ã€ŠBy The Swordã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Live by the sword, die by the sword. That was the way I¡¯d lived for so long.

    It was an old piece of advice¡ªancient, even, depending on what version of it was being told. But it was a useful one for someone like me. I¡¯d first been told it by my father. Years and years ago when he¡¯d lain in the same bed he would end up dying in. It had been only a few short months since I¡¯d started training with the blade by then. A few short months of becoming fascinated by the art of sword-fighting, as well as using the skills I¡¯d picked up to earn some money on the side.

    My father had been proud of me. He¡¯d always put on the largest smile when I¡¯d explained this stance or that, or when I¡¯d laid out my plans of becoming a master of the art. Of becoming a Knight of Credon and protecting our kingdom more effectively than any before me. He¡¯d entertained my teenage ramblings quite well back then, and he¡¯d even believed that I would be able to do it. He¡¯d been a swordsman himself during his formative years, even if he¡¯d never been half as good as I was now, and when I¡¯d picked up the blade myself, he¡¯d passed off that ancient wisdom he¡¯d heard from rumors during his life.

    It had been the last piece of advice he¡¯d ever given me.

    If only I¡¯d known how true it was.

    That mantra repeated in my head as I stared across the path at the embodiment of decay itself. Standing out there in my field, only a few dozen paces away from me, the reaper stared right back at me. Wind billowed through its tattered black cloak; it made no effort to conceal the bleached bone underneath. All it did was balance its scythe in skeletal fingers as though taunting me to come and fight.

    I wondered why it didn¡¯t simply attack me for my ignorance. Why it didn¡¯t finish the job it had appeared for after I¡¯d ignored all of the signs. A tense pain in my chest and a sudden shortness of breath had been the only warnings I¡¯d gotten as I¡¯d walked my morning trail. But before the reaper had appeared, I¡¯d shrugged them both off. I¡¯d been stupid and short-sighted enough to allow my time to come.

    Yet the reaper just stood there, watching me.

    With my sword held at the ready in my hand, I considered whether or not it was scared. Whether or not it was doubting the frozen moment in time where its scythe would harvest my soul. Perhaps it hadn¡¯t expected me to be ready to resist, I ventured. After all, landing a strike on a swordsman of my calibre wasn¡¯t easy for anyone.

    The rational part of me didn¡¯t think that was it, though. It didn¡¯t fit with the concept of the end-bringer at all. The beast of decay was part of nature as we were told; it was integral to the cycle of the world. And while I¡¯d never entirely agreed with that interpretation¡ªespecially not after my father had been ripped away from his life¡ªit still shouldn¡¯t have had any issue with a measly swordsman and his will to live.

    Then again, I thought with a grin, the word measly hadn¡¯t described me for decades.

    I stepped forward, my foot crunching on the dirt of the path I walked almost every morning. My path, I reminded myself. The tranquil sanctuary that I¡¯d cultivated for years. I was supposed to be safe when I walked it. And I had been until it had shown up.

    A sneer broke through on my face as I continued to approach the beast. Its tattered cloak still drifted on the wind. Its scythe still balanced in silence. But as I approached its vile form, it looked up. The pallid skull fled hooded shadows into the light. It stared at me, nearly striking fear into my heart before I gritted my teeth and cemented my resolve. Before I remembered the mantra my father had told me as a child.

    The reaper stopped its scythe and raised it. It angled the ever-sharpened metal in my direction, and for a moment, I could¡¯ve sworn I saw a smile on its face. I couldn¡¯t be sure, though, as it was already charging my way.

    In an instant, my body surged into action. The reaper disappeared from its spot and struck through the air like lightning to force me down with its scythe. But as the frozen moment passed with the shriek of clashing metal, I was left standing. The resistance from its attempted strike was still fresh in my bones.

    I¡¯d parried it, I realized, on instinct and fear alone. And as I glared back at its still form once more, picking apart the details of the bone, I saw the surprise. I knew what it meant. The beast had never been parried before.

    A grin grew across my lips as I readied my blade again. Its surprise would keep the scythe at bay for the moment, but I still had to be ready. I would never let my guard down.

    And as I¡¯d expected, that surprise faded quickly before it was on me again. I watched it charge with inhuman speed, almost gliding over the ground. I only dodged with a stumble as its scythe cut right through where I¡¯d been.

    That attack had been faster than before, I noted. It had hit closer. I had to be ready.

    I furrowed my brows and felt ice-cold fire flood my veins. It signaled the onset of battle, and I took the change in stride. Feeling the burn of the sun on my skin, I stared at the beast with everything I had and only barely ducked its next attempt at my life. The blade of its scythe came down right where my head had been.

    The scythe, however, never reached my former location. Instead, it turned at the last second. But even with the turn of blade, I was ready. It was one of the oldest tricks in the book.

    I parried the hit with barely a second thought.

    Surprise returned to the beast¡¯s hooded, bleach-white face. It stared down at its unstained scythe and I had to stifle a chuckle. It didn¡¯t matter how fast it was. I would never let my guard down.

    I leapt backward, my feet already positioning themselves for the next attack. The beast growled, its tone dark enough to strike fear into any ordinary mind. But I was no ordinary mind¡ªeven at my age, I was as sharp as my blade.

    I narrowed my eyes, thrusting my sword out to the defense and ignoring the call to blunder. Its skeletal form charged me again¡ªjust as I¡¯d predicted. My lips curled slightly as I turned in the nick of time and whipped the hilt of my sword around my wrist.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The clang that rang out was one to split mountains.

    Both of our weapons fell, but I was more than ready for mine. I swept mine up in an instant and was already twisting away. A smile blossomed across my lips. I never made an attack without knowing how it would play out.

    Then, spinning back with my blade in hand, I shoved steel deep into the hooded cloak. My ears twitched at the screech¡ªthe screech of metal tearing through bone.

    As soon as I heard it, I retracted my arm. My feet pushed me backward as I brought my blade out to the defense. Looking over the serene path turned battle field, I saw too many familiar things. The ornate stone lining in the dirt. The shaded patch of trees. My humble homestead barely visible over the hills. I gritted my teeth.

    It had no right to be here, I told myself. It had no right to take me here. This was my home, world¡¯s dammit. And I would never let my guard down.

    Images flashed through my mind¡ªparries, deflects, attacks. I was ready. The power in my muscles was already responding to clean commands. But as it turned out, none of it was needed.

    The beast stood frozen in place.

    Carrying the same surprise it had shown minutes before, the reaper stared at the grass. Its ash-black robe wavered in the wind and its skeletal form stood hunched. Watching its frozen lack of movement, I relaxed my shoulders a hair. The situation was painted clear as day on its face. It had never been hit before either.

    Ragged black cloth lifted back off its head as if on wind and exposed pale white bone to the sunlight above. Its dark eyes were riddled with confusion when it turned its head to me. And as it stared at me, I was about to look, about to seal my glorious fate. But, at the last moment, I recognized the trick.

    Darkness flared out and I snapped my eyes shut. My father¡¯s proud face flashed in my mind, another one of his warnings playing back through my head.

    Never look into the face of death.

    The embodiment of decay rushed at me once again¡ªI felt it in the air. Heard it. Smelled it. Its speed was even greater than before and I only barely shook off the strike. Even with my eyes closed, with my most important sense stripped away, I would never let my guard down.

    I snapped my eyes open as I sprinted away readied for the attacks that were sure to hit my unguarded side. I waited, my ears perked and my eyes sharp, but the strikes never came.

    After about a dozen strides, I turned back to the beast, expecting to see the same dry surprise as before. I didn¡¯t. Instead, I saw the beast¡¯s cracked, white skull with the hood completely off.

    Bitterness fell on my tongue. It coated my mouth with disgust. I felt power radiating from in front of me; I felt it washing off of the bone. Simply looking into its face forced my blood to run cold. Where I¡¯d expected to see the same dry surprise as before, the same complete and utter shock, I saw confirmation of what I¡¯d assumed before. An expression more terrifying than any other.

    A smile.

    The crooked, bony grin was perfect and horrid at the same time. It spawned a sense of worry deep within me that I rejected as unnatural. I was a warrior, a swordsman, a knight¡ªI didn¡¯t have time for worry. And yet, as I felt my gaze stay frozen on the beast, the dread only deepened.

    It didn¡¯t rush at me. It didn¡¯t move to attack. It didn¡¯t even reach for its scythe. For some reason, it seemed done with the fight. But even still, I would never let my guard down.

    ¡°Impressive display,¡± it said, words reaching my ears on the wind. I hadn¡¯t seen its bony mouth move an inch.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied through gritted teeth, unconsciously getting myself in a stance.

    The beast noticed and raised a dismissive hand. ¡°There is no need for that. I have no intention of keeping this up.¡± Its voice came like the concept of decay itself, forcing me to shudder as it ate my mind alive.

    ¡°Then what do we do now?¡± I asked, keeping my gaze as harsh as nails. My fingers curled around my blade¡¯s loyal grip. I knew it was playing with me¡ªI knew it was a trick, but I would never let my guard down.

    The beast chuckled dryly. ¡°You are special.¡±

    I glared at the beast, barely avoiding its eyes. It was toying with me and I knew it. Why couldn¡¯t I take advantage? Why couldn¡¯t I just strike now? No, I told myself, dismissing the questions. It was smarter than that. It knew I wouldn¡¯t let my guard down, and it wouldn¡¯t let its guard down either.

    ¡°And?¡± was the only word I could muster in response.

    ¡°It would be a shame to let someone like you fall to the house of the dead.¡±

    My gaze lifted, brows furrowing on my face. ¡°What are you getting at?¡±

    ¡°I could give you another chance,¡± it said, the tone in its voice spawning hatred deep in my chest. Its smile all but dropped off its face as the force in its words made one thing abundantly clear.

    It was serious.

    My mind raced, remembering my younger form longing for more time by the sword. Would it really give me another chance?

    ¡°Yes,¡± it said, the dark words forcing hope out of my soul.

    ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± I asked, my words escaping as nearly a hiss.

    Its grin came back, more devilish than before. A chill ran down my spine. ¡°You will have a different body. But you will retain your mind. Life would be more a curse if I were to take that from you.¡±

    I considered the offer against all of my better judgment. The same instincts that were guiding my stance were screaming at me to stop. But, as I stared at the beast, the sunlight dancing on its cracked bone, I could find no fault in its intentions.

    ¡°What do I have to do?¡±

    Its grin grew wider. ¡°One touch and a new life is yours.¡±

    Overcome by dark, sudden, inexorable urge, I agreed. As though manipulated by some outside force, the desperation in my mind preyed on memories and won out over my doubts before I could even get a word out. The reaper appeared next to me like another shot of ashen lightning.

    Its finger approached my shoulder, cooling the air around it as it went. My grip tightened and my mind screamed, but it was already too late. The bony finger touched my skin and my body filled with an unnatural cold.

    My mind burned. My bones froze in place. And I experienced the most agonizing second of the rest of my life before everything went black.

    <hr>

    A jolt of motion startled me up from my slumber. I twisted my head, feeling only the most distant of pain. Everything was numb. A cold, unfamiliar haze draped over my mind. I stared into the black, barely wishing for the ability to feel again, and my wish was unfortunately granted.

    My body snapped up. A frigid wind crashed against my face, sending shivers down my spine and a howl through my ears. In a second, everything came back and my mind spun through images. New mixed with old and familiar with foreign as my mind swirled, but I couldn¡¯t stop any of it. I clenched my jaw and just waited for it to stop. And yet, as soon as it did, one thought was left, one that forced my lips into a smile. The beast hadn¡¯t lied.

    When I opened my eyes, I hopedto see my land, my humble homestead. I hopedto see my fields, the rows of crops that I was no longer required to tend. I hopedto see my wife, the beautiful face that just barely escaped me. But the eyes that only vaguely felt like my own were met with a completely different sight.

    All around me, spinning in the wind as if just to mock me for my choices, was a dark forest that I couldn¡¯t recognize for my life. Feeling the horrid cold cut deeper, the smile faded from my face.

    I forced myself up, feeling soreness in my bones. My muscles felt hollow. My arms felt shorter. My legs felt¡­ different. Everything about me just felt frail, as if on the brink of death. And as I sat up on whatever rock my body had been strewn across, I felt a sharp pain cut a deep pit through my stomach.

    My head started to spin again, the foreign feelings of thoughts, worries, and pains all coming back at once. As the waves all passed, they were replaced with regret that was only my own. I shivered in pain, the truth cementing in my mind.

    This wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d wanted. It wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d wanted at all. I closed my eyes¡ªif they even were my eyes¡ªand shook my head, trying to force it all away. But my efforts felt useless as the world set in around me and one horrible thought echoed in my head.

    I¡¯d let my guard down.

 Chapter 2

    The cold wind nearly shredded me.

    My thin body wavered in the sharp breeze like paper just waiting to be cut, and I wanted to close my eyes through all of it. I wanted my nightmare to be over. But, forcing my eyes open as wide as they would go, I pushed on. I had to find shelter, a town, anything. My second chance was ruined if I died again. In this body, even with all my knowledge, I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the beast for a second time.

    The wind smacked my face as if taunting me for my pain. I pressed right through it. My eyes scanned the trees, catching only brief glimpses of movement between the dark, gnarled forms. I grimaced, pulling up my resolve in a desperate attempt to mask the pain.

    My body, once a formidable force in the land, was now weak and frail. The weakness of it stung me to the bone with each step on the path. My right hand uselessly twitched in air, grasping for a sword that wasn¡¯t there. I cringed again, forcing myself to focus on thoughts instead of agony. The events of it all swirled through my head.

    How could I have been so stupid? Why had I agreed? Had the beast manipulated my mind? The entire encounter now just seemed fuzzy, like a distant memory that still hurt far too much. What had I been thinking? The prospect had seemed so good at the time.

    Pushing back thoughts, I walked on with clenched fists and keen eyes at the ready. If I was to die, to be tricked into a second death, I wasn¡¯t going to allow it. The beast wouldn¡¯t get the better of me. It had tricked me without lying and that burned like a wound in my side. But it wasn¡¯t the lie that burned, it was that I fact that I¡¯d fallen for it. I¡¯d been weak. I¡¯d let my guard down.

    My feet quickened their pace, fueled on by my anger. I would not succumb to the mere will of death; I was better than that. My whole life I¡¯d trained with the sword. I¡¯d become the best in the land. None had been able to challenge my might. I was stronger than the best of the knights, faster than any ranger in the woods, and more powerful than the most coveted of mages. I¡¯d worked my whole life¡ªtraining, working, building my life. Even in my old age, I was the best of the best.

    And I¡¯d fallen for a trick.

    My stick legs carried me down the winding forest path. I ignored it their screams for relief. As I tried to scour the trees, stray locks of brown hair fell in front of my gaze. My eyes widened as I pushed it out of the way. That hair that wasn¡¯t my own¡ªit was just another reminder of my mistake.

    But before my rage could cloud judgement again, something else caught my eye. Something much less natural than the shades of green waving in the shadows, but something that filled me with hope.

    A light.

    Beyond the next bend in the path, beyond the dark forms of the trees, I recognized the perfect orange glow of firelight. It was a signal of deliverance. My home flashed in my head, its beautiful fireplace crackling softly on a winter night. I bit down hard, pushing the memory away. That didn¡¯t matter right now; I wouldn¡¯t get to go back there anyway, so I had no need for the image. Salvation was near.

    I picked up my pace, cutting through the air like the sharpest of blades. My feet pounded on dirt, thankfully not missing a step, and I clenched my fist as I pushed on. My body swiveled awkwardly, turning at the bend.

    Beautiful firelight warmed my eyes.

    It looked so sweet, so delicate, so innocent. It was a beacon of safety that split the night like the halo of an angel coming down to save me from my suffering.

    My eyes focused on the flame and watched it in detail. Each fiery tendril and each crackling spark as it put up resistance against the wind. It was being produced by a torch, I noticed, on the front of a building. I couldn¡¯t make out what the building was, but that fact didn¡¯t matter. The possibility of safety held me up.

    I pushed my legs to run, slicing through the cold with abandon. If I could get inside, I would be safe. That fact echoed loud and clear. Legs screamed and muscles burned, bringing back a painful feeling I hadn¡¯t truly felt in years. My body needed rest¡ªI needed rest, and it was so close.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    As the building rushed toward me, I finally recognized what it was. An old tavern with a red sign on it, the paint cracked and worn. It wasn¡¯t large, and it definitely didn¡¯t look busy, but I didn¡¯t care. It would be warm and it would have food.

    The tavern¡¯s form filled my vision as I neared it, my muscles on the verge of giving out. I clenched my fist tight, stabbing myself with cold pain, and I forced out a breath. My lungs burned with chill, and all I wanted to do was collapse right there.

    But eventually, I made it.

    Stumbling up the porch and straining myself just to stay stable, I pushed in the door. My legs buckled under me and I dropped to the floor. I hit the wood with a painful thud that warmed my heart simply because of the fact that it sounded on wood. My face skidded on a carpet and I sprawled myself out, taking advantage of the newfound comfort and heat. I¡¯d made it.

    A grin grew on my new face as I realized what I¡¯d done. I¡¯d bested the beast. When it had tried to reap my soul, I¡¯d warded off his attacks. And when it had tried to trick me again, I¡¯d still come out alive.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± a voice asked, firm and bewildered. It split through the soft crackling of fire, colliding with my ears like a chariot and ripping me from my thoughts.

    What? I wanted to ask as I lifted my gaze. My mouth opened a sliver, but no sound came out. Even the small patch of breath that slipped from my lips seared my insides, causing me to press my lips shut.

    The creaking of wood rang out through the room in complete clarity as a large form walked over to me. A bushy beard draped over a soft face filled my vision.

    The large barkeep, with sweat on his brow and what looked like food stains on his shirt, looked down at my embarrassment of a body. As soon as he noticed my daze and my starved body though, all anger faded from his face. The large, gruffly man picked me up off his rug, guiding me with strong hands, and sat me down on a barstool. I didn¡¯t resist; I couldn¡¯t have if I¡¯d wanted to. Despite walking only for less than an hour, all my energy was gone.

    My eyelids grew heavy as I rested my head on the bar. All of the tension slowly bled from my bones, taunting me with sleep. But the tavern keep wasn¡¯t having any of it. He lifted my head up, forcing me to look into his blue eyes, and placed a bowl of soup in front of me. I looked at him in confusion, disoriented by tiredness. He only nodded back, his beard bobbing in my vision as he pointed to the bowl.

    Recognition flashed in my head, the simple concept finally making sense. My face flushing red, I nodded a quick thanks. The smell of the bowl filled my nose. A hearty stew, from what I could tell¡ªthick broth filled with what I instantly recognized as beef and other random vegetables. My mind flashed back to the feasts of pure elegance that I¡¯d eaten in my king¡¯s court. The perfectly prepared dishes that had been lined up one-by-one. Bread, stew, pastries. My tongue twitched at the memory. What was sitting in front of me now couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the king¡¯s feast, but was definitely good enough.

    I hadn¡¯t realized how hungry I¡¯d been until I started eating, my mouth working faster than my mind. But apparently, my stomach had been empty because before I knew it, the stew was gone. Its warm elixir filled my stomach, swirling with the flavors that were but shadows on my tongue.

    The wooden spoon clattered softly in the bowl, confirming that I¡¯d finished my meal. I looked up. The now-smiling barkeep stared at me with warm eyes. For the entire time, he¡¯d let me eat in peace. But, as soon as I was done, he took the empty bowl out of my way and finally asked another question.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, the gruffly voice reminding me of my father. I winced at the memory, finding the image of him further out of reach than it should¡¯ve been. I shook my head, chalking it all up to exhaustion before returning to the question. For most of my life, I would¡¯ve answered easily. But as my stomach rumbled, despite being already filled with an entire bowl of stew, I found it difficult to find words.

    I shook my head lightly, not having the courage to speak. The barkeep nodded. He grasped the empty bowl, walked into a back room, and came back within seconds holding another steaming bowl of the brew. He raised it to me. My eyes tracked it greedily. And as soon as he placed the bowl down, I was on it like a starved wolf hunting its prey.

    Again, I picked up the spoon and shoveled food straight into my mouth. I gulped it down readily, filling my stomach anew. The feeling was blissful as I sat there, realizing how nice it was to simply sit and eat¡ªto truly be in peace. But this time, the barkeep had more to say.

    ¡°So what¡¯s your story?¡± he asked, the smile on his lips obvious before I¡¯d even raised my gaze. I stared at his face, so full of life and care. And before I knew it, my lips had curled into a dry smile. How was I supposed to answer that question? Even after living a life of fantastical journeys and achievement, my story seemed a little far-fetched for the likes of a humble barkeep.

    I offered a shrug as I found my voice. ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I said, hoping that he would take it and leave me alone. But that didn¡¯t happen. He persisted.

    The barkeep looked me right in the face as the smile on his face only grew wider. ¡°I¡¯ve got time.¡±

 Chapter 3

    I really did go on for much longer than I needed to. The story just poured out of me, detail by detail. Over the next few bowls of soup, the tavern keep heard my whole life story.

    I told him of my interests, the wondrous curiosity that had pervaded my youth. I told him of my home, the one I¡¯d still owned when my time had come. The one that had taught me everything I knew. I told him about my quests that I¡¯d taken as odd-jobs just to make enough money to afford a sword. I told him of my training, about how the Knights of Credon had taken notice of me. I¡¯d never have forgotten that day; it was burned into my memory.

    I still remembered their reactions when I¡¯d bested their combatants. I remembered their pure, awe-stricken faces clearly even if their names were¡­ strangely out of reach. They hadn¡¯t wanted to accept that a teenage boy could dance better with a sword than well-trained knights, but I¡¯d damn sure made them. The sweet memory danced in my head as the story poured out. In all of my life, I¡¯d seen few things sweeter than the look of principled admiration on my king¡¯s face as he¡¯d knighted me for the first time.

    I could tell the barkeep didn¡¯t believe me as I went on about my experiences as a knight, as I almost bragged about my accomplishments. But really, it didn¡¯t matter. I couldn¡¯t have stopped myself if I¡¯d wanted, and he didn¡¯t even question me at any point. He didn¡¯t even flinch when I told him about my fight with the reaper itself. He just kept nodding along, listening intently to the crazy homeless man that had just stumbled into his tavern.

    ¡°So Death gave you a second chance?¡± he asked, the question forcing a smile onto my face.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied. I knew that he thought I was crazy, and I couldn¡¯t blame him. I was weak, hungry, and draped in clothes more comparable to rags. My story really didn¡¯t make much sense. And yet, none of that mattered to him; he¡¯d listened anyway.

    The barkeep flashed me a smile and humored me for a while longer. ¡°So what is the mighty Agil going to do now?¡± He rolled his hand, raising it up into the air in an overly dramatic fashion. Normally I would¡¯ve scowled, the sarcasm acting as a threat to my reputation. But his tone was so light that I barely even noticed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said with a chuckle before the unfamiliar pang of uncertainty stabbed me in the gut. My shoulders slumped as it all set in at once. I really didn¡¯t know what I was going to do.

    When I¡¯d been walking, I¡¯d been so single-minded. I¡¯d just wanted to get out of the forest alive. But now, in a warm tavern with a full stomach¡ªin a place where my life wasn¡¯t at risk¡­ I was at a loss. My home was gone, ripped away by the mindless reaper. My body was gone, stripped from me by the bringer of end. My life was gone, now too far out of my reach because of my own stupid actions. What did I even have to do now?

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re going to want to take revenge on Death huh?¡± the barkeep asked, chuckling. I blinked at him, shaking my head slightly and furrowing my brow.

    Taking revenge on death? Could I even do that? The prospect was daunting, seemingly impossible, and I didn¡¯t even know if it was what I wanted. Though, then again¡­ what did I want?

    The answer to my question came in an instant, emerging as an island of certainty among a sea of increasing chaos. It was the same thing I¡¯d wanted ever since I¡¯d been a boy. It was what drove me to wield a blade, to master it and its every art.

    I wanted to be the best.

    For my entire life, I¡¯d worked hard, spending every ounce of my time working toward what I saw as my perfect life. And yet, even after achieving what I thought came as close as I could get, I¡¯d still been beaten by a beast. I¡¯d still been beaten by the reaper, the end of all things. The fact still stung. I wasn¡¯t the best.

    At once, a fire ignited inside me, stoked my a force foreign to me. It was the fire of passion, the fire that pushed me on to take the impossible and make it bow before my sword. I wanted to be the best. The beast had tricked me¡ªit had kicked me off the pedestal I¡¯d spent my whole life building up. All with a simple trick. But it had also given me a second chance¡ªa second chance that would be its greatest undoing. A second chance to be the best.

    I didn¡¯t even notice the grin growing on my face; I was too lost in thought. But I knew the barkeep saw it as he snapped at me, the sound lifting me out of my stupor. The bearded, sympathetic man looked on me with concern and my grin lowered a hair. I ran my hand¡ªif I could even call it that yet¡ªthrough my new brown hair.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, remembering his question. My voice was but a shadow of the true passion I felt. ¡°I suppose I do want to take revenge.¡±

    The barkeep smiled back and nodded to me. Even if I was just a crazy person to him, just a bum off the street, he still understood. He looked at me again, his eyes exploring with indescribable interest, and took the empty bowl from the bar. He turned around in a huff, filling my vision with the pale blue shirt draped over his shoulders before disappearing entirely off into the back room.

    With his leave, I was left at the counter in a room threatened by silence. All I could hear was the faint crackling of the fire behind me. I relished in the sound. I felt its warmth, letting it melt the worries from my mind. My eyes drooped, the worry giving way to an exhaustion that I¡¯d been ignoring. The white-hot fire of passion I¡¯d felt moments before dwindled, fading from my mind. I dropped my chin on the counter and thought of sleep, almost giving in to it right there on the bar.

    The tavernkeep barged back into the room, a loud creak accompanying his entrance. I snapped up, shaken by the sudden noise.

    ¡°Do you have a room I can stay in?¡± I blurted out, my voice filled with desperate sincerity. In my tired state, it was the only thing I had.

    He nodded, walking out from behind the wooden bar and up the tavern¡¯s small set of stairs. I let out a small breath, pulling up whatever dregs of strength I could still find. And I followed after him.

    He brought me up the old wooden stairs that creaked with every step and into a small hallway. The hall cut deep into the inn, revealing a plethora of rooms housed within. My smile grew wider as I stared at the doors, the prospect of sleep closer than ever before. The gruff man huffed as he stopped at the second door and took out a key from his pocket. The metal jingle rang out in my ears¡ªa pleasant sound that made my foreign heart flutter¡ªand he unlocked the door. Wood swung inward with a creak and revealed an old, cramped space. At once, a musty, unused smell attacked my nose, but I didn¡¯t care. The barkeep¡¯s gesture for me to enter was all I needed.

    I nodded a quick thanks and let my feet push me through the door, the squeaking of the floor under me acting as my introduction to space. I pressed in further, immediately finding the only thing that mattered. I completely ignored the scratchy rug and the wooden dresser and the blight-ridden desk. None of it mattered. I¡¯d found the bed.

    My body collapsed in an instant as I came up to the covers. Arms flailed wildly as I grasped at the sheets. The not-so-smooth cloth felt like heaven on my skin. I flopped my head on the pillow, feeling the softness coddle my body. My eyes slipped shut, releasing all the tension I¡¯d still been holding in. And, before I¡¯d even noticed, my body drifted off to sleep.

    <hr>

    The sun shined down on my face, dousing me in lush, yellow-orange light. Brushing a hand through my hair, I watched the thin blond locks fall through my fingers. I felt warmth on my face, perfect, intricate warmth that I knew I¡¯d only ever feel here.

    And glancing around, I watched the slow spring wind follow our simple dirt trail out to the fields. The grass, the wheat, the corn. It all wavered perfectly in the slight breeze. I took a deep breath, smelling the fresh, natural air around me.

    ¡°Agil!¡± a voice called from behind me. It rang sweet in my ears, reminding me of a place somehow even more intimate than my home. It was a voice I would¡¯ve followed through the widest plain, the densest forest, the most desolate desert. I would¡¯ve followed that voice through hell, using only the mere sound of it to push me on. No matter where I went, or what I had to do to get there, if I followed that voice, my destination would always be worth it.

    Turning around, I watched the door to our home shut as my wife came out onto the path. The sight alone distracted me from everything. Her brown hair was done in braids¡ªprobably the work of a palace girl¡ªand it was decorated sparsely with flowers. I smiled at her, offering the same long smile that tried to replicate just how she made me feel.

    ¡°Lynn,¡± I said. My wife¡¯s name felt like honey on my tongue. ¡°Are you out here to appreciate the scene as I am?¡± She smiled at me, the subtle wind blowing a strand of brown hair in front of her face. She fixed it quickly, but I didn¡¯t miss the red entering at her cheeks.

    Our homestead was large. I couldn¡¯t have denied that if I¡¯d tried. But all things considered, it was modest. With all of my accomplishments¡ªbeing the greatest swordsman in the land had its perks, after all¡ªI could¡¯ve had almost anything. If I¡¯d wanted, I could¡¯ve had one of the mansion buildings in the city that towered over the rest, only topped in height by the king¡¯s palace itself.

    But none of that had mattered to me when I¡¯d picked our house, and it didn¡¯t matter to me now. The simple, sweeping design of our wooden roof was merely a background to the much more beautiful sight walking over to me.

    ¡°You¡¯re off for your morning walk?¡± Lynn asked. I nodded to her with a chuckle. She knew me too well.

    ¡°Of course. My duties have slowed down enough that if I didn¡¯t do these every morning, I¡¯d just be sitting inside all day.¡±

    ¡°Is that such a bad thing?¡± she asked, the slightest laugh in her voice. I stepped toward her, tilting my head.

    ¡°I would love nothing more than to lay with you in bed as the sun made its cycles, day after day.¡± My words made her blush, the slight red color complimenting her hazel eyes. ¡°But I still have status here. I can¡¯t let myself waste away with the king able to call me at any time of the day.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Lynn draped her arm over my shoulder. ¡°You could retire.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°I¡¯m still at the king¡¯s beck and call, m¡¯lady. Could you imagine what would happen if the king lost that option?¡±

    She laughed at my confidence. I only smiled more. From anyone else, I would¡¯ve taken offense; I would¡¯ve looked them in the eye and reminded them of just who I was. But with her, it was different.

    ¡°The world might end,¡± she said, rolling her eyes playfully. ¡°Everything around us would die if that happened.¡± Her voice distorted for a second, going to a much lower tone than before as she rolled over the word die. A sharp pang hit at the bottom of my stomach, filling me with a dread that made me double-take.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that it could be catastrophic for the kingdom.¡± Her voice returned to normal. ¡°What is the king to do without Agil the Great, at his beck and call?¡± The burning of my ears was enough to melt all dread away, the little epithet she¡¯d added to my name making me almost too flustered to think.

    ¡°You build me up too much,¡± I started. ¡°Give yourself more credit my dear.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± she teased. ¡°You can build yourself up enough all on your own.¡± She smirked at me. Or, she made her best effort. No matter how hard she tried, she could never really smirk, only offer a sort of tilted smile. Her teasing had the same effect either way.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll build you up as well.¡± I pulled her closer to me. ¡°We both save lives, you know.¡±

    Lynn blushed, her eyes immediately starting to glare with embarrassment. ¡°You know that¡¯s not fair!¡±

    ¡°I disagree,¡± I said. ¡°Apothecaries save lives all the time.¡±

    Lynn¡¯s smile tilted again. A wild intent danced in her eyes, one just barely tinged at the back with something I didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. You end lives just as much as you save them, you know.¡±

    I opened my mouth, a retort ready at my lips. I wanted to defend my honor, to tell her how much I truly didn¡¯t like killing and how I only did it for the common good. But she¡¯d heard it all before. And before the first sound even escaped my lips, words were cut off by her lips pressed against mine.

    My eyes widened in an instant. Lynn¡¯s kiss was soft and quick, but it was exactly what I¡¯d needed. The surprised look on my face was nothing compared to the absolute peace that followed. On her lips I tasted fruit¡ªsomehow¡ªjust like always¡­ but there was also something else.

    As soon as our lips parted, an unfamiliar taste settled on my tongue. Something bitter and gross, as if I¡¯d tasted decay itself. I scraped my tongue on the top of my mouth and winced at the taste. Then, swallowing hard in hope of washing it away, I only got bile rising in my throat. I swallowed again, forcing the bile down. A pang of painful dread stung my stomach again as I settled. I almost spat the taste out of my mouth.

    ¡°Lynn? What the¡ª¡° I started, my question furious. I was stopped by her face. With the way she stared at me, her innocent hazel eyes peering into my soul, I couldn¡¯t have snapped at her. The horrible bitter taste faded from my tongue, leaving only the faint, sweet taste that I¡¯d always known.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked. Her eyebrows angled upward and her hand gripped harder on my shoulder.

    ¡°N-Nothing, dear,¡± was all I could muster. Nothing else I could¡¯ve said would have made any sense. After all, what was I supposed to say? Was I supposed to continue with my question, asking why her kiss, which usually tasted sweeter than a plum, made my mouth want to die? No, I couldn¡¯t do that.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Lynn replied, not fully convinced. I smiled at her. She smiled back. ¡°So when are you thinking of heading off?¡±

    I scanned back over to the fields as wind brushed my tunic. The fields of crops, still growing before harvest, and the rolling hills that came after. Even the city, its large monumental walls some of the most impressive I¡¯d ever seen, was far in the distance. I could¡¯ve stared out at the scene for ages.

    ¡°In a bit,¡± I said absently. My right hand fell over the sword on my waist, its presence calming every single thought in my mind. ¡°Right now, I¡¯d rather just watch the world. Just you and me.¡±

    She smiled. I didn¡¯t see it, but I knew that she did. From the corner of my eye, I could see her stepping forward and pressing herself beside me. ¡°Of course.¡±

    And so that¡¯s what we did. The two of us stood there, feeling the warmth of the sun and the brisk cold of the wind, as we stared out at the impossibly quaint scene in front of us. A weight settled on my shoulder. The strands of brown hair spreading out in the corner of my eye told me exactly what it was.

    My lips curled up. ¡°I love you, Lynn.¡±

    A sharp breath followed by a giggle was the response I got as Lynn picked her head up and stared at me. I didn¡¯t look back, waiting for the three magical words to come out of her mouth. I¡¯d heard them before, of course. At the dawn of the day after our twelfth date. On the beautiful day of our wedding. On the night my mother had died. I¡¯d heard those three words from her more times than I could count, but that didn¡¯t matter at all. They were still all worth it each and every time.

    I focused on her at the edge of my vision. I saw the tilted smile, the long gaze, the slight blush on her cheek. But I didn¡¯t turn her way. Not until I heard the words.

    After a few more seconds of silence that I knew she couldn¡¯t bear, I saw strawberry color growing in her cheeks. She threw up her hands, pulling closer to me.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she spat with no malice in her voice. ¡°Agil, I love y¡ª¡°

    My vision flashed black and everything around me went cold. For a moment, I heard the familiar shrieking sound of metal scraping on metal, and I tried to turn toward it. My body went numb, responding blankly to the spinning world¡ªa spinning world that I only saw once it was far, far too late.

    Suddenly, my sight came back and the numbness receded. I felt my hand clutched tightly on the blade by my side. The light blinded my eyes, keeping the truth of the new cold world from me for another second. And when I finally saw that truth, I damn-near almost fell to my knees.

    Lynn¡¯s body was wilted, matching the now-decaying flowers in her hair as she sprawled on the ground. My eyes widened and my breathing accelerated, thoughts spinning in my head. Scanning over her body, I saw the singular, impossible bloodstain that ripped all the way down her dress. My legs started to shake, threatening to buckle. And my eyes froze on her face, the beautiful, lively face of my wife laid in all too permanent peace while the light drained from her eyes.

    ¡°Lynn?¡± I found myself asking into the air. My hand trembled on my blade; a fear stronger than I¡¯d ever felt before struck itself straight to my core. ¡°Lynn?¡±

    My words fell on dead ears, something I found nearly impossible to accept. The air around me got colder, freezing itself on my skin as new fire pumped through my veins. My mind raced. My muscles tensed. But no matter what, I couldn¡¯t move. All I could do was stare at the death of the woman I loved as the countryside around me froze in its wake.

    ¡°Lynn!¡± a voice screamed. I barely recognized it as my own.

    A chill raced down my spine, one colder than the air around me in another act of impossibility. I felt a presence behind me, staring greedily at my back. Somehow, I found it in myself to turn.

    ¡°She will not respond to your cries,¡± the beast said, my vision filling with its tattered black robe contrasting heavily on its bleach-white bone. The air only grew colder, but I found the warmth to draw my blade.

    ¡°Give her back,¡± I ordered. It only chuckled at me. I averted my gaze, only barely avoiding the darkness in its eyes as I held my blade. The scene behind me burned itself onto the back of my eyes.

    A second of silence passed. That was all the time I allowed before lunging at the beast.

    A flurry of movement took my muscles by storm as I pushed through the frozen air. My blade came down with more power than should¡¯ve been possible and my feet were already moving away. All of my thoughts screeched to a halt in my mind, one singular feeling consolidating as the one and only truth.

    Revenge.

    The horribly familiar shriek of metal and the tremors spreading out through my arm told me my strike had connected. But not with its bone. I rushed away, my feet beating on the dirt as I navigated a terrain I¡¯d trained on thousands of times. My brow furrowed. My grip tightened. I turned around and¡ª

    Pain.

    Unbelievable, inconceivable pain took my body. Everything went numb for a second, leaving only aftershocks bouncing in my skull, but feeling soon came back. And as I felt the horrible metal scythe ripping through my back, I just wished that the numbness had stayed.

    I stared it in the face, my now-lazy eyes searching over the bony surface for any explanation. I found none. Only the lifeless, terrifying gaze of the embodiment of decay.

    ¡°Not good enough,¡± was the last thing I heard before all thoughts died. Before the pain became too great and my vision faded into black.

    <hr>

    I woke with a start, cold sweat dripping down my back. I coughed, breathing hard as I sat up in the lumpy bed. My hand shook. For a moment, I wondered why, wondered what I must¡¯ve done to myself. Then, as a shadow of pain raced down my spine, it all came back. I grimaced, closing my eyes as the images played back on my eyelids. My heartbeat grew until the sound filled my ears.

    I snapped my eyes open and tried to force my body to be still. A ray of sunlight entered my vision, barely catching my eye as I looked over the room. The scraggly sheets, the lumpy bed, the unorganized desk that I knew wasn¡¯t mine. My breathing slowed as I remembered what had really happened¡ªwhere I really was. The truth of it all stuck out and lifted a million-pound weight off my shoulders.

    It was a dream.

    The thought repeated, making itself as clear as possible to my addled mind as I stayed sprawled under the sheets. Slowly, my muscles relaxed and my heartbeat slowed back down. The worries of my dream faded into the back of my mind, leaving only the worries of my true situation to fill the void. But I¡¯d already stressed over those. Those were worries that could actually be addressed.

    And as I felt the ache in my back from lying far too long in the lumpy bed, I decided to address them. I had to get up.

    After a couple more seconds, I pushed the covers off and got out of the bed. As soon as my feet touched the floor, I felt unstable. The world wobbled around me, tilting and shaking every few moments while I tried to regain my balance. Feeling the lack of muscle that I¡¯d felt before, I knew one thing. I wasn¡¯t used to my new legs.

    Eventually finding my stance, I stumbled out into the hallway and made my way down the stairs. The crackling fire was still going, or it had been restarted¡ªbut either way, it felt good. I blinked my groggy eyes, flicking them across the peacefully still room. From what I could tell, absolutely nobody was around.

    The tables were empty. The bar was barren. The tavern looked like a wasteland. So, not knowing what else to do, I plopped myself down on one of the stools and waited. The barkeep had to be around here somewhere.

    Then, as if on cue, the burly, bearded man barged out of a wooden door behind the bar holding a plate of food. He noticed me and moved in an instant, placing the plate on the counter before my face.

    ¡°Good morning, sir Agil,¡± he said. I smiled at the light sarcasm. ¡°I do hope you slept well. I prepared a breakfast for you and some supplies you¡¯ll need before you head into town.¡±

    Town? My eyes widened briefly. Did he want me to leave already? I was still getting adjusted to my own body, and I didn¡¯t even know where town was.

    The cheery man saw my expression and assured me. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, I¡¯m not kicking you out. I just thought that you¡¯d want to get going as quickly as possible. Sarin is just up the road anyhow.¡± He smiled at me once again, nodding to the food on the bar.

    His smile was infectious. I almost wanted to stay in the tavern forever. But that just wouldn¡¯t do. The barkeep was right, after all. I didn¡¯t want to stay. I had more important things to do and some things to seriously figure out. Things that I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to accomplish if I stayed in a lonely inn forever.

    I showed the barkeep a weak nod. He left again, pushing open the creaky door on his way into the back room. I looked down at my food¡ªa couple of pieces of bread and some warm, nondescript meat. It wasn¡¯t the royal food that I¡¯d grown accustomed to in my later years, but I was hungry, so it would have to do.

    I picked up one of the pieces of bread and I started eating.

    By the time the barkeep had come back, I¡¯d eaten more than half of the plate while my stomach roared in agreement. Apparently the meal I¡¯d had the previous night hadn¡¯t been enough to satisfy my body¡¯s desperate needs. And the more I ate, the hungrier I seemed to get. As I chewed on with greed, finishing yet another piece of the wonderful sliced bread the barkeep had placed right on the bar, the man dumped supplies out on the counter. I took the time to glance up, the strange assortment of goods stopping me in my tracks A plain brown pair of slacks, a slightly-too-big white tunic, and a leather bag. And, I noticed with a curl of my lip, there was a small curved dagger too.

    ¡°Something wrong with the knife?¡± the barkeep asked, noticing my hesitation. I swallowed the food still in my mouth and squinted.

    ¡°No,¡± I offered. ¡°It¡¯s just not my¡­ weapon of choice.¡±

    The man raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then what would you rather have?¡±

    A smile sprouted on my face, the image rising up in my mind. I looked up at the large man and grinned wildly before he could even react. ¡°Do you have a spare sword?

 Chapter 4

    My legs burned.

    A groan slipped between my lips, instantly masked by the brisk wind. My once-tight grip loosened on the small and ineffective shortsword sheathed by my side. And the groan only rang louder as I felt the growing burn in my feet while I marched. Shaking my head uselessly to rid myself of fatigue, I was continuously met with a frustrating truth.

    My body couldn¡¯t keep up.

    Even while walking the supposedly short distance to the nearest town, I was already slowing down. My muscles, once powerful and resilient, now got tired too easily and wound down with each passing second. There was nothing I could do. The experience didn¡¯t make sense to me. My mind, conditioned to control and react to the body I¡¯d once called my own, was stuck. Each time I tried to go faster¡ªto break into a run or even a slightly faster jog, I was met with resistance. Either my breathing was too heavy, or my muscles began to ache, or my legs were too short¡ªit was a different problem every time. But no matter what I tried, my mind just spun in confusion, failing to understand the feeble vessel it had been paired with.

    After the first half-hour of walking, my muscles started to falter and my frustration became unbearable. It made sense to me that I should¡¯ve been able to push on¡ªthat I should¡¯ve been able to make the trip without stopping, but the curse of exhaustion begged to differ. I huffed, puffing my chest out for a moment to emulate my previously attainable stature, but it did no good. The air just burned at the inside of my lungs and my body once again screamed to stop. So, reluctantly accepting the truth that exhaustion was pounding into my brain, I set out to stop.

    I slowed my walk to a crawl and pushed frustration away before sitting down on a small rock. My head pounded for a second, sending me yet another warning about just how tired I was. I nodded to no one, taking the hint and letting myself slump into rest.

    Seconds bled on, one into the next as I sat on that rock. My heartbeat slowed and my breathing lightened up after a time. But my muscles still ached, and I had no intention of angering them again. The passion and resolve I¡¯d built up back in the tavern was still there, but uselessly sitting around, I felt¡­ bored.

    As exhaustion gave way to lethargy, my gaze wandered from the ground. Before I knew it, I was scanning the world around me. And only shortly after that, my eyes widened in wonder. The world around me was¡­ stunning. Maybe it was the euphoria of rest, or maybe it was just my fresh eyes, but the landscape I¡¯d stopped before looked more beautiful than most of the things I¡¯d seen in the entirety of my past life.

    Right in front of me, only a few paces away, was the stone-lined dirt path that I¡¯d been walking all morning. If I squinted my eyes, I could still see where the path met up with that tavern and the forest past it in the distance. Beyond the dirt path, though, was a wide and flat plain that seemed to extend for thousands of paces. It was filled with tall grasses, sparse trees, and crop fields from farms scattered around. Almost exactly like a sight I would¡¯ve seen in the rural parts of my home kingdom.

    But¡­ no, it wasn¡¯t. It almost looked like that, but it was clearly different as well. The plains were wider and less hilly than any of the ones I would¡¯ve found in my old life, and the farmhouses were more scattered¡ªless tied together by organization. The tall grasses of the fields were unkept and badly managed, as if they¡¯d been able to just grow wild for eons. And there were large, sharp jutting rocks that stuck out of the ground at random, forming some incomprehensible pattern among the green.

    It looked serene, like the scene of a painting my father would¡¯ve bought, but something about it was wrong. The plains felt¡­ chaotic. Tumultuous just past the point of untenability. There was no rhyme or reason to the growth or to the farms built on top of them. It was as if it had been designed just past the cusp of beauty, but just past the cusp of insanity as well.

    As my gaze lifted higher, moving over the messy grass, I saw something new on the horizon. Just past where the last slivers of grass fled out into the distance, mountains grew right from the void. From where I sat on my rock, I could only see the top halves of the mountains, solid snow-tipped peaks extending high into the sky. And they¡­ they looked beautiful as well, jutting through clouds like ancient guards keeping watch over the chaos below.

    Wind ruffled my hair, sending strands of unfamiliar brown down into my eyes. I blinked away the scene, squinting at myself before I realized yet again. My hand was pushing the chestnut locks back up onto my head before the question could even slip out between my lips. I felt strain in my hand, the exhaustion in my bones having spread there, too. My eyes drooped as the tiredness crept right back up.

    I was awake, and that was nothing if not a good thing, but one night¡¯s rest didn¡¯t cure months of mistreatment. My new body was still frail¡ªdespite its young appearance¡ªand it still ached like I¡¯d been lifting boulders for days. Feeling the heaviness in my eyes, I could¡¯ve gone to sleep right there. I shook my head instead and snapped my eyes open, forcing myself to be alert.

    I had to stay vigilant, I reminded myself. There was no time for me to sleep. The town¡ªSarin, the barkeep had called it¡ªwas waiting. I had to get there for answers. When I got there, I¡¯d see the town¡¯s local lord, and I¡¯d be back on my way to Credon in no time at all.

    I straightened my back, snapping my eyes to their full width as I tried to stay focused.

    But something was¡­ off. Sitting on the rock and trying to keep myself alert, I felt something strange inside my mind. Deep inside my mind. No matter how awake I felt or how much rest I¡¯d gotten, it still slept. Some part of me, deep in the back of my consciousness, stayed dormant, refusing to come see the light like a well-fed creature walled in for the winter.

    My eyes narrowed, trying to stare at the inside of my brain. I¡¯d noticed it before, I realized as sleep-hazed memories rose up. After I¡¯d woken up in the tavern. Only a few long hours ago. I¡¯d felt that part of me still sleeping. Back then, I¡¯d chalked it up to nothing more than residual fatigue or the unfamiliarity of my own body. But now, forcing myself to be awake, I couldn¡¯t feel that same way. I couldn¡¯t¡ª

    A bird screeched behind me, tearing the quiet air into pieces and my mind back to the present. I whipped my head around, clutching the hilt of my sword. The world spun in a blur around me as I twisted, but once I got there, what I saw was quite marvelous.

    A hitch caught in my throat as my sharp new eyes were met with another sight too foreign to really understand. A ways away from me, a large bird sat on the top of a jutting rock. Its feathers were a bright, dazzling green that sparkled in the sunlight and radiated an almost regal kind of power. The feathers played down its body, mixing and mingling into an impressive pattern of different shades that mesmerized my eyes.

    Its claws were sharp and golden. Its head was held high in a sweeping, defined shape. And its eyes were the same color of pure gold, staring right at me.

    I jerked my head back for a second, surprised by the glare of the bird. Its golden eyes looked intimidating, stirring something within me that I couldn¡¯t quite define. My hand twitched over the shortsword sheathed by my side. But for some reason, I didn¡¯t take it out.

    The bird tilted its head at me, causing my hands to relax even more. Its royal feathers ruffled in the wind. I stared and¡­ got lost in its eyes, the air freezing around my enchanted soul. My lips parted slowly to¡ª

    A loud screech split the air, sending time back to its normal speed. I blinked again, finding the bird nowhere and feeling dizzied by what had just happened. My head whirled around, searching the empty sky above for any sign of the creature. But my keen eyes searched uselessly, catching only sights of blue.

    It was gone.

    Eyelids flitted at the sky, my breath quickening by the second. It was gone. My head tilted to the side, the series of events that had just taken place spinning through my mind. One second it was there, but the next second it was just¡­ gone.

    A younger me might¡¯ve sat there in confusion, pondering the bird¡¯s disappearance for hours to no avail. But now, with energy as still a sparse resource in my body, I didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t worth the work. It wasn¡¯t worth the time. So I didn¡¯t. I just tore my gaze away, forced what determination I could back on my face, and looked back at the plains.

    Eventually, with my normally disciplined resolve still poking at my skull, I turned my attention to the path. Looking down the dirt road, I saw only sparse wooden buildings scattered far on either side. But the barkeep had said Sarin was close, I reminded myself. And he¡¯d seemed trustworthy, hadn¡¯t he?

    I wasn¡¯t all that sure with everything that had happened in the past day, but he¡¯d given me a place to stay and some food to eat without so much as a peep about compensation. So I gave the man the benefit of the doubt. Sitting around thinking about a bird was not going to get me anywhere, I recognized quickly with a shake of my head. I had to push on. I had to get to town.

    So, stretching my youthfully frail legs, I pushed the barkeep¡¯s sword fully back into its scabbard and walked on.

    <hr>

    My legs had felt much better when I¡¯d set back out. But another half-hour and a few hundred paces later, I was in the exact same spot. My muscles burned. My body wasn¡¯t able to take the paltry exertion. And on top of that, I was hungry again. I gritted my teeth, feeling the increasingly sharp pain in my left foot as I walked on. I didn¡¯t want to rest. I wanted to keep walking all the way to town like I should¡¯ve been able to do. But the exhaustion was back, and the pain was only getting worse. So, biting back a sigh, I did what I had to do and sat down in the grass.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    A few hundred paces back, with the sun a little lower in the sky, there¡¯d been a convenient rock on the side of the road. But now, that rock was much too far away, and I didn¡¯t have any better option. So I sat right there in the dirt. A sigh fell from my lips as my muscles cheered in relief and I nodded to myself lazily, letting my still-active eyes once again wander the scene.

    Laid out in front of me was the same sparse plain, the same random farmhouses, the same jutting rocks, and the same mountain range. But, as I realized with a breath of cool air into my lungs, I hadn¡¯t yet looked behind. Blinking, I twisted my body and looked around while my scabbard dragged through the dirt.

    Behind me, after only a few hundred paces of plain, was a forest. The forest was made up of low, winding trees formed into an intricate pattern of leaves that reminded me a little too clearly of the bird I¡¯d seen a while back. The gentle, organic pattern was sparse and chaotic, yet more controlled than the plains. It was covered in dozens of slightly different shades of green, all making up a sweeping canopy that both beckoned explorers and intimately hid what stayed inside.

    My stomach rumbled, a dull pain stabbing me from the bottom of my gut. I clenched my jaw, just sitting there and feeling the breeze until the horrible quivering of my insides had stopped. Feeling the pain start to lighten up, I parted my lips and whispered a soft curse into the wind, memories rising up in my mind.

    A dark forest flashed in my mind, one with gnarled, impossibly taunting trees. A phantom sensation brushed up against my skin, one that stung me to the core with such a frigid lack of grace that I shivered right there in the grass. I felt my eyes widen, my heart thundering as I relived the moments I¡¯d only just gotten past. But no, I told myself. I shook my head and let the warmth of the sunlight pull me back to the world.

    Staring at the forest, I couldn¡¯t help wonder if it was the same one I¡¯d emerged less than a day before. I couldn¡¯t be sure, and no matter how much I wanted to look back the way I¡¯d come, I was interrupted each time. When I looked in that direction, a film of unease built up in my gut. It made me snarl, and was the kind of feeling that was foreign enough that I would¡¯ve suspected tampering if not for the fact that nobody else was around.

    I shook my head again, letting the ragged dread settle below as I turned away from the forest. The twisted brown trunks and patterned green canopy fell away in a blur as I whipped my head back around. Sitting there in silence, I noted something. The thing inside me had stirred. As if being startled from its slumber, the dormant layer somewhere deep in the back of my mind shook. I tilted my head, feeling the movement as intimately as I could. But the change was so minor that I couldn¡¯t tell if I was imagining it or not.

    I was probably just imagining things because of exhaustion, I told myself. I still seriously had to get used to my new body, and without all of the luxuries I was normally¡ª

    Movement. In the corner of my eye. My thoughts ground to a halt. I noticed them instantly. Two forms, probably male, walking down the path from ahead. One of them was wearing light armor with metal reinforcements on the shoulders and wrists. The other was also wearing light armor, but his wasn¡¯t meant to protect. The dark, fitting half-robe was tinged with purple and had winding symbols inscribed on it. I recognized his kind of wear in an instant.

    He was a mage.

    My eyes narrowed as I kept track of the pair walking towards me. My grip tightened on my blade slowly, acclimating still-unknown fingers to the style of my hold. My body slumped further down in the grass, going just far enough that I would¡¯ve been hidden from view, but not far enough to keep the two men out of my vision. I had to stop a grin from overtaking my face. I¡¯d just been thinking about the limitations of my new body, and it was nice to see that with the same mind, my instincts were still very much intact.

    I glared daggers at the men, studying their every move. They seemed dangerous. Maybe I was being overly cautious, or maybe it was a side effect of the fire seeping into my blood, but I just couldn¡¯t trust the way they walked. The way they moved in sharp jolts and reacted to each other a little too suddenly and carefully to just be friends. It looked like they were¡­ hunting.

    And I did not want to be their prey.

    They continued to approach me, meandering down the path in fake nonchalance. Their grips were still tight, and their eyes were still sharp. But they hadn¡¯t noticed me yet, which only really felt like half reassurance. They didn¡¯t stop. They just kept wandering along with equal parts confidence and cautiousness, getting closer every second. I trickle of sweat rolled down my back; I stayed motionless.

    Then they stopped. One of them, the one in the mage robes, halted his movements while standing only a few paces away from me. The man held his arm out, making his more heavily armored companion stop as well, and looked at him curiously. The robed man didn¡¯t pay him any mind, squinting hard and drawing his gaze in my direction.

    From his angle, he still shouldn¡¯t have been able to see me through the grass. But he had, somehow, and I could feel the battle ready to start. I tightened my grip further, twisting pale fingers around the leather hilt of the blade. I wanted to curse into the air¡ªto berate myself for being too obvious, but I didn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t move.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± the armored man asked, pushing the arm in front of him out of the way.

    His friend glared a long, pointed glare that looked like it could¡¯ve broken steel. ¡°There¡¯s something here,¡± he said, his voice more like a hiss than anything else.

    The one in armor straightened at the mage¡¯s warning. His hands gripped what looked to be a longsword on his waist.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± the readying warrior asked.

    ¡°I can feel the energy of¡­ something.¡± The mage didn¡¯t seem too sure. ¡°It¡¯s a mage, I think.¡±

    The sword-user rolled his eyes, but he kept his stance. ¡°You think there¡¯s something hiding in the grass over there?¡± His hand gestured to me through the grass, seeming to cut through air and right into my soul. My breath hitched for a moment, but I didn¡¯t move.

    The mage nodded, his eyes slits at this point. His friend unsheathed his blade. ¡°Okay, so if they¡¯re there, then they¡¯re listening to us.¡±

    The mage nodded again, which was seemingly all his eager friend needed.The warrior readied his sword and took a couple steps forward, coming directly into my view.

    I unsheathed my blade silently, nearly scoffing at the low-quality shortsword that the damned barkeep had given me. I flicked my gaze back, clenching my jaw and forcing power into my legs. I readied myself, waiting by the wind before I dashed out and took a swipe at the man¡¯s calf.

    What I had meant to be an elegant slash and retreat, a maneuver that was taught in elementary practice, ended up being nothing more than a clumsy blunt strike that forced my unkind body to scramble away. My blade slashed through the man¡¯s light armor, piercing his skin only a sliver. I dashed off, feeling the air flush in around me as I pulled my blade with unceremonious grace.

    I was clumsy. My body was different. I didn¡¯t have the strength I used to have. I didn¡¯t have the training I used to have. None of the pointed reflexes or refined muscle memory I¡¯d built up over years. I was weak, uncoordinated, and exhausted on top of all my other shortcomings. Staring back at the swordsman with anger flaring up in his eyes, I forced an all too dry swallow. This did not bode well for me.

    The now-bleeding man shot his eyes toward me, seething with rage. By the time I¡¯d adjusted my grip, he was already on me, swinging his two-handed blade down with all the force he could muster. My eyes widened in a second, the command to dodge echoing out in my mind seconds before I moved.

    I barely got away. My awkward hand lazily brought up the old shortsword to deflect his blade, causing him only to cut my left shoulder as I twisted away. I winced at the pain that my body wasn¡¯t acclimated to and backpedaled with all the strength I had as I stared at the still-raging man.

    He turned to me, holding his longsword with one hand now, and grinned. ¡°Now we¡¯re even.¡±

    His lips tweaked upward, twitching in a confident rage. But I didn¡¯t wait for him to finish fueling his arrogance. I rushed to interrupt him, my instincts screaming this stance or that at my blundering body. I tried to focus, to pull the movements of the attacks out of my mind while he had his guard down.

    However, by the time I neared him, my feet were still beating on the dirt ground with a hurried lack of elegance that stung my own pride. I was the one to get interrupted.

    Something hot tickled my legs and I reflexively jumped back. Pain radiated onto my skin, flicking off and on with my newly singed pants. My eyes scanned the ground for the source of the heat, and when I found it, my jaw nearly dropped.

    Sitting there in the dirt, burning all on its own was a flaring, menacing purple flame. It was fueled by nothing and seemed to burn off only what it could find in the air.

    I heard a chuckle from my side, and I knew in an instant. The mage. He was able to conjure such fire with nothing but his own will. My heart started racing and my I stepped back, feeling the increased weight on my feet. I blinked rapidly, trying to get my thoughts to calm. But only one question stuck out with any kind of certainty.

    Why was such a powerful mage walking down such a desolate path?

    I stood there agape, pondering the question in the ice-cold haze around me before I was rudely ripped from my thoughts by a screaming man. I twisted on my heel, bringing my sword up as quickly as I could. My eyes flitted intensely. I tried to block the strike already coming down on my form and dodged to the side.

    The sword-bearer¡¯s blade split the air, missing its target with impressive precision. But my eyes narrowed as I realized something. Only an inexperienced fighter would announce his attack with sound.

    I scanned the area around, noting the position of everything I could as more maneuvers flitting through my head. But when I went to move, I stumbled awkwardly and evenly, my legs almost laughing at their own incompetence. My mouth hung open as I staggered, my heart wrenching for the fall.

    After a moment of instinct-driven thought and painfully strict movements, I found my balance. For a second, I smiled, relishing in the fact that I hadn¡¯t buried my nose in the dirt. But, unlike I very much wanted to think, my opponent wasn¡¯t dumb; he took the opportunity to rush at me again. I turned on my heel, feeling the incredible strain in my ankles as the larger man rammed right into me. His shoulder collided with mine, sending my feet off the ground and my body through the air before I could even get out a wince of pain. I fell hard, my borrowed blade clattering uselessly into the grass beside me.

    As quickly as I could, I tried to grab for my weapon, but I didn¡¯t move very far. Before even got a chance of saving myself, I was stopped. The horribly sweet sound of a sword whipping through the air, getting progressively closer to my ears kept me in place. The arrogant swordsman had his sword raised above me. I could feel it in the air. I knew the position all too well; I¡¯d put enough people in it myself. If I moved, I died.

    ¡°What a pathetic excuse for a fighter,¡± he muttered above me. The comment hurt far more than the bleeding gash in my shoulder. ¡°Can I kill him?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the mage said, his serious tone coming right back. ¡°He¡¯s useful¡­ I think.¡± And yet, his uncertainty returned with the same kind of speed.

    The swordsman growled, keeping the sword steady above me. ¡°Whatever, but you¡¯re helping me carry him back.¡± I heard the soft mumbling of complaint as the mage took steps toward my prone form.

    I let out a soft breath right into the dirt as relief washed off my shoulders. I might not have been in the best situation, but my rematch with the beast was still yet to come. Behind me, I felt the air shift and the soft metallic sound of a sword raising again. I tensed up, my hands already starting to push against the ground.

    He raised his arm high then brought it down, striking the handle of his blade on the back of my head. My insides tumbled terribly, whirling in a dizzying way that I knew wasn¡¯t right. But my concern didn¡¯t last long as all the resistance drained away.

    Before another thought could cross my mind, everything had already faded to black.

 Chapter 5

    My head pounded. My body felt numb. Everything seemed to slow down around me, twisting and turning like the blur of battle in shifting vision.

    I was lying on a metal floor, I realized after my tactile sense returned. The cold surface barely registered through my pulsing haze. I forced open my heavy eyes and dragged them around the still-spinning room. I was in a cell, or some sort of cage from the look of it. I couldn¡¯t really tell through the fog. But with the thick metal bars and the low, nearly claustrophobic ceiling, I thought it was a good guess.

    Memories rose up in my head. My eyelids fluttered uselessly, trying to get my own mind to focus. I saw images of a fight¡ªa long, gleaming sword slicing the air into pieces. I saw a purple flame burning on nothing. I saw blackness. Shaking my head, it made some sense. The images were familiar¡ªI knew that much from the incessant recognition pounding in my head, but they were also just too far out of reach for me to grasp at what they were.

    Pain washed over me again. I tilted my head back, resting it once again on the cold metal wall behind me. I forced my eyes closed and focused on the pain¡ªon pushing it away. My breathing slowed; the spinning in my head calmed. The fog started to part, letting me see straight into the darkness behind it. But by then, it was already too late, and I was drifting away, whether I liked it or not.

    Lost in a swirling blackness, I just sat there for a time. I didn¡¯t know how long, but it didn¡¯t really matter. I could¡¯ve been sitting there for minutes or I could¡¯ve been sitting there for days. It was all the same to my aching limbs. My body sat there helpless, relishing in what little relief it could find up until I heard a loud metal clang split the room as though a door had just slammed shut. I jerked my head up and snapped my eyes open, feeling a rush of blood to my brain.

    My vision was still blurry as I twisted in dismay, but the fog cleared quickly. With another pulse of pain, a wave of nausea rushed up, accompanied by strict, unbridled annoyance that I knew I hadn¡¯t created. I squinted for a second, trying to look inward, but with another pulse of pain, it was lost again.

    ¡°Huh,¡± a voice grunted, making me lift my head. ¡°Looks like they finally found me a cellmate.¡± The voice was low and grumpy, but also somehow amused. It sounded distinctly feminine in a way purely noticeable by the twinge of sound in my ears. And as I blinked away the fog, my thoughts were only further confirmed.

    Standing there with her arms folded in front of the now-closed metal door of the cell, was a woman. She was tall, probably at least half a head taller than my current body, and she had short but flowing chestnut hair. She stared at me with narrow eyes, looking me up and down. I could see the glower hiding on her face and the pointed suspicion in her eyes as if she couldn¡¯t believe I existed at all. After a few seconds, she flashed me a sly grin.

    ¡°You look like shit.¡±

    I angled my eyes at the woman, barely able to glare before just resting my head back against the wall. I wanted to respond, but I was overcome. The fatigue plagued my bones with superfluous intensity, twitching and wailing all over my muscles as if to drag out every signal of pain my body could produce.

    A breath fell from my lips, letting my sore muscles relax. My head was throbbing, and as my body soon reminded me, I had a cut in my shoulder. I winced, trying to control the next intake of air that stung my lungs. But still, I caught a hitch in my throat, stopping me dead for a moment before I slumped further back and focused harder on the air. I had to steady my breathing.

    As with all other instances of complete and utter defeat, I knew what to do. If I could clear my mind, everything would be a lot easier to deal with. I just had to keep my breath steady and my body as relaxed as possible.

    In¡­ and out.

    ¡°You¡¯re just gonna ignore me then?¡±

    The woman¡¯s tired voice interrupted my thoughts, causing me to take a sharp breath. The warm, dry air of the cell cracked against my lungs as I pushed it out. I swallowed hard and rubbed my desert of a throat, praying to the world that I wouldn¡¯t start coughing. I snapped open my eyes to glare, but after staring me in the face for a few seconds, she sat down with a huff.

    I took that as a good sign and let my eyes droop again. After a while, I was taking in coordinated breaths and I could focus on my body. The painful numbness was starting to fade. The soreness got worse, but it was easier to deal with. I just had to keep breathing.

    In¡­ and out.

    The heavy curtains of my eyelids forced the scene around me into black. And before I knew it, my body had gone limp and I had drifted away into the long, lovely abyss.

    <hr>

    ¡°What is this¡ª¡°

    ¡°Where am¡ª¡°

    ¡°I thought I died¡ª¡°

    I picked up on a muffled sound. Someone talking. But they kept cutting off. The sound felt light, like a bird¡¯s song on the breeze. But I couldn¡¯t feel it on my ears. In fact, I couldn¡¯t feel my ears¡ªI couldn¡¯t feel anything at all. Not my eyes, my mouth, my hands, or any other part of my body. I just drifted about in seeming nothingness, existing almost like a bare soul in a void.

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    The voice didn¡¯t cut off, this time only trailing off into an incomprehensible softness.

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    Something flashed in my vision. A white spark of light. My vision came rushing back.

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    The soft words repeated again, still not getting further than the one word.

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    Another flash of light split my vision. A small, white spark whipped its way through the darkness like a shooting star before it was gone. No words at all followed the light this time.

    Another spark. The white light streaked through black, glowing for longer than before. The spark hit¡­ something in the dark; its light vanished. I blinked, hoping with a foreign sense of desperation that the little light would come back.

    Then it flared again. My eyes lit up with glee and my mind filled with joy that I shouldn¡¯t have been able to produce.

    There, right in front of my eyes and revealing its innocent beauty, was a small white flame waving in a nonexistent wind. My eyes widened, taking in as much of the little light as they possibly could. It danced and drifted, wavering in the nothingness it had sprung from.

    And then it burned out.

    A sharp bolt of pain struck right in the center of my mind and an unfamiliar sense of longing grew within me. The last remnants of light faded quietly into the dark before leaving me drifting. Suddenly, impossibly alone.

    <hr>

    I woke up unbearably slow; the seconds felt like decades as I lifted my head. My eyelids dragged open and I immediately winced, stung by sudden influx of light.

    I saw the same cell, the same metal bars, and the same woman from before. She was sitting on the floor now, her plated boots scraping it with every tiny movement. And she was staring at something outside of the cell with intent flashing on her irises. She squinted harder, the lines at the corners of her eyes becoming sharp enough to cut through steel. She hadn¡¯t even noticed that I¡¯d woken up.

    I stopped looking at her by closing my eyes and steadying my breaths. The fog of sleep cleared, letting me take stock of my body. And as soon as I did, I snapped my eyes right back open, blinking in complete and utter disbelief. As I felt my body, moving and flexing each individual muscle, I found myself feeling much better than before. Most of the pain was gone, a white-hot warmth in its wake.

    My head wasn¡¯t pounding.

    My shoulder didn¡¯t sting.

    My mind wasn¡¯t foggy.

    Everything inside of me just felt¡­ better. My muscles flexed with ease, twitching with more power than I¡¯d felt in this body before. The ghost of a smile broke against my tired expression. Given time, I would¡¯ve even been able to fight again. I smiled. Then, my stomach rumbled, responding to my thoughts and I winced instead.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Awake again?¡± the woman asked, her voice lilting to my ears. I pried my eyes wide to look at her.

    Sitting there, she had her knees up and her metal boots planted firmly on the floor. Her arms were draped over her knees¡ªdraped over the dark blue cloth that covered her body¡ªand she wasn¡¯t looking at me. She was still staring to the left, at whatever was so interesting outside of the cell. I hardened my gaze, glaring directly at her.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I mumbled, my voice scrappy and hoarse.

    She nodded, an edge entering her expression with a curl of her lips. ¡°So I can ask you questions now?¡±

    I grunted, pushing myself up into a more comfortable position. My glare softened, becoming more of a squint, and I shook my head. ¡°Sure, I guess.¡±

    My voice was unconvincing as it echoed off the metal walls of the cell, but I really couldn¡¯t help it. I didn¡¯t know where I was. I didn¡¯t know who she was. And I was still pulling myself out of the painful, foggy abyss. Letting her ask me a few questions couldn¡¯t have been that bad.

    She grinned. Her eyes didn¡¯t move. ¡°So why are you here?¡±

    I tilted my gaze upward, my lips parting in confusion. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Me neither,¡± she scoffed, her grin tilting into a smirk. ¡°But what I meant was, why do they want you?¡±

    I furrowed my brow. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Let me rephrase,¡± she said, an edge entering at the corner of her voice. ¡°Why are you useful to them?¡± Her gaze hardened but still avoided mine, and she rolled her wrist as if that had cleared everything up.

    It hadn¡¯t.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Her smirk drooped. She leaned further forward, pushing her boots against the metal and sending the soft, tinny scraping noises echoing off the walls. ¡°What are your powers? What is your soul most attuned to?¡± I shook my head. She stifled a grumble building in her throat. ¡°Why did they take you here instead of killing you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re asking,¡± I said, raising my voice. A thundering storm formed from the remnants of my fog and my nostrils flared out. I wasn¡¯t used to people being disrespectful to me. ¡°What are you even looking at?¡±

    The sly grin that had wormed its way onto her face in tandem with my annoyance left as quickly as it had come. She pointed outside of the cell. Her eyebrows dropped and her lips pressed together, but she held her tongue. I only stared at her for a few seconds longer before dragging my gaze across to look through the rusty metal bars. I blinked when my eyes met the sight.

    I swallowed, noting the lump in my throat, and a vague scraping sound echoed on the edge of my skull.

    There, in the cell next to ours and draped in black robes, was a young girl. My stomach rolled as I realized she couldn¡¯t have been older than eighteen. Her pale body was sprawled on the ground and her black hair was disheveled, covering a large part of the metal floor. Adorning her fitting black robe were sets of thin, silver strips that twitched and ripped like scars. I swallowed again, still not getting the dry cotton down. Then, as my eyes dropped lower, staring at her impossibly pale skin, a bitter taste fell on my tongue. Growing directly out of her skin were shaped black scales. Her skin looked like it had been cursed, infected with a parasitic monster.

    But that wasn¡¯t even the strangest part.

    A shiver raced down my spine as I lifted my gaze up. There, draped over her back and extruding directly from her spine were grey, bony wings that sent shots of both wonder and terror straight to my soul.

    I shuddered again and pulled my head backward to avert my eyes. The soft, idle scraping grew louder in my ears, pulling at fearful memories I¡¯d long since pushed down.

    My world went black and for a moment, I didn¡¯t know why. Then, as I grew aware of my body again, I twisted my neck and pried my eyelids open. The sunlight glinting off the metal ground calmed me, even while stabbing me in the eye. At least it wasn¡¯t her.

    ¡°Who is¡­?¡± I asked, trying to suppress another shudder. The words slipped away through my teeth.

    My cellmate shivered, taking a deep breath that was way more ragged than it should¡¯ve been. She adjusted her position, sending a soft scrape of metal bouncing through the cell.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said bluntly. ¡°She¡¯s been here for longer than I have and I¡¯ve never even seen her awake.¡±

    I nodded, the blank cloth of the girl¡¯s robes flashing in the corner of my eye. I wanted to look, drawn in by a renewed sense of morbid curiosity. But with the vile cracking sound fading from my mind, I knew better than to test it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t recommend looking at her for long,¡± the woman said. She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯ll mess with your mind.¡±

    I shook my head too, removing the images from my eyes. My cellmate was right and I knew it.

    ¡°So, why are you useful?¡± she asked again. The past minute of strangely interesting terror was all but ripped from reality by the onset of confusion. I widened my eyes and curled my lips at her, gawking at the question that still didn¡¯t make any sense.

    Why was I useful? What kind of question was that? For a moment, I thought of my prowess with the blade. But looking down at my thin and inept body, I tossed the thought away rather quickly. It wasn¡¯t true anymore. So, through annoyance that was still bubbling under the surface, I just replied the same was as before.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re asking.¡±

    She rolled her eyes at me. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll start from scratch then.¡± She flexed her fingers and gestured to the world around us outside of the cell. The single small wooden building and collection of tents confirmed what she would say next. ¡°This camp is a farm for mages. They send mercenaries and scouters out to find anyone who even has a little prowess with magic and bring them here.¡± She gestured to the cell we were sitting in. ¡°They keep us here until we¡¯re useful.¡±

    My eyes widened, the information being both vile and incompatible with my mind. Mages were rare, and the ones that could even be considered useful enough to capture would be guarded and capable of defending themselves. The camp¡­ couldn¡¯t have been lucrative. It shouldn¡¯t have been.

    I narrowed my eyes at her, immediately suspicious. I squared my shoulders and pressed myself against the wall even harder as if trying to block off her lies from my ears. What she was saying didn¡¯t make any sense.

    ¡°So,¡± she continued, not even noticing my movement. ¡°All that I¡¯m asking is why they brought you here. What are your powers?¡±

    It clicked, the question fitting like a puzzle piece suddenly forced into place. She thought I was a mage.

    I¡¯d never been good at magic. For my entire life, I¡¯d been completely inept. Even after becoming a high knight and gaining the opportunity to study with the best mages in the land, I still hadn¡¯t been able to do it. The process didn¡¯t make sense¡ªbeing able to move energy at will sounded illogical and it just wasn¡¯t possible with my body.

    It wasn¡¯t the greatest loss, though. Most people couldn¡¯t perform magic and my physical prowess was greater than the boost some puny flames could¡¯ve given me. Well, it used to be, at least.

    My eyebrows dropped and I shoved my head to the side on the metal wall, hearing a dull clang ring out through the cell. A bitter taste fell on my tongue, but I was quick to wash it away, forcing a deep breath through my nose as I responded to her question.

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t have any,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not a mage.¡±

    The woman squinted at me, raising an eyebrow in the process. She opened her mouth before snapping it shut only a moment later, her lips contorting in confusion. ¡°If you¡¯re here, you have to be a mage.¡±

    I let out a long breath, tilting my head forward and repeating exactly what I¡¯d said before. ¡°I¡¯m not a mage.¡±

    She blinked and raised her hand. For a moment, she just looked at me, her mouth open. But she didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she squinted ever-harder, rolling her wrist through the air as if in an attempt to turn the gears in her head. After a while, it became clear that it hadn¡¯t worked.

    A confused grunt rose up in her throat. ¡°That makes no sense.¡±

    I shrugged, seeing no further need to repeat myself. She just continued her stare for a few more seconds before throwing her hands up, crossing her arms, and sitting back against the wall.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± she mumbled, still glancing toward me. ¡°I¡¯ll learn what your power is when they test you anyway.¡±

    I blinked, my eyebrows already raising to the sky. ¡°Test me?¡± I asked, trying to keep my tone steady. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    She chuckled, a smirk rushing right back to mask the confusion she¡¯d displayed moments before. ¡°With every new mage they capture, they test them to see what power their soul¡¯s are attuned to. It¡¯s to see whether or not a prisoner is truly useful.¡± Her shoulders were steadily raising again, and the confident edge from before was marching its way back. ¡°If they are, they¡¯re sent back to their cell to be called on for future use. If they aren¡¯t¡­ then they¡¯re killed on the spot.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped and I lifted my head off the wall. Thoughts spun in my head, asking questions that I didn¡¯t have the answers to. They fed a growing sensation¡ªa sensation I really hadn¡¯t felt in years. A sensation that pressed against the inside of my skull.

    I swallowed, washing nothing from my suddenly dry mouth. I tried to calm my thoughts, to steady my breathing, but I couldn¡¯t. Each time, a new question¡ªa new possibility to consider would spring up.

    They¡¯d taken me here. They¡¯d said I was a mage. The scene of my most recent defeat played out in my head. I¡¯d heard the words the mage had used. He¡¯d called me useful, and even that simple fact alone was enough to send shivers running down my spine.

    I thought about running, but my legs groaned at that. Even if whatever rest I¡¯d gotten had healed me, I still wasn¡¯t in the best shape. And I didn¡¯t have my sword. No, I thought. I couldn¡¯t run. Running would just get me caught and killed.

    But I would be killed anyway, the rising sensation whispered into my ears. I shuddered, pressing myself firmly back against the wall.

    I had to think of something. I had to get out. I¡¯d only had this body for a day, and I already hated it. The beast had cursed me, cursed me to live a new life that wasn¡¯t mine. For that, it was going to pay. But as my eyes flicked around and I realized more and more that I wasn¡¯t in a situation that had an easy way out, I cursed under my breath.

    And apparently, my cellmate had heard. She chuckled. ¡°You really aren¡¯t a mage, are you?¡±

    I stared at her, shaking my head slowly. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re screwed then,¡± she said, sharpening her smirk. ¡°They¡¯re almost here.¡±

    My eyebrows knitted at that, throwing lines on my forehead. I opened my mouth, another question ready at my lips, but that question never made it out. Familiar noises registered at the edge of my hearing.

    Footsteps.

    Distinct, heavy, boot-made steps ripped through the air. I heard the crunch of grass, the shifting of dirt. They were coming.

    ¡°By the way,¡± my cellmate started, narrowing her eyes, ¡°you¡¯re not from Sarin, are you?¡±

    I widened my eyes, the name registering. ¡°No, I was just on my way¡ª¡°

    The jingle of metal. I stopped, my lips freezing as I dragged my gaze to the door. As I stared out at the bulky man dressed in light armor opening the door. He wore a shallow smirk and kept his eyes on me while the hand not opening the door settled on the daggers strapped to his waist.

    ¡°Well,¡± the woman started again. ¡°I¡¯m Kye, by the way.¡±

    She laughed after that, but I didn¡¯t pay any mind. As the long-forgotten sensation of fear¡ªreal fear¡ªpricked my skin, the man wrenched the keys in the door and opened it up.

    As soon as he stepped inside, he pointed directly at me.

 Chapter 6

    ¡°Get the fuck up.¡±

    The man barked at me. I obeyed without hesitation, fearing another hit. My eye twitched, but I averted my gaze and turned back to the small pile of kindling I was supposed to be lighting. I did not want to come out of this more damaged than necessary.

    ¡°Try again,¡± the brute of a man said from behind me.

    I breathed in, closed my eyes, and tried again.

    The man was trying to get me to conjure a flame. Because apparently, a flame was the easiest thing to make as a mage; it was the simplest way for the soul to shape energy. As even a basic mage, I was supposed to be able to do it. But what the man didn¡¯t want to hear was that I wasn¡¯t a mage and no matter how many times he yelled at me, it wasn¡¯t going to happen.

    With his sharp gaze cutting into my back, though, and even sharper knives strapped to his waist, I tried anyway. Collecting my thoughts, clearing my mind, and feeling every bit of energy I could, I tried again to force heat out through my hand.

    Nothing happened. Just like before. There was no flame, no light, no magic. Not even a noticeable change in temperature.

    I sighed, biting back a curse as I knew what would come next. Accepting my failure for the third time in a row, I turned to the man and looked him directly in the eyes. My eyes narrowed a sliver, unwavering under the pressure of his stature. His brows raised in anticipation, hope sparkling in his light brown eyes, but I squashed that in a heartbeat. I shook my head.

    The man hardened his gaze and stepped forward. For a moment, nothing happened, with only the man¡¯s accelerating breaths filling the suddenly still air. Then his fist flew out, and I was knocked to my knees.

    Spit flew out of my mouth, my jaw stiffened unnaturally, and my own teeth slashed at the inside of my cheek. Breathing heavily and spitting droplets of blood out onto the ground, I grunted. I couldn¡¯t help it. It hurt.

    The man growled. ¡°Stop playing with me! Drel said you were useful, dammit. He felt it on you. So just do it before I have to kill you.¡±

    I had to swallow a scoff, wincing at the way the man¡¯s raspy voice invaded my ears. His words hung in the air. I paid them no mind. Instead, I spat into the dirt and turned my head, looking at the pile of splinters I was meant to light.

    I wasn¡¯t going to be able to do it. I knew I wasn¡¯t. The realization made me sick. Yet, I knew that if I didn¡¯t do it, I was going to die.

    So I quelled my anger as best I could and stood back up. My frustration simmered, bubbling just beneath the surface. I had to stop it from getting the better of me. But as I closed my eyes, focusing back on the pile of splinters, I felt nothing. No heat. No energy. No magic. It felt like bashing my brain against the inside of my skull¡ªI just wasn¡¯t able to do it.

    A growl slipped through my teeth and I turned, not seeing any other real option. The man glared at me with both hands clenched into tight fists. I wasn¡¯t intimidated. I didn¡¯t show any fear. If I showed my fear to him, it would only be even worse.

    Instead, I looked him right in the eyes, making sure he met my gaze, and shook my head.

    The man trembled with anger, veins bulging out of his forehead. ¡°You won¡¯t do it, rat? Well you can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±

    His raspy, grating words reached my ears at the same time as his fist. It plowed into the side of my head, sending jolts of blunt, white-hot pain streaming through my skin and throwing my body to the side like a rag doll. I yelled, my body clattering to the ground like an unused piece of wood.

    When I picked myself back up, I was coughing, spitting even more blood into the dirt as I pulled my teeth apart. I winced in pain, the afternoon sun burning the side of my face. Patting my skin, I tried to brush away the light, and only ended up getting blood on my fingers instead.

    I closed my eyes tight, trying to steady my breathing. I coughed hard, again, and trembled as I tried to get myself under control. Feeling a burning rage seeping into my veins, I slammed my eyes open and twisted my head back to the man of wrath. He was already standing above me, fists raised and twitching confidence in his eyes. But he didn¡¯t strike. Instead, he just took a ragged breath like he was remembering something.

    ¡°Try again.¡±

    I jerked my head back, blinking. But I didn¡¯t argue. I shoved down the rage burning in my chest and uncurled my fists. Sparing only one glance at the man, I twisted back toward the wood. I tried again.

    Taking a deep breath and realizing that this was probably my last chance, I gave it another shot. My mind went clear. I felt my entire body. I felt the energy within it, swirling as it fed through my bones and through the back of my mind. I grasped onto that energy. I gripped it tight.

    And I moved it.

    Or I attempted to, at least. When I opened my eyes and focused on the pile of wood though, nothing happened. All I got was another wave of frustration and more banging on my skull. Wind brushed over my skin, twirling through my fingers with impossible grace. And at that exact moment, that grace froze me as the breeze barreled through, taking my last shred of hope along with it. My hands shook in morbid anticipation as I twisted my neck to stare at the man a final time.

    I winced internally, keeping the expression away from my face. I shook my head, and he was on me in a second.

    The first punch knocked me in the jaw and made me stumble backward. As I stabilized myself, adjusting to shorter legs, I glanced back at the man only to see him already moving. I was more ready for the second punch. I brought my arm up to defend, hoping to hinder the blow. But with my new, weak limbs, it still hurt like hell and it still knocked me back.

    He rushed anew, fists raised and not letting up. I barely dodged out of the way, but he was faster than me anyway. He turned on his heel, barely losing any speed, and slammed into me with all of his weight.

    I fell to the ground, breath vanishing from my lungs. Pain itched at my insides and I tried to wail, to scream in agony as air rushed back into my throat. The man crouched beside me, grinning, and hit me again. The punch only halfway landed on my raised arm. I grimaced, my face contorting into a horrible display of pain that I hadn¡¯t shown in years. Ashamed, I covered myself, but another punch never came.

    After a few long moments, I lowered my hands. Just enough to see the man again. And when I saw him, the vile rage still burning in his eyes, his grin split wider. My hands tried to shield my face, but he had something different in mind. All heavy breathing stopped as his hands wrapped around my neck.

    My eyes bugged out and I scratched the man, desperately trying to save my windpipe. Anger, fear, surprise, and pain all mixed together, swirling in my mind. I gasped, feeling nothing touch my lungs. My desperation grew, and as it grew, my drive grew with it. But as moments bled together, my fingers weakened. There seemed no way to get out.

    The banging on the inside of my skull returned, harder this time, and I frantically kicked out. Weak legs pushed against an immovable object, but the pain didn¡¯t stop.

    My brain screamed, my mind burned, and everything seemed to slow down. My eyes drooped and pain got clouded over by fog. Blood ran cold in my veins, thickening with each passing second. And yet, somewhere along the line, I must¡¯ve become able to breathe.

    ¡°Get off!¡± my voice screamed. The piercing sound broke through the pain and left me seething in power and confusion. My voice¡­ wasn¡¯t entirely mine. I hadn¡¯t ordered the words. But they¡¯d come out nonetheless.Stolen novel; please report.

    In the back of my mind, a sleeping force woke up, and I felt energy filling my body. Slowly, as time sped back to its normal space, power trickled out through my veins and into my muscles, twitching in wait. My eyesight sharpened, my hearing deepened, and as the slow-motion faded, I looked directly at the man on top of me.

    Not fully in control, my fingers grabbed at the hands around my neck and pried them off. In the corners of my vision, a white haze danced as I attacked, but I couldn¡¯t pay it much attention. My hands moved rapidly, flailing in strangely coordinated movements as I tracked the man¡¯s face.

    Everything became hot as I punched the man, over and over. The white haze in my vision deepened and my hands erupted into white flames. Something about the white fire was familiar to me, but I couldn¡¯t place it through the crazed attack.

    My fists rammed into the man¡¯s armor, creating a burn mark each time. He grunted and staggered, scrambling backward. His eyes filled with burning terror as he stared at me. I just growled and slammed right back into him. A flurry of blows followed, seeming to crack the air around me as I knocked the man to the ground. Then, standing above him and seething, I stopped.

    Slowly, unsteadily, and with a whole lot of effort, I came down from my craze.

    My eyes widened. I could do little more than gasp. As the white haze dampened, the blockade broke and questions flooded my mind. The power, the fighting, the flames¡ªI didn¡¯t understand any of it.

    Shaking my head, I darted my eyes to the man. Charcoal-black singe marks covered his body and he was shifting unconsciously as if trying to squirm away from the torment. Blood ran out of his nose, but even that was burned. Reality hit me like a falling church as I stared, the truth of the situation sending bile up in my throat.

    I swallowed it down while the white haze receded, leaving me cold and bare. Energy flowed out of me just as readily as it had flowed in and evaporated into the air. And after a while, it was just me. Standing, staring, and trembling over a much larger man in the middle of the camp.

    I could¡¯ve freaked out¡ªI wanted to¡ªbut I knew better than that. After being a fighter for my entire life, my instincts were honed sharper than that. I forced my thoughts into order and pushed back against the raging sea in my head as I realized what I had to do next. The thought came to me slowly, scraping its way to prominence in my mind.

    I had to get out.

    My impulse-driven body leaped into action and shots of ice-cold steel flooded my veins. I gritted my teeth and tore my gaze from the man, the objects of necessity revealing themselves one by one. I had to get out of this camp. I had to get to town. I had to get help.

    Running through the options still spinning in my head, I grasped onto a plan of action. Then, swallowing harder, I crouched down next to the unconscious man and produced the keys from his pocket.

    For a moment as I stood back up, I stared again. The blood. The bruises. The burn marks. A shiver raced down my spine. I didn¡¯t understand any of it, but I tore away enough to compose myself. Clutching the keys, I turned on my heel and sprinted back the way I¡¯d come. I sprinted all the way back to the cell.

    The worn and uncomfortable shoes the barkeep had given me beat furiously on the dirt as I worked my way back. Weaving around the trail we¡¯d used to get there, I retraced my steps and pushed on. The small metal cell lined together with about a dozen others on the plain came into view in short time. I hoped and prayed that nobody in the camp would see me.

    By the time I came up to the cell, my muscles were screaming and I was far beyond out of breath. I ignored it all. I didn¡¯t need it now. I would have time to be exhausted after I got out of this world¡¯s forsaken camp.

    Running up on shaky legs, I jammed the key into the lock and threw open the door to wake the woman inside.

    The woman jumped, her metal boots scraping against the floor. ¡°What?¡± was all she was able to ask before she noticed my glare.

    ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± I said, breathy and cold.

    The woman¡ªKye, she¡¯d told me¡ªrubbed her eyes. ¡°What happened? How did you¡ª¡°

    I didn¡¯t let her finish. I couldn¡¯t let her finish. We didn¡¯t have time for it. I needed to leave, and I needed her help to do it.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter right now,¡± I said. ¡°We need to leave.¡±

    She opened her mouth but nodded instead. After a few moments of sitting with pursed lips, she pushed herself off the ground and looked me right in the eyes. ¡°Okay,¡± she sighed. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡±

    I stopped, freezing in place. Her words echoed off my skull, nearly sending everything spinning again. The plan? I didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t have a plan. I just needed to get out.

    Words came to be slowly but surely. ¡°Do you know where Sarin is from here?¡± I asked.

    She scoffed. ¡°Of course. But how are we supposed to get out of here?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± I started, but nothing more came out. A hurried breath fell from my lips with a painful realization. I truly didn¡¯t know.

    The tall woman eyed me, tapping her foot. I could feel the weight of her gaze, the intent behind it. But as I thought, wracking my brain for any semblance of a plan, I was at a loss. I had nothing.

    Finally, she sighed. ¡°Okay. We¡¯re going to have to wing it then.¡±

    I blinked. But she didn¡¯t wait up, pushing past me and into the grass. I turned on my heel, staring at her wide-eyed. ¡°Wing it? We can¡¯t just¡ª¡°

    ¡°You haven¡¯t said anything about a better idea,¡± she shot back before I could continue. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know how you got away from being tested, but that doesn¡¯t matter now. I¡¯m in full agreement that we need to get out.¡± She squinted out at the camp around us. ¡°This place isn¡¯t guarded all over¡­ I¡¯m sure we can sneak off.¡± The ghost of a smirk floated at her lips, but she was right. I didn¡¯t have a better idea.

    So, ignoring the pointed comments she¡¯d made, I nodded. And when she nodded back, her smile breaking through, I pursed my lips.

    ¡°How do you suggest we ¡®wing it¡¯ then?¡±

    Her smirk wavered for a moment. She whirled around, her eyes almost swirling with energy as she scanned the land around us. ¡°Nobody is around for a little ways,¡± she said as if it was natural to know. I furrowed my brow. She continued on. ¡°If we keep close to the cells, we should be okay.¡±

    I nodded slowly, unsure. But I was forced to agree. ¡°So we¡¯re just going to sneak off and hope they don¡¯t notice?¡±

    Kye shook her head, flashing a smirk my way. ¡°Follow my lead.¡±

    I opened my mouth to complain, but she was already moving. Stepping back to the cell, she took the metal door and slammed it shut. The sharp metal clang shook the world around me. I froze in place. She was gone in a flash of movement, hurrying down the line of cells.

    Far slower than I would¡¯ve enjoyed, I unfroze and followed right after her. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I hissed as I struggled to catch up.

    She didn¡¯t look back at me, only squinting in a direction beyond the line of metal cages. ¡°Sarin is that way,¡± she said, tilting her head. ¡°And if we don¡¯t get spotted, we should be able to get to the main path from here.¡±

    My pace slowed as lines appeared on my forehead. I stared at the woman draped in unfamiliar blue cloth while doubt rose up. She¡¯d just ignored my question. Pretended it didn¡¯t exist. And the things she was doing didn¡¯t inspire me with much hope.

    But as shouts sounded off in the distance, I sped right back up. My muscles screamed. I just ignored them as I once more matched her pace. By the time I was only a few paces away again, we were almost at the end of the line. After glancing back, her eyes danced on me for only a moment before she sped up again and swept around the corner.

    A soft wail, long and hollow, lilted to my ears from the cell to my side. I gritted my teeth and stiffened my neck. I wanted to look, but it wouldn¡¯t have been any use. I was having enough trouble saving myself.

    When I ducked around the last corner as well, my breath accelerating with each step, Kye¡¯s form caught my eye. She glared frozen daggers at me, energy dancing in her eyes, and held a finger to her lips.

    ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± she said.

    I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry, and pressed myself against the metal wall. Standing there in wait, I strained my ears. But I couldn¡¯t hear anything. The shouting was gone. My lips parted to speak, but a heavy breath consumed my words. I almost burst out coughing, only barely holding back the sound as light air tickled my lungs.

    Hearing my soft coughs, Kye glared at me again. I stifled the last of the sounds still slipping from my lips. Then, glancing over at her, I saw her angling her head as if tracking a sound in the distance. I furrowed my brow and perked my ears again, hearing nothing.

    But then, slowly but surely, the sound revealed itself to me.

    Footsteps.

    Again, in the distance, I heard the distinct sound of boots on dirt. I froze. Someone was coming. Kye was right somehow, though I still didn¡¯t know how the hell she could¡¯ve known before me.

    I turned to her and opened my mouth. She shook her head and went back to listening. She didn¡¯t want me to talk. She was waiting for something, something that I apparently couldn¡¯t hear.

    ¡°What?¡± a voice called from a familiar distance. I immediately understood.

    Whoever was walking toward us had found our cell. Empty. After a couple more seconds of silence, the distant voice started yelling and Kye looked to me again. Her lips curled up and she only nodded once before surging off the wall and running straight into the field.

    With a smile of my own, I followed right behind.

    It was actually quite genius. Whoever had heard our cell door slamming shut had come to investigate. And when they¡¯d gotten there, they¡¯d seen only an empty cell and had started yelling. Their booming voice and the commotion raised around us drowned out the sounds of our escape. As our feet pounded on dry ground, nobody could detect us over the clamor raised in the camp.

    I didn¡¯t know if Kye had planned it or if she just got lucky, but either way, it worked. And either way, I was impressed.

    So we ran, her much faster than me, out of the low, sparse field and up into greener plains. Grass crunched beneath my feet as I ran for my life. I pushed away the pain as well as I could and eventually, the lined dirt path came into view behind increasingly tall grass. Kye then ducked behind a large rock formation jutting out of the ground.

    I did the exact same thing far too many seconds later as I finally caught up.

    My legs slowed. Air rushed into my lungs. And it was that exact moment that my body chose to remind me of its weak, miserable existence. Leaning against the jutting rock, I slid to the ground.

    Above me, I heard the woman let out a breathy laugh. When I looked up at her though, she had me fixed with a deadly stare. ¡°Now,¡± she said. ¡°You have some serious explaining to do.¡±

 Chapter 7

    All in all, she¡¯d had much more to explain than I did, but I¡¯d gone first.

    Kye shifted her weight, glaring at me with an intensity I wished I could¡¯ve gotten used to. ¡°So you are a mage?¡± she asked, tilting her head at my cringing face. ¡°But I thought you¡ª¡°

    My hands waved through the air as if trying to disperse her misconceptions physically. ¡°No. I¡¯m not a mage,¡± I said, my voice still breathy. Oppressive afternoon sun beat down on my face, making my ever-frustrating body sweat through the collar. The exhaustion setting into my bones mixed with Kye¡¯s ever-present stare only made all of it worse.

    The tall woman¡¯s lips curled, her eyes sharpening. ¡°You said your hands were engulfed in flames. That sounds like magic to me.¡±

    Wincing again under the weight of her scrutiny, I nodded. And then I immediately shook my head. ¡°It does sound like magic, but I¡¯m not a mage. There were flames, but they weren¡¯t my flames.¡±

    My walking partner nodded slowly, her expression unreadable. ¡°And how does that work?¡±

    I gritted my teeth, trying to quell the frustration building inside. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But it wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    She clicked her tongue softly, turning her narrowed eyes away and down the lined dirt path. Angling her head from side to side, she just stared out at the horizon, eventually dragging my gaze along with her.

    In front of us, the dirt path extended for hundreds of paces, cutting through the plains just as it always had. It looked, from where we walked in idle arbitration, that there wasn¡¯t a town anywhere near. But slowly and steadily, the farms around us were growing less sparse; they were growing less chaotic. Some semblance of actual, organized civilization was returning to the land. I grasped onto that thought.

    Turning back to me with one of her eyebrows half raised, Kye finally responded. ¡°So. It wasn¡¯t your magic. Does that mean someone else did the magic¡­ for you? Some other soul bent energy from a far range just to help you?¡±

    My face scrunched up and I found my head shaking again. But when I opened my mouth to retort, nothing came out. I just¡­ didn¡¯t know how to describe it. When I¡¯d been choking, I¡¯d thought I was going to die. I¡¯d thought I was at the end of the line¡ªthat the beast was waiting mere minutes away. But something had stopped that. Something had saved me.

    ¡°It only happened when I was about to die,¡± I said, trying to keep the bitter bite from my tone. ¡°When he¡¯d tested me¡ªasked me only to make a simple flame, I hadn¡¯t been able to do it.¡± I watched Kye nod skeptically. The disbelief didn¡¯t even waver in her eyes. ¡°Before it happened, there was some sort of banging in my head, as if my skull was a cage and something desperately wanted to get out.¡±

    Finally, something changed in Kye¡¯s eyes. The light brown quivered for a second, responding to a shift in her mind. ¡°That is the most unusual way I¡¯ve ever heard of a mage realizing their potential.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not a mage,¡± I said, nearly spitting the words through my teeth.

    ¡°Right. So something inside of you is a mage.¡±

    I blinked, half-nodding before jerking my head backward. ¡°What? That doesn¡¯t even make any sense.¡±

    She just shrugged, chuckling dryly to herself. ¡°Does it make less sense than sudden magical abilities happening for you this late in your life?¡±

    I nearly scoffed. ¡°This late in my¡ª¡° Then I stopped, my eyes widening as I realized my new, youthful self. Looking down at my body, I knew I was young. I couldn¡¯t have been older than the practiced woman in front of me. But I didn¡¯t actually know how old. I didn¡¯t actually even know my own age. ¡°How early is a mage supposed to realize their powers?¡±

    Kye¡¯s little chuckle turned into an all-out laugh at my statement. ¡°Way earlier than this,¡± she said. ¡°Although, I¡¯m not so sure. Maybe you¡¯re just a bit slow.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped and I glared at her. The disrespect burned my skin. I¡¯d earned better than this. But she didn¡¯t even notice. As the seconds wore on, her laughter only picked up.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter though,¡± I said with as little emotion in my voice as I could manage. ¡°All I know is that it wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    Then with a realization coming to me steadily, I checked the back of my mind. Whatever was there, it was sleeping again. An irritated noise crawled out of my throat. Sarin couldn¡¯t come fast enough.

    Kye stared at me skeptically. ¡°How did you get captured anyway?¡±

    I blinked, the question hitting harder than it should¡¯ve. Recent memories rushed back. So much had happened in the past two days. I¡¯d been reborn only a day ago, and now I was escaping from a prison camp and questioning my own magic? It didn¡¯t make much sense. None of it really made much sense. All it did was leave a sour taste in my mouth.

    Remembering her question, I nodded. ¡°I was on my way to town and they ambushed me,¡± I answered. I did not want to go into detail about what had happened before that. My story still confused even me, and I doubted that her understanding would¡¯ve reached the same heights as the warm barkeep.

    She raised an eyebrow. I didn¡¯t miss the way her fingers curled into a fist. ¡°Where were you coming from?¡±

    I shrugged and gave the shortest answer. ¡°From some old tavern back down the road.¡±

    Kye¡¯s face lit up in an instant. Then she remembered the suspicion she held and chose her words carefully. ¡°The rustic one?¡± I hesitated before nodding. ¡°The one with the cheerful and caring owner?¡± I nodded again. A genuine smile ghosted at her lips. ¡°You came from Sal¡¯s place?¡± She nudged me on the shoulder playfully, causing my weak muscles to scream. I would¡¯ve rolled my eyes if I hadn¡¯t been forced to grimace in pain.

    Regaining my composure, I shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that¡¯s what it was called.¡±

    She nodded knowingly, looking forward and clicking her tongue. ¡°Then you probably didn¡¯t stay for very long.¡±

    ¡°I only stayed one night,¡± I said. From the corner of my eye, I could see Kye glancing over me every few seconds. My fingers curled and I forced myself to take a breath. It was like she trusted me even less because I mentioned some tavern.

    Kye made a knowing sound and turned to me. ¡°If you could be staying at Sal¡¯s right now, why are you walking to Sarin? You are not in any condition to be walking this far.¡± I didn¡¯t miss the smirk that floated on her lips at the tail end of her sentence.

    Her words churned through my head as I shook away the disrespect yet again. Hesitating, I considered how much to reveal. ¡°I need to get to Credon as quickly as possible.¡±

    She squinted at me. The questions in her eyes didn¡¯t disappear. ¡°Credon? The town is called Sarin.¡±

    I nearly stopped in my tracks, my brow furrowing. For a moment, I just blinked in disbelief. ¡°I know what the town is called. I am tryingto get to Credon, though. I thought it would be a good place to start.¡±

    Kye¡¯s fists tightened. ¡°Where is Credon? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of it.¡±

    My brows knitted together. Again, the woman¡¯s words didn¡¯t make any sense. Credon was the capital. It was the richest city on the continent. It was my home. How could she not know of it? ¡°It is near the coast, on the centerline of the kingdom by the same name. Do you really not know where it is?¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Kye raised an eyebrow at me, smirked, then scoffed. ¡°I can¡¯t just know every little place on this continent by heart, you know.¡±

    I was already shaking my head. ¡°It¡¯s the capital, though. You must¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

    ¡°The capital of what?¡± she asked, narrowing her eyes. Once more, I could feel the burn of her antagonism against my skin. Meeting her gaze with my own, I felt pride for my kingdom swell up.

    ¡°The capital of Credon,¡± I said shortly. ¡°The greatest kingdom on the continent.¡±

    She snickered. I shot her a glare, but that only seemed to amuse her even more. The stubborn suspicion broke away in a storm of chuckles. ¡°What continent?¡± she asked. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a kingdom here for hundreds of years. Did you get lost in someone¡¯s accounts of the past before you got yourself captured and locked in a cell?¡±

    I blinked, tilting my head. The words she¡¯d used stuck out like sore thumbs. They flooded my mind, spinning and spinning until I could make enough sense of each of them. Unfortunately for me though, that time wasn¡¯t very close at hand. I shook my head, setting aside the confusion and returning to her question.

    ¡°Tecta,¡± I said. ¡°There are at least a dozen kingdoms on Tecta.¡±

    She jerked her head back, still chuckling. Then she blinked, the sounds escaping her lips morphing into light breaths. Finally, the slight glimmer of recognition lit up in her eyes. ¡°Tecta? Isn¡¯t that the continent to the north?¡±

    Continent to the north? What was she talking about? There was nothing north of Tecta. It was surrounded on that side by the eternal sea. Doubt rose up but I forced it down, summoning what information I¡¯d learned from my lessons as a child. For some reason, they felt slippery and hard to grasp, but I got enough. Slowly, steadily, I pieced it all together. And all at once, the conclusion came down on me like a falling church.

    There was nothing to the north of Tecta. But there was a continent to the south. I swallowed, turning back to my walking partner. ¡°Where are we, again?¡±

    She stared at me, bewildered. I widened my eyes and nodded, trying to push past the wall of dread building up between me and all of my goals. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of the road right now.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No. Which continent are we on?¡±

    She snorted again but played along. ¡°We¡¯re in Ruia.¡±

    I cringed, the world shattering around me. In an instant, my mind was sent whirling and everything I¡¯d known since the night I¡¯d been reborn was called into question. Looking back to the woman in the blue cloth uniform, I tried to find a joke. I tried to find some semblance of a lie, but there wasn¡¯t any. She was telling the truth.

    The beast¡ªthe vile, mindless reaper had given me a second chance at life. It had thought I would fail, setting me up for a return visit from the very start. And on top of all of that, it had put me in Ruia. The corrupted continent. The outlands of the world. A lawless wasteland, from everything that I knew.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°What the hell is up with you?¡± Kye asked, an edge entering her voice. My hand dropped down to my side, but there was no sword there. I was unarmed. I was completely and utterly defenseless.

    ¡°I must be confused,¡± I spat through my teeth.

    She eyed me still, obviously not impressed by my response. I clenched my jaw and hung my head, just continuing to walk on. Kye kept pace with me though and glared with increasing curiosity the whole way. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    I blinked, her calm tone catching me off guard. Even the thought of that sent a shiver down my spine. ¡°Agil,¡± I said. ¡°My name is Agil.¡± I didn¡¯t look up, but I could see her rolling the name over in her mind. The momentary silence felt nice. Especially now. I had far too much to think about.

    ¡°Why were you at Sal¡¯s in the first place?¡± Kye asked. She didn¡¯t seem to care for the fact that I didn¡¯t want to talk.

    But, remembering my feeble body, I complied. ¡°I needed a place to sleep. As you can see, I don¡¯t have all that much to my name.¡±

    She exhaled sharply through her nose. ¡°I can see that rather well. What happened to you anyway?¡±

    I scrunched my nose, distaste rising on my tongue. And it seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one bothered by the question as I felt movement in the back of my mind. Whatever was back there shuddered, shying away from even the idea of a response.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it,¡± I said instead, complying with the wishes of everything in my head.

    Kye made an unsure sound in her throat but nodded. ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t push it. You did break me out of that cell.¡± I nodded. It was good that she remembered something like that. ¡°And you¡¯re interesting enough. It wouldn¡¯t do well to have you dead.¡±

    The smirk that accompanied the last of her words stung, but I let it go. Silence crept in afterward. That was good, I decided. Thoughts were still spinning in my head, barely catching a foothold anywhere. I didn¡¯t like it¡ªin fact, I hated it with a passion. But as I clenched my fist and felt pain in my fingers, I knew it was useless. This was my life now, whether I liked it or not.

    From what I knew, Ruia was a continent of disorder. It was the spawn of discord, of all chaotic magic in the world. Almost all of the folktales I¡¯d been told as a child had been set in Ruia. Maybe it was just a convenient spot, I thought now as I glanced around. But still, remembering the purple flame that the bandit had summoned out of thin air, I couldn¡¯t shrug it off so easily. No matter what I thought, it didn¡¯t sit right. Nothing sat right. I felt like I was out of the loop¡ªkept in the dark because of some trick on my mind.

    I needed answers.

    ¡°Is capturing mages common practice here?¡± I started. I tried to keep all indignation from my tone. Some still crept through.

    And Kye heard it too, putting poison into her own voice. ¡°Common practice? Not exactly. But groups of bandits like the ones we had the misfortune to interact with are more common than I¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, fighting my pride to the side.

    ¡°Usually to use them for work or sell them as slaves to whoever is depraved enough to buy.¡±

    Bile rose up in my throat. My eye twitched. ¡°How is that allowed to happen?¡±

    ¡°Allowed to happen¡­¡± Kye got a small chuckle out of that. ¡°Not sure what you remember, but there¡¯s not much ¡®allowing¡¯ here. It¡¯s allowed to happen because people are able to do it. And with a group as large as the one we got tangled with, there isn¡¯t some magical police force ready to put them in line. People are trying to survive, and getting themselves killed doesn¡¯t really further that goal.¡±

    I blinked, furrowing my brow. Yet again, Kye¡¯s words weren¡¯t making very much sense. In Credon, vigilante organizations got dealt with in quick time. I dealt with them in quick time. Maybe it made sense with everything I knew about Ruia already, but it was still hard to accept. My fist clenched at just the thought of the poor people getting stomped on and slaughtered, forced to meet the same beast I¡¯d met. Here, it seemed, they barely had a chance.

    ¡°How did you get captured?¡± I asked.

    Kye¡¯s smirk rushed back onto her face and an eyebrow shot up. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±

    Her arrogance grated against my mind. I had to keep myself from rolling my eyes. ¡°Excuse me? I saw you in that cell.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± she said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t get captured. Captured implies that it wasn¡¯t all planned.¡±

    ¡°So you wanted to get captured?¡±

    ¡°I did get captured. On purpose. Those bastards have been a thorn in our side for a while, but we¡¯d heard that they had taken citizens of Sarin. And if there¡¯s one thing that is alive and well in Ruia, its revenge. I was tasked with exacting just that.¡±

    I chuckled¡ªI actually chuckled at that. For the first time since I¡¯d died, amusement flooded into my voice. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that you were very successful.¡±

    Kye shot me a glare. ¡°I didn¡¯t see or hear of any of the rumored prisoners while in there. You weren¡¯t very useful in that department, that was for sure. And I got out with a few more bandits dead. I see that as that a success.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of going alone anyway if you¡¯re just going to get captured?¡± As a knight, I barely ever went on missions alone. My fellow knights and I were the backbone of order.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we have an unlimited reserve of rangers.¡± She cracked her knuckles. ¡°Especially not ones as competent as I am. Plus, I¡¯m fully capable of handling myself. I wasn¡¯t worried about staying there for very long.¡±

    A comment rose to my lips, one that took a jab at her, but I bit it back. Getting too comfortable so quickly wasn¡¯t something I was keen on doing. And neither was making any unneeded enemies.

    Instead, I asked a different question. ¡°Rangers?¡±

    Kye shot be a sidelong glance. ¡°The Rangers of Sarin. We¡¯re as close as it gets to something organized outside of a town government.¡±

    I squinted. The idea of a ranger was familiar¡ªwe¡¯d had them back in Credon. But, as I was having to face over and over, things were different now. Further questions rose to my lips, but I swallowed them. Stashed them away for some other time.

    ¡°It really is a lawless wasteland outside a town, then?¡±

    Kye grinned. When she looked at me again, her gaze was no longer sharp. The careful caution from before was gone. Or, at least it was slightly hidden away. Her hands still didn¡¯t spend much time out of a clenched fist. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s how it goes.¡± She watched as I bit my lip and worked through more of my thoughts. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have a lot of experience around this place. A lot to learn, I reckon.¡± She chuckled. ¡°I sense a rude awakening in your future.¡±

    She looked down at me¡ªshe was almost a head taller than me, after all¡ªand smiled. I sneered back, pushing back all thoughts reminiscent of my past life. I didn¡¯t like being talked down to¡ªI didn¡¯t like being treated like some blundering child. But again, I held my tongue.

    ¡°I¡¯m not used to it, is all,¡± I said. ¡°I haven¡¯t spent much time in the wastes of this¡ª¡° I stopped myself, reconsidering. ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±

    Kye eyed me with one eyebrow raised. Her doubt crept back, but she didn¡¯t push just like she¡¯d said. ¡°Well. You¡¯ll have to tell me about it some day.¡± Then she started to walk faster and turned her gaze toward the front. I furrowed my brows but followed her lead, and for a moment, I could¡¯ve sworn I saw the face of the world. Lying in front of us, only about a hundred paces down the path, was a town. Small wooden buildings and unpaved cobblestone roads, but a town all the same.

    It was salvation. And at the moment, that was all that mattered.

 Chapter 8

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    It may have been small, but Sarin was livelier than most other towns I¡¯d seen in my life.

    As Kye sped through the streets and I tried to keep up with her, it almost felt like sensory overload. People rushed all around us, talking, laughing, or shopping to their heart¡¯s content. They all moved in a slow, relaxed hurry as if some force of nature was making sure every interaction happened at exactly the correct pace.

    On the sides of the rough road, dozens of stalls were selling dozens of different goods. From produce and bread to pastries and jewelry, there didn¡¯t seem to be a shortage of things to pick from. My nose twitched at the heavenly smells and, despite the knots still tied in my stomach, I couldn¡¯t help it when my mouth started to water.

    Although, as I weaved through the crowds of people on my tear to keep up with Kye, I didn¡¯t feel in pristine shape. On the unpaved street, the pain in my feet only sharpened, and half of my expressions turned into some variation of a wince. The cobblestone road wasn¡¯t as nice as any I¡¯d seen in Credon, and as I looked around, the houses weren¡¯t as nice either. Yet still, as I passed an older woman breaking a pastry in half to give to two children, I couldn¡¯t help but cheer up. The thriving community made me feel warm. It made me feel at home. And for a moment, I almost forgot where I really was.

    Kye, on the other hand, didn¡¯t pay much attention to the town at all. She maneuvered through the streets with ease and didn¡¯t so much as raise an eyebrow at anything we came across. I knew that she must¡¯ve known the town already, but she was moving even faster than that. There was pointed intent in each of her steps, as though she was making her way through a maze and she already knew the correct route.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked when the commotion from the crowds had died down enough. Kye slowed her pace as if remembering I was even there.

    ¡°We¡¯re going¡­¡± She hesitated for only a second. ¡°We¡¯re going to where I live.¡±

    I twisted, avoiding a grumbling man pushing past me on the street. Rolling my neck, I tried to let go of a comment I¡¯d been about to send his way. ¡°And where exactly is that?¡±

    She glanced back at me with an eyebrow cocked up. ¡°The Ranger¡¯s Lodge. I have to report back.¡±

    I furrowed my brow. ¡°A lodge? You don¡¯t live in a house?¡±

    Kye bit back a chuckle. ¡°All rangers live in the lodge. It gives us the best access to the forest while providing a place for all of us to eat, sleep, and train.¡± I nodded slowly. It was their equivalent of a Knight¡¯s Quarters, then. ¡°It¡¯s not that hard of a concept to grasp.¡±

    My lips contorted into a sneer. ¡°I understand the concept of it.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± she shot back in an instant. Her tone sharpened. ¡°Don¡¯t mess anything up while we¡¯re there.¡±

    I swallowed my protests and nodded. At least I knew how to follow orders still. And with my new, frail body looking over a town I¡¯d never even been in before, I decided against testing her any further.

    As we ambled on, the buildings around us began to change. The cobblestone road expanded into a larger town square, and the stalls became larger in turn. The quaint buildings went along the same way. Basic wooden houses turned into larger shops and structures with sweeping roofs and intricate designs. And at the end of the square, a large, raised wooden building loomed over the rest of the town with such intense importance that it reminded me of a palace I would¡¯ve found in my home.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going in there,¡± Kye said, seemingly reading my thoughts. My parted lips pressed shut and my eyebrows dropped as she turned and dragged me in her wake.

    The street we turned onto was narrower than the main one, and it was much less lively. At its onset, it cut between two of the larger buildings in the square and led along a downward slope.

    Despite myself, my lips curled into a smile as I watched the town fly past. Even with the basic architecture, I couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the cozy road and the houses that lined its sides. At the bottom of the hill, the uneven cobblestone petered off, leading into a clearing right next to a forest. A forest that, as I noted with widening eyes, housed a decorated wooden building that seemed separated from the rest of town.

    ¡°This is where I live,¡± Kye said, her words ripping me back to the present. She gestured forward as we made our way into the clearing.

    ¡°This is the lodge?¡± I asked, making no effort to hide how impressed I was. Compared to everything else I¡¯d seen, the smooth stone foundation and polished wooden frame looked positively regal to my eyes. In fact, to say that the lodge was huge would¡¯ve been¡­ exactly correct. The structure wasn¡¯t tall, but it was wide and made use of all the space it could get as it extended a good ways out into the trees.

    In the corner of my eye, I saw Kye¡¯s lips curl into a smirk. ¡°Don¡¯t act so surprised.¡± She pushed past me and made her way up to the lodge¡¯s front entrance. A dark wooden door inlaid with a golden crescent-shaped arrow swung open to let the chestnut-haired woman inside.

    I blinked, remembering myself, and rushed forward as well. Then, after the heavy door slammed shut behind me too, my eyes widened yet again. If the outside of the building had been ornate and regal, the inside didn¡¯t fit very well. Instead of a setting for legends, the interior felt cozy. Homey. Oddly comfortable.

    Soft footsteps rang out on the sturdy wooden floor as I made my way out of the entrance hallway and into the large room that expanded out. On one wall of the room, the same golden symbol of a curved arrow stared down at me. And on the other wall, multiple shelves of gear beckoned me forward with their variety. Bows and arrows, swords and daggers, cloaks and gloves¡ªthere was anything I could¡¯ve wanted. My hand twitched in the air, suddenly desperate at the absence of my sword.

    From the look of it, the space was a training room. And it was one the swordsman in me desperately wanted to try out.

    ¡°You live here?¡± I asked, turning toward where Kye stood at the edge of the black mat in the center of the room.

    She stopped, turning on her heel. ¡°Yeah. Not here exactly, but our quarters are just back there.¡± She gestured behind her to where the training room ended, meeting up with a long horizontal hall that had doors littering its far side.

    I nodded. ¡°All of the rangers live here?¡±

    Kye folded her arms. ¡°This place is bigger than you¡¯d expect.¡±

    My head bobbed up and down, eyes drifting across the room. After a few moments, they settled on the golden sigil emblazoned on the wall.

    ¡°What is your purpose here?¡± I asked. ¡°The Rangers, I mean.¡± From the corner of my eye, I saw Kye squint at me. She straightened up, doubt showing in her eyes the same way it had on our way into town. I turned, squaring her gaze with mine.

    My home kingdom had employed its own version of the Rangers, who were really just a special force of scouters that provided information and backup to the royal guard. But, as I had to keep reminding myself over and over, I wasn¡¯t in Credon anymore. Things were different, and I wanted to know in exactly what ways.

    ¡°We have a contract with Sarin,¡± she said carefully. I could tell she was cherry-picking her words. ¡°We agree to provide them with information and protection, as well as keeping the¡­ dangers of the forest at bay in exchange for hospitality and the gear we need to hunt.¡±

    I furrowed my brow, part of her explanation jutting out like a rock. ¡°Dangers of the forest? What do you mean by that?¡±

    The ranger in front of me stiffened. ¡°I mean exactly that. The forest is full dangerous creatures. We deal with them.¡±

    My eyes widened, but I fought to keep the shock contained. Dangerous creatures. Her words repeated in my head. The same mythical stories from my youth¡ªones that my father had told me about Ruia¡ªrose up like steam.

    ¡°Dangerous creatures as in¡­ magical ones?¡± I asked, keeping myself composed. I tried to play it off like I¡¯d already known what she meant.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she muttered through her teeth. It didn¡¯t seem like she wanted to give the answer she did. ¡°We deal with whatever hybrids or magical concoctions the world decides to throw at us. We hunt them. That¡¯s our job.¡±

    I nodded, connecting everything she was saying with the ideas of rangers from my home. They were similar, I realized. Very similar. But in Credon, we didn¡¯t have magical beasts to put down. A shiver raced down my spine as I remembered all of the things I¡¯d learned about as a child.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°Hybrids?¡± I asked. ¡°Like hulking wolves or flying rats?¡± My fingers curled as I remembered the ghost stories that had been tossed around in Credon¡¯s town square during the night. ¡°Or, say, vampires?¡±

    Kye¡¯s face contorted and she held up her hand. ¡°Kanir, first of all. And yes¡­ things like that.¡±

    ¡°Kanir?¡± I asked. I wasn¡¯t sure if I even really wanted to know.

    Kye scowled. ¡°You¡¯re already familiar with the concept of vampirism. You have to be. Kanir are what humans infected with vampirism are called.¡±

    I rubbed my neck, scowling myself. But under Kye¡¯s scruntinous gaze, I nodded. I was familiar with the concept of vampirism, after all. A human who experimented with their magic¡ªsomeone who¡¯d been cursed by the world with the urge to consume the energy of other living beings¡ªwas a popular figure in horror stories. I just didn¡¯t want to believe they were real.

    ¡°You hunt those things?¡± I asked, trying not to sound like an ignorant child.

    ¡°In some cases,¡± Kye started. ¡°We usually only deal with cases that aren¡¯t serious, but with kanir¡­ their minds deteriorate quickly. We hunt them because we have to, and even then, they¡¯re about as powerful as we go.¡± She shifted her weight, her eyes narrowing. ¡°We stop short of creatures like wisps and definitely dragons.¡± After the explanation, Kye shot me a resolute glance and turned away, signaling the end of our conversation.

    Shaking away the mention of wisps and dragons, I stepped forward. After all, I still had more that I wanted to know. ¡°Are there not rules in place about using magic that way?¡±

    Kye stopped and let out an annoyed chuckle. ¡°What do you expect? The only rules for magic are those set by the world. We can¡¯t change that.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I said, pushing off her condescension again. ¡°But stopping someone from experimenting stops them from becoming a vamp¡ªkanir in the first place.¡±

    ¡°Look,¡± Kye started as she whipped around to meet my gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you were taught where you¡¯re from, but it doesn¡¯t work like that. People experiment with their magic because they want power. Everyone wants power.¡±

    I stopped, leaning back on my heel. Her words echoed in my ears, striking a familiar chord among my memories. And before I knew it, my father¡¯s words were playing back in my head.

    Everyone wants power. Don¡¯t ever forget that.

    Another one of his warnings. Another one of his pieces of advice that had made me the man I¡¯d become. I¡¯d vowed never to forget any of them, and even now I still wouldn¡¯t. His words stuck out like lightning among the fog; I knew they were true. Even in Credon, people craved power. Crazed nobles, obsessed scholars, cruel merchants. There was no reason for it to be different here.

    ¡°Right,¡± came a voice that barely even sounded like my own. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡±

    Kye huffed. Then, seeing the dark expression on my face, her eyes narrowed as if trying to pull a reason out without having to ask. After a few moments though, she opened her mouth.

    ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s back,¡± came a sarcastic voice that kicked me from my thoughts. Kye¡¯s lips snapped shut. Looking up, I saw a young, sandy-haired man in the same dark blue clothing as Kye standing on the far side of the room.

    Kye pursed her lips and ground her teeth as she turned around. ¡°What do you want, Jason?¡±

    The smirking man threw his hands up. ¡°Hey. I wasn¡¯t trying to intrude. I¡¯m just glad you came back alive.¡±

    The previously confident woman grumbled as if the presence of the man apparently named Jason had sapped her of all will to be arrogant. ¡°None of the people rumored to be captured were there.¡±

    Jason¡¯s eyebrows dropped a sliver, but his smirk stayed strong. ¡°So you failed?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Kye shot back. ¡°I didn¡¯t come back with any because there weren¡¯t any to come back with.¡±

    Finally, the blonde man¡¯s smirk wavered. He gestured to me. ¡°Then who¡¯s this?¡±

    Kye turned to me slowly. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ the one who got me out of my cell. He was on his way to Sarin as well, and it didn¡¯t feel right to just drop him in the first street.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Jason said as his eyes narrowed.

    My fingers curled. I had to fight myself not to scoff. ¡°I¡¯m Agil.¡±

    ¡°Well, Agil,¡± he said. I scrunched my nose at his emphasis. ¡°Thanks for getting Kye out of her jam.¡± His smug grin rushed right back and I nearly rolled my eyes.

    ¡°Shut up, Jason,¡± Kye said, glaring daggers in his direction.

    ¡°Just glad that you¡¯re back,¡± he said as he pushed off the doorway and started walking across the room. ¡°Oh, and Lorah wanted to see you whenever you got back.¡±

    Kye straightened and her eyes widened. Sharing a glance with Jason, she nodded gratefully. I tilted my head and opened my mouth, about to ask who Lorah was, but words died on my lips when the man slapped me on the shoulder. His eyes bored into me for a moment, glinting dangerously before he nodded and walked all the way out the door.

    I swallowed the distaste growing in my mouth. ¡°Who was that?¡±

    Kye chuckled. ¡°That, was Jason. Our resident, self-proclaimed swords-master.¡± My ears perked up at that. ¡°And as you can probably tell, our resident asshole as well.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t take a genius to see,¡± I said, rolling my shoulder.

    Kye nodded shortly, eyeing me. ¡°Anyway, Lorah must be able to sense me already so I should go see her.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°Sense you?¡±

    Kye raised an eyebrow. ¡°She¡¯s sensitive to magical energy. I¡¯m sure she knows that I¡¯m here already.¡±

    I stopped, realizing something. ¡°You¡¯re a mage?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± came her off-handed response as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Remembering where I was¡ªwhich continent I was on, I shook my head. Right. Things were different.

    ¡°What kind of magic do you specialize in?¡± I asked, continuing to push my luck.

    She didn¡¯t even look back at me. ¡°I enhance my own abilities.¡± A cold note of finality entered her voice and I snapped my lips shut, swallowing my pride and taking the hint. I didn¡¯t want to pry too much. She¡¯d been nice enough not to pry into my life, after all.

    Yet, as soon as I decided not to ask any more questions, my body rebelled. It took the moment of silence as an opportunity to remind me of my condition. The pain in my bones, the exhaustion and fatigue¡ªit all rushed back at once.

    Then, hesitantly, I opened my mouth again. ¡°Do you have any empty rooms?¡±

    Nearly out of my vision, I saw Kye stop. A soft, gritted sigh lilted to my ears. I could already feel her irritation.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she eventually said. ¡°Down the hall. The¡­ very last room is vacant. It should already be unlocked.¡±

    Tension slipped off my shoulders. ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess anything up.¡±

    I held my head up and nodded, seeing no need for a response. Even if she was a little arrogant, even if she had been condescending, and even if she¡¯d been full of disrespect despite me breaking her out of a cell, I didn¡¯t have to be the same way. Plus, as the idea of sleep floated in my head¡ªthe idea of a bed¡ªall of a sudden I didn¡¯t care. My limbs felt like anchors dragging me to the ground, and I wanted nothing more than for them to pull me down into the abyss.

    So, sparing a silent and grateful glance to the woman still swiftly walking away, I turned around and made my way down the hall.

    <hr>

    ¡°Agil?¡± came a familiar voice, breaking through the dull commotion of the crowd. All around me, rangers were eating and preparing for something I knew nothing about.

    I turned in an instant, my mind craving an explanation. I¡¯d already been up since the crack of dawn, but no matter where I tried to go or who I tried to ask, I hadn¡¯t gotten even a hair of information. I was a ghost, floating in a sea of pre-established connections and dynamics. The sight of Kye then, naturally, was more than a relief.

    ¡°Kye,¡± I said, weaving my way around a tall, black-haired ranger and a group that seemed to follow him around. ¡°What¡¯s going¡ª¡°

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d still be here,¡± she said without even looking at me. A grey-haired ranger beside her handed over a bundle of arrows. Then he glared at me. The older man tilted his head and raised his eyebrow almost imperceptibly as if to tell me that he¡¯d keep an eye out.

    ¡°Where else am I supposed to go?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Thanks Myris,¡± Kye responded but not to me. Then, as the grey-haired ranger stopped watching me like he thought he was a hawk, Kye turned her attention back. ¡°Sorry, what?¡±

    I took a deep breath, flexing my feeble fingers in the air. ¡°Where else am I supposed to go? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m very familiar with this town.¡± A dull jolt of pain hit my sore shoulder as yet another ranger who was at least a head taller than me rushed toward the weapon rack. ¡°What¡¯s going on here anyway?¡±

    ¡°Everyone got new assignments yesterday,¡± she said. Her lips curled up into a grin. ¡°Most of us are preparing for a hunt.¡±

    Glancing around, I did see almost all of the rangers preparing supplies or changing out weapons for whatever worked best for them. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize there were so many of you,¡± I said off-handedly. There couldn¡¯t have been much more than a dozen in the room, but it easily felt like hundreds.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot to learn if you¡¯re gonna stay in Sarin then,¡± Kye said as she organized arrows in a quiver strapped to her waist. ¡°Look, I¡¯d assumed you would¡¯ve slept here for the night and been on your way. I mean, I¡¯m thankful that you broke me out of that cell, but it¡¯s not like I have a plan for the rest of your life.¡±

    I gritted my teeth, frustration bubbling just under the surface of my mind. I knew she was right. And I shouldn¡¯t have expected her to accommodate me for very long. But I was on a whole new continent, dammit. I¡¯d been tricked my the reaper itself and cursed to a life in what amounted to little more than a lawless wasteland. I was a knight. The least I could get was a place to stay while I figured things out.

    Shaking my head, I tried to block out the racket bouncing in my ears. ¡°Is there at least something I can do?¡±

    Kye¡¯s grin faltered, turning more awkward by the second. Around us, the rest of the rangers started to finish up their preparations. Most of them were already making their way to the door. The brown-haired woman scrunched her face, warring with something in her head before she sighed. Her hands fell to her belt and she unfastened a small brown pouch of something I could only assume to be coin.

    ¡°You can make a grocery run, I guess.¡± She held out the pouch and tilted her head at me. Her foot tapped on the wood as she waited for me to accept.

    Blinking, I took the pouch in my own hands. ¡°That I can do.¡±

    ¡°Go into town and buy food. Nothing fancy. And buy blue cloth for uniforms. That coin should be enough for whatever you need.¡±

    Feeling the weight of the money now in my hands, I smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess anything up,¡± Kye said, a cold edge entering her tone. I straightened up, feeling the burn of her gaze on my skin. ¡°If you don¡¯t come back with all the coin you have left, you won¡¯t be smiling again for a very long time.¡±

    For the first time in a long while, I felt intimidated. With my weak, sore muscles reminding me of their useless existence, I knew that her threat wasn¡¯t in vain. And so I swallowed my own frustration and nodded.

    ¡°Kye, are you coming?¡± came another familiar voice from the door. The smirk on Jason¡¯s face told me everything I needed to know.

    Kye whipped around, stringing her bow across her back. ¡°Yeah. We all ready to go?¡±

    Jason nodded, his fingers drumming on the hilt of the blade by his side. ¡°Just waiting on you.¡±

    ¡°I get it. I get it,¡± was all Kye gave in response as she tore across the now-empty room to the door. Jason disappeared from sight, and with one last frozen glare my way, my former cellmate was gone as well.

    The door slammed shut and I was the only one left. Instead of the swirling commotion I¡¯d been dealing with all morning and the confusing knots that had tied in my mind, I was left with only one thing.

    Silence.

    Suddenly, the weight of the little pouch of silvery coins in my hand felt more real. It made me remember something. The task I¡¯d been given. For the first time since my cursed rebirth, I wasn¡¯t fighting for my life. I was standing in a comfortable room, in an actual town, and I had something to do. Mundane and boring, but something to do nonetheless.

    Inside me, burning deep within my soul, I still wanted to be the best. I still wanted to make the beast pay for what it had done. But feeling the stiff soreness in my legs and the lack of a weight on my waist, I knew that wasn¡¯t happening anytime soon. So I just held the pouch tight and made my way to the door. Purpose lined each of my steps.

    And with everything that had happened, I decided that would have to be enough.

 Chapter 9

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

    If you want to get notified of updates for this serial or chat with me as well as other serial authors, consider joining our discord server!</a>

    <hr>

    I was on my ass again.

    Jason stood above me, triumphant. His lips split slowly into a smirk so arrogant I could¡¯ve sworn it was demonic. But before I could glare at him¡ªbefore I could even think about saying anything else, he extended his arm.

    The gesture calmed my temper and I nodded, accepting his outstretched hand. He pulled me up with more strength than I expected, causing me to stumble on shaky legs. I had to bite back a curse as it took me far too long to even balance myself.

    ¡°Want to go again?¡± he asked, making sure that same smug grin was there for each and every word. I narrowed my eyes, my lips tweaking upward at his question. At this point, it might as well have been rhetorical. Jason knew I wanted to go again; he was just taunting me. But remembering where I was¡ªremembering that it was a privilege at all for me to be using their training room as I was, I gave an answer anyway.

    ¡°Of course. You don¡¯t think I¡¯m done already, do you?¡±

    Jason chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d like to think not, but from the way you fight I can¡¯t be so sure.¡± He tilted his head at me and twirled the wooden training sword in his hand. I almost wanted to laugh, but I stopped myself. Because ultimately, he was right. We¡¯d sparred thrice already, and I¡¯d lost pitifully each time. Even despite the fact that he hadn¡¯t used any of his magic.

    Ever since I¡¯d arrived in the Ranger¡¯s lodge, all I¡¯d done was menial tasks. It was all I¡¯d been able to do in order to keep my place to stay. No matter how much I disliked it, running to get groceries, cleaning, and sorting weapons were all better alternatives to living out on the street. To them I was some nobody that just happened to get lucky enough to break one of their own out of prison, but I still wanted more.

    And for my new, painfully incapable body, sparring with Jason was exactly that. For the first time in a while, it was an actual uphill battle. It was a challenge. The kind of thing that made my blood boil in the best way.

    Seeing the way I flexed my fingers on the training blade and readied my stance, Jason must¡¯ve assumed I was ready to go. So instead of dragging it out, he readied himself as well and stared me right in the eyes. ¡°Same rules as last time?¡±

    I nodded, dropping the grin off my face. Truly, I knew the techniques. I knew how my body was supposed to move. The maneuvers, the attacks, the dodges¡ªthey were all clear in my mind. And I could even anticipate most of his strikes.

    But in the previous duels, I hadn¡¯t been able to execute. That had been the common theme. No matter how much I knew, I wasn¡¯t able to stop his attacks amid my unrefined movements.

    Jason¡¯s smug smile dropped off with each passing second. I took the moment to consider him as well. He was a more talented swordsman than I¡¯d first thought; I had to give him that. I¡¯d assumed he was average at best, attributing most of his talent to the sheer force of his strikes. But he wasn¡¯t. Instead, he could easily execute at least intermediate fighting patterns, he knew how to block, and his strikes came with an unexpected level of finesse.

    All things considered, I still would¡¯ve wiped the floor with him in my previous body, but I was still a little bit impressed. A grin crept onto my face as I felt blood pounding in my ears.

    ¡°You want the countdown again?¡± came a familiar voice from across the room. It ripped me from my concentration before I recognized it as Kye.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯d be great,¡± Jason shot back. ¡°Make it as fair as possible.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped. I could hear the bait in his comment, but I pushed it away. I had to focus if I wanted even the tiniest chance of winning.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Kye said. She nodded in the corner of her vision, her arms folded as she leaned against the wall. ¡°3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­¡±

    Jason rushed at me like he¡¯d done before. It wasn¡¯t the greatest of strategies, especially with the telegraphed way he was executing it. But against an inexperienced opponent like the one he thought he was facing, it was dangerously effective.

    Seconds before he reached me, I ducked off to the side. His eyes widened a hair, but he twisted in an instant to bring his blade down on me. Summoning all the speed I could, however, my blade was already colliding with his leg. I forced myself backward before his counterstrike could land.

    ¡°One,¡± I said, my voice a flurry of breaths.

    Instead of a normal duel until yield, we were doing matches to five hits. Everything depended on the dexterity of our strikes¡ªwhether or not we could actually hit our opponent instead of how much damage we could do. As the first number fled desperately from my lips, I would¡¯ve taken a moment to be thankful, but I didn¡¯t even have time to think.

    Jason¡¯s sneer was all I saw as he dashed. Slightly ahead of my movements, I noted. Probably trying to catch me off guard. Before he got to me though, I stopped in place. Banking all trust on my legs to keep me balanced, I aimed my sword as his shoulder. But somehow, he expected me to do that and swiped his blade sideways before he arrived. My sword wrenched in my grip and I stumbled, already gritting my teeth.

    The next maneuver flashed in my head as clear as day. Following it, I would¡¯ve ducked under his reach and struck his leg while pushing out of range. But for the first time in forever, my sword slipped. My smaller, weaker fingers couldn¡¯t grasp it like I¡¯d expected and it glided into the air. The blunt wooden blade landed silently on the ground, leaving me defenseless to his barrage of hits.

    ¡°One, two, and three,¡± Jason said as I cursed under my breath. I only barely dodged the fourth hit with a stumble backward in the direction of my fallen blade.

    Then, swallowing my anger, I snatched it up in a flash. And before I knew it, I was sprinting as fast as I could. The failed maneuver was a rusted rod in the cogs of my mind. I needed distance. I needed time enough to think.

    That time, however, didn¡¯t seem like it would come very soon.

    Jason darted. I narrowed my eyes on him. My fingers relaxed on the hilt of my training blade. Something was different in his form and I knew it. I caught it in the distinct glint in his eye. It was the same glint I¡¯d seen my whole life¡ªthe shine of a swordsman who was sure his victory was at hand.

    Deep breaths circled in my lungs. I readied my sword and nodded, prepared to go along with his deceptive play.

    He lunged at me, feigning a rightward attack and then shifting the strike left with all of his remaining strength. I¡¯d been ready for it though and I hadn¡¯t raised my blade right. With a toothy grin breaking through on my face, our swords collided in a dull blunt strike that wasn¡¯t to his advantage at all. There was no time to think. My instincts carried me forward as I dashed, tearing right through his open side. And by the time I was out of range, I¡¯d counted three solid jabs through his broken guard.

    ¡°Two, three, and four,¡± I breathed as soon as I was a good distance away. Feeling muscles shriek in my leg, I slowed. My hand fell to my knee as I tried to balance for support.

    In a moment frozen in time, Jason stared in pure surprise. In a different situation, I would¡¯ve laughed. It was an expression I hadn¡¯t seen on the smug man yet; it didn¡¯t even seem to fit his face. But I didn¡¯t get to appreciate it for long as he found his bearings.

    In my breathless and unthinking state, I expected him to come all the way to me. Once again, however, I¡¯d underestimated the swordsman and his skills.

    Instead, Jason stopped short. His feet moved almost in a graceful little dance and circled over to my unarmed side. He jabbed at me rapidly, but I was able to blunder away. With shock building on my face, I nearly fell to the ground.

    The sandy-haired blur in my vision slowed, coming to a full stop only paces away. He smiled at me with confidence. Another trick up his sleeve. It was obvious to any trained eye. But despite myself, I just couldn¡¯t see what it really was.

    The realization came too late as the arrogant swordsman faked a dash. I saw right through it, of course. But then he started to swing his sword. I flung mine out to counter, yet I recognized it too late. As soon as my blade only connected with thin air, I was defenseless.

    In a move that I didn¡¯t know he could¡¯ve executed, Jason rolled onto the floor. A perfect, coordinated movement was all that it took. He¡¯d struck me in the leg by the time I even realized what was going on.

    Cursing myself, I repositioned. Swinging my leg back and my sword down, I tried to catch him. But he was already gone. A scan over the ground told me he was running away. Still crouched low, I noted too. Still moving faster than I¡¯d thought he could.

    I shook my head. Then surged forward without a second thought. I didn¡¯t have a second thought. It was my chance to get on the offense and I wasn¡¯t letting it go to waste. Dashing at Jason from behind, I caught him quickly after he¡¯d stood up.

    ¡°Four¡ª¡° he started, biting off the words at my overhead strike. Jason was forced to do something he¡¯d forced me to do many times in the past: block without the power to back it up. He was barely able to keep the tip of my blade from his face.

    He leapt backward, keeping the wooden sword close on guard. He was ready for another strike. It was to be expected from anybody who got overzealous in a fight.

    My strike, however, was one that was never to come.

    Instead of playing into some expected and basic attack, I saw an opportunity in his stumble. I dashed to the side and came up under his unarmed side¡ªwhere he had no hope of deflecting.

    Feeling victory at hand, my arms moved on their own. I could taste it. It was close. My blade sliced through the air at exactly the angle I wanted, aimed at his hip. And a smile tugged at my lips as my premature celebration filled my head. I had it.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Or¡­ maybe not.

    Feeling a harsh tremor of contact rip through my hand, my brows knitted like a quilt. Based on my instinctual calculations, I should¡¯ve hit his hip before he was even able to react. Yet, as happened far too often these days, I was wrong. In my new body, my arm just wasn¡¯t quick enough. Jason¡¯s blade came down and he shuffled away in the nick of time.

    In a moment that was all too fleeting, his navy-covered hip swung away from me and the next thing I knew, my blade was lying on the ground.

    The sad wooden sword hit the black mat with a soft thud that kicked my pride while it was down. In that moment and the next dozen that came after it, I was completely defenseless.

    Jason¡¯s foot came down too, holding my sword in place. And I knew I¡¯d lost before he even muttered his next word. Slowly and steadily, if only to raise my annoyance ever-higher, Jason brought his blade up and brushed it against my shoulder. My lips pressed into a thin line as I looked up at his cocky gaze.

    ¡°And five,¡± he said with a warm tinge. I just tore my shoulder away and rolled my eyes.

    Then, I shoved Jason¡¯s metal-booted foot away and picked up my blade. The absolute scowl on my face would¡¯ve been enough to make fresh trees rot. And at the time, I didn¡¯t know whether it was more directed at Jason or myself.

    ¡°Impressive display,¡± a voice said from behind. My eyes split wide in an instant. It sounded cold in my ears, freezing at oncoming memories that sparked a shiver down my spine. I¡¯d heard those words before. I hated them with a passion. Panic filling my bones, I twisted on my heel, not at all ready to confront my fate yet again. ¡°You both have quite well-refined technique.¡±

    A white, tailor-made suit gleamed in my vision. It quelled my fears. A soft sigh fell from my lips, and I nodded a little too thankfully when I realized that it wasn¡¯t the beast.

    Instead, the source of the deep, confident voice was another thing that I didn¡¯t quite expect. It hadn¡¯t come from the type of person that I normally expected in the lodge. The man standing in the narrow entryway was not a warrior or a hunter. He was a handsome young man. He wasn¡¯t wearing armor, much to the contrast of the apparent guards flanking his sides. And his bright face was filled with an overly genuine kind of interest.

    ¡°The fake-out,¡± he continued. ¡°Where he ended up faking you out. Oh, that was fantastic! And that last moment as well.¡± The man rolled his wrist. ¡°I was on the edge of my figurative seat.¡±

    I squinted at the man, his deep yet chipper voice streaming onto my eardrums. It was practiced and unburdened, like a perfect sweet spring breeze. The sound of it radiated a sort of regal power, and it reminded me of people I¡¯d become acquainted with in my past life. Even a bit of myself, if I was to be honest.

    Breathing a little more heavily than I¡¯m sure he would¡¯ve admitted, Jason shook his head. ¡°What are you doing here, Arathorn?¡± The signature smirk on his face was gone, replaced with an expression lined in respect.

    I bit back a grumble about why he hadn¡¯t used that expression with me.

    The charming man of authority flashed both of us a toothy smile. ¡°I¡¯m only here to speak with Lorah, but I couldn¡¯t resist such a duel. I had to stop and watch it.¡± The sweet breeze of his words blew over me once more. It felt nice. So nice, in fact, that I almost missed the way his attention landed on me.

    The man was staring, even while responding to Jason. His eyes stayed on me as if frozen in place. They studied me carefully, something odd glinting in his irises. Breaking out of his charming gaze, I tried to sift it out. Tried to see what was hiding in his eyes.

    Whatever it was, it left a bitter taste on my tongue. It was some sort of¡­ want, some desire, some hunger. But it was shielded well. I couldn¡¯t see very deep, and with his cheerful and pleasant demeanor, I couldn¡¯t even tell if it was real or not.

    I shifted in place, stepping forward toward the man. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    He laughed, tilting his head in my direction. ¡°My name is Arathorn Gairen. I¡¯m the currently sitting Lord of Sarin.¡± His title came down like an anvil on my shoulders, making me straighten up. ¡°And who would you be, promising young warrior?¡±

    For a second, I just furrowed my brow. Confusion rose within me and I shook my head, my own internal reasoning saying that he couldn¡¯t have been referring to me. I wasn¡¯t young. And I wasn¡¯t a promising warrior. I was a warrior that had already been promised. But after another second of silence and a glance down at myself, I cringed.

    ¡°Agil,¡± I said, trying not to stutter. ¡°My name is Agil.¡± Seconds of pure silence ticked by after my response, but Arathorn didn¡¯t seem to mind.

    ¡°Well. Nice to meet you Agil,¡± he said. Despite his strange stare, his tone was exactly the same as before, cheerful and confident. The emphasis of my name, however, was enough to make me fight back a shudder.

    ¡°Lorah¡¯s in her office,¡± came Kye¡¯s uninterested voice from the other side of the room. ¡°She might¡¯ve sensed you already, but I¡¯d knock before you walk in.¡±

    Arathorn¡¯s expression tightened but he smiled at Kye. ¡°Thank you,¡± was the last thing he said before nodding to both of his escorts and tearing through the room, full of poise. My eyes followed his form, squinting more and more the longer they stared at the man.

    As soon as he was gone, a breath slipped between my lips. A breath I hadn¡¯t even known I¡¯d been holding in. ¡°What¡¯s up with that guy?¡±

    Kye turned to me, pushing off the wall as she made her way over. ¡°Was there something different about him?¡±

    I shook my head lightly. Doubting the lord of the town I would be living in for the foreseeable future wasn¡¯t on the top of my list of wants, but I couldn¡¯t ignore it. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Something was off, as if he was hiding something.¡±

    Jason scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s always hiding something, but he¡¯s the Lord. He has to. If he weren¡¯t as amicable as he is, I might be suspicious of him too. He¡¯s so charismatic that some people get caught off guard by it and don¡¯t question.¡± I nodded slowly. It made some sense, but it didn¡¯t satisfy me. Something still nagged at my head¡ªa newly forming theory still in its stages of infancy kicking at my skull in an effort to develop faster.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bother with it too much,¡± Kye said, eyeing me carefully. The antagonism in her gaze was back and I had to fight to shrug it off. As much as Jason¡¯s arrogance grated on me, at least he wasn¡¯t holding shriveled pieces of doubt for just about everything I did.

    ¡°By the way,¡± the swordsman cut in with one eyebrow raised. ¡°You do have some technique that isn¡¯t half bad. Where¡¯d you learn that kind of stuff?¡±

    My eyebrows dropped at the half-assed, unexpected compliment. In my past life, I would¡¯ve gotten glowing praise from someone of his ilk. My new and clumsier fighting, however, barely deserved what he gave me.

    I twisted my neck, trying to pick my words. Explaining my entire life story was off the table, but I didn¡¯t particularly want to lie. ¡°It¡¯s something I taught myself back home.¡±

    Jason nodded, curling his lip. He wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°Were there any great¡­ warriors or instructors back at your home? It¡¯s¡­ hard to believe you are only self-taught.¡±

    I suppressed the grin tugging at my lips and clenched my jaw to restrain myself. ¡°No¡­ not particularly. At least not that I had much interaction with. I¡¯ve just always been fascinated with swordplay.¡±

    The man who¡¯d just bested me scrunched his face. He nodded once more, trying to bring a smile back onto his face. His smirk, however, felt uncharacteristically vacant. ¡°I have a certain love for swordplay as well.¡± My fingers twitched. ¡°But if you¡¯ve never trained with someone seasoned, that would explain your pitiful form.¡± Seeing the way I stiffened and gritted my teeth, his smirk returned to full force.

    I brushed off the backhanded statement and tried to push the conversation forward instead. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to be a swords-master.¡± I had to stop myself from cringing. ¡°Though I¡¯ve never had to fight anyone who could use magic.¡±

    Jason laughed. ¡°Yeah. If I¡¯d used magic, that would¡¯ve been over much quicker.¡±

    I let out a breath through my teeth. ¡°I bet it would¡¯ve. What can you do, anyway?¡± If I was going to have to listen to him stroke his ego, I wanted some information out of it.

    Jason¡¯s smugness returned to a humorous degree. ¡°I¡¯m rather good at manipulating energy in relation to objects. Even the air at times. I can heat things up, make them heavier, all depending on how much I expend. Obviously, it¡¯s easier to make something hotter than heavier, though.¡±

    I furrowed my brow. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    Jason stopped twirling the training sword. He looked down at me with arched eyebrows as if he felt bad for my ignorance. ¡°Heat is a more basic state of energy¡­ it¡¯s easier to manipulate.¡± My head bobbed, trying to burn the information into my mind. Jason glanced back at Kye, who only offered a shrug in return. He continued. ¡°Increasing something¡¯s weight is more complex. It requires more finesse and strains the soul more. I have to put in more effort.¡±

    Jason looked at me in silence for a second, a perplexed expression on his face as though he¡¯d just been handed an arithmetic test.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± I said, feigning some sense of childish wonder. ¡°I would stand no chance against that.¡± My own discipline and previous training berated me, lashing out at my words. But I ignored both of their calls and just tried my best to keep a smile.

    I tried so hard to keep it up, in fact, that I didn¡¯t even notice when another ranger entered the room. Her presence completely ghosted my senses up until the point that Kye spoke up.

    ¡°Hey Tan, are you heading out?¡± she asked. I didn¡¯t miss the fact that her tone was far lighter and friendlier than any she¡¯d used with me. I looked up, flicking my eyes over to the new woman standing by the wall. Picking arrows from one of the quivers on the rack¡ªone of the quivers I had put in place, I reminded myself¡ªwas a tall, brunette woman wearing the same blue clothes that all the rest of the rangers wore.

    The woman looked in our direction, smiling at Kye. As her eyes glossed over Jason, a glint of familiar annoyance popped up. But her gaze froze completely as soon as she locked eyes with me.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, responding to Kye¡¯s question. Her eyes narrowed as if the recognition of my face was taking longer than expected. ¡°You¡¯re new here, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    I nodded, the fact that someone around here had bothered to remember my face bolstering me more than I wanted to admit. ¡°Agil,¡± I said. ¡°My name¡¯s Agil.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one Kye brought in,¡± she said carefully. Her fingers thumbed through arrows almost all on their own. ¡°The one that¡¯s been taking the bottom-feeder assignments for us.¡±

    All the pride that had built up before fell down like a crumbling wall. My eyebrows dropped and I grumbled under my breath, only confirming what the woman knew to be true. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said despite myself. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡±

    The tall, brunette woman stifled a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re already dueling with Jason, then?¡±

    My frustrated expression contorted. ¡°How did you figure?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like his expression leaves anything to the imagination. And I figured he hadn¡¯t just dueled with Kye, because he only looks that pompous whenever he actually wins.¡±

    Beside me, Jason scoffed. ¡°And what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Nothing at all,¡± the woman said, a smirk ghosting her lips. It was as if her backhanded insult had slapped the arrogance right off of Jason¡¯s face and transferred it onto hers.

    Kye snickered. ¡°So Tan, what are you heading out for?¡±

    The woman apparently named Tan ripped her gaze away from the definition of conceit to look at Kye. ¡°There¡¯s a contest today.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I knew that, but they left for it more than an hour ago.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Tan asked, raising an eyebrow and stopping her fingers. ¡°I thought they were holding two rounds today because the forest has been particularly active.¡± She finished picking the arrows she wanted and placed them in her own smaller quiver on her waist.

    Kye grumbled, the smile on her face betraying the friendly nature of it all. ¡°Why did nobody feel the need to tell me about that? I¡¯m coming with.¡±

    ¡°The more the merrier,¡± Tan said with a warm grin. ¡°I want to see who places second this time.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Kye shot back before questions could even form in my head. ¡°That¡¯s some confidence. What, are you pairing up with Myris again this time?¡± Tan¡¯s grin widened, but she couldn¡¯t hide the slight blush in her cheeks. ¡°Of course you are.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll come,¡± came a voice from beside me. Jason stepped forward with a grin.

    Both of the other two rangers shared a glance before glaring back at the swordsman. Kye was the first to let out a laugh though as she twisted to face him. ¡°I don¡¯t think there was any doubt that you were coming.¡±

    Jason¡¯s wicked grin deepened and he let off some boastful response. I didn¡¯t listen, drowning him out as I tried to collect my thoughts. I curled my fingers around the training sword still within my grip. Whatever the rangers in front of me were talking about, it didn¡¯t seem to include me. In the mere minute since Tan had entered the room, I¡¯d gone from a part of the conversation to little more than a fly on the wall. And after they left for whatever contest kept being thrown around, I already knew things wouldn¡¯t change. I¡¯d be left alone and bored, cooped up in a lodge while the only people I actually knew on this corrupted continent were off galavanting in the woods.

    No, I told myself as I collected my breaths. Sparring with Jason was nice; it gave an actual challenge and some purpose beyond being a glorified butler. But it would only take me so far. I¡¯d sparred with him multiple times, and I was still in the same feeble body as before. I needed more than stray fights. I needed training. I needed experience.

    And so, with resolve building back up in my head, I took a step forward among the chatting rangers. As soon as a lull in the conversation sprung up, I grabbed the chance with an iron grip. The eyes of each of them bored into me, threatening to poke holes in my soul as I tried to find the words I wanted. But there was no going back now, I told myself and tried to force up a grin.

    ¡°So, what exactly does this context entail?¡±

 Chapter 10

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

    If you want to get notified of updates for this serial or chat with me as well as other serial authors, consider joining our discord server!</a>

    <hr>

    The pumping of blood in my ears and the rustling of leaves behind me were the only things I heard as I dashed through the trees. My feet slammed on the dirt, weaving between the brush and the woods. With my brows furrowed into a line and sweat dripping down my back, I was moving as fast as I could. I was moving as fast as my frail, uncoordinated body could push me. And it was still catching up.

    I really shouldn¡¯t have agreed to come on this hunt.

    Shaking away the unneeded thought, I pushed my foot into the ground again. The worn-in boot that the warm barkeep had given me all those days ago dug into the dirt at the worst possible angle and I stumbled. My arms shot out and my eyes shot wide. But with all of my might, I managed to keep upright just enough to continue sprinting.

    The thuds of my boots rippled through the air. The pounding of my blood seemed to shake my very being. And the leaping bounds of the creature on my tail were immense. Each subtle change in the air¡ªeach jolt of movement felt like it lasted a thousand years.

    Thoughts raced in my head as I tried to figure out something to do. Ways to fight the creature, ways to evade it, ways to live. All I had was my mind and my sword since my companion had gone off somewhere down the line. And usually, that was enough for me. But right now, I was coming up short. I couldn¡¯t think the way I normally did. I couldn¡¯t fight back like normal. Death, for me, was too much to risk.

    I just had to stay ahead of it, I told myself. I just had to stay ahead.

    A sharp rustle sounded behind me and the creature growled. I turned, twisting on my heel and surging through the trees to my side. Thorns of a bush tore into my leg, but I wrenched it out in quick time. I ducked and weaved through the next few trees, scrambling to cover as much ground as possible.

    If the bounding creature caught me now, the reaper would take me with swift ease. I couldn¡¯t let that happen, so I continued to push on. Cold fire seeped into my veins and resolve solidified in my head. With each new step, my bones ached more and more. I was slowing down and I knew it, but that didn¡¯t mean I had to give in. As the hulking creature tore out of thorns, I still had hope. Hope that in however much time I had, something would change. That something would save me. Some miracle would¡ª

    A rustle to my left. All thoughts screeched to a halt.

    I perked my ears up and twisted my neck. Beside me, a form was barreling through the trees. That was all I needed to know. Whatever or whoever it was, it was aiming for the growling creature.

    And fortunately for me, my pace was quick enough because within the next few seconds, the form clad in blue cloth lunged out of the trees and a strangled growl slipped into the air. I flicked my eyes back, glancing at the ranger who¡¯d saved me. The flash of chestnut hair and the toothy, cheerful smirk told me everything I needed to know. All at once, tension slipped right out of my muscles and I turned around to face Kye.

    Or, that¡¯s what I¡¯d intended to do. Instead, my thundering feet struggled to slow, twisting on the ground and causing me to stumble into the dirt. Air pressed out of my lungs and a jolt of pain shot through my chest as I skidded on grass, my sword slipping from grip.

    I cursed under my breath, berating my body once again. No matter how many times I tried, it didn¡¯t listen to my calls. It was too slow. It was unconditioned. It was unresponsive. And those facts grated on my mind.

    A gargled, angry howl bellowed out through the air behind me. A wave of fear rushed over my being. I snapped my eyes wide, my fingers already skittering on the dirt to grasp my sword.

    ¡°Mine!¡± a voice exclaimed, far too excited for the circumstances. I blinked past heavy breaths as Kye retracted her dagger from the back of the whimpering wolf. The hulking thing growled once more, wrenching its head over to bite her, but she evaded with ease and dragged the knife through its neck.

    Blood poured out and the creature shrieked as soon as it made contact with her knife. The bounding wolf¡ªwhich had looked so intimidating before¡ªteetered on shaky paws before crumpling to the ground, life pouring from its wounds.

    I gasped, blinking in disbelief at the woman who¡¯d reluctantly chosen to partner up with me. When she flicked her gaze over to meet mine, the smirk on her face only deepened. She ripped her knife from the wolf¡¯s neck and wiped off the blood, narrowing eyes at me.

    ¡°You¡¯re not very useful,¡± she said with the same humorless edge she¡¯d used back at the lodge. After I¡¯d asked about the competition, neither her or the rest of the rangers in the room had particularly wanted to tell me. Eventually, Tan had let out that it was a competitive hunt that most of the rangers participated in. It was a game to them. A thing of status. And at the time, it had really piqued my interest.

    But as I stood up, aches already setting into my bones, I wasn¡¯t so sure that interest was worth it.

    ¡°Insightful,¡± I said as I wiped dirt off my pants.

    Kye snickered, but didn¡¯t take her eyes off me. ¡°When I¡¯d agreed to let you come along, I¡¯d at least thought you would be more of a help than a hindrance.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Maybe I would have if you hadn¡¯t wandered off without telling me.¡±

    ¡°This is a hunt,¡± she said, crouching down to inspect the now-dying abomination. ¡°It isn¡¯t my fault that you can¡¯t handle yourself.¡±

    I glared at her, my gaze harsh as nails. But she didn¡¯t even seem to be bothered. Instead, she looked down at the hulking wolf-like beast. Reluctantly, I followed her gaze.

    The large and muscular monster that had been chasing me through the woods, for all intents and purposes, was a wolf. It was enormous and had fur patches of mismatched shades of grey, but it was a wolf. My problem with it was more related to the charred marks it had been leaving behind with its fiery claws and the terrifying black protrusion sticking out of its left eye.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    A shiver raced down my spine.

    It was the kind of creature talked about only in old folklore or exaggerated horror stories back in Credon. It wasn¡¯t the kind of nightmare that was real. But, as I reminded myself again with a heavy breath, things were different now. Here, the ghastly creature was real, and apparently it had been killed with the simple use of a dagger.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m out hunting deer or something,¡± I said, not even trying to hide the bitterness in my tone. But after a few more seconds, I had to tear my gaze away from the thing. ¡°That thing looks like it would feed on my dreams.¡±

    Kye chuckled. ¡°These are the kinds of creatures we hunt here.¡± I didn¡¯t miss the smirk that flashed at her lips. ¡°Probably something you should get used to if you¡¯re going to stick around.¡±

    I closed my eyes and forced myself to take a deep breath. Instead of sending a quip back her way, I opted for a question instead. ¡°How did you kill it so quickly anyway?¡±

    Kye raised an eyebrow. ¡°My dagger is tipped with blue silver.¡±

    I blinked, my fingers curling. A squint of confusion threatened my face, but I kept it at bay. I didn¡¯t want to give her the satisfaction of that. ¡°And blue silver is¡­¡±

    The ranger in front of me didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°A metal. It¡¯s poisonous to most mammals, and fast acting too.¡±

    My eyes narrowed, but I nodded at that. ¡°Right,¡± I said, adding the new information to the pile I still hadn¡¯t sorted out in my head.

    In my past life, I hadn¡¯t been much of a hunter. I¡¯d been able to do it, of course. Even quite well, if a mission called for it. But we hadn¡¯t had magical beasts with fiery claws. I¡¯d trained against other people because they were the largest threat. I¡¯d simply hunted for food. I only ever had to be stronger than a boar or a deer. I had not been forced to deal with hulking beasts of corruption that could cauterize any wound they inflicted.

    In front of me, Kye cut off the wolf¡¯s paw. She held it up to the light and inspected it, a small spark flying off her finger to make sure the wound didn¡¯t bleed.

    ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± I asked, not even commenting on the display of magic. Before, I would¡¯ve gawked at the ability to produce a spark that easily. But at this point, I¡¯d heard Jason bragging about his abilities enough to know it was standard.

    Kye shot me a sidelong glance. ¡°It¡¯s a trophy,¡± she said as she placed it in the small bag on her waist.

    My eyebrows dropped. Right. The competition. For each of the targets we killed, we were supposed to bring a trophy back to the lodge. Apparently, there was some point system determined by mages who inspected the trophies of each team.

    A flash of brown hair ripped me back to the present. Kye narrowed her eyes, glaring at the murky black spike coming out of the wolf¡¯s eye. All along it, thin silver streaks sent fear to my core.

    I shuddered. ¡°What even is that?¡±

    Kye raised her head, but she didn¡¯t instantly come back. Instead, she leaned toward the disgusting thing. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly know.¡±

    Well, I thought to myself with a snort, that was a first.

    But instead of being scared of the thing, or leaving it where it was, Kye had another idea. She poked it with her dagger. It shuddered, and I did as well. But Kye kept picking at it, eventually tearing open the creature¡¯s eye socket with her knife in an effort to pull it out.

    A few seconds, a few slices, and one grunt later, she was holding the spike. It stopped shaking as soon as she ripped it from its parasitic lodging.

    I felt a tickle in my throat, bile inching its way up. But I swallowed it down quickly and clutched my sword as comfort. ¡°That is terrifying.¡±

    The confident ranger raised her eyebrows. She looked over at me and twirled the spike in her hand. ¡°I won¡¯t disagree with that. It almost reminds me of terror flesh.¡± For a moment, the mention of yet another thing I didn¡¯t understand almost sparked a question. Kye though, barreled on. ¡°Either way, it has to be worth a lot. Whatever it is.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± I said as I sheathed my blade. All at once, the aches in my body caught up with me and I had to grit my teeth through fatigue. ¡°When is this hunt going to end anyway?¡±

    I still wanted to train my body. I still wanted to become stronger, faster, and more experienced. Especially considering how little I knew about my new environment. But at some point, I¡¯d reached my limit. The complaints of my weak muscles had become too much and my training had bled into overexertion. No matter how much I hated it, I had to accept that.

    Kye furrowed her brows, looking into the sky as if to judge the sun¡¯s position. ¡°It should be almost over, actually. Which makes your incompetence a little more forgivable.¡± She gestured to the wolf now lying in the dirt. ¡°With this thing, I might even beat Jason this time.¡± The signature smirk that crept onto her face told me everything I needed to know.

    I still remembered Jason beating me in four straight duels before the hunt had started. And if I were her, I knew I would¡¯ve been as excited as she was to wipe the smug smile off his face.

    Yet, as I envisioned the moment, I didn¡¯t feel as excited as I¡¯d hoped. Because I wasn¡¯t excited. I was tired, and not particularly in the mood to hear any more of Kye¡¯s cocky comments. So instead of staying, I just let a breath slip through my lips and walked off.

    Pushing through the same brush that Kye had unexpectedly arrived through, I followed her very obvious footprints in an attempt to find my way back. Through the gnarled trees and twisting paths, I knew I wasn¡¯t going to walk to the lodge without her help. But that didn¡¯t worry me much.

    ¡°Ready for the end of the hunt so soon?¡± she asked sarcastically as she caught up.

    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m ready to get out of these woods.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten to know them well enough with all the running you did, that¡¯s for sure.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped, the insult scraping against my discipline. ¡°It¡¯s not like the place is particularly welcoming.¡± But I couldn¡¯t help the grin inching up to my lips.

    ¡°I guess for a beginner like you¡±¡ªI clutched the hilt of my blade¡ª¡°dealing with a pyre wolf may not have been ideal.¡± Her smirk bared its shining teeth in the corner of my eye. ¡°Especially if you don¡¯t have blue steel in your arsenal.¡±

    I nodded dryly. ¡°Right. Or if you¡¯re not a mage.¡±

    Kye scoffed. ¡°If you¡¯re capable, you don¡¯t need magic. Most of the time it¡¯s just an extra convenience.¡±

    I just allowed myself an exhale of amusement at that and let her words stew in my head. As seconds slipped by though, my brows furrowed together. Jason¡¯s explanation of magic rose up again, and something nagged at my brain.

    ¡°If¡­¡± I started. One of Kye¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°If heat is the easiest thing to create with magic, how are you able to enhance your body at will?¡±

    Kye stared at me for a second as my question hung in the air. Her feet masterfully avoided all obstacles on the forest floor while we walked. ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as that,¡± she eventually said. ¡°The soul is like a muscle¡ªlike something you can train. And the more you use it for a purpose, the easier that purpose becomes. I¡¯ve always enhanced my actions, so that¡¯s what I mainly do.¡±

    Recognition flickered in my head like a white flame as I processed her words. My brows knitted together and I nodded, something about her explanation ringing true against the lessons in magic I¡¯d been taught in my youth. Lessons that I¡¯d quickly thrown out, in fact, because I¡¯d never been able to use what they¡¯d taught me.

    A chuckle rose in my throat. ¡°So, what¡ª¡°

    I tripped.

    A brief moment of panic was all I got before I found myself face-first in the dirt. A slight burn scraped my skin as the rock tore on my shin. Above me, I heard Kye snicker.

    ¡°World¡¯s dammit,¡± I muttered as I picked myself up. Standing up, I brushed the dirt from my face and already-ragged clothing before Kye started laughing beside me. As soon as she did, I gritted my teeth and shot her a glare to shut up. But all that did was make her laugh even louder.

    I could barely hear my own grumbles over her bellowing amusement as we pushed on through the trees.

 Chapter 11

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    ¡°How big is this damn forest?¡±

    The question forced itself out of my mouth after about the twentieth minute of walking. Beside me, I could hear Kye laughing, but I didn¡¯t even stop to glare at her. She wouldn¡¯t have looked up anyway. She was still counting all the trophies she¡¯d collected in her bag.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re just impatient,¡± she said. I didn¡¯t need to turn around to see her smirk. Truthfully, she was right. But that didn¡¯t help me much. My chest still burned. My feet still hurt. And I was still going over the encounter we¡¯d had back in the middle of the forest. I kept berating myself for succumbing to the fear. For not being able to keep up.

    However, I could see Kye¡¯s point; groaning further wasn¡¯t doing me any good. So instead, I just twirled the short sword the rangers had given me through my fingers. I focused on the strain in each individual muscle. It was a simple technique to improve dexterity and build muscle memory, but it was also the technique I¡¯d used when I was first studying the blade. Back when I was a teenager, I reminded myself. A gravelly sigh fell from my lips.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there anyway,¡± Kye said. When I looked over, her eyes were narrowed on the trophy in her hand. This murky black spike.

    I shook a shiver from my spine and focused on her words. Furrowing my brows, I flicked my eyes across the scene, seeing only the same twisting trees and unkempt brush that we¡¯d been hunting in the whole time. There was no way we were almost there.

    I¡¯d never been much of a hunter in my day, but I¡¯d been in forests enough to know we were still deep in its heart. From the looks of the trees intermittently spliced by rays of sunlight around us, we were hundreds of paces from the nearest tree line. At the least. There was no way we were almost there.

    But, as it turned out, Kye was right.

    After walking for only another minute, we were met with the clearing. Looking ahead, I could even see the Rangers¡¯ lodge. All at once, my vision was flooded with at least a dozen rangers, a few tables, and the sight of Sarin in the distance.

    While gawking, I¡¯d apparently slowed down because Kye ended walking out in front of me. She whipped her head around with doubt flickering in her eyes again. But as soon as she caught the surprised expression on my face, she only let out a laugh.

    ¡°You should get to know these woods better,¡± she said, tilting her head. ¡°But don¡¯t ever doubt me on it. I know this place like the back of my hand.¡±

    Finding no aggravation to respite her accusatory glare, I nodded. After all, it was pretty clear that she did. I had no idea how she¡¯d known where we were going, but it would¡¯ve been a lie to say I wasn¡¯t impressed. And as we walked into the autumn sun, it would¡¯ve been a lie to say I wasn¡¯t thankful as well.

    As soon as we entered the clearing though, I didn¡¯t have much time to enjoy it. Kye sped up and I had to match her pace. Barely even looking around, we weaved through the crowd of people who¡¯d gone on the hunt.

    All around us, a myriad of rangers sprawled out in the most casual formation I¡¯d seen them in yet. They weren¡¯t organized and confirming orders with each other; they were standing around and talking as if on their way to a tavern. Out of the lot, I recognized almost every face, but it frustrated me to realize I couldn¡¯t place all of their names.

    I recognized Myris, the older, grey-haired ranger who was more suspicious of me than even Kye was. He was standing near the middle of the clearing with his arm around Tan, who was laughing at whatever the ranger in front of them had said. But what bothered me was that I didn¡¯t know who the ranger in front of them was. As a knight, I¡¯d made it my mission to bond with every other knight in my king¡¯s court. I knew their names by heart. And now, not only could I barely recall those names, I couldn¡¯t place half of the rangers I¡¯d been living with for weeks. It was like what I once held close was being blown from my fingers by the wind.

    Unconsciously, I scowled and slowed my pace. For a moment, I didn¡¯t even realize I had done it, but Kye¡¯s talking brought attention back to her.

    ¡°How¡¯s inspecting, Elena?¡± she asked, her eyes on a woman behind the desk we¡¯d stopped at.

    The woman¡ªElena, I remembered and burned it into my mind¡ªsmiled. ¡°It has been worse. How¡¯s hunting?¡±

    I squinted, watching the woman pick up her pen. But I wasn¡¯t looking at the basic ink-tipped metal utensil. I was looking at the woman herself. Because unlike the rest of the rangers, the uniform she was wearing wasn¡¯t dark blue. She wore cloth of a bluish purple color that culminated in a hood over her hair.

    Just in front of me, Kye smiled. A real smile instead of a smirk, this time. ¡°It has definitely been better,¡±¡ªshe spared a glance my way¡ª¡°but I think I might have a shot this time around.¡±

    Elena, playfully jerked her head back. ¡°What makes you so confident?¡± She raised an eyebrow which got Kye to chuckle.

    ¡°What can I say? Killed some quality game this time around,¡± Kye said. Then her face scrunched a bit as she looked down at the black spike in her hand. ¡°At least, I think so.¡±

    I shuddered, rolling my neck just looking at the monstrous thing again. ¡°Quality or not, it certainly put up a fight.¡±

    Elena tore her eyes off Kye and looked to me. Her smile wavered. ¡°And you are?¡±

    ¡°Agil,¡± I said, my name rolling off the tongue. ¡°I was Kye¡¯s partner this hunt.¡±

    This time, it was Elena¡¯s turn to chuckle. She ghosted a smirk and glanced back over at Kye. ¡°Really? She neverpartners up. Too much of a lone wolf for that.¡±

    My former cellmate rolled her eyes. ¡°He got me out of a difficult situation once. And he wanted to come on the hunt.¡± Kye flicked her eyes to me again. ¡°But there¡¯s no way he was going out without a partner. So¡­ here we are.¡±

    I scrunched my nose, tightening my grip around the hilt of my blade. ¡°Might¡¯ve been better if I¡¯d been given any information on what I was hunting in there.¡±

    Kye raised her head at me. A gesture that barely did anything as she was half a head taller anyway. ¡°I don¡¯t see how that would¡¯ve changed much. Hunting with you was like guiding a lost puppy.¡±

    I rolled my eyes again, pushing the antagonism away. I was a knight; I deserved better. ¡°Right. As if you didn¡¯t go wandering out into the trees at random.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Elena snickered, not even trying to hide the amusement on her face. ¡°Do you have your trophies?¡±

    Kye nodded and placed the terrifying spike down on the table before going to untie the bag on her waist.

    Elena almost took a step backward. Her expression darkened and her lips twitched before any actual words came out. ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°My exact reaction,¡± I muttered. Kye didn¡¯t seem to notice.

    ¡°A trophy,¡± the huntress said. ¡°A bit unusual, but I figured it would still count.¡±

    Elena glared at the thing for another second. Then she shook her head. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be the judge of that¡­ Where are the rest?¡±

    ¡°Right here,¡± Kye said as soon as she¡¯d unfastened the bag¡¯s drawstring. Within the next few seconds, the various body parts she¡¯d removed from all of her prey were spread out over the table.

    My lips curled into a sneer as I watched the woman in robes pick up each ¡®trophy¡¯ like it was an ornament to be stocked on a shelf. But instead of stocking them anywhere, she only squinted at each of them for a few seconds before scribbling something down on the paper in front of her. Oddly, she was inspecting each trophy with care and finesse like it was second nature, but she hadn¡¯t even touched the black spike yet. Something about it, even in her eyes, was deeply unnatural.

    After a few seconds of standing around though, I squinted myself and realized I had no idea what she was doing. The feeling of ignorance grated on me. I was on a new continent and living a completely new life, yet I barely knew anything. Not even the basics of the magic that was so prevalent. If I wanted to improve¡ªif I wanted experience, I needed information as well.

    ¡°What are you inspecting the trophies for?¡± I finally asked.

    The inspector stopped, blinking for a moment before looking up. Beside me, Kye nodded in recognition as though she¡¯d been expecting my question the entire time. ¡°For traces of magical energy,¡± Elena said. ¡°It¡¯s how I score them.¡±

    The idea registered somewhere in my mind, reminding me of magical lessons I¡¯d long forgotten. ¡°How do you do that?¡±

    Elena narrowed her eyes. ¡°The same way any other soul manipulates energy.¡± I nodded as if I understood perfectly. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten used to not so much manipulating energy, but detecting it. I have a high sensitivity to the presence of magic.¡± She narrowed her eyes, rolling her own explanation through her head before letting it out. ¡°In the same way you can feel the air¡­ lighten whenever it¡¯s being casted through. My soul works in a similar way, except more detailed.¡±

    I nodded slowly, silently wishing I¡¯d paid more attention to my royal courses on magic. ¡°Interesting. I¡¯ve never met anyone like that.¡±

    Elena returned my nod without meeting my gaze another time. Instead, she focused on the second-to-last trophy in her hand, squinting at it and writing something down before putting it aside.

    ¡°For example,¡± Elena continued as she eyed the revolting black protrusion. ¡°That feels¡­ off. It reminds me of a terror, even though it¡¯s not winter yet.¡±

    I furrowed my brows. Kye had mentioned the same term back in the woods. ¡°A terror?¡±

    ¡°Ghastly things,¡± Kye said. ¡°Mindless creatures that are practically the magical manifestation of fear.¡± My eyes widened and I opened my mouth, but Kye cut me off with a turn. She raised a finger at Elena. ¡°Does it still count as a trophy?¡±

    The inspector squinted, not bothering to lift her head. ¡°The cycle doesn¡¯t start until after winter¡­¡± she nearly whispered. ¡°What did you find this on?¡±

    One of Kye¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°On a pyre wolf.¡±

    Elena straightened, the doubt receding from her eyes. A confused sort of curiosity rushed in to replace it. ¡°Strange.¡± She carefully watched Kye¡¯s smile. ¡°It should count, then.¡±

    Without another thought, Elena picked up the murky black thing covered in silvery scar-like lines. She shivered as soon as she started watching it. But after a few seconds, she tore her gaze away and set it aside with the rest of Kye¡¯s trophies. Hesitantly, she wrote one last thing on the paper in front of her.

    ¡°It almost feels like terror flesh,¡± Elena said after setting her pen down. ¡°Almost, but not quite. I¡¯m not sure exactly what it is¡­ but I will count it as a trophy.¡±

    Kye grinned. The corners of her lips nearly touched her ears. ¡°What does that put my total at?¡± The excitement in her voice was nearly palpable.

    Elena grinned as well. ¡°Thirty-seven. A tie for the lead, at the moment.¡±

    Kye pumped her fist, her smile somehow widening even more. She shot me a sidelong glance and, despite myself, I smiled as well. I¡¯d assumed the hunting competition was not very important, but judging off Kye¡¯s reaction, it obviously held some weight. She was more excited now than she¡¯d been at any point since I¡¯d first met her.

    ¡°Who else has thirty-seven?¡± she asked.

    Elena turned back to us with a none-too-subtle grin. ¡°Tan and Myris. Who else would it be?¡±

    Kye¡¯s smirk dampened a hair. ¡°I thought it was them, but I had to make sure. I had to be absolutely certain that I beat Jason this time.¡±

    I let out a sharp breath of amusement. Kye shot a glance back to me that showed exactly how much she wanted to shove the win in his face. And remembering the boastful swordsman, I was on board with the reaction.

    Elena looked down at the paper in front of her. ¡°Jason only scored twenty-nine this hunt.¡±

    ¡°Only.¡± Kye scoffed. ¡°Dammit, Elena. I¡¯ve broken thirty once before this.¡±

    ¡°Well, he normally breaks thirty,¡± Elena said with a playful grin. Kye rolled her eyes again in a lighthearted way, the gesture doing nothing to hide how happy she truly was. ¡°But you did beat him this time. I¡¯ll be looking forward to his reaction at¡­¡±

    Elena trailed off, jerking her head backward. All at once, the background noise in the clearing faded out. Something stirred at the back of my mind. I blinked, and Elena did too. Her eyelids flitted rapidly as if she was trying to adjust to some new source of light.

    An uneasy feeling rose up in my gut.

    And it seemed that Elena was feeling the same as she turned to look at me. No. She turned to look past me. Her eyes were angled upward, scanning the sky right above my head. Beside me, Kye raised an eyebrow in curiosity. I opened my mouth, a string of questions ready to pick apart the situation.

    Then I heard it.

    My lips snapped shut.

    A powerful, earth-shattering screech ripped through the air. It silenced any sound still alive in the clearing. And as my eardrums rang, I figured it had silenced whatever sound was left on the continent. Flipping through memories, I realized I remembered that sound. It stuck out as a point of wonder¡ªsomething I¡¯d kept in mind for some reason.

    That reason became clear as I turned my head around.

    There, perched on the branch of the tallest tree around for hundreds of paces, was a bird. A bird that I¡¯d seen before. Flowing, elegant green feathers. Golden talons that gleamed in the afternoon sun. A regal posture that reminded me far too much of my own king¡ªit was all there.

    As soon as my eyes caught on the magnificent creature, I couldn¡¯t take them off. My gaze was frozen in place, captured by the sheer power of its form. The bird captivated my attention, holding my soul hostage in its beautiful sea of natural greens. All of my mind became enraptured by its image; even the dormant feeling from the back of my mind lifted.

    From what I could tell, the bird was holding the entire clearing in a state of pure awe. In my peripheral vision, everyone else was staring at it. It stared down at us, tilting its head and scanning the crowd for something.

    But once its golden eyes got to me, they froze. They didn¡¯t bother scanning any longer; they had found what they wanted. Using my eyes as windows to the soul, the bird searched me. It searched me for something specific, something it only found when the presence deep in my mind shifted again.

    ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± a voice called out. As if floating on the wind, it drifted to me and ripped me from my state of enchantment. At once, everyone removed their eyes from the bird and looked to the source of the sound. Even the regal creature stopped searching me for a glance at the voice.

    As I turned around, I was met with another fantastical sight.

    A tall woman with platinum blonde hair stared at me. Her body was decorated in robes of the same deep blue color of the rest of the rangers but lined in silver as well. A hood half-covered her head, casting her face into her shadow. Except, that was, for her piercing [blue] eyes, which were pointed directly at me.

    I shifted in place, instantly aware of the weight of her glare. But there was also something else. Unlike any of the other rangers, she had a special symbol that adorned her chest. Right above her heart, the same sigil decorated on the lodge¡¯s front door was woven into the fabric. A crescent-shaped arrow gleaming silver instead of gold.

    A screech. I shuddered, already twisting. The high-pitched sound tore through the air as only a final sign of the bird¡¯s disappearance. As my eyes scanned the trees, it was nowhere to be found. But when I turned back, I realized the woman in silver-lined robes hadn¡¯t looked. She had kept her stare directly on me.

    ¡°Why was it here?¡± the woman asked. Her gaze didn¡¯t budge.

    Nobody responded. Everyone only looked around dumbfounded, waiting to see if somebody else had an answer to her question. Even Kye, who normally always had some quip at the ready, was speechless.

    The woman gritted her teeth and closed her eyes.

    ¡°You,¡± she said and gestured my way. ¡°Come with me.¡±

 Chapter 12

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    The silence was the worst of it.

    I shifted, flicking my gaze across the room to keep from frying as the Ranger¡¯s leader stared at me. As I looked around, all I saw was the same elegant office draped in the same dim yellow light. After Lorah had called me out, she¡¯d escorted me through to the back of the lodge. Down hallways I¡¯d never been in and past doors I¡¯d never seen before. She and the two rangers flanking her had led me into what I could only assume was her office.

    And what an office it was. At the head of the room, where I was still standing and waiting for her to speak, sat a large wooden door. Similarly to the door that acted as the entrance to the entire lodge, her door was lined in dark, polished wood and adorned with the Rangers¡¯ symbol. A crescent-shaped arrow. Except, like Lorah¡¯s robes, the symbol was inlaid in silver instead of gold.

    After the door though, the room only became more magnificent. As far as I was concerned, it was the largest room in the entire lodge, and it acted more as a living space than specifically an office. Obviously the room¡¯s main purpose was work¡ªthe papers scattered across the polished wooden desk Lorah was standing behind now told me that¡ªbut it also seemed to be used for more. On the far side, a myriad of exquisitely designed pieces of furniture sat, even culminating in a bed resting on a raised platform in the back.

    All in all, the room reminded me of the chambers given to royal scholars back in Credon. But no matter how familiar it felt or how comfortable it was, I couldn¡¯t help my own shallow breaths. Since the moment we¡¯d entered, she hadn¡¯t said a word. All she¡¯d done was stare. And despite the fact that it hadn¡¯t even been half a minute, the frozen quiet of it all was grating on me.

    I shook my head. Just because she didn¡¯t want to talk didn¡¯t mean I had to stay silent. She¡¯d called me in here, and I wanted to know why.

    So, I cleared my throat, opened my mouth, and¡ª

    ¡°What makes you special?¡± she asked.

    I froze, my lips twitching with words that had been ready to spew out only a moment before. Now though, they seemed redundant. Rendered useless by the strangeness of the question echoing in my ears.

    Snapping my lips shut, I blinked in disbelief. Lorah didn¡¯t budge, imperceptibly raising an eyebrow instead. Her question still stood. And as it circled in my head, I could only get more confused. Ideas and theories spun with my thoughts, but with a dry swallow, I didn¡¯t let any of them out.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I asked, tilting my head forward and arching my eyebrows. The idea was to make Lorah warm up to me.

    She smiled. Nothing more than that. ¡°What makes you special?¡± she repeated.

    I blinked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand the¡ª¡°

    ¡°You have to be aware of why I called you in here,¡± she said and steamrolled past my words. I bit down, curling my lips. Dealing with bluntness and disrespect was something I was getting used to all too slowly.

    ¡°I have an idea,¡± I finally said. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand your earlier question.¡±

    Lorah¡¯s smile wavered. After another second of silence, she sighed. ¡°It didn¡¯t stare at anyone else, you know.¡± Her smile shot right back up after that and so did the burn on my skin. ¡°I could feel it. But it didn¡¯t come for me. No, it stared at you.¡± She pointed at me with the same intensity as before.

    My expression broke. In her eyes, I could see warmth; I could see care and respect. But toward me, it seemed masked. Covered in the layer of doubt I was getting tired of seeing. As if I was shrouded in all too much mystery for me to have earned my place.

    ¡°The bird,¡± I said dryly. Lorah brushed the hood off her head as she nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know why it stared at me.¡± Movement pushed in the back of my mind. I gritted my teeth and tried to shrug the feeling off. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it once before, but I¡ª¡°

    Light flashed in the room, stealing words from my mouth. I squinted, taking a step back as the torches on the walls all flared brightly at once. I blinked as the air around me lightened.

    Lorah relaxed her fingers and tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the Aspexus before? Where?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I saw it on my way to Sarin¡­¡± I trailed off, something about her previous question sticking out to me like a sore thumb. ¡°The Aspexus?¡±

    Lorah dropped her eyebrows before shaking her head and mumbling something under her breath that I couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°The bird. That is its proper name.¡± I nodded slowly at that, my eyes narrowing with each passing second. ¡°Now what do you mean you saw it on your way here?¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°I mean exactly that. On my way to Sarin, I saw the¡±¡ªI waved my hand as if to summon the correct term to my lips¡ª¡°Aspexus during a rest.¡±

    The Ranger¡¯s leader opened her mouth but bit words off before they could come out. Instead, she just squinted at me and rubbed her chin. It looked like she was trying to work through confusion as much as I was. But as her eyes bored into me, each one inspecting my very soul, I knew she had more tools than I did. The presence in the back of my mind retracted as though trying to hide from her queries.

    Again, I shook my head. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not sure what¡ª¡°

    ¡°Describe your meeting with it before,¡± Lorah said, cutting me off. This time I didn¡¯t even bother sparing a reaction.

    ¡°After walking all morning, I stopped to rest on a rock.¡± I had to stop myself from growling as I exaggerated the extent of my physical labor. My body had truly only let me walk on for less than two hours before giving out. ¡°When I did, that bird came. And actually, it did the exact same thing as this time. It stared at me for less than a minute before flying off.¡±

    Lorah clicked her tongue. ¡°Interesting. There was nothing else to the encounter? No reason why it came to you in particular?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Not that I can think of¡­ But I was the only person for hundreds of paces around.¡± Lorah nodded at that; it was obvious that she wasn¡¯t satisfied. And, in truth, I could think of a reason that the bird came to me. But I decided to hold my tongue.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°The Aspexus needs more of a reason than that,¡± Lorah said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t take interest in the mundane.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Do two brief encounters count as interest?¡±

    Lorah looked up and widened her eyes. ¡°The observer stared at you. More than once, in fact. It does not take these actions lightly.¡± Then, watching the doubt I was making sure to display on my face, she continued. ¡°You must understand the Aspexus¡¯ power. It¡¯s not just a regular bird of prey.¡±

    ¡°I know that it isn¡¯t,¡± I said, stepping forward. Honestly, I didn¡¯t know much about the bird at all, but I did know that I wasn¡¯t too keen on getting dragged because of something I¡¯d never learned about. ¡°I simply don¡¯t understand why brief glances seem to matter so much.¡±

    ¡°For the world¡¯s sake,¡± Lorah said, throwing her hands up. ¡°The last time I saw the Aspexus was when I recruited Tahir.¡± I opened my mouth, but Lorah already had her finger raised. ¡°A former ranger and prodigious mage.¡± My lips pressed shut in short time. ¡°Servants visiting our lodge happens once per decade if they¡¯re generous. And yet, the Aspexus showed up today. For you.¡±

    I arched my brows. ¡°Servants? What are you¡ª¡° I stopped myself, stabilizing and trying not to sound like a blundering idiot. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the term.¡±

    ¡°Servants of the Soul,¡± Lorah said as if that cleared it all up. ¡°Sentient extensions of the World Soul¡¯s will. Entities such as Fidet, Temat, or Death.¡±

    My eyes widened; I had to fight to keep them from becoming dinner plates. The new terms registered against my ears, but I didn''t focus on them at all. One word Lorah had said stuck out like lightning.

    "Death?" I asked, my lips going dry. The Ranger''s leader froze, eyeing me.

    Then she nodded. "Yes." The single word sent my thoughts into a spiral. Lessons and stories from my youth rushed back with the mention of the World Soul. It was at the center of every creation myth; it was the progenitor of all the world and the source of all magical energy. I could accept that it had servants¡ªforces of nature used to keep its balance. But Death?

    The reaper''s true name made my blood run cold. Yet as my thoughts started spinning and my lips pressed shut, Lorah glared. She furrowed her brow and started tapping her foot as is trying to bring me out of my daydream. Blinking, I tried to put the curiosity aside. All of the questions that I now had and the understandings about the world I didn''t want to accept.

    It was easier said than done. So instead, I took a breath and focused my curiosity on a question I could ask.

    ¡°The Aspexus is a Servant?¡± I asked with the straightest face I could manage.

    Lorah grinned. ¡°Yes. And that is why this matters so much. The Aspexus is the eternal observer, the world¡¯s eyes and ears. It does not interest itself in human affairs unless they are important to the world itself.¡±

    I tilted my head. Slowly, my eyebrows dropped. ¡°You think the Aspexus is interested in me?¡±

    ¡°That is why I called you out in the first place,¡± Lorah grumbled. Then, she shook her head and raised her voice again. ¡°There are no such things as ¡®brief glances¡¯ with the Aspexus. It observes all equally. Yet, it came to stare at you.¡±

    A brush of movement against the back of my skull. ¡°What does that mean for me?¡± I asked. Thoughts swirled in my head, mixing information with the unknown and summoning ideas from the void. Out of the nearly infinite answers to my question, though, I just hoped the correct one had nothing to do with the beast.

    ¡°I was hoping you would tell me that,¡± Lorah said as she scrunched her nose. ¡°With Tahir, it was interested because of his magical potential.¡± Lorah raised her hand; the light level in the room raised with it. ¡°There was something about his soul¡­ something special.¡±

    Another twitch from the back of my mind. ¡°Do you think this makes my soul special somehow?¡±

    After a few seconds of silence, Lorah sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know, which is why I was hoping you did.¡± She turned to me and squared her gaze with mine again. ¡°I can feel some magical presence in you, but it¡¯s distant. Disconnected. Almost like some sort of phantom limb.¡± My lips slipped apart as I took another step forward. Lorah continued before I could get a single word out. ¡°But it¡¯s there. It has to be. The Aspexus doesn¡¯t interest itself in the mundane.¡±

    I furrowed my brows. Mundane? The image of myself rose up¡ªmy faded blonde hair being kissed by the wind as I stood on the ramparts of my king¡¯s palace. My lips curled into a smile. Even if I wasn¡¯t a mage, I was anything but mundane.

    A brown strand of hair fell in front of my eyes.

    I raised my eyebrows in surprise, staggered for a moment before the realization hit me. Right, I thought as I brushed the hair away and curled my fingers to a fist. Things were different now.

    ¡°Could it be a mistake?¡± I asked. In my new body, frail and inexperienced as it was, there was no way the world had taken true interest in me.

    Lorah cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a mage,¡± I said bluntly. ¡°This body of mine¡±¡ªI gestured to myself, still draped in what amounted to little more than rags¡ª¡°has never done anything great.¡± Inwardly, some part of me recoiled at the very statement, but I continued on. ¡°I came to Sarin because I had nowhere else to go. Even if I have seen the bird before, there¡¯s no way it¡¯s interested in me. I may have been somebody in the past, but here I¡¯m simply mundane.¡± My lips curled. ¡°A nobody.¡±

    My words cut through the air like a knife through butter. Lorah¡¯s eyes widened and I let out a large breath, trying not to let on how painfully true my statement was.

    ¡°No one is nobody in my lodge,¡± Lorah finally said. She leaned forward on her desk and tried to meet my eyes.

    I didn¡¯t particularly want to see that layer of doubt again. ¡°Right. Like you even know my name.¡±

    ¡°Agil,¡± she said. I froze, flicking my eyes to her. Where I¡¯d expected to see doubt, I didn¡¯t. Instead, the warmth, care, and respect that I¡¯d seen before was all that shined through.

    My brows knitted. ¡°How did you¡ª¡°

    ¡°Kye,¡± Lorah started, ¡°reported to me about her assignment. And seeing as you were the reason she was able to escape when she did, your name naturally came up.¡±

    I blinked, the formality in her tone not connecting to the warmth in her eyes. But as she smiled again, the interrogating leader she¡¯d been for the entirety of our exchange melted away. And as I realized myself, that meant more to me than I¡¯d thought.

    ¡°Oh,¡± was all I got out. It was strange feeling speechless after a life of giving formal and calculated reports.

    Lorah tore her eyes away from me, instead inspecting the pile of work on her desk. ¡°I don¡¯t allow people to live in my lodge without knowing who they are,¡± she said without lifting a finger. ¡°Additionally, your picking up of the slack, so to speak, regarding undesirable assignments has not gone unnoticed.¡±

    I nodded. Truthfully, I hadn¡¯t expected her to not notice me. I hadn¡¯t expected to be some sort of ghost living in the lodge without anyone knowing. I¡¯d come to Sarin because I¡¯d needed to get to a town. And I¡¯d stayed with the Rangers because it was the best chance I was going to get if I wanted to improve. If I wanted to train¡ªto still become the best.

    ¡°I¡¯m still getting acquainted with Sarin,¡± I said. ¡°And Ruia as a whole, I suppose.¡±

    Lorah cocked an eyebrow at me without looking up. ¡°The world seems to be getting acquainted with you as well.¡± She scowled down at her desk. ¡°As do my rangers, it seems.¡±

    An amused breath fell from my lips. ¡°Some of them have, yes. Taking assignments that they¡ª¡°

    ¡°Look,¡± Lorah said, cutting me off once more. I snapped my lips shut and tried to move past the interruption as best I could. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know why the Aspexus is interested in you? Something you¡¯re not telling me?¡±

    A foreign feeling of anxiety washed up from the back of my mind. A shiver raced up my spine, but I didn¡¯t let it on. Instead, my lips tweaked upward into a tiny smile. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t think it even is interested in me.¡±

    Lorah scrunched her nose at that, still scowling at the papers on her desk. ¡°Fine. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have all the time in the world to question you about it. So I¡¯ll have to trust you on that.¡± The smile on my face grew another inch. ¡°But, if you were wondering, you don¡¯t have to vacate the room you¡¯ve been living in. That was Tahir¡¯s old room, anyway. You can¡­ you can stay in it.¡±

    My smile warmed even more. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Lorah nodded shallowly, the ghost of a smile breaking through her scowl before she waved me off. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed, then.¡±

    I nodded. There was no point in pressing further. No point in testing whether or not she¡¯d been telling the truth about my stay. Because no matter how I felt about Ruia and its unorganized chaos, I needed a bed. I needed a place where I could be of use, where I could become someone that could achieve my goals.

    And so I kept my mouth shut, only sparing one last wave at the woman now scribbling something on the paper in front of her before slipping out into the hallway.

    The polished wooden door clicked shut, pitching me back into silence. Except this time, the silence wasn¡¯t anxious. It wasn¡¯t filled with unanswered questions or a stubborn gaze. It didn¡¯t grate on me.

    Because for the first time in my entire new life, I felt a little bit at home.

 Chapter 13

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    Shit.

    I dashed to the side, an arrow splintering on the wood right where my shoulder had been. My teeth gritted and I kept my head low.

    How the fuck was I supposed to get out of this?

    Another arrow flew toward me. It curved in its signature pattern, shifting course on the wind as if to fake me out. But I knew the trick. I stopped in place, and the arrow missed me, sailing through the air and leaving a sharp blast of wind in its wake. Taking the brief moment of respite, I scanned the area around me.

    I was still dozens of paces from the nearest tree line.

    With arrows flying my way, the prospect of an open space had been an exciting one. Leaving the dim, cramped forest was an idea I¡¯d welcomed. But, as I was quickly learning, my excitement had been unwarranted. Instead of fighting out in the open where my sword would reign over a bow, I was simply more of a target. My adversary had stayed in the woods, scoping me out and shooting at me whenever they wanted.

    It was not better than before. And, in fact, it was actually far worse. Before, I¡¯d at least been able to weave through the trees. Constantly worrying about running and getting my blade caught in bark, but at least protected. There was at least some form of cover¡ªa confusion that came with the natural chaos of the woods. Now, in an open space, I was able to wield my sword without risk. But I was also an open target.

    The twang of a bowstring sounded to my left. Pursing my lips, I dashed, ducking low in hopes that the arrow would fly over my back. A few moments later the air slightly above my ears split, an arrow barreling through it. A heavy breath fell from my lips as I ran, but I didn¡¯t give into any rest. I flicked my eyes to the left. The arrow had come from there. My target was there, and I still had to catch them.

    My thoughts swirled, berating myself once more. If they continued gaining advantage on me¡ªif I allowed them to continue gaining advantage, I¡¯d be useless. Barely more effective than a chicken with my head cut off. Because even if I kept my evasion perfect¡ªsomething I doubted I could do in my current body¡ªI still had no chance. As soon as either of us landed a successful hit, the odds of it were settled. And having to dodge was only tiring me out. It was making me an easier target.

    That was something I did not want to be.

    Keeping the movement between the trees in sight, I charged into the woods. The brush rustled at their maneuvering in response. But as they moved away, far quicker than I could have possibly caught them, I had a dilemma. If I stayed in the clearing, I was a strafing duck. But if I chased through the forest again, I¡¯d be in the same situation as before.

    My sword wasn¡¯t very useful if I couldn¡¯t figure out where my enemy was, but they knew the forest better than I did. They knew tactics, patterns, spots of hiding I couldn¡¯t have possibly been aware of. I had to play it smart¡ªto come up with an idea that put me in the advantageous spot.

    Either way though, it seemed like I was out of luck. With their limited supply of arrows¡ªone that had to run out at some point, I kept telling myself¡ªI may have been able to outlast. But even then, they were faster than me. They knew the forest better. It would be a wild goose chase with a goose I wasn¡¯t even sure could be caught.

    My lip curled in distaste, the aches already starting to set into my muscles. The hilt of my blade brushed against my fingers, cool metal sliding on sweat-soaked skin. But even as the afternoon breeze ran through my hair, I couldn¡¯t focus on the small things. A realization was rising in my head, and it left a bitter taste on my tongue.

    I didn¡¯t know what to do.

    An arrow speared the air beside me. I flinched, twisting and stumbling to the side as I brought my sword out. The metal of my blade slashed through the air right where my instincts had screamed an enemy would be. Of course, there was nobody there, but the arrow was a good reminder of my situation. As if it had been a warning for me to get my shit together.

    A dry chuckle rose out of my throat.

    Scanning the trees, I steeled myself. Primed my stance and adjusted my grip. I had to be ready¡ªmore so than I had been. In my new body, I couldn¡¯t help but find myself more distracted, but now was not the time for it. Movement flashed somewhere across the clearing. Close enough to have a sightline on me but far enough that I couldn¡¯t reach them without getting hit.

    So, instead, I whipped my head around. I flicked my eyes across the sea of brown and green, my eyes locking eventually on a thick slab of bark. A wide tree, larger than most, and large enough to provide enough cover. I didn¡¯t waste time surging toward it.

    Keeping my eyes sharp, I turned my head to the side. At the edge of my hearing, I could¡¯ve sworn I heard a hissed curse of frustration. They moved, heading toward me. Still though, as they changed position, the reverberations of a bowstring echoed off the trees.

    My eyes widened, a jolt of fear catching me in the throat as I closed the final paces toward the tree. Moments bled into painful hours, but I kept with it. Closing my eyes tight and clenching my fist around my blade, I dived.

    For a moment, I almost expected to have miscalculated my own speed again. But as the ground came up under me with a dirt-filled thud, I sighed. As my mind caught up, I waited for the arrow to strike me, for the piercing pain to come into effect.

    But it never came.

    And when a full second passed, I let a smile crack my lips. I opened my eyes.

    Below me, a dirty patch of grass sprawled under my legs. The slowly registering pain from my fall was working its way through my muscles, but I hadn¡¯t been hit. I hadn¡¯t miscalculated again. I¡¯d made it to the tree and bought myself some time to think.

    Still, I had to be fast.

    In the distance, I heard movement again. The slightest rustle of the leaves. A twig breaking in the distance. My enemy¡­ they were good at moving in stealth¡ªtoo good even, as I¡¯d discovered. But I had an advantage. Something my new body had that put my old one to shame. My senses.

    From the very start, I¡¯d noticed the eyesight. It had felt sharper and more acute when the howling winds had nearly torn my fresh body to shreds. But from there, it had taken longer to get. It was harder to notice.

    My old body didn¡¯t have bad senses. Not by a large margin. They were actually pretty damn good after they¡¯d been honed over decades of experience. But they weren¡¯t everything I could¡¯ve asked for, even if I hadn¡¯t known it before. And especially in my later years, they hadn¡¯t been what they¡¯d used to be. They weren¡¯t perfect.

    Not like the ones I was getting used to now, at least. As much as I despised the way my new, youthful vessel functioned, the senses seemed to be perfect. No matter what I¡¯d tasked them with, they¡¯d come through. Especially after I¡¯d noticed. My eyes could see farther and clearer. My nose could detect even faint scents on the wind. And my ears¡­ my ears were phenomenal.

    If anyone in my general area made almost any sound, I would hear it. Even as I kept tabs on the slow, calculated movements in the forest around me, I found it strange. At first, I¡¯d thought I was either imagining things or getting lucky, but it was more than that.

    And I wasn¡¯t one to complain.

    Truthfully, my old body was better in almost every way. And each day since I¡¯d awoken on a new continent with everyone I loved ripped away from me, I¡¯d gone to sleep with at least a sliver of hope that I would wake up and it would all be over. As if the second chance at life I¡¯d been given was some torturous dream. A nightmare the beast subjected me to for its own amusement. And having better senses wasn¡¯t compensation for having to live a completely new life.

    Though, I supposed, it definitely didn¡¯t hurt.

    An arrow struck through the air, tearing the ambience in half and shattering my thoughts into pieces. It curved, flying two heads above where I was pressed up against the bark of the tree and sending a stream of cold fire through my veins. It sucked me back to reality. Out of my false sense of security and into the danger I still had to figure out how to get out of. I cursed myself under my breath.

    I was better than that.

    Getting up with new intent and shifting so that I was no longer an easy target, I focused inward. My brilliant eyes scanned the forest. My perked ears listened for any sign of danger. And my swirling thoughts worked overtime, desperately trying to grasp at anything that could¡¯ve worked.

    As I thought, flipping through old tactics and maneuvers I¡¯d learned in my youth¡ªmost of which required execution I couldn¡¯t trust from my fatigued muscles¡ªthe image of my father came up. His dark hair, faded blue eyes, and warm smile stared at me. Even if it was a little clouded. But there was some memory attached to it. A memory that I could use. And as I worked toward it, pushing through the fog, I heard the words. One of his many pieces of advice.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Everyone¡¯s always losing, you know.

    The words echoed through my head. Thoughts swarmed them like debris in a swirling wind. And like a sprawling web, ideas connected into something cohesive. Something that felt so obvious once I¡¯d realized it.

    I was being stupid.

    A disgruntled scoff fell from my lips, aimed at myself. The entire time, I¡¯d been thinking that I was the one who was losing. That I was the one behind. The entire time, I¡¯d been the one to keep up, the one who was always running away. But it didn¡¯t have to be like that. As my father had believed, there was no such thing as advantage in a fight. Everyone was always losing as long as they hadn¡¯t won yet.

    Both of us were just as wanting of the win as the other. And as the plan came together in my head, I focused even harder on my surroundings. I tuned tuned all of the background noise. Searched for a specific sound.

    Moments later, there it was. A bow being drawn, an arrow notching in it. They were getting closer.

    A grin grew across my lips. Because as both of us knew, getting closer to me was not the best course of action. Not for my adversary, at least. But they were getting impatient. They had to be. I heard it in the more reckless footsteps, in the hastier breaths.

    They thought they had me up against a wall, that they had the upper hand. But as my father¡¯s words reminded me, one should never assume they have the advantage. One should always fight like they are losing until they come out on top.

    I readied myself, steadying my breathing and bringing my sword up. Keeping my body relaxed, I tried to appear as lost in thought as I had before. I tried to lower expectations, to make myself vulnerable. It would only feed into their impatience. Their overconfidence. All I had to do was stay calm, stay ready, and wait.

    Footsteps grew closer. Seconds bled together. I fought to keep myself from shallow breaths. But the world seemed to stand still as the moment built. And as her last step sounded off, breaking a twig in the dirt next to my tree, my blood ran cold.

    I dashed out. Crouched low and trusting the fact that the arrow would¡¯ve been aiming at my chest, I ran out from behind the tree. My muscles screamed, but I stuck with it, pulling my sword with me the entire way.

    The air zipped shut above me, signaling the arrow before sound even reached my ears. But it had missed, and I smiled as soon as it did. Flicking my eyes up, I caught the blatant surprise painted on the chestnut-haired woman¡¯s face for a fraction of a second before my blade slashed out. Flinging my arm sloppily, steel crashed through the air. She noticed the maneuver and tore out of the way in an instant, but that was fine with me. I¡¯d intended that. As she spent the time culling her surprise and grabbing for another arrow, I was already getting away.

    She was readjusting faster than I¡¯d anticipated, but it didn¡¯t matter. It was what I¡¯d wanted her to do; it bought me just enough time go slow her down and disappear into the trees. I simply wanted to get into the woods far enough that she¡¯d have trouble tracking me. For the past couple of minutes straight, she¡¯d been hunting me. And for the next couple of minutes, I wanted to be hunting her.

    My thundering pulse filled my ears as I ran. Kicking up dirt the entire way, too. Swerving between as many trees as I could, I didn¡¯t spare a single glance back. I didn¡¯t need to. Not really, at least. The point was to reset our arrangement so that I could take advantage of my own strengths and remove whatever ones she¡¯d assumed to have.

    In the dense, twisting forest, both of our weapons had benefits. With a sword I didn¡¯t have to worry about aiming or maneuvering, and I had a much easier time landing a strike in the appropriate range. But her bow required vigilance. It required her to know the environment, to have a line of sight, and to use it. Even though she had a greater range, she needed to know my location.

    So I tried to make sure that was not something she could do.

    After a couple of seconds of running though, I stumbled. My foot slammed into a stick and my body staggered. Cursing myself quietly, I surged on. The strain in my chest worsened with each breath. But I kept going regardless, holding my body to the standard I wanted to reach.

    I needed to be better. To be as good as possible. To be flawless.

    The past few weeks had gone well, after becoming a ranger and all. The assignments of hunting along with the training I¡¯d already done had benefitted me. Building muscle mass, heightening my awareness, and finally giving context to the pile of information I had stacking up in my mind. But while I was making progress, I still had a long way to go.

    That was why I was out here in the first place, after all.

    Tracking a suitable tree for cover, I shot my off hand out. Bark scraped against my skin, but I held on tight and swung myself around to hide from view. The sound of my footsteps faded from the forest. I all but held my breath. Now was the time to wait.

    I knew she saw me running. As well as which direction. She could¡¯ve tracked me pretty well, if she¡¯d been attentive and patient. But she was neither of those things at this point in the fight. So I just hoped that my surprise attack had disrupted her enough to have lost sight of where I¡¯d gone.

    Waiting behind the tree, I adjusted the grip on my sword. And I listened.

    The chirping of birds. The rustling of leaves from the canopy above. A horn blaring in the far distance. An arrow being notched in a bow.

    I found it.

    Somewhere behind me and to the right. That¡¯s where the sound had come from. I latched onto it, focusing to its location above everything else. Listening intently, I couldn¡¯t hear any footsteps. And after a few seconds, I became baffled. Where I was sure I should¡¯ve heart at least the faintest sound of movement, there was nothing. It confused me a little, and worried me far more than that.

    Was my hearing failing me? It hadn¡¯t done so thus far¡­ but I¡¯d only had this body for less than a month.

    Was she just that good at hiding her footsteps? It seemed unlikely. Though, I didn¡¯t truly know what she was capable of when she pushed herself. She might¡¯ve only been more determined to catch me now.

    Was it a facet of her magical abilities? It could¡¯ve been, but for some reason, that answer seemed¡­ insufficient. It wasn¡¯t satisfying, as if there was some answer I wasn¡¯t seeing. As if I was distracting myself with a bunch of useless questions. But I pushed away the worry; I didn¡¯t have time for it anyway.

    The light twang of a bowstring. Eerily similar to the sound before, the noise drifted to my ears. Louder than before this time. Closer. But still, I heard no footsteps. No other evidence of movement as far as I was concerned. Somehow though, she was getting closer. As she did, one thing became abundantly clear.

    I didn¡¯t want to be behind a tree as she did it.

    The decision rushed to me in an instant. My addled mind accepted it and, sharpening my senses once more, I inched away from the tree. Out to my left so I could scope the area.

    Around me, I saw nothing abnormal. Only the dense woodland. I didn¡¯t catch on anything, or even pay attention to a specific area. Even with the blue outfit in my mind, I couldn¡¯t find her form in the trees.

    So I moved on.

    Weaving between the trees and placing my feet down carefully, I got closer to where she probably was. My sword stayed ready at hand, and with each step, anticipation filled my bones. The world around me became blocked out to anything and everything I could ignore. Which only made me painfully aware of one thing.

    I was loud.

    No matter how much I tried to be quiet or how lightly I placed my feet, I could always hear my steps. I hadn¡¯t trained in stealth, and I was in an inherently different environment than what I was used to. Even back in Credon, I hadn¡¯t snuck around much. I hadn¡¯t done much tracking. But the truth was, I hadn¡¯t needed it.

    Leaves rustled ahead. I pushed away my thoughts and stared toward it. My eyes narrowed, picking apart the scene in front of me for all it was worth and staying alert for anything abnormal. Yet still¡­ there was nothing. I didn¡¯t see anything.

    A weird sense of dread flooded me. The kind of sense that you couldn¡¯t focus on or strain. As if somebody was watching me, their gaze burning the back of my neck. Yet they were nowhere to be found. My mind churned through it all though, puzzle pieces fitting in one-by-one until I figured it out.

    By that time, however, it was already far too late.

    I turned, my eyes round. My blade shot up, slicing through the air where I expected the arrow to come, but it had already done damage. From above, the feathered arrow slammed into my side and tore flesh with it. Gritting my teeth, I let out a muffled screech and staggered. Pain erupted like pricks of fire all over my skin underneath the blue cloth of my tunic.

    ¡°And that is that,¡± Kye said from above. I twisted, glaring at her with bulging eyes. My left hand clutched to my side tightly as though it could physically rip the pain out of my body.

    ¡°Fucking hell,¡± I muttered through my teeth. The leather handle of my blade shook with how hard I grasped it.

    Kye chuckled, a smirk already on her face as she strung her bow back over her back. ¡°Surprised you much?¡±

    I didn¡¯t need the snark. ¡°No,¡± I said. Then grunted in pain. ¡°Not really.¡± At the last second, I had figured out why there had been no footsteps. I¡¯d figured out where Kye actually was. But by then, it had been too late.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to come back like that,¡± she admitted off-handedly. Her tone was dry and unimpressed, contradicting her words as to not give me too much confidence. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on leaving the ground to beat you, you know.¡± Without sparing much thought, she climbed down from her perch on the tree.

    Rolling my eyes, I barely even had time to think of a response. ¡°Right,¡± I said. Then mumbled, ¡°Fuck¡­ Can you get over here with the leaves already?¡±

    Kye rolled her eyes right back, immediately reaching into her quiver for the leaves.

    I cursed, half at the pain and half at myself. For the longest time as a ranger, I¡¯d been given basic things to do. Meeting other rangers, hunting game, doing the menial tasks I¡¯d filled in for before. But the entire time, I hadn¡¯t been able to get the beast out of my mind. I hadn¡¯t been able to ignore all of the faults in my new body¡ªmy new life. I¡¯d used it to fuel my fire and push me to improve.

    I wanted to be as good as I possibly could. I wanted to be better than the beast. And the way to do that was training. For nearly my entire first month in Sarin, I hadn¡¯t trained with real stakes. Not with actual weapons. I¡¯d only ever sparred. So, when Kye had mentioned leaves that numbed and healed light wounds with incredible efficiency, I¡¯d seen an opportunity.

    With leaves that could act as a replacement for most medical supplies, I¡¯d concocted an idea of training that made it feel more real. That honed my actual skills, senses, and tactical reasoning. Although now, in a body that felt more pain than I was used to, I wasn¡¯t exactly ecstatic about my idea.

    Walking up to me, Kye finally fished the proper leaves out of her bag along with a bandage. I took them readily, sheathing my sword in the process. Holding the supplies in one hand hand, I took a deep breath and grabbed the arrow near the tip with my other. Steeling myself and gritting my teeth, I pulled it out.

    A gravelly shriek echoed through the trees. I winced, only barely seeing Kye¡¯s smirk waver when blood started matting the cloth of my uniform. Thankfully though, the arrow didn¡¯t splinter; it came out without trouble. It still left a bleeding, burning hole of pain where my flesh had been, but it could¡¯ve been worse. So without waiting any longer, I placed the leaves against my wound, wrapped the bandage, and tied it off.

    At first, it felt like hell. The burning became worse and I had to lock my teeth to prevent yelling. But then, after a few more seconds, the pain started to numb and I was finally able to take a full breath.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, my voice lightening. I teetered. ¡°These¡­ really work.¡± Deep breaths entered my lungs and I staggered some more, only stopped by Kye placing a hand on my shoulder.

    Blinking away the numbing haze, I glanced at her and smiled. The concern in her eyes melted and she smiled back. ¡°You okay?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡ª¡° I stopped myself, a pulse of pain breaking through. Then it vanished and I took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± she said, a genuine hint in her voice. I raised my eyebrows at me but she shook me off, a smirk rising again. ¡°If you didn¡¯t live, that would be embarrassing.¡±

    I glared at her. ¡°Very¡­ funny.¡±

    She stifled a laugh. ¡°You are not hardened for wounds yet, are you?¡± I tried to glare again but couldn¡¯t. Instead, I only nodded. Kye let out a bemused chuckle. ¡°I should get you to our healer, shouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    At that statement, I could do nothing but agree.

 Chapter 14

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    The sight of the ranger¡¯s lodge felt like a blessing from the world itself as we approached. Breaking through the trees, fresh air brushed across my skin. It ruffled my hair, sending brown strands wilting in front of my eyes. I smiled, not even bothering to brush them away as I walked on.

    From ahead, Kye glanced back at me. Her eyes narrowed as she saw my smile, but she angled her head toward my bandaged side. I waved her off, trying my best to ignore the receding numbness and the pain that was inching its way back. Instead, I tried to focus on the forest around us. No matter how many times she proved it, I was still amazed by how easily Kye could navigate the gnarled trees. After hunting in it for weeks now, I could still barely find my way around. Some parts of it were becoming familiar, but those were few and far between. Most of it just looked like a twisted, unattended mess to me.

    Maybe I needed more time with it, or maybe I wasn¡¯t observant enough. But either way, I had more important things to think about.

    Because whether I liked it or not, the leaves were wearing off.

    Slowly but surely, as we¡¯d walked the final stretch through the forest, the soreness of my body had pressed in. The exhaustion and fatigue had showed their true colors after the fire of battle had retreated. And despite the wonderful numbing effects of the leaves, they hadn¡¯t held out for long.

    Despite myself, I grimaced. ¡°How long are these¡­ leaves supposed to last?¡±

    Kye turned on her heel, not missing a pace as we walked across the clearing. ¡°Sano leaves,¡± she corrected. My eyebrows dropped, and I tried to make sure she knew how unamused I was between pained expressions. ¡°But it depends on what they¡¯re treating. For surface wounds or bruises, they¡¯ll last hours. But for something more serious¡±¡ªshe gestured to the bloodstained bandage tied across my waist to hold the leaves in place¡ª¡°they can wear off pretty quickly.¡±

    ¡°Good to know,¡± I said, straightening up and trying to compose myself. Complaining about the pain wouldn¡¯t do any good and I knew it. So instead, I tried to keep it away. To make the short walk back to the lodge in peace. Then, however, I took a sharp breath a little too quickly and my lungs rejected the air. I coughed, my side rippling as waves of pain broke through the numbing effect of the leaves.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I cursed under my breath as I got the coughing under control. With aches encroaching on my bones and too much of my blood already painting the dirt hundreds of paces back, my body very much disliked being shaken.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± Kye said, a smirk tugging at her lips. I sneered at her. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±

    Letting it go, I tried to force another complete breath into my lungs. We were almost there, and I knew it. The walk from the tree line to the ranger¡¯s lodge wasn¡¯t a long one. I¡¯d dealt with much worse pain as a knight, but without fear and adrenaline pushing me forward, it was extremely annoying.

    Getting shot in the side wasn¡¯t enjoyable by any means. Though, in the grand scheme of injuries I¡¯d sustained, it wasn¡¯t the worst thing in the world. The danger and real consequence, of being shot with an arrow had made training better, at least. It had put fear into me; I¡¯d pushed myself even harder than normal. Plus, it was the first flesh wound I¡¯d sustained since joining the Rangers, and I finally got to meet the famous healer I¡¯d been told so much about.

    Whoever their healer was, I¡¯d heard a lot about them. Apparently, leaving their office wasn¡¯t something that suited them very well, and that was for good reason. I¡¯d been told that they had almost mastered the ability to manipulate energy to get a body to heal itself.

    If the fanciful stories were to be believed, whoever their healer was could speed up the process of healing from days to an hour. And even quicker than that with extra effort. As a practical person though, I was skeptical. With how annoyingly painful the gash in my side was becoming, I found it hard to believe that anyone could¡¯ve let my body repair in an hour. Again, I reminded myself that things were different now, but even that seemed hyperbolic. Back in Credon, the mages that we did have usually devoted themselves to a healing profession of some sort. Yet, not even the most powerful among them came close to the healing speed I¡¯d been told.

    ¡°Are you coming in?¡± a voice asked. Looking up, I matched it with the chestnut-haired woman who was glaring at me, her face blank as she stood in the open doorway.

    I blinked, scrunching my face and nodding before following her lead into the warm comfort of the lodge. As we barreled forward, the numbness on my side continued to recede. I bit down, focusing all of my efforts on ignoring the pain. The empty training room and back hallway flew by without my notice until Kye asked a question.

    She glanced sideways at me, one eyebrow cocked while the hall passed around us. ¡°Have you ever met our healer before?¡±

    I tilted my head, turning slowly and stiffly as to not agitate the gash in my side. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about them.¡± A wince broke through my mask for a moment. ¡°But¡­ no, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met them myself.¡±

    Kye snickered. ¡°Oh. Alright.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Kye said, doing a poor job of hiding her amusement as we rounded a corner into a hallway I¡¯d never been down. ¡°He¡¯s a bit¡­ much, is all. Be warned.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, but Kye only deepened her grin and shrugged. Another second of silence ticked on; I had to keep talking to distract from the pain. ¡°What should I be warned of?¡±

    Kye slowed to a stop, swallowing a chuckle as we made it to the healer¡¯s office. ¡°He¡¯s very¡­ passionate about his work.¡±

    She left it at that, turning away from me and looking up at the door in front of us. As I looked around, the sparse doors that looked like they led to storage closets were all unfamiliar. All made of the same rough wood that contrasted heavily with the polished, high-quality doors of the ranger¡¯s quarters.

    Right in front of us, though, was one very different. This one was wider than most others, but it was shorter as well. Kye would¡¯ve barely had half a head of clearance if we walked through. Besides the size though, the only difference was the symbol. Instead of gold, or the silver inlaid on the entrance to Lorah¡¯s office, this crescent shaped arrow was red.

    Without even waiting another second, Kye shot a reassuring look my way and pushed into the room. Hinges creaked as wood swung in, and a high-pitched, irritated murmur sounded off from inside.

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± someone yelled. Before I¡¯d even crossed the threshold, a smile tugged at my lips.

    The room we walked into was larger than I¡¯d expected. Larger than most others in the lodge, for sure. But it was hard to get the full scale of everything because of the mess. In the far corner, a small bed was pushed against the wall. Over the floor, scattered papers and what looked to be plant parts were littered everywhere. And directly to our left as we walked in was a desk with a short, bearded man standing on top of it.

    The pale-skinned man that I assumed to be the healer had bushy brown hair that culminated in a beard wholly unfitting for his stature. And from the look of it, he was more than two heads shorter than I was. It was hard to tell, though, because he was currently stomping on his desk and muttering very distasteful things. The longer it went on, the redder his face got until I wasn¡¯t sure whether or not his head would explode.

    ¡°Galen!¡± Kye shouted. The man froze, his foot stomping one last time before he turned to us. A disk of ink on his desk swished to the side and painted the already stained wood with another splotch of black.

    ¡°Oh,¡± he said. As I pushed back another wince, I almost started laughing right there. Instead of a low voice that I would¡¯ve associated with someone of his looks, he spoke in a sort of high-pitched squeak that reminded me of a child. ¡°Hi there.¡±

    I nodded, trying to keep myself together as I stopped swallowing pain and began swallowing laughter. The old man gestured to both of us before crouching down and hopping off his desk, making sure the red liquid in his hand didn¡¯t spill as he placed it into a square wooden holder. Then he wiped his hands on his version of the ranger outfit.

    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he continued. I barely held back a chuckle. ¡°I was, err¡­ venting my frustrations about a compound I¡¯m¡­ dealing with.¡±

    Beside me, Kye snickered. I glanced at her, my eyes going round, but Galen didn¡¯t seem to mind. So, I too let out a little chuckle at the fact that he looked like the mix between a child and a middle-aged man as well as sounded like it. His voice was gravelly, but also high-pitched. And with his short stature, chiseled jaw, and bushy beard, it was quite the sight to behold.

    ¡°Agil and I¡­¡± Kye started, getting back on track to why we were here. She paused, taking a short breath. Probably to make sure she didn¡¯t laugh herself. ¡°We were training in the woods and I shot him in the side. The wound¡¯s been bandaged, but it should still be healed.¡±

    Galen¡¯s awkward smile dropped. ¡°Alright then.¡± He pointed at me. ¡°Agil right?¡± Jerking my head back, I nodded. ¡°Okay. Come lie down here and I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    His voice was serious¡­ somehow. It had shifted as soon as Kye had mentioned the fact that I¡¯d been wounded. For some reason, his request even sounded like an order with his controlled tone. And as I bobbed my head, I didn¡¯t think I could¡¯ve disobeyed if I¡¯d wanted.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, giving my version of a weak smile as I laid on his couch. Multiple raspy grunts of pain sounded off as I swung my legs up onto the cushion.

    Galen then smiled a bit more genuinely and turned back to Kye. ¡°So, is there anything else I should know about the injury?¡± Kye opened her mouth, but he continued before she could speak. ¡°I see that you¡¯ve already applied sano leaves, which is a good start¡ªand probably how he managed to get back here without collapsing.¡± He shared a glance with me as if expecting a rise from that. ¡°But I want to know if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re not telling me.¡±

    Kye gave him a forced smile, obviously not saying what was on her mind. ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t think so. It was a standard arrow. And, uh. There wasn¡¯t anything particularly abnormal about the circumstances.¡±

    Galen paused for a moment. Then he beamed. ¡°Great! Then that¡¯ll be all. I can take care of this pretty quickly.¡± He waved toward the door. ¡°I think you can leave.¡± With that, Galen turned away from Kye and started walking over to me.

    As he walked, Kye rolled her eyes. She spared one last scowl at the back of the short man¡¯s head before smiling at me and slipping out of the room. Galen didn¡¯t seem to notice any of it, however, as he was still beaming when he got to me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what we can do about getting you all fixed up!¡± he cried. I cringed, half in pain and half at his strange enthusiasm. He almost sounded like a mother. Except, that was not something I associated¡ªor wanted to associate¡ªwith the man standing over me.

    Without asking anything else, he reached over and started to untie the rough bandaging I¡¯d done on myself in the forest. Tension slipped from my waist. The hole in my side flared up, sending pin-pricks of fire across the surrounding skin. And the sano leaves went lax, removing their residual effect almost immediately.

    Suddenly, a chill shot up my spine. Shuddering, pain ramped up without continuous contact with the leaves. My skin felt sharp and fresh, letting warm blood flow out to stain my uniform even more. As I winced the entire way, Galen removed all of my bandaging and tossed it to the side. He took each of the leaves, bloodstained or not, and placed them on a separate pile.

    The stench of dried blood and flesh filled the room. I wrinkled my nose, but Galen didn¡¯t seem to mind. I tilted my head, the confusion overpowering pain for a second as I tried to figure the little man out. With his bare hands, Galen poked the skin around my wound and rubbed any blood off on the torn cloth.

    I bit back a curse, the muffled sound coming out as more of a song of pain. ¡°Could you¡ª¡° I started.

    He held up a finger to stop me. Surprisingly, it worked. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯ll be done in less than a minute.¡± He waggled his finger and I could see some of my own blood dripping down it.

    Grimacing hard, I let him continue. With the awkward, burning, painful feelings tearing through my flesh at every touch, I didn¡¯t trust him. In fact, I wanted to punch him in the face. But my rationality kept me in check. And if the stories I¡¯d heard about him were true anyway, I wouldn¡¯t have to endure this very long. I¡¯d get healed better than I could in most other circumstances. So, begrudgingly, I put my hands down and left the short man to his work.

    After poking at my flesh and crouching down to see my side better, he finally looked satisfied. Pulling his hands off me, I saw him wipe some of my blood on his uniform. But he smiled.

    ¡°Looks like a quick job.¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t take more than¡­ two hours maybe?¡± That number calmed me more than anything else. Hope sparked in my chest and the awful discomfort writhed, both reminding me of its existence and squirming at the thought of being banished in mere hours.

    Galen walked over to his desk and took a white cloth rag off of it. He used it to wipe the residual blood off his fingers. As I watched, more blood spilled out through my wound and I let loose a string of curses under my breath. My nose twitched, but it was no use. The disgusting smell would stay until I was fully healed.

    Being a fighter by trade, the smell of blood wasn¡¯t unknown to me. I was familiar with it because I had to be. But that didn¡¯t mean I enjoyed it.

    After finishing what I assumed he thought of as cleaning his hands, Galen threw the towel back onto his desk and walked toward me. He mumbled something under his breath and with each step, his eyes moved to a different area of the room.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he finally said, sitting down on the couch next to me. ¡°You might get sleepy during this.¡±

    I squinted, nodding wearily. I didn¡¯t know why I would get sleepy, and in fact, the prospect of sleep sounded quite nice. But as soon as he said it, I became suspicious. I took it as a challenge. If I was supposed to get sleepy while he healed me, I would world¡¯s damned stay awake.

    My wound burned again with another jolt of pain. More blood poured out of it, the stench setting a sour taste on my tongue. This challenge wouldn¡¯t be hard to complete, I thought. Between the pain and the horrible smell, I was not going to have an easy time just dozing off.

    I looked back to Galen. He had his eyes closed and his arms brought close to his sides. I opened my mouth, about to ask him what he was doing.

    He held up a hand to silence me but didn¡¯t open his eyes. ¡°It¡¯d be best for you if you didn¡¯t¡±¡ªhis tone jumped in severity on the last word¡ª¡°interrupt my concentration.¡±

    With exhaustion pulling my eyelids and pain searing my side, I wanted to sneer at the half-man. But instead, I snapped my lips shut and followed his command. Again, the strange control in his voice made me listen. And all in all, it was probably for the best. I had more important things to worry about.

    Galen started moving his hands, the air around them seemingly splitting to allow their passage. Something changed. Slowly at first, then more rapidly, I felt a warm feeling growing. It originated in my chest but slowly moved down to where I needed it most: the source of agony in my side. The warm feeling coddled the wound, wrapping around it. And then it started to heal.

    The warmth locked the pain away and the bleeding stopped. I could still smell the vile scent of dried blood, but I couldn¡¯t feel it anymore. I was happy with that. As Galen continued moving his hands, the air lightening by the second, I didn¡¯t exactly know what was going on. All I knew was that I wanted it to continue.

    Pulled along by the warmth, my mind focused on my side. I felt it changing. As the warmth spread and pulsed¡ªalmost like a living thing, I felt my body healing.

    Like the process that normally took days, my body started putting itself back together, and it felt great. With each heartbeat, my blood pumped around my body, and in my side, I felt it rebuilding my flesh. The gash stopped bleeding. The pain faded away completely. And a heavy tiredness pressed itself down on me.

    My eyes drooped as my energy was moved elsewhere. But my mind was only focused on the feeling that had replaced the pain, and before I knew it, rest was taking me. The beautiful, lovely abyss was tempting me, and I couldn¡¯t resist. My eyes flitted shut and after a while, I couldn¡¯t even focus on myself anymore.

    I was falling asleep.

    <hr>

    Blackness.

    That was all I saw. If I even was able to see. For some reason, the concept of sight¡ªof having eyes was foreign. It didn¡¯t relate to my current experience, as if I didn¡¯t have the sense of sight anymore and was instead feeling the darkness with my soul. And as time marched on, that was all I was able to feel. The pure, crystal-clear blackness that somehow felt full of life. Everything I¡¯d ever seen, felt, or heard was before me. Masked as blackness, sure, but familiar all the same.

    Soon though, that familiarity came to an end.

    ¡°Why¡ª¡° a voice said, abruptly cutting off. The sound mingled with my soul, feeling both intrinsic and unknown. I listened to the voice, stretching my soul to experience its words.

    ¡°How¡ª¡°

    ¡°Where¡ª¡°

    ¡°Gone.¡± A note of finality surged into the voice. Its sound echoed, finishing without being cut or warped by the darkness. Suddenly, feelings rose within me. They washed over me like raging waves in a storm.

    And at once, I saw the light.

    A white spark flew through the darkness. It struck like a shooting star, enchanting my soul and capturing my attention. For some reason, I felt close to the spark. I felt sympathy for it. I felt hope. Even though I had no idea what it was.

    The spark hit something in the black and flared. It flared into a soft white flame that burned on nothing and wavered in an absent breeze. I watched the flame, experienced its existence with my soul. It watched me back, displaying every part of itself in an idle dance.

    ¡°No¡ª¡° the voice said again, cutting off. The white flame froze in tandem with it, warping as the broken voice spoke.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡ª¡°

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡°

    ¡°Dead.¡± The flame flared out once more. Its heat hollowed, coldness eating it from the inside and corrupting the once-pure tendrils of fire. Waves of disgust swept over me. Waves of anger. Waves of hatred that somehow resonated deep in my soul. Then the flame dwindled, shying away from my presence.

    ¡°They¡ª¡° the voice started. It came strong, the words piercing through darkness before being abruptly snuffed out. Then the meaning fell away. Broken. Fractured. Incomplete.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡ª¡°

    ¡°Find¡ª¡°

    ¡°I want to¡­¡± it trailed off. The flame shriveled, its heat directing away from me. I wanted to reach out to the flame, to respond to it with my own voice. But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn¡¯t find it. My voice was somewhere lost in the black. Distant. And I couldn¡¯t even respond to the crashing wave of sadness that broke over my soul.

    I watched the flame uselessly. If I¡¯d had eyes, they would¡¯ve teared up.

    ¡°Please.¡± Its final word fell through the black. The sound muffled, once again becoming lost in the black. And as it went, the flame followed. Flickering with passion I felt strangely close to, it shrunk.

    Then it burned out.

    <hr>

    A loud slam ripped me back to the world.

    I jolted, my eyelids slamming open. Instantly squinting at the light, I held up one of my weak hands to block rays of sun from my eyes. Moving my muscles, soreness took my entire body. It ached to my very core with such mundane lightness that it served no other purpose than to annoy me. Angling my head, I pushed myself up against the cushion I was lying on. A pulse of pain washed over my head, making me wince.

    Then I felt my side.

    I grimaced hard as searing pain ripped through my gut. It tore into muscle like an axe, sharpening as if to make up for lost time. Then though, after a second of pure agony, it stopped. Straightening myself, the pain receded to match the rest of the soreness and left me utterly confused.

    Then I remembered. In a second, everything came back and I darted my eyes down. There, beneath a patch of stained and ripped fabric, was a pale scar. Around the scar, my flesh looked completely healed. As though there had never been an arrow stuck in it at all. And after a few seconds of bewildered disbelief, I chuckled. Then I chuckled some more until my tired, awe-fueled laughter filled the entire room.

    ¡°Agil,¡± someone said. I blinked, but the laughter didn¡¯t stop. I couldn¡¯t have stopped it if I¡¯d wanted. The excellence of the healing I¡¯d received was¡­ unbelievable. And knowing that it had only taken a few short hours put grand ideas in my head. ¡°Agil!¡±

    I straightened, a chuckle cutting off in my throat as I turned. My blurry eyes adjusting again, I finally noticed the tall, dark-brown-haired woman standing in the door way. She tilted her head at me, halfway grinning as she glared.

    ¡°For the world¡¯s sake, calm down,¡± she said. I furrowed my brows, noticing the blue cloth, black belt, and metal boots of the Ranger uniform. Then, all at once, clarity broke through in my head and I recognized the voice.

    Sparing one last dry chuckle, I rubbed my eyes. ¡°Hey Tan.¡± She scrunched her face, still smiling at me. I pushed past the sarcastic annoyance. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°While I¡¯m glad you were able to take your beauty sleep, the world beckons.¡± She crossed her arms, glancing sideways at the short man rolling his wrist as if trying to get her to speed up. Galen looked over at me as soon as he saw me staring. He did not look amused. And I ventured only half of that had to do with the glass vial in his hands.

    I raised my hands. ¡°Right. Okay. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°You have an important meeting,¡± she said.

    I nodded. Then shook my head. ¡°A meeting?¡± I asked, my voice far more surprised than I¡¯d intended. It was strange, though, that someone needed a meeting with me. Outside of the lodge, almost none of the townsfolk knew who I was. And I¡¯d already met with Lorah earlier in the week.

    Tan smirked at me, showing off an expression I was getting all too tired of seeing. ¡°Yes. Somebody has requested to speak with you. About a task you might be good for?¡±

    My expression darkened. I darted my eyes to the floor, confusion only growing in my head. For some reason, dread built in my chest. It was strange, for someone to be asking to meet with me. Nobody should¡¯ve been wanting to see me or had a task for my hand. Not anymore, at least. I was no longer a knight. But something about Tan¡¯s expression helped along an idea in my head. One I didn¡¯t want to be true.

    ¡°Who?¡± I asked without even looking up at her.

    In the corner of my eye, Tan¡¯s smirk dropped a hair. ¡°Arathorn.¡±

 Chapter 15

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    Sarin was lively as I trudged up the street.

    Afternoon sunlight draped over the town. It glinted in my eye. It warmed the cobblestone beneath my feet. And it gave light to the busy square still filled to the brim with people buying and selling their wares. It was just as lively as it always was in the mid-afternoon.

    But still, I wasn¡¯t feeling any of it. No matter how many cheerful voices echoed around me or how many alluring smells drifted to my nose, I didn¡¯t care. I couldn¡¯t care. I didn¡¯t have the energy to. All I could do was drag my sore body through the street, rolling my situation over and over again in my mind.

    After Galen had fantastically healed me, I¡¯d immediately been thrown back in. There hadn¡¯t been a single waking moment of rest. Because as soon as I¡¯d woken, Tan had told me that Arathorn wanted to see me. The town¡¯s fanciful lord and professional charmer. For some reason, he wanted to see me.

    On the face of it, it wasn¡¯t that unusual. But I¡¯d only spoken with Arathorn once, and I was far from a well-known figure. The fact that he had a task ready and wanted to give it to the newest ranger in town felt¡­ off. It felt suspicious. Doubtful. Worrying. Like a manifestation of all the distrust I¡¯d faced during my first few weeks in Sarin.

    And the more I thought about it, the worse it got. The more convincing the worry became as it gained ground in my gut. The first time I¡¯d met Arathorn, he¡¯d watched me spar with Jason. And even though our interaction had been brief, I¡¯d seen something. Something in his eyes that wasn¡¯t right. Something that he was hiding. And it was directed at me. Each time he¡¯d looked at me, he¡¯d seemed oddly interested. More so than anyone else I¡¯d come across in my new mundane body.

    It was completely possible that all Arathorn wanted to do was talk with me about a simple opportunity. About something small that he was giving to me just because I had nothing on my plate. Though, that explanation didn¡¯t satisfy. All I could think about instead was the unnatural hunger I¡¯d seen in his eyes before. It made me sick.

    I scowled, clutching my chest and trying to steady my breaths. The film of dread in my gut stirred. I swallowed, trying to keep the worry away. It wasn¡¯t very effective. Back in Credon, as a knight, I hadn¡¯t ever much to worry about. Not after I¡¯d established myself, anyway. Things had been simple. Straightforward. I¡¯d been able to handle everything that had been thrown my way.

    But on a new continent, I wasn¡¯t as sure. With so many things I knew nothing about, I couldn¡¯t even say for sure what I was worried about. It was a kind of ignorant anxiety, and it grated on me. No matter what though, it didn¡¯t change my duty. Arathorn wanted to talk to me, and I would talk despite whatever complaints my worries had to offer.

    An apple flew in front of my face.

    I blinked, stepping back. Only a pace ahead of me, a green apple struck into my vision and then out. For a moment, I assumed the apple would land in the street. But right after it, a child barreled through and caught it, dashing away after she did.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± she called to me and continued running through the square. Wind slapped me in the face as I turned, and before I knew it, I chuckled. The warmth of the sun felt nicer on my face.

    Flicking my eyes around, I could only smile. All in all, Sarin was a great town. Even if I hadn¡¯t spent much time in it¡ªeven with my head spinning with worries, it had a way of making me feel better. It had a way of making me feel welcome, even when I¡¯d only just arrived.

    Another blast of wind ruffled my hair. I turned, shielding my eyes with a hand before the form of the town hall came into view. Slowly, my hand dropped. It curled around the grip of the sword on my waist. I took a deep breath, letting the large, raised wooden building loom over me for a second. Then I walked up.

    Pushing out of the autumn sun, the town hall¡¯s front door creaked as I entered. Instantly, one type of warmth was traded for another as the crackling fire bathed the room in a soft orange light. After the doorway, the town hall opened up into a wide meeting and lounging area with chairs, tables, and a small podium at the head. Off to the right, the stone-lined fireplace burned the last of its fuel. And with the light chatter of the few townsfolk waiting in the hall, it was a nice break from the lively town square.

    The dread acted up again. Doubts rose up and I thought about backing out, but I didn¡¯t. My brain scoffed at the ridiculous emotions.

    Darting my eyes to Arathorn¡¯s office, a guard in light armor stood to its left. Squinting, the average man¡¯s face registered in my head. I¡¯d seen him before. He¡¯d been with Arathorn the first time I¡¯d met him.

    So, swallowing my illogical fear and walking up to the guard, I smiled. ¡°I¡¯m here to meet with Arathorn.¡±

    The guard raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°Name?¡± He stared at me, his face blank. As though he¡¯d never seen me in my life. I curled my lip, frustrated by the formality for the first time in my life. I knew he was just doing his job, but it didn¡¯t feel right for him not to even remember who I was.

    ¡°Agil Novan,¡± I responded, keeping up the fake smile. My fingers tightened on the hilt of my sword.

    ¡°Very well,¡± he said, cocking his head and moving out of the way. ¡°You may walk in.¡± Then, he stepped in front of me again. ¡°But do not disrespect Lord Gairen.¡±

    I nodded and bit back the quips that rose to my lips. I¡¯d been spending too much time with Kye, I realized as my lips tweaked upward. Because truly, I had no intention of disrespecting Arathorn. He was still my lord, regardless of whatever ghost I¡¯d thought had been in his eyes.

    Another second of silence was all it took before I¡¯d crossed through the door.

    As soon as I¡¯d entered, I furrowed my brows. Dragging my eyes across the room, I almost thought I was in the wrong place. The office that sprawled out in front of me was not the one I¡¯d expected. It was obviously an office, but it was quite¡­ messy. In the dimly lit room, the ground was cluttered with objects. Boxes, books, stray papers. The scattered nature of it all contradicted everything I thought of Arathorn.

    The office wasn¡¯t large by any means. Certainly not as large as I¡¯d imagined it, at least. And it didn¡¯t have any windows except for a single one high up on the back wall. But even the only source of natural light in the room was barred off. Below it, Arathorn worked diligently, apparently not bothered by the low light. On his large, polished, and actually organized desk, his pen streamed across a piece of paper. Next to where his hand was moving like lightning, multiple neat stacks of other papers sat idly.

    As I stepped forward, making sure to avoid a book on the ground, I nodded. The desk was what I¡¯d expected.

    The flood creaked under me, betraying my presence. Arathorn¡¯s hand froze and his brows furrowed before he glanced up. As soon as he saw me, he smiled.

    ¡°Ah. Agil, hello!¡± He laid his pen down, his smile deepening. ¡°I was expecting you, as you probably know.¡± His hand motioned to the empty chair on the other side of the desk and I walked toward it. ¡°But you¡¯re a little later than I anticipated. Did you have difficulty getting here?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    I smiled, trying to pass it off as genuine. Which was becoming easier and easier by the second because of Arathorn¡¯s infectious charm. ¡°Not particularly. Though, I was asleep when you called for me.¡±

    Arathorn¡¯s smile dropped. He tilted his head. ¡°Asleep? At this time? What reason did you have for being asleep?¡± Questions came out quickly, as if strung together to confuse my mind.

    I blinked, nearly stumbling over a stack of books on the floor as his speed caught me off guard. ¡°Nothing special. I had been shot with an arrow in training, and I was getting healed.¡±

    The Lord of Sarin relaxed at that. His shoulders slumped ever so slightly and his smile rushed back. ¡°That makes perfect sense, then. I¡¯m glad you could make it.¡± Looking down at the paper in front of him, he picked up his pen again and wrote one last thing. ¡°Your lateness worked out well, too. It allowed me to finish up the last of my work before we got to talking.¡± He placed the paper on a small stack to my left. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to distract myself from this conversation. It is quite important.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes, keeping my guard up. ¡°Right. What exactly is this conversation about?¡± Arathorn raised an eyebrow. ¡°I was told you had a task for me?¡±

    For a moment, he stared at me. Without blinking, his eyes studied my face. Then, just as I started to shift, he raised his head. ¡°This is about an opportunity I have for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said. Weight slipped off my shoulders and I sighed, composing myself. I pushed the worries away again. It was nothing suspicious. A simple opportunity, just as I¡¯d guessed. ¡°That sounds good for me.¡±

    Arathorn chuckled. I eyed him. I couldn¡¯t tell whether he was laughing to himself or at me. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, his lips splitting wide. ¡°I think so too. It is a task as you¡¯ve been told, and it is one very close to me.¡± His gaze hardened. ¡°It needs to be handled with care, you see?¡± I nodded slowly, my fingers tightening. Arathorn sniffed the air and smiled. ¡°But I think you are the correct person for it.¡±

    I raised one of my eyebrows and squared my shoulders. ¡°What kind of opportunity?¡±

    Arathorn sniffed the air again, staring me directly in the eye. ¡°An opportunity for you to prove yourself, as well as visit a town very close to Sarin.¡± He tilted his head, grinning. ¡°I need someone to retrieve a package for me. It is extremely important, and I am tied down here in Sarin. So, naturally, I need somebody else to do it.¡±

    Squinting, I stared Arathorn in the eyes. Glittering blue stared back at me, perfectly covered in his mask of charisma. I still didn¡¯t trust it. ¡°Why do you want me?¡±

    Arathorn kept our eyes locked. ¡°Do you remember the first time we spoke?¡± he asked.

    I nodded. ¡°You came to the lodge while I was sparring.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Arathorn exclaimed. ¡°I watched your fight then. And I remember being impressed by your skill. It has amazing potential, you know.¡± I nodded, locking my teeth. I knew all about my own potential. ¡°Then I learned of you becoming a ranger.¡± His nose twitched. ¡°A welcome addition, if you ask me. So with your progress since then, you are easily a viable candidate.¡±

    I nodded, recognizing the flattery. It was true that I¡¯d progressed since becoming a ranger¡ªthe training session I¡¯d had with Kye was proof enough of that¡ªbut there was more to this. There was more to what Arathorn wanted. There was a question I couldn¡¯t quite understand. So, straightening up, I asked it myself.

    ¡°Why me, though? Why not any of the other veteran rangers? I¡¯m sure they¡¯re more experienced than I am.¡±

    Arathorn¡¯s smile wavered. He leaned back, doubt reaching into his gaze. ¡°You think you aren¡¯t up to the simple task?¡±

    My eyebrows dropped. ¡°That isn¡¯t what I¡¯m saying. I¡¯m perfectly capable of taking advantage of the opportunity.¡± My lips curled upward. The years spent in a royal court still had their uses in this life.

    ¡°Good,¡± Arathorn said, raising his hands. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t offer it to someone who wasn¡¯t capable. And if I am correct, you have no other pressing matters at the moment.¡± Reluctantly, I nodded at that. Arathorn sniffed the air. A look of assurance settled on his face. ¡°You will have the chance to take a more experienced ranger, but I think you are a great candidate.¡±

    Despite myself, I straightened up. Held my head high. Stiffened my shoulders. It felt good to have my lord recognize the progress I¡¯d made. It was true, after all. And I had no doubt that retrieving whatever package he needed wouldn¡¯t be an issue. As a knight, I¡¯d traveled long enough distances before. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Arathorn waved a hand in my direction, lowering his head. ¡°Of course.¡±

    The way he smirked, though, reminded me of my own doubt. Staring into his eyes, I focused on the sparkle. The confident glint in them that made him so friendly. I focused not only on it, but past it as well. And for a split second, I saw it again. The hunger¡ªthe awful desire hidden beneath waves of charismatic acting. My blood ran cold.

    Before I knew it, I¡¯d stepped back, my eyes widening. I broke eye contact with the Lord of Sarin and flicked my gaze around the room. All of the objects this time seemed tainted. Nothing was innocent; it was all bad. Whatever I¡¯d seen in Arathorn¡¯s eyes¡­ something deep in my mind rejected it.

    Shifting uncomfortably, my eyes roamed over the mundane items. Books, papers, containers, miniature statues. An array of knick-knacks that told the story of Arathorn as a successful lord to his town. In front of me, I could see him leaning forward and waving at me, but I didn¡¯t pay attention. I couldn¡¯t pay attention. Not as my eyes locked on one specific thing.

    There, lying on the ground behind his desk, was a knife. I tilted my head, fighting the shiver that crept down my spine at the sight of it. It wasn¡¯t just any knife. It was high-quality, sharpened, and the tip of it was covered in blood.

    Why was it covered in blood?

    I blinked, trying to wipe the anomaly from my vision. It didn¡¯t work. Thousands of theories flew through my mind, hitting my skull and bouncing off, but I didn¡¯t move my eyes. Each idea I had pulled at some irrational fear stemming deep in my mind. Something based on a memory I didn¡¯t even recognize.

    ¡°Agil?¡± Arathorn asked. I froze, finally turning back to him. He watched me with furrowed brows, concern shining through his eyes. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    I took a deep breath. Shook my head and cleared my thoughts of whatever fear had overcome me. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, trying to choose my words. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ Just a little thrown, is all. Still¡­ feeling my wound from earlier today, I guess.¡± I had to stop from cringing at my own lie.

    ¡°Oh.¡± He didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°Maybe springing it on you was a bit sudden.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, truly. I will do the job.¡± I got myself back on track, trusting in the years of discipline I remembered to carry me forward. ¡°What will I have to do?¡±

    Arathorn looked momentarily relieved before bringing his smile back. ¡°Well, as I said, I need someone to pick up a package for me. The knight Lady Amelia has something for me in Norn. The gateway to the mountains. It is very important, and I don¡¯t have the time to collect it.¡± New names swirled in my head. I noted them both, shoving them away to ask about later. ¡°All I need is for you to get the package and come back. Travel to Norn, tell Lady Amelia I sent you, and all should be well.¡± The confident, friendly smile made it all seem so simple. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ll even give you my imprint for validity.¡± He reached into a wooden dish onto his desk and produced a small ring with elegant engravings on it. ¡°If they ask, this should prove everything well. Just don¡¯t lose it.¡±

    Arathorn handed me the ring and I took it, slipping it on my finger without much of a second thought. Too many things were going on inside my head to think about some imprint ring. I¡¯d dealt with royal seals before in Credon. It wasn¡¯t a difficult concept to grasp. However, what I did need to ask about was my destination.

    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with Norn,¡± I said and tried to keep my tone level. Arathorn nodded slowly. ¡°Is there a map I can use to get there?¡±

    The Lord of Sarin scrunched his face, apparently confused by my question. He stared at me for multiple seconds in silence before regaining his composure enough to respond. ¡°No. That won¡¯t be necessary. If you don¡¯t know where it is, then take someone who does. I will not prevent you from taking a companion on this trip.¡±

    I smiled, bobbing my head. I leaned back on my heel and rolled the task over in my head. As far as I was concerned, it was simple enough. And with the allowance of bringing another ranger along, at least it wouldn¡¯t be boring. Whatever package Arathorn wanted delivered was obviously important, but I could handle it. Yes, I could handle it. Leaving Sarin would be good anyway. Experience is what I¡¯d wanted, after all.

    ¡°Great,¡± I said. ¡°Is that all there is?¡±

    Arathorn raised his chin, taking a long breath in through his nose. Then he smiled. ¡°That is all I have for you. You can leave any time soon, but I¡¯d like the package back here within a week.¡±

    I nodded, burning the instructions into my mind. Before I¡¯d been noticed by the Knights of Credon for my swordsmanship, I¡¯d done odd-jobs around the city. I knew the style of being a second-rate postal service. And it would¡¯ve been a lie to say I wasn¡¯t interested in meeting other knights. Even though I enjoyed being a ranger, I was still a knight at heart.

    Extending my arm and holding out my hand, I nodded at Arathorn one last time. ¡°I¡¯ll get it done.¡±

    My lord beamed, holding out his own hand to shake mine. ¡°Good. That is all this meeting was for, so if you need to leave, you may.¡±

    A glint of something flashed in his eyes. I tore my hand away a little more abruptly than I¡¯d intended, my lip curling in distaste. Swallowing dryly, I tried to mask the sudden disgust washing up from the back of my mind with a smile. I turned around, stepping around the mess on the floor on my way to the door.

    And, pushing worries from my mind, I left the room with brand new purpose in my steps.

 Chapter 16

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    It all happened so fast.

    After my meeting with Arathorn and convincing Kye to come with me, the past day had rushed past in a blur. Despite the simplicity of the task, there had been more preparation than I¡¯d expected. I¡¯d prepared for trips before¡ªas a high knight, travel had been half of my job. But here, things were still different. Here, I¡¯d actually had to learn about my destination. It wasn¡¯t a place I already had conceptions of based on stories from my youth. No rumors, no tales¡ªnothing. It was exactly like all of the other things I¡¯d faced since the beast had cursed my new life.

    Entirely new.

    And that novelty had led to multiple things. Namely, it had led to decisions. After reporting the task to Lorah, Kye had actually given me a run-down of Norn itself. She¡¯d told me her experience of traveling there and made sure I was fit for travel at all. But after that, the decisions had only just started. I¡¯d had to decide who would pick up my assignments while I was gone. I¡¯d had to decide what to bring¡ªwhat weapons and equipment. And all of it had only served to remind me of one of the few things I¡¯d actually disliked about being a knight.

    ¡°Are you fucking ready yet?¡± Kye asked from the doorway. I chuckled. At least one of my decisions hadn¡¯t been that hard to make.

    I smiled, narrowing my eyes on the weapons rack again as a knife balanced in my hand. Shifting it back and forth, I feigned interest in its weight and composition. After all, I actually was interested in those things, so it wasn¡¯t that hard to pull off. I¡¯d just made the decision already.

    ¡°I¡¯m still deciding,¡± I lied, my lips cracking into a wry grin. The longer I spent with the Rangers, the more devious I found myself becoming. It was enjoyable to indulge in some of the childish things I hadn¡¯t done since my previous youth.

    ¡°Just pick one already,¡± Kye said with a groan. In the corner of my eye, I saw her slump back against the wall while she twirled an arrow between her fingers. My grin only deepened.

    In reality, I was only choosing between what backup weapon to bring. As a knight, I¡¯d never had to worry about it because my sword had been able to tear any of my foes to shreds. But now, I didn¡¯t want to take the chance. No matter how much I hated admitting it, Ruia was more dangerous. It was unknown. So I wanted to go prepared.

    I tapped my foot and brought the knife up in front of my face again. Its metal tilted at the very edge, sharpening even further with an unreflective grey tinge. It was tipped with blue silver, I noted. One of Kye¡¯s favorite weapons to use. So naturally, I asked her about it. ¡°You think this knife would be useful?¡±

    Kye straightened up, casting a glance my way. And when she saw the knife in my hand, she rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes. You know it is¡ªnow stop dawdling. If you don¡¯t choose, I¡¯ll put another hole in your side.¡±

    I finally broke, my face contorting as a laugh bubbled up out of my throat. I turned to Kye and tilted my head. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that just hold us up even more?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Maybe. But I¡¯d get to shoot you again, and I say that¡¯s worth it. This isn¡¯t my job, you know. It¡¯s your own grave.¡± At the tail end of her sentence, she smirked.

    The signature expression made me chuckle. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take the knife.¡±

    ¡°Great choice,¡± Kye said dryly. ¡°Now can we go? We¡¯re wasting daylight.¡±

    Finally, I yielded. I took the knife and holstered it on my waist where I¡¯d already placed the sheath. Then, still grinning to myself, I turned back to Kye and rolled my wrist. ¡°Yes. We can go.¡±

    She rolled her eyes again and walked out the door without me. I chuckled, pushing myself into a brisk walk as I caught up. The bag dragging down my shoulders reminded me of exactly what we were doing. As a ranger, we rarely carried more than our weapons and a few extra supplies. Carrying the brown bags that I¡¯d always seen on the shelves was a strange experience, at least. All I had in mine were rations, my extra uniform, and my bedroll, but the extra weight reminded me that this was it. For the first time since I¡¯d arrived, I was actually leaving Sarin.

    Although, at least I didn¡¯t have to carry as much as Kye did. Along with all of her own supplies, she was also carrying the extra equipment and medical supplies that she¡¯d insisted on bringing but hadn¡¯t let me carry for fear that I¡¯d complain.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    I scoffed as I caught up. ¡°How far is Norn anyway?¡±

    Kye turned to me. ¡°Not far. It shouldn¡¯t be more than a day¡¯s travel away on foot.¡± The signature smirk tugged at her lips. ¡°Though, traveling with you, who knows. It could take up to a week.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, straightening up. ¡°A day¡¯s travel it is, then.¡±

    Kye laughed, tilting her head as we made it to the base of the climb to the main part of town. ¡°I am still holding you to that. If this takes longer than it needs to, you are getting another arrow stuck in your side.¡±

    I sneered. ¡°It won¡¯t. And I made sure of it as soon as I picked you as my guide.¡±

    She jerked her head back at that, sparing a sideways glance at me. Then she grinned. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    I snickered. She already knew exactly what I meant. ¡°It¡¯s impossible enough that you already know our forest as well as you do. After going to Norn once, I¡¯m sure you know the way by heart.¡±

    ¡°I travel a lot,¡± was all the response I got as we walked up toward Sarin¡¯s main square.

    I smiled. ¡°It shows. I¡¯ve never even seen anyone here use a map.¡±

    Kye slowed, and I had to slow down just to keep pace. Looking back at her, she squinted at me as if I¡¯d just proposed an unsolvable problem. ¡°A map? How the hell would any of us get a map anyway?¡±

    I blinked, instantly cautious. In Credon, maps had been a common commodity. They had been made for entire regions, kingdoms, and some of the continent. They¡¯d been available to anyone who had enough coin, and I¡¯d always carried one of wherever my king had sent me off to. Here though, things were different. I had to remember that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said carefully. Kye shook her head slightly and started walking normally again. But the confusion didn¡¯t recede. ¡°Do you not have a single cartographer here in Sarin?¡±

    Kye shook her head, still blinking. ¡°Are you kidding me? With how expensive they are and how quickly they get outdated? A map-maker would run out of business before they even started.¡±

    I scrunched my face. ¡°How¡ª¡° I stopped myself, trying to calm the presence of my past life. Back in Credon, map-making had been an easy process. A few professionals skilled in pen-work could create and copy them easily. But in Ruia, it must¡¯ve been different. In some way, it made sense that any form of map was unreliable, but it still irked me. ¡°How does anyone get anywhere without one?¡±

    Kye scoffed. ¡°They know where they¡¯re going,¡± she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. ¡°Either they have been to their destination before or they don¡¯t go at all. It¡¯s that or getting lost.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped. It still felt¡­ wrong to me, but I nodded anyway. I kept the rest of my questions inside and catalogued them away to come up at another time. Better not to push it further, I reasoned. So I chalked it up to differences between the continents and moved on. After all, I had enough to worry about as it was.

    So I just let the silence that had settled continue as we walked on. Into Sarin¡¯s square and past the sweeping town hall. Through all of the bustling commotion that melted my confusion in an instant. As we walked on, we even got a few waves and nods from the townsfolk. Most nodded to Kye in respect for her service. But some nodded to me, offering the kind of respect that I hadn¡¯t felt in months. The kind of respect that I¡¯d earned in spades whenever I¡¯d returned to Credon triumphant. In Sarin, it came in the form stray glances and esteemed smiles as opposed to cheers and decorations, but it was respect all the same. It felt good.

    From my experiences with the townspeople of Sarin, I knew that they respected the Rangers. Revered them, even. To the town, we were seen as protectors¡ªas providers that allowed Sarin to exist at all. And I supposed that wasn¡¯t very far off. Every time I¡¯d been in town, it was always bustling. Busy and cheerful yet accepting. And I hadn¡¯t ever figured out why.

    Before coming to Sarin, I¡¯d been tricked by Death. I¡¯d almost starved in the woods. I¡¯d been taken prisoner by mercenaries. And I¡¯d learned that the second chance of life that I¡¯d thought I¡¯d earned was on a corrupted continent instead of my own.

    Yet, Sarin was different than that. It was a welcome contrast to the bitterness and the danger that felt safer and more content. It gave me a place to sleep. A place to train. A place to gain the experience my new body so badly needed. It gave me a purpose, and one that wasn¡¯t that different than the one I¡¯d had before. I¡¯d protected citizens as a knight, and I was doing the same thing as a ranger.

    It only made sense that people were grateful.

    The near-afternoon sun glinted in my eye as we left the square. We turned down a narrower street that led past houses on the outskirts of town. That led back out to a path all too similar to the one I¡¯d arrived on. But as the commotion faded behind us, I couldn¡¯t help feeling bad. And it wasn¡¯t about the uneven roads or mouth-watering smells we were leaving behind. It was that we were leaving at all. We were walking right out of safety, right out of home.

    ¡°Leaving this place is harder than I thought,¡± I said, shaking my head with a dry laugh.

    Kye turned to me and nodded, casting a glance at what we were leaving behind. ¡°It really does have that kind of effect on you, doesn¡¯t it? It sucks you in just to spit you out sometimes.¡±

    I bobbed my head, twisting around to spare one last look at the collection of wooden buildings I now called home. The town that had made me feel welcome on a foreign continent and even in foreign skin.

    When I turned around, I was met with yet another foreign sight.

    Stretched out in front of us as the cobblestone path degraded back into marked dirt lined with stones was a huge field of grass. Unkept and unwieldy, just like it had been during my first days in Ruia. It was scattered with jutting rock formations that seemed to reach to the sky. To my left, the same forest I¡¯d been hunting in for weeks stared back at me. And to my right, the same intimidating mountains loomed over as if taunting us with our destination.

    Kye stretched out her hand and pointed in the direction of a collection of trees that led up to the mountainside. ¡°Norn is in that direction.¡± She smirked. ¡°Didn¡¯t need a map to tell me that.¡±

    I laughed, my mood lightening. And as she walked forward, I was tempted to take a look back, to take one last glance at what I supposed was my new home. But I resisted. I looked at the sprawling land in front of me instead before running to catch up with my companion.

    The only way to go was forward.

 Chapter 17

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    It was dark.

    After traveling for most of the entire day, we¡¯d only just broken into the loose set of trees that was the last barrier before we reached Norn. Yet, even though we were close, dusk had already descended and the last rays of sunlight were retreating from the world.

    As Kye had said, Norn was only supposed to be about a day of travel away from Sarin. On foot, at least. But as the night crept in, stealing the last vestiges of light from the world, it looked like we were going to have to make camp. We were going to have to abandon hope of reaching Norn before it got too dark for us to continue through the trees.

    But that hadn¡¯t happened. Not yet, anyway. There was still sufficient light for us to see the greens of the leaves above, and that was more than enough. So despite the aches of soreness dragging down my muscles, we walked on.

    For their part, at least the trees that led up to the mountains weren¡¯t nearly as densely packed as the ones I¡¯d become used to. In the fading light, the twisting branches that blocked out moonlight from above weren¡¯t anything to scoff at, but they weren¡¯t a big issue either. Even though as a knight I¡¯d never had to do much navigating through thick woods, the environment around me was paltry. In the past few weeks, I¡¯d risked my life in much worse than this.

    But still, in rapidly fading light, I wasn¡¯t one for taking many chances.

    ¡°Should we look for a place to set up camp?¡± I asked my companion in a low voice, making sure it wouldn¡¯t reverberate through the open area.

    Kye turned to me, raising an eyebrow before shaking her head. She didn¡¯t even take the chance of talking. Instead, she only notched the arrow she was carrying in her bow and trained it on the shadows in front of us. I could even feel the slight lightness in the air that betrayed her magic.

    ¡°When?¡± I whispered.

    Kye shot me a glare, straightening up. ¡°If I remember correctly, there¡¯s a side-clearing soon.¡± She flicked her eyes back to the front to scan everywhere the light didn¡¯t reach. ¡°We¡¯ll get out there and camp a ways out. But I don¡¯t want to¡ª¡°

    Rustling. Low and nearly inaudible, the sound of disturbed leaves drifted to my ears. I stiffened, my fingers curling around the hilt of my sword. I darted my eyes around, trying to pin-point the source of the noise. And when I did, Kye already had an arrow trained on the spot. I slowed my pace as the rustling grew louder, ducking lower as I waited for some horrible abomination to appear.

    A small bird flew out through the leaves.

    I blinked, furrowing my brow as I watched the little, red, feathered creature spiral in the air. Kye stopped as well, her bow dropping as she relaxed. After a few seconds, it turned away and darted back into the leaves it had emerged from. At once, unease settled in my gut, and Kye shot me a sidelong glance.

    I¡¯d seen that look before. There was a question in her eyes, and I could only nod when I realized what it was. She was suspicious. She thought there was something else hiding. And after having hunted with the woman a myriad of times, I trusted she was right. There probably was something else hiding, and I didn¡¯t want to be caught off guard.

    We crept on, step after step through the dark. Grass crunched under our boots, but among the oppressive silence, it almost didn¡¯t make a noise. As if swallowed up by the night¡¯s maw. I straightened, scanning the trees ahead more cautiously than I had in over a week. Because typically as hunters, we didn¡¯t have to be as careful as our targets. That, however, only worked if we knew that we were the predators instead of the prey.

    Memories of brief hunting lessons trickled into my mind. Ones from both past and present¡ªfrom both my father and the Rangers themselves. But no matter what point in my life they came from, they said the same thing. We had to assume whatever was out there was hostile, and we had to be ready for the worst.

    My lips pressed into a thin line. I squinted, letting my thoughts spin in the background as to not overtake my awareness. I needed to be as alert as possible for any¡ª

    Another rustle in the trees. I froze, perking my ears. The sound was more distant this time. It was farther away, and as I heard a shrill chirp, I tensed up. The bird. I strained my ears, trying to locate it in the increasingly dark unknown.

    Remotely, I could hear movement in the brush. Movement and¡­ something else. Something unfamiliar, and a bit odd. It sounded sharp yet muffled and erratic. Like the distant gnashing of teeth as if some beast was just now finding its dinner.

    My skin crawled.

    I looked up, holding my sword low. Kye shot a glance at me. I pointed at my ears. She got the message in short time. Then, taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and concentrated. The brisk air lightened even further around her, seeming to swirl with energy.

    After another second, the sound came back. Sharp and gnashing all the same. Kye¡¯s face went pale, a realization washing over her face. My stomach churned as she turned toward me, her eyes wide as the moon. She knew what the sound was, then. She recognized it. And the accompanying fear did not bode well for us.

    Kye grabbed my arm. I twisted, my eyes blooming like fearful flowers. ¡°We need to split up,¡± she hissed.

    I shivered, ripping my arm from her grasp. Split up? The idea sounded insane to me. Some creature was lurking in the woods. It was hiding from us, and if simply its sound had been enough to scare Kye, I didn¡¯t want to meet it on my own. I had no doubt about my own ability with the blade, but in my new body, I didn¡¯t want to take the chance.

    Kye noticed my hesitation and shot me a cold glare. I met her gaze with a nod, and she nodded right back. Despite myself, I understood. I remembered the lesson she¡¯d given me when I¡¯d first become a ranger. Whenever our dynamic switched¡ªwhenever we became the hunted instead of the hunters, it was better to split up. Sometimes it didn¡¯t make sense, but it gave more safety to the group overall.

    I repeated her advice in my head. The words bounced off the edges of my skull until I convinced myself to follow them. The truth in them stuck out. I knew the premise was that if one of us got attacked, it ensured the other wouldn¡¯t be. All one ranger had to do was be as loud as they could to alert the rest of their group to either help or leave and save themselves. So when kye gave me another firm nod, I swallowed my worries and nodded back.

    Without even waiting another second, Kye bolted into the trees. She left me standing in open air like a fish out of water. I almost opened my mouth, almost tried to call out to her one last time, but I bit it back. And when the wind slapped me in the face, I spurred into action.

    I crept through the trees as carefully as I could. My footsteps clattered softly against the dirt, but in the splitting quiet, they were almost all I could hear. Around me, the world seemed frozen. It was unnerving. Besides for the howling wind, nothing else moved. Nothing else made any sound. Not even the creature lurking in the dark.

    I rolled my neck and pushed away the fear. I didn¡¯t give in to it. Not like I had when I¡¯d first been chased through the woods by a pyre wolf. With Kye here, there was no way I was leaving. No way I was leaving her to deal with it alone.

    I just had to stay vigilant, I told myself. That was the plan. I kept repeating the words through my head as I stalked through silent brush, and it seemed to keep my nerves in check. It seemed to ward off the distracting thoughts that had grown since the beast had applied its lifeful curse. And if I kept¡ª

    A noise. I wheeled, steeling myself and straining my ears. Sharp and splitting, it sounded like something taking a breath in the trees to my right. It wasn¡¯t immediate, but it was close enough. I threw up my guard and raised my blade, ready when the noise came back.

    My blood ran cold as I recognized what it was.

    A sniff. Short, feral, and distinctly humanoid, something was smelling the woods. It was smelling for me I realized. I took a step back, scanning the shadows for some form. But I couldn¡¯t find one. I couldn¡¯t find anything in the dark¡ªa fact that worried me most when the sniffing came back.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    It came, lilting on the air as if trying to blend in with the ambience. But I latched onto it. I tracked it as it sounded again, and again. And again. Until at one point, it came far too close and something instinctual inside me screamed that I wouldn¡¯t be hearing it again.

    I twisted out of the way as the creature surged out of the trees. But even though I¡¯d been expecting it, it was still fast. Too fast. Faster than it should¡¯ve been. I only barely leapt back as pale flesh filled my vision and I swung my blade down into it. Contact rattled through my hand as steel tore through the thin black cloth covering its chest and ripped flesh as it went.

    When I tried to pull it out though, my eyes widened in horror. In the next second, I¡¯d expected to be dashing away. But instead, my blade was lodged in place as if the blood trickling out over it latched onto it and didn¡¯t let it go.

    My eyes widened in horror, a scream catching in my throat as I wrenched backward. Resistance pained my muscles, but eventually I tore the blade out and stumbled back. As soon as I looked back up at it though, it was already dashing again. The blurred mixture of tattered dark grey cloth and pale skin was on me in an instant. I tried to block with my blade. It was a useless attempt.

    I went flying.

    With a force far greater than I thought possible for the humanoid creature in front of me, it threw me. Thin arms pushed me back, cutting themselves on my blade, and I hit the ground hard. My back slid on the dirt and a dull pain draped over my skull as I grimaced in agony.

    My vision blurred as I tried desperately to raise my head. As I tried desperately to scramble away with aching muscles. Only when more fire poured into my blood was I able to sit up, thoughts spinning. I bit back the pain and gripped my sword at the ready.

    Scanning the trees around me, I tried to blink away the blur. I tried to push back the haze of painful disorientation so that I could locate the feral thing. As soon as it had rammed into me, I¡¯d seen it running from the corner of my eye. Somewhere back off into the trees. But I needed to know where it had gone.

    Clear hearing came back as cold air struck my face. I strained my ears, trying to grasp at any sounds that I could. For a few moments, everything was still; all I could hear was the pounding of blood in my ears. Nothing else. Only the repetitive thump and the terrifying, deafening silence that surrounded it.

    Then I heard it. My blood froze, only adding to the rising breathless pain in my chest. From the trees to my left, the rustling returned. I whipped my head in its direction, ignoring the throbbing of my skull. My hand tightened around my sword and I stumbled to a hunched position. My eyes scoured the trees for anything. Any speck, or rustle, or¡ª

    Movement. And it came running. My eyes bulged, straining to track the pale beast as it rushed toward me. Despite its humanoid form, it moved inhumanly quick.

    It had closed the gap before I could even get a breath into my lungs. I lurched backward, preparing my blade when its face came into view. The thin, waxen, human-like face stared at me. It wore a crooked smile with cracked lips that stood out as the only color on its face. The only color except for its grey, bloodshot irises that were full of something. Full of an insatiable want, a desire, a hunger. As soon as I looked into its eyes, a deep fear washed up from the back of my mind and cut me to the core. The strike I¡¯d been ready to make faded before I could do any damage.

    Pallid, claw-like fingers swung at me. They aimed at my neck as uncoordinated movements that gave me just enough time to interrupt them with my blade. For a moment, the ice-cold fire in my blood pushed back the fear and I sliced through the creature¡¯s wrist. Blood flowed out over steel as I attempted to haul backward. As before, however, it wasn¡¯t quite that easy.

    The creature seemed nearly unfazed by the strike. It stared right into my eyes. With its other hand moving at a speed I couldn¡¯t counter, it grabbed me by my tunic and lifted me off the ground.

    Fear washed up. It whipped at me like crashing waves and tore away strength as it went.

    As the thing raised me, it bored into my eyes. A shudder wracked through my body at the revolting sight. And some instinct deep inside of me rebelled, slicing forward with my sword.

    It simply grabbed the sharpened blade.

    Using its long, horrifying fingers, it grasped the sword without hesitation and ripped it from my hands. The bloodied weapon clattered in the dirt, useless. It left me useless. Defenseless. Overcome by an increasing panic as a fate I feared more than any other reared its head.

    I balled my hands. Curled them into half-fists and started striking the beast. I kicked my feet out at it, brushing its tattered cloth and bruising its ghastly skin. It reeled, wheezing some kind of horrible breath and inhaling sharply through its nose. But still, it looked unaffected. Instead of dropping me or running away, it just stared into my eyes and ignited the fear that was already there.

    My mind fogged over despite my best attempts to stop it. All I could think about was the terror. The unnaturalness of it all. It pulled at deep, fragmented memories that I barely even remembered. Showed me sights I¡¯d never seen. Yet somewhere in the fog, a spark of hope sprung up. It reminded me of¡­ something else. Something I could have been doing to stay alive.

    Latching onto it though, all that I did was scream.

    Louder than ever before, my shriek split the air. It rattled off through the trees and would¡¯ve alerted anything listening in for hundreds of paces around. All it truly seemed to do, though, was anger the creature holding me up. Slowly, its brows came together and its nostrils flared again.

    Then it slammed me into the ground.

    As soon as my eyes flitted shut, I regained control of my body. But as soon as I hit the ground, that control was knocked from me like air being pushed from my lungs. I wheezed, blinking rapidly as an ache spread into my bones. Above me, the creature smiled again and crouched over me, slashing again for my neck. I raised my arms and covered my face, trying to defend from its strikes. But all I got were burning cuts on my skin and blood spilling out over my arms. In pure desperation, I kicked out at the thing. But it only bought me momentarily relief. It kept up the barrage. It kept up the pain.

    The creature growled at me. Its lips cracked open and it tried for my neck. I rolled out of the way, skidding over the dirt as the creature missed me by a second. But despite my singular save, I knew it was in vain. Every second, its attacks became more vicious. The pain became more agonizing. I couldn¡¯t keep it up forever, and deep inside, I knew I was going to die.

    The visage of the reaper loomed over me like a phantom. I gritted my teeth, rebelling against its image. It had been the one to curse me to this life, after all. It had been the one to trick me¡ªto exploit my mind and force me into a new body. On a new continent. To face new threats that knew nothing about. But still, I lived on. Because whether it had been intended or not, my vitality was a blessing. It allowed a means for my end¡ªa second chance against death.

    That second chance was not ending tonight.

    I twisted, curling my fingers into a fist and throwing it toward the humanoid thing. My knuckles cracked against its jaw, sending its head twisting. It regained composure in short time, but I was already swinging again. This time from below, my bloodied fingers rammed up into its jaw. The creature staggered, fury entering its bloodshot eyes. Then it sniffed at me one more time and resumed its assault.

    I curled my knee and forced it upward, once again interrupting the dreadful attacks. It growled, the savage sound sending a raking shiver down my spine. But I kept at it. I kept fighting back with ever last dreg of strength I could find. Some part of me still expected death. It still expected that in an instant, I¡¯d hear the rattle of the reaper¡¯s scythe and it would be all over.

    But that¡¯s not what I heard. At once, with its claw-like fingers still dug into my arm, it wailed. A bloodcurdling screech emanated from its lips, overpowering everything else in the air. Eventually, the wail trailed off, leaving only the faint sound of sizzling beneath its skin. I squinted, perking my ears and scrambling backward at the opportunity.

    The twang of a bow.

    An object struck through the air and tore into the creature¡¯s shoulder. The sizzling sound grew louder, as if its blood was literally boiling. It shrieked and growled, writhing before returning its eyes to me. Once again, they filled with unbidden anger, but even that was interrupted. Another arrow followed quickly after and lodged itself in the side of the creature¡¯s head.

    The soft burning grew louder still and the feral thing hunched over.

    I scuttled away, staggering up to a stand as I made sure my body still worked. Scrapes, cuts, and bruises littered my skin. Blood flowed from them and stung against the brisk air. But I was alive.

    It hurt. It hurt like hell. Everything did. But it was a sign of my vitality. It kept me grounded in reality and was a better thing to focus on than the slowly-softening screams of the demonic grey-eyed monster. Stretching my legs, I confronted the soreness and the pain.

    Something felt off.

    I knew I was alive¡ªthe exhaustion itself was proof enough of that¡ªbut I didn¡¯t feel whole. Some aspect wasn¡¯t the same as before. My muscles twitched and my fingers flexed in anticipation of some object that wasn¡¯t there.

    I only thought for a moment before I found my answer lying on the ground. There, in the dirt a few paces away, was my sword. A million-pound weight lifted from my shoulders

    ¡°You okay?¡± a familiar voice asked. A muted whisper barely above the howling wind. I furrowed my brow, grasping my blade anew before turning to see who it was.

    It was Kye. A breath slipped between my lips. Of course it was Kye. It couldn¡¯t have been anyone else. ¡°I-I¡¯ll live.¡±

    She nodded at that, taking another step forward toward the nightmarish creature. ¡°At least for the world¡¯s sake it¡¯s dying.¡± Before her, pale flesh twitched in the dirt. Its movements dampened, and dark blood stained its tattered clothes. ¡°I¡¯m just grateful I don¡¯t have to see the reaper come to take its soul.¡±

    I froze, my hatred of the beast piercing the haze of exhaustion. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I don¡¯t know it,¡± she said. ¡°That my soul does not care enough about its soul to witness its moment of passing. And I¡¯m glad it¡¯s passing at all.¡± Kye¡¯s lips twitched into a smirk. ¡°Because that was my last sunlight arrow.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad, too,¡± I muttered. ¡°It can be taken away with no one to watch it for all I care. I don¡¯t even know what it is.¡±

    ¡°A kanir,¡± Kye said. She fixed me with a glare that put weight into her words.

    I stiffened, the term resonating somewhere in my memories. Somewhere I couldn¡¯t access through the ceaseless waves trying to pull me under. But whatever it was, I knew that it was bad. ¡°Oh.¡±

    I nodded a bit, words getting lost in my mind. I wanted to ask more questions¡ªabout kanir or about whatever arrows she¡¯d been using. But it all seemed like too much work. It was too complex of a task when I was barely staying afloat as it was. I needed rest. True, healthy rest. So my brain allowed me the one question that mattered.

    ¡°Can we find a¡­ a place to set up camp yet?¡±

    My companion froze, straightening. She glanced at me, finally taking stock of my battered form. Then she nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s too dark to make any more progress, regardless.¡± My head bobbed lazily. ¡°You must be glad I brought sano leaves, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    A dry chuckle fell from my lips as she started off. I glanced back at the demonic thing that had attacked me, my eyes questioning its existence. But I didn¡¯t even get that far. It felt like too much work.

    So I just clutched my sword close to my chest and followed my companion into the night.

 Chapter 18

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    We walked up the path toward the gate in silence.

    Masterful stone brick stood above us. It implored us, looked down on us by sheer force of its stature. From what I¡¯d learned of Norn, I knew it had been build for the mountains. And I knew it had been built out of the mountains themselves It was seen as the gateway to an almost separate world composed entirely of stone. But as I looked at its walls, I realized none of that had done it justice. Truly, the massive and intricately inlaid entrance reminded me of something greater¡ªsomething I would¡¯ve seen back home.

    Something that demanded my respect.

    I held my tongue as we approached, unconsciously softening my steps. Dirt crunched under my metal boots so quietly that the air devoured the sound. It never got far enough out as to disturb the spell of silence that the magnificent wall imposed on the valley. As I got closer, my breaths became shallower. The hairs on my back stood on end. And even the dull pounding behind my eyes dampened.

    Behind me, my companion made no such effort. ¡°Are you doing alright?¡± Kye asked, her voice echoing off the stone walls, and shattering the silence into pieces.

    I turned, my sore fingers wrapping around the hilt of my sword. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± And I regretted every word as we made our way up the steps. A pulse of pain radiated throughout my head. It forced me to wince and reminded me of the fatigue that still hadn¡¯t left. After using the sano leaves that Kye had brought and getting a night¡¯s rest, the pain was manageable. But that didn¡¯t mean it was enjoyable by any sense of the word.

    I grunted, rubbing my forehead with my hand. Behind me, Kye chuckled. With the burnt soreness in my bones, my frustration rose like hot air. I glared straight at her. She didn¡¯t falter. I swallowed a curse as the pain passed, casting my eyes back down at the smooth stone steps. Truthfully, I wasn¡¯t angry at her. With how she¡¯d saved my life the previous night, I really couldn¡¯t be. Still though, I wasn¡¯t in the greatest mood.

    My eyelids flitted. I let them slide shut, shaking my head as memories of the previous night resurfaced. I saw the thing again¡ªthe pale Kanir lunging at me. I felt the resistance its flesh had given my blade. I smelled its blood boiling among the cold air. Only the small size of my breakfast kept me from throwing up at my feet.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± came a steady, powerful voice that ripped me back to the present. I opened my eyes and lifted my head, meeting the armored form of a gate guard. I stopped, my fingers twitching and my mind suddenly racing to figure out what to say.

    ¡°We¡¯re Rangers,¡± Kye said before I could process what was happening. ¡°We¡¯ve come on business from Arathorn, the Lord of Sarin.¡± The guard¡¯s stance didn¡¯t falter. ¡°And we have business with Lady Amelia.¡± That made him shift. His posture stiffened at the mere mention of the name.

    The guard offered a weak smile before looking over to his partner. Across the way of the gate, another guard nodded at the silent question that had passed between their looks. A moment later, the guard in front of us turned back and nodded readily. Finding no sign of a lie in Kye¡¯s words, he stepped out of the way.

    The interaction happened so quickly that words were still registering in my sore, addled mind even after I followed Kye through the gate. Passing the two guards on our way in, I saw them eying both of us. But I also saw a smirk growing on Kye¡¯s lips.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked as I walked up next to my companion.

    She raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°What are you asking about? The guards, or my suave entrance?¡± My eyebrows dropped and I nearly rolled my eyes on quick temper. I stalled my emotions long enough to clarify.

    ¡°Both,¡± I said. ¡°Why did they let us through with such little hassle?¡±

    Kye¡¯s grin danced across her lips. From the corners of my eyes, I saw the shapes of houses and shops passing by in a blur, and I only swallowed my grumbles. Wrangling Kye into a simple conversation was costing me valuable scenery.

    ¡°Because of our contacts. I¡¯m sure the guards know about the Rangers, and Arathorn for that matter.¡± Kye rolled her wrist. ¡°But even if they didn¡¯t, mentioning Norn¡¯s head knight was a simple enough way to get by. I don¡¯t think either of them were willing to risk their post by denying us entry.¡±

    ¡°It was so¡­ quick, though,¡± I said. My brows came together as memories of long past streamed by. In my past life, I¡¯d had to work for my name to hold meaning. For it to hold weight. And it had only truly been that way after the formative years of my life.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kye said. The longer she went on, the more amusement bled out of her tone. ¡°Her name holds weight.¡± Then my companion turned away and picked up her pace, forcing me once again to follow in her wake.

    The town¡ªwhich I was quickly realizing was more of a city¡ªrushed around us. A flurry of houses, shops, and buildings scattered the sides of the paved street. After the rough path we¡¯d been walking on all day, the even, updated road was a welcome change of pace to my feet. The stone beneath us was reminiscent of the town¡¯s walls, and so was everything else. As my eyes flicked from building to building, the same expert stonework held all of them up, too.

    For a brief time, the pounding in my head receded. It got muffled by my inquisitive and wondrous thoughts. The city around me sprawled both with intense organization and clarity as well as nearly the same clamor as was in Sarin. My time to watch, however, was all too brief, and the pain came rushing back as soon as we stopped.

    Kye stopped, dragging me to a halt alongside her. The buildings, stalls, and public works stopped moving in an instant. Blinking, I snapped away from a stone statue in the center of the street and looked toward Kye.

    ¡°Why did we¡ª¡°

    ¡°That,¡± Kye started, interrupting me, ¡°is the Knight¡¯s Barracks.¡± My companion narrowed her eyes and raised her finger toward the large building in front of us. My scouring eyes shifted to the columned stone building in front of us. Without thinking, I was already picking apart the implications of the name, but when I saw it, my mind screeched to a halt. My eyes bloomed, and I became preoccupied with something completely different about it.

    It looked absolutely impeccable.

    Tucked away from the rest of the buildings and built straight into a part of the mountain that jutted out, the stone masterpiece stared at me in innocent beauty. Back in Credon, we¡¯d had stoneworkers. Expert ones, even. We¡¯d held them to high standards and enlisted dozens of them in works to construct monuments or palaces.

    Yet still¡­ I¡¯d never seen anything like this.

    At the building¡¯s front, a set of perfect columns held up the start of the level ceiling. Each column carried simple yet elegant carvings that looked intricate even to an untrained eye. And on the front of each of them, different emblems were inlaid directly into the stone. As I scanned them, I could only figure that they were emblems of different knights. They were all lined with thin silver linings that glittered perfectly in the limited sunlight.

    My hand relaxed by my side, slipping off the grip of my sword. I gawked. The world faded around me as the columned barracks froze me in awe and reminded me of memories I¡¯d long since forgotten. Blurry images of my youth cleared as though dust was being brushed away. And the pain that had hit me when we¡¯d stopped retreated as if shying away from the reminiscent beauty.

    More and more details of the building revealed themselves to me. I implored it with my eyes, some deep part of me wishing it would return to me the life that I¡¯d forsaken. But it wouldn¡¯t; I knew it wouldn¡¯t. So I shook my head and remembered the mission. I wasn¡¯t here to get distracted. I was here to retrieve a package, and that was it. As I tore my eyes away, another pulse of pain reared from behind my eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s probably where she¡¯ll be,¡± I said as I turned to Kye. She gritted her teeth. ¡°We should go in.¡± My companion folded her arms and didn¡¯t move. She kept her eyes narrowed in a hard gaze as though she was trying to win a staring contest with the stone.

    I furrowed my brows and straightened up. I pushed away pain once again. ¡°We have a job to do, you know,¡± I said. The discipline and loyalty and training from my past life rushed back, brought out by the city around us. But Kye¡¯s scowl only deepened. I could see gears turning in her head, though, even if she stayed resolute and unmoving.

    A sigh slipped out of my mouth. Half of it came out as a groan. I didn¡¯t want to be here. Not in Norn, anyway. No matter how much the magnificent stonework wanted me to think otherwise. My body ached, my head pounded, and I wanted to get back to a restful bed as fast as I could. But we had a job to do¡ªone that Kye¡¯s stubborn attitude was not gonna stop me from doing. So I opened my mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m being careful,¡± she said before I could get a word out.

    I blinked. ¡°What?¡±

    Kye shifted her weight, tilting from foot to foot. ¡°I¡¯m being careful. I don¡¯t want to go in there unprepared, or have them dismiss us. We¡¯re here on actual business, and I won¡¯t have the fact that they don¡¯t care about us interrupt that. A simple task, that¡¯s what this is supposed to be.¡±

    My gaze dropped at that and I leaned back on my heel. That was what it was about, then. She was nervous. Hesitant to confront the knights after what had happened the previous time. My fingers twitched. Honestly, I could blame her. She had a good reason for it all. But glaring at the barracks would do nothing but waste time. ¡°Sure. We still have to do it, though.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Kye wheeled around to glare at me. She didn¡¯t hide at all how unamused she was. ¡°I know. It¡¯s just¡­ bad memories. Past experiences with a relationship that has been rocky from the start.¡± I nodded, throwing up a hand, but she wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°It¡¯s been more than just me. More than Tahir, too. I just¡­ can¡¯t afford not to be careful.¡±

    I sighed, shaking my head slightly and ignoring the onlookers staring at us from the street. In the middle of the day, two people simply standing before the Knight¡¯s Barracks would¡¯ve seemed weird, I supposed. And that didn¡¯t even take into account our clothes. I shrugged it off. ¡°I get it, but you knew we were coming here. We both knew. This isn¡¯t a difficult¡ª¡°

    Kye shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing you need to worry about.¡± Her words cut through mine like a hot knife through butter. I stopped, taking a step back as a familiar expression started on her face. She took a breath. ¡°We should go in. We have a job to do, after all.¡± Sparing me an exaggerated smile, she started off toward the building.

    ¡°Right,¡± I said as my eyebrows dropped. I followed directly in her wake.

    The barracks greeted us with a blast of warm air. Cozy, comfortable air that was such a stark contrast to the brisk autumn wind outside that it felt like being transported into another world. Shaking my head, I scrunched my face and narrowed my eyes to adjust to the orange light. When I did, the only thing that awaited me was more grandeur.

    In all, the Knight¡¯s Barracks appeared to be nothing more than a repurposed cavern. It was lit sparsely enough with torches that it held a fiery glow yet also warmed the space. Stray beams of light glinted off dozens of pieces of metal in my vision, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight of knights at work. Unfortunately, my head took the influx of new information as an opportunity to start pounding again.

    I cringed, tearing my eyes away from the crackling fireplace on the right side of the room. It bathed the surrounding seating area in a dim warmth, kissing each individual table and gleaming off each individual weapon. As I scanned over the rest of the room, I couldn¡¯t help but be impressed at the tall, carved stone pillars. They held up the ceiling like titans of stone and cut the main room into coordinated sections. Between the pillars and the walkways, though, was where my eye was drawn.

    Throughout the dave, what looked to be dozens of black mats were set up in miniature sparring areas that reminded me of the training room in the lodge. However, these training areas were more open and of a much higher quality. Quality that the knights dancing over them took full advantage of.

    Even as Kye walked on, apparently disinterested with the activity of the barracks, I grinned. My fingers tightened around the grip of my sword and just the sight of other knights ignited a fire within me that I hadn¡¯t felt in years.

    One of the knights, draped in half-plated armor trimmed in blue, was wielding a hammer instead of a sword. Despite his powerful build, he danced around the mat as quickly as an assassin would. He dodged and dashed around his opponent, waiting for particular moments to strike. As we walked by, he grinned and ducked low, swinging his body around and tearing the hammer with it.

    A muffled clash rang out against the stone walls.

    The defending knight recoiled from the blow. He staggered backward, pushing off from where he¡¯d successfully blocked the strike with his shield. Regardless of that, though, he did not look satisfied. Seemingly out of his control, his shield-bearing arm trembled, shaking uselessly. Still, he was far from done. A bead of sweat dripped down the man¡¯s temple as he brought his sword around and sliced his opponent straight in the arm. Silver metal bore into the blue-trimmed half-plate, denting it and causing the hammer-wielding knight to reel in pain.

    No sound emanated from the battle this time.

    The sword-bearer stopped, shaking off the last of the tremors from his other arm. He flicked his eyes back toward his enemy and charged into him shield-first. The hammer-wielding knight staggered, nearly falling over on the mat as the silent barge forced him backward. Then the sword-bearer brought his sword down and hit¡ª

    ¡°There,¡± Kye said beside me. I blinked as it ripped me out of my stupor and reminded me of reality. Turning, I furrowed my brow and followed her finger across the room. In a secluded personal sitting area, another knight in plated armor watched the room.

    Right, I reminded myself. Lady Amelia. We were on a job, after all. We¡¯d come to see her. There was no sense in getting caught up in the training around us. No matter how interesting it was. No matter how much it let me recall my own days as a knight. Training in a barracks and learning technique after technique until I could wipe the floor with them all.

    I shook my head. ¡°Lady Amelia.¡±

    Kye nodded, pushing forward again without a word. I followed in toe, forcing away the muffled sounds around me and focusing on our target instead. The knight we¡¯d been tasked with meeting stared out at the room as if studying it intimately. She wore what looked to be reinforced plate, yet seemed unburdened by its weight. Almost carefree about it, ticking her foot back and forth while still holding a cold and calculated look like she was solving a problem and didn¡¯t want anybody to know. She was looking out at the room all right, but as soon as I met with her eyes, she was staring right at me.

    A shiver crept down my spine as her dark brown rises met with mine. After a moment, I straightened up and nodded to her, offering a respectful smile. All she did was turn away.

    ¡°We have a job to do,¡± Kye grumbled.

    I snapped away from the intimidating knight and picked up my pace. ¡°I know we do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m reminding myself,¡± she said, relaxing her arms. ¡°We don¡¯t need to speak with her long.¡± I nodded as Kye squared her shoulders, as if reassuring herself with her posture. ¡°And don¡¯t get distracted.¡±

    My lips tweaked upward. I stifled a chuckle and moved on with her, walking down the designated pathway toward our target. The muffled sounds of battle still rung out around us. The knights still dueled with as much fury and determination as they had when we¡¯d entered. But I ignored it all. That was, until a question came up.

    The distinct, shrieking clash of blades didn¡¯t echo at all from beside me. ¡°What¡¯s with the sound in here? None of the fighting is nearly as loud as it should be.¡±

    Kye spared a glance back at me, one eyebrow raised. ¡°The black sparring mats. They¡¯re enchanted by soundweavers to dampen the sound produced above them.¡± Then she smirked, turning back around. ¡°We have one at the lodge, you know.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°I know that. But nobody ever mentioned it was magical. It looks like any other training mat.¡±

    Kye bobbed her head. ¡°Truthfully, it isn¡¯t that complex of a spell. Or, not for a competent soundweaver at least. Someone who has done it enough that it¡¯s almost as simple as manipulating heat.¡± I nodded slowly, accepting her words as truth. I¡¯d heard the term of soundweaver before¡ªone of my king¡¯s scholars had studied the field¡ªbut enchanting an item was new to me. As far as I¡¯d known, that was something delegated to myths alone.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± I said as my eyes flicked around. ¡°These knights have almost a dozen, though. How come we only have one?¡±

    Kye slowed her pace to glance back at me. She scrunched her face. ¡°If you¡¯d be willing to have one enchanted yourself, go ahead and get us another one.¡± Her voice trailed off into a baffled chuckle.

    A crack of sound. As though the air itself were ripping.

    I turned, wincing as the fleeting sound tore through the dull commotion of the barracks. It broke through its own muffled sound and echoed off the cavern walls, ringing in my ears. My lips pressed into a thin line and I dropped my hand around the handle of my sword. There, only about a dozen paces away from us on the sparring mat that was the source of the sound, a knight stumbled backward. He shook his head furiously as if trying to rip the sound from his mind. And his opponent was taking advantage, swinging at the man with immense force and whipping the tip of her blade up near the neck of her opponent.

    The man almost whimpered as another crack split the air. He grimaced and fell to his knees.

    ¡°Offensive soundweavers,¡± Kye grumbled under her breath. ¡°Such little respect for our world¡¯s damned ears.

    I turned to her, my eyes blooming. ¡°I thought you said sound created on the mats was muffled.¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°It is. And believe it or not, that was muffled. We were lucky our ears only felt as much of it as we did.¡±

    Lines appeared on my forehead. I raised my eyebrows and glanced back to where the agile knight was lying on the ground. His face was contorted in what looked to be a permanent grimace. And even though the soundweaver standing above him was wincing herself as if suffering from a headache beyond proportion, it was still clear that she¡¯d won.

    I didn¡¯t stare at the scene for long. My fingers relaxed and¡ªat the repeated realization that even among knights, I was little more than a fish out of water¡ªI walked on in silence. And Kye happily obliged, keeping her comments to simple grumbling under her breath as we made our way across the room. As soon as we did, her demeanor changed.

    ¡°Lady Amelia,¡± Kye said in a calm, controlled voice. Cheerful at the edges but firm enough to command attention. I nearly took a step back as she smiled at the sitting knight, surprised by her diplomacy. ¡°We are Rangers from Sarin, and we have business on behalf of Arathorn.¡±

    Lady Amelia chuckled. ¡°I know.¡± She didn¡¯t even need to get up to grab my attention. ¡°I¡¯m quite familiar with you Rangers. As well as Arathorn¡¯s important package. Do you have his seal?¡±

    Kye stiffened, keeping her smile carefully wide as she turned to me. Her eyes widened, restrained fury dancing within them. I nodded and held up my hand before sliding the gold ring off my finger and holding it out.

    ¡°Of course,¡± I said. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t come requesting on his behalf without verification. I have it here.¡±

    The stoic knight smiled. It was a thin, practiced smile, but a smile nonetheless. She leaned forward without even moving from her seat and grabbed the ring out of my hand. Her eyes studied it for a moment, lazily glossing over the engraved golden surface before throwing it back to me.

    ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°Not that I doubted you, but I can never be too careful.¡±

    The way Kye clenched her fist made it clear that she agreed. ¡°So, the package?¡± The last hints of cheerfulness she¡¯d started with drained away in short time.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get to it.¡± Lady Amelia side-eyed us. ¡°It¡¯s of sensitive material, as you may know.¡±

    Kye sneered. ¡°I know. I just want to make sure that we know what to expect this time. I¡¯d rather not get blindsided with a package this significant to our lord.¡± The professional, almost reverential tone felt wrong coming out of Kye¡¯s mouth.

    Lady Amelia squinted. Her head tilted, and I didn¡¯t miss the way her fingers curled as if grabbing the air by its neck. ¡°This time? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever dealt with you before.¡±

    Kye didn¡¯t falter. ¡°No. Not you specifically. But your knights have, and I simply want assurance that nothing will go sideways.¡±

    The commanding knight shifted, glaring at Kye. Still, she didn¡¯t waver. Not even when Lady Amelia pushed out of her chair and onto the ground. Instinctively, I took a step back as if the ground itself tilted away from me. ¡°You assume something will go sideways?¡±

    Behind us, the muffled sounds of battle slowed. They lessened as if each battle was coming to some kind of abrupt end. Kye, however, didn¡¯t even seem to notice. ¡°I don¡¯t assume anything. But we can never be too careful.¡±

    I stumbled backward, my stomach lurching as the ground rushed up under me. After a moment, I caught myself and staggered to a stand. Unmuffled and unbidden sounds of creaking wood drifted throughout the cavernous space.

    Lady Amelia took a step forward without notice. ¡°I will not stand here and take implied accusations.¡± The ground tilted again as she spoke, sending light tremors through my feet. I widened my eyes, grasped the sword on my waist, and tried to stabilize. As the ground shook again, I was only half successful.

    Momentarily, Kye teetered. She glanced around as if to check where she was standing before taking a step forward toward the knight she was confronting. When she did, the ground calmed. The groaning of wood stopped. And for the moment, everything was fine.

    ¡°Look,¡± Kye said through locked teeth. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be rude, but this package should be handled with care. If we could just¡ª¡°

    She never got to finish her sentence. Wood creaked anew in the background. All sounds of fighting turned into drowned-out, inaudible conversation. And the ground tilted again, nearly throwing me from my balance. I unsheathed my sword, ears twitching at the scrape of metal against its scabbard.

    But when the ground truly started to shake, I glanced at my companions. Kye¡¯s eyes shot wide with shock, and even the stoic knight¡¯s lips quivered in unmistakable surprise. Behind us, creaking wood turned to breaking wood, and one thing became blatantly clear.

    Everything was not fine.

 Chapter 19

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    The world itself was shaking.

    I fell to a crouch as the thought occurred. My grip tightened. My breathing accelerated. Blood pounded on the insides of my ears, ice-cold fire seeping in with each passing moment. The aches and pains in my muscles receded, despite the shaking, and I scrambled to balance myself over the stone.

    I looked around, trying to keep my mind in check. To push back the fog. I couldn¡¯t let the confusion overpower me. Because as soon as it did, I was all but useless. So I furrowed my brow and squinted, scanning the room. Clattering metal itched at my ears. It joined the splitting wood. But what I didn¡¯t hear were voices. No large outcries. No panic. These were knights, I remembered, not common folk. They were trained better; they had no need for such things.

    I repeated the thought in my head, trying to calm my addled brain. If they weren¡¯t freaking out, then neither should I. There was no need to, I told myself. So I didn¡¯t. I kept my lips pressed shut and I kept my senses keen.

    From the corner of my eye, Kye crept up to me. She glared, entirely serious. Her form rushed up faster than I would¡¯ve imagined in her crouched position, stalking with her bow at the ready. As soon as she reached me, an arrow was already notched. How she¡¯d found time to ready herself when she¡¯d been arguing only moments before was beyond me. But it didn¡¯t matter. I had to stay focused.

    Turning to her as steadily as I could, I pressed my hand to the floor. Cold vibrations slid up my arm like a snake underneath my skin. ¡°What¡­ the hell is happening?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± she said, her tone firm among the chaos. Afterward, she spared a glance backward. Over toward the knight that was still somehow holding her ground.

    When Kye looked back at me, she cocked her eyebrows. The intent was palpable. It disturbed my gut just to think about it¡ªshe thought we were being set up. That Lady Amelia had caused whatever was taking the cavern by storm. A bead of sweat trickled down my temple as I tried to balance while I thought.

    After a second, I shook my head violently. The movement sent agony rippling across my skull. But I ignored it and focused on Kye. Her idea didn¡¯t make sense. I knew Kye didn¡¯t trust the knights here¡ªand I knew she had a good reason. But the implication was more than a stretch.

    A strong tremor shook me. I stumbled backward multiple paces, my hand scraping on the stone as I pushed off to stay stable. When I staggered straight, I flicked my eyes back to Kye. I watched the steady anger rising on her face. I didn¡¯t let her sway me. With as much composure as I could summon, I shook my head. Kye glowered.

    I crept toward her. ¡°It can¡¯t¡ª¡° My body jolted, pushing breath from my lungs. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± She curled her lip at my response, but I knew she understood. Her fingers relaxed on the bowstring and she released tension from her shoulders.

    A relieved breath fell from my lips. I teetered, forcing my body upright and ignoring the waves of pain ripping through my exhausted bones. Instead, I focused on the room. From what I could tell, there were more than a dozen knights in the barracks. All heavily armored. All highly skilled. I clenched my jaw even harder as my mind raced with possibilities.

    Spawned from both irrational fear and rational preparation, battle encounters flew through my head. One after another. Stance after stance. I didn¡¯t even know if I¡¯d be able to beat one of the knights in my current body, but that didn¡¯t mean I wouldn¡¯t try. Then, turning my head to my companion, I noticed something. Her eyes were flicking between the knights as well, and her fingers were twitching as though in anticipation.

    She was doing the exact same thing.

    Warm pain flashed through my arms with another powerful tremor of the rock. My thoughts followed it, conjuring images of the forest. Images of the kanir and its blatant ferocity. My body moved on automatic to balance myself as the simple thought of the thing set a taste of sulfur on my tongue. Fear screamed at me. I pushed back, ignoring its calls to falter and using it for another purpose instead.

    Never again.

    Fight scenes came back to replace terrible memories. I latched onto them, flexing my muscles and clutching my sword. I could imagine myself swinging it. Dodging and weaving. Executing maneuvers. It felt right.

    An immense crack of pure noise broke the violent ambience.

    I jolted, wincing at the sudden and familiar sound. Whipping my head around, I blinked away the blur in my eyes to see the woman I¡¯d watched before. The soundweaver who¡¯d caused her fellow knight to cower in pain. Somewhere across the room, she was casting again. Except this time, after the noise, the ground calmed. The world responded to her cries, and she forced more and more energy into it until the shaking died down enough.

    After a flurry of boisterous noises reverberated energy straight into the earth, the shaking calmed to a light tremor. It settled enough that standing up became an achievable goal. A goal that, as the rest of the tumultuous noise dampened, most of the knights were achieving. Coming up from their hunched, crouched, or lying positions, the knights rose back up on their mats and looked around. From the corner of my eye, I saw Kye do the same.

    ¡°It is over,¡± a familiar voice said soft enough that it didn¡¯t grate on my ears yet loud enough that it echoed off the walls. I knew who it was before I¡¯d even turned.

    What I saw, though, was not what I¡¯d been expecting. Lady Amelia stood with her head hung low as her words trailed off. That had been expected. But she was also still standing perfectly steady, her feet planted in the exact positions they¡¯d been in when the shaking had started. Painted on her look was a fractured, pained look that felt burdened by more weight than she let on. And under her feet, I could even see small dents in the rock where her heels had dug in.

    The awe of it didn¡¯t reach Kye the same way. ¡°What in the world¡¯s name was that?¡±

    Lady Amelia took a breath. ¡°A quake of some kind.¡±

    Kye¡¯s eyes flared at that, and she took a step back. But her fury didn¡¯t die. ¡°Obviously that¡¯s what it was. But that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking.¡±

    Lady Amelia straightened, her mask of composure recovering. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first.¡± She darted her gaze up to watch the confirmation from the knights around the room. ¡°They have been happening more frequently in recent times.¡±

    Kye took half a step back. The look in her eyes softened. ¡°Why?¡±

    The single word said everything. It dragged with it all the curiosity. All the anger. All the confusion. All the memories. I knew it as much as they did about quakes, after all. They weren¡¯t specific to this continent. As one of the most primal features of the world¡¯s wrath, they happened everywhere. Even back in my home kingdom, they¡¯d wreaked havoc on our land.

    Memories burrowed their way to the surface as my eyes fell to the floor. I remembered my home. During my childhood, before I¡¯d ever been to a royal court, we¡¯d dealt with a quake. Even now, despite so much of the past blurring away¡ªfading before I even have a chance to grasp it, I remembered that morning, It was seared into my mind.

    The way I¡¯d woken up. The shaking. The chaotic vision of broken glass and splintered wood. Dirt flying through the fields. The rock that cut a gash over my knee. My mother¡¯s screams.

    The quake had decimated our crops. It had forced us into debt. Stolen whatever money we¡¯d saved up to help my father in his condition. I remembered it all so clearly. Because that was when I¡¯d begun my odd-jobs, after all. My little quests. That was the year I¡¯d first picked up a sword.

    ¡°¡ªand she may be back,¡± Lady Amelia said. I blinked, rising out of the restless waves to return to reality. I turned, surprised by the knight¡¯s low and foreboding tone. The sorrow was clear, but there was more to it as well.

    Kye averted her eyes. ¡°Who?¡± she asked, the question hanging in the air. To me, it looked like she already knew. But she was scared of the thought. Scared enough to hope it was something else.

    Lady Amelia¡¯s eyes locked with my companion. ¡°The mother of destruction.¡± Kye¡¯s face flashed pale. ¡°Rath herself¡­ she may be returning. Her slumber may finally be over.¡±

    Kye swallowed and took a step back. My eyes widened, the unknown information somehow scaring me too as Kye¡¯s face paled. I didn¡¯t understand what the head-knight had said, but I didn¡¯t need to. My former cellmate¡¯s reactions were enough. With the mention of the new name, I mentally set aside the question for later and simply let the silence stand in the room.

    And stand it did. As soon as Lady Amelia¡¯s words had finished echoing off the cavernous stone walls, the left over quiet held us all up by the throat. It challenged us to speak in a way so deceitful that none of us dared follow its call. Everyone seemed to know what Lady Amelia had said. They all knew the context behind it. But I would¡¯ve sooner been caught dead than letting my question echo in the void.

    Kye lowered her bow slowly. She flicked her eyes up, holding a stare with the head-knight. Fingers twitched as she took the readied arrow and put it back in her quiver. Her shoulders slumped as she did. She wasn¡¯t here to fight anymore.

    Kye shook her head. Then she swung the bow over her shoulder and strung it on her back. As soon as she did though, her brow furrowed. I saw determination rushing back.

    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, the single word echoing through the space.

    Lady Amelia finally broke the stare. ¡°Yes. The Scorched Earth have returned more powerfully than we expected. And their¡­ activity in the mountains has coincided with the quakes.¡±

    Kye wanted to curse. I saw it painted between the lines on her face. But she held her tongue. And so did I, placing my sword back in its sheath. The soft sound of metal scraping on the scabbard was the last thing I heard before the head-knight continued.

    ¡°However,¡± Lady Amelia said and raised her voice. ¡°The rumors of Rath are nothing more than that. Rumors. False information proliferated by her cult to bring destructive myths back into our minds.¡± She straightened up. ¡°It has nothing to do with you or your organization.¡± Color returned to Kye¡¯s face. ¡°So, I suppose we should retrieve what you came for, then.¡±

    The ghost of a smirk floated at Kye¡¯s lips. She nodded. Lady Amelia nodded back, turning toward me and doing the same a second later. I bobbed my head, returning what appeared to be a friendly formality.

    The head-knight then pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. She stiffened her posture¡ªhowever that was still possible given the way she was already standing. The sound of her step forward all but announced her address to the room.

    ¡°Knights of Norn,¡± she started, her voice booming. ¡°I have the obligation to escort these two representatives from Sarin¡±¡ªshe gestured back toward Kye and me¡ª¡°to a package for their lord. It is in the apothecary¡¯s guild, which is not far. However, given the quake, we can never be too careful. So I will be taking at least two of you with me.¡±

    A soft murmur weaved through the crowd of the knights like a disgruntled snake. Though, it didn¡¯t get loud enough to disrupt their leader. They all listened. A few looked concerned, but just as many of them were poised and prideful. As Lady Amelia cleared her throat, the murmur ground to a halt.

    The head-knight scanned the room. ¡°Rik.¡± She pointed to the large hammer-wielding knight I¡¯d been watching when we entered. ¡°And Vlad.¡± Her gaze slid over the crowd toward a taller, sword-wielding knight of slimmer build. They both had the same light-blue trim on their armor. ¡°You two are coming with us.¡±

    A smile grew on the face of the hammer-wielding knight. He nodded, sparing self-referential glances toward his peers before walking over. The other knight¡ªVlad, she¡¯d called him¡ªappeared unfazed. He collected his weapon, sheathed it, and started toward us.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Lady Amelia smiled. ¡°The rest of you stay on high alert.¡± Her voice dropped lower, still echoing off sleek stone walls. ¡°And start cleaning up the barracks.¡± A disgruntled murmur spread through the remaining crowd at that. Though it died with a simple glance from their superior. Without any further complaint, the knights got to work.

    I narrowed my eyes and stepped closer to Kye. Despite the growing smile on my face, I kept the intimidating leader in my peripheral vision. Because with the quake that had just occurred, I had no reason not to be cautious. No reason to trust someone my companion was shaky on to begin with. But flicking my gaze to Kye, I had another topic in mind.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Rath?¡± I asked in a hushed tone.

    Kye froze. Her jaw tightened. But after a second, she lent to my ignorance. ¡°A high dragon,¡± she said. I blinked, images conjuring in my head at the simple mention of a dragon. Kye tilted her head. ¡°The¡­ the first, actually. Supposedly the most powerful of the dragons to ever exist.¡± Kye rolled her shoulders. ¡°Her draconic soul can conduct and manipulate enough magical energy to split a mountain in half.¡± Kye swallowed. ¡°As well as raze the remaining rocks to ash, as far as the myths go, anyway. I only know of her from legend¡­ old, unproven, impossible legend.¡±

    I nodded shallowly, trying to store away the information in my head. Licking my lips, I found my mouth dry and coughed. Kye shot me a sideways glance; I waved her off, taking a deep breath as memories streamed back. Stories, myths¡­ legends just like Kye was talking about. We¡¯d had them in Credon¡ªabout dragons, even. Though, none specific enough to mention a dragon by name. And none that were true.

    The sound of a certain knight clearing her throat brought me out of my thoughts. I straightened, going rigid as fanciful tales faded back into memories. Looking toward Lady Amelia, I saw her staring directly at me. She raised one eyebrow and cocked her head before turning on her heel.

    A heartbeat later, we were on our way out. The commanding head-knight dragged her summons along with her. Kye followed behind them. And once again, I fell in line only a step removed as she left, passively dragging me in her wake.

    <hr>

    The apothecary¡¯s guild, as was happening often in Norn, was larger than I¡¯d expected. At first mention, I¡¯d assumed the guild building would simply be a medium-sized stone structure that mirrored a bureaucratic office. I¡¯d thought it would serve as the administrative headquarters for the apothecaries, storing supplies and acting as a office where they would organize.

    I was quite wrong. Instead of separating the management from its primary workplace as had been common in my home kingdom, the apothecaries in Norn combined them. Which created the enigma of a building that was an oddly functional hybrid of sparse offices and large hospital main spaces. The expansive and elegantly designed structure consisted of the same masterful stonework in its foundation and supports as most other buildings of Norn. But it also used much more wood and glass in its construction, letting in natural light and only adding to the magical tinge that seemed permanent in the air.

    Straight from the entrance, the building stretched into a space littered with desks, chairs, and research equipment on one side and a plethora of infirmary beds on the other. Working in tandem with the large windows, intricate sconces sat on nearly every pillar of the building¡¯s interior and gave the area a cozy, golden glow.

    From the moment we¡¯d arrived, Lady Amelia had barreled ahead without stop. And as we stormed past the various apothecaries still working or cleaning up damage from the quake, she didn¡¯t appear to be letting up. Watching the dark, strained, and exhausted expressions on the mages around me took away my urge to even look at the other side of the room. The quake would¡¯ve been particularly damaging here, I guessed. In a place that actually cared for real people.

    Still though, we marched without hesitation. Nobody stopped Lady Amelia and her guard of knights all the way until we approached a polished wooden door tucked away at the back of the building. Stopping in front of it for only a second, the head-knight glanced around before opening it and leading us inside.

    A curious grin sprouted across my lips. The room we walked into looked like a back room¡ªone that wasn¡¯t accessible to the common-folk of Norn. And judging by Lady Amelia¡¯s slower pace along with her increased hesitancy, I wasn¡¯t far from the truth. The space was dark¡ªmuch darker than the rest of the building had been, and it was lit entirely by firelight without even a single window.

    Marching straight as an arrow¡ªdespite Kye¡¯s reserved apathy about it all¡ªwe made it past the tables and chairs. We walked past the racks of glass vials and notebooks that looked completely unharmed. Almost as though the room had been completely detached from the destruction of the quake outside. I shook a shiver off my spine, eying the knights ahead. Even though I trusted them more than my companion did, I couldn¡¯t help the sense of unease that scratched at my neck.

    All at once, we stopped. I blinked, twisting forward to see the clean-cut stone brick that made up the back wall of the room. There, embedded in the rock, was a metal box. Made of what appeared to be matte, unpolished steel. It looked locked shut, and it didn¡¯t have a handle or any other mechanism of which to open it.

    Lady Amelia stepped toward it. The lack of such things didn¡¯t deter the head-knight.

    For a moment, I considered opening my mouth. I considered rattling off a question about the room we were in, the box she was attempting to open, or what package Arathorn had even requested. Yet I found myself pursing my lips instead. Unable or unwilling to disobey the will of the silence.

    Lady Amelia took a deep breath. The simple sound reverberated off the smooth stone walls. She extended her hand and pressed it firmly against the surface of the safe. Instinctually taking a step back, my unease thickened. My eyes flicked around, and everything felt¡­ wrong. I¡¯d assumed she was trying to open the box, but¡ª

    Movement. I widened my eyes, turning and scouring the wall. Still standing before the metal box, Lady Amelia¡¯s face contorted. It became pained. Tense. Drawn. As though she was focusing on something I wasn¡¯t aware of.

    Movement. Again. I furrowed my brow and dropped a hand to my sword. As far as I could tell, the motion was coming from the wall. From out of the stone itself. But when I watched it, all I saw was grey. Stark, motionless grey. Then the movement came again as a stream of slight tremors through the rock.

    The stone was moving, I realized. Not shaking. This wasn¡¯t a quake again. But it was trembling in coordinated, squared lines as though a worm was burrowing between spaces in the compact rock. The recognition of it made all of the tremors obvious and revealed the stone wall almost as something living. A sort of creature with energy pulsing through its veins, each leading in lines toward the metal safe. They worked in tandem with the subtle movements of Lady Amelia¡¯s fingers.

    I stared in awe at the display of magic. The display of manipulating energy to change the world itself. It was the kind of magic foretold in myths in my home kingdom. The kind supposedly long lost to time. But things were different here, I reminded myself. Especially that which I¡¯d thought impossible before my first encounter with the beast.

    A soft click echoed through the space.

    My lips parted as questions rose to my tongue. As thoughts raced through my mind and started my imagination running wild, I wanted to confirm what I thought. I wanted to know about Lady Amelia and her magical abilities. After living in Ruia for more than a month, I knew far more about magic than most scholars from my past life. But it still wasn¡¯t enough. If I wanted to make the beast pay, I needed more than that. I¡¯d wanted experience, after all. And knowledge came directly with that.

    I straightened up. ¡°What kind of¡ª¡°

    Lady Amelia turned, her eyes straining not to widen and her face flushed faintly pale. Her stiff and worried posture cut me off before she¡¯d even spoken.

    ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡±

    Beside me, Kye shook her head. She stepped forward and glared at the head-knight, her fingers already twitching toward the bow on her back. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s gone?¡±

    Lady Amelia turned to her. Brown eyes met Kye¡¯s with a gaze of pure ice. ¡°I mean it¡¯s gone. My statement was as simple as that.¡±

    Kye squinted, furrowing her brow. That obviously didn¡¯t sit well with her. ¡°How can it just be gone? Isn¡¯t this safe well-guarded? Our lord¡¯s package was extremely important to¡ª¡°

    ¡°I know,¡± Lady Amelia interrupted. She cut Kye off before the huntress could ramp up. ¡°This room is kept unknown. It is guarded by both physical and magical means.¡± The head-knight glanced back at the now-open safe. In the middle of empty air sat an equally empty holder for some kind of vial or sample. Lady Amelia clenched her jaw. ¡°The package was here. But it isn¡¯t anymore.¡±

    I heard the force in every word¡ªthe anger bubbling just under the surface. She hadn¡¯t been expecting the package to go missing, then. She¡¯d expected to come into this room, retrieve it, and send us on our way. I could see it all in the stunned concern painted between the lines on her face. She¡¯d wanted to deliver it, I realized. And yet¡­

    Unease scratched again on my neck. I sneered, grasping for my sword as I strained myself. Perking my ears and sharpening my eyes, the unease only heightened its presence. Something was off.

    And I could tell I wasn¡¯t the only one to feel it either. Beside me, Kye stopped as well. Her glare softened toward the head-knight and she stepped back. Light air drifted out from her only a moment later as energy swirled in her eyes and she started casting. As she started straining her ears and concentrating on¡­ something.

    I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. Blood roared in my ears.

    A slam.

    My blood ran cold, flooding with white-hot steel as I whipped around. My fingers tightened around the hilt of my sword, tearing it out of its scabbard as quickly as I could. Scanning the other side of the room, I took a deep breath. I was not getting caught off guard this time.

    Flicking my eyes to the wooden door, I furrowed my brow. It was¡­ closed. Motionless and undisturbed, exactly as we¡¯d left it when we¡¯d entered. There was nobody there. Nobody who had entered. Though, possibly someone who had exited. The simple fact that I didn¡¯t know, though, was what irked me the most. I gritted my teeth and hunched over, battle stances already playing before my eyes.

    ¡°You mortals never learn,¡± a voice whispered. Cold, sinister, and ever-present. I shuddered, stiffening up as the woods both echoed off the walls and off the inside of my skull. It wormed its way into my consciousness and taunted me. I bit down harder, trying to shrug the sound away.

    Steeling myself, I dragged my gaze across the room as smoothly as possible. I searched every shadow, corner, or crevice I could find. Yet¡­ there wasn¡¯t anyone there.

    ¡°Doing what you do¡­ it cannot go unpunished,¡± the voice whispered again. It seemingly enveloped the entire space, staying at the same volume despite pressing in from all sides. I pursed my lips, latching onto its words as best that I could. Partially so that I could understand what it was saying, but also so that I could picture their source and imagine tearing them to shreds. But no matter how much I focused on it, I couldn¡¯t find anything else. No other information or direction that it had¡ª

    The corner.

    I froze, darting my eyes over. There, appearing almost out of thin air to lean against the wall like he¡¯d gotten bored of existence, was a man. Tall with tanned skin and fiery red hair, the man smirked. His eyes flicked over to us, glaring in an instant and almost holding our collective attention in the palm of his hand.

    My eyes widened. My heart thundered. My mind spun, lurching into action as I scanned over the man to take stock of his form. After all, I had no idea of how long he¡¯d even stay standing in the physical world. Judging from his standard cloth pants and a tunic that were both lined in sharp orange, he almost looked ordinary. But that connection stopped as soon as I saw his ash-black boots that appeared to wriggle around on their own. I swallowed, my gut tying into knots. Then, as if on cue, the man gestured out to all of us, pointing with metal gauntlets that looked to be made of permanently scorched steel.

    I clenched my jaw. My breathing accelerated. And no matter how long I stared at the arrogant man, his smirk didn¡¯t go away. His piercingly contrasting blue eyes tore through my soul as though he already knew everything about me.

    Well, everything about him made me sick.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± someone said behind me. I turned, recognizing Lady Amelia as she took a step forward.

    The red-haired man chuckled, the sound worming into my consciousness like an invasive parasite. I turned, watching as he took his sweet time to respond. ¡°I would say that is none of your concern¡­ But I guess it really is, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°So who the fuck are you?¡± Kye asked. Her eyes flared with energy as she started casting even more furiously, already notching an arrow in her bow.

    The man didn¡¯t chuckle this time. He only stared for a moment. Mocking. Baiting. Taunting us with the simple fact that he was alive. ¡°My name is Keris, if that is what you were requesting. But I feel like you would like more.¡± None of us showed a response to that. We didn¡¯t even offer an ounce of satisfaction.

    Keris¡¯ smirk dropped as he watched us carefully. The blue in his eyes sharpened. ¡°I am here to correct an injustice,¡± he said, cutting straight through his own bullshit. ¡°You took something from the mother, and I am simply allowing it to be returned.¡± He glared anew, burning hatred punctuating his gaze. ¡°And making sure it is not taken again.¡±

    I stopped, stepping back half in confusion and half under the weight of his stare. Taking a breath, I ventured it was more of the former. Because I didn¡¯t know who the hell the red-haired man was and yet he was accusing me. He was claiming that I¡¯d stolen something from him. Even when I¡¯d done nothing of the sort.

    I blinked and shook my head. The realization came down like a crumbling mountain.

    And Kye seemed to come to the same conclusion. She whipped back toward Lady Amelia and growled. ¡°What exactly was that package?¡±

    Lady Amelia hesitated, her eyes flicking back and forth between the ranger and the imposing man who boiled my blood. Grinding her teeth, she stepped toward us. ¡°Dragon¡¯s blood,¡± she whispered and brought an end to the longest moment of my new life.

    The world around me slowed. It ground to a screeching halt as her words echoed in my head, bringing up too many related ideas to count. Dragon¡¯s blood? How did they get dragon¡¯s blood? I swallowed, only adding to the lump in my throat. Why did Arathorn need dragon¡¯s blood?

    Beside me, Kye straightened up. She swallowed her curses and drew the arrow in her bow further back, still aiming at the intruding man.

    ¡°And too much of it too,¡± a voice said right next to me. I jumped, snapping my head back to the actual threat in the room. The man¡ªKeris, he¡¯d called himself¡ªsmirked. ¡°It does not fare well for you to be getting on her bad side when her ire is so near.¡±

    A brief, splitting wave of mental pain. It sliced through my brain like a million pinpricks before falling away and leaving both confusion and anger in its wake. I glared back at Keris, the hairs on my neck standing on end. Something about what he¡¯d said was¡­ wrong. It reminded me of something so familiar yet far away it was as though I was seeing the future. Shaking my head at all of it, I let my eyes bore into the grey cloth of his tunic.

    Keris chuckled, the laugh morphing into a demonic cackle in short time. ¡°Although,¡± he started, rolling his metal-clad wrist. ¡°You are almost no threat to me. As I am sure you would all agree.¡±

    The corners of his lips tweaked upward. A motionless glass vial shattered across the room from him. I flicked my eyes to it, fighting them not to widen too far. Keris¡¯ lips tweaked downward again, and another vial broke in time.

    ¡°Then let us leave,¡± Kye said, her voice slowly losing life as the man revealed the extent of his power. The dread I¡¯d felt before ceased being an itch and transformed into a scar that reminded me all too well of how screwed we all are.

    Instead of giving her a response, Keris laughed. His laugh quickly warped into a cackle. At once, the color of his eyes changed, shifting out of piercing blue at the edges and turning to a color that reminded me only of an undying flame. And then his cackle picked up, booming throughout the room as my vision was filled with light.

 Chapter 20

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    Blood roared in my ears as the flames moved toward me.

    A frozen second in time hung in the air. It was as if the world was waiting for my reaction, teetering on the edge of its seat to gauge whether or not I would get scorched alive or make it out with minimal burn. As the fire of battle flooded my blood, I studied the real fire in front of me. I watched the writhing ball of it¡ªtinged with red and flaring with energy. Its heat licked at the surface of my skin, taunting me with pain that was sure to come. But as my mind spun uselessly in the void between thoughts, I knew it couldn¡¯t last forever. I had to decide or else the world would get fed up with watching at all.

    My chest was pressed to the floor before I could think anything else. The ball of fire exploded against the stone behind me, flaring in a flash of light lined in red. Thoughts still spinning, my instincts carried me faster than my thoughts. Briefly I felt a searing pain on the side of my head along with the vile smell of smoke. Of burning hair, I realized. But without giving into the pain, I swatted it out and gritted my teeth.

    Flicking my eyes up, I saw Keris still laughing. His wicked, incessant cackle rang out in the room. It echoed off the walls and whispered in my ears at the same time. I shook the sound away, forcing myself to focus. Whatever Keris was, I already hated him from the pit of my gut. No matter what he¡¯d said amid the arrogant warnings and diabolical laughter, he¡¯d stolen something from us. He¡¯d attacked us. And he was going to pay.

    I swallowed hard, staggering to a stand. Wiping dust and char off the cloth of my uniform, I felt sweat trickling down my back. In an instant, a shudder wracked my body and I realized it was becoming hotter. With Keris¡¯ continued laughter, the air itself was erupting with heat. I cursed to myself and scanned the room for anything useful.

    The flick of a bowstring. I turned, catching an object flying through the air from alongside me. The same sound repeated only a moment later. Arrows. Kye was firing arrows. The recognition brought a shaky breath cascading down from my lips.

    I watched the arrows soar toward Keris. An unsuspecting target, as far as I was concerned. The man¡¯s eyes were still sealed shut as he laughed, after all. Then, however, I heard the sound of wood breaking and metal grinding on rock. My smile dropped.

    Turning, Keris flashed me a grin. The same, fiery intent lined the outer rim of his piercing eyes. But I didn¡¯t get much time to consider his changing physicality. Without another thought, he pointed a metal-clad finger at me.

    My mind stopped. The world around me spun uselessly before I could figure out what had happened. I was running, I realized at some point. With my blade gripped tight and my eyes darting over the room from form to form.

    Then my brain caught up. My senses reacted at the same time, warning me of the red glow emanating from under my feet and the flames licking at my heels as I ran. With a jolt of mortal fear, I pushed on even faster. I dodged around wooden tables and chairs while my mind raced. And as it started to all click back into place, I saw Kye running opposite of me. On the other side of the room. Scrambling as she went to notch another arrow in her bow.

    A sound behind me stopped my line of thought. Metal skidding on rock, I recognized. And in an instant, I knew what it was. The knights. They were here too, I reminded myself. It wasn¡¯t just us. But as my eyes flicked back to Keris, that didn¡¯t feel like much consolation. The furious, fiery eyes were on me. A growl rose out of my throat. I swerved, ducking past another table as a large form flashed in the corner of my eye. A man draped in metal armor while holding something high over his head. I barely got time to process the image before it left my periphery.

    Thunderous footsteps rang off the room¡¯s stone walls. Finally wavering, Keris¡¯ eyes moved from me and toward the hammer-wielding brute. Flicking my gaze back, I smiled as Rik raised his hammer even more. A sneer grew over Keris¡¯ lips and he stepped forward, flexing his fingers too ready for the attack.

    I pushed harder, forcing my tired body forward. Keris was close now. Only a few paces away. Eyeing him, I could see his guard was up. He was ready for an attack, but I had to try anyway. I had to execute the maneuvers flooding my head¡ªbecause I didn¡¯t want to know what Keris would have time to do if I didn¡¯t.

    Swallowing my fear, I surged anew.

    My sword shot out. Steel sliced through the air as I brought it down, stopping halfway and twisting my body around. The movement wrenched my wrist, sending a volley of pained signals to my brain, but it was worth it. He would¡¯ve tried to block, I reminded myself. But my blade would already be somewhere else.

    I strained my muscles as I forced metal up under Keris¡¯ guard. Or, what I¡¯d thought to be under Keris¡¯ guard. When I felt the solid, immovable contact rippling through my arm, though, I wasn¡¯t so sure. My eyes bloomed. I wheeled backward, kicking against the stone to force myself away. But with his metal gauntlets, the pyromancer didn¡¯t have a hard time keeping his grip.

    The sharp scraping of metal on metal echoed throughout the room. I tore my blade backward, my muscles shrieking. Yet it wasn¡¯t enough, and Keris just threw my sword at me with another cackle. I stumbled to the ground, my balance and grip slipping. The blade of my sword clattered to the floor beside me.

    ¡°You must understand that I am simply mightier than you,¡± he said. I didn¡¯t look up as the words poured into my ears. He laughed again. ¡°Right?¡±

    The stone beneath me burned. It erupted into heat and I scrambled, grinding my teeth and grabbing my sword. I did not want to get torched again. So I stumbled up, my feet in protest as they found solid ground. All the while, though, the red-tined glow grew ever-brighter.

    Then it went out.

    I blinked, weight slipping from my shoulders. A loud clash of metal rang out and the heat was gone. I spared a sincere and grateful prayer to the world before retrieving my sword and pushing myself as far away from the crazed pyromancer as I could.

    After only a second or two of running, my body slid on stone. Before I even knew what I was doing, I twisted my head back. But unlike¡­ whatever I¡¯d expected, I only caught an eyeful of wood. Though, the sight of it actually offered some brief respite with a realization that I¡¯d slid behind a table.

    The loud clang rang out again, more broken this time; my respite was gone. I cringed at the sound. My ears whined with overstimulation, complaining in the same way the rest of my useless body did. Between the horrible cackling that was being relayed to me at short range, the sounds of all the movement in the room, and the pumping of my own blood, I was having trouble focusing on anything.

    I sighed. Then collected myself and lifted my head out above the table to scan the room. This time from a different angle¡ªand, more importantly, out of mortal danger. Instantly, I saw Keris. The smug, furious expression that turned strained at the edges as he held up a hammer being forced upon him. Vibrations shot through his arms, ruffling the grey cloth. And as he fought to resist, his legs looked near buckling.

    Movement flashed in the corner of my eye. I turned, my eyes narrowing on the second knight¡ªVlad. He was running toward the fight with his gloriously-cut longsword at the ready. Pure determination etched itself into his features and, as though bored, his fingers drummed on the sword¡¯s elegant crossguard.

    A loud growl brought me back. It reminded me of the immediate threat, especially as the temperature spiked in the air around me. My burning skin pleaded with me, but I didn¡¯t pay it any mind. As my gaze snapped back to Keris, I couldn¡¯t pay it any mind. Despite Rik¡¯s best efforts, Keris pushed out. The brute of a knight went stumbling backward. Pure, unbidden shock tore the previously-giddy knight¡¯s resolve to shreds.

    A new understanding of Keris grew in my head as I watched him stand there, seething. It was not an understanding I enjoyed.

    Vlad came in next, almost on cue. He stared down the flame-haired man with blank eyes and slashed out. I winced, already expecting it when Keris shot out his hand, ready to catch the strike with metal gauntlets. But the strike never came. My eyes widened as I watched Vlad duck to the side. His feet carried him with an unnatural level of finesse, twisting into Keris¡¯ peripheral vision before he leapt into the air.

    For a moment, the look on Vlad¡¯s face changed. His stoic shell cracked and a grimace shined through as he flew through thin air. In an action that seemed impossible, the knight kicked his foot out and pushed off of nothing. It was as if the world behind him had crystalized into a platform just so that he could haul his blade down from above.

    My mind whirred for a moment, replaying the last second. The movement flashed again and again, sticking out like a sore thumb. It reminded me of something. A vague memory of sorts¡ªfrom a story I¡¯d learned about as a kid. The short, mythical tale of a swordsman who danced on the wind. It had enchanted me during my youth, and the movements Vlad made without much reaction reminded me exactly of it.

    Though, even as nostalgia washed over me in waves, I didn¡¯t get time to rest. Heat around me rose once more, holding me up by the throat as Keris stumbled backward. He threw his scorched gloves up recklessly in an attempt to block the strike. But as the blade came down, all he could do was save himself more damage. His arrogance earned him a shiny red cut on his cheek.

    ¡°You insolent¡­¡± he started, the words sounding distant this time. They didn¡¯t trickle into my ear with all of the concentrated conceit I¡¯d come to expect. At once, the pyromancer¡¯s eyes flared dangerously¡ªand Vlad seemed to notice. The stoic knight backpedaled, throwing his blade up to block, but the movement was only half-effective as Keris¡¯ hands covered with tendrils of red flame.

    ¡°It is unwise to interfere with things you do not understand,¡± he said, his voice rattling up in intensity. Even still, it didn¡¯t increase in volume, staying at the perfectly-still and harrowing whisper that pressed in from all sides.

    A flash of light consumed my vision. And the next thing I knew, Vlad was surging backward, grunting in pain as flames scorched his armor. A second later, the fire cleared, and Keris lunged through it already swinging. My eyes barely tracked the flame-trailed movements. Faster than human, Keris¡¯ fists came down to leave charred dents in Vlad¡¯s armor.

    The defending knight stumbled, quickly turning it into a run. He left Keris standing among the heat by himself, a satisfied smirk draped in pain decorating his face. The crazed energy the pyromancer still had sent a shiver down my sweat-soaked spine. I shook my head and cleared my thoughts for the moment. Fear would get me nowhere. I had to remember that. So instead, I furrowed my brows, strained my ears, and focused on the other thing I¡¯d noticed in the room.

    Kye.

    Dozens of paces away, the huntress darted backward. She narrowed her eyes and watched Keris carefully, readying an arrow in her bow. As soon as the vile man opened his mouth, she let that arrow go. It streamed through the air for only a second before a truly irritated grunt sounded in its wake.

    Darting my eyes to the sound, I saw a blackened gauntlet move to his chest. Keris tore the arrow out only a moment later, the smirk on his face not wavering in the slightest.

    ¡°Nuisances,¡± he said, his voice low and firm. A trickle of blood poured out of the wound, but Keris didn¡¯t appear to mind. With a fire that he created on his finger, he cauterized the bleeding hole and discarded the arrow on the ground.

    ¡°Simply nuisances,¡± he repeated without hesitation.

    I swallowed, my skin sweltering and my throat drying. The longer I watched the insane fire-mage, the worse it got. The more the breadth of his power expanded before me and cemented a singular thought that I had been trying to ignore for the entire fight. We were in trouble.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Spurred on, I forced myself to think. We needed a plan, obviously, and we needed one quick. Or we needed something at least. We couldn¡¯t sit where we were for long. All that did was make Keris more angry, and the fact that his power appeared unfaltering at that terrified me.

    I also realized that I had to move. Even if I didn¡¯t have a plan immediately, I couldn¡¯t hide behind a table forever. Especially not one made of wood. So, taking a deep breath, I rose to my feet and scanned the room again.

    As I¡¯d expected, Kye was in the same spot. In the middle of the room, the two knights were engaging Keris again¡ªclashing in shrieks of metal and being pushed back by plumes of flame. I cursed under my breath, tearing my gaze away before I became to entrenched in the scene. Instead, I focused on the back of the room¡ªon Lady Amelia. Because she stood completely immobile, her face carefully passive as she looked on.

    I blinked, trying to refresh the world as though that would¡¯ve nullified the sight. But it didn¡¯t. If anything, it only made the doubt rise higher while I watched at her form. Distantly, my own paranoid dread whispered to me and tore up images of betrayal. Yet even as a hand fell to my blade, I didn¡¯t buy it. With the tight, terse look on her face, she didn¡¯t look in the spirit to do much betraying. She looked, in fact, more like she was preparing something. And her eyes led directly to Keris.

    My anger melted away with a single breath. As I stepped forward, a loud ringing sound resonated throughout the room and came followed by a screaming grunt. Alertness poured down my spine with the realization that I had to move. So I did. I surged forward on instinct, my intended destination forming a moment later.

    Keris was distracted. I knew that he was¡ªthe mess of metal clangs and grunts told me enough¡ªand Lady Amelia had a plan. Whatever she was doing while standing stock-still and watching all of us sweat and blister, I hoped it was worth it. In the mean time, I just had to survive. And that meant only one thing.

    My metal boots skidded against the stone floor as I scrambled across the room, side-eyeing the head-knight as I ran. I didn¡¯t even bother looking over at the fight. It wouldn¡¯t have been any use to me anyway. The noises were enough to tell me it was still raging, and as long as I heard them, Keris wasn¡¯t coming after me.

    Lady Amelia didn¡¯t budge as I ran past her. And as I looked over her for a frozen moment, I could only narrow my eyes. I could swear I saw it again¡ªthe denting of rock underneath her feet. Offering her a half-assed nod, I simply reinforced my hope that whatever she was doing was worth it before turning back to my destination.

    Kye was searching through her quiver when I arrived. She snapped her gaze up to me before twisting back toward the fight. She was keeping an eye on it, then, as her fingers thumbed past arrows. Every few moments, she would raise an eyebrow at one and raise it up before simply disregarding it and tossing it right back down. As soon as I slowed next to her, she clenched her jaw and bit back a cruse of annoyance.

    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± I asked, my voice carrying more like a hiss.

    She didn¡¯t even bother to look at me. ¡°I was looking for any arrows that could be useful. But so far I¡¯ve found jack *shit*.¡± She kicked her foot against the stone, wrapping fingers around her bow.

    My eyebrows shot up. ¡°Useful arrows? Are the pointed ones not enough?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I mean imbued arrows,¡± she said as though the term meant anything to me. Vaguely, I remembered rangers mentioning it here and there during preparations for hunts, but I¡¯d never bothered to learn more. I wasn¡¯t an archer, after all. ¡°I got Lorah to work on some before we left, but apparently I used all of them up last night.¡±

    I shuddered, remembering the dark forest and the feral kanir. After she¡¯d killed it, Kye had said something about sunlight arrows¡ªa statement I hadn¡¯t questioned back then. Now I almost regretted it. But I didn¡¯t have time for regret. I needed information¡ªinsight. We needed a plan.

    I shook my head, gesturing to Keris as he burned a split piece of wood and threw it in Rik¡¯s face. ¡°Do you know who the hell that is?¡±

    Whatever had been left of Kye¡¯s smirk dropped in an instant. She scowled instead. ¡°No. He said his name was¡­ Keris. But I¡¯ve never heard that in my life. Not even in legend.¡± She coughed once, the lines in the corner of her eye sharpening. ¡°Even though with that kind of magical stamina, he almost reminds me of a mythical hero.¡±

    I swallowed, trying to ignore the torrid air as I glanced back at Keris. Another flash of red-tinged flame erupted from his hand before Rik got the message and leapt backward. The previously-confident knight cursed and coughed. But Keris¡¯ eyes still swirled with energy. With that same color of an undying flame.

    He had to slow down at some point¡­ didn¡¯t he?

    In an instant, my question was interrupted by more movement. Vlad reared away from the flames, regained his composure, and slashed again. Keris growled, the haunting sound echoing in my ears as he jumped back. The slash of Vlad¡¯s steel missed him by more than a pace. A wicked smile grew on the pyromancer¡¯s lips before it was quite literally blown off.

    Keris stumbled, a gust of air washing over him. Red hair ruffled backward and caught the madman off guard. Caught him off guard just enough for Vlad to charge again. The slim, stoic knight twisted and sliced again, forcing as much concentration as he could into a blade of air that actually made Keris curse in pain.

    ¡°Dammit,¡± Kye said, ripping my thoughts away. ¡°That won¡¯t be enough. This guy has more stamina than anybody I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    I could only nod at that, staring in horror for a second longer as Keris matched Vlad with every flick of the blade. He caught them all and steamrolled past in a surge of fire. The longer I watched, the more my hope that he would slow down dwindled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what we can do,¡± Kye spat, breathing heavily as air regained its weight in her vicinity. She took a step back as she stopped casting, wincing and rubbing her forehead. ¡°And it¡¯s not like she¡¯s doing anything.¡±

    I knew who the huntress meant without asking. ¡°She has a plan,¡± I said with a nod that cemented the statement with more belief than I held for it. It would have to be enough, I decided.

    Kye snorted derisively. ¡°How would you know?¡±

    ¡°I just know,¡± I said, forcing weight into my words and leaving no room for argument. Kye seemed to hear it too as she straightened. I took a shallow breath and prayed to the world that I wasn¡¯t lying. Because if I was, we were in more trouble than I¡¯d thought even before.

    ¡°Well,¡± Kye started, nearly wheezing in the oppressive heat. ¡°What the fuck do we do now?¡±

    Turning back, I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. In truth, I really didn¡¯t have an answer. I really didn¡¯t know. There was a vague idea in my head about tactics and distractions, but it fell flat. It didn¡¯t feel like it applied in a fight filled with unending flurries of magic. Not in a fight where we were seriously outmatched.

    In my old body, I was sure I could¡¯ve done more. I could¡¯ve danced around the pyromancer and tricked him with maneuvers executed so perfectly he would¡¯ve stumbled over himself. I could¡¯ve gotten the upper hand if I¡¯d focused. But now¡­ I wasn¡¯t so sure. I was stronger than I¡¯d been weeks ago, sure, but not strong enough. I didn¡¯t trust my faulty muscles with the life they protected.

    I couldn¡¯t face the beast again so soon. Not like this.

    ¡°Maybe nothing,¡± I said, still eyeing the two knights that were keeping the fire-mage occupied. They were slowing down noticeably¡ªsuccumbing to the heat, their injuries, and exhaustion. But they were also fairing rather well together against Keris. They were doing some damage, at least.

    ¡°Nothing?¡± Kye asked. I assumed she¡¯d meant the question to be pointed, but it fell soft as she coughed again. ¡°He looks occupied, maybe even strained at this point, but I¡¯m not convinced. They won¡¯t last for long¡ªand from the looks of it, his flames aren¡¯t running out anytime soon.¡±

    I nodded shallowly, the sounds of their battle overwhelming even my pounding pulse as I watched. As my eyes flicked across their forms and tracked every movement. Studying. Analyzing. Waiting for any kind of opening.

    Shrieks of resonant metal echoed through the room. Rik growled, having already discarded his levity. He pushed forward with his hammer and forced through Keris¡¯ guard. Only for the knight to be pushed away in a flash of fire a second later. The large man backpedaled quickly as he patted out smoking hair.

    Vlad came running in right after, continuing the dynamic the two had started on. He pushed off crystalized air behind him and flew with all the force he could muster, a trembling whirlwind of air circling his straight blade.

    The pyromancer staggered, coughing air for a moment before he turned back. Vlad was ready, though, and he sliced his blade out without the need for magic. Keris was barely fast enough, ducking under the strike and hauling the knight away as cut strands of red hair fell through the air. Vlad went tumbling.

    Keris smiled, teetering in place. His fierce eyes faltered for a moment, flitting as he tried to keep balance. But unfortunately for us, there was no one to take advantage. No one close or ready enough to do damage in his unguarded state. And even when Kye notched another arrow in her bow, it was already too late.

    The heat in the room surged higher. Sweat spilled off my skin, matting the blue cloth of my uniform with grime and char. Keris¡¯ lips ticked carefully upward, and with each moment, the ferocity returned. It stretched even further than before as blood trickled down his nose and he stared toward the ceiling. The faint, fiery image of something incomprehensibly terrifying floated in the air behind him.

    Then it was gone.

    In an instant, whatever he¡¯d done had finished. He¡¯d become even more crazed than normal. Even more powerful than normal, I was forced to realize. And as tendrils of flame wrapped around his body, culminating in bright red bursts on his fingers, I knew something horrible had changed.

    ¡°Imbeciles,¡± he said. But his lips didn¡¯t move. The word simply radiated through my mind like one of my own thoughts had gone rogue.

    I shook it off, pushing away the terror and taking a step back. I darted my eyes back toward Lady Amelia. She stared at the pyromancer wide-eyed before redoubling her focus and pressing her feet into the ground.

    She still had a plan, then. She just needed to focus. We needed to let her focus. We needed to buy her time.

    I swallowed, my mouth a desolate wasteland as I gathered courage. ¡°Cover me!¡± I yelled back at Kye as my body lurched. In the corner of my eye, I saw her turn to me. But I didn¡¯t stay to see her reaction. I didn¡¯t have time to see.

    My legs screamed at me to stop. They screamed in tandem with the fear and dread still circling in my head to turn back. They tried to get me to falter¡ªto fall, even, as it would¡¯ve been preferable to getting my face burned off. I didn¡¯t listen to them, of course. I knew better than that. There was no place for any of us to flee, and if we didn¡¯t do something now, we would all meet each other souls as plumes of smoke. No. I kept my body moving with an iron grip and just prayed to the world that luck was on our side.

    A moment later, an arrow shrieked past me. It sliced through air like butter and would¡¯ve pierced Keris in the face had he been any normal soul. Unfortunately for us, however, he was a far cry from such descriptions. He dodged to the side easily with a scowl on his face. As soon as he did, another arrow came through and forced him to do the exact same thing.

    Cursing, he turned toward Kye. He directed the full brunt of his rage at her and sent pillars of searing flame in her direction. My heart froze for a moment as she yelped, but I just had to hope the sounds erupting behind me belonged more against the stone wall than against my companion¡¯s charred flesh.

    I tried not to think about it much. I needed to keep my focus ahead.

    So that was exactly what I did. Sweeping in as dexterously as I could, I swung my sword from the side. Keris turned to me a moment too late, his eyes flaring with rage and confusion before reaching his hands out. But my maneuver hadn¡¯t been that simple.

    No. I stopped myself in place and spun, stepping around to angle another strike up against the side of his leg. Sweltering air streamed around me and, before I knew it, my blade had gotten stuck in something. Without bothering to figure out what it was, I pushed forward. Keris screamed in agony me before the hilt of my blade started to burn my hand.

    Blinking, I leapt back. I let go of the sword only for it to start glowing red-hot. Keris stared down at it and ripped the burning steel from its lodging in his leg. It erupted in flames before he discarded it by slamming it into the wall behind him. Then, without even waiting for my reaction, he stepped toward me and smirked.

    A flash of light. A hand against my chest. A hellish cacophony of pain.

    I hit the ground hard. My body skidded on stone as jolts of torment tore through my spine and up to my already aching head. The world spun fleetingly around me as I slipped from control. As the exhaustion¡¯s roots took hold and dragged me deeper and deeper.

    ¡°Simply a nuisance,¡± I heard Keris say as my eyes flitted.

    I¡¯d given them a chance, I told myself with whatever conscious thought I could retain. He¡¯d been distracted long enough while I¡¯d attacked him. They had to do something. Someone had to do something.

    A clash of metal. A gust of wind. An explosion of flame.

    Keris cackled, the noise still filtering into my ears even if my brain could hardly make heads or tails of it. ¡°You¡ª¡° he started.

    The ground shook.

    I coughed and lurched upward, ice-cold fear forcing lucidity upon me. Glancing up at Keris, though, he looked just as confused. He took multiple tentative steps while staring at the stone below him¡ªonly for it to shape in a single frozen instant and grow into shackles that kept him stiff and immobile.

    That sight was enough to calm my fear. My body slumped back, resting against the heated rock as the world spiraled away.

    The sound of metal footsteps. Yelling. A few sighs of relief.

    ¡°You,¡± a voice said. Lady Amelia, I noted lazily. ¡°How did you break in here without consequence?¡±

    ¡°What is this?¡± asked another voice. Keris, I assumed based on its erratic, raspy qualities. ¡°How does one control the world itself with their magic?¡±

    A silent moment of satisfaction as footsteps passed my ears and toward the trapped man.

    ¡°How did you get in here without consequence?¡± Lady Amelia repeated.

    A laugh. One that sounded far too sinister.

    ¡°You cannot disgrace her children and ask questions about the punishments,¡± Keris said.

    ¡°How did you steal it,¡± Lady Amelia asked, the iron in her voice raising me from the depths of the dark abyss for a moment.

    A soft, restrained yelp.

    ¡°You should not¡­¡± Keris started, his voice shaking. ¡°You should not¡­¡± His tone ramped up in both severity and volume this time. A belated look of horror dawned over my faint features before I could even see what was going on.

    ¡°Not what?¡± Lady Amelia asked. ¡°Am I going to require further action?¡±

    A cackle. One as recognizable as it was terrifying.

    ¡°Further action shall most certainly be necessary.¡±

    Heat. Smoke. Choking, blistering air. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t think. My body was dying¡ªslipping far into the void. Sizzling and tearing. Cracks through rock. Something exploded in front of me. It sent me tumbling a few paces. I felt pain, but a white flame came to heal me. It coddled me. I didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Where did he go?¡± a strained voice asked. I couldn¡¯t discern its proper source.

    More smoke filled my lungs. It mixed in with all the rest, hazing together in a grey fog that blocked out thoughts. I tried to cough it out. My body wouldn¡¯t listen. I grasped tight for my sword. I realized too late that it wasn¡¯t there.

    I was dying, I told myself as my consciousness drifted away. Falling. Draining. Twitching in too much pain. I saw the visage of the beast¡ªits silver scythe was there waiting for me. I couldn¡¯t stop it. I couldn¡¯t face it now. Yet I had no other choice. It was happening all the same. The abyss came to swallow me up.

    I just hoped the darkness would be nice.

 Chapter 21

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    The trek back was ruthless.

    I pressed my foot into the dirt and rolled my shoulders. Small movements to to keep my body moving. That was what the apothecaries had advised when I¡¯d asked about the soreness that was still there after a full night¡¯s rest. Though, that was all the advice they¡¯d given before sending us off. But I did it either way. If I kept moving, I¡¯d get used to the pain at some point. That was what I told myself, at least.

    Sharp rays of sunlight pierced through the canopy above. They danced on my face, moving in warm, wavering patterns as I walked under the imperfect cover of leaves. Veering away from it, I shielded my eyes with a hand. But no matter how hard I tried to protect from it, the sun bit me anyway. Its golden light stung the side of my head¡ªright where I¡¯d been burned, in fact.

    I shook myself. Blinking and relaxing my shoulders, I tried to ignore the searing pain that had since healed. Taking a large whiff of the smooth, natural smell of the forest path, I tried to forget the scent of burnt hair. It was harder than I thought. Never again, I decided as my hand crept up to my scalp to pat where brown locks of hair has been only a day prior.

    A sigh fell from my lips as I walked on, my eyes downcast and my mind whirring. In general, the treatment I¡¯d received at the apothecary¡¯s guild had been much better than I¡¯d expected. If their descriptions of my wounds had been correct, I¡¯d been lucky that I¡¯d made it out at all. And for all that I could say about magic, having elixirs made of herbs and plants that collected the world¡¯s latent magical energy had made for some quality painkillers.

    I wished I could¡¯ve taken some with me.

    My leg screamed again as my boot fell crookedly in the dirt. I winced, clenching my jaw and correcting myself as quickly as I could. This time, I didn¡¯t even curse myself. I didn¡¯t even curse the muscles that seemed to be going against me. After the battle with Keris, it was as if my body refused to cooperate, instead holding a passive resentment for what I¡¯d done to it. Though, as another pulse of pain raked across my skull, I couldn¡¯t entirely blame it.

    When I¡¯d taken the job from Arathorn, I really had assumed it to be simple. I¡¯d assumed I would¡¯ve gone to Norn, retrieved the package, and left. And I¡¯d hoped for that too, especially after that thing that had attacked me on our way through this forest the first time. I still couldn¡¯t bring myself to say its name. Because every time I did, my fear would spike like it had back then and a wave of disgust and resentment would wash up from the back of my head. It was better to push it away. Better not to think about it at all.

    Letting out a sigh, I tried my best to relax. I tried my best to take in the ambience of the forest. The world knew my ears could pick up on it all. The birds chirping high above. The wind rolling through the leaves. Even the scurrying animals hiding in the brush dozens of paces away. But still¡­ I wasn¡¯t feeling any of it. Despite my warm surroundings, I felt bitter.

    And Kye felt about the same way as we trudged along the path. Although I guessed her bitterness came from a different place than mine. She hated the knights more than anything. I still couldn¡¯t have felt that way if I¡¯d wanted¡ªit felt like a slap in the face to the past life that I¡¯d lived. To the citizens I¡¯d served and protected back then.

    I didn¡¯t tell her any of that, though. It wasn¡¯t as simple as that. The beast had cursed me with a new life¡ªand there was no reason to try and force the two to collide. There was no reason to try and bring what was now a continent away back into this new life. Things were different now.

    Kye kicked the dirt up ahead. My eyes flicked to her, watching the way she shrugged brown hair over her shoulder. There was no finesse in the action. No extra flair or emotion. It was blank and bitter. Just like how both of us felt She hadn¡¯t talked since we¡¯d started.

    But I knew she¡¯d talk when she wanted too. It wasn¡¯t my business to go about trying to get her to open up. Not when I felt the same way. Not when she hadn¡¯t pushed it with me on our way into Sarin all of those weeks back. I was a ranger now, and I¡¯d convinced her to come along on a simple trip. A simple journey that was supposed to gain me information and experience.

    Well, I guessed it had done both of those things. I just hadn¡¯t predicted the shaking of stone or the fire and flames.

    A sharp breath escaped my nose. And we¡¯d left so early, I¡¯d reminded myself. Even now that we¡¯d been traveling for over an hour, it was still before mid-morning. The apothecaries had woken us up after letting us stay in the infirmary and then kicked us out. Lady Amelia hadn¡¯t even come to see us off. Not that I¡¯d expected her to, anyway. But a knight with as much honor as she displayed¡­ it left a foul taste in my mouth.

    With the breeze drifting over me, my mind wandered back to the fight. It replayed the action in my head. I¡¯d been doing it since it had ended, and what I saw didn¡¯t sit well. I remembered the knights¡¯ forms. Their little inaccuracies and over-aggression that had given Keris the upper hand. Because no matter how strong the knights had come at him, his power had made everything simple. His simple manipulation of fire¡ªthe least complex form of energy from what I¡¯d been told¡ªhad been enough to outpace all of it. No matter how many times I thought about it, that fact kept bringing me back to one thought.

    I was afraid.

    He¡¯d fought off all of us single-handedly. He¡¯d kept up with multiple opponents and pushed them off. And as much as it pained me to admit it, his dexterous form actually hadn¡¯t been terrible. It had been fluid and practiced. He¡¯d stayed arrogant the entire time, and at no point had there been doubt in his mind that he would win. That he would at the very least escape with his life.

    Well, his life and the package we¡¯d gone there to get in the first place.

    I ground my teeth and looked up, remembering the package. The important one that Arathorn had been so eager to receive. Dragon¡¯s blood. That was what it had been. But no matter how much stray information I gathered from odd questions here and there regarding dragons, I still had a question I couldn¡¯t answer.

    I lifted my head and quickened, forcing a little bit more purpose into my steps. ¡°Why did Arathorn want dragon¡¯s blood?¡±

    Kye twisted her head, slowing only a hair. She widened her eyes as though surprised I was even still there behind her. ¡°Why did¡­¡± Her face contorted. ¡°How the hell would I know?¡±

    I grumbled, taking a deep breath and using the nature around me to calm myself. ¡°Well, why would anybody want dragon¡¯s blood? What¡¯s so special about it anyway?¡±

    Kye just stared at me for a moment, her body on automatic as her attention was directed toward making sure I knew how dumb my question was. I gritted my teeth, trying to push away the irritable frustration simmering underneath my skin. I knew my question was stupid¡ªit was the blood of a dragon, after all. But there was more to it than that. Arathorn wasn¡¯t simply a collector. He¡¯d said that package was important. He¡¯d wanted it for a specific reason.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kye finally said. She threw up a hand. ¡°People want it for any number of reasons. Depending on what legends you believe, it has any number of properties.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    I raised an eyebrow, tilting forward. ¡°Properties like what?¡±

    Kye bit back a curse and forced a deep breath. She came back at me with the most derisive smirk I¡¯d ever seen her give. ¡°It¡¯s the blood of a fucking dragon, what do you expect? If you can think of a property for it, somebody probably believes it acts that way. People understand as little about dragon¡¯s blood as they do about dragons themselves.¡±

    I nodded, my head bobbing slowly. ¡°What are the most widely believed properties?¡± I figured it was a good place to start. If Arathorn had wanted that vial, he probably believed in some aspect of it that was useful to him. Some aspect that he¡¯d probably heard from somebody else.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Kye started, slumping her shoulders. ¡°There are a lot of them. Too many to sort through. Dragon¡¯s blood has been said to do anything from increasing the soul¡¯s capacity for magic, to curing vampirism, to enhancing physical abilities, to attuning one with dragons themselves¡­ The list goes on.¡±

    My eyes narrowed. ¡°How are there so many rumors? Where did they come from?¡± I chuckled dryly. ¡°I mean¡­ it¡¯s not like dragon¡¯s blood is common. It can¡¯t be.¡±

    Kye shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not, obviously. Outside of that vial that we almost got burned alive for back there, I¡¯ve only ever heard one other credible story regarding it. And that was¡­¡± She dragged her eyes on the dirt. ¡°That was years ago in a completely different part of Ruia.¡±

    ¡°How do the myths come about then?¡± I asked, trying to connect what information about Ruian myths I was being told with the ones I¡¯d learned back home. In Credon, the blood of a dragon had been cursed. It had been used in dozens of horror stories where it transformed people into chaotic monsters of destruction. But that was all they were. Stories. Ideas made and changed by the imaginations of people who didn¡¯t know better. And I assumed the same thing was true in Ruia¡ªthe only difference being that the myths here had more variety.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you.¡± Kye gave a half-hearted shrug before turning around again. ¡°As I said, people understand dragon¡¯s blood as much as they understand dragons. Which is to say not at all. Nobody I¡¯ve ever met has seen a dragon.¡± She hesitated. ¡°Well, nobody I¡¯ve ever met has seen a dragon and lived long afterward. They¡¯re elusive and legendary. Effectively only as impactful as their stories.¡±

    That made sense, at least. In my home kingdom, there hadn¡¯t been dragons at all. It had been common knowledge that they were no more than imaginary myth. But even still they had influenced people. They had wormed their way into the public conscience and done anything from simply scaring children to having people do faulty magical rituals in hopes of joining wherever the dragons were.

    In Ruia, though, they were real. Or, they were apparently real. I hadn¡¯t seen any confirmation on that yet. Though, with the world-shaking quake and the sweltering heat of Keris¡¯ magic still fresh in my mind, I didn¡¯t entirely doubt that they could exist.

    Falling back into silence, my foot curled. A smaller misstep than the last but an annoying one all the same. I cursed into the air and corrected myself, stepping heavily into the dirt as if to show my body who was in charge of it. As frustration rushed back, my will to stay silent melted away rather quickly.

    ¡°How far until we¡¯re out of this damn forest?¡± I asked, trying not to wield my words like daggers.

    Kye chuckled. ¡°Not far¡­ maybe up to half an hour?¡±

    I nodded, biting back whatever twisted retort I¡¯d built up in my mind. It wasn¡¯t worth it. I still just frustrated. Though, I couldn¡¯t blame myself for it. Each step still hurt. My thoughts were still tied in knots. And all in all, I was feeling my new, disappointing body a little more than I wanted to.

    I huffed, the sound coming out as more of a sigh. Then, lowering my head, the sun glinted in my eye. Shying away from the spear of light, I sighed again. I wanted the journey to be over.

    My fingers flexed by my side, reaching for the hilt of my sword. All I caught was air. As the wind blew over me again, my empty scabbard wobbled slightly in negligible weight. Metal clinked in the bag strewn across my back. The shortsword, I remembered. It mocked me with its existence, belittling me with its ineptitude and uselessness. I gritted my teeth as my fingers curled into a fist instead.

    A shaky sigh slipped through my teeth at the realization. I¡¯d lost my sword.

    After Keris had ripped the steel blade of my longsword out of his leg, he¡¯d nearly melted it right there. In whatever enraged state he¡¯d shifted into, the entire sword had burst into flames. And on top of that, he¡¯d thrown it against the wall. I¡¯d slipped down into the abyss before I could get it back, but the apothecaries had told me the only sword they¡¯d found had been charred, bent, and melted. Useless, in other words.

    Shaking my head, I walked on. I tried to focus away from the now-stark absence of weight by my side. The pain in my legs offered to take my attention. I concentrated on it instead, feeling the soreness with each push of my foot into dirt. But no matter how intently I focused, I couldn¡¯t stop the berating from my own conscience. I couldn¡¯t stop remembering how back in Credon, I¡¯d lost only two swords in my entire lifetime. But here¡­ things were different, I reminded myself. Stupid. Chaotic. Senseless.

    A soft growl built in my throat as I stared down, my fiery eyes burning holes into the dirt. Then, getting tired of even that, I flicked my gaze back up to Kye. The taller, chestnut haired ranger was still only walking a few paces ahead.

    ¡°How?¡± I asked, my voice soft. She slowed her pace a fraction and started to turn. I hesitated before continuing. ¡°How is any of this allowed to happen?¡±

    Kye twisted fully, sending a wide-eyed stare my way. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    I heaved a breath. ¡°This entire trip. The way we were treated in Norn. The fight. How is any of this allowed to happen?¡± Irrationality crept into my voice, but with how frustrated I was, I didn¡¯t push it back.

    She sneered at me. ¡°You¡¯re the one who told me this would be simple. But what do you expect? Not everything can go as you want it to all the time.¡±

    ¡°It could be better, though,¡± I said, my eyes flashing dangerously. Kye didn¡¯t falter, only shooting me a glare harsh as nails. I didn¡¯t falter either. ¡°The knights there treated us so¡­ passively. So disrespectfully.¡±

    ¡°Of course they did,¡± Kye said, flashing a smirk. I was already nodding my head and waving a dismissive hand, remembering her warnings before we¡¯d come. I just hadn¡¯t pictured them as bad as they were. Lady Amelia had barely even made sure we were alive.

    Now I knew Kye had been right, at least. They didn¡¯t care about the rangers. Not very much anyway. That didn¡¯t make up for the fact that it was a weak excuse for me. ¡°Knights are supposed to be honorable,¡± I said. ¡°They aren¡¯t supposed to hold grudges. They are supposed to care about visitors beyond petty political appearances.¡±

    Kye laughed. ¡°So now you¡¯re an expert on how knights are supposed to act?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the knightly code.¡±

    ¡°Knightly code?¡± Kye asked, waving a hand through the air. ¡°What¡ª¡°

    ¡°The code of order and integrity that all knights follow,¡± I said, almost directly relaying the words of significance I¡¯d learned in my youth.

    Kye gave a wry chuckle. ¡°Out of all the things you choose to know about, it¡¯s the knightly code?¡± I glared at her. She didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°And then you don¡¯t even understand that?¡±

    I blinked, my eyes flaring. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been told, but that is not at all what the knightly code is about.¡± Kye stiffened her posture. ¡°I hate the knights and even I know that. Their code is about protecting them. It has nothing to do with us. They have no obligation to care about us, so they don¡¯t.¡±

    I curled my lip, stewing silently for a moment. My companion¡¯s words worked their way through my brain slowly. Chipping and scraping against the cogs of my mind as they shattered yet another conception I¡¯d held before. Things were different in Ruia. So who was to say knights were spared of that. My face twisted into a scowl and I killed the rest of my questions. There was no use in asking them anymore. I wouldn¡¯t magically teleport back to my old life by yelling loud enough. The beast had cursed me here¡ªI had to accept that, at least.

    So instead, I sighed and pushed past it. Threw it away from my attention so that the next of my worries could line itself up.

    ¡°What happens when we get back?¡± I asked, my voice a shell of its former self. Kye didn¡¯t slow her pace or even turn to me. I didn¡¯t need to see her to know though.

    ¡°We face Arathorn,¡± she said, her tone firm and steady. She didn¡¯t chuckle again. She only squared her shoulders almost like a wall against me and walked on.

    I ran a hand over my face. We¡¯d return empty-handed, I told myself. We¡¯d face Arathorn without the package he¡¯d asked us to get. My mind flashed to his office. The image of his knife crept back. I bit back another curse and bowed my head, disappointed in myself now more than I¡¯d been minutes ago. We would face what we had to face, I decided. It was as simple as that.

    With my resolve sturdy, I walked on. I followed Kye down along the path through the spearing rays of sunlight and beautiful shades of green. Past all of the tranquil sounds I could pick out without much effort. I still wasn¡¯t feeling any of it, but at least it was there. That was comforting, if I thought about it enough.

    Eventually, we broke through the tree line. The path below us narrowed and gave way back to the stone-lined one we¡¯d walked thousands of paces on already. In front of us, the trees tapered out. They gave way to rolling plains and sparse, jutting rock formations. Ruia, I reminded myself. I lived here now.

    And as we set off, I turned as well. I angled my gaze toward the collection of wooden buildings we could barely see raised in the distance. A small smile grew on my face as I saw it. I lived here now, sure. But that was my home. The sight of it brought back my earlier question. It nagged my mind one more time.

    What did we have to face?

    Well, there was only one way to find out.

 Chapter 22

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    I hadn¡¯t even gotten a break.

    There was no resting after we¡¯d returned to Sarin. It had all happened in a blur. Walking in silence, we¡¯d made pretty good time and arrived before the sun had descended below the horizon. But that kind of tireless travel hadn¡¯t been rewarded with much relief. It hadn¡¯t been rewarded with a bed or some downtime. No. After returning to the lodge and bearing through the greetings of whichever rangers had happened to be in the training room, we¡¯d been thrust right back into action.

    Lorah had called for a report of our trip immediately. Kye had taken that opportunity wordlessly, doing the gracious thing and letting me stay back to recuperate. I was the one who¡¯d been injured more severely, after all.

    But almost as soon as she¡¯d disappeared, my respite had been cut short. I had barely let my body relax for half an hour before a guard in light armor had barged into the lodge requesting me. Or, more accurately he¡¯d requested the package Arathorn had sent us to retrieve in the first place. But we didn¡¯t have it. So I went in its place.

    Whatever Arathorn¡¯s reaction was going to be, I would have face it.

    Cobblestone dragged under my feet as I walked through Sarin¡¯s square. All of the activity since I¡¯d arrived back had passed by nearly in a haze. It had all blended together in a sea of discomfort and disappointment. Before I¡¯d known it, I was on my way to town hall. Back to the office I¡¯d been called to only days before. I doubted Arathorn would be anywhere near as cheerful this time.

    A metal clang struck my ears. I twisted, shaking my head as I was ripped back to reality. Looking up, I squinted in the fading twilight at the source of the sound. A young woman picked a pan up off the street a moment later. She eyed me, yawning as she continued to haul her stuffed bag back to her house. I forced myself to smile and nodded at her. She gave me a half-hearted wave before simply turning away and walking on down the hill.

    Brisk air cascaded over my skin. I took a breath of it, letting it swirl in my lungs. I flicked my gaze to the side, watching the large centerpiece of town slowly becoming enveloped in shadow as the light faded. Town hall. I would¡¯ve recognized the sturdy stone base and sweeping roof anywhere. It solidified the dread in my chest.

    I didn¡¯t want to go in.

    But, well, I didn¡¯t have much of a choice. So I pushed back on useless thoughts and shook my head, feeling the sore strain through my body. With another breath, I started up the steps. It didn¡¯t matter what I wanted, after all. I was a part of this town. I was a protector of it. Arathorn was my world¡¯s damned lord, and I would respond to his summons.

    For a brief moment, memories of my past life flooded back¡ªmemories of loyalty and discipline. My honor won out over fear, standing triumphant above it on the field of my mind. I furrowed my brow, held my head up high, and pushed my way in the door.

    The difference in temperature was stark as the door slid shut behind me. The cozy, fire-warmed air felt good against my still-bruised skin. It felt better than the brisk autumn wind I¡¯d been walking through all day. Sparing a glance back to the door, I considered if it even was autumn anymore. Perhaps winter was already on its way. On this continent, I had no way to know.

    I tore away from the door and curled a fist. I couldn¡¯t keep stalling, I reminded myself. So cementing my resolve, I flicked my gaze around the room. The same well-crafted planked floors greeted me. The same cozy array of tables. The same soft, wood-burning fireplace. I shifted my attention to the last of them, staring at the flames for a moment. I let their warmth wash over my body as I thought. It was nice, I realized, still standing in the entryway. The cozy, welcoming feeling. The community. The warmth. After days of travel and too much time spent fearing for my life, it was a change of pace.

    ¡°Agil!¡± a voice called, grinding my pleasant thoughts to a halt. I turned.

    A tall guard gestured me over from the other side of the room. He wore a fake mask of cheerfulness that disguised his obvious concern. But as I walked over to him, I barely cared about his expression. He¡¯d remembered my name.

    ¡°Yes?¡± I asked, keeping all edge out of my tone. Despite how bitter I felt¡ªsomething my aching body wouldn¡¯t let me forget¡ªI wanted to sound calm.

    ¡°Arathorn is in his office,¡± the guard said, glancing backward. ¡°He wants to see you immediately.¡± The voice came strained, as if it hadn¡¯t been used in days. And as I approached, I noticed the bags under his eyes and the lines on his forehead.

    I nodded at the man, all confidence slowly bleeding out of me as I stepped toward the door. A long second of silence passed as I stared at the handle. Dread taunted my mind. It wasn¡¯t too late to back out, it told me. It wasn¡¯t too late.

    No. I shook my head. I pushed away the unfamiliar fear that rose up like bile in my throat. And I walked through the door.

    Cold air. It washed over me as a wave when I stepped over the threshold. For a moment, I furrowed my brow and tried to inch out, but the door was already closed. It had already sealed me away in Arathorn¡¯s office. His cold office, for some reason. Glancing back, I could barely make out wood grain in the room¡¯s dim light. I swallowed, my throat drying like a desert. Then I did my best to shrug it off, clenched my fists, and turned forward again.

    I squinted in the dark, scanning across the office that I had been in only days before. It was all still the same. But it was also all different. The torch lighting up the room was almost completely burned out, and the single window at the back of the room was boarded up as well.

    A shiver crept down my spine as my eyes moved to the desk. The organized, perfect, polished desk that was burned into my memory. Even in the dim torchlight, I could see how much it had changed. The stacks of papers weren¡¯t stacks anymore, only scattered messes on the wood. The organized baskets weren¡¯t organized anymore, only thrown astray across the wood. One, even, was broken clean in half.

    Something had changed since the last time I¡¯d been here, I told myself. My dread screamed it loud enough to rattle my skull. An issue in Sarin, maybe. Something Arathorn wasn¡¯t keen on dealing with. I didn¡¯t know. All I did know was that¡ª

    A glint of something red. I twisted, blinking as the color caught the corner of my vision. My eyes widened a fraction as I realized what it was. The memory flashed back, forcing itself upon me.

    The knife was there, seared into my mind. Its ornate decoration. Its eerily sharp blade. Its steel covered with dried blood at the edges. I shuddered at the thought. Its image brought up fear¡ªdeep, dark, and unnatural. Something hailing from the back of my mind. Fear that I didn¡¯t even recognize.

    I stepped forward still, trying to shake the unnerving atmosphere of the space. I poured over the desk in front of me, hoping that it would revert to its organized state. Hoping that it wouldn¡¯t carry the bloodied knife. But I couldn¡¯t hope that. I saw it¡ªcrystal clear in Arathorn¡¯s right hand.

    Arathorn stared at me. His sparkling blue eyes bored into me with acute interest, betraying a completely different emotion than the smile across his lips.

    Shaking my head again, I took a breath. ¡°I was told you wanted to see me?¡±

    The Lord of Sarin twirled the knife in his hand. Now-clean silvery metal gleamed in what little light there was in the room. Whatever remnants of a smile left on my face faded instantly.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said finally, keeping his gaze on me. ¡°I wanted my package delivered. But¡±¡ªhe inclined his head while keeping a careful smile¡ª¡°you don¡¯t seem to have it, do you?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± I started, ¡°you see¡ª¡°

    Arathorn¡¯s sniff cut me off. His gaze stayed on me, unmoving. And after a few moments, his lips curled into a grin far more wicked. ¡°Well. What I need you to see is that I sent you off on a mission. And you weren¡¯t able to complete it.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°I trusted youto do something as simple as retrieving a package from a town only a day¡¯s travel away. And you came up empty-handed.¡± He twirled the knife once more through his fingers before stabbing into the desk. ¡°I want to know why that is.¡±

    I gritted my teeth and forced calming breaths through my lungs. ¡°We tried to get the package. We really did. But¡ª¡°

    ¡°But?¡± Arathorn asked, his tone sharp.

    ¡°But, there were complications,¡± I continued, tightening my fists until I was sure I would¡¯ve seen white in the knuckles.

    Arathorn¡¯s brows snapped up. ¡°Complications?¡± he asked as he pushed out of his seat. ¡°There were complications?¡± He eyed me. ¡°What kind of complications?¡±

    I closed my eyes for a moment and relaxed my shoulders as memories rose up. ¡°Firstly, we had an unexpected altercation on our way to Norn.¡± Arathorn¡¯s fingers drummed a deafeningly quiet rhythm on the wood of his desk. I steadied. ¡°It left me quite injured before we even arrived to collect the package.¡±

    Arathorn chuckled softly. The sound echoed through the room. ¡°That is something you should have expected.¡± He snapped to me. ¡°Do you know where we live? Don¡¯t answer that. It doesn¡¯t matter anyway. That has nothing to do with my package.¡±

    Color drained from my face as his words struck my ears. I straightened up, trying to ignore the way he was glaring in anticipation.

    ¡°Right,¡± I said, clearing my throat. Arathorn may have been erratic right now¡ªhe was certainly angry. But he was also still my lord. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have anything to do with your package.¡± I swallowed my anger like a dry pill. ¡°But we did have further issues when we arrived in Norn.¡±

    Arathorn tapped his foot, still glaring. ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°Most immediately, we had an issue with the knights there.¡± I cracked a dry smile. ¡°They seemed to hold a grudge against us for some reason.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t surprise me,¡± Arathorn said. ¡°Most people wouldn¡¯t immediately trust two questioning rangers who they had just met. But you had my imprint, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    I nodded, my expression faltering. ¡°We did.¡±

    ¡°Did that not clear up the issues?¡±

    I cringed. ¡°Well. It did, but¡ª¡°

    ¡°Again, not surprising,¡± Arathorn said. He cocked an eyebrow at me, patience visibly running out in his strained eyes. ¡°I gave you my imprint so that there would not be these issues. Yet, you have still returned to me without the package I sent off for.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped. I sighed, nodding slowly and swallowing the rest of my comments on the matter. The imprint had helped our relationship, but it had still been sour the entire way through. Even after we¡¯d been attacked, they hadn¡¯t cared much. And I knew they had no obligation to be our friends, but they were knights, dammit. They had an obligation to have a little more integrity.

    ¡°Of course,¡± I eventually got out. My breaths slowed as I kept myself composed, a technique reminiscent of ones I¡¯d used as a high-knight during diplomatic missions. ¡°However, there were more troubles ahead of us after that.¡± Arathorn furrowed his brow. I nodded. ¡°After Norn¡¯s knight commander agreed to retrieve your package, the city was struck with a quake that¡ª¡°

    ¡°A quake?¡± Arathorn asked, tension lining the underside of his tone. Looking up, his smile was gone. There was no longer any charm. No careful cheer. He simply showed bare frustration and concern. Though, I knew better than to assume that concern was for me.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, my voice softening. ¡°A quake.¡±

    Arathorn cursed something foul under his breath. ¡°Is that what destroyed my package?¡± he asked without even an ounce of compassion.

    I wheeled backward at his statement, my foot barely catching me. He wasn¡¯t concerned about the quake or the destruction it caused. He only cared about his damn package. My resolve of honor was starting to crack.

    ¡°No,¡± I said, pushing the words through my teeth. ¡°I¡¯m still getting to that part.¡±

    He returned to the facade of a smile, his pale lips doing more harm than good. ¡°Ah. Alright. Continue, then.¡±

    I did, my eyes sharpening on him. ¡°Your package had been held in a magically secured room in their apothecary¡¯s guild. After the quake, Lady Amelia led us to it.¡± Arathorn¡¯s eyes flashed with hope. I had to fight back a sneer. ¡°But when we arrived, it was gone.¡±

    Arathorn snapped up, sliding from behind his desk and walking toward me ¡°What do you mean it was gone?¡±

    I threw up my hands both to reassure him and to keep him from coming any closer. ¡°I¡¯m getting to that.¡±

    My reassurance appeared to calm the irritated lord only the slightest bit. But it stopped him from approaching. That was enough for me. I nodded to myself, letting out a light breath. ¡°Okay. We didn¡¯t know it was going to be gone. When we got there, it had been stolen by a rogue pyromancer named Keris.¡±

    Arathorn tilted his head back in interest. The intensity of his glare didn¡¯t waver. ¡°How did he steal it?¡±

    I clenched my jaw just thinking of the pyromancer¡¯s smug face. ¡°I don¡¯t know. As soon as we entered, he attacked us. Even with the extra protection we had gone with, we almost died.¡± My efforts to keep frustration out of my tone were failing.

    Arathorn blinked. ¡°You had the two of you, Norn¡¯s knight commander, and extra protection as well¡­ Yet you still couldn¡¯t recover my package?¡±

    There it was again. His package. It wasn¡¯t about me. It wasn¡¯t about Kye, or even the knights for that matter. To him, it didn¡¯t matter what we¡¯d done or what we¡¯d gone through. All he cared about was his own interests.

    ¡°He was strong,¡± I said, trying not to spit the words out. ¡°A more powerful mage than I¡¯ve ever seen. He kept telling us we were weak and that we shouldn¡¯t have been taking such actions before her ire.¡± I cringed at myself, throwing up a hand. ¡°The possession of dragon¡¯s blood sounded really important to him.¡±

    Arathorn took a step back, his face paling further. In a speechless moment, he glanced back at the knife stuck into his desk. I bit back a growl that had built up in my throat. He hadn¡¯t reacted when I¡¯d told him about my injuries. Nor when I¡¯d told him about the quake. Nor when I¡¯d mentioned the fact that we had almost died. But as soon as I¡¯d said something about his precious package, he¡¯d reacted.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked. Arathorn jerked his head toward me, fixing me with wide eyes before his face morphed into a scowl. ¡°There was nothing we could do. We really tried, but all that got us were burn marks and pain.¡± My fingers tightened even further. ¡°I even lost my sword for you.¡±

    Arathorn froze, his scowl deepening. The mask of charm and restraint faded from his eyes, only letting anger shine through. He stepped forward with flaring nostrils. ¡°You lost what?¡±

    I stood, stock-still for a moment. ¡°My sword.¡±

    Arathorn took another step toward me. The last remnants of worry fell from his expression. His crooked smile came back with a vengeance that made my nose scrunch up. ¡°You come into this town. You join one of Sarin¡¯s own organizations. I ask a simple task of you out of sheer hope that you¡¯ll complete it.¡± I cringed, already seeing where he was going. He stepped closer. ¡°You go on the journey, don¡¯t complete the task, and return empty-handed.¡± Another step. ¡°And you still have the nerve to complain about losing a fucking sword?¡±

    I scowled. ¡°Yes. Do you know what we had to face in Norn? Just for your package, we had to¡ª¡°

    ¡°Do you know how important that package was?¡± Arathorn asked. Rage coated his tone plain and clear, but I didn¡¯t miss the underlying concern. Neither stopped him from stepping close enough that he was right in my face.

    I felt Arathorn¡¯s breath on my neck. I stiffened, my nose twitching. Tilting my head, I averted my eyes from his burning glare. And I tried to take a deep breath. Tried to process the situation rationally. But when a faint but instantly recognizable smell caught my nose, I knew that wasn¡¯t going to happen.

    Blood.

    My heart nearly stopped. Ice-cold fire flooded my veins and I stared at the previously bright-faced man. The previously charming, handsome lord I¡¯d come to somewhat respect. But as I scoured over his pale skin, I disregarded the elegant suit. I disregarded the gleaming black hair peppered with flecks of silvery grey. All that I saw was an object of disgust that set a horrible taste on my tongue. Wave and waves of abhorrence washed up from the back of my mind and crashed over me until it was all I could think about.

    It was like I¡¯d eaten something vile. Except it was worse than that.

    It was like I¡¯d killed someone. Except it was worse than that too.

    It was like my entire family had been killed. That thought echoed in my mind.

    I froze, my eyes fixed on the man who I¡¯d considered my lord. The pale, sniffing, rage-filled man who I¡¯d given my honor to. The furious, selfish man who was staring at me with perfectly piercing blue eyes that were slowly slipping from control. Him? No, I realized. He was not my lord.

    His nose twitched, taking a long whiff of the air one more time. Movement shifted in the back of my head, only providing more disgust as it tried to hide away. As it tried to conceal whatever scent Arathorn was searching for. His smile grew as he watched me, his interest completely captivated. Staring into his eyes, something shined through again. Something I recognized. A part of him that I didn¡¯t stare long enough to figure out the nature of.

    I scrambled backward, focusing all my energy on putting each foot on the floor. Arathorn eyed me curiously, blinking to himself. In an instant as he watched fear grow across my features, he straightened. He regained his poise and quelled the anger to a light frustration. Then he raised his head and sniffed.

    At once, control slipped from his eyes again. I saw it in the erratic twitching of his fingers. He was fighting. Fighting something. And losing, I realized far too slowly. He didn¡¯t have the awareness left to stop his feet from following me forward. And before I knew it, his arm had flailed out.

    I dodged, scuttling back farther. Wood flew under my feet as I leapt against the polished door. I fought my eyes not to stay wide and pushed away panic as I reached for my sword. If I grabbed my sword, I would be able to defend myself. That was what went through my head. A stifled curse was all the reaction I was allowed as I realized my mistake.

    Arathorn lurched, his fingers swiping at me like claws. I shuffled, throwing an arm up to block as I twisted away. A slight, burning scrape raked across my skin before I got away and looked up. The previously handsome man stared at me, his eyes wavering. Words rose to my tongue. But when his body surged with newfound energy, I knew there was no talking left. There was no him left.

    Briefly thanking the world for my body¡¯s crystal eyesight, I ducked. Arathorn¡¯s arm flew wide over my head, striking through the air like it was nothing. Turning, I scoured his feral form for a weakness. It didn¡¯t take long to find. I kicked the back of his knees without another thought and pushed away before he could react.

    Arathorn stumbled, knees buckling as his fingers scraped against the wooden door. After only a moment, he was back on his feet. The rage was bubbling back up. He turned slowly to stare at me. His fingers curled into fists and he took a step.

    Then he stepped back.

    I froze, halting the motion to dodge I¡¯d almost initiated. Arathorn stared at me, wide-eyed. He clenched his jaw and fought again¡ªthe charismatic sparkle shined anew in his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he eventually said. But even those words were barely more than a hiss through his teeth. Before he could stabilize himself, the hunger had returned. It fought against his control and consumed him with fuel from his rage. The wicked smile grew back. The creature lunged at me, and I knew he was gone.

    I barely got a moment for the sympathetic part of me to mourn. It was on me again. I turned and threw myself to the side to avoid its first strike. The second, however, came quicker than I¡¯d imagined. It charged me with inhuman speed and slammed into me hard, not even wasting energy with finesse.

    My body reeled, blunt pain ripping through the soreness as the lazy guard of my forearms broke. Grimacing, I staggered to a stand. I stared back at the the creature wearing Arathorn¡¯s skin, and I raised my fist for a strike.

    Attacks and maneuvers¡ªsimple ones this time¡ªplayed through my head. They processed with the scatted books over the floor and the shelf I¡¯d almost slammed into. Yet, even as I returned to its pale form with a smile on my face, I couldn¡¯t act. I wasn¡¯t fast enough. It was already on me, and all I could do was dodge.

    So that was exactly what I did. Only acute fear and instinct saved me quickly enough. My body fumbled through an erratic sea of motion before I caught on something. Before I brought my brow together and forced myself upright against Arathorn¡¯s desk. More fire trickled into my blood as I stared back, baring my teeth in battle-fueled rage.

    Still, however, I couldn¡¯t keep up. The thing was flailing still. In a flash of movement that I only barely tracked with my eyes, it came swinging at me. It flexed its fingers and grabbed for my arms. On pure, fluid instinct, I twisted away and brought my own fist up under its savage guard.

    I allowed myself a smile as my strike connected, the fine cloth of Arathorn¡¯s clothes straining under the force. For a second, I felt like I had a chance in the fight. My hope, however, was all too short lived.

    Ara¡ªthe thing¡¯s arm came down and knocked mine away like a pebble. I teetered, anchoring myself on the desk to prevent from falling. Papers slid across the wood behind me, sending the room even further into disarray. I wasn¡¯t quite in a state to care.

    After stepping backward, it rushed toward me unthinking. It didn¡¯t slow as it forced me back against the desk and scraped into my arms with nails that felt far too sharp to be human. A muffled yelp escaped my mouth as pain shrieked through my sore muscles. But I didn¡¯t put down my guard. I didn¡¯t let it break through. It wanted at my neck¡ªI knew that much from experience. And I wasn¡¯t going to make the task easy for it.

    I pushed it back. It resisted, forcing its foot into the ground and leaning toward me even harder. Then, however, its foot slipped, and it scrambled to the side in an effort to maintain balance. I twisted away, flying across the desk¡¯s polished wooden edge and glaring back at the creature before it could attack again. In an instant, I turned attention inward. I turned it to the source of the disgust crashing over my skull.

    The thing in the back of my head shifted, shying away. It scurried deep enough that I couldn¡¯t even feel it while it only piled more and more fear on. More and more revulsion. I gritted my teeth and pleaded with it¡ªtearing up images of the white flames that had engulfed my hands before. That was the last time it had helped me in a desperate situation. Well, I was in a desperate situation again.

    But it wouldn¡¯t listen. It was too scared. It blocked me out, and by the time I tried to get at it again, the pale creature was charging me.

    Another swipe. Another block. Twisting, turning, dodging. The routine was solidifying as Arathorn¡¯s body kept up with tireless rage. Each time it got close, it lunged for my neck. Each time it lunged for my neck, I would twist away. It was a game of cat and mouse, and I was tired of being a rodent.

    I couldn¡¯t keep it up. That fact was becoming too clear. Despite the cold fire burning in my blood, I was slowing down. My body was still sore¡ªand it was uncoordinated on top of that. I was stumbling more, and in the disorganized office, my movement was limited. All the while, the burning pain tearing through the cloth of my uniform was getting worse with each cut. The agony was ramping up. And I was getting tired of sticky blood. I couldn¡¯t keep dodging forever. Eventually, something had to give.

    And as I leapt back, my foot slipping on a stray piece of paper, I knew exactly what it was. Color drained from my face as my guard became all but useless. And with its inhuman speed, the vampiric creature took full advantage.

    Before I knew it, I was sliding like rag doll across the wide wooden desk.

    I gritted my teeth as I held to a halt, keeping my head above the wood. If there was one thing I definitely didn¡¯t need, it was another head injury. In a moment of rest, I felt the cold air sting my skin where the blood was now showing. The fatigue pulled me down and taunted me with the opportunity of closing my eyes.

    I didn¡¯t listen, of course. I knew that I couldn¡¯t. My moment of relief was short-lived at best, and there was no way I would let the barbaric thing get at me. Though, as my thoughts ran on a fraction of a second too long, it loomed over me all the same. I stared up at it¡ªup at the newly blood-stained suit Arathorn had worn. I cringed while watching it, wishing that I would¡¯ve seen it sooner. Wishing that I would¡¯ve disregarded the conceptions held up by my honor and seen the truth. I wished I could¡¯ve seen past Arathorn¡¯s weak facade and put more stock in the fear he sparked within me.

    Now, though, spending time wishing anything wasn¡¯t a wise idea.

    It clambered onto the desk and snarled. Its lips slipped open and bared the pearly whites that looked more like fangs in the dim light. They threatened me with their existence as the creature hunched over. And before my eyes could even track the movement, its claw-like fingers were grabbing again.

    I pushed them away purely on instinct. But my movements were lazy. My body was slow, sore, and useless. The creature only redoubled its efforts to get at my neck¡ªand my attempts to stop it were becoming weaker in weaker.

    A shaky breath fell from my lips, one carrying far too much weight. My eyelids flitted, feeling heavier and heavier as blood spilled out over my arms and stained the cloth of my clothing. As darkness flickered in and out of my vision, the beast¡¯s image returned. It taunted me like it always did, spawning from the depths of my psyche to remind me of the rage I felt. Of the way the reaper had ripped me away from everything I loved only to put me here. It had put me on the corrupted continent, destined to die. A place where even the lord I was supposed to be faithful to was deceitful. It was sickening.

    And it appeared I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought so.

    Movement in the back of my head. I focused on it. I tried to track it. But I couldn¡¯t. It was moving too fast. Or was I moving too slow? I couldn¡¯t tell. I didn¡¯t need to tell. My blood was draining so fast. The beast was coming so fast. It would take me away for good this time¡ªrip me from the world just like it had done to my parents.

    My parents?

    The question didn¡¯t even have time to process before a white-hot presence surged to the fore-front of my mind. I snapped my eyes open, stretching them wide and noticing the white haze at the corner. At once, control fled from my muscles. Something else took the reigns. Something different yet close, scared yet just as rage-fueled as I was.

    ¡°Not again,¡± my voice screamed even though I hadn¡¯t ordered it too. The creature above me swiped one more time, darting its fang-like teeth toward my neck. My hand snapped up, catching it with a fiery sort of ease before pushing the thing away.

    The creature wearing Arathorn¡¯s clothes growled, wrenching its arm out of my grip and glaring down in horror. Following its gaze, I saw the searing burn I¡¯d left across its skin.

    In a moment of clarity, I realized what was going on.

    The white haze flared brighter at the edge of my vision. I took a deep breath, curling upward and watching the feral creature retreat from the desk. It scurried away through air. Air that I could feel, that felt untapped and powerful. It felt malleable. Changeable. Light enough to twirl on my finger. And as I focused on it, my hands grew warm. They sparked into flame that swirled around me in peace. They weren¡¯t working against me. The flames were part of me, through and through.

    The kanir¡ªas my mind forced me to think¡ªstared at me in confusion. The hunger was still there, I noticed. Even if its erratic movements had slowed. Even if its wicked smile was gone. All color had drained from its face now, and as it stared, it licked its teeth. Only the hunger was left.

    It lunged at me. I could feel it in the light air. I didn¡¯t even need my eyes to see it. My body dodged to the side easily, raising ready hands in an instant. I caught it before it could think twice about its action.

    My burning hands tore into the quality fabric, leaving only charred bits. I pushed it away with all the force I could muster. It stumbled back, tripping over a book for the first time in the fight, and similarly to what it had done to me before, I was on it before it could react.

    The flames worked through perfect, fluid motions in tandem with my instincts. The image of my attack solidified in my mind only moments before I took it; I brought my hands down. I struck the kanir with more force than I¡¯d thought possible. But it didn¡¯t stop there.

    Blow after blow, my body worked in perfect synergy with my mind. I lorded white fire over the creature that had threatened my life and rained hell upon it. The thing that had almost cut my second chance short, I remembered. The thing that had almost forced my rematch with the beast. My hands tossed it to the floor, scorch marks covering its shoulders and chest, and it spat a dark red substance onto the floor.

    Blood.

    Its eyes darted to me. Its nostrils flared. It stared with only primal emotions that were all dominated with hunger before pushing up and lunging at me again.

    I dodged to the side with a smile still on my face. That was all it ever did. It charged and it swung. There was no finesse to its actions. No skill or technique. There was only rage and hunger, fueling the most brutish of attacks.

    My smile dropped in an instant when a hand grabbed my arm. I snapped my gaze to it, immediately moving away when I saw the pale fingers. But it didn¡¯t let go so easily. The kanir latched onto my arm, digging its nails through the cloth and deep into my skin. I screamed in pain, bringing up my hand to do the same. In a motion faster than I thought possible, my fingers wrapped around its arm as well. A growl slipped between its lips.

    My mind worked on its own. The plan only became clear to me as it was executed. I shook off its grab, holding my own grip tight enough to keep it in place. My other hand latched on to the thing, gripping it with all I had.

    The air lightened even further. Every particle of it flowed past me, carrying all latent energy provided by the world. I moved that energy and changed it with my soul. My vision flooded with white. Flames licked at my skin but didn¡¯t burn. And by the time the movement was over, I saw the kanir sprawled in a half-crouch on the floor near to the door. Its pale skin was covered in burns and scrapes. Part of Arathorn¡¯s hair had burned off, and when my eyes met its gaze for only a moment, I saw something new.

    Fear.

    A plan flashed in my head, clear and wrapped in flames. My eyes widened instantly, rebelling against the idea. I tried to bring my hands up to stop it. But no matter what I did, it was already too late.

    The air became slick and I felt power surge through my bones. As I helplessly stared, a passenger in my own skin, heat erupted through the air. It jumped from particle to particle until white fire erupted within Arathorn¡¯s body. The kanir shrieked one last time before it was scorched from the inside out.

    The fire fled as quickly as it had arrived, leaving only dim torchlight once more. The smoked, charred body crumpled lifelessly to the floor. White flames receded from my fingers and settled off my neck. They let me gain control of my hands again, but I didn¡¯t bring them up. It was too late for that. All I could do was stare.

    I¡¯d wanted to defend myself. I hadn¡¯t wanted to die¡­ But I hadn¡¯t wanted to kill it. Not while it was still in Arathorn¡¯s skin.

    The thought played back in my head, echoing and echoing. Images of what had just happened flashed, skewing and tearing as my mind tore them apart. As the consequences of what I¡¯d done came crashing down on me. Each moment that passed was agony¡ªa searing, burning pain against my empathy. I hadn¡¯t died, but all I¡¯d done was give the reaper another soul. I¡¯d tossed it one that I knew, even. My lord. Or¡­ former lord, at least.

    That distinction didn¡¯t lesson the bitter taste in my mouth.

    Pressure rose against the back of my eyes. I pushed back on it, sniffling and trying to maintain composure. It wasn¡¯t as easy as I¡¯d thought it would be. And before I knew it, burning tears were running down my cheek, blurring away the image of Arathorn¡¯s body frozen, lifeless body.

    I shook my head, wiping the tears away and forcing myself to be calm. I¡¯d killed before. It wasn¡¯t a matter to cry over. I¡¯d only killed because it had been necessary, and I didn¡¯t¡ª

    My vision shifted. The air around me warped, freezing to an unnaturally frigid cold before it stopped. And when it settled, a horrible sight consumed my attention.

    In front of me, standing over Arathorn¡¯s body with its scythe still touched against his burnt chest, was the beast. Its pallid, bony form draped in a tattered cloak.

    I stopped, all thoughts screeching to a halt. The white haze at the edge of my vision wavered, twisting and twitching in frozen horror. Standing stock-still, I watched the beast. It moved in slow, fluid motions as it lifted its scythe and stared at me. Barely resisting my primal fear, I stared back at it, recognizing the familiar expression painted across its skeletal features.

    Surprise.

    My breathing quickened in tandem with my pulse. The beast stepped forward, nearly floating over the floor toward me. Step after step, its expression morphed back into the neutral confidence it had displayed before. And when it got close enough, it stared me right in the eyes. I fought it, trying to scramble away and tear it from my eyes. But it was useless.

    The darkness flared up to consume my vision. To finish the task it had set out to do all those weeks ago.

    Except this time, the darkness didn¡¯t spread. It didn¡¯t swallow my soul in its deathless maw. No. The white haze rebelled against it, flaring in bright flame. The light fought against the darkness almost out of my control, holding my soul hostage in a void to wait until it stopped.

    Eventually though, it did.

    The beast stopped its efforts and looked toward the ground. Confusion descended upon its face, nearly burning against the bone as though it was being scolded by something more powerful than even it was.

    Letting the white haze calm, the reaper echoed a low, hair-raising growl before taking another step back. It vanished in a stream of black mist, taking its lifeless presence along and leaving the room in pure silence.

    For a moment, I only stood there and stared. My mind worked uselessly to try and piece together what I¡¯d just seen. It was a futile effort. The stillness of the room caught up to me far too quickly. As I looked to the body again, a long breath slipped from my lips.

    The flames faded from my eyes. The cold rushed back. The exhaustion set in, dragging my body to the floor.

    And in a moment of pure humanity, I fell to my knees.

 Chapter 23 [End of Book 1]

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    I was floating.

    In a dark place somewhere between nothing and nowhere, my soul existed. Blackness filled everything that I could perceive, but it wasn¡¯t oppressive. It didn¡¯t press in on me to murder each last ray of light. It spun in soft, elegant circles that enchanted my soul without dizzying me in the process. I felt at home as I drifted through it. Everything felt right.

    At the edge of my vision, I saw a flicker of light. It pierced through the darkness around it and stopped the spinning for a moment. As my vision fixed on it, I became captivated. A warmth cascaded over me that I could only describe as comforting. The spark of white light was everything to me, and I wanted to stare at it forever.

    Then it went out. The blackness swallowed it back up and began swirling again. It settled over the void and distracted me with soft movements again, almost enough to detract from the waves of uncertainty washing over my mind.

    Sorrow built up in my soul. A deep longing for something I knew nothing about. Yet, the more my drifting conscious thought about it, the more I felt that I knew. The more I felt the cold, an empty stillness grown frigid at the edges. As time waxed on, I coveted warmth. I coveted the fleeting white light I¡¯d seen for a moment before.

    And as if on cue, the spark flickered anew.

    Soft, white flame crackled against the black. It grew in intensity slowly, as though feeding of my attentions while I stared at it. I didn¡¯t mind, though. It was as captivating as it had been before, and its warmth coddled me with purpose. It felt cozy and familiar, like I was a child out in the summer. And once the flame drifted close enough, it flared bright as the sun. It revealed its perfect, innocent beauty and radiated out like a beacon.

    Memories came after the light, almost following its lead. Waves of some feeling crashed over my mind, but I couldn¡¯t discern what it was. Images rose up, skewed, fractured, and terrifying. A man in an expensive suit. A charming smile. A dim room.

    White light faded away and with it fled the warmth. The frigid tone encroached on my soul again. It wrapped me in a something that felt natural yet incomplete. Like I had forgotten something important.

    I didn¡¯t get much time to stew on it before the flame flared bright again. It danced through the dark and flickered its beautiful tongues as though burning through a wind that wasn¡¯t there. More images followed the light as it waned, sending frigid tremors through my mind. An ornate knife. A scattered floor. My sense of smell rushed back at once as the putrid scent of blood registered as well.

    The light faded again to leave me gasping in the infinite black. Feeling started to return to my body at a slow, unnatural pace. It stung against thin air and I only avoided all the discomfort by once again watching the flame.

    It wavered ever so slightly. I didn¡¯t look away. I didn¡¯t want to look away.

    Another flash of light made me regret my own thoughts as pain radiated through my newly acquired sense of touch. The images returned, one after another. A crazed beast. A flurry of motion. A white haze. They left a bitter taste in their wake as I felt my tongue again.

    The light faded, giving me only momentary relief as I stared into darkness. The pain died down, my breath steadied out, and my gaze once again froze on the little light. It danced in perfect unison with my mind as if it and I were one.

    Before I could relish in relief, another flash seared my eyes. It burned brighter than all the rest and brought a sharp fear along with it. The images came back, forcing themselves into my vision all at once. A black mist. A dark cloak. Cracked, bleached bone. I fell to my knees, the cold seeping into my muscles. The sound of soft crying reached my ears and it took me all too long to figure out that the sound was coming from me.

    The light faded, leaving my blurred vision as the tears stung my eyes. The flame returned, dancing larger than normal. Something reached me from the edge of my hearing and I could do nothing else but listen.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡°

    ¡°Mom¡ª¡°

    ¡°Dad¡ª¡°

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡°

    A strained voice echoed through the dark, feeding off the flame¡¯s light as waves of emotion washed over me. First confusion, then anger, then sorrow. And finally, as the flame dwindled to barely a spark and turned its attention solely to me, I felt the sharp pang of relief.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The little white flame flared out once more, with barely enough energy to be seen. Then it faded into the darkness for good. But the spinning didn¡¯t begin again. It didn¡¯t feel the same. It wasn¡¯t the same.

    I didn¡¯t feel cold anymore. There was no distracting stillness or empty void. My soul had been warmed by the flame¡ªall the way to my core. And I felt my entire body at once as a sharp noise entered my ears.

    <hr>

    ¡°Get up!¡±

    I jerked my head forward, blinking eyes open. The dull yellow light of the sun filtered into my blurry vision through a window. It was morning, I realized through the haze. Holding my head, I felt a dull ache echoing off my bones. And when I¡¯d collected myself, I turned to the short, bearded man yelling at me.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked, my voice strained and hollow.

    Galen rolled his eyes and folded his arms. ¡°You can¡¯t sleep in my office all day.¡± His voice came harsh with an edge of annoyance, but with its squeaky quality, I almost laughed. The dull, never-ending pain stopped me.

    I squinted at him while rubbing my temple. ¡°How long have I been in here?¡±

    The short man tapped his foot on the wood floor. ¡°After I healed you for the second time this week¡±¡ªI didn¡¯t miss that back-handed jab¡ª¡°you slept here all night.¡±

    I cocked an eyebrow, my eyes widening slightly. All night? Hadn¡¯t I just been on my way to see Arathorn? On my way to deliver the news about his package? Memories bubbled under the surface of my mind, but something told me not to pry them apart.

    ¡°But you were strained pretty bad,¡± Galen continued. I flicked my eyes back up to him. ¡°And bruised all over. So I thought I¡¯d let you sleep ¡®till morning.¡± Galen¡¯s smile grew to a small smirk. ¡°The guard that brought you here was pretty frantic too, babbling on about how he found you nearly dead.¡± My smile dropped, the haze uncovering things I didn¡¯t want to see. ¡°And he kept going on about something being wrong with Lord Arathorn. I could barely understand the lad by that point.¡±

    My eyes widened further, pushing past the last of the fog as I remembered. A tortured grimace took my face, dull pain stinging in each of my bones. I remembered.

    It had killed him. I had killed him, with my own power. I still didn¡¯t understand it, but looking back at the crystal clear scene, I couldn¡¯t deny it. I remembered the white flames. The lifeless body. The reaper afterward.

    I took a sharp breath and pressed hands to my forehead at the oncoming headache. It had all been too fast after that. I remembered the door opening. I remembered a whole lot of screaming. I remembered the shocked faces of guards that were only barely visible through my tears.

    After that, it was only a blur of movement as I was carried out of the room. There was nothing more than the receding blur like a smudged painting. It had tapered out eventually into black, and there was nothing after that.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I muttered under my breath. From the corner of my eye, Galen stopped and furrowed his brow in slight concern as he stared at me. I looked up, forcing my muscles to get used to moving again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    It was all I could muster. I didn¡¯t know what else to say. The memory stung. The image of the body¡ªof Arathorn¡¯s body¡ªcut me to the core. He¡¯d been my lord. I was a knight. And yet I¡¯d killed him.

    I shook my head and returned to the present, trying to piece back the fragments of my honor. I wasn¡¯t a knight, I remembered. Not anymore. I was a ranger. And it hadn¡¯t been my lord. Arathorn had been¡ªand by the end, there hadn¡¯t been any of Arathorn left. I¡¯d killed the kanir, not him.

    But just as before, that distinction didn¡¯t make it any easier.

    Galen nodded softly. The warm gesture did wonders in making me feel better. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he eventually said. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. And you will recover in pretty short time.¡± His smile inched upward, but I could see him struggling not to scrunch his face. ¡°But you still can¡¯t stay in here for the whole day. You have¡­ things to face out there. And even though I like you, you¡¯re taking up too much of my world¡¯s damned time these days.¡±

    The short man glared at me again, tapping his foot louder as if trying to simulate the ticking of a clock. I nodded, noting the hyperbolic gesture with a smile. Lifting my head, I looked to the door, and then back at Galen. He only raised an expectant eyebrow before widening his grin.

    I opened my mouth, ready to stammer out another question. But I bit it off shortly. I knew what Galen meant, and stalling in his office pretending to be in more pain than I was wouldn¡¯t have done anything. The past had happened, whether I liked it or not. I couldn¡¯t change that now. All I could do was face it. So, with a weak sigh and a bob of my head, I rose from the couch and started toward the door.

    Simple motion tore at my legs as they were subjected to the smallest amount of effort. The small, sore pain was annoying, but it wasn¡¯t bad. I¡¯d felt worse. Far worse in the past few days, even. It just told me I was alive.

    I walked past Galen without another comment and pushed through the door. The warmth and light commotion of the rest of the lodge greeted me as I stepped out. The wooden hallway. The rough, well-cut wood. It was familiar. It was nice. A soft breath fell from my lips as I dragged my gaze over it and smiled. Then, raising my hand to spare one last wave toward Galen, I turned.

    The wooden door slammed in my face.

    Polished wooden inlaid with Galen¡¯s red emblem filled my vision as the exaggerated slam echoed out through the space. I laughed, the sound coming out before I could even think to stop it. And rolling my shoulders as I turned away again, I felt the tension deep in my arms. It reminded me of what I¡¯d done. That calmed my laughter in short time. So without wasting anymore time with my thoughts torturing me more than necessary, I walked off down the hall.

    Morning light once again attacked my eyes as I made my way to the training room. The floor creaked lightly under me, ramping up my anxiety with every step. When I arrived, I shook my head and took a breath before walking in. A smile grew on my face as I stood before the room that had seen me flat on my ass too many times for me to count.

    But it wasn¡¯t the room I was smiling at.

    ¡°Oh look,¡± a voice called, as smooth and snarky as always. Kye¡¯s signature smirk shined just as bright as light piercing in through the windows. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the kanir-slayer himself. How¡¯s the high life?¡±

    I watched her, my smile only growing. ¡°Not at all what I imagined it to be,¡± I answered as she leaned back against the wall next to the weapon rack. Chuckling softly, she took another bite of the tough bread in her hand.

    ¡°So how do you feel?¡± she asked with her mouth full.

    My foot cramped up a bit as I stepped forward, causing me to grimace as if on cue. ¡°Not too great,¡± I admitted and shook off the pain. My brow furrowed slightly as a question rose to my lips. ¡°How¡­ how did you know he was a kanir?¡±

    Kye¡¯s expression tightened as she swallowed. ¡°Ah. Well. News travels fast in a town this size.¡± I cringed at the statement I already knew to be true. But she wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°A member of the town guard carrying a battered and bloodied ranger through the streets tends to get people talking.¡± Her smirk wavered, morphing into an apologetic smile. ¡°It didn¡¯t take people long to find out about the charred body or the animal corpses he¡¯d kept to keep that part of him satisfied.¡±

    I paled, teetering in place as I remembered the knife. As I remembered the dry blood on it without knowing what it had been used for. Again, I berated myself for not seeing it sooner. But again, it was already too late.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I said, making no effort to hide my shame. ¡°What, ah. What¡¯s been the reaction so far?¡±

    Kye straightened up, her head tilting. She shot me a caring gaze, but I didn¡¯t miss the guilt in it. ¡°People aren¡¯t happy. Obviously. But¡­ it could be worse. A lot of the attention isn¡¯t on you, or even the Rangers, really. I¡¯ve heard too many people just scared of the consequences it could have.¡± Her face tightened as she fought back a scowl. ¡°They¡­ they don¡¯t know what could happen to Sarin without a lord again. Things have been going well, you know. Better than what a lot of these people can remember in the past.¡± Kye averted her eyes and sniffed, trying to relax her shoulders.

    I nodded in shallow movements. Weight pressed down on my shoulders and I sneered. I sneered at myself. At my ignorance, my hubris, my incompetence. I hadn¡¯t seen it¡ªand I¡¯d barely been able to defend myself against the kanir in my useless body. It was my fault. All of it. Even if Arathorn had been a kanir¡­ I¡¯d committed murder.

    ¡°So what happens to me now?¡± I asked, trying to keep my tone level.

    Kye stopped, swallowing again before turning to me. She furrowed her brow and squinted at me. ¡°Now? You just killed a kanir.¡± The weight in the term felt light a punch in the gut. But it wasn¡¯t followed by what I¡¯d expected. ¡°Now you get some rest.¡±

    I tilted my head and blinked as though trying to refresh reality. Her calm, convinced words played back in my head, but I couldn¡¯t accept them. Get some rest? How could I just get some rest after everything I¡¯d done? After only a month in the new life that the beast had cursed me with, I¡¯d already disrupted a community. I¡¯d killed the lord of the place I now had the audacity to call my home. I couldn¡¯t rest.

    But as I glanced back at Kye with bemused conviction, she only shrugged. She only raised one eyebrow at me and took another bite of the bread in her hand as though we were in the most casual situation in the world. And, even if I knew that wasn¡¯t the case, it was more true than I¡¯d assumed. I wasn¡¯t in Credon anymore, I reminded myself. Things were different now. In Ruia, leadership was probably as fleeting as any other type of order. And even if that grated on me, I¡¯d have to accept it. Maybe one day I would.

    Now, though, I couldn¡¯t shake it so easily. ¡°Just¡­ rest?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Kye nodded. ¡°Rest. It¡¯s all you¡¯ll be able to do for the foreseeable future, I¡¯d imagine. Even if most talk is on Arathorn, that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s not a fair share of scorn thrown our way. Thrown your way, specifically.¡± She scrunched her face awkwardly. ¡°The townsfolk know you at this point, Agil. I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t imagine facing them would be the best idea.¡±

    My expression dropped. ¡°Oh. Right.¡± I rolled my shoulders, feeling the phantom weight even now. ¡°But, no punishment? I¡¯m not getting imprisoned?¡±

    Kye blinked rapidly. ¡°What?¡± She shook her head, stifling a chuckle. ¡°No. That¡ªit doesn¡¯t work that way here. Not like it does in the stories.¡± I scrunched my nose at the implication that justice and order were things of myth. ¡°You¡¯re a ranger. Nothing like that is going to happen.¡± Kye¡¯s smirk flashed again. ¡°Though, I won¡¯t make any promises about how Lorah deals with you.¡±

    I nodded, a singular amused breath fleeing from my nostrils. Her words played back in my head again. They warmed me and made me feel better because they were true. No matter how hard I tried to hold onto it, I wasn¡¯t a knight anymore. I was a ranger. That was something I could accept.

    Then, with a genuine smile tugging at my lips, I dragged my gaze over the floor. Over the wooden planks and black mat to where Kye was leaning against the wall. But she wasn¡¯t the only thing leaning. There was another object¡ªone that stuck out light lightning in my vision.

    A sword.

    Sheathed in beautiful but simple black scabbard, a formidable longsword sat motionless. Almost as though it had been waiting for me to notice it. A sliver of silvery metal poking out from the top of the scabbard glinted light into my eyes. It sparkled with a contrasting brilliance that almost made me forget all the worries that had been swirling a moment before.

    Kye coughed, eyeing me from the corner of my vision. I looked up, widening my eyes. And the question slipped out before I even knew it existed.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the sword?¡±

    Kye made a curious sound, turning toward me and raising an eyebrow. I flicked my eyes down to the scabbard by her feet and she followed my gaze with a grin.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she started, feigning surprise. ¡°This?¡± She picked up the sword, holding it by the center of its scabbard. I resisted the urge to cringe. It wasn¡¯t the kind of sword to be picked up near the blade.

    She balanced it in her hand and faked a sort of cursory inspection. My eyes tracked every movement. The way it swayed and steadied. It had a good weight then, I thought giddily. Looking at me expectantly, she cocked an eyebrow and raised the sword in my direction. My eyes shot wide before I remembered her question.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said with as much composure as I could manage. ¡°That.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡±

    I blinked, the air brushing against my empty palm suddenly much more noticeable. ¡°For me?¡±

    ¡°You lost your sword when we were in Norn, didn¡¯t you?¡± She didn¡¯t wait for my response. ¡°Well, after having to fight a kanir, I thought you might appreciate another one.¡±

    I did. My fingers twitched in the air, desperate to get around the grip of the blade. It was a slightly bowed longsword with a simple grip that had a curved guard at the end. And I must¡¯ve been nearly salivating at it because in my peripheral vision, I saw Kye roll her eyes. She scoffed once, and before I knew it, the sword was coming straight toward me.

    The ornate scabbard flew through the air with the blade and landed in my hands as awkwardly as I thought possible. It tumbled through my arms, hitting all the exact places where I¡¯d gathered bruises and straining my arms. After a few seconds¡ªand my body crouching to the floor¡ªI caught the blade.

    Then, staring at the beautiful black scabbard lined with silver, the awkward pain faded away. It didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was the thing now in my arms.

    Moving with more grace than my body should¡¯ve been able to muster, I unsheathed the sword and lifted it in my hands. The perfect silver metal glinted brilliantly in the fleeting morning light. It was smooth, sharp, well-made.

    Kye stared at me as I waved the blade through the air, getting a feel for its weight. It was heavier than the longswords stocked at the lodge. And longer, too. And the crossguard was smooth and accommodating.

    ¡°Where did you get it?¡± I asked, keeping my gaze on the shiny silver metal.

    Kye snickered, swallowing whatever laughter had been building in her throat. ¡°It¡¯s one of Jason¡¯s blades.¡± I stopped, my fingers twitching on the hilt. ¡°Supposedly, it¡¯s made of a conductive metal. Something that was extra effective for him when used with magic.¡±

    I furrowed my brow. ¡°Jason gave one of his swords for me?¡±

    Kye raised her shoulders and was significantly less successful than before in keeping down laughter. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even ask him before I took it.¡±

    My eyes bloomed. ¡°What?¡± The image of the arrogant swordsman yelling at me was already all too clear.

    Kye rolled her eyes. ¡°He has so many of them. It doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± I nodded to myself, not fully reassured. ¡°And he hasn¡¯t killed a kanir before.¡± The name made me scrunch my face, bitter feelings welling up from the back of my mind. ¡°So it¡¯s probably more useful with you anyway.¡±

    I looked back to the blade in my hand, my lips slowly curling up. As I bolstered myself and stiffened my posture, I could only agree with her. After only holding the blade for a short time, I already loved it. The longer I held it, the more I could feel it, as if the blade was slowly becoming part of me.

    There was no way in hell I was giving it up.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said softly as I fastened the scabbard to my belt. The weight fell by my side and I let out a breath that I hadn¡¯t even know I was holding in.

    Kye smiled at me¡ªan actual smile instead of a smirk¡ªand nodded. ¡°No problem. Anything that both makes you more competent and annoys Jason in the process is a win in my book.¡± She chuckled before taking the last bite of bread from her hand and devouring what was left.

    My fingers wrapped around the grip of the blade. It seemed to drain my exhaustion on contact. My mind wandered for a second, caught in a fleeting feeling of bliss before a question forced my thoughts to a halt.

    I blinked, the worries making themselves known again. My eyebrows dropped, and all at once, I felt the headache again. ¡°How¡­ How did it happen, by the way?¡±

    Kye turned to me, raising her eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to be more specific than that.¡±

    I shook my head lightly. ¡°Arathorn. The Lord of Sarin.¡± Former lord, I thought bitterly. ¡°How did he become a kanir?¡±

    Kye¡¯s smirk drowned out whatever fragments of sincerity were left in her smile. She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know, probably for the same reason they all turn.¡±

    The reason reared its head in my mind as memories of the past continued to flood past. I didn¡¯t need to ask what she meant, I knew. Power was a constant everywhere, it seemed. I just had to be glad that in my home kingdom, greed hadn¡¯t been able to turn someone into a fucking vampire.

    ¡°Although,¡± Kye cut in, a tinge of something almost unnoticeable in her voice. The same way she spoke in anticipation of a joke. ¡°Rumor has it that he corrupted himself with magical experimentation involving his own blood.¡±

    My eyes widened. That didn¡¯t sound like a joke. ¡°What rumors?¡±

    Kye smirked at me, tilting her head to the side. ¡°The rumors that I just made up.¡±

    I rolled my eyes and averted my gaze. But I couldn¡¯t stop the laugh that pushed its way out of my mouth. Kye¡¯s lips curled up into a grin far more wicked. My laugh grew louder, overpowering the passive noise level in the lodge for a second. I shook my head to calm my addled, susceptible mind.

    Kye only briefly chuckled. ¡°No. I don¡¯t know how he turned.¡± She pursed her lips for a moment, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Maybe one day we¡¯ll find out. But now that he¡¯s dead, it doesn¡¯t matter all that much.

    That stole the rest of my amusement. The tips of my ears burned as I remembered Arathorn¡¯s corpse. Shaking my head only helped halfway. ¡°I-I guess not.¡±

    Kye nodded shortly before grabbing the bow leaning next to the wall beside her. Then she turned back, her face lighting up. ¡°Oh. Lorah wanted to see you as soon as you woke up, by the way.¡±

    I froze, my mouth drying. ¡°She wants to see me?¡±

    Kye stared with a straight brow. Unimpressed. I threw up a hand, already turning to the hallway that led to her office. I already knew the answer to my question, after all. I didn¡¯t need clarification.

    My former cellmate slumped her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you can hope to expect. But, I have a hunt, so good luck.¡±

    She flashed me a look that I just barely missed before she strung the bow onto her back and started to the door. I had comments at my lips, other questions left to ask, but before I knew it, I was just standing in an empty room.

    My gaze dropped. I clutched the hilt of my new blade with everything I had. It did wonders at making me feel better. So with a breath, I turned on my heel and started off again before my thoughts could hold me up. Creaky wood flew under me again as I walked down the hallway toward the office I¡¯d only been in a handful of times.

    But by the time I¡¯d reached it, it was unmistakable. There, shrouded in dim light only half a dozen paces in front of me was the large wooden door emblazoned with a silver version of the Ranger¡¯s emblem.

    I was moving before I could even tell myself not to. I was a ranger now, I reminded myself. Things were different. I no longer answered to a king or was bound by a knightly oath. Lorah was my leader, and if she wanted to meet with me, I was going to face it head-on.

    The hallway flew past in a blur, blank wooden walls only sparsely populated by equally blank doors. Step after step, the sounds of my feet hitting the floor seemed to move in sync with the rhythmic pulsing of my blood.

    I still remembered the first time I¡¯d walked down this hall.

    When I stepped up to the door, a full breath entered my lungs. It calmed me, but only slightly. My stomach still twisted in dread. My mind still raced like it always did. And even though I¡¯d gotten more used to the anxiety my new body seemed prone to, I still struggled to bring my eyes up to the emblem on her door.

    When I finally summoned the courage, the silver, crescent-shaped arrow stared down at me. It implored my soul with its form, reminding me of the matching symbol stitched into my tattered uniform. The final rays of morning sunlight that only barely reached this far into the hall glinted off its surface and shined in my eye. They melted away the rest of my doubts.

    I knocked on the door.

    Three simple knocks that were the standard around the lodge were all the warning she got. And for a second, I waited in silence. My heartbeat slowed, the air prickling at my skin. My breathing got louder, echoing in my ears until¡ª

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    The pleasing but muffled voice of the ranger¡¯s leader came through the door in odd clarity. It was equal parts firm and soothing at the same time. My breathing calmed as time returned to its natural pace. I opened the door.

    The room was dim, just as it always was, and Lorah was standing in the center of it. She stood hunched over her desk with her eyes flicking back and forth. Her lip was curled and despite the slumped shoulders, her posture emanated poise. It emanated purpose. She didn¡¯t even look in my direction as she waved me in.

    The door slid shut behind me, a soft noise drowned out by the silence of the room. I didn¡¯t dare speak. The torches on the walls, each glowing softly glowing with Lorah¡¯s characteristic yellow flame, all rose in brightness at the same rate. The ranger¡¯s leader didn¡¯t even so much as break a sweat at the exertion.

    Stiffening her posture even further, Lorah tore her eyes off the papers on her desk and glared at me. Her eyes stayed dark for only a moment before brightening up in tandem with the rest of the room.

    ¡°Agil,¡± she said as warmly as she could manage with the tension in her voice. ¡°Good to see you.¡±

    I nodded, unflinching. ¡°I was told you wanted to talk with me?¡±

    She cocked an eyebrow at me, her lips curling into a smile. ¡°Yes, of course. And I¡¯m sure what I wanted to discuss isn¡¯t a mystery to you, either.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t?¡± I tried, a tiny, shriveled part of me hoping she was getting at something else.

    ¡°Arathorn.¡± The dead man¡¯s name sent a shiver down my spine.

    ¡°Oh.¡± I gulped. ¡°That.¡±

    She nodded at me, the shine in her eyes brightening. It failed to comfort be like it usually did. The memories rushed back, only held back from being shown to my eyes by the importance of the scene in front of me. I curled my hand into a fist.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, her eyebrows raising slightly. ¡°That.¡± She crossed her arms and sighed. The yellow light of the room highlighted the shadows under her eyes. ¡°It is quite the shame isn¡¯t it?¡±

    I stared at her, unable to catch her gaze. And eventually, I found myself nodding along despite the vigorous hate my stomach had for the topic. ¡°Yes.¡± Kye¡¯s words played back to me¡ªthe rumors, the citizens that now didn¡¯t know what they would do. ¡°It is.¡±

    Lorah nodded briskly. ¡°The Lord of Sarin was a kanir, and I didn¡¯t know?¡± A whimsical note entered her tone, matching the light air. ¡°Must¡¯ve been quite the fight.¡±

    I froze. She knew about it. It made all the sense in the world that she would. If Kye knew, she should too. But as my hand clenched tighter by my side, my logic was doing a poor job of consoling me.

    I opened my mouth, immediately snapping it shut right after. I didn¡¯t have a response. I¡¯d fought Arathorn. I¡¯d killed him. She had to think something of that. There had to be a punishment that came along with her suspicion, and I didn¡¯t have anything to dissuade her from issuing it.

    ¡°Agil,¡± she started, her voice raising as she narrowed her eyes on me. I stared at the floor. ¡°Do you know about the most basic principle of magic?¡±

    I blinked, my head shaking in confusion before I could stop it.

    Lorah smiled. ¡°Perhaps not.¡± She walked over to the edge of her desk. ¡°Well, magic is just the manipulation of the energy produced by the World Soul.¡± I nodded, remembering all that I¡¯d learned after living in Ruia for so long. ¡°But not all forms of energy are the same, you know. Some are simpler than others.¡±

    I squinted, the fact registering somewhere in my mind that I could barely access through the confusion.

    She held out her palm. ¡°See, the most simple form of magic is heat. It is often expressed with fire.¡± A small yellow flame appeared in her hand, waving in a nonexistent wind. ¡°The color and nature of which changes with each individual soul. However, it gets much more complex.¡±

    Her face contorted in concentration. I watched, frozen and perplexed as she killed the small flame. Her fingers twitched, the air lightening more as she manipulated the energy in it. And a beam of golden light shot across the room, illuminating everything in its path.

    Lorah turned back to me with a grin. ¡°The more complicated the energy, the harder it is to shape and control. But it all just takes finesse. It all just takes experience with using the soul as a conduit for the world¡¯s energy.¡± Stark lines must¡¯ve been evident on my forehead as I watched her curl her fingers into a fist. ¡°Eventually even¡­¡± She curled her fingers into a fist and the wooden chair behind her desk broke into pieces with a flash of light. ¡°You can even change objects around us.¡±

    My hand unconsciously drifted to the blade at my side, its existence reassuring me more than anything else could. The thing at the back of my mind stirred, slowly coming to attention as the display of magical power continued.

    ¡°All it takes is power, which is something that is different with every soul.¡± She eyed me for a second, her gaze heavy enough to pin me down. ¡°But as with all types of power, it just needs the right hand to guide it.¡±

    A shiver raced down my spine and a foreign sense of want washed over my mind. A sense of yearning and desire that reminded me of training with the blade. As the sea passed me over, the feeling eventually faded. And in its wake, I noticed sharp spots of fear mixed in with the hope, spots that I couldn¡¯t grasp at fast enough before all the feeling left.

    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± I asked, trying to ignore the obvious answer to the question that was literally hiding in my mind.

    Her smile dropped almost imperceptibly. She eyed me, scouring my eyes for what she knew was there before simply throwing up a hand. ¡°No reason. It is simply something you should know.¡±

    I nodded at the transparent lie. But I didn¡¯t comment on it. I didn¡¯t invite any more questions or doubts while my thoughts were still tied in knots. So as the silence crept in, I just let it hold like a permanent breath. But eventually, it was a breath I had to take.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, giving what few words I could muster.

    Lorah nodded, her eyes tightening again. ¡°Good. Don¡¯t forget that, if you would.¡± She spared a light smile. ¡°The main reason I called you in here, though, was to inform about your duties. Obviously you are not in any state for new assignments at the moment.¡± She raised an eyebrow half an inch. ¡°After the next few days, however, you will return to your duty.¡± My eyes widened and before I knew it, my lips had parted. Lorah didn¡¯t let me get a single word in. ¡°Your assignments will change. Nothing strenuous, important, or in the public eye. With Arathorn gone, I will have enough work to do without the townsfolk¡¯s increasing unrest. Alright?¡±

    I bobbed my head briskly, bowing a little with a smile on my face. At the mention of Arathorn, the worries came back. They continued to nag at me no matter how much I pushed them away. But Lorah was my leader, and she¡¯d made her decision. I had to be grateful for what I¡¯d gotten. ¡°Thank you, Lorah.¡±

    She smiled at me, more than a little amusement shining through. ¡°I pulled this organization up by its bootstraps you know. Rangers protect their own.¡± Her gaze nearly burned my skin with its warm intensity. ¡°No one is nobody in my lodge. And you¡¯re a ranger now, Agil.¡± She rolled her wrist. ¡°Act like one.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t have stopped the wide grin on my face if I¡¯d wanted to. Nodding once again and watching Lorah hold her head high as she walked back to the work on her desk, I felt better. The doubts still nagged, but they weren¡¯t as loud. I¡¯d been reborn on Ruia with a vengeance. With the kind of burning hatred that stuck to the insides of my bones and cemented itself in the deepest parts of my mind. A hatred for the beast, for death itself. Before, I hadn¡¯t been able to stave it off or make it pay. If I wanted to do that now, I needed more. Which was what I¡¯d come here for, after all. I¡¯d come for training, for experience, for a purpose. And damned if I didn¡¯t have one now.

    Even as Lorah shifted her attention back to the papers at her desk, my grin didn¡¯t let up. It stretched far and wide with the kind of hope I hadn¡¯t felt in far too long. Things were different now, I told myself once again. But that didn¡¯t have to be a bad thing. I couldn¡¯t change the past, but I could embrace the present, and that was exactly what I was going to do. The reaper still loomed over my head¡ªover all of our heads, in truth. But with what I¡¯d found after its vile trick, it was almost worth it. Because not only could I embrace the present, I could change the future.

    ¡°Oh, and Agil?¡± Lorah asked. I looked up, rising from my thoughts as the resolve solidified in my mind. ¡°Things will be changing around here, and I¡¯m going to need everyone¡ªincluding you¡ªto rise to the occasion.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± I said as I raised my head. The answer slipped out without even a thought. And after giving one last bow, I turned away. I looked back toward the door as silence spread back through the room. And as my muscles complained about fatigue again, I started toward it.

    Though, even with the grin on my face, those doubts weren¡¯t gone. The question that Lorah had implied still stood, and it spiraled in my head. Would I rise to the occasion?

    In truth, I wasn¡¯t sure. And as I thought about it, images flashed in front of my eyes. One-by-one they streamed past as though taunting me with the emotions they brought up. I saw Kye, notching an arrow in her bow as she smirked at me. I saw Jason, cleaning his sword as he rattled on about this or that. I saw the other rangers, hunting through the forest every day just to keep the citizens of their town safe. I saw Arathorn, the town¡¯s former lord lying on the floor where I¡¯d killed him. And I saw the beast, its pitch-black gaze tearing deep into my soul.

    I shook my head, the doubts growing ever-larger as I thought. The images faded back into the memories they¡¯d spawned from, and I walked forward again to try and shrug them off. It was barely effective. But as a glint of light caught my eye, I started to calm. As the silver symbol of the Rangers stared down at me from the door, I knew my answer in an instant.

    Would I rise to the occasion?

    Yes, I told myself. Yes I would.

 Chapter 24 [Book 2 Start Point]

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    My blade rose, his blade fell.

    The shriek of clashing metal split the air, sounding off my dash through his guard. He stumbled to the side. I heard the sound of his blade clattering to the ground and smiled. Finally. My hands adjusted on the grip, making sure I had a firm hold, and I whipped my head backward.

    My eyes scanned the scene, the ranger¡¯s training room filling my vision. Under me was the black mat that we always trained on, beyond that was the wooden wall with the ranger¡¯s emblem on it. The golden crescent-shaped arrow shined down on me perfectly.

    Between the mat and the wall, however, was my real problem. In the time it had taken me to admire the room, he¡¯d already picked up his blade, and I could see him calculating in his head. I bit back a curse and ran at him, trying to put him on the defense. Giving him time to figure out what to do was not going to bode well for me.

    The loud stomps of my metal-clad feet rang out through the room, ruining whatever sliver of surprise I might¡¯ve garnered while he thought. I furrowed my brow, ignoring the sounds. We¡¯d agreed to spar in our ranger¡¯s outfits to make it more realistic. And, hearing just how loud I was when running in the metal-inlaid boots, it was definitely working.

    Jason flicked his eyes over me, bringing up his own blade. Sunlight glinted off its straight-edged silver surface. My eyes snapped to his hands, seeing the way his fingers curled on his blade, pushing force to the side. The movement flashed in my mind, memories of previous fights welling up. I knew exactly what it meant.

    My feet pushed on, beating on the mat with force. I flexed my fingers on the grip of my sword and narrowed my eyes. He was expecting me to do a downward slash, probably one leading into sideswipe. He was ready to block me at every turn. But I wasn¡¯t ready to get blocked.

    I brought my hands up, my curved blade looming over him like a deadly presence, and brought my blade down. In a way, it was exactly what he¡¯d expected, but in another, it wasn¡¯t. My sword came down right over him, but in the middle of the motion, I twisted it with my wrist, wrenching the blade to clash with his from the side. My eyes flicked across the fight, moving from his feet, to our blades, to his face. His eyes widened as my blade clashed with his at an angle he didn¡¯t expect.

    I dug my feet into the ground, pushing force into my strike as the edge of my blade dug into his flat. A grunt slipped from his curling lips and I saw the shaking in his hand, but no matter how hard I pushed, the smirk on his face didn¡¯t fade. For a second I was confused as my arm strained, but when he pushed back, I realized my mistake. I¡¯d entered a battle of force and it was one my body was not ready to win.

    My stance changed subtly, a new maneuver appearing in my head. It was one I didn¡¯t quite know if I could pull off, but if I wanted to win, I had to. The smirk on his face only grew as my blade was steadily pushed farther from him, but it didn¡¯t matter. In a flurry of movement, I ducked to the side and angled my blade. The horrifying slash of metal screeched through the room as my blade scraped down his and into the open air.

    The smirk on his face dropped when his arms flew up, his blade now pushing on nothing. I wanted to just watch his confusion, to relish in his expression, but I didn¡¯t have the time. I twisted my head, my feet already scrambling on the ground, and brought my blade up at his side.

    A flurry of clangs rang out in my ear and I felt tremors in my arm, but I didn¡¯t let up. He had blocked my strike. I knew he would. My sword retracted, and, as quickly as possible, I threw it in at another angle.

    The muscles in my arm screamed for mercy as my next strike was blocked as well. I gritted my teeth and kept up, the strikes and movements mapping themselves out in my head seconds before they even happened.

    Our feet danced on the mat as I kept up my attack. The flurry of blows happened in a blur, only barely tracked by my eyes, but I kept up. He stumbled backward, reeling from one of my strikes, and met my eyes. I stopped for a second, air flooding into my lungs as my mind scrambled for my next move. The thought took too long, however, and he was rushing at me again.

    I bit back a curse, bringing my blade back up and rushing to the side. I had to get away from him, I had to put his strike out of range. I could not be put on the defense.

    Wherever my feet took me as I dashed around the mat, his sword followed me close behind. Every time I thought I could turn on him, every time I thought I could clash blades with a counterattack, he was never there. He was always just out of reach, or just off to the side.

    My mind yelled at my legs, forcing them to move as I ducked low to evade a strike. His blade cut through where my head had just been and the sound of split air echoed in my ears, overpowering the pounding of blood for a moment. That strike was way too close.

    Dashing away, I furrowed my brow and watched his movements. His legs carried him confidently as he held his blade firm. He was rushing at me again, no doubt ready for another strike. My body was tiring, I could feel it in my bones, but I knew that his wasn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t just keep running away, he¡¯d outlast me like that.

    As he ran at me, I watched him carefully. He was putting me on the defense, I couldn¡¯t allow that. It was one of the first lessons I¡¯d learned in my training, and I had to instill it in this body too. I knew he wouldn¡¯t let down his guard, so I had to find a weakness in it.

    The look on his face radiated arrogance as he held his sword high. The strike he was about to make was obvious, but it had enough force to knock me to the ground. Trying to block that strike was only going to leave me stumbling and left with a guaranteed loss. No, I told myself, there had to be another option.

    And that option presented itself when the strike came down. My body was already moving by the time my mind had figured it out. His strike came down angled to the right, but he was also stepping forward with his right, leaving the entire side open. Before his strike could connect, I brought my blade up, forcing it against the flat side of his.

    The loud clang of metal split the air once again and he was sent reeling. His footing was disrupted, his blade was deflected, and the look on his face showed it all. A counterattack formed in my head and I was on it a moment later, the taste of victory in my mouth.

    His gaze snapped back to me as he tried to ready himself. He adjusted his grip, probably thinking he had time¡ªwhich he would¡¯ve two weeks ago¡ªbut right now, he didn¡¯t. In a movement that I had to force my body to make, I reached him in a heartbeat and swung my blade up from below with as much power as I could.

    My blade rose, his blade fell.

    The screech of metal rang out in my ears, sending a jolt of pleasure straight to my core. My blade split the air with a precision I hadn¡¯t seen in ages and I held my arm high. The tremors of contact still twitched in my bones, but I relished in it.

    I saw his hands move, his body trying desperately to stay in, but I didn¡¯t allow any of it. And as I brought my blade back down, holding it up to his neck, I realized something indisputably great. I had finally won.

    The sound of Jason¡¯s pained grunt accompanied his blade clattering to the ground. Each soft thud of metal on the black mat rang impossibly in my ears as the epitome of satisfaction.

    Jason¡¯s eyes darted to me, boring into my soul. The faded hazel-green of his gaze shined brightly on me. The anger was pure and visible in his eyes. His nostrils flared and he pushed himself back up into a standing position as I retracted my blade. His mouth snapped open, a quip obviously ready at his lips. But he didn¡¯t speak. He couldn¡¯t speak.

    I had finally won.

    I enforced my grip on my blade, feeling its weight once more. Its mere existence was a comfort for far too many reasons. Its weight was perfect, its cut was deep, but it was also his.

    I¡¯d finally beaten him, the skill in my head and skill in my hands finally meeting to surmount his force. And I¡¯d done it with his own sword.

    A wicked smile danced at my lips, threatening to break into a laugh as I watched Jason pick up his blade. The one on the ground was similar to mine. It had a similar weight and a similar cut. But the blade in my hand, with its black handle and the beautiful scabbard it came in, was one I wouldn¡¯t have traded for the world.

    Plus, I reminded myself, it was his.

    ¡°Good form,¡± Jason mumbled, his eyes flicking to my blade as he sheathed his sword. My grin only deepened.

    ¡°Was it?¡± I breathed.

    He shot me a glare, one full of an intent I knew all-too-well. ¡°Yes,¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°It was.¡±

    I nodded, balancing the blade in my hand as casually as I could. I rolled my shoulders and twisted my neck, feeling the tension leaving them. My eyes drifted over the doorway, the weapon rack, the emblem on the wall. But I didn¡¯t look at him.

    From the corner of my vision, I saw Jason staring at me. His sandy hair wilted a bit, a strand of it falling in front of his eyes. But he kept up the stare.

    ¡°You must¡¯ve caught me on a bad day,¡± he said, already beginning to smirk again. ¡°Congratulations on beating me for the first time.¡± He flashed me his teeth, his near-perfect pearly whites.

    I stopped my visual tour of the room and stared back at him. ¡°I think I caught you on a perfectly fine day,¡± I said. I kept up my grin, pushing down the frustration that had built just under the surface. I¡¯d won this time. And I had to make sure he knew it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d say that,¡± he hesitated, his smirk ticking down the slightest bit. ¡°But you¡¯re definitely getting better.¡± His words came rushed, as if pushed out through his teeth. The knight in me took it as an insult, but I took it all the same.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, trying to keep up my smile. ¡°World knows that I¡¯ve had enough time to practice these last few weeks. Without any assignments, I¡¯ve really done nothing but.¡±

    I heard the bitterness in my voice, even if I¡¯d tried to suppress it. And from the way Jason looked at me, I could tell he¡¯d heard it too. I hadn¡¯t meant to be bitter. I had to be thankful that I was even still given a place to stay, but with nothing to do, that didn¡¯t mean as much.

    My jaw tightened as I remembered why I¡¯d been given nothing to do. I¡¯d been tasked with something as simple as retrieving a package by my town¡¯s Lord. I¡¯d come back empty-handed. I¡¯d made excuses, I¡¯d talked back. And by the end of that day, I¡¯d left him dead.

    A shiver raced down my spine as the memories passed. I pushed them away, hiding them behind the justification I always used. He hadn¡¯t been human, I told myself. At least, not by the time I¡¯d gotten to him. He¡¯d been a kanir, a bloodthirsty beast that had tried to murder me in cold blood. What I¡¯d done was in self-defense. It had attacked first.

    But now he wasn¡¯t a kanir, my mind reminded me. Now he was dead.

    ¡°Well,¡± Jason started. ¡°I¡¯d consider you lucky, to be honest. With the shit happening in the forest again, ranger work has been more just waiting around to do paperwork than actual hunting.¡± Frustration bled into his words more and more as he went on. I could see the way his idle hand clenched around the sword at his waist.

    I squinted at him, his words replaying in my mind. I¡¯d heard that complaint before, from almost a dozen of the rangers, but I¡¯d never seen for myself. They¡¯d all been as vague as possible, saying there was ¡®something wrong with the forest¡¯ but never explaining what. From what I¡¯d gathered, game was down, there were fewer magical beasts, and some weird force that came in cycles was the thing causing it all.

    To me, that sounded like a good thing. If there was less to hunt, there was less danger and the town was safer. From how I understood it, that was our job, to keep the town safe.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on with the forest any¡ª¡±

    ¡°And you still have only beat me without the use of magic,¡± Jason said. His oppressive smirk cut off my words before I could finish my sentence. My unfinished question hung in the air for a moment and then died in the dozens of comments that rose to my lips.

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair and you know it,¡± I said guardedly.

    Jason rolled his eyes, adjusting the sword on his waist before walking over to the weapon rack. ¡°It¡¯s true though,¡± he said, my eyes tracking him the whole way.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    The smile dropped off my face, contorting into more of a sneer as I glared holes into his head. I wasn¡¯t normally this petty. I¡¯d never used to be this petty¡­ but he knew how to push all the right buttons.

    I bit down hard, adjusting my stance. I didn¡¯t want to accept it, but he was right. If he¡¯d been using even a small bit of his magic, I would¡¯ve lost in an instant. I could still remember the pain from just one of his weighted strikes.

    My shoulder rolled in its socket, the pain of that fight fresh enough for me to feel. In my body, I was barely keeping up with him even still. Even with all the training I¡¯d forced myself to do over the past couple of weeks, I was still messing up. My body just wasn¡¯t strong enough, or it just wasn¡¯t fast enough, or it just didn¡¯t listen.

    A new image, one I hadn¡¯t seen in forever rose up in my mind. My old body stared at me through the mirror of my homestead, its sweeping blonde hair, its defined muscles, its accomplished stature. That is what I had to become. And that would¡¯ve wiped the floor with Jason at any time of the day.

    I wanted to comment, to brag, to taunt Jason with my previous accomplishments, but I held my tongue. It wouldn¡¯t have made any sense, and he would¡¯ve just gotten suspicious. I was on a whole new continent, I reminded myself. These people didn¡¯t know me, at least, not the old me. Some things were just better left unsaid.

    Jason switched his knife for a new one on the weapon rack, balancing it on his finger. ¡°You¡¯ll get there one day, Agil.¡±

    I blinked at him, tilting my head. It took me a second to realize what he was talking about. But as soon as he smirked at me, fiery sparks flying off the knife in his hand, I knew exactly what he meant. I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes.

    Seeing that I¡¯d gotten the message, Jason let out a short chuckle before removing his concentration from the knife and cooling it in the air. The blade¡¯s shiny metal glinted at me, staring me right in the eyes as the soft red of the heat he¡¯d pushed into it cooled away.

    ¡°Fucking showoff,¡± I muttered to myself, earning a sharp laugh.

    I wished I had magic, I really fucking did, but I¡¯d been born without it. I still remembered the classes my king had mandated we take in Credon and what the teachers had said about me. I chuckled at the memory, watching parts of it in a blur. I remembered their faces and the things they¡¯d said, but their names were just out of reach.

    But that had been that, and I¡¯d accepted it then. No matter how hard I¡¯d tried, it was something I had never been able to learn. Back home, it hadn¡¯t been much of an issue, but here, it was a whole different beast.

    My mind drifted to the back of itself as I thought about magic. I hadn¡¯t seen it move in weeks, not even a stir. I didn¡¯t know what it was, and I didn¡¯t know why it was sitting in the back of my mind. But it was, and it was magic all the same.

    It was just¡­ magic I didn¡¯t have access to.

    When I¡¯d killed Arathorn¡ªthe name still stung to think¡ªit had flared up with energy, filling my body with power. I still remembered the white flames; the way they¡¯d fueled my soul, the way they¡¯d dealt the final blow, the way they licked my skin but never seemed to burn.

    I cringed, the memory feeling like a freshly opened scab, a scar on my mind that would never stop bleeding. It had helped me then. It had saved my life. But ever since then, it just lay dormant in my mind.

    ¡°Agil!¡± Jason said in a frustrated tone. I shook myself, whipping my head to the source of the sound. Jason was glaring at me, standing by the dark wooden entrance to the lodge.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked, almost cringing at my own voice. I sounded so clueless, like a fucking lost child. He must¡¯ve said something that I¡¯d missed while lost in my thoughts. Again. It was happening more often now¡­ I¡¯d never used to get so lost in my thoughts.

    ¡°Are you coming?¡± he asked, twirling the knife between his fingers.

    I raised an eyebrow, immediately berating myself. I didn¡¯t know what he was talking about, and I did not want to ask.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed on me. ¡°To town hall.¡±

    I offered him a smile. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because Lorah called all off-duty rangers to meet there?¡± Jason tilted his head, rolling his wrist as if to get the gears in my mind working. ¡°Were you not listening?¡±

    I almost shook my head, admitting to the truth, but another comment rose to my lips. ¡°I was too busy relishing in your defeat.¡±

    Jason let out a laugh before he could stop it, rolling his eyes. ¡°Right,¡± he said. ¡°Well come on, I have to be your escort through town.¡±

    The smirk that had been building died at my lips. Right, I remembered, I had to have an escort. I snapped my lips shut and gave Jason a nod. His face went serious¡ªa look I didn¡¯t often see on him¡ªand he nodded back.

    Jason halted the knife in his hand, quickly sheathing it back on his belt. He glanced back at me, watching me put my sword back into its scabbard. I smiled, my lips ticking up a hair, and followed Jason as he pushed his way out of the lodge.

    <hr>

    My eyes were downcast as the town hall came into view. I stared at my feet, watching my boots glide over the cobblestone as I followed Jason. It was easier to focus on the pain in my legs. I didn¡¯t need to look around, and I didn¡¯t want to either. I didn¡¯t need to see the people again, to watch the glares of disgust or fear they threw my way. I¡¯d seen enough of that.

    From the corner of my eye, I caught the sight of multiple rangers going into the town hall. The distinct dark blue cloth and the emblem embroidered on their arm told me everything I needed to know. I turned my gaze up as the town hall neared, taking in its majesty.

    The large wooden building dwarfed everything around it. The simple but sturdy stonework of its foundation already set it apart from most of the basic houses, but the large, sweeping wooden roof was what really made it stand out. Every time I walked near it, I couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. And even now, averting my eyes from the people around me, the feeling hadn¡¯t changed.

    Jason walked up the shallow steps onto the building¡¯s preceding porch and dragged me in his wake. He glanced back at me, sparing a smile that really was more of a smirk than a grin, and pushed his way into the door.

    I followed after him, already hearing the commotion from inside. My hand held the door open, letting the warmth of the room clash with the cold air for a moment as I looked back.

    My eyes danced across the street, a genuine smile growing on my lips as I watched the morning market still starting up and all of the people it contained. Children carrying crates for their parents, a couple hugging in the doorway of their home, a man arguing with someone at their stall.

    My smile grew as I recognized the man. Arl, I remembered with fond memories. He was a farmer... Or, he used to be before his parents kicked him off the farm for stealing from them. Arl was a good man, most of the time anyway, and he¡¯d been great company for me when I¡¯d had to go grocery runs. At least, back when I was still even asked to do that kind of thing.

    ¡°For the world¡¯s sake, close the damn door!¡± someone said from inside the hall. I recognized the voice, but I couldn¡¯t place it to a name. I knew it was a ranger, at least.

    I watched Arl stop arguing and storm away from the shop, probably just on his way to start up an argument with someone else. A sharp breath left my nose and I held up my hand to wave to the man.

    Arl, even stewing in his anger, saw my hand and looked up. A smile started growing on his face¡ªprobably just because someone waved at him at all¡ªbut when he saw who I was, the smile died in an instant. His eyebrows dropped to the ground and he glared at me, turning around without even a wave back.

    Right, I told myself as I lowered my hand. Things were different now.

    They¡¯d said I would be fine, that nothing was going to happen to me. But looking out on the town that I now called home and getting glared at by people I could¡¯ve, at one time or another, considered my friends, it didn¡¯t feel like nothing. It didn¡¯t feel like nothing at all.

    I turned around, heeding the request of the angry ranger, and walked in the hall, letting the door close behind me.

    My eyes flicked around the room, watching the almost a dozen rangers, all dressed in their uniforms, sitting at tables and chatting amongst themselves. I recognized some faces, too. I saw Myris, his bold grey hair sticking out amongst the crowd as he talked with a few rangers I barely knew. I saw Lionel standing over by the fireplace by himself, twirling a knife in his hand. But there was one person who I didn¡¯t see.

    ¡°Right here,¡± Jason said, his voice right by my side. My hand gripped on my sword as I twisted around. Jason smirked at me, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back up against the wall. ¡°It¡¯s almost winter, you really shouldn¡¯t be holding the door open like that.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± I said dryly. ¡°Do you know why we¡¯re even here anyway?¡±

    Jason shrugged, leaning his head up against the wall and motioning for me to get out of the doorway. ¡°No, but it¡¯s probably nothing too big. It¡¯s only a meeting for all of the rangers who don¡¯t currently have assignments. Like us.¡±

    The comment stung, even if he¡¯d lumped himself in the same group with me. ¡°We¡¯re in the town hall though,¡± I said, my eyes scanning over the large room. ¡°So it has to be at least somewhat important right?¡±

    I saw Jason bite back a chuckle. ¡°We¡¯re only meeting here because this is where Lorah has been spending most of her time. With the whole¡­¡± he glanced at me, hesitating for a moment, ¡°situation, she¡¯s been put in a leadership position of sorts.¡±

    I nodded, my list of questions only extending. ¡°So she¡¯s acting as the town¡¯s Lord?¡± The idea of her replacing Arathorn seemed¡­ wrong to me. Part of me liked the idea that I was serving my town¡¯s Lord more directly, but based on experience, she was not the right person for the job.

    Jason almost snorted. ¡°She¡¯s more just desperately looking for a replacement. With everything that happened,¡± he neatly sidestepped the mention of it again, ¡°the agreement between the rangers and Sarin was in trouble. She¡¯s really just trying to get everything formalized so that we can get back to hunting and maybe even stop the shit happening in the forest.¡±

    I nodded again, squinting my eyes. There it was again, the mention of something happening in the forest. I hadn¡¯t even been the one to ask and he¡¯d still been vague. Was it something that I was already supposed to know? The possibility was there, but I still wanted to ask.

    ¡°Stop what¡ª¡±

    A loud slam echoed throughout the room, cutting me off, again. I hadn¡¯t even gotten through two words this time. I whirled my head around, my ears having already pinpointed the source of the sound.

    Lorah looked back at the door she¡¯d just slammed¡ªthe one to Arathorn¡¯s old office¡ªand scowled. She adjusted the silver-lined hood nod draped off her back before turning her attention to the room.

    The whole room went quiet as Lorah strode to the center. Even as frustrated as she was, she still walked with power in her step, and we could feel it. Each step from her metal-plated boots rang out impossibly soft, but among the spell of silence, it could be heard by every pair of ears in the room.

    I stood at attention, turning away from Jason and toward my leader. Even Jason straightened up and gave her all of the attention he could without pushing off of the wall he was leaning on.

    Lorah raised her right hand. The air around me felt lighter a tiny amount and I knew what she was trying to do. The fire in the room¡¯s fireplace and the torches on the walls all flared brightly for a moment before returning to normal.

    Lorah looked around, confused for a second before a look of realization settled on her face. I heard a faint chuckle from somewhere in the room. That was what she did to raise the lights in her office. But she wasn¡¯t in her office.

    The misstep didn¡¯t faze Lorah though as she cleared her throat and stared out at us. ¡°Rangers,¡± she said, power dripping from her tone. ¡°I¡¯ve called you here for news.¡±

    Jason finally lifted himself off the wall.

    ¡°After everything that has happened with the situation the town has been put in recently,¡± Lorah¡¯s eyes stopped on me for a heartbeat, staring into my soul before she moved on, ¡°a candidate for the new Lord of Sarin has been found and duties should soon return to normal.¡±

    I furrowed my brow, glancing at Jason. All I saw was satisfaction in his eyes.

    ¡°He¡¯s not from here, he¡¯s from one of the mountain states.¡± Lorah continued in the same powerful voice. ¡°But he knew our previous Lord very well and jumped at the opportunity to come here.¡±

    Lines appeared on my forehead as I turned toward Jason again. ¡°What are the mountain states?¡±

    Jason blinked, turning to me slowly. Seeing no sign of sarcasm on my face, he tilted his head. I didn¡¯t correct myself. ¡°How do you not know?¡± he asked in a hushed tone, not even taking the risk of talking over Lorah. ¡°You¡¯ve been to one.¡±

    I started to shake my head before realizing what he meant, the obviousness of the name slapping me in the face. ¡°Norn?¡± Jason nodded. ¡°So there are more towns in those mountains?¡± Jason scrunched his nose and nodded quickly, turning his attention back to Lorah.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got rangers already on their way to bring him here,¡± Lorah said. I heard Jason mumbling something under his breath. ¡°And with that transition set in motion, assignments will be given out regularly again and we¡¯ll finally be able to deal with the scourge in our woods.¡±

    Lorah ended her announcement with a smile that told everyone in the room she was done talking. As soon as it set in, a commotion broke out, multiple rangers voicing their enthusiasm on the matter.

    I turned to Jason, who was still mumbling to himself, and cocked an eyebrow.

    He stopped mumbling, his eyes moving to me. ¡°Nothing,¡± he said. I waited. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ Kye got to go retrieve the new Lord of our town and I¡¯ve been stuck here doing bullshit.¡±

    Right, I thought. It made a lot of sense. Kye had left on a ¡®special assignment¡¯ days ago, but she hadn¡¯t told me what it was. ¡°Well, you won¡¯t be doing bullshit anymore.¡±

    Jason laughed slightly. ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right. But dealing with the forest¡¯s cycle right now is nowhere near as exciting as taking the trek all the way to the mountains.¡±

    There it was again, a mention of something wrong with the forest. He¡¯d mentioned its ¡®cycle¡¯ this time. I didn¡¯t know what that meant, but I sure as hell wanted to find out.

    ¡°And,¡± Lorah said, commotion dying down around her voice. This time I¡¯d been cut off before I¡¯d even started speaking. ¡°Those of you with assignments already know you have them. We¡¯re going back to normal, so I expect them done when they¡¯re supposed to be done.¡±

    Jason¡¯s smile turned back into his signature smirk and his eyes were already meeting with other rangers in the room. I watched him, the smile on my face fading by the second. If assignments were back, and we were already supposed to know if we had them¡­

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I said, the curse slipping out of my mouth. I stared at Lorah, watching the way she adjusted her platinum hair for a second as she went back to the office. I took a deep breath and walked toward her, leaving Jason by the door.

    I hadn¡¯t been told about any new assignments before the announcement. That meant that I wasn¡¯t getting any new assignments. And I did not want to be lounging around the ranger¡¯s lodge doing nothing. Not anymore.

    ¡°Lorah!¡± I called as she walked through the office door. I caught the door before it fully closed, the sight of the office filling my eyes. The commotion behind me was immediately drowned out, overpowered by the pumping of blood in my ears.

    The ground was clean and organized, much more so than when Arathorn had owned the office, but I could still see the piles of books that I¡¯d tripped over tucked against the wall. A shiver raced down my spine. The desk was the same, a large, ornate piece with organized stacks of paperwork on it. Even the window was the same¡ªalbeit no longer boarded over¡ªand the sunlight poking through it was the only source of light in the room.

    ¡°Agil?¡± Lorah said to me, ripping me from my thoughts. I tore my eyes off the room and focused on her. She stood in front of the desk, almost exactly where Arathorn had stood before, twirling the little knife in his hands. I could still see the gash in the desk where he¡¯d stabbed the knife in.

    ¡°Y-Yes,¡± I said, focusing on the words I¡¯d wanted to say. I shook my head. ¡°About ranger assignments?¡±

    Lorah¡¯s raised eyebrow lowered again. ¡°Ah. I assumed you would want to talk to me about that.¡± Her lips curled into a warm smile. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, you did not get a new assignment.¡±

    I tried my best not to let my frustration show in my tone. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m just wondering¡­ Why not?¡±

    Lorah¡¯s smile wavered a bit. ¡°Well, you¡¯re in a bit of a special situation¡­ wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± I nodded. ¡°Doing assignments in the forest right now¡ªwith the cycle being as it is¡ªis not a good idea for you.¡± The question once again sprouted in my mind but Lorah continued on without pause. ¡°And with the opinion of the town being as it is, I didn¡¯t want you to be doing that kind of work anyway.¡±

    Frustration slowly turned to rage in my head. My hand clenched on the grip of my sword by my side. ¡°So what am I supposed to do?¡±

    Worry and fear reared their ugly heads in my mind, prompting questions that I did not want to ask. What if they¡¯d lied to me? What if everything was not fine? What if they kicked me from the rangers and left me out to die, again? I shook off the questions as best that I could, praying to the world that I would never have to answer them.

    ¡°Well,¡± Lorah started, something new in her voice. She picked up a piece of paper off the desk behind her, scanning it quickly. ¡°I actually have a task specifically for you.¡±

 Chapter 25

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    Guard duty. The extra specific task that Lorah had just for me was fucking guard duty.

    I paced around the side of the lodge, the soft sound of my footsteps on the dirt echoing through the night. I flicked my eyes across the field, trusting in my near-perfect sense of sight. It was still empty.

    No matter how many times I watched it, or listened, it was always the same. The large open field from the lodge to the tree line was empty and completely void of danger. I let out a groan, hoping, wishing that I could¡¯ve been doing anything else.

    Guard duty was little more than walking around and watching for threats. It wasn¡¯t a very difficult task, but it wasn¡¯t a very exciting one either. Lorah had chosen me for guard duty, though. Because it gave me something to do. Guarding the lodge was a very low-visibility task and it didn¡¯t require me to get my hands dirty¡ªunless we had much larger problems. She¡¯d said it was an important job and, with the way the town viewed me at the moment, the one that would cause the least trouble.

    I didn¡¯t doubt her, but that didn¡¯t mean I liked it.

    It needed to be done, I told myself. I could at least make that case, but it was more of the same. I¡¯d spent the past few weeks doing nothing but sit around while the town that I now called home changed around me. Going out was trouble, the looks I got¡ªthe threats in the eyes of people I¡¯d known, made that all-too-clear. But just sitting around was boring, and I was itching for action.

    I¡¯d known my life was stale when the highlight of my day became dealing with Jason. As annoying as he was, he was much easier to talk to than the rest of the rangers. And even I had to admit, hearing him tell story after story of his miraculous hunting conquests was still more entertaining than lying on my ass. It was a break in the monotony, at least; even with as dull as it was, it still cut through the mind-numbing boredom I would¡¯ve felt otherwise.

    The first few days after the incident¡ªthat¡¯s what Lorah had gone to calling it¡ªhad been nice. I¡¯d slept in as much as I wanted, relishing in the comfort of my bed. I hadn¡¯t had any obligations, but I¡¯d still been able to fill the time. Those were the days before Kye had left and they¡¯d been a lot more fun. Making jokes and listening to stories with her was a thousand times better than sitting around, practicing my stances and maneuvers. I already knew them; I already knew them by heart. I just had to train. But I¡¯d done that already, in my old body.

    I rounded the corner of the lodge, the lit torch next to the front door warming me with its light. My fingers brushed together briefly as I pulled the light but very snug cloak tighter around me. If I had anything to be thankful for in my new life, the high-quality clothes were definitely it.

    When I¡¯d arrived in Sarin, it had felt like the spring weather I¡¯d experienced back in Credon. It hadn¡¯t been too warm, or too cold. It had been the perfect weather to just forget about as I¡¯d hopelessly tried to adjust to a whole new life.

    But since then, it had only gotten colder. Feeling the nearly frigid air seeping even farther into my hands, arriving in Sarin felt like little more than a distant memory at this point.

    The wind slapped me in the face, bringing me back to the present. I rubbed my nose, hoping whatever little warmth was left on my hands would transfer to my face. I walked closer to the front door and closer to the small fire that came with it. I had to be glad they¡¯d put it up. They almost hadn¡¯t, with Myris¡¯ ¡®worry¡¯ that it would attract unwanted attention to the lodge.

    ¡°But that¡¯s what I¡¯m here for, isn¡¯t it?¡± I¡¯d asked. He¡¯d shut right up after that.

    ¡°He¡¯s just giving you a hard time,¡± Jason had said with a smirk in Myris¡¯ direction. Jason¡¯s unbiased arrogance was always a comfort. I¡¯d known he was giving me a hard time, but that didn¡¯t make it much better. Myris was, to put it bluntly, an asshole, but he only was that way to me.

    The older ranger was bold and he always made the case that he knew everyone in town. It made sense, in a way, because he¡¯d lived here for so long. I¡¯d never asked his age, but Myris had to be at least older than forty, somewhere around the age my dad had been when he died.

    Myris was friendly with everyone but in a guarded sort of way. I¡¯d always see him, or more often, hear him talking loudly with other rangers, sharing stories or discussing the happenings in their life. He never started a conversation, that I could say for sure, but if one was started with him, he became a fucking knight in charming armor.

    That was, unless the conversation involved me.

    Whenever I tried to talk with Myris, or on one of the rare occasions that I had an assignment with him, he always ignored me the best he could. Anytime we did talk, it was the absolute bare minimum, whatever was necessary for the moment or whatever he thought he had to say to get me off his back. Myris had been a ranger for a long time¡ªanother thing he reminded me of constantly¡ªand he was set in his ways. He didn¡¯t like the fact that I¡¯d become a ranger so quickly or the fact that soon after I did, everything in the town had gone to shit.

    But both of those reasons were true, so I couldn¡¯t really have blamed him for that.

    I laid my head back on the wooden wall behind me. My feet complained in a half-hearted way as if my muscles themselves were too bored to feel tired. It was good to know that I wasn¡¯t the only one. I rolled my eyes to myself as the memory of only about an hour prior played out in front of my eyes.

    ¡°The cycle is really unstable right now,¡± Jason had said while they were preparing. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±

    ¡°Me neither,¡± Myris had cut in before I could even say a thing, his eyes bearing down on me. ¡°We don¡¯t know how bad it could be this time, so we have to stay on our toes.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± the third ranger had said. Carter, I think, was his name. ¡°And keep our minds sharp. We can¡¯t allow any of their tricks to get to us this time.¡± That had earned a heavy nod from Jason. ¡°For whatever reason, they¡¯re here now. Even if their scourge usually holds off until after winter.¡±

    I¡¯d asked them then what ¡®scourge¡¯ they were talking about, but I hadn¡¯t gotten a good answer. In fact, I hadn¡¯t been able to get any answer, even if Jason had tried.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to be explaining things that you should already know,¡± Myris had said, cutting Jason off before he¡¯d even started. That had earned him a glare. ¡°This is why you¡¯re on guard duty.¡±

    ¡°Asshole,¡± I breathed into the cold air with a laugh, my words dying instantly in the wind.

    The best idea I¡¯d gotten was that every year some... ¡®things¡¯ would spread in the forest, almost like a blight. From what I¡¯d gathered, these things were almost like unstable beings of magic that fed off fear. Whatever they really were, they¡¯d played them up as extremely dangers. And apparently, they were dangerous enough that I had to stand guard. When I really thought about it, it sounded ridiculous, like it was being completely overblown; it sounded like some old piece of folklore I would¡¯ve been told as a child. But I knew they were actually dangerous. Their last warning had told me that.

    ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t get lured into the forest,¡± Jason had said. ¡°If you hear a sound out of place, ignore it. If you see movement in the trees, anything that seems just out of reach, ignore it. Whatever you do, don¡¯t get lured into the forest.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    A shiver raced down my spine as I leaned against the lodge, just as it had when I¡¯d first heard the warning. A sudden coldness settled over my soul, one completely unaffected by the fire softly burning to my side.

    I shook my head, trying to clear the fear from my mind. Jason¡¯s voice had just been so... serious, more serious than I¡¯d ever heard him before. I didn¡¯t know what the warning meant, but that didn¡¯t matter. After the way he¡¯d said it, I was following his order no matter what.

    My hand gripped tightly on the sword by my side, the weight of it comforting me as I pushed myself off the wall, ready to make the rounds again. It grounded me, kept me on my toes. The fact that my blade was so close at hand was enough to ward off any worry that could seep into my mind.

    The wind blew over my face, pushing the brown hair I¡¯d come to know as my own in front of my eyes. I brushed it away, feeling the cold air on my skin as my head tilted up. My curiosity was suddenly sparked, and I didn¡¯t tilt my head back down. Instead, I looked further up, my slowly relaxing gaze staring out into the night.

    The stars stared back at me as beautiful white dots, ones that, as I realized quickly, I had never truly seen.

    I ended up just standing there for a while, my eyes wandering the skies. I¡¯d looked up at the stars before, but that had been before I¡¯d died. Since I¡¯d been tricked by the beast, cursed with a life that wasn¡¯t my own, and thrown into conflicts that were far from my own. Everything recently had just happened so¡­ fast. I hadn¡¯t gotten time to appreciate even the beautiful night sky.

    A loud howl of the wind stung my ears and the frigid air blasted into my face, ripping me from my thoughts. I tore my gaze back to the ground and shook my head. I didn¡¯t have time to be looking up at the stars. They had only been gone for an hour at most. I was still on guard duty.

    I reminded myself of my duties and of who¡¯d given them to me. My leader, the woman who¡¯d allowed me to even become a ranger, that¡¯s who¡¯d given them to me. I wasn¡¯t going to be wasting my time, I couldn¡¯t just be wasting my time. No matter how boring it was, it was still my duty, and it was something I was going to fulfill.

    Reasserting my resolve and pushing back the foreign thoughts of beauty, I pushed myself back around the corner of the lodge. The same field and the same set of trees filled my view as I scanned my designated area again. Seeing that it was still empty, my resolve weakened a hair. Nothing had changed.

    My hand relaxed on my sword and I moved my eyes to the ground. A groan started to slip from my lips, but it didn¡¯t make it all the way out. My breath caught in my throat as something flashed in the corner of my eye.

    Movement.

    I twisted, already reasserting my grip over my sword. My eyes stared through the dark, piercing it with any sliver of light they could find. I waited for a second, watching the still trees, but nothing was there. I furrowed my brow.

    I¡¯d seen movement, hadn¡¯t I? Had I been mistaken? Was I imagining things purely out of boredom?

    Jason¡¯s warning played through my head. I straightened up and widened my eyes, scanning the trees again. It didn¡¯t matter if I was imagining it. If there was even the smallest chance that the movement was there, I had to stay alert.

    My eyes glided over the tree line as slowly as I could make them. The cluttered, gnarled trees stayed exactly where they were, not even swaying in the wind. As far as I could tell, there was nothing hiding in their shadows. The realization solidified in my mind, working to keep my feet on the ground, but from somewhere deep in my mind, it was getting chipped away.

    My ears perked up, a sound registering at the edge of my hearing. I strained myself, focusing on the forest before I heard it again. The single sound sent a shot of pure ice straight through my veins.

    The rustling of leaves.

    I didn¡¯t know why exactly it made me so scared, but with the cold wind freezing on my skin and Jason¡¯s warning spinning in my head, I could only think of the worst.

    Movement flashed again and I snapped my eyes to it, hoping to catch whatever it was in the middle of the act. But as my eyes focused on the position where it had been, I didn¡¯t see any movement. All I saw were the trees.

    My breathing quickened as more and more of my resolve was scraped away. My mind started spinning, dozens of possibilities all fighting for their chance to be rationalized. I pushed them all back. My body moved closer to the lodge, trying not to focus on the increasingly solid ball of dread in my chest, and I continued my watch.

    The thundering of my heart was as much of a distraction as the sounds had been. Every few seconds, my eyes would scan over the forest, hoping to catch a deer, or a wolf, or a bird flying out between the leaves. Anything normal, that¡¯s what I hoped for. Anything normal.

    A loud thud echoed through the night. I froze, slowly turning my neck toward the sound. My eyes scanned the woods, watching the trees as carefully as I could and¡ªthere. A couple dozen paces away from me and just barely within the forest, movement rustled the brush. I focused on it, hoping to catch what it was, but all I got was the black blur of its shadow as it moved on through the trees.

    I could almost hear the way the fear in my mind sharpened with every passing second.

    ¡°Help!¡± a voice yelled. My hand gripped my blade and I instinctively took a step forward. The voice sounded soft, softer than a yell should¡¯ve been, and it sounded hollow. I stopped myself, furrowing my brow and keeping my feet from taking another step forward.

    ¡°Please! They¡¯re coming, please, please help!¡±

    The same hollow voice echoed in my ear, pulling straight at my mind. I grimaced, clenching my jaw as I forced myself to take a step back. It sounded like they were lost. It sounded like someone who easily could¡¯ve been from Sarin. It sounded like a person. But I didn¡¯t rush to their aid.

    Jason¡¯s warning repeated in my head. My breathing quickened, but I took a step back. No matter what I heard, I couldn¡¯t get lured into the woods.

    I ignored the sounds, going against every moral bone in my body, and walked back toward the lodge. The voice didn¡¯t belong to a person, I told myself. It belonged to whatever they were already hunting. I couldn¡¯t fight it, that¡¯s why I was the one on guard duty, and I couldn¡¯t let it lure me into the woods.

    I leaned myself back against the side of the lodge and closed my eyes, trying not to focus on all of the thoughts scraping against my skull. The voice hadn¡¯t even been convincing, I told myself. It had sounded distressed, but it hadn¡¯t sounded real. I repeated Jason¡¯s warning one more time, trying to force my breathing to be steady. This is exactly what he¡¯d been talking about, a fake noise meant to lure me to my death.

    ¡°Agil!¡± a voice screamed after almost a minute of silence. I recognized the voice in an instant and snapped my eyes open. Distantly, somewhere beyond the tree line, Jason had called to me. I blinked for a second, my mind already doubting the sound.

    ¡°Agil!¡± Jason yelled again. ¡°We killed the scourge, but the fight took us too far from the lodge. One of us forgot the fucking way back!¡± The horrible scraping of my fear only got louder as I listened.

    I stepped forward on instinct but I hesitated for a moment after. The voice sounded authentic, it sounded exactly like Jason. It wasn¡¯t hollow or unrealistic like the other one had been, it was the real thing, as if picked specifically from my mind. I furrowed my brow, unsheathing my blade in silence, and watched the woods.

    I heard Jason grumble loudly somewhere in the distance. ¡°Disregard my warning for now, that¡¯s over. I don¡¯t want to be stranded in here all damn night!¡±

    Another step forward, drawing me closer to the woods. Frustration had entered Jason¡¯s voice in the exact way it always did. And that sounded like something he¡¯d say. Right?

    I nodded to myself, rationalizing it in my head and trying to push the fear back further. It sounded too real, it had to be him. And I didn¡¯t even want to think about what would¡¯ve happened if I didn¡¯t help him, that was a whole other set of fears. If he made it back, I¡¯d see hell, and if he didn¡¯t, I¡¯d have to live with it forever on my conscious.

    I shook away the worries of the future, barely even noticing the sharpened scraping of my fear, and pushed myself forward. If I didn¡¯t help them, and they didn¡¯t make it back¡­ I didn¡¯t even want to think about it. My grip tightened on my sword. I¡¯d help him out, I told myself, I had to.

    My footsteps rang out like muffled thuds in the night as I made my way across the field. Doubt screamed at me the whole way, but it could barely be heard over the raking behind my eyes or the howling of the wind. Multiple dozen paces became one dozen, and one dozen become one as I pushed myself closer and closer to the woods.

    ¡°Jason,¡± I hissed, my voice drowning out the terror for a moment. I tried to keep my tone as quiet as possible. Movement flashed somewhere further in the woods, moving almost the exact opposite direction of me. I cursed, my doubt giving way to action as I pushed into the forest.

    The darkness around me was oppressive as I stepped through the trees. I¡¯d hunted at night before¡ªa horrible memory welled up fast before I could push it down. The sight of the kanir overtook my eyes, the looming, pale skin burned into my memory. I stopped in my tracks, almost running all the way back, but the thought of Jason, and Myris, and Carter still looking for me out in the wilderness forced me on.

    When I¡¯d gotten to the part of the forest where I¡¯d seen the movement, I looked around, keeping my blade close at hand. Everything around me was still, the near pitch-black darkness challenging even my eyes. I blinked, trying to adjust as my eyes caught what looked to be shimmering in the shadows.

    ¡°Jason?¡± I asked the air, louder than before. I got no response.

    The only thing in the forest for a moment was silence and it told me everything I needed to know. The realization hit me all at once, running through my mind like a chariot. There was nothing here. I whipped my head back, seeing the distant moonlight where the forest opened up to a field. I¡¯d made a mistake, I¡¯d made a huge mistake.

    And when I tried to run, I found myself locked in place as hands colder than the air around me grasped at my ankles. A familiar memory, one that I barely recognized at all welled up in my mind. I turned around, keeping my eyes as sharp as I could, and swung at the thing grabbing me.

    But my blade swung uselessly as the ground came up under me. My horrible, blood-curdling scream rang impossibly through the woods when my back hit the ground and I was dragged, far too quickly, out into the night.

 Chapter 26

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    The world flew around me in a blur.

    Bump after bump and bruise after bruise, my all-too-tense body was dragged through the woods. I clutched my sword tight, feeling the strain in my muscles as I desperately tried to just keep my grip.

    I closed my arms in, trying to keep my cloak from flying off into the dirt. Its warmth hugged me still, even as the cold ground transferred its curse onto me. I bit down, forcing my neck to stay up.

    Everything whirled around me, heartbeat after heartbeat. Trunks, leaves, and the whole rest of the brush all sped past at impossible speeds. My eyes flicked around, every once in a while coming into perfect focus on one specific part of the blurred world around me.

    One moment it was a specific open section of the woods where the moonlight shone down just enough for me to see a birds nest lying in a tree. The next moment it was little more than the furious rustling of a bush as something¡ªpresumably just as scared as I was¡ªran desperately away from the thing dragging me off through the night.

    My neck screamed at me as I forced my head up. My eyes stared at the thing, little more than a black blur as it dragged me away. I forced my eyes to hone in, forced them to focus. And it just barely worked.

    In a moment frozen in time, a sliver of moonlight pierced through the forest and painted the thing with its light. I caught its shape, one vaguely humanoid from the top-up. I could see its dark surface, what looked to be horrifying scars of silvery grey decorating all over its body. I tried to move my eyes down, tried to look at the rest of it, but I couldn¡¯t. As soon as I tried to look, its weaving twisted me again, whirling me off to the side. My body flew in the air for a moment, feeling the howling wind brushing up across my back before my body once again slammed into the ground.

    A sharp breath escaped from my mouth, accompanied by the horrible shaking I felt on the inside of my body. My arm was flung backward, the grip of my sword slipping ever so slightly through my fingers. I latched on hard, not letting it¡ªnot even for a second¡ªescape my grasp.

    Gasped, stilted breaths entered my lungs as the cold wind washed over my face. My eyes snapped closed. The scraping sound in my mind continued, raking a horrible rhythm against the side of my skull.

    I knew I should¡¯ve listened; I repeated it to myself. If I thought it often enough, it had to become true. Jason¡¯s warning played back through my head, a fearful thrum accompanying every word. He¡¯d told me to ignore it. It had taken advantage of my mind. But I¡¯d only aided its efforts. I¡¯d been the one to walk closer, the one to put my life on the line.

    And yet I¡¯d still been tricked.

    A roaring storm of anger brewed just under the surface as memories surged up. Swirling thoughts chastised me, taunted me with the all-too-recent past. One crystal clear, crippling message rang out through it all.

    I was weak.

    Terrible things flashed in my mind. Fears, worries, terrors, they all surged up. All of the possible gruesome ways to die walked right into my thoughts and just made themselves at home. The swirling, frantic fear greeted them at the door, only helping them get settled further.

    A horrible, unreal cracking sound echoed in my mind¡ªand only in my mind. It brought up more memories, each one more horrible than the last. Memories of fights sped past on my eyelids, memories of killing, memories of pain. Each one of them echoed a similar sound: the horrible gurgled last sounds right before death.

    But the memories eventually slowed, giving way to the one single moment I hated more than the rest. The cracking of bone echoed in my mind again, this time echoing out in a clearing near my home, one that I knew all-too-well.

    The beast¡¯s face stared at me, its cracked, bony lips inching upward into a smile. I saw the darkness in its eyes flare out, edging in from just beyond my vision. Its scythe flashed movement in my vision and a sound rang out in my ears. A familiar clattering sound echoed through my mind and solidified the worse thought floating around in my head.

    I was weak.

    A bony hand reached out. It moved at me in a second, registering the deep, dark memory that I so wanted to repress. Its hand touched my shoulder, the bony extensions of its fingers penetrating into my soul. I felt my body go limp and my vision fade to black.

    I kicked out, and my body went tumbling. I snapped my eyes open, the dark forest canopy quickly staring down at me. I felt the cold dirt underneath me tremble as my kick altered the course of our trip. The cold hand on my ankle let up for a moment, adjusting its grip. It couldn¡¯t have been off for barely more than a second. But that was all the time I needed.

    My legs kicked out again and I grasped desperately for the ground. The cold hand reeled back, leaving my leg yet unshackled. I drove it into the ground, feeling how my metal boot scraped along the ground. The nightmare slowly receded as I regained control.

    I slashed at the thing, my arm bringing back all the energy no longer trapped in my mind. The blade came down, slicing cleanly through the night, and struck where the thing¡¯s arm should¡¯ve been.

    The only contact I got was that of my blade striking the ground, but even without a hit, I still gained something. The dark, cold hand had released my other leg, hissed right at me, and retreated into the night.

    I felt the thundering of my heart pumping straight power through my veins as I picked myself up. The dull pain in my back and all over my arms was drowned out for the time, the feeling instead replaced with the anger still growing in my mind.

    The once all-encompassing fear finally had a challenger as rage seethed under my skin. The scraping had stopped, with the vile sound along with it, and I lifted my body.

    Standing up came with clarity though as I scanned the trees around me. Sparse rays of moonlight poked their ways through the leaves, decorating the sparse brush below. My eyes flicked over the gnarled trees, barely making out their forms in the dark. I didn¡¯t know where I was, and I didn¡¯t know where my fellow rangers were either. The image of Jason¡¯s face flashed in my mind, his gaudy, smug smile staring me right in the face.

    Just because I¡¯d been tricked didn¡¯t mean they had too. They were still out there, I told myself, somewhere deep in the woods.

    Howling wind stung at my ears and my skin. The chill of it felt far too close. I hugged my arms in trying the wrap my cloak tighter, but with another blast of wind, I found that it barely helped. I looked down at myself, barely catching the newly-ripped section in the once-good coat.

    I groaned to myself, almost letting the sound slip from my lips. I bit the groan back though and snapped my head up. The now quiet and dull¡ªbut still very solid¡ªblade of fear hunkered in the back of my mind. A storm of rage and the pure instinct to survive had pushed it away, but it was still there.

    And that thing was still there too.

    I gripped my sword tight. The shiny silver blade fell down by my side, its length just enough to only barely scrape on the ground. Maneuvers flashed in my mind, ones I readied myself to enact. But not yet, I thought, reminding myself of the silence. Not yet.

    I took a step forward, looking around yet another tree. I could see vague forms in the night, barely illuminated by the dim, ambient light. Each one of them scared me, sending my mind through a spike, but the bursts of fear never lasted.

    My long, deep breath rang out in the woods. All I could hear as the sound of my breath faded, was the blood in my ears, the howling of the wind, and¡­ something else. The final sound that I heard was different from the rest. It¡­ echoed and whirled, as if right in my ear, and its soft sharp sound was oddly familiar.

    My neck twisted and my head whipped around. I recognized the noise in an instant. It was coming from inside my mind, I realized. The soft, incessant scraping of fear was back and it was hard to ignore.

    It was close.

    My eyes scanned between the trees, straining themselves for even the slightest movement. I saw nothing in the trees, nothing rustling in the brush. It looked like it was barren, not a thing around for thousands of paces in any direction. But, as the crackly scraping reminded me, that¡¯s just what I¡¯d thought before.

    I took another step forward, feeling the cold of the air seeping its way through my clothes. A little voice in my ear¡ªone that spoke in tune with sound chipping away at my skull¡ªtold me to run. It showed me the safety of the lodge; it showed me how far away I was. It wanted me to leave, to make myself vulnerable and give it a chance to strike. But the voice was still soft, and I knew better than that.

    Another few steps forward brought me between two new trees. I looked behind each of them, my blade ready. The terror striking in my mind sharpened, and I did the same with my eyes.

    The softest sound lilted to my ears, overpowering the rest of the distant ones that I heard in the forest. I recognized the noise in an instant, spawning a demonic grin on my face. My fingers flexed on the sword, tension slipping in and out.

    I took another step forward, bringing myself closer to the sound. It repeated again, telling me everything I needed to know. And as my next step fell down, my body surged forward, my blade coming straight down into the bush.

    A loud crack and a hiss split the night, sending me blinking and reeling back. I felt the contact from my blade and I knew I¡¯d hit, but it had hit too, inside of my mind. I shook off the ringing in my ears and focused again.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    In front of me in the dark was the same black form that had dragged me through the night. Its form was still humanoid, but being able to see its bottom half, the term barely fit. Below the humanoid half that was covered in thin silvery scars, its loose form started to fray. Where I¡¯d expected it to have legs, ones that matched its top half, I instead saw a horrifyingly scattered mess.

    Bile rose in my throat as I watched its form shimmer. What it had for legs looked more like the bottom of a spider than the bottom of a human. The tendrils¡ªwhich is the best term I could put to them¡ª presumably allowed it to move as quickly as it did. But the idea itself mystified me because, instead of regular feet of any kind, the bottom of its tendrils each ended in the form of a human hand.

    A shriek escaped from my lips, splitting the night for a moment before I got it under control. I heard footsteps and rustling echo out somewhere in the distance. I took solace in the sound, trying to focus my mind. Pulling from the tactics in my mind, I surged forward toward the thing.

    My hand angled to the side, forcing power into the hilt of my sword as I sliced in toward the side. From what little I could see of its form in the dark, it didn¡¯t have a weapon of any kind, so I just pushed forward full force. As my feet beat on the dirt, its hand reached out and aimed right for my head.

    I ducked low and pushed off to the side. My sword¡¯s strike came through, cutting deep through its dark surface. The stilted feedback in my arm gave me more confidence than anything else.

    Ignoring the cries of absurdity and the incessant murmurs of fear in my head, I twisted myself around and focused on the beast. Its vague humanoid shape with small, grey eyes twisted toward me and tilted its head. Just where my sword had slashed, there was a shiny grey liquid seeping slowly from its body.

    My brows angled uselessly, displaying a terrible confusion that no one would ever see. The wound I¡¯d just inflicted closed in an instant, but it wasn¡¯t healed. The slash became silver, a shiny grey mark to match the dozen others decorated all over its form.

    The shimmering tendrils from its bottom flared out for a moment and my heart skipped a beat. Horror stories from my childhood instantly filled my mind, each image that I saw accented by the rhythm of the chipping at the edge of my skull. But the tendrils didn¡¯t come at me, they didn¡¯t wrap around my sides, squeezing in on my ribs and choking me until I died.

    No, the tendrils didn¡¯t do any of that. Instead, they collapsed in and reformed into something new.

    I stared in complete horror, the absurdity of the scene not lost on my mind. My hand gripped tight on the handle of my blade as I watched, stepping back on instinct.

    In a movement that I didn¡¯t know was possible¡ªmovement that shouldn¡¯t have been possible¡ªthe humanoid beast formed regular human legs. The silver scars on its body condensed, flaring and twitching as they decreased in size until they were but thin lines all over its skin.

    It stared at me with interest. I stared at it in horror. Whatever it had just done seemed to break my mind, to break all the laws of the world that I¡¯d learned since birth. I quickly came to learn that the opponent I was facing was one unknown to me.

    A comment fell on my tongue, one I¡¯d repeated many times throughout my life. But I couldn¡¯t remember the words. They fell¡­ just beyond my reach.

    The human-shaped thing raised an arm, gesturing toward me. I took another step back. Its fingers extended, turning into dark tendrils much like the ones it had used for legs.

    My eyes widened and I clutched even tighter on my blade. What it was doing wasn¡¯t allowed, I reasoned with myself. It shouldn¡¯t have been possible.

    But my mental complains proved futile against the cemented certainty of the moment that had occurred just seconds ago. I stared at the beast, my eyes connecting with the light grey dots on the part of it shaped like a head.

    As my confusion deepened, the words from before finally broke through and fell perfectly on my tongue. I recognized them all in an instant. They were my father¡¯s words.

    There is no greater fear than the fear of the unknown.

    I shivered, the memory of my father¡¯s warning breaking through in my skull. I remembered the moment well, in almost perfect clarity. It had been the day that his market stall had burned down. He¡¯d come home dirty, covered in sweat and soot, and he¡¯d been as honest as he could. He¡¯d told me the whole story, the horrors of it that haunted him all the way until his death. And by the end of it, the famous warning had come. After the stall had burned down, we¡¯d lost our source of money, and he didn¡¯t know how he was going to support us. The future, then, had been unknown, and I¡¯d been scared for days. But with his words repeating in my head, I¡¯d known I wasn¡¯t alone.

    A soft, distant rustling sound accented by feet pounding on the dirt ripped me back to the present. The sounds cemented the same sentiment that my father¡¯s words had and all the memories of him faded back into the past. I remembered where I was, what uniform I was wearing. And as I continued to walk back, watching the thing with intent, I remembered what was happening and just what I should do.

    I screamed. A loud, ear-shattering scream rang out through the woods. I heard it echo in the trees for multiple whole seconds before it died in the distance. I took another step back, keeping the beastly thing in my vision and strained my ears.

    From where I¡¯d heard the sound before, the one that had given me hope, more rustling reached my ears. The sounds gave me comfort and I latched right onto them. They were coming to save me, I told myself as I walked further back. That had to be what it was.

    I¡¯d come into the forest because I¡¯d thought they were the ones in trouble. But looking at the horrid black form that kept fear scraping at my skull, I knew the clear and solid truth. I was the one in trouble, and they needed to come save me.

    Images of Jason, of Myris, even of Carter, rose up in my mind. I saw them in their uniforms, stalking through the woods. They¡¯d be alert, I told myself confidently. They¡¯d know to listen for a scream, it was the ranger¡¯s most desperate signal. They¡¯d hear me. And they¡¯d come to my aid.

    The images of my fellow rangers quickly faded as the fear scraped again. It was getting louder in my mind, despite the growing distance between the thing and I. It still screamed at me to run, to find safety from the woods. But it didn¡¯t give directions. It hoped I got lost.

    Silvery scars glinted in a ray of moonlight that spread over its form. The thin scars were moving, writhing and twitching on its horrifying surface. I scrunched my nose, about to finally tear my gaze away, but movement flashed in my eyes and it stayed right where it was.

    The shiny scars grew, ripping across its dark surface. The awful scraping in my head quickly turned to banging and the sound only grew in my ears. It drowned out the thundering of my heart, the howling of the wind, the distant footsteps coming ever-closer to me. I twitched in pain as images once again flooded up.

    I saw Jason¡¯s smug smirk, flashing brightly in my eyes. My legs froze in place. I saw Myris¡¯ stare, the way he looked at me with disapproval. I saw Carter¡¯s confusion, millions of questions in his eyes about why I hadn¡¯t followed their warning.

    Guard duty, a distorted voice yelled at me from inside my mind. I could only barely recognize that it was mine. All I¡¯d had to do was stay by the lodge, watch for danger, and listen to their instructions. But I¡¯d disobeyed the warning. I¡¯d been lured into the woods.

    I was weak.

    ¡°Agil?¡± I heard Jason ask, his voice ringing inside my mind. ¡°I gave you the order for a reason. You got lured into the forest. How could you? You¡¯re weak.¡±

    The words stung me deep, poking at worries I carried deep inside. I stared blankly at the air, not even noticing how horrid beast crept toward me.

    ¡°Agil?¡± came Myris¡¯ heavy voice. ¡°You¡¯ve only ever caused problems for us. You¡¯re not truly a ranger. I always knew you were weak.¡±

    My breathing accelerated. The insides of my lungs stung with frigid air. With my mind so preoccupied, I didn¡¯t even see how the thing¡¯s hand reached toward my face.

    ¡°Agil?¡± Carter¡¯s voice rang in my head. ¡°These things aren¡¯t to be played with. You had to stay behind because they¡¯re dangerous. You had to stay behind because you¡¯re weak.¡±

    The cold hand of the thing brushed up against my chest. The chill from its presence bled through my cloak and my tunic instantly, settling against my skin. I felt the cold, and my instincts screamed for me to react, but I didn¡¯t. My body stood motionless as images cycled in my mind. I didn¡¯t even hear how close pounding steps on the dirt had gotten to me.

    ¡°Agil!¡± someone said, almost ripping me from my stupor. I blinked and shook my head, already stumbling backward.

    My eyes adjusted to the dark, focusing again on the horrid creature staring at me with its blank, grey eyes. A familiar twang came from behind me, one that sent a jolt of relief straight to my soul. An arrow streaked through the air, whizzing right past my face and puncturing the beast right in the chest.

    ¡°Dammit,¡± I heard a voice say. It was low and a bit gritty. I didn¡¯t even need to turn around to know it was Myris.

    ¡°Have to save you again huh?¡± Jason said, his smirk catching my gaze as he ran past me. His sword was raised in his hand, orange sparks already flying off the blade. I watched uselessly as he ran at the beast.

    It raised its arm to pick out the arrow still stuck in its shoulder, but Jason didn¡¯t let it. He raised his arm high, an incredible amount of force being pushed into the blade, and he slashed down.

    A loud, popping hiss split the night as the beast shrieked in pain. I caught the sound of Jason¡¯s hitched breath as the thing touched him, but he kept his mind sharp. A large silver scar formed quickly, ripping down the horrid thing¡¯s shoulder.

    Jason leapt back, his feet already shuffling around into a new position. Even in the dark of the night with my brain slowly clouding with pain and exhaustion and fear, I still had to respect Jason¡¯s form.

    ¡°Get back,¡± Myris said, grabbing me by the shoulder. He pulled me toward him, my body following the order far more calmly than I would¡¯ve liked. The serious, grey-haired man stared down on me just as I¡¯d imagined he had, but he kept his mouth shut.

    Carter rushed past me in a flurry of brown hair and blue cloth as he joined Jason in the fray. Multiple knives were sent screeching toward the thing, moving right behind Jason¡¯s movements and lodging themselves in the thing¡¯s blank chest. Another hiss of pain split the night.

    The scraping fear faded from my mind as the thing became more occupied. I stepped back again, watching the fight from a distance. Arrow after arrow left Myris¡¯ bow in calculated precision. Jason¡¯s blows were quick, flashy and effective. And the sounds of hissing pain that continued to escape its form only got louder and louder as its life ticked away.

    Good, I thought to myself, remembering the fear that had gripped me only minutes before. It had manipulated my mind, it had dragged me through the forest, it had reminded me of the fears of my youth. And I still didn¡¯t know even what it was.

    The seconds bled into minutes as exhaustion set in my bones. My fingers still twitched on my sword, the desire to add to the flurry of fighting sounds nearly getting the better of me. But I didn¡¯t, I just watched. I didn¡¯t have the energy to.

    A flash of orange light split the darkness as sparks once again jumped off of Jason¡¯s blade. He rushed at the grey-eyed thing nearly panting and plunged the blade deep into its head. The awful hiss still came out despite the area of the strike, but the sound died out quickly. The fiery light faded from the forest, leaving us once again in the dark, and the horrifying beastly thing fell lifelessly to the ground.

    Jason¡¯s smirk flashed in my vision, seeming to overpower the sharp fear hiding in his eyes. I smiled, almost finding the energy to laugh.

    Myris let out a sigh, lowering his hand from his bow. Moonlight glinted off his grey hair and cast light onto his face. I saw the tense lines, I saw the disappointment. As he opened his mouth, I didn¡¯t even want to know what he would say.

    ¡°What were you thinking?¡± he asked. ¡°You were supposed to be on guard duty.¡±

    Anger broke through in my mind. I found the energy to scowl. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t nothing,¡± Myris cut in. ¡°This is serious.¡± He glanced back to Jason and Carter, the two rangers breathing heavily as they stood over the corpse. ¡°The terrors are way worse than normal¡­¡± his voice came out almost as a breath. ¡°And now you¡¯ve left the lodge undefended. We told you not to go into the woods.¡±

    Jason turned his attention back to us. I saw his smirk fade and his eyebrows raise in the dim light as he stared at us. He rolled his arm, waving his sword through the air and grimaced in pain. I cringed at myself, realizing the gravity of my mistake. But when I looked back to Myris, seeing his hard, disapproving eyes, I couldn¡¯t have admitted it if I¡¯d tried.

    ¡°No,¡± I said.

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I said again, more firmly this time. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know why I couldn¡¯t go into the woods. You wouldn¡¯t explain anything.¡± I took a step toward the older ranger and stared him right in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what the fuck that is.¡± I pointed at the blank, now completely still thing lying on the ground.

    ¡°It¡¯s a terror,¡± Myris spat. From the corner of my eye, I saw Carter removing his knives from the terror¡¯s body. ¡°And that¡¯s something you should already¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I said, finding the energy to cut him off. I was tired of his excuses, tired of the way he treated me. And I was tired, period. The image of the lodge rose up in my mind, the warmth of my covers clashing with the reality of my slowly freezing skin.¡°We need to get back.¡±

    ¡°Of course we do,¡± Myris said. Jason nodded along, for once, holding his tongue. ¡°We¡¯ll have to cut this mission short.¡±

    I gave him a half-nod, the sting of regret still very present in my head. ¡°But once we get back,¡± I started, anger seeping back into my voice. ¡°I just have a few questions.¡±

 Chapter 27 [Plus Book Announcement!]

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

    If you want to get notified of updates for this serial or chat with me as well as other serial authors, consider joining our discord server!</a>

    <hr>

    We walked on in silence.

    My feet kicked against the dirt as I walked; I held my blade ready in my right hand. The cold air stung, the dull feeling still somehow registering as pain on the numbness of my skin. I closed my arms in and pulled the now-tattered cloak around me further. It warmed parts of me, and I was thankful for that. But as the howling wind blasted the warm cloth off my skin for what felt like the millionth time, my thanks was only getting smaller.

    I took another step forward, walking under a small break in the forest¡¯s oppressive canopy. A ray of moonlight flushed over me, revealing the resigned scowl that painted my face.

    My eyes flicked to Myris, his grey hair glinting in the light. I stared harshly at the back of his head, the fire of anger fueling my gaze. A small, shriveled, still-angry part of me believed that if I stared hard enough, he¡¯d turn around and admit his fault in everything.

    He didn¡¯t. Obviously.

    The sounds of our footsteps rang softly through the trees, our signature metal boots clashing with the ground thud after thud. The almost scarily consistent rhythm of our feet beating on the ground echoed in my head, only accentuating the cold, dead silence that permeated all around us.

    My eyes scanned over the party, watching the determined way both Jason and Carter were still watching the woods. We¡¯d killed one of those things, I reminded myself. But that didn¡¯t mean we were safe. We were still deep in the forest, somewhere I only half-recognized in the dark.

    I tightened the grip on my sword, my arms flexing as I thought. Each of my fellow rangers looked vigilant; stoic, tight expressions on each of their faces as they continued to scan the trees. I tried to echo their actions, to make myself useful, but I was just too tired. A different kind of anger rose up in my mind as the exhaustion in my bones reminded me again of just how weak I was.

    How weak my body was, I corrected myself. A small, mirthful grin grew against my scowl as I flexed my muscles, remembering the power I used to have.

    I¡¯d get there, I told myself. It was just going to take more work. Despite my frustration and the cloud of fear that was still slowly fading in my mind, I kept myself calm. I knew the truth¡ªeven if I wasn¡¯t all that excited to accept it.

    Getting to my peak form took time. Even back in Credon, it had taken me years just to get to a point where my body never disobeyed my orders. And I¡¯d only been training with the one I currently possessed for a couple of months.

    I would get there, I told myself, cementing the thought in my mind. It was just going to take more time.

    A howling spike of wind slapped me in the face, flying perfectly through the hole in my cloak and onto my skin. I grimaced in pain, pleading to my body to make up its mind. Either the wind should¡¯ve been painful, or my skin should¡¯ve been numb. But the middle-ground I was feeling that mixed both of the feelings was just worse than either one by itself.

    I shook my head and bit down, ignoring the pain. As the howling wind died down back into the brisk washes that continued to break against my face, we were left in silence again.

    None of us were talking. Not even Jason.

    After the terror¡ªI had to remember that it had a name¡ªhad been killed, I¡¯d come up with an ultimatum. I had hundreds of questions, each more serious than the last, and I needed answers to each of them.

    But somewhere back in the woods, with the fear still fresh in my mind, I¡¯d said I was only going to ask them once we got back. I hadn¡¯t meant it fully; I really wanted answers as quickly as I could get them, but Myris had kept true to my statement.

    When I¡¯d started to ask him questions, he¡¯d just shrugged me off. He¡¯d made some excuse about how I¡¯d be distracting him and that, just as I had said, he would answer my questions once we got back to the lodge.

    I hadn¡¯t taken that very well, even with how tired I been¡ªand still was¡ªbut I still hadn¡¯t gotten much. The most I got out of Myris was that the beastly, humanoid thing that fed off of my fear was called a terror. Besides that, everything else I¡¯d got had come in the form of a complaint.

    After each of my questions¡ªand his refusal to answer them¡ªMyris had grumbled about how I¡¯d disobeyed a warning or how their mission had been wholly unsuccessful. Apparently, before they¡¯d heard my scream and come rushing to my aid, they hadn¡¯t even encountered another terror or found the ¡®source,¡¯ as Myris had called it.

    Myris¡¯ complaints, though, with the little information I¡¯d gotten from them, had only raised more questions. But with the cold still seeping through my clothes and Myris¡¯ aggressive disregard, I¡¯d shut up.

    But as my legs stepped on, the cold flame of exhaustion starting to eat away at my bones, I had a whole new question that I desperately wanted to ask.

    ¡°How much longer do we have to walk?¡± I asked, the tinge of childlike complaint in my voice.

    Jason straightened up, stopping his watch of the forest. He turned back to me, a strand of his light hair shining in my eye. ¡°Not long,¡± he said firmly. I heard Myris angrily mumble something to the wind. ¡°From the looks of it, the lodge is coming up soon.¡±

    I squinted at Jason as he turned back around and adjusted his stance. There was no smirk on his face, no flash of arrogance in his eyes. With the night pressing in on us and an unsuccessful mission following in our wake, his attention had completely changed.

    I shook my head lightly, casting my eyes back to the ground. The dimly lit, dirt covered ground looked the same to me as it had when I was fighting the terror. The trees around me, I noticed, were starting to look more familiar, but it was the kind of familiarity that wasn¡¯t concrete. Even though I could recognize the trees, they still almost all looked the same and even the thought of navigating my way through them seemed far out of my reach.

    I didn¡¯t know how they did it, but I was thankful that they could. Memories rushed up in my mind. The scream I¡¯d let out as the fear had gripped me echoed in my ears and a shiver raced down my spine. They¡¯d saved my life. I really was thankful that they could.

    But with the tip of my nose on the verge of falling off, my thanks was quickly brushed away by pain and I pushed myself to continue.

    We walked on in silence.

    <hr>

    The slowly dimming moonlight shined down on us as we walked through the clearing and toward the lodge. The confusing, gnarled sprawl of the forest was put further and further behind us as the simple thought of rest pushed us more quickly toward the large wooden building.

    My legs screamed at me as I continued to walk on, the pain in them completely uncaring about just how close rest actually was. The scabbard by my side swayed in the wind, carrying with it the sword that I¡¯d long since sheathed in its walls.

    Anger still seethed beneath my skin, spawning dozens of thoughts and even more questions that I needed answers to. A devilish grin took my face as we walked around the lodge¡¯s familiar walls, the subtle warmth of the torch still burning on the building¡¯s front already brushing against my skin.

    ¡°We¡¯re back,¡± I said, trying to keep the anger from my voice. Myris twisted his neck and turned to me as the orange light of the lodge¡¯s front door came into view.

    ¡°Yes we are,¡± the older ranger said, slinging his bow onto his back. ¡°The danger is gone.¡± I could see him gritting his teeth. ¡°I guess you may ask your questions now.¡±

    Hearing the small concession sent a jolt of pleasure to my core. My grin grew wider, my teeth shining in the dim orange light. ¡°Good¡­ Now what the hell is going on?¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Myris sneered at me and I heard Jason exhale sharply from his nose. Carter furrowed his brow and looked at me curiously from the side.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to be more specific than that.¡± Myris looked completely unamused.

    The fear I¡¯d felt less than an hour before stung from my memories. ¡°What just happened? What was that thing?¡±

    Myris cocked an eyebrow at me. I could see him gritting his teeth. ¡°It was a terror. I¡¯ve already said that.¡±

    I nodded, instantly moving past the bitterness in his tone. ¡°Okay, but what does that even mean? I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before.¡±

    Myris scoffed, the sound cut off by a sharp gust of wind. ¡°How? They tell ghost stories about those things to kids.¡±

    ¡°Leave him alone,¡± Jason cut in. His smirk was back. ¡°The kid¡¯s new around here.¡±

    I glared at him. He smirked at me. My fingers flexed as they hovered over the hilt of my blade. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can we get inside?¡± Carter asked, ripping me from my anger. I looked up at him, my eyes scanning over his flushed face and the desperate intent in his brown eyes. I didn¡¯t know Carter that well, his short brown hair and toned form kind of made him blend in with the rest of the rangers. But remembering the numb pain on my own skin, I couldn¡¯t do anything but agree with him.

    I nodded to the hunched ranger as he swung the door open. A wave of warmth escaped out into the cold night, returning some of the feeling to the skin on my hands. I took my body¡¯s hint as quickly as I could and followed Carter into the lodge, walking directly in his wake.

    I filed through the large, dark wooden door after Carter, Jason filed in after me, and Myris let the door slam behind him at the same time as a grunt. A long breath escaped my lips as I walked through the lodge¡¯s entryway and into the dimly lit training area. The pain of the cold slowly bled off my skin, leaving only relief in its wake.

    The lodge was quiet, probably a consequence of the time, and it was mostly dark. Aside from the torch out on the front of the building, the only other light I could see was the small fireplace underneath the golden emblem on the wall.

    The stone-surrounded fireplace crackled brilliantly, filling the room with soft warmth and dim light. I¡¯d seen the fireplace before; it was hard to miss anything in the room that I¡¯d trained in hundreds of times. But since the very first time I¡¯d stepped in the lodge with Kye, exhaustion similar to what I was feeling now biting at my bones, I¡¯d never seen it lit.

    Feeling its warmth on my skin and hearing the its soft crackling though, I couldn¡¯t complain. Even as small as the fire was, it was thousands of times better than the frigid, howling wind I¡¯d had to experience outside.

    Myris cleared his throat, the loud sound echoing throughout the lodge. I turned to him, frustration already moving its way back into my mind.

    ¡°What other simple things don¡¯t you know?¡± he asked. I glared at him.

    ¡°I just wanted an explanation of exactly what those things¡ªthe terrors¡ªare.¡± It would¡¯ve taken more energy for me to keep the bitterness out of my voice than to just let it out. So I let it out. ¡°If they¡¯re messing with our forest,¡± Myris scrunched his nose, ¡°then I want to know what the hell they are.¡±

    The older ranger and I were left staring at each other. Neither of us said a word as I waited for him to give an explanation.

    ¡°They¡¯re magical beings,¡± a voice said, one that definitely wasn¡¯t Myris. I turned, watching Jason walk over to where Carter was standing by the weapon rack before he continued. ¡°They¡¯re shapeshifting beasts that live and feed off of our fear.¡±

    My eyes went wide, the truth that I already half-knew sounding much more ominous coming from his mouth. ¡°Magical beasts? Like the other things we hunt in the forest?¡±

    Jason started to nod before cutting it off midway. ¡°No. Not exactly.¡± The slight, resting smirk that he¡¯d had on his face slowly faded as he thought. ¡°They¡¯re completely separate from any normal animals.¡±

    I saw Carter nodding from the side of my vision. I flicked my eyes to him, watching him look closely at one of the knives on the rack. ¡°Lorah¡¯s always said to think of them as just pure manifestations of magical energy.¡±

    My brow furrowed and lines appeared on my forehead. ¡°How does that even work? That thing looked¡­¡± I had to fight the shiver racing down my spine. ¡°Terrifying.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Carter said, still not turning to me. ¡°They¡¯re manifestations in the mold of human fear. They usually take a form of whatever scares their victim the most.¡±

    My breathing accelerated. What he was saying was ridiculous; it didn¡¯t make any sense in the world that I knew. What he was describing was something straight out of obscure folklore. And yet, I¡¯d seen it for myself, experienced it with my own eyes. Hadn¡¯t I?

    ¡°Which is why you have to keep your mind sharp, to keep your walls up,¡± Myris said through his teeth. I could already hear the comment that he¡¯d decided not to make. ¡°The only goal of those things is to increase your fear. It¡¯s their food. They¡¯ll do anything if it makes their victims more scared.¡±

    Memories rushed up in front of my eyes. The cold, the memories of my father, the terrifying images of the rangers around me. The terror had picked out my worst fears and shoved them in my face just so it could feed. The simple thought alone left a sour taste on my tongue.

    ¡°That explains a lot,¡± I said. Even staring at Myris, my tone was void of anger. ¡°That¡¯s how it lured me into the woods. It picked at my fear of not doing my job, of letting you guys die in the forest.¡±

    Myris¡¯ features softened a bit and he opened his mouth, but he didn¡¯t get to be the person to speak.

    ¡°What?¡± Carter said from behind me. I turned on my heel, watching the knife-wielding ranger staring directly at me. ¡°You should¡¯ve been able to tell that it was fake though, their imitations always sound hollow and emotionless.¡±

    I furrowed my brow and started to shake my head. ¡°The first one did, but the second time I heard it, it sounded exactly like Jason.¡±

    Jason¡¯s eyebrow shot up and I saw his hand tense up for a moment. ¡°What? Exactly like me?¡± I nodded.

    Carter¡¯s eyes widened at the question. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have been able to do tha¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± Jason mumbled. Carter¡¯s words died in the air as we all turned our eyes to the swordsman. ¡°It must really be bad this time.¡±

    Carter¡¯s face paled almost imperceptibly in the dim orange light. My eyes flicked between the two rangers. Myris let out a curious sound behind me, but I didn¡¯t turn toward him.

    More questions rose up on my tongue and I was not going to wait to ask them. ¡°This time? I¡¯ve never seen one of these things before, how rare are they?¡±

    Jason¡¯s eyes snapped to me. ¡°They¡¯re almost nonexistent for most of the year. They usually only start appearing right after winter, coming in just to feed off the fear of all the spring game,¡± his gaze wavered for a moment, ¡°or off the fear of the town.¡±

    I swallowed audibly, his words ringing in my mind. ¡°But why do they only come once a year?¡±

    Jason shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t pretend to know the reasons for the cycle. But every year there¡¯s always some cause¡­ some source of their return.¡± The word source rang out in my head. Myris¡¯ complaints from our walk through the woods played back in my head.

    ¡°Source?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason said. ¡°Last year, they came later than normal and we found the source to be just a mass of them collected near a watering hole somewhere deep in the forest. They had been feeding off the fear of the animals for weeks before we found them.¡±

    I scrunched my nose, the thought of a terror¡ªlet alone a mass of them¡ªsending bile rising in my throat. ¡°Do they always come in masses like that?¡± I wanted the answer to my question to be no.

    ¡°No,¡± Carter said, answering perfectly my thoughts. ¡°But there¡¯s always something that brings them. Terrors never appear alone. Last year¡¯s source was a bit of a special case because we didn¡¯t even know they were there for so long.¡±

    A smug grin inched upward on Jason¡¯s face. ¡°It was a special case. We¡¯re lucky I was there in the party when we found it too.¡± Carter rolled his eyes. Jason¡¯s arrogance really knew no bounds.

    ¡°Whatever¡¯s causing it this year could be even worse though,¡± Myris said. I twisted back toward him, but he wasn¡¯t looking at us. His eyes were instead on the door and his hand was clenched into a fist by his side. ¡°They never come during the winter.¡±

    Silence took the room. Jason opened his mouth, but no words came out. An understanding seemed to build between all of us, one that cemented just how serious the situation was. It was serious to me, the horrible, debilitating fear the terror had brought out of me still all-too-fresh in my mind, but I knew so little. For them, it was much larger than one terror. I was just glad the one was dead.

    ¡°At least we killed one,¡± I said, finally breaking the silence. Myris turned back to me, the disdain once again building behind his eyes.

    ¡°Yes, but we didn¡¯t even get close to finding the source. Hours of hunting resulted in nothing. If it weren¡¯t for the sure signs, I would¡¯ve thought that their scourge hadn¡¯t come at all.¡± Myris straightened himself. ¡°And one of us is going to need to give that report to Lorah.¡±

    Again, there was silence in the room, but this one didn¡¯t last very long.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Jason said, a smile tugging at his lips. Myris nodded before moving his gaze back to the door.

    ¡°You can do it in the morning.¡± The older ranger¡¯s command brought out a soft grumble from the swordsman. ¡°It¡¯s way too late now and we all need rest.¡±

    I nodded silently to myself and I assumed the other rangers did as well. My legs reminded me of just how they felt and the clouded fatigue in my mind longed for the sweet release of sleep. The fearful part of me, the part still shaken by the terror, screamed at me to stay awake, to ward off the nightmares it was sure would come. But under the overwhelming pressure that I still felt in my bones, that little voice could barely be heard.

    I turned back around, just in time to watch Carter moving off through the hallway and down to his room. Jason followed quickly after, flashing me another smug smile before he disappeared. A short chuckle slipped from my lips as I followed their lead and walked to the edge of the training room.

    The whole time I walked, though, my ears had missed one thing. And when I turned around, I saw Myris still standing by the door with his fist clenched tight. He hadn¡¯t moved. I tilted my head and opened my mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be up just a little longer,¡± Myris said, answering the question I hadn¡¯t even asked yet. ¡°I still think somebody should keep watch.¡±

    His eyes bored into me, staring me blank in the soul. I could see his suspicion in the way he stared, the slight lines on his eyes as he squinted at me. It was good to know that something hadn¡¯t changed, I told myself dryly.

    Myris still didn¡¯t fully trust me, not that I expected my encounter with the terror to have changed that. But it didn¡¯t matter much to me. I¡¯d gotten more explanation from him in one night than I had over the entirety of my knowing him, so I counted that as a win.

    And with my body once again reminding me of my need to sleep, I turned away from the stubborn ranger, left the crackling fire behind me, and walked my way down the hallway in peace.

 Chapter 28

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    I stared down at my sword, watching the afternoon light glint off its silvery surface. I grinned a wide, confident grin as I balanced the bowed blade in my hand. The black grip felt perfect in my hand, and the blade responded readily to each steady, subtle movement of my wrist.

    Jason grumbled in front of me, mumbling one complaint or another out under his breath. The sound was just barely audible over the commotion around us, but I heard it anyway. I traced my eyes up to the bored swordsman, watching him pace back and forward with his hand gripped tightly on his sheathed sword.

    I adjusted my stance, stashing my blade back in its magnificent scabbard. My metal boot made a soft scraping noise on the cobblestone road as I took a step backward and leaned against the wooden building. My eyes flicked around the town, watching the blur of commotion and trying to catch any new details.

    Throughout the street, people were taking down their market stalls, one after another. With the arrival of the new Lord today, they couldn¡¯t have the street being cluttered up with dozens of different stalls. Most of the vendors knew this, but they had still put their stalls up in the morning. The Lord wasn¡¯t supposed to arrive until late in the afternoon, and the morning rush was just too good for them to pass up.

    Person after person rushed past us in the street, going to help out with one thing or another as the town¡¯s decorations continued to go up. Banners, ribbons, and all kinds of other ornaments were being put up throughout the town. Even the least enthusiastic residents at least put up a ribbon with Sarin¡¯s symbol on it: a dark green cloth with the simple picture of a twisted tree.

    Looking around the town, I recognized dozens of faces and didn¡¯t recognize dozens more. From the looks of their clothes and the way they clumped themselves up into groups, I could tell that some of the people in town weren¡¯t usually there. Most of them were farmers, I guessed, the ones who lived farther out into the plains and only had a vague relationship with the town proper.

    Despite the fact that I¡¯d never met most of them, I did recognize one couple. Well, I only recognized them by the way their son avoided them in the street, but I¡¯d still figured it out all the same. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out what Arl was hiding from when he quickly ducked behind a stall just to avoid a peaceful couple walking down the street.

    A soft chuckle escaped from my lips as I watched the town. The light-hearted, homey feel was returning to me more and more as the days went on. The further back the ¡®incident¡¯ got, the more accepting¡ªor forgetful¡ªpeople became of seeing me out in public. And with the town¡¯s new Lord on his way into town, they had better things to worry about than some nameless ranger.

    Some nameless ranger that killed their town¡¯s lord, I reminded myself. I cringed at my own thoughts, nearly putting my face in my palms. Even with the amount of time that had passed, I still got the occasional look or curse thrown my way, and it still hurt. The memory of that night was, at this point, a scar in my mind and each off-handed look, or stubborn word was only like someone picking at it to see if it would reopen.

    The wind ruffled through my hair, blowing strands of it into my eyes. I took a deep breath, letting the memories fade back into the past. Today was a special day, I told myself again. It was the day that I got to meet Arathorn¡¯s replacement, and it was the day the town got to meet him too.

    I didn¡¯t know much about the new lord and, from what I¡¯d heard, neither did most people. When I¡¯d asked Jason what he knew, he¡¯d only given me a half-hearted shrug and told me information about him that I already knew.

    He was from one of the mountain states¡ªbut none of us knew which one. He had a connection with Arathorn¡ªbut none of us knew what kind. And he¡¯d apparently expressed a lot of interest in becoming Sarin¡¯s lord¡ªbut none of us knew why.

    The entire town was basically setting up and decorating for a man they knew nothing about. And the fact that we knew nothing about him was probably the reason there were rumors going around.

    From what I¡¯d heard¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t much¡ªmultiple people were already skeptical of the commanding man that they¡¯d never met. Since they knew so little about him, they already assumed he was hiding something. Maybe it was just a vocal minority in the town, or maybe it still came from the fact that Arathorn was secretly a kanir, but either way, the new lord hadn¡¯t even arrived and people already didn¡¯t trust him.

    Jason grumbled again, this time turning to me. ¡°Well this is boring, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The arrogant swordsman¡¯s voice was missing most of its standard qualities. It seemed that the pure boredom of standing around and waiting for the other rangers had kicked all of the confidence out of him. Staring at him with one raised eyebrow though, I was sure it was only temporary.

    ¡°Lorah told us to be here early, we have to be ready to represent the rangers when he arrives.¡± I recited the order Lorah had given us the day before, hoping that the word of our leader would stop his grumbling.

    ¡°Right,¡± he said dryly. I fought back a snicker. ¡°And yet she doesn¡¯t have to be here waiting around like the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°Yes, because she,¡± I emphasized the word exactly like he had, ¡°has other duties to attend to and is going to meet up with him at the town hall.¡±

    I saw Jason trying not to roll his eyes. ¡°Other duties? Like what?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, offering him a simple shrug. ¡°She didn¡¯t say, and I didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    Jason¡¯s eyes did roll this time as he turned around. A sharp breath of amusement shot out of my nose. If he¡¯d wanted to know, he should¡¯ve come to the meeting with me. Instead, he was off in town talking with the blacksmith about a new sword. He didn¡¯t even have as good of an excuse as Myris did.

    ¡°Do you know if Myris is coming?¡± I asked.

    Jason twisted around, the corners of his lips tugging upward as the conversation once again gave him something to do. ¡°I don¡¯t think he is. He was still out in the forest when we left, right?¡±

    I nodded. Myris had still been in the forest, and he probably still was. Every day since my first encounter with the terror, Myris had been out scouting for the source. At night, he had to take a team with him because it was too dangerous for him to go alone. So missions like the one him, Jason, and Carter had gone on a week ago were still few and far between.

    But ever since that night, Myris had become obsessed. When the other rangers had assignments¡ªeven if I didn¡¯t, Myris would go out searching during the day, on his own. And each day was more of the same. Myris always came back to the lodge frustrated, exhausted, and with nothing to show for it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find it one of these days,¡± he always said whenever I¡¯d asked him about it. After that, he shut his mouth and went back to ignoring me. Even after he¡¯d become obsessed with finding the source of the creatures that fed off of our fear, he was still essentially the same person. He still boasted whenever asked but kept quiet when he wasn¡¯t. He still trained all the time, making sure the newer rangers¡ªbesides me of course¡ªknew how it was ¡®supposed to be done.¡¯ And he was still an asshole.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°He needs to take it easy with the hunting though,¡± Jason said offhandedly, ripping me back to the present. ¡°Their scourge came early this year, but it¡¯s not as bad as I thought. At least they haven¡¯t come into town yet.¡±

    My brow furrowed. ¡°What? They normally come into town?¡±

    Jason nodded, his eyes quickly scanning our surroundings. ¡°Last year, for example, one of them strayed far enough from the tree line that they got into someone¡¯s house. The damn thing fed on that poor person¡¯s nightmares and could¡¯ve killed them.¡±

    I froze my gaze on him, my breathing quickening with every word of his story. I already knew the feeling of being manipulated by a terror while I was awake. I couldn¡¯t even imagine the kinds of horrors I would see if I¡¯d been a victim while I was asleep.

    ¡°What happened to them?¡±

    Jason¡¯s eyes met mine. ¡°Luckily, they were okay because someone was there to save them.¡± The corners of his lips curled into a smirk, and my earlier statement was instantly proven true.

    I dropped my brow, realizing exactly why Jason had told me the story. ¡°You saved them?¡±

    His grin deepened and he straightened up. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a hero to this town for a reason.¡±

    My hand unconsciously moved toward my blade and I made a vague, dry sound of disagreement. I didn¡¯t believe for a second that the town, at any time, saw Jason as their hero, but I didn¡¯t want to spend the effort arguing with him so I just left it be.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t arrived yet?¡± a voice asked, one that definitely didn¡¯t belong to Jason. I turned my gaze, watching Carter crossing the distance in front of town hall toward us.

    Jason and I shook our heads in unison, earning a slight chuckle from the brown-eyed ranger. ¡°Well, it looks like Sarin is definitely ready for them.¡±

    I nodded again, looking over the now-empty street. They¡¯d cleared out almost all of the stalls in extremely short time. While dealing with Jason¡¯s oppressive arrogance, I hadn¡¯t even noticed their efforts.

    ¡°It¡¯s more commotion than I expected, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Jason chimed in, watching the people still moving in the street. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just excited for things to go back to normal.¡±

    The words played back in my head and I let out a chuckle. Looking around at a town that I now called home and that was also one I hadn¡¯t even known existed until just a couple of months ago, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The memories of my old life were falling farther and farther into the past and no matter what happened, I doubted things would ever truly go back to normal.

    ¡°Where is everybody?¡± Carter asked, his eyes scanning over the town just like ours.

    ¡°Scattered,¡± Jason replied quickly. ¡°I saw Tan and Elena over by the stalls a little while ago, and I know that Lionel and his group are in the town hall¡­¡± Jason trailed off for a second, his lips ticking up. ¡°And, of course, Myris is off galavanting somewhere in the woods.¡±

    Jason¡¯s comment made me snicker and earned much more than that from Carter. He let out a laugh so loud that it drowned out the commotion around us for a moment before he calmed himself back down.

    Carter came back with an amused smile. ¡°Lucky for him though, huh?¡±

    Jason only nodded at that.

    I tore my eyes off the town, watching back toward the pathway that led into town. They were supposed to arrive on that path, that¡¯s what Lorah had told me. And, feeling the afternoon sun beating down on my neck, I knew they should¡¯ve been here already too.

    My eyes glided over the scene again, watching desperately for something new. The cobblestone path in front of me extended only a few dozen paces away from the main street next to city hall before it turned off into the plains. The building that I¡¯d been leaning against cut off my view so I couldn¡¯t see any further.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason started again. ¡°The old man won¡¯t have to deal with whatever knightly bullshit that we¡¯ll have to experience.¡± My neck tensed at his words and I clenched my fist, fighting the urge to look back.

    For the first time, just above the commotion, I heard a rhythm in the distance, one that I recognized quickly. The footsteps were heavy and coordinated, making a deliberate rhythm of thuds as they beat down on the dirt path.

    Knights, I realized with a smile.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t like dealing with that do you?¡± I heard Carter ask from behind me, obviously oblivious to the approaching group.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Jason said easily. ¡°They¡¯re too stuck up with their code, I think. And despite spending all of their time training, I could still probably beat any of them in a duel.¡± The footsteps got louder as whatever procession contained the Lord of our town neared the bend.

    I heard the sound of Jason¡¯s blade coming out from its sheath. ¡°I am the best swordsman in town after all.¡± His words were aimed at me, I knew that well, but I didn¡¯t turn around. The soft fiery crackling sound that I recognized all-too-easily told me everything I needed to know.

    Just around the corner, a glint of shining armor caught my gaze. My eyes widened as two knights in silver plate armor lined in blue walked around, a person who looked like he could¡¯ve been the new Lord of Sarin following in their wake.

    The tall, black-haired man looked confident walking into town. His confidence didn¡¯t feel like the arrogance Jason exuded when he was trying to be annoying though. No, his confidence felt earned, as if the permanent lines of tension at the corner of his eyes and the bronze fist-shaped emblem that adorned his light armor proved his worth tenfold.

    His dress looked familiarly expensive¡ªsimilar to the kind of clothing I¡¯d seen Arathorn wear¡ªbut it was much more practical. The fancy cloth garb that flowed up from his boots and onto his torso was decorated with light plate armor, but only in the most vital of places. Only his shoulders, on his arms, and sparingly down his legs did the armor show, but on each piece, the shiny bronze emblem radiated the same power that he did.

    As the man marched into town, flanked by the knights in blue trim that I instantly recognized as Knights of Norn, the commotion of the town around us started to die down. Then, feeling my hand still clenched tightly into a fist, I got a wicked idea.

    ¡°Jason?¡± I asked, hoping he hadn¡¯t turned around. ¡°Do you really think you could take any of the knights in a duel?¡±

    His response came back quickly and without any thought. ¡°Of course! They¡¯re too concerned with raw power and protection. I¡¯d dance circles around them before they even got a single strike in.¡±

    The town around us went almost perfectly silent as the new Lord of Sarin walked up to us. He cocked one of his eyebrows as he stared at me. No, he wasn¡¯t staring at me, he was staring past me. He was staring at Jason.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked. His voice instantly reminded me of the battlemaster from my king¡¯s barracks back in Credon.

    Jason froze and his face paled. I didn¡¯t look around to watch it happen, but I could just tell that it was exactly what was happening. An unsure sound escaped from Jason¡¯s mouth, one immediately followed by a swallowed chuckle that escaped Carter¡¯s. I had to fight the urge to laugh right then and there, but the presence of the slick, battle-hardened man made it easy for me.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Jason started, his words dying off quickly. The fight with my own laughter became much more difficult. I¡¯d never heard Jason speechless before.

    A few long, painful¡ªat least for Jason¡ªseconds passed in silence before the man laughed. ¡°Good spirit!¡±

    I jerked my head back a bit, caught off guard by the pleasantness of his tone. From the corner of my eye, I saw almost a dozen people watching our interaction with bated breath.

    The man spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m almost certain you already know this, but I¡¯m Marcel Gairen, the new Lord of Sarin. You can call me Marc, for short.¡± I furrowed my brow, the name registering somewhere in my head. He offered us a small smile, but one that wasn¡¯t guarded at all.

    ¡°Agil Novan,¡± I blurted out a little too quickly. The man¡¯s smile wavered a hair, but it didn¡¯t drop. I glanced backward at the two stunned rangers standing behind me. ¡°And that¡¯s Carter, and that¡¯s Jason.¡±

    Sarin¡¯s new Lord, Marc, nodded at each of them as he heard their names. ¡°Good to meet some of the rangers I¡¯m going to be working so closely with.¡± His smile stayed, but his tone was all business. ¡°I was supposed to meet with a woman names Lorah once I arrived. Do you know where I can find her.¡±

    I blinked, staring blankly for a second before the ability to speak rushed back to me. ¡°She¡¯s waiting in town hall with a few of the other rangers.¡± I pointed to the large, sweeping wooden building in the center of town. The man¡¯s smile grew a sliver and he nodded at me before abruptly walking off, his two knightly escorts following quickly in his wake.

    The commotion of the town started up again as murmurs spread through the crowd. Whatever kind of parade, or introduction they¡¯d expected, was not happening. And that was made completely clear as Marc walked briskly through the streets, offering little more than a simple smile and a practical nod at some of the people that were now his citizens.

    I shook my head and tore my gaze away from the poised man walking away from me. My eyes quickly moved over the town, the ribbons, decorations, and ornaments no longer interesting me. As I looked back over where Marc¡¯s procession had entered the town, a new interest on my mind, I found exactly what I was looking for.

    Still wearing their standard ranger uniforms¡ªthe metal plated boots, the blue cloth pants and tunic, the shoulder pads, and the silver emblem that accented it all¡ªthe rangers from Sarin that had gone to retrieve the Lord just stood idly.

    I watched each of their faces, noting the exhaustion in their eyes. I even recognized all of them, even if I couldn¡¯t put a name to each one, but I was really only focused on one. The tall, smirking brown-haired ranger with her bow strung on her back nodded to me a smile instantly sprouted on my face.

    ¡°So,¡± she started. ¡°Did you miss me?¡±

 Chapter 29

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    ¡°So, did you miss me?¡±

    My former cellmate¡¯s words almost brought out a chuckle in me. I turned to her, catching the way she brushed brown hair off of her shoulders. The sun sent rays of light into my eyes as I looked at her, forcing me to squint. She just tilted her head at me and raised an eyebrow, waiting for a response.

    I rolled my eyes and gave her the same answer I¡¯d given her nearly half an hour ago. ¡°Of course I did.¡±

    Kye¡¯s lips curled up into a killer smile, one that told me so much. ¡°Life¡¯s boring without me?¡±

    I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes yet again. ¡°More like, life¡¯s boring with nothing to do.¡± That earned me a sharp breath of amusement. ¡°Can you imagine a life where the highlight of your day is talking with Jason?¡± And that earned me a laugh.

    For a moment, Kye¡¯s sudden laugh drowned out the murmurs of commotion around us. Then, as her amusement died back down, the sounds from the crowds of people rose back up.

    Smiling to myself, I tore my gaze off Kye and toward the rest of the town. The same street that had been nearly filled to the brim with people, each and every one of them awaiting the arrival of their new Lord, now looked like any other day. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the market stalls and carts were still disassembled, it would¡¯ve looked like any of the other slow afternoons when I¡¯d been sent on a grocery run.

    As soon as Marc had arrived, his throng of knights swiftly in toe, he¡¯d gone almost straight to town hall. It was strange. He hadn¡¯t greeted any of the people who had waited for him, he hadn¡¯t acknowledged the decorations, and he¡¯d barely even talked with us¡ªthe rangers that were meant to greet him as he came in. The only real thing that happened between the time of his arrival and the time of him entering town hall was that he got to embarrass Jason.

    A soft laugh slipped from my lips. At least the one thing he did was worth it.

    As soon as the wooden door that separated the town from the person that ran it had slammed shut, I¡¯d thought I was off the hook. After that, Kye and the other two rangers that had accompanied her in escorting Marc to Sarin had looked so relieved.

    Then, when Kye had started teasing Jason for being embarrassed in front of the whole town, I¡¯d thought our duty had shifted. I¡¯d thought that our work for the day would¡¯ve been done. But apparently not.

    ¡°How long do you think their meeting will take?¡± Kye asked nonchalantly. I turned my gaze back to her, watching the way she too scanned over the not-so-bustling town around us.

    I shrugged, remembering the way that Lionel had called us into the town hall. Apparently, Marc wanted all of the rangers who could be present to be present when he met Lorah¡­ for some reason. And even though their exact negotiations had to happen behind closed doors with only a limited amount of ears, we were supposed to have stayed there the whole time.

    ¡°It¡¯s already been about ten minutes. Depending on the agreement, it could take the whole hour.¡±

    Kye turned back to me as she weaved past a couple arguing on the street. The woman was saying something about how they¡¯d wasted money on decorations, and the man was completely red-faced and stumbling over his words as he tried to retort.

    ¡°If it takes that fucking long,¡± Kye started, stretching her words, ¡°then I¡¯m really glad we didn¡¯t stay for the whole thing.¡±

    I cringed for a moment, her words tugging at my now-faulty discipline. As soon as Marc and Lorah had gone to do the actual negotiations, leaving us and more than a dozen other rangers just standing around idly in the large building, Kye had wanted to leave.

    At first, she¡¯d just wanted to leave on her own and to have someone tell her when she needed to be back. But then, before she¡¯d even found her way out the door, she¡¯d asked me to come with.

    The thin layer of unease that coated the bottom of my stomach acted up again. I wasn¡¯t normally one to disobey orders. But Kye had looked so bored, and I couldn¡¯t have said truthfully that I wasn¡¯t. She¡¯d just gotten back. And if Marc didn¡¯t even have the time to spare to greet the people who he was going to rule over, what was the harm in leaving a negotiation that I wasn¡¯t even apart of?

    That¡¯s the way I¡¯d reasoned it, at least. It was one thing to convince myself of it, but it was a completely different thing to tell that to the disciplined part of me still scolding me at every turn.

    ¡°So how have things been here?¡± Kye asked suddenly, walking closer to me as the main part of the crowd faded behind us.

    I smiled, just happy for the moment of relief. Then her question really hit.

    ¡°Al-right?¡± I said, instantly unsure. I wasn¡¯t quite sure how to answer. She¡¯d only been gone for just over a week, and yet so much¡ªor so little, depending on who you asked¡ªhad changed. For me, I¡¯d gone from shift of guard duty to shift of guard duty without anything interesting¡ªbesides literally fearing for my life¡ªhappening in between.

    For some of the other rangers, Myris specifically, I was sure their answer would¡¯ve been clear. But to me, there was both too much and not enough to say, and I didn¡¯t know where to start.

    ¡°Alright?¡± Kye asked, cocking an eyebrow at me. ¡°My life has been knightly codes and a whole bunch of walking for the past week. Surely you can give me something a little better than ¡®alright.¡¯¡±

    The disciplined part of me scoffed, but that¡¯s not what came out of my mouth. What actually came out was a sharp laugh as I reorganized my thoughts.

    ¡°Well, if there was something big that had happened, it¡¯s not like I would be the first to know about it. I¡¯ve been on guard duty almost every night since a few days after you left.¡±

    Kye furrowed her brow and I saw her shoulders straighten up. ¡°Guard duty every night? Why do they need someone on guard every night?¡±

    Amusement slowly drained from my face, leaving a much less-enthused smile than I¡¯d hoped for. ¡°The terrors are back. You knew this before you left, didn¡¯t you?¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she said instantly with a twirl of her wrist. ¡°But they¡¯re just terrors. We¡¯ve dealt with terrors before. And if it¡¯s this early, there¡¯s no way they¡¯ve gotten bad enough to warrant guarding the lodge every night.¡±

    The weak smile dropped off my face and I stared her in the eyes. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised.¡±

    Kye¡¯s gaze hardened as we walked onto a new street. From the corner of my eye, flitting in and out of view between the small houses, I could see the lodge¡¯s clearing and the forest adjacent to it. My hand fell to my side, instantly gripping my blade as the memory of that night was disturbed again.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, a new sharpness in her tone.

    I held my tongue for a moment, the part of me still afraid of even the memory of a terror holding the information back. But I eventually let it out. ¡°They¡¯re definitely active, even now.¡± A brisk gust of wind blew the sun¡¯s warmth from my face as I spoke. ¡°I even got the misfortune of having to deal with one during my first night on guard.¡±

    Kye¡¯s brow furrowed and she turned away from me, hey eyes meeting with the packed, twisted forest that spread out far behind the lodge. ¡°How bad is it?¡±

    I squinted, remembering the conversation I¡¯d had after the terrifying experience. ¡°Apparently their scourge is different this year. They¡¯re more powerful than normal and can pull more accurately at their victim¡¯s fear.¡±

    She whipped her head back to me. ¡°More powerful? What¡¯s the source this time?¡±

    I just shook my head, relaying the information I¡¯d been given. ¡°We haven¡¯t found it yet. And the terrors have been acting really strangely, I think. From the way Myris describes them, they¡¯re much more scattered than normal.¡±

    ¡°Myris?¡± she asked, amused surprise forcing its way into her tone. ¡°What is he doing hunting terrors?¡±

    I shrugged, hoping my statements didn¡¯t contradict something in the past. ¡°Ever since that night, he¡¯s been kind of obsessed. He¡¯s gone out on a mission almost every day since, looking for the source.¡±

    ¡°And he still hasn¡¯t found it?¡± Kye asked, most of the cathartic joy already drained from her tone. I shook my head, making Kye¡¯s face contort into a scowl. ¡°Shit.¡±

    Feeling the weight of the air around us, and noticing the relative silence in the section of town we were walking through, I forced a smile on my face.

    ¡°Even with the new obsession, though, he still has time to be a complete dick.¡±

    Kye turned to me, her eyebrows raising suddenly. I smiled at her, a large, exaggerated smile etched in with just how frustrated my own comment had made me. That earned me a laugh.

    The previous seriousness drained from Kye¡¯s face with her laughter. ¡°He really doesn¡¯t like you, does he?¡±

    I shook my head in an exaggerated way, using the gesture to hide the frustration still bubbling under the surface. Myris really didn¡¯t like me, and realizing it over and over was getting aggravating. Back in Credon, I¡¯d held so much respect¡ªrespect that I¡¯d earned. And to have the older ranger continue to patronize me for ¡®not knowing enough¡¯ just boiled my blood.

    ¡°No,¡± I said, my tone colder than I¡¯d intended. I didn¡¯t even realize how hard my hand was gripping my blade. ¡°He doesn¡¯t. Before the¡­ incident, he¡¯d only ignored me. But now it seems like he holds a grudge more than the townspeople do.¡±

    Kye cocked one of her eyebrows. ¡°Well, he¡¯s a bit stuck in his ways. And he¡¯s much less forgiving of people wanting to keep their privacy, especially if said people end up killing his town¡¯s lord within the first few months of being there.¡± The toothy smile that accompanied her last few words made my eyebrows drop.

    I shot her a glare. ¡°Right.¡±

    Kye¡¯s lips curled up into a smug grin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve got a new lord now. Things should be going back to normal.¡±

    Her words echoed in my head and I nearly scoffed. Normal. Right. As if anything was going back to normal. No matter how hard I tried, watching the way one of Sarin¡¯s citizens that I didn¡¯t even recognize kept her head down as she passed me, I still couldn¡¯t fathom how anything could go back to normal.

    I shook my head, keeping the doubts for another time. Then, focusing back on Kye¡¯s words still hanging in the air, new questions rose up on my tongue.

    ¡°What¡¯s the new lord like, anyway?¡± I asked. If we were catching up, then I¡¯d already given her information, and now it was time for her to return the favor.

    A soft groan slipped between her lips as if my statement had reminded her of the exhaustion she felt. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ fine,¡± was all she got out.

    ¡°Fine?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, fine.¡± Kye crossed her arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t have much interaction with him on the way here. Even though we werethe ones escorting him.¡±

    I noticed the bitterness in her voice and pressed further. ¡°Well, he¡¯s the Lord now, and I still know almost nothing about him.¡±

    Kye shot me a glare. ¡°Well, he¡¯s a knight of some sort. He¡¯s from, I think, one of the mountain states named Veron, and from what I could tell, he¡¯s all business. The knights that came with us seemed to respect him, and after a while, I kind of did too. He grows on you, I guess.¡±

    That answered only some of my questions. ¡°Why is he our lord anyway?¡±

    Kye just shrugged at that, not pretending she really understood. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. After hearing that our town¡¯s lordship was left empty, he jumped at the opportunity. I mean, given his track record, we really should be thankful. Especially with him being Arathorn¡¯s cousin and all.¡±

    I blinked, her statement stopping me in my tracks. The words churned in my head, turning over and over before it finally clicked. Marc¡¯s last name suddenly came with a whole new meaning.

    ¡°Arathorn¡¯s cousin?¡± I asked from my suddenly-dry mouth. Kye nodded. ¡°Shit¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have told him my name.¡±

    Kye raised an eyebrow at me and made a curious sound. It took her a few seconds of staring at my wide eyes to figure out what I meant. ¡°Oh. I wouldn¡¯t worry about that. If the conversations I overheard are to be trusted, then he didn¡¯t have that great of a relationship with Arathorn. And that¡¯s not even considering how much he hates kanir.¡±

    Her words calmed me only a hair, pushing the dread just away from the forefront of my mind. I nodded, trying to convince myself that she was right. I¡¯d told him my name, and he hadn¡¯t even batted an eye, right? Either he didn¡¯t know I was the one who¡¯d killed his cousin, or he didn¡¯t care. But the fact that he didn¡¯t want me exiled in an instant had to be a good sign.

    Physical, palpable relief slipped off my shoulders as I walked on, the small cobblestone street meeting back up with the center of town. The wooden houses and established shops sped around us as we finished our round of town. And as soon as we crossed over onto Sarin¡¯s main street, a new clamor struck my ears, one much louder than I¡¯d expected.

    I furrowed my brow and glanced at Kye. She only returned a similar expression and a light shrug. In front of us, down the street, more and more people were crowding around the town hall.

    Among the crowd, were a few of the rangers that should¡¯ve still been waiting inside. Scanning through the sparse but quickly growing mass of people, I found two familiar faces in the form of Jason and Carter standing over by the entrance.

    ¡°I guess the negotiations ended earlier than we thought,¡± Kye said with dry amusement in her voice.

    I shrugged off her comment, my own discipline berating me for leaving. I¡¯d been told to stay. I¡¯d been ordered to stay. And now, just as things were starting to happen, I was left out of the loop.

    Moving on my own personal frustration, I weaved my way through the growing crowd over to where Jason and Carter were standing. As I moved between people, none of them so much as glanced at me. Each of their gazes was set, frozen in anticipation on the closed town hall door. I didn¡¯t follow their gaze, I didn¡¯t even stop to ask what they were looking at, I just pushed on toward my companions with Kye one step behind.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked as I walked up to the two idle rangers. They snapped their gaze away from the town hall and back toward us. I saw Carter open his mouth, probably ready to offer a reasonable explanation, but he didn¡¯t get to be the one to respond.

    ¡°Well, look who finally came back,¡± Jason said dryly, more than a little bit of mocking in his tone.

    ¡°You were just too embarrassed to leave,¡± Kye snapped back with a grin on her face. Jason opened his mouth to respond, but snapped it shut quickly after and settled back with an irritated grunt and a roll of his eyes.

    I swallowed a chuckle, moving my gaze back to Carter.

    ¡°The negotiations are over,¡± the brown-haired ranger said.

    I nodded. ¡°But why are people gathering again?¡±

    Carter¡¯s lips curled upward into a grin. ¡°Right, you wouldn¡¯t know because you weren¡¯t there.¡± My hand fell to my side at that. ¡°But Marc wanted to do something and he wanted us to tell the town.¡±

    ¡°Do something? Like what?¡±

    Carter¡¯s eyes hardened a bit before he shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s about. But he said that he had a very important announcement to make.¡±

 Chapter 30

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    Carter had said that Marc had an announcement to make. He¡¯d said he didn¡¯t know what it was about. And as I stood there, watching the haughty, accomplished knight of a man that I¡¯d had no more than one conversation with standing up in front of the town I now called home, I had no idea either.

    The people around us broke into murmurs as he walked up. His sharp, gleaming black hair radiated a firm, powerful elegance that seemed to capture the crowd. As he looked out and waited for the commotion to die down, I saw the two blue-trimmed knights file out after him and the stiff, robed form of my leader following in their wake.

    Jason squinted at the knight and clenched his fist before sending a glare my way. Intent was painted clearly in his eyes. He didn¡¯t even need to say it. Whatever announcement Marc was about to make, Jason didn¡¯t have a good feeling about it. And as the arrogant swordsman turned away, letting my gaze once again fall on the respectable man, a small churn in my stomach told me the same thing.

    Marc straightened, his boot stomping once on the wooden porch right in front of the town hall¡¯s entrance. All noise died in an instant. Where there had been conversation, speculation, doubt, there was now silence. It seemed that every person in the entire town had their eyes glued on the knight. It was as if the emblem that was ornamented all over his wear literally held Sarin¡¯s collective breath.

    Marc cleared his throat. Not a single person budged.

    From my view on the side of the town hall, I saw the corner of Marc¡¯s lip curl up. He knew he was in control, and he as loving it.

    ¡°Hello,¡± he started, his voice booming through the air. It drifted through the crowd, sounding in every ear that needed to hear it with perfect precision. ¡°My name is Marcel Gairen.¡±

    The slightest murmur broke out somewhere in the middle of the crowd. Marc¡¯s eyes darted to it an instant, crushing it with the sheer force of his presence.

    ¡°As you may have guessed by now,¡± he continued on undeterred. ¡°I am your town¡¯s new lord. After the unfortunate betrayal and then death of Sarin¡¯s old lord, Arathorn, my previously dear cousin,¡± the soft hum of confusion spread throughout the crowd, ¡°you people were left in an unpleasant spot. In the place where your order originated¡ªwhere you found the base of your structure, there was suddenly nothing.¡±

    I leaned forward, waiting for the man to continue. He didn¡¯t. Instead, he took another step forward, making sure the firm step could be heard by the entire town, and hung his head for a moment.

    ¡°Truly,¡± he started, his firm tone now filled with sympathy, ¡°I cannot understand how this tragic situation could have affected each and every citizen of this town. But no amount of apologizing is going to bring him back from Death¡¯s chamber. There is nothing that could possibly do that.¡± Something twitched inside of me, flaring out momentarily before it fell away. ¡°But what I can do,¡± his voice echoed with sudden confidence, ¡°is take his place, and promise you something as good¡ªif not better, than what you had before.¡±

    The hum of confusion became one of excitement as the strong, calculated words of our new lord roused the people around me. I furrowed my brow, his words repeating in my head. Each one of them was sharp and poignant as if rehearsed for this exact moment. They probably were rehearsed for this exact moment, but that didn¡¯t stop the suspicious part of my mind from working on its own.

    ¡°Arathorn was a good man. But I can be better.¡± He paused for a second, letting his claim sink into the enraptured crowd. ¡°As a former knight general¡ªthe best there ever was¡ªfrom the city of Veron, I know the most important things for people like you. Safety. Security. Prosperity. In that order.¡±

    The people around us were split. In the moment after Marc¡¯s sentence had finished, what sounded like dozens of grumbled complaints came out, but just as many confused questions sounded off as well. Jason¡¯s lips contorted into a sneer, and Kye¡¯s eyes were frozen on Marc¡¯s satisfied face.

    I just stood and processed what he¡¯d said. To me, everything he said sounded standard. The values he described were what was most important to a town. Those were the core goals of a knight on protection.

    ¡°To achieve this,¡± Marc¡¯s voice came right back, rising in volume with every syllable, ¡°I have renewed and improved the agreement with your local rangers.¡± I could see Lorah¡¯s hand twitch under her crossed arms as she stood against the wall, staring at the man she¡¯d just negotiated with. ¡°They will not only continue their job, but also expand it as well.¡± Jason¡¯s hand fell to his side. ¡°Your forests will stay safe, and your game will be hunted, but your rangers¡ªwith the help of my knights¡ªwill do so much more to ensure the prosperity of this town.¡±

    Kye¡¯s gaze was harsh, but her posture was still mostly relaxed. Jason¡¯s hand flexed in the air, hovering right above his sword. And beside me, Carter just stared at Marc in complete, bewildered disgust. Before I knew it, my fingers had curled into a fist as well, and frustration was bubbling just under the surface.

    ¡°This new arrangement will further protect both Sarin, and all¡ª¡±

    Movement flashed in the corner of my eye¡ªa small form stomping off. ¡°I have more valuable time than this!¡± someone said. And with the squeaky exclamation, I instantly knew who it was. Turning my gaze, I watched Galen push his way through a few startled townsfolk and walk himself back toward the ranger¡¯s lodge.

    When my gaze returned to Marc, his eyebrows had dropped and his mouth was still wide open. The confident control that he¡¯d built up cracked only a little before he straightened his stance and re-found his stride.

    ¡°It will further protect both Sarin, and all of its connected citizens in the surrounding plains.¡± A new murmur spread through the people, this time coming in small pockets. I even heard a cheer from someone in the far back of the crowd. ¡°There will be no threat to any of you, not even from the horrible scourge in your forest.¡±

    I glanced up, my eyes narrowing on the smiling lord. He knew about the terrors, then. And he was confident that his new agreement was good enough to stop them. I shivered ever so slightly as the still all-too-fresh memories of the scraping fear breathed down my neck.

    ¡°With this newfound agreement also comes newfound connections. Sarin¡¯s relationship with the mountain states is already improving from what it was, but with my reach, we will also build up connections with many of the other surrounding towns, starting with Farhar to the south.¡±

    My gaze wavered at the unknown name. I moved my eyes to Kye, hoping to find an answer on her face. But besides one stray look to the south, down the treeline of our forest, I didn¡¯t get anything else.

    The excited clamor of the crowd grew with intensity. Conversations, speculation, and just plain elation attacked my ears from all sides. However, even though the townsfolk in the crowd sounded excited at Marc¡¯s announcement¡ªa fact he was very much relishing in¡ªthe people most immediate to me did not.

    A little pocket in the crowd, us rangers radiated what amounted to complete and absolute dissatisfaction. Based on the looks Carter, Kye, and Jason were giving me¡ªalong with the depressed sneer that was creeping its way onto Lorah¡¯s face¡ªit did not seem like they were happy about it.

    With my fingers curled into a fist, I didn¡¯t know how I felt about it either. The values he presented¡ªand the agreement he laid out to get to those values¡ªall seemed standard to me. It sounded like a standard knightly reform, and it was one that would undoubtedly better the town. But still, my own thoughts started to nag at my resolve.

    As the commotion started to die down, a few of the townsfolk even already leaving, Marc¡¯s grin grew. He held out his hand into a practiced wave, making sure as many of his new citizens saw it before he nodded to the knights behind him and walked back into the town hall.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw Jason¡¯s lips part, venom ready to spew out.

    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± he said. ¡°No wonder we weren¡¯t allowed in those negotiations.¡±

    I opened my mouth to respond, to ask exactly what he meant, but I was cut off before I even started.

    ¡°Lorah?!¡± a distantly familiar voice said. I twisted on my heel, watching Lionel¡¯s tall, sturdy, black-haired form push through the crowd and up the steps. A few of Sarin¡¯s citizens¡ªwho all knew exactly who Lionel was¡ªstared at him curiously as he pushed through, but their gazes were barely a drop in the sea of chaos.

    When Lionel found his way up onto the town hall¡¯s porch, he looked around, shaking off the gazes on him before continuing in a hushed voice. I had to strain my ears and focus above the crowd just to hear what he was saying.

    ¡°What was that?¡± he asked. Lorah stiffened up and pursed her lips, obviously not wanting to answer.

    ¡°What the hell is he doing up there?¡± Carter asked, breaking my concentration. I debated glaring at him, but swallowed up the momentary frustration.

    ¡°He¡¯s getting answers, I presume,¡± Kye said. She still had her arms crossed and one eyebrow half-raised as she stared at our leader talking with one of our senior members. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a bad idea actually.¡±

    Before a question could even form in my mind, Kye was off, slipping between us and into the crowd. Jason, with his hand still gripping his sheathed blade, quickly followed after her. Carter and I glanced at each other, our gazes meeting for a second before we both knew. Unless we wanted to be stuck in an excited crowd while other rangers got answers we all wanted, we had no other choice. We followed.

    After weaving our way through the dispersing crowd, Carter and I stumbled up the steps to the town hall. Well, Istumbled on one of the steps. He did not.

    ¡°You know what this means, right?¡± Lionel¡¯s irritated voice cut through the dull ambience.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Lorah stiffened again, keeping her gaze square with the taller ranger. He hesitated for a second, his foot instinctively moving back.

    ¡°Of course I know what this means,¡± she said calmly. ¡°This agreement was more complicated than you know.¡±

    ¡°Right, because we know nothing,¡± Jason cut in with his own indignation. ¡°I already know his terms are bullshit. We¡¯re lucky to have him, sure,¡± I could tell the swordsman didn¡¯t really mean his last word, ¡°but I don¡¯t want to workfor him.¡±

    ¡°We already answer to the lord,¡± Kye chimed in.

    ¡°But we don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Kye held up a hand, stopping Jason in his tracks. He snapped his mouth shut, probably feeling the same force in her gesture that I did.

    ¡°Let me finish, dammit.¡± Jason gave up a half-nod. ¡°We answer to the lord, but we don¡¯t take orders from him.¡± She turned to Lorah. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be an independent group. We¡¯re supposed to have an agreement with the town, not be subservient to it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely that,¡± Lorah said.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Jason asked sarcastically. ¡°It¡¯s not? Because from what I heard, it sounded like he was already giving us new responsibilities.¡±

    Lorah snapped her gaze to him, nearly freezing him in place. ¡°Well, what you heard isn¡¯t entirely correct. As I said, it¡¯s complicated. And I¡¯d appreciate it if you don¡¯t make assumptions based on things you know very little about.¡±

    The platinum-haired light mage continued her death stare at the swordsman. The two were about the same height¡ªalmost half a head taller than me¡ªbut even still, she was the one looming over him.

    Lionel shifted his stance. I flicked my eyes to him, watching the way he stared at the large, closed wooden door. ¡°If it¡¯s complicated, I bet it¡¯s something he knows all about.¡±

    Lorah stopped her show over Jason to turn back, but Lionel wasn¡¯t even there. Before another second could pass, the door had already swung open and he¡¯d charged in.

    ¡°World''s dammit,¡± I found myself muttering.

    Lionel was as sure of himself as any of the other arrogant rangers, but he was normally humble. He didn¡¯t brag like Jason did, but in every interaction, I could tell how he felt about himself. From the way he held himself, and the people he gathered, it was as clear as day. Normally his confidence wasn¡¯t a bad thing, mostly because it was earned, but it could still cause trouble. And that sentiment rang no truer than it did as the tall, raven-haired ranger charged into the town hall to argue with his knightly match.

    By the time I got into the room, trailing behind Jason and Lorah but ahead of Carter and Kye, Lionel was already knocking on Marc¡¯s office door. The Knight of Norn that appeared to be on guard was urging him in a hushed tone not to disturb the lord, but Lionel didn¡¯t heed his warning.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Lorah asked, coming up on her subordinate. The bright light of the torch next to him flared out, sending blinding rays throughout the room. Lionel shielded himself with his hand before glaring back at Lorah.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting answers,¡± was all he had to say.

    Before Lorah could retort, the door to Arathorn¡¯s¡ªto Marc¡¯s office swung open and the other Knight of Norn stepped out.

    ¡°What is this about?¡± he asked powerfully. I could feel the force of his voice as it did its best to boom through the room.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with Marcel,¡± Lionel said before any of the rest of us could speak.

    ¡°Please,¡± came Marc¡¯s calm voice, ¡°call me Marc.¡±

    As he stepped out, his gallant poise as respectable as ever, I caught flickering glances of the office inside. A bolt of fear struck me through the heart, but with another beat, it calmed. The wooden floor that used to be covered in books and papers was now much neater. The large, wooden desk¡ªwhich I only caught the corner of¡ªseemed¡­ newer somehow. And from the rays of light streaming down onto Marc¡¯s back, I knew that the window had been unboarded.

    ¡°Okay, Marc,¡± Lionel said. The poison that had been in his voice only moments earlier had all-but drained away, leaving begrudged respect in its wake.

    ¡°What are you here for?¡± Marc asked, raising his head for a moment. He was holding a paper in his hand, or a piece of older parchment, I couldn¡¯t entirely tell. But either way, he only seemed to be half-paying attention to us.

    ¡°I¡¯m here because I want to know a little more about the agreement I¡¯ve been involved in.¡±

    Marc chuckled softly. ¡°I can assure you that your name was not mentioned a single time during our meeting.¡± Lionel narrowed his vision and I heard Jason swallowing a snicker. ¡°But if you¡¯d like to know more, I can tell you what I can tell you.¡±

    Lionel¡¯s eyes narrowed again, but the silence in the room prompted him on. He cleared his throat. ¡°Okay. What did you mean when you said the rangers would ¡®expand¡¯ their job?¡±

    Marc shifted his foot slightly as he stared back at Lionel. ¡°It is quite simple. To make sure that Sarin is as safe and prosperous, the rangers will take on more protective duties, and work more closely with my knights.¡±

    From the corner of my eye, I saw Kye straighten up and purse her lips.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®more protective duties?¡¯¡± Lionel asked.

    Marc¡¯s answer came swiftly and smoothly. ¡°It means you will have more protective duties. Whether that is just being on city guard, acting as an escort as some of you already have done,¡± he glanced at Kye, ¡°or being a task-team on specific assignments.¡±

    Lionel opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Marc¡¯s answer was so succinct, so easy to understand. Lionel may have been confident¡ªrightly so¡ªbut as he tried to find words to respond to the accomplished, stern knight in front of him, it looked like he¡¯d finally met his match.

    I had to swallow a chuckle as Lionel mentally stumbled in an effort to ask another question. I understood why he was upset, and why we were all standing around pestering our new lord, but I didn¡¯t see it all. Improving the security and prosperity of Sarin was our job in the first place, at least as far as I was concerned. So, Marc¡¯s better organization and increase in responsibility only made sense.

    ¡°Why should we work with your knights?¡±

    The dark-haired ranger¡¯s question caught me off guard. It was sudden, as far as I was concerned, and he¡¯d spoken it so coldly. As I watched my fellow rangers eyeing up the two knights that were already in the room with us, I started to grind my teeth. In each of their gazes, I found something familiar. I saw the exact same resigned contempt I¡¯d seen in Kye¡¯s eyes when we¡¯d first gone to Norn.

    ¡°Because I told you to,¡± Marc replied calmly. ¡°And because it is best for the town. It is best for your town.¡±

    ¡°Our town was doing just fine before,¡± Jason mumbled. Marc tore his gaze away from the paper in his hands and stared at Jason.

    ¡°Well, that may have been, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°And we didn¡¯t need this kind of rigid responsibility or fake collaboration.¡±

    I furrowed my brow, his disrespect hitting me harder than it should¡¯ve. ¡°What?¡± I found myself asking.

    All eyes in the room turned to me, wide in surprise by my sudden outburst. I unconsciously took a step back before shaking off their glares and regaining my own position.

    ¡°All this does is give more structure to our town,¡± I said. It made logical sense to me. It was the kind of thing our Knights of Credon did when we reformed a desperate town. ¡°It gives us more credibility while keeping the people we already protect safer.¡±

    As soon as I finished my sentence, Lionel and Jason were staring at me with furious intent. The frustration was painted plain in their eyes. They obviously didn¡¯t agree. To my side, Kye stared at me too, but she looked more in curiosity than in anger. I could hear Carter mumbling something about honor behind me, voicing his own frustrations just soft enough so that I couldn¡¯t make them out.

    Jason stepped forward. ¡°We¡¯re answering directly to someone who we¡¯ve barely met, though.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s not about us,¡± I shot back. Jason¡¯s lips snapped shut, curling up in distaste. ¡°It¡¯s about the people we¡¯re here to protect.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Marc said, nodding to me. ¡°There will be little change on your part, and this will only work to better this town. Before you know it, it will be as strong as Veron is.¡±

    Multiple grumbles grew from Marc¡¯s statement, but none of them were voiced loud enough to interrupt him. His grin only grew.

    ¡°Well, it seems as if your questions have been answered.¡± He stopped for only a heartbeat, continuing on before there could be any room for comments. ¡°You all must be exhausted, and I still have work to do¡­¡±

    Marc tilted his head, gesturing toward the door. Taking the hint¡ªone that was reinforced by the two armored knights stepping toward us¡ªwe all turned around.

    And Lorah, the leader of the rangers who¡¯d been oddly quiet during the entire exchange, was the first of us to leave as she swung the door open and stepped quickly out into the afternoon air.

    <hr>

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡±

    Jason¡¯s continued complaining nearly made my eyes hurt for how many times I was rolling them. After we¡¯d left, he still hadn¡¯t let it go. He hadn¡¯t even let it rest for more than a few seconds. Even after Lionel had stormed away, off to find the group he usually gathered with no doubt, it had felt like Jason had doubled his irritation to fill the void.

    ¡°That was our new lord,¡± Lorah said dryly, quickening her pace. Carter, Kye, and I were all walking swiftly in her shadow, watching¡ªmostly in amusement¡ªas Jason continued to try and question her.

    ¡°Yes, I know that. But how did you agree to all that?¡±

    ¡°Look,¡± Lorah cut in, holding a hand up to the swordsman. ¡°He¡¯s more important than I initially realized. Some concessions had to be made so that he would even take the position.¡±

    ¡°Important? Important how?¡±

    ¡°The bronze gauntlet doesn¡¯t lie,¡± Lorah said in a warmer tone. ¡°He really was a knight general in Veron.¡±

    I furrowed my brow, still unsure even what that meant. I knew he was a knight, but I didn¡¯t know what the position of a knight general was, or what status it held. However, as Jason darted his gaze away for a moment and hung his head further, I knew that I was the only one out of the loop.

    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Jason tried.

    ¡°It means he¡¯s got connections,¡± Lorah spat. The warm quality of her voice that she¡¯d slowly been building back tore away in frustration. ¡°He¡¯s way more respected with towns and organizations than I¡¯d expected.¡±

    ¡°What kinds of organizations?¡± I asked, unable to help myself.

    Lorah looked back at me, her hood slipping off the side of her face. Her gaze softened and her features warmed up. ¡°He¡¯s got ties with all of the mountain states, for example, and Farhar, and Tailake, and the Vimur.¡±

    ¡°He has connections to the Vimur?¡± Jason asked. I started to clench my teeth. Most everything she had just said had done nothing to answer my question. It was just another list of names that everyone else knew but that I didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lorah responded shortly. ¡°Apparently he had an arrangement with one of them at some point to enchant protections for Veron.¡±

    Kye looked up. ¡°Yeah¡­ I think I heard him talking about that. He met one of the Vimur on one of his conquests, and was able to get their protective services on¡­ their temple, I think?¡±

    Carter squinted at her for a second before nodding. ¡°Right, they have temples to the world in the mountain states, don¡¯t they?¡±

    Kye nodded. ¡°Yeah. I mean, considering that build fucking everything out of stone, it makes sense. Sometimes I think we don¡¯t thank the world enough.¡±

    Jason shook his head. ¡°Anyway, just because he has all of these¡­ connections doesn¡¯t mean he should be able to demand what he got. Why didn¡¯t you push back?¡±

    Lorah sighed. ¡°Connections matter, Jason. He is very close with a lot of the places we have to trade with, and without him we¡¯d probably end up a floundering fish. Tell me, now, where do you think we get the precious metal in all of your world¡¯s damned swords?¡±

    I noticed Jason¡¯s grip lighten on his sword. ¡°I, uh¡­¡±

    Lorah didn¡¯t even let him stutter for long. ¡°I¡¯ve lived in this town my whole life. I¡¯ve poured my blood into this place. Everything I did was for it, and for the rangers. Don¡¯t you think that if I could¡¯ve pushed back more, I would¡¯ve?¡±

    Jason fell silent, only nodding after a few seconds had passed. He knew she was right. I knew she was right. And there was no use in arguing any further.

    After another few seconds of silence, Lorah sped up her pace and walked up to the ranger¡¯s lodge. I jerked my head back, astonished at where we even were. In the midst of my own thoughts¡ªnow filled with more unknown names than I knew what to do with¡ªI hadn¡¯t even noticed we¡¯d come up to it.

    Without looking back, Lorah flung open the door and walked in, leaving only the stray glints of sunlight shining off of her robe¡¯s silver lining behind her. Jason followed after her, still holding his tongue.

    Then Carter went in too, now inspecting a knife that I hadn¡¯t even seen him pull out. He spared a final glance toward Kye and I, giving us a weak smile and a shrug before walking in the door and letting the wind slam it shut behind him.

    ¡°It really could be worse,¡± Kye said. I turned to her, raising one of my eyebrows. ¡°He¡¯s an accomplished man, and we¡¯re pretty lucky to have him as our new lord. Just as long as he keeps his hands out of our business.¡±

    My lips curled up and I nodded, a little unsure about that last bit. I ran my hand through my hair, feeling the mental exhaustion slowly setting in as I did. I sighed. The conversations that I¡¯d just had played back through my mind in splitting detail.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kye said again as she walked up to the door. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m just glad things are back to normal.¡±

    Her words drifted to my ears on the wind and by the time I opened my mouth to respond, the door was already slamming shut behind her. I furrowed my brow, the statement repeating in my head again. I¡¯d been unsure about it the first time, I didn¡¯t believe it the second time, and now, glancing back at the town that was now ruled by somebody else, it seemed completely ridiculous.

    Things were not back to normal.

 Chapter 31

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    We crept through the woods, huddled together as a defiant pocket of humanity among the cold, suffocating darkness.

    Howling winds blew over my ears, stinging my fresh skin. I hunched over further, hoping that more of the brush would catch the deathly howls before they collided with my face. I pulled my arms in, feeling the warmth of the new cloak around me. The cloak I had on this time was thicker, and had the welcome absence of any holes.

    Movement flashed in my vision as Kye moved up. Her form was little more than just a closer shadow against the dark, ominous background of the forest. My feet itched to catch up with her, but I let her go ahead. After all, she was one of the only reasons we knew where the hell we were going.

    Looking around again, the gnarled and shadowed forms of the trees around me still looked foreign. They looked similar to trees I¡¯d seen in the forest before, but with their jumbled order and the increasingly pressing darkness around me, I couldn¡¯t recognize them for my life.

    I was just glad I was hunting with the two best navigators the rangers had to offer.

    ¡°How close are we?¡± Kye asked in as soft of a tone as she could manage.

    Myris¡¯ grey hair gleamed in some stray moonlight. ¡°Close. Just a few dozen paces further inward will take us to where saw it last.¡±

    My gaze flicked through the night, moving between my two hunting companions. They were both wearing the same cloak I was, the warm fabric draped over their ranger uniforms, and they both had their bows out.

    I rolled the hilt of my sword against my wrist, twisting the blade through the air. A stray beam of moonlight streamed down through the canopy above, illuminating the brilliant silver surface. My lips curled up as I walked on, tightening my grip to keep me sharp and focused.

    I didn¡¯t want a repeat of last time.

    A shiver raced down my spine, one only spurred on further by the cold. The memories of that night bubbled up in my mind, sending the phantom sounds of scraping to my ears. I gritted my teeth and gripped my blade tighter as I pushed them away. I had to keep my mind sharp. I had to keep my wall up.

    ¡°Remember, when we get to the clearing, there will probably be one of them there.¡± Myris¡¯ voice was little more than a hiss in the night. He glanced over to me. ¡°If there¡¯s a manageable threat, Agil will go in first to occupy them. We¡¯ll support you from here.¡±

    I nodded as Myris¡¯ words played over in my head, reminding me of exactly what I had to do. It was really a simple plan, and one that would probably work, but I couldn¡¯t afford to mess it up.

    After Marc¡¯s announcement, a plethora of things had changed. Between the skeptical excitement of the town, the dozens of knights and officials entering from far away, and even the frustration of my own fellow rangers. Kye¡¯s statement rang less and less true as the days went on, more and more things changing in a way just subtle that nobody was angry, but just noticeable enough that everybody was suspicious. And as it turned out, the person I¡¯d most expected to be angry was actually the one who cared the least.

    The day after Marc¡¯s announcement, Myris had come back from his daily hunting trip in a different mood than normal. He¡¯d actually been excited. He¡¯d claimed to have found the source, or at least that he had a lead on where it was, and he¡¯d disregarded all of the changes around him, instead focusing only on the one thing that had consumed his life for the past week or two.

    At the time, he¡¯d immediately asked Kye to help. She was the most obvious choice. She knew the forest better than probably any of the other rangers. After Kye had agreed, though, he still needed another person. Kye had suggested that I go with them, but from what I¡¯d heard, Myris had denied that request in a second.

    It didn¡¯t surprise me. Myris didn¡¯t like me to begin with, and it didn¡¯t help that my last experience with a terror had almost resulted in my dying alone out in the woods.

    After denying me, they still needed another ranger. But most of the rangers¡ªbesides me¡ªhad other assignments. Jason had a specific hunting target that Lorah had given him, Lionel and his group was supposed to acquaint themselves with the new knights in town, and even Carter was busy doing some bureaucratic work. It was almost like Lorah had conjured the perfect storm of tasks that had left Myris wanting, and my plate completely empty.

    The look on Myris¡¯ face when he¡¯d asked me to help him out was priceless. He¡¯d drawn it out, trying his very best not to sound like he needed me. But with Kye standing right behind him, her face revealing everything he wasn¡¯t, that hadn¡¯t been the easiest task. He¡¯d said that I could only come on the condition that he got to prepare me beforehand. And remembering with anger just how unprepared I¡¯d been in my first encounter with a terror, I¡¯d agreed in a second.

    The rustling of leaves ripped me back to the present. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the darkness again as I scanned over the woods around us. Kye stiffened up in front of me, drawing an arrow from her quiver silently and watching the trees.

    I felt the darkness pressing in on us, its cold, desolate atmosphere almost feeding off of my fear. I closed my eyes, making sure my wall was as sturdy as I could make it. The night may have felt like it was feeding off my fear, but the terrors actually would. And I had to be ready for that.

    Concentrating on what made me who I was, with Myris¡¯ advice running through my mind, I reinforced my mental wall. I focused on my sword, feeling it like an extra limb. I focused on my muscles, feeling the power coursing through them. I focused on my memories, feeling each and every one of them as clearly as I could. Those were the bricks of my wall.

    Kye¡¯s body jerked in a sudden movement, her bow facing off somewhere into the trees. I shook my head in confusion.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Myris asked my question soft enough that I almost couldn¡¯t hear it.

    Kye sniffed the air, her face contorting into a scowl. ¡°Do you smell that?¡±

    I stopped, squinting into the darkness and flaring my nostrils. I felt the bitter cold wind slap against my nose, sending jolts of freezing pain onto my face, but I didn¡¯t smell anything else. All I got were the standard, hollow smells of nature. There didn¡¯t seem to be¡ª

    A new, softer blast of wind cut off my thoughts and carried an all-too-familiar smell straight into my nose. The cold, metallic stench pulled memories up in my mind and I scrunched my nose. A bitter taste fell on my tongue.

    ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± Myris asked. I nodded, even though I knew he hadn¡¯t been talking to me.

    ¡°It has to be. I wouldn¡¯t mistake that smell for anything,¡± Kye said. Her ears were pricked and her nostrils were flared as I crept closer. And as I felt the cold air around me lighten a bit as Kye concentrated, I knew exactly what she was doing.

    ¡°How close is it?¡± I asked in a hushed tone.

    She sniffed the air again and held her head out. She notched the arrow in her hand into her bow and readied it, pointing into a small clearing. ¡°Very close.¡±

    I swallowed hard, my grip ever-tightening on my blade. I pulled it closer, watching its bowed silvery surface cut the air in front of me into pieces. My sword was what grounded me. It¡¯s what kept me protected. As long as I had my sword, I would always have a chance.

    The words echoed out in my head as I continued forward, following Kye¡¯s lead. Her steps rang out impossibly quiet, but then again, so did mine. It was as if the world was holding its breath in anticipation of what was about to happen.

    Maneuvers, stances, and attacks all played through my head. I made sure my wall was sturdy, and, pushed on by the vile, rotting smell of blood on the wind, I readied myself for what was coming.

    As we moved closer, closer to the small bush at the edge of the clearing that had come into view, the seconds seemed to stretch on forever. The cold air pricked at my skin and I clenched my jaw. I was ready.

    Kye glanced back at me, meeting my eyes with a nod. I didn¡¯t need her to speak to know what she meant. I glanced back at Myris, making sure the older ranger met my gaze, and I gave him the same firm nod. He nodded back, his eyes flaring with energy as he drew an arrow from his quiver and notched it in his bow. Kye, making good on her nod, walked the last few paces toward the bush.

    The horrible smell of rotting, coppery blood wrinkled my nose again as I watched Kye draw her arrow back even further and look over the bush.

    In a frozen moment in time, cold fire pumped through my veins, Kye¡¯s eyes widened, and she let the arrow loose. My feet were moving before I even really knew what was happening.

    The twang of Kye¡¯s bow was still ringing in my ears by the time I reached the bush, my eyes desperately scanning around. Just behind the bush, exactly where we¡¯d expected the source of the bloody smell to lie, was a buck deer. The deer was whimpering and slowly dying, horrible fear stricken in its eyes and a large, bloody gash running down its neck.

    In almost any other situation, I would¡¯ve stared at it longer, appalled simply by its existence. But with my brain working overtime and cold fire seeping into my veins, I didn¡¯t have time to waste. As my eyes tore away from the dying, fear-ridden deer lying in the dirt, I saw something much, much more terrifying.

    Scurrying away from the deer with an arrow sticking out of its form was a pitch-black, half-humanoid creature with a plethora of legs. The shiny silver scars ornamenting its body told me exactly what it was, and before my fear could even start to yell, I rushed at it.

    It was retreating. It had been hit. The horrid fear that scraped the inside of my skull had barely even begun. And I was going to take advantage of that as much as I could. It was a monster that we were here to hunt, and I planned on doing exactly that.

    Forcing focus onto my face and keeping my wall up, my legs vaulted over the bush and toward the scuttling terror moving away through the clearing.

    My feet slammed on the dirt ground, sending loud thuds ringing through the forest, but I didn¡¯t pay them any mind. Tensing my grip on my blade, I held it out front, making it look like I would go in for a stab. From what I knew, terrors weren¡¯t particularly quick, but that didn¡¯t mean I had to let up even a bit.

    The terror¡¯s blank twitching form scurried further away from me, but it wasn¡¯t fast enough. By the time I was on it, one of its humanoid arms raising to catch me mid-run, I was already gone. My feet pushed sideways, dodging away.

    My blade came down, streaking through the air with as much force as I¡¯d dared put into it, and cut into the terror¡¯s form. I felt a loud thud of fear-fueled mental pain as the silver blade cut through its chest, leaving a fast-forming shiny grey scar in its wake. I shook my head, dancing my feet backward as I retracted my blade.

    It turned toward me, the hollowed sockets in its humanoid face staring right into my eyes. I squinted for only a second, confused as to what it was doing, but as I heard a loud cracking sound echoing against the wall in my mind, I regretted even waiting that long.

    I forced my wall back up. It hissed into the air, and I heard the voices of my hunting companions splitting the night, but I couldn¡¯t pay much attention to them. I flicked my gaze over, studying Kye¡¯s movement for only a moment before I rushed back in. It didn¡¯t matter if my conscious mind knew what she was doing because by the time my body was hurtling at the terror again, my instincts had fully taken over.

    Silver metal split the howling wind as I forced a downward slash into the terrors back. I ducked under its grab, remembering the horrible chill it would¡¯ve set into my skin. Then, I pushed myself backward, away in the opposite direction.

    More maneuvers flashed and with the short time I had, I went through them in my mind. After picking exactly what I would do next, I tried to force my legs into motion, but I found myself shackled. My legs tried to move, but as I felt an impossibly cold presence wrap around my ankles and another cracking scrape echo out in my mind, I could only curse into the wind as my body was dragged to the ground.

    Another twang and an arrow streaking through the air accented my pain. The terror hissed again, and the frigid hands let go of my ankles. Blinking rapidly to clear the blur from my vision, I only barely caught sight of the arrow sticking out of the terror¡¯s chest before it broke it off and returned its attention to me.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Terrors were usually slow, but it moved quicker than most, focusing back on me within the span of a few seconds. Those few seconds, however, were all that I needed.

    I ignored the fear still bashing against my mental wall and gritted my teeth. My eyes flicked to the bottom of the terror, watching its myriad of skinny, flat, tendril-like legs shimmer terribly in the winter air. Then, swallowing the pure disgust that rose up in my throat, I did the only thing that made any sense.

    My body scrambled away as my blade went up, stabbing directly through whatever the thing was made out of. My sharp, curved blade tore into the terror, ripping a path of destruction through most of its body. The vile, intruding fear stopped scraping in an instant as the world around me became little more than pops and hisses.

    The terror¡¯s sounds of pain drowned out my fellow rangers as they spoke in the distance, and it even drowned out the wind. It staggered forward, trying to get closer to where I¡¯d scrambled off to as I tried to get back up. But as the large, twitching grey scar formed across its underside, it was clear that it wouldn¡¯t make it.

    I took a heavy breath, feeling the cold sting in my lungs and the aftermath of its touch on my ankles. The padding on the inside of my boots did little to help the impossible cold it had left.

    Kye and Myris were still talking in the distance, their whispers quickly turning into yells, but I couldn¡¯t focus on that. The terror was still standing, its tendrils slowly coalescing into more basic humanoid legs, but it was staring at me. Its black eye sockets seemed to peer into my soul, and the grey scar that I¡¯d left streaking across the underside of its body seemed to twitch in tandem with the blood pumping in my ears.

    The scraping returned full-force, making me wince. I tried to keep my wall up, to keep the horrible fear out of my mind, but it only half-worked. Images flashed in front of my eyes, images that I wouldn¡¯t have dared see for myself. For only a moment, I saw flames¡ªhorrible, red-tinged flames that set the world around me in a blaze. The scene in the image looked familiar, as if it was my own home, but I didn¡¯t dare thinking about it further.

    Rebelling against the fear that I knew wasn¡¯t my own, my body surged forward. I gripped my blade tight as I rushed at the crippled terror. It hissed into the air as I pushed against its influence and it scurried back away. It may have been quicker than other terrors, but it wasn¡¯t quicker than me.

    Its arm stretched out again in one of its signature moves to try to catch me. I ducked under it easily. My blade sliced up, cutting its murky, blank arm clean off. An inhuman hiss split the air next to my ear.

    My mind running on automatic, I slammed into the terror with my full force, hoping to knock it down. It was a classic duck-and-disarm move that I¡¯d made hundreds of times. But as I felt the frigid cold seeming into my shoulder and an arm that it hadn¡¯t had before grabbing onto me, I knew I¡¯d made a mistake.

    The terror and I went tumbling through the frigid air. We hit the ground in less than a second, but by then, I was already shaking off its grip and my blade was already on its way directly through its chest. Another horrid hiss accompanied the formation of the next silver scar.

    ¡°Agil!¡± a voice called as I brought my blade up once again. I didn¡¯t have time to even recognize who it was. ¡°Get off it! Myris is¡ª¡± she was cut off by blood pounding in my ears ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll finish that one, there¡¯s another¡ª¡±

    The voice tried to continue, tried to warn me about something else, but I couldn¡¯t hear. As another, softer hiss stung at my ears, my blade dug through its chest and I pushed off it with my feet. I tried my best to ignore the painful cold as I sprung back up.

    The terror was still alive, somehow, as I took a step back. I felt the scraping again, the screeching bashing of fear against my mental wall, but it cut off soon enough. Before I even knew what was happening, an arrow lodged itself in the terror¡¯s head and a small flash of orange sparks cemented its final breath.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I muttered to myself with a tinge of actual pride. I shook off as much of the pain as I could and turned back over by where Kye and Myris were. When I looked though, I only saw Kye, and she was rushing away. There was an arrow notched in her bow, a stern expression on her face, and she was running toward multiple forms that I could barely see.

    After a moment, Kye¡¯s eyes flicked back to me, meeting directly with mine. ¡°There¡¯s another one!¡± she yelled before turning back to chasing the two forms ahead of her. I squinted for a second, processing what she¡¯d said as I inspecting the things she was chasing. I was confused. Only one of them seemed to have silver scars.

    My contemplation, however, was quickly cut short as my breathing quickened and the soft scrape of fear returned to my mind. I blinked, tearing my gaze away from Kye and her targets. My gaze landed back on the terror I¡¯d just fought, its blank form still lying on the ground. But on its humanoid body, the scars had stopped twitching. It looked dead, and as the scraping in my mind only got louder, that scared me more than anything.

    My body tensed up and I readied my blade. I could hear shouts in my mind, my instincts desperately trying to get me to do this or that. But I responded a little too slowly because, as I turned around to scan the trees again, the hulking, frayed terror was already rushing toward me.

    In the few moments I had before it was on me, I tried to get an idea of what it looked like, but I didn¡¯t end up with much. Its body was similar to the other terrors¡ªa blank, pitch-black surface adorned with thin silver scars¡ªbut it was also completely different. Where the other terrors at least looked humanoid to some extent, this one looked more like a beast. Its hulking form was hunched over and had a wide back, looking like something that would no doubt have been an apex predator.

    Its beastly hand swiped at me and my eyes widened, already feeling the frigid pain. But thankfully, my instincts were still working and my body ducked low. Feeling that I hadn¡¯t been hit, I furrowed my brow and focused again, forcing my wall back up.

    The terror continued to barrel toward me, but I dodged to the side. My blade came from the side, cutting shallowly into the side of its chest as my feet beat on the ground. The terror hissed, stumbling into the place where my body had just been. A thin silver scar ripped through its surface exactly where I¡¯d cut in.

    It turned its head to me, the blank, beastly thing nearly latching onto my eyes. I breathed heavily, feeling the continued burn of the cold air, and started to doubt myself. My limbs were already tiring even before the cold, and it didn¡¯t seem that I was getting any help. The sharp fear intruded on my mind once more, causing me to step back further, and I didn¡¯t know whether I could win the fight.

    The hulking form was intimidating, to say the least, and it looked more powerful than the other terrors I¡¯d seen. But, I noticed quickly, it was also covered in silver scars. It had been wounded many times before, and I knew it could only take so many of those scars before it couldn¡¯t take anymore. I just had to last until then.

    Gritting my teeth with new resolve, I pulled an attack up in my mind and latched right onto it. I ran at the terror, pushing back as well as I could against its invasive fear. It was manipulating my mind. But at least now that I knew what it was and what it could do, I stood more of a chance of resisting.

    My body surged forward. I tried my best to shrug off the frigid air. The hulking terror stared at me, stepping toward my movement as if taking an invitation. It would swipe at me again. I knew it would. Then, as its pitch-black form fulfilled my mental prophecy, I pushed off the ground.

    Straining my body to the limits and hoping it would obey my call, I pushed off to the side, flinging myself off through the air. Its grabbing motion sliced through the air, nearly touching my cloak. But just as I¡¯d hoped, it missed and my attack was free.

    My blade came down with force, digging deep into the back of its flesh. I felt the contact in my bones, and used my sword as leverage to pull myself further around. The horrid sound of its hisses only spurred me on as I dug the blade in deeper and ripped across its beastly back.

    By the time my feet were stable again, beating against the dirt ground, it was writhing behind me. I didn¡¯t even need to look back to see the immense silver scar I¡¯d left in its body.

    ¡°¡ªit has moved!¡± a voice yelled out in the distance, filled with fear. I pricked my ears, my attention being dragged away. ¡°What if it keeps moving? What if I lose it? What if I never find it?¡±

    I squinted into the air, straining my ears to focus on the sound. It was coming from just outside the clearing¡ªfrom the direction Kye had just been travelling. And as I played the words back in my mind, remembering the gruff voice that had spoken them, a new worry gripped my heart. The distressed voice that I¡¯d just heard had belonged to Myris.

    I twisted on a dime, my eyes quickly scanning the trees beyond. My gaze moved over the brush, not even stopping on the still dying deer, and latched onto movement I saw deeper in the woods. For a moment, my own worry drowned out the foreign fear in my mind, and it seemed to feed on itself.

    What was he talking about? Why had he sounded so distressed? What if we got split up?

    Questions repeated in my head, only fueling the fearful flame. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have been asking them from somewhere deep in my mind. But by the time that part of me actually took hold, the hulking terror to my left was on me again.

    I turned to it and brought my blade out, hoping to ready myself for the incoming attack, but my body hadn¡¯t moved fast enough. It had taken just a few too many moments for me to leap away, and it had caught me mid-jump.

    As soon as the inconceivably frigid touch spread onto my legs, I knew I¡¯d messed up. And my swings at its arms did little to help the pain as my body tumbled through the air and slammed back into the ground.

    I cursed loudly, my words echoing in the forest.

    Its large, hulking form stood over me, staring down into my eyes. Fear spiked in my mind, slamming against my slowly-cracking mental wall. From somewhere in my memories, I recognized the situation. It felt familiar, like I¡¯d been in the same place before¡ªlying uselessly on the forest floor as a beastly thing loomed over me from above. But no matter how many times I tried to grasp at the memory, to try and find out what it was, my own fear got in the way.

    My immense breathing drowned out all other sounds as the corners of my vision darkened. The terror still lorded over me, looking at me with more interest. I only cursed back at it. I tried to swing up, tried to make my muscles move, but I was near-paralyzed with fear.

    An image flashed in front of my eyes. I saw plains, wonderful fields shining in moonlight. As my eyes moved over the fields, not entirely of my own volition, the light gleamed off more and more things. Dozens of people stood there in the plains, staring up at the beautiful sky.

    I recognized Kye, Jason, Lorah, and multiple other rangers. I tried to call out to them, to force my mouth open, but I couldn¡¯t. I was forced only to watch. As I scanned over the rest of the field, more people were revealed and my heart skipped a beat.

    I recognized Lynn, the woman who I said I would love forever. I recognized my mother, her brilliant blonde hair shining perfectly in the night. I recognized my father, and my vision quickly froze.

    For a moment, nothing happened, complete silence gripping the scene. Something in my mind was yelling, telling me to doubt what I saw, that none of it was real, but I could barely even hear it in scene frozen in time. Then, however, the moment unfroze, and I wished I could¡¯ve heard the voice.

    In a flash of impossible movement, a dark wisp of gas sped across the fields. In an instant, it condensed into a horrible hooded figure with only bones for its body. I recognized the beast of the end in an instant. It brought its scythe up, the metal gleaming in the moonlight, and massacred every single body standing in the plain.

    Before I knew it, my body was rushing forward, a blade raised high that was engulfed in white flames. It didn¡¯t feel like my body, but it was mine nonetheless. Thoughts spawned in my head, each and every one about how I had to save them, but I was all-too-slow. By the time I got to any of them, they were all lying on the ground, and one single thought was sticking out in my mind.

    I was weak.

    Tears welled up in my eyes, but I shook them away. No, I told myself as firmly as I could. I¡¯d heard that sentence before. And I knew it wasn¡¯t true.

    My eyes blinked rapidly, trying to rid the blur of my vision. A cold blast of wind struck my bare face, ripping me back. I felt the sharp blade of fear as if it was probing my mind. I rebelled against it, trying as hard as I could to keep my cracking wall up.

    The terror standing over me tilted its head and reached its arm out. Fire pumped through my veins and my blade lashed out. My blade cut through the terror¡¯s arm as I tried to scramble away. A hiss attacked my ears as I tried to pull my arm back.

    My arm felt resistance and my heart nearly stopped. Continuing to push myself up until I could find decent footing, I pulled even harder until my blade ripped free. My eyes widened in terror as I saw the beastly thing still stumbling toward me, ignoring the silver scar nearly cutting its arm into two.

    You feed so good, a voice said. No, it didn¡¯t say it, it thought it. Or, at least that was the best explanation I could come up with as the hissed words echoed in my mind. I blinked, squinting at the terror in a new light.

    You¡¯ve been touched¡­ You taste just like her¡­

    I swallowed hard, trying desperately to process the words. They echoed in my mind, splitting and splintering against the sides of my skull. They¡¯d come from the terror, right? That was the only explanation I could find. They seemed to meld with its sharp blade of fear, but they were still distinctly different, and I couldn¡¯t place my finger on why.

    ¡°Myris!¡± a voice called out, less distant than before. ¡°¡ªdon¡¯t!¡± My mind latched onto the voice, ripping me away from the terror. I knew that voice, I told myself. That voice belonged to Kye.

    ¡°I have to!¡± a more distressed and masculine voice called out, from way deeper in the forest. ¡°I can¡¯t lose it again.¡±

    I tried to latch onto the new words¡ªtried to figure out who they belonged to. But as the dark form of the terror lunged back toward me, my thoughts were abruptly cut off. Its bulky body moved on me slower than before, but midst my own thoughts, I hadn¡¯t noticed it in time.

    ¡°Son of a¡ª¡±

    In a heartbeat, I recognized Kye¡¯s voice as it split the night again, but her words were again cut off from my ears by my own focus.

    Having just barely enough time to even dodge, I ducked low as it tried to grab me again. I felt painful numbness grip my shoulder as its arm just barely grazed my cloak. I ground my teeth and let my instincts drive my movements.

    My blade shot up, slicing through the horrid things arm. Then, as the black tendril-like thing that had been attached to its body fell uselessly to the ground, I started to run around it, bringing my blade with me.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw a movement that I recognized. It looked like someone was drawing an arrow back in a bow, and that simple fact spurred me on.

    I brought my blade through swiftly, ripping another shiny grey scar in its surface. It hissed, slowly turning to me, ready to attack. But as a twang split the night and an arrow went streaking through the air, its attention couldn¡¯t focus on me. The terror writhed and hissed in pain as the thick silver liquid drained from its eye socket and formed a scar in its wake.

    Footsteps beat on the ground and I turned to them. Kye was running toward me with incredible speed, cutting across the clearing in mere seconds. Then, in another ridiculously fast movement, she drew a knife from her belt and flung it directly at the terror.

    The twitching, writhing, fear-making form of the terror went flying to the ground.

    As Kye neared me, the air around me lightened with her use of magic. But even knowing that, my jaw hung open. The hulking form that looked like a mythological beast had gone flying half a dozen paces just at the throw of a knife. And as its body slammed loudly to the ground, silencing the fear in my mind, I had no doubt that it was truly dead.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Kye asked, breathing hard.

    I nodded, my eyes tearing to her. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± I lied, trying my best to ignore the cold, numb exhaustion I felt in my bones. ¡°Thanks for that, by the way.¡±

    Kye nodded, disregarding my thanks with a flick of her wrist. ¡°Get up,¡± she said, despite the fact that I was already standing. ¡°We¡¯ve got to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Myris?¡± I asked, the question just slipping between my lips.

    Kye glared at me, clenching her jaw. ¡°That¡¯s just what I was getting at.¡± She turned back in the direction she¡¯d come running in from. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°Gone?¡± I asked, my eyes scanning the same trees she was. Just barely, way more distantly than comfortable, I saw a human form weaving through the trees.

    ¡°Yeah. The source wasn¡¯t here, so it must¡¯ve moved. And he wanted to go catch it.¡±

    ¡°Catch it? What the hell does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means,¡± she started, grinding her teeth as she looked back to where Myris was still running off into the forest, ¡°that our little hunting trip isn¡¯t over just yet.¡±

 Chapter 32

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    A loud, stifled scream echoed out through the night.

    I froze, all of my thoughts grinding to a halt as my blood ran a frigid course through my veins. I glanced at Kye. She met my gaze in an instant, confirming that she¡¯d heard it too. We both shared a nod, the unspoken statement hanging perfectly in the air between us.

    We needed to pick up the pace.

    After Myris had left, running off through the woods on his own, we had¡ªor more accurately, Kye had been tracking him simply through the distant sounds of his footsteps and the movement he produced in the trees. With only those things to go off of, we hadn¡¯t been able to move that fast, choosing instead to make precise movements over quick ones.

    But with the scream still echoing through the trees, all that had changed.

    A pure silence followed the scream¡ªsilence not even populated by the footsteps we had been tracking. Even the wind stopped, just letting its frigid stillness seep through my cloak and prick against my skin. I furrowed my brow, holding my breath in tandem with the world until the wail came back.

    Then it came back.

    A loud, gargled, and pained grunt split the night, sending shivers of fear to my core. The sound was distinctly human, and with how loud it had been, I could hear the low, gruff undertones that told me exactly who it belonged to.

    We¡¯d found him, I told myself in faulty reassurance. But, with the terrible sound repeating in my ears, I didn¡¯t exactly feel reassured.

    ¡°This way,¡± Kye said shortly, already moving away from me through the trees. I blinked, standing frozen for only a moment before I shook the fear away and pushed on in her wake.

    She walked quickly, bobbing and weaving through the trees with ease. I followed her, pushing past the frigid burn in my legs in a desperate attempt to keep up. The longer we walked, the quicker she got and the more purposeful her steps became until eventually, she broke out into a run.

    I swallowed a groan, pushing past the pain, and ran along after her. I had to keep up with her¡ªI had no choice. After all, if I lost her too, I was way more than screwed.

    By the time she stopped, I could see more exhaustion in her eyes. Her shoulders were rising and falling at an accelerated rate, and the stoic, focused expression she wore was cracked a bit. I, on the other hand, was having to stifle my heavy breathes. And despite the fire still pumping in my veins, I was rapidly growing way too cold for comfort.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± I hissed as I finally caught up with her, the question little more than a breath on the wind.

    Kye held her hand up again, silencing me in an instant. ¡°He¡¯s close. It¡¯s close. Keep your wall up.¡±

    My eyes widened at the mention of the source and any complaints I¡¯d had died at my lips. The sharp fear that I¡¯d experienced less than an hour before made me wince at the simple memory of the pain¡ªthe memory of the images they¡¯d made me see.

    I kept my wall up.

    After only a few seconds of relief that my burning limbs relished in, Kye continued even deeper into the woods. She was moving more slowly this time, carefully choosing her steps as if following a specific path. For a moment, I wanted to complain, but my training kicked in far before I could.

    Her eyes narrowed and her ears twitched, as if she could see and hear things that I couldn¡¯t. When I scanned the trees, I didn¡¯t see anything particularly special in the blur, and since we¡¯d starting running, we hadn¡¯t heard Myris again. But with Kye¡¯s magic still working and her senses probably leagues ahead of my already near-perfect ones, I didn¡¯t doubt her in the slightest.

    In fact, as we continued to walk forward, I saw more and more what she was getting at. The trees around us started to become less sparse and more¡­ organized. They seemed to break and twist together, growing away from their original spots as if forced into some sort of shape.

    The trees around us looked like they were forming the rim of a circle, acting like thick, naturey walls that kept outside influence away and protected the clearing within.

    Through the small gaps in the trees, I saw a blank, dirty clearing sparsely populated with bushes. A shiver crept down my spine at an impossibly slow pace as I realized just how similar it looked to the clearing we¡¯d just come from.

    Then, I heard what she¡¯d been hearing too. Distantly, just beyond the wall of trees, the brush was being rustled and there were even more footsteps being made. Actually, as the sound revealed itself more and more, it sounded like a crowd, a group of impossibly soft steps both moving in perfect coordination and colliding with each other at every turn.

    I forced my wall up, taking a singular moment to remind myself of both my body and mind. And as I felt the soft, ambient scraping of fear starting to invade my mind, I knew I¡¯d made the right call.

    Kye drew an arrow from her quiver, slowly notching it in her bow so that it made no noise. She pulled the string back, keeping it as steady as she could as she poked her head out between the trees and looked into the clearing within.

    Within less than a second, she snapped her head right back and, with her bowstring still taught, pressed her body up against the bark of the tree. Her eyes were wide, further cracking the focused mask she¡¯d previously had displayed.

    I opened my mouth, ready to ask her what she¡¯d seen, but she didn¡¯t even give me the chance. She shook her head firmly and violently, betraying a grave seriousness that made me snap my mouth shut.

    She nodded to me, making sure I met her gaze, and gestured to the tree next to her just on the other side of the gap. Without even thinking, I followed her command, pushing myself up against the bark and shying away from the hole, my sword clutched tightly in my hand.

    I shot her a sidelong glance and angled my brows upward, asking her all of the questions that I couldn¡¯t let escape my mouth. She shook her head. I swallowed hard, even the sound of that sending a shiver down my spine.

    After a few hour-long seconds of silence, Kye regained focus in her eyes and glanced back at me. I met her gaze in an instant. She held her bow up, tugging the bowstring back and aiming through the gap in the trees before angling her head and gesturing toward it. I didn¡¯t need more than a moment to know exactly what she meant.

    Collecting my thoughts and keeping my wall firm against the passive fear I could already feel intruding, I poked my head out.

    Inside the clearing¡­ I didn¡¯t see anything. All I saw was the half-dirt, half-grass ground that was littered with rocks and bushes. It wasn¡¯t any different from the glimpse I¡¯d gotten as we¡¯d approached.

    For a moment, I furrowed my brows and thought about poking my head back out to question Kye. But remembering the fear still scraping against my skull, I stayed vigilant and continued to scan the trees.

    Then, slowly but surely as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I finally saw what Kye had seen. On the far side of the clearing, in a nearly pitch-black part of the forest visible between the gaps in the trees, I saw movement. Large, blank forms shuffled past, creating quiet clamor of footsteps in their wake.

    My eyes bloomed outward. After I saw one, a switch seemed to get flicked, and I started noticing all of the other terrors hiding out in the clearing. Every gap in light, every shadow, every scrap of darkness, was hiding a terror in it, and the thin silver scars shined horribly off of all of them.

    I felt the scraping grow louder and my heart nearly stopped. I whipped my head around, pulling it with the force of all my fear back out of the gap in the trees. A glint of something familiar caught my eye, but within less than a second, I¡¯d pressed myself firmly back up against the bark.

    I blinked, the afterimage of what I¡¯d just seen playing back on my eyelids. To the side of where we were, in a shadowed part of the clearing, I¡¯d seen the glint of silvery light. My eyes snapped open, instantly squinting in confusion. What I¡¯d seen just didn¡¯t seem to fit with the rest of the clearing.

    The silver light could¡¯ve been from a terror¡¯s scars, but that answer didn¡¯t satisfy me. As I played the blurred image again in my mind the best I could, it looked¡­ different¡ªmore familiar than that of a terror¡¯s scar. It almost looked like the gleam of something metal.

    Kye tilted her head and I saw her lips starting to move, but I paid it no mind. In a moment of pure instinctual curiosity, my head whipped back out, forcing my eyes to focus on the scene.

    For a moment, all I saw was the same dark, blank clearing as before. But as the minute-long moments bled together one after the next, the forms showed themselves once again.

    There, in the shadowed place I¡¯d been watching only seconds before, was the hulking form of a terror. It actually could¡¯ve been the forms of multiple terrors, but in the distant darkness, I could barely make it out. What I couldmake out, though, was the silver gleam of metal that I knew I¡¯d seen before. Lying on the ground, twitching with movement every couple of moments, was a sturdy metal boot¡ªone that I¡¯d recognize in a instant.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Something touched my shoulder and I whipped my head out. My grip tightened on my blade and I brought it around quickly, slicing through the air right next to my shoulder. Feeling no contact, I blinked away the blur and focused again in the dark.

    Kye glared at me, annoyed curiosity plain in her eyes. Her fingers twitched, threatening to curl into a fist as she stared at me. She raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes, making sure I saw the movement. My eyes widened as I realized what I¡¯d just done and I instantly parted my lips to apologize.

    Kye shook her head, the intensity of her gaze shutting me up right there.

    Taking advantage of our locked eyes, Kye gestured back away from the circular treeline, pulled her bowstring back again, and all-but ordered for me to follow her lead as she scurried away. I went along in a heartbeat.

    By the time we got far enough away to speak, Kye was glaring at me. No, she wasn¡¯t glaring at me, she was glaring past me, gears slowly turning in her head. I saw it in the way she squinted, in the way her mouth twitched with half-words. She was trying to figure out what to do just as much as I was.

    ¡°Did you see him?¡± she asked, finally breaking the painful silence.

    I squinted, the image flashing in my head once more. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, instantly unsure. I¡¯d seen a metal boot¡ªthemetal boot worn by all rangers. But I still wasn¡¯t sure. What if it hadn¡¯t actually been him? It could¡¯ve been some other metal boot. What if the terrors had manipulated my mind again?

    ¡°Good,¡± Kye said, interrupting my spinning thoughts with firm certainty. She locked eyes with me finally and squinted again. I was still unsure, but seeing the calmness she seemed to produce in spades, I felt a little bit better. If my observation was good enough for her, it was good enough for me. It had to be.

    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± I asked. Kye¡¯s eyes narrowed farther, her hands relaxing on her bow.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°If he¡¯s in there, he¡¯s probably surrounded by terrors... And given how bad they are this cycle, I don¡¯t know how many of them we can take.¡±

    I winced, swearing softly into the air. I didn¡¯t even have time to relish in the mental clarity I¡¯d been given by moving away from the terrors. The incessant scraping had dimmed so far that it was barely even noticeable.

    ¡°We have to get him out.¡±

    Kye glared at me. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?¡± Her now-free fingers clenched into a fist. ¡°We will. I just... don¡¯t exactly know how.¡±

    I ground my teeth, flicking my eyes back toward the clearing. Even dozens of paces away and through the dark night, I could still see the distinct, unnatural circular rim of the clearing. And despite not changing my distance, I could feel the sharp fear probing further and further into my mind the longer I stared.

    ¡°We need a plan.¡± Kye¡¯s words ripped me from my thoughts. I turned back to her, my off-hand instantly moving to the back of my neck.

    ¡°Right,¡± I muttered, trying to force the situation through my skull. Myris was in that clearing, surrounded by terrors, and we had to save him.

    Frustration flared up in my mind and my hand clenched into a fist. We had to save him on his own mission. All because he wanted to find the source so badly that he ran off without us.

    I shook my head, letting the frigid air steal my thoughts away. Anger wasn¡¯t going to help me right now. Whether I liked it or not, Myris had run off on his own, and he was in trouble. I could yell at him for his hypocritical ignorance after we got him the hell out.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t noticed us yet,¡± I started, the dregs of a plan forming in my mind. ¡°And as long as they continue not to, we¡¯ll have a much better chance.¡±

    Kye nodded, urging me to continue with her eyes.

    ¡°All we need to do is get Myris out and kill the terrors guarding him without alerting any of the others.¡±

    The enthusiasm that had built in her gaze dropped in an instant. ¡°Simple.¡±

    I cringed at the sarcasm in her voice, but I didn¡¯t have a rebuttal. ¡°Right, simple. We¡¯ll just have to drag him away and get out quicker than they can get on us.¡±

    Kye nodded again, reluctantly agreeing to my plan. A grin grew on my face, attacks and maneuvers already playing back through my mind.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only got three arrows left,¡± Kye said, thumbing through her quiver.

    I nodded. ¡°So we better make them count.¡±

    Kye¡¯s eyes flicked back to mine and she nodded as well. For a moment, silence hung in the air as the simple plan we¡¯d just made solidified along with the stakes tied to it. It wasn¡¯t that complicated of a thing to do, but feeling the fear still probing my mind, that didn¡¯t comfort me all that much.

    It was simple because it had to be, I told myself as I looked back toward the clearing. Myris may have been alone, dying at the hands of unspeakable fear, but we¡¯d save him. We had to.

    Kye raised an eyebrow at me, a question in her gaze. I furrowed my brow and held my sword tight, signalling that I was ready to go. It took multiple seconds of us standing in silence before I finally understood.

    I was the one who¡¯d seen where Myris was, and I was the one who was probably going to pull him out. She was expecting me to take the lead.

    Right, I told myself with as firm of a nod as I could muster. Trying to move past the uncertainty, I shot Kye a hard gaze and, turning back to the clearing, I took the lead.

    Out footsteps rang out as softly as humanly possible as we pushed back through the woods. Each step was a cannon shot of impossible quiet that quickly collided with the world around us and died in the commotion. Pace after pace, the shots continued to fire, pulling us with newfound purpose closer and closer to the circular clearing.

    The soft thuds in the dirt slowed to a crawl as we neared the curved treeline. Through the gaps in the bark, I still saw the shadowy clearing, seemingly completely empty in its presence. But with the scraping creeping its way back tone by tone, I knew better than to believe what I saw.

    I gritted my teeth and clenched my blade again, moving around the trees over to where I¡¯d seen the glint of Myris¡¯ boot. Doubt carried me the whole way there, screaming at me in tandem with the increasing fear that I was wrong. It told me that I¡¯d seen it wrong, that Myris actually wasn¡¯t in the clearing at all. It told me that we were off, so far off, and that he was still somewhere deep in the woods, dying at the hands of something more horrible than even a terror.

    I shuddered at the thoughts, trying to keep them outside of my wall. The light sounds of incoherent mumbling lilted to my ears on the wind.

    The closer and closer I crept toward the side of the clearing where I¡¯d seen the boot, the louder and louder the mumbling became. Each new string of pained sounds only made me clench my jaw harder.

    Every single step felt like forever as I approached, the soft, gruff voice that I was all-too-familiar with. He was there. I wasn¡¯t just imagining things.

    I pushed away the exhaustion, pushed away the doubt and the pain, and pushed away the scraping fear. All that was left as I walked up to the gap was me¡ªmy complete, disciplined self with only one singular goal on my mind.

    I took a deep breath, letting the cold air flow through my lungs before I pressed myself firmly against the wooden bark and poked my head through the gap in the trees.

    The sight that I got wasn¡¯t like all the others. I didn¡¯t get the blank, basic clearing. I didn¡¯t have to adjust to the darkness. I didn¡¯t get the realization that there were things in the shadows. As fear spiked hard in my mind and my fingers started to shake, I was met with the blatantly horrifying sight of terrors up close.

    Standing only a few paces away from the treeline and slowly hobbling its way in the opposite direction of me was a tendril-covered terror. Its half-humanoid body was similar to the terrors that I¡¯d seen before, but it was also inverted. The bottom half of it had pitch-black human-like legs covered in thin grey scars, but its top half was covered in too-dark tendrils that flared and twitched unnaturally in the air.

    My heart thundered in my chest as I watched the horrid thing slink through the shadows, moving from one dark spot to the next in its trip across the clearing. I quickly shook my head, forcing the fear away and my attention elsewhere.

    Closer to the trees¡ªclose enough that it could¡¯ve easily heard me breathe¡ªwas another terror. And this one was looming over Myris¡¯ body. My heart jumped as I saw it, the small, wolf-like terror looking down at Myris¡¯ cold, pale skin.

    The terror looked small, and with the number of scars covering it, it looked easy enough to kill, but I could barely pay it any mind. All of my attention was instead focused on the experienced ranger it loomed over on the ground.

    Myris¡¯s body was sprawled uncomfortably on the dirt floor, his arms and legs positioned in just the right position to keep him engulfed in shadow.

    The smallest ray of moonlight split the canopy for a moment, gleaming off Myris¡¯ metal boot and right into my eye. The corners of my lips ticked up just a bit. He was still wearing his uniform. Despite his body being clothed the same, however, Myris¡¯ face was completely different.

    Where there was normally a stoic expression or an all-too-confident smile, the older ranger now wore a pale, permanent grimace that shifted every time his lips twitched to let out another incoherent mutter. The terror lording over him twitched every time he spoke, almost shivering in pleasure as it took more and more fear from his mind.

    I swallowed hard, anger flaring out from my core. The terror was there, feeding off of his fear and manipulating his mind just like it had done to me. But he was so close. If I wanted to, I could almost just reach out and grab him.

    Then, as his face shook in terror once more, a pained yelp escaping from his lips, I took my own thoughts with an iron grip. Without sparing another second to think, my body surged forward and I grabbed my fellow ranger¡¯s leg.

    The terror looming over him looked up, its blank, wolfish face hissing at me in an instant. I ground my teeth silently and swung my sword out, catching its blank skin on my blade as I pulled Myris swiftly out of the woods.

    A broken hiss split the air near my ears and I cringed, the sharp blade of fear bashing ever harder against my wall. A pulsing wave of mental pain washed over my head. I pushed my feet into the ground, pulling fuel from my growing anger.

    The terror charged at me, hissing the entire way, but my body was far quicker. I dodged to the side easily, my feet not missing a beat, and swung down at its head. My blade dug in deep, forcing its way through the vile thing¡¯s neck and leaving a silver scar in its wake.

    The terror hissed wildly, its tendril-like arm flinging toward me in the air. I ducked it in an instant and pushed back, keeping my body firmly planted between it and its former victim. For a moment, I thought about pulling my blade out¡ªabout dancing around for a little while longer before I could land another strike. But as its thrashing did nothing to lessen its pain, I changed my tune. Pulling whatever scraps of rage-fueled power I still had left, I forced my blade further in and relished in its hisses as it was pushed to the ground.

    I brought my blade up, tearing it wildly out of the dying terror and stood there seething. Fire still pumping in my veins, I flicked my eyes back into the clearing and watched the shimmering shadowy forms move more rapidly out of the dark.

    The once-still space was quickly filling with movement as the terrors crept out of the shadows, probably following the sounds of their own. Bile rose in my throat and I forced it down, my eyes stuck on the scene. On the far side of the clearing, too many terrors to count spilled out. Each and every one of them looked distinctly different yet horrifyingly the same, and with each set of twitching grey scars, more and more fear piled on.

    Through the dark blur of blank surfaces and silver scars, however, something else flashed in my vision. Distantly, on the far side of the clearing, I saw something that registered somewhere deep in my mind. Above the terrors, I saw what looked to be black hair, and towering beside that black hair, I saw the tops of what looked to be grey, bony¡­ wings.

    I squinted at the sight, my heartbeat slowing to a crawl as my thoughts spun in a frenzy trying to place the image. I¡¯d seen it somewhere before, I knew I had, but no matter how hard I tried, it was always just out of reach. If I could just get a closer look, I told myself. Maybe I could¡ª

    ¡°¡ªAgil!¡± Kye hissed from behind me, ripping me from my thoughts. I blinked at the air, pushing back the mountains of foreign fear entering my mind. My breathing accelerated in an instant as I saw just how close the terrors had come to me.

    I twisted my neck, whipping my head back toward where Kye was standing behind me. She was about half a dozen paces back, an arrow strung in her bow, and a concentrated look on her face. Her eyes flared out as they met mind, as if desperately calling for me to get out now.

    And as I heard her breathing quicken, with a wave of sparks flying off the tip of her arrow, I quickly took the hint and, picking up Myris¡¯ body with whatever strength I had left, I scurried away from the clearing.

    The twang of Kye¡¯s bow split the suddenly silent night.

    And a symphony of hisses accompanied the bright flash of light that signalled our escape out into the night.

 Chapter 33

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    The moon shined down on my face, once again blessing me with the ability to see.

    A groan slipped from my lips as we broke through the final line of trees and into the clearing beyond. The simple sight of the long, sweeping wooden building that I now called my home sent waves of relief throughout my body.

    But as the slowly calming winter wind stung at my fingers, that relief didn¡¯t last long. My legs still burned, my skin still shivered, and my muscles still ached. I¡¯d gone hunting, fought multiple terrors, and walked back¡ªall in the frigid cold. I needed a break.

    Myris lifted his head slightly and mumbled something incoherent into the air next to my ear. I glanced over at him, shoving his arm further up my back and shouldering more of his weight. I felt my back muscles strain, my entire body yelling at me to stop all at once. But as I felt the frigid, nearly impossible cold from his arm seeping down through my clothes and into my skin, I ignored its call.

    I pushed on, pulling Myris¡¯ body along with me and hoping his legs would continue to work. After I¡¯d first picked him up, he¡¯d been limp and mumbling. But after walking across the entire forest, his terror-frozen skin numbing me all the way, the situation had improved. He was still mumbling to himself, his eyes half-lidded as he struggled to form coherent words, but he was no longer twitching in fear, and his body was able to walk on its own. Well, it was only partially able to walk on its own, but that difference meant the world to my terribly aching bones.

    Kye¡¯s boots crunched the grass ahead of me as we continued toward the lodge. Her bow was out and ready, but her hands were relaxed. Her head was up and scanning, but her neck was limp and unfocused. Each time she remembered to keep her hand hovered near her quiver, ready to take an arrow out at any time, it didn¡¯t last long. Every time, the exhaustion would catch up with her, and her hand would fall uselessly by her side.

    Despite being in better shape than I was, and having the use of magic at her disposal, Kye was still just as tired. After all, she¡¯d done almost all of the same things that I¡¯d done throughout the hunting trip, but she drained herself further. As I¡¯d learned on the trek back, she¡¯d enhanced her senses much more forcefully than usual. And with the loosening bags under her eyes, staring down at the way her feet dragged in the dirt, it was more than noticeable.

    She¡¯d said she was fine.

    And I had no doubt she would¡¯ve been if she hadn¡¯t set that fire.

    The image of the blaze of sparks her arrow had erupted into played back over my vision. I felt phantom heat from the blaze pricking at my painfully numb skin. I heard the hisses and crackles that had moved further and further away as we¡¯d made our escape into the night.

    I shook my head, trying to force the images away. The sight of the fire only reminded me of the all-too-cold burn in my legs. I was sure that if I¡¯d been forced to walk any longer, my flesh would¡¯ve been seared from the inside out.

    Kye had magic, just like most of the other rangers, but normally she didn¡¯t do that. Normally, Kye just manipulated her energy by enhancing her own body, and that was it. It¡¯s what her soul was used to. She hardly ever did anything else. But as I¡¯d dragged Myris away from the source, dozens of terrors crawling out of the shadows in my wake, the magic she was used to wasn¡¯t going to help.

    She¡¯d needed to do something else.

    And that something else, it turned out, had been pushing as much energy as she could into the tip of an arrow and shooting it directly into an oncoming mass of terrors.

    The action had drained her, so much so that I was surprised she could still navigate her way back to the lodge. But it had worked. It had done what she¡¯d wanted to do. It had saved our lives.

    I turned my head down, dropping my gaze to the ground once more. Trying to block out the world, I felt the pain in my feet as I tried the best I could not to drag them in the dirt. Myris¡¯ feet stumbled recklessly beside me, half walking and half dragging their way along as I guided him home.

    The grey-haired ranger started mumbling again, incoherent syllables combining in so many different ways I wasn¡¯t even sure whether or not he had said any words. With the amount of nonsense Myris had spewed into my ear, I didn¡¯t even know if I could recognize what a spoken word was anymore.

    ¡°The source¡­¡±

    Or maybe I could.

    I furrowed my brows, snapping my head up for a moment to stare at Myris. His eyes were still half-lidded and his skin was still as pale as the moonlight shining down on it. And his lips were still moving, but this time they seemed to be moving in an actually purposeful way.

    ¡°Why did you take me from¡­¡± His voice trailed off. ¡°The source¡­¡±

    Myris¡¯ head bobbed up and down in a sporadic movement that was somehow more concrete than anything he¡¯d done for the entire trip. I tilted my head. He twisted his neck and opened his eyes a sliver, staring directly into my face.

    ¡°Why did you... take me from it?¡± he asked in a soft, disjointed tone. Afterward, he shut his eyes again, put his weight on my back, and continued to drag onward.

    My eyebrows dropped, and with the increased strain he was putting on my back, I considered shrugging his arm away and letting him fall into the dirt. But also feeling the coldness on his skin that I knew definitely wasn¡¯t healthy, I just gritted my teeth and marched on, keeping him upright the entire way.

    The air around us warmed as we walked closer to the lodge¡¯s front door. The gold symbol of the rangers gleamed brilliantly in the moonlight as we walked in under its watch. The soft, warm orange flame was still burning next to the large entryway door. I smiled, the weight of my exhaustion making it hard to feel my own lips.

    Kye glanced back to me lazily, shifting her weight between her heels. She flashed me a smirk, one still as arrogant as ever despite the circumstances. I glared at her, only held back from rolling my eyes by the sheer effort of the action. She chuckled to herself softly before swinging open the lodge¡¯s large front door and storming into the heat within.

    I stepped forward, the feeling of warmth on my skin stirring hope in my heart. The image of my bed flashed in my mind, nearly making me salivate on the spot. Myris muttered something else under his breath. I didn¡¯t even stop to figure out whether it amounted to actual words or not.

    Shifting my weight again, I reached out to the door¡¯s handle.

    My hand stopped in mid-air, frozen by something other than the frigid cold of the wind. I furrowed my brows harder, staring uncertainly at the door handle in front of me.

    Something was¡­ off.

    Maybe it was something I saw in the corner of my vision, or something I heard off in the distance, I couldn¡¯t tell through the haze of fatigue. But no matter what it was, a thin film of unease settled over my huddled shoulders and I didn¡¯t like it. I tilted my head.

    It felt¡­ strange. Almost like I was being watched.

    I twisted my neck, whipping my head around as quickly as my weary muscles would allow. My narrow eyes scanned the night beyond, watching for any sign of movement or abnormality. I scanned over the scattered trees and the clearing I¡¯d just walked over, dragging my eyes all the way over to the town. I watched the motionless path that led away from the lodge and met up with the cobblestone road beyond. Everything I saw was barren.

    No. Everything was not barren. Somewhere, out in the haze of dark, I saw a figure. There, somewhere on the hill that led up to the main part of town, was a stoic shape in brown cloth, adorned with plating on their shoulders and chest.

    By the time I saw the bronze fist-shaped symbol gleaming in the moonlight, I didn¡¯t even have to guess at their identity. Their gaze met mine, curiosity swimming in their distant eyes. I just grunted and turned back around.

    With the door swinging open and heat pricking at my skin, I knew I¡¯d made the right call. I didn¡¯t have time to deal with one of Marc¡¯s messengers again.

    Ever since his announcement, Marc had brought more and more of his own into Sarin. At first, it had just been the two Knights of Norn he¡¯d been escorted with, but that had quickly changed. Throughout the following week, Marc had brought in person after person, officer after officer into the town. And by now, it was nearly impossible to go into the market without coming into contact with an unfamiliar face¡ªone of Marc¡¯s lackeys.

    Most of the new personnel he¡¯d brought in were fine, and I didn¡¯t have a problem with them. Some of them, in fact, were knights, and I had to respect their craft. The knights from Veron were just as disciplined and orderly as the Knights of Norn, if not more. And I admired that. No matter what Jason said, I couldn¡¯t really be mad whenever I saw them patrolling, serious expressions on their face as they just did their job.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Most of them were fine. Most. Some of them, however, just got on my nerves.

    Kye turned around to look at me, one of her eyebrows raised in sleep-masked curiosity. I just shook my head, shouldering even more of Myris¡¯ weight. The image of Marc¡¯s messenger flashed in my mind again. I tensed my neck uncomfortably. He was the worst one.

    Only a few days after he¡¯d arrived, Marc had brought in his messenger. I didn¡¯t know his name, and I didn¡¯t even know if I¡¯d even ever heard the man speak, but Marc¡¯s messenger was everywhere. If I was on a grocery run¡ªsomething Lorah was allowing me to do again¡ªhe was there. If I was on guard duty, he was there, showing up somehow in the middle of my shift apparently just to look around. I couldn¡¯t escape the guy, and he was always watching.

    I mean, the man never did any harm, and he¡¯d never really interrupted me or any of my assignments, so I couldn¡¯t be that upset. He just¡­ gave me the creeps, was all. That¡¯s the best way I could describe it to myself.

    My body hobbled further inward, moving out of the lodge¡¯s narrow entryway and into the warm training room beyond. I felt the heat coming off the still-burning torches in the room. They filled the room with both light and life, being the only source of either in the all-but barren space. Not even the fireplace was on. Not that I was expecting it to be anyway.

    I opened my mouth, flicking my gaze back toward where Kye was standing by the wall. She narrowed her eyes, staring just past me as if she wasn¡¯t even using her sense of sight at all. I snapped my mouth shut and tilted my head, pricking my ears to see if I could hear what she was hearing.

    There. In the distance, or close up, I could barely tell with how tired I was, I heard voices. A low, firm voice and a higher pitched voice¡ªboth of which registered somewhere in my mind¡ªseemed to be having a back-and-forth somewhere in the lodge.

    I stared at Kye. Her gaze eventually moved to meet mine. I cocked one of my eyebrows and she nodded, confirming that she was hearing the same thing that I was.

    Scanning the room again, my ears pricked for noise, I settled on one of the side doors. On the left side of the training room, less than a dozen paces away from the weapon rack, was the door to the kitchen. And the voices were coming from just beyond it.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± I asked in a hushed tone.

    Kye just shrugged, a wicked smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. ¡°Not sure. I didn¡¯t even think anybody would be up at this hour.¡±

    Myris¡¯ head moved in the corner of my eye. I snapped my gaze to him, watching the nearly frozen older ranger make his best attempt at squinting as he pressed himself against me. My breathing quickened again.

    ¡°We need to get him to Galen,¡± I said. My words were firm despite the pain. They really conveyed just how much I wanted him literally off my back.

    Kye nodded, walking forward and gesturing for me to follow. A sharp breath escaped my mouth as I forced movement into my screaming limbs once more, dragging Myris¡¯ body along for the ride.

    I¡¯d thought we were going to Galen¡¯s office, and that¡¯s what we probably were doing. But after we¡¯d started walking, we didn¡¯t even make it halfway across the room.

    The muffled voices from just beyond the kitchen door grew louder. Kye froze and I froze too, still following her lead. I bit back a curse, hating the simple fact that I had to carry Myris for another single second.

    The low voice chuckled, nearly bellowing out amusement from inside the kitchen. The higher pitched voice made another quick quip, laughing to itself for a short moment as it moved toward the door. My eyes only got to widen a hair before a small bearded form burst out the kitchen door and stumbled into the training room. The entire world went quiet.

    Galen¡¯s face was priceless.

    After a few seconds of silence that, with someone¡¯s arm still draped over my back, felt like forever, somebody finally spoke. The firm voice that we¡¯d heard before echoed much more clearly with the kitchen door open.

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you¡­¡±

    Words died at Lionel¡¯s lips as he stepped out of the kitchen, his eyes latching on us. My eyes fully widened and my pained muscles stiffened up.

    ¡°What are you two doing up so late?¡± Kye finally asked, swinging her bow onto her back.

    The short, bearded healer spluttered for a moment, his face becoming as red as a beet. His eyes widened and grew frantic, darting between Kye and Lionel, both of whom were refusing to speak.

    ¡°Uhm,¡± Galen said, actual words seemingly unable to form at his lips. He swallowed hard, the half-eaten roll in his hand getting an entirely new context. ¡°We were discussing something interesting that Lionel brought to my attention.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes and thought about opening my mouth. But before the tired thought could even get processed in my head, Lionel was already speaking.

    ¡°Yes. What are you two doing?¡±

    ¡°Three,¡± I said reflexively, my mind suddenly working faster than my mouth. I blinked, surprised by myself as I glanced over to Myris¡¯ pale hung expression next to me.

    Galen¡¯s eyes widened again, this time new intent sparkling within. He straightened his shoulders. ¡°What happened to him?¡± he asked swiftly.

    ¡°Not entirely sure,¡± Kye replied. ¡°He got in a little over his head on our trip.¡±

    I snorted, the sound making me instantly regret it. ¡°A little over his head is an understatement. We had to save him from the nest of the terrors.¡±

    The bearded healer nodded, looking Myris up and down. ¡°He looks nearly unconscious. He¡¯s pale, and I presume he¡¯s cold as well?¡±

    I nodded, walking further toward the healer with Myris¡¯ body in toe. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s nearly ice cold. I don¡¯t know how bad it is, but he needs treatment as quickly as he can get it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Galen said shortly. ¡°I know how to do my job.¡±

    I tilted my head and squinted in confusion, but I didn¡¯t press the issue. Then, keeping his eyes on Myris the whole way, Galen took a step toward the still-silent black-haired ranger and shoved the half-eaten roll in his hand. It was Lionel¡¯s turn to wear a priceless expression.

    ¡°Give him here,¡± Galen said, waving me further toward him. I glanced around, shifting my weight for a moment before I just leaned forward and let Myris into the short man¡¯s arms.

    At first I was unsure if Galen could handle Myris¡¯ weight, but he did. The short man held the older ranger up with what appeared to be little difficulty, wincing only at the intense cold on his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll fix him up as quickly as possible,¡± was the last thing Galen said before he twisted on his heel and half-dragged, half-carried Myris right out of the room.

    The training room was struck into a spell of silence by Galen¡¯s departure. With the newfound freedom my limbs had, I was content to just stand there and stretch them painfully for a little while, but after standing around doing nothing for a few seconds, Lionel apparently had a different idea.

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, his voice low and solemn. I looked up, slowing the rolling of my shoulders. I could see the shimmering concern in his eyes.

    ¡°We found the source,¡± Kye said unenthusiastically.

    Lionel snapped his gaze to her, a few strands of black hair flying over his forehead. ¡°Is that what happened to him?¡±

    She nodded, her fingers already curling into a fist. ¡°He originally just wanted us to investigate it with him¡­ but it wasn¡¯t where he¡¯d thought it had been.¡±

    ¡°Myris was wrong?¡± Lionel asked, bringing his eyebrows together. The confusion was obvious in his tone, and I couldn¡¯t really blame him for it. Myris was one of the best hunters in the lodge¡ªeven if it frustrated me to admit it.

    ¡°No,¡± Kye said, letting the word hand for a moment. ¡°He took us to the right place. It¡¯s just that it¡­ moved.¡±

    The raven-haired ranger¡¯s eyes bloomed. ¡°It moved?¡±

    Kye nodded, clenching her fist even tighter. I found myself doing the same thing. ¡°We found it in this weird clearing. The trees around it were all bent and twisted, grown into a nearly perfect circle.¡± Images flashed back in my head, sending rapid-fire shivers racing down my spine.

    I grimaced at the residual feeling of the fear in my mind. I could still feel the mental pain and the wounds on my mind it left behind if I tried hard enough. The image of the bent trees played in front of my mind, the horrible stillness of it all. I wrinkled my nose as a phantom chill brushed across my face, the images of the terrors flying up in my mind.

    I saw Myris¡¯ pale body again, twitching and mumbling on the dirt. I shuddered. I saw the terrors that crawled out of the shadows after I¡¯d pulled him out. I saw the grey wings.

    A hitch caught in my breath as the final image died quickly in my mind. I blinked, trying uselessly to get it back, but it wouldn¡¯t rise up again. I was left with only the cold reality around me, despite the warmth of the torches on the walls.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Lionel muttered. I could only nod in response. I didn¡¯t know much about how terrors normally were¡ªabout how the cycles normally went, but I still knew something. This year, they were bad, and something was definitely different.

    Kye stared him right in the face. ¡°Yeah, shit is right.¡±

    ¡°You know you¡¯re going to have to report to Lorah about this, right?¡±

    My former cellmate nodded, a half-groan slipping between her lips. ¡°Yes, I know.¡±

    ¡°And Marc¡¯s going to want to know about it too. If not from you, from Lorah.¡±

    She stiffened up, her fingers twitching toward her quiver. ¡°Why does he have to be told?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been getting more serious about the town¡¯s security.¡± Lionel nearly spat the words through his teeth. ¡°And with all of the knights he¡¯s bringing in, it¡¯s only going to get worse. Trust me, he¡¯ll want to know.¡±

    Kye¡¯s neck stiffened up. ¡°He just needs to make sure he keeps out of our business.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just here,¡± Lionel said, slightly under his breath. ¡°Their scourge is bad this year. Apparently, they¡¯ve been harassing any and all villages even near the forest.¡± Kye bit back a swear. ¡°Especially ones that don¡¯t have rangers like we do.¡±

    Kye opened her mouth, then snapped it shut quickly after. I squinted at the two rangers, processing the words they¡¯d just said. In the background, I could hear Galen¡¯s high-pitched voice complaining about this or that. Myris was probably glad he wasn¡¯t fully conscious. My lips tweaked upward, and in another situation, I would''ve laughed.

    But with the silence pressing back in on the room, only staved off by the crackling of fire from the torches on the walls, I couldn¡¯t have laughed if I wanted to.

    My lips parted. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope the source doesn¡¯t move again.¡± And words slipped out. ¡°Things can¡¯t get any worse.¡±

    Lionel looked up at me, questioning my words with his gaze for a moment before all the questions fell away. He nodded to himself, content with the silence in the room. Kye gave me a sidelong glance, a more genuine smile sprouting on her lips, and nodded as well.

    For a while, we just stood there, letting the words we¡¯d just spoken set in. But the exhaustion still itching at my bones was still there, and the longer I stood, the harder it got to ignore. Taking one last deep breath and holding the image of my bed in my mind, I opened my mouth and¡­

    A creak and a slam.

    I jumped, whipping my head around to the entryway of the lodge. The door was still trembling slightly with the force of the slam it had just undergone. And, just inside the lodge where there had previously not been a soul, was a face I recognized in a second. Marc¡¯s messenger.

    I wrinkled my nose, snapping my mouth shut and letting irritation drown out the aching of my muscles. From the corner of my eye, I saw Kye tilting her head, a dangerous glare building on her face.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± she said, not holding back even an inch. The minorly armored messenger bowed his head a bit and came back up with a smile, the bronze emblem on his shoulder shining brilliantly in the soft orange light.

    ¡°Are you the rangers that just came back from the forest?¡± he asked, his voice catching me off guard. I jerked my head backward and had to stop my eyebrows from dancing on my forehead. His voice was softer and more removed than I¡¯d been expecting, especially in contrast with the Knights Marc had brought in. His voice sounded¡­ agreeable, like it was molded to just say ¡®yes¡¯ all the time.

    My eyes narrowed as I stared at the man who¡¯s generic face I¡¯d seen all-too-often over the past few days. Kye¡¯s gaze was similar to mine, only a whole lot harsher.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I ended up saying, the words somehow slipping from my lips. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    The messenger opened his mouth, and I got an all-too-familiar feeling. Memories from months before rose up in my head and I knew the words that would come out of his mouth before he even said them.

    ¡°Lord Marcel would like to meet with you.¡±

 Chapter 34

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    The creaking wooden door slammed shut behind us.

    I clenched my fist, ignoring my still-aching legs. Or, I tried my best to ignore it¡ªto focus on anything else, but each time, it was still there. It felt like with each new step, an impossibly sharp and ever-widening needle was getting pushed through my bones.

    ¡°I wonder what the hell this is about,¡± Kye said in front of me, her voice sounding out over the small fire going in the corner. I nodded, latching onto the anger in her words in an attempt to get some respite from my pain.

    Marc¡¯s messenger glared at us, his small, light-brown eyes doing their very best to intimidate us. For a moment, through my exhausted haze, I was. But seeing the way the stocky man adjusted his stance, puffing out his shoulders in an attempt to look larger, that intimidation fell away in a second.

    I stifled a chuckle, swallowing it as much as I could. Kye didn¡¯t, and her laugh rang out through the room like the screech of a bird¡¯s call. I glanced over at her, watching the way she snapped her lips closed afterward and stared right back at the man. He just pursed his lips and turned back around.

    ¡°It¡¯s too damn late for something like this,¡± Kye muttered soft enough that I was the only one that heard. I swallowed another snicker, the lazy, disbelieving quality in her voice reflecting almost exactly how part of me felt.

    It really was late. I really was tired. And no matter how many times Marc¡¯s messenger made me chuckle, that didn¡¯t change. The laughs did little to break through the solid and hardened irritability brought on by a complete and utter lack of much-needed rest.

    My eyebrows dropped, forcing my gaze to the floor. The wood creaked ever so slightly under my metal boots, swaying and bowing as if in the lightest breeze. I could still hear the fire crackling behind me, shining a brilliant orange warmth on the side of my face. That was an upside, at least. Despite the unease I felt about why we were there, being inside the town hall was still far better than trudging through the cold in the dead of night.

    Now, at least, we got to trudge through something warm.

    I glanced over to the window on the other side of the large room, watching the still night outside. Seeing the darkness somehow get even darker, the world seemed itself to be falling asleep. The howling wind that had been slapping me in the face every time I¡¯d turned during our trek back had calmed, and even the ambient sounds had given way to silence.

    And the town hall was no different. As we¡¯d walked up the hill toward it. the streets of Sarin had been barren, completely void of any of the commotion that they normally held. All of the buildings had seemed still and quiet, as if they too felt the near impossible need for sleep that I felt. The only difference, however, was that they actually got to heed the call.

    A soft groan slipped between my lips, one quickly masked by a crackle of fire. My metal boot dragged sharply on the ground, refusing the energy I¡¯d offered it to pick my foot up. My muscles felt like they were made of stone, stone that could only be cracked by the sharp pickaxe of sleep.

    A chill raced down my spine, snapping me upright. My eyes widened a hair as I tried to shrug it off, tried to bring the warmth of my cloak back. But the chill stayed for longer, remaining as a ghostly remnant of a feeling I¡¯d felt only a dozen or so minutes before.

    Myris¡¯ face flashed in my mind¡ªthe pale, almost lifeless face that had been forced on him by fear. I twisted my neck, stepping just a little bit more cautiously on the wood floor beyond. I was in pain, and I felt more tired than this body had probably ever been, but at least I wasn¡¯t him.

    I shook my head, reassuring thoughts coming up to take the place of my worry. Galen had him, I told myself. He was going to be fine. When the short healer had taken Myris in his arms, he¡¯d looked as interested as he always did, but he hadn¡¯t looked worried.

    If he wasn¡¯t worried, there was no need for me to be.

    ¡°Let me knock to make sure he¡¯s ready for us,¡± a voice said. I snapped my gaze up, meeting eyes with the generic face of the messenger as he walked up to Marc¡¯s office door.

    I furrowed my brows but didn¡¯t argue. His statement was fine, and there was nothing strange in his voice, but something still felt off. There was no guard by Marc¡¯s door, a product of the time I was sure. But somehow, that made it register harder in my head, ringing out like a beacon and trying to get me to pay attention to it.

    Everything we were doing just felt¡­ familiar.

    The messenger knocked on Marc¡¯s door. Only silence followed.

    After a few seconds of standing around, a very satisfied smile broke out on the messenger¡¯s face and he swung open the door, gesturing for us to walk in.

    Before I even knew what my body was doing, we were in Arathorn¡¯s old office. My eyes widened as the small space filled my vision. Memories rose up in my mind, and the feeling of familiarity only became more and more solid.

    As I looked around the room, I expected something different than what I got. I expected to see the messy floor¡ªthe piles of papers and books that Arathorn kept around for one reason or another. I expected to see a barred window only letting stray beams of moonlight into the room. And I expected to see Arathorn, sitting at his desk, his brows furrowed in focus as he worked on this paper or that.

    But that was a while ago. That is not what I saw.

    ¡°Lord Marcel?¡± the messenger asked, bowing ever so slightly to the bulkier, black-haired man.

    Instead of a messy floor, Marc¡¯s office was clean. The wooden floor wasn¡¯t covered with stray stacks of books or papers¡ªit was organized and walkable. Instead of a barred window, Marc¡¯s window had the bars taken off, letting the full brunt of the moon¡¯s glow drape his desk in light. And instead of an organized desk, with Sarin¡¯s lord working diligently at it, Marc was leaning up against the desk and staring out the window into the night.

    The messenger cleared his throat. ¡°Lord Marcel?¡±

    Marc¡¯s stiff shoulders relaxed and he blinked. He turned toward us, the pale gleam of the moonlight instantly clashing with the orange glow from the torches on our side of the room. The Lord of Sarin¡¯s eyes widened before he pushed himself away from the desk and straightened up, staring directly at us.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°Ah, they¡¯re here,¡± he said, the calculated calmness that I¡¯d gotten used to oddly absent from his tone. He nodded to the messenger, plastering a smile right on the shorter man¡¯s face. Within the next second, the messenger was gone, letting the polished wooden door click shut right behind him.

    Silence threatened the room, moving in to fill the sudden absence of the all-too-giddy messenger, but Kye didn¡¯t let it. She stepped up, stared Marc right in the face, and broke it without hesitation.

    ¡°What is this about?¡± she asked with more than a little irritation in her tone. One of her eyebrows cocked upward, and her hand twitched in the air.

    Marc sighed, his broad shoulders relaxing. ¡°This is not the meeting any of us want to be having at this time of night. I¡¯m sure we¡¯d all rather be in our beds, sleeping off the day¡¯s depletion on our strength.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped and I felt my features soften at his words. His tone was just¡­ genuine, without anything hiding in it, and his words rang far more true than I¡¯d expected. Kye leaned backward on her heel, her fingers relaxing a bit.

    ¡°Why did you want to see us?¡± she asked.

    Marc cleared his throat and stared at both of us, not losing any seriousness in his gaze. ¡°My trusty eyes and ears of the town told me that a group of rangers was following a lead in the forest. And seeing as you two just came back from there, I can assume that group was you.¡±

    I nodded on instinct, feeling the command in his tone.

    ¡°With the situation regarding the scourge on our forest,¡± he continued, ¡°I have some decisions to make.¡± My lips slipped apart, but he just barreled onward. ¡°And I know you rangers know this scourge better than anybody else.¡±

    My brows furrowed, dread building up more in my chest. It pressed against my lungs, forcing me to speak. ¡°So?¡±

    Marc¡¯s eyebrows twitched upward for a brief moment and he squared his gaze on me. ¡°I know the situation in the forest is worse than normal.¡± A cold certainty entered his tone. ¡°They normally don¡¯t come this early, do they? And they¡¯re normally not this bad.¡±

    I swallowed hard, a lump forming in my throat. Phantom sounds of scraping echoed terribly in my ears, reminding me of the splitting fear I¡¯d felt mere hours before. The dread only grew, pressing hard against my heart.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing the rangers can¡¯t deal with,¡± Kye said, slowly-dimming defiance in her eyes.

    Marc smiled, one of his hands shooting up in an instant. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that. But the entire forest does not have rangers.¡±

    Kye tensed up, her gaze hardening on Marc. He didn¡¯t budge. The thin film of unease at the bottom of my stomach thickened, sending a bitter taste up to my tongue. I swallowed, trying to rid it from my mouth, but with Marc still standing there and staring at us with firm, commanding intent, it wouldn¡¯t go.

    ¡°No, they don¡¯t,¡± Kye said.

    Marc nodded, the movement way too smooth for the situation. ¡°My knights are good,¡± Kye¡¯s nose scrunched up again, ¡°but they¡¯re not as familiar with the forest as you rangers are. They are nowhere near as effective at dealing with terrors as you.¡±

    My teeth pressed together. ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    My lord¡¯s eyes met mine, orange light flickering in their shiny reflection. ¡°There are other towns that are feeling their scourge as well¡ªtowns that we have relationships with. And those towns don¡¯t have anybody to protect them as effectively as we do.¡± My neck twitched and my lips pressed together. ¡°Particularly, a town that Sarin has a longstanding relationship, Farhar, has been ravaged by terrors recently.¡±

    Marc¡¯s head tilted to the side, a ray of moonlight streaming through the air where his hair had just been. I froze my gaze on him, my head already shaking before the words could escape from his mouth.

    ¡°So,¡± he started, leaving no room for interruption. ¡°I want to send a group there, however small, to help them deal with their problem. Our relationship with Farhar is very important.¡± His lips tweaked upward, a sliver of pearly white teeth peeking through the small gap.

    Kye¡¯s hand clenched into a fist and her face contorted into a scowl. She stared at Marc for a long second, silent curses and complaints passing to him through her gaze. He flicked his eyes away from me, meeting hers with sincerity. The smile on his lips softened. It didn¡¯t look or sound like he was lying, but each time I played his words over again in my mind, I couldn¡¯t help but feel the beginnings of bile rising up in my throat.

    My heartbeat sped up, memories flashing on my rapidly blinking eyelids. Everything around me was familiar, and I¡¯d done it before. I still remembered the charming smile Arathorn had flashed me before asking me to go on a simple task. A simple task, that¡¯s the way he¡¯d framed it. And Marc¡¯s smile was doing the exact same thing.

    ¡°We¡¯re rangers,¡± Kye said finally. Marc nodded, not hesitating at all. ¡°We have an agreement with Sarin, we do not work for it.¡±

    The accomplished man raised an eyebrow. ¡°That is not what the agreement I entered into only days ago said. I am the lord of this town, and I do only what is best for it.¡± Kye¡¯s harsh gaze wavered. ¡°Including preserving valuable relationships that have been set in stone for decades.¡±

    Kye¡¯s lips snapped shut. She averted her gaze, glancing somewhere else in the room before looking back at him. But by the time her mouth opened again, Marc¡¯s hand was already waving away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will not be one to go,¡± he said, gesturing to Kye. ¡°You are too valuable here in Sarin.¡± Something flashed in his eyes and his smile softened a hair. I scowled. ¡°Agil here,¡± the mention of my name made my eyes widen, ¡°and the more experienced ranger you arrived with, will go. If that is not enough¡ªand it probably will not be¡ªyou can take another with you, or suppliment the group with one of my knights.¡±

    My stance relaxed a bit, giving just enough time for my tired bones to scream at me again. I half-winced in pain, trying to hide just how tired I felt. From the corner of my eye, I could see Kye staring at Marc. I¡¯d expected a scowl on her face, some venomous look that told Marc just how much she hated what he was saying. But that¡¯s not what I saw. Instead, she was staring at him in curiosity, as if she was simply confused.

    Marc continued to stare at me, tilting his head forward. My eyes widened in an instant, realizing that he wanted me to talk.

    I smiled awkwardly before clearing my throat. ¡°Why do we have to be the ones to go?¡±

    ¡°Because,¡± Marc replied a little too quickly, ¡°you are the ones most suited to deal with the issue. Farhar requested assistance, and I¡¯m going to provide it.¡± I nodded, the knight in me having a hard time resisting his order. He was right, after all. We were meant to protect. Where we did it was not something that mattered. ¡°However... there is administrative work that still needs to be done.¡±

    Kye nearly rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, we get it.¡±

    He flashed a toothy smile. ¡°I know that you want the terrors gone as much as I do.¡± I could only nod at that. ¡°They are creations of Death, so why not send them back to its chamber?¡±

    The world froze around me as Marc¡¯s words echoed in my mind. I flicked my gaze away from his face, stopping on the bronze gauntlet emblazoned on his shoulder that radiated a firm grip of power. My breathing sped up and, for a moment, all of my pain fell away. Without even thinking, my hand fell to my blade, clutching the grip of it tight.

    Creations of the beast?

    ¡°That¡¯s a myth,¡± Kye said nonchalantly. I blinked, snapping my gaze to her.

    Marc raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is it?¡± he asked. Kye hesitated at the question, words dying before they could make their way out of her mouth. ¡°Either way, sending those horrible things to knock on Death¡¯s door is good for us all.¡±

    I nodded, and Kye did too. There was no real use in arguing, he was right. He¡¯d ordered us to go to Farhar. And with the stern edge that was always present in the back of his voice, his orders were meant to be followed.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Kye said. Marc only beamed in response.

    Part of me still didn¡¯t like it. The unease I still felt in my stomach was enough to tell me that. But it didn¡¯t really matter. I wasn¡¯t going to disobey his orders, and he¡¯d made good points.

    If the terrors really were creations of the beast, I would¡¯ve done anything to send them right back to their maker.

    With the decision made, the heaviness returned to my eyelids. The sharp blade of fear and Marc¡¯s strong, lifting tone were gone, leaving only silence and the pain within. I felt the aching in my bones again. There wasn¡¯t even enough energy for them to burn. They just hurt, and that was it.

    The image of my bed floated in my mind, relief just out of reach for my pained body. I latched onto the thought, and within minutes, Kye and I were out of the town hall and back out into the cold.

    With the idea of rest still hanging in my head, the frigid breeze didn¡¯t even bother me. Nothing could¡¯ve really at that point. Sparing one last glance at Kye and thanking the world for a moment that my mind was too tired to think about the conversation we¡¯d just had, I just walked.

    I walked all the way home.

 Chapter 35

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    ¡°This is complete bullshit.¡±

    Myris¡¯ grumbly comment hung in the light air of Lorah¡¯s office. Our robed leader shot him a glare, one that looked like it had punched him in the face.

    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°It is not.¡±

    Myris¡¯ lips snapped shut and he leaned back on his heel, shifting his stance. His weight wobbled from leg to leg as if he was unsure which one to try balancing on. It looked, for a moment, like he¡¯d forgotten how to stand, rendered ignorant even on that by the simple intensity of Lorah¡¯s reply.

    Lorah turned away from Myris, moving her gaze back toward the stack of papers on her desk. She scowled at them, the lights in the room flickering slightly as she did.

    ¡°He¡¯s not our leader,¡± Myris said, suddenly remembering how to speak. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be able to just order us around the way he is.¡±

    The older ranger stared at his leader firmly, but without any malice. He made sure to keep that away from his gaze. Lorah barely seemed to take notice, still looking through the papers on her desk. Then, looking up while brushing a strand of platinum hair from her vision, she smiled at him.

    ¡°Yeah, well, we need him,¡± she said. I couldn¡¯t help smiling myself. ¡°And this task is in line with your duties as a ranger in the first place. You of all people should know this, Myris.¡±

    The older ranger swallowed, taking a half step back under the weight of her warm words.

    ¡°Yeah Myris,¡± came an arrogant voice that was a pleasant surprise to hear. I whipped my head around to catch Jason still leaning against the wall next to the door. ¡°This is something we should have expected to do anyway.¡±

    My lips broke into a grin and my grin broke into a laugh.

    ¡°Right, Jason,¡± I said. He snapped his gaze to me. ¡°Like you haven¡¯t been complaining about it since I told you this morning.¡±

    His lips contorted into a sneer and he averted his eyes, mumbling something out under his breath. I only laughed again, stifling the sound as to not get Lorah glaring at me.

    We¡¯d chosen Jason to be the third in our party, and as annoying as he was, I was glad for it.

    When I¡¯d first told Myris about the task Marc had given us, he hadn¡¯t believed me. It could¡¯ve been because he was still recovering from nearly becoming a frozen corpse somewhere in the forest. Or it could¡¯ve been just because he didn¡¯t want to believe it, but either way his reaction was the same. He¡¯d just scowled at me, telling me that there was no way Marc would¡¯ve offered the job to me.

    I nearly rolled my eyes just thinking about it.

    Myris still didn¡¯t like me, and it showed. Even after I¡¯d saved him in the forest, dragging his world¡¯s damned half-conscious body all the way across the forest, he was still the same person. He was grateful, I could tell in the way he no longer scoffed at me whenever I started a conversation. But that didn¡¯t mean he liked to show it.

    ¡°Marc is important,¡± Lorah said, still not looking at the ranger trying to keep her attention. ¡°He¡¯s a good lord, he has power, and we have to make a good impression.¡±

    Jason almost snarled, mumbling something about knights under his breath. My neck tensed up and my hand fell by my side but again, I held my tongue.

    I didn¡¯t know what had happened between the rangers and the knights in the mountain states, but something told me it was a long explanation that I didn¡¯t exactly need to hear.

    ¡°And he was right, too,¡± Lorah continued. ¡°Farhar has been an important ally of Sarin for decades. One of our town¡¯s very first lords ever came from there. We share a forest and we share a bond. Plus, we do share the problem of terrors with them. If their guard had come to me requesting assistance, I would¡¯ve given it in an instant in the same way Marc has done.¡±

    Myris shook his head. ¡°But you¡¯re our leader, Lorah.¡± She met his gaze for a moment, nodding. ¡°He¡¯s a knight from a place I¡¯ve never even been to.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s also our Lord,¡± I found myself saying, straightening my posture. Myris shot a glance back at me, one that could¡¯ve burned holes in my skin. I could feel Jason rolling his eyes behind me without even looking.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Lorah said. ¡°But that¡¯s not the point either way. We¡¯re here to protect. We have a bond with Farhar, and in their time of need, we will protect them.¡± Her words came out warm, but there was an edge in them¡ªan edge that seemed built up over years. ¡°I remember hearing stories about the ¡®city on the other edge of the forest¡¯ when I was a little girl¡­ This goes deeper than Marc¡ªit goes deeper than any of us.¡±

    My eyebrows raised, interest sparking within. It was the first time I¡¯d ever heard anything about Lorah¡¯s past. And before a week ago, I hadn¡¯t even known what Farhar was, but ever since then, I¡¯d gotten some idea. The city on the other edge of the forest was a small town much like Sarin, but it had existed for much longer.

    Apparently, from the stray information I¡¯d gathered and a few stories Kye had told me, it had been founded by a powerful mage who¡¯d taken an interest in our forest. The story made sense, with my knowledge of Ruia so far at least, but something about it still bothered me. Looking past the fact that there even was a powerful mage, the story just didn¡¯t seem to line up with current events.

    ¡°Why is Farhar in such need of our help?¡± I blurted out, my curious gaze falling on Lorah. She looked up with an eyebrow raised, but didn¡¯t answer my question. ¡°I mean, I know they¡¯re dealing with terrors as well, and I know that they don¡¯t have rangers, but don¡¯t they have something else.¡±

    ¡°Something else like what?¡±

    ¡°Something like the guard you mentioned earlier,¡± I said quickly, trying to force the puzzle pieces to fit in my mind. ¡°If Farhar is older than even Sarin is, why aren¡¯t they equipped to deal with the terrors? They must¡¯ve been through enough cycles to know.¡±

    Lorah¡¯s expression darkened, a sight unusual on the light-mage¡¯s face. Her silver-trimmed hood slipped on her head. She pursed her lips.

    ¡°From what I know, the guard in Farhar is really good, too,¡± Jason said from behind me. His voice wasn¡¯t sarcastic anymore. It wasn¡¯t frustrated. It wasn¡¯t even arrogant. He sounded just as curious about my question as I was.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Lorah said finally. All eyes in the room darted to her. She smiled, exuding a confidence that didn¡¯t seem to fit with what she¡¯d said. ¡°But the terrors are much worse this cycle, and they may not have prepared for the winter.¡± I nodded. ¡°They could have gotten hit worse than we did.¡±

    A dark edge entered Lorah¡¯s voice for her last few words and her eyes stopped meeting with any of ours. I shivered, memories flashing up in front of my eyes. I remembered the image of the source, the dozens of crawling terrors all waiting to feed on my fear.

    Myris shifted in front of me again, his eyes suddenly stricken with something I rarely ever saw on the older ranger¡¯s face.

    Fear.

    My hand clutched the grip of my blade by my side and Marc¡¯s words repeated in my head. I clenched my teeth. The image of the reaper rose up, its terrifying, bony smile mocking me for everything I had.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    The bringer of decay was a servant to the World Soul. It had control of the flow of magic energy. It only made sensethat it would use it in the worst way possible.

    The sick and twisted logic wrapped itself around my skull, building resolve within. Before I¡¯d lived in the body I currently owned, I¡¯d never even seen a terror. But now, thinking back to the few interactions I¡¯d had with them, I could only agree with what my lord had said. I wanted to end them¡ªto send them right back from whence they came.

    ¡°That could be it,¡± Jason said. His voice was hollow, barely retaining the confident tinge I associated with him. Lorah nodded, meeting his gaze. Then she met Myris¡¯ gaze. Then she met mine, nodding again as if she understood every single thing that had gone through my head.

    ¡°It¡¯s an important task,¡± Lorah said, walking now with a sudden burst of movement. ¡°You all knew things would be changing.¡±

    She walked away from her desk, passing a speechless Myris, a curious me, and a resigned Jason on her way out the door.

    ¡°Rise to the occasion,¡± she said, leaving her words hanging in the air before the door slammed shut and she left us standing in silence.

    <hr>

    Blood roared in my ears, pumping with an intensity I only ever felt in battle as I broke the weakness in Jason¡¯s guard and slammed into his back.

    Jason stumbled forward, reeling from my shouldered strike on his back, and cursed into the air as he tried to look back to me. But by the time our eyes met, my blade was right at his neck, and he didn¡¯t dare move another inch.

    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± he said, trying to tear the curse away from the air. A grin sprouted on my face.

    ¡°You yield?¡± I asked, already knowing the answer. Jason glared at me, pushing my blade away with his.

    ¡°Yes, I yield. Your blade was at my neck. You know how we do this.¡±

    I took my blade back, relaxing my grip and letting it tilt in my hand. ¡°I do. But it¡¯s way more fun to hear you say it.¡± Jason had to resist the urge to roll his eyes

    ¡°Whatever, it was just an oversight in my form.¡± Jason tried making an excuse. ¡°You still tired yourself out way more than I did.¡±

    He smirked. The accelerated sound of my breath stuck out like a sore thumb in the sudden silence. I bit back the sound, trying to calm the intense beating of my heart. ¡°Excuses, excuses,¡± I said instead.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get like that. That was only one-one, you know.¡±

    I wanted to continue smiling¡ªto nod at him in an attempt to match his arrogance. But as he stared at me, an annoying sparkle in his eyes with his fingers still twirling on the hilt of his blade, I couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°You only won the first one because you went all out,¡± I spat.

    Jason tilted his head, still smirking up a storm. ¡°Excuses, excuses, Agil.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, the sudden calm after the fight letting me once again feel the burning cut in my shoulder. It really wasn¡¯t that bad; I could ignore the pain easily. But it still hurt. We were supposed to stop our blades before we made any actual contact, but he just hadn¡¯t been able to stop his.

    Jason noticed me rolling my shoulder¡ªthe one with the new tear right through my uniform. ¡°Stop making a huff. It¡¯s really not that big of a deal. Galen¡¯s here for a reason.¡±

    My smile came back lighter than before. I clutched my sword tight again, feeling the way it responded to my movements, and let out a breath. The small sting in my shoulder didn¡¯t matter, it would heal in no time. But at least I¡¯d won.

    A slamming door echoed out through the lodge. I furrowed my brow, already turning on my heel.

    ¡°You two still sparring?¡± the voice of a particular brown-haired huntress asked. My smile deeped, this time in a much less arrogant way.

    ¡°Yes, they are,¡± a deeper voice said. I blinked for a moment, turning on my heel yet again to catch Myris standing in the entryway that led to the hallway beyond. His bow was strung over his back, and he carried his stocked bag in his hands.

    Jason whirled around. ¡°Hey, we were waiting for you, old man.¡±

    Myris didn¡¯t budge, his gaze only imperceptibly hardening on the swordsman calling him out. The older ranger moves his eyes off of Jason and on to me, the corners of his lips tweaking upward the tiniest bit.

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t want to interrupt your duel,¡± Myris said. ¡°It¡¯s always an interesting experience to watch two people fight using an inferior method of attack.¡±

    My eyes widened, primal anger flaring out within me. I didn¡¯t even notice how tight my grip had become until Kye spoke again.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you all supposed to leave today?¡± she asked, walking past Jason and I on her way to the back of the lodge.

    I glanced at her, the smile on her face snuffing out my anger in an instant. I nodded instead. ¡°Yeah, we are.¡±

    ¡°We were just waiting for someone to get ready,¡± Jason said, exaggerated irritation in his tone. Kye met my eyes, half-rolling them and earning a low chuckle for me before she walked off.

    ¡°Well, one of us has to be prepared,¡± Myris said flatly. His smile tweaked upward as Kye walked past. ¡°And I¡¯d rather be completely sure of it than taking a chance on either of you.¡± Myris held up his bag. I had to stop myself from scowling at him.

    I sheathed my sword, feeling the weight of it fall by my sword. Jason did the same, already walking toward the wall of the training room next to the weapon rack where we¡¯d left our bags.

    He picked up his bag, instantly slinging it over his shoulder and smirking at Myris. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re finally ready, let¡¯s get going.¡±

    The older ranger nodded, taking no visual notice of the insult hidden in Jason¡¯s tone. I swallowed a laugh, picking my own bag up of the ground. My brown, well-sewn cloth bag was only half as stocked as Myris¡¯ was, filled with only my necessary rations, a change of my ranger¡¯s uniform, and a few extra spots of equipment. It was the same bag I¡¯d used on my trip to Norn. Just another thing to be familiar with, I told myself, already feeling the preliminary strain in my legs.

    ¡°Good,¡± Myris finally said, walking away from the doorway and straight across the room. Jason and I followed in toe. ¡°We should set off then. We want to be able to make a good amount of the journey before night falls upon us. Especially with the forest so near.¡±

    I could feel blood pumping in my ears a bit louder, memories quickly rising up. I blinked away the images of the terrors before they could even coalesce. I didn¡¯t need to see them again. I already knew.

    ¡°How far away is Farhar?¡± I asked. Myris slowed his steps, narrowing his eyes at me. I bit back a retort, swallowing my pride. It was just another piece of information that I had no way of knowing but that he expected I already did.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be more than a few days of travel out.¡±

    Jason nodded, looking more and more disinterested with our bland conversation as he sped up and swung the door open in front of us. In a second, we were out in the brisk air.

    ¡°On foot, at least,¡± I said, the words slipping out without much thought. If we¡¯d been traveling on horses, I was sure we could¡¯ve gotten there much quicker.

    Myris tilted his head. ¡°Of course. How else would we get there?¡±

    I blinked, his sudden ignorance not making any sense. ¡°On a horse?¡± I offered. The older ranger jerked his head back, and I even heard Jason scoff a few paces in front of us.

    ¡°Where in the world are we supposed to get a horse?¡± he asked, talking down to me as if I were an overly imaginative child. It didn¡¯t help that he was nearly half a head taller than me. I opened my mouth, only confused sounds and half-words making their way out.

    ¡°From someone with more coin than they know what to do with, obviously,¡± Jason laughed in front of us. The tips of my ears burned and I did my best to keep the redness away from my face.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± I cut in. ¡°We¡¯re traveling through a forest anyway. It¡¯s not like a horse would be of too much use.¡±

    Myris nodded slowly, obviously not convinced, but he didn¡¯t say anything. I could feel the way his eyes bore into me, searching for the missing piece of the puzzle that would explain the inconsistencies in my words.

    I barely even noticed the way I was gripping my sword as I shook my head and walked over to where Jason stood in front of the lodge. Myris just nodded, continuing to watch me on my way. I gritted my teeth, resisting the urge to look back.

    Above us, up the short hill just adjacent to the lodge, Sarin sat peacefully. The wooden houses and shops, built in scattered rows around the cobblestone streets pulled a smile from my lips. I could hear the dull commotion of the mid-morning rush and, even all the way down where I was, I could smell the bustling market.

    I heard voices yelling, talking, laughing, and even some singing on the town above. Really straining my ears, I could pick some familiar voices out amongst the crowds. Or maybe, I was just imagining it, but it felt good all the same.

    ¡°You two coming?¡± a low, irritated voice rang out through the clearing. I blinked, turning to see Myris who, at some point, had walked toward the forest.

    ¡°Who put you in charge?¡± Jason asked, pushing himself off the lodge¡¯s front wall and walking toward the grey-haired man.

    ¡°Do you know the way?¡±

    Jason¡¯s confidence wavered for a moment. ¡°Uh, no. I¡¯ve never been.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    I shook my head, walking toward them with purpose in each stride. ¡°What¡¯s the path there like anyway?¡±

    Myris¡¯ gaze hardened a bit, but he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Well, we could go the long way to Farhar¡ªaround through the plains. We might even run into some carts going to Sarin on our way there. Or,¡± he stressed the word, dragging it out as he gestured to the forest, ¡°we could make our way there through the woods. There¡¯s a much more concrete path in its direction that starts a ways in. We just have to find it.¡±

    I felt the air lighten a bit and energy danced in Myris¡¯ irises. I squinted at him, nearly taking a step back before I remembered his magic. His magic was a lot like Kye¡¯s only more situational. He enhanced his senses, and had some connection between them and the world. I didn¡¯t entirely know how it worked¡ªit wasn¡¯t like he was one to tell me¡ªbut it did have the consequence of making him an amazing tracker.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jason said, staring at the tree line ahead. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we get going? It¡¯s not getting any earlier.¡±

    Myris grumbled, the sounds coming out more like a growl than anything. ¡°Yes, we have a lot of distance to cover.¡± He nearly spat the words straight through his teeth.

    I stifled a laugh, walking with my head high and a smile plastered right on my face. Jason¡¯s smirk just deepened and Myris curled his lip, turning back toward the forest again.

    The sun beat down on my neck, letting droplets of sweat file down my neck despite the brisk winter breeze. He was right, after all. It really wasn¡¯t getting any earlier and we did have a lot of distance to cover. We really had to get walking.

    Somewhere ahead, through a forest of unspeakable terror, Farhar waited for our assistance.

    And so we walked. After all, that was the only way we were going to get there.

 Chapter 36

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    The sun was getting low on the horizon.

    Soft orange light bathed the trees around me in warmth, seeming to contradict the wind slapping me in the face. The trees swayed in the breeze, wavering slightly as if rocking back and forth in a chair while watching the night come.

    I continued to walk on, beating my feet against the dirt path that we¡¯d eventually walked onto. The forest around me was unfamiliar now, greener and livelier than the one I¡¯d gotten used to over the past few months. The trees I was used to were packed together, gnarled and twisted as if all part of a singular connected root. But the trees around me now¡­ they weren¡¯t. They were more peaceful, shining out in brilliant green as the sun¡¯s fading light kissed their leaves.

    Up ahead, I still heard the muffled and unimportant sounds of Jason joking¡ªor arguing, I didn¡¯t know or care. Myris had his shoulders tensed, as if trying to make his back a wall that the swordsman¡¯s arrogance couldn¡¯t pass through.

    That effort had failed, obviously. But I was glad he was taking the brunt of it now. I was more than content just walking a few steps removed, letting nature swell around me as I listened to the beat of my heart.

    Somewhere along the line, the unkempt forest floor we¡¯d been traveling on had given way to a more distinguished dirt path, one that seemed to flow through the forest with ease. It was a wide path, at least in comparison to the narrow walkways that weaved between the trees before, but it was also still just dirt.

    Certain parts of the path, parts that we¡¯d long since passed by now, were lined with stones. For a while, it looked almost exactly like the paths that led in and out of Sarin¡ªthe paths that had directed Kye and I on our journey toward salvation.

    A surprised smile grew across my lips, the mundane aching in my legs put on hold for a second by memories. That journey felt almost like it was just yesterday. It was hard to imagine that it was really months ago.

    A sharp pain in my foot made me stumble in the dirt, wincing. I flicked my head up, making sure neither Jason or Myris had seen the act. They hadn¡¯t even turned around. They were still preoccupied with whatever contest of the will Jason¡¯s boasting had put them in.

    I sighed, regaining my stride in an instant. I rolled my toes in my metal boot, thanking the world for the padding inside. I rolled my shoulders as well, feeling the wind brush over the small tear in my tunic that Jason¡¯s blade had left back at the lodge. The feeling made me smile, in an odd way. I could barely even feel the pain anymore.

    That, I told myself, was why my first journey into town was months ago. If my body had gotten cut all the way back then, I would¡¯ve been in pain for days, squirming at the unfamiliar and uncomfortable feeling.

    I flexed my muscles, keeping the memories sharp in my mind. I was definitely stronger now, and that certainly made me happy. So happy, in fact, that a laugh slipped from my lips as I remembered the first time I¡¯d sparred with Jason. We¡¯d used wooden practice blades, I remembered.

    How times had changed.

    Feeling my muscles once again and the way they now truly responded to my calls, I was also reminded of something else. I was tiring out. Back at the lodge, when we¡¯d been waiting for Myris, Jason had told me not to tire myself out, but I hadn¡¯t listened. I couldn¡¯t have listened. The look of defeat on his face was far too sweet for me to ever have passed it up.

    During our fight, I really had tired myself, even if I¡¯d beaten him all the same. And we¡¯d been walking for hours now, so I could already feel my legs starting to get angry. They wanted rest, and it wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t want to give it to them. The sun was setting and the wind around me was starting to sting just the tiniest bit more. We were going to have to make camp soon.

    But Farhar still loomed days ahead, even farther still if we made camp so early.

    I closed my eyes, ignoring the gradually increasing fatigue by picturing the town.

    What I imagined was a small town like Sarin¡¯s, but surrounded by forest on all sides. I imagined its old wooden buildings, the stone foundations just starting to crack. I imagined a bustling market, different from the one in Sarin, but lively all the same.

    On our way through the woods, before we¡¯d even gotten to the carved out dirt path, I¡¯d tried to ask Myris about the town. As always, he hadn¡¯t been in the mood to talk. And even if he had gained some respect for me after I¡¯d dragged his body out of the forest, he still danced around my questions like they were poisonous to the touch.

    When I¡¯d asked about our destination, I¡¯d only gotten half-truths¡ªor half-lies, I couldn¡¯t tell. He would say something that sounded reasonable and then follow it up with a resigned but snarky complaint about how it was irrelevant information or about how I should¡¯ve known already.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like making small talk while I travel,¡± he¡¯d grumbled at me.

    After each of my questions, the edge in his voice had only gotten sharper, and after a certain point, I¡¯d just stopped altogether. If Myris liked silence while he walked, then I would respect it. I couldn¡¯t, however, say the same about the other member of our party.

    Jason¡¯s voice picked up, drifting to my ears on the wind. I cracked a smile, still imagining the town at the edge of the forest. Even after everything, I still didn¡¯t know much about it. The most I¡¯d gotten out of Myris was when he¡¯d slipped up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the city of whispers,¡± he¡¯d said, his annoyance spiking. He¡¯d held his hand up, trying to force me to shut up by sheer power of will. But his eyes had widened when he¡¯d realized his mistake.

    ¡°City of whispers?¡± I¡¯d asked, trying to keep my voice level. ¡°I thought Farhar was a town.¡±

    I could still see the way he¡¯d cringed at himself. ¡°It is a town,¡± he¡¯d said. ¡°But it¡¯s called the city of whispers.¡±

    ¡°This is the first I¡¯m ever hearing about it,¡± I¡¯d retorted in an effort to bait more information out of him.

    ¡°It is not the most common name for it anymore, okay?¡±

    ¡°Why is it called the city of whispers?¡± I¡¯d been persistent.

    ¡°Because it is nearly as old as the forest itself and hears all of its secrets. I¡¯d bet the oldest living person there wouldn¡¯t even know all of the whispers floating around.¡±

    Myris had smiled as he¡¯d spoke, which had struck me as odd. He¡¯d been guarded and blocked off since the moment I¡¯d started, but as soon as I asked about the name he slipped up on, he¡¯d been more helpful than he¡¯d been in hours.

    And then he¡¯d made the statement that still nagged at my thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder the wisps hang around there so much.¡±

    I¡¯d been surprised at that, questioning him more and more. But as soon as he¡¯d mentioned wisps¡ªa name I¡¯d only ever heard Kye say once before¡ªhe¡¯d shut right up. After that, he hadn¡¯t even given his standard excuse, he¡¯d just shaken off my pestering and walked on, trying to see if the wind would blow my words away before they could even reach him.

    I glared ahead, trying to set Myris on fire with my eyes. His posture was still stiff and guarded as he tried to ignore whatever Jason was saying to him, but his shoulders were more relaxed. And unlike when I¡¯d asked him questions only hours before, he actually responded to whatever Jason said.

    Whatever, I told myself, pushing down the irritability that I knew stemmed from my exhaustion. The breeze picked up for a moment, blowing strands of brown hair in front of my eyes. I gritted my teeth, trying to shake off the cold.

    The orange light of the sunset on the horizon beyond was fading on the trees. And the light was fading from my vision, too. It was getting dark. And the chill now seeping through the cloth in my tunic told me something worse. It was getting cold as well.

    I hunched my shoulders, trying to keep the cold at bay as I quickened my pace. My eyes flicked between the two sides of the forest on either edge of the path. They were more sparse, and much more serene than the woods directly near the lodge, but they were still woods. And with the darkness pressing in upon them, they didn¡¯t particularly make me feel at home.

    As my feet scraped against the dirt, I felt an all-too-familiar feeling. I felt my heart beat faster and my breath weigh down my lungs. I could feel the eyes from the forest.

    Watching.

    Waiting.

    Ready to pounce.

    ¡°When should we think about setting camp?¡± I suddenly asked as I got close enough. Myris twisted, turning to look at me. The words that had been at Jason¡¯s lips fell away.

    Myris furrowed his brow as he saw me, and even more at my question. That didn¡¯t make me gloss over the relief I saw come off his shoulders when Jason shut up, though.

    ¡°Not much longer,¡± he said. ¡°We didn¡¯t leave as early as we should¡¯ve.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s fault is that?¡± Jason said beside us. Myris didn¡¯t even pay him any mind. Jason tried harder. ¡°I¡¯m sure I could keep walking through the night.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    My eye nearly twitched at his words, even the exhaustion in my legs stopping to be annoyed. Myris glanced to the swordsman, a focused¡ªbut not annoyed¡ªglint in his eye.

    ¡°That is not the issue. We¡¯re still in the middle of the forest. It is going to get cold, and we¡¯re going to be sitting ducks just waiting for terrors to attack us from around. We can¡¯t get caught out and tired like that. We will have to set up camp.¡±

    Jason¡¯s smirk wavered at that and he snapped his mouth shut quickly after.

    I moved my eyes off the swordsman and further down the path. It seemed to continue on for hundreds, if not thousands of paces forward, only stopped by a curve in it that left the forest as a barrier. I didn¡¯t know how far the path led, or even if it led all the way to Farhar, but either way, we had a long way to go.

    ¡°So how much longer do you think we should wait?¡± I asked. Myris squinted, letting the air around him lighten. I saw the subtle signs of strain on his face as his soul manipulated energy, and he came back with an answer rather quickly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure. It is hard to tell in these conditions.¡± That made me raise an eyebrow. ¡°But¡­ soon.¡±

    Soon is what he¡¯d said, and soon had come quicker than I¡¯d expected. After letting the silence stew, something which was a real relief to the older ranger, we¡¯d just walked on. We¡¯d walked on for hours.

    And before I knew it, I was finishing up my ration of food as Jason got the fire started.

    The night pressed in around us and gripped the cold air like a vice. I tried to just stare at the emerging flame, the one only growing larger from the sparks coming off Jason¡¯s knife as it caught more and more scraps of wood. I tried to lose myself in the heat it provided, to lose myself in the light.

    But with the knowledge of what was lurking out in the night, I couldn¡¯t. My eyes flicked around restlessly as I choked down the last of the dried meat in my hands.

    The warmth was nice, especially with my cloak wrapped tightly around my shoulders, but the breeze still whipped at my head. The light was nice, especially with the soft crackling of the fire that accompanied it, but it only kept the night away so far. Beyond the reach of our little fire tucked away on the path and surrounded by stones, the darkness was still there, and anything was possible within it.

    Jason sat back down, sheathing his knife on his belt with shaky hands as he let go of the smirk that was almost drawn on his face. A large breath slipped from his lips and I felt the weight of it. Even if he wouldn¡¯t admit it, he was tired too. We all were. We¡¯d been walking all day.

    I tried to focus on the fire again, feeling the soft burning on my eyes as I stared just a little too hard. But I couldn¡¯t focus¡ªI couldn¡¯t focus for my life. Every time I tried to block everything out, more doubt, more dread, more fearcame in to mess it all up.

    I shook my head and took a breath curling myself further up on the bedroll I¡¯d set on the dirt. My bag lay next to me, thrown down so that I could use it as my pillow. I debated lying down, closing my eyes for a bit to listen to the sounds of the night just a little more clearly, but I didn¡¯t. I knew it wouldn¡¯t have been a good idea.

    So instead, I just sat up and kept trying to find something to do with my gaze. I stayed away from the forest, scanning over our little camp again. Jason was still decompressing to my side, balancing his sword in his hand as he glared at the fire he¡¯d started. And just on the other side of the fire, directly opposite of me, Myris sat stiffly.

    The older ranger¡¯s eyes were sharp and vigilant, energy still stirring within. His gaze kept moving like mine, but it was more than a twitch. His movements weren¡¯t erratic and fueled by uncertainty, they were solid and fueled by a calculated curiosity. I watched the man for a while, the way he breathed heavily, sniffing the woods around us and the way his ears perked up, listening for any scrap of sound. I had no doubt that if I were to go over to him, I would¡¯ve found myself breathing air light enough to make me pass out.

    I furrowed my brows, glaring harder at the ranger. Words suddenly rose to my lips, and I made no effort to stop them. ¡°The fire¡¯s started,¡± I said. ¡°And our bedrolls are all made. How long are we going to sit here before one of us finally gets even a sliver of rest?¡±

    Jason¡¯s eyes snapped to me. Myris¡¯ did too, the energy once easily visible in them now slowly tapering out. My eyebrows raised up. I knew there had been an edge in my voice. I was tired too. But I was nothing if not practical, and sitting around the whole night was not going to get us anywhere.

    Jason¡¯s lips parted, losing the smirk. ¡°Sleep is dangerous, now. Our forest contains monstrosities far beyond what we normally deal with anyway. We could get attacked by terrors, or even a kanir.¡± The smirk rushed right back as he stared at me. ¡°Not that that would be that big of an issue.¡±

    I scowled, something inside me reviling his words. Muffled and distant disgust rose up, forcing a tinge of bitter taste on my tongue. I tried to reach out to the feeling, but all I got was a headache as my mind grasped uselessly at energy sheltered behind some wall.

    ¡°I suppose we should figure out shifts then,¡± Myris said suddenly, running his hand through his grey hair. I shook my head and squinted at him. I¡¯d never seen him do that.

    ¡°What kind of watch should we set up?¡± I asked, memories of setting the same kind of process breaking through a murky sea and filling the empty space in my mind.

    ¡°The night is not all that young anymore,¡± he said. ¡°We can switch off every three hours.¡±

    I nodded, seeing nothing wrong with his statement. Silence took our little camp for a moment, an unspoken question hanging in the air. I opened my mouth to answer it, to offer myself for the job, but Myris spoke first.

    ¡°I can take first shift,¡± he said in a low, distant voice. I tilted my head, words dying at my lips. It was an obvious choice, but it didn¡¯t¡­ fit for me. Back as a knight, whenever I set up camp anywhere, I was always first on watch. I was always first on guard. But now, looking down at my blue cloak that definitely did not hide a knight¡¯s armor, I didn¡¯t even have an objection to make. Things were different now.

    ¡°No,¡± a voice blurted out. Logic told me exactly who it was, but the words that came out and the person they came out of didn¡¯t quite seem to fit. ¡°I¡¯ll take first shift. You¡¯re both tired. And I already said that I¡¯m not. I¡¯ve got it.¡±

    Jason sat up a little straighter, gripping his sword tighter as he stared at us. His words simply hung in the air for a second before Myris¡¯ reply.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Myris said, an edge at the corner of his voice. ¡°You lit the fire. I¡¯ll take¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been casting all day, Myris,¡± Jason said, using the ranger¡¯s actual name for the first time in a while. The older ranger jerked his head back, his eyes widening. Jason leaned forward, putting more pressure onto his words.

    Myris thought only for a second before he threw up his hands. ¡°Fine. Wake me up when it¡¯s my turn.¡±

    Jason nodded at that. ¡°Get some sleep. I¡¯ve still got to defend you two.¡±

    I wanted to hesitate for a moment, to argue back, but I didn¡¯t. With the arrogant edge in his last few words, I had to almost stifle a groan. Then, nodding silently to the swordsman who was already standing up, I got comfortable on my bedroll and laid back.

    My head hit my bag with the softest thud imaginable, and yet the sound still rang in my ears. My fingers flexed in place, and I kept shifting every few seconds into a slightly new position. Thoughts continued to race through my head, colliding and combining with each other to make my pursuit of the abyss as fruitless as possible.

    I tried to slow my breathing, to let the brisk air of the night lead me on into relief, but it didn¡¯t work. As I laid there on the scratchy bedroll, staring at the stars, I searched for sleep. But sleep seemed distant and elusive, like it was actively trying not to be found

    After minutes¡ªor hours, maybe, I couldn¡¯t tell¡ªmy eyes started to droop. The thoughts still raced through my head but they weren¡¯t as fast, and before I knew it, I¡¯d found what I so very much desired. My body slowly went limp, and I faded away into sweet, sweet unconsciousness.

    <hr>

    Blackness surrounded me on all sides.

    Empty darkness pressed in on me, acting as a soft, cuddling feeling that contrasted nicely with the ice-cold grip of the night before. It felt familiar, warm, and homey, as if it was a place I¡¯d lived for my entire life.

    I tried to blink, but I couldn¡¯t. I tried to smile, but I couldn¡¯t. After a few moments of indiscriminate time, still nothing had happened, and the familiar feeling somehow registered in my mind.

    It felt like I was floating, like my soul¡ªand only my soul¡ªwas suspended in a perfect solution. As the sweet, intimate nothingness coddled my soul, memories raced through my head. I found myself looking more intently, staring into the darkness with a newfound purpose.

    I expected a spark, some white flash of light, but no light ever came. Some feeling grew inside of me that I couldn¡¯t quite define as I stared at the abyss, one that tugged terribly at the deepest parts of my mind.

    I couldn¡¯t even imagine the light¡ªthe beautiful white flame. Every time the image rose up in my mind, it was clouded, blocked off by a wall that was both too thick and too complex to get past.

    After floating there for a time, my hearing rushed back to me at once. Somewhere at the edge of my ears, I could hear talking. The words and the voice struck a chord within me, reminding me of something I held close. But each time I tried to focus on them, they were too far away. They were just too distant, or just too soft, or just too muffled to carry any meaning.

    There was no flame, it seemed. And there might not have even been any sound. I could¡¯ve been imagining it all¡ªit could¡¯ve all been fake. But I didn¡¯t know, and I didn¡¯t seem to have much control. So I just did the only thing I could do to make myself feel better.

    I closed my eyes, if I was even able to do that, and blocked out my vision. I looked inward into my mind, focusing on specific, hard-to-reach thoughts so I didn¡¯t have to watch the void.

    Faces appeared in my mind, each one of them rising up crystal clear. My mind nearly wept. First came my father, his hardened features staring back at me with pride. Second came my mother, her soft, warm smile and her beautiful blonde hair shining brilliantly in my eyes. Third came my wife, her slightly tilted smile and piercing, honest eyes sending shocks of longing remorse straight back to my core.

    I sighed, if a bare soul could even do such a thing, latching onto the last image. I stared at my wife¡¯s face, building it up with every detail I could remember. But¡­ something was changing.

    Slowly, my response to her image shifted away from longing. I no longer felt bittersweet, I just felt bitter as sharp hatred and brutal sadness cut their way through my mind. My wife¡¯s smile dropped and her eyes widened before me, the soft, scraping worm of fear forcing itself into my mind.

    In a sudden, wicked change, Lynn¡¯s face warped entirely. Her lips parted crookedly, her eyes widened just a little too large, and her once soft and understanding features sharpened up as if she¡¯d just been turned into a statue. Life drained from her eyes, and I heard the echo of her scream bouncing off the inside of my skull as she fell from my gaze and left only a horrible sight left.

    I snapped my incorporeal eyes back open, ripping away the visage of the beast. Distress called in my mind, spinning in alarm as it tried to tell me something that I most definitely already knew.

    My eyes stared back out at the swirling empty blackness. But¡­ no. This time it was different. The blackness wasn¡¯t empty, it was murky. The blackness that I looked out at held movement inside¡ªmovement that scraped fear on my skull. But¡­ I still knew this void, and that was what scared me the most.

    Light flashed in my vision. I snapped my attention to it in a second.

    Sitting there off to the side, was a small white flame. For a moment, hope rose up within me, but it was squashed in a heartbeat. The longer I looked at the flame, the less inspiring it was. It wasn¡¯t the same white flame I was used to. No, this one was different. This flame was hollow, artificial, vile to its core.

    But that didn¡¯t mean that it felt any better when the flame was snuffed out. Coming straight out of the murky dar, the gleaming metal of an all-too-familiar scythe cut right through the flame and killed it on contact.

    My soul shivered intensely.

    Thoughts raced in my head, and logic struggled to prevail. It kept yelling at me that whatever was happening wasn¡¯t right¡ªthat none of it was real. It kept telling me I had to wake up, but I could barely hear it.

    You too¡­ touched by the scythe¡­

    Horrible, hissing thoughts echoed in my head, registering somewhere deep in my mind. But my soul was too occupied to figure out what it was. I felt trapped, pushed into a coffin with the board nailed shut. Each passing second was dropping me further and further into the dirt below.

    Just like her...

    The mention of the last word shook the entire existence I was in. The murky black was stirred, shaking and cracking as sensation rushed back to return. In an instant, I felt pain, and I felt a brutal cold wind brushing up against my skin.

    Frigid air stung at the insides of my lungs as I could hear my breathing again. I gasped and scraped the air, trying to get as much of it inside while my body spurred to life.

    I snapped my eyes open, and the very first thing I saw was a shining silvery scar as a hand came down and grabbed me tight by the neck.

 Chapter 37

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    A horrible, bone-splitting shiver raked down my spine.

    My vision became a blur of movement as I kicked and writhed, trying with indescribable desperation to keep the cold off my skin. The impossibly frigid touch wrapped around my neck, keeping air out and pain in.

    I widened my eyes even further and tore my neck backward, trying to scramble away from the terror¡¯s vile touch. The terror stood over me, its blank, indented eye sockets squared right with my eyes. Its grip was tight and did not give way to my movements, only increasing the near deafening scrapes of fear echoing out across the edge of my skull.

    The humanoid terror was covered in silver scars, decorated menacingly as it stood over me. Its blank expression mocked me, the sharp blade of fear picking at the most painful parts of my mind.

    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t think, and all I could feel was pain. But slowly, as my frantic will rose up once again, I regained control. Instead of kicking wildly, hoping my feet would catch the terror at some point, I darted my eyes to it and pushed directly into its chest.

    A chill rippled through my leg. Its grip loosened around my neck, letting frigid air¡ªthat was somehow warm by comparison¡ªinto my lungs once again. The terror stumbled backward, pulling me with it, but I dug my hand into the ground.

    I kicked again, focusing all of my attention onto the movement in an effort to block out the fear. My foot once again felt like a burning slab of ice as I forced my strength back into the terror and knocked it away.

    Its grip nearly came off of my neck, the murky, humanoid fingers it had formed slipping on my skin. I hauled myself backward, bringing my empty hand up to knock the terror¡¯s fingers away from my neck.

    Frigid waves ripped throughout my arm and the terror hissed, but its grip was gone. My mind felt instant relief as the roaring fear from before calmed back to its usual of soft, erratic scraping. I wanted to lie there, to relish in the relief while the pain faded from my body, but I couldn¡¯t. The comparably mild winter wind whipped at my head and I forced myself backward, trying to find footing on the dirt.

    The humanoid terror scurried away from me, its glittering grey scars acting as little beacons in the night. I took another step back, gasping and rolling my neck to try to shake the pain away.

    It didn¡¯t work.

    My eyes flicked around, finally free from the fear-fueled haze they had been put in only seconds before. The moonlight illuminated our little camp in dim, distant light, but as my eyes sharpened to an edge, that little light was enough.

    Small orange after-sparks still glowed in the fire we¡¯d set up between us and most of the wood looked almost completely charred. It had been a while since I¡¯d gone to sleep, I noted to myself quickly, making sure to keep track of the terror¡¯s position in the corner of my eye.

    Across the fire, I saw Myris¡¯ sleeping form. Even asleep, the older ranger looked distressed, as if he was still dreading an attack even then. And feeling the aching weight in my own breaths, I couldn¡¯t quite blame him.

    With my feet already moving to the side, a new purpose lined out in my head, I looked over to my final companion and started seething with rage. Over on his bedroll, sprawled all over the ground, was Jason. His head laid sideways on the ground, and his sword was tucked next to him. He looked tired and serene, like he wasn¡¯t to be bothered.

    But he¡¯d been on guard, I reminded myself with as much poison as I felt.

    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± I muttered hoarsely into the air as my feet took me to my destination. My knees buckled in an instant and, keeping my eyes trained on the still-scuttling terror, I grabbed for my scabbard and unsheathed my sword.

    The satisfying, clean metal shriek echoed out through the night and I felt more confident in my movements. Holding the sword in my hand, I stood a chance.

    I stared at the terror as I gripped my sword, feeling the increased pressure put on the inside of my brain. I forced my wall up and tensed my muscles. The terror still stared at me, provoking and feeding off the fear that I was giving out in spades.

    Bitterness welled up on my tongue and I spat into the dirt.

    It had ambushed our camp. It had entered my dreams. It had invoked the image of my wife. An entirely unsettling rage rose up in my chest.

    I wanted that thing dead.

    I stepped forward but doubt rose up and I quickly stepped right back. I clutched my sword with whatever strength I could still muster as actual thoughts churned in my head. Rage still bubbled beneath the surface, but suddenly, it was masked and layered by reason and rationale. I wanted the terror dead, there was no question about that. But I didn¡¯t know if I could do it alone, and I really didn¡¯t have to.

    Whipping my head to the side and looking over at the camp where my companions were still sleeping soundly by the dwindling fire, I found myself able to form words. I opened my mouth, ready to spew out the command for both of them to wake up.

    Terrible mental pain shook my insides and another shiver raked down my spine. I grimaced, my fingers contorting in tight, unnatural movements on the grip of my blade. The loud cracking sound of fear that pulled on my doubts still echoed in my ears. But, instead of standing there reeling, I just shook my head.

    ¡°Wake the fuck up,¡± I spat, my voice cold and low. I¡¯d spat the command out through my teeth, but it still reverberated throughout the night, drifting on the wind like some sort of intense, sonic feather.

    Myris¡¯ body shifted in an instant and he jerked his head up. Snapping his eyes open, a grunt slipped from his lips and he held a hand up to hold his head. The ruffled, shining grey hair of the more experienced ranger was thrown to the side as he straightened his shoulders and looked up at me.

    ¡°What do you¡ª¡±

    ¡°There,¡± I said in the same cold tone as before, my arm pointing over to the hunched terror still hiding at the edge of the treeline. Myris¡¯ eyes widened for a moment, annoyed rage sparkling behind them before he twisted his head.

    As soon as he saw the terror, though, that rage died, and he sprung to his feet. He scrambled on the ground as he grabbed his quiver, quickly strapping it to his waist.

    ¡°Dreams?¡± he asked, his newly energized eyes glancing to me. I nodded through gritted teeth and heard the soft curse Myris spat out. Seemingly on instinct, Myris grabbed an arrow from his quiver and notched in his bow, nodding to himself.

    ¡°It dies,¡± I said, already stepping in the direction of the terror. The image of my wife¡¯s tortured expression carried me all the way to where I needed to go.

    Myris didn¡¯t even seem to need an explanation. He tensed his legs and shook off the residual exhaustion. ¡°I¡¯ll support you from here. Don¡¯t let it grapple you. And keep your wall up.¡±

    I nodded firmly, not even needing to be told. My body surged forward over the dirt, flying to where the terror stood in between the forest¡¯s foremost trees. I pricked my ears and sharpened my vision, making sure to track every scrap of movement my body could possibly detect.

    Terrifying words and memories I would¡¯ve gawked at in horror were pulled up in my mind, but my rage pushed them down. The burning fire in my chest that pumped sharp, liquid steel through my veins drowned out all of the fear and carried me toward the terror without any hesitation in my steps.

    An arrow struck through the air. I ducked to the side on instinct and relished in the pained sounds of hissing as the terror was impaled right through the chest.

    I took advantage of its pain and charged at it from the side. The already slow being had no chance of turning in time before my blade came down, stabbing it deep through the shoulder.

    The cacophony of hisses were a pleasure to my ears.

    ¡°Duck,¡± came a command from Myris. My knees were buckled before I even processed the word. Another twang of an arrow being let loose sent a grin on my face and I just pushed down harder as another arrow broke right into the terror¡¯s face. Glittering grey liquid seeped down from its head, leading a scar to form in its wake.

    I pushed even more on my sword, forcing it down through the blank flesh with all the strength I had. By the time I dragged it out, a gigantic, twitching grey scar was already ripping down its chest.

    The terror whipped out its arm, shifting it into some strange, thin set of tendrils that came at me in an instant. My eyes widened, but I didn¡¯t hesitate. I ducked low, pushing myself off to the side. The stretched set of tendrils rushed at me, but my mind was already working faster than that. My blade sliced right through the blank, murky flesh before it could each reach my body.

    A spray of hisses split the cold night and moonlight glinted in my eye from the silver wound coming off the terror¡¯s now stublike arm.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    An arrow pierced the air right in front of me, striking the terror in its neck. Its hisses continued, but I drowned them out. And with a new burst of fire forcing its way through my blood, I rushed at it again.

    The terror was almost dead. I could see the way its scars were twitching, I could see the way it was slowing down. Only a few more of those, and it would go back to the house it was made in.

    The wicked smile painted across my lips only grew as I charged again, paying no attention to safety. My movements weren¡¯t calculated¡ªthey weren¡¯t poised with purpose. They were strict and brutal. I flew at the terror and stabbed it right through the chest, pushing my body past it as I dragged my sword with me.

    Hisses annoyed my ears. I didn¡¯t even pay them any mind.

    A soft thud echoed through the night as the terror¡¯s form collided with the dirt. I drew my blade out and smiled, letting the probing blade of fear fade from my mind. No more images rose up. No more words were spoken. My mind felt at peace.

    I sighed, staring at the humanoid terror on the ground. For a moment, I was happy, but that didn¡¯t last long. As I stared at the terror¡¯s body, expecting to see the motionless scars and its lifeless body, I was met with an extremely unpleasant surprise.

    It wasn¡¯t dead.

    Yes¡­ just like her¡­

    My eyes cracked wide and my heart thundered in my chest. I clutched my sword and stepped toward the terror, a response already rising to my lips.

    ¡°Her?¡± I asked a little louder than I¡¯d indented. The boiling storm of anger raged on in my mind. ¡°Her?!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Myris asked from behind me. I didn¡¯t even look back.

    ¡°Who the hell is her?!¡±

    I stared at the terror, rage and fear clashing in my head. The terror¡¯s form twitched as if near its death. It beckoned me forward, waiting for me to end its vile existence.

    I stepped forward, answering its call for death as I raised my sword up. Rationality and reason had no place in my swirling thoughts, but it didn¡¯t matter. I stared at the blank terror with such incomprehensible disgust that my body moved on its own.

    My blade came down and sliced right through its neck. The twitching grey scars settled down in an instant.

    A painful impact sent shocks of cold throughout my leg.

    I yelled, bellowing in pain as the cold spread throughout my muscles. I felt my bones shudder and bend as if they¡¯d been placed under boulders, and I fell to my knees.

    The tendril-like arm that the terror had struck me with fell to the ground with the rest of its dull, lifeless body.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Myris asked, rushing over to where I was now kneeling in the dirt.

    I flicked my gaze to him, meeting his stoic and interested expression with my own of rage and pain.

    ¡°I killed it,¡± I spat out through my teeth. Myris¡¯ lips ticked up in annoyance, but he held his tongue.

    His eyes narrowed. ¡°But it hit you, as well.¡±

    I parted my lips, but no words came out. So I just nodded instead, wincing in pain.

    Myris clicked his tongue with pointed precision and placed his bow on his back. The air around me got lighter and I saw energy swirling in his eyes as he scanned over the tree line in search for anything else.

    ¡°Was that the only one?¡± I asked, hoping the answer I knew was the one he would provide.

    ¡°It should be.¡±

    I sighed, the weight of my body coming all out in the breath. My grip loosened and I blinked for a long moment, just trying to feel the relief spread out over my aching bones.

    ¡°Where the fuck were you?¡± Myris asked. I snapped open my eyes and glared at him. But he wasn¡¯t looking at me.

    ¡°I-I¡­¡±

    ¡°You were the one on guard,¡± Myris said, leaving no room for hesitation. I blinked, only finally understanding as the arrogant swordsman walked up with red flushed on his face.

    ¡°I fell asleep,¡± he said softly, nearly biting away the words. Myris clenched his jaw and glared at Jason.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡±

    Jason shot a glare right back. ¡°I fell asleep.¡±

    A low growl rose out of Myris¡¯ throat. His eyes bored holes into Jason, but they didn¡¯t stay for long. Every few seconds, he would whip his head back to the forest and scan again, looking for any more threats.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s dead,¡± I said. They both looked at me. I shook my head and forced myself up. My leg screamed at me in frigid, numb pain, but I ignored its calls. ¡°Everything¡¯s all right.¡±

    ¡°You need to go back to sleep,¡± Myris said, his words more of a command than a request. I just nodded and kept my gaze down. The echoing words of the terror still spun in my mind.

    I tried uselessly to push them away.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jason mumbled as I pushed past him and back over to my bedroll. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how tired I really was, I guess.¡±

    I could feel Myris snap even from almost a dozen paces away. ¡°This is why I said I should be the one on watch.¡±

    Jason grunted unhappily. ¡°I get it.¡±

    ¡°You should go back to sleep, too,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll stay on watch until morning and we can figure out travel and treatment then.¡±

    A grin tugged at the corners of my lips as Jason stayed silent. I could see him hesitating, wanting to throw some arrogant quip without even having to turn around.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Jason eventually muttered.

    And so we went back to our bedrolls and settled back down. The winter wind was calming as the night drew further and further on, and I calmed down with it. Pulling my cloak in tighter and placing my head back on my bag, I sheathed my sword once again and placed the scabbard by my side.

    Thoughts and emotions still clashed in my head, but I didn¡¯t give them my attention. The sequence of events played back, and I was just happy at how it ended. The feeling of ice on my neck sent a shiver down my spine, but I just took it with a nod. I was alive. Wewere alive. It was okay.

    If only it could¡¯ve been that way without my leg hurting like a bitch.

    <hr>

    The path in front of me was bathed in sunlight as I dragged my leg onward.

    The wide dirt path had narrowed after we¡¯d left for camp again and the forest was pressing in. Whereas before, it had been multiple times more than a dozen paces extending on each side before the tree line started, now it struggled even to be that.

    Curved, organic brown forms swirled around me from the trees as I continued down the path. Wind blew through my hair, acting as a soft, mild breeze that felt like more than a relief after the painfully cold wind of the night. The afternoon sun beat down on my back, spreading warmth through my skin.

    I smiled.

    My metal boot scraped against the dirt, making me stumble forward a few paces. A grunt flew out of my lips, but I kept myself up. I winced for a moment, feeling the aching bruise on my leg getting less and less numb.

    Myris had said we would deal with treatment in the morning, and I¡¯d trusted him. So I¡¯d just pushed away the pain and latched onto sleep, cherishing the thought of going back to the sweet, dark abyss.

    But, after I¡¯d woken up the next morning, I¡¯d almost regretted the action. As soon as my consciousness rose, sliding out of the relief-filled vice that sleep gripped me with, I¡¯d felt pain. All of it had been dull and distant, little more than overextension and soreness.

    All of it except for the pain in my leg.

    At first, as I¡¯d sat up, I hadn¡¯t thought anything was wrong. The impossible cold of the bruise had faded and I¡¯d only felt a dull ache in its spot. I¡¯d thought I¡¯d gotten off easy.

    But as soon as I¡¯d gone to stand, I¡¯d realized my mistake.

    I continued to limp onward, moving my legs a little faster to keep up with my two companions ahead. Jason and Myris walked in silence, not even looking at each other anymore. Jason looked reserved and removed, as if the normal fire of his arrogance had been snuffed out the previous night. And Myris was almost the complete opposite.

    Instead of being stoic, calculated, and mature, Myris was the antithesis of those things. He was jittery and tense as he walked on, continuing to cast even through the middle of the day. I could see the strain developing on his face with every passing minute, but he didn¡¯t seem to care¡ªthe sharp, sleepless lines at the corners of his eyes didn¡¯t seem to care.

    I furrowed my brow and bent down to pat my leg. The familiar feeling of the leaf-covered bandage wrapped around my bruise presented itself again. The wide, puffy outline of the makeshift medical solution stretched at my cloth pants.

    As soon as I¡¯d tried to stand that morning, the bruise on my leg had attacked me. It had sent shivers and shocks through my bones that seemed to command my muscles to lock up altogether.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky I came prepared,¡± Myris had said. I¡¯d been relieved at that, not even paying attention to his quip. All that I¡¯d cared about was the fact that he¡¯d come prepared, and that meant there was something he could do.

    When he¡¯d reached into his bag and pulled out the thin, flat magical leaves, my heart had skipped a beat. I still remembered the last time I used the magical things.

    I pulled up my bandage again and tried to stretch it tight on the bruise under my skin. Pain radiated out t and I grimaced, stopping for a moment before the numbing kicked back in. A million-pound weight shifted off my shoulders.

    Warmth pricked at my skin and more pleasure spawned in my mind. A new smile tugged at the corners of my lips while I walked, now bathed in sunlight. The pain in my leg, at least for the moment, was easily forgotten.

    Images flashed of the night before. I gritted my teeth, trying to push them back so I could enjoy my warmth. With the sun¡¯s light brushing up against my skin, I couldn¡¯t help but think about the cold, and thinking about the cold brought all the horrible memories along with it.

    I snapped my eyes shut and tried to block out the subtle sounds of nature swirling around me. My breathing grew faster, the words of the terror echoing back in my mind. I shivered despite the warm light on my back.

    It had said I was like her. Whatever that meant. I didn¡¯t know who she was, and that was what scared me the most. Less than a week ago, no terror had ever communicated with me, and I¡¯d never heard of one communicating with anyone else. But now¡­ it felt like those hissing words would enter my thoughts every time, trashing everything else with fear and seeding doubt somewhere deep in my mind.

    Light flashed in my vision as my eyes opened again. I was still walking onward, but my leg wasn¡¯t dragging anymore. I made angry, purposeful steps that shoved my metal boots into the dirt and jostled the contents of the bag on my back.

    My lip curled up and I nearly spat just thinking about the beast. Marc¡¯s words played back in my mind, reminding me that the very thing I hated most could¡¯ve been their creator.

    Unease stewed in my stomach, swirling into something warped and disgusting.

    I didn¡¯t trust it. I didn¡¯t trust any of it.

    Whatever the terrors were talking about, the beast had something to do with it. I was sure. It had to. I didn¡¯t have any proof to back my hunch up, but just remembering the sheer rage and confusion the terror¡¯s words had brought out of me, I didn¡¯t need it to be convinced. The beast was still playing with my life. I could feel it.

    As I lifted my head, Myris twisted his neck toward me, his eyes searching me with sporadic, unhealthy movements. After a second, he realized who I was and let a breath slip between his lips.

    He turned around. ¡°Agil, don¡¯t scare me like that.¡±

    The soft, exhausted voice paradoxically drowned out the raging hatred in my head. I squinted at him through the sunlight and tilted my head. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Jason spared me a sidelong glance as he walked forward, keeping a generous few paces between himself and us. I nodded to him, seeing only bare recognition flashing back from his gaze.

    My eyebrows dropped and the feeling of strain in my arms and legs was apparent all at once. I cringed, turning back to Myris.

    ¡°How much farther?¡±

    The taller ranger blinked, shaking his head slightly. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be much now. We¡¯ve made really good time today. No breaks.¡± I nodded as sarcastically as I could muster. Myris didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°If we keep it up we could probably reach Farhar just after sunset.¡±

    My nod became genuine at once. I opened my mouth. But, as if on cue, a pulse of dull pain radiated from the blunt wound on my leg and I grimaced.

    ¡°How long will the leaves hold?¡±

    Myris glanced back at me and dropped his brows, some of his condescending confidence returning. ¡°I have another few sano leaves in my bag¡­ But the ones you have will stop helping in a few hours, I¡¯d say. We¡¯re really going to need to get you to a healer when we arrive.¡±

    Jason looked over to us, a glimmer of concern hiding behind his silent mask. His lips twitched, but they didn¡¯t move, and after holding my gaze for a second, he turned away again. My eyes fell to the dirt, watching the dry dust flying up into the air as I dragged my foot across it.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I offered with strain in my voice. ¡°We are.¡±

    Then, with another nod from the frantic ranger, I fell back into my old step. The same natural forms followed me wherever I went, but they felt just a little more relaxed. The same sounds of nature whirled around me, but they felt just a little sweeter.

    With Farhar closer than I¡¯d thought, a smile settled on my face.

    I lifted my gaze back up. I pushed back the pain.

    And I continued to walk.

 Chapter 38

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    A smile larger than any I¡¯d felt in months pressed at my lips.

    The last of the sun¡¯s setting light painted the sky a flurry of deep purples and blues that fought for space over the dwindling oranges and reds that faded over the town around us.

    Jason¡¯s wide eyes flicked around, trying to get as good of a look at everything in town before the sun was swallowed up by the horizon. Myris slowed in front of us, an aggravated sound growing in his throat. His frustration, though, was only barely audible among the shouting and laughing swirling all around us.

    Cold air entered my lungs, leaving the signature small tingles at the bottom. My smile wouldn¡¯t have dropped for anything. I took a large, deep breath of the town¡¯s light air, feeling the tiny tinge of magic that pervaded it all.

    My eyes searched the scene, observing with resigned awe the dozens of houses and shops peppered the forest. The encroaching trees were ever-present, getting sparser and sparser the further we got into town, but definitely still there. The town gradually traded off with the forest, as if they had been growing apart over the years. I marveled at the basic wooden buildings, watching the old, split planks that were probably as old as the tree next to them bend in a strong gust of wind.

    Walking down the traveled dirt path, I¡¯d been begging for rest. Ever since it had gone past noon and the leaves on my leg had worn off, I¡¯d been grumbly and upset. As soon as the pain had gotten bad enough for me to complain, Myris had made some frustrated comment about my ignorance and given me the rest of the leaves he had in his bag.

    After that, we¡¯d been out of saro leaves. But as soon as I¡¯d bandaged the new batch over the dull, aching bruise, I hadn¡¯t cared. The numb strength those damn magical leaves gave was worth it.

    By the time we¡¯d arrived in Farhar, I hadn¡¯t even really noticed we¡¯d done it. In the corner of my vision, I¡¯d seen a wooden building in the trees, but I¡¯d just shrugged it off as some cabin or lodge that was unimportant to our quest. But as more and more of the buildings showed up, following along with the twisting dirt path as the woods around us thinned, I¡¯d done less and less shrugging.

    Although, it wasn¡¯t until our feet made contact with the lined, cobblestone road that I¡¯d really accepted it.

    We had arrived.

    Myris grunted, quickening his pace again as he veered around two red-faced, relatively short men drinking from something I couldn¡¯t discern while hollering their amusement into the night. The small wooden building they were walking behind lost part of a plank to a man falling into it before they¡¯d gone out of sight.

    Myris¡¯ eyes danced around, searching and scanning around the winding, confusing town as he chose street after street on his quest to find the center of town. He seemed to be getting frustrated, and if I¡¯d been in anything other than magic-tinged wonder, I probably would¡¯ve been too.

    But walking along with a silent Jason next to me, each of our eyes wide as dinner plates, being frustrated wasn¡¯t really at the top of my list.

    All around us, people were joyful, or at least appeared that way with the glasses and bottles in their hands. The shops were all well-built and cozy, each coming with a very distinctive name and sign that reminded me of the fancier shops I¡¯d seen back in Credon¡¯s capital.

    And the houses, they were all similar, but none of them were completely alike.

    The stone foundations and wooden frames were just about the only things they had in common. Some of them were simple, practical living spaces that took up the minimal amount of room next to the road and didn¡¯t even catch my eye. These were the older ones, I decided after looking at the worn stone brick and split, rotting wooden beams.

    Some of them were simple. Some. But others just looked like a failed imitation¡ªlike something that observed the styles of old and tried to mirror it while still incorporating over-the-top stonework and intricate wooden designs.

    Myris slowed again, forcing Jason and me to nearly stop in our tracks or risk running right into him. The tall, grey-haired ranger looked around, his brows furrowed. His neck twisted, zipping from one side of the street to the other and then across the next as we came up onto a new intersection.

    He looked¡­ confused, as if the winding pattern of the roads literally wound up the fibers in his brain.

    I squinted at Myris, his eyes starting to flare with idle magic energy as he whipped his head back and forth.

    ¡°Where are we even going?¡± I asked, becoming more and more aware of the convoluted nature of the town.

    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure,¡± Myris said without even a trace condescension or antagonism in his tone. ¡°Lorah said that we need to meet with Farhar¡¯s guard at their town hall as soon as possible, but that we should make room arrangements first.¡±

    I nodded, but Jason narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why are we meeting with their guard? Shouldn¡¯t we be meeting with the Lord first?¡±

    Myris¡¯ face contorted and I could all but feel the condescension come right back. ¡°Farhar¡¯s lord is¡­ different than you¡¯re probably used to. He doesn¡¯t deal much inside the town, so the guard is left in charge.¡±

    One of my eyebrows shot up, but I just nodded and returned to his original statement. ¡°So you¡¯re just looking for an inn, then? I think I might¡¯ve seen one back¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Myris cut in, ¡°not just any inn. Lorah specifically recommended one, and I have been trying to find it since we arrived.¡± Lines wrinkled onto his forehead. ¡°I just didn¡¯t remember how confusing this place was.¡±

    ¡°Especially in the dark,¡± Jason chimed in, not even looking at us. His eyes were once again trained on the town, looking at this building or that as the sunset light he apparently cherished so much finally faded away.

    ¡°Right,¡± was Myris¡¯ only response.

    ¡°What¡¯s the name of the inn?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called the¡ª¡±

    Myris tried to speak, but his voice was drowned out. A large gust of frigid wind slapped us all in the face. Then, right after the frozen air had stolen his speech, it was once again split by high, boisterous laughter that sounded off behind us.

    I twisted, my hand falling to the blade on my side out of instinct. Behind us, back only a few dozen paces, two laughing women were coming out of a shop, hugging what looked like new cloth cloaks around them.

    I ground my teeth I turned back around, hugging my own arms in and wincing at the exhaustion I was just now noticing again.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Jason finally said, breaking the spell of silence. ¡°I didn¡¯t get that. What is it called?¡±

    A small twitch entered at the corner of Myris¡¯ eye. ¡°It¡¯s called The Floundering Ferret.¡±

    Jason and I both blinked.

    I cleared my throat, ignoring the sting of cold air as it entered my light lungs. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Myris¡¯ jaw tensed. ¡°It¡¯s called the Floundering Ferret.¡±

    The name of the inn entered my thoughts and stewed. I blinked again, tilting my head to the side to see if Myris was joking. From the way his hand was curling into a fist, I decided he wasn¡¯t. But that didn¡¯t make it easier to process.

    Jason gawked. ¡°The Floundering Ferret?! What kind of name is that?¡± His voice boomed out, actually matching the enthusiasm the rest of town seemed to display.

    I bit back a chuckle, keeping my gaze away from Jason¡¯s reddening face. Looking back at Myris, I still couldn¡¯t see any sign of misdirection. His expression was a rock. He was completely serious.

    Suddenly, I found it much harder to keep the chuckle from slipping out of my mouth. I tilted backward and nodded to myself, trying to stop. It was harder than I thought. Each time I did, the name just popped back up in my mind and sent shivers of absurd amusement through my mind.

    The Floundering Ferret wasn¡¯t all that common of a name and it was reminiscent of some very stereotypical places I¡¯d been to in the past. It sounded like a random name as if the owner just chose a noun and an adjective and squashed them together in some sort of confusingly familiar contraption of language meant only to make the people entering it laugh.

    ¡°You two done?¡± Myris asked suddenly, an edge in his voice.

    I swallowed the last of my laughter in a second and nodded. Jason took much longer than that.

    ¡°Good,¡± the obviously more mature ranger said. ¡°As as I was saying, Lorah recommended we go there for rooms. After we have our stay set, we¡¯re supposed to go to the town hall and meet with the head of guard.¡±

    With a smile still plastered on my face, I nodded as cold wind blew over me. ¡°It¡¯s already late. We should find the inn as quickly as we can.¡±

    Myris¡¯ eyes flared and he leaned toward me. ¡°What do you think I¡¯ve been doing this whole time?¡±

    Jason chuckled and the tips of my ears burned. Although, I couldn¡¯t really tell if that was because of embarrassment or because of the stinging cold.

    ¡°Well,¡± I countered, ¡°we¡¯re just going to have to make better time then. I¡¯d rather not still be walking through these streets longer than we have to.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± came a sarcastic reply. ¡°What¡¯s your bright idea to let us do that?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    More light, magic-tinged air fluttered in my lungs. My smile didn¡¯t drop. ¡°We just continue looking.¡±

    <hr>

    The heavy wooden door swung open as Myris pushed ahead of me and right into the warm tavern. The corners of my lips stung with cold once more but still curled as I glanced back at the building¡¯s front sign.

    The Floundering Ferret

    I chuckled again.

    Only about ten minutes before, I¡¯d suggested that we continue looking. And that was exactly what we¡¯d done.

    I caught the heavy door with my arm as I filed in after Myris. Pushing it back sent jolts of exhausted strain through my muscles.

    The large, cozy wooden space of the inn was many things, but quiet was not one of them. Compared to either one of the two taverns in Sarin, or the one I¡¯d slept in after I¡¯d been betrayed by the beast, this one was deafening. But, compared to some of the commotion even out in the streets of Farhar, it was as serene as things could get.

    Myris pushed past the entryway, kicking his metal boot on the rug as he marched past. He pushed past the tables and chairs, catching only a few odd glances from the people left sitting. He pushed past the fireplace, not even stopping to bask in its warmth. And he pushed his way right up to the smiling innkeep wiping down the bar.

    The older ranger shot a look back at me, one full of frustration. ¡°Are you coming?¡±

    My eyebrows dropped, but my smile didn¡¯t. Hearing Jason enter behind me, a yawn flying out of his mouth, I turned. His eyes met mine and he chuckled a bit.

    I gestured across the room, over to where Myris was standing like an angry statue. Jason¡¯s chuckle grew louder, and he nodded, pushing past me on his way across. I followed right behind.

    By the time Jason and I approached the bar, Myris was already in a heated discussion with the barkeep.

    ¡°We¡¯re rangers from Sarin,¡± Myris pressed. ¡°We were called here to¡ª¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, sir,¡± the barkeep shot back. His lips were still pressed into a carefully cheerful smile, but his words held force. ¡°I don¡¯t operate an unlimited number of rooms. You will get the same as everybody else, and pay the same price.¡±

    Myris grumbled, breaking the stoic and managed confidence that I¡¯d always seen on him. He was hitting the peak of his frustration, it seemed. The brown bag strung over Myris¡¯ shoulders whipped around and he grabbed a smaller jingling sack right out of it.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve got the coin for it. It is no big deal.¡±

    ¡°What kind of rooms are these?¡±

    My eyes flicked to the side to see Jason standing beside me, a smirk on his face as he leaned on the bar.

    The barkeep¡¯s smile wavered. ¡°Standard single bedrooms. One window, one desk, one storage cabinet, and a half dresser.¡±

    Jason¡¯s eyebrows dropped and his smirk ticked downward. ¡°That sounds rather cramped and uncomfortable.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, already seeing where this was going.

    Jason placed his hand very visibly on the grip of his sword. He shrugged off the gaze Myris was sending at him, refusing to be stabbed by the daggers. ¡°Is there any way we could get higher quality rooms? We have been traveling for days, and your town did request our service.¡±

    The innkeep dropped the smile in an instant. ¡°No, sir. As I told your companion here, I will not be doing either of those things.¡± Jason¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°I run a large, stable establishment and I¡¯m not going to be giving out cheap rooms to anyone who asks.¡± Jason opened his mouth but the barkeep continued on. ¡°This place already probably is the most well-respected inn past the mountains anyway. Well, besides Sal¡¯s place, of course.¡±

    I blinked, my lips slipping apart at the mention of Sal¡¯s place. The name brought up a memory from months ago as I was walking with Kye. Sal¡¯s place was the same inn I¡¯d gone too shortly after my second life had begun.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Myris cut in. ¡°We¡¯re quite adaptable, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find.¡± Myris put a few small stacks of silvery coins on the counter, watching the innkeep¡¯s careful delight.

    ¡°Thank you. I can have three rooms ready for you tonight no problem.¡±

    Myris ignored Jason¡¯s glare. ¡°Actually, can you also be of assistance in another way?¡±

    The innkeep¡¯s eyebrow shot up. ¡°What would that entail?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d just like to know where Farhar¡¯s town hall is located.¡± The experienced ranger smiled. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been here.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± the inkeep responded, nodding without any malice at all. ¡°The town hall is all the way in the center of town. Not far from here at all, actually.¡± Relief washed over me, feeling the strain in my leg and the dull pain still scarcely breaking through the numbness of the leaves.

    ¡°Could you offer directions?¡±

    The innkeep nodded, squinting a little bit as if Myris¡¯ last question didn¡¯t really make sense. But he answered it anyway. ¡°Out from here, if you take the street on the left, you¡¯ll wind your way down almost to the center of town. Then, once you start seeing the shops with the waved roofs, you¡¯re almost there. Continue past them until you get the Thorned Hammer. You know the one, the shop with the patio that¡¯s way larger than it needs to fit all of the metalworking equipment.¡± We all nodded as if we knew what he meant. ¡°And once you¡¯re there, the town hall should be just down the street on the other side.¡±

    He beamed at us, going back to wiping down the bar.

    ¡°Right,¡± Myris said. I could see the resistance in his expression¡ªin the way words seemed to be just caged by his own hesitance. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Myris turned toward Jason and I. We blinked in return. Jason opened his mouth and furrowed his brow, ready to¡ª

    ¡°Hey! Pirmin, sit the hell down!¡±

    I snapped my gaze up, twisting my neck at the same time. Across the room, over by one of the tables, a round, darker-skinned, and seemingly drunken man wore a dejected frown as he stepped off of the table he was standing on. The two men behind him burst out into turbulent laughter.

    The barkeep threw the rag he was using to wipe the bar down on the wood and straightened himself up, scanning the room for trouble again. Without even looking, he took the stacks of silver coins Myris had placed on the counter.

    ¡°Your rooms will be reserved and ready for when you return,¡± he said.

    Myris nodded. Then I nodded. Then Jason nodded.

    After a few more seconds of silence pushed on us by the activity in the tavern, we shuffled away from the bar and back toward the door.

    ¡°So, where are we going?¡± I asked.

    Myris glared at the floor. ¡°You heard the innkeep. It¡¯s not too far from here.¡±

    I nodded, clicking my tongue softly. ¡°Right. But it¡¯s already so late. How are we going to find it in time.¡±

    ¡°Stop complaining, Agil,¡± came Jason¡¯s voice from behind me. He slapped his hand on my shoulder and smirked. ¡°We¡¯ll just find it. It can¡¯t be that hard.¡±

    <hr>

    I veered sideways, stepping as swiftly as I could out of the way of some determined person walking past. They seemed cold and broody, mirroring almost exactly the atmosphere of the night around us.

    The blast of warmth from inside the town hall dissipated through the thin air and I winced again. The sudden cold reminded me of the pain, and my leg took advantage of that.

    My teeth clattered together as I half-walked and half-dragged my leg up the shallow steps toward the town hall¡¯s front door.

    Only about an entire half hour before, Jason had said that finding the town hall wouldn¡¯t have been hard. And now, standing in front of the large, ancient-looking building, I couldn¡¯t entirely disagree. Retracing the correct path in my mind, the innkeep¡¯s directions had been exactly accurate.

    ¡°Hurry the hell up,¡± Jason said. He pushed past me with none of the enthusiasm he¡¯d had back at the tavern and swung open one of the two wide, iron-enforced wooden doors. Another blast of warm air took leave into the night.

    I ignored Jason¡¯s grumbling and caught the closing door myself, walking into the high-ceilinged room warmed with brilliant torchlight.

    My footsteps echoed off the wooden walls, the sounds swerving between stone pillars on the way to bounce off the large, metal-lined windows. As I looked around the space, I was met with a myriad of things that all felt just a little off from the rest of the town.

    Firstly, my ears twitched at the silence. From the first instant we¡¯d stepped foot in Farhar, it had been sound after sound¡ªeven in the middle of the night. The people here seemed never to sleep, and they were always active. But here, standing among tall, carved stone pillars that split the room into thirds, it was almost completely silent.

    The deafening silence almost drowned out all of the other irregularities in the room. The fact that the light from the torches in their sconces was tinged a light golden color didn¡¯t even matter in comparison.

    What did matter, however, were the people in the town hall.

    A grunt slipped through my teeth as I made my way toward where Myris and Jason were standing¡ªjust off to the side. Myris¡¯ eyes were focused again, contrasting with Jason¡¯s frustrated and lazy ones.

    ¡°So who exactly are we supposed to speak with?¡± I found myself asking as I came up to them. I thanked myself for keeping the assignment in mind even through the increasing pain.

    ¡°The head of guard,¡± Myris said. He stretched his arm and pointed, gesturing to the people standing throughout the space. Some of them were actively on guard¡ªwith some even guarding a door near the back that I could only assume led to an office¡ªand the rest of them were just sitting and chatting.

    ¡°And which one would that be?¡± I asked, lines spawning on my forehead as I scanned the room also. Normally, I was confident in my ability to distinguish between the importance of people. But staring out at the guards in well-fashioned brown cloth lined in a sharp, deep green, I couldn¡¯t differentiate them very well.

    Each one was wearing the same plated shoulders and pants, all adorned with the same shining, dark green symbol of a tree. After staring at it for far longer than I needed to, the symbol almost looked like the insignia Sarin used. But Farhar¡¯s emblem was more¡­ dynamic. The branches of the trees were curved with intricate beauty, and it just felt like something that would¡¯ve taken ages to replicate.

    ¡°I cannot tell,¡± Myris stated bluntly.

    Jason leaned back on one of the tall stone pillars. ¡°They might not even be here.¡±

    I tilted my head. ¡°It is late.¡± My eyes narrowed on one of the guards¡¯ emblems. ¡°But all of the rest of them are here.¡±

    Jason shot back with full snark. ¡°Sure, but the head of guard is important. Like us. He¡¯s going to¡ª¡±

    As if on cue, the door near the back of the room swung open and a tired-looking woman stepped out, flanked by another woman with an unreadable expression and her head held high. Paradoxically, I knew in an instant that the woman who¡¯d walked out first was the one we wanted to talk to.

    ¡°Rangers,¡± she said with a smile before she¡¯d even made it across the room. Her voice echoed off the hall¡¯s walls and cut through the silence that had prevailed it before. The poised woman with short brown hair behind her nodded.

    ¡°Yes. We were expecting their arrival at some point this week.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± the tired woman said, her youthful gaze melting the uncertainty that I¡¯d been feeling.

    The closer she got, the more used to her I got. In the space of only a few seconds, I already felt that she was likable¡ªlikable in a way that kept people in check.

    ¡°You must be the head of guard,¡± Myris said, taking a step forward and the lead at the same time.

    The woman nodded, her light brown hair falling down her face. She brushed it off without another thought and smiled. I smiled too.

    Her blue eyes sparkled a little bit, displaying her enthusiasm for the whole world to see. But also, I noticed with a squint, there was an edge in it. Behind the joy, there was a complete and utter capability that I didn¡¯t want to find myself testing.

    ¡°Miss Nesrin,¡± the woman behind her commented. All three of us¡ªeven Jason, who I could see from the corner of my vision had straightened up and pushed off of the pillar¡ªput on a smile.

    ¡°Lorah finally sent you down to help, didn¡¯t she?¡± the woman named Nesrin asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Myris said, putting on his most appreciative and cheerful tone. ¡°Farhar has been having issues with terrors?¡±

    Nesrin¡¯s expression darkened in an instant. ¡°Yes. We requested your assistance specifically for that. I have been hearing that over there in Sarin, you rangers have been keeping on top of this issue.¡±

    Myris smirked. ¡°Yes, we have. We know this forest like the back of our hand, and we think we can even identify the source already.¡±

    Nesrin nodded. ¡°Good. It is always nice to know that the rangers have enough respect to come to our aid. If you think you can identify the source, that solves our problem rather quickly. The terrors have been rather¡­ aggressive this cycle.¡±

    ¡°Aggressive?¡± I asked.

    Nesrin nodded yet again. ¡°We have had multiple instances of them finding their way into town. And our guard is good, but it is still winter, and we do not prepare for them this early.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Myris chimed back in. ¡°None of us do. But if you think we can solve the issue quickly¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been considering a strike force that would hunt terrors in mass.¡± The bags under Nesrin¡¯s eyes seemed to have no effect on her ability to talk business as with as much smooth care as she needed. ¡°If you know about the source, we can organize something even larger and¡ªwith your help¡ªend the cycle early this year.¡±

    Nesrin¡¯s face broke out into a smile, one only a little bit darker than before. Myris smiled too, the hint of a crazed glimmer shining out from his eye.

    ¡°Good. We can prepare ourselves for that. Organize it within the next few days, then.¡±

    The tall woman standing behind Nesrin tilted her head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Miss Nesrin does not take¡ª¡±

    Nesrin¡¯s smile grew. ¡°That is a good idea. Accelerate the timeline so that we can get it done. I¡¯ll see to it.¡±

    With another communal nod and a surprised look on the face of the previously expressionless woman, Nesrin filed right past us and toward the door of the hall.

    The image of a bed flashed in my mind and my body slumped all at once. I felt the inexorable need to rest. Stepping forward and following Farhar¡¯s head of guard toward the door, my leg reminded me of something instead.

    A sharp bolt of pain cut through the numb bandaging of the leaves and a question instantly rose to my lips.

    Just as Nesrin was opening one of the large wooden doors, I took another step forward and raised my arm.

    ¡°Actually,¡± I said, trying to keep the pain from my voice. Nesrin turned around. ¡°Before you go, can you point us in the direction of a healer in town?¡±

 Chapter 39

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    The next few days passed in the blink of an eye.

    I shifted my weight on the bench, feeling the light, distant pain in my leg where my blunt wound had been. I didn¡¯t know how bad it had actually gotten, but I was glad it was fixed. Even now, I only felt the ghostly remnants of soreness as if my bones were still in the process of forgetting the traumatic event.

    My shoulders straightened up and I twisted my neck, adjusting my gaze back into the room. A bright glint of golden torchlight stung my eyes. I winced, veering my head away.

    All around me, the main room of the guards¡¯ quarters was laid out in a practical, organized fashion. The tall stone pillars and straight, well-built wooden walls that I¡¯d seen in the town hall were the same here, cutting the room into distinct sections.

    In front of me was the main room of the quarters that doubled as one of their rooms to train. On the walls to my side, dozens of different swords, knives, and other battle equipment were placed carefully on racks. Beside the racks were an anvil and a large, crackling forge that spread a soft, golden warmth throughout the room.

    My fingers twitched, moving down to the hilt of my blade as I stared at the forge. Memories rose up in my mind, reminding me of the sweet memories I¡¯d made as a child. Memories of visiting my local blacksmith. Memories of noting down the orders for weapons that people placed day by day. Memories of finally being able to place those orders myself.

    A smile crept up onto my lips as the forge¡¯s fire entranced my eyes. The light, smoky smell of the room filled my nostrils and I took a long breath, relishing in it. With the training room around me¡ªa training room that looked so much like the ones I¡¯d used in Credon¡ªa bittersweet taste fell on my tongue.

    On one hand, it made me feel at home. But on the other hand, it reminded me of the exact reason I would never get to go back there.

    The loud slam of a door echoed through the room, startling me from my thoughts. My intense grip loosened and my features softened as the images faded back into the past. I whipped my head around, scanning past the final row of stone pillars behind me and into the hall that led to the individual guard rooms.

    A tall, despondent-looking man with a single golden line cutting through the insignia on his shoulder walked through the dim hallway and up into the torchlight. A wry smile grew on his lips as he ran his hand through his short brown hair.

    Westin, I remembered, narrowing my eyes on him. He pushed the thin strands of hair off his forehead and let his hand fall back down to his side. After a moment, Westin met my gaze. His smile became more genuine and I smiled back, trying not to notice to the tired, glossy look in his eyes.

    I¡¯d spent the past few days doing more preparation than I¡¯d done in months. But Westin was the guard captain¡ªNesrin¡¯s second in command. And he¡¯d been doing even more than that.

    Watching Westin trudge into the room, pushing right past the bench I was sitting on as he made his way over to where three other guards were sitting, a weight pressed down on my shoulders.

    The soft and stiff words coming out of Westin¡¯s mouth lilted to my ears. I snapped my gaze over, watching the way he was nodding with one of the few other guards sitting in the room.

    Cas, I remembered, watching the woman push the dark hooded cloak off of her short black hair. As Westin spoke, she nodded, showing no other signs of emotion. Even still, she held tight to the sword sheathed at her waist and exuded confidence in its purest form.

    Today was the day, I reminded myself. We were going into the forest, and we would either return in success, or we wouldn¡¯t return at all.

    My back straightened up, responding to the cold weight pressing down on my shoulders despite the warmth of the room. I tore my gaze away from the guard captain and rolled my neck, trying uselessly to remove the weight.

    A quick movement flashed in the corner of my vision and I snapped my gaze to it. On the far side of the room, the large wooden entrance door to the quarters swung open.

    A tall, suave, black-haired man entered first with a smug grin on his face. His hand was raised in an exaggerated fashion, and he was already stifling a chuckle that seemed to permanently live in his throat. My eyebrows dropped, recognizing the guard¡¯s face in an instant.

    Tiren, I reminded myself. The most theatrical and arrogant of the guards.

    Tiren was turned as he entered with a wicked intent in his eyes. His chuckle came spewing out and I didn¡¯t even need to look to know exactly who he was talking to.

    Jason¡¯s signature smirk caught my eyes only a second later as he ran his hand through his sandy hair and watched with amusement at Tiren¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°That really does sound like something you would do,¡± Tiren said, still chuckling to himself. The smug guard turned around, his piercing green eyes seemingly pulling annoyance right up out of my soul.

    The wooden door slammed shut behind them, once again trapping the warmth of the room inside.

    ¡°Glad you guys finally showed up,¡± Westin said, his drooping eyebrows showing only a resigned disappointment.

    Tiren raised his hands. ¡°Calm down, Wes. Most of the guards assigned aren¡¯t here yet anyway.¡±

    Westin did not look amused. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you have the right to be late.¡±

    ¡°Look,¡± Jason cut in, nearly looking over Tiren¡¯s shoulder as he smirked at the guard captain. ¡°Tiren was just acquainting me with the town. Nothing else. It¡¯s really no big deal.¡±

    Westin¡¯s lips curled. ¡°Do you have all of the equipment you¡¯re going to need?¡±

    Tiren¡¯s grin grew, almost spreading from ear to ear. ¡°Of course we do. We¡¯re not amateurs, Wes.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, leaning back on the bench and lifting my grip. The black leather slipped from my fingers with sweet, satisfying ease.

    Westin resisted a sneer and just nodded, tilting his head backward in the direction I was sitting. The set of benches and tables around me were nearly empty, only populated with the one other guard that had so far bothered to show up.

    I looked over at Mayin, the gold-flamed pyromancer who was supposed to be crucial to our mission. She shifted in her cloak, twiddling her fingers on the table she was sitting at while flicking her eyes around the room. Every time she looked in the direction of anyone else, she averted her gaze and hung her head, letting her light-haired curls cover her face.

    Jason flicked his eyes over to me, meeting my gaze with a smile. I sat back again, my lips tweaking upward with more than a little reluctance. By the time they¡¯d made it over to me, walking with as much poised confidence as I would¡¯ve expected. Way too much.

    I bit back a scoff. ¡°Do you know when we¡¯re actually going to head out?¡±

    Tiren tilted his head a bit, his tilted smile growing just the faintest bit more wicked. But by the time he opened his mouth to give me a sarcastic answer, Jason had already opened his mouth.

    ¡°After we get the plan,¡± he said, sitting down on the bench next to me. His gaze hardened with purpose and the smirk that seemed to be stitched on his face whenever he hung out with Tiren faded a hair.

    ¡°So we¡¯re waiting on Myris?¡± I asked.

    Jason nodded, clicking his tongue. ¡°I have to assume so. The old man said he was the one that wanted to finalize the plan with Nesrin.¡±

    Tiren scoffed, displaying such arrogant condescension that it made even Jason look humble. ¡°Right, because they just have to finalize the plan behind closed doors. We¡¯re the ones that have to be on the task force, but we don¡¯t get any say in the final plan.¡±

    I furrowed my brow. ¡°We were all there when they were originally drafting it.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but that doesn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯t change it.¡± Tiren squinted, glaring at only the air. ¡°Nesrin is always pulling things just to make my life more difficult.¡±

    Jason nodded as if he understood and I just squinted at him. He seemed to agree just out of the blue as if he knew the entire situation. Maybe he did, I told myself. Jason and Tiren had been nearly inseparable since the first meeting when they¡¯d met and it wouldn¡¯t have surprised me if Tiren had told him his entire life story in the most glorified way possible already.

    The large wooden front entrance swung open once again, letting another guard into the quarters. The large man swung his hammer up over his shoulder, smiling at me. Rian, I noted, remembering the brutish man from the original meetings.

    I tapped my foot on the ground.

    ¡°How much longer could they be?¡±

    Jason shrugged, caring much less than his similarly arrogant companion.

    Tiren rolled his eyes. ¡°We were supposed to decamp at sunset. And seeing as that can¡¯t be more than ten minutes away now, I¡¯d say they¡¯ll arrive in ten minutes.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    The bitterness was obvious in his tone and I wanted to roll my eyes. But feeling my leg start to bob as my foot tapped on the floor, I couldn¡¯t. I¡¯d already been waiting in the quarters for what felt like forever and each second felt agonizing with anticipation.

    Every second passed was a second lost, after all. And every second lost was another ray of light that we wouldn¡¯t get to use. Another gust of wind that would only get colder as the night progressed.

    Cold air pricked at my skin, making my hairs stand on end. I blinked, shaking my head slightly as I raised my gaze. Across the room, the door was open again, letting blasts of the winter wind into the room.

    I watched the two forms entering the door, narrowing my eyes as I searched for two specific faces.

    ¡°Alright!¡± a distinct voice boomed out through the room as Nesrin made her entrance. Her firm voice jerked my head right up, sounding both friendly and deadly at the same time.

    A flash of golden light glinted off grey and Myris swallowed a chuckle as he stepped next to Nesrin. The smiling, brown-haired head of guard scanned the room, placing her hands on her hips.

    Following her lead, Myris did the same thing, scanning over the quarters. But compared to her smooth and calculated scan, his gaze seemed to jump around as if he was looking for someone in specific. And when his brown eyes met mine, the grin on his face wavering for a second, he¡¯d found exactly that.

    Sparing one last comment to Nesrin¡ªa comment that I wasn¡¯t able to hear over the growing commotion on our side of the room¡ªMyris pushed back into strides and made his way over to us.

    ¡°Good,¡± Nesrin said. Her voice commanded my attention, and I gave it all in a moment. ¡°It seems that everyone is here. I¡¯m glad you all could make it.¡±

    Myris quickened his pace toward us, weaving around a stone pillar and then a table on his way to our bench. The soft commotion among the still settling guard died down as the entire room was captured by Nesrin¡¯s stance.

    Nesrin held her head high, still smiling, and stepped forward. ¡°As you all know, the sun is setting and night is pressing in. Normally, during the winter, this only brings two things: the darkness and the cold. But now it brings something else¡ªsomething far far worse.¡±

    I swallowed, the light air swirling in my lungs at an accelerated pace. The magic tingle of everything matched perfectly with the fluttering butterflies in my gut.

    ¡°Now, it brings terrors¡ªit brings them and their scourge.¡± The dark edge in Nesrin¡¯s eyes flared out, sharpening at the corners and making sure her words cut through with the exact intent she wanted. ¡°This winter, their scourge hit us and our town way before we were ready, and with more ferocity than usual. For the past weeks, we¡¯ve been trying our best, but admittedly, we haven¡¯t been able to keep up.¡±

    Nesrin hung her head a bit, reflecting the dejection in her words. Her tone still carried through the silence as she adjusted her stance, keeping everybody silent as if with a spell.

    ¡°So, we reached out for assistance. And three days ago, that assistance arrived in the form of rangers from Sarin. These rangers know our forest better than anyone who lives in it, and they¡¯ve been dealing with these terrors in the same way we have. With their help, we have finally formulated a plan to locate and eradicate the source of their scourge, purifying our forest for the rest of the coming year.¡±

    Myris grinned next to me, the air lightening as his eyes swirled with energy.

    ¡°Finally,¡± he said in a hushed tone that made my eyebrows drop in an instant.

    ¡°The plan is quite simple, and I will only say it once. So pay attention, stay ready, and do not forget. According to the rangers, the source of their scourge this year can move, something vile to think about but that falls in line with the other differences. Apparently, this source, however, acts just like many of the others from the past in that it houses clusters of terrors that congregate to feed on fear.¡±

    From the corner of my eye, I could see Rian side-eyeing me each distinct and obvious fear flashing in his eyes. I felt a chill on my spine and I straightened up, trying to push it away.

    ¡°What we¡¯re looking for is a gnarled, circular clearing that is lined with trees. The terrors congregate in the shadows of this clearing, and we want those shadows gone.¡± Nesrin beamed, the friendliness almost all the way gone. ¡°We have a myriad of able fighters here, so this should be no issue. We will split into two groups, each with a ranger to guide them through the forest, and both groups will bait and wound terrors.¡±

    Nesrin continued to stare us all down.

    ¡°A wounded terror will run if given enough reason, and it will run all the way back to its source.¡± Pride softened Nesrin¡¯s grin and beside me, it did the same thing to Myris. ¡°We will then track it and, once we arrive, decimate their scourge once and for all.¡±

    Silence trailed the last of her words. But as both of her eyebrows raised up, her smile softened once again, and she nodded. Chatter instantly broke out among the few other guards in the room.

    Nesrin glanced over to where Jason, Myris, and I were sitting, locking eyes with the older ranger. She gestured toward herself and Myris got up without another word, following her toward where Westin was still standing off to the side.

    ¡°So that¡¯s the plan, then,¡± Jason said, unsheathing his sword.

    ¡°I guess it didn¡¯t change much,¡± Tiren commented without his normal enthusiasm.

    I nodded, Nesrin¡¯s words still playing through my mind. The plan was very similar to the one we¡¯d already figured out days before. The splitting of groups was different, but that was all.

    And as I sat there, commotion swirling around my head, I thought I would¡¯ve felt nervous. But with the plan as concrete as it was, I didn¡¯t. Instead, I felt confidence¡ªconfidence that seemed to spill into my mind from a hidden well somewhere deep inside.

    My eyes drifted to the window on the far side of the quarters and a long breath fell from my lips. Strangely, my mind felt clear¡ªclearer than normal. Watching Farhar out the window fading from the sun¡¯s light, I felt stronger. It felt like some barrier inside of me had been broken down and I was much more whole than before.

    I gripped my sword, its touch making my muscles twitch with power. In front of me, the dark forest loomed. The forest that we were about to go into, I reminded myself, half expecting the doubt to come out. But it didn¡¯t; I still felt sure.

    Jason watched me, cocking his eyebrow, and smiled. ¡°You ready for this?¡±

    I scoffed, not bothering to take my eyes off the scene. ¡°Do I have any other choice?¡±

    <hr>

    A distant hiss pricked my ears.

    Beside me, Myris¡¯ lips cracked into a grin and he lowered his bow. He glanced at me, meeting my eyes through the darkness of the forest. I nodded back, keeping my gaze sharp and level before scanning back over the trees.

    The sharp, curved trees peppered the space, rising up out of the dirt in organic, sporadic patterns and blocking out the moonlight above. The frigid breeze blew through my hair, stinging against my skin and breaking against my cloak.

    The trees ahead of us looked still. But I knew they weren¡¯t. I strained my ears, stepping forward with as much confident caution as I could.

    Myris shuffled forward, leaving my side as he made his way closer to the rest of our group. Over in a denser section of the forest, hidden in the trees, were the two other guards in our group.

    Rays of moonlight glinted off Myris¡¯ shiny hair as he scrambled toward the guards. He clutched his bow tight and held his tense hand hovering over the quiver on his waist.

    When he made his way over to them, he glanced back at me and locked eyes. I raised an eyebrow, clutching my sword. A sliver of tension slipped off Myris¡¯ shoulders and energy spun even faster in his eyes.

    I looked back forward, continuing on my path toward the terrors. Straining my eyes, I was barely able to make out the thin, glittering grey scars on the odd forms out in the distance. The last traces of the hiss one of the terrors had let out after Myris had shot it dissipated in the air, but I didn¡¯t forget it. I latched onto the sound and chased it.

    Soft, low voices registered at the edge of my hearing and I glared sidelong toward where Mayin and Rian were hiding. Myris was already talking with them, his eyes flicking back and forth between the terrors and the guards.

    After a moment, I narrowed my eyes and caught a wicked smile growing on one of the guards. Rian, I realized as soon as he brought the hammer up. The flat metal surface of the enormous weapon gleamed in what little light made its way through the canopy.

    Rian nodded to Myris and his smile only grew more. He raised his hammer up and twirled it in his hand, holding and flipping it through the air with force only possible from his bulging muscles. There was no sound even as the guards around him readied themselves up.

    I grinned, my lips pressed into a thin line.

    Tearing my gaze away from the guards that I knew were going to be fine, I focused back on myself. My fingers relaxed a hair, letting the black leather grip roll against my wrist. I felt the power again, twitching with white-hot intensity in my muscles.

    So I picked up the pace, weaving through the trees with faster, more calculated steps. The glittering and confused forms of the terrors came closer and closer, sending shots of fiery steel straight into my veins.

    The closer I got, the more I reinforced my wall, remembering all of Myris¡¯ warnings. Over and over he¡¯d told me as we¡¯d tracked the terrors, and I wasn¡¯t going to forget it. And combined with the newfound confidence that seemed to be in infinite supply, coming from a foreign place, that wasn¡¯t very hard.

    My legs buckled and darkness pressed in on me. I ignored it and furrowed my brows, staring right at the three distinct terrors in front of me. My lips curled in disgust and I almost spat into the dirt.

    The terrors looked just as frightening as ever.

    This time, only one of the terrors was humanoid, leaving the other two to take beastly forms that I was sure shouldn¡¯t have been allowed to exist.

    The other two terrors resembled animals and seemed to follow the humanoid one¡¯s lead. One of them was birdlike, looking like a combination of a vulture and a squid-like monster I would¡¯ve seen in my nightmares. The other looked like a small wolf that stood on its hind legs and scratched its claws over its hulking back.

    From the corner of my eye, I caught movement. My gaze snapped to where Myris and the rest of the guards were approaching from. The group of three sped through the woods, bobbing and weaving through the trees with abandon as their gear jostled under them.

    But no matter how hard I strained my ears, they made no noise. And as I saw the confident look on Rian¡¯s face, I knew they were making no noise.

    I blinked, waiting for the opening attack as they approached. The soft, idle scraping of fear was barely even noticeable among the straight shots of focus that were being injected into my blood.

    Golden sparks flashed in my vision and I was already running.

    Sound split the night, warping and cutting in an almost impossible way as Rian stopped casting. The scraping of fear instantly spiked, growing more intense by the second. But my wall was up, and it was already too late.

    I barreled into the humanoid terror, kicking it back with my boot and instantly bringing my blade down with all of my strength. The terror hissed in advance as my blade sliced through its blank surface.

    Beside me, the flash of golden sparks broke into a flame and a symphony of hisses accompanied it. The world became a blur of light and motion as the guards all let loose on the two terrors beside me.

    Rian¡¯s hammer came down. Golden flames went everywhere as our pyromancer, Mayin, torched the air. And the light twang of Myris¡¯ bow rang out as the terrors got pummeled.

    A crack of fear broke against my skull and I shivered. My body reeled, stepping back as memories of fears I didn¡¯t even recognize rose up. I forced my wall on it, reinforcing it with the energy I felt from the back of my mind¡ªenergy that felt oddly familiar.

    I gritted my teeth and rushed forward, stabbing the silver-bleeding terror through the chest. It hissed at me, but I ignored its pain and twisted to the side, pulling my blade with me as it sliced through the terror¡¯s flesh.

    My blade came out with a start, cutting the air with purpose as the terror stepped back. I flicked my gaze away from it, catching the fight to my side just in time to see the second terror fall lifeless into the dirt. My eyes widened in awe.

    Myris stared at me from about a dozen paces away, an arrow notched in his bow. He tilted his head forward and I instantly knew.

    I ducked.

    An arrow went streaking through the night and broke into the terror¡¯s head.

    By the time I stood back up, blinking into the darkness, the terror was already running. Its pitch-black, humanoid form was scrambling at a speed that shouldn¡¯t have been possible for a terror and silver scars were twitching the entire way.

    Looking back at my group, everyone smiled.

    It was running away. But that was exactly what we wanted.

    The guards regrouped, picking themselves up, and Myris rushed over to me, ready to begin the chase. I twisted the blade in my hand, feeling the white-hot power that I was beginning to recognize again course through it.

    I tried to interact¡ªto reach into the back of my mind and pull more energy, but at that, it walled me off.

    Fine, I thought. What it was giving was good enough.

    Then, with cold fire pumping through my veins, power twitching in my muscles, and thoughts of victory in my mind, my eyes struck back toward the terror running off toward its source.

    I smiled.

    That was where the fighting would really begin.

 Chapter 40

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    The dark, twisted wooden forms of trees came tumbling into view as we pressed on through the dark.

    Branches curled with unnatural grace, warping to form the outer rim of some entrenched magical circle. The dim green leaves wavered in the wind, casting pitch-black shadows onto the forest floor below. The escaping terror, silver scars still glittering all over its back, ducked into the trees and reformed back with the shadows to escape our vision. I slowed my pace, letting up for a moment to give myself relief as I narrowed my eyes on the source ahead.

    The wavering shadows were shimmering, dancing, twitching as if the darkness itself was alive.

    A shiver raced down my spine and I swallowed, feeling my own set of twitching as energy coursed through my muscles.

    I took a deep breath, feeling the frigid winter air swirling in my lungs. My body responded to my every call, not slipping or faltering at all. Turning my attention inward, I marveled at the wonder of my own mind that was now unblocked and unburdened.

    Deep in the back of my mind, I felt it stirring with almost imperceptible movements. I felt the commotion pressing lightly on the back of my skull. The pressure was there, but it didn¡¯t hurt. It was a good kind of pressure, the kind of pressure that kept me alert¡ªthat reminded me I was alive.

    A sharp breath escaped my nose and I glanced at Myris, watching the older ranger stalk through the trees. He was holding his bow low and angled right next to his quiver. His fingers twitched with power and I could feel the energy lifting from the air around him even from paces away.

    My head whipped backward, dragging my gaze over the trees. Right behind me, Rian was trotting, trying to match my exact speed while he flipped the hammer in his hand like it was nothing. Beside him, the guard with the hooded cloak, Mayin, kept her head low and her hands clenched. The lightness in the air was ever-increasing as all three of my companions continued to cast through the night.

    I shook my head, trying to force focus back to the forefront of my mind. My ears perked up and I strained them, listening for any deviation in the monotony that was the cold, dead forest around¡ª

    Footsteps.

    My head whirled and my ears strained harder, listening to the soft thuds that I would¡¯ve recognized anywhere. Myris slowed in front of me and glanced around too, obviously having heard the same sound.

    Rian¡¯s pace couldn¡¯t slow exactly like mine had and he ended up stepping ahead, his expression contorting as he glared holes into my chest. I pricked my ears again, making sure I was hearing the correct series of solid pitter-pattering sounds getting closer every second.

    ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± I said without any thought.

    Rian¡¯s gaze burned into my neck as his eyes widened and his broad shoulders loomed over my form. I blinked for a few seconds before realizing my mistake.

    ¡°The other group,¡± I corrected myself. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡±

    Rian¡¯s eyes settled as quickly as they had awoken and he just went back to fidgeting with his hammer, never making any noise.

    Mayin glanced up at me, her eyes quivering slightly. The balls of her fists tightened and I saw her taking deep breaths, ones that were obviously forced to be calm. Every few seconds, the hooded pyromancer would flick her eyes around and scan the woods as if she was preparing for a threat only she could see.

    The footsteps grew louder in the forest and after a while, a smile grew on my face. Without even realizing it, I began rolling my sword¡¯s hilt across my wrist and flexing my muscles.

    My grin deepened as the source grew nearer and nearer.

    I was ready.

    By the time we stopped, we were only about two dozen paces away, and each of us was on edge. Since first hearing them further back in the woods, the footsteps had only grown louder; we were ready for their arrival. Not even a second later, the four forms of the other group came surging through the trees.

    The glint in Nesrin¡¯s eye is what caught me first, and then the smirk on Jason¡¯s face. Following behind them, Tiren jogged with overactive precision, and Cas filed right behind him.

    Staring at the hooded guard a moment longer, I couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. She¡¯d obviously come prepared. Her belt was fully stocked, laden with a compact bag that looked like it held medical supplies as well as what looked like hundreds of extra daggers. But despite holding knives on her belt, her right hand gripped a sword that looked similar to mine. The long, silvery blade was bowed and sharpened to an end, slicing through the air as she jogged.

    Myris gasped in front of me and I whirled around. The older, grey-haired ranger pulled his cloak tight around himself, trying to block off the wind, but his gaze stayed static. I furrowed my brows and followed his eyes all the way to the source¡ªall the way to a specific patch of shadows that was twitching and taunting the night.

    ¡°You ready?¡± I asked, rousing the man in an instant.

    Myris twisted, his hand already diving into his quiver before he recognized my face. The spinning energy in his eyes slowed and a sharp breath fell from his mouth.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, only half-convinced. ¡°I¡¯m ready to destroy the source for good this time.¡±

    A sharp edge lined Myris¡¯ tone, and he didn¡¯t even meet my eyes. Instead, he clenched his jaw and gripped his bow, shuddering once more before he turned again toward the source.

    The soft sounds of footsteps became all but booming against the quiet ambiance in the forest. And when I turned around this time, Nesrin¡¯s gaze was already right in my face.

    She slowed her pace and held a hand up, slowing all of her companions as well. Short breaths escaped from her lips, but once she regained her composure, her signature smile was back.

    ¡°Are we ready?¡± she asked, keeping her voice low and hushed.

    I nodded and glanced at Myris, watching the way he nodded as well. ¡°I¡¯m about as ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡± I flexed my muscles again and closed my eyes, relishing in the unburdened clarity my mind had been given. The familiar images of Farhar flashed over my vision, bringing more interest from the back of my mind. I shook it away.

    Nesrin smiled, a glint of something unreadable in her eye.

    Rian stepped up next to me, squinting at Nesrin¡¯s group. ¡°Where¡¯s Wes?¡±

    I blinked, tilting my head toward Rian and then toward Nesrin. Then, as I scanned over the group again as if just to confirm, I was met with the conclusion that I already knew.

    Westin was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°He got hurt,¡± Tiren said, stepping toward the front of his group. He smirked at Rian but didn¡¯t dare step past the position of the head guard.

    ¡°We sent him back,¡± Nesrin added, leaving no room for further discussion. ¡°That¡¯s all there is to it. Our mission is still on.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes on Nesrin but I held my tongue on the matter. ¡°What¡¯s the plan, then?¡±

    Her lips tweaked upward and from the corner of my eye, I could see Myris turning his attention back toward us.

    ¡°We destroy the source,¡± Jason quipped, smugness radiating off him. I almost rolled my eyes right there.

    Nesrin bit back a grumble. ¡°We¡¯re here to eradicate the terrors and the source they come from.¡± I nodded, as did everyone else. ¡°So we need to kill all of the terrors in there and destroy that place for good.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I just¡ª¡±

    ¡°First things first,¡± Nesrin said, barreling right ahead, ¡°Mayin and Cas, you two already know your jobs. The terrors live in the shadows, so we have to make sure that there are no more shadows left.¡± Cas nodded shortly, her lips not even moving an inch. Then Mayin nodded as well only a few seconds after.

    ¡°We are going to sneak up and then rush in,¡± Tiren chimed in from behind. Nesrin¡¯s neck tensed for a second, but she didn¡¯t look back.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re going to expel those world¡¯s damned shadows and kill whatever crawls out.¡±

    The people around me nodded, but I couldn¡¯t just yet. A slightly bitter taste fell on my tongue and unease filled my gut. The plan sounded solid, but it was simple. It almost sounded incomplete. A part of me deep within my instincts was yelling at me to question it.

    ¡°Is that it?¡± I asked, calming that frightened part of my mind.

    Nesrin tilted her head at me and raised one of her eyebrows. My eyes widened and a weak smile instantly tugged at my lips. I shouldn¡¯t have asked, I told myself. I shouldn¡¯t have questioned her orders.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± she said.

    Everyone nodded again and I glanced back toward the source. Images flashed in my mind from the last time I¡¯d even interacted with the source and the success I¡¯d had. That had been while I was exhausted. That had been while I was nearly alone.

    My eyes flicked back to the two groups of people. Now it was different. Now we were ready, and we had a lot more power. Finally, I nodded as well, confirming that our plan was a go.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Nesrin said, glancing to the side. ¡°Rian, keep us quiet.¡±

    The friendly quality in Nesrin¡¯s grin grew harder and harder to find as she surged to the front of the group with Rian and toe, dragging all of us into the night.

    Our footsteps rang silent in the dark and for a while, the only sound I could hear was the pounding of blood in my ears. My mind twisted in confusion as the air continued to lighten and all sounds seemed to grind to a halt.

    I blinked, expecting to hear the soft crunch of leaves under my boot as I walked. But I didn¡¯t. With Rian¡¯s sharp, concentrated expression shining next to me, everything was exactly how we¡¯d planned it to be. Perfectly silent.

    A grin started to sprout on my face as we approached the curved line of trees, but with an all too familiar sound echoing out across my mind, that grin faded in an instant. I shivered and shuddered as the sound of metal scraping on bone filled my ears from the inside, reminding me all the times I¡¯d killed.

    The idle scraping grew fast and intense, filling my mind and pulling at each of my individual fears. A bony smile flashed in my eyes, accompanied by the silver blade of a scythe. I gritted my teeth and forced my next step into the dirt, shaking the image away.

    My eyes darted through the dark night, seething with fear-fueled fury as the scraping continued to bash against my wall. I supported it with the intense hatred in my veins. Each time I saw any movement in the shadows, my teeth clenched even harder and I saw the point of the mission more and more.

    I wanted the source destroyed. I wanted their home destroyed.

    I wanted all of them dead.

    My hate-fueled thoughts carried all the way to the edge of the source where Nesrin¡¯s hand told us to stop. She glared back, looking at each and every member of the group directly in the eyes. At the end, she stared right at Mayin, who only nodded in return and started furrowing her brow.

    Fire pumped through my veins, my body falling into a ready crouch as golden sparks of light flashed out behind me.

    And with a burst of crackling flames, the night exploded into light; I was already on the move.

    My metal boots slammed on the ground, digging into the dirt like blades as I pushed myself forward. The tree line ahead flared ablaze. Beside me, I could see Jason, Rian, and Myris all running with me.

    All semblance of blur was scared from my vision by the clarity of battle. Attacks spun through my mind. Movement registered ahead, and by the time we had all surged through the tree line and into the source, three terrors were already waiting.

    Jason attacked first, curling his lips in angry pride as he brought his blade up and shoved it through the blank flesh of a long, tendril-covered, catlike terror. As soon as his blade entrenched itself, orange sparks of light seared through flesh, leaving silvery scorch marks wherever they hit.

    I turned, sizing up the other two targets as arrows flew through the air around me. Two rounds of hisses split next to me as Myris somehow shot both of the other terrors at once.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    A large, hulking, bear-like terror reeled back and emitted a low, roaring hiss that echoed out over the smoldering flames. But the smaller, humanoid terror that we¡¯d been fighting before didn¡¯t follow its lead. It ran right at me.

    I stared it down with a toothy grin.

    The terror surged at me. I twisted to the left, my feet moving in a perfect union that I hadn¡¯t felt since I¡¯d died. Pride rose up in my mind as its arm stretched into almost a dozen frayed tendrils, yet it still missed my form. I stepped back to it quickly, bringing my blade down through its flesh.

    It hissed, but I didn¡¯t pay the sound any mind.

    ¡°Duck!¡± Myris said from behind, his voice forcing me into a crouch as an arrow cut the air above me and slammed into the terror¡¯s face. Thick, silvery blood cascaded down its skin, glittering gold in the firelight.

    I surged back toward the terror, but I didn¡¯t go all the way. Feeling the waves of heat blasting my skin in contrast to the cold air, I still felt it lighten. My eyes went wide and I ducked yet again.

    Rian came barreling through where I¡¯d been and slammed his hammer right into the scurrying terror. The thing flew through the air almost half a dozen paces before skidding on the ground and twitching as its sounds of pain died off.

    Rian glanced at me, sparing a half-nod. I nodded back, completely understanding, and turned back toward the terror. An arrow sliced through its still moving form, removing whatever cold life was left in an instant. From behind me, Myris let out a light chuckle.

    My lips split into a wicked grin as I twisted again, relishing in the fire pumping through my veins as I searched for my next target.

    As I scanned over the clearing though, still listening to the crackling golden flames that burned through the trees behind me, I noticed something in the distance. Just past the bearlike terror that was now charging toward Rian, a group of terrors was massed together into a swirling, black blob that was escaping through the trees. The terrors looked like they were hiding something, and they were moving with calculated intent I¡¯d never seen them use before.

    My lips parted, ready to call out, but a loud crack echoed across my skull instead. Images of dead, decaying bodies that I didn¡¯t want to recognize consumed my vision. Yet, as an impossibly cold hand touched my back, I broke past the sights and whipped right around.

    Metal tore through the air as I sliced the terror¡¯s arm off. Or, as I realized a moment later, its head. The tall, slithering terror writhed in pain, somehow still hissing even with its head on the ground.

    My eyes went wide with horror as the wide, silvery scar formed over the terror-snake¡¯s neck and a new, hissing head grew right out of its side. Bile rose up in my throat, but I pushed it down.

    The blank, pitch-black snake jutted up again, dancing right in front of my vision and almost entrancing my eyes. I wasn¡¯t getting tranced, obviously, but I didn¡¯t quite move either.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got you,¡± a familiar voice called. Only a moment later, Tiren¡¯s form, gleaming in the golden firelight, barreled into my vision.

    The overdramatic guard bellowed an attempt at a battle cry as he flicked his twin knives around with admittedly insane precision. A flurry of straight silver scars peppered the terror¡¯s form as it fell to the dirt.

    With the wicked grin growing back on my face, I stepped away and turned around to search for the next spot of action.

    A roaring hiss rumbled through the clearing and I darted my eyes to it. My own footsteps were already thundering on the dirt when I realized what I¡¯d heard. The bulky, bearlike terror screeched and swiped down at Rian, who only barely got out of the attack.

    Power twitched in my muscles and more fire poured into my blood. My grin tweaked upwards even further as I realized how much stamina I had left. Months ago, I would¡¯ve never been able to go this long, but now¡­ I could¡¯ve done it all night.

    My blade stabbed into the large terror, ripping a silver scar across its side while Rian dashed out of the way. The terror turned, but I was already dodging, pushing off the ground with all the force I could muster.

    As my body flew backward, green flames caught the corner of my eye. I flicked my gaze to them, watching a controlled, snake-like tendril constructed entirely of green fire ripping across a terror¡¯s throat and into the tree behind it.

    My eyes widened and I wanted to gawk, but my attention was diverted.

    The bearlike terror hissed again, shaking the insides of my ear. I gritted my teeth. My wall went back up with all the urgency I could put into it and I shrugged off the sting of the cold as I charged back toward the golden flames.

    The familiar twang of a bowstring echoed out, cutting through the noise. I grinned yet again and hastened my charge as the large terror hissed in agony, two more arrows finding their way into its chest. The plethora of silver scars adorning the terror¡¯s surface twitched and flared out, ripping in through the terror¡¯s form as they reflected the pure golden light.

    I raised my blade, an attack already primed in my head, but I couldn¡¯t execute. Orange sparks flew through the air as Jason¡¯s blade sliced the thing¡¯s shoulder, ripping and searing flesh as it went.

    A loud, pained grunt escaped the swordsman¡¯s lips, but I couldn¡¯t see where he was. However, as the gleam of firelight caught my eye off his blade, staying exactly where he¡¯d left it, I didn¡¯t need to. He was sent stumbling backward with empty hands and that was all I needed to see to know exactly what he was doing.

    My body surged forward again, closing the small gap between the terror and my blade. The curved, silver metal that I would¡¯ve trusted with my life dug into the terror¡¯s leg and sent it hissing.

    I tore my blade out and scrambled away, not even waiting for the aftermath of our attacks.

    The rapidly spreading yellow flames engulfed branch after branch, consuming the outer rim of the source and filling my vision as I raced back to the other members of my group. Jason¡¯s face was contorted in furious frustration, but his features softened again as the hissing stopped behind me and a loud thud accompanied a tremor in the ground.

    I whipped my head back, feeling oppressive warmth brush against my skin.

    Where there had just been a tall, hulking terror, there was now just a corpse. Lying there, seemingly pinned to the ground by Jason¡¯s weighted blade in its chest, the terror¡¯s life bled away from it. Silver scars slowly stopped twitching as it drifted further and further to the house of its creator.

    The image of the beast flashed again, but I pushed it away with ravenous fury. I didn¡¯t want to see it. I didn¡¯t want to see its face. I just wanted to give it more work by killing the horrible spawn it had brought upon this world.

    ¡°What the hell did you just do?¡± Rian asked, his voice coming out clipped as he stopped casting and his silence was lifted.

    Jason just smirked, breathing hard as he made his way back over to the terror and tore his blade out. ¡°I increased the weight of my sword. Simple stuff.¡±

    I chuckled, letting the words continue to pile up in my ears. But I didn¡¯t listen. Not really. Fire was smoldering the source, but it hadn¡¯t consumed it yet. And fire was still pumping in my blood, but I wasn¡¯t done yet.

    My eyes scanned over the clearing, watching the thick, swirling shadows that had once populated the ground all disappear due to light. A golden glow painted the ground, signaling the success of our attack.

    A confident, powerful grin came back onto my face. I was reminded of the expression I wore in battle as I fighter back in Credon. The grin I wore now was the exact same one I¡¯d worn when I¡¯d first beaten the king¡¯s battlemaster in single combat. That, I remembered, that had been a good day.

    And as my eyes latched onto a terror¡¯s scurrying form, I knew.

    This night was just as good.

    I glanced at my companions only once before running off, watching the pained looks on their faces. They were tiring out. Admittedly, I was too, but there was still more to be done. So I was going to do it.

    As I left the front section of the source in the dust, the shadows pressed in again. Just beyond the reach of the flickering fire, the air stung cold again. But I pushed right through it, my eyes still trained on my target.

    No, I reminded myself. I¡¯d called my enemies targets as a knight. But now, I was a ranger¡ªa hunter in these woods. The terror wasn¡¯t my target.

    It was my world¡¯s damned prey.

    The short, scurrying terror that I¡¯d eyed seconds before slipped into shadows and left my vision wanting. My eyes widened and I strained them again, searching the darkness for movement. But the entire time I tried, I kept glancing away. I kept glancing at the dancing green flame I¡¯d seen before.

    Finally, I tore my gaze toward the green flame. It danced and snapped through the air like the crack of the whip. And when I noticed the hand the flame had been produced from, I wasn¡¯t far from the truth.

    Standing there with her head low and her hood on, Cas fed the green flame with her magic, forming it in a way more elegant than I¡¯d ever seen. Briefly, I was reminded of a folktale I¡¯d learned when I was a child about a serpent of pure fire.

    And as another terror came running out of the shadows at her, the green flame ripping directly into its neck, I was proven almost correct again. The terror hissed and writhed as the silvery burn mark ravaged its surface, but Cas ended its suffering quick.

    The green flame whip she carried tightened around the terror''s neck, holding it in place. Stepping toward it, she sliced right through its head in a single fluid motion that left the terror dead in the dirt.

    Cas looked up, her eyes¡ªgrey, but tinged with a sharp green in the corners¡ªmeeting with mine. A hitch caught in my breath and the light air she was casting through flooded my lungs. But she just nodded to me and turned back around with a smile almost imperceptible to my eye.

    As soon as Cas turned around, another terror was getting burned, and my jaw hung in awe. She whipped, burned, and killed the terror in a matter of seconds. White-hot power twitched in my muscles and jealousy itched in my mind as I watched her work, gawking at her impeccable form.

    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± a voice screamed from somewhere else in the clearing. I didn¡¯t pay it any mind.

    Instead of focusing on the noise, I adjusted my grip and stared back into the shadows to wait for any terrors that came. My watching was rewarded after only a few moments and I surged toward the same short terror that I¡¯d seen before.

    The small terror stared at me, its form shifting. Scraping grew heavy in my mind and my lips quivered with fear. But my body was already barreling forward, and the terror¡¯s paltry tricks did nothing to prevent its fate.

    My blade sliced through the terror¡¯s horrible blank flesh with ease. I lodged it deep into its side and pulled with whatever power was still getting fed through my bones. I met resistance in its flesh and it hissed, sending cold jolts of pain through my hand and arm. But I just snarled into the air and pushed even harder, stopping its movement with one of my own.

    When I tore my blade out, the terror¡¯s life was fading and its blank surface somehow got even more blank as it slumped to the ground.

    ¡°¡ªwhat?¡± a voice cut to my ears. Somewhere in my memories, I recognized it as Nesrin.

    ¡°They¡¯re combining!¡± another voice called out. The voice was deep and distressed, but I couldn¡¯t tell who it had come from.

    ¡°They¡¯re not supposed to be able to¡ª¡±

    Nesrin¡¯s voice cut off again but I paid it little mind. In the corner of my eye, I could see Cas looking up as she breathed heavily and tore her blade out of a terror¡¯s flesh.

    My lips curled upward as I stared at my prey, dead in the dirt.

    ¡°Make them stop!¡± a much more scared voice shouted. I blinked, recognizing the tinge of Myris¡¯ voice. ¡°Make them stop! Kill it! Make it¡ª¡±

    As soon as my fellow ranger¡¯s voice cut out, I was already running. The clearing flew around in a flaming blur of dark wood and shadows as I pulled my sword close to me and ran blindly toward his voice.

    The tone in Myris¡¯ voice. I recognized it. The high quality, the edge he hadn¡¯t intended, the absolute fear¡ªI recognized it far too well.

    Beside me, Cas¡¯ form appeared as if out of thin air, matching my pace with her own. Her lips were pressed together and the whip of green flames she¡¯d been casting only moments before was nowhere to be found. As we dashed across the clearing, she veered away from me somewhere in the middle. I glanced over at her, seeing the phantom of wide-eyed horror painted on her face. And when I followed her gaze, I could only feel the exact same thing.

    At the edge of the clearing, near where we¡¯d surged through the tree line, a terror was shifting its form. The large, frayed being tore at the insides of my skull, pulling up each and every mortal fear it could. I could barely describe its form with all the tendrils jutting out of it. And the only thing I could describe was the absolute horror displayed on the faces of all my companions as I ran right past it.

    The golden flames provided the perfect backdrop for their pain as the terror twitched one more time and flew toward them all.

    A blur of silver, grey, and black swept through its path in an instant. Screams and shouts followed.

    In the black blur, I saw the glint of Rian¡¯s hammer raising. ¡°I¡¯ll¡ªLet me¡ª¡± he started.

    But before the next moment was over, a screeching high pitched noise ripped through my ears and almost made me stumble in place.

    The noise warped and swirled with intensity that seemed to vary with the beat of my heart. I couldn¡¯t even hear the pumping of my blood. No matter what I did, my eyes stayed stuck on the terror continuing its path of destruction through my companions and right into the golden flames.

    ¡°Kill it!¡± a voice wailed next to me. I skidded to a stop, tearing away from the terror and causing the sound to fade in my ears. As I blinked away the horrifying fear and felt my body again, I saw the source of the voice.

    Myris mumbled something under his breath. The humanoid terror standing over him stared him right in the face and held out its hand. I blinked, remembering all too well what the terror was trying to do.

    Metal shrieked through the air at my hands and stabbed the terror through the chest. Another silver scar ripped across its already battered body; its hand stopped in place.

    Fear slowly faded off Myris¡¯ face until he was able to shake his head. The terror turned toward me, moving its arm into my view, but my wall was still up and I was having none of its games. I ripped my blade out of it then stuck it back in, sidestepping its strike like it was nothing at all.

    The terror hissed something horrible before falling into the dirt and I nearly spat on its corpse. But instead, I just glared at Myris.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked, unintended poison in my tone.

    Myris swallowed, his breathing long and heavy. His grip loosened on his bow and he put the arrow in his hand back in the quiver by his side.

    ¡°It¡­ I¡­¡±

    Sounds of struggle still echoed behind me and I shook my head. ¡°Nevermind. We¡¯ve got a situation to deal with.¡±

    I twisted on my heel and glared behind me, watching the incomprehensible terror amalgamation whirling and writhing around. It was pressed right up against the still-burning side of the source at this point, golden flames searing across its surface.

    ¡°What the fuck,¡± Myris said.

    I just shook my head. The previously frigid air around me was getting warmer and warmer by the second as the fire spread to trees all over the source.

    ¡°We need to help,¡± I said. But I wasn¡¯t convinced by my own words. Staring at the horrifying mass of things that fed off my fear, I didn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t move.

    Myris was silent for a moment, leaving only the sounds of their pain. ¡°What are we going to¡ª¡±

    A loud, rumbling hiss rang out through the clearing and splitting the forest beyond. The terror reeled back in an instant, and a flash of green flame told me why.

    Its frayed, terrifying, insect-like legs were seared and cut one by one with green fire. In the distance, I saw Cas¡¯ stoic, motionless expression as she disabled the terror one leg at a time. Shouting followed the terror¡¯s immense pain¡ªand both orange and golden colors bathed the damned thing in light. Silver scorch marks covered its being.

    The twang of a bow sounded next to me and I didn¡¯t even need to turn. Myris let out his last three arrows within the space of a few seconds, each one of them finding their mark.

    ¡°You ready yet?!¡± Nesrin screamed. I widened my eyes, movement surging into my muscles again.

    ¡°Get the hell out of the clearing!¡± Mayin yelled after her. Behind the terror¡¯s scrambling body, I saw a terrifyingly bright flash of golden light.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Myris said, but I was already running.

    I glanced back at the grey-haired ranger and gestured for him to follow; he didn¡¯t even need my advice. Both of us were dashing out of the clearing before the next few seconds were up.

    Surging through the burning trees, Myris and I didn¡¯t let up our run. Seconds bled together in one anxious, horrifying mess as we made out escape, scrambling back toward where we¡¯d entered the source.

    The next thing I knew, I was shouting and waving my hands, trying to get the attention of Jason and Nesrin as they each helped a limping form out of the trees. Each of them darted their eyes to mine, instantly looking past me at Myris as well.

    Relief washed over Jason¡¯s shoulders. Dragging a body that I recognized as Tiren, he sighed, with Nesrin not far behind.

    Catching up with where they were standing, my heart sunk as I saw Rian¡¯s pale face singed at the sides. He looked battered and cold as ice; his lips were twitching, mumbling incoherent sounds that forced memories I didn¡¯t want to think about to the forefront of my mind.

    I shook my head and ripped my gaze to the source. The world in front of me was consumed in golden fire. Before, only the trees had been set ablaze. But now, it was as if the air itself was on fire, cooking anything that could¡¯ve possibly still been inside to death.

    The thought left a fearful bitter taste on my tongue. My mouth was dry when I tried to swallow. I felt heaviness in my limbs and I wanted to collapse, to sleep in the cold dirt until it was no longer a dream. But I didn¡¯t tear my eyes away. No. Not while they were still inside.

    After what felt like an eternity of suspense, Cas came running out of the blaze with Mayin¡¯s body in her arms. The golden-flamed pyromancer was slumped, coughing and looked like she¡¯d been exploded and put back together¡ªbut she was alive.

    And Cas, her expression still as removed and resigned as always, was breathing with a heaviness I was sure we all felt.

    But at least she was alive too, I thought.

    My body slumped in the dirt, somehow finding its way into a sitting position.

    The people around me stirred and swirled, tending to the injured in an effort that I didn¡¯t help in. At least, not yet.

    The presence at the back of my mind gawked, as speechless as I was.

    And I just sat there useless, staring at the fire while the world spun around me for just a moment longer.

 Chapter 41

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    I pushed myself out into the brisk morning air.

    The heavy, wooden inn door slipped shut behind me; its soft creaking sound melded in with all the other morning commotion. I shook my head, running a hand through my hair as the breeze whipped at my skin.

    Walking out onto the cobblestone road, a yawn crept up from my throat. Suddenly, my eyelids felt heavy and I teetered, the world spinning with my tiredness. The dull ache on my skull was still there, yelling at me to sleep every step of the way.

    I stepped backward and leaned my head back, supporting myself on the wooden wall of the inn. Gravity pulled me down, beckoning my body to rest. But when my eyes slipped shut, it was anything but restful. Sharp, skewed images of a dark forest split by flaring tongues of golden light scorched themselves onto my eyes.

    My body shook, jolting to life as the memories reminded me of their existence. Despite the morning air, slowly warming as the world woke up, I shivered and slammed my eyes back open.

    A beam of sunlight glinted in my vision. I jerked my head backward. Squinting, I shrugged off the light and looked toward the sun. Soft, warm yellow rays blanketed the town, stretching over the winding roads as if trying to find a foothold so the sun could pull itself up.

    Another yawn rose up but I stifled it. Tiredness came back, too, but it didn¡¯t last very long. The sound of a phantom crack echoed against my skull and I didn¡¯t even have to close my eyes to see the images again.

    I pushed myself off the inn¡¯s walls and shook my head. With sharp fear and my increasingly jarring movements, I was becoming more and more alert. And with the sun¡¯s light stretching out to kiss my face, the tiredness was fleeing away little by little.

    My metal boots scraped against the cobblestone as I dragged my feet forward. The uncomfortable sound made me wince as I remembered the still-dirty uniform I was wearing was the same one from last night. A shiver raced down my spine and I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to quicken. Even the mention of last night hurt, igniting the burns in my mind where the images were seared in place.

    Seconds after I shuddered, I felt something shudder inside me as well. In the back of my mind, something stirred, shifting uncomfortably as I did my best to walk through Farhar¡¯s streets.

    I hunched my shoulders and stared ahead, trying to find peace in the way the wind cascaded over me and the town around me. Beside me, small wooden buildings flew by silently, a stark contrast to when I¡¯d first entered the town. In fact, almost everything seemed to fly by silently as I went along my walk. Or, at least it was as silent as I could see the town getting at all.

    With only the edges of sunlight warming the air, it was the perfect time of morning. It was just after even the most sleepless of drunks would¡¯ve passed out somewhere, but still before when anyone in their right mind would get up.

    A grin spread across my lips as I walked. I enjoyed the quiet. And with the pounding headache that was only now starting to fade, I enjoyed it even more than normal. Despite my sleepless night¡ªall the tossing and turning spurred on by the ever-present fear¡ªI was happy to be awake. The town was quieter now than it had been even in the dead of night.

    My body ambled, moving on automatic as I followed the twisting roads. I didn¡¯t pay attention to my direction. I didn¡¯t pay attention to the signs. I just paid attention to putting one foot in front of the other and staying the hell awake.

    After a time of just walking, my eyes started to wander. Even though I¡¯d been in Farhar for multiple days, I was still in awe when I gazed upon it. The basic wooden houses with the flat, sweeping roofs. The standard shops with intricate and exaggerated signs. The winding streets that seemed to lead both everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Something about it all was just¡­ special. It interested my eyes to no end, and each new time I took a breath of the magic-tinged air, energy fluttered in my lungs and put a smile on my face.

    Behind my eyes, I could feel wonder as well. But this wonder wasn¡¯t mine. Or, it didn¡¯t feel like mine entirely. Unlike mine, this wonder was uneasy. It was as if whatever being used my eyes to satisfy its curiosity was still coming out of its shell, still testing the waters of my mind.

    And so I walked on like that as the morning stretched on. Before I knew it, the single heartbeats I¡¯d been living on bled into seconds that bled into minutes not long after.

    By the time I¡¯d come to Farhar¡¯s town center, I¡¯d been walking for an hour at least. My brain didn¡¯t mind. My legs, however, were a different story.

    As I walked on, step after step on the slightly uneven road that probably hadn¡¯t been updated in decades, my legs felt like anchors. As clarity returned to my mind and the sun¡¯s piercing heat stung at my neck, I couldn¡¯t ignore the pain I still felt in my bones. They still hurt from the destruction of the terror¡¯s source. And after all, I still hadn¡¯t gotten any rest since then.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    My breathing quickened and I blinked rapidly, trying to remove blur from my vision. But every time I did, the images would flash in my mind and I¡¯d cringe, desperate to push them away.

    A gust of wind blew over me and despite the moderate air, it reminded me of freezing cold. I shuddered, physically unable to stop myself. Only a few moments later, something stemming from the very back of my mind did the exact same thing.

    Images flashed in my mind, more clear than before. The darkness. The forest. The roaring flames. I winced in pain, splitting my eyes as wide as they could go. But my vision just shifted, finding darkness in the light and tracking every shadow I saw.

    I focused on myself, on my body instead of my mind. My hand fell to my side and gripped the hilt of my blade, trying to focus on its feel. Soft sounds of the town swirled around me, but I couldn¡¯t focus on any of it. Dull aches cut through my muscles and I winced, trying not to focus on the pain.

    But through my still too-tired haze, even that wasn¡¯t enough. None of it was enough to stop the memories from coming on and before I knew it, I was plunged into darkness again.

    The distant, ghostly ache rippled through my body and my eyes drooped.

    Dark, twisting trees flashed in my vision exactly as they had the night before. I¡¯d walked forward, trudging farther and farther into the piercing cold as what was left of the blazing flames receded behind us.

    My arms had ached and strained as I¡¯d carried the weight of Tiren¡¯s body. He¡¯d coughed and grumbled, slipping in and out of consciousness in my arms. Occasionally, his eyes had opened for longer and he¡¯d searched my face before trying to spring out of my reach. The realization that the task he¡¯d wanted to complete wasn¡¯t very possible with his cold, stiff muscles hadn¡¯t sat well with him at the time.

    As we¡¯d pushed closer to the treeline, I¡¯d found myself glancing back often. Even from what had felt like a million paces away, I¡¯d always been able to see the golden flames. I¡¯d always been able to see them slowly dying as they burned down the last of the source.

    At the time, I¡¯d been worried about the fire spreading. Next to the source, the entire world had been heat, and I hadn¡¯t wanted the seemingly insatiable flames to consume the whole rest of the forest.

    I¡¯d been reassured quickly on that though after Mayin had been able to speak again. She¡¯d been the one to make the flames, and she¡¯d known how they worked. Apparently, the flames that she¡¯d set were ingrained with a purpose and had been quick to burn.

    That¡¯s what she¡¯d told me, at least. But that hadn¡¯t stopped me from worrying.

    ¡°She did it right,¡± Nesrin had grumbled, respect lining her tone. Mayin had smiled at that, nodding as she settled back in Cas¡¯ arms.

    ¡°That¡¯s why she incurred total soul drain,¡± Cas had added. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing she didn¡¯t push herself further than that.¡± Her words had piqued my interest then.

    After Cas had said those words, nobody else in the group had commented. Everyone had understood. Everyone except me. And as my question had risen up, I hadn¡¯t been able to stop it from coming out.

    ¡°Total soul drain?¡± I¡¯d asked. I¡¯d gotten multiple strange looks for that, especially from a frustrated Myris who¡¯d been carrying Rian¡¯s body.

    ¡°Soul drain,¡± Cas had repeated, her expression unchanging.

    I¡¯d had to stop myself from scoffing, opting for clarification instead. ¡°I¡¯m not a mage.¡±

    If I¡¯d gotten weird looks for my first question, then that had gotten me glares. Particularly, from across the group, Myris had stared at me sidelong with distaste curled on his lips.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t know what soul drain is?¡± Nesrin had asked, staring down at me condescendingly.

    My hand had fallen by my side then, making sure my sword had been close. It had been all I could do to stop myself from cursing her out in my tired and annoyed state. Instead, I¡¯d just kept up with the truth and shaken my head.

    Nesrin had glared at me, searching my face for any hint of foolery. But I hadn¡¯t given any.

    Eventually, she¡¯d given up and just sighed. ¡°Well, this is as good of a thing as any to pass the time, I guess.¡±

    I¡¯d nodded. I¡¯d felt validation for that.

    ¡°Soul drain is what we call it when a mage uses their magic a lot,¡± she¡¯d said, staring at me to make sure I¡¯d understood. ¡°The soul is what manipulates energy to your will, but it can only take so much before it needs rest. Total soul drain then, naturally, is when your soul has taken all it can.¡±

    After explaining, Nesrin had rolled her wrist at me and turned back to the front. We¡¯d continued in silence for a while. But even then, her explanation had rattled around in my head, bouncing on my skull and forming questions as it went.

    As soon as the next long silence had struck, a particular one had taken hold.

    ¡°What happens if you push further than that?¡±

    At that, Nesrin had frozen. She¡¯d shot me a glare that still burned my skin now, and the words she¡¯d said next had been stuck in my head ever since.

    ¡°You don¡¯t.¡±

    The darkness around me receded and I shook my head. The thin layer that was left of intrusive memories wavered and I pushed it away.

    Sunlight stung my eyes; I winced, breathing heavily. I took a long breath, slowing the pace of my feet somehow still beating against the cobblestone streets. The sound of pounding blood faded from my ears and the shots of cold steel I¡¯d experienced last night faded away along with it.

    I shivered and rolled my neck, relishing in tiny moments of relief. My eyes drooped a bit, but they didn¡¯t stop me from smiling. The memory was over, and I was happy that the images didn¡¯t flash each and every time that I blinked anymore.

    A sigh slipped from my lips as I stretched out. My left arm reached into the air but I was surprised to find my right hand curling weirdly as I tore it from its grip on my sword. A chuckle built up in my throat, but I stifled it before it became too loud. I¡¯d had my hand on my sword that whole time.

    That whole time, I realized, of some unknown length. I had no idea how long I¡¯d been walking now and, looking around, I had no idea where I was.

    Softly, I cursed under my breath as my eyes glided over the houses around me. The practical wooden houses with ancient, cracked stone foundations peppered my vision, making up almost all the buildings around me. The rest of the space, however, was occupied by trees as Farhar¡¯s border with the forest became fuzzy again.

    With my smile softening, a sound registered in my ears. Suddenly, I felt a twitch in the back of my mind and the presence that I¡¯d become accustomed to over the past few months felt greater than it ever had before.

    ¡°Is it¡­ is it really¡­¡±

    A woman¡¯s voice lilted to my ears, soft and broken. I furrowed my brows and turned on my heel, the presence in my mind starting to burn white-hot. I felt that it was burning but in an almost familiar way, it didn¡¯t hurt.

    When I whipped my head around, the brown-haired woman gasped, staring at me through blurry eyes.

    The flaming white presence in my mind grew even hotter somehow.

    And I stood there confused for only a moment longer before the woman looked up to meet my eyes.

    I winced, the realization hitting like a pile of bricks.

    She recognized my face.

 Chapter 42

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    ¡°Felix?¡±

    The woman¡¯s voice hung in the air as the world spun around me. I blinked and tilted my head, trying to prevent myself from teetering. The brown-haired woman kept up her stare.

    Waves of disgusted interest washed over me, all coming from the back of my mind. The white-hot fire inside me twitched, reviling the woman¡¯s words and piling onto my emotions as if to make me as revolted as it was.

    I shook my head once, pushing away the waves. The woman wiped her eyes and squinted at me. ¡°Felix?¡±

    Flaming discomfort blanketed my skull and I cringed, taking a step backward. The name echoed in my head, immediately familiar, but immediately painful. Spinning and spinning, it mixed with the rest of my thoughts. And each time it came around, it scratched my skull, picking, prodding, and tearing at a scar as old as my life itself.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I finally asked as a full breath entered my lungs. The world stopped spinning momentarily and I was able to open my eyes wide enough to watch the woman¡¯s mouth close.

    Her lips tweaked downward and the smile on her face softened. Whatever words she¡¯d been about to say shriveled away at her lips. Her eyes narrowed as she looked me over.

    Blue irises moved in frantic yet calculated movements as she flicked her gaze around. After she tore away from my face, she looked at my clothes, then at my chest, then at my shoulders. For a moment, a tiny smile threatened my lips as I raised my chest higher, proud of the muscles I¡¯d built within.

    But with each passing moment, the woman¡¯s brows furrowed harder, coming together like puzzle pieces. And as soon as it became apparent that her inspection was more than a glance, I made use of the time myself.

    The breeze picked up for a moment, blowing over her fair, slightly tanned skin. In a flash of chestnut brown, her hair billowed away from the spot where it had been draped over her gray tunic. As the woman¡¯s brows furrowed even more and her lips continued to drop, the same familiar smile stayed on the whole time.

    Flames licked at the back of my eyes and waves of regret hit me. I cringed, keeping my gaze frozen on the woman. The longer I stared, the more familiar she looked and the way I felt broken, unreadable memories rising up deep in my brain only cemented that conclusion.

    Slowly, unsteadily, the woman ended her stare and blinked, straightening up.

    ¡°Felix?¡± she asked again, as if the impossibility of the situation had her stuck on repeat.

    Once more, the white-hot presence in my mind lorded over my thoughts, spewing out its disgust. I shut my eyes tight and took another step back.

    ¡°That name¡­¡± I said, trying not to feel the headache coming on.

    The woman¡¯s eyes lit up, sparkling in the almost-afternoon light. ¡°Felix!¡±

    The mention of the name one more time only brought my headache on sooner. My hand fell by my side, instantly clutching the grip of my blade.

    ¡°Who are you talking about?!¡± I asked, frustration bubbling just underneath confusion.

    The woman fell back on her heels, raising an eyebrow at me before holding up a hand and gesturing. ¡°You, Felix.¡± I rubbed my forehead with my free hand, but she kept talking. ¡°Where have you been? And what are you wearing anyway?¡±

    ¡°My name isn¡¯t Felix,¡± I said, the name dropping from my mouth like an anchor. My breathing accelerated in an instant and the pain fell away bit by bit as artificial feelings of relief washed away.

    The woman¡¯s lips faltered as my words wiped away her smile. She stepped closer to me, narrowing her eyes, and squared her gaze with mine. For a moment, the air around me froze as her splitting, piercing blue eyes moved nearly imperceptibly over mine. She stared with intent, curiosity spinning within her as if she was inspecting a wound.

    After a while though, her smile dropped completely.

    She was staring into my eyes, but she was still staring into my eyes. And whatever she was searching for wasn¡¯t there. Not anymore.

    The white-hot presence stemming from the back of my mind calmed, singing my eyes as the woman stepped back and looked away. Disappointment lined her every move.

    Her hand shot up and ran through her hair as she glared at the floor. Mumbling something even I couldn¡¯t hear, she shook her head. Then she lifted her gaze up again, squinted, and stared into my eyes. But in the short few seconds since the last time she¡¯d done it, nothing had changed.

    ¡°S-Sorry,¡± she eventually said. She shrunk and skittered backward like a scared mouse, still shaking her head ever so slightly before fully turning around.

    An image flashed in my mind, one blurry and distant. I widened my eyes and stared at it, watching myself sitting against an old building in the rain as I drank from a bottle.

    I jerked backward and shook my head, the memory slowly fading away. I tried to grasp onto it, to hold it and inspect it further, but it was falling away too quickly. I was powerless to stop it. The wind tickled my neck and brought me back to reality. I squinted at the ground in confusion. The image, the memory¡ªit didn¡¯t make any sense. I didn¡¯t drink, and I never had.

    But as the white flame deep in the back of my mind dwindled, I pieced it together. Once again, a realization came down on me like a falling church.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I yelled, holding my hand out in the direction of the woman still walking away. She turned in an instant, surprised eyes meeting mine.

    I released my grip on the sword by my side and rushed toward her, my thoughts spinning as I figured more and more of it out. The presence I¡¯d entered this body with lessened its grip, fading back to the dormant thing it had once been.

    I didn¡¯t want that to happen.

    So as I walked up to the woman again, my mind working in overdrive, I carefully formed a lie.

    ¡°I-I¡¯ve only met one person named Felix in my life,¡± I said. The woman stared at me, arms crossed, but I didn¡¯t miss the glint of hope in her eyes. ¡°Him and I¡­ we looked alike.¡±

    The woman¡¯s stance softened, the hope growing ever-brighter. ¡°Felix Whitblood?¡±

    The name sped into my ears and attacked my mind, bashing against the inside of my skull. I grimaced. At least I didn¡¯t have to feign the impact that the name really had.

    It took me only a few moments to regain my composure. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard that name in too long,¡± I lied. ¡°Say, if you know him, how is he doing?¡±

    Feelings rushed up from the back of my mind but I ignored them all. Instead, I just focused forward. I just focused on the way the woman¡¯s lips curled in distaste and how the hope in her eyes switched out with sorrow. ¡°We¡­ haven¡¯t seen Felix in months.¡±

    I blinked, trying to keep my breathing under control as my first night reborn came back to me. The pitch-black, the shifting trees, the terrible wind that attacked my fresh body¡ªI shook it all away.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, trying to sound as sad as I could.

    ¡°He was always a little off,¡± she said, the warm smile returning bit by bit, ¡°but those last few weeks, he was completely off the wagon. He grew afraid of everything, and he wouldn¡¯t let any of us do so much as talk with him about it. One night, he just ran out into the forest and we¡­ we didn¡¯t seem him after that.¡±

    My breathing slowed and my gaze fell to the ground. The soft flame in the back of my mind wavered, barely moving at all. My heart sunk. Only silence followed her words as the warm smile she¡¯d developed was threatened once more.

    Eventually, though, the silence had to be broken. ¡°So¡­ you knew Felix?¡± she asked. I blinked, nodding. ¡°The resemblance is striking.¡±

    I laughed nervously but tried to play it off as I tore my gaze away from the ground. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ actually how we originally met.¡± My stomach turned as I lied through my teeth. ¡°No better drinking partner than someone like yourself, I guess.¡±

    The woman nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line. She didn¡¯t question my story.

    ¡°You knew him as well, then?¡± I asked, my mind still working on what else to say.

    The woman¡¯s eyes blurred and she brushed hair away from her face. ¡°Yeah. I knew him quite well.¡± She sniffed, taking a long breath as the wind blew over her before she turned back to me. ¡°I¡¯m Shalin, by the way.¡±

    I smiled, the name registering somewhere friendly in the back of my mind. ¡°I¡¯m Agil.¡±

    She smiled back at me. ¡°Well¡­ it was nice to meet you, I guess.¡± She shrugged her shoulders and averted her eyes as if unsure on what to say. ¡°Sorry again that I thought¡­¡± Her words stopped, spiraling down into silence. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get going.¡±

    Shalin¡¯s smile weakened as she rubbed her neck. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ see you around.¡±

    I blinked, and in an instant, she was already walking away. The foreign curiosity and interest that had built up inside of me faded away and the white flame dwindled once more. I shook my head, rushing to catch up.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I yelled. She turned, a million questions blooming in her eyes. ¡°You said Felix is dead¡­ right?¡±

    Her head bobbed an answer. Up and down. ¡°He is.¡±

    I cringed, wanting to apologize, but I was already in too deep and I wasn¡¯t letting any of it go until I got the information that I wanted. ¡°If¡­ if I can¡¯t talk to him ever again, I¡¯d like to know more about him. He never really told me much about himself while we were drinking.¡±

    She stared at me, the questions sharpening. I could see doubt in there, distrust and distaste etched into the corners of her eyes. But as I stared at her with a pleading gaze I didn¡¯t even have to fake, she caved.

    ¡°Sure,¡± she said softly. ¡°But if you want to hear, you¡¯re going to have to walk with me.¡±

    My smile rushed right back and I nodded. After all, I¡¯d already been walking all morning. A little more wasn¡¯t going to hurt.

    ¡°So how did you know Felix?¡± I asked, adjusting my pace to walk beside her.

    ¡°I took care of him,¡± Shalin said, still looking at the ground. Every few moments, her gaze would raise and shift over to mine, but it never stayed for long.

    I pursed my lips. ¡°Are you Felix¡¯s mother?¡± I finally asked.

    The woman¡¯s lips broke into a much wider smile and a soft laugh built in her throat. ¡°No. World¡¯s no. I came in after his mother, and if you asked him, I could never compare.¡±

    Broken, erratic frustration rose from the back of my mind, becoming nothing more than an annoying mental itch that I was forced to ignore. ¡°He didn¡¯t like you?¡±

    Shalin shook her head. ¡°He tolerated me, I think. But I came in only after he became scared and bitter so it wasn¡¯t like I was going to have a good relationship with him from the start.¡±

    I nodded softly as if I knew exactly what she meant. My mind spun trying to think of what to say next, and only with some nudging by the flame did anything actually come out.

    ¡°Well, Felix didn¡¯t have a good relationship with many people,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t think he really had many friends.¡±

    A sharp breath escaped Shalin¡¯s nose. ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡±

    ¡°And even with me, he rarely talked about anything personal.¡±

    Shalin lifted her gaze, squinting at me. ¡°You were his friend though?¡±

    I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. But I tried to nod as believably as possible. ¡°Maybe. Drinking partner is all I can really say for sure. He just liked an ear to rattle off into when he was drunk, I guess.¡±

    The brown-haired woman bit her cheek, thinking for a moment before she said anything else. ¡°He must¡¯ve talked about all of his crazy ideas to you then, huh?¡±

    I had to wrangle my eyes not to widen too far. ¡°Always,¡± I said with a fake laugh. ¡°I¡¯m sure you got an earful of them too.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± she said. My grip softened as my goading started to work. ¡°At that point, he was crazy and I¡¯m convinced of it. I did so much for him, and all he ever gave me were a few insincere comments a year and his wild ideas. Felix had an imagination, at least. I can give him that.¡±

    ¡°That he did,¡± I said, nodding along.

    ¡°I just wish he¡¯d used it on something better, you know?¡± She didn¡¯t even glance over to see whether or not I agreed. ¡°He questioned too much and answered too little. I wish he¡¯d used that brain of his to take care of himself instead.¡±

    Shalin sniffled and blinked away tears as we walked on. I stared at her with a weak smile and watched the way her shoulders rose and fell sporadically as if she was trying to wrestle her breath into submission.

    ¡°He never did do that enough.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Shalin asked, glancing up at me with another sniffle.

    ¡°Take care of himself,¡± I said, keeping my tone as steady as I could. Whatever emotion I had left to fake poured into my words.

    Shalin turned away and quickened her pace, straightening her back. ¡°Right. He was always more occupied with the world inside of his head rather than the world his body was rotting in.¡± A chuckle slipped from her lips without even a trace of mirth. ¡°For someone as afraid of death as he was, he sure didn¡¯t mind tempting its hand.¡±

    I swallowed, my fingers twitching in the air. I had to resist the urge to curl my hand into a fist at even the mention of the beast. Thoughts surged and I expected them to be matched by the reaction of the flame. But it just sat there, staring through my eyes, surprisingly silent.

    ¡°He drank far too much. That¡¯s for sure,¡± I offered. ¡°I mean, back then, so did I, but at least I had other things.¡± The emotion pouring into my voice became less and less fake as the lie solidified in my head. ¡°He had nothing. Or, at least that¡¯s how it came off to me.¡±

    Shalin stayed silent for a moment, rolling her shoulders before she responded. ¡°He had more than nothing,¡± she said. ¡°But whether or not he acknowledged it is an entirely different thing.¡±

    My heartbeat slowed and I hung my head, letting the silence smother me for a moment. Her words played back in my mind and I winced, upset at a person I never even knew. The white flame was still there and as interested as before, but it still stayed eerily quiet.

    After a while, Shalin lifted her gaze again, looking at some object around us. In the corner of my vision, I watched trees and houses move past us unimportantly as we weaved down the street. Shalin was a pace or two ahead of me and I¡¯d just fallen in line, following her steps as we made our way to wherever she¡¯d been designated to go.

    ¡°With how little he even acknowledged our existence, it¡¯s a wonder life feels so different without him around.¡± Shalin sighed, still looking up.

    My gaze lifted as well, pulled up by the contentment in her voice. She sounded upset, as if she¡¯d just faced defeat. But from her tone, she almost felt like it didn¡¯t matter, as if the defeat was from someone she respected.

    As my eyes lifted from the ground and followed the brown-haired woman, my own pace slowed. Ahead of us, at the end of the street and tucked between two twisting trees, was a house.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Shalin sped along the empty road, leaving me standing on my own. Around us, I noticed, there wasn¡¯t anybody. The street was clear and silent, void of the commotion I¡¯d come to expect from the town. And there were no houses either, the closest one built multiple dozen paces away.

    As Shalin¡¯s steps sent the wooden porch creaking, I noticed the age of the house. It¡¯s stone foundation was simple and cobbled together, now cracking from age. It¡¯s wooden porch was small and dry, some of the planks obviously replaced multiple times. And its roof was simple too, barely even at an incline¡ªa design so uninteresting it felt archaic even compared to the rest of the town.

    It was as if this house predated Farhar itself. As though the house had been built out into the woods and the town proper had just sprung up around it.

    ¡°Are you coming inside?¡± Shalin asked, ripping me back to reality.

    I blinked, my head already bobbing before I could decide what to do. The white flame danced its approval and I didn¡¯t argue. I just plastered the most genuine smile I could offer and surged forward, hoping to keep the fiery thing involved.

    The ancient, creaky wooden door to the ancient, creaky wooden house slammed shut behind us.

    Immediately inside was a narrow hallway with a low ceiling that actually, was no problem for either Shalin or me. Both of us were about the same height, standing a comfortable two heads below the top of the wooden frame.

    ¡°Brandon!¡± Shalin called as soon as we got to the end of the hall. Immediately after, a room stretched out wide, filled with tables, chairs, and ornate and contemporary decorations alike.

    Sitting in a green cloth-covered chair was an older, black-haired man rubbing his forehead.

    ¡°Shalin, you¡¯re back,¡± he said, keeping his eyes closed. A warm smile formed at his lips.

    ¡°The market didn¡¯t have any of the pastries you normally enjoy, honey,¡± Shalin said. The man¡ªwho I presumed to be named Brandon¡ªjust sighed and nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he said, lifting his head up and opening his eyes. His smile only widened as he saw Shalin¡¯s face.

    But then it broke off completely when he locked onto mine.

    ¡°Shalin?¡± he said, his voice hardening. Something about the edge in his tone made my insides shudder.

    Shalin walked forward calmly and held up her hands. ¡°He¡¯s not¡­ he¡¯s not Felix.¡±

    Brandon¡¯s eyes darted to her, questions flying over his brown irises. ¡°He¡¯s not¡­ W-What? Who is this?¡±

    An entire moment of silence followed his question. And in that short time, the tension grew unbearable. I took a deep breath, stepped forward, and tried to relieve it myself.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡ªor, I was¡ªa friend of Felix¡¯s.¡±

    The black-haired man squinted at me, the crinkles next to his eyes sharpening with each move. ¡°Felix didn¡¯t have friends.¡±

    I swallowed dryly, only adding to the lump in my throat. ¡°Well, friend might¡¯ve been an exaggeration. I drank with him¡­ while he was still alive.¡±

    The lie I¡¯d crafted rose back. I latched onto it, trying to keep the story the same. The white flame danced in idle amusement peaceful enough that I barely even noticed the contempt it was hiding.

    He squinted at me. ¡°You look exactly like him¡­¡±

    Shalin sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not him. They look almost exactly the same, but they aren¡¯t.¡± Her gaze flicked back to my eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s how we first bonded, actually,¡± I jumped in, stepping farther into the house. The stubborn man eyed me, but didn¡¯t let out any words. He looked like he was staring more in confusion than suspicion. ¡°I think the first time we met, we both thought the other was a drunken hallucination of ourselves.¡±

    A chuckle fell from my lips, but nobody else in the room laughed.

    ¡°He¡­ he didn¡¯t know about Felix¡¯s death,¡± Shalin said. Brandon¡¯s face softened.

    I nodded. ¡°I just wanted to know more about him. I-I didn¡¯t learn much while he was alive and now¡­ I can¡¯t ever get that information from him.¡±

    Brandon nodded, straightening in his chair. ¡°Not like the poor sod would¡¯ve told you about himself anyway,¡± he said.

    A genuine laugh spilled out of my mouth at that. ¡°That is true. All he ever did was rattle off theories and opinions that I¡¯m sure sounded much better drunk than they ever would sober.¡±

    Brandon¡¯s lips split into a smile and that smile then split right into a laugh. ¡°I guess you got the longer end of that stick then, eh?¡±

    I laughed myself, letting my shoulders relax as the warm, swirling air of the house chipped away the cold morning breeze. ¡°I guess so.¡±

    A silence followed my words, but it wasn¡¯t as painful as before. It was peaceful if anything, and I was just glad the burning flame in my mind hadn¡¯t checked out entirely.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a seat,¡± Brandon said, gesturing to a beige cloth-covered chair.

    I tilted my head and smiled at him, taking note of the warm way his eyes tracked over my face. Each time he did though, I didn¡¯t miss the slight, uncomfortable shifting that took place in the back of my head.

    Following his gesture, I stepped through the house with all the grace I could muster and sat down in the old beige chair. I lowered myself slowly, though, so that I didn¡¯t punch a hole in fabric ten times older than I was.

    ¡°So,¡± Brandon started again. I glanced at him, but his eyes weren¡¯t on me. He was looking, with unmistakable fondness, at Shalin settling into the only other cloth chair in the room¡ªthe one right next to him. ¡°What did you want to know?¡±

    His question hung in the air and I smiled. But when I opened my mouth, I was at a complete and utter loss. And the flaming presence in my mind gave no help when I reached out for assistance.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, rubbing the back of my neck. ¡°Where to start?¡±

    Brandon¡¯s eyebrow shot up. ¡°Best to start at the beginning if you ask me.¡± I blinked, my lips parting to ask him exactly what he meant. But words were scared off my tongue by the loud way he cleared his throat, leaning forward in his chair. ¡°What do you know about Felix¡¯s boyhood?¡± he asked.

    My eyes flitted uselessly, my own surprise melding with the feedback I was getting from inside my head. ¡°Nothing, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Like most people then, eh?¡± he asked. I squinted at him, nodding slowly. ¡°He never was real open about it. Only reason we know about him is because we knew his parents when he was young.¡±

    The mention of Felix¡¯s parents left a bitter taste on my tongue. I swallowed hard, but the vile taste didn¡¯t leave.

    ¡°His parents?¡± I asked, suddenly hating my own question.

    Brandon nodded, closing his eyes for a long moment. ¡°Brilliant people, his parents. Absolute stand-up citizens. They gave their all to this town and they protected it with their life.¡±

    ¡°They protected it?¡± I asked, the answer already forming in my head. But each time I tried to realize it, I was blocked off by some mental wall.

    ¡°Of course they did,¡± he said, snapping his eyes back open. ¡°That¡¯s what guards do. And they were some of the best among ¡®em.¡±

    The fake, artificial mental walls broke down as the truth streamed in through my ears. White-hot resignation drifted up to the front of my mind as the little white flame just sat back and listened.

    ¡°Felix never mentioned anything about them,¡± I said. Brandon was already shaking his head.

    ¡°Of course he didn¡¯t. He never talked about them. Disrespectful, if you ask me, but what can you do? They gave him such a nice life here.¡±

    ¡°Here?¡± The question basically just fell from in between my lips.

    Brandon nodded, lightly stomping his foot on the ground. ¡°Here. This house right here. A relic from an older time, isn¡¯t it?¡± I nodded, but he pushed right ahead. ¡°Never did get an explanation for how the two got ahold of it¡­ Some say this house is older than the town itself.¡±

    ¡°It could be,¡± Shalin added. ¡°This is why I¡¯m always telling you we¡¯re so blessed to have it.¡±

    Brandon chuckled, his tone stocked full of mirth. ¡°Blessed. Of course. If there¡¯s anything I am, it¡¯s blessed all right.¡±

    Shalin¡¯s eyes sparkled and her cheeks flushed red.

    ¡°What kind of life did Felix live here, then?¡± I asked, cutting back in. My attention rolled inward for a moment, just to make sure the white flame was still watching.

    ¡°Pampered,¡± Brandon said flatly. I was immediately frustrated by his tone, even though I had no reason to be. ¡°That¡¯s how the boy developed his imagination, I reckon. He was just as crazy as a child, really. Always in his head, always distracted. I still remember the times from back when I was younger. The times when I¡¯d come over to meet talk with his parents, just to check up, and whenever I even tried to talk with the boy my words would get lost. He always was doing wasteful things like glaring at a wall or staring up at the stars.¡±

    I blinked, realizing my mouth was hanging open. In a moment, I snapped it shut and ground my teeth, churning the words through my head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that,¡± Shalin said, pulling my attention back. ¡°He still worked back then, and he was plagued with fears his whole life.¡±

    Brandon gave her a sidelong, disbelieving glance. ¡°Of course he was. The boy was afraid of everything and anything his little mind could get obsessed with. That was something that never changed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s for sure...¡± I said, just trying to add something to the conversation.

    Brandon nodded solemnly, but Shalin tried to force a smile. ¡°At least he took care of himself while they were still around.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Brandon snorted. ¡°At least then he socialized. At least then he trained.¡± The black-haired man turned back to me. ¡°You know, the boy showed a lot of promise with magic in those days. Everyone said he¡¯d grow up to be head of guard, that he was blessed by the world itself because his magic looked different. And if he¡ª¡±

    ¡°Because his flames were white,¡± I said, staring at the floor. Brandon stopped mid-sentence and cleared his throat.

    ¡°Yeah...¡± he said. ¡°Because his flames were white.¡±

    I didn¡¯t need to look up to feel the way the older man was squinting at me.

    ¡°Felix didn¡¯t actually become head of guard though,¡± I said.

    Brandon couldn¡¯t help but scoff. ¡°No, of course not. But still, the poor sod showed so much potential. Nobody that anyone has ever heard of for millions of paces had white flames like him.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked far quicker than I¡¯d intended. My fingers trembled slightly as the truth I somehow already knew started to break through the fog.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw Brandon¡¯s lips twitch, suddenly speechless. It was a strange sight on the man who¡¯d just spent minutes relaying a life story to me.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t¡­¡± a voice started. Shalin, I recognized and lifted my gaze to meet hers. ¡°He stopped training. Stopped socializing. Stopped everything.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked again, an unknown bite in my tone.

    ¡°The poor sod¡¯s parents died,¡± Brandon finally spat out.

    My breath quickened, gasps of light warm air tickling my lungs. The white flame inside of me wavered, twitching into flurries of movement before freezing and repeating the cycle again. I felt my blood run cold and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t rip Shalin¡¯s quivering blue eyes from my view.

    ¡°He never mentioned that,¡± I eventually got out, remembering the lie I was supposed to be telling. Right now though, it didn¡¯t feel like much of a lie at all.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± came Shalin¡¯s voice. ¡°He never talked with anyone about them after they died.¡±

    ¡°Not even us,¡± Brandon added softly.

    My insides trembled, shaken to the very core by the truth that kept spinning in my head. Every word of it was vile, repulsive to the highest degree. And yet I couldn¡¯t get rid of it, I couldn¡¯t stop hearing it, and I couldn¡¯t deny it was true.

    After multiple moments of silence, silence that seemed to lock all of us in sorrow, one last question nagged in my mind.

    ¡°How?¡±

    Both of them looked up at me, but neither of them spoke.

    ¡°How?¡± I asked again. They just sat stock-still, lips frozen as my question loomed menacingly above them. I didn¡¯t ask again, and I didn¡¯t clarify either. They knew exactly what I meant.

    ¡°It was on a hunting trip,¡± Shalin finally said. My gaze snapped to her with such fiery speed that I wasn¡¯t entirely sure I didn¡¯t see a white haze in my eyes. ¡°They were sent to eliminate the threat of kanir from the town.¡±

    My thoughts screeched to a halt, stopping to pick apart each of her words. But I pushed passed their nonsense.

    ¡°They died to a kanir?¡± I asked, this time my voice fully mine.

    She nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s why he hated the damn things so much,¡± Brandon muttered. My eyes moved lazily to him. ¡°He hated them almost as much as he hated death itself.¡± My fist clenched, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°After they were gone, his hatred cut deep¡­ I still remember the way he told us he was going to banish death from this world if it was the last thing he did.¡±

    I shifted in my seat. ¡°We know that wasn¡¯t the case.¡±

    Silence took the room again, holding each of us by the neck. And for quite a long time, neither of us dared challenge it. We just sat there with our lips pressed together and the weight of our conversation still looming too far above.

    The little flame in my mind, however, didn¡¯t give into the silence. As the seconds wore on, it started pushing me again, sending me fractured feelings and ideas to work out through speech.

    I blinked, words appearing on my tongue. ¡°Casting out death was one of the only things Felix did tell me about,¡± I said. ¡°I even still remember that dull knife that he always said he would do it with.¡±

    Shalin¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The small, flat one with the awkwardly painted grip?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, my eyes narrowing as the vague image of it sprouted in my head.

    Shalin pushed herself up out of her seat and let a smile take her face again. ¡°You know what¡­ I know where that is, actually.¡±

    My eyes lit up too and the white flame flickered in approval. ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still in his old room, in one of the drawers, I think.¡±

    My heart roared. ¡°Can I see it?¡± I asked, ignoring how forward I was being.

    The brown-haired woman hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering, but she nodded only a moment after. ¡°Sure¡­ I mean, it¡¯s not like we have much use for it ourselves.¡±

    I pushed myself up out of my chair as well. In front of me, Shalin and Brandon exchanged a glance, but the black-haired man only shrugged.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s just this way,¡± Shalin said, smiling to her husband before hurrying away to the door on the far side of the room.

    I followed in toe, walking with much less grace than I¡¯d entered with as we made our way across the room. The wooden door we approached was old, the corners of it were reinforced with iron bracing, and the metal handle looked chipped and rusted at the edges.

    All in all, the door looked old and generic, like one of the doors I could¡¯ve found before an old cellar in a tavern of Credon. But as I stared at this door, my feet carrying me inexplicably toward it, it didn¡¯t look generic at all. It looked familiar and friendly, as if it was a portal straight into the lands I most held dear.

    But when Shalin stepped up to it and turned the stiff metal handle, what I saw was definitely not what I¡¯d expected. Inside, the room kept up with the ornate, antique aesthetic of the rest of the house. Except it did it with only one difference.

    It was far messier.

    Really, the first thing I noticed when I entered the room was the slight change in smell. As my nose twitched in the unknown air, it wasn¡¯t as bad as some things I¡¯d smelled, but it was different from the rest of the house. The air was thicker. Mustier. Each breath felt like eating a stale cracker.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t been in here in months,¡± Shalin mumbled ahead of me as she weaved her way across the bedroom.

    ¡°Felix lived in here?¡± I asked, my eyes scanning the room once more.

    ¡°Yeah. This is the same room he slept in for his entire life, actually.¡±

    I wrinkled my nose again. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡±

    Shalin tried to stifle a laugh, but it came out all the same, drowned out only by the sound of shifting wooden drawers.

    ¡°Here it is,¡± she finally said.

    I tore my eyes away from the rest of the room and glanced at her. My eyes widened as they sharpened on the dull, horribly-made knife she was holding in her hands.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± I found myself saying despite never having seen the thing in my life.

    Leaving the nightstand drawer open, Shalin sat back on Felix¡¯s old bed, staring at the knife. I joined her in short time, instantly uncomfortable on the lumpy mattress.

    ¡°He carried this thing almost everywhere,¡± she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. I furrowed my brow and opened my mouth, but I was stopped in my tracks by the tears running down her cheek.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± was what I ended up saying. ¡°He did. He¡¯d always wave it around while we were drinking.¡±

    Shalin nodded, wiping her wet eyes. ¡°And yet here it is,¡± she said.

    My eyebrows dropped as the realization hit me too and I stared at the knife with renewed interest. ¡°He didn¡¯t take it when he went into the forest.¡±

    The brown-haired woman next to me shifted, balancing the knife in her hand. ¡°It just seems like something he should¡¯ve had with him.¡±

    My gaze fell to the floor and a sudden melancholic hand gripped at my heart. I looked inward, staring at the flame for any comment or feeling it had on the matter, but it stayed silent.

    Waiting. Listening. Burning.

    ¡°Shalin!¡± a voice came yelling in through the door. Both Shalin and I jumped and she nearly dropped the knife, only barely saving it before she stabbed me in the leg.

    ¡°Brandon!¡± she yelled back. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°The chair!¡± Brandon yelled. ¡°I think the wood is splitting again.¡±

    In a complete change of tone, Shalin rolled her eyes. ¡°Why are you yelling at me then?¡±

    The black-haired man scoffed and I could almost see his boisterous face from here. ¡°Just come in here, will you?¡±

    Shalin¡¯s fingers twitched dangerously on the knife, but after a few seconds, she just sighed. Pushing herself off the bed, she handed the knife to me and weaved back across the room to the door.

    The flimsy metal thing cascaded through my hands as if my fingers had suddenly been turned off. I scrambled to catch it, but my efforts were futile and it clattered to the floor, slipping barely underneath the bed.

    Glancing back at me, Shalin¡¯s ears went red and she held up a hand. ¡°Sorry,¡± was all she said before quickly turning away and storming right back out of the door.

    I sighed, clenching my fingers into fists. It didn¡¯t make much sense that I¡¯d dropped the knife, but I didn¡¯t spend much time on it. Instead, I just crouched down and grabbed it myself.

    Before I knew it, my chest was pressed to the floor. The hand I¡¯d grabbed the knife with was gripping tight and my eyes bloomed wide as control ceded from my body.

    The white flame flared, licking at the back of my eyes and settling around my neck. My head angled and my eyes narrowed, staring into the mundane darkness underneath Felix¡¯s old bed. I felt completely bewildered. Completely frozen in place for a few moments, stuck even after I¡¯d wrestled back control. And by the time I shook my head, starting to push myself up off the ground, something glinted in my vision.

    There, among the darkness and just barely in view was the corner of a sheet of paper. From what I could see, the paper was old, dusty, and yellowing. It looked like old parchment, something useless that was thrown away because Felix couldn¡¯t have been bothered to use it.

    But even still, my arm surged toward it. Eying it with increased and startling interest, my fingers grasped the sheet and pulled it toward me. Before I knew what was happening yet again, I was sitting back onto the bed with a crinkled sheet of parchment in my hand. My eyelids fluttered, blocking out the world for moments at a time as if refusing to believe what I was seeing was real.

    But it was.

    Completely real and completely unmistakable, the piece of paper I held in my hands was a map.

    The realization came at me like a falling boulder and I was frozen in place. In the back of my mind, the white flame purred its satisfaction and removed its heat from my thoughts. But even though its influence was gone, the map in my hands wasn¡¯t.

    A hitch caught in my breath as I stared at the thing, slowly pulling it out to look at the whole thing. Sounds of frustrated conversation drifted in my ears and calmed my heavy breathing.

    They were still talking.

    I still had time.

    Pushed on by a sudden sense of urgency, my eyes flicked across the map and scanned its every detail. The thing was masterfully made; it had to have been formed and crafted over far too many years. It was made by hand, obviously, and its scope was enormous, larger than anything even I had ever seen.

    Sprawled across the face of it in large, hand-written letters was the name ¡®Ruia,¡¯ and the title didn¡¯t seem to lie. The more and more I looked over the map, the more impressed I was. In the lower half of the map, I recognized a forest and the few towns that surrounded it.

    Farhar, Sarin, Tailake, the names all registered in my mind. And each of them was placed exactly where they truly were, at different edges of what the map called the ¡®Forest of Secrets.¡¯

    As moments wore on and my eyes absorbed more and more of the handcrafted ink, the little white flame started pushing me again. For the first few moments, I barely even noticed the way my gaze was lifting to the top of the sheet. And by the time I realized what the fractured flame was doing, my mind was already occupied with other things.

    There, in the middle of a much more undetailed part of the map¡ªone riddled with question marks that took the place of labels¡ªwas a name that should never have gone on a map.

    The World Soul.

    ¡°Fine!¡± came Salin¡¯s voice, ripping through the air. It rattled in my ears, pushing past the thundering of my pulse as she walked back toward the door.

    My eyes shot wide and I surged into movement. I folded the map again, trying to make it as small as possible without damaging it at all, and stuffed it in my pocket. And by the time Salin entered the room, my eyes were still wide and I was painfully sure that I looked white as a ghost.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked warmly, her brows knitting together.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± I spluttered. ¡°The memories of Felix are just¡­ a lot.¡±

    Shalin¡¯s expression softened and she nodded at me. ¡°I get it. Did you want to¡­ take it as a way to remember him?¡±

    Her hand raised up and gestured to my side, where I was still clutching the badly made knife with everything I had.

    I twitched, letting go of a breath. ¡°Could I?¡±

    She just shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. We don¡¯t have use for it here, and you look like someone who enjoys knives anyway.¡± Her eyes narrowed as she scanned over my clothing again. ¡°What is that uniform you¡¯re wearing anyway?¡±

    I offered a weak smile. ¡°I¡¯m a ranger¡­¡± I started, instantly trailing off as I remembered myself. The afternoon sunlight draped onto my face from the bedroom¡¯s window and I remembered Jason and Myris.

    ¡°A ranger?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re from Sarin, then, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    I nodded quickly and plastered another smile on my lips before rushing forward. ¡°I am, I am. But actually, I¡¯ve just remembered the time.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she said, taking a step back.

    ¡°Thank you for everything,¡± I said. The proper respect I¡¯d been raised on was still serving me well. ¡°For telling me about Felix, for the hospitality, everything.¡±

    Shalin opened her mouth, but I was already pushing my way out of the bedroom¡¯s door. The soft ¡®you¡¯re welcome¡¯ she mumbled barely even registered in my ears as I made my way past Brandon and out their door.

    The ancient wooden door slammed shut behind me, locking me back into silence a rather calm bout of silence.

    Yet as I made my way back, the impossibly windy streets reflected the truth of my state. I rubbed my neck and held my head low, still trying to untie the knots that held tight in my mind.

 Chapter 43

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    White-hot flames licked at the inside of my skull.

    I stopped, curling my fingers and shaking my head as heat tickled the back of my eyes. My eyes narrowed, looking inward as I forced myself to take deep breaths. Each new breath of air calmed the white flame a little, but none of them were actually enough.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± a voice asked from behind me.

    My eyes bloomed and I froze in place with my fingers twitching in the air. The white flame froze as well, stopping its advances momentarily before shriveling up and hiding in the back of my mind.

    I dropped my eyebrows as soon as it left and turned on my heel, catching Jason¡¯s imploring gaze from the door.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said, throwing a hand up and shaking my head lightly in an effort to make him drop it.

    One of his eyebrows shot up as he stared at me, but he didn¡¯t press any further. Instead, he just swung the bag he was carrying over his shoulder and leaned on the frame of the doorway to my room.

    ¡°You ready?¡± he asked, a smirk already building on his face.

    ¡°Almost,¡± I said, shooting him as confident of a smile as I could muster. His smirk tweaked upward, undoubtedly seeing through my lie, but I just shrugged it off and went back to packing my bag.

    Gathering the rest of the things I still had laid out on the bed¡ªmy other ranger¡¯s uniform, the backup knife that I carried, and the rest of my rations¡ªI pulled open my bag and piled it all in. The little white flame crept back up in my mind as new objects cascaded out of my hands. I squinted for a second, gritting my teeth and getting ready to push it back. But as the last of the dried meat rations clattered to the bottom of my bag, the exact thing it was looking for flashed in my vision.

    The map.

    There, sitting perfectly-folded below all of my other equipment, was the unmistakable form of the map. Only its worn, yellowed edges poked out from underneath my change of clothes, but with white flames draping over my skull, I wouldn¡¯t have missed it for the world.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Jason asked, chuckling to himself.

    I blinked, turning toward him with wide eyes before shaking my head. As soon as the map left my vision, the little white flame faded away again, leaving my mind cold and bare.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, cringing. ¡°I¡¯m just¡ªit¡¯s been a long week, is all.¡±

    That earned much more than a chuckle from the still-smirking swordsman. ¡°That it has. But at least now we get to go home.¡±

    I smiled. Something nagged my thoughts. ¡°At least now we have to walk home, you mean.¡±

    Jason¡¯s smirk died and he glared at me, rolling his eyes. ¡°Sure, whatever. Are you done?¡±

    I laughed, nodding as I closed my bag once more and strung it over my shoulders. My hand fell to the sword still sheathed by my side as soon as the familiar weight fell over my back.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said. ¡°I guess we should figure out if Myris is ready.¡±

    The smug grin on Jason¡¯s face worked its way back, inch by inch. ¡°I actually have to admire the old man this time. He was up even before me. He¡¯s finishing up with the innkeep as we speak. Really, we were waiting on you.¡±

    I opened my mouth, trying to ignore the burn I felt at the tips of my ears, but no words came out. Instead, I just snapped my lips shut again and pushed past Jason. The swordsman¡¯s roaring laughter carried me all the way down the stairs and into the inn¡¯s main room.

    A wave of warmth from the large, stone-lined fireplace burning quietly in the corner melted the frustration right off me.

    My ears twitched in the room, focusing on the crackles of flame and relishing in the relative silence. As opposed to the normally boisterous tone that the tavern experienced each and every night, with the morning light streaming in through the windows, even bouts of light conversation were scarce.

    The sound of Jason blundering down the stairs was multiple times louder than everything in the room combined. Clenching my jaw at the interruption but refusing to look back, I just walked across the room toward where Myris was tapping his foot by the bar.

    As soon as he saw me, the tapping stopped. ¡°Are you both ready to go?¡±

    I nodded, flashing him a smile. ¡°I¡¯m as ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡±

    Myris¡¯ lips ticked upward, but he didn¡¯t say another word. Instead, he narrowed his eyes, looking just over my shoulder to where I¡¯m sure Jason was smirking behind me.

    ¡°What are we waiting on now anyway?¡± the swordsman asked.

    Myris nearly rolled his eyes, turning back to the wooden door behind the bar that looked like it led to some sort of kitchen or back room. ¡°I¡¯ve already paid, and all of us are already packed¡­¡± He eyed both of us. We nodded in return. ¡°So now I¡¯m just waiting for the innkeeper to come back. He said he wanted to give us something before we headed off.¡±

    Jason¡¯s brows knitted together. ¡°He wants to give us something? Why does he even care?¡±

    ¡°Not sure,¡± Myris said. ¡°But I¡¯m not opposed to just seeing what he has to say¡­ as long as it doesn¡¯t cost us too much daylight.¡±

    At the last half of his sentence, a yawn grew up from my throat. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be that big of an issue,¡± I said. Only the faintest rays of sunlight were poking in through the windows at this point. We didn¡¯t have to worry about wasting time. It was barely even past the crack of dawn.

    ¡°Are you tired?¡± Jason asked, sarcasm lining his tone.

    I rolled my eyes, stifling the last of my yawn. ¡°Of course I¡¯m tired. We got up¡ª¡±

    The slam of a door stole the words from my lips.

    I whirled, turning on my heel to see the smiling innkeeper walking swiftly to the bar with a small sack in his hands. A gift of some sort, I reasoned. That only made me narrow my eyes further.

    The barkeep stepped to the counter, his smile growing with each passing second, and plopped the jingling bag right down on the counter. All of our eyes darted to it without even a moment to spare.

    The innkeep guffawed. ¡°You all are up,¡± he finally said.

    ¡°We are,¡± Myris confirmed, carefully lifting his gaze. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°A token of appreciation.¡±

    Jason¡¯s grin seemed to almost split his face in half. ¡°It¡¯s money.¡±

    The smiling man tilted his head, nodding with more of an awkward laugh. ¡°Yes. It is. Really though, it¡¯s the least I can do, considering what you did for Farhar. At first, I dismissed you lot¡­ but there haven¡¯t been any terror attacks on our town in days.¡± He paused, a pure, genuine smile lining up on his face. ¡°Thank you for that.¡±

    I nearly spluttered, taken aback by the sincerity in the man¡¯s tone. But unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t say the same for another one of my companions.

    ¡°You¡¯re very much welcome,¡± Jason said, leaning his weight on the counter. ¡°We¡¯re here to serve.¡±

    All gratitude drained from my face, replaced with only pointed annoyance as I glared at Jason¡¯s cheap ploy for more praise. The unsatisfied grunt that slipped between Myris¡¯ lips told me he felt the exact same way.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± the barkeep said, turning back to Myris. ¡°This should cover what you paid for the rooms along with any food you ate here. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡±

    ¡°And we appreciate it,¡± the older ranger said with a firm nod, grabbing the satchel of coins right out from under Jason¡¯s nose. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡±

    The innkeep¡¯s smile warmed up again and he offered us one final nod before Myris stashed the still-jingling sack of coin in his bag. He started off toward the door only a moment later.

    A creaking wooden slam split the brisk morning air as we stumbled out into the street.

    The morning light stung my eyes, forcing another yawn out of my throat as we walked through the winding, cobblestone streets. Light gusts of wind and the idle sounds of nature swirled around us, filling up the silence left by the very nocturnal town. There was hardly anybody in the streets. Only the beggars who couldn¡¯t find a place to stay or the people still drunk from the previous night that had never found their way home were up.

    Well, there were those people. And then there were also the guards.

    ¡°Finally,¡± a familiar voice called out. I turned on my heel, only barely stopping on where Nesrin was standing with a flurry of other familiar faces, leaned up against the guard building on the in-road to town. ¡°It took you long enough.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Nesrin,¡± Myris said, his stoic expression turning up into a smile. ¡°What are you doing up so early?¡±

    Nesrin¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly and her lips split into a smile as she pushed herself off the wall. ¡°I¡¯m the head of guard, Myris. I¡¯m always up.¡±

    Myris chuckled at that. From the corner of my eye, I saw Jason rolling his eyes. And seeing the grin the older ranger returned as soon as he stopped laughing, I was tempted to do the same.

    Instead of focusing on Myris and the woman who¡¯d apparently become a good friend of his, I looked over the rest of the group standing behind the head of guard. Westin smiled at us, his body leaned up against a wall and all of his weight placed on one leg. Beside him, Mayin stood looking as tired as I felt, still nodding as she scanned over us.

    And of course, there was the other guard that I couldn¡¯t have possibly missed.

    ¡°So you lot are on your way out?¡± Tiren asked, gesturing to all of us as his eyes locked with Jason¡¯s.

    Whatever words had been coming out of Myris¡¯ mouth stopped dead in their tracks. ¡°Indeed we are,¡± he said, turning toward the pale guard. Tiren smirked, trying to look as confident as he could. I didn¡¯t miss the tired, glossy look in his eyes.

    ¡°Which is actually why we are here,¡± Nesrin added, raising her hand. ¡°We know you all have to get back to Sarin, but we wanted to thank you for your assistance over in our neck of the woods.¡±

    A small smile crept up onto my lips.

    Jason¡¯s smile was nowhere near as small. ¡°It is our pleasure,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re glad our assistance was as effective as it was.¡±

    Nesrin eyed the swordsman, her smile tightening. ¡°Right. Thank you again for your help. Since our assault on the source, there hasn¡¯t been a reported terror attack anywhere near Farhar.¡±

    Myris held his head up. ¡°I¡¯m glad. Hopefully that same trend is happening in Sarin as well. Hopefully this wretched cycle is finally over.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully,¡± Westin said, piping up from behind. He pushed himself off the wall a little bit as attention was drawn to him. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee, but I¡¯m just glad we did it with no casualties.¡±

    I nodded along with multiple others in the group. My lips slipped open, a question ready on my tongue, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ask it. As silence settled in around us, it felt criminal to break it¡ªas if breaking the silence meant making the truth even worse than it already was.

    ¡°That¡¯s assuring...¡± Myris finally said, tilting his head as he stared at Westin. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t as if we didn¡¯t come back with our fair share of injury.¡±

    The brown-haired guard captain chuckled, subtly shifting his weight. ¡°That was to be expected when we went in. I¡¯m just frustrated that a wound took me out early. I wish I could¡¯ve been there with you all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Wes,¡± Mayin said as soft as a mouse. Looking over at her, she was still twiddling with her fingers as she stared at the ground. ¡°We¡¯re just glad you¡¯re alright.¡±

    Westin smiled, twisting toward the robed pyromancer. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright too. You got out pretty well for the person that did the most damage.¡±

    Mayin¡¯s mouth opened wide as she looked up, but she bit down on whatever she¡¯d been about to say. Instead of talking, she just nodded and looked down again, trying to get the shadow of her hood to hide the increasing blush in her cheeks.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re all fine,¡± Tiren chimed in, stepping forward. ¡°I know I certainly am. Although, I do feel bad for Rian.¡±

    I tilted my head, the mention of the brutish guard making me furrow my brows. Scanning the small collection of guards again, he was the only one missing. Well, Cas was missing as well, but something told me that was to be expected.

    ¡°What happened to him?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s alive,¡± Tiren said, trying to warm his smile up enough to be reassuring. ¡°But he definitely came out worst of everyone. That last terror broke him pretty good.¡± The normally confident voice of the theatrical guard wavered for a moment. ¡°Our healer says he will be fine¡­ but he hasn¡¯t said a complete word in days.¡±

    Myris straightened up, his fingers curling into a fist. That experience probably hit close to home for him. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. And he¡¯ll be back to guarding in no time.¡±

    ¡°I certainly hope so,¡± Nesrin said, tilting her head upward to look at the sky. ¡°Just because the terrors are gone doesn¡¯t mean guards don¡¯t have their duties.¡± Each of the guards behind her shifted uncomfortably, except Westin.

    The guard captain just grinned. ¡°Speaking of which, Nes, we do have to work out an agreement with the new caravans this morning.¡±

    Nesrin smiled, her expression becoming a double-edged sword as she turned around. ¡°Yes, we do. Which is just about what I was getting at.¡± Sliding on her heel, she looked back at us. ¡°A friendly farewell is nice, but the world marches on.¡±

    Westin chuckled, pushing himself into a standing position. ¡°Well then I guess we should wrap this up.¡±

    Nesrin nodded, already walking away. Then, at the last moment, she stared back at Myris. ¡°Send Lorah my regards, will you?¡±

    Myris bobbed his head up and down giddily, a smile growing on his lips. He opened his mouth to respond, to call out to the head of guard, but she was already gone. And with a final flick of his wrist, Westin followed after her, supported in his walk by Mayin, who only spared us a light wave.

    ¡°I guess this is goodbye,¡± came Jason¡¯s voice beside me. I jerked my head back, shaking it in disbelief at his tone. When I saw the swordsman offering the most genuine smirk he¡¯d ever done as he looked Tiren in the eyes, though, I couldn¡¯t have been that surprised.

    I had to hold back a chuckle as Tiren stared at the ground. ¡°I guess it is. We¡¯ll see each other in the future though.¡±

    ¡°I hope so,¡± Jason said. ¡°I¡¯d be glad to come save this town whenever you all need it.¡±

    Tiren sneered, squinting at his new best friend. ¡°And I¡¯ll be glad to do all of your work for you whenever you come around.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so? Well, we¡¯ll have to see about that.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Myris said, stepping in. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that when we come back. But right now, we¡¯re burning daylight.¡±

    Tiren nodded, failing to hide his smirk as he shuffled away. ¡°Yes, yes. The world marches on.¡±

    The raven-haired guard spared us only one last nod before slipping all the way out of reach and going to catch up with his companions. The look on Jason¡¯s face was one to rival that of a hurt puppy.

    But, stifling my laughter, I walked right past him, slapping him lightly on the shoulder as the words repeated in my head. They were true, after all. We¡¯d done our duty, but it was time to go home. And we did have ground to cover.

    Then, staring out at where the cobblestone road met back up with the lined dirt path, I sighed.

    The world marched on.

    <hr>

    Dusk descended on the world to steal light from the trees and warmth from my heart.

    I sniffled, huddling arms in my cloak as I walked forward on the dirt path. Beside me, Jason did the same, but his sword was already out. Up ahead, Myris whipped his head to the side, scanning the treeline with magic spiraling in his irises. As soon as the darkness had fallen, he¡¯d started casting. It didn¡¯t matter that we¡¯d destroyed the source; it didn¡¯t matter that the terrors were gone. He didn¡¯t want to take any chances.

    And watching the dark, twisted trees while the wind lashed my body, I couldn¡¯t really blame him. Despite all of the truth I knew, the unease never truly went away. Thinking about our incursion to the source, only a bad feeling surged to the surface of my thoughts.

    I swallowed, feeling the knots in my stomach. My lips twitched, contorting into an uncomfortable wince as I longed for the comfort of the inn back in Farhar. Soft, flaming heat licked the back of my eyes as they settled against my skull.

    Thoughts trickled into my mind, slowly flooding my attention with images of Farhar. Each time I thought about the place, validating one of the images, the little flame flared up. Eventually though, I just shook my head and forced the images away. The white-hot presence faded away into the back of my mind.

    Instead of focusing on it, I focused on the present. I focused on reality, on nature, on putting one foot in front of the other. And focusing on all of that only made me realize just how tired I was.

    ¡°How long until we make camp?¡± I asked loud enough for Myris to hear.

    The older ranger squinted, turning his head to the side, but not looking at me. ¡°Soon.¡±

    Jason tilted his head. ¡°Soon? Could you be any more vague than that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to commit to a time,¡± Myris said, still staring at the trees. ¡°I¡¯ve got a bad feeling. So ideally, we will be out here for as long as the last dregs of daylight allow and even past that if there are no threats.¡±

    Jason groaned and lowered his blade. ¡°We¡¯ve already been walking the entire day.¡±

    Myris narrowed his eyes even further. ¡°If we want to make the same time we did on our way here, we¡¯ll need everything we can get.¡±

    Beside me, Jason grumbled some more. I smiled. Honestly, I felt the exact same way he did¡ªmy burning legs were proof enough of that¡ªbut seeing Jason get frustrated would never cease to amuse me. ¡°At least we¡¯ll get back to Sarin quicker.¡±

    The swordsman turned to me with gritted teeth. But watching the way I tilted my head and grinned, he nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the positive. Myris¡¯ idea has one this time, at least.¡±

    I chuckled. Not so much at the joke and more at the reaction I knew it would garner from the older ranger in front of us. And, just as I¡¯d expected, Myris whipped around to glare at Jason.

    ¡°That is the purpose of the idea in the first place. I swear, I wonder sometimes why Lorah recruited you anyway.¡±

    Jason grinned. I rolled my eyes with a laugh. Knowing or not, Myris had played right into the arrogant ranger¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m the best swordsman in Sarin, and I can hunt better than most.¡±

    Myris snorted, turning back to the woods. ¡°You¡¯re barely a better hunter than Agil is.¡±

    My laughter was cut short as soon as my name was mentioned. As frustration bubbled up, the white flame flushed against my skull yet again. ¡°I¡¯ve only been a ranger for a few months.¡±

    Myris nodded, throwing his hands up. ¡°I know. I really do know.¡±

    Jason chuckled. ¡°At least I destroyed the source.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± I said without even thinking. ¡°Even though all of us were there, and it¡¯s not like you dealt the final blow.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not, but I was instrumental to the attack,¡± he said, shrugging.

    Falling to my side, my hand slipped around the grip of my blade. ¡°Instrumental? Even with all of the other terrors you never even fought? Even though Rian was still broken and burned?¡±

    Images of the vile creatures and the havoc they¡¯d wrought rose up in my mind. I swallowed hard, adding to a lump in my throat. I¡¯d only had to deal with terrors for a few weeks, and I already wanted them all dead. With how much they¡¯d already done, I couldn¡¯t imagine what it must¡¯ve been like to live with them year after year.

    The grip on my blade got even tighter.

    ¡°At least the attack was successful,¡± Myris added. I looked up at the grey-haired ranger to nodding.

    He was right. Our attack had been successful, no matter who had done what in it. And despite the costs, our losses could¡¯ve been much worse. Taking a deep breath, I relaxed my fingers. We just had to be glad we got what we did.

    ¡°And hopefully we saved Sarin the trouble as well,¡± I said. The picture of the lively town¡ªof my home¡ªflashed. I held it close and smiled, picturing Kye smirking right back. We were on our way.

    ¡°Hopefully,¡± Jason said. ¡°I wonder what we¡¯ll meet when we arrive.¡±

    Myris cleared his throat. ¡°Well, there¡¯s really only one way to find out.¡±

    After that, and the brief set of grumbling that had followed, we¡¯d all fallen in line. As the daylight slipped away, leaving only its purple traces in the sky, we talked less. Instead, we huddled in our cloaks and kept watch on the trees, hoping and praying to the world that we¡¯d be able to have a safe night.

    Somewhere along the line, Myris had finally let up and we¡¯d set up camp. The procedure was the same as normal as we gathered rocks and firewood for the fire and set up our bedrolls all around it. Before I knew it, I was in an eerily similar position to one I¡¯d been in only days before, staring into the fire as my mind raced.

    ¡°Are we going to figure out watch, then?¡± Jason asked from his bedroll across the fire.

    Myris shot him a glance as harsh as nails. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll use the same schedule as last time, but I¡¯ll go first.¡±

    The swordsman narrowed his eyes but agreed. Eventually he stashed his knife away and accepted his fate, leaning back onto the ground.

    I glanced up at Myris, feeling the air around me lighten as his soul channeled energy through it. He took a deep breath and, meeting my eyes for a single moment, turned his attention to the woods. His fingers twitched in the air as he watched. I could feel the energy and despite the fears poking their way up, I knew that I couldn¡¯t have wanted a better guard.

    And so, trusting Myris¡¯ guard, I plopped my head down as well. Relief washed off my shoulders and I let my scabbard fall to the ground. However, as I¡¯d known it would be but desperately hadn¡¯t wanted to believe, my little peace was all too short-lived.

    ¡°No,¡± Myris said. I blinked open my eyes to look at him. ¡°No, no, no, no, no. No.¡±

    I furrowed my brows, pushing myself up. ¡°Myris what are you¡ª¡±

    Then I heard it too. Distantly, pricking my sensitive ears, was the rustling of bushes. Somewhere out in the forest, something was moving¡ªand it was moving toward us.

    I jolted up, grabbing my sword. Fire poured into my veins, white and hot, and I readied myself, grasping for any scrap of power I could. For the first time, the white flame complied as well, pouring its own fire into the mix.

    But no matter how ready I was, I barely got any time to react as a blurry, rabid terror flew directly out of the trees.

 Chapter 44

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

    If you want to get notified of updates for this serial or chat with me as well as other serial authors, consider joining our discord server!</a>

    <hr>

    My heart palpitated like the beat of a drum, filling my blood with white-hot power as I drew my sword.

    Barreling out of the woods, the terror scrambled toward us. The small, nearly pitch-black thing moved in a blur, faster than I¡¯d ever seen a terror move before. And in the firelight of our camp, I could see its shining grey scars. Unfortunately for us though, they were few and far between.

    I clambered upward, pushing force into my legs as I sprung from my bedroll. In front of me, Myris¡¯ eyes shot wide and he gritted his teeth as he notched an arrow in his bow. With his eyes tracking across the tree line that the terror was still hauling through, he let go of a breath. And then he let go of an arrow only a moment after that.

    The terror hissed, slowing its pace as the arrow struck through the air. In a heartbeat, it ducked, letting the arrow fly harmlessly over its head before rushing back in our direction.

    Once again, the terrifying creature became nothing but a blur of black against the night. But in the moments it had slowed, I¡¯d seen its form¡ªeven if the images were still churning through the gears in my mind.

    The terror was small and hunched, with whipping tendrils coming off it in all directions. I didn¡¯t even need its sharp fear-fiending mental probe to be scared of the thing. Something about the terror spiked fear even further. Just looking at the scurrying creature, I found my deepest insecurities rising to the surface, twisting and warping into monsters of their own.

    I was just lucky, in fact, that I could barely pay them any mind with white heat pulsing through my bones.

    Pushing off the ground, I threw myself to the side. The terror slowed again, watching my movements as if trying to calculate where I would go next. For a moment, I wanted to glare back at it, to attack it head-on. But something told me that no matter what I thought, that wasn¡¯t going to be a good idea.

    ¡°Jason!¡± Myris yelled, backpedaling with everything he had. On the other side of the campfire, the swordsman stirred, shaking his head as he rose from a light slumber.

    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get the fuck up!¡± I yelled, stabilizing myself and tracking the terror in the corner of my eye.

    Tracking that, as it turned out, probably saved my life when the terror rushing anew. The scurrying, rabid thing closed the distance between us in seconds. I twisted to the side, raising my sword before leaping back. The terror¡¯s tendrils missed me by a mere pace.

    ¡°I thought we stopped these things,¡± Jason said through gritted teeth from over at his bedroll. Sparing a moment to look over at him, I saw him drawing his sword and curling his lips into a sneer as he rushed toward me.

    ¡°So did I,¡± I growled.

    Myris¡¯ eye twitched, staring at the terror in blatant disbelief. His hands were still working, grabbing arrows from his quiver and readying them in his bow, but I knew his mind wasn¡¯t in it.

    ¡°Myris! Snap out of it!¡±

    The older ranger shook his head at once and let an arrow loose. It struck through the air and caught the skittering terror only a few paces away from me. A sigh slipped between my lips as it stopped once again to hiss in pain.

    The silver scars adorning its surface flared out, twitching unnaturally against its surface.

    I snarled, white flames licking at the inside of my skull. As soon as I felt it¡ªfelt its power rushing through my veins, I narrowed my eyes. My teeth ground together as images of the flames danced in my head, images of it spawning from my arm, of it circling around my blade. And when I raised my sword to let my fury loose¡ª

    Nothing happened.

    My blade came crashing down with all the force I¡¯d put into it. Yet there were no flames. No energy. Not even a change in heat. The terror hissed in pain as my trusted steel dug through its shoulder, but its tendrils still flicked out. All at once, as the magic I¡¯d thought I¡¯d known how to cast failed, fear cracked back through my head.

    I winced, backpedaling in mental pain and dragging my blade along with me. Stray thoughts entered in its wake, whispering to me, telling me my efforts were hopeless. They told me I was weak and that I couldn¡¯t save anyone¡ªthat there was nothing I could do to stop the onset of death.

    With my face contorting, I tried to push the thoughts away. I tried to push away the cold truth they seemed to force onto my soul, focusing instead on the white-hot flame within. I stared at the flame, beckoning for it to come to my aid. But all it did was continue its fiery dance.

    Black tendrils inched towards me like wisps of ashen smoke threatening to choke me alive. I stared at them, my feet rooted in place. Their probing, scraping fear spun through my head, knocking away all thoughts as they went. They knocked away everything until there was nothing left in my mind. Nothing but a lone soul adrift in the black and a white flame to guide its way.

    The white flame danced in the void. And I watched it, if only in an effort to block out the rest of the swirling fear. I watched it move. I felt its rhythm. I let its fire bathe me in warmth and accepted it into my soul.

    All at once, the world started around me again.

    Howling wind whipped at my head. Incessant hissing wormed into my ears. And feeling rushed back to my limbs.

    I hauled backward, twisting away from the terror¡¯s frigid limbs and back into a guarded stance. Staring at the inhuman beast, I gritted my teeth and raised my sword. Just as before, white-hot power twitched in my muscles, but it was different this time. Instead of coursing through my veins, it was pulsing all the way in my core as if my soul was a conduit for the flame.

    For the first time, I felt energy ready at my disposal, ready for me to move, shape, and use in whatever way I could.

    And I did exactly that.

    White sparks erupted through the air as my blade swung down.

    In front of me, the terror howled in pain. My blade swung down, slicing through the murky coils closest to me and burning them the entire way. Heat exploded out from the sparks and rushed toward the terror at lightning speed. Silvery burn marks streamed over its chest.

    In some desperate attempt, the terror flew toward me again. I held my sword up, pushing all of the power I could into its blade, and brought it down. By the time metal connected with the terror¡¯s surface, white sparks were tearing silver scars of its insides and I was already twisting away.

    With speed and finesse I hadn¡¯t felt in ages, my body flew across the ground. The terror¡¯s hisses sounded in my ears and I relished in them as I tore my blade away. The new shiny grey scar I¡¯d ripped through its shoulder reflected firelight into my eyes. And despite the pained, draining feeling draped over the back of my skull, I could only smile.

    Then the terror charged me again.

    A loud crack broke against my skull, sending me through waves of mental pain. But I held my ground and raised my blade anyway. With white fire still pumping through my veins, everything seemed to feel right. Despite the frigid air stinging my skin, the waves of pain and fatigue ripping through my muscles, and the nearly overwhelming fear threatening to take over my mind, I was fine. All the doubt and worry and incompetence was burned to a crisp, leaving a void of pure instinct and desire to see the thing dead.

    Yet, before my blade could even come down, the terror was already hissing in my ears.

    Blonde hair glinted in my eye and I took a step toward the tree line behind us. The pitch-black terror in front of me staggered, stopping in place. Then it hissed even louder as Jason forced his blade in.

    Within a heartbeat of recognizing his face, I saw a smirk build on his lips. He glanced at me sidelong, his eyes as arrogant as always. My fingers froze on my blade and I relaxed a hair, continuing to step back as my companion dealt with the vile thing.

    Jason¡¯s blade tore all the way through the terror¡¯s chest, glinting with unnatural silver blood as it came out the other side. But with the terror¡¯s tendrils still flailing, very much alive, that didn¡¯t seem to be enough. So Jason pulled out the next tool in his arsenal and furrowed his brows as orange sparks flew through the air.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    The distinct, orange light of Jason¡¯s imbued flames heated on his sword and scorched the terror all the way through. Its symphony of hisses only got louder.

    Stepping back even farther, I cringed at the sound. But no matter what I did, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the terror. As it was being burned alive, the hunched, rabid, horrific thing writhed in pain. At first, its form was splitting, fraying, and flailing anywhere it could.

    But then Jason¡¯s luck ran out.

    Frigid black limbs struck Jason over and over. The swordsman grunted in pain and stumbled backward, tearing his blade through more flesh as he went. With each movement of his sword, the terror hissed even louder, but it didn¡¯t let up.

    Eventually, the frigid pain became too much and Jason ripped his blade away. I stepped forward, tightening the grip on my sword, but it all happened so fast. In a moment of coerced fear, Jason looked up at the terror, seething with pure rage.

    In the next instant, all that rage disappeared.

    Jason stepped back, letting his blade fall to his side. He blinked. His tight breaths became erratic. He shook his head. The swordsman¡¯s eyes shot wide and I could only look into them helplessly. Where I¡¯d seen confidence only mere seconds before, I saw only fear. Fear worse than anything we¡¯d faced before.

    The terror hissed in his face and his sword fell to the dirt. Jason accelerated his pace, holding his arms out to each side as he tried to run away from the terror. But no matter what he did, his gaze stayed frozen. Jason whipped his head around, widening his eyes seemingly at the thin air. Every few moments, he would swipe at nothing and scurry away even faster. He was reacting to things that weren¡¯t even there.

    He was being consumed by fear.

    I surged at the terror. It was still repairing its chest, replacing the hole with a thick, glittering silver scar, but I didn¡¯t care. I wasn¡¯t in a duel¡ªI wasn¡¯t fighting something I respected. All I cared about was ending the fight, and that only happened with the terror dead in the dirt.

    My blade came in from the side as I ducked. The terror dodged, evading my swipe with inhuman speed that reminded me far too much of the beast, but I¡¯d planned for that. Using the clarity of my fiery mind, I dropped into a roll before leaping back to my feet and shoving my blade toward the terror¡¯s leg.

    It hissed at me, the horrid sound nearly making me shudder. But I¡¯d only barely grazed the thing.

    A black tendril then in from the side. I tried to duck, to evade the impossibly frigid cold. But the terror was fast. The damned thing was just too fast.

    Jolts of numbed pain shot through my shoulder and I reeled, pushing myself backward. Grass crunched under my metal boots. Gritting teeth tried to ward off the pain. And thankfully, only moments later, the white flame did the same, melting away the cold and warming me to the core.

    I just wished my moment of relief could¡¯ve gone on for longer.

    The terror lurched at me, its splitting and fraying tendrils reaching out to my skin. With my keen eyes wide, I only barely tracked its movements, leaping backward just to keep out of its reach. The terror was fast though. Too fast. And it was catching up.

    The familiar twang of a bow saved me from possible pain as Myris came to my aid. A hiss split the air, one that I was all too glad to hear, but the arrow hadn¡¯t hit it. The terror turned. Its murky, humanoid head twisted away from me and stared at Myris, all scars twitching in his direction.

    Using the time bought by Myris¡¯ attack, I glanced to the side. There, more than a dozen paces away, Jason was still scampering away. Every few seconds, he would blink and shudder, shying away from some empty spot in the air as if it contained a monstrous abomination.

    I swallowed as he just got farther and farther away. ¡°Myris!¡± I yelled. The older ranger tore his attention away from him. ¡°Get Jason!¡±

    Angling my head in his direction, I glanced at the retreating swordsman. Myris followed my gaze and, after only a moment of watching, surged to help. A string of curses followed him as he sped off through the night.

    Another hiss. I turned.

    The terror in front of me tore away from Myris arrows and looked back toward me. Fear spiked, raking against the inside of my skull. But I was able to stay calm; I was able to stay calm enough to at least notice how many scars the terror now had.

    It couldn¡¯t have been far from death, I told myself. I just needed to take it the remaining distance.

    Murky black swept toward me. I clenched my jaw and dug my heels into the dirt, letting the defensive maneuvers play back in my head. The terror was fast, that much I knew. It would get to me in a matter of moments. However, with white fire still fueling my battle, I trusted that I would be ready either way.

    I leaped backward, pushing myself closer and closer to the tree line as I narrowed my eyes. The howling wind whipped at my dirt-covered cloak. Knowing the dark, twisted forest behind me, I couldn¡¯t help but worry. Fear grabbed yet another foothold and I had to try as hard as I possibly could just to keep my eyes to the front and not go running into the trees.

    Holding my sword with renewed grip, I stared the creature down. With newfound focus, I let energy into my soul. I let it pulse within me, becoming a raging fire that I only had to guide toward the terror¡¯s death. However, instead of rushing at me¡ªinstead of attacking with crazed speed, it stayed frozen. Slowly, it raised its humanoid head and glared at me right in the eyes.

    An unnatural shiver raced down my spine. The white flame tried its best to keep up. But as soon as my gaze connected with the gaze of the terror, thoughts seemed to die in my mind. All of the resolve I¡¯d built up, all of the attacks I¡¯d had ready¡ªthey all just¡­ fell away and left only fear in their wake.

    The corners of my vision darkened, beckoning my deepest memories. Some part of me recognized it, recognized what was going on. But for some reason, I felt powerless to stop it.

    No, I thought¡ªif the thought even was mine.

    The white flame flared out, scaring away the encroaching dark, and I jolted back to my body. The weight of my sword was the first thing I felt as I regained control and dodged backward again.

    In front of me, a low growl rang out. Reminiscent of some of the sounds I¡¯d heard back in the source, it was far different than a hiss. It wasn¡¯t the sound that a normal terror was able to make.

    Movement flashed in my vision and I turned toward it. The terror¡ªit was changing again. And as its form scrambled, reforming into something that I wished I hadn¡¯t been able to recognize, a cold hitch caught in my breath.

    There, standing in front of me and made out of pure blackness, was the spitting image of the beast. Its long, ever-sharp scythe formed only a second later. I blinked, trying to shake the image away. But by the time my eyes opened again, it was already on me.

    I flung my sword out for a counterattack, the movement running through my head exactly as it happened. My feet moved, shifting into the position I needed. As soon as my blade swung, the terror¡¯s imitation of a scythe came down and locked us both in place. I gritted my teeth, pushing forward and trying to tear steel through its flesh. But I couldn¡¯t.

    The terror looked at me with the beast¡¯s eyes. I averted my gaze, grasping at every scrap of fire I could find both in and out of myself. The air around me lightened, making my nose twitch, but I just pushed harder.

    No matter how hard I pushed, however, I couldn¡¯t make any progress with it at all.

    The beast¡ªor the terror¡¯s cheap imitation of it¡ªsmiled at me. The murky black bone twisted in an inhumane way, bringing up memories that were now seared into the very base of my being. I grunted, angling my blade along its fleshy scythe. All it did was stand its ground and stare at me, beckoning me to meet its gaze.

    And after a while, with the fire inside me burning pure rage, I complied and looked straight into its eyes.

    Touched by the scythe¡­

    A whispered hiss echoed out in my mind. I recognized it. The terror was speaking to me.

    Yet still alive¡­ just like her¡­

    I shook my head, breaking the stare, but the hissing voice didn¡¯t seem to mind.

    The scythe calls¡­ heed it¡­ heed its¡ª

    I twisted, a new action entering my head. Ripping my blade from where it was locked in the terror¡¯s scythe, I turned all the way around and sliced it through its imitation of the beast¡¯s arm. Tendrils spewed off its surface, pressing against my cloak and nearly freezing the skin beneath. My fire was still burning though, and it was already too late.

    The terror reeled and writhed, hissing the entire way. I coughed, scrambling backward into the woods away from it. Jolts of pain shot through me, freezing my insides. My sword dropped by my side and I had to force my head up to watch the terror¡¯s arm fall onto the grass. A large silver scar ripped through where its arm had been attached.

    A heavy breath fell from my lips once I stabilized myself. All around me, the forest was thickening, the paths between the trees becoming narrower the farther I went. In the distance, I could hear Myris¡¯ disgruntled voice. And if I really strained myself, I could hear Jason as well.

    Letting the weight slip off my shoulders, I sighed. They were alive, then. There weren¡¯t more terrors that came out to attack them. The one I¡¯d been fighting must¡¯ve been a straggler then. It had to be.

    And if it was the last there was, then when it was dead, we would really be done.

    So, furrowing my brows one more time, I brought my aching arm to the ready. All over, the bruises, the fatigue, the pain was almost enough to make me collapse onto the ground. But the little white flame was still there. My fire was still burning. And there was still more to do.

    The terror staggered forward, its form shifting back into its basic, chaotic state. The shiny grey scars and wounds that littered its surface all twitched, ready to end their movement altogether. It was on its last leg then, I realized. So all in all, I had an easy task.

    I raised my sword high, letting the flame give whatever energy it had left. Energy which my soul then pushed into my blade.

    A flash of white was all I saw as the blade sliced in.

    A smile grew on my face, dry and twisted with the vague pride of victory. I relished in the terror¡¯s hisses, watching burn marks decorate its black form. Then, as the terror¡¯s hisses died down, I looked it right in the face.

    My heart skipped a beat.

    Suddenly, all heat drained from my body. The cold air seeped into my skin, into my blood, into my bones. The white flame shied away, scurrying into the back of my mind. My eyes widened and my jaw went slack.

    Staring me right in the face was the terror, teetering on the edge of life, but it looked like something else. It looked like something I hadn¡¯t thought I¡¯d ever have seen again. Even among the black, its features were recognizable, and it registered all the way to my core.

    A kanir.

    I took a step back, removing my sword from its surface. Somewhere deep in my mind, rational thought yelled at me¡ªit told me to finish the job. But seeing the kanir¡¯s face, I couldn¡¯t have heard it if I¡¯d tried. All at once, my fire was gone, all energy swept away, and I was left standing as an exhausted husk in the trees.

    Fear picked at my mind, probing all the way even as the terror collapsed to the ground. I felt the little flame stir, shifting uncomfortably as the sight in front of me intensified. Every single kanir I¡¯d ever seen rose up, along with others I didn¡¯t remember seeing at all. But each and every one only intensified the fear.

    Then, as a last-ditch effort, the flame flared out once again. Inside of me, the fire sparked again and I accepted it, letting it burn the cold away. But this time as the white flame burned brighter than I¡¯d ever felt before, I didn¡¯t have control.

    ¡°No,¡± was all I was able to get out before it took over.

    My body bolted, hurtling out into the night.

 Chapter 45

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    Dark, twisted forms hurtled past as I ran.

    Wind howled in my ears, whipping at my skin and sending shots of pain through my body. Yet with the fire flooding my veins, it had little effect. Everything around me spun in a dizzying blur. My boots slammed into the dirt, and with each passing second, my eyes expanded wider.

    The white flame licked the back of my eyes, reminding me that I wasn¡¯t in control. My body dashed, weaving between the trees with a pointed level of finesse, but I wasn¡¯t participating in any of it. As long the white-hot power burned fear as fuel, I was locked out.

    Every few moments, I would try to access my muscles. I would try to direct my senses, to get some sense of understanding among the restrained chaos. But each time, I was blocked by a fire that now actually burned.

    My fingers curled and tightened the grip on my blade. They were the only semblance of control I had left. With the world moving as fast as it was, and with my mind spinning faster than I¡¯d ever felt before, I clutched the hilt tight. There was no way I was letting go¡ªthere was no way that my blade was getting dropped in the dust.

    Eventually though, the piercing fear wound down and the smoldering flame started to dwindle. White-hot steel started cooling in my blood. The twitching power in my muscles started to dissipate. And as an indeterminate amount of time waned away, the air started stinging at my skin again.

    My pace slowed, the steps becoming more erratic and less centered as I stumbled. I shook my head and held out my blade for balance. A few paces in front of me, my arm caught a tree mid-fall and barely kept me upright.

    I swallowed the pain and fatigue rushing back to my bones and pushed myself up.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I said to no one. The curse died in the air. ¡°Fuck.¡±

    A shiver raced down my spine. I shook my head as memories rose up. Images, insecurities, fears¡ªthings I didn¡¯t want to experience anymore. Some of them were mine, and some of them were unrecognizable. But all of them had come from one place, pulled up out of their designated space in my mind by the terror.

    I blinked. The image of it flashed on my eyelids.

    My body jerked backward. Tree bark grated against my cloak, scraping my weak skin and sending jolts of dull, cold pain up my spine. I winced but couldn¡¯t even pay them any mind. Instead, I tried my best to shrug it all away as I pushed off of the tree.

    I took a heavy breath to clear my mind.

    And, despite myself, I walked forward on shaky legs.

    The darkness swirled around me. It crept up and shimmered, holding me like the confines of a coffin. It was shifting and dancing in accordance with the beating of my heart. Part of me knew it wasn¡¯t moving and only focused on my task. But the other part of me found itself lost in possibility.

    I hated the fact that the latter of them was right.

    A loud crack echoed against my skull. I staggered, teetering while I tried to balance myself. My face contorted into a wince and I whipped around, scanning the shadows for anything I could find. Behind me, one of them moved unlike the others and I heard the shifting of dirt.

    Fear shrieked in my head. I kept my lips sealed shut and shuffled away. My eyes narrowed as whatever determination was left trickled into my blood. I watched the shadow, watched it for a silver scar. I watched the shadow so intently, in fact, that I didn¡¯t even notice when an excess of light entered my vision, the broader sounds of the night lilting to my ears from above.

    Blinking, I looked up at the starry sky. In the back of my mind, the white flame stirred, slinking out of its home to indulge in a small bout of wonder. Soft, silver moonlight coated the entire space and the trees seemed to bend to its will. Their trunks twisted and curled away from the rest of the clearing, forming a small natural ring.

    The sight reminded me of something and my eyes began to split wide. But I didn¡¯t even have time to gasp before the next crack of fear broke off. It whispered into my ears, telling me to give up. It entrenched itself into my thoughts, preying on my exhaustion and pulling for my collapse.

    I only barely kept it away as I stumbled back.

    A rustle sounded from behind me. It drifted over my dense breaths. I whipped around, holding my blade out to meet it.

    Glittering silver scars revealed themselves in the moonlight, and the feral beast rushed at me. Pitch-black surged against the soft glow of the stars. I scrambled backward, the scraping sounds flooding my head. White flames warded them away, but only barely, and it wasn¡¯t enough to stop blood from pounding in my ears.

    A tall, thin, murky black creature consumed my eyesight. It clambered over to me, raising its claw-like hands to grab me. I raised my sword and swung it out, but the terror was fast. It was fast just like the other one had been.

    In my tired state, I missed. My blade shot wide and the terror shifted its form around it, the claws forming into longer black tendrils that inched toward me through frozen air. I stopped, my feet staying in place beyond my control. The white flame flared out, rebelling and revolting against the intruding force. But it too was tired, and the fear had already taken hold.

    Its black limb floated toward my neck. A silver scar glinted on its surface, twitching in too many unnatural ways for my tortured mind to keep track. Then, the silver color of it seemed to change. It seemed to warp and morph into the sharp silver of a blade. My breathing accelerated, but I was powerless to stop it as the image of the reaper flooded my eyes and all hell broke loose in my mind.

    My blade shot out, cutting the terror in the side. It hissed at me, only boring harder into me. The needle of its artificial fear scraped and probed deeper, pulling up memories. And as it got a hold of them, it¡ª

    It stopped.

    The terror hissed, twisting its head away from me as it scrambled backward. All scraping died off in my ears and the unnatural, incomprehensible fear forced upon me calmed down as well. I coughed, cold air filling my lungs as I was able to see the world again.

    And as the forest spread out once I could see more than just murky black flesh, something was different. With the terror slinking back into the shadows, it revealed a sight to me. A sight that shook my soul to its core.

    Sitting on a cut and rotting tree stump, beyond where the terror had sprung from the shadows, was a girl. With her hand raised and her head tilted to the side, she glared at me. Silver irises met mine, radiating so much power that I almost disregarded the rest of her appearance. But as my frantic eyes flicked around again, it wasn¡¯t that simple. The pale girl¡ªshe couldn¡¯t have been older than eighteen¡ªwas wearing a fitting black robe with silver stylings and ribbons that reminded me far too much of a terror¡¯s silver scars. Her shoulders shrugged, moving a shell of black scales adorning her along with it. And looming above her head were large, bony, disgusting grey wings.

    My lip quivered, but I stayed right in place.

    The girl lowered her hand and narrowed her eyes on me. All around, the shifting movements in the shadows receded. It was as though the presence of the young girl was so terrifying and bizarre that it scared even the terrors away.

    Fear spiked within me¡ªsomething I wished I could¡¯ve gotten used to at this point¡ªbut it was different than usual. This time, the fear worked as an idle background to my thoughts instead of an overriding force. This fear wasn¡¯t a thick, all-consuming fog, it was a window¡ªa barrier between me and the world, but one I could see through rather well.

    Despite that apparent clarity though, I spluttered. The girl tilted her head again and nodded to me, but it still didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°W-What is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hello,¡± she said. Her monotone voice carried to my ears with a gust of cold wind. She blinked, the corners of her lips tweaking upward in a terrible attempt at a smile.

    ¡°W-What?¡± I asked again. My eyelids flitted, opening and closing my windows to the world in an attempt to wipe it all away. For a moment, I considered whether everything I was experiencing was a dream, but I knew it wasn¡¯t.

    It was never a dream.

    The terrors were always real.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the girl repeated. Her gleaming bony wings twitched in anticipation. I took a step back, holding tight to my blade.

    Squinting, the image of the girl seared itself onto my eyes. I¡¯d seen her before, I realized. The pale skin, the dark hair, the bony wings. I recognized her somehow.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I got out, words floating from dry lips. The white flame burned quietly in my mind, just as dumbstruck as I was.

    The girl raised her hand again. The shadows at the edge of the small clearing shuddered. ¡°I am Anath,¡± she said. The syllables of the name rattled in my ears, burning for a moment. Wincing, I nodded as if the name meant anything to me. And somehow, it almost did. Something about it felt¡­ familiar in the most terrifying way possible.

    She tilted her head. I raised my hand as well. ¡°Hello.¡±

    The attempt at a smile happened on her face again. My stomach roiled. I shook my head, trying to force everything to make sense. It didn¡¯t.

    ¡°You are afraid of me,¡± she said, ¡°as though I am the antithesis to your existence.¡± I squinted at her, trying to shake her image away. ¡°I suppose a draconic terror wearing a human visage does not fill many with joy.¡±

    I stopped, blinking. Her words echoed through the air and then back through my mind. The same emotionless tone carried them all the way to my ears. The girl¡¯s wings twitched once more, but I barely reacted. I barely could react. All of my thoughts screeched to a halt and the terror I felt in her presence took on a whole new meaning.

    Stories from my youth rose up, muffled and distant. Mentions of dragons, tales of their destruction¡ªthey mingled with my ideas of a terror. The fear inside of me soared, warping with each passing second. My stomach rolled at the realization of a truth I couldn¡¯t deny, and I almost ran right then.

    Only the equally imposing fear of the terrors guarding the clearing¡¯s every edge kept me in place¡ªkept me in the vicinity of whatever she was. A shiver crept down my spine as previous terror¡¯s words repeated in my ears too. All of them, the fractured comments and confusing messages¡ªthey had all mentioned her. They had all mentioned her.

    ¡°You¡¯re a¡­ dragon?¡± a voice asked. I hardly recognized it as my own.

    The girl nodded, flexing the wings that sprouted from her back. ¡°Half of me is a dragon. Or, that is the way it used to be. I am unsure what composes up my soul as of now.¡±

    ¡°What makes up the rest?¡± I asked, surprised by the unwavering quality of my voice. The sheer absurdity of it all almost made everything seem reasonable in some sick and twisted way.

    ¡°The rest is human, and I am one of them as well. A terror, is what they call them in your tongue. I have always called them I¡¯gra as that is their true name.¡±

    A wave of mental pain washed over me, somehow overpowering the fear in an instant. That¡­ word, whatever name she¡¯d just muttered¡ªit didn¡¯t sound natural. Its syllables rang in my ear, sounding phonetic for what they were, but they didn¡¯t translate into meaning. They only translated into pain.

    In front of me, the girl stared. I could feel her gaze on my skin, and I would¡¯ve stared back if I wasn¡¯t busy wincing. ¡°You are scared,¡± she said.

    My brows furrowed and I shot her a glare. Heavy breaths fell from my lips, almost clattering in the dirt. ¡°Of course I¡¯m scared,¡± I spat. ¡°What even are you?¡±

    ¡°I suspect you already know,¡± she said before raising her hand. I started shaking my head, adjusting the grip on my blade so that I could fight my way out. My muscles burned and my bones ached; I knew the terrors wouldn¡¯t let me out with much ease. But with more and more confusion joining the pile of emotions in my head, I didn¡¯t care. Staying here was worse and I knew it. No matter how much clarity I felt, the fear was still¡ª

    It was gone.

    Suddenly, a weight lifted from my brain and I staggered. I coughed air out of my lungs and widened my eyes, blinking at the darkness. The white flame confirmed its presence, rising up to fill the sudden void. I glanced back at the girl.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    She lowered her hand. I sighed, panting as I realized the fear was truly gone. All of the terror¡ªwhether artificial or my own¡ªhad completely vanished from my mind.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± I asked out of pure confusion. I was getting tired of repeating the same question so many times.

    ¡°You are no longer scared,¡± she said. I blinked, straightening to look at her more carefully. Pain and fatigue still riddled my body, but I felt better than before. The world wasn¡¯t collapsing anymore. I could breathe, and that was more than I could have said of my past self.

    The girl leaned forward on the stump and curled her lips again. I furrowed my brows and flicked my gaze around. In the shadows surrounding the small clearing, silver scars still shined. Strangely though, they didn¡¯t spark fear anymore. But with the rational part of my brain working again, I knew it wasn¡¯t a good idea to go back.

    So instead, looking at the horrifying girl attempting to smile at me, I walked forward.

    Solid steps rang out in the clearing, almost in conjunction with my breaths. They traded off beats, sounding and ceasing whenever the other one went off. As I made my way forward¡ªtoward a subject of nightmares¡ªher form registered deeper in my head. I¡¯d seen her on my first visit to the source. She¡¯d been shrouded and darkness and surrounded my terrors. I remembered that well. Yet something still nagged my mind.

    I¡¯d seen her somewhere else as well.

    ¡°You¡¯re the source,¡± I said carefully. Something flashed in the girl¡¯s piercing silver eyes that I might¡¯ve been able to call confusion. But it was gone in an instant and she nodded.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    Color drained from my face and I could feel my throat grow dry. My legs stiffened, contemplating an escape yet again. But I didn¡¯t let them get their way. I walked forward. One step at a time.

    ¡°I thought we destroyed it,¡± I said. My eyes widened less than a second later; I wanted to bite it back. But it had already sounded off and the girl was nodding again.

    ¡°You did destroy my home,¡± she said. ¡°They are scattered now and cannot congregate like they want to.¡± The emotional absence in her tone matched the frigid cold of the air.

    I hugged my cloak in a little tighter.

    ¡°How is it that I am back here?¡± I muttered. My eyes flicked around in bitter confusion and acceptance. Even after destroying the source, I was back here again.

    Something was playing a cruel trick on me.

    ¡°You stumbled into my domain,¡± she answered, cold as ever. ¡°Even after burning the other to ash. I do not know why you came here yet again, but their influence is clear.¡±

    ¡°Their influence?¡± I asked, stopping only paces from her rotting, natural seat. My feet rooted and place and I tightened grip on my sword. ¡°Do you not have control over them?¡±

    The pale girl shook her head. Her wings widened, stretching further from her back. ¡°They follow me, but I am barely a guiding hand. I do not command their every action, and I do not wish to as well.¡±

    I glanced around, watching the unnatural twist and curve in the trees. It was because of her power; I was sure of it. The terrors, they were all because of her. Everything¡ªthe destruction, the violence, the fears¡ªit was all because of her.

    ¡°I was not always this way,¡± the girl said. My parted lips pressed shut, all words dying on my tongue. Behind her, grey wings spread wide, flapping uselessly for a moment. ¡°I am different than I was before.¡±

    Something sparked in my head. The white flame responded, pulling it to the forefront of my mind. A memory washed back, playing in an instant in front of my eyes.

    I raised my head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before.¡±

    The pale girl lifted her gaze to mine. ¡°I know that you have.¡±

    ¡°No. I saw you before all of this.¡± The information broke through, memories long past flooding in. ¡°You were in a cage¡ªin a cell and shackled to the ground.¡±

    Her previous attempt at a smile died. ¡°When did you find yourself in Bekisnhlekil¡¯s chamber?¡±

    Pain. Piercing, unbridled pain attacked my mind. The word she¡¯d used¡ªthe name¡ªit felt as wrong as the rest. It didn¡¯t translate into meaning, only slipping through my thoughts like a ghost no longer tied to the world.

    I shook my head, wincing. ¡°No. The cell in the prison camp.¡±

    Her eyes widened a hair. ¡°You were referring to the mortal cage, then. The one made of brittle steel.¡±

    My brows furrowed and questions rose on my tongue. But remembering who¡ªor what¡ªI was talking to, I held my tongue. Instead, I nodded in confirmation.

    Bony wings stretched again, sharp tips scraping against the bark of a tree. ¡°That was before the I¡¯gra had found me, yet after I had already fallen. After Bekisnhlekil had taken everything from me.¡±

    All thoughts and emotions screeched to a halt in my head. Feeling the pressure pushing on the inside of my skull, I almost shrieked. My teeth ground together to form a barrier, to keep the sign of weakness out. ¡°Could you stop saying¡­¡± I started but found I wasn¡¯t able to recall the words. ¡°Stop saying those names.¡±

    The girl¡ªAnath, I could remember that name¡ªtilted her head. Then she nodded. ¡°I forget at times; my tongue is not conditioned for mortal ears. In your language, I believe the foul beast is named Death.¡±

    Time lurched to a stop.

    I stood, blinking with tense muscles at the demonic girl on the stump. The mention of the beast sent blood thundering in my ears. And despite whatever ward she¡¯d placed on my mind, I felt fear creep its way back as if readying for an attack. Without even thinking, I raised my blade and did the same.

    ¡°You fear it,¡± she said. ¡°You are afraid of the beast.¡±

    My brows furrowed and I nodded. For a moment, I thought of concocting a lie. But I knew better than to take any chances. I knew better than to risk my life. ¡°I do... Of course I do. Everyone¡¯s afraid of death.¡±

    ¡°Yet you hate it as well. You hate it for everything that it is.¡± She leaned forward, wings twitching on her back, and stared into my eyes. ¡°I cannot feel rage in one¡¯s mind, but I can see it in your eyes.¡±

    My breathing accelerated, matching the pulse thumping in and out of my heart. The girl in front of me was terrifying. She was a dragon and a terror alike. She was the source, a being that I wanted to destroy. All of my instincts yelled to fight her, to block out everything she said, but I couldn¡¯t help but listen to her words.

    The air lightened around me, making my breaths feel pained and sharp. She twisted her fingers, black claws rising from her hands. They twitched and writhed, radiating only power and killer intent.

    I took a step back, doubting all of my previous thoughts. But she didn¡¯t attack me¡ªshe didn''t come to claim my soul herself. She just tried to smile with a sigh.

    ¡°That rage of yours. It is a sentiment I share.¡± For the first time, the slightest bit of emotion crept into her tone. It was unmistakable; pure rage dripped from the corner of her voice.

    I jerked my head back in surprise. ¡°You¡­ what? Why would you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I was not always this way,¡± she interrupted. What little emotion I¡¯d heard before died away. ¡°I used to be able to fly.¡±

    My thoughts screamed at me, all instinctual warnings going off at once. A hitch caught in my breath and I took another step back. The girl in front of me flexed her wings. And with the mental clarity I¡¯d been gifted, I knew right then that I was in way too deep. Whatever I¡¯d stumbled across after being chased through the trees, it was larger than me.

    Yet as I tried to move, her eyes locked with mine. Her silver irises swirled with energy and kept me in place. The phantom weight that settled on my shoulders told me there was no chance to leave. I stayed right where I was.

    ¡°I used to flourish with the other dragons. In the mountains and all the rest of the world¡¯s planes.¡±

    I swallowed, my throat as dry as a desert. But her eyes were still locked with mine. I still had no chance to move away. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked instead.

    She blinked, her stoic face lifting higher. The shifting black claws that had sprouted from her hand receded. ¡°It is what happens to all,¡± she said. ¡°The beast came for my soul like it does all others.¡±

    ¡°And yet you¡¯re still here,¡± I blurted out without thinking. The confusion was uncomfortable, and it was starting to get on my nerves. Yet also, there was an island of familiarity in her words. The situation she described hit a little too close to home.

    ¡°I am,¡± she said. ¡°When the beast showed its physical form, as it does for all creatures connected to its process, it did not swing its scythe. I was too valuable. It kept my soul for itself.¡±

    My eyes bulged and my fingers relaxed. As her story rattled on, her hatred of the beast came through despite the lack of emotion in her voice. Gradually, I saw less and less of a threat. If she was going to kill me, I reasoned, she would¡¯ve done it by now.

    ¡°It kept your soul?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°For souls it deems worthy, the beast likes to play vile games.¡± Memories rose up, old, painful ones. The beast had tricked me as well. ¡°In my case, it saw an opportunity in my power. It experimented on me; I am a victim of its design.¡±

    A shiver raced up my spine. It turned into a shudder that wracked my entire body. ¡°The beast does that often? Even though it exists to harvest souls?¡±

    ¡°That is its primary purpose; that is how it serves the world. The World Soul does not care as long as the energy it gives out returns in time. The servants, however, mostly do as they please.¡±

    I stared at the dirt, bringing my brows together like puzzle pieces. The girl¡¯s words were incompatible with everything I knew. The world was a blessing, and all natural processes were limbs of its sacred favor. Its servants couldn¡¯t harm that favor.

    My eyes flicked out, watching the scarred terrors creep in the shadows around us.

    Then again, I thought, I could see the terrors for myself. They were there¡ªdreadful creatures that fed off fear. And I¡¯d stared too many of them in the face to deny that the beast could do as it pleased.

    I bit down hard as the conceptions I¡¯d held were shattered one-by-one. ¡°They do as they please,¡± I said. ¡°Like creating creatures of pure fear?¡±

    The girl looked up at me and tilted her head. ¡°Death is the progenitor of all terrors. They are a product of its design in the same way I am myself.¡±

    Shaking my head, I stepped forward again. ¡°Why? What purpose do they serve to the world and its balance?¡±

    Grey wings flinched once again. The girl shook her head slightly, strands of black hair falling in front of her eyes. ¡°I do not know and I do not pretend to know. The beast toyed with my soul and chained me to its creations. It does not spell out its intent, nor does it follow any semblance of reason.¡±

    ¡°Obviously not,¡± I muttered with a bitter edge in my voice.

    She brushed the hair from her face without even lifting a finger. ¡°After the beast had completed its design, it set me in Ruia to drift.¡±

    I shook my head. None of it made any sense. The beast¡¯s intentions didn¡¯t make sense¡ªbut at least I¡¯d known that before. The new information though, that which was being poured into my ears by the source of the terrors I hated¡ªit wasn¡¯t helping at all. Distantly, the thought came to me that I missed my old life. Things were simpler when all I had to worry about was the quality of my blade.

    Shaking away the unhelpful memories, I sighed. Then looked back at the girl with the silver eyes. ¡°How did you end up in the cell then?¡±

    Her eyes widened a sliver and her brows dropped almost imperceptibly. ¡°I do not know. I do not remember anything between being chained in its chambers and coming out to a new world.¡±

    I swallowed. ¡°How did you get out?¡±

    She straightened up, staring me right in the eyes. ¡°I ended them,¡± she said. The lack of emotion in her voice sounded colder than ever before. ¡°As was my duty designed by the beast, I killed my captors and left.¡±

    My fingers twitched on the hilt of my blade, tightening. I stared at the girl; she was still more powerful than me. I had to wrestle my eyes not to split as wide as the moon. ¡°And then you found the terrors here?¡±

    She held up her hand, her expression unchanging. ¡°They found me.¡±

    I cringed, nodding. The anger from before resurfaced, bubbling just beneath my rational mask. I could feel the eyes of the terrors on me and I wanted to rip all of them to shreds. But as I stared at the girl, I didn¡¯t feel the same way. Instead, I almost felt¡­ bad. Her situation was familiar, even if it was more twisted than mine. If I disregarded our differences on the surface, it was almost like looking at myself in a broken mirror.

    ¡°Why do you do it?¡± I asked, hoping she understood what I meant.

    By the way that she nodded, I knew that she did. ¡°I have no other choice.¡±

    I gritted my teeth, barely controlling the fury that was rising below. But when I looked at her face, searched her words for falsehood, I could find nothing but truth.

    ¡°Though now, my time with them wanes. With my domain destroyed, it seems their cycle has come to end. I have no longer the urge to further their needs. I have no longer a want to help the beast as well.¡±

    The white flame stirred in the back of my mind, shuddering at the repeated mentions of the reaper. Outwardly, I shuddered as well as the true power of it became more clear. If it was able to control her, what chance did I have? Still though, I gripped tight to my sword.

    ¡°Will they stop?¡±

    The girl averted her eyes. All movement in the shadows that her gaze cut through stopped in its tracks. Then, she looked back at me, staring me right in the eyes. ¡°I have lost; I am set adrift once more. But you want revenge on the beast. I can taste it in the fear of your own failure.¡± The white flame flickered its agreement and I nodded to confirm. ¡°I cannot say that I do not want the same thing.¡±

    ¡°I just want to make it pay,¡± I admitted. The truth in my own words made me blink away surprise. Deep down, I knew I wouldn¡¯t get my past life back. But the beast had tricked me¡ªit had bested me even at my peak with the blade. And so my words really did ring true.

    I wanted to make it pay.

    ¡°Sometimes I wish we could have done the same,¡± she said, straightening. Her wings stretched wide once more. ¡°If any beings could do it, I know that the dragons could. They have wanted it for enough time.¡±

    I widened my eyes, questions forming at my lips. She stopped, flicking her eyes to meet mine.

    ¡°You fear them too.¡±

    My body froze, muscles screeching to a halt as her eyes bored into me. The silver in her irises seemed to sharpen, becoming all too similar to the probe of fear I never wanted to feel again. So instead, I slammed my eyes shut and once again let out the truth. ¡°I do¡­ Of course I do.¡±

    Creaking my eyes open, I could see her nodding slowly. ¡°These conceptions of dragons you hold in your mind¡­ they are draped in fear. Yet they are also wrong.¡±

    I widened my eyes at that, tilting my head at the girl. ¡°Wrong?¡± The dozens of stories from my youth came back up. Did I have to question all of them as well?

    ¡°It is uncommon for mortals to understand,¡± she said. ¡°Dragons are far more capable than you assume in your mind. Especially the mother of destruction herself.¡±

    Sharp, skewed images flashed before my eyes. I shook my head, trying to shrug off the phantom heat licking my skin as I remembered. ¡°Rath.¡±

    ¡°I can see you fear her too,¡± the girl said. ¡°She could bring the mortal world to its knees in a pledge of red flame. Out of all the dragons, she would be the one to challenge Death. Yet¡­ even dragons are subservient to the world. Maybe that includes its servants as well.¡±

    A silence. Thick, cold, and murky. It hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity. Half-formed ideas floated through the back of my mind, but I ignored them for now. Instead, I let the rational part of me pick through her words.

    ¡°The servants serve the world,¡± I said, reasoning it out in my own head. ¡°They¡¯re not much different than us.¡±

    The winged girl stood up, stretching her legs off the rotted tree stump. Her eyes darted upward, and that attempt at a smile came back. ¡°Maybe not. One watches us even now.¡±

    I furrowed my brows. ¡°One watches us? What are you¡ª¡±

    A powerful, piercing screech split the air in two. The trees around me shuddered, leaves waving at the onset of sound.

    I whipped around, my mind working overtime to figure out why I remembered the sound. Thoughts spun in my head, reacting to the golden glint far up in the trees. Leaves rustled above, and by the time I figured it out, the memories were already spilling back in.

    The Aspexus, Lorah had called it once. One of the Servants of the Soul. I¡¯d seen it on one of my first days in a new life.

    ¡°The Aspexus,¡± I said, turning back to the girl. The rest of my words fell cold on my tongue as I faced only the forest again. I flicked my eyes around, looking over the clearing for any sign of the girl that had stood there only moments before.

    I found none.

    She was gone.

    Somewhere distant in the trees, I could¡¯ve sworn I saw a blur of grey wings. But it was too fleeting to grasp. And with her absence, the ward of clarity weakened. It shrunk and shriveled, sinking deep into my mind like a rock into the sea. Worry, fear, and insecurity wormed their way back to the forefront of my consciousness and my stomach rolled in confusion.

    I grimaced, turning away from the clearing and any terrors still inside it. I felt scared again¡ªscared of all the information I¡¯d gotten, scared of facing the beast for a second time. Scared of it all, even if things felt a little more clear.

    Another screech split the night and ripped me back to the present. Feeling the horrible pain in my body, I wanted nothing more to rest. But I knew I couldn¡¯t. Not yet, at least.

    In the canopy above, the dark form of the bird took off into the sky, shrieking again as it went. It floated for a moment, staring right down at me before flying off in some direction.

    The cold still stung my neck. I still had no idea where I was. But the regal bird had come, and so I¡¯d follow its lead. My head spun, as was usual, mixing fear, worry, and dread. But as the white flame flared again, I knew now wasn¡¯t the time.

    So after sparing one last glance at the stars, I surged through the trees and followed the bird into the night.

 Chapter 46

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    Everything hurt.

    And as I trudged on, kicking heavy feet against the grass, I could feel it. Thoughts spun in my head and what was left of my fire still burned in my blood, but I barely cared about any of it. My skin, my muscles, my bones¡ªthey were all riddled with fatigue. My body was disconnected from my mind like a child giving their parents the silent treatment. But it still moved when I called it to, and it still responded to the small dregs of hope I pushed into it every once in a while.

    My lips curled up a fraction of an inch. At my side, my curved blade in its scabbard swayed with familiar weight. I gripped it, using its presence as a foothold in the conscious realm while I tried to find comfort in the mid-morning sun.

    At least things were starting to look familiar again.

    As my lazy eyes scanned over the twisting trees, I somehow recognized where I was. In the middle of the previous night, I¡¯d finally reached the end of the dirt path that stretched all the way to Farhar and I¡¯d been forced to move into the trees. As soon as I¡¯d done that though, things had only gotten worse.

    It was one thing to be a drifting husk when you knew where you were going. It was a whole ¡®nother thing when you were lost as well.

    But that had been before, I reminded myself. Before I¡¯d somehow stumbled back into territory that I actually knew.

    In all honesty, it was a strange feeling. Knowing where I was going and all. For the entirety of my past life, I¡¯d never been much of a navigator. And I¡¯d never been an avid hunter either. Whenever I¡¯d had to trek through a forest or swamp, I¡¯d always had a guide. That had always been good enough for me. But now that I was a ranger, things were different. I didn¡¯t entirely know how it worked, but I was picking it up little by little. The patterns of the forest, even though they looked like nonsense on the face, had a natural rhythm to them. They were something I could watch for. Something I could follow.

    And right now, as my stomach grumbled at the fact that my most recent meal had been hours and hours ago, that was certainly enough to hold onto.

    After I¡¯d left Anath¡ªafter I¡¯d left the source for what I hoped was the final time, I¡¯d followed the bird as long as I could. It hadn¡¯t made it easy, soaring overhead at breakneck speeds and only letting me know its location through powerful screeches that shook the world itself. But I¡¯d followed it all the same. For some reason beyond my tired mind, the bird was interested in me. At least interested in keeping me alive, anyway. Because from the cold and desolate spot in the middle of the woods, the Aspexus had led me all the way back to the path.

    Although, as soon as I¡¯d broken through the trees with an exasperated smile on my face, it had completely vanished from the sky and left me alone in the dark.

    White flame flickered in my head.

    Well, I thought with a tiny nod. Not entirely alone. After all, when I¡¯d stumbled back to the dirt path and realized I was way too far from where my companions and I had made camp, the white flame had helped out a lot. It had done what it always did¡ªheightening my reflexes, pouring energy into my well, and giving me heat against the cold.

    A memory flashed in my head. A sharp pain in my stomach.

    I winced, holding my gut as a shaky breath entered my lungs. The images of the night¡ªof the hunger I¡¯d experienced¡ªall faded away, only improving my reverence of the flame. When I¡¯d finally worn out, finally become too tired to go on without rest, it had helped me hunt food too.

    Only a few rabbits. But it had been more than satisfying. The white flame had even helped me cook the damn things.

    The ghost of a smile crept onto my lips. Heat licked at the back of my eyes and I felt another tiny trickle of power flow into my blood. I sharpened my vision and perked my ears up, asserting control over my body once more.

    My breathing slowed. My mind cleared. My fingers tightened on the hilt. And my footsteps rang out more solid against the dirt. Careful. Pointed. Full of poise. It was as if my entire body had been given a second wind. Just enough energy to get back to the lodge.

    After all, I was almost there.

    <hr>

    By the time I made it through the tree line, all poise had drained from my form. My lungs rasped and yearned for air. My muscles burned themselves from within. And my heavy, metal-clad feet dragged through the grass like an old plow through soil.

    But I barely paid mind to any of it. Instead, all of my attention was focused forward. I wasn¡¯t looking at the woods¡ªthe ancient trees or the beat-up dirt anymore. I was looking at the lodge. I was looking at my home.

    The sight of the Ranger¡¯s sigil¡ªa crescent arrow inlaid in the wood¡ªinspired more than a little hope as I pushed forward with all my might.

    Beyond the beautiful lodge, Sarin loomed above on the hill. Basic wooden houses, shops, and other buildings all bustling with mid-morning traffic put a small smile on my face. And even despite the curious looks some of Sarin¡¯s townsfolk were giving me, I felt more than happy to be back.

    As I dragged myself over to the lodge¡¯s front entrance, even more looks were thrown my way. More than just the odd glance from a civilian, some knights were eyeing me as well. Coming down the slope in a group, four poised and careful knights squinted at my decrepit form like I was some kind of enemy.

    On first instinct, I raised my hand to wave. They didn¡¯t wave back, only staring at me long enough to make mental notes of my face before walking off. My eyebrows dropped. Their blatant, accusatory disrespect didn¡¯t roll off my shoulders very easily. And, as I only realized by the time they were walking away, I didn¡¯t recognize a single one of their faces.

    A curious grunt slipped from my lips. They were new then, I thought. Things had changed since I¡¯d last been in Sarin.

    White haze flashed in my vision and all of my muscles shrieked at once. I cringed, stumbling forward toward the lodge and catching myself on the dark wooden doorframe. The full scope of my exhaustion showed its true colors, ripping my contemplations away.

    I nodded; there was nothing else to do. My body was right, after all. I could worry about what had changed later. Right now, I needed rest.

    And so, pushing back the last of my stray thoughts, I gathered myself and pushed inside.

    Warmth cascaded over me. It brushed against my skin, contrasting with the sweat-soaked and still-dirty cloth of my uniform. I continued to step on, walking further and further into the lodge as if it were the arms of an angel.

    The narrow wooden entryway to the lodge flew by without much thought.

    As I stumbled into the training room though, swaying and teetering on weak legs, I was confronted with something new. Instead of being empty like the room normally was in the morning, it was filled with commotion. Words were being thrown around like confetti¡ªsome friendly and some not. Except it was definitely not a celebration.

    Blinking away the spinning blur that was my vision, I flicked my eyes around. In the middle of the room, a familiar grey-haired ranger was standing with his arms folded and one eyebrow up. Beside him was another ranger, who I quickly recognized as Tan, trying to contain a smile. And over by the weapon rack, standing as the obvious target for Myris¡¯ contempt, was a certain arrogant swordsman rolling his eyes.

    ¡°I know we have to leave,¡± Jason said through his teeth as he grabbed a cloak off the shelf and stuffed it into his bag. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep hounding me about it.¡±

    A disconcerted sound rose from Myris¡¯ throat. I smiled. It was the sound he always made whenever passively upset with someone. ¡°I think I do, actually. We were supposed to leave almost an hour ago. We don¡¯t have time to waste here, you know.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Oh I know,¡± Jason shot back. ¡°You think I don¡¯t? I¡¯m the one who let the damned thing get to him. If I¡¯d just been able to keep up my wall¡ª¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no use regretting it now,¡± Tan said, tilting her head to Jason. The swordsman stopped, his eyes quivering for a second before he shook his head.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he finally admitted as he tied the bag closed. ¡°You¡¯re right. I just have to hope I can make up for it.¡± His voice came out soft and oddly sincere. I furrowed my brows.

    His voice lacked all confidence, all of the fiery and foolproof arrogance he normally rode on. Instead, it was filled with actual emotion¡ªactual regret, as if he¡¯d been beating himself up for days over some trivial mistake. Without even thinking, I opened my mouth, ready to ask him what had¡ª

    I stumbled.

    My hand flew out. My eyes shot wide. I staggered, falling backward and only barely catching myself on the walls of the lodge. A curse slipped between my lips, directed entirely at my feeble legs which had decided to give out.

    ¡°Agil?¡± a voice asked. I looked up with a cringe on my face.

    And when I did, I was met with the full attention of the room. Jason turned to me, his expression dropping little by little. Tan blinked, her lips curling up as she tried to figure out if I was even real. Myris¡¯ eyebrows shot up, all of his obstinance washing away in an oncoming tide. All of them stared at me with relieved, wide eyes.

    I nodded to them as I pushed myself up. ¡°Hello.¡±

    Jason let out a breath and slumped backward as if a weight had been lifted from his soul. ¡°Agil,¡± he repeated. ¡°When did you even come in?¡±

    I raised my head, my eyelids drooping as sleep called me from the abyss. ¡°Not even a minute ago, why?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked. He couldn¡¯t help the genuine smile sprouting on his face. ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡±

    In the center of the room, Tan snickered. Her lips tweaked upward and she leaned back against the older ranger behind her. Myris let out a sigh, wrapping his arms around her. I raised one of my eyebrows as she let out a soft giggle and looked up at him.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m alive,¡± I said. ¡°Was there any doubt that I would be?¡±

    Myris glared at me. ¡°You backed into the forest while fighting a terror, and by the time we got to check on you, there was nothing alive to find.¡±

    I coughed, letting a thin chuckle slip out. ¡°Right. I guess there would¡¯ve been some doubt then.¡±

    ¡°Of course there was,¡± Jason said. When I looked over at him, he was already rubbing his neck. ¡°We couldn¡¯t find you after the terror was dead.¡±

    ¡°So it was dead?¡±

    Jason¡¯s hand froze, the shadow of a smirk ghosting his lips. ¡°Was there any doubt that it was?¡±

    I smiled. It was good to know that Jason hadn¡¯t changed in the past few days. ¡°I guess not. Still, it¡¯s good to know that we have one less of those things to worry about.¡± A shiver raced down my spine. It hurt as I shuddered in place. ¡°Have you seen any more since then?¡±

    Myris shook his head. ¡°That was the last of them, it seems. It must¡¯ve been a straggler.¡±

    ¡°And there hasn¡¯t been any terror activity around here for days at the very least,¡± Tan added as soon as she wrestled away from Myris¡¯ playful grip.

    Grey wings flashed in my mind; the images were seared onto my eyes. The dragon girl¡¯s words played back in my head. My fingers curled into a fist as I stepped forward, but I was only met with pain. I nodded at the memories before pushing them back, leaving only the desire for rest in their wake.

    ¡°So we really were successful,¡± I pushed out, my feet kicking against the wood. I dragged my eyes over the floor. In the corner of my vision, I could see the hallway and the doors beyond. My room was within reach.

    ¡°Agil?¡± came a concerned voice that I barely even recognized as Jason. I looked up at him, squinting. ¡°You okay?¡±

    I opened my mouth, but only a rough cough escaped. My throat cracked dry and I winced in pain. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just tired.¡±

    Jason furrowed his brows at that. ¡°Galen is in, if you wanted to¡ª¡±

    I waved him off. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I was the greatest swordsman of all time. I¡¯d accomplished more in my past life than any to rival my name. And I¡¯d even parried the beast where all others had failed. I¡¯d been tired before, dammit. I just needed some rest.

    The glares I got from all of the rangers in the room seemed to think otherwise though. For a moment, none of them spoke as I pushed my way across the room. But then, Tan angled her head at me and forced a step forward.

    ¡°Are you sure? You look like you need a little more than sleep.¡±

    I sighed, glancing back to her. With exhaustion still echoing through my bones, frustration bubbled hot under my skin. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I have water in my room, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to eat right now anyway.¡± Tan stepped back, words dying at her lips as she nodded. With my half-empty stomach rolling, I definitely could¡¯ve eaten something, but I would rather have drunk the stale water in my room than have people treating me like a child that needed help.

    I was fine.

    Then, as Tan tore her eyes away from me and Myris¡¯ glare bored down on my head, I felt another bead of sweat drift down my neck. I shook my head, searching for a way to shift the topic. ¡°What are you guys preparing for anyway?¡±

    Jason¡¯s smirk faded from his face. ¡°We were going to go search for you.¡±

    I stopped, twisting at his words. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°After you¡¯d dashed off into the trees somewhere we couldn¡¯t find you, we¡¯d returned to camp,¡± Myris said. I blinked with heavy eyes as his explanation trickled into my ears. ¡°We¡¯d wanted to go after you, but there was nothing else for us to do. We didn¡¯t know if there were still terrors, or if you were even out there to be found.¡± The older ranger looked down at his feet for a moment before clearing his throat. ¡°So we decided to keep going all the way to Sarin and come looking for you after.¡±

    White flame flared against my skull. I pushed it back, trying to force myself to take deep breaths. The knight in me was appalled at the fact that they¡¯d left without an extensive search, but I suppressed its thoughts for the time. Things were different now, I reminded myself yet again. The Rangers weren¡¯t bound together by a code of honor.

    ¡°We wanted to go after you,¡± came Jason¡¯s voice. ¡°But with all of the gear we were carrying¡ªincluding your stuff, it just¡­¡±

    The swordsman trailed off¡ªsomething I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever heard him do. But that wasn¡¯t what my tired mind latched onto. Through the slow-churning fog of my thoughts, something burned white-hot.

    With energy I didn¡¯t know I was able to summon, I turned on my heel to stare the swordsman in the face. ¡°You grabbed my bag?¡±

    Jason looked up, his brows knitting. ¡°Of course we did. It¡¯s not like we were¡ª¡±

    ¡°Where is it now?¡±

    Jason¡¯s lips twitched and I saw his fingers do the same at my interruption. ¡°It¡¯s in your room.¡±

    I sighed, the white flame relieving its grasp on my mind. The image of my bag and the contents inside flooded my head. My body slumped backward, a weight lifting from my shoulders.

    The map.

    It was safe.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said with a smile. Once again, the idea of sleep floated over my head. I reached toward it, pushing forward through the room once again. One step at a time, I dragged my body to the doorway.

    And as soon as the dim hallway filled my view, I spared a glance back. The half-confused, half-relieved looks of my fellow rangers told me everything. With a chuckle rising in my throat, I gave them one final nod before I slipped out of the room.

    The dim light pressed in around me, locking me in a shifting tomb of silence that was only interrupted by my hauling steps over the wooden floorboards. My eyelids pressed shut, the thought of relief only seconds away.

    ¡°Agil?¡± a new voice asked. I groaned, tearing my eyes open and twisting to see the person who had called to me. ¡°You¡¯re back now, too?¡±

    I rolled my neck, trying to push the thought of sleep away for a little longer.¡°Yeah, I¡¯m¡ª¡± I started, but complaints died at my lips as chestnut hair glinted in the dim light and a familiar smirk filled my vision. Kye folded her arms, the grin on her face growing with every step.

    My heart fluttered, the sight of her face stopping anger in its tracks. A smile of my own rushed up onto my face and I stepped toward her with open arms.

    ¡°Kye,¡± I said as my arms wrapped around her. Her eyes shot wide. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± she let out, awkwardly patting my back. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    I blinked, the unsure tone in her voice registering somewhere in my head. Then I went straight as a board as I realized what I was doing. My feet carried me backward faster than I could even apologize.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said with the tips of my ears on fire. I cringed at myself, genuine embarrassment washing over me for the first time in years.

    Kye angled her head at me, the smug grin inching its way back. And before long, she was suppressing a laugh while slapping my shoulder in an action that I was sure was intended to be more playful than it ended up.

    ¡°Glad you found your way back alive,¡± she said. I winced, my shoulder screaming at me to stop the abuse. ¡°You are alive though, right? Because I don¡¯t know if I could tell by looking at you.¡±

    I flicked my gaze up to her. She raised an eyebrow in concern but I waved her off. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, trying to force lightness into my tone. ¡°It was just a bit of a trek to get back here.¡±

    Kye nodded slowly. ¡°Looks like it. Jason, Tan, and Myris were just about to go out looking for you.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°I already had a conversation with them on my way in.¡± Something rose up through my tired haze. A question of some sort. ¡°By the way, do you know what¡¯s up with Tan and Myris?¡±

    Kye scoffed. ¡°Not a clue, really. They¡¯ve been getting close again since he got back yesterday, but I can¡¯t really tell.¡± My former cellmate eyed me, a question sparking in her beautiful light brown eyes. ¡°How¡¯d it go in Farhar?¡±

    Memories of the past two weeks came crashing into my mind once again. ¡°It went well,¡± was all I ended up saying. Grey wings flashed again. I shuddered. ¡°I¡¯ll have to tell you about it some other time.¡±

    Kye nodded at that, holding her tongue without another question. I nodded back to her with a smile that made her let out an amused breath before walking away.

    ¡°Go get some sleep,¡± she said as she rounded the doorway into the training room. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to be back,¡± I muttered. By the time the words escaped my mouth, she¡¯d already slipped out of the hall. But something told me she¡¯d heard my words anyway.

    With her gone, the hallway was truly cast into silence. I groaned, letting my shoulders slump once more. My body complained, reminding me of a truth I was supposed to be attending to. I was tired.

    And so, without sparing even another thought on the matter, I surged the rest of the way to the door. The door at the end of the hall. The door Kye had pointed me too all those months ago. The door to my room.

    That door flew open and in a matter of seconds, I was face-down in the covers of my bed. Pain evaporated off my skin. Tension eased in my bones. Energy drained from my soul. And despite all of the swirling problems in my head¡ªproblems that I knew I¡¯d have to confront at some point¡ªI just let sleep take me in its arms.

    I¡¯d deal with them all. I knew that I would.

    Some other time.

 Chapter 47

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    It was good to see smiles again.

    I raised my hand, offering a half-wave to the two women on their way down the hill. They both nodded at me. One of them even started to giggle. Yet even as her friend glared at her, trying to wave the action off to me, I couldn¡¯t help but smile back. Strangely, it made me happy that they didn¡¯t look disgusted by me¡ªthe new change of clothes probably helped¡ªand they didn¡¯t look uneased, either. To them, I wasn¡¯t an unknown anymore. I wasn¡¯t some internal threat. I was a ranger, and one they seemed to respect.

    By the time they¡¯d walked off, the afternoon sun felt much better on my upturned lips.

    When I¡¯d first arrived back in Sarin, I¡¯d noticed things were different. It wasn¡¯t that hard of a thing to do with the new knight patrols and curious looks shot my way. But at the time, I¡¯d been too tired to really care. It had been too much effort to think about.

    And I really had been that tired, I thought to myself with a chuckle. I¡¯d arrived back at the lodge all of three days ago at this point, and I still felt sore from it. The soreness wasn¡¯t threatening to break my bones and tear my stomach in half like it had that first morning back, but it was still there.

    I still remembered the lecture Galen had given me about taking care of myself so that he wouldn¡¯t have to waste his precious time dealing with me. Or, I still remembered his high-pitched, mocking tone. I didn¡¯t remember much of the actual content. After all, I already knew how to take care of my body. I¡¯d just miscalculated how strained I¡¯d actually been.

    The white flame swirled in my head. I could feel it brushing the backs of my eyes, observing the town that was now my home by itself. Technically, it had been living in Sarin for as long as I had, but this was its first active foray into the place.

    Focusing away from its heat and wandering out of my thoughts, I narrowed my eyes. In front of me, walking down the slope toward the lodge, was another knight patrol. Their heavy metal steps against the road as well the flurry of metal sounds betrayed their presence rather well.

    Watching them descend, a smile forced its way up onto my face again. The noise of their procession was more than music to my ears. It reminded me of all my memories as a knight for my kingdom. Granted, I¡¯d never truly been on patrol more than once or twice. I¡¯d been too valuable for that. But marching for hours in plated armor was something I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever forget.

    As they approached nearer, I nodded to them and brought up a hand. A few of the knights slowed, glancing up at me and returning a nod back. One of them¡ªwho I¡¯d met before, in fact¡ªeven smiled. The entire time, I inspected their gear.

    Just as the knights had before, they carried swords. Two of them carried longswords and two carried shortswords. But unlike before, these knights didn¡¯t have the signature blue trim that noted them as from Norn. Instead, a light brown trim that was similar to one of the colors on Sarin¡¯s sigil lined the armor they¡¯d regret having to wear in a few months.

    Without even realizing it, I furrowed my brow and tracked the knights on their way down the hill. An unsure noise crept out of my throat. Things really had changed since the last time I¡¯d been in Sarin.

    Mostly, the fact that there were more¡ªand organized¡ªknight patrols around town was different, but the replacement of armor was more drastic. All in all, I didn¡¯t know exactly why they were on guard, but I didn¡¯t particularly care either. To me, having knights on guard just made sense¡ªit stemmed from all of the necessary lessons I¡¯d been given back in Credon.

    But the idea that Marc might¡¯ve been developing his own order of knights for Sarin¡­ that was what intrigued me more. Deep down, I knew I wouldn¡¯t have left the Rangers now. But it would¡¯ve been a lie to say I wasn¡¯t at least a little bit conflicted.

    As I made my way to the top of the hill, pain already picked at my feet. It echoed dimly what I¡¯d felt on my trek back through the trees, but I knew that wasn¡¯t what it came from now. Before coming into town, I had been training, and unfortunately my body didn¡¯t like that very much.

    Ever since I¡¯d gotten back¡ªand after Galen had returned me to a physical status above that of a vegetable¡ªI¡¯d started training just as before. With the source gone, I didn¡¯t have all that much to immediately worry about¡ªbarring the memories of Anath that sprung up every once in a while. And all I¡¯d come back with was more motivation¡ªmore fuel for my fire to become enough to make the beast pay.

    The white flame had complied with that, letting me experiment with its magic. But after only creating a few sparks and forcing the tiniest flame to appear at the tip of my blade, it had locked me out again. For lack of a better understanding, it was tired. And even if it frustrated me, I couldn¡¯t entirely blame it.

    I shook my head and walked on, trying to ignore the pain in my feet. Around me, Sarin¡¯s town square sprawled with afternoon activity. As always, the dozens of shops selling products, produce, and baked goods were taking advantage of every waking minute they could. And despite Marc having been Sarin¡¯s Lord for a month now, I could still see some of the decorations that had gone up on his arrival day.

    Watching the multiple knights intermingling with Sarin¡¯s usual crowd, I almost chuckled. The leftover decorations weren¡¯t the only marks the new lord had left on the town.

    As I weaved between a chipper child and what I could only assume to be an annoyed father, something caught my eye. There, on the other side of the square, beside a few of the stalls that sold bread items, was Carter. And Arl as well, I noticed. The slightly pudgy and quite mischievous grown man who¡¯d used to make my grocery runs bearable.

    My eyes widened at the sight; the combination did seem a little strange. Carter, it looked like, was only there to buy some bread and probably get out of the lodge for a while. Which was an admirable goal, considering I was doing the same thing. And Arl, it seemed, was just standing around as nondescript as he could.

    The strange part, actually, wasn¡¯t the fact that the two were in the square at all. Arl practically lived there, as far as I was concerned. But the fact that the two of them were talking was what mystified me.

    ¡°Carter!¡± I called out as I swerved past the last of the people between us. In front of me, the brown-haired ranger widened his eyes and turned, already smiling. Next to him, Arl looked up as well, but his eyes widened for a different reason.

    ¡°Agil,¡± Carter said. ¡°Deciding the sun doesn¡¯t actually burn your skin today?¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± I said, tilting my head and letting out a small bewildered chuckle. But really, my gaze was fixed on Arl. Who, after barely even acknowledging my existence, scurried away from the both of us to scavenge from a basket left out about a dozen paces away. That made me really chuckle. ¡°Even as they change, some things stay the same, don¡¯t they?¡±

    Carter cocked an eyebrow. ¡°I suppose,¡± he said, taking his turn to be a little bewildered.

    I smiled. ¡°Yeah. Tired of staying in the lodge about sums it up.¡±

    Carter nodded slowly. ¡°You don¡¯t have an assignment?¡±

    Tilting it to the side, I shook my head again. ¡°No¡­ Lorah hasn¡¯t given me anything yet.¡± The sparse words she¡¯d given me two days back repeated in my head. At the time, she¡¯d said there wasn¡¯t enough need to push me away from recovery for the sake of an assignment. ¡°How about you? I have a hard time believing she let you off the hook.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Carter glanced over at me, a sarcastic question in his eyes. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    I threw up my hands, the corners of my lips curling into a smirk. ¡°No reason. But the only other person without an assignment that I know of is Galen.¡±

    My fellow ranger rolled his eyes. ¡°Well, of course. Galen never gets assignments. He¡¯s always got his own work to deal with, or whatever.¡± Carter turned away from the stall, now holding a loaf of bread that practically gleamed in the sunlight. ¡°I¡¯ve just already finished my assignments for the week.¡±

    I furrowed my brows. ¡°You have? How¡¯s that?¡±

    Carter shrugged. ¡°Mine were simple. This grocery run I¡¯m on right now is the last of them, actually. After fighting terrors for the past few weeks, hunting regular game is easy pickings.¡±

    I nodded slowly. As strange as it was, since I¡¯d first become a ranger, I hadn¡¯t done nearly as much of that as the rest of the Rangers had. ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡±

    Shuffling away from the stall to let other people by, Carter¡¯s gaze softened my way. ¡°Thanks for that, by the way.¡±

    Both of my eyebrows shot up and for a moment, the tips of my ears burned. But I shook that away and took the thanks with pride. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy, but it needed to be done.¡± I tried not to sound like Jason. ¡°I¡¯m just glad the cycle is over now.¡±

    Carter nodded. ¡°How long was the trip, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Two to three days on foot,¡± I said. Then I remembered all of the grumbling we¡¯d all done along the way. ¡°If you walk from dawn to dusk without so much as a break to relieve yourself.¡±

    He let out a soft laugh, biting it back before it could build. Then, his sincere expression returned as quickly as it had left. ¡°But you destroyed the source, at least. Definitely, right?¡±

    Flaming golden tongues danced through my memories. The smell of smoke. Of burned hair and terror flesh. I nodded. ¡°We did.¡± Grey wings flashed in my vision, rising up along with a wave of disgust from the back of my mind. I shook it away, trying to push Anath and all the rest of the things I didn¡¯t understand into the past for now. ¡°Definitely.¡±

    My confirmation seemed to calm the ranger. He sighed with a mirthless chuckle. ¡°I heard you got stranded, too. Came back after Jason and Myris did.¡± His lips curled into what could barely be called a smirk. ¡°You finally have to actually put those hunting skills to use?¡±

    I chuckled at the backhanded insult. My hand fell to my side, tightening around the hilt of my blade, but I answered truthfully. ¡°I did. Though by the end of it, I¡¯m not sure I would¡¯ve been able to tell you what the word ¡®skills¡¯ even meant.¡±

    Carter laughed before rubbing his neck with his free hand. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back alive.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, warming up my smile and pitching our conversation into a little lull of silence.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Carter started, stifling a cough. ¡°How was Farhar?¡±

    I blinked, my smile fading as memories of the town came back up. Before I¡¯d gone, all I¡¯d thought about Farhar was that it was an old town at the edge of the forest. But now, having already waded through its nightly chaos, morning serenity, and mess of confusing streets, it felt like something more. The white-hot presence in my head flickering in approval seemed to agree.

    ¡°It was nice,¡± I said, but it didn¡¯t feel like enough. ¡°I got... a lot out of the experience.¡±

    Almost unconsciously, I flexed my muscles, feeling the energy twitching within. Energy that only improved my form and¡ªat least partially¡ªmade up for my body¡¯s shortcomings.

    ¡°You were in Farhar?¡± a new voice asked. I blinked, jerking my head back and turning as a broad-shouldered man pushed over to us. As soon as we turned to him, he flashed us each a charming smile that seemed to shine as much as his armor did.

    ¡°Uh,¡± I started, still unsure about the knight that had just asked me a question. ¡°Yeah. I went there to help out... Who are you?¡±

    The tanned knight shrugged his shoulders a little excitedly. A movement that made me notice the distinct blue trim on his armor. ¡°I¡¯m Fyn,¡± he said, offering me his hand. I took it and found myself forced to experience his all too firm handshake. ¡°New here, actually. Just arrived this morning.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a Knight of Norn?¡± I asked. The man jerked his head back in apparent surprise as he got Carter to shake his hand too. The ranger next to me had to bite back a grunt as he shook the pain off his hand.

    ¡°I am,¡± the man named Fyn said. ¡°Although, maybe not anymore. Marc recruited me here, so I¡¯m not exactly sure where I stand.¡± I opened my mouth, but the man continued on without pause. ¡°Anyway, what was Farhar like? I used to know someone from there. Are the streets really as confusing as they say?¡±

    I nodded slowly, the man¡¯s excitement grating on me a little. Yet, despite that, I could feel myself warming to it. ¡°They were. None of the locals seemed to be bothered by it, but it took us far too long to get anywhere.¡±

    Fyn nodded, holding a finger up. Then he laughed. ¡°Back in Norn, you know, our streets are all straight¡ªor, some of them are elegantly curved. But, you¡¯d think we invented parallel lines over there.¡±

    Beside me, Carter let out a small chuckle, which earned him a wide smile from the knight. Fyn continued. ¡°This place seems to have a better balance, but maybe it¡¯s harder to get around than I think.¡± I opened my mouth, but once again found myself cut off. ¡°Why were you in Farhar?¡±

    I snapped my lips shut and rolled my neck. Tried to push the possibly unintended disrespect away. ¡°I was part of the ranger party that helped over there. They were ravaged by terrors this cycle, and we went to deal with their scourge.¡±

    Fyn nodded slowly as if he understood every word. ¡°Successfully, I hope.¡±

    I tilted my head, blinking at the man. But Carter laughed anyway and answered for me. ¡°Yes, successfully. This has been the shortest cycle in years, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The knight continued bobbing his head up and down before extending a hand to my shoulder. When he looked at me, his eyes were narrowed. ¡°You two are rangers, then? I was told I¡¯d have to work with rangers.¡±

    I forced a smile onto my face. ¡°We are. These are the Ranger uniforms.¡±

    Fyn pursed his lips, still squinting. ¡°Good to know. I am glad you¡¯ve dealt with your problem down here, though. Less work for me, if you know what I mean.¡± He leaned in closer to me and smiled some more. I knew what he meant. ¡°They¡¯re still dealing with ours back in Norn.¡±

    Suddenly, memories from months back flooded in. I cringed, confirming my understanding as Fyn finally backed off. They¡¯d been dealing with the quakes, with Rath and her cult all the way back then. But it was still going even now?

    The thought left a very unsavory taste on my tongue.

    ¡°With what?¡± Carter asked. Fyn opened his mouth to reply, but for once, I was faster.

    ¡°Quakes, for one,¡± I said dryly. Turning toward my fellow ranger, I looked him right in the eyes and made sure he understood. ¡°And cult activity. Apparently, Rath is rising again.¡±

    The mention of the high-dragon¡¯s name made Carter take a step back. He angled his head and furrowed his brows at me. The beautiful loaf of bread in his arms nearly fell to the street. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°How did you know that?¡± Fyn asked, his tone still laid-back and bemused.

    I smiled, despite myself. ¡°I¡¯ve been to Norn as well. I even had to deal with a quake while I was there.¡± The memories streamed back one-by-one. Lady Amelia. The quake. Keris and his mention of her ire. They sent a shiver down my spine even now.

    Carter blinked, shaking his head. ¡°They¡¯ve been trying to deal with that? I didn¡¯t think Rath was more than a myth¡­¡±

    Fyn smiled at the now-spooked ranger. ¡°She still might be, you know. Just because her cult promises things, doesn¡¯t mean they will happen. There has been cult activity, but nothing we haven¡¯t been able to deal with.¡±

    I nodded, wincing at myself as I remembered Arathorn¡¯s ¡®package,¡¯ which had really been no more than stolen dragon¡¯s blood. Even despite how confident I felt on the surface, I rolled my neck as doubt crept into my mind.

    Carter squinted, only just starting to calm himself down. ¡°You¡¯ve been dealing with it for a while, though?¡± He turned to me. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to Norn months ago?¡±

    I nodded slowly, trying not to let any of my simmering worries out to the surface. And as I looked in Carter¡¯s direction, I didn¡¯t have to try that hard. Something else grabbed my attention. On the far side of the square¡ªover by the town hall¡ªa few knights were discussing something in hushed tones.

    ¡°Dealing with the cult of a dragon isn¡¯t easy work, I¡¯d say.¡± Fyn folded his arms. ¡°They¡¯ve even been requesting Marc¡¯s help here and there, actually.¡±

    My eyes widened at that, at the possibility of having to help against the cult again. Monotone words echoed from my memories, reminding me of the dragons¡¯ power. Of their hatred for the beast. Even though the majority of me despised the idea with a passion, I couldn¡¯t stop the little worm of hatred from making me interested. It wasn¡¯t the kind of hatred I even could stop. It was old and thick and burning. Something that stuck to my bones and didn¡¯t leave after a full night¡¯s rest.

    Without even realizing it, I gritted my teeth and clenched the hilt of my blade. But by the time I noticed, neither of my companions seemed to have. Fyn and Carter had been talking the entire time.

    Fyn laughed. ¡°Even after he left!¡± he said. Carter let out a breath of amusement at that, his fear taking a back seat again. ¡°Marc left the mountain states to come here, and yet he¡¯s still being roped in.¡± The broad knight calmed his own chuckles with a quick glance around. ¡°Even as things change, some stay the same eh?¡±

    I blinked at the words, opening my mouth. But by the time words had formed on my tongue, Fyn had already noticed his fellow knights congregating on the other side of the square and had muttered a rushed goodbye.

    My lips snapped shut and I let out a sharp breath of mirth myself as I watched the man push his way back through the crowds. But as Carter finally moved from his spot and started walking to another stall, the conversation started to really set in.

    And as I followed my friend, pushing down memories, fears, and hatred all at once, something became abundantly clear.

    I had a hard time believing anything would stay the same at all.

 Chapter 48

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    I jolted awake, my breaths skittering and my heart pounding.

    Harrowing sounds echoed like phantoms in my ears. The noise of my own pained, terrified gasping fell away from my mind. It faded with the rest of the dream. The beast, its scythe, and the sprawling army of terrors receded from my eyes. They too fell away as my nightmare ended and I was ripped back to reality.

    A white flame stirred in my head, brushing against the edge of my skull and piercing through the mental fog still draped over my conscience. I grimaced as I sat up. The images, thoughts, and feelings of the dream still lingered. They mixed in with the fog. But I shook them away and squinted at my dim room.

    Flicking my eyes around, I noted the desk that I barely ever used. The small window letting only stray beams of moonlight in. And the scratchy blanket draped over me that did a horrible job of keeping me warm.

    I sighed, letting the familiarity comfort me.

    Shaking my head again to rid the waking fog, I straightened up. I curled forward and ran a hand across my face as if to confirm that both body parts were still there. My own screams from the nightmare echoed their ghostly sounds one more time before I shrugged them off and let out a groan at a realization I didn¡¯t want to face.

    The nightmares were back.

    I grumbled incoherent words under my breath as I threw the blanket off me and exposed the sweat on my neck to cold air. My fingers curled into a fist. For months, I hadn¡¯t woken up like this. I¡¯d become stable enough, shaken off the useless paranoia so that I wasn¡¯t dreaming about the beast coming for me and everyone that I loved. After it had cursed me with a new life, it had taken weeks for me to get over the dreams. For me to reliably get full nights of rest.

    But not anymore, I thought dryly as my thundering pulse calmed. Ever since I¡¯d talked with Anath¡ªwith the source of the terrors herself, they had started up again. The worry, the anger, the fear¡ªit had all rushed back like blood flowing from an unhealed scar. After becoming a ranger, I¡¯d settled. I¡¯d gained a purpose enough that the determined rage still stuck to the inside of my bones wasn¡¯t all that I thought about. I¡¯d gained a method of training. I¡¯d gained experience. I¡¯d gained friends.

    With Anath¡¯s claims though, that didn¡¯t matter as much anymore. It was more information that I kept to myself. More fuel for the raging fire that I hoped would burn the beast to a crisp. More that I didn¡¯t share with anyone else.

    The explanation of the beast had been enough. The idea of its full power, along with the simple possibility of going against it had been all it took. My determined mind had latched onto her words and used them to torture me all over again.

    Yet no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t let it out. It was too important to me, too deeply rooted, too entwined with my soul to risk talking about. Like something I¡¯d sworn to secrecy in a knight¡¯s oath. Except, I didn¡¯t have other knights to confide in anymore.

    I leaned backward, flopping down on my pillow. Another sigh worked its way out of my mouth and I forced away my own thoughts. Rubbed my eyes to clear all of the worries away. But after a time, even with the worries hidden from view, all I was left with was the dark, useless view of my ceiling.

    The white flame flared up in my head, sending waves of emotions I didn¡¯t even consider. It brushed against the backs of my eyes and watched through them. It watched the uneventful darkness, if only to keep itself occupied.

    My eyes snapped shut. I relaxed my muscles and let out a breath, trying to ignore something that was becoming abundantly clear.

    I wasn¡¯t getting back to sleep anytime soon.

    The white flame swirled, apparently just as restless as I was. Looking inward, I felt its warmth, but I didn¡¯t miss the resentment it held for the beast as well.

    My teeth ground together, anger rising again. I shook my head, throwing my blanket clean off and opening my eyes. Before I knew it, I was staggering to my feet. And less than a minute later, my door clicked shut behind me as I walked out of my room.

    Dim light shrouded the hallway all around me. Soft, nearly inaudible steps rang out as my bare feet brushed against the quality wooden floor. Cold air bled through my brown tunic and reminded me just how long winter seemed to stretch on for here.

    Though at least inside the lodge, howling winds didn¡¯t sting my skin.

    Walking over toward the training room, I smiled. The empty fireplace and static blank mat warmed me. Especially as the white flame flickered in approval. It reminded me of the training I¡¯d done since getting back from Farhar. Of the attempts I¡¯d made at understanding my own magic. At accepting how it worked.

    Memories of the past weeks steamed past. Looking back, the period of arriving back in Sarin to now seemed like it had passed in an instant. A weak and a half gone without much thought. A result of normalcy, I ventured. Or, as much normalcy as I could expect.

    At least when Lorah had started giving me assignments again, I hadn¡¯t been forced to fight terrors in the middle of the night.

    Yet, even though the return to normal was nice¡ªeven though it let my body rest with comfortable tasks¡ªit only bored my mind. It gave me more time to think about Anath¡¯s words. More time to try and wrap my head around concepts of the world and levels of power I was never meant to understand.

    Even now, roaming the halls of the lodge in the middle of the night, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Not only about the beast, but about Anath herself. After her conversation with me, she¡¯d all but vanished into the night. And as much as the scared part of me wanted to assume I¡¯d never see her again, I¡¯d already been wrong once. I¡¯d seen her on one of the first days of my new life only to meet her once more in the woods.

    Something told me that wouldn¡¯t be the last time.

    I slowed my pace, coming to a stop somewhere in the middle of the hall. For a moment, I furrowed my brows before looking up at the door in front of me. Immediately, I jerked my head back. The blank wood registered in my memory, despite the fact that all the rooms in the lodge looked almost identical.

    Flicking my eyes to the side though, I realized why I remembered it. I realized why my feet had brought me here even if I hadn¡¯t been thinking about it. And as soon as I realized that, a smile grew on my face.

    It was Kye¡¯s room.

    I stepped forward and raised my hand. Then I stopped. My eyebrows dropped and doubt rose up. With another tiny shiver running down my spine, I noted that I didn¡¯t actually know what time it was. It was night, obviously. But I had no idea how late. And even if some part of me deep inside was burning to talk to her, burning for something to do at all, I didn¡¯t want to wake her up.

    As the silence pressed down though, that burning part of me won out.

    I knocked.

    Three simple knocks that were standard practice around the lodge were all it took. They reverberated through the hall, short and sturdy, but I didn¡¯t knock any further. Stepping back, I nodded in satisfaction. If she didn¡¯t open the door at that, I¡¯d be respectful and leave her alone.

    But strangely, after only a second, her door creaked. It opened only a bit and my former cellmate took half a step out. The metal boot of her ranger¡¯s uniform made the floorboards creak as she staggered, her face drawn and tired. Running a hand through her already messy chestnut hair, she squinted into the dim light.

    After another second, she noticed me. ¡°Agil? What are you doing?¡±

    Smiling at Kye¡¯s bewildered expression, I almost didn¡¯t answer. Her question repeated in my head but in my own voice, and I realized even I didn¡¯t completely know what I was doing myself. But as all of my memories containing Anath surged back, running all the way to when I¡¯d first met Kye in a cell, I didn¡¯t hesitate any longer.

    My smile ticked up. ¡°I¡¯ve got¡ª¡± I stopped myself, my brows furrowing as the sight in front of me set in. ¡°Why are you up right now, anyway? And why are you still in your full uniform?¡±

    Kye tilted her head, annoyance showing readily in her narrowed eyes. ¡°I could ask you the same question,¡± she said. ¡°I was on a late hunt with Tan. We only just got back about twenty minutes ago.¡± I nodded. ¡°Now what do you want?¡±

    I fought back a cringe, keeping my face stoic as I thought of the best way to word it. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kye said, leaning against the door frame. ¡°What is it?¡±

    The dark woods, the twisted trees, the grey wings. I took a deep breath. ¡°I met the source.¡±

    Kye raised an eyebrow. It took a moment for my words to process. ¡°Yeah, I know. You all destroyed it in Farhar. That was¡­ weeks ago, at this point.¡±

    I curled my lip. ¡°We did. But that¡¯s not¡ª¡± I stopped myself again. Bit the next word off before it could even come out. The full breadth of what I wanted to say came down like a boulder. ¡°It¡¯s a little hard to explain. Can we not do this in the hall?¡±

    Kye stopped for a moment, hesitating and eyeing me suspiciously. Then she nodded. A thin smile built on her face. ¡°Fine. Shut the door, though. And don¡¯t make this too long.¡±

    I nodded, stepping forward to catch the door as Kye walked off. Moving into the dim room, I closed the door as quietly as I could.

    Kye basically dragged her feet over the scratchy rug in the middle of her room. She didn¡¯t even bother with taking off her metal boots before flopping down on her bed. Flicking my eyes around, I noted what I remembered about her room. Her window and bed were the exact same as mine, but her desk didn¡¯t go unused. It only had one paper on it, but it made up for that by being covered with multiple broken arrows and all of the necessary pieces to make new ones.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°So,¡± Kye started, not even sitting up. ¡°What in the world are you talking about?¡±

    I grinned, walking over to her desk and pulling out its chair to sit in. As soon as I got settled, Kye raised her head and cocked an eyebrow at me. She rolled her wrist shortly after as if to turn the gears in my head.

    ¡°As I said, I met the source,¡± I said. ¡°But it¡ª¡±

    ¡°I already knew that,¡± Kye interrupted. ¡°And you already said that. Did you hit your head or something?¡±

    My eyebrows dropped and I glared at her. ¡°No. Just let me explain, will you?¡± Kye threw a hand up in the air, motioning for me to continue. I did. ¡°We did destroy what we thought was the source in Farhar. But after getting stranded on our way back, I was chased by terrors. And they led me to the¡­ the true source.¡±

    An unsure sound came from Kye¡¯s direction. ¡°True source?¡±

    I nodded, trying to work it out logically in my head. ¡°In previous cycles, the sources have all been locations, right? Places where masses of terrors congregated.¡±

    ¡°For the cycles I¡¯ve seen,¡± Kye said. ¡°But when Lionel saw a source for the first time, it was more of a crawling abomination of terror flesh than anything else.¡± She chuckled to herself. ¡°Even when he talks about it now, you can see how scared he is.¡±

    I tilted my head. The thought of the charismatic, experienced ranger shrieking in terror almost brought a chuckle out of me too. ¡°Well, this cycle it was different,¡± I said before I could start laughing. ¡°The source wasn¡¯t the collection of trees. Or, not really, at least. Those were all created by a being.¡± Anath¡¯s faulty smile flashed in my mind. ¡°The source was a person. Or, a person of sorts.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kye asked lazily. ¡°A¡­ a person of sorts?¡±

    The white flame flickered in curious amusement, but I ignored it. ¡°It was a human,¡± I said. Anath¡¯s description of her own composition sent a shiver down my spine. ¡°But also a terror, and also¡­ a dragon.¡±

    Kye lifted her head. She stared at me and blinked, her face blank. Then she started laughing. ¡°I¡¯m way too tired for this, Agil. What¡¯re you on about?¡±

    I waited multiple seconds for her bellows of amusement to die down. For a moment, doubt crept back and I thought about just letting it go. About bidding my tired companion goodnight and going back to my own sleepless bed. But as the white flame danced, reminding me of how restless I was, I kept on.

    ¡°The source of the terrors,¡± I said. ¡°This time¡­ it wasn¡¯t the place. It was some horrifying draconic human combination.¡± Kye snorted again. I shook my head and continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but it was.¡±

    Kye sat up, brushing hair out of her face. ¡°And how do you even know that?¡±

    I took a deep breath. I stared Kye in the face. ¡°I met it, Kye. I met her.¡±

    As if responding to the finality in my voice, Kye straightened. Mirth drained from her face and she tilted her head. This time, she didn¡¯t laugh. ¡°Her? What are you... Why are you even telling me this?¡±

    A memory tore its way up. I saw Kye, but she wasn¡¯t looking at me. She was looking away as I tried to talk to her. Looking into another cell.

    ¡°Because I¡¯d seen her before,¡± I said. ¡°Before even coming to Sarin. I saw her in a cell.¡±

    Kye froze. Slowly, she turned, blinking at me in disbelief until a realization settled on her face.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked, her voice hollow.

    I shifted in the creaky wooden chair. My blood ran cold, but I¡¯d already committed. ¡°Do you remember when you and I first met?¡±

    She nodded, a thin smile forming on her lips. ¡°A foul-smelling man with faulty arrogance hauled you into my perfectly good cell, unconscious, and left me to wait until you woke up.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°Do you remember the girl in the cell next to ours? The one that had been there longer than you had?¡±

    Kye¡¯s smile vanished. ¡°The one with wings?¡±

    I nodded, squaring my gaze with hers. She jerked her head back and glared at me, as if harboring resentment for a bad joke. But I wasn¡¯t joking, and as seconds of silence ticked past, she knew it too.

    ¡°Her?¡± she asked. I nodded, watching her eyes dart across the room as she undoubtedly remembered the terrifying girl. ¡°She was the source?¡± I nodded. Kye scrunched her face and rubbed her temple. ¡°What does that even mean?¡± Then she glared at me again. ¡°Why are you making me ask so many world¡¯s damned questions?¡±

    Her sarcasm barely even registered in my head. A weight lifted from my shoulders, little by little. It took away the caustic edge of my own rage, calming me and letting the little white flame flicker its approval.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, leaning back. ¡°When I met her, she even recognized me before¡­¡±

    ¡°Before what?¡±

    I cringed. ¡°Before going on about her curse to control the terrors, and trying to explain dragons to me.¡± My lips snapped shut before I could tell her about Anath sharing my hatred of the beast. That was still too close to my heart. It would¡¯ve required too much explanation. So I held my tongue.

    Kye blinked. ¡°Her curse?¡±

    ¡°She was cursed to be the source of this cycle by the reaper itself,¡± I said. Cold, monotone words ran back through my mind. ¡°But before, she¡¯d been like other dragons. Lived in the mountains and yet flourished in the world¡¯s planes.¡±

    Kye shook her head. ¡°A dragon? Are you listening to yourself, Agil?¡±

    A tentative sigh left my lips, pulling at the uncomfortable uncertainty of it all. Before I¡¯d been reborn, I hadn¡¯t felt uncertain in years. Everything had been simple. Straightforward. I¡¯d always known what to do.

    But now¡­

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand it either,¡± I said, trying to keep my voice level. ¡°Not really, at least. But I¡­ I can¡¯t get it out of my head.¡± Shrugging my shoulders, I fought the sneer rising to my lips. ¡°Especially not with everything Marc is doing.¡±

    In an instant, Kye¡¯s eyebrows dropped. A sneer built up on her face also. ¡°You mean the new order of knights and the support he¡¯s been giving to the mountain states?¡±

    I snickered, her sarcasm lightening the weight of the air around us a little more. ¡°Yes. That. They¡¯re roping him in to deal with dragons. With Rath and her cult.¡±

    Kye scoffed, cutting through the nearly palpable tension. ¡°¡®Roping him in¡¯ is the nice way to put it.¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°They¡¯re extorting Sarin, practically. Betraying trade agreements and bringing up old issues to get his help.¡±

    I raised my eyebrows, leaning forward again. ¡°Trade agreements? They¡¯re that desperate?¡±

    My fellow ranger nodded. ¡°Lorah¡¯s been dealing with it for weeks now, trying to make sure none of the bullshit affects us.¡± A breath of annoyance rose out of her. ¡°Even though I know it will.¡± She curled her fingers and glanced over to meet my eyes. ¡°You know, it¡¯s not only metal, either. Marc was involved with the construction of Norn¡¯s temple, and they¡¯re using that to manipulate him too.¡±

    I widened my eyes but bobbed my head after a few seconds. ¡°I understand the desperation, at least. When I talked with her, she called Rath the mother of destruction. Said she could burn the mortal world to the ground.¡±

    ¡°Rath is barely more than a myth,¡± Kye retorted, her tone not entirely convinced. She averted her eyes, her expression darkening again. ¡°And none of this has to involve Sarin.¡±

    Memories flashed back through my mind. Not only Anath and her power, but further than that. I remembered the quake we¡¯d felt in Norn and the red-tinged flames that had seared my hair. All of it melded together, piling onto my fear and combining with my rage.

    ¡°She escaped that prison camp, you know,¡± I said. Kye turned to me, her brows furrowing. ¡°She killed every single soul there and left.¡± Realization dawned on my fellow ranger¡¯s face. ¡°She controlled the terrors during their most vicious cycle in years. And she did it all while weak. She¡¯s only partly a dragon, and still¡­ the only thing that could control her was death itself.¡±

    Kye relaxed her fingers. ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand dragons.¡± The stories of my youth already painted them as beings of unfathomable destruction, and somehow even those were wrong. I didn¡¯t know if I wanted to understand them. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to learn about them by being subjected to their wrath.¡±

    My fellow ranger opened her mouth only to snap it shut after. Her face contorted, eyebrows knitting together before her eyelids drooped and she leaned back on her bed.

    ¡°It won¡¯t come to that,¡± she said, her tone uncharacteristically soft. And as her voice led off into silence, I could tell she wasn¡¯t entirely convinced herself. But as she laid back, staring up at her ceiling in the same way I had, I didn¡¯t dare comment on it. I didn¡¯t dare break the silence.

    Not until I had another question to ask.

    ¡°You think Marc will gather a party to go aid in Norn?¡± I asked, my voice soft and low. Through the silence, it almost echoed off the walls.

    Kye scoffed quietly. ¡°Of course he will. And he¡¯ll request some number of rangers to join it.¡± She ran a hand through her hair. ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time at this point.¡±

    Another second of silence. I opened my mouth, words of confident resolve ready to spew out. But I kept them inside. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to mutter them because I didn¡¯t know how she¡¯d react.

    ¡°Are you thinking of joining?¡± she asked.

    I froze, my eyes fixed on the floor. The question rolled over in my mind, but I already knew my answer. If any beings could make the beast pay, it would be the dragons. Anath had said it herself.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I finally said. ¡°If they¡¯re going to deal with Rath, I want to be there to make sure it happens.¡±

    Kye let out a sharp breath. ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s anything more than a suicide mission?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re defeatable,¡± I said without looking up. They had to be. My fingers curled into a fist. ¡°Didn¡¯t you once tell me about a former ranger who killed one?¡±

    ¡°Tahir,¡± Kye all but whispered. I could feel the pain behind the name even now. ¡°But that was different. Tahir was¡­ different.¡± She just stared up for a moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t even see it happen, either. He told us to leave and then came out minutes later nearly dead.¡± I could hear the hitch that caught in her breath from across the room. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I would call that successful.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not invincible,¡± I said. I didn¡¯t even know if my own words were true. ¡°But if Rath rises, it will be more than the mountain states that get burned.¡± A tightness formed in my chest, wrapping around my words as if protecting my heart. ¡°And if there¡¯s even a possibility of success, I don¡¯t want to be sitting around here and waiting to hear that they were one person too short.¡±

    I took a deep breath. My own words repeated to me, and hearing them again, I didn¡¯t know if I was talking about Rath or the beast. Probably both, I realized. But it didn¡¯t change my resolve. Doing stray assignments and sparring in the lodge may have let my body rest, but I couldn¡¯t let it rest. If I wanted to make the beast pay¡ªif I wanted to be the best, I needed more than that. I need to know more.

    And as Anath¡¯s haunting, emotionless words kept hammering into my brain, the only place I was going to get it was in the mountains.

    The white flame floated. Its hatred of the beast mixed with mine. Straightening up, I grasped at thin air. At where the hilt of my sword should¡¯ve been. Then, as I realized there was nothing there, I chuckled. My mood lightened in an instant and suddenly, the splitting silence of the room was filled with tired amusement.

    Kye looked at me, bewildered. I met her gaze and chuckled again as a joke rose to my tongue. ¡°Plus, if I go, I won¡¯t have to deal with Jason¡¯s shit.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°What if he does go?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get to watch him get frustrated at being around knights who are all better with a sword than he is.¡±

    She laughed, her eyelids drooping as she twisted away. Her laughter faded into a silence that persisted until she spoke again.

    ¡°When he inevitably calls us,¡± Kye said and stifled a yawn, ¡°then if you go¡­ I¡¯ll go too.¡±

    She turned her head, dragging a pillow under it. I smiled as she closed her eyes, strands of beautiful chestnut hair framing her face. For a moment, my heart fluttered, but I tore my gaze away.

    Feelings arose within me. My mind reacted, trying to push them away. Almost as a reflex, something built up by years of conditioning, it conjured the image of my wife. Her beautiful, piercing hazel eyes stared at me. They stared right into my soul. But as I tried to remember every detail of them, even her image started to blur. It wasn¡¯t as clear anymore, I realized. It was fading away from me as well, falling into the past faster than I could grasp it in the present.

    Things were different now, I told myself again. The words I¡¯d repeated to myself more times than I could count.

    A tear formed at the corner of my eye. I blinked it away, taking a deep breath and facing reality head-on. I wasn¡¯t in Credon anymore. I wasn¡¯t married to Lynn¡ªnot truly, at least. Things were different, and even my burning hatred of the beast seemed to agree. Because I didn¡¯t just want to make the reaper pay anymore. I wanted to protect from it, too.

    I wanted to protect them all from it, I realized. I didn¡¯t want any of them to face what I¡¯d faced. Deep inside, some part of me fundamentally rejected its power. Rejected the idea of it coming for Kye or for any of them.

    If the beast came with its scythe, I wanted to be ready with my blade.

    But to be ready, I needed more. I needed to go to Rath, no matter how passionately my rationale rejected it. And even if it was useless¡ªeven if I learned nothing and she rose anyway, I had to be there regardless.

    I wouldn¡¯t let Sarin burn. Not after everything it had done for me.

    I¡¯d lived an entire life already. There was no way I was sitting back and watching idly as the future played out.

    A muffled breath echoed through the room. I looked up, raising my eyebrows as I watched Kye move her head and twitch her nose. At once, I recognized the silence. Silence that only intensified as my thoughts stopped spinning. So, sparing one last glance at my former cellmate, I sighed.

    Reluctantly, I rose from my chair and made for the hall.

    By the time the door clicked shut behind me, she was already asleep.

    The dark hallway greeted me with cold arms. I allowed it to take me, smiling as the identical rooms flew past. Even if it had been brief, I felt better. The weight on my shoulders had lessened and the thoughts about Anath had ceased looming over me. I was glad that I¡¯d told Kye. Glad that I¡¯d gotten some of it out.

    And I was glad she¡¯d get some rest, too.

    Because for me, it was a long, sleepless night.

 Chapter 49

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

    If you want to get notified of updates for this serial or chat with me as well as other serial authors, consider joining our discord server!</a>

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    We¡¯d all known it was coming.

    With everything that had been going on, it would¡¯ve been hard not to notice. Even after my conversation with Kye, the changes hadn¡¯t let up. The knights had kept on arriving, Marc¡¯s trade agreements hadn¡¯t stopped getting thrown in his face, and Lorah hadn¡¯t gotten a single moment away from dealing with the bullshit. The longer it had gone on, the more obvious it had become to all of us that something would give. That there would just be a point where Marc wasn¡¯t able to push back anymore.

    And as soon as he¡¯d called a meeting at the town hall, we¡¯d known.

    That point was now.

    Wood creaked under my metal boots as I stumbled up the steps. Beside me, a knight in blue-trimmed armor pushed past me and swung open the door to the town hall. I glared at the back of her head, my fingers tightening around the hilt of my blade. I had to bite back a curse, but I caught the door anyway and slipped inside.

    I slipped inside with all the rest of the rangers, retreating out of the fresh, evening air and into a room that was way more crowded than it had any right to be. The pleasant sounds of shops closing up and townsfolk making their way to Sarin¡¯s only local tavern receded behind me. They got overpowered by the commotion produced by the sheer amount of people tucked into such a small space.

    Even Jason¡¯s grumbling was drowned out by the buzz of annoyance and anticipation that was almost palpable in the air.

    I stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding one of the wooden pillars as I made my way over to where the rest of the rangers were standing. The sea of blue cloth greeted me with smiles, all coming from familiar faces.

    Just in front of us, Kye and Myris were complaining to each other in hushed tones. Beyond them, Lionel and his group were laughing and joking as they always were. And all the way at the end of our pocket of humanity, Lorah stood tapping her feet. The platinum-haired leader folded her arms, flicking her eyes around every few seconds.

    As I settled in, it was all too clear that she knew exactly what was coming. Though, with all of the rumors going around, I didn¡¯t think there was a single person in the room who didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Get out of the way, will you?¡± a voice asked, dry and irritated. I was smiling before I¡¯d even noticed Jason trying to get past me. Raising an eyebrow at him, I stepped out of the way to allow him to lean back against the wall.

    As soon as he noticed us, Myris straightened. ¡°Look who finally decided to arrive.¡±

    Beside him, Kye snickered. Her eyes ceremoniously fell on Jason. The swordsman rolled his eyes. ¡°You try getting through those streets, old man.¡±

    Myris cocked an eyebrow. ¡°I did. And we got here before you.¡±

    Even I chuckled at that. ¡°It really was oppressively crowded out there, though.¡±

    Kye shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s oppressively crowded in here. Marc¡¯s letting us stew like pigs.¡±

    I nodded in agreement, my hand clenching the grip of my blade for comfort. Flicking my eyes around, I really couldn¡¯t have said she was wrong. Because no matter how bustling Sarin¡¯s square was, at least it was outside. In fresh air that, while cold, at least didn¡¯t force us to smell every little detail.

    Inside town hall, though, we had no such luxury. Picking apart all of the murmuring voices and the people they belonged to, I couldn¡¯t even come up with how many there were. It could¡¯ve been two dozen¡ªor it could¡¯ve been more than that. All I was sure of was that the number landed somewhere between uncomfortable and unlivable.

    ¡°Some of us are more like pigs than others,¡± Jason muttered behind me. I turned to him, my brow furrowing. But his eyes weren¡¯t on me. He was looking at the mass of armor on the opposite side of the room.

    My eyes rolled on instinct. I glared at the swordsman, only to have him smirk at me and cross his arms. Though, even with the light-hearted gesture, I couldn¡¯t quite push away the antagonism. Even though I was a ranger¡ªeven though I¡¯d been one for months, I was still a knight, too. The oath I¡¯d taken lasted until death.

    And technically, I hadn¡¯t quite died yet.

    The white flame flared in my head, sending broken, meaningless thoughts to the forefront of my mind along with a wave of resentment. The visage of the beast only barely made me grit my teeth before I pushed it down.

    ¡°So,¡± Jason started as if just to supplant his boredom. ¡°What do you think this is all about?¡± He gestured to the room.

    I didn¡¯t even bother twisting toward him again; entertaining his irritation was only enjoyable to a point. And when Jason and I had been told about the meeting at town hall, he¡¯d just finished hunting a dangerous target. So instead of being simply arrogant, he was also exhausted.

    ¡°I think it has something to do with the mountain states,¡± a new voice said. Carter, I recognized before turning to see the ranger walking our way. Tan and Elena walked in right after him, the hooded inspector sparing a wave toward us.

    In the corner of my eye, I saw Kye wave back. But my attention was diverted somewhere else in short time.

    ¡°You think?¡± Jason asked, trying his best to make sure we knew it was rhetorical. ¡°That¡¯s all any of the damn knights have been talking about. Being on routine patrol and guarding trade caravans obviously isn¡¯t the most interesting thing in the world for them.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help the smile that grew on my face at that. ¡°A lot of the new ones just came from Norn, too.¡± Memories of Fyn rushed back to me. Both my first encounter with the cheerful knight and the numerous ones after that had included talk of Rath in one way or another. ¡°They dealt with that before coming here.¡±

    ¡°Only to go right back to it,¡± Kye added.

    ¡°I¡¯m just ready for it to be over with,¡± I said, sighing and scanning the room. ¡°We all knew it was happening, but at least now we don¡¯t have to wait around any longer.¡±

    Jason nodded at that. ¡°Ranger work is back to normal too, though.¡± He smirked, the expression telling us everything he¡¯d left unsaid. I rolled my eyes. ¡°Hunting actual game is better than¡ª¡±

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± a voice yelled, cutting Jason off and stealing the words I¡¯d been about to retort with from my lips. I turned to see Marc¡¯s messenger standing over by the entrance to Marc¡¯s office. Lorah raised an eyebrow at the man, finally letting her foot calm down.

    Although, even though most of the rangers had perked up at the voice, that didn¡¯t mean the room was quiet. On the other side of the room, still standing and sitting around the tables near the fireplace, most of the knights hadn¡¯t listened. Or they hadn¡¯t heard at all.

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± the man yelled again. A few of the knights turned, but the commotion didn¡¯t fall away at all.

    A smile tugging at her lips, Lorah glanced across the room and narrowed her eyes. When I saw what she was staring at, I smiled too. Light air drifted over to me as she concentrated.

    The fireplace flared bright.

    A clamor of startled cries and laughs echoed through the room. The loud, roaring crackle of the flames silenced all idle chat. After a second of it, Lorah stopped casting and slumped her shoulders, satisfied as the light level in the room dimmed again.

    I stifled a snicker, listening in pure amusement as my fellow rangers didn¡¯t nearly have that much control. Or, they didn¡¯t care nearly as much. Across the room, the clique that was the newly formed Knights of Sarin fell almost entirely silent. Some in shock, some in respect, and some in pure confusion. And next to them, the Knights of Norn quieted in the same way as if becoming instantly aware that they were the only ones talking in the room.

    Marc¡¯s messenger, however, took full advantage of the situation. He spared one thankful glance toward Lorah before clearing his throat. ¡°Excuse me!¡± For the first time, all eyes turned to him. He straightened up, the bronze emblem on his shoulder shining in new light. ¡°Lord Marcel gathered you all here for a reason. He has an announcement to make.¡±

    The soft, perfectly-agreeable and perfectly-forgettable voice trailed off into silence before two sturdy knocks echoed through the space. Marc¡¯s messenger removed his hand from the door only a moment later.

    As the wood creaked open, it was as if the entire building was holding its breath. Marc¡¯s sturdy steps cut through the silence. He trudged out of the door without any of his normal poise or calculation. Running a hand over his face, he looked up at all of us and scanned the room.

    The reaction on his drawn, tired face reflected what we all thought. There were just too many people.

    Marc sighed, composing himself. ¡°Thank you all for coming,¡± he said. His voice ramped up slowly as if he was injecting confidence into it with every second. His eyes sharpened. ¡°Knights of Norn. Knights of Sarin. And our Rangers.¡±

    He twisted, nodding at each group separately. Furrowing my brow, I followed his gaze and noticed the divisions were a little more real than simply in words. If I looked at it, the room truly was divided into three distinct groups. Opposite of where we were standing, the mass of chained and plated armor almost looked indistinguishable. But it wasn¡¯t. There was a visible separation between the different sects of knights differentiated by the color of their armor¡¯s trim.

    Each group stood on purposefully opposing sides of the seating area as if they¡¯d divided up the tables before Marc had even made the call to arms. Though, they¡¯d still forced us to stand in the empty corner of the room by ourselves.

    ¡°As you may know,¡± Marc continued, ¡°things have been changing recently.¡± A soft scoff sounded from the swordsman behind me. ¡°This great town of Sarin has dealt with its current scourge, it has prospered because of it, and it has even assisted its allies in need.¡± The Lord of Sarin tilted his head our way. Before I knew it, a smile was sprouting on my lips. ¡°Where before the lawless lands of Ruia were only loosely tied together¡­ now they have grown.¡± Marc straightened up, forcing his metal boot into the floor. ¡°With this change comes opportunity, but also responsibility.¡±

    There it was, I thought with a nod. We¡¯d all known it was coming. But judging from the murmurs sounding around me, it still didn¡¯t go over that well. To me, it seemed straightforward. It was a simple consequence of improving the safety of not only Sarin but all of its allies as well. And with Anath¡¯s warnings playing back through my mind, I knew how important that was.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°At the moment Sarin may be safe,¡± Marc said. I snapped my eyes up, my attention stolen by the calculated charisma slowly returning to his form. ¡°Now, it may prosper. Possibly even greater than it ever has before. But that is not the case everywhere. Our brothers and sisters in Farhar, for example, are still recovering from the losses of their food stores as winter plays its receding game.¡±

    I tilted my head. My fingers tightened on the hilt of my sword. I shot a glance sideways, cocking an eyebrow and trying to confirm the information with anybody else. Kye noticed my gaze but couldn¡¯t answer the question in my eyes. Myris¡¯ subtle nod, though, told me everything I needed to know.

    Shit. When we¡¯d gone to Farhar, we¡¯d known they were in trouble. We¡¯d known that the town had been ravaged by terrors worse than they had been in years. Even while there, I¡¯d heard about their losses, but everything had seemed alright enough. And by now, that had been more than a month ago.

    The fact that they were still dealing with issues as winter reached its tail end only served to remind me how lucky Sarin had been.

    ¡°Farhar, however, is doing well.¡± Marc shifted his stance, and I didn¡¯t miss the way he suppressed the distasteful curl of his lip. ¡°Their leadership has recognized their own strengths, our help, and put it to good use.¡± His fingers twitched, resisting the pull into a fist. ¡°Other allies of ours have not been as lucky.¡±

    A soft clamor spread through the room like a disgruntled snake as Marc¡¯s words trailed into silence. It started with the Rangers, the lot of them already knowing what Marc meant. But it went beyond their dread of the monster that was supposed to be nothing more than a myth. The snake fed through all the harsh gazes being shot toward the knights on the other side of the room, only festering resentment between both sides.

    I gritted my teeth, trying to ignore the tensions that threatened to rip my past from my present.

    After a moment, Marc sighed. He raised his head again and glared at the room, silencing it. ¡°Other allies of ours have dealt with scourges of their own. Some simpler than ours, and some¡­¡± He clenched his jaw. ¡°Some more dangerous than any of us can imagine. And while Sarin may prosper, my home of Veron does not, and neither do the mountain states as a whole. I¡¯m sure you all are already aware of the reason why.¡± Movement flashed in my vision as a plethora of the knights nodded with bowed heads. ¡°They have been allies with us¡ªtrade partners and benefactors for far too long. Now¡­ it is time to return the favor.¡±

    In an instant, the room erupted with discontent. It started with gasps and a flurry of sharp comments, but it rose in intensity quick. Before it could get far, however, Marc stepped forward. He let a scowl out on his face and crushed the commotion in the room with the bronze gauntlet on his armor.

    ¡°You all know the situation, but it is horrible enough that it bears repeating,¡± Marc said. ¡°For months now, the mountain states have been dealing with increasingly frequent quakes. As if the mountains themselves are breaking in half. But the source of these quakes is the main cause for concern...¡± Marc hesitated. It was the first time I¡¯d seen such uncertainty on the lord. ¡°Rath may be rising again.¡±

    A shallow breath. The mention of the high dragon sent a shiver down my spine. Ever since first learning stories about her in Norn, I¡¯d never really pushed them from my mind. Tales of destruction so horrific yet confusing and convoluted that none of them made sense. Like they were made up by an imaginative child. Except, all of the stories carried a weight that forced that conclusion to be untrue.

    ¡°¡ªridiculous,¡± a voice muttered from across the room. Its low, frustrated tone cut through the bolstering crowd. ¡°Using a myth to scare us like¡ª¡±

    Marc didn¡¯t let the objections continue. ¡°The stories of her are as old as stone itself,¡± he said. The low voice skidded to a stop. ¡°I know it as well as all of you.¡±

    I nodded, remembering the off-handed mentions and doubts about the rumors around town. The final account, whether true or not, of Rath¡¯s ire was millennia old. Nobody had ever known what made her fall, but whatever it was, she wanted to rise again.

    Marc sighed, shaking his head. ¡°It may or may not be Rath herself. We have no way to know¡­¡± A cocky scoff echoed from somewhere across the room. ¡°But we do know her cult has been active and growing in power. The nuisance that the Scorched Earth once caused has become actual and deadly threats.¡± Only silence followed his words after that. ¡°And it is still more than them. There have been reports of dragons, too.¡±

    I widened my eyes, unconsciously taking a step backward. Anath¡¯s image flew up in my head, holding itself in my mind by propping grey wings against my skull. I shook it away, remembering not only their power but their hatred of the beast as well.

    ¡°The reports have been scattered,¡± Marc said. The uncertainty was back. ¡°Confusing, convoluted, and nearly impossible in some cases, but they come from a credible source.¡± Marc shook his head, trying to force back his determined look even though he barely believed his own words. ¡°No knight would lie about the mind-rending, flesh-searing death of one of their own.¡±

    Once again, silence took the room. All of the objection, all of the discontent¡ªit had vanished. Evaporated like a ghost as soon as Marc¡¯s words had hit close to home. As I looked around, the faces I saw told me nobody in the room could confirm any of it was true. Nobody in the room had ever seen a dragon before. But the possibility alone¡­ it was enough to make all of us stand in line.

    ¡°It has been particularly bad in Norn,¡± Marc continued, ¡°with terrible quakes tearing age-old buildings to the ground. Their knightly force is strong and their guard is as competent as ever, but they¡¯re spread too thin. There is too much damage, and they are being attacked on all sides.¡± The lines at the corner of Marc¡¯s eyes tightened as he steeled himself. ¡°There is the plan of an offensive to turn the tide against the cult. To deal a fatal blow, if you will. Sarin has been requested to assist, and I have agreed to give what I can.¡±

    Despite myself, a grin grew from the corners of my lips. Because watching Marc, I knew. The way he shifted his stance. The tired look that he couldn¡¯t hide no matter how confident he seemed. He¡¯d been forced to give assistance whether he liked it or not.

    This time, Marc didn¡¯t even wait for the protests to arise. ¡°I have agreed to supply them with manpower. A procession of support. Diverse enough that it can meet their various requests yet strong enough that it can meet them all head-on.¡± The Lord of Sarin darted his eyes around the room, narrowing them with each second as he looked over the different groups. ¡°I cannot leave Sarin undefended, but I can also not ignore our ally¡¯s call. I will gather an envoy of both rangers and of knights.¡±

    No matter what our Lord wanted, grievance broke out at that. From each of the three groups, and even from myself as well. I kept my lips pressed shut, but as the white flame swirled and cascaded over me waves of fear, I couldn¡¯t ignore it. I couldn¡¯t ignore my own doubts and dread. The feeling still eating at my gut despite the solid resolve I¡¯d forged.

    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Jason muttered behind me. Blinking out of my own thoughts, I turned to him. He was already glaring at the lord of our town. ¡°He really wants to send us to the grave.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot,¡± Myris responded without even twisting his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t get caught up in legends when there are real lives at stake.¡±

    Jason sneered. ¡°Lives I¡¯ve never heard of. From a place I¡¯ve never been¡­ Lives of knights, no less.¡±

    I sneered, my eyes boring into the swordsman who wouldn¡¯t even look my way. ¡°Lives you could have more compassion for, at least. We¡¯re still rangers to protect. And he still is our lord.¡±

    ¡°Our Lord?¡± Jason asked. His eyes finally met mine. ¡°Right. The Lord of Sarin who cares more about our connections with other towns than the people who live here.¡±

    I squinted. My grip stiffened. Staring Jason in the face, I wanted to continue arguing. I wanted to fall into the knightly routine that had been steadily rising since I¡¯d entered the hall. But the white flame stopped me. The look in Jason¡¯s eyes stopped me. Instead of the arrogance he was spewing out like venom, I saw the slowly encroaching hints of pure and unbidden fear.

    ¡°It¡¯s more than just Norn, Jason,¡± I said. He sneered again. I held a breath. ¡°Norn has helped Sarin. The metal in both of our swords is from there¡­ without a doubt. All of this¡±¡ªI gestured out to the room¡ª¡°is about more than superficial connections. There is a real town at stake¡ªreal quakes, real lives.¡±

    Jason grumbled something out under his breath unsavory enough I wished I hadn¡¯t heard. I shook my head, letting a breath slip through my teeth as I turned away.

    ¡°What? Are you scared, Jason?¡± Kye asked.

    ¡°No,¡± the swordsman said and scrunched his face. ¡°But I¡¯m not helping knights when Sarin has its own problems. There is still game to hunt. Still food to provide. Still people to protect.¡± His words rattled off with as much fake confidence as I¡¯d grown to expect. Though, he couldn¡¯t stop them from sounding hollow.

    Because they were. Excuses. That was all they were.

    ¡°Good,¡± a far more assured voice said. I turned back to Marc, only watching the tail end of whatever orders he¡¯d been relaying to the two groups of knights. As we¡¯d talked, he¡¯d gathered them together. Congregated who he thought our envoy would need from each group.

    I didn¡¯t miss the subtle bitterness that passed between the Knights of Sarin and the Knights of Norn who¡¯d been selected. In fact, the only one who seemed completely immune was a certain cheerful knight who was grinning up a storm. I chuckled, happy at least that travel wouldn¡¯t be boring this time around.

    Marc twisted on his heel after rattling off the last of the orders I¡¯d paid no mind to. He turned to our corner and nodded to most of us with respect. Then, he cleared his throat. ¡°The procession needs able fighters of all types. And it needs tacticians sharper than what my knights can offer.¡± He smiled, gesturing to us.

    At the end of our group, Lorah both grinned and narrowed her eyes. She watched us expectantly, waiting for one of us to make the first move. And despite the film of unease settling in my stomach, I took the plunge.

    I raised my hand. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±

    Marc¡¯s eyes flicked over to me and his smile only grew. All around me, though, the reaction was much colder than that. Instead of agreement, or complaint of any kind, the only reception I got was silence. Cold, stunned silence.

    After a moment, I twisted around. Among the myriad shocked, contemplative, or even simply confused faces, Jason¡¯s stuck out. He stared at me wide-eyed as if he¡¯d just seen a ghost. The fear I¡¯d seen before had made its way to the surface.

    Then, after a second, his face contorted. He blinked as if in denial of what he was seeing in front of him. But before he could voice his own bewilderment, another voice broke the spell.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go, too,¡± Kye said. A sigh of relief millions of pounds heavy fled from my lips.

    Glancing over at her, I saw the worry in her eye. I saw hardened uncertainty and the same bitterness the knights displayed. But with it, I saw warmth. The slight smile she offered me. The tilted look as if proving to me that she¡¯d kept her word.

    I nodded, recalling what we¡¯d just offered ourselves for. A shiver crept down my spine as I imagined what none of the legends¡ªor even Anath¡¯s warnings¡ªcould put into an actual image. But as I composed myself, the white flame adding to my resolve with its own, I remembered Marc¡¯s words.

    At least I fit with his first category, and Kye fit with the second better than most other Rangers did.

    Marc¡¯s eyes slid across our group. They met all the hesitant gazes and contemplation as nobody else bothered to speak up. Though eventually, his patience ran thin. ¡°I need more than that. Norn has assisted Sarin in more ways than you know, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go too,¡± a voice said from somewhere in the mass of blue. Recognizing who it belonged to, though, took little time. Multiple answers of the same timbre rattled off seconds later as three other rangers followed Lionel¡¯s call.

    The Lord of Sarin smiled. Genuinely this time. ¡°Good. That will most certainly be enough.¡± Without wasting another second, he stepped away from us and back toward the center of the room.

    As soon as he left earshot, Jason was already kicking up dust. ¡°What the hell was that?¡±

    I turned to the swordsman. ¡°I told you. It¡¯s more than just Norn.¡±

    Red-tinged flames flashed in my mind. Rath¡¯s fire, I remembered. All too clearly from when my skin had been seared. Tendrils of her ire spiraled through my mind. And I just didn¡¯t want them to ever touch the town that had become my home.

    ¡°That has been taken care of,¡± Marc said. I turned, blinking away the harrowing images that didn¡¯t even exist. That would never exist, I corrected myself. ¡°For all going to Norn, you will depart in a few days time. There will be a briefing here before you go, but you all know the way.¡± His eyes averted, staring into the floor. Then he sighed one last time. ¡°May the world give all of you its favor. Dismissed.¡±

    I smiled as Marc took a deep breath and walked off. The exhausted look returned to his face, pulling him to the floor. And on the way to his office, he didn¡¯t even stop when his messenger started talking to him. Around me, the building erupted back into noise, but I didn¡¯t pay it much mind. Even though my ears could pick apart almost every word, it didn¡¯t seem like it mattered.

    Before I knew it, we were all filing out.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Kye said as I crossed the threshold into nighttime air. She grabbed my wrist. ¡°Did you hear what he said in there?¡±

    I fought my wide eyes back under control. ¡°I did. And it¡¯s¡­ terrifying. There¡¯s no other word for it. But I wouldn¡¯t have been able to take just sitting around. Not so far away. Not with the possibilities being what they are.¡±

    Kye and I shared a knowing glance. ¡°I know, and I feel the same way.¡± Then she smirked. ¡°You think I¡¯d want to sit around here doing assignments I¡¯ve been doing for years while¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°No. I just wanted to make sure you knew what kind of shit you got yourself into.¡±

    I chuckled. I couldn¡¯t have helped it if I¡¯d wanted. ¡°I do, I think.¡± The white flame flickered, spawning images of the beast coated in caustic rage from deep in my mind. I gritted my teeth. ¡°Enough to know that I¡¯d rather have a chance.¡±

    Kye¡¯s smirk only widened. Then, before the next wave of knights crowded out the door, she pushed down the steps and into the calm square. ¡°You better pray to the world that that chance even exists.¡±

    I offered a smile, dry and only half convinced as I followed her back to the lodge.

    Because despite the beast and every vile thing it had done, I was going to do exactly that.

 Chapter 50

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    My days of normalcy were fleeting at best. They always had been.

    Days of habit, of custom, of ritual¡ªthey became rarer and rarer as time went on. As more of the world around me changed. When I¡¯d been reborn, my peaceful life had been interrupted by the beast. The vile thing had ripped away everything I¡¯d known and loved. Everything I¡¯d considered normal.

    A flicker of white flame punctuated my thoughts as I trudged into the hallway. A groan slipped between my lips. My tired bones creaked as I forced myself into action after doing nothing but packing all morning. Nothing but preparing for the arduous and painful journey that was sure to come.

    I sighed.

    After the beast had ripped my own body away from me, torn up all shreds of happiness, and cursed me with a new life for its own amusement, I¡¯d only survived out of spite. I¡¯d only pushed through with the determined resolve that I¡¯d built up over an entire lifetime.

    But I¡¯d survived, I told myself as my fingers tightened on the grip of my sword. A thin smile grew across my lips as I walked on, turning the corner into the training room. Each new step I took felt solid. They felt poised and confident as the memories streamed back before my eyes.

    Kye turned to me as soon as I walked in. She raised an eyebrow and spared half a wave my way before going back to picking between arrows on the shelf in front of her. The way her short but flowy chestnut hair settled over the blue cloth on her shoulders only brought my smile to life.

    I¡¯d survived back then, sure. But I hadn¡¯t done it alone. Not completely, anyway. In the grand scheme of the world, I¡¯d been lucky. No matter how strange it felt to think, I¡¯d been fortunate that mercenaries had ambushed me on my way to town. Lucky that I¡¯d ended up in Kye¡¯s cell. And even luckier that I¡¯d become a ranger after that.

    Because after arriving in Sarin and becoming a ranger, I¡¯d fallen back into normalcy. Into habit. It had been a welcome one of training, learning, and hunting, but it had been a habit all the same. One that brought my body to a level of physical competency. It had been interrupted from time to time, usually because of a call for assistance that I had to heed, but I¡¯d spent most of my time in town. Most of my time in routine.

    To its credit, Sarin had started feeling like home quicker than I¡¯d expected. And the longer I stayed, the more the effect compounded. The more I grew accustomed to it all¡ªthe more my memories of the past blurred and fell away only for new ones to rise in their place.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Kye asked, ripping me from my thoughts. I nodded.

    Eventually, the routine had to break.

    ¡°I¡¯m as ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± I said, fingers drumming on the hilt of my sword. At the thought of what was to come, I straightened up. I stiffened my posture and squared my shoulders, suddenly feeling the bag on my back even more. The weight of my clothes, and a bedroll, and the rations that I¡¯d become all too familiar with since my journey to Farhar.

    White flame flared behind my eyes, calling for my attention as if to make sure I didn¡¯t forget.

    And the map, I reminded myself.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯ll have to be good enough,¡± Kye said. A smirk already danced at her lips as she finished with the bundle of arrows and placed them in her quiver. ¡°But don¡¯t blame me if you find out you forgot anything.¡±

    I smiled, tilting my head. ¡°What about if you¡¯ve forgotten something?¡±

    Kye stopped. Her brow furrowed and she looked up at me in disbelief, as though my question were ridiculous on the face of it. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±

    Another smirk followed her movements as she pushed away from the weapons rack and toward the door. I stifled a chuckle and followed after her, running down the list of items I¡¯d had to bring in my head. A blast of brisk morning air flooded into the lodge as Kye swung open the door. I caught it only a moment later and walked out into the sun.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Lionel, by the way?¡± I asked, suddenly aware of the charismatic ranger¡¯s absence. He had offered to go after Kye and I had taken the plunge, after all. And to Marc¡¯s benefit, he¡¯d brought multiple members of his throng along with him.

    Kye stopped in front of me, twisting. ¡°They¡¯re at town hall already.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I had the pleasure of being in the kitchen when they bustled through the training room like a herd of wild animals.¡± I allowed myself a soft chuckle at that. Kye¡¯s lips tugged up at the corner. ¡°I swear, if I didn¡¯t know better, I would think they¡¯re all joined at the hip or something.¡±

    My soft chuckle grew into something more than that in short time. Because really, I had to agree with what she¡¯d said. Lionel had been a veteran ranger when I¡¯d arrived, and from what I knew, he¡¯d even been one when Kye had started. It was clear that he was skilled, and he finished almost all of his assignments in record time.

    But if I wasn¡¯t on a hunt with him or standing guard while he was on duty, I nearly couldn¡¯t stand him. His constantly boisterous and always amicable attitude grated on me. Almost like he was continually playing a part of some kind, acting as a sort of ring-leader to the small group of rangers that seemed to flock around him.

    ¡°I¡¯d assume most of the knights are there already, too,¡± Kye continued. ¡°Marc said the briefing was to be shortly after the crack of dawn.¡±

    Almost unconsciously, I curled my lip. My fingers tightened into a fist and I flicked my eyes up, scanning the sky. ¡°And yet it¡¯s almost mid-morning now.¡±

    A sigh fled from my lips, one lined with all the disappointment I held. Marc was my lord, I reminded myself bitterly. He¡¯d given us a simple order, and he¡¯d even been gracious enough to give it to us two days in advance. Yet still we were running late.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it too much,¡± Kye said, seemingly reading my mind. Her smirk flashed in the corner of my eye. I blinked, looking up at her and quickening my pace to catch up. The way she shrugged only irritated me. It picked and scraped against the discipline I was having trouble keeping up as it was.

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried. I just¡ª¡±

    Movement in the corner of my eye killed the words on my tongue. I furrowed my brow and turned, pursing my lips as two rangers emerged through the tree line. For a moment as they walked across the clearing, I didn¡¯t recognize who they were. But as Jason¡¯s voice lilted to my ears, I got the idea rather quickly.

    The swordsman ran a hand through his hair, turning to the ranger next to him. Squinting, I recognized the smirking woman as Tan.

    ¡°You know,¡± Jason started as the smirk that had been missing from his face grew, ¡°we could always do it over again if you¡¯re so intent on figuring out which one of us is a better hunter.¡± Beside him, Tan raised an eyebrow. He only grinned in return. ¡°In more equitable conditions, of course.¡±

    Tan laughed at that, obviously exaggerating the gesture to condescend. And judging by the way Jason¡¯s lips wilted, it worked. ¡°Does ¡®more equitable conditions¡¯ mean in an open clearing where you couldn¡¯t possibly get your sword caught on a branch?¡±

    Jason¡¯s face reddened, his ears burning. His hand twisted, tightening into a fist as he opened his mouth. Kye, however, cut him off before he¡¯d even started.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± the chestnut-haired huntress asked. Tan turned, her eyebrows raising when she saw Kye and me standing near the base of the climb into town. Kye rolled her wrist. ¡°Not that I¡¯m not all for giving Jason a reality check, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh fuck off,¡± Jason said, flashing Kye a derisive smile. I chuckled, earning the swordsman¡¯s apparent ire toward me as well.

    ¡°What does it look like?¡± Tan asked, her fingers thumbing between the two arrows left in her quiver. ¡°We went hunting.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Kye said, nodding slowly. ¡°But why is Jason bitching?¡±

    Tan grinned, breaking into a laugh not long after. ¡°About halfway through we decided to make it competitive because it was boring.¡± One of my eyebrows shot up at that. I turned to Jason, already knowing what was to come. ¡°And I won, but he doesn¡¯t seem to want to accept it.¡±

    I chuckled, earning myself a sharp glare from the sandy-haired man. He rolled his eyes. ¡°You only won because you got lucky. We had to chase those boars into the thickest brush I¡¯ve ever seen, and you got to sit back while I had to dive right in.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to, you know,¡± Tan said.

    Jason glared at her before turning to me. ¡°She only killed more game than I did because she has a bow. If we had been in a space any clearer than that, I would¡¯ve outpaced her easily.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you would¡¯ve,¡± I said, my voice dripping with unguarded sarcasm. For a second, Jason smiled at me. Then, his face contorted and he grumbled something distasteful out under his breath.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    My fingers adjusted on my sword. Truthfully, I did know what he meant. Working with a blade in thick trees was a recipe for either getting the metal stuck of getting yourself stuck. Which, in either case, led to your target getting away. Images and memories of complaints I¡¯d spewed out myself about our gnarled forest rose up to match Jason¡¯s, but I ignored them. Watching the swordsman get flustered was too amusing to pass up.

    ¡°And I¡¯m not nearly as tired as he is,¡± Tan added.

    Jason grumbled again. ¡°Yeah, because sitting back in the trees and waiting for a boar to become stupid enough to poke its head out requires so much energy.¡±

    Tan seemingly ignored the quip, turning to Kye instead. ¡°I didn¡¯t have to waste a single arrow, either. All I need to do is cast for barely a second, add the required force, and the arrow strikes through the thing¡¯s skull in one go.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who can make your strikes more powerful, Tan,¡± Jason said. His dry, flustered, and unimpressed voice was a far cry from the smug one he normally carried himself with.

    Tan turned, her dark brown hair lashing through the air. ¡°Yeah, well, it sucks that you have terrible aim.¡±

    Jason blinked, whipping his head around. He squinted at the brunette ranger who was apparently very full of herself at the moment. She only flashed him a toothy smirk that looked almost identical to the one he always gave. His expression morphed into a scowl.

    ¡°Whatever,¡± he said, shrugging. His eyes drifted until they fell upon me. ¡°Where are you two going right now? Lorah handed out new assignments just yesterday.¡±

    I nodded, the movement short and curt as I hid the smile on my face. ¡°She did, but neither of us got anything new.¡± I straightened up. ¡°Actually, she didn¡¯t give us anything new for the entire week.¡±

    Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed on me for a second. ¡°What? Why did¡ª¡± His face changed, the memory of the crowded meeting in town hall probably registering all at once. ¡°Oh. You¡¯re about to head off on your suicide mission, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    The smug grin that I¡¯d let out on my face changed. My eyebrows dropped and I had to fight myself not to glare at him. ¡°We¡¯re going to fulfill an obligation. To real people, Jason.¡±

    The swordsman¡¯s gaze softened a hair. If I looked carefully enough, I could see the fear hidden behind his eyes. But he shrugged it off a moment later. ¡°Whatever Marc has you thinking.¡±

    I curled my lip in disgust, but fortunately, Kye spoke before I could.

    ¡°You still scared, Jason?¡±

    The swordsman sighed, shaking his head slightly as if her question was too ridiculous to even bother considering. ¡°Not particularly. Scared of the mythological beast that may or may not exist, maybe. But I¡¯m not the one running headfirst into the flames.¡±

    Comments rose to my lips. I sealed them shut and held my tongue, taking a deep breath before I said something I¡¯d regret. Meeting Jason¡¯s eyes again, I could still see the worry behind his nonchalant mask. I could see it in the way his fingers twitched restlessly, searching for something to do. For some way to help.

    I could understand the fear, I thought. I could understand the worry and his want to cling to the comfortable. His want to cling to the routine he¡¯d probably been comfortably living in for far longer than I had.

    The beast¡¯s visage flashed behind my eyes, burning away only in a crackle of white flame.

    I cringed, taking a step back and ignoring the way Tan raised an eyebrow at me. Shaking my head, I realized that even though I could get Jason¡¯s reluctance, I couldn¡¯t relate. Not with Anath¡¯s words still spiraling in my head. Spinning and spinning with a thin, ominous black cloud that foretold things I didn¡¯t ever want to happen. And not with the possibilities she¡¯d placed in my mind, either.

    My sense of normal was corrupted, now. It was plagued with potentials for the future and a burning hatred that kept itching at my bones.

    No. He may have been able to stay with his pattern day in and day out. But I couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°¡ªwon¡¯t be bored to death with the same assignments over and over.¡± Kye¡¯s voice tore me from my stupor. And I looked back up just in time to see Jason¡¯s perplexed reaction.

    ¡°You¡¯d rather go walk your way to the mountains with a group of knights than do ranger work?¡± He took a step back and smiled, his eyes flicking back to the golden symbol on the lodge¡¯s front door.

    Kye¡¯s smirk withered away. She sighed. ¡°I¡¯d rather go do something more. I¡¯d rather be on the front lines against a threat than sit back and burn when the message reaches me a little too slowly.¡± Her breath quickened, and she shot me a glance before shaking her head. ¡°I love hunting, and I love being better at it than you are¡±¡ªJason¡¯s eyes bulged, but Kye barreled ahead¡ª¡°but at this point, I know that forest like the back of my hand. I¡¯ve fought everything there is to fight in there.¡±

    After her statement, Kye leaned back on her heel. She took a deep breath and rubbed her neck, tilting away from the sun. In front of her, Tan opened her mouth. She bit off words before they¡¯d even formed, though, and looked at the ground.

    ¡°Really?¡± was all Jason came back with. ¡°It never bothered you before, you know. Protecting the town that saved your life. Doing work for the woman who was nice enough to give you a home when you used to hunt in the woods alone instead of sleeping.¡±

    My eyes widened. I slumped my shoulders and glanced curiously at Kye. It hit me all at once how little I knew about her past.

    But, well, she knew almost nothing about mine as well.

    ¡°That was before we had knights around, Jason,¡± Kye said. Her voice came out to match the morning breeze. Cold and unwavering. ¡°That was back when people still left Sarin because they couldn¡¯t afford to live here anymore. Back when it was more desirable for some to risk getting torn to shreds in the wilderness than sleep on cold cobblestone every night.¡± Kye shook her head, a dry smile forming at her lips. ¡°People stumble into town to look for work these days, you know.¡±

    I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. As Kye¡¯s words trailed off, nobody spoke. The silence stewed in the air around us like a fetid odor none of us wanted to admit we smelled. But still, something nagged at my mind.

    ¡°That was before Sarin had the threat of dragons looming over its head,¡± I said, my words coming out soft enough to be swallowed by the wind.

    Kye took a deep breath, regaining her composure in short time. ¡°There are just bigger fish to fry these days.¡±

    I nodded, the idea of Rath floating in my head. All of the stories I¡¯d heard of her and of dragons in general. They added together into the mangled, destructive image wrapped in red-tinged flames. I knew she was a threat¡ªshe was the mother of destruction herself, after all. But she was distant. Something I could¡¯ve passed off as impossible if I tried hard enough.

    Though, then again, I¡¯d once felt that same way about Death.

    ¡°Right,¡± Tan added, her voice much smaller than it had been when they¡¯d walked up. After a moment, she looked over at Jason, who only stared at the ground. With each passing second, his face contorted into more of a scowl before he just shook his head and looked back at the lodge.

    I stood there frozen for a minute. I let the cool winter breeze¡ªif it even was winter anymore¡ªbrush over my skin and ruffle my hair. It felt nice. To listen to the silence and have the sun beat down on me. Yet, as it continued, the white flame became restless. And the obligation that I¡¯d been so up in arms about came back. Flicking my eyes up, I knew that no matter what Kye had said, time wasn¡¯t getting any slower.

    And we were already late.

    I stiffened my posture. ¡°We should get going, though.¡±

    Suddenly, all eyes turned to me. I didn¡¯t falter in the slightest, using the core of discipline I still had left to prop me up. Eventually though, everyone recognized it. Tan nodded before sparing a wave. And Jason nodded as well before more-or-less storming off toward the lodge.

    When I turned to Kye, she was scowling at me.

    That was when I faltered. ¡°What?¡±

    She sighed, the scowl dissipating in short time as she started up the slope toward town hall. Toward where our briefing was. The last barrier before we were on our way. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure how I got talked into all this.¡±

    I quickened my pace, metal boots scraping against stone as I caught up. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. ¡°You sounded pretty sure just a minute ago.¡±

    Kye shrugged, casting a half-hearted glare in my direction. ¡°Sure, I guess. I mean, all of that is true, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that we¡¯re still willingly walking into the belly of the beast. I just have to wonder how the hell it got here.¡±

    I nodded, bowing my head a little as we pushed through the gradually increasing morning traffic. She was right, after all. Looking back, I wasn¡¯t sure how much of it I understood myself. It had all passed so quickly from when I¡¯d first stumbled upon Anath in the woods.

    ¡°You said that if I went, you would come as well,¡± I said. The crystal-clear memory of that night played back for me. How tired she¡¯d been. How the information had poured out of me.

    Beside me, she bobbed her head. ¡°I vaguely remember. And I remember saying that, if not anything else. But I almost wonder how you talked yourself into this.¡±

    I furrowed my brow, glancing sideways at her. Her question repeated in my head, only punctuated more by the shallow smirk on her face. And after thinking about it for a moment, I laughed. The white flame flickered its amusement.

    If the same thoughts had raced through my head all those months ago¡ªbefore I¡¯d even fought the beast¡ªI would¡¯ve thought myself ridiculous. I knew I would have. In my past life, I would¡¯ve disregarded it as myth and fantasy. Something I had no use trying to wrap my head around when there were more pressing matters.

    But now, these matters were more pressing than any other.

    ¡°I got chased into the woods,¡± I started, ready to let the explanation flow out of me all over again. ¡°I got stranded and somehow found the true source. She¡ª¡±

    Kye held up a hand. ¡°I know. I¡­ I know. I remember all of it, even if the exact words you used are a little faded.¡± She swallowed, her eyes falling to the ground. ¡°That girl from the cell next to ours, from when we first met¡­ she was the source. And she was a dragon, as well.¡± Each syllable left her lips stiff and calculated as though she was feeding them back through the cogs of her mind in search of understanding. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve heard the stories about Rath¡ªthe current ones. The ones about knights going to fight her cult and coming back looking more like a scar on the world itself than a person. I know she¡¯s a threat.¡±

    I nodded, remembering the stories she was describing. Fyn had told me one, even. On guard duty one night, he¡¯d come by on his own patrol and rattled off about it. At first, he¡¯d been as full of energy as always. But by the end of it, he¡¯d sounded hollow.

    ¡°What I don¡¯t get is the girl,¡± Kye continued. I looked up, meeting narrowed eyes. ¡°You said she was a dragon.¡± I nodded. ¡°But¡­ nobody just meets a dragon. Nobody sees dragons unless they have a deathwish that needs to be fulfilled. They''re elusive yet everpresent, like¡­ the wind.¡±

    I smiled at that, watching Kye¡¯s face scrunch again as she tried to understand something I didn¡¯t get either. When I¡¯d talked to Anath, I¡¯d been just as confused¡ªand even more terrified. I¡¯d thought my mind would split in half with fear before she¡¯d stopped it.

    I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t understand it either. The terrors chased me to her and she spoke with me.¡± A scowl breached my face. ¡°I¡¯m lucky she didn¡¯t kill me right there and decided to warn me about Rath instead.¡±

    Kye shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why the girl even cares. Let alone enough to tell you.¡± My former cellmate side-eyed me, suspicion residing just behind her mask.

    Memories played back, lined with emotionless words. Grey wings punctured my vision, poking walls in my psyche like it was thin fabric. I remembered her words about the beast, remembered the hatred that I shared with her. I didn¡¯t mention it the beast, though. It was still too close for me to let out.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a testament to Rath¡¯s power,¡± I offered instead. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s proof of just how much destruction she could bring, beyond simply the deaths of humans.¡± I fought back a cringe as I remembered Anath¡¯s exact warning.

    She could bring the mortal world to its knees in a pledge of red flame.

    I shuddered.

    And it seemed that Kye felt a similar way. ¡°Well that¡¯s horrible to think about.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡±

    She shook her head, weaving past a couple chatting in the street as we made our way toward town hall. Looking up, the large, sweeping wooden building almost comforted me. Although, that comfort fled as soon as I realized I¡¯d be leaving it behind.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t like not knowing,¡± Kye said as she started up the large wooden steps. ¡°I¡¯m a huntress, dammit. We¡¯re supposed to knowour prey.¡± She rolled her shoulders. ¡°The fact that it¡¯s all unknown is the worst part.¡± She swung open the creaky wooden door. I caught it a moment after.

    ¡°Well,¡± I said with a smile as we stepped into the briefing. ¡°Let¡¯s hope this trip clears some things up then.¡±

 Chapter 51

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    I squinted into the night.

    With my senses sharpened, my ears perked, and my eyes flicking back and forth over the shadowed tree line, I felt ready. Ready for whatever was lurking out there in the dark splotches of blackness that hid from even the moonlight¡¯s view. Weeks of hunting terrors had made me cautious¡ªthey¡¯d sharpened my eye to look for dangers in the dark.

    But as I watched, my eyes narrowing at only the available moonlight and the dim, crackling fire of our camp behind me, I wasn¡¯t able to focus. Because instead of silence, our camp was anything but. Even with the comfortable feeling of warmth cascading over my back, it didn¡¯t make up for the noise. The chatting and occasionally boisterous laughter. After a day of travel, it seemed, none of the knights wanted to shut up.

    Gritting my teeth, I twisted, already glaring at the camp we¡¯d finally made after the night had turned cold enough. Even after leaving the briefing less than an hour before midday, we¡¯d made surprisingly good time. Walking the entire way without stop had helped with that. But marching in an organized fashion with rotating scouts had helped even more. By nightfall, we¡¯d already made it to the forest that was the last obstacle before Norn.

    And our envoy¡¯s leader had told us to stop before we¡¯d entered.

    In reality, with the apparent energy levels of all members of our party, we could¡¯ve gone further. We could¡¯ve pierced into the dark woods for long enough to find a clearing closer to our destination.

    But with the subtle rustling sounds still echoing at the edge of my hearing, I wasn¡¯t sure that would¡¯ve been the best plan, either.

    My hand fell, wrapping around the hilt of my sword as I turned back to the woods. In my peripheral vision, I could still see the now half-armored knights sitting around and talking as if nothing was wrong. But no matter how cheerful their tones, I couldn¡¯t shake off the sound of my instincts yelling at me. The mounting dread that I¡¯d started feeling as soon as Sarin had faded into the distance.

    Even though I¡¯d traveled away from Sarin before, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that this was different. After parting ways with the lodge in a rather unceremonious way, I didn¡¯t feel content. I felt restless. And that was only furthered by the swirling white flame in my head that seemingly couldn¡¯t make up its mind about how it felt.

    During the briefing, when Marc had introduced all of the members of the procession, given us directions, and then sent us on our way, it had been calm. It had flickered quietly in the background. But as we¡¯d started on our way, it had become more riled. More unnerved by the future we were walking into.

    Though, in that state, it had been easier to quell at least. A single reaffirmation of the beast and the possibility of learning more about it¡ªof defeating it¡­ that had been enough.

    Yet, even though I knew the purpose of our mission, it was hard. The fear continued to slip through my resolve. The fanciful images of Rath and the idea of my rematch with the beast coming far too early¡­ they hadn¡¯t been easy to push away.

    Even now, that dread wasn¡¯t entirely gone.

    ¡°Agil,¡± a voice said. I blinked, rising from my stupor. Turning back on my heel, I watched the cheerful, dark-skinned knight approach me from his place by the fire. Fyn smiled, raising an eyebrow as he followed where my gaze had been. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    My eyebrows dropped. I turned back toward the trees and scanned them once more, only noting small flashes of movements that I could¡¯ve easily attributed to wind. ¡°I¡¯m watching.¡±

    In my periphery, Fyn bobbed his head. ¡°Yeah, I think I can see that.¡± His smile widened. ¡°Why are you so on edge? We set up camp outside of the trees for a reason, you know.¡±

    A smile of my own tugged at my lips. ¡°I know that¡ªI¡¯m just listening. We may have been lucky in daylight, but the forest holds anything but safety during the night.¡± My eyes widened a sliver at the words coming out of my mouth. They reminded me of Myris, almost. And turning back to the knight, I became painfully aware of just how much of a ranger I sounded like.

    Fyn didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡± My lips pursed. He continued, eyeing me. ¡°Or hear anything either. Look, we have enough to worry about as it is. Why don¡¯t you just come and¡ª¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± came another voice, just as serious as mine. I turned to see Kye squinting at the woods as well, placing down her bedroll on smooth dirt as she did. Flicking my eyes down, I noticed where she¡¯d decided to set up. A little ways farther away from the fire, I noted. Only a few paces away from my bedroll, I realized.

    ¡°Right about what?¡± Fyn asked, a line of tension entering at the bottom of his tone. He fought his smile not to waver. ¡°Are you rangers always like this?¡±

    Whipping back around, I offered a small smile to the cheerful knight. Fyn seemed to relax a little at that, regaining the bright glint in his eye. Then he glanced back at the group of knights he¡¯d been talking to. My features softened as the sight brought back memories of traveling with fellow knights myself. The comradery and safety that came with knowing the others had your back.

    My expression darkened when I saw Lionel and his group commiserating with the knights far more effectively than I¡¯d managed to. Shaking my head, I took a deep breath. ¡°No. We¡¯re just¡ªwe have a lot to think about as well, you know.¡± Fyn bobbed his head lightly. ¡°And when you live next to a forest that hides enough terrifying creatures to replace the population of your town, you become a little skeptical.¡±

    Fyn chuckled, nodding. ¡°I can understand that. If those trees were made of stone, I might just be worried that robed cultists would hop out and ruin our perfectly good evening.¡±

    A sharp breath fled my nose. I shook my head lightly while a grin grew on my face.

    Blue cloth flooded the corner of my vision. I turned, my lungs tingling as lighter, magically-tinged air circled through them. Raising an eyebrow at Kye, I watched as she thumbed through the arrows in her quiver while watching the trees. She was casting, then.

    ¡°I hear it too,¡± she said, not even turning over to me. Her ears twitched ever so slightly as more rustling sounded off. I darted my eyes back to the shadows, straining them to see whatever form was locked in their depths. ¡°The rustling, obviously. But more than that, I hear the sweeping movements and the clambering feet.¡±

    I nodded, straining my near-perfect ears to hear the more solid sounds of¡­ something digging into bark. Some creature¡¯s paws, or talons, or fingers. Whatever it was, it was climbing stealthily enough that we couldn¡¯t see it.

    I let out a soft curse under my breath. The dread reared its head again. I shook it away. ¡°Right. It¡¯s definitely something. We just can¡¯t see what it is yet.¡±

    Behind me, Fyn audibly swallowed. Pursing my lips, I glanced toward him and watched as he nodded silently to himself. Almost as though he was offering reassurances to nobody except himself.

    ¡°Nor do we know if it¡¯s hostile,¡± I continued, watching the knight carefully. He calmed a hair at that but was still shifting from foot to foot.

    Kye scoffed, her gaze unchanging. ¡°I think we know well enough. Creatures that love to be pacifists normally don¡¯t hang around loud noises or firelight during the dead of night.¡±

    I swallowed, my throat drying. She was right, after all, and I knew it. It was one of the reasons most rangers hated hunting at night. Outside of the darkness and the cold that anyone with experience could get past rather easily, the graveyard shift was just purely more dangerous.

    ¡°Whatever it is, we can handle it,¡± Fyn said. His voice drifted to my ears like a calm breeze, only barely accented with worry. And hearing it¡ªalong with the flurry of voices that I knew came from capable fighters behind me¡ªI relaxed. He was right as well.

    Kye folded her arms. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean we shouldn¡¯t be careful, though.¡±

    ¡°It does mean we don¡¯t have to devote as much energy to it, however,¡± I said. Kye finally turned, her eyes searching my face. I only smiled at her. Her fierce, hardened brown eyes softened as she bobbed her head.

    She¡¯d been a ranger for years, and we didn¡¯t hunt in groups larger than four or five. She hadn¡¯t ever traveled with a group as large or as well equipped as the one we were with now. But with all the extra help, we could take some of the stress off.

    Or, that was the logic I used with myself.

    In truth, I hadn¡¯t traveled with a procession in years, either. Not for months before my first clash with the beast, even. I remembered them clearly¡ªthe organization and protection they allowed. But after so long in my new body¡­ they were starting to blur as well. Starting to fall away.

    And that didn¡¯t even account for the dangers of Ruia I hadn¡¯t had to face in my past life.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± a firm voice asked, cutting off the shiver in the middle of its trip down my spine. Blinking, I spun, listening as the camp around me fell quiet. The knight who was the source of the voice¡ªour procession¡¯s leader¡ªstepped forward. ¡°What is going on here?¡±

    My eyebrows dropped as I looked over the haughty man. Bane, I remembered, as if his parents had named him for everything he would pretend to represent as an adult. I sneered at him, fighting my face to be as neutral as possible. Ever since Marc had given him the position in the briefing, nobody had truly respected him as such. It was a strange pick, in my eyes, because even to knights who had arrived in Sarin with the man, he wasn¡¯t anything special.

    And thus far, all he¡¯d done to lead was offer his best impression of Marc.

    ¡°We¡¯re being cautious,¡± Kye said alongside me. Her tone was stale and uninterested, lined with just enough edge to force eyes upon her. Even Lionel froze, eyeing the ranger as if to tell her not to push their luck.

    As my eyes widened, I stepped in. I placed a hand on Kye¡¯s stiff shoulder. It slumped a hair and she leaned back on her heel. Good, I thought. That was good enough.

    ¡°Cautious?¡± Bane asked, pursing his lips and studying us in the most pompous way possible.

    I pushed away another sneer, forcing a smile instead. Even though I questioned his fitness to lead a procession that was supposed to assist one of the strongest cities for tens of thousands of paces, he was still our leader. Marc had still put him in charge, and that gave us the obligation to trust him.

    ¡°There may be a threat in the woods,¡± I said, bowing my head slightly. The grin that flashed on Bane¡¯s face at the top of my vision made me regret the action. ¡°It could be nothing¡±¡ªKye elbowed me at that¡ª¡°but we don¡¯t want to be uncautious.¡±

    I shot a glare to the side. Kye¡¯s lips curled into a smirk.

    In front of me, Bane straightened up. His face flushed slightly paler in the orange light of the fire. ¡°A threat? What does that mean for us? What kind of threat have you observed?¡± I didn¡¯t miss the way Lionel became serious all at once. Neither did I miss the curious, almost annoyed glances some of the knights were shooting his way.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t sure,¡± I said, my gaze flicking to Kye. All she did was shrug. I continued, ¡°All we¡¯ve heard is movement. It sounds like something large, but we haven¡¯t seen it yet.¡±

    Bane narrowed his eyes, nodding slowly. I wasn¡¯t convinced by the gesture. And as his eyes darted back to the fire and the knights he¡¯d been talking with only a minute ago, I almost growled at his fake contemplation. He wasn¡¯t taking it seriously, then.

    I tightened my grip, feeling the weight of my sheathed sword. The purpose of our trip rose up in my head again. We were here to help, I reminded myself. To support a real city that had lost real lives to a real threat that had the possibility of doing even more. I curled my lip in distaste, nearly spitting at how casually Bane handled it all.

    Then, finally, he responded.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be cause for concern, then,¡± he said. I blinked, furrowing my brow before he continued. ¡°Even if whatever creature is out there is a threat, shifts of watch will start once we get down to rest. They will take care of anything that comes.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± I said, my voice still perfectly careful. As I tried to keep up my smile, I eyed Bane. I eyed his casual clothes and his full armor on the ground not far away. He wasn¡¯t planning on being on watch.

    My grip tightened even more. Blurry, distant memories rose up. I had to strain my mind to simply see them clearly, but either way, the feelings were real. The responsibility I¡¯d felt as a knight. As the leader of a party during travel, I¡¯d always offered to take the first watch.

    The world knew I¡¯d been strong enough to do so.

    ¡°We have had a long day,¡± Bane continued. My face dropped at that. We hadn¡¯t even walked for more than half the day. ¡°And we have even longer ones ahead of us.¡± He smiled at me, flicking deceitfully concerned eyes between me and Kye. ¡°If you will, have some fun¡ªor some rest¡ªinstead of creating the opposite among the rest of camp.¡±

    I straightened, forcing myself to nod. Beside me, Kye turned, stepping away. It was probably a wise move, after all. If she¡¯d let herself watch Bane¡¯s fake, amicable expression any longer, she would¡¯ve done something we both regretted.

    That was enough for Bane. He squared his shoulders and lifted himself up high before sitting back down on the rock he¡¯d reserved for himself. Slowly but surely, the previous commotion started back up again. And soon enough, it was just as loud as it had been before.

    ¡°Asshole,¡± Kye muttered behind me. I could only agree with that, still thinking back to all of the other incompetent or frustrating knights I¡¯d dealt with back in Credon. The memories were few and far between, and I couldn¡¯t recall even a single one of their names now, but I remembered the exasperation.

    Turning around, I sighed. Kye slumped her shoulders and continued to stare at the gloomy treeline. She made her way over to where she¡¯d placed her bedroll next to mine and sat, rolling her neck.

    I took a step to join her.

    ¡°Hey,¡± someone said, stopping me. Blinking at the familiar and much less annoying voice, I turned. Fyn smiled at me¡ªcompletely genuine as opposed to our provisional leader. ¡°If whatever¡¯s out there really is something, let me know, okay?¡± I raised an eyebrow but nodded. ¡°If it comes at us, I want to be ready to hit it until it can¡¯t move anymore.¡±

    A chuckle bubbled out of my throat. ¡°Yeah. Sure, Fyn.¡±

    The cheerful knight shot me a grateful glance before turning back. Within seconds, he¡¯d returned to the loudest section of our little camp and jumped right in.

    Letting another sigh go, I walked off. Across the last few paces away from the fire to where I¡¯d set up my sleeping arrangement. Kye turned to see me when I did, allowing herself a half-wave.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The gradual exhaustion in my bones made collapsing into a sit rather easy.

    ¡°Fucking asshole,¡± Kye said. Her eyes flared, and the air around me lightened even more as she continued casting. Dropping my eyebrows a little, I eyed her carefully.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, not even sparing a second of silence. ¡°Do you need to be casting so furiously?¡±

    Kye raised both eyebrows. ¡°I¡¯m not losing track of it. No matter what it is.¡± Her ears twitched. ¡°I can hear it, and I can see little bits of movement, but¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Her shoulders relaxed, falling with the fatigue I was sure all of us felt. ¡°There really is something out there though, you know.¡±

    I half-heartedly rolled my eyes. ¡°Oh, I know. I heard it, too. Those aren¡¯t the sounds produced by the wind, I¡¯ll tell you. After sleeping in the freezing woods for two nights, I¡¯m pretty sure I know every variation of sound the air can howl at this point.¡± Kye¡¯s rigid, disappointed expression perked up a little. ¡°We just don¡¯t know¡ª¡±

    Kye already had her hand up. ¡°Yeah, yeah. We just don¡¯t know if it¡¯s dangerous.¡± I smirked. ¡°I get that. But¡­¡± She rolled her shoulders. ¡°I for one hope to the world that it isn¡¯t¡ªI¡¯m already too tired as it is.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°It has been a long trip so far. The slog of dealing with preparations and the briefing wasn¡¯t forgiving, either.¡±

    ¡°An annoying trip,¡± Kye added. ¡°With all these formalities and the way the knights talk.¡± I straightened up, trying to melt away the glare that rose to my eyes. Kye shook her shoulders. ¡°It reminds me too much of the last time I had to travel with knights.¡± She laughed. ¡°Except this time we don¡¯t have a competent leader to make things even a little bit bearable.¡±

    Yet, the procession did still have its advantages. I shot a hand up, rubbing my neck. ¡°At least we¡¯re making good time. And with coordinated, rotating scouts, we¡¯re more than safe while we¡¯re moving.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Kye said. I could tell she wasn¡¯t entirely convinced. ¡°At least when it''s our turn up to scout we don¡¯t have to stick around and listen to the knights exchange anecdotes for the hundredth time.¡±

    I stiffened up. ¡°Not all of them are bad, you know. I get that Bane is¡­ not fit for the position, but it¡¯s not as if these knights are too arrogant.¡± I curled and relaxed my fingers to keep myself from twitching. ¡°We could¡¯ve been stuck with worse¡ªwe have been stuck with worse before.¡±

    Kye chuckled, tilting her head back. Her gaze still stayed on the trees, but I could tell her attention on it was slipping. ¡°I guess. Some of them are good entertainment, at least. And we don¡¯t have to wade through Jason¡¯s stories of glory just to plan out what we¡¯re going to do next.¡±

    I nodded, a sharp breath escaping my nose. ¡°That is true. These knights know how to plan. They know how to organize, for sure.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still unsure about it,¡± Kye said. The words fell from her lips smoothly, but I heard the weight in them. As I turned back to her, she clenched her jaw. ¡°I understand what the goal is¡ªthe basic plan. Arrive in Norn. Organize with their forces there. Attack the target of the cult to give them breathing room. It¡¯s simple stuff, really.¡± I bobbed my head, waiting for what she was still hesitating to say. ¡°...But maybe it¡¯s too simple. Maybe that¡¯s not enough to mitigate their damages and stop the possibility of Rath¡¯s rise for enough time.¡±

    I cringed. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not. But they¡¯ve had more up-front experience with¡ª¡±

    Kye threw up a hand. ¡°And who¡¯s to say the cult even has a say with Rath. Sure, the rumors of her rising only coincide with increases in their power¡ªbut who¡¯s to say that¡¯s related?¡± I paled a fraction at her question. Kye scoffed at herself. ¡°Well, who¡¯s to say Rath is real in the first place.¡±

    I licked my suddenly dry lips and stared into the dirt. ¡°The stories, for one.¡± Kye stiffed. She didn¡¯t argue that. ¡°And at the moment, we don¡¯t even know if there¡¯s more than the singular assault. After dealing a major blow to the cult, maybe there¡¯s more.¡± Silently, I hoped there was. I hoped for some opportunity¡ªsome communion with Rath, even if it was a stupid enough endeavor.

    Anath¡¯s words played back in my head, washing over the white flame like a cold breeze at the mention of the beast. I took a deep breath as it flared to life again. Its energy twitched in my veins.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Kye said, tilting her head to the side and pulling knees closer to her chest. Then she laughed once. ¡°But I¡¯d rather think about that than deal with another discussion regarding changes in a knightly code.¡±

    I nodded sheepishly. The movement was unconvincing. Hollow. Because I still disagreed with what Kye was saying. It still grated on the version of myself I held close. The version of myself that I couldn¡¯t let slip away into the blurry past. But right now, I was tired. I didn¡¯t feel like fighting her on it. For more reason than one.

    My eyelids drooped under their own weight. A yawn crept up. ¡°Well, maybe¡ª¡±

    I slid, tilting sideways as Kye elbowed me. Blinking myself alert, I glared at her. But her eyes stopped me. The way they searched the trees¡ªbut not the trees in front of us. The ones farther down, closer to the rest of our camp.

    Then I saw it too.

    Movement.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I mumbled, rising to a crouch and narrowing my eyes on the finally visible form perched in the trees. Its dark, talon-like feet grabbed onto bark as it shifted, pulling large parts of itself that I didn¡¯t want to believe were wings with it.

    ¡°Shit indeed,¡± Kye said, the air around me lightening. She shot to a stand and stepped forward, watching the feathered beast intently. ¡°A rakora, I think.¡±

    I swallowed, my mouth dry. Then shook my head and looked back. Watching the hulking, muscled bird-like body, I knew it could¡¯vebeen a rakora. It could¡¯ve been one of the mutated avian beasts that existed in paired couples within forests. Ones that, unlike a lot of other nightlife, were attracted to noise and light as they were normally strong enough to gain quite the meal from large gatherings.

    It could¡¯ve been one of them. I hoped it wasn¡¯t.

    The glint of a dim, bronzed beak ruined all my hopeful doubts.

    Gritting my teeth, I unsheathed my sword. I took a deep breath and watched the perched creature in its vulture-esque stance. My fingers curled around the hilt of my blade and the white flame reacted, flaring to life at the onset of my thundering pulse. Just like I¡¯d accustomed it to. Just like how I¡¯d trained it.

    Stalking forward, more of its power seeped into my veins. I smiled.

    ¡°Nobody else sees it,¡± Kye said from alongside me. Looking over, she already had her bow out and an arrow notched.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too keen on the clamor of metal making it realize that its lost surprise, though,¡± I said. My face contorted into a scowl. ¡°Letting it get away is only more stress for us the entire night.¡±

    ¡°Rakora are nothing if not persistent,¡± Kye muttered.

    I nodded, continuing forward as the rakora reared its head and stared down at the group of three knights immediately below it. It stared them down with what I could only assume to be murderous intent. Draped in darkness, I couldn¡¯t quite make it out.

    ¡°Are you going to be the one to knock it down?¡± I asked, a sardonic grin at my lips.

    Kye snickered as she hurried alongside me and pulled back the arrow in her bow. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to spend laughing if you¡¯re the one to try, so¡­¡±

    I laughed, biting down on the disrespect and forcing more motion into my feet. Step after quiet step, I approached the tree line and gathered one or two stray glances from the knights in camp. Even Lionel looked up, flicking his eyes between me and Kye. My companion drifted out of my peripheral vision to line up her shot.

    And as soon as the twang of her bow sounded, I was off.

    Metal boots thundered against the ground as I ran. The cold air whipped at my cloak and sprayed my hair backward, but I didn¡¯t pay attention to it. I didn¡¯t pay the aches in my legs any mind; nor did I pay any mind when the stray glances from our camp became full attention. No. I didn¡¯t stop to watch Bane¡¯s face pale at the sight of the rakora.

    I only focused on my target.

    The creature screeched. Wings flapped through thick branches as the rakora tried to stay aloft. It tried its best not to fall to the ground where it would only meet the steel of my blade. And for a moment, it appeared successful.

    Then the next arrow hit. Then the next.

    Two more wounds joined the one already on its leg, decorating the rakora¡¯s neck and left wing with blood as it blundered through the air. The wind seemingly dropped out from under the feathered beast. It writhed some more while its body flapped toward the dirt.

    As soon as it hit, I was already on it.

    Raising my sword and letting the tinge of my own magic tickle my lungs, I struck down. Right into the rakora¡¯s already-wounded wing. The thing screeched right in my face, sending a ringing in my ear while it swiped with the large feathery limb.

    But by the time the multiple-pace long wing swept through the air, I was already gone. Twisting away on determined feet, I moved toward its underbelly. I worked through heavy breaths and gripped my bloody blade, thrusting it up into the creature¡¯s chest.

    Steel dug into flesh that was far too thick for something that could¡¯ve been considered a bird. But I¡¯d hit it, and while its cries of pain were still dissipating through the air, I was dashing away.

    Or, I¡¯d thought I would¡¯ve been dashing away. But instead, my blade caught on brittle, hollow bone of the rakora¡¯s ribcage and sent me staggering backward. Pulling the blade with everything I had, I tore it through the bone and back out into open air. The feathered beast writhed in pain, its beady eyes staring at me with the same intent I¡¯d envisioned before.

    Completely and utterly murderous.

    I scrambled backward, trusting in the white flame¡¯s energy to carry me with enough speed. Yet, with the headache of soul drain already showing its face among my exhaustion, I didn¡¯t nearly move fast enough. The shrieking rakora was on me in a second, sweeping its other wing in my direction and trying to knock me to the floor.

    Luckily, I was at least fast enough for something.

    I shot my blade up to block the attack. The wing still struck full force, but at least when I stumbled away, my metal boots only dug up dirt instead of collapsing into it. I staggered to a stand, teetering through spinning winds. Then, collecting myself as quickly as I could, I shook my head and stared back at the feathered beast.

    Even with the blood pouring out of it in spades, it was far from done.

    I cursed under my breath and scrambled backward some more. Away from the damage I knew it could do if I wasn¡¯t careful. And our procession didn¡¯t have a healer, I reminded myself. Taking too much damage was not an option.

    The twang of a bow.

    I stiffened. Then ducked. An arrow pierced right above my head and hit the rakora in the throat. Glancing back at Kye, she already had another arrow ready. And I dodged to the side before it could accidentally strike me instead.

    The rakora reeled, flapping through the air backward and missing Kye¡¯s arrow by barely a single pace. It turned its head and blinked at the huntress, its beak snapping. My eyes shot wide. Steel entered my blood when I realized its attention had shifted.

    But no. I couldn¡¯t let that happen.

    I¡¯d hunted with Kye enough. We¡¯d even fought a rakora before¡ªalbeit not one as bulky as this. I knew the drill well. With her skill and accuracy with the bow, all I had to do was inflict as much damage as I could up close. I had to keep our target¡¯s attention away from her.

    In short, I just had to be too annoying to ignore.

    And as I lurched into a run again, that concept gave me an idea.

    ¡°Fyn!¡± I yelled, hoping my voice would carry over the furious pounding of blood. The shifting steps from the camp behind me told me he¡¯d heard. ¡°You wanted to know¡ªwell here it is!¡±

    I didn¡¯t divert my attention long enough to know whether he¡¯d reacted. I hoped he would, but I didn¡¯t count on it.

    Leaping, I raised my blade again at the creature trying to gain air. I directed it sideways and cut at the rakora¡¯s taloned feet in a flash of movement. Seconds of pure finesse and motion passed before my maneuver was done. And when I skidded away, more were already flooding my head.

    My lungs burned with frigid air when I looked up at the rakora. Though, I didn¡¯t even have a second to complain because it was flying at me. At least the plan to divert its attention had worked, I told myself dryly.

    Sharp, bronzed talons descended on me from above. I scrambled, my eyes shooting wide as I ducked. Tried to push through the jolts of mortal fear and sudden doubts about ever attacking the thing in the first place. And, after a moment, it half-worked.

    Then one of its claws dug into my shoulder.

    I screamed. Burning, agonizing pain ripped past torn cloth and through my skin. It left warm trickling plumes of blood in its wake. My body hurtled, stumbling wildly off balance as I tried to orient myself. It was easier said than done. And after a second, I realized it just wasn¡¯t happening.

    Still wincing, my body slid to the ground. Hard, packed dirt rose up under my spine and sent tremors throughout my body. My muscles ached. They screamed and burned in all of the same ways that I wanted to. But I didn¡¯t even get time to think about that. The rakora was on me again, flapping its bleeding wings while bronzed talons swiped down.

    New attacks rolled through my head. They streamed past with a precision I hadn¡¯t felt since my past life. My instincts barked, carefully neutral despite the twitching fire in my blood and burning pain on my shoulder. As talons fell toward me, I rolled out of the way. I scrambled back and used the steel of my blade to deflect just enough to offer some respite.

    Yet, with each passing moment, that respite was receding. It was fading away as my body slowed just a little more than I¡¯d hoped for, responding to my calls at an increasing delay. Inwardly, I cursed the beast again for damning me with a body I couldn¡¯t trust.

    The rakora had far greater stamina than I did. It stopped flapping its wings and fell, sharp talons draping over my shoulders to hold me in place. Almost all of the creature¡¯s weight pinned me to the floor.

    Once again, its eyes flashed murderous.

    I could all but feel the color draining from my face. With sharp, beady eyes, the rakora stared down at me. It studied me as if trying to find a weakness in my guard. Which, at this point wasn¡¯t that difficult to discern while my body was almost entirely immobile. The creature figured that out in short time and darted its beak down directly at my face.

    Time slowed around me. The white flame flickered with newfound intensity, warming my soul and pleading with me to let it in. I writhed, pushing with everything I had to avoid losing the front half of my face. And as the white flame flared again, adding to the draining headache ever-more, my efforts seemed to work. The rakora slowed, releasing its grip ever so slightly to allow my escape.

    I scuttled backward, regripping my sword and holding it out to the front. Briefly, I cursed the fact that almost everything I fought these days was a beast of some kind. The parries and counter-attacks flitting through my mind were all but useless against an enemy without a weapon.

    But I didn¡¯t give the thoughts too much attention. Instead, I took the moment of relief to force myself into a stand and inspect the rakora. Because it hadn¡¯t simply let me go on its own accord. The skewed, ferocious look in its eyes told me that. It looked slow for some other reason, as though its muscles were being forced to a screeching halt.

    I scanned the camp full of knights. Most of which were mages, I reminded myself. And after a moment, I found it. I saw the knight who looked like he was holding up the entire world as he glared down the avian beast.

    Fyn. I gawked, staring in pure shock and gratitude for a moment at the cheerful knight. He¡¯d been so relaxed only minutes before¡ªhe wasn¡¯t even wearing his armor. And yet¡­

    I didn¡¯t even want to think about how much effort it was taking to manipulate the energy of another living being. So I didn¡¯t. Instead I took the opportunity he¡¯d given me, listened to the white flame, and surged forward.

    As my metal boots thundered over the grass, the air around lightened. It felt malleable. Useable. Full of energy. I attuned to the white flame inside me, letting it work for me as I accepted it into my soul. At once, I felt the energy available to my will.

    And I moved it.

    My blade struck up through cold air, igniting with tendrils of flame. The rakora only had a moment to stare in horror before it got singed. Its slow body¡ªkept that way by Fyn¡¯s magic¡ªcouldn¡¯t react fast enough. My blade tore through the flesh of its chest and nearly burned it from the inside out.

    A few more movements and a flash of light later, the beast staggered to the ground. I coughed, my headache showing itself and fatigue rippling through my bones like I¡¯d just thrown far too many stones into a lake. Wheezing cold air, I couldn¡¯t help the satisfied grin that grew on my face.

    But watching it twitch, I couldn¡¯t help the doubts either. They made me wonder if the thing was still alive.

    The flick of a bowstring sounded behind me. I ducked, immediately recognizing it. And Kye¡¯s arrow piercing through the creature¡¯s eye solved all of my worries at once.

    It was dead. The encounter was over. And I could go back to my bedroll. Despite the agony my shoulder was trying to convey to me, I latched onto those thoughts. Back to rest, I told myself.

    As I hobbled back to camp, the stunned shock of all the knights faded¡ªeven if the impressed way they looked over me didn¡¯t. They erupted into action and surged toward the fallen creature that had so closely threatened our safety. They yelled orders at each other, grumbling and cursing here and there. I didn¡¯t listen to them, of course, instead only staring in satisfaction at Bane¡¯s pale, frozen expression.

    Though, even staring at him was only enjoyable to a point. I was tired. I sighed, unable to keep a dry smile off my face as I trudged past the last couple stunned and impressed looks.

    Less than a minute later, I¡¯d stumbled back to my bedroll and collapsed into a sitting position. Kye joined me soon enough, the smirk on her face as cocky as ever despite the weariness creeping in at the edge of her expression.

    I rolled my shoulder, wincing as more blood trickled out. Less than I¡¯d thought, actually, given the severity of the injury. But I wasn¡¯t complaining. Neither was I complaining about the apparently lightning-quick healing my body had already started on the scrapes or bruises I¡¯d sustained.

    ¡°You brought sano leaves?¡± I asked, my smile crooked as I looked at Kye.

    The huntress dropped her smirk and nodded. From her quiver, she produced some bandage along with one of the flat, vibrantly green magical leaves that I cherished so much. I took them instantly.

    ¡°We worked well¡­ together,¡± I said as I fastened the bandage and pressed the leaf against my shoulder. The numbness washed in on a wave of relief.

    In the corner of my eye, Kye nodded. ¡°We did,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°I mean, I¡¯d hope we would after hunting for so long. Making up for your incompetence isn¡¯t part of my job anymore, you know.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°That one was worse than I thought it would be.¡±

    Kye bobbed her head without showing much else. ¡°Yeah. Glad that other knight did what he did, though.¡± She flicked her eyes toward me. ¡°He saved your ass there.¡±

    I stiffened at her low, concern-lined tone. Truthfully, she was right. And darting my eyes over to see Fyn basically collapsing to the ground only made me more thankful. I¡¯d never seen him cast before, or even known what magic he specialized in. But¡­ manipulating energy of other living things took its toll. More than most magic did.

    I was glad he¡¯d thought I was worth it.

    ¡°Yeah, he did. After that, the rakora didn¡¯t last very long.¡±

    At the side of my vision, I saw Kye narrow her eyes. She gave me a long, inquisitive stare before opening her mouth again. ¡°What was that, by the way? At the end there. I¡¯ve never known you to know¡­ any magic.¡±

    I froze. Right, I reminded myself. Even since Farhar, I¡¯d only really implored the white flame for training. Only used it to heighten and make up for my body¡¯s faults during hunts. She wouldn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± I started, the headache and numbness showing their colors again. My mind started to fog, and I didn¡¯t exactly know where to start. ¡°It¡¯s new. Something I¡¯ve been working on lately. If you remember back¡­ back when I broke us out of the mercenary camp¡­¡±

    Kye¡¯s face lit up with tired recognition. She remembered, then. When I¡¯d told her about the white flames and how they¡¯d been the reason I¡¯d gotten out at all. She¡¯d questioned me about them back then, but it hadn¡¯t come up since.

    My companion nodded, her lips parting. Then, however, she shook her head briskly. Her face contorted into an uncomfortable wince and she slumped back. ¡°I do¡ªbut just¡­ you¡¯ll have to tell me later.¡± I raised an eyebrow at her as she settled on her bedroll. She chuckled. ¡°Soul drain is a bitch. I¡¯ve gotta¡­¡±

    She trailed off, waving her hand dismissively. I understood, though, and settled back myself. The tiredness showed again, pulling me down. Toward the deep, lovely abyss.

    But as my eyelids dragged shut, I couldn¡¯t help the worries. I couldn¡¯t help but think about the rakora¡ªthe threat we¡¯d just faced. Even as I heard Bane setting up shifts of watch in the background, I still didn¡¯t feel entirely at ease. That had been one threat, and there were more on the way. Greater, more sinister, and far more dangerous ones for the future.

    We had to make sure we¡¯d be ready for that. I had to make sure I¡¯d be ready. But with sleep tugging me down, eventually I just gave in. I decided that we could figure it out later because I knew we could. I knew we would.

    Tomorrow was another day.

 Chapter 52

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    Arriving in Norn with a procession of knights was quite different than arriving alone.

    Though, from basic reasoning and my own personal experience, arriving anywhere with a procession of knights changed the experience. After leaving camp at the crack of dawn and marching for hours through the brisk morning air, we¡¯d arrived in Norn in fairly high spirits.

    As was to be expected, there was still unrest. There were still worries and stories and ideas being thrown around that didn¡¯t particularly bode well for our future, but they were fairly easy to ignore. I¡¯d heard all of them from inside my own head anyway. And with Kye¡¯s innate aversion to the knights and their banter, I hadn¡¯t had to listen that much.

    Marching through the forest toward Norn had largely been the same as marching through the plains before it. We¡¯d had a set formation with Bane and his most trusted knights in the front before gradually leading into rangers watching the back. We¡¯d had rotating scouting parties that went ahead of the group to scan for potential dangers. And the only significant difference noticeable to me was the boredom.

    Because apparently, having what technically still amounted to an open wound in my shoulder was enough of a reason for Bane to excuse me from scouting. Marching as a procession was simple for me¡ªand it allowed me to fall back into the old knightly routine I¡¯d been so afraid had been lost.

    Yet, with the soreness and my body and the injury in my shoulder that was healing far too slowly for my taste, I couldn¡¯t help but be irritable. I couldn¡¯t help but harbor a tiny bit of shriveled jealousy whenever my fellow rangers would switch out for scouting times. Only to leave me walking by myself among the natural ambience.

    Once the imposing stone-brick wall had come into view though, my frustration had melted away. The white flame had risen up to flicker in wonder as it watched through my eyes. As it experienced firsthand the elegant stone architecture I¡¯d found myself marveling at all those months ago.

    But as opposed to the short hassle Kye and I had received at the gate before, we stormed into Norn without halt. Not a single guard gave us a cursory scan or shot us a curious glance. They all seemed to know without having to be told. Which was a good thing, as far as I was concerned. But the looks of relief I could see behind some of their stoic masks only picked at my dread again.

    Though, as we sped into Norn¡¯s streets, I didn¡¯t even have time to ponder it. We marched forward without any holdups. No stopping. No chatting. No gawking at architecture.

    And as I pushed my sore legs to keep up, I noticed that even Kye was silent. Even her lips were pursed shut as she stared straight ahead. A sort of determination sparkled in her eyes. It was as if the fact that we were here had forced her to disregard her reluctance.

    Something I should¡¯ve probably done as well, I told myself. After all, we really were here. We were in Norn now. This was it.

    There was no more turning back.

    Trudging on over the paved and straight-edged streets though, my worries only barely dragged me down. Glancing at the city around us, it reminded me too much of my glory days. Too much of the triumph and achievement and relief I¡¯d experienced every time I¡¯d return to Credon. Back when I would¡¯ve seen hundreds of cheerful faces that each knew they would be safe another day.

    Around us, it was much the same thing. With the only difference being that even though we¡¯d come to protect, we hadn¡¯t succeeded yet. However, despite the rundown buildings and boarded up shops that were a little too much of a far cry from the flourishing city I¡¯d seen months before, the citizens all seemed to perk up. As we marched by, their pale and weary faces became sparkling and wonderous.

    They knew why we were here too, then. They were expecting us to succeed.

    A hitch caught in my breath as my gaze glided over a child staring. I smiled at the little boy, sparing half a wave before the procession dragged me onward. But even after he¡¯d left, I couldn¡¯t get that expectant gaze out of my mind. We had a responsibility now, I reminded myself. That was why we¡¯d agreed to come in the first place.

    Responsibility. It was something I hadn¡¯t truly felt in a while. And with it pressing down on me so suddenly, I didn¡¯t quite know how to feel. The white flame didn¡¯t quite know how to feel. It just floated quietly as I thought, warming me as I rebuilt the resolve I¡¯d constructed back in Sarin.

    I¡¯d known about the responsibility from the start. I¡¯d agreed to it.

    So I was going to do my best to fulfill it.

    Before I knew it, our formation was slowing. We stopped our oppressive pace and approached a large building. In the blink of an elegant, stone-carved eye, we¡¯d arrived at our destination.

    ¡°What is this?¡± I asked, my voice more of a whisper on the wind.

    Beside me, Kye only furrowed her brow. She looked up at the exceedingly extravagant structure and let her lips part wordlessly.

    ¡°The Temple to the World,¡± Lionel answered without even turning around. Tearing my gaze from the tall stone columns, I glanced at the charming ranger. He stood at the front of our ranger group and just behind the knights he¡¯d been idly talking to since we¡¯d left camp that morning.

    ¡°Really?¡± a voice asked. I was faintly surprised it wasn¡¯t my own. Turning, I saw Kye widen her eyes at the ranger who still wasn¡¯t looking back.

    ¡°That¡¯s where we were supposed to meet up with the remaining force, at least,¡± Lionel said, twisting on his heel and rolling his wrist. He was doing a poor job at hiding the excited smile on his face.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Kye muttered, her pace slowing a hair as she stared at the building. ¡°I¡¯d never seen it, I guess. I didn¡¯t know it would be¡­¡± She relaxed her shoulders. ¡°Like this.¡±

    I nodded silently, feeling much the same way as my eyes dragged over the temple again. All in all, the nature of it did make sense. Staring at its wide stone foundation and columns that held up a roof extending out from a glittering marble dome, I would¡¯ve been surprised if it had been anything else. Anything else than something that matched its grandeur. Something that honored the world itself.

    My body moved on automatic as we approached, following only a step removed from the rangers in front of me. I dragged my gaze smoothly over the building¡¯s front. I marveled at it for a moment. Allowed myself to fall into the wonder and curiosity the white flame offered me in spades.

    At the top of the building, etched into the section of the roof that extended forward, was a mural. There was no other way to describe the intricately carved scene. At the bottom of the mural was a singular dot chiseled in the stone, and from it spawned what could only be described as the entirety of nature. From desert dunes to wild forests to mighty mountains, the scene was carved with such intricate detail I almost lost myself in it.

    Almost, though. As I watched the monument carefully and connected it with memories of similar monuments my people had constructed back in Credon, something nagged at me.

    And it turned out I wasn¡¯t the only one.

    ¡°Why are we regrouping in their temple?¡± a voice asked, soft and sheepish.

    I widened my eyes and looked down, my gaze following to the ranger of ash-brown hair that was nearly latched to Lionel¡¯s side. Her eyes were narrowed and curious, and her fingers were curled tight in a fist that showed white at the knuckles. Lanelle, I remembered¡ªor Laney as she preferred to be called.

    Lionel shrugged, lowering his head to the shorter ranger beside him. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He glanced out, hushing his tone. ¡°But they take worship of the World Soul way more seriously here. Maybe they¡¯re meeting in here to gain its favor.¡±

    Briefly, part of my mind tugged toward the bag slung over my shoulders. At the mention of the World Soul, I once again became acutely aware of the presence of the map.

    Laney nodded slowly, obviously unconvinced. But at Lionel¡¯s tilted smile and sparkling gaze, her features softened. She unclenched her fist and inched half a pace closer to him.

    Raising an eyebrow, I glanced over at Kye. The huntress was already smirking as we pushed forward through the massive stone pillars without stop.

    Not even the majesty of the temple, it seemed, was enough to hold us up. Before I knew it, the wide stone entryway was passing around me and the high-strung, tense commotion inside hit my ears like an oncoming avalanche.

    I winced carefully as something brushed up against my shoulder. Twisting, I noticed it was Kye¡¯s hand. But before I could open my mouth to complain, she was already mumbling curses while glaring back at the knight that had stormed right past her.

    Instead I just let it go and scanned the room, trying to take stock of the sea of chaos. We were here, sure, but that didn¡¯t mean business was done. There could¡¯ve been more than three dozen knights in the vast building as far as I was concerned, and I had a feeling we were eventually going to have to deal with all of them.

    Flicking my eyes around, I got a feel of the space first. Directly from the entryway, a lined and polished stone path led all the way to the back of the temple. And above the rows of seating, I saw it culminate in what I could only assume to be an altar.

    But before the white flame could even grasp its tendrils around the sight, we¡¯d already turned. Our procession had veered off of the main path and toward a more secluded area of the temple that¡ªwhile still large¡ªwasn¡¯t nearly as chaotic or echoey.

    In the center of the sectioned-off stone room sat a table. Wide and sturdy, the table was sprawled over with pieces of paper, scattered weapons, and other various utensils. I recognized it in an instant. A battle table, then. Bane must¡¯ve led us in the correct direction after all.

    And as I flicked my eyes to the corners of the airy room, I noticed the wooden chairs. I saw the other pieces of comfort that were tucked away as to not get in the way. All of the knights standing around the table were standing anyway¡ªtalking in hushed, serious tones that filled the space with a sense of importance.

    Unconsciously, a smile grew on my face. My hand fell to the hilt of my blade and I straightened up, feeling instantly at home in the room.

    ¡°It¡¯s an orgy of urgency in here,¡± Kye muttered beside me. I raised an eyebrow and darted my gaze to her. She narrowed her eyes. ¡°They¡¯ve been at this for a while it looks like.¡± She squared her shoulders. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem that we¡¯ll be getting much downtime then.¡±

    I nodded, recognizing the weight in her tone. And pushing past the sneer she was fighting off her lips, I looked around the space we¡¯d filed into. Around us, I saw more than half a dozen knights in various states of preparedness. Some in full armor trimmed with blue¡ªsome in almost none. Some with weapons, some completely unarmed. But all of them were moving in tense, calculated movements.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    And I even recognized one of them.

    From the far end of the table, Lady Amelia looked up. Her familiar face split into a relieved grin as we hauled up to the table. She glanced down at the papers in front of her only one more time before rising out of constant preparation and walking over to us.

    Before she could say anything, Bane stepped up. ¡°Lady Amelia. It truly is great to see you again¡ªand so soon with the supporting force Marc provided.¡±

    At once, the knight commander¡¯s face dropped. She furrowed her brow and flicked eyes from Bane to the rest of us. Nobody in our group of barely more than a dozen gave her anything. Staring back at Bane, she hesitated.

    ¡°Yes¡­ It is good to see a familiar face again, especially along with the assistance we have been so desperately waiting for. But, ah.¡± The knight commander forced a smile. ¡°Marc left you in charge of his supporting force?¡±

    Bane¡¯s lips cracked a smug grin. ¡°Of course. The Lord of Sarin saw fit to provide adequate leadership to this envoy. Even though he knew we would fall under new direction after arriving in Norn.¡± The man tilted his head slightly to Lady Amelia.

    I could see her struggle at fighting a scowl back. But after a moment, she just shook her head. ¡°Right. Leadership is important, no matter how brief. A lapse of it can have disastrous consequences. But now that you¡¯re here, you will be under my direction.¡±

    ¡°Taking orders from a knight again,¡± Kye mumbled under her breath. Too quiet for anybody to hear. Or, that was probably what she¡¯d thought.

    I leaned closer to her without taking my eyes off the knight commander. ¡°At least this one is half-competent.¡±

    Kye chuckled, her lips splitting into a wry smile. I grinned myself, straightening back up and watching as Bane stepped to the head of our group and let Lady Amelia speak again.

    She looked visibly relieved by his absence. Then, shaking her head, she gave a cursory scan over our group. She nodded at a few of the knights¡ªthe ones with the blue trim still on their armor¡ªand then raised an eyebrow at us.

    Lionel inclined his head in silent respect. The rangers around him followed his lead. And I squared my gaze with the knight commander, offering a tight smile before bowing my head slightly too. Kye gave the acknowledging gesture a half-hearted effort before just leaning back on her heel and pursing her lips.

    ¡°Right,¡± Lady Amelia finally said. ¡°A supporting force of highly capable knights as well as Sarin¡¯s own rangers, then.¡± Her smile ticked upward without a hint of hesitation. ¡°Such variety can only be a strength to us.¡±

    Kye mumbled something foul. This time, I tried to pretend I hadn¡¯t heard the words.

    ¡°Lady Amelia?¡± a new voice asked, piping up with as much eagerness it could respectfully pack in. Fyn, I recognized as the cheerful knight stepped forward and inclined his head. The knight commander smiled fondly at him, folding her arms to listen. ¡°We¡¯ve traveled two days now¡ªon foot from Sarin, only to arrive here and¡­¡± Fyn hesitated.

    Lady Amelia raised an eyebrow. ¡°There isn¡¯t time for hemming and hawing. Spit it out.¡±

    Fyn nodded briskly. ¡°What now?¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± she said as though remembering our situation herself. Briefly, she glanced back at the papers she¡¯d been pouring over when we¡¯d entered. ¡°We need to get you all caught up on the plan. It has changed slightly from the last time you were likely informed.¡±

    She nodded silently to herself, her lips pressed shut. There was more she wasn¡¯t saying. I could see it clearly in the tense lines at the corners of her eyes. But as she walked back to the head of the table and gestured for the rest of us to gather around, I didn¡¯t question it.

    At once, the knights talking with each other at the table straightened up. They looked toward their commander and only got a curt gesture of her head toward the doorway. They got the message in short time, grabbed what little they¡¯d left on the table, and left the room wordlessly to join the chaos of preparations happening in the larger temple¡¯s space.

    And as soon as they were gone, Lady Amelia looked at all of us in anticipation. Her glare forced Bane into action, and before we knew it, we¡¯d crowded around the battle table. After far too much pushing, shoving, and bitten-off curses, we organized ourselves as efficiently as it was going to get.

    Kye folded her arms alongside me, flicking her eyes in obvious frustration across the knights at the other end of the table¡ªLionel among them. Beside the charming ranger was, as always, Laney. And pushed up next to me and Kye were the other two rangers Lionel had brought along that looked way more peeved at the fact that they were separated from him than they should¡¯ve been.

    At the head of the table, Lady Amelia simply stared out at us until we settled. As soon as we did, Bane carved out his spot on one side near to her and nodded. ¡°Down to business, then?¡± he asked.

    Lady Amelia grunted once, the soft sound echoing off the smooth stone walls with more than a little amusement. ¡°Right,¡± she said, her voice carrying like hard steel. It cut off all remaining murmurs. ¡°My knights are already aware of everything I have to say, and I am sure you would rather rest than play catch up all day. So I will try to make this brief.¡±

    I nodded and stiffened my posture, watching the knight commander carefully. She took a deep breath and spared a glance down at the papers still in front of her. Following her gaze, I saw what looked to be a letter of notice along with a list of supplies. And as I scanned the rest of the table, it was covered in like materials.

    Letters. Charts. Organizational diagrams filled with names that I could only assume belonged to knights. Lists of weapons, people, and supplies. It looked almost exactly like the battle tables I¡¯d poured over in preparation in my past life. Well, with the exception of a map.

    But I knew better than to ask about that.

    ¡°Returning Knights of Norn,¡± Lady Amelia started, tilting her head toward the knights among our party still with the blue trim on their armor. ¡°Newly minted Knights of Sarin.¡± She gestured in the same way toward the other of the opposing sects of knights that had held far more bitterness back in Sarin. ¡°And Sarin¡¯s own Rangers.¡± Lady Amelia spared a curt nod to us. ¡°As I said, my forces here already understand how our plan has shifted, but you do not. We do not have much time¡ªand I find it imperative to inform you all that I will be directing this mission.¡± She hesitated. ¡°As Norn¡¯s interim knight general.¡±

    In an instant, murmurs began. Soft and more curious than worried, they made their way around the table through the line of knights. Namely, however, they skipped all of the rangers who¡ªjust like me¡ªwere unaware of the significance of her words.

    There was that term again, though. That title that Marc had advertised for himself. He¡¯d been a knight general before accepting the position as Lord of Sarin. The knight general of Veron, I remembered. Another one of the mountain states. But that recognition didn¡¯t change the fact for me¡ªor for any of the other rangers¡ªthat the term itself meant nothing.

    In Credon, our knightly forces had been directed at the base level by knight commanders. And higher than that, they¡¯d been directed by the king himself, his royals outside of the capital, or high-knights like myself.

    I narrowed my eyes, a question rising to my tongue.

    ¡°You are knight general?¡± a voice asked before I could. All eyes in the room shifted to Bane. The man paled at the attention but shook it off to continue. ¡°W-What happened to Sir Darrus?¡±

    I raised my eyebrows, moving my eyes to Norn¡¯s new knight general and tracking her expression. That name¡ªSir Darrus. I didn¡¯t recognize it, but something told me it was important. And judging by the way Lady Amelia¡¯s eyes tightened as she stiffened up, my assumption was correct.

    ¡°Sir Darrus was set to lead our incursion against the cult, but¡­¡±

    ¡°But what?¡± Bane asked, his face reddening more than I¡¯d thought possible for the vapid man.

    Lady Amelia shot him a glare. Bane shrunk back in short time. ¡°They have been increasingly aggressive lately,¡± she said, trying to force her words not to sound hollow. ¡°Aggressive enough, even, to come after our knights simply on the periphery of the city.¡± All eyes fixed on the armored woman, who only clenched her jaw and continued. ¡°He was organizing with forces to set up a guard and they came stronger than anyone expected. Few knights survived the assault. Sir Darrus was not one of them.¡±

    Cold silence took the room, suspending us all in mid-air. I blinked, my lips parting at the weight of the words still echoing off the walls. And after a moment, I regained myself. I felt able to take a breath after learning about the death of someone I hadn¡¯t known.

    It took far longer for the knights around me.

    ¡°He died?¡± Fyn asked. I turned to him instantly. The normally cheerful man wore a painfully weak smile as he tried to stay straight-faced.

    Lady Amelia nodded. She didn¡¯t allow herself any other words besides that. Probably for fear of spoiling the quiet minute of mourning she knew the knights had to experience.

    And as the reality of it churned through my head, it wasn¡¯t only the knights, either. The white flame reacted as well. It flared violently against the concept of death and surged against the inside of my skull. I winced at its white-hot presence, trying to fight it back. But it wouldn¡¯t calm.

    Fractured images appeared in front of my eyes. In front of me, it was dark. Rain was pounding down on a rough cobblestone road and I was staring straight through it. At a house, I realized. One secluded in the trees just off the side of the road; some said it was older than the town itself.

    Slowly, the image rushed up in fractured pieces. My view shifted from the street, to the entrance of the house, to inside it. Somehow, I recognized the place intimately. Almost as if I¡¯d just been there yesterday.

    Other people ran into my vision as well. They were asking me questions in soft tones and trying to calm me down. Saying something about how sorry they were. Offhanded and useless reassurances about my safety. Condolences for my parents. I didn¡¯t care about any of it.

    Gradually, the image skewed even further until it descended into darkness. It swirled around me like a void for only the moment. Until something changed in it. A glint of light off metal. The form of a scythe.

    I coughed, taking a step backward and shaking my head as I regained control of my body. I quelled the white flame with my will. Finally, it listened to my calls. It stopped crackling wildly in rage and retreated to the recesses of my mind.

    A hand on my shoulder. I turned, my eyes widening and filling with Kye¡¯s confused look. She stared at me as if I were crazy, only barely hiding the shimmering concern in her eyes. And as I remembered where I was¡ªthe temple and the battle table we were all standing around, I realized why.

    ¡°You okay?¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said unconvincingly. My fingers wrapped around my blade¡¯s hilt as I stepped back to the table. I shrugged Kye¡¯s hand off and directed my attention forward again.

    Luckily, nobody else at the table had noticed my movements. None of the knights, anyway. From across the table, I saw Lionel eyeing me curiously. I only waved him off.

    Then, however, the long moment of silence had to come to an end. At the head of the table, Lady Amelia caught her stride back and glared out at all of us. She didn¡¯t even attempt to hide the tempered rage in her eyes. But we all knew it wasn¡¯t at us. At that moment, we all knew exactly why the plan had changed.

    ¡°We have lost too many lives due to the cult¡¯s recent savagery,¡± she said. Her tone came smooth and controlled. ¡°Too many knights. Too many apothecaries and merchants. Too many civilians and innocents. Their magic has been stronger than we expected. Their promises have turned out too reliable to ignore.¡± She paused, taking a breath. ¡°We cannot stand to be reactive anymore. We must hit them where it hurts most and make sure they cannot inflict more harm they have already.¡±

    I furrowed my brow. My eyes locked on the new knight general as she spewed cautious venom. As far as I knew, the cult was dangerous. The stories and my own experience with them were enough to persuade me of that. But¡­ promises? What promises had they made that had come true?

    Memories of months back flashed. Memories of Keris nearly burning us all alive as he warned us over and over of her ire.

    It hurt to even think about now. I gritted my teeth, fear rising back up and waves of anger washing in from the back of my head.

    ¡°I have made the decision that no longer can we assume that we will simply weaken them and be done with it.¡± Lady Amelia couldn¡¯t hide her scowl any longer. ¡°Our forces for the incursion will be larger than planned. We will form a legion and march¡ªwithin two days time.¡±

    The armored woman grinned at the end of that, her normally-stoic face betraying flurries of emotion. She had changed since the last time I¡¯d been in Norn, I noted. But, well, so had things in the city itself.

    But that didn¡¯t make the finality of what she¡¯d said any easier to swallow. As it processed, the worries found the perfect opportunity to break back in. They asked questions that I didn¡¯t know the answers to and only increased the burden of responsibility.

    Now it was spread out over more sets of shoulders, but with the weight of it, it still wasn¡¯t easy to carry.

    A sour taste fell upon my tongue as silence took the room. As I could only assume everyone else did the same thing as me and considered what our new leader had said. We¡¯d all signed up to come on this journey¡ªwe¡¯d signed up for support. But things had changed since then, apparently, and now we were getting thrust into something more severe?

    It didn¡¯t sit well with me. And with the most glaring question sticking out like a sore thumb in my head, I almost considered giving in to the doubt.

    I didn¡¯t, of course. Instead, I raised my head and scoured the faces in the rest of the room. Aside from the confident expectancy painted on Lady Amelia¡¯s face, everyone else looked¡­ contemplative. That was the nicest word for it, at least. Some of them looked thoughtful, some looked scared, and Bane appeared downright ghostly at the end of the table.

    His lips twitched with a question. Yet, each time it rose up, he would bite it off.

    It was the same question I had. I was sure of it. So, instead of waiting for somebody else to gather the gall to ask it, I stepped forward.

    ¡°Two days isn¡¯t much time,¡± I started, my voice carefully calm.

    Lady Amelia shifted her gaze to me. Her eyes narrowed as she looked over my blue uniform. ¡°No. It is not¡ªbut we cannot afford to waste time at this stage. We will march out then. It is not a short journey.¡±

    There it was. I sneered. ¡°It isn¡¯t? Well, where exactly are we marching to?¡±

    Recognition dawned on the knight general¡¯s face. She nodded shallowly. ¡°The point of assault is a long way out through the mountains. Maybe a thousand paces past Ord.¡±

    I blinked, my mind spinning for a second as I tried to think of a follow-up question. But too many came to mind. About the distance, the nature of our destination, and the other city she¡¯d mentioned that I¡¯d never heard anything about.

    Kye picked up the slack for me. ¡°Past Ord? What do cult dealings that far out have to do with the safety of Norn?¡±

    Lady Amelia stared harshly. ¡°At this stage, everything.¡±

    ¡°How do you know the cult has an outpost that far anyway?¡± Kye asked. I didn¡¯t miss the way her eyes flashed dangerously or the way her fingers curled into a fist.

    Lady Amelia furrowed her brow in confusion. ¡°No. You misunderstand. We are not simply going after her cult anymore.¡± Our leader smiled. ¡°We are attacking Rath herself.¡±

 Chapter 53

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    ¡°What?¡±

    The question hung in frozen air, echoing against the stone walls as well as inside of my mind. I didn¡¯t know who had asked it; my mind had been too preoccupied to figure it out. And it didn¡¯t really matter who¡¯d asked it. I was staring with the same subtle shock as everyone else.

    I couldn¡¯t blame them for staring. She had suggested attacking Rath, after all. The mother of destruction herself. The ancient dragon of the mountains who had enough magical power to grind cities into dust on a whim.

    My conception of Rath cracked as I thought. As I fought to keep the white flame from swirling and my emotions under control. The stories, myths, and legends mixed with anecdotes all too recent for my tastes. They all flowed together in my head. They tried to come up with some sort of physical manifestation of Rath. Some sort of way to describe her outside of the word destruction itself.

    The task wasn¡¯t easy.

    So instead of spending all of my energy feeding anxiety, I tried to force reason as well. I tried to return myself to the present and think clearly about what Lady Amelia had said. And with the white flame as active as it was, latching onto my terrifying image of Rath like a leech, I couldn¡¯t help a little joy.

    Honestly, it went with what I¡¯d wanted. A large part of my reason for going to deal with Rath¡¯s cult had to do with the beast. It had to do with the warnings Anath had given me. Her cold, emotionless words that had been torturing me since the moment I¡¯d heard them¡ªpromising knowledge about the thing I hated most and a way to defeat it if push came to shove.

    And Rath was undoubtedly my best shot.

    But that thought didn¡¯t dispel my worries. It didn¡¯t quell the rising storm of fear that was pressing in with the responsibility I felt again on my shoulders. Yet, even if she wasn¡¯t my best bet¡ªeven if she gave me nothing to help with my quest, I couldn¡¯t have stood around anyway. Not while her destruction only helped the beast with its task.

    Though, even that idea left the question of how.

    How were we supposed to face a being like Rath? How were we supposed to attack her if we didn¡¯t even know what she looked like?

    ¡°Hey!¡± came a voice as hard as steel. I lifted my head and stared at the commanding knight general who had let the scowl out over her face. The rest of the room followed as well, quieting the restless murmurs and turning their attention toward her. ¡°One person at a time. Please.¡±

    I nodded at that, taking a deep breath of the brisk, magically tinged air in the temple. Kye did the same to my side, rubbing her temple with one hand before she looked back at Lady Amelia again.

    ¡°Okay,¡± another voice cut in. Bane, I recognized. ¡°I¡¯ll reiterate then.¡± He stepped up, more confidence showing on his face than I¡¯d seen thus far. ¡°What?¡±

    Lady Amelia gritted her teeth. She took one long breath before responding. ¡°Exactly what I told you. My wording wasn¡¯t confusing in the slightest.¡±

    Bane shook his head. ¡°No. It wasn¡¯t. But I almost wish it had been¡­¡± He leaned back on his heel. ¡°I thought we came to deal a fatal blow to the Scorched Earth. To the cult that has been tormenting Norn for years now.¡± The pale man curled a fist. ¡°Not an ancient power that I¡¯d much rather stay relegated to myth or legend.¡±

    Lady Amelia stared at the man, stone-faced. Bane stared back, doing his best to match her expression while masking the glimmers of concern in his eyes. Still, I saw them from across the room.

    The knight general sighed. ¡°It is more than that now, unfortunately.¡± She leaned forward, placing her palms flat on the battle table to prop herself up. ¡°They are the ones doing the damage, yes, but they aren¡¯t stopping or slowing. No matter how much damage we do to them, they have more power waiting in the wings.¡±

    I swallowed, watching carefully as our new leader shoved her gaze down. She stared at the paper in front of her that looked an awful lot like a letter. Her fingers curled, tightening to prevent from trembling. She was fighting to stay composed, I realized. And as she looked up from the letter scrawled in smudged ink, I also realized I didn¡¯t know anything about it. I didn¡¯t know anything specific about what Norn had gone through in the past few weeks.

    None of us did.

    ¡°Rath is rising,¡± she continued. ¡°That is a fact whether we like it or not.¡± Lady Amelia let out a mirthless chuckle. ¡°Her ire is near, as the cult likes to say. And they won¡¯t stop until it arrives. They won¡¯t stop attacking our defenses or convoys¡ªnor will they slow the quakes that have been ravaging our lands, sending our peoples¡¯ lives into disarray and forcing the city around us to crumble.¡±

    Each and every word came down like a hammer, but she wasn¡¯t loud. She didn¡¯t need to be for all of us to hear. Her voice was still soft and serious, holding back emotion at every scene she described.

    ¡°And¡­ and it isn¡¯t only Norn. The more they grow, the more reach they have.¡± Lady Amelia took another breath. ¡°They continue to terrorize us while spreading out over our trading routes and attacking the other mountain states as well. Veron, Ord¡ªneither of them are safe.¡± She turned back to Bane. ¡°We cannot deal a ¡®fatal blow¡¯ to her cult, Bane. It is more than that now.¡±

    Bane nodded shallowly, his skin turning sickly as Lady Amelia stared at him. He opened his mouth again, but nothing came out. There was nothing more to be said.

    Because truly, there wasn¡¯t much that could be said. Everything that Lady Amelia had mentioned was true. It affected real people¡ªreal lives. It went beyond superficial political relationships or overblown fears of myths. It was real. We all knew that at this stage. He knew better than to doubt her.

    That didn¡¯t mean we were content by any means, though. That didn¡¯t mean the pill of going against the mother of destruction became an easier one to swallow. It didn¡¯t. Not for any of us.

    I was still flexing my fingers on the hilt of my sword in hope that it would comfort me. Which, granted, it did. But it didn¡¯t do such to the white flame. Its fiery presence still spiraled through my mind like madness, searching for something.

    Either way, as long as it left me in control, I let it be.

    Alongside me, Kye shifted her stance. ¡°So the solution is to face her?¡±

    All eyes shifted to Kye. She took half a step back at the onset of so much attention, but when Lady Amelia looked over, the huntress stood firm. The knight general let out a sigh and shook her head lightly.

    ¡°We do not have better than that,¡± she admitted, keeping up with her steely tone even through uncertainty. ¡°Combatting the cult is simply too difficult at their current scale. It wastes too much time, and their mages are more powerful than ours. No matter how much that hurts to admit, it¡¯s true.¡±

    I nodded shallowly, images of red-tinged flames dancing back through my mind as I remembered Keris. The rogue pyromancer who¡¯d stolen Arathorn¡¯s package all those months ago. He¡¯d been criminally out-numbered and still lived.

    Kye wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°Congregate forces, then. Draft a plan of attack like what you¡¯ve done here.¡± She gestured to the battle table in front of us. ¡°Instead of forming a legion, form parties. Spread out and hit them where they¡¯re vulnerable with such a¡ª¡±

    Lady Amelia was already shaking her head. ¡°It won¡¯t work,¡± she said. ¡°Our forces aren¡¯t trained like that. And even if they were, we have nowhere near enough information about the cult¡¯s whereabouts. Their small encampments shift as regularly as the wind, and they¡¯re too powerful individually.¡± She let out a gritted breath. ¡°With the promises they have already issued and fulfilled, there is no telling what they could do to a small force at this time. A legion, though? That is the only place where we have a chance.¡±

    Kye sneered. ¡°What promises are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°They get their power from her,¡± Lady Amelia interrupted as though she hadn¡¯t even heard Kye start. My companion folded her arms. ¡°At this point, it is the only explanation. They draw power from Rath herself and enact preliminary destruction before her ire.¡± My nose scrunched at the word. ¡°They have killed too many¡ªshe has killed too many. It cannot stand.¡±

    A note of finality entered her tone. It rang loud and clear to everyone listening. We all shared silent glances of concern. We relayed this question or that without answers to any. Kye still stood in frustration by my side, but she didn¡¯t take her eyes off the knight general.

    ¡°Sir Darrus¡­¡± a voice spoke up. One of the knights that I hadn¡¯t bothered to match with a name. The name of Norn¡¯s previous knight general came out more whimper than word.

    The knight who¡¯d spoken took a step back and then one furious breath before shoving a hand into the table. Watching him with one eyebrow raised, I tried to understand him. I tried to figure out the sincerity of his actions.

    And even if I hadn¡¯t met Sir Darrus himself, I knew how the knight felt. I knew the feeling of losing another knight. A leader. A comrade. A brother. Even if the images of my past were blurry now, I understood.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Lady Amelia got out, her voice ramping back to serious. ¡°While not the main aspect of this incursion, revenge does play a part. It has to. They have not given us another option. We will deal back the damage they have dealt to us in the only way reasonable. A single target stormed with an overwhelming force.¡±

    I nodded, my head tilting at it still. The logic played nicely in my head. It was smooth and steady, but I couldn¡¯t help pick out the question that remained.

    Though, Fyn asked it before I could. ¡°How?¡±

    Lady Amelia turned, fixing him with a curious gaze. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Fyn shook his head, keeping up a smile the entire way. ¡°How do we do it? Attack Rath, I mean.¡± He flicked his gaze around, glancing at no one in particular. ¡°I can understand why, but¡­ how? What distinguishes it from a suicide mission?¡±

    I cocked an eyebrow as my attention returned to the armored woman at the head of the table. Fyn¡¯s words echoed a similar sentiment Jason had tirelessly pressed before we¡¯d left Sarin. The cheerful knight had a much lighter tone while saying it, but the point of it stood.

    Lady Amelia grinned, her lips curling upward again. ¡°That is what we have spent the past week preparing for. Communicating with envoys of ours as well as coordinating with the other mountain states. We have been developing our legion for this task exactly.¡±

    Fyn nodded, not fully convinced. He opened his mouth and hesitated for a moment. ¡°How?¡±

    The knight general sighed. ¡°Even with how elusive they are, our constant battles with the Scorched Earth have not been void of use. They have provided information about their tactics, their magic, and their motives.¡± Her smile rose even higher. ¡°In a recent battle, in fact, a far-flung party of our knights even killed a dragon.¡±

    I coughed, raising my head at that. ¡°A dragon?¡±

    Our leader turned to me, still smiling. ¡°Yes. Her cult brings them out at times.¡± Her expression faltered. ¡°None of us truly know how they come to be or where they reside beforehand. But the Scorched Earth uses them as weapons to reap destruction. Nobody who fights a dragon ever has the chance of reporting back.¡±

    Across the table, Bane blinked. ¡°That¡¯s true. Nobody does, and nobody ever has.¡± He furrowed his brow. ¡°Yet a party of your knights did it just recently?¡±

    Lady Amelia regained her stride, nodding. ¡°They did. They were some of our most elite fighters, but during a scouting mission, they killed one of the destructive beasts on their own.¡±

    Bane¡¯s eyes widened, flicking over his leader¡¯s face for some sort of doubt. She displayed none. He grinned. ¡°They survived? That¡­ that gives us information on dragons themselves, does it not? What the beasts look like, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not entirely,¡± Lady Amelia interrupted, angling her head. ¡°The knights returned, yes, but they haven¡¯t been reliable sources of information.¡±

    Bane blinked, wheeling back. ¡°What? What happened to them?¡±

    The knight general ground her teeth for a second. ¡°The apothecaries aren¡¯t sure. Some kind of madness, they suspect. Though it manifests in strange ways, only hindering their minds whenever the subject of Rath or her kin come up. We haven¡¯t gotten much more than the basics out of them even after pressing for days.¡±

    ¡°Basics?¡± another knight asked. The woman cocked an eyebrow and leaned forward as her eyes bored into the knight general.

    Lady Amelia didn¡¯t even turn. ¡°They remember reflective scales and steel-melting fire,¡± she said, her smile carefully restrained. ¡°The dragon had some sort of massive form, but they say that it shifted, and none have been able to pin it down any more than that.¡± The knight general shook her head ever so slightly. ¡°Besides that, all we have are the injuries they sustained. Broken bones and burns as we expected, but also damages to their eyes that our healers have had trouble remedying.¡±

    ¡°And we want to attack that?¡± Bane asked, trying to keep his tone low and hushed.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Lady Amelia straightened and shot him a glare through pursed lips.

    ¡°Maybe Jason was right,¡± Kye mumbled beside me. Turning, I saw her kicking her metal boot against the smooth stone floor in frustration.

    And even if I thought they were being a little dramatic, I couldn¡¯t entirely disagree. As Lady Amelia¡¯s vague, second-hand descriptions of the enemies we had to expect fed into my mind, the pit in my stomach deepened. The conception of Rath only evolved into something a sliver less abstract. Somehow, that made it even more terrifying.

    Before Lady Amelia could respond, though, another knight took up a question. ¡°What about the corpse?¡±

    The knight general turned, her eyebrows raising to the sky. ¡°Of the dragon?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the knight responded, tightening a fist to prevent his fingers from trembling. ¡°If they killed it, there should be a corpse, right?¡±

    Lady Amelia nodded briskly, offering a dismissive wave. ¡°There is.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Or, there should be, but they defeated the creature on a mountain pass. Somewhere hard to reach¡ªand they have been little help in determining its exact location.¡± A moment of silence. ¡°Nobody has seen the corpse as of now.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped. I squinted, trying to ignore the restless white flame digging through memories in the back of my mind. I could feel it tearing things up and inspecting them, but my attention was elsewhere.

    ¡°What use did their killing of a dragon serve, then?¡± I asked, pressing my tongue against my teeth and trying to force the information to work. It made sense on the surface. The dragon and the effect it had on the knights, anyway. But there was more to it, too. Lady Amelia had brought it up for a reason.

    And she smiled as I finally let her get to it. ¡°It showed us something important,¡± she said. ¡°Rath and her kin are killable. Through force and will alone.¡± I tilted my head back in understanding. She barreled on. ¡°We still have the chance of victory over them. For now.¡±

    I nodded, tuning out the soft murmurs of doubt coming from around me. Because what Lady Amelia said did make sense. Even Anath had said that dragons could die. She¡¯d nearly succumbed to the beast herself. No matter how much they hated the reaper, it worked for the world. The dragons were as powerless to stop it as humans were.

    The logic left a bitter taste in my mouth.

    ¡°But that is why we must act now,¡± Lady Amelia said. All commotion died in an instant as attention shifted back to her. The knight general took a deep breath and raised her head high. ¡°Rath and her cult gain in power every day. They are defeatable now, but for how long? We don¡¯t know, and we cannot afford to take the chance to wait and see.¡±

    I swallowed, nodding. Beside me, even Kye bobbed her head. She pursed her lips as she thought and still held an ice-cold glare on our leader, but it was softening by the second. It was falling away as the reality of our situation rose up to match it. As our responsibility pressed back down.

    ¡°B-But¡­¡± a knight started, his voice soft and broken. Lady Amelia turned to him, fixing him with a curious stare. He straightened up. ¡°But, uh. We know that, and what else?¡± He swallowed in silence. ¡°Where even is Rath? And what assurances do we have that she follows the same rules as other dragons?¡±

    The knight general smiled, the tiniest glint of wicked intent dancing in her eyes. ¡°We know of her temple.¡±

    The knight blinked, glancing to the side before returning to his leader. ¡°You¡¯ve found Rath¡¯s resting place?¡±

    Lady Amelia nodded, confidence returning to her in spades. ¡°The Scorched Earth have found it for us, actually. They have built a temple around it.¡± She sneered. ¡°Worshipping their mother of destruction over the World Soul itself.¡± A deep breath washed away the glower that was threatening her features. ¡°Our contacts in Ord have confirmed the location of her temple to a surprisingly accurate degree. The explorers who found it even espoused that it was still under construction.¡±

    A smile tugged at my lips. ¡°By the time we get there, they may still be setting up shop.¡±

    The knight general shot me a shining glance. ¡°Exactly. We will organize our legion here in Norn with all of our best fighters and the support you all¡±¡ªshe gestured around the room¡ª¡°can provide to us. Then, we will pick up additional reinforcements in Ord.¡±

    ¡°Along with a Vimur,¡± Lionel added. My eyes narrowed on his confident posture and knowing smile.

    And apparently, I wasn¡¯t the only one.

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Kye asked from alongside me.

    Lionel raised his eyebrows and shifted his attention toward us. In the corner of my eye, I saw Kye folding her arms again as if to tell him exactly how adamant she would be until he gave an adequate answer.

    With his smile widening, that didn¡¯t appear to be a problem. ¡°It was common information even in the original plan,¡± he said. Beside him, Laney glanced up and blushed. ¡°One of the Vimur who lives in Ord still owes Marc a favor. And he is calling in that favor for our incursion here.¡±

    Lady Amelia flicked her wrist toward the raven-haired ranger. ¡°Right. Marc has been more than helpful in his additions to our forces. His contributions may very well tip the balance of which side comes out on top. With a Vimur assisting us, I have little doubt that our legion will be more than prepared for the target we face.¡±

    At that, mutterances arose around the table again. But this time, they weren¡¯t filled with as much doubt. They didn¡¯t contain as much unrest. They were more convinced and assured, some even gawking at the opportunity they had gained to work with a Vimur.

    I clenched my jaw and nodded, keeping my eyes narrowed the whole way. The term Vimur registered with me. I¡¯d heard it before, after all. But aside from a few stray comments about them being powerful mages and the broadest of stories regarding their power, I didn¡¯t know much about them.

    ¡°What assistance will the Vimur provide in Ord?¡± I asked, raising my voice above the excited buzz.

    Slowly, the commotion died down and eyes moved to me. Then they glanced at Lady Amelia. Then back to me.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know yet,¡± our leader admitted. She relaxed her shoulders and propped herself up on the stone table again. ¡°The Vimur are not easy to pin down, and while generally benevolent, we cannot entirely know their motives. All our contact has agreed to thus far is that they will enhance our legion¡¯s arcane capabilities in the face of an enemy like Rath.¡±

    I nodded shallowly, letting her words process through my head. It hadn¡¯t been much information, for the most part. I still didn¡¯t know exactly who the Vimur were, or why the help of one was so important.

    ¡°Enchantments,¡± Kye muttered by my side.

    I turned, immediately squinting. ¡°What?¡±

    Kye lifted her head, her eyes widening for a moment. A smirk sprouted at her lips before another full second could pass. ¡°Marc¡¯s contact will probably allot us with enchantments.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°The Vimur are supposed to be rather good at them. But whoever is helping us could go as far as even attacking the temple with us. As a¡­ magical weapon of sorts.¡±

    Before I knew it, a smile had grown on my face. I nodded briskly and muttered a thanks to Kye before turning back to our knight general. She was once again glaring at the pieces of paper in front of her. But truly, it didn¡¯t matter. As Kye¡¯s elaboration played in with everything else I knew, something was becoming increasingly obvious.

    The scale of our attack was huge. Flicking my eyes back out to the doorway where our sectioned-off room led back to the main temple, I remembered how many knights I¡¯d seen in there. Dozens upon dozens, if I¡¯d been forced to take a guess. And that was only the tip of the iceberg.

    That myriad of highly trained fighters as well as the support party I¡¯d arrived with already created a formidable force. But with tactics I was sure they¡¯d been preparing for days and reinforcements we would pick up on the way, our scale only grew.

    And even if I didn¡¯t understand the significance of a Vimur as our ally, my companions certainly did. They knew enough to perk up from the fear-fueled doubt they¡¯d been stewing in only minutes before. It was important, I realized. Our responsibility was larger than I¡¯d thought, but it was also spread out even wider than I could¡¯ve possibly imagined.

    Truly, we were preparing an oppressive show of force.

    I smiled, tightening my grip on the hilt of my blade. Looking up again, I watched the slowly-changing faces of the knights around me. Of the rangers, too. All of them were rising to confidence. The same kind of confidence solidifying in my own head.

    And the white flame seemed to notice.

    Taking a break from its idle actions in the back of my mind, it surged up. Its warmth cascaded over the inside of my skull and I focused a little bit more attention on it. But as it noticed more and more the growing confidence in my head, it became riled.

    It started swirling again. It flared more wildly and latched onto memories. My eyes widened and I held up a hand as if to try and calm it from the physical world. It wasn¡¯t very effective. Though, I doubted it would¡¯ve listened either way.

    Images flashed before my eyes again. This time, instead of fractured and torn, they appeared blurry. They appeared distant and covered in a fog that was receding away from me at a snail''s pace that was somehow still too fast for me to catch.

    A horse stopped below me. I held up my hand and grinned. Through the pitch-black night, I watched the orange flame of a camp in the distance. A camp I was supposed to be sieging, some part of me whispered.

    Another horse rode up alongside me. The image shifted, tearing to the side until an armored man filled my vision. He smiled at me amicably and I smiled back for some reason. We exchanged words, but I couldn¡¯t catch any of them. They got too quickly lost in the fog.

    With another shift of the image, I was looking backward. At dozens upon dozens of other horses and other armored men and women on them. With me at the head, I realized slowly. All of them were staring at me. They were expecting something.

    Before I could try and figure it out, the image tore once more. I looked back front at some point. The orange fire hiding behind the hills in the distance was all my eyes focused on. It was surrounded by tents, I realized. And people. All armed. Through the haze, I despised those people. I hated them, becoming overwhelmed by some sense of loathing that spawned from memories I no longer had access too. Feelings of loss I¡¯d long since forgotten.

    The white flame flickered idly in my head as I tried to fight my way out. As I tried to break from the control it had gained.

    As the blurred world in front of me warped into black, though, I stopped trying. I just let it happen as the darkness swirled around me like a void. Until something changed in it. A glint of light off metal. The form of my sword.

    I shook my head violently, ripping myself back to the present. Steeling, I forced my muscles to a halt and prevented myself from stumbling backward. In the corner of my vision, I could see Kye¡¯s curious glance toward me, but I shrugged it off. I let out a shaky breath and simply pushed the flame away to deal with another time.

    Around me, the room was a coffin of silence. The excited commotion had died down from its height¡ªeven if the expressions it had left behind were still there. But nobody was expressing that excitement anymore. They were all deep in thought. Including the knight general at the head of the table with her gaze still fixed below.

    I didn¡¯t, however, miss the assured smile on her face. I knew she felt confident, and I knew why, too. Something about the images the white flame had ripped up had helped me understand why.

    We were organizing an oppressive force. And I knew that any enemy could be crushed provided enough force. As long as the force was applied correctly, that was. As long as the enemy was understood.

    ¡°What do we know about Rath for certain?¡± I asked, breaking the spell of silence in hopes of moving the conversation along.

    Lady Amelia glanced up, watching me again. ¡°We know of the stories, as a start. The tales of her destruction as a predominantly unthinking and irrational magical being have lined up well with what we¡¯ve experienced. They line up well with her cult¡¯s promises.¡± Kye opened her mouth, but her question didn¡¯t have time to slip out. ¡°Additionally, our scholars have figured weaknesses in her magic. Enchantments to ward against fire will do well.¡± She held up a hand. ¡°Plus, our contacts in Ord have given as detailed reports of her temple as they can. We know as much as we ever will about the target we are sieging.¡±

    I nodded, my eyes narrowing by the moment. It was good. Everything that she¡¯d said was good. It was all information that would help us. But as Anath¡¯s warnings echoed through my mind again¡ªalmost as a permanent fixture in my thoughts¡ªit didn¡¯t satisfy.

    Though, it didn¡¯t seem the knight general was done. ¡°And there are the cult¡¯s promises as well. They have been the most eerily accurate details about her that we may ever get.¡±

    Bane shook his head. ¡°What promises?¡±

    Lady Amelia twisted, sending a stony glare for only a moment. ¡°In preparation for her return¡ªher ire¡ªthey have issued promises. They started them months ago before the first quakes even struck Norn.¡±

    ¡°What are the promises, though?¡± Kye asked.

    ¡°The first of them was one we¡¯d disregarded without thought.¡± Lady Amelia clenched a fist. ¡°They had promised the world itself would tremble as the mother of destruction awoke.¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± Bane muttered. ¡°The quakes.¡±

    Lady Amelia nodded. ¡°It came true mere weeks after they¡¯d promised it. And they haven¡¯t let up since.¡± She swallowed, shaking her head lightly. ¡°The next of their promises came swiftly. They promised that fire would rise to tinge red with her fury.¡±

    My eyes widened. Bane didn¡¯t need to comment for all of us to understand how that one had come true.

    ¡°The ones after that detailed their rise to power,¡± she continued. ¡°Even when our guard started taking them seriously, we were powerless to stop them. The last one to come true was that the entirety of the mountains would either submit or be subjected to her power.¡± A second of silence. ¡°That one was issued a week before their presence was reported in Ord.¡±

    ¡°What is the next one?¡± a voice asked, nearly hollow. I barely believed that it had even come out of Fyn¡¯s mouth.

    Lady Amelia curled her lip. ¡°They promised that her ire would destroy the last to truly dishonor her kin.¡±

    Fyn tilted his head, a smile rising. Then it dropped. All of his cheerfulness died and he leaned back on his heels. I raised an eyebrow at him, my fingers drumming on the hilt of my blade. But somebody else spoke before I could ask.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Bane hissed, his skin taking on a tinge more fitting of a ghost.

    I furrowed my brow and stepped forward, leaning against the battle table.

    ¡°Keris¡­¡± a voice came from beside me. I straightened up in an instant, the name registering deep in my mind. The images of red-tinged flame and horrible pain lined memories as they rose.

    I fell back, the realization collapsing onto me. Keris¡¯ crazed, whispered words played back from where they were stuck in my mind. He¡¯d promised her ire all the way back then. And he¡¯d said we¡¯d disgraced her kin.

    Arathorn had wanted dragon¡¯s blood, after all.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lady Amelia said, her voice soft. In the silence, though, it echoed off the walls. ¡°The favor Sarin¡¯s former lord called in with us, one that forced our hand to sacrifice lives in attaining a package he wanted so dearly¡ªthat scar on our past has put a target on our city.¡±

    Cold silence followed. Everyone stood with their lips sealed shut and their eyes wide. Though, nobody was looking at anything particular. We were all just letting the world wash over us for a moment as if procrastinating the realization that what Lady Amelia had said was true.

    That silent respite couldn¡¯t last forever, though. We all knew that.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Kye hissed under her breath alongside me. She took a step backward and shook her head lightly. ¡°Fucking world¡¯s dammit.¡±

    The curses streamed out as her face contorted in realization. As the responsibility pressed down on her again. We couldn¡¯t let Norn suffer, after all. She knew that. After a moment she just sighed and stepped back up.

    ¡°This legion is our best option?¡± the huntress asked.

    Lady Amelia nodded. ¡°Our preparations have been extensive, and the force we¡¯re assembling will be larger than has been seen in decades. It is our best option and our last option.¡±

    Kye clenched her jaw, but she eventually nodded. ¡°What do we have to do, then? What preparations are left before we¡­¡± She sneered. ¡°Before we march?¡±

    The knight general straightened up. ¡°Their last promise was issued barely a week ago. It is what initiated our change of plans in the first place. And it puts us on a ticking clock.¡± Her expression darkened. ¡°My knights already know the specifics of our plan, and you all know the basics. Over the next two days¡ªunder my direction¡ªyou all will meet with Norn¡¯s forces to organize. We will march to Ord shortly after.¡±

    I nodded, tension slipping from my chest. My gut was still tied in knots, but it made more sense now. Everything made more sense.

    In the corner of my eye, an arm draped in blue cloth raised. ¡°What about lodging?¡± Laney asked, her voice as soft as a mouse.

    Lady Amelia heard her anyway and rolled her wrist. ¡°My knights have been delegated to their usual quarters.¡± She scanned over Bane and the other armored knights in the room. ¡°The rest of the knights here have been reserved space with them.¡± She smiled, her eyes flicking to Fyn. ¡°Some of you have even been awarded your former quarters.¡±

    ¡°What about us?¡± Kye asked.

    Our leader smiled warmly. ¡°The Rangers have all been reserved rooms in Norn¡¯s highest quality inn. Talk to the owner of the Mountain¡¯s Hearth, and all should be handled well. It will provide excellent accommodations for rest and recuperation before we march.¡± Lady Amelia hesitated, once again looking over the weary and contemplative people standing around the battle table. ¡°Something I am sure all of you would enjoy getting to now. We will meet again before nightfall, and then we will begin organizing the next morning.¡± She cocked her head. ¡°Dismissed.¡±

    The room around me erupted into commotion again. Tired and fairly muted in the grand scheme of things, but it was commotion nonetheless. We all acknowledged Lady Amelia¡¯s dismissal, and before I knew it, we were filing out. The sea of plated metal around me thinned as everyone fanned back into their groups.

    By the time we¡¯d made our way out of the temple, Kye and I were walking alone. Even Lionel and his group had already split off and were talking up ahead as they made their way to the inn we were supposed to be staying at.

    Walking after them with our boots scraping against the paved stone road, neither of us talked. Kye just looked at the ground with her face halfway morphed into a scowl. And I just hunched my shoulders, letting my fingers tap on the hilt of my blade as we walked.

    After a while though, the silence became a little oppressive.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I started, lifting my head and glancing at Kye expectantly.

    ¡°Shit,¡± she answered, not budging an inch.

    At that, I could do nothing but agree.

 Chapter 54

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    I awoke extremely comfortable.

    Which, given how extremely uncomfortable the next few weeks would be, was quite well deserved. The lush linen sheets and the soft cushions were exactly what I needed.

    Lady Amelia had said that the inn would provide excellent accommodations. And looking around the room of polished wood peppered with cloth drapings and intricate trinkets, I knew she hadn¡¯t lied. After all of the preparations we¡¯d done in the past two days, we needed it. The relaxation I¡¯d gotten in such a quality bed had almost made up for the inexorable frustration of forcing myself in line. Of organizing with fighters that, even now, were leagues ahead of my current body in skill.

    I shook my head and sat up, letting a sigh fall from my lips. This was it, I reminded myself. We were supposed to march today. Supposed to leave the safety of Norn¡¯s high stone walls and venture into danger.

    Though, if our legion wasn¡¯t successful, I doubted Norn¡¯s walls would provide much safety anyway.

    My eyes narrowed as I rose to my feet, trying to build up resolve. I reminded myself of what we were doing and why. I reminded myself of the people¡ªthe real lives that were at stake. And I reminded myself of the beast¡ªstoking my own hatred to fuel me on.

    Each day, I¡¯d done that during my morning routine. And I did it now as I dressed into my ranger¡¯s uniform and prepared a bag with all of the supplies I would need. It was important to remind myself of these things, I thought. It was important.

    We didn¡¯t have the luxury of being unsure.

    At this stage, we couldn¡¯t afford to.

    As I packed my bag, though, placing in personal rations along with my extra uniform and the sheathed knives I carried just in case, I had trouble focusing. I had trouble focusing on the future with the white flame distracting me in the present. Since I¡¯d woken up, it had been restless. It had been swirling. Doing the same things it had been doing for the past few days.

    As though the prospect of facing our situation head-on was too much for it, the flame had delegated itself to memories. It had walled itself in.

    Since Lady Amelia had dismissed us from the original briefing, it hadn¡¯t stolen the reigns again. That was good, at least. But that didn¡¯t mean it had been cooperative. Anytime I¡¯d tried to access it or train with its magic, it was somewhere else.

    Which, with all of the work we¡¯d been doing, hadn¡¯t been the best for me.

    I scowled, muttering a swear under my breath as I finished packing. The bag swung over my back in quick time. I retrieved my sword a moment later, sheathing it in my scabbard before pushing out of my room.

    A symphony of noise attacked my ears. It all drifted up from the tavern below, showing off the still-bustling activity Norn was capable of even after all of the attacks. I tuned it out though and focused inward.

    After Lady Amelia¡¯s briefing had reminded all of us of the enemy we were facing and why, our procession had been kicked into gear. At the following meeting, there had been significantly less doubt.

    There had still been unrest, of course. But we¡¯d pushed past it. We¡¯d still respected the responsibility pressing down on our shoulders. Especially now that it had become more certain.

    Not certain for what would happen if we went¡ªthere were still far too many gaps in reliable information for that. The certainty now lied in what would happen if we didn¡¯t go.

    We all tried not to think about it.

    So instead of wasting time on worries, we¡¯d prepared even harder. Our procession had met with all of the other knights and trained with them too. We¡¯d learned about their fighting styles. About their strategies. About their magic. Every scrap of time we¡¯d been able to scrape out had been allotted to understanding how to make our legion a well-oiled machine.

    By now, I didn¡¯t know if it would work as well as we wanted it to. But also, I didn¡¯t have time to believe that it wouldn¡¯t. This was it, I reminded myself again.

    It would work because it had to.

    I smiled, ignoring the white flame and its restlessness for the moment as I pushed down the creaky wooden steps and past a group drinking at the bar. Instead, I focused on the familiar face of my fellow ranger near the entrance.

    Kye glanced up as I approached, offering a wave before returning to the person in front of her. Straining my ears, I picked out enough of the conversation to know it was about her letter again. The slim man¡¯s armor did distinguish him as a messenger, after all.

    After learning about the change of plans, some of the knights in our procession had proposed sending a notice back to Marc. Of informing him of the changes that had been made, as well as the promises the cult had issued. They wanted to make sure that Sarin was aware of our true mission.

    To make sure everyone knew the possible consequences.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Kye muttered off-handedly as the messenger handed her the letter. She tore her gaze down at it and waved a dismissive hand at the man in light armor. His eyebrows dropped before he trudged out into Norn¡¯s much quieter streets.

    ¡°You¡¯re up early,¡± I said, my grin widening.

    Kye cocked an eyebrow without looking up, still scanning over the paper in her hand. ¡°Yeah.¡± She adjusted a strand of her chestnut hair before flashing a smirk. ¡°What about it?¡±

    I exhaled sharply through my nose. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just a little odd to see, you know. I¡¯ve been up earlier than you every day since¡­ since we first met I think.¡±

    Kye scrunched her face. ¡°Right, sure.¡±

    I chuckled, raising an eyebrow. ¡°What are you reading?¡±

    Finally, my companion looked up. She blinked and then shook her head. ¡°You remember how I sent a status letter back to Sarin when the knights sent their notice to Marc?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said.

    ¡°Well, I just got a response. I was expecting it to come today¡ªbut I didn''t know if I¡¯d even get one. Two days is not a lot of time.¡±

    I tilted my head. ¡°True, but Norn¡¯s messengers are quick. Traveling alone, they can go from Sarin and back in almost a day.¡±

    Kye nodded, obviously uninterested. ¡°Right. So I actually have a response now. And I was up because I wanted to make sure I could read it before we marched off to death.¡± My fingers tightened on the leather hilt at that. Kye straightened herself and half-cringed before turning her attention back to the note.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Who wrote back?¡± I asked.

    The huntress chuckled. ¡°Jason did, actually. I mean, even if I didn¡¯t recognize his handwriting, I would¡¯ve been able to figure out who had written this without much difficulty.¡± I snickered, but she barreled ahead. ¡°He wrote about how things in Sarin are at least they¡¯re safe.¡±

    My companion rolled her eyes. I grinned, already picturing the arrogant swordsman smirking to himself as he wrote. ¡°Well, you asked for an update of what was going on in Sarin. Did he offer anything useful?¡±

    Kye exhaled sharply, but the corners of her lips still tugged upward. ¡°Yeah. He provided some useful stuff. But it¡¯s not much. The Rangers have still been doing what they¡¯ve been doing the entire time¡ªthough, Marc has apparently stiffened Sarin¡¯s security.¡±

    My fingers froze on my sword. I furrowed my brow. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    She threw up her hands. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. All Jason wrote was that after Marc got the message Bane sent back, he got paranoid. He¡¯s been keeping stricter watch of the town, and he hasn¡¯t done any public announcements since we left.¡±

    I sneered, tilting my head at it. It made sense that he would tighten security. With the threat of Rath and her cult looming as dangerously as they were in Norn, it was only natural. Yet¡­ Marc loved public announcements. After the first one he¡¯d made all those weeks ago, he¡¯d kept them up.

    It had mostly been so that Marc could bolster himself with his peoples¡¯ praise, but it had raised morale either way. Under Marc¡¯s direction, Sarin had prospered far more than it had under his cousin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kye said, ripping me out of my thoughts and shrugging. ¡°It isn¡¯t the status update that I hoped for, but I don¡¯t know what else I expected. They¡¯re doing well, I guess.¡±

    I nodded, dragging my gaze to the floor. It was good that they were still doing well, I told myself. It was important. Even though the cult¡¯s threat was mostly concentrated on the mountain states, if Rath rose, it wouldn¡¯t matter. I had trouble believing any place on the entire continent would be safe.

    We were doing this for them, too.

    I shook my head and straightened up. ¡°Where are the others?¡±

    Kye shot a curious glance at me, leaning back against the wooden wall next to the inn¡¯s entrance. ¡°The knights are probably still in their quarters.¡±

    ¡°What about Lionel and his group?¡±

    Kye flashed a thin smile before cocking her head to the side. ¡°They were up when I was.¡± She darted her gaze over to a cushioned seating area across the room. I followed her gaze. ¡°They¡¯re over there, still as casual as ever. As though nothing is going on in the world around them.¡± She slumped back. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about them. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be ready when we march.¡±

    A breath fell from my lips. I nodded, watching the black-haired ranger flash a suave smile while twirling a piece of food in his hand. Beside him, Laney giggled, and the other two rangers across from them started bickering about this or that.

    Right. I didn¡¯t need to worry about them.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Kye asked, dragging my attention back to her. She fixed me with a curious gaze that was wholly ineffective at masking her smirk.

    I grinned, feeling the weight of my sword at my side. The comfortable energy and lack of soreness in my muscles despite the past days of vigorous training. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m as ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡± I leaned back on my heels. ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°Am I ready?¡± she asked, taken aback.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± I repeated.

    She chuckled. ¡°Well. I¡¯d certainly better be.¡±

    <hr>

    The world around us was a sea of metal armor.

    I rolled my neck and stepped backward, trying to form whatever kind of distance I could from the main crowd. From the oppressive cacophony of metallic sounds I¡¯d been hearing all morning. With the legion assembled and the sun now beating down on us, I wished we could¡¯ve gotten moving already.

    Twisting, I took a deep breath to calm myself. Shaking my head lightly, I tuned out the chaos that probably would¡¯ve fit in my past life. I focused inward for a moment instead. On taking one breath after another and keeping the white flame in check.

    Since the morning, it had calmed considerably. It was still a little erratic, and it still didn¡¯t receive my calls to it that well, but it was progress. No longer was it pulling up memories in the back of my head. I could ignore it, in other words.

    And as the brisk, winter-autumn wind rolled over me, the peace was rather nice. It was a moment of respite after all of the dry conversations and frustrating formalities. With discipline still clutched tight at the core of my soul, I respected the knights and their process. But at this point, I wanted to move. I was tired of sitting around.

    ¡°For the world¡¯s¡ª¡±

    A familiar and highly-irate voice cut through the clamor around us. Kye glared at a knight and pushed him out of her way as she stumbled through the street toward where I was standing.

    As soon as she saw me, she fixed me with a glance that detailed exactly how unamused she was. ¡°This shit couldn¡¯t get more frustrating, I swear.¡±

    I chuckled but couldn¡¯t stop from nodding. ¡°It¡¯s necessary, at least,¡± I said. ¡°Or, I assume it is because if it isn¡¯t, then I might have to talk with Lady Amelia myself.¡±

    Kye rolled her eyes. ¡°Right. Because you¡¯d get an opportunity to talk privately with somebody through all of this.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°You¡¯re stationed back here too, then?¡±

    Kye stopped, her shoulders dropping. ¡°Yeah.¡± Almost all of the tension washed from her tone. ¡°If I¡¯m going to have to deal with all of this, I¡¯d rather have someone to complain to.¡±

    A smile tugged at my lips. I sighed, watching her smirk as she walked up next to me. As the crowd of dozens of knights in front of us continued annoying the world itself with their noise, I scanned the scene.

    Despite the organization and formality of it all, our legion was simply standing in the middle of the street. The houses and boarded-up shops at the city¡¯s edge stared at us. In this section of Norn¡ªwhere its main street met up with a gate leading off through the rest of the mountains¡ªthere wasn¡¯t much activity. Not from the common folk, at least.

    We sure made up the difference ourselves.

    Looking back over the legion in front of me, I was almost astonished by how spread out it was. After all of the training we¡¯d done, it only made sense for all of us to be focused and in line. The reality, however, was quite different.

    The basic layout was intact. Lady Amelia still stood at the front next to her most skilled fighters¡ªthe knights she trusted the most. Behind them was the main force, which was section off by ten spaces of clearance. And behind that was our backing party.

    Along the sides of our procession, small scouting parties and individuals functioned as lookouts for danger. Lionel and his group had offered to fill those positions. But while they didn¡¯t have much individual interaction with many other parts of the legions, at least they were doing something. They were constantly on the move and had orders to venture out if they thought something was worth investigating. Whereas at the back, all we had to do was stay ready.

    Though, at least our section wasn¡¯t completely void of entertainment.

    ¡°Agil!¡± Fyn exclaimed as he pushed away from a few knights. His infectious cheer forced a smile on my face. And it even did the same for Kye, who only nodded at the knight while he walked up. ¡°And Kye, of course.¡±

    ¡°Hey Fyn,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re in the backing party as well?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I definitely am. Less work for me, and we¡¯re in the safest position if the legion gets attacked head-on.¡±

    ¡°What if we get attacked from behind?¡± Kye asked.

    Fyn faked a scowl and shook his head. ¡°That question doesn¡¯t even make any sense.¡± Kye chuckled, and the dark-skinned knight couldn¡¯t keep a straight face for long. ¡°In all seriousness, though, if we get attacked from behind¡­ then we¡¯ll make sure they wish they had attacked the front.¡±

    I laughed, my mood lightening with every second. ¡°That is certainly hopeful.¡±

    Fyn stopped, angled his head, and spread his arms wide. ¡°Of course it is! If you ask me, this legion could use a little bit more hope. The dreary mood is bringing me down.¡± He spared a single chuckle to himself. ¡°Are you two ready?¡±

    I was already rolling my eyes. ¡°Yes. But really, I¡¯m tired of that question.¡± I threw my hand up a tad theatrically. ¡°What does it matter if I¡¯m ready? We¡¯re about on our way already!¡±

    Fyn laughed, holding a hand up as if to try and make me stop the hilarity. It didn¡¯t work very well on his end. And after a moment, even Kye let out genuine laughter. Her smirk faded, replacing itself with a smile full of mirth.

    As the cheerful knight calmed himself, words lilted to my ears. They drifted over the slowly-lulling commotion in front of us. It only took a few moments of listening to realize it was Lady Amelia.

    She was at the head of the legion giving another run-down of the orders. The knights in front of her, undoubtedly, were listening. But the further away her words traveled, the less attention they held. I tuned them out entirely.

    Because truly, I already knew what she had to say. We all did. It was the same tactical and formational information we¡¯d been preparing since we¡¯d arrived. So instead, I just leaned back on my heels and took in the last few moments of peace that I could before my life wound down into hell.

    Or, it would wind down into travel first. But I reckoned that was simply a different kind of hell. As I waited, with Kye¡¯s voice going back and forth with Fyn¡¯s in front of me, I sighed. I let tension slip away before it had to come back.

    It did have to return, though. Lady Amelia had to stop her spiel at some point.

    Eventually, our legion lurched forward.

    So I collected myself once more and started walking. The commotion that had been deafening only moments before died down to barely a whisper as we advanced.

    Once again, even though I didn¡¯t consider Norn my home, I was sad to see the semblances of civilization slip away. I was sad to see the shops and houses and beautiful stone architecture fade behind us. But it was necessary, I reminded myself. We had a responsibility to fulfill.

    The knights around me fell fully silent. The elegant stone wall gave way to a rough mountain path.

    And we marched.

 Chapter 55

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    <hr>

    We marched.

    And marched, and marched, and marched some more.

    In all honesty, I was starting to think it was all we could do. With the rough mountain path under us and the consistent thump of metal boots on stone, we¡¯d fallen into a rhythm. My body had started moving on automatic. And at this point, I didn¡¯t know if I could¡¯ve stopped it if I¡¯d wanted to.

    Since leaving Norn, we¡¯d followed the road as it petered off into little more than a path. It had descended off the isolated plateau that Norn sat on and taken us into a valley at some point. The misshapen stone barriers had quickly given way to large open spaces and staggering mountains on both sides.

    Down below us, after a slope lined with cliffs, ridges, and vegetation, was a river. It cut through the rock like a blade of the world itself. It separated our legion from snow-capped peaks that, even from such a distance, still made us look puny in comparison.

    And as I looked around, I did have to admit that the scenery was beautiful. If I ignored the dull aches in my legs and the crippling boredom, I could almost enjoy it. Rolling winds that blanketed the valley. Rushing water from the river down below. Shifting rocks in the mountainside next to us. And even the faint screeches of birds I could hear if I strained my ears.

    It was nice. I had to admit that no matter how annoying the terrain was. The world around us was a treat. A nice change of pace from the tight, twisting forests I¡¯d spent so much of my time in for the past few months.

    Though, as time waned on and progress came slowly, I couldn¡¯t stop coming to one fact.

    I was bored.

    After setting off from Norn, the calm focus that had dawned over our party had gradually worn off. It had chipped away into dull commotion again. The knights had begun chatting¡ªtrading anecdotes and reaffirming the positions they¡¯d already been assigned.

    I hadn¡¯t cared about it at first. Since we were in the backing party anyway, Kye and I had kept ourselves respectfully removed from the conversations. We¡¯d chatted idly amongst ourselves with nothing interesting to talk about anyway.

    Obviously, there was still doubt. There was still worry and dread about what came next. But neither of us particularly wanted to hear it anymore. We¡¯d been living it for the past week straight. And even though each new piece of information changed it, nothing seemed to get rid of it entirely.

    I didn¡¯t think anything would. Not until we faced our task head-on. Not until we either came back successful or made sure that the world knew it was impossible.

    We all hoped for the former, but the latter scenario wasn¡¯t easy to shake.

    Shaking my head, I sighed. I blinked myself alert and tore my eyes off the river below. Looking forward, I squinted at the hunched line of more lightly armored knights. They were the ones who had previously been Norn¡¯s scouts. Beyond them, the knights in plated armor marched at the tail-end of the main group. The main armed force of our legion.

    None of them were talking anymore. It seemed that even after our strict determination had slipped away, they still couldn¡¯t hold up against the painful mundanity of our task.

    Though even with the silence, I couldn¡¯t particularly focus. I couldn¡¯t feel any of the serenity or peace of mind. Not with the white flame still sifting through my mind.

    Its bout of calmness had given way after less than an hour on the road. After indulging in its wonder for a while¡ªwatching through my eyes at the beautiful scene¡ªit had gone back to its musing. Back to searching for whatever it wanted among my memories.

    Every time I tried to reach out to it, I got burned. And since I had no way of getting at it from another angle¡ªno way of spiting it¡ªI just let it be. I simply watched it dig through memories in the back of my head as an idle observer.

    The more I focused on it, the more prominent the feeling became. Like a slight itching feeling at the back of my head, I could feel nearly every mental movement the white flame made. It was annoying, but I¡¯d endured worse from the terrors. So I didn¡¯t push it to stop.

    As I watched it more carefully, I saw the movements as well. With my attention turned inward, I could see the memories it was pulling up and comparing as though trying to hopelessly reconcile the two.

    It flared, flickering in frustration as the memories resisted. They felt incompatible. And the white flame couldn¡¯t figure out why. It latched onto both and experienced them again as though searching for answers in the details.

    One was fractured and skewed like shattered glass reassembled with mismatched pieces. I saw myself training in the woods with a blade in hand, grumbling angrily. The words falling through the memory¡¯s cracked fog escaped me, but the image shined in crystal clarity as white fire erupted from the steel of my blade.

    I blinked, shaking my head lightly to remind myself of reality. Of the current reality, with knights filling my vision and a mountain path under my boots. I had to stay grounded, I told myself.

    The white flame, however, had no such reservations.

    Shifting its attention, it latched onto the second memory. The tendrils of its fire crept around the faded surface and tried to bring it to life. It was trying to remember it, I realized.

    This memory was different from the other, yet it felt oddly similar. Through the blurred and faded haze, I saw myself again. I saw a sword in my hand and heard my voice. This time, the words were confident and determined instead of angry. Hopeful instead of discouraged as I watched myself train in the fields of my home kingdom.

    I still couldn¡¯t hear the words, though. They escaped me as the memory fell away at a glacial pace while also fading in the blink of an eye.

    Narrowing my eyes, I tried to hone in on the memories further. I watched them as carefully as I could without getting in the white flame¡¯s way. Because despite the fact that they were both from the perspective of my eyes, I wasn¡¯t even sure if they were of the same person. They seemed¡­ distant, for some reason. As though the similar situations had come from vastly different circumstances.

    Sword¡ªthe white flame said.

    I jolted, my eyes stretching wide as the word processed in my head. It radiated through my mind with pure meaning as though the sound of it didn¡¯t exist. It was more like a thought than anything, yet it felt foreign. It had come distinctly from the white flame.

    Flitting my eyelids, I dropped my hand to the hilt of my blade. My fingers wrapped around the leather grip as I gritted my teeth and turned attention inward. As I made another attempt at the memories, struggling to understand what the fire inside my head was trying to do.

    ¡°What are you¡­¡± I muttered. The words slipped out thoughtlessly.

    The white flame froze, flickering silently. Then it blazed and retreated from my probing eye. It blocked itself off again and reinforced the action with a word.

    No¡ªit said, accompanied by a wave of discomfort.

    I grimaced, nearly stumbling on the uneven ground before I shook it off. Movement still registered in the back of my head, but it felt dull. Distant. The white flame didn¡¯t want to hear from me anymore, it seemed.

    Swallowing my pride, I straightened up. I let out a rough cough to clear my throat and tried to relax. To slump my shoulders down and let the wind ruffle through brown locks of my hair. No matter how much my body wished it could comply, the task wasn¡¯t as simple as it sounded.

    ¡°What¡¯s with you?¡± Kye asked, her words plinking against my skull like a pebble thrown simply to remind me of her existence. I offered a weak smile, the tips of my ears already flushing red.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, trying to make the declaration not sound like a lie. Judging by the way Kye raised an eyebrow at me, I was only halfway successful. I sighed. ¡°Really just bored, I guess. I don¡¯t know how much more of this marching I can take.¡±

    Kye smiled, bobbing her head in an instant. Flicking her eyes out, she scanned over the mountain ridge lining our left side, the rest of the backing party along with the rest of the knights in the legion, and then over to where our rocky path descended below only a handful of paces to our right. Then she shot a glance back to me, wholly unimpressed.

    ¡°I get that,¡± she said, lowering her voice a few notes. ¡°Even all of this¡±¡ªshe gestured to the mountain valley off to our side¡ª¡°gets samey after a while. Plus, my legs hurt.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    I chuckled, rolling my shoulders and stretching the muscles in my legs. The slightest pain lined my strain. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ve been marching since not long after the crack of dawn, and I don¡¯t know how much further we¡¯ll even go. And with the fatigue, and the boredom, and the worries¡­ it¡¯s a little much.¡±

    Kye¡¯s gaze softened at that, her shoulders slumping. ¡°None of those three seem to be going away anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it,¡± I admitted, my voice lowering as I tried to shift my attention away from a certain fiery presence. Instead, I actually focused on what I was saying. The worries pressed back down in an instant as if they¡¯d been waiting for the opportunity. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about our chances with all of this.¡±

    Kye half-heartedly glared at me. She stiffened her shoulders and didn¡¯t hinder the smirk as it broke through. ¡°Don¡¯t worry as much, then. We have the best chances possible because we can¡¯t afford not to.¡±

    A sharp breath escaped from my nose. I nodded. ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡±

    The huntress beamed. Then she turned, stepping closer to me while letting her boot scrape against the rock below for a moment. ¡°I do get it though. I can¡¯t stop thinking about everything we¡¯ve done in the past few days.¡± She hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a lot. But my brain keeps going back to that party of knights.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°The ones that killed a dragon?¡±

    In front of us, two knights turned. They perked their ears and squinted at me for only a moment before turning back around. Sunlight glittered over the chainmail on their backs.

    Kye held a careful smile, leaning in toward me. ¡°Yeah. The ones Lady Amelia mentioned. I can¡¯t stop thinking about the injuries she described. I¡­¡± She stopped herself, her face contorting. ¡°I went to the apothecary¡¯s building to ask about it, and everything she mentioned is correct, I guess. The knights really do have some strange kind of insanity that tortures their brain whenever the word ¡®dragon¡¯ is even mentioned.¡±

    I swallowed. My throat felt like sandpaper. ¡°Really? No¡­ exaggerations at all?¡± In truth, I hadn¡¯t expected Lady Amelia to have stretched the truth, but it was hard to accept. The fact that any creature could inflict such specific psychological damage¡­

    It didn¡¯t sit right.

    ¡°Nope,¡± Kye said shortly. ¡°And after recovering from the burns and other physical injuries, they appeared largely fine. But their mental states are¡­ strange, apparently.¡± Kye tilted her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t stay to find out anything more specific.¡±

    A shudder crept down my spine. I shook it off, trying to melt the worry away with the afternoon sun. It wasn¡¯t effective at all.

    ¡°I started talking to avoid worries, not add to them,¡± I said and shot Kye a glare.

    She smirked. ¡°Well, you should¡¯ve known better. Remembering why we¡¯re even out here marching in the first place is good enough to stoke that dread.¡± I chuckled, and her smirk only deepened. ¡°But¡­ it hasn¡¯t taken that stuff off my mind. It brings me back to Tahir too much.¡±

    My posture stiffened at the name and the emotion behind it. Cringing, I allowed myself a shallow nod as I remembered her stories about Tahir. He¡¯d been a ranger, as far as I knew. One of the most powerful Sarin had ever seen because of his magical adaptability. He¡¯d been friends with Kye, even.

    And he¡¯d died on their first trip to Norn.

    ¡°Right,¡± I eventually got out, my voice straining. ¡°He, ah. He killed a dragon too, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    Kye nodded, her face oddly resolute. ¡°He did.¡± She hushed her voice even more, flicking eyes up to the knights ahead of us. ¡°One that the Knights of Norn had decided not to warn us about when sending us to help them deal with threats. We¡¯d come on good faith, and they had¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°He faced the dragon alone without us¡ªand he warned us never to go find it again.¡±

    My fingers tightened on the grip of my blade. ¡°He didn¡¯t make it, right?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Kye said, her tone cold. Then, however, she sighed and rolled her neck. ¡°That was¡­ a long time ago, though. I just¡­ Tahir¡¯s mind was scattered too after he faced the dragon. At the time we¡¯d chalked it up to the fact that he¡¯d been bleeding out but¡­¡± Her face tightened. ¡°Now I¡¯m not as sure.¡±

    A thin smile grew across my lips. As I walked on, step after step, the white flame slowly removed its blockade. It slowly came back out from its mental hiding place. But my attention was occupied elsewhere.

    ¡°It makes me remember all of the stories about dragons I¡¯ve heard through my life,¡± Kye said. I blinked, rising from my thoughts and turning back to her. ¡°The conventional ones as well as the more obscure things. People have never really understood dragons, so a lot of crazy gets mixed in with the real.¡± She stopped for a second and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know if any of it even is real, to be honest.¡±

    I nodded, pushing the fear down and letting the weight at my waist calm me. ¡°Some of it has to be. There is too much of it¡ªand too much that falls in line with the destruction they¡¯ve wreaked already.¡± My brain flashed back to the intimate stories the knights had told of some of their own brothers getting rent to ash.

    Kye tilted her head. ¡°I suppose, but some of it is outright strange.¡± A breath of amusement fled from her lips. ¡°I mean, one that I heard as a rumor when I was little said that the dragons weren¡¯t even from the world itself.¡± Her face scrunched for a second. ¡°Or, well, that they originated from the world, but not the one that we live in. As though the world has more¡­ layers to it?¡± She didn¡¯t know. ¡°Something like that, at least. I remember the idea that dragons and their kind were initially an experiment by one of the world¡¯s Servants.¡±

    I furrowed my brow and scrunched my nose. Her words processed in my head, but they didn¡¯t make more sense after time. They still sounded¡­ far fetched. Even after everything I¡¯d learned about dragons thus far, it felt unreliable. It felt like the kind of thing paranoid people would come up with when faced with the unknown.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are thousands of versions,¡± I said, rolling my shoulders. ¡°Like with dragon¡¯s blood¡±¡ªKye widened her eyes at the mention¡ª¡°there are probably more theories about dragons themselves than you could count.¡±

    Kye chuckled, her eyebrows raising in surprise. I smiled, inclining my head only the slightest bit forward. She broke out into a laugh.

    ¡°Maybe so,¡± she said as her amused bellowing died down. After it did, she smiled at me for a second before something dawned on her. Her eyebrows dropped. ¡°You met with a dragon though, right?¡± Her voice came hushed and low, barely a whisper on the wind.

    I almost froze. Anath¡¯s image propped itself up in my mind and I had to clench my jaw to push it away. Her cold words whispered back through my ears over and over like voices inside my own mind.

    I shuddered. ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± I muttered. ¡°I did, but¡­¡±

    Thoughts churned through my head at a snail¡¯s pace. As I considered it, her implied logic did make sense. With everything we knew about dragons, I almost mused that I should¡¯ve been more damaged by the simple interaction. Yet¡­

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t entirely a dragon, though. Only partly¡ªas she made perfectly clear.¡± Her ward of clarity reminded me of its existence as a solid rock in the sea of my chaotic thoughts. It was still there, then. Sitting dormant. ¡°It was a¡­ different situation.¡±

    Kye fixed me with a curious glare. I curled my lip and scrunched my face further, trying to work through it all myself. Eventually, the huntress spoke again. ¡°You met with her in the woods, right? With her?¡± I nodded through gritted teeth. ¡°What happened afterwards?¡±

    ¡°She left after our conversation,¡± I said. ¡°Just vanished into the trees, as far as I could tell. And I¡ªwell. It was cold, and I¡¯d simply let it be so I wouldn¡¯t die.¡± Thinking back on it, I remembered the waves of pressing mental pain I¡¯d experienced at the¡­ words she¡¯d used. The names? Were they names? I didn¡¯t know anymore. ¡°Though, I¡¯m not sure I got out entirely unscathed.¡±

    A chuckle escaped my mouth. It was void of any joy.

    Kye bobbed her head in silence before letting the smirk come back. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair before shooting her gaze back forward. ¡°If you can get through an experience with one of those creatures, so can I. Can¡¯t be that hard.¡±

    With a dry chuckle and a single nod, I dropped my eyes back to the ground. I let her comment lead us back into silence for fear of continuing the conversation as it was. Because with it all, the worries were only coming back. It wasn¡¯t peace as I wished it would be.

    So I let myself focus on boredom again. On exhaustion and fatigue. On the sounds and sights of the slowly-progressing world around us.

    And eventually, I went back to the white flame.

    The tickle in the back of my head was there. It scraped my skull ever-so-softly. The white-hot presence that had previously walled itself away from me was back with its normal task. It was sifting through memories again¡ªall of the broken, old, and faded ones alike. Each time, it would take multiple of them and inspect them with its fire. It would try to order them or combine them as though to make sense of the fact that they existed at all.

    I gritted my teeth as it kept up. The longer it tried, the more frustrated it seemed to be getting. And with its increasing frustration, the tickle turned more and more into a scratch. One that only rose my annoyance as we marched on.

    Narrowing my eyes, I focused inwardly again. I searched through the lifeful black void of my mind and watched the flame. In its grasp were two memories again. One broken at sharp edges and one faded into fog.

    It tried to understand the memories, replaying them over and over in an effort to reconcile the experiences. But as was becoming obvious, it wasn¡¯t making progress.

    The sharp and fractured memory saw me falling to my knees. On a rock in the middle of a forest, I sat sobbing. My body fell onto a large stone in weakness. I didn¡¯t seem to care, only crying out in cracked, unfamiliar words. Through the memory, I couldn¡¯t figure out what they were¡ªbut they were tied to loss. Tied to the images of people close to me, along with a sense of resignation as though from life itself.

    Stretching my neck, I pushed my boot into the stone a little more forcefully. To ground myself, I thought. I couldn¡¯t get too caught up in the memories. That was all they were, after all. Memories.

    So after reaffirming my connection to reality, I turned my attention back to the white flame. I watched it replay the other memory¡ªthe one shrouded in fog.

    Except this time, it wasn¡¯t a thick, faded fog. It was thin and newly formed as though the images playing in front of my eyes were important enough never to be forgotten. I stood at the edge of a tree line in front of a serene walking path. My path, I remembered. My eyes flicked over to the skeletal form of the beast only a moment later. I sneered at it, readying my blade before charging.

    The memory cut off there as the white flame held it again. I winced as my consciousness was thrown for a loop. It took me far too long to regain my mental footing. And once I did, the pain only got worse as it tried to combine both memories. As it tried to connect them somehow, even though they had never been meant to connect.

    Death¡ªthe white flame said.

    I grimaced, letting out an annoyed grunt. In front of me, I saw Kye turn around. She fixed me with a peculiar glance that I didn¡¯t pay attention to. Instead, I tried to reach out to the white flame and halt its strange actions.

    It froze again. It flickered in silence. But this time, it didn¡¯t wall me off. Alternatively, it perked up in fear. In a sudden sense of surprise.

    ¡°What are you¡ª¡± I started before biting the words off. Kye blinked at me for a moment, but I didn¡¯t look her way.

    My ears twitched. Something was different.

    Grabbing the hilt of my blade with an ironclad grip, I scanned the scene. I scoured the grey rock around our still-marching procession for anything out of place. And when I noticed Lionel and Laney scouting on the left side, I¡¯d found it.

    They weren¡¯t as relaxed as normal, I realized. They were tense and ready, almost like they¡¯d been spooked by something.

    I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. Perking my ears, I listened to the world again. This time, there was no rolling wind. No flowing water. No shifting rock. Not even the screeches of mountain birds in the distance. It was all still and quiet like the world itself was holding its breath.

    My eyes widened. I turned, flicking over the stone ridge to our side. Dozens of paces ahead and past the cover of a shielded path, I saw a light. A puff of smoke and a slight glow of red fire.

    The white flame returned, draping itself around my neck. This time, it had no intention of seizing control. It simply poured its fire in with mine.

    Just in time for me to break out into a run.

 Chapter 56

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    I unsheathed my sword as the world devolved into chaos.

    The shouting was just beginning. Even over the oppressive clamor of my roaring pulse and metal boots pounding on the rock below, I could make out far too many of the words.

    The first to shout was Kye. When I¡¯d noticed the differences and felt the oncoming battle, she¡¯d looked back at me curiously. I¡¯d ignored her glaring and snapping fingers, though. So when I¡¯d broken out into a sprint at the sight of smoke, she was more than a little bit confused.

    ¡°Agil? What the hell are you doing?¡± she yelled from behind me. I could almost see the bewildered expression on her face. But I didn¡¯t turn around¡ªI didn¡¯t even respond, for that matter. Because the more my ears twitched, the more certain I became that whether I told her or not, she would find out anyway.

    The next few shouts came from Fyn. Or, more accurately, they came from the knights in our backing party in general. From what I could see in the corner of my eye, all of them slowed their pace and raised their voices. Mostly in confusion. And mostly directed at either me or Kye as the chaos ramped up in intensity.

    I didn¡¯t pay attention to them, either.

    My lips twitched as I flicked my eyes over the ridge that rose to our legion¡¯s left. Lionel and Laney were still in their scouting position to the legion¡¯s side, but aside from the tense expressions on their faces, they didn¡¯t seem to know what was coming. Only the surprise that befell Laney¡¯s features betrayed some sort of rising understanding.

    So the next shout came from me. ¡°Lionel!¡± I screamed as my fingers tightened on the hilt of my blade. The steel sliced through the air as I ran with it, pushing out the aches in my bones and preparing for whatever was to come.

    Lionel turned, brushing strands of black hair from his forehead. When he saw me running, he only raised an eyebrow. ¡°Agil? What are you¡ª¡±

    I was already shaking my head. ¡°No time. The side path up ahead!¡±

    The raven-haired ranger stiffened. His nose twitching. Then he turned and scoured the ridge ahead of them. From the crumbling side path that cut through the ridge, smoke still rose. It was faint and barely noticeable against the mountainous scenery behind it, but the smell was there.

    And Lionel noticed.

    He surged, flashing an alarming expression at Laney once before running forward. For them, the rocky side path was only a handful of paces away. For me, it was still dozens. I gritted my teeth and pushed harder, forcing myself faster.

    Before I knew it, Lionel had hunched over and crept toward the path¡¯s mouth. The place where it led off from the main road that the rest of the legion was walking on. Almost a dozen paces away, knights were perking up. They were looking between all three of us and starting into positions.

    After only another second, Laney was by Lionel¡¯s side. She held as determined of an expression as she could while she took out her bow. As she thumbed through arrows and got ready to put holes in whoever was around the corner.

    Darting my eyes up, the smoke only got thicker. And the longer I looked, the more and more the red glow of fire became visible. Though, I didn¡¯t even have the time to alert my fellow rangers before Lionel lurched forward.

    With his knife out and a wicked smile sprawled across his lips, he leapt from behind the stone. His eyes flared with energy. He licked his lips. And as his long, ever-sharp knife cut through the air, I was sure whoever had been waiting for our arrival was in for some pain.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Lionel grunted.

    Or maybe not.

    The raven-haired ranger ducked, gasping as fire flew over his head. My heart nearly stopped when I saw the red tinge lining its flames. As I remembered the sweltering heat and the searing burns from when I¡¯d fought Keris all those months back, I only moved faster.

    I watched in terror as Lionel weaved away. He veered from the flames as quickly as he could and covered the distance back to safety with only a little bit of burnt hair. I could hear him swearing from across the entire side lane.

    Beside the legion, running as space both for clearance and for scouts watching the sides, was a section that none of the knights were allowed to walk. In our organized marching order, the main force was only delegated a certain area that barely gave them enough room to move. Faster travel was the logic Lady Amelia had used when initially describing it. But now, all it did was hinder the knights¡¯ ability to be battle-ready.

    I swore under my breath, weaving over the uneven stone and toward my fellow rangers. As Lionel pressed back to cover, he muttered something to Laney under his breath. She froze for a moment then shook her head. And before I could call out to either of them, she¡¯d already pushed forward with an arrow notched in her bow.

    Only to meet more flames.

    Laney cursed, her high-pitched voice almost piercing as she moved. Quicker than I¡¯d assumed her to be, she dropped her arrow and swept a hand through the air in front of her. The energy spiraling in her eyes and the lightness that tingled against my skin through the flood of magic told me what I needed to know.

    She ducked a second later, barely getting away from the fire. And as the flames split, slowing and dwindling while they moved through the air where her hand had been, I knew she¡¯d done something.

    Before she could get seared again, she leapt backward to where Lionel was still standing at the ready. Cursing up a storm, she tried to calm her breath. She tried to steady herself as she pressed into the steep rock of the ridge.

    Lionel, however, obviously had more to do. He clenched his jaw and twisted, holding his knife dangerously. His hand flew out to push Laney behind him before he growled and lurched forward.

    As soon as he entered the open sightline of the side-path, he ducked. A small tendril of flame missed him easily as he swerved and lunged, his feet pushing into the ground with a firm seriousness I knew only he could muster. He wasn¡¯t intimidated. I had to be thankful for that¡ªfor the fact that his magical abilities to have control over his emotions were as useful as they were in a fight.

    Although, I reminded myself, sometimes fearlessness had its disadvantages.

    Blue cloth streamed through my vision as I passed Laney. She hissed as she drew her bow back up and notched an arrow in it. In the corner of my eye, I saw the struggle to keep her fingers from trembling.

    I didn¡¯t get much time to think about it as my body flew into the mouth of the path that Lionel was already fighting in. Disregarding the metallic clamor from knights beside me, I scoured the space. I looked over the narrow, crumbling path that led through the ridge until it turned off behind where I could see. Though, I didn¡¯t spare much attention at things beyond my horizon.

    At first, my eyes darted to Lionel. The raven-haired ranger was unflinching as he danced with a cultist in front of him. An actual cultist, I told myself. Because despite the fact that I¡¯d never seen one, I could tell who the grinning person was. In their grey robes covered only in light armor that was lined with red, they weren¡¯t hard to pick out.

    As far as I saw, there were half a dozen of them in the narrow mountain pathway. Most held two curved, serrated knives, and wore the same kind of armor as the man fighting Lionel. But aside from only one other cultist who was now rushing toward me, all of the others were stationed further back.

    They were watching, I ventured. Or, as was probably more truthful, they were providing support in the form of skin-melting fire. My eyes even focused on one of the cultists in particular¡ªa dark-haired woman in fitting grey robes¡ªwho wasn¡¯t wearing armor at all. Though, I was more interested in the scorched metal gauntlets covering her clenched fists.

    A shriek of clashing metal accentuated the memory of Keris as it rose. I shook it away as quickly as I could and scrambled backward, forcing the knives off of where I¡¯d caught them on my blade.

    I had to stay focused, I reminded myself. There was no time to dwell on the past.

    The cultist in front of me blinked in apparent surprise before lunging forward again. His curved knives moved like a whirlwind through the air. And while my keen eyes could track them, I didn¡¯t feel the same way about catching them again. I dodged.

    My body lurched out of the way, still twitching with the white flame¡¯s energy. I held onto that and trusted it to protect me. To keep my blood from staining the stone below. The cultist stumbled as his knives met only air.

    I took advantage of that in short time. Stepping up, I studied his faulty guard and found an opportunity to attack. Bringing my sword under his arm, I whipped my wrist forward to dart my blade at his chest. He noticed before I could execute, though, and was already bounding away.

    That was fine, though. I¡¯d planned for that.

    As soon as his feet touched back on the ground, he adjusted his grip. He spent half a second too long with his attention away from me. A time that cost him dearly as I flashed my blade over his palm and knocked the knife away.

    He screamed, coughing only an instant later as blood poured out over his hand. The serrated knife clattered uselessly to the stone. He glanced down to it, but I was already moving again.

    Forcing myself forward with my muscles tense and my guard up, I swiped the man again. He stumbled. Words died in his throat. And I kicked the knife away.

    A grin grew across my lips as I listened to the thunder of my pulse. As I felt my chest rise and fall in a rhythm that felt right. The rhythm of battle, I reminded myself. I¡¯d spent my entire past life getting acquainted with it. It was nice to remember sometimes.

    Bright red flashed in my vision.

    I gasped, barely even getting a full breath of the burning air before my instincts carried me away. The flame licked my defending arm, scorching through my uniform and leaving a burn in its wake.

    My teeth locked together to keep a scream inside. Instead, I tried to steady my breath. I tried to refocus on my target and not get burned again. I pushed away the pain and made sure I was still ready on my toes.

    ¡°Shields up!¡± somebody bellowed behind me. Lady Amelia, I recognized after a muddled moment of thought. At once, a flurry of coordinated metallic movements enveloped my periphery with shining steel.

    More flames came a second later.

    I moved, steeling myself and avoiding the absolute wave of fire that cascaded through the air. I blinked as the information processed through my brain. It hadn¡¯t come from my enemy, I realized. Not the cultist I¡¯d been fighting, anyway. It had come from further back, and it had been aimed more at the knights than anyone in general.

    As the rolling fire dispersed, leaving an orange haze tinged with red, my cultist smiled. He stepped forward and wiped the blood from his wounded hand on cloth. Completely unburned.

    Swallowing my surprise, I tightened my grip and stepped up to match the man. I watched him carefully, taking the spare moment of calm to note the locations of my fellow rangers. Lionel was back behind the stone ridge while standing in front of Laney.

    And beyond the cultist who was still staring me down, Kye¡¯s form rushed into view.

    I smiled.

    The wild man in front of me became tired of waiting and lurched. The grin at my lips only grew. I¡¯d baited him into returning to the attack and it had worked. With his arm flailing as it was, the limited range of his knife only became a detriment. As long as I didn¡¯t get forced into defense, I could exploit the weakness with ease.

    Which, as the next few seconds washed by, was exactly what I did. The man staggered as his blade missed me by inches. His eyes widened, but I didn¡¯t let them get far. Twisting around, I pushed straight into his chest with my off hand and brought my blade down on his side.

    He tumbled backward, skidding across stone while twisting away from his strike. After my blade missed him, he only barely balanced. But as soon as he did, his eyes were back on me. They flared out at the irises, tinging a familiar fiery color at the edges.

    I was already skittering away.

    The flame came at me like a snake, whipping through the air and darting for my neck. I pushed away with my feet and stumbled back along the sightline of the side-path. The cold shot of fear was the only thing that saved me from the second burst of fire that came hurtling my way.

    Smoke filled my nostrils, draping the whole world in a rancid stench. I shook my head, feeling the now-blistering air against my burn. I didn¡¯t mind, however, and I returned focus to my enemy.

    The man cackled, his eyes alight with energy. The light, smoky feeling in the air only increased as he went back to casting. But there wasn¡¯t any more fire. Instead, he simply threw himself at me with all of the ferocity he could muster.

    I shook off the strike. The clang of metal on metal tore through the air as his arm was wrenched sideways at my deflect. Though, even as he grunted in pain, the man didn¡¯t let up. He just kept moving at me and swiping like he had no regard for his life. Which, as I stared into the fiery, rage-fueled eyes of his, didn¡¯t sound all that implausible.

    ¡°Agil!¡± a voice screamed. I froze, shuffling back a step as the call churned through my mind. It had come from behind me. It was familiar.

    And I ducked as soon as I realized who it was.

    The arrow came streaking through a second later. A shriek from the savage cultist followed in its wake, along with a dry laugh as Kye relished in her shot. I laughed as well, a sort of strange amusement overtaking my body while I swung my blade.

    By the time I¡¯d cut toward him, he¡¯d only just torn the arrow from where it had pierced the hide-like armor on his chest. I struck him exactly at center mass, forcing a muffled scream from his mouth. Then I twisted, my feet moving in perfect rhythm, and sliced the man across his unscathed arm.

    The next sound I heard was his body falling to the ground. The curved knife followed, clattering on stone beside him as he writhed in agony. I scowled down at him, taking the moment for myself before cutting his hand again and stabbing right through his leg.

    He wailed in pain¡ªa wail I didn¡¯t ever think I¡¯d fully get used to. But I simply turned my attention elsewhere instead of ending his suffering. It was a custom of mine, I slowly remembered. Non-lethal attacks against humans. I¡¯d formed it as a knight back in Credon. These people were¡­ vicious¡ªbut they were still people.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Some part of me thought it was important to remember that.

    That part of me was silenced as knights screamed right in my ear. Wincing, I whirled around to find the more lightly-armored of the knights rushing past. They were charging at the entrance of the side-path. For a moment, I wondered why, but the sound of crazed growling coming from the narrow passage cleared everything up.

    I took a breath and slumped my shoulders, reassured for the time being that I wasn¡¯t about to get cooked alive.

    That assumption, however, wasn¡¯t entirely correct.

    Flashes of red. A lot of stumbling. Screams, shouts, and a burning pain.

    Sensations came in sudden waves as my body moved. Air zipped around my ears. Flame licked against my skin. Balance fled from my spinning form as I desperately tried to move out of the way.

    And before I knew it, I was lying on the ground.

    Aches crept up my side as I pushed off the stone below. Blinking, I coughed out the bursts of smoke and tried to orient myself. I was on the ground, yes, but not where I¡¯d been standing moments before. I was more than a dozen paces away and surrounded by knights.

    ¡°For the world¡¯s¡ª¡± one knight started. I whipped my head around.

    ¡°Rik, if you don¡¯t move I¡¯ll¡ª¡± came a completely different voice. I blinked and tried to identify it.

    ¡°Pick him off the ground, will you?¡± a third voice asked. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head as I tried to find who it had come from. As a knight reached his hand down to my crouching form, though, I figured it wasn¡¯t worth the trouble.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said as the plate-covered man pulled me up. He nodded to me once, flashing half a smile before turning back front. Slowly, I remembered our situation and spun around as well.

    The side-path that the cultists had ambushed us through sprawled in front of me. After about a dozen paces of flat stone, where there had previously only been Lionel and two cultists, there were now too many people to keep track of. Even as my crystal eyes flicked around, I could only focus on one or two forms at a time. The mass of rangers and knights going against Rath¡¯s robed followers was entirely chaos.

    Chaos that, as I was figuring out, was only furthered by the fact that the three knife-wielders who¡¯d been standing further back before were now fighting in the thick of it. The woman wearing scorched gauntlets, however, was not. She still stood on a rocky surface multiple paces back with her eyes scanning the scene.

    When they brushed over me, they froze in place.

    My breath caught as her eyes met mine. A dim blue lined with that same color again. The color I¡¯d seen in Keris¡¯ eyes all those months ago. One that I could only describe as that of an undying flame.

    The dark-haired woman smirked as she saw me. She raised her hands and gritted her teeth, sparking a ball of fire before throwing it my way.

    I ducked, cowering near the floor again in hope that the ball would miss me. In hope that I would not have my rematch with the beast while my skin was charred and peeling. The white flame reacted to that thought and brushed the inside of my skull furiously.

    After a few seconds, though, the fire never came. The wave of heat that I¡¯d assumed would take me to the grave was stopped in its tracks by a shield.

    The knight right ahead of me teetered as her guard broke. But despite the way her armor scorched, she smiled and turned back to me. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving then, alright?¡±

    I nodded briskly and rose back to a stand. Before I knew it, my feet were pounding on the stone again and my eyes were scouring the scene. But I wasn¡¯t watching the anarchic fighting at the side-path¡¯s mouth. I was looking well above that¡ªat the woman who¡¯d tried to end my life.

    She sneered as our eyes met. Then the smirk came back and she exploded to life. In movements that shouldn¡¯t have been possible for her scrappy form, she clambered up the rock to her right. She forced hand-holds into the stone simply by cracking it with the force of her fingers. And then she pulled herself up.

    My eyes widened. Blood thundered in my ears. The shouting continued around me. But I blocked all of it out. I just tried to keep track of the woman as she sprinted overtop of the ridge and toward the rear of our legion.

    In the corner of my eye, Kye let off another arrow with a grin.

    ¡°Kye!¡± I yelled, twisting and pointing at the woman racing over unstable rock. ¡°The woman in grey!¡±

    The huntress froze, her eyes flicking to meet mine. For a second, she curled her lip. But the dead-serious expression on my face stopped that. Instead, she turned on her heel and scoured the ridge to meet the pyromancer still running up there.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Kye yelled back before taking another arrow and aiming at the woman.

    I nodded, too breathless to say anything else while I raced forward. The same stone that had flown under my feet only a minute before passed by with barely a thought. Barely a thought other than my fears, that was.

    ¡°World¡¯s dammit,¡± Kye said as I came up to her. Flicking my eyes back out, I saw the form of her arrow sliding down the ridge in a bent and useless state. I cringed, bobbing my head briefly.

    ¡°She¡­¡± I took a deep breath. The light air scraped through my lungs. ¡°The ringleader. The most powerful¡ªwhatever you want to call it.¡± I pointed at the still-smiling woman who was now sliding down the ridge¡¯s steep slope like it was nothing. Her ash-black boots didn¡¯t even smudge. ¡°She¡¯s priority number one.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Kye spat before circling around. Following her lead, we both moved back to where our backing party was station. Toward where Fyn and the rest of the knights were simply watching the action.

    Some part of me wanted to spite them for not helping, but my faded experiences corrected it. We had an oppressive force here on this mountain pass, but that didn¡¯t mean they could all be used. If too many went in to fight, it would only weaken and confuse.

    Though, with the threat that was currently blindsiding them all, I almost spited them anyway.

    I didn¡¯t get the chance. The woman leapt before she slid to the ground, and her form crashed only a handful of paces away from me.

    My muscles screeched to a halt. I turned, meeting the woman¡¯s eyes. This time, she was within my blade¡¯s reach, however. She wasn¡¯t a distant, torturous entity that could cook me alive. I could fight her, I screamed at myself.

    But for some reason, that didn¡¯t inspire me to attack. Instead, it got my thoughts moving in another way. It brought up questions about the woman and her power¡ªquestions that connected all the way back to when Keris had stolen from Norn.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked through gritted teeth. Kye glared at me in the corner of my vision as she converged on my position.

    The woman in front of me only continued to smirk. Then she rubbed the fingers of her metal gauntlet together and locked her gaze with mine.

    ¡°Do not ask questions you would rather not hear answered.¡±

    I shuddered, the words worming into my ears. Looking back, I didn¡¯t even know if I¡¯d seen her mouth move. She¡¯d simply translated the words into my mind. It reminded me far too much of a certain pyromancer before¡ª

    A bowstring flicked right behind me. I jumped, twisting around to see Kye¡¯s determined expression. She notched another arrow and let that one loose before the first one had even hit.

    But as I looked back, I realized the first one was never going to hit. The woman had ducked it easily. And she¡¯d sidestepped the next as well.

    The pyromancer tilted her head, her eyes flashing dangerously. The air around her lightened, pulsing as she started to cast. And before I knew it, she¡¯d raised her hand and pointed directly at me.

    I dashed, ducking low and throwing myself to the side. My metal boots scraped on the stone as I stabilized and looked back to the crazed woman. I expected to see fire erupting in front of her¡ªsome kind of show of magical power. But instead, she just stood stock-still.

    After a moment, her head shook slightly. She clenched her jaw and strained her neck as she tried to look over at me. But something was stopping her. Some force was keeping her locked in place.

    My eyes widened. I whipped my head around and scanned the area, only stopping at Fyn¡¯s strained face. The knight stepped forward, heaving breaths while he gave the woman a death-stare. She kept resisting, fire sparking in her scorched hands before dying out as Fyn regained control.

    He was doing it again, I realized. Somehow, his soul was best attuned for manipulating the energy of other creatures. It was the kind of energy manipulation that was intricate and complex while also difficult because of an organism¡¯s innate resistance. He, however, was able to do it.

    Though, not for very long. Casting for even the time that he had been, he was already letting up. His soul was already nearing its limits and the woman was already starting to break free. Every time she tried, the fire in her hand would grow higher. It grew brighter and burned longer.

    Kye took advantage of the opportunity.

    In the corner of my eye, she notched another arrow and let it loose. Then another. Pained, strangled grunts followed as the arrows both struck right through the woman¡¯s grey robes. She¡¯d had no chance of dodging. But even as blood poured out of her shoulder and her gut, she kept resisting Fyn¡¯s magic.

    Her tactics changed, even. Instead of trying to form fire in her hand, she focused her attention to the ground. As she forced herself to step forward, a red flame sparked up on the stone and darted toward where Fyn stood paces away.

    ¡°Fyn!¡± I yelled, surging into action toward the woman. But it was already too late. The red flame jolted from the ground and wrapped around Fyn¡¯s leg.

    The knight screamed, relinquishing his attention and letting her magic burn even brighter. As he stumbled sideways and shook his plate-armored leg, the fire only latched on harder.

    I growled, flicking my gaze back to the pyromancer who was now cauterizing her wounds. Before my fear could stop me, I raised my sword and slashed at her immobile shoulder. My form was already twisting away before she would be able to strike back.

    She didn¡¯t need to strike back, though. Instead of connecting with flesh as I¡¯d intended, my blade only struck on metal. Her gauntlet resisted the force I¡¯d pushed down and threw me back like it was the most natural thing in the world.

    My heart hammered against my ribcage as the contact felt all too familiar. As memories of the past streamed back, coated in resentment and disappointment. Keris had done the same thing.

    Fyn¡¯s shriek drew me out of my thoughts. I turned, my eyes widening on the normally-cheerful knight. He was still kicking his foot in a desperate attempt to force the red flame away. But it wouldn¡¯t leave. It was seared straight on. And after a while, as the pyromancer¡¯s eyes became narrowed and bloodshot, the flame tore right through the plated metal and burned at his skin.

    The dark-haired woman hissed a second later. She smiled, her eyes flashing and her nostrils flaring as she turned back to Kye. The huntress bared her teeth and glanced down at her slowly-emptying quiver before pulling another arrow.

    Before Kye could get another shot out, the woman was already moving. She pushed off the ground and ran straight through Kye¡¯s line of sight, confusing the huntress just enough to make her hesitate. And that momentary hesitation was all the cult-woman needed.

    She ducked her head low and curled her lip, letting red fire spawn through the air in front of her and explode outward.

    ¡°Fucking¡ª¡± was all I heard Kye say before she threw herself to the ground. After the flames cleared, she continued letting off a slew of curses, but she sat back up.

    The pyromancer, however, didn¡¯t even seem to care. She stepped over the huntress without a second thought and walked over toward the rest of the backing party.

    I gritted my teeth and pushed after her, the white flame only pouring more fuel into my veins. My feet slammed into the stone and I¡ª

    I stopped. A soft whimper broke through the background chaos just loud enough for me to hear. I slowed. My legs relaxed and I skidded to a halt next to where Fyn was still lying on the ground. My heart dropped at the sight of him locking his teeth in pain and trying his best not to wail.

    Glancing backward, I saw Kye picking herself up and showing only pure frustration. But she was fine. Fyn, on the other hand¡­

    ¡°Fyn?¡± I asked, crouching down to the knight while keeping the retreating pyromancer in the corner of my view. ¡°Hey. Are you alright?¡±

    The knight winced, dragging his head off the rock below. ¡°Agil? What are¡ª¡±

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I repeated, putting more force into my tone. Fyn¡¯s face changed, dawning a more serious mask before he nodded. A sigh of relief fell from my lips at that. And even though I could see the horrible burn on his leg where the armor had been eaten through, he was aware enough to acknowledge my question. That was good. He would be okay, I told myself. I wouldn¡¯t be giving someone to the beast today.

    ¡°World¡¯s fucking dammit,¡± Kye said next to me.

    I turned, glaring at the seething huntress. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That bitch,¡± she spat, already reaching for another arrow. ¡°I¡­¡± She coughed. Then shook her head. ¡°She won¡¯t slow down, dammit. I can¡¯t even get¡ª¡±

    ¡°Kye!¡± Another voice. Distant this time. And without glancing back, I vaguely paired it to Laney¡¯s face.

    My companion froze, her head turning slowly. Then she released a round of curses even more foul than before and rushed off. Off toward where Laney had called her, I realized. Not toward the pyromancer who was still moving to wreak havoc on the rest of our party.

    Part of me screamed to look back¡ªto see what about the main fight had made Kye move so quickly. But Laney hadn¡¯t called me, I told myself. She had called Kye, and Kye had gone. If she was enough, I would have to trust that she was enough.

    I had bigger things to worry about anyway.

    ¡°I¡¯ll distract her,¡± I said, half to Fyn and half to myself. Then I turned to the whimpering knight. ¡°Get to the main group. Don¡¯t make noise¡ªstay out of the way, okay?¡±

    Fyn nodded briskly at that before picking himself up into a hobbled crouch and starting off. I watched him go for only a moment while briefly reminiscing about giving orders to knights back in my home kingdom. Then I shook my head and broke back out into a run.

    Once again, I held my sword at the ready. Once again, my feet flew over the stone. Once again, I felt the white flame stoking my battle-fueled fire.

    None of my actions were designed to hide my presence. That wasn¡¯t necessary against the woman I was about to face. She knew where I was, and she was more powerful than me regardless. I just had to attack as painfully as I could.

    And as she neared the cliff¡¯s edge, I knew exactly how to do it.

    The pyromancer turned to me lazily, starting to laugh her amusement straight into my ears as fire sparked in her fingers. She¡¯d known I was coming, but I hadn¡¯t planned on surprise.

    I came in head-on.

    After pleading with the white flame, I accepted it into my soul. Its presence followed in time, only sharing the briefest of complaints. At once, the air around me felt lighter. It felt full of energy¡ªmalleable and shapeable to my will. But I didn¡¯t have time to be creative; I did what I knew.

    White sparks erupted over my blade as I swung out.

    The woman¡¯s eyes widened a fraction. She took a step back and sent pebbles streaming down the cliff. But she didn¡¯t have the option of doubting herself. So she kept her hands outstretched and ready.

    My sword came through like a boulder. In a flash of flaming white, my steel overpowered her red sparks and cut right through her grasp. For a moment, it got caught in her metal gauntlets, but a little more force solved that problem for me.

    She cursed as I broke her guard. Except I wasn¡¯t done. Before she could act on her rage, I ducked. I kept my momentum going and slid, pushing upward at the last moment to send her tumbling backward.

    A tendril of flame struck past my head, missing me by inches before her body fell over the edge. Before the exclamations leaving her vile tongue were muffled by distance while she plummeted to her death. I almost felt bad as she went to suffer the whole way down, but¡ª

    A metallic thud.

    I froze, blinking at the air in front of me. In the corner of my vision, I could see the two other members of our backing party gawking at me in shock. But I didn¡¯t care about them. No. I crept forward step by step until I found myself at the cliff¡¯s edge.

    And as unluck would have it, there was a shelf less than a dozen paces below me that was shielded by a high jutting rock. The pyromancer was coughing near the center of that shelf and forcing herself to a stand on shaky legs.

    I jumped down without a second thought.

    I went to end it and get answers before the woman became too dangerous again. The plan of attack formed in my head only seconds before I executed it as my feet slammed into the ground painfully. I shook it off and stepped forward, holding my blade to the woman¡¯s neck.

    She stopped, her eyes flicking down to the metal that could end her life in an instant. Then she smirked.

    ¡°You must know I could still raze your bones to ash,¡± she said.

    I shook my head and pressed the steel into her skin softly. She raised her chin at that, swallowing carefully.

    She was bluffing. I knew that she was. With the blood running out of her nose and the weary look in her eyes, she had to be deep in soul drain. She¡¯d been casting almost the entire battle, and she was wounded on top of that. No, I thought to myself. There were answers to get.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked, my tone cold and sharp. ¡°What are you doing attacking a legion that far outmatches you?¡±

    The woman simply smirked and gestured to the sword against her neck. Gritting my teeth, I pulled it back an inch. She nodded gratefully. ¡°My name is Petra.¡±

    I furrowed my brow. ¡°What? Why are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a ranger, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked while her eyes looked me up and down.

    My blood ran a frigid cold. ¡°Yes, but what are you¡ª¡±

    She cackled. A true, sick, crazed cackle that echoed off the mountains for millions of paces around. One that overpowered all sounds of fighting above and distracted me long enough for her to make progress.

    Raising her scorch-steel fingers, she whispered something into the wind. And shaking her head in what looked to be extreme struggle, an orange flame grew on her fingertip. It wasn¡¯t tinged with any red this time.

    ¡°They¡¯re from Sarin,¡± she whispered to it before throwing it into the air and letting the thing drift away. Even despite the rolling wind, the small flame continued to burn until it left my sight completely.

    My jaw went slack as I stared back at the woman. Petra, she¡¯d called herself. But as the white flame latched onto her previous words and wrapped itself tightly around my neck, I could only feel an urge to call her dead. She¡¯d mentioned Sarin, after all.

    Home¡ªthe white flame said.

    ¡°What did you just do?¡± I asked as control slipped away from me and the white flame overwhelmed. I tried to fight it down, but it simply kept repeating the same word over and over as it rose.

    Home.

    Petra stumbled backward, her eyes dropping. She coughed horribly and spat blood onto the stone below before falling to the ground. Not a single grunt of pain slipped between her lips as she went.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± I repeated.

    She smirked at me. ¡°Exertion on my soul has taken me already.¡±

    I wanted to ask what she meant¡ªwanted to press further about the message she¡¯d whispered and then thrown into the air. But I didn¡¯t get to. My vision became lined with a bright haze of white and I lost all control.

    In the next few seconds, the woman¡¯s death became assured. As the white flame flared out and wrapped my entire body in swirling flame¡ªburning the blood from my blade and exhaustion from my bones¡ªit burned Petra in the same way she had burned me.

    Flash after flash, my blade burned white-hot. It burned all blood away and decorated her skin with a series of cuts, stabs, and burns. After only a few seconds of it, I was sure she¡¯d died, but the white flame hadn¡¯t let up. It had erupted in some kind of otherworldly frustration spawning from deep within. Something I had yet to understand.

    Eventually though, it did stop. It did give me back control enough to take deep breaths. It gave me enough control to realize I was still on a shelf and I had to climb out.

    I did so wordlessly.

    By the time I was back on the mountain pass above, my brain was rattled. The white flame had receded away, the headache of soul drain had already pressed in, and my eyes had started burning from the sights I¡¯d exposed them to.

    ¡°Agil!¡± called a familiar voice. I turned lazily as Kye approached. ¡°The rest of the ambushing party was handled.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Minimal injuries on our side¡ªand none of them appear to have any¡­ reason for this.¡± Then, after a moment, her lips curled into a sneer. ¡°Where¡¯s the bitch?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s dead,¡± I said through my headache, making sure there was no room for discussion.

    Kye eyed me after that, but she held her tongue. We walked in silence back to the rest of our legion.

    If she noticed, she didn¡¯t comment on the fact that my blade didn¡¯t show a drop of blood.

 Chapter 57

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    Stone.

    That was all we seemed to come across on our march to Ord. We walked on stone, we looked at stone, and we slept on stone as well. Or, I supposed with my bedroll right underneath me, that wasn¡¯t entirely true. But it was only a thin layer that separated me from more rock below.

    A sigh slipped between my lips as I curled my knees up. I leaned forward and rested my head on them as I let my thoughts spin. Sitting a dozen paces removed from the small fire that the rest of my party was chatting around, it was almost the only thing I coulddo.

    After dealing with injuries that the cult¡¯s ambush had left us with, we¡¯d simply continued to walk. We¡¯d continued on the wide mountain pass until the sun¡¯s light had refused to reach over the mountains anymore. At that point, we¡¯d only walked a little bit further toward a covered, cavern-like shelf with enough space to house the entire legion rather generously.

    It was fine, I told myself. From a distance away, the crackling fire barely struck me with any warmth, but the nighttime wind wasn¡¯t too cold anyway. It wasn¡¯t sharp and howling like it was in the forests I¡¯d left behind. The mountains provided a neat shield against winter¡¯s indecisive mood.

    And there certainly was enough room. The shelf extended for hundreds of paces as almost a cut-out of the mountain¡¯s slope. It was enough for each of the legion¡¯s separate groups to make their own fires and continue bonding with the people they¡¯d been marching with.

    A couple dozen more paces after the backing party that I was sitting removed from, the legion¡¯s main group sat around a much larger fire and chatted far more boisterously. Without Fyn, I mused silently, I didn¡¯t know if our measly group could¡¯ve even held a candle to the clamor the rest of the knights threw up.

    But that was fine too. There was enough space for their chatter and their laughter to be little more than a background. Even as the sounds echoed off stone walls, I could tune them out. I could continue to think like I¡¯d been doing for the entire back-half of the day.

    I still couldn¡¯t get over the fight. Too much had happened for it to process quickly. Walking in silence had helped, but the information still spiraled. It still refused to stop and make rational sense. There were too many questions left.

    The ambush. The woman¡ªPetra, she¡¯d called herself. The magic-lined message she¡¯d whispered into a flame and then thrown right before her death. Right before the white flame had killed her.

    My teeth locked together as it played over again. I still couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it no matter how much I thought. Each question I answered¡ªgiving a half-baked reason to why Petra had been interested in Sarin at all¡ªcame with a flurry of new ones in its place.

    On top of it all, I still didn¡¯t know why the cult had attacked in the first place. They¡¯d been painfully outnumbered by the legion¡ªand most of the individual cultists weren¡¯t all that powerful. Lionel and I had been better fighters than all of them except the woman wearing metal gloves.

    Yet, the robed acolytes hadn¡¯t seemed all that concerned with their well-being anyway. They¡¯d blindly thrown themselves at us with as many blades and as much fire as they could muster as though just to do damage. Except they hadn¡¯t even accomplished that.

    Fyn and Lionel had been the most injured out of the bunch with a gash over the arm and seared flesh on the leg respectively. Both of them had been in severe pain that we¡¯d really only treated with bandages and the magical herbs we¡¯d brought along. But they¡¯d live. And as for the rest of the legion, the worst any of them retained were a few cuts and some minor burns.

    I¡¯d been lucky myself that I¡¯d returned at the end with only some scrapes, a harsh burn on my arm, and some soul drain to boot. Though, after the white flame had taken control, none of my wounds had given me all that much trouble.

    I was thankful that Kye hadn¡¯t asked about that, either.

    After telling her that Petra was dead, she¡¯d respected my frustration and left the silence. Silence that had persisted when we¡¯d started marching again. Not even the white flame had interrupted my thoughts then. It had only flickered quietly while I¡¯d gone over the events.

    I knew that Kye was forcefully holding her tongue, though. I¡¯d been able to see it in her stiff posture. And even now as she walked over to where she¡¯d placed her bedroll beside mine, I could still see the suspicion on her face. I knew her too well to miss it, and it wasn¡¯t as though she was putting much effort into hiding it.

    We¡¯d survived, though. So I¡¯d been happy to be left with some kind of peace.

    If only peace wasn¡¯t so world¡¯s damned boring.

    My shoulders slumped as I leaned back, letting a sigh of relief into the brisk air. The wind billowed over my uniform and ruffled my hair. It brushed against the burn still exposed on my skin where the red fire had made a hole in my uniform.

    ¡°Tired?¡± Kye asked as she walked up with what looked to be a stale cracker in her hand. Eyeing me still, she took another bite and sat down beside me.

    With another sigh, I rubbed my eyes. ¡°Yeah.¡± The remnants of soul drain showed with pangs of pain at the back of my head. ¡°I¡¯m fucking exhausted. Are you not?¡±

    She threw the last of the cracker into her mouth before rolling her wrist. ¡°Of course not. I have experience with traveling long distances. A little bit of a headache, but I didn¡¯t even really get burned back there.¡±

    I let out a dry chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re lucky, then. There was more than enough fire to go around. Those cultists were¡­ something else.¡±

    The huntress nodded, straightening out her bedroll and crossing her legs. ¡°I can attest to that, at least. If I hadn¡¯t responded, they would¡¯ve gutted Laney where she stood.¡±

    My blood ran cold. ¡°Oh. Really?¡±

    Kye¡¯s smirk dropped off. ¡°Yeah. Even after almost freezing the guy¡¯s face off, she was that close to getting a burning knife in her neck.¡± My companion squared her shoulders. ¡°If my arrow hadn¡¯t come, we might¡¯ve had a casualty back there.¡±

    ¡°We really were lucky, then,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°We certainly were,¡± Kye shot back, casual amusement seeping back into her voice. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t like we were going to get overwhelmed. Even with the surprise they had on us, they would¡¯ve gotten crushed in time.¡±

    Despite myself, I grinned. ¡°What surprise?¡±

    Kye turned to me, raising an eyebrow. Then the realization fell on her and she scoffed. ¡°Right. I¡¯m still surprised you noticed before I did, you know. The whole ¡®running off without any warning¡¯ thing caught me a bit perplexed.¡±

    I laughed, the sounds coming out only halfway mirthless. The moment streamed back to me through memory as a point of pride. The white flame freezing in fear had been my first sign, truthfully. And once it had kicked me back to reality, the entire scene had been a whirlwind of subtle sensory clues. Clues that had just screamed something was wrong.

    My grin widened as the images played back. The thin haze of smoke. Lionel and Laney whispering to each other without being sure about what was happening. My calls and the ensuing fight afterward.

    The grin completely vanished as I remembered Laney casting. Swiping her hand through the air and stilting the flames that tried to pass near her.

    ¡°Hey¡­¡± I eventually said. Kye turned, her eyebrows rising. ¡°Laney seemed to deal with the fire pretty well, even if she¡¯s not great at hand-to-hand combat. And¡­ I guess I¡¯m just realizing this now, but what magical abilities is she best at anyway?¡±

    Kye scrunched her face and stared curiously for a moment. ¡°I¡ªIt¡¯s a little hard to explain, I guess.¡± A sharp breath fled her nose. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what she was doing for the longest time after she got recruited, either. But I guess before arriving in Sarin, she had to defend herself a lot. So she became good at combating pyromancy.¡±

    ¡°Combating pyromancy? How does she do that?¡±

    Kye tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯m, uh. I¡¯m not entirely sure¡ªbut she¡¯s some kind of reverse pyromancer.¡± Kye raised her hand and gestured through the air, creating a tiny spark over her finger. ¡°So instead of shaping the world¡¯s energy into heat, she shapes it in the opposite direction. It¡¯s cold-magic, almost, but it has an even stronger effect on magical flames.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped. The information slipped through my mind at a torturously slow rate until I simply accepted it and moved on. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ interesting.¡±

    Kye shrugged. ¡°It is, but she has more usefulness than you might expect.¡± She chuckled. ¡°You never know how much you need someone who can manipulate cold until you run out of ice.¡±

    I smiled thinly at that and relaxed backward further, cradling my head in my hands. As I talked, my thoughts became more organized. They stopped spinning as fast and tormenting me with confusion. Maybe the silence hadn¡¯t been my best idea, I ventured.

    Shaking my head, I turned back to Kye. ¡°I¡¯m glad we had her there, too, then. Without her magic, I¡¯m sure Lionel would¡¯ve ended up with a lot more burns than he already has.¡±

    Kye nodded briskly. ¡°I¡¯m sure. If she specialized in something else, he would¡¯ve thrown himself into becoming a charred mess before she could get hurt.¡±

    In a morbid sense, the image Kye¡¯s words conjured made me snort. Then shaking my head and letting guilt do its job to calm me, I nodded along. ¡°Maybe. It¡¯s good that none of the cultists were that powerful, at least. Well, none except¡ª¡± I stopped myself, the woman¡¯s name at the tip of my tongue. Instead of letting it out, I discarded the word. She was dead now anyway. ¡°Except the woman.¡±

    Kye sneered. ¡°The bitch of a pyromancer,¡± she said. ¡°Another one of the cult members cocky enough not to wear armor and still have the audacity to smirk at us.¡± My companion ground her teeth.

    Yet, even watching her frustration, I couldn¡¯t help an idea. My eyes flicked up and down over Kye¡¯s form. ¡°We don¡¯t wear any armor, and you still smirk at our enemies.¡±

    Her sneer morphed into a full-on scowl as she directed it at me. She shot her eyes wide and gestured to her metal boots and hide plating that was stitched onto the chest of our uniforms. ¡°We wear more armor than she did!¡± I stifled a chuckle only for Kye to roll her eyes. ¡°And regardless, we¡¯re hunters. She¡¯s a cult member that ambushes people in the mountains¡ªyou¡¯d think maybe she would protect herself better.¡±

    ¡°Not that she needed it much,¡± I said without thinking.

    Kye¡¯s lips snapped shut at that. She gritted her teeth and glared at the ground. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the most frustrating part, too. All she needs are those impenetrable metal gauntlets and the endless world¡¯s damned flames to protect her.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    I stiffened up. Keris¡¯ relentless, whispered cackling echoed like a phantom in my ears.

    I shook my head. ¡°Yeah. But she didn¡¯t appear to have any regard for her life, either. They all just¡­ ran at us while trying to cause as much destruction as possible.¡±

    Kye straightened up. ¡°Maybe it makes sense if you realize who they¡¯re worshipping in the first place.¡± Her cold words sent a shudder through my body. ¡°But¡­¡± She tilted her head. ¡°You did kill that woman, right?¡±

    I licked my suddenly-dry lips. ¡°Uh, yeah.¡±

    The huntress slowly turned toward me, raising an eyebrow. She eyed me for multiple seconds before letting out a single word.

    ¡°How?¡±

    My hands twitched, only kept in place by the weight of my head. Thinking back to my fight with the woman¡ªPetra, my mind forced me to remember¡ªone thing in particular stuck out.

    A dry chuckle slid out. ¡°I knocked her off a cliff.¡±

    Kye widened her eyes. The orange firelight from paces away danced to create a contrast in light that split her face in two. As she leaned forward, the light relegated itself to only gleaming off her hair. ¡°You¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s how you two got down there?¡±

    I nodded as my fingers tensed, wishing they could grip the hilt of a blade. ¡°Yeah. She was ready to scorch the rest of our backing party alive, but she was also a little too close to an edge.¡± My lips tugged upward. ¡°It would¡¯ve been over sooner had there not been a convenient ledge for her to fall on.¡±

    ¡°She was alive after she fell?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, bobbing my head and trying to work through what I was going to say. ¡°But I didn¡¯t let her stay alive to cause trouble. She¡¯d already weakened herself with soul drain, so it¡­¡± My mind flashed to the spell she¡¯d woven with the message. The blood she¡¯d spat on the ground. I didn¡¯t even want to consider how taxing such a magical manifestation could be. ¡°It was an uphill battle for her by then.¡±

    Kye didn¡¯t believe me. She glared, showing her doubt crystal-clear even in the dim light. Then, however, she took a deep breath. ¡°After I saved Laney¡¯s ass and then helped Fyn from getting burned again, I walked over to the ledge you fell off.¡±

    My fingers twitched. ¡°And?¡±

    She clenched her jaw. ¡°And I saw flashes of white fire.¡± My next swallow only added to the lump in my throat. Kye took another deep breath. ¡°Which reminded me of something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you about.¡±

    One of her eyebrows shot up, and she didn¡¯t even need to elaborate. I barely fought back the redness overtaking my face. ¡°I¡­ uh.¡±

    ¡°The white flames,¡± she said resolutely. ¡°That¡¯s magic.¡±

    I cringed, my lips freezing in place. Movement in the back of my head signaled the white flame¡¯s return as my thoughts included it. It crackles softly as I tried to come up with a reasonable explanation that didn¡¯t make me sound like an idiot.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I eventually got out. Kye¡¯s gaze softened until she only looked wholly unimpressed. I offered a weak smile. ¡°It¡¯s new, as I said before. But, ah.¡± Gritting my teeth, I tried to keep my face from flushing red. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±

    Kye furrowed her brow. ¡°Complicated how? You suddenly gained magical abilities just recently?¡±

    I scrunched my face. ¡°Well, yeah. Magical abilities I didn¡¯t have access to before. There was some kind of¡­ mental block, I suppose. It only went away back when I was in Farhar.¡±

    Kye blinked, her eyebrows arching. ¡°Wait. You¡ªyou¡¯ve had magic since then? Because you made it very clear that you didn¡¯t have magic before.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a slow process,¡± I said, averting my eyes. ¡°It has developed in a strange way, and I really wasn¡¯t a mage before. So I¡­ don¡¯t know how to control it very well.¡±

    The huntress curled her lip and stared at me for a second. She studied my face, flicking her eyes back and forth as though trying to find evidence of a lie. But I wasn¡¯t lying. Even if what I was saying didn¡¯t do the truth justice, it wasn¡¯t wrong. And she seemed to figure that out.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she finally said. Her shoulders slumped and she turned away, brushing chestnut hair from in front of her eyes. ¡°You really have just been a mage whose powers manifested late in life?¡±

    The term late in life stung deep in my core for some reason. It went against a fundamental truth that some part of me advertised as though it was all I¡¯d ever known. But the voice of it was soft¡ªit was insignificant compared to the pressing tension of the moment. I tuned it out.

    ¡°You could say that,¡± I said and forced myself back into a sitting position. Glancing sidelong at Kye, I angled my eyebrows and tried to convey as much sincerity as I could. Then, however, I stopped myself. ¡°Wait. No¡ªI mean¡­¡± Kye turned, her eyes narrowing again. As the thought came to me, I released a breath. ¡°Do you remember our walk to Sarin? Months and months ago before I even became a ranger?¡±

    Kye¡¯s face lit up, her features gleaming against the distant firelight. ¡°Yeah. After we escaped the mercenary camp.¡±

    I was already bobbing my head. ¡°Yeah. You remember the conversation we had? How I got out of their little ¡®test¡¯ in the first place?¡±

    ¡°White flames engulfed your fists as you were about to die,¡± Kye said as if relaying from memory. She leaned backward and propped herself up with one arm. ¡°I remember that. And I remember that you didn¡¯t understand it.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t,¡± I added. Her smile only widened.

    ¡°Oh man, I really remember that.¡± Kye laughed. ¡°It¡¯s all crystal clear now. You¡¯re not a mage, but something inside you is.¡±

    I laughed back, the sound not nearly as amused as Kye was. ¡°Something like that, I guess.¡± The white flame surged toward the forefront of my mind and watched the dim world through my eyes.

    Kye continued to laugh softly for a few seconds that felt like an eternity. And when she finally did calm herself to turn back to me, her smile almost stretched from ear-to-ear. ¡°Well, whatever it is¡ªgive it a thanks from me. For breaking me out of that cell when it did.¡±

    The white flame flickered in remembrance. The images flashed in front of my eyes, and I felt a phantom sensation of tight hands wrapping around my neck. Of the hopelessness I¡¯d felt when I¡¯d thought the beast would come for me again. But it hadn¡¯t¡ªthe white flame rebelled furiously even at the thought.

    ¡°I-I will,¡± I said, cracking a smile myself. As the seconds ticked on, it was becoming more and more genuine. ¡°I did almost die but¡­¡± I flicked my eyes back to the huntress. ¡°It was worth it.¡±

    Kye¡¯s smile morphed into a smirk in short time. ¡°Yeah. I mean, I would¡¯ve gotten out of that cell on my own, but you did speed up the process.¡± She raised her eyebrows hyperbolically. ¡°Besides the fact that I was the only reason we got out alive anyway.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, unable to keep the smile off my lips. As the memories streamed back¡ªlined both with fear and a warm fondness¡ªI couldn¡¯t help but feel happy. Or, as happy as was possible at the moment. Because I¡¯d truly been lucky that Kye had been my cellmate. That whatever body the beast had put me in had a soul like the white flame.

    Without either of them, my second chance wouldn¡¯t have lasted very long. No matter how much determination or will I¡¯d taken with me. I would¡¯ve fallen right back to the reaper¡¯s doorstep without a little bit of luck.

    I had to be happy about that.

    ¡°Thanks, by the way,¡± I said. My hand drifted up to rub the back of my neck.

    Kye turned to me and dropped the arrogant expression. Her head tilted and she eyed me curiously instead. ¡°What do you¡ª¡±

    ¡°For everything, I guess,¡± I said. Each word came to me the moment I opened my mouth. For some reason, my rational mind didn¡¯t push them forward like normal. They were driven by something deep within me. Some kind of debt¡ªsome emotion I¡¯d been fostering for months. ¡°For helping me get out of that camp. For not ditching me as soon as you had the chance.¡± I chuckled softly. ¡°For basically allowing me to become a ranger in the first place.¡± A moment of silence. ¡°Thank you for all of that, I guess.¡±

    Kye froze, her eyes fixed on me. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, but it didn¡¯t make much progress. What I saw on my companion¡¯s face was something she rarely ever displayed at all.

    Surprise.

    ¡°Uh. N-No problem,¡± she said, stuttering for possibly the first time since I¡¯d met her. Rosy red flooded her cheeks, only barely noticeable in the fleeting light.

    I scrunched my nose. My smile didn¡¯t fade. ¡°Yeah. I just¡­ without you, I¡¯d probably be dead right now. So I felt like some sort of sincere thanks was in order.¡±

    Kye nodded slowly, awareness returning to her as the wind rolled through her hair. ¡°That makes sense.¡± She blinked and shook her head. ¡°Sorry. I wasn¡¯t expecting that, I guess. But¡­¡± She leaned toward me a little, her lips curling back into a smirk. ¡°All things considered, saving your ass wasn¡¯t particularly a bad move.¡±

    ¡°Good to hear that my life was worth it,¡± I said, chuckling as the memories flowed back. ¡°Though, if you hadn¡¯t saved me, you wouldn¡¯t have had to put up with my incompetence during the first hunting competition I went on.¡±

    Kye blinked. Then her eyes widened at the memory and she started laughing. ¡°Oh, you are so right about that. But¡­ without you corralling such interesting game with your ineptitude, I also might not have won.¡±

    I smiled, remembering the fear I¡¯d felt as the pyre wolf had chased me. I¡¯d been sure the reaper would come to take me back then, too. Because I hadn¡¯t ever seen a pyre wolf before that¡ªI¡¯d never been chased by creatures normally delegated to myths and stories on my home continent.

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true too,¡± I said. ¡°But if I hadn¡¯t become a ranger, we never would¡¯ve gone to Norn that first time. You wouldn¡¯t have almost been scorched alive by a pyromancer far too powerful to be playing with mortals.¡±

    Kye stiffened up at that, her smile fading a hair. ¡°Ah. I guess that¡¯s true. But if you weren¡¯t around, Arathorn would¡¯ve still wanted that package. He would¡¯ve still been a¡­ a kanir.¡± She shuddered. ¡°Except he might still be alive for Sarin to have to face that head-on.¡±

    My smile dropped as well, inch by inch. ¡°Yeah. Probably. I wasn¡¯t entirely useless, then.¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Kye shot back as she leaned forward again. Her eyes flashed confidently. ¡°But I never would¡¯ve gone to retrieve that package if you hadn¡¯t convinced me to go with you. We did almost become ash on that trip.¡± She chuckled and gestured around. ¡°And look where we are again!¡±

    In the corner of my eye, I saw a few of the knights in our backing party turn. They furrowed their brow and fixed us with a confused stare as Kye¡¯s words echoed off the stone.

    I offered my best neutralizing smile and waved them off. They turned back around to continue their animated conversation a second later.

    ¡°Well that,¡± I said, hushing my voice, ¡°is most definitely my fault. I¡¯m the one who convinced you to go yet again. And now we¡¯re walking into even more danger.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Willingly, too.¡±

    Kye made no motion to refute my claim. ¡°The stakes are higher, though.¡± She scrunched her nose. ¡°Plus, I did say that I would come along this time. I¡­ I didn¡¯t have to agree.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°Yeah, well. I¡¯m glad you did. If I¡¯d come on this alone, or even just with Lionel and his group¡±¡ªI flicked my eyes over to where the other rangers were making jokes around our party¡¯s fire¡ª¡°I would probably still be right here. At least now I have good company.¡±

    A blush rose in her cheeks again, but Kye didn¡¯t let go of her smirk. She doubled down on it if anything. She upped the smugness until it pervaded her entire face. And brushing hair out of her face to make sure her fierce eyes can meet mine, she bared her teeth.

    One single laugh bubbled out of my throat. Kye hummed her hilarity as well, keeping her face close to mine and our eyes as locked as possible. It was like she was studying me. The light brown forms of her irises probed the depths of my soul.

    Inside my head, the white flame flared. It swirled and blazed with emotion I hadn¡¯t felt from it before. Emotion that fell oddly in line with the fluttering of my heart at the same time.

    As an instinct, the image of my wife came up. Lynn, I remembered through faded memories. But the details were even further out of reach now. They escaped me as if I was simply grasping at a ghost. And as the white flame latched onto it, the grating feeling returned. It came back to register some sort of incompatibility, almost like the memories of her I held onto were irreconcilable with my current life.

    So I didn¡¯t let that hold me back. My eyes scanned over Kye¡¯s beautiful face only one more time before I took the plunge.

    Before I knew it, my lips were pressed against hers. Blood pounded in my ears and the rational part of me screamed. I tuned both of the sounds out and focused on breathing instead. On falling into the rhythm as her gentle lips pressed against mine.

    As my eyes refocused, I saw the rare expression. Only this time, it was even closer to my face.

    Surprise.

    Kye¡¯s eyes shot wide and her eyelids flitted, red rising over her face even faster than before. At once, my blood ran cold and I tore away, lip quivering. Her eyebrows dropped as I ended the brief kiss and berated myself for stupidity. My rational thoughts yelled at me for¡ª

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. I cringed, looking up only to see an expectant gaze. ¡°I thought we were¡­¡± Kye didn¡¯t care to finish her sentence. I knew what she meant, anyway. And I was sure she knew that I knew.

    Leaning forward again, she brushed her hand against my cheek and pulled me closer. Her mouth met mine another time. Our lips parted. The rhythm returned.

    And that was all I focused on as the moments bled together. As time ceased having much meaning while passion flared in my chest. We simply moved in natural movements that, admittedly, weren¡¯t always so natural. But I didn¡¯t complain, and I didn¡¯t hear her piping up either.

    The rhythm continued, each breath feeling sweeter and sweeter as we¡ª

    ¡°Oh what the hell is this?¡± a voice yelled. Lionel, I recognized in a single frozen moment.

    Before I could so much as form a rational thought, Kye and I had torn apart. I whipped my head around, flustered. In the corner of my eye, Kye did the same thing. Except she wasn¡¯t unnerved. Her face fell into natural focus, and the air even lightened as she started casting on instinct.

    It was pointless, though. No matter what I¡¯d feared, Lionel wasn¡¯t looking at us.

    The bandaged-up ranger was standing, but he was staring at someone else entirely. Another knight, I noted lazily as my pulse stopped thundering. As the fire in my blood burned away, exhaustion¡¯s roots grabbed hold of me again.

    Lionel kept yelling, and the knight he was yelling at rose to retort. I didn¡¯t listen to either of them; there was no reason to. I turned back to Kye instead.

    She was shaking her head and chuckling softly. It took her far too many moments to realize I was staring at her, and she only raised her eyebrows when she did.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked.

    My eyebrows dropped and I ran a hand through my hair.

    Her expression dropped. ¡°Oh. Yeah. Maybe¡­¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°Another time, right? One where we¡¯re not surrounded by knights on all sides.¡±

    Reluctantly, I nodded. ¡°One where we¡¯re not technically in grave danger.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Kye answered. ¡°Even though neither of us are on watch we still¡­¡±

    I threw up a hand. ¡°Yeah. Can¡¯t take chances.¡± A single sniffle as my lips grew back into a smile. ¡°Another time.¡±

    Kye nodded. Then smiled at me and slowly turned back around to watch Lionel¡¯s apparent argument. I let her do it and just sighed to myself before slumping back onto my bedroll.

    The fatigue didn¡¯t make it hard to find comfort. I was starting to doze within minutes.

    And despite the bland stone filling my vision from above, I couldn¡¯t quite keep the smile off my face.

 Chapter 58

    ¡°Hey Fyn. Are you doing alright?¡±

    Fyn looked up and then back at me. He smiled wide, still limping forward over the rough stone. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow at the smiling man. My ears twitched at the tone of his voice. Cheerful as normal, sure, but it was also shaky. He was hiding something. Trying to mask the pain, if I had to guess.

    My eyes fell to the section of his leg where the armor was still charred at the edges of a hole. Except, instead of showing a searing burn underneath, tightly-wrapped bandages covered his hurt skin. After the attack, the other knights had treated him¡ªapplied some kind of magical herb I¡¯d never heard of¡ªbut that had been it. There hadn¡¯t been much else they could do.

    We had to wait until we could find a healer in Ord for anything more.

    But after another day and a half of walking, the effect of the wound was all too noticeable. He was getting better¡ªalong with Lionel, for that matter¡ªbut he hadn¡¯t been nearly as talkative. Whereas Lionel had kept up his confident charm at every opportunity, Fyn had faded a little bit into the background.

    Even after more than a day without complications, he was still just limping along with a weak smile at his lips. It was as though he felt unworthy to break into conversation anymore. A trait that was especially concerning considering how boring our endless marching had become.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s a plain lie,¡± somebody said. Another knight in our backing party¡ªa more lightly armored one. The tall, bearded man turned on his heel to shoot a concerned glance at Fyn. The cheerful knight shook him off.

    ¡°It still hurts, obviously.¡± He laughed half-heartedly. ¡°But I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll be fine once we get to Ord.¡±

    My eyebrows arched at the contradictory statement. Especially at the fact that he¡¯d given it in nearly the same light tone he always used. Still, I held my tongue.

    The bearded knight, however, had a different idea. ¡°Bullshit, Fyn.¡±

    ¡°En, I could use without your help, really,¡± Fyn said. The knight¡ªEn, I remembered as Fyn¡¯s words sparked the connection¡ªsimply laughed.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re halfway right,¡± En rattled off. ¡°You will be better in Ord. But, there is no use in pretending now. You got a gangly ass burn in your leg!¡±

    Fyn grimaced, still smiling somehow. ¡°Could you¡­¡± He simply shook his head. ¡°Yeah, whatever. There¡¯s also no point in whining. As you said, I can¡¯t do much about it until we get to Ord.

    En smiled. ¡°You could ask to apply more fervo sap.¡±

    I furrowed my brow at the term, but the cheerful knight¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I don¡¯t need¡ª¡± He stopped himself, taking a breath. ¡°I¡¯m not thinning our supplies any more than I have to just for a little pain.¡±

    ¡°How much do we have?¡± Kye asked from alongside me. Blinking, I turned to the inquisitive huntress. Her lips were pursed as she stared at the cheerful knight.

    Fyn faltered, his face contorting with all the eyes turned his way. In the corner of my vision, I noticed the other two knights in our backing party shooting a curious glance his way as well.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he finally admitted. ¡°It can¡¯t be that much, though. I mean, how much fervo sap could they have planned to bring anyway?¡±

    My eyebrows pulled together for the second time at the mention. The name¡ªfervo sap. I¡¯d heard it before when the more medically inclined of our legion were treating the wounded. It was supposed to dull the effects of burns, after all. Yet I¡¯d never even heard of it before then.

    Kye folded her arms and shifted her weight with each step. ¡°Probably more than you¡¯d expect.¡± She arched her eyebrows. ¡°The whole point of this legion is to march against the mother of destruction. The queen of the dragons.¡± Despite the warm afternoon air, a shudder poured down my spine as she spoke. ¡°If they¡¯d pack any aid supplies more heavily than others, it would be fervo sap.¡±

    Fyn¡¯s eyebrows dropped as he nodded. The smile faded. ¡°Maybe. But really, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Still calling bullshit,¡± En added. His eyes flicked to Kye. ¡°I think we¡¯d have plenty of the stuff regardless of where we were marching. We didn¡¯t tread lightly when preparing for this trip.¡±

    Kye rolled her eyes, a smirk ghosting her lips. ¡°The world knows that as much as any of us do. The Lady even has a few knights delegated strictly to supplies, doesn¡¯t she?¡±

    En nodded, curling his lip and running a hand over his beard. ¡°Pretty sure. Though, they¡¯re in the¡±¡ªhis tone lowered¡ª¡°main group.¡±

    I rolled my eyes and disregarded the dry stab at levity. Turning to Kye, my expression darkened. ¡°What is fervo sap anyway?¡±

    The huntress straightened up as she turned to me. The smirk on her face slipped back into a gentle smile. ¡°It¡¯s a sap extracted from particularly magical trees.¡± I opened my mouth, but she already had a hand raised. ¡°None of the ones near Sarin have them. They¡¯re tall and sturdy ones that grow in soft spots of the mountainside.¡±

    I nodded, and En mirrored the action in the corner of my eye. ¡°Sturdy is correct,¡± he said. ¡°Extracting from those things is a hair more difficult than it should be.¡± An exaggerated attempt at a scoff followed his statement.

    ¡°You¡¯ve extracted it before?¡± I asked, rolling my shoulders back.

    ¡°Of course I have,¡± En said, his voice far too matter-of-fact for my liking. The white flame flickered in dim annoyance before going back to its activity. Back to sifting through memories in the back of my mind as though hoping it somehow struck gold.

    ¡°It helps with burns,¡± Kye cut back in. Turning to her, I saw the side-eyed glare she shot at En. The bearded knight didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°Pretty sure their sap is the reason those trees are almost impossible to burn down.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it is,¡± En said again without turning back to us. I groaned inwardly and shared a glance with Kye. She stifled a giggle before the man spoke again. ¡°We had a pyromancer try to¡ª¡±

    Fyn shot his hands out. ¡°Whatever,¡± he said, forcing a smile again and showing more exasperation than I¡¯d seen on him before. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. I chose to be in the back here for a reason, you know. Even with a burned leg, I can just sit back.¡±

    ¡°Limp back is more accurate,¡± En said. The cheerful knight let out a singular amused breath before flashing his companion a tight grin and whipping around.

    Once he looked back at us, Fyn rolled his eyes. ¡°It won¡¯t be accurate after we arrive in Ord.¡±

    A grin tugged at the corners of my lips. I let it through without question, only keeping back a chuckle as questions rose in my head. ¡°When will we arrive in Ord, by the way?¡±

    Fyn¡¯s eyes skipped over to me. As my eyebrow raised, his smile deepened. ¡°We should be there within¡ª¡±

    ¡°Before the end of the day,¡± En interrupted. Fyn stopped in place as words died in his throat. The bearded knight chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re almost there already. You can see Ord¡¯s entrance spire from here.¡±

    I blinked in disbelief as the knight smirked. He gestured forward and inclined his head in the direction of the sloping, boulder-like rock feature that was more than a hundred paces in front of us. No, I realized. He was gesturing past it.

    And as my gaze followed, I saw it too. The thin metal spire in the distance that struck above the stone immediately in front of us. With how far away it was, I couldn¡¯t tell what the thing was attached to. I couldn¡¯t tell much about it at all, actually. But it was there. Ord was there.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Before I knew it, I was beaming. My lips stretched wide and nearly touched my ears as my eyes latched onto the signal of construction. Of a manmade structure. Of civilization. Even the white flame stopped its grating and still unsuccessful reconciliation attempts to watch through my eyes in wonder.

    We were almost there.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Fyn eventually said. Blinking, I returned to the people I was walking with. The cheerful knight was trying his best to glare harshly at En. But somehow, he just couldn¡¯t get the smile to fade. ¡°Anyway. We¡¯ll find a healer in Ord, do some extra preparation, and then¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish as his grin became toothy. None of us needed him to finish, anyway.

    We knew.

    Shuddering, I shrugged off my conceptions of Rath for the moment. My worries and fears of what we would truly meet when we got there. Instead, I focused on what came before that. On the next step.

    ¡°What can we expect in Ord?¡± I asked.

    Fyn turned, his joviality dampening for a moment as he thought. En, however, was far quicker on the come-back. ¡°Towers,¡± he said.

    My eyebrows knitted. ¡°Towers?¡±

    En nodded. ¡°Towers.¡± I didn¡¯t miss the way Kye rolled her eyes beside me. But eventually, the short-winded knight continued. ¡°Expect buildings more vertical than you¡¯ve ever seen. Expect buildings built even higher than some of the peaks around here.¡± He gestured out to the mountain range at large. ¡°Because that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to get.¡±

    ¡°They¡­¡± I started as his words processed. ¡°They build their structures predominantly vertically?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kye said without waiting for En to shoot back. I offered her a grateful glance. ¡°With their terrain, they have to make use of all the space they can. And building into the air is much easier than carving out swaths of rock.¡±

    My head tilted back. ¡°So verticality is just practical?¡± Kye nodded at that, and I nodded back while my fingers drummed on the hilt of my blade. ¡°What makes their terrain any different from that of Norn?¡±

    Kye let out a breath of amusement before opening her mouth. Except, instead of some concise explanation lined with snark, she only furrowed her brow. Luckily, there were knights around that were more familiar with the area.

    ¡°The ground is more uneven,¡± Fyn said, pushing back a grimace as he smiled at me. ¡°The rocks are more jagged¡ªthough, they¡¯re more lucrative, too. As a general rule, the further you go from the initial mountainside, the worse it gets.¡±

    ¡°And Ord has the worst of it,¡± En chimed in. ¡°Veron has it worse than Norn, but they¡¯re not this far out, and they¡¯re on the smoother side of the valley anyway.¡± He gestured to the valley on our right, which was a lot less vast at this point. After a time, the two sides appeared to just converge back into a rocky wasteland. ¡°Only the world knows why the hell they built a city that far out.¡±

    Fyn all but giggled, regaining more of his cheery stride. ¡°Oh you know exactly why Ord is where it is.¡±

    En turned, his expression perplexed. Then his eyebrows dropped and he stared half-lidded. ¡°Sure, sure, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ord produces more coin in a season than Norn does in a year, you know,¡± Fyn said. He seemed to take great joy in cutting off his companion.

    ¡°I know that,¡± En said. ¡°But I¡ª¡±

    ¡°And I mean produce, too.¡± Fyn¡¯s grin grew further as En¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°They extract enough silver to line an entire mountain in coin.¡±

    En clenched his jaw. ¡°I know, dammit.¡± Fyn chortled, slowing his pace a little to avoid getting smacked. ¡°It¡¯s hard not to know. Ord is called the mineral capital for more than mythological reasons.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Mythological reasons?¡±

    En turned, his eyes widening at my serious question. ¡°Yeah. You know, the stories about Ord that everyone knows are way too exaggerated to be true.¡±

    While thinking, I pursed my lips. I pressed my tongue against my teeth and tried to work out my prior knowledge with the curiosity burning in my chest. It didn¡¯t satisfy. But before I could speak up, Kye had already taken an additional step forward.

    ¡°No. What stories?¡± The huntress tilted her head and fixed En with a stony glare. The fact that she didn¡¯t know either made my shoulders sit just a little bit higher.

    En rolled his eyes. ¡°The ones about untold riches.¡± He glanced back in anticipation. Neither of our faces budged an inch. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re not common outside of the mountains, but Ord is older than either of the other mountain states, and most people haven¡¯t ever been because of how far away it is.¡±

    Kye leaned her head back. ¡°So they only know vague details about something they don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± En said, his smugness returning little by little.

    ¡°Prime myth-making material,¡± Kye muttered. She shook her head. ¡°What about Ord creates myths of untold riches?¡±

    I raised my eyebrows at that, shifting back to En for an explanation. Fyn, however, was quicker this time. ¡°Because it¡ª¡± He stopped himself as his leg shook in pain and hs dragged it onward. ¡°Because it contains untold riches.¡±

    En scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s wealthy, sure, but untold? Just because they have whole mage crews dedicated to shaping minerals and resources out of the rock doesn¡¯t mean their riches are ¡®untold.¡¯¡±

    Fyn turned, stifling a wince with his playfulness. ¡°Really? Does any other city on the continent have those kinds of teams?¡±

    ¡°Well they¡ª¡± En bit off words before they could come out. Then he sighed. ¡°No. But that doesn¡¯t mean anything. They¡¯re obsessed with efficiency over there¡ªit¡¯s a symptom of that.¡±

    Slowly, as the talk of Ord sprawled in front of me, the white flame crept out. It stopped with its fruitless efforts to latch onto new information. And with my own curiosity, I wasn¡¯t one to let it go unfed.

    ¡°They¡¯re obsessed with efficiency?¡± I asked, assuming it a good place to start.

    The two bickering friends stopped and turned to me. En went first. ¡°Yeah. Probably something that developed over however long the city has existed. In terrain this bad¡±¡ªhe gestured to the patch of jagged rocks only a few paces to our left¡ª¡°they have to be good at making do. That¡¯s why everything is so vertical, too. They don¡¯t waste space.¡±

    ¡°There is an advantage of the terrain, though,¡± Kye piped up. En jerked his head back at that, but the huntress shrugged. ¡°They don¡¯t even have an order of knights like is usual around here, right?¡± She didn¡¯t wait for an answer. ¡°I¡¯d bet they don¡¯t get threatened all that often all the way out there.¡±

    ¡°Not except the cult,¡± I mumbled. The words just slipped out. And by the time I¡¯d heard them, I¡¯d gone as rigid as the people around me.

    Silence crept in afterward. It forced us to think, to imagine ideas my words had brought out. Eventually though, I got tired. We¡¯d already worried about that enough, dammit.

    ¡°If the¡­¡± I started, the question forming in my head as I spoke, ¡°terrain gets worse as you progress through the range¡ªwhat lies past Ord?¡±

    All eyes turned to me. The three members of my backing part who I¡¯d been talking rather casually with for the past handful of minutes rose from their thoughtful stupors only to glare. To fix me with gazes of confusion as if my question was ridiculous on the very face.

    Kye¡¯s expression softened first. She coughed once after blinking the glare away and brushed away a strand of chestnut hair from her face. My lips tweaked upward at the simple sight, my mind flashing to memories of more than a day past. Then I shook my head.

    Another time, I reminded myself.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Maybe nothing,¡± En said, cutting the huntress off. That was enough to bring her glare right back. ¡°It¡¯s hard enough to believe that Ord exists. But past that?¡± He shifted his shoulders as though shaking off a chill. ¡°It might be impossible to build much of anything large-scale. And I¡­ I don¡¯t want to know what hides out there.¡±

    ¡°Probably just more mountains,¡± Fyn admitted. His cheer had bled into a sort of indifference at the question that apparently, none of them had considered before. ¡°And Rath¡¯s temple, I suppose.¡±

    The silence swept back after that. Before any of us could even react to the statement, a blast of wind cut us off. We didn¡¯t try to speak once it had gone. Not for a while, at least. Because none of us wanted to follow up what Fyn had said. From what we knew, Rath¡¯s temple was out past Ord.

    It was just a little hard to accept that the thing existed at all.

    Each time I came back to it, the dread didn¡¯t lighten. Even as I tried to be logical, even as I tried to remember our responsibility¡ªit didn¡¯t matter either way. Rath was imposing even as simply an idea. Yet we were marching against her near the moment of her rise. It didn¡¯t sit well. It hadn¡¯t sat well for days.

    I shook my head. Tried to clear my thoughts and let the dread at least fall back to a place where I didn¡¯t have to see it. Back down somewhere deep in the black void of my mind. And as the silence persisted¡ªonly sparsely interrupted by the laughter of knights far ahead of us¡ªthe white flame became bored.

    It went back to the back of my mind. Back to trying to reconcile all of our incompatible memories that the beast had cursed us with sharing.

    Instead of watching its obsession, though, I grabbed the hilt of my sword. I took a deep breath and raised my head.

    ¡°At least our legion will get bolstered even further in Ord,¡± I said, pouring every ounce of feeling I could into my voice. ¡°We¡¯ll pick up reinforcements and have time for rest and extra preparations.¡±

    As my unconvinced words floated in the air, the rest of the backing party started to perk up. En still had his uninterested eyes fixed on the ground. Kye still stood with her shoulders locked and her lip curled. But Fyn grabbed the hopefulness, at least.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, still limping. ¡°We will retrieve even more knights to assist our cause. Even more¡ª¡± He cringed in pain and waved. We all knew what he was saying.

    ¡°We¡¯ll also meet a Vimur,¡± En added. That term put a thin smile on his face, and it made the one on mine grow even more.

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Fyn said, smiling wider than his pain. ¡°The Scorched Earth doesn¡¯t stand a chance. Rath¡¯s temple doesn¡¯t stand a chance.¡± He chuckled, gesturing to the multiple rows of knights marching in front of us. ¡°With all of this and more, I don¡¯t think anything could stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°Being optimistic there,¡± En noted, visibly resisting the grin on his face.

    ¡°You should try it sometime, En,¡± Fyn shot back. Despite the weariness creeping in at the edge of his eyes, the cheerful knight was looking like himself again. Even as he fell quiet, the smile stayed up.

    ¡®Optimistic¡¯ felt like it didn¡¯t even scratch the surface.

    But, I supposed what he¡¯d said was right. Not only could En use a little more optimism and hope¡ªwe all could. A thought that we had to remember if we were going to make it long enough to even see if our optimism was warranted in the first place. It was one that Kye seemed to appreciate as she perked up and held her head a little higher.

    It was certainly a sentiment that I had to hold onto. Especially as time marched forward with even more regularity than our legion. As our next step came into view with a stone gate preceded by a myriad of stairs that revealed itself past the stone formations.

    So that was what I did. I held onto it as tightly as my sword and believed it. It was important, I reminded myself.

    Because whether we liked or not, we were almost there.

 Chapter 59

    I wasn¡¯t getting anywhere.

    A sigh slipped between my lips as I let the map fall through my fingers. With a shake of my head, the piece of intricately designed parchment folded back in on itself and shrunk as though as disillusioned by my efforts as I was.

    The white flame crackled in disappointment. I shrugged it off, tucking the map into my pocket. I removed it from my view so that I didn¡¯t have to feel any of the residual frustration.

    Even though the map was unique¡ªeven though its designs felt natural to me as if done by my own hand, I hadn¡¯t gotten much out of it. No matter how long I scoured the thing, I only came back with dregs of information at best. Thin threads that probably led to finished ideas later at some point.

    Despite what I¡¯d hoped for, the hand-drawn piece of paper that I¡¯d picked up at Felix¡¯s old house in Farhar didn¡¯t depict much about the mountains. It had Norn, but there wasn¡¯t much after that.

    Most of the focus fell in the large section of the continent beyond the Forest of Secrets. There was far more detail in the wide plains, rolling hills, and sparse forests that were peppered with towns on that side of Ruia. Because apparently, that direction ultimately led to the World Soul.

    Yet by the time the map got to possibly the most important point in the entire world, there was too much unknown. Too many of the landscapes were generalized at best and had labels that were replaced with question marks. There wasn¡¯t enough well-defined material for my mind to latch onto.

    Though, as I¡¯d been looking over it through my lack of sleep, my mind had been drawn to one point. A section of the map near the World Soul¡¯s label that was marked with only the letter x. For some reason, the white flame focused on that point. For some reason, it felt important.

    But I couldn¡¯t figure out why, and staring at it had just been a waste of time. So, shaking my head again, I flopped back down on my all too firm mattress.

    A squeak of springs echoed through the room.

    I cringed, shifting uncomfortably on the makeshift bed. It was more comfortable than sleeping on a thin bedroll against rough rock, but it paled in comparison to the luxury we¡¯d lived in as guests of Norn.

    Taking a silent breath, I flicked my eyes around to make sure none of my roommates had been disturbed by my brash movements. None of them stirred.

    A near-silent sigh fell from my mouth.

    Even though Ord would¡¯ve easily been able to accommodate each person in our legion with their own space, they hadn¡¯t. And the stocky officials we¡¯d met on arrival hadn¡¯t left much room for argument, either. So Lady Amelia had accepted it and just delegated rooms based on already-formed groups.

    Watching the backing party I¡¯d been left with, I couldn¡¯t help a thin smile. Especially as my eyes fell on Kye.

    Before everyone had settled down and all but passed out from exhaustion, Kye and I had talked again. Short and sweet. Her lips had found their way into a smile more often than a smirk.

    But we had been marching all day, and we were all exhausted. At this point, she was out cold and I would¡¯ve been surprised if any sound had been able to wake her up.

    Rolling my head over to the side instead, I looked up. The shadowed wooden roof stared down at me, reminding me once again of the tower we were in. On the fourth floor of the inn, we still weren¡¯t even halfway up.

    The thought put a weak smile on my face, but I still couldn¡¯t relax. I still laid restless, and the white flame wasn¡¯t much different. With the map gone, it went back to trying to reconcile incompatible memories. And the more it did, the more something became painfully clear.

    I needed some fresh air.

    Before I knew it, I was rising from my bed. My eyes locked on the doorway to our room¡¯s tiny balcony. One that led to the city at large.

    Without doubting myself, I pushed away from my mattress, grabbed my sword, and walked out. Fastening the familiar weight on my waist, the nighttime breeze felt all that much better.

    As the creaky wooden door slid shut behind me, I almost thought of a cloak. I almost sighed and pushed right back inside to bundle up against cold wind. But¡­ it wasn¡¯t cold. The rolling air could barely be described as brisk by this point.

    Brown strands of hair floated away from my face. I smiled, stepping forward to drape my arms over the small balcony¡¯s wooden railing.

    My eyes dropped, falling past the elevated view of the stone-built city around me and all the way to the ground. All the way to the almost empty cobblestone streets that looked ripe for exploration.

    I looked over to the ladder that was only a pace away. The one that cut into all of the balconies and was just one of the methods to get back to ground level. One of the methods I could use to escape my cramped room and roam the city at large, I reminded myself.

    Before my cautious thoughts could stop me, I¡¯d already grabbed hold of wooden rungs and started my descent into the silent night.

    <hr>

    After walking aimlessly through the city of towers for a time somewhere between a few minutes and forever, my feet were starting to hurt. Despite the fact that I¡¯d been restless, I was still fatigued from a day of marching.

    But I couldn¡¯t go back, I told myself. Not yet. The white flame was finally removing itself from the useless and frustrating task of trying to reconcile memories. It was finally indulging in wonder again.

    So I looked for somewhere else to stop instead. Somewhere interesting enough to satisfy all parts of my mind. And after only another minute, I found exactly that.

    Tucked between two tall structures that could¡¯ve been anything from apartments to shopping complexes, I found a tavern. Or, I assumed it to be a tavern based on the sign at the front and the evidence of light from inside. Plus, at only four stories tall, it looked downright cozy in comparison to the rest of Ord.

    I pushed right inside.

    As soon as the door swung open, noise attacked my ears. It came as a series of grunts and muffled swears from somewhere to my right. Yet, as the door slammed shut behind me, none of the tavern¡¯s patrons seemed to be saying a thing.

    Out of the small group of men and women who were even drinking as late as it was, none of them made much more than a whisper. Most sat alone, in fact, at elegant high-end tables while nursing some expensive liquor.

    No. They weren¡¯t the source of the annoyingly boisterous clamor I¡¯d heard. Nor was the barkeep, I decided as the tall woman in fanciful clothes flashed me a grin and glanced expectantly at the list of drinks above her.

    I offered a weak smile before turning away and looking toward the true source of the noise. A wooden staircase pressed against the right wall.

    At the top of the staircase, an open wooden doorway led to an upper loft. A loft that, as I briefly scanned what I could see of it, put the slight luxury of the tavern below to shame. With what I could see of its furniture and shelves full of trinkets, it reminded me of something relegated to only the most materialistic of scholars.

    I didn¡¯t get all that much time to think about it, though.

    ¡°Let us in, dammit!¡± a short and obviously drunk man yelled at the top of the stairs. He threw off the grabbing arms of the man and the woman behind him to charge toward the doorway. When he got there, though, he only met resistance on the air. His fists banged against nothing.

    ¡°Why d¡¯you get to go in?¡± the drunk woman asked as she regained her balance.

    The short man wheeled backward, his eyes wide. ¡°¡®Cause I¡¯ve been wanting this space for months now! It ain¡¯t fair that some sod in an expensive robe can sweep it from under me!¡±

    The woman jerked her head back, blinking for a moment before curling her lip. ¡°What? Months? I¡¯ve been a regular ¡®ere for years, Durgal.¡±

    ¡°Have ya been yearning for the room though, Rita?¡± The short man became red-faced as he once again bashed his fist on solid air. ¡°Have ya?¡±

    ¡°Could both of you shut up?¡± somebody new said.

    I turned to see the barkeep staring up at the group. Even from paces and paces away, I could see the pure exasperation and simmering fury on her face.

    ¡°We can, Shia,¡± the short man said. ¡°But not until these lot¡±¡ªhe gestured to the two other members of the bickering party¡ª¡°recognize why I get this space.¡±

    The barkeep clenched her jaw. ¡°None of you are going to get that space. I¡¯ve told you that hundreds of times already.¡±

    ¡°Now that is bullshit,¡± the woman on the steps said. Her armor was the same kind that the officers of Ord I¡¯d already met with had been wearing. ¡°Why does some rich¡ª¡±

    Shia didn¡¯t let her finish. ¡°No. You don¡¯t get to rattle off all of your envious adjectives. Just get off my staircase and stop causing unneeded commotion or I won¡¯t be serving any of you ever again.¡±

    The third man who still sat further down on the steps nearly tripped on himself. He hiccuped a single time. ¡°Really?¡±

    The barkeep raised an eyebrow as some of the anger fled her eyes. ¡°Well, you all¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re about as serious about your threats as y¡¯are about respect!¡± the short man yelled. In the corner of my eye, I could see the other, calmer patrons staring on in annoyance.

    ¡°The person who rented the rest of the building¡¯s space for the day isn¡¯t someone I could say no to,¡± Shia said. Despite the admission, she stood completely firm.

    The woman named Rita scrunched her nose. ¡°Ain¡¯t he just rich?¡±

    Shia snorted. ¡°Right. Like some random rich guy could keep city guards out of his room while the door was still all the way open.¡±

    Rita¡¯s face contorted further. She opened her mouth to respond and then snapped it shut.

    The short man beside her, however, looked a little too drunk for contemplation and tried to barge through the resistant air again. ¡°Rich or not, he has no right to be in there!¡±

    ¡°Actually, he does,¡± Shia said. ¡°He paid more than you did, you know. More than you could possibly pay, I imagine.¡±

    ¡°What? How does that even¡ª¡±

    ¡°For the world¡¯s sake,¡± came a new voice. This one drifted in on lighter air and echoed with exactly enough intensity to capture everyone¡¯s attention. Even the quiet, uninterested drinkers looked up at the loft above. ¡°I am too busy to properly deal with this. Could someone deal with these idiots for me?¡±

    I blinked, straightening up at the question and squaring my shoulders. My fingers tightened around the hilt of my sword as I thought.

    Scanning the group, I was certain that I would¡¯ve been able to deal with them. They all looked intoxicated enough that their sturdy armor and ready weapons didn¡¯t matter much. I didn¡¯t doubt my chances of being able to knock them down a few pegs.

    The real question was¡­ would I?

    ¡°If somebody does it swiftly and without disturbing me any further, I¡¯ll reward them, I suppose.¡±

    My eyebrows shot up at that. The white flame flickered its own interest. I glanced up toward the open doorway that the voice had sounded through, a smile growing on my face. Then I glanced back at the drunken group as my previous question repeated back.

    Yeah, I decided, why not?

    The irritated barkeep stepped forward and leaned over to grab what I had to assume would be a weapon. But before she could do anything she didn¡¯t need to, I¡¯d already stepped up and waved a hand. After I inclined my head toward the drunken party and gestured to the sword on my waist, she calmed. Then rolled her eyes and went back to business.

    ¡°So,¡± I started as I came up to the staircase. ¡°You¡¯re all too drunk to listen to reason?¡±

    ¡°Will anybody else listen to reason?¡± the short man asked. ¡°Why does¡ª¡±

    My hand was already up. ¡°Thank you for answering my question.¡± I visibly tightened my grip on the blade at my side. The short man paled and stepped back, only running into the impermeable air. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m here as a guest in your city. I don¡¯t want to do anything that would ruin my favor, but you all are quite the nuisance.¡±

    The woman named Rita sneered. ¡°We¡¯re the nuisance?¡±

    I tilted my head, blinking rapidly. ¡°Yes. You three. The only ones screaming in this entire room.¡±

    She opened her mouth to respond but thought better of it. Her shorter companion, however, appeared much more brash. At least while he was drunk, that was.

    His hand fell to the sword by his waist.

    ¡°Only because we¡¯re the only ones with a reason,¡± he said, already strolling down the stairs toward me. Watching his smug expression, I was sure he thought he was being suave.

    He wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re also city guards,¡± I said. Unconsciously, some bitterness seeped into my tone. ¡°You could have a little more integrity rather than disrupting a public place.¡±

    The man glared at me, pushing past his friends on the stairs and unsheathing his sword. Flicking my eyes to it, I noted that it was only a shortsword. Fitting, I mused.

    ¡°And you have no business telling us what to do,¡± he said.

    I sighed. ¡°I have business reminding you of common sense.¡± I had to restrain myself from cursing the man out right there. Even though I¡¯d been restless, I was still tired. His cocky attitude wasn¡¯t helping.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Is that the kind of ¡®common sense¡¯ that you¡¯d be willing to prove?¡± he asked. The rhetorical sarcasm dripping from his voice was downright frustrating. My groan didn¡¯t even account for the fact that he was now practically shoving a blade in my face.

    I didn¡¯t waste time taking my own sword out and pushing his away. That simple action seemed to infuriate him more than anything. Though, I wasn¡¯t sure if he was angry at me or just angry in general.

    Either way, it had the same effect.

    He lunged, stumbling down the last few steps and swinging his sword at me. I ducked it easily and brought my blade up for a counter-attack. Instead of dodging, he stupidly tried to block without any leverage.

    I pushed down until our eyes met. His widened. I kept my cool, only fueled on by the white flame¡¯s amusement at the scene. After a moment, the short man appeared to get an idea. His pursed lips curled into a grin, and he shuffled away.

    Simply raising an eyebrow, I let him get away. In the corner of my eye, I kept track of the other two guards who were now just looking on in vague disappointment.

    I smiled. The man twisted, nearly tripping over his own feet, and slashed at my side. I brought my blade from underneath and pushed his away at the most unnatural angle that I could. The grunt of pain that I heard as his wrist wrenched on the hilt was already enough for me.

    With his blade out of commission, I almost wanted to continue. But truly, I was too tired for the game.

    My blade shot out over his face and left a shallow cut through the hair at the side of his head. He yelped and leapt backward, almost dropping the shortsword before staring back at me. I gave him the same blank, unimpressed look.

    He gawked for a second. Then he huffed, rolled his eyes as though I wasn¡¯t worth his time, and marched out the door. A chuckle from the barkeep rang sweetly against my ears.

    Turning back to the other two drunken guards, I raised my sword. Neither of them were interested in putting up a fight. They lifted their hands and stumbled down the steps quietly.

    ¡°Good,¡± the calm, eccentric voice from before said. I looked up, my eyes narrowing on the doorway that none of the guards had been able to pass. ¡°Whoever did that¡ªthank you. If you want your¡­ reward... come get it, I suppose.¡±

    I took half a step back. The white flame burned hot with curiosity. And the thought of it returning to idle working in the back of my head was enough to push me forward up the stairs.

    Sheathing my blade as I went up the last step, I hesitated. I squinted at the doorway that appeared open. But from what I¡¯d seen, it was everything but.

    ¡°Come in,¡± the voice said. Softer this time instead of echoing through the space. It was almost like the man was whispering straight into my ears.

    I suppressed a shudder as I walked over the threshold. Surprisingly, it let me through without a fuss and allowed my attention to bleed back into wonder while I scanned the room.

    As I¡¯d seen from below, the large loft-like space was decorated even more luxuriously than the already high-end tavern. Instead of polished chairs and high-tables, it had elegant drapings and cloth furniture.

    Yet with only one person residing within, most of that furniture was used for storage. Because the whole space was packed with¡­ things. Trinkets, ornaments, decorations, pieces of paper¡ªthere was a summary of an entire culture all stuffed into a single room.

    And as I walked carefully toward the silver-haired man wearing casual clothes in the middle of it all, I didn¡¯t miss the unmistakable tinge of magic, either.

    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± the man said, flashing me a smile. His eyes sparkled with charm. After glancing me over once, he flicked his eyes over the eclectic room for something. ¡°I did promise a reward, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You did.¡±

    In truth, I didn¡¯t care much about a reward. But with the white flame floating in the forefront of my mind and my own curiosity burning almost as bright, I didn¡¯t want to just leave. If I was going to be up anyway, I figured I would get something out of it as well.

    ¡°I, ah,¡± the man said, his face flushing. ¡°There are a lot of things around here, but I am not sure exactly what I can part with. Perhaps I could...¡± He trailed off as his eyes locked on me. They narrowed as though studying my clothes.

    ¡°You could what?¡± I asked, my tired irritation showing through.

    ¡°I could¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish again. Instead, he smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a ranger, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Instinctively, I took a step back. My brows pulled together and I grasped for the hilt of my blade. The silver-haired man in expensive robes curled his lips further with each passing moment.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I finally said through my teeth. The man¡¯s features lit up, and he twirled a small glass diamond in his fingers. My face scrunched as he raised it up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fret,¡± he said. The air lightened even more for a moment as a burst of flame pushed from his finger and into the diamond. Inside, the flame stayed burning as if fueled by nothing. ¡°I can only tell because of your uniform. Not many organizations in Ruia are as distinct as the Rangers of Sarin.¡±

    My lips slipped open, words ready at my tongue. But before I could get anything out, the man spun the orange flame encased in glass on the tip of his finger. Then, he simply threw it into the air.

    I fell silent as I watched, a cringe already rising.

    Yet the glass diamond didn¡¯t go crashing to the floor. Instead, it floated like it was the most natural thing in the world and gravitated toward a corner of the room.

    ¡°What the¡­¡± I muttered to myself. The white flame draped itself over my skull and focused on the world around me. Intently, I realized. Whatever I¡¯d walked into was far more interesting than memories in the back of my head.

    I sighed, resolving to humor it for a little longer at the least. ¡°How did you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I have been many places,¡± the man interrupted. The smooth lightness to his voice drifted throughout the magically-tinged room. ¡°If you know of a city on this continent, there is a highly reasonable chance that I have been to it.¡± He leaned back on his fancy couch. ¡°I visited Sarin a while back, when it was a small town. I even met with the woman who founded the Rangers, in fact.¡±

    I swallowed dryly. ¡°You met Lorah?¡±

    The man tilted his head. ¡°Lorah. That was her name.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Yes. A bright one, she was. But it seems that even since then, the ranger outfit has not changed in the slightest.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help myself. I smiled back, rolling my shoulders and feeling the familiar blue cloth brush against my skin. Then, however, my eyes narrowed. The rational part of my brain screamed something at me as I studied the man.

    After a second of silence, the dots began to connect. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± The man shot an eyebrow up and inclined his head. I cleared my throat. ¡°You¡¯re a Vimur, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    He nodded slowly, his grin widening. ¡°What tipped you off?¡±

    I sniffed, feeling the tingle in my lungs. Magic. A lot of it. Then my eyes flicked to the floating crystals of fire at the corners of the room. ¡°Is that even a question?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Perhaps not. It is just interesting that your first guess was correct.¡±

    The white flame flickered in understanding. A kind of understanding that stemmed from a fractured memory I wasn¡¯t able to fully see. My brow furrowed. ¡°Well, part of the reason our legion stopped in Ord at all was to receive assistance from a Vimur.¡±

    The Vimur was already shaking his head in amusement. ¡°Indeed you did. Though, it is not as if I am hiding my presence.¡± He chuckled as he straightened up and cupped hands in his lap. ¡°I am a Vimur¡ªone of the many. My name is Raymaer.¡± Before I could ask, his hand was up. ¡°It is an ancient name, and most around the mountain states prefer shorter handles anyway. Ray will do fine.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m Agil.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°I know. I have actually¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Marc¡¯s contact, then?¡± I asked, taking my turn to interrupt. ¡°The one that is supposed to support our legion?¡±

    The man¡ªRay, he¡¯d said¡ªnodded. ¡°I am. My relationship with Marc goes quite a ways back, and I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± I said in a low tone. My eyes flicked to the still-open doorway. ¡°Is this information¡­¡±

    Ray shook his head. ¡°If something I say is not meant for certain ears, it does not have to reach those ears.¡±

    My head bobbed slowly. I walked forward some more and slumped my shoulders, trying to force myself to relax. With the white flame flickering in the back of my head and the eccentric man in front of me, I wasn¡¯t keen on messing anything up.

    ¡°What kind of favor did Marc have to call in to get the assistance of a Vimur for our legion?¡± I asked, pushing for further understanding. That was part of the reason for this whole trip, after all. ¡°And what kind of assistance can our legion even expect?¡±

    Ray chuckled, his features softening. Without even looking, he reached for another glass diamond and began sparking a flame within it. ¡°The kind of assistance that you will not regret having.¡± He threw the glass diamond to float in the air. ¡°As well as the kind that does not put me in direct danger of dragons again.¡±

    I blinked, my face contorting. ¡°Again?¡±

    The Vimur stopped and raised his eyebrows. Watching my narrowed eyes, he laughed nervously. ¡°Yes. Again. I can tell you from experience that dealing with dragons is not enjoyable.¡±

    I curled my lip. ¡°Why did you have to interact with dragons at all?¡±

    ¡°Have to?¡± he asked with a sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t have to. But it was important.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°This connects to Marc¡¯s favor, actually. A little over a month ago, while I was experimenting in Veron, I needed a certain¡­ catalyst that I was not properly able to retrieve.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°A catalyst?¡± The white flame flared at the mention, excitement sparking in its core. It was familiar with the term, then.

    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Ray said. ¡°A catalyst. A jumping off point, if you will. I needed a dragon scale but was wholly unequipped to get one. And I already had a favor with Marc¡ªso I requested that he retrieve one for me.¡±

    ¡°A dragon scale?¡± a voice asked. I blinked, barely recognizing as my own while my mind spun. My conceptions about dragons rose up, and I shuddered at even the thought of trying to collect one of their scales.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ray continued. ¡°Reluctantly, he agreed to my request. Due to past troubles, he was already inclined in some sense.¡± My eyelids flitted rapidly and I opened my mouth, but Ray didn¡¯t let me get a word in. ¡°The target was a dragon, however. Marc lost the lives of some of his best knights¡ªas well as the now-insane one who actually brought back the scale.¡±

    My blood ran cold. Even with Ray¡¯s light tone, the horror of the situation he so casually described seeped into my mind.

    ¡°Why did you need¡­¡± I hesitated. ¡°One of those in the first place?¡±

    Ray scrunched his nose a fraction. His smile stayed carefully light. ¡°As a catalyst. I said that al¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. What kind of experimentation requires a dragon scale for a catalyst?¡±

    The Vimur¡¯s eyes flashed dangerously, but his expression didn¡¯t lose its cheer. ¡°Experimentation that is not for the faint of mind.¡± His face tightened. ¡°Arcane research into¡­ unconventional forms of energy.¡±

    I squinted at him, watching his smile drop sliver by sliver. But even if he was putting up a guard, I didn¡¯t see any sign of deception. It made sense on some level¡ªthe idea of that kind of research wasn¡¯t surprising. But it still felt¡­ wrong.

    The white flame, however, gripped tightly to the information like it owned it. It burned around it and wouldn¡¯t let it go. Hotter and hotter in the back of mind until I was sure I would¡¯ve started sweating.

    I shook my head and yielded. ¡°U-Unconventional forms of energy?¡±

    Ray nodded slowly, his eyes locking with mine. He stared at me with keen interest¡ªsomething I had all too much bad experience with. I blinked and tried to force a smile up.

    Eventually, he answered. ¡°Yes. In the same way that heat and sound are both forms of energy, there are others. Ones that humans simply don¡¯t have the senses to detect. I was researching those.¡±

    The white flame burned even hotter as if it was trying to melt a barrier away. I shook my head and focused on questions instead. Tried to distract it from scorching the inside of my skull.

    ¡°W-What?¡± I got out, my breath accelerating. ¡°What kinds of energy can humans not detect?¡±

    Ray let out a breath of amusement. ¡°Again, it is not for the faint of mind.¡± I gritted my teeth. He smiled. ¡°But there is a nearly uncountable number of energy forms. The ones we live with are only some of the simplest. Beyond that, they¡¯re difficult to detect¡ªand exposure to forms of energy like that can have serious effects on the human soul.¡±

    My expression darkened despite the white flame¡¯s activity. Distantly, I remembered Kye telling me about a dragon myth she¡¯d heard as a child. One that said there was more to the world than we knew. That there were layers to it.

    I shivered.

    Were these forms of energy like that? The question went unanswered in my thoughts, but I hesitated with asking it out loud. Despite the white flame, I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted to know.

    Eventually, though, white-hot curiosity won out. ¡°You¡¯re saying that there are¡­ forms of energy that we can¡¯t even hope to know about? That there are whole swaths of the world beyond us?¡± The white flame blazed with a strange sort of amused validation as I spoke. I clenched my jaw and pushed it away.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Ray said. ¡°It is always a mistake to assume you know everything.¡±

    With a tilt of his head, the statement dug into me. I barely fought back a cringe as I remembered how shellshocked I¡¯d been during my first days on Ruia. I knew firsthand how dangerous it was to assume knowledge. Still, that didn¡¯t make it easier to deal with.

    A slow breath entered my lungs as the realization settled. I took it, but I didn¡¯t keep it for long. There was no need. I had more questions to ask.

    ¡°How does any of this relate to Marc¡¯s favor?¡±

    Ray¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Oh, yes! I needed a dragon scale as a catalyst because of its geometry.¡± He saw my face contort and held up a hand. ¡°Dragon scales are metallic on the outside with a normal-looking physical form. But on the inside, their geometry gets¡­ stranger.¡±

    ¡°Stranger?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Stranger,¡± he confirmed and then leaned back. ¡°To the knowledge of most humans, it is shaped in a way that should be impossible.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°What?¡±

    Ray chuckled. ¡°That is why I needed it as a catalyst, actually. To study extraordinary forms of energy, I usually brute force my way there. But in the same way that already having a spark makes it easier to start a fire, having a dragon¡¯s scale made my research easier.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± was all I offered. The white flame still flickered far too hot, but with all of the information spinning in my head, I couldn¡¯t blame it. I was having a hard time understanding it as well.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Ray continued. ¡°Marc retrieved the scale for me, but the loss of life on his part was significant enough for me to owe him. A favor which he called in so that I would help your legion.¡±

    I looked up. My breathing slowed again and I adjusted my grip, remembering reality. Then my features tightened. ¡°So what kind of help¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, your reward!¡± Ray said, jolting in his seat. Words died at my lips as the silver-haired mage twisted and looked around for something to give me. ¡°I must have something here to give you.¡±

    After a second of shock, I sighed. ¡°No. Don¡¯t¡ªyou don¡¯t need to give me anything.¡± The question I¡¯d been meaning to ask came back again. ¡°How about¡­ how about my reward is just information?¡±

    Ray stopped, his eyebrows dropping. ¡°Information?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, trying to steady my breath and calm the white flame at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m already dealing with enough uncertainty as it is with this legion¡ªI¡¯d rather not face more than I have to.¡± I relaxed my fingers. ¡°What kind of help will you actually be providing us with?¡±

    The man shifted, lifting his head back slightly while glaring. But I didn¡¯t give him anything particular to glare at. I stood firm.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he finally said. ¡°My assistance toward your legion will be simple, really. To the best of my ability, I will provide a significant number of your soldiers with enchantments to ward off magical flames, as well as allowing certain among them to use runes of my own design.¡±

    I nodded, processing and cataloguing the information. It was certain, I reminded myself. Something I could count on. Slowly though, my expression shifted.

    ¡°Runes?¡±

    Ray smiled, nodding half-heartedly. ¡°That is what I have gone to calling them, yes. In truth, they¡¯re simply objects that I have enchanted with a complex spell.¡±

    I cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What kind of spell?¡±

    The Vimur grinned, pride flashing in his eyes. ¡°One of my own design, actually. One that will be able to transport souls across the world in tune with wherever they want to go. An escape route, if you will.¡±

    My eyes widened, a smile cracking across my lips. ¡°An escape route, huh?¡± The prospect sounded like a nice reassurance, one that actually quelled some of the unrest in my gut. It was another thing I could count on. ¡°How many souls can one of these¡­ ¡®runes¡¯ transfer?¡±

    Ray¡¯s smile dropped and he leaned back. ¡°Five total with each enchantment¡ªthat was as far as I was willing to take it. Any more and the entropy of the spell would make it not worth it.¡±

    The white flame flared again, latching onto the words he was using. At once, a fractured memory of some idea I¡¯d had in my youth rose up. I pushed it away and tried to stay in the present.

    ¡°Entropy of the spell? What are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Ray said, interrupting as smoothly as possible. ¡°Energy doesn¡¯t particularly like being forced into a complex state¡ªcertainly not one as intricate as an enchantment. Eventually, the energy will fray and disperse, lessening the effect of the enchantment until the spell is too chaotic to be of any use.¡±

    I nodded, trying to force the information into some kind of understanding. For me, it made some kind of sense, but it was still hard to grasp. I¡¯d never been one to pay attention to magic at all¡ªlet alone Ruian magic.

    The white flame, though¡­ it understood. Or, it appeared that way as the heat rattled up within my mind and it went back to tear up specific memories. Soon enough, I was gritting my teeth and trying to ignore images flashing through my head.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I got out at some point.

    The Vimur eyed me, his head bobbing slowly. ¡°Of course. You did earn it, after all.¡± He grinned. ¡°Both of you.¡±

    My thoughts screeched to a halt. The white flame froze, stopping the stream of images as I looked back at the man. He still eyed me, one eyebrow inching upward. He knew, then. And the white flame knew that he knew.

    ¡°How did you¡­¡± I started.

    Ray chuckled. ¡°With the activity going on in there, any sufficiently competent mage could figure it out.¡± I flushed pale; he just raised his head. ¡°But it is an interesting case. I have never seen anything like two souls in one mind. Especially not ones with such¡­ friction between them. Like neither has a proper identity and are both searching for one that fits.¡±

    My throat dried out like a desert as he watched me. The truth in his statement was obvious, no matter how much I didn¡¯t want to admit it. The white flame saw it too.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± I cringed. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±

    Ray nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure it is. And I will not pretend to know your life.¡± He tilted his head. ¡°Or, well, your lives.¡±

    I glared, gritting my teeth before shaking my head. Focusing inward instead, I watched the white flame crackle. It was processing the words too, I assumed. It knew about the friction between us. It knew what the failed attempts with our memories were doing.

    It knew that it wouldn¡¯t work.

    A sigh fell from my lips as heat faded back toward the back of my mind. Instead of pressing the white flame further, I let it be. I gave it space to burn in peace. It would be fine, I told myself. It would be there when I needed it. It had to be.

    It would be there when we faced Rath.

    It would be there against the beast.

    Cringing, I half-shook and half-nodded my head. I looked back at Ray and simply raised a wave. ¡°It¡¯s late¡­ I have to go.¡±

    As I turned away, the Vimur raised an eyebrow at the corner of my vision. But I didn¡¯t pay him any attention.

    In fact, as I stormed down the steps of the tavern, I didn¡¯t pay anything any attention. I only focused inward as the white flame came around. As it came to terms with its failure and the truth of what was to come.

    Before I knew it, I was back out on the cobblestone streets. My body was back to moving on automatic, leading me all the way to the inn. The entire way, I let myself just think. I let the serenity of the city do what it did best.

    And the longer I thought, the calmer the white flame became as well. It started to feel more accepting, more open to the future instead of stewing on the past. It was coming to terms with the fact that we weren¡¯t what either of us had been before, and it tried to be okay with that.

    It actually felt at peace, for a change.

    I just hoped it would stay that way.

 Chapter 60

    Right back to it.

    After barely more than a day in the ancient, vertical city that had more alleyways than it did buildings with less than three stories, we were already on our way out. It was already time for us to leave Ord. Once again, this was it.

    As all of the knights filed together in their organized groups in front of Ord¡¯s gate, I couldn¡¯t help but smile a little. Even with the slight weight weighing down my eyelids, I couldn¡¯t help but hold my head high.

    Despite the monotony and frustration that was getting every member of the legion into whatever position Lady Amelia had designated for them, I didn¡¯t mind it. The sea of metal armor and shouted orders rolled over me with ease. I just sat back and moved where I was supposed to after everything else had been taken care of. That was all I had to do, and it was blissfully simple.

    Well, that and making sure Kye didn¡¯t rip somebody¡¯s head off.

    When we got back into formation, though, it felt a little strange. It felt almost exactly the same as before. The same when we¡¯d left Norn to venture into the mountains. Aside from the unrefined road under my feet, I could barely pick out the differences.

    Which, all things considered, was strange. Because there was a lot that had changed.

    When we¡¯d entered Ord, our entire legion had been tired. The knights had all been walking for days in heavy metal armor at that point. The scouts had all been relentlessly shifting and scouring the land around us. And in the backing party¡­ Well, we hadn¡¯t done as much as other groups in the legion. But that hadn¡¯t meant our exhaustion had been any less pronounced.

    A day in Ord, though, had solved that. Dawn hadn¡¯t been cracked for a whole hour as we readied to depart, but nobody complained about that. We were all well-rested. Both our legion and the reinforcements Ord had decided to offer.

    Another change, I remembered. Before arriving in Ord, we¡¯d had a powerful legion that would¡¯ve been able to put down most enemies in a pure show of force. And now¡­ it was even stronger.

    We¡¯d gained at least two dozen additional fighters from Ord¡ªones draped in a lighter, darker plate that was lined in black. As far as I knew, they would form almost a second main section of our legion. One that would march ahead of even lady Amelia so that they could guide us through the mountains to come.

    All in all, our legion had gone from strong to downright oppressive. And that was only good for us. In addition to the extra manpower, our Vimur contact hadn¡¯t lied. After everything he¡¯d explained to me the night before, Ray hadn¡¯t shied away from the help he¡¯d promised.

    He had helped us in a number of ways that, honoring his words, didn¡¯t put him in any direct danger. Though, none of us were quite able to complain about it anyway. He¡¯d taken the time over the course of the morning to enchant dozens of pieces of gear for our legion.

    For the most important members¡ªincluding Lady Amelia, her immediate group, and the leaders of Ord¡¯s supporting party¡ªhe¡¯d made their armor fire-resistant. He¡¯d imbued the metal with energy whose sole job was to repel unneeded heat.

    And he¡¯d also given us the failsafe. The escape routes, as he¡¯d called it. Small metal objects that were easily strapped to the waists of the knights that had received them.

    But while they looked small and unimportant, I knew better. Hopefully the whole legion did. A complex spell that had the ability to teleport potentially large swaths of the legion away from danger was nothing to shrug off, after all.

    That simple addition had given us a whole hell of a lot of confidence.

    The worry of getting trapped somewhere to die wasn¡¯t as serious when we had the opportunity to teleport away with just some mental effort.

    My fingers rolled over the map in my pocket. The smooth parchment brushed over my skin and steadied my breathing. I held onto it, reminding myself of everything I had. Everything I had gained in the past few months. What I had to lose.

    But I didn¡¯t let it scare me. I used it to motivate me instead.

    My eyes flicked up to watch Kye roll her eyes at another knight.

    No, I thought. There was no way I was losing it. There was no way I was losing any of the things I¡¯d worked so hard to gain. The beast had cursed me with a new life, and I¡¯d pulled it together by the bootstraps. The world would be damned before I gave it up again.

    The smile at my lips grew wider.

    As soon as he¡¯d finished his work for us, Ray had scrambled off to go rest somewhere. Probably in the same tavern that he¡¯d all but rented out for as long as he wanted.

    A chuckle bubbled out of my throat. I really had to give the man credit. Even if what he¡¯d told me didn¡¯t make a lick of sense, he¡¯d stayed true to his word. Even if his favor with Marc was tainted by the blood of knights, it had still come to help us. It made sure that less blood would be shed on our side. It made us ready.

    Plus, whether deliberately or not, he¡¯d made me ready too. After how blatantly Ray had pointed out friction between me and the white flame, we¡¯d been forced to figure things out. We¡¯d been forced to realize that no matter what we wanted, we were together. Our identity was confusing and a little muddled, but we¡¯d manage so far.

    We¡¯d done so thus far, at least.

    I sighed, my fingers relaxing as the white flame flickered in agreement. With a reaffirmation of my smile, I let the sunlight warm against my face. I let it remind me of the time.

    Because as I stood there, I still knew I hadn¡¯t slept a wink. The rest of the night had been as restless as before. The only difference had been the absence of the white flame¡¯s antics. It hadn¡¯t been dominated by a reserved annoyance that I held for the presence stuck in my head. Instead, we¡¯d¡­ come to an understanding, of sorts.

    A breath of amusement escaped my nose. I still didn¡¯t truly understand what had happened, but we felt fluid now. We felt more together¡ªlike we¡¯d bonded a little more. The white flame had ceased taking memories and trying to combine them. And I¡¯d ceased pushing it back anytime it rose in interest.

    We were making progress, I told myself with the same beaming smile on my face.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡± somebody asked as they glanced back. Blinking, I saw Kye smirking at me with one eyebrow raised.

    The smile on my face didn¡¯t fade even an inch. I chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep at all last night.¡± The white flame flickered in amusement, but I felt its energy still seeping in with mine.

    ¡°Yeah, I can tell,¡± Kye said. She kept up her smirk, but her eyebrows arched in subtle concern. ¡°It probably wasn¡¯t the best night to skip sleep.¡± She cocked her head toward the legion ahead of us. ¡°With our whole ¡®marching to the temple of a dragon¡¯ and all.¡±

    I chuckled again, my smile unwavering. In the corner of my eye, I saw Fyn¡¯s cheerful expression regard me with some interest. I spared him half a wave.

    ¡°It probably wasn¡¯t,¡± I admitted, draping a hand over the hilt of my blade. ¡°But in all honesty, I feel pretty good regardless.¡±

    ¡°You feel pretty delirious,¡± Kye corrected. She stifled a short laugh. ¡°Were you really up the entire night?¡±

    I nodded, tilting my head. ¡°Basically all of it, yeah.¡±

    ¡°If you were up the whole time,¡± she started, intent flashing in her eyes, ¡°then why didn¡¯t you wake me?¡±

    My grin widened as I watched the huntress. She laughed a little more before turning around and showing me only the brown bag over her shoulder. Before I could respond, though, another noise was flooding the air.

    Up ahead, Lady Amelia was shouting again. Relaying orders and positions to the knights that could hear her. I only perked my ears for a few seconds before tuning her out completely. I¡¯d heard it all before.

    So instead, I kept up my smile and walked next to Kye before leaning in.

    ¡°Waking you wouldn¡¯t have been a good idea,¡± I whispered, causing her smirk to waver. ¡°You¡¯re not the most pleasant person when you¡¯re sleep deprived.¡±

    Kye¡¯s brows dropped as she turned to me. Her eyes bored into me with such exaggerated disappointment that I had to fight back a fit of laughter. That laughter faded, though, when her hand started reaching for the arrows in her quiver.

    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Kye started. ¡°You¡ª¡±

    But I never got to hear what quip she¡¯d been ready to send my way. Instead, I was rewarded with an earful of En¡¯s approach toward us. As the frustrating knight still wearing a smug expression walked up, Kye didn¡¯t bother trying to finish her sentence.

    Behind him, Fyn stifled a chuckle while leaning back on his heel. As my eyes met with his, he cocked an eyebrow and flicked his gaze between me and Kye knowingly. A thin smile rose back to my lips.

    ¡°Are you two ready for this?¡± En asked. My good mood didn¡¯t stop me from rolling my eyes. ¡°Because I¡ª¡±

    ¡°¨Cand this is it!¡± Lady Amelia shouted from up ahead. Her tone rattled up in intensity and drowned out whatever cocky thing En had been saying. ¡°Ord¡¯s fronting party will lead us to our destination.¡± A moment of silence fell as she paused. ¡°Now we march.¡±

    After her command, none of us wasted any time. Much to En¡¯s chagrin, we all filed back into our correct positions to get the legion properly moving.

    The sea of commotion died down into a whisper. Our legion of oppressive force lurched forward. The safety of civilization faded away once again. And we marched.

    Right back to it.

    <hr>

    In my experience, the most significant things always came on too suddenly.

    Rath¡¯s temple was no different.

    A dry swallow tumbled down my throat as I stared. My body moved on automatic, marching forward at the same pace we¡¯d been walking for the entire day. But I didn¡¯t pay attention to the pace, or the rocky mountain path under me. I couldn¡¯t.

    We had arrived.

    Sitting in the mountain directly ahead of us was Rath¡¯s temple. Even with the way the shades of grey in the stone melded together, it was unmistakable. The molded stone brick walls at its front. The carved-out mountain path that wound up to the top of it like a red carpet. The torches burning with soft red flames that were recognizable even from such a distance away.

    We had arrived.

    And even though we were more than a hundred paces away from the base of the path, it felt intimidating. It felt too large. Too significant. Too imposing. The longer I stared at it, the more it felt like something that shouldn¡¯t have had any right to exist.

    But it did.

    Even with all of the buildup and preparation we¡¯d done, our legion felt puny. The dozens upon dozens of trained knights, scouts, and fighters that we¡¯d brought along were almost specks of dust compared to the mountain we were about to storm up.

    A makeshift stone structure built directly into the side of a lone mountain surrounded by rough rock¡ªsomehow, it felt unexpected. Even though it fit almost exactly to our predictions, it felt different. The conceptions I¡¯d held in my head hadn¡¯t been able to hold a candle to the reality of it.

    It brought all of the worries back. Not just for me, but for all of us.

    As we continued marching simply out of the habit we¡¯d formed, nobody talked. Nobody dared break the natural ambience of the world around us. It was like we each feared some incomprehensible retribution if we made even one wrong move.

    So we didn¡¯t. We marched straighter than we¡¯d done for the entire trip. And we kept our mouths shut.

    The expressions on the knights around me were all different. All slightly tailored to whatever kind of surprise they were going through. Rath was a myth, after all. Her place of slumber was supposed to be a matter of fantasy. It was the kind of thing warped and shaped by our minds into whatever we felt fit.

    And now that it was real, none of those conceptions really lined up. Not truly, at least.

    It was hard to accept, I supposed. Though, it wasn¡¯t like we¡¯d expected anything else. We¡¯d all known what we were doing when we¡¯d signed up. Or, at least we¡¯d known the possibilities. But there hadn¡¯t been any doubt about our final destination for days now.

    We were ready, I told myself. I had to repeat it over and over. Each time the thought spawned, the white flame latched onto it and aided its passage. Part of me assumed it was trying to make me feel better¡ªbut it could¡¯ve been using the reassurance for its own benefit as much as mine.

    Even the fractured, magical soul living inside my consciousness wasn¡¯t immune to fear.

    We were ready, though. I knew that to be true deep down. With everything we¡¯d done¡ªeverything we¡¯d trained for and prepared, I had trouble believing anything could have stood against us. We were as ready as we were ever going to be. But for some reason, that truth didn¡¯t give me as much confidence as it would¡¯ve years back. I didn¡¯t feel the same way as when I¡¯d been a knight for my kingdom.

    This was different, I ventured. I was different, I supposed.

    In the grand scheme of things, we had as much advantage as we could ask for, too. If Rath¡¯s rise was inevitable either way, we were fortunate that we knew about it. We were fortunate that we had found the location of her temple. Fortunate that it was still in the process of being built. We were fortunate that we¡¯d found out before it had all become too late.

    I was fortunate myself, even. I was fortunate that I¡¯d agreed to come¡ªI still thought sitting in the unknown would¡¯ve been worse than facing it head-on. I was fortunate for the company I¡¯d gathered to do it. Fortunate for everything that I¡¯d learned along the way.

    Yet even with all that¡­ I couldn¡¯t blame myself for not feeling all that lucky.

    But it didn¡¯t matter, I told myself. We¡¯d prepared as much as we could so that it didn¡¯t matter whether luck was on our side. We would succeed through will, force, and determination. We would succeed because we had to.

    We had a responsibility.

    Even without the mother of destruction, her cult was dangerous enough. They¡¯d spread their operation throughout almost all inhabited places of the mountains and had been wreaking destruction ever since.

    They were even more dangerous now than when Keris had infiltrated Norn those three months ago. And we were marching directly toward their base of operations. Even if Rath wasn¡¯t there¡ªeven if she was a myth anyway, we had to deal with them.

    Though that didn¡¯t make the dread any lighter.

    With a sigh, I shook my head. My eyes didn¡¯t move from the temple above. They didn¡¯t move from the winding stone path we were about to risk far too many lives on. And even though I knew it was necessary¡ªthat if we didn¡¯t make our stand here then there would be even more horror in the future¡ªI couldn¡¯t find any words.

    None of us could find words. It didn¡¯t make sense for us to speak anyway. All we would be doing was repeating ourselves.

    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Kye said from beside me as the front of our legion started up the temple¡¯s path.

    Well, almost none of us could find words, I thought. A smile tugged at my lips as I watched Kye gawking. I had trouble believing she had anything more concrete to say.

    As the marching slowed and the mountain loomed over us, I tried to calm myself. I knew it was useless. I wasn¡¯t able to push away the doubts and the fear no matter what.

    But the time for rumination was over. The time of waiting was over. This was it.

    Now was the time to climb.

 Chapter 61

    I stomped out a flame.

    Tendrils of red fire dwindled. They crumpled under my metal boot and faded from the world without even a trace of smoke. A slew of curses fled from my lips as I unsheathed my sword, already scanning for the source of the attack.

    Around us, the wide mountain path stretched in all directions. Or, well, it was wide for us in the backing party. With only half a dozen people to deal with, we had more than adequate space. The main marching groups up ahead were a different story. They barely had multiple paces of clearance on either side¡ªand many of them were practically pushed up against the sheer stone wall.

    But as I scoured our immediate surroundings, trying my best to ignore the sounds of fighting at the head of our legion, I came up with nothing. Besides a small group of cultists that had sloppily ambushed us at the approaching bend, there were no other of the savage pyromancers around.

    As with all of the previous attacks thrown down at us, this one had come from above.

    Gritting my teeth, I took a step back and squinted at the mountain above us. Dozens of paces up, I caught a glint of metal from a natural ledge that was almost out of view. The glint of a knife.

    Before I could even call out, though, Kye was on it. Her bowstring flicked forward and the cultist above us stumbled back with an arrow now sticking out of his shoulder. In the corner of my eye, I could already see the smirk growing at her lips.

    ¡°Thank the world we have a ranged fighter back here,¡± Fyn said as he pushed himself up and lowered his sword.

    ¡°Thank the world we have one with such good aim,¡± I added with a nod. Kye flashed a smile my way before looking back to the rising cliff.

    She curled her lip and gestured upward. ¡°This is why each section of our legion needs one. A sword might be fine for dealing with a knife-wielding lunatic up close, but you all are just about useless right now.¡±

    My eyebrows dropped. I gripped even tighter to the blade in my hand. ¡°Well, we haven¡¯t had to deal with this before now.¡±

    Beyond Kye, both Fyn and En nodded at that.

    ¡°Sure,¡± the huntress said, not looking away. Unconsciously, she grabbed another arrow from her quiver and readied it in her bow. ¡°But that¡¯s not to say we shouldn¡¯t have expected it. Fire can travel long distances.¡±

    The white flame sent a soft crackle to my ears as if reminding me of its existence. I bobbed my head. ¡°True. I just don¡¯t understand how they can keep it up.¡± My nose scrunched as I raised my gaze and flicked it over the stone in search of anything abnormal. I saw the ledges¡ªbut from so far away, they looked completely empty. ¡°The fire can travel, but their magical reach is doing the exact same thing.¡±

    En furrowed his brow. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Turning to the man, I smiled. It took far too much effort to stifle laughter when Kye smirked. ¡°The flames keep burning,¡± I said.

    Fyn tilted his head back in understanding. ¡°Right. They keep control over it even from so far away.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Kye added, shifting her aim to another spot without even missing a beat. ¡°It¡¯s unusual, especially for such a basic strategy. That was¡­ what, the fifth barrage down at us since we started up the slope? And besides the ones I¡¯ve hit with arrows, they¡¯re not slowing all that much.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re literally raining fire from above,¡± En said, lacking the amusement I expected. He clenched his jaw. ¡°With how packed together we are up here, it could be deadly.¡±

    Kye was already shaking her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s not. Even if none of you thought about this in advance, Lady Amelia did.¡± Her features tightened. ¡°I have to give the woman credit for some things.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Either way, this is what the Vimur¡¯s enchantments were for.¡±

    I swallowed dryly. ¡°Right. The knights most packed together are the ones most protected. They have shields and armor that doesn¡¯t mix very well with fire.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve been targeting us more than the other knights anyway,¡± Fyn said. He nodded to himself silently while his eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Why would they be¡ª¡± En didn¡¯t even get past four words.

    ¡°How are we supposed to know?¡± Kye asked. Her eyebrows raised and her head leaned forward in blatant sarcasm. Which, even though she hadn¡¯t been looking at him, was enough to get En to shut up.

    ¡°We¡¯re the most vulnerable,¡± I said, trying to work through it in my head. It halfway made sense¡ªwe were the smallest group in the legion, after all. But thinking back to when the cult had ambushed us days ago, it didn¡¯t entirely satisfy.

    ¡°Well, we look the most vulnerable,¡± Kye said. Her smirk inched its way back. ¡°Hopefully by the time we make it to the top, they¡¯ll have realized their mistake.¡±

    Fyn nodded, raising his head again. His normally-cheerful smile was only a ghost of its former self. ¡°Hopefully.¡±

    En¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°With all that fighting up front, who knows how long it¡¯ll even take to get to the top.¡±

    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have issues,¡± I said, trying to keep my tone firm. Over the clashes of metal and screams of pain that suddenly sounded a lot louder, it was harder than it should¡¯ve been. I shook my head. ¡°The knights at the front are some of the most competent. The cult would have to outnumber them two-to-one for it to be a threat. Which¡­¡± My lips tugged upward as I glanced over our oppressive legion. ¡°That¡¯s not something I can really see happening.¡±

    ¡°Not much we can do from back here anyway,¡± Kye said, her tone much more hollow. ¡°There is too much space and too many bodies between us and the action. We have to focus on our own problems.¡±

    Fyn¡¯s nodding became a little more confident. ¡°Exactly. They¡¯ll continue to push forward... All we have to do is keep up and stay alive.¡±

    The entirety of the backing party nodded at that. Then, as the explosive sound of flames enveloped the front of our legion again, we fell silent. Back into step and back into focus. Fyn was right. We just had to keep up.

    Which was exactly what we did as the legion pushed forward. After breaking through the first ambush by the cultists, we all picked up the pace. Our marching accelerated with a sense of urgency only possible through such casualty. I tried to ignore the knights that I saw dragging or limping off to the side.

    And with the barrages of fire being sent down at us periodically, it wasn¡¯t all that difficult. Each time metal would glint from above or red-tinged fire would flood into my vision, my blood got filled with white-hot steel. I didn¡¯t have time to worry about other sections of the legion.

    Because, as Kye had said, we had our own problems.

    So we dealt with those problems as they came. Attack after attack and flame after flame, we kept the damage to a minimum. We stayed vigilant as scouts for the back of the legion and made sure that anytime there was a cultist to be shot, Kye knew where they were.

    Every once in awhile as we pushed up the winding path, though, the marching would slow. Screaming and fighting would echo from the front of the legion. Bursts of flame would outshine the warm glow of the sun. And the urgency would increase as soon as each ambush was dealt with.

    More lives lost, I assumed. I hoped it wasn¡¯t many each time. Hoped that their losses weren¡¯t in vain. That each one was necessary for us to make progress. It didn¡¯t sit well with me, but it loosened the knots in my gut enough for me to breathe.

    Feeling guilty wasn¡¯t going to get me anywhere, I reminded myself. We were here. This was it. I told myself that with each new ambush.

    Until eventually, they stopped. As our legion made its way up the final slope to where the temple¡¯s entrance was, there were no more cultists. No more screams or fighting or plumes of flame. No more resistance. It was eerily quiet.

    My dread took the opportunity to show its face again. It rose up like steam in my head and forced my breathing to quicken. But in a way, it was fine. It was better, even. I preferred the fear of possible deaths over facing the reality of them. It felt¡ª

    ¡°Agil!¡±

    I lurched, throwing myself backward as red flame flashed at the corner of my vision. Stumbling, I skidded backward over rough rock and only narrowly avoided the eruption of heat in front of me. Red fire soared into the sky and licked against my skin while it burned on nothing but stone.

    Gritting my teeth, I shot my gaze up and scoured for the source of the magic. But unlike the attacks we¡¯d sustained below, there weren¡¯t many ledges above us now. The flat area that held the temple¡¯s entrance was only a few dozen paces up.

    A glint of metal. I twisted, tightening my grip and darting my eyes to the curved knife of the cultist leaning just over the edge. In the man¡¯s fiery eyes, I saw only an odd sense of greed.

    ¡°Kye, up on the¡ª¡±

    ¡°I got him,¡± she said without missing a beat. Her arrow crunched into the man¡¯s chest and sent blood streaming down his chest a moment later. He stumbled backward and relinquished control over the flame before me.

    It dwindled and faded, burning away into smoke as it died the natural way. Walking forward, I shoved my metal boot down on it for good measure.

    Still seething, I turned to Kye. ¡°How the fuck can they keep doing that?¡±

    Kye blinked, twisting on her heel to meet me. ¡°Doing what?¡± she asked, lowering her voice.

    Flicking my eyes up the sheer stone side of the mountain, I followed her lead.

    ¡°Controlling the fire like that from such a distance,¡± I hissed. ¡°Manipulating energy gets more difficult with distance, right?¡±

    Blinking rapidly and wiping sweat from her brow, she nodded. ¡°Yeah. What are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then doing what they¡¯re doing has to be a lot of soul drain.¡± I took a deep breath of dry air and tried to calm myself. To push down the anger that was mixing with my dread.

    The realization dawned on Kye¡¯s face. She furrowed her brow and looked up again. ¡°Yeah. How are they¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m asking you,¡± I said, shaking my head lightly as I pushed past her to keep up with the rest of our party. The huntress followed silently in my wake, the air lightening in tandem with her perked ears.

    When she turned back to me, she was barely keeping back a scowl. ¡°I¡­¡± She trailed off and bit her lip. I raised an eyebrow and offered a gaze exasperated enough to force her to continue. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is true¡ªbut there are myths about the Scorched Earth, too.¡±

    I lowered my head. ¡°There are?¡±

    Kye nodded slowly. ¡°The world¡¯s damned cult has been around for as long as the stories about Rath have anyway. It only makes¡ª¡± She stopped herself with a shake of her head. ¡°Anyway, most of the stories attribute their power coming directly from Rath.¡±

    I tilted my head. ¡°We already knew that.¡±

    Kye narrowed her eyes. ¡°Maybe we don¡¯t understand it, though. When you¡­ when you cast, you use your soul to manipulate the energy around you, right?¡± I nodded; she rolled her wrist. ¡°We draw from the latent energy of the World Soul, but they¡±¡ªshe gestured upward¡ª¡°might draw energy directly from Rath herself.¡±

    I blinked, my lips curling. Kye¡¯s face was dead serious.

    ¡°Oh,¡± was all I got out before I scrunched my face. ¡°Does that mean Rath¡­ creates energy?¡± The ideas and information swirled through my head, only aided by the eerie silence blanketing the mountain path. For a moment, I considered Ray¡¯s explanations about other forms of energy that were simply beyond the human soul.

    I shuddered.

    ¡°Fuck if I know,¡± Kye muttered. Her hand crept down to her quiver to pick out another arrow¡ªone from a supply that was almost half-gone already. ¡°But that might be why¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± En said from up ahead. Kye snapped her mouth shut and shot the knight a glare. He didn¡¯t seem bothered. ¡°Why the hell is it so quiet?¡±

    I opened my mouth. But as his whispered words echoed off the stone wall, I didn¡¯t speak. I let it trail back into relative silence that was completely unhindered by the activity of the cult. With as close as we were to their temple, I couldn¡¯t help but listen to the thundering of my heart.

    ¡°They¡¯re preparing an ambush,¡± Kye said, her eyes still swirling with energy. If she casted any more, I swore I would¡¯ve passed out. ¡°A larger one. They¡¯re definitely up there, though.¡±

    The pit in my stomach deepened. The white flame flickered brightly enough to echo its own concerns. And as my thoughts spun, I just tried to hold onto what little hope I could that Kye was wrong.

    She wasn¡¯t.

    The first thing I heard as the battle above ensued was laughter. A whole maniacal symphony of it flooded the air and crashed down over the cliff edge.

    After that was what I¡¯d expected more. Grunts of pain. Screams and shouts. Orders barked left and right. Shrieks of metal. Crackling explosions of flame that somehow felt even more powerful than before. The storm of battle had finished its rise and was now raging with fury.

    But even as knights charged up the remaining slope with their weapons raised and their shields in hand, we couldn¡¯t do anything. The terrifying sounds, the flashes of light, the stench of smoke¡ªwe had to sit uselessly through all of it.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    It took more than a whole minute before we even saw the top.

    And even once we got there, we did nothing but stare. Sprawled over the large and relatively flat area that was seemingly carved out of the mountain¡¯s slope was¡­ chaos.

    Directly ahead of where Kye and I ended up were the knights who¡¯d been at the tail of the main marching group of the legion. Beyond them, my eyes could barely track the movement.

    In a sea of metal that was only a little more sparse than before, dozens of knights engaged with dozens of cultists. The knife-wielding pyromancers danced with crazed intent around their slower, armored counterparts. And for a while, it looked like neither side was making much progress.

    But as the hour-long seconds ticked on, it became obvious who would come out on top. Even with the force that the cult had gathered to defend the temple¡¯s entrance, they were still outnumbered. They were still completely and utterly outmatched.

    The knights were just¡­ better fighters. They had better control over their dodges. They were more accurate with their attacks, and the cultists struggled to keep up. They struggled to inflict even a speck of damage without resorting to spewing flame. Yet even that was countered in most cases by the strategic use of a shield.

    The cultists were determined, but there wasn¡¯t much other than that. They didn¡¯t have versatility or coordination among their numbers. It was a struggle for them to do anything other than singe hair. And heavier longswords or battleaxes made quick work of their light armor.

    As I watched, the swordsman in me itched for action. In each encounter, my instincts screamed about the subtle mistakes among the knights. The miscalculations and missteps that resulted in some sort of a disadvantage. But either way, the knights were winning. And either way, I couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    Moving to add my own blade into the mix would only complicate things. I knew it as well as Fyn, En, and the rest of the waiting knights did. We couldn¡¯t afford to take the chance of messing up a battle that already looked like a victory because we were bored. It didn¡¯t make sense.

    Though, that didn¡¯t make us any less restless.

    Shaking my head, I scanned the area instead. I tried to look past the symphony of blood and blade to inspect the temple itself.

    After the open terrace that the fighting was taking place in, a rough set of stone columns held up a carved roof that was set into the mountain. Beyond the columns was a wide set of wooden doors with multiple cultists directly on guard. Somehow, they looked even more crazed than the ones fighting.

    My lips curled into a sneer. The sight sent my stomach rolling in disgust. Because even with our show of power¡ªeven with the way our knights were decimating the resisting forces, they seemed unbothered. Their minds were so dead-set on defending Rath¡¯s place of slumber that they forgot fear. It was like they didn¡¯t even have time for grief despite the bodies of their own that were piling up.

    In the corner of my eye, another knight¡¯s skin was decorated with a myriad of burns. An armored companion of theirs only stopped for a moment to prevent them from falling before jumping back into the action.

    I took a shallow breath.

    Perhaps we weren¡¯t that different.

    A bitter taste fell on my tongue as I considered it. The ideas circled, only aided by the white flame. But I¡¯d worried about this before, I realized. I¡¯d worried about morality enough already for a lifetime. It was something I¡¯d reluctantly have to accept.

    Because whether I liked or not, it was more than me and my musings. There were too many lives at risk¡ªfor both sides.

    Lives of knights I¡¯d been marching with for days. Lives of citizens who had been tormented by the cult and its attacks. Lives of those on the continent at large that wanted nothing more than to not burn in a pledge of red flame.

    We had a responsibility, I reminded myself. A responsibility to win.

    And as I watched the battle winding down in front of me, I knew that responsibility still held. Our knights were better fighters than the cultists. The pyromancers weren¡¯t able to keep up. And eventually, their ranks thinned to only a handful of wounded lunatics.

    Even in their crazed states, they knew they were outmatched. Unfortunately, that didn¡¯t mean they retreated. They fought tooth and nail until their bloodied bodies were little more than a hindrance. Then, once the dust settled, there were no more tendrils of red flame to scorch the rock.

    It stung that we were helping the reaper do its job.

    We¡¯d won anyway, though. I had to be happy about that; the white flame blazed with pride in the back of my head. A small victory, but it was one we had to take.

    There was still a lot more to be done.

    ¡°Reform positions,¡± a voice said. It cut through the heavy breaths and aching grunts. All others died in its presence. All attention shifted to the woman walking to the center of the stone terrace.

    We all knew exactly who she was.

    Lady Amelia wiped blood from the blade of her sword as she started shouting orders. In a flurry of cold, calculated words, she ordered the legion back into its ordered groups. Watching them form, I could see how our ranks had thinned.

    But it wasn¡¯t like the bodies on the ground had left it much of a mystery.

    ¡°Now,¡± the knight general called, brandishing her sword anew. Walking to the front of our spread-out legion, she eyed the temple entrance. ¡°We have a temple to storm.¡±

    A moment of silence was all we got before the chaos started again. The knight general cocked her head toward the doors and started running. The closest set of knights followed in her wake. The reinforcements from Ord followed after them. And before I knew it, the world around me had descended into noise. It had become a stampede that I had to either take part in or get trampled.

    In a cacophony of yells, footsteps, and metallic clangs, we charged past the temple¡¯s columns and straight into its main chamber. Before I knew it, the distinct sounds of fighting had resumed at the front of the legion.

    With the front line taking most of the violence, I steeled myself and looked around. I took stock of the area we¡¯d just forced our way into.

    My eyes widened as I scanned the cavernous space. Similarly to many of the buildings in Norn, it was little more than a repurposed cave. The only difference was that the cave we were charging through was far larger than any in Norn. It was far larger than any I¡¯d ever seen, in fact.

    From the entrance, a wide, paved stone path led all the way through the space to another set of double doors on the opposite side of the room. To our left, the temple descended into makeshift living areas with crates and boxes of supplies sitting next to other rough pieces of furniture around stone tables.

    And even the other side of the temple¡ªthe one decorated with statues, altars, and abstract monuments¡ªappeared rushed and unorganized. Everything my eyes glossed over looked like it existed solely for the purpose of getting the temple up and running.

    Well, it wouldn¡¯t be up and running for long.

    A shriek of metal. Way too close to my ears.

    I twisted, stepping away with my sword at the ready. But the defending knight who¡¯d stumbled through the backing party wasn¡¯t done. He wasn¡¯t out of the fight.

    When a cultist surged, aiming for his neck, he ducked. He twisted out of the way and brought his shoulder up underneath his attacker¡¯s arm. A blur of motion followed.

    The cultist was laid out on the floor before he even knew what was going on, and he gained a slash through the heart before he could really figure it out.

    The knight stood silently for a moment, taking a breath and slumping his shoulders as he stared down at the crazed, dying pyromancer who was clutching his bleeding chest. He shook his head only once before raising his sword again and running back into the fray.

    An action that was probably a good idea for all of us.

    The front line had taken a lot of the initial damage, but it wouldn¡¯t last. It wasn¡¯t lasting, in fact. Our legion had a lot of manpower, but the temple was even larger than that. Simply by the natural course of battle, our forces were spreading out. The cultists were breaking farther and farther through the ranks.

    Some were even making it all the way back to us.

    A curved dagger gleamed in red firelight as a cultist ran at Kye. I gritted my teeth and surged, pushing off the ground with everything I had to come to her aid. As the uncoordinated man lunged toward the evasive huntress, I knew she didn¡¯t really need my help. But I didn¡¯t particularly fancy standing on the sidelines any longer either.

    The knife-wielder swiped with his blade. Kye stepped out of the way and kicked the man in his shin. He winced and stumbled forward, nearly falling onto the stone before he regained balance. As soon as he did, he took a breath.

    I didn¡¯t let him take another.

    Before the man even realized I existed, my blade had sliced his hand. He screamed in pain as blood drained onto cloth, but even that was cut short. I was still running, after all. And I didn¡¯t plan on losing my momentum.

    Skidding to a stop directly in front of the man, I knocked him off his feet as gently as I could manage. He still went tumbling, grasping desperately to thin air. There wasn¡¯t anything to grab. All he earned himself was a couple extra bruises on his arm when he slammed into the floor.

    Kye shot me a glare as I walked up to the man. I had to fight back a smirk while I stood over his helpless form with my blade at his neck. As havoc moved around me, I didn¡¯t have much time. But pushed on by the discipline I still held close, I looked the man right in his eyes.

    Only crazed, murderous intent stared right back.

    I sighed and put an end to both of those feelings.

    ¡°Not much of a fighter, was he?¡± Kye asked as she walked up. Notching an arrow in her bow, she eyed the man to make sure he was dead. He was.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t look like it,¡± I said, my voice a lot less enthusiastic than I¡¯d intended. ¡°He looked like he didn¡¯t even know how to use that knife he¡¯d been given.¡±

    Kye shrugged. ¡°He probably didn¡¯t. I mean, it¡¯s not like they can build a temple like this with only fighters in their ranks.¡±

    I furrowed my brow at that, but the meaning was clear. Looking down at the bloodied man, I noticed that the armor didn¡¯t even fit properly. Gritting my teeth, I fought myself not to get angry. I reminded myself where I was. Reminded myself that I didn¡¯t have time for¡ª

    The twang of a bow. I blinked, looking up only to see Kye smirking. Beyond her, a cultist reeled backward as her arrow pierced through his armor and painted his shoulder a brand new shade of red. Looking up, the man tore her arrow out and cauterized the wound with a scream.

    Before the pain could stop him, he was already moving toward us.

    A thin smile grew at my lips. The white flame added to it, sending energy twitching in my muscles. As I watched the man approach¡ªthis one obviously far more skilled than the previous¡ªI studied his form.

    But as it turned out, none of it was necessary.

    ¡°Finally some action!¡± a cheerful knight yelled with a smile on his face. Barreling past me and Kye without a second thought, he intercepted the charging maniac.

    The steel of Fyn¡¯s blade shot out. The cultist¡¯s eyes widened only a fraction as he blocked the blade with his daggers. But at that, Fyn¡¯s grin only deepened. He pushed forward, forcing his weight into the cultist until¡­

    ¡°I could not agree more,¡± En said in the most annoying way possible as he slammed into the cultist from the side. A stifled shriek was all the unprepared man got out before he was skidding on stone. The two trained and armored fighters were on him shortly after that.

    ¡°Neither could I,¡± I said, a smile tugging at my lips. Despite the way all of the bloodshed made my stomach roil, it still put me directly in my element. It got my blood boiling in the best way.

    By the time Kye and I got to the cultist our companions had started with, the man was already dead. He¡¯d left En with a mild and, according to him, excessively irritating burn on his hand¡ªbut that was it. A few scorch marks on Fyn¡¯s armor were the only other evidence that he¡¯d put up a fight at all.

    As I slowed, Fyn twirled his sword alongside me. He grinned and scanned the room for whatever he could find. He didn¡¯t look for long, though. It wasn¡¯t as if the temple had a shortage of cultists that were crazed and angry enough to come running at a group of four.

    Fyn found one in short time, but I didn¡¯t pay him much attention. There was no need. As the knight kept chuckling, I had no doubt that he would be absolutely fine, so I turned my attention elsewhere. I tracked across the room for a place where I could actually be useful.

    In the sea of chaos, though, it was hard to discern anything. Among the screams and shouts, it was hard to pick out any sounds in particular that came from more than a pace away. Through the smoke and blurs of motion, it was hard to identify a single body in the crowd. And aside from occasional bursts of fire, nothing really caught my¡ª

    The white flame froze. It flickered alert and dragged my attention with it to a burst of red at the corner of my vision. From across the room, I realized with narrowing eyes.

    Just before one of the stone altars stood another robed cultist.

    Except this cultist wasn¡¯t armored at all. Except for the metal covering his gloves.

    ¡°Kye,¡± I said as I started forward. The huntress turned.

    ¡°What do you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Grey robes,¡± I said, cocking my head in the direction as I adjusted my grip. ¡°Metal gauntlets.¡±

    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± she muttered and followed directly in my wake as I weaved around a fight and broke into a run. Stone flew under my feet at a pace only exceeded by the arrow Kye sent streaking through the air.

    The cultist yelped when the metal tip pierced into his arm. But despite the short show of pain, he only turned to us and smirked. Tearing the arrow out, he began to laugh. The sound echoed in my ears far closer than the distance between us.

    I made sure he¡¯d regret even opening his mouth.

    Flicking his scorched metal fingers together, a flame spawned under my feet. It licked and burned the fabric of my uniform just above the boot, but I pushed out of the way. I twisted and clenched my jaw, letting attacks and stances stream through my head.

    Despite myself, the slew of maneuvers in my thoughts forced a considerable grin across my face. Because this time, they were actually useful.

    My blade tore through the air toward the frustrating man. He caught it.

    I¡¯d expected that.

    My arm wrenched backward, pulling him forward half a step before he relinquished his grip. The white flame¡¯s energy twitched in my muscles, and I took full advantage. I ducked and twisted to the side with as much finesse as I could to shove my blade up against the man¡¯s open side.

    He scrambled backward, scowling at me. But the contact that I felt through my bowed, trusted steel was not one against metal. It didn¡¯t scrape. In fact, it squished a little as blood flowed out through his skin and down toward the hilt of my sword.

    A stray chuckle slipped from my lips as I tore away and spun quick enough to see the furious pain on his face. He twitched and stepped toward me for only a moment before remembering himself. Before remembering the fire he had access to.

    He seared shut the wound in his side like it was the most natural thing in the world.

    I swallowed dryly, letting another set of maneuvers flit through my head. Some of them even enlisted help from the white-hot presence burning in the back of my mind. But none of it was needed.

    Kye came in directly after me with her bow in hand. And another arrow came with her. The gauntlet-wearing cultist noticed, though, and side-stepped her attack with ease. He twisted to glare at the huntress, whose antics had only deepened the fiery color in his eyes.

    She, however, was not one to be intimidated.

    As the cultist curled one of his gauntlets into a fist, she spun away. Her feet slammed into the ground and pushed in the opposite direction of where I was standing. She only spared me a single knowing glance before she hit the ground again.

    Her idea became crystal clear instantly.

    It was really quite simple, but the cultist we were facing didn¡¯t seem as adept as his gloved counterparts had been. Without thinking, he turned, sparking flame in his hand and hurling it at my companion. At first, my eyes widened, but I shook my head shortly after. Kye would be fine, I told myself. She had to be.

    I just focused on pushing forward. With the crazed man¡¯s back turned to me and the white flame crackling up a storm in my mind, I could all but see what was about to happen.

    The air around me felt light. Slick. Exciting. Full of energy that I could shape to my whim. It tingled against my skin, and with a deep breath, I focused on it. I felt my soul as a muscle, envisioned what I wanted to do with it, and executed in a flash of blazing white.

    Our adversary had only just started to turn around when my blade slashed up his side. All the while white tendrils of flame lashed through the cloth of his robes and left burns wherever they met.

    He screamed in pain, stumbling off to the side and glaring right into my eyes. I offered a grin. Despite my heavy breathing and the increasing headache, I tried to taunt the man. To get him as frustrated and distracted as possible.

    Which, as it turned out, wasn¡¯t all that difficult.

    The man lunged at me, trying to grasp at the cloth of my uniform. I saw the red sparks flying off his gauntlets. They were set to burn holes straight into my chest. And they almost did, actually, until an arrow stuck itself into his neck.

    ¡°Insolence!¡± the man rasped, his voice no longer a whisper in my ear. Blood flowed down his neck while he scrambled away from us. His hands itched at the splintering wood that had almost punctured his throat, probably trying to find a way to tear it out safely.

    But I didn¡¯t care. With his hands up and his eyes glossing over, he was vulnerable. Vulnerable enough for me to¡ª

    A bright flash of light.

    Searing orange lined in red exploded somewhere behind me. The light burned my peripheral vision in a single moment before it faded. Before the entire room reacted.

    My ears twitched. The violent ambience of the temple dampened. It dipped and lowered, as though all of the fighting had suddenly been put into slow motion. But even as the light faded, the noise didn¡¯t pick back up. It dwindled as if sound itself was too scared to enter the room.

    Swallowing dryly, I turned.

    A splitting, horrifying wail echoed a moment later.

    My eyes flicked across the room, searching for the source of the scream. It wasn¡¯t hard to find. Across the room, past a group of fighters that had been brawling a moment before, was a knight. One of Lady Amelia¡¯s own, I realized.

    He scrambled away from our knight general¡¯s immediate group. Away from both enemies and allies as his hand tried desperately to pat out the small spark of red flame singing through his armor.

    The spark, however, didn¡¯t stop. It flared with new fury and flashed through the air toward the man¡¯s neck.

    I stepped forward and raised my blade, but there was nothing I could do. There was nothing any of us could do. He screamed again and again as the red spark erupted into a ring of flame that burned across the man¡¯s neck and crept under his armor.

    Another flash of light.

    The man kept screaming as he fell to his knees. His shrieking rang louder and louder off the dull stone walls. But it also rang hollower and hollower.

    Until eventually, it didn¡¯t ring out at all.

    He collapsed to the ground with only a small trail of smoke.

    I gawked, my eye twitching at the sight. Beside me, I heard Kye let out a hollow curse. Even the crazed cultist who¡¯d been fighting us a few seconds before was silent. The remaining sounds of fighting became dull and muffled, like they¡¯d been covered by some unnatural force.

    Then a new sound arose. Everything else became overpowered by something far more sinister. Something that echoed off the walls as much as it did the confines of my inner ear.

    A laugh. A cackle, even¡ªone that wormed its way into my consciousness like an undying whisper. One that taunted me and brought up anger I¡¯d never wanted to see again.

    That cackle was familiar, I realized. And I recognized it in an instant.

 Chapter 62

    The fact that it made sense was the worst part.

    Keris was here. Of course he was. We all should have expected it.

    The cocky pyromancer walked out of the left hallway at the back of the temple through a cloud of smoke. His steps echoed lightly against the stone walls. His cackle, however, still rang through my head. Through all of our heads, I had to imagine. In this case, the shared experience didn¡¯t make it any easier to deal with.

    I twitched, my fingers tightening with each moment. Keris strolled over whatever empty space there was in the temple and over to the body of the knight. His metal-clad fingers danced with sparks. It made me sick. The only thing that made it worse was the abhorrent smirk on his face.

    He was back. The realization crashed over my shoulders with a force I should¡¯ve been ready for. I wasn¡¯t, though. It cut me deep. And the tension in each and every one of my muscles rattled up with each step he took.

    My gaze was transfixed. Stuck in place on the man who had burned me so many months ago. The man who had stolen from me¡ªwho was the reason I¡¯d been forced to fight my own lord.

    And he was back.

    As hard as it was to accept, it made sense. The logical section of my brain that was still working knew it. He was important to the cult. One of the more powerful members¡ªhe had to be. The arrogant, revolting smile on his face while knights stared in horror was one that had to be earned.

    Whether or not he deserved it was another question.

    But no matter how much I wanted to think on it until I had all the answers in the world, time didn¡¯t work that way. It didn¡¯t freeze to let me walk across the room and tear the fire-crazed lunatic to shreds. The world marched on whether I liked it or not.

    Keris kept walking, even as his cackle died back down. The cultists in the temple who had stopped at his entrance all went back to their vicious fighting. The knights went back to defending their lives¡ªonly this time, they were pushed on by the visceral death of one of their own.

    The only knights who didn¡¯t move were the ones in Lady Amelia¡¯s group. Even the Lady herself stood stock-still with eyes wide on the man in dark grey robes. From across the room and through blurred eyes, my view wasn¡¯t pristine. Still, I could¡¯ve sworn I saw Keris flash a grin at her.

    All thought on that observation, however, was sent screaming to a halt as the cultist behind me moved again.

    The first hint I got was heat tickling my back. I heeled, pushing forward and spinning as quickly as I could. I stared, harsh as nails, at the pyromancer who now looked far too much like a cheap, battered imitation of the man I wanted to stab through the heart. He raised his hand and sent the red flame that was floating in the air streaming in my direction.

    My eyes widened a fraction. My pulse roared in my ears. My instincts took full control.

    I¡¯d had enough, though. My body was aching and exhaustion was weighing down on me no matter what I wanted to believe. That didn¡¯t even account for the toll soul drain was taking on me. I was tired. I didn¡¯t even have it in me to dodge the ball of flame.

    As the fiery presence in my head reminded me, though, that wasn¡¯t an issue. From the latent, malleable air that felt hotter every moment, I grasped at energy. I tore it from its lodging and forced it to do what I wanted.

    Before my heart could beat again, my blade swept through the incoming flame and my power ate away at that of the cultist. Red gave way to white until the heat had all but vanished.

    My patience with the man vanished just as quickly.

    ¡°Keris¡­¡± a voice started before trailing off. It registered in my mind¡ªKye, I remembered. Blinking, I turned to her. ¡°Him again¡­¡± She clenched a fist. ¡°World¡¯s dammit, he really¡ª¡±

    She didn¡¯t get to finish her sentence as light flashed in front of my eyes. My surprised, halted legs could do nothing to stop the fire from burning through the sleeve of my companion. For a moment, my heart stopped before I heard her voice again.

    ¡°Motherfucker,¡± she hissed, leaping backward and wheeling around. Before I could even process the curse, an arrow had lodged itself in the man¡¯s chest.

    Kye made sure to cut his scream short.

    In comparison to the assured, confident, and unnatural dexterity of the other cultists who wore their robes without armor, this man was slow. Watching him, I still caught the speed and capability in his movements, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Kye was pissed, and her body moved like a blur.

    The stream of light air that floated over didn¡¯t bother me this time.

    Like a whirlwind of blue cloth, Kye kicked the man in the gut. She was back on him before the pain could even register. Her open hand moved to his wrist and twisted while pushing it against his chest. He stumbled. She stumbled with him and kept up the pressure.

    Then she looked back at me. Pure fury flashed between swirling energy in her eyes.

    I didn¡¯t even spare a smile as I moved. Noting the wince on his face and the way his other hand flailed out, my attack became clear. The edge of my sword tore through the air and slashed down the entire side of the man¡¯s arm.

    As soon as he yelled, Kye took his legs out from under him.

    Gritting my teeth, I watched the man slam onto the ground and cough. He wailed and grunted in pain, but I didn¡¯t care. Even with him writhing on the stone floor, my anger stayed.

    The violent sounds ringing in my ears weren¡¯t dampening any longer. They were rising.

    Keris¡¯ distinct, demonic cackle didn¡¯t help in the slightest

    ¡°World¡¯s damned asshole,¡± Kye said. I blinked and looked over at where her metal boot was crushing the man¡¯s wrist. She flicked eyes down to her quiver. ¡°Made me waste more than one arrow on his¡ª¡±

    Movement flickered in the corner of my vision. Kye continued, but I didn¡¯t hear.

    I twisted, letting a breath slip between my lips and preparing for my next adversary. The crackle of red flame told me what they were, but that flame didn¡¯t even get within a pace of me. A broad-shouldered wall of metal armor stood in the way instead.

    Fyn let out a laugh as he caught the woman who¡¯d been running in my direction. Over his shoulder, I caught the shocked look on her face and the desperation flashing in her eyes while her fingers struggled around two curved knives. Watching her, she didn¡¯t seem ready for a fight. Another that wasn¡¯t a warrior, I guessed.

    Though, now it felt a little harder to care.

    Especially because Fyn¡¯s smile didn¡¯t fade. I had no doubt he¡¯d be alright. There was still more to do, I reminded myself. So I turned back toward the middle of the room¡ªtoward the mass of knights, scouts, and cultists all working each other to blood and bone. On the far side, I saw Lady Amelia and her knights running. At Keris, I guessed but didn¡¯t bother to confirm.

    Two far more confident cultists danced with a knight. The tall, breathless woman dodged under one swipe of a knife only to counter another with the force of her blade. She was keeping up with them, even as the sweat dripping from her brow increased.

    A flash of red light flew from one of the cultist¡¯s hands.

    She was keeping up, but I didn¡¯t know for how long.

    I moved, my body tearing through the air like it was silk as I raised my blade. Taking full advantage of the white flame¡¯s energy, I noted their strengths and weaknesses. The deft, short-haired woman who kept the knight on her toes as well as the angry, cumbersome man who did little more than stretch my ally¡¯s attention a little too thin.

    Narrowing my eyes, I adjusted my grip and went to choose a target. The tall, plate-armored knight decided to pick for me.

    Ducking below the short-haired cultist, the woman gritted her teeth and slashed at the larger man. He grunted as blood spilled over his chest, but the knight wasn¡¯t done. Still moving, she slammed her forearm into his neck and sent him reeling backward multiple paces.

    Right into me.

    In an instant, I twisted, locking my blade in the air to meet the man mid-stumble. In the corner of my eye, I saw him turning, but a scream from his throat ended that focus.

    His blood joined the charred splotches on the edge of my steel. I allowed myself a thin grin and stepped forward, an attack already clear in my mind. With speed, strength, and finesse that was all too rare in the body I currently possessed, I retracted my arm and whipped my sword down.

    Steel collided with the hide armor covering his legs. He bent, stifling a yell and tilting as he tried to save himself.

    The rest of my attack came a moment later.

    In an act of magic that I barely recognized, white flame slashed through the air. It took the energy floating around me and formed it to my instincts.

    I forced him to his knees while using the air itself as a hammer.

    The man wailed, no longer trying to hide the pain. I stepped forward with my own determination, crushed his hand under my boot, and stabbed him through the gut so that he wouldn¡¯t retain enough blood to stand up anytime soon.

    A smile crept onto my lips despite the increasing headache.

    I shook myself and turned again. I sifted through the chaotic scene in search of the man I hated most. The most powerful pyromancer in the room, I had to assume. Our top priority.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    The sharp, warping wave of red flame was a pretty decent giveaway.

    Keris pushed backward from his battle across the room. He retracted his arms and sneered, watching the two knights who had been on him a moment before stagger away to pat out the fire. They coughed smoke straight out of their lungs and looked barely able to stand.

    That didn¡¯t mean they were ready to give up, though. Another two members of Lady Amelia¡¯s group surged past and charged the vile man. Even Lady Amelia herself, I realized. She was¡ª

    I noticed the motion at the corner of my eye a second too late.

    Hauling myself to the side, I missed the brunt of a new ball of fire being flung my way. The edges of it still burned hot enough to sear through my uniform, though.

    Skin evaporated off my body and only left a hot, horrible section of flesh that I wished I could¡¯ve torn out myself.

    Anger spiked in my mind. I clenched my jaw. The white flame smoldered its frustration. I struggled to stabilize. Pain lanced deep into my muscle and morphed into an unworldly itch. One that sat between the shifting temperatures of my flesh and stewed under my skin if only to increase the agony.

    A powerful scream died in my throat as I blinked myself back to reality. I took hold of my fury by the throat and directed it toward the cultist who¡¯d burned me. More than a dozen paces away, a blonde woman glared heinously at me while more fire spawned in her fingers. Her metal-clad fingers, I realized.

    ¡°Another one!¡± I called, hoping somebody would hear me. Hoping somebody would understand. ¡°Grey robes. Metal gloves. Right over¡ª¡± A grimace cut through my words before they could come out.

    But fortunately, my calls had been heard. The woman glaring in my vision stopped producing her ball of flame and instead ripped out an arrow that had found its way into her shoulder. Alongside me, I could hear Kye stifling a satisfied grunt as she ran forward.

    A shallow breath slipped between my lips. The tension eased in my muscles a sliver and I slumped back onto my heels. The solid stone ground felt uneven under my feet.

    I cursed. The burning pain crawling over my side didn¡¯t let up. Thoughts still swirled in my head, and I didn¡¯t bother trying to catch any of them. It hurt, dammit. I hadn¡¯t meant to get burned so quickly. I was supposed to keep going¡ªto continue helping my allies. There was still more to do.

    The idea of doing any of it hurt me. Even draped in anger, it seemed hard for my agonizing muscles. Too difficult to consider.

    But we had a responsibility. We¡¯d already lost too many; I couldn¡¯t afford to be out of the fight.

    Briefly, the blurred visage of my old body rose up. It brought with it the doubts I¡¯d carried for months and the shriveled ideas of how useless I was. Of how much my new, incapable body was a curse that the beast had saddled me with. I¡¯d improved it¡ªor so I thought.

    It wasn¡¯t enough.

    No¡ªthe white flame said.

    I blinked, processing its existence and straightening up. Horrifying violence filled my ears with noise and my nostrils with smoke as moments bled on. Narrowing my eyes, I implored the flame.

    Heal¡ªit said.

    My eyes shot down to the flashing red burn on my side. They widened a moment later as its meaning became more obvious. And before I knew what was happening, the air was once again shaping to my will.

    Except this time, instead of forming into fire that would lash out with savage intent, I moved it into my own muscles. I let the white flame guide my will, let it use my soul. I allowed it to help my body rebuild.

    A familiar warm sensation spread over my side as my headache increased. The extra dull pain was a small price to pay for the relief of so much. In short time, the pain faded and the itch followed. My skin smoothed over with barely any scarring to show.

    I heaved a breath as my body straightened. The weight of my sword dragged my hand to the ground as a familiar weight. I cherished it. Scrunching my face and narrowing my eyes, I stepped back to join the fight around me.

    To my side, the tall knight who¡¯d shoved a brute on me smiled. She stood over the short-haired cultist and stabbed her through the neck. I didn¡¯t even watch for the blood; instead, a small smile sprouted across my lips.

    Turning my attention forward again, I searched for the woman Kye had run to engage with. She wasn¡¯t where I¡¯d last seen her¡ªand through the chaos, I couldn¡¯t find my companion either. The absence of her familiar smirk and chestnut hair forced my heart pounding faster than I wanted.

    The mystery, however, was solved rather quickly.

    ¡°Nuisances,¡± a voice said from across the room. The fact that I recognized it as Keris made me want to spit out my tongue. But I flicked my eyes over to the man anyway.

    He stumbled back, barely throwing the sword of one knight away from slicing his face. His eyes tightening, I could almost see the gears turning in his head. Instead of stepping to retaliate with fire, he twisted.

    ¡°New order,¡± he said, his voice slithering through the air like a dissonant snake. ¡°All kilnsiri must retreat.¡± I winced in mental pain at the unfamiliar and terrifying word. Keris¡¯ smirk radiated through the room. ¡°Allow a dara to solve these issues for us...¡±

    More pain translated with the syllables of his voice. I shook it away and stored the terms with the rest of the ones Anath had mentioned weeks back. Ones that I could barely recall more than the terror they¡¯d caused.

    But while most of the knights and mundane cultists in the room had the same reaction to the terms as I did, some moved. Some responded as if they had actual meaning and retreated to where Keris stood at the back of the temple.

    None of them wore armor, I noticed. Not other than metal gauntlets covered in char.

    A more familiar form took my attention as the woman who¡¯d given me a burn across my side backpedaled rapidly. Her smile was gone and her face had paled, but the crazed look stayed fixed in her eyes.

    I didn¡¯t get time to stew on it, though. The effect of Keris¡¯ order was wearing off quickly throughout the room, and the fighting was starting anew. Beside me, the tall knight was rushing back off toward the main group. She even passed En, who was clutching his hip as he parried strike after strike.

    Looking past them, the sights were even more horrible. Where I stood near the outskirts of the temple, the bloodshed and the burning were considerable. But it was puny compared to the horror some of my allies endured. Two or three cultists were nothing when faced with more than half a dozen¡ªespecially ones that weren¡¯t shy at all with their fire.

    I swore, shaking my head and starting to run forward. Not even the sound of Kye¡¯s voice behind me stopped my advance. It slowed my steps, sure, but that was only to make sure she was alright. Which, from the annoyed curses streaming out of her mouth, appeared to be the case.

    We had a responsibility, though. All of us¡ªas a group and as individuals. I had a responsibility to win as much as any of the knights did. A responsibility to protect those that would protect me. Those that were risking their lives.

    Discipline scratched at the innermost chambers of my soul. It brought along with it the camaraderie and brotherhood that I¡¯d forced myself never to forget.

    A conveniently-placed cultist let me take out my anger a little more.

    I ran straight on and then stepped to the side. The cultist adjusted, turning with me, but he¡¯d calculated wrong. His arm shot out wide and sliced the air instead of my skin. I would make sure that the mistaken hand didn¡¯t have an opportunity to mess up again.

    Before I execute, an arrow slammed into the man¡¯s forehead.

    His eyes widened and his lips twitched. Fire danced from his fingertips, but it dwindled and crackled away. He teetered for only a moment before collapsing onto the stone and forcing me to move my foot out of the way.

    My eyebrows dropped. Despite my surroundings, I found a way to be frustrated. Glaring, my gaze fell upon the beautiful, soot-covered huntress running toward me. The thin smirk she flashed was only missing a sliver of the life it normally had.

    ¡°Way to steal it,¡± I muttered, trying to let the sarcasm lighten my mood. It didn¡¯t work. Neither of us minded the attempt, though.

    Kye approached, breathless. She flicked her eyes to meet mine only once before scanning the room. The energy in her eyes spun at a rate I¡¯d never seen. But for all it was worth, Kye didn¡¯t do much to let on about the strain.

    ¡°Won¡¯t be doing much more of that,¡± she finally said. Her shoulders shook as she took a shaky breath and angled her head away from the burns on her arm. Instead, she looked down at her quiver. ¡°Almost out¡­ Two more is not enough for this environment. I stocked up in Ord, but¡ª¡±

    The rest of her sentence registered in my ear, but I didn¡¯t translate the words. Movement in the corner of my eye stopped me. My instincts took over and spun me around with my sword raised.

    A cultist charged. A shaggy man who looked more excited than he did prepared.

    The anger I directed toward him felt unparalleled in the moment. Kye faded from my peripheral vision, robbing me of the sight as I pushed toward him. I¡¯d been listening to her, dammit. I¡¯d been able to hear her lovely, familiar voice. Then he had come to interrupt.

    The swipe he took with his dagger was useless. I ducked it and came up under him to force steel through his chest. I ripped it out before he could even yell. My foot slammed into the side of his knee and I threw his flailing form sideways by the time he¡¯d started to react.

    I was tired of dealing with them.

    Turning, I didn¡¯t even listen for his last screams. I just looked back at my companion and felt my soul lighten at the dry smile breaching her lips. Only the bright red fire behind her got some of the heaviness to return.

    At once, the events of the past minute crashed down on me. Blinking, I remembered Keris¡¯ call, even if I couldn¡¯t recall some of the words. He¡¯d given a new order. He¡¯d called some of the cultists to retreat¡ªthe important ones with metal gloves.

    ¡°Kye,¡± I said and pushed air through my teeth. Angling my head, I watched the patterns of fire growing in the hands of the elite cultists on the other side of the room.

    The huntress spun, glaring at me. ¡°What? I¡¯m low on arrows, and I don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°There,¡± I said and cocked my head forward. ¡°Keris called the unarmored cultists back for¡­ something. They¡¯re¡ª¡±

    ¡°Preparing something,¡± Kye completed. I nodded as her face contorted and she reached for the dagger she kept sheathed on her waist. ¡°What do you think it is?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Eyelids flitted uselessly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But it won¡¯t be good for us, I¡¯d imagine.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said. ¡°No shit.¡±

    Then the huntress stepped forward and twirled the dagger. She turned left and right, noting the positions of whatever danger was immediately near us, and started toward where Keris was still fighting on the other side of the room.

    ¡°Kye!¡± I called, blinking and forcing myself to move. Even the loud sound of my own voice picked at my aching head.

    ¡°What is it now?¡± she hissed.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I hissed right back without even hiding the concern in my tone. I tried not to glare at the cuts and scrapes on her hands or the burn she already had across the arm.

    Keris was preparing something, but we didn¡¯t know what it was. There was no reason to end up dead before we even got a better idea.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± Kye started but bit her words off. Her face scrunched as she looked back over toward Lady Amelia. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m going to do something.¡±

    My eyes widened as she went to move again. Without thinking, I grabbed her wrist. ¡°Something like what?¡±

    She twisted and glowered, tearing away from my grip. She stopped, though, and that was good enough for me. Even if we¡¯d marched into the temple willingly, there was no way I was letting her fall to the beast like this.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, her voice softening. Her doubt was punctuated by a scream of pain from the fighting groups alongside us. ¡°I can¡¯t just let¡ª¡±

    ¡°Watch,¡± I found myself saying as my eyes moved past her. They studied the way Keris ducked attack after attack while pushing the knights back inch by inch. ¡°At least¡­ watch first.¡±

    Furrowing her brow, Kye nodded. She turned around.

    But as a hammer came down on Keris, my advice turned out to be useful. The knight who¡¯d struck him¡ªRik, I remembered from months back¡ªpushed tremors through his very bones. Just like last time, though, Keris was strong enough to endure.

    When he did so this time, however, he didn¡¯t run back into the fray. He didn¡¯t move to push back his enemies any farther. Instead, he flicked his eyes over the half dozen gauntlet-clad cultists and forced a smirk on his face.

    Red fire sparked from his fingers seemingly without effort. It swirled among metal fingertips and formed into twisting, elegant patterns. Patterns that mirrored the fiery shapes that the cultists he¡¯d called back had been making the entire time.

    My fingers relaxed on the hilt of my blade. Dread set in over my mind¡ªand it seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one. Once again, fighting started to die off as more people looked forward. More of the room became simply¡­ entranced by what Keris was doing.

    Blood started trickling from the arrogant pyromancer¡¯s nose, but he didn¡¯t mind. He just kept pouring energy into whatever he was preparing to do.

    The white flame burned hot in my head, pushing back on soul drain for a moment as though trying to clear my mind for the better. But I could only stare at the ritual as it started.

    I blinked.

    Ritual?

    At once, I felt my pounding pulse again. I felt the thoughts in my head¡ªones both from me and that had origin in the back of my mind. I treated all of them equally and sifted between them to try and decipher what Keris was trying to do.

    One idea stood out. By the time I figured it out, it was already too late.

    A form of incomprehensible terror shaped out of the flames.

    Then it burned out.

    All the cultists that Keris had called back slumped. At the same time, immense soul drain set in and they crumpled to the floor.

    Keris, however, was different. The color in his eyes deepened into that which could only be described as an undying flame. It flared, burning hotter and hotter as his cackling picked back up.

    I froze, blood roaring in my ears. The idea of a ritual stuck out, but it was useless by now. I tried to work through it mentally, to figure out what the ritual had been for.

    But that was useless, too.

    It didn¡¯t matter what they¡¯d been working to summon. For it had already arrived.

 Chapter 63

    I noticed the changes all too slowly.

    Around me, the air itched at my skin. It raised hairs on the back of my neck while simultaneously forcing sweat from my pores. It dried out my throat and heated up to almost sweltering within the space of a few seconds. It distracted me from whatever Keris had done.

    I coughed, noticing the grey tinge to the world around me. Squinting, I tried to wave it away, but it seemed ever-present. A thick, smoky fog had descended upon the temple. One that grew thicker and thicker the further up it went. As I raised my head, I even saw a tinge of slight red when it collected near the top of the¡ª

    Screams. Horrible, haunting, unfathomable screams.

    I jolted, blood hammering against my ears as my mind spun to catch up. I tried to figure out what was going on¡ªto understand all of the changes that had suddenly taken place. But the source of the terror put my understanding on hold.

    My eyes dragged over to the middle of the room. Looked through the thickening smoke and at the massive group of knights and cultists who¡¯d been fighting only moments before.

    They weren¡¯t fighting anymore.

    All of them appeared frozen, in fact, but some were even worse off than that. A few of them were doing what I¡¯d almost done. They were staring directly up at the ceiling of the temple. It would be the last thing they ever saw.

    Slowly, their eyes widened. And it looked, for a moment, that their muscles had been rendered completely useless.

    At the same time, they all screamed again.

    I winced, taking a step back as the terrifying sounds echoed out through the room. Unconsciously, I threw my hand out to the side. My thundering heartbeat calmed as I brushed over Kye¡¯s shoulder. She turned to me with her eyes wide and her lips pressed shut as the screams faded away.

    Their absence didn¡¯t mean our respite, though.

    Another piercing noise followed the screams of knights and cultists alike. It came in slowly as if rising from the base of my ears. Traded off with the echoing screams in waves. Eventually, it won out and crescendoed, leaving a high-pitched, screeching sound to tear through all of our minds.

    Gritting my teeth, I shook my head. I tightened my grip again and again to ground myself. To try and to push back on the sound. The white flame lent me some of its energy for the endeavor, but it was useless. No matter what we did, the noise stayed. It emanated from inside of my own mind as though making sure it had my attention.

    Like a warning of some sort. One that I didn¡¯t particularly want to ignore.

    Eventually though, the piercing sound subsided. It faded from my skull and let my thoughts unscramble for a moment.

    In the corner of my eye, Kye bent over and gasped. She leaned forward on her knees and tried to prevent from falling to the stone. Lazily, I stepped toward her. I tried to console her or support her, but even that was interrupted.

    A flash of light from above. It seared my vision and sent me grimacing. I coughed, wheezing smoke out of my lungs as my vision adjusted again. As I had to spend even more time and energy simply figuring out how to stand in a stable position rather than figuring out what the fuck was going on.

    Kye didn¡¯t have as much luck. She stumbled backward in a similar way as I had, but she slipped as well. Her form slid to the ground despite all efforts to stay up.

    I froze and turned. Clarity rolled in on a wave of fear as I pushed toward her myself. Only the single goal of helping her was what kept me thinking properly. It was all I had energy for as the confusion mounted higher and higher.

    Reaching down, I grasped Kye¡¯s wrist. The huntress wheeled, jerking her head backward and trying to scramble away. I shook my head and kept my grip, coughing out even more smoke. A soft grunt even slipped between my lips in hope that she¡¯d recognize my voice.

    It worked. Or, something worked. But it didn¡¯t matter as she relaxed and let me haul her upward. Despite the flashes of red fire I could see in the corner of my vision¡ªsmall sparks falling from the thick cloud of shifting smoke above¡ªI focused on making sure Kye was alright.

    Once she was, I turned to let more horror cascade through my mind.

    I shuddered. A hitch caught in my throat. The scene made the backs of my eyes itch, my mind rebelling against the sight. The fire of battle receded from my blood. Reason started fleeing from my mind. And even the white flame doubted itself between frustrated flickers of fury.

    In the smoky air ahead¡ªthe air directly above the main group of knights¡ªred sparks were falling. Slow. Painfully slow. They were following some sort of predefined path and seemed to be pushed on by¡­ something that my mind just felt incapable of detecting.

    The observation registered somewhere in my mind. In some fresh memory that I should¡¯ve been able to access. But I couldn¡¯t. All I could do was stare.

    Seconds bled together in a smoke-filled blur as the red sparks fell. But eventually they did reach the ground. Though, none of the knights in their path had moved in that time. They couldn¡¯t have¡ªthat was what my rationality told me, at least. It was impossible for them to escape for some reason. It had to be.

    Squinting in disbelief, I almost questioned my thoughts. Almost.

    The red sparks stopped falling as soon as they moved within range of fresh bodies. They leapt instead. A whole plethora struck through the smoke and latched onto both knights and cultists alike.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    They killed unconditionally¡ªburning through metal and bone with ease and then enveloping each body they touched in a burst of red flame.

    Any shrieks that escaped were stifled before they could even echo out.

    My stomach rolled, curling into knots. Charred bodies fell onto stone, some even piling on top of each other as nobody in the entire crowd moved. None of them could move, I reasoned again. It was impossible. It had to be.

    The anger that I had felt before came back. It rushed up through my mind only to morph into disgust. Into a sense of revulsion so deep and core to my being that it didn¡¯t even qualify for thought. It just was. I felt it in each and every one of my bones. The same sort of resistance that I held against the reaper itself.

    Because even though I couldn¡¯t figure it out, I knew one thing. Whatever was happening was wrong. It was unnatural. Warped and terrifying like some sort of fever dream. But I was in too much aching pain for it to be a dream.

    Whatever it was... it was real.

    Tears formed at the corners of my eyes. Eventually, it became too much. Watching the charred bodies continue to drop was too horrifying for me to even process. So instead, I latched onto one of the only other feelings even worth considering. I latched onto the burning curiosity that wanted to understand exactly the world had forsaken us with.

    I looked up.

    At once, weight pressed down on me. It imposed itself against my eyes as though trying to dissuade me from perceiving. But I ignored it and pushed on, flicking my eyes back and forth over the red-tinged smoke at the top of the room.

    Slowly, I gathered sights. One after another and each accompanied by pricks of mental pain. They each came as if someone had stuck a new needle into the back of my eye in a way that was just dull enough to make me not pull away.

    Swirling, shifting smoke that moved on its own. Two separate maws of fire on either side of the cavern¡¯s ceiling. A glimpse of reflective scales. A round, catlike eye staring directly at me.

    I wheeled back, gasping. The dull needles at the back of them stabbed in all at once and forced me to fall into a crouch. Beside me, Kye murmured something out of concern, but I didn¡¯t hear.

    I couldn¡¯t hear, really. My brain didn¡¯t work. Sound registered, but I didn¡¯t translate it. No. I needed help. It was pure pain. I didn¡¯t understand it. I couldn¡¯t understand it.

    White flame flickered in my head. Warmth spread out over the inside of my skull and forced the mental pain to recede a little bit. The vision in my left eye sharpened again and stopped sending me fractured images. I could breathe again. I could think.

    And as I did, I almost wished that I hadn¡¯t been given the opportunity. Because while the swirling, fiery smoke above us thickened ever-more, I got closer to an idea. I started putting the pieces together to form a puzzle that I didn¡¯t want to exist. But remembering the temple around me¡ªthe sweltering heat, choking smoke, and terrifying rain of fire that rendered all of us useless¡ªI couldn¡¯t ignore it.

    Whatever was up there, it was larger than us. It was stronger and it had access to more power than any of us could muster. It went as far as to damage the inner workings of our minds without even breaking a sweat.

    It lived up to the kinds of overblown destructive conceptions I kept deep in my mind. Except this wasn¡¯t a story¡ªthis wasn¡¯t a myth.

    ¡°Kye,¡± I muttered as I forced myself up on shaky legs. Blinking lazily, I tried to keep my brain moving. ¡°Kye.¡±

    The huntress didn¡¯t turn. She stood frozen in place with her shoulders twitching and her lips trembling. Her gaze was transfixed on the blackened bodies that kept collecting in the center of the room as hell rained from above. She stared at the lives that kept being taken away almost without effort, as though the oppressive power we¡¯d mustered was truly insignificant on some sort of grand scale.

    I swallowed dryly and stepped toward her. ¡°Kye. Please¡­¡± My eye twitched. Her name was the only thing I could think to say. ¡°Kye. Kye.¡±

    Finally, she turned. She ripped her attention away from the horror at the recognition of my voice. Her features softened a sliver as she saw my face.

    ¡°Agil¡­¡± she said. ¡°W-What¡ª¡±

    I shook my head, stopping her right there. The next word rose to my tongue, but it almost felt wrong to say. It felt impossible. It had to be. Yet¡­

    ¡°Dragons.¡±

    The word fell away from my mouth and clattered through the smoke. At once, a weight lifted from my shoulders and I felt a little more clear. I felt a little more capable of conducting motor function without falling flat on my face.

    Kye paled, but she nodded. ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Do. Not. Look. At. It,¡± a voice yelled from across the room. It was strained yet surprisingly stern for the situation. Both Kye and I glanced at Lady Amelia.

    She stood firm, her head shaking in struggle and her heels digging into the stone. But as per her order, she wasn¡¯t looking up. She wasn¡¯t even looking at the group of dying knights. No. She was staring directly at Keris.

    The pyromancer wasn¡¯t smirking anymore by the time I looked his way. Instead, he was struggling to even keep a straight face. The crazed look in his eyes, however, was still there.

    ¡°Rik,¡± Lady Amelia said. The hammer-wielding knight turned, fighting back a grimace and locking his teeth. ¡°If you¡­¡± She gasped. ¡°If you will.¡±

    One heartbeat later, the two of them erupted into action. The stone underneath Keris¡¯ feet grew up and wrapped around his ankles. It morphed to Lady Amelia¡¯s will and shackled him in place. Except this time, she didn¡¯t just let him sit to break out.

    The two knights ran with abandon. They raised their weapons and charged the pyromancer to make sure we had one less problem to deal with. Faintly, I registered the smirk growing back on Keris¡¯ face. By then it was already too late.

    A flash of light. Orange fire tinged with red at the edges. An explosion of rock and dust followed by screams and shouts. Scuffling, scraping, and sliding over the stone.

    Their forms moved like rag-dolls as the three fought each other.

    I blinked, shaking my head and trying to track the fight more clearly. But by then, they weren¡¯t even brawling. At some point, Keris had pushed himself back and started laughing again. Even among the chaos, the terrifying cackle wormed its way into my mind.

    A moment later, he rose into the air. Not a jump. Something slower. He ascended through the smoke as fire enveloped him like a phoenix. Blood poured from his nose and his fingers trembled in pain, but he didn¡¯t stop.

    After a few seconds, he froze. An indescribably horrible image took shape in flame behind him, and sparks started flying through the air. As if he was tearing energy from its natural state, waves and waves of embers rose out of thin air behind him and floated into his hands. It was like he drew power directly through the wide stone wall on the far side of the temple.

    Somehow, that felt important. For the life of me, I couldn¡¯t place why.

    Without waiting any longer, Keris screamed one last time and grasped the energy right into his gauntlets. A second of quiet followed, one that I was sure would break into fire and fury.

    But it didn¡¯t.

    Instead, Keris fell from his place suspended in the air and crumpled. I watched as his body collapsed on the ground, hacking up blood the entire way. Even as his muscles went limp, though, the demonic smirk didn¡¯t die.

    It grew even wider as he laid there, in fact. As his body slumped and his eyes glossed over, he somehow looked as smug as ever.

    I opened my mouth and tried to ask what he¡¯d done, but it was pointless. I knew my answer quickly enough.

    Keris¡¯ head fell to the floor.

    A loud, ethereal growl seeped through the space.

    It left only silence in its wake. Every single note of noise was killed in its presence, and all of my lingering doubts were as well as my lips slid shut.

    I knew what he¡¯d done. We all did.

    Rath. The queen of the dragons. The mother of destruction. The mythological, incomprehensible entity of pure fury. It didn¡¯t matter what name was used.

    We¡¯d come to attack her temple.

    Now she¡¯d come to defend it.

 Chapter 64

    Nothing.

    Rath had woken up. We could all sense it.

    Her presence was there¡­ we could all feel it.

    Yet there was nothing but darkness, and we could all see it.

    Behind where Keris had crumpled on the floor, still cackling, the temple doors had opened. Without even a creak, they¡¯d moved on some supernatural wind to expose the room beyond.

    But as we all stared in horror, anticipation eating away at the insides of our minds, we saw nothing. There was naught but a dark stone room filled with a murky blackness so thick that it seemed to resist the light. It pushed back against the red-tinged glow of the rest of the temple as if making sure nothing saw what sat within.

    My heart thundered, smashing against my ribcage as though it were a prison. All of my insides shifted, itching to move or to flee from whatever Rath was about to unleash upon us all¡­ but I couldn¡¯t. For some reason beyond my comprehension, I was unable to react to the tension. Unable to give in to my fears and run for my life.

    No. All I could do was stare.

    And even as time marched on, the silence stayed. It persisted despite the complete amalgamation of different angry and terrified bodies all packed into the same room. Nobody made a move. Nobody made a sound.

    No. All we could do was stare.

    Eventually, the frozen moment cracked. It gave way to the barest amount of movement, even if it was only with our eyes. We were able to move our attention away from the uninteresting back room and toward the man who had caused it all in the first place. The battered, shriveled, bloodied pyromancer who had summoned the mother of destruction in his own time of need.

    Keris shifted, his limbs shaking in struggle as he tried to sit up. He made attempt after attempt at curling his body into a straighter position, at even doing so much as wiping the blood off his face.

    But he couldn¡¯t. He was too weak, and it looked like his muscles were restrained too. Even he was pressed down and handicapped by whatever presence was shifting throughout the room.

    The entire time, though, Keris¡¯ smirk didn¡¯t let up. It didn¡¯t drop even in the slightest as his silent movements went unsuccessful. It didn¡¯t waver or shift into anything else even as blood continued to pour down over it.

    For a moment, some desperate part of me screamed for understanding. Some section of my mind that was meant to¡­ meant to do something. I couldn¡¯t remember. It wasn¡¯t important.

    My faint mental protests were cut off. My strained, limited attention was drawn to something else entirely. It dragged away from Keris and toward the subtle sparks of light creeping along the floor behind him.

    Slithering forward like snakes, lines of spark and ember approached the pyromancer. They were moving to do¡­ something, some part of me said. They had a purpose¡ªbut no matter how hard I tried, any idea of that purpose felt slippery in my mind.

    It was hard to grasp. It took too much effort.

    Better to just watch, I decided. Better to just stare.

    As seconds traded places with bouts of eternity, the streams of red cinders made progress toward Keris. They reached him at some point and dug into his body, tearing straight toward his soul.

    His scream of agony broke the silence in two.

    Yet as the fire wrapped around him, the scream didn¡¯t stay. It cut off without even an echo as soon as he shut his lips like a sweeping strike that had been blunted at the last moment. And as the silence imposed itself once again, Keris didn¡¯t appear all that bothered.

    In fact, his face morphed away from one of pain and back into¡­ a familiar expression. One that I¡¯d seen before, but right now it was too hard to place. All I could do was watch as his lips curled up and strength returned to his body.

    My heart skipped a beat.

    A spike of fear rippled through my head. It made my skull ache just feeling it, but it seemed necessary for some reason. It felt important¡ªparticularly as it was reinforced by a white-hot warmth that was trying to wash over me.

    Still staring at Keris, though, I didn¡¯t really know why. Something told me not to spend the time to figure it out, either. It was too much effort.

    The revitalized pyromancer stepped forward on shaky legs. He wiped the remaining blood from his nose and bared his teeth toward the ground. After a moment, he took a strained breath, watched with fiery eyes to some abstract point in mid-air, and nodded.

    The world around me changed in an instant.

    Before I could even process what had happened, the presence restraining my mind grew heavier. It grew thicker and more intimidating, only increasing the helplessness I felt at its grip. Inside of me, I could feel resistance. I could feel some white-hot anger and disciplined determination trying to regain control.

    The resistance was quiet, though. It easy to tune out, especially as whispers started infiltrating my ears.

    Resonant tones flowed through my mind, low and hushed. They felt fleeting and staggering at the same time, trading off on discordant beats as they attacked my brain.

    At first, they simply felt strange, leaving a tingling feeling in my soul as though it was never meant to interact with sounds of this kind. But slowly, they grew louder and more painful. Steadily, they rose to drown out the roar of blood against my ears until they were the only thing possible for me to hear.

    Each word that was muttered, each hiss of something beyond my mind¡ªit only translated into pain. The voices burned against my consciousness.

    As the pain rattled up, in fact, some clarity returned. Some part of my psyche cracked under the pressure just enough for the rebelling forces that felt distinctly like me to finally gain ground.

    And as they returned more and more, I recognized why the whispers were familiar. I remembered Anath¡¯s words and her warnings. I remembered the terms in her tongue that she¡¯d muttered only for me to reel back in pain.

    These were similar, I realized. Except that these deep, ringing whispers were closer. They were omnipresent and far, far more painful than what I¡¯d experienced before. They created a grating feeling against my mind as if the terms were incompatible with my mind, like they were so far beyond me that I would never even have the chance to understand.

    My psyche cracked more, concepts fleeing my head. Values, memories, ideas that I held core to my identity started to falter. My love of the blade. My hatred of the beast. My want to protect. My¡­ discipline?

    I barely even recognized the word.

    As it all gave way, though, something else entered. The white-hot presence from before seeped in and burned my pain to the ground. In a show of pure, furious desperation, it forced out the intruding whispers and bathed the broken parts of me in warmth.

    I held onto that warmth even as I could feel my body again. My eyes drooped, tempted by the deep dark abyss that felt so close. And I almost gave in while the cracks in my mind started to heal¡ªto rebuild themselves. But I didn¡¯t. The white flame didn¡¯t allow me to.

    A gasp of air rushed through my lungs. The white flame flickered, straining itself ever-more and making the recognizable headache of soul-drain almost painful enough for me to wretch. I didn¡¯t, though. I kept myself under control.

    Stone stared back into my face. I breathed, my brows pulling together until I realized I¡¯d fallen to my knees. Somewhere along the line, my body had slumped down as if on the verge of collapse.

    I shook my head, getting my thoughts in order. The trusted weight of my sword still dragged my hand toward the floor, and I latched onto the feeling. I used it as a way to ground me while I sifted through whatever was going on.

    Tilting my head up, I saw the temple again. The smoke had cleared somewhat, but it was still swelteringly hot. It was still packed with combattants along with the stench of blood, sweat, and soot.

    Resisting the whispers that were still shifting around my mind, I noted all of the cracked pieces of rock and char. I noted the burned bodies still on the floor, the groups of knights and cultists still spread out in the temple.

    None of them were moving. Not even Lady Amelia and her group¡ªwhich only included Rik and one other knight at this point. They all stood completely frozen with their eyes wide, watching one point in the air or another as though it had them at knifepoint.

    And, as I realized when I tried to stand up, I couldn¡¯t move either. Despite the efforts of the white flame, whatever presence Rath was imposing upon us still had me locked in place. It still had some part of my mind convinced that moving wasn¡¯t an option.

    The only motion at all, in fact, was Keris. After his patron dragon had healed him, he¡¯d gone to ambling through the room on his own. Watching his movements, he still looked strained, but he wasn¡¯t shackled like the rest of us.

    She must¡¯ve had use for him, I guessed.

    Anger pounded through my veins. It forced my spine a tiny bit straighter with the sheer brutality of the emotion. But as I stayed frozen, helpless against something so much more powerful than me, the emotion faded into something else. It bled back into desperation, a feeling that reminded me of something crucial.

    I turned¡ªor, I tried to turn toward where Kye had been standing next to me. Instead, all I got was the movement of my eyes. That was enough. I caught the huntress in my periphery, her legs shaking as they struggled to stay up.

    Her eyes were wide with horror too, and I could feel the hair on my back stand on end as dread washed over me, but she was okay. Considering what was happening, she was doing alright. Her hand was still tightly wrapped around her bow, and I could see the determination etched between the lines of fear on her face.

    I took a deep breath. Well, I did my best to, at least. Instead of stressing over Kye, I turned my attention inward. I checked in with the white flame and tried to defend myself against the whispers that refused to go away.

    They still slithered through my consciousness even after all the control I¡¯d regained. Words and phrases above my comprehension still sparked pain each time they washed through. With a grimace, I tried to push back on them more, to tune them out.

    It was only halfway successful.

    As I resisted the looming presence pressing down on me, it didn¡¯t budge. The pain didn¡¯t leave. And the whispers didn¡¯t cease becoming louder and more irritating. They didn¡¯t stop grating on me like rusty nails on marble, driving me more insane with each passing second. No. My attempts were futile; whatever power Rath had was beyond me.

    Luck, however, appeared to be on my side.

    Because whether it was a result of my efforts or something entirely separate, Rath¡¯s presence moved. It got bored of torturing my mind and went toward the main group of knights. Somehow, I felt the change in the air.

    It wasn¡¯t the same as normal. It wasn¡¯t a sharp movement that pushed air in my direction, nor was it movement of light, malleable air like when I was casting. No. Her movement didn¡¯t affect the air at all. But I still felt it like the barest hint of light shining through the bars of a dark cell and brushing my skin if only to tantalize me with everything I couldn¡¯t reach.

    I didn¡¯t know how to describe it. My thoughts were sent spinning by the simple act of acknowledging that it had happened. But none of it mattered. It had happened, and the whispers had gone along with it.

    Smoky air circled through my lungs. I closed my eyes and relaxed my shoulders, calming myself. With as much conviction as I could muster I stopped the trembling in my fingers and took stock of the situation.

    It didn¡¯t take much for me to snap my eyes open again.

    An ice-cold shot of fear rushed through my veins. I glanced up, watching the main group of knights in rising terror. In the physical world, I couldn¡¯t see Rath¡¯s presence move. But I knew she had. I¡¯d felt it. And the tense, contorting expressions on many of their faces didn¡¯t leave much doubt.

    They could hear the whispers too.

    At once, I tightened my grip and tried to move forward. I tried to go help them or do anything, but I couldn¡¯t. Even with the whispers gone, I was still locked in place. Attempting motion was like straining against the confines of my own skin.

    It just¡­ wouldn¡¯t work.

    When the bloodied and burned collection of knights and cultists started shaking, some even falling to their knees, my breath accelerated. I tried reaching into the back of my mind and imploring the white flame for help. But it had none left to give.

    White fire flickered softly, continuing the bathe the damaged parts of my psyche with warmth. It dwindled with each moment, and the headache attacking the back of my skull was already worse than I¡¯d ever felt.

    Any further and I would be pushing my limits.

    I hesitated, my breath catching and tension rising behind my eyes. In the center of my vision, another knight fell to her knees beside a charred corpse of her friend. She didn¡¯t even look down in grief. She couldn¡¯t look down. All she could do was shake and tremble and hold her head high to scream.

    Which was exactly what she did. But I didn¡¯t get to hear her shriek¡ªthe otherworldly silence swallowed it before it got to me. Even still, I could see the pain bare. The absolute and utter confusion as her mind cracked under the pressure.

    I couldn¡¯t even move to help. No. All I could do was stare.

    One by one, the knights fell like she did. Each of them did it a slightly different way, but the whispers cracked them all. Rath broke their minds like glass and just let the pieces scatter without caring where the ended up.

    Some handled it well, standing upright with as much determination as they could muster until the very end.

    Some handled it poorly, the whispers getting the better of them in short time. They were the ones to collapse on the ground and bang their heads against the stone or take their weapons to end the misery before it could get that far.

    My stomach rolled as more blood stained the temple¡¯s stone floor. A hitch caught in my throat, my fingers trembled, and I tried to shake my head. I tried to blink it away, but it wouldn¡¯t go. The bodies kept falling, ripping a hole straight through my heart as I watched the fear on every single one of their faces.

    Even the cultists fell. That realization stuck out to me like a beacon. Despite the fact that Keris was alive and well, the other cultists apparently didn¡¯t deserve the same treatment. Their souls were treated like any other by the queen of the dragons.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Unconditional destruction in the most horrible way possible.

    Each of them, burned, bleeding, and exhausted alike¡ªthey all fell. The crazed, savage, fiery intent in their eyes dropped away to show fear exposed plainly to the world.

    In too many of their gazes, I saw confusion as well. But it wasn¡¯t the kind of mortal confusion I expected. No. It was worse. It was a sort of innocent, genuine bewilderment as though they were shocked that Rath targeted them at all.

    The monstrous dragon probably didn¡¯t care. It was all destruction to her.

    The cultists had been so passionate about it before. They¡¯d worshipped and worked for it with their own lives on the line. They¡¯d envisioned a fiery future of destruction, one that simply razed their enemies to the ground in a fury of red flame.

    But this?

    This?

    I doubted they understood it any more than I did.

    Although, it wasn¡¯t like they were given much of a chance before the mental function necessary to try became a thing of the past. Before the souls that had channeled Rath¡¯s energy in the past became naught but husks on the ground.

    En¡¯s face caught my eye just before the tears started. My attention shifted toward the lightly armored knight who I¡¯d been marching with for days.

    Fyn stood only paces away from him, staring on in panic. His face contorted too¡ªI knew he heard the whispers as well¡ªbut it was almost like his death was put on hold while he watched his friend fall.

    En struggled, tremors rattling through his body as he resisted. His hand gripped tightly to the hilt of his sword and tried to hold it at the ready.

    The gesture was useless, of course, but it at least gave him a heroic position as his eyes glossed over. Pursed lips gave way to mutterances. Control gave way to insanity. And he fell to the ground. Blood splattered out of his mouth as he hit, the lack of a sound making it all the more terrifying to watch.

    I couldn¡¯t help it anymore. I wept. The tension behind my eyes broke and tears blurred my vision, burning the entire way as they streamed down my cheek. Staring at En¡¯s twitching body was too much. It was too much to watch the life get stolen from him without even so much as a fair fight.

    He simply¡­ died. Just like that, he was gone. I would no longer have the chance to make another memory with the man. There would be no eye-rolling comments or irritating interruptions. No. He was gone.

    My lips trembled as I continued to stare, locked in my own skin and overtaken by a presence so much greater than me. He was dead, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    There was nothing any of us could do.

    The beast¡¯s visage rose in my mind, taunting me with the gleam of its scythe. These souls¡­ it would harvest them all without a second thought. It would rip them away from the world and leave only grief in their wake.

    As my chest ached between tears, I almost saw the reaper itself. I could¡¯ve sworn I saw the black mist, the tattered cloak, the ancient scythe. But as soon as En¡¯s body crumpled, finally lifeless, it was gone. The image left, too fleeting for me to know whether it had been real at all.

    Plus, my attention was diverted anyway. Instead of staring at En, I caught movement where Fyn was standing.

    I snapped my eyes to it.

    With my heart sinking and blood running cold in my veins, I blinked away tears. I tightened my grip with whatever bodily control I still had and waited for my friend to fall as well. A little hope pulsed in my heart, but I had trouble giving into it. The hollow helplessness of it all was taking over.

    Fyn, however, still had hope. I could see it in the determined look in his eyes, in the way he forced a smile despite the assault on his mind. Second after second, I expected him to fall. I expected Rath to rip the smile off his face and crush him with the same kind of ambivalent ferocity she¡¯d used before.

    But¡­ she didn¡¯t. Or, if she was trying, there was no evidence of it. Fyn stood strong with his blade in hand and continued resisting, smiling for longer than any of the other knights had lasted.

    Eventually, Rath stopped. Some shift in the air that I could sense but not understand told me something had changed. And as Fyn took a step back, relaxing his muscles while he regained control, I was only proven right.

    Hope bloomed in my chest, overpowering the despair for a moment. It reminded me of Fyn¡¯s determination. His relentless optimism. It took the time to tell my damaged mind that there was still a chance he would survive.

    Movement in the corner of my eye caused doubt to rear its head.

    Keris walked up as casually as he could. With fire dancing between his fingers and a crazed, almost possessed look in his eyes, he watched the knight. He studied Fyn as though trying to figure out the best way to bring about his death.

    Fyn didn¡¯t have the patience to wait.

    In an instant, the knight had his hands up. He had his grin wide, his teeth gritted, and his eyes narrowed directly on the pyromancer.

    The flood of lightness through the air sparked my hope anew.

    Keris froze. His eyes widened and his lips trembled as he was the one to get robbed of control. Fyn casted with everything he had left and forced Keris to stop the flames. He forced the pyromancer to backpedal at an increasing speed until¡­

    The scream that followed was blunted yet again.

    Metal gauntlets skidded across heated rock as Keris fell, thrown like a ragdoll off balance by Fyn¡¯s magic. For a moment, the cheerful knight kept up his smile and stood tall. Then, however, he dropped his shoulders and¡ª

    ¡°Nuisance,¡± Keris said, his voice cutting through the silence. I¡¯d barely processed the word before my mind was sent spinning.

    Clangs of metal. Grunts of pain. Puffs of smoke and explosions of flame.

    Heat erupted from in front of me, prickling my face and nearly singing my hair. But I didn¡¯t have time for self-concern.

    As Keris stood up and rolled his shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world, my hope died. All of it vanished in an instant, replaced by feelings of grief and sorrow so utterly¡­ wrong. They couldn¡¯t exist, I told myself. They weren¡¯t fair.

    Fyn¡¯s body was barely recognizable by the time it hit the ground.

    I shuddered, my eyelids flitting at the image. The tears returned in quick time, burning my eyes even more than the smoke. My heart screamed, the phantom sound echoing through my hollow soul when I saw the beast come for Fyn too.

    This time, I was sure. The mourning and care I had for Fyn was too powerful to deny me the sight. The beast came and it took him away, leaving only a charred corpse behind.

    Beyond him and across the room, I saw Lionel and Laney watching in perplexed terror, but I didn¡¯t pay them any mind. They became little more than blurred forms in my vision anyway as the tears streamed out.

    A wail built up in my throat, splitting and awful. It echoed through my ears as soon as it left my mouth, carrying with it all of the pain that I couldn¡¯t think to express any other way. Yet even as I bellowed, trying uselessly to fix the tightness in my chest, I was sure I couldn¡¯t actually be heard.

    The silence swallowed my pain and killed it just like it did with all the others.

    My grip tightened. I narrowed my eyes and gave into the anger boiling through my blood. I tried to lurch forward once more, to at least stand by Fyn¡¯s side for whatever it was still worth.

    But I couldn¡¯t. I was still stuck in place. Rath¡¯s imposing presence still had some part of my mind convinced that I was unable to move. That it was somehow better to stay fallen on my knees while the beast reaped souls all around me.

    Another knight fell, slamming his head against the stone in the corner of my eye.

    I stopped resisting.

    Maybe that part of me was right.

    All at the same time, the hopelessness returned. It rushed back to crash down upon me, smothering me with regrets and memories I didn¡¯t want to see.

    It had been an inane idea from the start, I told myself. Attacking Rath¡¯s temple had been destined to fail from the very first moment we¡¯d thought it up. Attacking dragons?. It was pointless.

    And yet somehow I¡¯d convinced myself it was alright.

    Somehow, I¡¯d gotten myself to believe that we had a responsibility. That our legion¡¯s oppressive force was the best shot any of us had to end it before something worse began. I¡¯d even gotten Kye to come along.

    That fact stung more than any other.

    Because our preparations were useless. No matter what we did, our loss had been inevitable. The powers we were attacking were simply too far beyond us. All our responsibility had done was give Rath a taste for blood before her ire truly began.

    None of our training had prevented that. None of our numbers¡ªshe dropped us like insignificant flies as it was. None of our enchantments had saved us. Not even the runes that Ray had given us had helped. Nobody in our entire legion even had the metal ability to use one if they wanted to.

    We were frozen in horror and forced to suffer waves of misery before meeting our own untimely ends.

    Nothing but living corpses panting their final breaths.

    The sentiment only became more clear as Rath¡¯s presence moved again. Away from the main group which she¡¯d already decimated, I felt her shift back toward us. Back toward where Kye and I stood, waiting for death.

    Mental pain returned as her attention squared on us. The whispers came back just as quick, tormenting both of us with words we were never meant to understand and driving us insane in the process.

    The white flame tried to help me. It tried to keep our brain together against the onslaught, but it too was reaching its limit. It was only able to do so much before the warmth ran out and my body fell cold.

    The beast was already breathing down my neck.

    There was nothing I could do about it, plain and simple. None of my usual methods worked. None of the attacks, maneuvers, stances¡ªthey were all useless. I couldn¡¯t move my body, and I could barely think among the rising tide of mental agony.

    I wanted. But I couldn¡¯t. It was too hard. Easier to yield, some part of me said. What part? I didn¡¯t know. It didn¡¯t matter. The pain was rising too fast. My memories were falling too far. I just¡ª

    It stopped.

    A stream of air entered my lungs, one just barely enough to keep me from suffocating. I blinked, trying to look up to no success. The whispers hadn¡¯t gone, I realized. Rath¡¯s presence hadn¡¯t left me or even turned her attention away.

    Only the pain was gone, replaced instead by some foreign sense of interest.

    And the longer the whispers wormed through my mind, the more that interest grew. The more I could feel her presence scouring my mind for¡­ something. Some thought, some memory, some section of my soul that was important to her for some reason.

    As the seconds bled on, though, it seemed she wasn¡¯t able to find it. She came up short every time, never even searching past the surface.

    ¡°You,¡± a voice said, distorted and painful. It emanated from somewhere in my mind and traded off with the whispers currently ravaging my consciousness. I could understand it, at least. This voice conveyed actual meaning. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    I shivered, my muscles aching with fatigue and my nose twitching at the horrible stench of the room. With Rath¡¯s presence still there, I tried to respond. I tried to say something or think back, but none of it worked. All I conveyed was confusion.

    ¡°It is unwise to lie to me,¡± the voice said. It almost scraped against my skull with its intensity. ¡°It is small, but I sense another. Another of my kind. I sense her.¡±

    Some memory rose up, one that I¡¯d thought was important. One in a dark forest with a¡­ a girl? I didn¡¯t know how else to describe her. She stared at me in interest and made a failed attempt at a smile before raising her hand and doing¡­ something.

    ¡°You have met her,¡± Rath said, ripping me away from the memory before I could derive any actual significance. ¡°I feel her on you. I need¡ª¡± The voice cut off and more draconic whispers took its place.

    Then her presence vanished.

    All of the whispers, all of the pain, all of the imposing handicaps forced upon my mind¡ªit was all gone at once.

    Control returned to my body. Pain showed its face on my muscles. Sound returned to the room. Light sobs. Subtle scrapes of metal. A scream or two as those left alive came to terms with the dead.

    Someone stumbled beside me. Metal boots skidded across stone until an arm fell onto my shoulder. It grabbed me in a familiar way, trying to pull me up. Someone was talking to me through breathless rasps. Their voice was nice, and I felt my smile grow just listening to it.

    Slowly, I rose to my feet. The fog in my head cleared and I felt myself able to form coherent thoughts.

    By the time I came to, however, things were already starting to change.

    I coughed, forcing smoke out of my dry and cracked throat. Then, wiping tears from my eyes, I stabilized myself. I grounded myself in reality and made sure my body was whole.

    ¡°Agil¡­¡±

    A voice next to me. One I would never forget. I turned and couldn¡¯t help the cascade of relief as I saw Kye¡¯s soot-covered face. She stared at me, a tear forming at the corner of her eye, and smiled.

    I smiled back. Before I knew it, my arms had wrapped around her. I was holding her close and nearly weeping yet again. Partially out of grief for the fallen and partially out of joy that she had survived.

    Our moment of respite could only last so long.

    As soon as my arms parted, Rath¡¯s presence returned. I could feel it bearing down on my skull, tearing my attention away from Kye and toward the other side of the room.

    There, in front of the doorway that led only into darkness, was¡­ something. In all honesty, I didn¡¯t know how to describe it. It was some form that felt significant¡ªsomething that felt powerful¡ªbut I couldn¡¯t say anything more certain than that.

    It was as if my brain couldn¡¯t decide what it was looking it. The form kept shifting and changing, heightening my terror with each new shape it took. Through a haze of shifting smoke, it was both large and small. Both a mist and a liquid. Both a monster and not.

    There were some constants in it, but none of them offered me any hope. Red-tinged smoke. Glimpses of reflective scales. Large, cat-like eyes staring directly at me.

    I stepped backward, trying to shake my head as the realization became clear. But again, Rath¡¯s presence robbed me of my free will. I couldn¡¯t look away. I could move my attention to something else.

    No. All I could do was stare.

    All I could be was a victim of my own fear while the dragon taunted me.

    Eventually, she stopped. A clawed hand decorated in red scales rose out of the smoke and twisted, shaping through a swarm of embers. It manipulated energy in the same way Anath had done all those weeks back.

    At once, my shoulders slumped. Another ward of clarity joined the one Anath had already given my brain. Except this one was active, and it pushed away all the fear and incomprehensible confusion.

    With a sigh of relief, I glanced back at the dragon.

    Her physical form coalesced into something, a singular form that I could comprehend. The haze of smoke cleared. Wide, red-scaled wings extended from out of the dragon¡¯s back.

    But as the mother of destruction stepped forward, I didn¡¯t see what I¡¯d expected. Instead of an immense, scaled monster, I saw something more tame. As though shaped to a conception of mine, she appeared in a humanoid form only with draconic features.

    I swallowed, my throat scratching like a scorched desert.

    The queen of the dragons stopped, her swirling, cat-like eyes glaring at me. At the edges, her form phased in and out of smoke, but it stayed clear enough. She stayed that way as if existing physically for the sole reason of being perceived by lower minds.

    In my peripheral vision, Kye sighed as well. She stumbled backward a few steps and looked toward the physical form Rath had taken with a look of relief that was lined in disgust.

    Around the room, the rest of the living gave similar looks. Lionel and Laney looked on in utter revulsion. Rik stared in frozen horror that was only slightly lessened from before. And the rest of the room¡­

    The rest of the room had already died. They hadn¡¯t been as lucky as we had to survive long enough to stare the mother of destruction in her face. They hadn¡¯t had the assistance of a white flame or a long-dormant ward of clarity from another dragon to save them.

    No. They were just gone.

    My chest ached again, restricting the heart inside with a reminder of what had happened only minutes before. Of all the lives that had been taken in almost the blink of an eye.

    But as Rath approached me, taking as much time as she wanted with her eyes fixed on mine, I didn¡¯t even get time to experience the grief again. I didn¡¯t get time to¡ª

    ¡°Daariv,¡± a voice said, the single word only translating into pain. It ripped through my thoughts and forced me to look over at where Keris was approaching Rath.

    The dragon queen stopped, shifting her gaze to him. He gritted his teeth under it, nearly shrinking, but he stayed steady.

    ¡°These are the ones from Sarin,¡± he said. The tone of his voice made me want to stab him through the heart. ¡°The ones Petra told us about.¡± My blood ran cold. ¡°This is the greatest confirmation. I must prepare for the final promise.¡±

    Rath kept up her glare, staring wordlessly.

    Keris, however, reacted as if she¡¯d said something. His eyebrows shot up. ¡°I-I know. I¡¯m¡ª¡± He bit off his words and nodded submissively. ¡°The most recent to dishonor your kin. He must pay.¡±

    Rath¡¯s humanoid head bobbed ever so slightly, confirming what Keris was already saying.

    My veins itched as I watched, unable to intervene without possibly getting scorched from the inside out. Keris¡¯ words sparked even more dread, this time connected to something else entirely. The final promise, I remembered. It was the last thing the cult was supposed to do before Rath¡¯s ire came about.

    I tightened my grip at the thought of Norn burning to the ground. Yet something nagged me about it. Some idea that I hadn¡¯t fleshed out, connected by pieces of information I¡¯d recently gained¡­ it doubted that Norn would feel the cult¡¯s wrath. Instead, something else¡ª

    ¡°Stay?¡± Keris asked, his normally smug voice ticking into uncertainty. ¡°Why must I¡ª¡± Rath glared harder at her principal pyromancer. He got whatever message she was projecting into his mind rather quickly. ¡°Oh. The final threat. You know where she is?¡±

    Rath¡¯s physical form flared, phasing into smoke for a moment as though she was having trouble keeping control. It stabilized eventually. Enough to nod, at least. Enough to return her fiery glare to me.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Keris said sheepishly as the dragon queen moved toward me again.

    This time, there was nothing in her way. No distraction or barrier besides the space between us. And after an instant that felt like an eternity, she was standing right in front of my face. Her piercing, draconic eyes were studying my soul and scouring me in the same way she¡¯d done before.

    As before, though, she was unsuccessful in finding what she needed. Anath¡¯s sunken ward of clarity evaded her detection by being buried deep in my mind.

    ¡°I need it,¡± the distorted voice from before said. Rath¡¯s lips didn¡¯t move even an inch. ¡°I sense her on you.¡±

    The mother of destruction raised her hand. In my mind, terrifying whispers picked back up. And around the room, snake-like tendrils of flame spawned out of nowhere before slithering toward every other living soul.

    The one moving toward Lionel and Laney caught my eye. Because instead of cowering in fear, Lionel¡¯s eyes swirled with energy. He started casting, probably to make himself fearless, and moved to defend Laney from the flames.

    That action earned him three fatal burn marks across his neck and his chest. His char-covered body fell onto the floor lifeless just as another tendril approached Kye.

    My stomach rolled, threatening to give up whatever I had in my stomach all over the floor. The only thing that prevented it, in fact, was my desperation to keep whoever was left alive.

    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, my voice low and raspy. The whispers in my head halted, and so did the flames that Rath was controlling. In the corner of my eye, the pure terror on Kye¡¯s face was the only thing keeping my words coherent. ¡°Don¡¯t. Leave them. I¡¯ve¡­ I have met with her.¡±

    Her draconic eyes widened, sharpening on me like I was her next piece of prey. At once, the flames threatening everyone else in the room fell away and Rath turned her full attention to me.

    ¡°I need it,¡± her distorted voice repeated through my mind. ¡°You have met her. The last threat. I can feel the trace of her within you. I need¡ª¡±

    Her words continued after that. They even continued having actual meaning, but it didn¡¯t matter to me. With each step she took closer to me, my vision blurred. The whispers ramped up in my head. The pain increased. It became too much.

    The white flame tried to help me, but it was weak as well. We spiraled together down into the familiar void of our collective consciousness while Rath left no memory unturned.

    ¡°Agil?¡± Kye asked alongside me. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Her voice rattled up in intensity. ¡°World¡¯s dammit, what did you do? What did¡ª¡±

    Even her words were lost from my perception as the downward spiral continued.

    I fell back to my knees, calls still echoing from the world around me. Rath raised her hand for one final time, her eyes still locked with mine. I felt a single second of horrible, searing agony as if my soul had been split on the edges of a million blades.

    And then everything went numb.

 Chapter 65

    By The Sword - Homepage</a>

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    I awoke to darkness.

    All around me, a murky blackness swirled. In long, drawn-out patterns, it spun as though holding my attention just enough to keep me awake. It worked, for the most part. My eyes watched the blank blackness lazily and traced the patterns with whatever mental capabilities were slowly returning to my brain.

    Blinking, I lifted my head after a time. I squinted at the darkness and allowed some slowly-forming recognition to take hold in my mind.

    It was familiar, I realized. The special type of infinite void that represented the depths of my consciousness rather than a descent down to Death¡¯s door. It was one full of life, full of the memories, concepts, and emotions that ruled my life.

    Though, as more painful awareness returned, I figured it represented my infinite descent into madness as well.

    Wincing, I closed my eyes again. I relaxed the muscles that I could feel and tried to take stock of the pain my body was in. On the physical side, I didn¡¯t feel much. Any connection to my muscles and bones was foggy at best. As my own thoughts continued to become more complex, I felt the mental side of my fatigue all too well.

    Slowly, the memory of what I¡¯d experienced washed back. Riding on waves of discomfort, I remembered our assault on the temple. I remembered how outclassed the cultists had been until Keris arrived. Until they¡¯d summoned a dragon upon us.

    And even then, we had carved out some semblance of hope for ourselves. Lady Amelia had been able to resist the dragon¡¯s visage enough to attack Keris himself. Then even that¡­

    It hadn¡¯t been enough.

    No hope had remained after Rath¡¯s rise from slumber.

    I stiffened, the horrific images playing back before my eyes like ghosts of the past. They couldn¡¯t be true, I told myself.

    My own lie wasn¡¯t very convincing.

    Whether I liked it or not, the events actually had transpired, and the lives had been lost. So many cultists, so many knights, so many friends. They were gone.

    The only reason I¡¯d survived, I remembered, was because of my meeting with another dragon. The only reason Rath hadn¡¯t ended my life with the snap of her fingers was that she needed me. She needed whatever ward of clarity Anath had given me so long ago.

    What gave me the right to survive?

    The helpless, hopeless unanswerability of the question hurt as much as all my pain. Just thinking about it, I wanted to tilt my head back and scream into the black. I couldn¡¯t. Even as my brain returned to a solid semblance of rationality, I was restrained. My body was unable to move, even here as I floated in my void.

    I flicked my eyes down.

    Maybe my body wasn¡¯t there at all, I thought. What I could see of it was blurred and undetailed at best, so maybe it was a mental construction. Maybe I was just floating, a lone soul amongst the black.

    Maybe. But with how hard it was to push thoughts through my head as it was, I doubted this was my own doing. Even if I didn¡¯t want to admit it, I still felt Rath¡¯s presence within me. And around me, for that matter. She was still there suffocating me from both directions, like I was staring at my brain from the inside out.

    Tension rose up in my chest. I tried to push it down, to stay sane and not think about how I was a prisoner in my own head. Anything else, I told myself. Anything to take my mind off¡ª

    Warmth brushed over the side of my body. I blinked, halting my train of thought as recognition boiled under the surface. In the side of my vision, a soft white light rose up out of infinite black, and I could feel movement from the back of my head.

    I flicked my eyes over, already trying to force my lips to smile at the white flame. Flickering dimly, it crawled out from the back of my mind and surveyed our surroundings as I had done only seconds before.

    It was small, I realized as I watched the innocent flame. The light it provided wasn¡¯t as bright as normal. Its warmth wasn¡¯t as comforting. It was battered and strained¡ªI remembered that too.

    But it was there. Both of us, against all odds, were alive.

    A change in the surrounding blackness. I blinked, pulling my eyebrows together as I tried to recognize what it was. Faintly at first but rising with time, I heard sounds. Soft, hissed, and painful sounds. They crept up like predators from the base of my ears, growing until they all but demanded my attention.

    I grimaced as soon as I recognized what they were. I knew resisting Rath¡¯s whispers was useless. The torturous consequences of her presence were painful, sure, but they were still beyond my power. Now, I just had to sit and listen as they ground down my soul.

    Eventually, the whispers changed. A more distinct voice rose out of them and actually conveyed meaning into my mind.

    ¡°Where is it?¡± Rath asked, the simple question sending my mind spinning. I knew what she was asking. I couldn¡¯t come up with the answer. It sat too far away from my consciousness, and I was already disoriented.

    The void around me shook, sending my thoughts even further off balance as Rath expressed her displeasure. The whispers filtering into my ears loudened. They grew harsh and caustic, attacking me both from within and without.

    Still, I didn¡¯t answer. I couldn¡¯t answer. Not with my brain spinning around itself. Each time I went to grasp for the memory I wanted to respond with, it swept away from my reach.

    After seconds of rattling up the discomfort, Rath took matters into her own hands.

    As though tearing through my soul with a claw, she reached into my mind. I wanted to scream at the onset, but the sound was hollow in my throat. The agony went unexpressed to the outside of my captive cell.

    I was paralyzed while Rath rifled through memories, her horrific ethereal claw cutting with a poised and pointed intent.

    Before I could figure out what her intent was, however, she was already tearing a memory up. The experience was already rising both in my head and in front of my eyes, ready to force me to relive an experience I knew as my own.

    A set of steps made of dark wood, the ones that lead up to my house. They creak under me as I settle in, arching my back to the front doorway and curling my knees in. I squint at the world in front of me, picking it apart for everything it has.

    Darkness, draped over the world because of the night. Our fields still gleam in moonlight. Our grass and our crops shine a dim silver glow. They create a wonderful little expanse that our family can call a home.

    The trees, looming and awful as they hide secrets inside. Moonlight doesn¡¯t reach between their branches so I cannot see what they hold. It is only blackness beyond where our little path leads. I fear what lurks within, for it could come out at any moment.

    A man settles on the steps beside me. I lift my chin and turn away from the woods, letting fear so quickly fade away. My father smiles at me in his perfectly signature way. He melts away all my worries as soon as he begins to speak.

    Stars, glittering and beautiful up above, but I don¡¯t pay them any mind. They are merely a backdrop to my night as a smile rises at my lips.

    My father¡¯s words enchant my ears, beckoning me to hear more each time. I scoot closer and¡ª

    A burning, grating feeling sliced right through my mind as Rath ripped the memory away. For a moment, I tried to hold on. I knew it was useless. Blinking past a scowl, I was only met with the familiar blackness again. No nighttime air. No tales from my father. Nothing. It was all gone.

    Yet as I thought back on it, I barely even knew why I cared. With the images playing across the backs of my eyes like phantoms, I hardly recognized the scene. It was something I¡¯d deemed important at some point, but I didn¡¯t know why. The reasoning was too faded now for me to grasp.

    The white flame flickered in confusion. It didn¡¯t recognize the memory in the slightest, as though it had been taken from a completely different lifetime.

    Grimacing, I tried to ignore Rath¡¯s persistent whispers. Tried to get myself back to a place where I could think clearly. A place that was stable enough for me to understand the conflicting thoughts in my head.

    Before I could figure it out, however, Rath was already tearing another memory up. The experience was already rising through a sea of mental pain, and I was helpless to get away from its pull.

    A single step made of old wood, the one leading up to my house. Some say it¡¯s older than the town itself. It creaks under me as I settle, a scowl already building on my face. Pulling my cloak in, I try to ignore the cold wind whipping across my face.

    A winding cobblestone road that leads out toward the rest of town. Down the way, a few houses pepper its sides between the trees, but our house is more removed than most. It creates a nice secluded space away from the eyes of everybody else.

    The town, looming and awful in the distance as it taunts me with whatever the future holds. The expectations of perfection and responsibility to be like my parents. I¡¯m special, they say, but all I feel is tortured. I fear what will happen if I fail before I even begin.

    A woman settles on the step beside me, already fixing me with a concerned glare. I don¡¯t turn to her as she grabs my shoulder and holds me close, reassuring me with words only my mother can.

    Stars, glittering and beautiful up above. I look at them instead. My mother¡¯s words are merely a backdrop to my wonder as a smile rises to my lips.

    The specks of light enchant my eyes, tantalizing me with their vastness and all the possibilities they could hold. I raise my head higher and¡ª

    Another round of pain ripped me back to the void. It uprooted me from my body and tore away a moment I¡¯d long come to cherish. A moment full of love and wonder¡ªone that I¡¯d deemed important at some point.

    But the reasoning for why was cracked and broken in my head. With Rath¡¯s harsh, angry whispers stabbing my brain at every chance they got, I couldn¡¯t focus on it anyway. It slipped away from my grasp far too fast for my feeble hands to catch.

    Beside me, the white flame flickered in understanding. Its light grew brighter as the memory still washing from our eyes registered somewhere deep within it. But I didn¡¯t recognize the memory at all. I only had some vague familiarity with the images as though I¡¯d come across them from a second-hand account.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Before I could figure out what that meant, however, Rath was already tearing another memory up. Her claws were digging into my psyche like dirt, and the experience was already rising too quickly for me to get away.

    I walk into the room, my hands trembling and my eyes burning. Wood creaks under my feet as I walk forward toward the bed. The poor, drab furnishing of our house stares at me in judgement. It implores me with phantom eyes as if telling me it¡¯s all my fault.

    My mother looks back as I approach. Her face is contorted and distraught, showing all of the pain I feel in my heart across her features. The sight of her makes me weep even more, and I¡¯m not comforted by the weight of the sword dangling by my waist.

    My father smiles at me, his face waxen and pale. It is strained and sickly like normal but somehow even worse this time. The sight of fresh blood matted against his bandages almost makes me collapse right there.

    Words drift to my ears, short and sweet. My father offers the last piece of advice he will ever give me before my mother¡¯s cries overpower him. He continues to talk, but I can only hear the weeping. The soft whimpers. Cracked and mournful.

    After a time, my father closes his eyes a final time. The breaths leaving his lips become shallow, and the world falls out from under me as heat floats off his skin.

    I can swear I see the face I am never meant to look at¡ªcracked and bony with eyes as black as coal. I know it has taken my father. I fear what more it could take from me as¡ª

    Once again, my soul was thrown. The weeping stopped, and the ghostly image of the beast faded away. Despite the pain, I couldn¡¯t react. I couldn¡¯t even offer so much as a grimace. I was shaken, cut to my core by a memory that had become faded at the edges.

    Even if its images were blurred, though, the pain was still there. The sorrow, the loss¡ªall of it. It was still built into my soul. Remembering it hurt far more than anything Rath¡¯s incessant whispers had done.

    The white flame crackled in hatred. The kind of deep, burning hatred that stemmed from loss that mirrored what I¡¯d just seen. Even if it didn¡¯t recognize the memory, it knew the pain. It despised the beast as much as I did.

    Before I could figure out what it had lost, however, Rath was already tearing another memory up. The sharpness of her claws sliced through my thoroughly-battered psyche, and the experience was already rising too fast.

    I walk into the clearing, my eyes dark and the portrait clutched in my hands. Grass crunches underneath my feet as I stop, taking a breath of fresh air. The dim, natural light of the forest around me watches both in concern and assurance.

    My mother stares at me as I bring the portrait into view. She is smiling and holding her head high, standing with the poise any guard should have. Even on the worn parchment of a painting more than a decade old, her expression is distinct. Not even the faded colors are enough to detract from her pride.

    My father smirks at me as I drag my eyes over to him. Standing next to the woman who would be his wife, he shows no shortage of confidence. Watching the arrogant eyes that I will never get to see again almost makes me cry right there.

    Smoke drifts into my nostrils as I conjure the white fire in my hand. I set it on the portrait through blurry eyes. It burns, but all I can see is the smoke. The ashes floating into the air. Full of the lives that the portrait once showed.

    After a time, it is nothing but a burnt crisp. The last wisps of smoke leave it, and it is gone in the same way they are. Only this time I saw them go on my own terms.

    I can swear I see it standing above the ashes¡ªbleach-white bone gleams in the sunlight above. I know it has taken them from me. I fear what else it could possibly take as¡ª

    The first thing I noticed as agony washed away again was the white flame. It burned softly, crackling with sorrow and pain. Continuing its idle dance against the black, it flared up a single time as if to propose a question I felt all too well.

    But even though it felt the pain, the recognition of the memory was broken and fractured. It had become lost somewhere along the line as though shattered against a rock.

    I twitched, trying to force back tears as I watched it. Because though I didn¡¯t recognize the memory like it did, I knew the pain. I knew the frustration and the hatred of the beast just as intimately.

    Death¡ªthe white flame said. I blinked, trying to reach out to it for answers.

    Before I could figure any of them out, however, Rath was already tearing another memory up. In an act rushed and brutally forceful, the experience was already rising. I didn¡¯t even attempt to resist.

    I charge, my blade swinging in wild yet precise strikes. The anger pulses through my veins as I execute attack after attack and push him back against the wall. Loss, a concept all too fresh in my mind. I channel it into my every move.

    Finally, he yields, throwing his gauntlet-clad hand up and admitting defeat. I retract my blade and stand, breathless over the field on which we train. But I am not done. Persistence is the only thing I have.

    An expression, one of frustration but that is lined in concern. My fellow knight lowers his sword and steps to me. He tilts his head as if imploring me.

    I know what he is thinking. The thoughts are displayed clear on his face, but I cannot agree. I cannot give in. Loss of life. It grates upon me, taunting me with the faces of friends I will yet never see again. I fear how far it can go, how many ghosts I will rest on my conscience.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± he says. Words echo through my skull yet they fail to calm me.

    ¡°I should be able to do more,¡± I respond. My statement only deepens the concern on his face, but I hold them tight with my resolve. I raise my sword anew and¡ª

    The whispers were furious as I rose back to awareness. The jarring exit barely even registered as pain. I didn¡¯t focus on it. Instead, I focused on the feeling¡ªthe fear of my own weakness. I remembered it somehow, even if the specifics were long-since faded away.

    The white flame flickered in understanding.

    Before I could figure out why, however, Rath was already tearing another memory up. In an act indicative of her waning patience, the experience was already rising. I welcomed it this time, hoping to find answers in its scattered images.

    I lean back, taking another swig from the bottle as rain beats down on the street. The liquor goes down with a smooth burn, and I hold onto the sensation. Relief, a concept all too fleeting in my life. I let myself experience it for the moment even through my soaked clothes.

    Finally, I yield, setting the bottle down again and taking a sharp breath of the nighttime air. Instead of relaxing, I focus on the task at hand. I rip energy from the air and force it into a single point until it sparks heat all on its own. But I am not done. Persistence is what has allowed me to get this far.

    A spark, one that is different than before. One of an energy form beyond what we can normally perceive. Around me, the drunks look on in horror. I push on and keep up the pressure despite the drain on my soul.

    I know what they are thinking. The doubts and accusations of insanity are all ones that I have heard before, but I don¡¯t care. I cannot give in. Validation. I need it because I know I am right. I fear how deep the world¡¯s hidden truths may go, but I fear the idea of never finding out more than that.

    The concentrated point of energy sparks again. White-hot and extraordinary, it reveals the beyond to my eyes yet collapses before I can push too far.

    ¡°I should be able to do more!¡± I yell to the sky. My declaration only deepens my displeasure with failure I may never get over, but I hold hope tight against my chest. I raise the bottle anew and¡ª

    This time, I ignored Rath completely as the memory tore away. The whispers were there. The mental pain was there. The agony of a power beyond me was there. I pushed past all of it.

    The reasoning was starting to connect. The dots of information¡ªfeelings, memories, and ideas from lifetimes that had all but fallen away¡ªwere starting to form a picture. They were filling in gaps of my knowledge, not only of myself but of the white flame as well.

    It blazed softly beside me. I turned to it and stared, letting warmth cascade over my skin. The understanding was clear between both of us. We didn¡¯t need words to convey.

    Both of us recognized the memories to some degree. Both of us felt the weakness, the sorrow, the pain. But no matter how entrenched the images were in our mind, it wasn¡¯t us.

    Not anymore, at least.

    All of the memories¡­ they were incompatible. They connected together into a puzzle that was larger than a single life. They didn¡¯t work to form an identity either of us could call ours.

    Such an identity existed, though. We¡¯d been living it ever since that cold night in the forest all those months ago. And despite everything both of us had lost, we¡¯d also gained so much.

    After a moment, I smiled. The memories faded into the back of my mind, and I felt content with the idea of never seeing them again. Turning to the white flame, I reached¡ª

    Pain. Searing, torturous, insufferable pain ripped through my mind, as though my soul were being pulled across itself, scraping through the void the entire way. I felt myself stretched thin. It was as if Rath¡¯s frustration had brought her to tear a hole through my mind only to make her search effort easier.

    The whispers picked up, becoming sharper somehow. They ate away at me and raked against my skull like it was a grindstone. Gritting my teeth and trying to keep any form of coherent thought, I¡ª

    More agony stopped my attempts. The horrifying sensation rattled up even higher, tearing and scraping through whatever limbs I couldn¡¯t even feel. It was like Rath had redefined the concept of pain simply to make me feel even worse.

    As she accelerated through my memories, sifting among each of them exactly where she¡¯d left off, I wanted to wretch. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs and rip out my nerves. Still, I was frozen. Her presence was powerful enough, even in my own consciousness, to keep me rooted in place.

    Rath growled. She disregarded memory after memory in her search for one related to Anath. Each one she came across, whether faded and blurred or broken and fractured, only infuriated her more. The mother of destruction threw all of them out and instead started at the point where the two apparent streams connected. Where two lives joined into one because of a curse by the beast.

    For a moment, I almost considered my hatred for it. I almost considered trying to press Rath for information on the reaper as I¡¯d intended to do while marching to her temple.

    Now though, it didn¡¯t seem like the best idea.

    Slowing down only a hair, Rath calmed as the flashes of images started to resemble my new life. They started getting closer and closer to when I¡¯d first met Anath.

    Continuing on her tear, she went through each memory with lightning speed. But even still, I realized, she was looking at some of them more intently. As though using points of fear as a guide, she only took the time to investigate moments at which I¡¯d been terrified the most.

    The howling wind nearly shreds my thin body. I know the beast has cursed me, but I will not let it get the best of me. I push on. I have to find¡ª

    The man¡¯s fists hit me again and again, covering my face and neck with bruises. I lie back helpless, hoping that I do not need a rematch with the beast. But the man stops. When I open my eyes, he wraps his hands around my neck and¡ª

    The pounding of my own blood and the rustling of leaves behind me is all I can hear. The creature is gaining on me, but I¡ª

    Another sniff. In the trees to my left, I hear the sound again. Hissed and low. Louder than before. Something tells me I will not hear¡ª

    I shook my head, snapping my eyelids shut and trying to remove myself from the memories as they rushed past. Despite my plea for ignorance, the images continued to come. They continued to document all of the lowest, most terrifying moments of my new life.

    Even with the pace she¡¯d assumed, Rath wasn¡¯t finding what she wanted. There were too many memories for her to sift through, and she didn¡¯t have the patience to wait.

    After forcing me to re-experience the fear I¡¯d felt while facing Keris for the first time, she accelerated the pace even more. Instead of passing in front of my eyes like lightning, the images bled together into a constant stream. A fluctuation of light and color plagued with a sea of chaotic emotion.

    Rath didn¡¯t let up. She kept ripping my mind like it was flimsy fabric and forcing agony upon me in a way I couldn¡¯t even describe. Like dragging my body over a bed of burning needles except worse. It was¡ª

    It stopped.

    Abruptly, the pain vanished. The whispers dampened, and my mind felt spacey, like I was fully and truly floating in a void. The image that focused into view was warped. It was blurry and uncertain. Watching it felt like pushing past a barrier I was never meant to exceed.

    Fire. Scorchingly hot and lined in red. It burns through the houses and razes the community I love to little more than a pile of ash.

    I blinked, trying to focus on the image. It felt important, after all. It was something I would never forget¡­ yet I didn¡¯t remember it at all. I¡¯d never experienced it before.

    Screams. Dozens of them. They easily sound like thousands. All waxing and waning over the sounds of battle. Some are of rangers bleeding in pain. Some are of citizens scrambling out of the way.

    I furrowed my brow as a chill ran through my body. Slowly, I was beginning to recognize the scene. Not exactly as it was depicted while billowing in plumes of red flame, but I knew the town by heart. It was the place I called h¡ª

    It started again.

    All at once, the pain came rushing back and the detached serenity flushed toward excessive n. I went back to getting dragged over a bed of scorching nails, except this time it was in the other direction. Like I was regressing¡ªmoving backward through my memories until¡­

    The terror stops. Its scraping fear vanishes, and its murky black form recedes from my vision. With it slinking back to the shadows, it reveals a sight to me.

    I froze, my eyes widening and my thoughts screeching to a halt. The white flame froze too, flickering in abject terror. I recognized the memory. We both did.

    And I had no doubt that Rath did as well.

    A girl. Raven-haired and pale. Grey, bony wings protrude from her back and spread out through the clearing. Scales, covering her body like parasites. For a moment, I want to run, but I don¡¯t. I recognize her.

    Already shaking my head, I resisted. I tried to block out the memory from my mind and stop it before Rath got what she wanted. No. It couldn¡¯t be over that quickly, I told myself. Even as the draconic whispers resumed in my ears, I tried to repel her ethereal claw.

    Deep down, I knew it was futile. Her power was beyond mine in ways I couldn¡¯t have even conceived. Still, I tried.

    I start shaking my head, my eyes flicking to the edges of the clearing. I know the terrors will not let me go without a fight, but I don¡¯t care. Staying here is worse. I know it. The fear is still¡ª

    The memory stopped, a moment frozen in pain. For the single instant, I just watched helplessly. Then Rath¡¯s claw went digging. It latched onto the exact source of the memory and tore through my psyche until she found it.

    A small weight lifted from my soul, but it was barely noticeable among all the pain. Silently, I kept trying to resist. I kept trying to push back and assert my own will even as awareness slipped away.

    Eventually, even the pain receded. With the whispers following in its wake and Rath¡¯s imposing presence not far behind, reality started to spiral away. The void watched me fall with judging eyes, but I disregarded it.

    The white flame continued to crackle, warming me all the way to the core. With it, I didn¡¯t mind as much.

    This time, I wasn¡¯t as scared to brave the dark.