tame from out here¡­¡¯ The nymph slightly cocked her head back, still hiding the front of her body. The sun''s light was dim and it didn¡¯t shine its signature orange color. Turning her attention to the boy¡­ His back was now turned to face the girl. It seemed his earlier rumble had something to do with apologizing.

    ¡®Is he going to report me?¡¯ Surely, this rather¡­ Extravagant, way of swimming was punishable. Lord please just forget about this!¡¯ She placed her hands over her eyes momentarily. The girl wished for the algae to swallow her up now. Something she was so glad to have gone would have mostly prevented a situation like this from happening.

    The girl, understanding that the boy would not turn around until given permission, decided to step into the bubble. As she made her way through the thick bubble, she felt the weight on her body slowly lift until she was back inside. The bubble had also dried her off, a convenient feature.

    She calmly put her long white dress back on and shouted out to the boy. ¡°You can turn around now.¡± Her voice didn¡¯t sound hurried or distressed. A stark contrast to her inner conflict over the situation.

    The boy turned around, his entire face was flush and he immediately bowed down. ¡°I sincerely apologize! I was just walking by and then I saw you¡­ And your flowing hair and just how graceful you were swimming¡­¡±

    His face grew even more red as he turned around before facing the girl again. ¡°Anyways. Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡®But¡­ I was in the wrong? At least I won¡¯t get reported.¡¯ The nymph walked closer to the boy. ¡°Stand up straight, please. I was in the wrong. Nobody walks in this area of the city, I figured it would have been fine.

    ¡°Why are you walking around this area?¡± She examined the man and saw that he was around her age, maybe a couple years younger. His hair was a sandy blond color which matched his piercing eyes. They seemed as though they were cast of liquid gold.

    His clothing was a little more important though¡­ These weren¡¯t the ramshackle clothing of an average citizen in outer Asanoch. The boy was also well kempt.

    The boy looked extremely guilty and frantically turned left and right, making sure nobody else was watching. ¡°I can tell you but it must remain a secret.¡±

    ¡®Is this guy serious¡­¡¯ Was he just a moron? There couldn¡¯t have been a reason to head out to the outer ring in general, let alone one important enough to be kept secret.

    ¡°Sure.¡± The girl shook the boy¡¯s hand. A slight smile formed on her lips as she thought. ¡®How long has it been since I¡¯ve spoken with someone my own age¡­¡¯

    ¡°Alright.¡± The boy once again looked to his sides and then leaned in closer causing the nymph to stumble back a little. ¡°Sorry, too close?¡±

    The girl nodded slightly before shaking her head. ¡°No it¡¯s alright.¡± She stepped closer again.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°I¡¯m from a-¡± The boy checked his sides again. ¡°I¡¯m part of a rather¡­ wealthy family. They¡¯ve never really let me see this part of the city. They were always insisting that Asanoch was a perfect place but no place is perfect of course. So I¡¯m here to see just how imperfect the outer ring is.¡±

    ¡®Shocker¡­ Also isn¡¯t this guy a little too paranoid¡­¡¯ The girl criticized the boy inwardly. ¡°And what imperfections have you seen so far?¡± Her face was straight, her voice even. Such a sheltered boy would probably vomit after setting a foot into the outer ring.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty vile. To be brutally honest.¡± The golden eyed boy scanned his surroundings. Even in an area so desolate as this, trash was littered across the floor and spots of dried blood stained the unpaved sand below.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The nymph inquired, extending a hand to the boy. If he spoke that sentence to the average citizen of the outer ring, they¡¯d probably ostracize him. To criminals, the outer ring was perfect, a paradise to commit whatever crimes they wanted for the most part.

    ¡°Right! I¡¯m sorry. My name is Clyde.¡± He smiled warmly, taking the pale, cold hand that was offered to him.

    ¡°Syllis.¡± The nymph returned a similar warm smile. ¡°Our humble outer ring does give off that impression. Actually, it¡¯s not an impression. This place is as vile as it gets. Criminals run rampant and drugs flood the street. Out of the hundreds of people I¡¯ve seen out here, only one of them has been a good person. All the rest, as vile as it gets.¡±

    Clyde¡¯s face darkened at the thought. In inner Asanoch it was probably the other way around. One bad apple for every hundred upstanding citizens. Then again, any miscreants wealthy enough to live there could probably hide their nature pretty well.

    ¡°Syllis¡­¡± He mumbled slightly, it seemed he found the name interesting. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve seen my first good person in the outer ring. Do you live out here?¡±

    ¡°S-something like that¡­¡± Syllis couldn¡¯t exactly say that she lived in the outer ring. She didn¡¯t have a house, any belongings for the most part aside from random nicknacks. She also didn¡¯t really live there. Sure every breath she took was of that rotten air and every step taken on the unpaved sand.

    ¡°Alright.¡± His golden eyes flickered as if pleading for more information. ¡°Since I saw you¡­ In a ¡®vulnerable¡¯ state. Let me make you dinner.¡±

    ¡®This kind of situation seems like it should be setting off alarms in my head¡­ But I haven¡¯t had a meal in a while. And a good meal is even longer.¡¯ Syllis had only eaten bread for the longest while. She wondered if she could have meat! Or even fruit! This guy was wealthy after all.

    ¡°Lead the way.¡± Syllis said calmly as she followed behind the young man. His slightly long hair wafted in the wind. ¡®Please don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m going to have to explain what happened to his family.¡¯

    Suddenly she shuddered at the thought, she lost her rhythm of walking and slowed down abruptly before speeding back up again. ¡®Is it too late to run away¡­¡¯

    ¡°So where are we headed anyways?¡± Syllis asked, curious to know if she had heard of where he lived. The boy took a few moments before responding.

    ¡°I live in Aklilan.¡± Clyde spoke nonchalantly, looking back to the pathway in front of him.

    Syllis slowed slightly. ¡®What kind of a thing to say so casually.¡¯ The outer ring was lawless for the most part. It was the parts of Asanoch that the government hadn¡¯t managed to control and renovate yet.

    They did end up starting though and it began with Aklilan. It was a large wedge of the outer ring that had its houses completely torn down. Naturally, wanting to get out of the rather crowded central Asanoch, the upper class had estates built way out by the wall of the great bubble. In only a couple of years, Aklilan managed to become one of the most upscale areas in Asanoch.

    ¡°You said you were wealthy, you didn¡¯t say you were that wealthy.¡± Syllis turned towards Clyde which was an almost envious expression.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry it¡¯s one of the smaller estates. We¡¯re about as humble as the upper class gets.¡± Clyde spoke slightly quietly, they still weren¡¯t out of the outer ring yet. There was always a chance for someone to be listening in.

    ¡®I guess there is a more important topic¡­¡¯ Syllis turned towards the boy again and asked. ¡°How exactly are we going to get there?¡± It was a mostly fair question. They were pretty much going from the opposite end of Asanoch. It would take them at least eight hours of walking to make it to their destination.

 Chapter 2 - Cards

    ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯re taking a carriage.¡± Clyde was confused by the question. As someone who took a carriage all the time it was only a natural thought.

    ¡®That was a stupid question.¡¯ Syllis berated herself internally. She used to always take carriage rides. To and from school she would ride with her mother. They would sing songs and play games on the way back. That was long ago though and Syllis had completely forgotten of their existence until now.

    The next hour passed on almost silently as the two of them made their way out of outer Asanoch. Eventually they arrived at a carriage station. It was mostly empty, safe for a few obviously high class couples.

    ¡®How in lord''s name am I going to get back to my¡­¡¯ Syllis sighed defeatedly. ¡®I guess it doesn¡¯t matter when I get back. Not like I have anything to do. Maybe It¡¯ll even be nice, surfing the outer ring for interesting encounters.¡¯

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Clyde turned after handing the driver a few quartz shards. He looked at Syllis with curiosity.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You sighed. Is everything alright?¡± The understanding boy cocked his head slightly.

    ¡°Oh right, it¡¯s fine. All¡¯s good I was just thinking about something that happened a long time ago.¡± Syllis lied, blatantly. She fiddled with her thumb as though trying to pop it off.

    ¡°I understand, there¡¯s been something bothering me recently¡­¡± The boy seemed to move somewhere else entirely. Suddenly he was pulled away from their conversation into his own thoughts. He shook his head a couple times. ¡°Never mind that though. We should make it to my house in an hour at the most.¡±

    As the both of them stepped into the grandiose carriage, Syllis was overcome with a familiar sensation. The feeling of not needing to strain herself to get from one place to the other is one she¡¯d missed from her childhood.

    Wanting to get rid of the awkward silence in the carriage, Syllis desperately surveyed her surroundings. ¡®Nothing, actually¡­¡¯ ¡°Wanna play cards?¡± She asked plainly.

    Clyde seemed taken aback. This girl had seemed cold and distant the entire time he¡¯d spoken to her. She even had a somewhat threatening air around her. And now she was suddenly asking to play cards. ¡°S-sure¡­ What game would you like to play?¡± The boy spoke, rattled.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to play?¡± Syllis said almost like a question. ¡®What¡¯s the deal. People my age like to play games. At least they did while I was in school. They don¡¯t grow out of that do they?¡¯

    ¡°I want to play cards!¡± Clyde chirped, not wanting to offend the girl. ¡°Are you alright with call to arms?¡± He eagerly picked up the deck and began shuffling profusely.

    ¡°If you¡¯re alright with teaching me how to play¡­¡±

    The next half hour was spent purely teaching the nymph just how to play the game. It was a complicated game, every face card was a ¡®general¡¯ of a specific suit. A general could attack with a suit of their control and the goal was to completely deplete the opponent¡¯s fifty health.

    The real strategy of the game was choosing whether or not to skip an ¡®attack¡¯ to instead draw cards. If you held a card that was incrementally adjacent to your attacking card then that one would be triggered as well. So the tradeoff of attacking early was not setting off chain reactions, and the tradeoff for waiting was that you would most likely be screwed over if you took too long.

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡®I regret asking to play cards¡­¡¯ Syllis threw her hand against the seat of the carriage. ¡°How in lord''s name could I fail at something so miserably.¡±

    Clyde laughed heartily. ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up over it. You¡¯re doing¡­ Well enough for just picking the game up a while ago. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get better before we arrive.¡±

    ¡®If I can make it to then without tearing the deck apart¡­¡¯ Syllis began shuffling the cards, they were over halfway done their carriage ride now and she had a goal. ¡®I will win a game.¡¯

    ¡°Again.¡± She handed a few cards to the boy to her right.

    Throughout the next while, Syllis began winning games. First it was a one off, then a couple in a row. And then by the end she was winning every single match they played.

    ¡®I¡¯m not holy enough to rise above the urge to cheat¡­¡¯ Syllis didn¡¯t regret her actions. She had marked a majority of the cards she held with a faint scratch on the back. A small horizontal streak was a diamond card, a long horizontal streak was a heart. A small vertical was a club and a long vertical, a spade.

    ¡°See, what did I tell you? Look at the improvement! But I¡¯ll be honest I never expected you to improve that much¡­ You¡¯re pretty damn sharp.¡± Clyde took the cards, setting them off to the side as they were nearly at their destination.

    ¡°It was all due to my accumulation of cards. My impatience was my downfall at the start.¡± Syllis spewed out these blatant lies as easily as she breathed. ¡°It was fun.¡± She smiled, this wasn¡¯t a lie.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoyed it.¡±

    Three loud knocks rang against Syllis¡¯s cold steel door. Letting the both of them know that they had arrived. ¡®Because we can¡¯t see through the window¡­¡¯

    As soon as both of them stepped out, Syllis was overwhelmed by what was in front of them. A grandiose white house with freshly trimmed hedges and equally trimmed, silk leaf trees. Even the path that led them up to the house seemed expensive, ornate. It consisted of several shades of grey rocks. Patches of black and white sand swirled with each other in patches between the rocks.

    ¡®So this is as humble as the upper class gets.¡¯ Syllis only grumbled, slightly jealous as she followed the boy up the straight and narrow path.

    A woman blocked the path to the door and addressed the boy in front of her simply. ¡°Please don¡¯t run off so suddenly, Clyde. At least let us know where you¡¯re going.¡± She turned to a man and woman behind her. They were all in working outfits.

    ¡®They have maids too¡­¡¯ Syllis couldn¡¯t help but feel envious of the boy in front of her. She had to work tirelessly to survive nowadays. Whereas this boy probably only needed to study well and attend social gatherings.

    ¡°I know, sorry Anne. I just needed a little time out. You understand, right? No need to report this to my parents when they get back, right?¡± Clyde pleaded with the short maid.

    Anne merely blew the boy off and stepped down a couple of stone steps. She strutted over to a tall, secare nymph. ¡°Who are you?¡± The maid leaned closer, examining her neck before looking down to her stained, white dress.

    ¡°Syllis, could you wait outside for a couple minutes?¡± Clyde pulled the aggressive maid away towards the house before entering. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡± The door slammed shut.

    Syllis leaned against the wall, just next to the door. She wondered what they were talking about. ¡®This is getting complicated¡­ But I¡¯ve come too far to give up this meal!¡¯ She steeled her resolve. Bread wasn¡¯t exactly the worst, but alone it was plain. It was fine for a while but

    She then tried to peer in through an outer window, slight murmurs could be heard through the panes of glass. Each made in a different color, the window was like a myriad of shapes and colors that formed a lively picture. Unfortunately it was difficult to make out anything through this ¡®picture.¡¯

    After realizing that she would not be able to hear the conversation, she simply returned to waiting by the door. A few minutes later, Clyde had returned.

    ¡°Come on in!¡± Clyde spoke enthusiastically as he gestured invitingly.

 Chapter 3 - Humble

    The inside of the house was much more modest than the outside. The silk leaf trees had given an almost royal feeling to the estate but the inside was very welcoming. The walls were painted in soft tones of grey and the furniture was built of dark wood.

    The warm yellow lights felt comforting and Syllis basked in calming light. There was scarce any electricity in the outer ring, mostly due to the fact that there was a stigma that outer residents wouldn¡¯t have the quartz to pay for it.

    These worries weren¡¯t unfounded, many of the residents wouldn¡¯t have the quartz. Though this did harm the few that could pay for it. Even Jyrid¡¯s rather profitable tavern couldn¡¯t get the government to set up electricity for him. He was lucky to get running water set up but gas lamps had to be the cornerstone of his lighting situation.

    ¡°See what I was talking about, it¡¯s pretty humble.¡± Clyde spoke, leading Syllis into the foyer and pulled over a chair for her.

    ¡®Yeah. Humble¡­ This chair probably cost more quartz than the entire building that Jyrid runs his tavern out of.¡¯

    ¡°I do. It¡¯s very welcoming, not overbearing like I¡¯ve heard most estates are.¡± Syllis sat down and asked. ¡°Can I¡­¡± She weakly pointed to a small tray, filled with an assortment of treats.

    ¡°By all means.¡± Clyde said before grabbing one such treat himself.

    A maid and a butler both approached them. ¡°What would you like to eat for dinner, Clyde?¡± The butler inquired professionally.

    He simply turned to Syllis in response. She immediately sunk into her chair. She hadn¡¯t given any thought to what she wanted to eat. After having eaten the same meal for so long, she couldn¡¯t fathom the vast amount of options to choose from.

    Syllis thought for a minute, looking down towards her lap. She dug into the earliest moments of her childhood, into the time when she was happiest. She looked up at Clyde and uttered a single word. ¡°Peaches.¡±

    Clyde didn¡¯t laugh. He nearly did but held it in. ¡°Alright Thavin¡­ Please tell the chef to make whatever his heart desires with a nice mix of meats, vegetables and fruits. Make sure to include peaches, of course.¡± He bid the butler farewell and turned back towards Syllis.

    ¡°Why peaches?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to try them, simple as that.¡± Syllis responded concisely, albeit with another blatant lie. She wanted to reminisce, to delve back into simpler times.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fair reason.¡± Clyde took another treat and scoffed it down before speaking again. ¡°Sorry it will probably be a while until they are all finished.¡± His face was wrought with guilt.

    He had already spent a couple of hours with Syllis and the thought of her needing to linger for a couple more made him feel terrible.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright I¡¯m perfectly fine with just talking.¡± Syllis spoke in a low tone, calmly.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Clyde could have sworn that a slight warmth pervaded from within the depths of her icy exterior. As though a crack had formed in her outer persona.

    ¡°Starting with¡­ Why exactly were you trotting around the outer ring of Asanoch as a noble boy?¡± Syllis crossed one leg over the other and gleaned the boy¡¯s expression. She got the sense that he wasn¡¯t telling her the whole story earlier. Even if he had suspicions over the state of the outer ring, what had pushed him to see for himself. It wasn¡¯t something for someone like him to worry about.

    ¡°I already told you earlier. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Clyde looked into her eyes before glancing away and then turning back slowly.

    ¡°But that wasn¡¯t the entirety of it.¡± Syllis was adamant, her eyes unwavering. Their seafoam color swirled like a field of grass bellowing under a soft wind.

    ¡°Got me.¡± He raised his arms above him, as though surrendering a part of his territory. ¡°My parents are meeting with a prominent family. The Lauriers.-

    Syllis was stunned. ¡®T-the Lauriers.¡¯ Her world stopped all of a sudden. The Lauriers were the monarchs of Asanoch. Together with the government, they ran the entire city. It was a nice gig. The Lauriers could reap the benefits of the top all while being praised by the people, simultaneously they didn¡¯t have to work. That was left to the government.

    The only problem with such a family was that they were pure nymphs. Having a family of pure nymphs at the top of the city caused a group of humans to despise them. Humans were fated to try and conquer whatever stood in their path but this wasn¡¯t something they could take.

    Asanoch was destined to be ruled by nymphs, it was in their blood. The sea was their domain and this city, theirs to reign over.

    -¡°Anyways¡­ Their daughter, Anahita and I have been friends for a long while. Since we were young really. She did something that really hurt me, so I decided not to go. And I guess I wanted to get as far away from her as possible. So I left for the outskirts.¡± Clyde¡¯s expression grew sullen.

    ¡®Why does this guy keep momentarily looking depressed¡­ Creepy.¡¯ Syllis ruminated inwardly.

    His situation made sense though. Even in high society, some humans and nymphs held disdain for each other, buried deep below the surface. It was reasonable for the heir to Asanoch to have let it slip or have done something similar to upset him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done something similar once. When I was still in school there was a girl who was my best friend. Her name was Joan and she was a pure human. After talking to a few classmates they convinced her that I was no good as a friend because I was a nymph.So, I ran away. I ran far into the outskirts and never returned.¡±

    Syllis sounded somber as she detailed her past trauma. Of course, none of it was true. She wasn¡¯t comfortable sharing the truth. But she needed to relate to the boy in front of her somehow.

    ¡°That¡¯s a tragedy. There¡¯s indeed many humans that are envious of nymphs and despise them for it. I¡¯m hopeful that this will change in the future.¡± Clyde smiled warmly, before moving on to another topic.

    ¡°So when did you leave school? I can¡¯t imagine it was anymore than a couple years ago, you¡¯re well mannered.¡±

    ¡°Can I not be well mannered without going to school? Are all the uneducated cavemen?¡± Syllis stared into the boy¡¯s golden eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t mean that. It¡¯s just¡­ You have this air to you. It¡¯s one of the reasons I couldn¡¯t look away from you.¡± Clyde apologized sincerely, his cheeks became flushed and he looked away for a few moments.

    ¡°I¡¯m only joking. How is school? I can¡¯t say that I haven¡¯t missed it. Talking with friends and standing at the top of my classes¡­¡± Her voice trailed off at the end, as though she momentarily fell back into those old, less strenuous times.

    Clyde recounted various events and Syllis listened along intently. He spoke of the various core subjects, math and science, language and history. Eventually he arrived at a couple of subjects he truly cared about.

 Chapter 4 - Fable Rifts

    Fable rifts. Mysterious tears in space that appear, the multi dimensional result of people manifesting fairytales. The vast majority of such rifts were of unknown origin. However, few of them originated from native tales spread from either Arthenntin or Ethrailia.

    And so philosophers interpreted these rifts as a civilizations collective consciousness over one tale growing so large that it manifested in another realm. According to the theory, unknown fables were the consciousness of other truly intelligent civilizations manifesting.

    A society as a collective could not create an entirely new world of course. It was simply too much, only fragments could be passed down from generation to generation. Because of this, the base of most fables were the same as the world they originated from. The same races of people, the same environment, the same animals, the same cities. Only one or two of these categories would be able to be passed down. So even if a rift was exotic, the general science and math should have been more or less the same.

    The only blockade was whether or not it was fully applicable to their own world, some of the time it was, most of the time it wasn¡¯t. But that didn¡¯t matter. With enough repeated expeditions into fable rifts, their knowledge would still grow much faster than learning on their own.

    A singular rift that was applicable to their own world could contain thousands or tens of thousands of years of knowledge. Comparing that lottery to tireless slaving over trying to make one new discovery was pathetic.

    Diving into a rift was essentially seeing into the collective idea of an entire civilization of people, almost. There would always be corruption inside a rift, they weren¡¯t paradise.

    Most fairy tales were made to trick children into acting a particular way, like a terrifying monster that would eat a child that stayed awake for too long. There was always the matter of lunacy to factor in. Madness, ill people that tainted a rift through their warped view of the world.

    The world of Ethrailia had always sent trained nomads with powerful anathemic bonds to deal with them, while protecting researchers of course. The citizens would collectively pray for them to return safe because otherwise¡­ The rift could merge with their world, the creatures within could not invade but the environment could be vastly affected.

    There were more than several examples of this, namely, the colossal wall of ice that separates Ethrailia from Arthenntin. Meshin Kismet, it meant, fated to divide. The reason for the name? A scientist, Kilial Felwhin had prophesied the great wall for decades. His name for this event was Meshin Kismet.

    The world didn¡¯t take him seriously, how could they? A fable rift needed generations of telling such a tale to make it manifest. What were the chances that one, singular man with no children could cause such an event to happen. And what were the chances of it occurring in their own world, nearly zero, but it happened. In the end, Felwhin had disappeared into a rift, never to appear again.

    Syllis had known some of this. But most was brand new to her, who had left school a little more than two years ago. The limits of her knowledge was the fact that rifts were a result of a fable manifesting. So she was happy to learn as much as possible. The secare nymph had even entertained the thought of entering such a rift herself one day.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Syllis kept quiet for a couple minutes after the boy finished speaking. It was a lot to process. She hadn¡¯t known that most fable rifts were the result of outer fables from beyond our world. She thought about the stars and that ever shifting cosmic sky that sometimes greeted her on the surface.

    She hadn¡¯t even known about the other continent, past the titanic wall. It seemed the upper class had access to further knowledge the lower echelons were exempt from. Surely she should have heard something about Arthenntin before she left school.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Clyde leaned in, concerned for the girl.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s a lot to take in at once¡­¡± Syllis¡¯ voice trailed off, she was still wrapping her head around a couple of concepts.

    ¡°Oh, sorry for dropping all of that on you. I¡¯m just a little passionate about fable rifts, they¡¯ve always been important to me.¡± Clyde apologized.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, any other subjects monumental discoveries you¡¯re learning about?¡± Syllis spoke wryly, almost self-deprecatingly. She was either the same age or near the same age as Clyde and yet her knowledge seemed several bounds lower.

    ¡°I could go on for hours about Anathema. Want the rundown?¡±

    Anathema were violent and abhorrent entities that spawned through pure terror. If a person was deeply shaken by a traumatic and revolting event caused by an anathemic bond or even some ethereal being, they could inherit an Anathema.

    They were a curse, but could be a boon as well. It all depended on a person''s ability to transfigure them. A transfigured Anathema would become the catalyst for a bond between the kindred and whichever ¡®god¡¯ that Anathema spawned from. It only depended on the ritual conducted.

    Syllis knew this all too well. After all, she had found herself chained to the ground after one such ritual. The deep stone walls that surrounded her, the pristine water that she awoke in, the faint cold that accompanied her every step for a while after. Her father had done that to her, before being found dead only hours afterwards. ¡®Bastard, I should¡¯ve killed him myself. Not that I even knew what happened back then¡­¡¯

    She only managed to grasp even the basics of Anathema from chance encounters over the years. A couple of criminals possessed some otherworldly abilities and uttered about Anathema. Of course, such people weren¡¯t exactly keen on sharing such otherworldly secrets. She was forced to piece together a general view on her unfortunate power through tidbits of fanatical mutters. ¡®Why is Clyde here now? When I needed to know about this so much earlier, when I was busy nearly killing myself to try and figure out one single question. why?¡¯

    Generally, anathema went unused and would bubble up and lash out. They would attack those who bore their curse. Unable to do anything but march behind their bearers, they evolved. Every single time they clashed with their bearers, they grew. And the bigger an anathema was, the stronger the connection between kindred and ¡®god.¡¯

    Unfortunately, ritualists were like a tadpole in the vast open ocean. They were rare and even more pressing was their cost. To find someone with knowledge on whatever particular anathema you bore would have to be a fated encounter. So how unbelievable that Syllis¡¯ own father had known how to transfigure that anathema into a bond between her and Coryzan?

    Clyde eventually finished speaking. His passion shone throughout the entire time he spoke. ¡°As a noble, most of us are bonded, though mine is stronger than most¡­¡±

    He seemed to be recalling his ritual. Syllis was sure that it had to be horrific, much like her own. But surely it had happened later than her. At the young age of eight, that absurd experience never left her. It was the reason her entire life was uprooted. It was the sword to cut her legs, never to let her truly walk again.

    An older man gradually made his way closer, he was well kept and sported an ironed black suit. ¡°I am to inform you that dinner will be ready in an hour.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Birham.¡± Clyde spoke earnestly before sending the man away. A little disheartened, he turned to Syllis once again. ¡°Sorry for making you wait so long. But it seems we still have a while to go¡­¡±

    ¡°In that case¡­ Would you like to spar with me?¡±

 Chapter 5 - Unique bond

    ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡± Syllis said to Clyde as she scanned the massive battlefield. ¡®What an odd thing to hide behind such an otherwise wholesome estate?¡¯

    It was wrought with blood that was stamped into the very ground. Countless battles had to have been fought here for this dirt to have been stained such a violent shade of crimson.

    Dozens of seats lined the sides of the rectangular arena, escalating in height the further back they got like a large amphitheater. it wasn¡¯t even an arena exactly¡­ It was more just a massive clearing devoid of rocks or trees, the ground was flat and even. It was there for pure carnage, no fancy additions, only nothing to disturb the two individuals who clashed within.

    ¡°I know right!¡± Clyde spoke enthusiastically.

    They made their way to the center of the arena. It was tradition to shake hands before walking to the other end and beginning the fight. Clyde was wearing his usual white button up and brown pants. Syllis, out of the stained white dress, reflected the man in front of her.

    That dress wasn¡¯t suitable for a violent game such as this. Though her current clothes weren¡¯t exactly the most suitable either¡­ Her pants only fell to a couple of inches above her ankle and her white button down was even worse. The sleeves were pulled a few inches before her wrist. The top couple of buttons couldn¡¯t even be done up due to the tension on her sleeves.

    ¡®Indeed it¡¯s not exactly the greatest idea to shove a six foot nymph into the clothes of a five foot ten human man¡­ Regardless, it¡¯s better than before. Aside from one thing.¡±

    ¡°Clyde?¡± Syllis placed her arm on the man¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Clyde jumped slightly before responding shakily. It was unexpected. His complexion was rose colored and he would glance away before turning back, seemingly at random.

    ¡°If you¡¯re distracted, you might get hurt. I recommend you cast away any thoughts but our fight for the moment.¡± Syllis spoke slowly and in a low tone, she was confident.

    Clyde was taken aback, his eyes widening at her words. It had been a while since he¡¯d felt like this. ¡°Right.¡± He stuck out a hand, ready to begin the fight.

    Syllis took his hand before they walked towards their opposite ends of the battlefield. ¡®This is¡­ I feel¡­¡¯ She was excited it had been a long while since she invoked her bond. ¡®I hope¡­ I hope that this is a good fight¡­

    ¡°Are you sure that you want to do this? I mean we can kill time doing other things. Like we could play more card games or¡­¡±

    ¡®This guy has an ego.¡¯ Syllis rolled her eyes and opened her mouth slightly. ¡°Coryzan. The visitor from beyond Acciliant, doomed to watch everlong. A wasteland, cold and doomed to get colder.¡± She muttered the incantation to invoke her anathemic bond.

    The air gradually grew colder until the temperature around the nymph was well below freezing. Patches of frost glistened below her feet and even the slight evaporating droplets of rain seemed to freeze and shatter upon impact with the ground.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Syllis once again opened her mouth, this time looking over to Clyde. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on the outer ring, Clyde.¡± She pointed her wooden partizan towards him, its crossguard at the end was like a pair of wings.

    Her seafoam eyes locked with his. Even with a hundred meters between them, Clyde felt the sentiment behind them.

    Not needing to respond. Clyde invoked his anathemic bond. His presence gradually faded until he was almost unnoticeable.

    Syllis felt her eyes wander from the boy repeatedly. ¡®What an interesting bond¡­¡¯ She had never encountered such an abstract bond before. ¡®What kind of ¡®god¡¯ would be able to turn away mine and thus Coryzan¡¯s gaze?¡¯

    Feeling inferior, Syllis utilized some of her bond. Ice manifested in rings around her and spun violently as it contorted as if it had a mind of its own. She reached a single arm out and pointed at the noble boy. ¡®How will his bond deal with this?¡¯

    It was only smart to see what an opponent¡¯s bond could do before engaging in direct combat. Anathemic bonds often acted in ways that weren¡¯t exactly expected. If someone had a bond that allowed them to detect lies, then they would also practically have the ability to detect truths. This could be countered by speaking truth but hiding in obscure language or as a smaller part of a larger sentence.

    This strategy was one such way to see if she could counter this boy¡¯s bond. The bond to make one¡¯s gaze shy away was powerful, but more so at close range. At a distance so far, it was weak, since they occupied such a small field of vision. Though only time could tell what the impact would be when this boy comprised nearly the entirety of Syllis¡¯ vision.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Syllis questioned as she watched the scene unravel in front of her. In the corner of her eye, the ice wrapped around the side of the noble boy. ¡®It would seem that my bond is also being influenced, turned away.¡¯

    She was overtaken by a grand feeling. It was a feeling of selfishness, of naivety. Syllis didn¡¯t have much, not a home nor any belongings. All she had was this cursed bond. Of a god that she didn¡¯t worship, of a being that she hadn¡¯t taken in by choice.

    After living in the outskirts for long enough, she figured the bond might as well be used. If she was unfortunate enough to be cursed by it, then it should be used. After all of the torment she went through, she deserved such a bond. Especially one as powerful as hers.

    Naturally, she took great pride in a bond so powerful. Her reputation grew in outer Asanoch and earned the nymph her title, the siren. It wasn¡¯t a flattering one, but it demonstrated her talent.

    ¡®To so casually overcome my bond¡­ Why does a noble with the ability to coast through life have the ability to deal with my bond so easily?¡± Syllis wanted to overshadow this boy. She wanted to show him that she was beyond any of these people that could live so easily, without the need to fight everyday.

    ¡°That¡¯s a neat bond!¡± The boy spoke with genuine joy. It had been a while since he last fought someone so unique.

    It was a fair thought. Most fables that were told after all didn¡¯t feature abstract things like the manifestation of ice. This was a complex ability, it could do many things. It could be shaped and bent to the user¡¯s will. It could be made into a weapon or risen from the ground before being shattered causing the enemy to succumb to gravity.

    Instead, most fables featured simpler concepts: a person whose touch could turn objects to gold or who could lift weight ten times the amount a normal person could. So a bond that could manifest and manipulate ice was definitely unique.

    ¡°I could say the same about yours¡­¡± Syllis spoke quietly. Formulating a plan internally, she got ready to lunge towards the fellow, and close the distance. Unfortunately for her, Clyde seemed to have the same plan. And even acted quicker on it.

    Soon enough, they clashed. Their weapons caught on each others cross guards with deadly force.

 Chapter 6 - Fight to Remember

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, it was wrong of me to try and get you to reconsider the spar. Lords, I would have been disappointed if I knew that I¡¯d miss out on this.¡± Clyde pulled his weapon back.

    Syllis didn¡¯t respond, not wanting to break her concentration. She could tell from the weight of his strike that this wasn¡¯t a sheltered noble, he had fought before, and a lot. ¡®I wonder how much of the blood staining this dirt is his own?¡¯

    Syllis was passive, she was trying to get a sense of how exactly the boy attacked. This was so that she could make accurate assumptions over what his next move would be, a primitive type of foresight.

    It had been a while since Syllis was enrolled in school, which had the beloved combat classes she adored. No one matched her with the partisan or any other weapon really, it was her favorite time of day. When she left school, that class was also left behind. Her skill had deteriorated so this primitive foresight was necessary.

    The boy seemed to be doing the same thing. He only threw out plain swings of his wooden sword to see what the nymph would do. Apparently, he had grown aware of the threat that she possessed after seeing her bond.

    ¡®I guess I should have thrown out something more lethal earlier¡­ But what would I tell his parents if he fell over lifelessly? I guess I can go ahead now that I know his limits.¡¯

    The fight changed qualitatively. The information phase was over. Both combatants had learned the nuances of their opponents'' bond. It was time for things to really ramp up.

    Syllis leapt forward, the air around her grew cooler. Even her breath left a faint, misty wisp that shortly dissipated. She thrust her partisan forward, aimed at the boy¡¯s knee. ¡°Let me ask you a question, Clyde.¡± She said before narrowly dodging a slash towards her shoulder.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Clyde did a low sweep with his leg, knocking Syllis down. He dashed forward as a sheet of ice rose between them. He collided with the wall and rolled back.

    ¡°You have Anathemic doctors right?¡± Syllis questioned. She urgently needed to know whether or not to be careful in winning the spar. If he didn¡¯t have an Anathemic doctor then she would likely need to win by rendering him unable to move.

    ¡®That would be¡­ Problematic.¡¯ It would require incredibly precise control over her ice to achieve and that wasn¡¯t exactly realistic. Her bond wasn''t the easiest thing to manipulate.

    This was exactly why she hadn¡¯t manifested a weapon. It would be near impossible for her to shape a spear of exactly the right shape already. Add needing to get the density consistent enough for the center of gravity to sit in the right location, along with the need for it to be strong enough to endure clashes against flesh and bone¡­

    ¡°Of course we have Anathemic doctors. Those kinds of fables are common.¡± Clyde leapt forward and thrust his longsword towards the girl, aiming for her abdomen. His speed increased twofold what it had been until now.

    Syllis¡¯ eyes widened as she saw the blade move. She could only fall to avoid it. Her entire being fell backwards, colliding with the wry ground. She groaned in pain and looked up at Clyde, whose momentum was still propelling him forward.

    She latched onto his boot, pulling his leg backwards which brought him to a halt. He yelled, as his body collided against the ground.

    With the boy so close, Syllis seemed to fully grasp his invocation. Her gaze would be thrown away faster the more of her view that Clyde occupied. When he fell so close to her, the girl¡¯s head was thrown the other way.

    ¡®What a vile bond¡­¡¯ Syllis muttered inwardly as she rose several pillars of ice to separate the two of them. She then swung around the side one such pillar and caught a glimpse of Clyde who had already covered before her sight was thrown away.

    Syllis threw a sharp thrust towards her opponent, threatening to disembowel him. He knocked the cold spear away before attempting to rise. Both of his feet were caught by cold shackles of ice. He only looked up at Syllis as she looked beyond, getting ready to pierce his abdomen.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Then, in the center of her vision stood Clyde. Her vision was again thrown to the side and Syllis looked back at the shackled Clyde, he had stopped moving but was very much still there.

    ¡°What kind of ¡®god¡¯ gave you such an odd bond? How strong was your Anathema?¡± Syllis questioned the man as he lunged towards her. She couldn¡¯t fathom how his bond had such a strong secondary component. She figured that his Anathema must have been especially powerful and required an incredibly complex ritual to transfigure.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The man replied simply, his serrated wooden sword easily cut through Syllis¡¯ left side. Crimson liquid quickly seeped into her clothing and began dripping onto the thirsty dirt.

    ¡°Forgive me for underestimating you, Clyde.¡± Syllis hadn¡¯t anticipated this boy to have such an interesting and powerful bond. Though it didn¡¯t have much in the way of direct damage, it could very much be used to overcome those who did, such as Syllis herself.

    ¡®I guess it¡¯s time for blood to spill.¡¯ Syllis held her hand against the wounded flesh at her side and quickly cooled the skin, slowing the flow of blood and tightening the wound. She dodged several of Clyde¡¯s swings and deflected several more using pillars of ice. Then, she kicked, throwing the boy onto his back.

    After her gaze was thrown away, Syllis would have a hard time looking towards where Clyde was. This helped her know where he was without seeing him. With a spear, hitting an opponent you only knew the general area of would be difficult but with something as big as a boot, then it was easy.

    Next, Syllis dashed backwards, creating a dozen meters of space before Clyde could rise to his feet again. She steeled her nerves as a giant spear of ice manifested in her hand.

    If a weapon needed precise control and precision to be usable for an extended period of time then why had she made one now? A weapon didn¡¯t need to be precise if it was only to be used one time.

    Waves of ice rushed towards her from behind, throwing the light girl forward across the icy floor with incredible speed. Then, she threw the javelin forward at full force towards the boy who stared forward at a loss for words.

    ¡®An afterimage¡­¡¯ Syllis spun, waves of ice crashed to her right to stop the man from approaching, then she rushed towards him. She kicked his hand and thrust her spear towards it, fusing it to the ground. Clyde screamed and Syllis¡¯ gaze was able to shift back towards the ground fused man.

    She spun again and punched the boy with an ice clad fist just as his sword grazed her cheek. Neither of them had an opportunity to scream as they continued moving.

    Syllis caged the boy in a chamber of ice and turned to look. ¡®An afterimage.¡¯ She remarked before the image punched her chest. ¡®What?¡¯ her mind worked overtime to figure out what just happened.

    Clyde had hid behind the afterimage to let Syllis look at him, then he had punched threw it to throw her off. ¡®What a snakelike way to fight.¡¯

    ¡°You want to fight dirty Clyde? Let¡¯s do it.¡± Syllis rose a beam of ice from the ground to separate them once again. ¡®I can play dirty too.¡¯

    Several dozen minuscule shards manifested in the air. Clyde soon made his way around the wall of ice and was met with that horrific sight. A few shards shot forward and dug into his shoulders.

    This distraction had let Syllis jab her partisan into his shoulder. He cried out and slashed her thigh before kicking her stomach. Syllis wasn¡¯t just an opponent now, her mastery over this powerful bond¡­ It was safe to say she was a real threat to the man in front of her.

    Syllis yelled out in pain and grabbed the boy¡¯s shirt as she stumbled backwards. ¡°Huh?¡± Her hand fell through the body as though there was nothing there.

    An ice cold sensation felt terrifying against the back of her throat. Her mouth took solemn breaths as she spoke. ¡°I concede.¡±

    The sudden sound of a shard of ice shattered against the ground. Clyde then swung around the side of her. With his Anathemic bond deactivated, Syllis could look at the battered man freely.

    It seemed her savagery had inflicted much more damage onto him than his attacks against her. Although in the end, he had done her in with that cunning bond of his and a familiar shard of ice. The fact that he had done her in with a shard of her very own bond felt infuriating. But there was no refuting it, Clyde had won this spar.

    ¡°Thank you for the good fight.¡± Clyde spoke happily, he held a hand out towards the secare nymph. It was like his horrifying bond had never been invoked and the spar didn¡¯t even occur to him.

    That stark contrast was scary to Syllis who begrudgingly grabbed his hand. ¡°Thank you for the good fight¡­¡± She muttered before looking around.

    It seemed that they were pretty loud. Loud enough to attract a whole slew of spectators. Neither of them had noticed during the spar but several maids and butlers were watching their spectacle of a fight unfold, as well as several others.

    The entire area remained silent for a few moments as Syllis and Clyde looked towards each other and then back to the crowd that looked onward from the raised seats.

    Suddenly, cheers erupted from the various spectators.

 Chapter 7 - Dastardly Bond

    ¡°Are they usually this loud?¡± Syllis questioned Clyde who seemed astonished at the applause. She heaved and cooled her various wounds, trying to find a stable breathing rhythm.

    Clyde continued to stare forward, not turning to the secare nymph. ¡°No. No they aren¡¯t.¡±

    Clyde began walking towards the group of spectators and Syllis teetered behind, sometimes slowing down or speeding up.

    ¡®Lesson for the future, don¡¯t get slashed in the thigh¡­¡¯ Syllis laughed wryly. Still in somewhat of a shock, she had another thought. ¡®I really lost. I lost. I lost the spar¡­ When¡¯s the last time that happened?¡¯

    Suddenly, she viewed the boy in front of her in a different light. He didn¡¯t seem the naive noble that he had appeared to be at first. Rather, that was almost like the guise put on by a lethal beast.

    ¡°Incredible young lord!¡± Several of Clyde¡¯s stewards chirped. They praised the young boy for his battle against the secare nymph.

    The longer that everybody praised Clyde the more uncomfortable Syllis grew. Not only in terms of her physical wounds but more so her mental state. Clyde had been so welcoming to her thus far and now she felt like an outsider.

    Syllis didn¡¯t know how to stand, how far away to sit, where to get patched up. It was dizzying to be surrounded by such a large group of people. Especially for someone who lived on the outer ring.

    Eventually the crowd pulled back and left to go continue with their daily tasks, though murmurs could still be heard. ¡°That nymph was pretty good too¡­¡± Finally, Syllis had been sung some praise but eventually that faded as their footsteps could no longer be heard.

    ¡°So how about a doctor¡¯s visit?¡± Clyde looked to Syllis with concern. His eyes lingered over several of her wounds which seemed to ignite guilt within before he looked away.

    ¡°That would be nice¡­¡± Syllis spoke quietly, not with her same steady low tone from before. Instead, she sounded distracted and far away from reality.

    Syllis followed behind Clyde as he led her towards his Anathemic doctor. A bizarre thought formed in her mind. ¡®If Clyde has a bond so peculiar and powerful, do his friends have similar ones?¡¯

    ¡°Clyde, would you mind if I asked you something a little¡­ Personal.¡± Her eyes darted. It was indeed an odd question to ask someone you¡¯ve only known for a few hours.

    The man in front of her grew flustered. His cheeks puffed up in a rosy color and his eyes mirrored the movements of Syllis¡¯ own. ¡°U-uh¡­ Yeah i-it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s up with this guy? His behavior makes no sense¡­¡¯

    ¡°Alright then¡­ Do you have any friends with Anathemic bonds?¡± Syllis asked plainly, watching the man¡¯s face.

    ¡°Oh, uh. Of course I have some of them¡­¡± His voice trailed out. It seemed that Clyde wasn¡¯t exactly expecting that question.

    ¡®What did he think I was going to ask?¡¯ Syllis continued following Clyde without any more unexpected questions. She contemplated asking about their bonds. What they did, how long they could be sustained. She was looking for more equally daunting opponents to potentially spar with.

    Unfortunately for Syllis, she ultimately decided against it. Anathemic bonds were highly private. How you attained an Anathema was typically a traumatic event. Every battle they fought against their Anathema certainly left a few scars. Even finding a ritualist that was sufficient was a near fruitless endeavor to undertake. Because of this, people liked to keep their bonds hidden. Not revealing them to anyone but close friends and family.

    ¡®Such a shame¡­¡¯ Syllis thought before her and Clyde eventually stepped into a spacious room.

    Unlike the rest of the estate, the walls of this room were not shades of grey. They were a pristine white which beamed good health. Several comfortable looking beds loomed in a corner of the room and a desk accompanied with several vials and pieces of paper fit nicely opposite them.

    Of course, the seat was occupied. An older man was currently jotting down notes on one of these papers murmured unintelligibly. His hair was longer than normal and was speckled with the occasional white hair. He couldn¡¯t have been any older than his mid fifties.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Edward.¡± Clyde called out to the older man. Though his voice didn¡¯t contain the usual enthusiasm as it normally had. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for showing up again. I couldn¡¯t help sparring¡­¡± He scratched his head before looking away.

    A couple moments of silence followed before a sigh left the man¡¯s mouth. ¡°It¡¯s alright Clyde. I know how much you love to spar.¡± A warm smile appeared on the man¡¯s face, if only for a moment.

    ¡°That I do. And she seems to as well.¡± Clyde pointed towards the battered nymph. Her clothes were torn in several places, namely her left side and inner thigh.

    The doctor leaned in further, wheeling his chair closer. ¡°I will say though Clyde¡­¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°This one seems to have roughed you up more than usual¡­¡± Edward¡¯s gaze lingered on several wounds and his voice trailed off.

    Suddenly, Syllis felt overcome with praise. It was everything she had silently been begging for from the group spectating the spar. Instantly, she felt that it was worth it. The battered bruises and crimson bleached cuts were nothing when given the slightest acknowledgement.

    Now, Syllis knew that she had to try as hard as she could to get involved with this group. There were several people with anathemic bonds, and powerful ones at that. Just the thought of another battle as invigorating as the last was intoxicating to say the least.

    Unable to resist, Syllis spoke. ¡°You know they call me the siren.¡± She examined the confused expression of Clyde and looked to Edward.

    The man seemed stunned, his lips wavered slightly as he steadily breathed in and out. Only a minute later he seemed to be back to normal.

    ¡®Weird.¡¯ Syllis remarked before speaking again. ¡°I know it¡¯s not the most amazing name ever.¡± Her expression grew more sullen. She hadn¡¯t evoked the reaction that she¡¯d intended.

    Clyde shook his head and simply walked towards the secare nymph. He leaned into her ear and whispered a few words.

    Syllis¡¯ face brightened. ¡®I- I didn¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯ll have to stop the spread of that name. Who started it again¡­¡¯ She cursed the originators of such a promiscuous nickname.

    ¡°Anyways how about we stop bleeding on your floor, Edward?¡± Clyde turned a flush Syllis around and spoke to the older man.

    ¡°I think that would be nice¡­¡± His voice trailed off like he was in the middle of intense thought. He stroked the slight stubble under his chin before garnering a few tools.

    Mere minutes later, both Clyde and Syllis were lying down on parallel beds. Both were out of their bloodsoaked, noble clothes. Now they wore the standard treatment clothing which consisted of a long blue gown fastened at the back with a few knotted strings.

    Edward, who had been seated at Clyde¡¯s bed for a while now, gasped. ¡°Clyde, just where did you find such a dangerous woman¡­¡± He spoke carefully as he wove a silver needle in and out of his patient.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you!¡± Clyde laughed before wincing at the slight pain that the needle pinged every time it pierced his light skin.

    It seemed that Edward¡¯s anathemic bond didn¡¯t have the greatest form of pain numbing despite that being the most widely sought after trait in a doctor.

    Syllis turned away and looked towards the stone roof. ¡®Why would this wealthy boy have a doctor with such an inadequate bond?¡¯ Even in the outer ring Syllis had met a couple of doctors with bonds that outshone Edward¡¯s. Their rates must have been half his as well.

    It was only after he began mending her wounds that Syllis understood his value.

    Edward pulled at the curtain that separated both combatants. The blue cloth wafted slightly before he pulled it closed again. This time, his chair was wheeled over to the side of the battered, secare nymph¡¯s bed.

    ¡°Clyde messed you up pretty bad too. How can two people meet hours earlier, and then beat each other to what would usually be near death.¡± Edward sighed before speaking again. ¡°And I¡¯m going to need you to stop that¡­¡±

    He pointed towards the wound that penetrated Syllis¡¯ side. It was frozen over and crudely maintained to stop the flow of blood and keep her together.

    Syllis blinked a couple times before looking down at her wound. ¡°Oh, sorry?¡± The gaping slash gradually returned to room temperature. Slowly dismissing the cold spell placed upon it.

    Without wasting any time. Edward immediately began treatment. He held his firmly on top of the wound and an odd sensation raged within Syllis.

    At first it was gentle and soothing, then it grew more irrational, violent even. Eventually it tore at her insides. She wanted to scream but her mouth didn¡¯t move. ¡®What kind of idiot would wail in pain while they¡¯re being mended?¡¯

    As soon as the pain subsided, Syllis took a deep breath. She understood why the man in front of her was the contracted doctor of this noble family. The only slight pings of pain now were the silver needle pulling her flesh together.

    Her wound had entirely closed, no blood to speak of and certainly nothing internally that was left unattended. Normally, Syllis would need to use her bond to alleviate some of the pain that anathemic doctors left behind. Be it a slight cut they missed or wounds that couldn¡¯t be dealt with.

    However, this was the worst injury she¡¯d ever sustained and it had been dealt with flawlessly. Though it was also the most painful way she¡¯d been treated. ¡®This lunatic¡­¡¯ Edward possessed a unique bond to heal tremendous damage with the caveat of the patient feeling all of the pain that they would have experienced in that wound¡¯s lifespan, in a matter of minutes.

    ¡®Bastard, how could I not be warned of something so dastardly.¡¯ Syllis cursed him out before then thinking of the possibilities. ¡®Imagine damaging an enemy before healing them and then killing them while they are preoccupied with the pain.

    It was indeed a devious ability to possess. Syllis could only be thankful she wasn¡¯t on the wrong end of it.

 Chapter 8 - Peaches

    ¡°Clyde, dinner is ready.¡± A younger maid with a warm smile interrupted the tense atmosphere.

    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Clyde called out, sending the maid away before pushing the blue curtain separating him and Syllis away. ¡°W-we

    Immediately, his eyes were drawn to Syllis¡¯ body. Her gown was lifted, revealing her newly mended and sewn wound on her side. Along with a healthy portion of her toned stomach.

    Edward laughed in the corner before returning to his work, jotting down information on paper.

    ¡°Come on Clyde, you¡¯ve seen a lot more of me than this bit of skin.¡± Syllis smirked and looked Clyde in the eye. Despite her quiet self, she couldn¡¯t help passing up the opportunity to tease the boy.

    ¡°And just what does that mean, Clyde?¡± Edward''s tone was exaggerated and full of false sternness as he turned around with his arms crossed.

    His face was likely red but he turned away in embarrassment. A few moments later he rose anew. ¡°It means that it¡¯s just about time for us to go. And Edward, you¡¯re welcome to join us for dinner.¡± A newfound confidence propelled his voice forward.

    ¡°Something is telling me it might be best to leave you two alone, to not get in the way. So go, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Edward pushed the two of them out of the room. He seemed eager to get back to his work.

    They both changed into new clothes, not stained with the stench of warm blood. It was a comedic sight, they matched clothing while looking, just about as different from each other as possible. Syllis was truly out of place.

    Clyde led Syllis through a series of turns eventually landing the both of them in a grandiose banquet hall. Two dozen seats lined the sides of a grand table.

    Syllis imagined a grand sparring tournament. Everyone battered, their skin caked in blood. They all ate in peace, digging into the flesh of creatures long gone. The winners would sit at the top and the losers at the bottom, forced to eat the scraps of those above them.

    Of course, Syllis would be near the top, dining on the delicacies provided. She was the most powerful force in her corner of outer Asanoch after all. ¡®The Siren¡¯ wasn¡¯t a great name but it was still a testament to her reputation.

    What angered Syllis was the man that would be seated further beyond her. The man that offered to feed her today. The man to best her in what she considered to be her own game. Her wounded pride twisted and contorted like the head of an arrow, refusing to be pulled out.

    ¡°They do know that we¡¯re only two people right?¡± Syllis tilted her head as she scanned the various dishes lined down the great table. What seemed like it could feed a dozen people was laid out for just two of them.

    ¡°They should?¡± Clyde¡¯s response was unclear, apparently he wasn¡¯t the most certain of what miscommunication had occurred between the servants and the cooks.

    ¡°You sure Edward doesn¡¯t want to join us?¡± Syllis joked, but inwardly, she wanted him here. She couldn¡¯t possibly do her part in eating all this food.

    Clyde looked around the room, looking for anyone. ¡°Hello Anne, Werner. Would you like to join us?¡± He inquired pleasantly.

    Now, a ramshackle team of people were placing articles of food onto their large plates. Syllis didn¡¯t know where to start. All she knew was that those fruits, the golden, slightly rosy slices were to be saved for last. ¡®Peaches, my beloved.¡¯

    Her mouth nearly began wandering. Anne was like a guide who reluctantly described the various dishes that Syllis asked about. She appeared to be getting light headed from the flurry of questions. But who else was better suited to answer than the maid that helped make the meal plan.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Besides, she wasn¡¯t exactly keen on refusing the secare nymph anyways. Anne had seen her previous spar with Clyde, along with the other spectators. She was afraid to refuse the monster that nearly managed to best her young lord.

    Finally, Syllis had assembled her plate, some items had components she was familiar with and some were entirely new. Such as one of a heasen''s stuffed hearts. They were small creatures with six hearts, one in each leg.

    As such, they were desirable. The effort that needed to be put into hunting them was of much less value than their hearts which tasted deeply meaty. They were perhaps the most cost efficient mammal to hunt down.

    Even Jyrid, who scarcely had fresh meats on the menu of his tavern, would occasionally have the hearts of heasen on his menu. ¡®Cheap bastard.¡¯ Syllis often scolded the man for his low quality menu.

    ¡°So Clyde, your friends¡­ What are they like?¡± Syllis wasn¡¯t the greatest at small talk. ¡®Best to move onto some big talk then!¡¯ She thought, picking at a couple of small pieces of fatty meat.

    ¡°They are¡­¡± Clyde stopped momentarily. He really cared about his friends and wanted to find the ideal words to describe them.

    ¡°Aura is aggressive to those that first meet her. But once you know her for a while, she opens up. To tell you the truth, her bond is terrifying. Sometimes I wonder what kind of Anathema she dealt with to get such a bond.

    ¡°Korman is maybe the exact opposite. He keeps quiet and is pretty passive. He keeps the three of us in check. Like the control in our volatile group. His bond isn¡¯t as scary as Aura¡¯s but it¡¯s just as interesting.

    ¡°Anyways, what matters is that they are good people. Sometimes they¡¯re the only thing keeping me sane while I deal with¡­¡± Clyde stopped abruptly. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. What are your friends like?¡± He shifted the topic to Syllis.

    ¡®Smooth¡­ What the hell can I tell him about my ¡®friends?¡¯¡¯ Syllis seriously thought for a second.

    ¡°Well, pretty much my only friend is an old alcoholic. He¡¯s pretty grouchy and is always telling me to get out of his tavern, though I think it¡¯s really just a bar.¡±

    Syllis would have felt the need to lie before, when she was worried he would send her away without food if she was a risk. But after she sparred with him and saw that he was equally dangerous. She was confident that he wouldn¡¯t send her away if she said a few odd things.

    Besides, she was now trying to get more involved with Clyde and his group. The truth would come out sometime. So why not be a little forward?

    Anne laughed from beside Clyde. ¡°You have a way with words, nymph girl.¡± She mocked the secare nymph.

    Syllis¡¯ face contorted, the corners of her lips sunk. ¡®Wasn¡¯t for you to hear, maid¡­¡¯ She stared daggers at the woman.

    The four of them sat in silence while they continued to eat. They gorged on the -still too much for them- food. Their bellies were stuffed and their dialogue fizzled out.

    After cleaning out the entire plate, Syllis managed to finish almost another one. Although she put in the towel once she reached the salad, littered with fickle harriers. ¡®Bitter! Too bitter!¡¯

    Finally, at the end of their grand banquet, Syllis opened her mouth. ¡°Clyde, it¡¯s time¡­¡± She let her voice mysteriously trail out into a place beyond them.

    ¡°Is it really? Can you handle it?¡± His tone was solemn and wavering.

    ¡°It is.¡± She was resolute. Syllis stood slightly, leaning forward. Her nose was met with a sweet scent as she sniffed the last delicacy in front of her. Syllis reached for the golden slices, speckled with rosy tones. The small, almost whimsical fruit slice tasted like heaven.

    Syllis was reminded why this small fruit was her favorite food. The mix of tangy sweetness and the slightly pulp-like flavor made her mouth water irrationally.

    ¡®It¡¯s¡­ Divine.¡¯ Syllis quickly scoffed down several more slices, before eating several more and then a dozen after that. After she¡¯d eaten the equivalent of several full peaches, Syllis declared herself to be full.

    ¡°Thank you Clyde, for everything.¡± Syllis looked at the man from the inner window of her carriage. She still wondered how it felt to be this rich. The small taste she¡¯d gotten was good and certainly worth nearly her entire day being put on hold.

    ¡®Not like I had anything in particular to do today, or any day.¡¯ Syllis let out a self-deprecating smile and spoke again. ¡°You know where I¡¯ll be if you want to visit, Clyde.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll visit soon!¡± Clyde spoke enthusiastically. He seemed to be happy to have made a new friend.

    Clyde then knocked a few times, signaling the carriage to begin its move. With the snap of a couple reigns, the horses pulling the hefty chassis neighed and began walking, before speeding up into a trot.

    As the estate vanished from sight, Syllis thought of her experience. The brutal spar, the pleasant conversation and of course the simply perfect meal she¡¯d eaten.

    ¡®I¡¯ll see you soon, Clyde.¡¯

 Chapter 9 - Arrival

    The next few days slowly passed. Syllis needed Clyde to visit her again. She needed that adrenaline to flow once again. ¡®Maybe I wasn¡¯t enthusiastic enough¡­¡¯

    Syllis tried acting more open at dinner so that Clyde would invite her back again. Unfortunately, it seemed her efforts were in vain as there had been no sign of the young man for a few days.

    ¡®Damn it Syllis!¡¯ Syllis banged at the side of her head as she continued walking. She was on her way to her favorite swimming spot.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± A familiar figure called out. His golden eyes were full of worry and he brushed at his brown hair with his hand.

    ¡°I was starting to think you wouldn¡¯t come back again.¡± Syllis spoke somewhat coldly. ¡®He deserves it, making me fret like that. Wait, is it wrong for me to assume-

    Clyde smiled and spoke again. ¡°Well rejoice, here I am. I would have visited sooner but my parents weren¡¯t especially keen on me heading to the outskirts¡­¡± He chuckled slightly.

    ¡°A nice solution would have been to lie.¡± Syllis rolled her eyes. The thought that this boy took multiple days of delay to avoid this slight lie to his parents was humorous.

    ¡°I¡¯m not callous enough for that.¡± Clyde¡¯s mouth opened agape. It seemed the thought never crossed his mind.

    ¡®So I¡¯m callous for thinking that? Not exactly how I¡¯d put it. Maybe¡­ Efficient?¡¯ Syllis¡¯ left eye twitched slightly before she spoke again. ¡°So¡­ Why are you here?¡±

    ¡®Maybe to invite me over for food again¡­ I mean it¡¯s a long way to take by carriage, it can''t be cheap. I should refuse, act guilty and then¡­ This is pure lunacy.¡¯ Syllis found herself carried away at the thought of tasting the divine food procured by Clyde¡¯s chefs again. She even attributed some credit to Anne, despite her slight disdain towards the aggressive house maid.

    Suddenly, the snapping of fingers in front of her face woke Syllis from her self induced daze.

    ¡°Distracted?¡± Clyde inquired, somewhat worried.

    ¡°Nothing important!¡± Syllis answered loudly, a departure from her usual demeanor. ¡®Nice one me!¡¯

    ¡°Anyways, like I said.-

    ¡®And like I heard nothing about¡­¡¯ Syllis smirked slightly as she scolded herself again inwardly.

    ¡°My parents would like to meet the outsider that managed to ¡®draw the blood of a Boorne.¡¯¡± Clyde scanned the slight confusion on the secare nymphs face. ¡°Their words, not mine. My father has a tendency to speak dramatically. It¡¯s almost a hobby of his.¡±

    ¡®Huh¡­ What do I do?¡¯ Syllis was stumped, despite her wanting to be involved further in Clyde¡¯s circle, she hadn¡¯t anticipated having to meet his parents so soon. Would they be able to see past Syllis¡¯ act? Would they see her for what she is? A lunatic, craving for combat, lusting for that same adrenaline Clyde had injected her with.

    ¡®I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter if they can or not. I just have to make sure Clyde remains attached.¡¯ Syllis decided it would be best to ask the most important question. ¡°Are they going to eat me, butcher me, stew me?¡±

    ¡°No. They don¡¯t especially like seafood.¡± Clyde tilted his head and mocked Syllis¡¯ question. It was absurd, who would eat another person. For what reason, just because they had gills?

    On the ride back to Clyde¡¯s estate, Syllis wondered what his parents would be like. Clyde himself was a unique character. He had an unusual trust in complete strangers. But the slightest pain from those he was close to hurt him deeply.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    At least this was Syllis¡¯ interpretation of him. ¡®Maybe they won¡¯t ask me any especially odd questions. Wait¡­ Is asking about my family even a weird question? I guess under normal circumstances it wouldn¡¯t be¡­

    ¡®It¡¯s too much thinking! There¡¯s no point in speculating beforehand. I¡¯m just going to have to wait until I speak with them. Only then can I form an opi-

    ¡°Hey Clyde? What are your parents like?¡± Syllis questioned the man.

    ¡°They are very nice.¡± Clyde didn¡¯t give Syllis an answer remotely close to what she had wanted.

    ¡®Classic.¡¯ Syllis rolled her eyes at the response. She wasn¡¯t any less blind than before. And she would remain essentially blindfolded until they arrived, doomed to be blindsided by who his parents turned out to be.

    Once they finally arrived, a few figures stood firmly outside the doors of the Boorne estate. One, a tall man who accurately resembled Clyde, at least in terms of build. He looked like Clyde if he had put on twenty or thirty pounds of muscle. His hair was mostly dark brown and his eyes a hazel color.

    Beside him, a woman. She was shorter and curvaceous. Her eyes were a familiar blend of molten gold and her hair that same sandy blond color found on Clyde.

    ¡®Well I wonder just who these two are¡­¡¯ Syllis mused, unable to use her normal wry laugh that typically would have accompanied such a thought.

    Syllis stuck her hand out once they¡¯d reached the older couple.

    After the father took her hand, the nymph spoke. ¡°My name is Syllis.¡± She shook the man¡¯s hand with fortitude which earned an earnest gaze from the man in front of her.

    ¡°My name is Clark Boorne.¡± The man spoke politely. ¡°What is your family¡¯s name?¡± He wondered, introducing oneself by a single name was an odd occurrence after all.

    ¡°No family name. I cast it away years ago.¡± Syllis didn¡¯t speak with regret or longing. Instead, she was resolute. This was the right decision, and one she hadn¡¯t made lightly all those years ago. ¡®Lords, how long has it been now?¡¯

    ¡°What an odd thing for a kid to do. But then again, an ordinary kid couldn¡¯t pierce the flesh of my son. Tell me, how did you do it?¡± Clark watched the nymph¡¯s face for her response.

    ¡®This guy¡­¡¯ Syllis smirked before even daring to open her mouth. ¡°Which time?¡± She asked plainly, her snideness his in the very back of her throat. It was difficult to retain when speaking such confident words.

    After letting out a hearty laugh, the bulky man looked towards his wife. ¡°Ah, sorry for getting carried away.¡± he stepped back and turned, allowing his wife to step by.

    She extended her hand to Syllis.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you¡­¡± Her voice wafted away into the air. The words hung for a few moments before Clyde¡¯s mother attempted to dispel the not particularly wonderful awkwardness.

    She took a couple of steps back towards her husband before speaking. ¡°Dalea, my name¡¯s Dalea.¡± She seemed distracted by something. Her eyes kept wandering Syllis¡¯ body.

    This continued for long enough that Syllis even looked herself up and down. ¡®What, is something wrong with me? Maybe my gills! Or perhaps this blue hair?¡¯ Syllis found it difficult to maintain her composure.

    Dalea pulled on her husband slightly and whispered into the slightly bent man¡¯s ear. Her face was flush and grew a rosy color. Several moments passed before Clark scanned Syllis as well.

    Clark laughed before addressing Syllis. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty neat outfit.¡± His gaze lingered on the disproportionate sleeves and warped collar which was being stretched and pulled.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Syllis was confused, she scanned herself again. This time she tried to note any stains or marks of the like on her clothes. Eventually, she realized what they were talking about. ¡°Oh, I apologize. I didn¡¯t have any clothes appropriate to spar in.¡±

    Dalea turned away while Clark walked towards Syllis. ¡°It¡¯s quite alright. Now if you already have the right outfit¡­ How about participating in a tournament?¡± He asked enthusiastically.

    ¡®How would there be a tournament? There''s a grand total of two kindred here, Me and Clyde.¡¯ Syllis tilted her head slightly and furrowed her brow.

    Just as she¡¯d thought that, the sounds of galloping echoed in the distance. Syllis only felt a sense of impending doom as they approached. The sounds of hooves or something akin clacked against the paved sand.

    As the carriage slowed, two ephemeral creatures, surrounded with green hues emanated otherworldly sounds. They were skeletal with skin that dripped from the bone like drool.

    ¡°Ah, they¡¯ve arrived.¡± Clark spoke, his voice brimming with joy.

    Suddenly, the ephemeral creatures dissolved into seemingly thin air. It was apparent they weren¡¯t some exotic animals. No, these were the direct product of a horror inducing bond. Moreover, they weren¡¯t illusions. They were truly pulling the steel carriage, which meant that they were true, unadulterated beings of fear.

    The door of the carriage slammed open before two figures stepped out. A man and a woman. Both burning with the intensity of kindred with recently invoked bonds.

 Chapter 10 - Aura Therman

    The man was inferior at the very least. He didn¡¯t have the tantalizing pressure surrounding him like the girl did. His hair was a decently long sheet of light brown and his eyes a calming blue. They almost seemed like their purpose was to prepare whoever gleaned their contents for the girl beside him.

    Her hair was long, pin straight. Black, intense. ¡®Woah¡­¡¯ Syllis couldn¡¯t help but ogle for a moment. ¡®That light olive skin, those piercing emerald eyes. They match her hellborn companions.¡¯ She wore a long black coat that shrouded the majority of her.

    ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡± The woman asked aggressively. Her expression was sour and clearly uncompromising. She did not like the nymph in front of her.

    ¡®Presumptuous, hot headed. This must be Aura. And her regulator behind her¡­ Korman. I can¡¯t say Clyde¡¯s descriptions were off at all. Still, rude! Pretty damn rude¡­¡¯

    ¡°Syllis.¡± She stuck her hand out towards the abrupt woman. ¡®She indeed knows how to make an entrance. Aren¡¯t conjured creatures a little too showy for daily use.¡¯ Syllis scowled.

    Aura dismissed her handshake and danced by. ¡°When I received a letter telling of a woman who drew Clyde¡¯s blood. I hadn¡¯t expected a siren.¡±

    ¡®What a jerk.¡¯ Syllis wanted to spit on her brown boots. After she¡¯d learnt the true meaning behind the name, she hated it.

    ¡°Aura.¡± Korman tried to reason but was pushed away.

    ¡°Come on! Take one look at her getup¡­¡± Aura¡¯s voice trailed out as she scanned Syllis. Then, she spit a wad of saliva onto the ground before walking towards the estate, following Clark and Dalea.

    Korman let out a pained sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for her, she doesn¡¯t take particularly well to strangers.¡± He held his hand out to Syllis.

    ¡®Like that fixes her actions.¡¯ Syllis scoffed slightly as she took the man¡¯s hand. He seemed eager to quell the bad will between the two women.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Clyde whispered into Syllis¡¯ ear. ¡°I¡¯m going to be honest, I really thought you two would get along. If it¡¯s any consolation, she doesn¡¯t particularly like Anahita either.¡±

    ¡°So she¡¯s just racist.¡± Syllis spoke plainly, not bothering to whisper when everyone else was already well into the estate, while the both of them lingered outside.

    ¡°Ah, I should have mentioned. Korman¡¯s bond warrants caution, he has¡­ good ears.¡± Clyde tried to relay the important information while also withholding key aspects of his friend''s anathemic bond. ¡°And she¡¯s not a racist, she¡¯s¡­ An angry person. Not just to nymphs.¡±

    ¡°So she¡¯s just an ass.¡± Syllis pushed Clyde forward before following him inside. ¡®Nice start to our ¡®friendship.¡¯¡¯

    The group of them made their way to the bloodstained battleground that had been used nearly a week ago. Syllis could still recognize her blood, still somewhat vivid, not quite the bleak black and brown that was caked into the dirt.

    Syllis looked towards her side: Clyde, Korman, Aura, Dalea and Clark. They were all sitting next to each other. Once again, Syllis was on the outskirts of this higher class. She was frustrated. Frustrated at her parents, her life.

    ¡®If my parents hadn¡¯t left me for dead. Would I have been able to live like them.¡¯ Seeing this sight to the side of her, she ruminated over her wasted years.

    Her mind filled in the blanks of how her life would have turned out. She would have stayed at the top of her classes, Joan would help her study. Syllis would be taught how to sew by her mother. They would swim together, two nymphs. Unlike her lonely, desolate swimming she performed now. Theirs would be filled with light. Two creatures of the sea dancing under the beating sun. Cascading light would tip toe across their bodies.

    Syllis¡¯ thoughts were interrupted by a woman, blocking out the slight warmth provided by Asanoch¡¯s false sun.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°I challenge you, Siren!¡± Aura Therman stood firmly, one hand gripped a wooden longsword and her other pointed towards the secare nymph.

    ¡°Fine, witch.¡± Syllis stood, easily rising to several inches taller than Aura who was already tall for a woman.

    Syllis spun and stepped over to a nearby rack, she pulled a wooden partisan from it. What would be impossible for a human to hold was the perfect size for Syllis. The only other person in the battlegrounds who would be able to effectively use it was Korman who stood at the same height as Syllis.

    They both made their way towards the outer edges of the arena. Despite the massive space between them, the tension in the air was still felt. The animosity between man and nymph was palpable.

    ¡°Once we¡¯re done with this match, you¡¯ll see me for what I am! No longer will you look down upon us. You¡¯ll stare up at me and beg for the power to stand up to me!¡± Aura spoke in a crazed voice. Her hatred for nymphs was felt in every word she spoke.

    ¡®Why would I look down on you? I¡¯m sure your hellish bond makes you a formidable force¡­¡¯ Syllis thought, unable to compliment the woman, she chose to speak different words. ¡°Go ahead and try.¡± She spoke with a cold voice.

    Glancing over at the spectator booths, it held more people than expected. A dozen more than the last time Syllis stood were now watching. This ¡®tournament¡¯ seemed to have caught the attention of nearly every servant in the Boorne household.

    This included Edward, the anthemic doctor that treated Syllis the last time she was here. Syllis was thankful at the fact he was here. Not because she was scared of Aura, but because now she didn¡¯t need to hold back.

    ¡°Aura! Syllis! Are you ready?¡± Clyde yelled, making sure they could hear.

    Syllis uttered her invocation, priming her bond to be used. Meanwhile, the kindred who opposed her seemed to mutter a few words. Both of them shook their heads and turned back towards the other.

    ¡°Fight!¡± Clyde yelled, accompanied by a loud horn.

    Neither woman moved at the start, they only glared at each other. Aura removed her long black coat, showing her curvy figure. She wore a white button down, engraved with golden trim and frilled sleeves. It was tucked into a neat pair of black pants, held with a belt and accompanied by a pair of leather boots.

    Space seemed to bend to the sides of Aura as the air grew oppressive. It ripped open giving way to green lights which permeated the battleground. Otherworldly sounds echoed from within these rifts.

    None of the spectators flinched, it was apparent they¡¯d seen this particular ability dozens of times before. The only person to show any distress was Clyde, and that just seemed to be sympathy for Syllis. Overall, none of them looked to be harboring any hope towards Syllis.

    This enraged her more than anything else. ¡®You people think I pale in comparison to this witch¡­¡¯ Syllis scowled before the air around her grew misty and cold. ¡®Maybe I just have to get started with my own tricks.

    Fog settled in. Aura¡¯s steam like smoke swirled with Syllis¡¯ mist.

    Aura spoke a peculiar word that the nymph didn¡¯t understand. Two hellish fiends then stepped through her rifts. They resembled giant crows but held many alien qualities.

    Their alabaster bones seemed to waver under the green flames that wafted from their ripping skin. Ambient sounds akin to screams emanated around them.

    They almost seemed to have kindred themselves. Like corrupted kindred lost to the ¡®gods¡¯ they served. They were punished, doomed to serve this vile witch instead of moving on.

    While Syllis¡¯ bond wasn¡¯t quite as visually interesting, it held unlimited ways to be used. She covered the entire battleground in stubble. It was too small to impede humans but these crows would have a difficult time, and Syllis was sure they weren¡¯t just props.

    After several minutes, the battle seemed to finally begin. Both combatants began moving.

    One crow moved scarcely. It seemed to fear the abnormal girl who¡¯d afflicted the ground with a strange substance. The crows didn¡¯t seem to understand what ice was.

    ¡®I guess their home world can¡¯t really freeze when they emit heat like that.¡¯ Syllis laughed wryly before being pulled out of her thoughts abruptly.

    The second crow didn¡¯t harbor the same limitations as the first. It flew towards Syllis with fervor. Only allowing her to move a mere second before she would¡¯ve been hit. And with the sheer velocity that the crow flew forward at, that hit would¡¯ve likely been fatal.

    ¡®How can those things fly, their wings are dripping onto the floor!¡¯ She refuted internally before focusing on Aura. More specifically the grin that stretched from ear to ear. ¡®She plays dirty¡­¡¯

    Syllis realized that Aura didn¡¯t care if she died. In fact, maybe she was trying to kill her, or at least cripple her. ¡®It makes sense, I have no nobility, no home. I don¡¯t even have a last name, no one to go searching for me.¡¯

    ¡®This is¡­ Problematic to say the least.¡¯ Syllis couldn¡¯t afford to play around anymore. She had to use anything she could. This was no longer a fight to win, but instead, a fight to survive.

 Chapter 11 - True Horror

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Syllis? Are you shocked?¡± Aura gestured towards a man back in the spectator seats. It was Edward. ¡°That doctor can reattach limbs, organs. Including the heart.¡±

    ¡®No way. A doctor like that wouldn''t be working for this family. Instead, he¡¯d be paid ten times his current salary to work for the Laurier''s. Hell, he might even be brought to Adelaide.¡¯ Syllis couldn¡¯t quite believe her, but her actions meant more than words. If she truly threw the crow towards her to demonstrate her lack of worry over injury, then it had to be true.

    Besides, the doctor had already impressed Syllis beyond her imagination with his efficiency in healing. Why not believe in him possessing the otherworldly ability of revival. ¡®The only way to kill someone with that man around would be to steal the heart¡­¡¯ Syllis smiled at the thought of stealing Aura¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Then I guess we shouldn¡¯t hold back.¡± Syllis looked over towards the audience, including Edward who seemed to have taken the compliments in stride. ¡°Let us give them a show.¡±

    After sending the crow out, Aura gave Syllis some time to deal with this newfound knowledge. It was polite, but she would certainly live to regret it.

    Syllis decided to use an aspect of her bond she¡¯d only recently learnt. After her loss to Clyde, she realized her lack of creativity in how she utilized her bond. It was mostly just the raising of ice pillars, the most novel move of hers were the ice shards that hovered above.

    During their fight, Syllis thought a weapon made from her ice to be impossible. But it was through the attempt that anything impossible was made true. So she decided to do it.

    Several days of intensive work and she managed to form a somewhat functional needle-point spear. Shaping a partisan just wouldn¡¯t work. There was too much nuance in its end and the crossguard slightly before it. So a simpler weapon was needed. This was the point of the needle-point spear.

    It was light and didn¡¯t have any ridges or divots. In all senses, it should be the easiest to create. Even so, Syllis only managed to make a truly well made spear a few hours before Clyde had visited her again. The center of gravity could be adjusted to Syllis¡¯ liking and overall, its edge was much sharper than her dull, wooden partisan.

    Time was a problem though, and so Aura¡¯s reluctance to attack straight after her previous assassination attempt was greatly appreciated. It took Syllis nearly thirty full seconds to shape her needle-point spear.

    Aura was stunned at her craftsmanship and her face crept into a frown. Maybe she realized that it was a mistake, underestimating the secare nymph.

    Syllis whipped the wooden partisan towards Aura who easily side stepped it before going on the move. She wasn¡¯t nearly as aggressive in her fight with Clyde, but now. Without the fear of severely crippling her opponent, Syllis wasn¡¯t going to make that mistake again.

    Her steps clacked against the moist ground. Frost was made before being almost instantaneously melted by Aura¡¯s ephemeral fiends. Both crows ran alongside her.

    The first crow flung itself towards Syllis, lunging at her from the side. Syllis raised a spike, impaling it. At least, under normal circumstances it would have been impaled. ¡®Damn these hellborn fiends!¡¯

    With no flesh to dig into, her crag had merely wedged itself in between several complex bones. The other crow flew in front of Syllis, the same ethereal screams radiated from its body, like a dozen tortured souls were trapped within.

    ¡®This¡­¡¯ Syllis smiled while twisted around the leg of the unrestrained crow. ¡°Neat trick, summoning these two crows. Might wanna hold off until you¡¯re adept enough to move both of them simultaneously though.¡± Syllis teased Aura, who was merely giving off the illusion of being more competent than she truly was.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡®In reality, your bond is unrefined. Inferior to mine, as you are to me.¡¯ Syllis spun around the monstrous ribcage of the aggressive crow. Standing so close wouldn¡¯t have been possible without her bond supercooling her body. The sheer heat would have killed an ordinary person by now.

    Thus, what would have been an obstacle for anyone else to avoid was prey for Syllis. As her azure blade easily glided through several ribs, the crow shook violently before toppling at the sudden loss of its center of gravity.

    It shrieked in its own voice, unlike amalgamation of ambient souls that bellowed before.

    The pierced crow managed to escape, diving towards Syllis from high in the sky. It tried to avoid her sightline. Unfortunately, ambient screams didn¡¯t prevent it from being recognized.

    Two twisting pillars of ice intertwined as they whirled and through the various bones of the undead creature. Several of its wings flared outwards, trying to swat away Syllis as if she was a fly. This time it was truly trapped. The heat they passively emitted wasn¡¯t that large an issue if the ice was consistently maintained.

    Though, between maintaining her ice crags and spear. It wasn¡¯t the easiest to keep track of. Syllis could feel the slight tugging of Coryzan at the depths of her mind.

    Without the threat of a second crow to deal with, Syllis focused back on the toppled one. Although it has managed to rise by now. Its ribs did not heal which surprised Syllis. ¡®You¡¯d think a creature so ethereal would be able to regenerate¡­ I guess her bond¡¯s limits are pretty clear.¡¯

    Syllis sliced at the creature''s neck, or rather its spine. In a flash, it¡¯s somehow together head was lobbed onto the cold ground. She reached down to grab it.

    It was important to understand how these creatures worked. They most certainly weren¡¯t Aura¡¯s most powerful fiends and if the others worked in a similar way, even the simplest tests now would prove invaluable to the rest of the spar.

    Her hand couldn¡¯t reach into the visibly empty void between its bones. No blood seeped from where it had been cut. The creature had some sort of invisible body that was holding it together. ¡®But it doesn¡¯t bleed.¡¯ The ground didn¡¯t absorb any liquid, its color remained without shifting at all.

    ¡®What an odd creature?¡¯ Syllis didn¡¯t have the time to think through what this meant.

    Both crows dissolved simultaneously, just as the ephemeral horses that pulled Aura¡¯s carriage had less than an hour prior. Their bodies left fleshy goo that writhed on the ground before even that was gone.

    ¡°I apologize for underestimating you, Syllis.¡± Aura Therman looked towards the nymph with scary eyes. Her piercing emerald clashed with Syllis¡¯ seafoam color. One was like a sparkling gem and the other, like a pristine sea. ¡°I won¡¯t make this mistake again.

    ¡®Danger.¡¯ This was the only thing that radiated throughout Syllis¡¯ mind for several seconds after Aura raised her arms high above her head.

    One rift tore open, even louder screams emanated from within. They cried out. ¡°Please! Help me! Save us! Kill us!¡± It was a gruesome thought, that these souls would rather die than rot in that hell.

    Syllis entertained the thought of Aura transfiguring those souls into the twisted creatures she sends into battle. It was entirely possible, but many things were possible. This was the nature of anathemic bonds. Some were incomprehensible, and in that lack of understanding. Everything becomes possible, and no one has any way of knowing. Even Aura herself might not be aware of what her ephemeral servants were.

    Syllis could rush in, but she still lacked understanding. The crows held her at bay, and she¡¯d wasted a considerable amount of energy dispatching them.

    ¡®I might now get a similar chance again¡­ What if she stalls me? Those rifts have to take a considerable mental toll, could I hold out longer? Well, not like I particularly want to start hearing ¡®its¡¯ whispers again.¡¯

    The fearless nymph charged towards Aura, first throwing a crude, conjured javelin to disrupt her ceremony. But it was too late. Aura turned to dodge it as her next infernal abomination exited from the grand rift.

    Six pure orange eyes stared right into Syllis¡¯ soul. They radiated light like Asanoch¡¯s false sun. If Syllis wasn¡¯t facing this being, then she might have worshiped it. Its daunting appearance was certainly worthy of it being deemed a great entity.

    Its expressionless head opened its mouth wide. Inside, several hundred teeth lined the sides. Even more terrifying, a large tongue wiped them clean of its previous meal.

    It wasn¡¯t right to call it a dragon. That might¡¯ve been an insult to this creature who only wore stubs on its back, perhaps its wings were torn from its skin. A mighty roar sounded when Syllis saw the stubs. Its wounded pride seemed to hate its wounded hide.

    Only a second later, it appeared. Mere feet from Syllis. It was a lot taller up close and instilled in her what she could only interpret as true horror.

 Chapter 12 - Desperation

    ¡®Those tenebrous arms prove that her creatures aren¡¯t all the same.¡¯ Syllis smiled awkwardly as she tried to step backwards.

    Instantaneously, the drake screeched, its mouth whirring with an undeservingly terrifying sound. The void that enveloped its dozens of teeth began to heat up.

    A ball of orange formed, it rolled softly as it was infused with red liquid. Then, it seared, smoke radiated from it and rose high into the air. It began to rage. This orange, swirling with red, began to rage violently as though it was a sun being formed and refined.

    This ball shot towards Syllis at ungodly speeds. Her pupils dilated. ¡®I-I can¡¯t.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t fast enough to move out of the way. In a split second, she needed to raise several crags. The first was to try and deflect the blast, and the latter to slow it down for an eventual diffusion if it didn¡¯t manage to be deflected.

    It quickly shattered the first couple crags, roaring as Syllis¡¯ work rapidly fell before her own eyes.

    ¡®Crap.¡¯ Even her, who had remained skeptical at Aura¡¯s bond despite its menacing appearance, was stunned. All she could think to do before the ball of blazing flame reached her was to form a large, solid box of ice.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see if your mutt can melt through this¡­¡¯ Syllis watched with intent as she fled from her own conjuration. She was certain that her ice would stop that blazing ball. Still, it was a bad idea to be too full of oneself.

    A couple of walls rose, blocking Syllis from her opponent''s sight. It was crucial for Syllis to remain out of sight.

    Throughout the fight, Syllis noticed that Aura needed to heavily focus to effectively utilize her abominations. It made sense, they weren¡¯t autonomous. ¡®Aura had to pull them through the rifts and they didn¡¯t seem the most thrilled. Those abhorrent screams were proof of that¡­¡¯

    So, she made a plan. The next time this broken dragon would use its ball attack, Syllis would gun for Aura. This would throw her concentration off, disallowing her to continue forming the attack and also serve as an opening to hopefully finish off the fight.

    The drake crashed through her ice. It seemed that her ice did indeed manage to stop its assault. Though, the drake didn¡¯t seem too happy about it.

    Its eyes locked in Syllis, they rolled slightly as if preparing the body to attack the secare nymph. It lunged, throwing itself barreling towards her.

    Syllis evaded, slightly. One of its dark claws grazed her arm causing her to groan in pain, she dropped her needle-point spear and fell backwards.

    After hurriedly cooling her wounded arm, she caused waves of ice to throw her away from the beast. Syllis needed to figure something out, and fast. This beast seemed above her in every way.

    Syllis ran, conjuring wall after wall to hide from the fiery beast. She could feel her sweat seeping through her noble clothes as she panted.

    More importantly than her own breathing though¡­ ¡®That bastard is talking to me again.¡¯ Coryzan¡¯s whispers grew louder, beckoning Syllis to give herself to him. For a ¡®god¡¯, gaining control over an envoy in a world that wasn¡¯t their own was a very enticing prospect. Thus, Syllis needed to deal with these whispers every time she overused her bond.

    When it was overused, her bond spread like an infection within. Once it got to the brain whispers could be heard. This was problematic in of itself but the true struggle began once the ¡®infection¡¯ reached certain parts of the brain.

    This infection could take over control over the pleasure center to make the kindred surrender themselves. It could instill fear of the ¡®god.¡¯ It could even cause the kindred to dream of their ¡®god.¡¯ In such a dream, this ¡®god¡¯ could directly communicate through the infection and entice the kindred with blessings and greater Anathema.

    Luckily, Syllis¡¯ bond seemed to be rather lenient, its infection spreading slowly. She couldn¡¯t imagine what Aura was dealing with but she doubted her mind was in better shape than her own at the moment.

    ¡®Still, this pain isn¡¯t great. I¡¯d better do something drastic.¡¯ While she was running from her enemy. Syllis had been coming up with plan after plan. After that, her time was put into determining which of her countless plans would be most effective.

    Eventually, she¡¯d found the one. The broken dragon could be heard growing closer. The shattering of ice behind her pained Syllis. She had equated her ice, directly with the limit of her mind. So, this drake breaking her ice was equivalent to it directly giving the infection space in her mind.

    ¡®Lords, I hate the both of you.¡¯ Syllis conjured two javelins. She made sure to make the both of them as dense as possible. The weight wouldn¡¯t be a problem unless she really tried. Most Anathemic bonds gave the kindred direct increases in their physical abilities.

    In a second, all of the ice on the battlefield shattered. Syllis needed a direct line of sight on both the ephemeral mutt and Aura herself.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Next, she shouted. ¡°Come get me Aura!¡± Her voice was like a beacon in the vast, misty field. Through the faint mist, four beaming eyes could be seen. They radiated heat and held an anger that wasn¡¯t held within before.

    Syllis pulled back her body, reeling her arm back and placing her feet wide apart. One was far forward and the other, even further back. She whipped the dense javelin of ice hurling towards the infernal drake.

    Then, She spun on her feet. Syllis threw her second javelin, hurling it towards the owner of the ephemeral mutt.

    Aura had a decision to make, she could either hold still and throw her summon out of the way, saving it from a terrible fate. Though, she would be pierced by a cold javelin, if Syllis was accurate enough of course.

    The other option, she moved. Her prized beast would be killed by the dense projectile.

    It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine which option she chose. As Syllis dashed towards Aura, she couldn¡¯t help but feel thankful for being ambidextrous. There was hardly a chance she would have been able to pull off her last stunt without it.

    Aura tried summoning another rift but Syllis wouldn¡¯t let her. She kicked the woman¡¯s side, sending her several feet back. Of course, Aura still had an advantage over the secare nymph. She still had a weapon.

    Aura leapt to her feet and brandished her longsword. No words were exchanged as she charged towards the nymph.

    Syllis turned her body, evading a devastating thrust. They engaged in a series of blows. The secare nymph made sure to raise crags and throw small shades wherever possible.

    She was undoubtedly superior to this human in close combat. Not in direct weapon mastery, that was a tossup. But her ice allowed her to always keep Aura on edge and move her exactly how she wanted.

    Aura accepted several ice shards digging into her shoulder as she swept Syllis¡¯ legs with her own.. She then threw a vertical slash that threatened to cleave her in half.

    Syllis rolled her body to the left and kicked backwards, knocking Aura over. She immediately spun, wrapping her arm around the human¡¯s neck, she slammed her into the ground a couple of times. Aura coughed blood as Syllis realized something. ¡®She¡­¡¯

    Aura wasn¡¯t evading Syllis, or moving at all for the fact of the matter. She had steeled her body and began using her bond again.

    A smaller rift appeared this time, it needed to be. There wasn¡¯t much time and every second was critical. Two dark eyes, ephemeral flames, black bone jutted out of its hide.

    It was a vicious wolf which Syllis swatted away as it jumped for her. Aura then kicked the distracted nymph backwards.

    Aura stood tall next to her blood craven wolf. ¡°That¡¯s right Syllis, it¡¯s autonomous!¡± She laughed crazily, wavering as she held her mouth. Drool fell as her grin reached uncannily towards her ears.

    ¡®This jerk¡¯s infection must have reached her pleasure sector. Just how much room did she give up in her head for that wolf? All to win a battle against a poor nymph.¡¯ Syllis laughed in a self-deprecating manner as she opened her mouth. ¡°Fine Aura, let¡¯s see who loses control of their mind first. You seem to have a leg up there. I will shatter your expectations and tear you of your pride.¡±

    Syllis manifested a crude pair of brass knuckles, a name which was slightly redundant when formed of ice instead of brass.

    The wolf leapt forward to her left as Aura to the right. Syllis chased the wolf down, kicking it before she crouched a thrust from behind. She elbowed the human woman before turning to dodge a jump from the hellborn wolf. It turned back and latched onto her back, tearing a large chunk of flesh from her. She cried out in pain before throwing the wolf away.

    Syllis knew that it was a waste of her sanity to try and restrain the wolf in a battle that dragged out for so long when it would just melt the ice shortly thereafter. So, she instead focused on Aura.

    A large wall rose, then a few more, and then a roof. They were both trapped within a large, dense box of ice, where that annoying wolf wouldn¡¯t be able to intervene.

    Syllis dropped her ice knuckles and manifested a crude ice shard to serve as a dagger. The box didn¡¯t allow much room to maneuver. This was purposeful, to give Aura as little room as possible to swing her word.

    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t come without a cost. Syllis felt the infection fester within. She kicked Aura in her abdomen, sending her crashing into the wall.

    Aura gasped, coughing up blood onto the secare nymph before latching onto her hand. Her palm was torn open by the dagger. To the unsuspecting person, this would be a terrible move. But for Aura, it was the only viable move to do.

    Now, Syllis could no longer use her dagger. They grappled, punching and kicking each other several times before they fell over.

    Syllis tore her knife out of Aura and pushed the human, face first against the cold wall. She tore into the backs of her legs with her shard of ice causing the human to moan in pain before erupting into laughter.

    Aura opened a rift and sent through a skeletal snake. It hastily wrapped around the nymph.

    Her breathing grew uneven and taxing. The snake constricted around her as Syllis thought to herself. ¡®I guess, it¡¯s time to end it.¡¯

    The section of the roof above Aura fell, collapsing on her body. The snake that was constricting around the secare nymph, hissed as it fell apart into a mushy mess.

    Syllis laughed hysterically as blood streamed from her back. She didn¡¯t bother to cool it, instead letting the liquid seep from her. She didn¡¯t want to be cold.

    A few minutes later, a figure emerged from the box of ice. Dragging a battered human girl by the back of her shirt. The girl''s calves were slashed, leaving large streams of blood to drain onto the battlefield which was hardly starved for blood. Syllis, who had been humbled by Clyde, just viciously tore at the only name she had heard him speak with fear.

    Syllis laughed as she approached the spectator seats.

    The entirety of the spectators, who were unable to speak, suddenly screamed.

    Edward kept his calm as everyone else panicked. He beckoned to Korman who rushed towards Aura. ¡°Grab her and come with me.¡±

    Syllis suddenly fell over, dropping the human girl and closing her tired eyes.

    ¡°Clyde, better bring her too.¡± Edward once again called out, snapping the boy out of his trance.

    ¡°Right!¡± He hurried to the side of the collapsed nymph.

    The last thing Syllis remembered before her world went black was the subtle shifting of her body in the arms of Clyde.

 Chapter 13 - Observation

    As Syllis came too, a couple of familiar voices could be heard.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be moving yet! You¡¯re severely dehydrated. My bond can¡¯t fix that, drink!¡± Edward spoke angrily, it seemed his companion wasn¡¯t keen on listening to the doctor.

    ¡°I have to!¡± Aura yelled. ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to tell me what happened¡­ Then I¡¯m just going to have to go ask the others.¡±

    ¡°I already told you what happened.¡± Edward placed a hand on his forward. ¡°You lost the fight. No one else is going to tell you any different, except for maybe Korman.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have lost! Not against someone like her¡­¡± Aura¡¯s voice slowed to a crawl as the blue curtain to her side wrinkled before being pulled open.

    ¡°Do you need me to beat you down again?¡± Syllis spoke in the same angry tone that Edward used. ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of you, condescending witch.¡±

    Syllis looked at the Aura, who would have still been battered a while ago. Her clothes were heavily torn. It turns out that equipping her fists with spikes was a good way to tear both fabric and flesh.

    ¡°Sorry you have to deal with that ingrate.¡± Syllis spoke coldly to the doctor. ¡°Thank you for repairing me.¡± She appreciated the doctor, using his limited mental capacity to fix her.

    Edward was silent for a second before speaking. ¡°Thank you. Her corruption seems to be making her even more irritable than normal¡­¡±

    ¡®Corruption? Another name for infection?¡¯ Syllis thought it through rationally, a difficult thing for an infected to do. Luckily, her infection also seemed to go away pretty quickly, like the frost on a summer day. ¡®Not that seasons matter too much in Asanoch.¡¯

    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Edward narrowed his eyes before speaking. ¡°I¡¯m impressed your corruption has faded so fast. You were acting out of character near the end.¡±

    Syllis thought back to the end of her spar. The memory of her dragging Aura across the dirt made her inner mind happy. ¡°Oh, yeah my bond is very lenient¡­¡± Her voice trailed off.

    Syllis was indeed pretty infected at that moment, but she couldn¡¯t deny she enjoyed the thought. She even wondered if the infection had just heightened her urge to do so.

    ¡°Well, your ritual must have been very close to perfect¡± Edward handed her a pair of fresh clothes.

    Hers were torn back, almost the entire back of the shirt was removed, revealing her well toned back. And without the back, her sleeves pulled the shirt towards the side in an uncomfortable manner.

    They were typical clothes, unlike the torn, noble outfit she was already wearing. She was handed a plain, buttoned, light blue shirt alongside a pair of dark blue pants.

    After she changed, Edward saw her out into the hallway.

    ¡°I hope she gives you an easier time now.¡± Syllis apologized on her behalf and began roaming the hallway. ¡®So the better a ritual is conducted can reduce the hold of the infection¡­¡¯

    Syllis ruminated over various subjects as she tried to find her way back towards the sparring arena. There were many important things she thought about but what she wondered most was¡­ ¡®What are they going to say when they see me?¡¯

    She was of course referring to Clyde, his parents, and Korman. She especially wondered what Korman would think. Him and Aura seemed very close. ¡®I wonder if he¡¯ll try to fight me?¡¯ She smiled slightly.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    After a while of roaming the hallway and opening various doors she shouldn¡¯t have. Syllis had run into exactly that, a door which she should not have opened.

    The room was pitch black. This was unique, Clyde previously told her that all of the lights stay on. Syllis had thought this to be bizarre but considered it even more so after seeing this room which didn¡¯t abide by the peculiar rule.

    Syllis searched the wall for a switch. She blindly slid her hand up and down both sides of the doorway to no avail. She hadn¡¯t found the slight wedge that was prophesied.

    ¡®What kind of room has no light switch?¡¯ She scolded before moving away from it. The nymph then left and vowed to find a lantern to explore the room at a later date.

    For now, she needed to find her way back towards the sparring grounds. What would everyone think after talking to Edward and learning that she had left his room and taken so much time to find her way back. They would assume what was logical: she is from the outer ring, people from the outer ring steal. Syllis stole from them, that was an easy mystery to figure out.

    Several more turns through the timeless hallway and she had arrived at the sparring grounds once again. As she stepped into the open air, she couldn¡¯t help but think of her fight with Aura. The more she thought about it, the happier she got.

    At least that was in one aspect of it¡­ ¡®Would she have fought the way she did at the end if not for her corruption?¡¯ Syllis didn¡¯t want to fight a mentally crippled opponent. Although waiting out the enemy¡¯s sanity was a valid strategy, it didn¡¯t offer much to please.

    Dalea turned, seeing the nymph looming slightly outside the doorway. ¡°Dear, please take a seat!¡± Her smile was warm, it was clear where Clyde had inherited his from.

    Syllis didn¡¯t exchange words, instead opting to just take the seat beside her. Dalea was insistent, she wanted to get to know this powerful nymph. Who had nearly beaten her son and did successfully defeat the wielder of ephemeral horrors.

    ¡°You have true talent, Syllis.¡± Dalea praised the nymph, at least she tried to.

    ¡®Because I could never have won through hard work?¡¯ Syllis had wanted to say this but decided against it. ¡®Not a great time to try and burn bridges¡­¡¯

    ¡°Thank you, Aura did do a number on me as well though.¡± Syllis hated the fact that she was complimenting Aura, but she needed to. The Boorne family needed to believe Syllis was different from the rest of the outer ring. They needed to know that she was stronger, more polite and could blend in with people of their class and status.

    ¡°But people expect her to deal a number to a nymph of the outer ring. They don¡¯t expect you to be able to pull your weight, let alone win. In fact, I¡¯m willing to bet each and every one of these servants are disappointed with her. She¡¯ll probably also get reamed by her parents later, the poor girl¡­¡± Dalea explained to the secare nymph, assuming she wouldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Syllis pondered her words thoughtfully for a few seconds. ¡°Then are you disappointed with her?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Dalea spoke contradictingly, she¡¯d just spoken for the servants and was now going against her own opinion. ¡°I was rooting for you. Aura is without a doubt, one of the most talented kindred in Asanoch. But you, a random nymph from the outer ring. I love rooting for the less favored. Besides, any person who could severely harm my son would at least have a chance at winning.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thankful.¡± Syllis turned her head forward.

    Clyde and Korman were currently engaging in a fight on the sparring grounds. Though the ramshackle ¡®tournament¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be able to continue due to both Syllis and Aura¡¯s absurd fatigue, they still wanted to test their recent improvement against the other.

    It was nice for Syllis, she experienced Aura¡¯s bond first hand. Now, for Korman, her caretaker. Syllis was excited to learn more about his bond without participating in another spar while she was fatigued.

    Edwards treatment was fantastic, it hastily cured wounds at the cause of pain. Unfortunately, it came with other drawbacks. Aside from the absurd pain that one would be overtaken with, it also gave them the fatigue that one would get after a surgery.

    Syllis watched as they clashed with weak slashes, it seemed they were both building up to the main event.

    ¡°You know, they didn¡¯t start very recently. They only came back after Edward told them that the both of you would be okay.¡± Dalea smirked as though she was planting the seeds of mischief.

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Syllis didn¡¯t give a thought through response. The fight in front of her was heating up.

    Korman¡¯s body warped. His legs grew taller and curved. The man¡¯s arms warped, his nails growing with his scaly hands. Grand horns protruded from the man¡¯s height and finally his eyes warped.

    The man had some sort of bond that allowed him to infuse himself with the properties of various animals.

    ¡®Interesting!¡¯ Syllis bit down on her nail. ¡®Now, let¡¯s see how this pans out¡­¡¯ She leaned forward, getting ready for the show.

 Chapter 14 - Towering Above

    Clyde didn¡¯t seem particularly bothered by Korman¡¯s sudden transformation. He had sparred with him dozens of times before. Although, his opponent did demonstrate a couple new mutations than he used to use.

    They were fundamentally the same as his old ones though. They only differed in their effectiveness. ¡®He must have hunted some new creatures¡­¡¯ Clyde thought as he danced with the malformed human.

    Clyde possessed a hefty range advantage with his broadsword. Ordinarily it was a shorter weapon than most others. The reason he held the advantage was in the fact that Korman chose to fight without a weapon at all due to the fact it would hinder his transformation.

    ¡®I guess I had better test out his new capabilities!¡¯ Clyde thoughtfully swung his sword, probing at Korman¡¯s old weak spots. Not that he had ¡®weak spots¡¯ but comparatively, they were not nearly as secure.

    Korman swung his leg towards Clyde¡¯s side. It didn¡¯t manage to cut clean through, but it inflicted damage. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m a little too confident?¡¯ He scolded himself for allowing the attack to hit. He didn¡¯t anticipate this improved leg mutation to be so sharp.

    A hefty stream of blood flowed from Clyde¡¯s left hip. ¡®I better actually finish this soon. I wish I had Syllis¡¯ ability to cool her wounds¡­¡¯ He found himself being envious of her a lot lately, in addition to thinking about her in other ways¡­

    Clyde spun, leaving an afterimage and providing the space to compose himself. He shook his head a couple of times. ¡®Come on Clyde.¡¯

    He turned, pivoting on his right foot, he threw a horizontal slash. Korman deflected with his defensive arms. ¡®They are much more durable than his last mutation.¡¯

    Clyde grabbed onto Korman¡¯s arm. The mutated beast tried to shake him away, each step causing the earth to quake below the both of them.

    ¡°You know Korman.¡± Clyde spoke awkwardly as he maneuvered around the disheveled man¡¯s body. ¡°We really have to find a solution to just grappling around you.¡±

    ¡°I have one.¡± Korman spoke assertively as several dozen sharp spines began to grow from his back. ¡°I don¡¯t particularly like to use it. Does a great deal to kill my sanity, but I have to when I go against grapplers like you.¡± He sounded fed up.

    ¡°Well, sorry.¡± Clyde shrugged, examining the man¡¯s back.

    Korman typically wore loose clothing that enabled his various limbs to expand to a larger size. However, these new mutations of his didn¡¯t care for his careful planning. They were larger and more powerful. Too large to fit within the confines of the loose clothing, they tore it at the seams. Even his spikes tore through the back. If one didn¡¯t know better than they might have assumed him to have been tortured with some quite gruesome methods.

    ¡®Korman doesn¡¯t like to ruin good clothing. He must really want this win.¡¯ Clyde looked towards Korman and opened his mouth. ¡°Korman, no matter how much you want this win. I want it more, and I will take it.¡± He spoke enthusiastically.

    ¡®Maybe I don¡¯t even want it anymore. No, I need it¡­ If I can¡¯t even win against someone like Korman, then how am I to face Anahita? Will I forever be at her mercy? No, I need to get onto equal footing. Only then can we¡­¡¯

    Clyde kneeled down and caked some dirt into his bloodied wounds. ¡®Ah, that burns like hell!¡¯ He cursed, while acknowledging the necessity of it.

    Korman let out a large roar, his vocal cords were augmented in some capacity causing the scream to sound animalistic. It was like an animal wore the skin of a human instead of the other way around.

    ¡®As usual, his corruption is targeting his humanity¡­¡¯ Clyde let out a sigh. He couldn¡¯t imagine having his ¡®god¡¯ target his humanity. The loss of your sense of self wasn¡¯t an entertaining thought.

    Clyde pitied Korman slightly. Korman could never quite stand up to him or Aura. The noble was indeed in the upper echelon of kindred, at least within Asanoch. Although this was the case, and it was still very impressive to be a kindred at all at such a young age. Korman still didn¡¯t match up to Clyde or Aura, certainly not Anahita. And despite the fact they didn¡¯t fight yet, it was mostly certain he would lose against Syllis as well.

    ¡®As for him¡­¡¯ Clyde didn¡¯t even want to imagine Ansel sparring with Korman. Ansel¡¯s bond was horrific, even more terrifying than Aura¡¯s, and that was a high bar.

    Korman growled as he lunged for the comparatively small Clyde. It was likely that he wouldn¡¯t be able to speak until whatever mutation was affecting his vocals was reversed.

    ¡®Come get me Korman!¡¯ Clyde mused within. The scene of him battling the grand monster was comical.

    Clyde jumped and rolled several savage slashes of Korman¡¯s monstrous claws. Although he hadn¡¯t been hit by them, Clyde was certain that they would be devastating. Even one hit would most likely spell the end of the spar.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Luckily, Korman wasn¡¯t very used to this mutation so his attacks were archaic at best. Although, even if he had been used to them, it likely wouldn¡¯t make a difference. Clyde was agile, even more so because of his bond. His mobility was the greatest physical enhancement his bond attributed to him.

    Several more slashes were thrown forward as Clyde circled the beast. He attempted to cut slices into Korman¡¯s back as he moved to no avail. His new mutations had enhanced the entirety of his being.

    With Korman¡¯s increase in power, defense, as well as speed. He was assuredly a force to be reckoned with. Whether this newfound strength would be enough to stand side by side with the rest of Asanoch¡¯s genius was anyone¡¯s guess. However, whether it put him there with them or not, it undoubtedly closed the gap.

    Clyde set several afterimages in hopes of confusing Korman. The transformed human moved carefully. Slowly, he turned to look for where the true Clyde was. After a few seconds of being unable to discern, Korman grew paranoid.

    Korman transformed further. All of his clothes tore apart as fur enveloped his body. His chest grew leaps and bounds, along with his lung capacity. He could run several hundred meters without so much as breaking a sweat. A round black nose replaced his own along with similar features to replace his original chiseled characteristics.

    ¡®Woah¡­¡¯ Clyde remarked, watching the bizarre situation unfold in front of him. ¡®A bear?¡¯ He tilted his head slightly.

    He had somewhat expected Korman to transform into some horrific creature, straight out of a nightmare. A bear wasn¡¯t quite what he had in mind. ¡®I mean, even a heasen would have been slightly more threatening¡­¡¯

    The bear threw itself at Clyde, its hulking flesh flew like a firestorm wasp.

    Clyde stood still, waiting for the monster to reach him. Once it was close enough, he held his sword forward, hoping for it to pierce right through this tough hide. He readied himself to jump right before the bear landed. He would place feet against the bear and use the sword as a sort of icepick.

    ¡®Crap, it was never going to be that easy was it¡­¡¯ With the sword slightly lodged within the fur, Clyde made his way up the side of the bear.

    Both of its titanic arms swung towards its own body. They were ready to mash Clyde in between them and the bear¡¯s sturdy sternum. He let go of his sword, grabbing onto a lower tuft of fur.

    Clyde looked up at the animal as the entire area shook. It was as though the beast was rallying by striking at its chest. He had to be careful so as to not fall from the bear. ¡®It¡¯s amazing¡­¡¯ He was slightly awestruck by the sheer size of the bear up close. In this form, Korman must have been a dozen meters tall.

    He caught his serrated wooden sword as it fell from the bear¡¯s hardly wounded chest.

    Clyde held it in his mouth as he swung around the side of the bear. It was imperative to move clear of his chest. The further that Clyde was from Korman¡¯s arms the better. ¡®Are they paws maybe¡­¡¯ He gave it some serious thought for a few moments as he continued.

    As he moved out of range of his arms, Korman roared again. The same spiky thorns as before erupted from his back, causing his own blood to seep from the tips of them.

    ¡®This guy¡­ This thorn mutation doesn¡¯t know how to act without Korman¡¯s native body. Surely this is too far for a spar? But no one has ever grown within their own comfort.¡¯

    Clyde grabbed one of the thorns as they came out. ¡®Guess I¡¯m lucky to bring gloves.¡¯ He carefully placed the bottoms of his boots on the tips of lower thorns to prevent him from swaying into one of the sharp protrusions.

    Eventually, Clyde reached the bear¡¯s back. He took in the incredible view for a moment before sprinting up towards Korman¡¯s nape. Where the back met the neck was a weak spot for most creatures, surely this gargantuan bear wasn¡¯t an exception.

    Feeling the pattering of Clyde¡¯s hefty boots on his back, Korman rose, he attempted to shake the man off. Using the thorns again wasn¡¯t an option, he¡¯d already lost a considerable amount of blood and any more could cause some of his mutations to reverse.

    ¡®Woah.¡¯ Clyde wavered slightly, his vision doubled slightly as he climbed higher up, unwilling to be thrown off of the hulking giant.

    Korman wanted to roll over, squishing the tiny noble that ascended his back. Unfortunately, the logistics weren¡¯t quite in his favor. The dozens of spikes that had been erected from his sides and lower back would snap causing further damage to him, potentially lethal damage. Well, lethal if not for Edward.

    After being shaken down a few times, Clyde finally reached the top of his titanic opponent. A sense of serenity overtook him as he plunged his sword into the thick hide of this monstrous bear.

    Korman roared in pain before slowly returning to his typical, less horrific form. Clyde fought with his legs as he struggled to maintain balance atop the top of the rapidly shrinking figure below him. The thought of dropping a dozen meters wasn¡¯t very pleasant.

    The boy reverted to his normal size, although he was still covered in fur to hide any indecent exposure. After all, his clothes were ripped to shreds and left for the servants to clean up.

    This odd combination of man and beast gave Clyde a thought. ¡®I wonder if he¡¯ll kill a werewolf sometime soon. A werewolf mutation would fit him.¡¯

    Korman approached the spectator seats with a look of disdain. Although, he didn¡¯t seem to harbor any ill intent towards Clyde. Rather, he bore disdain for himself. Even after all of his hard work, he was no match for Clyde. And that meant he was no match for the others as well.

    ¡°You did great, Korman.¡± Aura greeted him coldly once he met her emerald eyes. Apparently she still had quite a bit of contemplating left over from her own spar.

    Beside her, a rugged nymph with snow white skin and wavy cerulean hair. Her seafoam eyes bore into the animalistic man. ¡°Combining your thorns with the transformation ended up ruining you by the end of that fight.¡± She criticized Korman before handing him a pair of clothing.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Korman took the clothing from her and put it on before dismissing his fur. Then, he looked for Aura. However, she was already running to Clyde.

    He looked down dejectedly before a voice spoke.

    ¡°Syllis, I would like you to accompany me to my study please. There¡¯s something I would like to discuss with you.¡± Clark spoke courteously.

    She stood silently for a few moments before nodding and following the man back into the manor. The others then followed before opting to instead head towards the banquet hall.

 Chapter 15 - To Truly Thrive

    Sat across from Clark, on opposite ends of this expensive desk, Syllis only looked forward¡ªas she had been for the last few minutes¡ªwaiting for Clark to finally speak. Her deadpan expression wavered slightly, the corners of her mouth pulled up.

    ¡®Why was I even called in here?¡¯ Syllis was confused, she assumed that Clark wanted to know more about her as a new friend of Clyde¡¯s. However, the longer they stood in silence, the closer she grew to thinking it to be something more sinister.

    ¡®I can¡¯t just sit here still faced. But¡­ I also can¡¯t go ahead and speak first. I should be respectful and let the head of the house speak first. Or was it the other way around? Damn it all. Why is this so weird!¡¯

    Unable to keep her face straight in such a peculiar situation, she turned her head, scanning the room. It was relatively organized. With different sizes of papers being set aside in piles. On shelves above them, fountain pens with separate inks were sorted by pigment. Although¡­ The bookshelves were another story, both the left and right walls were lined with them¡ªnone of them being organized. Books of various sizes and genres intertwined like twisting vines.

    A large grandfather clock ticked in the corner of the room. It served as a very stark reminder to the length of silence both figures had endured.

    Eventually, Syllis had run out of objects to set her gaze on. She was left to glance back towards Clark. ¡°So. Why am I here?¡± She asked in a low voice, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

    ¡°Because you won.¡± Clark responded quickly and simply.

    ¡°I¡¯m here because I won?¡± Syllis looked at the man wide eyed, still not comprehending why she¡¯d been stared at in silence for several minutes.

    ¡°Yes, because you won against the second most talented kindred in Asanoch. Well, out of the kindred students.¡± Clark clarified in the second half of his sentence.

    ¡°Second most talented? Is Anahita really the only one above her?¡± Syllis was skeptical. Aura was certainly talented, but whether she was the second most talented kindred in Asanoch didn¡¯t make enough sense to her. ¡®What kind of father would place his own son at the first or second spot?¡¯

    ¡°And is Clyde really below her?¡± She added before the man in front of her could speak.

    ¡°The key word is talent.¡± Clark lifted his cup to his mouth and took a sip of an unknown heated drink. ¡°Clyde is undoubtedly one of the most promising kindred in Asanoch. However, him and Korman, they¡¯re both products of hard work instead of talent.

    ¡°As for Anahita, she lacks the talent of Aura. Anahita is another product of hard work. As well as quartz but that is another matter entirely¡ª¡±

    ¡®Just what was bought for Anahita to be called a product of quartz? Especially by another upper-class family?¡¯ Syllis quickly found herself at the likely answer. ¡®Anathema¡­ But surely Clyde¡¯s anathema was bought as well? Maybe she has a dozen?¡¯

    It was terrifying to imagine someone with a dozen transfigured anathema. What would their bond look like? As far as Syllis knew¡ªkindred couldn¡¯t have multiple bonds. Instead, more anathema being transfigured would add or enhance elements of the kindred¡¯s bond. This was in addition to causing the infection to behave differently. Anathema were trauma induced manifestations of a ¡®gods¡¯ influence. So having several was equivalent to those fighting over territory. Although, any ¡®god¡¯ after the first would have less

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Just what would a bond that was altered and augmented by eleven other anathema be able to accomplish? She thought it through using her own bond as an example.

    ¡®One to increase control¡­ Two could amplify the speed at which they were conjured¡­ Forget it.¡¯ Syllis couldn¡¯t wrap her head around what more than four anathema would do, let alone twelve.

    ¡°¡ªWith aura being right behind him.¡± Clark''s voice cut back into Syllis¡¯ mind.

    ¡®Uh oh. I got carried away again. Oh well, the information probably wasn¡¯t very important anyways.¡¯

    ¡°Alright, so getting back to my first question. I¡¯m here because I won against Aura, the second most talented kindred in Asanoch. Why?¡± Syllis still didn¡¯t understand the reason she was there.

    ¡°I want you to be Clyde¡¯s sparring partner.¡± Clark¡¯s eyes seemed to glimmer slightly. A trait his son must have gotten from him.

    ¡°Do Korman and Aura not routinely spar with him?¡± Her questions only continued to grow.

    ¡°They do, but Aura¡¯s corruption doesn¡¯t allow for repeated use. In fact, she wouldn¡¯t have used it against anyone else to the extent it was used against you. Normally she would¡¯ve conceded well before you won.¡±

    ¡®To think her corruption affects her to the extent she would forfeit the match to avoid it¡­ I¡¯m thankful she didn¡¯t, I get the satisfaction of winning and she¡¯s forced to listen to her god for a while. That¡¯s a win win!¡¯ Syllis mused, keeping herself from smiling.

    ¡°Then what about Korman? Surely his bond is much less taxing. It¡¯s much less unique than Aura¡¯s space bending fever dream.¡± Syllis spoke matter-of-factly.

    Clark¡¯s face contorted slightly, his expression fell before he spoke. ¡°Korman is not quite¡­ He¡¯s not at the caliber of being able to consistently challenge my son.¡± He looked guilty saying this.

    Syllis got the sense that Clark really liked Korman.

    ¡°So I¡¯m the best candidate¡­¡± Syllis spoke more to herself than Clark, she looked down slightly, thinking.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Clark reached over and pulled open a drawer behind his ornate desk. He set down a piece of paper in front of Syllis.

    It detailed an arrangement. Syllis would have to spar with Clyde five times a week. In exchange, she would be granted housing and food. Syllis would even be provided the opportunity to go to school again.

    One sentence on the page did manage to shake Syllis. There was a requirement of her beyond just sparring with Clyde. When they were ready, she was to accompany him into a fable rift.

    Syllis had entertained the thought of diving into a fable rift when she first arrived at the Boorne estate. Although, she wasn¡¯t entirely serious.

    ¡®I mean¡­ I can¡¯t turn this down. It¡¯s too good of a deal! Free food, housing, schooling. All of that for essentially just playing around. With the slight detriment of needing to risk my life later on. If I don¡¯t take this deal, then my life wouldn¡¯t be worth living anyways. Besides, living on the outer ring is basically risking my life¡ªeven though nobody can do much to me over there¡­¡±

    Syllis remained silent as though she was thinking about it deeply, even though she had already made up her mind. She didn¡¯t want Clark to think she was eager to accept it.

    ¡®Only a lunatic would accept something so easily! I wouldn¡¯t want to be seen as a lunatic¡­¡¯ Syllis read the sheet of paper in front of her a couple of more times before eventually looking up towards Clark.

    ¡°Alright, could I have a pen?¡± She inquired.

    Clark turned towards his shelf behind him and handed her a light fountain pen that bled a pure black.

    Syllis scribbled her name down in a convoluted way to make it seem like she had a practiced signature. It looked rushed and messy but at least it didn¡¯t seem like it was her first time writing it.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡± Clark seemed overcome with relief as he stood up, taking the contract away and placing it back into a separate cabinet.

    Syllis knew that she was probably low-balled in terms of her ¡®payment¡¯ in the contract. She knew that getting other talented kindred would likely cost a fortune but she didn¡¯t care about it. To her, just the fact that she would be able to truly thrive now was intoxicating and far outweighed the risk involved in trying to negotiate further.

    Syllis rose to her feet and shook Clark¡¯s hand.

    He spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ll have a maid show you to your room.¡±

 Chapter 16 - Simple Luxuries

    Syllis bid farewell to her guide. She knew from her journey back to the sparring grounds that the Boorne estate was absurdly difficult to navigate. ¡®Every single hallway looks the same! Or are all mansions like that?¡¯

    She swung open the cream colored door. It gave way to a pristine room, unlocking any that she could remember. Her mouth twitched slightly at her realization that her childhood room hadn¡¯t managed to stay embedded within her mind.

    Every time she argued with her mother after her forced ritual where she was bonded to Coryzan, she would hide away in the room. In many ways, it was her only bastion in a hurtful life. Though, she didn¡¯t know at the time just how much worse it could get. Syllis recalled her first night in the outer ring.

    Almost instantaneously after, her expression fell, darkening. ¡®Why is it that as soon as I get some sense of happiness and direction, that I have to remember that?¡¯

    ¡°Damnit.¡± Syllis muttered to herself as she flopped onto the bed.

    The bed was a pristine white, with assorted blankets and sheets on top of it that matched. She hated to admit it, but the bed fit well with the grey walls. Several pillows were also laid out in a pile on the bed. Some were a lighter grey, to lessen the distance between the dark grey walls and white bed, it was easier to look at.

    ¡®It¡¯s pretty clear that Clark knew I would accept the offer. Every surface had been meticulously dusted¡­¡¯ Syllis¡¯ sullen smile cooled the room¡¯s already cold atmosphere. It was empty and relatively devoid of furniture, safe for a white wardrobe and dark grey bureau, accompanied by a chair of course.

    Syllis rose, strutting over to the tall wardrobe. It had a mirror, embedded within the side of it. She opened the leftmost compartment, revealing an array of vibrant, sociable clothes befitting a noble.

    The secare nymph held a blue dress up in front of her. It matched her hair, which she liked. She examined the lightness of the fabric and low neckline before throwing it back into the wardrobe.

    ¡®It doesn''t deserve to be put back on the hanger¡­¡¯

    Syllis wasn¡¯t fond of the clothes, commonly worn by the upper class. Luckily for her, in the next section of the wardrobe were simple buttoned shirts. They were assorted in rows from white to grey and to black. The drawer below held pants, assorted in the same way as the shirts, they were clearly intended to match. Though there was another row with various brown shades, unlike the shirts.

    Syllis shut the wardrobe door and was met with her reflection. She nearly jumped and turned away.

    Then she searched the drawers of the bureau, rummaging for anything useful. She didn¡¯t find anything that she could see herself using, only various accessories and colored polishes befitting a true noble woman.

    ¡®Does Anahita visit? If so this is definitely her room.¡¯ Syllis had investigated thoroughly enough to arrive at such a conclusion. All of the clothes had been slightly too big. She also surmised that Anahita was at most three inches taller than her.

    ¡®I thought I was tall for a woman¡­¡± Syllis mused, but she couldn¡¯t be too harsh on herself. After all, Anahita was a full blooded nymph to her knowledge, and she was a mere secare nymph.

    Syllis meandered over towards a door that sat firmly in the corner of her room, past the wardrobe. Upon opening it, she was greeted with a pure white room.

    It had all of the essentials of a bathroom, not that Syllis herself knew what they were. Such a classy bathroom held many amenities that she didn¡¯t have even before her mother abandoned her.

    Back then, she only had a toilet and sink. Now though, some new facility was taking up more space then the other two amenities combined. A large basin was inlaid into the ground slightly. A metal faucet would pour into it, accompanied by several knobs.

    ¡®Is this what I think it is?¡¯ Syllis shuddered slightly. She had only heard rumors of such a thing. Even Jyrid had never used one despite being a relatively wealthy man. She twisted the knob, inscribed with a red pattern.

    Steam hissed as water poured into the deep basin. Syllis reached her hand towards it. She yelped as her hand collided with the scalding stream of water.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡®It¡¯s just falling right through¡­¡¯ Syllis shut off the faucet before searching for something to plug the bottomless hole in the basin. Eventually, she located a circular disk, with a small chain on the top. It fit perfectly into the hole, resting flat on the upper lip of it.

    Syllis reached forward again. ¡®Maybe I should go for the blue one instead¡­¡¯

    Cold water fell this time, which felt refreshing for Syllis. Her bond provided her with a strong resistance to the cold, she needed it to be able to handle her conjured ice. This was only amplified by her nymph lineage which also enhanced her in the same way. All together, this water felt like the perfect temperature.

    She rummaged through a couple cabinets below the sink and pulled out a towel, then she was only left to indulge.

    Sinking into the bathtub felt serene to Syllis. To be able to go from barely surviving on the outer ring to then enjoying luxuries that only the upper class could was incredible.

    Quite literally her only qualm was Aura. This aggressive woman had been getting on Syllis¡¯ nerves for a while. Beginning with her rude introduction and then the¡ªeven more rude¡ªdeclarations during their spar. Even the conversation she had overheard between Aura and Edward pissed her off.

    ¡®How can one person be so unlikeable!¡¯ Syllis sunk below the water. Oxygen was of no issue with her efficient gills that lined her neck.

    After scrubbing her body with a cloth for a while, Syllis rose. She dried herself off with a towel and left the heavenly room she had spent the last half hour in. She pulled a pair of light brown pants and a black shirt from her new wardrobe.

    After changing into the new pair of clothes, several¡ªsomehow passive¡ªknocks rang out against the cream colored door.

    The hinges creaked as Syllis opened the gateway for her pursuer.

    ¡°Clyde, please come in.¡± Syllis welcomed him.

    Unfortunately, Clyde seemed stunned. His eyes fixated on the beautiful nymph while his mouth tried to open, to speak.

    Syllis placed her hand on his shoulder. Then, she invoked her bond, it was still activated since she needed it to endure the cold bath. She slightly froze the cold area beneath her palm.

    Clyde jumped, the slight cold was more than enough to snap him from his daze. He stepped into the room and took a seat on the bed.

    ¡®I wonder if being fresh out of the bath has given me the allure of a true siren¡­¡¯ Syllis half-mused. It was certain that a single bath could not completely change the allure of a person. Although, Syllis did notice the slight oddities in how Clyde sometimes behaved around her. After all, this was how they first met.

    ¡°What brings you to my new home?¡± Syllis spoke in a light-hearted tone. Before, she was afraid of acting the wrong way. She needed to make absolutely certain not to offend anyone around Clyde, she wanted to be indoctrinated into his circle. ¡®Well, Aura was¡­ Unavoidable.¡¯

    Now that she had achieved this through her contract, Syllis wasn¡¯t afraid to speak her mind and act normally. Or more accurately, she didn¡¯t need to act at all anymore. She was free to be herself.

    ¡®I should visit Jyrid sometime soon¡­ He¡¯s probably worried about me.¡¯ Syllis felt bad for up and abandoning the only friend she had in the outer ring.

    She couldn¡¯t even visit him on the days that she waited for Clyde. Those days, she needed to stay anchored at her swimming spot. Syllis couldn¡¯t afford to miss Clyde¡¯s potential visit. It also served as a great location to train her conjuring of ice armaments.

    Syllis had been thinking about a new technique involving them while attempting to form the needle-point spear for the first time. Although she was not able to successfully replicate her vision yet.

    ¡°I came to see if you¡¯re my new sparring partner.¡± Clyde spoke honestly, one word stuck out compared to the rest.

    ¡°New sparring partner? Who was your last one?¡± Syllis eagerly wanted to know about someone who could have been his old sparring partner. She was certain it wasn¡¯t Aura or Korman based on her conversation with Clark.

    ¡®It couldn¡¯t be Anahita right¡­?¡¯ Syllis was relatively certain it also wasn¡¯t the heir of Asanoch. It just seemed too outrageous for someone with so many transfigured anathema to have been the sparring partner of Clyde. ¡®I mean, Clyde¡¯s good but compared to someone with a dozen anathema¡­ Lord, with that many transfigured anathema she might as well be her own god.¡¯

    ¡°Not anyone you would know.¡± Clyde¡¯s expression fell, it seemed he was not the most fond of his old partner.

    ¡®Alright, don¡¯t tell me then¡­¡¯ Syllis'' expression fell similarly. She wanted to know of the unknown factor with the ability to contend with the only person to best her.

    Syllis scanned the man¡¯s face. ¡®Well, if we fought now¡­ I¡¯m sure I¡¯d win!¡¯ She was prepared for her next fight against his elusive bond.

    ¡°Well, I am indeed your new partner. I couldn¡¯t just pass up such an opportunity.¡± Syllis strolled over toward her window, spreading the grey curtains to either side.

    Clyde stepped over to Syllis, rising from the comfortable mattress. ¡°Not to be egotistical but it is a great opportunity. Not only for you, but for me as well. I can¡¯t wait to see Aura''s face when I tell her that you¡¯re going to be coming with us into our first fable rift.¡±

    Syllis slowly turned her head towards Clyde. ¡°What?¡±

 Chapter 17 - Phantom Pain

    ¡°Did you really think that Aura, one the most talented kindred in Asanoch would not be joining us? Well, she¡¯s probably going to react the same way.¡± Clyde shot the stunned nymph with a puzzled expression before turning away.

    ¡®I can¡¯t say it doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ Maybe deep down, I just wanted to avoid that ugly part of this new job.¡¯ Syllis sulked, the idea of needing to speak to that rude and ignorant human bothered her.

    ¡°Oh well, you better let me listen in when you tell her.¡± The secare nymph spoke mischievously.

    Clyde turned around revealing a smirk. ¡°Why not tell her yourself? You just got the job, it¡¯s only fair to celebrate somehow.¡± He chuckled slightly.

    Syllis¡¯ expression brightened after hearing his words. It was comforting, being the one to tell her. ¡®One thing is for sure. It won¡¯t be comfortable for Aura.¡¯

    She smiled before shaking her head. ¡®I can¡¯t get carried away. I¡¯d better maintain a good relationship with this woman, my life is going to rest in her hands. Well, along with Clyde, likely Korman and whoever else.''

    Suddenly, a pain shot in Syllis¡¯ chest. She groaned as she spoke. ¡°C-Clyde, could you wait outside for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Clyde asked, concerned for her health.

    ¡°I-it¡¯s no problem.¡± Syllis beat her hand against her chest as though trying to dislodge a chunk of food. ¡°I just accidentally swallowed a ton of air.¡±

    ¡°No need for me to wait outside. I came to grab you for a celebratory dinner, find the banquet hall when you¡¯re ready.¡± Clyde turned to exit the room before looking back. ¡°Also, there¡¯s a maid outside if you need her.¡±

    The door stopped as the handle clicked into place.

    Syllis threw herself onto the bed. ¡®Again¡­ It¡¯s happening already, great.¡¯ She clutched at her chest, the thumping within grew louder.

    Syllis began sweating profusely and struggled to inhale. Her impeded breaths were lost as her lungs seemed to refuse to take in air. She wheezed, clawing at the unmade bed as panic set in.

    These sudden onsets of breathlessness used to be routine. Syllis would have an attack of this sort every couple of months for as long as she could remember. She was always assured by her family and doctors that it would go away eventually, but they were wrong.

    Lately, such attacks have been more common. Since around a year ago, Syllis was experiencing these episodes¡ªas the doctor liked to call them¡ªmore frequently. Her condition was becoming worse. First, it shortened to a month and a half, and then slowly to a month. Now though, Syllis was experiencing this phenomenon every couple of weeks, with slight variation.

    Syllis quickly tore apart the top few buttons of her shirt, before shifting her undergarments. The area above her signature scar was burning up as it always had. Just to the right of her heart.

    Syllis did not remember how she acquired the unique scar. Her parents had told her many times that it was a birthmark, though she harbored doubts. Birthmarks did not burn up, and they certainly didn¡¯t cause such a problem.

    Instead, she figured it must have been acquired through some traumatic accident, too traumatic to tell a young girl. ¡®Would have been nice to tell me before leaving though!¡¯ She cursed her parents as she writhed in pain.

    The rhythm within her thumped with an unbearable pain as she denied herself the ability to cry out. ¡®What if the maid outside heard me?¡¯ Syllis could not risk such a thing, it was crucial for her to remain normal. Any abnormal medical condition would raise concerns, considering the fact she had been healed by Edward mere hours prior.

    This fact remained as the most elusive mystery surrounding her wound. This was the only reason she had not visited a doctor, or even inquired with Edward who was much better than your typical doctor. The only wound that would presumably be able to clash with Edward¡¯s bond was one of a mystical nature.

    ¡®I could still ask him about incurable wounds generally¡ª¡¯

    Syllis curled up into a ball as an incomprehensibly strong wave of pain, pulsed within her body. This wave was stronger than her constant, rhythmic sensations and served as a reminder not to get too comfortable.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The worst part of the entire ordeal was her inability to delay the pain as she always had. In any fight, she was usually wounded. Every single time she was wounded, she quickly cooled her wound. It was a cheap way to delay the inevitable pain she would suffer.

    Now, this was not an option. The scar was near her heart, and over the years, Syllis diagnosed it as the source of the problem through trial and error. She would freeze a different section of her body everytime the pain started, even to the extent of freezing the entirety of her own face over the course of two separate episodes.

    The only place she didn¡¯t cool was the area around her heart. It was simply impossible. Even though Syllis would do whatever possible to lessen the pain, potentially stopping her heart wasn¡¯t something she was prepared to try.

    It was daunting, the thought of jeopardizing one''s own life just for a chance at relief. Syllis was always afraid to take that risk, even if she had gotten so close to making it so many times.

    Pain continued to pulse throughout her body as Syllis nearly broke. She bit down on a nearby pillow as she writhed. Drool fell from the corners of the mouth and she emitted involuntary grunts as she clawed at her heart.

    ¡®Enough of this! I need to visit the stupid banquet.¡¯ Syllis bit down on her hand¡ªhard. So hard that she shredded her skin and then some. So hard that beyond the crimson blood that swirled lay the bone, exposed.

    Syllis didn¡¯t scream, she could not scream out of fear of alerting the maid outside of the door.

    Despite the pain, biting her hand felt like the best decision she had ever made. The pulsing pain that was brought by her scar diminished under the immense pain that her hand now radiated.

    Suddenly she was able to move her body with precision again, not dictated by a surging pain that rose anytime it wanted to feel relevant.

    ¡®Thank the lord.¡¯

    Of course, tears still fell from her eyes, soaking the pillow held within her mouth. After a few minutes of intense pain, Syllis decided to freeze the wound.

    Usually¡ªwith occasional outliers¡ªany episode of hers lasted no more than ten minutes. Her internal clock had counted ten minutes had passed by now, and then some to be safe.

    As the cool feeling overcame Syllis, not only did the pain from her hand settle, she was not immediately overcome with her episodic pain again.

    Syllis had cheated the system. By overloading her brain with a more severe, focused pain, her mind was left with no option. It was impossible to demonstrate the full scale of two, intense pains. So the brain chose between the two that fought for control like territory. The one that was chosen as more urgent would rise above, leaving the other to fade into nothing.

    Now that she was both without most of her pain, and also mentally prepared for anything the world could throw at her, Syllis decided it was about time to leave her room.

    The moment she stepped into the room, it felt comfortable. After her episode, it did not feel the same in her mind.

    Syllis retreated to the bathroom. She used the towel that had dried her body before and finished doing the same to her hair. She would have done it earlier but felt insecure, strolling around the room without any clothing.

    After leaving the room dry, without pain and without any visible injury. Syllis acquired a weird look from the maid. ¡®Fair enough. If I was her I¡¯d probably have questions for whoever stepped through that door.¡¯

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± Syllis politely spoke to the visibly dazed, young woman.

    The woman stepped back slightly, catching a glimpse of Syllis¡¯ hand, which she promptly turned to hide.

    ¡°Uh, no, nothing. It is just that¡­ There were some odd noises and I was wondering if you were alright?¡± The woman spoke that last part as though it were a question. Perhaps she could not quite comprehend the person in front of her.

    Syllis scratched the side of her head. ¡°Ah, that¡­ I was just working out, sorry to worry you.¡± She bowed slightly before walking away from the maid.

    ¡®That was mortifying.¡¯ Syllis mused. She had lied to the maid.

    Syllis never had a reason to work out. People worked out to either lose weight or get stronger. She had neither the weight for the former nor the nutrients required for the latter. Of course, she felt physically weak sometimes¡ªanyone on the outer ring would¡ªbut that weakness didn¡¯t matter because her bond made up for it.

    Though now, Syllis did ponder the possibility, having a stable supply of food. ¡®I wonder if it would make me perform better in spars? Do Clyde and Aura work out?¡¯ She placed this though in the back of her mind thinking it would be a nice question to have for the future.

    For now, she needed to focus on getting to Edward¡¯s office. Syllis had originally hoped to attend the banquet with her hand in its current state. However, considering the fact that her hand would be visible while she was eating and also difficult to maintain, she decided against it.

    ¡®I would rather be fifteen minutes later than I already am then have this slight pain.¡¯ Syllis sighed. Despite her maintenance, it seemed the pain within her hand was too much and slightly radiated from within.

    Syllis paced side to side for a moment before stopping. ¡®Where the hell am I going?¡¯ The estate was confusing to navigate. This was despite her purposefully retracing the steps she had taken before, when she had followed Clyde from Edward¡¯s office to the banquet hall.

    Syllis let out another sigh as she picked a path, and began walking. She gave up on rhyme or reason as it seemed this manor was immune to both.

 Chapter 18 - Found Family

    ¡°What happened?¡± Edward looked at the wound, dumbfounded.

    Syllis had expected him to question it but was it really that absurd? Of course it was not an everyday injury but was it so out of the norm for a doctor? She did not think so.

    She smiled and tilted her head slightly. ¡°Experiment.¡±

    ¡°Experiment?¡± Edward muttered more to himself than to Syllis. ¡°What the hell do you need to be ¡®experimenting¡¯ with to this degree?¡± He didn¡¯t seem to be in the greatest mood.

    ¡®Fair enough.¡¯ If Syllis had needed to treat four people she would already be upset. Needing to treat a fifth after the fact, being kept from her own research would be burdensome. It made it even worse that she was already one of his patients. It would have been much better for her to have ¡®experimented¡¯ before her sparring match. Then she would have avoided the second visit.

    Seeing her reluctance to speak, only a sigh escaped from the man¡¯s mouth as he gestured for her to sit.

    The man worked quickly. This was both unfortunate and lucky. Syllis needed to quickly make her way to the banquet hall. She was already fashionably late to eat after all. Although, the pain rushed to the surface much quicker.

    When Edward worked slowly, his patient would incur the total pain of the areas he healed, when he healed them. Since Syllis¡¯ wound was concentrated in one spot of her hand, he did not have to take long, so nearly all of her pain bubbled up at once. Almost like the eruption of a volcano.

    After getting stitched, she thanked Edward before opening the door to his office.

    Syllis turned and paused for a second.

    ¡°What now?¡± Edward scowled, turning his chair back towards the troublesome nymph.

    ¡°Where can a nymph get a lantern around here?¡± Syllis stopped speaking for a moment. ¡°Or a candle. A candle would be fine as well.¡±

    Syllis had not intended on asking Edward. Instead, she was going to scour the manor on her own. However, she figured he would probably find it too much of a hassle to tell anyone about it, he wanted to focus on his work! So she decided it would be fine to ask him.

    ¡°Why? We have electricity. What reason do you have for needing a candle?¡± Edward squinted slightly, as though he could glean her intentions through her eyes.

    Syllis¡¯ mouth twitched slightly.

    ¡°F-for fun?¡± She did not sound especially confident in her own answer. It was especially odd for her to have needed either a candle or lantern. Both served the purpose of illumination so that was clearly her need, but what was the justification for such a need inside a fully fitted manor?

    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± Edward flicked his gaze to and from her, momentarily. ¡°The manor isn¡¯t actually completely fitted yet. The cellar doesn¡¯t have electricity yet, the servants light the wall braziers every morning at dawn.¡±

    Syllis thanked him before leaving.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Edward called out, stopping the nymph in her tracks. ¡°You had better not cause any trouble down there. Don¡¯t venture too far outside of the basement entrances. You might get lost.¡±

    Syllis nodded and left Edward to his work.

    ¡®A brazier huh¡­ That should work, but not now!¡¯ Syllis had more important things to do than satiate her curiosity. Actually, she had a singular, more important thing to do. That was to attend the banquet that she presumed was being held for her.

    Finding her way to the banquet hall was not nearly as problematic as locating Edward again. She had run into the banquet hall on her way to his office, several times actually.

    ¡®Am I that terrible at directions?¡¯ Syllis thought back on it. No, she was not hopeless at navigating. It was just that it was her first manor that needed to be navigated. She was perfectly fine at perusing the various streets of the outer ring.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The large door to the banquet hall shifted and creaked as it swung open. Who had pushed open the heavy, wooden door? It was none other than Syllis.

    Everyone within looked towards the tall woman with confusion. This included the typical ensemble she had expected, as well as some new additions.

    There was a tanned couple, seated beside Aura. They were very evidently her parents. Her mother was alluring and her father¡­

    ¡®Nothing short of frightening¡­ Would he take kindly to an invitation to spar? Maybe he would, something about defending his daughter¡¯s honor?¡¯ Syllis entertained the thought within her mind but promised herself not to ask about it. She had no clue about the traditions of nobles after all.

    Her current situation was evidence of that¡­ The fact that not only the newcomers were staring at her meant that she had done something wrong, deftly so.

    ¡®Oh well.¡¯

    Keeping with the trend of family being seated together were two titans beside Korman. His mother¡¯s face was slightly pudgy, she looked cute. As for his father, he looked out of place at the dinner table. The man wasn¡¯t as refined as the rest.

    He seemed to have arrived in a hurry, his hair was slightly ruffled and his clothes weren¡¯t the typical formal attire that Asanoch held by the teeth. Instead, he seemed like a hunter, his clothing was prepared to camouflage in a forest.

    ¡®Neat.¡¯ Syllis remarked before glancing towards the head of the table, Clark smiled awkwardly.

    ¡°I apologize if there is a custom that I did not know about.¡±

    Syllis stood there, unshifting. She wouldn¡¯t take another step without gathering a response. It was not the greatest idea to offend these new attendees.

    Of course, it would not be good to offend the Boornes either, but they were already somewhat acclimated to Syllis¡¯ quirks. After all, they saw her drag one of the talented kindred in Asanoch across the dirt by her collar, with her calves slashed.

    ¡®I wonder how her parents would react to me dragging their daughter across the ground?¡¯

    Korman¡¯s father was the first to speak. ¡°Only a slight one. It is customary to have the maid standing watch outside announce your name before entering. It¡¯s a dated tradition anyways. Perhaps you are the catalyst to do away with it for good.¡±

    Unlike Korman who hardly spoke, his father was lively.

    ¡®How welcoming¡­¡¯ It was almost alarming. Syllis had expected the upper class to be snooty and disrespectful. They had essentially disregarded outer Asanoch, only bothering to ¡®take¡¯ a small section that they wanted to transform into Aklilan. ¡®Maybe it was entirely the government¡¯s fault?¡¯

    ¡°I for one think it is a testament to your character that you did not bother asking the servant outside if there was anything to be mindful of.¡±

    The bewitching beauty scoffed as she finished her sentence. It was Aura¡¯s mother. On first interaction, they seemed like birds of a feather, or maybe crows of a feather?

    ¡®It was only logical that some of the upper class would be rude, and it makes even more sense for the first one I meet to be the mother of that witch!¡¯

    ¡°I think that it¡¯s a testament to your character that you let your daughter get dragged across the ground by a random nymph from the outer ring.¡± Syllis spoke snidely.

    Syllis had been afraid of offending the people in this room, but not anymore. Korman¡¯s family already appeared to welcome her. As well as the Boorne family. They even offered her a contract! So the secare nymph was not afraid to anger the family of a girl that already hated her.

    ¡®Two out of three is good enough!¡¯

    ¡®Although¡­¡¯ Syllis looked around the room, gleaning complex expressions that dared not interrupt the current silence. ¡®This might have been a little too large an impact. Did I really manage to anger the others with that, relatively tame comment? It¡¯s not too late, I can play it off as a joke¡­¡¯

    As Syllis was about to open her mouth, a hearty laugh rang out through the grandiose hall.

    ¡°If there is one thing that we have been lacking, it is in comedic timing. You are brilliant, Syllis, I haven¡¯t seen Cora that speechless in many years! Come, take a seat. The food is already growing cold.¡±

    Korman¡¯s father saved Syllis. At least that was how she interpreted it. Perhaps he had really just found it funny, either way it helped her.

    ¡®I like this guy.¡¯ Syllis thought as she took a seat next to Clyde.

    He leaned over and whispered in her ear. ¡°It¡¯s also customary to leave a seat of space before and after each separate family.¡±

    Syllis shifted a seat down before turning towards Clyde. ¡°I am starting to wish you had taught me these ¡®traditions¡¯ the last time I was here.¡± She smiled and spoke passive aggressively.

    He answered with a slight apology before turning away.

    ¡®That guy¡­¡¯ Syllis stabbed at a piece of meat, beginning to assemble her plate. ¡®He had better be thinking about what the hell I¡¯m going to do to him later¡­ I¡¯m his sparring partner now, this is going to be fun.¡¯

    Syllis finished assembling her plate. The food was even better than the last time she had eaten it. The chefs truly shined tonight. Her earlier transgressions slowly faded as the entire room conversed and gorged on delicious dishes.

    Syllis¡¯ heart warmed over the course of the dinner. It felt nice to be eating in a group so large. ¡®It feels nice to¡ªhave a family.¡¯

 Chapter 19 - Disgruntled House

    ¡°So, when are you three exploring your first fable?¡± Marvin¡ªwhich Syllis had learnt was the name of Korman¡¯s father¡ªcalmly asked, his mouth chock-full of food.

    A large smile crept up Syllis¡¯ face.

    ¡°Make it four.¡± Syllis replied to the question that was certainly not aimed for her. She was waiting for this to come up. Ever since Clyde told her that she would be able to break the news.

    Aura¡¯s reaction was going to be her reward for suffering through their spar. ¡®As if dragging her across the ground wasn¡¯t enough of one.¡¯ Syllis mused.

    ¡°Oh? Are you going with them?¡± Marvin shared a similar, uncanny smile. ¡°You know¡­ Clark was just telling me about your spar with Aura. You seem to be a force to be reckoned with, they will be lucky to have you.¡±

    ¡°I am, and they are.¡± Syllis spoke, a heavy confidence lingered in the background of her voice. ¡°And of course I¡¯m sure that Aura, having experienced my bond first-hand, will appreciate having me there. Actually, I only signed the contract today.¡±

    As Syllis finished speaking, her gaze lingered on the tan human who had treated her so rudely. Aura awkwardly shifted under the observation of her seafoam eyes.

    It was not uncommon for sought after kindred to be recruited to accompany nobles into fable rifts. In fact, nearly every rift they entered would have at least some contracted kindred.

    What was unusual was the lack of a non-disclosure clause within her contract, this allowed her to speak freely. Though, Syllis felt like that was exactly what Clark wanted.

    If people found out that the Boorne family had a relationship with an unknown kindred that could topple one of the strongest juvenile kindred in Asanoch, then their standing would instantly increase.

    There would also be gossip around this unknown kindred and once it was revealed to be Syllis, then her standing would increase. She would likely already become a staple name, and in doing so, the Boorne family¡¯s reputation would grow further.

    It was a symbiotic relationship. While Syllis did not completely know whether she wanted to be known yet, this helped her. There would undoubtedly be spars to have her prove her strength, and Syllis enjoyed her spars with these noble kindred more than anything else she had experienced.

    So, despite playing right into the hands of Clark deciding not to include the Clause, Syllis decided to plant the seeds.

    A man with swamp-like eyes, lifted his chin and spoke.

    ¡°I would think that you would consult us before injecting an outsider into their array, Clark.¡± A disgruntled tone stirred at the edge of his voice.

    ¡®That entire family is a bunch of snakes¡­¡¯ Syllis hissed internally.

    ¡°Do not think that I have not thought this through, Vernon.¡± Clark¡¯s vision settled on the man, his arms crossed. ¡°If the three of them have not grown fully accustomed to this nymph then she will not accompany them into the rift.

    ¡°Or do you believe that I lack the ability to void this contract? Do you believe that this nymph would be able to win against my team of lawyers?¡± Clark circumvented Vernon¡¯s concerns.

    ¡®He¡¯s just saying this to appease Vernon. He¡¯s just saying this to appease Vernon.¡¯ It took everything the secare nymph had to contain her bubbling rage.

    Syllis had a soft spot for the outer ring. Even though she struggled in it for years, it had become the closest thing she had to home. She met all sorts of people out there.

    Of course, some were criminals and most were addicts. However, there were also the poor. They were a small minority¡ªnobody moved to Asanoch without money after all¡ªbut the government had turned their back on these people.

    So, any disrespect towards the outer ring understandably offended the nymph. Syllis had to grip her knee to keep her tolerant of it in this situation.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Both of Aura¡¯s parents scoffed and rose from the table. Picking up Aura from her seat, they exited the banquet hall.

    Syllis felt relieved. The warmth provided over dinner was always interrupted by the Thermans without fail. Every scoff, slight and snarky look ruined the tender atmosphere that had been built up.

    ¡°Do not mind the Thermans, they are not the warmest bunch. They will warm up to you.¡± Linda, Korman¡¯s cute mother consoled the nymph.

    ¡®I don¡¯t need to be coddled.¡¯ She fought the urge to roll her eyes.

    ¡°Hah! It might take a while. I can only imagine the scene of you dragging Aura across the ground. It seemed to scar everyone there, they were afraid to tell me about it in front of Cora and Vernon.¡±

    Marvin spoke enthusiastically, in stark contrast to Korman and his mother. The both of them wanted to hide in embarrassment, placing hands overtop their faces.

    ¡°If only there was a spectator with an appropriate bond.¡± Dalea, sighed at the thought.

    The rest of the table sighed at her statement, apparently sharing the sentiment.

    Syllis only sat, in a slightly awkward spot. ¡®If only I¡¯d anticipated what Clark would say¡­ I would have tried harder to get the Thermans to like me. Well, I would have tried at all¡­¡¯

    Clyde chirped aloud, ending the moment of silence. ¡°I for one am glad about Syllis joining us, I am glad to have another talented kindred join us.¡±

    Clyde smiled warmly and raised his glass filled with a light juice into the air. He pretended to clink it before pushing it towards Syllis.

    Syllis pushed her similar glass¡ªholding a darker fruit juice¡ªinto his, they clanked, the motion causing their drinks to mix slightly.

    The enthusiastic boy turned to the secare nymph.

    ¡°I am even more excited to show her around Lurgica tomorrow.¡±

    Syllis'' face was blank after this statement. Her eyes darted around, intending for someone else to chime in.

    ¡®What the hell is a lurgica?¡¯ She struggled to decipher the word based on the name alone.

    Seeing that no one was going to answer for her, she spoke. ¡°And I am excited to visit¡­ Lurgica.¡± Syllis spoke obtusely.

    The group exchanged some slight dialogue as they finished their meals. The once titanic feast, laid out along the equally lengthy dining table, was now ravaged.

    Syllis could not help but feel wasteful. ¡®This whole table could have lasted me months in the outer ring¡­¡±

    ¡®Such a large amount of food, and these nobles scoffed it down in one night. Even if they aren¡¯t the corrupted bunch I expected them to be, they¡¯re ignorant. Or is this a normal amount of food to eat?¡¯

    Syllis did not know who was more absurd. ¡®Is it the upper class or the outer ring?¡¯

    Everyone made their way outside, it was time for the Ceirns to be on their way. A tall carriage that Syllis did not recognize was sitting just outside the front gate. It was painted in a rustic wooden color.

    ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you.¡± Marvin bid her farewell before doing the same to the Boornes.

    He then headed towards the carriage. Linda trailed behind him, her orange dress furrowed slightly as she crossed the slightly uneven pathway.

    After the carriage left, Syllis exchanged a few pleasantries with the Boorne family before heading to her room.

    ¡®My room¡­¡¯ Syllis sighed as she flopped onto the made bed. It seemed a maid had found the time to fit her sheets and set the pillows in a fashionable manner.

    It still felt absurd to her, that her life could change in such little time. It had only been a little less than a week since her chance encounter with Clyde.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t it funny how something so insignificant at first glance could turn into something so¡­ Well, significant.¡¯

    Originally, Syllis was planning to steal a brazier from the cellar. However, the moment she laid on her bed, every bit of fatigue dawned on her.

    Syllis had: ended up sparring with Aura, gotten treatment, then had her bi-weekly episode before getting more treatment. All before attending a mentally taxing dinner. She had definitely earned a decent night of sleep.

    Syllis stripped down. She had never been able to sleep without wearing her lengthy dress or ramshackle clothing in the outer ring. It was cold, nearly every night.

    So, the fact that she now had blankets to keep her warm felt impactful. Enough so that she wanted to experience the comfort of sleeping with fabric grinding against her skin all night.

    Syllis smiled, pulling the hefty blanket over herself. She thought about what she was going to do tomorrow: her trip to whatever Lurgica was, her journey into the Boorne¡¯s cellar. Most intriguing was finding out what was hidden within the lightless room.

    ¡®Seriously, what kind of room wouldn¡¯t have lighting when all of the surrounding rooms do? There has to be something bizarre there.¡¯

    She thought through various scenarios in her mind as the tired hands of sleep drew near. Until her last, mumbled snippets, she wondered what would be found.

    Eventually, the world pulled away and she had her first good sleep in several, long years.

 Chapter 20 - Contradiction

    ¡°So, were you planning on telling what Lurgica is?¡± Syllis spoke, irritatedly. It was odd, being dragged to a place she knew nothing about.

    Clyde raised a brow at her question. ¡°Do you not know what Lurgica is?¡±

    ¡°Am I supposed to? I¡¯ve been living in the outer ring for years. This seems like a pretty upscale place judging by the place we¡¯re standing in.¡±

    The secare nymph made a point. Surrounding them were tall buildings. The buildings were made of limestone chunks, they were different from the wooden buildings on the surface or even some of the brick manors in Aklilan.

    These homes and facilities needed different material, the taller the construct, the sturdier the material needed. Limestone was perhaps the sturdiest material they had to work with.

    They were trudging through the heart of Asanoch, the passerby donning expensive clothes. Women wore loose fitting dresses in deep, muted colors as they walked arm in arm with men that were fitted with long black coats.

    ¡°You can¡¯t use that as an excuse.¡± Clyde placed his hands into his pockets. ¡°Even people outside of Asanoch know what Lurgica is.¡±

    ¡®Then it should be pretty damn easy to tell me¡­¡¯

    ¡°What is it then?¡± Syllis groaned, her nights sleep did not lessen the effects of her fatigue. In fact, it only seemed to let her fatigue finally catch up to her.

    Clyde turned the corner before facing Syllis. He opened his arms as if praising the building behind him. ¡°Lurgica is the home of all the talented kindred in Asanoch. Some students even transfer in from outside, they have special dormitories for that.¡±

    ¡°You brought me to a school? My last experience in school wasn¡¯t the most pleasant one¡­¡± Syllis let her voice trail out.

    The story she told Clyde about Joan from before had been a total fabrication, but she wanted to uphold it. Despite her break from school being due to circumstances beyond her control, she did not necessarily want to go back.

    The only aspect of school that Syllis enjoyed were the combat classes that she had once a week. She was indifferent to the rest of it and even hated certain parts.

    ¡®What purpose do I have to be here? Sure maybe I could spar with a talented kindred but they will come to me once the rumors spread.¡¯ Syllis thought back to the previous night.

    ¡°Well, I had to come. This school is unique, and technically it¡¯s a magnet school.¡±

    Clyde gestured for Syllis to sit down on a nearby bench.

    ¡°I have a few minutes before I have to head in so we¡¯re going to do a quick lesson.

    ¡°This school is a magnet school which specializes in all things anathema. This includes: bonds, rituals, history. It even includes the topic of fable rifts themselves.

    ¡°Lurgica was made because several surrounding schools had troublesome students once the upper-class began buying anthema to transfigure for their children. So, they decided to build Lurgica.

    ¡°Here¡¯s how it works. Students attend their ¡®primary school.¡¯ This is where they learn their math, language, science and history. Then, kindred can head over to Lurgica, the school provides carriages for them. Which is why it¡¯s in central Asanoch. This tempers the students because they are barred from Lurgica if they let up in their studies or cause trouble in class.

    ¡°Not that this matters because by this age, we don¡¯t need anymore general education. So as of last year, I am enrolled solely in Lurgica.¡±

    Clyde dumped a ton of information on the secare nymph. He took a few deep breaths after finishing.

    ¡®That is¡­ A lot to listen to all at once. So this place is purely for kindred. That certainly makes it a lot more interesting.¡¯

    ¡°Alright, so where do I go to enroll?¡±

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Syllis¡¯ decision to enroll was out of pure convenience. It would take time for the rumors about her to permeate through Asanoch. There would be no new kindred to spar with while she waited. An entire month of purely battling with Clyde sounded boring, so she wanted to expedite the progress.

    Clyde showed her into the medium sized building. It was still massive, but compared to the titans that surrounded it, this building was of medium height. They walked past statues, apparently dedicated to several of the school''s most prominent students over the years.

    Eventually, Clyde dropped her off outside of the administrators room. It was time for him to go so he bid her farewell, leaving the nymph on her own.

    ¡®I wonder who the administrator of such a place could be?¡¯

    Several knocks rang out through the hefty door, reverberating off the tasteful walls. A woman¡¯s voice then called out, or perhaps a very feminine man¡¯s voice.

    ¡®Very much a woman.¡¯ Syllis mused as the woman cracked the door slightly.

    Syllis was greeted by a woman of average height. Her skin was a spectral white color, almost akin to a nymph. Though, her hair was not any of the sea-colored shades that were expected.

    She also lacked several physical characteristics. The woman did not have the gills that were easily used to identify nymphs. Her figure was also curvy, which was uncharacteristic of nymphs who had evolved to be aerodynamic.

    After letting Syllis into the room, the woman retreated back behind the comfort of her desk. It had piles of papers, far larger than the stacks that Clark had.

    ¡°Please take a seat. Oh, and my name is Veria.¡± The woman quickly added, as if forgetting to say it before.

    Veria tied her dark, ash colored hair up into a ponytail, leaving her bangs to hang. She slid on a pair of equally dark glasses and clicked her tongue, searching for a particular page in a thick stack of papers.

    Veria finally picked up a piece of paper she had shuffled out of the stack. She adjusted her glasses slightly before opening her mouth.

    ¡°Syllis, secare nymph, secare human, seventeen years of age. skilled in wielding a partisan¡­ Why did your previous school include such an odd phrase in your file?¡± The woman lifted her face from the page and inquired.

    ¡°You have my file? When did you have the time?¡± Syllis was confused.

    Veria left an odd first impression. She acted contradictingly. Who was apparently the administrator of the school spoke rather casually to a potential student. As well as having Syllis¡¯ file before even meeting her.

    ¡®Unless Clark told her that I would be coming¡­¡¯ Syllis held disdain for this possibility, the fact that one person could predict her exact movements was not a pleasing possibility.

    ¡°Of course I have your file. I sent someone to grab it as soon as I found out you were coming.¡± Veria clarified.

    Syllis spoke to confirm her theory. ¡°So Clark told you I would be coming.¡± She spoke matter-of-factly.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Clark?¡± Veria spoke entirely seriously, not a hint of sarcasm or anything of the like in her voice. ¡°I foresaw you coming. Prophesied it or something like that¡­¡± She continued flipping through the file.

    ¡®What the hell is going on!?¡¯ Syllis held back her urge to laugh. ¡®This is so absurd. ¡®I prophesied it.¡¯ Is that her bond or is she just messing around with me?¡¯

    ¡°Sorry, what is happening right now?¡± Syllis asked, desperately looking for an answer to this bizarre scenario.

    Veria once again looked up from the file. ¡°My bond gives me advice for the future, a crude form of foresight. It merely told me to get the file of someone by the name of ¡®Syllis.¡¯¡±

    ¡®Seriously? What an absurd bond.¡¯

    Syllis nearly scoffed. She had thought obscure bonds like Aura¡¯s and Clyde¡¯s were weird, but Veria was on another level. Her bond did hold the core of a prophetic bond but it lacked the stereotypical aspect of it presenting an image to the kindred.

    ¡®Maybe it tells her in more detail or something? Then again, how could you provide more detail than with an actual scene?¡¯

    ¡°Alright then, so do you know why I¡¯m here?¡± Syllis questioned the woman, hoping to gain further insight into her peculiar bond.

    ¡°Nope, but I can make some educated guesses.¡± Veria lifted her face from the page once again and took a moment to ponder.

    ¡°Firstly, the only reason I would need your file would be to look at past misconduct and if you were enrolled then I would already have your file here. Secondly, I would not need your file if you were attending Lurgica as a secondary school, the primary handles that. So, based on this, you are here to enroll in Lurgica as your primary.¡±

    After finishing, Veria locked her deep blue eyes with Syllis. They speckled with a myriad of what seemed like stars within.

    ¡®Maybe the rich just have access to high quality anathema? Do they pay talent to cultivate anathema for them to then transfigure?¡¯

    Syllis had not paid much mind to the exchange of anathema. It was dangerous to wait on transfiguring anathema, one could not just instinctively know whether they would be able to fend off the next assault. Especially because anathema was unstable and did not grow a set amount between onslaughts.

    ¡®Seriously¡­ Just how can all of these nobles have such high quality and unique bonds?¡¯ Syllis mused within.

    Even though Syllis did not answer Veria, her face seemed to have spoken all that needed to be said.

    ¡°Come with me.¡± Veria spoke in an even tone, beckoning the nymph to follow.

 Chapter 21 - Admission of Strength

    Veria and Syllis made casual conversation as the former led them through the complex building that was Lurgica. It had dozens of twisting corridors though still paled in comparison to the Boorne estate in complexity.

    ¡®It is much more visually appealing though¡­¡¯Syllis could not help but admire the architecture and decoration.

    The walls were a pearl white and arched towards a domed ceiling. Intricate murals depicting valiant fights were etched into the wall in a variety of forms. The floors were equally as beautiful, despite their darker colors. Various shades of woods interlocked in various shapes to form the exquisite linoleum floors.

    Syllis could not help but think that these floors were the kind she wanted in her own house someday.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your bond?¡± Veria asked casually, turning to face the nymph.

    Syllis¡¯ jaw fell harshly and she stood in place for a few moments. This was an absurd question to ask someone you had just met. Even someone as eager as Syllis herself held back against asking Clyde what Korman and Aura¡¯s bonds were.

    She regained her composure before answering. ¡°I can conjure and manipulate ice.¡± Her answer was concise.

    Syllis was not against letting the woman know. After all, everyone in this school would likely understand the depths of her bond soon enough. Besides, it was not a particularly unordinary question when she remembered it was an administrator asking. The woman responsible for managing the famed school of Lurgica needed to know what everybody''s bonds were to ensure safety.

    ¡°Very straightforward. I can appreciate that quality in a student.¡± Veria began walking forward once again.

    She moved her hand to shift her glasses, colliding with air. Apparently she had forgotten that she took them off earlier.

    ¡°So, where are we headed?¡± Syllis questioned, surely there was paperwork to sign. Naturally, this paperwork would be near the administration office, so why had they been walking for nearly five entire minutes?

    ¡°Here.¡± Veria gestured for the nymph to step through a large archway.

    Both of them stepped out under the light of Asanoch¡¯s false sun. They walked towards the center of the large, paved outside. Located there was an elevated circular platform that had four staircases led up to it from separate paths. What lacked the ability to be natural gardens were situated in the sections between other entrances to the large courtyard.

    ¡°So what is here?¡± Syllis inquired, still confused as to what her purpose was. It certainly was not as simple as showing her around.

    ¡°Your entrance exam.¡± Veria spoke, remembering not to try and adjust her glasses this time. ¡°Normally, there would be no reason for something like this.

    ¡°We observe our students throughout their entire attendance while this is their secondary schooling. This voids the need to test them when they inevitably choose to attend Lurgica as their primary.¡±

    Veria spoke un-enthusiastically. She seemed to dislike the time taken from her paperwork, perhaps it was piling up on her desk.

    ¡®Those were rather large stacks¡­¡¯ Syllis mused before shaking her head slightly, again listening to the¡ªyounger than she had anticipated¡ªwoman in front of her.

    Veria had stopped noticing that she lacked Syllis¡¯ attention. Then, she spoke again.

    ¡°However, with you, someone without ever attending Lurgica or any other magnet school. We have to take precautions: testing your bond, making sure you are not a hazard, other things I forget.¡±

    The administrator let out a small, self-deprecating chuckle, as though criticizing herself for not remembering a crucial part of her job.

    ¡°So, get up onto that platform. Then do some cool stuff.¡± Veria spoke apathetically.

    ¡®What a bizarre woman.¡¯ Syllis could not quite pin down this woman, in any regard.

    Syllis did not even know whether she was human. Veria looked incredibly different to anyone she had ever seen before. She thought of asking but decided against it, that was especially rude after all.

    Beautiful people were easily recognized for their race, they were judged based on how perfect they harbored their race¡¯s features. For a nymph it would be their large height, small chest, deep gills, as well as their high cheekbones.

    ¡®If I were to ask, then I would essentially be calling her ugly!¡¯ Syllis knew she could not do that, despite it not being her intention. It was just that she did not know many race¡¯s features.

    Syllis had heard of Sulphen and Fieran, she just lacked any knowledge of their features. Asanoch was nearly entirely occupied by humans and nymphs.

    Disregarding her current train of thought, she approached the raised platform. Syllis walked the ivory pathway and stepped up the half-dozen limestone steps.

    It was only after being more than several feet raised from the ground that she truly appreciated the courtyard gardens. The various flowers intertwined forming a colorful environment. They even seemed to slightly take over the raised chairs in front of them.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Syllis invoked her bond, muttering Coryzan¡¯s incantation under her breath. It had been etched into her mind after her ritual. No matter how many times she tried to forget it in the years afterwards, it never worked.

    She asked Veria if there was anything in particular she was supposed to do. Her administrative observer only shook her head in response.

    A lengthy javelin formed just above the palm of Syllis¡¯ hand. The specks of azure light that melded together were beautiful. Though, the end result was somewhat crude.

    The secare nymph presented the spear to Veria who changed her expression. Her observer seemed to be impressed.

    ¡®You had better lose your mind in a minute¡­¡¯

    Syllis took a step backwards. She pulled one foot back several feet and brought her body close to the floor. Then, she brought her javelin-bearing arm close to her side.

    A crude block of ice rose. Syllis pushed off it with her right foot and quickly spun. Her momentum was carried into a step forward and swing of her arm.

    As her body abruptly stopped and her hand opened up, the javelin inherited her velocity. The azure stake was darted into the sky, beaming towards the false sun.

    The javelin did not accomplish much, but what it did not was much more impressive. The thrown javelin had melted in an instant.

    Veria¡¯s eyes widened, her pupils dilating at the sight. Suddenly, she wished to have brought a telescope.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go sign some paperwork.¡± Veria¡¯s voice now carried the enthusiasm it locked, and maybe even a bit of fear.

    It was quite a shocking event, the javelin disintegrating. If it merely remained intact and fell, then it would not have been nearly as impressive. The fact that the javelin melted meant that it had reached the false sun.

    So what if it had not pierced through it?

    That sun was maintained by dozens kindred with applicable bonds that they had curated over a hundred years. The fact that Syllis had managed to throw her javelin the hundreds of meters needed to reach the melting point of the false sun was mind boggling.

    As the deceptively alluring secare nymph approached her, Veria even shuddered slightly. She imitated Syllis, shaking her head before leading the way back towards her office.

    Internally, Syllis was slightly displeased. Being asked to demonstrate her bond reminded her of its flaws. There were natural progressions to her bond that the nymph had never been able to achieve.

    One of which had been the conjuring of a suitable weapon, although she achieved it recently, crossing it off of the list.

    Another was to pull the manifested weapon back to her hand if it ever left. This proved difficult, it was hard for her to move and pull a solitary object towards her.

    The crags she raised from the ground were easier, they moved in one direction and could be shifted to another through deflecting them off of mini crags. Even her ice shards which she cast towards both Clyde and her in their spar were simple, she simply realized the direction they would be thrown in beforehand and only finished her conjuration of them once she needed them to be launched.

    The weapon was a unique problem though. Syllis¡¯ dominion over ice could pull it towards her, but it required a great deal of focus and could only be pulled in a straight line towards her.

    Even more horrific was the fact she had no way to predict how it would angle on its path towards her. If Syllis was not careful, she could accidentally skewer herself.

    Syllis had also wanted to be able to grow ice directly from her palm. It would be incredibly efficient to be able to place one''s palm on a person and instantaneously cause her ice to puncture and splinter within them.

    While she could foresee solutions to her need to pull her weapon back, the latter need could not be figured out. There was no solution, her ice needed to be isolated from any solid matter to initially form.

    This was why her crags began slightly above-ground before being connected to the ground below with another conjuration. Even this was an inefficient flaw that she hoped to remedy someday.

    ¡®Flaw after flaw. Every time I make a breakthrough it''s accompanied by an equally large disappointment.¡¯

    Syllis let out a large sigh causing Veria to jump.

    Carefully, the administrator¡ªwho had essentially demoted herself to a tour guide¡ªlooked behind her, checking to see if the nymph was displeased.

    They made it back to the administration office.

    Veria once again took comfort behind the safety of her desk. She placed her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose and flipped through several drawers in her desk.

    Two pieces of paper were placed in front of Syllis.

    ¡®Why do I feel like I¡¯m signing my life away nowadays¡­¡¯ An indifferent sigh left her mouth. Suddenly signing several contracts left the nymph feeling uneasy.

    ¡®But what am I supposed to do? I can¡¯t just miss out on this¡­¡¯ Syllis had used the same thought that caused her to sign Clark¡¯s contract.

    Syllis read through both pieces of paper.

    The first was straightforward. It had the date of enrollment, student name, term length, and then the line to sign her name.

    She scribbled her name in the same poorly written way she had yesterday and picked up the other paper.

    This paper was much weirder. It almost seemed to be a joke. Hidden beneath several paragraphs of legal filler was the underlying message. It was essentially saying. ¡°I promise not to try and kill my fellow students and to restrain my bond.¡±

    ¡°This is a really weird piece of paper.¡± Syllis held it up for Veria, as if she had not read it previously.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Veria shifted her glasses and turned her head slightly.

    ¡°That is for students that have some¡­ Potentially disastrous bonds.¡± Veria looked at Syllis¡¯ expression and began to start stuttering.

    ¡°B-but as you can s-see. It really won¡¯t affect you unless you go rampant trying to destroy everything.¡±

    Syllis did not speak, only shooting a peculiar glare before signing the piece of paper. After handing both papers over to Veria, Syllis felt conflicted.

    Syllis watched as Veria filled in the rest of the information. It was uncomfortable seeing her full name for the first time in many years. ¡®How long has it been? Six¡ªno seven maybe?¡¯

    Once all of the information was filled out, Veria congratulated Syllis on her admission.

    ¡®A little bit of a self-centered thing for the administrator to say. Do you think that I¡¯m so lucky to be joining your school!¡¯

    They both rose and Syllis shook the ghostly pale woman¡¯s hand.

    ¡°If you want to get shown around today, please head down to the first floor and step into room 104. Tell Mr. Harfell I told him to show you around. Otherwise, feel free to come back tomorrow and I will arrange for someone to show you around.¡±

    Veria said goodbye before returning to her paperwork with a stressful expression.

    ¡®Now how do I get down to the first floor?¡¯ Syllis was beginning to seriously question her navigational capabilities.

 Chapter 22 - Ansel Boor

    After nearly half an hour, Syllis had navigated to the desired room. The numbers ¡°104¡± were engraved black in a bold font, inlaid with gold accents.

    Syllis pushed the door opening, drawing the gaze of several dozen students. Among them, a couple of familiar faces were there.

    Korman and Aura, sitting side by side, eyed the nymph curiously. They latter shielded her face, not wanting to be seen by her horrific opponent from the night before.

    ¡®A little too late.¡¯ Syllis mocked the human inwardly.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± A skeptical sounding man, chimed from the corner of the room. He rose, revealing a bulky body that could be seen through tightly¡ªpossibly too tightly¡ªfitting clothing.

    ¡°My question is the same¡­¡± Syllis¡¯ voice trailed out as though she had forgotten the next part of her sentence. After a brief moment of acute awkwardness, she continued. ¡°Are you Mr. Harfell?¡±

    ¡°Yes I am. My question remains.¡± Harfell¡¯s voice was hoarse, as though he had been shouting for hours.

    ¡®A little impatient¡­¡¯

    Syllis once again turned to scan the classroom, or more particularly its students. Each one of them had lived a better life she herself had. So, she wanted to beat down each one of them, if they consented of course.

    It was important to her that she dissected the perceived gap in talent between the upper-class and outer ring. That forsaken place had not done much for her, but it had caused her to grow up. This alone was a pivotal factor in her growth appropriating her bond.

    The secare nymph turned back to the professor and apologized before speaking. ¡°My name is Syllis. Veria told me to get you to show me around. Though, that does not seem to be the best use of a professor''s time¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you anger her somehow?¡± Syllis inquired, curious after examining Mr. Harfell¡¯s face.

    Harfell¡¯s eye twitched slightly before he turned to face his silent class. ¡°Which of you are willing to show Syllis around?¡±

    He briefly watched the class, along with Syllis, they waited for a student to raise their hand.

    Not even Korman raised his hand. Syllis had expected Aura to shy away and keep hidden, she was her victim after all¡­ However, Korman was unexpected.

    ¡®Does he want me to use this opportunity to have someone else guide me? Is there anyone particularly exceptional in this class?.¡¯

    Syllis would be surprised if there was. She was excited to spar with new, terrifying opponents until her enrollment with Veria. When Veria handed the second, ¡®restriction¡¯ contract, it was essentially telling her that she was already in the upper echelon.

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there were only a few students who could stand up to me.¡¯

    Syllis pouted slightly. The reassurance of her strength was a nice compliment but it also meant that her attending Lurgica was mostly useless. Still, she held out hope. There must have been a reason that Clyde, Aura, and Korman were still attending.

    Seeing that no one had volunteered yet, Syllis had a thought. ¡®Maybe they¡¯re intimidated.¡¯ She stepped out of the classroom briefly, entering the beautiful hallways once again.

    A minute passed and not a single student had raised their hand. ¡®Alright, maybe they just really dislike me¡­¡¯

    Syllis stepped back into the room, this time with newfound aggression. She ascended the stairs, her boots clacking against each step towards the top row of seats.

    ¡°They do not seem very fond of you.¡± Harfell chirped before letting out a small chuckle.

    ¡°You.¡± Syllis pointed towards a nymph with long, midnight blue hair. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    To her surprise the nymph responded in a masculine voice. ¡°Lerane Fertin.¡±

    Syllis had expected the androgynous nymph to have spoken in a feminine tone, his long blue hair was an odd trait for a male to have.

    She inspected further, examining the chest or rather the lack of. ¡®Makes sense.¡¯

    ¡°Alright Lerane, show me around.¡± Syllis commanded the nymph.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Lerane shifted uncomfortably, setting his gaze on Harfell, as if begging for help. The professor merely shook his head slightly and shrugged.

    Syllis grinned at his answer, turning back towards Lerane and speaking in a cold voice. ¡°You saw the man, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Syllis uncharacteristically made a joke drawing bizarre expressions out of Korman and Aura. The rest of the class shared in the confusion.

    ¡®I make jokes all the time! I just don¡¯t say them out loud¡­¡¯ Syllis sighed, gesturing for Lerane to follow her out of the room.

    ¡°So, where are we going first?¡± She asked as soon as the two of them exited the classroom.

    ¡°Nowhere.¡± Lerane spoke in his¡ªstill strange¡ªmasculine voice. With a sweep of his hair, the man turned back towards the classroom.

    ¡°This is Mr. Harfell¡¯s class, he teaches ¡®fabled discoveries.¡¯ It¡¯s essentially just how fable rifts have changed the modern world.¡±

    ¡®I understand why Clyde did not mention this class. It doesn¡¯t seem like one that someone like him would attend¡­ Wait, is that rude. Not like I would attend it either.¡¯

    Syllis looked into Lerane¡¯s azure eyes. ¡°How can a man have such beautiful, feminine features?¡±

    Lerane¡¯s pupils dilated at her sentence. As though, she had just committed the greatest atrocity. The edges of his lips curled downwards as he turned away. He threatened to leave if Syllis did not follow quickly enough.

    ¡°What¡¯s your bond?¡± Syllis asked, deadpan.

    Lerane only shot her a horrified glance before continuing to walk to their next destination.

    ¡®I can already tell this is going to be fun.¡¯ Syllis mused within, eager to see the entirety that this school had to offer.

    Lerane showed her nearly the entirety of the school: the library, class hallways, sparring grounds for combat classes, the museum for displaying student-made technology. Most intriguing though, was their next stop.

    After flicking the light switch, the room lit up in a cold, unforgiving hue. It seemed like this room held unforgivable secrets within. In some aspects, it had, besides the snickering children who took their lively education for granted.

    Syllis briefly introduced herself to the shamanic-looking woman.

    In all honesty, she looked like she could fall apart any second. The folds of excess skin were large and looked out of place on the petite woman, they were left behind from when she was young, tall and beautiful. Now, she was decrepit and needed even more than a cane to walk around.

    After being given permission, the secare nymph roamed the room. Syllis watched students diligently attempt to copy ritualistic circles from aged scrolls, imprinting them onto the ground in front of them with chalk.

    Several cursed at the slight inadequacies while some reveled in the fact that they bore a passing resemblance. Of course, both of these groups were infinitely better than the students who neglected their work completely.

    Content with their albeit flashy, inferior bonds. They seemed to act out childish plays while the people around them diligently worked to improve their circles.

    One man seemed disconnected from every group though, lacking the motivation to even try to mess around, interrupting class. Instead, he seemed almost like a doll. More precisely, the doll a child would put down after pretending they needed to rest after a very difficult and false, strenuous day.

    Syllis pulled Lerane to the side, away from his group of friends he had been chatting with.

    ¡°Who is that?¡± Syllis pointed towards the man with bizarre and wave red hair that looked to be stained in blood.

    Syllis suddenly thought of an amusing thought. ¡®What if all of his blood was used to stain his hair? That¡¯s why he isn¡¯t moving.¡¯

    She laughed wryly, understanding after a few moments that it was not her best work. Maybe Korman and Aura¡¯s apprehensive gazes were right.

    ¡°His name is Ansel Boor. He is regarded as the most talented kindred in Asanoch.¡± Lerane spoke even softer than a whisper.

    ¡®This is him huh¡­ The man that Clark placed above: his own son, Aura, and even Anahita¡­¡¯

    Syllis could not help but admire the solitary man. First, she revered him for his apparent strength.

    Then, she pitied him. She pitied this man for his inability to engage in what seemed so fascinating to her. He looked like he had given up. Syllis felt a strange familiarity down within her.

    ¡®Ah.¡¯ Syllis thought somberly, her expression becoming complex. ¡®I truly feel as though I¡¯m back there. On the outer ring, wasting my days.¡¯

    Finally, Syllis was angry, mad that this man did not have the time of day to even spare her a glance.

    ¡®How self-absorbed does one have to be? Or is he really just that good? So good that he does not need to engage with the world around him, so good that the world will just engage with him whenever he needs something.¡¯

    Syllis could not help but fume. In her new life, under the Boorne family¡¯s roof, she thrived. She hated her old life of motionlessness. This extended to Ansel.

    ¡°My name is Syllis.¡± She held a hand out to the man in front of her.

    Not a shred of anything crossed his face. Nothing glimmered in his dead eyes, equally as murky a red as his hair. There were zero signs of life in the man¡¯s facade.

    But he was not dead, the people around him talked and studied diligently, indifferent to his movement or lack thereof. This was just who he was, this was him.

    Syllis pulled her hand back. ¡®Who do you think you are? You who have been given everything. How can you squander it? How can you take it for granted while I have crawled my way up from the depths?¡¯

    The secare nymph called over Lerane, their tour was over. Syllis had wanted to stay, learn more, but there was time for that later. She was a student now.

    As they stepped away from the classroom, Syllis only spoke one word. She did not mutter it under a heavy breath or hid it within a cough. Instead, she left it out in the open for the entire classroom to hear, Ansel included.

    ¡°Pathetic.¡± Syllis uttered, an announcement for Ansel, and for the other students to spread. A promise to force him to move, to live, and thrive in his blessed life.

 Chapter 23 - Instilling the Desired Image

    After setting her hostage free, Syllis sighed. She watched as Lerane scurried back into Mr. Harfell¡¯s room, though his class was pretty much over at that point.

    Syllis lingered outside the classroom for a while until the professor signaled the end of class.

    Groups of students mingled and spoke about their next classes. Other students merged into the hallway from their own classrooms causing the serene hallway to transform into a chaotic scene.

    It was a beautiful chaos though, most notably because of the woman that approached Syllis.

    Aura Therman awkwardly shifted towards Syllis. The human was off her game recently. After her loss against Syllis, she was not herself. Instead, she was fearful, spending every moment thinking about how she could bring that secare nymph to her knees the next time they fought.

    ¡°Spar with me tomorrow!¡± Aura demanded, emerging from beyond Korman¡¯s figure, she found a newfound confidence as more of her class flooded towards them.

    ¡®Does she not think I have better things to do? Or does she think I would not be able to refuse in front of so many people?¡¯ Syllis stood still for a second, thinking through an answer.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Aura seemed taken aback. This was unusual for her, the dismissal over a sparring invitation. She took a couple steps back, no longer standing so valiantly in front of Korman.

    ¡®I guess her usual opponents can¡¯t really say no to the ¡®most talented kindred¡¯ in Asanoch. They would be driven by their desire to defeat such a monstrous foe. Unfortunately for her, I¡¯ve already braved this storm.¡¯

    ¡®In fact.¡¯ Syllis¡¯ lips curved, forming a smirk. ¡®I¡¯ve actually dragged the ¡®storm¡¯ across the dirt.¡¯

    Syllis remembered the faces of the entire spectator booth when she emerged from the misty battlefield, after dismissing the solid ice room she had manifested.

    They were shocked and afraid for the noble girl. She had been battered and several tendons in her legs had been severed. Syllis might have even slashed her achilles, she did not quite remember.

    Perhaps even more overbearing than their fear of that sight though, was their reverence afterwards. At the time, they tried to cover it under their horror, but each and every spectator was secretly in awe. They revered the nymph¡¯s power.

    ¡®So what need do I have for another spar with her if I already have the house¡¯s reverence?¡¯

    ¡°What do you mean no!?¡± Aura exclaimed, as if the fact that anyone could refuse her challenge was preposterous.

    Her fellow students crowded around the three of them, worried of a fight breaking out.

    ¡®A caveat of being an ignorant brat.¡¯ Syllis rolled her eyes before speaking.

    ¡°What? Can¡¯t you comprehend the fact that I have no business with someone like you? I have already conquered your bond. There is nothing you could show me that stands a chance at overcoming my superiority.¡±

    Syllis spoke coldly, like winter was hidden behind her voice, unable to be melted by even the false sun that loomed above.

    Inwardly, Syllis was less fond of how she spoke. ¡®Sorry Aura!¡¯

    There was a need to instill a fear of her in the students. Only then would the talented kindred be forced to challenge her. This was the quickest way to not only gather the attention of them but more specifically Ansel Boor.

    ¡®Yes, that immobile boy would certainly need a strong motivation to spar with me. In fact, even this might not even be enough for a person like him. I should know, it would have taken a lot for me back then as well.¡¯

    Still, she felt bad for humiliating Aura in front of her class. They were her comrades, her friends, maybe there was even a boyfriend among them. Even an arrogant jerk like her did not deserve this kind of public shaming in front of her dearest companions.

    Aura¡¯s tan face grew rosy after Syllis spoke. Maybe she had expected the nymph to accept after her outrage.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Unfortunately, she could not accept, no matter the circumstances. If Syllis accepted after some bickering then her image would be ruined before it was even entirely established.

    ¡®Better you than me¡­¡¯

    Aura looked around at the faces of her fellow students. They were an expression of worry and unease. She then looked at Korman, he wore one of embarrassment and perhaps a slight bit of pity shone through his eyes. Finally, she looked towards the secare nymph that made a fool out of her.

    This nymph¡¯s look was one of condescension. Their gaze intertwined once they locked eyes. This was also a sort of battle in some way, the attempt to glean the entirety of one''s character.

    Lights seemed to flicker in Aura¡¯s emerald eyes as she finally broke away from the nymph¡¯s seafoam eyes.

    Despite the fact that Aura¡¯s were sharper, and undeniably more beautiful. Syllis¡¯ held an indescribable sympathy. Their light green color seemed to waver, as though they had shed tears for Aura despite failing to actually drip.

    Unable, or perhaps unwilling to move because that would be the same as defeat, Korman had to step in. He placed a hand on Aura¡¯s shoulder before leaning in and urging her to follow him.

    Aura refused, instead opting to storm out the opposite direction of Syllis.

    Korman then approached the nymph. ¡°How¡¯s it going, Syllis? Are you really going to attend? I thought that somebody of your skill would just immediately look abroad, or perhaps to nomads that have relocated to Asanoch?.¡±

    ¡®Trying to act friendly so people assume it¡¯s just a minor scuffle between companions¡­ Maybe I owe Aura this mercy?¡¯

    ¡°Ah, Veria already got me to sign the papers. All that¡¯s left is for me to show up tomorrow, so I am on my way back for today.¡± Syllis spoke in a friendly manner, contrasting her earlier, colder tone.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. If there¡¯s one class I recommend, it¡¯s certainly ritualistic practices. You never know when it can be useful.¡± Korman leaned in at the latter half of that sentence.

    ¡®Oh believe me, I know.¡¯ Syllis thought back to her previous interaction with Ansel. Actually, it was not even a true interaction. It was only one sided!

    ¡®That boy could have been fast asleep and that would have panned out the same way. Actually, what if he already was¡­¡¯ Syllis mused before growing irritated at the crimson-haired kindred again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to take it. Anathema are unpredictable after all. It¡¯s better to have the necessary precautions ready for them.¡±

    Syllis and Korman exchanged a few more sentences of superficial dialogue before the latter decided it was time to chase down Aura.

    Then, Syllis shook off the glances of a couple groups of students before heading home for the day.

    Inside the Boorne household, Syllis flopped down on top of her bed, which was freshly re-made by a servant. Speaking off, they seemed to have already grown used to Syllis. They did not scowl when the poor girl entered the house, or bar her from entry.

    ¡®I wonder if they¡¯ll start doing that after my next stunt?¡¯

    Syllis could not help but wonder. She was about to betray the trust of the Boorne family.

    The room with no light was peculiar compared to the surrounding rooms. Nearly every room in the manor had a window, the lightless room did not. Every single other room upstairs had a switch, the lightless room did not.

    Regardless, there was a reason for the lack of light. Whether that was a sensitive plant or perhaps truly just something that was not meant to be seen¡ªit was assuredly interesting either way.

    ¡®I just can¡¯t help myself!¡¯ Syllis¡¯ curiosity got the better of her as she prepared to head over to the cellars.

    She wrapped herself in a dark colored cloak that bordered on the edge of black and brown.

    As the nymph stepped out of her room, she realized a critical flaw in her plan or rather, a flaw in how to begin.

    For the most part, the plan was simple. It was to fetch a brazier from the cellar walls before evading sight and bringing it up to the lightless room and gleaning its contents.

    The only problem was that Syllis did not quite know how to find the cellars. Edward had not told her which side of the manor they located. The only information he gave her was the time they were lit as well as an ominous message.

    ¡°Make sure not to stray far from the staircase¡­¡± Syllis muttered the bad omen underneath her breath as she began walking.

    It was assuredly going to take her a while to find her destination, and it was going to take longer to find a short path without servants roaming.

    The prospect of a servant seeing her holding a brazier was humiliating. Not only would she fail at unraveling the mystery of the lightless room, but she would also most likely face punishment.

    ¡®At least they can¡¯t get rid of me. I am the most suitable sparring partner for Clyde after all! And will be an equally competent guard within the fable rift!¡¯

    After nearly an hour of wandering and retracing steps. Syllis had found a path that was mostly hidden from view.

    The secare nymph found herself overcome with a cold sensation as she gazed down the stone staircase. It was odd, Syllis never felt shivers, an odd side effect of her enhanced resistance to the cold. Despite this, it seemed to be happening more lately. Aura¡¯s tenebrous dragon, Clyde¡¯s peculiar bond, and now this staircase.

    It was even weirder to get shivers from a staircase, lined with braziers that emanated pure warmth.

    It seemed as though an unnatural force was pulling her in, enticing her with riches or something of the like.

    Going against the advice of Edward, Syllis began descending the stone staircase.

 Chapter 24 - What is Truth?

    The acute coldness that shook Syllis only grew as she neared the bottom of the staircase.

    This was certainly the path to the cellar, it was the only area still populated with wall braziers. The lack of typical electrical lighting gave off an eerie atmosphere. Maybe this was what had the secare nymph quivering.

    Her boots echoed every step she took, as if reporting her movements to a hidden entity.

    ¡®Come on Syllis, stop overthinking it!¡¯

    Syllis urged herself, she knew that she was accompanied by a crippling tendency to overthink things. It was a mostly useful trait she had developed in the outer ring, where criminals jumped anybody that moved.

    Now though, it was not convenient to have. It only led to overcomplicating things. There was no need in fretting over some hidden entity as if there truly was one, then there was nothing that Syllis could do about it!

    Until it attacked, that is. If that were the case then she could think of a plethora of ways to deal with it.

    Syllis reached the bottom of the¡ªlonger than she had anticipated¡ªstaircase. She had descended nearly thirty steps before reaching the ground floor.

    The bottom was like a stone coffin. The cold pressure was noticeable, a stark contrast to the warm and inviting upstairs, illuminated by lights.

    Of course, Syllis could not help but compare it to her own basement, back before her father died and her mother left.

    This was where she was forcefully turned into a kindred. She remembered bits and pieces of the encounter¡ªtrauma blocking the rest of them. Her mind helped keep her in the dark. If she remembered the entire event then she might have gone insane by now. Sure, her father was not a good-natured man, and her mother was still evil despite being less. But this shroud over her memories allowed her to maintain a semblance of good-will towards them.

    There was no way that Syllis would have been able to trust again if she had known the entirety of what transpired that event. She did not even know if her mother held a place in that forsaken ritual.

    The only memories that were available to her were of her father apologizing, Coyzan¡¯s hand touching her head, and finally waking up in a pool of cold water.

    That was the day her innocence and normalcy had been stripped from her. Syllis had never been the same, even while her mother tended to her in the years after. Her mother had turned abusive once her husband died.

    It was only now, after being shown kindness by Clyde and contracted by Clark that she felt a semblance of normalcy being returned to her. Thus, she was faced with a dilemma at the bottom of these stone stairs.

    ¡®Am I betraying their trust? They¡¯ve shown me kindness, although they undeniably have their own motives. So what? Doesn¡¯t everybody have their own motivations, even for something as simple as living? So is it wrong then, for me to be betraying their trust? If I did not then I would be going against myself, is that not a bigger crime?

    ¡®Yes, how can I return to normalcy if I continue to let the world act on its own? There is a need to take control in accordance with my own motivation of living a normal life. If I act based on my surroundings then I have truly not changed since living on the outer ring.

    ¡®Without change, it is impossible for me to live normally. Right or wrong, it does not matter. If it satisfies my motivation while also keeping them in the dark, then ignorance is bliss. This is indeed how to please oneself while also appeasing the world. This lie was a necessary evil.¡¯

    Syllis felt a weight being lifted from her shoulders at this discovery. Growing up, she had always equated lies with being evil. The truth was absolutely good and one must not deviate from that, if you must, then you can only choose to accept the fact that you have lost and leave the conversation.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    So, lies were naturally a symbol of wrongdoing. Good could be acknowledged by all so if you had something that you did not want people to know, and chose to lie, then it was inherently wrong.

    Now, after finally facing her ongoing dilemma over the past couple days, Syllis finally found the truth:

    Lies were not inherently wrong, and the truth not inherently good. It lay in the situation, only when faced with all possible information could a true verdict be faced.

    ¡®Yes, even in courts, the innocent were sometimes ruled against. Even if you told the absolute truth, then you could lose. It lay in the nature of the truth or lies that determined which one was right.¡¯

    Syllis let out a sigh, taking a few steps forward.

    ¡®This would be the most desirable trait of an omniscient god. But perhaps that would change once having ascended to godhood. Maybe shedding my human skin would also leave any evil behind, and there would be no need for that kind of omniscience.

    ¡®I wonder if Coryzan is omniscient? Is he? I suppose I have not put the most thought into it. Is this corruption that festers within a conscious effort of his? If it is then that would mean he would be aware of whenever his bond was invoked, else it would be perpetual. Or is it an automatic response, a defense system of sorts to make sure nobody can draw too much from him, lest he run dry?¡¯

    Syllis shook her head no less than ten times before placing her hands together. Another sigh left her mouth as she thought. ¡®There goes my penchant for overthinking again.¡¯

    The secare nymph had been overcome with a sudden urge to delve further into the dungeon that was the cellars, which undoubtedly connected to the main basement.

    After a couple of moments of deliberation, she refused her own mind. Syllis was not about to lose herself in a labyrinth of interconnecting hallways. It did not sound like the most pleasant experience.

    Quietly, she approached a brazier. Her plan hinged on whether they were portable or not. She had expected them to potentially have a handle to carry them due to Edward suggesting them. To her surprise, the ¡®braziers¡¯ were merely anchors for torches, which she assumed would be changed out daily.

    Syllis lifted one such torch from its enclosure. She nearly hissed at the sudden heat, it was unbearable! At least until she moved it further from her, an arm''s length was enough for it to be easily withstood without breaking a sweat.

    Syllis had not thought about it before, but she wondered whether her bond gave her a weakness to the heat. She never really confronted the heat. Even the false sun did not give off true heat, and the times she swam up to the surface, she was still more than halfway submerged¡ªwith only her head poking out above the calm waves.

    The torch burned, but did it burn equally for everyone else. Syllis could not come to a conclusion right now, with no one else present. Her compromising position also did not quite warrant exposing her objectives to any servants to test. Even if it had, her overall endurance was increased due to her being a kindred, and her potential weakness to heat could still be above a normal person¡¯s threshold.

    Carefully, she peered out from the top of the staircase after setting down the torch briefly. Syllis was not blessed with greater-than-normal hearing so she needed to scout out potential servants roaming the halls.

    After confirming no one was around, Syllis picked up her torch once again before quickly shifting through the hallways. The absence of neither anyone nor anything interrupting her plan made her feel uneasy. She touched her heart, which was beating quickly.

    ¡®It seems that one cannot change their nature so easily. I¡¯m going to have to push more, to change who I want to be and take control of my life.¡¯

    Syllis resolved to become a person who would act in accordance with herself, without having a philosophical debate with herself beforehand. She wanted it to become second-nature to her.

    ¡®Self-satisfaction¡­ It¡¯s indeed a much better purpose than self-preservation. Although that latter is still necessary, just not my entire being.¡¯

    Finally, Syllis had arrived at the ominous room, devoid of light. She quickly entered before closing the door behind her and stepping off to the side, moving her hands in front to make sure not to bump into anything.

    Just because she had entered the room did not mean she was safe. The light from the torch shining could still prompt someone to open the door, checking for the source. If that happened, Syllis would surely be aptly apprehended. It would be difficult to glean anything but a robbery from such a scene.

    ¡®Or even worse, Arson.¡¯ Syllis shuddered at the thought. She could be put on trial for something so heinous. Such a crime warranted a hefty sentence, much more terrifying than a fine!

    Syllis, finally out of line of sight of the door, looked at the scene in front of her.

 Chapter 25 - The Key to Transfiguring Anathema

    Syllis wanted to vomit. In fact, she nearly did. Only by placing one of her wavering hands over the front of her mouth could she prevent it.

    The scene in front was not one to be seen in the upstairs of a manor. No, this scene was one to be hidden away, out of sight. Something too vividly horrific was to be shunned, banished to perhaps the cellar where Syllis plucked her torch from.

    Then again, maybe it was only so gruesome to Syllis. For someone who was forcefully made a kindred, this was the most brutal scene they could view. If it was Aura or Clyde, they might even reminisce.

    Syllis was sure that these families that almost ascended even the upper class had instilled the idea of becoming a kindred with their children for years before the ritual. Their children might have even taken part in the choosing of their anathema.

    Potential sellers would describe anathema and the children chose the one that resonated with them. It was easy to make such a choice when you cannot see the horror being described, when it cannot hurt you. What was described to be a millipede could instead be a monstrous one, with a torso the size of a thorian tree trunk and a hundred legs each the length of a cane.

    Inside, each of these sellers were surely dreading describing their anathema as it loomed behind them, ready to pounce. They would be forced to keep straight faces, not wanting to scare their saviors away. Lest they choose not to buy, leaving them stuck with their demons still.

    So it was precisely for this reason that this room, the Boorne family¡¯s ritual room, was located upstairs. No sellers would want to enter the basement. The lack of lighting was so that this eyesore remained hidden from passing eyes.

    For the first few moments after scanning the room, Syllis felt dread. ¡®I wonder if it would have been better to have never stumbled into this place.¡¯

    Though, this feeling quickly dissipated. Despite the horrific theme of the room, there was undoubtedly knowledge hidden within¡ªimportant knowledge. It would likely pertain to not only the ritual circles but also the anathema themselves.

    ¡®Maybe gleaning the contents of this room will help me uncover more of my ritual, to fill in the blanks.¡¯

    Syllis began scanning the room again, now undisturbed by her past trauma. Sill, a hellish feeling settled at the bottom of her stomach. Her heart was beating fast, like the pulsing waves of Asanoch¡¯s false sun.

    Several ritualistic circles were drawn onto large, stone plates that rested on top of the wooden floor with white chalk.

    One of them was incredibly intricate. Complex shapes composed the outside of the ritualistic circle while runes that seemed like an ancient language lined that top half of the outer circle. Three triangles interlocked to form a unique shape. Each triangle was individually unique with the characteristic of thicker or thinner lines. Depictions of whirlpools stirred around the triad of triangles. In the whirlpools were a dozen small dots, twisting with no rhyme or reason. They seemed scared.

    The second circle was less intricate. It abandoned the complex runic language of the last ritualistic circle and adopted a more symbolic approach. The outer ring was formed of an inner and outer circle. They seemed to convey a certain strength, as though they were two sets of bars, designed to encase the anathema within. Teeth, claws, and tendrils were all drawn inside the ring. Like a beast was trapped within.

    The last circle was a mix of the two. Instead of the runic language, it held symbols like the second circle. However, these symbols were vague. Unlike the teeth and claws, they did not represent physical objects but instead mixed with each other to tell a story, one which could not be discerned.

    Half of the outer circle was a full, thick line. The other was a dotted line with slices in it. Inside the circle was a great void overtop. Depictions with cuts in them drifted across the void. Below the void were several stars. They were not spread out in a distinct pattern, they seemed random. Despite this, they were interconnected with a line running from the first to the last, painting a picture of a large eye. A large beacon shot out from this large eye and pierced the void.

    Syllis did not quite know how to feel about these ritualistic circles. They were each distinct from each other, yet they all served¡ªpresumably¡ªthe same purpose. They were made to transfigure anathema.

    ¡®The teeth, claws, and tendrils should represent Korman¡¯s bond, this is apparent. Although the tendrils don¡¯t necessarily align from what I¡¯ve seen. Perhaps he has the ability, it just wasn¡¯t demonstrated as it isn¡¯t suitable for combat. As for the others¡­¡¯

    Syllis scanned the circles one more time. ¡®One of them should naturally reflect Clyde¡¯s bond, it¡¯s his house after all¡­ The eye circle seems to be most likely. The most key aspect of his bond is the ability to push away the gaze of others.

    ¡®As for the last¡­ It must be Aura¡¯s. However, her rifts don¡¯t look anything like those whirlpools.¡¯

    Syllis ruminated, the others were easier to diagnose. Being unable to decipher the runes on the first circle meant being left without two-thirds of the puzzle. Though, even one-third of the puzzle should be enough when given a completely understood puzzle to work off of.

    The complete puzzle was, of course, Korman¡¯s ritualistic circle. It was easily decipherable. The claws and teeth represented the animalistic features that he could draw out. The outer ring was also easily explained. You needed strength to hold the might of many animals. So, the two circles that comprised the outer ring were made to reinforce it.

    Syllis could easily see the anathema that was transfigured within Korman¡¯s body. It likely took the image of a large bear with many teeth and claws, potentially intertwined with vine-like tendrils.

    ¡®It seems that the outside of the ritualistic circle is the shell that must be matched to hold an anathema within. Yes, Clyde¡¯s ring was secare dotted. This represents the illusion of his bond. His afterimages are not inherently real, they do not exist in a physical sense. However, visually they take up space, shrouded the world behind them. His ring shows the duality of his bond, how the fake can be in some ways real.

    ¡®To accompany the shell, there is the inside. The inside seems to represent the abilities of the bond. It is mostly right, but is not entirely accurate.¡¯

    The problem of Aura¡¯s circle still thwarted Syllis. No matter how long she thought, it persisted. How could her bond shift, so drastically from the depiction. The others were very good representations. Unless, they were not.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Syllis had previously assumed Korman to have not demonstrated his vine-like abilities yet. However, this was likely wrong. In reality, he did not have them.

    ¡®Would vines not be an incredibly useful advantage in a fight? To be able to restrain an opponent without using your hands was an invaluable advantage, equivalent to having an extra set of arms in such a scenario.

    ¡®Does the power of a bond change depending on who the anathema is transfigured within? Or had Aura¡¯s anathema grown in between the time the circle was drawn and the time when the anathema was transfigured? Growing in strength could provide the need for a different summoning method. Maybe this is why her creatures emerge from those spatial rifts?¡¯

    Syllis was not entirely sure. In fact, she was not even partially sure. Any and all of this ¡®knowledge¡¯ was pure conjecture. She would need to first ask Korman about his ability to manipulate tendrils. If he said that he did not possess the corresponding ability, then the theory would be brought closer to reality. Though, it would still likely be far from the real truth.

    Using facts and logic to attempt and comprehend the supernatural that could not be entirely known was not foolish. It was foolish to assume that the supernatural would conform to such logic. In actuality, logic was merely a way to attempt and ground unknown concepts in reality.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve mostly uncovered this mystery¡­¡± Syllis mumbled and turned before letting out a quiet self-deprecating chuckle. She knew that such a mystery could not be unraveled at the moment. She might not even fully uncover the truth, up until the day she dies.

    ¡®Still, this is good enough, for now¡­¡¯

    Two flowing crimson sheets were draped across each wall. Small tables were set around the room non deterministically.

    Candles were laid out on top of them in an equally random fashion. There were a combination of short and tall candles on each table. One table even had solely small candles. They did not seem to serve a particular purpose¡ªother than to perhaps soothe the people involved with the ritual.

    These details gave the room a very ceremonial feel. Though she had not seen a shaman before, she had built an image in her mind through stories from her mother. This room felt like the operating room of one such shaman.

    Syllis invoked her bond before raising a small line of ice, sealing the door from the outside world. She scolded herself internally for not thinking of such a thing earlier and meandered over towards an ebony desk in the back of the room. She was curious about the two books that were sat upon it.

    The desk was in the center back of the room, it faced the three ritualistic circles. Likely, this is where someone would sit to oversee the ritual.

    Syllis set down her torch in a conveniently placed wall brazier and pulled the seat back before sitting down. She picked up the first of two books. She peeled open the first page.

    Inside, there were depictions of dozens of ritualistic circles. They were grouped into sections. The first third of the book held circles for the Boorne family, the second for the Thermans, and the last for the Vechi family.

    ¡®I guess that¡¯s the name of Korman¡¯s family.¡¯

    Thinking about it now, Syllis found it odd she had not learnt it during the cross family banquet. It was purely because Marvin was so kind and outgoing to her. He did not bother shoving his class in her face. It was his humbleness that made him Syllis¡¯ favorite noble adult she had met.

    ¡®The fact that there are so many¡­¡¯ Syllis was overwhelmed.

    There were many dozens of circles. The secare nymph did not have the most extensive education ever but even she knew that paper and ink had not been around for any more than a hundred years. So the fact that there were over fifty circles for each family meant one of two things.

    Firstly, it could mean that the Boorne family, Thermans, and Vechi family all had branches to them with many more members than Syllis knew about. After all, there needed to be many members to warrant so many ritualistic circles in such a short time.

    The second, and more likely answer was much more straightforward¡ªthe ritualistic circles had simply failed!

    This was much more likely. Even if the process of transfiguring anathema now was refined and successful very often for these wealthy families, it did not mean it was always this way. They must have failed a lot at the beginning to get to the point where they were today.

    This theory was confirmed upon further inspection. The first ten ritualistic circles for the Thermans were the same, with only slight variations in how they were drawn.

    ¡®This must be them refining the circle after each failure!¡¯ Suddenly, Syllis was overcome with a warm feeling. This was pride.

    Syllis felt proud to have unraveled the general meaning of the various aspects of the ritualistic circles. Compared to the near ancestors of the Boorne, Therman, and Vechi families respectively¡ªSyllis had come to their conclusion several tens of years earlier!

    Indeed it was not until around their thirtieth to thirty-fifth ritualistic circle that their failures became a rarity. Although, Syllis did have an edge over these ancestors. She had made her theories based on the refined circles of Aura, Korman, and Clyde.

    ¡®Yes, the ancestors needed to build their circles from scratch, without a reference¡ªlet alone a good one. There might even be further layers I do not comprehend yet. This is nothing to get full of myself about. Well, I could at least get eighty percent full of myself.¡¯

    Syllis gave herself a slight pat on the shoulder.

    All three of Aura, Korman, and Clydes¡¯ circles had succeeded on the first try. Their circles had not needed a single refinement. These three families had indeed gotten the art of ritualistic circle down to a science. Well, as close as the supernatural could draw to it at least.

    The second book had not harbored any content even remotely as interesting as the first. It only held the invocations that each seller had used to activate their anathema for the act of transfiguring. There was not anything practical to do with such information.

    Though, Syllis had mused the thought of potentially memorizing the invocation of Aura to see if she could activate it on her behalf. Despite her rudeness, Syllis decided that it would have been inhuman and that Aura did not deserve the punishment of slowly going insane at the will of someone else.

    ¡®Maybe if her invocation wasn¡¯t so unbearably long¡­¡¯ Syllis felt lucky that her invocation was only a few sentences.

    Syllis snooped around for a while longer, looking for anything she might have missed that had the potential to be interesting. It seemed like the secare nymph had gleaned all the ceremonial room had to offer.

    All that was left was to return her torch and pretend she had never stepped foot into this dark room.

    ¡®Actually¡­¡¯ Syllis had thought of a better, safer idea.

    Syllis encased the blazing torch in a prison of ice causing the flame to dwindle, even while it feasted upon animal fat. She then shattered the ice and used a crude ice shard to shave the top of the torch off. She rubbed the sliced and shredded top half of her torch into the grooves in between floorboards. Then, she snapped the handle into several pieces and cut them in half, leaving her with a dozen thin slices of wood.

    Now, Syllis would merely need to listen for steps before exiting the room and depositing the leftover sticks into one of the many fireplaces in the manor.

    ¡®I guess Edwards fireplace would be best.¡¯

    Syllis gave herself another pat for her way of dismembering the torch. Not only did it prevent servants from seeing her on her way back to cellars, the servants also would not contemplate the empty brazier in the cellar. They would merely assume another servant was slacking off on their work.

    ¡®This is the beauty of individualism! They are not a single entity. Any servant to see the brazier would merely assume it to be the work of another servant when in reality it was me.¡¯

    Having finished her task and eradicated all traces, Syllis finally left the room. She was eager to move away from these secretive shenanigans of hers.

 Chapter 26 - An Old Friend

    After Syllis exited the room, she immediately left the Boorne residence. There was a person she had been putting off visiting. She did not want them to think that she betrayed them, but maybe she truly had.

    Syllis had many opportunities to visit Jyrid again. After she left the Boorne residence the first time she had a choice to make. She could visit Jyrid or refine her ice needle-point spear. She could have visited him after the banquet, Jyrid operates his tavern well into the night. She also could have visited him after getting back from Lurgica.

    Syllis had neglected to visit him each and every time there was the opportunity to. Maybe in some ways, she wanted to avoid returning ever, or unless he visited her. Because if she visited the friendly tavernkeep that helped her out for so much of those years on the outskirts, then she would be falling back into her own life. This thought was scarier than anything else.

    ¡®I can¡¯t put it off any longer.¡¯

    Syllis readied herself and stepped just out the front door of the Boorne residence when she was faced with a problem.

    ¡°I have absolutely no quartz.¡± Syllis spoke out loud in a one tone voice. She was dumbfounded over how she could have no quartz and even more so that she could forget.

    This was such an absurd problem, there likely was not any more than a handful of people in Asanoch suffering from her problem. Even addicts in the outer ring would have some scraps of quartz, but Syllis had literally zero. Not even a piece of quartz dust was in her possession.

    Syllis remained stationary for a few seconds, unsure of what to do next. She realized that there was a lack of activities to choose from when one had no quartz to their name. It was impossible to leave Aklilan, it was spacious and would take several hours to make it into central Asanoch.

    Until Clyde returned home from Lurgica, she would have to make due with the limited options available.

    ¡®I could try to practice manipulating an already conjured weapon. Or I could sleep.¡¯

    There was not much to do. Syllis had been so absorbed in getting involved with the Boorne family that she felt weird, not having anything to do.

    ¡®Maybe I owe it to myself.¡¯ Syllis decided to take a nap to rest her tired eyes. Maybe she would even see parts of the ritualistic circles she did not comprehend a little better¡ªlike the barrier on Aura¡¯s.

    Several knocks quickly shook her out of her dazed sleep. Syllis did not dream in her brief, three hour nap.

    ¡°Syllis, are you awake?¡± Clyde¡¯s voice rang out from the other side of the door.

    It irritated Syllis, the secare nymph scowled before clicking the door open. ¡°I am awake¡­ now.¡±

    Syllis did not hide her slight irritation that hugged the edge of her voice. It was only natural to feel disdain for being woken up. Not that she had experienced it in quite a while.

    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± Clyde paused momentarily, looking over the nymph¡¯s slightly unruly hair. ¡°So, do you want to spar now or later? Do something else maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°Would you like to accompany me to the outer ring?¡±

    Syllis did not even want to entertain the idea of sparring as soon as she woke up. At that moment, she felt that was the worst idea ever spoken.

    The two of them sat mostly in silence throughout the entire duration of the carriage ride. Clyde did not even know where they were going and Syllis was too afraid to speak, worried to ask about ritualistic circles, she did not give herself away.

    ¡®If he learnt that I had snuck into his ritual room, what would he think?¡¯ Syllis did not know if she would be reported or not.

    She had noticed Clyde¡¯s ¡®attraction¡¯ towards her, it would be impossible for anyone not to. His voice stuttered and his cheeks would flush when he spoke to her. The question was whether this would be enough to prevent him from reporting her.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Obviously it would be a slight barrier in between him making a report, but was it enough? This matter was not a simple misunderstanding like the matter of her swimming in the outskirts of Asanoch. Instead, her sneaking into the ritual room was a coordinated act with intent. It was not a spur of the moment thing and very clearly, hundreds of hours were put into perfecting their method to transfigure.

    Knowledge like that could not be stumbled upon, if everyone knew the method then kindred would flood every city, causing chaos. So, the fact that Syllis had deliberately schemed and then unraveled the jist of transfiguring was problematic at the least.

    ¡®Why do I get the feeling that entering the ritual room was a mistake?¡¯

    Syllis shuddered as they finally arrived at their stop. The carriage driver knocked on their door, indicating the arrival.

    The both of them stepped out in front of a ramshackle tavern. The muddled orange and yellow hues of gas lamps emanated through the dusty windows as laughter jutted out from within creating a lively atmosphere.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± Clyde asked after taking in the building in front of them.

    ¡°Home.¡± As Syllis spoke, a grin curled up on her face. She quickly corrected herself. ¡°Or the closest thing to it. Come on.¡±

    Syllis gestured for the noble boy to follow her inside.

    Tables lined the left and right walls, seated with four to six chairs each. Uneven groups of men and women alike sat at these tables and drank their problems away. Some played poker at the same time while the others threw olives into small glasses, winning the reward of drinking the glass that the olive landed in.

    They laughed as they shoveled the poor beer down their throats. The slight splashing of clinked glasses pooled in the divots of tables and the floorboards. Occasionally, one would feel a light tap on them, stray droplets of alcohol tainting their clothing.

    Syllis and Clyde both walked down the open, middle aisle, lined with tables to the left and right. They sat down side by side on stool seats as they waited to be served.

    The warm gas lamp lighting beamed down upon them and refracted off the glass bottles that were littered across the back of the bar. Several notable brands seemed to be favored by the light, it was clear that Jyrid had purposely placed expensive bottles in these spots to highlight them for purchase.

    ¡®What a dastardly way to mark up bills¡­¡¯ Syllis took notes in case she needed to open a scummy bar someday.

    Before long a man greeted the both of them before going wide eyes. ¡°Syllis?¡± He asked, wide-eyed in a surprised tone.

    ¡°In the flesh.¡± Syllis spoke deadpan before turning towards one of the highlighted bottles on a pine shelf. ¡°That¡¯s scummy.¡± She let Jyrid know, gesturing to the specific example.

    Clyde did not seem to understand.

    Jyrid let out a hearty chuckle which was rare for him. He must have been happy seeing Syllis again. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed since you were last here. Where you been? Whatcha been doing?¡±

    The man was curious. It was a bizarre last couple weeks. Syllis never went more than a day without visiting the tavern again, whether that was for food, water or a friend to talk to.

    ¡°Nothing much, just getting hired by this guy.¡± Syllis gestured to Clyde who had remained silent up to now.

    ¡°I¡¯m Clyde.¡± Clyde stuck out his hand for the bartender who eyed it curiously before shaking it.

    ¡°Jyrid, hired for what exactly?¡± Jyrid turned back towards Syllis who had been playing around with a couple of wooden picks.

    ¡°Fighting him.¡± Syllis responded plainly. It was a relatively plain position after all.

    ¡°It suits you.¡± Jyrid did not laugh after saying this, instead, he smiled. A large smile curved from ear to ear as he spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve found something to occupy yourself with. Now you won¡¯t have to hang around here so often.¡±

    Syllis could have swore she saw a sad expression on his face for a second.

    ¡°Can I get some water?¡± Syllis asked thankfully before turning to Clyde. ¡°Anything?¡±

    ¡°Could you do a blend? With no cherry please.¡± Clyde inquired.

    A blend was a common drink in Shifordia. The blend is a refreshing drink that consists of several juices¡ªcherry, raspberry, strawberry¡ªcombined with lime and lemon zest. Another name for it was the triple because of the three juices. When ordering it without cherry, which was common because of the strong flavor, it would be referred to as a double.

    Jyrid smirked in response. It was ignorant to think that a small-scale tavern in the outer ring would be able to make such a drink. However, Jyrid was not the average tavernkeep and he liked his tavern: Ferrywell¡¯s to feel upscale. This was the reason he was able to create such a drink, and also occasionally put heasen hearts and other specialty meats on the menu.

    As Jyrid poured the blended drink into a fancy glass, Syllis had an interesting thought.

    ¡®Could I use this as an opportunity to learn more about the ritual room?¡¯ Syllis questioned within, searching for a reason this situation should be avoided.

    She did not want to keep sneaking around the family and boy who pulled her out of the outer ring. However, she could not deny it was tempting¡ªexceptionally tempting.

 Chapter 27 - Combat Proficiency

    Several nervous minutes of deliberation followed before Syllis decided against it.

    ¡®It¡¯s too worry-some. Alcohol is not a guaranteed loss of memory. What would I do if he remembered our conversation tomorrow and went to his parents?¡¯

    The rest of their time at the tavern was spent talking about what they would do once they got back. The decision was made for Syllis and Clyde to have their first spar since she was contracted.

    Syllis was not particularly worried. Unless he was holding back during their first battle, she thought it was reasonable for her to win. Clyde had not demonstrated any extremely potent forms of strength, his speed might have been slightly faster than Aura, but still less than her own.

    Overall, Clyde¡¯s bond seemed to be somewhat gimmicky. It would likely be useful within a fable rift but in scenarios where you would fight the same opponent time after time, it did not seem too well-made for that.

    Syllis bid farewell to Jyrid before the both of them headed back. The carriage ride was purely silent, Clyde was likely forming strategies in his head and she would have done the same. Unfortunately, there was another topic on her mind.

    As for how exactly Syllis was meant to play the part of a sparring partner, she did not quite know. It seemed straightforward enough, but once she realized the benefits she was given just to fight Clyde, it was sort of absurd.

    ¡®Am I supposed to give feedback or help him improve his application of his bond?¡¯

    Syllis dismissed the thought, this would have been clearly outlined in the contract she signed.

    A faint chill washed over Syllis. ¡®If that isn¡¯t it then¡­ It must mean that fable rifts are a hell of a lot more risky than I anticipated.¡¯

    Suddenly, she dreaded the day she would have to step into one. For the Boorne family to supply her with shelter, food and schooling for at least a year as per the contract, how terrifying did the fable rifts have to be?

    Clark had clearly known how much Syllis liked to spar, due to her fight with Aura. Even though the contract was drafted before, he should have had a couple of variations.

    As she thought about it more, Syllis realized that she was not a sparring instructor, but instead a contracted nomad. The sparring was merely something to give Syllis to do while she bided her time until they were ready to head into a rift.

    The both of them sparred. They had a close fight, evading narrow blows and trading with their bonds. Eventually, Syllis had ended up taking the win¡ªthough she sustained more damage than she would have liked.

    <hr>

    Weeks blended into a couple of months.

    Syllis had gradually been adjusting to her studies at Lurgica. Most of the classes she took were entirely useless to her.

    Ritualistic studies only regurgitated the same information every class while giving new circles to imitate with chalk.

    History of Fable Rifts, was something that Syllis was wholly uninterested in. She had gotten a brief rundown from Clyde and even that had been a bit much for her. She did not see the point in learning from the past. It was more important to her that the future was ensured. Should this class not instead guide kindred to keep the future safe, instead of looming over a past that cannot be overwritten.

    Surviving in Fables was a partially important class, but only with minor advice. The vast majority of fables were entirely different from the rest. That is what happens when they are fabricated by a plethora of different civilizations¡ªat least that is the leading theory.

    Thus, the only useful information was on how to effectively skin creatures, what meat was usable, how to cook it. Various small things that did not need to be lumped into the middle of mostly unusable advice for already expedited fables.

    There was one class that Syllis had found interesting, although it had its own drawback.

    Combat proficiency was essentially just an excuse for kindred to fight each other. Every student in the class just wanted to spar, instead of taking the combat tips to heart. Eventually, the professors relented and just turned it into a bracket system to prevent unfair fights.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    There were four brackets with around ten students each and Syllis¡ªbeing new to Lurgica¡ªwas naturally placed into the lowest bracket. Only after winning against the majority of the students in her bracket could she move up to the next. The reverse applied if you lost to the majority.

    It was a slug, the process of trying to reach the top, which was where all of the promising students were. It was frustrating, Lurgica even used this class as a method to prevent spars on campus. ¡°Just fight tomorrow in combat proficiency.¡± It was unexpectedly effective.

    This only enraged Syllis further, students would not challenge her outside, so she was forced to crawl up through the brackets.

    ¡°Finally, today I¡¯m in the top bracket.¡± Syllis muttered under her breath and scoffed at the sheer amount of time she¡¯d wasted climbing the ranks.

    Though it was all worth it in the end.

    The entire classroom quaked after seeing the bracket matchups for the day written onto the signature charcoal-black board. Every day the students would crowd around the large board and examine the matchups. There was a list of all brackets designated: A, B, C and D. All of the students fell under these categories. If there was a star next to your name, then you were sparring today.

    Syllis had watched herself be moved from the very lowest tier to the highest, though she took no pleasure in it.

    Students were initially tested and placed into their starting brackets at the start of the school year. Since Syllis had missed that, she had to climb up. The only reason she had ascended so fast was because many students simply refused to fight her. Lurgica obviously had no way of forcing kindred to fight so whenever there were no more kindred in her bracket to fight, then Syllis was moved up.

    This was the case throughout the D and C tier. They shook in fear after seeing their star accompanying Syllis¡¯ star. B tier marked a qualitative shift in ideologies though. No B tier had refused to spar, these were where the kindred of Lurgica began to shine, although they still were no match for Syllis.

    Every fight of hers in the B tier still only took a couple minutes at most. This was only a fraction longer than the very few spars in D and C tier but Syllis had no choice but to applaud them.

    ¡®At least they did not display the same cowardice that they had.¡¯ Syllis found herself thinking this after every B tier spar despite them being tedious. Though she could not quite fault the D and C tiers either, most of their bonds were not made for fighting.

    Syllis tried to squeeze through the drove of around fifty students.

    ¡°This is going to be an interesting matchup.¡± One student spoke intriguingly.

    ¡°No, not Adelphi again. I¡¯m just going to forfeit.¡± Another sounded defeated, refusing to go through their same apparent struggle again.

    ¡°Oh, Oh!¡± A bunch of students exclaimed. ¡°That nymph is finally going to be knocked down a peg hehe¡­¡±

    ¡®Ok now I really have to see this matchup.¡¯ Syllis continued to push through the crowd.

    Syllis already knew that these students were referring to her.

    ¡®Who knew that winning every spar and striking fear into the entire three lower brackets would garner me some negative attention?¡¯ Syllis rolled her eyes, amused by the students'' hatred over her.

    This hatred even seemed to mend some students'' past relationships. Constantly, students switched friend groups. They would exile and be exiled from them. Some would curse out former friends over the slightest injury between the two of them.

    Syllis¡¯ sudden uprising had given every student someone to put all of their anger on. It was absurd, how easily deterred the human mind is. Not that it particularly mattered to Syllis.

    Although she had not made any new friends, she did not particularly need any either. Syllis was solely at Lurgica for preparation for her first fable rift and to spar with renowned juvenile kindred.

    Syllis realized the former was needed on her carriage ride back from Ferrywell¡¯s a couple of months ago, she realized it was a death sentence to just wait for the day to come. After that realization, she had heard a ton of stories about nomads never returning from their expeditions. This further urged her to seek out preparation.

    Though this was not that important preparation, it was equally needed to Syllis. She had solely sparred against Clyde recently, and technically Korman but they hardly counted. Aura was still too afraid to spar with her again, though Syllis felt she was slowly accepting her.

    Her bracket matches were the most tedious activity ever and she could only watch the A-tiers in class for so long before growing bored.

    ¡®I need this relaxation. Especially since Clyde only wins every ten spars now¡­ And those spars are after I¡¯ve exhausted myself practicing.¡¯

    Perhaps it was a little odd to refer to it as ¡®relaxation¡¯ but that was how Syllis felt. Battling was her favorite activity but playing with the same toy for so long grew boring quickly.

    The students behind Syllis realized her presence and quickly moved out of the way. Only Clyde and Korman stood staring at the charcoal-black board.

    They turned to look at Syllis with an expression that teetered between sympathetic and supportive.

    Syllis turned, gleaning the board. Her eyes immediately flicked past the first three tiers, all the way to A.

    The corners of her lips rose and formed a wide grin.

    ¡®It¡¯s finally happening, that red haired bastard is going to get what¡¯s coming to him.¡¯

 Chapter 28 - Against the Norm

    Syllis had been waiting to spar against Ansel since her first interaction with him. She had assumed that he would approach her one of the many times that they were both in ritualism class. However, he never did. It was almost like their first interaction never happened.

    This stoic attitude was the reason that she wanted to beat some sense in him. In a way, she did not even want to spar, she wanted to fight him. To beat him down to a shell of his former self, to make him plead, and to make him change.

    Several students studied the motionless Syllis, fixated on the star beside both her and Ansel¡¯s name.

    ¡°Look at that! Her shoulder¡¯s quaking!¡±

    ¡°Hah! Maybe she will be the one to forfeit this time?¡±

    These students chirped, if only they could see the excitement that played within her. This sensation, she felt the adrenaline rush, the hair on her body standing up.

    Syllis had seen Ansel spar before, only one time. This sole spar was against Aura, she seemed to be the only kindred he thought worth his time. Ansel won, crushingly. Aura had only been able to last for ten minutes before she had her abdomen cut open.

    Of course, Syllis had sparred against Aura as well, and dragged her against the bloodstained dirt. The difference was that she had not won so crushingly. There was more than a little resistance in their battle, Syllis had fallen not even five minutes after she had defeated Aura.

    Syllis had long admitted to herself that Ansel was indeed a formidable force. What was more terrifying than his sheer dominion was his twisted bond and ruthless attacks.

    He was not afraid to slash deep into Aura¡¯s face and even completely fine with cutting off an arm.

    Syllis still remembered watching Ansel do that very act to Aura. Her face was one of horror. After their spar, Aura had become more tolerant of Syllis. It was like another, more terrifying monster had grabbed hold of her heart.

    ¡®I guess if I needed to walk shamefully to the anathemic doctor to have my arm reattached then that would probably be a lot scarier than being dragged, unconscious.¡¯

    A part of it stinged Syllis. While she was glad that Aura had grown slightly closer, and that they would have better chances within their rift, she was still sad that Ansel was so much more formidable to Aura.

    ¡°Alright everybody!¡± Professor Ruvhernim called out, garnering the collective attention of the class. ¡°I think that today, we will begin with the D tiers.¡±

    The tier that sparred first alternated daily. Whatever letter that the professor called out would go first and then the group to the right would spar next, and so on. If group A was chosen first, it would then rotate to D, C, and lastly B.

    It was a nice system, always keeping the students on guard. While other professors wanted to make their students feel welcome, Mr. Ruhvernim was the opposite. He always wanted to make the students fear, that is the most essential element of battle after all.

    This was one of the reasons why Syllis was more fond of him than the other professors she encountered.

    ¡®Kindred should be pushed, not coddled!¡¯ Syllis had adopted his mindset recently.

    Not entirely of course, she did not know if she was even going to enter another fable rift after her first. If she did not, then she would certainly be coddling herself!

    The students dispersed, taking groups of seats, reserving them for friends that were late. It was a pleasant sight, everybody gathered to watch two kindred cut into each other.

    ¡®Wait, isn¡¯t this a little psychopathic? Oh well, normalcy is overrated. I am probably the only kindred from the outer ring attending this school and I am in the upper echelon.

    ¡®If I was normal, then I would be scraping by in the C or D tier. No, a normal person would not have a transfigured anathema within. That wouldn''t be very interesting. It is only in embracing the strange and unique that our lives are fulfilling.¡¯

    Syllis sat beside Clyde, Korman and Aura, in that order. Aura sat the furthest away of course.

    The first couple spars would always be entirely boring. They would last long, only because the bonds used had little combat potential. The sole means of damage was a wooden weapon they could choose from, so these battles were incredibly boring with little variations.

    The odd C tier spar could be mildly interesting, some C tiers had truly commendable weapon mastery.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Syllis found herself slightly envious of their use of swords. She wished that it was possible for her to form a sword of ice. The spear had gotten somewhat dull in the last couple months.

    The B tier fights are where it got somewhat interesting. Their bonds complimented their fighting style. Variation was key in this tier, and this was where the greatest weapon mastery was displayed.

    A tier fights were of course much more entertaining but lacked the certain tact that the B tier had. However, A tier fights mostly relied on their bonds with a slight bit of close combat sword exchanges. This made them lack the variety that made the B tier interesting. Although they had the leg up in visuals. There were some truly beautiful bonds in the A tier.

    They watched as the first three matches unfolded. The first and second were wholly uneventful.

    The third was between the first B tier that Syllis had fought, coincidentally, it was Lerane. He had impressed Syllis, by a moderate amount. His bond was nothing extraordinary, only allowing him to speed up in bursts, this gave him a unique weapon technique. He could speed up to increase the impact of his weapon, or he could use it to evade. He could fake using it on his weapon, wait for his opponent to move before using it to move and swing.

    This slight trick had worked against Syllis once, she had been ashamed when it happened. It was the only time that a B tier had nearly managed to hit her.

    Lerane and another B tier fought, they clashed their longsword and rapier. They danced, flowing with their swords. This was the type of fight that Syllis enjoyed watching from the B tiers.

    In the end, the girl with the rapier won, taking her victory in stride. From the murmurs, Syllis figured out that she is a couple of wins away from being promoted to the A tier.

    ¡®Unfortunate, if that girl gets promoted, she will only face hardship. Her bond isn¡¯t suited to the A tier.¡¯ Syllis hated to admit it, but bonds were a sort of lottery.

    Syllis would have loved to be regarded solely as a result of hard work or talent. Unfortunately, this is not how fate operates. Fate favors certain people and it operates cruelty. It favors irony and will laugh in your face. This was the reality of the world.

    Still, Syllis could not say anything about the B tier¡¯s ambitions. She was truly striving for what she wanted. Whether she maintained it or not was a different story.

    ¡®There¡¯s always a chance I guess.¡¯ Syllis sighed before jolting up in her chair. It was almost time to face Ansel.

    Syllis could not hold her excitement in, she bit her lip in a sort of euphoria. This moment, the possibility of putting Ansel in his place might have been the only reason that Syllis could stand rising through the lower three tiers. It was all for this moment.

    There were other kindred in the A tier which Syllis also wanted to spar with, but none compared to the red haired derelict.

    After congratulating the girl, professor Ruvhernim rose.

    ¡°Next up! Syllis and Ansel!¡± Mr. Ruvhernim said, almost as a cheer. He was always engrossed in his students¡¯ spars.

    Syllis rose and made her way down the stairs and towards the large, stone square.

    The arena was smaller than the one on the Boorne estate. That was to be expected though, space was tight within schools. The government was often stingy with handing out quartz, even to the top magnet school for kindred.

    Syllis knew this all too well from their neglect of the outer ring. So many people could have been saved if they only extended the slightest bit of help.

    Then again, maybe they did not warrant the help. Jyrid had always been a bit sadistic in that regard, claiming that the citizens in the outer ring did not deserve help. The horrific part was that Syllis found herself agreeing after a while. They had tried to steal from her dozens upon dozens of times over the years. She could only imagine what would have happened if she did not have her bond.

    Syllis let out a sigh as she reached the stone arena that measured twenty-five meters in any direction.

    ¡®They really don¡¯t deserve saving, but what about people like me? The abandoned, those left behind. Can you really leave them behind with the addicts and other criminals? Surely there is a better way to handle it.¡¯

    Syllis let out another sigh before invoking her bond.

    Ansel had not made an effort to step towards the arena. In fact, he was heading the opposite way. It seemed he did not consider Syllis to be an adequate opponent.

    Syllis did not yell, she did not scream. Instead, she would make him turn around.

    The secare nymph invoked a javelin of ice, attracting the attention of her classmates. They had not seen her manifest such a weapon before. The only application of her bond that Syllis used were her crags to shield herself.

    They marveled as the nymph crouched and pulled her arm back. Syllis then spun and used a crag to accelerate, pushing off of it with extreme speed.

    In the same manner she had used to try and pierce the false sun, Syllis threw the javelin towards Ansel.

    The red haired derelict quickly turned and jumped to the side.

    This ice javelin slammed into one of the school¡¯s sturdy stone walls. It shattered, creating a bellowing sound, akin to a hammer against an anvil.

    The world almost seemed to slow down as Ansel¡¯s crimson eyes locked with Syllis¡¯ own seafoam eyes. They scrutinized each other under the others¡¯ gaze.

    His pupils dilated, he had not been able to entirely comprehend what had just happened. He thrived off logic and Syllis was an anomaly in that regard. He had heard she was from the outer ring, she was lesser than him.

    Ansel shook slightly before walking, emotionlessly towards the arena.

    It seemed that he acknowledged Syllis as someone even slightly formidable.

    As they both approached the center of the stone arena, the students watched, silently. Syllis¡¯ stunt would have gotten her expelled, had Ansel not dodged it, and he only barely managed to.

    Ansel and Syllis had both reached the center.

    The secare nymph loomed over the short, human man. Her wavy, cerulean hair cascaded down and nearly grazed the side of Ansel¡¯s face as they stood mere inches away.

 Chapter 29 - Covered Eyes

    ¡°Where do you come from?¡± Ansel¡¯s voice was indifferent, unlike a normal student¡¯s. It sounded more like a scholar who was engrossed in his work.

    ¡°The outer ring.¡± Syllis responded plainly, looking down on the man in front of her.

    Ansel seemed confused with this answer. ¡°Where are you originally from?¡±

    ¡°The outer ring.¡± Syllis repeated before leaning in, she spoke into his ear. ¡°I¡¯m not some freak pretending to be from a lesser background. It is through my hardships and luck that I am here right now. Those hardships are what¡¯s going to make you kneel.¡±

    Syllis pulled back, briefly touching his¡ªlonger than average¡ªred locks of hair. She then began moving towards the back of the arena.

    Ansel followed her lead, walking in the opposite way.

    The suffocating atmosphere seemed to relent as they turned away from each other, letting the students bicker freely again.

    ¡°That was scary!¡± A female student shook slightly.

    ¡°Has she always been able to do that? I¡¯m glad that I forfeited!¡±

    ¡°What kind of a monster can make Ansel so fearful?¡±

    A couple of male students turned to each other and wiped their foreheads in relief.

    Syllis looked up, nearing the back of the arena. Clyde, Korman, and Aura, all looked down at the secare nymph.

    Two of them had looks of pity and sympathy, once again strewn across their worried faces. They were Clyde and Korman. They mouthed words of sympathy.

    Syllis merely dismissed them, instead focusing on Aura.

    Aura did not share the same, sympathetic and pitiful eyes. No, hers held a flame within. This flame swirled with a need for revenge. It was easy to decipher what her expression meant.

    It was wrathful. Aura wanted Syllis to take Ansel down, to tear him down to his most basic elements of flesh, blood, and bone. She wanted Syllis to tear not only his arm off in revenge, but for her to take his legs, eyes and teeth.

    A faint, wispy mist manifested in front of Aura, beckoning her attention. It coalesced into a large, icy ring.

    Aura smiled slightly before she turned back to Syllis and gave her a thumbs up. Then, the ring shattered into a sea of frosty particles, slowly dissipating into the air.

    The both of them shared a sort of darkly twisted smile before Syllis turned back to her emotionless opponent.

    ¡®I¡¯ll try my best, Aura.¡¯

    Syllis had already wanted to tear Ansel¡¯s limbs from his body, but she wanted to do so even more now. The possibility of it giving a good foundation for a friendship between her and Aura was a nice incentive.

    ¡®Well if this isn¡¯t a weird, wholesome scenario¡­¡¯ Syllis grinned slightly, amused by the odd situation she found herself in.

    Professor Ruvhernim clapped, sending a loud wave throughout the large room.

    ¡®As expected of someone with four anathema.¡¯

    Ever since Syllis learnt this fact about her professor, she found herself realizing more situations in which he applied his superior strength.

    ¡°Alright everybody! Time for the main event, Syllis against Ansel!¡± He hyped up his students.

    ¡°You two have thirty minutes so feel free to take a while.¡± Ruvhernim added.

    It was not unusual for the A tier match to take the longest. With more potent bonds also came more minds, forged through battle. In a D tier fight, a single swing could end it. This was not the case in an A tier fight. Weapon mastery was higher allowing for them to not only be used for offense but for defense as well, prolonging fights. Not to mention the fact that some bonds could temporarily offset damage, others could get rid of it all-together.

    ¡°Fight!¡± The professor exclaimed, raising both of his arms high in the air and letting out an even more deafening clap of his hands.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Syllis was a passive fighter, though the class did not see her as one. This was because throughout the first three tiers, she was more concerned with getting the spars over with. There was no point in giving the opponent hope. It would only crush their spirits more once they lost. Now though, against Ansel, Syllis was cautious.

    Ansel on the other hand, was not the least bit cautious. He immediately invoked his bond before dashing over.

    This bond of his was horrific and powerful, though it had an easy to exploit flaw. From the battle Syllis had witnessed of him versus Aura, she realized that his bond heavily drained him. The corruption within him grew at an alarming rate, even faster than Aura¡¯s seemed to.

    ¡®Winning in such a way is a last resort, I need to inflict as much pain as possible to please Aura¡­¡¯

    Syllis spun on her heel, narrowly avoiding a beam of fleshy substance.

    From within this substance, cries could be heard. They were both mature and juvenile, death did not discriminate. Where they came from, Syllis did not exactly know, but because of the¡ªarms, legs, and eyes that writhed within the flesh¡ªit was not unreasonable to assume there were a few mouths accompanying them.

    ¡®It¡¯s just as chilling as when I saw Aura get corroded by it.¡¯

    Syllis manifested a large wall to encase herself, the type of wall that would take several miners no less than a week to break through it.

    Although Ansel¡¯s bond was very lethal, and he possessed remarkable skill with his jian, there was a limit to his pure destructive capability. Sure the acidic quality seared through flesh at an alarming rate, but it would not fare so well against ice.

    As Ansel tried to sear his way through the massive wall, Syllis had begun manifesting a weapon of ice. This was a new weapon, one she had practiced making every day for the last month.

    This was her normal needle-point spear, with a couple modifications. The first and lesser of the two, was a longer tip, with a lesser incline. This was to let it soar through the sky with greater efficiency. This was especially important due to the second modification. Two foot-long handles stuck out at the base of where the spear began to converge into a point. These handles were immensely useful, but came with a cost.

    These handles served as guards when Syllis called the spear back to her. Over the last couple months, she had learnt to be able to call a weapon back very consistently, though it still harbored the problem of potentially piercing her own body. This was why she implemented the bars, she would grab onto them if the spear came back with the end pointing towards her. Though they greatly reduced the airborne effectiveness, hence the first modification.

    Syllis condensed the spear, ensuring it would not break no matter the strain it went through. She had been able to refine spears to the point that they would not shatter until over one hundred throws! It was a commendable feat.

    As she neared the end of condensing her spear, the first specks of color from Ansel¡¯s hair were seen through the thick ice wall. Then, the first hole was burned within.

    The structural integrity was compromised and the wall began to collapse, though it had already bought enough time. Syllis had perfected her spear.

    Syllis dismissed the wall aside from a small portion. The rest of it dissipated into the air but one chunk hastily fell.

    Ansel turned, invoking a stream of flesh to shred though Syllis¡¯ skin. He was met with a large block of ice which collided with the ground, shaking the arena.

    Syllis saw his stumble and sent an ice crag to throw the chunk into him.

    Ansel used a wall of flesh to shield himself, corroding the ice that threatened to enter his domain.

    Though the ice had accomplished what it needed to. Syllis had sent herself flying above through the use of another crag, she dropped down onto Ansel, pointing her spear downwards and standing on its handles.

    Ansel realized a split second too late. ¡°Ahh!¡±

    He shrieked in pain as the azure blade peeled a healthy amount of flesh from the top of his shoulder down to the waist, he had turned just a slight bit too late.

    This slight pain and display of emotions brought a smile to her face. Previously, her face was plain and indifferent to hide her intentions, but after Ansel¡¯s outburst, she grinned¡ªfrom ear to ear.

    The class did not erupt into cheers or yell words of praise. Instead, they yelled negative words, calling her names.

    ¡°Siren! Siren! Siren!¡± The majority of the class joined into these hollow, racist cheers.

    Syllis was not the favorite to win, everyone wanted her to lose.

    ¡®How am I somehow the villain of this matchup? This red-haired freak is a cruel monster, lobbing off his opponents limbs for fun. I will avenge all those that he has toyed with in battle, how is that wrong?

    They continued to boo and shriek at Syllis.

    ¡°Forfeit! Give up! Cheater! You play cheap!¡± They all erupted.

    As Syllis heard Ansel mending himself with globs of flesh, she turned to face the stadium. Almost every student heckled her. Even the slight few that had not heckled only remained silent.

    Syllis then turned to Clyde, Korman, and Aura. None of them let out a single sound, they basked in the silence.

    ¡®This is the flaw of people. They are afraid to speak up if they are in the minority. They do not stand up for the truth, turning a blind eye if there is any opposition at all.¡¯

    At that moment, Ansel finished mending himself and turned to Syllis. Wearing his normal, emotionless expression.

    ¡°Thinking of forfeiting the match. They seem to want you to.¡± Ansel spoke indifferently, though clearly attempting to taunt his enemy.

    Syllis turned slowly, eventually meeting his crimson eyes. ¡®I¡ª

    Syllis interrupted her own thoughts, instead staring into Ansel¡¯s crimson eyes again.

    They stood only five meters from each other, so their words would not reach the audience.

    The secare nymph spoke with a cold tone. ¡°I really¡ªhate humans.¡±

 Chapter 30 - Twisted Blissfulness

    Ansel did not respond to such a bold statement. Instead, he took it as a declaration of war. He stepped back slightly, brandishing his insignificant armament in front of him.

    Syllis disregarded the audience. Almost everyone heckled her, calling her vile names. As for the people that did not join in, well they only stayed silent, cowering in fear. Even Clyde, Korman and Aura did not stand up for her.

    This was until a voice cut through the hateful yelling.

    ¡°Teach that red-haired bastard a lesson! Tear his arm from his shoulder, just like he did to me!¡±

    Aura¡¯s voice was louder than the rest of the students. It was like a beacon of hope in a burning field.

    The professor had been trying to dispel the near riot forming within the stands, to no avail.

    Syllis did not respond to her eerily supportive mutual. Although she had smiled at her comment.

    Ansel jumped towards Syllis, he knew that if he could get ahold of her, then the fight would practically be over.

    The secare nymph he charged for knew this just as well. As soon as Ansel had grabbed Aura during their spar, it had ended. The acidity of his fleshy bond allowed him to tear her arm leaving her in writhing pain.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to let you do to me what you did to Aura. Though, it was nice of you to cauterize her wound afterwards.¡±

    Syllis mocked the crimson-eyed derelict. He obviously had not meant to cauterize his opponents wound in his previous match, it was merely a bi-product of the heat.

    Syllis lunged towards him, masterfully dodging several quick shots of acid before delivering a few fierce attacks of her own. Several quick thrusts of her spear narrowly avoided Ansel¡¯s abdomen.

    Ansel had perfect spacing, every easily perceivable attack that Syllis would send would easily be out spaced.

    ¡®He¡¯s pretty damn mobile.¡¯ Syllis thought, trying to form a way of dealing some serious damage.

    The nymph rose a colossal wall, akin to the one from earlier. Though, this one was not made to keep Ansel at bay, but to instead pull him in close.

    It was a reckless strategy, Ansel was monstrous in close quarters.

    ¡®What else can I do? This freak is just too mobile!¡¯

    Syllis acknowledged the nature of such a play, but also knew that she was equally deadly, and even more cunning.

    Ansel was cornered, his back to a wall of ice. He grinned slightly, once again dropping his emotionless visage. This was his ideal scenario.

    Syllis ran forward, towards the red-haired man. They were only a breath away from each other.

    Ansel kicked forward, shooting a stream of fleshy liquid, darting through his boot. He then reached to grab onto her azure spear.

    Syllis swerved, narrowly avoiding the stream of acidic substance and threw her spear backwards. ¡®Dastardly trickster.¡¯

    It was imperative that Ansel did not grab a hold of it, if he had, then it would be dissolved in only a few seconds.

    Four crags of ice rose from the ground, raising Ansel, high into the air. He tried to push off and leap away, but they twisted, contorting into a sort of cage.

    Ansel dissolved the bottom section of one such crag and grabbed hold of it. However, he did not use any acidic flesh. His muscles bulged as the crag was gradually lifted. He secreted a small amount of fleshy substance, coating the side of the crag. This crag was then swung towards Syllis, shattering any obstacles in the way.

    Syllis coughed up blood as the gargantuan beam collided against an azure shield she had risen beside her. It crushed the shield and swept her ten feet to the right. ¡®T-that strength is unnatural. Even for a kindred¡­¡¯

    Her vision doubled for a few moments and her knees buckled below her. She saw several specks of corrosive liquid writhing on her arm as Ansel appeared beside her.

    Syllis attempted to twist but collapsed under her own weight.

    The red-haired derelict leapt onto her, grabbing hold of her left arm. A black and red secretion oozed from the pores of his hand, melting through the secare nymphs arm.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Syllis first cried out in pain. This was the first time she experienced a pain so strong outside of her episodes.

    She then locked eyes with Ansel who seemed to revel under his looming victory.

    Clyde and Aura nearly leapt down from the spectators'' booths, eager to stop this match. They looked over to the professor and seeing his reluctance to act, decided to act in his stead.

    A hand reached out to stop them while another wrapped around their back. It was Korman, invoking his bond and mutating himself with a peculiar animal¡¯s arm.

    Clyde and Aura looked at the mutated man with a somber expression. Korman merely shook his head, he felt resistance against his gargantuan arm.

    Korman only said one word, his expression solemn. ¡°Stop.¡±

    This was the mediator of the group. If either Clyde or Aura was to commit to a reckless act, he would prevent them. He was like a neutral guardian, made to uphold the integrity of the world.

    ¡°Is this it Ansel! Is this all that you have, such slight searing!¡±

    Syllis provoked the man as drips of acidic flesh dropped from her bloodied arm and onto her left side and leg. It burned through her clothes, flesh, even bone in some spots.

    ¡°Is this not enough for you? Forfeit.¡± Ansel spoke plainly, returning to his emotionless facade.

    ¡°Hah! This wouldn¡¯t be enough to deal with a baby heasen!¡± Syllis spat in the red-haired brat¡¯s face.

    Ansel did not respond to this provocation, instead he reached for her face.

    An azure spear whistled as it fell from what seemed to be the heavens. This modified needle-point spear fell at a terminal velocity.

    Ansel turned, placing his hand around Syllis¡¯ neck before attempting to dissolve the spear before it reached the both of them. His mutated flesh attempted to wrap around it, but the speed let the spear fly freely.

    It pierced through his waist and back and made a clunking sound as it collided with a sheet of ice that Syllis had manifested above her abdomen.

    Syllis kicked Ansel off of her before throwing him into a sharp crag, the skin on his back peeled off.

    The both of them fell away from each other.

    Syllis¡¯ entire arm was burnt, sections of bone protruded and the only reason that any bone stayed hidden was due to blood. Her left waist and thigh were scorched under the dripping remnants of the acids that seeped through her arm.

    Ansel¡¯s shoulder was splintering, his flesh not a viable form of mending. His waist oozed blood and his back tainted the crag he was pinned to with a crimson paint.

    He tore himself from the spike, wavering slightly under the gaze of Syllis. Her eyes were like a sea, ready to drown him.

    Syllis threw a chunk of ice towards Ansel, shattering his ribs and sending him collapsing through the spike behind him.

    Syllis took a moment to tend to her wounds. As much as she could. She replaced missing chunks of bone with ice and supercooled the nerve endings so she would not feel anything. After a few moments they thawed, hitting her with a wave of pain she never experienced before. Now, this was more potent than any phantom pain that she had to endure.

    Ansel lacked the same ability to heal himself, there were some things he could do to prolong himself in battle, but they were inferior. His man-made patches fell apart quickly, a cheap imitation of Syllis¡¯ superior bond.

    He cried out in pain and yelled incoherent ramblings, it took several iterations before his words could be deciphered under from his strained vocal cords submerged within deep red blood.

    ¡°Praise! Praise the- the lady! Eris Stryx! Praise¡­ Praise lady Stryx!¡± Ansel laughed slightly underneath his words.

    ¡®Poor guy it seems like his god has taken over the vast majority of his mind. Lady Stryx, Eris Stryx. Is that his god?¡¯

    Syllis stepped over to Ansel, looming above him, causing him to cry out in fear.

    ¡®Not so unmoving now huh.¡¯

    Ansel pleaded. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me! Don¡¯t kill me!¡±

    Syllis laughed at how far his corruption had spread.

    ¡°Man, where do you think you are?¡± Syllis continued laughing, unable to hold herself back. Perhaps her own corruption had spread a little too much. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna kill you, I haven¡¯t killed anyone.¡±

    Syllis reaffirmed Ansel, still chuckling as several anathemic doctors began rushing onto the large arena.

    She looked down with vengeful eyes. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot. I am going to be taking that!¡±

    Syllis spoke darkly as she tried to pull her spear back. ¡®Oh, I guess I shattered it?¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not cruel enough to make you feel it, well most of it.¡± Syllis took Ansel¡¯s jian and placed it below his shoulder.

    Then, she froze the area around the shoulder, preventing any pain¡ªfor a while. Syllis sliced down. One swing was all it took to sever his already bloodied arm.

    Syllis turned around, giggling over this scenario. She held the arm up while facing Aura, who¡¯s face contorted into a darkly twisted smile.

    The anathemic doctors made it up the arena, they surrounded Ansel as a more important looking doctor approached Syllis.

    His robes were not the plain white that the rest were. Instead, his were white with gold lining and symbolism decorating the sleeves, collar and chest. It was ornate and beautiful.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need that.¡± He pointed to the severed arm, held firmly within Syllis¡¯ hand.

    Syllis was reluctant to let go but obliged, laughing as the doctor brought it back over to Ansel. She giggled and collapsed under her own weight, the bone in her leg was no longer able to support her.

    ¡°Uh¡­ The winner is Syllis. Head to your next classes!¡± Professor Ruvhernim urged before heading down to the arena.

    Syllis grinned, hearing the verdict announced.

    ¡°That guy deserved it¡­¡± Syllis mumbled as her eyes slowly closed, several doctors surrounding her.

    Syllis was passing out in a state of pain, euphoria, and twisted blissfulness. ¡®Why can¡¯t life always be this great¡­¡±

 Chapter 31 - The Ultimate Hears All

    The roof seemed to spin as Syllis opened her eyes again. It seemed her corruption was not entirely gone yet. ¡®I did push myself pretty hard.¡¯

    Syllis remembered the length of the fight: the victory, the heckling, Aura¡¯s cheer, tearing Ansel¡¯s arm.

    ¡°That red-haired derelict deserved it.¡± She rolled her eyes.

    Then, she felt embarrassed. There were various aspects that were not under her control, her corruption had caused a couple of questionable decisions.

    Firstly was her maniacal laughing. Secondly was her decision to take Ansel¡¯s arm even after the battle was over.

    ¡®I wonder if he ever got that back?¡¯ Syllis mused, giggling slightly.

    A hand pushed through the blue curtain, pulling it aside. ¡°He got the arm back, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Aura.¡± Syllis instantly got serious, losing her light-hearted attitude.

    ¡°How are the clothes fitting?¡± Aura spoke politely, a contrast to her usual manner of speaking.

    ¡°Uh, oh fine.¡± Syllis looked down, examining the pair of white clothes she was wearing. ¡°How¡¯s Ansel doing?¡±

    Aura scoffed before speaking. ¡°Hah! How should I know? That loser took his treatment before leaving without a word. There was a beautifully tragic look on his face.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could have seen it.¡± Syllis looked upwards, back towards the ceiling. She laughed again, uncharacteristically.

    Aura looked away, dejectedly. ¡°Thanks for putting that derelict in place.¡±

    Syllis¡¯ eyes widened upon hearing the¡ªusually aggressive¡ªgirl suddenly open up. It was bizarre, and even uncanny.

    ¡®This is nice.¡¯

    The secare nymph thought as her vision blurred again. The intricate pattern of the roof ebbed and flowed as though it was a sea of waves crashing into one another.

    ¡®Just how much did I use my bond for the corruption to affect my vision.¡¯ Syllis was somewhat worried. Her vision had never been affected and although the corruption never left any long lasting effects, there was a small part of her mind that wondered if it could.

    ¡°Can you walk yet?¡± Aura inquired in a patient voice.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t tried yet. I should be able to?¡± Syllis spoke the last sentence like a question. In her mind Lurgica should have had some of the top anathemic doctors in Asanoch.

    Why wouldn¡¯t she be able to walk?

    Syllis tried to sit up, peeling her back from the comfy bed was a grueling process. Her breaths hitched as she attempted to push her weight onto her legs.

    They immediately tried to buckle, just as they had in her prior spar. It was like they were still missing chunks of bone and flesh, despite the pristine condition of the both of them.

    The nymph gently massaged both of them with her hands, to see if there was any pain. Only slight pulses of pain rang out when she ran her hand over the lower thigh, though it paled in comparison to the acid Ansel burned through her skin with.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need some help.¡± Syllis gestured for Aura to approach.

    Aura took Syllis¡¯ arm and wrapped it around her back. It was a welcome change from her aggressive nature.

    The both of them exited from the building at a less than leisurely pace. Aura guided the staggering nymph over to a bench just inside the boundaries of Lurgica.

    They garnered the partial attention of a plethora of students as they passed by. It was an almost ethereal sight, these two beautiful women clinging to each other. If they had not known the identities of both of them, they would have probably lingered to ogle them, both men and women alike.

    Aura let go of Syllis¡¯ arm, letting her sit comfortably outside.

    The outside of Lurgica was beautiful. Aside from the large stone statues depicting what were likely the founding fathers. There were pleasant, twisting walkways that were lined with gardens.

    These gardens consisted of glovering hint and thorin flowers, both the pink and yellow colors weaved into the green landscape around them seamlessly adding a necessary coloring to the environment.

    The only part lacking was the fact there were no critters or animals. Insects and animals alike could both not live so far below sea. They would hinder the delicate plantlife and lack the space to move around.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    As beautiful as Asanoch was, the central section in particular was rather crowded with buildings. There was a lack of grass patches, Lurgica was lucky to have any thriving grass. Grass¡ªand by extension dirt¡ªwas difficult to maintain so far below sea. It was difficult to keep it fertile enough, as well as to water it.

    There was a spring-like atmosphere with the slight breeze rolling through, though it was artificial of course. Whether it was several contracted kindred or some kind of artifact from a fable, she did not know.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be winter soon¡­¡± Aura¡¯s voice trailed out into a sigh, she liked the warmth.

    Asanoch rotated between spring weather and winter weather. Since Asanoch was located underwater, it did not experience weather in the typical way. The bubble that enveloped the city filtered out weather so the government needed to get creative.

    They would have spring weather for nine months of the year, and winter for three. For the season of winter, they would have most of the kindred that formed the false sun go on vacation so that the sun remained small and would not melt snow. In their stead, they would be kindred with dominion over the winds and snow to coat Asanoch in a thin layer of snow.

    Small qualities that are taken for granted above-ground helped to keep society¡¯s moral high and the people fully sane. The hope was for Asanoch to feel as close to a city above the sea.

    Of course, the fact that it was below the sea would never be able to be completely forgotten. All someone had to do was look up to see the pitch black sea above them. If they were lucky there would be a couple of bioluminescent fish shining a faint, eerie hue, barely discernible from so far.

    ¡®I¡¯ll miss the spring weather.¡¯ Syllis thought inwardly, she did not speak out loud. This was partially because she was tired and partially due to Aura¡¯s bizarre behavior.

    Syllis did not know the reason Aura had brought her outside, or even the reason she was with her at all. This sudden warmth threw her off.

    Aura eyes shifted a couple times as though they did not know where to look, she turned towards Syllis. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if the clothes don¡¯t fit perfectly.¡±

    ¡°Why would you apologize?¡± Syllis asked, heavily confused.

    ¡°Because I tried to find the closest size possible. It¡¯s difficult to find clothing for you. You¡¯re tall but your shoulders aren¡¯t broad, also you don¡¯t quite¡­¡± Aura clarified before returning to examine the beautiful scene in front of them.

    Syllis¡¯ face froze, she looked straight forward with a deadpan expression. ¡®D-did she¡­? No right, she couldn¡¯t have. That¡¯s for the doctor to do¡­¡¯

    ¡°Your burns were horrific, the chunks of missing bone¡­ It was terrifying to watch the anathemic doctor mend you. I¡¯m glad that you endured it and tore Ansel¡¯s arm.¡±

    As she spoke, Aura¡¯s tan skin seemed to glow underneath Asanoch¡¯s false sun. She gently lifted Syllis¡¯ arm up.

    ¡°And I¡¯m glad your body wasn¡¯t left with any permanent damage.¡± Aura spoke as she softly caressed Syllis¡¯ arm through the sleeve.

    Syllis only watched in horror as the once hostile woman seemed to be subdued with the simple act of tearing a man¡¯s arm off. ¡®Is this even Aura anymore? I mean she¡¯s lost the core of herself.¡¯

    Aura watched the secare nymph¡¯s snow-like, pale expression as her lips warped into a frown. She hurriedly put the woman¡¯s arm down, like she had not realized what exactly she was doing.

    ¡®Wait¡ª¡¯

    Syllis interrupted her thoughts as she nearly found herself disappointed at Aura¡¯s refrain. Her frown fell a bit further as Aura rose from the bench.

    ¡°Come on.¡± Aura reached down towards Syllis. ¡°Let¡¯s get you back home.¡±

    The both of them called a carriage and headed to the Boorne estate. Aura led Syllis inside and up to her room before letting her arm go and helping her into the bed. Aura thanked her again before turning to leave.

    Aura stopped for a moment, turning to face the visually fine and alluring secare nymph. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry that neither Clyde nor Korman spoke up during your spar. You can¡¯t be too careful, the ultimate hears all.¡±

    The door rang out slightly as it gently clicked shut.

    ¡°What just happened?¡± Syllis did not laugh, she did not know exactly how to feel. ¡®I guess, I should feel content. What is the ultimate exactly?¡¯

    Syllis could feel her bones shake slightly under every movement. It had been a pain, every step she took getting to the bench and to the carriage station to finally entering her room in the Boorne estate. It did not bother her though, this breakthrough with Aura was worth a hell of a lot more than the painful steps she took.

    The door shook slightly under the pressure of a couple knocks.

    ¡°Come in!¡± Syllis welcomed the outside presence.

    Clyde emerged from the gap in the doorway. He wore a worried expression.

    ¡°We have a couple of invitations.¡± He spoke in an unenthusiastic voice.

    ¡®What is up with people acting like the polar opposite of themselves. Well, Clyde has always acted kinda like this when Anahita was the subject. Wait¡ª¡¯ Syllis came to a sudden realization.

    ¡°I get one too?¡± Syllis questioned, already knowing the answer. ¡®It was apparent that it was an invitation to an event with Anahita at the center. She likely invited me because I was getting a little too close.¡¯

    ¡°You do, Anahita is holding an event for the upper-class to debate political topics. It serves as a way for the people to make their voice have an effect on Asanoch. She gave my family an extra guest slot. And naturally, my father wants to flaunt his new contracted kindred.¡±

    ¡®Smooth¡­ Give the family an extra invite so it doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s inviting me in particular.¡¯ Syllis rolled her eyes.

    Clyde copied her facial gesture, misinterpreting it before continuing. ¡°Anyways, you aren¡¯t obligated to go. But it might be a nice opportunity for you as well. Although, if you choose to, I urge you not to try and spar with Anahita. While we are the elite of Asanoch¡¯s juvenile kindred, she is to the world.¡±

    Clyde explained before giving Syllis a moment to process.

    ¡°Well obviously I cannot refuse such an offer. And I will refrain from any unnecessary action. Please let Clark know, I can¡¯t quite move to tell him myself.¡± Syllis let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

    ¡°Of course. Also, Aura seems a lot happier since you tore Ansel apart. And I¡¯m sorry.¡± Clyde spoke hurriedly before leaving the charming room, closing the door slightly harder than Aura.

    ¡®I¡¯d better use this opportunity to learn as much as I can about that woman as possible.¡¯

 Chapter 32 - The Ultimate of Asanoch

    Nearly two weeks blinked by as Syllis pondered the contents of this ¡®event¡¯ she was invited to.

    While she herself was not technically invited, practically Anahita was ensured that she would go. It was a witty tactic, giving an extra invite to the supporting family instead of Syllis herself, this was a unique way of feigning interest.

    Over this week and a half, Syllis found herself shaking slightly at times. There was a bothersome thought that kept resurfacing.

    ¡®How exactly did Anahita know that I was contracted? No, that is straightforward, how did she know that I live in the Boorne estate? I mean, it¡¯s natural for Clark to flaunt me as a contracted kindred but why would he state my residence as his estate?

    ¡®Anahita could not have told Clark of her interest to invite me, that would give her motives away. Does she know of my poor background and only assumed that I lived in the Boorne estate? That does not seem like the in depth method the ruling family would employ¡­¡¯

    Syllis scratched at her head as she pushed her arm through a tight sleeve. She was currently struggling to put on a dress that Dalea had tailored for her.

    Originally, Syllis had been inclined to wear her typical clothing of a white or black shirt tucked into a pair of black pants. Clark and Dalea convinced her to choose otherwise. As a contracted kindred under them, it would be bad for their reputation if their employee was attending the event out of dress code.

    As for what Syllis gained¡­ There was less of a chance for Anahita to pick her out of a crowd, she was worried what the pure nymph would do if she found her. Over the last week and a half, Syllis had been informed of various feats accomplished by the heir to Asanoch.

    Some accomplishments were relatively unassuming. The sort that Syllis was sure she could accomplish. Others though¡­ There was one particular rumor about Anahita defeating a kindred with six anathema. That was unfathomable to Syllis. She had entertained the thought of Anahita herself having a dozen anathema, but that was a joke. After hearing this perpetuated rumor, Syllis could only believe it might be partially true.

    ¡®Maybe she has six herself¡­¡¯

    The dress that had been tailored for Syllis was a pure midnight blue color. It had long sleeves and were not able to be tailored, hence the difficulty fitting her arms into them. The top of the dress flowed seamlessly into a connected skirt which fell just past the midway point of her shins.

    It was not an airy dress or a flattering one that tightly hugged her body, highlighting her figure and accentuating curves. Not that the secare nymph had an extraordinary figure anyways. She had always been at a disadvantage in that regard, due to her nymph lineage, they had evolved to be very aerodynamic. This did not matter to Syllis though, she was plenty happy with her attractive facial features.

    Syllis was glad that it sat somewhere in the middle. The moderate tightness of the dress allowed her to move and breathe comfortably.

    As she finally finished pushing both arms through the lengthy sleeves, she turned to the black boots that Dalea had recommended.

    ¡®These are pretty nice¡­ I wonder if she¡¯ll let me keep them?¡¯ Syllis hoped before turning to the mirror.

    The large, embedded mirror within the black wardrobe reflected a polished, secare nymph. Her wavy, cerulean blue hair fell to the midpoint of her chest. It popped when layered overtop the midnight dress. Her seafoam eyes were also accentuated, being the brightest part of her person.

    Though, her whole appearance and relatively cold demeanor to the unassuming would inevitably cause her¡ªalready snow pale¡ªskin to look even more ghastly.

    A maid knocked on her door before Syllis let her in.

    Dalea had sent her to Syllis¡¯ room to do her hair up. Clothing was not the sole part of a noble appearance.

    ¡®Yes, exuberant hair is the staple.¡¯ Syllis nearly hissed at the thought of her hair being puffed up and riddled with curling rolls¡ªwhich were one of the core concepts she¡¯d learnt about high-society due to Dalea strolling around with them in her hair.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Alright, what is my hair being turned into?¡±

    Syllis listened as the maid described the idea. After she was finished, Syllis was pleasantly surprised. It was apparent that Dalea had considered the fact that she was likely not comfortable with grand changes to her appearance, so she had chosen a simple hairstyle.

    The maid and Syllis both conversed as she fiddled with her hair. It had not taken long, the style was simple.

    She dismissed the maid and turned to face the embedded mirror.

    Now, her beautiful, cerulean blue hair was no longer resting on her chest. Instead, it was tied up into a low ponytail, her bangs still covered her slightly large forehead. Overall, she was relatively pleased with Dalea¡¯s choice, her hair looked pretty.

    After thinking through a few scenarios, Syllis finally decided to move to the front yard. It was nearly time to attend the Laurier¡¯s event.

    As she stepped outside, Syllis immediately felt a slight breeze. ¡®Ah, we¡¯re truly on the cusp of winter. I wonder, if I was still on the outer ring, would I have experienced this winter? How much longer could I have dealt with life on the outskirts?¡¯

    Syllis shook her head slightly, there was no use thinking about the past, or at least her past. There was nothing happy, hopeful or remotely worthwhile to look at. ¡®Perhaps with such a horrible and tragic past, the future is destined to be great.¡¯

    She laughed slightly before moving towards the gate that enveloped the estate. Obviously looking at her past had no way of determining her future. There were those favored by fate, and as far as Syllis was concerned, she was not one of those people. Instead, she was perhaps hated by fate, destined to be beaten down over and over.

    ¡®I¡¯d better enjoy this while it lasts.¡¯ She smiled, slightly happy and somewhat self-deprecatingly.

    Syllis saw both people she would expect, and those she did not. Naturally, Clyde, Clark and Dalea were each outside. However, they were accompanied by Aura, her parents and Korman.

    In an instant, Syllis could already guess what happened.

    ¡®Anahita sent an extra invite to the Thermans to not look suspicious for sending the Boorne family an extra. Korman¡¯s father is a slight wildcard so their family was not invited. So, Aura of course gave the extra invite to Korman.¡¯

    The parents were conversing and the young kindred spoke to each other a few feet away.

    A portion of Korman¡¯s¡ªlonger than average¡ªhair was tied in a small ponytail. He was also fitted in a suit that was slightly too large, it was entirely black and had a thick black tie around the collar.

    Clyde had his hair mostly slicked back and was dressed in a similar suit. Although, his was properly fitted and was partially white.

    Aura by far looked the most stunning though. Her pin-straight black hair was delicately weaved in between a couple of light green decorations in her hair. Her curvaceous figure was beautifully wrapped in a black, off-the-shoulder dress that fell just past her knees. Parts of the dress were ¡®torn¡¯ out and replaced with a mix of black, light green and dark green meshes.

    Syllis could not help but take a second to admire the group of beautiful kindred. Each of them would fit as a prince or a princess.

    ¡°Syllis!¡± Clyde called out, causing Korman and Aura to look over.

    Syllis only shook her head and approached the attractive group. Her gaze fixated on Aura in particular, the design of her dress was almost mesmerizing.

    Aura quickly turned her head as the secare nymph approached.

    Korman looked at her indifferently.

    Clyde met her pace, stepping towards the woman. He raised his hand high in the air.

    Syllis met his hand, causing a loud clap to ring out, pulling the attention of the two sets of parents.

    Clyde shot them a guilty look and he received a questionable look back, no words were exchanged.

    He turned back to face Syllis. ¡°So, are you ready to see the heir to Asanoch, the most powerful kindred in the city?¡±

    Syllis'' eyes widened, her pupils dilating. ¡®Did I hear that right?¡¯

    She laughed slightly before asking. ¡°Juvenile kindred in the city, right?¡±

    Clyde¡¯s gleeful expression fell, as though he was reminded of a tragic past. ¡°I wish. But unfortunately no, Anahita is the most powerful kindred in Asanoch.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? Isn¡¯t that a little absurd, she¡¯s only a year or two older than us right?¡±

    Clyde¡¯s face turned even more solemn as Aura stepped over.

    ¡°It¡¯s the truth, as much as no one would like to admit it. So we had better step into our fable soon, if he¡¯s going to have a chance to keep up with her.¡± Aura spoke with great disdain, she had great pride in her strength.

    ¡°It must have taken a lot for you to admit that, Aura.¡± Syllis chuckled slightly, placing her arm around the¡ªshorter than her¡ªhuman¡¯s shoulder.

    Korman and Clyde exchanged a couple of quick glances, as though confirming an unbelievable sight.

    ¡°Yeah well, it¡¯s the truth. She is the ultimate after all.¡± Aura sighed deeply.

    ¡®The ultimate?¡¯ Syllis'' eyes widened again, the seafoam coloring wavered.

 Chapter 33 - Fear the Ultimate

    ¡®Anahita is the ultimate.¡¯ This thought shook Syllis as she and the rest of the group took a couple of carriages towards the Laurier''s estate.

    Aura had mentioned the ultimate to her previously. She had said ¡°the ultimate hears all.¡±

    ¡®To think she was talking about Anahita, this further expands on her willingness to admit the nymph¡¯s superiority over her. What kind of person do you have to be to have Aura submit willingly?¡¯

    Syllis'' mouth curved into a smirk. ¡®Well, she did not submit completely, she cheered me on in my spar against Ansel. Take that, Anahita.¡¯

    Suddenly, her mouth curved into a slight frown as she turned her head downwards.

    Clyde and Aura wanted to speak up, to ask if she was alright, but they refrained. Ever since Clyde mentioned Anahita as the ultimate around ten minutes prior, she was in deep thought.

    ¡®More importantly, ¡°Anahita hears all¡±. That is why neither Clyde nor Korman spoke up during my spar. Could she really hear Lurgica from wherever she was?

    ¡®She does not attend the school and Aura would not know where Anahita was at that point in time. This means that either the heir to Asanoch can hear Lurgica from her estate, or that their fear of her would inhibit them from speaking, just out of the possibility she would be near enough to hear.

    ¡®I guess there is a third possibility, though it is slightly more troubling. The supernatural hearing could not be the result of her bond, and instead the result of paying the students of Lurgica off. No, the students would not be able to tell Korman and Clyde¡¯s voices from the rest of the crowd.

    ¡®Clyde openly speaks about Anahita inside the Boorne estate, which is surrounded by other large estates, there would be a moderate chance for Anahita to be nearby. It cannot be the second possibility. This is perhaps the most troublesome one¡­¡¯

    The first option was not a great one. The trip to the Laurier''s estate was estimated to be roughly twenty minutes longer than the trip to Lurgica. The trip to Lurgica took an hour and a half. During this time, the horses move at 14 kilometers an hour, which would mean that the trip to Lurgica spanned a distance of 35 kilometers. Since the trip to the Laurier''s would take twenty minutes longer, then the total distance would be nearly 40 kilometers.

    This meant that there was at least a distance of 5 kilometers in between the Laurier estate and Lurgica. Naturally, there were variables, for example the Laurier''s estate could be much further depending on which direction the carriage was truly headed, it theoretically could be 30 kilometers away from Lurgica!

    Nonetheless, this method of deduction could figure out the minimum distance between both destinations. This meant that Anahita had hearing that could discern voices and words from a minimum of 5 kilometers away, and this was only a minimum. In reality, it was likely closer to 10.

    This subtly terrified Syllis, though she could show any change in her expression, this would cause Clyde, Korman and Aura to inquire.

    Syllis could only manipulate and coalesce ice within a range of a couple hundred meters around her. This was not even her optimal range. Practically, she could only coalesce and manipulate in a range of fifty meters, or else she would be more than triple as susceptible to Coryzan¡¯s corruption.

    The fact that Anahita could hear sounds and discern words from so far was astounding. Even if she was especially strong against the corruption of her god, and if enhanced hearing was left of a strain than manipulating and shaping ice, then Anahita should only be able to use her bond in a range of 1 kilometer at max.

    ¡®The rumors were true¡­ She must have several anathema at the very least, probably four. Aura admitted she was more powerful than herself, so this enhanced hearing is not even her main bond, it might be the result of side effects of her transfigured Anathema. To have such a strong ability not even be your bond, how could that be possible?¡¯

    Syllis shook slightly in her chair, prompting a question.

    ¡°Are you alright, Syllis?¡± Aura and Clyde asked almost simultaneously. Korman shared a worried glance.

    Syllis tilted her head slightly, several thick strands of hair wafted for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m alright, just a little nervous. I mean I¡¯ve never been to an event of any sort before, especially one conducted by the heir to the city¡­¡±

    She let her voice trail out, conveying her nervousness in a natural way. Although she was nervous for her stated reason, Syllis was very nervous. Anahita was more extraordinary than she could have ever realistically imagined.

    Clyde leaned forwards, sweat glistened on his forehead which he took a moment to wipe off.

    ¡°I can¡¯t blame you for being nervous¡­ I''m even nervous.¡± Clyde glanced around at his companions, including Syllis to make her feel included and asked. ¡°Were any of you told what this event is? Why was it so imperative for us to go?¡±

    Korman and Aura shared confused glances, prompting Clyde to lean back again. Syllis, of course, had nothing to add. She was only a contracted kindred, how would she be privy to information that even Clyde lacked?

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    This was the same man that Syllis believed to be the potential husband of Anahita some day. It almost seemed like he was being groomed for the job. She also believed this was precisely the reason Clyde needed to get stronger, he wanted to contest her and act outside her will and the will of the upper class as a whole.

    ¡°So we¡¯re just completely in the dark, huh¡­¡± Clyde mumbled a few words, the entirety of their comprehensibility lost in their slight utterings.

    Syllis felt a sense of impending doom as she heard the pittering and pattering of the carriage horses slow slightly. Over the course of a minute, the clacking against the ground gradually receded until they no longer were moving. They had arrived at their destination.

    It was uncommon for carriages to have two drivers, though, nothing was too uncommon for noble families. Both drivers knocked against their respective door, signaling for the dressed up nobles to leave, along with Syllis.

    Syllis quickly hopped out of one side, Clyde followed behind her. Korman held his hand out for Aura to grab, a gentle smile curved along his handsome face. This was the first time Syllis had seen him smile in a while.

    Aura took his hand, quietly landing on the ground, it almost seemed like she glided down. She might have even floated up, her dress made her look like a princess from hell, or maybe the halarion ocean.

    The halarion ocean was said to go on forever. It stretched out infinitely past the empire of Shifordia. The golden belt is so bright, that the sun is said to light the boiling halarion ocean aflame after a certain point. Shifordia is only habitable due to the halarion sea absorbing and dispersing most of the suns¡¯ heat.

    Aura and Korman walked side-by-side. Clyde and Syllis walked staggered, somewhat sporadically. The four of them felt bouts of nervousness as they slowly tread the straight pathway under the guise of night. After a few moments, they caught up and began conversing.

    It was impossible to know whether it was truly night. Whenever the false sun was dispersed, then it was night. There was a variation of nearly an hour and a half between where night started some days in Asanoch. Strictly speaking, the conjurers of the false sun were not the most professional bunch.

    Several other groups roamed the wide pathway before entering the largest estate that Syllis had ever seen. Most notably were the group containing both Clyde¡¯s and Aura¡¯s parents, along with a few extra nobles that Syllis could not distinguish.

    This group drew the gaze of a couple dozen more nobles, each attempting to burn holes in the prominent figures with their eyes. They would kill to have the wealth and fame they had incurred.

    Most other groups were couples. Men in suits and women in large, puffy dresses were linked, their arms interlocked.

    Of course, Syllis¡¯ group was not overlooked. More than a few passing nobles could not help but stare at the four, handsome and beautiful people. In particular they focused on Aura and Clyde, they were the standouts.

    Clyde¡¯s piercing eyes and Aura¡¯s tan skin alongside her pitch-black hair easily told the onlookers who their families were. As such, these passersby wanted to network and get involved with them. It took nearly a dozen dismissals from both Aura and Clyde to various nobles for people to stop approaching them and by extension the four of them.

    As the four of them stepped into the grand doorway, a massive greeting hall unfolded in front of them. A mighty chandelier refracted its two dozen light bulbs, eliminating the possibility of any shadows hiding away in crevices.

    Servants greeted every guest, offering drinks and food. Contracted kindred with unique bonds performed intricate tricks, to which the nobles clapped in response. Laughter and cheers permeated the large, golden room.

    Syllis watched with a sense of awe. Her three companions seemed unphased but for her, it was the first time she had ever witnessed such a scene.

    She could not help but think. ¡®I wonder how renowned I would be if I had the same resources as Anahita. What if the heir to Asanoch was me instead? Would I have the same amount of transfigured anathema, it¡¯s hard to tell.

    ¡®The shamanic professor that runs the ritualism class always made an effort to point out that anathema get harder to transfigure the more of them you have already transfigured within. Would I have the ability to transfigure say four of them?¡¯

    Syllis shook her head, disallowing her continued ogling of the beautiful interior. She needed to keep her guard up, it would be problematic if Anahita singled her out. She believed that Anahita viewed her as a threat to her potential relationship with Clyde.

    ¡®It¡¯s not a bad idea¡­ A pure nymph and a pure human marrying. This would likely heal the rift between both races. But how would it look to the public if Clyde showed his apparent disdain for such an arrangement?¡¯

    The secare nymph wanted to snicker slightly, but refrained. She was more than a little afraid of Anahita. A kindred with a minimum of four anathema would likely beat her in less than a minute. Of course, she had no experience to judge Anahita with. Four anathema just seemed daunting.

    A couple taps on her shoulder shook Syllis from her thoughts. She turned to face Korman, Clyde and Aura. Only Korman was still standing near the entrance, the other two had dispersed. It made sense, he was the other extra attendee. Both he and Syllis had less experience in such grand settings, though Syllis had hell of a lot less.

    The corner of Korman¡¯s lips curled upwards slightly before he walked away.

    Syllis turned around to face the person who dared to interrupt her thoughts. It was a man with soft features, he did not seem more than a couple years older.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Illian.¡± Illian stuck out her hand for Syllis. His blonde hair fell just below his eyes.

    ¡°Syllis¡­¡± The secare nymph responded dejectedly. Still partially irritated that she was pulled from her thoughts and also irritated that Clyde and Aura had left her so soon in a new environment.

    Illian¡¯s blue eyes shone with a brilliance as he remarked. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s a beautiful name. So, why do you think Anahita announced this event so suddenly? I mean what is so important that such a grand party had to be organized so quickly?¡±

    ¡®Wait.¡¯

    Syllis'' mouth curled up into a smirk as she realized her purpose at this event. Illian handing out what he believed to be average knowledge to Syllis fueled her mind. As a mere contracted kindred, Syllis did not have access to the same resources as him or any other noble here.

    ¡®What other seemingly mundane but important information could they leak to me?¡¯

    Her smile rose even more as she looked up at Illian. ¡°Thank you, why don¡¯t we get a couple drinks?¡±

 Chapter 34 - Revere the Ultimate

    Syllis let out fake laughs and pretended to drink her alcoholic beverages as she chatted up Illian.

    ¡®Luckily, it¡¯s not too difficult to fool a drunkard. Unluckily, this drunkard lacks any more important information to give me. So, it¡¯s time for me to take my leave.¡¯

    ¡°Excuse me Illian, there¡¯s a friend I have to catch up with.¡± Syllis pointed at a random person in the crowd of nobles that danced beyond the bar area.

    ¡°Oh! Sure, make sure you find your way b-back to me though.¡± As Illian spoke, his words seemed to get caught in his mouth. He coughed a couple times before managing to finish his sentence.

    Syllis felt bad. ¡®Did I accidentally get him to drink a little too much?¡¯

    She then watched Illian lean over and puke onto the floor. A twisted smile crept its way up her face. ¡®Or a lot too much.¡¯

    Syllis had wanted to try extorting information out of drunks for a long time. It was one of those scenarios that never had a shortage of stories. It was a classic, a beautiful woman seduces a man, forcing him to drink while spilling his most precious secrets. This was the typical telling, but it was not always a woman.

    Jyrid had told Syllis about a couple times he had extorted information on exotic suppliers for his tavern. The secare nymph had found herself questioning the legitimacy of such a story many times. Jyrid was no younger than forty-five after all.

    Syllis wanted to find a new target.

    Illian had not provided any information beyond his first question to Syllis. In short, he had been a large waste of time. The secare nymph did not know how much time she would have before Anahita showed herself, but her opportunity would be over then.

    At most, she predicted that there would be an hour, possibly two before Anahita approached the high stand that loomed menacingly over the entirety of the room. This event had already been active for an hour.

    In this hour, Syllis had not seen Korman, Aura, or Clyde a single time since they originally split up, at the main door. It was peculiar she had seen multiple unmemorable nobles many times over, but her companions were nowhere to be found.

    Syllis surmised that there must be other rooms, populated with high ranking nobles. Aura and Clyde being in them were proof of that. Korman was a little more of an odd case, he was shy and not particularly sociable. He could have just been sitting in a dim corner.

    ¡®What''s important right now is finding these¡­ Extra upper class rooms?¡¯ Syllis was not entirely sure what to call them, but it did not matter.

    She needed to get into one of these rooms and extort information from nobles within. Syllis was certain that they possessed greater knowledge, far greater than these semi-upper class citizens.

    The secare nymph slowly left the crowd in the center of the large room, she moved slightly in tune with quiet, sociable music. This swaying was to appear more normal.

    The philosophy behind her actions was simple. If Anahita can hear all, then could she not see all? Obviously it was impossible in the most literal sense. A person''s anathemic bond encompassing not only enhanced hearing up to 10 kilometers as well as enhanced vision so that they could see all was incredibly unlikely, absurd even for Anahita.

    A much more likely scenario was that she had hired kindred, skilled in observation to discern abnormalities and report them. Syllis naturally did not want to be reported to a being as terrifying as Anahita, so no matter how unlikely the possibility she was being watched, she would act accordingly, as a normal person.

    Eventually Syllis had made it out to a pristine hallway that exited from the central room. The walls were white but almost looked as though they were dipped in gold when basked in the warm golden light of the bulbs that burned above.

    This hallway was much larger than those in the Boorne estate and over the ones in Lurgica. Every section of wall that was located in between doorways was decorated with memorabilia. There were pictures of Anahita with her mother and father, trophies that Anahita had won, art pieces made by Anahita. Everything was tied back to the ultimate, the heir to Asanoch.

    ¡®It¡¯s clear that this entire estate is designed to make its guests revere the future ruler of Asanoch. But should the upper class not already want to suck up to Anahita, to further their businesses and whatnot? Then what is the point of all this?¡¯

    Syllis stopped in her tracks for a moment. She nearly laughed, there was a possibility she had not considered.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡®Maybe her parents love her? Yes, Syllis. Just because your father conducted a ritual on you and your mother abandoned you, this does not mean that others are not loved by their parents.¡¯

    Syllis smiled, self-deprecating as she continued to walk down the hallway. Her pace slowed slightly and she no longer entirely appreciated the beauty that was in front of her.

    It was simple, checking rooms. Most rooms were left with their doors wide open, letting Syllis easily discern if there was activity within.

    She had looked in nearly a dozen rooms before finding one with activity. There were at least twenty people inside a room, chatting and smoking large cigars. The room reeked of dust and smoke.

    Nobody noticed Syllis enter, safe for one person. Two emerald green eyes locked onto Syllis¡¯ own seafoam pair and squinted slightly, as though they did not believe the sight before them.

    Aura seemed stunned at Syllis¡¯ appearance in this room. Apparently she had expected her to sit, eating food in the half banquet half ballroom.

    ¡®What am I going to do the same thing as Korman, sit in a corner? Or I guess what I presume Korman is doing¡­¡¯

    Aura furrowed her brows slightly before turning back to the group of younger nobles she had been talking to.

    Syllis took this as her saying: ¡°Fine, do what you will. But don¡¯t involve me.¡±

    She made her way towards the outside balcony of this smaller socializing room. The smoke in the air along with the stench of alcohol made it difficult to keep oneself entirely aware, it almost made the secare nymph lightheaded.

    There was a woman standing on this outer balcony. She had blazing red hair and was smoking a cigar outside.

    She was not wearing the typical attire of a noble woman attending an exclusive event. Instead, she wore the sort of clothing that Syllis herself would wear outside of this event, although with some acute changes made. She wore a pair of black pants and a black shirt without buttons, it was loose. Both the pants and shirt were bolded with red stitching that seemed to embody the word ¡®royalty.¡¯ A pair of fierce red boots tied her outfit together. Overall, it was no less than completely bizarre.

    It was ironic, Syllis escaped to the balcony to avoid the smoke filled interior of the small socializing room. This lady had decided to bring the smoke outside, it was a humorous twist of fate.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Syllis spoke enthusiastically. She was not the most outgoing person, but she could fake the act.

    The red-haired woman turned around, her crimson eyes gleaned the secare nymph.

    This intense eye contact made Syllis feel conflicted, there was a sense of familiarity in this woman''s gaze. It was akin to Ansel¡¯s eyes, the bloody hue within. It was too unusual for it to be a coincidence.

    ¡°Hi¡­¡± The woman seemed preoccupied with other thoughts, her voice felt far away while her body was close.

    She turned away from the almost pitch-black sea that could be seen through the bubble that encased Asanoch.

    ¡°My name is Kessiana¡ª¡±

    ¡°Boor, Kessiana Boor.¡± Syllis answered for her and stuck out her pale hand, a gesture of good faith.

    Kessiana stayed silent for a moment, narrowed her eyes slightly, and then spoke. ¡°Right¡­ That is correct, not a very hard guess. We¡¯re the only upper class family with this genetic mutation.¡±

    She pointed to her crimson eyes. Compared to Ansel, who¡¯s eyes seemed dim and lifeless. Her¡¯s were bright and filled with a passionate fire that raged within.

    ¡°So, who are you?¡±

    ¡°My name is Syllis. I¡¯m a secare nymph from the outer ring.¡± Syllis spoke in a slightly confident tone as she stuck her hand out again.

    ¡°Quite a lengthy introduction.¡± Kessiana did not take her hand, instead letting it hang in the air. ¡°Why do you feel the need to tell me so much about yourself?¡±

    ¡°Because I want you to understand the type of person who ruined your brother¡¯s flawless streak at Lurgica, beat him into the ground, and tore his arm from his body.¡± Syllis spoke in an indifferent tone.

    Kessiana¡¯s pupils dilated slightly as she took a step back. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who knocked that brat down a peg, thank you.¡±

    Kessiana gave the secare nymph a healthy pat on her shoulder.

    ¡®Uh, what? This isn¡¯t how that was supposed to go.¡¯

    Syllis was somewhat confused, tilting her head slightly. Kessiana was supposed to be furious and Syllis had chosen to confront her because there was no way for her to retaliate in front of the twenty people in the social room behind them.

    ¡°You okay? Celebrate! You ruined that kid.¡± Kessiana laughed slightly before leaning in. She waved a hand in front of Syllis¡¯ face. ¡°You sick or something, come on, I¡¯ll get you a drink.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, sorry. I thought you would hate me for humiliating Ansel, why are you so happy?¡± Syllis was completely taken off guard. Of all the ways she thought this would go, she had not anticipated this.

    ¡°Oh, right. I guess this isn¡¯t the normal kinda reaction for that. ¡®I tore your brother''s arm off!¡¯ I shouldn¡¯t be laughing at something like that.¡± Kessiana laughed again, it seemed she found it even funnier the second time she heard it.

    ¡°Alright, come with me. I¡¯ll explain but¡­¡± Kessiana¡¯s expression grew serious, furrowing her brows. ¡°You have to drink. I can tell you¡¯re sober, and you can¡¯t be sober, not when the Lauriers are handing out all their good alcohol for free.¡±

    ¡®What a bizarre turn of events¡­ But, this is too good to pass up.¡¯ Syllis could not turn down Kessiana. The Boor family¡¯s dynamics were too intriguing to skip out on, she would gladly sacrifice her sobriety to learn a little.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Syllis spoke slightly uncomfortably.

    ¡°Alright then!¡± Kessiana took her arm and pulled the secare nymph hurriedly out of the social room.

    As the both of them quickly walked the length of the room, Aura and Syllis exchanged glances. Aura was nothing but confused as she scrutinized the both of them, Syllis gestured for her to join them with her free hand.

 Chapter 35 - Bitter Fate

    Syllis, Kessiana and Aura all sat around a circular table.

    This table sparkled with a crystalline sheen. The small vase in the center that seemed carved from quartz held several different colored flowers within. They were yellow and purple, each complimented each other perfectly while also meshing decently with the table.

    ¡®How did this happen?¡¯ Syllis fought the urge to place her palm against the front of her face.

    Aura and Kessiana scrutinized each other, declining to speak. They had not uttered a single word to each other since the three of them arrived at this table.

    It had been five minutes of pure, unadulterated silence. Syllis watched as her two companions held each other¡¯s gaze, unwilling to be the first to shatter this uncomfortable atmosphere.

    ¡®I only invited Aura to join us as a courtesy. To think she would take me up on my offer, and then hold the woman I want to talk to¡ªessentially hostage.¡¯ The corners of Syllis¡¯ mouth twitched as she grew more irritated.

    Generally, the secare nymph could withstand frustrations, keeping them bottled within. Though, when they built up and she grew distasteful enough¡­ She was known to occasionally erupt.

    ¡°Aura!¡± Syllis snapped, commanding the presence of her companion.

    Aura turned to face her, still unwilling to speak. Only a surprised expression loomed over her face.

    She had never seen the secare nymph lash out in conversation. Syllis was typically patient outside of battle, where her relentless inner self emerged.

    ¡°That¡¯s right! Kneel at the command of your owner.¡± Kessiana chuckled lightly. ¡°So, Syllis, who¡¯s this character that¡¯s joined us?¡±

    She questioned, not a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

    Aura shot her a cold glance, the kind of glance that would be able to freeze over the sun. This was not due to the comparison between her and a pet, but also due to her pretending that she had not known who she was.

    ¡°Syllis, who¡¯s your new friend?¡± Aura feigned interest as she sipped on a green drink. She scowled slightly after taking a sip.

    Naturally, Aura had to reciprocate the feelings of Kessiana. She knew well who she was, the second oldest of the Boor family, and the daughter of Alushir¡¯s missing concubine. Of course, these were merely myths.

    Syllis scoffed at the sheer pettiness between Aura and Kessiana. ¡®This is absurd. How can nobles feel the need to act so foolishly? This bickering wastes time and effort.¡±

    Under normal circumstances, Syllis was not under the looming threat of either of these forces in life. She was essentially just biding her time until her expedition into a fable rift, and she had not needed to expend much effort every day, only needing to spar with Clyde. Otherwise, she trained her bond, but not strenuously. It was important for her to maintain her health, breaks were just nice to have.

    However, this event was very limited in time. For Syllis¡ªwho had no prospects at being invited to any future events before her journey into a fable rift¡ªthis was needed time for connecting with successful nobles to learn as much as possible.

    One could never learn too much. Knowledge was often the difference between life and death. There were also times where knowledge would be of no benefit, but how could one prepare for such scenarios? One might as well maximize the chance of success ordinarily while hoping for such unlikely scenarios to never arise.

    So, the fact that these two were squandering such a valuable commodity of hers agitated the secare nymph.

    ¡°Aura Therman, Kessiana Boor.¡± She then turned to Kessiana. ¡°Kessiana Boor, Aura Therman.¡±

    Syllis gestured and spoke unenthusiastically, effectively displaying her discontent.

    ¡°Boor huh¡­¡± Aura grew a snide expression on her face. She leaned in close to Kessiana. ¡°So¡­ You heard that this secare nymph tore your brother''s limbs? I was there, it was gruesome.¡±

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°I did.¡± Kessiana spoke plainly before emulating Aura, leaning in towards her. She diminished her voice to nearly a whisper. ¡°I also heard that he tore your limbs off, sliced open your gut, and made you cry out in pain.¡±

    Aura leaned back, a horrified expression on her face. She rose and circled behind Syllis¡¯ back. She crouched down, meeting with the secare nymph¡¯s ear.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like her. What business do you have with this witch?¡±

    ¡®Ironic for her to use the same nickname I inwardly cursed herself with.¡¯

    ¡°This lovely lady was just about to inform me of all the inner workings of her family.¡±

    Syllis did not reciprocate the whispers, instead opting to appease Kessiana. She was not going to let this entire scene be a waste of time, throwing away her chance of learning anything.

    Aura huffed slightly before storming off, her emotions seemed somewhat manic.

    ¡°So, anywhere you would like to begin?¡± Syllis spoke courteously.

    ¡°Of course.¡± The pupils in Kessiana¡¯s eyes seemed to burn up in a passionate flame. ¡°I am the second born daughter¡­¡±

    Kessiana explained all of the ins and outs of the Boor family.

    She was the daughter of Alushir¡¯s wife that had tragically passed, so Alushir mostly let her do whatever she wanted.

    Alushir had two daughters and three sons. With his first wife, he had both of his daughters. With the second, all three sons. Ansel was the last son that he had.

    Alushir favored Ansel due to not only his talent but his quiet personality. The head of the Boor household was work focused, nearly never home, he practically lived in fables. This was why he was so fond of Ansel, because he got in the way the least.

    As for Kessiana, she was a needy child. Alushir did not like her, often sending her away to other noble houses to ¡®learn from their juvenile kindred¡¯ when in reality¡ªhe just wanted to be rid of her.

    One winter, he even sent Kessiana all the way to Adelaide. The journey had taken her three months and she was not permitted to return for nearly three years. He had assigned his daughter a horrific task for a woman so young, to transfigure a third anathema. She had been no older than twenty-one by the time she returned.

    Once she had, Kessiana forsake her father, moving out of his house. She held onto the name for easy work as a contracted nomad to undergo fable rifts and to be invited to events such as this one. The way she saw it, she might as well benefit from all of the misfortune her father caused her.

    Syllis felt a flame of familiarity from Kessiana¡¯s story. It was the same as what she had done herself.

    After her father forcefully transfigured an anathema of Coryzan within Syllis, she underwent immense pain. Her father had left and died shortly after, then her mother left. Her bond was a symbol of the entirety of her wasted youth, a tragic reminder that she could never dispel from her body.

    Eventually, after being thrust into the wild and abrasive environment that was the outer ring, she decided to use her bond. Why not take advantage of such a tragedy? There was no changing it, so might as well make the best of it.

    Syllis thanked Kessiana before rising from her seat and walking away. She had given up on trying to learn for tonight, it was time for her to enjoy herself. Kessiana¡¯s story had reminded her to enjoy the night.

    ¡®You never know when something will go awry!¡¯

    She drank a couple glasses of the fruity alcoholic drink that Clyde had ordered back at Jyrid¡¯s tavern. Though she substituted the cherry juice, it was too sweet for her taste. She had tasted cherries and a variety of other fruits at the Boorne estate.

    Her stomach ached slightly at the disturbance of the fruity beverages. Syllis had not had any alcoholic drinks before, her stomach was not used to it.

    The new sensation felt nice though, so she decided to bring another drink with her. Syllis decided to order the same green drink that Aura had drunk.

    Syllis found her way to a balcony, the refreshing midnight air always reinvigorated her which was nice since she was more than a little tired. The event had started late at night. It also had already been active for nearly two hours. Overall, Syllis would have been asleep at least an hour ago on a regular day.

    Though, this was not a regular day, and Syllis did not lead a normal life. She was invited to a prestigious event out of curiosity from the heir to Asanoch, her friends¡ªwell, she did not quite know if they considered her a friend¡ªwere some of the most talented kindred in the great city of Asanoch. She had clawed her way up from the bottom and rose to somewhere close to the top, this was the furthest thing from a normal life.

    Syllis was always skeptical over the belief of fate or faith to a god.

    ¡®Why would a god subject me to such a thing? I don¡¯t deserve this.¡¯

    Syllis always thought about this on the outer ring, but now, she could not help but wonder if fate was real. She wondered if it had been to prepare her for the future, for her fable rift and everything after.

    Maybe fate was a cruel joke designed to effectively strengthen the world. Though, some people would inevitably break under such a cruel joke. They would never flourish to their full potential.

    Syllis tried to sip on the green drink that swirled around the circular glass. She lifted the glass to her lips, a pungent scent flooded her nose. She flared her nostrils at the unpleasant scent.

    The shiny green liquid felt warm flushing down her throat, then it seared, feeling hot and leaving a burning aftertaste.

    ¡°You like it?¡± Aura called out from behind, Korman stood behind her. A grin spread across her face.

    Syllis slowly turned to face her two friends. ¡°It¡¯s bitter.¡±

 Chapter 36 - The Ultimates Ascension

    ¡°Yeah well.¡± Aura stepped across the balcony, leaning over the edge of it. ¡°That¡¯s why we drink. It¡¯s to drown out any personal bitterness, to sweep away our fears and give us just a little while away from it all.¡±

    As she spoke, Aura¡¯s emerald eyes softened slightly. As though she was reminiscing about a time long past. A time from when she was younger, more naive and ignorant. Apparently, just like Syllis and Kessiana, Aura had a similarly horrible past.

    ¡®Being raised by her witch of a mother and aggressively calculating father, I can see where the damage might lie¡­¡¯

    Korman stepped onto the balcony and leaned beside Aura.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t know what the purpose of this event is, do you two?¡± Korman inquired in an even voice.

    It seemed this was his goal the entire night. Despite Syllis¡¯ goal being nearly identical, they had not crossed paths once.

    A frown formed on the secare nymph¡¯s face as she spoke. ¡°Does there need to be a reason? It¡¯s probably just to give the upper class a party, any excuse to turn away from what needs to be looked at¡­¡±

    Syllis¡¯ voice was somewhat melancholic. Perhaps it was due to her couple of alcoholic drinks, but there was a tenseness in the air. She had thought over the upper class and the odd place she held, the perspective she gleaned.

    It felt odd, being in such a new place. She felt resentment and she felt horrible, like she had abandoned Jyrid and the outer ring as a whole. There had been nothing of value there but Jyrid and his tavern, but didn¡¯t it deserve the attempt at salvation.

    Sure, maybe Syllis¡¯ herself could not save it but what about the government and the upper class, they had the resources. Why do they sit idly, shoveling thousands of pounds of quartz into luxurious parties?

    Aura and Korman both had complicated expressions on their faces. They were impossible to read, like a lock with no key. Even a kindred with a powerful affinity to deduction might not be able to decipher them.

    Syllis looked at the both of them, at their silence, at their guilt. She let out a sigh.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I feel dirty. It has nothing to do with the both of you but¡­ I¡¯m sitting here, enjoying luxurious drinks and food, all while the outer ring starves. They threaten, they hurt, they kill, all to live.

    ¡°But those people don¡¯t have to do that, not if the core of Asanoch decided to save them. But they will never do that. How can I sit here and feast while they starve? Why was I given the chance to do that?¡±

    Syllis sighed and lifted her glass¡ªstill half full with the shimmering green liquid¡ªto her mouth. She gulped as the glimmering liquid flowed through her throat and into her stomach.

    Once again, it was bitter. Though, it tasted better this time, or maybe she just felt more deserving of something bitter.

    Aura did not say a word, only offering a sympathetic look before she stepped off of the balcony and disappeared into the crowd.

    Korman left to follow the beautifully tan woman, her pitch black hair flowed behind her.

    At least, he would, under normal circumstances. Syllis had never seen Korman not accompany Aura after she left. Each and every time, he would trail after her, unless he was heading home of course.

    This time though, he stayed, shifting towards Syllis. His small ponytail flickered in the subtle breeze.

    ¡°Our world isn¡¯t a place where right and wrong exist. Saving the outer ring might not necessarily be right. What happens if they attempt to reintegrate these citizens into society and it ends up being a waste of time? This quartz could have been better spent on equipment for children''s schools¡ª¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t being used for children¡¯s schools.¡± Syllis¡¯ seafoam eyes flickered with a luminous spark. ¡°I mean look around you Korman. This, this is what it¡¯s being used on. It¡¯s not some noble reason, it¡¯s greed.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s always going to be waste. This is not even entirely a waste. Events like these are important. It¡¯s how the upper class connect, they cannot go to bars and mingle, they have an image to maintain. Events like these are where people like you can change things.

    ¡°You might not have the capital, but don¡¯t pretend like you¡¯re helpless here. An influential figure like you can always make a difference, regardless of background or wealth. You can make a change, don¡¯t act like you can¡¯t.¡±

    Korman sighed and shook his head slightly before leaving the balcony.

    Syllis took another sip of her shimmering green drink. ¡®Still bitter.¡¯ She scowled before turning around.

    Upon stepping back into the interior of the Laurier estate, mutterings spread throughout the room. Obviously, they were not for her. Syllis was not nearly prominent enough for such discussion to arise.

    No, they were muttering about a different nymph. This nymph was powerful, with at least four anathema. She was powerful enough to defeat full-fledged adult kindred in battle.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Is it true? How could such a rumor be true?¡±

    ¡°Obviously it¡¯s not true, she¡¯s much too young. Naive and inexperienced.¡±

    Various nobles bickered and whispered under their breaths. Imbeciles that underestimated the ultimate and the strength of her bond. Anahita could hear the quietest of whispers from at least 5 kilometers away.

    ¡®Morons.¡¯ Syllis thought inwardly, not daring to speak as the sound of several doors creaked.

    The sound of sweet silence permeated through the air. It was as though someone had hit a lit switch, instantly shutting off the entirety of the crowd. They did not bicker, they did not breathe.

    A figure emerged near a stand, high above everyone else, like a god. This was the ultimate, this was the heir, this was Anahita.

    Anahita was tall, standing at around six foot two inches. She did not harbor any great curves on her body, characteristic of a nymph, though her facial features were all symmetrical and perfectly placed. Her hair was a beautiful deep viridian color, the ends of it curled up and seemed to glow a hauntingly mesmerizing jade color, like the ends of flames flickering. Her spectral, pale skin was in sharp contrast.

    Her eyes were a purple haze that bordered on the edge of blue and purple, equally as perplexing as her bond. They shimmered and swirled like the formless sky that loomed high above Ethrailia. Fable rifts would feel thwarted in their presence.

    This woman seemed nearly perfect. It would not be unreasonable to hear that a deity had spent a year straight, sculpting her, perfecting her.

    ¡°You.¡± A voice rang out inside of Syllis¡¯ head. The word was cold, but the voice that spoke it was warm.

    Syllis looked around, as though checking to see who spoke. It was already clear to her though. ¡®Anahita¡­¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s right. And you are Syllis, the wretched siren who is slowly whittling away at everything I hold dear.¡± Anahita spoke through her mind again, staring into Syllis¡¯ seafoam eyes as though they were her soul.

    The secare nymph was momentarily taken aback.

    ¡°What, you can read minds? Nobody told me that earlier, especially not your dearest.¡± Syllis thought intently, she tried to sort out her important thoughts, what she wanted Anahita to read.

    Anahita was not phased by her instigation. ¡°Who could possibly tell you? You¡¯re my first, you should feel honored.¡±

    Syllis was stunned.

    ¡®She hasn¡¯t used this aspect of her bond against anyone before? Just how much do you have hidden away?¡¯ Syllis thought, adding in the last part, wondering if Anahita would be able to glean it. She was trying to test the limits of her ability.

    It was unknown whether Anahita did not discern Syllis¡¯ thoughts underneath the layers of thought she added or if just chose not to respond.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you have fun in your fable rift, but afterwards¡­ Just take Korman, or Aura, homewrecker.¡±

    Anahita¡¯s purple haze eyes that had been piercing Syllis¡¯ soul for so long finally broke off. Syllis felt like she could finally breathe again.

    ¡®Homewrecker?¡¯ Syllis¡¯ eye twitched slightly, she fought the urge to laugh. She continued layering thoughts for Anahita to read, despite knowing that she would not respond.

    ¡®Who do you think I am? You want me to take my pick, what a joke. If you can discern these thoughts then you should know that I couldn¡¯t care less if you take Clyde or not. So long as you treat him like a human being of course.¡¯

    The ultimate glanced around the room, finished talking to Syllis. Eventually, she sat down on a high seat above everyone else. It was a display of just how much more important she was. She looked down on Syllis in particular like she was an ant, the most minor threat that she could squash in a heartbeat. Though, that might not be the most unreasonable belief with the difference in anathema between them.

    ¡°Hello everyone.¡± Anahita spoke clearly and in a strong voice as she utilized some artifact to elevate her voice.

    ¡°I assume all of you are wondering why you are here. This was abrupt and you all deserve an explanation.¡± Anahita looked deeply at Syllis, placing emphasis on certain words.

    The crowd murmured slightly before collectively nodding and waiting for the heir to speak.

    The ends of her veridian hair seemed to shine slightly as she began talking. She looked upon the people with a sense of longing.

    ¡°I have grown up in this city. I have watched this city, it¡¯s ups and downs. I have seen the beautiful, the horrid, that bizarre and the usual. I have experienced it all, witnessed it all, committed it all to memory. And all of this, so that I could one day stand at the top of it all.¡±

    Anahita scanned the crowd, spotting familiar nobles and people she had once considered friends. Normally, tears would well up in the speaker¡¯s eyes, but not Anahita.

    ¡°That day is today, or more precisely tomorrow. Today, I am announcing to you all my ascension to lead this city. Tomorrow, I will tell the people. I hope that you all can ensure the future of Asanoch with me.¡±

    Anahita once again bore holes into Syllis¡¯ skin with her gaze, enunciating the word ¡®all.¡¯

    Syllis was beyond shocked. Before she had left school, she learnt of the history of Asanoch. Typically, the reigns were passed down from heir to heir once they hit their mid forties.

    This was unprecedented. Anahita could not have been more than a few years older than Syllis. At the oldest, she was nearly twenty-two, half the age of previous heirs when they took over.

    Dozens of equally stunned people stood dumbfounded. They stared at the empty stage above, where Anahita had been led out and back away by her parents. They were not nobles or high class connoisseurs anymore. They were merely the people and held no sway over this monumental decision that had just been made.

    The rich loved greed, power was one form of greed. Power, quartz, and love, these are what the rich thrived on. Power was the most important, and they lost almost all of it that they held.

    For quartz, they grew their empires. For love, they garnered mistresses. For power, they pledged their loyalty, standing above the common folk. Now, their loyalty was overturned.

    Each and every one of these nobles had voted on when the last heir took over, now Anahita stepped in and announced it completely on her own.

    ¡°This¡­ T-This¡­ This is unbelievable!¡±

    ¡°How dare she!¡±

    ¡°Report her! We¡¯ll report her!¡±

    ¡°To whom? To whom can you report the heir? The ultimate!¡±

    Disgruntled, incoherent ramblings continued on for a while. The sensible nobles tried to leave discreetly, the entrance quickly piled with people who wanted to fade away. Though, even more people stayed, yelling, not at Anahita but at their lack of power.

    Even adults who are supposed to have matured since they were children act like babies once their toys are taken away. They do not truly grow older as you age, their sandbox just gets bigger.

 Chapter 37 - Illusion of Choice

    The next few weeks passed by slowly. Changes did not occur immediately, perhaps Anahita was going to keep things mostly the same, or maybe she was only waiting for people to get used to her reign.

    Anahita attended various public events and spoke to her people. Syllis had to admit that if she were a regular citizen, that she would be impressed and moved by her leadership. The usual promises were made to help the outer ring, though they never arrived. This was how it always was, just an idea to get the public to view the ruling family in a better light.

    Syllis continued attending her classes at Lurgica. She paid nearly no attention to any classes, safe for combat proficiency where she dominated all of her fights. The only close rounds would be between her and Aura, and Ansel. Clyde had grown predictable and Korman was closer to the lower echelon of A tier. It was essentially split with the top four students being much more proficient than the lower six-ish in the A tier.

    There was no point in attempting to learn in ritualism class. She already knew the entirety of the foundation from Clyde¡¯s ritual room. The old professor that ran the class could hardly function. It seemed like Lurgica was only keeping her around because it was a hassle to find experts in ritualism.

    ¡°So, any plans tomorrow?¡± Clyde turned around, walking backwards as he asked his three companions, Korman, Aura, and Syllis.

    ¡°Why?¡± Aura responded with another question.

    The four of them were walking to the Boorne estate. They wore long black coats that easily protected them from the chill from Asanoch¡¯s false winter.

    Pellets of snow gently wafted in the soft breeze that flowed through the massive city. The nearby passerby laughed at the¡ªstill relatively new¡ªsnow. Some tried to catch it on the tip of their tongue, some tried to catch it, folding it into a ball.

    This pristine powder was caught by roofs and other buildings. Several fake trees were created and set up for the sole purpose of catching snow on it and dropping it onto unsuspecting victims.

    Syllis and the others rounded the side of a makeshift frozen lake in the middle section of Asanoch. There was much more open space in the middle section compared to central Asanoch.

    This frozen lake could barely be considered a lake under that massive sea that housed Asanoch, the Nethirian sea. This frozen lake was at least a couple hundred meters in diameter yet paled in comparison to the super-massive sea.

    ¡®Now that I think about it¡­ I¡¯ve never tried to go down. I wonder what it would be like?¡¯ Syllis mused, thinking of several creatures she could potentially meet, the horrors that would lurk in the abyss.

    ¡°I want to do something, anything really¡­¡± Clyde¡¯s voice trailed out, hinting at the meaning behind this thought.

    It was obvious why he was acting like this. He had been spending more time with Anahita. Syllis inferred that with the heir¡¯s ascension to ruler, she wanted to get married soon and needed to patch things up with Clyde for that.

    ¡®It never gets any less creepy¡­¡¯ Syllis¡¯ eyes twitched.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m not doing anything in particular¡­ But what would we do?¡± Aura inquired in an intrigued tone.

    It was a valid question to ask. Any time that all four of them were together, they eventually decided on holding a sparring tournament. What else was there for juvenile kindred to do?

    Their bonds were essentially their entire life, tying in with their goals. Clyde needed to surpass Anahita, Aura wanted to become a renowned nomad, Syllis¡¯ job was to spar with Clyde and prepare for her fable rift. Korman was the only one who did not have a concrete reason to spar, so he was dragged along.

    These tournaments were boring though. They always ended in one of the same few ways, Korman would be last, Aura or Clyde would be third, if Aura made it to second then she would have the potential of winning against Syllis. The usual ranking at the end was: Korman, Clyde, Aura, Syllis. Sometimes Aura could overcome Syllis, one out of maybe six times.

    What was confusing was the fact that Clyde could sometimes overcome Aura, but never Syllis despite the fact that Aura could overcome Syllis.

    It was almost like a game of rock, paper, scissors. Clyde¡¯s bond failed against Syllis, but succeeded against Aura. Whereas Aura would succeed against Syllis and fail against Clyde.

    If external factors were removed, this would be the case every single time. However, personal factors changed the results. A person¡¯s intelligence, strength, speed and other factors often meant the difference in a fight, bonds were a mere piece of the larger puzzle.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Clyde kicked a couple pebbles as all of them continued to circle the frozen lake, subtle cracks formed along its surface. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We could go visit some specialty restaurants, or play cards¡­¡±

    Clyde listed various activities, but none seemed to gather enough traction. His expression fell as he faced the bitter reality that tomorrow, he might just have to see Anahita again.

    A slight ebbing and flowing jolted all four kindred from their somewhat tired states.

    The ice on the river cracked as the slight force that grew and pulled back turned stronger. It tugged on the four kindred like Korman¡¯s mutated bear arm. It did not seem to want to lessen its grip.

    Distant screams erupted from a nearby plaza, without a second to waste, the four of them exchanged glances before chasing after the screams.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    They hurriedly ran across the frozen lake, Syllis mended its surface to form a solid pathway. They twisted around the corner of a tight alleyway and stood still.

    A shimmering purple rift swirled like the sky that loomed above Ethrailia. It constantly shook, rumbling with the sound of twisted lightning. It was consistent, no more than a second of delay between each cycle.

    Though, in the few minutes that Syllis and the rest of her companions were staring, whimsically, this delay decayed. The almost portal-like tear in space looked like it wanted to swallow the world as it shook more violently, pulsing twice as fast as when the four of them first arrived.

    Three of them instantly knew what was about to happen. They shared horrified glances, Syllis only looked at them with wide eyes.

    This information was not taught at Lurgica, it was expected for children to be taught this common knowledge at home. Unfortunately for Syllis, her family had mostly kept the knowledge of fable rifts secret. It did not help that Clyde had forgotten to tell her when they first met.

    Her father was a researcher in fable rifts so he knew of their horrors, he never wanted his daughter to have taken an interest in them, so he kept any knowledge secret. He even went so far as to pull Syllis out of school on most days that the school scheduled to talk about fable rifts. The only vague knowledge Syllis received was bits and pieces that could be understood from the odd time when her father was in a fable, unable to shield her from information about them.

    Syllis felt like she understood part of why her father had kept most information on fable rifts under wraps.

    ¡®This thing looks¡­ Horrifying.¡¯ Syllis¡¯ eyes widened in terror, but also admiration. Their world was so reliant on logic and reasoning that seeing something so¡­ Defiant and unique of this world felt admirable.

    She could not help but compare this pulsing purple tear in space to herself in some weird way.

    Aura turned to face Syllis, realizing that she did not understand what was going on.

    ¡°Alright Syllis!¡± Aura prepared herself to run Syllis through the basics of what she needed to know.

    ¡°Fable rifts merge into their environment, causing great harm to the ecosystem. When they are about to, they rage violently. We don¡¯t know why this fable rift is preparing to merge so soon after appearing.¡±

    Syllis suddenly turned to look at the rift with even more apprehension. This purple tear was unusual even compared to its fellow fable rifts.

    ¡°S-so what do we do?¡± Syllis tried to ask her question calmly, but her flusteredness seeped through, she was worried. There was supposed to be much longer before their first rift, surely they could not step in now.

    ¡°We have to enter.¡± Clyde spoke, determined. He had already made his mind up.

    ¡°Hold on Clyde.¡± Syllis urged her friend to slow down. ¡°We don¡¯t have any food, water or any other preparations. We wouldn¡¯t have that great a survival rate.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! Other kindred won¡¯t make it before the rift merges!¡± Clyde sounded even more determined than before, like he was the savior to all the citizens of Asanoch.

    ¡°Technically we don¡¯t need it. There will always be some kind of way to sustain yourselves. Naturally, civilizations don¡¯t spread fables with no chance to succeed, that goes against the very point of a story. There must always be a hero.¡±

    Aura rubbed her own arm as she looked towards the floor. She tried to sooth her escalating heartbeat¡ªa problem that all four of them suffered from.

    ¡°Still, this is our first fable. How can we go in without any preparation? Do you know how many kindred die in their first fable rifts due to overconfidence?¡±

    Syllis attempted to dissuade her companions. According to herself, heading into a fable rift without adequate preparations was no different to suicide.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡±

    Clyde yelled, causing Syllis to jump. She had never heard him yell before. He was not like Aura or Ansel, or how she believed Anahita would be. Though, this situation had rattled him enough to cause him to erupt.

    Korman and Aura kept their heads down as he continued.

    ¡°Tens of thousands¡ªno, hundreds of thousands of people could die if we don¡¯t step into this rift right now. Could you live with yourself if you let them die, Syllis?¡± Clyde looked into her eyes coldly, seeing their seafoam coloring waver.

    This completely uncharacteristic shift shocked Syllis. She thought it to be aggravating.

    ¡°What do I owe to these people? They did nothing for me!¡± Syllis¡¯ voice rose to match Clyde¡¯s. Her usually even, almost cold tone faded with one of pure passion.

    ¡°In the outer ring, I starved. Everyday, I waited for these people to help me get out, but they never came! Am I not entitled to subject them to the same thing that they did to me? You think that I¡¯m obligated to help them? No, I¡¯m obligated to help you. Come on, let¡¯s go, all of you.¡±

    Syllis huffed as she finished and looked at the faces of her three friends. Korman showed slight emotion, a large shift from normal. Aura did not show anything, apparently having a deep battle with her own inner thoughts. Clyde looked cold, his expression could be the sole cause of Asanoch¡¯s false winter.

    ¡°Exactly, you are obligated to help me. I am going to step into this rift, and you are either going to come with me, or you aren¡¯t.¡± Clyde shot a cold glance.

    Aura rose after resolving her inner thoughts. She was determined to enter the fable rift. Korman naturally stood after her, he would follow her to the ends of the earth.

    ¡°Syllis, we¡¯re going.¡± Aura spoke to Syllis in a warm voice.

    Korman nodded and Clyde said nothing, simply turning towards the portal. The three of them began walking forward as the portal shook even more violently than before.

    Syllis desperately wanted to stay back, but she knew she could not. Clyde had knowingly shoved her into a corner. He pretended she had a choice, when in reality there was none. If she refused to enter, then she would be arrested for breach of contract.

    This was not a choice that she could make, but one that was made for her.

    ¡®What a bastard!¡¯ Syllis spat onto the ground in front of her, Clyde tilted his head upon hearing the spit hit the ground.

    Syllis cursed out his name, he was very possibly dragging her to her death right now and she had no say. This was a dirty trick. ¡®I guess some people have a dirty part of them, no matter how pure they seem.¡¯

    The secare nymph stepped towards the portal, trailing slightly behind her companions as the rift pulsed. It seemed to tear more of reality. Glimpses of the fable could be seen within, but their color was distorted making it impossible to discern the details.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Aura spoke softly as she stepped through the portal, moments after Clyde and a second before Korman.

    The three of them disappeared from Syllis¡¯ sight. She entertained the thought of leaving again before quickly throwing it away. There were kindred much stronger than her, Anahita was proof of this, and she was not even an adult kindred.

    Syllis stepped into the violent rift, her body felt weird. It was like each of her limbs disconnected as they each entered the purple tear in reality. A whirring sound echoed throughout her brain, refusing to leave. Her vision dwindled and blurred, all sound was revoked. Every sense, gone. Touch, smell, sound, sight, even the taste of her saliva, gone.

    The world fell away from her along with everything else she had ever known. It almost felt like the start of a dream. This was the beginning of her descent into her first fable rift.

 Chapter 38 - Almost Ethereal

    After a while of complete disconnect, Syllis felt the first semblance of self return to her.

    One by one, her senses gradually recovered. First was her taste, the saliva in her mouth tasted slightly minty. Next was sound, the faint breeze could be heard, bellowing through a hundred different leaves. A series of light whistling sounds also rang out as a result of this breeze.

    Syllis could curl the tips of her fingers now, able to feel the pain that arrived with pulling on them a little too hard. She wiggled her toes as much as she could in her black boots that Dalea had given to her after Anahita¡¯s ascension.

    After a couple more minutes, she could smell the cool air. It was not cold, nor particularly warm. It could be said that this was the perfect temperature. This was not accurate though, it only felt so perfect because of Syllis¡¯ black winter coat. The fur that lined the interior surely turned this cold environment¡¯s frost-biting temperature into one easily withstood.

    Her vision took the longest to return. It went from entirely dark, to incredibly blurred. Over the course of nearly ten minutes¡ªor what felt like it¡ªher vision continued in this same pattern, though the blurring lessened.

    Nothing was discernible at first. Syllis could feel herself instinctually smile when she could finally make out rough colors. In her vision, she could see a majority of purple mixed in with splotches of yellow and black.

    Vague shapes then formed, gradually coalescing from what was a fractured scene into something somewhat sensible. The yellow splotches were hundreds of floating circular shapes. Massive yellow sheets were also strung across her vision. The black spots were patches of what seemed like fur lining the ground. A deep purple hue seeped into everything she saw. It tainted the yellow shapes and combatted the black patches.

    ¡®This is probably the sky.¡¯ She thought rationally.

    Syllis was furious. She was angry at Clyde for forcing her into this fable rift, without preparations. She was angry at Aura for going along with it, and apologizing to her when that witch would do the same thing again in a heartbeat. She was angry at Korman for always following Aura¡¯s lead, like an obedient mutt.

    Though, she could not act on these thoughts, nor could she speak them. Fable rifts were a dangerous and illogical phenomena. They often bent the rules of reality and twisted them into whatever they pleased. This was the result of ill perpetuators of such fables.

    This was no place to argue, they needed to band together. Any distrust between any of the four of them would greatly hinder them. This was the difference between life and death. Bonds between people are tested on the line between life and death.

    Syllis¡¯ vision finally completely returned to her. An almost absurd sight awaited her.

    The ground was covered in patches of black grass, it was fine which gave the appearance of fur. Trees had purple bases with yellow leaves that bellowed in the wind. The dark purple sky that swirled cast shadows on everything, though they were not the dark, black shadows from Ethrailia. In this fable, all shadows were a pastel yellow color.

    Syllis looked down at the shadows of her own hands. These yellow shadows danced below her fingers as she held them up to the¡­

    ¡®What? Isn¡¯t this a little too absurd? Is there truly a world out there with four suns? Each of them are so bright.¡¯

    Syllis almost laughed upon examining the four suns. They shone almost like the four points that comprised a diamond. The last sun was hard to see through the brief clearing in the forest. It was partially shrouded, half covered underneath the purple horizon. She felt there needed to be a reason for their particular arrangement.

    She swung her gaze like a spear, sweeping over the environment. Far away, hundreds of pastel shadows danced around in the breeze. Closer though¡­ Aura, Clyde, Korman. Each of them seemed to be in a different state of recovery from walking through the fable rift.

    Korman was the furthest, still grappling with the idea of curling his fingers. Clyde shifted his head slightly as he scanned the environment, likely making out the various shades and shapes. Aura was already starting to stand up several meters away.

    None of them spoke throughout their awakening process. Each of them had thought they were completely isolated. They thought their screams would not be heard, and the threat of alerting creatures or monsters was not too charming.

    Aura turned around as she got her bearings.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°Syllis¡­¡± Her voice trailed out, like she wanted to say something but it just would not come out.

    Korman and Clyde turned around at this sudden word. It shattered the impenetrable silence that had lasted near twenty minutes, or somewhere close to that.

    The former could not see anything, he reacted purely on sound. Clyde on the other hand saw the vague colors and shapes that made up his companions. Namely, Syllis¡¯ cerulean blue hair and Aura¡¯s tan skin were stark contrasts to the surrounding environment.

    ¡°You can see?¡± Clyde responded, somewhat shocked. He knew that he himself would be able to take in the land in a few minutes, but his allies already taking in the view felt slightly isolating.

    ¡°Syllis and I can both see¡­¡± Aura¡¯s words once again trailed out, like an afterthought not fully formulated.

    ¡°How¡¯s your progress? And Korman¡¯s as well.¡± Syllis inquired, eager to know when they could begin moving.

    It felt eerie to be in the middle of the bizarre forest. Syllis could feel the hairs standing up on her arms and back. Normally, forests were crawling with monsters and dangerous fauna. This one though, was entirely normal. There was not a single threat to them in sight. This quietness was perhaps even scarier than a hundred monsters surrounding them.

    Syllis thought it unlikely that this fable lacked horrific abominations to hunt them down. ¡®It¡¯s much more likely that they were driven out by some greater, more terrifying creature.¡¯

    Syllis ran through a couple of scenarios. A grand creature that lies dormant for a thousand years, scaring away monsters with an occasional snore. An alien civilization that hunted these creatures down. Ultimately, she had no way of confirming, or even growing closer to the truth. This was the most unsettling part of the entire situation.

    ¡°I can make out most shapes and colors, the blurriness is fading. At most a couple of minutes.¡±

    ¡°I am just beginning to make out colors, probably ten minutes to go.¡±

    Both of them gave concise answers, outlining a clear timeline. All four of them would be able to start moving in ten minutes.

    It was important to move fast, and especially important due to their complete absence of supplies. Ordinarily, cured meats would hopefully last expedition groups for the entire length of the fable rift. They would only hunt after nearly all of their rations were gone. The same applied with water.

    In the forest, there were no creatures. No creatures that any of them could detect at least. Perhaps things would change once Korman could see. He was an adept tracker, trained by his father and augmented by a complimentary bond.

    At least for now, they needed to operate under the assumption that there was no food or water nearby. It was essential to begin moving as soon as possible. Though, they would not run, that would burn unnecessary fat. One needed to maximize efficiency by utilizing the least energy and moving the furthest distance possible.

    Syllis and Aura shared an understanding look and approached each other. They leaned over each others¡¯ shoulders, getting in position to secretly whisper. There was no need to inform Clyde and Korman of potential issues. Once they were confirmed, it would be fair game.

    ¡°This is strange right, the lack of animals?¡± Aura quietly spoke to Syllis.

    ¡°It is, we have to quickly find out the reason behind it. Or else, we might be next.¡± Syllis secare mused. It was a joke, but only partially. They could truly become prey if they lingered without unraveling the forest''s mystery before long.

    ¡°Why did you two move closer? What¡¯s going on?¡± Clyde sounded slightly panicked, fearful that he missed out on some important information.

    ¡°Worry not my traitorous partner.¡± Syllis joked in a passive-aggressive tone. Clearly conveying her anger, but also her restraint to act on it. ¡°I was merely wiping some dirt from her face and clothes.¡±

    The secare nymph stepped back towards Aura, turning away from Clyde. She softly swept her hand across the shoulders of the tan human¡¯s black coat.

    All four of them had matching coats. They were bought with the intention of being versatile in a fable rift. The fur lining within was detachable making them suitable for not only cold environments, but for hot ones as well.

    Clyde finally turned, gleaning the contents of the environment. He could not fully see. He went through the same realizations and distinctions that Aura and Syllis both had. His expression fell as he realized the dire scenario that they were in. The consequences of entering a fable without preparations seemed much more dire after stepping through and taking in the environment.

    The three of them conversed, a couple of meters away from Korman. Aura had left an ephemeral guard to watch over him. As they talked, Korman did not fret like Clyde, or perhaps was just not vocal about it.

    Syllis thought about it. If she had been the very last of the four of them, she would be panicking. She would wonder if they were going to leave her, if they would abandon her just like her mother and father.

    ¡°I can see.¡± Korman spoke plainly, as if it held no difference to him whether he could see or not. He stepped over to the three of his companions after once again looking over the environment.

    ¡°Alright, now that we can all see and are adjusted¡­ Which direction should we head in?¡± Clyde questioned, glancing at everyone around him.

    A crackling sound suddenly began to emit from the air, causing the four of them to jump.

    The four suns had ignited, bursting into pale white flames that seemed to sear the very sky. This purple cosmic sky swirled with the pastel yellow flames that rode alongside it like the wick of a candle. Even louder crackling hollered as they spread and converged. Tens of thousands of raging lines of white flame flickered and burned the sky itself, leaving visible burn marks behind.

    There was no time to decide what direction to pick. The only certainty in this situation was that if they stayed still, then they would die.

 Chapter 39 - Burning Skies

    ¡®I guess that¡¯s what drove the monsters away. What sin does the world have to commit to anger the four suns?¡¯ Syllis thought indifferently.

    Syllis had been in stressful situations many times before, due to her years on the outer ring of Asanoch. There was not an event so catastrophic, but she did not have the time to ogle or get flustered.

    Two ephemeral crows cried out as they gently flew down to the ground from above. They had emerged from two equally as ethereally terrifying tears in space. Green flames flickered from their flesh-dripping bones.

    ¡°Everybody, get on!¡± Aura yelled, watching to make sure everyone got on.

    ¡°Let me get on first!¡± Clyde spoke to Syllis. Emergency rang out in his voice.

    Syllis and Clyde hurriedly got onto their crow. Clyde sat in front, grabbing onto a couple of extended bones as though they were a pair of reigns, or perhaps a set of chains, binding this fiend.

    ¡°Do you really think your horse riding knowledge applies here?¡± Syllis furrowed her brows slightly, scrutinizing Clyde¡¯s optimistic belief.

    ¡°Does it matter? We both lack any training in riding these abominations, or am I mistaken?¡± Clyde¡¯s voice was laced with a passive-aggressiveness.

    Syllis had still not gotten used to this aspect of Clyde. He was usually lighthearted, even during their spars.

    ¡®To see him so panicked and manic¡­ It¡¯s almost disappointing.¡¯ Syllis frowned slightly before looking around, confused at their lack of movement.

    Aura turned around, grabbing Korman. He was entranced, mesmerized by the four suns.

    ¡°Wake up!¡± Aura screeched, causing Korman to jolt.

    Korman¡¯s mouth quivered slightly at the pull back to reality, he reluctantly turned away from the suns and towards Aura.

    ¡°Get on¡­¡± Aura¡¯s voice trailed out, she had wanted to say a lot more than this, but that could wait.

    Once Korman and Aura got onto their matching, ephemeral crow, they set off. Syllis wrapped her arms around Clyde¡¯s waist and Korman did the same to Aura¡¯s.

    Syllis turned around to see the sun¡¯s torturing of the sky. Searing pain, all over the purple sky. The flickering white flames that voraciously swallowed this sky had no compassion. The brief tips of the flames that withered away before catching flame again almost looked like tears. The sky was crying.

    Korman¡¯s face looked dejected, and somewhat out of place. He did not look horrified, or like he regretted his actions. It seemed like he had no clue how to feel.

    ¡®Is this emotional shutdown? Is Korman in shock already? The fable has only started¡­¡¯ Syllis smiled in a self-deprecating manner.

    The secare nymph had not chosen to enter this fable rift, she had advised against it. In the end she had been essentially blackmailed into following her friends inside. She had accepted the contract to enter into Clyde¡¯s first fable with him under the guarantee that there would be adequate preparations, this had been a clause in the contract.

    Syllis would have been completely in her rights to remain outside of the fable, but the upper class had ways of suppressing a nymph with no reputation.

    The slightest bit of recognition she had was her attitude, that of a crazed battle maniac that would do anything in a fight. This personality was not the sign of a trustworthy person, Clark would have been able to use this and have Syllis incriminated.

    The burning sky hollered, crying out in a symphony of crackling and sizzling. It was like the sky was crying out for help, but they could not heed its call. They could not save the sky, only use it as a warning.

    ¡°Syllis, how close is it?¡± Aura inquired calmly.

    It was strange, Aura was usually hot-headed, needing Korman to reel her back. Her strengths did not lie in people. So it was peculiar for her to be so calm in this situation.

    Syllis noted this and tried to measure the distance of the four suns¡¯ wrath. It was difficult to pinpoint, there were several factors for this.

    The first was the sheer distance between the suns and Syllis, which was incredibly far. This was easily discernible by just how long the flames had taken to cast the sky aflame. The suns had been in line of sight with the sky for¡ªwhat Syllis assumed to be at least¡ªseveral hours, based on how slowly the bottom of the four suns have moved. The distance was hardly noticeable.

    The second was the amount of flames and the lack of differing color. All of the lines of flames that spread across the sky were nearly pure white with some slight red coloration near the tips. This made it incredibly difficult to understand which flames were closer and which were further while they were constantly overlapping each other.

    The last reason was that these flames were high up, spreading across the sky while they had just started spreading downwards.

    Syllis¡¯ eyes followed the strings of flame, her eyes moved upwards as they got closer to herself.

    ¡°Somewhere around twenty to fifty kilometers most likely.¡± Syllis gave Aura her incredibly rough estimate.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the greatest.¡± Aura held back her urge to laugh at their scenario.

    ¡°Alright, Syllis. You¡¯re going to have to speed us up.¡± Clyde spoke directly, withholding his aggressive tone this time.

    Syllis nodded, despite Clyde¡¯s inability to see her.

    Aura opened a series of tiny rifts in front of the two crows. Small, ephemeral maggots emerged from them and stuck together with the crows¡¯ feet, forming a sort of shoe.

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Syllis focused intently, pushing out any outside influence. She distanced herself mentally from the burning sky and her hatred of Clyde. Conjuring ice in front of them was a uniquely challenging problem, but Syllis had solved harder problems.

    A faint line of ice appeared a hundred meters away, it glimmered as it was propelled towards the feet of both crows.

    In a split second, their speed almost tripled. They had gone from the jarring ride atop the incredibly fast crows pushing off of the ground, to a calmer, more serene experience of resting atop the crows that gracefully glid across the sheets of ice.

    That was until they reached the end of the currents sheet. The crows had nearly lost balance multiple times, transitioning to Syllis¡¯ next sheet, which only took a maximum of five seconds.

    It was difficult for Syllis to form a single continuous sheet. Instead, she opted for multiple sheets which allowed her to manifest them more easily, as well as make them even to glide on.

    Syllis noted in her mind that this was an area she needed to improve on. It was not the highest necessity though, her sheets of ice gradually improved the more dire their scenario became.

    The flames grew louder and more volatile the closer they got to Syllis and her companions. They sounded voracious and hungry as crackling sounded. The tips of the partially red, white flames flickered as if they were reaching out towards prey that continuously stayed just out of reach.

    ¡°How close!?¡± Aura yelled at Syllis, her voice finally exuding her natural hot-headed quality.

    Syllis did not need much time to calculate the distance. Conjuring her sheets of ice became more refined the more she made them and allowed her more time to focus on their surroundings. She had long known how close the flames were.

    ¡°Within five kilometers!¡± Syllis¡¯ voice exuded the same panic that Clyde¡¯s and Aura¡¯s held.

    Korman remained silent, like a traumatized child in the center of a battlefield. He even reached to cover his ears a couple of times, only pulling back out of fear of falling off, at which point he would latch back around Aura¡¯s waist.

    ¡°Crap, there¡¯s no cover anywhere!¡± Clyde¡¯s voice was the most rushed out of all of theirs. It was unclear whether he thought his decision to be a mistake or was on the path to accepting their fate.

    ¡°Keep pushing ahead!¡± Syllis yelled, frantically thinking of a solution as the flames neared one kilometer of them.

    Syllis¡¯ breath seethed through her teeth as she turned her head towards the absentminded boy behind Aura. ¡°Korman.¡±

    He did not respond, his head remained fixed on the back of Aura¡¯s beautiful, long and pin-straight black hair.

    ¡°Korman!¡± Syllis hollered, causing the man to look at her wide eyes. ¡°That¡¯s better, you got any mutations that can hold one thousand pounds of ice?¡±

    The secare nymph spoke with a crazed smile.

    ¡®This is the act of a lunatic, trying to fight the sun! Though, what can I do when sanity only gets me so far? It is only insanity that will allow me to remain sane in the future.¡¯

    Korman manifested an entire set of bulky, fur-covered arms. He had not revealed them to anyone before. They looked like arms that were ripped from a titan and hidden away for a thousand years.

    ¡®That will do¡­¡¯ Syllis praised Korman inwardly as she began conjuring the massive shield of ice.

    In reality, she was not fighting the sun, but staving off the flames. Yes, fire melted ice, but it took time to do so. These flames were voracious and all-consuming, melting even the very sky and leaving behind discolored burns. Though, who was to say Syllis¡¯ ice was not equally as tenacious? It was a gift given to her by a god after all, whether she wanted it or not.

    Gradually, ice built outwards from a small point in the sky. As the flames approached three hundred meters, Syllis¡¯ shield had been entirely built. It extended upwards and covered the overtop and behind the two crows like a hood.

    The crows had to be brought closer together to minimize the area Syllis needed to cover and Korman¡¯s muscles strained. He grunted as he supported the titanic shield¡¯s weight all on his own.

    Syllis could only minimally help, she needed to focus on the sheets to maintain their speed. She could only help with the occasional ice pillar on her side to lessen the impact and give Korman a semblance of rest for but a moment.

    The flames had crossed the threshold. They were now within twenty-five meters and began fighting against Syllis¡¯ shield of ice. They immediately began piercing the dense shield as if it was not even an obstacle, only a distraction.

    Syllis smiled crazily again as she seized the constructions of the ice sheets for the crows to glide across.

    Clyde briefly looked back to see if something had happened, he then looked ahead again, a worried expression on his face.

    Aura had not reacted. She was incredibly busy this entire time, it was only through gritted teeth that she could speak the few words she had. Piloting both crows simultaneously was massively taxing on her mind and while Clyde¡¯s control over the left one could lessen the impact slightly, it was only enough to speak her few words.

    Syllis focused the entirety of her energy into the shield. She quickly mended the holes each and every time the flames cut through.

    They were engaged in a fierce battle of territory. What had more control wavered, it shifted from Syllis to the flames.

    That was until her mind began hearing the whispers and her vision started to double.

    ¡®Ahah! Damnit, I need some more time¡­ This cannot be happening so quickly. Hah¡­¡¯ Syllis cursed her weak mental strength, despite it being stronger than all of her companions.

    The corruption spread, tickling a variety of different sectors of her brain. Coryzan tugged at her power, siphoning large amounts of her ability to produce ice.

    ¡°No! Give me more. I need more, I need it now!¡± Syllis cursed out the source of her twisted abilities.

    Korman and Clyde looked at her in momentary shock, sharing worried glances before looking back ahead. Both of them had a job to do and could not worry about Syllis.

    Aura was not faring any better. She had been muttering to herself for the last ten minutes and occasionally raising her voice.

    ¡®Haha! This is bad, terrible, oh very terrible! Our combined mental strength is dwindling. We¡­ W-we are going to die.¡¯

    The reparations being made to the shield of ice suddenly stopped allowing the flames to burst through as it fell to the ground, shattering.

    It was unclear to the group whether Syllis herself had seized her bond or if the infection had rendered her unable to use it. There was only one thing that was clear, they were about to die.

    Syllis herself knew this truth long before them. They were never going to beat the sun, let alone four, or live to tell the tale. Clyde had been the reason she was able to live, and he was also the death of her.

    ¡®Curse you Clyde¡­¡¯ Syllis thought inwardly as she chuckled outwardly. She had voluntarily dropped her shield of ice. There was at least five minutes longer that she could have used her bond, but it did not matter, she could not see a way out.

    The way Syllis saw it, she might as well live her last moments with as much sanity as possible, to enjoy it to the fullest. Sure, she might feel more pain, unnumbered by the euphoric sensations of her mind being stolen from her. However, she would be able to reminisce.

    As the flames gripped at their black coats, all four group members grit their teeth in agony, especially Syllis.

    Syllis was almost certain that her bond gave her an inherent weakness to the heat, and her nymph lineage might have amplified this fact.

    Every second was pure agony as the bottom of their coat and top of their hood became charred. The only reason they were still alive was they were only being harassed and burned by the tips of the flames.

    Clyde turned around, fearing he would wait too long, he addressed everyone with a gripping sincerity.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry everyone, for killing you.¡±

 Chapter 40 - Call of the Void

    The burning, pale white flames, soaked in a slight crimson hue grew larger to engulf them. They roared and crackled with a new found fury, with a slight contentedness to them, happy with catching their prey.

    Everyone would have been crying, if their tears were not immediately evaporated by the immense and intense heat that superheated the world around them.

    ¡®I wish that I could have experienced more.¡¯ Syllis regretted inwardly before she began crying out in pain.

    Syllis was the first to experience the complete brunt of pain due to her innate weakness to heat. This was a pain unlike anything she had experienced. It was greater than the searing pain of Ansel¡¯s acidic flesh, burning through her arm, as well as her crippling phantom pain that she had managed to best through an anathemic loophole.

    She grit her teeth as her companions began shrieking. They were like a pack of heasen, slowly being crushed under the weight of trampling thenithans.

    The ground cracked, breaking into a dozen tiny pieces. Sections began to seep into a black abyss beneath. This void beneath their feet was like another predator, eager to steal from the flames of the four suns.

    It called for them, but Syllis and the rest could not hear. The crackling of the sun was too severe, the call of the void was insignificant in comparison.

    Syllis seemed to be the only person to notice this void beneath them. She also noticed that the flames did not dare approach the dark abyss.

    In a final act of desperation, Syllis called on Coryzan for even the slightest bit of power he could bestow upon her. ¡®Please¡­ Coryzan. The visitor from beyond Acciliant, doomed to watch everlong. A wasteland, cold and doomed to get colder.

    ¡®Give me the slightest shred of ability and I will give you a whole lot more. Take whatever you want, it will be useless if I die here, after all!¡¯ Syllis cried out internally.

    The secare nymph felt the slightest bit of power return. She laughed maniacally and cried in complete sadness. This dichotomous act would be entirely horrific if viewed by an outside party.

    ¡®Hah! What kind of matters involving anathema and their bonds aren¡¯t entirely horrific? We don¡¯t shy away from living even if we kill innocent animals. All of life is horrific, anathema are merely an extension.¡¯

    Syllis groaned as she tried to manifest a large chunk of ice in the air. It took around three seconds and shattered as it collided with the ground. The four of them were immediately plunged into the piercing darkness below.

    Aura screamed, green glowing ephemeral creatures writhed behind her eyes. She sensed something beyond the void¡¯s pitch black exterior.

    Everyone¡¯s faces widened with a new sense of horror. Meanwhile, Syllis basked in this. Yes, the flames burned her much more severely than her companions, and it hurt much more as well. Compared to that pain, falling into the maw of some terrifying beast was a vacation. This quick descent to her death was calming, but not fully determined.

    They did not need to die now. Syllis presumed this to be the maw of a colossal creature. Not only did she believe in their escape in this case, she even thought Korman could acquire some new mutation. Granted, she had no clue how Korman had gotten any of his other mutations.

    Syllis laughed crazily before turning to the manic and dissociating girl. ¡°Aura!¡±

    Aura momentarily snapped from her psychiatric shutdown and regarded Syllis¡¯ beautifully pale face. She was the only one who could see through this abyss, through the use of the ephemeral maggots behind her eyes. She had spent a considerable amount of mental fortitude to form such a small rift behind her eyes, where it would not interfere with her brain or anything else.

    Syllis had not known about this facet of her bond. Not even Korman or Clyde, despite how long they had known her. They were friends for years, and yet this secret remained. It needed to, this was her trump card, something that could not be revealed to even her closest friends.

    ¡°You can save us, right? You can bring out some horrific creatures to do the job?¡± Syllis spoke in a sarcastic tone. She had not meant to but her corruption took various things from her control.

    They were still falling at full speed. Something needed to be done to decrease their speed or they would collapse instantly upon reaching the bottom of the creature.

    Clyde had long accepted his death. He had expended almost no mental fortitude, no infection was spreading throughout his mind. He was simply content with the situation. There was no way for his bond to have helped with either the previous situation or this one. He felt an acute sense of uselessness.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Korman maintained his stoic look. It was like he did not have a care in the world. Of course, Syllis knew this to be false. He was likely still stunned. Tears rolled down his cheeks, unbeknownst to his companions.

    Green light surged from below them, way below. There was a massive tear that seemed to tear through this void that the four suns¡¯ flames dared not penetrate. The void was not against fighting back, it grappled with the tear, a conquest for territory.

    Before the rift had been completely taken over, some massive creature emerged from it.

    Syllis could not directly see this creature, nor could Korman nor Clyde. The only way for it to be detected was that it blocked the green, ephemeral lights that secreted from the tear in the abyss, and space.

    Soon enough, Syllis and the rest of her group collided with this balloon-like creature. It hurt, for a second. It was impossible for all damage to be mitigated.

    Syllis knew a couple of her ribs had cracked. It meant nothing to her though! ¡®This is nothing, haha! This is the price for living. I will revel in this pain.¡¯

    Her corruption was doing a number on the secare nymph. The occasional maniacal laughter and questionable sounds that came from her was proof of that.

    None of the four companions said a word as they tumbled down towards the bottom of the abyss. It was slower than before, but they would still suffer massive damages to their bodies if they did not slow down further.

    ¡°Korman!¡± Clyde yelled out as everyone else was dealing with their own psychological problems.

    He had not completely given up, there was new hope! In fact, he cursed himself out for ever giving up in the first place. If they did not emerge from this fable rift, then it would merge with Asanoch. So many people would die and the city would be rendered uninhabitable. This was easily understood through their encounter with the four suns.

    ¡°I know you have some space in your mind for a little more use of your bond. Grab a hold of the wall!¡± Clyde yelled at the absentminded man.

    Korman instantly grew his fur-ridden skeletal arms again. They scratched against a hard wall, trying to stick into it and suspend them all in place.

    These skeletal arms did not possess the ideal abilities to pierce into this wall though, they only had strength! They could hold them in place, but only if they were accompanied by some way to pierce into the wall.

    Korman furthered his mutations, groaning as bone white thorns grew within the palms of his skeletal hands. Again, they mashed into the side of this near impenetrable wall.

    Failure, again. As Aura¡¯s incoherent wallowing and rambling entered his ears, he again grew more thorns. This time they were more vicious and were a darker color, as though they had been stained in tar.

    Korman shrieked, his skeletal arms jerked, sticking into the abyssal wall. This wall was not made of rocks, nor flesh in accordance with Syllis¡¯ theory. Instead, his was a sort of malleable solid. This wall wanted to take Korman¡¯s arms for itself and pulled on each bone individually.

    Pain overtook Korman and he nearly relinquished his bond as a voice called out to him. ¡°Korman, let go and grab the wall further down. You have to repeat this until we reach the bottom.¡±

    ¡°Can anyone tell how far we have to go?¡± Clyde inquired calmly. There was less urgency. Death still loomed but major injuries were now far more likely.

    ¡°T-two¡­ No one, definitely two. One hundred meters. One hundred meters.¡± Aura spoke like she was about to cry. Her infection had taken over her speaking sector as well as compromised her emotions.

    She had willed the maggots in her eyes to glow. With them, Aura easily discerned how far they had to go.

    Korman yanked his bone arm from the wall. It pained him immensely, enough to make him draw blood from his lip. This was necessary though. As with most bonds, it cost considerably less mental fortitude to repair an aspect of his skeletal arm than to dismiss it and form an entirely new one.

    The devouring abyss that Korman had latched onto devoured through several key parts of his skeletal arms. They had cleverly disabled it by taking the most necessary parts. This wall was an intelligent creature, or a group of such creatures. It was evident his arm latching on had caused them considerable pain.

    He continued the process of pushing his fur covered arms into the devouring wall and then out before mending them over the course of twenty to thirty minutes. They were nearing the bottom.

    The entire time, Syllis and Aura were laughing maniacally and mumbling incoherent thoughts while crying. It was like the sounds one would hear, perusing the outer ring of Asanoch at night.

    The ephemeral creature soon hollered as it slammed against uneven ground. No blood seeped from it, as was typical for Aura¡¯s abominations and instead, a rotten smell rose.

    Aura¡¯s pupils dilated as she took in her surroundings which no one else could see.

    Syllis and the others shared the same reaction as the ephemeral balloon-like creature as they soon collided with the ground after Aura dismissed the ephemeral monster.

    Voices spread murmurs from just beyond where Syllis could hear and screams could be heard, emanating from beyond the dark abyss, or from further within.

    This was a scene of true horror. Syllis had trouble discerning whether this was a side effect of her overusing her bond or if they had just stumbled into a civilization in this fable rift.

    ¡®What an absurd thought¡­¡¯ Syllis mused within as she continued laughing uncontrollably. She held her hand over her mouth in an attempt to stop it, to no avail. Coryzan had taken control over many sectors of her brain.

    ¡°Who are you!?¡± An odd voice resounded from within the void.

    Syllis reconsidered her prior conjecture. This voice was so unique, her mind could not have formed it entirely on its own. ¡®It sounds¡­ Earthy? Ha! Earthy, earthy.¡¯

    She cackled a little more before another voice chimed out.

    ¡°Identify yourselves! Why have you invaded the Elmannise!?¡± A distinct anger rang out as a figure pressed the tip of their cold weapon against the secare nymph¡¯s skin.

    Feeling the cold, Syllis was not afraid but relieved. She was not entirely far gone. This was a civilization of people they stumbled upon.

    There was hope.

 Chapter 41 - Feign Ignorance

    The heavy metal, which would have made others feel a chill, had done nothing to Syllis. She easily withstood the cold, a nice bonus her bond provided her.

    Instead she felt a wave of calm wash over her. She might have shed some tears if she had not overused her bond. Instead, Syllis felt like she needed to laugh.

    Syllis was only able to stomach this laugh with all of her willpower. Despite her compromised mental faculties, she maintained a great deal of rationality. Her overuse symptoms seemed to lie with Aura¡¯s. Both of their ¡®gods¡¯ compromised their impulse control, in separate ways.

    Clyde, being the least affected by infection, decided to be the mediator.

    ¡°My name is Clyde.¡± He slowly spoke and then gestured to his companions. ¡°This is Aura, Korman and Syllis.¡±

    He briefly introduced the black haired beauty, animalistic reserved blond and secare nymph.

    The guards looked to each other, exchanging a couple of troubled glances before one turned back to the intruders.

    ¡°Why are you here? Why have you invaded our city?¡± This guard was much more passive than the one who first questioned them, he stepped in front of his partner.

    ¡°It was an accident. We came through a fable rift. The sky began burning, we ran from it and then¡­ The floor shattered, dropping us here.¡±

    Clyde focused on making his face exceedingly innocent. Just because he could not see in the dark abyss, did not mean that this civilization could not. The very fact that there was a civilization in this dark place, naturally meant that they could see.

    ¡°Oh god! Oh god!¡±

    ¡°Pray to the dark! Pray to Dark!¡±

    Worried elmannise cried out shuffling around the group in front of them. This area was in complete disarray. This was unheard of! They had never had a fellow group of nomads show up. This could only be a plague omen!

    They yelled, continuing to scramble. One of the guards rapidly spun, flustered at how the situation had turned out.

    ¡°Stop! This is not a plague! Get into your homes!¡±

    ¡°They are mere intruders! They will be dealt with promptly!¡±

    Both guards diffused the situation before examining the intruders further.

    ¡°Rise.¡± The aggressive guard commanded the group of intruders.

    ¡°Alright, everybody!¡± Clyde spoke, slowly raising to his feet.

    Syllis rose from behind the mediator. It was difficult, her muscles were spasming.

    ¡®Another defect from corruption¡­ Great!¡¯ Syllis mused. There were not many times she had to deal with the side-effects of overusing her bond. In the outer ring, there had been no reason to over exert herself, and at the Boorne estate and Lurgica there had been anathemic doctors who could heavily alleviate these problems.

    Now though, Syllis faced the full repercussions of her actions. It was horrible, being unable to use her body. She again wondered how long the problems that arose would last. It would surely be longer than normal, since she had exerted herself more than ever before. The question then shifted to, how long exactly did these side-effects usually last?

    Korman rose next, afraid of the repercussions had he not cooperated. Naturally he was worried, his bond was not as deceiving as Clyde¡¯s or as threatening as Aura¡¯s was, nor was it as destructive as Syllis¡¯ bond was.

    Aura was the last to rise. Her inherently prideful personality was the root cause. It did not help that she held great disdain for how these ¡®Elmannise¡¯ were treating them. The only reason she played along was thinking about her companions. She could see, but they could not. It would be leagues more difficult for them to escape. How could she cause problems for them in a place that is already riddled with danger?

    One guard nodded with tacit approval before turning to face the other. He placed a hand around the side of his mouth and whispered into the other¡¯s ear.

    ¡°What do we do? This is a matter for the high priest and priestess. But they are injured, quite severely.¡±

    ¡°Are their injuries life threatening?¡± The other guard inquired, only to be met with an obscure nod.

    ¡°Then we will search them, and then let them heal in the infirmary. While we stand guard of course. Once they are recovered, then we can bring them to the priest and priestess.¡±

    The more rational of the guards clearly outlined his thoughts. He did not try to hide anything, because the intruders would not be able to hear what he had to say. The elmannise had great ears and could hear incredibly well, they were certain these outsiders could not outdo them.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Unbeknownst to them, Korman had mutated his ear. He had amplified his hearing from a human¡¯s level, all of the way to the level of a coiled, cereblath!

    This was much better than the hearing of the elmannise. Korman would easily be able to hear the faintest breath in an area of over fifty meters. He retained this information, not bothering to tell it to his companions. There was a potential the elmannise would hear, causing them trouble.

    ¡°We will search all of you! If you show us kindness, then we will help you in kind! Any of you unwilling to cooperate, will be set free in front of the four suns!¡± The guard commanded.

    His last sentence showed the justice system of the elmannise. They were strict, yet just.

    This was eerily similar to Jyrid¡¯s view on the world and though Syllis had veered from his views, she had to acknowledge that it was free of the grey area¡¯s present in Asanoch, and Ethrailia as a whole.

    Seeing that no one tried to get out of the search, they called two other guards over. One of the elmannise guards let out a loud cry. It was not one of shame, but a signal that all elmannise learned.

    After both groups of guards converged, the original guards gave the newcomers a rundown on the situation. First, horror spread across their face, then calm as the story concluded. They looked at the group and began searching them.

    As Syllis felt her body being patted down, she couldn''t help but acknowledge their odd anatomy. The elmannise was tall, the guard needed to crouch down to pat her lower half down. Their hands had large calluses¡ªat least that was Syllis¡¯ best guess on sensation alone¡ªthat were akin to stones.

    Syllis shifted along with her three companions as the elmannise guards patted down the more sensitive areas of their bodies. They were thorough, especially so. It did not help that their anatomy was entirely separate from the elmannise, so the guards did not know the discomfort they were causing.

    As the guards finished, the two other patrolling guards who had joined in to quickly search them left.

    ¡°Follow us to the infirmary.¡± The calmer of the two guards spoke simply, he did not care for waste.

    Tired, the group gladly followed the guards.

    Without the capability to see, they had to rely on touch. Aura came up with the idea to do a chain. She would stand at the front, then Clyde would take her hand, then Korman would take Clyde¡¯s and finally Syllis would take Korman¡¯s.

    ¡®An infirmary¡­ Finally, we will be able to rest.¡¯ Syllis found that even her thoughts were exhausted. The very first day inside this fable rift had been the most taxing day of her entire life, including her ritual. ¡®I wonder, just how much worse is it going to get?¡¯

    The further they walked, the more Syllis felt the wear on her body. Her foot did not ache, all of the components within had. Normally, she considered the foot as a single entity. Now though¡­ She could feel her: heels and ankles, every toe. Even her nerves and ligaments all burned.

    This extended further than her feet. Her entire body ached. The flames had long been left behind, but their slight heat still felt like a burning pain, it was a unique property.

    The ends of her hair were charred and burnt, same with the bottom and back of her long, black coat. The front of her body was mostly spared by the coverage her back provided, but they still felt the residual pain.

    ¡®Ah¡­ It¡¯s entirely possible that that corruption could be compromising the pain sector of my brain.¡¯ Syllis thought it through.

    ¡®Why would my feet burn? I¡¯ve barely walked today, the chase was on the back of Aura¡¯s ephemeral crows. And why would I still feel this burning sensation on my skin?¡¯ The more she pondered the subject, the more obvious the truth became.

    ¡®The dangers of corruption are more perilous than I thought¡­ I have to keep an eye out in the future. I will not overdo it so much in the future.¡¯ Syllis resolved inwardly, before adding on. ¡®I hope.¡¯

    ¡°We are here!¡± The passive guard gestured towards a dark void, the same as anywhere else in the abyss.

    Of course, Aura could see through this abyss. Even Korman who had various nocturnal mutations could not see through this place.

    What Aura saw was a pristine black building with walls that rippled ever so slightly. It almost looked like the buildings were made out of a calm, black sea.

    These ephemeral maggots of hers greatly reduced the rate at which her sanity recuperated at, but it was worth it. What she lost in her incoherent ramblings, she gained in being able to describe this scenery to her companions later.

    Syllis, Korman and Clyde all kept quiet. There was nothing to praise. In Asanoch they would look upon a beautifully constructed building in awe. In the abyss however, there was nothing more than a void in front of them.

    Aura also kept quiet, not wanting to stand out from her companions. The elmannise thought that none of them could see in the dark, this was an advantage for them. Just like how Korman had fooled the guards with his hearing, Aura was doing the same with her sight.

    The guards latched onto a handle of sorts, drifting in the darkness. They pushed the void shrouded door open and invited the group inside.

    They ascended a flight of stairs, the gap in steps was staggering. This was a large change for the natives of Asanoch. For the elmannise though, with their superior height and longer legs, this was merely a normal step.

    It was subtle aspects such as this that reminded Syllis just how alien fables were. Sure there were aspects that were similar to Asanoch and Ethrailia as a whole, but the amount of unique aspects was far greater and difficult for her to wrap her head around.

    The three of them bumped into various objects. Aura could not guard them from every minor inconvenience as they approached higher floors.

    Finally there was something they could see. After nearly an hour of roaming the bottom of the abyss, the sight of a purple-blue bioluminescent sheet felt comforting, despite the entirely peculiar way that it looked.

    ¡°Someone will be up to cure you shortly.¡± The passive guard spoke calmly and walked outside of the room.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Clyde shouted from within the room, making certain that they could hear.

    This yelling told the elmannise that neither Clyde nor the rest of the group knew of the elmannise¡¯ superior hearing.

    Korman faked hearing, Aura faked vision and Clyde faked knowledge. It was unknown how impactful these subtleties were, but they could not hurt. Whether it helped them in any meaningful way was for them to see, the attempt held enough meaning anyways.

    Humans are resourceful and adaptable creatures. Syllis was a bit behind in this regard.

 Chapter 42 - Two Sides of a Quartz Coin

    Syllis awoke to the same, familiar darkness as the day before. There was nothing in front of her, or there could be everything, she had no way of knowing.

    She turned to her side, hoping to see Aura, or Korman. Clyde was the last person she wanted to see, she despised him. No one was to her side, or all of them. Again, there was no way of knowing.

    Syllis knew that she had been treated. Her body no longer ached, and the flames that felt like they lingered on her skin were no longer there. Even if this was phantom pain, then it meant her sanity had recovered.

    ¡®Thank the lord.¡¯ The secare nymph was not religious, but if she had the slight potential of benefiting¡­ ¡®Why not credit this recovery to a potential benefactor?¡¯

    Below her, the slightest tinge of light emanated from a bioluminescent sheet. It glowed a purple-blue color, resonating warmly with slight pulses that could be felt through its tough skin.

    This ethereal light slightly warmed the fur that was wrapped around the makeshift beds. The materials were not optimal by any means, but the elmannise had surely done the best with what was available to them.

    ¡°Aura? Korman?¡± Syllis asked with an unease. She was moving a decent amount, one of her companions should have heard her by now.

    Nothing, she did not know where her companions were. For a moment, she was rife with worry before quickly relaxing. There was a simple but effective reason to know they were unharmed. Syllis herself was still alive.

    ¡®What reason could there possibly be for killing all but one of a group of intruders? And why would they not keep the most cooperative one alive?¡¯

    Syllis¡ªwithout any mental corruption left¡ªdecided to invoke her bond. She had thought about multiple ways to enable it to walk out. Most notably was the frost that permeated the area around here, to see where it felt colder, that would be open space. Closer to walls which presumably would absorb the heat, it would get warmer.

    ¡®That is assuming these walls function in a typical way. That would be a blessing in this fable¡­¡¯ Syllis sighed, she needed to resort to a different method.

    Instead, she would use a primitive form of getting around. All she could do was conjure a stick, then flail it in front of her. This would give her the knowledge she sought. Though, it would make her uncomfortable, acting in such a different way.

    As well as offend those who needed to use a similar form of navigating in their day to day lives, for Syllis to borrow it would be disrespectful. Though, she was not too worried about offending the elmannise.

    ¡®These people can see straight through this darkness. The likelihood of any of them suffering from the visual impairments that we do is nearly zero.¡¯ Syllis surmised internally.

    Syllis stood up from the slightly glowing bed and turned to her right. This was the side of the room they had originally entered from.

    The secare nymph swayed and was met with an odd sensation. The familiar copied movement of her coat was nowhere to be found.

    Syllis was perplexed and calmly sat down, she reached for both sides and picked up her coat. After putting the coat back on, completing her nomadic outfit, she rose again.

    Gradually, she condensed a javelin of ice, spending a while making sure it was sturdy. ¡®After what that wall did to Korman¡¯s bond, this javelin needs to be stable!¡¯

    Eventually, Syllis had found her way out of the hospital building. It was a nightmare, taking her nearly twenty minutes. To her, it was less of a hospital and more of a maze.

    Syllis could tell this was the open abyss when she spun her javelin and it had not collided with any walls. This brought a new question though.

    ¡®Where do I go?¡¯ It was difficult for Syllis to decide. She could not see where to go, and she could not see where the elmannise were walking to avoid prodding them with her navigating stick.

    This was less of a concern. ¡®Surely they would just¡­ Step out of the way, right?¡¯

    Syllis wondered, the burning suns eliminated any possibility of water turning to ice. So would the elmannise even understand what was approaching them?

    The secare nymph felt a chill within, unusual for her.

    ¡®If the four suns burn the sky and everything it touches, is there water?¡¯ This was a crucial question. If there was no water, then the four of them were as good as dead.

    Syllis shook her head. This was not something she needed to think about for the moment. Instead, she needed to locate her allies. Her brilliant solution to this problem was to roam the side of the wall aimlessly.

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    After thirty minutes of walking alongside the pitch black, abyssal wall, some glowing sheets entered her view. These glowing sheets emitted a harsh, violet light.

    Syllis nearly gasped at her ability to now glean the environment in front of her. The floor of the abyss was made up of tar-like slight, calm waves rippling. They were in a desolate cave, the wall beside her extended upwards, well beyond the reach of the violet light. It was impossible for her to know just how tall the inside of the ave was.

    ¡®Well¡­¡¯ Syllis had thought it to be impossible, when an idea popped into her head. ¡®I could throw a javelin and count how long it took to arrive at the top.¡¯

    This was a relatively complete plan, she only needed to account for the initial burst and loss of speed over time. She quickly dismissed it though. ¡®What¡¯s the point of knowing the height of this cave? It¡¯s not like we would be exiting through the top again. Those four suns are much too dangerous.¡¯

    Upon further examination, Syllis found that the violet sheets were anchored to the side of a building, stretched around windows.

    The dark door of the mysterious building was vastly more difficult to push open than a typical door. Though, this did not matter to a kindred such as Syllis.

    The inside of the church was filled with equally as mesmerizing purple lights, they mixed together forming separate hues. These lights illuminated the vast interior. Three rows of wooden seats lined the inside of this room.

    A large altar sat at the front of the prayer room, an abyssal rock sat flush on a pedestal. This rock was such a pure, black coloring that it was impossible for Syllis to make out any shadows. It only looked like a mass. The sole reason Syllis had even assumed it to be a rock was due to a mere assumption. In reality, it could have been flat, or perhaps a large weapon that the secare nymph only saw the base of.

    On the left row of seats, Korman, Clyde and Aura were all sitting. Korman and Aura were seated ahead of Clyde.

    Knowing that her companions were entirely safe¡ªwithout relying on a rational opinion¡ªwas comforting. Syllis took a seat a little bit above the midway point of the church-like building, in the center row.

    The secare nymph clasped her hands together, unnoticed by her companions who were at the several seats ahead of her.

    Syllis felt the fabric of her silky black gloves rub against each other as she entered a prayer position.

    Although she herself had never been truly religious. Her mother and father assuredly were. The both of them vehemently worshiped the savior and the eternal, Halarion Holis. His blazing fury cleaved the umbral abominations from the surface of Ethrailia, bringing about the ability for humanity to prosper.

    Syllis did not believe this tale, she was not so naive as to take it at face value. ¡®It¡¯s much more believable that this ¡®god¡¯ is merely a kindred, with many transfigured anathema. Yes, such a figure should easily be able to cleave the umbral monstrosities.¡¯

    It felt, unceremonious and almost sacrilegious for her to be pondering over the reality of a presumed god in this church. So, despite her lack of belief in fate or karma, Syllis decided she would pray.

    ¡®But who to pray to?¡¯ Syllis had a very difficult time deciding, such a difficult time that she wondered if this was an even more sacrilegious thought process.

    ¡®Oh well, whatever.¡¯ The secare nymph shrugged slightly before thinking. ¡®Not Halarion Holis, Naviia or Latehth. Definitely not Hal Symenoneth. Not Halar Moro, Lara and Kiri¡­¡¯

    Her thoughts trailed on and on before she felt like laughing. She had felt no inclination towards any god, aside from one.

    ¡®Coryzan¡­ If I need to believe in something it might as well be you. You were forcefully intertwined with my fate as I was to yours. Perhaps in some, twisted way, we are two sides of the same, quartz coin. Both tormented and shaken, only to rise from such a state.¡¯

    A smile spread across the face of this, secare nymph. This was a nice thought to her, the possibility that the entity closest to her was not unlike herself.

    ¡®Right, this is nice.¡¯

    Syllis reclasped her hands together and recited the familiar invocation that was etched deep within her mind. This same invocation that she was unable to get rid of no matter how hard she had tried.

    She closed her eyes for a minute, resting them as she gave a moment of silence for her prayer.

    Then she got up to approach her companions who were speaking quietly, as if they were afraid to offend the other church visitors. There was no one in the church besides them though. It was far more likely they were speaking so quietly so that prying elmannise would not hear them.

    So far, the elmannise had been mostly friendly. Sure, they were mildly aggressive at the beginning, but who would not be? Syllis and her companions had literally crashed through their roof, causing an immense disturbance.

    Syllis took up a seat next to Clyde before leaning over the back of Aura and Korman¡¯s seat.

    She cleared her throat briefly before speaking. ¡°So, why¡¯d you guys leave me behind?¡±

    The three of them acknowledged Syllis¡¯ sudden arrival as if nothing had changed. Syllis had a habit of making sudden arrivals.

    Aura and Korman had first experienced this in Lurgica, when Syllis had stepped in through the door of their classroom and taken Lerane away. It happened several more times, now, it was an expectation.

    ¡°You were sleeping, simple as that. Clyde didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡± Aura spoke simply, it was a natural answer. ¡°Though, he was fine waking me up¡­¡±

    The black haired woman mumbled underneath her breath.

    ¡°I feel horrible about forcing you through this fable rift. You deserved the rest.¡± Clyde sounded defeated.

    There was a time where his cheeks would have turned slightly rosy and his voice would stutter. This was not that time though. Fable rifts were dangerous and unpredictable, Clyde knew this, dismissing as much of his emotions as possible.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that thoughtful.¡± Syllis patted Clyde on the shoulder, harshly. She had in fact not believed this was thoughtful. ¡°Next time, leave some evidence you haven¡¯t fallen off the face of this world. A slight ephemeral animal or a shard of one of Korman¡¯s thorns.¡±

    The secare nymph grinned, much like how she had while laughing uncontrollably. While then she had been under the influence of mental corruption, now she was healthy. So, this grin was truly her own, not the influence of some fabled god. She was content.

    Syllis put her hands together to pray, as did her companions. With a sudden warmth growing within her stomach, she thought.

    ¡®Maybe this fable won¡¯t be so bad after all.¡¯

 Chapter 43 - Hope in the Void

    The elmannise guards soon visited the church, finding Syllis and her companions within.

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve been allowed your prayer. Now we must bring you to the high priest and priestess.¡± The aggressive guard mellowed out slightly, still retaining a confronting tone in his voice, with nicer words.

    Syllis, Aura, Korman and Clyde each followed the guards in complete silence. Once again, they utilized their humorous way of navigating. They held each other''s hands and followed the guards in a line. Aura, who was at the front, pretended to trip and nearly bumped into civilians at times. This was all to maintain her act, to show the elmannise that she did not have the ability to see through this abyss.

    Syllis remarked on the fact that no buildings had shone with the same blue-purple glow that the church was painted in. ¡°Those blue and purple lights, are they expensive?¡±

    She calmly addressed the guards. Depending on how long they spent in the abyss, some expensive lighting would be no less than a complete necessity!

    ¡°They are the sheets of shimmer-trees. These trees possess an incredibly high resistance to the heat and are found at the edge of our Abyssia. These sheets only renew every six months, however they are not expensive. They require a mere 4 contributions for a single sheet. Even less than a day''s worth of food.¡± The rational guard explained. He possessed an apt knowledge of these sheets.

    ¡®Abyssia¡­ So that¡¯s the name of this place. Not very creative, is it? I wonder if the elmannise are plain creatures? They have to be to live in such a plain, one tone place. Or is everything vibrant and colorful behind the dark void?¡¯

    Syllis wondered if he could disclose more information to her before sighing. She had not found an opportunity to ask Aura about how ¡®Abyssia¡¯ looked. There were always elmannise around, and their hearing was incredible.

    ¡°Hah!¡± The aggressive guard inhaled a breath of confidence. ¡°Not that any of our elmannise would waste their points on such useless amenities. Our superior senses drown out the need for light.

    ¡°The only reason they require even 4 contributions is because our priest and priestess did not want us to buy too many, so they have enough for government projects.¡±

    This elmannise guard clearly had a lot of pride in his people. Syllis hated the way he expressed it, but it was similar at its core to herself. Similar to her pride as a nymph.

    ¡°How does one earn contributions?¡± Clyde inquired, his eyes wide. This was another part of his innocent act, though there was genuine curiosity behind it.

    ¡°Contributions are earned by completing tasks that contribute to our survival. Such as helping to mold our Abyssia, hunting, gathering, providing psychological help as well as physical help. These kinds of things.¡± The calm guard explained.

    The system was nice, not excluding any of their own kind. It allowed everyone to work as much as they wanted to, as long as they could maintain their own living. Nobody was paid more or less from doing the same work, everything was even, only varying with how willing and motivated you were.

    An ugly voice chimed in afterwards, taunting them. ¡°Not like you people could ever survive here, unable to see. What tasks could you accomplish? Sitting on your hands, or would you lose them in the dark?¡±

    ¡°Hold on, Hermher. They might have hope at the chasm wall. You heard them, they fled from the four suns for quite a long while.¡± The passive guard placed his companion in check.

    The aggressive guard did not speak again after this. It was like he was contemplating the scenario, whether he would be able to survive it. An encounter with the four suns was almost guaranteed to be a failure.

    Eventually¡ªafter asking several more small questions about the inner working of society within Abyssia¡ªthey had finally arrived at their destination.

    Syllis herself was unable to see the grand structure in front of her, along with Clyde and Korman. Aura though, was able to take in all of its beauty.

    The structure looked almost like an organic tree. It had long winding branches which comprised hallways. Along with this, bone-like ribs hung from these branches, sticking into the ground like wooden stakes, maintaining balance. There were sloped, rippling roofs which connected branches together, railings lined the sides of pathways, these slopes for repair. Overall, the building was pure black and perfectly sculpted out of this¡­ Void wall.

    It almost looked hypnotic, mesmerizing Aura. Though she could only glean the sight with a stoic gaze. She was unable to show the guards that she could feast her eyes on their beautiful structure.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Entering the building, several turns were made. They twisted in unnatural ways, making sense to Aura, but tripping her companions. So, she needed to trip over these unexpected twists herself, it got annoying after a while.

    They had moved through several branches in pure darkness before arriving in front of a grand door. The guards both placed their hands upon it and shoved it open.

    ¡®Finally.¡¯ Syllis let out a sigh of relief inwardly. She was incredibly glad to have some light.

    Purple glowing glow-tree sheets were draped across the back of the room, illuminating a couple of figures sitting at the end of a table.

    Syllis could not help but wonder whether or not the elmannise had some way of filtering out harsh light, the violet color waned on her head, it was starting to ache.

    ¡°High priest and high priestess, we guards of the elmannise worship the living stone and revere our great Abyssia.¡± Both guards crouched down and lowered their heads, towards the later part of their sentence, they held their hands up, high in the air.

    ¡°Rise honorable guards. Quick, tell us who these people are?¡± The high priest and priestess alternated how they spoke.

    The violet hues that radiated from behind and to the side of them highlighted their beautiful features.

    Both the priest and priestess had incredibly long brown hair that cascaded down across their olive bodies. The priest had a muscular, toned and bulky body while the priestess had a very curvaceous body. She could surely have been within the ten most beautiful women in Asanoch. With the dichotomy of both the priest and priestess, they were like the embodiment of male and feminine traits respectively.

    ¡°Yes, high priest and high priestess.¡± The guards addressed them again before continuing.

    ¡°These are four envoys, they arrived through a void. The blazing suns chased after them and they fled to our Abyssia. They have been very cooperative and demonstrate no threat to the elmannise.¡±

    ¡°Honorable guards, do you have the ability to decide whether these people are threats or not?¡± The high priest spoke in a condescending manner.

    ¡°No high priest and high priestess. We apologize profusely and sincerely!¡± They kneeled down further, nearly burrowing their heads into the floor.

    Syllis and her companions followed suit. It was unwise to anger the leaders of the elmannise. These people were their only potential hope in returning to Ethrailia.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± The high priest turned his attention to the three humans and single nymph. ¡°Guards, you may leave.¡±

    The high priest dismissed his guards, leaving the word ¡®honorable¡¯ out of his sentence. He had lost some respect for his guards.

    Once the guards left the room, both the priestess and priest looked at the peculiar group of people. Syllis and her companions could feel their gaze burning a hole into their faces.

    ¡°You four, what are your names?¡± The high priestess spoke, her voice soft and also seductive.

    Clyde spoke up as he was the closest thing to a leader the group had. ¡°High priest and high priestess my name is Clyde. And from my left to right is Aura, Korman and Syllis.¡±

    The mediatorial Clyde made sure not to lift his head too far from the ground to introduce his companions. Being disrespectful or causing the elmannise to feel threatened was a sure way of getting cast out into the four suns.

    In this sense, the elmannise were almost being treated like a wild animal. Clyde and his companions needed to carefully approach it without causing it to become afraid and flee.

    Both the high priest and high priestess recited the names quietly, likely remarking on their peculiarity.

    The high priest and high priestess shared a glance before turning back to Syllis and her companions. ¡°What is your goal?¡±

    Her single question sounded dangerous, like their answer would change the entirety of their time within this fable rift.

    They all knew the answer to this question inside and turned to each other before facing the high priest and priestess. ¡°We want to return home.¡±

    ¡°Well then, join us for a feast. We will exchange stories and can perhaps provide some insight on how to escape from this horror-ridden world¡­¡±

    The high priestesse''s seductive voice rang out into the air. Moreover, she did not phrase the feast like a question. They needed to join her and the high priest for a feast. Lest they be cast out to bear the heat of four suns.

    A mere thirty minutes or so later, the four of them were sitting across from the high priest and priestess.

    A variety of dishes were laid out in front of them. Most of them were nearly entirely meat.

    It was difficult to grow crops in the abyss, and the amount of crops that could be grown under the gaze of the four suns could be counted under a hand. These crops needed to be entirely encased within glow-tree sheets to even stand a chance of surviving. This was expensive and would easily increase the cost of glow-tree sheets by a hundred-fold if civilians were permitted to use them in such a manner.

    The high priest and priestess had sat at the high end of the table, the typical seat of the head of a house. They established their place above Syllis and her companions¡¯ own. There was a world of difference between them.

    Everyone assembled their plates. Though no one on Syllis¡¯ side of the table dared eat first, out of fear of offending the leaders of the elmannise. Instead, they waited for the high priest and priestess to take their first bites.

    An especially long silence was withstood before the high priest and priestess took their first bites. They were testing their guests, and they had passed.

    ¡°So, why don¡¯t I tell you the story of our elmannise?¡± The high priest spoke in his deep and commanding voice.

    It almost seemed like they did not have a choice in the matter.

 Chapter 44 - Before the Suns Split

    ¡°We were the dominators of our world. Any battle, or war, we won. The elmannise were superior both physically and mentally to anything else. That was until the omen arrived.

    ¡°We could not solve the problem of the massive void omen. Hundreds of elmannise groups were sent to complete the fable. Unfortunately, eventually we ran out of volunteers. This void merged with our world, introducing a vile plague.

    ¡°This plague was slow acting, nobody saw it coming. Our people began dropping like Jisus, one by one. There were only a few thousand who were unaffected. I and the high priestess decided our people needed to flee. So, once the next void showed up, we crossed worlds.

    ¡°We were fully intent on staying here until we saw how vile this world was. Sadly, we could not leave. The voids in this cursed land would never show no matter how long we waited, and the suns prevented us from looking further.

    ¡°So, this world that was once our savior, became our prison. Now, we can¡¯t leave to search for any more fable rifts. Our people have lost their motivation and new elmannise aren¡¯t bound to our old world.  Aside from this, we are unable to cross the sky chasm. The four suns burn too quickly and with too much aggression. This is our home and also our graveyard.¡±

    The high priest spoke solemnly through his entire story. Though, it was a respectful solemnity, not sadness. He had not shed a single tear throughout the entirety of the elmannise journey. He did not regret it, he respected it. This was what the high priest and priestess needed to do for their people, this was a fact that could not be changed.

    He scanned the non-responsive group of guests, afraid to offend. With a slight squint of his eyebrows, he again spoke. ¡°Questions.¡±

    Again his voice rang out like a command, not a possibility. He would listen to their questions, and decide whether or not to answer.

    ¡°What does it mean to be bound?¡± Syllis eagerly asked. Her companions looked at her in horror. It was as if they were all thinking ¡®how primitive is your knowledge of fable rifts?¡¯

    To Syllis, this was not a dumb question, she was intrigued. Whether she should have known or not, how could she have known?

    ¡°To be bound is your only connection to your home world within a void. Any void you enter while already in a void will bring you back to wherever you are ¡®bound.¡¯ This is why having children in a void is a last resort, a parent cannot go home without their children, they want to stay.¡±

    The priest answered with sincerity, not treating Syllis like an animal. He treated her like a person, not ridiculing her inept knowledge on this subject unlike her companions.

    ¡°What¡¯s the ¡®sky chasm,¡¯ high priest and high priestess?¡± Clyde continued his honest, diligent and leader-like personality.

    Syllis knew internally that he was not the character he portrayed. To her, he was a sick man. A bastard who had blackmailed her into prematurely putting her life on the line.

    ¡®Seriously. I still had a good six months before the fable rift. Clark and Dalea were not nearly ready to send you away.¡¯ The secare nymph ran through her thoughts like she was talking to Clyde.

    The high priestess instead took care of this question. ¡°The sky chasm is the only way back to the surface. The walls of Abyssia are unscalable and we do not have the ability to mold so close to the surface.

    ¡°The chasm is lined with glow-trees and crop growth. It is a massive expanse, taking our soldiers around three months to travel only half of its length. They ran out of supplies and could not withstand the burning suns and returned.

    ¡°The blackstone walls extend incredibly high into the sky, much too high to scale. Brimstone burns blue at night only to recede once the four suns rise . Gravel skin bears burrow into these walls to evade the suns. Taran seep into the floors to evade the suns.

    ¡°This is the most crucial step to crossing. Originally we attempted to use glow-tree sheets to cover our soldiers doing the day, but it takes much too many sheets. Many sheets are needed due to the heat that ends up flowing through them. It is truly a hopeless endeavor.¡±

    The high priestess was nearly as stoic as the high priest. Yet, her seductive tone was riddled with a slight sadness in the back, regret.

    The outsider group took a few bites of food each before preparing for another question.

    Clyde wiped his mouth with his sleeve before speaking. ¡°So then what about¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hold on.¡± The high priest¡¯s tone this time, sounded even more commanding, like a rumbling earthquake. ¡°We have told you our story. Now, you must tell us yours.¡±

    Clyde looked defeated briefly, he had been intrigued by the elmannise and wanted to learn as much as he could as quickly as possible.

    He did not dare let out a sigh. ¡°It is only fair, I will describe our story. How far back would you like it to begin?¡± Clyde asked earnestly.

    ¡°Begin the moment before you entered your void.¡± The priest spoke, his mouth half full. He was intent on his guests treating him with respect, that rule did not exactly go both ways.

    ¡°Very well.¡± Clyde briefly cleared his throat, preparing for a long story. ¡°It began as we were rounding an icy lake. The call of the void rang out, beckoning us¡­¡±

    Clyde recounted the entire story, without skipping any details, aside from the use of their bonds. Safe for Aura¡¯s of course, her bond was already noticed when they first landed in Abyssia. They had fallen down the large entrance into the void atop one of her bizarre balloon-like creatures.

    He told them of the disagreement beforehand, their experience upon arrival, the blazing suns, the fall into the void and of course their detainment.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Near the end, Clyde tried to shoot for some flattery. He praised the guards for their manners and complimented the high priest and priestess on their ability as leaders.

    ¡°Your people must trust you with every part of their being. It is envious, not achievable in our home world of Ethrailia.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± The high priest merely grumbled as an offhand response as he thought through Clyde¡¯s story.

    The high priestess spoke. ¡°Ah¡­ I miss the days when we had a mere one sun. Now those Taran are attempting to invade every day¡­¡±

    She mumbled the later half of her words, as though they were meant only for herself and the high priest.

    Syllis¡¯ pupils dilated and she opened her eyelids wide. She glanced around at her various companions.

    Clyde had shared the same expression while Aura hid hers, remaining indifferent. Korman was shaken still, not giving much feedback, verbally or otherwise.

    ¡°Excuse me, high priest and high priestess. May we ask a couple more questions?¡± The diplomatic man inquired.

    ¡°You may.¡± The high priest allowed it.

    ¡°When you say that there used to be only one sun, what do you mean by that?¡± Clyde asked the crucial question.

    ¡°It is as simple as it sounds.¡± The high priestess answered. ¡°We used to have one, and now we have four. Oh how the times change.¡±

    ¡°Right, forgive me for not making myself clear.¡± Clyde apologized sincerely. ¡°What I meant was how and when did the amount of suns change?¡± He awaited their response.

    This question lights a bulb within the high priest and priestess. They never saw the outside, hardly thinking of the chasm at all, including the four suns. They were busy caring for their people after all. After being reminded of it, the priest and priestess indeed were off put, it was peculiar.

    Their faces reflected this fact. They were almost afraid of the implications that their thoughts would bring.

    ¡°When we arrived, there was a single sun. It glowed bright, but allowed for our people to work outside during the day for longer. While the single sun was shining, the sky took much, much longer to begin to burn. Roughly eight times as long.

    ¡°Eventually that sun grew, igniting the sky four times slower than now. It was a jarring change, but not nearly as much as when it split apart, becoming two. The sky burned at the same speed until both suns grew, burning the sky at half the speed it does now. Then, they split again, and grew until today. Now, it is impossible to work outside during the day. The sky burns in a mere hour.¡±

    The high priest organized the information concisely. The problem of the suns became incredibly important. When they were out of sight, he had begun to disregard them. Now that they had been brought up, he was confronted with a scary thought.

    This was the same thought that Syllis and her companions had been thinking after listening to him speak.

    ¡®The suns will grow to eight soon, and they will burn hotter, and faster.¡¯ Syllis remarked within, unsure of whether to be horrified or amazed. ¡®Whatever civilization created such an intricate tale should be applauded.¡¯

    ¡°High priest and high priestess, how many years have you lived here?¡± Clyde asked with a slight urgency in his voice.

    ¡°20 years.¡± The high priest provided a concise response.

    ¡°And can you recall when the suns split?¡± Clyde asked further, he needed information. No longer did he care for respect or honorifics. He had seen from the looks on the leaders¡¯ faces that this was a problem for them as well.

    The high priestess¡¯ voice soothing voice rang out. ¡°The first time was in our fifteenth year in Abyssia. We were so shocked, having lived here for so long, none of us expected it. The second was more than a year ago. The suns had grown at an incredible rate!¡±

    Clyde turned as he finished, towards his companions. Each of them had been internally hoping for certain answers, this was not the one they wanted.

    ¡®If the first split happened four years before the second, then there would be two years before the third¡­ No, there had been no split before the first. Unless there was some event to kickstart it, this is not a linear string of events. It is becoming faster.

    ¡®At minimum there will be six months considering we don¡¯t know how far into the twentieth year we are. We have six months, we can do this in six months.¡¯ Syllis reassured herself, though doubt continued to start within.

    The secare nymph was only half certain of this hope though. It had taken the elmannise three months to move half the length of the chasm. This would place the entire chasm at six months to cross, this was the same as the minimum prediction.

    ¡®The elmannise probably had to continuously harvest new glow-tree sheets the further they went, this must have consumed much more time that could be spent walking. Yes, we could likely cross within four months if we were entirely efficient!¡¯

    Syllis nearly prayed to Coryzan again within. She was not religious, but perhaps karma had played a part in this hope.

    ¡°High priest and priestess, I believe that the next time the sun splits, will be in less than a year.¡± Clyde spoke harshly.

    Their faces were shocked. The elmannise were likely not as savvy in mathematics as nymphs and humans were, and by extension every other race in Ethrailia. The schools had always put a great focus on math, the elmannise might not have had a similar concept.

    ¡°I see.¡± The high priest fell into great deliberation.

    ¡°Oh no! We must warn the wall! These suns are going to eat at our Abyssia again! Oh and the Taran will try harder to intrude!¡± The high priestess was in full blown panic mode. Gradually, she quieted down.

    ¡°Would you mind if I asked a couple more questions?¡± Clyde spoke softly. He did not wish to come off as entitled, he was humble.

    Silent nods replaced the usual commanding tone.

    ¡°Your wall at the edge of the chasm is being invaded, correct?¡± After seeing a few nods, he continued. ¡°Could you tell us about the wall and why it is being invaded?¡±

    The high priestess was the one to answer. Her counterpart was still deep in thought.

    ¡°The wall is a settlement of ours at the edge of our Abyssia, where the suns meet our city. The Taran are much more hostile than the gravel bears. They are formless, able to morph however they please and are afraid.

    ¡°The four suns eat away at our Abyss, they have slowly been gaining ground. The Taran who seep into the ground are likely afraid that their shelter below the earth is not stable enough and will soon be overridden.

    ¡°Thinking about it now. Perhaps the Taran had known about the suns¡¯ imminent splitting all along, hence their desperation.¡±

    The high priestess only sighed as she finished.

    Syllis almost laughed, a soft smile curving up her face. This was where she would place one of her wry, self-deprecating laughs.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Clyde mumbled slightly, thinking everything through.

    This was a lot of information to take in at once. While it was difficult to wrap their heads around it, they did not have the time to mess around.

    ¡°Please, high priest and high priestess, could we be shown to the wall by one of your people?¡± Clyde asked fervently. He was ready to beg if needed.

    They needed to get to the wall. Clyde and the rest of them were already thinking that if they could get to the end of the chasm before the suns split, then they could have a chance at escaping. It was not much to go off of, but it was the best they had.

    ¡°Of course!¡± The high priestess¡¯ voice sounded more energetic now, or perhaps only more urgent.

    They called for a servant of theirs. It was a small boy, unusual for the elmannise.

    ¡°Ehtis, pleasure to meet you, honored guests.¡± The brown haired boy greeted them with a heavy kneel against the ground.

 Chapter 45 - The Wall at the Edge of the Abyss

    ¡°Ready!¡± Vernim yelled from atop the large wooden wall.

    To the right and left of him were near a hundred archers. Each one of them was trained to the utmost before being stationed. An archer was one of the most crucial roles atop the great wall at the edge of the abyss. They needed to be pristine, any arrow missed was a large detriment.

    ¡°Fire!¡± The tall man signaled, thrusting his arm forward as if it was a flag.

    Instantly, every archer had let go of their bow strings that glowed with an exotic, purple-blue color. Arrows that were dipped in tar and brimstone before being set aflame.

    The arc of brimstone shot across the top of the abyss like the four suns¡¯ burning flame. They harshly fell, crashing into the taran. Horrific screams followed.

    All of the archers cheered. Then the ground squadrons let out a cheer before charging forward to meet the first wave of taran.

    This was the most efficient tactic against the taran. A single one could completely destroy a taran. ¡®So long as they aren¡¯t amplified¡­¡¯ Vernim grumbled within. The number of overall taran had been increasing in recent days.

    ¡°If any more than ten of my men die today, then I will tear those taran apart myself!¡± The older elmannise growled, revitalizing the archers.

    ¡°Archers! Draw!¡± Vernim yelled out.

    Simultaneously, the ninety-something archers reached to their left and grabbed an arrow, the ends coated with tar. They then held the arrows to their right before dipping them into a mixture of sulfur and ground lilifith.

    Fwoosh! Fire crackled as the ends of the arrows caught flame. Subtle mixtures of tar and small crumbs of sulfur fell to the bottom of the wall.

    The archers were specially settled on small platforms a couple feet outstretched from the wall so that falling brimstone would be collected within a willed trough. This kept both the archers and soldiers safe from harm''s way.

    ¡®We needn¡¯t pray to our Abyssia to know that there''s enough of that around here.¡¯ Vernim thought before ushering out another command. ¡°Ready!¡±

    The archers, once again pulled back on their purple-blue bow strings. The tension could be heard in the air, piercing through a fortified silence.

    ¡°Fire!¡± Another command rang out.

    In an instant, over thirty taran were engulfed in flame. Their name was not without meaning. The tar-like quality they were named after made them incredibly flammable. So flammable, that any taran below that of an amplified level would nearly crumble in an instant.

    There was a downside to the brimstone though, which was why they had not switched to using it until recently. The engulfing flames denied the result of harvesting meat from them. Thus, it was only once the waves grew too powerful¡ªthree months ago¡ªthat the archers began their bright method of undoing.

    Taran erupted in momentary screams that warped before quickly subsiding. Their black flesh contorted and bubbled up to around three times its regular size. Long had they stopped talking, walking, or breathing when their organs ruptured within. They had swelled and shattered through their bodies. What was left behind was no more than a pile of pink and red, fleshy goo littered with a substance akin to tar.

    Vernim looked down upon the destruction with a satisfied smile. ¡®Thirty percent accuracy!¡¯ He stepped back slightly.

    ¡°Archers! You have outdone yourselves!¡± The leader of the wall cheered the archers on. Group morality was important. Although the archers had done exceptionally, it was not out of the ordinary.

    Vernim had cheered them on specifically because of what was to come. When he looked down upon the destruction, he noticed a problem. There had been no amplified or titan taran among the group. What was attacking them was merely the beginning, and the weakest part of the attack.

    The next moments would be crucial.

    Again, the archers were commanded to draw their arrows from the barrels beside them. Then they were told to be ready.

    Finally, Vernim spoke in a complete voice. ¡°Hold your arrows, archers!¡± The leader of the wall was waiting for the perfect moment to have them fire.

    Despite the already brutal sounds from ahead the foot of the wall, Vernim focused. He clearly saw the entrance of the chasm. Waiting, silently waiting for the true battle to begin.

    Several minutes went by as many archers began to groan. Their muscles were strained, bulging and unable to rest. The strings on their bows were especially tight, making holding the arrows for so long a terrible form of torture. They felt their muscles burn. Many of them fought the urge to plead with Vernim to allow them to un-assume their positions. None did though. Vernim often had them hold their arrows for long and no archer would call out after witnessing the disciplinary measures taken to the last archer that made that mistake.

    ¡®There they are!¡¯ Vernim grinned as he saw fifty amplified enter through the chasm''s entrance. Satisfaction, then horror. He did not command the archer, he would only do that after the current wave had entered.

    His pupils dilated as ten more amplified entered, but what shook him was not this pitiful threat, but what lurked behind. ¡®Five titans¡­¡¯

    Vernim hesitated for a moment. He knew what he needed to do. ¡°Archers! Aim for the titans!¡±

    All of the archers sighed once able to relax their arms. They looked calm in the face of the largest wave of taran they had ever needed to face. The resting had not lasted long though.

    ¡°Archers! Draw!¡± Vernim¡¯s voice wavered as he spoke.

    He had watched no less than another five titan taran emerge from the chasm! This was incredibly dangerous. Any given group of six could easily kill an amplified taran as long as they had less than ten merged taran. Fifteen was pushing it, but they could enlist a helper from a neighboring group. This was precisely the reason that groups alternated between the elite and mundane.

    Titan taran required the help of no less than three full groups causing regular taran to be able to slip through the cracks that were left behind when groups merged. So, Vernim knew that he needed to completely cripple the titans to let the ground groups of soldiers quickly dispatch them.

    ¡°Aim for the titans again and fire!¡± The leader commanded.

    Screams did not erupt from these titans. It was like these abominations had merely been slapped, the fire had difficulty igniting them. Their skin did not bubble, nor did their organs rupture.

    Vernim wiped at his large, black eyes. He focused intently on one of the titan taran. It wore dark fur around it like a cloak. This was gravel bear fur. They had begun to hunt these creatures.

    Vernim swayed slightly upon seeing this, so did all of the archers. Their grey cloaks that were uncannily similar to the ones worn by the titan taran could be heard ruffling somewhat. This was not a simple matter, the way that they were wearing it.

    ¡®No. No!¡¯ Vernim yelled within. This matter is much more serious than he had thought. ¡®They are adapting too well, learning from us, from our people! Taking our things!¡¯

    Throughout his full sixteen years of leading the wall and its forces, he had never wanted to burn down the taran so bad. This fire of passion raged within him.

    ¡°Archers! Draw, ready and fire! At your will!¡± Vernim yelled, his voice nearly blood-curdling.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Volley after volley of arrows, flew so close to the roof of the abyss before falling down. The titans never seemed to catch flame. They were so aloof, evading the elmannise¡¯s brimstone like a gravel bear to the four suns.

    Vernim scrutinized them further as several full squadrons of his ground soldiers cried out, dying. ¡®These damned¡­¡¯ The titan taran had managed to utilize their tar-like bodies to meld stones underneath.

    ¡°Archers! These titan taran are invulnerable to our attacks! Focus on the amplified taran instead!¡± Vernim fumed with passionate hatred. Every single one of their attacks on the titan taran had turned out to be useless. As a result more than triple of the originally predicted soldiers would inevitably die.

    ¡®No. It¡¯s not only my fault. There were supposed to be eight titans! Not fifteen! It was our analysts they, we. I! No! I did not¡­ I did, I''ve killed them.¡¯ Vernim fought with himself internally.

    Vernim made slight corrections and orders based on the way that the battle progressed. Eventually the archers lost their use. All of the taran had grown too close to the soldiers to safely be targeted, so they put down their bows.

    Each and every archer grabbed their own glow-tree sheet, bathed in its purple-blue glow, and then smothered the brimstone flames to their right. The scent of this brimstone mingled with the heavy iron pungence of crimson blood from the foot of the great wall.

    The elmannise fought against holding their nose shut. Along with their incredible eyesight and hearing were smell and enhanced strength and durability. All of these were desirable until one thought of the consequences.

    With superior sight one could not revel in the beauty of the sun. With superior hearing one could not take a moment to listen to the words of a friend. Other, lesser sounds tainted romantic moments with ugliness. With superior strength, they accidentally mishandled goods and hurt each other and with superior smell they were reminded of their failures.

    Vernim walked the long wall above the ground squadrons. All of his failures tormented him. The further he moved from the archers stations, the less pronounced the scent of sulfur became. With the lessening of the sulfur, came stronger pungence of the blood. With the pungence of the blood, a furthering of the curse of the elmannise.

    Several familiar scents rushed up with the blood. Many of his friends'' signature scents had greeted him, intertwined with blood. He knew who died and why they died. It was him. Vernim had killed them.

    Vernim knew that he could not save them now. The fall from the top of the wall to the bottom would kill anyone stupid enough to jump. The staircases were much too far away and it would take no less than half an hour for him to arrive at the foot of the wall. By then, the battle would already have long concluded. All he could do was grit his teeth and snuff out occasional tears as his friends and subordinates were torn apart.

    The leader of the wall stepped through the doorway into the analyst section. This was a unique section of the wall that loomed at the end of it, where the wall met the right side of Abyssia.

    The analysts would head out and investigate the tarans movements while the suns were asleep, then return and deliberate before delivering the news mere hours before the attack. This detailed how many taran and their classes.

    ¡°What the hell happened last night!¡± Vernim roared in anger.

    ¡°Nothing out of the norm.¡± Htornor spoke indifferently. It was not that he had not witnessed the battle, he enjoyed watching the battles at the foot of the wall. It was instead that he did not care for the soldiers.

    ¡®This snob¡­¡¯ Vernim took a deep breath. ¡°Then why were there seven more titans than you designated and more than a dozen extra amplified!?¡±

    ¡°It seems our Jhythian risen enemies have learnt a great deal from the gravel bears. Not only how to wear them but their mannerisms as well.¡±

    ¡°Do not play around Htornor. You yourself told me that it takes several hours for taran to merge into a titan at the minimum. They could not hide underground.¡±

    ¡°I am not lying to you, Vernim. These taran have gotten much more crafty, they have become quite the adaptable species. Do you not remember the very first time they merged into titans? You should, if I remember correctly that was the night that¡ª¡±

    Htornor felt his throat close as he was pushed against the dark and rippling floor. Vernim had closed the gap in a single instant and instilled fear deep within the lead analyst¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Listen here Htornor and listen well. If your analysts are off by a mere two titans the next wave¡­ I will tear your arms in two, take your fingers from your hands and cut your calves and thighs before letting the four suns devour you!¡±

    Silence, Htornor was too shocked to answer.

    ¡°Answer me!¡± Vernim pressed the analyst further into the ground causing Htornor¡¯s pupils to nearly pop out from his skull.

    ¡°Y-yes sir¡­¡± Htornor spoke in a weak voice as Vernim gradually lightened his grasp on his neck.

    Fwhua! Htornor clasped at his chest and took in a deep breath. He coughed for a moment before closing his mouth. ¡°We will go out two¡ªno three hours earlier! I assure you we will not be off by a single titan!¡±

    The lead analyst covered his face, including his eyes. It was only when he heard footsteps leaving the room that he felt safe enough to see again. Then, he huffed and huffed. Htornor was deeply shaken.

    Vernim caught more whiffs of the pungent blood as he walked along the main brow of the wall. He was heading to relieve his archers of their post. The battle was nearly over, the archers remained until the end despite their period of usefulness being long over with.

    The smell of sulfur was now gone, both a relief and a sadness. Now, he did not have the reprieve away from the scent of his familiar, dead friends. At the same time, it was absolutely a blessing to not have to breath the sour smell of sulfur.

    This also made room for a very unfamiliar scent to waft around. It was not even unfamiliar, this scent was unknown. Vernim had never smelled it before in his life. Vernim did not speak the words to relieve the archers yet, he smelled danger.

    ¡°W-what is that!?¡± One archer cried out.

    Vernim turned and saw an interesting sight. An acute green light radiated from a creature high in the sky. Flesh dripped from its bones and blood was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°It¡¯s an omen!¡±

    ¡°Abyssia! It has forsaken us!¡±

    ¡°Bless us please! Our Abyssia please! Please save us!¡±

    Several archers rang out bringing shame to the entire wall. They were not supposed to speak until they were relieved of their positions. Surely they would incur a harsh penalty later on.

    ¡°Quiet you fools!¡± Vernim hollered. ¡°You bring shame to our wall! If our Abyssia has forsaken us then it is your fools¡¯ faults!¡±

    ¡®Is it some unique monster? No, how could it get behind our wall undetected by the archers. It could not have originated from behind right?¡¯ Vernim watched the ethereal being with curious eyes for a moment. ¡®Why has it not attacked? No matter, anything that is not our ally, is our enemy.¡¯

    ¡°Archers!¡± He commanded, bringing each and every archer to their shooting positions. ¡°Haliften!¡± This was not a command for his archers, but instead a spell. If there was one thing the elmannise inherited that had no detriment, then it was their incantations.

    Instantly, the array of smothered sulfur piles reignited with a familiar vigor. It was as if they had never been undone by the glow-tree sheets. Several archers looked upon these piles with expressions of admiration and splendor.

    ¡°Draw! Ready! Fire! Burn down our enemy!¡± Vernim commanded. It felt odd for him to send a volley of arrows the wrong way. Though it made no difference to him. There was a large void between the wall and the core of Abyssia, no one lived close enough to be hit by such a volley of brimstone tipped arrows.

    These arrows thrusted into nothing or at least what was pretending to be exactly that, nothing. They landed in the void between the bones of this odd creature. No blood poured from its wounds and a cry did not erupt, it was a stoic creature. It was almost like instead of blood, the creature''s green flames represented the life force, gradually the flames waned until reducing to nothing. As the flames decreased so did the rate at which its bone wings flapped. With the end of the flowing ephemeral flames, so did the flapping. The bone creature plummeted down to the bottom of the wall.

    Vernim waited several minutes for a return he thought was inevitable. ¡°At ease archers! You are relieved of your posts!¡± He spoke, turning back to his archers.

    There would certainly be a punishment for those who disobeyed, but the bone creature warranted all of Vernim¡¯s attention for now.

    Together with several of his most trusted archers, they marched down one of the staircases down to the bottom of the wall. The path was long and incredibly sturdy, the abyss could not be bent.

    Through his superior sight, Vernim could see that this creature had indeed entirely seized. He doubted it had one in the first place but if the bone-winged bird had a heartbeat, he knew it would have entirely seized by now.

    ¡®Oh, what¡¯s this?¡¯ Vernim thought as he monitored the peculiar sight in front of him.

    There were a total of five figures sitting down, leaning against the long dead bone-winged creature.

    Only one of them was recognizable to Vernim. ¡°Ehtis! My boy!¡± He called out to his grandson. ¡°Come here!¡±

    His grandson quickly ran over to him, giving his grandfather a hug as a greeting.

    ¡°Care to introduce your companions?¡± Vernim asked, he was especially curious. Not only because of their lack of fear towards the bone-winged creature, but also because of their unique appearances. Two of them were taller than the others, still falling a couple feet short of Vernim himself. The other two were very short, falling a half a foot even shorter than the first two.

    Each of the four unfamiliar figures rose. Their figures were further proof that these people were not fellow elmannise. They lined up beside each other, three of them stuttering until awaiting instructions of a shorter person with long and straight, pure black hair.

    ¡°From left to right this is Syllis, Korman, Aura and Clyde.¡±

    ¡°Such exotic names.¡± Vernim caressed his face slightly.

    ¡°Oh and this creature down here is Aura¡¯s.¡±

    Vernim was stunned and the archers at his side even more so. ¡®What? This small person commands such a fierce looking creature?¡¯

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Vernim said as he stared into the black-haired woman¡¯s sharp, emerald eyes.

 Chapter 46 - The Flame at the End of the Abyss

    It was natural to have questions, to remain skeptical. Syllis was not offended by the way that Vernim treated the four of them. As the leader of the wall, he had to take precautions. Clyde encouraged Vernim to have questions, and it so happened that a trek up the side of a wall that was said to take a half hour to scale was a good environment for some.

    ¡°We have shown nothing but kindness and patience. Why are you so intent on us needing to be liars,¡± irritation shone through Aura¡¯s voice. She was tired, they had already been walking for fifteen minutes and had gotten nowhere¡ªin terms of conversation at least.

    Syllis was bored. Their journey to the edge of the abyss had been anything but eventful. She was not looking for some life-altering experience. Remaining safe was all she really wanted, but her senses gradually dulled within the dark abyss. There was a limit to how long someone could be deprived of their sight.

    Syllis hated not being able to see the expressions of passersby. She hated not being able to see Clyde¡¯s face when she would make a less-than-pleasant remark to him. Not that she had made such remarks all too often over the past week. ¡®Still it would have been nice to see the couple that undoubtedly caused him to grimace.¡¯

    Vernim turned back, stopping briefly to confront the black-haired woman. Aura herself, along with her companions also stopped when the heavy steps against the abyssal stairs stopped.

    ¡°It is not that I am intent on believing you are lying. Instead, it is that all of you go against the elmannise¡¯s knowledge of voids,¡± Vernim sighed as he continued walking. He did not want to waste any more time. His soldiers were done with their battle but he needed to assess the damage.

    ¡°A void cannot reopen while there are still bound envoys within. This is common knowledge that you yourselves have admitted to knowing. Surely it is not unreasonable for the four of you to understand this skepticism?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡ª¡±

    ¡°Right! It is not unreasonable. This one just has a skewed set of morals.¡± The dichotomy of Clyde¡¯s voice and situation was humorous. He spoke like a diplomat, all the while being guided up this abyssal staircase by Aura¡¯s gloved hand. He was like a baby duckling with an acute talent for mediating.

    ¡°Ironic that you would consider Aura¡¯s morals skewed when you were the one to drag me into this rift without preparations nor my consent,¡± Syllis said with a hope of wounding the man slightly.

    ¡®Just enough that he rethinks his words.¡¯

    Aura let out a mildly stifled chuckle.

    ¡°Syllis, me and Aura are both to blame as well. Clyde alone does not deserve to bear the entirety of it,¡± Korman spoke regretfully.

    Syllis had long come to know the kind of person Korman was. He was passive and had an almost detrimental dedication to avoiding trouble. The most interesting part of this characteristic were the rare scenarios in which he ignored it. The most recent example being his following Aura into the fable rift. Ordinarily, he would have tried to discourage her from acting in such a reckless manner. Instead, he followed her in without a word.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me started on you Korman,¡± Syllis readied herself. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you try to talk Aura out of her decision to enter the rift?¡±

    ¡°Thats¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Clyde spoke to shut his companions up. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to make slights at me all you want. But don¡¯t start taking your frustrations out on either of them. Let¡¯s focus on getting the hell out of here.¡±

    Syllis let out a mild chuckle, same as Aura. It was just loud enough to convey her reluctance. ¡®Maybe it was somewhat low for me to criticize Korman like that. After all, I already know why he declined to stop Aura.¡¯

    The secare nymph had long discovered the pattern in Korman¡¯s lapse in judgment. He was in love. Aura was an exceptionally beautiful woman. Her tan skin exuded a certain radiance and her emerald eyes held a bright charm. Syllis could not blame the man, she had admitted to herself that if she knew what it felt like to love, truly love someone. That she might have fallen for her beauty as well. Regardless, this reason for his lapse in judgment was unacceptable.

    ¡°Your story also has gaps and holes,¡± Vernim sighed. He patted Ehtis on the head and moved up a half dozen extra steps. ¡°What do you think my boy, can they be trusted?¡± Vernim whispered this sentence.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Korman had heard it through his enhanced hearing mutation. It was easily sustained due to its meager effect. He would be able to sustain such a mutation forever, technically, so long as it was not used in conjunction with any more mutations. It was also out of sight, only being a mild growth of the ear which any unsuspecting elmannise would merely mistake for a birth defect.

    ¡°Do you honestly expect us to inform you of any and all possible secrets? We only just met you!¡± Aura huffed before continuing. ¡°Hell I reckon it¡¯d be even more suspicious for us to act like we had nothing at all to hide!¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Vernim sighed. ¡°But I have a duty to my people as the leader of the wall to exercise caution even when unreasonable until I am entirely certain that you four aren¡¯t harmful. With our Abyssia as my witness, I would have already tossed you four to the sun by now if Ehtis had not informed me of your visit with the priest and priestess.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t using the usual honorifics for them that we¡¯ve heard. It seems you don¡¯t revere them nearly as much as the other elmannise,¡± Syllis remarked on this oddity.

    This earned Syllis a dagger-like gaze stabbed into her by Clyde. Unbeknownst to her of course. None of them could see through this abyss, including Clyde who had been shooting this glare about a foot and a half to the left of the secare nymph.

    Vernim did not respond. He was tired of conversing with such unreasonable people.

    After another ten minutes of entirely silence, they had arrived at the top of the wall. Syllis turned once she had taken her first step onto flat ground. She was afraid to roam without guidance, so she merely looked around.

    The familiar sight of purple-blue glowing glow-tree sheets was as mesmerizing as she remembered it the first time her and her companions saw them. Aura had described the entire scene to them shortly after which only made them long for the ability to see through the abyss even more.

    The purple-blue sheets were railings on the side of long, dangling bridges. They connected the residential area to the wall¡¯s various sectors. These bridges were set up in a way that was optimal for quick movement since there was never enough time at the wall. When one risked their life, wasting a ton of time returning to their home was not a particularly pleasing thought to them.

    Ehtis then clarified the various sectors of the wall. There were the obvious groups like the archer and the ground soldiers. Along with the analysts and then the ground generals to direct the soldiers. Then there were more obscure sectors like the¡ªharvester, researchers, haulers, cooks, gardeners¡ªand lastly transporters, whose job was to move the resources from the wall all the way to the main region of Abyssia. As a result, they only had temporary rooms.

    ¡°Syllis,¡± Aura addressed her with warmth, contrasting her arguing with Vernim. ¡°Come take a look at this.¡±

    Aura took the secare nymph¡¯s hand which was cold even through the gloves. She guided Syllis fifty paces to the other side of the wall. Now they faced the chasm which was no important sight for Aura, but for Syllis¡­

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Syllis was stunned, how could she not be?

    The flames of the four suns fought with the abyss with the same vigor that she had witnessed before, only on a greater scale. The light from the flames seeped into the cavern and illuminated the battleground at the foot of the wall.

    Hundreds of tar-like piles of goo and other black carcases littered the floor. Pink sludge oozed from these piles of goo. Some carcases were burning a vibrant blue color, much darker than Syllis¡¯ hair but lighter than the deep sea. Several small groups¡ªpresumably the haulers¡ªwere waiting for these corpses to seize their final blaze. Standing beside them were more groups, backup soldiers that would guard against any possible taran that could ambush the haulers.

    Syllis got the feeling that the corpses would not stop their burning for a long while, like the skies with the flames of the four suns.

    Also littered around the battleground were a lesser number of elmannise corpses. They were torn apart in vicious ways. Legs were severed and arms torn, skulls crushed and eyes popped. Any possible way that one could imagine the body being broken, was somewhere on the battlefield.

    The cheers of soldiers could be heard making their way up a staircase equally as long and winding as the one Syllis and her companions had just scaled. Amongst cheers, there were always tears as well. An equal if not larger amount of quiet, weeping elmannise could be heard.

    Syllis tried to drown out the cries of the elmannise. This was not their moment, it was hers! It was selfish but the secare nymph did not care. They did not have an exact method to calculate the time in Abyssia, but judging from when she slept and arose, she and her companions had been deprived of their sight for no less than a week.

    ¡®Aside from Aura of course¡­¡¯ Syllis grumbled. She was jealous of the black-haired beauty. The secare nymph did not harbor any resentment though, she only regretted her father not bonding her to a more convenient outer god.

    Syllis could not be entirely envious though. Aura¡¯s bond did come with some large constraints. If she wanted to control one of her ephemeral companions, it used up a very large portion of her mind, causing herself to move in a sluggish and half-hearted manner. It was even worse with a flying creature, she needed to completely focus and could not move at all. The entire way to the wall, she needed to be carried by Korman as she was piloting the bone-winged dragon. Add on to all of this the absurd strain on her sanity and Syllis was more than glad to have her current albeit slightly traumatic bond.

    ¡°Do you see the battlefield down there? Hear the soldiers cheering and weeping? All of the many roles that are operating on that field right now to let our elmannise live. These are my people to protect. So I will scrutinize you people until I am more than entirely sure of your character.¡± Vernim spoke with a fierceness. He was entirely passionate when his people were involved.

 Chapter 47 - Underneath the Bright Blue Flames

    An arc of brimstone shot across the sky. Beautiful, it looked beautiful. Yet it caused such destruction. Guttural screams were hollered, over and over. The taran were much more terrifying than Syllis had ever imagined. When she had examined the the day before, or was it perhaps the night? They had not seemed anywhere near as terrifying as they were at this moment. These creatures morphed, representing various forms. There was no way of knowing which one was their ¡®true¡¯ form.

    ¡®Another demonstration of the fallacy that is truth. There''s no way for me to know which form is the truth. Despite this, I am entirely confident that their mostly commonly used form¡ªa bear mixed with a sort of spider¡ªis their true form.¡¯

    Syllis merely sighed. There was no time to internally dissect philosophy. It was time for them to defend the wall. Her team, or more realistically Clyde¡¯s team was only reluctantly added to the wall. Vernim had only allowed the four of them to participate because he could not get a transfusion of soldiers from Abyssia¡¯s main body yet.

    Syllis and her companions had taken seven days at the minimum before arriving at the wall. So it would take fourteen for a messenger to relay the news and for the troops to arrive. Normally this was not a problem but Vernim made it apparent that way too many troops had died and that the upcoming defenses were going to be grueling.

    It would have been incredibly difficult for the wall to hold up. In that way, Syllis and her group were a godsend. Despite them only being a measly four soldiers to a normal squadron''s six, they possessed superior ability. Not in the physical sense. The elmannise bested them in that way, as well as their sight, smell, and hearing. Their bonds were unique though and all suited for combat, which gave them an edge. The only minor problem was that Korman and Clyde¡¯s bonds were not especially fit for large-scale engagements like this fight.

    ¡°Everyone, are you ready!¡± Clyde yelled to his party.

    It was especially loud. Not only were the screams of the taran¡ªburning in the sulfuric brimstone¡ªguttural and deafening on their own. But the other groups were discussing their tactics. Thankfully, the elmannise groups around Clyde¡¯s spoke a little quieter. It was as if they wanted to hide their strategies. Regardless, it benefited them.

    Clyde¡¯s group was numbered twenty-two, placing them on the left side of the central area. Vernim had not trusted them enough to be able to withstand the pressure of the taran in the core center.

    ¡°Actually I¡¯m not so sure,¡± Syllis mused. This was yet another one of her acts to anger Clyde.

    ¡°Too bad!¡± Clyde retorted, ¡°let¡¯s have at them!¡±

    ¡°Well you guys can have at them,¡± Aura said, ¡°while I¡¯m entirely out of harm''s way in the back.¡± She was thrilled to be able to take it easy, well easier than the rest of them.

    ¡°And I,¡± Korman said, ¡°will be the second line.¡± He was enthusiastic.

    ¡®Of course he is.¡¯ Syllis mused within. She had long realized his disdain for this fable rift. He hated the fact he was trapped within. Aura was likely the only reason he had stepped into it in the first place.

    ¡®The pressure from the Boornes and Thermans would also be a valid reason.¡¯ Syllis rolled her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve memorized our strategy,¡± Clyde said earnestly, then turned his attention to Syllis. ¡°Do you remember our part in this?¡±

    ¡°I know, I know.¡±

    Clyde raised a brow. Syllis had not been especially receptive to him since they entered the rift.

    ¡°Of course I know.¡±

    ¡°Then what is it?¡±

    Syllis sighed, rolling her eyes. ¡°Hold our position as far forward as possible,¡± She said. ¡°Once the taran begin to push us back then I will conjure a wall for them to funnel through.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°Rinse and repeat,¡± Syllis spoke plainly.

    ¡°Alright everybody,¡± Clyde said, ¡°you heard what Vernim said. After the fourth volley, we begin.¡±

    Syllis almost felt compelled to pray. It was bizarre. Ever since she had prayed at the elmannise¡¯s church, Syllis felt compelled to pray. Even though she had not used her bond for an entire week, she felt this was a symptom. It was easier to believe a lie than face the truth: Syllis was changing.

    The second volley of brimstone arrows flew overhead. Syllis found herself admiring the beauty of them. The lilifith that was mixed in provided a more violent flame that looked incredible, swirling within the black abyss. What was even more beautiful was the entrance to the chasm.

    Syllis followed the arc of the brimstone volley towards the wall, where they harshly fell, igniting another array of taran. This of course brought even more screams. The first set of engulfed taran had not even entirely subsided, the world grew louder.

    Beyond the horrific engulfed taran was another battle of sorts. This was the fight between the four suns¡¯ flames and the abyss. The constant shifting, the fight for territory was like it had been when Syllis and her companions fell into Abyssia. Though, it looked more violent and unforgiving behind the scene of burning taran.

    To their sides, the other forty-nine squadrons were talking leisurely. This was their sort of resting moment. Whereas the archers set down their weapons after firing all the arrows they could, the soldiers did not have to draw theirs for a while. There was a nice balance in this, Syllis thought.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Clyde had tried to approach the couple squads beside him. But they seemed entirely uninterested. It made sense, they had witnessed Vernim¡¯s reluctance to let the four of them participate in the defense. It was only natural.

    ¡°I swear,¡± Aura said, ¡°these people are just a bunch of skeptics. We¡¯ve done nothing wrong!¡± She yelled the latter part out loud, hoping for the surrounding groups to hear.

    A few elmannise turned their heads irritatedly. They did not wear heavy armor, or even light armor. The superior physicality of the elmannise seemed to eliminate all use for such a ¡®primitive invention,¡¯ as it had been described to Korman when he asked.

    ¡°You guys saw those big gashes on the corpses right?¡± Syllis questioned.

    ¡°What about them?¡± Aura said, disinterested.

    ¡°We¡¯ve also seen these elmannise pull off some crazy things.¡± Syllis said. ¡°Like when¡ª¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Clyde interrupted.

    ¡°My point,¡± Syllis said, ¡°is that these peoples¡¯ legs are three times as strong as ours. When Korman tried arm wrestling Jhornin, he shut him down in an instant¡ª¡±

    ¡°What is your point?¡± Clyde said, growing agitated.

    ¡°If their bodies are getting shattered and broken by the taran despite their physical superiority,¡± Syllis said, ¡°then what¡¯s going to happen to us.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Clyde said, defeated. ¡°But is there any point in thinking about it now? We might die, we could live. There is nothing we can do about it, so what is your point, Syllis?¡±

    ¡®What a guy¡­¡¯ Syllis moved over to Aura in the back.

    ¡°Are you worried at all?¡± Syllis wondered.

    ¡°I agree with Clyde,¡± Aura spoke plainly. ¡°What¡¯s the use in discussing something that cannot be changed? Then again, I¡¯m in the back. I might have a different opinion if I were in the front.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Syllis said.

    ¡°Do you know,¡± Aura said, ¡°what you¡¯re going to do when we get out of here?¡±

    ¡°A bit presumptuous¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Aura said, cutting the secare nymph off. ¡°You¡¯d be out of your contract with the Boorne family. Could do anything you want really.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about anything,¡± Syllis said.

    ¡°Not anything,¡± Aura admitted. ¡°But your bond is useful for a wide variety of tasks. You would have no trouble being hired for any number of jobs.¡±

    Syllis¡¯ expression fell when she thought about being pushed into another contract.

    ¡°I disliked my contract with the Boornes. Being tethered,¡± Syllis said, ¡°was a pretty terrible feeling.¡±

    ¡°You think that¡¯s why you¡¯re being so hard on Clyde recently?¡± Aura asked, curious.

    ¡°No,¡± Syllis said, ¡°he deserves it. Every last bit of it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really.¡±

    ¡°Not Clark for making you the contract when you did not know the full scale of it?¡± Aura said. ¡°What about you for signing it so quickly? You knew that Clyde has a moral compass that points to the true north.¡±

    ¡°I thought he was an innocent kid not a suicidal maniac,¡± Syllis dissagreed. ¡°I will admit that I should have looked into the contract for more than all of five minutes. But Clyde is anything but innocent.¡±

    Aura stayed silent with a solemn expression on her face.

    Noticing her reluctance, she tried to change the topic. ¡°What kind of effect do you think our anathema will have?¡±

    ¡°That''s being presumptuous,¡± Aura replied.

    The third volley of brimstone fell from the sky, engulfing another group of taran in screams. These creatures were smart, sending out their small fry. No amplified taran had entered yet. They had the potential to be severely harmed by a brimstone arrow. It was a nice idea for the taran to think of, wasting the elmannises¡¯ resources. They had far too many arrows and far too much tar and sulfur for that though.

    Knowing that the fourth volley would come soon, Syllis got in position next to Clyde. They were the front line. Supposed to deal with most of the anathema¡ªwith support from Aura¡¯s ephemeral dragon.

    This had been her creature of choice since they arrived in Abyssia since it was her sole creature that could fly for an extended period of time. The crows could only remain airborne for a maximum of ninety seconds. Not nearly long enough to survey the land.

    Syllis looked at Clyde beside her, conflicted. ¡®What should I say? We can¡¯t survive this without communicating.¡¯

    ¡°Syllis.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Syllis responded after a moment of hesitation.

    ¡°When we get out of here,¡± Clyde said, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure my father pays you a huge bonus.¡±

    A couple seconds passed before the secare nymph responded. ¡°I look forward to it.¡±

    Syllis smiled. She was appreciative. But she could not focus on that for the moment. Getting out was the least of their concerns at the moment.

    Survive, all of them needed to survive. This was at the forefront of their minds. They could not afford to lose a single one of their group members. Each of them had a crucial component to their bond, a necessity. Except for maybe Clyde, but he had something even more important. He held the team together. Without him, they would surely fall apart.

    After what felt like a mere ten seconds, the final volley of arrows was shot across the top of the abyss. The brimstone was vibrant and threatening. A symbol and a promise, of death. Death to the taran.

    ¡°Death to the taran!¡±

    ¡°Death to the taran!¡±

    ¡°Death to the taran!¡±

    Nearly every elmannise began chanting this promise. If the taran could speak, they would certainly be chanting the opposite. They were not all too different from the elmannise. If the superior elmannise had their position swapped with the treacherous fiends, it might have turned out nearly the same way.

    More blood-curdling screams emanated from the new wave of taran that invaded. Pop! The taran¡ªafflicted with the curse of brimstone¡ªburst open. Their inside and outsides merged, becoming something new all together. The black sludge and pink goop mixed together making a putrid smell.

    The elmannise all covered their noses and shied away. Clyde, Korman, Aura and Syllis, each of them would have done the same if blessed with the curse of the elmannise.

    ¡®It¡¯s time.¡¯ Syllis thought. She rushed forward, simultaneously with Clyde who maintained an even pace. Korman was not far behind and Aura followed, slower than the rest.

    It seemed counter intuitive. She was vulnerable, yet she was moving up? Truly, what was safer than staying idle at the foot of the wall was being behind Korman. Syllis had no doubt that he would protect Aura with the entirety of himself, even giving away his life if need be.

    As Syllis and Clyde continued to rush forward, they nearly stopped, dead in their tracks.

    They had finally arrived. While a handful of amplified taran had snuck in with the last wave, the brunt had come out now. And behind them¡­ Hulking monstrosities that were each twisted in unique ways. They were not bound to conformity like the normal and amplified who shared common forms. Each of their forms were horrific and daunting in their own ways.

 Chapter 48 - No Rest for the Virtuous

    The scene had looked brutal from up above on the high wall. Now that Syllis was standing in the center of the battlefield, it only looked even crueler. The pungent scent of blood was already wafting. There was no doubt that by the end of their battle today, that scent would grow stronger, demanding improvement for the day after.

    Syllis had long willed an icy-blue needle-point spear as she looked onward at the titans as they encroached.

    Some of them were slow, some were fast. There was a rhythm to their movements. The titans on the edges approached first, likely so the central titans would have an easier time.

    ¡®A dastardly strategy by a dastardly group.¡¯ Syllis grinned, shearing through a few taran in an instant.

    The insignificant grunts were of no challenge for Syllis. With her bond being the most lethal of the group, they were like a slab of butter, eviscerated by the sharpest knife.

    As a group of amplified taran approached Syllis and Clyde, the sounds of the groups on the outer edges rang out. Their titans had reached them. Syllis did not know whether these sounds were their cries of pain or screams of joy, but both would inevitably come.

    ¡°You ready,¡± Syllis said indifferently, ¡°Clyde?¡± There was no place for snide comments after the battle had started. Their lives were on the line and she would not risk either of them for a witty quip.

    ¡°Ready,¡± Clyde responded, seriously.

    These were not only sole taran, the amplified were several, transfigured together. Neither Clyde nor Syllis had any way of discerning how many taran had coalesced into a single being, so it was best to be cautious.

    Their faces were contorted. While not as threatening as the titans who commanded the gazes and attention of those around them, the amplified still radiated a certain horror.

    As they neared, Syllis immediately willed a set of walls in front of Clyde and herself. These were meant to shuffle the taran into predictable positions. Their tar-colored bodies were difficult to see if not directly in front of the entrance to the sky chasm. If they were overlapped with the wall then it would be near impossible to discern where they would be. That would spell the deaths of Syllis and Clyde, possibly Aura and Korman¡¯s as well.

    That was unacceptable to Syllis. If she died, she would curse the world. If Clyde died, then the world would forsake her.

    That failure would be everlasting and follow her for her entire life. The inability to save the future groom of Anahita. It was his destiny and after speaking with Anahita, Syllis did not entirely know if Clyde himself or anyone else could stop it. The only certainty was that if Clyde died and Syllis lived then she would almost certainly be jailed or even executed. Asanoch was awfully loose with such a punishment.

    ¡®The benefits of a city-state¡­¡¯ Syllis mused before setting her sights on the amplified anathema. The first few had begun to seep through the cracks.

    This was certainly an abnormal amount to confront the elmannise soldiers at once. Vernim had informed Syllis and her companions that a group could take a measly one or two amplified taran at once. This was fine since they scarcely attacked in larger groups than that at once.

    Now though, there were six amplified taran confronting Syllis and Clyde. There would be at least as many confronting all of the other groups. This was evident by a single glance to the left or right. You could tell by the terrified expressions and clashing of blades against gooey skin.

    An amplified swiftly lunged towards Syllis, she immediately swiveled. Pivoting on her right foot and twisting in the same way, she extended her arm, piercing through the amplified.

    ¡°Clyde,¡± Syllis said, ¡°they¡¯re testing us.¡±

    ¡°I can tell,¡± Clyde answered, surrounded with a couple illusory copies of himself. ¡°They don¡¯t seem to know how to react to new concepts. This is furthered by their reaction to your walls.¡±

    ¡°We had better exploit this then,¡± Syllis said. ¡®I wonder how they will react to Aura¡¯s ephemeral monsters then?¡¯

    Syllis and Clyde made a few swift cuts. They overwhelmed the amplified with their bonds, dispatching of them quickly.

    ¡°Help!¡±

    ¡°Please save us!¡±

    A couple of elmmanise called out in the group to the right of them. Just a moment ago they had been doing fine. They were cheering and eager to combat the opposition. Life was not always so kind though. One of their teammates had fallen. This caused their center to crumble, bringing their group to the edge of extinction.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Syllis said, seeing Clyde begin to make his way over. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°They asked for help.¡±

    ¡°You are not their savior,¡± Syllis said, ¡°Clyde.¡±

    ¡°But I can save them,¡± Clyde retorted.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°This is not your place. If you leave then our defense will crumble,¡± Syllis said. ¡°And then, Korman will be overrun and they could die.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Are these peoples lives worth more than two of your companions own?¡±

    Syllis watched for Clyde¡¯s response. But he did not give one. ¡°Fine, stay here and draw Korman to the front. Aura, dismiss your bond!¡± Syllis said. ¡°I will go in your stead.¡±

    Cold air enveloped the death-marked group as a wall of chilling ice rose in front of them. It was like an angel shielding them from the worries of the world or easing them into death.

    ¡°Stand up,¡± Syllis spoke, coldly. She was not an angel, this was not out of her goodwill. But the elmannise knew that, and they did not need this to be a good deed. They needed to be saved.

    The four elmannise that were in suitable condition to fight eagerly rose after being given a new chance at life.

    ¡°Names,¡± Syllis said, ¡°now.¡± The wall displacing the amplified taran would not hold for long.

    The apparent leader of the debilitated group stepped forward. He looked down at Syllis from a couple feet above her. ¡°I am Hfroht. Behind me are¡ªHkolmon, hdrordt and hlorndt.¡±

    Hfroht gestured towards two muscular men and a slender woman. They were each wearing tattered clothing befitting an addict or criminal in the outer ring of Asanoch. It was difficult to maintain the production of new clothing in Abyssia.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the deal,¡± Syllis said, her voice stayed cold. ¡°I save your lives and we merge teams. You will join me and my companion in the front lines and your three companions will join my other two in the back.¡±

    Hfroht shook his head in agreement.

    ¡°Alright then!¡± Syllis said. She then dismissed her icy-blue wall revealing droves of taran.

    They were furious and invigorated. They seemed to think that it was their efforts that caused the wall to shatter. Their ignorance was bliss causing them to attack with greater passion.

    ¡®Pitiful creatures.¡¯ Syllis sighed.

    Syllis took up her needle-point spear again and pierced several taran with an indifferent expression.

    Hfroht and the rest of the salvaged, elmannise group looked at her with a sense of horror and disdain. To so instantly dismiss such protection was the act of a lunatic, it was pure lunacy! They did not realize the impact the wall had on Syllis. To her, the sanity it took to maintain the large wall was more valuable than the few minutes of protection it would provide.

    At that moment, several crags of ice rose from the ground piercing no less than fifty taran. Inconceivable, the elmannise looked onwards with a sense of awe. Without so much as lifting a finger, this short outsider had managed to deal the equivalent of an entire volley of brimstone-tipped arrows.

    Incredibly short screams of pain were cried out just before the taran entirely died. Pink sludge oozed from their heads where the crags that skewered them had exited. The scene was grotesque and even Syllis who was attempting to disregard her emotions in this battle felt disgusted with herself. She relinquished the spikes, dropping the poor corpses to the ground. Splattering was heard as their tar-like skin dissolved into mush leaving only their pink guts and other innards mostly intact, strung across the floor.

    With the entire mob of taran in front of them dealt with, the amplified ran forward to take their place. Dealing with them would not be such an easy task. The taran were a hive mind, easily adapting to the changes around them. These amplified taran would not be so vulnerable to Syllis¡¯ bond.

    Recognizing this fact, one of Syllis¡¯ companions went on the offensive. A large dragon loomed above. Its wings were made of bone and it shone an ephemeral green hue. Frankly, it looked more horrifying than that of any taran. The mouth of this massive creature opened and out came bright green flames. They devoured anything in their path like the suns¡¯ flame to the sky.

    Taran screamed but the amplified recovered for the most part. Some spots of burning remained but many of them had morphed their bodies to better absorb such a blow. Absurd adaptability.

    More than twelve amplified were rapidly approaching their group, preventing them from converging with Clyde, Korman and Aura. They wanted desperately to prevent the merging of groups.

    Syllis would not allow this. Another huge wall rose, shining with an icy brilliance. Taran could be heard clawing away at the outside of the wall.

    ¡°Clyde,¡± Syllis said, ¡°I¡¯ve saved your people.¡±

    ¡°How do you like it?¡± Clyde asked.

    ¡°I,¡± Syllis said, ¡°don¡¯t care for it. Not one bit.¡± She then turned, facing the debilitated group. ¡°You three, hold back with those two!¡± Syllis gestured towards Korman and Aura.

    Korman¡¯s expression softened after hearing this. He was slowly being overrun by taran and wounds were growing on his body.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Clyde asked the elmannise man, standing between him and Syllis.

    ¡°Hfroht,¡± the tall man said. ¡°Thank you for sending her to save us. We would have suffered the same fate as Hjihlin.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank us yet,¡± Syllis said, her voice hoarse from yelling. ¡°We have to deal with this hoard before celebrating.¡±

    The icy-blue wall shattered, just as the last one had. There must have been almost two dozen amplified, each stumbling over each other after the wall collapsed. They had been trying to scale the wall and climb over the top of it.

    ¡®Around twenty amplified coming towards us¡­¡¯ It was an inconceivable number, vastly more than any group had ever been confronted with before by almost ten times. They must have declared Syllis¡¯ group to be an imminent threat. Combined, there must have been around one hundred taran, all merged together in the confines of the twenty amplified.

    More spires were raised from the ground, but they only seemed to inhibit the amplified taran movement. Syllis cursed herself for not being able to form structures quicker.

    Syllis and Clyde both looked towards Hfroht with his long-handled axe before looking forward again.

    The three of them leapt forward, inflicting havoc upon the amplified. Aura¡¯s dragon overhead also participated, claiming the lives of several amplified taran. The smell of blood had indeed grown even stronger, but Syllis did not smell it anymore. Her sense of smell had been dulled by the battle, everything smelled like blood and blood like normal. Adrenaline was pushed through the secare nymphs body as she cleaved several amplified taran in a couple short minutes.

    Together with Hfroht, Clyde and Aura¡¯s help, they had eviscerated nearly the entire group of amplified taran in less than half an hour, or what felt like it. They left the standard taran to be dealt with by their back line as they took a few minutes to rest and compose themselves.

    What had once been an insufferably loud battle filled with symphonies of blood splattering and bones cracking, layered overtop of elmannise suffering was now quiet around them. They had taken control of the center of the field and only listened to echoes of the battles around them.

    Thud. Thud. Thud! The sounds grew louder as a couple hulking monstrosities approached and with them, another wave of amplified taran. The titans were here. Life does not let you rest for long.

 Chapter 49 - Dastardly Deceiver

    The silence was broken. The atrocity had let out a ferocious yell. The taran maintained intelligence, but were still animalistic in nature. They were merely masquerading as anything but. Their behavior? Only inherited through encounter after encounter against the elmannise.

    Syllis wanted to laugh as well as cry. She was bleeding already. At least she had been before she froze over the wound. Now the nibbling pain of the cold bit down against her. This was nothing but a distraction though. She could handle the cold, it was her dominion.

    ¡®Seriously? Where is your god to save us?¡¯ Syllis scolded the elmannise internally. They prayed to the abyss and revered it. In return they were given the power to shape it. But what could that accomplish? The taran still attacked them every single day and the abyss made no attempt to keep them out.

    ¡®Does a god let its people die? Coryzan heard me in a time of need. How does one in another realm provide me with more than a local god to its entire base of followers?¡¯ Syllis fought against letting out a sigh. This was an inappropriate train of thought. Her mind was needed in the battle at hand. She did not have the time to waste debating internally.

    ¡°What do you think,¡± Syllis said, ¡°Clyde? Are you ready for this?¡± Her tone was not that of a question being asked. She already knew the answer.

    ¡°Does it make a difference if I am not ready?¡± Clyde answered, defeatedly. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I will ever be ready to face something so horrific. Only a lunatic could ever be prepared.¡±

    ¡®Right a lunatic¡­¡¯ Syllis stared forward. A grin spread across her face. She was this lunatic. She was raring to tear this tar-like creature into pieces.

    The regular taran were flies to be swatted away and the amplified¡­ Unintelligent predators that were used to feeding on even dumber prey. They were a tease. They were the lackeys of these titans. Every step they took sent vibrations through the pitch-black floor. Each and every breath was another life cleaved and each scream was not one of pain. Instead they were reminders. A battle-cry for their own people to fight until their last breath.

    A large roar echoed out, this one much closer than all the rest. It was visceral and pulled the attention of Syllis¡¯ larger group as well as several groups beside them.

    Syllis was pulled away from her slaughter of taran¡ªnot that she was particularly engrossed in it. The titan took prevalence and the slaughter of taran that had not coalesced with one another was only a means to pass time, to wait for the main threat to arrive.

    Aura had long summoned her ephemeral dragon again. Shortly after their group and the debilitated group merged, she invoked her bond again. She was proficient with the longsword she had argued to be given. But her true ability lay in her bond. This green-glowing dragon towered high above, refraining from participating in the obliteration of taran below. It signaled the beginning of the true fight.

    Syllis studied the titan as it approached. Its form was nothing short of an abomination, unlike anything she had seen before. This was not compared to much though. She had never left Asanoch. Heasen were the most common mammal in Ethrailia or at least the northern area and that was about the only animal she ever laid her eyes on.

    The titan had four arms, each with seven fingers. Barbs seemed to weave beautifully around each other forming deadly, lacerating nails. It had formed absurdly large wings which most certainly did not allow it to fly. The stomach was ripped open giving a view into its pink organs.

    ¡®And¡­ Teeth.¡¯ Syllis remarked.

    Nearly every surface of this creature was littered with a slew of teeth that were not made of the pitch-black tar that the main body was formed of. Instead they seemed to be made of rocks and ash. They were a near pristine white color, unexpected of material that was perpetually scorched daily under the fury of the four suns.

    ¡®This is troubling. My spear will get caught in those grooves¡­¡¯ Syllis tried thinking of a way through.

    The titan was nearing them and the amplified taran that assaulted them slowed down and retreated. They were waiting for the titan to ambush Syllis and her companions. This titan was a mere twenty-five meters away. They would engage it in a mere couple minutes.

    With this in mind, Syllis had a thought. She began to manifest a large javelin in her free hand and began condensing it into its very purest form. ¡®If stabs will follow the contour of the teeth¡­ Then I might as well shatter them.¡¯

    Syllis utilized a similar technique as she had during her demonstration to Veria and her fight against Ansel. She had since refined it though. In the months she had been attending Lurgica she picked up on a couple students¡¯ use of their bonds. One in particular inspired her though.

    It was a frail man who did not like to fight. He wanted to use his bond to entertain. In his mind anathema were the cause of pain and suffering so their boons should be used to entertain and give joy. It was a naive view but a pretty one. He performed one night in the courtyard of Lurgica. A pale wave carried him, allowing him to spin. At the apex of his height he performed an incredibly impressive flip which utilized the rotation of his body.

    Syllis was already applying something similar to her own technique, but it lacked the sophistication. She deemed it sloppy and spent ample time improving it.

    Icy-blue waves carried Syllis¡¯ right foot while her left kept her anchored in place. The momentum made her dizzy and her vision blurred, unable to keep up with the surroundings. She narrowed her eyes and as the beast bellowed another roar it was met with a pale spear.

    The creature had inhumane reaction time¡ªsuited to a demonic looking creature¡ªand hit the javelin away the second it collided. Still, an entire clump of near a hundred teeth were shattered. Under half were from her own attack but Syllis did not complain. Her goal was to unearth a weak spot and that was accomplished.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Another roar sounded. It held the grittiness of the titans other bellows, but this one was tinged with a great sadness. It was laced with pain.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Hfroht called out. A look of disbelief was suspended on his face.

    ¡°A javelin,¡± Syllis said, deadpan. She was not interested in conversing with Hfroht. The titan was throwing its own first blow, after all.

    Crash! Pillars of ice were shattered in an instant. They had no place harming the great titan. They were nothing but an inconvenience. This interaction demonstrated just how much Syllis¡¯ newfound adaptation in throwing her javelin had improved her ability. It held more power than a dozen pillars, each twenty times thicker!

    The titan turned, revealing the back of its wing. Similarly it was covered in teeth. It charged towards Syllis. She had clearly already been noted as a threat. Along with it, several amplified each funneled in at the titan¡¯s side.

    Syllis quickly raised several walls. She isolated the amplified taran from herself and the titan, leaving them for Clyde and Hfroht to deal with. However, this also essentially locked Syllis in a room with the gargantuan threat. She was more than satisfied with such an outcome. The entire act of banding together to kill the hoard of taran made her vastly uncomfortable. She was used to being alone, fighting alone. The idea that her living or dying could be influenced in any way by her friends was a difficult concept to wrap her head around. She was much more comfortable with a simple fight against the titan. Just her and the monstrosity.

    ¡®Come on you bulky bastard.¡¯ Syllis mused within. She was not seriously expecting to slay the monster by herself.

    There would come a moment where the walls would need to fall, but not until she weakened it to a state where it could not harm Clyde. His life was not more important than her own but in a way it was equally as valuable. As long as he died, Syllis would likely be hunted down by Anahita.

    The titan pulled its wing over the front of its body again and prepared to charge. It repositioned its thick legs and turned slightly.

    ¡®Wh¡ªWhat?¡¯ Syllis¡¯ pupils dilated as it approached her with absurd speed. This was far greater than what it had previously demonstrated. ¡®Dastardly deceiver¡­ This is going to hurt¡­¡¯

    Syllis could only grit her teeth and minimize the damage. The titan was too swift for her to evade entirely. She was caught off guard. Never in a million years would she expect such a large creature to move with such grace.

    She bit down on her lip as some teeth on the side of the wing bit into the bit of her arm that remained in its path. The teeth had ¡®chewed¡¯ through a large portion of her arm which she hastily cooled down, the pain subsided.

    This infuriated the secare nymph. This was an injury that would not heal for at least a couple months. There were doctors residing on the wall but they did not possess the skill that anathemic doctors did. In fact the elmannise mostly died to taran. Either they were completely fine at the end of the fight, or they crumbled under the might of strong taran. Injuries were practically nonexistent. For this reason, the doctors were specialized in treating the burns of scouting researchers.

    Syllis ran towards the large beast. It would not catch her off guard again. Next time, icy-blue waves would quickly and safely move her out of harm''s way. They conceded more space in Syllis¡¯ mind than she was comfortable with though, so she opted for close combat. No matter the unnatural momentum such a beast could incur, it had limits. Turning would be a chore for it.

    The secare nymph rushed forward holding her needle-point spear. Her free arm was half covered in ice, swaying as she ran.

    Several wide sweeps were made by the powerful hands, covered in brambles and teeth. Syllis could only narrowly avoid them. Acknowledging the titan¡¯s swiftness, she utilized her sanity and ice to evade the attacks. They demanded her utmost concentration.

    Ordinarily, Syllis would have moved to attack the open stomach that gave a glimpse into its organs. But with a creature so dastardly and traitorous, that was assuredly a trap.

    Syllis could only think of one way to ensure hers and Clyde¡¯s safety, as well as the rest of her companions¡¯ own. ¡®Carve its limbs until they aren¡¯t his anymore.¡¯

    Without its lethal weapons blessed with an unholy agility, the titan would be nothing more than an amorphous eyesore.

    Syllis latched onto a couple teeth. They made more than decent handholds aside from the occasional cut, tearing through her prized black gloves.

    ¡®Sacrifices have to be made¡­¡¯ Syllis was somewhat sentimental over them.

    One of the titan¡¯s colossal arms bent at an impossible angle and moved to crush the secare nymph.

    ¡®Of course¡­¡¯ Syllis rolled her eyes and leaped from the colossus. An icy-blue pillar rose from below creating a small platform. Her mind was eaten away at and she heard the slight mutterings of Coryzan.

    The tar-like arm crashed down at the spot where Syllis had just leaped from only a couple seconds prior. Several dozen teeth were instantly shattered into dust. The titan did not have eyes littering the entirety of his body and could only operate on sensation.

    Syllis heaved a sigh of relief as she narrowly avoided certain death. Again, she jumped onto the colossus, this time latching onto its arm that had not quite been drawn back to its regular position. She dug the needle-point spear that she had taken from her mouth and stuck it into the flesh.

    The titan immediately belowed, signaling its injury to all other taran. The scream was louder up close, almost deafening.

    Syllis managed to form a thin box of ice, nearly encasing her. If she had not done that, her hearing might have been significantly impacted if not lost all-together.

    Purple-pink ooze seeped from within the pitch-black arm, covering Syllis. She nearly vomited upon smelling the substance before continuing her ascent. Using the teeth as handholds, she maneuvered around the side of the titan, continuously shifting to the side to avoid getting crushed by a colossal hand.

    The taran were becoming more problematic because of their adaptation though¡­

    Crush! Several dozen more teeth were shattered in an instant. This time they were not voided at Syllis¡¯ previous position. The hand had collapsed onto where the titan had believed that Syllis would be. It was only by a slight glance up that Syllis was able to let go before being assimilated into the great abomination.

    ¡®Damnit!¡¯ Syllis cursed as she slightly flailed. She had been startled and pushed herself away from the titan, leaving any teeth out of reach to grab.

    Syllis desperately clawed before pulling her needle-point spear out of her mouth and jabbing it into the creature. It was nothing short of a miracle how it managed to pierce directly between five tightly set teeth. As much as she wished to take credit, her accuracy was not so good. Such a miracle could only be attributed to fate or destiny.

    The secare nymph looked upwards with more a strengthened resolve. This titan was adapting quickly and needed to be dealt with before another one approached their group. The roaring in the distance was a warning that this scenario was nearing much closer than Syllis had anticipated.

 Chapter 50 - Dastardly Mimicry

    There was a way for Syllis to quickly dispatch the titan. But it was risky. She was not entirely sure whether or not she would be able to continue to stay in the fight. It was rather simple to understand. She could manifest a large, sharp block of ice high above in the air. It would need to be immensely high to incur the speed needed to kill the titan though. This would leave her with little to no sanity left. She would either need to retreat or be a hindrance for the rest of her group.

    ¡®It probably wouldn¡¯t work¡­¡¯ Syllis dismissed the thought swiftly. The creature had a sort of absurd adaptability. If it sensed the ice above in any sort of way then it could simply move rendering the attack void.

    ¡®Knowing this dastardly creature it¡¯s probably learned to feel the slightest cold in the air.¡¯ Syllis thought, cursing out the creature. ¡°Wait a minute. After spending so much time under the threat of the suns¡¯ flame¡­ Wouldn¡¯t a creature certainly learn to discern the changes in temperature?¡¯

    Syllis had already dismissed the idea, but now she was disappointed in herself for even thinking it had the possibility of working in the first place.

    The titan she was standing atop yelled. This was apparently to the approaching second, smaller titan. The second titan ¡®responded¡¯ with a roar of its own and began approaching even faster.

    The body of the gargantuan titan began to shake violently and with much vigor.

    ¡°Woah!¡± Syllis latched onto a couple teeth. She had grown complacent atop the giant monster. Comfortable under the assumption that it did not wish to shatter its ¡®armor¡¯ any further. This was merely another deception though as a hand crashed down above.

    Aura¡¯s ephemeral dragon suddenly flew in. The gust of wind that its wings provided was unusual. The wings were solely made of bone with no light material to create such wind. This creature shared the same property as her crows. The void between its bones held a ¡®semblance¡¯ of flesh. The properties were similar.

    ¡®Thank you!¡¯ Syllis cheered internally. She pushed off of several teeth, far away from the hand that had clashed against a few dozen only a few feet above her head.

    Her nearly bare hand¡ªlittered with razor thin cuts¡ªwrapped around one of the ephemeral dragons legs. It was jerked slightly. Syllis felt that she was about to fall, tumbling towards the ground. Thankfully the bone creature recovered.

    ¡®Thank the lord that these green flames are no hotter than warm.¡¯ Syllis thought. She had not noticed the lackluster temperature of the flames when they had first arrived within the fable due to the already scorching hot, burning skies. ¡®Can she manipulate the temperature?¡¯

    The bone dragon swerved a couple of sweeps from the titans lofty arms. They were much too swift for their thickness. Fables did not follow logic though and this naturally extended to their creatures.

    The titan lost focus. Its gaze fell away from the bone dragon and Syllis. It looked beyond them, towards Aura. No emotions were able to be discerned on its face. Perhaps it had none at all. Only the will to survive the burning skies.

    The bone dragon set Syllis down against the familiar floor. It was bumpy and rugged. Sections of it were slippery and nearly caused those who walked above to trip and fall. This was likely due to taran guts mixed in with the dirt.

    The walls that had encased Syllis and the titan fell. The amplified taran that previously clawed away against the icy-blue barrier were nowhere to be found. At least in a single piece. They were assuredly strung out across the floor, courtesy of Clyde and the rest of Syllis¡¯ companions.

    ¡°Clyde,¡± Syllis said. ¡°I can¡¯t deal with this thing. At least not within completely taking myself out of the fight.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Clyde responded. ¡°Simple enough. We¡¯re just going to need multiple people.¡±

    ¡°Not that simple,¡± The secare nymph said, concisely. ¡°This damned thing is probably more resilient and stalwart than Anahita.¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡± Clyde said. He chuckled after it came out.

    ¡°Seriously.¡±

    Clyde was silent. Anahita had many anathema transfigured within. She was the most powerful and influential kindred in Asanoch. For this titan to best in any aspect was an unholy feat.

    ¡°Seriously?¡±

    Syllis nodded in response. She turned back to face the titan which exuded an air of what could only be thought to be bloodlust. It stomped, shaking the ground under its immense weight.

    The secare nymph was thrown off balance, toppling over. This was along with everyone else, but the nymph was the titan¡¯s target. A colossal wing slammed against the dark ground. It only narrowly missed Syllis by a couple meters.

    ¡°It might be faster too,¡± Syllis said. She did not dare turn her head away from the monster now. ¡°How fast could she cross Asanoch?¡±

    Syllis only jested. She had deemed such folly unnecessary in the battle, but now it was needed. It was to distract herself from the fact that this being had nearly taken her life from her¡ªseveral times now. A single misstep could change a possibility to certainty. This is how fickle the bodies of kindred with minimal anathema are.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need to hit it with a well timed javelin on an area void of those horrid teeth. Can you and Hfroht do that?¡± Syllis asked, worry rang out in her voice. They needed to be able to create an opportunity. Syllis got the feeling that she was possibly one of only a few people on the entirety of the battlefield that could deal a decisive blow.

    ¡°You want us to distract that titan?¡± Hfroht was stunned, more so when nobody answered him. He did not have a choice in the matter.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Clyde said. ¡°Come on now.¡± He gestured to Hfroht.

    Syllis fell back. She had swapped places with both Clyde and Hfroht. This meant that it was now her place to prevent many taran from leaking into the back line of defense. She was left without a weapon to do this with. Her spear had cracked upon being thrust into one of the four colossal arms and only splintered further upon repeated use. It was useless so she returned it to whatever realm she drew Coryzan¡¯s ice from.

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Besides, the spear was dense, taking a larger toll on her sanity than she was comfortable with. Ever since her encounter with the four suns, Syllis had learned she needed to save as much sanity as possible. Losing it all halfway into a battle? It was inevitable that she would meet her end.

    A small dagger was manifested in the time between groups of approaching taran. They flowed in like a never-ending flood. The dagger was equally as dense as the spear, only a third of the size meaning a third of the toll on her sanity. It was a good deal, though calling it a dagger was a bit generous¡­ It did not feature a pommel or stunning crossguard. It was closer to just a blade with a lackluster hilt. The appearance did not matter to Syllis though, the ability to cut was enough. She would have made do with anything.

    Black tar and purple-pink organs mixed together and were flung around in string. This mixing would have coated Syllis as well if she was not entirely covered already, from head to toe. It was impossible to avoid in a battle so long. It had already dragged on for an hour at the least and was likely to continue for at least one more.

    Syllis was tired. She heaved, her breathing was not stable. She stumbled around, her movements less decisive than they had been. Her energy was draining, but she did not have the time to wane.

    Every couple seconds, after any taran was cut apart, Syllis glanced over at the titan. Blood streamed down from Hfroht and Clyde looked worse for wear. He was doing better than she thought he would. A part of her wondered if he had held back in any of their spars.

    Whatever the case, she was glad. But unease welled up within her, an uncertainty. No opportunity had arisen yet for her to pierce the titan. This was problematic. She could not wait much longer. Under the mounting pressure of her compromised mental faculties and the growing whispers from Coryzan, Syllis felt like she was going to crumble at any moment.

    Blood streamed from her arm as she dismissed her primitive form of a bandaid. Her dagger dissolved into the air, leaving nothing behind. In its place she manifested a large javelin.

    ¡®I was gonna need to make this thing eventually¡­ Might as well get some use out of it now.¡¯ Syllis thought. It was important that her judgment remain uncompromised. Dismissing anything unnecessary was the only way she could retain whatever sanity remained.

    Gradually, she was pushed backwards, towards Korman and Hfroht¡¯s party members. Together, the five of them worked to protect Aura and the wall from the waves of taran.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± one of Hfroht¡¯s companions said, furiously. ¡°Why do they keep coming¡­ This should have ended long ago!¡±

    Syllis dismissed any of her words. They meant nothing to her. She had not even remembered the man¡¯s name. She never wanted to save these people and now they were just irritating her.

    Two amplified taran ran up to her from the side, ambushing Syllis. Only a slight glance of their pitch-black, beady eyes was made before she was knocked over, stumbling and rolling to the side.

    ¡®W-what?¡¯ Syllis was confused. It had happened so gradually that she had not noticed. Her vision was blurry and her sound inconsistent. All of her faculties were gradually being taken over.

    ¡°Get up!¡± The slender elmannise woman she had rescued earlier was standing above her. She held an axe in front of her. It was shorter and thinner than Hfroht¡¯s had been.

    ¡®Ironic¡­¡¯ Syllis stood, only to be pushed to the ground again. One of the taran stared into her eyes. The slender woman could not protect her, she was being overrun by her own opponent.

    The secare nymph swatted and tried to swing her javelin which had missed its mark. ¡®Damn it all.¡¯

    The taran clawed away at her side and through her further backwards. Blood oozed from the bottom of her abdomen and met with the dirt ground.

    Korman threw the pitiful nymph a scarce glance at her before turning back to his own opponents, two amplified taran.

    ¡°Syllis!¡± Aura¡ªwho had been engrossed in manipulating her bone dragon¡ªyelled for her.

    This was one fully sane sentence. It was comforting for Syllis to hear a coherent thought from her. She had only heard Aura mutter strange sayings and verses fed to her from whoever her god was since she had swapped places with Clyde and Hfroht.

    Syllis blinked her eyes and tried to shift away from the taran. Simultaneously she tried to freeze over her wounded abdomen. The task was simple and she would easily accomplish it normally. In her current situation though¡­ It would be a miracle if she could. She felt the wound freeze over and heaved a sigh of relief.

    Then, the taran in front of her ran forward again. The elmannise woman stood in the way. Somehow, she managed to slay her own amplified taran. It was almost like she had an awakening. Amplified took at least several members of a group to deal with. Syllis and her companions had been the exceptions to that rule.

    At the same time as the woman stood in between Syllis and the taran, Aura¡¯s bone dragon flapped ahead. It flew overtop Syllis and breathed a hefty breath of ephemeral green flames. It scorched the taran, turning it into something even lower than ash. There was another casualty though¡­ The elmannise woman who had jumped in to protect Syllis cried out.

    Her clothing was set aflame and the features on her face gradually melded together until they had become an indiscernible, amorphous mass. Her screams were extinguished once her vocal cords had been melted. What was left was a mere husk.

    ¡®Damn it! Damn it all.¡¯ Syllis thought as she shoveled piles of dirt on top of the flaming woman who clutched at her face.

    Both of her male companions called out to her. Passion was evident in one of their voices. They were in love. Syllis wondered how distraught Hfroht would be once he was told the news.

    With enough dirt, the flame was put out. Only a few remaining ephemeral embers danced atop her clothing, or what was left of it. The woman¡¯s entire face was charred, even her eyes, gone. Her body was entirely scorched all the way down to her legs. Any clothing was frayed and scarcely held together by thin strings that were desperate to cling to life. Syllis had failed to save this woman. And Aura¡­ She had merely been trying to save her companion. In the heat of battle, the accidental murder of an ally was not inconceivable. It was no less than almost a certainty.

    ¡®Still, she must feel horrible. Just¡­ Just as I do.¡¯ Syllis had saved this woman, just for her to experience a worse death than she would have suffered originally. Where was her god?

    There was no time to remain idle though. Syllis looked back to Clyde and Hfroht. Her eyes widened. ¡®An opportunity¡­¡¯

    The titan was throwing two of his arms towards his sides. Both nuisances that were distracting him were being targeted. With his attention split between both ¡®flies¡¯ there would be no way it could see Syllis¡¯ javelin coming.

    It was perfect timing too. The even taller, slower, hulking monstrosity was nearly upon them.

    With a deep breath, Syllis held onto her javelin firmly and formed the crashing waves of icy-blue beneath her feet. She spun and threw the javelin, it pierced the very air and shot directly into a void of teeth on the titan¡¯s body.

    In its final breath, a harrowing roar, bellowed across the battlefield. The titan had fallen. It was the fourth on the battlefield. But this one had been cleaved by a mere three people. This was a stark contrast to the others which had involved at least twenty.

    The hulking titan that was approaching made an equally blood-curdling cry as it watched its ally fall to the ground. It raised one of its six arms and began to form a shape within its palm. The black ball in its palm convulsed and pulsed. Each cycle it grew longer and thicker. It eventually formed into a lengthy spear.

    The titanic creature spun and threw the black spear. It was crude, flying through the air instability due to the difference in craftsmanship. The spear splintered under the pressure of the air and became several. Each one a piece of shrapnel that threatened to take a life. The brunt of shards were flying straight towards Syllis.

    Syllis remained motionless, merely raising a thick wall in front of her, to shield her from the shards.

    A scream. This was not the scream of a taran, but a human instead. It was Aura¡¯s scream.

 Chapter 51 - Why Does God Hurt?

    ¡°Aura!¡± Syllis and Korman both exclaimed, running to the woman. She had been preoccupied guiding her dragon and did not have the time to prepare for the splintering shards.

    Aura moaned in pain and clutched at her shoulder or what should have been. The bone? All but gone. It had shattered into countless pieces. Any bone that was left was contorted, twisted like the taran. It pierced her flesh, drawing blood and doing far more harm than good. A vase, fallen against the cold ground, unable to be put back together. Blood was sprayed behind her in arrays and chunks of flesh were held together by the slightest strands.

    ¡°What happened to me!?¡± Aura cried out, panicked. She continued to try and grab at her shoulder.

    Syllis and Korman could only sit beside her in horror. They were mostly safe. The taran that would usually be coming towards them in waves were busy trying to save one of their titans. They were dealing with Clyde and Hfroht as well.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Syllis thought. The scene in front of her was complex. ¡®Do I shave down the problematic bone. Do I collect her flesh and bone, freezing it all together in an awkward clump?¡¯

    The secare nymph was no doctor. Her bond possessed a quality of one, but her mind was not fit for such work. She disliked blood, immediately freezing over any wound. The adrenaline of battle was what she craved, along with the gratification of winning. Blood being shed was an unfortunate aspect of the entire ordeal.

    Syllis was not sure whether collecting all of the missing ¡®parts¡¯ and freezing them together would cause infection. She had a feeling it was not a good idea to mix in dirt covered flesh. Even more obscure was the black and purple mixture that coated the flesh that had been swept from her shoulder.

    ¡®Would that cause infection? Could taran grow within her?¡¯ Syllis thought. ¡®There I go again¡­¡¯ Once again, her mind carried her through a bizarre scenario that was obscenely unlikely.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright Aura,¡± Clyde said, sympathy behind his calm tone.

    ¡°Right,¡± Syllis chimed in, ¡°it¡¯s not even that bad. I¡¯ll just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Aura spoke clearly. She felt pain but that was not enough to stop her from getting concise, truthful answers. ¡°Your damn face tells me you¡¯re lying.¡±

    Syllis looked at Aura with pitiful eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s bad. Very bad. Not much I can do about it. Maybe the doctors in the wall will have a better idea of what to do with it.¡±

    Aura grit her teeth, chewing against the collar of her coat.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Aura¡¯s own eyes held a similar pity for herself. ¡°As long as we make it out, all can be mended. Doctor, do you have to amputate?¡±

    ¡°You think I have the qualifications to make such a decision? How often do people even get amputations? Such threatening diseases are rare and anathemic doctors are rather plentiful.¡±

    ¡°Everything will be fine,¡± Korman said. He held onto her gloved hand. ¡°As soon as we leave here Edward will fix your shoulder.¡±

    Korman and Aura¡¯s families both had their own especially qualified anathemic doctors. They had to admit that Edward was superior to them though. The Boorne family had truly been blessed to have found such a doctor.

    ¡°Hurry up and numb the damn thing!¡± Aura yelled through a jolt of pain, sent through her. She was beginning to face the entire brunt of the injury.

    Syllis leaned forward to get a closer look and fell over. ¡®What, I thought¡­¡¯

    ¡°Damn you Syllis, how dare your infection compromise my care.¡± Aura jested. She took Syllis¡¯ hand and guided it to her wound.

    This way, Syllis had a sense of where exactly to mend. Her vision was unreliable and she was not entirely sure if she could even trust her own judgment at the moment. ¡®Or is my reluctance to trust myself proof that my judgment is intact?¡¯

    Howls and screams erupted as the taran realized their titan had fallen. Some continued to battle against Clyde and Hfroht who were making their way back towards the main group, while some went straight for Syllis and her companions.

    ¡®This is¡­ Troubling.¡¯

    ¡°Korman,¡± Syllis said, ¡°take Aura away. To the temporary room.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Korman had no qualms.

    He could save his love while also leaving the battle himself. Syllis found this a cozy position to be in. If only she had the luxury.

    Clyde and Hfroht arrived back in the front lines. Syllis stood in the middle to greet them. She cleaved several taran in a single sweep.

    ¡°You two look worse for wear,¡± Syllis remarked.

    ¡°We are,¡± Clyde answered, truthfully. ¡°I¡¯m assuming Aura and Korman are even worse?¡± He swiftly peeled an amplified taran from its guards and dismembered its head.

    Syllis nearly laughed. ¡®If he saw the state she was in¡­¡¯

    ¡°Korman¡¯s fine, but Aura took a heavy blow. One of the splinters from the black spear,¡± Syllis clarified. ¡°I¡¯m afraid us and those two behind are all that remain of the very central group.¡±

    ¡°And we have to deal with that titan?¡± Hfroht said, more to himself than either Clyde or Syllis.

    ¡°Unless you have some unknown method to make it run away?¡± Syllis said, aggressively. Inwardly she hoped this elmannise man had some hidden method. But she knew it would never happen.

    Hfroht remained silent.

    ¡°Hfroht!¡± The lankier of the two elmannise men called out.

    ¡°Hlorndt, she¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s dead, Hlorndt is dead.¡± The bulkier elmannise man interrupted. Time was of the essence, he understood this well. It was the reason he and Hlorndt along with the rest of the team were saved. And it was also the reason she had died.

    Hfroht remained silent for a moment. Solemnity emanated from his eyes as he turned to face his companions.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk later,¡± Hfroht said. ¡°For now, hold down the back line.¡±

    The two elmannise ran back with disdain in their eyes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s think then¡­¡±

    The three of them thought of countless plans. They exchanged them as they slaughtered group after group of taran, mixed with the occasional amplified. Now that they had adapted to both Clyde and Syllis¡¯ bond, combined with her lackluster vision made them a clear threat. To Syllis at least.

    Only three titans were left on the field. There was the spear thrower in the central line and one on both the left and right. Most groups set their attention on the sides, taran were mischievous and could easily seep through the cracks in the walls of the abyss. So the central area was composed of Syllis¡¯ ramshackle group and only a couple others to their sides.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    The titan eventually arrived within its main striking distance, but it did not attack. It was ominous. It had not attacked since throwing the replicated spear. Instead, its six terrifyingly large arms remained at its sides. They reached for the ceiling as if it were piles of gold. The arms bent at unusual angles and consisted of five or six joints forming jagged and uncanny appearance.

    This titan did not have teeth all over it. Instead, it was littered with pitch-black scales that reflected nearly all light. The titan gleaned the entire battlefield with twelve eyes, each set an equal distance around the perimeter of its head. Above, thorns. They formed a crown or forbidden halo. As if this ¡®thing¡¯ had been exiled by god. Assuredly, it was merely waiting to witness another one of Syllis¡¯ attacks to mimic. Then, it would use it against another of her companions, making her indirectly responsible. It was soul-crushing. This titan was as if not more physically capable than the others, yet its psychological component seemed vastly more terrifying.

    ¡®I won¡¯t give it the chance.¡¯ Syllis felt guilty for Aura, but she knew this was the titans intention. It was to cause rifts in teams. This titan was vastly more intelligent than the rest, it wanted to break the wall from the inside, mentally rather than with pure strength.

    Syllis had previously dismissed the idea of dropping a colossal spike to pierce the titan, but it was becoming more and more likely to be the perfect plan.

    Firstly, it acted in accordance with what she knew. This titan was slow, and though she had been duped before, this was a quality she needed to consider. It would presumably be unable to escape an attack of the scale she was planning. Secondly, it did not require accuracy. Syllis did not have the strength in her arms to propel another javelin so far. Even if she had, she could not control the waves with enough precision to complete the throw without stumbling. Her vision was the largest obstacle for her on this battlefield.

    It was the perfect theoretical plan. In reality it could be a disaster, but what could be done? They needed to do something, but Syllis was the only one who could. At least, she was the only one who could without any casualties.

    Syllis had long been hearing whispers. Her mind was crowded. ¡®What¡¯s a couple more?¡¯ She mused, cleaving a couple taran before looking at Clyde and Hfroht.

    They were weaving through taran and defeating the powerful amplified. As expected from an experienced soldier and a man with a mysterious bond.

    ¡°Clyde, Hfroht!¡± Syllis called out to them. ¡°Deal with that titan for a while. Bring the other groups in too! And do not climb onto it. Let no one!¡±

    Clyde nodded in agreement while Hfroht shivered slightly. He was experienced but possessed a potent cautious attitude. Hfroht sighed before following Clyde. Together, they rallied the teams to their sides and stormed the titan.

    ¡®This is good¡­¡¯ Syllis heaved. Her heavily injured abdomen was taking too much sanity, she relinquished control over her ¡®bandaid.¡¯

    There needed to be as little a chance of the titan catching on as possible before it was too late. Now, with the assault of the three groups, the opportunity had arrived.

    Syllis focused intently. She squinted her eyes, thinking that would cause her vision to level out. It did not help, but it mattered not. She willed a great sheet of icy-blue above the titan who seemed like a god compared to the five that had fallen already.

    It grew, from a sheet to several. They thickened and merged, condensing into something greater than the sum of its parts.

    ¡®More¡­¡¯

    Syllis shaped a large array of needles which protruded from the bottom of this condensed sheet. They were rough, unrefined. But they did not remain that way for long.

    ¡®Refine further. Refine the needles further.¡¯

    The secare nymph heard the whispers evolve to a stage she had never heard before. These were not whispers anymore. They were more than that. An audience of inputs, each speaking to her of obscure gods and artifacts.

    ¡°Withering Moon, Ciros!¡±

    ¡°Coryzan, Visitor from beyond!¡±

    ¡°Knowledge incarnate, Docterine!¡±

    ¡°Satell, Hidden from Sight!¡±

    ¡°Rearsire, Almighty Witness!¡±

    ¡°Mischievous Meddlers, Lara, Moro and Turu!¡±

    Each voice grew louder with each chant of their respective sentences. Syllis had no clue what any of it meant. Perhaps nothing at all, yet it could also be the key to everything.

    ¡®Stop¡­ Stop it.¡¯ Syllis stumbled backwards and continued refining.

    ¡°Further, smoother. Refine it further. Re¡ªstop it now. Why now? Why is this happening now!¡± Syllis yelled.

    The secare nymph fell to the ground. She continued to refine her needles though. They would pierce this titan.

    Once she could not bear the shouting anymore, she dropped the sheet. There was only a single thing she needed to worry about. Syllis needed to dismiss the sheet before it reached Clyde and whoever else was standing around.

    Various needles pierced the titan and it let out a series of shrieks. Every single one, more wretched and loud than the last. Syllis did not care, her mind was already occupied with voices a dozen times more irritating.

    Black tar and purple-pink guts were expelled from the entry holes once the sheet was dismissed. Any and everyone in the area was covered entirely. No one spared.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Syllis said. She stumbled over her own feet while studying the pitch-black creature in front of her. A taran.

    It walked towards her and brandished its fingers as weapons, they were unnaturally sharp.

    ¡°A desperate loser who killed her friend.¡±

    ¡°Aura isn¡¯t dead!¡± Syllis yelled. ¡°Everything I¡¯ve done is to help them!¡±

    ¡°To help yourself,¡± the taran said.

    ¡°No¡ªno I am helping them!¡± Syllis refuted.

    ¡°Because you want to help yourself,¡± it furthered.

    ¡°That''s it,¡± Syllis said. Her voice rang out with irritation and bloodlust. ¡°I¡¯ll pull your long limbs apart.¡±

    Syllis charged forward. She did not have the sanity to form a weapon. Her hands would have to do. Blood. It seeped from her forearm. The taran had carved a neat cut into it with its blade-like fingers.

    ¡°Blood. I¡¯m bleeding!¡± Syllis exclaimed. She pushed backwards.

    The taran that had been mouthing off suddenly fell forward. Purple-pink guts fell through a hole in its chest.

    Behind its body, Clyde stood still.

    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Clyde said. ¡°Good job, Syllis. That was a damn good job!¡±

    ¡°Good¡ªI did a good job,¡± Syllis said before cackling.

    Clyde walked up to her and grabbed her arm, wrapping it around his shoulder. Syllis was losing a considerable amount of blood. Soon enough, her legs would buckle under her own weight. It was best they retreated before that happened.

    The wall was far from them. They were pushed back, yet still had a hundred meters to walk. They should have thought of how happy they were. To be done with the battle, to remain alive, the lives that were saved. Yet they did not talk, or relish in their victories. The corruption had taken over the majority of their minds. In a way, they were not entirely themselves. Bits and pieces were replaced, albeit temporarily. For this short time though, they laughed. Fully, like a lunatic, they laughed.

    ¡®Hell, so similar¡­¡¯ Syllis thought. She began walking forward faster, her vision was continuing to blur. It felt like her eyes had when adjusting to the fable.

    Clyde was forced to match her pace, he was taken aback.

    ¡°Right? Are you¡ªright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve,¡± Syllis said, ¡°never been alright!¡±

    Syllis continued to laugh. Scenes of her communion ritual returned to her mind. The fights with her mother afterwards. Every single time she blamed her for their terrible lives. Syllis had never been alright. But she was forced to think she was. The nymph was not nearly as volatile or openly hurt or damaged as a criminal or addict on the outer ring. Her pain was a silent kind, without the flashiness of violent crime or insane actions. But she still hurt, she had always been hurting.

    And then the scenes of Clyde, Aura and Korman each stepping through the ethereal tear to another world¡ªthe fable rift. That hurt her again. In a way, it was even more painful being hurt again. Right when she had finally made a step in restoring her life. Right when she made friends. Right when she had made friends. Right when she had fallen victim to the fallacy of hope. Syllis was hurt again.

    The secare nymph continued to speed up. She wiggled loose of Clyde¡¯s arm that was wrapped around her back. She wanted to get away and leave the tether and beginning of this hope behind.

    Syllis nearly crashed through the door to the temporary room. Instead, she crashed into a chair within. The glow-tree chair made a loud knock as she hit it. Korman¡ªwho was sitting on that such chair¡ªturned away from Aura and her shattered, bandaged shoulder. He faced Syllis donning a look of confusion.

    Syllis stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. She turned to Aura.

    ¡°You love her.¡±

    Korman¡¯s face flushed red. It was an unusual occurrence.

    As the world gradually darkened, Syllis continued to laugh. She carved her nails into the floor, at least she tried to. The room was met with a large scraping sound.

    And then, the world faded away entirely.

    ¡°Syllis!¡± Clyde called out to her. He was not met with a response.

    Syllis could not speak. ¡®Why does god hurt me? Why does god¡­ Why does god hurt? Why me?¡¯

    Soon after, her thoughts were lost as well. Syllis had fallen asleep and into a dream. She deserved it.

 Chapter 52 - His Savior Complex

    The light above was almost blinding. It was just as it had been when Syllis awoke in Lurgica¡¯s infirmary. Surgery demanded such brightness. The ability to see into every crevice, discern the smallest detail.

    ¡®So damn bright¡­¡¯ Syllis fought the urge to laugh. The bright lights were humorous.

    ¡®They aren¡¯t funny. Why am I¡ªdamn it all.¡¯ Syllis¡¯ corruption had receded, but not entirely. She had used far too much of her bond for that. Her reasoning was mostly intact now, but her humor was still compromised. She suspected her general regulation of emotions to share the same fate.

    They were glow-tree sheets above. The sheets had been melded to the roof and shone their purple-blue light down upon the bed. Most of the light was focused there.

    Syllis felt a weight on top of her. For a moment, she believed her bi-weekly ¡®episode¡¯ was coming on. This thought retreated once she looked down from the ceiling. A woman¡¯s arm was the root of the problem.

    ¡®Aura¡­¡¯ Syllis thought. She remembered the tragedy.

    Her shoulder had been entirely shattered and her flesh, blood and bone scattered across the ground. The tears that fell from her eyes. Most importantly, the fact that it was her own fault. Her method of destroying the first titan nearly killed Aura.

    Gently, Syllis grabbed her arm and placed it over her own body. She had freed herself!

    Crash! Syllis met the floor shortly after standing up. She was not in the most optimal shape. She had forgotten the medical ability of the elmannise doctors. They were good, but specialized in burns. They also lacked the powerful effects of anathemic bonds.

    The floor was cold and almost entirely black in color. Only slight speckles of grey were littered throughout and the surface rippled like the top of a pristine lake.

    ¡®If only it wasn¡¯t so dreary.¡¯

    Syllis utilized the side of the bed to the fullest. It was ironic. She had taken down two entire titans. Hulking monstrosities that threatened the entire existence of the elmannise. She is certainly the most lethal force in the wall. Yet, she was losing a battle against her own legs at the moment.

    ¡®Am I even in the wall right now, or were we moved? How long was I out for?¡¯

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Syllis yelled at herself. She hit her fist against the cold floor. It would not break even if she had met it a million times. She was frustrated.

    Eventually she had pushed herself back onto the bed where she sat up straight. Even that was difficult to manage though. Breathing was a toilsome task.

    Syllis, basked in the¡ªoddly soothing¡ªpurple-blue light of the glow-tree sheets, examined herself.

    Bandages, a whole lot of them. This was what was inhibiting her breathing, not Aura¡¯s airy arm. These bandages covered her¡ªforearm, the majority of her chest, abdomen and her right leg¡ªthis was why it had been so difficult for her to walk. The cloth was already beginning to stain. The gauze underneath had absorbed a lot of blood. But, Syllis¡¯ body did not have much to give. She could feel her vision blur slightly. It would be a while before she recovered.

    There would probably be around a week before she¡ªand Aura at least¡ªcould fight at the foot of the wall. Korman and Clyde would likely be shuffled around teams. Unless Vernim appointed them as caretakers for both Syllis and Aura. This was unlikely. If the next battles were as gruesome and absurd as the last, then they would be needed. There was a chance the wall could fall.

    Every once in a while, Syllis heard a slight murmur. It was a great improvement over the incoherent ramblings that she was being told throughout the fight. Improvement or not, they were still irritating¡­

    ¡®Enough!¡¯ Syllis urged Coryzan inwardly.

    Syllis exhaled, defeatedly. She was bored. But what could she do? Her legs still buckled under her weight and she was not exactly keen on damaging her body further. Her eyes wandered as she scanned the room. On a slight table¡ªor what acted like one¡ªthere was clothing. It was rugged and worn.

    ¡®Better than nothing.¡¯ Syllis thought. She disliked being exposed. It likely stemmed from her time in the outer ring of Asanoch.

    Syllis awkwardly put on the clothing. The shirt was straightforward, the pants though¡­ It was difficult to put on pants without being able to stand up. Eventually she figured it out though. She felt much more comfortable in the embrace of warm clothing. Not that her cloth bandages were not warm¡ªonly less so.

    Syllis then felt a subtle warmth within. She smiled, before frowning. ¡®I thought there would be at least a few days before¡­¡¯ Her episode had triggered a couple days before she entered the fable rift. It was speeding up again. It was likely only a matter of time before it would be happening once a week.

    ¡®Then what? Once a day, twice a day?¡¯ The dread was creeping in on Syllis. When would it become unbearable? Who was there to say if it would eventually be happening at all times. She could not possibly deal with that.

    ¡®As soon as we get out of this fable I have to find help, somehow.¡¯ Syllis resolved, though hope was slim. She had approached Edward about it and he had nothing to say. He probably wanted to tell her that she was crazy, his expression said so.

    Syllis felt the searing pain begin and immediately used her odd method of dealing with it. The pain was spread throughout her whole body so the intense pain that was brought by biting into herself overpowered it, taking the attention of the mind.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    After around ten minutes passed, she supercooled her hand. It was numbed and would be left unusable for around a day, else she could injure it further. This was not an issue for Syllis though. She could not combat the taran for at least a week and her wrapped arm prohibited her from really pushing that hand to its limit

    The secare nymph looked at Aura, again. She was tranquil as she slept. The occasional snore left her. She deserved the reprieve. Syllis was not about to wake her up simply because she was bored and lonely.

    This would likely last through the entirety of her week recovering. There was nothing ahead and aching pain was not a vacation. Only more pain awaited her. Syllis knew that.

    Again, she tried to stand. Several seconds passed before she buckled this time.

    ¡°Improvement,¡± Syllis grumbled through gritted teeth.

    Eventually she grew bored of waiting for her legs to regain enough strength. There was a more efficient way for her to get around. She was thankful that Aura was asleep and could not see her at the moment.

    Syllis reached her arms forward and crawled, dragging her legs across the group. She could not just lay in the room forever. There were important things to do such as¡ªlearning of Aura¡¯s treatment, figuring out how Clyde and Korman were faring and assessing the state of the wall¡ªalthough the last one would be difficult to accomplish without the use of legs.

    ¡®Oh well, it doesn¡¯t matter to me much.¡¯ Syllis thought. ¡®Many people died, the number is irrelevant.¡¯

    Syllis pushed a door in front of her open revealing a wider room.

    Within, a large table surrounded with six chairs. Glow-tree sheets were lining this room as well, basking it in the familiar¡ªand somewhat irritating¡ªlight. Two figures sat on a couple chairs. One of them had blond hair and the other, brown.

    ¡°You two!¡± Syllis yelled to Korman and Clyde.

    They turned towards the door. Puzzled expressions only grew on their faces. Then, they looked to the bottom.

    A battered nymph lied against the cold floor. Her hair a cerulean blue and her eyes a sympathetic seafoam color. Her body was littered with bandages and a rugged outfit was on top of it all.

    They turned to each other, stifling laughter.

    ¡°Laugh at your savior,¡± Syllis said. ¡°doesn¡¯t bode well for your future.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Clyde answered, his voice sympathetic to her cause. ¡°It isn¡¯t right to laugh at the¡­ fallen.¡±

    Korman did not speak or laugh. He merely watched Syllis, waiting for her reaction.

    Syllis stayed silent, watching the two men.

    ¡°Are you just going to leave me on the ground here?¡± Syllis said. ¡°Offer me a chair or something.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Clyde said, ¡°would you like a chair?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d more like for you to help me up to one¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± Clyde moved to the ¡®fallen¡¯ nymph and extended a hand.

    Syllis wavered before grabbing it. She was pulled up and nearly collapsed again. Clyde wrapped his arm around the front of her to stop her. She groaned with the weight pressed against her abdomen.

    ¡°Wounds,¡± Syllis grumbled. ¡°Watch out for the damn wounds.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Syllis,¡± Clyde said.

    Syllis was then gently guided to a nearby chair. There was not any food or beverages to be had. But it did not matter to her. Syllis was just happy to have company. She did not want to be alone.

    ¡°So,¡± Syllis said, ¡°how have you two fared? I mean any major injuries?¡±

    ¡°Not for me,¡± Clyde answered. His afterimages helped him stay out of trouble.

    ¡°There were a few gashes on my forearms and back,¡± Korman said. ¡°I tend to lose the idea of evading under the influence of my bond. Manifesting those bestial characteristics is an easy way to lose track of your own humanity.¡±

    Syllis frowned a little after hearing this. It reminded her of the time she spent on the outer ring and her ritual. She had essentially been treated like a beast, being forcefully tethered to a ¡®god.¡¯ Even afterwards, when she was roaming the outer streets, her life was essentially on auto pilot. No day was unique, same as an animal¡¯s.

    ¡°What about Aura?¡± Syllis said. ¡°How was her treatment? Did the doctors say she was going to heal well?¡±

    Korman¡¯s face flushed at the thought of Aura. Clyde looked at him with a smirk.

    ¡°Heal well?¡± Clyde said, his expression turned solemn. ¡°Anyone could take a glance at her shoulder and see how completely broken it was.¡±

    Syllis exhaled slightly, biting down on the inside of her cheek. It was her fault, at least partly. ¡®To hear that she won¡¯t recover for the while is¡­ Disheartening to say the least.¡¯

    ¡°Aura won¡¯t regain use of that arm,¡± Korman furthered. ¡°Not in here at least. Once she gets home though¡­¡±

    ¡°Once we all get home, Korman.¡±

    ¡°Clyde,¡± Syllis said, ¡°I think it''s time you look at things as they are.¡±

    ¡°And how are ¡®things?¡¯¡± Clyde asked sarcastically. ¡°You want me to acknowledge the state of this fable, of the wall?¡±

    ¡°I want to know that you are.¡±

    ¡°What good would that do?¡± Clyde asked. ¡°If I acknowledge the horrible state of everything do you think that I¡¯ll repent?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you repent,¡± Syllis said. ¡°I want to see you feel the consequences and move forward.¡±

    ¡°Feel the consequences? Do you think I haven¡¯t felt the consequences?¡± Clyde asked. ¡°Of course I knew the results of my actions. We could die, but that is not set in stone yet.¡±

    ¡°It''s a damn likely scenario,¡± Syllis said.

    ¡°You¡¯re right Syllis,¡± Clyde said. ¡°I could have killed you three. What does it matter in the grand scheme?¡±

    ¡°What does it matter? You don¡¯t give a damn!¡± Syllis yelled. ¡°You dare tell me that our lives don¡¯t matter!¡±

    Korman watched in silence. He shifted backwards slightly. Clyde looked at him for assistance but he only shied away further.

    Clyde looked back to Syllis before continuing. ¡°Our lives might be sacrificed, but thousands more will be saved. Can you even imagine how many lives the flames of the four suns would have claimed!? What about those titans you nearly died to kill?¡±

    Syllis tried to stand before her body put her back in her seat. ¡°Did you ever stop to think that I didn¡¯t want to risk my life for those people? What the hell did any of them give to me!?¡±

    The secare nymph once again looked back to the outer ring. She was constantly threatened. People tried to steal from her and traffic her for quartz. The only reason she had survived until this point in her life was due to her bond. It was a situation of two evils and the lesser one had enabled her to live. The people of Asanoch were a greater evil.

    ¡°What did they¡ª¡±

    Clyde was interrupted. All three of the kindred sat at the table and looked to their side.

    ¡°Aura.¡±

 Chapter 53 - Her Shattered Shoulder

    ¡°So bright¡­¡± Aura muttered aloud, staring at the glowing sheets lining the ceiling.

    Immediately, she went to her first thought, her arm. Or rather her shoulder. The human gleaned her shattered shoulder. She half expected to see blood and bone along with the absence of flesh. Instead, her shoulder and forearm had been entirely wrapped in cloth bandages, not dissimilar to the ones Eitisan used.

    Along with her shoulder, her chest and neck were wrapped. Aura remembered the fight against the taran. Scenes of her scratching at her neck, clawing for a way in resurfaced.

    ¡®I truly dissolve into pure lunacy after over utilizing my bond. The infection is much too problematic. Yes¡­ I should search for a suitable anathema once I return, one that can extend the length before infection arises.¡¯ Aura resolved within.

    Her next thought was to assess the exact damage of her arm. She did not want to look below the bandages, that would inevitably cause further damage. Instead, she opted for a simpler approach.

    ¡®Nope¡­ I can¡¯t move it.¡¯

    Aura hit her hand against the side of the bed.

    Murmurs still rang out within her mind. They spoke incoherently and in broken sentences. Most were not even words of the same language. The voices were foreign and obtuse.

    The human woman merely grumbled in response to them. They were not a wonderful side effect of using her bond. But she had mostly gotten used to them by now.

    Besides, it was not like these murmurs were of unknown origin. Aura had long known these ¡®voices¡¯ were the denizens of Faran-Vaul. Both of her anathema stemmed from the same town from the Fable of the Fallen Faran-Vaul. So, in a way, they were familiar to her.

    Aura tried to rub her eyes but only managed to run the left one. Once again her right arm had refused to move. She had not even tried to move it again, it was merely a habit. It made her sad, watching her arm remain limp. She could not even wiggle her fingers.

    She then rubbed her other eye with her left hand. They were watery and dry simultaneously, bizarre, but what was not in a fable rift? Especially one such as theirs?

    Then, she silently invoked her bond. It was impossible for her to forget the invocation, it was ingrained in her head.

    ¡®Serfurm, the devourer of worlds and envoy of the lower realm. The ephemeral glow in the night and deacon of negativity. Forged in ghastly peril and woken by perpetual sorrow.¡¯

    Two rifts manifested. Though, they were unable to be seen. Both of these slight, ephemeral, spacial rends had been opened behind her eyes. That trick had taken her many years. Then, a couple minute maggots were forcefully willed from the rends and sat behind her eyes. These would allow her to see with perfect clarity.

    The glow-sheets lit up the room, but not every part. The walls were still shrouded in mystery and the undulating waves could not be seen with the enhanced vision. Aura deemed it necessary.

    ¡®It is peculiar though¡­¡¯ Aura thought, scratching at her collarbone. ¡®Why does my vision allow me to see through this abyss while Korman¡¯s does not? Is it because of Serfurm¡¯s affinity with the lower realm, does that extend to me as well? In a way, could I be considered another advocate for negativity, perhaps a priest?¡¯

    Aura scanned the room with her eyes and noted the larger bed and shifted blanket overtop her. ¡®Someone else was laying down here.¡¯

    The wall was pulled out to the right of her. It served as a nightstand¡ªwhich was her most prized piece of furniture in Asanoch. Atop it was clothing. Aura had been wearing pants but her upper body was solely covered by the cloth bandages. It was cold, so naturally she put on the shirt.

    Aura could not help but feel slightly inferior once she put on the shirt. It was as if the taran had taken her nobility away and reduced her to a mere commoner. Then again, she had learned to respect the common-folk¡ªwell, one commoner.

    ¡°What good¡ªdo you think¡ªrepent!¡±

    Aura only heard bits and pieces through the abyssal walls. They weren¡¯t eerie solely because of the pitch-black color or the undulating waves that rolled over its surface. These ¡®walls¡¯ also blocked out nearly all sound. The only bit of sound that leaked through was in the cracks in the door. It was easy to tell the voice was Clyde¡¯s though.

    Clyde and Syllis would not be able to see them. But Aura, with her enhanced vision, could easily make out the slight cracks in the doorway. Maybe Korman would be able to do the same under the light of a glow-tree lantern.

    Aura picked herself up out of the bed. She stumbled slightly due to sheer exhaustion but otherwise the lower half of her body was entirely healthy.

    ¡®Thank Serfurm. My shattered shoulder is enough of a problem. I don¡¯t even know if it will heal before the conclusion of our fable. It might have lost too much bone, or the nerves could be severed.¡¯ Aura sighed.

    More yelling could be heard through the cracks of the door, irritating Aura. With heavy footsteps, she made her way to the door without any problems. Then, she reached out and pushed the door open, calmly.

    In the center of the wide room was a table. The roof was lined with glow-tree sheets and the wall had them spread out sparsely. There was a glow-tree lantern sitting on the table, illuminating the three figures that each sat around it.

    There were two humans and a nymph. Each of them turned towards the opened door and therefore Aura with guilty expressions.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°No pity,¡± Aura said, tiredly. She had not gotten much rest or at least it had not felt like it. Pity was the last thing she wanted to see. What she wanted was normalcy. To be treated like a normal person. She did not want the pity cast down at her shattered shoulder.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Clyde said, tersely.

    ¡°Did we wake you?¡± Syllis asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Aura answered. So what if they had not really woken her up? She deserved an apology of sorts for the pity they cast down at her. She was not inferior without the use of her right arm.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Syllis and Clyde both answered, nearly simultaneously. An outsider would look at the both of them and glean a deep friendship, but right now, only hatred burned between them.

    Aura made her way to one of the three remaining chairs. She had chosen one next to Syllis. The both of them sat entirely across from Clyde and half the length of the table from Korman.

    Why? She felt Syllis¡¯ gaze. It was not pity, instead, it was an apology. Aura did not know the reason for this ¡®apology¡¯ but she appreciated it nonetheless.

    ¡°So,¡± Aura said, setting her legs up onto the table, ¡°why were you two arguing again, same reason?¡±

    ¡°Only the two of us,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Right, I guess Korman was too afraid to share his thoughts on the matter.¡±

    ¡°Quit it, Syllis,¡± Clyde said. He then turned towards Aura. ¡°Same reason.¡±

    ¡°Both of you have to get over this,¡± Aura said, disappointment in her voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to quit until this guy sees what he did.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I understand what I did. There was nothing wrong with my decision.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Aura asked. ¡°You really think there was nothing wrong with your, mine and Korman¡¯s decision?¡±

    Clyde stood up and walked over to a nearby countertop. Obviously, he had taken the lantern with him. There was another area where the wall had been pulled outwards. On top of it was a similarly glowing¡ªyet somewhat faded¡ªjar. Inside, more than a half-dozen root-like objects. They floated in the water.

    These were called after their most obvious quality¡ªthick roots. Similarly named ¡®thick trees¡¯ on the surface absorb water. They adapted to need little water in a world where it could grow so scarce. The rest of the water pooled in thick-roots that dipped into the abyss.

    Every other week, the high priest and priestess would send gatherers onto willed pathways to cleave the thick-roots. These roots took one week to grow back, the second was to accumulate water. Although the thick trees evolved to not need water, that was compared to other, thirstier trees. The water in their roots was abundant and did not warrant any worrying among the elmannise.

    Clyde reached in and lifted up one such thick-root, scooping it full of water. He then gulped it down in one breath before tossing the thick-root aside.

    Korman and Clyde had purchased the jar of water and thick-roots with their contribution points from the battle. Along with this was food and a glow-tree lantern. Their housing had been provided by Vernim who had also contracted sculptors to add glow-tree sheets. It was the least he could do, Aura and her companions had possibly saved the wall.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Aura asked.

    ¡°Water,¡± Clyde answered.

    ¡°Really?¡± Syllis asked.

    ¡°Really,¡± Korman answered.

    Syllis scrutinized the man under her gaze.

    ¡°Come on, Syllis,¡± Aura said. ¡°This would be a weird thing to lie about. Let¡¯s try it.¡±

    Aura stood up and began walking to the counter. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ She spun around. Syllis had not followed her.

    The secare nymph shot her an awkward smile and shifted slightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna need a little help,¡± Syllis said, pushing herself up with the help of the table.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Aura said. She stepped to Syllis¡¯ side and wrapped her arm around her.

    The both of them approached the jug of water that Clyde was still loitering around. Aura was eager and Syllis¡­ she was likely eager but showed refrain.

    Aura helped her onto the countertop. She could not just prop her up until they all sat down again.

    Aura picked up a thick root and brought it to her mouth. The earthy and rich water reinvigorated her in an instant. ¡®This is a lot better than the water in asanoch! Ironically enough¡­¡¯

    ¡°Syllis,¡± Aura said. ¡°Take a sip.¡±

    Syllis did not speak. She looked to her feet back up.

    ¡°What?¡± Aura asked. ¡°You don¡¯t need me to hold the water to your mouth, do you?¡±

    ¡°Try Korman,¡± Syllis said, a large grin spread across her face.

    Then, she reached her hand into the bowl from on top of the counter. She pulled out a thick-root with scooped water. The nymph held it to her mouth and let out a pleased expression which she promptly hid.

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Aura said, somewhat distantly. ¡°You need that, Korman?¡±

    Aura looked at the tall man, his face was flushed a deep red. Normally it would have been unnoticeable under the purple-blue lights, they were somewhat distasteful in this way. But Aura¡ªwith her enhanced eyesight¡ªcould easily distinguish this fact.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Aura sounded aloud.

    Korman rose, heading towards the counter. He picked up a thick-root and drank from it.

    ¡°There,¡± Korman said.

    Aura smiled and reached for Korman¡¯s shoulder. Her hand met it and she gave it a couple pats.

    ¡°Good job,¡± Aura said. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡± She nearly started instantly laughing after saying this. It was somewhat stifled.

    Then, she felt somewhat sad though. ¡®His shoulder¡­¡¯ Aura sighed, shaking her head slightly.

    Korman was stunned for a few seconds before his face turned even hotter and he went to sit back down.

    ¡°Come now, Syllis,¡± Aura said, wrapping her arm around the secare nymph¡¯s back.

    The both of them moved back into their seats, Clyde followed suit. With a conflicted expression Aura then looked at Clyde and Korman across the table. She had neglected to look at Syllis, she had similarly recently awoke.

    ¡°So,¡± Aura said, ¡°how are my wounds, really. I don¡¯t want any awkwardness. So cut straight to the point.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re bad,¡± Korman answered. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to use your right arm again until Edward takes a look at it.¡± After he finished speaking, he looked at her with his same, pitiful eyes.

    ¡°I see,¡± Aura said, looking down at her arm dejectedly. The side of the bandages were beginning to loosen. ¡°Think about what kind of anathema I¡¯ll get for it though. Surely this is tragic enough for fate.

    ¡°Also, could I be directed to whoever did my bandages? I¡¯ve got to tear them a new one¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Clyde said. ¡°That would be¡­ Korman.¡±

    He gestured towards the tall man who was currently covering his face.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Aura¡¯s face turned red and she began to stumble over her words.

    ¡°O-oh, so you¡­ T-that it¡­¡± Aura shook her head and looked down at her wrapped arm and figure, through the loose neckline of her shirt. Her mind began to spin with thoughts and scenarios, but she merely dismissed them. ¡®This isn¡¯t the time for¡­¡¯

    ¡°Thank you, Korman,¡± Aura said in a warm tone with an equally welcoming smile. ¡°We¡¯ll work on your bandaging prowess.¡±

 Chapter 54 - Death Penalty

    Syllis sat with her arms crossed, beside Aura. She did not speak, wishing to leave the job of breaking the awkward atmosphere to anyone else. She only shot Clyde a sort of disturbed look, scrutinizing him underneath her gaze.

    Lucky for them, no one needed to break the silence. Several loud knocks rang out against a door and incomprehensible murmurs were spoken beyond it.

    Apparently whoever was speaking assumed that the residents of this building were elmannise. So, the words were unintelligible. Korman did not have the time to activate his hearing mutation.

    ¡°Not me,¡± Syllis said. She raised her arms in the air as though surrendering. ¡°On account of me not being able to walk.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Aura said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Clyde finally said.

    It was only natural. He had fallen into the role of the de facto leader of their group. It made the most sense for him to get the door. Besides, Syllis and Aura were badly injured and Korman did not particularly shine socially.

    Clyde opened the door, revealing an elmannise man with long brown hair. There was a large axe secured to his back. This was their signature weapon, most soldiers used them.

    ¡°How can I help you?¡± Clyde asked diplomatically.

    ¡°I am looking for an¡­¡± the elmannise soldier had trouble pronouncing the name, ¡°Aura?¡±

    The soldier watched Clyde¡¯s confused expression. ¡°Small stature, black hair, green eyes¡­ Uh, does anyone like that live here?¡± His gaze wandered the room, eventually stopping.

    ¡°Yeah, we do,¡± Clyde said. ¡°Aura, come over here please.¡± He gestured for her to join the both of them.

    Aura stood up, her right arm limp at her side. Her hair was disheveled and did not carry the normal pin-straight quality.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Aura asked, irritatedly. She did not want to be sought out. She wanted to recover in peace.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the elmannise soldier replied. ¡°You are being detained for the murder of Hlorndt, member of the elmannise. Please come with me.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Clyde asked worriedly from the side.

    Korman similarly shouted, saying that they were lies. ¡°Aura would never harm an innocent.¡±

    These were lies of course. But the elmannise soldier did not need to know. None of them knew exactly how serious the legal system of the elmannise was. They could not take any chances.

    ¡°Take me away, officer,¡± Aura said, her tone laced with mockery. What else could she do in this scenario?

    Syllis remained silent. ¡®If we fled, the chasm would take us. If we fought, we would be struck down.¡¯ She thought before letting out a sigh.

    Anathemic bonds shook the world in ways far beyond anyone''s comprehension, but Syllis and her companions had a measly single anathema each¡ªat least that was her belief. This single anathema would not be enough to take down an entire civilization. Even if their bonds were especially potent.

    ¡°We will escort you.¡±

    ¡°Korman,¡± Syllis said, ¡°would you help me, please?¡±

    Four elmannise guards surrounded Aura as they made their way to their destination. Syllis, Korman and Clyde each followed behind, another guard guided them. Without the use of her legs, Syllis needed to rely on Korman. He held her legs and she held onto his shoulders.

    They asked occasional questions only to be refused answers. This furthered their assumption that this case would be a quick one. Guilty, this was what Syllis assumed the verdict would be. At which point, they would have to flee into the sky chasm and face the wrath of the four suns. Syllis did not particularly want to be torched alive, so instead, she spent the journey thinking of a way to get Aura out of her murder charges.

    Several thoughts crossed her mind. ¡®Threatening could work¡­ We already saved more of your people than killed. We could end up with a much greater amount of casualties if you threaten Aura at all¡­¡¯ Syllis rehearsed internally.

    The secare nymph hoped it would not come to this though. If it did, they would lose their unassuming place within the wall. Rumors would likely begin to spread about them and that would eventually force them out. Jyrid had once told Syllis about something similar which had caused him to move his tavern.

    ¡°We are here,¡± the first elmannise guard said.

    To Syllis, they had merely arrived in front of a huge void. It was only after their glow-tree lanterns illuminated the massive, willed building that she saw it.

    ¡°Please,¡± an elmannise man with black hair said, ¡°come on in.¡±

    This man showed the guards along with Syllis and her companions inside. The inner area was littered with trophies that could only be seen with the lanterns. Skulls and skins of titan taran. There were apparently no glow-tree sheets in the entire building which had been dubbed¡ªthe decision-making parlor. Syllis did not consider it to be the best name ever. But then again, the elmannise were practicality over all else.

    Glow-tree sheets suddenly lit the area up like a sky of bright stars as they opened the door to the ¡®punishment room.¡¯ This room had been specially set up for the trial. Syllis and her companions saved the wall. They deserved this slight courtesy.

    ¡®I¡¯m tired of these lights¡­¡¯ Syllis rolled her eyes. She almost wished to be thrown into the dark again. She thought back to their week of traveling with Ehtis as their guide. ¡®Never mind!¡¯

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    At the front of the room were three elmannise. The first was easy to recognize. It was Vernim, chief of the wall. There were two others to his left and right. One was an intelligent-looking man and the other a strong woman. She did not wear sleeves which showed off her defined arms, even under the purple-blue light which was difficult to see shadows under.

    ¡°Please, follow me.¡±

    Aura was led to a stand in the center of the room. Beside her was a familiar face, it was one of the men in Hfroht¡¯s team. He did not look comfortable, in fact, he was squirming slightly. He fiddled with his knuckles.

    Syllis, Korman and Clyde were set aside into a separate area. Across from them was Hfroht and his other team members. They were crying, mourning the loss of their companion.

    ¡°Attention!¡± Vernim commanded the gazes of everyone. ¡°Today, we will determine if Aura truly murdered deceased soldier Hlorndt.

    ¡°For Aura and her companions who are unfamiliar with our system¡­ If we find you to be guilty of the crime or intentionally lying about the dispute at hand then you will be sent to the wrath of the four suns.¡±

    ¡°Got it,¡± Aura said.

    ¡°You will not speak unless spoken to,¡± Vernim said. ¡°Your time will come to tell your side of the story. To my right is fellow decider Htornor and to my left, Fornia Hphuin.

    ¡°Now, to begin, speak accuser.¡±

    The elmannise man looked around briefly, showing off the tears in his eyes. ¡°Hlorndt was a kind-hearted woman. A member of this murderer''s own group was about to be attacked by a taran. I apologize for being unable to recall its class.¡±

    ¡°Would you say that your memory was greatly affected by this event?¡± Htornor asked the elmannise man.

    ¡°No¡ªnot at all. In fact, it is not a problem with my memory. I am unable to distinguish regular taran from amplified. It is a flaw with me!¡± Hkolmon quickly clarified.

    ¡°Hmph,¡± Htornor scrutinized the man, ¡°continue.¡±

    ¡°Hlorndt was protecting the blue haired woman over there,¡± Hkolmon gestured towards Syllis. She awkwardly waved.

    ¡°Then, I turned away for a moment to deal with a couple taran of my own. A loud scream erupted and I turned, seeing Hlorndt lit aflame. As though she had been taken over by the four suns, her skin charred and her clothing turned to ash! The flames were the same color as this witch''s flying demon¡¯s!¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Fornia Hphuin said. ¡°Let¡¯s hear from the woman now.¡±

    ¡®This is where the bad things start¡­¡¯ Syllis almost could not bear to look. Aura was unsociable in the best-case scenario.

    ¡°I, uh¡­¡± Aura cleared her throat. ¡°I detected my companion, Syllis was about to be killed by a taran and intervened. My ¡®flying companion¡¯ eagerly went to save her. In the process of destroying the amplified taran, Hlorndt was indirectly killed by accident as a result of standing too close to the flames.¡±

    ¡®Huh? That wasn¡¯t bad!¡¯ Syllis cheered inwardly. There was no hope of quiet discussion in the room. Everyone but the four of them were elmannise with incredible hearing. Even the quietest quips would be overheard.

    ¡°Why did you not restrain the ¡®flying companion?¡¯¡±

    ¡°I do not have absolute control over it. The companion is very intelligent and acts partly of its own accord. The elmannise woman must have either have stepped into the flames as they began to descend on the taran or the taran was declared too great of a risk to be left alive.¡±

    ¡®Smart¡­¡¯ Syllis thought. ¡®Blaming it on the dragon instead of her own faults!¡¯

    ¡°A mere amplified taran? That was a threat to the woman who had thrown the killing blow at a nearly undamaged titan?¡± Vernim asked.

    Syllis raised her hand into the air. She was not sure if she would be permitted the opportunity to speak, but she wanted to try.

    ¡°Speak,¡± Vernim said, pointing to the nymph.

    ¡°The blow that I landed on the titan took a considerable amount of my abilities leaving me unable to adequately defend myself,¡± Syllis spoke concisely. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for further proof¡­ I¡¯m sure your doctor that looked over my wounds could assure you?¡±

    Vernim turned back towards Aura. ¡°Why did you bring this ¡®flying companion¡¯ to the battlefield?¡±

    The sides of Aura¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°It is an immense tool. It likely cleaved the lives of around eighty taran and twenty to thirty amplified taran on its own.¡±

    ¡°That is a considerable amount!¡± Fornia Hphuin said. She spoke in an almost sarcastic tone. The number was unbelievable!

    ¡°Hkolmon,¡± Htornor said, ¡°can you attest to the ability of this ¡®companion¡¯ of hers?¡±

    Hkolmon grew frustrated. He turned to his group¡ªincluding Hfroht. Not wanting to be fed to the four suns, he decided to tell the truth. ¡°I am unaware of the exact numbers but yes. The flying monster is very adept.

    All three deciders fell into silence as they leaned towards each other and whispered. With the enhanced hearing of the elmannise, they also knew just how quiet they had to speak to remain unheard by their fellow people. Syllis and the others likely would not be able to hear such quiet words even if they whispered into their own ears.

    ¡°We will return!¡± Vernim announced as he and the other two deciders stepped through a large doorway behind them.

    Aura stood still for a moment, not wanting to move when she was not supposed to. This was a sensitive situation. It was only once she saw Hkolmon move to his group that she felt comfortable.

    Syllis patted her on her left shoulder as she sat down. ¡°That was good, Aura.¡± She could not offer the most decisive praise as Hkolmon¡¯s group was listening in.

    Korman and Clyde agreed. The four of them conversed about random topics for a while until the three deciders returned from the large doorway.

    They wore serious expressions on their faces. This suited their expensive robes. Each of them sat down in their respective seats and called forward both Aura and Hkolman.

    ¡°We believe we have enough information to come to a compromise,¡± Vernim said. ¡°It is the decision of two of the three deciders that Aura¡¯s flying companion shall be executed under the suns¡¯ flame.¡±

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Syllis thought internally. She nearly burst into laughter. This had turned out bounds and leagues better than she anticipated.

    ¡°W-what!¡± Hkolmon called out before stumbling backwards. He had spoken before considering.

    ¡°You will speak once spoken to,¡± Vernim said, ¡°Hkolmon! This decision is final. There will be a festival to celebrate the execution in a week. Aura, if you are caught attempting to let the companion escape beforehand, there will be major repercussions. You will inherit the execution, understand?¡±

    ¡°Got it,¡± Aura said, tersely through gritted teeth. She had to look the part. Internally, she would be jumping for joy.

    Even Syllis knew that Aura¡¯s ephemeral creatures could not die. They were merely returned to whatever hell they had crawled out of in the first place. Then, they could be summoned again after recovering again.

    ¡®The flame of the four suns though¡­ I wonder how long it will take her to be able to summon that dragon again?¡¯ Syllis shook her head. ¡®Whatever, she can¡¯t summon that thing again while we¡¯re here anyways¡­¡¯

    ¡°Dismissed!¡± Vernim said before leaving out of the large doorway again.

    Aura reunited with her companions again and they headed back to their ¡®home.¡¯ Each of them let out sighs of relief once they had again sat around the table. Then, they laughed and cheered.

    ¡°It feels kind of grim to be cheering over the execution of my dragon¡­¡± Aura said, dejectedly.

    ¡°Relax,¡± Syllis said, stifling laughter. ¡°It¡¯s only for a little while. Much better than being executed yourself, right?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

 Chapter 55 - As Long as You Live

    ¡°We are gathered today to say farewell to Hlorndt,¡± the celebrant spoke in a somber tone. ¡°She was a respectful person and a formidable fighter. May her soul rest in peace, and return to our Abyssia.¡±

    Syllis listened to the celebrant as she glanced around her surroundings. The situation was strange. ¡®Should we really be here? Along with the murderer?¡±

    The secare nymph was not the only one to notice the odd scenario they found themselves in. Aura in particular looked¡ªmore than slightly¡ªuncomfortable.

    She tried to look straight ahead, towards the celebrant and his urn of ashes. But her curiosity got the better of her and Syllis watched her take brief glances before returning her gaze.

    ¡®Those three¡­¡¯ Syllis internally cursed Hkolmon, Hfroht and the final elmannise man she could not remember. They were staring daggers at the four outsiders.

    ¡°Return to our Abyssia!¡±

    ¡°Return to our Abyssia!¡±

    The elmannise each said this, slightly out of sync with each other. It almost sounded like a cult, worshiping an evil deity. They held their hands below them, towards the ground in a lunatic fashion.

    Syllis looked to Aura who almost seemed compelled to participate. She grabbed the dazed human¡¯s hand and shook her head.

    ¡®This is getting annoying!¡¯ Syllis was irritated. The constant need to talk in secret, without the prying ears of the elmannise was a toilsome task.

    Korman and Clyde stood up straight, respectfully participating in the weird funeral unfolding in front of them. All around them were other elmannise of the wall. The majority of them were family and friends, some were officials to oversee the ritual and some were even more obscure. Like Syllis and her companions. They had essentially been commanded to participate. They came to the assumption that the elmannise were worried about Aura fleeing with her ¡®murderous friend.¡¯

    Everyone was seated under a willed church, not dissimilar to the church in the main heart of Abyssia. It lacked the glow-tree sheets though and by extension any opportunity for vision. So they had brought a glow-tree lantern with them, which attracted a fair amount of contemptuous, silent judgment.

    The funeral celebrant and leader of the ritual pulled the top of the urn off and held it in front of him. He turned to his side, looking at the pitch-black abyss that appeared to be sat on a pillar.

    This abyss was different from the darkness that surrounded them at all times. The normal abyss could be pierced with the light of glow-tree sheets. But the abyss on the pillar? It absorbed any and all light around it and even seemed to contort it slightly.

    ¡°Return,¡± the celebrant said, solemnly. ¡°Return to our Abyssia. Oh Abyssia, please accept our fallen and rebuild them within your domain. Just as you did, our very world.¡± He picked up a handful of ashes and let them fall, gently. Slowly, each fragment of Hlorndt was absorbed into the anomalous void.

    ¡°She has returned!¡± the celebrant cheered, dropping his solemn attitude.

    ¡°She has returned!¡±

    ¡°She has returned!¡±

    The elmannise cheered. They no longer looked solemn and respectful now. It was as if the second Hlorndt had been dropped into the void, any sadness faded away. Even Hfroht and his teammates cheered with smiles on their faces.

    ¡®Makes me wonder why they take death with such offense?¡¯ Syllis thought. ¡®If it¡¯s so easy to recover from then what point is there in the intense repercussions?¡¯

    Gradually, the attendees of the funeral were ushered out of the black church. They were directed to another area¡ªthe top of the wall. This was the viewing area, so to speak. It was where the crowd would gather to watch the ¡®murderer¡¯ be burnt by the fury of the sun. The waves of taran had long been fended off for the day.

    ¡®I¡¯m envious.¡¯ Syllis thought. What fair was it for the elmannise to be able to see so far with such clarity? While Syllis could clearly see the entrance to the sky chasm, she was unable to discern any details at the foot of the wall. The splotches of organs and tar merged with the ground in her eyes and were not noticeable. The only details large enough to distinguish were the bodies of three titans that had been killed.

    She was even envious of Aura and Korman. Korman could not usually use his nocturnal mutations to see through the abyss. But with the illumination provided by the four suns which battled the abyss for entry, his mutations could easily enhance his vision.

    ¡°Where is the murderer?¡± Vernim questioned.

    Syllis felt his demanding gaze over herself and her three companions. Aura turned to face the man.

    ¡°Here,¡± Aura said plainly. Behind her, a large rend in space began to form. It fought with the abyss which threatened to overtake it. The ephemeral lights flickered as a creature with bone wings emerged. It hovered above the human woman¡¯s head.

    The elmannise who were watching almost screamed in horror, the ones who had not seen the creature fight at the foot of the wall. In fact, those elmannise were likely also shaking in fear. Only, they were too afraid to speak it. The monster was a powerhouse which had cleaved more taran and amplified than several entire groups would.

    ¡°Send it to stand in front of the chasm,¡± Vernim said.

    Aura only shook her head, facing the chasm. It took no less than ten minutes, the swift dragon surprised all of the elmannise unaccustomed to it.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Such a lethal beast should be executed!¡±

    ¡°Certainly! No different than enslaving a titan!

    ¡°What kind of devilish woman would have something of that caliber!?¡±

    The elmannise spoke words of relief and slander towards Aura and her ephemeral monster. Although it was not in true danger. She felt uncomfortable sacrificing it. She clicked her teeth together, irritatedly.

    ¡°For the murder of Hlorndt,¡± Vernim said. ¡°This murderer will be executed by the four suns. Such a vile and unforgiving criminal does not deserve to be remade in our Abyssia. It deserves to be ravaged by the savage flames and left to dissolve into nothing. May its death be painful, send it in.¡± His gaze focused on Aura as he spoke.

    Syllis had long regained the use of her legs and stood a little closer to Aura. She wrapped her arm around her shoulder and whispered. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±

    Aura did not respond. She willed her greatest companion to enter the harsh flames of the four suns. Hollow screams rang out, unheard by anyone. Not even the elmannise had the capacity to hear at such a range. Its flesh did not melt, it lacked that quality. The ¡®void¡¯ between its bones did not waver until the bones crumbled, at which point the dragon ceased, denying Aura the ability to move all together. Then, its ephemeral green flames dwindled to nothing.

    Syllis could feel the woman shake under her arm.

    ¡°Syllis,¡± Korman said.

    ¡°Right,¡± Syllis said, pulling her arm away from Aura and nodding. ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Korman thanked her and embraced Aura in a firm hug. He pulled her head close, resting his hand on the back of her head. Syllis heard the slight sobs of Aura, along with the entirety of the elmannise who likely heard them as loud, abrasive distractions. The both of them walked away slowly, leaving Clyde and Syllis as the only two outsiders left.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Clyde said, awkwardly.

    ¡°It must hurt,¡± Syllis said, ¡°seeing your most prized companion burn alive in front of you.¡±

    ¡°It''s fine,¡± Clyde said. ¡°She has Korman to help her through it.¡±

    The both of them began walking in the direction of Aura and Korman, slowly leaving the range of elmannise hearing.

    Syllis remained silent for a second before speaking. ¡°Are you supposed to marry Anahita?¡±

    Clyde was stunned momentarily.

    ¡°Where¡ªwhere did that come from,¡± he answered.

    ¡°Are you gonna answer the question?¡± Syllis asked.

    ¡°Well, technically¡­ I already did,¡± Clyde said, trying to worm his way out of the topic.

    Syllis scrutinized him under her gaze.

    ¡°You¡¯re out of your depth here you know. You aren¡¯t entitled to my deeply personal life,¡± Clyde said.

    ¡°I know,¡± Syllis answered. ¡°Just treat it like repaying your debt for sending me to my death. Besides, you¡¯ve already revealed the nature of your relationship by calling it deeply personal.¡± She emphasized the last two words.

    Clyde appeared conflicted.

    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± he said. ¡°Anahita wants me to marry her. This was why I had run off to the outer ring all those months ago. The worst part was that my parents happily agreed, without so much as a word of say from me.

    ¡°There was of course fame and quartz for the position. As well as the uniting of Asanoch. Taking a step towards narrowing the rift between humans and nymphs and all of that stuff¡­ But what about my feelings on the matter!? Should I not have some sort of say¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you went to the outer ring that day,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Without that encounter my life would have stayed the way it was. I would continue to eat only bread, living every day the same way. It was lonely and boring.

    ¡°Once I got the contract from Clark, my life got better and my desires heightened. This is why I hated you bringing us into this rift.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Clyde said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This fable did not only save the city of Asanoch. I also thought that¡­ I thought that if I could inherit a particularly powerful anathema, then I might be able to escape my destiny.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Syllis said, ¡°destiny, not fate?¡±

    ¡°Not according to my interpretation,¡± Clyde said. ¡°I like to believe that people can change their fate with enough effort, destiny though¡­ Destiny is unchanging, perhaps in extreme, supernatural scenarios. Anyways, I used to believe that marrying Anahita was fate. Now, I realize it was futile and that it is merely my destiny.¡± His expression contorted, revealing a self-deprecating grin.

    ¡°Destiny¡­¡± Syllis said, turning away from Clyde. ¡°Fate and destiny, a couple of meddlesome fiends. I¡¯d like to discredit the existence of either, but I have to acknowledge the chances.

    ¡°The thought of something outside of my reach, controlling any aspect of my life is somewhat cosmic. I can only hope that whatever is pulling the strings has good intentions in mind.¡± Syllis smiled in a similarly self-deprecating manner. She then turned back, facing the man. ¡°That doesn¡¯t have to be your destiny. As long as you push it, there''s a chance. Better yet, throw it out entirely. Flee Asanoch, start anew.¡±

    ¡°And be branded as a criminal?¡± Clyde said. ¡°Think logically, fate would always drag me back.¡±

    ¡®Fate and logic, two opposing forces. Unless they can really weave together, that¡¯s pretty ironic.¡¯ Syllis thought. ¡°Fake your own death.¡±

    ¡°There will be droves of people, waiting for us to return from the fable rift. I would never be able to leave unnoticed,¡± Clyde said with a sigh. ¡°Any other options? Maybe I could wait for you three to exit while I sit back and wait for another fable rift? No, that would only get you arrested and would spell certain death for me. That¡¯s the plan of a madman.¡±

    ¡°It seems that every avenue truly leads you back to Anahita,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Well, in that case, embrace your marriage. Once you have united the people of Asanoch act distant, acquire several mistresses and overall be a terrible husband.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have the greatest perception of people,¡± Clyde said. ¡°But you aren¡¯t alone in your assumption. Anahita¡¯s greatest commitment is not to the city, but herself. The city is a means for ¡®securing her future¡¯ as she says. I am yet another want of hers, beyond the utility. It''s almost an obsession¡ªactually, it is an obsession. If I¡¯m unfaithful, she just might execute me, or lock me away forever.¡±

    ¡®What kind of witch¡­¡¯ Syllis was disgusted.

    ¡°Well,¡± Syllis said, ¡°in that case. Then I guess, it was great knowing you. But seriously, you can find a way out. If you can¡¯t then what hope do I or anyone else have?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t stop trying,¡± Clyde said. ¡°I can tell you that much.¡±

    ¡°How can I believe you saying that?¡± Syllis asked.

    ¡°How about this,¡± Clyde said, ¡°I will promise not to give up for as long as you live.¡±

    ¡°For as long as I live?¡± Syllis repeated, confused.

    ¡°If you¡¯re gone, then I¡¯m free to be miserable for the rest of my life.¡± Clyde said before laughing in a wry manner.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Syllis said. ¡°For as long as I live.¡±

 Chapter 56 - Trial and Error

    After that, Syllis asked Vernim for a couple words. There were a couple questions she had for him.

    ¡°So,¡± Syllis said, crossing one leg over the other. ¡°Why did you hold a trial at all?¡±

    The both of them sat in a spacious office. It had splendor with glow-sheet ribbons and trophies of dead taran. There were gifts given by his people and commendations for his achievements. On the more morose side¡ªa tally board of every confirmed death at the foot of the wall. The number extended into the thousands, it almost neared ten thousand.

    Vernim sighed, walking over to the board. He added three tallies and stood still for a moment. He was respecting the dead. Their bodies were mangled and scattered, unable to return to Abyssia. As such, they were lost forever.

    ¡°Trial?¡±

    ¡°It''s what we call it,¡± Syllis clarified, ¡°In Ethrailia. Where you put a criminal away, typically in jail.¡±

    ¡°The criminal was executed,¡± Vernim said. ¡°It''s hardly the same thing.¡±

    ¡°We execute too, but only in rare scenarios,¡± Syllis said before her expression contorted. ¡°Well, Asanoch is pretty lax with execution actually.¡±

    ¡°Whatever the case,¡± Vernim said. ¡°The purpose was to sentence a murderer. Do you believe that the monster should have been spared?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Syllis answered, plainly. ¡°But you already had the sentence planned. What was the purpose for the trial at all?¡±

    ¡°The elmannise need to believe I¡¯m fair,¡± Vernim answered.

    ¡°Are you not fair?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± he answered. ¡°There is no harm in dispelling even the slightest disbelief. Besides, if I had not held a trial then rumors would spread about me.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t fair though,¡± Syllis declared. ¡°Also, why did you not prevent the contents of the trial from seeping out? Why not forbid talking outside of the trial about the case?¡±

    ¡°Not fair?¡± Vernim asked. He was taken aback.

    ¡°You bribed one of the judges,¡± Syllis said, uncrossing her legs. She then leaned forward slightly. ¡°I¡¯m betting that uncomfortable looking man you had beside you.¡±

    ¡°Blasphemy!¡± Vernim said. ¡°What proof do you have of this?¡±

    ¡°Your elmannise¡ª¡±

    ¡°Our Abyssia¡¯s elmannise,¡± Vernim corrected.

    ¡°Regular deciders¡ªwell, we refer to them as judges¡ªanyways, they would not agree with humans so easily. The elmannise would not adjust so quickly. Htornor should have acted the same as Fornia Hphuin had.¡± Syllis spoke with an even tone. She was not angry.

    ¡°He is a strange man,¡± Vernim said.

    ¡°He is a paid man, Vernim.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I admit it.¡± Vernim said. ¡°What does it matter? The people will continue to believe in me while I command this wall, your companion will be branded as a murderer by association with the monster. You though¡­ you will be praised as a hero. Titan slayer.¡±

    ¡°Whatever that case is,¡± Syllis said. "It doesn''t matter to me.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t?¡± Vernim inquired. He leaned forward with a difficult expression to pin down.

    ¡°I was only curious,¡± Syllis said with a shrug. ¡°Brand me or any of my companions however you want. We won¡¯t be here forever, only a couple months before we leave and head into the sky chasm.¡±

    ¡°The sky chasm?¡± Vernim scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s a death sentence. The priests should have told you how many of our people died in the chasm.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve seen enough of our bizarre tricks to have the slightest bit of hope.¡±

    ¡°Hope? No, there is no hope in the chasm. Only death is to be found there,¡± Vernim said. ¡°No matter how skilled, lucky or unique you are, there is no hope.¡±

    ¡°I hope that you¡¯re wrong,¡± Syllis said.

    Syllis rose from her chair and walked out of the room, leaving Vernim in silence.

    Vernim sat motionlessly for a second before speaking. ¡°What a curious person.¡±

    A few days later, Syllis and the others decided to venture down to the chasm entrance. It was finally time to find a way to cross the chasm.

    ¡°How do we even start?¡± Korman asked.

    ¡°I figured that we would start from the obvious,¡± Clyde said, turning to face Aura. ¡°Can you use your crows or something similar for this?¡±

    ¡°Technically¡­¡± Aura said, ¡°I can.¡±

    ¡°Technically,¡± Syllis said. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°Time mostly,¡± Aura answered. ¡°We have to be efficient. Every night we spend awake in front of this chasm increases our chance of dying in battle with the taran. The sanity drain along with the lackluster speed of my summons are too large of problems to warrant their use.¡±

    Syllis looked out into the chasm. At night, it looked truly beautiful. The sulfuric pits burned brimstone flames. Their wafting blue flames matched the glow-tree sheets that hung from the tops of glow-trees. They looked like upside down roses, devouring their own trunks.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Any other ideas?¡± Clyde inquired.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Syllis said. ¡°We probably should have come up with a few before heading down here¡­¡±

    ¡°What''s it matter anyways?¡± Clyde asked. ¡°We needed to come down here anyways. Ideas are more likely to present themselves if we are staring into the obstacle.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Korman said, looking out at the sky chasm. ¡°It looks¡­ daunting to say the least. It might be doing more harm than good.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s look at it backwards. The taran ¡®seep¡¯ into the ground every day right? Surely they can¡¯t just stay in such a state all the way until the four suns set.¡± Clyde carefully analyzed.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Syllis said. ¡°You as a human would instantly die if being shrunk down to such a size. But this is a fable and these creatures do not follow logic.¡±

    ¡°How can we be so sure?¡± Aura asked. ¡°The taran think logically and all of the other components of the fable roughly follow logic¡­ mostly.¡± She grit her teeth slightly after the last word.

    ¡°We can¡¯t be sure,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Even if their bodies follow logic, what is preventing them from having adapted to the need to burrow and withstand greater pressure?¡±

    ¡°Creatures cannot evolve that quickly,¡± Clyde answered.

    ¡°Again,¡± Syllis said, ¡°you¡¯re thinking in human terms. Taran doesn''t follow logic. They could breed ten thousand new taran every single day. Or even just fifty taran every couple minutes that mature after an hour. This many generations¡­ think about it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Aura said. She reached to scratch her face before frowning. Her right hand was her dominant one and she instinctively reached it up. ¡°Fieran can absorb knowledge several fold faster underneath the moonlight. Even our own world works in mysterious ways.¡±

    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± Clyde asked. ¡°What can we do?¡±

    ¡°I guess the most straight-forward plan would be for me to send a batch of writhing maggots to burrow into the ground,¡± Aura said. ¡°Much like how a taran would. Yes, we will imitate them.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡±

    ¡°One problem,¡± Aura said. ¡°These maggots can burrow but are useless in terms of moving. They are going to need some form of transportation.¡±

    ¡®Transportation huh¡­¡¯ Syllis wracked her brain. She raised her brow slightly as she thought of an idea.

    ¡°We could seal the maggots in a sphere of ice and throw it,¡± Syllis suggested. ¡°Then I would just dismiss it as soon as it hit the ground.¡±

    ¡°I think the maggots would die on impact,¡± Aura said with an awkward smile.

    ¡°What¡¯s that matter?¡± Syllis said. ¡°Just fill the sphere up to the brim. Some of the maggots will survive, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Aura said, quietly. ¡°I¡ªI guess that that would¡­ work.¡±

    ¡®Ah.¡¯ Syllis thought. ¡°I should have considered how she would feel after having her dragon executed. More of her summons dying¡­¡¯

    ¡°Is it alright?¡± Syllis asked Aura.

    ¡°It''s fine¡­¡± Aura answered. ¡°Anything to get out of this fable¡­ right? But how would we throw it?¡±

    ¡°I guess that''s me,¡± Korman said. He manifested a mutation.

    His arm expanded to three times the size. Then, it morphed. An entirely new arm was made up of parts of the previous. It was curved and covered in exotic-colored short fur.

    Syllis¡¯ method of throwing javelins would work for this task, but it was inefficient. Throwing javelins took a lot of sanity which was why Syllis refrained from using it as often as she could. Korman was indeed much better suited for such a job.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the maggots ready¡­¡± Aura said.

    A large rend in the abyss opened behind her. Within, ephemeral, green-glowing maggots flowed out like water from a faucet. These maggots then flowed into a large icy-blue sphere like it was a basin.

    After it had been completely filled, Syllis sealed the sphere and handed it to Korman. The bestial man nodded and palmed the large sphere. He turned to Clyde, waiting for instruction.

    Since Clyde did not have a role to play in the assembly or operation of the sphere, he was given the job to determine where the sphere will be thrown.

    ¡°Try throwing center,¡± Clyde said. ¡°Maybe one hundred meters out?¡±

    Korman nodded and pulled his entire body back. He pulled one foot backwards and held the other, firmly in place. His arm was wrenched back like a trebuchet. His entire form was not unlike Syllis¡¯ own before she had refined her javelin technique.

    Then, he let go. It was as though a nail which had tethered his arm to the ground had shattered, letting it loose and propelling it forwards. It easily flew a hundred meters and then some. It likely landed around the 150-220 mark.

    ¡°Did the maggots survive?¡± Clyde eagerly questioned Aura.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Aura said. ¡°A few of them at least¡­ Hold on, let me take a look¡­¡± Her voice trailed out and her gaze softened. It was like she had left her own body for the moment.

    Aura gleaned the contents of the maggot''s eyes. She saw the white ash and sulfuric flames. As the maggots slowly burrowed, that view shifted¡ªto pure white ash, then to grey ash, black ash, then to rock. Then, she was stunned. One of her maggots had fallen into a wide open abyss, void of ash or stone and even light. The only reason she could ¡®see¡¯ was due to the maggots¡¯ natural inclination towards nocturnality.

    A vile beast sat in the center of its vision. The maggot could not run though. This beast slowly, gradually approached. It reached a colossal¡ªat least to the maggot¡ªhand up high before bringing it down.

    Splat! The maggot was crushed in an instant, its ephemeral guts painted the floor of this abyss before dissipating after Aura¡¯s dismissal.

    Aura¡¯s eyes suddenly became very dilated as though she herself had been crushed. Her gaze darted around to her several companions before shifting to her own feet.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Korman asked. His tone was caring and warm.

    ¡°There¡­¡± Aura said. ¡°There was a small abyss¡ªa pocket! There was an¡­ abyssal pocket¡ªwith taran inside.¡±

    ¡°So they did not evolve so quickly,¡± Clyde said, smiling.

    ¡°Right, Clyde,¡± Syllis said, rolling her eyes. ¡°You win.¡±

    ¡°That I do, but first¡­¡± Clyde said. He then turned to face Aura. ¡°How large was this pocket? Could it fit all of us!?¡±

    This would be a major breakthrough. The flames of the four suns flickered at the entrance to the sky chasm. They were always at constant war with the abyss. It was entirely reasonable to assume this would¡ªby extension¡ªapply to the abyssal pockets as well.

    ¡°It could, definitely,¡± Aura said. ¡°We have to be careful though. These pockets definitely vary in size. Besides, we have no clue how many there will be or how scarce they are.¡±

    ¡°Many more days of experimenting await us¡­¡± Clyde said. His voice trailed out. He was not excited at the thought. None of them were.

    ¡°Regardless,¡± Syllis said, ¡°this still explains why the taran are trying to invade Abyssia. The sun eats away at the entrance every day, little by little. In a meager couple years, these pockets could indeed shrink by more than a substantial amount.¡±

    ¡°Should we let Vernim know?¡± Clyde asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Korman said.

    ¡°I agree,¡± Syllis said. ¡°We can¡¯t have his people experimenting with these pockets. They are our single lead on how to survive the sky chasm. Perhaps we can let him know right before we leave.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Aura said.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Clyde said. ¡°That is more than enough for tonight. We have to rest up for the battle tomorrow. Next time, we will bring something to scribe these pockets onto.¡±

    The four of them walked the length of the foot of the wall again. Then, they made their way up the absurdly tall staircase before retreating into their home. Each of them fell asleep, battered and tired. They had nice dreams waiting for them.

 Chapter 57 - Have Good Intentions

    Over the next couple months, word spread about this particular group of outsiders. One of them used to fight with a bone-winged creature which lit an elmannise aflame. One of them annihilated a titan with a single thrown javelin. Another morphed in ungodly ways, revealing a bestial side. The last was the leader of this group of bizarre people. He rejected the gazes of others, forcing them to look away.

    ¡°Has your dragon recuperated yet?¡± Syllis asked Aura.

    ¡°No, unfortunately it hasn¡¯t.¡± Aura answered.

    Neither of them were covered in bandages anymore. They had lost the need to consistently replace them over a month ago. There were still small bandaged areas. Anyone would be damaged in combat with enough time. The injuries were not threatening in any form though.

    Syllis looked at Aura with sympathetic eyes. Her gaze moved to her arm. She constantly felt guilty over Aura¡¯s unmovable arm. She had given the titan the ability to shatter her shoulder. It was mangled and discolored. The black sludge that had covered her shattered shoulder two months ago had merged with her flesh slightly causing the discoloration. The flesh was uneven and bumpy, marked with spots where bone pressed against skin.

    ¡°Come on, Syllis,¡± Aura said. ¡°You can¡¯t keep feeling guilty over this. What would have happened if you never killed that titan. It could have taken the lives of many. No matter how high a pedestal you think I sit on¡­ even I can acknowledge that my shoulder is not worth the lives of a dozen soldiers or even half.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t only you though,¡± Syllis said. ¡°There were other casualties hit by the splintered fragments of the taran javelin. At least three, that¡¯s what Vernim told me.¡±

    ¡°You never cared about other casualties before,¡± Aura said, scrutinizing Syllis. ¡°You used to be all about self-preservation.¡±

    ¡°I think I was viewing the elmannise as another part of this fable despite the fact they came from outside,¡± Syllis said. ¡°But after spending time with them¡ªeating, drinking, talking, sympathizing¡ªI¡¯m afraid that I¡¯ve grown comfortable around them. I feel responsible for them.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s nearly time for us to leave¡­¡± Aura said, reaching towards the countertop. She pulled out a large sheet of thick-tree bark.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Syllis asked. ¡°I mean, do we even have enough of the pockets scribed?¡±

    ¡°Take a look for yourself,¡± Aura said, tossing the sheet of bark over to Syllis.

    Syllis easily caught it and turned it over. Drawn on it in great detail was the chasm. The outer borders showed the altitude of the large jagged tops that loomed about the ground.

    More importantly, hundreds of circles had been drawn littering the entire first half of the chasm. It had been difficult to find pockets any further. Even with the use of Aura¡¯s ephemeral creatures for transportation after they got desperate, they had only found fifteen pockets past the twenty-five percent point. And only five were past the thirty-five mark. The further from Abyssia, the fewer pockets and the smaller they were.

    There was nothing else they could do when it came to finding abyssal pockets. For the latter half of the chasm, they would need to find them as they went.

    ¡°What about supplies?¡± Syllis asked, throwing the bark back to Aura.

    ¡°You really are clueless when it comes to large-scale things,¡± Aura said. ¡°Our contribution points can buy more than enough water and we can kill taran for food.¡±

    Syllis was stunned for a second. She did not harbor as many responsibilities as Clyde or Aura had. This was because they were already used to resource management and planning for the future. As two nobles from prominent families, they were far advanced in this aspect. Syllis had essentially only worried about the fights at the foot of the wall for the last two months.

    ¡°What if they don¡¯t have enough water on-hand?¡± Syllis asked.

    Aura shook her head in response, placing her hand over her face for a moment. ¡°Come with me,¡± she said almost defeatedly.

    Syllis was led to a small room past the two bedrooms the four of them shared. It was lifeless, empty aside from a single corner of it which faintly glowed with dozens of small jars, wrapped in strands of  dim glow-tree sheets.

    Aura crouched down and patted the tops of a couple. ¡°Water,¡± she said plainly.

    ¡°I did not know this room existed,¡± Syllis said, furrowing her brows.

    ¡°Why would you?¡± Aura said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know about it. All you need to do is continue to fight at the bottom of the wall. You are our best tool for wide-scale battle. Especially without my dragon¡­¡±

    Several knocks rang out against the front door and a whole group of murmurs grew louder as Syllis and Aura approached the front door.

    Both women shared a confused expression before Syllis reached to open the door.

    ¡°Savior, criminal,¡± Hiolo said. ¡°How are you two doing?¡±

    ¡°I really hate that name,¡± Aura grumbled.

    ¡°Really?¡± Syllis said. ¡°I find mine quite nice.¡± She teased Aura with a wide grin.

    ¡°We¡¯re back,¡± Clyde said.

    ¡°And we have gifts,¡± Korman said. ¡°A lot of gifts, again,¡± he said, irritatedly.

    Syllis¡¯ group had been given many gifts since Syllis had begun being hailed as a savior. The wall faced greater hordes of anathema. Hordes that might not have been able to be killed without the help of the secare nymph.

    ¡°Hah!¡± Hjiull laughed. ¡°More like you have gifts, savior.¡±

    Syllis frowned and stepped back. Although she had joked with Aura, she disliked being seen as a savior. Sometime in the near future, she will leave. Then, the elmannise would likely be overrun and die out. She hated thinking about this fact.

    ¡°Come on in,¡± Aura said, shifting to the side.

    The five elmannise entered, along with Clyde and Korman.

    Syllis and her companions met Hiolo¡¯s group a month ago during a fight at the foot of the wall. They had been stationed beside each other and praised each others¡¯ ability. Their group was one of the most elite groups the wall had. They began visiting and could be considered frequent visitors by now.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°To what do we owe the pleasure?¡± Syllis asked.

    Hiolo was taken aback, he spun around. ¡°Do we need a reason to come around? We aren¡¯t so terrible¡­¡±

    ¡°Hvenn needs a reason,¡± Syllis said, ¡°else he would just spend all of his time with Hfenia.¡±

    Hvenn was stunned. He pushed his black hair back and shied away slightly. ¡°We don¡¯t spend that much time together¡­¡±

    ¡°That''s right!¡± Hjiull said. ¡°You would be long finished with that in only a few moments!¡±

    Hvenn looked at Hjiull with horror in his eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Hdoroil said, tearing his gaze from the glow-sheets. ¡°I¡¯m sure Hvenn is adequate.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡± Aura said, looking over the many gifts. ¡°What have you brought us?¡± She was curious.

    The gifts came in a variety of shapes and sizes. The most common gifts they received were glow-tree sheets and the occasional pelt of gravel bears.

    ¡°Always so eager for our gifts, murderer,¡± Hiolo said. ¡°If you really need to know¡­ Hdoroil and Hjiull have a couple more bottles of that water that you¡¯re so desperate for, I brought a scented mixture of herbs to get rid of the horrible smell of blood¡ª¡±

    ¡°Our home doesn¡¯t smell like blood?¡± Syllis said, disruptively.

    Hiolo smiled, pressing the tip of his finger to his nose. ¡°And Hvenn and Hfenia have¡­ food! Great food!¡±

    Clyde and Korman decided to go haul away the two jars of water. They easily lifted them before walking away. Hdoroil and Hjiull followed them.

    ¡°What exactly constitutes great food in Abyssia?¡± Aura raised a brow.

    ¡°We all know taran meat doesn¡¯t taste great,¡± Hvenn said, pulling his black hood back from his head. ¡°But¡­ if you mix the best parts of taran with the fatty meats of gravel bears it becomes no less than mouthwatering!¡±

    ¡°And mix that with some fresh vegetables we managed to scrounge up and¡ª¡±

    ¡°We have a feast!¡± Hiolo yelled. He gestured for Hvenn and Hfenia to present their gifts.

    ¡°You really got fresh vegetables!?¡±

    ¡°And gravel bear meat?¡±

    Aura and Syllis questioned Hiolo, scrutinizing him underneath their judgemental gaze.

    ¡°In the name of Our Abyssia!¡± he said, taking a step back. ¡°Take a look for yourselves if you don¡¯t believe me.

    Syllis and Aura examined the couple wooden bowls with vegetables and meats mixed together. The fatty meat was darker¡ªperhaps due to their source, gravel bears¡ªand the taran meat was lighter. It nearly matched the purple-pink color of their organs, without their threat of rupturing and coating the surrounding area. Both types of meat were cut into small cubes which almost looked like other vegetables within the garden in front of their eyes.

    ¡°This many fresh vegetables¡­¡± Aura said, turning to Hiolo. ¡°This is pretty impressive.¡±

    Hiolo scratched at his cheek. ¡°Aha¡­ you know¡­ This is what the prestige of being one of the top squadrons gets you!¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Syllis said. ¡°If only we were allowed to be considered such.¡±

    ¡°Who cares?¡± Hvenn said. ¡°You four are the peoples¡¯ top squads. And with their approval come tons of gifts.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Aura said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m still shocked that you elmannise have been so receptive¡ªwell, most of you.¡±

    ¡°Of course you would be, Aura.¡± Hfenia said, scratching at her left bicep. ¡°I know the savior thinks otherwise though.¡±

    ¡°Actually I¡¯m just as surprised,¡± Syllis answered.

    ¡°Look Hiolo,¡± Aura said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed but¡­ there¡¯s a problem with all of this food!¡±

    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡± Hiolo asked in a panic. He had spent good contribution points for all of it!

    ¡°It¡¯s not cooked!¡± Aura said, peering back down at the bowls.

    Hiolo furrowed his brows. He did not respond, instead turning to look at Hvenn and Hfenia who merely shrugged. Then, Clyde, Korman and the three other elmannise companions returned.

    ¡°Aura,¡± Hiolo said, ¡°that¡¯s what you¡¯re here for!¡±

    ¡°You elmannise¡­¡± Aura said with an irritated grin. ¡°You people are so skittish when it comes to using your incantations!¡±

    ¡°What incantations?¡± Hiolo said. ¡°We don¡¯t have any of those¡­¡± He turned away in a guilty manner.

    Hjiull and Hdoroil laughed along with Clyde and Korman.

    Aura only sighed before the space behind her was riven. Green hues clashed with the glow-tree sheets forming beautiful combinations. The world warped and ethereal screams radiated from within. What should have revealed the guardian of hell instead released a small creature, not unlike a heasen.

    ¡°How cute?¡± Hdoroil said, somewhat confusedly.

    Then, the small ¡®pup¡¯ shot out a small, weak breath of fire. It sent Hdoroil stumbling backwards.

    Everyone laughed for a moment before Clyde reached his hand out. ¡°Let me help you up.¡±

    ¡°I can get up¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­ but if you stay down for more than five seconds, that thing will eat you whole,¡± Clyde teased.

    Hdoroil eagerly took Clyde¡¯s hand after that¡­

    As Aura cooked the meat and vegetables under the watchful gaze and supervision of Hvenn and Hfenia, the others sat down at the table and discussed. They drank water and some more¡­ exotic drinks, They were made from pressed fruits¡ªthe few that could really grow behind glow-tree sheets under the harsh suns.

    After Aura finished cooking the meat and vegetables and withstanding a couple scolding comments by Hvenn, the food was passed around on thick-tree wooden ¡®plates.¡¯ In reality, they were closer to slabs. All of them ate and laughed as they told jokes.

    Syllis smiled bitterly as she watched the faces of her friends both old and new. Their current experiences were memorable and more than she could have asked for. But her inner voice kept nagging at her. She was going to leave these people to die. She was going to leave them behind. So, it was bitter-sweet.

    ¡®How can I enjoy the moment without suppressing my thoughts about the future, and then I¡¯m being a hypocrite!¡¯ Syllis sighed, there was no winning in a fable rift.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Syllis?¡± Hiolo asked. ¡°You seem distant.¡±

    ¡°I am distant,¡± she answered. ¡°Far away from home, potentially destined never to return.¡±

    ¡°We understand,¡± Hdoroil said with a conflicted expression. ¡°The feeling left us a few years after we arrived. It was like an impending doom, that we would die in this unknown place.

    ¡°After a while though, that feeling faded. I mean just look at us, we¡¯ve been at the wall for nine years and none of us have died. You get the hang of it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving!¡± Clyde blurted out.

    ¡°Leaving¡­¡± Hiolo said, shocked. ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t really know,¡± Korman said. ¡°The supplies have been ready for a while and our plan is set in stone.¡±

    ¡°Within a week,¡± Aura said.

    Syllis sat silent, watching the events unfold. She had wanted to speak up, but she was too afraid. ¡®I thought I had grown in social scenarios in the months I spent with these three¡­ I guess that hasn¡¯t changed all too much.¡¯

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a little too sudden?¡± Hfenia¡¯s voice shuddered. The other elmannise agreed and continued to ask questions.

    It was only logical. They had seen group after group fall to the four suns¡¯ flame. This was certain death. They were throwing their lives away. But the elmannise did not consider a single, crucial thing. Syllis and the rest could not survive in the abyss. They did not have the heightened senses to live within. What they did have were anathema, transfigured within. They had supernatural abilities.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Hiolo said, a tear almost formed underneath his right eye. ¡°These four are the most capable people we¡¯ve ever known. If anyone can cross the sky chasm, it''s them!¡±

    The other elmannise cheered while also shedding a few tears.

    ¡°Let¡¯s raise a glass to their choice, their suicide, their escape!¡± Hjiull said. He raised his cup high in the air. An orange liquid sploshed around.

    ¡°To their escape!¡±

    ¡°To our escape!¡±

    Everybody cheered. They hit their thick-root cups together. What would have been the satisfying clink of glasses was replaced with hollow thuds.

    ¡®Our suicide. It is, isn¡¯t it.¡¯ Syllis thought. She then laughed in a self-deprecating manner. She looked up, hoping to see past the ceiling and past the starry sky. She hoped to see who was pulling on her strings.

    ¡®Whoever you are¡­ have good intentions. My destiny shouldn¡¯t end here. Not with everything that¡¯s happened. I deserve a better fate, a fitting death. Don¡¯t let it end, not here.¡¯

 Chapter 58 - Flawless Execution

    A day later, Syllis and her companions found themselves sitting in front of the chief of the wall.

    Vernim sat with an indistinguishable look on his face. ¡°Why are you four here?¡±

    ¡°Because we have something to tell you about,¡± Clyde said.

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t wait a few hours?¡± Vernim asked. ¡°The taran are going to begin raiding our Abyssia in an hour!¡±

    ¡°Your Abyssia,¡± Syllis said, her face serious. ¡°We have a feeling you¡¯re going to want as much time as possible.¡±

    ¡°Hmph,¡± Vernim scoffed. ¡°Out with it then,¡± he said, noticing their uncomfortable demeanor.

    Clyde briefly glanced at his teammates. He looked to Korman, Aura, then Syllis. Only once he had received a terse nod of acknowledgement from each of them, did he speak. ¡°We¡¯re leaving the wall.¡±

    Vernim raised his brows slightly. ¡°Alright, when?¡±

    ¡°Tonight,¡± Clyde said with great resolve. ¡°We know it¡¯s sudden¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sudden!¡± Vernim yelled. He stood and made angry gestures as he continued. ¡°You think this is sudden!? A week¡¯s notice would be sudden. In that time, I would at least get a shipment of elmannise. You four though, one of the pillars of this wall. It would take two weeks to send notice and receive enough soldiers!¡±

    Syllis scrutinized Vernim inwardly. What sort of leader would lose his composure so easily? ¡®Or is it that he loses his composure for the sake of his people?¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯ll survive, Vernim¡± Syllis said. ¡°Your wall will survive without the four of us.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just wait another week!?¡± Vernim yelled again, especially furious.

    ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± Aura said.

    ¡°We¡¯re losing our window to escape before the suns split again,¡± Korman said.

    ¡®Ah.¡¯ Syllis thought. She had indeed noticed how Aura and Korman had grown closer over the course of the last couple months. They had longer conversations, Korman spoke his mind more often and Aura stopped talking to Clyde as much. ¡®He¡¯s been trying to open up more¡­ to match Aura¡¯s disruptiveness.¡¯

    The secare nymph smiled. She did not know whether she should find that aspect of their relationship endearing or a problem. If Korman stopped being the calm, reserved, counterpart to Aura, then someone else would have to take the part.

    ¡°That again¡­¡± Vernim said, knocking Syllis from her thoughts. ¡°Ehtis told me of the priests¡¯ absurd theory. Are you four, the origin of that nonsense?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense?¡± Aura asked.

    ¡°Right, nonsense,¡± Vernim said. ¡°Very well, be on your way tomorrow. We don¡¯t need lunatics on the wall, no matter their sheer ability. Even if there were fifty copies of each of you, what use is there in lunatics? Pure lunacy will only get my people killed.

    ¡°Perhaps your flying creature killed Hlorndt because of just that, lunacy,¡± Vernim finished. He emphasized flying creature, hinting at a deeper understanding of the matter.

    Syllis looked to Aura, as did Korman.

    Aura had grit her teeth together and smiled awkwardly. She seethed underneath. ¡°We¡¯ll be off then.¡±

    The four of them left the room and furious Vernim. They began to cross the length of the wall, making their way to the staircase.

    Finally, mere minutes before the taran were slated to begin their assault, they had arrived at their post. They were stationed beside Hiolo¡¯s group. All five of them greeted Syllis and her companions as they approached.

    Syllis applauded the elmannise sense of time. They could be heard as they started to charge the length of the abyss. She had long wondered how the elmannise could tell time in Abyssia. She herself felt so distanced from the sun that it was impossible for her to make reasonable estimations of time without outside factors. Such as how many times she slept or how many times the flames flickered at the entrance to the sky chasm.

    After days of wondering on her own she had asked Hvenn after their feast yesterday. He explained how the elmannise vision gradually darkens to allow them to sleep at night before gradually brightening as the sun rises. Due to their heightened senses they understand every increment and can separate time by that.

    The volleys of brimstone arrows began to descend upon the taran. They were a warning, and a warm welcome.

    ¡®Very warm¡­¡¯ Syllis thought. She had participated in over sixty battles at the foot of the wall, yet she marveled at the brimstone flames every time. The blue twisters danced and swirled in the air like exotic dancers, hired for upper-class events.

    After all of the volleys had been fired and the taran neared. Both Syllis and her companions, as well as Hiolo¡¯s team fought against the hoard. There were many regular and amplified taran. They were not too great a threat. If Syllis had been heavily corrupted, then they could be one.

    This was a sort of paradox though as the amplified and regular taran could not greatly affect her sanity and by extension corruption. She only needed to use a conjured spear to dissect them. Because of this, Syllis continuously looked to the entrance of the chasm. The regular and amplified taran would need to fight in conjunction with something greater, a titan.

    There was a sinister feeling. Every time she looked ahead expecting to see a couple titans and they had never appeared. This feeling began to well up within Syllis, settling at the bottom of her stomach, still full from the night before.

    "The analysts predicted four titans,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Where are they?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Hiolo said from the left. ¡°There have never been less titans than they¡¯ve predicted.¡±

    ¡°Less?¡± Syllis asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Hjiull said. ¡°Lazy bunch over there¡­ They give up halfway through their search and leave the ¡®undiscovered¡¯ to tear us apart.¡±

    ¡°Used to be lazy,¡± Doroil corrected Hjiull. ¡°They¡¯ve been especially astute these past couple months. It makes me wonder if something happened¡­¡±

    ¡°Regardless,¡± Hiolo said. ¡°There will be at least four titans.¡±

    As soon as Hiolo finished, a large roar sounded. Carving through any other noise. Blood gushing didn¡¯t make a sound, the cries faded into the background and the last words of elmannise were cut short¡ªnot that there were many with the lack of titans.

    ¡°Number one¡­¡± Clyde said.

    ¡®I understand why he¡¯s awestruck¡­¡¯ Syllis'' thoughts trailed out as she stared at the hulking monstrosity. It was much larger than any titan she had seen before. No, perhaps it was more suitable to give it a different name. ¡®A behemoth.¡¯

    This behemoth was not as simple as the titans. It was over fifty percent larger and had more distinguishable features. Intricate white teeth that looked to be carved from stone. Pink eyes, formed from mushy organs with black pupils at the center. Tar-black wings that had more detail than normal. There were discernible ridges and that was only from Syllis¡¯ view. If she were closer, they would certainly look even more interesting. It had four arms with many joints, allowing for extraterrestrial movement. Its legs¡ªor what should have been¡ªwere essentially an amalgamation of vines, like an octopus with its legs tied together in a sort of bow.

    ¡®How does it even walk?¡¯ Syllis thought. The beast turned, directly facing the center groups. ¡®What a creepy smile¡­¡¯

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got a problem!¡± Aura called out from the backlines. She ran up to the front line.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Clyde inquired.

    Aura looked around before leaning into Clyde¡¯s ear. Syllis followed, standing close enough to hear. ¡°This titan is using the abyss in the same way the elmannise are!¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Hiolo called out, his superior hearing allowed him to hear the faint whisper.

    ¡°Hold on, Hiolo,¡± Aura urged him, while continuing to whisper into Clyde¡¯s ear. ¡°Let me finish speaking before you refute. You can¡¯t alert the other teams. It will instill chaos.¡±

    Hiolo stood motionless for a moment.

    Syllis understood how hard of a concept it was for him to grasp. She herself was shocked upon hearing the information. But she was not an elmannise. She had not been a follower of Abyssia for years, earning the right to shape it to her will.

    ¡®Deities are somewhat irrational. What kind of god gives gifts to its followers and then to the enemies of those followers. What do they gain from that carnage? They only lose their devotion.¡¯ Syllis thought. Perhaps she was too young, too inexperienced, or too weak to understand. ¡®Maybe once I transfigure more anathema. Then will I finally understand? Would I make the same choice if I was presented with it?¡±

    Hiolo nodded tersely.

    ¡°Those wings,¡± Aura said. ¡°They have the same ¡®waves¡¯ rolling across their surface as the abyss. They act as two shields essentially.¡±

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Hiolo asked, stepping in towards Aura and whispering.

    The back line briefly exchanged spots, defending them as they discussed. They talked about various solutions, but only one shone through among them. It was coincidentally the most difficult plan for Syllis and her companions. But to save the wall, they were willing to do a lot.

    For the place that gave them hope again. They had made friends and ate¡ªdecent enough¡ªfood. They were given gifts and were revered for their ability. They were able to take a couple months to collect their feelings. The flame within each of them was slowly fanned back to health. Aura was somewhat reluctant. However, through her friendship with Hiolo¡¯s squadron that reluctance was quickly dismissed.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s kill this behemoth, everyone,¡± Clyde whispered.

    They fought off the taran as normal. This was until the behemoth entered their immediate area. Once it posed a threat, the taran would try to sneak past, they were crafty. This was when they planned to deal with it, while the back line dealt with the droves of taran flanking.

    There was a pressing issue, the other titans had not shown up yet. ¡®Where are they?¡¯ Syllis continuously found herself wondering, until she was greeted by the behemoth. Then, there was no time to think about the three missing titans.

    The ground shook violently. It almost seemed to yell out, threatening to shatter under the pressure of two of the behemoths'' large arms.

    Syllis had previously been shaken deep by her first titans large form and force. This though, was on an entirely separate plane from that. She did not even have complete confidence in their plan. This was the first time since they had arrived at the wall and she had killed her first titan.

    The monstrous arms sliced into the floor like a knife through butter, despite their appearance which had not seemed sharp. If it could cleave the abyss, it could cut clean through a person with the slightest movement. Not that it mattered, the impact would kill first.

    Hiolo, Clyde, and Hjiull ran towards the beast. They dodged several blows that spelled certain end for them, should they have even gotten even grazed.

    The beast shook, furious not at the people, but its own inadequacy to vanquish them. Pink pus seeped from its eye lids. An extraordinary amount, large enough that it could fill a home in a few seconds. Its only semi-fluid state causes it to fall into small pools on the ground.

    ¡°Ready for this?¡± Syllis asked, turning to face Korman.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking,¡± Korman said, cleaving the lives of several taran. ¡°What could be at the end of the chasm? Will there be beasts, stronger and faster than this thing?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± she answered. ¡°That¡¯s why we have to deal with this thing, right? So that we can see and hopefully escape.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Syllis began to form to conjure two ice javelins. They materialized within the air, just below both of her hands. She condensed them into the tightest state she could. They needed to pierce the skin of that behemoth, after all. Not only that, they needed to tear through enough innards to kill the abhorrent thing. It had taken her near ten minutes to finish both colossal javelins. They were nearly twice as large as she usually constructed them.

    ¡°Is that fine?¡± Syllis asked Korman.

    ¡°This thing might be denser than any of the metal weapons in Asanoch. The weight is perfectly distributed as well. Maybe I should have asked you for one of these sooner. Our battles could have gone much smoother¡­¡± Korman said, praising her. ¡°So yes, it''s great.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Syllis said, ¡°because I couldn¡¯t change it again anyways. Unless you wanted to wait another¡ªhowever long that was.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Korman said, tossing this javelin up and down a couple times.

    ¡°Squad Hiolo! Squad Boorne!¡± Syllis yelled. These were their predetermined names. ¡°It is time to execute.¡±

    With Syllis giving the command. Both squadrons began to move. While Syllis and Korman fled to the left and right sides of the behemoth, the squads moved to form a diamond shape.

    Hdoroil was standing at the top. His incantations were destructive, killing anything in their vicinity. It was problematic for him to be anyway but the front lines.

    Aura was in the back. She was commanding both of her large, ephemeral crows. Under the constant stress of battle, she had nearly managed to learn to control both simultaneously. Although, she had made no progress on one of her crows moving autonomously.

    Hvenn and Hfenia were to her left and right. They were her protectors and prevented taran from making it past. They had better perception and senses than even Hiolo and Hjiull making them perfect for withstanding flank attacks.

    Though, it was only a matter of time until they would be overwhelmed. It was inevitable they were doing the work of two squads with under half the usual people. The hope was for the behemoth to be dispatched quickly, so that they could regroup before any taran made it past.

    Syllis had cleaved through many groups of anathema and amplified on her way to her destination. The entire time, she was solely focused on the behemoth. There was no telling what it could do. She had learned her lesson from her first two titans and even several after that. Fables are unpredictable and their creatures embody that aspect.

    The secare nymph had arrived at her destination. She cleaned the area of any lingering taran and made sure that no more were coming. The battle had dragged on for at least an hour by now. This made Syllis even more skeptical over the three missing titans.

    On the positive side, it meant that no more taran would be entering until these missing titans had. Which gave her the opportunity to prepare.

    Syllis had chosen the locations of herself and Korman precisely for this reason. They could not be distracted. Their plan required the utmost concentration. They only had one chance. If they messed up, then they would need to figure out another plan¡ªquickly.

    Eventually, after at least ten minutes of waiting, the wings were brought backwards. This was the beginning of the execution. Clyde and Hiolo were to attack the creatures'' back left and right sides, pulling the wings towards them. Hjiull was merely a distraction at the front.

    Syllis readied herself. She took in deep breaths before beginning to manifest waves of icy blue. She and Korman had already communicated their timing. They were to each throw their javelins fifteen seconds after the wings were pulled back to their apex. There were flaws in such timing but it was the best they could do.

    The waves of icy-blue grew and began raging. Then, Syllis stepped on top and was carried around. Her momentum increased, culminating at the perfect moment. Syllis threw her arm forward, utilizing most of the speed before letting go of the javelin.

    The icy-blue javelin looked like a blur as it pierced through the pitch-black abyss. It made a whistling sound before¡ªseconds later¡ªpiercing through the side of the behemoth.

    It made a large roaring sound and began to flail wildly. It shook the stone upon which it stood, throwing anybody within one hundred meters tumbling to the ground.

    Clyde, Hiolo and Hjiull desperately moved to avoid the creature''s own desperation. Its arms were violent and especially quick at this moment, in its last couple minutes.

    Swoosh! The pink organs that made up its eyes cried out more of itself. Compared to the oozing of pus from earlier. This was now like an ocean being released from both the eyes and its sides where the javelins had entered. It threatened to consume all that was in its path and the weight of it would make that true.

    ¡®Damnit.¡¯ Syllis did not want to use too much of her sanity the day before they were to head into the abyss.

    ¡°Clyde, Hiolo, Hjiull!¡± Syllis yelled out to them. ¡°Run towards me!¡±

    The three men followed her instructions. They quickly ran towards Syllis, almost being overtaken by the waves of pus. Then a wall of icy-blue closed, encasing them entirely. The men within all breathed sighs of relief.

    As Syllis ran back to help Aura and the rest, she looked at the front of the behemoth. Both of her javelins¡ªthrown from her and Korman¡ªhad pierced through the side of the behemoth and were now cutting through the eyes of its fallen corpse. The scene looked grim.

    Syllis reunited with Aura and the rest only to see that Korman beat her to it. She looked around in confusion. No taran were left, they had all been killed.

    Every single squadron held their weapons down to their sides and cheered. The corpse of the behemoth stood like a monument of victory and the three missing titans showed no sign of entering. Besides, if they had entered at this moment, the four suns¡¯ flames would have brought them close to death.

    The battle was over.

    ¡°Good job, Syllis, Korman,¡± Aura said. She gestured for them to come closer. Once they did, she pulled the both of them into a warm embrace. ¡°It almost pains me to leave this place but we must return.¡± Tears ran down her cheek as she let them go.

    ¡°Yes, we must return,¡± Korman said.

    Syllis turned away from the both of them and towards the behemoth. A warped grin formed on her face before she widened it herself.

    ¡®That thing¡­ is four titans.¡¯ Syllis realized. ¡®Four titans, slaughtered. In less than ten seconds!¡¯ She began to laugh crazily.

    This time, it was not due to corruption, leeching away her sanity.  Syllis had retained nearly the entirety of her mind. Only relinquishing about five percent of it to Coryzan.

    This was just who she was. These were the effects of the thrill of battle, the ecstacy, the rush. The result of her sheer destructive capabilities, a flawless execution.

 Chapter 59 - Goodbye to the Wall

    ¡°Phew!¡± Clyde sounded, wiping the sweat from his brow.

    All the rest were similarly tired. They had carried nearly fifty jars of water, wrapped in dim glow-tree sheets all the way to the top of the wall.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t done yet, Clyde,¡± Korman said.

    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Clyde said. ¡°But can¡¯t we just take a slight break?¡± he pleaded.

    ¡°No we can¡¯t,¡± Aura answered. ¡°We¡¯re running on a tight schedule. Besides, as a kindred, you shouldn¡¯t have such measly endurance.¡±

    ¡°Enough with that answer, Aura,¡± Clyde said. ¡°Not all of us are blessed with two anathema.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Syllis blurted out immediately. Clyde had just shared entirely new information, important info. ¡°Aura has two anathema? How have they enhanced her bond?¡±

    ¡°Damnit Clyde,¡± Aura said, irritatedly. ¡°That wasn¡¯t yours to share¡­¡± She sighed.

    It was not especially surprising that Aura had two anathema. Syllis had long noted the gap between Aura, Clyde and Korman. Though she assumed the difference was solely due to how long her anathema had been growing before it was transfigured within her. What was surprising was that she had not revealed this until now, Syllis felt conflicted.

    ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t even thinking,¡± Clyde apologized.

    Aura did not accept the apology. She lifted up a jar and turned around. Then, she began to walk towards the abyssal stairs. Her footsteps grew distant as she moved further away.

    Clyde stood, picking up a jar of his own. ¡°We should follow her. Our time is limited, after all.¡±

    Syllis followed suit, picking up a jar of her own. She did not mind the labor of moving each jar from their residence, to the wall, and now to the foot of the wall. It was calming in a way. Besides, it was great for conversation. Though she was not at the level of a noble, trained for their whole life, it felt like she had returned to the level of social ability she had as a child.

    This ability gradually dwindled while she was on the outskirts of Asanoch. Years of having maybe a couple conversations every day¡ªand with mostly criminals and addicts trying to rob her¡ªhad dulled her ability to socialize.

    As Syllis followed Clyde, Korman approached her from behind. He gently tapped on her shoulder¡ªa signal they had invented to make one fall behind, so as to avoid the prying ears of the elmannise. The fact he had used it now with no elmannise in sight made Syllis uneasy.

    ¡°What?¡± Syllis asked after slowing down enough for Clyde to be out of hearing range.

    ¡°Aura never told me about her second anathema,¡± Korman said.

    Syllis turned, scrutinizing the man behind her. She blinked a couple times in disbelief. She had been worried there was someone listening in on them. Yet, this was merely the ramblings of a man in love.

    While Syllis did not exactly understand how Aura and Korman¡¯s relationship had grown over the last couple months, they had at least gotten much closer.

    ¡°We have more important matters to worry about,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Why do you care if she told you or not? We were constantly told that anathema are deeply personal¡ªintimate¡ªshe doesn¡¯t need to let you know.¡±

    ¡°Clyde knew though¡­¡± Korman said, dejectedly.

    Syllis sighed before facing forward again. She picked up her jar that she had set down. There was no point in holding the heavy tank of water if she was standing still. It illuminated a couple steps ahead, despite how dim it was. The light of the suns¡¯ flame fighting at the entrance to the chasm did not extend so close to the wall. Then, she began to walk forward again.

    ¡°There¡¯s any number of explanations, Korman,¡± Syllis said as she continued to walk forward. Korman followed. ¡°Let me tell you a secret, Korman. But you have to promise not to tell Clyde or Aura.¡±

    Korman nodded in an acknowledging manner out of habit. ¡°I promise,¡± he said earnestly.

    ¡°Back when I was first contracted by Clark, a room in their estate caught my interest. It did not have any wired lighting despite the entirety of the base and upper floors having it. Even the basement was nearly entirely hooked up to electrical lighting, so the room was bizarre.

    ¡°Anyways, eventually I investigated and realized it was a room for conducting rituals with anathema¡ªand perhaps otherwise. There were three stone slates, one depicted each of your bonds. This allowed me to roughly grasp how the rituals occurred, in greater detail than the ritualistic teacher in Lurgica would disclose.¡± Syllis finished her lengthy ramble.

    ¡°What does that have to do with her telling Clyde and not me?¡± Korman asked.

    ¡°Right!¡± Syllis said. She had forgotten the entire point of her story by the end. ¡°The point is that each of you have had your anathema transfigured within the confines of that room. Naturally, the Boorne family oversaw Aura¡¯s second ritual and told Clyde.¡±

    Korman walked in silence for a moment before speaking. ¡°You have a great sense of adventure, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Well it wouldn¡¯t make much sense for me to confirm or deny that myself¡ªI¡¯m biased. But it is true that during my many years on the outer ring, finding and comprehending the connections of many groups of thieves was a hobby of mine. That and swimming to the surface.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Syllis,¡± Korman said.

    The both of them walked in silence the rest of the way down. The only sounds that pierced this shroud of hush were the crackling of the suns¡¯ flame at the chasm¡¯s entrance and the brief thuds of their boots against the willed staircase.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Syllis once again thought about Aura¡¯s second anathema. It made sense to her why Aura had been so irritated at her loss against the secare nymph. It was not solely because of her disdain for Anahita which bled into a disdain for her. It was also due to her having an extra anathema¡ªthere was no way anyone on the outer ring could have had more than one.

    ¡®Maybe I would have freaked out the same way if I was in her position. She was never as unreasonable as I made her out to be¡­¡¯ Syllis smiled, walking the rest of the way in peace.

    Eventually, they reached the bottom.

    ¡°Took you two long enough,¡± Aura said. She was clearly still irritated from Clyde¡¯s earlier words.

    ¡°We had a heart to heart,¡± Syllis said, grinning as she turned to face Korman.

    ¡°Something akin to one¡­¡± Korman agreed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going!¡± Clyde said. ¡°We only have how many, forty jars left?¡±

    The four of them continued, moving jars from the top of the wall, all the way to the bottom. As the time passed, they wondered if they were going to make it in time, before the researchers left. Technically they could leave afterwards, but that would involve questioning.

    Syllis doubted that Vernim had informed the researchers of their imminent departure. He likely wanted to create as many barriers as possible to their leaving. Especially with the appearance of the first ¡®behemoth¡¯ earlier that day.

    ¡®That¡¯s for them to deal with, we aren¡¯t responsible.¡¯ Syllis kept on telling herself, every time she thought of the behemoth. She did not want such a creature to wipe out the wall, but they needed to leave. They could not linger for much longer or the suns¡¯ would split while they were still crossing the chasm.

    If that happened, the suns¡¯ would eat away at the abyssal pockets at twice the speed. There was even the potential that it could cut clean through the abyss. It was like two thieves, each pulling a side of a rope. If they were evenly matched, the match would drag out for a long while. If one of the thieves suddenly weighed even fifty percent more then he would win the match almost instantly.

    Though, logic was not most dependable in this fable. The twisted ways of this world could even help Syllis and her companions if they managed to abuse it in just the right way.

    After setting down their sixth jar each, the four of them sighed before making their way up the staircase once again. What greeted them at the top were some familiar faces.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you four would be leaving this quickly?¡± Hiolo said, sounding somewhat confused.

    ¡°Then why are you standing at the top of this staircase?¡± Clyde asked. ¡°You were waiting for us.¡±

    Hiolo threw his hands into the air. ¡°You caught me, but I had no faith. Honestly, it was Hvenn who told me that you would be leaving tonight.¡±

    ¡°He does have a sort of sixth sense for things, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Korman said from behind.

    ¡°I do,¡± Hvenn answered. ¡°Really, you were planning on leaving without saying goodbye?¡±

    ¡°There was no time,¡± Clyde answered. ¡°Besides, was our great fight against that behemoth not enough of a send off?¡±

    Syllis had told everyone about her theory shortly after the battle. That the behemoth had been the amalgamation of all four titans that merged shortly after the researchers left. She had even pushed it a step further, noting that the fusion of four titans could have signaled a decline in taran invasions. It appeared to be a sort of desperate attempt to break the wall.

    ¡°It was fine,¡± Hiolo said. ¡°But Syllis and Korman dealt all of the damage. I was somewhat disappointed in myself. I will regain my lost confidence now.

    ¡°We are going to help you bring these jars of water down.¡±

    Every other member of the elmannise group turned to face Hiolo with a tense expression. It was apparent that he had not consulted with them before his great exclamation.

    With a great amount of reluctance they did indeed help move the jars to the bottom of the great abyssal staircase. With nine people total, they only took three more trips to bring all of the water down.

    ¡°Thank you for your help, everyone,¡± Clyde said. The others followed suit, expressing their gratitude.

    ¡°No problem, we¡¯ll follow you to the entrance.¡±

    With the help of Hiolo¡¯s group, they would manage to leave and be well on their way before the researchers headed out. In fact, the flames that crackled and flickered at the edge of the abyss had begun to slow and fade away into the dead of night.

    Aura invoked her bond and opened two large, green-hued rifts. They tore at the abyss and two large crows emerged from them.

    Syllis then invoked her own bond and conjured a couple of large baskets. Then, she willed two icy-blue shackles into existence around the necks of both of Aura¡¯s ephemeral crows. These crows shook slightly and cawed violently before Aura soothed them.

    ¡°Your people¡¯s bizarre abilities never cease to surprise me¡­¡± Hvenn remarked. He stood in awe of the somewhat disturbing crows.

    Then, the nine of them loaded the jars of water into the icy-blue baskets. They had been melded to the shackles with intricate chains. They were tricky for Syllis to form, particularly with how they intertwined. It had taken her more time than she had initially believed.

    Syllis and her companions¡ªalong with Hiolo and his group¡ª followed behind the ephemeral crows to the¡ªnow quiet¡ªentrance to the sky chasm.

    ¡°This is where we part,¡± Clyde said, a tinge of sadness behind his words.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Hiolo said.

    Everyone exchanged sad goodbyes and parting words. They hugged each other and reminded them of the times they had spent together.

    Afterwards, Syllis and her companions each mounted a crow. Clyde and Syllis sat on the first and Aura and Korman climbed onto the second one. The slight ebbing of flames from the tips of both crows¡¯ ephemeral bones caused slight discomfort. But it was nowhere near hot enough to burn through their clothes. Even if Syllis held her hand against the flame for an hour, it would not have burned her hand at all.

    Inwardly, Syllis thanked Aura¡¯s ability to control the intensity of her ephemeral fiends¡¯ flame. ¡®If only those damned suns could do the same¡­¡¯

    ¡°To your escape!¡±

    ¡°To your escape!¡±

    ¡°To your escape!¡±

    Each of the elmannise cheered, sending off the once outsiders¡ªturned family¡ªoff on their journey into the openness of the sky chasm.

    ¡°To our suicide!¡±

    ¡°To our suicide!¡±

    ¡°To our suicide!¡±

    Syllis and her companions all cheered as they left, heading off into the field of brimstone, ash and sorrowful glow-trees that stood solemnly under the violet sky that swirled with different hues.

    ¡°May you thrive underneath the flames of the four hells!¡± Hiolo cheered. But by then, their merely human hearing did not suffice.

    Syllis looked forwards from on top of the ephemeral crow. She took in the scene. The hills, formed of ash and rock. The large spires that curled inwards and cast great shadows on the ground below. The pits of brimstone that burned blue flame, radiating a disgusting smell.

    Then, she glanced down at herself, covered in the same filth. Slight remnants of the pink guts of taran. Black tar and dirt, caked into her hands and face. She was far from the pristine condition she had arrived in. Her gloves had been entirely torn and her jacket charred across the bottom of it. Her original shirt and pants were gone, shredded and had been replaced by old and ragged clothes of the elmannise which were made for someone much larger than even herself.

    Now, she was not much different to anything else in the fable rift. Indeed, she would only be able to cleanse herself of this filth once she escaped. If she could escape.

 Chapter 60 - Three Months

    Their steps crunched as they walked across the top of charred ash. They never stood still long enough for the small and slight embers to light them aflame. The ground sizzled with each step taken, fifty separate embers extinguished.

    In the dark night, ebbing purple-blue light illuminated their path forwards. Their four glow-tree lanterns swayed back and forth as they furthered on their path to the end of the chasm.

    Far in front of them were two ephemeral crows. Molten flesh fell from its bone, held together by nothing, yet it did not fall apart. They could not ride on top of them anymore. The nearly fifty jars of water were already heavy, adding another five hundred pounds between both crows would render them unable to walk after enduring for long enough. They shone like a couple of spirits, ready to guide dead souls back into the sea. At least that was what the scriptures of Natia, Goddess of the Sea and Fortune spoke of. Natia was the figurehead for any religion in the Nethirian sea.

    In this tense situation, Syllis found it comforting to think back to any knowledge from Asanoch. The safety of the wall was gone. They had participated in well over fifty days of battle at the foot of the wall. But those times were predictable. Now that the four of them were crossing the sky chasm¡ªa mostly unknown and peculiar area¡ªSyllis could not help but be paranoid. The wall had become a second home to her. In some twisted way, her being forced to leave it felt like stepping into another fable rift.

    ¡®Even now, my actions are not my own. I¡¯m forced to act in accordance with a timer. Rushing to cross this chasm before these four suns split.¡¯ Syllis thought. She cursed her fate. ¡®Will I always be forced into decisions that aren¡¯t mine?¡¯

    Syllis sighed before looking around her. It paid off to always remain vigilant. It had served her well in the past, on the outer ring. There were times when there were multiple attempts to rob her within the same day.

    The glowing lantern swung around the back and sides of her. She checked to make sure no taran were stalking them, waiting for an opportunity to strike¡­ nothing.

    There were no taran anywhere around them. They could not find any or hear any rustling against the loose ash that compacted on top of white stone. This was likely because of their desperate attack on the wall.

    ¡®Whoever died from being too cautious?¡¯ Syllis thought.

    They had been moving for more than five hours on foot when Aura spoke.

    ¡°Here,¡± Aura said, ¡°this is our first pocket.¡± She pointed at what appeared to be a regular path of ash. Below that should have been regular white and then black stone.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Clyde said.

    Each of them fully believed Aura. Her memory was exceptional. Far superior to Syllis¡¯ own at least. Along with this her map¡ªwhich was etched into thick-tree bark¡ªwas highly detailed with accurate proportions.

    Syllis moved into position. She stood just outside of the range of the pocket, so that she would not be swallowed by it. Then, a large icy-blue ball materialized in the air. Cold air emanated from it as it grew larger. It fell, crashing into the ground. Ash was severed and the loose rock below which seemed to float on top of the Abyss. This rock shattered, splintering into several small chunks.

    Screams erupted afterwards. The screams of taran. They were crushed under the weight of the ball of icy-blue and the chunks of rock that were forced into the abyss.

    Korman threw his glow-tree lantern into the hole. They were unlike the lanterns in Ethrailia. These did not have gasses or flammable metal inside that were lit on fire. They were not fragile and naturally dimmed over time. So it was alright to be rough with them. Eventually, the four of their lanterns would entirely die out leaving them solely reliant on the ethereal glow of Aura¡¯s ephemeral fiends.

    The lantern¡¯s glow illuminated tar and pink mush that appeared to almost bind the rocks together. There were no signs of movement nor any noise.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start moving the water,¡± Clyde said as he approached both of the ephemeral crows.

    The four of them spent twenty minutes moving the jars of water into the abyssal pocket. By the end, they were tired and battered. Aura dismissed her ephemeral crows and Syllis did the same with her shackles. All of them sat at the bottom of the pocket with a silence in the air between them.

    Syllis stood, looking around the pocket. It was about four meters deep and six meters wide. There was easily enough space for the near fifty jars of water along with ample room for all of them to sleep.

    This was what they expected and had recorded back in the days they were scouting out pockets. The closer that the pocket was to abyssia, the larger it was. Since it was closer to the source. The center of the chasm by comparison would have much less and small pockets. But they could not worry about that right now. They could not scout further from the edge of the sky chasm. If they wanted to learn more, then they needed to make it closer to the center.

    The secare nymph finally dismissed the icy-blue steps they had used to descend into the dark pit.

    The ground felt nice as Syllis sat down. It had been a long day. She had an especially draining conversation with vernim, then fended off an entirely new class of taran. Then they moved near fifty jars of water to and from the wall. Finally, they had walked for hours to find this abyssal pocket they now sat in.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Each of them were slightly fed up with the world at the moment.

    Aura approached Syllis and sat down beside her. She took a moment before deciding to speak. ¡°We¡¯ve taken the first step.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Syllis said. ¡°There¡¯s a part of me that wishes we were still at the foot of the wall. That hoped that Hiolo and the rest would have talked us out of leaving.¡±

    ¡°I get what you mean,¡± Aura said. She leaned back slightly and stretched her arms in the expansive pocket. ¡°If there wasn¡¯t the pressing issue of the sun''s splitting then we probably would have. I would have wanted to.¡±

    ¡°But we don¡¯t have that luxury,¡± Syllis said with a sigh. ¡°All of you nobles have extensive education. Ever heard of a fable as absurd as this one?¡± she asked with dead eyes.

    ¡°More absurd?¡± Aura repeated the question to herself. ¡°You can¡¯t compare what defies logic so easily. How could you choose between this fable with its splitting suns and flammable sky compared to a fable where formless strays whisper corruptive thoughts to you, completely sapping any mental space for your bond to use?¡±

    ¡°Is that a real fable? It takes away the ability for you to use your bond?¡± Syllis asked. It was more than peculiar.

    ¡°Even worse than that,¡± Aura answered. ¡°If you hear their whispers for long enough then your mind will be completely overtaken. Not only will you be unable to use your bond, but your body as well. You will lose your sense of self to whatever god you¡¯re bound to, becoming a proxy.¡±

    ¡°How do you even combat something like that? How did anyone survive to tell the tale?¡±

    ¡°Keep moving.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Syllis asked, confused. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Aura said. ¡°The strays were absurdly slow. Even if you walked at half your normal pace, they would not be able to catch up.¡±

    ¡°Alright, maybe it wins out in absurdity,¡± Syllis conceded. ¡°Ours is certainly many times more dangerous though. Without the elmannise, we might have already died.¡±

    ¡°Not by a long shot,¡± Aura immediately shot back. ¡°They decided not to sleep to avoid the strays. But one of them broke this rule. Once the strays realized the man was asleep, unaware, they immediately moved at a hundred times their normal pace. The man was already converted to a proxy mere minutes after passing out.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re not very special then¡­¡± Syllis said, dejectedly. She had been soothing herself over the course of their time in the fable so far by telling herself this was a one in a million chance. That this was unique and that it would not happen to her again.

    Aura let out a small chuckle before she leaned in closer. ¡°We¡¯re still special. Everyone who heads into a fable is accompanied by thirty others. There¡¯s the occasional story about someone going in alone, but those are fake. They¡¯re conjured up whenever the people are losing faith in Asanoch. It helps to give the people something that everyone can believe in¡ªone person triumphing against the unknown and invasive fables.¡±

    ¡°On the outer ring, that faith has never been restored.¡± Syllis thought about the ¡®messages to the Lauriers¡¯ that she had been told about. ¡°Surely you¡¯ve heard of the bodies of nymphs left pinned to trees in the center ring?¡±

    ¡°I have,¡± Aura answered. ¡°Such a shame. Better to string up a human and nymph both, right?¡±

    ¡°Or none,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Their skin was peeled back, revealing torn flesh and streams of crimson blood that poured out. At least that¡¯s what a witness told me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ideally all crime is purged from the world,¡± Aura said. ¡°But that itself is a ¡®fable.¡¯ There is always going to be some form of crime, might as well restrict it to a couple gruesome victims rather than an entire group being crippled for example.¡±

    ¡°I hate it,¡± Syllis said before sighing. ¡°But I have to agree.¡± She looked up, seeing the dark sky be ignited with pale-white flames that overlapped.

    ¡°About time to eat it seems,¡± Aura said. ¡°Korman, come help me with preparing the food.¡±

    Clyde took Aura¡¯s place. He walked towards Syllis and took a seat. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s worrying,¡± Syllis said. ¡°What if there are no more pockets past the halfway point?¡±

    ¡°You know the answer.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Syllis said, solemnly, ¡°we¡¯ll die. If we head back towards the wall, then the suns will split and we could never leave Abyssia. And we would not be able to continue forward either.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t we found another fable rift yet, Clyde?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Clyde said. ¡°Perhaps it''s a part of fate¡¯s plan. It seems, they don¡¯t have good intentions.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to judge,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Maybe we''re being prepared for some great calamity. Anahita¡¯s ascension seems to fit that description.¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± Clyde said, looking up at the flames for a moment.

    Aura and Korman had finished cutting the meat and arranged it on a ¡®plate¡¯ of folded glow-tree sheets.

    ¡°Syllis, if you could, please?¡± Aura asked.

    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Syllis said. Then, four large steps formed.

    Korman ascended the steps and held the ramshackle ensemble just outside of the protection of the abyss. The meat immediately began to sizzle and Korman sweat under the flame. A mere single minute later, the meat was finished.

    They split the meat into four portions and together, the four of them ate. For every couple bites of meat, they would take a sip of water. Each jar of water held around ten liters. Korman had previously calculated the amounts and told everyone that they could drink one and a half liters a day. This would last them nearly three months.

    After they finished eating, Syllis stood up.

    ¡°Within three months, we will have returned,¡± Syllis said to her three companions. ¡°We have to.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Clyde said. He followed suit standing up. ¡°Aura needs to get back before Archae starts.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d actually be a blessing to miss it,¡± Aura said, also rising.

    ¡°To be free again!¡± Korman said, uncharacteristically. He raised his thick-root cup.

    Each of them repeated his words before they all held their cups up towards each other.

    ¡®To be free again. I¡¯m going to be free.¡¯ Syllis smiled at the thought of being freed of her contract with Clark.

    Syllis had long made up her mind on what she wanted to do when she escaped the fable. She was going to see the world. Asanoch was stale and harbored nothing but bad memories aside from the moments with Clyde, Aura and Korman. She was more than willing to give them up, especially after Clyde had forced her into the fable.

    ¡®I want to sail the sea.¡¯ Syllis thought before smiling and gulping down her cup of water.

 Chapter 61 - Two Monsters

    The top of the first sun began to show itself, signaling the impending doom that would fall upon them. Its beautifully haunting flames slowly began to approach. It was slow, unthreatening. Only once the next three suns revealed themselves would they increase in their rage and ability. Devouring the great purple sky that was constantly swirling above as if it was a minor inconvenience in its path. It would crackle, threatening those below.

    ¡°How much further!?¡± Clyde questioned Aura. His gaze remained fixed ahead of him though, he did not dare take his eyes off of the first sun.

    Aura looked down to her etched map.

    There was a black line at the top, marking where they were. How far they had moved from their time at the wall. Right now, they were at almost exactly the halfway point of the chasm. The amount of pockets dwindled and the suns high above them shone with more vigor in recent times.

    ¡°Only a hundred more meters,¡± Aura said. ¡°Just about¡­¡±

    The four of them looked straight ahead. They would make it to the pocket in front of them in time. It was close, in thirty minutes or so, the four suns would ignite the sky with their enhanced flame and torch them.

    Syllis sighed with relief and looked below her at the crow, formed of bone and void. She took comfort in the ephemeral flames that wafted from the tips of its most prominent bones. The scent of dripping flesh was appealing but otherwise the crows had been godsends.

    They had exhausted over half of their water supplies over the last month and a half which allowed the crows to just be able to carry them. They made bizarre sounds under the immense pressure. Still, they moved much faster than the four of them had on foot.

    Syllis hopped off of the side of the ephemeral crow she was sharing with Clyde. She felt the slight sinking of the ground beneath her feet. Walking on ash was a bizarre feeling.

    The area around them was inconspicuous. Nothing abnormal stood out. Even surrounded by the rest of the sky chasm which was wholly similar to each other¡ªthis place was boring.

    ¡°Aura,¡± Syllis said, ¡°where is it?¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Aura said. Then, small tears in space emerged. Slight maggots fell out from it and burrowed deep into the ground. ¡°Here.¡± She gestured towards a small patch of ash.

    Under the watchful gaze of the first sun, Syllis once again willed together a large icy-blue block up above. It fell, shattering the ground beneath. There were no taran inside to kill, but why would there be? Only one, possibly a second could fit within.

    ¡°Quickly now, everybody!¡± Clyde said. The next tops of the next two suns were beginning to be visible. In the next thirty minutes, the entire area would fall victim to the blazing-white flames.

    The four of them looked into the abyssal pit. It was equally as dark as the rest yet it carried a unique eeriness. Korman threw his lantern into the hole. It was dim, nearly entirely useless. His lantern had been the first to fade so much. Clyde then threw his in. It was much brighter and illuminated the entire pocket.

    Syllis examined the hole and swayed slightly. ¡®This is bad¡­¡¯ Her thoughts became slower and it was difficult to think entirely clearly. ¡®Forget it.¡¯

    They cleared the rubble and moved each of the jars of water into it. They only had fifteen jars left. They were stacked into three piles against the side of the abyssal stone. There were slight indentations on the bottom of the jars that allowed this.

    ¡°L-let¡¯s get in.¡± Clyde said with a slight stutter and worry evident in his tone. ¡°Aura, you first.¡±

    The ragged woman with pitch-black hair shook her head. She hopped into the hole, easily reaching the bottom. The familiar steps of ice were not needed. This hole was small, too small.

    Clyde hopped in after her. Together they occupied a large chunk of the total space in the pit. Both Syllis and Korman looked at each other. They scrutinized one another with their eyes.

    ¡°So¡ª¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, jump in,¡± Syllis said. Her voice did not even sound entirely like her own. She knew what was going on right now.

    Since the second she had laid her eyes on the contents of the pocket, she had only thought of one scenario. It was what they faced at this moment. Nobody said anything. Everyone wanted to believe that it was ok. It was not ok.

    ¡®It''s not ok.¡¯ Syllis thought. ¡®We are not ok¡ªone of us is not ok¡ªone of them is not ok.¡¯ Her thoughts shifted. This pocket did not have the room to house them¡ªall of them. One of them would be left outside, and it would not be her.

    ¡°Come on out guys,¡± Syllis said with a smile. ¡°We can talk until the suns become a real threat, right?¡± Her voice sounded cheerful, vibrant. The subtext? gritty and violent.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Clyde said. He climbed up out of the pocket with Syllis¡¯ help. ¡°We can talk for a while.¡±

    ¡®He¡¯s pretty happy about this turn of events. All of them have noticed. That sorrowful look on Aura and Korman¡¯s faces¡­¡¯

    Syllis turned to Clyde. ¡®He knows that the one left will not be him. It can¡¯t be. Clyde is too important. If he does not escape, then I might as well rot right here¡­¡¯ She was not exactly fond of being imprisoned for life or even executed.

    ¡°Right,¡± Aura said through gritted teeth, ¡°we can talk, for a while.¡± She looked back to Korman who had a worried expression.

    The both of them climbed out of the pocket and joined Clyde and Syllis. Together, the four of them sat in a circle as the four suns continued to rise.

    ¡°What do you guys want to talk about?¡± Syllis asked eagerly.

    ¡®Self preservation over all else¡­ Self preservation over all else¡­Self preservation over all else¡­¡¯

    ¡°Uh¡ªI know!¡± Aura blurted out. ¡°It was weird that there was no taran in that pocket, right? Usually there would be a taran or a couple in that pocket!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Korman said. ¡°That pocket should really have a couple taran, it¡¯s certainly large enough¡­¡±

    Syllis clicked her teeth together and looked at both Aura and Korman beside each other. ¡°Is it though? Really?¡±

    The secare nymph stood up and rounded the side of the abyssal pocket. She sighed, jumped in, and climbed back outside of it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Syllis retorted, sitting back down beside Clyde. ¡°I think that this pocket could not even hold a single taran, it¡¯s too small! What about you Clyde, what do you think?¡± She turned to face the man.

    Clyde fiddled with his fingers, curling them around one another. He let out a slight laugh and stood. He took another look into the pit and turned to his companions. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ It¡¯d be a tight fit but it could fit a taran¡ªprobably.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± Aura yelled. ¡°It could definitely fit a taran! And the elmannise¡­ I bet it could fit a couple elmannise!¡±

    ¡°What are you joking, Aura?¡± Syllis said. Her tone drastically changed, as though another person was speaking. It was cold and distant. ¡°Their heads would be on fire. This pocket is not nearly deep enough for them to stay in. They would be burned alive, just like¡­ Hlorndt.¡±

    The atmosphere shifted. Aura could only muster a weak smile. The corners of her lips quivered in fear. Korman wanted to turn and comfort her but felt unable to under the watchful gaze of the brightening sky above. Contrary to this sky, they felt as if they were being dragged further into the abyss than they had ever seen before.

    ¡°That was¡­ an unfortunate event.¡± Aura said, somber. She clutched at the cloth that hid her skin. She clawed at it slightly, to distract herself.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡®Self preservation over all else¡­ Self preservation over all else¡­ Self preservation over all else¡­¡¯

    ¡®It''s ironic. Right now, when I¡¯m entirely sane. When I have not used my bond outside of gaining entry to this pocket. When I should have complete control over myself and how I feel. This is when I feel most lost. This is when I feel most helpless and this is when I feel most insane.¡¯

    Wry, a wry smile grew on Syllis face. It was modest, unassuming. It extended beyond the mere uncomfortable nature of their conversation. It was bitter, villainous. This act was more heinous than anything ever performed on the outer ring¡ªat least anything that Syllis herself knew.

    ¡°Congratulations Aura,¡± Syllis said, ¡°you get to live a little longer. You get to walk across this hell¡­ for a while longer.¡± She began to clap with great enthusiasm.

    Clyde and Korman joined in. Each of them clapped for Aura.

    Aura looked at her three companions with horror. ¡°What are you talking about? Why should I live over any of you three!?¡± She tugged at her black hair. She looked at Clyde and at Korman. Then to Syllis, and back to Korman again.

    All of them were quiet, none spoke. This was the first time any of them had admitted out loud that one of them would die.

    Clyde sighed. ¡°It¡¯s simple Aura, you¡¯re the smallest. Leaving you to die would not allow the space for me, Syllis and Korman to live. It would accomplish nothing.¡±

    Aura looked like she wanted to speak. Her supple lips shook more as she felt unable to talk. The newfound pressure of each of their acknowledgements of the situation was too much to bear. She dropped her head down before looking back up.

    The woman rose, slowly. She was like a corpse being reanimated. With a few thuds of her brown boots against the ashen ground, she rounded the back of Korman and sat beside Clyde.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Syllis began, ¡°it¡¯s one of us.¡± She moved, taking a seat next to Korman. They only had around twenty minutes left before the suns¡¯ flames would devour them.

    Syllis looked at Korman who had anything but a stable expression. His foot tapped against the ashen ground, he refused to look the nymph in the eyes. She would be the death of him. They would all be the death of him unless¡­ unless they were the death of her.

    The secare nymph smiled. She knew that this was what he was thinking. It was what anyone would think. It was what she herself had thought only ten minutes ago. Anyone would not think about it, everyone would.

    Korman manifested various bestial parts of his bond as the three other nomads looked at him. His nails grew sharp and his skin rougher. His nose is sharper and his legs larger. He dug his nails into his skin. Unable to handle the pressure upon him.

    ¡°Korman!¡± Aura called out. She pushed herself forward. On her knees and one arm, she reached for Korman. When nobody else wanted to¡ªcould¡ªmove, she had.

    Syllis'' mouth contorted into a sort of half smile. ¡®So that was it, huh?¡¯ She understood them. They had grown closer than close. They were together.

    ¡®Foolish, how foolish.¡¯ The secare nymph criticized both of them. ¡®In the middle of a fable, really? And right before the most dangerous part of it¡­ truly foolish.¡¯ But why was she not scolding them, why were these thoughts. This was empathy, this was pity.

    Syllis was not going to die. She was never going to die here. If she had no regard for herself or anyone around her, then each of them would be dismantled. Aura might be able to escape, but she would not. She would stay by the side of Korman and Clyde and try to help.

    ¡®That¡¯s it.¡¯ Syllis snapped within. ¡®There¡¯s no use in providing false hope.¡¯ She gripped at the side of her¡ªslightly charred¡ªblack jacket as she stood.

    The secare nymph looked at Korman with her pair of pitying and sorrowful seafoam eyes. They were once exuberant, bright. They shone at the most minute of things. Now, they were dull.

    Korman almost shuddered under her gaze.

    Syllis flicked to Aura and then right back. She did not want to hurt either of them, but what choice did she have? ¡®Why does it have to be so hard? What, am I to sacrifice myself?¡¯

    As Syllis was about to begin speaking, Korman had instead.

    ¡°It''s alright, Aura.¡± Korman said. There was a large smile on his face. He was content, it was entirely genuine.

    ¡°What¡¯s alright?¡± Aura asked as she stood. ¡°What about any of this is alright!? They¡¯re going to kill you, Korman!¡± she cried out.

    Aura looked up at Syllis. ¡°She¡¯s looking at you like an animal, to be butchered! I don¡¯t want them to kill you, Korman...¡±

    Syllis did not provide any refutations. She was going to kill him. They were going to kill him.

    ¡°And¡ªand him!¡± Aura said, pointing to Clyde. ¡°He thinks he¡¯s so much more valuable than you. He isn¡¯t¡ªhe isn¡¯t! Tell him, Korman. Tell them they can¡¯t kill you.

    ¡°No¡ªyou don¡¯t have to, I will. You can¡¯t kill him! He has just as large a role to play as both of you, or me!¡±

    Clyde looked away in pure guilt. The glow of the lanterns almost seemed to criticize him as well.

    ¡°You! One of you, speak!¡± Aura bellowed. Streams of tears still fell from her eyes. They formed streaks down from her tan face and soaked into her ragged clothes further down.

    Syllis did not respond again. She only looked down at Aura with the same pity. She herself was nearly about to cry. Just as Aura was and Clyde presumably was. Weirdly enough, Korman had yet to shed a tear.

    ¡°Monsters¡­ you two are monsters!¡± Aura yelled. Yet, she did not dare try to bring Korman into the pocket. She tore open a large rift behind her and screams emanated from within.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Korman shouted. ¡°Aura you have to stop. Stop it right now! They are not killing me. I am killing myself.¡± He kept his smile despite the horrific sentence.

    ¡°Th¡ªthey¡¯re forcing you!¡± Aura said, continuing to will her spacial rend. Tears continued to fall from her eyes. She tried to push them away but more came, time after time.

    ¡°No, they aren¡¯t,¡± Korman said. ¡°Now, the burning sky will reach us in no less than ten minutes. Clyde, take Aura into the pocket.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Aura yelled. Clyde tried to grab her from behind. ¡°No¡ªno!¡± Her willed rift suddenly collapsed.

    ¡°What happened? Don¡¯t¡ªstop it. Where did my¡­¡± Aura realized. She had wasted so much sanity through the constant draw from the ephemeral crows. She did not even have enough sanity to spawn maggots behind her eyes to see more clearly.

    ¡°Korman! Tell him to stop!¡± Aura clawed at Clyde as he pulled her back. Like a demon, pulling its victim into the depths. She was being dragged into the abyss.

    Clyde did not relent though. He hopped into the abyss, pulling Aura along with him.

    Syllis stood still, motionless. She looked at Korman as Aura continued to cry out. She was louder than a leviathan¡ªtitanic creatures that had been mostly exterminated around Asanoch and the other deep-sea city-states.

    ¡®A banshee¡­¡¯

    ¡°Do you want me to kill you now?¡± Syllis asked. ¡°I mean, without the sky. Would it be better for you? It¡¯s really the least I can do.¡±

    Korman stood still for a man. He laid down on his back. ¡°No, I think I want the embrace of the sky. You might not find it so but¡­ I think it will be comforting.

    ¡°Syllis you and¡ªClyde! Make sure that Aura stays safe until both of you are dead!¡±

    ¡°Korman! Stop talking like this!¡± Aura yelled out from the pocket. She could not move. Under the force of Clyde¡ªwho had expended next to no sanity recently¡ªshe was helpless. ¡°You will live. We can make room. Clyde! We can make room can¡¯t we?¡±

    Clyde stayed silent with a pained expression.

    ¡°Answer me clyde!¡± Aura shook violently. Still, it did nothing underneath her ¡®captor.¡¯ She remained, pinned to the wall of the pocket.

    ¡°Alright, Korman.¡± Syllis said after a minute of contemplation. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡± She picked up Korman''s dim lantern and looked at it with a moment of contemplation. Then, she sat it back down beside him. ¡°I hope you have light in whatever is next.¡±

    The two lanterns that she held were significantly brighter than Korman¡¯s by many fold. She wanted to honor him but the bright lanterns were too valuable.

    Syllis hopped into the abyssal pocket after carefully throwing the couple lanterns inside. It was cramped, very cramped. Her back was pressed against Clyde and her face was nearly entirely pressed into the hard rock wall. Clyde was squished in between the both of them. His front pinned Aura to the wall, even as she tried to shift and claw erratically. She had neither the sanity or space to escape though. Her Forehead and chest were pinned against the wall.

    As Aura continued to yell with the same fervor she had earlier, Korman¡¯s voice cut through.

    ¡°Aura,¡± Korman said, solemnly.

    Despite her rage, she listened.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to die. I¡¯m dying for you. I always wanted to give you whatever I could. You deserve it, you deserved it. I can¡¯t give my all to you anymore, I¡¯m sorry for that.

    ¡°At Anahita¡¯s ascension. I thought it was closer to your ascension. You looked beautiful, perfect. My only regret will be not acting sooner and I¡¯m sure it will stay that way for the last couple minutes of my life. Actually, there¡¯s another. I regret¡­ that you will regret this moment. Instead, I wish you could cherish it.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t let this regret be as large as my own. Move on, experience the world. Shape it around you. Use it as you see fit. I hope you become what you¡¯ve always sought to be.¡±

    ¡°Korman, please¡­¡±

    ¡°I love you,¡± Korman said, ¡°Aura.¡±

    The sky above them caught flame. Instantly, it enveloped the entire area around them. They saw the flames dance at the edge of the abyss, just over their heads. Korman did not scream or cry as the flames assaulted him. If they had not experienced the horrific scenario beforehand, they would have assumed no one was laying just outside the pocket.

    Aura continued to cry, wailing. Her violence withdrew though. It was impossible to save him now. The sky had thoroughly mangled him at the least. He was dead or soon to be.

    Still, she kept crying, and crying.

    The three of them stayed, stuck together all the way until the burning skies subsided hours upon hours later. Their mouths were dry and their patience had run thin.

    Syllis¡¯ hope in fate, gone. Clyde¡¯s promise to bring them all back, gone. Aura¡¯s trust in her companions, gone. All of their faith in the world¡­

    Gone.

    When the four of them went up, after the flames had gone. They looked for a corpse.

    The lantern, gone.

    Korman, gone.

 Chapter 62 - One Aphasic

    Aura did not talk after the incident. She did not scream. She did not cry. She did not laugh. She did not fume. She did not smile. She did not fight. She did not sleep. She did not dismiss her crows. There was comfort in them.

    ¡°Again, really?¡± Syllis said, looking at Aura. She sat, staring off into the distance behind them. Towards Korman, towards where they left their hope behind.

    ¡°Yes, again,¡± Clyde answered with a sigh. There was a pained expression on his face.

    ¡®Even if he knew the risks¡­ none of us expected it to pan out like this.¡¯ Syllis thought. Clyde was guilty but not this guilty. Clyde had killed Korman but this fable was abnormal as far as most went. ¡®This is like the sort of fables that are described by nomads with at least five anathema. The kind that my short time in Lurgica had taught me, the kind that Aura used to tell me about¡­¡¯

    The night was dark and the suns were nowhere near lighting the sky aflame. Since they were closer to the opposite edge of the chasm, nights were longer. The large stone wall that they were moving towards¡ªits shadow¡ªwas keeping the suns¡¯ flames from reaching them as it used to.

    Syllis found a strange comfort in it. There was an eeriness. ¡®So what? Does anything in this place not carry a sense of this eeriness? In such a desolate and twisted place, one must seek solace in the few places they can.¡¯

    ¡°Aura.¡±

    The ashen ground was slightly crushed under Syllis¡¯ steps. Like walking across hundreds of thousands of leaves. Despite the still glowing embers, scattered amongst tattered black and grey, it almost felt like that time in winter. That time when Syllis would see the leaves fall from the trees in Asanoch.

    ¡®That government, they always spent quartz on unnecessary things. The changing of the seasons, Aklilan, Anahita¡¯s stupid ascension.¡¯ Syllis kicked a decent amount of ash up into the air.

    Of course, Aura did not respond. Her demeanor was that of a corpse. It almost seemed like her soul had been lit aflame and lost when Korman had. A twisted form of love.

    ¡®I wonder if I¡¯ll ever have that feeling?¡¯ Syllis thought. Then, the scattered memories of her ritual flashed throughout her mind. She was left with only a frown, spearheading her very pained expression.

    ¡°Aura, please talk to me.¡± Syllis almost begged her as she sat down beside the entirely lifeless woman.

    Still, Aura looked forward with her forlorn expression. She had entirely torn through her grey, fabric gloves when she tried to claw out from Clyde¡¯s grasp in the small abyssal pocket. The integrity of her jacket had been compromised along with Syllis, Clyde and Korman¡¯s at the beginning of their fable. Now¡ªalmost every day¡ªlarge patches would almost shed, littering the ground like the familiar ash.

    ¡°Please Aura,¡± Syllis continued. ¡°Please, please, please. Just speak to me, please.¡± The secare nymph repeated, over and over. Tears began to fall from her eyes.

    Syllis turned to Aura with her red, sullen eyes, their muddled green color burning a hole in her side. She moved closer and reached for Aura¡¯s shoulder. Shaking it slightly, she called out again.

    Nothing, just nothing. She was beginning to grow frustrated. Eventually, she got up in a fury, stomping away. Another attempt, nothing.

    The secare nymph laughed wryly. ¡®Why did I think it would be any different with me? Clyde tries time after time and what? Nothing, just nothing, again and again. Why would she want to talk to me anyway? I¡¯m the reason Korman died. If it had just been the three of them, they all would have lived.¡¯

    Syllis clutched at her stomach. It churned, begging for any sustenance. Originally they thought that taran would be commonplace in the abyssal pockets. Most pockets near Abyssia held them within. Past the half-way mark though¡­ nearly all of them had migrated from there. There was nearly no food.

    ¡°Clyde, any luck?¡± Syllis asked the man.

    ¡°Yes, finally, some luck.¡± Clyde said with a half-baked smile. He was sitting on the edge of the pocket.

    There had been a couple taran inside. They were mangled, brutally. No way they could have survived the journey to Abyssia. So they were left to rot. Like Korman, to rot. Like the world, rotten.

    ¡°It feels almost inhuman to devour this creature. I¡¯ve always seen the taran as exceptionally intelligent.¡± Syllis said with discontent.

    ¡°I agree with you but what choice do we have?¡± Clyde asked. He hoped that Syllis would have a better idea.

    Syllis merely shook her head, from side to side. Her wavy cerulean hair followed her movements. It was unruly and entirely too long. She had never found a reason to cut it. It did not get in the way. It was not very pleasing to her all the same though.

    Clyde thought the same way. He had a ramshackle sort of beard growing. And Aura¡­ she did not have reason to do much of anything anymore.

    Every day of hers was spent the same. Clyde would drag her onto the back of one of her crows and they would head for the next pocket. Then, she sat. She looked towards Korman¡¯s demise, where it happened. Never away until they were to move again.

    It was especially difficult to feed her. Aura wanted to die. But the constant draining of her ephemeral creatures on her sanity kept her in an odd state. She was assuredly sustaining the maximum brunt of recoil from whatever god she was bonded to. She did not exactly have the mental capacity to try any real method to die.

    This was to Clyde and Syllis¡¯ advantage. They could not let her die, she needed to live. It might be cruel, subjecting her to so many whispers and fallacies. But they needed her to live, so that they could. Besides, once they escaped, she would return to normal.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°She will be happy, right?¡± Syllis asked Clyde. Her muddied eyes watched his face carefully.

    ¡°I hope so. I really hope so,¡± Clyde answered. There was worry on his face. He was not great at hiding it.

    Syllis looked over to the ephemeral crows. They were peculiar. Rather what was behind them. She was exceedingly interested in why they had not deteriorated. With her own bond, all of her ice would shatter and disappear the second she ran entirely out of room in her mind or at least once she reached a certain threshold. Even when the burning suns had nearly killed them, it took begging Coryzan to give her the leeway to break into Abyssia. Aura by comparison was unique. She should have long reached her limit. The crows had been active for half a month. Unless she had some absurd circumstances surrounding her or her bond, she should be at the limit. Her mind was broken, so why was her bond active?

    Syllis scrutinized the woman under her gaze for a moment.

    ¡®Now that I think about it¡­ there¡¯s more anomalies in this vein¡­¡¯ Syllis thought, there were too many bizarre aspects to Aura. ¡®She never told me or anyone else what her second anathema amplified. Along with this bizarre interaction with her sanity¡­ Hell if she had a few more anathema then she would have died by now¡­¡¯

    ¡®Enough!¡¯ Syllis stopped herself. This was not the time. There were much more important things to do.

    ¡°So, how do you want to cook it?¡± Syllis asked Clyde. She was beginning to salivate. It had been an entire day since the three of them ate.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to wait for the four suns to rise¡­¡± Clyde said, his voice trailed out. He glanced around. Apparently he was no less hungry than she was.

    The two of them got up and walked over to one of the ephemeral crows. Their exuberant, ethereal green flames looked like an excellent alternative to the four suns.

    Clyde tried to cook the meat under the heat of the ephemeral crows. Nothing, even these crows could not help them. Their heat was too little and Aura was not in any position to tune it to their needs. Disappointment was left on both of their faces.

    ¡°What if¡­ we ate it raw?¡± Syllis asked, placing a hand over the front of her stomach.

    There was a silence that washed over them. It was insane. Eating meat, unsterilized by the sun. All sorts of bacteria could be present. They could contract illness, disease and die. Despite this, the option seemed tantalizing.

    ¡°No,¡± Clyde said, ¡°we better wait until the suns¡¯ flame reaches us. We can¡¯t risk it no matter how¡­ enticing.¡± He pulled the glow-tree sheet with scattered chunks of juvenile taran meat and wrapped it with another sheet before tying them together.

    Syllis frowned before smiling. ¡®Thank the lord he decided against it. We can¡¯t risk it.¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯re stronger than me, Clyde.¡± Syllis caught up with him before walking to his side. Both of their steps across the ashen barren created bizarre shuffling sounds.

    ¡°Yeah? Well, we have to get Aura home safely,¡± Clyde said. ¡°We made a promise. We promised him.¡± He looked up to the sky.

    ¡°That we did¡­¡± Syllis followed suit, looking upwards somewhat longingly. ¡®He¡¯d hate that. His killer looking up, acting out of sympathy? No, this is a pitiful gaze.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s about time then.¡± Clyde gestured towards the sky.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Clyde grabbed Aura. She did not react, continuing to look longingly back the way they came. She was pulled into the pocket where she frowned and stared into the abyssal walls.

    The pockets became more plentiful the closer they came to the opposing wall. This goal post that they had since they had arrived in Abyssia had a small opening in the front of it. The opening was not as assuming as Abyssia¡¯s, it had not been whittled away as much with the lack of time it was exposed to the suns¡¯ flames.

    With this increase in pockets came an increase in space within them. This left ample room for them to leave Aura to wallow, while conversing themselves. One such topic was the possibility of a ¡®second Abyssia.¡¯ It was not far-fetched. If there were more pockets and larger pockets closer to Abyssia, then it logically made sense for it to work in the reverse way. The lack of pockets in the center of the abyss was due to its extreme distance from both sides of the chasm.

    There was hope. It was faint and vague, possibly foolish. But it was hope nonetheless.

    ¡°It''s almost time, Syllis,¡± Clyde said. Pale-white flames had begun to reach their pocket. The abyss fought off the temperature but it remained somewhat.

    The glow-tree sheet was raised into these flames like a steel rod to be melded into something greater. This transformed the meat that they had seen as something akin to sinful into a delicacy. They were hungry, they had this. They needed to eat it.

    ¡°Finally,¡± Syllis said. It had been over a day now since she and Clyde, along with Aura had eaten.

    Both of their stomachs growled as they examined the meat with the same longing that Aura directed to where they had come from. They took their fill and happily ate. Aura¡¯s stomach growled, she did not act on it.

    After Syllis and Clyde finished eating and drinking the latter half of their daily ration of water they turned their attention to Aura.

    ¡°Aura, could you eat, please,¡± Clyde asked. His voice was warm, welcoming even.

    Syllis did not even want to watch the scene. Aura was starting to get on her nerves. She understood what she was feeling but¡­ everyone needed to move on at some point, right?

    ¡°Syllis, help me with this?¡± Clyde asked, gesturing to a portion of meat. ¡°She won¡¯t eat by herself today either. Maybe she will only be able to eat again once she is back home. The Thermans¡¯ will surely hire a psychiatrist of the highest order for her.¡±

    Syllis sighed, approaching the glowing sheet and by extension, the meat on top of it. She conjured a small knife of sorts. It sawed through the meat with great efficiency, dirtying the pristine, icy-blue shape.

    ¡°She better get it together,¡± Syllis said, angrily. Red blood dripped from the knife and collapsed to the ground once she dismissed it. The meat was entirely dismembered and pulled about.

    Clyde took it to the side. He mixed it into a cup of water, forming a terribly pungent concoction.

    ¡°Aura, drink this,¡± Clyde said, hoping they would not have to do the next step.

    Aura did not take the cup, or speak, or do much of anything.

    ¡°That''s it,¡± Syllis said. She stepped in front of Aura.

    ¡°H-hold on!¡± Clyde was taken aback.

    ¡°I¡¯m not waiting for her anymore,¡± Syllis said. ¡°We¡¯re just going to need to do this eventually¡­¡± She grabbed Aura¡¯s chin and pulled it down. At the same time she tilted her head back and pushed her backwards.

    ¡°Do it Clyde.¡±

    Clyde stood still for a moment and then moved. He took the thick-root cup and poured the disgusting mixture of water and meat into her mouth. This was one of the sole active functions she performed.

    Syllis closed her mouth and sighed. Aura returned to looking at the abyssal wall as though nothing had happened.

    Food was an issue and becoming an even larger one. The juvenile, mangled taran was a one-off. They were pure luck. They would need to figure something else out unless they made it out in the next few days. Water was no problem. One less person to sustain meant they had a surplus.

    Once the night came once again and the flames had retreated once again, they began to move. They loaded the jars into the shackles on the ephemeral crows and looked ahead of them.

    Syllis walked forward and grabbed Clyde by the shoulder. They saw specks of white, speckled with slight orange and red. There was something approaching them.

    ¡°So, what do we do about that?¡±

 Chapter 63 - Returned

    Only a week had passed, but the white specks had arrived. They had approached at double the speed. Clyde, Aura and Syllis could not slow down and wait for them to arrive. They needed to push forward, the water would only last so long.

    ¡°Is she fine yet?¡± Syllis asked, tapping her foot. ¡°Please tell me she¡¯s ready.¡±

    Clyde shook his head side to side. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she will be ready at all, not without a push at least.¡±

    Syllis scoffed, looking past Clyde at Aura, staring longingly. ¡°Is the threat to our lives not enough of a push? Do we mean so little? I mean, maybe me but you¡­ The both of you have been friends for how many years?¡±

    ¡°Fourteen¡±

    ¡°Fourteen years¡­¡± Syllis mumbled to herself. ¡°That long and she can¡¯t get her act together for a single day. Forget a day, not even an hour.¡±

    ¡°Relax, Syllis,¡± Clyde urged the secare nymph. ¡°We can¡¯t rush her. She might break even further, beyond the point of recovery.¡±

    ¡°Rush? It¡¯s been weeks,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Weeks that we don¡¯t have. In only an hour¡­ they are going to arrive. You¡¯ve seen the flames that fall from the tips of their spears. You¡¯ve seen the scorched¡ªeven larger piles of ash they leave in their wake.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Do you?¡± Syllis asked, seriously. ¡°Without her, we will die. I don¡¯t want to die, do you?¡±

    ¡°Whatever the case, she isn¡¯t ready.¡± Clyde said, turning away slightly.

    Syllis turned around, looking at the legion of soldiers approaching them. They wore white garments with black spears. Red and orange flames were left in their wake and it tinted the tips of their weapons.

    This legion did not seem to need to eat or drink. They were sustained on something else entirely or perhaps they needed not be sustained at all. They never stopped marching forward, towards something.

    ¡°Well she¡¯s going to have to be,¡± Syllis said. The secare nymph turned around to face the aphasic woman. ¡°Aura.¡±

    Syllis received no response, again. She was tired of it. More than tired of it, entirely fed up. ¡®How much longer should a grown woman be allowed to remain in this state? No longer.¡¯

    ¡°Aura, look at me.¡± Syllis grabbed the woman¡¯s shoulder and pulled it back. ¡°Korman is dead, Aura. And you sitting here looking back at him¡ªno, not even a corpse¡ªis going to kill us.¡±

    Aura remained silent. She jerked her shoulder from Syllis¡¯ grasp and continued to look back.

    Syllis laughed slightly. This singular movement that her companion made was the most emotion she had shown in nearly an entire month.

    ¡°Do it again,¡± Syllis said. She pushed Aura onto her back, against the ashen ground.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Clyde yelled. ¡°Syllis what the hell are you doing!¡± He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.

    Syllis looked down to Aura. She pulled herself back up and continued to look where they came. The secare nymph smiled, looking back to Clyde.

    ¡°Do you not understand what is happening? This is the most emotion that this woman has shown in literal weeks!¡± Syllis said with an almost crazed smile. ¡°We can¡¯t let her get complacent.¡±

    Syllis saw Clyde¡¯s reluctance. His face was stern and he could not bear the sight of the secare nymph. He turned away in shame.

    ¡°You do it,¡± she said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You do it, push her.¡±

    ¡°No, Syllis. I¡¯m not going to do that,¡± Clyde said. He sounded appalled.

    ¡°It would mean the most coming from you Clyde¡ªdon¡¯t look away. You have to push her,¡± Syllis urged him. She was almost pleading. Seeing the lack of a reaction of any sort, she continued. ¡°Do you want to die? Scratch that actually¡­ Do you want those tens of thousands of citizens in Asanoch to die?¡±

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t!¡± Clyde yelled. ¡°The only reason we¡¯re in here right now is because of them!¡±

    ¡°What do you think is going to happen once we die?¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Syllis said, ¡°as long as you get Aura back to normal. If you can do that, then we can live.¡±

    Clyde¡¯s expression turned from one of reluctance to one that almost resembled eagerness. He walked in front of Aura, shielding her view of Korman¡¯s ¡®grave.¡¯

    ¡°Aura, get up,¡± Clyde said, sternly. ¡°Korman died for nothing if you¡¯re just going to kill yourself and us in the process!¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Aura finally broke her silence. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll see him¡ªin heaven.¡± She clutched at her black coat, fiddling with the frayed bottom.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never believed in Halarion Holis,¡± Clyde said. ¡°You¡¯re willing to compromise everything that everyone has ever given to you based on some lunatic theory? What kind of pathetic woman does that?¡±

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Lunatic theory?¡± Aura mumbled. ¡°Maybe it is¡ªI am. So what if I¡¯m a lunatic? Even if I don¡¯t go to heaven¡­ at least the pain will stop. As long as I don¡¯t need to feel like this anymore then I don¡¯t care.

    ¡°What are you going to tell me next? That everyone in Asanoch will die if we fail here? That couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. Syllis I¡¯m going to let you in on something. There has been a group of nomads on standby since we entered. Anytime that anyone enters a fable, the government pays a team to stay there until it opens again for them to enter.

    ¡°We do not matter.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Syllis said, relenting. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Kill yourself if you want. You have the capability.¡± She pointed at the longsword, securely tethered to her waist. Aura had specifically gotten it commissioned by an elmannise on the wall.

    Syllis turned around and headed towards the legion. She was going to meet them halfway. ¡®Hopefully with enough javelins whittling down their numbers, Clyde and I will be able to deal with them.¡¯

    <hr>

    ¡°You see, Clyde?¡± Aura said with a crazed and mentally drained look. ¡°Even Syllis doesn¡¯t care about me anymore. Follow her to the north and fight that legion, survive. But I don¡¯t need to.¡±

    ¡®This woman¡­¡¯ Clyde thought. ¡®Her bond has always acted in an odd way but¡­ is this really the infection or is it her true thoughts?¡¯ He wondered, scrutinizing the woman as though it would give him a hint into her psyche

    ¡°You would really disregard Korman so easily?¡± Clyde said. ¡°He died so that you could live. If you die, then you would have burned under the four suns instead of him. If you see him in ¡®heaven¡¯ then he will resent you forever.¡±

    Aura looked at Clyde with curious eyes. She pointed upwards, towards the heavens. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard, Clyde? There¡¯s no sadness in heaven. No resentment, nothing negative. I¡¯ll be happy up there.¡±

    ¡®Well there¡¯s an obvious flaw with that thought¡­¡¯

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Clyde said, with a shaky smile. ¡°They only let decent people into heaven. I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re excluded from that category.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Aura muttered. She stood up and approached Clyde.

    ¡°Finally feeling like moving, huh?¡± Clyde said, irritatedly.

    ¡°Fuck you Clyde,¡± Aura said, spitting on the ground below. She pushed her arms forward sending Clyde tumbling to the ground.

    ¡®Finally,¡¯ he thought with a smirk. ¡°What did you do that for? Holis definitely won¡¯t get you into heaven now!¡±

    Aura huffed, furiously. She climbed over the top of Clyde, pinning him to the ground. She grabbed onto his neck. ¡°Take it back!¡±

    Clyde placed his arm around her side and easily pushed her off of him. He immediately looked over to the ephemeral crows, wondering  if they had vanished. They stood firm, as ethereal as ever.

    ¡®Interesting, her ability to utilize her bond remains untouched but her mind and body still inherit the rest of the infection. Her strength is several fold lower than it typically is.¡¯

    Aura groaned as she hit the ground, clutching at her arm. She had fallen on top of it. She seethed, nearly hissing through her teeth as she saw Clyde approach her.

    ¡°Here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen, Aura¡­¡±

    <hr>

    Syllis looked out at the legion in the distance. The bright orange and red flames they left in their wake were intriguing to say the least. She noted their lack of footwear. The flames seemed to extend from the soles of their feet. Their clothes did not burn though, and the wooden shafts of their weapons remained equally unscathed.

    ¡®Are they a group elmannise that managed to cross the cavern?¡¯ Syllis ruminated. This was one of the many possibilities her and Clyde had discussed over the last week. Every time they heard the screams of unknown and unseen creatures being slaughtered, they would discuss the legion.

    The theory had backing, somewhat. Elmannise commonly used incantations at the foot of the wall. While Syllis and her companions had never quite gotten a straight answer on the workings of them, many scoured flames over the environment and their weapons. There was only a finicky detail that this theory overlooked. This was that the legion did not burn.

    These figures did not hide from the flames of the four suns. Instead, they continued their march. Similarly to their own flames, the suns¡¯ did not burn their clothes or weapons. Even for a fable it was¡­ bizarre.

    Syllis hesitated to throw any javelins towards the legion. ¡®If they¡¯re really elmannise then¡­¡¯ She remembered her time on the wall. It had only been a few months since but that time already felt so far away for her.

    ¡°Self-preservation over all else¡­¡± Syllis muttered under her breath. It felt sort of disgusting to her. On the wall they worked as a team and she had saved so many elmannise in that way. Now, she was just supposed to throw it all away?

    ¡®Return to who I was on the outer ring, before my time on the wall? This is another trick on my great string of fate. It seems that whoever has control of it is a manipulative bastard. I can¡¯t do anything about it now but¡­ maybe in the future. For now though¡­¡¯

    Below her hand, a rough javelin began to take form. It shone icy-blue and would have sparkled under Asanoch¡¯s false sun. In the dark night though, it looked dull and fragile.

    Then she commanded waves of ice below her feet. Her body spun before stopping, transferring the entirety of her momentum into the javelin. It whistled as it cut through the dark night.

    Syllis was thankful for the flames that emanated from the crowd. It would have been impossible to see them in the night otherwise. The light was a decent target to aim for, even if it was difficult to pinpoint exactly where their bodies were.

    Screams erupted as the far away bodies of many legion members were torn apart in an instant. If Syllis had been standing close enough, she would have seen the horrid act that the legion had begun to perform.

    Waves of flames spread out from the back legion members. They tore apart the bodies of the men and women that had died. Each limb was pulled from the rest of the body and devoured.

    A loud sound caught Syllis¡¯ attention. It was the swishing of wind. Something was moving behind her¡ªand quickly. She swung her head around, looking for the threat.

    There, high above in the sky like a deity looking down on mankind was an ephemeral creature. It had wings formed of bone which emanate ethereal green flames that did not waver. The flesh that dripped from this bone¡ªheld together by void¡ªbegan to pool on the ashen ground, reinvigorating the null embers below.

    ¡®Aura.¡¯

    ¡°Guess who I got to help us deal with this horde ahead of us?¡± Clyde asked, jokingly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seriously want me to do that, do you?¡± Syllis asked, seriously. She was fed up with jokes and had not recognized this one.

    Clyde remained silent. Under ordinary circumstances he would have been stifling a laugh but now, he only remained stationary.

    Syllis looked at Aura, she was worse for wear. She had lost a lot of weight that the secare nymph had not noticed until now. Looking down at herself, she realized that she lost a lot too.

    ¡°Whatever the case, it¡¯s good,¡± Syllis said with a tense expression. ¡°Because they aren¡¯t very happy with me.¡± She gestured to the legion¡ªa couple kilometers away.

    They looked at the billowing flames that the legion emitted from their feet and now their hands. With the shortened distance between both parties, Syllis could now see the flames coiling around each other and climbing the long-handled weapons of theirs.

    It was not merely that their weapons were immune to the flames. Both flame and weapon seemed to have a symbiotic relationship, a pact that bound them to and disallowed harm between one and the other.

    ¡®This is getting more troublesome.¡¯

 Chapter 64 - Granted Wish

    Syllis kept throwing javelins into the crowd as they sped up and approached the three of them. The shaped spears had grown ineffective though. What had once torn through at least a handful of the around a hundred legion members was now tearing through a single one¡ªat the most.

    The flames that were emitted from their feet had also begun to spray outwards from the palms of their hands. These flames were influenced to occupy dead zones in the legion to give the appearance of legion members there. This was why Syllis¡¯ javelins were little more than entirely useless now.

    ¡°Aura,¡± Syllis said, ¡°I can¡¯t do much more until they arrive. They¡¯re contorting their flame to fool me. Why does everything in this fable have to be so damn complicated.¡± She let out a sigh.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you throw it towards my dragon?¡± Aura suggested.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Syllis questioned her inwardly. She was not going to dismiss such an idea but it was certainly bizarre coming from Aura. Her dragon had just been executed and she had just gotten it back today. ¡®Why would she risk losing it again?

    ¡°Ah¡­ So this is how your bond works. You can continue using it but you still bear the full brunt of the physical and mental damage,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    Aura scowled and sat down on the ashen, still smoldering ground. The embers weren¡¯t lively enough to ignite their clothing.

    Syllis watched as the ephemeral dragon hastily flew over to the back of the legion. She had always regretted the fact that she could not ride on top of it. Its supernatural movement was only possible due to this fragility.

    The legion members screamed as the bone-winged creature landed behind their back lines. Suddenly, the flame veil that they were using to shroud themselves from Syllis¡¯ javelins shuddered. It was no longer a viable method of camouflage.

    Syllis manifested another javelin. This time, she refined it further. If this was to pierce a dense group of legion members, it needed this added condensing step.

    Then, the waves of icy-blue rushed again as she threw the javelin.

    Again, cries, louder cries. The legion was closer than before and their cries¡­ twice as loud. Syllis did not revel in the cries. She was not fond of attacking unknown parties.

    ¡®Though¡­ How am I supposed to assume they¡¯re anything but hostile when they have fire swirling around their bodies? Right! If they were passive then they would have surely yelled to try and communicate with us by now¡­¡¯

    Syllis tried desperately to justify the attack. In the end, she sighed. There was no justification for such an act, only will. The will to live.

    Eventually, even this strategy dwindled. The legion would just shift away from the bone-winged dragon instead of trying to combat it. Then, the javelins would always miss in their entirety.

    ¡°Get ready, you two,¡± Clyde said.

    ¡°That might be better off directed solely at her,¡± Syllis said, gesturing towards Aura.

    The woman¡ªblessed with certain peculiarities within her bond¡ªwas muttering words to herself. She clawed at the ashen ground and the embers that flittered and danced within. Her emerald eyes were faded and dull. Curled around her, the bone-winged dragon. Comforting and sturdy, her rock in these hard times.

    Clyde walked closer to the woman, kneeling at her side. Almost like a knight to his queen.

    ¡®Too bad they¡¯ve almost entirely faded nowadays¡­¡¯

    Syllis was particularly interested in the stories she heard while in school of this genre. A heroic knight that would save the city. ¡®In this day and age, there is no room for such grand heroism. Everyone is doomed to rise to a common role and die in the same spot. I was going to die in that same spot before¡­¡¯

    ¡°Aura,¡± Clyde said, softly, ¡°could you hold on for just a while longer. Just twenty minutes.¡± He leaned close to her, taking one of her hands.

    Aura¡¯s dim eyes flicked to him. She seemed to understand what he said, but was reluctant. She flicked away leaving Clyde displeased. Her ephemeral companion dragged its tail against the ground like a knife to meat.

    Syllis approached, her steps weighty. She placed a hand on Clyde¡¯s shoulder and ushered him away before taking a knee just as he had before. ¡°Take a break until the legion arrives.¡±

    ¡°Aura, what did Clyde promise you?¡± she asked.

    The dragon let out a hollow sound causing Syllis to look up. This ephemeral creature did not seem to appreciate her company. It slowly lifted its tail from the dark ash and readied it like a rapier, swift and deadly.

    Syllis looked into its inhumane eyes. She stared down the ephemeral vortex of green flames. They held the richness of emerald combined with the luminosity as a vibrant chartreuse.

    The secare nymph contemplated coalescing a spear, equally as imposing as the bone tail. Though she decided against it. Her sanity was not infinite. In fact, it had rapidly depleted, javelin after javelin that she had thrown. She was not enthralled by the idea of wasting it as a scare tactic.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Syllis disregarded the ominous bone-dragon. ¡°What did he promise you? To make you participate in the fight.¡±

    The bone dragon did not attempt to attack Syllis. She was unsure whether this was due to the dragon¡¯s own fear of her dismissal of it or Aura¡¯s conscious decision.

    ¡°He said¡­ that he¡¯ll kill me once we¡¯re finished.¡±

    ¡°You know that he will never keep such a promise though, right?¡± Syllis asked. ¡°Or, I guess you wouldn¡¯t. He has taken advantage of your currently impaired mental ability.¡±

    Aura remained silently. She muttered to herself, making sure Syllis could not hear. Her eyes darted around frantically a couple of times before she eventually looked to stabilize. Her gaze fell upon Syllis again. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Clyde can¡¯t get out of here without you, his bond is solely good for combat. Besides, he does not want to leave his longest known friend behind. He already lost Korman.¡±

    ¡°We both lost Korman¡­¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Syllis said, solemnly. ¡°How about this¡­ we will make a deal?¡± Her tone was that of a cheat on the outer ring. One that would sell overpriced and especially harmful drugs to addicts when the usual suppliers would run out.

    Aura hesitated, running her hand through the side of her hair. Then, she leaned towards Syllis. ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it simple to guess?¡± Syllis asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to really kill you. Unlike Clyde, my bond allows for utility. I don¡¯t need you, so I can kill you.¡± She held out her hand and smiled crazily.

    It almost seemed like she was the one with an entirely compromised mind, yet her corruption only reached maybe the thirty percent mark. Still, this was almost half of what she was comfortable losing.

    Aura did not respond, merely taking the hand that was offered to her. This noble, whose hand had once been soft and supple, was rough. It was filled with callouses. Her once beautiful tanned skin was caked with ash and dirt.

    It was a poor sight. Though, Syllis had no time to worry about that. The sounds of marching legion members were growing louder by the minute. They would arrive in five at the most.

    There was a peculiarity to them though. Even more of one than their bizarre control of flame and lack of a need for sustenance. It was that¡­ they did not speak. They did not let out cheers to rally their people. They did not make any sounds aside from the steps of their bare feet and cries of pain when injured.

    ¡°Clyde,¡± Syllis said, her voice hoarse, ¡°are you ready?¡± She pressed down on the seated man¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°What do you think I¡¯ve been doing for the last five minutes of your discussion with Aura? Right, I¡¯ve been sitting here thinking that I¡¯m not ready. I actually had to convince myself of this fact.¡± Clyde said, sarcastically.

    ¡°In the name of Halarion Holis, it was only a question. Just some reassurance, not an attack on the entirety of your character!¡± Syllis laughed wryly. It was cut short by the reminder of the impending threat.

    ¡°Yeah well¡­ I¡¯ve probably done enough of that. Pulling us into the fable and failing to keep everyone alive,¡± Clyde said, dejectedly. ¡°I should have let myself burn. Korman should have lived.¡± He laid back down against the ashen ground, taking in a breath of the smoky air.

    ¡°Yeah, you have,¡± Syllis took a seat next to him. ¡°But you can¡¯t blame yourself for Korman. That was all me. I would not have let you die. If you die then I would follow suit. That damned upper class¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± Aura said. She pointed towards the legion.

    They were no further than a hundred feet out by now. Syllis still could not discern the details of their faces or any details for that matter. Every part of them was obscured by the flames they flaunted in front of them. It was almost impossible to see behind aside from the occasional crack. Before, the broad details of their weapons and clothes were simple to decipher but after the secare nymph¡¯s assault, they had begun to shield themselves from harm and by extension her gaze.

    Fwoosh! Searing flame swished and crackled as it traveled towards Syllis and her two companions. The ground beneath it shook and was ignited with new embers that quickly died out in their attempt to chew through already burned ash.

    Syllis narrowly avoided as Clyde pulled Aura and himself out of the way. The corners of her mouth twitched slightly. ¡®Everything in this fable is really built on deception¡­¡¯

    If she could be so threatening with long range capabilities, then they could as well. It reminded her of the large titan taran that Syllis confronted on her first battle at the foot of the wall. It imitated her, the same as this legion had.

    ¡°Are you two alright?¡± Syllis asked. Her voice was already strained and she was on the verge of losing it all together. It was a combination of lack of water and long sessions of talking to a woman who did not respond.

    Clyde rose and helped Aura up. ¡°We¡¯re alright.¡±

    ¡°It seems that people cannot stop copying me,¡± Syllis said with a sigh. She rubbed her eyes, they were burning.

    The smoke from the burning skies and brimstone was already a lot to deal with. The addition of the legion¡¯s flame made it unbearable. She felt watery tears well up and stream down her face.

    Their attack did not slow them down in the slightest. By the time she had recovered. The legion was pretty much standing over top of her, only ten meters away. Syllis saw their scarred faces. They looked to be shaved clean by aggressive flames. This same flaw was present on their hands and feet.

    ¡®So where along the way did they stop getting burned? Why did they get burned to such a point in the first place?¡¯ Syllis ruminated over these thoughts. The first idea that came to her mind was a sort of ritual.

    These legion members would need to be exposed to fierce flames for so long to gain a resistance and eventually, with enough time, they would be able to use them. She had never gotten an answer on how the elmannise learned their own incantations and assumed that it was a sensitive topic. This idea seemed to hit both boxes.

    ¡®Then again, they are entirely different groups of people¡­¡¯ Syllis wondered what the chances were that she was truly right on both accounts.

    These people were not overwhelmingly tall like the elmannise. They did not seem to have the same advanced physical features. Their heights were only slighter taller than Clyde, standing lower than Syllis herself. Their hair was a blazing red. It was not camouflaged in with the searing flames of the same color anymore.

    Blood streamed down from their lips and down their chin towards their neck. They did not both wipe it off. Syllis wondered just what it was from. She had not seen them eat even once, or stop at all.

    Clyde muttered a few words to Aura before calling out, ¡°Syllis¡ª¡±

    The secare nymph understood what he was asking before he even needed to finish his sentence. She rose a vast wall of icy-blue, shielding herself and her companions from the legions quickly willed attacks.

    ¡°Aura! Clyde!¡± Syllis yelled out. ¡°Get ready!¡± She was nervous. The legions'' numbers did not dwindle as much as she had hoped.

 Chapter 65 - Callous Scarecrow

    Huh! Hu! Huh! Hu! Syllis panted. Her throat could hardly operate as it normally did. She felt her mind threatening to pull itself apart. Coryzan¡¯s influence had long set in. She laughed as she tore apart the bodies of dozens of legion members.

    It had been a gruesome battle but it was nearly over with now. Syllis looked forward to it. To have a chance to breathe¡ªliterally and metaphorically.

    Syllis looked ahead of her. An entire mob of bodies were littered across the ground. Their clothes were torn revealing grotesque figures underneath. Maliciously warped by the very flame they ended up wielding.

    They were vaguely humanoid but features such as their noses and groups of muscles were entirely impossible to discern. If they were ever there, then they had been disfigured beyond what Syllis could even comprehend.

    ¡®Another one¡­¡¯ Syllis thought. She locked eyes¡ªor where they would have been. She was sick and tired of dealing with them, it was a hassle.

    The legion member in front of her stood solemnly and took a glance at the bodies it walked on top of. It crouched down and began to tear the limbs from them, devouring them in less than a minute each.

    ¡®Freaks.¡± Syllis had seen them do this same thing dozens of times. Though, now that the battle was almost at its conclusion, she wondered what the point could be.

    The secare nymph looked around. There were only around twenty-five stragglers left. Each of them looked terrified. They tried to consume the limbs and organs of their fallen comrades.

    Clyde had been the main force in this battle. Syllis¡¯ sanity had dwindled once the fight had hit the halfway point. And Aura¡­ her value quickly deteriorated. Now, she was only muttering to herself, curled up in a ball on the ground.

    Thankfully neither Clyde nor Syllis needed to dedicate their time and efforts to protecting her. The occasional ephemeral green flames wafting was a reminder of her sworn protector. Her bone-dragon was doing an exemplary job.

    Syllis did not mind the fiend in front of her deciding to eat a meal. It would be his last, after all. Besides, she needed a minute to form a suitable weapon.

    A slight knife that would have shone under the moonlight in Ethrailia was merely dull under a swirling purple sky. There was no moon with any moonlight to give.

    Syllis laughed wryly. ¡°Who knows¡­ maybe the four suns¡¯ ate the moon as well. Or a couple of them. Or a whole slew of them. What do you think Mr. Cannibal?¡±

    The cannibalistic member of the legion turned his head upwards towards Syllis. She was sitting on top of a hefty corpse.

    It did not understand the speech. Syllis understood this very well. They had not yelled to communicate once, let alone make any sounds to each other aside from cries of pain. They were primitive in the ways of intellect.

    ¡°Its unnerving Mr. Cannibal. Seeing all of you humanoid peo¡ªanimals, acting just like that, Animals. I wonder¡­ is it wrong to eat your meat, Mr. Cannibal?¡± Syllis asked. Her eyes were full of genuine curiosity.

    The cannibal rose, stepping backwards slightly. It nearly tripped over a particularly large corpse.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act like that Mr. Cannibal¡­¡± Syllis looked down for a moment. ¡°Come on, take a seat. You¡¯ve eaten them. What do they taste like? Do they taste good?¡±

    ¡®What am I doing?¡¯ Syllis felt she had snapped out of a trance. ¡®Hmm? Since I hardly used my bond, the corruption relinquished whatever part of my mind was enabling me to act in that way?¡¯ She quickly formed a theory.

    Syllis firmly gripped her icy-blue knife and rushed forward.

    The cannibal rose flame from the ground in an attempt to stop the nymph from coming any closer.

    It proved ineffective. A small wall of icy-blue was all that was needed to deflect the flame. It lacked the intensity of the four suns, perhaps only a tenth of the heat.

    Ack! The cannibal cried out as the icy knife cut through its throat. It vomited blood and fleshy chunks of its fallen comrades up onto its own stomach as it fell backwards.

    ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Cannibal,¡± Syllis said, sincerely.

    Syllis looked around at the remaining members of the legion. There were only a few. Clyde seemed to have dealt with nearly all of the twenty-five that were left.

    ¡®Wait! Why is¡ª¡¯

    ¡°Aura!¡± Syllis yelled out to her. In a panic, she formed a lackluster spear and breathed in. She adjusted her view. ¡®Ready¡­ What!?¡¯ The secare nymph dropped the spear. Her entire body felt like it had gone up in flames.

    ¡®Why now, why now!¡¯ Syllis thought internally as she watched the spear bearer approach Aura.

    The world almost seemed to move in slow motion. Syllis hit her hand against the gravel to draw blood and hopefully break it. She needed to be distracted from her episodic pain. It had gotten worse. The last time it arose was a mere three days earlier. Before that¡­ five days.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡®That time is nearing damnit¡­ Why did her dragon? No! That witch!¡¯ Syllis knew exactly why the dragon vanished. Aura had recovered just enough sanity to realize that the secare nymph was not going to follow through in executing her, so she did it herself.

    Syllis stood, there was no time to criticize that witch. She needed Aura to keep Clyde fully intact. ¡°Wait!¡± she called out.

    Just as the spear was about to pierce Aura, Clyde stepped in. Splat! Blood painted the surrounding ash and washed over Aura¡¯s face and hair. The spear cut clean through his chest.

    Aahhh! Aura cried out. Crimson fluid leaked out from her right eye. She fell over, writhing on the floor and moaning in pain.

    Syllis arrived, kicked the spear-bearer backwards and indirectly tore the spear out of Clyde from the angle it had entered. ¡°Press your shirt into it!¡±

    The secare nymph quickly took the man¡¯s remaining life as well as the two other legion members that were serving as a distraction. She spun on her heel and moved to check on Clyde. Her hands tore at his clothing as she examined the wound.

    Due to the tall stature of the spear-bearer, the spear entered at a downward angle. It had pierced his chest and cut into Aura¡¯s eye.

    ¡®Damnit!¡¯ Syllis thought internally. Though she did not dare say it out loud, she knew what the outcome of this was. ¡®I¡ªI can¡¯t deal with something like this!¡¯ Her ability to supercool the skin was great for superficial wounds. But for something so advanced¡ªthat had pierced a lung¡ªshe could not fix that.

    ¡°Clyde, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know, Syllis,¡± he said, falling to the ground. His eyes drifted to the blood that drained from him.

    Both of them ignored Aura, moaning and writhing in pain as they stared at each other, solemnly.

    ¡°God, Clyde,¡± Syllis said with a sigh. ¡°I know what he said but¡­ I don¡¯t know if he really wanted you to die for her.¡±

    Clyde looked at Syllis with a warm smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t know the man as well as I did. He would have wanted the world to die out before she did.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, I didn¡¯t know him that well. How well can a murderer know their victim?¡± Syllis asked before laughing wryly. She coughed slightly, her mouth dry. ¡°I want you to know that you did the right thing, pulling us into the fable rift. Better us than all of Asanoch, right?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still¡­ a damn bad liar.¡± Clyde tried to laugh to no avail.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give your parents and Anahita your regards,¡± Syllis said, seriously.

    ¡°Omit them from that manipulator¡­¡± Clyde said as his eyes began to twitch and roll. ¡°I wonder, what heaven will look like?¡± His fleeting life faded away.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Clyde, but I can¡¯t let you die yet. I¡¯m much too selfish and cruel for that,¡± Syllis said, apologetically.

    She formed a large coffin of ice and quickly laid Clyde¡¯s corpse inside. Then she froze over the top of it, forming an airtight seal. No sound leaked out and most importantly, nothing from the outside world got in.

    ¡®As long as this body is intact, maybe, just maybe Edward could bring him back.¡¯ It was a long shot but she had heard of his miracle working before and though she had never seen such an extreme case, it was worth the try.

    Syllis then focused her attention on Aura.

    Her cries had grown louder. She cupped her hands overtop her rapidly decaying eye, drowning in blood. Her black coat had been turned more of a maroon color, tainted by both Clyde¡¯s and her own blood.

    ¡°You see what happens when you act stupid like this!¡± Syllis yelled at the woman, fuming.

    Aahhh! ¡°W¡ªwho cares! You killed Korman and you won¡¯t even let me die? How is that fair!?¡± Aura said, looking up at the secare nymph and her dulled seafoam eyes.

    Syllis crouched down to Aura¡¯s level and spoke. ¡°This is going to hurt¡­ a lot.¡± She slid a slight shard of ice from her jacket sleeve and swiftly cut the damaged eye out from its socket.

    Aura cried out as Syllis threw the eyeball to the ground. She then supercooled the area, relieving her of this pain.

    ¡°Yes Aura, I killed Korman,¡± Syllis said, honestly. ¡°If I could go back, then I would do it again and again, because someone had to die. I wouldn¡¯t let it be Clyde I couldn¡¯t. And you were too important for us to survive.¡±

    ¡°Then what about you,¡± Aura looked into Syllis¡¯ eyes with great disdain.

    Syllis looked down into Aura¡¯s own, sharp, emerald eye. It had a deep fire within, reminiscent of her ephemeral dragon¡¯s flame. The area around was stained red with blood. Some of it even seemed to mix in with her healthy eye¡¯s color.

    ¡°You want me to give myself up? I would never. And you wouldn¡¯t either. You would do the same thing I did if you had the chance, only to me or Clyde. So yes, I killed Korman because I had to.

    ¡°But you just killed Clyde, when he could have lived. And he just might because of me. How''s that for Karma? You think I¡¯m redeeming myself for killing your lover?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, just¡­ Come on Aura, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Syllis asked her, extending her hand.

    ¡°And what would we do, Syllis? Those four suns rise again and what do we do? Strain our bodies with lacking amounts of water and even more scarce food. Then what? We hope to find another rift in that abyss over there?¡±

    Syllis looked down with a complicated expression before flicking back to Aura¡¯s face. ¡°Three days, Aura.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Take three days. If we can¡¯t leave in three days then you can die, if you want,¡± Syllis said, plainly.

    Aura stood and moved closer to Syllis. She stood only a foot away, looking into her eyes. ¡°Why would I believe you? You weren¡¯t going to uphold your deal after we dealt with the legion. So why would you tell the truth now?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m tired now. I don¡¯t have any more room to argue with you. But I can¡¯t just leave Clyde behind. So, if you want to die, do it in three days. You¡¯ll only be finishing the job with Clyde,¡± Syllis continued.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Aura snapped. ¡°I didn¡¯t try to do this to Clyde. You made a conscious effort to kill Korman!¡±

    Syllis took a couple of steps backwards and looked up into the dark sky. She could tell that the four suns were just about ready to begin their rise overtop the great sky chasm.

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Why are you so opposed to the idea? I know that the both of you grew closer but that was for less than half a year. I¡¯ve always found you to be a logical person before then.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it, Syllis,¡± Aura said. ¡°You¡¯re a cold and callous scarecrow too messed up to be able to see the world in a normal way. What looks like an imperfection in me is the only thing separating me and my human self from a monster like you.

    ¡°He wanted to marry me, you bastard. And I said yes.¡±

 Chapter 66 - Ambiguous Meal

    That night was an awkward one. Syllis regretted what she had said to Aura. ¡®It was necessary.¡¯ She told herself, over and over within the confines of her own mind.

    Though another part of her wondered if that was the only way. Maybe there was some way that Syllis could have persuaded Aura without saddling her with guilt far greater than she felt for Korman. If there had been, then she regretted discovering it.

    Fwoosh! The slight fire rose to life. Syllis had torn the cloth that the legion members wore, revealing their grotesque figures underneath. Then, she had arranged it into a small pile, surrounded by semi-pale and scorched stones.

    It felt slightly inhumane, tearing their clothes from their bodies. But Syllis found it to be less intimate than she was expecting due to their lack of recognizable features.

    More uncomfortable was how she tore the knife through that grotesque flesh, cutting it into sizable chunks. They had not demonstrated intelligence. Any semblance was much lower than that of even the taran that Syllis had fought at the foot of the wall. Still, their vaguely human form was enough to place knots at the base of Syllis¡¯ stomach, weighing her down and causing her to vomit a couple of times.

    Eventually, through enough perseverance, there were a few sizable chunks of meat resting in front of Syllis. They were wrapped in a couple of glow-tree sheets and tied together with thinly cut strands of another¡ªit was more than incredibly useful.

    ¡°Aura, could you place them into the fire?¡± Syllis asked, kindly. She wanted to apologize to the woman, but that could bring consequences.

    ¡®It¡¯s better to keep my distance. I wouldn¡¯t want her to think that I¡¯m trying to dismiss Korman¡¯s death. I need to show her that it affects me¡­¡¯ It was a difficult act for Syllis to maintain.

    They were friendly, and only that. She was as close with him as she had grown with Clyde and Aura before they entered the fable. Ironically, Aura¡ªwho had disliked the entirety of her after she met Clyde¡ªhad been the one she felt the most in common with.

    So Korman¡¯s death was not too important to her. Syllis felt sad, but when weighing that with her own survival¡­ it was what she needed to do and she would do it again.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Aura said, commanding her ephemeral creature to head away to stand watch from a distance.

    Its flame had brought the fire to life, and the creature was then to keep them alive, from unknown threats. Clyde was more in demand of this service. So the crow loomed over his icy-blue box.

    The woman, only slightly recovered from her mental break, gently took the wrapped meat. She set them down in the very center of the flame. The ephemeral, green flame shifted hues to a typical, red-orange color. Without the ephemeral bodies of Aura¡¯s nightmarish creatures to waft from, these flames would always glow as normal.

    Syllis watched Aura set the meat into the fire. Her resilience was commendable. She felt envious. It was clear that Aura¡¯s bond enabled her a more than slight resistance to the heat. To her, this sounded like a much better advantage than her own resistance to the cold.

    Her mood waned further when she wondered. ¡®Will my weakness to the heat grow once I transfigure another anathema?¡¯ It was a scary thought to have. She shook at the furthering of this idea. At the possibility that after transfiguring enough anathema within her, that she would need to live in the arctic. ¡®Perhaps I will stay on the Meshin Kismet?¡¯

    Syllis made a half-smile as she turned to look at Aura. She had taken her seat on top of a rock, similarly to the one Syllis herself sat on. The secare nymph had made the effort to excavate a couple of mostly flat seats from the piles of ash they walked over.

    Ordinarily, the fire would have long gone out, but it was being supplemented. Aside from the cloth, bits of legion members were littered throughout to maintain the flame. Syllis did not know which bits. Aura had done the job, after all.

    It was their first time having a fire in the fable on their crossing of the sky chasm. Syllis criticized Lurgica inwardly. The main idea from her class on surviving in fables was that fire was of the utmost importance, it was scarce. In this fable though, it was everywhere. There was so much that Syllis wanted it to be gone entirely.

    ¡°Could you check on it, Aura?¡± Syllis asked. She looked at the woman, hugging her own legs.

    Aura silently nodded, patting off her bottom from ash and moved to the fire. ¡°Hot!¡± She hissed, dropping the bundles of meat, wrapping in glowing sheets against the ash below.

    Syllis did not mind. They were wrapped tightly enough, no ash would make it through the sheets and affect the meat. She was just thankful that Aura had the ability to take the meat from the fire.

    Otherwise, she herself would have needed to put out the fire, solely to check whether the meat was done.

    ¡®Why is even the most mundane task so damn complicated? If only Clyde was not in need of constant surveillance¡­ then we would be able to roast it much easier.¡¯ Syllis sighed. She could not even move the icy coffin closer as the fire would tear at its structure. This, in turn, would drain her sanity much too quickly.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    At the moment, she was slowly gaining sanity, the box did not require too much maintenance. But that was only for the moment. ¡®Once the coffin is set in the pocket, the heat from both mine and Aura¡¯s body in the confined space is sure to have an impact on my mind¡­¡¯ She resolved to save as much space in her mind as possible.

    ¡°Do you need me to cool it down?¡± Syllis asked Aura.

    ¡°No,¡± Aura said, ¡°it¡¯s alright. The heat dispersed into the surrounding ash. Although, I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to you opening it with your dexterous fingers¡­¡±

    Syllis did not answer. She rose, taking a seat next to Aura.

    The wafting of the flame was slightly irritating. It reeked of molten flesh. Whatever bits had been used to solidify the flame¡¯s state were now entirely merged together. A single, coherent, amalgamation of each of their sins.

    The secare nymph reached for the bundled meat and nearly hissed at the sudden heat. ¡°I thought you said it was fine!¡±

    ¡°It is¡­¡± Aura said. ¡°Here, let me hold it.¡± She picked up the bundle of meat and held it towards Syllis like an offering to a god.

    Syllis warily extended her fingers. She only grabbed the very edges of the glow-tree strings that bound the bundle. Carefully, they were unraveled to keep the meat from falling out.

    Then, a divine smell seeped into the air. It was absurd, vastly too great to be smelt within the confines of a fable. Especially one with the level of horror that Syllis and Aura had experienced.

    The secare nymph formed a slight knife. ¡®Well, perhaps this could be a needle¡­¡¯ She thought, holding the sewing tool in between two fingers. It gracefully slid into and out of the meat. Though the outside was smokey and unassuming, the inside was a bone-grey color that oozed red liquid. This same liquid, blood, pooled at the bottom of the bundle. Where the meat shrunk, the blood took its place.

    ¡°Is it done?¡± Aura asked.

    Syllis scrutinized the piece of meat for a moment. ¡°Probably, but you¡¯ll have to be the one to test it.¡± She peered into the woman¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter to me,¡± Aura said. ¡°Three days,¡± she added.

    ¡°Then, have a taste.¡± Syllis handed her a small slice of meat for her to try out.

    Aura grabbed the piece of meat from Syllis and dangled it in the air, letting any blood fall to the ash below. Then, she examined the cut for a second before eating it whole.

    Syllis waited for the woman to swallow and give her opinion. She could feel the tug of her stomach and was urgently waiting for the verdict.

    ¡°So, how is it?¡± the secare nymph asked.

    ¡°Worlds apart from taran meat,¡± Aura said, ¡°in a good way.¡± She smiled, taking another piece of meat.

    They kept the fire going, despite it already having served its purpose. The light was comforting. Much more so than the almost useless, dulled lanterns they carried around.

    Syllis picked up the other bundles of meat¡ªwhich had cooled sufficiently¡ªand un-tied them. She then sliced the meat into reasonably sized pieces and handed a second bundle to Aura.

    ¡°Here, have another,¡± Syllis said, pushing the bundle close to her face.

    ¡°There¡¯s only three, you should have the second¡­¡± Aura said, looking down at her first bundle, already dug into.

    ¡°I refuse,¡± Syllis said. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten much recently. You know the methods Clyde and I have had to resort to for you. So, eat.¡± She swayed the bundle slightly in front of her face.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Aura grabbed the bundle, setting it down at her side.

    ¡°Eat quickly, there¡¯s around an hour before the sky burns.¡± Syllis looked up at the four suns, or where they would be. The first was fully risen, overtop the chasm. Only half of the second and third were showing.

    Syllis and her companions had quickly discovered that these suns were unique, shortly after entering the sky chasm. They did not rise from one side of the sky and exit on the other. Instead, they entered on the far side and exited the same way. It was peculiar and enthralling. Syllis found herself thinking about it a lot.

    They both ate, in relative silence. The only sounds in the air were the hurried chewing and tearing of meat. Occasionally, one of them would dip a hollowed thick-root into a jar of water.

    ¡®It¡¯s not like we have to particularly worry about the water problem anymore¡­¡¯ Syllis glanced over at Clyde¡¯s coffin.

    ¡°Do you really think Edward will be able to bring him back?¡± Aura asked, worriedly.

    Syllis took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ maybe?¡± Her eyes flicked to Aura. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a better person to judge that? Surely you¡¯ve seen Edward perform his fair share of miracles.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t say he isn¡¯t an exemplary anathemic doctor¡­¡± Aura said. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever been confronted with such a daunting task before though. Typically his patients are¡­ alive? Just on that line at the worst.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a chance though, right?¡± Syllis asked. If it was really pointless then she would dismiss the box. There was no point lugging around a pointless corpse.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Aura said, ¡°there¡¯s always a chance where anathema are concerned. There could even be hidden parts to his bond that we don¡¯t know of. I doubt it though. With his reputation, how could he possibly have even greater methods available to him?¡±

    Syllis shrugged and returned to eating the meat. Its rich taste provided her mind another way to distance itself from their humanoid form. Still, she nearly gagged at times.

    ¡°So it¡¯s really only three days?¡± Syllis asked.

    ¡°Three days,¡± Aura said, ¡°then I¡¯m done.¡±

    Syllis let out a sigh and moved her rock a little closer to Aura. ¡°How did this fable deteriorate so quickly? It was a rough start but we pulled it back!¡±

    ¡°Well, generally when someone kills another person it falls apart.¡± Aura looked forward with a forlorn expression.

    ¡°Come on, Aura,¡± Syllis said, dragging her words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now,¡± Aura said. ¡°Three days.¡±

    They both rose, put out the fire and began to move everything into the abyssal pocket. First the jars of water, then Clyde, then themselves.

    Syllis found herself pressed against the side of the pit. Aura was already fast asleep next to Clyde¡¯s coffin.

    The secare nymph needed to stay up. The coffin needed constant maintenance. ¡®I¡¯ll give her maybe¡­ two thirds of the four suns¡¯ rise.

    ¡®Can we really make it out in three days?¡¯ She cursed her arbitrary number that she had thrown.

    They would be able to make it to the entrance of the second abyss tomorrow. But what would they find in there? Syllis wished she had convinced Aura to agree to a week or two instead.

 Chapter 67 - Symbol of Despair

    ¡°Aura, let¡¯s go!¡± Syllis called out. She had finished forming a shackle for the ephemeral crow. It was much smaller than the one she made when they first entered the chasm. There was much less water to carry now. There was only enough for around two weeks.

    ¡®What¡¯s the point in bringing any more of it?¡¯ Syllis grimaced at the sight. The situation was devastating. Korman was dead, Clyde as well. Aura was only sticking around for a few more days. Together, her and Aura would only drink three days worth. Alone, Syllis would be left with eight days of water.

    ¡®It really isn¡¯t enough time¡­¡¯ Syllis stared at the opening to the second abyss. Despite how close they were, it still felt extremely far from her. ¡®Will Clyde¡¯s body really be enough to convince the Boorne family?¡¯

    ¡°All set to go, Syllis?¡± Aura wondered. Her gaze traced the ground in front of her.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Syllis said. She gestured towards Clyde¡¯s coffin. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly pick it up myself.¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s hurry up and do it,¡± Aura said. She knelt down beside the coffin.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little eager for someone who wants to die in three days?¡± Syllis followed suit, squatting down at the far end of it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mock me for giving you your fair shot,¡± Aura said. ¡°If you push it too far, I might just go limp on you.¡± She laughed slightly before her mouth curved into a frown again at the sight of Clyde¡¯s coffin.

    With the combined effort of two kindred, the coffin seemed no heavier than a jar of water. They carefully carried the icy-blue coffin to the front of the shackle. Dropping it would prove more than problematic. Clyde¡¯s body would be exposed to worldly bacteria again.

    Syllis already needed to risk this earlier. She had forgotten to remove his clothing. She got Aura to accomplish this task. It felt like a suitable punishment for the black haired woman. Forcing her to de-clothe the body of a man she herself had killed.

    ¡®Perhaps it was a bit hypocritical?¡¯ She had found herself thinking throughout the whole process. In the end she decided that it was fine. Aura would have spoken out if she had any qualms.

    They slid the coffin onto the front side of the sort of basket, sliding it back until it hit the back. Then, Syllis sealed up the front with another piece of conjured ice.

    Syllis noticed Aura standing silently in front of the fully formed basket. ¡°Let¡¯s start heading forwards.¡± She wavered and took a couple steps around the woman before placing a hand on her left shoulder.

    ¡®That was close!¡¯ Syllis would have let out a sigh of relief if Aura was not right beside her. She nearly placed her hand upon her shattered shoulder.

    Aura nodded and called the unburdened ephemeral crow over. Her bond also valued keeping aspects of it out in the world, as opposed to dismissing them and calling them out again.

    Syllis wondered if this was a rule that all bonds followed. It seemed like a natural concept.

    The flames of the ephemeral crow dwindled slightly, becoming more reasonable. Aura climbed on top of it and extended a hand down to Syllis. She gladly took it.

    The secare nymph let out a sigh as she looked ahead of her again. Typically, Clyde and her had an easy time making conversation. Before then, even she and Korman could get by. Now though, Aura was not nearly as talkative as she once was. It was going to be a long ride.

    ¡°Aura, how far out of reach is getting to the chasm today?¡± Syllis asked. She wanted to make the most of these three days. If they could reach the chasm then the need to sleep and wait out the sun would be eliminated.

    Aura took a couple moments to examine the way forward in front of them. ¡°Depends, I guess. We would have to deviate from our scouted path. There would potentially be groups of taran that we would have no idea of. I don¡¯t have the sanity to search all of the pockets in the way.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. What¡¯s the point of doting on the possibility of dying in such a way in this fable?¡± Syllis asked. ¡°We might as well risk it for the greatest chance of getting out in these three days that we have.¡±

    ¡°Then, we could make it¡ªprobably. It would be tight though¡­¡± Aura trailed off at the end, likely ruminating over the specifics.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility,¡± Syllis said. Her voice was hoarse, like Vernim''s. It sounded cold, like it had deteriorated over countless hopeless years.

    Syllis thought of all of the time they had spent in the fable. They had spent a week making it to the wall, around three months fighting at the foot of it. Then a couple of more months making it to the center of the sky chasm. Finally, they had spent almost a month making it to this point now.

    ¡®Half a year¡­¡¯ Syllis was astounded, the number was sort of absurd. That was around a thirty-sixth of the time she had been alive for¡ªeven less of that was time that she had been truly conscious for¡ªspent in this fable. ¡®Have I really become a callous scarecrow? Have I really been bested here?

    ¡®No, it started much earlier. As soon as I was bound to Coryzan. That was when it started. How different would my life look if that had never happened? Forget it!¡¯

    The pace of the ephemeral crows sped up. Their flames trailed behind them as they rushed towards the entrance of the chasm. Undoubtedly, they would attract the attention of any hostile entities around. They did not have much of a choice though.

    This ethereal green flame combined with the somewhat glowing lanterns made them appear like a star, shooting across the dark sky. Like a beam of radiant hope. Yet, they were nothing of the sort. Deprived of any hope, they were burning the last of their time like a strong fuel that would soon fizzle out. Stuck riding on top of their ephemeral steeds, crossing the barren, ashen fields¡ªthey were closer to a symbol of despair.

    The hours blended together in the dark night. Syllis did not possess the means to survey her surroundings unlike her broken companions. All that she could see was the slight area around¡ªa few feet or so. This was the extent of the crows¡¯ flames and the lanterns.

    Eventually, the blazing suns began to rise again. They teetered just over the top of the chasm. Syllis first saw one that began to illuminate the start of the chasm.

    Anxious, she would occasionally call out to Aura, who would reassure them that they would probably make it. Syllis wanted to take comfort in the possibility of it being a joke, but the chances were slim to none. The broken woman was in no state.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    After the next two suns rose, the chasm grew much brighter. Syllis looked back to see the flames approaching them. Their pale-white color used to strike fear into her heart but now¡­ they were mostly just irritating. This increased visibility let Syllis see their current situation in its entirety.

    They were far from the entrance to the second abyss, but not too far out. There was more than a great chance they would make it. This only amplified the suns¡¯ position as a pest. It was a bug to inevitably be squashed.

    Syllis heaved a sigh of relief and slightly loosened her grip on Aura''s waist. ¡°Aren¡¯t you excited?¡±

    ¡°Excited for what? The lack of a rift in that abyss or my impending death.¡±

    ¡°So you can joke¡­¡± Syllis remarked, taking another peak at the flames that were approaching from behind, swiftly but non threatening.

    ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s the joke? I¡¯d say I¡¯m more excited for death''s embrace. Korman welcomed it, why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Aura asked, though she didn¡¯t seem to be expecting an answer.

    Syllis did not care about this though. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you? I can think of a few reasons¡­ You could preach Korman¡¯s tale, his heroism.¡±

    ¡°What heroism? He did not valiantly sacrifice himself, you made that choice for him¡­¡± Aura said, her tone growing softer.

    ¡°I¡¯ve learnt that the truth isn¡¯t always the greatest solution. Why not lie as long as it helps his family to cope with his death? Why not turn him into the hero that he could have been?¡± Syllis asked. ¡°No matter the context behind his actions, he still took them.¡±

    ¡°Right, so a person forced to murder in self-defense is just as guilty as the monster that forced their hand?¡± Aura scoffed, maintaining her gaze forward.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Syllis said. ¡°But this isn¡¯t you changing the judicial system. This is your ability to make sure Korman is remembered how you want him to be remembered.¡±

    Aura did not respond. She remained silent and stalwart in her efforts to maintain the pace of her ephemeral crows.

    Crrk! Crrk! Crrk! Gritty and wholly unusual sounds emanated from what sounded like a hundred feet below them.

    The ephemeral crows slowed to a halt and made hellish sounds in their refusal to walk forward anymore.

    ¡°Syllis, you better have a way to deal with what¡¯s about to happen,¡± Aura said seriously as she dismissed the crow beneath both of them.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening, Aura?¡± Syllis asked in a panic. She looked back at the surging pale-white flames behind them.

    ¡°The ground is about to break apart.¡±

    Syllis¡¯ eyes widened as she felt a small quake beneath her feet, then a larger one. ¡®That witch¡­¡¯

    The ground beneath them almost seemed to sink into a black abyss below as darkness poured out from the cracks between rocks. It was filtered out through the ash on top, becoming a faint mist expelled over a large area.

    ¡®And we¡¯re forced to go with it because of the four suns¡¯ flame¡­¡¯ Syllis didn¡¯t deny that it was a good plan. She just hated that she was the target.

    The ground completely shattered below them. The rocks collapsed quickly falling into the abyss.

    Aura remained silent as her and Syllis began to fall into the abyss below. She grabbed onto the secare nymphs leg.

    Syllis¡¯ mind raced as she wondered what to do. She merely cast off the action of Aura grabbing her leg until later. It was certainly peculiar for someone wanting to die.

    ¡®I have to slow us down¡­¡¯ She did not give up the want to keep Aura alive. The woman was still a great way to prove her innocence¡­

    Twenty feet below her, Syllis formed a slight handle which she eagerly grabbed. The only idea that seemed to work in her mind was more than bizarre. Every five feet, the handle was gradually melded with another small piece of ice. After a hundred feet of falling, Syllis had a completed spear.

    Without any time to spare, she jabbed it into the side of the abyssal drop. It immediately snapped under their weight. The change in velocity was too sudden, tearing the spear apart and jerking Syllis¡ªand by extension Aura¡ªcloser to the wall. She felt her arm nearly be torn apart.

    Syllis gasped as she collided with a set of jagged rocks, jutting out from the wall of the abyss. Although she could not see blood in the drop, devoid of light, she could tell that it had pierced her.

    Huu! She tried to take several breaths. The right side of her chest ached as it filled with immense pressure.

    ¡®Later¡­¡¯ Syllis disregarded the injury. It only mattered if she lived.

    The secare nymph quickly began to ruminate over how she could reduce their velocity more gradually. Immediately, she began to form another tool out of icy-blue.

    This time, the segments took nearly three hundred feet to form the entirety of her solution. In her hand, she held a large scythe with a long, curved blade. It had taken sixty segments to make.

    The concentration required was immense and naturally, pulled heavily on her sanity. She did not know if there was enough room to form another solution while maintaining the coffin.

    ¡®Here goes¡­¡¯ Syllis held her breath. It was uncomfortable to breathe which could mess up her attempt.

    The icy-blue scythe was swung from behind her head, cleaving straight through the abyssal wall. Korman¡¯s mutated arm had the ability to carve into the abyss so Syllis believed it would be easy enough for her to do the same. The difficult part was the angle. The blade had to enter at a shallow enough angle to slow them down at a gradual rate whilst not tearing out of the wall of the abyss.

    Syllis felt her organs jerk within her body as she slowed. No matter how gradual, slowing down from such high speeds had a great impact on the body. It was only due to her increased resilience as a kindred that her body was not torn apart from the energy.

    Surprisingly, Aura remained silent through the entire thing.

    ¡®Peculiar.¡¯

    Syllis felt the scythe stop shifting in the wall of the abyss. It seemed that there was no threat of it tearing. Regardless, she wanted to get on a stable platform as soon as possible.

    Without the necessary concentration that was needed while falling, Syllis easily formed two spears which she threw into the wall to the side of her. Then, she formed a thick sheet of ice above the two spears. She allowed the ice to melt where the sheet met the spears, forming a thin layer of water before maintaining each piece again, effectively melding them together.

    Syllis threw herself onto the platform and pulled Aura up. She sat the woman up against the wall of the abyss and heaved a sigh of relief.

    Then, the pain from her chest flooded back again, the adrenaline of the situation had worn off. It was even more difficult to breathe than before. Syllis looked to Aura for help, she remained silent and unmoving.

    Suddenly, she jolted.

    ¡°I had complete faith in you, Syllis, nice work,¡± Aura said, her voice hoarse.

    ¡®Complete faith? You tried to kill me.¡± Syllis was confused at the situation. She shook her head slightly.

    ¡°Aura, my chest hurts, it¡¯s difficult to breathe,¡± Syllis said. She hoped Aura would have some sort of solution. She could take slight breaths for now but she could feel that soon that would not be the case.

    ¡°Do you feel pressure?¡± Aura asked.

    ¡°Yes, take a look for yourself¡­¡± Syllis said, her voice hoarse. She gently sat against the wall behind.

    ¡°Alright, I can take a look,¡± Aura said. ¡°The crow seems to have calmed down.¡± She moved to examine Syllis¡¯ chest, or more specifically if there was any damage to the lungs behind.

    A couple hundred of feet above them was an ephemeral crow. Flesh was dripping from its bones and it radiated a warm green flame. It was tethered to a¡ªsmall in comparison to its size¡ªbasket, connected with shackles. It was calm, more so than it had been a few minutes prior. It slowly glided down the abyssal drop. What was a wide and formidable space for Syllis and Aura to fall through was a tight fit for the large crow.

    Slowly, the ephemeral creature made its way down the deep drop. It required immense care and nuance, so as not to drop the cargo it carried. It assuredly was taking a great toll on the sanity of its master.

 Chapter 68 - Spiteful

    Gradually Syllis¡¯ chest was drained of air and blood. Her lung had been punctured from the jagged rocks allowing the air within to seep out into her chest cavity. Likewise, the wound sustained from the jagged rocks also caused blood to enter the cavity.

    Aura had gotten Syllis to form a sort of pipe, formed from icy-blue. It had a wide hole in the center, enough to pull blood and air through it. Then¡ªgritting through the immense pain¡ªSyllis withstood Aura shallowly cutting into the area between her fourth and fifth rib. What followed after was her pushing the icy creation inside the opening. This allowed the air to drain naturally. The blood was more complicated, demanding Aura to urge it slightly.

    ¡°Aura,¡± Syllis called out to her, currently entranced in deep concentration, ¡°how did you learn how to fix my problem?¡± She had seen Aura in a new light after her most recent demonstration.

    The secare nymph had always known the human woman to be especially astute and studious. It was needed for her to accomplish her dream. Despite this, her medical knowledge was above and beyond what she had expected her to know.

    ¡°Sometimes there are freak scenarios where you are forced to enter a fable rift¡­¡± Aura said with slight pain in her voice. Remaining with her eyes closed, she continued. ¡°This is knowledge that my doting parents made our anathemic doctor impart onto me.¡±

    ¡°So, you truly weren¡¯t responsible for our fall into this pocket,¡± Syllis said, almost like a question, but she knew the answer. There was no realm in which Aura would put in so much effort after preaching her want to die. ¡°Have you had a change of heart?¡±

    Aura remained in deep concentration, her eyes closed. She maintained several seconds of silence, presumably to collect her thoughts. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. Just acknowledge that I can be an honest person sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Maybe if you hadn¡¯t pulled that stunt before with Clyde¡­¡± Syllis said, snidely. She turned slightly. It was uncomfortable laying on the back of the icy-blue platform.

    ¡°My infection had taken over nearly all of my mind. Can you really blame someone for how they acted at such a time?¡± Aura posed a question.

    Syllis remained silent. ¡®It¡¯s an interesting philosophical discussion. Criminals with mental deficiencies are often given leniencies. I¡¯m in no mood to discuss it now though.¡¯

    ¡°Then, what about your silence when the ground broke? Why did you not respond until I had gotten both of us onto this platform?¡± Syllis had more than a couple questions. These two were the most important though.

    ¡°I needed to maintain a connection with the crow while we fell so far. This meant that I needed to withdraw all attention from my surroundings. The further away an aspect of my bond is, the more of my mind goes towards maintaining control of it,¡± Aura answered, honestly.

    ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t we run past the breaking ground?¡±

    Aura opened her eyes for a second, shooting Syllis an odd glance. ¡°Have I really been so untrustworthy lately? To tell you the truth, I don¡¯t remember most of it.

    ¡°My crows would have moved away if there was any safe space. Instead, they were petrified. The surrounding areas have likely also caved in, creating a vast array of abyssal drops around that area. Besides, the crows have heightened senses. This petrification also warned of the depth of the drop. I was worried about maintaining a connection with the crow carrying Clyde if it fell too far from us. It would fade away leaving Clyde and our supply of water to shatter on impact with the bottom of the pocket.¡±

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is¡­ that Clyde¡¯s corpse is intact?¡± Syllis asked. She caressed the wall of the abyss with her hands, being greeted by an odd feeling. It was like a school of small fish nibbling at a stock of kelp.

    Aura silently nodded. She looked upwards.

    Syllis let out a sigh of relief before following suit. Her head was upturned towards the top of the pocket. Slight, ephemeral flames grew harsher as they approached. Their vibrant emerald color certainly seemed more impactful in such a scenario.

    She was focused on the shackled basket. As the crow slowly fell further down the chasm, Syllis saw the coffin, safely intact in the confines of the basket.

    While it was close enough, Syllis performed her routine maintenance. Quickly, she mended the slightly melting seams of the coffin before watching the ephemeral crow fall further and further out of reach.

    It was a simple process for Syllis to mend an already formed shape. If it was close enough¡ªtypically within ten feet¡ªthen all she needed to do was envision it. Of course, the result would be rough and unrefined. Though it was enough for her purposes at the moment.

    Syllis felt a certain weight lift from her body. As though one of the strings tangled up in the ball that settled at the bottom of her stomach had unraveled. It was a nice start, but she could not wait for more to follow.

    ¡®Whenever that will be¡­¡¯ She was not particularly hopeful of anything else being resolved so soon. ¡®The next will be escaping this pocket.

    ¡®For now though¡­¡¯ Syllis took refuge in her slight reprieve. As much as one could with a tube of icy-blue sticking out from the right side of her body. She sat up straight¡ªa move which had been approved by Aura¡ªand leaned against the back wall.

    She had made certain to rise a thin layer of ice before this. The prospect of the abyss eating away at the back of her hair, clothing, and even skin was unappealing at the very least.

    Leaning against the wall wasn¡¯t comfortable, but it was better than laying down, staring into the endless abyss above. Now, seeing the icy-blue at the bottom of her vision through the aid of Aura¡¯s glow-tree lantern, tethered to her waist. She had lost the belt used to tether her own near the beginning of their journey across the sky chasm.

    Aura opened her eyes for another few seconds. She glanced at the spot where Syllis had been laying and gleaned the area around her. Discovering her now seated against the thin sheet of ice, she opted to join. The human woman slowly shifted over to just beside her.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Syllis watched as the human woman closed her eyes again while leaning her head against the nymph¡¯s left arm. The secare nymph uncomfort grew as she felt Aura¡¯s shattered shoulder graze her side.

    <hr>

    After nearly an hour, Aura called out. ¡°There, the bottom.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? The crow finally hit the bottom?¡± Syllis asked.

    ¡°Right, more than that even,¡± Aura said. ¡°There¡¯s a pathway at the bottom of the pocket. Dozens of other pockets also connect to it through slight twisted paths.¡±

    ¡°Is it deliberate? Not natural phenomena?¡± Syllis asked. She hoped that this was the case. Figuring out a way to make it back out the way they had entered the chasm was not appealing.

    Aura nodded. Her ragged hair followed. It was knotted, littered with mats. Though, to a lesser degree than Syllis¡¯ own. The woman¡¯s straight hair helps it maintain a relatively untangled state in comparison.

    ¡°So, are you going to dismiss the lower crow and pull another one from the rift up here?¡± Syllis asked.

    ¡°No need to use another crow,¡± Aura said, shaking her head to the side slightly. ¡°Those creatures are much too afraid of scenarios such as these.¡±

    At the bottom of the pocket, an ephemeral crow moved to kneel down against the abyssal floor. It tried to nibble at the creature before retreating. The abyssal floor left it alone all together. The icy-blue basket¡ªfilled with valuable cargo¡ªwas resting neatly on the ground at its side. Then, the crow slowly faded from the world.

    In front of Syllis, a large rift formed. It leaked out vibrant green lights as it fought against the abyss.

    What emerged was a large, voluptuous creature. It was almost identical to the one that Syllis and her companions had dropped into Abyssia with. This one however, was much smaller, to allow it to fit in the lesser hole. It was maybe a fifth of the size.

    ¡°Syllis, take this.¡± Aura reached for her waist and unclipped the lantern that gently swayed. She handed the lantern to Syllis. Then, she hopped onto the top of the creature which had begun to fall after entirely exiting the rift. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    Syllis saw an outstretched hand in front of her and grabbed it as she made a slight skip into the back or possibly front of the large ephemeral creature. It almost seemed like a bell bug¡ªcommonly described as bulbous and gentle floating by her father.

    The secare nymph made sure not to let anything disturb the icy-blue lifeline that protruded from the side of her chest. She was afraid of the discomfort it would bring again.

    The fall down to the bottom of the pocket was smoother than when they had landed in Abyssia.

    ¡®Is it due to the circumstances under which Aura summoned the bell-bug creature? Because she had previously summoned it as she was falling, panicked, that it was underdeveloped?¡¯ Syllis surmised, feeling as though she had understood another core aspect of Aura¡¯s bond. Over the course of the last week or so, she felt that her knowledge over her companion¡¯s bond had increased by at least three-fold.

    Syllis looked around the bottom of the abyssal pocket¡ªalready stepping away from the ephemeral bell-bug creature.

    What used to appear harsh and unyielding to her eyes was now a gentle, soothing, purple-blue light that illuminated a less than ideal amount of the space around her.

    Around her were many corridors which Aura stated were to bring each pocket flowing into the same room.

    ¡°Maybe it''s the remnants of a civilization''s water system?¡± Aura remarked.

    ¡°It¡¯d be a pretty lousy system¡­¡± Syllis answered. ¡°Why have dozens of tunnels for water to flow through instead of one large one?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Aura said, mostly to herself. ¡°One of my tutors told me to ¡®never question those with more than a hundred times the experience of oneself¡¯ mostly as a method to shut down any of my irritable tendencies. Still, in a situation like this I believe I will honor that advice.¡±

    Syllis turned around, her lantern illuminating Aura¡¯s face. ¡°Oh¡­ you acknowledge your annoying tendencies? Why would you not try to eliminate them?¡±

    ¡°Because,¡± Aura said, ¡°they aren¡¯t inherently problematic. I find each of these qualities that others would deem excessive and irritable, endearing. They¡¯re what make up who I am, who Korman fell in love with.¡± A sorrowful smile grew on her face.

    ¡°Does reminiscing make you want to live now? You could return to your tutors and shove it in their face that you managed to survive something so catastrophic, preach Korman¡¯s deeds and as a side-note¡­ help clear my name of any wrongdoing?¡±

    Aura remained silent on the matter, merely beginning to walk ahead as the creature beneath her feet vanished into thin air.

    ¡®So hard to read¡­¡¯ Syllis thought, defeatedly. ¡®I still have no clue how convinced she is.¡¯ She let out a sigh.

    The secare nymph took a dozen steps forward. Her lantern¡¯s light reflected off of a familiar object, an icy-blue coffin. It was worse for wear, heavily melted by ambient heat in the air. The abyss was hotter than the surface, not by much, but by enough to make a difference.

    After a brief inspection she determined there was no way for worldly influence to seep in and merely repaired the melting seams again.

    ¡°Aura, mind bringing your faithful servant back?¡± Syllis asked.

    Aura nodded. A rift formed behind and an ephemeral crow walked through. It looked reinvigorated, completely new from what either of them had looked like while they had been crossing the chasm.

    The both of them struggled to lift the icy shackle and basket but through enough effort, they managed. Syllis reattached it around the neck of the crow, binding him to the hellish fable for the foreseeable future.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Aura said, cryptically.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin? Begin what?¡± Syllis raised a brow.

    ¡°Shine your lantern ahead of you,¡± Aura suggested.

    Syllis turned away from the woman and raised her arm forward. The purple-blue light managed to outline a shape composed of sharp lines. She walked forward a half-dozen paces and crouched down.

    Gently, she knocked on the top of the sort of slab. It was formed of the same substance as the naturally occurring walls of the abyss. Differently though, the slabs were almost perfectly straight and devoid of the devouring lifeforms that lined the inside of the pocket.

    ¡°I see,¡± Syllis said, ¡°this is why you had decided to go down. This is why we never spoke about finding a way back up. This is why you believed it was a water system. Water will always reach civilization and by extension¡­ this slabbed staircase.¡± The pieces finally fit together in her mind.

    ¡°It''s the epitome of the old saying, ¡®the simplest way to find civilization is to follow a river.¡¯ Another saying that my tutors used to feel superior¡­¡± Aura said. ¡°Then again, they only ended up my tutors because they were too afraid to do the real thing. They needed to experience fables vicariously, pathetically.

    ¡°If only they could see me and you, now. With their lackluster bonds, they would have been burned to a crisp under the four suns¡¯ flames. It''s really a miracle that we survived for so long. Nearly everyone outside of this fable thinks we¡¯ve long died by now and that the rift has remained closed for some other, supernatural reason.

    ¡°What could a group of only three humans and a secare-nymph accomplish? I bet that''s what they¡¯re wondering. Let alone one full of kindred as young and inexperienced as us.¡±

    Aura paused. She smirked and spat on the ground below her before turning to Syllis. Both of them shared an odd expression¡ªespecially for the situation they were in.

    No closer to accomplishing their goal of escaping the fable and yet, Syllis felt a certain clarity wash over her mind. She had a hunch that Aura felt the same way.

    ¡°I think I will live, Syllis,¡± Aura said. ¡°I will preach Korman¡¯s good name and spite all those who believe us to have no hope to return from this fable.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s¡ªlet¡¯s get out here first, ok?¡± Syllis grabbed Aura¡¯s uninjured shoulder and laughed.

 Chapter 69 - Eating Away Inside

    ¡°Aura,¡± Syllis said, ¡°don¡¯t these steps seem a little too large?¡± Each slab required both women to take two steps before rising up to the next one.

    Aura glanced down before flicking her gaze forward again. ¡°Is there such a thing as a rise that¡¯s too gradual? I¡¯m thankful for it. As should you be, imagine stepping up a normal staircase for so long with that thing sticking out the side of you¡­¡±

    Syllis stayed silent for a moment. She was thankful for the steps! Still, that did not prevent her from questioning them. Any civilization living in the abyss must have had enhanced physical capabilities like the elmannise. She wondered why they needed such wide steps.

    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯m thankful. But why would whoever made these steps need them to be so large?¡±

    ¡°Why do you care?¡± Aura said, letting out a sigh. ¡°All that matters is that they¡¯re large enough for this guy to ascend.¡± She gestured behind her.

    There, one of her ephemeral crows was tirelessly lugging around both Clyde¡¯s corpse and their water. They lacked food, but that did not particularly bother them at the moment.

    ¡®There¡¯s many days that we¡¯ve gone without food. What¡¯s wrong with a couple more?¡¯ Syllis thought to herself and let out a wry laugh.

    Aura shot her a glance but ultimately remained silence.

    Syllis assumed that she merely thought it was a bi-product of her infection. The secare nymph herself was actually surprised at how much space she still had in her mind¡ªundisturbed. There had been a qualitative change since she entered the fable. It was certainly a faint and gradual process as she had not noticed until now, surrounded by darkness.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ maybe ten or fifteen percent?¡¯ Syllis tried to use some logic to figure out just how drastic the change was but ultimately, it was futile.

    She turned, shooting a slight glance at the woman beside her, and then to the crow. ¡°How exactly are you speaking to me right now, Aura?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Clyde thwarted my suicide attempt, throwing his life away in exchange,¡± Aura said, matter-of-factly.

    ¡°Right, he did do that¡­¡± Syllis said, her face grew sour. ¡°I mean more in terms of your infection? It seems to heavily change whenever it feels like it.¡±

    Aura looked back at her large crow and then back, towards the way they came from. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for now, we should sleep and drink.¡±

    Syllis was not against the idea. Despite the gradual climb of the stairs lessening the impact, her legs still hurt. More than that her side hurt and it would be beneficial for her to reset the icy-blue tool that allowed her to breath without difficulty.

    Aura had explained to her that if it was pulled out prematurely that air would fill the area inside, causing the difficulty breathing again. So, Syllis was not against maintaining it.

    The secare nymph understood that this was an attempt to distract from her question. Though, she was certain that she would get her answer eventually.

    They unloaded a single jar of water, leaving the rest¡ªalong with Clyde¡¯s coffin¡ªtucked neatly in the basket, still tethered to the ephemeral crow. It quietly curled up ten feet from its master.

    Syllis in-tied the glow-tree string that tightly held the jars form together. She set it off to the side.

    Glub! The water made a few calming noises as Syllis picked up a hollow thick-root from within, dragging it along the surface to fill it with the rich water.

    Tilting it back, she swallowed the water in a few large gulps. There was a distinct taste to the water. It was exceptionally clear, filtered through their journey down into the lowest thick-roots of the thick-trees.

    Syllis had not cared to inquire further back at the wall. She did not mind remaining unaware. All that mattered to her was that in a fable so dangerous and unyielding¡ªthere were slight reprieves such as this.

    ¡°Aura?¡± Syllis called out with concern, ¡°why aren¡¯t you drinking? Do you feel guilty for neglecting to answer my question earlier?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Aura said. ¡°It''s my choice to share or not. I wouldn¡¯t feel anything over choosing not to answer you. Actually, I¡¯d feel good if anything. I do, I feel good.¡±

    Syllis scrutinized the woman for a second, picking up her lantern to illuminate the woman. ¡°Alright.¡± She picked up a thick-root, pushing it towards Aura.

    The woman nabbed it away without a second thought and scooped a large amount of water. Unlike Syllis who drank like a glutton, Aura operated in a more tasteful manner. She took slight sips, preserving the experience.

    ¡°Do you really find it necessary to drink so slowly? We have water everyday, it isn''t scarce,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Also once we make it up this damned staircase there will likely be thick-roots lining the roof of this ¡®second abyss.¡¯ What¡¯s there to worry about?¡±

    Aura neglected to speak, simply staring down mindlessly at where they had come from.

    ¡°Fine, don¡¯t answer. But in exchange you have to answer a new question.¡±

    ¡°What sort of exchange involves only you getting anything out of it?¡± Aura looked at her, wide-eyed.

    ¡°What do you want, my sanity?¡± Syllis asked. ¡°Can¡¯t have it, that guy¡¯s borrowing it.¡± She gestured to the ephemeral crow, or more accurately the icy-blue coffin tethered to it.

    Aura laughed wryly and said, ¡°I¡¯m alright. I think I¡¯ll let you and whatever you¡¯re bound to fight over however much remains.¡± She raised her hand to her chin and scratched.

    ¡°Look down there, Syllis,¡± Aura said. ¡°You can¡¯t see much but me? I can see pretty much all of it. So, imagine how terrifying it is that I¡ªafter many hours of walking¡ªam no longer able to see the bottom.

    ¡°Where we¡¯ve come from, erased from my vision. Apply the same principle from when we first entered this fable. We were afraid because we can¡¯t go back, still are. At least I am. The same applies here, our path has disappeared into the dark void. Sure, while crossing the sky chasm, the four suns were a constant source of fear but it was tangible.

    ¡°Now, in this staircase that could stretch for many times longer than we¡¯ve already walked, I am much more fearful.¡±

    Aura frowned slightly, pulling at the side of her own, charred coat. The bottom was unrecognizable from when she had first received it and the rest of it was rough. The entire thing was morphing into a grayish color, stained by ash.

    Syllis did not remark on Aura¡¯s fear. She could not think of anything to add. Her companion had encapsulated even her own fears in a near perfect manner.

    She turned to her fearful companions and asked, ¡°are you really not going to tell me why your sanity fluctuates so bizarrely?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a comforting presence¡­¡± Aura muttered, sarcastically.

    ¡°What do you have to lose?¡± Syllis asked, seriously. ¡°Either we die here and your secret dies with me or we manage to get out and¡­ I have your secret.¡±

    ¡°You know that one of those is a very problematic scenario right?¡±

    ¡°Not to be that person but¡­ I did convince you to live?¡± Syllis said, unsure. She scooped another full thick-root of water. There was no need to be stingy. They would soon happen upon more.

    ¡°Kind of¡­¡± Aura said, pausing for more than a few seconds. ¡°Because of the affinity of my bond to¡ªwell, my father called it ¡®the deep¡¯¡ªbut it shares similarities with this abyss. I¡¯ve long thought the reason is because in a similar environment it is easier for him to let me rend and so my creatures take less of a toll and I recover quicker.¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡®Unexpected!¡¯ Syllis coughed, spitting her water over a few lower slabs in front of her. ¡®I can understand her reluctance now¡­ If I had something so advantageous I would not reveal it even with a promise of piles of quartz in return!¡¯

    ¡°Peculiar,¡± Syllis remarked. ¡°I wonder if something similar would be the case if I was scaling the side of a mountain range?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited,¡± Aura warned her. ¡°I was told there were ¡®special circumstances¡¯ around my first ritual. It is likely for this reason that I have such a uniqueness.

    ¡°Then again, perhaps your ritual was equally as unusual?¡± She tilted her head to the side, focusing on the secare nymph¡¯s face.

    Syllis remained silent for a moment before saying, ¡°something like that¡­ I don¡¯t remember much of it.¡±

    ¡°Surely you know at least a little about it?¡± Aura asked, eager.

    ¡°Maybe it will come to me in my sleep,¡± Syllis said before shifting a couple feet away.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Aura said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll wait. Do you want me to switch off once the coffin begins to melt?¡±

    ¡°It should be a while,¡± Syllis answered. ¡°Just wake me once it seems like the inside is close to being exposed to the air. It shouldn¡¯t be longer than a couple of hours. For having such a cold presence, devoid of life or any exposure to the four suns, this abyss is much warmer than I expected.¡±

    After she finished talking, Syllis coated the air behind with a layer of thin icy-blue and laid back onto it. She hoped it would last the entire time she slept, the thought of the abyss slightly gnawing at her while she slept was horrific.

    <hr>

    The next day or night was spent climbing the thick-slabbed staircase. Syllis had gotten sick of the trek five hours into it and Aura by the second.

    ¡°Syllis!¡± Aura called out, excitement rang out in her voice. ¡°I can see it! The end of this tunnel!¡±

    ¡°Finally¡­¡± Syllis muttered. ¡°How far is it?¡± she asked, eager to escape from the staircase they had been walking for around an entire day.

    Aura took a couple of seconds to gauge the distance. ¡°Maybe a couple hundred more steps?¡± she said, unsure.

    ¡°That¡¯s great because I don¡¯t think that your solution is helping me anymore,¡± Syllis said, calmly. ¡°I can feel it getting worse.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Aura said, surprised. ¡°That¡¯s odd, your punctured lung should be getting better not worse¡­ Tell me again, how were you injured?¡±

    ¡°You already know this.¡±

    ¡°Tell me again,¡± Aura demanded.

    As they ascended closer to the end of the large staircase, Syllis recounted her fall into the abyss. She told Aura about the initial panic¡ªher first failure, her crash into the jagged rocks and her difficulty breathing shortly after. Her story had not changed from the first couple of times that Syllis had told her.

    As they neared the top of the large stair Aura seemed to come to a horrific conclusion as her eyes widened. She nearly bent over to puke, turning away from Syllis.

    ¡°What is it? Are you alright?¡± Syllis asked. She needed to try to breathe with almost thirty percent more effort than it took her before.

    ¡°Remember my shattered shoulder?¡± Aura asked.

    Syllis thought it was a reasonable question. It had been more than five months since their first day at the foot of the wall. ¡®Still, how could I forget something like that?¡¯ After spending three months at the wall, that encounter remained as their closest brush with death.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she responded.

    ¡°Th¡ªthose creatures that lined the walls of the abyss had coated my shoulder and were eating away at it. Korman told me about it after the fact.¡±

    ¡°I remember,¡± Syllis said.

    They had been the secare nymph¡¯s main source of guilt in that wound. The main injury was harsh but Korman had needed to scar her skin by burning the gnawing abyss stragglers that ate away at her shoulder.

    ¡°When you hit the jagged rock. When it pierced your lung. It left behind those same stragglers. It''s these stragglers that are now eating away at your lungs.¡±

    Syllis¡¯ eyes widened as she bent over to puke. They had not eaten food for days though, only her stomach acid came rushing out. After defacing the slab upon which she stood, Syllis rose and turned to face Aura.

    ¡°There¡¯s the catch though¡­ I heard that Korman needed to burn the area to rid you of those stragglers. My lung wouldn¡¯t hold up through such a treatment.¡± Syllis laughed heartily, wearing a crazed expression on her face.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Aura said, honestly. She kicked her feet against the ground before they continued walking.

    As they reached the top of the large staircase, Syllis asked, ¡°how long before I can¡¯t breathe anymore?¡±

    ¡°A few hours maybe? I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Me neither.¡± Syllis could tell that at the rate her breathing was declining over the last few hours that it was getting worse faster than before.

    ¡®No, maybe it has been getting worse since the injury. Did I just blame it on the slow treatment?¡¯

    Neither of them spoke for a minute as they began to walk forwards. The staircase had ended but there was now a slight, smaller walkway for them to traverse.

    After a couple of minutes, they arrived at a large door. Of course, Syllis was not entirely sure what it entailed. That was what Aura had described it as, her ability to paint an image for her, Korman and Clyde to comprehend had never been great.

    The secare nymph walked up the ¡®door¡¯ and swung her lantern in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s indeed a door. Or a couple, maybe?¡±

    It was a slightly confusing sight, especially for Syllis. The light from her lantern could not envelop the entirety of the black door, molded from the surrounding abyss.

    ¡°Whatever made this door and those stairs must have lived many times longer than the elmannise. The difference in craftsmanship is absurd.¡± Syllis caressed the engravings that were etched into the abyssal door. It was like they told a story, one that the secare nymph¡ªdespite wanting to understand with the entirety of her being¡ªjust could not read.

    The door¡ªapart from its clear-cut engravings¡ªwas also smooth, unblemished. The slabs that both of them had spent the past day walking were not equal in quality with the door, but still far above anything they had seen that was formed by the elmannise. The wall and its surrounding area was crude in comparison. Far below the quality of the door they stood in front of now as well as quite inferior to the main interior of Abyssia as well.

    ¡°So, how do we get through?¡± Aura asked, more to herself than Syllis.

    Syllis moved her lantern as she walked, the light washing over the area in front of her as she looked for any sort of handle or lock.

    ¡°Just because it¡¯s a foreign world does not mean that their doors should be any different,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Everybody wants their privacy. We¡¯re looking for a lock.¡±

    ¡°Naturally,¡± Aura scoffed at her companion¡¯s remark. ¡°It¡¯s a door, it can¡¯t be too complicated. The problem is that this lock could be different than anything in our world.

    ¡°What about those grooves, on both sides of the door?¡± Aura asked, running over to the one on the left of the door.

    Syllis imitated her, running her finger along the other, cold groove. The cut in the door grew deeper as it rose towards the ceiling. ¡°We have to shove a couple keys into these grooves? Aren¡¯t they a little too obvious?¡±

    ¡°Not entirely. The elmannise are people with deadly consequences for any crime. Their enhanced attributes allowed them to uphold such a thing,¡± Aura said. ¡°It would be nearly impossible for a crime to be committed without anyone hearing or seeing anything related to it. There¡¯s a good possibility this civilization is the same way.¡±

    ¡°So you want to try and open it blind?¡± Syllis asked, raising a brow. This was not the astute Aura she had known. Back when they first entered the fable she was cautious. Most of her abrasiveness and reckless nature were both left behind once they had escaped the four suns¡¯ flame.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Aura scoffed. ¡°Form a sort of key for us to use.¡±

    Syllis obliged, taking a minute to form the icy-blue needle-point spear she had coalesced many times over. It was her constant helper throughout the fable. That and her more crude but still efficient javelin.

    She handed the needle-point spear¡ªless refined than she typically made them¡ªto Aura.

    Aura took it from her and rended the space above the spear. She flipped the spear upside down and caught one of the slight, ephemeral maggots that fell from the tear in the air, leaking green light. She set it onto the base of the spear and walked over to one of the grooves.

    ¡°Syllis, could you raise it?¡± Aura asked, nicely.

    The secare nymph nodded silently and began raising the spear towards the top of the groove.

    This enabled Aura to put all of her effort into seeing through the maggots vision and assessing the situation.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Aura said once the spear reached an adequate height. She grew silent as she looked for any sign of traps, through the maggot. Then, she began to laugh.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Syllis asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s truly no trap or an advanced lock,¡± Aura said, placing a hand over her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s a damn abyssal slab that lifts when pushed, allowing the door to move.¡±

    ¡°Huh? So we only need another spear?¡± Syllis asked. The civilization seemed relatively advanced with their adept usage of the abyss. It felt like a disservice for them to have such a primitive door.

    ¡°Not even,¡± Aura said, snatching the needle-point spear from Syllis¡¯ hands. She pushed it upwards with all of her force, shifting the abyssal slab as she pushed against the door with her left side. Easily, it was pushed open.

    Syllis stepped into the doorway and shone her lantern upwards. It illuminated a pure-black abyssal slab that bridged the gap of the opened door. It connected the right side of the door to the left. After being pushed open, the slab now sat on a small platform on the left wall of the abyss, waiting to lock the door in place again. She looked ahead and remarked on the slanted top of the left door, allowing it to be pushed into the abyssal slab and lock itself again.

    ¡®Seriously? That¡¯s all they could come up with.¡¯ Syllis was dumbfounded. This group of people who had managed to reshape the world around them to a degree she could not even comprehend had such a doorway safeguarding their city.

    Aura commanded her ephemeral crow to step through the doorway and¡ªlooking through its eyes¡ªshe gasped. There was a brief moment of silence.

    ¡°They don¡¯t need a very great lock¡­¡± Aura muttered. ¡°The sheer scale of this city is more than enough to make any opposition run away.¡± She immediately rended another tear in the space in front of her. A second ephemeral crow stepped out from it.

    Aura climbed atop, looked at Syllis and said, ¡°get on, let¡¯s see if we can find a way out in these few hours.¡±

 Chapter 70 - Threads of Dread and Hope

    Syllis was taken aback. When she had initially been given her diagnosis of ¡®a few hours,¡¯ she had essentially given up. She did not feel the pull of a fable rift and Aura would have spoken out if she had felt it. Yet, despite the apparent impossibility of the task at hand, Aura still wanted to try.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Syllis said. A slight smile grew on her face.

    Aura lowered her hand down to Syllis with a calm expression.

    Syllis grabbed hold of the offered hand and placed her right over the top of the ephemeral crow. She grabbed hold of a bumped bone and hoisted herself up.

    The ephemeral crows were tall, much taller than horses were. As such, they were difficult to mount. Aura had an easy time as she was able to beckon the crow to lower itself for her. Syllis though¡ªalong with Korman and Clyde when they were still present¡ªhad a difficult time.

    As Syllis wrapped her arms around Aura¡¯s waist, she felt the two crows begin running forwards. Though Aura seemed calm and almost indifferent outwardly, it was apparent through this surging speed of the crows that she intended to do all that she could.

    ¡®To think that she changed so much over the course of only a week¡­¡¯ Syllis was somewhat stunned. She could not help but feel there was some deeper concept responsible for the short transformation.

    Syllis felt thrown for a couple minutes as the crows made a series of rapid turns.

    ¡°This city is truly incredible¡­¡± Aura muttered, her words trailing out into the deep abyss.

    ¡°How so?¡± Syllis asked. She peered behind her as the crows stopped making turns.

    Far behind her was the entrance that they had been trying to make it to so desperately. The four suns¡¯ flame raged violently outside, fighting the abyss for entry.

    ¡®You can¡¯t win, not until you four split again!¡¯ Syllis antagonized the four suns inwardly. A prideful grin spread across her face. The abyss always winning against the four suns¡¯ assault was almost like a fable in itself. It was like the hero always prevailing against a villain. ¡®Ironic, typically the light is the hero and darkness is the enemy that consumes all.¡¯

    The secare nymph had heard plenty of such stories. There was the occasional one from her father but most came from her short few months at Lurgica.

    ¡®Thinking back on it, maybe they were fake¡­¡¯ Syllis did not have the most confidence. In a school full of prideful nobles, what stories could be real?

    ¡°The buildings are much more complex¡ªactually¡­¡± Aura stopped for a moment. ¡°These ¡®structures¡¯ are more complex to build. In reality, they are much simpler in nature. The base of the majority of them are even and smooth squares. On top are a mix of other shapes such as triangles and rectangles.

    ¡°The only non angular shapes in this city are these brown roots that seem to wrap around damn near every building. Part of me wishes that I could explore but¡­ we don¡¯t particularly have the time for that.¡±

    Syllis enjoyed listening to Aura¡¯s description. It was not flawless, all she got from it was that the buildings were smooth shapes and that roots flooded the area. ¡®Where''s the sense of grandeur Aura?¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aura,¡± Syllis reassured her. ¡°You will have plenty of time to go back and explore every inch of this city after my passing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not nearly as comforting as you believe it is¡­¡± Aura¡¯s voice trailed out again. She seemed completely absorbed controlling the movements of her two crows.

    Syllis found herself pondering over the intricacies of Aura¡¯s bond again¡ªsomething she had continuously found herself doing recently. She shook her head a couple of times.

    ¡®I should not think about something so complicated in my final few hours¡­¡¯ Syllis scolded herself. ¡®Instead I should be reminiscing¡­ right?¡¯

    ¡°Syllis, do you want to know where we¡¯re going?¡± Aura asked her.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Syllis was snapped out of any internal conflicts and replied, ¡°Sure, why not?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a great tower in the center of this city¡ªthe center of the abyss. Naturally with such an important landmark, I figure that with only a few hours, it¡¯s our best shot at¡­ well anything.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too far to reach in a few hours?¡± Syllis questioned. She thought back to the time her and her companions traveled from the main Abyssia to the wall. It had taken around a week.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Aura said. ¡°This city is much smaller in sheer size. All of the buildings are tightly packed together. It''s similar to the difference between central Asanoch and the middle ring. Maybe an even better example is between central Asanoch and Aklilan. Yes, the difference in density is closer in the second one.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not against doing everything possible to live,¡± Syllis said. ¡°I hope that by some miracle, we can both make it out.¡±

    ¡°I hope so too,¡± Aura said.

    Syllis fidgeted around for a second with a slight icy-blue construct in her hands before saying, ¡°could you promise me something Aura?¡±

    The woman nodded as she continued to look forward towards their destination. Her dirty, pitch-black hair wafted behind her. The knotted strands were illuminated by the light of the ephemeral crow they were riding.

    ¡°It might be a bit much to ask but don¡¯t give up if I die, ok?¡± Syllis monitored the woman¡¯s hesitance and continued, ¡°and made sure to spread great stories about me as well. Give some of the glory to me, in my honor.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Aura said. ¡°It isn¡¯t looking good but I¡¯m not particularly interested in losing you before we get out¡­¡±

    ¡®So it¡¯s fine as long as I die once we escape!¡¯ Syllis joked inside. She was not keen on ruining the moment.

    They bickered about meaningless topics for the rest of their ride to the tower. Syllis¡¯ responses gradually lessened until being reduced to almost zero by the time they had arrived at the tower.

    ¡®This is bad¡­¡¯ The secare nymph had understood and felt her decline but it was only now. Now that she was about to enter her final bastion, the pressure truly got to her.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°A¡ªAur¡­¡± Syllis wanted to call out for her companion for comfort but the words got caught in her mouth.

    ¡°Hmm what¡¯s wrong?¡± Aura asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Syllis said as the both of them prepared to push open a large door.

    The door was similar to the primitive one they used previously to exit the¡ªpresumed¡ªreservoir. This one though, was much larger, almost three times the size. It was also thicker making it much more difficult to push open. This one did not have a lock though.

    ¡®How much¡­ How much longer?¡¯ Syllis ruminated over the thought. ¡®It can¡¯t be very much longer I can already feel¡ª¡¯

    The secare nymph shook her head. She muttered to herself, ¡°What point is there in dwelling on that possibility? Either I make it or I don¡¯t.¡±

    The abyssal door opened, slowly. This was further proof of Aura¡¯s theory that whatever occupied the ¡®second Abyssia¡¯ had some superhuman qualities to them.

    Behind the door was a large, withered tree. It was filled up close to the entirety of the room at the bottom of the tower. The trunk of it alone extended as far as either of them could see. This was especially impactful considering Aura¡¯s enhanced vision through her ephemeral maggots. The little room left was taken up by many hundreds of steps formed out of the abyss that spiraled upwards.

    Syllis, exhausted and overwhelmed by the feeling of her own body¡¯s imminent collapse, spoke in a panic, ¡°we better hurry¡­¡±

    Any words that she spoke were exasperated. Before breathing had been merely uncomfortable. On the way to the tower it became difficult, requiring great effort. Now, Syllis was actively thankful for every breath that she found herself able to take. This meant that there was no time to be picky about her tone.

    ¡°Right,¡± Aura said. She beckoned her ephemeral crow to follow them as they climbed the smooth, abyssal stairs.

    The further they climbed, the less faith Syllis had in her escape. The act of ascending in pure darkness was nerve wracking at the least. It had been during their many hours of climbing the steps of the empty reservoir. Now, when she could feel life falling away from her, it was much more than nerve-wracking. Now, she felt a keen sense of despair as they stepped higher and higher.

    Aura¡¯s quietness did not help. She did not update the secare nymph on their progress which could only mean one thing. That she herself could not even see the end of the staircase yet. It could go on forever as far as they knew.

    As the despair in her heart rose, Syllis was overcome with emotion as feelings of sonder rushed into her. Now¡ªmore than a month later¡ªshe truly understood how Korman must have felt as his death approached him.

    Syllis had not merely killed Korman. She had killed a person. All of his experiences, all that he was going to experience, all that he could have been. She had killed all of it.

    ¡®And here I arrive at the constant in everything¡ªfate. Would he have ever lived longer?¡¯ Syllis shook her head again. ¡®There¡¯s no way to redeem it. I killed a man and now? I will die too.¡¯

    ¡°Syllis, I see the end of this staircase.¡±

    Syllis laughed wryly as she slowed her pace slightly and said, ¡°does it matter?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡ª¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± she interrupted. ¡°Remember all that we were taught? I remember all that I was taught and well¡ªyou were in Lurgica for much longer. Surely you know ever better just how futile this is.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel it, do you? No¡ªyou don¡¯t feel it, the pull. There is no pull. That slight tugging on our mind is absent and so too is any hope for my future.¡± Syllis smiled self-deprecatingly.

    ¡°Enough, Syllis!¡± Aura roared in a low voice. ¡°You know as well as I do that this fable is an oddity even among the most bizarre.

    ¡°It¡¯s like you¡ªan anomaly within Asanoch. How could a random juvenile kindred from the outer ring rise above almost all of the rest? How can someone like you remain skeptical when you yourself are such a miracle?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tired of this hopeless hope, Aura,¡± Syllis said. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this feeling. I¡¯m sick of these interwoven threads of dread and hope that are caught in my throat and mind. I¡¯m sick of believing that this unbelievable tale that is only ever extraordinary in horrifically hostile ways could possibly yield anything positive.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Syllis!¡± Aura yelled. ¡°Those threads are what make up the fabric of fate. All you can do is try and try and try and try and hope. You have to hope that you reach the perfect section of that fabric, smooth and unblemished.¡±

    ¡°Lord you too, Aura?¡± Syllis laughed wryly. ¡°You and Clyde both act like slaves to the concept of fate! You two accept what is coming to you like it is set in stone. What kind of existence should govern all that you have and will be? What kind of entity should control what you are fooled into believing you seize?

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you rather go against it? To rise up and conquer that which controls that which you cannot control?¡±

    ¡°Of course I want to!¡± Aura cried out. ¡°But that is beyond both you and me. All that we can do is shield ourselves and take the brunt.¡±

    ¡°Since when has being lesser ever stopped people from wanting and taking just that?¡± Syllis asked.

    ¡°And what about you, Syllis?¡± Aura asked. ¡°Can you really fight against something like fate? Hell, there are things that are beyond your control, thousands of things. Where fable rifts appear, what they contain within. Even leaving them, you fight the possibility of being torn and ripped apart on the spot. Tell me, can you fight back against that?¡±

    Syllis smiled as she sped up her steps and said, ¡°No, I can¡¯t.

    ¡°But I can spite them. I can spit on these ideas until I become something that can thwart each of these. I can threaten until I have the ability to break them. And if they try to smite me down? Then I will survive and smile at this absolute proof.¡±

    ¡°Feel free,¡± Aura said. ¡°But first, try taking a deep breath and discover the ends that fate can go to eradicate you.¡±

    Syllis remained silent. Her breathing was indeed worsening¡ªand quickly. At this rate, she would be dead within twenty minutes.

    The lantern that gently tried to illuminate any surrounding finally was able to reach out to a roof above the both of them.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see if ¡®fate¡¯ is feeling nice today¡­¡¯ Syllis thought as she and Aura stepped up the final step, arriving at a room.

    There was no fable rift and no pull. There was no hope but Syllis had expected that by now. She spat on fate and was ready to die with a sense of dignity but¡­ she still had fifteen minutes to look around.

    ¡°Looks like fate had the last laugh, Aura¡­¡± Syllis chuckled slightly. This time there was no wryness within. She was content.

    Syllis heard slight mutters behind her. She turned to face Aura.

    The woman had crouched down and was wiping tears from her eyes as she said, ¡°Sy¡ªSyllis?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Syllis responded kindly, crouching down beside her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t w¡ªwant to be alone.¡± Aura continued crying. Her teardrops seeped into thick branches that coated the floor.

    The top of the enormous tree extended to the top of the domed room and its branches, withered and broken, had fallen to the floor below. Only some were still attached but even they were close to breaking off and joining the rest.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aura,¡± Syllis said, earnestly.

    ¡°I¡ªI really thought that this was it, Syllis,¡± Aura said as she scanned the room around her. ¡°I mean the tree and the dome and the position of the tower. Everything seemed so special.

    ¡°But I guess you were right¡­¡±

    ¡°Aura,¡± Syllis said, ¡°I have faith in you getting out. You will only be alone until then. After that? You can get Edward to restore Clyde and my bodies¡ªif you want to lug them around of course. Stand up.¡±

    Aura rose and stood in front of Syllis. She stared into the secare nymph¡¯s dulled, seafoam eyes.

    Syllis stepped forward and pulled the crying woman into her embrace. She held Aura¡¯s head close to her chest and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright¡­¡±

    Syllis pulled away and stepped a couple of feet away. She sat down before lying flat on a large root, peeling from the ground below her. She looked at Aura longingly before turning away.

    ¡°Goodbye, Aura.¡± Syllis¡¯ vision gradually faded as the sounds of her breathing seemed to reduce to nothing. Like a body under the harsh and unyielding, four suns¡¯ flame.

 Chapter 71 - Some Miracle

    After Syllis passed away, Aura took a few minutes. She stared at the secare nymph¡¯s corpse, longingly.

    ¡°Why does everyone I care about die?¡± Aura said out loud. She hoped that someone would answer but of course, nobody did.

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. There''s no one to hear my embarrassing proclamation.¡¯

    Aura scratched at the side of her arm through her charred coat and sighed. She wiped her eyes and the inline of her nose, drenched with tears. Once she had composed herself, she spun around.

    Clyde¡¯s corpse was lying naked in a puddle of water. He was being almost cradled by a couple branches that his body had fallen in between. It looked like a mother embracing her newborn son.

    ¡®If only that was true. If only they could be reborn. If only¡­ Korman was here.¡¯ Aura began to cry again. She was slightly shocked but did not prevent herself from crying.

    Typically she was able to restrain herself from being too emotional but after Korman¡¯s death it was like all of her experience doing just that had vanished. It was frustrating but also nice. She felt relieved through this sort of catharsis.

    ¡°What do I do now?¡± Aura spoke out into the world. There weren¡¯t too many options. ¡®I could explore the city more, I can try rummaging through some of those drawers or I could¡­

    ¡®No, I promised Syllis that I would keep trying. I regret that now. This isn¡¯t like Korman where he only wished for me to live, I promised that nymph¡­ At times like these I wish I had chosen a different religion.¡¯

    Aura let out a long sigh as she looked out through the transparent dome. Down below, the city was composed of smooth shapes contoured by large roots that now¡ªarmed with her current knowledge¡ªseemed to stem from this very tree.

    ¡®Now it seems clear why the tower is in the center of this city. As well as why the city did not expand further, merely building atop already existing structures. This tree¡¯s roots grew in all directions and could not grow any further.

    ¡®It feels like our journey, in a way. Try as we might, there isn¡¯t much further we can go. Below the main surface of this fable, we cannot ascend to the surface again. The chasm will soon be rendered unfit to cross. The only option is to investigate the city and head further into this second Abyssia.¡¯

    Aura let out another long sigh. She felt a ping of pity as she wondered what could have befallen this city¡¯s people. They could not have been the flaming legion, they were unsophisticated, being unable to speak any words.

    ¡®Could they have wiped this civilization out?¡¯ Aura wondered, gagging as she thought of the legion tearing this long extinct civilization¡¯s peoples¡¯ limbs and devouring them in front of their family and friends.

    Aura shook her head. It was not the time for negative thoughts.

    ¡®In an environment so dim and hopeless, every day still starts with a night''s rest.¡¯ She repeated the saying internally as she rounded the room.

    The woman looked down at Syllis. To an unassuming stranger, they would think her to be peacefully sleeping.

    A couple more tears dropped before being wiped away. Aura sat down beside the secare nymph, finding a comfortable spot. Then, she layed down and let herself rest. It had been over an entire day since she had slept.

    As her consciousness began to fade she felt a warmth over her entire body.

    <hr>

    ¡®So welcoming¡­¡¯ Syllis thought upon feeling her body in its entirety. It felt like she had awoken from a thousand year slumber. Her body did not ache and it was not difficult to breathe. Instead, everything came easily to her.

    ¡®I wonder where I am?¡¯

    Syllis¡¯ eyes flicked open. She had expected to see a wide open sky that worshippers of Halarion Holis referred to as ¡®heaven¡¯ or perhaps she¡ªas a non-believer¡ªwould find herself within a constrained cave with flames rising all around her.

    ¡°I guess it would be fitting for me to end up in hell,¡± Syllis said. She laughed heartily as she peered above, seeing the pure black underground through the top of a transparent dome of sorts. ¡°But you two¡­ Clyde, aren¡¯t you a believer of Halarion Holis? Why have you ended up here?¡±

    Clyde looked at her with momentary confusion before reaching a hand down to her.

    Syllis eagerly took it, rising to her feet. Her first course of action was to further inspect Clyde.

    He was wearing long white robes, akin to the ones worn by the flaming legion. His expression was not one of a man who had been dead for a few days. It was brand new, like he had taken the time to¡ªslowly wake up, take a shower and practice skincare¡ªall before greeting her.

    ¡°So eager to tease¡­¡± Clyde muttered, his expression grew uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m afraid hell would be a little too nice of a fate for us.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Syllis squinted, scrutinizing the man in front of her. ¡°Then where are we?¡±

    ¡°Exactly where you think we are.¡±

    Syllis looked around. She felt the branches of the once withered tree.

    Now, it was not disheveled and stained the same, inky-black color of the abyss. It had turned pale white and grew beautiful red leaves. The branches twisted and grew thicker, as though they were nourished over a long time.

    ¡°It would seem that this tree has enjoyed the same cushy revival as both of us,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Where¡¯s Aura, by the way?¡±

    ¡°Here!¡± A voice called out from what appeared to be an entirely new part of the room.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    The abyss had receded or been pushed back where it had previously cut through the dome. Now, there was an entirely new section of the spacious room. There was a large staircase that was attached to this section and extended upwards further than the eye could see. Sitting at the bottom of this staircase was a beautiful black-haired woman. Her hair was luscious and seamlessly smooth and her skin, a beautifully pure tanned color.

    ¡°Nice, someone who can explain something.¡± Syllis looked around again, skeptically. ¡°So what exactly happened?¡±

    It was a beautiful scene but Syllis also found it uncanny. She could not feel ecstatic to be able to live again, to talk to Aura and Clyde. She didn''t even know if this was real. As she had learnt from the entirety of her life¡ªFate has a peculiar knack to screw you over, again and again.

    ¡®Still, it can¡¯t be that bad¡­¡¯ Syllis reconciled. ¡®I could have been stuck in endless darkness forever. I would give everything to keep this ¡®light¡¯ on forever.¡¯

    ¡°To be frank, I¡¯m not too sure¡­¡± Aura said, her voice wavering. It sounded like she was on the verge of tears. ¡°I went to sleep beside you on another branch and then Clyde woke me up.¡±

    ¡°That was an awkward experience to say the least¡­¡± Clyde said as he turned away from Syllis.

    Syllis pondered for a moment before smiling and saying, ¡°that would be an awkward experience.¡± She remembered that Clyde was lugged around without clothes for fear of their bacteria degrading his corpse.

    ¡°So this is truly not some form of afterlife? Have we really been given a new lease on life¡ªalong with this tree?¡± Syllis spoke with great skepticism. It was far too good to be true. ¡°In a fable that has beaten us down at every turn, why would there be such an act of benevolence?¡±

    Clyde laughed heartily before responding, ¡°perhaps it was not the fable¡¯s fault. Maybe it was fate all along and in order to inflict several times more suffering, it brought its puppets back to life.¡±

    ¡°Clyde, don¡¯t be so gruesome,¡± Aura reprimanded, remaining focused. ¡°Syllis, take a look out of the dome, at the city.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Syllis said as she began walking.

    What was equally as unnatural was her complete lack of an appetite. Whatever had resurrected rid her of her¡ªthen current¡ªhunger. Much more bizarrely was the complete restoration of her sanity. The body was a complex being but simple in comparison to the mind, something which had been entirely mended.

    Syllis placed her hands against the transparent dome and peered over the city. It was basked in radiant white. The buildings which had been formed of abyss looked to have been transformed to marble. The roots that wrapped around these structures transformed similarly to the withered tree. They were an equally pristine white with crimson streaks in them.

    ¡°This is,¡± Syllis found herself momentarily speechless, ¡°incredible.¡±

    As she turned around to face her companions, a tick of worry bubbled in the pit of her stomach. Clyde and Aura shared a couple of uniquely worried glances.

    ¡°Just say it,¡± she said, calmly. ¡°Whatever it is, just say it.¡± Syllis looked at Clyde, waiting for him to respond.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t¡­ a nymph anymore.¡±

    ¡®What?¡¯ Syllis thought. ¡®Not a nymph anymore! Surely something like that is impossible¡­ right?¡¯

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®I¡¯m not a nymph anymore?¡¯¡± Syllis demanded an explanation.

    The woman looked down at her body. She was still as tall as a nymph and the rest of her body seemed to have remained as it had always been, slender, catered to swimming.

    Clyde approached her slowly and tactfully. He shot her a nervous look before asking, ¡°may I?¡± He gestured to the side of her neck.

    ¡®My gills?¡¯ Syllis was taken aback. ¡®That would be the simplest way but¡­¡¯

    ¡°No problem.¡± Syllis exhaled which would normally cause her gills to flare open.

    Clyde ran his soft hand across the length of the side of Syllis¡¯ neck.

    Syllis¡¯ eyes widened in horror as she realized that she had felt nothing. Her gills were very sensitive. There were a couple instances of thieves trying to reach into them to subdue her. These attempts had not ended well for the thieves but they taught the¡ªpreviously secare nymph¡ªa valuable lesson.

    ¡°Surely not¡­ right?¡± Syllis herself exhaled and reached for the side of her neck¡­ nothing. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a little too bizarre even for this fable?¡±

    The woman fell to her knees in a slight fit of panic. She began to hyperventilate which her prior self¡ªhindered by her punctured lung¡ªwould have killed for. Now though, it was merely a means to navigate through this mind breaking news.

    ¡°Syllis,¡± Clyde said, ¡°Calm down.¡± He reached for her shoulder.

    ¡°Would you calm down!?¡± Syllis shouted and pushed his arm away. She let out a long exhale and said, ¡°if you had your entire being torn away from you, would you calm down?¡±

    Clyde remained silent.

    ¡°It sounds like you were right about fate¡¯s cruelty,¡± Syllis said. ¡°So, what did it take from either of you?¡±

    Aura and Clyde shared another glance, this one was almost guilty.

    ¡°Nothing, really¡­¡± Syllis muttered, mostly to herself.

    ¡°Finally, I can see the surface!¡± Aura cheered before her face contorted into a grimace.

    ¡°Aura, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Clyde asked, walking over to her.

    ¡°You both know those four inconveniences that have been bothering us, right?¡± she joked. ¡°There¡¯s only a single one now.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Clyde and Syllis simultaneously yelled in disbelief.

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Aura said. ¡°There is only one, teeny, tiny sun now.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too absurd¡­ our revival, the restoration of the city and now the four suns¡¯ collapse?¡± Clyde said in disbelief.

    Syllis laughed as she rose to her feet again. She ran over to Clyde and placed her hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°Normally it would all be too absurd,¡± Syllis said. A wild grin curved on her face. ¡°However, think about it like this. What if there was a single event responsible for it all?¡±

    Clyde criticized her with his gaze. Aura on the other hand, remained quiet. It was apparent she was deep in traversal utilizing one of her ephemeral crows or something similar.

    ¡°The lights in your estate run off of power, whatever that may be. Our bonds deplete our sanity and relinquish parts of our mind. We can heal from injuries at the cost of pain. There¡¯s a ¡®price¡¯ attached to everything in this world.

    ¡°The four suns were the ¡®price¡¯ to mend our broken bodies and restore this city. The reason that this city and tree were so decrepit and withered in the first place was because the civilization here died off.

    ¡°Every tree needs sunlight and whatever civilization was here must have placed their wounded here to ¡®draw¡¯ this sunlight to this tree,¡± Syllis spoke in a crazed manner. The subject within was even more bizarre, like the ramblings of a lunatic.

    Still, Clyde and Aura could only tilt their heads in response as they mulled over the details.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a better idea,¡± Clyde said with a sigh.

    Aura shrugged and said, ¡°Anything is possible within a fable. This doesn¡¯t seem too far-fetched¡­¡±

    As each of them tried to refine this scenario that occurred while they were unconscious, they felt a tug inside of their mind. It pulsed with sharp pain but held within it a hint of bliss. Much akin to a siren¡¯s call, the allure was tantalizing.

    All three of them looked upwards, instinctively, upon feeling this ¡®pull¡¯ on their mind. Their pupils dilated as their minds spun. This was no mere siren¡¯s call. This was not the result of some injury or migraine.

    This was the call of a fable rift, beckoning them to approach, to enter.

 Chapter 72 - Tear Me Apart

    They each turned to each other and read their faces which had grown pale. Each of them felt this distinct tugging at the inside of their minds but wanted to ascertain whether their companions had also experienced it before speaking.

    ¡°Is that¡ª¡±

    ¡°A fable rift,¡± Aura interrupted.

    In an instant, two large rifts were rended in the space behind her leaking ethereal green light. The abyss did not fight back for its territory, it relented. Walking out from them were two ephemeral crows. Both of them looked well-rested and strengthened.

    Syllis felt an odd twinge in her stomach. The withered tree had healed her body¡ªto the point of even removing and sealing her gills¡ªas well as completely rejuvenating her mind by pulling all foreign interference from it. There was one aspect of Syllis that this tree lacked the ability to heal though. This was her personality and emotions. She had been left with her familiar sense of dread and hope tangled in the pit of her stomach. Now, with the pull of a fable rift at the inside of her mind, she felt the encapsulating sense of dread gradually being unwound, untangled from her hope.

    ¡®Still, I can¡¯t get too hopeful¡­¡¯ Syllis resolved inwardly. There was a chance that the rift could close before they could make it.

    ¡°Clyde, Syllis,¡± Aura said, ¡°get on!¡± She gestured to the two ephemeral crows.

    Syllis joined Aura and Clyde was left on his lonesome.

    As the two ephemeral crows began dashing up the large-slabbed staircase, Syllis felt the slight quivering of Aura¡¯s body through her hands on her waist.

    After being overwhelmed with her unique sense of sonder before her death, Syllis could easily imagine why. She saw the human woman occasionally glance over at Clyde, or rather the space behind him in anguish. That was where Korman would have been.

    It was entirely logical that the withered tree had not brought Korman back. His body had long been devoured by the four suns¡¯ flame. Still, with the absurd nature of the fable they had lived and breathed in for the past six months, they hoped that some miracle would have brought him back anyways.

    ¡°Why now of all times?¡± Aura asked, shaking her head and focusing on the staircase in front of her.

    ¡°Freak luck,¡± Syllis said before laughing.

    Clyde remained silent for a moment before saying, ¡°or the four suns¡¯ threat was somehow preventing any fable rifts from appearing?¡±

    ¡°Then why wouldn¡¯t one just appear at night or in the abyss?¡± Syllis asked. She looked upwards, hoping to see the light of day peeking through.

    ¡°I don¡¯t claim to know all the answers¡­¡± Clyde¡¯s words trailed out before he continued, ¡°actually¡­ Maybe the abyss itself is hostile enough to prevent them from appearing as well. We¡¯ve all seen how it fights with the four suns¡¯ flame, as well as Aura¡¯s tears.¡±

    Syllis nodded in approval. It was a relatively stable theory¡ªaside from the problem of nighttime on the surface. There was no explanation for why they did not appear then. Still, she deemed it adequate enough to not bring it up. Especially after her absurd theory about their revival and the withered tree. She was in no place to judge.

    She noticed the complete lack of abyss as they continued to scale the great staircase. She failed to see a single nibbling speck of abyss anywhere around them. ¡®Perhaps the four suns¡¯ flame had truly carved away all of the surrounding abyss from these stairs.¡¯

    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! The shifting of rocks to their sides began in an instant. Without any prior warning they began to crackle as they shifted.

    Syllis smiled at this hasty shift in atmosphere. The hopeful nature of a fable rift finally appearing was a blessing, but suspicious. Now the literal earth around them was shaking, it seemed more reasonable.

    ¡°Wipe that grin away, Syllis,¡± Clyde said, ¡°please. It looks like your ¡®god¡¯ has taken the entirety of your mind from you.¡±

    The woman was surely exhibiting some symptoms of compromised sanity, though this was not one such example. Instead, this was her natural reaction to the predictability of something meant to be so innately unpredictable.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Syllis said, maintaining her grin as sunlight became visible only around a hundred steps ahead of the ephemeral crows.

    ¡®Will it burn as it had? At a lesser rate or not all?¡¯ She wondered. ¡®Perhaps this small sun will behave just as Asanoch¡¯s false sun, merely providing warmth.¡¯

    They emerged from the abyssal staircase, arriving on the surface. They were greeted by the familiar trees with beautiful yellow leaves. Their shadows, cast by the small sun, danced and formed amorphous yellow shapes on the ground below them.

    Syllis looked up to the sky, at the swirling purple above, this aspect of the fable was one of the only ones to resemble Ethrailia. She remembered the many nights that she would swim up to the surface and gaze upon the ever-rolling cosmic sea. The myriads of stars¡ªpale-violet, dark-purple, white and grey, faint-green and shifting blue¡ªeach pulsating with unique time causing them to feel like true, living organisms.

    Syllis had never believed it, despite her father¡¯s intentions to orchestrate her beliefs. She never found what any of the few religions that believed such a ridiculous thing had to say to be relevant to real life.

    The temperature of the sun felt twice as hot as Asanoch¡¯s false sun. Any other kindred would find it reasonably warm. To Syllis though¡­ with her innate weakness to any heat, she felt uncomfortable. She could still withstand it, albeit while sweating an eerie amount.

    Syllis hissed as she held her hand up, shielding her eyes from the warmth. She let out a sharp exhale before asking, ¡°do either of you see it?¡±

    ¡°Can you not?¡± Clyde asked, his voice laced with worry.

    ¡°My bond isn¡¯t exactly made for this heat,¡± she answered, irritatedly.

    ¡°We¡¯re about¡ª¡±

    Rumble! Rumble! Clyde was interrupted by the shifting of more earth beneath their feet. The crows lost balance, being thrown from their feet. Aura, Syllis and Clyde were all thrown off, landing against the warm patches of purple grass.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Syllis removed her ¡®shield¡¯ and swung her gaze around her like a violent swing of a sword. She saw the earth, tearing itself apart.

    The abyss began to seep through the cracks. It was different from what happened at the start of their fable, where the earth below them began to sink. This ground was not sinking into the large, open abyss. Instead, the abyss seemed to be growing in spots and forcefully tearing the ground apart to exit.

    Aura stood and dismissed both of her crows before saying, ¡°there¡¯s no way the crows can move with these tremors.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll go on foot,¡± Clyde said. He had already been placed back in the leadership role for their small group.

    Each of them tried to maintain their footing as the world tore apart around them. They began running towards the fable rift at a modest pace. It was important that they made it in time but more importantly, they could not fall into these newly torn burrows into the abyss.

    As they approached, Syllis felt a fiery pain burn inside of her. It was like one of the four suns had taken shelter in her chest. She cried out in pain earning her worried looks from Clyde and Aura.

    ¡°Keep looking forward!¡± Syllis yelled like a commander. There was no time to explain her pain to them.

    Syllis immediately bit down on her hand, trying to distract her mind from the rampant pain. Her pain did not relent though, the focus was not on her hand. This episodic pain began to rise like lava, bubbling to the surface of a volcano. She had hoped that the once withered tree could have rid her of this pain. Her hopes had been in vain though.

    ¡®Just what is the source of this pain?¡¯ Syllis cursed the world''s disdain for her. ¡®If this pain can persist and survive while under the influence of something that can mend not only the physical, but the intricacies of the deepest parts of my mind, then what could it even, possibly be?¡¯

    As they moved closer, they took a couple, slight falls. Each time, they got back up quicker than the last.

    Crush! The rumbling sounds were replaced by horrific crushing.

    Clyde¡¯s face grew pale as he looked off to the side.

    Syllis followed his gaze. There, emerging from an abyssal pocket was a horrific amalgamation of abyss and stone. It was unlike the taran, less human than even those fiends. It was even more incomprehensible than Aura¡¯s ephemeral creatures with their bizarre properties.

    She did not know how to describe these creatures, or even how to understand them in her mind. The only thing that came to mind was that their countless eyes¡ªor something akin¡ªlooked like the ¡®soul of a star¡¯ that her father had described to her many times.

    Once their gaze landed on her, she felt a chill spread throughout the entirety of her body. It overpowered the burning sensation that she experienced by several fold. The corners of her lips quivered before she forcefully warped her mouth into a smile.

    Though they had likely meant to cause damage, Syllis could not help but want to thank them. Her body had begun to pulse with a deeper, cold pain, tinged with longing.

    ¡°I¡¯m more comfortable with the cold, you fiends!¡± Syllis yelled at them with a fuller smile than she ever had before.

    She instinctively felt the want to throw a javelin towards them but decided against it. ¡®Something so intense and incomprehensible couldn¡¯t possibly be affected by my primitive bond.¡¯

    Syllis had never been entranced by the idea of a ¡®god¡¯ existing, even through her bond. There was a greater chance it was some, other entity, like a demon or something similar. This single moment, the gaze focused on her and the chill within it, combined with this overwhelming pressure around her, did more to convince her that there was an all powerful god.

    Even more terrifying was the addition of several dozen more gazes. As she ran, Syllis spun, taking in these dozen more amorphous beings of abyss and stone. There was a sort of order in their stone with their entirely identical appearances. It was unnatural, going completely against the wild and indistinct abyss that surrounded their stone.

    ¡°Syllis!¡± Aura cried out. She was gritting her teeth and leaning on the side of Clyde, who wore a similarly pained expression.

    ¡®Oh, right¡­¡¯ Syllis could not help but feel joy internally. The burning skies had hurt her more than Aura or Clyde could understand, after they had first entered the fable. Now, the situation had been flipped on its head, Syllis was the resistant. She was not about to let her companions suffer though, especially with her mind having been freed from any foreign corruption.

    Several walls of icy-blue surrounded all sides of them, leaving only a small gap for them to continue their run towards the fable rift, towards their way home. Less than a second later, these walls were shattered by their cold gazes.

    ¡®A battle of attrition huh?¡¯ Syllis didn¡¯t think that she could win in a battle of anything with them as her opponents. With her mind being reduced to a blank canvas¡ªfrom one that had been drawn on, torn, and glued back together several dozen times¡ªshe figured that this was her best chance though. Maybe, she could help her companions hold on until they reached the fable rift.

    A series of these nearly all encompassing walls rose and shattered in an almost rhythmic fashion. In accordance with this rhythm, Syllis felt her mind slowly pulsing with the slowly materializing effects caused by the relentless use of her bond.

    ¡°Nearly there¡­¡± Syllis mumbled out loud as she was tossed to her side.

    Clyde fell to the ground beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist. He pulled her back to her feet, along with himself. Throwing a worried glance at Aura, he turned back to Syllis and said, ¡°just a little further, ok?

    ¡°Just a little further and then we¡¯re home again.¡±

    ¡°Pitiful, just pitiful,¡± Syllis said out loud.

    Clyde looked forward with a pained expression.

    ¡°Pitiful, pitiful, pitiful.¡± Syllis continued to curse her bond. It was pitiful, how she could waste almost the entirety of what the withered tree had restored, in only ten minutes.

    The fable rift began to pull harder on the minds of Syllis, Clyde and Aura. Syllis in particular felt this shift the most. This strengthened pull, along with her rapidly increasing corruption and occasional piercing gazes of the them, formed an unbelievably symphony of mind-shattering pain.

    Still, the violently raging rift in space¡ªwarping the area around it and leaking ethereal lights¡ªlooked beautiful under the bright sky.

    After a half-dozen more walls of icy-blue were risen, they had finally made it within twenty feet of the rift.

    Clyde wrapped her hand around Syllis¡¯ arm. It was healthy and unlike the malnourished appearance it had given off before her resurrection.

    Syllis watched as Aura stepped beyond the boundary of the rift first. Then, Clyde approached with Syllis in tow behind him. She saw the rift rage violently and a streak of lightning form within.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Syllis called out as she watched Clyde step through, looking back towards her with wide eyes before his figure faded entirely.

    The rift in front of her began to rage violently, just as the one they had first entered had raged. It was like it had some anger, a score to settle with Syllis.

    ¡®Whatever you have in store for me, fate¡­¡± Syllis muttered out loud. ¡°I will take it on with my entire being!¡±

    Under the watchful gaze of them far behind her, Syllis stepped through the rift. Immediately, she felt that something was wrong. Her vision began to blur and the disconnect did not happen. Her limbs did not feel distant and intangible, they felt like they were being torn apart.

    Syllis would have laughed if she could feel her mouth, throat and vocal cords. She did not even know if she had them anymore. Through the indescribable pains that spread across her body, through all of her bones, muscles and what felt like something else, even deeper behind it all, she could not tell if she would be left with much of anything as far as her physical form went.

    ¡®I should have guessed that this was what fate had in store for me¡­ Why not, why not tear me apart?¡¯

 Chapter 73 - Torn

    Stepping through the fable felt much more comfortable than it had when she first entered. Almost immediately, Aura could see clearly and easily move any part of her body.

    The ground beneath her crunched as she stepped across the piles of flowers, both withered and fresh, below her.

    What greeted her was a large group of people, blocking the beautiful architecture and scenery of Asanoch that she had always loved.

    ¡®How irritable¡­¡¯ She thought, understanding that there were few of these people that believed she would ever return.

    Cheers began to erupt from the crowd as those that had been quietly communicating with the strangers around them noticed the woman¡¯s presence. They cheered for her return, and for the return of the man behind her.

    Aura turned around to face her companions, or she had expected to. Clyde was the only one there and he looked at his friend with an expression of horror, worry and guilt.

    ¡°Clyde?¡± she called out. ¡°Where¡ª¡±

    ¡°Clyde!¡± Dalea cried out with tears streaming down her face. She dropped the bundle of white and yellow flowers she had been carrying.

    ¡°My boy! You¡¯ve returned!¡± Clark praised Halarion Holis before pulling Clyde and his wife into a warm embrace.

    ¡®This doesn¡¯t¡­ What happened, what¡¯s happening?¡¯ Aura tried to sort her mind out but it continued running in circles. She could barely comprehend her own thoughts over the cheers of the spectators.

    ¡°Clyde, where¡ª¡±

    ¡°Clyde, you¡¯re back!¡± A pure nymph with deep veridian hair that faded into a beautiful jade called out. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for everything, Clyde!¡± Tears began to stream from her eyes as she pulled Clyde away from his parents and into her own embrace.

    ¡®Anahita¡­¡¯ Aura thought of the name with great disdain.

    The Ultimate of Asanoch turned her head, facing the black-haired woman and silently saying, ¡°Pleasure to see you again, Aura.¡±

    Aura felt the words transmitted directly into her mind. ¡®This feeling is just as uncomfortable as I remember it. Fake tears? You really think they¡¯re going to be able to win Clyde over?¡¯

    ¡°I can only try, how¡¯s your husband?¡± Anahita said, silently. Her lips curled into a deep grin as she watched Aura.

    Aura¡¯s pupils dilated as she exhaled. She refrained from having an outburst. This was not the time nor place. If she acted rashly, then she could be exiled from Asanoch due to such an outburst. Her family could even pay a steeper price.

    ¡°Hey, Clyde?¡± Anahita called out, confused.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, inching away slightly.

    ¡°You¡¯re fully clothed,¡± she said with an odd expression.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Clyde asked, he shared the young ruler¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Anahita was taken aback slightly. ¡°N¡ªnothing. This crowd is a little loud. Should we head back to your estate?¡± She turned to face Dalea.

    ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful idea,¡± Dalea said, her voice hoarse as she pulled Clyde back into her clutches.

    As Clyde, Dalea and Anahita began to walk away, Clark approached Aura.

    ¡°So,¡± Clark said, ¡°is it just the two of you?¡±

    Aura first looked towards the floor, slight tears welling up as she lifted her head again and said, ¡°yes, it¡¯s just the two of us. Korman sacrificed himself to save the three of us and then¡­ I think Syllis was torn.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Clark looked to the side with an expression of pity. ¡°Would you like to notify Korman¡¯s family or would you rather I did?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Aura said. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°I will make sure to throw a grand funeral for Syllis,¡± Clark said. ¡°You and Clyde would like that, right?¡±

    Aura stood silent as she mulled it over. ¡®Could she have really been torn? Clyde was holding her arm. They both would have been torn unless¡­ she stayed back?¡¯

    ¡°It might be best to hold off, Clark,¡± Aura said with a strained voice.

    ¡°Alright, would you like me to accompany you to the Rens¡¯ estate?¡± Clark asked sympathetically.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Aura answered, shaking her head side to side. ¡°I would appreciate you setting up a time for me and Clyde to talk. Obviously I would not want to take him away from both you and Dalea but whenever there is time. It is quite an important matter.

    ¡°Also, I do not know whether Clyde contracted an anathema but if he has¡­ it will have started out immensely powerful.¡±

    ¡°How powerful?¡± Clark asked with a gulp.

    ¡°It will have the potency of an anathema that had been nurtured for at least six months,¡± Aura replied as if it were an everyday occurrence. ¡°I would recommend getting it transfigured right after its first assault.¡±

    It was common for upper-class kindred to refer to anathema with agricultural terms. In their eyes they were a commodity to be sold. Wealthy, young kindred were trained to view them as such.

    ¡°Six months!¡± Clark was taken aback. He quickly regained his composure before saying, ¡°thank you, Aura. I¡¯ll pay for your carriage, of course. As for your discussion with my son, I can set aside some time at a banquet, let''s say¡­ in a couple days?¡±

    ¡°Completely fine,¡± Aura answered. ¡°Thank you, Clark. Also, there¡¯s no need for a carriage, I¡¯d rather walk.¡± She bowed before heading on her way.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    As she felt the weight of her steps against the ground, she noticed something. It lacked the compacted snow beneath. In the time they had gone, Asanoch had foregone their winter weather and transitioned back to summer weather.

    Aura had of course known¡ªroughly¡ªhow much time had passed inside the fable. But it wasn¡¯t a focus for her or any of her companions because there were no changes in their environment. Now that she was back in Asanoch, she truly felt the passing of time.

    Another aspect of her return nagged on her. She desperately wanted to visit her parents as soon as possible, to tell them she was ok, but she decided against it. The matter of reporting Korman¡¯s death to his family was much more important.

    ¡®Even when faced with a choice between myself and my spouse, I almost chose the selfish one¡­¡¯ Aura frowned, disappointed in her initial inclination.

    As she walked, she took in her surroundings. The almost identical trees were much more welcoming than the thick-root trees from the fable, the sun less volatile and the houses looked warm, unlike the cold and rippling abyssal forms meant to mimic them.

    Knock! Knock! Knock! Aura¡¯s closed hand clacked against the door. Each hit was far from the other. A part of her wished that no one arrived to answer the door.

    The door creaked open, revealing a maid on the shorter end. She gasped before saying, ¡°Ms. Aura! Is that really you?¡±

    ¡°Yes fina, it is me.¡±

    The maid¡¯s sparkly blue eyes lit up before she asked, ¡°then¡­ is Korman?¡±

    ¡°I come bearing bad news,¡± Aura said in a cold and distant voice. She wanted to keep this matter as far from personal as possible. ¡°I would appreciate it if you could let the Rens¡¯ know that I am here.¡±

    ¡°Is he injured?¡± the young nymph asked, shaking her head. ¡°Pardon my lack of manners, I¡¯ll let Mrs. and Mr. Ren know right away!¡± Fina bowed and hurriedly made her way back into the manor.

    A couple of minutes later, two large figures approached the main doorway.

    ¡°Aura, you¡¯re back!¡± Marvin shouted. ¡°I almost didn¡¯t believe Fina! But, I always held hope that you four would come back, safe and sound.¡±

    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Ren, I have some bad news for you.¡±

    <hr>

    As soon as she felt her body, Syllis opened her eyes.

    ¡°What happened?¡± she said out loud, hoping there was somebody around to answer her. ¡°I thought I was torn?¡±

    Syllis watched the pasty white roof above her ebb slightly. She merely dismissed it as a symptom of her tired body. She had nearly been torn or experienced something akin. It was only natural for her to feel weak.

    Almost as soon as she spoke, faint ethereal cries sounded. They gradually grew louder until they were overwhelming.

    ¡°I guess I woke that kid up,¡± Syllis mumbled, irritatedly. ¡°The cries growing was probably just my hearing returning to me¡­¡±

    Without an adult response, she tried to push herself up from the ground. It was clear to her that she was not resting on a plump pillow but rather the floor.

    With a couple groans and through the support of a wall to her left, Syllis pushed herself to her feet before leaning her back against the wall. She turned to examine the rest of the room.

    The walls were the same pasty white as the ceiling, with simple shapes painted in seemingly random patterns. There was a long bureau with memorabilia set on top of it. On the right side of the room was a tall door, firmly in the center of the wall and most of the floor was covered by a dark rug.

    Most interestingly was a pale crib with a blue undertone that stood perfectly in the center of the room. This was the source of the ethereal cries that refused to die down.

    Feeling less disoriented, Syllis decided to investigate further. Naturally, her first objective was to look in the crib. These cries she heard were distorted. They were inhuman but also not so alien that she believed them to be that of some creature.

    ¡®No, it¡¯s far more likely that this ¡®baby¡¯ has a condition. One that impacts its vocal range.¡¯ Syllis thought as she began to approach.

    The closer she got, the louder these voices became and her chest began to burn. When she was able to peer over the top of the crib, she caught a glimpse of the baby within, along with a much greater pain that felt like it threatened to tear her apart and louder cries that felt like they came from the deepest parts of her mind.

    Syllis fell backwards and grunted in pain. Instantly, the cries mellowed out, becoming quieter by twenty-fold. Still, they were more than irritating, causing her to instinctively place her hands over her ears.

    Simultaneously, she felt the burning pain in her chest recede. Like a once great river having succumbed to a great drought. It was bizarre, a circumstance that she had never felt before.

    ¡®Not like I haven¡¯t experienced my fair share of those in only my first fable. Well, hopefully it will be my last.¡¯ Syllis laughed. She had long resolved not to enter another fable. They were horrific and even though the chance for her to enter another one as incredibly hostile and dreadful as her first was low, she did not want to chance it. ¡®Fate has not treated me well.¡¯

    The next target of her investigation was the large door. It was not a door that you would find in a typical household. These doors were the usual in Asanoch, where the expected residents were nymphs of tall stature. Only in the last fifty odd years did humans begin to flock to it like birds, migrating for the winter.

    Syllis made sure to move on the outer edge of the room. She did not know why the baby¡¯s cries were amplified nor why her episodic pain activated when she approached, and in greater amounts than ever before. The latter in particular was more than bizarre.

    These two details caused her to wonder if she was even in Asanoch, let alone Ethrailia. She held onto the thought though. In all of her time talking to Clyde, Aura and Korman¡ªas well as attending Lurgica for the short time she had¡ªSyllis had never heard of someone exiting a fable rift and ending up anywhere but where they had entered initially.

    Carefully and slowly, she placed her hand on the door-handle. She twisted and pushed the door open. What greeted her was an endless expanse of black. Countless dark-blue stars were littered across this expanse as if they were stars in an ever growing sky. They pulsed softly and in sync, like they were tethered together as their gentle sounds, sinisterly tried to invade her mind.

    ¡°Outside, storm, together, escape, lost, bleeding, ethereal, protection, potential, divinity.¡±

    After Syllis heard the words begin to repeat, she immediately shut the door again. She was not in the mood to be berated by another source of infinite noise nor was she ready to attempt to jump down into the endless expanse below. It was apparent that she was isolated from Asanoch and Ethrailia as a whole and seemingly, this room she was in, was the only solid area around.

    Syllis scratched at her head as she tried to make sense of the area around her, but even with the passing of what felt like hours, nothing had. After carefully going over the facts again, she had not moved an inch in either reality or in her pursuit of an answer.

    ¡®Damnit!¡¯ Syllis cursed herself for being so stupid, as well as fate for putting her in such a predicament. Inevitably, she ended up at the same¡ªyet seemingly impossible¡ªconclusion that she always had, time after time. ¡®Is this really another fable?¡¯

    Slowly, over the course of another long and boring hour, Syllis arrived at a potential conclusion. Initially she had dismissed it because of what her teachers always said, ¡°being torn is to have a fable rift tear you apart, leaving the pieces of your body stranded in the expanse of the closed fable rift.¡±

    Eventually Syllis had decided to approach it from a new angle. Over the course of her fable, she learned to grow more distrusting of the world and its people. Why not apply that to Ethrailia again?

    Syllis recalled that even the most prevalent question about fable rifts¡ªhow they form¡ªwas based entirely on theory. ¡®Manifestations of other civilizations stories? Through their collective consciousness?¡¯ To Syllis, this was a greater myth than the fable rifts themselves.

    ¡°If there really is the possibility of getting torn¡ªand the bodies are never found to verify¡ªthen who¡¯s to say that these people are dying? Who isn¡¯t to say that they aren¡¯t all just trapped, in places such as these?¡± Syllis smiled and said out loud, knowing that being quiet was not going to cause the baby to seize its endless crying.

    Then, only a couple seconds later, her smile was wiped from her face as she realized. ¡®If everyone who is torn is trapped in similar situations and this isn¡¯t known in Ethrailia then¡­ nobody has ever escaped.¡¯

    This realization was more horrifying than her body being torn apart by a fable rift, ever could have been.

 Chapter 74 - Crystalline Eyes

    ¡°Could you pass the meat over, Syl?¡± A beautiful pure nymph asked, warmly. Her serene blue eyes were two lakes.

    ¡°Of course, mom!¡± Syllis leaned over the front of the tall table and grabbed the plate of meat. She pulled back, stepped away from her seat and brought it to her mother¡¯s side.

    ¡°Thank you, Syl,¡± her mom smiled warmly. ¡°Eat your food now, you wouldn¡¯t want it to get cold and go to waste, right?¡±

    Syllis nodded, moving back to her seat and looking at her plate. There was a small portion of meat, bread and mixed vegetables. It was not much food, but this was not due to her family¡¯s financial situation. This was merely the adequate amount of food for a seven year old.

    Eager, the secare nymph picked up her fork and sank it into the meat first. Then, she moved to the bread, which she dipped into the meaty juices left behind. Finally, she ate her vegetables¡ªher least favorite part. She found herself almost gagging, struggling to keep it down.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want mom to yell at me again!¡¯ She had long resolved to eat the entirety of her meals.

    ¡°So, Syl,¡± her mom leaned forward and said, ¡°how is school?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Syllis said. ¡°Joan wants me to visit her tomorrow. Is that alright?¡±

    ¡®Please say yes! Please say yes!¡¯ Syllis clasped her hands together beneath the table and hoped. She had not gotten many opportunities to visit her best friend in recent times.

    Her mom giggled slightly before saying, ¡°of course you can! I¡¯ll make sure to walk you all the way over to her house after school, alright?¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Syllis said, practically jumping from her seat and wrapping her mother in a long hug.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± her mother said. ¡°Now, you should get ready for bed. It¡¯s an important day at school tomorrow, you told me you have a test, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m really worried about it!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you aren¡¯t the most diligent student but I can tell that you have the ability!¡±

    Syllis nodded before moving back to her seat. She picked up her plate, the silver fork resting on top. She hurriedly made her way over to the countertop where she left the dishes.

    The light outside of the window was already nearly pitch black, worryingly. There was no disparity typically between when the false sun was scheduled to dwindle so Syllis knew that she was late getting to bed.

    ¡®I can¡¯t afford to do poorly on this test. If I do, then I¡¯ll get moved to a lower class than Joan!¡¯ Syllis cursed the academic system internally.

    ¡°Goodnight, mom,¡± Syllis said, giving her mother another hug.

    ¡°Goodnight, Syl.¡± Her mother leaned forward and kissed her on her forehead.

    As Syllis ran off towards her room to get ready for bed, the front door opened, slowly.

    ¡°Honey?¡± Syllis¡¯ mother said, seeing her husband''s somewhat plump figure enter.

    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± He smiled, walking over to his wife for a hug.

    Syllis closed the door behind her and walked over to her wardrobe. What was reflected back to her was a short girl, dressed in a cute, white and blue dress, littered with frills. Her eyes were two pools of dark blue and a portion of her long, cerulean hair was braided giving her a luxurious appearance.

    She lingered in front of it for a few moments before shaking her head. There was no time for her to change into sleeping clothes, let alone the rest of her nightly ritual. If she wanted to get enough sleep for school, then she needed to get to bed right away.

    The secare nymph decided to just sleep in the blue and white, frilly dress that she had worn throughout the day.

    ¡®What point is there in changing into night time clothes anyway? I would just change out of them in the morning!¡¯ She thought, distracting herself from the uncomfortable feeling of trying to sleep in such a dress.

    Gradually, she felt the world around her draw quieter and quieter. Though, there was the slight sound of what felt like nails on the ground below her.

    <hr>

    Syllis woke up in a huff. She had a bad dream about being chased by a terrifying creature. She tried to move.

    ¡°W¡ªwhat?¡± She asked, trying to move her hands.

    The secare nymph opened her eyes, scanning the environment around her. Her hands were chained to a small, raised section of the floor below. She could feel the cold metal, digging into her wrists.

    Naturally, her eyes followed this raised section, transitioning to the floor beneath her. It was made of stone and had symbols and inscriptions drawn. She did not understand these symbols nor what they could possibly represent. Though, she thought that she had a greater chance if she could stand a small distance away, taking them in as a whole.

    All of this was encased by a large, white circle, drawn with a similar¡ªbut seemingly thicker¡ªtool. This circle was thick and had another ring of what seemed to be drawn flames layered just within the outer border.

    Where the white circles and symbols were drawn, divots in the floor were filled below. This was bizarre as where she looked, at the other end of the room had no such thing. There were deep grooves in between those stone chunks instead.

    The rest of the room was mostly devoid of anything. It was entirely empty, safe for the inscribed circle and symbols beneath her and a long staircase connected to the far wall. There was a closed door at the top of it.

    Then, Syllis had a thought. ¡®Is this a dream?¡¯ It only made sense with the bizarre room and its lack of anything within.

    Suddenly, she felt a wave of relief overcome her. ¡®There was no way that something so bizarre could happen overnight.¡¯ Along with this, she understood the fact that if she had been moved in her sleep, she would have certainly woken up earlier.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a dream, It¡¯s just a dream¡­¡± she muttered to herself while closing her eyes over and over. No matter how much she tried, she never woke up. ¡°A nightmare then?¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Several sounds, akin to someone fiddling with cutlery, sounded atop a large staircase. Then, the door creaked as it opened. The thud of footsteps followed as a plump man began to descend the wooden steps.

    Syllis¡¯ pupils dilated and she felt her heart sink as she said, ¡°dad? Is that you?¡±

    ¡°Syl, I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m so sorry, Syl. I¡¯m so sorry. Syllis.¡± The man mourned as he reached the bottom of the staircase.

    ¡°Dad! Why am I here? And w¡ªwhat¡¯s that!?¡± Syllis yelled as her eyes wandered towards a figure a few steps up from where her father had reached the floor from.

    This figure looked crystalline with blue and green hues spread throughout. There were what appeared to be two seafoam colored gems for its eyes. These gems pulsed and reeled their light back as they turned, like they were fixated on a shifting part of the room.

    Syllis writhed slightly, still pulling on the raised section of the floor she was tethered to. No matter how much she pulled, it would not relent. Even when there was blood, streaming from her wrists and tainting the floor below, she was not freed.

    ¡°Watch it!¡± her father yelled. ¡°N¡ªno¡­ not the circle. Not the circle.¡± Immediately, he rushed back upstairs without saying another word.

    ¡°Dad? Dad come back! Let me out, please let me out!¡± Syllis cried, continuing to try and break free. She hoped the blood would act like water and give her an easier way to break free.

    Tears flowed from her deep blue eyes. She turned away from the door, left open and looked to the side. There, the crystalline, pristine creature was examining her, intently.

    Syllis got a better look and understanding of the creature this time, with it being closer. It left a trail of water around it as it walked. The entirety of its figure remained solid, as if it did not have to breathe, or like it was an outer shell for another entity within. It was curious, moving to examine Syllis in her entirety.

    It was also incorporeal. Everytime it reached out to her with deformed, crystalline hands, it merely went through her body. The secare nymph did not feel any sort of sensation from the odd encounter.

    The creature seemed relatively harmless, though it was much more than unnerving. Without any truly threatening aspects to it, Syllis was taken aback when she witnessed a horrific part of it. This entity had complex emotions.

    When her father began to descend the stairs again, Syllis saw the creature turn to face him and smile. It was like her, staring at her plate of food, wondering which part to sink her teeth into first.

    ¡°Syllis!¡± her father yelled out as he ran over.

    ¡°Let me out father! Why am I here!¡± Syllis cried out, hoping he was running to free her.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just¡ªstand still!¡± he said, seething as he pulled a rag from his pocket.

    Her father took the rag and gently wiped the floor beneath Syllis¡¯ bleeding wrists. He was especially careful not to damage the area of the inscriptions that the blood had already affected. Then, he pulled a piece of white chalk from his pocket and fixed the muddled and chipped area. He made sure that it was perfect and stepped away.

    ¡°You meddlesome child¡­¡± he cursed. ¡°This would have been so much easier if you were asleep. Why could you not have been asleep, Syllis? Please, you should sleep.¡±

    ¡°Why dad? Why are you doing this!¡± Syllis screamed, her voice growing hoarse from all of her crying.

    ¡°You are only a child! You couldn¡¯t possibly understand what is happening right now¡­ That¡¯s right, it will all be resolved soon,¡± her father said. He sighed with relief as he stepped backwards.

    The crystalline entity stopped investigating Syllis as it moved in front of her father. It gradually stepped forward until it was in the confines of the circle. The look on its face changed from one of joy and longing to one of disdain and dread. It flicked back towards Syllis¡¯ father and back to the young secare nymph as it continued to walk forward.

    ¡°Father¡ª¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡± her father shouted. He steeled himself, taking a couple of deep breaths before uttering, ¡°Coryzan. The visitor from beyond Acciliant, doomed to watch everlong. A wasteland, cold and doomed to get colder.

    ¡°I implore you, become one with my subject. Meld together and form something more!¡± He huffed as he finished, as though it had taken a couple of years off of his life.

    Rumble! Rumble! The walls began to crack as water began to pour from every groove. Slowly, the room was growing more and more flooded. Then, ice began to form. Frost covered all of the stone and even began to crawl up the bodies of Syllis and her father.

    Syllis felt the acute pain of the cold water from beneath as her blue and white dress instantly became drenched with water. ¡°D¡ªdad! It¡¯s cold!¡± she cried out.

    Her father turned around with a mortified expression as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Syllis.¡± The man got up and ran up the stairs as fast as he could, shutting the door behind him.

    Syllis heard the front door slam with a fury as her body grew colder, her lips shivering. The crystalling creature looked at her with a pitiful expression, with great disdain as it walked forward. As its figure shrunk, Syllis felt it overlap with her own body. Before, she had felt nothing but now, after her father uttered what felt like magic words¡ªthe creature could interact with her.

    An acute coldness spread throughout her entire body. Causing much greater pain than the frost or water could have ever dreamed of. This cold sensation slowly dwindled before it was gone entirely.

    Syllis felt her eyesight wane as the room became blurry. Illusory forms began to build from the ceiling above her. It felt she was being looked down upon by something greater than herself or her father. A face came into view and two strings of icy-blue fell from the ceiling, slowly. They built into increasingly refined arms and approached Syllis¡¯ forehead.

    The secare nymph fell onto her back, the water nearly reaching her mouth. She felt a sense of horror, unlike anything she had ever felt. She felt a slight sympathy from it as the hand pressed against her head. Her mind felt like it was going to burst. After ten seconds of immense pressure and her vision fading further, she felt her eyes about to burst. As Syllis reached out to claw her two beads to the left and right of nose out, she lost consciousness, feeling as if she was falling into a deep and vast ocean.

    <hr>

    Syllis awoke in warm water. She gasped for air. It felt like she had forgotten how to breathe all-together. The frost in the room had thawed, leaving even more water, pooling around the floor.

    Slowly, she tried to sit. Her attention turned to the shackles that had bound her. They were broken into a thousand pieces, along with entire chunks of the walls and floor around her. Bizarrely, the ceiling was entirely intact. It was like it, that had protruded from the ceiling, extending downwards, had protected it from ruin.

    Syllis rose to her feet. Her mind still felt like it was going to tear itself apart. It was filled with dozens of different voices, whispering indistinguishable ravings. Simultaneously, her body felt both entirely exhausted and like she had woken up from a hundred year sleep.

    Her feet pittered through the water as she approached the staircase. She wondered where her father was, but she did not exactly care to find out. ¡®He did this to me. As long as he isn¡¯t anywhere near here, it¡¯s fine.¡¯

    Syllis had trouble organizing her thoughts. As she ascended the staircase, she felt a burning sensation in her chest. It grew more and more painful until it was almost unbearable. She clutched at her chest as she opened the door to the basement.

    The secare nymph had never been in the basement. She was told stories from her father about how it was scary and filled with bugs. Now, she knew that was a lie.

    Syllis made her way to her room. Focusing on each step she took, otherwise, the ravings grew louder and she had a great chance of falling over.

    Eventually, she made it to her room. On her bed was her mother, laying on her stomach with her hands over her ears.

    ¡°Mom?¡± Syllis called out.

    With no response, Syllis approached the side of her and grabbed her arm, pulling it slightly.

    ¡°Aahh!¡± her mother turned around. ¡°Oh? Syllis! You¡¯re okay Syl!¡± She pulled her daughter into her embrace before letting her go.

    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Syllis said, ¡°it burns...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re okay, Syl,¡± her mother said, leaning in closer to her. ¡°What happened to your eyes?¡±

    ¡®M¡ªmy eyes?¡¯ Syllis thought, afraid. Casting the ravings in her mind aside, she turned to face her mirror.

    Reflected back towards her were two eyes, entirely foreign to her but tethered to her face. They were two beautiful seafoam eyes that felt like they stared into her own soul.

    Syllis reached her hands up to touch them and upon realizing that they were, in fact, her own eyes¡­ she collapsed.

 Chapter 75 - She, with her Golden Needle

    Huh! Huu! Huh! Huu! Syllis carefully eased her breathing back to normal. She looked down at her chest, which had been filled with burning pain only a few seconds ago. She found that her hand was instinctually clutching at her heart.

    The woman pulled her shirt forward slightly. She was searching for any signs that her episodic pain had truly emerged. If not, then it was purely psychological, remnants from her dream that felt all too real.

    Her skin was unblemished, lacking the signature red tones that spread out from beside her heart. It was really only a nightmare.

    ¡®What was that?¡¯ She wondered. ¡®Could it really have been my ritual? But, I don¡¯t remember most of that ever happening?¡¯

    She decided to believe it to be true. The mind was a miracle in itself and produced dozens more. The entire act of a kindred using their bond, leaving lingering corruption within, was proof of that.

    There were instances where a person¡¯s memories were locked away by their own brain due to traumatic experiences. Though, they never revealed themselves again, unless they experienced a similar situation or had them goaded out by a professional.

    What bothered Syllis the most was the crystalline creature and its seafoam eyes. Had her eyes really been a deep blue at the beginning? It was only reasonable for her to assume. This was an insignificant detail so she could not comprehend why her mind would change such a fact.

    ¡®Properties of the transfigured anathema can manifest in a kindred¡­¡¯ Syllis committed the rule to memory.

    The more important matter remained though. ¡®Why did these memories reveal themselves now? Is it because of the space that I¡¯m in? If so, then why after a month of me rotting in here?¡¯ She wondered, turning to face the wall where she had tried to mark the days.

    This space she was stuck in was more than bizarre. Originally, she had been worried about food or water. There were not any creatures to kill for food aside from the baby in the center of the room. That was much too vicious for Syllis though, inhumane and evil. Besides, even if she had been the villain to do such a thing, it clearly had some supernatural aspects to it. Her worries had been unfounded though as she never grew hungry or thirsty. Similarly, the baby never grew hungry or thirsty either. On top of that, its vocal cords never strained¡­

    Every few hours, the walls would repair themselves from any damage. It led Syllis to suspect she was trapped in a sort of time loop. It was good for her in the fact that she would not die of hunger but it was poor in the sense that, in order to try and escape, she needed to use whatever was inside of the loop. On top of that, her progress would reset every few hours. Oddly enough though, her position did not change as well as her memories, they remained intact.

    This contributed to a dilemma of hers. Syllis had scoured every inch of the room in the month she was trapped. She had found nothing of use. Now, her days were long and arduously boring. She could not even improve herself. Working out to try and build muscle would only result in her body being rewound to the state it was when she first entered.

    ¡®Well, there is one aspect I haven¡¯t delved too deeply into¡­¡¯ Syllis turned towards the white crib in the center of the room. She remembered the pain she felt and also a slight, longing for the child. This pain prevented her from investigating further. ¡®It¡¯s worth looking into. How would a baby even get here? Perhaps this area became suspended due to an incident?¡¯

    Syllis did not want to feel the same burning pain that she always tried to avoid but, this was her only remaining option. She had already spent the last week doing practically nothing out of fear.

    The baby¡¯s cries grew louder as she approached. Its tenacity increases with each step. By the second, Syllis felt the pain set in. By the fourth, she was almost gritting her teeth and after another, she found it getting difficult to breathe.

    Syllis made sure to walk slowly. Despite the length of the pain being longer, she was unsure of how it would work if she jumped straight to the side of the crib. There was a chance she would end up taking the entirety of the pain she would have sustained in an instance. Perhaps it would kill her on the spot. She had no way of knowing. Perhaps she would be resurrected as part of the loop. There was nothing pointing to or against that either.

    As she reached the side of the crib, she held her breath. It was hard to breathe, impossible to breathe.

    Syllis looked at the baby. It would look plain and unassuming to the average person but to Syllis, she felt the flame of nostalgia wafting within her heart.

    The baby had a pale complexion with short cerulean hair. What shook Syllis to her core though were the two, deep blue eyes that seemed to hold an acute innocence within them.

    ¡®This!¡¯ Syllis thought as she hastily jumped backwards. She gasped upon gaining control of her breathing again. She took a couple deep breaths before laughing. A string of coughs then broke out.

    Syllis laughed crazily as she finally understood and said, ¡°It''s me.¡±

    It made sense, she had not originally recognized the baby and its blue eyes because she never remembered her own, blue eyes. Or rather, her mind had locked the thought of them away. Every time she thought back to looking in the mirror, her traumatized mind would filter the blue pools out with seafoam colored gems.

    ¡®This pain in my chest¡­ could I really figure out what the cause is?¡¯ Her seafoam eyes swirled with maniacal waves as she wondered. If she tore into the baby¡¯s flesh, would she finally uncover the mystery? If she tore into it, would she feel the pain?

    There were a plethora of questions and only one way to answer them. She knew that there were certain precautions she needed to take first though. There was a possibility that she could kill the baby and potentially¡ªby extension¡ªherself. This also meant she could not test the possibility of her sharing the baby¡¯s pain. With a baby and its lackluster amount of blood, losing any amount before the ¡®surgery¡¯ was a huge disadvantage.

    Syllis pondered the moral and ethical implications before tossing them aside entirely. ¡®What use do any rules have in here, within this fable? This is an unprecedented case. I can¡¯t possibly bear the brunt of every guideline. Yes, the only rule I need to follow is to ensure that I do all that I can to escape.¡¯

    Quickly, she formed a plan. She would tear the front of the crib apart, allowing her easy access. She would take a blanket from within and sink her teeth into it to bear the pain, sparing her teeth from shattering. As for her instrument to perform the surgery¡­ a pristine knife of icy-blue.

    Then, as a potential backup plan if her surgery did not lead anywhere or give any clues, she would leap into the great expanse of black. She harbored no hope or clue how it would help her escape but the fate had peculiar motives. Maybe there was a chance.

    Syllis began to work on her plan. She took eight steps to reach the crib. It was a simple process to pull the front of the crib apart. With the strength of a kindred with what she assumed was a well nurtured anathema, she required only half of her total effort to tear the wooden frame apart. After finishing and making sure to grab one of the blankets, she quickly moved away from the crib to catch her breath.

    Then, she began to form a knife formed of icy-blue. She made sure to form the blade to be as small and possibly. The smaller the blade, the lesser her chance of rupturing something important. The tip of the blade was difficult, it needed to be sharp, thin, and durable. Balancing these three aspects was almost impossible.

    As she worked and worked at it, minutes faded into an hour. By the time she was done with the rest of the knife, fine tuned for her specific needs, at least another hour passed.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Syllis breathed in and out. The reality of the situation caused the dread in her stomach to grow heavier and ensnare the hope in a trap. ¡°Calm down, Syllis,¡± she said to herself.

    Eventually, the sense of impending doom subsided and she worked up the nerve to approach. First though, she needed to check her scar. She removed her shirt, examining the scar that she never remembered getting. It had been there for as long as she remembered, causing her immense pain an immeasurable amount of times.

    This was going to be her guideline. ¡®If someone could carve this into me and have me survive then surely it will work with this¡­ past self?¡¯ She was not too sure what to call it and she had no evidence whatsoever that this would confirm anything. Inside though, she had a deep feeling from inside the very depths of her soul, a feeling that this was finally it.

    Syllis committed the exact position of her scar to memory. There was going to be no time to check it once she made her first cut into her past self.

    With a few deep breaths, she began to step closer to the crib. She was afraid, but ready to push through that fear. It was not a matter of wanting, it was her need to escape. She was slowly losing her mind, of herself, who she was as a person. It was deteriorating inside of this perpetually looping box. Several times, she had wished her knowledge would reset along with the modifications. At least then, her identity would be protected.

    ¡®There are some advantages to this though¡­¡¯ It was much better for her to arrive at this point, then rely on the chance that she¡ªarmed with zero knowledge at the start of every few hours¡ªwould eventually find a way out.

    ¡®Besides, it could have taken me a hundred years. In a time where Clyde and Aura would have long died¡­ would it even be worth it, to return home. No¡ªit would not be home. I would be returning to a foreign place with foreign people, unrecognizable from the time I left it. That wouldn¡¯t be worth returning to!¡¯

    Syllis bit down onto the blanket and took the final couple of steps towards her past self. She looked over herself with a mix of pity and sympathy before brandishing her icy-blue knife above. Steadily, she mentally placed the scar onto the bottom of the baby. Her hand hovered just above the mental scar as she began to press down.

    Immediately, crimson liquid began to seep around the edges of the icy-blue knife forming a sort of beautiful sight. It was much like the abyss rising through the cracks in the ground.

    Simultaneously, she felt sharp pain radiate from her chest, as if someone had been tearing into her own flesh. She made a couple of muffled grunts, steeling herself for the pain that was to follow.

    ¡®I really hate fables¡­¡¯

    Syllis wiped away the blood and dug deeper. If she was lucky, the source of her pain and¡ªby extension¡ªher past self¡¯s future pain, would be close to the surface. The secare nymph she was cutting into could only have been six months old at the latest. There was not much flesh to carve through.

    Her vision ebbed and flowed in a rhythmic manner, much like the stars as she cut further into her past self. At the same time, almost in tune, the baby''s cries grew louder than Syllis ever thought a person could scream. Syllis felt like the room was shaking around her.

    Battling this ¡®shaking¡¯ along with her blurring vision, burning pain from within and the stabbing pain that she was causing, Syllis nearly found it impossible to keep her bearings. Yet, she did not waver. There was no chance for her to mess up. Now that she knew that her pain was her past self¡¯s pain and vice versa, there was no room to fail. She would die.

    Syllis continued to wipe the blood away before tearing further and further into her own flesh. As she did, the cries grew even louder. She heard cracking sounds as she looked forward, taking shallow breaths through her nose.

    Writing began to form on the wall behind the crib, it read, ¡°the child, destined to¡ª¡±

    It cut off abruptly.

    Syllis flicked her gaze away from it and back towards her past self. There was no time to ponder what was happening around her. As far as she was concerned, the only two things that existed were herself, and her past self.

    More blood rushed out along with more horrific and prolonged screams. They were blood-curdling. Syllis understood the pain and had the urge to scream the same screams.

    Syllis continued to tear into her past self¡¯s flesh and muscle. She could feel the heartbeat to the side of her hand. The more she cut, the more of her hope was swallowed mercilessly. Slowly, dread began to take over.

    ¡®Hah¡­ I¡¯m starting to think that hope is not included in the fabric of fate.¡¯ She thought, self-deprecatingly.

    Then, a slight glimmer shone through an opening in all of the blood, flesh and muscle. It was a slight golden chunk of something. Syllis threw the thought of wondering away. There were not many times she openly cursed her habit of over-thinking. Now though, this was certainly one of them.

    Syllis understood though that this must have been the source of her pain. Or rather, it was the source of her past self¡¯s pain. She herself would need to remove whatever this was, from her own body.

    More crimson blood flowed out as Syllis tried reaching in to grab the golden object. Frustrated, she managed to refrain from using the knife to try and remove the object. There was a high chance of causing great damage if that happened.

    Two objects of icy-blue had begun forming just above Syllis¡¯ right hand. Amongst the shaking, cries and overwhelming pain, she fused them together. She hastily held them overtop her past self. There was not much time left, a lot of blood had been lost and she herself felt like she was going to pass out.

    Syllis gently maneuvered the icy-blue tool around muscle and bone as she grabbed a hold of what appeared to be a golden needle around four inches long. She then gently guided both the tool, along with the needle back through muscle, bone and flesh before tossing them to the side.

    Immediately, she began to pull the torn flesh and muscle together with icy-blue patches. They operated like stitches, only with less efficiency. Then, after diligently putting in the effort to seal every bleeding area in the inside of the wound, she froze over the top before falling backwards.

    Syllis stumbled on the ground, her world spinning around her. The pain that she felt, along with the burning sensations were gone. The disorientation remained though. She grappled with her surroundings which felt like they were swirling around her.

    Then, she glanced around the room, first to the golden needle, covered in blood and successfully torn from the inside of herself. She felt a sharp sense of accomplishment within herself. Then, she looked to the wall that was inscribed with what appeared to be blood. It had grown and was more perplexing than she ever could have thought.

    Completed, it read:

    ¡°The child, destined to pierce the Ether.

    ¡°Accompanied by her Golden Needle. She, a fated spirit.

    ¡°Outside, storm, together, escape, lost, bleeding, ethereal, protection, potential, divinity.¡±

    Syllis took a couple of moments to think before saying, ¡°those damn random words again, huh¡­¡±

    The woman rose to her feet while saying, ¡°fate¡­ Do you really think I¡¯ll let you play around with me still? Like I¡¯m some puppet.¡±

    Syllis walked to the door, the originator of the ten, random words. She examined them again upon swinging open the door. They were pulsing faster and had moved position. Now, they seemed to make up an image, doing away with their random spots. They formed what appeared to be the needle that she pulled from her past self. She swung the door shut before grabbing the golden needle.

    Without any care for her appearance at the moment, she used her shirt to wipe all of the blood from the needle. What was left was a shining golden needle, about four inches in length. There was a small hole on the end of it for thread to be pulled through.

    ¡°This is the ¡®golden needle of a fated spirit?¡¯¡± Syllis said out loud. Inwardly, she remarked on the lackluster appearance of something with such a grand name.

    Syllis swung it in the air in front of her. She felt the world around her be pulled slightly. It was an odd amount of resistance for a needle so small. Still, it did not seem to ¡®pierce the Ether.¡¯

    Then, she focused intently on the thought of returning home. She swung the needle again. It left a slight tear in the air in front of her. ¡°Neat, then¡­¡± She swung it again, this time, intercepting her previous cut in the middle.

    This time, the world in front of her fell open. It almost looked like a flower blooming. Within this blooming flower, this man-made fable, Syllis felt a strong call in her mind.

    ¡°Destined to pierce Ether huh?¡± Syllis laughed heartily and said, ¡°who gave them the right?

    ¡°Why would I listen to this text on the wall? Who thinks they can force me to do such a thing? With this needle, I could do anything I damn well please. With this needle¡­ I could bring destiny to its knees and break the one I¡¯ve been given. With this needle I will shatter fate.¡±

    ¡°Wait for me, Aura, Clyde,¡± Syllis said. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± She stepped beyond the formless and torn space in front of her, leaving her past self behind, along with all of her dread, regret, and anything else she felt like casting away.

    Volume 1: Secare. End

 Post Volume 1 Authors Note

    We have arrived at the end of the first volume, of my first ever piece of writing that I have finished. I hope the ending proved satisfactory. There''s a lot to say on the messy process behind plotting and writing the chapters, but that''s boring! So instead, I''m going to skip all of that!

    Let''s talk about themes. Secare, is Latin for cut, sever, decide, and divide in half. Naturally, when you find a cool, old word like Secare, you want to use it. Of course, I did just that, assigning it an important role in the story. This is the theme for much of the story that happens:

    When Syllis decides to leave the outer ring and hang out with Clyde, Korman and Aura: she decides and severs all ties with the outer ring aside from Jyrid. Just when Syllis begins to feel comfortable, the decision, to enter the fable is made for her. This irritates her, straining her relationships. When Aura accepts Korman''s proposal to marry him, he is ripped away from her. This leaves her feeling like half a person. Her being is divided in half. When Syllis carves through her past self, she has to cut and sever the flesh. And once she uses the Golden Needle of a Fated Spirit, she cuts the Ether and decides to dedicate herself to bring destiny to its knees and shatter fate.

    Along with this. I always refer to Syllis as a secare-nymph, half nymph. She is uncomfortable with her human side because of her father. So, of course when she is brought back, she has to give up her nymph lineage in exchange for being able to live again.

    This is a prevalent theme within the story as a whole: identity. After transfiguring enough anathema and having their mind subjected to so much corruption, can they really be called people? The more anathema they transfigure, the less "person" they become. They lose parts of themselves they never thought about, that they would give everything to get back. Syllis and her deep blue eyes were the example for this fact.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    That''s it for the themes of this volume. There''s more of course, but I wouldn''t want to bore you. Instead, let''s talk about the future.

    When will volume 2 begin? It''s hard to say. There are many things that went wrong with volume 1, from the outlining to inferior writing because I was so new. With Volume 2, I aim to keep the quality as high as possible. First, the overall book needs to reach a higher quality. So the rewrite will come first, which will come by the end of November just about. Aside from that, I''ve never finished a book before, so I did not have an outline for volume 2 ready by the end of this book. That will take around a month. Both of these aspects along with the want for me to put my book on amazon so that I can hold it lead me to estimate the Volume 2 will begin somewhere around the end of January. Could be sooner, but not later than the end of January.

    How many volumes? I don''t know how many volumes I will write. I have rough ideas that I want to execute though? Tough question, no promises, maybe five?.

    How many chapters will volume 2 be? Volume two is projected to be around 180 chapters right now, could be more, probably not less.

    What''s up with the rewrite? The rewrite will not only be rewording sections so that they flow better. It is better to treat it as an overhaul of the first entire section of the book until they enter the fable rift. It will add some secondary plot lines to flesh out the early parts and make them less monotonous and linear.

    One last thing, if any of you are planning to write reviews, feel free of course, it is your right. I hope that you will allow me to complete the rewrite, and that you read it before writing any. Again though, I have no say on what you do, feel free.

    I think that''s about it. Once I get around to it, I hope that you all will join me for Shattering Fate, Volume 2: Spirit

    Thank you to anyone that has read my story.

 Update

    I''ve been on a crusade of sorts... Not a real crusade, who even goes on a crusade anymore? I was dissatisfied with the quality of my writing, greatly. Because of this, I have been really reinforcing different writing habits in my mind and it was really messing with my ability to write quickly. You know the saying, "You have to do the same thing for five hours, a hundred times. Only then can you do it in one hour, a thousand times." Not a bad quote for coming up with on the spot. I felt I owed it not only to myself but to the people who have graciously decided to read this story of mine to improve my ability to provide good stories.

    I feel that my writing has reached an acceptable quality now. Now, this has caused a delay on many things for this story. I really don''t want to put out another arbitrary number that could easily change. Everybody is imperfect and imperfect people, are not perfect. There''s a chance I could think my writing is still inferior in another month. Will this be the case, probably not, but you never know. Anyways, in the meantime, I will be uploading something for you to chew on while I get back to work on the main story.

    Intangible Intermissions (short stories). They''re a way for me to flesh out the world for you without having Syllis head over there herself (they were also my playground for improvement). They also let me introduce characters (including certain, very prevalent ones). Three of these will be coming out by the 17th: Elio Erased, Valiant Valen, Angelic Aileen.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Get a glimpse into the political side of Arthenntine as Elio vies against Boros for the right to inherit the title of Duke from their father, one of the most prominent warriors in the first war between Ausorus--a human empire in central Arthenntine--and the Deckthoughs--an abnormal looking town guarding an equally bizarre trait within, occupied by Fierans and settled atop a set of hills with bubbling acidic marsh below, a result of a merged fable.

    Understand the horrors of Hyperborea, a massive island connected to the meshin kismet. Harboring the hyperborean shield, a constant storm that will inflict ailments at the slightest touch. Forget breathing without an artifact or some other contraption. Valen will come to know why it is known as one of the worlds that Spirits should not touch.

    Feel all of the hopelessness that Aileen does in the Fable of the Shameless Orbiter. Being condemned along with the entire group she snuck into the fable with, Aileen will do whatever it takes to escape.

    Also I will be uploading the prelude to the first volume around this time, which--when the rewrite happens--will serve as the new prologue.

 Prologue - Perpetual Pain, Inherently Inherited

    Selm Vichra took a deep breath and began to recite, ¡°Fourth Secrets Sufferer. Doused in flames before they have the chance to subside. Your eyes torn away and set back in place. Perpetual pain, inherently inherited.¡±

    He clasped his hands together, a means of comforting himself as an insufferable tinge of pain spread throughout his body, behind his eyes. The Fourth Secret Sufferer may have accepted the perpetual pain, but Selm dreaded it.

    What choice do I have, though? Selm sighed as the pain began to spread to the other parts of his body.

    His entire body was overcome with great pain; it was as though hot oil had been poured over the top of him. He felt his skin boil, yet no welts appeared on the surface. He clawed at his arms, stomach, and chest before stopping entirely. It was always like this. He would desperately try to stop the pain before accepting it. He would experience this same pain again and again.

    Perpetual pain, inherently inherited¡­ He refrained from crying out in pain.

    The room needed to be entirely dark. To achieve this, the door was sealed shut with a paste, letting no light in from the outside. This prevented any outside interference, though it also added to his delusions and made the nightmarish views even more real.

    Selm slammed his hand against the desk in front of him and tapped his foot against the ground, taking in shallow breaths through gritted teeth.

    Ah! Ahhh! He pried his mouth open, placing a soft cloth between his teeth, protecting them from splintering and shattering. He clenched them again, making sure the cloth was well set.

    He pressed his back against the chair as he circled the inky splotches on his dark-stained desk with his fingers. Of course, in pure darkness, he could not see them. It did not matter, though; after spending so much time in this room, completing the same ritual so many times¡­ he had memorized where they were.

    Each inky splotch was sporadic and sized differently. Some were long and trailed across the desk, while others were large circles of pure black, hinting at a deeper context. This ramshackle ensemble of stains on the otherwise luxurious and neat desk gave the appearance that a wild animal had gotten access to the room. Its limbs coated in the deep ink as it flailed incessantly.

    Selm knew the truth, though. This¡­ is all me. My hands, covered in thick, black ink afterwards. The first time it happened, he was shocked. He had never been great at drawing, especially such lifelike images.

    This was the reason for the large sheet of paper in front of him, as well as a vial of ink holding a fountain pen within. What will it be today?

    After a familiar, gruesome whisper into both of his eyes, the outside of his vision began to fill up with an equally predictable vermillion hue. It waxed and waned in an unpredictable manner as the very edges darkened into crisp particles that flared up with flames before falling and fizzling into nothingness.

    Here they come. Selm was confident in his general prowess, despite having a bond focused around the aspect of destiny. He had a tall figure, typical of a nymph, but even more so. He stood a couple inches taller than every other nymph he encountered. Naturally, no human could compare. Still, none of these aspects benefitted him in his grueling run from the nightmarish creatures.

    Once the entirety of his vision had adopted the deep vermillion coloring, creatures of a familiar color began to manifest before his eyes. They were large, much larger than himself, than the room he was in. As their somewhat phantasmal figures had nearly entirely coalesced, the area behind his eyes began to burn with great passion.

    In an instant, he reached up to claw at them. Then, he lost control of his hands, then his legs, then his mind. The world grew distant, colder, as the room he stood within grew¡ªin an instant¡ªto several hundreds of thousands of times its original size.

    He was not surprised; this same event had happened many times. There was an aspect that was somewhat odd, though. Why has it expanded so much? The room had grown more than twice the usual amount. Well, some variation is typical.

    Selm stood firmly in place on the ground. He watched the horizon of the floor move as it rippled with slight waves. With the expansion of the room came a large distance between himself and his bodily pain. He was in a more spiritual state. At least, that was what he always likened it to. Either way, he found it easier to concentrate.

    The vermillion creatures finished coalescing; their figures were much larger than Selm had initially anticipated. Yet another deviation from the expected path of the ritual.

    Now, a certain unease began to well up within him. He could not let this affect him, though. Right now he needed to put his all into escaping from the secare, bug-humans. As their forms neared fruition, sharp strokes of a pen against paper could be heard, wild, unreserved strokes.

    The surroundings began to warp, sections at a time, in tune with the strokes of the pen. The blackened floor below replaced a flat base of sand. Anything else from the room was erased and replaced with a pristine blue sky; a large, red sun burned bright high above. Stone pathways spread out from a centerpoint and were laid out on top of the sand. Homes and shops began to coalesce on the corners where the pathways turned. They were made of cob¡ªa mix of earth, straw, and other oddities. Their roofs were formed of slate tiles that reflected the bright sun¡¯s light, and slight, dainty windows gave a glimpse into the space within each house.

    He recognized the environment; it was Asanoch. As the scene around him finished forming, Selm felt a ping within his heart. He had experienced this enough to know that the vicious monsters had entirely coalesced by now.

    Large buzzing sounds began to grow closer as the bug-human monsters entirely manifested. Their large stingers, humanoid figure, pincers, and sharpened rows of teeth struck fear into Selm¡¯s heart.

    Even these monsters are out of normal? He stepped back fearfully. Why are there multiple rows of teeth? The larger stingers and pincers, the overall size of their build, and the sound of their buzzing¡­

    Selm gulped, looking up at the few monstrous creatures with horror as they eyed him with playful curiosity. Their vermilion eyes burrowing into his own. Their equally red figure reflected in the windows and slight puddles as rain began to fall, a bad omen.

    He steeled himself as he began to run away, eagerly swinging open a door and sprinting into the house. The crashing of the door into the wall reverberated through the entire building, masking his hurried steps up the staircase.

    Shelter is always a safe bet in these things¡­

    Selm watched the bottom of the staircase, waiting for the bugs to chase after him. The eerie buzzing quieted, fading away for a moment. He felt the hair on his shoulders and back stand up as the presumed outcome never came.

    Where are they? Selm looked around frantically. He darted for a window. They might not have been able to bust their way through the cob walls, but¡­ What of a measly pane of glass?

    The entire house shook as he scanned the outside of the window. There! A familiar couple of monsters were peering at him through it. Wh¡ª

    Crash! The ceiling caved as a stinger barreled towards the floor below. Selm threw himself away from the window, narrowly avoiding the quick death he would have suffered.

    He had never experienced death in one of these rituals, so the penalties were unclear. The idea of finding out was not something he was too keen on. For all he knew, it could mean death for himself that was drawing the scene.

    His face warped with a nervous smile as the vicious beast turned and looked at him with a cold gaze. It raised its stinger and flew forward; its large and daunting wings made a deafening buzzing sound behind. The stinger was close, much closer than it had been when the bug crashed through the roof. There was no time to throw himself out of the way.

    Huuu! Selm steeled himself and dropped to his back, grabbing the stinger that was being thrust towards him with both hands. Their barbs cut deep into his hands. Yet another evolutionary step he had never encountered before.

    He could not help but wonder if this was going to produce a more satisfactory result or if this was a sort of penalty for failing to properly adhere to the needs of the ritual. Maybe I accidentally let some light seep into the room? If someone opened that door¡­ I¡¯ll kill them!This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    The creature threw itself towards a window behind Selm. He braced himself as the glass shattered, splinters and shards digging into his back. Immediately, he was blinded by a serene sky; the rain had cleared, leaving only a pure, unwavering sun up high.

    Selm did not have much time to admire, though the ground was swiftly approaching, and¡ªdespite his heightened fortitude¡ªhe was not immune to a fifteen-foot drop.

    His gaze flicked upwards to the bug monster. Why are your flying capabilities so lackluster? It was at times like these that Selm always found himself wondering¡­ Why couldn¡¯t my bond have given me any true physical abilities?

    Of course, his bond was potent. He had been handpicked by the Lauriers for this reason. It blessed him with great prophecies of the future in exchange for experiencing the pain of the Fourth Secrets Sufferer. Though, at this moment, with his hands being mangled by the barbed stinger, he wished it could have turned out slightly differently.

    Still, I do get good pay! Selm forced a smile as his body approached the ground, along with the bug monster. Its wings were not great enough to hold up both of them. Gritting his teeth, he reached one hand higher, towards the base of the singer. He latched onto it with a firm grip as he pulled his body higher. Then, he swung his other arm around the back of the bug and grabbed onto its left wing. It made a loud, shrieking sound in response, but Selm was used to it. He pulled his arm down, tearing the wing and changing spots with the falling creature. Now, it was like a cushion between himself and the paved walkways.

    ¡°How''s that!¡± Selm yelled. He pulled his hand off of the stinger before they hit the ground. The force would have forced the barbs deeper into his flesh.

    There was a subtle coloring that began to flood from the bug creature¡¯s back. It was a dark orange color¡ªa mix between a human¡¯s deep red and a Helion¡¯s greenish-yellow blood.

    Selm smiled warmly at the thought of those moderately sized bugs. They were only a foot long and a few inches tall, but their bites burned with the heat of four suns. These large bug-human monstrosities made the slight Helions¡ªwhich were already large for insects¡ªseem small in comparison.

    Bug let out a few slight sounds before its stomach began to cave in. The rest of its body followed, becoming mush and crumbling in on itself before beginning to dissipate into the same reddish mist that it had used to form itself initially.

    Come on! Selm urged himself as he hurriedly pulled a container from one of his pockets. He eagerly tore a few pieces of the bug away before they dissipated and placed them into the container before sealing it shut. Please¡­ He hoped, watching as the red mist continued to grow in the container. Eventually any physical matter within was gone and soon, the mist along with it.

    Damn it! Selm cursed the bug creatures. Every time he began to illustrate a prophecy, he brought in another container. All in an attempt to bring back the slightest shred of evidence. He himself did not care much about it. His co-workers accused him of lying. The evidence was to show them that this was real. He held hope this time, yet it was all in vain. Why? That monster was abnormal. This prophecy is abnormal. Why could the rules not be bent a bit?

    Selm sighed as quickening sounds of buzzing and fluttering grew louder and louder. He quickly looked for a place to hide. He found that another window was open. Sweat dripped from his head as he threw himself inside.

    Both bugs wrapped around the corner, looking for any sign of Selm. They looked towards each other, on opposing ends, confused. There was no sign of Selm or any other life, only the faint idea that there had indeed been something.

    Sitting against the wall, underneath the window sill, Selm held his breath. He relinquished the notion of peeking out of the window despite his mind yelling at him to do so. The bugs had heightened senses, enough to notice a slight eye in the corner of their vision. Selm had underestimated one part of their tracking potential, perhaps the most essential one. Their sense of smell was unrivaled by any other creature he had seen or heard of.

    Shatter! Shards of glass, spread apart, littering the ground in front of Selm. He looked up, seeing a twisted, contorted face looking back down at him, where the window should have been.

    The wall threatened to break apart, and Selm hurried away. Seriously, when is this going to be over!? He panicked, hearing the constant and hurried strokes of a fountain pen against paper. Ordinarily, the ritual should have been over by now.

    Both bug-human monsters flooded into the house through the newly collapsed wall. They chased after him, ascending the staircase with their warped legs. Chittering and buzzing sounds emanated from them. These sounds were voracious, harboring what felt to Selm like an acute sense of disdain for his murder of their friend.

    Selm pulled a nearby table, sat next to a bed, and pushed it back down the staircase towards them. He was especially afraid now. Before, he had never managed to kill one of the three monsters. Any pieces of them he had tried to bring back were the result of self-inflicted injury.

    Quickly, the sculpted piece of wooden furniture descended the staircase, creating a series of loud bangs and ramming into both bug monsters and collapsing into a few different pieces. This did not stop the advancing monsters, though. Their bodies remained completely intact, with no sign of any damage.

    Selm¡¯s eyes widened. That definitely should have done something! More than something, actually! A whole lot; that should have done a whole lot! He cursed within, watching as the monsters approached. His only advantage was¡ªsomewhat contradictorily¡ªtheir largest advantage. Their figure, large and overwhelming, forced the monsters to put thought into how they moved, slowing them down immensely.

    After a moment of shock, he noticed something. Selm noticed slight growths on the shoulder blades of the monsters. It looked like another set was forming overtop their original pair. His mind spun as he considered the possibilities.

    Killing their companion caused these growths to form on them? This was the only conclusion that made sense. In no other prophecy had he ever noticed such a detail, which meant it needed to be connected to their companion¡¯s death.

    Of course, and if it was a direct result of the strangeness of this ritual, then the growths would have begun forming as soon as they formed¡­ Selm felt a tinge of warmth in his heart as he felt that after years, he might have uncovered a piece of the truth behind how these rituals operated. I can¡¯t get complacent, though!

    Selm ran into a room to the left, pulled a blanket from a luxurious bed, and leaped out of the window. The glass shattered around his form, the blanket protecting him by dampening the force and neglecting the crystalline shards. He tossed the blanket aside in the air, grabbing onto a pipe on the side of the building across from him.

    Huh! He exhaled a sigh of relief as he scaled the pipe, climbing onto the roof. As he finished pulling his body onto the slate roof tiles, he heard a crash from behind him.

    The wall around the window he had just jumped from collapsed in an instant, and in its place, two monstrous bugs. Selm expected it, though, already beginning to run across the rooftops. The buildings were close together, easily enabling the ability to hop from one to the other, like stepping stones.

    Now, out in the open, Selm could feel the prophecy coming to an end. The world began to fade around him, starting from the horizon. A buzzing sound briefly overtook him as he turned, shying away from any sense of relief. He threw himself to the side as a stinger darted past him.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Selm yelled, scrambling to keep hold of the slate tiles as he slid towards the bottom of the sloped roof. His fingernails tearing into the tiles, blood beginning to drip from them.

    He looked down at the world below. Through bated breaths, he pulled himself up and into a pool of blood. It was formed not only from his fingers, robbed of their nails, but also his hands and arms, shredded by his previous latch onto the deceased monster¡¯s stinger.

    The second, more conniving of the two remaining monsters approached from below, narrowly missing the lengthy nymph as he began to run again.

    This time, Selm made sure to keep an open ear and occasionally look back towards them. With the entirety of his being, he continued jumping from rooftop to rooftop, all the while feeling the prophecy gradually collapse in on itself.

    Houses began to disappear, and sand turned to nothingness as the buzzing sounds grew louder and louder. Selm looked backwards and saw their singers approaching. His flesh tore apart as his bones shattered. He felt his crimson blood begin to pour out as the world faded away entirely.

    Huh! Huu! Selm sat up and reached his arms backwards, feeling where the stinger had pierced him. He brought them forward again, realizing that there was no blood. Okay, good to know¡­

    He raised himself from the cold floor and felt the wall beside him. His fingers gracefully slid along the various pages, stuck to the wall. His gaze swept the room to confirm his theory. Really? No light was let in... He scratched at his smooth face in curiosity.

    Light spread throughout the room as he opened the door, breaking the seal between it and the floor below. Every prophecy was illuminated, along with the messy table and even floor around it. There was ink everywhere, and the piece of paper in the center of it all was much more detailed than any prophecy that came before.

    ¡°I see,¡± Selm said out loud as he finally understood the bizarre features of his prior near-death scenario.

    He stepped closer, but warily. It was as though there was a terrifying presence still lingering in the air. A warning that he did not believe to be real but still wanted to heed. Carefully, he lifted the paper up. The weight of all the ink on it tried to push it back down, but Selm retained a firm grip.

    Drawn in great detail was a crowded street, full of people standing in front of their houses, crowding around a large rift in space. There were flowers or something similar littering the area around the rift. All of these people were looking at two figures, a tall, female nymph and a shorter man. They cheered for their return.

    Hmm? That person looks like¡­ Selm sighed as he dipped his fingers into a small tin and stepped over to a blank area on the wall in front of him, unobscured by any of his other prophecies. He rubbed the fingers he had dipped along the top edge of a dark brick, lathering it. Then, he pressed the top of the paper against it, melding them together.

    Selm took a few steps back and said with his voice slightly raised, ¡°Kharnan?¡± There was no response aside from the slight tapping of a boot outside. This was enough for Selm, though, typical of the silently observing man, always watching through a puppet. With a slight frown growing on his face, he crossed his arms and said, ¡°Could you inform the ultimate that this prophecy¡­ is something that she has to see?¡±

 Intangible Intermission 1: Valiant Valen

    Valen straightened his mask, trying to center it on his face. The harsh winds of a harsher land tried to tear it from him completely. There were no holes to see through. The winds were enough to cause permanent damage in seconds; the cold was worse. It was almost able to crawl down any exposed skin.

    As a result of this, each and every hopeless individual was given an eyeless mask, along with a very important command. ¡°Walk forward and do not remove your mask.¡± It did not seem sinister on the first day of walking, but now that he felt nearly two entire days had passed, it felt like a larger task than he had originally signed off on. The pay was great, but was it great enough? A more educated and wise man would have turned down such a conspicuous offer. Valen felt a contempt in his heart for whoever organized this expedition.

    Damn it all! This is bad, really bad! How much longer until we exit the Hyperborean Shield? Even with this artifact, it¡¯s too cold, much too cold! I can¡¯t even ask because of these winds¡­ Valen would have sighed if he had not been afraid of the slight movement causing too much space to open within the mask. It was tight, but not enough to risk the frostbitten wind¡¯s affliction.

    His mind began to race with all the possibilities of this endless darkness. Maybe I got separated from the group? What if Ray or Nat got lost! God, this darkness¡­ Sholeht, please protect me in this environment! There was no feedback for any step he took. The snow was too deep; his feet sunk more than a meter into the ground before somewhat stopping. The only sound to be heard was the howling wind around him. Tasting was out of the question, and his arms were locked into a binding coat to preserve heat. Even with the protection of the Bundle Sun, he still could not smell; his nose was frozen solid. All of this, combined with his inability to see past the eyeless mask¡¯s dark fabric, meant that he had no senses to remain connected to the world aside from the slight sensation of his legs sinking.

    After what felt like another eternity of walking, Valen was provided with exactly what he asked for; his body began to freeze. In a moment, it had gone from slightly uncomfortable to an unbearable pain. Screams began to erupt from around him. There was no way to make conversation in the hyperborean shield, but these loud wails? They could easily be heard. Valen took comfort in them as his body felt like it was about to turn to ice; he had not gotten separated from the group; he was safe. At least, this would be until his body finally froze. In the little time he had, Valen needed to decipher why this happened and how he could survive.

    Has the bundle sun failed? Valen wondered, as his body continued to cool, which brought along with it an odd sensation; his legs were the warmest part. They were partially exempt from the abrasive winds due to the time they spent submerged inside the snow. Valen found it odd, but this oddity worked to his advantage. So long as he remained conscious, he was hopeful that his legs would never be entirely frozen.

    Just as this determination spread through his body, a familiar voice shrieked. It was very feminine, and even though the usual cutesy tone that accompanied it was washed away in the harsh winds of Hyperborea, the cadence was still very much there. Nat! Valen fought the urge to scream out to her. The idea of these winds penetrating his eyeless mask outweighed his want to reach out to Nat; having her rely on him was a dream, but Valen had been a cowardly boy and was just as cowardly a man.

    I¡¯m sorry, Nat! I really am! Valen remained steadfast in his trek forward. In tune with what he believed the rest of the expedition was doing, he began to speed up. If the bundle sun had really failed, then they had maybe ten minutes. They had been walking for dozens of hours; it had felt like days; the end needed to be close. Yet, with every step that Valen took, more snow built up as he gradually lost feeling around his body. He even began to feel the slight feedback in his legs dwindle. Valen did not know if this was due to tired muscles or the cold; both of them were dangerous; he did not bother assessing which it was.

    Valen continued forward, and amidst his intense concentration, the winds seemed to shatter in an instant. A symphony of tired, pained voices took its place. Did I¡ªwe really? We made it out? ¡°Did we make it!?¡± Valen shouted to the speakers.

    There was a silence as Valen imagined each person turning to face him. Though, he considered all of them being entirely too absorbed in their own survival to answer him as a reasonable conclusion. Then, he felt his body being weighed down; it was like a brick had fallen on his shoulder.

    ¡°We fucking made it!¡± Ray cheered from his side before pulling his friend¡¯s eyeless mask off and continuing, ¡°Take in that sight! This is why I signed up for this deathtrap.¡±

    Valen looked out at a beautifully pristine sky; it was bright and shimmered with colorful lights. In an odd twist of fate, there was no sun illuminating this sky. I¡¯ll try to figure it out later. Then¡ªstill shaking cold, despite the slight reprieve¡ªhe looked up at Ray and asked, ¡°W-where is Nat?¡±

    Ray looked back at him with reluctance. His demeanor was that of a statue: indomitable yet unable to say what he wanted to. His eyes were fixed just beyond Valen. Slowly, he raised his hand and set it back onto Valen¡¯s shoulder. Just as his burly friend had done this, Valen felt another sensation; it was like a cloth was being draped over his other side; with a chilling pulse, it was pressed into the side of his left cheek¡ªwhich had just regained feeling.

    ¡°... I¡¯m here, Valen,¡± Natalie said in an unenthusiastic, terrified voice.

    Valen turned to face Nat; her hair was a tangled mess of blonde strands, slowly turning white from the snow; her eyes were still a bright blue but looked to have lost their luster; the essence of her entire being shared these aspects. He took in all of her disheveled and hopeless essence and said, ¡°Nat, I heard you scream.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Natalie remained silent as she stared into the distance. She made a few sounds that sounded like she was beginning to weep.

    Ray walked in front of Valen. His face was entirely illuminated despite the large hood that fell just above his eyes and around the sides of his face; it was a hint to how this area stayed lit. Ordinarily, the sun would cast a shadow, leaving the lengthy man¡¯s face shrouded; this implied the light was coming from below; it was reflecting the light of something else. Interesting! Valen thought but refused to flash a smile.

    ¡°We¡¯re all tired, Valen,¡± Ray said in a low voice; his joyful exterior deteriorated in only a couple of minutes. ¡°Why don¡¯t we set up our tents before anything else?¡±

    Valen looked around at the others who had embarked on this trip; each in their formed groups, they began to assemble their reinforced tents. ¡°That sounds good,¡± he said, tearing his heavy rebreathing kit from his face and moving his half-mask back up.

    Only thirty minutes later, Valen had nearly finished forming his large dome tent. He was exhausted; carrying the tent, food supplies, canisters for his rebreather, and his heavy set of clothing for more than two days had worn out his back. He fought the urge to lie down in the spacious tent, despite how comfortable the bed looked; any bed would have looked comfortable to him at that moment.

    There were a few more important matters. What was with Nat¡¯s reluctance? What really happened to her in the Hyperborean Shield? This matter was lower on the list, but Valen could not help himself from checking it out first. Natalie was too important to him to leave for last. Besides, most of him did not want to even acknowledge the possibility of the bundle sun having failed; there were also rumblings of Calise not taking any visitors right now. Valen himself was not keen on trying to force himself into her tent; he was mediocre, unable to rival someone like the expedition leader.

    Valen made sure all of his outside clothing was in order before leaving the tent. It was still much too cold. Just because the winds of the Hyperborean Shield were no more did not mean that they would start swimming in the Ninth Terse Basin. He slipped on his pair of heavy, steel-toed boots and clicked them together; they were tight enough, perhaps a little too restraining. Better safe than sorry!

    He assumed Ray had already set up his tent; he was a professional nomad. Valen wished he had lived such an exciting life before setting off for Hyperborea. Then again, he knew that he had neither the mental fortitude nor the bond for such an endeavor; in Hyperborea he was able to feel that grandeur without either of these things.

    As he tread the lightly packed snow of Hyperborea, Valen noted the progress of every tent; most of them were entirely set up already. Eventually, he reached Natalie and saw Ray helping her finish building. Natalie had a smaller form, making it difficult to bend the tent¡¯s poles.

    ¡°Ray, Nat!¡± Valen called out, his steps in the snow hurrying as he ran.

    ¡°Hey, Valen. Have you finished building your tent already?¡± Ray asked, hammering a stake into the ground, anchoring another corner of the tent. He picked up a nearby rock and set it on top.

    ¡°Actually, I came here to enlist your help¡­¡± Valen watched as the surprise on Ray¡¯s face turned to irritation. ¡°Fine, I already finished it; don¡¯t worry! I only came to see if the both of you had finished on your own.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re almost done. Come help me hammer in this last nail; this snow is taller here, making it difficult.¡±

    Valen nodded, shoveling the snow out with his gloves. He made an area wide enough for the nail and held it in place as Ray looked at it from above. Then, he brought his small hammer down with the strength of two men. Only a couple more swings and the nail was entirely set in place; only the head could be seen. The both of them placed a heavy rock on top before shoveling the snow over again.

    Only a couple of hours later, all three of them were huddled around a fire just in front of Natalie¡¯s tent. There was no wood to be found in Hyperborea, a fact that the expedition organizers assumed; they thought that it would be pitch black, without sun, and by extension, meant that there was no chance for trees to grow. So, they gave Calise¡ªthe expedition leader¡ªsix fire starters. These "fire starters" were not typical; instead of sparking flint, these were excavated from a perpetual fable and thus had certain unusual qualities to them. These "fire starters" were able to set large flames with almost anything.

    They might have been wrong, though... Depending on the origin of this light, could trees grow? If I record the habits of this ¡°sky,¡± would I be able to get a commission from them? To give hope for permanent habitation of Hyperborea; that would give a healthy amount! This prospect was tantalizing for Valen, but he distanced himself from it, at least for now.

    Valen looked up at the sky, shimmering with orange and blue lights; the effervescent bubbling of purple and green hues intertwined, tethering the four colors together. It made for a beautiful sight, one that Valen had not been able to appreciate in its entirety since stepping out of the Hyperborean Shield.

    He turned his attention to Ray and Natalie, both of whom were silent, gazing into the fire; they had been informed that two of their friends had passed away. It made sense, the longing look in both of their eyes. Valen had a few interactions with the duo; they were sweet but hardly gave him enough of a reason to do anything more than wish them better in their next life.

    The sound of boiling water pulled both of them away from their sad thoughts. Valen leaned forward, using a wooden utensil to lift the weightless lid up slightly; his other hand prodded a portion of the meat. Any goods that needed to be preserved were placed into heavy boxes and were pulled by a group of strong spirits; they were tethered by a long string, placing them far away from the group and, by extension, out of the radius of the bundle sun. As such, they were entirely frozen with zero chance of spoiling.

    ¡°You two,¡± Valen said, looking at Ray and Nat. He clapped his hands and clicked the fire starter. ¡°Dinner is ready! I¡¯m an excellent cook, so don¡¯t expect anything but the best from me.¡±

    Natalie smiled and rubbed her thigh as she rose. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go get the plates,¡± she said with a sullen voice before crouching down next to her massive backpack.

    Valen looked up at the top of his tent as he tried to fall asleep. Even if the bundle sun had failed in the Hyperborean Shield, it was too warm for it to be entirely nonfunctional. Yes, there¡¯s a more likely chance for its effect to have lessened from prolonged use or something similar. I¡¯ll confront Calise about it tomorrow. I really don¡¯t want to dismantle this tent and build it again¡­

    <hr>

    Shwu! Shwu! Valen immediately sat up and began to quietly move. Something was moving along the side of his tent; any work that went into strengthening it was targeted at the weather. What sort of creature could survive in this place anyway?

    Valen had been told stories¡ªparticularly by Ray¡ªof various creatures. There was a singular theme that united each of these absurd stories, though; in places where logic and science fail to make a case, the only way to judge something was by the environment it inhabited and how much of it the creature had taken for itself.

    His gaze swept the floor of his tent for anything, and it landed on a slight knife that he had been using to get the grime out from under his fingernails. He knelt over and picked it up, slowly making his way towards the front of the tent; he brandished the knife in front of him.

    ¡°Valen¡ª¡±

    ¡°Damn it, Nat!¡± Valen yelled, throwing the knife down to his side and placing his hand against his chest. He took in a few deep breaths and sat down, rubbing his eyes with his palms.

    ¡°...Are you alright, Valen?¡± Natalie asked, worry shining at the forefront of her voice. A brief silence after her words told her all she needed to know. ¡°I¡¯ll come back tomorrow, alright?¡±

    ¡°No, come in, Nat.¡± Valen unzipped the tent.

    Valen welcomed her inside, making sure she did not step onto the knife he had cast aside. He watched her sit down, her eyes nervously jumping to different parts of the room. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked.

    Natalie remained silent for a few seconds before responding, ¡°I should be asking you that question. What is this Valen? All of this junk spread out across your floor. Are you depressed?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just a little homesick, Nat. You¡¯re too worried about me. What about Ray?¡± Valen said, leaning to the side of Natalie, and picked up the knife he had thrown away. ¡°...This was a gift from my grandmother. She was a sickly woman who never cared to give away much to anyone; this means a lot to me. She¡¯s probably dead by now, though.¡±

    Natalie looked at the knife for a couple more seconds before meeting Valen¡¯s eyes and saying, ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Instantly, tears began to well up in her bright blue eyes. She turned away, covering them with her hand.

    ¡°Out with it, Nat. There are too many uncertainties in this place,¡± Valen urged her. Noticing her reluctance, he asked, ¡°Does it have to do with your scream in the Hyperborean Shield?¡±

    Natalie turned back; her face was flush red, and the tears made their way along the sides of her nose before falling against the tent below her. She reached her hands up to hide her reddened eyes from Valen. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t want them to leave me behind, Valen!¡± Natalie held her face with her hands, tangling her fingers in long, blonde hair.

    ¡°Leave you behind?¡± Valen shook his head. The pieces were not fitting together in his mind. ¡°What are you talking about? Why do you think they would leave you behind?¡±

    Natalie crawled across the length of the tent, approaching Valen. She turned to face the door. She pulled down the seal-scarf that melded her undershirt to her eyeless mask when they had been traversing the Hyperborean Shield. Underneath the seamless and airtight fabric, there was what appeared to be an infection spreading. It lashed out from the origin point in several directions. There were notes written on several of its tendrils.

    These notes read: ¡°7 hours, 11 hours, 13 hours.¡± They were clearly made to denote the infection¡¯s growth over this period of time.

    This was a bad case of Scouring Frostburn. Some environments were cold enough for frost to burn. Steam rose up from the wound, to which Natalie appeared to feel no pain; this was due to scouring frostburn¡¯s ability to target nerves; those in her neck were already fried beyond repair. It was only a matter of time before it spread to other parts of her body, slowly leaving her entirely numb, one section at a time.

    Valen reached out to touch the infection, only to shrink back upon feeling Natalie¡¯s reluctance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Natalie,¡± Valen apologized. ¡°You¡¯ve told Ray already. Is that why you two have been acting so weird today? What did he think?¡±

    Natalie shrank back further and turned to Valen as she looked at him with a pitiful expression. She began to dig her nails into her own arm, as if she was trying to carve into a hearty cut of meat.

    ¡°He told you to tell Calise,¡± Valen said, answering his own question. ¡°You would only have come here if you disagreed with what he had to say; what¡¯s more disagreeable than declaring your condition to Calise? You understand what has to happen, right? If you don¡¯t tell Calise yourself, then Ray will do it for you. A professional nomad would never act against the best interests of the group.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°You have to!¡± Valen interrupted. He calmed his quickened breaths and let out a sigh. ¡°Look, Calise might have something to deal with that infection, which will kill you eventually. It''s your best shot. Ray is going to tell him regardless. What do you think Calise will think if he informs him in your stead? Probably that you¡¯re a liability.¡±

    What can she do? Either she keeps it a secret, somehow convinces Ray, and ends up dying eventually, or she reports it to Calise, and she has a solution, or she dies anyway.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Look, Natalie,¡± Valen grabbed her hand. ¡°That''s all you can do.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, Valen.¡± Natalie wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close.

    Under normal circumstances, Valen would have been ecstatic to have this woman pull him into her embrace, but right now, he only felt pity. He grabbed her arms, pulling them off of him and gently pushing her away. ¡°Natalie, you should get some sleep. Do you need me to walk you back to your tent?¡±

    <hr>

    Valen was already exhausted from walking again, but they had yet to reach the center of Hyperborea; this was the goal of their entire expedition. There was no way for them to leave without it. Regardless, Valen was content with the ability to see this as he walked this time; he never wanted to put an eyeless mask on ever again. He dreaded the fact that he would need to once it was time to leave.

    He turned to face Natalie and Ray, both of whom were walking just to his left. They were quiet, neglecting to speak amidst the silence that permeated the open air of Hyperborea. Valen was fine with this; Natalie''s visit last night had been awkward, so he was content to avoid any conversation about it for as long as time would allow.

    As they continued to walk, the sky eventually shifted its hues from the warmer colors of dawn to colder, more eerie tones¡ªwispy greens and deep-sea blues. The environment slowly shifted; the uneven ground where they had exited from the Hyperborean Shield gradually smoothed out, and the trees¡ªwhich should not have been able to grow¡ªfaded away, replaced by barren fields of snow and flowers that seemed to defy the destiny they were given in this place, to die and wither away.

    Eventually they had spotted a massive frozen lake with large, icy-blue spires that protruded out at least fifteen meters from the ground. There was a bright blue, rule-bound flame that flickered at the tips of these spires, their embers dissipated into the freezing air, and the purple-blue light that emanated from them danced across the other spires and the frozen lake below; it was a miraculous sight that could only be found in a place as bizarre and mysterious as Hyperborea.

    As they grew closer to the frozen lake, Valen could not help but feel a sense of unease and eeriness settle at the bottom of his stomach. He felt like everyone else around him¡ªall of those who looked onward in awe, gasping and commenting on the beauty of these spires¡ªhad been pulled into a trance while only he remained lucid.

    Valen held his tongue as he took his first step onto the lake, frozen over; it was solid and without any sign of cracking¡ªall of these people could not have possibly weighed a fraction of a single icy spire. Almost immediately, the air around him felt warmer, but this heat did not seem to come from the spires themselves or the flames above; instead, it was the large spires blocking gusts of wind, filtering it from all directions around him, save for the one he entered from.

    Despite the shelter from the chilly Hyperborean winds, Valen could not shake the feeling of unease that continued to well up inside him like a cup of effervescent wine. Now that he was standing under one of these frost spires, he looked upwards. It truly towered over him, making him once again feel his insignificance on this expedition. While he was fraught with worry, Calise¡ªwho was only ten meters ahead of him¡ªseemed enthusiastic over the change in scenery; Valen wished he could be so optimistic. Perhaps if he had been on the threshold of becoming a Stray, then he would be acting the same way.

    After another couple of hours of walking, Calise stopped, turned around, and yelled out, ¡°Alright, everybody, we''ve made a lot of progress today! Since the lake is ice, we can¡¯t set up tents. These spires shield us from the wind, though, so I think it¡¯s fine to go without them today. Feel free to wander; be sure to not end up too far away from anyone else, though.¡±

    Thank Sholeht! My legs have been aching for hours. Valen quickly sat down, catching his breath. He was not a frail man, but one of smaller stature; carrying so many supplies weighed heavier on him, much more so without the aid of the Bundle Sun.

    I wonder if Natalie will talk to Calise tonight. Valen wondered, eventually deciding to let Ray convince her to; it was easy to tell he was already trying, but Natalie was stubborn, a beautiful and stubborn woman. Valen thought back to the night prior when she had told him about her affliction; a part of him hoped the encounter had gone further, but he did not regret the choices he made that night.

    ¡°Valen, do you want to go on a walk with us?¡± Natalie asked. Her steps were oddly quiet as she walked towards Valen; Ray was right behind her.

    Valen looked around, making sure nobody was too close before asking, ¡°Do you two not feel anything off about this lake? For example, the apparent flames flickering at the top of the spires.¡±

    ¡°Sarcasm isn¡¯t a good look in Hyperborea, Valen,¡± Ray said. ¡°Calise says it¡¯s fine. The leader of our expedition would make such an assessment without putting in their due diligence. Remember how long we were delayed before being allowed to step onto the lake?¡±

    Valen inhaled, ready to speak his mind before letting out a sharp breath. Maybe I¡¯m just being a little too paranoid. I should put my faith in Calise; he is on the border of becoming a Stray, after all. ¡°Alright,¡± he said.

    They began to walk through the collection of frost spires. It was quiet without Natalie''s curious intrigue and playful conversation; the affliction and the tensions that were strewn between it and the entire expedition group were deeply affecting her. She was quiet, reserved, and seemed to have a lot going on within her. Ray, by comparison, did not seem burdened but instead freed. He took in the surroundings with the entirety of his soul, only neglecting to initiate conversation out of an apparent grudge against Natalie.

    Ray is definitely nearing his breaking point. It¡¯s only a matter of time before he cracks and reports Natalie''s affliction to Calise. Valen sighed. This was a situation he desperately wanted to resolve. Yet, no matter how hard he wanted to, he couldn''t; Valen did not possess the means, neither the reputation nor the methods.

    Valen was about to speak up and peel his small group from the clutches of an awkward atmosphere when his head began to ring without respite. What? He immediately placed a hand atop his head and felt for wounds, the first step of care he had been taught in preparation for his expedition to Hyperborea: he was to carefully sift through his hair to check for lacerations on the head.

    ¡°V-Valen? Are you¡ª¡±

    Valen heard the voice of someone calling out before it dissipated, seemingly fading into the air. There was a purple light on the edges of his vision, and he turned to accommodate it. There¡­ The purple light was radiating from one of the countless frosty spires that the lake wore like jewelry.

    ¡°Valen, Valen, Valen!¡± An indistinguishable source echoed, growing louder with each shift in the purple spire¡¯s hue.

    Valen did not know if this was Natalie¡¯s voice, but he desperately hoped it was. Given how the pleasure to hear hers had been torn away from him, though, he figured it was something far more sinister. Is there another expedition group here? Have the Deckthoughs really expanded so quickly? No, why would they enter a place without the grace of the moonlight? There were a dozen other ideas that flooded Valen¡¯s mind, some more plausible than others. He cast them aside and focused on the spire; there was a connection between it and the voice. It was almost like an extra link between Valen and whoever was speaking to him; an external ear that chose to convey only what it wanted to say.

    I¡¯ll play your game¡­ Valen thought as he blinked, his blurred vision grew worse. The only discernible object in sight was the purple light. Gradually, he pushed himself closer to it, despite the apparent grappling of entities around him that tried to deny him access. He wondered how Ray and Natalie were looking at him as he pushed himself forward.

    The light grew brighter and brighter as the limbs that tried to peel him back continued to strengthen their grip on him. Valen jerked his shoulder, pulled away, and threw himself forward.

    ¡°Let go of me!¡± he yelled, to which he was met with a feminine shriek. Natalie¡¯s voice was let through by the purple frost spire.

    Valen wanted to pull back and apologize, but he was too far away now, and his head had not stopped ringing, even for a second. The purple light began to glow more vibrantly and pulsed in shorter intervals; the ringing in Valen¡¯s head also picked up its pace, beating like a living, breathing heart. He placed his hand upon the ice, hoping for the faint connection to clue him into the source of the bizarre phenomena; there had not been a moment that he had wished for a greater bond than this one. With nothing else working, he slammed his head into the frost spire, hoping to end the pain.

    Drip! Drip! Valen felt drops of liquid pattering against his head. He looked up to ascertain the source; it did not make sense; the pain had entirely ceased, despite him having heard his head click against the spire; it had to have caused great damage.

    His eyes widened at the sight that played itself out before him. He was covered in the blood of a woman high above him; with her blonde hair and pasty skin, it was clear this was Natalie, skewered through the chest by a long javelin formed of the same ice as the spires.

    What¡ªwhat is this? Did I fall asleep? Valen looked around, trying to gather more information. There were dozens of people watching the blood pour from Natalie¡¯s chest cavity. ¡°D-do something! Anyone, any one of you! Do something!¡±

    Valen turned his attention to the assailant: they were a tall figure adorning a black robe with gold lining on it; their hair only fell to their shoulders and was a deep blue as dark as midnight; the underside of it was lighter and looked to be riddle with thousands of rippling stars; two seafoam gems peered into Valen¡¯s eyes as the figure tilted their head. Instantly, he felt the urge to vomit as the world seemed to fall further away from him.

    <hr>

    Hah! Hah! Hah! Valen sat up, clutching at his chest. He turned, seeing Natalie look at him with an odd expression. ¡°Nat¡­ What¡­ Where¡ªwhere am I?¡± he asked, looking up at a large sheet of cloth strewn over them.

    ¡°Camp,¡± Natalie said, simply. ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to lay back down, Valen; that laceration on your head has to be dealt with. Also, Ray promised not to tell Calise about your¡­ outburst until you explain what happened to him.¡± She patted her lap.

    Valen¡¯s nerves slowly calmed down as he assessed the situation in his mind. He let out a sigh and gently laid down onto Natalie¡¯s lap. ¡°That¡¯s fine; I need to talk to Calise anyway.¡±

    ¡°Valen¡­¡± Natalie¡¯s cold hands wrapped around his cheeks.

    ¡°It¡¯s not about you, Nat,¡± Valen said, waiting for Natalie to move her hands away.

    As Natalie returned to fixing up Valen¡¯s laceration, he tried to relax. His focus remained on Natalie as she worked, admiring her patience and care, her platinum blonde hair, her soft hands, her pleasant figure¡ª

    ¡°¡ªYou¡¯re all set, Valen,¡± Natalie said. ¡°Remember to tell me what happened later, all right? I can¡¯t be the only one with problems in this wasteland.¡±

    Valen rose hastily, with his face having turned a rosy shade. He turned away from Natalie, hiding his embarrassment, and said, ¡°S-sure, Natalie. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I¡¯m back.¡±

    As he left, Valen shook his head, looking up at the large cloth ''ceilings'' seemingly scattered from spire to spire. He admitted that it was a neat idea, one that he never thought of. More pressing than this, though, was whether or not Calise would believe him. Valen had not the faintest clue what he would do if turned away by the expedition leader.

    As he continued to look for Calise, Valen was shot more than a few curious looks from other members of the expedition; he was not overly popular or useful; neither was he a smooth-talker or exceptionally handsome, but that was precisely what made him memorable. Many people wondered why such an ordinary man was in Hyperborea and why, now, he was walking through their camp with his forehead wrapped in layers of bandages.

    Eventually, Valen caught a glimpse of Calise and his lengthy black hair, speckled with white strands. ¡°Hey, Calise!¡± he called out, a slight pain in his voice.

    Calise turned away from a few other members of the expedition he was talking to and towards Valen. ¡°What do you need, Valen?¡± he asked with a curious look on his face.

    Valen did not often talk to Calise, much less so with such anguish present in his tone. ¡°There¡¯s something I have to tell you about¡ª¡±

    Wait, what will Calise think if that dream never occurs? Something so vivid in Hyperborea: an unexplored environment anything but normal, that would surely cause him to fear that I had suffered some sort of influence or caught a sickness of some kind. I think that I understand Natalie¡¯s fear now¡­

    ¡°¡ªWhat is it, Valen?¡± Calise asked, now standing several meters closer. ¡°Also, what happened to your head?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what I wanted to talk to you about. The ice is almost entirely clear in some places, which can make seeing the difference in elevation difficult and, well¡­ You can see what happened to me,¡± Valen answered, gesturing to his forehead. ¡°You should warn everyone to watch their step.¡±

    Calise let out a short laugh and said, ¡°Yes, well, we¡¯ve already had another couple incidents like yours, none so severe though¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t exactly too focused, so I couldn¡¯t brace myself in time.¡±

    ¡°I see. Is there anything else, Valen?¡± Calise asked as he looked at Valen¡¯s wound a little closer.

    ¡°...Maybe. I heard a rumor that there was an issue with the bundle sun; is it true?¡± Valen asked. He was intently focused on Calise¡¯s face, hoping for his expression to give any information away.

    Upon hearing this, Calise¡¯s expression did not change; he only tilted his head slightly. A sort of air emanated from him, though, as he spoke again, ¡°Valen, you¡¯re smart enough to know that I can¡¯t tell you about the state of a classified artifact. I encourage you to keep any rumors to yourself and to refrain from spreading them.¡± He gently patted Valen on the shoulder.

    ¡°Of course, Calise,¡± Valen said as he began to walk away.

    ¡°Make sure that head heals well, alright!¡± Calise called out to him as he slowly faded from her view. He turned back towards the two people that Valen had pulled him away from and asked, ¡°Where were we?¡±

    <hr>

    The next day, Valen was shocked at how quickly everything had been disassembled and packed again for their next day of walking; however long it would end up being, he only hoped it was shorter than the previous day. His focus was on something more important than himself this time; it was the dream he had experienced upon bashing his head against the frost spire; he believed that it was a prophecy. They say you can¡¯t dream about someone you¡¯ve never seen. I surely would have remembered someone who looked so¡­ unique.

    A part of him doubted whether it was real; Natalie and Ray had shut him down very quickly when he had tried to tell them about it. There was a feeling, though, one that was rooted deeply in his very soul that told him he was right. Valen frequently thought about ways that he could prevent the assailant¡¯s attack throughout the prior night; the only method that did not grant him a swift death was somehow convincing this person to let them live.

    Then, Valen felt an acute pain shoot out from within his body. There was blood dripping down one of the frost spires in front of the expedition group. As his gaze followed the thick stream of blood upwards, he saw a large beast with its chest pierced by the spire. Just above its head, the blue flames flickered and danced like a crown.

    Is this some cosmic mockery? The beast was skewered in the same fashion that Natalie had been in Valen¡¯s dream. Natalie was the highest priority in his mind at this moment. He turned towards her; she was looking at the beast in an apparent awe. It was uncharacteristic of her. Typically, Natalie was thrown off by the sight of blood¡ªa quality that had made Valen exceptionally surprised when she bandaged his bloody forehead.

    A few minutes later, Calise¡ªwho had slipped away to examine the spire¡ªreturned and said, in a commanding voice, ¡°We have determined that this creature¡¯s death was a natural occurrence.¡±

    Then, only a couple of minutes after Calise¡¯s concise statement, the expedition group continued to move. Valen bit down on his lip with enough force to make it bleed. He hoped that Natalie¡¯s death had merely been a symbol for their encounter with the skewered beast, but the pit in his stomach did not dissipate. No, instead, the strands of fear and worry grew, were woven together, and formed a great ball of despair that Valen could not cast away despite his attempts to calm down.

    I¡ªI made a mistake! I need to¡­ tell Calise. Valen began to run forward towards Calise, only to be stopped by a few fellow members of the expedition, though they were of a higher rank than him; they even approached the threshold of becoming high-spirits.

    ¡°Where are you going, Valen?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI need to¡­ Calise! Hey, stop moving forward, Calise!¡± Valen called out. He watched as his expedition leader turned around.

    ¡°What is it, Valen!?¡± Calise yelled.

    Any further voices were caught underneath the roaring sounds of a dozen spires around them shattering into chunks of red ice. These chunks spread out across the entire floor before falling apart into nothing. The ground below them shook at the absence of the frost spires, as though they were the life force keeping the frozen lake alive.

    ¡°Calise!¡± Valen called out again.

    However, his leader did not turn around this time. Calise rose his hands and chanted into the air, ¡°Bound by nothing yet contained through it all. Relentless patience and unruly ruthlessness.¡± His black hair grew longer, and his body filled out slightly, causing his typically loose clothes to now sit tightly against his body. Any other kindred who were not thrown onto their backs by the titanic shaking below them decided to assume a cautious stance as well, following their leader¡¯s movements.

    Valen, on the other hand, focused on making his way to Calise. There was no way for him to currently hear Valen over the loud rumbling. He crawled as he tried to approach Calise, scrambling across the shifting ice.

    ¡°Calise! Calise!¡± he called out, to no avail. Not close enough... On the bright side, since everyone was preoccupied with themselves, there was no one preventing Valen from approaching his leader.

    As he began to near Calise, he could feel his skin getting colder as his spine began to shake. It felt like there was a pressure¡ªgreater than anything he had ever felt¡ªpressing tightly against his body. Yet, the far left side of his body felt exempt from this pressure. Valen looked to his right; Calise was standing there, frozen with fear.

    Then, he was thrown backwards, and a figure¡ªclad in a black robe, stitched with gold¡ªgrabbed a hold of his collar and pressed him deeply into the ground below. Several cracks spread out from the icy lake as a human-sized hole was made underneath Calise¡¯s figure. The water below began to fill with a crimson red hue as a body¡ªsprouting what appeared to be icy-blue roots¡ªfloated upwards and hit against the frozen lake.

    Calise! He died¡­ for what? Because of my selfishness? Because of the chance that I believed I would have been cast away!? Valen shook his head and looked around him for Natalie; there was far too little time for him to dwell on past mistakes. Wh¡ªno! Natalie began to chant, and the figure that loomed just to the right of Valen looked towards her with a deranged look in her two, seafoam gems. Without any other course of action, he latched onto the figure¡¯s leg and looked up at them. The figure shook slightly before looking down at Valen.

    ¡°We¡¯re no harm! None of us are anything more than lowly Spirits!¡± Valen pleaded. A couple moments passed as he awaited the result of his actions. Could such few words have truly persuaded this figure?

    ¡°Who are you?¡± the figure asked, their voice feminine and rough.

    ¡°My name is Valen, miss,¡± he quickly responded.

    ¡°Speak your invocation,¡± she demanded.

    ¡°The desire to flee, to escape, and to die. Withheld glory to keep to oneself.¡± Valen looked up at the woman, hoping that it was satisfactory. A smile grew on the woman¡¯s lips; Valen shrank away in fear.

    ¡°Slight Spirit, do you like that girl?¡± the woman asked, gesturing towards Natalie, who had long quit chanting her invocation.

    ¡°I¡ªI do¡­¡± Valen said, maintaining contact with the woman¡¯s two seafoam gems.

    ¡°How valiant,¡± she said before asking, ¡°Then, do you swear that each of these people is no more than a slight Spirit?¡±

    ¡°Yes, none of these people are anything more!¡± Valen shook awkwardly and looked downwards. ¡°He was a high-Spirit.¡±

    ¡°Do you know the names Daulmin, Kharnan, Oriane, or Fhenn?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    The woman heavily scrutinized Valen before speaking, ¡°Stand up.¡±

    Valen quickly rose. Despite this, the woman still stood more than half a foot taller than him. He awaited her next words, understanding that whatever they were, they would decide the fates of him, Natalie, and everyone else in their expedition group.

    The woman leaned forward and pulled Valen to her side, guiding his head as she showed him the entirety of his expedition group as they watched him, stunned. ¡°I thought that you people were a group sent by one of my less pleasant visitors.¡±

    The woman leaned towards Valen and whispered, ¡°Each and every one of these people is indebted to you; you¡¯re a savior. Congratulations, Valen.¡±

    Valen turned and looked at her in a new light. He felt a strange allure coming from her, one that he could not explain. ¡°Could I ask¡­ what your name is?¡±

    The woman laughed briefly before saying, ¡°The few visitors I get have ended up calling me two different names. One of them is a little less than pleasant, so I¡¯ll tell you the more endearing one. Some of them refer to me as the Hyperborean Spear.¡± She could not help but laugh a little more.

    ¡°That¡¯s the more endearing of the two?¡± Valen asked; the name was more than menacing.

    ¡°I guess it''s a personal preference. Tell your companions to follow. The Hyperborean Fault is not far, but I won¡¯t linger for long.¡±